#[SPOILERS LOOK AWAY CJ]

[martyrbat]

im so considerate.... (<- guy not ranting about a thing it hates before its friend is done with the media)

#can officially say i finished the arkhamverse. didnt watch anything about that suicide squad one but i read all comics #a d watched the complete story & side mission gameplay for origins asylum city and midway through my refresher for knight #the biggest takeaway i have is wow these people are weird about convicts and addicts and love their toxic masculinity #but the gameplay and nostalgia impacts peoples opinions on it. maybe an enjoyable experience but for the story or universe itself #its a complete failure in every regard i can think of—only having glimpses moments of quality that makes the rest of it #be frustrating because the potential can be there. theres interesting premises occasionally but the execution and payoff doesn't make it #even worthwhile to get to those premises because of what you must wade through to reach them #<- thats me being my nicest and most spoiler freeabout it btw. #my other big takeaway is that tim is canonically older than jason and i think a grown ass man saying fuck that kid is really funny #[SPOILERS LOOK AWAY CJ] #<- tim currently works as a highschool science teacher while jason was shown to be adopted and made robin at 15 #where he was then promptly captured and kidnapped by joker. he escaped half? a year later during asylum and AK takes place 2 years afterward #i think. the entire timeline for this shitty universe is awful and confusing. dick was robin for like 2 years its ridiculous. #and i think primarily so they can go noooo see bruce is a hot late 30 year old instead because you become dust at any older!! #but. back to the age thing. hes about 17 maybe early 18 during AK but because tim is a private school teacher he needs a bachelor's degree #and most people get it at 22/23ish and then theres the actual teacher application and being hired (or not because hes a nepo baby) #so hes early mid twenties or so. compared to a (presumably dead) teenager who he called a loser more or less.

[thegoldheartlocketandkey-blog]

911 Spoilers Season 4: You’ve been warned. 😅 Buddie Rewatch

Episodes 1-3

Episode 1: The New Abnormal

Chimney and Maddie are having a video call. Chim is at Bucks because of Covid.

Buck mentions how Hen and Eddie have gone back to their places months ago, and that he’s the only one still freaking out.

The fact that we miss Eddie and Buck being room mates was kind of a downer. I will say the fanfiction writers really went off with this plot device. Because Eddie and Buck would share a bed, while Hen and Chim sleep on mattresses down stairs. It just makes sense.

Buck has a “covid crush,” he’s apparently been talking to a woman for hours at a time on video call. Buck denies the allegations and goes to take a shower to get ready for work.

Mini earth quake happens, Chim and Hen try to gage how strong it was, Hen guessing a 4. Eddie walking in and calling it a dud a rating it a 3. Eddie walks over to the fire truck, where Buck is leaning against the truck, looking at his phone tracking the microquakes.

Eddie leans against the truck and puts his hand on his hip and listens to Buck talk about the microquakes.

Bus in the skyscraper: As the 118 gets to the location of the incident, we get an overhead look of them looking up at the bus. Eddie and Buck stand barely a foot apart behind, Chimney, Hen and Bobby.

The 118 take the elevator. Bobby is in the middle in-between Hen and Chim. Eddie and Buck behind them.  Eddie with his hands held together Infront of him. Buck looking thru his phone.

Buck researching the how much water the Hollywood reservoir holds and asking where all that water will go.

Although I truly believe Buck would have looked up that information eventually for his own knowledge, I really do believe he was looking it up at that moment because he was thinking about the tsunami. He was worried they could face similar scenarios.

Eddie looks Buck up and down as he asks the question. Hen responds with the water goes out to sea.

Elevator door opens, masks go on. Continuity error occurs as the screen pans to the accident than back on to the elevator, both Eddie and Buck are the only ones not wear the masks. As Bobby, Chim, and Hen step off the elevator.

Eddie and Buck remain in the elevator. Eddie readjusts himself and says, “At least it is not a tsunami”, Buck looks over at him with a glare. They look at each other as the elevator door closes in front of them.

Buck and Eddie are on the building’s roof. Buck clipping himself into a harness as Eddie sets up the rig. Buck prepares to descend.

Eddie advises that Buck is about to touch down and coordinating that he will send down the webbing to secure the Bus.

Buck lands on the bus, causing it to shift a little. He notes that the bus is using alternative energy.  He starts to go around the bus a securing it when he finds a person under the bus.

Buck attempting to help Chim pull out the injured man, but the space being too tight for even a back board to squeeze in.

Eddie hesitating/not fully comprehending Bobby’s orders to destabilize the bus that was just stabilized.

Buck applying a second torniquet on to man with a bleeding leg.

Buck grabbing the gurney as Eddie is undoing all his previous work.

Bobby instructing Eddie to get ready to readjust the bus, Eddie asking if everyone is off the bus. Buck repeating to Bobby that he needs to get off the bus.

Buck calling out for Cap as Bobby is trying to comfort CJ.

Buck and Chimney pulling out the body.

Eddie restabilizing the bus, Eddie noticing that the bus is leaking fuel. Eddie asks Buck over the radio if everyone is off the bus.

Buck running towards the bus screaming for cap. There is an explosion on the bus that cause Buck to throw him self out into safety. Buck worryingly jumps onto the bus and finds Booby and CJ safely on the ground of the bus.

Episode 2: Alone Together

Eddie walking over and asking if they should be worried about more of the hill going down. Chim and Buck following close behind him. Buck standing about two feet away from him. Chimney is standing in between them as they look up at the Hollywood sign. Eddie with his signature hands on his hips. Buck giving seriousness with the way we only see his eyes, it’s fierce.

Bobby, Hen, and Eddie are to go up towards the Hollywood sign and Chim and Buck stay on the ground to help search and rescue.

This is the season when I noticed the writers push having Buck and Eddie being separated. It’s not too bad, at least compared to season 5 and 6. The one good thing about separating them a bit is we get to see their individual relationships with the other members of the 118. Separating Buck and Eddie, starts off very subtle, but it’ll randomly hit and I’m trying to pin point when the showrunner got sick of Buddie shippers.

Buck and Chimney patrolling calling out for survivors. They find a dead body, mark it and keep moving. They hear a baby cry and find a baby monitor, but no baby. Buck’s eyes go a little wide with concern.

Bobby, Hen, and Eddie hike up to the Hollywood sign. Eddie noting that to get to the victims they need plywood to get to them.

Chim and Buck talk about how Chimney is going to be a father. Chimney is doubting himself; Buck is telling him that he is over thinking it. While they try to figure out where the baby is, Buck comes up with the idea of following the direction the monitor starts to experience signal interference to find the baby.

Chimney going worse case scenario, but Buck trying to find reasonable explanations. Buck tells Chim he has to stop worrying and being afraid of the world and actually move in with his sister Maddie. Repeating that he’ll be a great dad as they find the house, they think the baby is in.

Eddie and a random firefighter placing down plywood as Hen assesses the man in mud.

Eddie trying to reassure the guy in the mud by telling him he’s not going to die.

Eddie looking around silently judging the three roommates as they argue. Eddie then telling Dylan he can’t drown in quicksand, but if he continues to struggle the worse it will be.

Eddie offering other solutions to get him out, but they would not work in this scenario.

Eddie cutting up the H to help get the guy unstuck. Hen being left alone to hear the love confession. Bobby and Eddie making there way back over with the ladder they cut off. As they are trying to get the ladder situated, they witness the love confession from the girl.

I think Eddie had a stand in this scene. I was hoping to see his face to gage the reaction, but we never got it. The scenes are also pieced together in way that Eddie has a lot of stand-alone shots.  This could have been because of covid protocols or just scheduling conflicts.

We do see Eddie reacting the roommate threaten his friend, which was him looking over at Bobby.

Buck lowering Chim down a chimney to rescue the crying baby. Chim located a dead older woman and then an infant in a bassinet. Buck being relieved and happy at the news of the baby being alive.  

Chim finding a room full of pregnant woman, one of which is in active labor, Chim calls for reinforcements.

Buck harnessing himself, preparing to go down and help Chim rescue the woman. Eddie handing him an axe and lowering him down.

Buck escorting the other pregnant woman out as Chim handles the delivery.

Eddie and Hen guiding the woman who just delivered her baby and baby down to a gurney. Eddie watching as the woman is reunited with one of the other women who was held captive. Buck in the background taking off his harness \ and helmet watching as well.

Eddie asking Chim, how was the practice run. Buck joining in and repeating that Chim will be a great dad to a baby Buckley.

Eddie laying in Christopher’s bed cuddled up to Chris as Carla reads a story over video call. Carla’s story is about people being connected by an invisible string made from love.

Eddie falling asleep in an uncomfortable position and Chris is a sleep.

Albert and Buck reveal they are now roommates.  Buck goes off to speak with the mystery girl Maddie mentioned at the start of episode 1. Turns out this mystery girl is his new therapist and he’s starting to accept that he hides his true feelings from others.

Buck hiding his true feelings is nuanced in understanding Buck’s identity. He’s a people pleaser and willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.  Do I think Buck is hiding his true feelings for Eddie, yes yes I do. Am I sane enough to realize that that is only a small part of Buck hiding who he is and how he feels, yes, yes I am.

Episode 3: Future Tense

Smart House: Buck hopping out of the fire engine right into Eddie handing him an axe. They walk together, about 4 feet apart (they have to break covid protocols a little) with Bobby following right behind.

At the door, Bobby rings the doorbell. Buck points out that dispatch stated the victim was unconscious, Eddie is standing right behind him now.

Everyone looking up at the camera, allowing their faces to be unknowingly be scanned and Hildy opening the door for Los Angeles Fire Department.

Hen vocalizing how she’s creeped out about the situation and everyone agreeing with her as the put on their masks.

Eddie and Buck walking in the gurney. Eddie judging the victim for living in a smart home. He doesn’t understand why he would live in a home filled with cameras and microphones. Buck laughing at Eddie and letting him know that if he has a phone, computer, or a smart anything, anyone can already spy on him.

Cut to Eddie making the most adorable concerned face, I’ve ever seen on a grown man. Eddie looking up at the cameras hesitantly.

Eddie vocalizing how he shouldn’t buy that smart coffee maker he’s been seeing advertised to him. Hildy interrupting, by calling Eddie by his name and suggesting coffee makers he can purchase. Eddie looking like a scared puppy as Buck adds fuel to the fire by welcoming him into the future.

Eddie fully understanding what Buck meant by how anyone can spy on you as it is revealed that the ex-girlfriend was spying on the victim.

Buck at Maddie and Chim’s place helping baby proof the apartment, going a little overboard by baby proofing top cabinets. Him justifying that choice because they are having a Buckley who could end up being as wild as he was.

Buck finally telling Maddie and Chim that he doesn’t have a girlfriend, that he has been seeing a therapist to address personal non firefighter aspects of his life. Maddie looking at him concerned.

Buck laying in bed when he hears a knock on his door. Maddie walking in and Buck being confused because he just left her place.

Buck admitting to Maddie that he partially started therapy because of her comment about being sad and lonely.

Buck further admitting that he thought he’d be better after finding closure with Abby, but he was still sad and lonely. Buck admits to having a great life filled with a job he loves and people he loves, but he feels like he can’t trust it.

We learn that Buck feels this way mostly because his parents taught him that the world is an uncertain place and to be wary of trusting it. That’s a pretty messed up life lesson for a parent to teach.

Buck trying to reassure Maddie that he can handle this self-discovery journey alone and that he does not feel like she could help any way, because deep down he always felt like she was sad too.

Christopher and Buck playing video games at Eddie’s house. Christopher is of course winning and Buck playfully accuses him of cheating. Eddie walks over with his hands on his hips and turns off the gaming system.

Buck and Chris being confused and question why Eddie disconnected the game. Eddie explaining, hands still on his hips, that they are taking a break from the internet.

Chris asks how he’s supposed to talk to his friends causing Eddie to freak out about the realization that Chris can talk to real life people on his game. I laughed so hard at Eddie’s facial expression here.

Buck looking up at Eddie a bit concerned, explaining that he was only joking about people spying on him.

Eddie being a bit paranoid is examining a head set and explaining that Buck wasn’t really joking because ever since that smart house rescue has been getting non stop coffee maker ads. Buck chuckling and explaining that that is just targeted advertising and it’s not a big deal.

Christopher is sitting there laughing at his dad whose having an obvious crisis over technology.

Christopher vocalizing his excitement over possibly getting a Hildy, and Eddie quickly shutting that idea down.

Chris than asking Buck if they could go to his place to play video games. Buck looks like he’s considering it, until he looks up at an upset Eddie with his arms crossed. The stance Eddie has in this moment basically screams “I might be being over reacting, but don’t you dare undermine me in front of our child”

Buck apologizing to Chris and explaining that they are going to have to go with out technology for a while. Eddie relaxing and walking away satisfied with that answer. Buck suggesting they play scrabble.

Maddie is on the verge of tears. Chim asks her what is wrong and she reveals she’s concerned about being a bad parent. She states her parents where not bad people, just bad parents.

News of the Texas wild fire plays on the tv at the fire house. (I did pause my rewatch and watch the cross over episode of Lonestar, those notes will be posted with Episode 4 notes). Buck walking up as Chimney is watching the broad cast.

Chimney turns off the tv to ask Buck about his parents and why he doesn’t talk about them. Specifically making a comment about how Chim knows more about Buck’s sex life than his up brining. Buck jokes that it’s because his sex life was interesting, at least it once was, hasn’t been recently.

Chim explaining how Maddie was freaking out about being a bad parent. Buck explains that his parents were never abusive, but they were absent. Physically they where right there, but emotionally, they were a million miles away.

Chim jokingly double checking to make sure Buck isn’t hiding a deep dark family secret, Buck confirming they are just a dysfunctional family and proceeds to welcome him into the family.

Maddie is on the phone with her mom, trying to update her on her pregnancy. Maddie getting defensive over her choice to find out the sex of the baby, implying mom is being judgmental.

Maddie referring to Buck as Evan while speaking to Mom and asking if she’s spoken to him. Maddie revealing that Buck is seeing a therapist. Maddie reacting in a way that implies more judgement.

Maddie wants to admit to Buck that they have been lying to him his entire life.

Goat Yoga: Eddie standing behind Bobby and in front of Hen as they approach victim’s door.

Eddie hands Bobby the battering ram. They open the door and Eddie and Hen are examining the patient. Eddie catching something swimming in her eyes.

Eddie knowing what Goat yoga is and how the goat’s weight is beneficial to holding a plank position. Hen and Bobby look at Eddie questioningly and he explains that Buck isn’t the only one to know weird stuff.

I love how this implies Eddie and Buck hang out so much, that his mannerisms are rubbing off on Eddie and they are just more similar.

Eddie being amused by the patient processing she had worms in her eyes, up until a Hildy starts speaking. He instantly freaks out, gets up from his spot and disconnects the Hildy.

Eddie opening his door to a package, he’s confused but picks it up and brings it over to the living room, passed Chris.

Chris starts to side eye and waits in anticipation, as Eddie starts to open the package. Eddie becoming panicked and tries to process the situation. Chris calls Buck and tells him they got him. Eddie walking over angrily taking the phone from Chris and sarcastically thanking Buck. Buck is leaning on his kitchen counter, with a cocky smirk.

I love that buying your best friend an expensive coffee maker is considered a prank. I love it even more that the calm and cool veteran is the one afraid of a coffee maker.

Maddie reveals to Chim what has been bothering her. We of course do not learn the family secret yet.

Eddie and Buck are packing and getting ready to head out to go to Texas to fight a wild fire. Eddie and Buck are standing pretty much pressed together as Hen explains why she is also going.  

I started watching this show in the middle of covid, but I had started watching during the Season 4 mid-season break. I wonder where I’d be now if I never became obsessed with this amazing gay firefighter show. I think right now is the best time for me to address this, but I call 911 the gay firefighter show because of Hen and Karen. I also tend to think about Michael and his relationships, David, being my favorite partner. I of course will be rooting for Buck and Eddie to add more gay representation. Madney and Bathena can remain our token straight relationships.

#buddie #911 abc #eddie diaz #evan buck buckely #buck x eddie #911 spoilers #911 show #christopher diaz #911 fandom #evan buckley #911 on abc #911 #911 rewatch

[disastercit]

(even more camp camp season 5 teaser spoilers but this time is the last time probably, I'll just watch the whole thing and put my thoughts here)

-so cj is like some kind of dudebro influencer streamer type, I wasn't too far off. cj seems like the type of guy to carry a tiny microphone around a mall and interview people 😭 and I definitely get to have my little dynamic I predicted before because ross WOULD hate him for that

-on the topic of cj I don't know how I missed his mullet oopsies

-mahogany 😏

-i have a lot to say about this image actually. I screenshotted it so I could talk about how max is willingly hugging another person, I wanna say it's only the second time in the series he's done this? but then while looking at it I noticed neils earring?? he went to claires?? and he either only has one or gets them pierced at some point during the season

-also I just think it's funny that max is still freaked out by harrison like 2? 3? seasons after Mind Freakers. poor boy

-space kid??? hello???

-I see they finally got tired of animating prestons weird little shoulder things and did away with them entirely. im guessing the reason for his new outfit is that hes getting more into modern musicals and leaving behind the shakespearean stuff? I haven't seen newsies but it's very newsies to me. hey, this gives me an excuse to use the new ross design anyways I guess

-the long awaited sequel to the extremely detailed bread basket: extremely detailed popsicles

(come to think of it, here's neil without an earring again. maybe a one episode thing? also, idk why this screenshot is so dark)

final verdict: we are so back!!! I heavily enjoyed this promo and now I am so excited about this season. I wasn't sure I was gonna like this season, either due to it actually sucking or because the last time a new season of camp camp came out I was fourteen years old. but clearly I must like it if I just wrote a whole analysis of like every other scene in the teaser. really my only regret is that the season, or at least what's coming out at this time, is so short

#camp camp #im so hyped actually

[doeeyeddyke]

post Lazarus transfem Jay, where no one knows shit about her coming back until completely accidentally, partly bc she's not even the (sole) center of attention

Damian is sent to Gotham and is one day like btw I have some sisters and Bruce is like..... "Are They Mine" (Wait I Might Have Girls 🥺) (secret girldad Bruce for the win) and Damian is like.... Jane will be displeased if I say anything.... but I think Athanasia biologically is Father's..... but I don't want to lie..... hmmm...... "idk anyway look at the time doot di doot...."

Talia doesn't pick up when Bruce calls she's just like "girls go check if it's anything important or if he's just having a meltdown"

So now 2 sisters start popping up around more often to keep and eye out and check on Damian and one is super tall and buff and the other is much shorter and slighter but they call themselves twins even if short one says she's older and tall one is like "barely!! it doesn't count!!" which honestly yea they're sisters alright

That's how Black Swan and White Dove come to be known, Black Swan is quiet and seemingly ambivalent about the bats but White Dove sounds like she's about to beat the shit out of Batman and to a lesser degree Nightwing and seems vaguely displeased being around Tim's Robin but is cool with Spoiler/Batgirl (esp since she's gotten close to Black Swan and treats her well) and distantly polite to young Duke the very few times they meet

Tim's Robin: hey what's up with that

Damian:

Robin:

Damian: she has Issues With Men don't you know anything Drake smh leave her alone

Robin:

Robin: Oh. Yea ok that makes sense ig sorry man

Damian: don't tell her I said anything tho

(Damian to himself later: it's not Untrue but that's not exactly what's- wait ok that's kinda exactly what's going on here isn't it)

Btw Damian calls her Jane but her full name is Catherine Jane Columba (Mom's name + Jane Austen + Mom's hc maiden name) and she uses Jane with league sibs but CJ in general for everyone else

Anyway I imagine that Cass and Jane start hanging around more and are eventually considered neutral to friendly extension of batfam via Damian (and Athanasia and Mara when they're sent over) (Athanasia is sweet if a lil awkward and much younger than everyone else, Mara is very "You're Not My Dad just a sort of step uncle at best" but Bruce is like "omg,,, daughters,,,,")

Cass might even eventually come over for dinner or smth maybe as Steph's plus one and Dick would be like "omg I am going to big brother you so hard" and Bruce is like "are you sure you don't want to be my daughter" and Tim is trying to figure out if he can do his stalking out of affection and respect thing without getting his butt kicked and the Al Ghul kids are being absolute demons fighting for Cass' attention and trying to find out what Jane is upto

The Jane identity reveal can be totally anticlimactic (Damian says Jane wants to meet them and then at a scheduled dinnerthey meet a buff tall older female lookalike of the dead second Robin and they think "omg 😱 surprise older Todd sister no one knew about??" and Jane doesn't let anyone say anything bc she wants to see how long this lasts)

Or maybe there's some big fight or whatever or fear toxin is involved and a league sib is hurt and Jane unmasks to comfort and tend to them and Bruce or Dick (or even Alfred!) see her face and have a bit of an aneurysm and Jane's too distracted with big sister-ing to be too explicitly angry with the bats at the moment but makes a snappy remark or smth that gives her away ("miss me old man" /sarcastic and /derogatory if it's Bruce)

And uh yea anyway don't take this too seriously I'm half delirious and keep dissociating in turns and I just wanted an excuse for transfem Jason and ended up really loving CJ/Jane

#jason todd #red hood #cassandra cain #cassandra wayne #black bat #batgirl #batfam #batman #batfam au #jason todd au #damian al ghul #damian wayne #dick grayson #bruce wayne #tim drake #stephanie brown #spoiler #robin #red robin #nightwing #talia al ghul #talia and damian #talia and jason #trans jason todd #transfem jason todd #athanasia al ghul #mara al ghul #black swan and white dove au #cj columba au #my sister jane au

[ohmycale]

Catherine Jour (CJ) - troublesome plot bunny

Some notes

- my first  story outline so forgive the lack of details/dialogue, inconsistencies with fandom and omegaverse

- omegaverse:  og!calexog!alberu (basic knoweldge of omegaverse apply.) 

- Catherine = my name for Alberu's mom; Jour is Cale's mom

- Zed Crossman and Jour Thames are friends in this Universe.

- Mostly Deruth’s  POV but other POVs coz its outline

- I guess I am an Alberu shipper now

Warning: mentions of shitty behaviors of some 'fathers'

- Deruth receives a report in his office. The report is about the birth of Cale and Alberu's third kid and first daughter, Catherine Jour.

- Report says Cale delivered a red-haired daughter earlier. Currently, the couple has two older sons coz heir and a  spare. Both boys are golden-haired.

- Report mentions Alberu was allowed in the delivery room coz Cale said he should be there in case something happens. spoiler: he just wants to punish Alberu for getting him knocked up. ofc the kingdom freaks out because historically men aren't allowed in the delivery room.

- The third pregnancy is the easiest, Cale had a scare with their second kid coz the baby was in breech.

- Back to Deruth POV, he's a bit shaken that his first wife's name was used since Cale allowed Alberu to name the boys. However, Alberu's mom's name was also there so he thinks it was a joint decision.

-  He received an earlier report that Alberu and Cale were heard fighting. Unknown to him, the fight was about the name. Cale was insistent to use the name while Alberu was in ‘king and politics’ mode. Cale got angry because he felt that there is no good reason not to use the name as a tribute to their mothers. Cale points out that he and Alberu grew up not mentioning their mothers’ name or speaking about their mother due to their stupid fathers caring more about their stupid feelings - Cale's verbatim. And other related reasons like their fathers not wanting to upset their stepmothers.

Alberu  gives in because you shouldn’t upset your omega who is carrying your child and he does want his mother to be remembered and not forgotten. Cale also wants to spite Alberu’s stepmother because he doesn't like her due to her past mistreatment.

Besides the name combo is a great name – Catherine (pure) +  Jour (day) = pure day.

Deruth wants to kick Alberu’s butt for upsetting Cale but he doesn’t know that he’s one of the reasons why Cale was upset in the first place.

- Deruth is apprehensive since he mostly hidden or given away Jour’s things and told servants not to mention Jour when Violan first came into the house. Naturally, Cale wasn't happy. Cale was forced not to speak of his mom and only to the Molan duo. He feels this is a little bit of revenge on Cale's side.

- Deruth also learned that Zed Crossman has met the newborn, which ticks him off (ha!). He thought that Zed would reject the kid coz of the red hair but the emperor granted the newborn title of Grand Princess (any title for the firstborn daughter of the Crown Prince) as future protection and recognition of her birth.

-Side Note: Cale was also apprehensive about giving birth to a red-haired child coz Crossman kids are supposed to be blondes

- Zed Crossman’s wife is ofc pissed coz she hated Alberu's mom. She has no beef with Jour's name because she expected Alberu to pacify Cale by granting the name. She is angry with Catherine's name because she expected Alberu to oppose it for her behalf.

- The older boys were delighted to have a sister as they are pestering their parents to have a younger sibling to play with.  The two are already fighting about which brother she likes more….as a newborn.

- They already asked Alberu if she can train when they grow up. Alberu is not in the right headspace but is thinking CJ is better a knight than a princess being forced to marry.

- Cale is in his world and just happy that CJ inherited his hair and most of his looks.

- Zed Crossman is so excited about his first granddaughter. Coincidentally (nah, I planned it), she is also Deruth's first granddaughter. Deruth reads that Zed Crosman seems to be intent to find Cale's features in CJ rather than his son’s.

- CJ is not to be presented to the public, unlike her brothers. Excuses are made but the real reason is that the family doesn’t want her to be exposed to greedy nobles and nobles they don’t like.

- Deruth is thinking of baptismal gifts for his granddaughter. He's planning one-upping Zed since the latter splurged a lot when their grandsons were born. He’s having doubts about being invited since the previous baptisms were a formality and included the whole nobility.

--The rest of the plot is to be decided.

Okay, This plot bunny has been gnawing in my brain for a while and I wanted to share this because I want to shine on Alberu’s mom and Jour and their place in their children’s lives. These women had been in the background and I just want to dedicate a space in my fictitious plot bunnies for them. I believe that they were instrumental to Cale and Alberu and they are sidelined because they were killed off even in the beginning.

To my dismay, this plot bunny gave birth to another plot bunny – an omake (you sure, self?) feat. Catherine and Jour reacting to this plot. And yes, another one – the kids’ reaction edition feat the boys, On, Hong, and Raon.  I knew this plot bunny is trouble.

If you enjoyed this plot bunny, pls leave a comment or anything.  I appreciate any feedback about the post.  I really don't know this one is good, bad or anything.

Let’s hope I have time to write and publish the full story.

#og!cale #og!cale henituse #alberu crossman #alberu x cale #tcf fanfic #trash of the count's family #original cale henituse #tcf alberu #tcf cale #zed crossman #deruth henituse #jour thames #jour henituse

[nani-nonny]

Between You and Me and Him

Peepaw interview p.3 yippeee! As usual, the peepaws are chucked into their own separate rooms for the entire interrogation interview. Sit them on rickety, old metal foldable chairs that will ruin their backs :D (their answers will reflect where they currently are in their stories, so no spoilers hehe)

Let us begin!

Q1: After the "I'm Blue" events or "getting kidnapped to another apocalypse" event, what were your thoughts about Old Timer (Reunion) and Achilles (LCD), and did something change after your mission?

DMD:

The slider crosses his arms over his chest and leans back in his chair. He looks around, a look of familiarity across his expression. “Haven’t been here in a while… it was nice being away. But about your question… Is that what you call it? ‘I’m Blue’?”

His finger taps on his prosthesis as he thinks back to the week he spent in another timeline. Once he found his answer, the tapping stops but his expression had darkened. “Old Timer… he’s a sneaky bastard, always holding back information because he feels like it. But he’s familiar… and it’s annoying because I know why it’s familiar. It’s like Mom had raised him, he’s a lot like her in a lot of ways.”

And Achilles?

DMD’s expression turns sour and he glares at the ground. It’s easy to tell from his expression he’d rather not speak of Achilles, but he complies with a short reply. “I still don’t like him.”

He looks up and adds, “Is the bastard here? I’d like to have a word with him.”

WDS:

He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms at the mention of Achilles. “Why bother with that guy? There’s no helping him, he’s a lost cause. Mention him around me and there will be a blood bath, I make no promises on ‘playing nice’ even if Old Timer is around. Speaking of, the old guy… he creeps me out. And still does even though I haven’t seen him since. It feels like he always watching me, even Mikey can feel it. But he can’t tell me how.”

For (A)PAF: Q1: If Draxum said he would take Lou off your hands since F!Draxum had her and/or made her... Would you allow that?

(A)PAF:

The slider is still looking around, bewildered at his new surroundings and unsure of how to react. He hasn’t taken his seat or moved from the doorway, despite the door closed behind him. But even more confusion riddles his mind once the question finally seeps through his ears. “Lou? Who’s Lou—Wait,” he storms forward and crashes into the chair. He fumbles his words as he asks, “Draxum made her…? The baby?! The baby’s name is Lou—?”

I think that’s enough time with that question. We don’t want to spoil the surprise for our new contender :D

Q2: Ever thought of putting Baby Lou in kindergarten once she reaches the age to attend one?

(A)PAF:

He points a finger forward, pushing the chair aside as he shouts, “You’re not going to pass that question like nothing happened! You know who the baby’s name—you know how she came to be. Tell me—.”

Oopsie, more spoilers. Let’s move on :)

For WDS: If you by chance, end up so drunk you’re unable to move, would your ghost brothers be able to help guide your body home or would they be just loud, annoying voices in your head?

WDS:

He noticeably relaxes in his chair, more than pleased with the subject change and he hums to himself before coming to an answer. “Currently… no? At least,” he rubs his tympana with a disturbed look on his face and continues, “That’s what Mikey says. He says ‘there’s a lot to be revealed’, or something like that. I don’t know, he’s being really sneaky at the moment.” He shrugs before snapping his hand to his chest, a surge of electricity coursing to his fingertips from the touch. “Whoa, that’s new…”

Welcome back, LCD, it’s been a while. We have a few questions for you…

Q1: Have the kids (Leo, CJ and possibly the others) tried delivering food to you on a daily basis? You know, because they're worried about you?

LCD, as always, refuses to sit in his chair. His arms are crossed and he stands behind the chair, ready to leave when he prefers. It’s amazing he’s back in the room without much of a fight. Upon hearing the question, his response is short, “No. Only Leo and CJ come to the Hidden City, and it’s for sightseeing.”

Q2: Are you planning on spending the rest of your life in the Hidden City as a vigilante? Not to be rude but... You would miss so many things being away from the kids for so long. Time doesn’t wait for anyone…

His brow rises and his eyes narrow as the corner of his mouth twitches. “I don’t see why I have to answer you. My life doesn’t revolve around the Hamatos anymore.”

Answer the question.

His eye twitches and his hand slowly lowers for a sword that isn’t there. His hand grips tightly over nothing before he responds coldly, “I don’t plan on playing a ‘vigilante’ forever. But I don’t plan on leaving any time soon.”

Okay… good enough.

Now, Reunion, we have some questions for you.

Q1: Why don’t you tell the kids things about the future? For example: pointing out that a threat would come in a certain date...etc. Is there any reason?

Reunion is standing off to the side, staring closely at a wall before poking it. He leans close to the tip of his finger for a better view as he runs his chin. He turns his focus after hearing the question, then walks over to the chair to sit. He looks around once more before saying, “Nothing new about this place? I thought it wasn’t happening for so long because of renovations… oh, right, the question. It’s simple. My future isn’t their future. Warning them about an incoming danger would get them paranoid about something that may never come. I’m from a future destroyed by the Krang after decades of war. They prevented the war. They’re on a completely different time branch than mine, maybe not even on the same tree anymore.”

His expression softens for a moment, a sense of guilt riddling his expression as he adds, “I can’t warn them for something that I don’t know about.”

Hmmm… how about:

Q2: Ever thought of making dimension comms to the kids instead of opening the gate multiple times to visit and check? Not to be rude, but if I’m not wrong, opening the portal all the time hurts your brothers, no?

He whistles with amusement and leans back in his chair, tilting the front legs off the ground. “Good question, good question… better question is: do you know how difficult it is to make those? The more time passes, the farther our branches grow. Sooner or later, we won’t be able within reach anymore. And by then, those very expensive and time-consuming devices will be worthless.”

He nearly falls off his chair and lands back on the floor with a heavy scrape. He prostrates himself and gives a nervous laugh before clearing his throat. “Look, I’d love to do it, but making those devices would put more danger on those kids. I have enemies that I dont want to risk introducing the kids to, and having those devices will offer a link to a different time that they can take advantage of. Believe me, if there was a different option, I’d take it in a heartbeat. But…” He deflates slightly and mumbles, “Things aren’t as easy as they used to be.”

Okay everyone, except (a)paf, one question for you all!

What are your thoughts of APAF and Baby Lou in general?

DMD:

DMD leans forward to rest his chin in his hand, propping his elbow in his lap. He thinks for a moment before answering, “I haven’t met the baby. But I noticed the new Leo in passing… he looked stressed? Has his story ended yet? And a baby? Does he have a child?”

Reunion:

Reunion jumps up, a significant pop sounds from his knees in his excitement. “Oh, I saw them. His baby is an adorable, sweet little girl with the biggest eyes. She knows so much behind those little eyes, and I wish I could say more but… what’s the fun in that?”

LCD:

“There’s a baby?”

WDS:

He perks in his chair, slapping his hands over his tympanum and leaning over in the chair as if in pain. “Shut up, guys, please!”

After a short second, he rises, rubbing his tympanum and finally responds. “My siblings share more excited than they should be. But we haven’t seen anything. Mikey is trying to get some intel.” He leans in to whisper, “Is it his baby? He actually fuc—!”

Let’s remain somewhat decent… Thank you for sending questions for the peepaws!

#between you and me and him #rottmnt #rottmnt future leo #nonny’s corner of the peepaw multiverse #nonny peepaws #long post #future leos interview

[valarinventures]

Of Campers and Ponies (Camp Camp spoilers ahead)

(CAMP CAMP SEASON 5 SPOILERS AHEAD)

Seeing fans get angry at the new character CJ reminded me of the My Little Pony fandom. Every time the MLP show got a big change, the bronies (grown up fans) got angry.

One such brony spent years - yes, years - begging the bygone show staff to rewrite Season 9. Even I think S9 of MLP isn't well-written, but begging the staff to rewrite it looks impossible.

When I pointed out that fan's attitude, he blocked me. I just think that is very sad.

It seems that both fandoms have one lesson I noticed:

No matter how awful your fave show has become: keep calm, and camp on.

You can criticise the poor quality of the show's writing, but if the staff still won't listen to you, it should not be the end. Perhaps someone will thank you for your advice one day!

Neither if you are being shunned by fans over a mistake and a misunderstanding - there are many who love to see a new artist like you, a good friend who understands them better than those who left you.

KEEP MAKING FANART. Keep writing fanfiction. Surround yourself with your fave characters, your headcanons, and use your art to channel your emotions.

Who is there to stop you from making more art? NO ONE! You still have hands and a brilliant mind to make the impossible possible.

Art is a healthier way to cope with disappointment that cannot go away. And that is what some fandoms do, long after their shows were gone.

And as always, Campe Diem.

Glory to Xemug

#camp camp #camp camp season 5 #rooster teeth #brony #bronies #camp camp fandom #lesson #camp camp spoilers #my little pony #mlp:fim #friendship is magic #fandom

[onekisstotakewithme]

🌹 🌹 🌹 (if you do one that’s also fine!)

pffff nah, I'm stubborn as hell. ALL of the rose snippets.

~

It makes her want to put up walls, but this idiot, this infuriating fool of a journalist, the one who’s been messing with her all day with his flirting and his goddamn vermeil, is still standing there, chiselling away at each brick.

It’s like trying to batten down the hatches in the middle of a hurricane.

“I’m fine, Danny.”

“Sure.”

“I just need to… toughen up. That’s all.”

“I hope you don’t,” he says, a little softer.

(Technically a spoiler since this is from the state dinner missing scene - but on the other hand I haven't edited it yet so this could totally change!)

~

“Why?

“Because,” he says, lifting his drink to his mouth as he turns to look at her. “I’m a pessimist. If I only pick the tough races, I’ll never be disappointed when I lose.”

“I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

(the CJ-Toby friendship fic!)

~

“We needed this bill, Danny, because we are a superpower, and this is what we do. We provide money to countries that need it. It doesn’t matter how you frame it, that’s how it is.”

“People don’t care how it is, they care what it looks like,” Danny says.

It’s an old phrase of CJ’s, and she doesn’t particularly like having it thrown back in her face.

(and finally, a portion of the 'guns not butter' tag i wrote last night)

~

~ send me a 🌹 and i'll post a sentence from a WIP ~

#thank youuuu dearie #💜🌹 #cj x danny #cj & toby #cj cregg #danny concannon #toby ziegler #the west wing #tww

[gritsandbrits]

Based on that scene from episodes 9-10 contains spoilers, but I was literally so >:0

"GET AWAY FROM MY BABY GIRL YOU GOGGLE WEARING BITCH!"

The shrill battle cry pierced the room. Meridian had little time to react to the fist hurtling towards his face. It collided, sending him back some feet, skidding to a satisfying bump against the legs of the table.

Megatron stared in awe. Were his optics deceiving him? Or had the torture finally got to him.

Huffing fiercely was a human, taller and heavy-set than Dorothy. She wore a purple battle suit, burning embers of brown eyes glaring at the man she just punched. The man who now struggled to rouse himself from his man-made nap. Once she was sure he was out she rushed to Megatron's side. If it weren't for his containment he would've picked her up.

"CJ...You came back?"

CJ sniffed softly. "I told you I'll always come back." She wanted to embrace him, but they only had a few minutes. She began to pry and poke at the wires. "C'mon I'm getting you out of this dump!"

"Good this place was starting to get boring anyways," huffed Megatron indignantly. CJ snorted in frustration before shifting her Cyber Sleeve into a blade.

"You got tortured and that's a joke?"

"I've been through worse my dear, he couldn't even leave a dent if he tried," the ex-warlord bragged before wincing at the pain.

CJ was about to say something else when she heard clicking sounds. She gasped as she saw the spider shaped droids surrounding the lab. Leaving no room for exits.

"Didn't expect you to leave so soon after your unwelcome invitation."

The couple looked to see Meridian already back on his feet. His nose throbbing red. "I do say that was quite unexpected from you."

"You hurt my husband," CJ snapped. "You are so lucky I didn't drag you all over the room!"

Meridian held his hands up. "Oh I am so scared!" She grumbled at his mockery.

Megatron fumed. "If You hurt her I swear I will-"

"You'll what? Kill me?" Meridian says as he stalked towards CJ. She backed away keeping close to Megatron as she could.

"We know your faction is already on thin ice and I don't think Ghost would appreciate seeing their ally go rouge," Meridian added. "And I don't think they'd like to hear how a supposedly redeemed war lord went back to his old ways and cause the death of two innocent humans."

CJ gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"

"I wouldn't?"

"Whatever issues you have with me that's between us, leave her out of this!" Megatron barked. His eyes burning with desperate rage.

Meridian rolled his eyes at Megatron's words. "Begging now? I didn't think you monsters had the ability to care about others. Much less Earth."

"The only monster around here is you!" CJ snapped again.

"You think I'm a monster Miss Juno?" Meridian stalked towards her. "I'm doing this to protect out planet! These things can't be allowed to cause anymore harm!" As if to emphasize he gestured with his fake arm. CJ's heart lurched. She recognized that arm.

"What have you done?" She whispered.

"What was supposed to be done all those years ago," the man bitterly swore. CJ could only stare back in horror. This man was seriously messed up.

"Meridian...." Megatron warned.

"Don't worry I won't hurt your wife," Meridian spat that last word out. "But I don't want her interfering either."

His arachna mechs circled around Juno blocking her in. She only returned a simmering glare at Meridian as she relented to her capture.

Satisfied, Meridian put his goggles back on his face (careful not to press down on his nose). "Now if you don't mind I have an experiment to finish."

Another shrill scream pierced the room, and through CJ's heart.

#earthspark spoilers #megatron x oc #tw implied torture #tfe megatron #selfship #self insert #transformers earthspark

[solarishashernoseinabook]

Solaris reads The Great Zoo of China, by Matthew Reilly

The only way I'm going to be able to get through this book is by memeing it, because I'm 50 pages in and the number of times I've rolled my eyes is mind-boggling

Also I forgot who everyone was approximately two pages after they were introduced so this'll be fun

Spoilers will be unmarked below so block the #solaris reads the great zoo of china tag if you don't want to see them

The premise: Stop me if you've heard this one before...

A group of some of the top minds in their fields are invited to preview a first-of-its-kind zoo, a zoo featuring great animals no one thought they would ever see. The zoo is set to be a major tourist destination, so the stakes are huge. Nothing can go wrong, our main characters are assured, but the creatures escape their enclosures and come after the guests...

Yeah, this book is Jurassic Park, but with dragons, because it takes place in China and nothing else exists in China except pandas and dragons, apparently (that was sarcasm)

And with that, on to the book!

[Transcript: But the head didn't move. It was eerily still. In silhouette, the creature's high pointed ears looked like demonic horns.

The giant reptile took a step forward. It bent its head low, sniffing the ground. /end]

Page 4 and the illusion is already broken. Reptiles are quite notable for their overwhelming lack of external earlobes. If someone can think of a reptile with visible, pointed ears, do please let me know, I genuinely can't think of one

[Transcript: Once a renowned herpetologist–a reptile expert–these days CJ worked as a vet at the San Francisco Zoo. At thirty-six, she was a petite five foot six, with piercing amber eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair. /end]

...I'm sorry she's how tall?

[Transcript: CJ was fit, athletic, and pretty in a sporty kind of way. Men often approached her, only to turn away abruptly when they came close enough to see the grisly scars that dominated the left side of her face.

The scars stretched all the way from her left eye to the corner of her mouth, looking like a sequence of poorly aligned Xs. The ophthalmic surgeon had saved her eyesight. And the plastic surgeon, one of the best in America, had managed to reconstruct her jaw, but the slashing wounds to her left cheek had proven to be too much even for him.

CJ didn't care. For vapid men or for herpetology, not after the incident. All her life she had been something of a tomboy anyway. She didn't bother with makeup and she didn't mind getting her hands dirty. She lived outdoors: hiking, camping, horse riding. A keen horsewoman, she sometimes preferred the company of horses to people. /end]

Okay, so she's a literal Barbie doll with one absolutely horrible flaw, oh no, oh dear /s

I always feel like people who write descriptions of women like that - pretty except for one thing that totally ruins their looks and makes them utterly unpalatable, but which their love interest will graciously be able to overlook - are telling on themselves more than they think.

Also, she's not like the other girls! She has interests which are actually very common amongst women!

[Transcript: Around her neck she wore a leather strap, hanging from which was a three-inch-long saltwater crocodile tooth: a gift from Bill Lynch. /end]

This is petty, but I feel like the tooth should have been mentioned first, or maybe Reilly should have chosen a different word than "strap". Every time I go back to this sentence I expect it to be about some antique binoculars or something and have to mentally rearrange my expectations in my head when I get to the tooth part

[Transcript: CJ's considerable success had not been reflected in her personal life. While Hamish had gone through a swathe of girlfriends over the years, CJ had not had many serious boyfriends, just the one in fact, Troy, and that had ended badly: immediately after the incident that had destroyed her face. Only Hamish had stayed by her side, her ever-loyal brother. /end]

We're on page 12. Since this book began we've learned about two mentors CJ has had who looked after her, begged her not to leave her position at the university after the accident that gave her the scars, and who generally looked after her and recommended her for good positions. But yeah no one stayed by her not at all no-siree-bob

Also contrasting her brother with her boyfriend there strikes me as pretty dang weird

[Transcript: a series of lines from the book combined into one image:

But the head didn't move. It was eerily still.

It growled. A deep angry sound.

Once a renowned herpetologist–a reptile expert–these (the rest is cut off)

She had always been a good observer, a close watcher of things. It (the rest is cut off) /end]

At the very least, Reilly can be content knowing his book has some value as a dictionary, provided you only want to know random words in no semblance of alphabetical order

#solaris reads the great zoo of china #long post #more to be added tomorrow theres just SO MUCH IN THE FIRST FIFTY PAGES #and then i can actualky continue reading it

[silkiemae]

Wing & Arrow by Piper CJ

warning: there are spoilers

I really don’t even understand what the point of this novella was, tbh with you. To give a bad representation of group dynamics? Gay men? Women in the army? There’s not one moment where we ever really get to know any of the characters in this little novella. All we know is that they all want to fuck one another. 

We start with Zaccai and Briar in bed. Briar is expressing interest in another soldier who is up for a promotion. She complains that she’s not allowed to sleep with people in her unit because then the dating pool would be so much larger. This honestly makes women in the military look so bad. Like she's only there to bone the whole army. It's never really expanded on why she decided to join the army in the first place, she merely is interested in fucking the battalion. The only other woman introduced in this short story is immediately suspected of basically the same thing. Gadriel sees her and assumes she has a crush on him or on 'military life', meaning she's basically an army groupie. That's a terrible way to depict women in the army, considering all of the women who are assaulted in the army all the time.

Briar suggests they add a third to their dynamic. This guy name Wren gets introduced, and they play fuck, marry, kill(bed, wed, behead), and would you rather. They get drunk and then bone. There is literally not even porn without a plot in this there’s not even badly-written sex to entertain me. I'm genuinely wondering why this was even written in the first place. You don't need to publish every single word you barf out, Piper. 

The funniest part about fuck marry kill is one of the options is the All-Mother and knowing that Piper literally commissioned a portrait of herself as the All-Mother just really ramps up her narc status in my eyes. Like, wow, let's portray myself as the goddess of my own book series. Okay. 

They play truth or dare. Wren has never been with a man alone before, so Briar dares Wren and Zaccai to sleep with each other while she watches and again, there’s a big nothing burger to this. Then Briar gets sent away to the front lines leaving Wren and Zaccai to continue their relationship alone. Again, there is nothing. No conversations between the two. No expansion of their relationship. We’re just told they fuck without kissing. (Wow, another terrible depiction of gay men.)

Then Briar returns, and Wren is pissed; he thought they’d ‘moved past her’. He tells Gadriel he thought "he saw him for him" (wtf does that even mean?) when he has literally never expressed interest in changing the dynamic to just the two of them. Like, did he just assume because Briar was gone, she would be naturally phased out?? Wtf? 

Briar dumps Zaccai, and then it’s revealed that Wren actually volunteered Briar to go to the front lines so he could have Zaccai to himself, and so they could sleep together without Briar. Zaccai gets pissed, calls this the most vile crime he has everheard of and has Wren arrested and imprisoned. Then years later, he sees Briar with her new husband, and that’s it.

That’s all that happens in this story. Don't know if Zaccai ever saw Wren again. Don't know if Wren was executed all because Zaccai's dick was so good. Don't understand what Zaccai saw in Briar in the first place for him to be so fascinated by her. This was a nothing burger. This was a waste of time and valuable paper. 

Zaccai’s dick was so good that Wren ruined his whole life for it LMFAO. 

Also, Piper. Dredges do not mean what you think it does. You mean dregs. Dredges is a literal verb; it means to clear something or bring something up, like dredging up a memory. Dregs are the remnants of a liquid in a container. That’s the one you meant to use. You probably should’ve gotten an EDITOR but I know you’re allergic to those.

#wing & arrow #piper cj #the night and its moon #the sun and its shade #book review #tnaim

[90363462]

The Greatest Grammys Snubs of All Time

Winners For Best New Artist Macklemore (C) and Ryan Lewis accept their trophy on stage as Pharrell Williams and Anna Kendrick, presenters, look on during the 56th Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, January 26, 2014. Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

According to leading experts in the very scientific field of complaining about things, there is no pastime more popular than griping about all the instances where the Grammys screwed up and gave an award to the wrong person. As you may have surmised, this is a deeply objective exercise. Maybe Blood, Sweat & Tears’ 1970 album really is better than the Beatles’ Abbey Road. Maybe that Lionel Richie album that has “All Night Long (All Night)” on it really was filled with back-to-back classics the same way that Purple Rain and Born in the U.S.A. were. With the benefit of hindsight, a lot of the choices the Grammys committee has made seem insane, but at the time things were probably a bit murkier. Nevertheless, presented here in chronological order, is our list of the Greatest Grammys Snubs. We stuck to the big categories — Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist — because they’re the most fun to get outraged about. These categories also say the most about where our collective consciousness was at during any given year and where the Grammys thought it was at, too. Spoiler alert: Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé got snubbed a lot.

1970: Blood, Sweat & Tears’ Blood, Sweat & Tears over the Beatles’ Abbey Road, Johnny Cash’s At San Quentin, and Crosby Stills & Nash’s Crosby Stills & Nash With all due respect to the jazz-rock legends in Blood, Sweat & Tears, whose 1968 self-titled album was daring enough to jam Traffic, Billie Holiday, Cream, and Erik Satie covers into the same track list and make it work, and whose “Spinning Wheel” slaps to this very day, the Recording Academy had one job in 1970, and that was to slide the Album of the Year trophy to one of the three masterworks of the late ’60s. Blood, Sweat & Tears is great, but At San Quentin? Crosby, Stills & Nash? Abbey Road!? These are epochal records within their respective forms. Blood, Sweat & Tears isn’t even the tightest mainstream jazz-fusion album from the same eligibility period. (What’s up, Chicago Transit Authority?) Swing and a miss. —Craig Jenkins

1970: Joe South’s “Games People Play” over Blood, Sweat & Tears’ “Spinning Wheel” See, the Grammy Blood, Sweat & Tears should’ve been a lock for in 1970 is Song of the Year for “Spinning Wheel.” Instead they got squeezed out in favor of singer-songwriter Joe South’s warm but cloyingly overproduced peace-and-love anthem “Games People Play,” which isn’t even the best song called “Games People Play.” This feels like the Academy voting for politics over quality; South’s song is easygoing, with good intentions, but not enough so to walk away with Best Contemporary Song as well as Song of the Year. “Spinning Wheel” is more memorable, and it charted better too. —CJ

1984: The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” over Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” Only in a white’s man world could this generic (by Sting’s own admission!) stalker’s anthem beat out two (two!) Michael Jackson songs. It was even sort of written into the title of one of those MJ songs that he was destined to beat the Police. Meanwhile, the other remains one of the biggest songs in the history of music. This was the year that MJ took home a record eight Grammys in a single night, but he deserved a ninth. —Dee Lockett

1985: Lionel Richie’s Can’t Slow Down over Prince’s Purple Rain and Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. This is the year that the Grammys awarded Lionel Richie Album of the Year for Can’t Slow Down. That means they gave it to him instead of Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. and Prince’s Purple Rain. Don’t think about it too hard. Can’t Slow Down has “All Night Long” on it I guess. —Sam Hockley-Smith

1988: Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram’s “Somewhere Out There” over U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” The only thing the Recording Academy loves more than a chart smash is a drippy ballad, so James Ingram and Linda Ronstadt’s drippy chart smash “Somewhere Out There” was almost certain to come home with some gold from the 1988 show. The song’s win for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television made sense — although there are those who might rightly quip that the Dirty Dancing and Mannequin theme songs got robbed that year. Song of the Year is preposterous, though. When you think of the music that moved the culture of the late ’80s, are you thinking of Bono topping worldwide singles charts screaming at the desert sky, or are you conjuring up the schmaltzy love song from the Fievel movie? How many people even remember the Fievel movies? —CJ

1997: Céline Dion’s Falling Into You over Beck’s Odelay, the Smashing Pumpkins’ Melancholy & the Infinite Sadness, the Fugee’s The Score, and the Waiting to Exhale original soundtrack The bummer about Céline Dion’s absolutely massive Falling Into You taking the ’97 Grammy for Album of the Year is that it’s quite possibly the most popular but least impactful album from that year’s entire crop of nominations. Beck’s Odelay was a collage of stoned slacker funk that still sounds innovative today, the Smashing Pumpkins’ Melancholy & the Infinite Sadness was a wistful, achingly beautiful double album that unapologetically cranked the angst dial to 19, the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack was both a showcase of Babyface’s writing skills, and an unimpeachable soundtrack packed with instant classics, and the Fugees’ The Scoreintroduced the world at large (see: everyone who was not already a rap fan) to Lauryn Hill, with a collection of lyrical Jersey rap tinged with just the right amount of pop sensibility. Compared to all of these, Falling Into You was as boring as it could possibly get. —SHS

1998: Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home” over No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home” is a noble artifact from the stretch of the ’90s where alt-rock and Americana briefly rubbed elbows on the radio (see also: Sheryl Crow, Freedy Johnston, Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, etc.). High marks at the Grammys felt like overdue acknowledgment of women as formidable singer-songwriters in an era where Lilith Fair reminded everyone that rock and roll wasn’t just a game for boys. The same effect could’ve been achieved by giving the honor to No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak,” a song that served up Fleetwood Mac levels of band drama and commandeered complete control of the American airwaves for several months straight. Even ODB was confused about this one. —CJ

2000: Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas’s “Smooth” over the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” or TLC’s “Unpretty” Ah yes, who could forget the time that Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas’s instantly dated “Smooth” beat Ricky Martin’s cheesy “Livin la Vida Loca,” TLC’s “Unpretty” — which was not even the best single from FanMail — Shania Twain’s “You’ve Got a Way,” and Backstreet Boys’ megacatchy megahit “I Want It That Way.” A cursory glance through the nominees of this year paints a bleak pop landscape for the year 2000. Is “Smooth” better than “Livin la Vida Loca?” Uh … I guess? But this one clearly should have gone to “I Want It That Way,” which crystallized the early ’00s better than any other song nominated that year. —SHS

2001: Steely Dan’s Two Against Nature over Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP and Radiohead’s Kid A It’s the first Grammy season of a whole millennium! What better way for the Academy to greet the dawn of a new era than to, uh, give the Album of the Year to a Steely Dan comeback album? In a year where Radiohead’s Kid A turned over a fresh digital leaf and Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP blew young listeners’ minds with unprecedented levels of savage wit, bestowing oldsters Walter Becker and Donald Fagen with a de facto lifetime achievement award instead of respecting the austere artistry of Thom Yorke & Co. or the monstrous energy (and monstrous sales) of Marshall Mathers was a puzzling choice, one that, much like the legacy of all three artists, won’t soon be forgotten. —Frank Guan

2005: John Mayer’s “Daughters” over Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks” We’ve had a chuckle or two at John Mayer’s expense — who hasn’t? But that doesn’t mean that the cornball singer-songwriter hasn’t made a genuinely good song in his time. Regretfully, “Daughters” is not one of those good songs. Watery and retrograde, the song confuses triteness for profundity to a degree exceptional by Mayer’s standards, which didn’t keep it from rising to No. 1 on the Adult Top 40 (who knows, it might even have helped). “Daughters” is a wet, limp slap in the face of public taste, and the fact that it won Song of the Year over a double-platinum track that slaps as hard as Kanye’s “Jesus Walks” says a lot about the tastes that prevail in the Academy, none of it good. —FG

2005 Best New Artist: Maroon 5 over Kanye West It’s true that both Maroon 5 and Kanye West have carved out long careers in their respective lanes, and even had some crossover along the way — but one is not like the other. The Grammys are not in the business of predicting the future (if they were, there wouldn’t be so many holes in the BNA category), and they can’t map out a new artist’s trajectory for them. Could they have known the Kanye West who made the College Dropout also had Yeezus in him, or that the band with the potential to make Songs About Jane would go on to become karaoke versions of themselves? Maybe, if they were paying attention. The thing about Best New Artist awardees is that they are almost never actually new — there are plenty of times that this award has gone to an artist on their second or third album. By the time Kanye released College Dropout, the Grammys were already familiar with his production work, and had a sense of what kind of artist they had a chance to champion early on. They blew it, and Kanye never let them forget it. —DL

2006: U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bombover Kanye West’s Late Registration  I might be more judicious about late-period U2 than most — I actually tagged along with a friend to the All That You Can’t Leave Behind midnight drop back when big-box record retailers used to open in the middle of the night so fans could have first crack at an artist’s new release. That said, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb marked the beginning of a long stretch where the Irish rock legends received high marks just for continuing to be around. Don’t get me wrong: Atomic Bomb is a good album, but it didn’t capture a moment or point to the future the way Kanye West’s Late Registration did. Kanye and Jon Brion put trombones and flügelhorns on a rap record! But men with guitars always win in the clutch … —CJ

2006: U2’s “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” over Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” The Grammys — in one of their most out-of-touch moments of that decade — saw fit to award U2 for a song I would bet most people can’t sing one note or lyric of on command. It’s not that the U2 song is bad — it’s an intimately written piece about Bono’s dying father, and some moments are genuinely devastating — they’ve just made this song before, and done it better. “We Belong Together,” on the other hand, cemented a career resurgence for Mariah and has aged flawlessly, becoming one of her best-known songs (all praise to the genius of Babyface). Somewhere, right this second, it’s being sung (badly) at karaoke. U2 hasn’t performed “Sometimes” on their last few tours. —DL

2008: Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters over Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black Every now and then the Grammys will really Grammy by sneaking Lifetime Achievement Awards into its Album of the Year category. This happened in 2005 when they gave Ray Charles AOTY for his final album over career-defining works from Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Usher, and Green Day (and even though they’d already given him a Lifetime Award two decades earlier). It happened, too, when Robert Plant and Allison Krauss pulled off an upset. But it’s never been more regrettable than when Herbie Hancock beat Amy Winehouse. The Grammys voting panel could not have known that Herbie would ultimately outlive her and that Back to Blackwould become her final album (she died a few years later at 27). But they should’ve known then that while both albums were an homage to the past (Hancock was a Joni Mitchell covers album; Amy’s a doo-wop and soul tribute though technically original work), they had different purposes. Amy’s album proved her a once-in-a-generation talent, but Hancock’s only reaffirmed the obvious: He’s a legend. Except there are quite a few of his albums that do a better job of making that point. Amy would never have another. —DL

2011 Best New Artist: Esperanza Spalding over Drake and Justin Bieber  It was a pleasant surprise to see Esperanza Spalding pull off her shocking Best New Artist upset in 2011. Her contributions to the resurgence and crossover appeal of neo-jazz are unquestionable, but at the time, she was a relative unknown with not even a third of the audience Drake and Justin Bieber had amassed in their relatively young careers. Biebs was a teen heartthrob with tween-girl mania and mass-market singles; Drake was a Degrassi alum transitioning to a young rap phenom with hits already under his belt. Sure, it’s debatable that Drake and Bieber were new in 2011, but the Grammys thought they were new enough to nominate them. Florence and the Machine and Mumford & Sons, too, were no underdogs in this category given the success of their own respective singles and established followings. So what Grammys algorithm then led to Spalding pushing past all of them to win? That’s the thing about the Grammys: They make sense only to the people voting for them. (It is also likely the other four acts were too equal to pick one, so they picked the dark horse.) The rest of us just grab popcorn and hate-watch. —DL

2013: Mumford & Sons’ Babel over Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange It’s 2018, and Mumford & Sons are still hugely popular, but they’re the kind of popular that feels so safe that it’s easy to forget that they’re popular at all. In other words, they do one specific thing — make music that evokes a rustic time that never really existed — and people come to them because they know that they will never stop doing that thing. They found their lane, and they are not going to exit it maybe ever. The Grammys’ Album of the Year category has always gestured at some form of timelessness — implicit in the very nomination is the idea that the albums in this category will not only say something about the year they were released, but will also be milestones in popular music down the line. Five years after the release of Babel and Channel Orange, which album feels more like its part of the (amorphous) conversation? Which album better reflects the state of the world as we currently understand it? Is it the fine-enough pop-folk album, or the first nuanced, complicated major statement from one of the most important artists we have right now? Maybe my wishing for the latter is putting too much emphasis on an idealized version of the Grammys that never really existed, or maybe they just got it wrong. —SHS

2013 Best New Artist: Fun. over Frank Ocean Currently on indefinite hiatus, Fun. was a pop-rock trio whiter than a powdered doughnut, and it wasn’t all that shocking that their music tended toward toward the sweet and hollow. To be fair, they were pretty catchy, and their sophomore album, Some Nights, notched a No. 1 hit in “We Are Young” while also landing two other singles in the upper reaches of the Hot 100. How a band whose debut album came out in 2009 wins Best New Artist in 2013 behind the successes of its second album is something of a mystery. For Fun. to win Best New Artist in 2013 over Frank Ocean, though, isn’t so much a mystery as an insult to the meanings of the words best, new, and artist. Frank’s debut LP Channel Orange may or may not be a perfect album, but it’s undoubtedly great, the product of a unique voice and sensibility never known before. Snubbing him for an award that he could only be nominated for once seems especially gratuitous, and it’s hard not to imagine the slight contributing to Frank’s future decision to turn his back on the record industry. Why endure dishonor when you can do better elsewhere on your own? —FG

2014: Daft Punk’s Random Access Memoriesover Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City There is an argument to be made, I suppose, that Daft Punk’s win for Random Access Memories — an album that sounded like a yacht made out of cocaine and good vibes — was a triumph of fun over Kendrick’s heavy autobiographical meditations on life, death, and identity. And yeah, if your primary reason for listening to music is to have fun and not think too much, there are far worse albums to listen to than RAM, which is accomplished, nuanced, and intricately constructed. But Good Kid — home to the instant classic “Money Trees,” the heartbreaking “The Art of Peer Pressure,” and the corny-but-it-still-works “Swimming Pools (Drank)” — was not just a solid collection of tracks. It was an album as Zeitgeist, and would help define Kendrick’s trajectory in the years to come. —SHS

2014 Best New Artist: Macklemore over Kendrick Lamar  Foreshadowing what would happen with Adele and Beyoncé just a fews year later, here we have another example of a white artist apologizing for the voting choices of the Grammys. Macklemore didn’t scold the Grammys onstage, and instead sent a now notorious apology text to Kendrick Lamar, and then shared a screenshot of it on Instagram. It took the Grammys more than 20 years to call another rapper Best New Artist after Arrested Development became the first in 1993. That they overlooked everyone else until Macklemore (then luckily got it together with Chance the Rapper last year) tells you all you need to know about what they think of hip-hop. —DL

2015: Beck’s Morning Phase over Beyoncé’s Beyoncé No year forced us to consider what the Grammys are really awarding when they denote a specific body of music Album of the Year more than 2015. We can pretend that the Album of the Year award only takes into consideration the songs on the album divorced from all other context, but that way of thinking fails to take into account what Beyoncé did with her self-titled magnum opus, which was to rethink the album experience as we knew it. She released it with no warning — which wasn’t a first, but certainly no one has ever done it better — and it came with an entire supplementary visual component. Beyoncé featured 17 stand-alone music videos, each filmed in secret, each building unique worlds. Anyone else’s album would look paint-by-numbers in comparison, but that was glaringly true of Beck’s Morning Phase, which was very good, but did nothing to change the game and has had little influence on the art produced since. This would’ve been the opportune time for Kanye to snatch his mic instead of pull a pump fake. —DL

2016: Taylor Swift’s 1989 over Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly 1989 didn’t just have hits for days. It had hits for weeks, months, even years — not to mention that the album proper did ungodly numbers. Even the fact that it was, at the time, Taylor Swift’s worst album speaks more to the high standard Swift had set with her first four albums than anything else. 1989 is a fun album! People will listen to it for years to come. In just about any other year than 2016, its Album of the Year win wouldn’t come close to being a snub. But 2016 was the year of To Pimp a Butterfly, an album that was more than fun. Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore effort is the sort of creation that doesn’t just raise heart rates, but purifies souls. Sure, it didn’t come close to going diamond like 1989, but spiritually speaking the thing is a diamond, a work of sheer perfection wrought under extreme pressure. It’s an album for the ages, and the fact that it couldn’t even take home Album of the Year is a landmark even in a long history of Recording Academy short-sightedness. —FG

2016: Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” over Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” There are music critics and publications who look on Ed Sheeran with what can best be described as grudging disdain, but even the coldest hater of the Brit singer would be pressed not to enjoy “Thinking Out Loud,” a ballad whose power is every bit as undeniable as its debt to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” But while Sheeran was channeling Marvin Gaye in his lover-man mode, Kendrick Lamar was reviving the spirit of What’s Going On–era Marvin in “Alright.” If Sheeran’s tune is a home run, the Pharrell-produced “Alright” is spaceflight; in a year where Kendrick was also being robbed in the Album of the Year category, the deafness of the Academy voters stood out all the more. —FG

2017: Adele’s 25 over Beyoncé’s Lemonade  Is there a surer sign the Recording Academy got it wrong than that a winning artist using her acceptance speech to tell them so? In previous years, it was Kanye West doing the thankless work of crashing stages to right egregious wrongs on Beyoncé’s behalf; last year, Adele interrupted herself. It wasn’t that Adele’s 25 didn’t deserve to win Album of the Year, it just didn’t deserve it more than Lemonade, and Adele knew. “I can’t possibly accept this award,” she said, turning to Beyoncé in the front row, pointing to the way the album made black women feel seen. “The Lemonade album was so monumental and so well thought out and so beautiful and soul-baring. We all got to see another side to you that we don’t always see. You are our light.” 21 and Lemonade are legacy albums from hopeful legacy artists (the jury’s still out on Adele), but 25 is most known for breaking sales records. Lemonade should’ve received the same canonical accolades afforded to Adele’s better album just a few years earlier. —DL

2018: Bruno Mars’s “24K Magic” over Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” The Recording Academy instituted the Latin Grammys in 2000 to more adequately recognize the sheer volume and diversity of Latin music, essentially an acknowledgment that Spanish-language music was then, and remains now, bigger than the rest of music combined. The gesture comes up short, though, in its failure to keep that same energy at the main event. When it comes to the “regular” Grammys, Spanish-language music has its own “Latin” catchall genre field, and historically that’s where it’s been relegated. Rarely has Latin music broken into the Big Four, with the exceptions of Santana and Rob Thomas’s novelty (and, uh, English-language) “Smooth,” which beat Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ la Vida Loca” for Record of the Year in 2000, and Los Lobos’ “La Bamba” cover in 1988. The Grammys had the opportunity to course correct in 2018 by awarding the biggest Spanish-language song of all time — and one of the biggest songs in music history, full stop — Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” but they blew it. Both Song of the Year, and, an even worse call, Record of the Year, went to Bruno Mars’s “24K Magic.” “Despacito” was ultimately shut out. We know now what “Despacito” has meant to the música-urbana boom; the Grammys should’ve known better then. Flash forward two years later: Reggaeton is getting snubbed in the major categories at even the Latin Grammys; Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin’s “I Like It” lost ROTY in 2019 to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America”; and Spain’s Rosalía, a white woman, is the Spanish-speaking world’s best shot at a major 2020 Grammy win, for Best New Artist. Will the Recording Academy ever learn? —DL

[haec-est-fides]

God i am so glad to meet someone who also doesnt like the way new rome is portrayed but in a different way than me. Like i never understood why it was two praetors and not consuls? And I think in canon New Rome is only a few hundred strong not even a thousand like? Its not much of a city especially since they have generations of legacies, and youre telling me its basically a hamlet. And there are reinforcements from beyond the camp right like that pilot? And in the attack by Caligula and Tarquin, they had advanced warning from Leo right? And looking at a map of CJ it is a prime defensive position surrounded by running water that repels monsters, one main chokepoint, hills, A LITERAL GOD and we know they are fast engineers so they didnt build fortifications? Like if they know its zombies stand on top of a stone wall or behind a moat and snipe them with arrows. Its the same thing with SoN like there were no actual preparations for a proper defense and siege. Like Julius "built two giant encircling walls for one battle/siege" Caesar is rolling in his grave. And with all of that said even if they had New Rome would have been crushed in one day. The problem with demigods is they can be killed like any mortal and you are telling me Caligula didnt take advantage of modern weapons like bombers? Exploding the mostly empty fleet just leaves a whole army stranded and desperate and hey what do we have to lose right lets just take New Rome with our overwhelming numbers and give it to the only dude left who may award us. And i hate how they have written Octavian's role as augur like that was a super sacred and respected position. He had extreme political power since nothing political like elections could happen without the gods and therefore the augurs permission but everyone treats Octavian like a joke like no everyone should be courting his favor or at least not dissing him to his face. And they usually read bird signs so it feels like Rick just had octavian destroy the pillow pet to set him up as a jerk. And like, I can buy everyone who was loyal to Octavian just shutting up to avoid a civil war in series okay the last time a demigod civil war happened it left the world vulnerable and the gods were not happy and the cause for war was revealed to be a plan by Gaea amyways and CJ on a whole seems much more pious than CHB and they are focusing in bettering relations bw the two camps basically on orders from the gods which you cant do if your own camp in embroiled in a war and it is likely the seven will side with Reyna. But it is not very Roman admittedly to avoid avenging a beloved commanders death especially if in universe he is seen as the savior of rome. Prior to TTT Reyna should be facing significant political pressure at least if they were actually written as /roman/. Also disclaimer its been a while since ive read the books and i have mostly been lurking around for toa spoilers instead of actually reading them mostly because i find the whole premise of unnoticed immortal emperors ridiculous and it raises so many infuriating questions and they are basically noncanonical in my eyes but like Camp Jupiter and New Rome had so much potential Rome was known for its complicated politics and tactics but it was all squandered. And somehow CHB is run worse than this. And Riordans flippant humor towards the death and killing of characters is... questionable from a character pov especially. My attachment to this series is basically stockholm syndrome from childhood and the glimmers of good ideas. Sorry for the word vomit but i just really wanted to talk about my thoughts.

Hey anon? ily <3

Everything you just said is basically something I've thought at one point or another. I mean, a lot of these concerns are handwaved away because it is a book series for a younger audience, and Riordan -- like all authors must -- made certain choices, but I completely get how you feel. A decent handful of fans do, as I've discovered! ToA really brought out the Romans among us, haha.

I agree that the premise of ToA requires a big suspension of disbelief, but so does the premise for all of Riordan's books. I'd definitely recommend reading ToA if you have the time / interest!

#filodox! #asks #my ask box and messages are always open for discussions like these #i mean who hasn't read these books and then rewritten them in their head to feature more complicated and darker plotlines that #respect and explore new rome / camp jupiter more? #i want a civil war dammit! #i want political intrigue! #i want TWO civil wars! #i want the consequences of people's actions to MEAN something! #but yeah #oh hey anon have you ever watched hbo rome? i think you might like hbo rome

[solange-lol]

hiii in celebration of AUctober, what are some of your fav solangelo AUs?

Anonymous said to solange-lol:

Hi! Kinda a random question: do you have any favorite riordanverse fanfics that you’d suggest reading? I’m looking for ones to read, but I’ve been having trouble finding new ones! Thanks!

rec list #1 | rec list #2

all recs can be found under the tag ‘lizs solangelo fic recs’ on my blog!

technically its past auctober now, but better late then never to drop my third solangelo rec list!! especially considering the state of the world rn ... lets just say its a celebration of me actually participating in sw for the first time in a while

rec under cut as always!! its not all aus but its the count that thots

Find Another Place to Stay by @unwieldyink

personally i think breakup fics are incredibly underrated, and i also think annie is incredibly underrated, so enjoy ur little cry if you read this one (tw // violence in this one)

Hershey’s kiss by @unwieldyink

we love a godswap!! it’s actually been a while since ive read this one and i reread this while making this rec list and can i just say that zeus!nico and hermes!will are both such valid concepts and this just has a rly good dynamic to it

Actors by @buoyantsaturn

i could talk about this fic for hours but lets just say ao3 has told me ive visted this fic 40 times. im not kidding. fake dating is just a godtier trope

start of something new by jinniefic

if you know me, you know that i fricken LOVE high school musical, and this is literally just the start of the first movie but solangelo and honestly a little more iconic please read even if ur not a hsm fan

paper/plastic by @rosyredlipstick

the fact that this is from 2018 and took this long to get into my rec list is tragic because i think about this fic a lot... a lot. mortal au. very chill, strangers to lovers, very good vibes, will be rereading soon (everything rosy writes is amazing we already knew this)

10:37pm by @buoyantsaturn

surprise another cj fic! fun fact she debated with us for a good half hour about what to title this fic so go read it so you can tell her you like the name (and the fic itself... its a very good fic) (tw // alchohol and drug use for this one)

Sunflower by ChiseHatori

3 days in the infirmary is probably the easiest trope u can find in the solangelo tag but i have to say this one really made me soft just bc it feels a lot more in character than some of the others ive read, and it basically picks up right where they ended in the books

Will You, or Will You Not? by @thebluesideofmyworld

marriage fics... also very soft. just boys bein boys. dual engagements. mortal au. all that good stuff vv soft i loved it

let your heart win by @justanothervampiregirl

this one is short but its also probably one of the most in character fics ive ever read and i really like this style of writing mixed with canon compliance so :)

The Magic of Naomi Solace by Sweetymomo

naomi solace, underratted legend. i aspire to have her relationship with will. lots of familial background if you like that!! and its set at a bnb!!

forget all the shooting stars and silver moons by itotallyreadthatbook

when i saw this in the tag i was SO excited bc we love high school aus here and it was!! very good indeed!! this trope is one ive never seen before and i recommend 10/10 good banter

They won’t always live by Phantomxlegend

will overworking himself and coping with loss always makes me :(( so if ur okay with some will angst then buckle up

“I am fully capable of kicking your ass” by @unwieldyink

i remember i saw the email notification for this one and immediately was like yup absolutely im in and it 100% lives up to its title we love capture the flag solangelo

the night we met by peachyytomlinson

a lil ooc but also very angsty and did make me emotional when i read this late at night. i think i wrote something similar a while back but i just aaaaa will angst man

“look how hard i can cry FWSHHH”  by @buoyantsaturn

call me biased bc i like to claim that i originated the idea of demeter!will and cj dedicated this fic to me but like BRO its so soft and i love it here nico leave the plants along challenge failed

femboy hooters, or the time percy jackson failed to keep a secret by luciethebean

its all fun and games until the fic turns out to genuinely be really good. like, yes the title is exactly what you think it is but it doesnt matter bc its so fricken well written im^@*#&(*)($_$#&^@$(@*)* yeah

Of Ties and Significant Annoyances by seokjinvilla (@thechampagnecocainegasoline)

we dont support jkr in this household but what we do support is this bc this plot is genius and i love it

everything’s going swimmingly by tsunamiroll (@catboy-ethan)

fun fact i posed the idea of a sports/team prompt to the sw mod crew literally just so someone would pull through and write a swim au and ethan DID without even knowing. i love them and their writing style is so !!!! please read it

when you smile (the whole world stops) by tsunamiroll (@catboy-ethan)

another ethan fic!! this is the perfect fic for a rough day where u just want some cuddles bc thats literally the plot of the fic. i love this one with my entire heart its very fluffy 10/10 do reccomend

pumpkin spice (i hate it, it's not nice) (ok maybe it's a little nice) by tsunamiroll (@catboy-ethan)

ethan fic part 3!! bc i binge read these all in one night!! literally again their writing style is so amazing and the witty banter!!!! also we love a retail bookstore au 

Burnt Plastic (and Other Bad Ideas) by More_of_This

so this one isnt exactly romantically solangelo but it is hilarious in my opinion and i absolutely adore well written college aus and while i know nothing about college this fic is so funny to me (if you read the tags there is, in fact, a raccoon involved) (tw // drinking for this one)

all because you kissed me goodnight by @buoyantsaturn

i have been WAITING for a mortal counselors au and im sure theres some out there already but y’all already know im a cj stan! lots of slowburn, friends to lovers, coworkers, all the good stuff (and i named this one and offered cj a lot of materials from my own camp so this one especially hits!! i reccomend for those good ol summer vibes!!) (tw // drinking for this one)

Waiting With You by @buoyantsaturn

oh boy buckle up if u want an angst ride because this fic tore me apart. i keep threatning cj with “dont pull another waiting with you”. that being said, very much feels like a movie while youre reading it, very fluffy in the middle, we love mutual pining. 

Little Italian Boy by @buoyantsaturn

stream little italian boy by grace gilmore. youll get it. thats it.

The Clues by @thebluesideofmyworld

secret dating when done well is legit one of my favorite tropes of all time and this!!! this!!!!!!!!! its outsiders perspective also which is another one of my favorite tropes, and just little views on nicos life and i love it

So Come On, Talk it Out (your voice brought me back from the dead) by @buoyantsaturn

will solace, sponsered by kitkats, cj edition

no but if you read tower of nero you’ll really like this missing pieces pre-ton fic this is a really soft little fic with a bunch of easter eggs from the book in it, so i highly recommend! if you havent read ton yet and are still avoiding spoilers, come back to this one!

reaching for the sun (you, you, you) by moonswords (@tortadelimao)

i just read this one about 2 hours ago for the first time and i am Still thinking about it. its like the getting together that i literally feel like is canon and the vibes are Immaculate (also william “what about me looks straight” solace)

“Are we on a date right now?” by @unwieldyink

overworked will, nico helping out in the infirmary, first dates & hikes, canon compliant, we love to see it (also its an annie fic so ur required by law to read it)

Outrunning karma by Phantomxlgend 

more will angst! featuring angry overworked will!

Everlasting Ring by minyoongurt (@blueblackslowtown)

i was Very excited when i read the summary of this one, and i think minyoongurt did a really good job!! healer will, injured nico, the whole dynamic. also i love the idea of nico only knowing “thank you” “go away” and “fuck you” in sign language. im pretty sure thats canon

The Little Thing by Rainbow_Mess

i belive this is also a pre-toa fic thats just exploring all the stuff we found out about will in ton and its very short and sweet :)

and of course, a few of my recent works for your consideration

who is he (and what is he to you?)

just doing my silly little tasks

i don’t need three bars to tell me we’re meant to connect

truly, madly, deeply

#solangelo #will solace #nico di angelo #pjo #heros of olympus #lizs solangelo fic recs #mine

[elliebartlets]

TWW REWATCH: Evidence of Things Not Seen (4.20)

Edit: this is longer than I thought it’d be. I liked it more than I remembered, and think it’s in my top 10 episodes.

• why is the entire recap about Zoey and Charlie and Jean Paul?

• oh god CJ and the egg thing

• “Squeeze this piece of rye bread.”

“Now what do I do?”

• wait isn’t Matthew Perry in this episode? Isn’t that the guy Josh has to meet with?

• “I miss Ainsley.”

Same Josh

• Debbie begging to be let in on the poker game lol she knows she’s good and wants their monayyyy

• oh yeah Mathew Perry’s in this episode

• and this is also when someone fires shots at the White House

• hm so I’m guessing the recap focused on Charlie and Zoey cause nothing else from the previous episodes are in this one, plus bringing up the assassination would be a big spoiler for this episode

• Will bringing CJ an entire carton of eggs is hilarious

• I completely forgot Will was an Air Force officer

• the way Debbie side eyed Will as he was shuffling the cards like a pro

• why is Leo the only one who has work to do?

• also was he just playing with his wedding ring? He was twirling something on his ring finger

• “There are some who would consider him handsome. I don't personally, cause you're the only one I think is handsome.”

Alsjsha DONNA

• “It's funny, it's what I was just saying, the person who created the job opening, her name was Ainsley Hayes, and she was, uh, a very attractive woman, and I was saying that we needed to find another attractive woman with an unusual name, and, here, you're a man and your name is Joe.”

lol Josh what even were you trying to say?? Also this is something Chandler would say

• Joe checked the “I do not feel sad” box for the psychological questionnaire and Josh is like “you never feel sad?” no Josh 🙄 but since there was no “I feel sad sometimes” box and the other options went from 0 to 100 real quick (“I’m sad and can’t snap out of it/want to kill myself”) what did you expect him to pick?

• so are the windows bulletproof in the briefing room?

• also just realized they never got to throw their cards

• Toby pulling CJ down reminded me of West Wing Weekly when Hrishi said this was the second time CJ was pulled down in the show, (the first time by Sam during the Rosslyn assassination attempt) and Richard Schiff said “I bet I did it better.” Lol

• “Mr. President, this is President Bartlet.”

*The agents run in, guns ablazing* Step away from the window please.

“Okay, you know what, I'm going to have to call you back.”

alsogjda this scene always makes me laugh hard

• I love how Bartlet and Leo start towards the door when Ron Butterfield tells them that CJ Toby and Will were in the briefing room

mom and dad looking for their kids!!

• “Will how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Who’s Will, sir?”

lol

• if they’re holding people where they are why did they move CJ- oh nevermind that is the room that was shot at, of course they’re not gonna keep them there

• Charlie bursting through the Oval Office, while unrealistic cause secret service wouldn’t tackle his ass, is sweet and really tugs at my heartstrings cause the both of them already have a personal history with assassination attempts

• and then Debbie comes in, also worrying about Bartlet and then the note of panic in her voice when she realizes Toby CJ and Will went to the briefing room and then her whispering to Bartlet on the way out about taking his blood pressure cause of his MS

gahhh

• I do wonder if the shooter was aiming for the briefing room or if they were just randomly shooting at the White House?

• “He wants to know if the President wants to say something funny.”

“That's twice in four years, some of you guys must really be mad at me?”

AldksksjsnCAROL

• Did you hear the shots?

“No, but I heard a brass quintet playing "The First Noel," so I just assumed somebody somewhere was locked and loaded.”

This line makes me laugh but it’s also 🥺😢 y’know??

• and Joe Quincy’s line about “Not for nothing, but the people that I talk to don't believe that story, and the people that you'd like don't care” was always confusing to me

I took it as Republicans (the people Quincy talks to) either don’t believe Josh had a breakdown over sirens or has PTSD at all, but the Democrats, (the people Josh likes) and maybe some Republicans believe the story, but don’t care if he had a breakdown or has PTSD.

• can we just take a moment to appreciate Donna checking up on Josh to see if he’s ok and then offering to tell Stanley that Josh might need him later? I just!!!

Josh may not have broken down, but I sure am.

• and then he’s upset cause Donna got a death threat

“How can you not like Donna? She’s from Wisconsin.”

• “I thought my reflexes before, in the Press Room, were cat like.”

Love the little motion CJ does with her hands while saying “cat like”

• the look Leo gives Bartlet when he tells the russian president the situation room still works lolol

• Allison and Richard have insane chemistry in this episode. Like yes they always do, but the way they’re playing off each other in this episode god damn

• “This is a coincidence. I was just stepping outside for some air.”

Yeah uh huh sure Charlie

• 2 things about this Zoey/Charlie scene:

1.) I feel bad for Zoey. Her father’s been in politics the majority of her life, and she’s been defined by everything he does (and in some cases her mother and Charlie). There’s no room for her to be herself or do her own thing. It always goes back to her family in some way. Dating someone completely different from Charlie, and not associated with politics, is an act of rebellion so to speak. I don’t blame her for dating Jean Paul at all, I just wish it didn’t end the way it did.

2.) I can see the beginning stages of Elisabeth Moss’s acting chops in this scene.

• also Zoey and Charlie were standing on the portico near the oval…how did they not hear Bartlet yelling on the phone to the Russian president lol

• “You’re a Republican!”

“Joe, it's fine. Ainsley Hayes was a Republican.”

“It is not fine.”

“Why not?”

“Cause if you're a Republican, than you damned well better look like Ainsley Hayes!”

“He does!”

Aldksjsahga

• “And you've got to ask yourself, if no one on the internet wants a piece of this, just how far from the pack have you strayed?”

This is so funny and accurate

• it’s ironic (and intentional) that when CJ places the egg upright, proving her faith in things not seen, no one was there to witness it.

#the west wing #evidence of things not seen #rewatching the west wing #tww #the west wing evidence of things not seen

[extraordinarilyextreme]

Crown Prince Li Kaiqing, Chen Ji, and Fushui

MAJOR spoilers for 《骊歌行》 Court Lady (2021)!!! This is just me blabbing about my feelings.

so we all knew that Crown Prince (CP) and Chen Ji (CJ) were gonna be BE cuz they have historical prototypes. after Chengxin was executed, Li Chengqian grieved for a long time, refusing to attend court and also building a shrine for him in the palaces.

well, even with that knowledge, i still cried like a little baby at the end of the drama. there’s not a single un-sad 感情线 in this entire show, but i really do think that the mess of these three is tragic.

before we dive into the mess that i’ve become, a huge round of applause to Li Zefeng for his amazing portrayal of the Crown Prince—the good-intentioned, sort of foolish boy that we first meet and then later the wide-eyed, paranoid, remorseless man. and of course similar props to Wang Yizhe’s two roles of sweet Chen Ji and scheming Fushui (and Sun Langlang for voicing them! Wang Zhi’s VA!).

so as i’ve already said, CP is really a whole different person after CJ dies. and the contrast between CJ and Fushui (FS) is very plainly evident: CJ dressed in pale white-blue, FS mostly in grey-black; CJ kept his hair loose, FS wears a bun (or hat, when he rises thru the ranks); CJ is a lowly palace entertainer, FS is well-trained in combat and medicine (and ends up as Senior Imperial Physician, somehow); CJ was terrible at weiqi, FS is good at weiqi but pretends to be bad at it. CJ was targeted and subjected to rumors, but no one dared question CP’s relationship with FS—because CP was in so much grief after CJ died, how could anyone bear to do that to CP again? even though FS was absolutely the one that everyone should have removed from CP’s side immediately…

when CP and CJ first meet in episode 7, CP is kind of a typical princely character: he’s kinda entitled, the world is his, his future is bright… and i firmly believe he 一见钟情 because while CJ still treated him with courtesy and respect, it’s obvious that CJ didn’t expect or want anything from him. and this continues in episode 9, when CP is trying to clear his thoughts by the riverside and runs into CJ who is fishing: CP brattishly orders CJ to stay and keep him company, and CJ is honestly more confused than anything as to why the freaking Crown Prince of the country wants to spend the whole goddamn day here. of course, it’s because CJ represents a freedom for CP: here, the Emperor won’t compare him to Prince Zhou or Prince Han; here, the Empress won’t admonish him over and over again; here, there’s no scheming advisors who try to curry favor with him. here, as CP tells CJ to use, it’s just “you and I” without care for rank or formalities.

(but also the death flag in episode 9 was atrociously obvious LOL with CP promising “I will make you a grave” to CJ’s absolute terror. on-the-nose. still made me sad later on, so that’s that i guess. in any case, the episode ends with a 定情信物 whereupon CP gives a jade from his belt to CJ.)

CP watches CJ perform (as he is an entertainer from Prince Han’s mansion) for the first time in episode 10, and we see it again in episode 12, episode 16, and episode 17. based off 《三国演义》Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the lyrics are as follows:

大丈夫只患功名不立 A great man should only worry about not gaining fame and honor/

何患无妻 Why worry over not having a wife/

舍生忘死报恩住 Leaving behind life and death to repay my Lord/

忠肝义胆待友朋 Treat my friends with righteous loyalty/

我要做有血性的英雄 I want to be a hot-blooded hero/

为义而生 To live for righteousness (loyalty)/

为义而死 To die for righteousness (loyalty)

CJ plays the main role of Zhao Zilong (Zhao Yun), and he helpfully compares the story to a game of weiqi in episode 16.

“A gambit [sacrificing insignificant pieces to protect the significant ones] is what Zhao Zilong did in the Battle of Changban. In order for Zhao Zilong to save A Dou, he couldn’t save Madam Gan. So, Madam Gan committed suicide. Isn’t Madam Gan a gambit?”

to which CP responds: “Thank goodness you are Zhao Zilong, and not Madam Gan.”

CJ: “The Crown Prince regards me as his soulmate [知己]. Even if in the future, the Crown Prince were to sacrifice me as a gambit, I would be willing.”

CP: “What are you saying? You and I are friends. No matter what happens in the future, I will never treat you as a sacrificial gambit.”

(so, like, death flags everywhere! 知己-mention! and, c’mon, i think for CP’s consort to be jealous/insecure is a little bit justified considering the amount of times CP has CJ perform this piece with a line like “Why worry over not having a wife”.)

backing up for just a moment before everything goes to shit, other notable events are CP finding out his wife is pregnant in episode 13 (but he spends the day fishing and then cooking the fish with CJ at the riverside, and they walk off with arms draped around each other’s shoulders), CJ hurting his leg after climbing a cliffside to pick red flowers after CP mentioned his wife loves the color red most in episode 14, and finally CP leading a blindfolded CJ to a new house just for him to tick off another romance-y trope in episode 15.

CP: “Didn’t you say you didn’t have a home? So I bought you this little estate. When you fall in love someday, have children, and have a great career, this will be your home.”

(the point is they’re both still kind of in a honeymoon phase right now, tho it ends quickly in episode 16 when our FL Fu Rou warns CJ against being so close to CP—but CP is a little bit too idealistic right now, a little bit too stuck in his blissful fantasy, a little bit foolish. foolish, and incompetent, and unable to protect the people he loves bc he unwittingly endangered them to begin with.)

of course, things come to a head in episode 17 when CP’s wife tells her sister about CJ, leading to the Emperor eventually finding out. but while that’s happening, CP goes to see CJ at the estate he bought for him.

CP: In the future, I won’t come here anymore. Therefore, let’s put aside differences for today and be friends like we used to. We will never have those kinds of days again.

CJ confesses he’s going to leave Chang’an: I want to learn swordsmanship well, and become a wandering hero, feeling at home wherever I am. When the Crown Prince becomes Emperor in the future, I can help you take care of bad guys along my journey out there. This will be my way of helping the Crown Prince to keep the empire stable.

CP gives his dagger to CJ: This is not a reward, but a gift for my friend who is about to leave. In the future, whenever you look at it, it will be like looking at me.

CJ: A gift from my soulmate. Chen Ji will definitely take good care of it.

(for ppl who’ve watched Qing Ya Ji, the parallel to Zhongxing and Fangyue here killed me. but there’s also a parallel within the show itself near the end when Fu Rou gives the Emperor a collection of scrolls and explains that the late Empress hoped that he would treat her writings like he were seeing her—one of Court Lady’s many confirmations that CP and CJ should be read as a romantically by paralleling it to visible, het relationships. ALSO, CP has CJ perform Zhao Zilong again right after this conversation, like a last nail in the coffin.)

so the Emperor finds out in episode 18 and angrily orders CP to kill CJ himself, lest he be stripped of rank. Fu Rou warns CJ, but he refuses to escape.

If I run away, the Crown Prince will not be able to fulfill the Emperor’s order—what would happen to the Crown Prince? […] Life and death are not the most important things; the most important thing is to stay true to yourself.

and so CJ unsheathes the dagger CP gave him.

The Crown Prince regards Chen Ji as his soulmate, Chen Ji also regards the Crown Prince as his soulmate. ‘A man of service dies for the one who knows him.’ (An upright man can die for his soulmate.)

CJ quotes “士为知己者死” from Sima Qian’s 《史記·刺客列傳》Records of the Grand Historian, tho if you’ve watched Winter Begonia, it should probably also look familiar.

CP pushes aside the soldiers who’ve accompanied him on the journey to CJ’s home, but it’s too late: CJ took his own life, using the weapon CP gave him, in order to protect CP.

the chorus of Lu Hu’s 《万里》 Ten Thousand Li plays as CP staggers toward CJ’s lifeless body.

呼吸，想着你, When I breathe, I think of you

在梦里，在心里, In my dreams, in my heart

怪完相遇，怪自己, After I’ve finished blaming that we encountered each other, I blame myself

别离，痛彻心扉！Farewell, my heart is broken

(this is a song from the OST we hear multiple times with the other couples in the drama—and we also see many couples by the same river that CP and CJ would fish together by. i think, like, all the couples associated with this song except our main one have a BE…)

in CP’s immense grief, he has the weiqi pieces from his last game with CJ glued to the board, never to be moved again, and he has the flowerbed outside flattened. we get our callback to episode 9: “Chen Ji has no family. I promised him that if he died, I would make him a grave.”

CP doesn’t meet FS until episode 37, but what the Emperor says in episode 19 about Chen Ji is what really makes the whole thing a tragedy.

You must be cautious when choosing friends. He would only have misguided you.

and that’s the thing, the Emperor isn’t wrong!!! it ultimately truly is the Crown Prince’s love for Chen Ji that destroys him. his love for Chen Ji ruins him, ruins the imperial family and threatens the dynasty as a whole. because when Fushui shows up, a man who shares Chen Ji’s face, the Crown Prince trusts him unconditionally—it’s the Crown Prince’s desperation to see any small part of Chen Ji again that leaves him vulnerable to FS’s manipulation: CP forgets who he truly is. because how could a man who looks like Chen Ji ever betray him?

CP is thrown from his horse in episode 37, striking his head upon a rock.

he wonders: Chen Ji, have I also died? Did you come here just to pick me up?

(but of course it’s FS, who was actually going to kill him but the soldiers arrived too quickly.) they meet officially in episode 38.

CP: I thought I was going to die. Dimly, I felt someone approach me—he wanted to save me. I originally thought it was Chen Ji who couldn’t bear for me to die, so his spirit appeared. I didn’t expect that it was you.

FS remarks that CP has brought up “Chen Ji” several times already; immediately, he understands that this is a weakness to exploit.

CP basically throws a temper tantrum in episode 39 when he discovers he will have a permanent limp from now on. (idk if it was an intentional parallel, but CJ also had a limp after falling from the cliffside in episode 14.) FS is the only person that CP allows to approach him, and FS gets him to eat grilled fish (which is apparently CP’s favorite food—how much of the people we love do we carry with us?)

FS acts innocent: I really am bad at lying; as soon as I lie, you see right through me.

it’s everything CP wants to hear.

CP tells him: When I fell off my horse, and was on my last breath, you came to my side and encouraged me to continue living. I’m now crippled and in despair, but you talked sense into me to eat grilled fish. Everything that has happened—if it were Chen Ji, he would also have talked sense into me, encouraged me. Sometimes, I feel that you are Chen Ji, just with a different face.

(obviously it’s the same face for us tho cuz he’s played by the same guy. but anyway, when FS comes clean about everything in episode 51, he mimics the words CP says here.

I am not Chen Ji. I, Yang Fushui, came to your side to find an opportunity to take revenge.)

back to episode 39, FS says he doesn’t want to be “another Chen Ji” because he doesn’t want to die so young—he’s afraid of death.

CP: I guarantee you that I won’t let anyone harm you. What happened to Chen Ji will never happen to you.

(and it’s true! FS gets away with so much goddamn shit because CP’s wife doesn’t dare criticize FS, and even the Emperor doesn’t after knowing what it’s like to see his son in such heavy grief. CP’s wife thinks this is her chance at making amends; she felt real remorse after CJ died, and honestly that line from It’s Quiet Uptown sums it up best: “If I could trade his life for mine/He'd be standing here right now/And you would smile and that would be enough.” a shame, of course, that CP was FS’s freaking main target. nobody wants to repeat the tragedy of Chen Ji, so no one questions Fushui.)

but, like, FS isn’t truly even that subtle—it’s just that CP is so blinded by his love for CJ. from episode 46:

CP: I have taught you for so long, but you’re still terrible at playing.

FS: I am doing it on purpose. Only if I play poorly, will the Crown Prince be willing to continue teaching me.”

CP: Even you put on an act before me? […] You are the person I trust the most. Don’t lie to me.

(太子，你醒醒吧!)

so FS successfully sows discord between CP and his brother Prince Han; the Empress passes away (always sickly, but her illness was very much exacerbated upon seeing her beloved sons turn on each other); CP’s wife kills her own sister in what she believes is a beneficial political move for CP; Prince Han’s wife is wrongfully executed; Sheng Chujun is killed and silenced too after he discovers FS’s plans. CP stages a coup against Prince Han. (the man who looks like Chen Ji must only want the best for him, right?) FS gets away with everything and goes to visit CP in prison in episode 51.

AND HERE! HERE! FS is supposed to kill CP; that’s been his goal from the very beginning. CP hasn’t eaten for days in the prison, but FS shows up with a grilled fish and CP eats without a second thought that it could be poisoned.

but. FS has been at CP’s side for so long now. he’s orchestrated CP to lose everything. there is nothing left that CP could give to him but the mere fact that he’s still breathing.

in episode 49, FS poisons Lian Yan’er and Yan Zifang is obviously upset on behalf of blissfully ignorant, head-over-heels Ma Haihu.

FS: I will kill whoever gets in my way.

YZF: What about someone you love? If it was someone you loved, you would be just as ruthless, right?

FS: It is human nature to be greedy and selfish. Where does love come into play? This question—you’ve asked the wrong person.

(but FS’s expression changes. someone he loves? he’s startled, he looks afraid.)

FS ruined CP’s life; and at the same time, gave CP reason to live again. CP started playing weiqi again, his relationship with his wife improved; he started smiling again. there was a passionate fire to him that he never had before (this was his second chance to do everything right, to protect the people he loves!)... the kindling, unfortunately, was his trust in Prince Han and his parents. from episode 39, FS comes in and sits down next to CP after CP trashes his room during his tantrum.

CP: Do you know why I treat you differently from other people?

FS: Because I remind Your Highness of your friend who already passed away—Chen Ji?

CP never stopped loving CJ; he loved Fushui, because he never stopped treating him as Chen Ji. after the failed coup against Prince Han, CP smiles in prison in episode 51 when FS visits him.

CP: It was fate who made us each other's soulmate [知己]. [...] If you can continue living well, I wish that you live your life to the fullest, with both smiles and tears.

how can Fushui bear to take the Crown Prince’s life when he’s received nothing but unwavering trust from him? when he explains who he truly is, when he calls CP foolish for trusting the wrong person, FS is on the brink of tears. his mouth trembles, his breaths shake. when the poison begins to take effect, and CP agonizingly reaches for him, FS takes his hand—just as CP gripped CJ’s lifeless hand so long ago, just as CP reached out to the person he thought was CJ when he fell from his horse. FS takes his hand, sobs, and gives him the antidote.

(Consort Yan’s eunuch is, of course, outraged.

Yu He: If you can’t bear to kill him, then I will!

Fushui: I forbid you. [...] He has nothing left to lose. I forbid you from killing him.)

so, we have the Crown Prince, ruined by his love for Chen Ji—and Fushui, who both took and freely gave the Crown Prince’s life back to him. it’s a love story; it has always been a love story.

and finally, FS gets Ma Haihu killed in episode 53. he picks up the comb MHH carved for Lian Yan’er (a 定情信物!), and when he speaks, ends up telling the story of CP and CJ as well.

There was a woman who sacrificed her life for your bright future. You only needed to enjoy it, yet you took the road of self-destruction.

and then he remembers what CP said to him in the prison in episode 51.

CP: If, in this world, fate truly exists, then so do the hearts of men.

FS remarks now: If you have a heart, you will be easily hurt, or even lose your life.

heartless Fushui, who kills without batting an eye, who nearly upturned the entire Tang dynasty, who doesn’t know of love. in the end, he couldn’t bear to end the Crown Prince’s life.

so, yeah. these three broke my heart. i really wonder what Chen Ji would say to the Crown Prince when they see each other again at last in the afterlife. what the Crown Prince would say to Chen Ji. how violent love can be. what it means to live in someone’s memory. or maybe they would return to the river and spend a long day fishing together again.

#court lady #骊歌行 #cdrama ramblings