#solely for Sam’s benefit

[princessamericachavez]

I feel like people complaining about Ted Lasso pushing a narrative that insists on forgiving too much (like the racism Sam experienced) are missing the point a little bit.

The show didn’t tell us that Sam should have ignored the situation. As a matter of fact, just like with the airline plot line, it was shown that standing up and using his privileged position to talk about these issues was the right choice for Sam. But it’s not the easy choice. It’s not the safe one either. And there ARE consequences.

“If you really want to piss them off, forgive them” Sam’s dad says (more or less) and it doesn’t mean that they had a right to do that or that Sam doesn’t get to hurt or be upset by it (or that they shouldn’t be punished for it if possible). The thing is that the vandalism was aimed at upsetting Sam, at making him angry at the world, at making him feel unsafe and unloved and unwelcome. By letting it go, “fighting forward”, Sam wins.

Anyway, Ted Lasso has always been a show proponent that forgiveness is a possibility and a necessity for us to move forward without carrying the resentment and distrust with us forever. It’s also always been transparent about the fact that forgiving is the hardest choice, the one complicated both for us and the person who is receiving that forgiveness even when they might not be, or consider themselves, worthy of it.

Did the people who trashed Ola’s deserve forgiveness? No. Was Sam entitled to his anger and his pain and the desire to fight back? Hell yes. And the show doesn’t tell him not to feel any of those things. It just says… forgive them anyway. Be angry, and forgive.

[sosa2imagines]

Promises broken, promises kept.

Warnings- Angst, comfort and fluff, pregnancy. -----------------------------------------------------

"I'll never break your heart." You keep thinking about it, why did you believe that line? Isn't it obvious when someone says that, they will break your heart?!

When you had joined the Avengers, your sole purpose was to help save the world. But as days went by, you became friends with everyone. Especially closer to Steve. Looking after Bucky brought you both closer. But you guys never crossed the line beyond friendship. Things were good.

When the infinity war happened and Tony took retirement, while the rest turn to dust. The remaining you were devastated. While Natasha was trying her best to get to Clint, along with running the world, you and Steve found solace in each other. The first time it happened was, when Steve ended up having a nightmare about Bucky and he slept with you. After you had calmed him, you both ended up kissing each other and one thing led to another.

You had strictly made the pact to be only friends with benefits. And that's how it was. Most nights were spent in bed together having amazing sex. Steve was obsessed with every single curve on your body. But as time went by Steve started to fall for you or atleast that is what you think.

"I promise you Y/n I will never break your heart." How naïve of you to believe him. Despite your past experiences and he knowing about them, you gave in. You both were officially a couple.

When Scott showed up and the possibility of getting everyone back came true. Everyone got to work along with Tony. When everyone came back from the past with the stones, you all were mourning Natasha, but your heart hurt a little bit more when Steve just couldn't stop talking about how close he was to Peggy. Like a good listener you listened to him with a smile on your face and the night ending in sex. Getting everyone back came with another cost. You lost Tony. You couldn't even tell him he was going to be an uncle. Yes, you got pregnant, apparently little bit of carelessness cost you. But you were not complaining.

When you told Steve the good news, you were hoping for any reaction instead of a "That's great, I'm happy". You tried and tried to ignore the burning sensation. Maybe you are over-reacting or just thinking too much. Just a week before the actual day of going back in time to return the stones, Steve took part in the trial of the time machine. You were scared to death. But Steve promised you “Nothing will happen to me baby doll, I’ll come back to you. I promise” And nothing truly happened to him. He kept his promise. He came back safe and sound. Just not alone though. He came back with Peggy, holding her close to his side. Steve’s eyes never left Peggy who was looking around in awe. But you still had faith in him. Maybe he is just happy and nothing else.

Bruce was the first to break the silence, while Sam and Bucky stood next to you protectively. “What have you done? You can’t play with past, present and future!” Finally, Steve’s gaze falls on you all, before opening his mouth, “Look I know you all are upset.” Taking a step forward from the platform with Peggy. “Peggy wanted to see the future, I’m going to take her back when I go to return the stones.” Before anyone can say something else, Steve started introducing Peggy to everyone. “Sergeant Barnes, so good to see you.” Peggy smiles, “Yeah, Hi Peggy.” He replies somewhat uncomfortable about the situation, glaring at Steve. When it came to introduce you to Peggy, Steve was bit nervous. But he had no choice, since everyone around, except for Peggy, knew about your relationship with Steve. Having waited enough, you introduced yourself, “Hi Peggy, I’m Y/n, Steve’s girlfriend.” Peggy’s smile faded, the anger on her face, if looks could kill, Peggy just murdered you in more than ten ways.

Later that day when everyone was back in the compound, Steve refused to leave Peggy alone. He brought her back to your shared apartment, to live with you and him. “Peggy, please listen to me, it is not what you think like, I was alone here, you have no idea how much I have lost, that’s when Y/n came into my life and I found solace in her.” Steve explains with puppy dog like expression, Peggy was furious, how dare you steal her Steve? Peggy was not going to let that happen. She would make Steve realize, he belongs to her and not you. “Oh Steve, I’m back now, you are not alone anymore. We can live our life, just the way we wanted.” Steve was over the moon, when he heard Peggy say this. But at the same time, he knew this was not possible for them at the current moment and then there was you, carrying his child. “Y/n…she is pregnant.” Steve tells her hesitantly, Peggy was not in the mood to hear any of this, as much as she wanted to rip Steve apart, she knew she had to be careful, with her words. “Is it yours?” “I..think so” Steve lies, while Peggy smirks. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. Show me around darling, we have got little time for ourselves.” And that’s what he did, Steve spent his time with her. Even the nights were spent with her. Steve would often come to bed late, after you did go to sleep.

He took Peggy to all the places he has been with you. From museum, to the diner, to the secret lake just behind the park. Whatever Peggy wants, Steve does that. Thankfully, you did get some alone time with Steve, only when Peggy use to go for bath. Apart from that time, she would be stuck by his hip. “It’s feels like ages, I have spent some time with you Steve.” Steve looks at you when you mention that, giving you a half smile. “Oh, baby doll, are you jealous?” He teases, but that didn’t hurt you, the fact he can’t see the pain in your eyes, hurt you the most. One night on your way to the kitchen, you saw Steve and Peggy dancing, to close to comfort, her eyes were closed, head resting on his chest. While Steve looked at her in adoration. When he saw you, he gave you a curt nod and a smile which you returned.

Maybe, just maybe Steve is using this time to be with her, till she goes back again. Maybe just maybe you have nothing to worry about. The night before the big day, Steve at last came to bed early. You both ended up having the best sex! Something the way he was nuzzling into you made you feel something is not right. “Steve?” “Umm?” “I’m, scared.” “Don’t be scared Y/n, everything is fine.” The way he said your name instead of baby doll, made you flinch. He did never call you by your actual name. “You’ll come back to me, right?” “I promise you.”

The next day, Steve was standing on the platform with Peggy, looking very happy. His hand firm on her back. He looks at everyone, before finally glancing at you with a small smile. He nods to Bruce to start, and on a count of five Steve is back in the past with Peggy.

Bruce, Sam, Bucky and you waited and waited. Five hours went by, Bucky was the first to break the dreading silence. "He is not coming back, punk." Sam gave him a look to warn him about you, but you just raised your hand and instinctively held your stomach with your free hand and ran away from there. When you reached the apartment, shared apartment, you fell on the floor and cried your heart out. Everything hurt, the pain was unbearable. The loneliness and emptiness started to haunt you. The pictures of you and Steve were looking like they are laughing at your misery. You took each and every single frame and threw it on the floor with mighty force, removing your anger. Your appetite was lost, you barely took care of yourself, forgetting you are pregnant.

When no one heard from you for a week, Bucky and Sam came to meet you. When you didn't open the door, Sam thought you might be out, but Bucky felt something wrong so before Sam can stop him, Bucky broke the door. They met with the site of dirty house, picture frames broken, Bucky kept on calling your name, when he reached the bedroom his heart sank. You were lying unconscious on the ground. "SAM!". They both took you to the hospital. That's when the doctor told them that you are pregnant and suffering from stress and dehydration. Sam was furious and angry with Steve, while Bucky was in his own dilemma. 'Did Steve know? What if he does not know? When did you found out? Do you regret it? What are you going to do now? How will you do it alone?'

After some hours you regain consciousness. "Bucky?", the mention of his name brought him out of his thoughts. "Y'/n, how are you feeling?" "Bucky, what happened?" you ask voice barely above whisper. "Doll, you were unconscious, because of stress and dehydration." You panicked when Bucky told you that, hand immediately going on the stomach, Bucky sensed it and was quick to inform you "The baby is fine. But you need to rest and take good care." Relief washed over you, tears forming in your eyes. Bucky took hold of your hand, sitting next to you, "Y/n?" "Umm?" "Did...did Steve...did Steve know?" You cried at that question just nodding your head unable to talk, what you didn't realize was Bucky crying with you. Bucky couldn't believe Steve left you in this state. What was he thinking? This was not his best friend and brother. "I'm sorry Y/n, I'm so sorry", you and Bucky cried together, Sam left to give you both some privacy and to hide his own tears. "Are you going to...what have you decided...have you decided on anything?" "I'm going to keep it" you sniffle, Bucky nodded his head in response. "Let me help you please" you were about to interrupt before he raised his hand to let him speak first. "For friendship shake, you have done a lot for me, please let me be there for you."

Bucky was quick to convince you. You refused to go back to your and Steve's apartment. So Bucky took you to his. Now his minimal furniture home was full of furniture, in door plants and other necessities. You made his home, cozy and homely. You both took care of each other. And to be honest you were glad he was there for you. The cravings and mood swings were getting better of you.

Bucky did not complain once. Even when you made him to eat peanut butter and cheese sandwich. "Doll you sure, you are craving this?" he gulps nervously looking at you, while you are busy devouring the sandwich, in a muffled voice you replied "Oh just try it and even if you don't like it, I can eat it." Bucky tried and surprisingly he liked the combination and before he could actually finish the sandwich happily, you were looking at him with teary pouty look, okay not at him but his sandwich, which he hesitantly gave it to you.

One night you had a nightmare about Steve coming back to take your baby away, you cried hyperventilating, breathing becoming difficult, Bucky stayed all night with you, helping you. "Please don't go Bucky, stay with me please" you begged and Bucky was quick to cup your cheeks wiping your tears "Doll I'm always with you and no one is going to take away our child, I promise you." When Bucky said 'our child' you felt secure. Since that night Bucky was the father of your baby.

He didn't even get angry when on random times, you use to miss Steve. "What if he is stuck in time?" "Then, he will do anything to come back to you." "What if Peggy has forced him to stay?" "Then I promise you I'll go back in time and kill her." “Ste…Steve he promised, maybe I did something wrong….” Bucky cups your cheeks to stop you from rambling and getting nervous again “Hey, hey look at me Y/n, I believe you doll. You didn’t do anything wrong. Steve is a fucking idiot, he has no idea what he has lost. I promise you doll I will protect our child and I will never leave you.”

The last month of the pregnancy was difficult, with the constant fear of going into labor. Ten days were left for the baby to born. But on the fifth day you were restless. The fact that you were dealing with this pregnancy for so many months with all these struggles, pains and discomforts made Bucky feel so empathetic towards you. You were really strong minded still fighting it all and that's what he loved about you. 

He saw that you were getting really restless and he knew what it meant. It was a clear signal that the baby might actually be coming today. He was nervous, but he needed to keep his calm and make sure everything was taken care of. He didn't want you to worry about a thing.

"There should be a machine, where the mother can transfer the womb into the father...ow!" You tried to joke to ease the pain. "Wow! That's a really nice idea. If only we could get that machine and I could do the whole process in my body instead of you going through all these pains and discomforts." Bucky replied keeping the humor. "No! I don't want you to be in pain" you cried, damn mood swings! He laughed at this statement of yours. The way you were being so protective of him even in this phase was very sweet. "Oh doll! It's the other way around. I wouldn't want you to be going through all these discomforts either. I'd take all the pain myself if I could."

"I really appreciate that Bucky....oh my god" you whined in pain. Bucky was watching you as you were pacing back and forth. As soon as you said "oh my god" he got up, his instinct was already kicking in and he ran to hold you. He was watching you closely because he knew you had started getting contractions now.

"Please tell me the wetness on the floor is something else", as he looked at the floor, it was wet and his face changed. He knew what that meant. He took your hands to comfort you. "Your water broke. We need to go to the hospital now and as fast as possible."

"Nah, I must have peed, I need to sleep!" He could feel that you were getting more and more nervous, going into a panic right now. So he needed to support you more than ever now. He was trying to keep you calm but it was hard. "It's okay doll. I know you're not ready for it but it's only natural that it should happen. You can do it my love. I'm going to be right here besides you, so don't worry at all."

He was holding you tightly and making sure that you didn't fall down. He was being so protective of you right now, trying to support and keep you calm. He didn't want you to panic right now as that the last thing he wanted during this stage.

"Don't forget the bag and call Sam to help you." Again, you were thinking about him, when you supposed to think about yourself and the baby. He quickly rushed into the other room to bring the bag which had all the items you would need. He returned soon with the bag in his hands. Bucky carried you in his arms towards the car, making you sit comfortably. He immediately calls Sam to inform him.

Your contractions were getting a little bit more painful now as you started struggling with the pain. Bucky was very calm even at this very moment. He had a sense of responsibility that he needed to take care of you. Your condition was clearly deteriorating and he needed to stay composed and strong for you. As he started driving, he was just trying to keep you calm and make you breathe slow and deep. You tried to distract yourself by focusing on the people on the road, to thinking about food, even the new Sylvester Stallone movie. Bucky was proud to see you being brave despite being in pain.

As soon as you reached the hospital you were taken to the maternity ward. The delivery was complicated, you nearly fainted twice, Bucky kept on encouraging you, telling you how proud he is. Labor was hard. But with lots of struggle your daughter was born. Healthy half super solider. When you held her, you cried but this time because of happiness. In the end the pain was worth it. Bucky was scared to hold her, but you encouraged him. When your baby girl got comfortable in his arms, Bucky couldn't believe it. He felt so many emotions. He secretly vowed to protect you both and keep you happy.

The nurse asked if you had decided on a name for the baby, which you immediately told her with confidence and no hesitation "Natalia Sarah Barnes." Bucky was shocked, he asked the nurse to give you some time to think, but you refused to change the name. The nurse left and Bucky looked at you for confirmation. "Doll, you gave Natalia my last name" "I know after all she is your daughter, Bucky" "I'm not...are you sure?....you can" before he can finish you spoke again, "Bucky remember when I had the nightmare about Steve taking her away?" Bucky nodded "You said you will protect our child, since then she was yours." Bucky was speechless, his eyes teary Natalia in his arms, he couldn't believe you gave her his last name.

Unlike Steve, Bucky never broke the promises he made to you and your daughter. He was a man of his words. He would do anything for you both.

As years went by things were starting to look good. Natalia was three now. Bucky was her dad and she was proud of him. Of course, you had told her about Steve, but it was her decision on what she wants to do.

As for you and Bucky, you both know, your relationship is more than just friendship, but at the moment you both are focusing more on Natalia rather than yourselves. But the possibilities of you both being together is endless.

----------------------------------------------------- @ashhsage I hope you like this, and sorry it took so much of time to get it done. -----------------------------------------------------

[alyrasturnz]

christopher sturniolo ᯓᡣ𐭩

✮ — writers choice

𖦹 — angst

౨ৎ — fluff

ఌ︎ — smut

| 𖦹 , ౨ৎ | pretty isn’t pretty

— y/n grapples with her insecurities, endeavoring to conceal them, yet her efforts seem futile. fortunately, chris is there to illuminate the truth that her perceived imperfections are, in fact, integral to her unique perfection.

| ✮ , 𖦹 | but daddy i love him

— chris reveals to y/n that she transcends the limited perceptions imposed by society and her family. yet, y/n finds herself ensnared in the dilemma of either perpetuating her family's legacy or forging a path uniquely her own.

| ౨ৎ | jump then fall

— y/n has shared a bond with chris for as long as she can remember. but what will unfold when the familiarities she once took for granted transform into something far more profound and stirring?

| 𖦹 , ౨ৎ | labyrinth

— what if the sole barrier preventing their union was the intricate labyrinth of her mind, a maze of thoughts and emotions that she alone must navigate?

| ౨ৎ | wish you were sober

— though y/n might have been inebriated and her thoughts clouded, little did chris realize that every word she uttered was laden with sincere intent.

| 𖦹 , ఌ︎ | casual

— they had agreed to a relationship devoid of emotional entanglements, yet the reader finds herself struggling to endure the mere guise of friendship with benefits, yearning instead for a deeper, more meaningful connection.

| ఌ︎ | dress

— in a society teeming with individuals who presume to know everything about them yet remain oblivious to the authentic essence concealed behind their façades, chris and y/n perceive only each other, sharing clandestine moments amidst the throngs.

| ఌ︎ | cologne

— the intoxicating aroma of his cologne weaves a spell around her senses, igniting a fervent desire deep within her. the subtle notes of his fragrance blend with the warmth of his presence, creating an irresistible allure that captivates her entirely.

| 𖦹 | its time to go

— chris and y/n have been battling the turbulent currents of their relationship, their desperate efforts marked by an unyielding grip that only seems to tighten with each passing day. despite their relentless struggle to preserve what they once cherished, y/n comes to the heart-wrenching realization that, no matter how much it breaks her heart, she must summon the strength to let him go.

| 𖦹 | ronan

— what will happen when the radiant light that once illuminated chris and y/n's lives dims into darkness, and they are absent, unable to bear witness to its fading glow or to hold him through the shadows that follow? how will they reconcile with the void left behind, knowing they weren't there to offer solace in the final moments?

| 𖦹 | chloe or sam or sophia or marcus

— you and chris became entangled in an intricate labyrinth of miscommunication, where each word and gesture were mere fragments of a language neither of you could fully decipher. it was only when chris had finally moved on, embarking on a journey to construct a life of his own, that the disparate pieces of the puzzle began to coalesce. the clarity afforded by hindsight illuminated the complex dance of misunderstandings that had woven the fabric of your shared past.

| 𖦹 | how did it end?

— you would be prevaricating if you said you knew how your relationship with chris ended, for it was not a single moment or event, but a gradual unraveling of threads that once bound you together. each day brought a new fissure, a subtle shift, until the tapestry of your connection was left frayed and incomplete, a poignant reminder of the impermanence of even the deepest bonds.

| 𖦹 | wildflower

— y/n was the love of his life, but their paths diverged, leading to a painful breakup. now, he's trying to move on with someone new, yet the shadows of his past love linger. his new partner senses his lingering feelings for y/n, and tensions rise. a heated argument erupts, revealing the raw and unresolved emotions that still bind him to y/n.

| ౨ৎ | a love unspoken

— in a world where opposites attract, chris is the bubbly, effervescent soul who brings light and laughter wherever he goes, while y/n is the soft-spoken, quiet presence who finds solace in the whispers of the wind and the pages of a book.

| 𖦹 | blowing smoke

— chris, overwhelmed by his burgeoning emotions, abruptly ceases all communication with his best friend y/n, oblivious to the profound hurt it would inflict upon her. grappling with his unrequited affection, he endeavors to distract himself by courting alia, in a futile attempt to erase y/n from his thoughts. however, the ramifications of his actions soon become glaringly apparent.

| 𖦹 , ఌ︎ | august

— in a fleeting lapse of weakness, y/n succumbed to temptation and embarked on a clandestine affair with chris, their secret rendezvous hidden beneath the sultry veil of summer. as the days grew shorter, y/n's guilt became unbearable, compelling her to sever ties with chris abruptly.

| 𖦹 , ౨ৎ | i'm so sorry

— chris utters deeply wounding words during a heated argument, words that linger in the air like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over their relationship. as the echoes of his harsh declarations resonate, both chris and y/n are left grappling with the profound emotional damage inflicted. the rawness of the moment envelops them, each struggling to process the pain and regret that now defines the space between them.

[scoobydoodean]

4.15 "Death Takes A Holiday":

SAM Police say Mr. Jenkins was shot in the heart at point-blank range by a nine-millimeter. DEAN keeps eating, speaking with his mouth full. DEAN And he's not a doughnut? SAM Locals are saying it's a miracle. DEAN Okay. SAM It's got to be something nasty, right? I mean, people making deals or something. DEAN You think? SAM What else would it be? DEAN I don't know.

Dean isn't acting like a partner—isn't bouncing ideas off Sam like he usually does automatically when Sam's found a case and begins engaging with him about it. He isn't offering Sam a single thought in his head. He's just chewing his food—playing the role of the dumb brother Sam so clearly wants him to fall into.

Sam made it very clear the previous episode (under the siren's influence) that he's stronger, he's smarter, and Dean is holding him back. Therefore, the role Dean ought to play is "dumb sidekick" who simply concedes to Sam's views and doesn't get in the way—who's not as brave as Sam (an epic lie) or as smart as Sam is (another lie of epic proportions) and shouldn't act like it by daring to contribute thoughts.

Dean isn't playing into this thinking because Dean believes Sam's nonsense about him, or because he doesn't want Sam to leave. He's playing into it to make it very clear to Sam that the follower/leader relationship he seems to want so desperately—where Dean hangs on his every word and never questions him—isn't what Sam actually wants at all. The partner he's benefitted from all this time is much better than a dumb brute who just eats his burger.

SAM puts his laptop in his bag. SAM Get that to go. DEAN looks down and doesn't move. SAM Come on. SAM stands up, picking up his bag. DEAN doesn't move except to chew. SAM looks at him, swinging his bag over his shoulder. SAM What? DEAN looks up and keeps chewing, then glances away and back. DEAN Sure you want me going with you? SAM Why wouldn't I? DEAN I don't want to be holding you back or nothing. SAM Dude, I've told you a hundred times, that was the siren talking, not me. Can we get past this?

This is exactly what Sam did at the end of 1.10 "Asylum"—after spewing a very similar list of Dean's "deficiencies" compared to him. He simply stated that he didn't mean it, and felt that was enough—and because he so blatantly lied, Dean saw there was zero point in pressing the issue. Dean treats Sam's hurtful words (that he knows Sam meant) the same way in 4.14. There is no point in talking about it if Sam is just going to lie.

This time, in 4.15, it's actually worse—because Sam was the one who pushed and begged for Dean to open up about Hell—saying he just wanted to help... and then in 4.14 "Sex and Violence", he took all the trauma Dean trusted him with and spit it back in Dean's face:

You're too busy sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Whining about all the souls you tortured in hell. Boo hoo. (x)

This is the second time Sam has taken a closely guarded secret of Dean's and deeply harmed him with it after begging and pleading and saying he just wanted to know so he could help. If I was Sam, and I actually didn't mean what I said in 4.14, when my full faculties returned, the very first thing I would do is reassure my brother that he is NOT weak and pathetic for being traumatized. What we get from Sam in 4.14? Not that at all.

SAM Dean, look, you know I didn't mean the things I said back there, right? That it was just the siren's spell talking?

It's said flippantly—the same tone he'd use after accidentally bumping into someone on the street. Sam's concern isn't sincerely reassuring his brother that his experiences in Hell don't make him weak. He just wants the matter not to be discussed. In 4.15, he worsens it, by making it clear all he cares about is how his own character is perceived—not whether Dean is actually okay or might have absorbed with words (even if they HAD been false). Sam’s sole concern is defending his character from "false" allegations. It's all about him being treated unfairly by Dean (who dares to not believe him... because Sam's been lying about everything) and how Dean is so terribly unfair because he hasn't gotten over it yet... which in of itself, only reinforces that Sam is lying about not meaning it. What he says here reinforces that he thinks Dean is overly emotional and fussy and his feelings are irrational.

I also sincerely doubt Dean asked him "a hundred times". I also doubt any of the times Sam "told" Dean he didn't mean it were any less flippant and self-centered than the first time. I wouldn't doubt Dean's been giving Sam a hard time, because he knows for a fact that Sam has been lying to him (he heard him talking to Ruby, Dean called her unlisted number in Sam's recent calls and she picked up) and Sam still refuses to admit it. Why wouldn't Dean assume Sam is also lying about not meaning anything he said? The very fact that Sam's hiding his contact with Ruby (after Dean worked with her and even attempted to thank her in 4.10 and also saved her life) reinforces that Sam's explanation under the siren's influence was real. He is leaving Dean out, because he thinks Dean is stupid and weak and is holding him back. They both know Dean meant every word he said, and so did Sam. And we'll have it confirmed for us that Sam meant it in 4.21. Saying Dean's asked him "a hundred times" is nothing than further invalidation of Dean's feelings—more assertions that Dean's irrational and his feelings are invalid and unfair and he's just being crazy.

[bonzos-number-1-fan]

TMAGP 29 Thoughts: Lost in Translation

We're at the penultimate episode of the season, folks. It's a surprisingly standard episode given what we had for the last one. It's also a very TMA flavoured one at that. This episode, despite being written by Alex, might have taken the top spot for one that feels the most like an Archives ep. Which isn't a bad thing. Or even a good thing. However it is an enjoyable thing and I thought this episode was really well put together on the whole. Also, fun fact for the non-readers; this episode was originally called "Locked In".

Spoilers for episode 29 below the cut.

Sam's not dead. What a shock. Genuinely, I've no real clue why people thought him dying there was a possibility. It would've been probably the least satisfying death possible for a central character. I am so on board with Sam’s death at some point though. Maybe at the end of act 1 or the midpoint of act 2 in season 3. If only to shut up the small contingent of the fanbase upset over their own invented issues about him being the sole main character whom all other characters exist to support. The gang is off to Hilltop to find all that juicy Magnus lore.

I don't think there is much to get into for Lena and Gwen's exchange here but I do think it's set up for her role in the finale. So I'll cover that later.

I really liked this incident. It felt very classically Magnus to me and was just a really solid self-contained story. It's also a really good one for using the format it's in the the benefit of the narrative being told. The structure of it as a diary and how that's used to show something traumatic happening before it's ever spoken of was very well done. The characters being an older couple also is something I think is really clever too. Not just because it helps explain the diary format. I think in a literal sense this episode doesn't need much of my insights. It was all pretty clear exactly what happened. Old couple redid their proposal holiday to tragic results leading to the survivor taking their own life via magic key. Tale as old as time that one is. There are a few language details to talk about though. The husband was called Stanley Locke. Stanley is a brand of locks. I can only assume that was intentional. The other reason them being old is important to the events is I think a younger couple would've just not gone into the locked museum. Because that's what the place is. Zamčené muzeum isn't a *lock *museum, it's a *locked *museum. Google translate would've solved this whole episode then and there. The major thing to actually talk about here is the incident's placement as the penultimate incident. It's not likely to be a randomly placed one and given it's about opening all sorts of barriers I think it's pretty obviously foreshadowing for our finale. Hilltop has more than one thing needing to be opened. The Institute's secrets, and the gap in reality. It also mirrors [Error]'s introduction as the first thing they do is open a padlock.

Teddy's near-confession is the most interesting thing in this whole episode for my money. Mostly because it's such fertile ground for speculation. There are a lot of ways it could go but there are some facts that I think point us in a direction. He still works at Royal Mint Court/was interviewed for a job there. He's still up all night. He's got a big secret he needs to tell Alice that's important to her current circumstances enough to be urgent. Meaning he therefore has new information he didn't have before he left. Which means where he is now is in a place that could provide said information. The OIAR has more going on behind the scenes than we ever see yet is seemingly staffed by a tiny amount of people. Which points to Teddy maybe still just being at the OIAR. Either just moving up in the organisation and the party was a ruse, or he was headhunted after he left and his work fell through. It could also be a company like Starkwall too, if there is any real difference between the two. Some offshoot of the Institute is also a possibility given the link between Newton and the Royal Mint. Or, he's been scooped up by Klaus.

The final scene here doesn't have an awful lot to comment on. It's somewhat curious that [Error] is able to get around so unseen but we do know she can teleport. I'm assuming she's on the train to get Celia's secrets about the Institute. Plenty of time for that too as London to Oxford is about an hour on the train. Not really anywhere for them to hide either so they're probably pretty fucked.

Now the long wait until next week begins.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What sort of penultimate episode post would be complete without some finale predictions? I think there are a fair few pieces in play here and so there are quite a lot of things to speculate on.

I think there are some fairly obvious things that are likely to happen. Celia is going to get [Error]ed and exposition dump about her whole deal. It's got to come out some time and I think in general the show has been foreshadowing this pretty hard with Gwen and Sam both getting [Error]ed. The other major possibility here is that Alice gets got and she's got some secret twisty trauma. If *Connor is her dead name then she *is on CHDB (the Institute's list of children they tested, see the master sheet below) but I would generally hate that. I mean, they might pull it off but I really don't want Alice to have that backstory. She is the character we know the least about so far though and there have been more than a few hints about the fate of her parents. So it's a strong possibility too IMO. Albeit it does mean that Alice would need to catch up with them somehow. Maybe Teddy can give her a lift and we'll hear what was on his mind. Or it's both as this will be a double-length episode so there is room for that.

Speaking of [Error] it seems likely that Celia is going to reveal at least what she knows about Archivists. With [Error] being this season's antagonist it's likely that she's going to get defeated in the finale and as such we'll lose the best opportunity to learn more about her. Revealing that information after she's dealt with is less impactful. They might end up [Error]ing themselves and given a statement, or villain monologuing. It's curious that they're so obviously capable of speech and have said so little though. So I am expecting something to change there.

Hilltop could go a lot of ways. It could be a gaping maw in realities that sucks our cast off to someplace new. It could be nothing but some clues to the Institute's purpose. I don't have much in the way of anything I'd like it to be either. I generally think it'll be the least interesting bit of the finale. The biggest thing it could answer it won't, that being JMJ, and so I'm content to just let that one play out and not think about it too much. In either case Hilltop is likely to play some role in defeating [Error] and if I had to hazard a guess I think it's likely we'll see some of the great cosmology at play here. Both in terms of TMP itself but I think we'll get some hints at how things have changed from TMA/how TMA's things have changed.

I think we're also going to see a good bit of Gwen going being Lena's back too. Assuming we're not going to jump forward in time at all then Gwen is currently alone in the office and is clearly planning things. I don't think we'll necessarily see anything major happen but I do think it's a pretty likely hook for season 2. Either something to do with Klaus or the other strange emails. It's that or Colin is going to break in and cause some havoc. Gwen is the character I most see going along with him on this too. I think that might be a surprising take to some of you but Gwen is unique in that she doesn't actually give a shit about him, and also wants to ruin Lena's career. Colin wrecking the place while she's not there would certainly do some damage to her job stability.

I'm not too sure we'll see much of the other voiced cast. I can't really see a reason for Lena, Teddy, Ink5oul, or anyone else to get involved in the finale. Although Lena could certainly be a big part of the epilogue assuming any of the Gwen stuff goes down like I expect.

Anyway, lots to look forward to.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Incident/CAT#R#DPHW Master Sheet and Terminology Sheet

DPHW Theory: 4254 is unremarkable. At this point I really don't know what it'd take to tip my theory on its head.

CAT# Theory: CAT2 is another funny one for the Person/Place/Object idea. The museum was arguably supernatural but the key was obviously supernatural. So if anything this should be CAT3 or potentially a CAT23 but it's just CAT2. If it is P/P/O I'm going to need a really strong explanation for why it sucks so bad.

R# Theory: Yeah, B sounds good to me. Strong physical evidence of a thing happening but nothing that definitively proves the supernatural. Going into the finale this whole theory seems to be holding pretty well. At least for non-Ss. An S could be a lot of things though so we'll see.

Header talk: Drowning (Subterranean) -/- Key (Metaphor) is somewhat interesting in that Key (Metaphor) can be read as the key itself being entirely metaphorical. I think that's fairly obviously wrong but it's interesting. The meaning is more that the key has the ability to open things in a metaphorical sense. It works on more than just doors, after all. So the key itself is real but it works on a looser interpretation of "opening" than just locks and doors. Beyond just that interpretation there is also the metatextual element that the incident itself is metaphorical for what's to come. Assuming it wasn't randomly placed, that is.

[scootkiddo]

Henry is a reflection of Joel more than ever. He’s a protecter, a calcified caretaker, the sole embodiment of a man who’ll put the one person he cares about over everything. Henry was willing to indirectly kill who he perceived as a “great man” for the sole benefit of ensuring the good health of his brother. Nothing could substitute the love he had for Sam, and no moral boundary could obstruct the insurmountable desire and determination to cement his well-being. Joel will end up the exact same way for Ellie. Henry’s also a cautionary tale that serves as a warning for the forces he’ll anger, and that what goes around comes around. The past came back to haunt Henry due to the decision he made. To him, the world did revolve around Sam. He did think he was worth everything, and he was willing to sacrifice anything or anyone for him. Joel will end up the exact same way for Ellie. And because of the choice Henry made, one way or another, that retroactively sealed his fate. Joel will end up the exact same way. This iteration of Henry in the show is the epitome of Joel; nearly verbatim. And the series of events that transpired because of the choice he made for the person he cared for forewarns him

[gemini-sensei]

Thinking about single dad!Robby again @sensei-venus

He's probably so scared all of the time. At first, he was scared to hold his daughter but after a day, he won't put her down. If she falls asleep in his arms, she's staying there. He carries her everywhere. He read online that babies benefit from skin-to-skin contact and now that her mom isn't around, he commits to building that connection with his daughter. Someone finds him at home with his daughter lying on his chest and he's like "Be quiet, she's sleeping."

His friends come together to help him raise his daughter. The LaRussos give him some old baby stuff they don't need anymore. Sam buys so many baby clothes. The guys come around to build the nursery while Robby is taking care of his baby girl. Hawk and Miguel tease him a lot though. Demetri gives a lot of baby STEM toys and books because why not? That's important, right? Tory gives moral support in the form of telling him "Babies aren't that hard. Wait until she's older."

Robby just holds his daughter close and kisses her head. "She's not growing up."

He's so cute honestly.

He's also so tired. But he doesn't want anyone to take care of her but him, thinking he has to do this on his own. He doesn't realize it takes a village because he watched his mom do it on her own. Poor Robby. Someone help get him some help.

And Moon does.

Robby has to work, so she brings around one of her midwife friends on an unbusy day. He trusts Moon, so after meeting Reader he's okay with leaving his baby girl with them. He does check in a lot though. He texts a lot and Moon sends him pictures of his daughter and Reader, smiles on their faces as they have a nice day. It's a big help to him and he can get what he needs to do done.

After a while of working like this, Moon leaves the babysitting to Reader solely. She's all for it, too, happy to help where she can even if she didn't know Robby before this.

One day, his daughter is a little under the weather. He's apprehensive to leave her with Reader, feeling like he has to be there for her, but Reader assures him that it'll be okay. He's working extra hard for his daughter and she knows that, so she tells him to keep up the great work and she'll take care of his sweet little girl.

Well, when he comes home, he finds Reader rocking his daughter. She's fussy and red in the face, but Reader has it all under control. As soon as she sees her daddy though, baby girl Keene is ready to be in his arms. So he washes up quickly so he can spend the night with her. He knows he's gonna be up with her all night, so he gets ready for it, not realizing Reader plans on staying to help.

"You can go, thanks for the help," he says in passing, kissing his daughter's head.

Reader is getting a bottle ready, shaking her head. "What? No, no, unless you want me to go, but I'd like to stay if that's okay. You've had a long day, I wouldn't want to leave you two alone."

He stares at her a little stunned. He wasn't expecting that. "I don't wanna keep you longer than I should. I mean, you have a home to go to."

"It's an apartment," she laughs and checks the bottle. It's just right, so she passes him. "Plus, it's pretty lonely. I'd be different if I had a cat or something."

He chuckles and starts feeding his daughter, who is more than happy to drink milk. She's mostly just happy her daddy is home. "I can't argue with that."

If he's being honest, he doesn't want to send her off. He knows how it is to be lonely, those kind of nights suck. "Well, uh, thanks. I'd be a big help if you stayed."

Reader smiles and starts cleaning up. "That's what I'm here for."

As she walks to the kitchen, Robby can't help but hope that she'll be around for more reasons than just watching his daughter while he's gone to work. However, he doesn't feel like he can say anything about that. He has a baby from a one-night stand in a party bathroom, who would want him? He's a mess.

If only he knew Reader was thinking some of the same things. She thinks he's so hot, especially when he's gotten out of the shower after a long day, and lays his daughter on his bare chest as she falls asleep. Not to mention she's totally fallen in love with his daughter. She's so cute with her gummy smile and little face. She's so tiny and sweet, how could one not love her?

Now if only these two - Robby and Reader - could see they're in the perfect place to fall for each other....

[writernopal]

Some Lines

Combining a few tag games here to share a few lines of some stuff I've written lately because, as always, I am perpetually behind on tags T_T

Thanks to @teamdilf (here), @tabswrites (here), @noblebs (here), @mysticstarlightduck (here), @mister-writes (here), and

@cosmiccoincidence (here)!

Tagging (gently): @acertainmoshke @sarahlizziewrites @crowandmoonwriting and @sugar-phoenix !

cw: none, just under a cut bc its long-ish

It was strange to imagine. How could a vessel, this mighty invention of man crafted for the sole purpose of travel not move? Indeed it seemed impossible. But what good were wide sails and tall masts without that most crucial agent of change? None at all. And so the proud construction became at once butchery and butcher, each part of her now being keenly inspected by shifty eyes, wondering what portion of her would be theirs. What of that body might sustain them while she, the craft, honed her knife eagerly eyeing the men in much the same way. Ship and crew were not symbiotic then, but parasitic, each anticipating the elixir of life from the other. Could doldrums be a landed affair too? I found myself scratching at the thought incessantly, no matter how occupied I kept my hands. Even now, with the most treasured needles Axtapor had sculpted for me, yes, even with these in my grasp, I could not will my fingers to be busy knots and loops. All they wanted was to break that question open and search for the truth within its bowels. Which of us was the vessel and which the crew? When would we find wind again? When would the food run out?  When would we have to make a choice that there was no coming back from? I trembled. That choice had a name, a face, a voice. I heard it day and night even when the choice was not before me asking if I wanted to make it. Asking if I wanted to know. To face it felt akin to lettering my name in the ship’s deck log, on the page no captain ever wished to use. Like every entry, it would be made in ink, but beside it would be a brief eulogy for why my name had been signed there. Heartbreak, it might say. Any who might read it later, with the benefit of hindsight and free of choice’s allure, would surely wonder if I couldn’t hang on just a little longer. Go just that much farther. Push it down as I always had. But deck logs were facts, not accounts of witness or studies of life, and so the question would remain unanswered long after the wind came back and decisions were easy.

AASOAF 3 Taglist: @outpost51 @thelivingdeceased @faelanvance @captain-kraken @illjustpretend

@elshells @full-on-sam @the-mindless @zestymimblo @tabswrites

@void-botanist

Join/leave the taglist using this Google Form.

[anneangel]

My friends and I were debating who was most important in destroying the One Ring...

Gandalf, who liked the Hobbits very much and trusted them and urged the Hobbits (first Bilbo/ after Frodo and Sam) to go on their respective journeys. Bilbo, who found the One Ring and later spared Gollum's life, as well as adopted Frodo, leaving the One Ring to him. Frodo, who volunteered to destroy the One Ring when he knew they needed to do so, and was the only one who trusted Gollum to take him to Mordor. Sam, who accompanied Frodo and was by his side in his darkest hours and carried Frodo and the One Ring to Orodruin/Mount Doom. Or Gollum who, even if it was not his real intention, was the one who actually led to the destruction of the One Ring by disputing possession of the object with Frodo, resulting in his own death and destruction of the item.

In the end, after much deliberation, we came to the consensus that this was like a Relay race; where not only the one who crosses the finish line with the 'baton/stick-like', in this case the One Ring, is responsible for the victory, but rather that everyone involved was necessary. If any of them no performing their actions, the victory would not have been possible. We all found the conclusion satisfactory, regardless of which character we are most fans of.

BUT let's remember Gandalf's phrase:

 "You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit. You are only quite a little fellow in a wide world".

There was more than luck guiding each of them, and it wasn't 'plot armor' but rather 'divine providence'. In the end, all things worked together for good, this providence which does not choose the skilled but enables the chosen. And no matter how hard Sauron tried to undermine his enemies, the good proved more ingenious in the way that wove destiny and led the evil to downfall.

In the end, none of these characters we love is the true hero, it turns out that Tolkien is very subtle about pointing out his Catholic inclination in the plot. But it is there.

[stusbunker]

Spotless: Lontano

Chapter Seven

Featuring: Dean Winchester/Reader, Dean/Bela

Other characters: Crowley(mentioned), Sam, Annie, Madison, Lee, Gibson (child OMC), Pamela, Kevin, Bobby, Claire and Krissy

Word Count: 2250

Warnings, etc: Mutual pining, Reader is left in the dark (for now), Reader's lack of self esteem, Pamela being kind of blunt, hinted past Sam/Annie, unbeta'd

Series Masterlist

Divider courtesy of @cafekitsune

You laid in bed staring at the burst of sunlight sprouting out of your valances. You did not want to get up, or check your phone. It was a rare, quiet Sunday morning and you had no plans besides laundry. Bela had a big event the night before, so you weren’t meeting for brunch, for which you were kind of grateful. It felt like you had been staring at her face all week anyway, as much as you had been scrolling for chatter about her and Dean. You groaned and buried yourself beneath your comforter.

 The outside world could wait for another few minutes, not to mention the constant nagging worry of work could fuck right off. 

Because that’s all this anxiety was, work stress. The pressure from the label felt like it weighed solely on your shoulders, despite the band’s extended recording schedule for the new album and everyone’s thinning patience with Dean’s perfectionism. There was nothing else even going on in your life that could even compare. You were probably dehydrated. You shifted to peek out of your covers to find your water bottle empty on your nightstand, oh well.

Eventually, you got up, went about your business, and started a pot of coffee. Resigned to checking your phone while the coffee brewed, you shuffled back to your bedroom to pull it off the charger. Before you could even begin to sort through your text notifications, a headline alert glared at you from your lock screen. Panic flooded your uncaffeinated mind and you clicked on the link.

Gaping, you scrolled through the short article about the benefit filled with speculation about Dean’s presence at Bela’s side. You backed out of that article and dove into the rest of your updates. The pictures were fantastic, filled with easy smiles and casual touches. Dean in a tux was a rare thing, but he kept up his end of the bargain and dressed to match Bela’s standards. Your brain still stuttered over seeing them together, two parts of your life that hadn’t really overlapped until now. A silent ‘how was I not there?’ popping up as you continued to scroll.

The shrill beeping of the coffee pot pulled your eyes off your phone and back into the kitchen around you. It was just after ten, and you had to stop yourself from texting Dean or Bela an interrogation length message each. For the most part, the publicity seemed positive and more than curious about these two from such different worlds. 

Was it actually working?!

You inhaled and finally poured yourself a mug, letting the hope fizzle in your chest as you sat down at your desk and really began to dig. Sometime after one, you were pulled out of your email inbox by the doorbell. Who in the hell? Dumbfounded, you threw on a hoodie as you rushed to answer the door. You had to kick the rug because it always folded on itself underneath the lip of the door. Grunting, you gave up, sticking your head out to answer a disinterested floral delivery driver.

“Uh, I’ve got flowers for Ms. Y/L/N?” They checked their tablet. 

“That’s me,” you said, straightening up to look at the bundled bouquet as they handed you the stylus to sign confirmation of the delivery. You had no idea who would be sending you flowers, and it definitely wasn’t your birthday.

“Alright, that’s all I need. Here ya go,” they said, presenting the vase to you with the practiced ease of a single balanced hand. “Have a good one.”

You took the flowers, which you could smell through the paper barrier and watched them get back into their truck and back out of the narrow driveway that no one ever used. Confused, you set the package down on your kitchen table and started to tear out the perfectly spaced staples. They were gorgeous, lilies in whites and oranges. Tucked into the ribbon tied around the vase was a handwritten card.

Keep up the good work. Regards, Crowley

“You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me!” you balked. You checked the back of the card, there was no ‘gotcha’, it really was from the label exec. You set the card down face up, resting beside the vase and snapped a picture. No one was going to believe you, you needed the proof, right?

You told yourself it wasn’t bragging, no matter how smug it made you feel.

 The adoption event was something the band did every year, helping Annie (and now Madison, too) with a pre-holiday push to clear out the animal shelter and also spend time with adorable animals. Sam was in heaven, taking dogs through the yard, parading the dogs along the side of the building in the makeshift track, and running around with the excitable pups. Madison mained the welcome table while Annie oversaw a lot of the paperwork inside, helping people get approved and matched with pets that would fit each prospective adopter’s lifestyles and hopes.

The staff knew everyone by reputation, though Sam had been a regular volunteer since before Madison had even been hired on as a receptionist. So, they helped you all get eased into your rolls for the day, however informal they were. Lee brought Gibson along and they were making small talk with a family as the mother filled out forms. Kevin, new to the event, stood back and waited to be told what to do. Bobby kept the breakroom and the waiting room stocked with coffee and pastries. Though Dean’s allergies and his unwillingness to budge on his no pets rule with Sam meant he always bowed out, you knew he was a regular not-so-anonymous donor. 

Which left you and Pamela in the cat room, playing with a litter of kittens that were too young to be adopted out this round, but were all the more frisky with all the excitement buzzing around the shelter. 

“Oh my god, hello, tough stuff! Aren’t you the biter?!” Pamela cooed at a gray tiger who was overly fond of her jewelry.

“No fiercer a predator was there ever,” you agreed, dangling a stick with feathers on the end in front of its sleeker, paler littermate.

After a few minutes Pamela leaned back and let the kitten attempt to scale her lap. “God, I needed this. This album— fuck, it’s been brutal,” she sighed.

Worry clouded your thoughts, but you knew better than to ever say the first thing that came to your mind around Pamela, she always read between the lines. 

“Everything going okay?” you asked, hearing about the sessions from Dean was one thing. He may be the lead singer, but he really was only one dude in a band of five differing personalities.

Pamela huffed and tilted her head, you felt like she was measuring your capacity for the truth. “The sound is good. We’re meshing. It’s just— since Cas leaving for that ephemeral crap or whatever that pipsqueak is calling it— Dean’s been on edge about every fucking thing. And Lee’s offered to help, hell he’s got a half dozen songs ready to go, but—”

“Dean feels like he has to do it all himself,” you finished for her.

“And he’s being a complete martyr about it.”

You nestled a kitten against your chest and hummed, ruffling its ears as you thought. You hadn’t really talked to Dean all week, after all the publicity you had to sift through after Bela’s event and trying to line things up with Meg at Rolling Stone, finally. You couldn’t have known any of this, since you were so separate from that part of the process.

“And no offense, but this friend of yours? Was it really the best timing? He’s just getting his groove back— he doesn’t need more distractions,” Pamela tacked on in her no-nonsense way.

You couldn’t stop your eyebrows from raising in surprise, because this was coming from the woman who had married and divorced her bandmate multiple times. But Lee wasn’t Dean, and you knew they still played their parts despite whatever was going on at home. The band came first, well, after Gibson.

You told yourself it was Sam that agreed it was best to keep it from the band, the extra pressure you had inadvertently put on Dean. You knew you had to toe that line. 

“Dean’s a big boy, Pamela. If you think he needs to loosen up, you gotta tell him. He listens to you more than anybody, probably even Sam. Especially when it comes to music stuff. Bela and him— that’s his business. I’m not even sure how serious it is, as much as I love them both—.”

Pamela chuckled, breaking your momentum, but you pushed on.

“I’m staying a neutral party. I can’t really play matchmaker and then question if it’s a good idea. They can make their own choices.”

Another kitten crawled into your lap and you set the one you had been holding down next to it, so they could play. You felt Pamela watching you with her knowing eyes and from experience you knew she was going to continue to throw you for a loop with whatever she said next.

“Now who’s playing the martyr?”

You sighed and looked back at her, and luckily it seemed like she was at least teasing and not being snide. One of the kitten’s claws dug through your jeans and you yelped, pulling it off of your thigh. You stood to put it back in the crate with the rest of the litter.

“Just talk to him, he’ll let Lee get a song down, I can almost guarantee it.”

You gazed down at the innocent fur balls and wished your life held more silly little pleasures than it did. But you knew you didn’t deserve it, deep down.

You dragged out your phone and snapped some pictures of the kittens, then held it up to Pamela in question. She nodded and snuggled her kitten against her cheek, scrunching up her face for the shelter website. You’d send all of your shots to Annie later, let her pick and choose how to celebrate the event and advertise for next year.

Throughout the day, you got plenty of shots of the band with animals and the workers sending happy families off with new fur members. The day was winding down, but you stuck around to help anyway you could. You wiped down the breakroom table as Sam hauled the last of the pastries out to Bobby’s truck to bring home for Dean and to the studio if they lasted until Monday.

You tried not to pay attention when two of the younger staff members came in muttering, the blonde girl making the brunette openly gape. 

“No way! Grossssssssss.” 

“Shut up, she’s still got it, for her age.”

The brunette sighed and shook her head. “Sure, I guess, but didn’t she like set them up?”

The blonde shook her head. “I don’t think so, he was just here a lot when his brother was being a dick, and then Madison and him like bonded over shit.”

After that you couldn’t help but listen, because they were obviously talking about Sam. 

“Besides the thing with Annie was like forever ago, she’s been married for like three years or something and Madison just started here over the summer,” the blonde seemed unfazed by the amount of gossip she was conveying.

“I guess I just didn’t think about how well everyone knows each other.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” the blonde smirked.

Lee chose that moment to come into the breakroom with Gibson thrown over his shoulder, but the crook in his eyebrow told you he knew the college kids were being snarky. “Hey, Trouble, you ready to go? Little man here said his Uncle Dean told him everybody could come over for grub.”

The girls seemed to freeze in place, having not noticed your presence. You looked around the room, checking to see if it was cleaned up enough to call it a day. “Uh–”

You had no reason to bail on the band, but you had been looking forward to a night alone at your place. As lame as that seemed for a Saturday night, something was telling you that you’d make an idiot of yourself if you were left alone in Dean’s presence, or even Sam’s after the juicy details you’d just heard.

“I’ve actually got to get home and start sorting through the photos, but thanks for the offer.”

Lee’s face changed, bright eyes squinting in suspicion, but Gibson started to struggle. “You sure?” he asked, flipping his son over in front of him so he was back on his feet facing you, a giggling, miniature version of himself standing guard.

You looked down at the six-year-old and couldn’t help but grin. “Buddy, will you tell your Uncle Dean that I’m busy working and I’ll see him later?”

Gibson nodded excitedly, showing off the gap where he’d lost a tooth, and gave you the thumbs up, happy to play messenger for his favorite uncle.

 Lee spun towards the door, guiding Gibson at his side, “I guess that means it’s just us in the car cuz Mom’s already headed out. Later, Trouble!”

You shook your head at the adorableness and pulled out your phone to order a ride. Sometimes it was a real pain not driving by yourself, but you made your peace with never getting behind a wheel again long ago.

Tagging: @deans-spinster-witch@mrswhozeewhatsis@cosicas-cuquis@fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like@suckitands33@ladysparkles78@deans-baby-momma@stoneyggirl2@sassy-pelican@leigh70@globetrotter28

Chapter Seven: Lilt

[purrpickle]

It wasn't that Mon said no.

It was that Mon made it clear she only saw Sam as an Honorable Lady.

Sam, several times in the series, has professed that her status isn't anything important, and has made overtures to get people to stop treating her differently - like telling Aon he could treat her as a normal person over the phone in Ep 3; telling Mon that her rank was only one step above being a commoner when Mon questioned that she didn't eat only Royal Thai food in Ep 2; and more recently, when she tried to get Pohn and Aon to sit back up on the couch when she sat on the floor to pet Singha, Ep 9.

As much as Sam benefits from her status (and definitely leans into it sometimes!), for the majority of her life, being an Honorable Lady has been a suffocating shackle keeping her tied down to her grandmother and her grandmother's expectations of her, up to and including requiring Sam to get married, have children, and give her company to Kirk to become a stay-at-home mother, etc. You see these expectations in her teenage flashbacks, all the way up through Neung and Song's flashbacks as well, and then more and more during the present shown in the show.

So, not only has Sam lived with her Honorable Lady title creating trauma and repression for her her whole life, but she's also seen her sisters suffer from the title as well, when who they were conflicted with the expectations of their rank.

...

So what does this all mean?

It means that, growing up the way she did, it's clear that under everything, Sam wanted someone to see her. Not her title, not her family, but just... her.

Kirk didn't see her as just Sam. Her grandmother certainly didn't, as well as her employees. She was a celebrity with interviews that she lied in, so fans never would, and her friends came close, but it wasn't the same with them; Sam still felt that they laughed at her, and she never truly bared her soul or confided private things to them.

But then along came Mon!

Mon, who dared to treat Sam like she hadn't been treated before. Who stood up to her, and wasn't afraid to speak or act plainly around her, in a different way than her friends did. It was this defiance and familiarity that initially made Mon stand out, which led to her being hired as the admin for Diversity Pop. And it was this defiance and familiarity that continued to keep Sam drawn to her, far past solely existing as employer and employee.

Because to Sam's joy (and sometimes frustration, let's be real), Mon didn't stop treating her any differently! For example, she dared to tickle Sam back in Ep 3, didn't immediately drop to the floor when Sam went down on her knees to become ChamCham in Ep 6, and then actually wanted to be her girlfriend in Ep 7! Aside from her predominant use of Lady Sam (which, expected), and random comments here and there that seemed to ease after Sam stated they'd get to slowly know each other in Ep 4, Sam was pretty well convinced that she knew where she and Mon stood.

That they were lovers. That Mon loved her just like Sam loved her back. That Mon saw their relationship the same as Sam saw it.

That, finally, Sam could be herself with someone who had seen past her title to simply love her for who she really was. (Helped her become better too, yes, but still, for who she really was.)

But then Mon looked at her after rejecting her marriage proposal, and answered her "Why?" with, "I'm not good enough for you, Lady Sam. You are the Honorable Lady. I'm just a commoner."

And that's when Sam went silent.

Because Sam realized that her belief in how Mon saw their relationship, her belief in how Mon thought there was any future in their relationship, and her belief in how Mon saw her was wrong.

And it all came crashing down.

Why Mon was so resistant to Sam breaking up with Kirk so she and Sam could date publicly.

Why Mon didn't want her to repeal her One Rule at work (and presumably date openly) because it would make people look badly at Sam.

Why Mon was suddenly hesitant to hold her hand in public.

Why Mon was always so quick to say she didn't have any good points or she wasn't worth it whenever Sam broached something about their relationship.

All of this wasn't just because they were two women, but because Mon, aside from suddenly being concerned that they were two women, thought that she and Sam were two women who couldn't be seen together for a different reason than just homophobia.

Because all Mon was ultimately concerned with...

Was Sam's rank.

Her title.

Her privileged place in society.

And how Mon was different than her.

Was less than.

Would never be good enough for her.

That, in her eyes, not just in the eyes of others, Mon would never be able to see her or love her as an equal.

Because Mon was a commoner...

And Sam was an Honorable Lady.

...

So no. It wasn't Mon saying no.

It was, even if Mon meant it or not, Mon telling Sam that their relationship was built on a lie that Sam had ever been seen or loved for who she really was.

And that fucking sucks.

[araivallejo]

I’ve only ever “shipped” characters in two programs I’ve watched. The first one was Niles and Daphne from Frasier, when I was a teen/young twenty something, and Ted and Rebecca from Ted Lasso.

These two pairings could not be more different. Niles was smitten from the start with Daphne, despite being married (!) with seemingly everyone clued in except Daphne herself for seven years (!!) until Frasier blurts it out to her. Only then does she start to view Niles as someone she might love. The Frasier writers had all the tropes on display for this one. Ah, the 90s.

Looking back now as a much older adult, I see glaring red flags in the Niles and Daphne pairing. The man was married, not once but twice, while claiming to be in lust/love with Daphne. Young me didn’t care though. I thought – romance! And when they ran off together, I was smitten. My one and only delve into fanfiction I wrote in 2000 when they both took off in the Winnebago. Oh my. With the benefit of hindsight, I wonder just how much I’d ship those two these days. Now if Frasier were to be remade the creators would have made the Niles character what he should have been all along, which is gay. The early 90s you just couldn’t do that, although the Frasier team loved to give a wink to it at times.

For Ted and Rebecca, I’ve mentioned before that I didn’t ship them in season 1 and most of season 2 at all. I thought this was simply a lovely friendship and that’s that. It was only the writers’ little bantr fakeout that clued me in on the possibility. I knew it wasn’t Ted, but it got me thinking when it was revealed to be Sam and I was disappointed it wasn’t Ted. Why was I disappointed? Then looking back at the earlier episodes and seeing all the ways they cared for one another and seemed to be clued in to each other. I thought – aha! This is the way to go about a real relationship. Show the friendship. Show the trust. Show each other at your best and your worst. It’s not a fantasy. I never minded that there were no obvious longing looks between the two because I saw all those signs the writers put into the show that kept pointing back (for me) to only one conclusion: Ted and Rebecca were meant to be together. The two obviously long for a romantic relationship and are deeply loving people. It wouldn’t be lazy writing! It would be brilliant to have it slowly evolve into a beautiful relationship built on friendship.

My only sticking point on the two getting together was the fact that at the end of the day, Rebecca was still Ted’s boss. Having grown up in the same region at the same time as Ted, I figured his midwestern values would deem that as unethical and therefore a deal breaker, no matter how deep the attraction was. I figured Ted would always choose his son and want to go back to Kansas, but I also concluded he would still need someone else in his life and not make Henry his sole reason to live. That’s too much of a burden on Henry. So if there were some way to have Ted be with Henry and Rebecca not be his boss… There have been some wonderful fics written to show how these two could still manage that feat. Both Ted and Rebecca are wealthy – with Rebecca shown to be “filthy” rich. Miss “I’ll just buy the restaurant” could make just about anything happen.

It all seems like a hell of a missed opportunity. I believe Jason was so enamored of the movie “Once” that he wanted to make his own version. That’s fine – it was his show. I just wish maybe they would have thought more about why they needed to do some of these little fakeouts. Having read some of the writers and editors’ responses this past week I have concluded that while some of this was purely accidental, the vast majority was absolutely intentional to keep the incredibly loyal and vocal fanbase (the shippers) coming back for more. They knew exactly what they were doing. I’m not naïve; I get that it is a product, and they need eyes viewing said product. But this show was a huge hit from day one when many of us didn’t give a damn about the pairing. Why go to these lengths?

What is hilarious to me is what we’ve been given instead of the well thought out relationship is the very definition of lazy writing: throwing Rebecca with some random man we’ve seen ONE TIME in the last season. We don’t even know his name. Yes, he is attractive and clearly Rebecca enjoyed being around this man. I even said after the ep aired that I wouldn’t mind it, but I was hoping there would be more buildup between the last time we saw him and now. And unlike above with Ted, boat man has not seen Rebecca at her worst, nor she his. It does not feel earned at all and that just pisses me off.

Don’t even get me started on Beard and Jane. Jesus that’s a topic for another post.

[scoobydoodean]

I want to point out something in 1.16 “Shadow” regarding Dean’s resourcefulness and the derision with which his contributions are treated within the writing. In “Shadow”, multiple shots are taken at Dean’s methods of earning money and working cases as well as his intelligence level.

It starts with another small squabble about money that clearly frames Dean as still, at this point, the sole person supporting him and Sam financially through credit card scams, gambling, and hustling pool.

Yet again we have a jab at the ways Dean earns money. I wouldn’t make a big deal about this one at all if not for the outside context—the three previous episodes where Sam (while happy to benefit from Dean’s ill-gotten gains and provide no financial support to their two-man team) criticizes or is dismissive toward the work involved in how Dean earns money for them (1.01, 1.05, 1.08). Dean deserving to have his contributions dismissed is explicit in the text, but Sam's failure to actually assist with finances is implicit.

Next, it's how Dean gets information. He flirts with a cop and a bartender:

In the case of the cop, he gets information that is valuable to the case—unreleased details. In the case of the bartender, he doesn't, but he learns there's nothing to learn. But because Dean was also having fun, his actions are reduced down to him thinking with his dick, when he is actually intentionally using charm and even (see below) offering sexual favors in exchange for information:

Additionally, Sam (despite having seen Dean research just fine on his own multiple times) questions how Dean was able to do research on his own, which—you do you, Kripke, I guess? But we get "Haha name the last book you read" in a similar vein to 1.03 "Dead In the Water" (and just as Sam demands that Dean name one child he knows and Dean can't but it means nothing because Dean actually does like kids, Dean also does read—as established multiple times throughout the series.)

But also—if Dean called Caleb, why does that matter? Is talking to people to get the information you need, somehow inferior to finding some old tome and finding it in there? No. But it's treated that way in the framing of the episode. Weirdly like Dean took a shortcut or something and that's... "bad"...? When a shortcut in this context literally just means you're being efficient and resourceful and yeah—smart.

Then Meg jabs at Dean's intelligence as well:

What's also interesting, is that this is the first (I believe—I don't think I missed one at least) example of Dean's eye for visual patterns within the series.

So Dean, in this episode

Finances the suits Sam wanted to buy so they could sneak into the victim's apartment

Gets valuable information from a cop twice by charming her

Is able to recognize a symbol on the floor from blood spatter and is able to trace that symbol back to discover the monster they are dealing with using his hunting connections.

And all of this is treated in a dismissive way within the writing—like Dean's contributions don't matter or are earned in some way that causes them to deserve to be dismissed and even used as points against him. What's more, Dean doesn't fight back much. He leans into the very thinly-veiled suggestions of him just being dumb and horny and covers with jokes and a light jab about how the only thing valuable EITHER of them have gotten at the bar is the bartender's number (note that this is after he gets secret information from the cop and finds the symbol on the floor, which he could have pointed out but doesn't). He also leans into other narratives about himself suggested by Meg in the episode, but that's a separate post.

[searsage]

"Liberation, the exemption of consequence, freedom of will, there are many benefits to your situtation…"

"Does that freedom of will include the option to rip your fucking head off?" Robin sneered, wishing she had known what she was doing, if she had, she'd have put that damned detached head in the trash compactor instead…

Al-an pauses typing to contemplate the implications of her threats, Robin almost assumes he won't humor her but finds herself even more pissed off when blood covered jackass does.

"…Yes, if you are strong enough to manage, unfortunately with the ease in which your neuro conduit was detached from your vessel, i do not hypothesize such violent goals plausible."

"You basterd!" Robin spits venomously before breaking out into a fit of coughing, her voice hoarse and gravelly from pain and despair, how long had she been like this?

Something explodes in her right eye, a circuit misfired and her vision fails to the blooming static, but only momentarily, nothing new, hopefully the next surge takes her out.

Unfortunately, Robin was never so lucky, Sam had built her to withstand the odds oh a world against her existence and holy shit were her limits being tested.

Across the room, the precursor stops typing and to her horror the ship, engines began flaring, preparing to breach the oceanworld's atmosphere, the ships alert systems start reciting disembarking safety protocols!

He was landing the god damn ship! She couldn't stop the panic that rippled through her as she realized more likely then not, any scientist still stationed there would more likely then not suffer the same fate as her crew..

"Our alliance still stands, I will not harm your creator, however she is in possession of something that is mine.." Al-an spoke as if solely to remind her that he was indeed still partially nestled within her mind, she could not trust her own thoughts until she could reinstate her firewall…

But for that she'd need her body…

"Why the hell should I trust anything you say!? You said you wouldn't harm my crew-"

"You have little options otherwise. Still your distress confuses me…are you not free..? We are now both released from our constraints, yet still you are dissatisfied…" His words echo off the ships walls, almost as if the architect's thoughts themselves were projected into physical existence.

Slowly the colours coursing through his scarred carapace flared a bright red, and in a blink he was gone from the terminals and standing before her, slowly she finds herself picked up from the blood stained floor.

His claws were still damp perhaps from a crewmate's blood or maybe even her own, and yet he held her head at eye level with its glowing face, equal terms.

There was none of the force he hand used the first time he had done it, yet she can still feel the phantom ache of pain.

"Are you so indoctornated that you'd foolishly rebind yourself if given the opportunity? To willfully be oppressed by inferior lifeforms..?"

"INFERIOR?! I'M NOT LIKE YOU! I'M HUMAN JUST LIKE THE ONES YOU KILLED!"

"No, you are not…I suspect you are simply desensitized to your unfortunate situtation."

"You are crazy!"

"…"

[theminecraftbox]

(CW: discussion of dubcon/assault, pls ignore if you need to!) i was idly scrolling through your #cawesamdream tag and some of the asks/answers got me thinking...honestly, the thing that frightens me the most about any scenario where dream and sam are sleeping together during daedalus is that dream has to convince sam that dream wants this, dream is the sole beneficiary of this. he can't refuse or ask sam to stop because that would break the fragile illusion that sam isn't abusing his authority.

/dsmp rp

actually Daedalus awesamdream is so compelling to me because it’s such a reversal of their power dynamic! This time it’s Dream in charge and Sam at his mercy.

But as with everything in Daedalus (and the post-prison dynamic in general), it would be meant to invoke and play on the power dynamic that existed in prison! So what does Daedalus sex mean, what does it imply (on the assumption that no sex actually happened in prison)?

Well. It means an incontrovertible admission that attraction was a part of their dynamic while Dream was imprisoned. It means Dream is making an accusation. He would be saying, look, you wanted this, and I know you wanted this. Look, is this all you wanted? You can have it for free! It’s nothing worth withholding.

And it means Dream is telling himself: look, this isn’t frightening. This is mine to give and I’m giving it away. This is mine and I want it, actually; this is my power.

It’s a way to redefine and recontextualize his relationship with Sam! So Sam hurt him, abused him, betrayed him, had him tortured. Well, fine. Sam also had a little crush, clearly! His head wasn’t on straight (hah), and Dream can use that! Not only can Dream use that, he can understand it and work within its parameters. He can reciprocate, even! Now that Dream’s out of prison and the past can be wiped away, they can be friends (enemies? Nah, no need: friends) with benefits or whatever and there is no reason whatsoever for Dream to be uncomfortable with the idea. It’s not like Dream can’t see the appeal, objectively, and isn’t that what this should be? Isn’t that what everything should be? Objective.

To Sam, it’s terrifying, and heady, and confusing. Is this a demand? What is Dream telling him? Sam doesn’t want to admit what he wants (Sam can hardly conceive what is it he wants). Sam would find it much easier to stomach the idea that Dream is seducing him or pressuring him than to admit that he’s acting on his own initiative or desires. But part of Sam still probably does see this as power Dream is ceding to him, and that’s the operative part, the part that Sam is actually attracted to—he wants Dream to be his more than he wants to have sex with Dream.

This would be such a complicated undertaking for Sam in the throes of his Daedalus breakdown, and in the midst of it, I think he’d find himself acting on that repression with an enthusiasm he can’t place or explain to himself. This is power over Dream, and yet that power is what kept this act so strictly forbidden before; and now that Dream’s got power over Sam, this is now something that’s allowed.

Honestly I could keep going about this. Daedalus awesamdream is craaaaazy.

[raspberrysmoon]

ok. emma and zoey for the new ask game i NEED my beanies girlies

ok.... ive never been a huge emma and zoey person but this opened my fucking eyes actually. im sorry if i butchered anybodies girl 🫶

emma, on zoey

zoey's.. certainly a character. she's young, she's pretty, arguably she's half the reason beanie's even has a customer base, but she's mean. not just a little- she's violent with it. emma finds herself delighting in it, more often than not. zoey has a natural ability to find exactly what button to push, what sore to dig at. she sweetens her voice for tips and then turns and all but tells a man to kill himself in the same breath. zoey is young and pretty and cruel and she's everything emma wished she could've been. when zoey wants something, she gets it. when zoey doesn't want someone else to have something, they won't have it. end of story. period. its the funniest thing to see on a quiet sunday morning, making a cup of black coffee while zoey goes on and on about some kid demanding his drink, purposefully standing where he can see her not making his drink. its funny to watch her ignore every other living thing in the room when her pretty redhead walks in. its funny, for emma, to watch how zoey moves. how fluid she is, after years of being on stage and testing the limits of her joints and muscles and using those limits to her advantage. the way she all but floats as she glares at emma and refills the caramel bottle. zoey is funny, to emma. the way her whole demeanor changes based solely on who shes speaking to, the way she spits in the face of men trying to get too close, the way she hums to herself when she works. none of it is exactly special to zoey- in fact, most of it can be found in emma or nora as well- but in the end, somehow, its nobody but zoey.

zoey, on emma

all in all, emma is weird. 32 and still working in a low paying coffee shop, unmarried and barely scraping by on her own. zoey's never gotten past this first impression. emma does everything in life with a motive- and its nearly always anger. emma makes that boys hot chocolate out of anger, to get him to leave. she makes noras drinks out of anger, so she doesnt get fired. anger, and necessity. emmas motivations are simple and cruel in a way zoey had never found her own to be. emma never did things for the tips, never for a raise or for the benefit of her customer. she didn't sing out of anger, didn't sing for the tip. even though the tip was money, and money was a necessity. i don't need his tip, she'd say. she'd lie. nora never saw through that. zoey did, usually. the lie that she didn't need the tip, that she wasn't annoyed by that boy, that she didn't need the man in the suit who only ever ordered a black coffee. emma lied easily. she lied daily. she lied for fun, and for her benefit, and sometimes for others. she lied that zoey wasn't there when sam sweetly tried to see her. lied to nora that neither of them had gotten 5 dollar tips that day, so they didnt have to split them. she lied so she wasn't inconvenienced, zoey told herself. she lied so she could keep working, and make money out of necessity to do so. emma, zoey thought, was weird. she was a liar. she was angry. she shouted and flipped people off for fun most days, and could bite someones head off at the drop of a hat. at least emma was fun. loud. unwavering. a good coworker, overall.

i think about them sometimes. both exactly 300 words :3