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iamapoopmuffin · 2 years

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Definitely that "Huey, Webby, and Fenton set up the Italian restaurant in Gearloose's lab again, but this time to get Gearloose and Panchito to go out on a date" idea that's been tossed around. 😂😂😂

Damn, starting me off on something hard with a bunch of characters I've never written for before and most of whom I only found out existed this September XD

Fr though hell yes, someone had to write it, it might as well be me XD

I used all the interpretations of Panchito for inspo to write this, which is why he can do magic like he could back in the 40's and has a mixed version personality, and I have absolutely no idea if I've written any of these characters even halfway decently, and dear god this got longer than just a fic bite, but here you go!

Gyro stepped out of the elevator looking as grumpy as ever and extra tired. You could almost see the storm cloud over his head as he peered through his glasses at the trio gathered nervously at the doors to the lab. Well, the duo gathered nervously and Manny. "Well? What's the big emergency, what did you do?"

Fenton moved to meet him, walking him to the doors. "It's, uh, it's kinda hard to explain. It's not world ending bad, or really super bad, but we definitely need you here for this." He hadn't really figured out what to say. The idea had just been to get Gyro to the lab, and telling him the truth would never do it. Hell, telling the truth would probably make him run a mile, but watching him deal with his feelings, or rather attempt to shove said feelings deep into a box before making a machine designed to remove said feelings, was getting painful, so it was time to give a push in the right direction.

Huey opened the lab doors for them, giving a small bow. "Welcome, welcome, Doctor Gearloose, to your destiny!"

Gyro took a split second to take in what was in his lab before turning on his heel and heading back for the elevator. "Nope." He got about three and a half steps away before Manny grabbed him under the arms and hoisted him back into the lab. "Put me down! What is the meaning of this?"

"It's a date!" Huey supplied helpfully. Fenton decided to take over.

"We figured helping you face your feelings and getting to know Panchito properly would be a lot...healthier than trying to surgically remove your crush or aggressively deny having feelings."

"I don't have a crush!"

"And Panchito really likes you back." Huey pointed out. "He's been literally flirting with you his entire stay in Duckberg."

"So we thought we would help...?"

If looks could kill, Gyro would probably be surrounded by bodies at this point. "This is not helping. Now put me down this instant or you're all fired!"

Huey, Fenton and Manny exchanged flat looks before the latter unceremoniously dumped the raging scientist by the table. Determined not to face his feelings, he followed them to the door, yelling all the way. "That's it! You're all fired! Manny, Intern, Red Nephew, fired!"

"I don't even work for you!" Huey shot back with a roll of his eyes. "Just get in there."

At that, Manny slammed the door shut and locked it. Gyro made an attempt at prying the doors open, more in the interest of throttling the trio than anything else, but ultimately gave in. He wasn't going to escape this stupidity without either inventing his way out or sucking it up and going on a stupid date set up for him by children.

Turning back to the lab, he looked once more at what they had done. It was set up much the same way it had been the last time the children had hijacked it for an ill fated attempt at romance. Wooden trellises with grapes hanging from them and a heart festoon between them, all over a table for two lit by Lil Bulb, once again traitorously taking part in this ridiculous farce. Panchito was already in the far seat, almost certainly having witnessed the whole spectacle from before, though his attention was on Lil Bulb, perhaps to give Gyro at least the illusion that he still had some dignity. He was humming to himself, something that sounded suspiciously like elevator music. When the little robot noticed him looking at them, he gestured for Gyro to take the empty seat, tapping his little foot impatiently until he complied.

There was a brief but very awkward silence, broken only by the scuffle of someone in another section of the lab, undoubtedly another one of McDuck's child relatives also determined to 'help' Gyro with his 'love life'. Panchito cleared his throat.

"Your friends certainly are spirited. And the children. I would say I'm amazed at how much they've set up without us knowing, but I have seen enough to know they are capable of some cool stuff...they didn't tell you this was a date, did they?"

"What was your first hint?" Gyro grumbled back.

"The shouting."

"...That was a rhetorical-...whatever. How did they trick you here?"

"Well, they didn't. Not really." Panchito shrugged. "Donald's nephews told me it was going to be a date, but they said 'secret admirer' and made out you planned it." He presented a neatly folded piece of paper, which upon inspection was a short letter, indeed signed by 'your secret admirer', inviting him to the lab. Rather annoyingly, it was in a pretty good forgery of Gyro's own handwriting, though it definitely wasn't something he would ever write himself.

"And you went along with it?"

"I didn't see a reason not to. I didn't think they would set this all up as a prank, and I see no problem with giving an admirer a chance. Especially if they are as smart and handsome as this one."

Gyro proceeded to very elegantly choke on his own spit.

He briefly wondered if this was what it felt like to die from embarrassment and managed to glare at Panchito through the tears in his eyes as the rooster moved to his side of the table to pat his back. As he managed to clear his throat and shoo the Caballero back to his side of the table, the final perpetrator of this farce approached. Scrooge's daughter and housekeeper's granddaughter, dressed as a waiter, complete with a false moustache for god only knows what reason. As with the last time she pulled something like this, when she spoke to them it was with a heavy, terrible Italian accent.

"Buongornio, welcome to Jetta Scorpios, the most romantic place this side of Duckberg. Can I tell you about tonight's special?" She handed them menus. The only thing written inside was 'romantic spaghetti dinner for two'. "It's spaghetti!" She supplied helpfully.

"We will take the spaghetti special." Panchito answered with a smile, handing his menu back. Gyro got the impression he was treating this as a child's play pretend game.

"Of course, signore, one romantic spaghetti special coming right up!" Webby took the other menu and bowed out graciously back to wherever in the lab she had been hiding. She seemed happy.

"You're good with kids." Gyro noted.

"Ah, yes, I do a lot of entertaining at children's parties."

"Singing?" He vaguely remembered this guy and that other one, the parrot, playing at Webby's birthday.

"Singing, playing music, I can do magic too. All sorts. I'm a performer at heart, and I have many ways to keep my audience happy. You have to be able to read the room and understand the kind of person you're performing to as well. For instance, those performances are very different to the kind of show I put on in wrestling."

"Wrestling?"

"I have a masked wrestling career. El Gallo Loco! I have quite the record!" His eyes went back to the makeshift lamp between them. "I'm told you have quite a record too. You made this, right?"

"His name is Lil Bulb. He, and the rest of Bulb Tech, are a highly sophisticated artificial intelligence that can interface with a wide variety of existing systems and machines and perform just about any task put to them. It just so happens that they, like many of my creations, are wildly misunderstood."

Panchito put his chin in his hands, listening with rapt attention. "I was alone with him for a while before you arrived. He seems completely alive, like his own person. Are the others all their own people as well?"

"I, uh..." Gyro had to admit he wasn't expecting this sort of interest from what he had previously seen as a braindead rooster. "Yes, I've noticed they all have their own distinct personalities."

"Amazing. You've created not just an artificial intelligence, but life."

"But smarter!"

"If you can do that, I can only imagine what other wonders you've created here."

Gyro thought for a moment, wondering what, if anything, he could really show this guy, a guy he'd just a few minutes ago been sure he'd have nothing in common with. "What do you think about being able to see history as it unfolds?"

Panchito opened his beak to answer, eyes shining in excitement, only for them to be loudly interrupted by Webby's return with a large plate of spaghetti which she dumped in the middle of the table.

"One romantic spaghetti special! Buon appetito!"

The spaghetti itself had several strands tied together, clearly to force a ridiculous 'Lady and the Tramp' kiss. A quick glance to the side saw Webby hiding nearby with a camera in hand. Gyro decided pretty quickly he wasn't going to eat it. If nothing else, he didn't want to eat spaghetti these kids had messed with using their sticky bare hands, and if they'd been able to tie it together it was either cold now or had been reheated quickly afterwards. Across the table, Panchito poked at it with a fork and shook his head, an affectionate smile on his face. Evidently, he was appreciating the effort Webby had put into this. "You know," he began, "I've heard there are some truly wonderful restaurants in Polignano a Mare, if you're looking for romance. Or just authentic Italian food. The view there is supposed to be breath-taking, and there's a strong history if you're into that. I have a bit of an interest in history and culture myself. I could take you there, or anywhere, really, if I had a photograph."

Gyro raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?"

"Ah, well, that is..." He gave a somewhat sheepish smile. "When I said I could do magic, I did not mean just silly little stage tricks, though some of the tricks I can do work great for children's parties. A good picture can be a wonderful window to a whole other place, quite literally if you know how-"

"You could have gotten us out of here this whole time?!"

"Only with a picture big enough to fit through. Or a battering ram."

Webby once again popped her head out from her hiding place. "Wait, so if you had a photo of a really romantic location, you could go on a real romantic Italian date?"

"...A printed picture or a good painting also works."

The girl let out an excited squeal. "Gyro, is there an industrial sized printer in here?" Without waiting for an answer, she went skittering off to find something she could use to create a portal to the perfect date location. Panchito looked to the scientist, as if looking for confirmation that this was okay. Gyro heaved a sigh.

"They won't be able to spy on us like this, will they?"

"Well, we certainly won't have four sets of ears listening in on our every move, that's for sure."

"Good. If I have to go on a date, it should be just us."

#it's 1838 words long #and 8 of those words are 'spaghetti'#ducktales #legend of the three caballeros #panloose #panloose nation rise #Update I added 12 more words #all roads lead back to elevator music #panchito pistoles #gyro gearloose #huey duck #fenton crackshell cabrera #webby vanderquack #webby mcduck #panchito romero miguel junipero francisco quintero gonzalez #manny the headless man horse #I definitely had no idea how to write Manny can you tell lmao #fic summary ask meme #I promised I would write it and I wrote it #The full thing would include them actually going into a picture and on a proper date #They lay the picture on the floor #Panchito jumps in #and gravity immediately causes him to fall hard onto his side and thwack his head on the floor #also him being good with kids is important #Gyro has two robo sons after all #Panchito's about to become a step-dad #i did not proofread this

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mae-bee-art · 11 days

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The Addition to the 3

Heyyyyyyy g-g-g-guys. This is a brand new addition to the last story i just wrote w/ a new Y/N addition. Stick around, hope you enjoy!!

Description:Bella Edward and Bingley move out to the country side in Derbyshire. The seek to escape the watch eye of society. In their new found home they encounter an unexpectedly charming neighbour, Y/N. Unforeseen circumstances bring the group together. Slowly creating a twisted story of romance and passion.

TW: countryside, threeway, mention of marriage season, quill fight

Chapter 1- Fresh Beginning

Having acquired a match is the utmost goal for th end of the marriage season. By chance Bella, Charles and Edward had two times the prosperity. To their dismay, this genre of match was frowned upon by the ton. To escape the watchful eye of crass society members the trio had chosen to take part to countryside as quickly as time would allow. The three had decied to reside at Bingleys estate, for his relatives had not received their faire share of excitement society had to offer and were till partaking in festivities. Receiving rest would be simplest to acquire at Bingleys abode. With bags packed and heart full they set of for some peace and quite to spend basking in each other company.

The carriage ride was not as dreadful as one would expect. Even though Bingley estate in Derbyshire was somewhat a ways off, it was not nearly as far as Bella had to travel to arrive in Forks Hertfordshire. With each other company it was the contrary of dull. With flirtation and tomfoolery there was no shortage of joy in their carriage. Once arrived it was a dream, wide open spaces. Rolling hills of swaying trees. A whispy painting of clouds in the sky with a gold glow but still the opulent pure blue of the sky. The scenery stood still but the air was dancing and running across the sky and ground. What a seren and perfect place to soak up each other person.

At the beginning of their stay everything was lush and jolly. Speaking out each others company at every given point and avoid departing for one another’s whereabouts. It was although they we’re attached at the hip! However, as they stay continued to became apparent they were running out of parchment, quills and ink. Bingley had decied he must go and fetch some himself, he was far too particular to let the help pick for him. So he set off into town without his enterage for the first time in what felt like eternity( 4 days, my mans loves to write letters ✍️).

Arriving in the local town he soon made his way to a store that possessed all he came in search of. Eyeing the products he views a pair of exquisite emerald feathered quills. He soon declared in his mind that they would be a sublime gift to give to his beloved. As he went to reach for the quills an extremely small and petite hand swiftly grabbed them before he. A miniscule dame stood forth. She had snatched the quills and without a second look headed off. “Excuse me Ms. I was hoping to purchase those, do you think it possible to pick another set?”. The dame paid him no mind and continue on her way. “You see I have some folks at home who I think would adore they quills, pick something else out, ill even pay for whatever you chose” he proclaimed vying for her attentions. She scoffed in his general direction, paid for the quills and was off. Why he never! Bingley had never had such a rude encounter in such a public setting. He thought he was being curious, generous even. Offering to pay for her! That would have been a swell gift and now that ninny had ruined it. He hurriedly picked some other items off, paid and was on his way. He just had to return home and express his distain for this unsavory experie

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beatenxnotxbroken · 8 months

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“Do you try not to think of the ones you lost?

I do… It hurts too much to think about them…”

Name: Rebecca Shae Byrd Gender: Female Sexuality: Heterosexual Age: 126 Date of Birth: July 21st Place of Birth: Denver, Colorado Languages Spoken: English, ASL (American Sign Language) Hairstyle: Down, in a ponytail, in a ball cap or beanie. Hair Color: Brunette Species: Human turned Werewolf Former Occupation: Part-time waitress at a bar and grill Studied: Zoology Height & Weight: 5'5", 125lbs Places of Residence: Cold Spring, New York/Several safe houses located around the US thanks to May.

𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓬𝓪 𝓢𝓸𝓷𝓰: 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝓛𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷

𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓽𝔂:

When one first meets Becca, they'll notice that she's reserved and careful. She's hesitant and doesn't talk much, taking time to open up to others. Building trust with her is not easy, and initially, she tends to keep her distance. However, one shouldn't let that discourage them from experiencing her kind and pure nature. As you get to know her, her genuine character will gradually reveal itself. Playful, magnetic, and captivating, she will go to great lengths for her loved ones and friends. Despite her fear or the risks involved. She possesses a gentle spirit that suggests she's more of a lover than a fighter. Nevertheless, people can be surprised to discover her protective side, which she exhibits when defending those she cares about. She prefers to avoid the limelight and prefers to observe her surroundings in silence from the sidelines. But once she feels comfortable and safe with someone, be prepared for her to break her silence. Wearing her emotions openly, she frequently worries about those who protect her or engage in any dangerous activities. Romance is hard for the Lycan as her past has led her into trouble with it once before, so she tends to be hesitant in that field however one shouldn't be discouraged as she is still open to the idea of love. She is not one to seek attention and is easily intimidated, but she also displays moments of bravery, revealing yet another one of the many layers of Rebecca Byrd.

𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂:

Until age 5, Becca grew up with her parents in Denver, Colorado. The evening of May 23rd however, a tragic car accident robs the five-year-old of her parents leaving her hospitalized and orphaned. Once out the young brunette was quickly ushered into the care of an immediate family member.

After being taken in and raised by her aunt Cindy and uncle Randy, Becca continues to lead a somewhat normal existence, even striving for a degree in zoology. Developing a close bond with her older cousin Cara and her best friend Emma Hill, the trio grew up practically inseparable. However, Becca's life took a turn for the worse when she entered into a damaging relationship with a man named Eric. This relationship persisted throughout her time in high school, gradually deteriorating due to his volatile temper and abusive behavior towards her. The situation between them escalated when she started investigating Eric's mysterious disappearances during the nights he claimed to be "hunting". Matters reached a boiling point when, at the age of twenty-one, Becca engaged in a particularly brutal fight with Eric, resulting in her seeking refuge with her cousin Cara. Fed up with the situation, Becca made the decision to end her relationship with Eric. Unfortunately, Eric did not take this news well. Reacting with anger upon hearing her desire to break up, he violently attacked her. This confrontation ultimately led to their separation, with Eric promising that he would come back for her, but in a completely different guise.

The brunette needed two years to recover from her toxic relationship with Eric. She worked hard during this time by attending college and earning her master's degree in Zoology. She also took the time to rediscover herself. While in college, she met a young woman named Mayleen Wilson and they quickly formed a strong bond, becoming close friends. Sadly, her time in college was cut short by a tragic accident involving her uncle, which required her to return home.

Following the untimely and devastating demise of her uncle, Becca's life once more descended into disarray. Struck in the torso by a workhorse, Randy suffered a heart attack, succumbing to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. It wouldn't be long before misfortune struck again. The stress caused by the disappearance of Emma Hill compelled Rebecca to urgently seek answers and search for her closest companion. Approaching her elder cousin Cara, Becca persuades her to accompany her to New York, where Emma's trail led them to Cold Spring.

During this time, Eric persistently pursues her and unexpectedly crosses paths with her once more, determined to fulfill his threat to her. This encounter left the brunette grappling with a challenge unlike any she had encountered before. Employing his claws and teeth, the Lycan sank his teeth into her body before she successfully managed to evade the canine. After successfully fleeing, Rebecca searches for her cousin and is promptly taken to the hospital. There, medical professionals attend to the several bites on her arms and numerous scratches on her abdomen. Following her discharge, the brunette isolates herself in her room for multiple hours, experiencing symptoms resembling influenza, until she ultimately undergoes the transformation into a Lycan. Noticing the abrupt disturbance, Cara checks her younger cousin, and their ensuing interaction leads to Rebecca biting Cara, condemning her to the life of a Lycan as well.

Shortly thereafter, Rebecca and Cara are able to locate Emma and the three have a tearful reunion. Upon reuniting with their childhood friend, Rebecca shared the details of her and Cara's current predicament, how Eric was the one behind it, and that he was still out there. It was during this conversation that Rebecca discovered the reason behind Emma's abrupt absence and how she had become involved in the Lycan world as well. After realizing the importance of staying together and finding a secure place to reside, the three individuals had a discussion to consider their options. Ultimately, they agreed to contact Becca's acquaintance May, who promptly extended an invitation for them to stay with her in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. Once settled, the group get to know each other and their situation better through conversation. During their discussion, the girls revealed that they had become werewolves and Mayleen shared her own connection to the supernatural. The witch suggested that she could help hide them and advised them to lay low for the time being. However, over the following weeks, Becca received news from a pair of hunters who happened to be close friends of May's, that Eric had arrived in town.

Becca expresses her concerns about Eric to the rest of the group and proposes that they take the initiative to attack him first upon learning of his return. However, the group becomes anxious and advises her that they may not be adequately prepared for a confrontation and that she herself might not have full control over her abilities. Despite these warnings, Becca disregards them. Seeking assistance from the two hunters, she implores them to join her in confronting Eric at an abandoned warehouse on the town's outskirts. During the confrontation, Eric manipulates Rebecca's thoughts by revealing why he had done everything he had to her, telling her she was nothing more than a pawn in his revenge plan towards her aunt, causing her to become angry and disoriented. This leads her to undergo a transformation into a wolf and turn against the two hunters who were assisting her, ultimately resulting in their deaths. In a final act, Becca manages to injure Eric before he successfully escapes, leaving Rebecca to revert to her human form and face the consequences of the chaos she had caused. May receives the devastating news of their friends' demise from Rebecca, burdened with shame, guilt, and deep remorse. The witch refrains from holding Rebecca accountable for the tragic sequence of events, yet their relationship becomes strained. Despite the absence of blame, Rebecca finds it impossible to absolve herself, pledging that she will never repeat her errors and that their deaths will serve a purpose. Committed to rectifying the harm inflicted, Rebecca, Cara, Emma, and May seek out a sibling duo of werewolves (named Stratus and Gordon) who impart the knowledge of voluntary transformation, rather than solely relying on the full moon. The ordeal proves arduous for Rebecca, Cara, and Emma. She now travels on her own from one safe house to another, searching for any clue that could lead her to Eric's whereabouts. Her determination to put an end to his reign of terror over her and her loved ones growing stronger and stronger. Along with her desire to redeem herself, she faces many more challenges accompanied by an uncertain future.

“Was it Eric that you saw though?”

“Yes... He had turned into a wolf though...."

𝓗𝓸𝓫𝓫𝓲𝓮𝓼/𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼

Becca is an avid reader who enjoys spending time in nature and with animals. She also has a talent for drawing and singing. Swimming is another skill she possesses, and she loves to travel whenever she can. In her spare time, she tries her hand at gardening, though she often struggles to get started. Becca is a movie fan, with a particular love for the Jurassic Park/World series, Lord of the Rings, scary movies, Planet of the Apes series, Disney films, and many others. She also has a habit of collecting cute tiny objects, small animal character trinkets are her favorite though.

𝓗𝓪𝓫𝓲𝓽𝓼

Becca displays a variety of anxious behaviors, such as embracing herself, biting her lower lip, and toying with any accessories she adorns. Additional behaviors include babbling about trivial trivia regarding animals, stroking her hair, and constantly fidgeting. Compliments quickly cause her cheeks to redden, and she may even adjust or squirm in her seat, as she is unaccustomed to receiving such praise. However, when she does receive it, it tends to elate her significantly. When feeling nervous or anxious, Becca may exhibit another behavior. Stumbling over her words tends to be one of her main sources of frustration, and she becomes even more flustered when it occurs. The brunette often struggles with sitting still when excited or elated, easily leading to bouncing in place or other awkward movements. She can be quite clumsy and tends to hit her head frequently in various situations.

𝓦𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓼

Trusting to a fault || Silver Timid || Fire Stubborn at times || Easily Distracted Wolfsbane

𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓽𝓱𝓼

Independent || Determined Compassionate || Honest Resilient || Superhuman Strength/Speed Loyal

#Rebecca's story #Rebecca Shae Byrd #“Wolves have fears too; you know?”

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cloudsmovingcastle · 2 years

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🔊🔊🔊 (that's one 🔊 for each member of the sea salt trio)

[palpatine voice] yeeeeeeeees. (Thank you Ash, you're the best <3)

Under a cut because this got looooooong:

Alright, starting with Axel, we've got "This Is How I Disappear" by My Chemical Romance. (Spoiler alert: every single song in this post is an MCR song.) I personally interpret this song as being sung by Axel to Roxas, and possibly even Xion. We've got these lines from the first verse:

There's things that I have done / You never should ever know

That I think are pretty self-explanatory, given what he did in the Org. And then we have the bridge, which gives me all sorts of feelings:

Can you hear me cry out to you? / Words I thought I'd choke on figure out / I'm really not so with you anymore I'm just a ghost / So I can't hurt you anymore / So I can't hurt you anymore

I personally see this as being Axel's thoughts either shortly before, or pretty soon after Roxas joins with Sora. And then lastly, we have my favorite line in the whole song:

You wanna see how far down / I can sink?

This line never fails to remind me of Roxas and Axel's fight in the Old Mansion in KH2, and it fucks me up every time. I love it. Also, honorable mentions go to "The World is Ugly" and "The Light Behind Your Eyes" which are both great songs to listen to if you wanna cry about Axel mourning Roxas and Xion.

Okay, next up, we have Roxas! For him, I have: "Famous Last Words." I personally think this song can work as Roxas singing to Xion. We've got the chorus:

I am not afraid to keep on living / I am not afraid to walk this world alone / Honey, if you stay, you'll be forgiven / Nothing you can say can stop me going home

Which I think can work as Roxas trying to convince Xion to stay, instead of joining with Sora. And then there's the bridge:

Cause I see you lying next to me / With words I thought I'd never speak / Awake and unafraid / asleep or dead

I interpret these lines as giving voice to Roxas' fear of losing Xion for good after he learns the truth in Days, and the uncertainty of their future at that point. Honorable mentions given to "Summertime" and "The Ghost of You" both for the vibes and for working well as rokushi songs.

Last, but certainly not least, we've got Xion! I already talked about two songs that I feel fit them well in this post, so for this one I'm just gonna talk about "Bulletproof Heart." This is one of my personal favorite MCR songs (Danger Days is a good album and anyone who thinks otherwise can personally fight me), and I think it works really well if you think of it as Xion singing to Roxas. We've got the pre-chorus:

The papers say / "Johnny, won't you come back home?" / Cause everybody knows you don't / Wanna give yourself up / Tell the truth and God will save you

Which, admittedly, I like more for the vibes than anything else, but I think "You don't wanna give yourself up" is pretty self-explanatory. I also think the last line works pretty well for Roxas and Xion, since I do think that the two of them having to give themselves up to Sora almost feels like divine judgment in a sense. Christian doctrine often speaks of repenting and surrendering oneself to God, with the idea being that the repentee needs to give up their autonomy and instead live their life "as God wills it." I can't help but draw some parallels between that and what happens to Roxas and Xion. I know that's mostly my religious trauma talking though.

Moving on, we have the bridge, which gets really heartbreaking really quickly:

And though I know how much you hate this / Are you gonna be the one to save us / From the black and hopeless feeling / Will you mean it when the end comes reeling? / Hold your heart into this darkness / Will it ever be the light to shine you out? / Or fail and leave you stranded? / I ain't gonna be the one left standing / You ain't gonna be the one left standing / We ain't gonna be the ones left standing

I see this as Xion thinking that the worlds need Sora more than they need Roxas or Xion, despite how painful it is. These lines in the song hit extra hard given that pretty much the entire rest of the song is talking about running away. It's like the rest of the song is Xion wishing that they could just run away from the Org with Roxas, and the bridge is them finally coming to terms with the fact that they can't do that, and deciding that they both need to return to Sora. And then we get this melancholic final chorus:

Gravity don't mean too much to me / Is this our destiny? / This world is after me, after you / Run away like it was yesterday / And we could run away / Run away, run away / Run away from here

Which I interpret as Xion wishing they could forget what they learned and just run away with Roxas instead, but their conscience won't let them.

In conclusion: I love them.

#twilight-blaze #ask #axel #xion #roxas #brot3: sanctuary #my apologies for any spelling errors and/or misquoting of canon it's late and my brain is mush

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the-loststone · 2 years

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List of Turkish Dizis I watched in order of Greatest to Didn't Love It

Part 1 | Part 2

Halka

This one is kind of just amazing. I binged it very quickly and was so sad it ended because I could live in this world for a while. Cihangir, Kahn, and Mujde are my favorite trio. Honestly the bromance between Cihangir and Kahn was so cute and sweet and I love them as much as I Ioved the slowburn between Mujde and Cihangir. The cinematography, the acting, the script, everything about this show was amazing. What I loved most about this show was how smart the characters were. Cihangir, Kaan, Mujde were playing chess when in comparison, it's like every other tv show character was playing checkers. These characters were so smart, and funny, and they had the best dynamic between them. I really can't get enough of them. I think the trio (+ Adem) will go down as one of my favorites forever. The diamond scene is always a favorite. I really wish we got more scenes between them. Especially with Kaan shipping them because that was adorable, how he would quietly laugh at Cihangir crushing on Mujde. Another thing is how well they showed the bonding between characters. It is an excellent example of a show showing and not telling. It's believable that they became close and I don't need to be told. I saw moments between them. I saw the bond. I wasn't told about it.

Honestly, my only regret is that the ending was kind of unsatisfying, but I guess they left it open ended so that people could fill in the blanks themselves. Also the end villain was kind of ridiculous because there had already been another villain before him, but it was like they were trying to make this new guy even worse so they had to tie all the other villains' stuff to him, which kind of ruined the other villains characters. But other than that, and it is literally just those two things, this was an amazing series.

I love Hande and Serkan. I'd seen their other work before this one and I can say that this might be my favorite of theirs.

Bay Yanlis

Ozge and Can have the best chemistry ever. Honestly, watched this one before Halka and it was still on my mind while watching it. This is just a cute romantic comedy. You'll enjoy it more if you don't take anything too seriously. Everything is just happy and sweet and I love it. I massively crush on Can Yaman in this series. He is just so cute. And I love Ozgur and Ezgi together. They were just a playful, happy, and healthy couple that were just trying to figure out their feelings. Sadly it was canceled so it had a really rushed ending but even then, I really enjoyed it. Not only were the lead couple adorable, but the side couples were cute too. Rewatched it twice. Will rewatch again. It's down as one of my favorites. It's so light and fluffy. Highly recommend that you watch whenever you need something happy and fun in your life.

Ariza

What an underrated show!! I don't know what it is about mafia shows, but I just love them. So full of action and badassery! So the story revolves around a taxi driver who enters the mafia world in pursuit of revenge. When you think about it, it sounds weird but it makes sense when you watch it. The plot was very well done, almost no plot holes. There were some inconsistencies but they weren't big or major in a way that detracted from the main villain. The main villain stayed consistent throughout and our hero stayed on path.

The romance in the show was not the biggest draw towards the show, although it did play a major aspect in the plot. I love Ayca and she's a great actress, and I love Tolga and he's a great actor and separately their acting was amazing, and together their acting was great. Basically, my only problem was that I don't think they had the best chemistry. I've seen them have better chemistry with other costars. That's not to say I didn't believe their love story. I did. And it was very well played. It's just that, having seen their other works, I know when something is missing, and it was the chemistry. It was very platonic feeling. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway. Great show. Absolutely loved it. Stayed invested throughout.

Yargi

I'm still watching season 2 of this show but I wanted to start the review now because it's in my head. I'll talk about season 1 since that's the season I completed. I love this show. I took a break from turkish dramas for a bit and came back with this show and it was a great reintroduction. I love the actors, the drama, the cinematography, the music, and the characters. The leads, Ceylin and Ilgaz, played together in Ask 101 (which I only saw s1 of and wasn't too into but I remember thinking they were cute). They have amazing chemistry together. I didn't think their relationship was rushed (or portrayed in a way that was rushed). They had believable and heartbreaking obstacles in their way (familly, death, etc) and I rooted for them throughout. The side characters didn't feel like fillers. I love Pars and Eren so much, I thought their characters had fantastic depth and served to lighten and add tension in scenes and they did it wonderfully. The plot is focused around the murder of Ceylin's family and finding out who murdered who and what happened. There is a lot of betrayal and drama and it's simply fantastic. There are a few plot holes here and there but it's easily ignored. The show does a good job of bringing back important points, or even minor points. I strongly recommend this show. I don't want to say too much to spoil it so I won't, although I will say that if you're anything like me, throughout this show you'll probably be screaming "Chinar! why are you always doing things?!"

I will also say that my favorite part of this show is that it makes sure that characters are held accountable for their actions. They have to live with the consequences. And that is not often found in dramas so the fact that there is a show about accountability is amazing!

Elimi Birakma

This one was an experience. I watched it as I was going through an insomnia-tic period, and it kept me company during the nights that I couldn't sleep. And during the day when I was too dead to work. I honestly really loved this. Especially the first season. The leads had great chemistry and I enjoyed the drama that the side characters provided. Albeit, the beginning had me wanting to punch the Cenk in the face a lot, I appreciated that we got to see his growth, especially going into season 2, and what effect Azra had on him.

Season 1 did a good job of keeping up with plot points and bringing back relevant aspects. There was a theme that everything will eventually be revealed, and lying is useless. That theme is kind of dropped in season 2. I mean there are several plot points that are just abandoned (and cast that just disappear / conveniently die so I'm going to attribute it with problems in the cast during shooting). I was particularly annoyed that they completely wrote off Melis in season 2 even though she played an important role in season 1. Even if the actress couldn't come back, they could at least mention her, I mean she is their sister and they don't even mention her later on. But I digress.

Great show, very much enjoyed it. Really loved the acting and the characters. Noticeable lack of PDA (kissing is a big no in this dizi) but easily overlooked because of the tension and chemistry between the actors.

Sen Cal Kapimi

My introduction into Turkish dizis. I'd seen this on my dash about 20 times and always thought, "hmm... the girl is super pretty, and it looks kind of good, maybe i'll watch it..." and then I never did. Then right as I'm about to go in for my second term of 1L, I decide to binge watch all 52 episodes in 4-5 days. Talk about regrets... I had not realized before starting that Turkish TV shows were 2.5 hours long EACH EPISODE!! That was a shock. But I binged and loved this show. Honestly Serkan and Eda were so cute, the chemistry between Kerem and Hande was amazing. That said, I really loved S2 (even though a lot of people didn't) but I can't really watch S1 anymore. I think looking back on it right now, I think the plot was a little scattered in S1. I get that they had like a bunch of arcs and stuff, but once this guy got amnesia I was like ... lol. That said, I've noticed this does happen to a lot of a shows. The whole, amnesia plot, the guy goes to prison plot, the girl breaks up with the guy because she's being blackmailed plot. It's a lot. I think I would have preferred that if they were going to do all of it, they make it over a longer period of time (like they show time lapses of years going by, instead of all of it supposedly happening in the span of, like, a year and a half.)

That said, I couldn't have picked a better show to get me into Turkish dramas. Really something special. The characters were amazing, the side characters included, and they advanced the lead couple. The disputes between Eda and Serkan actually had real context to them that stemmed from their character flaws/traits, and I really appreciated that.

Uç Kurus

This one is still on going while I'm writing this review, but I just finished episode 24 (instead of studying for finals, fml) and I think this show is amazing. It's a mafia/gang show that just has all the notes of bromance, betrayal, romance, fighting, action, and I love it. The enemies to lovers trope is on high here, with the star crossed lovers.

The show starts with a smaller case (if you consider tracking down a serial killer small) to a larger case (a mafia boss that is the source of childhood trauma that irreparably damaged a family). There is so much about family in this show; it goes into what can be forgiven and what can't be. The complexities of addiction are touched on, as well as prejudice and discrimination.

Saying all this and how much I love this show, I actually do think it doesn't have to go on much longer. I don't know how long they are planning to air the show/how many episodes they intend, but I don't think it needs to be over 28 episodes in all honesty. But we'll see.

Great show, I highly recommend.

Kalp Atisi

I initially was hesitant to watch this because it's a remake of a Kdrama that I loved (Doctors) and I didn't want to do the whole thing where you watch the same show twenty times in twenty different languages. But I was wrong. While this might start out as a Doctors remake (and they basically do everything the same in the first couple episodes) it is incredibly different. This show had it's own character, and it was extremely well done. I was wondering how they were going to extend the plot because Doctors is only 1/8 the length of the show, but they decided to incorporate every doctor show into one show. They used so much of Grey's Anatomy and they had some Chicago Med and I'm sure other shows were incorporated as well. But they just used the major points. So I got to watch some great episodes without having to suffer the boring ones. I think I saw every shooting scene from every show in this one show. I'm not saying that in a bad way either, it was extremely entertaining.

The main characters had good chemistry. I loved both of them so much. They kind of did a role reversal where the male character was the one that was patient and loving and supportive all the time, while the female character was more of the loose canon, and it worked so well. These characters were so well matched and suited for each other. It was honestly a great show.

Yeni Hayat

A more serious drama. Unfortunately it was also canceled after 9 episodes so it didn't get as fleshed out as the writer probably wanted it to be. You could tell that they had plans for it that they just weren't able to deliver because it was canceled. The topic is a serious one -- about domestic abuse. The lead couple, Adem and Yasemin, are both in different relationships. They have an epic slowburn romance that is so sweet to watch. I generally don't like watching shows that have characters cheating on other people, but this was actually really great. They don't really do anything together (besides one kiss in the beginning when neither had feelings for each other besides basic attraction) but they begin to feel something through their friendship. Also their partners are super toxic. Yasemin's husband is abusive (and I kind of hate that for the sake of tying up loose ends to finish the show they had to ease up on making him the villain because for me, he was definitely the main villain) and *SPOILER* Adem's wife is crazy (which was actually a nice twist because initially we thought she wasn't going to be and we sort of rooted for her and her husband, but then she got super obsessive and jealous -- i mean with good reason but her husband wasn't doing anything at that point, and we find out if anything she was the bigger problem since she cheated on him and kept massive secrets from him and that her actions were the root of all her paranoia).

Anyway, I loved this for the chemistry between the main actors. Again, Serkan was in this drama and I might mark him down as one of my favorite male actors. Whenever he smiles, I turn to mush.

Azize

This show was a lot. In very little time. First of all Hande is amazing. I love her always and forever. Her character, Azize/Melek was so well played. I really wish we got more of this so I could see more of her. Unfortunately, it was cancelled after 6 episodes. But from the first episode I was on the edge of my seat. The characters were well done. The plot was great. I only had to suspend my disbelief a couple of times to get through it but I'll attribute the inconsistencies with them rushing the ending because they were cancelled. It's really a show with great characters and star crossed love. Plus it's a mafia show and those are always fun to watch (I love recommendations if anyone has any).

Sol Yanim

This was one of those shows where I was actually genuinely interested in the plots of all the characters. They were all complex and entertaining. The show didn't revolve mainly around the lead couple, but instead was about the family dynamics, and how the lead couple tried to navigate through it while also trying to support each other. Serra and Selim were two very interesting characters who were struggling with childhood traumas. Serra was one of my favorite characters because she remained cool and professional in face of people who were being rude and hostile. She stayed honest to her truth even when it was uncomfortable for her. I love how she never invited anyone into her life that she didn't want there, and she never let anyone push her around. Selim was had a lot of justified anger but his moments with Serra were so soft, and I love how he always tried to be better for himself after being inspired by her. It was a great show about what a new influence can bring to your life.

The side characters were also great and had compelling story lines. Onur is by far the best imo. I think the only disappointing thing is that it ended at 12 episodes so they lost a lot of story lines they were developing. One of the rare cases where I think a show could go on for a bit longer, but this would have been better wrapped up with another episode at least. If only to finish the Erkan story line. Great show otherwise.

Ada Masali

This was a really good show about a city girl moving to an island. The relationship between the leads was very intense (sometimes a bit too much) and kept me hooked. The characters were more mature than characters in a lot of dramas, and they were actually smart. The issues in their relationship revolved around family and trust and those are very believable issues to separate a couple, which I appreciated.

I loved the island. It was honestly very beautiful. I wish there were more scenes about the leads around the island. However, I also wish there could have been more scenes about the city life as well. Because the message kind of became that the city life sucked in comparison which I thought was a bit dismissive. And really confusing/contradictory with the ending. I think one of my favorite things about the show was the leads relationship, but I was a bit sad that towards the end, they almost became side characters in their own story, because it became really polluted by the side characters story lines.

There were a lot of story lines that they could have expanded on but didn't which I thought were lost opportunities (the fathers' story lines, the sea story line, how the family finally accepted them). Most of those story lines were touched on but really quickly resolved, and I just wish they gave more time to those stories instead of the side characters.

Otherwise a great story. Really beautiful.

Wolf

I came for Serkan and I stayed for Serkan. But in all honesty this was actually a good show. It had great acting, cinematography, action scenes. Very moving show about the events preceding the coup in 2016. I am very sad that can't find anywhere to watch the movie with english subtitles though, so I will remain unsatisfied until I find it. I would put it lower in my ranks though, not because it wasn't great, but because I wasn't very entertained compared to other shows. I love action, but this was a bit one note for me sometimes. But I feel like it deserves to be higher, so I'll leave it here for now.

Zemheri

A nice little palate cleanser to get me to stop obsessing over Halka (side note: still not really over how good it was). It was a great story about a pair of lovers torn apart because of a psychopath. The chemistry between the leads was insane and the actors did an excellent job. It was nice and short so it only had one main story arc which was nice. Very enjoyable watch.

Her Yerde Sen

This was really cute. The characters were much more mature than others I've seen and they were fun to watch. They didn't do overly cringy things. Basically the premise is that two people are sold the same house and refuse to be the one to move out, and so they are stuck living together. Of course it also turns out the guy is the girl's boss. And all the shenanigans that ensue basically start there.

The side characters were really sweet in this. There is a side couple that I loved watching. All the couples friends were really awesome and had great story lines.

My one criticism is the ending. I might have put this show on the same level as SCK, but the ending really didn't do it for me. It's a short show already, so you would hope they would stick the landing. But at the last minute they decided to redeem a character, and did a really shoddy job of it. And there were a bunch of plot holes. But whatever. They rushed the ending, and that's basically my complaint. Otherwise, a great show.

Menajerimi Ara

Great show. Honestly. But only until episode 36. It suffered the same problem that many shows suffer, it went on for too long. And I'm not saying that in the way that they couldn't have done more episodes and more seasons, but in the sense that, after episode 36 the storyline flopped hard. Some consistency would have been nice.

I liked the actors, I liked their start and their development. I loved the cameos from other famous stars. They all played fantastically. Nevertheless, I can't help but be a disappointed by the end. But anyway. Good show. Based off the French show "Appelle mon agent" or Call my Agent, which I thought was good.

Meryem

This was good. I liked it a lot. The lead actors had good chemistry. I think my biggest complaint is just that it went on too long. I don't want to give too much away, but it's basically about this guy framing his girlfriend for negligent homicide and all the things that happen after. This guy is the biggest asshole ever and he's a creep besides, but he's also smarter than every other character which kind of pisses me off because except for like two unlucky instances, he's always winning in this show. And it gets very annoying to watch. I mean I liked the dilemma that was going on, how this girl was dealing with being gaslit by her abusive boyfriend and starting to see the light and all that. It was very interesting to watch how this horrible guy was able to get all these girls sucked into his orbit, because it's actually kind of believable. As the audience, we of course know how much of a shit he is, but it's these characters fall into his personality and it was very interesting to see how they have to fight their way out of it. But then it starts to get very annoying with how the other characters do these annoying things like, don't tell the police, or just agree that they'll kill someone for money, and I'm just here like... what. Why would you agree to that. That wasn't in the resume, you don't have to agree just for money.

Another thing that's annoying that is a reoccurring trope in dramas (in general, not just Turkish dizis) is that some characters just don't get held accountable for stuff that they do. Either it's not brought up or it's just forgiven.

The romance here is pretty nice too. It's a slowburn (and then a pretty fast burn once they get together) between the girl who was framed of negligent homicide and the guy who's girlfriend was killed. So obviously they are a little star crossed but interestingly that isn't touched upon a whole lot. I would have thought it would be more compelling if they just dropped the arc of trying to catch the real killer for the thousandth time and instead made it about how their relationship is trying to survive the trauma of her abusive relationship and the shadow of his deceased girlfriend. Unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity.

Honestly though, it was a good show. I got tired of it though by the twentieth jail break from the villain. So if it was shorter, I think it would be doing itself a lot of favors.

Erkenci Kus

Demet/Sanem and Can are cute in this, but honestly wasn't really my type. I got super bored in a lot of places and I didn't end up finishing it. Can, as much as I love him, was doing all these weird hand/arm gestures and he held his phone in a really weird way (which was definitely a directorial choice and I just don't understand why). There was a lot of cringe. The Demet's character, Sanem, was cute in some places but it could turn into an overload of cringe really quickly. I have enough cringe in my life doing my own cringy things, I don't need to watch someone else's. The beginning was good, but it became super drawn out and I just got really bored. Also the fights and arguments between the lead actors just weren't very compelling to me. Weirdly, while it can be compared to SCK, this one just wasn't very entertaining to me. I guess I didn't really get why their characters made the choices they made in some places. Basically, it could have been a much better show if they just cut it down.

Dolunay

Honestly, this might be better than EK, but I put it after because of cinematography and styles (fashion taste in EK is so much better). While it might not be fair, since EK came out later and had the benefit of better technology, I don't really care. That said, Dolunay actually had a better plot, I believed the characters conflicts and I just enjoyed it. It was a more serious drama. I watched it right after watching Bay Yanlis because I wanted more Can and Ozge. That said, very different vibes from the two shows. Also we can definitely see improvement in both their acting in BY.

Can's character, Ferit, was honestly my favorite. He was just so cool and patient that I admired him so much, especially for having to put up with as much shit as he did. I mean people were constantly fucking with him and his relationships. He wasn't a saint, but I mean his patience was on a whole other level and I very much admired that.

I wasn't that into the romance in this one. I basically rooted for the pair to get together out of spite for the other characters who were trying to get between them. But again, there were moments where I really liked the relationship. And I liked how well Ferit handled the problems in their relationship.

PS: there was a character, Alya, who I rooted for. She was a boss, honestly. Sadly, she left the show about midway through so I was very disappointed.

Bir Peri Masali

It was a show that I watched and did not hate. Skipped through most of it. It had some great scenes and the overall plot wasn't bad. The main characters were flawed and that's what made them interesting to watch. Chemistry between the actors wasn't the best. Alina's acting was the best part of the show, otherwise I wouldn't care too much about it. It was good enough to pass the time. Good cinematography.

Carpisma

Watching this was exhausting. I was really only into it because of Melisa and Alperen and I stuck with it as long as I have for them. But I couldn't anymore. Every character in this show is so dumb. I honestly hated watching it at that moment. I had to quit otherwise I would take a break from turkish dizi's entirely (which honestly might not be a bad thing since I've binged so much recently but I'm depressed and exhausted so whatever).

My reasons for not liking this was just that there was so much yelling and skipping over trauma and overreacting but under-reacting and I'm just... ugh.

It did great action scenes though. I will give it that. Much better choreography than other shows. And it did have a good plot. But also, an unbelievable one. SPOILER For example, what woman would spend time with the man that kidnapped her child, killed her husband and has been threatening the man she loves just because she wants to help find the man she loves mother who abandoned the guy when he was a baby. Like, you brought your child to see that man again. I can't. No. and the other guy is upset but gets over it in a minute. I'm just... no. I would never ever forgive that. (I didn't explain this well but please understand that its ridiculous).

I just got too exhausted with it. If you're into something heavy and complex then this would be a good show for you. But I'm not right now. I might come back to it later. But as it is, I abandoned it at episode 13, so... I really only stayed as long as I did for Melisa and Alp. And even their story couldn't keep me entertained (at least up to where I was).

Cherry Season

What can I say about this... I watched this one after Dolunay, again hoping for something good with Ozge and Serkan in it... unfortunately, I was left unsatisfied. I had seen it after watching Yeni Hayat, and after something as good as that, I could not get into something as stupid as Cherry Season. There were a lot of problems here. I am not laying any of them on the actor's feet, although admittedly, they definitely had improved later on which I am thankful for. I just was not a fan I guess. Which is annoying because it had a pretty good premise and plot initially, and it could have been really good. Unfortunately, it felt super stiff, and I mean everyone felt stiff. But like with other shows that run too long, it just got lost. They did dumb things to keep the lead couple separate for dumb reasons and I was just annoyed.

Also, there was this one scene that I really liked where Serkan is running after Ozge on a train, and I love that scene. I love that scene! I just hate that it happened. Because I wasn't done being mad at one of the characters for the stupid thing they did and I was frustrated. It was frustrating.

The side characters became annoying very quickly, and though I did enjoy watching them plot and do nefarious shit, it was still a bit much sometimes. And they got redemption arcs that I couldn't understand. I noticed this theme in Turkish dramas where they don't really hold people accountable for the shit they do and that frustrates me.

Basically, it was rushed while still at the same time, not going anywhere.

Glass Ceilings / Cam Tavanlar

Good actors with no chemistry and stiff acting. Where the plot is good, the dialogue is lacking. Where the cinematography is beautiful, the acting is stale. Where the actors are expressive (with their face and eyes), the movements are stiff. It was a good story and with better execution I would put it higher on my list. Great story about a woman being discriminated against in the work place. Properly shows the frustration and helplessness that is felt when women get looked over for their work but when the same work is done by a man, the tone changes. Good story, I'm sorry I couldn't put it higher on my list.

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canary3d-obsessed · 3 years

Text

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 24 part two

(Masterpost) (Pinboard)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Arguing

After enjoying a tense afternoon with Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian comes home to enjoy a tense evening with Jiang Cheng. He pauses in the doorway as he takes in Jiang Cheng’s mood and decides which metaphorical mask he will put on to interact with his shidi. As someone who grew up with explosive people, I find this routine very familiar.

Wei Wuxian is always carefully playing a role as he interacts with the people in his life. Clearly he has read the classic sociology text The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life and is using it as a how-to guide. We see him do this same calculation over and over, in which he reacts internally to a situation, comes to a decision about what persona to inhabit, and then dons that persona. It’s a typical abuse survival tactic and...it is exhausting.

This is why I think his leaving to be alone for a while in Episode 50 is a good thing. Being alone isn’t better than being with someone else, usually, but for Wei Wuxian, who is (by Episode 50) assured of love but not sure where he belongs in his own life, being by himself for a while is going to be the best thing for him. He can learn how to just be a person, instead of constantly trying to mold himself to fit everyone around him.

For the current tense situation, Jiang Cheng is polishing his sword, which, incidentally, is slang (in English, not necessarily in Chinese) for masturbating. Which makes their conversation about how frequently it needs doing kind of a hoot. “One time a month should do,” per Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Cheng yells at Wei Wuxian--fairly, really--for being drunk all the time and not working on clan tasks. Then he responds to a hug attempt by shoving Wei Wuxian and knocking him down. JC asks WW if he’s too drunk to manage his spiritual power. Now, we know that he doesn’t have any spiritual power to manage, and that’s the main point of this interaction. But it also shows us something else about their dynamic.

This was just a quick hit, and when it takes WWX out, JC asks why he isn’t responding with spiritual power. Which means that apparently *every* time Jiang Cheng gives Wei Wuxian a shove or a shoulder check, or strikes him--like he’s been doing constantly since Episode 3--he’s putting spiritual power behind it. That’s...really harsh.

Jiang Cheng wants Wei Wuxian to fight back, and Wei Wuxian can’t; this is a big part of why their relationship breaks down. Casual blows loaded with spiritual power are part of their vocabulary, and Wei Wuxian can’t speak that language any more, even for basic defense. He’s literally not safe having simple interactions with Jiang Cheng now, because he’s secretly disabled, and Jiang Cheng is casually injuring him whenever he gets too close.

(more after the cut!)

This time Wei Wuxian has had enough, and raises Chenqing to Jiang Cheng, who immediately backs off. Jiang Cheng has seen that thing in action, not just on the battlefield, but in a small room full of whatever remained of Wen Chao when they were done with him. He takes this as a serious threat, and backs off, disturbed and puzzled and hurt.

Jiang Cheng thinks the change in Wei Wuxian is coming from apathy, not from disability, and so he misunderstands it over and over. Think of a friend saying “whatever, I’m sick of arguing with you, do what you want.” Jiang Cheng is very ready to feel rejected, and not at all ready to look at Wei Wuxian’s behavior and try to actually understand it.

Crying Over You

Wei Wuxian bails and goes to see Jiang Yanli in the ancestral hall, where she is polishing a name plaque. I turned the gamma way up to see whose it is and...I dunno. This character might be 江 (Jiang), I guess?

Jiang Yanli is the only one of the trio who knows how to mourn properly, in that she is taking some time to sit and be sad. Mourning the dead--both ritually and just in the emotional sense--is as important a part of reclaiming Lotus Pier as the training of disciples and having good times on the lake.

She asks him about his fight with Jiang Cheng and he says he’s used to fighting with him. Jiang Yanli asks him if he’s tired of living there, and Wei Wuxian deflects and deflects, saying “it’s my home, where else would I go?” and that if Jiang Fengmian hadn’t adopted him he would still be begging in the streets. He says “no matter what happens, I won’t leave Lotus Pier,” which is not an answer to her question.

It’s also not true. Like so many of his promises, it’s an expression of his wishes, with no space for the surprises real life is made of. He promises her that he won’t be reckless again, and asks her not to be mad at him. She says she can’t be mad at him, and then they share a flashback about Jiang Fengmian finding him on the street. This is a story, not a memory; Wei Wuxian can’t remember but he remembers her telling him about it. Jiang Yanli wasn’t there, in the moment. So this is her telling the story as it was told to her, probably by Jiang Fengmian.

Flashback Time

In the flashback, picky salad-hating Wei Ying is out on the street, looking for food in a cartload of pretty okay scraps. I mean, yeah, skip the tomatoes, but most of the greens look fine.

He’s found and fed by Jiang Fengmian, who recognizes him and decides to take him in.

Within a couple of episodes, we will see Wei Wuxian paying this favor forward, saving someone he finds starving on the street. Just like Jiang Fengmian, he's going to upset and disrupt his family in order to help someone for whom he feels a deep connection.

During this flashback we get a look at Jiang Fengmian’s sword, and it is a beauty.

What is Love

As the flashback ends, Wei Wuxian is smiling, hearing Jiang Yanli tell this touching story of starvation and orphanhood. She tells him he was born with a smiling face, and that he never minds much about sorrowful things; no matter how bad the situation is, he is always happy. Way to reinforce that metaphorical mask he’s wearing over his deep, deep despair, sis!

They talk a bit about Jiang Cheng’s bad temper. Then Jiang Yanli says now that her parents are gone, they three are the closest in the world, and he responds by putting his head down on her knee and theatrically saying he’s hungry. But he’s crying for real, and so is she.

Then he decides to ask her why people fall in love, basically, and claims that he does not have anyone in his heart. He says there’s no need to like a person that much, that it’s like “haltering your own neck,” according to Netflix. Let’s have a look at that figurative language for a second, and what’s missing from the Neflix translation.

What he says is (as near as my qhanzi.com skills can make out) “這不就是自己給自己脖子上套犁拴韁吗” which Google tells me means "Isn't this just putting a plow on my neck with a rein?" The part of the image that’s missing from Netflix subs is the plow, and the hard labor and animal servitude involved in pulling a plow. This isn’t a pro-romance image.

He’s clearly thinking about Lan Wangji when he lies about having no-one in his heart, but right now the yoke that he wants to escape has nothing to do with Lan Wangji. The person he’s harnessed to in a team, the person who he labors with, the person he wants to escape, is Jiang Cheng. What’s chafing his neck is the promise he made, to stay and serve as one half of a pair, when he can no longer pull his weight.

Busted

Speaking of Jiang Cheng, he is hanging around outside the shrine, listening to the conversation. Wei Wuxian busts him, pointing out not that eavesdropping is bad, but that it’s bad for grownups. Jiang Cheng points out that he’s the master of Lotus Pier so he’s allowed to go anywhere he wants.

(I love how he looks framed by this giant lotus behind him)

We Wuxian has another of those moments where he assesses the best approach to Jiang Cheng before responding.

Then he picks a fake fight with him about soup. Yanli comes out and tells them both to grow up, saying that JC is losing his demeanor as clan leader. He jokingly fixes his already-perfect robe ad they all have a chuckle.

Then Jiang Cheng reminds Wei Wuxian of his promise for the millionth time, and Jiang Yanli goes to make soup for the millionth time. As soon as the boys see that she’s gone, the smiles drop right off of their faces. They’re both performing their typical relationship dynamic for Jiang Yanli.

Being Reasonable

The brothers repair to the main hall, and stand behind the lotus throne looking out of this complicated wall/doorway thingy, while they talk about Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan.

Jiang Cheng is being mature and sensible here, trying to give Jiang Yanli what she wants and also explaining very, very basic political stuff to Wei Wuxian, who is too caught up in his hate boner for JZX to want to think about the bigger picture. He also thinks that Jin Guangyao is a nicer person, but Jiang Cheng says that nice doesn’t matter.

Wei Wuxian is getting a full head of steam going about what a jerk JZX is, when Jiang Cheng makes him actually stop and think, by pointing out that it’s not for them to forgive or not forgive Jin Zixuan’s past behavior; it’s up to Yanli.

Wei Wuxian sees the reasoning in this, and starts to say he can’t understand why Yanli chose to like this person, but then he stops himself and goes through a rapid series of thoughtful, uncomfortable expressions.

Perhaps he’s realizing that he himself has chosen to like an infamously stuck-up, fancy cultivator, albeit one with no soup-related character deficits.

Library Time

The stuck-up cultivator in question is currently in the Cloud Recesses library, where he has snuck into the forbidden books room, against his uncle’s express command, for the purpose of helping Wei Wuxian. The forbidden books room is an entire basement floor of the library; it probably has more books than the not-forbidden part of the library, since the main floor needs space for the restrooms, circulation desk, and copy machines.

(Did OP photoshop the Wangxian-in-the-Library porn picture onto Lan Wangjis’ book? She did.)

A couple of other Lans come along and see the main door unlocked. The lock is a big fish that probably uses magic for locking; it definitely doesn’t use a key. One of them steps in the doorway, glances back and forth without walking through, and does not check the secret door to the forbidden vault. Gosh, how did Su She and/or Jin Guangyao ever manage to steal secrets from this highly secure location, wow.

Lan Wangji hears the Lan disciple on guard duty say “don’t tell Hanguang Jun about this!’ and has a series of microexpressions that might indicate some kind of feeling about simultaneously being a rule breaker and a rule enforcer.

Boat Time

We end with an idyllic scene on the lake in Lotus pier, where a new batch of disciples is harvesting lotuses and learning the opposite of boat safety.

Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian are having a good time, and seem utterly carefree; both of them are good at living in the moment, or faking it.

Wei Wuxian thinks, in voiceover, that it seems that it’s not so hard to go back to the old days. Uh...ok.

Except he’s hiding a massive secret and these replacement kids are not the same juniors he used to hang out with, and he can’t actually teach them cultivation, since he has no socially-acceptable magic power, and everything is about to go to shit in the next episode. But you gotta take your joy where you can, I guess.

Note: There are a lot of questionable effects in The Untamed, but there are also beautiful scenes like this one, which looks like a Maxfield Parrish painting. Compare with the BTS below and you can see what a good job the VFX team did in bringing this lake to life.

#the untamed #cql #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #the untamed gifs #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original #my gifs

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theadventurousdork · 4 years

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Dani Clayton and Jamie Taylor: A scene by scene study on the dynamism of a queer romance

by theadventurousdork

Well, here we are! An unnecessarily long essay breaking down Dani and Jamie’s scenes together that I decided to write purely for the fact that they have taken a hold of my queer little heart and haven’t given it back yet. Grab some awful tea or coffee and take a read, if you’d like!

Episode One

In this episode, we see Dani and Jamie meet for the very first time. This is the beginning of them and their story. It all starts in the kitchen of Bly Manor where a dirt covered Jamie walks in just in time for the residents of Bly to gather for an afternoon lunch.

“The gardener didn’t even introduce herself to the new au pair. She barely acknowledged her at all. Simply treated her as if she’d always been there. The others in the room just assumed they’d already met, which, if she were honest, was how the au pair felt when she first saw the young woman.”

Jamie walks in without even batting an eye to the new guest meanwhile, we see a soft eyed Dani looking over at the gardener with a gaze that gives the audience the first look to the gravitational pull that seems to be set between them. With Dani explaining her belief that she has seen someone on the parapet of the old wing, Jamie’s reaction is cold. She looks down at the table with a hardened look. She looks almost hurt. We learn later on that Jamie was the first adult resident of Bly to find the dead body of Rebecca Jessel floating in the lake of the manor which has probably resulted in trauma for Jamie as she remembers her late friend. With Owen and Hannah also finding the possibility of someone being on the balcony to be slim, the residents carry on with their meal. As the introduction to Jamie’s character, we are able to see her cold and guarded exterior. However, we also see her wit and humor as she comfortably pokes fun at Miles and Flora. The space she takes when she walks into a room isn’t empty for she fills it with her bold personality and Dani immediately takes notice of this yet she doesn’t show any hint of openly acknowledging it.

Episode Two

Episode two sheds a different light on the pairing. This episode gives us the first look at Dani’s trauma and the weight that she’s feeling on her conscience. But first, we see her changing the tide at Bly as she puts Miles and Flora to work in the garden as punishment for locking her in a closet. As Dani and the children pull weeds, a relaxed Hannah and Jamie watch from a distance just as Owen offers them drinks. As the trio sip on their gin and tea, they discuss Dani and how her presence is a nice addition to the grounds of Bly. This is where something I call “testing of the waters: part one” occurs. Jamie asks Owen if he thinks that Dani’s pretty before continuing to poke fun at his inability to answer. Now this seems rude, especially considering Hannah’s negative reaction to it even going as far as to remind her that romances don’t fare well at Bly. However, I feel like Jamie does this purposefully to see if Owen would provide any reaction that would indicate that he would have any intent of pursuing Dani, which he quickly shuts down as he states that he only has eyes for Hannah. Jamie’s choice to do this can boil down to a simple poking of fun or maybe something more in terms of her trying to understand, and maybe even deny, the gravitational pull that she’s feeling towards Dani by deflecting it to Owen.

This episode also offers the first glimpse into Jamie’s humanity and her deeply empathetic nature. As a distressed Dani storms outside in tears after being triggered from seeing her dead ex-fiancé’s glasses, our favorite gardener comes to the rescue with buckets in hand. Now this is probably the first time that Dani has physically seen Edmund’s glasses since she packed them away before leaving Bly which can explain her intense reaction to finding Flora wearing them. The part to highlight about this interaction between Jamie and Dani isn’t the fact that Jamie tries to console her but is the way that she does so. First and foremost, the gardener tries to make au pair laugh. She makes multiple attempts in her dialogue to make Dani crack the slightest smile. Jamie’s dialogue saying, “there we are,” after Dani finally gives into the attempted jokes shows how laughter was Jamie’s initial goal.

“How else do you think I keep all these fucking plants watered? With my endless well of deep inconsolable tears. That’s how. It’s what got me the job in the first place.”

After she accomplishes this, she goes on to relate to Dani by telling her that she cries several times a day in an effort to make Dani feel normal and not alone in her vulnerable state. To see someone as cold and guarded as Jamie admit to something like this quickly humanizes her and puts her in the position of becoming a dynamic character. Finally, Jamie tells the au pair that she’s doing a great job and leaves a smiling Dani to watch her as she leaves. This offers insight to how Jamie doesn’t like seeing people in distress. She radiates a grounding energy and puts it upon herself to ensure that no one feels like they’re in over their head.

Dani is able to return the favor as she finds an angry Jamie kneeled over a massacre of her rose bushes. Jamie’s hotheaded attitude is shown as she wastes no time getting up to confront Miles for cutting her roses before they were ready. The point to highlight in this moment is that Dani hears her out. Dani listens to Jamie’s grievances and not once tells her that she’s overreacting. Dani hasn’t known Jamie for long but she knows the importance of plants to the gardener and she doesn’t give Miles a pass at ruining something that matters so much to her. Having two separate scenes showing that each half of the pair have the power to talk each other down regardless of having known each other long, serves as a taste as what’s to come for their journey together.

Episode Three

Here we see “testing of the waters: part two” as the keepers of Bly watch over a sleeping Miles and Flora by a crackling fireplace. A tired Hannah rests her head on Owen’s shoulder as Dani and Jamie watch from across the room. Jamie goes onto ask Dani if she wishes she were leaning on Owen instead of Hannah and explains how every woman in town fawns over Owen without him even knowing it. This key moment goes hand in hand with Jamie’s testing of the waters in episode 2 when she tests Owen’s potential attraction to Dani to now testing to see if Dani would be interested in Owen. Jamie’s subtle comments allow her to see the odds of Dani liking Owen without risking any awkward interaction that would potentially be too invasive. With Owen being the only man in the house, it’s understandable for Jamie to want to see if Dani would pursue him which in turn would signal that Dani may not be interested in someone like her.

What comes next is what I like to believe is the moment that Jamie begins to fall for Dani and I mean really fall for her. The conversation about love and possession is beautifully done and sets the distinction that will go onto separate Peter and Rebecca from Dani and Jamie. After a vindictive history lesson on the toxicity of Peter and Rebecca’s relationship, Jamie mentions the idea of loving someone versus possessing someone to which Dani replies that she doesn’t believe should be possible. The effect of this is seen on Jamie’s face as she looks at Dani. It’s a face that says that she’s staring at someone who understands. Understands the fragility of love and the thin lines that separate healthy versions of love from toxic ones. It happens in the span of a second but we can see a switch click in Jamie’s mind just before she breaks her gaze. From what we collect of Jamie’s past a few episodes later, we come to understand that she has always been owned. Stemming from a broken home and growing up in the foster care system, Jamie has always been someone else’s possession to claim ownership of but never was truly loved and nurtured. To hear someone finally understand that there’s a distinction between loving someone versus feeling like they have the right of possessing them, must feel like a moment of overdue comfort.

After a restless night due to seeing Edmund’s ghost again, Dani wakes up the following morning to see Jamie asleep on the couch. This scene lasts merely thirty seconds so why make the choice to keep it in? What significance does it really hold? Is there any significance at all? For me, the significance is comfort. I feel like there’s a level of comfort that Dani feels when she realizes that Jamie was just down the stairs as she laid awake the night prior feeling as if she were alone in the depths of her own shadows.

The new day ends in the tragic news that Owen’s mom has passed away. After a sympathetic Hannah sends Owen off and leaves to light a candle for the deceased, the gardener and au pair are left to give their own goodbyes to each other. As Dani voices that she’s glad that Jamie stayed on the grounds throughout the day and the night prior, Jamie agrees and the two share an uninterrupted gaze at one another. Here is where we see Dani’s first advance as she takes hold of Jamie’s hand. Ever so slightly does Jamie latch back before Dani quickly pulls away.

“Who the hell knew?”

Those words leave Jamie’s mouth as a mixture of relief and shock paint her face as she gets into her car. Dani watches her drive away with an expression that reads “did I really do what I think I just did?” This moment is cut short as she turns around to see Edmund’s ghost staring blankly from behind her. Fear overcomes Dani and a scream is let out as Edmund gets sucked backwards by an invisible force. Up until this point, Edmund’s ghost has remained stagnant, either appearing in a reflection or in parts. This extreme motion of getting pulled backward into the manor can be read as a way to reflect the intensity of the emotions that Dani is feeling in that exact moment. The amount of tension that Dani must have felt to muster up the courage to reach for Jamie’s hand must have been extremely intense which in turn would evoke an intense manifestation of Edmund’s ghost.

Episode Four

Episode four is what I call the episode of guilt. In this hour, we delve deeper into Dani’s past and the darkness that she’s been holding in her heart. Dani’s life just before Bly is revealed and we see snippets of her life with Edmund. From childhood best friends to teenage lovers to getting engaged, Dani and Edmund almost seemed like the perfect set up to an 80s romcom. Almost is the key word here as it’s revealed that Dani breaks up with Edmund just before he storms out of their car into the path of an oncoming truck, killing him right in front of her thus revealing why Edmund is haunting her. Flashforward to Bly, Dani has begun to see Edmund’s ghost more and more. His first appearance in the episode is in Dani’s bedroom mirror just as Jamie helps unzip her dress. If it weren’t apparent in the episodes prior, Dani holds an immense amount of guilt. This guilt doesn’t only stem from being the reason why Edmund was killed but also lies in who she is. Edmund’s presence is symbolic for the guilt that Dani feels whenever she is just on the brink of exploring her sexuality. We see that every interaction that Dani has with Edmund’s ghost occurs just after she shares a moment with Jamie. With Jamie being a tangible representation of what Dani desires, her visions of Edmund become more intense and more frequent as her guilt increases.

The episode continues to show Dani experiencing Edmund’s haunting again when Jamie arrives back to the manor after attending Owen’s mom’s funeral. Here we see Dani catching herself staring at Jamie from across the table. When Jamie catches her gaze, Dani retreats to the sink where we see a mixture of nervousness and excitement across Dani’s face as she looks over her shoulder to take one more look. This moment filled with butterflies and yearning is cut short as Edmund’s hands slide across Dani’s hips as she sees him in a reflection which causes her to panic. Edmund’s presence is growing closer and stronger as Dani has begun to navigate her feelings for Jamie.

In a flashback, we get a glimpse into possibly one of the first times that Dani’s internal conflict of her sexuality crosses her mind. As Dani gets a dress fitted, the female tailor makes flirtatious passes at her. We see Dani acknowledge these advances and isn’t opposed to them occurring. The scene switches to a guilt stricken Dani, her eyebrows furrowed above saddened eyes that wander upward to Jamie who’s helping prep the table for dinner. This quick glance up to Jamie holds so much. The internal turmoil that Dani is feeling in this moment is palpable. To think that all of her moments of repression have led up to this. This feeling of wanting. This feeling of yearning. To live openly and authentically as the person she’s always been.

Later that night, the keepers of Bly hold a bonfire to honor those that they’ve lost. A weight can be felt on the four as they remember their late loved ones by the warmth of the fire. The concept of found family lies in the heart of those who find a home at Bly and can be seen through Hannah and Jamie’s odes to the late Rebecca, Dominic, and Charlotte.

“Because from here on in, the shadows get deeper… the nights get longer. We’re heading into the dark and we have to hang onto each other. So, we can only carry so much.”

As they commemorate who they’ve lost, Jamie mentions Dani and how she believes that Dani is the key to getting Miles and Flora back to themselves. A moment of pain rushes across Dani’s face as Jamie states how she believes that Dani is stronger than she thinks. To be in the midst of an internal conflict yet hear how someone believes in your strength can be something so painful to hear as you struggle to believe it yourself. We see Dani in a battle with herself as she fights to live authentically regardless of the guilt she’s carrying.

Eventually, the gardener and the au pair break away from Owen and Hannah to go to the greenhouse. A pivotal moment in the growth of Dani and Jamie’s relationship occurs here when Dani makes the decision to lay everything out on the table for Jamie and finally explain her history with Edmund as well as sometimes seeing his ghost.

“I’ve never told anybody that.”

These words that leave Dani’s mouth are so intimate and so vulnerable. Jamie takes what she’s being dealt and handles it with such a level of care that ensures that Dani knows that she’s being heard and respected. As we’ve seen Jamie talk Dani down from a breakdown in episode 2, we see a parallel here where Jamie takes it upon herself to make Dani laugh in an effort to console her. This moment is cut short as Dani musters the courage to ask the heartbreaking question that allows Jamie to make the decision whether to take or leave Dani and all of her baggage.

“Think I’m crazy?”

The pain in Dani’s face as she asks this shows just how scared she is to be rejected by the one person she wants the most. Without even a hint of hesitation, Jamie reassures her that nothing has changed in her view of Dani’s strength. A wave of relief comes over Dani as she’s hit her tipping point of acting upon the feelings she’s been suppressing all this time. She kisses Jamie and a moment of vulnerability is shown on Jamie’s face as she gets the confirmation that Dani is sure in her decision to do this. This moment is short lived by Edmund’s ghost appearing just behind Jamie, causing Dani to retreat in a panic. This is probably the worst cockblock in the history of cockblocks. Dani quickly retreats as Jamie mirrors her actions and immediately puts her walls back up as embarrassment sinks into them both in different directions. As the pair make it back to Hannah and Owen, Dani is visibly disappointed with how things ended up. Jamie’s comment of “it’s all good” as she guides Owen away from the bonfire shows how she would prefer to move on right away instead of confronting the confusing messages she’s just received from Dani.

The final scene of the episode is what I like to call Dani’s last straw. Dani’s guilt has turned to anger as she makes the decision to confront her own shadows by throwing Edmund’s glasses into the bonfire. Flashbacks of kissing Jamie intercut the scene to really solidify Dani’s desires to move on and be able to freely love her without the burden of her past.

“It’s just you and me then.”

Dani is tired. She’s waited for this moment. She’s finally accepted this part of her and she stares straight into Edmund’s ghost without any more fear. She’s found the strength to move on.

Episode Six

The sponsor of this episode is cement as Dani and Jamie cement their relationship in this hour. The episode begins with Dani’s attempt at reconciliation after the unfortunate cockblock of a certain dead ex-fiancé in episode four. Dani wakes up at the crack of dawn to visit Jamie in her greenhouse. Dani’s entire existence in this moment is ridden with nervousness as she puts on her best “everything is normal” face. Jamie is quick to notice how out of character waking up this early is for Dani to which Dani dismisses. We see that Jamie’s cold and guarded exterior is back and for good reason considering the unfortunate events at the end of her and Dani’s last interaction. Dani’s eagerness to patch things up puts her through several attempts at getting a reaction out of Jamie, each of which ends up being shut down. First is the gesture of giving Jamie coffee which results in her gently spitting it back into the cup. Next is Dani’s attempt at voicing how lonely she’s been.

“No Owen. No you.”

Dani’s voice drags on a little longer here to emphasize how Jamie’s absence the last few days have created a noticeable emptiness at the manor. Jamie responds with a simple “sometimes people wanna be alone” which seems like her own personal choice. However, Dani finally gets a reaction through Jamie’s icy exterior when she makes her laugh after a terrible attempt at a British accent. This mirrors the other instances prior where Jamie has made the effort to make Dani laugh in order to ease any emotional tension. After the ice has been broken, we see Dani’s first wind of confidence as she asks Jamie out to a boring ol’ date at a boring ol’ pub. We can see relief and a sense of pride strewn across Dani’s face when Jamie catches her drift. This marks the beginning of a fresh start for the two.

The next time we see the pair is in the kitchen as Jamie surprises Dani by coming back to the manor after initially leaving.

“Made it halfway home and I thought ‘rough day, maybe Poppins might fancy a little boredom.’”

Dani’s shocked excitement quickly turns into awkward nervousness as Hannah and Owen wave them away to spend time together. Jamie gently takes Dani’s hand and guides her out of the room. This presents the reaffirmation that Jamie still cares enough to try again with Dani.

The gardener leads the au pair somewhere off on the grounds of Bly to a secret area where moonflowers have bloomed. She explains how difficult they are to grow in England and how fragile their lifespan is.

“That’s a lot of work for a flower that only blooms once.”

“That’s what people feel like to me. Exhaustive effort, very little to show for it.”

“All of them?”

“All of them. Even you. Even me… especially me.”

Jamie’s emphasis on herself shows her insecurity of not being enough after anyone makes the effort to break down her walls and gets to know who she really is. What follows is a tear-jerking speech that gives insight on Jamie’s past and her painful upbringing. From the details of her childhood like growing up in a broken home, being forced into foster care, and serving time in jail, we begin to understand why she puts such a strong, guarded front. The absence of a family unit in her youth and young adulthood has resulted in her feeling like she may be unlovable. Like she might not be worth the effort of loving. Just as Dani did in episode four, this is Jamie laying everything out on the table for Dani to decide whether or not she will take or leave Jamie and all of her baggage. After Jamie finishes her monologue, Dani gets up and doesn’t say a word. She takes hold of Jamie and kisses her. No words can alleviate the pain that Jamie’s endured but the effort of loving her can be a start. Dani pulls away for a brief moment to reveal a relieved Jamie smiling back at her after she has realized that Dani has chosen to accept her for everything that she is.

The next scene they have together is the morning after Dani finally gets her first restful night’s sleep.

“The au pair could not remember that last time she’d slept this well. And she thought perhaps she never had.”

The moment to highlight in this short scene is Dani stopping to look at herself in the mirror. She is finally able to see her truest self without being haunted of guilt. She smiles as she looks at her reflection and to a sleeping Jamie in the bed next to her. She’s finally made peace with herself.

The final Dani and Jamie scene of the episode occurs at the end of the day just as Dani puts Flora to bed. Here we see the purity in the relationship that the two are creating. We see Dani unapologetically long for Jamie as she says she’s going to leave for the night. The au pair’s subtle look at the gardener’s lips as she speaks and the inching closer and closer to her shows just how high Dani’s confidence levels have risen to after being able to finally love freely. To see Dani in such a smitten state of mind is a breath of fresh air for not only herself but for us, the viewers, who have seen her in such a trapped state of mind when it comes to loving someone. The innocence of longing, in tandem of making the promise of spending other nights together, show how much care and caution they are taking in order to ensure that they’re building their relationship in a healthy manner. What they are both experiencing shows a trade off of what they each have to give to the other. Dani has accepted her sexuality, which is something that seems like Jamie has already done long ago. Meanwhile, Jamie is being loved and wanted, potentially for the first time which is something that Dani has already experienced in her past. Each half of the pairing offers support and guidance to the other as they begin their journey as a couple.

Episode Nine

This final episode of the season was an absolute doozy in terms of Dani and Jamie’s relationship. I’ve watched all of these scenes a solid million times over and I bawl my eyes out every. damn. time. But I mopped up my tear-soaked notebook and carried on for the purpose of this essay. The episode picks up action as Flora sacrifices herself to save Dani from being dragged and choked to death by Viola, the Lady of the Lake. As Jamie and Owen arrive back at the manor after both having awful dreams, they briefly see Hannah as she says that they’re needed at the lake. Jamie bolts the second she hears Dani yelling. She knows Dani’s in trouble and wastes absolutely zero time trying to find her. Jamie yells Dani’s name and you can feel that her sense of urgency has one goal in mind: save Dani.

“It’s you. It’s me. It’s Us.”

Viola has accepted the au pair’s offer. Besides Flora, Jamie is the only witness to see Dani’s last moment of belonging to only herself. From this point on, the darkness begins to fester deep within Dani’s soul and Jamie must live knowing that there was nothing that she could do as she watched Dani let part of herself go to let Viola in. Jamie runs into the lake as Dani’s trauma starts almost immediately. Her breathing is quickened, and she can’t stop repeating those final words that she felt deep in her bones. The gardener holds the au pair and takes one look at her as she already notices the effects of trauma. Dani’s darting eyes are panicked as she struggles to register that Jamie is there with her. Her breathing finally slows as Jamie holds her close in her attempts to calm her down. Jamie is Dani’s grounding force in this moment. Dani has finally freed the ghosts of Bly but at the cost of her own self. Her own life for the souls of the others.

The following scene highlights the days following the incident at the lake, immediately starting with Jamie and Owen looking into the well to find Hannah’s dead body. I wanted to highlight this moment just for the sake of Jamie for she has been there to witness all the deaths of her loved ones firsthand. She was the first adult to find Rebecca in the lake, one of the first to find Hannah in the well, and the first to see Dani die in more ways than one. She just can’t seem to catch a break but after all… death is beautiful, it’s natural.

Jamie finds Dani as she packs away her things however, Dani’s mind appears to be somewhere else. Darkness has begun to burrow itself into Dani’s soul. She’s shaking. She’s terrified. She’s mourning the loss of herself.

“I feel her. In here. It’s so quiet, it’s so quiet, but she’s in here. And this part of her that’s in here, it isn’t… peaceful.”

Dani explains how Viola’s presence feels like a beast waiting for her in a thick jungle. She feels hopeless again but this time feels heavier than all the rest. She has something to lose here now. She has a relationship with Jamie to lose, she has an entire life to lose. It isn’t as simple as feeling the guilt of losing someone or the guilt of loving someone. This feeling isn’t human, this feeling of dread goes beyond what the stages of grief entails. Where is she to go if she can’t go within herself to find peace?

“She’s gonna take me.”

A tear falls down Jamie’s face as these heavy words fall out of Dani’s mouth. This is the first hint of Jamie losing Dani. The fear of the inevitable fills the room with such a weight that no words can alleviate Dani’s pain. Yet Jamie tries. She tries her damn best. She offers her company with the seal of a pinky promise. She gives all that she can offer: herself and her love. Dani’s feeling of darkness doesn’t have to be lonely this time.

After a final goodbye to Henry, Miles, and Flora, the gardener and the au pair set off to start their lives together as the image of Bly fades away into the distance. Their life together starts at a diner as Jamie plans their course of action, hoping to end up in Vermont to see snow by Christmas. Here we see Dani looking at her own reflection in the tableside jukebox before stopping Jamie as she worries that they’re planning too far ahead. Dani’s cautious. She doesn’t want to get either of their hopes up.

“One day at a time is fine by me. As long as those days are with you, Poppins. One day at a time is what we’ve got.”

There’s a brightness in these words which in turn reflect onto them. There’s a light in this moment that shows that they haven’t lost their footing yet. And thus begins the final climb to their highest point before the tragedy that lies ahead occurs. We flashforward to a year later to The Leafling, the flower shop that the pair have opened up together. Dani is still Dani and Jamie is still Jamie but more in love this time than the last time and the time before that.

“You see, I’m not sick of you. At all. I’m actually pretty in love with you, it turns out.”

Here we see the reintroduction of the moonflower. The symbol of Jamie and Dani’s love. The last time we saw the moonflower was back when the pair finally made the choice to accept one another and start their relationship. This time, we see the moonflower one last time as Jamie chooses to solidify their love by finally breaking the big L word.

A montage ensues of the gardener and the au pair’s life together. Years have passed and peace was just finally in their grasp. Or so it seemed. This feeling of fluttering innocence is put to a halt as Dani sees Viola’s reflection in the door of the flower shop. Dani stops in her tracks as she stares at the reflection, her face is still as she stands in a quiet shock. That is until she sees Jamie through the door, smiling at her with such a playful gaze. This instance shows yet again that Jamie is Dani’s grounding force even after all this time and Dani’s own reflection returns not even a second later. This is a moment for the audience to take a peek into Jamie’s importance in Dani’s life, especially at a point that something so vengeful is making its way to the surface. To see Jamie’s smiling face cut through the image of the beast in the jungle, we can’t help but feel the same pain yet also the sense of relief that Dani must feel in this moment. Although Dani returns to herself, we can’t help but feel Viola’s presence looming.

The scene that follows is another significant milestone in Dani and Jamie’s journey together as Dani comes back home with a dying plant that’s concealing an engagement ring. Above the surface, Dani has put the ring in a dying plant because she knew that Jamie would waste no time investigating how to save it. But this can also be interpreted in relation to Jamie’s moonflower speech where she says “every living thing grows out of every dying thing” to show how their relationship is taking the next step of growth as she pulls the ring out of a dying plant. The ring itself is a traditional Irish Claddagh ring, which shows how Dani did her research and chose a ring specific to Jamie’s northern heritage. The hands that make the band of the ring represents friendship, while the heart representing love, and the crown representing loyalty. These representations are fitting for the relationship that the pairing has created and for Dani’s proposal speech.

“Here’s the thing - you’re my best friend and the love of my life. And I don’t know how much time we have left but however much it is, I wanna spend it with you.”

The thing to highlight about Dani and Jamie’s relationship is that it runs on Dani’s timeline which is something that is so important to showcase, especially considering how Edmund had made almost all the choices for her in her previous engagement. Jamie understands this and has always insured that Dani felt comfortable before progressing further into their relationship together. In this moment, Jamie finally has a promise of love while Dani has security in the person she loves the most. As Jamie accepts her proposal and the two share a moment of celebration, Dani’s face of worry as she hugs Jamie shows that she feels an inability to be fully happy. She’s unable to fully give herself to Jamie in this moment which in turn shows how Viola’s presence is getting closer and getting darker.

We jump slightly forward in time to the pair visiting Owen’s aptly named restaurant, A Batter Place. After a moment of remembrance for Hannah, Dani looks into the reflection of a metal water pitcher to see Viola’s reflection yet again. Dani’s face is surprised by this sight, but she keeps it quietly to herself as to not ruin the moment of reunion. If we compare this instance to the first time Dani looked at her reflection at the tableside jukebox at the diner years prior, we can see that this moment is filled with much more darkness. The light that used to be inside of her is dimming. Although Jamie is holding her and is physically next to her in this moment, she doesn’t cut through the darkness anymore. Jamie’s power as a grounding force is dimming as well.

“So, they’re all happy?”

The inflection in Dani’s voice here is so subtle that only Jamie takes notice of it. Jamie looks at Dani and senses that something has gone off in her. Owen continues to explain how Miles and Flora have no recollection of the events that took place at Bly. No recollection of the sacrifice that Dani made to save them.

“So, if they don’t remember Hannah…they don’t remember…”

Dani’s voice trails off here. She looks down and is caught in the bitter realization that her sacrifice has been forgotten. This feeling of a looming darkness, this feeling of living a life that’s ticking down to her own demise… was it worth it? Jamie can feel Dani’s pain immediately as her eyes stayed glued on Dani who’s trying to see if there would be any way to remind Miles and Flora about what she did. The gardener stares at au pair without breaking away and in this instant, we can see that, along with Dani, Jamie is breaking too. Breaking under the burden of knowing that she can’t take Dani’s pain away.

The scene that follows shows Dani washing dishes where she sees Viola again in the water. She panics and finally admits to Jamie that she’s been seeing her more and more. The tension that was present between them moments earlier immediately fades away as Jamie wastes no time in trying to console Dani. Jamie’s blind optimism here has a slight tinge of desperation as she refuses to let Dani slip away into the abyss that’s growing stronger and stronger. Dani’s interaction with Viola’s reflection in this moment sets off an alarm bell within her, unlike the other times where she sat quietly and dealt with it on her own. This is Dani’s tipping point. The highest level of fear is felt as the reality is beginning to sink in that the beast is coming for her. Another thing to note here is that even after all these years, Jamie still makes the conscious effort to make Dani laugh.

“I’ll do the washing up from now on, yeah? You’re shit at it anyway.”

Dani can’t help but give the smallest laugh, but it’s more than enough for Jamie. Through Jamie’s optimism, we have begun to see that she’s not only consoling Dani but also herself as she tries to convince both of them that they can have so much more time together. The episode continues on with the train of heartbreak as Jamie comes home after receiving civil union paperwork for her and Dani. What comes next is what I feel like is the most heartbreaking Dani moment in the entire series. Dani stares deep into an overflowing bathtub where an ominous Viola stares back at her. Jamie is quick to bring Dani back to reality but Dani has lost her footing. Her hold on Viola has flipped to Viola having a hold on her.

“It’s like every day I feel myself fading away, but I’m still here, and… I don’t really understand how that is.”

The fear has withered away into emptiness as Dani struggles to stay afloat. We see Jamie so pained as she watches the light fade into a grey nothingness as she listens to Dani talk about how she is beginning to lose herself to the beast.

“I’m not even scared of her anymore. I just stare at her, and it’s getting harder and harder to see me.”

To listen to the love of her life slip away through her fingers has Jamie in a phase of denial as she continuously refuses to let Dani break apart. We see the gardener’s optimism wavering as she tries her best to help the au pair hold onto herself. Dani’s voice as she says Jamie’s name is filled with nothing but pure hopelessness and despair as she dips further and further into uncertainty. Yet Jamie doesn’t lose hope. Jamie would never give up on Dani as she repeats the words she told Dani in the diner all those years ago.

“One day at a time.”

However, Jamie has run out of answers. She can only offer comfort now.

Next we see Dani hit her lowest low as she is taken over by Viola and awakes to see that she almost strangled Jamie to death in their sleep. Dani is shocked and broken as she sits in the disbelief of what she almost did. The time has come. The beast has arrived. Viola has waited years until Dani was so broken down and so vulnerable, that she would finally be able to take her. However, we can’t help but believe that Dani fought off Viola this long thanks to the love her and Jamie shared.

The gardener wakes up the following morning to find an empty space next to her. She reaches to the empty space in the bed and then for the note left on the bedside table. It can only mean one thing: her biggest fear has come to light. With her strong will and determination, Jamie gives one final push and flies back across the pond to Bly to face what she’s been in fear of all this time. The amount of immense grief that is felt in this moment, to be at the same place that the love of her life began to be taken away from her all those years ago, must be incredibly damaging. The manor holds so much of Jamie’s life. She found her family there. She created a beautiful garden on those grounds. Her and Dani’s love blossomed on the same grounds that she first began to lose her that night at the lake. Jamie storms off to the edge of the water. Her face is so tired. She already knows what she’s going to find and yet she still doesn’t lose the hope that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be true.

“The gardener said the words she’d heard those years ago; she willed it with everything she had. You, me, us. Us. ‘Take me with you,’ she cried in her heart. ‘Take me. Drag me down like you did the others.’ But the lady in the lake was different now – the lady in the lake was also Dani. And Dani wouldn’t. Dani would never.”

The agony and desperation that we see Jamie endure in the moments that we see her find Dani laying at the very bottom of the lake is a type of pain that is unmatched from any other moment of pain that we’ve seen this season. Her muffled screams as she takes a hold of her heart, only to let her arms go in despair under the water is something so haunting yet so unbelievably moving to see her love so much considering how far she’s come from the cold and guarded gardener we saw all the way back in episode one. She would’ve given up everything. Absolutely everything to take Dani’s place. Given up everything to join Dani at the bottom of the lake. Unlike Peter with Rebecca, Dani could never take Jamie down to the depths. Dani could never harm a single soul, let alone the one person that mattered the most to her. By letting Jamie go and taking Viola’s place as the lady of the lake, Dani has broken the cycle of violence that’s haunted the grounds of Bly for centuries. As Jamie was the hero of Dani’s story, Dani will always be the hero to Jamie’s.

The final act of the season ends with an older Jamie finishing her story to the wedding guests.

“She would know nothing of the gardener, nothing of their life together. The details, the specific moments would all fade away. More time will pass, and the water will wash away the delicate features of her; of her beautiful, perfect face. But she won’t be hollow, nor empty. And she won’t pull others to her fate. She will merely walk the grounds of Bly, harmless as a dove, for all of her days. Leaving the only trace of who she once was in the memory of the woman who loved her most.”

We see an older Jamie comfort a teary-eyed Flora who is afraid of the time when she would also lose the love of her life. Jamie comforts her with advice that we can only ever assume she learned in her time with Dani. The final scene shows the gardener’s nightly routine as she stares into reflections, hoping to catch one last glimpse of the au pair. As she drifts away into sleep, a hand wearing a golden wedding ring rests gently on her shoulder. Our haunting love story has come to an end. And the rest? Well the rest… is confetti.

#dani x jamie #dani clayton #jamie taylor #thobm #the haunting of bly manor #damie #amelia eve #victoria pedretti #bly manor

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o-vera-nalyzing · 3 years

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book rating #2: red, white & royal blue (casey mcquiston)

author's summary:

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

genre: romance fiction, lgbt literature

rated: r

racial diversity:

the main character, alex, and his sister june, are half mexican, and it is woven throughout the story in a very natural and believeable way that doesn't make it feel like it was added simply for diversity's sake. mcquiston is a white person (they/them pronouns) but the way that they wrote about alex and his family, especially with the entire family being in politics, is very believable, and in my personal opinion, very well done.

zhara, the deputy chief of staff for alex's mother, president claremont, is black, and her fiancé shaan srivastava (prince henry's equerry) is hindi. they are side characters so their backstories aren't delved into, but there aren't scenes where is feels like mcquiston was just trying to profit off of having diverse characcters and it felt more like she was just having her books reflect th natural diversity of the world, which i appreciate.

prince henry's best friend percy 'pez' okonjo is nigerian, and like zhara and shaan, his backstory isn't elaborated on, but again like the other two, it didn't seem like she was trying to profit off of the diversity, just trying to be accurate to real life. the main reason it doesn't feel like mcquiston was trying to profit off of diversity was because unlike the abyss surrounds us, she didn't put in small, unnecessary things about their ethnicity, but never elaborate on them and only put them in to get 'diversity points'.

another poc character is rafael luna, who is essentially alex's mentor in the books. he is gay and latino, similar to alex himself, and he helps alex navigate how to be a non-white, non-heterosexual politician.

alex and june's bestfriend (and alex's ex-girlfriend), nora holleran, is jewish, which is not elaborated on, but is a part of her character in a natural way.

overall i think that mcquiston did a stellar job of representing many diverse characters without it coming across as disrespectful, inaccurate, or only to check off the diversity box.

racial diversity rating: 10/10

lgbtq+ diversity:

this book is a gay romance, so obviously the lgbtq+ fiversity is up there. alex is bisexual, henry is gay, rafael luna is gay, nora is bisexual, and while there aren't any trans, ace/aro or poly etc, characters, i personally don't take many points off for that because mcquiston themself is a queer nonbinary person so i don't think it was meant as a slight to those communities.

edit!

two people mentioned that there actually was a trans character, a secret service agent that alex mentions during his sexuality crisis, so thanks to @r0ckwell and @releasing-my-insanity for letting me know!

also, the way they write about alex's bisexual crisis is not only so accurate and relateable, but also funny and sits with the book, as well as alex's character so well.

lgbtq+ rating: 10/10

plot:

in my personal (and Totally Unbiased Opinion) the plot of this book is amazing, there is just the right amount of angst and sadness to make it somewhat realistic, but it's also very witty and fun at the same time.

the only criticism of the plot i can think of is that it isn't 100% realistic, because it has a happy ending and in some ways unrealistic to how america and britain really are. but im not going to take points off for that, because i dont think that detracts from the plot, it's just a personal preference, and honestly i enjoyed it because i have enough of the horrid reality of america every day so escaism is fun!

plot rating: 10/10

characters/character development:

I think the character developement in this book is really god, the growth both henry and alex show throughout the book is astronomical, especially on alex's end, and the characters themselves are mulifaceted and entertaining, while also being realistic.

character rating: 100/10

readability:

fairly easy read, as long as you know basica gay history you'll get all the references, and if you don't get them, just look them up.

readability: 10/10

my personal opinion:

this is probably my favorite book of all time, and definitely my favorite lgbtq+ book of all time, that said, i tried to be as objective as possible throughout this, and i think i did passably well. but i really just love everything about this book. it checks all the boces for me, and it's very comforting to read, because queer people go through enough normally that we shouldn't have to only be able to read books that reflect the struggles we already face everyday.

all in all, this is mostly a happy, bute, fun queer romance that i would recommend to everyone, queer or not.

overall rating: 10000/10

#red white and royal blue #casey mcquiston #alex claremont diaz #prince henry of wales #gay #lgtbq #lgbt #hrh prince dickhead #original o-vera-nalyzing

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shadowstalker732 · 3 years

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ALRIGHT LETS GIVE THIS POSTING THING A GO

MY REVAN TIME (one of them at least)

Also spoiler warning a guess for a game over a decade old? (Am I meant to say spoiler warning? Who knows not me)

(Please don’t yell at me about stats I do what I want)

Anyway first playthrough where I don’t stop and hard restart Tarris or Dantooine 13 times because choice reasons and me forgetting that stealth is useless and just letting the game auto level for me (learnt that the hard way), I’ve basically done Tatooine but I haven’t beaten the dragon yet cos I wanted to bugger off to another planet first and chose Kashyyyk. And I’m down in the shadow lands now (do not worry Zaalbar I WILL GET YOU BACK) and yeah that’s where I’m at.

ANYWAY, Shay or Shar Stalker (because the game won’t let me do non-binary) is a light side Revan. Good of heart dumb of ass and yet will still rob you dry if you place bets on a strategy game against them. Height wise around the 1.6m mark (5′3″ for the Americans). Prefers the double lightsaber look (currently got a short green one and a normal blue one for amnesia version). Not a flirt but definitely had something going on with my Exile in the past but that ended in the Mando war at some point… teenagers in war don’t usually do well mentally wise.. back story and post events of Kotor under the cut (also warning it’s long, like super long, and goes into their future story? As well)

SO BACKSTORY,

Shar got some Mando blood floating in their veins from some ancestor and that causes them to go full buir sometimes hence why Mission, Zaalbar, HK-47, T3-M4 and Juhani get bed time stores aboard the Ebon Hawk and chocolate space milk whenever they stop (Rev gets some too because who doesn’t love some good old Choccy milk), droid duo get cleaned basically daily while Bastila gets the bird for even thinking that this is a waste of time and resources.

Wait I said backstory… TEMPLE LIFE!

Rascal trio with Exile and Alek at their heels. All three, good of heart dumb of ass. Shar was a prodigy and excelled in basically all Jedi subjects at the time, was pretty popular with most people and just a nice person who didn’t stand for bullshit. Got into a few “heated” (honestly that’s an understatement) arguments with council members about how some things in the galaxy were handled but mostly had a positive response from people. At this time their main saber was purple and their off hand a short cyan. Joined the Republic in the Mandalorian wars a few months before their 17′th birthday. Didn’t not return to the Temple once after leaving for war.

The War

(I should mention I get most of my knowledge from wiki skims (not deep reads) and other Tumblr posts so if it’s off canon… it’s my story and Star Wars is my sand box so I MAKE THE RULES HERE BABY!)

After many battles and the relationship between the battle trio growing stronger with time it was also weakening. At one point Shar and Exile had a romantic relationship going but only kept that going for a few months, they both decided that this was not the time to be doing this and if they both survived would actually give the lovers thing a shot (doesn’t happen). Throughout the war all three realise that they must make sacrifices to stop the war, the old saying “sacrifice one to save the many” is said often between the three at first before it becomes second nature. During one of the battles Shar’s cyan lightsaber is completely destroyed including the crystal being completely shattered. After taking the mantle of the Revanchist only uses the name Revan and never removes the helmet unless it’s only the trio and only then will respond to their old names. All three are slipping mentally in this war but have all managed to hold onto the Light side by trusting each other. After the mass shadow generator event Revan looses all contact with Exile (force and otherwise) and assumes death, despite it being Revan’s own order it’s a major pushing point towards the dark.

The End of the War

Revan faces off against Mandalore the Ultimate and slays him, in his dying breathe speaks of the Sith Empire growing in the Unknown Regions and how this war wasn’t only about giving the Mandalorian’s a good fight but also to weaken the republic for Ultimates Empire allies. Not many Mandalorians knew of the Sith truth behind the war and just followed their Mandalor’s word that this war would bring them the honour of a good fight, and it did in a way. After Revan learns of the empire growing hidden amongst uncharted routes, knew that the council would never believe them and so took matters into their own hands. Taking a fleet and insisting it was to chase down the last of the Mandalorian high command, Revan left for the unknown regions.

The Unknown

Yeah everything went to shit. Rev and Alek get captured and Sith tortured and kind probed by old man Sith Emperor but in that time Revan gains acute knowledge via reverse mind prob, of how the Sith empire is running, where resources are coming from and key weak points. During this time Alek falls completely and Revan fains it for now. Torture continues for a good while until Revan makes the choice that they have been making all through out the war “sacrifice one to save the many”… Revan embraces the dark side and makes a plan, a plan to empower the known galaxy enough to destroy the “true” Sith empire by uniting it as their own Sith empire. Revan knows light will always rise to face the dark and that the light side is strong, someone will rise to take them down after the “true” Sith empire is defeated and only in death will Revan have fulfilled their promise to the unknown Mandalorian and finally be able to be one with the force. Revan embraces the dark fast and is soon sent off by the Sith emperor who thinks Revan is under his control to take control of the star forge and start building the Sith army in the known galaxy, Revan assumes command with now Malek as their right hand.

Beginning of Darth Revan

Basically what is described in the first Kotor game, Darth Duo go find star maps, get to forge, start fucking up the galaxy yadeyadeya. Malek pulls a sick move and fucks up Revan’s plan to stop the Sith Emperor and boom Amnesia time baby. Oh also during Sith times used a red and their old purple lightsaber but when they got captured by Bastila both lightsaber’s goy yoinked and locked up on Coruscant for simple reasons.

No Memory Time Baby

Council is smart as fuck and call them Shay Stalker AKA their old name to see if that will reawaken light memories or thoughts in Revan and basically try and nudge amnesia Rev to stay lightside cos they don’t want to see their lost padawan fall back to the dark, (Jedi are a complicated subject), also ONLY SHAY no mention of their other name Shar at all! So that will cause problems later for poor Rev when they start remembering things :), basically the game from here on. Memories of a calm life on a farming planet before joining the military, lost both their siblings (AKA Alek and Exile) while away on service. Joined to stop the Sith from taking any more innocent lives. Throughout the game Shay try’s to help as many people as they can and choose the option that will benefit good and innocent people, constantly says fuck to corporations and nasty people, is not afraid to kill a bitch. As I haven’t completed the game fully (but I am planing a lightside finish and I’m not exactly sure when the “I am Revan” bit comes in I’m gonna leave this as it is. Oh and blue main saber and a short green saber with a crystal they managed to purify (AKA was red but returned to its natural colour through meditation and force cleansing, also helped by Bastila)

Memories

Like I said I haven’t finished the game yet BUT after the whole “oh fuck oh stars IM REVAN?????” Lots of shit starts to make sense and the force “spell” (I’m gonna call it spell) that repressed Revan’s memories had already begun to weaken somewhat before this point but this kinda opens the flood gates but not too far just enough for it to not make any sense at all. Team is there for Rev and the game finishes lightside. (Also I know I said this rev not gonna romance but this is post game stuff now and I just don’t wanna romance Bastila in game so yeah) ANYWAY, Revan and Bastila build a healthy relationship together and Revan starts to regain a lot of memories that their friends help them through. Revan remembers why they took the name Revan and actually goes to Coruscant to the high council to explain why they put on the helmet in the first place and the Council adheres to Revan’s request and returns the original helmet. The Star forged one stays in storage for now. Revan also requests their old armour and lightsabers to help regain memories as to why they fell, the council is hesitant at this request and only allows Revan to meditate with their old things at the main temple with a council member present. Over one or two years a lot comes back but there is still a few key dates, names, moments and details missing. Oh and Revan uses force powers to make Bastila preggers. IF BOBA FETT CAN SURVIVE A SARLAC AND PALPATINE CAN EXIST IN THE SEQUELS. REVAN CAN PULL FORCE BULLSHIT TOO!

The Unknown part 2: Electric boogaloo

Revan finally remembers what made them go dark and realises they fucked up their own plans pretty bad and the Republic IS WORSE OFF THAN HOW IT STARTED COS OPPS REVAN ACCIDENTALLY KILLED A SHIT TON OF FORCE USERS LIGHT AND DARK SO yeah. Bastila was holding the brain cell of the force bond in this moment and Revan decides the best course of action is to go face the Emperor alone… fucking brilliant Revan how the fuck did you win the Mandalorian wars again my good sir? Revan tells Bastila that they (Rev) has been assigned a mission to infiltrate the remanence of Revan’s old Sith Empire and basically destroy it from within and that this mission is basically so hush hush that Bastila isn’t meant to know but Revan thought it only fair to say that they would be gone for potentially a long time for this mission and Bastila, unaware that this would be the last time she saw them, accepted this goodbye and hoped they would return before their baby was born. But Revan has always been a good lier… even to themselves. Without anymore fuss they left the Known Galaxy leaving all their friends and family behind never to be seen again to face off against the bitch that started it all. (I haven’t read the novels or played the SWTOR game and never plan to do either so again I say this is wiki knowledge that I’m doing what ever I please with that knowledge because Star Wars is a sand pit and I’m the kindy kid that’s decided to sit and play with it today)

Mmmmm Watcha SaaaaaaaAy

Revan gets their ass handed to them and imprisoned for three hundred years and tortured and mind probed AGAIN. Also cut off their connections to any other force user to ensure old dude couldn’t get to them as well. Absolutely not having a good time here. After the 300 years of PAIN the force within Revan gets so fucked up that their physicality splits into two entirely separate beings, Dark Revan and Light Revan. When this happens the prison breaks and Light Revan makes their escape and gets out barely alive while Dark Revan hangs back and swears allegiance to Sith Empire and starts plotting to overthrow old dude cos Sith. Light Revan makes it back to the council and they heal them and have a very hard time believing they are Revan until Revan perfectly describes a gift they gave Bastila before they left that now a descendent of Revan now owns. The council doesn’t understand how Revan split into two entire different beings but accept “the force acts in mysterious ways at times”. Revan is FINALLY given knighthood and helps prepare the republic for the Sith Empire that hasn’t attacked yet but definitely will soon. And this is where Tarre comes in.

Mando Time Yeah!

My Tarre will get his own beefy post (def not as big as this one) maybe tomorrow or the next day so for now it’s just what Tarre does and means to Revan. ANYWHO, Tarre becomes Light Revan’s padawan. (I should mention that Light Revan despite being called Light Revan is leaning towards a grey area within the force but isn’t down right evil like dark Revan is. Dark Revan is killing puppies of an endangered species cos their bored evil). Tarre is Revan’s padawan and becomes a knight. Revan enjoys teaching Tarre about the force and understanding how Tarre was brought up a Mandalorian and with the peace between Jedi and Mandalorian’s at this point was welcomed into the Jedi temple later than most. Revan raises Tarre like he is their own son/little brother and they form an extremely powerful force bond because of it. I’ll go in depth on Tarre’s post but Tarre still gets Mando training for 4 months of the year but the jedi training is the rest of the year. Revan joins Tarre when he return to Mandalore to continue his Mando training and learns more about Mandalorian history and culture while there. While on Mandanlore Light Revan truely feels relaxed for once despite random Mando’s sometimes jumping out and challenging them to fights because apparently Revan is now a ghost story and a feared mighty warrior legend and when anyone finds out that Revan is “alive” immediately tries to prove that they are stronger than Revan (which they are not). A few years after Tarre is knighted the war with the True Sith Empire begins.

I don’t know what to call this bit sooooo UWU

Battles, fights, old shit, it’s a war. Revan proves to be supper fucking useful in leadership but doesn’t do as much “sacrifice one to save the many” moves anymore. Revan keeps predicting what the Sith are gonna do an THATS cos Dark Revan is leading the, and Revan knows Revan best but not the reverse. Light Revan knows how Dark Revan will act but Dark Revan doesn’t know how Light Revan will act since Light Revan technically includes Shay/Shar, Mandalorian War Revan, Amnesiac Shay, and post Amnesia. While Dark Revan is only really Darth Revan and post Amnesia so Light Revan technically outweighs Dark Revan. I’ve probably butchered that explanation or done it too late but that’s how it’s gonna be cos it’s midnight and I wanna finish this and post it today. ANYWAY, final battle between the Revan’s. They have a massive duel on the battle field and eventually Light Revan strikes Dark Revan down but also receives some pretty nasty injuries. Light Revan understands the need to be whole again and as Dark Revan “dies” reunites with that half of the force and Revan returns but Revan is so done, so fucking done with living and trying and they had a good run and now they have what was Dark Revan’s and Light Revan’s injuries all on one body and sure if Rev really tried they could probably suck the life force out of some Sith warriors to keep themselves alive but… they just don’t want to. Eventually Tarre finds the fallen Revan reunited at last and stays by their side as Revan finally lets go and becomes one with the force. After the battle Tarre brings Revan’s body back to the Temple to be burnt as Revan had requested but their armour, lightsabers, and other possessions would be taken to a place only Tarre knew of to be sealed away until a far descendent of Revan’s comes along to claim them as their own. The war isn’t over and Revan’s passing only fuels Tarre further into defeating the Sith empire that the republic eventually does after 20 years of war.

Conclusion

And that’s the overall story of this Revan, I know very long, very deep, wtf this is your second post after a what? 1 year break? Actually let me check… yeah nope about a year has passed since my Crash post. If you have made it this far thanks for reading my first ever “decent” post about something I’ve been developing for a while now in bits and pieces. Sorry it was so long but then again I did miss a lot of shit. If you want to interact and ask more questions about this Revan go ahead my ask box is open (don’t be weird tho and just cos I post long doesn’t mean you have to ask long unless it’s legit). I’ll try and get the Tarre post out tomorrow around this time too or earlier depends. Thanks again for taking the time to read my word vomit. Also sorry if there are any spelling mistakes I have missed.

Have a good one!

#Shadow’s OC’s #Revan #Kotor #Zaalbar #Mission Vao #HK-47 #T3-M4 #Juhani #Balista Shan #long post #star wars #star wars: knights of the old republic #darth revan #darth malek #tarre vizsla

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miss-authorcita · 3 years

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But I know I miss you

Draco Malfoy x Gryffindor!Reader

Summary: A year after the war Draco still misses you. Can he make it up to you?

A/N: I apologize in advance if there’s any grammar errors, I just wrote this and it’s 4am over here. I was listening to Taylor Swift’s Betty and for some odd reason (*cough* DracoTok *cough*) Draco Malfoy came to my mind! I wrote his odd little reader insert and I hope you guys enjoy it. I didn’t add the lyrics as most Song Fics because I feel like this isn’t wholly a Song Fic. Anyways, enjoy!

During the TriWizard Tournament the Hogwarts’ student body had an abundant amount of news to digest every day. It was two days before the Yule Ball when a new couple went public and the news of their relationship caused quite a stir. Their romance fed the rumor mill for weeks. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin dating was shocking enough, but having the mean Slytherin Prince walk into the Great Hall hand in hand with the Heart of Gold Gryffindor seemed like something impossible. For months their relationship was analyzed, picked apart, studied, observed, dissected and much more by the students of every house (and even some of the staff). It took the horrid event at the final task for their rarity to become old news. The constant pestering settled and in 5th year no one batted and eye at how the couple locked gazes across the room or at seeing them side by side. It was during the start of their 6th year that the whispers begun again. Hogwarts most notorious couple were not looking at each other. Draco Malfoy and (Y/N)(Y/L) had broken up over the summer. All around Hogwarts students talked, spreading the news, the new gossip sweeping the halls. Only people close to the ex-couple noticed the longing looks they sent each other when the other one wasn’t looking.

But that was years ago. A year after the end of the Wizarding War. Across Europe people were gathering at different locations to commemorate the fight, celebrate the good that came from it and remember those lost. Narcissa Malfoy was surprised when an invitation arrived by owl from Harry Potter himself for both her and her son. The letter attached to the invitation was in a messy scribbling explaining that the event would be hosted at (Y/N)(Y/L)’s family mansion since Harry knew a crowd of that size wouldn’t fit in Grimmauld Place. He went on to say that both Malfoys should feel welcome and to thank her for her part in defeating Voldemort.

When Narcissa told Draco of the news he didn’t know how to feel. A small bit of hope lit up his soul. His mother left him to decide if he wanted to attend or not. His head filled up with dark thoughts as it usually did now a days. Were you dating Potter? No, he had married the Weasley girl, right? Had you married? And then he willed his thoughts to change. If he went to your celebration, could he speak with you? Apologize? Maybe take a walk down your parents garden like you used to do when the world wasn’t dark. He hadn’t even been seventeen when he took the mark and promised to marry Astoria Greengrass all in the same night.

He remembered aimlessly flying around in his broom, the summer breeze tousling his hair, his gaze wasn’t focused on anything until he spotted the light blue mansion on the hill. He descended back to the ground as carefully as he could because the sight of it made his breath catch and his vision glaze over. He had so many memories of the two of you at that mansion, even the one where he broke both your hearts. His life had changed drastically in one night, the second the dark mark was burned onto his arm he thought of you and how much you’d come to hate him if you discovered the truth.

Even knowing how much you despised him, you still made him want to survive. He remembered wanting to curse Pansy, she had been the one to relay the rumors of his affair and engagement with Astoria to you. Draco didn’t know if he was relieved that the tears in your eyes and the betrayal they reflected wasn’t because of the truly worst thing he’d been forced to do. The one thing that he was certain would push you out of his life forever.

But you still found out. It took months, but you figured out the truth. He still remembered crashing Slughorn’s party and seeing you in the arms of Harry freaking Potter, his arm wrapped around your shoulder as your body shook from laughter. The song playing in the background was one you loved, and Potter seemed to be singing it to you. He was half glad Snape dragged him away because he wasn’t sure what he would’ve done next. Till this day he wondered if you had followed him and overheard their conversation. He still couldn’t figure out how you found out his darkest secret.

The rumor that everyone around Hogwarts stuck by during that whole 6th year was that Draco Malfoy spent the whole summer cheating on (Y/N)(Y/L) with Astoria Greengrass. They supposedly hooked up during one of the many balls at Malfoy Manor and were caught by Pansy Parkison who in a jealous fit sent an owl to (Y/N) letting her know of Draco’s infidelity. Draco never laid a hand on Astoria, but having you believe he was a cheater was easier than confessing he was a Death Eater. He couldn’t take the look you’d give him if you knew the truth. The very one you had on your face hours before he let the Deathe Eaters into Hogwarts. He knew you knew but didn’t approach you. He took the coward’s way out because he wanted to protect you, but also protect himself. Yes, he didn’t want you anywhere near the chaos, because even if he’d hate to admit it he knew you’d be safer by the Golden Trio’s side than by his.

The day of the celebration came, and Draco stood in front of his mirror examining his dress robes. They didn’t make him feel as before. The last time he wore something similar you were on his arm, dancing the night away at the Yule ball. The silver snake on his lapel made him sick. He wasn’t as proud to be a Slytherin as he once was. He had spent the whole week rehearsing what he would say to you, how he would approach you, he wouldn’t be surprised if you told him to fuck off. He missed you so much. It had been three years without you, his light, and his world was so dark.

He tried with Astoria, he did. You were gone from his life after the war, his father imprisoned in Azkaban and his family had lost everything. His mother never pushed him, but he could see the subtle clues she left about the good that marrying the Greengrass girl would do for their tarnished reputation. So he tried for a whole summer, but nothing came of it. His Heart of Gold Gryffindor was never far from his mind and Astoria’s hatred for his fall from grace never let them move forward. He heard through the grapevine that Astoria had married Nott that very winter.

The (Y/L) household was very imposing. He’d never felt intimidated by it before, but now it felt like the very walls knew he wasn’t welcomed. His mother had decided very last minute not to attend, still guilty of her part in the war despite Potter’s words. He felt the same, but his need to see you was greater than his shame. He was going to knock on that door and finally face you. He was willing to do anything to make it up to you. Make up for the harm, the lies, the hurt.

Once inside, he let the house elves take his coat, curiously observing that they all wore actual robes. You always said you wanted to free your house elves, pay them you had said, and it seemed that you had. He looked around the crowded room and his breath got stolen the second he found you. Velvet maroon dress, hair tied up in an intricate style, and a gorgeous smile on your crimson lips. You were currently hugging someone. Was that Luna Lovegood? His feet seemed cemented to the floor as his fears suddenly started consuming him. Would you have him back? Take him out to the porch to speak privately, maybe kiss him in front of all your stupid Gryffindor friends? Then other thoughts invaded his mind, making a cold sweat start on his brow. What if he was too broken? What if tonight didn’t go as he’d dreamed? He broke your heart, who’s to say he could even deem himself enough to mend it.

He’s only seventeen, but he knows he misses you. Misses your old cardigan that gained a new patch every time a new hole appeared; your Grandma had knit it for you. He missed riding around your brooms together, kissing in the sky and trying desperately not to fall. He just missed you.

All thoughts halted the second you turned your head and locked eyes with him.

He missed you.

#draco x gryffindor!reader #draco x reader #draco x you #draco malfoy #draco malfoy x gryffindor #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy x you #y/n insert #harry potter x reader #harry potter imagine #post wizarding war #song fic #draco

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wastelandcrown · 4 years

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all’s fair in fake love and gore

CHAPTER 1: (un)predictability

Summary: Roman and Patton have been dating for a while, and it’s fine. Remus doesn’t care. Unfortunately, it’s another excuse for his family to put Roman on a pedestal. Except that, through a turn of events nobody expected, Remus ends up pretending to be madly in love with his close friend Logan for his family’s holiday trip. Both parties are convinced nothing will happen between them. Roman and Patton, however, are terrible meddlers who believe in the power of love.

Warnings: Potential ooc behavior, Lightly tense family dynamics, Remus being Remus, OCs for family members (If I miss something please tell me!)

Notes: Listen-I hate the holidays but I live for this trope. I’ll try my hardest to do it justice and make it work. Name was suggested to me by the lovely @grayskiesrainyskies, thank you ma’am!!

Pairings: Intrulogical, Royality, Creativitwins

Two hours. It’s just two more hours. He’s reasoning with himself against all odds, but the urge to slam his head against the dining table is palpable and he’s barely holding it together. Remus had always hated family dinners, he hadn’t even bothered going up until recently. Adulthood was messy. Family was messier. More accurately, Remus was the mess of the family. Roman and him had long since mended their relationship, they even hung around in the same circle! That only made it worse when Roman and their mutual friend Patton started dating. It’s not that he wasn’t happy for them, he was. Their fluffy, happy, fairy-tale romance was something out of some god damned Disney movie, and Remus was so happy someone put up with Roman’s hopeless romanticism. Except now, because the family loves Patton.

He’s spent the entire night being as family friendly as he possibly could. It was a tiring effort to be dressed up like a “normal person”, without any makeup or accessories, and placating the old fleabags that he happened to be related to. Even then, he got the typical onslaught of negative attention. He didn’t even care. He didn’t, he really really didn’t. What made the dinner so wildly unbearable was Patton’s existence. He got along with everyone in the family, helped out with cooking, set the table, watched the kids, and was entirely sweet and rated-G. The family doted on him. Remus and Roman’s parents told Roman that Patton was “the one”. Both pairs of grandparents called him a “sweet young man” who was “the perfect homemaker for Roman”. Ugh. Perfect Roman, perfect Patton, and their perfect romance.

Dinner came, and now the family can’t seem to stop asking them happy little questions. The kids table even came over with the occasional curiosity about Patton and Roman. Remus could tell Roman’s calm and polite demeanor was shattering around question thirty. Even Patton was tired at question fifty. Then Aunt Patty had to open her stupid mouth.

“Well Patton,” She says with a wide smile, “You really are such a great young man! It’s quite the blessing that you’re with Roman.”

There it is. That’s what Remus has been waiting for all night.

“Aunt Patty, please,” Roman mutters, putting his head in his hands.

“Uhm, I’m not really sure what you mean!” Patton laughs nervously, genuinely confused about what she means.

The table laughs, and Aunt Patty continues, “Oh, well, I just mean that you chose the right twin!”

Roman succumbs to the urge and lets his head slide onto the table, his hands are behind his head and squeezing at his neck. Patton stares at Aunt Patty like she’s gone mad. Remus slips his butter knife off the table and stabs the back of his hand with it. It hurts, but skin doesn’t break. Most of the table laughs. His parents, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, his adult cousins. They all laugh at the prospect of someone so nice dating someone like Remus. He stabs his hand again, harder this time.

His mother pipes up next, and Patton looks as if he’s going to lose his mind, “It’s a blessing really! If Remus brought someone home they’d probably be crazier than he is!”

“We really are lucky he doesn’t keep partners around for long!” Says his grandfather, and the table laughs again. Remus stabs his hand again.

He can see the gears of Patton's brain working as Roman sits up, “Guys,”

There’s something dangerous behind Patton’s eyes, “Can we please,”

Patton smiles in a way that makes Remus panicky, “Just leave Remus alone?”

He’s got a devious plan, and Remus can tell by the way he places a soft hand on Roman’s shoulder.

He brightly says, “See, Remus, this is why I told you you should have brought him!”, while making the most innocently intense eye-contact Remus has ever had.

Patton has been spending way too much time with Janus.

Everyone goes silent. Even the kids, which is a miracle. Remus stabs himself in the hand for the fourth time, the skin breaks. His blood gets onto the sleeve of the white button-up Roman lent him.

“Remus,” His father speaks very softly, “Do you have a partner?”

Patton smiles at him again, he thinks it over once or twice, “Yeah, what about it?”

“Why didn’t you bring them?” His mother asks with excitement clear in her voice.

Remus scowls, and everyone knows why, “You literally just fu-freaking laughed about his mere existence.”

One of his uncles clears his throat and breaks the silence, “H-How long have you been with them?”

“Six months.” Remus lies, he hopes the three of them can act well enough to pull it off.

That amount of time is five months longer than any of his previous flings, and his parents erupt into dramatic cries, “You haven’t told us after half a year!”

“I told Roman and Patton!” He yells back, turning back to his food and shoving some in his mouth to angrily chew.

“Roman! Patton! Who is it? Do we know him? Is it serious?” His father has stood up and has leaned over the table to interrogate the pair.

“Do-” Roman starts, and Remus knows he’s doomed, “Do you remember my friend, Logan?”

Remus kicks Roman under the table. As hard as he possibly can. His father stops moving, his mother drops her fork.

“You’re lying.”

“He’s not!” Patton chirps, “None of us expected it either but they’re very cute together!”

“Is Logan that stuck-up boy from their high school graduation who kept talking about following the proper protocol?” His grandma asks with a surprisingly shocked expression.

“That’s the one!” Roman points as he speaks, then the entire family has their eyes on Remus again.

“What? Are you looking for some explanation or something? He’s smart and he’s hot and he respects my choices,” Remus scoffs out, getting out of his chair and taking his plate to the kitchen, “I’m not talking about this anymore.”

Patton and Roman follow him into the kitchen with their plates. As he scrapes his plate into the trash, he gives Patton the most intense glare.

“Remus, I’m so sorry-” Patton pauses, and snatches him by the hand, “Did you stab yourself!?”

The next two hours, nobody brings anything up. It’s a breath of fresh air to have them shocked into respecting his damn privacy. Family leave or head to bed. The only people left awake when the trio are leaving are the twins' parents.

“What do you want, dad?” Remus asks when his father approaches.

His father gives a smile that he assumes was supposed to be warm, and opens his mouth to speak.

“Dad, Remus and I should really be going,” Roman cuts in, probably to try and save Remus from a potentially foreboding conversation.

Roman is pushing Patton and Remus towards the door, their dad chuckles. They must look fairly comedic with Roman angrily pushing against their backs as they stand without budge.

“Remus, you know the family’s winter trip is coming up,”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” He rolls his eyes, and Patton smacks him upside the head.

“Your mother and I would like to extend the invitation to Logan, to get to know him.”

The room is so silent, you can almost hear Aunt Patty snoring in the guest room. Despite everything, Remus can’t bring himself to just say “no” to this offer. The family Cabin is huge, beautiful, quiet, and has a very nice library. Y’know, rich people shit. It really does seem like something Logan would love under different different circumstances.

He agreed to ask, but he was sure Logan would say no.

“No.”

Called it. Remus knew that even if himself, Roman, and Patton groveled and begged, Logan was not going to budge.

“Logan! It’s only two weeks!” Roman pleads.

“You need a break anyway! What’s more relaxing than being my little boytoy!” Remus grumbles, he’s only partially joking. Logan does need a break, he can tell.

“Okay but have you seen their cabin?” Patton asks in the innocently excited way he tends to do.

That piqued Logan’s interest. He looks at Patton and inquisitively moves his eyebrow vaguely upwards. Roman opens up a folder on his phone of photos from the cabin. There are nearly two hundred, but each photo is whittling down Logan’s resolve. He thinks again about their neat little family library. The fairly large room goes almost entirely unused, only with two exceptions. Remus, and long past on Gran-Gran. Remus remembers sitting on his great-grandmother’s lap while she read to him countless stories. She didn’t mind his weirdness. Logan didn’t mind much either. He’d be alone with hundreds of books for three weeks, what more could he want? He’d just have to let Remus sit in.

“You know,” Remus leans in, whispering into Logan’s ear very gently, “We’ve got a big library.”

That’s what breaks Logan, who lets out the longest sigh Remus has ever heard in his life.

He agrees to go on two conditions. He will have physical contact with Remus but he will not kiss him, and he gets the make up the story of how the pair met. Remus couldn’t be more ecstatic. His family could suck it! He had a sexy ass fake boyfriend, who's probably gonna make up some dumb and adorable story about meeting in at a Library Book Club Meeting. Logan’s hot, he’s hot. It will work out. No strings attached. None.

Roman jokes to Remus everyday before the trip that we all know how the trip will end. Remus thinks he’s more unpredictable than that. He hopes he is.

#sanders sides #sanders sides fic #intrulogical #royality #creativitwins #ts remus #ts logan #ts roman #ts patton #like all my fics this is so fuckin self-indulgent im-

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notapinklasagna · 3 years

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Ok, so i watched th new sailor moon movie and boy do i have some thoughts

Note: if you, by any means, want to talk about sailor moon lore, theories, or just fan over the show, send me a message i am in dying need of someone to talk to about this

So, i...i don't know how to feel about the way the movie just changed the dream arc plotline, i watched the 90s show, and i really adored how the whole motive of queen Negerelia was...ultimately, loneliness, as she was always praised as a queen yet never loved as a person, she has a truly beautiful resolution when she reverses into her childhood and seeks out for genuine human care...the movie kicks that and reduces her to "bad scary girl craving darkness" ...which is just a shame, i understand this, along so many other changes were made so the arc could fit a summarized movie format...but it still such a loss...also, this twisted plotline gave a reason to the down fall of the platinum millennium...which is...not great?

I also don't understand why they kind of merged the argument of the stars arc with the dream arc? Like, the whole " crystal inside you" thing is supposed to be the big deal during the stars arc but they just kind of..borrowed it so that the resolution made more sense... but ok? Furthermore, the whole "little princess guardian inside the girls" deal was weird, like, it kind of made sense? But it was weird, that, along with the "we have castles in our planets thing" just...opens so much possibilities, are the sailor scouts rulers of their planets? Do they have duties over there, if so, that applies to ALL scouts? Even the asteroid amazons? And that's another thing, the movie implies the Amazon quartet are going to be the protector sailor scouts for chibi moon? As the Senshi are to sailor moon? How does that work? Are the sailor tittles inheritable? Like, is chibiusa eventually going to be sailor moon when her mother becomes the queen, likewise, the other scouts are ever going to step down as scouts to assume other roles while other girls become new sailor Mercury, Mars and the others? Or...no? How does any of that work?

Another thing is..as much as I love Helios and chibiusa's relationship, as they said Mamoru, Helios, the earth and helisium are all connected and "the same" doesn't imply that somehow chibiusa is dating her father? What? Like, in the show it wasn't portraited that way, it was said that Helios worked under Mamoru as the guardian of helisium, and his relationship with chibiusa made sense because this two share a confidant dynamic, chibiusa told him her woes and he offered advice, building up to mutual trust on one another, and even if i crave more of this two, i don't like how the movie is like " oh yes she is my damsel, she has always been and always will be"... pleaseee i need actual romance for this two lovebirds...

Last of my complaints would be the way they treated Haruka...i absolutely adored the three parent dynamic the outer senshi have with Hotaru, it was lovely seeing them raising her! Yet, i feel they made this lesbians so, so, dirty...this movie stayed true to sailor moon's iconic gender ambiguity with the Amazon trio, going as far as to openly address the crow guy as a man as he wore a beautiful dress, putting the queerness in front of everyone's eyes..

Yet, Haruka and Michiru, both who are confirmed lesbians, where just left there...in both the gender ambiguity of our favorite tomboy Haruka and her relationship with Michiru, first, we all now that Haruka has no problem being addressed as a man, in one panel of the manga she even says it's funny, however, the movie lack the " oh she is actually a girl (or at the very least not a full on guy) , just loves manly things" moment, which i believe it's crucial to the character, with that in mind, remembering that Haruka's masculinity served as a way for her relationship with Michiru to not be as frowned upon back in the day...it really suck how we didn't get a single scrap out of them, not s loving stare, not holding hands....a kiss, perhaps? Nope, not a thing...

Now, enough with the ranting, for what i absolutely adore out of the movie, it gave us so much Mamoru x usagi romance material, the kid like dream, the dream confession before the final battle? Hell, the whole king/ queen moment at the end was pure gold and i absolutely adore out very single second of it...on that note, i love how they addressed head on the fact that Toxedo mask is indeed low-key the weakest link out of all the sailor scouts of the solar system, that was great insight on Mamoru's insecurities and how he truly feels about being a scout without it tying directly to usagi or some villain, also loved the insight on the girls insecurities about their family and desires, i found funny how on the show Rei is the only other one of the inner senshi (aside sailor moon) to have a solid romantic interest, that temple guy, but then in this movie it is mentioned that she was the only scout to make a somewhat chastity pledge to the princess and how she don't need no man, i find that hilarious.

I overall liked the movie, it was well scripted and i had a super fun time just watching this characters i love so much, i just....want to talk about this, cause it brings me great joy~

#sailor moon

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growntolovesecrecyfic · 3 years

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Grown to Love Secrecy - Chapter Two (Petekey)

Can be read here.

Summary: Mikey Way hates Oscar Wilde but Pete Wentz convinces him to read The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Chapter Two: Walking on Fire

Pete spent a lot of summers in cramped vans, and hotel rooms with sweaty dudes and expensive musical instruments and this summer is no different. The slight homoerotic tension between Pete and almost every dude he’s ever met is strong, not that Pete or any of his friends minded.

They all kiss sometimes and most of the time the press pays not mind as it’s not that big of a deal and other times tabloids have him and his friend kissing on the front cover everywhere with the F-slur painted across in bright red telling the world, “Hey, look! Pete Wentz kisses dudes!”

The tabloids have a lot to say and quite frankly, he doesn’t care anymore. All press is good press, right?

Pete spits into the sink of the Walmart bathroom that other bands from Warped have occupied that morning. Today was Patrick’s day on the bus bathroom.

He rinsed his mouth and stepped aside, letting Andy take the sink for his own routine. He walks over to the wall where Joe is and leans against it. The eggshell-colored wall was cooled against his hot skin after being out in the Dallas heat.

“Hey, man.” Joe greeted Pete to which he responded with a nod, “so any plans for after our set?” Pete thought for a moment, remembering that he did in fact have plans with Mikey tonight. Not that anybody in the band needed to know that.

“No, not that I know of. You?” Pete asked while fiddling with the drawstrings of his clandestine pajama pants. Joe shrugged before responding, “Just regular life on the Warped, you know?”

Pete nods and they exchange some more small talk and soon enough, Andy joins them, and they’re ready to take on Warped.

As they exit the Walmart, they pass families whose kids stare in adoration and parents stare in disgust. It’s not that uncommon for people to recognize them. Fall Out Boy was getting big fast and it did stress them out as they felt the pressures from their record label to push out a new album as soon as possible to keep the momentum going. Warped is their salvation for that summer. No record label, you’re constantly busy doing the thing you love and sometimes you’re in bumfuck nowhere and nobody knows who you are, those are the best kind of places.

After walking out into the parking lot, the trio realize that they’ll need to find some place to eat before their set that morning. They have three hours to kill before practice and without a car and Patrick still on the bus, it is their civic duty to fuel up now and get Patrick something he’ll like, like oatmeal or something.

And later that morning when Pete met a fan who was uncontrollably crying and threw up on his shoes, he could tell that it was going to be a painfully long day.

And he was right. After their set, they met with some fans and he had some run ins with some reporter asking about Jeanae or whatever her name was. He chooses to forget those years in his life. He ignores her texts, fake pregnancy positives and whatever sexual favor she asks of him that day. It’s been pissing him off that entire day and he wanted to let off steam. The only positive that came from that day was Patrick buying him some new underwear for a late birthday gift and his new fuckbuddy, Mikey Way. He promised to meet with him tonight and Mikey told him that the bus was empty. Pete feels that he’ll finally cop a feel tonight.

Laughter and The Smiths fills the My Chemical Romance bus however the guys were nowhere to be found except for a pair of boys at the back of the bus on the floor, “Rusty? Really?” Mikey asked and Pete just responded with grin and nodded enthusiastically.

Mikey shook his head, “Nuh-uh, I don’t believe it one bit. You don’t even look like a Rusty!” Mikey accused.

“Dude trust me! I would have been Rusty Wentz!” Pete cringed a bit at the thought but turned into a fit of laughter after seeing Mikey clutch his stomach and roll over on his side, hand covering his mouth trying to contain his laughter.

After a few minutes, the laughter finally died down. Mikey removing his glasses to wipe his eyes and Pete coughed as he tried to catch his breath before something caught his eye.

“What’s that, Mikeyway?” Pete asked. He points at an object to show to Mikey where it is.

Mikey turns to see where Pete was point at, “Oh, that’s some book that Gerard has been trying to get me to read but never did.” He answers as he gets up and gets it from his bunk. He sits on his bed and goes through the pages, “I have beef with Oscar Wilde.”

Pete chortles at Mikey’s last statement as he sits on the bed next to him, “Yeah? I love him. He’s one of my favorite writers.”

Mikey looks up at older man, furrowing his brows and slowly handing him the book, “Really? Never thought you were the type.”

“To what? Read?” Pete joked.

Mikey was quick to defend himself, “No! I never thought you were into this type of literature. It’s darker and like a horror, I guess? I think that’s why Gerard likes it so much.” He moves closer to Pete, hesitant to lay his head on his shoulder but swallows his doubts and gently place his cheek against his right shoulder.

Pete smiled, eyes moving from the book and on Mikey now, “Do you mind if I read this to you? Maybe I can learn you a thing or two.” His grin was wider now, and Mikey couldn’t help but smile back at him. He loves this. He loves that it’s them. Them alone. And with him.

“Sure. Maybe you can teach me how to love Oscar Wilde at the end of this?” Mikey asks. Pete only laughs, “I can’t teach you to that. It’s up to you if you want to love him. You chose to hate him so why not choose to love him?” Pete asked, his eyes back on the book.

“Well, we can’t choose who we love now, can we?” Mikey asked. It was more of a question for himself rather than Pete. He’s had this struggle within himself for a long time. The first boy he’s ever kissed was his best friend in 8th grade and they haven’t talked since. He’s been quiet about their whole fight and why he came back home with a black eye (and broken heart).

Pete stilled at Mikey’s question then resumed to his reading. He turns to the preface, “Do you wanna start here?” Pete asks Mikey in a whisper. He nods and Pete continues, “The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim. The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.”

Mikey raises his head from Pete’s shoulder, raising his eyebrows, “Hm, wow. That’s kind of deep?” He readjusts himself, “Do you mind if I put my head on your lap?”

Pete smirks, “I mean… What do you plan on doing down there?”

Mikey didn’t get it immediately but lightly smacks Pete on the arm when he does, “Dude! No! I’m not that type of guy.” He exclaimed, his cheeks and nose turning pink. Pete laughs in response, rubbing his arm.

“I don’t believe that, Mikeyway. I’ve heard the rumors about you.” Pete shook his head and set the book down, placing a hand on Mikey’s thigh.

Mikey froze up a bit. What rumors? Why is his hand there? Why is he feeling so lightheaded? The warm knot in his stomach is forming slowly but surely. That can’t be good, right?

“Uhm, wh-what rumors?” Mikey asked. He’s genuinely confused, being behind Gerard’s shadow for most of his life he didn’t know that people cared enough about him to start rumors about him.

“Oh, you know.” he grinned at Mikey, moving closer to him. He put his other hand on Mikey’s other thigh, moving them both up slowly. Mikey’s breath hitched and Pete took this as a ‘yes’.

Mikey shook his head. He didn’t know.

“The ones about how you’re always willing to fuck after a show and your tight jeans no underwear combo,” Pete stops when his face was inches away from Mikey and whispers, “I just wanna know if it’s true.”

He leans in closer, capturing Mikey’s lips into his own. Mikey let out a small gasp in shock before Pete does so. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Yes, Pete and he kissed before but not like this. He couldn’t.

He moved his head away from Pete and pushed him off.

Pete was confused, Mikey never did that before. He looked at him and tried to read his face, but it was confusing him.

“Uh, did I do something wrong?”

Mikey’s heart was pounding so hard and fast, he didn’t really know what to say. He wanted to kiss Pete but he’s so confused. What rumors? Who’s saying those things? Nothing could leave his mouth. It was all different thoughts racing through his brain that day.

He shakes his head and brings Pete’s mouth back to his again.

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