#sorry not sorry for the juxtaposition from the last post to this one

[smalltimidbean]

Uh oh!

The Doctor

Had an

Accident

[buckybarnesthehotshot]

The Sun’s Moon (Daniel Ricciardo x Reader)

|main masterlist|

summary: the drivers don’t really get why daniel’s with his girlfriend (based off this post by @esposamultifandom)

word count: 2384

warnings: not proofread, innuendos, drivers being a bit mean (i’m sorry) 

       “I’ve arrived!” Daniel announced himself as he walked through the door, clad in a colorful Hawaiian shirt, his presence as illuminating as ever. The drivers cheered as he made his way in, pausing as the Australian spun around to help the woman who stood behind him—they barely noticed her—with the luggage she towed behind her.

       “I’m here too,” she shrugged, yawning. 

       “Isn’t it a bit too warm to wear that, mate?” Charles was the first to question her choice of attire; a pair of sweatpants and an oversized pink hoodie, the number 3 embroidered onto the front of it. 

       “It was chilly on the plane,” she shrugged bluntly, eyes fixated on Daniel’s attire, “Don’t really know how this one made it through the flight in a pair of shorts. 

       “That’s just because I’m hot, babe,” Daniel winked at her, making her roll her eyes as he turned to the boys, “So, where’s our room?” 

       “I’ll show you there,” Max nodded, hopping out from his spot on the couch as he led Daniel and y/n through the house they rented out. He’d interacted with the driver’s girlfriend once before, but still, he barely knew much about y/n, “So, how was your flight?”

       “You know, you really should have locked the door,” she ignored his question, motioning to the door she and Daniel entered the house from, “I mean, what if we were a pair of crazy serial killers? That’s like a majority of the Formula 1 grid gone.” 

       “Well, luckily you guys weren’t murderers then, right mate?” Max let out a laugh at y/n’s blunt humor. It was a ridiculous juxtaposition to Daniel’s. 

       “You never know,” she shrugged, making her way into the room Max led them to and plopped right on the bed, ditching her bags in the doorway. 

       “Babe, we just got here,” Daniel reminded her, letting out a small smile of amusement as he watched his girlfriend burrow under the sheets already. 

       “I’m still sleepy,” she told him, leaning into the pillows, “You can join your friends if you want to, I’m staying in here for the foreseeable future.” 

       Daniel looked to her, then to the door where Max stood, shrugging as he turned to Max, “Just let the others know we were jet-lagged, yeah?” he laughed before jumping right into the bed, his arms quickly making their way around his groggy girlfriend’s frame. Max nodded, shutting the door behind him as he left, wanting to respect Daniel’s decision.

       “Where’s Daniel?” Pierre questioned as Max reemerged from the hallway. 

       “Ah, he and y/n were jet-lagged. Said he wanted to rest,” the Dutchman shrugged. 

       “What? But he just looked like he was so full of energy earlier!” Lando’s brows furrowed, finding it impossible that Daniel clocked out this early on their trip. 

       “Doesn’t matter, mate. Just means they’ll have more energy for tomorrow,” Max shrugged, making his way over to the couch and situating himself beside his girlfriend. 

       Just as the Dutchman said, Daniel was well-rested in the morning, having gone out for a quick run before joining the others for breakfast.

       “y/n is not here?” Charles questioned, turning to the sweating Australian, “I thought she went out on the run with you.” 

       “y/n? Out on a run this early? Nah, mate, she slept in today. She said she’d join us on the beach, though, later,” Daniel shrugged, snacking on his plate of breakfast as the others looked at him in disbelief, “What?” 

       “Did you really tire her out that much last night?” Pierre quirked a teasing brow at Daniel as the Australian laughed and shook his head. 

       “Ah, mate, don’t be like that,” he laughed, smiling widely at the implications of Pierre’s joke, “No, uh, I guess the trip really wore her out, I guess. Wouldn’t want to bother her while she gets her rest.” 

      “Does she do that often?” Lando questioned. 

       “Do what often?” 

       “I don’t know, I just thought this trip would be like my opportunity to actually meet your girlfriend,” he shrugged. 

       “Aren’t you guys teammates?” Carlos quirked a brow at Lando’s remark. Just as the other drivers, he’d seen y/n at the paddock for a few of the races in the past few years. How was it possible that Lando barely knew anything about the woman who spent a fair amount of time in the McLaren garage?

       “She doesn’t talk much at the garage, mate,” Lando shrugged, turning to Daniel, “He’s always with this muppet.” 

       “It’s almost like she’s his girlfriend,” Luisa teased Lando, shrugging, “I say let her have her rest. It’s the summer break anyways.” 

       “We can all hang out later on the beach anyway,” Charlotte nodded in agreement, resting her head against Charles’ shoulder. 

       She wasn’t too wrong about that. They all ended up on the beach, everyone left to their own devices. A few of them decided to go for a swim—Daniel most definitely did, he was soaked from the top of the festive little bucket hat he wore to his sandy toes. 

       “Did you put on sunscreen?” she questioned, taking note of how her boyfriend’s skin was slightly tinged with pink. 

       “No, I’m working on my tan,” the Australian quipped, showing off his beautifully browned skin. 

       “A tan isn’t worth skin cancer, Danny,” she deadpanned, pulling out a tube of sunscreen. 

       “I’ll reapply later, I promise,” he insisted, pushing the tube away.

       “You having fun?” y/n quirked a brow at her boyfriend, letting out a laugh at how ridiculous he looked with the wet hat on. 

       “You know, it would be so much more fun if you joined me in the water,” Daniel suggested, a hopeful grin making its way to his face. 

       “But the umbrella,” y/n frowned, motioning to the giant beach umbrella she sat under. 

       “Then, we’ll bring the umbrella with us,” Daniel shrugged, making his way to the umbrella, preparing to pluck it out of the sand. 

       “Danny, I don’t really want to swim today,” she frowned, looking up at him through her shades, a pout making its way to her face. 

       “But we’re on a beach!” 

       “And I’m doing what I want to do on the beach,” she shrugged, wiggling her toes in the sand, something she found to be entertaining.

       “Okay, then,” he nodded, settling into the sand next to her, digging up some of it with his hands. 

       “What are you doing?” 

       “Building a sand castle,” he shrugged nonchalantly as she eyed him, brows furrowing. 

       “What are you? Five?” 

       “It’s never too late to build a sand castle,” he proclaimed, an idea making its way to his head as his girlfriend took a sip from her drink, “Ooh, I’ll make you a spot in the sand for your sodas.” 

       “That’s really not necessary,” y/n shook her head as Daniel got up from the sand, and walked into the house, leaving a faint trail of sandy footprints behind him before emerging with a shovel. 

       “What the hell,” y/n mumbled to herself, cheeks growing warm at the sight of her boyfriend making his way towards her with a shovel. He started digging up the sand near her as y/n leaned back, her lips curled up slightly in amusement as she watched her boyfriend get to work with whatever it was he’d been working on in the sand. 

       It was a sight to behold for everybody else; Daniel Ricciardo, a shovel in his hand, determined to make the space under his girlfriend’s umbrella perfect for her. It was amusing to watch him somehow build a chair of sand with the singular shovel he somehow found in the house. 

       They’d been so focused on Daniel that they missed the actual amusement on y/n’s expression. Instead, they believed her to merely be ignoring her boyfriend’s antics, preferring to sit by the beach and take a sip of her soda. 

       “A throne for my queen,” the Australian laughed as he finished up the sand chair he made under the umbrella. y/n made her way over to it, leaning against it, surprised at how sturdy the sand stood under her. 

       “Shit, this is comfy,” she chuckled, resting against the sand chair and pulling out a soda, holding it out to Daniel, “You want one?”

       “You know, I’m more of an alcohol kinda guy,” he quipped, taking his place next to his girlfriend.

       “Too bad there aren’t any shoes for you to drink from,” she teased, cracking the can open and handing it over to Daniel, “Now, come on, hydrate.” 

       “Aww, babe, look at you all concerned for me,” he let out a laugh, taking a sip from the soda, “But I don’t think a sugary soda counts as hydration.” 

       “I’ll stay hydrated however I want to,” she shrugged, leaning against the backrest of the sand chair and shutting her eyes, simply resting on the beach next to Daniel, soaking up whatever small bit of the sun made it past their umbrella, “You know, this is actually pretty nice.” 

       “It would be nicer if you got in the water too.” 

       “I’d look like a wet rat.” 

       “You’d still be my wet rat,” Daniel smiled up at her, ever the sap. 

       “I’d rather be your dry girlfriend,” she shook her head as Daniel gave her a teasing look, “Oh, come on, I didn’t mean it that way.” 

       “I’m sure you didn’t,” Daniel winked, placing a quick peck on her cheek. 

       The day melted away quicker than anticipated, the next thing they knew, it was nearing dinnertime. Of course, this was when y/n got out of her spot in the sand, placing a quick peck on Daniel’s cheek, letting him know she was going out. 

       “You don’t want me to go with you?” 

       y/n paused, thinking about it for a moment before shaking her head, “It’s your vacation with your friends, you go spend time with them.” 

       “And you’ll be fine on your own?” he quirked a brow at her, they were at an unfamiliar place, it was right for him to be concerned for her. 

       “Yeah, definitely. Don’t worry about it, babe,” she nodded, making her way into the house for a quick change of clothes before leaving. 

       At dinner, group all sat around a table set up outside, all the food prepared for them as Lando’s brows furrowed at the empty seat next to Daniel.

       “Where’s y/n?” he questioned, eyeing Daniel’s seat. The Australian let out a carefree laugh at the question. 

       “Oh, uh, I think she went out exploring a bit,” he explained with a quick shrug, “She does that sometimes.” 

       “Did she say what time she was going to be back?” Carlos questioned, his brows furrowing. It was getting fairly dark out. 

       “No, but I’m sure she’ll be here at some point,” Daniel shrugged.

       “You let your girlfriend wander around unfamiliar places alone often?” Max questioned, quirking a brow at Daniel’s decision-making skills. 

       “She likes having her alone time on vacations. She just picked today to have it, I guess,” he shrugged. 

       “So, you guys don’t spend much time together on vacations?” Charles’ brow furrowed at the thought of it, partially weirded out at the way Daniel was so nonchalant about the situation. They were away so often with their jobs as drivers, almost all of them wanted to spend time with their significant others whenever there wasn’t a race weekend. 

       “Of course we do,” Daniel rolled his eyes, “We were literally on the beach with you guys earlier.”

       “Yes, but you were swimming and she was just under her umbrella,” Pierre mentioned, earning a huff from Daniel.

       “Mate, we literally hung out while we were on the beach earlier,” Daniel tried to justify the situation, brows furrowing, “Wait, why are we talking about y/n and I again?” 

       “I don’t know, it just feels so weird with you guys. I mean, are you sure she’s your girlfriend?” Lando questioned, “You guys are opposites. She wants her alone time, and she sits around a lot, and you’re this really active dude. I don’t know why you’re dating her, really.” 

       Daniel’s brows furrowed as Luisa told Lando off, grasping onto his arm. 

       “y/n and I are together because she gets me,” Daniel stated firmly, “She has a different kind of humor and all these jokes, but I like them all. And despite what you guys say, she does try to be caring in her own way too, but you guys aren’t the ones dating her, so of course, you wouldn’t know that.”

       He was quick to jump to is girlfriend’s defense, upset at how his friends just didn’t seem to understand the way his relationship with his girlfriend worked. 

       The table went quiet for a moment before a familiar voice came from nearby. 

       “I’m sorry I’m late, dinner still on?” y/n questioned, making her way towards the seat next to Daniel’s, oblivious to the fact that almost all eyes were on her. She had a few bags in her arms as she did so. 

       “What’d you do?” Luisa questioned, making an attempt to cut through the tension her boyfriend created. 

       “I wanted to go around and see the place a bit, and I saw this place with stores, right?” y/n explained. To everyone else, this was the most talkative they’d seen her, a shock after her being so timid was a topic of discussion for the table previously, “There was a mannequin that really caught my eye.” 

       “You’re replacing me with a mannequin?” Daniel quipped, earning an eye roll from the woman as she pulled something out one of the bags she had. 

       “It was this small novelty shop, but I saw this shirt and I thought you’d like it,” she shrugged, “I still think it looks stupid, but you make shirts like these look…less stupid?”

       She handed him a bunched-up piece of colorful fabric; there it was. A shirt that looked like one of Daniel’s signature button-up shirts. He offered her a smile, a reminder of why he adored y/n so much. Despite her eye rolls and remarks, she cared about him. 

      People didn’t understand them. They saw Daniel as the sun, bright and bubbly, while they saw her as the complete opposite, dark and broody. Still, the sun needed his moon.

tagging: @littlemortals​ who got me to write it

F1 TAGS: @errrrrat​ 

[earlgreytea68]

do you mind if i do some peterick web weaving in your askbox? i'm sorry, i just love hearing your thoughts about this stuff! pete posted on twitter about 'the last of the real ones': "that kind of love you feel for someone because of their glitches not in spite of them. where you feel the vacuum of them everywhere..."

AND THEN for hold me like a grudge, which i think is the most peterick-coded song ever, pete said about the 'part time soulmate, full-time problem' line: "I really like juxtapositions and contradictory things; I think it’s so human. Anytime you meet somebody, there’s at least two sides to them, and there’s flaws, and sometimes those flaws are what you like about them, and you chase them because of the flaws."

this being the album about contradictions - the frowning/smiley face, finding meaning in nihilism - loving someone because of their flaws fits right in. And who else does pete seem to consistently talk about being opposites with/having friction with, or even describes as being his soulmate? patrick.

everything is about peterick, case closed *bangs gavel*

gosh, first allow me a moment to admire "the vacuum of them everywhere," which is...so beautiful

ANYWAY, it's really the purest kind of love, seeing someone with all of their flaws and loving them anyway, even loving them for exactly those flaws. And I hadn't connected that to the fact that Pete always talks about Patrick in exactly those ways: that they drove each other crazy all the time while also bringing out the best in each other, that he cannot create without the friction of Patrick to rub against. That you learn to appreciate the ways in which the other person is different from you, and how perfectly that fits together. You can't have the good without the pain, you can't have the summer without the winter, you can't have the love without the heartbreak.

It makes me think of the part in the Joel Madden podcast when he asks about Pete's relationship with Patrick and, because this is how he does interviews, he suggests to Pete that what Patrick's good at what Pete's bad at and vice versa, and Pete kind of says yeah, but then goes on to say that it's not just that. To Pete, the importance isn't the complementarity, it's the push-and-pull of it. They don't just stay in their lanes, they're constantly swerving over into each other's lanes, but Pete clearly thinks that's what makes the magic, that they know each other's strengths but they're also all up in each other's business nevertheless. For Pete, the magic of the relationship with Patrick is all of the parts that make him not!Pete, all of the glitches that Pete runs into, all of those contradictions that make him so different from Pete. That's what Pete loves.

[fawning-f0r-you]

Dance with the Devil | Ch. 1 - WAKE UP

Chapter One | Chapter Two | WIP!!

A/N: Hi so ik it's been so long omg sorry about that but here is some nice fun fluff. I'll post the polished chapters on AO3 (once I get an account lol) but here you'll get the rough drafts to enjoy.

Content warnings: nothing graphic! It's fluff, no gore, nothin'

Summary: Evan Myers died in that forest, Vinnie soon to follow. But, suddenly he finds himself in his early thirties and married. Is this a trick by HABIT or is he living his next life?

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

WAKE UP

"Evan?"

Evan blinked, snapping to reality. Well, he tried to. Truthfully, he was in such a distant world, a memory, he couldn't tell you the date or even his age. All but for a moment.

He focused his eyes, seeing a familiar face. One he hadn't seen in… God, five years? Has it really been that long to see her gilded brown eyes? Wait. Wait…

He stared a little more intently. The beauty remained, but there was hints of age. Smile lines, little wrinkles from joyous events. Her face had settled, the face she'll wear for most of her life until she begins to grey.

"J-Jessie?" Evan barely choked out, but tried to quickly recover and hide the waiver in his voice.

He glanced around for a moment. She was handing him a mug of coffee, the color close to his own skin tone. Evan didn't drink coffee. …Right?

He remembered he far more enjoyed the battery-acid taste of a Monster. Yet, on reflex, he took the cup and had a small sip. Instead of retching, it went down smooth. It felt… familiar?

Evan wracked his brain. He closed his eyes and focused on the last thing he could remember. Cold, unforgiving forest floor… a cry of frustration from the being of chaos as they slipped back into the cycle of rinse and repeat. His friend, or what he believed to be, bleeding out as his vision faded and his breathing slowed.

He was supposed to be dead. He is dead. He was dead.

However, as he also peeled back the layers, an entire separate life began to reveal itself. He's 32 now. Jessie Miller, or rather Jessie Myers, was his wife of almost a decade. She still ended their relationship after prom, but they soon reconciled after graduation as she revealed she only ended it due to the pressure from her father.

"He didn't want me ending up like you." he could remember her saying with a wince.

She had gone to college in New York City while he stayed back in Jersey, working odd jobs here and there. He scraped together money while living off of 99¢ noodle cups and his family's trailer to put a payment down on a house. Their house.

He remembered how he had proposed, well both times. The first time was on a regular date over pizza. He had given her a cheap and dainty ring, calling it a promise. I promise I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, I promise I'll do anything and everything I can, for you, Jessie. I'll make you happy. I'll provide. I promise I'll make you my girl. His greatest desire was to keep her comfortable. It wasn't a secret her family was well-off, upper middle class, and so she had a much more cushy life compared to him.

Little did he know, a few months after getting her master's degree, they had a little one on the way. That was the kick in the ass he needed. He put his nose to the nosegrind and went to trade school. It got him a job that paid better than any part-time seasonal gig could. He proposed, proper, kneeling with a diamond ring and everything, and they married that fall.

Hot tears stung the corner of his eyes as he quite literally watched his life flash before his eyes up to the current moment. It was such a radical juxtaposition to what hell he had just gone through.

…it was already starting to feel like a dream. No slenderman, no wolf-spider demon overtaking his body and killing everyone around him, and no…

No entering a secluded vacation home in Pennsylvania, seeing her blood paint the walls. Never having to rip a monster off of her, seeing her body, her flesh, in tatters. Never having to hold her in his arms, feeling her warmth evaporate. Never promising her everything was going to be alright as her wide eyes flooded with fear, knowing he was lying. He was a liar.

He blinked. Again.

Jessie's face had changed to an expression of concern rather than confusion. She asked the question again: "Evan?" Are you alright? What's the matter?

Evan shook his head and cleared his throat, drinking more of his coffee. It was exactly how he liked it. She had it memorized. His heart melted a little more, remembering that nugget of information. "Yes, honey, I'm… I'm alright. I didn't sleep well, it must be catching up to me."

Jessie's face softened as a smile crept across her lips. "I hope you're not too tired. Ashlynn has been begging to play in the snow with you all morning."

All morning?! "What time is it?" Evan asked with another sip, an attempt to hide the glance he stole at the clock. It was noon.

Jessie didn't get a chance to answer as a shrill, excited voice filled the kitchen, "Daddy!"

A little girl, only seven years old, barreled in and hugged his leg. She wore a cute maroon puffy coat with a cat-earred beanie and black gloves to match. It reminded him of something Jeff would wear back in the day.

Evan's breath caught in his throat. Ashlynn… his daughter.

"...I remember feeling her bones on my teeth…"

He scooped her up into his arms, hugging her tight. She returned the hug, her small arms wrapping around his neck. Evan buried his face into her coat. He broke. He started to cry, to sob.

Was this real? Is this just… another sick twisted trick by HABIT?

It certainly felt real. Just as real as The God Killer slicing his artery. Maybe… maybe this really was his next iteration. He was a father. He had succeeded. He married his highschool sweetheart and had his daughter. There was nothing more he could ask for.

"Daddy…?" His daughter's voice snapped him out of it. He could listen to her for the rest of time. He never wanted her to be quiet. Not only could he finally hold her, he could see her. Hear her. No monster had ripped her from the womb, no. She was born in a regular hospital under regular circumstances.

He sniffled, wiping his tears. "Sorry, angel, daddy just… Daddy loves you so much, okay? Daddy is always going to be there for you. Always." He gently set her down on her feet. "Now, can you go wait in the living room while daddy gets his boots on?"

"Okay!" Luckily, Ash wasn't old enough to really question her father.

Jessie on the other hand… She wore her heart on her sleeve. Of course she was concerned for her husband. "Evan, what's gotten into you? You've been… spacey." She gently leaned forward and wiped his tears away with her thumb.

Evan had to fight every nerve in his body screaming to jump, to flee, to flinch. "It's nothing, baby… I just. I've been having some nightmares recently. Not sleeping very well." Jessie bought the lie. It made his stomach twist into a knot lying to her, but how could he ever explain to her what had happened? What happened to him, to her, in a different time?

Jessie made her way around the kitchen island and Evan had to suppress his surprise. She was pregnant. Very pregnant. Seven months, three weeks, and four days to be exact. At least, that was how long medically, conception is not as empirical as doctors made it out to be. He had been counting the days.

Without even thinking, he stepped towards her. He wrapped her into a tight hug as he placed a palm on her round, full tummy. Another one. Another little one. His.

He peppered her face in kisses, not even halting as she burst into giggles. His heart overflowed with joy and love. He finally had everything he could ever want. For a moment, he forgot to consider where his other loved ones were. Stephanie, Jeff, Vinnie…

For now, they could wait. For the first time, Evan Myers was going to be selfish.

Chapter Two

[roamwithahungryheart]

Sorry if i'm bothering you (again) queen! I swear this is the last question.

After the finale we realized that maybe rebecca has always had a soft spot for ted and she was the one who fell for him and not the way around as we all assumed.

Do you think this is the case of "the boy fall hard but the girl falls harder" trope or it's more than this? According to you, when was the exact moment when they both thought "oh shit, i might like him/her" throughout the serie?

Not bothering me at all! Feel free to drop in whenever you like, I'm always down for a chat! 💖

Buckle up because this is gonna be a looooonnnng post!

In retrospect, it's interesting to think about because of the parallels they established in 3.04 in relation to Rupert's 'relentless' pursuit of Rebecca and how he 'just wanted to get to know me'. We immediately connect that to the way Ted slowly gets to know Rebecca and the daily ritual of Biscuits With The Boss.

The progression of their working relationship hits a new level in 1.04 when Rebecca's able to be vulnerable with him at the gala and they hug. She's letting him in, in spite of being afraid of doing that again. Also, let's not forget the way Ted compliments her dress on the night.

Sure, you could put it down to Ted being nice and hyping her up as a friend, but you can tell Rebecca's a little flustered.

The show establishes that they're each other's Work Husband and Wife around halfway through the first season. Their dynamic changes in a way that's reminiscent of - as I've said in a previous post - a classic Nancy Meyers movie marriage. They even put them in matching colors in Two Aces - the all-important introduction of red that ties us to soulmatism. But in doing that, it doesn't inherently establish them as a romantic pairing. They're a double act. You could easily view them as platonic.

However, he catches her off-guard again when she's doing that photo shoot - would you really talk to your boss like that? Ted's straight up flirting, whether he realizes it or not (because let's be honest, he's an oblivious little doofus!) and Rebecca takes the compliment like a pro.

Oh, and can we talk about the first truth bomb that happens in that same episode? Ted's reaction after they hug? He moves forward for a millisecond, as if he wants to go in for a kiss but holds back.

Ted & Rebecca's connection, whether romantic or platonic, has always been tied to vulnerability. They needed to both be open to receiving support from each other, and they only truly reached that point at Paul Welton's funeral (the 1991 scene tells us everything we need to know).

Ted had been (quite literally) holding the door open for her since 'I respect you didn't hurry'. She just didn't walk through it until she realized he was showing up for her without question, both in and outside of work. The funny thing is, Rebecca showed up for Ted in Carol of the Bells, and he wasn't ready. But there was a kind of silent acknowledgment of their bond in that episode. It was effectively an aside to the viewers.

Then we have the 'fuck the haters' text. The purple heart emoji. If you're gonna send a sympathetic emoji to a colleague, you don't send a heart. A friend does that. A romantic interest does that. The thing that further drills that point home is the juxtaposition with Michelle's text message. They immediately show us that Ted has two women in his life who care about him. It sets up a potential love triangle too, because they're both showing affection for Ted, and it's up to us to decide what kind of affection it is.

I think when Ted tells her she livens up the place, that's a little bit of a lightbulb moment. He's a naturally affectionate person, sure, but he's just admitted (again without realizing) that he enjoys being around Rebecca.

We have to talk about the Oklahoma thing, though. At first, they have nothing to say to each other. Ted's heart is open, Rebecca's is closed. By season three, it's become a little in-joke for them. They're actually communicating with each other on a deeper level. They've built mutual trust and comfort. That's been Rebecca's trouble all along - she's been so closed off, she never allowed herself to feel what she truly feels.

She jumps headfirst into fleeting, meaningless sex to distract herself. She can't even bring herself to listen to Sassy talk about what Ted's like in bed. She keeps tabs on Sassy & Ted, and in 3.05 it's pretty obvious that Keeley knows something's up (especially in the last episode, Keeley's face when Rebecca says she isn't ready to talk about replacing Ted speaks volumes).

I think it was kind of set up from the jump in season three that there's an unspoken thing between them. It's absolutely undeniable by the time we get to the airport scene in the finale.

TL;DR I think they both fell for each other early on, but it took the thought of losing each other to get them to finally acknowledge it.

[septembermonologues]

I WANT TO STUDY DORYMS EARLY EXU DYNAMIC LIKE A BUG CAUSE LIKE…..it’s not that they hate each other, the respect for each other is there even in the beginning (ie “our little tactician”), they both seem to take on each other as the only other Responsible™️ member of the group, they have little moments of teasing (honeying the flute), they lean on each other when plan making, they first turn to each other, having dialogues only to themselves.

In a sense, the basis and beginnings of what we see from them in c3 is ALREADY there,,,it’s just,,,,their fundamental beliefs and values are SO DIFFERENT (partly because of how they were raised, partly because of who they are as people) that they can’t help but butt heads sometimes, say and do things they other doesn’t agree with. it doesn’t help that they both take sort of take charge of the group at times in the beginning, their need to help the group do the right or best thing collides because they have such DIFFERENT VIEWS on what is right or the best.

But the thing is,,,,,THE THING IS!!!!!! EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ARE ODDS!!!!! THEY STILL CARE FOR EACH OTHER!!!!!! THEY STILL RESPECT EACH OTHER!!!!!!

even when dorian wants no business with the fire ashari, he agrees to help them out because “if orym wants to help you, I want to help you.” !!!!!! even when dorian does questionable things like wanting to keep the circlet, attempting to give up gilmore, trading poska to lolth they he does it with the intention of keeping his people safe (which by extension, includes orym)!!!!!

even when orym wants no business with the circlet, he doesn’t push when dorian (and the others) insists to keep it!!! even when his intuition tells him not to, he decides to trust dorian!!!!! even when he’s THREATENING dorian, he doesn’t do it out of anger but out of WORRY!!!!!! BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW GOOD DORIAN IS AT HEART AND DOESN’T WANT HIM GOING DOWN A DARK PATH!!!!!!!!!

IDK JUST,,,,,,the juxtaposition of the good nature of their smaller more innocent moments, to the intensity and hostility of their disagreements, to the meaningful and attentive implications of the things that go unsaid through what they do for each other in early exu JUST FUCKING GETS ME!!!!!!!! I miss them sm WHEN WILL THEY COME HOME :(((((

(Sorry im rambling in ur inbox just ur last post about how long it took for them to warm up to each other in EXU got me thinking so hard)

don't apologize for messaging!! i love shootin' the shit!!

i LOVE relationships that take work. like you said, the respect is a constant and i think that's why they learned to work with each other as well as they have and got to the point of "i give dorian a look a spouse gives a spouse". respect is one thing, but i think for both of them trust is hard-won and their trust in each other was no exception, and to me it shows in how solid their care for each other has grown to be.

this might not really fit into this convo but i also just appreciate how much of EXU liam has held onto because on 4 sided there was a question/comment about the conversation orym had with imogen and liam pointed out that he'd already worried about a friend following a dark path with dorian and i think the trio going through something so serious in their (mini campaign long) game zero set them up to be a grounded set for the chaos that is the bell's hells.

i am partial to the theory that liam and robbie have something planned for the long game even if it didn't start way back at the start of exu, and im excited to see if/how it plays out. liam has made it pretty clear that he/orym is still actively thinking about dorian and where he fits (at oryms side!!!!!!!!!), and it was also made clear even as early as the cast live tweeting the night of episode 14 that they aren't letting robbie go far so i have hope he'll be back at the table eventually. i think robbie works really well with the group, and it's backed up (to me) by him being brought in at the very start of the campaign and wrapped up so tightly with two principal characters/players.

also also we have travis in our corner via chetney and also 1000% himself. between chet asking about dorian and orym's relationship damn near the second he had dorian alone to his "whatever comes next" when he gave his gift to orym and also travis poking robbie about dorian having a romantic interest on 4 sided dive. which, on that front, another reason i'm convinced robbie and liam have something figured out is because of how cagey they've been about it lol. like robbie just not answering and then orym's "its complicated" and stuff.

[insectsinsects]

Winnie, I owe you a post, but what you mean to me often transcends words. They fail me, which frustrates me because they are all we have. Your novel is brilliant. I remember when it was merely a thought. Pieces of the synopsis conjure memories of a younger, more naïve version of me. It's come so far...! I'm very proud of you. You have returned love at ten times its original value and I've always admired how you get back up despite everything. We're alike in that way. It's funny that we were merely two ships in the night all those years ago. When our paths diverged, your face was among hazy freshmen crowds in my 2020 dreams. It's hard to believe our friendship ever had an intermission like that. The string that connects us is older than some sidewalks in New York. Maybe I couldn't sense it under the concrete and tar. When you came back into my life two years later, I was surprised you could remember me because I was unremarkable back then. I was plain, I hadn't left my house in three months, and I was doomed. Honestly doomed. I wrote about things that used to feel like stellar masses on my mind. Now I think they're frivolous. But maybe we were all 18 and writing about things that became very small over time. I was honored to have made any impression on you. My hair was short. Yours was even shorter. I had only recently emerged from my chrysalis an interesting specimen. You were born cool.

I am esteemed to be a confidant to you. I do feel like a trusted sous-chef or lieutenant to you, and I'm always happy to share your joys or strategize or mourn or eat something yummy or watch a movie. I think we have a funny visual dynamic, from the way you tower over to me to our stylistic juxtaposition, I am proud when I walk next to you. One Christmas you cut your bangs and I waited until I was way out of frame and in my hometown to haphazardly chop bangs in your shadow. We have miraculous clogs from a thrift store in Virginia, because we prayed for them together in the hour-long train journey. We experience small instances of happiness because we pray for each other. You're one of 3 reasons I'd ever come back to New York, even though it smells like somebody else's house nowadays.

I'm sorry I didn't open up more before. You've given me so much of your life. When we called last week you saw my open, pulsating wounds. You probably, unknowingly heard my heart beat its loudest in warm alleyways last spring. You've seen me experience pure bliss and happiness, because a lot of those bright moments happen with you. I want to share every beautiful thing in my life with you, and I wish I could take half of your pain and bear it together. I can't wait to be wiser in 2030 or even a day from now.

Everything is so big because we're young, but I have a feeling we'll always exist as we are in the amber of my mind.

[defectivehero]

just a quick note: hello folks. I'm back, for now, at least. [didn’t last long, right? lol. the return nobody asked for!!] i republished some of my older posts, cause i realized that i really do miss writing! even just sitting down and scrolling through them for a few minutes helped me gain some clarity.  i'll probably continue writing on here. i'm planning to just write whatever, whenever i want. [i'm not going to commit to anything yet.] we shall see how it goes. :0

blah, blah, blah. i'm rambling, sorry. onto the fun stuff!

“Well, Hero, fancy seeing you here.”

The hero glances around the room, looking for their mentor. The one moment they're not there... They pinch the bridge of their nose and manifest the patience needed for the upcoming conversation before turning around to look at the villain. Said villain is wearing a floral shirt and khaki shorts, fitting in seamlessly with the other vacationers scattered around the massive cruise ship. 

“Hi,” the hero manages to respond, fiddling with their shirt collar for a moment in an attempt to distract themselves. They can feel the villain’s gaze burning through their skin, and it only takes a few moments for their enemy to ask the very question they’ve been dreading. 

“Where’s that mentor of yours?” the villain asks airily, crossing their arms over their chest. It’s a strange juxtaposition- their posture is threatening, but their outfit gives off “middle-aged man on a much needed vacation” vibes. The hero grapples with the strangeness of the situation for a bit, not quite sure what to say. Their mentor is, regretfully, nowhere in sight. They’re about to say so when the villain continues to speak. “You two seemed awfully cozy earlier.”

“It’s... just for the mission, nothing more,” the hero admits, not seeing the need for keeping up the pretense any longer. They have a sinking feeling that the villain noticed them from the start. After all, it’s oddly convenient for their enemy- to find them during the few minutes that they’re actually alone. 

“They don’t seem to think so,” the villain murmurs, quietly enough that the hero just barely hears it. The space around them isn’t exactly quiet and, coupled with the villain’s all-around cryptic personality, it takes the hero more than a moment to read between the lines and process what their enemy is saying. When they do, they immediately change the subject.

“Who are you with, then?” the hero asks, trying to divert the villain’s attention elsewhere. Their enemy raises an eyebrow, clearly aware of the effort, but they simply exhale roughly. 

“No one,” the villain shrugs, rolling their eyes. They glance around the space with thinly-veiled annoyance, as if the other passengers’ happiness is a burden for them to perceive. “I am, regrettably, all by my lonesome.” 

“What?” the hero can't help but blurt out. Their thoughts are running a mile a minute, yet they come to a screeching halt at the villain’s statement. “I thought this was a couple’s cruise? That was the whole point of this...”

“Just out of curiosity, who told you that?” the villain asks. The question seems innocent enough, but the darkened expression on their enemy’s face suggests that there is a hidden meaning. The hero thinks back to the meeting with their mentor all those days ago: their strange insistence with the “couple” coverup, their unusual enthusiasm.

“Oh,” the hero remarks dumbly, everything beginning to fall into place. Their mentor had seemed overly eager to play the part of vacationing lovers... It all made a disturbing amount of sense. How did the villain notice before they did? And, more importantly, why tell them? 

“Yes, oh,” the villain mimes, a hint of a smile playing on their lips. The hero wishes, not for the first time, that they had the villain’s luxury: watching from afar as an amused observer. Heroes are never afforded that luxury, however. The hero learned that lesson a long time ago. “I must admit, it’s been rather entertaining to watch that legendary mentor of yours fall at your feet.”

“That’s not...” the hero tries to say, but their voice catches in their throat. It seems even their subconscious has begun to realize the truth. They look around the area, intensely fearful that their mentor may return any moment. By some miracle, they don’t seem to be nearby. 

“I’m just the messenger,” the villain remarks loftily, shoving their hands in their pockets. “You might want to sit down and have a conversation with your, ah, acquaintance. In the meantime, I shall be relaxing over there at the bar, pretending not to listen.” “Seriously?!” the hero hisses, irritated by the villain’s casual disobedience. 

“Well, how does that saying go?” the villain continues. They tap their finger on their chin in contemplation. “Don’t shoot the messenger? That’s it. Anyways, good luck.” The villain winks at them before sauntering over to the bar, sitting down on one of the bar stools. The hero gulps, staring at their back for a moment. 

“Hey, I was looking for you,” a voice they immediately recognize to be their mentor’s asks, wrapping an arm around their waist. The hero can’t help but stiffen, now that they know the depth of their mentor’s feelings, the lengths they went to establish this “mission.” Their mentor seems to notice their hesitance, because they take a step back and frown. “Are you okay?”

“We need to talk,” the hero sighs, leading them towards a more secluded room away from the prying eyes of the villain. Even after closing the door and confirming that, yes, they are indeed alone, the hero can still feel the weight of the villain’s gaze on their skin throughout the conversation with their mentor. 

©2022, @defectivehero All Rights Reserved.

endnotes below the cut :0

author’s note: I really like this villain. I don’t know... there’s just an intriguing mix of observant/wittiness with uncaring/easygoing-ness [yes, I know that’s not a word, shut up.] 

I had no idea a “couple’s cruise” was even a thing until I read an ao3 fic with one in it, lol. It’s a strange idea, and I wanted to play with it and the hero/villain dynamic. I wanted to highlight both the high-stakes, dangerous life of the hero/villain world, but also touch on the goofy, lighthearted idea of the couple’s cruise. so... yeah! hope ya enjoyed :)

make sure to drink water and eat if you can! also, take your meds! yuh yuh!! see yall later :)

[dowagersqueen]

Sorry, I just wanted to elaborate a little on the post that I responded to about who was in the art piece from "Rise of the Dragon" because people were asking for context.

The art of Criston dancing with Rhaenyra and Daemon dancing with Alicent is from the last dinner that Viserys puts on to try to heal the rift between the Greens and Blacks before he dies.

In particular the caption points out the clear "act" that both "Leaders" of the two factions were putting on to make Viserys happy, despite not being at all genuine.

Which, despite the book being utter trash, there was a redeeming factor that it actually emphasizes that Alicent and Criston were the leaders of the Green Faction and there is actually several really great pieces of art of Criston and Alicent close together, looking more like a couple on par with Rhaenyra and Daemon than Lord Commander and Queen.

I always found it annoying in the show that they put a greater emphasis on Otto and Alicent, rather than Criston and Alicent being the masterminds behind the Greens. and the one thing that "Rise of the Dragon" does well is both show and tell that Alicent and Criston were a team, but also it hints - more than "Fire & Blood" that Alicent and Criston weren't just together but were married as fuck for decades and that Book!Viserys just didn't care. To be honest, I don't think Book!Viserys cared if Criston had sex with Alicent right in front of him as long as nothing got on his chicken dinner.

I sometimes wonder where that Alicole went in HOTD. I'd take Otto as the retired elder statesmen that is Alicent's mentor to get the dream team of proactive Alicent and master strategist Criston that was all up in the books, both Fire & Blood and Rise of the Dragon.

I wish that they took the more dueling couples approach of Alicent & Criston vs. Rhaenya & Daemon more to heart like it was in "The Princess & the Queen" short story. I just like that juxtaposition better with two rival powerful women full of ambition and dreams and their cunning and dangerous "husbands' that carry out that will as a single unit in congress with their lovers.

Instead they lobotomize Criston into this rage monster who is basically an anxiety ridden Alicent's mad dog, rather than the brains and competent partner to Alicent and her ambitions and schemes. And Rhaenyra seems more like a little girl being led around by her psychotic uncle-daddy, rather than the half-mad rage machine egged on by her ambitious and roguish ... well, still uncle-daddy.

It bums me out that we didn't get the two competent and dangerous couples and heads of dueling families instead of these rather bland and white-washed bumbling and accident prone people who need anti-depressants more than a throne.

Anyway, sorry, I got carried away there.

ohh, this is great insight on the art and the book its coming from!

for anyone wondering, the ask is about this post

i think the alicole in the show was made to be subtle for two reasons:

a) to have alicent more bonded with rhaenyra and as an early friendship that defined her in some way and thus have otto and daemon be the ones who drive a wedge between them so to speak. (i'm strictly expressing how *they* see it)

b) to show this modest and faithful side of alicent that has stood by viserys' side to the very end. to show how she kept her duty and would not break it with criston cole. and it's also connected to her plotline with rhaenyra where she warns her about the dangers of being compromised. alicent is obviously a girl who has been taught since day one that she has to be dutiful.

personally, once driftmark happened, i feel like alicent was free to pursue whatever she wanted and do to viserys and rhaenyra whatever she wanted, including to scheme against them. ofc her personality, her character, would limit what she would do and she would not be someone to immediately order rhaenyra's death or something, but she did.... nothing. at all.

obviously the way they set it up will have some influence on the characters: rhaenyra is prone to be a bit meek @ daemon because of the grooming, but i feel like she’s been given the right to be selfish more than alicent’s character was allowed, so that helps her.

but the show's direction is to put both rhaenyra and alicent in what they think is a better light aka to not take or partake in actions or decisions that could make the audience see them as cruel. this always falls on daemon and, in alicent's case, her sons and criston and otto.

i just don't think the writers understand the line between demonization of a character (making alicent and rhaenyra into classic evil women tropes f.e. the way book alicent is seen as the evil stepmother trope) and giving them agency in a conflict that is also about them and where they are allowed, given their circustances, to respond accordingly.

[golbrocklovely]

it's been a minute since i posted one of these so..

here’s some of colby’s tweets from 2021.

i don’t have proof that these are his tweets, but believe me, they are his.

if it’s bold and italicized, it’s someone’s tweet to him.

if it’s in (), that’s just me commenting lol

added bonus: if they have a * next to them, that means it’s been deleted

~~~~~~~~~~

Jan. 2 - thank you all so much i love you don’t forget

Jan. 6 - just got yelled at on my walk by a 93 year old grandma it was dope how’s your day goin

on another note , so sad to see what’s been happening today at the capitol .. this is ridiculous. i’m worried.

(the issue with this time period is that colby was getting a lot of heat for shit he shouldn't have been. so… some of these tweets are gonna trigger me, and this is one of them lmao)

Jan. 8 - seems like the older i get the more independent i become

*@/mikes_dead: seems like the older u get the more u forget to call me back headass sorry bb 🖤

don’t crave that personal life human affection like i used to i’m cool with being by myself

always feel like i’m living in a dreamy reality until i get caffeine. blurry vision blurry mind

Jan. 9 - learned how to drive manual for the first then drifted that car today i’m surprised i didn’t kill anyone

you in January

Jan. 12 - fan: hi i love yOu…@/ColbyBrock

hiii i love you

fan: It’s my 2,000 day supporting Sam and colby. That’s fucking insnae man. Mental. I love you 2. Always and forever thank you for being such huge parts in my life @/SamGolbach @/ColbyBrock @/SamandColby

thank you for being a part of our life journey 🙏🏼🖤

Jan. 14 - time to conquer my anxiety

Jan. 16 - tonight , two years ago i was sleeping in a little jail cell wondering how long i’d be in there without Sam. life is fuckin crazy hahah, freedom is a gift

fan: i cant believe that most of the fandom slept on the floor when @/SamandColby 2 years when they got arrested #FreeSamAndColby

the best fans in the world

Jan. 18 - oh how time can heal and change everything

fan: no fr he’s been working so hard and you can really tell. proud of you @/ColbyBrock

thank you darlin

Jan. 19 - my fear won’t be something that i let control the way i live

Jan. 20 - fan: colby ur tweets r always so deep

twitters my personal little mind dump

(wish this was still the case… but i get why he is barely on there)

Jan. 22 - it’s underwater shipwreck dive today

feels good to feel proud of myself

Jan. 24 - fan: @/ColbyBrock can you teach me your ways of being okay with being single bc i’m tired of asshole guys fucking around with my feelings

one day you’ll learn that the only happiness you need comes from within, once you’ve learned to really enjoy youre own company you don’t need anyone else! practice makes perfect 🖤

Jan. 25 - why do i push away everyone who tries to get me to open up?

(what a juxtaposition lol)

Jan. 28 - crows are honestly just death metal chickens

Jan. 30 - don’t wanna jinx this like last time but XPLR gods have definitely been on our side recently again … Alaska has been an adventure of a lifetime

Feb. 1 - don’t let anyone tell you who YOU are and how to think

fan: Currently listening to We Love Our Friends @/SamGolbach @/ColbyBrock @/SamandColby

a bop

Feb. 2 - fan: Thinking about @/ColbyBrock hours

💭🖤

*fan: @/ColbyBrock u should get a tongue piercingggg

*ouchh

fan: As part of 25x25 @/ColbyBrock needs to come out with music

🤫😏

(he needs to come out with more music asap)

*fan: @/ColbyBrock u said no to the tongue piercing what about u getting a nipple piercing??

ouchhh

(what's with fans wanting him to get random parts of his body pierced lmao)

wake me up after valentine’s day

Feb. 4 - what’s one thing you wanna do before you die ?

Feb. 7 - my dream is to show you the beauty in life .. no matter how hard it can get

really opened up on my ongoing experience with anxiety in today’s video , i hope it resonates with some of you. we’re not alone

Feb. 8 - fan: bro @/ColbyBrock do you always get your tats in the early hours of the morning??

yes hahah

just gettin started on this sleeve. lots of work to do

Feb. 10 - fan: @/ColbyBrock I need some advice for anxiety lately my anxiety is playing up and I keeps having anxiety/panics attacks and idk how to calm my self the best thing I can do so far is watch ur vids but still sometimes I just can’t hold it in do u have any advice

box method breathing really helps.. soft music.. meditation. anything that can relax the mind. usually it stems from overthinking so if you can somehow distract yourself with an activity of some sort that could help too 🖤

i’m so emotional sometimes and for what

Feb. 13 - so who’s down to hangout tomorrow

fan: i could really use a hug from @/ColbyBrock rn /: sigh i miss him sm

🖤 sending virtual hugs

fan: Hey Colby … just checking in…. are you okay? Taking care of yourself? @/ColbyBrock

thank you for being so sweet i love you. yes i’m okay i have my good and bad days

Feb. 17 - sang for the first time on camera yesterday

Feb. 20 - this pill that i don’t wanna taste

fan: Are you okay??? Or one of your song lyrics

song lyrics .. probably should have explained that a lil more. it’s not a literal thing i promise hahah

Feb. 22 - damn i miss the big trap house parties we use to throw at our old place. 500 people plus in our living room.. David dobrik always comin in randomly with flame throwers hahah legendary times

Feb. 24 - i was so happy in my dream last night .. felt so real.

simply a wonderful sight to see

Feb. 28 - Dear @/ColbyBrock I would REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU DYED YOUR HAIR BACK TO BROWN I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT

my purple is pretty much out ! so it’ll be all the way brown soon

fan: Apparently the guys are in Las Vegas and Las Vegas is probably like oh no not these guys again. @/ColbyBrock don't go for a midnight stroll and almost get mugged or kick a cactus this time

palm springs was when the mugging and cactus assault happened hahah but we will do our best to stay outta trouble .. maybe

March 2 - i feel like i don’t fit in with that many people in LA

@/jccaylen: let’s move to Texas.

looking for houses now

March 6 - take a chance with me

head down, headphones in

March 8 - happy #InternationalWomensDay , women are fuckin powerful, thank you for all that you do

(another triggering tweet sksks)

March 10 - maybe i just knew i had to wait for you

March 15 - fan: I just know deep in my soul @ColbyBrock had an angsty sad boi tumblr back in the day and I just wanna scroll thru it. Sir pls hand me the link thx :)

i wish i had tumblr. but wasn’t in to social media until i was like 18. only had a facebook until 2014

(….interesting lol)

fan: @/ColbyBrock do u have any advice on keeping productive on something even though it isn’t ur favourite thing to do but u need to get it done

set goals and make sure you do things in little pieces. if you don’t like something you’re doing just make sure you’re getting it done in the way YOU want to. take it day by day instead of procrastinating and doing it last minute

fan: y r u awake @/colbybrock

same reason you are

March 16 - things change, people change. but in the end i’ll always wish the best for my friends

March 17 - i can’t help but feel this way

March 18 - fan: How can you get through a break up

time. i know that’s a cliche answer. but seriously. distract your mind for a while and you’ll get over it i promise

fan: @/ColbyBrock how often do you not sleep at night because your mind is too loud?

i sleep terribly most nights. i have this weird insomnia that forces me to be up at 3am daily

are any of you hard on yourself for no reason? cause holy shit that’s me daily

fan: Better at picking others up than picking myself up

feel this so hard

fan: please call me sweetheart its my dream deadass

sweeeeeetheart 🖤

fan: @/ColbyBrock what’s your best advice to give to a teen who’s gonna turn 17 next week ? like any tips or tricks you wanna hand down bc i need help

so assuming you’re in highschool, just know that you might think your social circle means the world to you right now .. but everything can change (if you let it) after you graduate. life changes so much after graduation! focus on making good relationships and having fun :)

fan: @/ColbyBrock what’s the first thing you’ll do after all this covid stuff is over?

throw a real trap house party

March 25 - i am becoming a hummingbird father.

@/amberscholl: idk why but this is a VERY hot tweet

can’t wait to show you what i’ve been doing 😈

March 27 - just don’t have the time anymore

March 29 - friday by rebecca black is my anthem

March 30 - should i curl my hair for a youtube video

[wyrmmaster]

Parallel Superimposition thoughts

It did a really good job at keeping everything in the cyberspace Very Obviously not real, showing things and conversations that never happened while still keeping it just close enough to reality to leave a little bit of "... what if?" in there. Played out like someone's dying dream until shit the fan; but it wasn't the Arbiter's and it wasn't yours.

Helena apparently having Helena META on speed dial raises some interesting questions about her companion cube thing she has with her SG radar. When she's freaked out she talks to it like it talks back, now we have a tinfoil that it probably was. I can only imagine how those two actually interact now that Helena's aware of her incredibly creepy and dangerous other self for real.

Cyber Memphis realizing it was her real-world self's fault that you're stuck in there and likely going to die because of it then into a near complete psychotic break was great. The events have been getting steadily darker for the Prime Timeline girls, but most of them have been pretty unflappable even if the shrimpier ones get a bit panicked occasionally - they were quite literally born for war, so it's not exactly a surprise they can deal with pressure. Now, though. the stress is starting to show on everyone. They're on the one (1) timeline that has a real chance and a singular fuckup that even incapacitates you at the wrong moment means Game Over for everyone. It's A Lot and good to see some actual impact from that.

The elephant in the room though is Yorktown, Hornet, Northampton, and Hammann coming back which is great for the Union girls... but then we see them being introduced to Enterprise. We even get her Trauma Montage™ with Yorktown narrating how sorry she is that they all died and left her alone to carry everyone that reminds me of this post I made

And then we get Enterprise's reaction, which is literally "..." and then the Hornet Crew™ goes into comic relief mode. She says nothing. Her reaction to it is to completely shut down. Enterprise.exe has stopped. Yorktown has to awkwardly try and close out her monologue in the face of her sister's non-reaction, which made me feel like she was just staring at her with a blank face the whole time.

Which is hilarious but also pretty realistic. I can't imagine any movie tearful reunion if any of my dead people just sort of walked into my room one day. I don't think I'd be able to process it.

This event comes right after the last major Sakura spotlight, which had Akagi fully commit to damning herself for the power to save her people and see Amagi again, because she's that scared and desperate. It was a nice juxtaposition: here's her 'rival' getting their deepest wish on a silver platter and the reaction to it is.... Nothing.

[juniperhillpatient]

oh wait, I do have a real question about yellowjackets! can you imagine the show without the adult timeline, focusing only on the wilderness stuff? do you think that would work? would it be worse/better? some of the S2 finale reactions make me feel like they are making it up as they go with the adult timeline?

Ok I may have been overdramatic about my criticisms of the season 2 finale because I was upset 😂 I won’t truly know if the decisions by the writers made sense until I see season 3.

However - thank you for asking this question! I’m taking this as the excuse to spill all my thoughts & feelings lol!

Here’s my issue - no, I can’t imagine the show without the adult timeline. It would be a different story. The emphasis on the impact left from their time in the wilderness & the way that the storylines intersect & we understand some things more & more with more context is like….. the entire point.

****MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW***

Also - I’m about to be heavily critical of Yellowjackets. If you don’t want to read that, don’t. I don’t really want to argue with anyone or be told that I have to like writing decisions that I just didn’t like. This is how I feel, personally.

I feel that it didn’t make sense to kill adult Natalie just as her arc was getting started. And ESPECIALLY just as her arc in the wilderness as the new leader is getting started. For me the entire point of the show is seeing how the characters’ past effects their present & how things unfold in both timelines. We will no longer get to see how teen Natalie & adult Natalie’s stories work In juxtaposition & that has been a main appeal of the show with these women’s stories for me.

Like….. idk I’ve seen some people say they dislike the adult timeline. But if you don’t like the entire format & storytelling method do you even like Yellowjackets?

Also the mixed timeline thing ties in with the theme of the show. It’s not a generic survival show. I’ll just watch one of the hundreds of movies & shows about wilderness survival if that’s what I want. Yellowjackets has so far been so compelling to me personally because it deals with trauma.

It’s not about whether you live or die it’s about what you do to survive & living with that.

I wouldn’t have accepted any of the adult women dying because the main character group & their post wilderness trauma & relationships are what make the show interesting for me. Killing any of them at this point just feels like…. Why? What a fucking waste of a character arc, ya know?

I also feel Misty killing Nat by accident was just.:.. I don’t know, contrived? Like are you fucking serious? After all this? Nahhhh I don’t accept it.

And yeah, I’m biased I guess anyone who follows me may have noticed MistyNat was a huge appeal of the show for me & now that’s over at least in the adult timeline just as it was getting really interesting how it intersected with the past.

And like…. Like why the fuck would you kill Juliet Lewis KNOWING that watching her & Christina Ricc onscreen together was a huge selling point of the show? Insane decision from any perspective I’m sorry I said what I said.

Finally, it’s not just the adult timeline arc in the finale that makes me feel they have no plan.

This was already really early to kill off Javi & they seem to be killing characters-left & right almost now? I have complicated feelings about Javi’s death but I will say in many ways it made narrative sense even though it hurt. (Wish we could’ve at least seen his death dream 😭) It should’ve been the finale big thing if it was gonna happen though. Killing Javi was enough they didn’t have to also destroy the cabin…

I’m sorry but there’s only so many survivors as it is - how can this possibly last 5 seasons? The cabin burning down felt….. insane, to me.

Now they will obviously kill Ben for doing that. So, that’s another interesting character gone.

And like…. Ugh I feel like I’m not expressing myself well because it IS horror & people DO have to die.

But I just feel like killing MAJOR characters needs to be something you’re careful about!!!

Jackie, Laura Lee, Javi - their deaths hurt but I can see how they serve the narrative.

Crystal’s death this season? Kinda seems like they already forgot. There was no point to that.

I’m not against character death but I need to understand how they’ll serve the narrative moving forward.

To me this finale felt chaotic & designed to be intense but not necessarily like it was well thought out in terms of how the fuck this will be 5 seasons.

Like I just don’t see how they’re gonna manage 5 seasons of this, I just don’t.

And I will watch season 3. Up until now I’ve certainly had criticisms but I’ve been really enjoying this show. I have to be honest though, we’ll see if I even still enjoy it without adult Nat & if they kill Ben this early too…. Yeah I don’t really find anything enjoyable about shows where main characters die at every turn. Sorry, that’s just how I feel.

[fleet-off]

Five favorite things about your latest fic, GO!

Eep! Thanks for the lovely ask, anon. So my favorite thing post-posting is all the ways people are pairing “this is bizarre” with compliments in the comments--variations on “strangest kink, somehow wholesome,” “compellingly odd and stunning,” “super weird, I love it,” “didn’t think I’d like this concept as much as I did.” I am so happy to have created something strange that connected with people.

But I think you’re asking about the fic itself, so! Here are five things I got jazzed about while working on won't give up these ghosts. (This...may get long. I am an analytical dork.)

1. Favorite Love Motif: Handholding

Sandalwood smoke tickles his nose and snakes into his lungs. The world is a narrow peninsula--the island of Pete’s body on the table and the familiar hand anchoring him to lands beyond.

For all the consuming, transformative, codependent ways Vegas and Pete love each other--sometimes they’re not very good at it! Figuring it out is a piecemeal process, and one I paralleled with the holding of hands.

Vegas fails to hold Pete’s hand during the faux-funeral. Pete attributes the struggle to lack of practice, but…his own lack of response isn’t helping. He isn’t reading Vegas’s signals--likewise when Vegas practically strangles his hand during the flashback, and Pete accepts his own numb fingers without recognizing the depths of Vegas’s fear.

Of course, Pete does eventually notice. During the aftercare, their hands skim without catching as they check each other for damage. Pete wraps Vegas’s fingers around the water bottle and makes him drink, Vegas grabs Pete’s wrist to get him under the blanket. They’re trying to care for each other’s needs without facing up to their own.

The sex scene contains indirect progression--Vegas ties Pete’s hands together in a prayer pose. The bondage works for both of them and constitutes handholding by proxy, since Vegas is the worshipper here. Pete becomes the shared vessel of their mutual existence.

Pete takes hand-holding initiative in the aftermath--a reciprocation that precipitates Vegas admitting what Pete’s pseudo-deaths do to him. They talk towards a solution, and--with the Great Coffin Compromise--finally manage to tangle their fingers comfortably. Vegas and Pete are learning to make it work.

2. Favorite Too-Clever (Pejorative) Line: Faux-Corpse Repose

Two spots of red bloomed in the man’s chest and gut. The body staggered and fell, performing the twitching dance of a corpse that doesn’t know it’s dead yet. […] So Pete lay on the floor of his and Vegas’s bedroom, limbs askew in the repose of a corpse that has recently received and accepted the news of its passing, and let all thought and emotion leak from his body into the carpet under his head.

Sorry, this juxtaposition always gets me giggling. It’s the sort of device that thinks itself moderately clever, when really it’s modestly clever at best. But this is fanfiction, and it does serve the story, so I allowed myself the indulgence.

…Also the line about how a hole is a hole, Pete’s is full and the grave’s empty, please let’s fuck. I thought I was going to have to cut that and I was so sad about it. It’s crass, it’s very Pete-practical, and it has about three rhetorical devices attached that lend it just this slight poetic edge. It makes me laugh an awful lot. (Thanks to Lily @theflowergirl for encouraging me to keep thinking on this line instead of cutting it!)

3. Favorite Scene Transition: Void

“It’s like being the only stillness in the world,” he said at last. “The wet sand digs into your feet, and the sea is this massive moving thing you’re not a part of, and all you can see is water and sky and dark. And it sees you, but there’s nothing there to see of you. You’re safe. You’re--a void.” *** Death is a void. Death is the bumps and jolts on the road out of Bangkok with Pete strapped across the backseat. Death is the sunbeams slanting through the car window and warming his shroud, and Vegas behind the steering wheel taking care of his body after its intended use has run out.

It’s cheating when there are only two scene transitions in the fic, but what can I say? I've been thinking more on first lines since I read @giraffeter's gorgeous last ten on an ask meme, and I think I managed to start each scene fairly strong in this story! And I am chuffed by the repetition-as-transition here and by this new-scene para more broadly. There's the juxtaposition between dark and light, between being invisible before a limitless sea and being the center of Vegas’s world…and then there’s the throughline--the void, the physical rocking, the safety.

4. Favorite Glimpse of Vegas-POV: Building the Bier

Vegas who loves breaking things and hates to see him broken; Vegas who lives in fear and awe of his shattering. Vegas’s stoic face, hidden from him as he laid the blindfold over Pete’s eyes and made a funeral bier of their dining table. The apology Pete never got to hear.

I loved slipping hints of Vegas’s read for this scene into the story, because parts of it vary wildly from Pete’s interpretations and Pete has no idea. “Made a funeral bier of their dining table” is one of those throwaway lines a Vegas POV would have absolutely fixated on. The significance of transforming the place where they eat, removing its purpose for the sake of a scene where Vegas starves himself to provide for Pete’s needs? Vegas would chew the fuck out of that idea! (And you just know he’d make some contradictory unholy communion of having Pete’s body spread across that table. So many doomed savior metaphors there.)

And because I still can’t help myself with the hole-is-a-hole line--second place is Pete knowing that Vegas must get something from the symbolism of laying claim to him beside the hole he dug to lay him in the ground. Because of course he does. Vegas is absolutely thinking “his body is the crypt, let me be buried here, let me be reborn in him” and a host of similar weird-ass thoughts.

5. Favorite Life Motif: Heartbeat.

Pete is alive as small things are alive the moment before the kill.

Ending with another motif! I threaded Pete’s heartbeat throughout the fic as the physical manifestation of the “buzz” of life. The first portion of the story is disruptions of heartbeat (buried by the blast of his gun, interrupted by the clicker). As Pete fades during the drive, his heartbeat is replaced by facsimiles--the pulse of the engine, the rhythmic thud of the shovel. Not coincidentally, both of these sounds correspond to Vegas taking care of Pete in his afterlife mental space.

Pete’s heartbeat roars back following his safeword, paired with the panic of realizing that the scene hurt Vegas. Then the sex scene marks a sharing of heartbeat--Pete offers “the pounding rhythm that rocks his soul.” This is set up partially via predator/prey imagery (sans any fear from the supposed “prey”), with Vegas biting at Pete's chest and the pulse in his neck. Pete’s heartbeat is overwhelmed at the climax by Vegas’s presence.

And yet! As the death roleplay was a simulation of death without dying, the sex scene is a simulation of dying without death, and all the more life-affirming for it. Pete’s lays Vegas’s head against his pulse in the after, giving him the chance to hear it. And where Vegas’s experience of Pete’s “death” was as his own dying, Pete now feels Vegas’s heartbeat and takes his turn as the simulated predator vampire-style by biting down on the pulse in Vegas’s wrist.

Thanks again for the ask, anon! This is probably more than you asked for, but I had a very fun time thinking on it. ^^

[wildernessuntothemselves]

Hi~♡ please allow me to me to rank and analyze the entire list of writing propositions you put out while I avoid the last chapter of yamqn because I am keeping it to a moment when I can create the perfect atmosphere to read it properly.

1° werewolf!txt au full fic - that one is a little special to me cause the basis for that one was the first of your writings I ever came across

2° necromancer!oc and TaeGyu - the plot just sounds really really interesting and I love the little touch of classic horror and morbid themes i am getting from this one. that hint of a 70's horror sexploitation vibe

3° teaching your best friend Gyu how to fuck full fic - how not to love this one? it's guaranteed quality enjoyment. THE safe bet

4° bear!hybrid Gyu - the little excerpt you posted a while ago got me mad you ended it there. I want more. and bears are very much to my liking in hybrid fic for the contrast of being stupidly fluffy and cute but at the same time deadly dangerous

5° puppy!gyu getting teased by kitten you full fic - love how the synopsis basically implies that we are the pet's pet 💀. aside from that it's a perv!gyu fic with a bonus of fluffy ears and tails.

6° fox hybrid!Jun and owner!Bin - the synopsis got me interested in the dynamics with yeonjun. the idea of him being a arrogant fox for being highly desired and at the same time a cheap overused sex toy for rent... sublime.

7° puppy hybrid!Gyu and best friend kitty!Oc

8° YAMQN priest sequel - let's go sexy priest! the religious macabre is a special kind of subtle horror aesthetic, I love it... the juxtaposition of divine and corrupt, salvation and oppression, inconditional love and eternal existential doom (yes, I was raised catholic lol)

9° YAMQN barista sequel - it has potential, but I feel like something is missing. maybe it's the word barista that is tricking me into seeing this as more basic than it really is.

10° yandere soulmates TaeGyu - for some reason the synopsis reminded me of another fic that had a very similar theme, I really did not enjoy reading that one. I mean, if anyone can do it right it's probably you but I don't know

11° arranged marriage prince!Gyu - I don't think I will be able to read a prince!gyu fic and NOT think of yamqn for a while

12° perv!Soobin - too close to the cannon version of him I have in my brain 💀 (sorry, soobin biased people... don't take that as offense please)

13° senior Oc and yandere!tyun - when I was reading the title the first thing that came to mind was "senior oc" as in senior citizen Oc! straight up retired rich old lady Oc with her young hunk trophy husband that only married her for her money and is secretly trying to murder her... now I want the version I imagined more than the one you propositioned lol

14° stepbro!Tyun full story - not my type of porn category. as someone with giant frankstein of a family tree that has more divorces and remarriages than people... it's a bit uncomfortable.

15° best of the best - not txt

16° high stakes - found myself frowning while reading the prompt for some reason

17° ceo son!leeknow - not txt. and every fanfic that features a ceo or ceo son as the romantic interest reminds of fifty shades 💀 so no thanks

(I already voted on the poll hihi)

~♡anon

good idea. i honestly haven't even read it again after posting it (which i usually do to give myself perspective on what the hell i just did) because i'm scared lmao. let me comment on your comments

so many people came to my blog from that fic wow it's honestly so surprising as that fic was almost like an afterthought that i didn't really expect to get back to

yup we love horror sexploitation in this house lmao. though i'd definitely need ideas on where to take the fic as other than the original premise and the dynamics between the characters, i don't know here to ultimately take it

definitely a safe bet. fluffy smutty goodness

i love this much a lot too but my only reservation is that it's pretty similar to the yandere puppy gyu cabin fic i recently posted. both involve oc getting tricked into mating with her crazy best friend

it is a perv!gyu fic and it is soooo cute. weirdly enough it's inspired by this video of a real life cat and dog lmao

this one was an ooooold request but yes owner soobin basically degrading jun for being an overpriced dildo and jun being offended that this dumb vixen isn't falling for him like all the other vixens is just yum

exactly lmao

this one can go alright or be super dark and disturbing depending on the version you guys choose (if this option even gets chosen)

oh believe me there is nothing basic about it. that's just a front to lull you into a false sense of security before unleashing the classic gyu moves of manipulation and gaslighting and convincing reader she's insane as the story gradually devolves

oh this is actually inspired by one of my favorite fics that i've read. give it a read i'm sure you'd love it too

fair enough, but this gyu is super sweet and adorable

i fail to see the issue 😌😂

lmao i'm all for older readers (since i'm older than all the boys) but not to the level of senior citizen lmao. but i did think of making a sugar mommy au

makes sense. i never had a step sibling so i don't share the same trauma lmao

😂😂😂😂

really? it's actually more of that campy sexploitation horror than even number two since it's inspired by an episode of buffy the vampire slayer

tbf i was considering changing it to gyu (because ofc I would) and it's nothing like fifty shades of grey at all. it's peak bratty sub idol and oc putting him in his place

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I’m at my parents’ place for a bit right now, so I watched the Taskmaster finale with my dad last night, which was quite fun but it did mean no post where I constantly pause it to write down my thoughts as a I watch. Instead, here is a post-episode list of thoughts (spoilers for the ending of Taskmaster season 13, obviously):

- After the post-team task discussion, they showed Judi asking if they can talk about her singing, and that was played as a joke, but seriously, why the hell was no one talking about Judi’s singing? That was almost a Nish Kumar level of someone being mainly shit for a whole season and then the very last pre-recorded task is a team task that makes us say “What the fuck, you had that in you all along?” I didn’t know Judi could sing like that! Why didn’t she pull that talent out in the showing off task? It was genuinely really good singing. I assume they did discuss that in the studio and just cut it for time, but I’m sorry that in what made the edit, her singing got overshadowed by Bridget’s dancing.

I mean, Bridget’s dancing was amazingly funny. The bit where they put her sarcastic walking over that music to show it was the same rhythm was very, very funny. I don’t think they should have cut that either. But make a cut somewhere else. Or just make an XL version like we all want.

- They’re going to release the aubergine task as an outtake, right? I think they have to.

- Loved Ardal’s jacket.

- Sophie!! I was so happy. I mean Chris has become one of my favourite contestants, and what I really loved was having Chris and Sophie together in a season because it was fun to watch them compete with each other, and I’d have been fine with either of them winning, but by the last few episodes I was supporting Sophie pretty hard. I was so pleased with that ending. There were a couple of tasks from across the season that she threw herself into so hard that it would be unfair for her to not win. That is the kind of contestant who will make Champion of Champions 3 awesome.

On that note, we are presently on track for an all-female CoC3, so that’s cool. And a couple of other demographic stats – Taskmaster has never had a queer winner or a person of colour win it before, and Sophie is both, so that’s cool. She follows a long line of straight white winners, a line that’s previously only had one sort of deviation because I’m not sure if you can count Noel Fielding as completely straight.

- Sophie said on the podcast that she got some quite explicit messages from queer women about ways that it made them feel to see her do that entire task with her tongue out. I would like to say 1) I’m genuinely sorry that famous people get creepy sexual messages from random members of the public, no one should do that, there are so many lines between thinking something sexual about famous (or non-famous) people and putting those thoughts in a message and then sending it to them, and those people should have stopped at any one of the lines that divide those two things, and 2) This blog is very far from a message to Sophie Duker, she will never see it, so I would just like to say I had a bit of a celebrity crush on Sophie Duker before this season and that has grown exponentially by the end. Like… like it’s grown a lot. And her running around for a fair bit of the season with her tongue out is not unrelated to this.

- The duck task was one of my favourites in a while and so classic. Loved the very Taskmaster-esque juxtaposition of different ways to approach it. The young athletic guy (Chris) just running full out for the whole time and shouting random words, taking the direct route 1 approach, doing it so well that he even beat the lateral thinkers just on pure drive, and it was great to watch. An older less athletic guy (Ardal) trying the same thing but it doesn’t go so well. Two other people (Bridget and Sophie) finding two different legitimate workarounds. One person (Judi) going feral and physically attacking Alex. A couple of people cheating, and then we get the fun edit with audio of them repeating the rules over video of them breaking those rules. It was good stuff.

- The ending with them all doing the Bridget dance in a circle was wonderful.

- Seriously, Judi in that team task did an amazingly good job of singing, and even Sophie did a good performance, and they were both cheated out of having that acknowledged by the need to discuss the Bridget dance in detail.

- I said after the first episode that I hope Ardal’s nitpicking and Judi’s bullshitting remain throughlines for the entire season. I think it’s safe to say they were, given Judi’s rant about ducks recognizing their mother, and Ardal picking on Bridget about DNA. It was very funny when Bridget shut him down, even though I’m pretty sure she didn’t quite get the word for DNA actually right. But she came close enough.

- Overall, I’d just like to give all three women on this season credit for some of the best outfits in Taskmaster history, during the tasks and in the studio. Strong across the board. Can’t quite say the same about the men, though Ardal did make up for much lost time with that jacket.

- Awesome season overall. To be honest, much better than I expected when the lineup was announced. Every one of the exceeded my expectations for how entertaining they were (even Sophie, and I loved her before Taskmaster so she was the only one for whom I went in with fairly high expectations). I have come out of this season really liking all five of these people.

- For the last couple of seasons, they announced the new lineup right after the finale. They don’t seem to have done that yet, so I assume they’re saving the season 14 announcement for after Champion of Champions 2 next week. I’m looking forward to both those things (CoC2, and the new lineup announcement).