#the plot is NECESSARY

[demothers-empty-blog]

yes.

The truth of it 🤣

[taraxippos]

I think people tend to assume that any criticism of worldbuilding is ultimately a demand for a story to grind itself to a halt and give the reader 20 paragraphs of exposition, and like. Most of the time good-faith criticism of this nature is coming from a core aspect of the story not being grounded in the setting in a way that outright detracts from the story's quality. You fix it not by Explaining but by Showing it passively in the makeup of the world.

Like the last instance I saw this critique in was like 'you can't expect an author to stop and exposit the nuances of gender roles/Queerness in a fictional society' and it's like yeah I don't, and in fact this is actually one of the easiest things to show in the text without exposition. If a society has gender norms to begin with you'll see aspects of these norms baked into EVERYTHING. You'll see it in its stories, its religion, its taboos, its etiquette, its clothing, its family structures, its language, its insults, its labor, its leadership, etc. It will have massive impacts on how characters interact with one another and how they perceive themselves. It will help Shape your characters.

If you do this legwork to begin with for the core facets of your story, you will find very natural places for these concepts to be demonstrated without derailing the plot and with little to no exposition. THAT sort of thing is what's being asked of you.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Never underestimate the healing power of a good meal!

(For @nibbelraz!)

[yelrabmena]

fnaf analog horror series where each episode is just 20 minutes of william afton kicking puppies, stealing candies from and popping balloons of small children, causing 9/11 sixteen years earlier (he does it again on the correct date later on don't worry) , all including a loud screaming audio for everytime he does something evil that goes for longer than it should. Also Freddy's barely if is important except for it being where he does the evil and there being a fazbear branded plane

at least 10 videos, each by different people, will be made for each episode talking about how it's "the scariest fnaf content ever made" and "made fnaf ACTUALLY SCARY again!!!" while the thumbnail is something like a monochrome photo of the twin towers with a fucked up looking springtrap facing the viewer with "HE DESTROYED THEM" written in bold, big red text

[soulbrand]

man you all were not kidding abt the therapyspeak in veilguard.

[averagemartian]

I understand that Siuan's death hurt and it's a tragedy, and we all wish she could have a happy ending, but please...

It's not Bury Your Gays if it's a political execution following a coup that had everything to do with power (and the plot) and nothing to do with her queerness

It's not for shock value if it's been foreshadowed through the whole season if you had paid attention to what you were being shown and not just what you want to see

WOT is full of characters who happen to be queer instead of it being their sole defining trait, more than most shows out there, so let's stop reducing Siuan Sanche to her queerness

She was a complex multifaceted character and sometimes characters die

[karikarasuno]

part eight | part nine | part 10

you shouldn't be freaking out. except you are.

"what do you mean you don't remember if you told him you loved him?" nami asks, voice full of accusation. her and robin came over after you texted them frantically during your lunch hour asking if they could stop by to help you pick out something to wear tonight. you definitely remember making plans to meet law and his brother for drinks, but the 'i love you' memory is a bit fuzzier. it could very well have been a trick of the moon. but you can't be positive since he never said it back. at least you didn't think so.

"i was sleeping!" you complain, throwing another shirt you contemplated wearing onto your bed hopelessly. nothing looks right anymore. maybe you need to refresh your wardrobe.

"if you were sleeping, you couldn't have told him you loved him," robin replies simply. as if that answers all of your questions.

"well, i was falling asleep. more asleep than awake, but still." you make some incomprehensible motion with your hands in the hopes that you won't have to continue explaining yourself.

"so i'm gonna safely assume you can't remember if he said it back," nami says, snatching one of the shirts you threw on the bed earlier and holding it up to your body. "you're wearing this one."

you flop backwards onto your bed, your head falling into robin's lap. her hand comes up to reassuringly pat your crown as you openly sulk on her thighs.

"we'll take that as a no," robin says, looking down at you with pitiful humor in her eyes.

"i could kick myself," you whine, hands coming up to cover your face. "i mean who tells a man you love him after he declines phone sex!"

"you didn't get off before confessing you were in love?!" now nami sounds appalled and when you peek at her through the gap in your fingers she's staring down at you bug-eyed and disturbed. "have you lost your mind?"

all you can do is nod meekly. because yes, you have lost your mind. and you are sure it's somewhere between your house and law's. along with your heart because that isn't in your chest last time you checked.

"jeez," nami lifts your legs before sitting down next to you and placing your calves in her lap. "what are we gonna do about this?"

"now you see my dilemma," you sigh.

"here's a crazy idea," robin starts, dragging her hand over your hair, "you could always say it again, awake this time, and see if he says it back."

"you're right," you say, voice devoid of emotion.

"that is crazy," nami finishes.

****

jeans, boots, and a top that is arguably a little too low on your chest to be appropriate for meeting your boyfriend's brother (again) is what the three of you decided on before you left the house half an hour ago. a small gift bag dangles from your fingertips as you shuffle by the door oddly nervous. law and cora are already inside. he texted you twenty minutes ago to let you know.

you definitely are overthinking. everything between you and law has felt so natural and easy. there is an understanding between you that you've never had with anyone else. falling in love with him is quite possibly the easiest thing you've ever done in your whole life. so the idea of him potentially not returning that love is a knife to the gut. a knife that twists and twists until your intestines are spilling out of your abdomen. yes, it's genuinely that gruesome of a thought.

you swallow your anxiety, though, for the sake of cora. it is his birthday, after all. the bell above the door rings as you walk inside. since it's a friday night, the bar is busy. clusters of people are spread out among tables, lined up at the counter for drinks, and hanging out around the games you'd typically find at a bar. which is where your eyes land on law. he's standing by a pool table leaning against a stick as cora lines up for a shot.

he misses. miserably.

"and i thought i was bad," you say as you approach them.

"that was a fluke!" cora exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. "and it's not polite to heckle the birthday boy."

"speaking of which," you hold up the bag towards him and it sways gently between your index finger and thumb.

"oh, you really didn't have to get him anything," law says before cora can even accept the gift. you meet his eyes over your shoulder and he winks. clearly, he's trying to get a rise out of cora. and it works.

"just because you don't like gifts doesn't mean no one deserves them," cora complains while glaring at his brother.

"i just so happen to love gifts, so thank you," he adds, turning to you with a slight bow and plucking the gift from your hand. up close cora is much taller than you remembered him to be. his shoulders have a slight hunch to them and you assume it's from all of the leaning over he has to do considering how much time he spends around children.

"i hope you like it," you say, "and happy birthday."

he carefully pulls out the tissue paper from the bag and places it on the edge of the pool table. for whatever reason, you're nervous. it's a gift that you bought last minute and really didn't put much thought into. but for some reason, in this exact moment, there are nerves fluttering around your stomach. if he hates the gift, you really hope cora's a good actor.

“oh wow,” he says, his eyes widening as he takes the gift out of the bag, “where did you even find this?”

it’s a glasses chain made up of knitted hearts. you saw it at a boutique when you were at the mall yesterday. and then you remembered how cora is a librarian, so you thought it was fitting.

“there’s a boutique in the strip mall where they sell all kinds of handmade stuff.” you try to shrug it off as a coincidence because really it was. you hadn’t searched for them. they just kinda appeared.

“these are incredible,” he says, awe dripping from each word. you start to blush. well, now you know he loves them and that somehow makes you even more nervous. you look over at law to find a response but he’s just staring at you. he’s still leaning against his pool stick but he’s much closer to you now. his eyes are soft and he wears a small smile. unlike any you’ve ever caught on him before. oh, you really do love him.

"how do i look?" cora asks after he's fitted the chain over his glasses. they fit him perfectly, actually. like they were handmade exactly for him.

"they look great," law responds.

"ok, i don't know if i believe you since you didn't even look at me."

while your eyes had shifted over to cora when he asked his question, you weren't aware that law's hadn't. they remained on you. god, is it hot in here?

"you look amazing, cora. they really suit you," you answer him. it's a touch shy. but mostly because you can feel law's eyes. you can feel where his thoughts are heading. and you can nearly feel his sheets fisted in your hands when you recall that thing he does with his fingers.

"play for me while i grab you a drink." law hands you the stick and you take it gingerly between your fingers.

"you should know i'm not very good," you say, pointing the stick at him in warning.

"there's only two solids left on the table and a shit ton of stripes," he says, leaning down to speak directly into your ear. "you could miss a dozen times and i still think i could kick cora's ass."

"again," cora says, hand sassily clutching his hip, "it's my birthday."

you laugh through your nose at their bickering. law winks before he turns away and heads to the counter to order something for you. you watch him go, your gaze very obviously lingering, and a small part of you forgot cora was even behind you.

"you two are hopeless," you hear him mutter. when you face him you except to see a look of disgust. one that is usually present on nami's face when she says things like that. except cora looks content. he looks endeared in a way.

"i guess it's my turn," you attempt shifting the conversation. your emotions are running marathons in your chest and you need to tamper them down. you bend over and lean your upper half onto the table. you try your best to line up the cue ball with the red solid that's sitting near one of the pockets. you, fortunately, have a very clear shot. so you take it. you, unfortunately, have terrible aim as well.

cora chuckles when you miss. "twins," he teases.

"hey, i'm still warming up," you argue. "i'll be much better after my drink."

"ah, some good ol' fashioned liquid courage," he nods, remembering his near empty glass of beer perched on the high top beside you and downing the rest.

after law arrives with your drink much of the evening is spent talking and laughing around the pool table. cora and law couldn't be more different, but together he brings out a side of law you don't see often. law really is quite silly. they argue over everything. law enjoys goading cora that way. cora looks to you for support. sometimes you offer it and sometimes you play devil's advocate. all of it is just so fun.

you were worried for nothing.

"i'll grab us one last round," you offer, hopping off the stool you're sitting on as you watch the guys throw darts. for you that game is a safety hazard and you've had two drinks too many to be any good anyway.

"i'll just do a seltzer if you don't mind," cora calls out as he holds the dart up between his fingers and closes one eye to 'better his aim.'

"that's fine. and you?" you stand next to law, wrapping your arms around one of his and resting your chin on his bicep.

"a beer, please," he answers, bending over to press a quick kiss to your forehead. you take a step back and you smile, giddy and happy and ridiculously, all the way to the bar. the bartender is busy with a few other patrons so you lean against it, careful to avoid the mysterious sticky patch by your elbow, and you wait.

"well look who we have here." the voice that sidles up behind you sends a bucket of ice cold water straight over your head and down your spine. you contemplate ignoring him. but that would be impossible. he's stubborn like that.

"hi, kid," you say dismayed. "how are you?"

this is the last thing you ever thought would happen. you aren't delusional enough to believe that you'd never run into kid again, but now? it's the worst possible time. and you were in such a good mood too.

"clearly not as good as you've been." you don't miss the condescending edge to his words. his smile says one thing but you know kid. you know this bothers him.

"oh? things didn't work out between you and that girl?" there's a venom there that you yourself aren't expecting. you're over him. that much is a fact. but his presence still irritates you. the stupid, cheating idiot.

“huh, cute,” he says snidely. he downs the rest of his beer, a bit of the liquid dribbles out of the corner of his mouth from how harshly he chugged it. another sign you've clearly gotten under his skin. but you don't relish in it the way you though you would. mostly because you don't care. and honestly you want this interaction to just be over so you can get back to law. who is currently arguing with cora over the placement of a dart when you glance their way over your shoulder. you smile a little at the sight. momentarily forgetting the fact that your ex is standing beside you burning a hole into the side of your face with his glare.

"i would've never thought you'd rebound with the lame ass neighbor," he huffs, his tone dripping with disdain. a disdain that has hot anger flaring in your chest.

"do not talk about him like that," you snap, voice hushed but very obviously offended.

"oh!" kid's head rears back, a sick sort of grin twists his features. "you have feelings for that fucking idiot."

"kid, i'm serious, shut up." your heart starts to speed up in your chest. your vision is beginning to cloud over with anger. an anger you haven't felt since that day you kicked him out. really how did you date him for so long? he's insufferable. "what, or better who i'm doing is none of your business."

"this whole thing is just so funny, y'know that?" he steps closer to you and you try hard not to recoil in his presence. you always hated when he used his size against you.

"i don't see how," you reply, propping a hand on your hip and raising your chin. you refuse to back down because kid will steamroll over anyone if you let him. "like i said, my life is none of your concern anymore."

"so what? you think he's gonna be loyal to you? you think he's gonna put up with your ass? he's not gonna stick around, but i know you're fucking crazy enough to think so."

your hand starts to shake at your side. you're trying desperately not to cause a scene. it's not fair to you or law, or even cora. it's his fucking birthday for christ's sake.

"what's your point?" you try to force space between the two of you but it's difficult considering how packed the bar is. he smiles, but really it's just a sad excuse to cover up a sneer. "have you always been this much of a dickhead?"

"you used to love me," he chuckles darkly, eating up the minimal space between you until your chests nearly touch.

"yeah used to. not anymore." keeping your voice even is becoming a challenge. it's starting to do that annoying shaking thing when your anger flares and tears prick at your eyes. you absolutely despise crying when you're angry. kid used to use it against you all the time.

you're so damn sensitive. you think tears are gonna work on me? come on, sweetheart, grow up.

memories sting at your mind. they claw at wounds that aren't quite healed over yet. wounds that bleed insecurity.

"don't say that," he patronizes. "admit it, a part of you misses me. don't you remember all the fun we used to have?"

"i'm not doing this with you." you shake your head, preparing to walk away. "i have people to get back to."

but you didn't make it two steps before kid is grabbing your wrist to stop you. you didn't want to turn around, but his grip is too strong for you to yank your arm away. and you didn't want to draw attention either.

"he's never gonna love you," kid says with enough conviction that you almost believe him. as if he knows what you said to law the other night and the fact that he may have never said it back.

"you-"

"do we have a problem here?" you almost don't recognize law's voice. it's hollow in a way you're unfamiliar with. the warmth is gone. the teasing note it always tends to carry when you're around him has disappeared. it's so cold a shiver practically runs down your spine.

kid drops your wrist and holds his hand up in surrender. he smirks at you before looking at law over your shoulder.

"nah, man," he replies, shaking his head with a dark chuckle. "we were just catching up."

he steps around you and claps you on the shoulder. "it was nice seeing you."

you don't respond. you can't because your throat is too tight.

kid squeezes between you and law. they size each other up because men are annoying. but nothing happens. kid simply leaves. stealing your pleasant mood and taking it with him.

"are you okay?" law asks tightly, but he's not looking at you. his eyes are stuck on kid's retreating figure.

"yeah," you say, clearing your throat. "sorry i haven't had a chance to order your drinks yet."

"it's fine," he says, finally looking your way. but there's something distant about his gaze that makes your chest ache. "we were about to call it a night, anyway."

****

law doesn't get angry anymore. at least not like he used to. it's a foreign feeling now. the one that swirls in his gut and pounds at his chest. it's almost nauseating. so much so as he drives your car back home, he can only sit and simmer in silence. not even the radio is on. he can tell you're off. he notices the way you curl against the window, your body facing away from him as your eyes track the familiar scenery back home.

it's unsettling to him seeing you so upset, especially after having such a fun evening before your ex showed up. the real source of his anger. he hated the way kid touched you. as if he had any right to do so after what he did. he was so comfortable doing it as well. it was disrespectful. and that's one thing law has a difficult time tolerating. disrespect.

the two of you sit in your car for a few seconds after he turns it off. both hesitant to move first.

"i had fun tonight," he says, cutting through the silence as softly as he can. careful not to nick you and cause further damage. your head falls back against the headrest as you turn your face to look at him. you smile, but it doesn't reach your eyes.

"yeah," you nod, your fingers wringing in your lap, " i did too."

law is struggling because he wants to comfort you. but he really doesn't know what to say. you like to talk. usually telling him anything and everything without him having to ask. now the problem is, he doesn't know how or what to ask.

he wants to know what kid said to you, but that seems abrasive. he wants to know why you're so shaken up, but that seems intrusive. he just doesn't know and it's killing him. that and the fact that he wants to punch kid in the face.

"you coming in?" you ask, hand on the door handle, preparing to open it. all he can do is nod before grabbing his baggage from the backseat and following you.

even chopper, usually upbeat and frantic, seems forlorn as you two enter your home. you don't even bother to turn on the lights, instead wandering around and placing your things down guided only by the light of a candle warmer you left on in your living room. law just silently watches you go about your usual routine, helplessly wondering what he should do. until he decides to suck it up and ask. he corners you in the bathroom.

"hey," he says softly, leaning against the doorframe. you glance up at him but continue taking off your rings. "are you sure you're okay?"

"um," you pause, reaching for the back of your earring. "yeah i just-"

you sigh, shoulders sagging as your chin drops to your chest. "i just forget how much of an ass kid can be sometimes."

"what did he say?" the question that has been poised on his tongue since he interrupted your interaction at the bar slips right off of it.

"you don't have to worry about it," you dismiss, taking out your other earring and putting it on your jewelry tray. you don't want to talk about it. too bad.

"well," he starts, stepping behind you to place his hands on your shoulders. hopefully with reassurance. "you're upset, so i'm worried."

"it's not a big deal," you shrug him off. and his heart breaks at the gesture. he doesn't like it. not when he's so used to you being openly affectionate with him.

"hey," he says firmly as you start walking away. his hands reach for your hips and he spins you to face him. you don't look up at him which irritates him. he's not used to this so now he has to fix it. there must be a way he can make you feel better.

"can you please tell me what's going on?" he pleads, cradling your cheek and urging you to meet his eyes. you hesitate to, but you soften into his palm. inhaling deeply as you nose at his hand. the anxiety ebbs in his gut.

"i'm sorry," you exhale and it seems like your whole body drains of whatever energy you had left. "it's just, he's just-"

he sees how badly you want to stomp your foot as you wave your arm agitatedly. this he's used to. his mood starts to ease up. he's remembering how to breathe again.

"i shouldn't listen to him, i know," you whine, "but he knows how to get under my skin and it fucking sucks."

your eyes start to fill with tears. your bottom lip wobbles. "and that stupid son of a bitch basically said i'm crazy and unlovable. can you believe that?"

law knows he shouldn't. in fact he tries so so so hard not to. but when you look up at him with the biggest, wettest eyes and the most dumbfounded expression on your face he cannot help but laugh. it's just a chuckle. it kind of just drops from his lips.

"it's not funny, law!" you whack him in the bicep, just one tear falling from your eye, but he catches it with his thumb before it can get too far.

"it's not," he says, shaking his head amused. even though he really shouldn't be.

"then why are you laughing?" you try to squirm away from him but he's reluctant to let you go. "what's worse is he's not even wrong. especially after i tell you i love you and like an idiot i fell asleep and don't even know if you said it back!"

you throw your hands up, defeated. but he feels fine. because he knows how to fix this. this he can work with. this he has a solution to.

"i didn't say it back that night," he says it simply. and your face falls completely. "but not because i don't love you. or because you're unloveable; which is ridiculous, by the way."

you roll your eyes, causing another fat tear to fall down your cheek.

"but because i needed to see your face when i said it to you for the first time. when you told me you loved me i thought i made it up, but when i saw you tonight after being away all week i realized it didn't matter."

you settle in his arms as he speaks to you. law finally, fully, calms down when notices you returning to him. "it didn't matter because i love you."

he holds your face in his hands as he wipes tears from your cheeks with his thumbs. for whatever reason, law is enamored by you. his love for you struck him suddenly like a bolt of lightning, but its growth was also a slow burning fire.

law loves you.

"really?" your eyes are hopeful and sweet and sappy as you look up at him. he chuckles again, not quite believing how absurd you are sometimes. but either way, he nods. because yes, really.

"how much?" your hands grasp his wrists as you rise on your toes to come face to face with him. your frown tilts upwards into a smile. a honeyed one that he has to force himself not to kiss straight off of your face.

"and how do you suggest i show that to you?" he asks, leaning over until your noses brush.

"oh, i have a few ideas."

part eleven

[anghraine]

TMP is honestly this wild trip despite the glacial pacing at times, because it's like—

Vulcan woman: Spock, you've worked hard to purge yourself of all emotion, but your mind is picking up signals from some human and I guess some logic thing in space. my conclusion: you aren't racially pure enough to find your answers here

Spock: time to track down the pure logic thing and find the answers and meaning in my existence as a Vulcan that I've been searching for all my life and definitely never found in the past before all my previous character development got reset

[Meanwhile]

Kirk: so this unknown cosmic force is going to wipe out all life on Earth, and I've been placed in charge because I have a lot of experience dealing with bizarre dangerous cosmic shit as commander of this specific ship, in addition to my missing being in space because I was pushed into the admiralty at, like, age 39

Decker: *throws a series of tantrums about the prioritization of all of Earth above his ego for almost the entire mission*

Ilia: I have taken an oath of celibacy

Kirk: ... not super relevant. please just do your job

[Also, the transporter painfully melts some people we don't know into unrecognizable lumps of flesh. This is completely disconnected from the rest of the movie; it has no relevance to anything else, is immediately forgotten and never acknowledged again, and everyone acts like Bones is silly and paranoid for being nervous about going through the transporter]

Uhura: I think Admiral Kirk is obviously the person most qualified to command our incredibly dangerous and important mission, and we're damned lucky he got put in charge. if anyone cares

[everyone else]: *doesn't care*

McCoy: Jim, maybe you shouldn't make your mid-life crisis everyone else's problem

Decker: yeah! I should still be in charge! my solution is "don't take risks" when encountering the unknown and wait until systems are 100% safe before we do anything

Kirk: again let me reiterate that we need to act decisively even if it's risky or billions of people will die. we have to at least try, so waiting is not an option here

Spock: *shows up and, despite being icy and dismissive, immediately fixes all their most pressing technical problems*

McCoy: maybe we shouldn't trust him. he has his own agenda now

Kirk: wtf of course we can trust him he's Spock how dare

[Kirk quickly figures out the changes to the bridge, and from then on, his judgment and decisions are pretty much continually vindicated by the plot. Decker's advice goes from temporarily useful to unprofessional constant jabs with little sense of the real stakes and no better ideas. It becomes extremely apparent that Kirk really is far better equipped in temperament and experience to deal with the potential slaughter of Earth than Decker, especially when assisted by Spock—even this arctic version of Spock.]

Spock: *knocks out a crewman, steals a spacesuit, and tries to make contact with the cosmic acid trip/space vagina by traveling through what he unenthusiastically describes as its "orifices"*

Kirk: I ... guess maybe Bones was - no, it can't be - wait a moment, I -

Spock: *starts transmitting all the data he's gathering to Kirk*

Kirk: hah, I knew he would never betray me! Okay, everyone, you all stay here, I'm going to jump into space to catch him

[Spock melds with the cosmic space vagina and it violently ejects him through various orifices, as he might describe them, until he's thrown right into Kirk's arms, signifying nothing]

Bones and Chapel: melding with the cosmic logic vagina seems to have fried his brain :(

Spock, laughing: I should have known ...

Kirk: *seizes his shoulders* known WHAT Spock what are you talking about. please tell me your mind is intact. sweetheart it's okay what are you full of shame about this time *tries to shake the brain damage loose*

Spock: Jim ... I melded with the supreme logic being and discovered that there's no beauty or art or meaning in raw information or logic ... only a barren STEM hellscape without the humanities

[Spock slides his hand down Kirk's arm until their fingers wrap around each other, and their joined hands tightly cling together. unrelatedly, we have definitely seen Vulcans and Romulans use finger stroking as kissing and/or foreplay]

Spock: it was awful and empty and not at all what I've been searching for this whole time. and finally I understood that the real meaning in life comes from the simple feeling between you and me. The mechanized space vagina couldn't understand our love

[Kirk wraps his other hand tightly around his and Spock's clasped fingers. God knows what degree of obscenity they would be committing on Vulcan, but in any case, McCoy (as ever) politely pretends he's not seeing this happen right in front of him, since Kirk and Spock obviously have forgotten, yet again, that other people exist]

Kirk: 🥹🥰

[They stare tenderly at each other without speaking for a few seconds, but are definitely communicating on some level; after a moment's hesitation, Kirk nods slightly, then Spock nods in response, and it feels like we're missing half the conversation. Then Spock explains V'ger's existential angst in terms that obviously apply equally to his own past self, and by past I mean "for most of this movie until a few minutes ago"]

It turns out that V'ger, in addition to being a cosmic acid trip/space vagina/mass murderer, is also an annoying teenager, maturity-wise. I do appreciate Kirk and Spock having their "this is just adolescent angst and we are too middle-aged for this nonsense" reaction, and noping out to provoke V'ger into some measure of cooperation until they all figure out that it's trying to communicate with NASA.

In the course of all this, there's a point where Decker manages to be mildly helpful via the Ilia probe sort of remembering their old relationship, and he proves his value at last by welcoming the chance to orgasmically fuse with Ilia/V'ger, while Kirk is horrified and baffled at why Decker would find this remotely appealing. (ngl Kirk in this movie feels like the most purely gay-coded iteration of him; from the film itself, I could easily believe he has lost all attraction to women at this point.)

So thankfully, we're finally free of the weird and underwhelming Decker/Ilia duo via multiple cosmic acid orgasms, and the Earth is saved, etc. In aesthetics, it's all powerfully 70s, even in the awesome strange bits before V'ger looked quite so, uh, yonic. Somehow even the new bland sleepwear version of Starfleet uniforms seem very 70s; apparently Spock's kickass robes and the muscle-revealing quasi-polo top that Kirk promptly switches into consumed all available stylishness.]

Scott: everything's fine now, so I guess we can drop you off at Vulcan, Mr. Spock

Spock: my experiences today have, uh, resolved my need to stay on Vulcan, so there's no reason to detour for me. I'll just tag along to Earth for >_> no reason

Kirk: [deeply vindicated for about the twelfth time that day, but this time also managing to exude Spock is getting laid tonight without saying a word about him] Mr. Sulu, ahead, warp one.

[eddiebloombug]

i’m sorry i just genuinely don’t believe that a) bucky is all that attached to being a member of the new avengers, and b) that we know all we can know about bucky and sam’s “divorce” from that post credit scene. bucky is an unreliable narrator. he lies sometimes. he is known to do convoluted schemes. there are many ways there is likely more to the story than we assume. all i’m saying is, i wouldn’t be surprised if sam and bucky know something the rest of the “new avengers” don’t.

[stealingyourbones]

Vigorously taps the “dc characters are comic book characters. They are not real people and shouldn’t have their actions accounted for as such.” Sign until my fingers are raw and bleeding

[acowardinmordor]

I think when Steve gets Vecna'd, Eddie adds together what he knows about the situation and comes to a logical conclusion. To him at least. He knows that Steve came here asking for heavy drugs and high quantities. He knows that Steve was sounding a hell of a lot like 'sleep' meant something worse.

He knows that Steve is X, and that means all of the horrible things that Eddie knows X thinks about himself, the guy in front of him thinks that too. He knows that Steve, ever since the letters stopped, has been upsetting the freshmen by being distant and cold.

The only assumption he can come up with is that Steve already took something, and it's hit. Or it's causing a reaction. Or its a bad trip.

He has no hesitation about touching him, immediately checks his breathing and his heart rate. It sorta, kinda seems like an overdose, a little bit could be an allergic reaction, but Steve is trembling like he's scared, and his body is stiff. Those explanations don't make perfect sense, so he watches for something that would mean it IS medical, and heads towards his better guess.

Bad Trip.

Steve is high, and is in a bad brain place, and that means he needs to be grounded. Music helps, right? When he was on that bad trip with Rick after his first senior year, Rick put on one of Eddie's tapes, and talked to him. Calm shit. Encouraging shit.

Eddie fully ignores the flickering lights - electrical gets weird in the trailer sometimes - and grabs the mixtape he made for X, and shoves it into his sorta fucky boombox. It's a mix of X's favorite songs, and the ones he mentioned in his own letters. He doesn't know if Steve ever listened to them, but that tape is the only thought he has.

Gets it playing, and grabs hold of Steve's arms. He knows that Steve stopped talking to him. Since Steve knew who he was, and Eddie didn't know who X was, it means Steve probably doesn't care if Eddie wants him to be okay.

Eddie talks about how everyone else feels.

He tells him about how protective Dustin is. How angry Lucas gets anytime anyone says a bad word about Steve. How Eddie has never seen Robin smile so much. How no one judges him for needing to repeat a year. Everyone knows about how hurt he got, and everyone gets it. No one thinks worse of him for it.

He knows his voice isn't exactly calm and soothing, but the longer this insane eye-flutter, non responsive thing goes, the more terrified Eddie is.

"Steve, please, please, it's okay. Just find your way back. try to breathe, try to feel your body, and you'll be okay. I know - I know I've been an asshole to you. I know, okay. But the boys, Robin, shit, fuck, Steve, I need to apologize for shit, so you gotta slow down your breathing. Whatever you're seeing, it isn't real. I promise it's not real, okay? Come back to the real world and I can get you feeling better, I promise. Steve? Steve?"

He doesn't notice at first that Steve is starting to float. He's too focused on his face, the way his eyes are still rolled back. He lets go before he can notice his own hands rising with him. Shits too real, this isn't just a bad trip, he needs help, he needs an ambulance, a cop, anyone that can actually help Steve.

He has the phone in hand, and is about to dial when he turns back, needing to keep looking at him while he begs someone to come fast. He sees Steve in the air.

One step closer, then another. He keeps trying, another whispered sentence or three. But the lights are going crazy, and the music is staticky, the dialtone is screaming, and suddenly Steve is flattened to the ceiling, arms pulling slowly to the sides.

Eddie runs.

Leaves the door swung open as he throws himself into his van. His hands are shaking and he's hyperventilating too hard to notice Max Mayfield sprinting across the road, up the stairs and into the trailer. He's pulling away, when Max screams as Steve falls.

He hears the scream, he hears and feels the heavy thump of a weight hitting the ground. He knows what that sound must mean.

Eddie runs.

Behind him with the tape still playing, Max holds onto a terrified Steve, who has trickles of blood on his cheeks, and bruises blooming on his arms.

Steve, alive, cursed, who immediately asks if Eddie is safe.

[ethosiab]

[25] IM BACK. here is a messy team canada for beef day

The fundraiser for Gamer's Outreach is still ongoing! Don't forget to donate and get in on some of the incentives before it's too late :D

[cook-a-little-chicken]

Sorry About My Nan

That was an intense longform. And I have some thoughts:

Firstly, umm... can they not carry chairs normally? Both of them dragging it slowly like that made me laugh. Anyway-

The entire thing was amazing but especially those first few scenes. Such good acting from the get-go! Was this the longest it took for them to establish a storyline in a longform? It felt very "this is the last time I'm doing this" 😂

Luke breaking Sam and AJ with his truly realistic characterisation and "I just feel shattered, you know?" was brilliant

By my count, this is the third time AJ tells Sam to be quiet: "sorry when I fish, I like silence", "silence when hoop", "I just need like- just a bit of- quiet"

"You've got so many teeth." What is it with Tom and teeth? ("hey, I've got everything you've got, but I've also got several more teeth")

Aww Tom trying so hard not to laugh at Luke's "Have you given her adrenaline?"

Sam and AJ simultaneously pointing and saying "that/this way" to the bathroom somehow makes me laugh. Cos they're stressed out and there's this farmhand joyfully looking for his sheep. And Luke making himself laugh at his own sheep vs farmhand interaction is cute

Aahh Tom's facial expressions throughout were incredible!

"Not one seat each." I see Tom's enjoying inconveniencing the others

Not the subtitles calling Sam out on the "numchucks" 😂

Luke was lying face first on the floor for almost 6 minutes. I was initially wondering how Luke didn't break as a corpse, but you can see his body moving as he silently (and sometimes audibly) laughs. It's really cute and he laughs a lot throughout it's kinda funny

Tom was so good as the German stage person (Emcee?) with the incredible physical performance and expressions! Him and Krampus were so similar but so different, I'm in awe

The almost perfect symmetry of Sam and AJ laughing at Tom's "meine little liebchen" 😂

Sam shouting "numchucks numchucks numchucks" as he hits AJ with them is the funniest thing ever. Worse, I'd say, than the "bang bang bang" he called Luke out on in All Eyes on Nigel

AJ's delivery of "I recently found out that my nana is like a cult leader for people in Germany. And that, umm, is so weird" is absolutely stellar. And Luke's movements and smiles as Julie/Lucy were so subtly eerie from the beginning it was wonderful

They managed to stop the "stag"s perfectly, what great intuition!

Tom's "eh!" and shirt throw 😂 I was surprised he had a shirt on at the end

I can't explain it, and it was probably unintentional, but the wedding scene felt like it was still part of the fake scenario tests. Like stepping out almost from behind a curtain to "out there" together, hand-in-hand, and then immediately reaching the altar instead of the bride having the traditional long walk? Then Sam's speech about the mic amplifying which almost sounds like something you'd imagine in a dream or in your head, followed immediately by "I do" when they weren't even asked the question?

They're going to Bergheim straight after, meaning Ethel's successfully indoctrinated them both into her cult. And AJ's best friend isn't there. Was that cos Sam kept questioning Ethel and her methods? Was he banished from the cult? What's happened to him? If it was a normal wedding, you'd expect him to be there. Especially cos they keep reiterating that they're "best friend"s

I'm sure it's supposed to be a happy story but it feels more horror/psychological thriller to me, where the characters think they've reached their happy ending but in reality they're trapped now

[hayffiebird]

Do you guys ever go to bed early, just so that you can tell yourself a little hayffie one-shot in your mind? Like a bedtime story? 😂

[erros429]

something that irks me so bad are those people who argue that the red dragon fight is when the REAL dungeon meshi starts. like all that character establishment and worldbuilding and relationship development from the first 11 episodes are all skippable, and the only important thing about them is that they litter a bit of context for the viewer. but once you get to episode 12 is when you REALLY need to lock in.

and i just. vehemently disagree with that sentiment so much. the death of filler has tragically ruined the way we engage with media. because why the FUCK would i care about the red dragon fight if i didn’t already love the characters and appreciate their motivation for the fight in the first place? like yea, laios wanting to save his sister and marcille wanting to save her best friend are fine motivations on paper, but i honestly wouldn’t give a shit about falin surviving if i did not watch those first 11 episodes of these characters’ painstaking determination to get her back.

the execution of it all was perfect because those expository episodes were also perfect. and we should not devalue them simply because the red dragon fight was the turning point/tone shift for the overall narrative.

[sunlight-shunlight]

me staring into the distance:

so the evanuris/blight situation is that: solas managed to, at the height of his power + with all his ancient elf besties helping, seal them into the black city and make the veil. and this took so much out of him that he was basically comatose for 5000 years. ok fine.

but then in vg, his initial plan was to put them in a different jail, while the veil is still up (despite that weakening all magic significantly and making it difficult to even access the black city). and then he wants to tear down the veil afterwards, presumably expecting to still be awake to do so. despite not having his original orb or his ancient elf besties anymore? so it doesn't particularly make sense in general. similar to how he described what he wanted to do with the orb, you'd expect him to take out the veil first and then reseal/move the jail?

(and then he wanted to put them into a Regret Prison when he is the ONLY one out of that entire situation who feels any regrets... 😭)

then his more ambiguous-sounding veil removal motives of being depressed about elves/spirits and unable to see the modern world as worthy of existence... become almost irrelevant. bc it's kind of necessary for him to Do Something? or else everyone fully dies of turbo blight when the archdemons die and the black city inevitably opens?

but then no one really mentions the looming catastrophe of the blight part, and they handwave it at the end, and all act like he's being very unreasonable. which he is! but only bc they made him dumber than a rock and weirdly inconsistent in his capabilities, not bc his motivations were actually proven to be wrong. aaaaa.