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i want malenia to have unbreakable poise… and all her attacks one shot you.. and she heals back to full, so to add insult to injury as you’re dying you see her health bar go back to 100%.. and then she tea bags you as the “you died” screen pops up and a laugh track starts playing
#look this is funny because the way some people talk about her fight you’d think this is how it actually is#‘malenia’s too hard so you have to cheese her to win’ imagine admitting that out loud to the internet#it’s the same vibe as that copy pasta#where that journalist said he used cheats to beat sekiro and didn’t feel bad about it#‘you cheated not only the game but yourself…’ lmao#tbh though i’ve noticed a bit of a running theme with these types of comments and it has a little less to do with the fight#and a little more to do with the fact she’s a woman#they say all the disgusting crap they can think of and it so obvious#the comments about her disability too are just… it’s exhausting at this point tbh#souls games bring out the best and worst in people#her fight is hard there’s no doubt about it#but the way they make out its impossible is so stupid#she has two attacks that can be difficult to deal with but there’s plenty of clips out there showing you how#and trust me if i can learn to do it then anyone can
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safe place
pairing: chris evans x reader
word count: 3500 waow
summary: while clubbing in boston, you happen to see your favorite actor, none other than chris evans himself. unfortunately, his anxiety seems to be acting up again, and you can tell. you have a plan to help him out, and even though you know fully well you could embarrass yourself, you’ve gotta try it for him.
themes: this is just pretty chill n fluffy, highlights struggles with anxiety as well!
taglist: @viarogers , @evanstush , @chibi-crazy , @chalamet-evans , @world-of-losers , @songforhema, @sebabestianstan101 , @tanyam93 , @bval-1, @wonderwinchester , @little-miss-exo, @poerebel , @pining-and-tired , @gogomez-509 , @patzammit, @a-distantdreamer, @malthestorytellerblog, @rainbowkisses31, @jbug491writinghelp, @quaiderade
note: yeah kinda had sudden muse for this out of nowhere hence the longer word count, and i really luv discussing mental health so i thought it could be kind of interesting to talk about anxiety in this one. tbh i feel like it’s a lot of rambling so i apologize in advance! hope you all like it though!
It had been a while since you had been out with your girlfriends, but now that everyone was back home in Boston for at least some of the summer, it was a good chance to catch up with the friends you had made back in high school and reminisce on all of the good times. You had remained in Boston for work along with a couple of others, but everyone else had moved to all different parts of the country-- it seemed like a miracle in itself that everyone was able to make it back at the same time, but you had also all planned for this. To take the same week off from work, summer classes, whatever it was everyone was doing-- all to go back home and reconvene as one big group.
It was Friday night, and you were ready to hit the clubs. You inspected yourself in the mirror of your apartment where everyone had decided to gather to get ready, smiling satisfied at what you saw. A typical LBD was perfect for a night like this-- yes, it was cliche, but you didn’t care. You looked good. It was just the right amount of revealing, showcasing cleavage and legs that managed to look slightly lengthier thanks to the shoes you had picked for the night, and you had actually decided to do your hair for once. “Whew! You look sexy!” your friend Delia complimented, and you shot her a little grin. “Thanks, Del. So do you, red is really your color.”
After taking at least a couple more shots, you were all ready to go. Piling into an UberXL, you made your way deeper into the city where the best nightlife was, reveling in just the perfect amount of buzz and feeling ready for anything. You had been planning on dancing with a few guys tonight, maybe getting a little action in, but nothing serious. You definitely had not been expecting on meeting him.
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As a group of young women, it was rather easy to get access to VIP. Besides, a majority of you had been brought up in Boston; by now, you knew people, had connections. You were currently lounging on a plush leather couch with a fifteen dollar drink in your hand, deciding to worry about the consequences the next day. Most of your friends were off dancing with other people they had befriended in the club, so it was just you and a couple others chilling, drinking, and talking-- and then you suddenly felt a rough nudge to your arm. “Ouch. Gabby, what the hell?” You wrinkled your nose though you were mostly exaggerating, looking to her with more amusement than anything. “What?” However, you were far more intrigued upon seeing the shock upon her face as she was staring at something a little further away. You followed her gaze, only seeing a crowd of people and iPhone camera flashes in the next couch area a few feet away. “What?” you repeated yourself, craning your neck trying to see what the big deal was. You could see a Red Sox cap sticking out from the center, but that was not anything interesting considering you were literally 3 miles away from Fenway.
And then the figure with the cap moved slightly, and you almost spit out your drink.
“It’s him, isn’t it?” Gabby seemed to have found her voice again, her eyes widening. “That’s Chris fuckin’ Evans. Oh my God, should we go say hi?” You still had your eyes on him, unable to help it-- God, he was even more gorgeous in person. You were about to agree instantly, the awe practically taking over your inebriated mind. Of course you wanted to say hi. You had loved Marvel for years now, and Captain America was your favorite Avenger. Not only that, but you had taken a liking to Chris’ acting because of his Marvel movies, which had encouraged you to watch several others. Living in Boston, it had always been a hope of yours that you would somehow run into him, but you never imagined it would actually happen. And now here he was, standing about five feet away from you-- sure, he was surrounded by girls, but you and Gabby could totally squeeze through.
But then you stopped to actually look at him. Not in the fangirling, celebrity idolizing way, but just to actually look at him. You could see on his face that he looked a little tired. Like his smile was forced. It did not seem disrespectful to you, but more so that he was… overwhelmed. He was still taking pictures with every single girl around him, even making effort in having conversation, but you caught every single sign. The frequent looking around, eyes not focused on one thing or one person. How he’d take off his hat and run his hand through his hair, but practically every ten seconds. The slight inward tug of his bottom lip, and while he made it look sexy, it was obvious he was not doing it to be seductive. You had listened to interviews of Chris speaking of his anxiety, and considering you had faced it before and had friends who did as well, it was hard not to see the signs. Now, if anything, you were getting a little pissed at these clubbers surrounding him, even though you were almost quite literally going to be one yourself.
“He seems a little on edge right now,” you noted, frowning slightly. “Maybe we should wait a bit, yeah? It’s not like VIP’s that crowded anyways, so hopefully once those girls leave him alone we can have a chance to just say hi or something.” Gabby sighed loudly but nodded her head. “Okay, okay, fine. But I’m gonna head downstairs to tell the girls. You stay here and keep an eye on him!”
“Wait--” you started to say, not wanting her to spread the news, but she was already leaving in a tipsy fit of giggles and excitement. You sighed and looked back towards him. He seemed even worse than before, and it had only been five seconds.
And then an idea came to you, and you nibbled on your lower lip wondering if you could really be that drunk or if this was just actually a brilliant plan. No. No, no. It was crazy. Absolutely insane, really, and you would look like a total idiot if it didn’t work. Which it most likely wouldn’t.
And so you downed the rest of your drink, barely fazed by the bitter taste of alcohol at this point as you stood up, taking a deep breath. Walking right over, you called out as loudly and confidently as possible over the music. “Chris? Chris! Chris, is that you? Oh my God, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you last! I can’t believe you’re back in town, this is great!”
Everyone immediately turned around to look at you, and you prayed that your cheeks weren’t burning. God, what had you done? How drunk could you be? Part of you wanted to simply turn around and run away, it wasn’t like you’d ever see him again. But you watched his reaction, hoping your own expression was visible enough to him to show that you were very clearly hinting at him to go along with it. At least, if anything, this pressure was helping in somewhat distracting you from how damn handsome he looked up close. How was it possible that the camera didn’t do him justice when he looked so hot in all of his photos?
Yeah, maybe you still were a little caught up in how handsome he was.
He seemed a little confused for a second, but suddenly, the corner of his lips tugged upwards. Your heart raced faster. Was he about to laugh at you, humiliate you in front of his fangirls? Or was your plan working? “Holy shit,” he stated, lightly pushing himself through the small crowd to step closer to you. “I didn’t know you were still in town, that’s crazy! Fuck, how long has it been? A year? Two? I’m so happy to see you!” You could not believe it; there were at least a million thoughts running through your mind right now. He actually went along with it. He’s standing right in front of me now. He’s smiling at me, having a direct conversation with me. And he swore, oh God, he sounds so hot swearing…
You snapped yourself back to reality. This was not about meeting your idol at the moment, this was about helping someone with what could turn into a straight up panic attack if this kept on any longer. You smiled back at him brightly before looking around at everyone, clearing your throat. He might have had to be polite because he had an image to protect, but you did not. “Excuse me, can you please leave us alone? Chris is one of my friends and I’d like to be able to catch up with him. And I’m pretty sure half of you aren’t even supposed to be up here…” you commented with a raised eyebrow, eyes glancing towards the lack of VIP wristbands on their arms. There was a lot of scoffing, huffing, and bitchy glares, but they eventually turned away, all furiously typing away on their phones most likely posting photos on every social media site possible.
You exhaled just as he did, looking up at him and clearing your throat. “I can, uh, leave you alone if you want. I swear I didn’t just do this to be able to talk to you too, I just noticed you looked a little… stressed.” You paused before quickly adding, “Not that I don’t want to talk to you. I mean, fuck, I love your shit, you know? I think you’re a great actor. But you shouldn’t be swarmed by fans or anything. So, yeah, I can leave.” After that word vomit, you decided the only proper way to do said leaving was flinging yourself off the balcony. But instead, he just smiled wider as he looked down at you, shaking his head. “No, no. Of course not. I really appreciate what you did for me back there, trust me.” He tilted his head, seeming curious. “Did I really look stressed?” You blinked but nodded truthfully, biting your lip. “It just looked like a typical bout of anxiety to me, if we’re being honest,” you told him, then wondered if that was somehow offensive. “I mean, I know just because you mentioned having it doesn’t mean you’re just always some anxious person, and I’m not trying to assume anything either but I’ve also had experiences with it too so it’s kind of easier to catch signs, you know? But if I was wrong then I’m really so-”
“You weren’t wrong,” he cut you off, but he was still smiling kindly at you. Damn, his eyes are beautiful. “Yeah, I was definitely feeling a little crowded back there. So thank you. Really. What’s your name? Can I buy you a drink?” You looked up at him somewhat shocked. “Me? Oh, please, you really don’t have to do that,” you shook your head, not wanting him to feel obliged to you in any means whatsoever, even though a drink would Chris Evans would probably be all you needed to die happy. “I’m sure you have friends waiting on you or something, really, it’s okay. I genuinely just wanted to help.” He raised an eyebrow, slightly stepping closer and it was taking you everything not to creepily deeply inhale from how good his cologne smelt. “And I genuinely want to buy you a drink,” he spoke with an amused grin, eyes twinkling even more than before. “Please. Or if you don’t drink, I can at least get you a--”
“Oh I drink.” You cut him off way too fast, then realized afterwards. “Okay, but like, I don’t mean I’m an alcoholic or anything, I just--” you finally just sighed loudly, looking down for a few seconds before looking up at him, silently cursing your brain for not allowing you to sober up at least a little. Despite the fact that it was solely your fault for having decided to chug a freaking vodka sour. “Okay, yes. Let’s do this. But-- unfortunately my friend is about to bring my entire horde of friends up here, so let’s try a different bar in this club.” He was laughing as he listened to you, but it did not feel mean or embarrassing; he simply seemed like he was actually having a fun time with you, almost as if he were a friend. He then blinked, curious and slightly confused. “In this club? Is there another one, besides the VIP one and the general one downstairs?” You laughed softly, nodding your head. “You gotta come back to Boston more! They just opened a rooftop one upstairs that’s way less crowded, but it’s pretty exclusive.” You raised a brow, continuing, “But I’m pretty sure we won’t have any problem getting in...” He chuckled and it was a deep rumble of heaven, but you forced yourself not to be annoying or even more triggering towards his anxiety. “Well, that would have been nice to know earlier, but I’m glad I at least get to know it from you. Lead the way….” he trailed off, waiting for a name to use. You giggled lightly at the slight flirtation, in disbelief that it was even happening but of course introduced yourself, lightly taking his outstretched arm and walking towards the staircase to the roof.
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“Sebastian said that to you? Oh my God, that’s hilarious.” You laughed upon listening to a story he was telling you from a drunken night he, Sebastian Stan, and Anthony Mackie had shared in LA, a beam spread across your entire face. “You guys seem like such cute friends.” He laughed and nodded his head fondly, looking out towards the view. “Eh, they’re alright, I suppose,” he spoke playfully, and you giggled for the hundredth time within that hour, looking out towards the city lights yourself.
The two of you had been chatting away, the peaceful nighttime air and breeze definitely helping you in sobering up a little more. Not that you had been absolutely trashed before, but you wanted to be as present in this moment as possible. You knew something like this would never happen again, but you were trying not to think about that. You loved that he was also asking you questions about yourself, and seemed sincerely interested, at that. He was so easy to converse with, so relaxed and thoughtful, you felt bad knowing what his anxiety could do to such a kindhearted person like him. You were sure he would have loved to be like this with all of his fans, but he had even explained to you himself that it was difficult for him to be in front of big crowds. “I know that seems kinda ridiculous coming from a Hollywood actor,” he said with a sigh, chuckling lightly, “but I can’t control it, ya know? I wish I could.” You nodded sympathetically, unable to even imagine what it would be like having to deal with such conflict in his current occupation.
“But what about you?” he asked, surprising you again even though he had shown genuine interest in you and your life this entire time. “You said you’ve dealt with anxiety before, too?” You nodded with a sigh, taking a sip of your drink. “It used to be pretty bad for me in high school. I guess high school’s just a rough time in general, though,” you said with a laugh, shrugging your shoulders. “I still get attacks every now and then, but I’ve learned how to cope with it much better. Definitely better than hormonal, puberty ridden me, anyways,” you chuckled. He laughed too and you tried to ignore how adorable the sound as well as his face was when he did so. “Mm. Definitely don’t wanna reminisce on those days,” he playfully shuddered before tilting his head with interest. “How do you cope with it?” You could not believe Chris Evans was here asking you for advice, but you pondered this over. “I guess this is common sense and easier said than done, but I think I’m just a lot better at being able to mentally step back from a situation and think it through more logically when I’m feeling anxious. I just go through a rundown in my head and remind myself that it’s okay. It also helps distracting myself from it by talking to friends, like to call my best friend if I’m feeling down or weird about something.” You told him, barely biting your lip-- you had never really talked about such topics with any guys before, and it was crazy how it felt so comfortable with a celebrity.
“Yeah? Well maybe next time you could call me, too?” he asked, and you were practically baffled. “Like, on my cell phone?” you asked rather dumbly, then closed your eyes as you rubbed your forehead. “Okay, yeah. Duh. My cell phone. It’s not like I own a landline. Who really does anymore, besides old people. But I mean--” you stopped and collected your thoughts briefly before looking up at him. “You’d really feel comfortable giving me your phone number? And you actually want to… talk?” He laughed again, even tilting his head back slightly before nodding with a wide smile. “Yeah. I mean, hell yeah, I do. I’ve had a lot of fun talking to you tonight.” He slid his phone out of his pocket, unlocking and handing it to you with a hopeful grin. You slowly smiled, nodding and taking it from him to input your number. Much to your delight, when handing it back he went straight to sending you a message, looking to you as he arched an eyebrow playfully. “You have my number now, right? You didn’t give me a fake one?” You blinked before laughing loudly, taking your phone out of your little crossbody bag. “Why the hell would I give you, of all people, a fake number?” You waved your phone at him to show him that the message had come up on the device, then looked down at it to save his number. You had assumed he just sent a “hi” or an emoji, something simple-- but you paused as your eyes scanned the words on your screen.
“Go on a date with me.”
You stared at it somewhat dumbfounded before looking up at him, knowing your cheeks were slightly red. “A-a date?” you asked; sure, the two of you had been hitting it off and flirting a little, but you had kept reminding yourself throughout the conversation that he was a celebrity. He probably had tons of girls in his life, you were someone who could just be an acquaintance. If that. But now he wanted to take you out on an actual date?
“I’m in Boston for the next few months. And I know that’s not permanent, but I really, really liked talking to you tonight, and.. I want to see if this works. Please.” You almost didn’t reply due to being too shocked that he was begging you to date him, but you quickly cleared your throat. “I’d… yeah, I’d really like that.” You admitted, feeling excited and terrified all at once. But that was how dating should feel, right? “But, um, how does this… work? Do you, like, not want me to tell anyone…? Do I not save your number at all, in case anyone hacks into my phone? Or should I just save you as a fake--”
“Okay, okay, don’t go all secret agent on me.” He interrupted you with a loud laugh, eyes twinkling fondly as he gazed down at you. “Honestly… I trust you. Call it a gut instinct, but I do. So tell whoever you’d like, or don’t. The only thing I’m more worried about is your own privacy, because it most likely won’t be respected if we’re not careful about this. But when it comes to people knowing about me taking you out, that’s fine with me. I’m allowed to have a love life, aren’t I?” he said with a smile, then glanced down at his phone. “Oh, shit. I need to go, my brother’s waiting for me. And I’m sure your friends are, too.” He looked at you and chuckled softly, probably at the disappointed face you wore. “Hey. Text me tonight, alright? Promise.” You smiled at that, arching an eyebrow playfully, teasing, “Wow, you’re already pretty needy, huh? Yikes, what am I agreeing to here?” He blinked before scoffing, though clearly amused. “You know what? Yeah, I am. And it’s your fault.”
He suddenly took a light hold of your waist, gently pulling you closer to him and leaned down. You widened your eyes slightly but did not move away, looking up into his beautiful blue orbs instead silently confirming that you were alright with what was about to happen.
You would remember that kiss for the rest of your damn life-- you were sure of it.
#chris evans x reader#chris evans fluff#chris evans imagine#chris evans fic#chris evans x you#mental health
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hiii (◕ᴗ◕✿) can i request for a match-up for the haikyuu boys? i'm a 4"10 girl with wavy black-brown hair that reaches my waist! my eyes are black brown too, & my skin tone ranges from tan to fair! i am also asian! 。◕‿◕。 i am quite thicc (yes thicc) but i am toned! i'm an enfp but despite my extraversion, i can be quite shy around new people and i can be a bit distant, too! i have a sharp sense of wit & humor, i can be talkative but i'm not boisterous i guess (。•̀ᴗ-)✧ i do have a talent for reading people & the situation tho! when i do feel comfortable, that's when i can get talkative! i can snap back sarcastically if the situation calls for it or if i feel like it but other times, i'm pretty chill. i do not have a concrete aesthetic (◕દ◕) i'm fine with sporty, athletic aesthetics & street fashion, i'm cool with cottagecore & looking dainty, sometimes i dress in a 90s style, whatever goes according to my mood! i'm not very athletic bc i never took up sports although i've been told to do so before. i've been told i'm very smart & talented, gifted even, but ig i'm burnt out HAHAHA point is, i'm not a very bookish person but i'm definitely not dumb either 😌 my hobbies include watching anime, listening to music, playing games, and napping! in a relationship, i can get confident but tbh i am screaming internally HAHHA usually, in my relationships, i'm the louder one! i am very tolerant and am usually the one to adjust to my S/O! i am very sensitive but i usually won't say anything to my S/O if they did something wrong. i'm a huge sucker for soft, pure relationships but also SPICY ones (人 •͈ᴗ•͈) if it helps, my type of guy is usually the strong silent one, the socially selective one, or the really cocky, sarcastic one! i'm also lowkey a sucker for height differences teehee
(ps i kin oikawa! yes we both have issues about inferiority & superiority & we can become narcissistic to hide our insecurities,, bonus: i'm a burnt out A+ student)
pt.2 of request: hii (◕ᴗ◕✿) same girl here! the 4"10 asian enfp! i'd like to add i have strong facial features too! i have long eyelashes but they're not noticeable so i look like i don't have them ಠ︵ಠ i have thick eyebrows, thick lips, & deep set hazel eyes! i wear glasses! when i wear them, i look very scholarly & soft but i've been told that without them, i look kinda bitchy & intimidating HAHAHA
hello! thank you for requesting! please the gifted kid burnout is real for me😐ahaha i should be studying for a social studies test and writing a la essay but whatever i’d rather do this. anyways, here’s your matchup!
i match you up with atsumu!
this man is the cocky sarcastic person you are looking for :) he will never give up an opportunity to make a shady comment that is really obviously shady, and he KNOWS he’s really good at volleyball, and he will not hesitate to offhandedly mention it in a conversation. just the vibes atsumu gives off radiate that “i know i’m better than you” energy, but it doesn’t mean he’s disrespectful or anything, he just knows he’s hot shit and he isn’t afraid to say it.
he loves to show you off to his friends, because he wants the whole world to know that he was able to get such a beautiful girlfriend, and he also wants osamu to never forget that he got a s/o before him. atsumu will always compliment you whenever you guys are out in public, because he just wants you to know how amazing you are.
atsumu is really clingy, and he is a big fan of pda, so if you are comfortable, he will always be around you, with his arm wrapped around you shoulder, waist, or holding your hand, because he loves being around you, and if he’s able to do it whenever he wants, that’s an added plus. he will always ask before he does anything more touchy, like kissing, because we stan a man who asks for consent😌
every couple of weeks you guys binge an anime together, and the entire time atsumu will make comments about what he would’ve done, or how much he hates a character. you guys have gotten into many playful arguments over anime plots and fight scenes, and they almost always end in you hitting him with a pillow, and then atsumu playfully tackling you until you have to surrender.
you guys also really like to play video games with each other, and atsumu’s favorite game to play with is super smash bros, because you guys get really competitive, and sometimes even bet things on who you guys think will win. atsumu may or may not lose on purpose just to see you smile when you beat him :)
when you and atsumu nap together, atsumu likes to be the big spoon, and he always likes to play soft music while you guys just talk about whatever until you guys fall asleep. atsumu also likes when he is laying on his back, and you lay on your stomach on top of him, and he runs his fingers through your hair while humming along to the music.
he will make dirty jokes in public to see how you will react, and if you do react, he will keep on doing it until you get mad at him. if you fire back with a dirty joke, he will just stop midsentence in surprise, and then quickly rethink his life and stop talking. for the rest of the convo, he will be in a slight state of shock, because he thought he was the dirtier of you guys, but then you proved him wrong.
before he met you, atsumu had bad music taste- like he only listened to trap remixes and the wii menu theme, but once you introduced him to your favorite songs, he quickly became hooked and started sharing the same taste as you. he still likes the wii music though, so if you guys are listening to his playlist, it will randomly pop up, and he will quckly skip it, and pretend that he doesn’t like the song. (ok but it’s a bop tho🤠)
he really likes when you come to his volleyball games, so for a few days leading up to a game, he will offhandedly mention it, until you offer to come, and then he’ll pretend that it was your idea, while poorly masking his excitement. once he sees you at the game, he will immediately point you out to his teammates, and whenever he performs a good serve or set, he will look at you and wink.
overall, you guys are a couple that can really act like themselves around each other, and you guys aren’t afraid of what the other will think of them. people envy you guys for your chaotic energy and care for each other, and atsumu thinks you are so pretty and smart, so he is sure to remind you about this every chance he gets.
i hope you enjoyed!
#haikyuu#haikyuu matchups#haikyu#atsumu#atsumu miya#atsumu headcanons#atsumu imagines#atsumu x you#haikyuu!!#haikyuu headcanons#haikyuu imagines#haikyu headcanons#haikyu imagines
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Stolen Dance | S.R.
Summary: 15 months. 3 bodies. 1 river.
It was only a matter of time before the FBI showed up.
Notes: Thought I was done writing fanfiction? Sweetie, I’ll never be done 😉 (unfortunately)
Word Count: 5.5K
Warnings: Mentions of dead bodies, blood(? I don’t remember tbh), violence, the usual Criminal Minds themes.
Song: Stolen Dance - Milky Chance
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“This girl is no different from the rest: her throat was slashed, and she was found naked. I’m sure once we get her to the pathologist, they’ll find signs of sexual assault.”
“Was the clothing found?”
The investigator nodded. “Folded and placed on the ground close to the body, just like the last two.”
You sat on the edge of the ambulance, listening to their conversation.
Amiee Rogers was the fourth girl to show up dead in the last 15 months, and the third to follow a distinct pattern. She was almost identical to other victims, physically and otherwise — young, average height, dark hair and eyes, and athletic. This sicko had a type, that much was obvious.
You still weren’t used to looking at the bodies, which ultimately, was a good thing; f your stomach didn’t turn and throat close at the sight of those poor girls dumped in a river, maybe it was time to quit your job as a paramedic and move to the mountains. That day had yet to come, though, so instead of becoming a hermit, you waited patiently and avoided looking at Aimee’s lifeless body.
“It’s just horrible, isn’t it?” Michael Alphon, your work partner asked. “The way they’re just tossed aside like trash.”
A gust of wind swept through the air. You pulled your jacket tight around you, crossing your arms over your chest.
“It is,” you agreed.
“Alphon, Y/L/N!” The sheriff shouted, catching yours and Michael’s attention. He gestured to the crime scene. “We’re ready for you.”
“I’m tired of pulling bodies out of the Colorado,” Michael muttered.
“Me too,” you said, “but something tells me this won’t be the last time we have to.”
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After a long night on 3rd shift, you were exhausted. While the left side of your lane was full of people trying to get to work, your lane was basically empty besides your beat up Jeep. Your dog tags swayed back and forth as they hung on the rearview mirror.
You served in the Army for five years, so you should probably be more used to death. Granted, as both a medic and a paramedic, you were always composed and calm while doing your job. But in some ways, the recent murders stuck with you more than serving in war did.
Your work in the Army gave you PTSD, and the killings weren’t doing anything to help it. All the victims were young, less than 25 years old. They were so full of potential, and it was all stolen by a sick man with an unknown vendetta. At least when you were in warzone, you managed to disconnect and hone in on your skills. Now that you were back in Grand Junction, Colorado — the city you were born and raised in — it was almost impossible to zone out your surroundings. You knew these people: the families, the victims. You weren’t just pulling bullets out of men in camouflage anymore. This was real.
Everytime you closed your eyes, all you saw was Aimee Rogers, Felicity Garb, and Stella Lee. You saw their glazed over, lifeless eyes. You saw their blue skin and purple lips caused by the cold water. You saw their clothes sitting on the riverside, neatly folded in a pile. And sometimes, right before falling asleep, you thought you heard their screams.
_____________________
You tossed your bag in your locker with a sigh. Once again, you decided to pick up a night shift, and you hardly got any sleep beforehand. You knew the only reason the night crew wanted to trade shifts was because they didn’t want to find another body, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You couldn’t sleep these days anyways, and working graveyards made you a few more bucks an hour, so really, what did it matter?
“Y/N Y/L/N?” A handsome black man asked. He wore dark clothing, but he didn’t give you an EMT/paramedic vibe.
“That’s me,” you confirmed, closing your locker. “What can I help you with?”
“We heard you were one of the paramedics on-scene the night Aimee Rogers’ body was found,” a younger, taller man asked.
You didn’t notice him at first, but once you did, it was hard to look away. He had shaggy hair, big eyes, and a sharp jawline. He had to be at least six feet tall, but something about his voice and even his presence was… comforting. You couldn’t really explain it.
“I was,” you said cautiously. “Who are you, exactly?”
The first man was quick to respond; he pulled out a badge and showed it to you. “We’re FBI agents, ma’am.”
You heard through the grapevine that the FBI was in town. Though it made perfect logical sense, it didn’t seem real to you. Everyone always said it, but it was true: things like this don’t happen here. Grand Junction wasn’t even 1/6th of Denver’s population, yet somehow, there was a serial killer running around? It felt more like a novel or movie than real life.
“I guess it was only a matter of time before you guys showed up,” you ceded.
“I’m Agent Derek Morgan, and this is Dr. Spencer Reid,” Derek continued. “We were hoping we could speak to you?”
“Dr. Reid?” you asked in disbelief. You took a seat on the bench behind you. “You used the logarithmic spiral and a Fibonacci sequence to find out where Henry Grace was holding his hostages.”
Derek looked at Spencer in a way only the two of them understood.
“H-How did you know that?” Spencer asked.
“I read,” you said simply. “I learned about the BAU when I was in Basic Training. I’ve always had an interest in the study of human behavior. My mother said I had a knack for it, that I was good at spotting liars.”
“You served?” Derek asked with raised eyebrows. He took a seat next to you.
“For half a decade,” you said. “After my first year, I trained to be a medic, a few years after that, I got deployed for 18 months.”
Derek nodded in approval. “Show us.”
You laughed in surprise. “Show you?”
“Prove your mother right. Profile us.”
You looked between the two men. Derek looked insistent; Spencer, on the other hand, seemed completely indifferent.
“The two of you have been working together for awhile; years, probably,” you started. “When I mentioned Dr. Reid’s work, you looked at him,” you said, speaking to Derek. “The two of you are professional, so you didn’t say anything. However, Agent Morgan, you raised your eyebrows and held back a smile. This leads me to believe the relationship has become interpersonal.”
“It doesn’t take a profiler to notice changes in body language and facial expressions,” Spencer said plainly. “Really, those are things your subconscious picks up on. You simply analyzed our interaction and took an educated guess.”
“I’m not finished,” you said with a half smile.
Spencer merely looked at you.
You took a breath. It felt like you would be intruding, saying too much about something you knew nothing about. Your father was a good and kind man, but on more than one occasion did he lecture you for your lack of filter. Since then, you learned observe people in silence.
“Had the two of you not been here on work, Derek would have made a comment,” you spoke. You turned your attention to the agent next to you. “You assumed I took a liking to Dr. Reid, most likely in a romantic or even sexual way. However, you also would have found a way to demean Dr. Reid.”
“Demean him?” Derek inquired. He managed to keep his expression blank, but he subconsciously sat up straighter — a defensive position.
“You respect Dr. Reid,” you observed. “In some ways, you probably see him as a brother. But in other ways, you see him as competition. You grew up as an alpha male, a protector. You became a profiler by going through the classes and training. Dr. Reid on the other hand, he just showed up one day out of the blue.”
Spencer crossed his arms. “What are you trying to say, Y/N?”
You hesitated. “I’m saying that, while Agent Morgan respects you, there’s a small part of him that thinks you’re only good at profiling because you taught yourself how to be good at it.”
“Of course he taught himself. That’s how people learn,” Derek argued.
“Spencer doesn’t learn, though,” you said softly. “He reads, and he remembers. He profiles using patterns and statistics, while you profile by getting inside a person’s head. Neither method is wrong, of course, but sometimes, a part of you thinks that your way shows more talent. That’s why you wanted to make a remark: mostly because you wanted to lightheartedly tease, but also because you wanted to show your dominance. You wanted to prove that, sometimes, you can be smarter than the genius you work with.”
Once again, the two of them shared a look. Eventually, though, Derek began to chuckle.
“She’s good,” Spencer noticed.
“Very good,” Derek agreed.
After a moment of silence, Spencer spoke up. “Sheriff Longman said you began to pick up on the Unsub’s habits.”
You bit your lip. “I have a few theories, but I’m no expert.”
“What’re you thinking, Y/N?” Derek persuaded.
“Bea Vallette was the first,” you said. “They thought it was an accident or suicide — he hadn’t developed his signature by then.”
“What’s his signature?” Spencer asked.
“Rogers, Garb, and Lee were all found with the same injuries; their throats were slit, they were discovered naked, face-down, and they all had signs of sexual assault. But unlike Vallette, these girls had something in common: the clothes they went missing in were found washed and folded next to their bodies.”
“Most likely, that’s a sign of -” Spencer began. Derek cut him off.
“What could the clothing be a sign of?” Derek asked you.
“It could be remorse. He rapes and kills them, but he feels sorry for them, so he washes the blood out of their clothes and leaves them behind.”
“If he’d go through the trouble of washing the clothes, why not put them back on the victim?” Spencer thought aloud.
“Putting them back on is a higher risk of leaving DNA behind,” you pointed out.
“Maybe he’s trying to make a statement,” Derek suggested. “Maybe it’s his way of showing power over his victims, even after killing them.”
“Well, as much as I’d love to sit here and theorize with you gentlemen,” you said, standing up, “I have a job to do.”
“Absolutely,” Derek said in understanding. He reached into his pocket. “If you think of anything, give us a call.”
You smiled, pocketing the card. “Will do.”
You couldn’t help but steal one last look at Spencer before he and Derek left.
_____________________
You ended your shift by putting another girl in the back of the ambulance.
This time, the BAU team was there to respond. Spencer was the first to approach you.
“Same signature, same MO,” you said without looking up.
“The length between this kill and his last is significantly shorter than the gap between Rogers and Garb,” Spencer continued. “After killing Lee, it took him 4 months to kill Garb. The gap between Vallette and Lee is even longer - 6 months. Why would kill twice in the span of 2 weeks?”
“Something triggered him,” you said. “That, or he’s devolving, becoming more desperate.” You then chuckled nervously to yourself. “Sorry, I’m supposed to be doing my job, not yours.”
“No, it’s fine, I…” Spencer paused, then looked to you. “I want to hear what you have to say.”
You made an involuntary face. “Why?” You asked.
“Locals are essential to every investigation we conduct, just like we - the profilers - are.” Spencer explained. “I’ve never worked a case where someone was both.”
“I’m one of a kind,” you joked.
“You are,” Spencer agreed. His expression was serious. It made your heart skip a beat.
“Look, Dr. Reid, I -”
“It’s Spencer,” he interrupted, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I, um… you can call me Spencer.”
“Spencer,” you corrected yourself, “I’d like to help. Really, I would. But I haven’t been back in town for that long, and I’m not really friends with anyone. I don’t think I have the insight you’re looking for.”
“You’re more important than you think.”
You were almost grateful the two of you were interrupted; you didn’t trust whatever answer you may have come up with.
“This has to be our guy,” a dark haired woman appeared beside Spencer. “The only difference between this victim and the others is the position of the body.”
“The other girls were found face-down, but this time, he left her face-up,” Spencer noted aloud.
“He’s angrier,” you said. “Leaving the girls face-down with their waists in the water gave them some sort of dignity. This time, he left her completely exposed.”
“...I’m sorry, who are you?” The woman asked.
“This is Y/N,” Spencer introduced. “She’s helped recover every victim so far. Also, she has a knack for profiling. Y/N, meet SSA Emily Prentiss.”
“You’re the girl that called Morgan an alpha male,” Emily responded, a grin on her face.
“Only because I said she could,” a voice from behind you spoke. You turned around to see the one and only Derek Morgan.
“Hey, Derek,” you said, almost bashfully. His closed mouth smile told you he had no hard feelings, which you were grateful for.
You caught Spencer adjusting his posture in your peripheral vision.
Three days passed. After your 4th 12 hour shift in a row, most of them being at night, the department decided it was time for you to have a break. If it were up to you, you’d live in an ambulance. Unfortunately, though, that choice wasn’t yours to make.
Instead of savoring your time off, you took up a different job: trying to discover the unsub. You eventually came to the conclusion that Spencer may be right, that you might know something they didn’t. You tried your hardest to take advantage of that opportunity.
You visited your mom, who now lived 45 minutes away from Grand Junction. She only moved recently, so for the most part, she kept in contact with her friends that still lived in the city. The BAU released the assumed age of the Unsub — 30 - 45 years old — and your mother fell in that same demographic. The profile also said he knew the area well; he lived in the area for at least a decade. There was a chance he went to school with your mother.
“That prom was one of my proudest accomplishments,” your mom grinned as she reminisced. “I was so happy with how it turned out.”
“It looks great, mom,” you praised. Her Senior prom’s theme was ‘Under the Sea’, sort of like the dance in Back to The Future. By modern standards, it was tacky, but everyone in the photo looked over the moon happy. You weren’t about to dock that.
You turned the page to reveal a big, black and white photo full of teenage football players. A few were smiling, most of them had a blank expression. A boy in the second row with shaggy brown hair looked familiar. You pointed to him.
“Do I know him?” You asked.
“Caleb Chasing?” Your mom said. “Maybe. Him and his wife never moved; they raised their kids in Grand Junction. Poor guy, his wife took the kids when they got divorced.”
“That sucks,” you said, running your fingers over the picture absentmindedly. “Who did he marry?”
“Stephanie Young,” your mom answered. “He was the quarterback, she was the star of the swim team. They were high school sweethearts, the perfect couple. It’s a shame they didn’t last.”
“Swim team?” you murmured to yourself.
“Turn a few pages, you’ll find a picture of her,” she insisted.
4 pages later, you found the swim team of that year. You read the text on the side, found Stephanie’s location in the photo, and spotted her. Your heart dropped into your stomach.
Aimee Rogers. Felicity Garb. Stella Lee.
They all looked exactly like Stephanie Young did as a teenager: same dark hair, big eyes, athletic build.
You felt sick to your stomach.
“I need to speak to Dr. Reid,” you told the Sheriff.
You stood in the middle of the bustling police station. A few officers gave you looks as they walked by, but none of them dared to say something.
“The FBI Agent?” He asked in disbelief.
“No, the medical doctor,” you sassed. “Yes, the agent. Look, he gave me a number to call if I needed anything. I can call him, if you want, but it would save all of us some time if you just let me talk to him.”
“Remember who you’re talking to, miss,” the sheriff warned. “I take no orders from you.”
“I’m talking to the man who watched me pull three bodies out of the Colorado River.”
He averted his gaze.
“I’m sorry if you felt disrespected, but nothing I said was out of malice. I care about these girls just as much as you do. I don’t want to boss you around - I want to help.”
“Y/N?” You turned your head to see Spencer standing behind the Sheriff.
“What are you doing here?” He asked.
“I think I found the unsub.”
The room fell silent when you walked in.
“Everyone, this is Y/N,” Spencer introduced. He turned to you. “That’s Agent Hotchner, Agent Rossi, and Jennifer Jureau.”
“You’re missing two, Spence,” JJ pointed out.
“I already met Agents Prentiss and Morgan,” you assured.
“Y/N’s a paramedic,” Emily explained. “She recovered Mandy Koplin’s body.”
“And Lee, and Garb, and Rogers,” you added. You took in a breath. “I have a theory.”
“We appreciate your efforts, but -” Hotchner started. Surprisingly, Spencer cut him off.
“We talked it over, and I think she might be right,” Spencer said. “Hear her out. Please.”
You opened your file and pulled out the first photo, holding it up.
“Meet Caleb Chasing,” you said. “He was the quarterback of the Lakeland Warriors for 3 years, until he graduated high school in 1999.” You threw down the picture of Chasing and picked another one up. “One year later, his high school sweetheart, Stephanie Young, graduated. A year after that, they got married.”
“All of the victims look like Stephanie,” JJ said in disbelief. “It’s uncanny.”
“Were you able to find a stressor?” Derek asked.
You set your papers down on the table in front of you, rifling through them. You must have looked crazy, but you couldn’t feel more composed. They were actually listening to you.
“Caleb and Stephanie had two children together over the 7 years of their marriage. The got divorced last year, and Stephanie won sole custody of both kids.”
“Garcia,” Hotch spoke to the phone sitting in the middle of the table. “Are you double-checking this?”
“Oh, you know I am,” a woman through the line assured. “Our new friend Y/N hit bullseye — In August 2007, Caleb Chasing filed for divorce, and by November of that year, a judge granted Stephanie parental rights.”
“We’ve got a stressor and an MO,” Emily said, “but that doesn’t explain why he leaves the bodies by the river.”
You smirked to yourself, ready with a response. You showed them the photo from your mother’s yearbook. “Stephanie was on the swim team in high school. He could be using the water as a symbol, a power move.”
“If Chasing wants to get back at his wife, why not go for older victims?” Derek proposed.
“If Caleb feels resentment only towards Stephanie, it’s possible he targets younger victims in order to protect his children,” Spencer answered. “He loves his children, but he blames Stephanie for their failed marriage. To cope with the conflict, he kills women resembling Stephanie when they first fell in love.”
“That way, he purges Stephanie from his life without involving their children,” Rossi said.
The agents shared looks with one another. All you could hear was the sound of your heart beating in your chest.
“So?” you asked, sounding breathless. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s time we give Caleb Chasing a visit,” Hotch said.
Caleb was complacent in coming to the police station in order to be interviewed. You thought he would lawyer up right off the bat, but he simply sat there, staring at his hands.
Derek and Rossi entered the interrogation room, and the man sat straight up. His face was expressionless, but his eyes had a fire burning behind them.
“You met your ex-wife in high school,” Derek stated. He tossed a photo of Stephanie onto the table in front of Caleb.
Caleb frowned in confusion. “What does Steph have to do with any of this?”
“She’s pretty. Brown eyes, dark hair, athletic build… every man’s dream,” Rossi said, looking at a photograph of his own. “Kind of like these girls, don’t you think?”
David showed Caleb ‘normal’ photos of each victim; they were dressed nice, smiling into a camera lense. They couldn’t look more pure in white.
“These are those missing girls,” Caleb stated. “Why are you showing me this?”
“The missing girls who turned up dead,” Derek corrected.
Finally, it began to click for Caleb. “You think I did this?!”
You sighed in resignation as you watched behind the two-way mirror.
“This isn’t him,” you said. “He didn’t do it.”
“What makes you so sure?” Spencer asked from beside you. His arms were folded over his chest as he observed the conversation.
“Well, for one, he let us search the house without a warrant,” you said. “Plus, he didn’t react when Derek brought up Stephanie. If he was killing those women out of anger towards Stephanie, his rage would be consuming, so consuming that it’s impossible to control. Mentioning her name should be enough to set him off, right?”
“In many cases, yes,” Spencer said. “He could be manipulating the situation, though. If he is trying to protect his children, like we theorized, he may have found a way to keep his emotions under control.”
“Yeah, maybe,” you said. “Or maybe he’s just a normal guy who cares about his kids and doesn’t hate his ex-wife.”
Spencer’s phone rang in his pocket. He answered without hesitation.
“Hello?” He asked. His facial expression quickly changed. “Wait, Emily, slow down. What happened?”
Your heart rate began to pick up.
“Are you sure?” he asked, then sighed. “Alright, just hang tight. I’ll talk to Morgan and Rossi.”
Spencer hung up and dialed a different number.
“What’s going on?” You asked.
Spencer ignored you, the phone pressed to his ear. You heard a ringing noise come from the interrogation room.
“What’s up?” Derek asked.
“Stephanie is missing,” Spencer responded.
Despite the mirror, Derek managed to look directly at him. “You’re sure?”
“Hotch, Emily, and the Sheriff went to her house in Loma. There’s no trace of her or the kids.”
“Why would the unsub change MOs?” you asked frantically. “He’s never shown an interest in kids. Why now?”
“He snapped, went after what he’s wanted this entire time,” Spencer said. “The kids probably got caught in the crossfire.”
Derek hung up the phone and leaned over the table. “Stephanie and your kids are missing,” he said bluntly. “If you had something to do with it, you’re gonna tell us where they are. If you didn’t, you’re going to tell us who could have.”
Caleb ran his hands over his head. “Oh my god,” he breathed out. “D-did someone take them?”
“It appears that way, yes.”
“I always tell her to lock the door,” Caleb murmured. “She never does. Even when we were married, she forgot.”
“Caleb,” Derek said, this time, more gently. “Can you think of anyone that would want to hurt Stephanie?”
He shook his head violently. “She’s perfect… she loves everyone she meets. God, why would someone do this?”
Suddenly, it clicked in your brain.
You grabbed the yearbook and rushed out of the room, despite Spencer’s protests. You barged into the interrogation room, and it was clear that David and Derek were less than thrilled to see you.
“What the hell are you doing?” Derek asked. Rossi rose to his feet, but he didn’t say anything.
You flipped through the yearbook, eventually finding the class pictures from that year. You set the book down in front of Caleb.
“The man we’re looking for chooses victims that remind him of Stephanie when she was in high school,” you explained. “Did either of you have a classmate that was… weird? Kept to himself, didn’t know how to talk to girls, maybe had a short temper?”
Caleb looked through the yearbook. “I… I don’t know.”
“Think,” Rossi encouraged. “He might have made a few comments about Stephanie and her appearance.”
Caleb discovered the page showing the football team. After a moment, he pointed to someone in the bottom row. Austin. Austin Beck.”
“What about him?” Derek prompted.
“He mentioned how attracted he was to Stephanie, almost every chance he got,” Caleb said. “Sometimes the other boys would join in, saying she was hot, asking if she had a sister, that sort of thing. Once Steph and I started dating, they stopped.”
“But Austin didn’t,” Rossi said.
Caleb nodded, swallowing nervously. “He didn’t bring it up as often, but he would say that if I ever broke up with her, he wouldn’t hesitate. I snapped at him one day, and that was the last I heard of it.”
“Does he still live in town?” Derek asked.
“Maybe? I heard he works at the mechanic’s shop on West Geranium, but that was a while ago.”
Suddenly, Spencer entered. He held his phone outwards — it was on speaker.
“Garcia, what can you find on Austin Beck?” Spencer asked into the phone.
“He lived in an apartment on the westside of Grand Junction until a year and a half ago,” Garcia said. “After that, he managed to mostly cover his tracks.”
“Fits the timeline,” Derek said. “Bea Vallette was found dead about 15 months ago; a little less than a year and a half ago.”
“What else can you find on him?” Rossi inquired.
“His father bought a cabin in 1987. It sits on the eastern border of the city.”
“That’s right next to the Colorado,” you said.
“Garcia, send everyone the address. Tell Prentiss and Hotch to meet us there,” Derek said.
In a matter of seconds, it was only you and Caleb left in the room.
_____________________
You sat alone at the bar, sipping your drink.
Everything went as well as could be expected — they managed to apprehend Beck without too much trouble. He hid the kids in the basement, most likely to finish them off after he was done with their mother. He never got that far.
“Have you been here this whole time?” Someone asked from behind you.
You smirked and down the rest of your drink. You spun around in your stool to see Spencer.
“Ever since your team came back to the station,” you confirmed.
“You didn’t stick around to hear the story,” Spencer observed.
“Stephanie and her kids are okay. That’s all I need to know,” you responded.
Spencer studied you for a moment. “Can I sit down?”
“Sure, why not,” you allowed. When you caught the bartender’s attention, you pointed to your drink, then held up two fingers. He got the memo.
“You didn’t profile me.”
You chuckled. “Was I supposed to?”
“You could have profiled both of us,” Spencer said. “You chose Derek.”
“Are you jealous?” You teased.
The bartender came over with two more drinks. You thanked him.
“Confused, mostly,” Spencer replied.
You took a sip, nudging the other glass towards Spencer. “I didn’t want to make things awkward,” you admitted.
“Awkward?”
You didn’t reply right away; it took you some time to gather your thoughts.
“You and I have a lot in common,” you eventually said. “Most people look at us and think we wear our hearts on our sleeves. Really, though, we’re secretive. You hide behind your intellect, I hide behind my job. We’re good at talking to people, but we’re better at shutting them out, because the last time we let someone in, they burned us. For me, it was my father.”
Silence fell between the two of you for a moment. In the corner of your eye, you watched Spencer bring his drink to his lips and take a steady sip. He set it back down on the bar before speaking.
“Me too.”
The two of you clinked your glasses together.
“Derek was right, you know,” you said.
“Right about what?”
“I am attracted to you,” you said plainly. “Bringing up the idea that he’s an alpha male distracted from that, at least for awhile.”
“I’m attracted to you as well.”
You looked up in surprise. Never in your life have you been so honest with someone, and if you were honest, you thought said honesty would send him running for the hills.
Spencer cleared his throat and suddenly had trouble finding your eyes. “Derek and I have worked together for a long time, so he knows that I appreciate it when people take an interest in me. But you… You’re beautiful, and smart, and amazing at profiling without having to try. A woman like you, interested in someone like me? It’s flattering.”
Hearing Spencer Reid, one of the brightest minds of his generation, say that he was flattered by you, a nobody from nowhere… it made you want to kiss him.
And so, you did.
His lips were chapped — you caught him licking them absentmindedly on a few occasions earlier. Despite that, though, his touch was warm and inviting. Your hand moved to his cheek instinctually. Meanwhile, you felt his fingers against the bottom of your chin. When you felt his other hand land on your waist, you gasped softly, pulling away to take a proper breath.
“Did I do something wrong?” Spencer asked. The concern in his voice warmed your heart. His hand slowly drifted away from your waist.
“No,” you whispered, returning his hand to where it was. “That was perfect.”
You started kissing him again, and it felt like you couldn’t stop. His grip on you was tight, yet comforting. Your hands trailed down his chest and to his back, pulling him closer. The two of you only parted to take desperate breaths before reentering bliss. Eventually, however, you remembered the two of you weren’t the only people existing, and the bliss was over.
It didn’t have to be over over, though.
“We’re probably not gonna see each other ever again after tonight,” you said breathlessly. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want our goodbye to be us sharing our daddy issues.”
“How would you like me to say goodbye to you, Y/N?” Spencer asked, voice gravelly.
You smiled, leaning into his ear. “The apartment complex on the corner, 3rd floor, room 17.”
Your hand was still on his back, so you felt the chill that ran down his spine. You only moved your hand so you could take money out of your wallet.
You set a few bills on the bar and adjusted the bag on your shoulder. “Goodbye, Dr. Reid,” you said, then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
The minute you stepped into your apartment, you began to panic. You were normally a reserved, almost shy person. You weren’t a girl who tells people when you’re attracted to them, you don’t initiate kisses, you don’t invite men from bars home. You didn’t do this. This wasn’t your normal.
But then again… neither was Spencer.
He was handsome, and smart, and you could listen to him talk for hours. You’ve never met someone you connected with so well within mere minutes of knowing them. It seemed almost unfair that the two of you had only one night to spend together, but you were determined to make the most of it.
You paced for a bit. You sat down. You went back to pacing. You took off your jacket and threw it on the couch. You checked the time. 15 minutes had passed since you left the bar. If he wanted to see you, he should have been only a few minutes behind you.
You threw in the towel.
You let out a sigh, running a hand through your hair. You felt silly. In some respects, you wanted to cry. Of course it was too good to be true. Of course someone as good-looking and charming as Dr. Spencer Reid didn’t want you. It made sense. It made perfect sense.
You turned your back to the door, pinching the bridge of your nose. Then, you heard a knock.
You spun around, and it took all the self-control you possessed to walk to the door rather than sprint. Normally, you’d look through the peephole before opening the door, but not this time. In this and many other ways, this man was an exception.
You opened the door, and it felt like the wind was knocked out of you.
“Hello, Y/N,” Spencer said. The corner of his lip curved up.
“Hello, Dr. Reid.”
_____________________
Part 2
Notes: For the record, I am aware of how grossly unrealistic this is lol. But if you look into it, you’ll see how inaccurate the show is, so I don’t feel too bad. After all, this is fiction, as is the show.
#criminal minds#spencer reid#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid x you#spencer reid x y/n#spencer reid/reader#spencer reid/you#criminal minds fanfiction#criminal minds imagine#criminal minds reader insert#man it feel weird to type out tags like this again
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BnHA Chapter 186: Lunch and Then Some Light Noumu Battling
Previously on BnHA: The New JP Hero Billboard Chart Top 10 rankings were announced and the heroes each gave a short little speech. My new adult bird son Can You Smell What The Hawk Is Cooking stole the spotlight by basically saying, “y’all need to stop being such bummers, we’re the best that the world’s got now so let’s fucking act like it.” We learned that Hawks is basically a hero prodigy, having started his own hero agency at the tender young age of 18, and now having risen all the way to #2 at age 22. Anyway, he then handed the mic over to Endeavor who went with the short and sweet “just watch me” route, for better or worse. Afterwards Endeav throttled Hawks a little bit in the privacy of his dressing room, and Hawks apologized and then said he actually needed Endeavor’s help for something. “Do you remember the Noumus?” I then proceeded to lose my shit, as we transitioned to some unknown location where an unknown figure was talking to an unknown Noumu with a Kurogiri face (!) who could TALK BACK (!!!!). Then I really lost my shit omg.
Today on BnHA: Endeavor and Hawks go for a stroll on their lunch break. Hawks casually saves like 15 random people and attracts a crowd of fans seeking autographs and selfies. Meanwhile Endeavor attracts one (1) fan, and tries to offer an autograph of his own only to send the kid running off in tears because Endeavor’s aloof attitude is apparently what makes him cool lol. So as Endeav tries to sort all of that out, he sits down with Hawks in some fancy high-rise restaurant. Hawks tells him about some rumored Noumu sightings that he’s been investigating all across the country. He says he flew out to the locations, but couldn’t find any evidence. He theorizes that someone might be purposely spreading rumors in order to sow fear among the general populace. And he says he wants Endeavor, the newly crowned number one here, to be the one to put the people at ease. Meanwhile he himself just wants to chill out, and he would like nothing better than an ideal world so peaceful that heroes can just relax. Anyway, so then that Talking Noumu from the last chapter comes flying at them from out of nowhere and smashes through the glass and is all “WHICH ONE OF YOU IS STRONGEST.” So Endeavor goes to fight him.
(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 208 now, so any ETAs will reflect that.)
omg
I think this might be my favorite SJ cover like, ever?? is that a huge overreaction? but like, Deku looks so cool. and I fucking love the colors so much. and don’t think I didn’t notice the distinct BakuDeku theme of this green and orange aesthetic, Horikoshi. because I did! notice! gosh these colors look so good together don’t y’all agree. okay fine I’ll shut the fuck up
lmao
this was such a badass cover and then it’s just. completely ruined by the text in the background being all “TOAST ‘EM”
(ETA: that text was so distracting that I honestly didn’t even notice the Noumu in the background. completely missed that. so observant lol. I probably would have noticed in Mangastream’s version, which says “seething!” but that’s pretty funny too tbh)
jesus Endeavor calm the fuck down and put yourself out already. why are you always so fucking angry
holy shit
well now, that’s one hell of an opening hook
the text is all “ever since I could remember, I’ve lived at the whim of others.” and apparently this dude found it suffocating
so here we have a disgruntled office worker about to shoot the place up, presumably? or like, the quirk equivalent of that. how fucking creepy
oh my GOD
IS HE STRIPPING NAKED TO GAIN MORE EMBARRASSMENT POWER
what the fucking fuck oh my lord. every so often Horikoshi is just like “lol I thought of a really weird thing. let’s just roll with it and see where it takes us”
so this man with his weird humiliation kink thinks he’s all that, but!
did Hawks just shoot fucking feathers to cover this man’s R-rated parts
also if Endeavor is even 1% like his youngest son, his favorite food will be soba. moment of truth!
goddammit, Endeavor’s just completely ignoring the question, and he’s actually focusing on stopping the flasher guy while Hawks continues to talk about food
lmao now this stupid fucking dog is running out into traffic
don’t worry kids, Hawks fired off more wings to spirit sweet, stupid Schwartz away to safety
you had me until “chicken liver” Hawks but I guess I could keep an open mind
does Hawks ever actually make eye contact with anyone
I’m starting to feel like he’s the type who would deliberately turn around if he ever did happen to be facing the same direction as whoever he was rescuing. he only does casual rescues
oddly enough I’m liking him less than I did before. Too Cool For That Shit is just not my type. I prefer Too Grumpy For That Shit and/or Actually Fully Enthusiastic And Earnest And Will Do The Uncool Thing Without Hesitation
but I have a feeling that what we see might not be what we get here, so let’s just wait a bit. idk just a feeling about him. because he sure as heck didn’t have that meteoric rise by not giving a damn
(ETA: okay so! needless to say my fears were unfounded as it turns out Hawks’s thing is not Too Cool For That Shit, but actually Too Tired For That Shit, which is actually one of my favorite types. Too Cool is just the persona he puts on because it’s what’s expected of him. but in actuality the reason he seems so nonchalant is because his heart isn’t really in it. this was never something he wanted to do; it was something he was more or less forced into because he was so talented and With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility, and so it didn’t really matter what he personally wanted or didn’t want. in other words, Hawks is the very first Reluctant Hero I think we’ve had in this series. he’s someone who is more or less trapped in his role, and by now he’s become very, very good at what he does, but more than anything he would like to one day not have to do it anymore.
but of course not only does he not have that option, he’s somehow managed to get himself in way deeper than most of his peers will ever have to worry about. not only does he have to contend with the everyday stresses of hero life, but he also has a fun undercover double agent mission to worry about! so add in the fear of being caught and the stress of having to play both sides, while all the while trying his best to make sure no innocents get hurt! and having to think about all of this constantly!
basically, up until now I wouldn’t have thought that anyone could come along and actually contend with Aizawa for the title of Most Exhausted Character in the series. but not only does Hawks contend, I think it’s actually no contest. and yet he does it anyway. without complaint. well with a little bit of complaining, but under the guise of being a lackadaisical young twenty-something who isn’t particularly concerned about anything.
he actually ends up confessing more to Endeavor than I would have expected, given all this. like he was straight up confiding in him. that all turned out to be completely true. but because he says it with that carefree smile, you don’t realize at first how much he’s just kind of quietly suffering underneath it all. like that dog in the house on fire saying this is fine. like, no it fucking isn’t, but he puts on such a good act of being completely unconcerned. it’s astounding in hindsight.
my god I have so many fucking feelings about Hawks apparently. I didn’t mean to essay this much and there are probably more essays on the way too lol. I love my tired bird son too damn much and I hope to god he doesn’t get himself killed fffff.)
anyways he’s signing autographs and giving interviews and shit, and meanwhile Endeavor is just completely being ignored
okay now they’re acknowledging him, but it’s the usual “man, he’s scary!”
(ETA: CAN’T YOU SEE-KUNNNNN)
this kid knows what’s what. Inasa was fucked up for years because of his I Asked Endeavor For An Autograph trauma
now Endeavor is silently and intimidatingly turning his head toward the kids and walking over
by the way these children are fucking adorable and I want take them all home and give them sandwiches and juice boxes
(ETA: I’m so glad Can’t You See-kun is even acknowledged in-universe as the most adorable child on the face of the earth. if anyone ever deserved to become a beloved meme it’s him)
oh shit Endeavor’s making an effort!!
he’s really trying to fix that image omg
but it’s not working!
oh snap. it’s just like All Might said, huh. remember he told you not to try to copy him and to do your own thing, Endeavor
the kid is having a meltdown now and saying that Endeavor doesn’t need fanservice and that the lone wolf attitude is what makes him cool
okay but you can be a lone wolf and still be Not A Dick, though
now the kid is running away crying. jesus christ. well so much for those juice boxes then. maybe I’ll just give them to your shark-looking friend
Endeav’s just staring in confusion and wondering where he went wrong
where you went wrong is being a dick for 40 years. change isn’t just going to come overnight. but you need to keep at it! if you want to be nicer just be nicer, and eventually either your fans will warm up to the change, or you’ll get new fans
(ETA: I stand by this, for the record. I know this arc is doing a whole thing of showing how Endeavor can be a different type of hero than All Might and still be someone that people rely on. but in addition to this I think that if he genuinely wants to be more approachable than he should just keep working at it even if people are naturally going to be really confused by it at first)
anyways so now we’re cutting to some fancy high-rise restaurant and Endeav and Hawks are eating in what seems to be a private room
or more accurately, Hawks is eating, and Endeavor is just sitting there with his arms crossed same as always
are you sure Shouto isn’t adopted? that kid loves stuffing his face during serious discussions
(ETA: lmao and he even does it yet again at the end of this arc. I don’t know why I’m always so tickled by this but I just love it)
anyway, so Hawks is replying that when he wants something he just goes for it. “it’s just my nature”
he apparently tried to draft Shouto after the sports festival! interesting
but he says he’s glad that he ended up with Tokoyami in the end
wow but kind of a dick reason -- “Shouto-kun’s brand took a hit after he failed his provisional license exam”
is he just trying to rile up Endeavor here? interesting
Endeavor says Hawks knows a lot for someone who never went to U.A.
which we kind of already knew (that he’s not a U.A. alum), because otherwise he would have been involved in the Kamino mission. but I wonder where he did graduate from. is he a Shiketsu alum?
how mysterious
(ETA: in the Mangastream version he says “I’ve always been a good observer, you see,” which is something that gets called back to later)
anyway, now Endeavor’s getting impatient and demanding to get to the point
ahasfhkhlkj
yesssss more info about them omgggg. how are there even Noumus anymore with AFO locked up??
okay so Hawks is reiterating the stuff we already know, that “scores” of Noumus were captured along with All for One at Kamino. and that since then, even though the League has been active, they haven’t been able to confirm any new appearances of Noumus
hmm, I see, so it’s going to turn out that it was B
(ETA: actually now I’m wondering if there might be a C and this is purposely trying to mislead us! because everyone always assumed that AFO was the only one capable of producing Noumus, but what if that isn’t the case though?)
Endeavor says that since Hawks wants to team up, that must mean he’s actually found proof of this so-called “rumor”
oh my god Endeavor. why couldn’t we have had you during the last arc. you would have had us out of that bullshit basement in no time flat
(ETA: for real, this arc is only what, nine chapters? the man knows how to move things along)
okay now Hawks is saying that this isn’t the only place where Noumus have been sighted, and that there are rumors all around the country -- though not in the news -- and people have been gossiping
oh for fuck’s sake could you get to the point already Hawks. stop dramatically building up to it
blah blah he heard it from locals when he went on a business trip, and he did a secret investigation at that time but wasn’t able to turn anything up
so he says he got interested after that, and flew around the country to investigate further
so apparently there were similar rumors cropping up in completely unrelated parts of the country, with slight variations
but in the end he wasn’t able to validate any of the rumors
so then if this is all true, how many of these Noumu 2.0s are there??
(ETA: and is any of it actually true? it’s hard to say at this point. I’m learning toward “yes”, or else why bring it up in the first place. there’s gonna be a Noumu arc coming up in the future at some point I think. Noumu Wars)
so Hawks is continuing to munch on his yakitori and he says that ever since the incidents at U.A., Hosu, and Kamino, everyone knows about the Noumus now, and he wonders if it’s just “some asshole with a motive to spread unease” who’s spreading rumors throughout the country
okay but we the readers know for a fact it’s not! and you wouldn’t have called Endeavor to team up if you really thought it was just rumors. so when are you going to get to your point
...no way he’s talking about All for One, is he? "a criminal from a long time ago.” someone who wanted ability users to be free. was AFO the Magneto of his day once upon a time?
(ETA: actually, thinking about this more I think maybe it was the mysterious Destro who was mentioned by Gentle not too long ago and who I’m still hoping to learn more about. he was the leader of the Quirk Liberation Army or something along those lines wasn’t he? definitely sounds like a Magneto type)
he says that the more fear a society has, the more these kind of delusions sell and spread
Endeavor is again telling him to stop being a dramatic fuck and to just get to the point
wha
seriously?? you invited him to lunch just to ask him that?
Endeavor’s asking him what his angle is
did fucking Hawks just admit he wants to 420 blaze it. in my good Christian manga. which takes place and is published in Japan where weed will get you thrown in fucking prison for the better part of a decade. something tells me this is Jaimini’s Box taking certain liberties lol
(ETA: yeah, in Mangastream’s version he says “sit back with a nice cold one” which is much more in line with Japanese culture lol. still, Hawks does give off that stoner vibe a bit, can’t deny)
aww, but this part is sweet
though you do know you’ll end up putting a lot of heroes out of a job lol. safer world = no need for heroes. I’m sure most heroes would take that trade-off any day though
so now Endeavor is being all quiet and seemingly thoughtful
and he’s looking out the window
and... whaaaat is this
...do not fucking tell me this is a Noumu
holy fuck it’s a Noumu
um, what? can we back up just a sec? we just had a whole long discussion all about how there have been no verified Noumu sightings since AFO was locked up, and now one just happens to show up the instant the #1 and #2 heroes are done having their little talk?
lmao and now the hostess is coming with the check
maybe this Noumu’s uncannily good timing was cancelled out by this lady who has the worst timing that any human person has ever had in the history of existence
holy shit look how dramatic this is!?
“HELLO MY NAME IS TALKING NOUMU. WHICH IS THE STRONGEST ONE. RARRRR”
Endeavor is telling Hawks to lead the evacuation
Hawks is asking “what about you?” as if that part wasn’t obvious
RIGHT? suspiciously good timing if you ask me. I don’t have any real clue what’s going on yet, but damned if this is a coincidence
anyways now Endeavor is showing us just why he’s the current number one!
TAKE THAT, SUSPICIOUS TALKING NOUMU
and next chapter we’ll apparently get a whole Endeavor battle. well I hope it’s interesting! this arc is off to a bit of a weird start for me, but I think it’s because several of the pieces have yet to fall into place completely. there are a lot of weird coincidences and things that seem Just A Little Bit Off, and I feel like once we learn why, I’m going to be like, “ohhhhhhh!!”
(ETA: yeah, needless to say there were a lot of “ohhhhhh!!” moments and this arc is incredibly dense on a reread. so much going on here omg. this is good stuff)
no bonus today! I almost ran out of time to even put tags. anyways, toast ‘em Endeavor
#bnha#boku no hero academia#endeavor#hawks#bnha spoilers#mha spoilers#makeste reads bnha#I spent too much time essaying about hawks apparently#'oooh I'm hawks'#'I'm ridiculously handsome and have secret angst'#'not to mention a super secret spy mission with plot potential for days'#'and that has like a ninety percent likelihood of getting me either traumatized or killed'#damn you hawks
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AMA Transcript: I got 99 problems and Medusa is all of them
This weekend, @adulterclavis (Bones) and @eisschirmchen dropped by to talk about their 2016 Resbang, I got 99 problems and Medusa is all of them. Here's some of what went down:
Q: Was this the ending you planned or was it just a result of 'omg I need to finish'?
Bones: Kind of both. The epilogue thing was the result of everyone on my server yelling at me. Also I forgot to include "who here has felt personally victimized by Medusa Gorgon," so I took that opportunity.
Q: I think you said that originally this was just a Mean Girls inspired AU right? Please explain where the other aspect came from!
Bones: The other aspect came from the fact that I watched Jennifer's Body and went: THAT is what my Resbang needs to jazz it up. It definitely was originally just Mean Girls.
Q: Wanna talk about your creative process a little, Bones? How you work, maybe how music is involved?
Bones: Ha.. hahaha. Hold on, let me try to find my outline. There was a lot of stuff like this:
Bones: I had a more detailed outline, but the last chunk got mostly ignored. I had a lot of this preplanned just for the sake of sanity. You can't wing 45k over the course of a few weeks and not hate everything in the universe.
Q: Eis, what was your artistic process like?
Eis: Lots of sweating and crying to be honest. To stress whenever I can because I know my butt needs a lot of kicks lol.
Q: What was your favourite piece, Eis?
Eis: My favorite piece... hmmmmm. Certainly this. This is my favorite drawing:
Q for Eis: I've always been curious what program you use!
Eis: I use Paint Tool SAI. :)
Q: Dark Eis, could you maybe show us Wes?
Eis: I CAN. Here is the super fancy, super secret Wes I drew after posting date:
Bones: Wes Evans: vampire hunter.
Q for Bones: My fave scene is when Medusa is singing Monster while eating Noah... did that just happen or were you listening to Monster one day and thought "ya know this is how Medusa eats a guy I swear"?
Bones: Oh THAT SHIT. That shit is the only reason I wrote this Resbang I think. Somehow early on I started talking about Medusa and Nicki's Monster verse and, unimportantly, realized that it's in meter, but the point is: there was no way I wasn't writing that in. Then the opportunity presented itself and I was like well, this is how I include it. Poor Noah.
Q: I just rememebr staring at my phone screen, unsure whether to laugh or be like ewww XD.
Bones: That was the goal. Writing it I was like 'wow this is horrible' but I neither stopped writing or stopped laughing.
Eis: Bones sitting in her chair, a birb on each shoulder and top of her head and laughing like a maniac while typing.
Q: Do you want to talk about the metal covers segment of your process? Or the tacky houses?
Bones: The metal covers portion of my life sure was a time. Please enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmzz516cAnw.
Q: Tell us about your late night bode epiphany.
Bones: I can't even freaking remember it. Let's be real about this. I needed there to be a slang term that B* was trying to make happen. I'd actually been lowkey trying to figure it out for months, and then bode... happened, and I was like THAT. THAT IS THE THING.
Q: Bones, what was the hardest scene to write and Eis, what was the hardest thing to draw?
Bones: I want to say probably the last bit there, where Medusa rolls back up. I may have been a little delirious.
Eis: Drawing the car was the hardest part, made me legit cry.
Bones: Poor Eis and the car. I gave her a reference.
Eis: YES AND I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR SAID REFERENCE. Bones has like a reference or link for everything. It's awesome.
Bones: For some reason I always sit around and pick out cars for people, so thankfully I had something ready for her.
Q: Okay so question re: something that was NOT in the Resbang but that I felt was implied. Was Arachne doing some hokey pokey shit to Giriko's dad?
Bones: Yeah, that was something I didn't have a chance to elaborate on. She was definitely slowly poisoning him to get his money. Or eat his soul. Maybe both. Oh right, I should show them Chainsaw. For your listening pleasure, Giriko's theme song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdJicpjitMM. I make playlists for everything and they are a travesty.
Q: You're a master at making us feel things for characters who, in canon, are dicks. Wanna talk a little about how you characterize people when you write? Or your approach to it?
Bones: You may have noticed I write AUs like it is my job. So the deal is, I have this basic idea of the characteristics of a given character, like how they are at base level, and then I just take that and go okay, how would this mix with or be affected by a life in x world, or by x set of experiences? And that's how you get Fire and Light Maka, or 99 problems Giriko and/or Justin. Like Giriko is still a dick but... Reasons. Giriko just wanted to run away with Justin and save him from his shitty home life.
Q for Eis: Do you listen to any mood-setting music as well?
Eis: My music taste is pretty much all over the place... but I did try to pick some music that would fit the situation. It didn't work all the time, so I was listening to some love songs while drawing everyone in the car. :D Needed some love songs to not completely lose it with drawing the freaking car!
Q: Eis, I love your Maka with a topbun.
Eisdorable: Thank you! Maka with the topbun is the best, but she rocks all hair styles tbh.
Q for the both of you: LET'S GET MUSHY, what was your fav part about working with the other?
Bones: Eis is the most cinnamon bun to ever cinnamon bun.
Eis: lfgkjdölfhjfglhkjflghkjskfj
Bones: Also, that. Umlaut keysmashes.
Eis: AHAHAHAHHA here for you öäü
Bones: But on a slightly more serious note, Eis worked super hard even if she didn't think she did. I spent the whole time going 'I have to not do all this at the last minute so I'm not a dick to Eis.'
Eis: I really feel like I slacked a lot, but maybe this was just because I had school and was away for two weeks during the time. ;n; Or four weeks in total? idk.
Bones: Yeah okay so like Eis went to school and worked and then came home and drew me stuff. Consistently.
Q: Same question for you Eis, what was your fav part about working with Bones?
Bones: Eis is probably trying to think of a polite way to tell you all that I'm insane.
Eis: I enjoyed everything to be honest, I loved the talking that wasn't about Resbang, then enjoyed talking about Resbang, loved to show Bones my art and get approval, and read her fic and cry laughing. And ask her all of the questions and have everything answered, most times even with a link. HAHAHAHAH YOU'RE NOT INSANE. Or not much more than me. :)
Bones: Oh wait my other favorite thing was Eis, the ultimate cinnamon bun, being like 'I can't wait to draw some blood."
Eis: AND THEN I NEVER DID DRAW BLOOD WHAAT. Or not as much as I wanted. :c
Bones: No one is stopping you, Eis.
Eis: *wiggles eyebrows*
Q: What was the most fun to write, Bones? And the most fun to draw, Eis?
Bones: Most fun to write had to be the archive bit - not JUST Medusa quoting Monster, but the setup. I liked having an opportunity to truthfully indicate how weird archives are. The tar coming up from the cracks in the floor thing was not a fabrication, but something I have personally experienced. Plus then they got to play Assassin's Creed for a minute there, creeping around.
Eisdorable: The most fun to draw were certainly the chibis. :)
Q: Eis did you learn anything new about drawing during this Resbang?
Eis: YES! Yes I got to know how to make gifs with Photoshop! To create the little cheerleader Soul lol. And I learned that I hopefully never have to draw a car again :)
Q: Can there be a 99 problems SoMa art in the future?????
Eis: I could try, because I would love to draw them in a romantic set up, even though romantic would be handholding in this case :) But I would love to do the thing. I'm currently studying for my final exams in May, have one art trade and a big commission due the end of next month, so I have to push that romantic drawing towards the future sadly.
Q: Do you have a couple fav beta comments?
Bones: Maybe this chain re: warblr:
Bones: Okay so, story time. One day fab tried to type 'warbler' as in a bird but typed 'warblr' instead, and that's how that happened.
Bones:
Eis: Marsh is the best. Her comments made me laugh ugly.
Bones: This... entire thing:
Eis: "This outfit is Gucci" still makes me crack up so much. IT'S THE FREAKING BEST.
Bones: Remember all the Gucci shoes I looked up, that all had snakes on them?
Bones:
Bones: I knew they were all at the end. When things got SUPER CRAZY was when the comment game got fun. By the end I had pretty much lost my mind.
Eis: I was with you Bones. Freaked out of having too little art. I was young and stupid.
Bones: I did better this year, in terms of not writing everything at the last second. My main goal is not to have a repeat of Bad Romance.
Eis: *proud pat on shoulder*
Bones: Do not write 22k in two days guys. Don't. The last two thirds of Bad Romance I wrote in two days.
Q: If you could be friends with anyone in the fic, who would you wanna befriend?
Bones: Kid.
Eis: I would love to be befriend Soul to be honest, most times he was the poor little cinnamon roll and I love him forever.
Q: What advice would you give to new Resbang participants now that both of you have done many Resbangs?
Bones: Oh my god, you monster. "Don't be me" is my advice. To elaborate: make yourself an outline ASAP, and a daily writing goal. And stick to it, so you don't have to do what I did. It's MUCH EASIER to write like 500 words or 1k a day for a month or two. And as a bonus you don't end up wanting to throw youself out a window. It's also a lot easier to get that 1k a day down if you have at least a partial plan. Plus, when you're in the middle of writing something it's much more difficult to set up a convincing plot, i.e. be objective. Though that problem is much more pronounced when you're 75k through a 120k novel.
Eis: Yeah, I agree with Bones. Time management is super important. Don't underrestimate this. I mean, probably no problem when you do one drawing. It's no competition [for] who gets the most done or something. But if you plan on doing a lot of things, time management/an outline is important to keep your head above water.
Q: What was the latest both of you were up to working on parts of this?
Bones: Idk, probably like 3 a.m.
Eis: I was up until 4:50am that one time. *sweats*
Bones: ...Eis.
Eis: SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK I DONT NEED IT. Except a lot. I need sleep. I love sleep.
Q: Did you guys learn anything from each other during this partnership?
Bones: I learned that Eis is a million times more adorbs than I realized.
Eis: Oh yes, Bones taught me a lot about American politics :) And [I learned] that Bones is the most collected and calmest person I've ever met.
Bones: Also I won't lie, when they told me Eis picked me I felt like I had won the lottery. I was also confused. Did you read my summary?
Eis: Yes and it was love at first sight. I was squeaking and capslocking a lot about how much I wanted your fic Bones.
Q: What are you guys working on next?
Bones: I am working on ten thousand years of worldbuilding for my original stuff, and hopefully Fire and Light. That and sorting out this 950 song playlist that is really out of hand. And getting like 60 pages of handwritten notes sorted out. I wish 60 pages was an exaggeration but sadly it is not.
Eis: [I'm working] on fandom stuff, for an art trade with ahshesgone and a commission for a user next month which I don't want to name yet, I don't want to ruin the surprise ;u; and lots of studies for my final exams orz. Finals are ewww and I'm 100% terrified that I'm gonna mess up :D
Q: What did the process look like to pick and choose which bits you pulled from each movie?
Bones: I don't think I really have a process for that.
Q: Was there anything that you wanted to include that you didn't get to?
Bones: there were a lot of things I kind of meant to address, like the thing with Arachne and Giriko's dad. I just forget them in the process of writing, which is why I advocate lists and outlines. I also kind of meant to go into more detail with a lot of things like Justin's home situation but seriously, it would have been 100k.
Q: What would you have done with the Arachne bit?
Bones: It was a tossup. I think I was gonna have her be slowly poisoning him so she could use him to achieve ultimate power, since she and Medusa were feuding. So I mean if I ever write more of this, it'll probably be about that.
Q: Eis how did you pick what you wanted to draw?
Bones: I think she was a little freaked out that I didn't have a list of stuff I wanted.
Eis: Honestly, I was freaking out. Like whaaaat, you have no certain wishes??? How even??? I'm so used to people telling me their wish and I work with that. :)
Bones: I'm not used to ever getting art. I thought it might be more fun for you to pick stuff you liked.
Eis: So yeah, how did I pick the things.... I usually stick with the things that inspire me, to be honest. So some scenes turned out different than the ones in the story, but it always worked out with no problems. I pick things that inspire me, may it be a fun scene or something that makes me think of it. It was super fun to pick the scenes I liked, gave me lots of room to be creative. :) [I] stick with things that make me linger there longer. There were quite a few, I actually had a lot more scenes I wished to draw but I haven't had the chance yet. It's also scenes that I'm curious about [what] they would look like as a drawing sometimes.
Q: Ooo do you remember what they were?
Eis: Oh yeah! I would have loved to draw the scene with Giriko, Justin and Soul in Giriko's car, in which Justin was all tired and Giriko tried to get school stuff done, because tired Justin seems like the most adorable thing??? And I would have loved to draw the scene in Soul's house, when everyone gathers there to plan what they do, after Soul and Maka saw Medusa eating Noah.
Bones: Soul crying into a pizza box.
Eis: And Giriko, Justin and Soul eating pizza and was it Kid that made tea for them??? And I would love to draw Soul in a lot [of] embarassing old clothes. AND THE HAND HOLDING SCENE BETWEEN MAKA AND SOUL OF COURSE.
---
Thanks to our creators for stopping by! More transcripts coming soon!
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Survey Results Part 3 : The Negatives
Been dreading this section! The question was “ Would like to hear what you feel could use improvement? Please be constructive! “
My comments will be in bold. Identifying comments may have those portions redacted.
Combat System Related
“The combat system is tremendously complicated to configure and use. You have to make templates to guide the new players or they will not attract you. In my case I have decided not to use it, it requires too much time and there are faster options that favor roleplay “
The template suggestion is a good idea. This is one of the easier to learn systems we’ve used over the years though, if anyone has any trouble configuring it feel free to poke any online staff board or ask in the Discord, we’re here to help!
“ LRS needs to be balanced, going all points offense is just too much of an advantage “
We’re constantly testing and considering options,will look into this further!
“ Everything. Meter being #1 on at the moment. “
Sorry you feel that way! We do have meter as a “needs improvement”, and high priority in that category.
“ Less complicated systems not everyone is waaaaayy into the Dungeons and Dragons Aspect. i myself am from a era in SWRP where everything was Combat Meter. People will debate that combat meter is not rp and they are right from a certain point of view. However before we attacked someone or another group we extensively rped out the scenario these days its all DICE MATH DICE MATH i am horrible at math i come to SL to relax and just play out my character with the occasional battle here and there. Now i am aware thats all the current generation of SWRP but the freedom is very limited i'd prefer old school honor FFC above meter and dice but i realize there is a huge trust issue in the community which i gotta admit is somewhat logical considering the amounts of people that god-modded in the past especially the Sith and Jedi who all were SUPAH powerfull. Hell i'm a sith too but i hide it and play like Palpatine nobody knows i'm sith unless they are sufficiently alligned with the force to sense the intense dark energy hidden.
Eh long story short. Focus more on ROLEPLAY and less on DICE or any other system.
In the end we all come to SL to escape the hectics of life adding complicated systems like CLOCKS [Large Events only as far as i heard ] does make me want to just walk away. Turfs work pretty neat but requires more consistent rules like Take 1 turf a week to prevent Big groups such as my [REDACTED] to Streamwall it all I can go on for hours but wont bother you guys ;) I love the casual rp on the sim that's what drew me in “
“ feel like things like clocks and turf are bloat “
We’re looking at things like Clocks & Turf for revision or termination. Those behind it are no longer with us, and we do feel it’s current version is too heavy. The add ons such as that are not mandatory for players to know, they’re more for group leads and often something they can opt out of as well under certain circumstances.
“ Make LRS more like d20 “
I wish this one elaborated a bit more.
“ Only thing I can really think of, is maybe more instructive ways to teach the LRS system, notecards can be helpful. Explain such things like weapons, armor, items, in general to be obtained, where to get them etc. Host events to maybe entice people to get them. And maybe, have more items with different stats, mind you I realize some share different stats, but from what I can see in the starter items, very few have different stats. Not saying, starter items should be powerful, just saying the things I've noticed. I could be mistaken with the items itself, and may need more experience in it. Anyway, thank you for your time :) “
Some good suggestions here.
“ Leveling/Rank system is kinda meh'. While I do like a system that has leveling/rank to it keeps people honest and cuts down on meta/god emoting and shit. I feel like the gaps between some of the higher ranks and lower ranks seem like kinda insane. Which might be intended if so then I suppose it's fine but I feel like Emi basically can't interact with certain people in a hostile manner once she learns their abilities cause you she would have be insane to try it again lol. “
The gaps are actually much less significant than they have been in the prior systems we’ve used such as SWT & Chimera but will look further into that. I’ve personally lost to a 1 on a 5, so it’s not invincible mode by any means.
Build/Setting Related
“i feel it might be nice to see more places for people to sit and hang out around coronet, maybe replace some of the derelict vehicles or make it so you can sit on them like benches. id like to see more items handed out as mission rewards even if rarely. “
“ I'd like for there to be more places to sit in Vreni and Corenet. benches or just something as simple like being able to sit on clutter such as crates, vehicles, or even ledges. “
Been working on this, adding in more benches, small parks, etc. As well as getting more staff the ability to generate items that can be given as rewards. If anyone is running a storyline that they want to request items for ask in the Discord or ask me directly, if I’m busy I can at least point you to someone who can help
“ more fun, less stress ... but I have no clue how to make that happen other than just focusing on RP and letting everything else go entirely “
I agree! I assume this one is more about staff than the playerbase as we’ve been pretty happy with the low number of OOC player vs player incidents.
“ Rentals availability notifier “
“ It's hard to find personal rentals. I wish there was a map or something that showed where there were rentals available. “
“ more rental homes i feels like there's not enough rental homes especially on the lower section there's like 4 i beleave maybe bump this up a little if possible as i would belave it would make it better for more people to have homes there. “
Since the survey have added enough rentals to catch up on the waiting list. While the waiting list is now empty they are all full last I checked so will add more. The waiting list is why the boxes often auto-lock and do not notify. When we do have freed up rentals and no list I let people know in Discord announcements. If you want to get on said list let Zenless know, specify which of the rental types/location. Generally go down the list when one becomes free but if I don’t hear back from someone in 48 hours move on to the next person.
“ The island build kinda tbh “
Would have liked elaboration as to why, I personally enjoy the contrasts in setting.
“ Add a area we can rez items we buy “
We do have a build box, but yeah need to be in the landgroup to rez, this is to protect the sim from griefers.
“ I feel like the furries need to be toned down, a lot of them seem to be pushing the limit on what is okay for a character. Otherwise I don't have a whole lot that comes to mind. “
If you have concerns about an avatar, contact a GM or an Admin. No one else should be confronting people about avatar appearance. Mentors will help those wondering if their avatars conform as well.
“ More open areas, like forests, deserts and snowy mountains, depicting the different Corellian environments and bringing more RP scenario options. “
Worked on it with the addition of the RP scenes, currently there are 4, we may switch them up now and then, any player can use these for their adventures. As of writing this we have a snowy one, a shadowy planet, a jungle and a minimalist desert. It often depends how many prims we have free how details these are. Things are also added to them specifically for a story, etc.
Story Related
“ Perhaps get more people involved IN the Holonet so we have a wider scope of story coverage from other factions/sources. “
“ StoryLine for the sim. News Reports. “
Would love to! Contact Zenless anytime you have something you would like printed on the news, we’ll take anything from briefs to full length articles. It’s generally me (Zen) who ends up writing most, but would love to have more contributors.
“ Easier access to groups. More storys that involve the "lesser" people that arnt part of a huge faction. Less hiding the roleplayers in faction bases. “
“ More events and gatherings for other time zones. It sucks that all of them are always at 9PM at night US EST. Some of us have jobs... “
“ Perhaps slightly more conflict between the groups. “
“ Most improvements are at the group level. All group leads should be working to give their players some daily content. Whether it be a small quest, large mission, or just something to progress their IC storylines. Right now it seems group leads are more there for policing than GM (game master) “
“ I feel that the Storytellers should put out more events, as well as come to defining the terms of the Clock System in a Simple way. There is too much confusion even among Admins about it. The Sim Build should also be improved to reflect 4D Coruscant. While an Island is nice it is only ever used for beach parties or the Jedi. Whilst every other RP is taking place in Coronet City or the Event Boxes. I am sorry if this was not very constructive but typing it out is a lot harder than explaining on voice. Come hangout with myself or talk to [REDACTED]. “
“ leadership in groups focusing on small scale rp to advance players char's ICly “
“ Could use more roleplay opportunities such as organized events. “
Lot of similar themes in these 6 so I’ll touch on them at once. Our group leads have been great and have been the primary ones responsible for the high levels of activity. On the other hand since the start we had a story team that did not put much time and effort in other than those who were also group leads. There was a main story arch yet few if any segments were ever run, and when these people left they asked for their stories not to be used so we had to go back to the drawing board. We’re working very hard to get more people involved in stories/running stories, do let me know if you are interested as we’re always looking for more aid. Typically we bring on people as mentors first, find out what they do well and help with stories if desired.
“ Not having jedi trying to confiscate lightsabers as if they are the cops... “
You could go to CorSec ICly. This one really seems like an IC issue as it is technically a violation of Corellian policy/law.
Staff/Management/Leadership Related
“ I feel there is a bias that favors the Jedi with staff “
“ the admins other than Eva do not seem like they care about the players “
“ Some of staff can at times be out of touch with the playerbase and comes off as elitist “
“ One owner has to go as per the jedi discussion on the jedi discord. The rest of the sim is fine. “
“ Admins “
“ Easiest suggestion. Unity. This admin team, just like the old 4D, is being trapped in drama. Things need to be unified and aligned to help the admin team mesh, instead of argue. “
“ some of the staff come off as condescending and rude mostly jedi who are also staff “
“ Consensual basis of decisions by the staff. Seems like things are constantly at odds. “
“ tessa and perry should not be admins “
“ Really wish the admins could be more approachable and stuff :l Except for Ootarian, he cool :D “
“ stop taking on owners who are terrible admins but just have money. wil,perry,lone,keely and so on “
“ I feel the LRS could be slightly more balanced rank-wise. I'd also like to see more LRS items but not too many. Less staff drama would be nice as to not fracture the community and kill RP. More sim-wide events such as Pazaak tournaments, races and even combat-oriented ones would be welcome “
“ Not a big fan of LRS but it’s better than most dice systems. Would like to see consensual agreements on staff rather than seemingly duking it out “
As some may have noticed there has been an overhaul of staff, much of this will seek to address any of the comments here. Everyone knows I say what I think to a fault. So I’ll be transparent in my POV (take as you will) though I’m sure some are going to be unhappy I even touched on this. The SWL Community was in bad shape after what happened on 4D for those who were here for that, I made a bad judgement call in some of the people I partnered with as our views were incompatible. I was very depressed after 4D (our prior region), and didn’t input as much as I should have when it came to staffing the sim, so they filled the staff with those who I’d consider their “friends”. Staff often became a battlefield of ideology between myself and what I saw as a circle of friends. In no way am I ever a perfect angel, and there are patches that I could have navigated better so I am responsible for the conflicts within staff as much as the departed are. Sometimes people just don’t work well together. What’s done is done though and moving forward I feel we’ve been making a lot of progress in having a more cohesive team. Still some rough patches as any sim with a decent sized playerbase is going to have it’s share of arguments, but I can say for certainty that everyone involved in leadership now genuinely cares about the community and that we’ll do our best to listen to the players and strive for consistent improvement.
“ Telling myself that "You seem to be breaking the system, the sith might need their own story system" isnt encouraging. We are here to help the story move along but because we are the only ones really using the Clock system. Our use of it in my opinion should be rewarded not, not discouraged so that way other groups are encouraged to use it also. And this isn't me complaining, this is how what is being said is being perceived. “
The staff member who said this is among those who departed (who have been mentioned often here). We’ll strive for a fair environment for everyone/all groups where goal posts aren’t moved on a whim.
“ More freedom and less bureaucracy “
You and me both :D
“ My friend who had been rping here for a few days before me and participated in two events got told she couldn't rank up because she "only earned 1 exp" meanwhile I got enough to level up and that isn't cool because we both pretty much did everything together so it feels like there might've been some bias there. “
I know it’s repetitive but the person who did this is among those who departed. Fixed this personally as being consistent is of extreme importance to us.
“ Maybe a little more staff so no one feels overburdened. Would love to see currency added to LRS (kind of like Chimera), most inventory items/upgrades/mods/etc. Otherwise, I love this place. Great people and great fun! “
We are currently interested in taking on another mentor or two as there is a lot of work to be done, but we’re being careful in that we want a staff that can get a long to avoid a lot of the feedback that was brought up here on staff environment being internally hostile.
MISC
“ Clear advertisement of those willing to mesh-build or animate on commission for players would be nice! Even if we don't take them up on it, knowing it is available helps. “
I like this suggestion, will think of ways to try to advertise for them.
“ - More sim events for common people
- More story events at current scale before we try and move large scale. We really haven't even tested the waters here and yet we're trying to move larger? It's like an amusement park with one slide saying we need to buy more land rather than build more attractions in the available space to entertain people. Lets try and utilize the current setting to its fullest before we decide it needs to go larger - The main social hub moved to a neutral ownership.
- More balanced meter
- Less outrageous things being brought onto sim. The more outrageous things get, the harder it is to bring content because that content gets dismissed by one person with the snap of a finger rather than being a tension and toil to overcome It also puts newer players at a huge social disadvantage. “
This one touched on a lot of things so put it in misc. Pretty much touched on everything but “outrageous” in other sections. What people consider outrageous is very subjective but we do try to avoid anything too crazy.
“ A lot of people are a bit bossy and obligating others what to do with their character, especially how they look. That makes people, certainly those who put a lot of effort in them, really pissed. Maybe a send out that we all should respect each other in how we look and how we roleplay. Not everyone is a rich ass who can buy what they want or so experienced in roleplay as the other. So the basic thing is respect. “
True. If any issues with an avatar or anything else, a GM or Admin should be contacted. Players hostilely confronting other players is often something that will be considered a minor offense which can lead to disciplinary scenarios. If you need any help do let one of us know, it makes me very sad when I hear about someone being given a hard time over something like that.
In conclusion, thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. This was the hardest section to give feedback on as it does touch on a lot of “drama” elements. I’m not the smartest admin, def not the most PR or PC, I speak from the heart. It means a lot to me that after six years and all the obstacles that people are still here. I’ll do my best to try to improve everyone's experience. Please keep in mind we are a VERY diverse role-play community and it’s literally impossible to fully please everyone, sometimes the good of the many will outweigh the good of the few but the tyranny of the majority is also something you always try to keep at bay.
SWRP as a whole has now lasted about fifteen years as you can trace it’s origins back to 2003 while the first groups and sims really got going in 2004 with groups like the Mandalorians under Dazzo Street, Jedi under Marcus Moreau and others,the first Galactic Empire. Then in 2005 sims exploded with Korriban, Sirius, New Holstice, Tatooine, the founding of GAR & DLOTS. We may have had to do a lot of adapting and changing with the times to still be an active community, but fifteen years is an amazing accomplishment for any roleplay community. We’ll have our ups and downs but I think we’ve proven ourselves to be as resilient as they come. :)
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