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Who's your daddy? | s.r
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summary: After a long day's work, the BAU returns to the head office where they find a stroller with a small baby sleeping and a child very determined to surprise his father… But who's his father?
warnings: too much fluff, spencer!dad, my best attempt at Spencer dad because it's 24/7 on my mind. I REALLY ENJOYED WRITING IT, AAAAAAAAAAA. This story is not spencer x reader, i wanted to try something different so i created a character. I hope you guys like it.
words: 4,241.
a/n: I decided to surprise myself and try the family/family found challenge from one of my favorite writers in the whole universe, @imagining-in-the-margins. I used, I think, one of my favorite concepts which is "secret family/spouse/child" for this little au.
i want to remind you that English is not my first language, so if there are mistakes I hope you will forgive me :( I hope you like it, plus I really enjoyed being able to try something new and outside of what I usually focus my writing on. THANK YOU, TQM.
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Catching criminals is a good way to kill time.
The BAU team knew this perfectly well, that's why they were dedicated to it. Every day was a new experience trying to find and capture the worst of the worst of humanity. Even though sometimes they just wished those freaks would take a day off.
The last case had sent them all the way to Silicon Valley, successfully catching the unsub and making it safely back to the FBI offices.
What they didn't expect was to find their technical analyst and friend, Penelope, gazing in amazement at the inside of a stroller.
"What is that, Penny?" asked Emily, walking up to the blonde figure who was totally engrossed by what she was seeing in that baby carriage. The group approached silently, after seeing the woman's signal for them to come as quietly as possible, and saw inside it.
A small baby was sleeping comfortably inside. They estimated that he was about eight months old; they could see a few strands of thin brown hair that were tousled falling down his forehead, his little nose was puckered and his little hand clenched the tail of a fluffy lion. His outfit was as cute as possible: his body was adorned by a white long-sleeved T-shirt with an iguana on it and a leaf-green overalls, but much of his body was covered by a gray blanket.
"Isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Penn looked up, feeling her heart stir. "I went out to greet you and found this beautiful creature. He was sleeping and alone, so I decided to keep him company until someone came to claim to be the father of this beautiful peach." J.J couldn't fall for the charms of that baby, after becoming a mother her Achilles heel was children.
"Was he alone, Penelope, are you sure there was no one with him?" Luke couldn't help but wonder how it was possible that they had left a baby, alone, in the middle of a hallway in a federal building. "Positive, I've been there for about ten minutes and I haven't seen anyone approach him."
The team brought their full attention to the mysterious stroller, looking for some sign of what would be the perpetrators. Hanging there was a gray-colored bag with a small giraffe keychain; inside it was the necessities for any kind of emergency that might happen. Diapers, change of clothes, some food, powdered milk, a bottle, everything necessary for a baby.
"We should check the cameras to see who brought him here" Matt suggested, feeling his nose being invaded by the smell of baby cologne, a very mild and almost hypnotic one.
"It's a blind spot, Matt." Tara replied, noticing how the little guy rolled over and let out an adorable yawn, falling back asleep. "He's too cute." Penelope's eyes seemed to shoot hearts.
"We should move him out of the hallway, it's drafty and he might catch a cold." J.J brought her hands up to the carriage and began to push it, being followed by the rest of the people back to their cubicles.
Despite the movement, the little boy, who was now nicknamed "peach" thanks to Garcia, remained in that deep sleep.
"I wish I had that deep sleep" Emily smiled, looking at peach's features.
He looked like someone.
Who was it?
"I want to go back to those times where my only problem was sleeping and eating" Rossi commented, causing his colleagues to laugh.
"I don't understand how a baby could have gotten up there without anyone seeing him. It's a building full of federal agents, there's no way no one saw anything." Matt nodded at Luke's words. "Let's jump to conclusions, how did a sleeping baby get here? There's no way he pushed his own car to get here." J.J peeled his gaze from the car, feeling a light bulb in his head turn on.
"In the bag there were juice boxes, it is unlikely that they are for him. It is recommended that at twelve months they can only have juice, so they may be from the parent or he has a brother or sister accompanying him" Rossi smiled, nodding at the words the young woman was saying. It was quite logical coming from the mother bear.
"If that were so, where is this responsabl-"
"Excuse me," A high pitched voice interrupted Luke's sentence "I believe you have my brother."
The group turned to see where the voice was coming from. A small figure was standing behind them, he looked quite calm and was running his hands down his brown pants.
The small glasses were drooping down the bridge of his nose, his hair was disheveled just like his little brother's and his hands were arranging the sleeves of his blue hoodie.
"I-is he your brother?" Emily stood at the height of the youngest, who was nodding before he approached the baby carriage and took to watching the little one, inwardly thankful that he remained in his deep sleep.
"I just went to the bathroom and when I came back he was gone." The little boy drew an elongated smile, taking in the faces of everyone around the stroller. " You're federal agents, so I didn't panic too much when I didn't see him."
The boy settled on the floor, taking off the backpack he was carrying and pulled out of it a book, which had in golden letters the title of "The Little Prince." Apparently, it was in French.
"How do you know we're federal agents?" Luke seemed just as surprised as the others, who didn't understand how the youngest could remain calm after taking his brother away, and besides, he knew they were federal agents.
"It says so on your badge, sir" The small hand pointed in the direction of the badge hanging from his pants, causing everyone to turn their gaze to it. "Besides, my mom told me."
"And where is your mom?" Rossi was the one who took the word, smiling at the confidence the young man possessed.
"That's a good question, sir. I'd like to know where she is, too." He shrugged, trying to remember what the woman had told him before leaving him in the hallway of the BAU office. "I know she told me, but at the moment I can't remember. It was too noisy when she said it."
The rest were silent. The little boy was handling a rather formal vocabulary, one that is very strange for his age, plus he looked quite interested in reading his book than paying attention to the rest of the stares.
"Excuse me, sweetheart… But how old are you?" Penelope smiled friendly towards the young man, who took his eyes off his interesting book.
"Five and a half, but many say from the way I talk I'm older."
Luke opened his mouth, surprised at the young age he possessed and that, moreover, he was in charge of his brother.
"What about your brother, how old is he?"
"He's eight months and two weeks old, he's still not close enough to say he's nine months old, so I'd rather be exact."
Emily was increasingly sure that he looked like an exact copy of someone she knows, but she couldn't associate it.
"Even so," Continued the young boy "there's something you guys haven't asked me" the book took a step back, closing it and setting it down on his lap.
"What's that, kiddo?" Tara asked.
"My name or my brother's" The group looked at each other. He was right, they had been so preoccupied with finding out about the person in charge of them or their age that they had overlooked asking his name.
"You're right, that was rude of us, what's your name?" Matt fixed his gaze on the young figure, who was giving them a smile where one of his front teeth was missing.
"I'm Alex, well… Actually my name is Alexander, but my mom and dad call me Alex, except when they're mad." A small giggle escaped Jennifer's mouth. "And my brother's name is Oliver, but we call him Oli."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Alex." Matt's hand extended in the direction of the little boy, who shook it with a smile. "What about you guys, what are your names?"
The group smiled, introducing themselves to each other so that the young boy could remember each name without a problem. After this, the little boy began to repeat the names, making sure he could remember each one well and be able to get each name right.
"Okay, Alex. Now that we know each other, I want to ask you a question" J.J addressed the little one, who gave him his full attention.
"Shoot, Miss J.J" His answer caused everyone to laugh, letting the little guy's charisma win them over.
"What are you doing here? I don't think you decided to come here at nine o'clock at night with your brother and mother just to see the place."
"Well, we actually came to see my dad." Admitted the little boy, adjusting his glasses.
"Your dad? And where is he?" Penelope searched with her gaze, as if she were on her computer looking up the information on her servers.
"It's a surprise! Dad doesn't know we're here, it's the first time we've come to see him at work. I wanted to surprise him so I asked Mom if she could bring me here, and since I've been good, she agreed." Proudly, Alex reached into his backpack for a neatly folded piece of paper. He opened it and held it out to J.J., who was surprised at the grades on that slip of paper.
"Wow, I see only A's here" The printout passed from hand to hand, noting that every course had been passed with the highest grade.
"Yep, even sports! Mr. Adams, my teacher, said I'd been the fastest in the class. Even though I prefer literature, I got along better with letters than balls."
Emily was sure she was a clear copy of the youngest on her team, Spencer Reid.
Wait, where was Spencer?
"Where is Spencer?" Emily turned her gaze to her buddies, who were handing the paper back to Alex so he could put it in his backpack.
"He said he was going to do some stuff on the fourth floor, then he'd be on his way here." Tara replied, turning her attention back to the little boy. "By the way, what's your dad's name? Maybe we can help you look for him, we're the best profiling group in the whole FBI, so we can find him fast."
"His name is Dad!"
"And what's your mom's name?"
"Mom?"
The group went blank. It was clear that a five-year-old wouldn't know what his father or mother's name was. Despite being quite intelligent, to him his parents were called "Mom and Dad."
But it seemed they had managed to summon something, for after mentioning the progenitor of both, little Oliver interrupted their conversation with a whimper announcing that his bedtime was over, plus his beloved mother figure was missing.
"Oh no…"
Alex moved in the direction of the backpack, opening it to look for his brother's pacifier.
The longer they lingered, the louder and louder the little boy's crying got. J.J tried to cuddle him, trying to soothe him while Emily rocked the stroller back and forth and Tara hummed a lullaby.
Luke and Matt were trying to distract him, waving their hands in front of him and making funny faces. Rossi was trying to help Penelope and little Alex with the search for the pacifier, who would occasionally bring his hands to his ears to stop the sound of his brother for a couple of seconds.
But silence came in surprise, causing everyone to stop their actions. Their gazes turned to the baby, who was giving a giggly laugh and wiggling his feet, babbling something. It looked like Oliver was feeling something.
"What's going on here?" a female voice interrupted them, again directing their gaze back.
A tall woman, who was wearing a simple beige sweater and black pants plus black converses, was approaching the stroller. The group of people moved away from her, who was leaving a plastic bag with a box in it on one of the desks and holding the baby in her hands.
She made sure to settle him on her shoulder, stroking his back slowly. Alex smiled, moving closer to the young woman and hugged her side, letting his glasses lift a little from being so tight against her.
"Mommy! Where were you, I thought you'd left me alone forever! Well… Not alone, I was with Oli but you know what I mean." The woman let out a giggle, bringing her free hand to the younger one's disheveled hair and stroked it, feeling the younger one squeeze tighter and tighter.
"Alex, love, I told you I was going to the store to buy Daddy's donuts, don't you remember?" She pushed little Oliver away so she could kiss his forehead and settle him back into the stroller. Her hands, now free, went to Oli's side and took a small pacifier, bringing it up to the baby's mouth, which he immediately accepted to begin sucking on.
"Oh… That's what you told me."
Thewhole group let out a laugh, noticing the little one's rosy cheeks. The woman, now recognized as "mommy", turned to look at the group who had taken it upon themselves to care for her two children.
"Gee, sorry for ignoring you guys." The girl giggled, giving them the same look Alex had given them a few minutes ago, fixing on each one. "Thanks for watching them, I know Alex is responsible, but I'm glad to know there were older ones around."
"You don't have to, Alex was a sweetheart. We were nosy and took his little brother, it was our mistake." Emily admitted.
"That's right, Mommy! I went to the bathroom and they had taken Oli" The young woman simply laughed, kissing the younger boy's forehead before speaking again.
"It's okay, kiddo. They did the right thing, they did the reasonable thing."
"We tried to find out who his parents were, but he told us their names were mom and dad" Alex nodded, looking at his progenitor who seemed quite amused by the whole situation.
Alex took her mother's hand, motioning her to come closer to tell her something. The female complied, listening intently to what her young son was saying before she let out a giggle and nodded, returning to her position.
"Well, actually called me mommy. But before I was called mommy I had another name, pumpkin. My name is Amanda, but at home they call me mommy or baba." Alex opened his eyes, surprised that his mother had another name besides "mommy."
"It's a pleasure, Amanda. I see all your names start with a vowel." Rossi was the first to speak, reaching out to shake Amanda's hand. "Your husband's too?"
"No, he's the exception." The femme admitted, beginning to wave to the round of people standing there.
For a couple of minutes, the group began a pleasant conversation where they talked about the time she was missing. They had jumped to the wildest conclusions, but they knew that at some point they would meet the mother of those two angels.
"Oh, I bought a lot of donuts now that I remember, do you like them? They're my husband's favorite." The woman walked over to the bag, from which she pulled out the box and smiled.
The group appreciated the gesture, beginning to receive and distribute the pastry among those present.
A chocolate-covered doughnut with sprinkles on top was received by each person.
Wait… Her husband's favorite?
Emily looked at the two little ones, then her gaze went to the young woman, then to the doughnut and her eyes went back to the little ones.
Emily could feel her head smoking from the way she worked.
No, it wasn't possible.
Spencer would have told her if it was.
"Excuse me, Amanda…" The mentioned one looked up, fixing her gaze on Emily as little Alex took small bites of his donut and shared it with his mother. "What-what did you say your husband's name was?"
"Oh! I didn't say it, actually." She admitted, taking a bite of the donut she was sharing with Alex. "His name is Spe-"
The answer interrupted by the shout Alex gave, turning away from his mother to run down the hallway for the new presence.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Spencer peered down the elevator, noticing how the small little man ran into his arms and pounced on him.
"Alex! What are you doing here, little one?" He carried the little guy, leaving a resounding kiss on his cheek and looked him in the face. His cheeks were covered with chocolate and his glasses were drooping gracefully down his nose. "Are you alone, who brought you?"
"Mom did!" The youngest was smiling happily, playing with his progenitor's hair. "Dad, did you know Mom has another name besides Mom, her name is Amanda!"
"Yes, buddy. I knew mommy's name was Amanda, but I affectionately call her Mandi."
"I thought you called her Mommy, not Mandi."
Spencer carried his little boy over to the cubicles, finding his work group/friends staring at him with stupefaction on their faces. He was sure their faces were perfect for being part of a surreal painting.
"Spence, surprise." Amanda approached the man, leaving a kiss on his lips and received her husband's kiss back.
"What are you two doing here?" Spencer looked at his family with some surprise.
"Three, daddy. Oli's here too" The little hand pointed toward the stroller, where the movement of the youngest of the Reid family could be heard.
Spencer walked over to the baby carriage, leaving the eldest of the Reid brothers on the floor and peeked out so he could see his little boy, his newest devotion.
"Hi Oli, are you awake yet? Daddy's here." Oliver watched his father with his big hazel eyes, moving his hands so he could reach one of his father's curls. "Hey, buddy. How big are you." The man took the little guy in his hands, drawing him into his body so he could carry him, smiling at the feel of his son's movement stopping as he began to pet him.
The whole group was silent, unable to believe that the youngest of their team had such a well-kept secret.
A wife and two children! How was it possible that even Emily hadn't known about this?
"Spencer…w-what is this? When did you intend to tell us? About your wife, about your children, about-about this!" Emily waved her hands around trying to take in the situation, feeling the pieces of the puzzle coming together on their own.
"I thought Hotch was going to tell you before he left." Spencer looked at the group of people, stopping his gaze on his wife who lifts her shoulders, trying to tell him "don't even look at me, I didn't say anything."
"Clearly he didn't say it" Jennifer looked at her best friend, trying to look as relaxed as possible, but it was impossible, I guess no one was trying to "act cool" at that moment.
"Well, I guess it's time to introduce you to my family." Amanda smiled, leaning against one of the desks as she watched Alex approach her. "This is Amanda, Amanda Reid, my wife" The young woman waved her hand, crossing her arms again with a smile on her mouth. She loved that he said my wife. "This is Alexander Reid and Oliver Reid, Alex and Oli of affection." Little Alex smiled, again waving to everyone with his hand and took what was left of the donut his mother offered him.
"How long have you been married?" Next to speak was Rossi, who felt Hotch had betrayed him by keeping that secret so long.
"Well, married… we've been married for five years. Dating we've been dating for seven…" Amanda turned to look at her husband.
"Seven years, five months and thirteen days." Spencer nodded, looking down at the baby who had just fallen asleep in his arms.
"So…" Matt looked over at Alexander, who looked amused eating the sprinkles on top of the donut.
"Yeah, Alex was a surprise. We knew we wanted to be parents, but we wanted to live together first, and well… The first night of living together caused Alex's arrival." Amanda laughed with her cheeks flushed, noticing how Spencer's cheeks were also filled with that crimson red. "Oli arrived after a couple of tries. We didn't want Alex to be alone and have to read all the books to himself."
"Now he reads Oli to sleep, like the good big brother he is" Spencer smiled, placing little Oliver in the most comfortable place to sleep.
After that confession, the pair settled in at the desk where the woman was sitting.
"I have so many questions I can't process, I really don't understand. So…how come we didn't see this in your apartment when you went to jail? We'd be completely blind if we hadn't noticed." Penelope had gotten to a good point, causing the friends to nod and the pair looked at each other before they could respond.
"It's because you guys went to Spence's old apartment." Amanda replied. "When we had Alex, we outgrew the apartment. We tried to look at an apartment in the same building, but they were all the same, so we pooled our paychecks and managed to rent a slightly larger apartment down the street from there. After Oliver came along we had to move to a bigger place." Spencer nodded, wiping the corner of his son's lip, which was full of chocolate. "But when Spence needs to focus, he goes to his old apartment to work. Diana was living there for a season and then she came to our house." The young woman pushed her hair back, feeling her husband's warm hand wrap around her hip.
The group was attentive to what they were saying, nodding at every word and concentrating on the story they had for them. Like little children, they formed around the young couple to follow their narrative.
"When Mexico and jail happened, it was really an ordeal. Hotch called us to get into the program with him and Jack, we had to go into hiding because we were Spencer's immediate family. Before Diana could hide she was kidnapped and, well, you know the rest of the story." Amanda's hand went to her son's hair, playing with the unruly locks of the scalp. They were exactly the same as his father's.
"But we would have known, I would have figured it out! H-how did you…?" Penelope was utterly convinced she would have found that information.
"It wasn't in the system." Spencer admitted. "I begged Hotch not to release it, it's manually, on paper. But online it's not, it was more likely to endanger my family." The young couple looked at each other and gave each other a smile. Sighing, Spencer continued. "Something like Foyet and Hotch would have happened, it was too dangerous. I wasn't willing to lose them and place them in danger."
Finally, the group of people began to understand, nodding at what he was saying and relaxing after that news.
"Spence had intended to tell them, but after Cat Adams, Scratch, Mexico, jail, Diana… I don't know when the time was right, to be honest with you." A collective chuckle filled the room echoing at that moment.
"Wow Spencer, you sure had this secret well hidden." Luke smiled, patting the younger man on the back, who was grinning broadly after breaking free of that secret that had him gnawing inside.
"Well, it's never too late to throw a welcome home party for the new family." Rossi smiled, moving closer to Amanda so he could hug her.
Mandi smiled receiving greetings from everyone, feeling like she was home.
"Good, then I'll start buying presents from now on. For both Oliver and Alex." Penelope smiled, receiving a wide smile from Alexander, who was the most excited to receive gifts. "I've missed so many birthdays and Christmases already."
"So…" Alex stole glances at everyone, who looked quite intrigued by his words. "Can I tell you aunties and uncles?"
That was the straw that broke the excitement level in the entire group, causing everyone to nod and smile broadly, feeling their chest heaving with joy.
"Did you see, Alex? Now you have lots of aunts and uncles to share, plus cousins." Spencer fell into step with his son, who was hugging him by the neck with a smile.
"That's right daddy, lots and lots!" The little boy turned to look at them all before stretching his arms out to hang around Luke's neck, who was greeting him with a smile that went so far as to make his cheeks ache.
The entire group stayed talking for a couple more minutes before deciding to head home to relax after a full day full of excitement.
Before she could get on the elevator, Emily smiled in the direction of the group of people.
"I think we know who his daddy is." Tara's whisper caused Emily to laugh and step onto the elevator, letting the doors close and signal the end of the work day.
The day had closed on a high note, not only for the capture of a criminal, but also for the discovery of a new family.
And Spencer couldn't be happier to finally reunite their families.
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If you like it, don't forget to like and repost it.
kissesssss, bai. 💕
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the-modern-typewriter · 2 months
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Hello hello! I absolutely adore your writing, it just feels so complex and the dialogue is so perfect you don't understand, probably my favorite writer in tumblr ^^
Do you have any favorite books? I'm not really into reading but I want to write my own stories, and English isn't my first language so I always try to read but I don't really continue since most of them aren't really in my taste– but I'm willing to try anything you read or take inspiration from since I'll probably like it since I like your work so much :]
Sorry, hope that made sense, ty <3
So, I'd like to think that while my writing has a consistent *vibe* it also covers quite a few different genres and moods that could be what you are interested in. Let's go.
If you like a book rooted in complex, dysfunctional power dynamics try....Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, The Last Tale of The Flower Bride by Roshani Chokski, The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E Schwab, Gone Girl or Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, Deathless by Catherynne M Valente, If We Were Villains by M.L Rio, The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakovic, Dark Rise by C.S Pascat, Interview with a vampire by Anne Rice, These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever.
(You can see that complex, dysfunctional power dynamics that are central to the story are basically my favourite thing haha. My absolute jam and butter! The dynamics themselves vary. You may root for some and watch others in delighted horror.)
If you like a great, not a romcom, enemies to lovers romantasy, try...Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust, The Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black.
For some fantasy horror vibes, try...Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (mermaids!), House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland, The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher.
If you want something cute and LGBTQ, try...The House on Cerulean Sea or In the Lives of Puppets by T.J Klune, One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, Carry on by Rainbow Rowell, anything by F.T Lukens.
For short story collections that make me want to write...Things We Say in the Dark by Kirsty Logan, Salt Slow by Julia Armfield, Through The Woods by Emily Carrol or the multi-author anthology Hag.
And, let's be real, absolutely no one is following me for worldbuilding, but...
For worldbuilding that has stayed with me, try...The Wayward Children series (all stories semi-standalone) by Seanan McGuire, The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
I know I haven't done superheroes. I just...?? I liked Hench by Natalie Zina Walschotts, but honestly most of them just don't interest me. Sorry.
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pookie-mulder · 1 month
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My Holy Grail Fics
After the past several months of reading TXF fic, here are some of my ultimate faves so far! I’d love to know what your holy grail fics are, as well. This fandom is full of incredibly talented writers!
(Also, if have any recommendations of fics you think I’d like, send them my way!)
The Boy on the Beach by @cecilysass
I read this entire thing yesterday. Ooh boy was it a page-turner! Time travel in fiction can get dicey, but this one handles it so well. I love how the time travel plot forced M&S to confront themselves and their pasts in order to better understand each other and move forward in their relationship.
Gaslight by @sisterspooky1013
This one should come as no surprise to you. It’s rare that a fic consumes my every waking thought and I spend every free second reading as much as possible, and boy, this fic delivered. I’m such a sucker for stories like this one where the character(s) don’t know if they can trust their own minds and have to really dig deep inside themselves to find the truth.
Pause by @cecilysass
Similar concept to Gaslight as far as the amnesia goes, but totally different vibes! I love the dramatic irony of the reader putting together the pieces before Scully does. It’s agonizing in the best way!
Fall Into Place series by @skelavender
My favorite WIP fic! I look forward to reading the newest installment every Friday. I adore the slowburn, UST, teetering-on-the-edge-of-something-more MSR, and LT is the master of it! This series is filled with heart-squeezy moments that make me feel like I’m melting into a puddle of goo.
X-File #02291996 by @skelavender and @7crowsinadress
Time loop my beloved! Such an interesting (and 🔥🔥🔥) take on this trope. I can’t wait to see where it goes!
Arizona Highways by Fialka
I’m always down for an Emily AU, and this one has such a compelling, angsty twist and an air of mystery that forced me to keep reading late into the night!
Tempest by MissyPennington
I love a good survival story! There’s something so delicious about two people leaning on each other both physically and emotionally to keep going. The follow-ups are incredible, too!
All That Is Dark and Bright by @malibusunset-xf-blog
Amazing Emily AU! Dad!Mulder is my weakness. Plus, I love the way they figured out how to treat her illness. It really felt like something that would happen in canon.
I’ve Got You Under My Skin by cuits
Beautiful soulmate AU! Only M&S could have literal, undeniable proof they’re soulmates and still overthink their relationship to a ridiculous level. And I ate it up! Give me the angst! The drama! The tension!
Emily AU by skuls
Last Emily AU, I swear! This series melts your heart in the first installment, crushes it to pieces in the second one, and then makes everything better in the finale.
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mayasdeluca · 13 days
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That episode was a lot and had so much but overall I thought it was pretty good. That last Marina scene was so many mixed emotions and feelings but we got so much from it. 😭 We FINALLY heard Maya speak Italian and Carina was wearing Maya's SFD shirt!!! I'm so bummed that they did Carina dirty yet again for no good reason and felt it was necessary to have her find out that she can't get pregnant but the idea of using Maya's eggs is definitely intriguing and I do hope they continue that story until the end of the season now and we get to at least see some progress made. I do wonder if any of it will be touched on in a big way in episode 7 now.
The FaceTime scene was adorable too. Maya calling Liam probie and Danielle adding in a 'babe' (bless her) was perfect. The only thing missing was a reaction from Carina to Maya wearing her Class A's. But Maya loves her family so much and it's the cutest thing.
As for the other stuff...the audacity of the writers Emily to write Maya apologizing to Beckett for her part in what she did and then to not have Beckett apologize for literally torturing and bullying her for 6 months??? For dumping fake blood on her in a Halloween episode??? So Beckett's actions are excused and fine but Maya apologizes and this dumbass still doesn't trust her and acts like an absolute fool on the call and then Maya has to DOUBLE DOWN and own up to her part again and he says nothing again for the way he treated her?? That was such a slap in the face it's ridiculous.
I did like how they had Andy acknowledge that Maya is always there for her and the call back to them in the academy but they definitely could have done more with that. I guess it's impossible for Maya to ever get any kind of remorse or apology in return though.
Carina mentioning Andrew was too much for me 😭 Liam deserved to have his Zio Andrea in his life and I'll forever be sad that he doesn't have him.
The obsession the writers have with Ross and Sullivan truly needs to be studied. They will never be the epic love story romance that they continue to try and force on us.
But anyway...
“I didn't want to have a family until you showed me...what a family was.”
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61 notes · View notes
jbuffyangel · 3 months
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Hot and Cold: Arrow 1x22 Review (Darkness of the Edge of Town)
There is no episode that exemplifies the disjointed nature of Season 1 more than “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”  We have Exhibit A: an OTA field op and the smoaking hot chemistry of Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards igniting in an elevator shaft of all places.
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And Exhibit B: the other show. A frigid black hole I feared we’d never escape from.
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Let’s dig in…
Olicity and OTA
Let’s start with the positive since there is soooooo much freaking positive! It can take time for a television series to find its footing in the first season.  Unfortunately, nowadays if the audience isn’t binging the entire season in 24 hours, the show gets canceled. But blessedly, this was 2013. Network TV was still the supreme ruler, and Arrow was pulling big enough numbers for the CW to allow for some leeway.
Twenty two episodes of leeway. Arrow finally found its groove and latched on to the mystical “it factor” that keeps an audience watching - Oliver, Felicity and Diggle. The chemistry and dynamic between these characters and the actors who play them is undeniable and it creates an action packed, laughing out loud, and sizzling hot episode. The writers are having FUN in “Darkness on the Edge of Town" and it shows, which means we get to have fun too.
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Oliver decides to question his mother regarding the Undertaking, but she refuses to confess. So, Oliver and Diggle take a more brutal approach. The Hood kidnaps them both and beats the crap out of Oliver until she coughs up the information. It’s always hilarious when this show acts like David Ramsey can fit in Stephen Amell’s suit.
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The burgeoning relationship between Oliver and Felicity is very much in its infancy. Oliver is fully in denial about feeling any type of way toward his IT girl. Never is that more apparent then when Oliver and Diggle return from the confrontation with Moira. Diggle gets a few solid whacks in, which I’m sure felt amazing given the absolute jackass Oliver was being the past few episodes.
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Felicity has a much harder time concealing her feelings towards Oliver and it’s clear she worries about him. She is always the first to ask if he’s okay, offer a supportive ear to listen or shoulder to cry on. However, Oliver seems to draw a line in this episode when Felicity reaches to touch the bruise on his face. That small step was too much. He physically keeps her at arm’s length because the intimacy of Felicity’s concerned touch is not something Oliver is ready for. There is still a very big wall hiding all that pain, regret and unworthiness.
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Source: @lyricalarrow
Admitting he remembers the exact day they met, however, is absolutely no problem. We shall come to discover just how much Oliver remembers about that day in later seasons. I have a lot of male friends and I guarantee you I don’t remember the day we met. However, the day I met my husband is burned into my memory.
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The team determines the only way to stop Merlyn from leveling the Glades with a man-made earthquake machine is to find the location of the device. Unfortunately, Felicity is unable to hack Merlyn’s system so she needs direct access to his mainframe inside Merlyn Global Headquarters. LET'S DO CRIMES!
Oliver makes an appointment with Tommy (more on that later) while Felicity continues to up her adorability factor by dressing up as Big Belly Burger employee delivering lunch to a security guard otherwise known as John Diggle.
The burger is laced with benzodiazepine, so it knocks out the other security guard and gives John free reign to control the elevator & cameras. Do we know how Diggle is able to pose as a security guard? No. Do we care? Nope. Let the hijinks commence!
Oliver and Felicity make their way to the elevator, but not until Oliver unloads an unwelcomed dudebro hitting on Felicity.
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Jealousy looks so good on him. The way Stephen Amell plays this scene, with his nails-on-a-chalkboard look at the word “sweetie” to robotically knocking the papers out of the elevator, is physical comedy at its best. Something Amell rarely gets to do, but he’s great at it.  
The mainframe is on the twenty fifth floor, but the elevator only goes up to the nineteenth, so Oliver and Felicity have some climbing to do. It seems Felicity is thinking of a certain kind of climbing as well and really who can blame her?
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Source: @lyricalarrow
Oliver lifts her WITH ONE ARM out of the elevator, which is so freaking hot I cannot.
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Then, very gently, bends down to wrap his arm around Felicity’s waist and loop her arm around his neck. Oliver is moving with the precision of a jungle cat, but it also feels like an incredibly elaborate way to grab hold of someone. It has a very superhero sweep-her-into-my-arms sensuality to it. The mission is giving Oliver plenty of reasons to touch Felicity and he doesn’t seem unhappy about it, particularly when he softly tells her, "Hold onto me tight."
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Is it warm in here? Holy Moses, Oliver Queen. Get control. This man is a god to women, so he clearly understands the connotations of, “Hold onto me tight.” There’s a thousand different ways to say that platonically, but nope! Oliver charges headlong into the blinking neon lights of SEXUAL INNNUENDO.
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Felicity’s Freudian slip didn’t feel so Freudian either. She knew exactly what she was saying and leveled her full meaning in a single look. I thought the elevator was going to combust from all the heat. If you are looking for the text book definition of undressing someone with your eyes than look no further than these two. They way they hold the gaze. WOW. Can we have all the nakedness now?!!! It’s a sin against science for Oliver and Felicity not to bang regularly BECAUSE THE CHEMISTRY.
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THIS IS NOT THE BEHAVIOR OF A MAN MADLY IN LOVE WITH LAUREL LANCE.
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This scene has the classic Superman and Lois Lane feel to it.
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Source: @olicitygifs
Oliver is doing his vigilante thing, but his partner in crime isn’t the leading lady of Arrow. It’s a supporting character who’s feeling less and less supporting with each episode.
Unfortunately, Felicity is about to be discovered while Oliver is held up by Malcolm Merlyn, Thea and Roy Harper. This is a very popular day to visit Merlyn Global. Oliver’s frustration under his cool and calm exterior builds the tension nicely and we do wonder how Felicity is getting out of this jam. Never fear! It’s John Diggle to the rescue. Top notch comedy from both Rickards and Ramsey.
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Source: @olicitygifs
Their first official team mission outside of the bunker is a wild success. Felicity still has to search through all of Merlyn’s data to determine the location of the device. Despite all the heat, hilarity and hijinks on this side of the show, Oliver makes an abrupt decision regarding the other side of the show that makes absolutely no sense.
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Lauriver and Merlance
Still feeling warm friends? Well don’t worry. I have a nice bucket of ice cold water to dump on you.
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As predicted, Oliver’s love confession messes with Laurel’s mind and obliterates any clear path back to Tommy. He drops this bomb on her and they have not spoken for a WEEK. Of course, this is all Laurel has thought about and she makes a rather elaborate speech admitting she has feelings for Oliver too.
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Yeah, none of this is a surprise. Tommy knew Laurel had feelings for Oliver. We knew Laurel had feelings for Oliver. Hell, even Oliver knew. The only one who wasn’t admitting it was Laurel, so at least she’s finally being honest about things. You don’t get a love triangle if the central figure in the love triangle doesn’t have feelings for two people. The issue is who does Laurel love MORE.
Laurel: Maybe Tommy was right. Maybe he and I weren’t meant to be.
She had a clear answer last week. It was Tommy. She absolutely wanted to get back together with him, but Oliver decided honesty was the best policy on this one subject only. This line enrages me because Oliver has distracted Laurel from the man she is truly meant to be with. I will die on this hill, friends. DIE. ON. THIS. MERLANCE. HILL.
Laurel: Tommy’s a good guy. Are you?
Oliver: I didn’t have an agenda. I didn’t mean to make it more difficult to fix things with Tommy.
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Oh for fucks sake. Yes, you did Oliver. That’s exactly why you said it. This is just a straight up lie. Oliver absolutely wanted to confuse Laurel. He just doesn’t want to look like the bad guy for doing it. This is some A+ Ollie behavior.
After Laurel makes a wonderfully impassioned and heartfelt speech about her feelings for Oliver, after probably obsessing about it for seven days straight, Oliver dumps her. AGAIN.
Oliver: Nothing’s changed. My life hasn’t changed. I haven’t changed.
I am infuriated on Laurel’s behalf with this flip flopping back and forth. The time to make this speech was last week in the hospital hallway. That was the moment to let her go and put Laurel on the plane with the man she belongs with, but Oliver couldn’t do it because it was too damn hard. It was just cruel and horribly unfair to both Tommy and Laurel because Oliver has absolutely no intention of being with her. But now it’s too late. The information is out there. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, my dude.
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Laurel pays her father a visit to basically get his permission to date Oliver again. Yeah, let’s make the man who lost his daughter to Oliver’s selfishness sign off on banging his other daughter again. This show.
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Quentin’s speech is equally as empty as any speech Laurel’s made about seeing the change in Oliver because we, the audience, have not been privy to those moments. We’re just supposed to take their word for it even though the last time Quentin saw Oliver Queen he was trying to arrest him for drug trafficking. But sure, Quentin thinks he’s “changed.”
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In order to make this storyline work, you have to give proper attention to the Lance family interacting with Oliver and the writers do not seem interested in doing that. All the important emotional growth takes place off screen and we’re supposed to accept it as fact because the characters tell us.
Meanwhile, they are organically growing the relationship Oliver has with Diggle, Felicity, hell even Roy! So we know the writers are capable of SHOWING these moments of character evolution. They just choose not to when it comes to the Lance family. It’s why the show feels so completely disjointed.
Oliver pays Tommy a visit and wants to have a chat.
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Source: @queensarrow
So it's safe to say Tommy is still pissed.
Oliver encourages him to work things out with Laurel – kind of?
Oliver: Lord knows, I am guilty of a lot of things between us, but not you are her.
What’s infuriating about this conversation is that Oliver still refuses to accept any kind of responsibility in their break up. Oliver pretends to be a friend to the all feminists and touts Laurel’s independence and free will. She makes her own choices and she chose Tommy.
Tommy’s point is clear, even if it is self pitying; Laurel is not dealing with all the information. If she did have all the information then she would choose Oliver. From Oliver’s standpoint, it doesn’t matter because he can’t be with her.
That’s not reassuring to Tommy nor is it supposed to be. If the elements keeping Oliver and Laurel apart were removed (the Hood) then Oliver wouldn’t think twice about making a move on Laurel. And Tommy knows this. These are not the actions of a best friend, which is why he’s so pissed.
Now, Tommy’s big mistake was throwing in the towel too early. He should have NEVER given Oliver an opening with Laurel, but he did and it set them on this path. No we have to watch it play out.
Oliver: I promised myself that when I crossed all of these names off the list, I’d be done, but taking down these people, it doesn’t honor him. I was just treating the symptoms while the disease festered. I stop the Undertaking… I wipe out the disease.
Diggle: What are you saying Oliver? You would hang up the Hood?
Oliver: Merlyn’s plan is what I returned from the island to stop.
Does anyone else have whiplash? Oliver does a complete about face and determines he can be with Laurel since he only needs to cross one name off the list instead of dozens. He’s just missing one step, gee what could it be? Oh! I know. OLIVER STILL HAS TO CROSS MERLYN’S NAME OFF THE LIST AND STOP THE UNDERTAKING. Talk about counting your chickens before their hatched.
A hero’s journey is a very specific type of story. Joseph Campbell outline seventeen stages in 1949 and Christopher Vogler created an updated version in 2007 for screenwriting. I’m not going through all seventeen steps, but we can skip to the very last one regarding this storyline.
Freedom to Live/Return with the Elixir – meaning the hero has faced their internal and external struggles, has conquered the demons around them and earned the right to live as they choose. From a spiritual sense, the hero lives without fear of death.
It’s similar with Vogler’s elixir stage. From a community perspective, the hero has found the magical way to heal their wounded land. They are bringing hope, life and freedom back to their loved ones. In doing so, it gives the hero a personal victory. They’ve earned the right to experience peace and joy, which can be represented in a wide variety of narratives.
Oliver is hero. Arrow has made his endgame very clear - save Starling City. Has he saved the city? Has he stopped Malcolm Merlyn? NO. So why is his leather clad ass running all the way back to Laurel Lance to enjoy the fruits an elixir he has yet to procure? If Laurel is endgame, this makes absolutely no sense. This is too fast. It’s too abrupt. It doesn’t feel earned because it hasn’t been earned.
Clearly, the initial plan was to put Oliver (Green Arrow) and Laurel (Black Canary) on parallel, if not intersecting, paths. I’m not saying Oliver cannot be with Laurel as they evolve into superheroes together. But this is the first freaking season you guys! He hasn’t done a damn thing yet! Neither has she. And yet, here Oliver is, knocking on Laurel’s door, looking for some fruit.
Oliver: Ever since I’ve been back, we’ve been doing this dance. We come together and then I pull away.  Something pulls me away, but I think finally that something might be over.
Laurel: What are you are trying saying?
Oliver: That you know me better than anyone. And that you are more important to me than anyone. I just hope I didn’t wait too long to say it.
If Laurel has no clue Oliver is the Hood then can he really claim she knows him best? It sounds good to say, and probably what Laurel is dying to hear, but it rings hollow because there’s no evidence of this anywhere on the show. Laurel was wrong about who Oliver is all season. We are just supposed to accept some verbal acknowledgment of change, that she knows him better than anyone, but without any television scenes to back it up. That’s not how storytelling works, Arrow writers.
Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I warned you I wasn’t done with this topic - Oliver is still lying to Laurel. There should be more talking. What are those things pulling you away, Oliver? Why are they over? Are you a hooded, crime fighting, serial killer who has been mysteriously stalking me all year? Those are just some ideas off the top of my head. There is no person on this planet that Oliver needs an honest conversation with more than Laurel Lance, but nope. They jump straight to sex.  
Let’s talk about the sex. This has been built up all season. These two characters belong together. They are bulldozing over Tommy Merlyn to be together because they are this passionate romance that time cannot quell. It should be like the fourth of July in Laurel’s apartment right now.
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Source: laurelscanary
Instead, of heat we get frigid. Fish have hotter sex.
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I’m willing to acknowledge "Radioactive" was the hit song of 2013 and every show on the CW was using it. It has a very sexy beat and big crescendo. It sounds like a good song to use during a sex scene.
Except for the fact that it’s called RADIOACTIVE with lyrics like, “This is it, the apocalypse.” This is not the romance your Plan A couple usually requires in a scene like this. They had Blake Neely for a composer. Where’s Oliver and Laurel’s love theme? We'll probably get it in the season finale but anything would be better than "Radioactive."
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Source: laurelscanary
Next issue. Black socks and jean shorts?  Wardrobe – what were you thinking? Nobody felt the need to tell Katie to take off the sox? Details matter!!
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Source: laurelscanary
Stephen Amell and Katie Cassidy kissing are like watching two pieces of flat cardboard trying to hump each other. Can they choose a direction? Are we biting or no biting? Are we using tongue or no tongue? Can Oliver unbutton his shirt or does Laurel need to help? Is Oliver going to drop Laurel while trying to get her sweatshirt off? It was just so awkward from start to finish. ZERO SPARKS.
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Source: habibialkaysani
And for the coup de grace, they leave the curtains pulled wide open, so Tommy can see them screwing from the street. The look of utter devastation on his face is heartbreaking and that’s the final image they leave us with as their love scene fades to black. Oliver and Laurel reuniting are not framed as a good thing. It’s framed as a betrayal, because that’s exactly what it is.
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Source: @queensarrow
Even worse, Felicity finds the device while Oliver and Laurel are asleep and HE LEAVES. No note. No, honey I have to run out and save the city real quick, but I’ll be back for round two later. Nothing. But please, tell me again how much Ollie has changed.
When I watched this episode live I was horribly disappointed the big reunion with Laurel and Oliver fell flat. This was really my last gasp trying to be a Lauriver shipper. And I use the term “trying” loosely. I was more or less looking for any redeeming qualities in this love story, but after this hypothermic love scene I was officially out. I could not ship these two. I could never forgive them for betraying Tommy. But I feared Arrow would never move on from Oliver and Laurel.  
Of course, their real intention becomes all too clear later. Arrow was trying to blow them up to make way for something infinitely better.
 Theroy
Speaking of flipping back and forth, these two break up every other week. Roy is clearly committed to finding the Vigilante, which leads them to Merlyn Global and a run in with Oliver, the disapproving older brother. Again, Stephen Amell’s acting is superb.
I loved the way he said “What” to Thea and the firm alpha male handshake he gives Roy, warning him to stay away.
Obviously, Roy accomplished his goal. He found the Vigilante. Roy just doesn’t know it. He thinks Oliver Queen is too much of a wimp to ever consider him as the man in the hood. Thea was good and ticked off with that “wimp” remark. Enough to dump Roy. She will not tolerate any slander of her brother. #QUEENSIBILINGSFOREVER
But this is like the fifth time these two broke up, so it’s losing the impact. This isn’t all about the Hood’s identity and thanking him for saving Roy’s life. He wants to BE the Hood, so Roy can protect the people he loves and never lose anyone again. The question is – who did Roy lose? Unfortunately, Thea storms out before we get an answer, but hopefully one is coming in the season finale. (No I do not remember who).
Long story short, yes I like these two, but the faster the Arrow writers move the characters into the Hood storyline the better. Otherwise they are just marooned on their own show like Laurel Lance Island.
Stray Thoughts
Yao Fei died! It’s so sad and traumatic. I forgot he’s shot in the head. Really didn’t need to see that twice.
Fyers is shooting down a commercial airliner to destabilize the Chinese economy. It’s always about money for these assholes.
Walter wants a divorce and I would say their differences are irreconcilable. Moira is getting what she deserves. You can’t kidnap your husband for six months and then offer him tea and crumpets when he comes home.
"Who the hell is Felicity Smoak?" Uh oh. Quentin has Felicity’s name. That ain’t good.
“Is the other archer working for Merlyn?” Please don’t make Diggle look this dumb again.
Merlyn versus Oliver battle was EPIC! The fight scenes this season are so stellar.
“Psychopaths are color coding themselves. That’s helpful.” HA!
Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 1x22!!!
If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!
Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me!
56 notes · View notes
starsmuse · 1 year
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neverafter premiere night so here are some thoughts!
emily axford is truly godsent. the relationship she and ally have already crafted between ylfa and timothy, the way she plays this congested prepubescent girl, her backstory scene; god, the entirety of her backstory scene was SO good, though, i don’t know why i’m surprised. emily axford has never been anything shy of perfection and she won’t start now in a season where her ability to act really needs to shine through. also the fact that she’s playing a barbarian, i am so glad i guessed correctly because it’s going to be so fun to watch her play one especially with how they’ve set it up.
lou fucking wilson. i love everything about his character, his backstory which i LOVE that they left for last. this season seems to be one for double intros and he and zac are going to be incredible together i KNOW it. i made a few guesses as to who would be what class and NOTHING could have prepared me for him being a warlock to his stepmother, the way they’re interweaving the fairytales is brilliant i am truly so excited.
zac oyama… i love him with the entirety of my being but i couldn’t help but feel slightly underwhelmed with his backstory scene, like no way he’s just some random little cat that can speak? surely there’s more to him! i love the almost-brotherly relationship pib and pinocchio seem to have but i do have a theory i’ll run by you all: we all know in the disney retelling of cinderella, stepmother has a black cat named lucifer, i wonder if pib is another patron of pinocchio’s stepmother or maybe a familiar of hers sent to watch over pinocchio and ensure he isn’t messing things up. JUST A THOUGHT! if not, i’m genuinely very excited to get more backstory out of this character.
opening the show on siobhan’s introduction was obviously the way to go considering how beautifully she executed her scene. the briars… god, the briars. i have no issue with reading and listening to body horror and brennan painted a vivid word picture with his narration for her, it was all so good. i constantly complain about the intrepid heroes never having a ranger and they’ve finally got one and it’s the damsel princess, i absolutely adore that. i also love that rosamund still has that bit of naivety to her considering in her mind she’s still eighteen and she probably lived a pretty sheltered life all things considered. her simply knowing that there’s a prince out there looking for her and that he is her true love, i can’t wait to see what kind of spin brennan is going to put on this curse and inevitably what kind of curveball he’s going to throw siobhan/rosamund.
murph is playing this vapid and vain prince so well, but i cannot wait to see when he actually gets into this fighting that prince gerard seems to turn his nose up at. the scenes with princess elody were bordering on heartbreaking but still fully leaning into embarrassing on the prince’s part, i have an inkling as to why he’s regressing back into his frog form, as should most, but all in all i think this is going to be a pretty silly character, very cody-esque, one that i’m very excited to see and watch grow nonetheless. also, the whole exchange between prince gerard and princess rosamund, i hadn’t realized how little i’d seen murph and siobhan’s characters interact in previous seasons until i got a full and uninterrupted conversation between the two of them when their characters met and now it’s truly all i want to have them be silly little cousins fighting to protect each other.
finally, the person, the myth, the legend: ally beardsley. i hadn’t really though about how important mother goose would be to the plot as a whole until about a week before today because i know that mother goose is not only a writer of fairytales but the writer of the fairytales, so i really, really enjoyed a lot of timothy’s exposition and how much he cares for children—like ylfa—now that he’s lost his own. like i said before i am thoroughly endeared by the relationship ally and emily have already built between the two of them, and i cannot wait to watch it grow and i’m really excited to see what ally does with this character and where they go.
brennan hasn’t answered any of the questions that were asked about if this season is going to be similar to acoc in terms of lethality or if the pcs have created secondary characters, so i think it’s safe to say we should definitely be cautious considering there are no clerics in this party, but all in all i’m shaking with excitement and the thought of the rest of this season we’ve got like seventeen episodes to go and i think they’re going to be SO much fun.
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gray-doesnt-write · 1 year
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Sleeping Arrangements | SDV x Reader
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Pairing:SDV Bachelor(ette)s x GN! Reader
Summary: Do they snore? Hog the bed and blankets? Are they a cuddler? All is answered, in my humble opinion, in this preference/Headcanons (?)
Warning: None!
Notes: I don't really talk to Maru and Harvey in game much so they might be a little OOC. I scrolled through their dialogue on the wiki to try to understand them. Masterlist
Shane
Tbh I see him as the cuddler in his sleep.
When he gets in bed, he faces his back towards you. Give it I'd say 30 minutes and he's all over you.
Completely deny it in the morning
"What do you mean I was all over you last night? Uh, no. Why'd would I want to touch you while I'm asleep??"
He'd also hog the whole bed and blankets
To top it all off, he totally snores
Sebastian
Pretty normal sleeper if I'm being honest
Doesn't snore and doesn't hog the bed or blanket
Definitely had a messed up sleep schedule though, goes to sleep at 3 A.M. and wakes up past noon.
Now, if you did convince him to at least lay in bed he'd wrap his arms around you while scrolling through his phone or such.
Like I said, he's pretty normal
Abigail
100% snores at night, not loud and obnoxious but it still counts as snoring.
She'd wake up past midnight for a snack, either that or she sleep walks
She's a cuddler, from the moment she crawls in bed; she has to be touching you in some shape or form.
Use your stomach or chest as a pillow
Obviously, as a cuddler, she'd steal most of the bed
Your covers are safe though.
Sam
He's a kicker.
You'll be sleeping ever so soundly, when all the sudden, you get a kick to your back.
Poor baby can't help it, to him it's like snoring
Which, yes he snores. It's loud and annoying.
I feel he wouldn't need to be touching you, but occasionally, and on accident, would just lay his hand across your face because that's where it's most comfortable.
Same steals you blankets, you can have the bed but no covers
He'd be so apologetic about it in the morning
"Baby~ I'm sorry I didn't mean to kick you. I'm sorryyyy"
Would wake you up when he has a nightmare, just like a child would
Penny
She's like the female equivalent of Sebastian but no bad sleep schedule.
She'd be the one to come coax you to bed early
Penny would keep the house at freezing though, just so she could have a ton of blankets and covers on the bed so she could get under them.
I could see her occasionally using your chest as a pillow, like y'all be there cuddling and she'll fall asleep and stay there.
She wakes up first, to no fail. She'd be in the room reading a book in a big arm chair while waiting for you to wake up
Elliott
He's a cuddler, he'd be more comfortable being a big spoon (being a tall lanky boy) but adores being a small spoon
One of the only cuddlers that don't steal the bed, like he doesn't push you to the edge of the bed
Being a writer, his sleep schedule is also messed up
A lot of nights you'll find him asleep at his desk and you'll just have wake him up or drag him to bed
Loves you running your fingers through his hair while he tried to sleep
Haley
Definitely wants her personal space in bed
8-13 hearts Haley wouldn't care how big of a cuddler you'd be, she literally will not touch you while in bed.
I just have a feeling after her 14 heart event that she'd be more okay with it but most nights just want her space
She sleeps with hair curlers
That, and has like these big, fluffy (not furry), blankets on the bed along with extreme soft and squishy pillows
Makes sure the bed looks really comfy and stylish at the same time
Emily
Emily likes to hug you while she falls asleep
I feel as a bartender, she's pretty muscular (not super super bur decently). She'll have you in a deathhold while you sleep.
It's not uncomfortable, but you just can't escape till she wakes up. Lucky for you, she doesn't sleep very late
You're her personal body pillow
She snores but it's like a cute snore, that and it's pretty quiet
As for bed space, she does give you your bed space! You don't have to worry about sleeping by the edge and almost falling off it
Alex
He takes over the whole bed, he doesn't realize it but he just does
When I say he steals the bed, I mean he lays in the center of the bed with each limb going in different directions and stretched out almost as far as possible.
He snores and it's really really loud, like bad enough you almost can't sleep.
Alex falls asleep easily, considering how active he is he's always tired and falls asleep the moment his head hits the pillow
Doesn't make the bed, you have to make it or it doesn't get made
While asleep, he'd definitely still you blankets just to kick them off the bed
Leah
I have a feeling that despite her being pretty independent, Leah would rather fall asleep in your arms than any other your way
She doesn't snore, steal the bed or covers, or accidentally kick you in her sleep.
Leah's probably the easiest people to sleep with
She's not picky about the temperature or the beds cover. All she wants if for you to wrap your arms around her while she sleeps
She occasionally gets zoned in while sculpting and you'll have to tell her what time it is. She's pretty good about going to bed early and won't complain when you tell her it's getting late
Maru
Loves feeling your hands, not in a sexual or weird way, Maru just like holding your hands while sleeping or asking you to touch her face while she sleeps.
When you have trouble sleeping, she'll start to tell you about one of her projects she's working on to lull you to sleep
On that note, she's usually hunched over while working. While laying in bed, if you're not stroking her face or holding her hands, she'll fall asleep to you giving her a massage
Doesn't hog the bed, but she does snore. I can just feel it
Harvey
He has like a dad snore if that makes since
Harvey will most definitely steal your bed each night. He's tries to make up for it in the morning by fixing you breakfast or coffee but at this point it's just become the ordinary
Much like Maru, will tell you about his day while the two of you lay in bed.
Now when I say this, I mean like goes into heavy detail. You feel soo bad, but within the first 15 minutes you fall asleep
Words; 1102
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averyhotchner · 1 year
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Avery’s TopGun:Maverick Recommendation
hello! this is a list of my favourite TopGun: Maverick fics. it is mostly hangman and rooster (with a bit of love for my favourite wso). i absolutely adored every single fic/series on this list and hope some of you do too! also i didn’t include the warning for the fics, mostly because i forgot and didn’t feel like going back, but in general they are 16+, but please follow what the writers have put as the age limit. 
jake “hangman” seresin
sugar and spice (series)  by @wombtotombx
this series is so so so sweet. im an absolute sucker for enemies to lovers, but this just takes the cake. jake sersin may be a d*ck but he has good intentions so i can't help but love him. 
birds away (series) by @wombtotombx
another amazing series. i really love a good longtime friends to lovers. also the a little matchmaking on bradley’s end never hurts. 
sun-kissed (oneshot) by @ddejavvu
i want a candle that smells like jake seresin. thats all. 
bad habit (mini-series) by @seasonsbloom
again, enemies to lovers. this one is definitely a bit more tragic but nonetheless an amazing series that has you on the edge of your seat until the end. 
flyboy (mini-series) by @kryptonitejelly
this series is just the gift that keeps on giving. there is so so so much mutual pining but also just adoration between two people who have loved each other since high school. i honestly cannot recommend this series enough. 
they all know, he’s in love with you. (oneshot) @rolycolysficrecs
jake seresin couldn’t tell his head from his ass, and neither could i.
the professor (series) by @topguncortez
this series is so dirty holy. the title truly gives it away but the plot is heartbreakingly phenomenal.
the douche bag jar (series) by @jupitercometgold
this series makes me want to watch new girl. most of the above fics/series/ are about sweet jake, but this one gives me my fix of douche bag jake and i love it. 
better man (series) by @sweetlittlegingy
dad jake! dad jake! dad jake!
bradley “rooster” bradshaw
come back (series) by @ereardon
something about young frat boy bradley keeps me coming back to this series. hes sweet but will break your heart in all the worst ways, but will put it back together like it was a puzzle only meant for him. 
speak now (or forever hold your peace) (oneshot) by @softspiderling
i sobbed reading this. also i love a taylor inspired fic and this takes the cake.
same mistakes (series) by @hufflepuffprincesse
this series is one of my favourites, simply because of the way everyone is written as a big family. the love shared between everyone i so consuming, i can't help but find myself rereading the series every other week.
blooming (series) by @heartsofminds
rooster with commitment issues? check! rooster being sweet and respectful? check! penny behind the biggest hype man to ever exist? triple check!
come home (oneshot) by @winterscaptain
if you’ve followed me for long enough you’ll know that this is a tali appreciation blog, and that extends to tgm.
a safe place to land (series) by @thesewordsareallihavetogive
this series is just so good. its one of the first tgm series i read and it still holds up after my numerous rereads. 
is it working for you? (series) by @roosterforme
i picked this series, simply because its the gift that keeps on giving. its like the bradley version of flyboy. but truly anything emily writes is amazing.
robert “bob” floyd
coughs and cuddles (oneshot) by @topguncortez
happiest man alive (oneshot) by @footprintsinthesxnd
honorable mentions:
@honeypiehotchner @youlightmeupfinn @make-me-imagine @tongue-like-a-razor @katcoquette @madsnowstorm @croimilis @auroradawnwrites @almightyellie
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melis-writes · 5 months
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Eyes like Stars [Bobby Axel x Reader Multi-chapter, 18+ Smut] Chapter 19 - The Secrets We Keep.
Read on AO3 / Read Chapter 18 [AO3] / [Tumblr] / Chapter Masterlist. / Fic Playlist.
18+ explicit smut, multi-chapter read.
"What did he want?! Did you fuck him? Did you?!” / “I WAS GONNA MARRY YOU! I WAS GONNA MARRY A WHORE! A whore!”
Everything you've done up to this point was for Bobby and Bobby alone. What else would your intentions be for if it wasn't to hold onto and save everything the two of you have for one another? Bobby's set in his ways but the idea of losing you to the same fate Helen chose for herself is too much to bear. To see it is one thing, experience it--another, but just how much love can you claim if the one you adore is now the one hurting you?
[WARNINGS]: Mentions & themes of drug addiction and selling / Domestic abuse / Physical abuse / Verbal abuse / Depictions & themes of injury and blood.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE]: The Eyes Like Stars girlies can EAT!! 🥺🙏🏻 And especially so since I will be putting this fic on a temporary hiatus as I focus more on finishing up/writing my Godfather fics first. I'm definitely not abandoning this fic and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea that I am! With so my fics in my rotation and life changes, I'm struggling between balancing all of them and burning out/hitting writer's block. I will definitely return to this fic once I've completed my others and then we will go on with Emily and Bobby's story! For now, enjoy this (temporary) last chapter before the hiatus kicks in. I would also like to clarify for the sensitive nature of this chapter that I do not condone or romanticize abuse in any sort of way. This chapter also doesn't glorify it or anything like that.
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Bobby’s release from prison marks the end of his and Helen’s relationship and you find yourself spending more time with Bobby and taking care of him after everything he’s been through. Working and living in Manhattan as a college drop-out, you distance yourself from Helen who Bobby and you take solace with one another in hopes to get out of the toxic lifestyle of drug use—promising each other to start a new life with one another and get clean. Falling in love with Bobby, you experience a mutual, passionate and loving relationship with its own highs and lows that promises to bloom into something more serious but also can threaten to collapse. As Bobby’s new girlfriend, your relationship hangs on a thread with old skeletons coming back into Bobby’s life, relapses, and a new panic on the horizon that threatens to undo it all.
Bobby knows Upper West Side Manhattan like the back of his hand; better than the majority of Manhattan-born residents through every street, turn, and block.
Give him a street and Bobby could tell you every corner store, the names of apartment buildings, if he knows anyone who lives there, who is shooting up, who is selling, and where the narcs are like it’s common sense.
“Bobby Axel” is a name every dealer, junkie, and narco alike knows on the street; word going around and connections made just like everybody else.
Bobby knows every detail of his home like it’s his duty, and it’s given him the advantage of sneaking away from the unwary or police at the perfect time with the layout of the city engrained in the back of his mind.
Bobby can never see himself doing anything else, anywhere else. Upper West Side Manhattan is his home. Needle Park is his home; it always has been, it always will be.
Being from New York City yourself but having memorized the same streets you, Bobby, and your friends are in day after day, everything you know and think you know of Upper West Side Manhattan pales in comparison to what Bobby knows.
Just as you think you’re taking the regular route back home from work, Bobby keeps his distance far behind you—blending into the crowd and particularly remaining next to the other outcasts and junkies dressed in navy jeans and a baggy hoodie like him.
You walk straight towards your apartment as you always have; not a single convenience store or grocery surrounds you upon the path you’re taking and Bobby can’t help but analyze your environment carefully; thinking if you took a different turn, you may bump into him in the next few minutes.
You don’t, and on purpose, Bobby lets you get home far before he does. So as long as you don’t know he’s coming and that Bobby wants to talk to you, he can approach you with time and circumstance on Bobby’s side. 
Bobby takes the “scenic” route home, letting himself linger around the streets with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and the hood up, covering his head.
Trash litters the sidewalks with torn newspaper pages flying about, wrapping over flickering lampposts; the scents of cigarettes, garbage, and body odor lingering around the corners of each street Bobby passes by accompany him with the cool fall air and dimly lit, grimy blocks twisting and leading to your apartment.
It’s been years since Bobby’s memorized the crumbling streets before him, every old building and every hot spot that normally distracts and cools Bobby down when he’s pissed or stressed to shit but nothing gets through to him now.
Bobby can’t walk off his anger this time and he knows it. Bobby’s only able to remind himself why he’s going home—with the belief you’ve been lying to him this entire time.
Lying to him about the true nature of your work relationship with Sykes; every complaint you made, every time you called in sick just to avoid seeing him, and all that you explained to Bobby—what else would it all be for?
‘It makes sense.’ Bobby grits his teeth, keeping his eyes on the street as he continues briskly walking down the block.
Bobby’s judgment is immediately clouded with his irritation and anger; the idea of your encounter that he saw firsthand can’t be thought of as anything else but some sort of affair. 
Why else would that smug son of a bitch have that look on his face watching you leave, let alone stand there adjusting his jeans after another secret get-together the two of you had? 
Unbeknownst of Bobby’s eyes on both you and Sykes, you know the truth of what happened and how you still feel against your supervisor; bitter, mostly indifferent, and annoyed, but when it comes to shooting and selling, everyone’s needs are all the same. Everyone’s the same.
Thinking nothing of it and unsurprised by Bobby’s absence back at your apartment, you step in and set your purse and keys down before locking the front door.
Letting out a sigh of relief, you rub your temple gingerly before slipping off your shoes and shrugging off your jacket.
The only thing on your mind at the moment is relaxation—time to yourself and nothing more; that is all shared with Bobby once he gets back home from what you subconsciously assume is selling or out with Chico, Irene, and the others.
You open your purse and carefully take out the wad of cash from Sykes you quickly stuffed inside before setting it on the coffee table in the living room.
Pulling your hair up into a loose ponytail, you head towards your bedroom and undress; opting for a comfy pair of sweatpants and a black spaghetti-strap tank top. 
Feeling at ease in the comfort of your own home with no need to pretend to be inconspicuous or watch for a narco on the side of the street, you step into the bathroom momentarily to freshen up.
Glancing up in the mirror, you blink at your reflection and realize how you’ve been wearing nothing but exhaustion over your expression—and all too well at that.
Sighing softly, you turn on the tap to lukewarm water before adjusting it to get hotter—grabbing a bar of soap and beginning to scrub at your hands to wash them off and give them a good rinse.
You pause for a moment, staring at the running water as you swallow hard. You can’t help but feel you’re expecting something—anticipating something you’ve forgotten.
Attempting to shake off the queasy feeling brewing in your stomach, you purposefully avoid looking towards your arms and adjust the water to an almost ice-cold temperature.
Splashing your face off to awaken yourself a bit, you then close the tap and dry off your hands and face with a towel before walking back into the living room.
Your eyes land on the wad of cash placed upon the center of the coffee table once more as you begin to approach it; plopping down on the couch and reaching over for the money.
‘Eighty dollars.’ You can still practically hear Sykes’ voice in your head; seeping with the same desperation as someone whose used it more than once, but hasn’t fallen into an addiction just yet.
Your fingers flip through the twenty dollar bills in your hands again and again as you find yourself zoning in and out, barely focused on what you’re doing, to begin with.
You frown, staring at the fading number twenty imprinted on one of the dollar bills before you graze your thumb over it.
You know more than anything you don’t need this money, but Bobby does. 
‘All of this is for Bobby,’ you think to yourself, sitting up to set down the cash neatly on the coffee table. ‘It’s not for me. I don’t need this… I don’t need any of this. This is all for him.’
 Just as you set down the neatly stacked wad of cash down upon the coffee table in front of you again, you almost knock it over and send it flying from the impact of how hard you flinch at the sound of the front door abruptly unlocking and flying open.
Blinking in surprise, you look up to see Bobby entering your apartment and letting the door slam behind him.
Without so much as a smile, a “hello” or even that soft look in Bobby’s eyes you’ve gotten used to seeing when he comes home to you, all you can pick up is the anger, irritation, and bitterness scowling over Bobby’s expression.
‘Bobby?’ The unforgiving look in Bobby’s eyes replaces any look of love he once ever gave you; his body language demanding and expectant as if you demanded Bobby to approach you as such.
In a split second, Bobby’s eyes dart down to the money in front of you before cruelty mixes with the anger in his eyes and he sends his apartment keys flying onto the dining table across the room.
“Bobby—” You flinch again pressing your back against the couch.
“Yeah,” Bobby raises his voice over you sharply, cutting you off. “Counting that good money Sykes gave you? Made sure every dollar was accounted for?”
Stunned and at a loss for words, your reaction merely gives Bobby a green light to continue as he grits his teeth, approaching you in the living room.
“Did that son of a bitch pay you before or after you sucked his cock?”
“What?!” You flinch again as Bobby kicks the stack of money off of the coffee table, sending it flying to various spots in the living room. 
“Answer my fucking questions!” Bobby shouts at you, facing you directly. “What did you do to him, huh? What did he want?! Did you fuck him? Did you?!”
“Bobby, I—”
“You stupid fucking whore!” Bobby seethes, grabbing a fistful of your hair and tilting your head back instantaneously to slap you across the face.
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“Ah!” Yelping out loudly in pain, the force of Bobby’s slap with him letting go of your hair was harsh enough to cause you to flail off the couch face down—hitting the side of your body against the armrest. 
“Bobby! What are you—" You hiccup, bursting out sobbing from fear, pain, and confusion hitting you all at once.
Without even realizing it, you’re holding up your arms—still quivering—up to your face to shield you from impact, shakily looking up at your boyfriend.
Bobby breathes heavily, taking a step back from you; his eyes bloodshot and glistening with tears of frustration and anger as both of you take in what just occurred.
‘Bobby…’ Your heart sinks into the pit of your stomach as shock and guilt rack over you in a wave of nausea and numbness throughout your body.
‘Baby…’ Bobby hit you. 
Your boyfriend—the one who cried in your arms night after night, the one you couldn’t bear to see in pain, suffering from his withdrawals or illness from being unable to feed and take care of himself properly; Bobby who you washed away all the pain and sadness off of his body, kissed the scratches over his stomach and would do anything for, hit you over something that never even happened.
Bobby doesn’t wait for another response from you nor is his intention to give you an explanation for his sudden outburst; he’s hellbent on releasing his anger first.
“Don’t act surprised with me,” Bobby hisses, beginning to raise his tone. “You whore! You—”
Seeing as you flinch again by being called a “whore”, Bobby lunges towards you again in response and grabs both of your arms as you scream out and attempt to thrash away.
“YOU FUCKING WHORE!” Bobby hauls you up by your arms and throws you back down on the couch. “WHORE! You were heading straight back home my ass!”
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“Bobby—” You cry out in pain, “BOBBY!’
Blow after blow only worsens and grows harsher with each hit over your arms and wrists before Bobby begins to aim his fists toward your head; grabbing a fistful of your hair.
Screeching out, you struggle against Bobby’s overpowering grip but manage to clutch his wrists—digging your nails into Bobby’s wrists and prying them off of you with every ounce of strength you have left in you.
“BOBBY, STOP!” You hiccup again throughout your sobs, pushing him away from you. “Stop it, STOP! Please, stop!” 
“Stop what?!” Bobby scowls, “you didn’t stop fucking lying to me so tell me why I should stop now!”
“Bobby—” Your lip trembles as you notice his gaze fall to the dollar bills scattered over the living room floor.
Bobby nods to himself slowly, eyeing every dollar bill he can see before staring back up at you; ready to lunge at you once more. “He paid you eighty dollars?”
“Bobby—” You sniffle, your bottom lip trembling as you grip the fabric of the couch tightly.
“My girlfriend’s pussy is only worth eighty dollars?” Bobby narrows his eyes, “you cheap, used fucking whore!”
“STOP IT! STOP!” Screaming out at him, you scramble up and off the couch to rush towards the bathroom. “I didn’t! I didn’t do anything, I—”
“Come here, you fucking slut!” Bobby immediately begins to follow after you, reaching out to grab you again.
“I didn’t—no! NO! STOP IT, BOBBY!” Wailing, you barely make it to the bathroom before Bobby sends you flying to the floor with a rough shove like a ragdoll. 
“I SAID COME HERE!” His sudden amount of strength against you who can barely breathe through your tears would take you by surprise if you weren’t the one Bobby was releasing his frustrations out on.
“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” You shriek, landing on your side with a thud—almost knocking over the coffee table. “Stop it!” You shakily brace yourself for impact, holding your arms up to your face, pleading, “Please stop! PLEASE! L-let me talk to you—”
“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit!” Bobby screams back down at you, pointing, “I saw you walking out of the fucking side exit of your corporate shit hole, used and bought like the fucking whore you are! Can’t even face the front street so other people don’t pick up on it, huh?!”
“Bobby—” You flinch, wounded by his words.
“And for what?!” Bobby throws his hands up in the air, “for eighty dollars? You and that fucking asshole you kept telling me about? You think I’m fucking stupid, Emily? Huh—” Bobby hovers over top of you, leaning down to squeeze your face harshly as you continue crying out. “Huh? HUH!? You think I’m fucking stupid?!”
“B-Bobby!” You sputter, hiccupping. “How—”
“How do I know?!” Bobby scoffs, abruptly letting go of your face. “I followed you, you stupid bitch! I followed you because I knew you were fucking lying!”
“NO! I wasn’t—”
“You had someplace to be and I knew it from how you were checking that stupid fucking watch constantly—“ Bobby points to the shattered watch barely holding together over your wrist from the impact of his blows. “You fucking lied to me! You said you were gonna grab some shit from the store before coming back home, huh?! YOU WERE WITH ANOTHER MAN!”
“NO, I WASN’T! I wasn’t, Bobby! I wasn’t!” Your throat burns from screaming back at him in desperation. “I sold him shit, that’s all he wanted! I sold him what he fucking needed so he would get off my ass about it! I didn’t touch him and he didn’t touch me, I swear to you! I swear!”
Bobby ignores you, rolling his eyes; only a clear indication of the lack of a foundation of trust between the two of you.
“Listen to me,” Bobby hisses, pointing at his eyes with his hands trembling from mounting anger. “I would rather gouge my own eyes out than ever see you with someone else. Is that what I have to do? Hmm?” His eyes sting with tears. “Is that what you want me to do? Scratch my own fucking eyes out? I’ll do—”
“NO, STOP IT!” You let out a shriek at the top of your lungs before immediately trying to scramble up to your feet.
“Then my girlfriend’s a fucking whore!” Bobby lunges back at you but trips over the lamp cord, causing it to fall over and shatter to pieces on the floor—buying you a few seconds of precious time to race to the bedroom.
“And I was gonna marry you!” Bobby gives up the chase as you slam the door behind you, pressing your back against it with all of your might to keep it shut. 
“YOU KNOW THAT?!” Bobby follows to the bedroom, screaming at the closed door in front of him. “I WAS GONNA MARRY YOU! I WAS GONNA MARRY A WHORE! A whore!”
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Barely able to stand on your own feet and shivering out of control, you sob loudly as you rest your head against the door.
Sneering, Bobby turns back and grabs your keys off the counter before taking off from the suite entirely—purposefully letting the door slam behind him. 
‘Oh my God…’ You crumble to your knees; your eyes tender and aching from sobbing but unable to stop yourself from letting your emotions consume you entirely.
With too much to process and take in, all you can do is helplessly look at the scratches and light gashes over your body from everything Bobby’s done to you.
Promised bruises and fresh blood dripping from your nose; everything stings yet feels hazy and warm to the touch.
Tilting your head back slowly, you attempt to take in a deep breath but every sense of calmness has departed you upon the first blow Bobby delivered. 
All you can do is cry in pain that both your heart and mind feel. All you can do is let it eat you alive now. All you do is lay on the floor by the door and drown in your own tears. 
Bobby walked out on you after all and as he did, he thought about nothing but what his relationship with you has come to now.
Bobby’s true possessive nature got the better of him, and he knows he can’t handle it at its fullest either—not after everything he went through with Helen prostituting herself.
If anything, Bobby’s made it clear to you that he desires and craves you and only you to the extent that just the thought of having to share you or seeing you with someone else makes him want to kill himself. 
Still, even though he’s out on the streets with nothing but a bruised ego, his hatred, his anger, and his broken pride, the only thing he can think of is that you may just have been telling nothing but the truth.
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gale-gentlepenguin · 11 months
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So I know Representation came out today. And any good fan would wait a week before reviewing it as we still have episode 23 to watch.
GOOD THING IM A DEGENERATE
Gale Reviews: ML Season 5 episode 24 Representation
spoilers below
-So as expected, Chloé didnt stay mayor long. But Apparently Ms.Bustier is running for Mayor and might win
-Oh its the Fencing teacher/ guy who was Darkblade. Well clearly Ms.Bustier is going to win
-And Adrien and Kagami are a power couple? But Adrien is watching the news report while they are in London. Something seems VERY off
-Ah, Gabriel is behind it. And Adrien HATES it.
-"By letting your father decide your life and selling your story through a fake narrative as usual." DAMN Plagg holds no punches
-Plagg appologized though.
-Kagami is also pissed about it
-HEY ITS FELIX/ARGOS
-Wait ... is that really my chaotic son? HEARTS ON WINDOWS.
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-Thats adorable, WTF
-Okay so THEY got some development.
-Adrien deciding to just say f*** it. He is heading to paris and Telling Marinette he's chat noir!
-Marinette back in paris looks miserable. Poor baby girl. Also its a lovely dress.
-Marinette has been crying. I am going to kill Gabriel
-Marinette being strong for her friends to enjoy this dance. Thats really big of her.
-Unfortunately, Spotlight.
-Wait, how did Argos and Kagami get to Paris BEFORE Astrochat? Unless they left much earlier but even then. My bet is Argos made a sentimonster that would warp them places... but that seems like BS.
-KAGAMI KNOWS MARINETTE IS LADYBUG?! Since perfection. Damn.
-KAGAMI TOLD FELIX!?!?!?! FELIX?!?!?! Okay I am a bit salty about that
-OH S***! THEY KISSED. The Feligami stans are Eating today.
-Felix is dressed like Adrien? Oh I do not like where this seems to be going.
-And Marinette thought she saw Adrien and wants to go after him while her friends are thanking her for everything she's done. Way to ruin a good moment FELIX you ass!
-Side note, WHY is Marinette the only one in a dress? Like its a dance? Why couldnt everyone Have dressed up? Seriously, I know outfit renders are expensive. DID THE KITCHEN COST THAT MUCH?
-Marinette avoiding the Lesbian bee and accidentally interrupting the Bi artist and writer. Sure is Pride month in Paris.
-Okay this is just cruel. Marinette thinks she is having a break down over this. Side note. WHY ISNT ADRIEN ACTUALLY HERE YET? HE IS ASTROCHAT!
-Alya and Nino trying to comfort her. But she aint listening.
-Adrien and Kagami escaped and the parents are pissed
-Oh no Nathalie looks really bad right now. Poor thing. All she can do is watch videos of her true love Emilie
-He took the ring back, guess now that Nathalie is too weak to fight him. Which really brings up the question, WHAT HAPPENED in the last episode that Nathalie took such a turn.
-Gabriel is being a d*** as usual
-Nightormentor sounds like a cool name. And while I thought the color scheme is weird... its probably the best akumatized form Gabriel has taken. Sad but true
-AND OF COURSE RIGHT AS SHE LEAVES ASTROCAT ARRIVES. I know its plot convenience but thats bull s***
-"His father CANT have that much control of him" Oh if only you knew Nino
-And BOOM! Gabriel the bitch agreste arrives
-I am liking Rose so much recently. She is calling out EVERYONE
-So he basically has the powers of Sandboy mixed with Darkerowl
-the guy has the power to make you experience VERY intrusive thoughts. That is evil
-Chat noir is like "Hey ladybug gonna go beat up my father text me later"
-Dude Felix must be an Olympic speed walker
-Marinette is basically being nightormented without that bastard even being here. Felix, Kagami this is just a jerk move.
Duusu: "This is so sad" Felix: "Dont worry its for Our happy ending" Duusu: F*** yea lets keep it up
-Oh he made a sentimonster... wait. I know its not human but like a sentimonster MAKING sentimonsters. Feels even more f***ed up
-THEY ARE DOING A F***ING PLAY FOR HER!?
-OH MY GOSH! ITS THE STORY OF EMILIE AND AMELIE!
-Meanwhile, Chat noir is working through his daddy issues.
-Back to the play
-Oh this is interesting.
-Oh and we find out Felix's dad was a rich Cowboy. But also an asshole. (Oh right, this is a French Cartoon, thats why American's suck in this)
-Back to Adrien fighting his father
-This is Cathartic watching Chat noir beat Gabriel's ASS
-HE WAS GOING TO CATACLYSM HIS DAD! Adrien, my boy. Patricide adrien? Well Monarch is still alive, so I guess you think it wouldnt kill him. BTW, Monarch should have had ptsd from that.
-And Chat noir got hit, so his worst fear is... and cuts back to the play
-Oh the twins were infertile. Emilie returned to try and get medical help but still nothing.
-The peacock, that was the sentimonster reference
-Oh so THATS how Gabriel got Gorilla to guard adrien.
-Also yea, any doubt that they arent sentimonsters is dead now.
-ITS CHAT BLANC WITH BLUE HAIR!?
-Oh s*** that is f***ed up.
-"It will end if you give me your miraculous"
-"Take it." ADRIEN NO!
-Oh so thats why Felix's dad was an a**hole. Okay I will give this credit. That is something.
-Welp this explains why Felix might be a sociopath
-Felix revealing why he did what he did
-THE RESISTANCE! COMING IN CLUTCH
-THE TRAY!
-ALYA JUMPED ON HIS BACK.
-They got the akuma in a jar.
-Wait, Chat noir defeated an akuma without Ladybug. (sure he had outside help, but Ladybug has done that too). Good on him
-WELL S*** THAT WAS TRIPPY.
-Felix and Kagami asked for Marinette's help. so was that all the sentimonster doing so? I am lost
-Okay so, I may not LIKE exactly how they went about it. But I cant really hate them for what they did. They are just kids that want to pick someone they trust.
-Oh s***, Ladybug never cast miraculous cure. So Adrien has some perminant trauma from the fight with Nightormentor. He still sees the antichat visions (its not chat blanc, and its just reverse color pallet)
-Chat noir left. before he could tell her. Cause the nightmare messed with him
-WAIT DID TOMOE AND GABRIEL JUST LOCK THEIR CHILDREN IN STERILE ROOMS? WTF!
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Okay! This episode was A LOT.
Well there is no denying Sentimonster theory. Its confirmed. Its done. 100% GUARANTEE NO MONEY BACK.
It did explain a LOT about Felix and Adrien.
So I am still iffy on how it was handled.
Now this DOES NOT justify Felix's Actions. He was still an a**hole. And Kagami shouldnt have told Felix. Marinette is Ladybug. That was NOT her secret to tell.
BUT the play that explained what happened was very well done. It explained a LOT about the Graham de Vanily family and Felix's a**hole father.
I will say that I hated how tortured Marinette was during this. Felix and Kagami could have done something less cruel to lure her there.
I also greatly enjoyed Chat noir vs Nightormentor. very good catharsis and we have Adrien going through some additional mental trauma, inflicted by his father (I wouldnt call it Ironic, more of EXPECTED)
I give it 7.5/10
I will say its the most I have enjoyed the second half of this season since Emotion.
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annathesillyfriend · 1 year
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Hello!! I didn't even notice when February ended 😅 But now that it's over, it means that I officialy finish uni in a month (hopefully not for long because I'm planning to apply for a doctoral school, keep your fingers crossed for me, please and thank you!). I wish it meant I would have more free time to catch up with all the fics in my likes waiting to be read. Unfortunately it only means that I need to start looking for another job 😅
It seems like my life gets more hectic everyday and I would like to thank you all beautiful people for helping me unwind and keep some bits of my sanity. I hate that I don't interact with your fics as much as I used to but I think about you a lot, wish you all the best and I'm just so thankful for you all. Keep being amazing 💓
To all the writers - I love you and I appreciate you so much!
To all the readers - please, share the fics you read and love. The reblog really makes the change! It’s the least we can do to show our gratitude.
Also, please, mind the writers’ warnings!
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💓ROBERT 'BOB' FLOYD💓
a sky full of glow in the dark stars by @jupitercomet
↳ one shot, absolutely stunning 🥺🥺
whoops by @roosterbruiser
↳ one shot, admiral's daughter!reader dating bob in secret. bobby with tiny little kittens might be just a bit too much for my poor heart
sky and stars by @callsignsaturn
↳ one shot, admiral's daughet! reader once again, bob takes her for a joyride. or maybe not... 👀
delicate by @laracrofted
↳ one shot, i'm not sure what's to loveliest - the song, the man or the fic
full of surprises and electric bugaloo by @withahappyrefrain
↳ two-shot, 18+, this man couldn't be more perfect if he tried. and remember - bob fucks 😌😌
love me, love me by @bussyslayer333
↳ one shot, bartender!reader, idiots in love, the more i read about bob the more i think i am an idiot in love as well
a snowed in baby bird by @mothdruid
↳ one shot, 18+, childhood friends to lovers, this story lives in my mind rent free from now on
💓JAKE 'HANGMAN' SERESIN💓
whiskey and wine by @say-al0e
↳ one shot, 18+, date night with husband!jake which is the ultimate dream
this fic by @callsignsaturn
↳ one shot, jake meets bradley's old school friends at his wedding and the rest is history 😌
hey stupid, i love you by @callsignseagull
↳ one shot, 18+, another Laura's fic, another slay. we stan a consistent queen 🙌🙌
your carriage awaits, sweet by @lazypeachsoul
↳ one shot, jake may not be an expert on marine life but we still adore him
everything by @madsnowstorm
↳ one shot, i love when a character is like 'i don't want to get married, but i want to marry you', you don't understand how much i love this fic!!
you are in love by @loveforaugust
↳ one shot, we love a tay tay swift inspired fic here
so funny story (i'm fucking your daughter) by @fandomxpreferences
↳ one shot, mitchell!reader, i think the title sums it up pretty well 😅😅
signed away by @seresinhangmanjake
↳ series, some chapters are 18+, arranged marrige, enjoyed this so very much!
💓BRADLEY 'ROOSTER' BRADSHAW💓
all of you by @lt-spork
↳ one shot, i love bradley but i love clingy bradley even more
hello, i love you by @roosterforme
↳ one shot, bradley goes speed dating and it's just so fun, i love it!!
two to tango by @//roosterforme
↳ series, 18+, pilot!reader, loved this series an unhelathy amount
airplane mode by @//roosterforme
↳ two-shot, flight attendant!reader, Emily, if you're reading this, i'm a great fan of yours!!
not a coincidence by @sehnsuchts-trunken
↳ one shot, penny's niece!reader, bradshaw's a menace but good for us!!
proposal to come by @//sehnsuchts-trunken
↳ one shot, only the best maids of honor and best men get promoted to bride and groom he he
romeo, romeo by @welcome-to-my-multiverse
↳ one shot, drunk bradley is something else but i have nothing but love for this lovesick little puppy
short stack by @spacecaravan
↳ one shot, 18+, bradley bradshow deserves all the finest things in life period
forever valentine by @bradshawsbaby
↳ one shot, fiance!reader, bradley wasn't my valentine this year and i think it's a bit mean tbh
another day, another dollar by @sunflowersteves
↳ one shot, 18+, okay listen, i am a 21st century idependent woman but i would be lying if i said that this big scary bradley wasn't doing it for me 🤤
like i can by @sometimesanalice
↳ series, daggers have a bet on who's gonna set bradley's friend (and the love of his life) on the best date and roo's not very happy about it. loved this series from the first word to the very last!
mary's song by @risriswrites
↳ one shot, best friends to lovers, this made my heart grow 10x
my reward by @susanripper
↳ one shot, this turned me into a little giggling girl and i'm just SHSHSHSHHSHSHS
heart of gold, hands of a heeler by @fandomxpreferences
↳ one shot, he deserves all the love and all the attention in the world
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💓STEVE HARRINGTON💓
keep it quiet for me by @my-my-only-angel
↳ one shot, 18+, caution!! hot contents!!
this fic by @harringtonswriting
↳ one shot, steve's making a big romantic gesture™
i think we're alone now by @new-romqntics
↳ one shot, cute little enemies to loves moment
starts with a pen by @moljh
↳ one shot, reader has a mouth on her and i stan
roses and dandelions by @caxde
↳ one shot, hopper!reader, they're both teachers, it's slowburn, it's friends to lovers, it's idiots in love, it's just everything
friday by @softharrington
↳ one shot, robin's plan for valentine's day turned out to be a hot mess but it also sorta worked??? we love to see that
fix it by @lovebugism
↳ one shot, man do i love a good angsty fic that gives me heartache
whip it! and i've been dying to get you dizzy by @schoopsahoy
↳ two shot, 18+, roller-rink!reader, steve meets a girl while being on a babysitting duty
to be alone together by @katsu28
↳ one shot, steve's valentine's day is not all that bad
dress by @munsonsreputation
↳ one shot, 18+, best friends to lovers, dress is one of my top favourite tswift songs and this fic is doing it justice!! 10/10 would read again
do you think i have forgotten? by @keeryshouse
↳ one shot, 18+, idiots in love who are also exes to lovers, beautiful work!!
be mine by @underoossss
↳ one shot, would you look at that, another idiots in love fic! i am so very predictable
💓EDDIE MUNSON💓
broken beds by @lovebugism
↳ one shot, 18+, eddie's not that good at excuses and wayne's not that stupid 😅
caught me slippin' by @uglypastels
↳ one shot, 18+, esscort!eddie, modern au, a wonderful fic based on an equally amazing book 'kiss quotient'. go read them both!!!
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💓PETER PARKER💓
this blurb by @webslingingslasher
↳ one shot, nothing like a good pining idiots in love confessing their feeling for each other
a drunk headcannon by @blooming-violets
↳ blurb, tasm!peter is drunk, in love and horny but so is his girl and i love that for them 😌
i spy, no spy by @t-lostinworlds
↳ BIG-SHOT, one shot, avanger!reader, friends to lovers fake dating for a mission, it's so crazy that some people are so talented and hard working, my mind is blown once again. i have nothing but love and respect for one of my favourite authors of all time. slay 💅
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💓RHETT ABBOTT💓
afternoon delight by @bradshawsbaby
↳ one shot, 18+, rhett is just such a helpful boyfriend, just a gem
151 notes · View notes
laracrofted · 4 months
Note
Since I don't party tonight, and just listens to music in my bed, I can write a Lil something!!!I will forget people and hate myself for it but 🫠 sometimes you have to jump and do it anyway
@sebsxphia : my love Seb, the kindest soul you can meet, always here to scream with you about everything obssessing us, always creating and most importantly always here for you ❤️
@bobfloydsbabe : it is universally known how much I love Helena, her stories, and her as a person. One of the pillar of the fandom, and a writer with a 🤌 vision 👌🏻 love you so much ❤️
@ryebecca honestly it's embarassing because everytime she posts moodboards, I find myself SCREAMING at how incredible they are. Her Disney serie was exceptionnal. ❤️
@sailor-aviator : i can't believe I only found and met Liz this year!! But I'm glad it happened because holy mother of God it' worth it!! She writes the Mermaid fic I always dreamed of writing with mates, connections... and her entire work is flawless. She has a no limit creativity (and I'm slightly jealous ahahah) (because she actually writes her ideas contrary to someone) (me) ❤️
@ohtobeleah : well, i wrote a very long comment about how her fics made me feel. But let's resume it: If I could write as she does, I'd be the happiest writer in the world. As fearlessly, efficienty and beautifully as she does. Yes I'm jealous too lol. (Also she has no chills, which I love.) ❤️
@roosterforme : i mean, let's be honest here: WE ALL read one of Emily's story!! I mean, Roo and Baby Girl are iconic at his point. I love how she constantly makes us addicted to her entire lore and how dedicated she is to us readers. ❤️
@gretagerwigsmuse : I mean, flawless writing, hilarious and adorable person, immaculate taste, what could you say more? Have a treat and go at Jordan's blog even if you very likely already follow her ❤️
@withahappyrefrain : for the evermore Peter Parker and Top Gun lover that I am, Abby is my queen. I LOVE her stories, I am invested in all of these, she knows how to make us laigh and cry. Plus, I'm an avid Lana fan. ❤️
@thedroneranger : Jay has helped this entire fandom to relieve their thirst!! (Or caused it with their fics, I don't know). The writings are incredibly steamy but never crude or gross. A perfect balance of emotion, sexy and entertaining. And her bartender concept is amazing!! ❤️
And you!! I am such a fan of your fics, your moodboards which are always perfect picked just right, the musical writings challenges?? Unmatched!! Thank you so much. ❤️
there are SO MANY other people I forgot, I'm sure of it but that's what my brain was able to produce tonight haha. But consider if I ever commented or reblogged your work, It went right to my heart and I love you dearly for it!! ! ❤️
ah, thank you so much for the love, i love seeing you in my notifications 🤍 have a happy new year!
end of the year positivity night 💌
16 notes · View notes
Note
Hii, can I suggest some hcs about the nights at the Saloon? Like the chaotic friday nights, Emily and Shane becoming an iconic duo (maybe iconic trio when the farmer comes along), things like that. Just some scenarios involving the Saloon :)
Chaotic Stardrop Saloon Headcanons
Ooh, I love this! I imagine things would get so chaotic there, especially with the crazy farmer. I hope you like it! <3
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Sebastian and Sam getting into fights over pool. It's nothing serious, more friendly bickering, but it goes on for hours. Sam loses the game and nearly snaps the stick thing while Seb and Abigail lose it in the corner. Sam may or may not have cried a few times.
Emily dancing while delivering orders. She has a little order song that she sings when giving people their dinners. Everyone enjoys it so much; she's just a little ray of sunshine. Also, fun dances from behind the bar.
Shane trauma dumping to Gus. Poor man just sits there as this drunken nearly thirty-year-old man goes on and on about every goddamn issue to ever plague him. Emily listens to and is the only one to provide actual advice. That is except for the rare moments when Harvey gets roped into this, in which he panics and frags the man to his clinic.
The kids forcing everyone to pay attention to them. Jas usually goes after Elliott and Leah, Vincent the ASS trio, and Leo Gus and Emily. Jas is usually showing off her recent art to them (which they adore). Vincent is just being chaotic little Vincent, running around and trying to play pool against Sebastian. Meanwhile Leo is shoveling the food Gus gave him into his mouth and talking about Ginger Island.
Abigail resisting the urge to kick the arcade machine. She's tried beating Prairie King for so long now, if she dies one more time, she just might go crazy. Sam and Sebastian have had to drag her away from it before Gus kicks them out. So much rage.
Willy harassing Clint with fishing knowledge. As a Clint disliker, I think he deserves it, but that's up to you. Old man is going through every fish in the valley one by one and their strengths, weaknesses, when they can be found, and how they should be cooked. Clint's just trying to go goo-goo eyes for Emily, he doesn't want this.
Elliott forcing Leah to read his entire fifty-page draft. He asks for criticism, but every time she gives it, he goes on a rant on how that actually links to a little-known Latin phrase for something even more obscure and how that links to a reference he made ten pages earlier to another book of his that is actually itself a reference to the main character. Also, ten foreign slurs per sentence.
Marnie and Lewis flirting loudly the whole night. They think they're being quiet, but Lewis literally can't hear shit so he's being suggestive as hell and letting everyone know about it. Marnie still can't hear him over all the noise though, so now it's just:
Lewis: *Extremely seggual suggestion* Marnie: *Smiling and pretending to hear*
Harvey just trying to enjoy his wine. He's got so much anxiety whenever he's there. Poor dude listening to the town drunk vent about everything, a trio of screaming kids, a trio of screaming twenty-year-olds, a singing and dancing waitress, a writer speaking like a sailor, an actual sailor sitting in the corner talking about a largemouth bass while smelling like fish, and more. He came here for a break, poor man.
-~-~-
Woo! This was probably the most fun HC ask yet. Thank you so much for suggesting this, anon! I hope you have a lovely week.
254 notes · View notes
myfaveficrecs · 1 year
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Creator Spotlight
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@bradshawsbitch has a little bit of something for everyone. @roosterforme nominated their blog for a spotlight and it is rightly deserved. Please go check them out if you haven't already and send some love their way.
A Little Q & A:
1: What is your favorite thing you've written or made? oh gosh, this is such a tough question - but a good one! I think I have some babies, for sure, and I definitely consider my White Christmas fic my baby, not because it became popular but because I absolutely adored writing Bradley sort of inserted into a setting that I myself am so familiar with. It made it feel very homey and special to me! Other than that I think my other sort of special babies are Difficult (Bradley), Best Friend (Bob) and Winter Blues (Rhett)!
2: Top 3 favorite creators you want people to check out? ahhh!! god, it truly is amazing how many incredibly talented writer friends I have!!! readers in this fandom really are lucky to have them! I have to say I've fallen so much for @lewmagoo s writing, absolutely delicious depiction of emotions and plots, they are so incredibly creative. @roosterforme is also a given! the way that woman churns out content, I've literally never seen anything like it. Her readers should consider themselves BLESSED as all hell (sorry, am I allowed to cuss in this interview? jokes hehe)! and of course, my love @roleycoleyficcenter - the way I fucking tore through her masterlist after finishing House We Share was perhaps alarming, and Coley is SO sweet she really just welcomed my incoherent screaming about her characters with such kindness!
3: An idea you have for a future work that people should look out for? Ohhh, well, I am just a little bit notorious for having many ideas but having such a hard time putting it down "on paper" but I do have a little Bradley x flight attendant idea going on, of course, the Vinny oneshot I'm writing in collaboration with Emily, and sometimes soon-ish the next chapter of my Mise en Place series!
Taglist: 
@roosterscock  
@roosterforme  
@bradshawsbitch  
@jupitercomet  
@seresinhangmanjake  
@fandomxpreferences  
@wildbornsiren  
@babyrooster
@ohtobeleah  
@callsign-marlie  
@callsign-milano  
@oncasette  
@topguncortez  
@topgun-imagines  
@roleycoleyreccenter  
@call-sign-shark  
@cherrycola27  
@thedroneranger  
@notroosterbradshaw
@almostgenerallyalways  
@roosterbruiser  
@teacupsandtopgun  
@endofdays56 
@princessphilly 
@wolfmoonmusic 
@phoenix1388 
@wintercap89 
@timbradfordsboot 
@je-suis-prest-rachel 
@adaydreamaway08 
@flowers-and-fichte 
@mak-32 
@greatszu 
61 notes · View notes
emberfrostlovesloki · 6 months
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Aaron Fanfiction Analysis [an essay]
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Photo credits: Left (Google) Center (@themoontaxi) Right (@citronplume)
A/N: I don’t know how many of you followed my page to read some academic work, but here we are, and I’d love it if you stick around to give this a read if you are so inclined. I recently read Rome’s @criminalskies story about a BAU reader who is feeling dysphoric due to being on their period during a long case. Aaron provides them comfort, and they come out to him. The link to that story can be found here (link). While I was reading it, I was so enamored that I started taking notes. If I like something, I take notes. After finishing it, I simply had to think about the literary devices being used, and this essay was born. I asked Rome if they were okay with this, and they agreed (thank you!). Then I finished the essay, and I asked if I could share it here too. Again, Rome agreed. Obviously, after Roland Barthes and The Death of the Author and all that. We understand that reading is subjective. This is just my little take on their story. Everyone reads and understands things differently. I thought I’d just share my thoughts with you. If nothing else, please check out Rome’s page and this story. They are a joy to know and be friends with. I'm currently working on an Emily fic and and an Aaron fic, so those will be out soon too. I hope you all have a lovely end of your weekend, and I’ll see you soon  - Levi. 
You can read the essay below the cut
Word Count: 3.1K 
Content Warnings: Dysphoria and body image issues
List with all stories
P.S. I did the ungodly thing, and I printed this fanfiction on paper for the sake of annotations and in-text citations. 
Fanfiction is a Gift 
When someone who is not very familiar with the concept of fanfiction hears the term fanfiction brought up in conversation,  there is a knee-jerk reaction to assume that this type of writing is not very good writing and that those writing it are teenagers. Both of those things may be true of some fanfiction writers. However, to address the quality of writing, if something is being written, no matter what skill level it is at, that is practice. Practice makes us better writers of all of us. So there will be no complaint about quality from me on that count. But there are other types of fanfiction writers as well. There are adults who consume content and adore it so much that they want to add their voice to the narrative. They bring themselves open and willingly to the space. They share their stories with others to read and enjoy. Often, these writers are more inclusive than the content of the original material. After all, books, T.V. shows, movies, and all other entertainment media are made by the studios for one purpose -- money. The top executives of networks and streaming services are happy to discontinue a beloved show if it is not making a profit. Now some shows are disappearing entirely for tax write-off purposes. The mainstream shows that stay ongoing for years must appeal to the everyman. This often means inclusivity is not a top goal of the creators. This leaves many marginalized groups out. These often include LGBTQIA+, minorities, those who are disabled, and those with non-thin body types. It might come as a surprise to David Saslav or Sam Levinson, but not everybody looks like the characters on their platforms and shows. There has been a push for media to be more inclusive, and we see this in shows like Good Omens, Our Flag Means Death, and What We Do In The Shadows, but the number of these shows pales in comparison to the mainstream media. Serial shows like Criminal Minds is one of those shows. The F.B.I. drama hosts a cast that is not very diverse, and topics of sexuality, racism, police brutality, and other pressing issues are addressed only briefly during the show’s sixteen-season run. This is where fanfiction writers bridge the gap. Writers allow themselves and others to be included in that world, with those characters. This writing is cathartic to many. It is healing what the mainstream refused to address. This is why fanfiction is a gift. To highlight how strong some fanfiction writers are, and the power they have over language, a literary analysis will be done on a recent story published on Tumblr. The author, Rome, was completing a request for a story involving the BAU team leader, Aaron Hotchner, and a non-binary member of the team who is feeling dysphoric during their period. Rome responded to that request with a masterpiece. The untitled story uses diction and tone to demonstrate how the reader feels embarrassed and frustrated by the situation they are placed in, pacing and juxtaposition are employed to highlight how time in the show and on a personal level seem to warp and change given the circumstances, lastly, characterization is used for the reader and Aaron to display how their dynamic changes by the end of the story. 
The story starts in medias res, with the team attempting to solve a slew of murders in Louisiana. The team is stumped and tired. An argument breaks out between the reader and Dr. Reid. Here a variety of loaded words are brought up, including, “irritable,” “overdrive,” “annoyingly,” “hope,” and “exhausted” (Rome, 1). The use of these emotions sets the tone early on for the piece. This is not a fun or happy situation. The argument that takes place in the precinct highlights this, as the reader says, “‘Reid. Correct me based off something you read in the textbook I wrote one more goddamn time and I will see how far that giant brain of yours really is from your skull.’” (Rome, 2). The violent nature of the statement and the use of an expletive evince the tension in the room. Derek Morgan’s attempt to comfort adds no help, as he calls the reader “Mama” twice (Rome, 2). Morgan’s use of gendered terms only makes the reader more angry as they identify as non-binary but has not told the team yet. It is only Aaron who helps them calm down and moves them out of the room. The tone shifts from one of anger from the reader to concern from Aaron. As it turns out, not only is the reader exhausted, but has also started their period; thus the excess of emotions. Embarrassed, they move to the restroom and begin sobbing in pain from the cramps and identity crisis. Aaron moves into the space and immediately he becomes concerned as he hears his, seasoned, agent crying out in pain. He enters the bathroom stall and attempts to understand what’s happened. As he asks questions, the reader notes that his tone is “delicate” and “so laced with concern” (Rome, 7). Aaron embraces the reader to offer physical comfort in a situation that is clearly distressing to both of them. After a few moments, Aaron notices that the reader is holding the crumpled plastic of a pad. The realization hits him and “the penny finally drops, and he can understand why you were so volatile earlier” (Rome, 8). He still does not understand why the reader is so upset but true to his character on the show, he does not try and guess at an answer. He is compassionate at this moment. There is another tonal shift from care and concern to humor as the story lightens its tone. 
The reader has asked Aaron to go back to the hotel, and he readily agrees. The reader asks Aaron, who is driving,  to stop at a convenience store to get some needed supplies for their menstruation. They arrive at a store and the reader attempts to go in themself, but Aaron has none of it. He is told what the reader needs and moves into the store himself. While Aaron is very good at meeting the needs of the team, when he is faced with the choice of period products, he is suddenly at a loss. His experiences with his ex-wife does not help him much, and seeing him flustered like this brings a lightness to the story. As he faces down the tampons, he speaks aloud, “‘Light, ultra light, regular, overnight, sport, active, everyday, heavy, ultra max… shit’” (Rome, 12). Without wanting to disturb the reader, he gets one of every kind along with some comfort snacks. When the manly cashier makes a comment about women and “‘shark week’” Aaron responds, “Funny, sharks rather like eating invertebrates,” as he walks out the door (Rome, 14). There is one last major shift from humor to an understanding of passion and joy. The start of this shift is when, at the hotel, Aaron attempts a joke, saying, “‘I feel like it might be a human rights violation to deny a menstruating woman her sleep’” (Rome, 16). The use of gendered language, especially from Aaron, makes the reader uncomfortable in their body again. Aaron notices the shift and checks in to see if the reader is okay. He ends up joining them in their room. After the reader is changed, he perceptively states, “‘I can tell one moment you’re completely fine and the next it’s like you’re forty feet from your own body” (Rome, 19). By saying this, the reader reveals how they have been feeling over the past few months. That they feel their body and gender are not aligned. They note that they had hesitated to say anything for fear of being viewed differently and making work for Aaron. Aaron could care less. He is overjoyed that the reader is revealing their true self to him. Aaron states, “I am so, so happy, that I’m someone you’re comfortable to talk about this with’” (Rome, 21). The conversation continues for a while longer and there is an understanding between Aaron and the reader and real delight from Aaron in being pulled into the loop. The story finishes with a moment of intimacy and self-reflection from Aaron as he holds the reader tight to his body. 
Criminal Minds normally follows a villain, or Unknown Subject [heretofore unsub] of the week. This provides a steady narrative arc for each of the episodes: a case is announced, the team debriefs, arrives at the location of the crimes, the team creates a profile, the team investigates, another murder or crime happens, the profile changes, the climax, and then the resolution, and closing monolog, as the team returns home on the jet. This structure is endemic in most police procedural shows and it provides a consistency to the narrative. Rome’s use of pacing is more dynamic and more personal. There is clearly a timeline for the team. They need to solve these cases as quickly as possible so less people die. There is an urgency in that. It pushes the team to the height of their emotions. This is mentioned early in the story as the case “stretched on for five days” with no leads (Rome, 1). In fact, time is often mentioned either in minutes or hours. As the fight breaks out between the reader and Derek the time is “1:15 in the morning.” This is one possible justification for the reader's outburst, but not the real one. Pace is brought up again as Aaron tries to understand what has happened. The reader realizes that their period coming has made them more emotional and they attempt to soothe Aaron. They realize, “[they’ve] gone from screaming to crying to comforting him in all under four minutes” (Rome, 3). The juxtaposition of emotions in such a short time frame has the audience focus on time. On the awkward encounter that has just happened. Pacing is also used to demonstrate Aaron’s care and devotion (even if he isn’t willing to admit to it) to the reader. As he kneels in a puddle on the bathroom floor, holding the reader, we are told, “He’s desperate to know what’s happened with you, but he will kneel here until his knees lock if it means you’ll tell him when you’re comfortable’” (Rome, 8). Aaron is such a stoic character and to see him acting so tenderly, going as far as getting his expensive suit dirty, and his willingness to be in pain shows the audience how much he cares about the reader. The fact that he is willing to be in pain, while the reader is in agony demonstrates his commitment to them. Aaron is one of the oldest members of the team, thus, his kneeling on, cold, hard, tile is not great for his joints. The lowered body position does end up affecting him when he does get up, we are told he  “[lets] out a tiny groan as he stands up” (Rome, 9). The fact that they are both in pain ties the two together in an unspoken way. Aaron both in voice and action going forward, reassures the reader that he is thinking of them. Trying to get them to the hotel and comfort as quickly as possible. He makes statements like, “I won’t be a moment” to let the reader know he is cognizant of time and their discomfort. He drives efficiently, walks with determination, and does his best to be quick at finding the right tampon for the reader. The pacing takes a final turn as they enter the hotel. The times of events have slowly been shortening. These time frames move from days at the beginning of the narrative, to the possibility of hours on bent knees at the middle, and close with small moments. The reader tells Aaron, “Just one second,” as they prepare to change (Rome, 19). When the reader's real identity is revealed to Aaron, in an instant, moves, “[a] large pair of hands flys across the space between you on the bed” (Rome, 20). At the end, in their moment of intimacy, Aaron reflects on his admiration, and love, as the reader takes “short breaths” on his upper arm (Rome,  22). The juxtaposition of these time frames and pacing paired with the emotions of anger, then humor, and finally love leaves the audience feeling comfort and peace with Aaron. 
The main crux of this story is the fact that the reader is feeling heightened dysphoria due to their period and hiding this fact about them from the team and more importantly, from Aaron. Thus the characterization of both the reader and Aaron changes and develops a good deal over the twenty-two pages of text. The reader starts out unsure of why they are so angry. Why has this case been so trying on them that night? The reader is at this point unaware of the unwanted, excruciating bleeding that will start soon. The reader is observed with “eyes welling up seemingly out of nowhere as you note that you are definitely not okay, You just don’t know why” (Rome, 3). Once they are aware of their period coming, the reader is not comforted by the fact. The bodily bloodshed only emphasizes that they do not belong in the body they inhabit. The reader notes, 
The anticipation, your monthly [a] reminder of who you are forced to be, looming right in front of you. When you can feel your grasp on emotions slip just a little bit and those little voices in your head gain a little too much power. The thoughts of how your body doesn’t look anything close to who you feel you are. Rome 5
These painful external reminds pushes the reader to do things they don’t enjoy. To try and conform to some gender norm that does not align with them. The reader has gone as far as wearing makeup to appear more feminine, but all that accomplished was to make them feel like they were “playing a part… wearing a mask,” and “keeping up a facade with the team” (Rome 6). This discomfort continues but is slightly alleviated when Aaron comes to understand that they are on their period, and he reacts with care and compassion instead of a reprimand. At the hotel, the reader is upset again by Aaron's unintentional gendered words. In the bathroom of their hotel room. The shape and feel of their body bothers them, as they look in the mirror and think, “how miserable the stranger in the mirror looks” (Rome, 17). Not even putting on more comfortable clothes is helping, as their thighs appear more womanly in the stretchy fabric. It is not until the revelation is made that the reader’s gender identity lies between the male-female binary, that they fully relax. When they notice the “genuine joy radiating from Aaron,” they know they can fully be themself around him (Rome, 18). And still, the pain persists, but in Aaron’s gentle embrace, they can finally rest. Aaron goes through a similar character transformation. Even at the beginning of the story, it is never stated that he is mad at the reader. He is just very concerned. He is as baffled as the reader as to why they are acting as they are. His thoughts mimic the readers as he thinks, “You're clearly very volatile and on edge. He just can’t figure out why?” (Rome, 3). The parallel in emotions is a foreshadowing of the feelings that Aaron will have at the end of the text. The sound of the reader crying intensifies those latent emotions. As Aaron holds the reader close to him for the first time that night, he thinks that “he couldn’t care less about the surroundings, his hand finding the back of your head to hold you close to his aching heart” (Rome, 4). He continues to be concerned and his emotions are pulled, as he only wants to bring the reader some relief. He is eager to help monetarily by buying an array of period products and painkillers. This is a help, but Aaron wants to physically comfort his agent. His distress over the reader even finds voice in anger, as he insults a burly man unwilling to interact with his partner during her time of the month. At the hotel, there is more comfort for the reader, but he can still see pain in them. This pain is less associated with their period. When he asks for clarity for his own sake, he grows nervous: “He silently prays you aren’t about to begin an interrogation” (Rome, 18).
When all is finally made known, he is ecstatic. As the reader states that they fear their new identity might be a burden to him and the team, he is quick to say, “I want to make you feel as comfortable as I am able to accommodate” (Rome, 18). And in the end, Aaron is able to provide that physical comfort again as he acts as a living heating pad. He envelopes the reader in his body, his warmth. And as he begins to drift off to sleep, he questions his emotions once more, asking the rhetorical question, “Right?” as he sleeps (Rome, 22). Aaron’s character arc is centered around his care of the reader and his feelings for them. There is no dramatic “I love you” but the outpouring of small gestures and care given by Aaron to the reader clearly displays his love of them in all their complexity. 
There are so many other literary devices that are used here such as simile, personification, descriptive language, and imagery. However, the elements examined here felt the most weighty. Held the attention longer. When reading and rereading this work, many times I thought, “God, I wish I was the reader!” And here is the great delight in fanfiction -- you are the reader! Inclusive fanfiction belongs to everyone who wants to be involved. Not all fanfiction attempts this. Not all fanfiction is a reader insert or “x reader” as it is often seen on Tumblr, but to live in a time where such care is given to those often standing on the outside is amazing. It is kindness and care just like Aaron comforting and accepting the reader is kindness and care. I do not mean to say that all media, be it books, movies, or TV shows is not inclusive. Some of it is, and I’m glad for that, but much of the time diversity is added as a bonus, so the creators can pat themselves on the back and say, “We’ve got that group covered at least.” I will continue to give praise to those who give so much of themselves for everyone else. Fanfiction really is a beautiful thing.
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wisellamawerewolf · 2 months
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Ok. So I've watched the entirety of the first season of Hazbin Hotel.
Messy and long review, proceed with caution.
It was really forgettable, if I'm being honest. Mostly because the pacing was just... bad. Not enough to not be able to follow the plot of the episode, but it's almost impressive how there's so much going on throughout the episode, but at the end you just feel like nothing substantial has happened.
I can't believe I'm going to say this as someone who adores musicals, but the songs here are a complete waste of time. Many of them begin too suddenly, it just feels awkward, not to mention a lot of them are here because they sound cool and that's it.
Now, I liked SOME of them, but they just wasted the precious time that could've been used for establishing character dynamics better and actually making them bond. The most memorable songs are wasted on less important subplots, which could've been shortened which actually would benefit the redemption/found family thing show is clearly going for.
Characters are so vaguely written, it almost felt like Viv was too scared to reveal stuff about them or the audience might get upset because it wasn't the same stuff they expected. It sometimes done to a such a weird degree it really clashes with the show's tone. It often felt like I was watching a children's cartoon that's allowed to say "fuck" sometimes.
Humor was just not funny. I guess it wasn't as bad as pilot, where every first line of Angel Dust was about sex, but still. 99% of the time there's no punchline, just swears. The only thing that made me laugh was a moment I was supposed to take seriously I think? It was when !spoilers! Sir Pentious was erased from hell by Adam. "Wow, that could've been ugly" just made me burst laughing for a moment, while characters on the screen cried. Don't worry, they were cheering for Charlie literally 3 seconds later, soo my conscience is clear here.
Villains were underwhelming, most of them were a set up for a second season and tbh the V's mostly just wasted time, same with Alastor who was a Gary Stue, until he wasn't. That leaves us with Adam, who just straight up broke the lore for a second. He's also such an asshole it makes you wonder why angels didn't just quietly kicked him out of the heaven.
Redemption. It wasn't handled well, mostly because writers were too busy showing literally ANYTHING but how our characters growed and progresses. It was bizarre watching Emily (or what's her name) side with Charlie because she said she saw how Angel Dust grew as a person? Expect he hasn't really changed? He behaved normally that night, that's literally it. He did stand up to Val, but like... If he didn't, would the heaven just be like "Lol look at that looser, couldn't tell his rapist to fuck off LMAO, Adam, send his ass to double hell"? That was fucking weird, you'd think they'd be more concerned about him killing people in the past, but whatever.
I guess I round this messy ramble with this: HH had potential, but the second you start to think about literally anything you have been shown your head begins to hurt. If you want to watch something and forget immediately, you can watch Hazbin. If you close your eyes on how the show handled a certain topics and just not think about it at all, it's just painfully average. The second you begin to question shit you end up going into an endless rabbit hole of "this could've been so much better" and "omfg what were writers thinking".
My undoubtedly professional rating of the show? 3/10. Can't wait to see the second season where it turns out Adam is alive and he became Charlie's step-dad, because Lucifer kept his promise.
Thanks to everyone who read this whole tangent, initially it was much longer, but I decided to save some stuff for the future rants that may or may not happen. Have a happy fucking day... On earth?
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