#they really are the worst 8C

[daezedglownut]

Dad’s in hospital. Again. 8C

[ginsakatoki]

Hii! Congrats on increasing followers 💖💖 may I please ask 8C with Gintoki? 😬

[Rules] [Masterlist]

It was a calm winter evening, snow was slowly falling in Edo and everyone was trying to go home to get under a cozy blanket, or was already. You and Gintoki were at home alone, cuddling on the sofa as Kagura and Shinpachi had decided to spend some time at Otae’s.

Your relationship had always been weird: Gintoki wasn’t exactly a responsible person, yet he acted like a father figure to the two teenagers that lived with him, and you had a soothing energy that calmed them all down when they were stressed, almost like a mother figure. However, no one really took you two seriously. You were the loudest, most known couple in all Edo (possibly in the whole universe, most Amanto had heard of you two one way or another) because despite your caring natures you seemed to wreak havoc all around you, following the most honorable morals, but delivering them in the worst way possible. Like that one time a client asked you both to persuade her beloved not to leave Earth for work and you two decided that, obviously, the best way to do that would be to destroy the O-Edo Central Terminal, where all spaceships arrive and depart. If anyone had to describe your way of doing things, it would probably be “mission failed successfully”.

The two of you respected each other more than anyone else, and craved alone time more than anything, so you decided to sit on the sofa, watch some TV and have a lazy date. You couldn’t think of anything that could make that moment better, until Gintoki came up with a proposal.

“Say, do you want some hot chocolate?”

Whether you like hot chocolate or not, you agreed. Not really because you wanted the drink, but more because you knew he did so, why not? You expected him to ask you to get up and make it, but he got up instead and disappeared into the kitchen before you could protest. It was unusual of him to cook (or try to) and for obvious reasons, you couldn’t really shake off the eerie feeling that something wouldn’t exactly go as planned. As suspected, you were right. A few moments later the smell of burnt chocolate filled the house, but it was weird, it didn’t even smell like normal chocolate and, as you walked into the kitchen, you asked yourself how he could even mess up a two ingredients recipe. As soon as you saw him, you couldn’t help but giggle a little: he was frantically waving a cloth on the stoves trying to put out the fire, spitting out loud every single curse that came to his mind. He didn’t seem to understand why the flames kept coming up and expanding even though he kept putting them out, and that’s when you noticed the gas was still on. Carefully, but nonchalantly, you turned it off and stared at your boyfriend with an emotionless expression that caused an awkward but rather comedic silence. You let out a deep breathe a few seconds later and the smell of burnt chocolate (if that’s still what it could be called) filled your nostrils so intensely that you had to resist the urge to gag.

“Gin… what did you do?”

He looked around somewhat ashamed and proud at the same time.

“I know you are lactose intolerant so I wanted to make you hot chocolate with water”.

As soon as you heard that you started laughing uncontrollably and, even though the thought was cute, you couldn’t understand how he even thought about that.

“I love you, I really do, but you’re so stupid sometimes”.

That said you both started cleaning up and you explained him that a little milk wouldn’t kill you at all and that, just to be safe, you’d be the one to make hot chocolate from that day onward.

[thetownwecallhome]

TNBC Shower thought #6: Oog-booge revooge

(( OOC:

If you've followed this blog long enough you probably noticed the distinct lack of a certain gambling boogieman on here despite him being a staple of the franchise. The in-canon explanation is scattered throughout the blog as to why Oogie still be very dead, but I just gotta be honest with you all: I don't dig giving Oogie Boogie 'depth'.

I especially don't dig giving him depth by way of him having a connection with any other (canon) characters. Why?

If we're being totally cynical here, Oogie exists in Nightmare souly to make Jack not look as bad because Jack is the real antagonist of the story, not Oogie.

Oogie is the villain, the one who likes enacting harm, Jack is the heroantagonist all in one, he doesn't mean any harm but all of what happens in TNBC is his fault.

Oogie only plays a part in Jack's Xmas specifically cuz of Jack's lack of oversight and carelessness; even without Jack's specific instructions, Santa and Sally being Oogie's victims are his fault, and it's why Jack has to be the one to save them in the end. Whether or not you think Jack learned his lesson or is a bad person and TNBC is 'bad actually'i s it's own deep dive, but personally I really like followup material that show Jack being his best self (Zero's Journey: peppy, monsterboy pumpkin king doing what he can) as opposed to his worst self (Kingdom Hearts/Oogies Revenge Jack: uber selfabsorbed manchild who never cares about others feelings, despite the movie implying he's learned to do better).

All of this is coming up for me because the newest comic book for Nightmare went into the writer's canon backstory and it delved into one the ideas I absolutely hate: Oogie and Jack were once friends.

Making Jack and Oogie friends in the past or even just amicable to each other is a REALLY big misstep on the part writers, because it makes Jack's murdering Oogie in the film so much worse.

Oogie Boogie's death was the one part of Nightmare that truly disturbed me as a child. Having Jack so passively and aggressively skin Oogie alive and do nothing but scowl as his insides fall out in agony already makes Jack look like a Christian Gray level non-comeuppance-sue but ESPECIALLY if you tack on the idea that Oogie and him were friends once!

Jack's not Optimus Prime or Superman who's all about enacting justice and fighting for what's right tm. He's Jack Skellington. He's still a scary monster Halloween king of nightmares you don't want to mess with. In Henry Selick's words on the 2008 commentary track for Nightmare, the citizens of Halloween Town aren't 'monsters' (bad people) and neither is Jack, really. He's scary because that's his job but he and his town never mean actual harm, it's just that what they ENDS UP doing by way of Jack also being a self absorbed manchild which makes him actually dangerous.

Oogie is the exception to that. I always felt even as a kid, that the implication for why he's locked up by the rest of Halloween Town was always pretty clear: Oogie does mean real harm. Oogie wants to hurt people. He has no delusions of grandeur like Jack, yes, but he wants you dead for his own pleasure and that's really not okay and not 'a good scare'.

"It's much more fun I must confess when life is on the line, not mine of course, but yours old boy, now that would be just fine!" - Oogie, kinning the guy who runs McKanney Manor

Even the demo version of the final fight makes clear Oogie's idea of 'fun' is torture:

"No Jack, messing with MY IDEA OF FUN!"

Jack coming to his own and actually doing something about Oogie should be a moment of "Jack really IS back! 8D! And he's actually finally doing something about the incelcryptobro in his basement that he knows everyone dead! Jack's being responsible! 8D 8D!" for the audience, not "wow. Jack is dirtbag who never faces consequences and murders people for problems he caused 8C. And the movie takes his side because Jack's 'cool' and Oogie just so happened to be causing harm. The movie gives Jack an excuse. 8C 8C"

I'm not saying the latter is what you end up taking away as a viewer. I'm saying that's not the vibe you want and it's why for, in Jack's story, which TNBC is, Oogie really should be just a big bully with no nuance of his own. Or at least, no nuance that means anything TO Jack.

Oogie Boogie is kind of basic. I personally love him for that even though I don't know exactly how to write him and I want to make TNBC stuff without him as a villain. But believe me- as a villain lover I totally get the need to try and make more out of our potato-sack daddy.

If you're rightfully mad that the one BIPOC-voiced character in the cast is the bland ebbul dude, that's beyond valid!!! (no- I don't think think the coding or casting was intentional, but the pro-segregation coding in Lion King also wasn't intentional...doesn't mean it isn't problematic).

If you simply want a more interesting villain-big-bad that exists to make the main hero look better, that's all fine and good too.

Me personally, I'm currently stumped on how to flesh out Oogie and not make him a complete, actual monster by Halloween Town's standards. I'm currently trying to think around this...but we'll have to wait and see...

My biggest issue is how, because he's fun while he kills people, some fans go the opposite route Oogie is made into a harmless hammy bafoon stripped of all his teeth and his real personality. I'm sorry to do this but Oogie is NOT in love with Sally. Oogie is not Sally's sassy best friend who's great at calling Jack out on his bad boyfriend-ness.

That's not Oogie Boogie. That's Angel Dust but that's not Oogie Boogie.

I like my Oogie being a bully. Not a puppy dog, not a tragic character, just an actual unbridled monster in the midst of this town of performance scarers.

But...That's just my take, not yours. If you love Oogie being perfect and flawless to counteract Jack's supposed 'perfectflawlessness', if you wanna see him as a real nuanced character because Oogie is definitely a fun one...right on. I'm not your mom.

But yeah, that's why Oogie doesn't appear too much in my comics except for in prequel stuff. Granted, I do want to do more with him but I'm stumped as for now so Oogie stays double dead.

If he does show up and makes friends, expect his friends to not be Jack and Sally because Sally's got better friends and no way would Oogie trust Jack after all Jack's put him through.

In other news, I'm an annoying boomer now about the comics))

[callmearcturus]

Just watched MI 1, on my way to watching the others (sorry I am incapable of not going in order and I'm really curious how all your fic differs from MI 3...)

Oh boy. Twinkthan, the knife, the elevator, Luther (Luther!!!), the fuckin train/helicopter?? I am so curious how the train and the helicopter stunt worked, it was so agonizing the whole way through. Wow. I am 100% down now and I was already like 80% down from the fic.

oh anon you are gonna have to get through the two worst movies that way but godspeed, glory 8C please know that once McQ gets his hands on the series, it's a tremendous rebirth

lmao the stunts in the first three movies are.... fine. i remember during our commentary of MI3 I told Punct the fulcrum jump was not real and they were SO MAD.

for MI1, the most impressive stunt is the Langley sequence. like, you can see TC's body control as he spins and tilts himself on those pivot points. and obvious he nearly didn't pull off the cable drop itself but managed it on the last take DePalma was going to give him.

the train was mostly CGI but i know there's a stunt where they used high-powered fans to blast TC from the helicopter onto the train. which would be impressive if it sadly didn't look dumb. (I'm not a fan of that entire sequence, MI1 to me ends with the Jim/Ethan confrontation and the lovely Luther/Ethan bit at the end is a coda.)

for MI2, I MEAN. THERE'S A LOT OF WEIRD PRACTICAL EFFECTS AND ALSO CGI EFFECTS? like the death star dive into the lab is obvsly greenscreened to hell and back and his building dive, that one too. HOWEVER almost all of the motorcycle shit is real and began TC's lifelong affair with decelerator cables--

which, basically from MI2 onward, if you see Ethan get thrown from a motorcycle or slide down a building or basically anything that makes you go "oh he'd be fucking dead at that speed" that is TC attached to a Decelerator Cables, invented by Dar Robinson, maybe the greatest stunt man of all time, and the cable will slow the stuntman (or batshit lead actor) down so they DON'T get squished on impact. the very cool hit-and-roll in Fallout is this.

ANYWAY yeah iirc even the stunt of the motorcycle jousting is real with both actors on cables but the truly Most Batshit stunt is the knife-to-the-eye stunt in the climax. which was TC's idea. and imo is like top three for Most Dangerous Bullshit This Idiot Has Done.

for MI3 there are only really two stunts in that movie but you haven't gotten there yet so hit me up later.

also if you wanna hear me expound on each stunt as it happens, Punct and I did those audio commentaries. they are Super Spoilery and full of Dubiously Fun Facts so maybe after you watch all the movies first.

[reginadeltrash]

The Hazbin Hotel's rules

(but I can only use and slightly rephrase actual rules from my summer camp):

1. You can sleep in a room with whoever you want (I don't care) the only thing to remember is that we are currently 8 in this hotel, and I want it to be true next morning as well.

1b. (however if you really have to change that number we prefer murder rather than pregnancy)

2. 'Dish cleaning duty' is not under any circumstances allowed to become 'Water balloon war duty'

2b. (no matter how much you hate the person you're stuck with)

3. If you see a bug don't freak out, please, the floor is already dirty as it is, we don't need bug's blood on top of that

3b. (Niffty, please, stop breaking rule 3)

4. A 'Hotel improving meeting' cannot be held in the middle of the night

4b. (or in the bathroom)

5. If an overlord comes by please don't disturb them. They'll probably just sit in the hall and stay on their phone until the person they need arrives, anyway.

5b. (Alastor, please go talk to them as soon as possible, we all know they're here for you 99% of the time)

5c. (The previous rule does not apply to Rosie. Rosie's nice, and she's probably just here to drop food)

6. If you arrive after 2:00 A.M. you need to have a convincing excuse.

6b. ('We got lost' is not convincing, because our building is fucking huge! Try again)

7. The kitchen is reserved for people who can actually cook, everyone else can try and make their 'recipes' in the garden, so we won't have to clean.

8. If I find another attempt at a Molotov in one of the rooms I'm gonna commit a crime.

8b. (Cherri, this is 100% about you)

8c. (Didn't think I needed to specify this, but, when I say Molotov I mean every kind of explosive thing)

8d. (Yes. Including fireworks)

9. The dirty clothes need to be put in the laundry room, not on a random chandelier.

9b. (You're only allowed to break this specific rule if you had the worst day ever, and also if you promise to be the one who will retrieve those clothes the morning after.)

10. Please, read the instructions if you want to 'help' with the washing machine.

11. If Charlie is talking, you don't interrupt her, otherwise you can't whine when everyone is angry at you for making her cry and consequently craft a ninety minutes power point on 'the art of listening'.

12. If we say to meet up at like 7:00 try to be here at least for 9:00, ok?

13. No jumping or having sex in the bed

13b. (I don't care which one you were doing last night, I'm just fucking tired of repairing that bed.)

14. Windows are not a good alternative to doors.

14b. (Especially those on the second floor)

15. For the love of God! Stop complaining about the cookies we serve for breakfast! Angel made them when drunk and we need to finish them in order not to hurt his feelings.

16. The music we use during exercises is chosen by Charlie, if you have any problems with it talk with her.

16b. (Always remember the looming threat of a ninety minutes power point, though)

17. Movie night is a privilege not a right.

18. 'Murder mystery night' is just a game. Quit telling Pentious is real.

18b. (Also, no! It can't actually become 'Murder mystery night for real', Niffty)

19. Stay at least six feet away from Niffty when she's sewing, if you value all of your limbs.

20. Outsiders (like delivery guys) may not be completely on our dynamics, so please try to behave like normal human beings when they come by.

21. Singing/Instrument playing time is set from 10:00 A.M. to 9 P.M. respect it, please. We don't need another noise complaint.

22. You need to always have clothes on.

22b. (A bikini is not considered clothes from now on.)

23. If your luggage doesn't have a lock good luck my friend!

24. During the cleanliness inspection there isn't a winner.

24b. (Update. Cleanliness inspection can have a winner, if you want, just leave your rooms clean, please.

25. Please, don't cry during 'compliment game' night, because I have no idea how I should help you with that.

26. Don't make any mommy/daddy issues jokes.

26b. (They may be funny where you're from, but not here. Here people have several of them)

27. That's about it!

27b. (Please don't force me to add more, people already think we're crazy)

List redacted by:

Vaggie

[blogger360ncislarules]

It's very rare that someone gets the drop on Colter Shaw.

Colter prides himself on being very aware of his surroundings, a trait built during a childhood that saw an almost 'survival of the fittest' competition play out amongst his family.

He's parlayed those experiences into his role as a professional reward-seeker, but during Tracker Season 1 Episode 5, we'll see Colter take on a different kind of case that will find him in some trouble, and TV Fanatic got an exclusive clip from the hour!

Colter is used to tracking down missing persons with a cash reward on the line, and we've seen him find missing teenagers and even free someone from a cult during Tracker Season 1.

Here, we'll see Colter headed to the Gateway of the West, where he'll be looking for a potential witness who could help a convicted murderer prove his innocence.

That is certainly a case that's a little outside of Colter's wheelhouse, but we're slowly learning throughout this season there isn't much Colter isn't willing to do.

Not only does he love a challenge, but he likes to help people, and it's easy to see why he'd feel compelled to take this case when said convicted murderer's daughter is the one making the request.

No one wants to believe the worst about their parent, and Clay Porter's daughter wants to help her father. If there really is a witness out there in the wind who could help exonerate her, she will surely do whatever she can to find them.

Not many are equipped to find just about anyone, and the case may take on a personal note for Colter as it deals with finding a witness who could help a potentially innocent man get his life back.

There must be a large part of Colter who wishes there was a witness the night his father died so he could get some closure about just what happened out there at Devil's Notch.

We haven't had much movement on the Shaw Family drama, but this case may reopen some things for Colter and provide more information about this season-long mystery.

But while the jury is out on whether or not we'll hear more about Russell's cell phone habits, we will see Colter and Reenie working together, a partnership that has been a lot of fun thus far.

Reenie keeps Colter at a safe distance due to their history, but she still cares about him and knows he's the best at what he does.

It's been fun seeing them continue to bond each week and slowly develop a new normal in their dynamic, which is one of respect for the other's talents and a willingness to help.

In this clip exclusive to TV Fanatic, Reenie expresses concern for Colter, who seems to take her words in stride but nonetheless powers on with his next move.

His next move takes him to confronting a woman named Mallory and then promptly getting knocked out!

Colter often finds himself in predicaments, and at this point, we've seen him be shot at and stabbed, but a clubbing to the back of the head is brand new territory.

No one said reward-seeking was easy or safe, for that matter, and we'll have to see how Colter can get himself out of another sticky situation.

Check out the exclusive clip below, and make sure to leave all your thoughts about the upcoming hour in the comment section as well.

We'll be back after the latest episode with a comprehensive review and much more to discuss!

You can watch Tracker at 9/8c on Sundays on CBS.

[nickywhoisi]

So...this happened.

I have gotten destroyed inside over something that I was not intending to ever even know about, much less have a conclusion on. Because tumblr and its random users do not have a fair and fully safe tagging system, which I would rather there be a mandatory requirement for every uploader to put A tag of some sort onto their post or it cannot be uploaded for the world to see in order to prevent a traumatization/bad trigger relapse all because a user like myself has no way to stop a blank untagged post from entering their dash entirely uninvited (LIKE ME >8C ), I was the one who had to suffer the crippling traumatic news of a little something called...let's abreviate it to C.A.F. related to what the police do to REALLY fund themselves and what the governments never do anything about and in fact let happen.

I had almost committed suicide. Just from learning how innocent until proven guilty, a sanctimonious fair and just rule, is...it feels like it's no longer applicable because of this one occurence. Something that burns me to my absolute core, but also burns up my will to live. How is it possible for me to live to my beliefs in a world designed to annihilate every last one of them? How is it possible for me to be myself in a world designed to breach every one of my boundaries and punish me for daring to choose what is right? To kill me without killing me, therefore churning out the illusion they've built around themselves all the more that they should be anything except abolished.

It came to me though, thanks to other rebloggers of that post. Before the final hour, I realized that this was once again all narcissistic insanity. Even better to say, the psychotics of the planet that have no perceivable connection to true reality, only a fabric lie that they've spent their lifetimes brainwashing themselves and the rest of us as reality. I have never bowed to the sayings of "too bad, that's life, life's unfair" or "there's nothing we can do, just move on" and others to that effect. I am glad that this, somehow, has stayed inside of my core to keep me surviving and hopeful, in any amount.

But despite that, I do still lament and grieve...because I've just lost something that I promised to myself within my long lost golden years of childhood. A promise that was related to facing these cruelties and keeping my moral code, my "purity" in a way, unchanged forevermore. For decades, it seemed like I was going to be able to, as nothing...came around to challenge that. But...now it has, and so severely that it feels so unreal; like I was facing some evil that came from a cartoon and so disconnected from reality. But reality itself has been compromised, after this and the endless shit that came before, I know that now...and sadly, I think what I've lost is the ability to see the good in anything related to this. Because there is none. To hope for the best. Because there cannot be. This time, as opposed to all others, is the catalyst for gavalistic agony that I cannot mentally see a peaceful way out of. I have been pushed too far, and I did not even get to enjoy this place I am in now and finish processing the rest of my crippling troubles before this monolith entered my scope. Now I am left grimly making preparations to...well, do something that would paradoxically leave me in such misery that I can't uphold this anymore and I won't be able to feel like myself anymore, but also that my mind would become so clear from stress if I can successfully get rid of these assailants for good. What would furiously get me in trouble, but would be such good payoff for all of my pain. I must have release, and will have it.

I have been under too much. If there were a means to upload my entire life's history as a video, and you watched its entirety, you would see for yourselves that it would be a long and impossibly miserable video. And to be forced to observe the truest worst that this planet has to offer...it only confirms the above paragraphs all the more. How am I expected to keep my old familiar moral code and "be good" when so much unfamiliar trauma is making my inner child die in my arms? I want her to live...she deserves to live in a good world, not for me to struggle to be good in a bad world that officially is fascist and punishes on a greed-fueled whim. What if being good is now no longer viable to solving these types of problems?

I have to say it's time for a civil war.

Now with all that out of the way...for fuck's sake. I was going to have a pleasant day, just minding my own fucking business on tumblr until this happened, not oly the topic being such a problem, but the way it appeared out of nowhere, where I had no way of stopping it. How goddamn useless do you have to be to not bring yourself to tag a post when you can literally type one out just like you type out the rest of a post. There's laziness and then there's you kind of deal. It's exactly the same!!! The tag bar is practically inside the post itself, it's all the white space!!! What is your damage that you can't even add ONE tag do you hate the colour grey is your goal just to make people cry did a tag kill your family do you delude yourself into thinking tags don't exist and the search function is irrelevant do you think it's just an annoying tumblr ad you don't have to engage with is that it you vegetable

Do y'all not realize that there's more than you on this website? And that for every post that you feel should be seen and is okay, another person will not be okay with it and do not ever want to see posts with such-and-such in it? Some people likely need to have some corner of the internet where they can rely on being able to curate their experience and keep their eyes and mind safe from whatever it is they emotionally, mentally, physically can't handle. It's not a matter of "awww this makes me sad I don't like it ionwanna seeeee it" no it's more like "I will hyperventilate and have my body's health compromised if I so much as glimpse at this thing, I may be hospitalized if this assaults me"

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING, TAG YOUR SHIT. APPROPRIATELY OR INNAPROPRIATELY, I DO NOT GIVE A FUCKING DAMN. I AM SO TIRED OF EVERYTHING. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU, AND I WILL NOT REPEAT MYSELF. GET YOUR BULLSHIT TOGETHER, STOP BEING SO INSISTENT THAT YOUR POST EVEN BE SEEN THAT YOU FORGET COURTESY TO FELLOW USERS. FUCK YOU, BLANK POSTERS, JUST FUCK YOU I DIDN'T ASK TO SEE THIS SHIT AND YOU BLOODY WELL KNOW I DIDN'T YOU INSIDIOUS PRICKS. CURATION CAN'T EVEN HAPPEN SUCCESSFULLY IF YOU'RE ON THE PROWL THINKING IT'S ALL FAIR GAME/I'M LETTING THE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT. EITHER WAY, NONE OF THESE REASONS ARE GOOD ENOUGH IF YOU DON'T TAG. I DON'T CARE IF ALL YOU MUSTER IS #a I PHYSICALLY HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO CARE THAT'S STILL A TAG AND IT WILL HELP LITERALLY EVERYONE IN FILTERING AND CURATING FOR THEIR SAFETY AND COMFORT. YOU HAVE NO BLOODY EXCUSE ACCEPTABLE ENOUGH TO NOT MAKE A SINGLE LETTER TAG TO JUST SHOW MORE MINDFULNESS OF OTHERS BEYOND YOUR NOBLE CRUSADE OR LATEST SOCIAL TERRORISM BIT OR WHATFUCKINGEVER. SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND TAG OR DON'T EVEN BOTHER POSTING. FUCK.

[cornflowercanine]

i dont understand the jade 'meta' thats just 'oh shes mistreated 8y The Narr8ive and is like, aware of this, and is deli8er8ly lonely and angry 8c of this, and is S33333cretly SUPER fucking angry at her friends 8c shes Aware of the Gr8er Narr8ive around How Others Treat Her and 8lah8lah8lah8lah' jade doesnt know a8t her narr8ive, at least not unless its the version of her that talks to alt callie who tells her 'youre lonely 8c youre a space player', if that even counts, 8ut as for pre-retcon her or her up until june n davesprite die on the ship, i think she's just like. [rose we dont have fuckin "arcs" we just are human 8eings] i think may8e her yelling at jadesprite could 8e Reflective of her narr8ive or what the fuck ever 8ut its.... shes not calcul8ed 'oh my grandpa is dead 8c The Narr8ive!!' 'oh my friends dont give me more space to do stuff 8c Narr8ive!!!' 'oh im lagging 8ehind in s8ur8 8c NARR8IVE!!!!!!' she just.... does stuff and sometimes things in her life are reflective of patterns in her life up til that point and sometimes into the future (not like she knows though), like, yknow, a person does??? i could go on 8ut godddddd if you want a char thats aware of ~The Narr8ive~ and is punished 8y it and fighting against it and failing vriska fucking serket is right there!!!! ms 'oh this is just my luck'!!!! reread homestuck instead of trying to make New Interesting "Meta" 8ased off of "meta" 8y other hs fans who only read half the comic 6 years ago and their entire conceptualiz8ion of the story and characters is memories of memories of memories of hcs and fanart of memories of One Scr33nshot of Two Sentences In A Chatlog of memories of memories of homestuck. itll 8e more exciting than reinventing epilogue "jade SECRETLY h8s all her friends and is a 8itter disgusting person!!!" shit 8c ur tired of the 50000th 'jade is happy and ok with stuff 8ut like, in a shallow way' jade fanart uve s33n i prooooooomise

[chocoholicannanymous]

...As Stupid Does (Teen Wolf) 19/19

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything – except for a red hoodie...

This is the final part of this story, and this ‘verse. A bit bittersweet, but honestly? So much relief too. Because as much as I never wanted to abandon this story I was worried that I’d never pull together the focus and energy to connect scattered paragraphs and thoughts into a complete ending.

Here it is though. I hope those of you reading this enjoy it.

Part 18, Part 17, Part 16, Part 15, Part 14, Part 13,  Part 12,  Part 11,  Part 10,  Interlude,  Part 9, Part 8d, Part 8c, Part 8b, Part 8a, Part 7, Part 6, Part 5,Part 4,Part 3, Part 2, Part 1,Not Stupid, Stupid Is… and pre-verse ficlet I’m Stupid (Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me)…

Epilogue

Here's the thing: Stiles is a lucky guy. He's smart enough to realize exactly how lucky.

He's three years through a four year college degree, with a job waiting for him after graduation. His relationship with his dad is stronger than ever. He's got a home also waiting for him, one that's surrounded by two packs full of 'wolves.

He's also got Derek.

And the thing is, he and Derek? They're good together. Like really, really, almost disgustingly good. They weren't back in Beacon Hills. They kind of weren't when they decided to try again, for real this time.

They had spent their first year together fucking up, and god, the amount of times Stiles had questioned not just his sanity in doing this but also his intelligence. But during that year they also started working together, begun healing old hurts and smoothing down their rough edges, and found a way to fit together.

Once that year was over they'd sat down and talked things through.

Okay, they'd screamed some too, and once Stiles had even walked out. But the important thing is that he'd done so in a mature way. He'd told Derek that he was walking out, why he was doing so and that he was coming back once he'd cooled off. And then he'd kept his word.

And they'd done it on their own. No prompting, no mediating, no one coming in to send them to separate corners or patch them up. Stiles is still hella proud of that.

It's been three years now, and as far as Stiles is concerned he's got an amazing boyfriend that he fully expects to spend the rest of his life with.

If anyone had told him this years ago, when Scott had just been bitten and they were scrambling to keep their heads above water – at one point literally – Stiles would not have believed it. At one point he'd have taken violently offense, even without being told said boyfriend would be Derek.

Things have changed. He has changed. Derek has changed. But most importantly? They've changed together.

These days Derek has enough of a handle on himself to not need magic or therapy to make it through a visit. He's still seeing Dr Bianchi occasionally, as is Stiles, but they're both down to a handful of times per year.

And it's not just when it comes to the two of them that Derek has improved. Stiles gets regular reports from Scott, and it's obvious that Derek's a good Alpha these days. Sure, he will only stay an Alpha for a little while longer before handing it over to Cora, but that doesn't diminish his accomplishment. Everyone in a pack benefits from a good, steady Alpha.

Just like Cora benefits from a brother who is all these things.

Yeah, life is good.

The only dark cloud on Stiles's horizon is that he's going to have to go back to Beacon Hills.

Returning to Beacon Hills is, yeah okay, it's not the last thing Stiles wants to do. Reliving the Alpha pack, the kanima, Kate, Allison, Gerard, Peter (though that one's a firm “against” on returning too), reliving his mother's death, living through his dad's death, killing someone, almost killing someone, losing his pack, losing Embry... There are a lot of thing that Stiles wants even less.

But returning to Beacon Hills, even for a weekend, does come very low on the list. Distance has not made Stiles' heart fonder. Returning sadly isn't exactly optional.

Sure, no one's forcing him, but that doesn't mean staying away is an alternative. Not this time. Because Scott is getting married. Scott, who's still only 21 for another couple of weeks, and who used to think that werewolves were the worst (or second worst depending on how angry he was with Derek that day), who believed that he didn't need an Alpha and that Allison had hung the moon, is getting married to a werewolf, one that's not only Derek's sister, but also his soon-to-be Alpha.

And of course said wedding has to take place in Beacon Hills.

Now, Stiles has done his best to talk Scott into eloping, has tried since Scott called him with the news that Cora had said yes, but. Apparently Scott can't see the brilliance in eloping, not even with Stiles's excellent arguments.

“You, me, your mom, abuela Delgado, Derek and Cora. Just the family. No douche pack.”

“What about Peter?”

Seriously? The last thing Stiles had expected to need to justify is why leaving Peter out of, well, everything is a good idea.

“No uncle psycho either. He doesn't qualify as family.”

There's a sound that Stiles knows from years of being Scott's friend means he's nodding in agreement.

“Okay, true. What about dad though?”

“Oh, you know, I figured he'd be my plus one.” That came out flippantly, because he knows there's no way Scott wouldn't invite his dad regardless.

“No, Stiles, what about my dad?”

“He doesn't qualify as family either.”

The words come out before Stiles can filter himself, and he kind of wishes he could take them back, except...

“Look, can I be brutal here? I mean, we both know I'm going to be honest so... When's the last time you saw agent McCall?”

“There was a thing junior year, he came here to investigate.”

Not what he was asking, but a very telling answer.

“Okay, and when's the last time you saw him in his capacity as your dad? Hell, when's the last time you spoke to him? Does he even know about Cora?”

Scott evades the questions, which again: telling.

“He's my dad though, doesn't that kind of mean I have to invite him?”

Stiles snorts. As if.

“I don't see why. Sure, he's 50 % of your genepool, but is he really your dad? I mean, I can't remember the last time he and you shared anything other than your last name, and we both know that's not going to be true for much longer.”

“Yeah, okay, you have a point. He's not getting an invite. That doesn't mean we're eloping though, Stiles. Cora deserves a proper wedding, and I'm going to give her that. Now, you convince her that eloping's a good idea and we can talk about it again, but I'm not risking making her mad at me just because you don't want to subject yourself to Isaac. At least Jackson won't be invited?”

“Small favors, man. Small favors.”

There's another one of Scott's agreement noises before the conversation had moved on.

Of course, Cora had been an even tougher nut to crack than Scott, and Stiles had retreated ungracefully once she'd started threatening his balls.

Really, there was no need to go there. If for no other reason, well, shouldn't she leave the goods intact for Derek's sake?

Of course, Stiles can understand why she's unwilling to let go of the only Hale tradition she still can have, namely getting married in the preserve and in the presence of pack. Every Hale has done so for over 200 years, before they were even called Hale.

(Stiles listens to Derek explain, haltingly, and decides to admit defeat. At least Derek's willing to bypass that tradition, should they one day decide to marry. He'll take that win and stop pestering Cora.)

So, anyway. There's no talking the lovely couple into eloping. Which means like it or not – and trust him, it's not – Stiles is going back. Because it's Scott.

There's also the fact that in a strange way Stiles has waited for this wedding as long as Scott has. When he and Derek had gotten back together the plan had been for Cora to graduate, then take over the Alpha spark and the pack. Two years had felt long, but doable.

And then Cora had asked for more time.

She'd gone straight from school to working at the Beacon Hills sheriff's department and had felt she needed to adjust a little better to that before taking on something new. It'd been reasonable, and more importantly: Derek had been almost unable to deny his sister anything after getting her back from the dead (except you know, figuratively speaking, unlike a certain other family member).

So they'd talked it over and agreed to give Cora another year, moving the transfer to after the wedding. It makes, Stiles thinks, for one hell of a wedding present. If that's good or bad, eh. Who knows.

He'd taken on more classes in order to have a distraction, had worked himself to the point of exhaustion more than once, and nearly driven the people around him crazy. It'd been more than a little overkill, he admits now, but it had kept him from missing Derek too much. It also means he'll be able to slow down a little his final year.

Or take on whatever shiny but totally unnecessary new class catches his eye, probably, but. He pretends he'll take it easy. Derek pretends to believe him. Derek's also made it clear he's going to move to Seattle once he can leave Beacon Hills, and stay there as long as Stiles does. They both pretend it's not partially to keep Stiles from studying himself into the hospital.

Anyway. He's just, you know, going to have to count small favors. The first one being that Jackson really isn't invited. The second is that Lydia, who was, isn't coming either. Once Stiles had gotten over his crush on her he'd kept a measure of fond respect for the person he'd learned existed behind Lydia's facades, even though they'd never really become friends. That didn't change the fact that her not coming was a relief – she's too smart, sees too much, and he would hate for her to figure things out.

Another person not coming is Danny who's transferred his allegiance to the pack near his college where he's, completely coincidentally Stiles is sure, dating the Alpha's grandson. He'd been invited as a courtesy, but told he couldn't bring his boyfriend, and had wisely chosen not to accept. Cora hates him, and he apparently knows it, and Scott isn't to fond of him either.

Those really are small favors though.

A slightly bigger one is the fact that Deaton isn't coming. Not only does he no longer live in Beacon Hills, but he hasn't been invited. While no one had been able to prove that there had been magic on Scott, his opinions on both Derek and Deaton had changed a little too much for comfort after first moving away and then beginning to meditate. Even Scott had noticed, and gotten suspicious.

In the end there had been no protests from Scott as Derek and Cora had ended Deaton's lease of the land for his practice – land he had been granted use of as the Hale pack's emissary and then had kept using free of charge since the fire, knowing he wasn't keeping to the agreement. Once he'd been called on it, Deaton had packed up, sold his home, and moved away.

No one misses him – not even Scott.

However none of that changes the fact that Beacon Hills still has Peter Hale, who is most certainly both invited to the wedding and attending, and who Stiles still sees as a threat. Because, well, he's not stupid.

Peter Hale will stop being a threat the day he dies, and maybe not even then. (Next time, Stiles has promised himself, he's going to make sure Peter gets the Aiden treatment.)

And Stiles is going to willingly place himself within striking distance from said threat, without a protector on hand.

He hadn't even thought about it at first, just assuming he'd have Embry to keep him safe, but it hadn't taken long to realize that bringing Embry to Scott's wedding wasn't an option.

First of all there's the fact that while neither Derek or Cora can feel the supernatural in the LaPush 'wolves unless they're shifting Peter might. Peter, who's not only older and has had the kind of training Derek never got but who also has access to a lot of the Hale pack's lore which Derek had thought lost in the fire. Stiles isn't willing to take a chance on that knowledge not containing something to help Peter identify the LaPush shifters. (This is, incidentally, one of the reasons Stiles is happy Deaton is gone. He too knows too much for Stiles to trust he wouldn't be able identify another kind of shifter.)

Second there's the fact that every single pack member is visibly Native American, and there are only so many tribes. Peter – or Danny for that matter, even though he's not going to be present, but he's more of an annoyance – could locate Stiles far too easily easily with that kind of information.

There's also the fact that Embry would be on a hair trigger simply because Stiles will be, and might shift and expose them.

Most importantly though is that bringing what would look like a plus one to Cora's wedding would be an insult. Not just to her, who's only just gotten to the point where she accepts that Stiles is in her brother's life for good, but also to Derek. Yes, everyone who matters knows that Embry's relationship with Stiles is as platonic as can be, but that doesn't change anything. They smell enough like each other for wolfy noses to know they're not casual acquaintances, and chances are there would be quite a bit of ribbing and speculation. Derek shouldn't have to listen to that, or for that matter look at Stiles walking around with another man when he himself has to hide what they are to each other. Desire for protection or not, Stiles just isn't willing to do that to Derek.

It's possible that Embry could have skated by as the son of John Stilinski's fiancée – and wow, Stiles still hasn't gotten used to referring to Tiffany Call that way (and damn, does that make him glad that he and Embry are platonic, because that's a little to incestuous even as is). Scott would have been okay with both of them coming, had even brought it up, but everyone involved is aware that it'd make Melissa feel uncomfortable. Regardless, Tiffany's not coming either. Like with Embry there's no way of hiding that she's native, making her too easily identifiable. There's also the fact that it just isn't safe.

Tiffany is many things, and a stronger woman than most, but she's not a fighter. If things go wrong she would be vulnerable, and a liability.

Bringing someone other than Embry means the same risk of discovery.

So instead of a werewolf bodyguard or ten Stiles has his dad.

Yeah.

There's also the fact that in the interest of keeping secrets Stiles can't even use the silver lining of more time with Derek. Letting anyone from that pack know of their connection is bad, but the thought of letting Peter know makes Stiles's blood run cold. That means he's going to be within minutes of his boyfriend for days, and yet he's not going to get hugs, or kisses, or a bedpartner. He's going to be at a wedding along with his romantic partner, while pretending he's single.

Yeah.

It's going to suck.

O--o---o--O

The wedding is missing a lot of traditional parts. It's understandable, really, and not just because both bride and groom along with several guests are werewolves. It's just... Cora doesn't have a father to give her away, or dance with her. She doesn't have a mother to support her, an inherited dress or heirloom jewelry. She doesn't have a best friend to be her maid of honor. What she's got is a brother whose Alpha she'll be within days and an uncle that she doesn't trust as far as she can throw him. Or well, as far as Stiles could throw him.

So they adjust.

No one gives Cora away. Instead she and Scott walk up the isle – isle, forest path, same thing – together. Neither of them have attendants, and Melissa McCall's wedding dress stays in its garment bag.

The wedding is small and intimate, with only a handful of guests outside of the pack – Stiles, John, Melissa, abuela Delgado and two 'wolves from Cora's South American pack. It takes place in a glade just on the edge of the preserve and the only decorations are wild flowers and boughs of leaves.

It's scaled-down, but also beautiful in its simplicity, because no one can doubt that these are two people who love each other deeply.

Stiles has to blink away tears at more than one time. His friend, his brother, is promising to love, cherish and honor his girl, and is being promised the same in return. There's not a doubt in Stiles's mind that when they swear to do so until death do them part they mean it. This, he knows, is Scott's life now. It's the life and future he deserves. It's enough to make Stiles's heart swell with love.

And then it hits him. With a little luck that'll be him in a not too distant future. He has to look away not to betray himself by staring lovingly at Derek.

Stiles walks through the door to the cabin he's sharing with his dad. He's tired, both because of emotion and vigilance. His dad's still back at the wedding, catching up with Melissa, but Stiles doesn't have the energy. He's spent the day keeping one eye on the pack, and Peter in particular, and generally hating that he's back in Beacon Hills while loving that he's able to be here for Scott.

It's been exhausting.

Just about everyone else is still celebrating, but once Scott and Cora had left to change clothes and go on their honeymoon Stiles had left too. Pretending that he doesn't want to kill Peter, or kiss Derek, has taken it out of him and he can't do it any longer. He's going back home tomorrow and he can't spend another minute being that close to Derek without being able to be with him. That it'll be at least a month, probably two or more, before he can see Derek again is making it even harder.

As far as everyone but him and Derek knows Scott and Cora are going on an actual honeymoon, for a whole month. The truth is that they'll be gone for a week before sneaking back. The rest of the time will be spent in recovery and training after Derek transfers the Alpha spark. Cora will come back as the new Hale Alpha, but that doesn't mean Derek will be free to leave.

There will be unrest in a pack with a new Alpha, even under the best of circumstances, and these – as so often for them – are not. Cora will need Derek by her side, to support her and calm the pack. Maybe she'll also need him to help take down threats thinking to take advantage of a novice Alpha. Maybe they'll have to deal with Peter...

It'll be a little while yet before Derek will be free of Beacon Hills.

So Stiles is sad, and he's got a headache and he just wants to take some pills, text Embry some and then sleep.

After he's re-ringed the cabin with mountain ash of course.

Stiles pulls his phone out of its pocket, takes off his jacket and goes to throw it at the chair before thinking twice. It's a decent suit jacket and if he treats it right he won't need to go suit shopping again in years. Coat hanger it is.

He turn towards the clothes rack, his brain three steps ahead, and hits a wall, his phone clattering to the floor.

Only there's no wall there.

He scrambles backwards, trying to put as much space as he can between himself and the threat and swears. The door is out of reach and he's trapped.

“Hello Stiles.”

Fuck.

“Peter.”

He flicks through scenarios in his head, trying to figure out how to get out of this, but he keeps running into mental walls.

Stiles is a lot better trained than when he left Beacon Hills, in ways Peter knows nothing about. Under the right circumstances he might have a chance.

These are not.

He's in close quarters with Peter, unable to reach the door before the 'wolf can get to him. He's mostly unarmed due to being dressed for a wedding, and what he does have isn't as easily accessible as he'd like.

Plus it's Peter.

Stiles is going to assume that everything he thinks he knows about Peter's skills and strength is wrong. To do anything else would be to sign his own death warrant. Derek might be clouded by memories of “uncle Peter”, but Stiles has never forgotten the psychopathic killer he'd first encountered.

No, training or no training, Stiles's one real advantage is having a pack, and what being part of it means. Unfortunately he has no idea if it'll be enough.

“Shouldn't you be with the pack, or, I don't know, in your own home? Not breaking and entering somewhere you're definitely not welcome.”

“Oh, but it's not breaking and entering if you have a key.” Which, fuck, did Peter kill someone to get his hands on a backup key? “Besides, I didn't get a chance to talk to you earlier. It's been so long, Stiles, won't you humor me? We're practically old friends, are we not? It'll be like old times.”

“You're crazy.”

“Now now Stiles. That's not very nice of you.”

Stiles snorts, because nice? Not really in his wheelhouse.

“You think I care? When it comes to you? Come now, I said crazy, not stupid.”

Because unfortunately Peter is anything but, making him even more dangerous. Still, the wolf just smirks a little at Stiles's defiance.

“I'm afraid that answer just isn't acceptable. See, I really do need to talk to you. Or well, I need you. I'd like it if you talked to me, but I'll manage either way. You however... You really would do well to humor me.”

Then Peter looks at him, and oh shit. His eyes are flashing back and forth between the electric blue that had looked so good on Derek and a sickly red.

It takes nothing to figure it out.

Peter had called him the clever one, and meant it in a mocking way. But the reality is that Stiles is clever, and knows how to put puzzle pieces together.

And these particular puzzle pieces... Peter came back to life using not only Lydia but also Derek – had drained Derek of life and strength and power, and had tried to steal the Alpha power too.

And afterwards Derek had changed. Had grown more volatile, more likely to hurt someone – more unstable.

Stiles is willing to bet Peter had had a bit more success than they'd realized, that he'd managed to siphon off some of the Alpha power and keep it.

That would explain why Derek had acted the way he had. Why he'd been so easily influenced by the pack's negativity. Why Derek had sometimes acted more like Peter than like himself.

It would definitely explain how the Alpha power had become this unstable, negative force in Derek that he felt was fighting him. He is sharing it with Peter. And apparently Peter is done sharing. Stiles is uncomfortably aware of exactly how little defense he has to put up in regards to a Peter who is no longer hiding his power, who is no longer playing weak and damaged.

The only reason he's still alive is so Peter can use him against Derek.

Because even holding a part of the Hale Alpha spark Peter isn't going to just challenge Derek for the rest of it, or meet him in a fair fight. It's not how he works. Peter doesn't believe in fair, and wants the odds as weighted in his favor as possible. Using Stiles as bait, or whatever, is a way of doing that. There's also the fact that Derek has been getting stronger and better as an Alpha, leaving Peter needing every advantage he could. Even an ambush might not give him the upper hand.

Well, Stiles is going to do what he can to even out the odds a bit.

It helps that he has no reason to believe Peter will let him go after killing Derek. He'll either be dead too, or bitten without concern for his wishes, and forced to obey Peter. His dad will probably be used against him – or, again, killed outright.

Not fighting won't save him – it'll only make it easier for Peter.

“You kept some of the Alpha spark after using Derek to come back to life.”

“Ah. You really are clever. Too bad you've always wasted that cleverness on my failure of a beta and my useless nephew. Yes, I kept some. It should have been mine altogether, but something went wrong.

“Doesn't matter though, because I'm getting it back. I'm getting it all back tonight.”

Stiles stiffens. That sounds really not good.

“I was willing to be patient. To wait for it. Derek isn't made to be Alpha, and I've always known that sooner or later he'd get himself killed, especially the way kept attracting hunters. I could wait. After all, I had enough power to get through most. Especially after getting a little boost.”

That's what happened to miss Blake, Stiles thinks. He doesn't say anything though. It's not time to upset the balance. Not yet.

“It was possible one of the others would have had enough and killed him, but chances were the Alpha spark would have gone to me either way. If not,” Peter shrugs, “a new Alpha, who doesn't know how to deal with the change in their senses? Easy to kill.”

Stiles can see it happen just like that too, unfortunately.

“Everything was going according to plan too, with Derek growing more and more unstable. Given a little more time I might even have been able to talk him into giving up the spark voluntarily.” Like hell he would have. “And then my dear, dear niece came back to life.”

There's something in Peter's voice with couple with the moue he makes that gives Stiles another flash of insight.

“You resent Cora for being alive. You resent her for surviving the fire.”

Peter almost slips into a roar.

“She abandoned me!”

“She was a child! I know you were trained to hide from hunters, to go to ground and stay there until the threat was over. Are you blaming her for doing what she's been told?”

“You go to ground, yes. And then you come back. You don't abandon your pack.”

And wow, hearing that shit from the wolf who killed one niece, tried to kill a nephew, and had just explained how he had been waiting to try again... Yeah, Peter Hale is a hypocrite on top of being fucking insane.

“She abandoned us, and then when she comes crawling back,” which, totally not how it had actually happened, “that useless weakling wants to reward her for it by passing the Alpha spark to her. And they expect me to just take it?”

Fuck. The biggest flaw in the plan had always been the risk of Peter finding out and getting mad. There are contingency plans, sure, but none of them counted for quite this.

“I should have been Alpha after Talia. Laura was just as weak, just as unsuitable, as Derek. She didn't have it in her to take vengeance for our family – she just ran. It should have been me. It would have been me, had I not been burnt so badly.”

Peter's eyes are flickering between red and blue again, but the light in them has nothing to do with the 'wolf. It's insanity, and Stiles makes a quick judgment call.

He's never going to be able to outfight Peter. What he needs is to keep him of guard, while hoping for help to reach him. And as dangerous as it might be, the best way is to go after Peter's ego.

He's calm and collected in a way he rarely is as his brain starts listing sore points to hit.

He starts off by laughing, startling Peter out of his self-righteous rant.

“I might have to take back what I said about you not being stupid. You really think you should have been Alpha over Laura? Dude, you are delusional. You not becoming Alpha after the fire had nothing to do with you burning, and everything to do with the fact that you're a monster. Hell, the only way you had a shot at Alpha-hood was to steal it.

“Derek's fucked up plenty, yes, but even on his worst days he's better than you. He at least is sane.”

His words are working, Stiles can see it, and he continues to taunt the 'wolf.

“In fact, should Derek die today? You're not even in the running to become the next Alpha. It'll be Cora, or Scott if she's not an option either. Hell, even Isaac is a better candidate for Alpha than you and I really don't like that guy. No, you're going to have to kill the rest of your family and the new Hale pack along with them to even have a shot.

“Fuck, if I was that Alpha spark? I'd leave the Hale line – hell, existence even – completely over settling in you. You're simply too corrupt.

“You speak of Derek and Laura not being worthy of the Alpha spark. The truth is that you're the one that's unworthy. The world truly will be a better place once you're dead.”

Peter's eyes flicker back and forth and Stiles is actually kind of surprised he's not already dead. Maybe Peter still thinks he can get something out of keeping him alive.

“Brave words, Stiles, but that's all they are. Words. You don't understand what it's like to be a werewolf, what it means to be in a pack. But I'll make sure you do. Before the sun rises I'll be the Alpha, and like it or not you're going to help me. And as a reward I'll give you what you wanted but were afraid to say yes to all those years ago.

“Once my useless nephew is out of the picture you'll be my beta. Part of my pack. And you'll be good to me, won't you Stiles? After all, you have...experience in being good to your Alpha, don't you?” Peter's voice is silky-sweet around the words, and Stiles shudders with disgust.

What Peter is hinting at is never going to happen, not even if Stiles has to kill himself to make sure it doesn't. Yes, he's made some pretty harsh statements about what was between him and Derek, but not even at the lowest point did that make him feel as dirty as Peter's mere words are doing now.

At the same time Stiles is willing to put money on the fact that Peter doesn't really mean what he's saying. Oh, he might follow through, especially if he leaves Derek alive, but this isn't about any kind of want or desire. This is about scaring Stiles, about rattling him, about making him beg.

He's not going to do that.

“Fuck no.”

“Tsk, tsk. You'll sing a different tune once you're in my pack.”

Stiles laughs again, short and sharp, putting as much mockery as he can muster in it.

“Your pack? You don't have a pack. You'll never have a pack. All you've got, Peter, is two people who shares blood with you and who pity you too much to put you down like the animal you are.

“Really, where's an Argent when you need them?”

That does it. Peter's claws pop, his teeth lengthen and his eyes shine like lasers. Only one of them will walk away from this, and Stiles has finally managed to tip the scales enough that it just might be him. Of course, even almost out of his mind with rage Peter does have some control – he hasn't howled, for instance, keeping it in as to not warn anyone. Stiles's chance is tiny, and it mostly depends on outside factors, but unlike five minutes ago it exists.

Now he just has to be right about a number of factors.

Luckily he is.

The window breaks, glass splintering and flying across the cabin. Peter jerks back as a big furry shape follows and Stiles hurries to to put his back against a corner. Chances are that Peter will win this fight so he's not safe yet, but he's certainly safer than he was a minute ago.

No one had been happy with Stiles going back without Embry. Hell, Stiles hadn't been happy about it. Had it been an option he would have brought the entire pack with him – preferably both even. Jake'd been on the verge of laying down an Alpha order about Stiles and John not going on their own for weeks, the only thing stopping him being the safety of LaPush. Instead he had had to stop basically the entire pack from sneaking off to follow them, same for Sam.

The compromise had been one 'wolf. There had been a fight over who got to go, and even Leah – who still think Stiles is being an idiot – had wanted to go. Of course, Leah is also finally pregnant and no one wants to put her and the baby at risk. (Plus, she's not feeling that great. The phrase “sick as a dog” takes on a new light when you've seen a horse sized shape shifter with violent morning sickness, Stiles decided after seeing Leah sick up to the point where she phased out of her wolf form and fainted. Yuck.)

Embry still hadn't been allowed to go, and Stiles knows why, knows that Jake has a point in claiming Embry's bond to Stiles would cause him to be on edge and risk exposing them in more ways than one. That doesn't make it easier to deal with though.

Stiles wishes with all his being that it could have been Embry.

Instead it had been decided that Collin, as the most harmless looking one, should go and play hapless tourist. He had arrived in Beacon Hills a couple of days ago, and as far as Stiles knows no one's picked up on anything strange about him or his story.

Of course, with Collin being one of the youngest and least experienced 'wolves he's not the one Stiles would have wanted in a fight against Peter Hale.

All he really is is a distraction, but it does gives Stiles a chance. While Peter's attention is on the giant 'wolf Stiles slowly eases the hidden blade from his sleeve and then carefully rips open his cuff.

The mountain ash concealed in the cuff does as it's meant to and falls into his hand. Now he's got a chance.

Provided nothing has gone to hell in the last couple of hours there is at least one other 'wolf near, able to warn others. If it has and they're on their own, then there's always howling.

All Stiles needs to do is get up a barrier and they'll have some breathing room. He just needs some distance between Collin and Peter.

At first the giant 'wolf is causing Peter to be cautious, but it doesn't take long for the man to realize he's the strongest of them. The wolf shape is excellent for fighting and killing vampires, but less so when it comes to another type of werewolf.

Collin yips in pain and Peter strikes again. This time he lands a powerful blow that throws Collin across the cabin. He lands heavily, with a whine, and doesn't get up. Stiles swallows as he sees blood pooling out from the still body.

A 'wolf can heal just about anything, given time. Peter won't give them that though. He's already stalking across the floor with blood dripping from his claws and a sadistic smile on his face. He's fast enough that he could have crossed before Stiles knew what was happening. This slow walk is just a show, meant to intimidate Stiles.

Too bad it just gives him the time he needs.

“You've been keeping secrets. I'll enjoy dragging them out of you.”

It's a promise, meant to invoke, and it works. But Stiles has gotten used to pushing down his fear and working through it, and so he looks Peter straight in the eyes and quips.

“Didn't your Alpha teach you not to play with your prey?”

And then he throws the mountain ash.

He's practiced this very moment over and over until he doesn't need to walk the perimeter, or to have “enough” ash. All he needs is a little bit and his belief.

He's never believed anything this hard before.

“Mountain ash? Always the clever one, aren't you? But your little trick won't save you, or your friend there. You can only hold the barrier for so long, and I can be a very patient man.

“It would be wise of you not to test that patience though. Sooner or later your father will walk through that door, and I would hate to kill him just to prove a point.”

Like he'd let any of them live either way.

“Here's the thing, Peter. You would be wise to leave now. Who knows, run fast enough, far enough, and you might even live to regret your actions here tonight. Because Game of Thrones might be shit about a lot of things, but they're dead right about: 'the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives'. And you, Peter. You're all alone.”

“You think you're pack? You, my useless nephew's even more useless fucktoy? Don't make me laugh.

“Since you're apparently too stupid to realize, I've got you trapped in here. You've got no way to call for help,” and he steps on Stiles's phone, grinding it to components to make a point, “your supposed savior is out like a light, dying as we speak, and your mountain ash barrier is weakening by the minute.”

It's not. Stiles can feel that it's still just as strong, but it's a good tactic, trying to shake the belief holding it together.

“That poor fool is even more of an idiot than that useless beta of mine. He didn't even howl for help. Not that he would have gotten any, but he didn't even try. Pathetic.”

Stiles smirks. No, Collin hadn't howled. But with the LaPush pack mind he didn't need to, not being shifted.

“Peter? This is the 21st century. Proper 'wolves use cellphones just like the rest of us.

And then in a show of timing almost too good to be true Seth and Brady jumps through the broken window as Derek – followed by Cora – break through the door.

Stiles almost sobs with relief. Having Collin arrive had been such a help, but it hadn't really made him feel safe. Not when up against Peter Hale. The same goes for Brady. They're his friends, yes, but they're the most inexperienced of the 'wolves and they're Sam's. Seth is, well, he's not that much more experienced but he's pack. That matters.

It's not the fact that they're four against one that calms Stiles, or even that Derek is there – it's the presence of pack.

He still wishes Embry was with him, but now he dares to believe he'll see his 'wolf again.

Peter is actually looking stunned, faced with another two giant wolves. And is that a hint of fear Stiles sees? It could be. After all Peter has to realize that while Derek and Cora might be swayed to spare him out of sentimentality, these new and unknown wolves have no such compunctions. Stiles wonders if the crazed 'wolf sees his death in their arrival.

He hopes so.

The four circle Peter, cutting of all routes of escape. If he wants to leave he'll have to go through them, and that's not as easy as fighting Collin might lead Peter to believe. They don't attack though and Stiles can't help but think his 'wolves are holding back out of consideration for Derek, and to a lesser degree Cora.

Seth and Brady both know that Peter needs to die, but Derek has had a hard time reconciling with the fact that killing Peter had been necessary the first time. He hasn't even wanted to entertain the idea that it might be needed a second time, and might want to give Peter a chance to surrender.

Or it's just about waiting for the right moment. Regardless Stiles finds himself unable to watch what is about to come. Strange. He'd had no problem watching Peter die the first time, had thrown Molotov cocktails at him and watched Derek rip his throat out without regret. He has been certain Peter needs to die again since about 5 seconds after finding out he was back.

And yet he finds he can't watch.

As Peter lounges, desperately, towards Brady – either having identified him as the easiest target or unwilling to attack his remaining blood family – Stiles burrows his face into Collins fur and tries to shut it all out. They're safe behind the mountain ash barrier, and their friends will take care of Peter without them. They're safe, the barrier will hold, their friends will live, and Peter will die.

Stiles's world shrinks down to those four things, trying to will it into existence.

They're safe. The sound of a large body hitting the wall.

The barrier will hold. A grunt as claws strike flesh.

Their friends will survive. A high-pitched whine and the smell of blood.

Peter will die. A howl rises, then cuts out and is replaced by silence.

Derek and Cora are curled up together, shaking and crying and laughing all at once, both their eyes flashing between red and beta blue or gold. Stiles looks at them and feels a sting. Not jealousy, precisely, because he's got Seth, and Brady, and he's pretty sure Embry is a lot closer to Beacon Hills than Jake really likes, just...

Derek won't be coming back with him.

Stiles knew that already, knew that Cora would be vulnerable after the transfer of power, and that having Derek essentially break away straight after wasn't going to happen. They'd talked about it repeatedly and made their plans accordingly.

It's even more true now, with the added trauma of Peter's betrayal and death, causing her to lose a pack member already that day along with half of her remaining blood family.

For her to lose Derek on top of that... No. Stiles doesn't wish that on anyone. Cora needs to stabilize herself, find her balance again, and both siblings need to be allowed to grieve.

Again, it's no surprise that Derek will be staying in Beacon Hills for a while. It's just... It was abstract before. Now it's right there in his face, and Stiles realizes he wasn't prepared.

Looking at Derek and Cora he also realizes that regardless of what they've said, what they've promised, there's a possibility that Derek will change his mind now that the moment is here. It's possible that Beacon Hills without Peter will be tempting enough that Derek will start seeing it as  his home again. It's possible that he will decide that staying with Cora, and the pack he started, is more important than being with Stiles.

If he does... It'll hurt. It'll even hurt like hell. But if it's one thing Stiles has learned it's this: he can live through that, can heal from it, because he won't be alone. Even if he doesn't have Derek he'll have Embry, and his pack.

But that's not how Stiles sees it happening. Not after everything they've been through to get to where they are.

Derek is going to grieve with his sister, and help her settle, and when he's ready he'll leave Beacon Hills, leave their own personal Hellmouth, and come back to Stiles.

Because that's where they're headed, full circle. When they're both ready things will be different. This time around it'll be Derek joining Stiles's pack. There will be no begging, no miscommunication, no posturing, no self-hatred and no Alpha crap. It'll just be Stiles and Derek, healed and happy and together, trying their very best to love each other and not do anything stupid.

It'll be great.

Stiles believes it with all that he has and is. And his belief? Is magic.

~ The End ~

[salvatoreschool]

'Legacies' EP on Redemption in the 'TVD' Universe and 'Severe Obstacles' for Hope & Landon

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Season 3 premiere of Legacies, “We’re Not Worthy.”]

There’s good news and bad news in the Legacies Season 3 premiere on January 21: Hope (Danielle Rose Russell) and Landon (Aria Shahghasemi) are both awake, but Josie (Kaylee Bryant) is leaving for a bit. In an attempt to deal with the aftermath of her dark magic binge, Josie is heading to see her mother.

Also, Alyssa (Olivia Liang) finds herself faced with a new role just as she’s leaving the school: the Necromancer’s (Ben Geurens) acolyte. Uh-oh.

TV Insider chatted with executive producer Brett Matthews to find out what’s next.

How will Josie be different when she returns from visiting her mother?

Brett Matthews: Josie, in the early part of Season 3, will make a choice that really does affect the status quo of the Salvatore School and her life and we will get to see that play out.

How is Hope and Landon’s relationship this season compared to others? Their troubles aren’t over just because both are awake now.

It’s very, very true. They will continue to try to define their dynamic. As Hope goes, so goes the show. Hope is the foundation Legacies is built on and her relationship with Landon is very central to her journey. They will face some of their most severe obstacles yet and have to band together in the face of some really formidable enemies and make peace with the risks they are willing to take as a couple and their need and responsibility to face down the darkness that is Malivore and its monsters.

It’s a slippery slope, as always, that they continue to try and navigate. They get on the same page, but in that process, you will also see them grow closer than they ever have been before.

Alyssa clearly doesn’t have a choice when it comes to being the Necromancer’s eternal acolyte. Can she be redeemed?

I think so. We’ll learn more about Alyssa and her very specific origin and how that turns and twists. The question will be, is she stuck with the Necromancer or is the Necromancer stuck with her? Their dynamic may not be exactly what you anticipate it is. She is going to leave Episode 1 of the new season with a very serious axe to grind, and as we all know, Alyssa Chang is not a person you want as your enemy. If the history of all these shows have you taught you anything, everybody’s redeemable. If Josie’s redeemable, Alyssa’s redeemable.

People rooted for Klaus (Joseph Morgan) on The Originals after The Vampire Diaries.

That’s what I’m saying! They made a whole show with him as the protagonist. He was the worst villain of all time. Damon’s [Ian Somerhalder] journey to being somebody you root and cared for. Redemption lies at the very heart of The Vampire Diaries universe, as different as these shows may be a little bit tonally.

The logline for Episode 302 teases “devastating news involving one of their own” for the Super Squad.

The logline does a pretty good job of teasing the type of episode it is. We try to do an episode or two a year that really harkens to our Vampire Diaries roots, not necessarily through characters or mythology, but the style and tone of the other shows, [which] made you cry more than we probably do. It is a visitation to those roots stylistically and the smaller, more emotional stories, filtered into the Legacies universe and how we deal with things like that that in The Vampire Diaries, you might not even bat an eye at, but some of those moves and turns just feel a little different in Legacies. It’s one of those classic throwback episodes and a big one for us.

And Alaric (Matthew Davis) is “getting some timely affairs in order.” What’s he up to? I kept thinking about him dying in the original series.

[Laughs] There’s really no way to tease what Ric is doing without getting too much into the plot. Ric is tied to the central dilemma of the episode and is doing everything he can to resolve it. It’s just not necessarily the usual type of victory he’s tasked with winning. It is a different journey. But he is doing what Alaric Saltzman generally does in Legacies, which is trying to help the kids in any way he can and also as always, fearful they may run into problems he can’t solve.

Alaric wanted the students to be kids, which, of course, didn’t last long. Will we continue to see an attempt to balance the supernatural with normal teenage lives?

That’s always at the heart of Legacies, but Ric is beginning to see them not just as kids or students but as equals or as special because of their gifts. He will only view them more as worthy of hearing their opinions. It becomes more of a collaboration between them than it has been in seasons past.

Legacies, Thursdays, 9/8c, The CW .

[gwen-cheers-me-up]

I’ve been in the mood to write some BBC Merlin gen fic lately, but I don’t have the time to start any big projects or work on the ones I’ve already started, so I thought I’d take some requests instead. Send me 2 characters + a prompt from the list below and I’ll write you a short fic!

Platonic / Gen Prompt Compilation

Dialogue Prompts (Questions) - Set A:

1a. “Are you warm enough?”

2a. “What if they’re right?”

3a. "Is it always like this?"

4a. “You’re coming back, right?”

5a. “Is this really necessary?”

6a. “Do you want me to stop?”

7a. "You forgot, didn't you?"

8a. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”

9a. “Are you just gonna sit there?"

10a. “What is wrong with you?”

11a. “Are you finished yet?”

12a. “Who are you talking to?”

13a. "Isn't it obvious?"

14a. “Can you show me?”

15a. “How is this my fault?”

16a. “What makes you think that?”

17a. "Are you ever going to apologize?"

18a. “What’s taking so long?”

19a. “Is it okay for me to be here?”

20a. “Why would you do that?”

21a. “What if it doesn’t work?”

22a. “Where does it hurt?”

23a. “What do you really think of me?”

24a. "Are the rumors true?"

25a. "Why am I like this?"

26a. “Did I do something wrong?”

27a. “Can I come in?”

28a. "What do you want from me?"

29a. “Does that bother you?”

30a. "What are you hiding?"

Dialogue Prompts - Set B:

1b. “You look like you could use some company.”

2b. “I owe you, after everything.”

3b. “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

4b. “You don’t have to thank me.”

5b. "I need advice."

6b. “Take your time.”

7b. "I don't want to talk to you."

8b. “I know what I’m doing.”

9b. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

10b. "Your secret is safe with me."

11b. "Here, this might help."

12b. "I changed my mind."

13b. “Something’s wrong. I can tell.”

14b. "I didn't want you to see me like this."

15b. “I don’t think you should be alone right now.”

16b. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."

17b. "I'll go first."

18b. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

19b. “I’m leaving.”

20b. “You need my help.”

21b. “It’s not enough.”

22b. "If anyone asks, this was your idea."

23b. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

24b. “You were right.”

25b. “I should go.”

26b. “You don’t have to tell me.”

27b. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

28b. “I thought you hated me.”

29b. “You’re adorable.”

30b. "I didn't mean it like that."

Physical Contact Prompts - Set C:

1c. Nudging

2c. Playing with the other’s hair

3c. Linking arms

4c. Touch-starved cuddling

5c. Horseplay

6c. Tending wounds

7c. Holding hands

8c. Hurt/comfort cuddling

9c. Sitting on the other’s lap

10c. Carrying

11c. Petting/stroking non-human body part

12c. Sleeping in each other’s arms

13c. Casual cuddling

14c. Tapping the other to get attention

15c. Sprawling out on top of each other

16c. Hugging

17c. Clasping wrists

18c. Nervous or flustered cuddling

19c. Platonic kissing

20c. Resting head on chest/shoulder

21c. Tickling

22c. Head pats

23c. Sleepy/drunk cuddles

24c. Caressing the other’s cheek

25c. Touching foreheads

26c. Putting an arm around the other’s back or shoulders

27c. Massages

28c. Patting on the back

29c. Linking pinkies

30c. Resting head in the other’s lap

Trope/AU Prompts - Set D:

1d. Friendship pining

2d. Anger out of worry

3d. Secret friendship

4d. There’s only one bed

5d. Poorly timed reveal/confession

6d. Mistaken for a couple

7d. Mistaken for family

8d. Scar reveal

9d. Bargain/sacrifice to save the other

10d. Sick!fic

11d. Arranged marriage/marriage of convenience

12d. Birthday

13d. De-aging/kid AU

14d. Hurt/comfort

15d. Accidental adoption

16d. Fake dating/marriage

17d. Locked in a room

18d. Huddling for warmth

19d. Animal transformation

20d. Enemies to friends

21d. Drunken admissions/truth potion

22d. Facing worst fear

23d. Tricked or brainwashed into becoming an enemy

24d. Different first meeting

25d. Platonic love confession

26d. Married to one’s job

27d. Reincarnation/resurrection

28d. Stranded due to weather

29d. Creature!fic

30d. Accidental eavesdropping

“First” Prompts - Set E:

1e. First “I love you”

2e. First time meeting the other’s legal/biological family

3e. First ride-or-die moment

4e. First fight

5e. First time calling the other “friend”

6e. First time calling the other “family”

7e. First promise

8e. First night spent together (sleepover, sharing a bed, night under the stars)

9e. First time crying in front of the other

10e. First hug

11e. First vulnerable moment

12e. First time cracking up at something that’s not actually that funny

13e. First gift exchange

14e. First time realizing they can rely on each other

15e. First casual physical contact

16e. First time getting up to shenanigans together

17e. First trip/adventure/vacation

18e. First celebration together

19e. First time confiding each other

20e. First day spent together “just because”

21e. First mistake

22e. First time asking for help

23e. First time anticipating the other’s needs

24e. First time someone else notices how close they are

25e. First awkward moment

26e. First time risking their life to save the other

27e. First cuddles

28e. First conversation without words

29e. First apology

30e. First time standing up for the other

Chaotic Prompts - Set F:

1f. Tag-team roast session

2f. Getting married as a joke (or out of spite)

3f. Accidental necromancy/resurrection

4f. Pretending to be the other’s parent

5f. Pretending to be the other’s grandparent

6f. Pretending to be strangers

7f. Pretending to be each other

8f. Raising an unconventional pet

9f. Raising an unconventional child

10f. Accidentally saving the day

11f. Accidentally bringing about the apocalypse

12f. Committing a crime with zero forethought

13f. Making up a lie on the spot

14f. Accidentally getting hired as an assassin

15f. Accidentally starting a cult

16f. Accidentally starting a revolt

17f. A prank gets out of hand

18f. A surprise goes wrong

19f. A complicated lie gets too complicated

20f. A major miscommunication

21f. Pretending to be royalty/nobility

22f. Pretending to be a commoner

23f. Pretending to have magic

24f. Claiming not to have magic while actively doing magic

25f. Crashing an event

26f. Accidental time travel

27f. Trying (and failing) to cook

28f. Trying (and failing) to eat the other’s cooking

29f. Staging a fight to get out of trouble

30f. Offending someone important and trying to fix it but making it worse

[chriswoodnetwork]

Thursday’s episode of Legacies (The CW, 9/8c) puts Chris Wood through the wringer like never before — but don’t just take our word for it. “I texted Julie Plec after filming and said, ‘This is hands down the worst thing I’ve had to do for any job ever,'” the actor tells TVLine.

To avoid spoiling that specific moment, we can’t provide any more details (for now!), but just know that Kai Parker’s return to the Vampire Diaries universe is everything you could possibly hope it would be. As for reacquainting himself with the vile-yet-beloved character — last seen on TVD in 2017 — Wood says it only took about 10 minutes to slip back into the familiar rhythm.

“It feels completely familiar, like not a day has passed, even though it also kind of feels like another lifetime ago,” Wood says. “Before I got [to set], I was wondering how difficult it would be to drop back in. Thankfully, the writing does a lot of the work for me. He just says such snide, cutting, sarcastic comments, which helped me find my place really quickly.”

Most of Wood’s scenes are opposite Kaylee Bryant, which is only fair, as the actress has been asking about (slash begging for) Kai’s inevitable arrival since Day 1. “She told me that on my last day of filming,” Wood says. “I was like, ‘I didn’t realize this was a Make-A-Wish situation, but I’m happy to be here!'”

As for Kai and Josie’s fiery confrontations this week, Wood admits, “Uncle Kai would be proud of her craftiness. In fact, there are a couple of moments in the episode where you can see that, in spite of himself, he knows that some props are deserved. He has a twisted sense of pride in her.”

And before you start asking how Kai has a beard, just know that Wood had a long talk about it with the episode’s writers, Thomas Brandon and executive producer Brett Matthews. “I was like, ‘Is the beard thing a problem? Can he grow facial hair?'” Wood recalls. “And they were like, ‘Yes. We figured out you can.’ I was like, ‘I don’t really understand it, but I’m just going to go along with it.’ Honestly, I think beards in the prison world are the least of our worries.”

[cinema-tv-etc]

Review: ‘The Comey Rule’ and What a Fool Believes

Showtime’s political drama is a scattered but searing picture of failed self-righteousness. By James Poniewozik   Sept. 24, 2020

The thing that James Comey will probably like best about “The Comey Rule,” if one believes its characterization of him, is that his name is in the title.

But he is not exactly the hero. He is not even, really, the star.

Comey (Jeff Daniels), the former F.B.I. director, gets more screen time than anyone else in Showtime’s two-night, three-and-a-half-hour special. But the real lead is Donald Trump (Brendan Gleeson), in the same sense that, regardless of its minutes on camera, the true lead of “Jaws” is the shark.

Given how much it rehashes recent events, albeit with a fine cast, I’m not sure what interest “The Comey Rule” will have beyond people whose copies of the Mueller Report are already well thumbed. (There’s more to be learned from “Agents of Chaos,” the chilling Alex Gibney documentary, which premiered on HBO this week, about Russia’s 2016 election influence campaign and its American enablers.)

But if you stick to the end, there is at least a lesson and a warning, if not the one that Comey — either the screen version here or the real-life one who’s become a media figure — intended.

In his book “A Higher Loyalty,” he appears to see his decisions, which very possibly swung the 2016 election and failed to keep the president from interfering in investigations, as noble if tragic acts of principle. As translated by the director and screenwriter Billy Ray, this is instead a slo-mo horror story, in which the worst lack all inhibition while the best are full of fatuous integrity.

The first half, which starts Sunday, is basically a prelude. It walks us through the role of the F.B.I. in 2015 and 2016 when it investigated Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server — with Comey making unusual public statements that damaged her campaign — while also looking, much more quietly, into increasingly disturbing signs that Russian intelligence was out to help Trump.

The first two hours blitz through the timeline and establish key players. So many familiar faces captioned with headline names pop up — Jonathan Banks as James Clapper! Holly Hunter as Sally Yates! — that it plays like a long, stone-cold-sober episode of “Drunk History.”

Daniels is inspired casting. Physically, he resembles the real Comey somewhat in stature (the ex-director still has a few inches on him). But having played figures of high-minded duty in “The Newsroom” and “The Looming Tower,” he captures his character’s starched righteousness wholly.

This time, however, there’s an ironic spin on the character. Comey’s actual rectitude is complicated by his fixation on the appearance of rectitude, his homey decency by smugness.

His precedent-breaking decisions to speak out on Clinton’s email practices were driven by worry over how he and the bureau would look later if — in his view, when — she became president. (He writes in “A Higher Loyalty” that he assumed she’d win.)

His guess proves wrong, but the day after the election he assures his devastated wife, Patrice (Jennifer Ehle), “We’re going to be OK.” True enough for him. He lost his job but wrote a best seller.

With that self-justifying memoir as a source, Ray makes the sharp choice to make Rod Rosenstein (Scoot McNairy), the deputy attorney general who wrote the memo recommending Comey’s 2017 firing, the quasi-narrator. Rosenstein bitterly introduces Comey as a self-righteous “showboat” (though, we discover, Rosenstein has his own blind spots and failings).

This is not, however, a production out to win over MAGA viewers. (At one point, it dramatizes one of the more eye-popping accusations of the Steele dossier.) The first night, we see Donald Trump only as shot from behind, a leering hulk parting the curtain at a Miss Universe pageant and pawing at a contestant’s bikini strap. He’s like the barely glimpsed monster in the first act of a creature feature, a rough beast slouching toward Pennsylvania Avenue.

It’s on Night 2, when President-Elect Trump emerges as a character, that the show really begins. In part, it’s simply that his crew of artless amateurs, relatives and B-list pols make for better TV. Not every portrayal works — Joe Lo Truglio as Jeff Sessions? — but it gives the proceedings a “Burn After Reading” flair.

But mostly, Gleeson kicks the program to life. Strictly as an impression, his performance is mixed. Gleeson, who is Irish, slips occasionally on the accent. But his rendering of Trump’s wandering diction is the best I’ve seen outside a lip-sync. Half his performance is in his bearing, chin jutted forward like the prow of a swollen yacht. 

More important, Gleeson has a thorough idea of his character. His Trump is not the orange-haired clown prince of “S.N.L.” and late-night talk shows. He’s a crass, heavy-breathing mobster (Comey’s comparison, and Gleeson makes the likeness vivid) driven by spite and vanity. A heavy-handed musical score portends menace whenever he turns up.

He, too, is concerned with appearances, but in a more literal way than Comey. His version of “good morning” is “I saw you on TV”; he and his staffers keep referencing his “eye for interior design.” His brassy presence in the halls of power is as much an aesthetic statement as a political one, which Ray underlines by showing a White House staffer serving him a Filet-O-Fish sandwich on a gleaming silver platter.

All the while, it gradually settles on Comey that his new boss may not be an entirely scrupulous man. Their White House dinner — the “honest loyalty” scene, for Comey buffs — takes only a few minutes, but you could imagine it as an entire movie, “Frost/Nixon” style.

It’s like an uncomfortable date with a persistent suitor. Trump, cleaning out his ice-cream dish, pushes and prods on the Russia investigation, pressing his advances. A pained Comey guards and parries, finding ways to say things that resemble what the president wants to hear.

Comey survives that battle but loses the war. “The Comey Rule” is not out to damn him. It strains itself to sympathize with his falling into one impossible position after another, and it suggests that public life might be better if everyone in it were like James Comey.

But it also shows how catastrophically inadequate he was to a world in which not everyone is like James Comey. He becomes a stand-in for an entire class of Trump-era elites who believe that respect for norms will save them. (The president “can’t fire me,” Comey tells an associate. “It’d look horrible.”)

As for Donald Trump, he’s not precisely the villain, in the show’s view. As “The Comey Rule” depicts him, he’s a creature, an appetite. He is what he is. He doesn’t know how to be otherwise.

Comey, on the other hand, is, if not a villain, then a tragic, hubristic dupe, precisely because he believes he knows better, and because he should.

“The Comey Rule” is not good drama; it’s clunky, self-serious and melodramatic. But it makes an unsparing point amid our own election season.

It says that anyone, like its subject, who complacently assumed in 2015 and 2016 that everyone would be fine, who thought that propriety and rules could constrain forces that care about neither, who worried more about appearances than consequences, was a fool.

Then it leaves you to sit with the question: What does that make anyone who still believes that today?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/arts/television/review-comey-rule.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

THE COMEY RULE Trailer (2020)

 Brendan Gleeson as Donald Trump

Jeff Daniels and Brendan Gleeson star as former FBI Director James Comey and President Donald J. Trump in this two-part event series that tells the story of two powerful men, whose strikingly different ethics and loyalties put them on a collision course. Watch the premiere on September 27 at 9/8c on SHOWTIME. #TheComeyRule #DonaldTrump

Brendan Gleeson portrays Trump as a crass mobster.

[chuffyfan87]

Growing Pains. Part 8c

"We treat addicts every day but you just don't think it's gunna happen to one of your own kids."

“Hmm.”

"After everything that's happened this evening I'm almost scared to call Millie's mum in case I find out that the twins have done a bunk instead of being at a sleepover there..!" She grimaced.

Charlie laughed, “Or there’s one child sleeping soundly and the other has gone awol.” He joked.

"Tilly!" Duffy giggled.

Emily wriggled and stretched on her mum's lap her eyelids fluttering open. "Daddy?" She mumbled.

“Hello gorgeous. Are you okay?” He stroked her hair.

"Yeh." Emily's tummy rumbled loudly.

“Are you hungry? When was the last time you ate something?”

Emily nodded, mumbling her reply to her dad's second question.

He stroked her cheek. “Is my princess ok?”

Emily glanced up at her mum and nodded.

"Given time I think you will be." Duffy encouraged.

“Do you want something to eat?” Charlie asked.

"Please." Emily replied. Though there was still a lot of things whirling around in her head she felt a little calmer after seeing Beth and talking to her mum.

“What would you like, Princess?”

"A sandwich?"

"I can get you one Em. You go be with Louis." Duffy told Charlie.

“Are you sure?”

“Is he ok?” Emily sat up rubbing her eyes.

"Yeh, Louis needs you." Duffy replied.

“I didn’t expect all this to happen.” Emily spoke in a barely a whisper.

"Emmy?" Duffy prompted gently. "Did you know what Louis was doing?"

Emily chewed her lower lip. “Promise you won’t get angry? Either of you?”

"I promise." Duffy replied, anxious to know what Emily knew.

“I know he’s smoked weed a few times. Just weed, nothing else.”

The realisation hit Duffy instantly. "That's what you were trying to tell me about that time!" She gasped.

Emily smiled sadly, “I promised I kinda wouldn’t say anything. I didn’t think it was such a big problem.”

"Its ok, its not your fault." Duffy soothed her daughter, looking pointedly at Charlie who had so far remained silent.

“It’s not your fault sweetheart.” Charlie kissed Emily's forehead.

"When Jake and Krystal dragged him through the door earlier I was so scared." Emily admitted.

“I would’ve been scared too. But I’m so proud of you for calling an ambulance and making sure he was ok.” Charlie praised his daughter.

"Peter just suddenly arrived. Is he OK? He seemed really upset."

“He’s got a lot on his mind too. I think he’ll be ok.”

"Will Louis be OK?" Emily asked nervously.

Charlie nodded, “He will be. When we get him the help he needs.”

"Let's get you a sandwich princess." Duffy prompted. "I'll call Krystal's parents." She told Charlie. "You go be with Louis."

Charlie kissed Duffy’s forehead and then Emily’s before getting up off the floor.

Louis was still in resus waiting for a bed upstairs to become available so he could be transferred.

Charlie returned to Resus and sat down beside Louis’ bed. He stroked his thumb over the back of Louis' hand.

The teenager was lucky to be alive.

Charlie sighed, where did he go wrong again? Everything seemed to be falling apart, quickly spiralling out of control. He moved and kissed Louis’ forward before sitting back down again.

Various staff wandered in and out of the room going about their daily routine but Charlie barely noticed them. He was too preoccupied with trying to take in all that had happened this evening with his children. So much had happened in such a short space of time.

He took small comfort in the fact that his youngest children seemed to be ok and happy.

A while later Duffy came into resus. "The kids are sleeping in your office." She told her husband quietly. "How is he?"

“Still asleep and lucky to be alive.”

"What made him do it?" She sighed. "I think Peter and Jake will both have a hell of a hangover in the morning."

“I don’t know. He’s got a lot on his mind by the sounds of things. I just wish he could have come and talked to me.”

"Maybe he will. Maybe this will have given him enough of a fright."

“I hope so.”

She grabbed a chair and sat down next to him, fidgeting with edge of the cast on her wrist.

“How’s your wrist?” He asked gently.

"Itchy." She frowned. "I feel like such an idiot walking around with it on."

“Accidents happen. Least it didn’t break using those handcuffs of ours. It could be worse.”

"I would have died having to explain that to Zoe." She cringed.

“It’s Zoe. She’s probably a secret kinky one too.” He smirked.

"I'll tell her you said that!"

A period of silence descended over them before Duffy sighed. "We're gunna have to deal with Sarah's parents again aren't we? What's the bet they end up making it all out to be Peter's fault?" She grumbled.

He shrugged, “It takes two to tango and Sarah was just as willing by the sounds of things.”

"Oh was she now? How would you know?!"

“He was talking to me. A while ago, when it happened. Said it just happened. They went outside the pub to talk and they ended up you know, shagging.” He paused, “It was probably then.”

"Of all the stupid, irresponsible..!"

“Pot kettle...” He raised an eyebrow.

"They're supposed to learn from our lapses in judgement, not repeat them!"

“I know.”

"I really thought he was finally getting his life together. That he'd settle down with Holly. Don't get me wrong, I've always liked Sarah but she's caused him so much pain."

“It might not even be Peter’s.” Charlie replied without thinking.

"What?!" Duffy gasped, her eyes wide.

“Sarah has a boyfriend.”

"Oh... Oh!"

Charlie shrugged, “Maybe Peter’s just doing what he thinks is right?”

"I swear if she's lied to him..!" Duffy's temper was bubbling.

“Hey. We don’t know if she has.” He reassured.

"She's been determined to trap him for years and she's finally succeeded." Duffy was close to tears, the evening's events were starting to overwhelm her.

Charlie pulled her into a hug and rubbed her lower back, “Ssh babe. You’re getting yourself all worked up.”

Feeling his arms around her she finally gave in and let the tears begin to fall.

He held her tightly as she cried on him.

After a few minutes Duffy pulled back, wiping at her damp cheeks. "I'm sorry. Here I am crying when it's your son who nearly died this evening. You must think I'm so selfish."

“No I don’t.” He kissed the top of her head, “It’s been hard for us both. He’s your son too.”

"Not as far as he's concerned." She sighed.

He sighed. “He does love you, Duffy.”

"I wish I believed you."

“He does. I just think sometimes that scares him.” Charlie said sadly.

"He still blames me. He always will."

“Blames you for what?”

"His mum."

“His mum dying?”

"You and her splitting up, moving to Canada, her death, being made to come back... All of it." She sighed.

“Has he told you that?” Charlie asked gently with a sad smile.

"He tends to save the worst of his outbursts for when you're at work."

“I think he’s confused and doesn’t know what to do. Or feel.” He frowned, “He’s never hurt you, has he?”

"Not physically. Though I can't say it doesn't hurt when he repeatedly yells 'you can't tell me what the fuck to do, your not my mum!' at me in front of his younger brothers. That has raised some difficult questions."

“I’m sorry.” Charlie kissed her cheek. Just as Louis stirred, beginning to wake.

The teenager's eyes were glazed and unfocused.

“Louis?” Charlie touched his arm.

Though Louis was awake it was clear that his body was struggling with the come down.

Charlie sighed, “It’s okay son.”

Louis roared, lashing out to throw his father's hand off his arm. His glazed eyes scanned the room, why was he here? Where was here? He was hot and shaking.

“Louis, it’s dad. You’re in hospital.” Charlie moved closer to Louis, hoping his voice could calm him.

Louis tried to get up. He needed to get out of here. He needed to find his friends.

“You can’t go anywhere Louis, you need to stay here.”

"No!" Louis managed to get off the bed and stumbled across to the counter pushing things around, clearly searching for something.

“Son, please. You need help.” Charlie begged.

"Louis, please, listen to your dad!" Duffy begged.

"Bitch!" Louis screamed, picking up the sharps box and launching it at his stepmother.

Charlie stood in front of Duffy, “You don’t want to hurt her, Louis. You’re just scared and confused.”

"Get me what I need." Louis demanded though his words were stuttered and somewhat jumbled.

“You don’t need it. You’re trying to escape something, what is it? Why are you using?”

"Fuck. You." Louis replied, his rage increasing.

“Talk to me? Please? You used to tell me everything.”

"Then you chose her." Louis slumped to the floor, the shaking getting rapidly worse.

“We’ve been through this.” Charlie sat on the floor and grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around Louis. “There’s something upsetting you, what is it?”

"Wish she was dead. Not mum." Louis mumbled.

“You miss your mum, it’s only natural.”

"I've tried my best Louis. I know I can never replace your mum." Duffy replied sadly.

Louis shook his head but didn’t verbally reply.

Duffy sighed. "I'm going to go check on the others. Me being here clearly isn't helping."

Once again, Louis didn’t speak. His body was shaking a lot by now.

"I'm going to get Dylan." Duffy added as she left resus.

“Thank you.”

After finding Dylan and sending him to help Charlie Duffy was surprised to find Peter awake as she entered her office.

“My head hurts.” He mumbled, rubbing his forehead.

"I'm not surprised." Duffy sighed, taking a bottle of water from her handbag and handing it to him.

“Why do you always have water in your handbag?” He asked with a smile.

"Hydration is important." She shrugged.

[thots-n-prayers-2137]

Weird teams I've seen in Mirrors: Episode 1

Ahhh, Mirrors. The place you fight other players' teams. We have all (?) fought there, and many of us had the pleasure to see some weird teams. In this series, I will look at some... bizarre teams, and what exactly makes them so bizarre.

Formation: Mighty Cross

Magical Girls: Kyoko (atk ↑), Mito (non 5*), Yachiyo, Tsukuyo, Madoka (atk ↓ def ↑)

Discs: 7A 10B 8C

My commentary:

Oh... Oh My God.

Sin 1: the formation

So this team uses Mighty Cross...? Which is the worst formation in the game, due to its atk down tile and, other than that, being practically identical to Bright Phalanx. Heck, even though this team uses (almost) every attribute in the game, it would work better with Light Tercio (Fire) - this way, Kyoko's attack would get a +25% boost instead of her current +10%, Madoka would get even more defense boost and her already low attack stat wouldn't be brought down even more (no, seriously, she has the lowest ATK out of all nat 4* girls in JP if you don't count Spirit Enhancement bonuses), and the team wouldn't suffer from blast attacks this badly (the best formation for this team would be Union Assault, which is sadly not in NA yet).

Sin 2: not thinking with discs

This team uses two blast gorillas, a charge gorilla, a girl whose discs and connect are good for building Magia and... Mito, who has 1 blast disc, so she doesn't fit Kyoko and Yachiyo, Defense type, so she isn't good at building Magia (her Magia is ST anyway, which isn't very useful in Mirrors) and 2 charge discs which only fit Tsukuyo, really.

Conclusion:

This team is very chaotic, fitting neither strategies based on Magia nor Blast, using a bad formation and 5 girls so different from each other without any synergy. I think the easiest solution would be either:

1. kicking out Mito, Yachiyo and Tsukuyo, changing the formation to Light Tercio (Fire), and adding Tsuruno (if the player has her, of course). Tsuruno has a Blast-centered connect and 2 blast discs so she work way better with Kyoko this way. Madoka can heal them and, if needed, maybe be turned into a minitank? or a magia tool if it suddenly becomes needed

2. kicking out Yachiyo and Tsukuyo, awakening Mito, changing the formation to Light Tercio (Fire), giving Mito and Madoka some tank memos if they don't have them already. This team would have the issue of being a bit imbalanced disk-wise though - 5A 6B 4C, which may hinder Kyoko's status of a blast gorilla

Do you have any alternate solutions? Or maybe you think this team is not as imbalanced as I do? Please tell me!