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#he's riding off the high of season 6 no one can tell me otherwise that scene when he attacks Acronix but everyone thought
zebra-all-the-time · 3 years
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No one:
Me: season 7 jay my beloved
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stardusttkachuk · 3 years
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take it out on me
Pairing: Nolan Patrick x Fem!Reader Word Count: 2.5k Warnings: smut, Dom!Nolan, spanking, choking, daddy kink, use of the color system, rough sex, unprotected sex, oral (female receiving), fingering, mentions of bruises, fluff, Summary: Nolan comes home from a rough roadie. Y/N suggests he take it out on her like he’s done before, but things are a bit too rough this time and Nolan ends up hurting her, sending him into a panic and promising to do everything and anything to make it better.
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Nolan had been having a bad week to begin with, hell a bad season at that. There was talk of him being benched for a game, as he wasn’t producing at all. His last goal came in a shootout, but otherwise, it’d been goose eggs for a while. He had already been moved to the fourth line and he was a mixture of anxious and angry as he left for the most recent roadie.
Losing 0-9, then 1-6 at the end really tipped him off. He came home fuming, disappointed in himself, upset with the team and the tension that was radiating through the locker room the entire time. And tired. The flight was rough. All he wanted was something to eat and then to go to bed.
He was harsh with the apartment door, slamming it upon entering, cussing at himself for slamming it, knowing you’d be on him later for it. He hadn’t even noticed you standing in the kitchen, watching him with pitiful eyes.
Of course, you knew about the season. You knew how he felt about his own performances and the teams as a whole. You knew how stressed out he’d been lately.
“Nolan?” you asked tentatively, watching as he leaned back against the door.
“What?” His voice was harsh, but you could hear the softness laced around it, trying to be calm around you.
“You know the last time you were stressed and...and you took it out on me? We can do that again if you want to.”
“Seriously?” he breathed, almost out of relief. “Baby if you’re down for it, I could really use that.”
You nodded and stepped closer to him, wrapping your arms around his neck and having to stand on your toes to meet his height. “I’m here, I want to.”
“You’ll say red if you need to, right?”
“You know I would,” you said, brushing your hand through his hair, disheveled from what you could only assume was the flight.
“Fuck,” he grunted, grabbing the backs of your thighs and lifting you up, you hooking your legs around his waist.
Nolan’s lips were on yours, blindly finding his way to the bedroom. He kicked the door closed, throwing you down onto the bed, a slight smirk crossing his features as you bounced, finding a comfortable position for yourself. He wasted no time undressing you, tossing the clothes carelessly to the floor.
“Nolan, oh fuck!” You moaned as his tongue lapped at your already soaked center.
“What was that?” He asked, hand colliding with your ass, hard. You whined at the feeling, the loss of him eating you out and now the stinging pain on your bottom.
“Nolan, please?” Your sentence died off as he spanked you again, flipping you over onto your stomach.
“What’s my name?” His question had your thighs shaking. He really must’ve had a bad week. Nolan was usually on the rough side most times, but when he got like this it meant something was really wrong.
“Daddy,” you moaned, gripping onto the pillow. He rolled you back over again, giving you a quick smile before delving back between your thighs. He was quick to lift your legs over his shoulders, gripping your thighs and mouthing at your clit.
“More,” you begged, grabbing his hair and pulling at the brown locks, eliciting a moan from him. He fucked you with his tongue, his thumb flicking your clit and sending you into your first orgasm.
“Fuck, baby. You taste so good,” Nolan hummed, using his shirt to wipe off his chin. Your cheeks reddened at the sight you’d never get used to.
“How many times do you think you can cum tonight, Y/N?” He asked, his middle finger entering you.
You hummed, holding onto his wrist as he fingered you.
“Answer my question,” he demanded, sending butterflies swarming in your stomach.
“F-Four,” you stuttered, and he smirked, adding a second finger and crooking them against your g-spot. You writhed on the bed, mouth hung open in an ‘o’ shape as he pumped his finger in and out of you, his thumb brushing your clit occasionally.
“You really think only four?” He chuckled, one hand now holding your hips down, his eyes focused on your pussy and what his hands were doing to you. “I bet I could get five.”
You moaned at his statement, trying to push your hips up, but failing as he held you down. It wasn’t long before the familiar warmth grew in your stomach, the sounds coming from your lips only urging Nolan to continue, barely even slowing when you released on his fingers. It was only when you began to squirm under his touch that he pulled his fingers out, wiping the excess on his pants.
He unbuttoned his dress shirt throwing it somewhere onto the floor to join your discarded clothing. Nolan laid down on his back, pulling you over his hips, his hard-on visible through the slacks he had on, pushing up against your core.
You raised up on your knees and undid the belt and button of his pants, sliding them, along with his boxer briefs off. Nolan kicked them off his ankles, before grabbing your hips and slamming you down on his cock, the two of you crying out together in pleasure.
“Ride me, baby girl,” he ordered and you rocked your hips against his, bouncing a few times, but it clearly wasn’t enough for Nolan. He began thrusting himself into you, his hands digging into your hips hard as he fucked you. It wouldn’t surprise you if tomorrow you’d find bruises where his fingertips had been.
Nolan’s hand trailed from your hip, up to your rib, stopping to tease your breast, thumbing over your nipple until you were whimpering, before finally coming to stop at the base of your throat. You slowed down for a second to register what was happening, but with one look from Nolan, you knew exactly what he wanted. His hand tightened around your neck and you leaned into it, letting him take control.
“Cum,” he growled, his lips turning upwards into a smile at your choked moan as you came on his cock.
He let go of your throat, checking in with you quickly. “Green,” you said. He didn’t give you long to recover, pushing you face down onto the bed, his hand gripping at your shoulders as he entered you again.
“Scream baby. Want the neighbors to hear you,” he spoke, using your shoulders for leverage as he slammed into you repeatedly.
“Oh my god,” you groaned.
“Who’s fucking you?” he asked.
“Nolan,” you moaned, your breath hitching when he thrust into you harder.
“Who?”
“Daddy!” you cried.
“Good girl,” Nolan grinned and pulled out of you. “On your back,” he grunted, roughly helping you flip over. You were starting to get tired, but nowhere near your end, still willing to be there for him. You could tell the anger was beginning to fade, but he was still in his role, not ready to give it up yet.
He slammed back into you and you arched up, screaming out his name as he pounded into you. His hand rested around your throat once more and you swallowed hard, catching his eye and nodding, a silent message that meant he could do it. His grip tightened, just slightly again at first, enough for you to feel it but not enough to hurt. You moaned, closing your eyes tightly.
Gradually, he tightened his hold around your throat. The harder he fucked you, the harder his grip became, much tighter than the first time. You watched the pleasure on his face as he chased his high but you realized he was no longer paying attention, or caring how hard he was choking you.
It was getting to be too much, your airway being cut off and the feeling of his fingers squeezing against your skin starting to cause pain. “Yellow,” you rasped, grabbing his arm to try to get him to back off. The pressure on your throat immediately faded and Nolan tore his hand away, his movements stilling as he met your eyes.
“Fuck. Y/N, are you okay?” He asked, cupping your cheek with one hand as he held himself up with the other. “Shit. I’m so sorry. You okay?” he questioned again.
You nodded, taking in a deep breath. “I’m okay,” you assured. “Keep going, please?”
Nolan kissed your forehead gently, his thumb caressing your cheek. “Are you sure? We can stop, baby, it’s okay.”
“I know. I want to. Want you to cum with me, okay?”
“Fuck. Yeah. Okay,” he nodded, his hips snapping to meet yours again. He leaned down, kissing your jaw. It was slow, no longer rough but still hard enough to bring you both to the edge and falling over it, cumming together. It was closer to making love than letting him fuck his anger out with you. Nolan spoke a few apologies in your ear, you assuring him again that you were okay as you carded your fingers through his hair and you both fell out of your roles.
You were still hurting though and Nolan could tell. He carefully lifted you from the bed, carrying you down to his bathroom and starting a hot bath. He helped you get cleaned up, trying not to stare at the redness that was present on your neck.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said once more and you frowned, leaning over the edge of the tub to kiss him.
“I’m okay, Nols. Are you?”
He nodded, taking a deep breath. “I feel better. Thank you.” He kissed your forehead, dipping his hand into the water and gently splashing it onto your back. “I love you. I needed that.”
“I know you did,” you giggled.
“You promise you’re okay?”
“Tired. But you didn’t hurt me, I promise I’m fine.”
He nodded again, finally taking your word. “Ready for bed?”
“Carry me?” you asked, lifting your arms up to him which made him chuckle. He helped you out of the bath, wrapping a towel around you as he sat you on the counter. He dried you off, being extra careful when it came to your hips and your neck, gently patting those areas dry.
You fell asleep quickly, underneath the warm sheets, and curled up against Nolan’s torso, your head on his chest with his fingers gently rubbing your back, the sound of his heartbeat a soothing lullaby in your ear.
--
Nolan’s stomach sank the next morning. He woke up before you did, his smile wide when you were still in the same position you had fallen asleep in, but his eyes drifted to your neck; the red spot that was there last night had now turned into a reddish-purple bruise and he couldn’t take his eyes off of it. He had done that to you. He hurt you.
He felt like he was going to throw up as panic set in, wondering how on earth he was going to make it up to you, how he was going to prove that he never meant to hurt you and that he would never hurt you. It was one thing for you to have bruises on your hips or thighs, but this was your neck, a place that everybody was going to see and those bruises were there because he got too carried away last night.
He slipped out of bed quietly, thankful that his movements hadn’t woken you up. It was still early and he knew you needed the sleep. It wasn’t worth it to wake you up, so instead, he left a note on the nightstand, dressing comfortably before leaving his apartment, skipping breakfast entirely as he drove to the nearest drugstore.
Nolan got a few stares as he stood in the makeup section, reading off labels and trying to decide which brand was the best brand when to him they all looked the same. He’d watched you do your makeup hundreds of times but none of this stuff looked like the same things you had.
Nolan settled on two different types of foundations that were two different brands, three concealers, a container of setting powder and a foundation that was in powder form and not liquid form like the other two. He also found a color correcting concealer, throwing that into his basket as well.
He chose to go through the self-checkout lane, still panicky from this morning and wanting to avoid any looks from one of the checkout ladies. They were older and he was sure they didn’t know who he was, but he didn’t want to draw attention to himself in case they did know.
He really hoped to still find you asleep when he got home, but when the smell of coffee filled his nose as he stepped into the apartment, he knew you were awake and moving. “Baby?” he called, footsteps soft on the wood floor, the plastic bag rustling as he walked.
He found you in the bathroom wearing one of his shirts, stood in front of the mirror. He frowned, a sigh escaping his lips. “I’m so sorry, Y/N. I-I didn’t mean to hurt you. You know I would never hurt you.”
“I know, Nolan. You didn’t hurt me.”
“But, I did. Fuck. You-You had to tell me to slow down, you’ve never had to do that before,” he worried, setting the bag on the bathroom counter.
“But you didn’t hurt me,” you reassured, resting your hands against his chest. “You backed off when I told you to. And you made sure that I was okay. If you had done something seriously wrong, you know I’d tell you.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just… I love you so much and I didn’t mean to take it that far last night. Just with everything going on and I kept it all bottled up, I-I’m sorry.”
“I know you are, love. But I’m okay. Promise.” You kissed his cheek softly, letting him pull you into a tight hug and hold you for a little while. “What’s in the bag?” you spoke up, turning your head to look at him.
Nolan chuckled, pulling out the different makeup items he had bought. “Just in case you needed something to cover it up with. I didn’t really know what to get, so I got a few different brands and different types of products, hopefully, it works.”
You laughed, kissing him quickly. “Thank you, baby.”
“I can make breakfast. Any requests?”
You hummed, “Pancakes?”
“Comin’ right up.”
“Can we have breakfast in bed?”
“Of course. You finish up what you need to do in here and I will be right up with pancakes.” Nolan pulled you into another hug, resting his cheek on your shoulder, his lips gliding along your neck and jaw, making you giggle at the soft and tickling feeling.
“Hey Nol!” you called after him as he left, peeking your head out the bathroom door and catching him before he made it to the kitchen.
Nolan turned to you with a smile. “Yeah?”
“I love you.”
His smile widened. “I love you too.”
Tags: @merchantjjreply @blueeyedbesson @obxmxybxnk @thedemonsimpofcamphalfblood @brebear121 @stars-canucks @sidscrosbyy
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blouisparadise · 3 years
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Upon request, here is a list of bottom Louis fics where Louis or Harry work at a coffee shop or where coffee shops otherwise play a major role in the fic.. This is a shorter list, but we hope you enjoy it! If you do, please remember to like and reblog to spread the word. Happy reading!
1) Breathing Underwater | Mature | 5135 words
Harry is a 27 year old business man and Louis is the 21 year old University student working at the coffee shop Harry comes into one day.
2) I Could Stay Right Here And Burn In This All Day | Explicit | 5964 words
Harry and Louis meet in a coffeeshop, and then they end up being kind of married without meaning to be, and then they have sex. The end.
3) Time Of The Season | Not Rated | 6031 words
Note: This fic has no smut, but it is omega Louis.
When writer’s block stands in the way of Harry completing his second novel, he turns to the sweet-smelling omega behind the counter of his new favorite coffee shop for inspiration.
4) Fall Into Some Velvet Morning | Explicit | 6038 words
Louis shrieks loudly as his body collides with the other boy’s, face smashing into said boy’s back which, of course, made him topple from his weird yoga pose. They lay sprawled on the ground, Louis on top of the weird kid who does fucking yoga in a park. Yoga Boy lifts his head out of the grass and mumbles in a gravely voice, “You ruined my vibes there, mate.”
Louis groans as he sits up and rolls off of Yoga Boy’s back. “Yea, well, you ruined my skateboard, mate. Think we’re quite even.”
5) Stay Forever | Explicit | 6841 words
For the last year and a half, Harry has spent his coffee break at the same cafe every day, not because he loves their coffee, but rather because of the gorgeous omega behind the counter making the coffees. As a beta, he’s sure he doesn’t stand a chance with him, so he goes online to find as close a substitute as possible.
6) Two Creams, No Sugar | Mature | 8341 words
Harry’s a young, successful, and rich music producer under Simon Cowell. Louis’ a college student, working part time at the local coffee shop while studying to be a pediatrician, just barely making ends meet. He has no idea who the cute boy is that keeps on popping up at his school and work is, or what Harry has in store for him.
7) It’s Hard To Look Right At You, Baby | Explicit | 14584 words
Coffee Shop AU where Louis is going through a dry spell, Zayn wants to be a good friend and help Louis find someone, and Harry ends up finding him instead.
8) Everywhere And Nowhere | Mature | 16547 words
Niall took a seat and said, “Apparently Louis’ downstairs neighbor is a fan of giving Louis creepy gifts. Maybe I should go introduce myself and tell him that Louis actually prefers food.”
“What has he given you?” Liam asked.
Louis shrugged as it were no big deal. “There was a rabbit’s foot keychain on the door a little after he left from introducing himself and there was a small teddy bear sitting by my door tonight. Obviously I can’t prove it’s from him, but they seem to have his scent. I could be wrong though.”
“Wow,” Liam said, looking deep in thought. “That’s old school.”
“What’s old school?” Niall asked. “Giving creepy gifts?”
“I’ve never known an alpha to do it, to be honest, but he’s courting you.”
Louis couldn’t contain his look of disbelief directed at Liam. “He’s courting me. Like some sort of romantic shit they’d do in the 1800s or something?”
9) Black And Blue | Mature | 19796 words
Louis is a barista who is a bit damaged from a previous relationship. Harry is a musician who is all warmth and light. Rebuilding a life takes time.
10) The Devil's In The Details | Explicit | 12704 words | Sequel
Seeing Harry as an actual professor will never get old to Louis as his eyes soak him in. The casual attire of a student-teacher is gone and now Harry’s got on a button up under a sweater vest that both have stripes on it because someone with a face like Harry’s can actually pull that off. His beige trousers ride up high on his waist, loose and wide around the legs like he’s been preferring lately. By the time Louis’ done taking all of him in, he’s got a smile stretched wide across his face, cheekbones feeling like they’re about to burst just from happiness alone.
“Hello Professor Styles."
11) And That’s The Tea | Mature | 27590 words
The one where Louis loses his soulmate before even getting the chance to meet them, and he is in no way prepared for the kind of distraction his new friend Harry proves to be.
12) All this Delusion In Our Heads | Explicit | 30453 words
Note: This fic features a tea shop, but we figured that is close enough.
The one where Zayn gets amnesia, Liam has regrets, and the entire universe conspires against them…until it doesn’t.
Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.
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rbbalmung · 3 years
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Pokemon SwSh GPL AU: Get to know ______
Guys, it’s time for my favourite pokemon ship. Prepare for loads of fluff. 
Get to Know Gloria x Hop (Postwickshipping/Hpyu): 
1: Who spends almost all their money on the other? I headcannon that Gloria really likes pokemon plushies, so Hop is always unconsciously checking the stuffed animal section of stores to see if there’s any she doesn’t have. Gloria tries really hard to get him books that pertain to his research, but she really has no clue what he studies aside from the fact that it’s legendary pokemon (Legendary Pokemon are his focus). 
2: Who sleeps in the other’s lap? Gloria! They are the cuddliest couple ever. There’s about a foot size difference between them, so she fits perfectly in his lap. (Hop is def the little spoon, tho). 
3: Who walks around the house half-naked and who yells at them to put on some clothes? TBH, they would both walk around the house half naked. They’re comfort first babies, so you know Gloria’s bra is coming off and Hop is discarding his work clothes the second their door is closed. I think it’s kind of a casual thing for them, though. They’ve known each other long enough that this kind of thing doesn’t bother them. 
4: Which one tells the other not to stay up all night and which one stays up all night anyway? Gloria has to drag Hop’s ass to bed pretty much every night. They’re both busy people, but we all know that Hop would lose track of time while working on his thesis. It is a fact that if Gloria doesn’t come to get him, he will fall asleep on his desk. 
5: Which one tries to make food for the other but burns it all by accident and which one tells them that it’s okay and makes them both cookies? They’re actually both pretty good cooks (Gloria’s mama owns a restaurant in Wedgehurst and Hop’s mom is obsessed with cooking), but I think Hop would probably be the one to burn all the food. The only reason why is because he has a harder time focusing solely on cooking instead of trying to multitask. Now, baking is a whole other story. They’re both terrible at it. 
6: Which one reads OTP prompts and says “Oh that’s us!” and which one goes “Eh, not really”? Gloria would be the one to read the prompts and Hop would be the denier (he secretly thinks it’s really cute whenever she does it). 
7: Which one constantly wears the other’s clothes? Gloria. 100% Gloria. She is constantly cold and has a passion for stealing Hop’s hoodies. He thinks its adorable because they’re always really big on her. 
8: Which one spends all day running errands and which one says “You remembered [thing], right?” Hop would be the errand runner and Gloria would make sure he remembered everything. It goes back to Hop’s mind being a million places at once and Gloria hyper focusing on one thing at a time. 
9: Which one drives the car and which one gives them directions? Hop would drive and Gloria would give directions for similar reasons to the question above. 
10: Which one does the posing while the other one draws? Hop doodles Gloria sometimes to keep his hands busy. It’s kind of an absent minded thing for him to do while reading an article/book. Once Sonia caught him doing it, and when I say she teases him relentlessly, I mean it. Hop absolutely does not let Gloria see these doodles (they’re very cutesy and he’d die of embarrassment). 
11: If they were about to rob a museum, which one does backflips through lasers and which one is strolling behind with a bag of chips? Hop would be the backflipper and Gloria would be the follower. Think back to their GPL season: Hop was blazing ahead at all times without a care in the world. Gloria is the slowest traveler in the world because she likes talking to everyone and visiting all the stores.  
12: Which one of your OTP overdoes it on the alcohol and which one makes the other stop drinking? Neither of them can hold their alcohol, but Hop at least has more body mass than Gloria. They’re a pair of lightweights and nothing you can say will convince me otherwise. (Let’s be real: Bede has to be the one to make sure they get home). 
14: Which one keeps accidentally using the other’s last name instead of their own? Gloria. I actually believe that Gloria would keep her last name even after she and Hop get married because it belongs to her mama (after the divorce, they both changed their last names to match her mama’s maiden name). Hop is also a proud Hoffman, so he wouldn’t use the name Park. However, everyone else will mix it up. Gloria gets called “Mrs. Hoffman” all the time if she’s arriving for restaurant reservations or something of the like. Newer reporters/young children call Hop “Mr. Park” because they just assume Park was his last name. 
15: Which one screams about the spider and which one brings the spider outside? Neither of them are scared of bug pokemon. 
16: Which one gives the other their jacket? HOP. I mentioned it earlier, but Gloria is always cold. Bede asks why he doesn’t just make Gloria bring her own jacket and Hop replies that he likes it when she wears his jacket (they’re freaking sappy).  
17: Who keeps getting threatened by the other’s overprotective older sibling? Pft. Leon? Please. By this point, he’s become the big brother of Gloria as well. The League members are a completely different story. They all like Hop, but since Gloria is one of their younger members and the biggest sweetheart, they’re a protective bunch (Especially Melony and Gordie). 
18: Who’s the first one to admit they have feelings for the other? Gloria, but it didn’t go well. It was right before he was leaving to finish up high school studying abroad, and the timing wasn’t right (aka Hop turned her down because he hadn’t yet realised his feelings for her). Gloria tries her best to move on but never truly gets over him. Luckily, his feelings hit him like a bag of bricks to the stomach when they reunite a couple years later.  
19: How good would your OTP be at parenting? The best. They would definitely be the cool parents (I mean, come on. They’re the freaking heroes of Galar!). I think they’d also be super supportive of their child’s choices. 10/10. They’re made to be parents. (Hop would especially want to be a good dad. He’s initially nervous because he never knew his dad and thinks he might mess up, but Gloria reassures him that he’s doing a good job). 
20: Which one types with perfect grammar and which one types using numbers as letters? Hop would be Mr. Perfect Grammar. Gloria would use mostly good grammar, but her texts would be littered with emojis. 
21: Who gets attacked by a bully and who protects them? Hop is the more confrontational of the two. Gloria tends to believe that people are only mean to others if something bad is happening in their life, but Hop will jump from 0 to 100 if someone even looks at Gloria funny.  
22: Who makes the bad puns and who makes a pained smile every time the other makes a pun? Gloria likes Hop’s bad puns, so everyone else has to cringe in discomfort at the oblivious pair. 
23: Who comes home from work to see that the other one bought a puppy? Hop. Gloria likes catching pokemon and sending them on poke jobs, so there’s a new member to their family at least once a week. 
24: Which one gives the other a piggyback ride when they’re tired? Hop. He’s the only one she would show vulnerability to, and he makes sure not to make her feel ashamed of it. (also, Gloria absolutely could not carry Hop. He’s like, a foot taller than her).  
25: Which one competes in some sort of activity and which one does the overzealous cheering? Both! They’re very supportive of each other to help ease the other’s insecurities. Hop gets really invested in her pokemon matches and Gloria throws him a little celebration every time he finishes a project.  
26: Who takes a selfie when the other one falls asleep on their shoulder? Gloria. Since Hop never goes to sleep at night, it is very common for him to take 5 minute power naps without even realising it. Gloria definitely takes pictures when it happens as a reflex (They were long distance for the first 4 years of their relationship) because she wants to be able to look back at their memories together.  Like Gloria doesn’t know about Hop’s doodles of her, Hop doesn’t know about her phone album of him. 
27: Which one would give the other a makeover if they asked? Gloria? I think they both grow into their separate styles as the get older, but Gloria would push Hop to wear more colourful things. Sonia once told Hop that a man should never tell a woman what to wear because it’s rude. I don’t think Gloria would mind if he suggested something, but he is way too nervous to do it (Sonia scarred him).   
28: Which one owns a pet that the other is absolutely terrified of? Hop is very nervous around Urshifu and Calyrex. Urshifu because he’s terrifying, large, and very protective of Gloria. Calyrex because the pokemon will take over his body without warning to tell Gloria something.  
29: Which one holds the umbrella over both of them when it rains? Hop! If Gloria held it, Hop’s head would be in the umbrella. 
30: If your OTP went on vacation, where would they go and what would they do? Who would take the pictures? Oh my gosh, they’d go everywhere. I think that after Gloria steps down as champion, they travel to all the different regions for at least a couple of years. Gloria would be the one to take pictures and make a little scrapbook when they return home.  
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let-it-raines · 4 years
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Catch Me If You Can (40/40)
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298 days. That’s how long Killian Jones was away from a baseball field. It’s less than a year, only part of a season for him, but it might as well have lasted a decade as he alternated between physical therapy and spending an excessive amount of time sitting on his couch.
But then he came back and won the World Series.
It’s something no one saw coming, and it’s certainly not something anyone who knows about his arm would predict. Now it’s a new season with new possibilities, and anything could happen. On-field reporter Emma Swan will be there to cover it all even if she is not his biggest fan right now.
Asking her out live on-air will do that.
Rating: Mature
a/n: I’ve written a lot of words - it’s actually a ridiculous amount - but some stories worm their way into your heart. This one definitely goes in the top five of that for me. I don’t know if it’s because this was the first story I managed to write after getting some pretty harsh words sent my way or if it was because this story was something I wrote throughout my pregnancy. Did you guys notice how much food was involved? That’s why. Haha. Nevertheless, this is a special one. Thanks for coming along for the ride ⚾️
Thanks to you @resident-of-storybrooke​ for all of her hard work with me on this one​! I’ve kept this epilogue a secret from you as your gift for being a spectacular human being, so I hope you enjoy it ❤️
AO3: Beginning | Current 
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-/-
“What are you wearing today?” Ruby asks her over the speaker on her phone.
Emma hums in response as she thumbs through the clothes in her closet, passing by sweater after sweater that Killian has organized by color despite her consistently messing up his organizational system for their closet. Miraculously, it always gets fixed, heels going on the shelf and white sweater moving to its section instead of chilling with the red jackets on the other side of the room. She didn’t need a closet this big, not really, but if this is what came attached to the master bedroom in their brownstone, Emma is certainly going to fill it up with clothes and boots and far too many hats.
She’s simply not going to organize them the way that her husband wants her to.
“I’m not sure yet,” Emma tells Ruby while running her hand runs over a black turtleneck sweater that might look good with her plaid skirt and the thigh-high boots that she owns three pairs of now since she wears them so often. It’s not a problem no matter how much Killian says it is as he places them on the shelf. “It’s cold outside, but it’s going to be sunny. Maybe my plaid skirt with the black sweater. What are you wearing?”
“Jeans and a sweater, but it’s not my big day.”
“It’s not my big day either.”
Ruby sighs, and Emma can imagine the exasperated look on her face and the way that Graham is likely sitting on the bed behind her reminding her to be gentle or something similar. He should know better after so many years with Ruby – she’s not gentle when she’s in a teasing mood, and she’s definitely in a teasing mood.
“It is your big day,” Ruby corrects. “Your husband could be retiring from baseball today. That’s a huge fucking deal.”
Emotion lodges itself in Emma’s throat, and if she could swallow it down and get rid of it for the day, she would. Quickly, she turns around to look and make sure Killian isn’t standing in the closet or the bedroom. He’s not, at least that she knows. He could be hiding in that blind spot near the bathroom. He’s got weirdly quiet footsteps, and she can very rarely hear when he’s moving in this house.
“Killian wants to think about it as any other game. He’s told me approximately five hundred times that this isn’t a big deal.”
“And you believe him?”
“Hell no,” Emma scoffs as she unties her robe and hangs it on a hook before pulling the plaid skirt off of its hanger and slipping into it as most as she can without having someone tug the last little bit. It’s got this stupid hook that never does quite right. “He hasn’t slept in days. Like, actual days. I wake up in the middle of the night to find him reading or running his fingers over me or something. Killian doesn’t want to admit it, but baseball is in his bones. He’s never going to be able to fully leave it behind. He just…they’re down three games to none in the ALCS and even if they win tonight, they could lose tomorrow. I don’t – I want him to win tonight, but I think if that happens, he’ll just keep holding onto the hope that it’s not over yet.”
“It’s never over until it’s over.”
“You sound like Killian.”
“I’ve spent a hell of a lot of time with him in the past six years. It was bound to happen at some point.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m the one who was supposed to start picking up his mannerisms, not you.”
“We’re sister wives, baby.”
“Um, no,” Emma laughs as she clasps her bra together behind her back, “we are not sister wives. I love you, but that’s not true.”
“Ah whatever.” Ruby scoffs. “Is the jersey going to go over that sweater well?”
“Yep.”
“The plaid may not mix with the stripes.”
Emma clicks her tongue, a protest on her lips, but then there’s a high-pitched squeal followed by small legs lacking pants running into the closet. It’s not like she can judge. She doesn’t have a shirt on.
“Mommy,” Jace squeals, still giggling and running toward her until he’s slamming right into her calves and wrapping his fingers around her legs while his dark mop of hair brushes up against her thigh. “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy.” “What, Jace?” she questions with a small laugh before scooping him up and resting him on her hip. She swears that he gets bigger every single day, and it kind of freaks her out. Then again, most things about being a mom to a two-year-old kid are terrifying. But also weirdly rewarding. She’s been reassured by Mary Margaret, Elsa, Ariel, and Anna that it’s normal, but she’s not sure she believes that quite yet. “What’s got you running in here out of breath?”
“Daddy funny,” Jace giggles, and like he was summoned by the laugh (he probably was), Killian walks into the closet with a small smile on his face and the slightest shake of his head.
Handsome as ever.
“Daddy is funny,” Emma agrees, leaning down to press her lips against Jace’s forehead, “but we can’t tell him because his ego might get bigger and then you and I won’t have any room in the house.”
“Ems,” Ruby interjects, “I’m going to let you go so that you can continue to tell lies about Killian being funny.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon. I’m wearing the plaid skirt.”
“It’s not going to go with the stripes,” Ruby says before the line goes dead.
“You’re hysterical, love,” Killian grumbles, walking toward her and placing his hands on her waist. They’re warm and rough, callouses that she’s grown used to scratching up against her skin, and he tugs her zipper up without her asking. He’s going to have to undo it when she puts her sweater on, but it’s sweet that he realized she needed a bit of help. “Where’s your shirt?”
“Where are our son’s pants?”
He arches a brow before waggling them both across his forehead, a smirk stretching across his lips. “Touché, darling. Touché. Jace seemed fit to not stop squirming around so that I could tug his jeans up.”
Jace smiles at her, a toothy grin, and it’s almost not fair how much he looks like Killian. Genetics are not supposed to work this way. There is supposed to be some of her in him. She didn’t carry him in her body for nine plus months for him to not at all be like her.
There’s supposed to be some kind of payback or reward or something.
(Unconditional love or whatever, probably.)
“Baby, did you not let Daddy put on your pants?”
“Nope.”
“Would you let me put on your pants?”
“Nope.”
Emma rolls her eyes and looks up at Killian who simply shrugs his shoulders. “Well, I guess you won’t wear any pants, and I won’t wear a shirt. Daddy will have to go without shoes.”
Killian shrugs. “All in all, I think I’ve gotten the good deal here.”
“You have,” she promises, pressing up on her toes to quickly brush her lips over Killian’s. He needs to leave soon to go to what may be his final practice (she swears that she’s not thinking about it too much), but they were all going to ride over to the stadium together. “I’ll get him dressed, okay? You don’t have to worry about it.”
“Swan, no. You’ve still got to get ready. I’m perfectly capable of dressing him.”
“His lack of pants suggests otherwise.”
Killian opens his mouth to say something, but then his lips are pressing together and he’s reaching forward to run his fingers over Jace’s stomach while his other hand comes to rest on her ass, squeezing enough that she jumps.
“I’ll dress him,” he continues. “We’ve got to have a go at the jeans again. He might want the light wash instead of the dark. The kid is particular.”
“Just like you,” Emma sighs before handing Jace off to Killian. “I’ve only got to curl my hair and then finish getting dressed, okay? It shouldn’t take me more than thirty minutes, and then we can go.”
“There’s no rush, my love. Take your time.”
Killian walks out of the closet talking to Jace, murmuring little nothings that Emma can’t make out but that she’s sure are sweet and funny and probably ridiculous. It makes her heart swell, which isn’t good for how emotional she is today. She told herself that she wouldn’t be sad, that she would believe Killian’s lies about today not being a big deal, but Killian is a liar. Anyone that says today isn’t a big deal is a liar.
She’s a liar.
And she’s standing in the middle of her closet holding her hand against the chain around her neck staring at shelf after shelf of Yankees t-shirts and sweatpants and uniforms. This sport and this team are so intertwined with their lives and nearly everything that they do, and Emma’s not sure how she’s going to function commentating on games where Killian isn’t playing. When she got the promotion, she knew this would happen eventually. It was at the back of her mind, and it was supposed to stay there.
This wasn’t supposed to come so soon.
Killian is only thirty-three, and Emma always thought that they’d have more time.
Dammit. Why is she letting herself spiral like this when she’s supposed to be curling her hair and putting this sweater on and not freaking out?
Taking a deep breath, Emma grabs the black sweater, a pair of socks, and her boots before tugging them all on, taking each task one at a time while she gets ready. It’s fine. It’s simply another day and another baseball game. There’s nothing happening today that’s any different. They’re going to go to the stadium, drop Jace off with Ariel, Killian will go to practice, and Emma will go up to the booth to review her notes and do the pre-game show. Then the game will begin.
It’s all normal and just what they’ve been doing for almost every home game since Jace’s birth.
(Except it’s not normal.)
(She’s going to act like it is.)
When they get to the stadium an hour later, Emma and Jace both fully dressed despite the complications, the hallways are full of people – publicists, players, family members, coaches, vendors. Anyone Emma can think of is flooding the walkways, most of them waving hello and giving Jace high fives that Emma knows Killian will sanitize later simply because he’s a germ freak now, and there’s a particular look in each of their eyes, a tightness in all of the smiles, that make it especially hard for Emma to pretend that today is a normal day.
“Jace Jones,” Ariel yells out when she comes into view. “What’s up, my man?”
“Ariel,” he screeches out, squirming in Killian’s arms until Killian puts him on the ground and he runs toward Ariel. He’s a blur of pinstripes and the number twenty-nine running in a miniature version of Killian’s jersey. Emma’s got her version hidden away in her purse.
“I was always jealous of other guys who got this.”
Emma twists from where she’s standing to look over at Killian as he softly smiles at Ariel and Jace, the crinkles around his eyes much more prominent than they’ve ever been. “What?”
He nods his head before turning to face her as well. Killian puts his hands on her hips, tugging her a little bit closer to him, and she lazily slings her arms around his neck so that she can smile up at him and his stupid blue eyes. Emma talks for a living. She should be able to find a better way to describe how much she loves Killian’s eyes, but that’s not really in the job card for baseball commentators.
Killian’s lips tick up to the right, the crinkles showing up some more, and he can’t seem to decide between looking at her or Jace. “That,” Killian repeats, nodding at Jace. “I used to be damn jealous of all of the guys who got to have their kids watch them play and got to wear their numbers on their backs. He’s not…fuck, Emma. He’s not going to remember that I did this, that I got to be this really cool guy who lived out my dreams and brought joy to a lot of people, and it’s so idiotic – ”
“Hey, hey, no,” she whispers as her hand keeps running through the hair at the nape of his neck and her own eyes fill with water, “don’t go there, twenty-nine. You’ll drive yourself crazy. Jace may not remember seeing you play professional baseball, but he’s going to know that you did. And he’s going to have a million other memories that are going to be so much cooler than this, yeah? Today isn’t an ending, babe. It’s a new beginning.”
Killian sniffles, his jaw still tense, but it softens a little bit when he dips his head down to hers and starts running his lips across Emma’s jaw and down her neck, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses that light her entire body on fire and make her cant her hips up into his until Killian has her pressed into a concrete wall. It’s not unusual for them to find a spot to make out in this stadium, not at all, but it’s unusual for them to be this open about it. Their relationship has been a public one without their permission, and they try to keep it as quiet as possible.
Right now, Emma doesn’t care.
Not at all.
Until there’s a whistle and Ariel speaking. “I know you guys are probably going to try for another one of these munchkins during the infamous baseball mating season, but here is really not the place to do it.”
Killian chuckles against Emma’s jaw, his scruff brushing into her skin while his smile is tattooed there, and of all of the things Emma is going to miss, she thinks this might be at the top of the list. She guesses that they’ll simply have to do it at home…or Killian can come visit her at work. They have their options.
“Daddy kisses Mommy a lot,” Jace explains to Ariel in his broken speech, which only makes Killian snicker into her skin even more before he pulls back.
“I bet I can kiss you more than I kiss Mommy,” Killian challenges as he swipes Jace out of Ariel’s arms and peppers kisses across his face and down his arms.
Emma’s heart is never going to function normally again, and their insurance is not going to cover this.
“You guys are ridiculously cute,” Ariel sighs before walking up to Emma and wrapping her up in a hug so that she can whisper in her ear. “It’s all clear for you to come down after the game. Will and Eric are under strict instructions to keep him in the dugout instead of letting him go back to get his PT and hide out away from the field.”
“Thank you, A. You’re the best.”
“Yo, Professor Jones,” Will calls out from down the corridor, and everyone’s eyes glance over toward him. “I know you’ve got that fancy college degree now and could actually be a professor, but you’ve still got to show up to practice.”
“I’m right outside the door to the clubhouse, Scarlet,” Killian yells back.
“Outside isn’t inside, man. I bet Jace knows that, and he’s only two.”
“Give me three minutes, and I’ll be there.”
“Al is going to have your head.”
“He can have it.”
“My boy,” Killian sighs as he brushes Jace’s hair off of his forehead, “will you be good for Ariel so that Mommy and Daddy can go to work?”
“Nope.”
That is undeniably the word of the day.
Sending Killian off to practice and the game is a little bit more difficult than usual. The words are lengthier, the hugs longer and tighter, and the final “good luck” and “I love you” weigh heavier on Emma’s mind as she walks away from the clubhouse and to the elevators so that she can go and do her job.
It’s a hard day, but it is simply a day.
And a ballgame.
-/-
Before Killian’s first pitch, he looks up to her in the commentator’s booth and taps his fist right over his heart.
She does the same thing back before holding her hand to the ring that still rests against her sternum.
“You’ve got this, twenty-nine,” she whispers, not caring that the microphones are going to pick it up.
-/-
The Yankees lose, 3-2, and the loss definitely stings. The season is over, but Killian’s career is also finished, the bookend closing on the mound and his time there.
A beginning, she told him. It’s an ending but also a beginning of him not spending half of the year with a crazy schedule. Her schedule is crazy too, but at least she won’t be traveling with the team anymore.
It’s a new beginning for her too.
Chants of Killian’s name ring out around the stadium, a melody that sends chills down Emma’s spine, and Killian walks around the bases waving. He looks like he both loves and hates it, and Emma chuckles as she waits in the dugout, hidden away from him until he steps back on the mound one final time.
The man she loves is so intertwined with this game and this field, but she knows he’s also so much more than any of this.
He’s everything.
“You ready to go support Daddy, kid?” Emma asks Jace as his little blue eyes look around at all of the noise. He’s not used to this.
“Yes,” he says, and Emma sighs in relief at finally getting that word out of him.
It’s not a long walk, not at all, but it feels that way as she passes by all of Killian’s teammates, past and present, to get to him. When he sees the two of them, he immediately moves toward them. His strides are long, almost quick enough to be a run, and Killian wraps his arms around them so tightly that Jace protests and tries to move. He can’t, though, especially when Killian slams his lips into hers and kisses her deeply enough that every thought that Emma had disappears into the continuing chant of the crowds.
Killian. Killian. Killian.
It’s overwhelming but in the best way, and every thought that Killian has about it is felt in the kiss that leaves her breathless and with barely working limbs.
Falling in love with Killian was like this, overwhelming, unexpected, terrifying, and thrilling all at once, and she’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
“Easy tiger,” Emma laughs when Killian finally pulls back, “we’ve got company.”
“Are we talking the kid we just squashed or all of these people?”
“I’m talking Jeff and the camera that’s on our face. I’m supposed to interview you right now.”
The smile that breaks out on his face is beatific, and he kisses her again. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” Killian grabs onto Jace and pulls him into his arms. “You too, kid. You ready to watch Mommy work? She’s really good at this even if it isn’t her job anymore.”
“She play baseball?”
“Something like that, lad.”
Emma barely remembers the questions that she asks Killian. It’s a blur of laughter and funny questions and maybe one or two actual questions about baseball. It all gets interrupted by Jace’s talking, most of it tired babbling, and then Liam, Elsa, and the rest of Killian’s family coming out onto the field. The stands don’t empty out, the constant buzz of the stadium staying around, but Emma doesn’t bother looking around up there when she’s got so much going on down here.
It’s absolutely everything.
Even more so when Killian takes Jace’s hand and walks him around the bases, the two of them laughing together in the way that they always do whenever they’re together, and Emma is most definitely scouring the internet for those pictures tonight.
But far too soon, the moment is over, reality coming back to everyone, and Killian has to go inside to do his press conference just like so many of his teammates. There are still articles to be written and deadlines to be met, and the world doesn’t resolve around them.
Emma’s world revolves around the two guys wearing the number twenty-nine.
She gets Jace back from Killian when they go inside, and the two of them hide out in the corner of the back of the press room as Killian settles down behind the table and all of the journalists and photographers sit in their seats. It starts mostly with the game, Killian’s stats as well as his team’s. It’s standard, just like any other post-game press.
Until it isn’t.
“You threw a one-hundred-and-one mile per hour pitch out there eighty pitches in. And it was accurate. Why are you hanging up your glove when you have some good years left?”
Emma flinches at the question, but it’s one she knew he would get. It was pretty much inevitable.
Killian’s hand reaches up to rub over his eyes, the blue sparkling against the red rims from where he’s cried and tried to hide out. “Look,” Killian starts while staring down at the baseball cap in front of him, signatures from every single teammate marking it up, “I get that I’m only thirty-three. That’s not old in life, but on occasion, it’s old in sports. The fact that I’ve played this game professionally for twelve years for the same team is a wonderful honor, especially when you consider the issues I’ve had with my shoulder. I think…it feels damn good to be able to throw an accurate strike like that one you mentioned, but it feels better to be able to hold my son without pain. It feels better for me to be able to embrace my wife or keep my arm around her shoulder while we watch a movie. Those are things I might not be able to do if I keep playing and screw my arm up a little bit more.”
Emma adjusts Jace in her arms, careful not to rouse him since he’s probably about five minutes from sleep. The kid has no idea the declaration of love his dad just made for the two of them, all of the declarations he’s been making, and he has no idea just how lucky they are that the sweet man having to talk to strangers about a huge part of his life ending is also the dumbass who thought it would be a good idea to ask her out on television.
It’s a good thing that Killian has learned from his mistakes and that she knows how to forgive.
“So you’re retiring because of your family? Lots of guys play with families.”
Killian rolls his eyes. Emma does too.
“I’m retiring because it’s my time,” Killian corrects with a forced smile on his face. “I love this game and everything that it has given me. I’m never truly going to leave it. I think I’ll likely take a few years off, maybe spend a hell of a lot of time making another kid with my wife, and then I’ll come back somehow. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get into the commentator’s booth with Emma. I think we’d make a hell of a team, and there’s nothing I’d love more than working with her again. Maybe I’ll be a coach for an MLB team or for a college or for my kid’s little league team. I don’t know yet. I haven’t exactly gotten it figured out.”
“One more question,” Ariel calls out, and Emma swears that she’s not crying. Nope. It’s not a thing that’s happening.
Except that she’s definitely crying and far too emotional, and she doesn’t want Killian to be up there by himself for his last press conference question. So as there’s a loud chorus of questions with every reporter’s hand raised, Killian still trying to pick someone to ask a question, Emma moves around the side of the room until she’s stepping up on the stage, her heels clacking against the platform, until she’s gently sitting down on Killian’s lap.
He rolled back in his chair in anticipation of her walking this way.
And his hand is warm on her arm and around Jace’s back, and just the slight touch is enough to make her emotional all over again.
Killian deserved to go out winning the World Series again. He deserved for his Hall of Fame career to have a big bang for an ending instead of a quiet fizzle, but life doesn’t work out that way. If this is what he wants, this is what he wants, and it’ll be perfect for him.
“Lawrence,” Killian calls out, nodding to the reporter who took over Emma’s job at ESPN.
“In all of your career, what’s been your favorite moment? Do you have one?”
Killian snickers at the question before turning to the side and pressing a kiss against her forehead. “World Series 2019, game seven. That was the year that changed every aspect of my life, and that game was incredible. I don’t think I’d ever experienced such an adrenaline high before. I don’t know if I have since in terms of baseball. I just…that was a special win for me because I got to do it with my mates, a lot of whom have retired since then or been traded to other teams, but I also got to do it with Emma. I know that I…God, I know that I sound like a sap right now, and I – ”
Killian tilts his head to the side and buries his face in her hair while his arm tightens around she and Jace. She can feel his body shaking the slightest bit.
“It’s okay, Killian,” Emma promises, whispering in his ear while Jace twitches in her arms, waking up the slightest bit. “You’re doing great, twenty-nine.”
“I was a fucking liar when I said that today wasn’t a big deal.”
“I know.”
He chuckles, that same chuckle she’s heard almost every day for six years, and when Killian pulls back from the two of them, he’s got a smile on his face.
“That year was the first time I had a partner in my life outside of my brother that I knew was always going to be by my side, no matter what happened, and I think baseball wise, that moment is always going to be my favorite. I’ve loved almost every minute of this journey, even having to deal with all of you guys hounding me about every move that I make, but if you don’t mind, I think I’ve got a toddler who is fast asleep and needs to go home.”
Emma twists her head to look at Killian, and he throws her a wink before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers in a kiss while applause fills the room, an echo of the standing ovation Killian received while out on the field. He doesn’t stay to listen to this one, though. Instead, he encourages her to stand from the chair, and the two of them walk out of the room with his arm looped around her waist to the sound of people cheering for Killian.
He deserves every single clap.
They don’t stick around the stadium much longer. Killian runs into a few people who want to say goodbye, mostly those who won’t see him in their personal lives, but they’re able to leave pretty quickly. Their families have already gone home per Killian’s request of not making a big deal out of today. They’ll have some kind of celebration next week, one full of food and laughter and joy that isn’t so bittersweet like today.
When they get home, Jace is completely out, the car ride having knocked any remaining wakefulness out of him, and instead of waking him, Emma tells Killian to go take a shower while she changes Jace into his pajamas. He protests, like he always does, but eventually he relents and walks out of the room and down the hall to their bathroom so that he can shower. Emma figures that he likely needs a little time alone anyway.
It’s a weird day.
Once Jace is asleep, his arms wrapped around Will, the stuffed lobster toy that Jace named after Will Scarlet, Emma quietly turns on the baby monitor and closes the door behind her before making her way to the bedroom. The water in the shower is running, a constant hum of a stream, and Emma really does intend to let Killian be and let him have his moment alone where no one will bother him while the warm water beats against his skin. But Killian left the door to the bathroom open, pretty much inviting her inside, and she doesn’t think that he’ll mind even if her plan is simply to stand underneath the water with him and have her makeup fall down her face until she’s left looking like a terrifying clown.
Slowly, she steps into the room, the tile cool against her feet, and strips out of her clothes, picking them up off the floor and throwing them into the hamper. Killian hasn’t noticed her yet, the water pressure too high for him to hear her, and he’s got his back turned to her so that she has a view of strong legs and a firm ass that looks a million times better like this than in baseball pants.
She’s lucky for a lot of reasons. The muscles that stretch up Killian’s back and his arms tick off some of the more superficial ones.
Steam escapes the shower door when she opens it, a little bit of water too, but then she’s quickly pulling the clear glass door closed and stepping onto white tile so that she can wrap her arms around Killian’s waist, her finger threading into the patch of hair over his stomach, and her cheek nuzzling between his shoulder blades. Heat curls between her thighs at the feel of him, at knowing just how much she loves him, but instead of acting on any of it, she presses her lips to his back, laying soft kisses wherever she can while Killian’s hand comes to rest over hers.
“I thought you had banished me in here so that I could be alone,” he finally says as the water continues to pound down on them.
“Do you want to be alone?”
“I want to be with you.”
Emma hums and moves her arms from his stomach, sliding them up his body until her hands come to rest on his arms. Killian grunts something unintelligible, a mixture of pleasure and relief, and she’s barely even begun to work out the knots in his shoulder. He didn’t get his post-match massage, none of his usual recovery happening, so his shoulders are particularly tense. She knows exactly what to do, which muscles to apply pressure to and which to knead. It’s a rhythm and a practice that they’re been doing for years now to make sure Killian’s shoulder doesn’t get too stiff in the middle of the night.
Running her hands from his shoulders to his neck, she kneads the straining cords there while Killian reaches forward to press both of his hands against the tiled wall. His head drops, chin practically touching his chest, and his groan is almost more than Emma can handle.
“Fuck, love. I don’t...this feels so damn good, but if I don’t get to touch you soon, I’m going to lose my bloody mind.”
The heat she feels at his words, spoken in a deep and gravely tone, is almost dizzying, and Emma is ready to let him touch her, to let him bring her to life in the way that he always does. But today is Killian’s day, whether he wants to accept that or not, and instead of letting Killian turn around and kiss her, Emma wraps her arms around his waist again, dipping lower and lower until she can feel him straining warmly against his stomach.
She wants to tease him, to draw this out and make him go crazy with want now that they have actual alone time together, but Emma’s never been very good at being patient, especially not when it comes to this man wanting her. Killian’s the patient one, the one who is willing to wait until things are right, but his shallowed breathing and stuttered words make her think that he’s not very interested in being patient right now.
“Emma,” he breathes out, a mixture between a plea and a promise.
“You do this thing,” Emma begins as her finger traces underneath him, tracing a line in the vein in his length that Killian loves for her to do, “with your arms that make your veins more prominent. It’s just, like, all of the time, and your forearms are ridiculous. I get distracted staring at them. You’re a very distracting man.”
She wraps her fingers around his cock now, slow and steady as Killian’s knuckles practically go as white as the tile, and moves it in long strokes. Killian is very obviously trying to keep from thrusting his hips, the tenseness in his body back in full force, and all Emma can do is continue to stroke him and let him find more pleasure than pain as the water falls down around them and causes the hair on Killian to mat together and for the hair on her head to tangle.
“Sometimes I worry that I don’t let you know how much I love you,” she continues while Killian’s feet move and his hips begin to pump, aiding her hand in its work. “You’re so good with words and affection, with letting me know how much I mean to you, and I wish I could do the same with you. You deserve that.”
Killian’s step falters once more, and Emma thinks that he’s on the precipice of coming until he turns around, her hand falling from him as Killian’s hands come up to grip her face, kissing her with something approaching desperation. His tongue is sinful, hot and wet mixing in with hers, and Emma can feel his all the way down to her toes. There have been times over the years when they’ve gone through rough patches, when things weren’t always great between the two of them simply because of busy schedules or disagreements, but they’ve always worked back from those and come back to this.
Come back to this and everything else that makes up the two of them: baseball games, late-night baking sessions that never go right, attending far too many weddings and baby showers, having their own wedding at a courthouse on a random Wednesday, racing each other through Central Park as they run, laughing at the other as they trip over a pair of socks, sharing the depths of their hearts while under the covers, the lights of the city surrounding them.
Sobbing at a false positive on a pregnancy test. Sobbing at the accurate positive.
It’s a whirlwind, their life, and none of that can encapsulate it all.
Emma’s eyes are shut tightly as Killian continues to kiss her, his mouth insistent, and there’s no stopping the curl of heat now. Absolutely none. Especially when Killian moves his left hand and turns the water off, the stream immediately stopping so that chilled air hits the heat of her skin, gooseflesh rising. It’s cold, that’s undeniable, but Emma doesn’t care as her desire roars and Killian slowly backs them out of the shower with water dripping down both of their bodies.
“I swear if you let me trip, Jones,” Emma mumbles out as her feet hit against the cloth of the mat in the bathroom.
“You’ll what, Jones?” He enunciates the last word with a flick of his tongue against hers before he’s pulling back so that her nipples are no longer brushing against the thick patch of hair on his chest. Emma whines, her thighs too slick with wanting him to even care how desperate she sounds, and all Killian does is grab a towel from the shelf to wrap around her body, the soft cotton nothing compared to Killian’s touch. Even if he’s being an asshole right now. “I know you’re capable of a myriad of things darling, but I think you’re too desperate for me to do any of them.”
“You’re pretty confident in yourself, aren’t you?”
The towel tugs tighter around her waist, pulling her back into Killian so that his straining length brushes the inside of her thigh, and his lips are so close to her ear, breath heavy, that she’s not sure if she can handle any more of this. “Extremely. You usually like that about me.”
“You’ve had a lot of people complimenting you today. I wouldn’t want it to get into your head.”
“Of course. You’re here to keep me humble.”
“Exactly. I’m very good at my job.”
“Mhm,” Killian hums as the towel drops around them and Killian’s hands find the globes of her ass, kneading both of them while he continues to back them up into the bedroom. His lips are on her neck, her shoulder, back to her lips. “I love you, you know? It’s ridiculous how much.”
“Funny thing, I feel the same way.”
“Good.”
Once Emma falls against the mattress, they come together quickly, easily, like they have thousands of times before. Killian knows each inch of her skin intimately, knows just where to kiss and to touch and how to thrust, and it takes absolutely no time for her to begin to feel that desperation of needing him seep into her bones and settle there like it’s going to make a permanent stay. He’s fully seated in her, a heavy and thick drag that is like nothing else, and she can feel all of him hovering over her, heat and strength surrounding her he takes his time with his thrusts.
They’re slow, languid, and so damn breathtaking that Emma can’t even speak. She’s not sure that she wants to. Sometimes sex is just sex, a simple release of desire and passion to physically feel good. Other times it’s words of affection written with each kiss and feelings of love enunciated with each thrust and swirl of a thumb over a bundle of nerves.
Right now is the second one, and every word that Killian spoke to her earlier – in the hallways, on the field, in the press room – is echoed back to her as he moves within her and over her, his lips writing his love while Emma holds on and attempts to write the same words back.
Her heartbeat is thundering, a sound so loud that it blocks out nearly every other noise, and then she’s there, falling apart with a plea and a whisper, pleasure shaking over her body faster than she thought it would.
Holy fuck.
“Fuck,” Killian repeats back, almost as if he heard her thoughts. “Fuck, love. You’re exquisite.”
“So are you. You planning on finishing anytime soon?”
“I’m an old man. I’ve got to catch my breath.”
Emma barks out a laugh that Killian captures with a resounding kiss while his hips snap into hers, a perfect fit that is like nothing else in the world, and as his fingers intertwine with hers and he pulls them up above both of their heads, Killian joins her in her bliss, his body tensing up as his words become breathless, a mess that gets carried away with the thrum of the ceiling fan.
They collapse against the mattress, a tangle of sweaty limbs and wet hair, and when Killian pulls the comforter up over them, Emma turns on her side until she’s snuggled against Killian’s chest with her cheek resting against his heart and his hands in her tangled hair.
“We’re going to have to take another shower.”
Emma laughs with unbridled joy before pressing a kiss to his collarbone. “Tell me the truth. Did I have mascara running down my cheeks this entire time?”
“Oh, most definitely.”
“Totally worth it.”
“Tell that to sheets that have little black marks.”
“I think we can wash them.”
“Possibly,” Killian sighs. His hand moves down her back until it’s resting on her ass once more. “But your mascara is damn stubborn. Ruined one of my favorite shirts that way.”
“It did not.”
“No, no, it did. I swear.”
Emma huffs and reaches around to pinch Killian’s side. He doesn’t even flinch. “Would it be so terrible for the two of us to go downstairs and make some brownies and then eat all of them so that we don’t have to share with Jace?”
“I think that’s the best idea you’ve ever had.” Killian winks, trademark smirk curling on his lips. “Besides asking me out. That was a pretty bold move on your part, Swan. You had no idea that I had feelings for you. It’s not as if I’d given you any inclination.”
Emma laughs again, uncurling herself from her husband and sitting up in bed with a sated, goofy grin. “I had a pretty good idea, my love.”
-/-
-/-
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samsoleil · 3 years
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9 and 10?
ask game
V I am sending the most fond vibes in your direction I hope they make it there okay!!
10. Your favourite season and why.
Honestly? Either S2 or S11.
Season 2: Sam has psychic powers and Dean is terrified that his brother might actually be bad, but is still ride or die for him. This is where we can see their relationship flourish without the search for John hanging over their heads. But y'know what does hang over their heads? John telling Dean he'll either have to save Sam or kill him, and Sam who is desperate to be saved and willing to be killed. And then!! when Sam dies!!! Dean saves him in the worst possible way!!!! Also, it's visually gorgeous. You've got the high contrast vibes from S1 but slightly less desaturated and you've still got the grainy film texture. An excellent time.
Season 11: Listen. I still think it should have been Chuck sending Sam visions. And I don't particularly care for the B plot. But Sam and Dean peak in this season for the first time since pre-s4 and it was amazing. It's the immediate aftermath of Sam literally unleashing  "a force on the world that could destroy it" to save Dean. Codependency at its peak. And in two mid-season episodes they absolutely nail the S2 energy. I mean, establishing beyond any doubt that Dean loves Sam? And then making him think Sam is dead in the very next episode? Where Sam is also the dictionary definition of BAMF? Not to mention, Sam is just. so understanding of Dean and his messy feelings about Amara. Love that for them.
9. What episodes best encapsulates the brother’s relationship? Does this change throughout the series? Doesn’t have to be the best episode btw.
To answer the second question, the brother’s relationship very obviously changes throughout the show. It’s obviously very codependent from the get go (especially from Sam’s perspective! Literally unendurable), and it varies in toxicity. Some seasons they are very soft! Some seasons I want to shout at Sam to run for the hills and never return. And then there are some episodes in seasons where their relationship is literally awful that are wonderfully tender (like 08x21 when Dean says “You gotta let me take care of you, man”). 
Imo, S1-3 are peak brothers. S4/5 are excellent to watch but not the most tender. S6 is on thin fucking ice. S7-10 are, generally speaking, when I would absolutely be willing to kill a man (Dean), but are still SO compelling because these crazy kids are devoted and have no moral boundaries when it comes to the other. S11 is a return to the good stuff! I haven’t seen the seasons after that but from what I have seen, Sam becomes a Dean apologist and Dean just gets worse. But they’re still codependent, so that’s fine. “You were gonna leave and you weren’t even going to tell me?” and “What about me? Would you trade me?” are baller lines. Sam is a grown man but he’s out here saving the world by being Dean’s baby brother. Iconic of them.
OKAY so. First question. I originally had several episodes per season but I have to limit it to 2, this is going to be too long otherwise. Also, as you well know, I've only watched up to 12x06, so I won't include S12 here. 
Episodes (and explanations) under the cut!
Obviously, both 01x01 Pilot and 15x20 Carry On. Literally the perfect bookends for this show. I don’t need to elaborate.
01x05 Bloody Mary - Has the moment where Dean actually has an emotional conversation with his brother, because he’s switched on to Sam’s emotional needs. He was willing to let Sam blame him for Jess’ death so that Sam didn’t blame himself! And near the end it has the iconic line "You're my brother and I'd die for you." Dean, right? No! It was Sam!! Anyone with any sort of reservations about whether Sam cared about Dean in early S1 can refer to this episode. It’s episode 5!! of the whole show!! and it has that line!!
01x11 Faith - Sam has absolutely no regrets about someone dying to save Dean's life. In retrospect, this episode says a lot about how much Sam loves Dean.
02x01 In My Time of Dying - Sam can sense that Dean is there, either through psychic powers or because they are soulmates. Both are good. Also, Dean is told that he may have to kill Sam, which influences their dynamic for the rest of the show <33
02x21 All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1 - Dean, on his knees in the mud, telling Sam's corpse that it'll be okay and screaming his name. That is all. Also, after thoroughly chewing out a victim earlier in the season for selling his soul to save a loved one, Dean sells his soul to save a loved one. 
03x08 A Very Supernatural Christmas - Sam decorated a Christmas tree with pine air fresheners to give Dean a Christmas. Obsessed.
03x11 Mystery Spot - Dean dies repeatedly, then dies for good for about 6 months, and Sam becomes a ruthless hunter in order to bring him back. Dean spends longer dead in this episode than he actually does at the end of S4.
04x14 Sex and Violence - Dean's siren is literally just a version of Sam that is devoted to Dean and would do anything he says. 
04x22 Lucifer Rising - Bobby coming for Dean's life. The VOICEMAIL!! Dean acting as though them being family is a cure-all and saying he'll beat Sam up, but also apologising. I'll take it. And then, of course, the voicemail Sam hears, which is more or less what Dean said in 04x04, and that being what tips him over the edge. The edge, of course, being killing Lilith to avenge Dean’s death, which has been his quest since the end of S3. Excellent.
05x16 Dark Side of the Moon - Ohoho. This episode. You know why this episode is here.
05x22 Swan Song - Same as the above! Dean who doesn't have a plan, just doesn't want his little brother to die alone. Sam, who fights off the devil himself and (essentially) kills himself to save his brother and the car they call their home. That memory sequence, for me, gave Sam the power not to save the world, but to save his brother. The world was just a bonus.
06x11 Appointment in Samara - "Dean doesn't care about me, he just cares about his little brother, Sammy, burning in hell. He'll kill me to get that other guy back." Dean's anger at himself for screwing up and forfeiting Sam's soul was. a lot. Also, Sam begging for his life and Dean just continuing anyway? Horrific. But very testament to their relationship at this point. Dean wants Sammy back and he WILL kill this other guy to do it.
06x22 The Man Who Knew Too Much - Sam being right about the consequences of having his soul put back in. And "You know me. You know why. I'm not leaving my brother alone out there."
07x03 The Girl Next Door - I was tossing up between this and 07x02 but. this has some flashbacks to past Sam!! Unfortunately, it also has Dean punching Sam for using the Impala, the car they both rely on to get around. And Dean murdering Sam's childhood friend for killing rapists. This isn’t an episode that makes you think “Awh, they’re codependent!”, it’s an episode that makes you send Sam vibes screaming at him to get out.
07x14 Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie - Ever think that maybe Sam fears clowns because he associates them with being abandoned? Also, nostalgia vs reality.
08x09 Citizen Fang - The voicemail from S4 is still hanging over our heads. Dean asking “Does that sound like the Benny we know?” and Sam replying “I don’t know Benny.” Dean keeping Benny away from Sam because Sam is apparently the one who will kill monsters with no nuance or remorse. But this episode is on the list specifically because of how pivotal the line "Yes, I do – too well. In fact, every relationship I have ever had has gone to crap at some point. But the one thing I can say about Benny – he has never let me down." is in absolutely wrecking Sam's mental health down the road!
08x23 Sacrifice - For obvious reasons! “You know what I confessed in there? What my greatest sin was? It was how many times I let you down!” and then Dean’s speech of blatant lies. It sounded good, though. Dean really is that devoted, but unfortunately he has amnesia.
09x01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here - Autonomy violation. This is what advanced care directives are for. Dean being so dependent on Sam that he would violate his autonomy and trick him into consenting to possession. Dean will do anything to keep Sam alive, including destroy Sam.
09x16 Blade Runners - The parallels between Colette and Sam are unbearable. “Drop the blade.” Also, Dean becomes SO feral when Sam’s cheek gets cut.
10x19 Book of the Damned - Sam’s speech! “But I can’t do it without my brother. I don’t want to do it without my brother. And if he’s gone, then I don’t….”
10x24 Brother's Keeper - Ahahahahaaa. Sam kneeling down in front of Dean and letting him kill him, if he wants. Dean not doing so. Please do not emulate this relationship in your real human lives.
11x04 Baby - Obvious reasons. Also, the perfect example of how these two communicate. Dean clearly states his opinion so that Sam has something to base his arguments around, and then Sam provides his perspective. That meta about how Dean and Sam communicate and how Sam is the major decision maker opened my eyes. Impeccable takes.
11x16 Safe House - The thing Dean loves being Sam (and Sam being genuinely relieved that it was!!). Sam propping Dean’s sleeping body against the fridge while saying “I got you! Stay with me.” Him cradling Dean in his arms and patting his head and Dean being SO confused but not fighting it.
11x17 Red Meat - Okay, I lied about the 2 per season thing, I just needed all three of these episodes. They are too good to not include. Dean joking to hide how scared he is for Sam? Being willing to let all three of them die just because he thinks Sam is dead? Attempting/committing suicide to try to bring him back? Sam fighting through immense pain to get back to his brother? This episode is so good. They are absolute lunatics (affectionate).
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waitineedaname · 5 years
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For the request thing Dirk and Roxy in some supernatural AU if you feeling it! Congrats on the follower count, too, dude!
this took FOREVER to finish simply bc I had Too Many ideas, but I’m super happy with how this turned out
—-
“You know, there’s no evidence that ghosts are real.”
“Mhm.”
“Sure, there’s- fuck,” Dirk paused to avoid tripping over a root cutting across his path before continuing, “There’s plenty of folklore. Anecdotal accounts. But there’s nothing scientific to back it up. If ghosts were real, wouldn’t scientists have caught one to test on yet?”
“That doesn’t sound very humane, though.” Roxy countered, shining their flashlight on another root so Dirk wouldn’t trip. “Testin’ on them, I mean! They’re still people. Shouldn’t they have the same rights and stuff?”
“They’re ghosts. It’s not like they’re going to die again.”
“How do you know? Maybe that’s what we’re testing them for!” Roxy flashed the beam of light onto Dirk’s face briefly, laughing a little when he made a face at them. “Look, would you want a bunch of scientists pokin’ around at your ghost when you die?”
“First of all, when I die, I’m going to be cold, unconscious, and rotting. Or hot, unconscious, and dusty if I get cremated. Either way, I’m not going to be a ghost. But-” He added when he saw Roxy’s silhouette gear up to speak, “If I was a ghost, I would be happy to let scientists do whatever the fuck they want. Test the hell out of my incorporeal form. Go hogwild in the name of science. I don’t give a shit.”
Roxy hummed and shrugged. “I mean, yeah, mood. There’s still gotta be consent forms and shit, though. I’m the one that works in a lab that involves people here. I know my shit.”
“That still doesn’t change my point though.”
“Which was…?”
“That ghosts aren’t real.”
“Ah. Yeah.” Roxy glanced down at the map on their phone, making sure the two of them were still headed in the right direction. “Yeah, they probably aren’t.”
“Then why the fuck are we exploring a haunted house?”
“Because it’s fun, dummy. Get in the spirit of the season! Eat some pumpkins! Wear a sweater! Fuck a ghost!”
“The spirit of the season.” Dirk’s voice was flat as he tried to think of a joke to make off of the obvious pun there before the rest of what Roxy said caught up to him. “Please tell me there won’t be any ghost fucking involved here. I mean, had I known that, I would’ve at least brought a condom. Worn something nice. Put on some cologne.”
“As if.” Roxy laughed. “Do you own any cologne? Axe does not count.”
“No comment.”
“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were nervous, Di Stri.” Roxy teased, giving him a side eye. Dirk’s expression was carefully neutral.
“Good thing you know better. Do I look nervous to you? The answer is hell no. I’m cool as a cucumber riding a private jet ski into the sunset. I don’t get nervous.” His mouth twitched at Roxy’s failure to contain a snort. “No, I’m just not looking forward to freezing my ass off a mile away from where we parked the car in a shitty abandoned building that’s going to give me mesothelioma. Do you want to be the one asking for financial compensation when I get mesothelioma? I don’t think so.”
“You’re such a big baby.” Roxy muttered, laughing softly. “I think we’re here.”
They stepped out into a clearing and shined their flashlights on the decaying building in front of him. It looked so cartoonishly like a haunted house that Dirk almost wanted to laugh. He shivered instead, hugging his jacket tighter around himself. Roxy bounced on their heels beside him and all but bounded up to the crumbling porch. It took some maneuvering to get up the stairs without falling through wood that had seen better days, but it seemed that all of a sudden that they were both staring down the door handle. 
“Do you want to do the honors?” Roxy asked. Dirk almost protested that this wasn’t his idea, why should he do the honors, but there was a telltale waver of anxiety finally catching up to them in Roxy’s voice, so he bit it back. The metal of the handle was cold to the touch, and hinges creaked dramatically when he pulled it open. Dirk did a little flourish with his flashlight and pretending to bow, hoping the humor would sooth Roxy’s nerves. 
“After you.” He said. Roxy giggled a little.
“Oh, wow, such a gentleman. My prince.” They cooed, walking through the doorway. Dirk followed close behind. Yeah, he wasn’t looking forward to anything this haunted house had to offer, but like hell was he going to let Roxy out of his sight.
As soon as they were both inside, the door slammed shut behind them and their flashlights flickered out. Roxy let out a tiny “eep!” and Dirk tensed.
“Dirk?” Roxy called out into the pitch black.
“I’m right here.” They sounded close, and in a moment, he felt Roxy’s hand slip into his. He squeezed it gently. 
“The flashlight batteries are brand new, they shouldn’t be going out like this…” Roxy mumbled, and Dirk heard a noise that sounded a lot like they were thwacking their flashlight on their thigh. “Aha!” The flashlight flickered back to life. After a few seconds of fumbling, Dirk managed to turn his back on too.
The room they illuminated was… surprisingly mundane, all things considered. A moth-eaten couch, a layer of dust thicker than the rug laying in the middle of the floor, peeling wallpaper that had seen better days. It kind of just looked like an abandoned house, nothing particularly out of the ordinary. The only thing that really set it apart was that-
“Jesus, it’s colder than Satan’s left nut in here.” Roxy said, shivering.
“You can say that again.”
“Jesus, it’s colder th-”
“Rox.” Dirk gave them a look, and Roxy giggled nervously again.
“Come on, let’s explore.” They said, tugging him in the direction of one of the doorways. It led them into a modest kitchen, similarly covered in a thick layer of dust. The cabinets were all empty except for one - also empty - box of Bisquick and a startled rat. Dirk most definitely did not shout in surprise when it squeaked at him, and Roxy didn’t laugh so hard they nearly cried, thank you very much.
The laundry room was also empty, and so was the office they poked their heads into, except for a piano that sat against the wall in surprisingly good condition. First floor exhausted, Roxy put a hand on their hip and grinned at Dirk, their confidence bolstered by the lack of spooky happenings beyond the door.
“Ready to go upstairs?”
“There’s no possible way saying ‘no’ will work, will it?”
“Dirk,” Roxy’s expression softened gently, “If you wanna leave, we can.”
“…Nah, I’m good.” Dirk bonked his shoulder against Roxy’s. “If we end up breaking our legs on an unstable set of stairs, though, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Roxy laughed. “You warned me about the stairs, bro.”
“I told you dog.” Dirk added emphatically. Roxy took the lead up the stairs, which creaked uncomfortably underneath them, but otherwise held steady. Atop the landing, only one door was open, albeit only slightly. They pushed it open and found themselves in a tidy bedroom. The bed was neatly made and covered with cobwebs, and the posters on the wall were too dusty and bleached with age to reveal what they originally were. Moonlight trickled in through the open window, painting the room an eerie blue. 
The pair poked around curiously, though Dirk expected it to be just as barren as the rooms downstairs. He stepped closer to the wall to investigate the posters, and his blood ran cold.
“Uh, Roxy?” He called them over, taking a step back from the wall. There was something dripping from it.
“The fuck?” Roxy said at Dirk’s side. “Wait… is that slime?”
“If we get slimered, I’m going to be so fucking mad.” Of all the ways to die, that would definitely be pretty high on Dirk’s list of ‘dumbest ways to beef it.’ The goopy green slime started forming shapes on the wall. 
6 6 6
“Oh, great.” Dirk said, trying to hold back the urge to bolt. “It’s a satanic Slimer.” Roxy frowned next to him, then looked around. They bounced over to the desk and Dirk gave them a bewildered look. “The fuck are you-”
“Aha!” Roxy withdrew a lonesome sharpie from one of the desk drawers and bounded back over to the dripping wall. Before Dirk could stop them, they drew their own dark shapes beside the numbers.
6 9 6 9 6 9
“You have got to be kidding me.” Dirk stared the wall, Roxy grinning at their handiwork. Another set of letters started appearing.
h a h a  n i c e .
Roxy brightened even further and wheeled around to face Dirk. “What do you say? Ready to be paranormal investigators?”
Dirk glanced at where the slime was spelling out w h o  y o u  g o n n a  c a and sighed. “I guess we’re the ghostbusters now. They are us.”
“Fuck yeah!” Roxy cheered.
f u c k  y e a h !
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tamayokny · 5 years
Text
Name ten favourite characters from ten different things (books, tv, film, etc.) then tag ten people
This was extremely difficult to do. The first two were easy, since they are my ride or die, but choosing 10 different characters? From ten different things? I don’t know if I even like 10 different things, but I found some loopholes, lol.
tagged by @bpdanakins <3
1. Lara Croft - Tomb Raider
Lara Croft has been one of my idols since I was a small child. My mom had bought Tomb Raider: Starring Lara Croft and Tomb Raider: Adventures of Lara Croft for my sister on the PlayStation. I remember watching my sister play it, and then sometimes I was allowed to play it. I continued the Tomb Raider legacy throughout the years.
Lara Croft is just. Amazing. I love every version of her. Classic Lara deflected the life her parents had wanted her to have, and paid the price for it. Did that stop her? No, it did not! She was able to make her own mark in the world. LAU!Lara wanted to find out what happened to her mother, and honestly I love Keeley Hawes as Lara. She was witty and funny, and Legend is one of my favorite TR games. And Reboot!Lara? I love her. I honestly don’t care what people say, Reboot!Lara is great! Her first game is also fun to play. Each version of Lara Croft offers something different, and I love it. While many of Lara’s core values are in each incarnation (adventurous, ambitious, brave, etc.), each brings a new perspective which I enjoy!
Fun fact: my irl best friend and Lara share the same zodiac sign!
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2. Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) - Marvel
I LOVE WANDA MAXIMOFF WITH ALL MY HEART!!! She’s a huge comfort character for me. She’s one of the most powerful mutants (yes, I am ignoring the retcon), and she’s complex. Wanda first appeared in X-Men #4 alongside her brother, Pietro, as members of Magneto’s Brotherhood. Eventually, the twins become heroes and join the Avengers.
Wanda’s mutation is magic; probability, to put it at best. She can warp reality. While she is strong, she is also human. Many remember her best as having a mental breakdown and creates House of M (influenced by her beloved brother). After this, she goes off the radar for a few years before her reincarnated sons find her.
I love Wanda because she has heart, courage, and cares for others. She’s intuitive and sensitive and, in many ways, reminds me of myself. I genuinely love Wanda with all my heart. She remains to be my number one favorite superhero. I wish more people knew her--the real her. The MCU does not do her (or her brother) justice. At all. (At least AOU kind of got their “reluctant villains to heroes” origin story well enough?)
Also: fuck you Marvel for retconning Magneto as the Maximoffs’ father. It’s been 5 years but I still elect to ignore that.
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3. Phoebe Halliwell - Charmed
Growing up, Charmed was one of my favorite TV shows. To sum it up, it’s about a group of sisters who discover that they’re witches. Specifically, they’re the Charmed Ones and they protect the innocent. For awhile, I’ve said that Piper is my favorite sister but after my last rewatch, I say that Phoebe is my favorite.
At the beginning of the series, Phoebe was the youngest and the rebel of the family. Before the pilot, Phoebe was living in New York but we see her move back in. We also see that she has a strained relationship with her eldest sister, Prue, due to her scummy fiancé. Phoebe is also the reason why their magic was unlocked. (As children, their powers were bounded in order to keep them safe.)
Over time, we see Phoebe mature more. However, there are a few things that never changes with Phoebe. She’s kind and caring for others, always wanting to help them no matter what. (She shares this trait with the youngest sister, Paige.) She is deeply connected with her emotions (which causes her to gain the power of empathy in season 6). Phoebe has also had rough luck with love (see: Cole the demon, etc.) but no matter how much she gets hurt, Phoebe still has hope. She still has love in her heart. No matter how much she gets knocked down, she finds a way of getting back up, and I admire her a lot for it.
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4. Catelyn Stark - A Song of Ice and Fire
Family. Duty. Honor. This is House Tully’s family motto, which is deeply embedded into Catelyn. Catelyn was married to Ned Stark during Robert’s Rebellion, after her former betrothed was murdered in King’s Landing (who, ironically, was Ned’s older brother). Their wedding night resulted in the birth of their firstborn: Robb Stark, heir to Winterfell and King in the North.
Catelyn Stark is the mother of the wolves, and her love for her family is no doubt a core of her character. However, Catelyn is clever and if you mess with her, you will certainly gain her wrath. Her eldest values her for her wisdom, and will turn to her for help. She will do anything for her family, such as freeing Jaime Lannister to get her girls back, or offering herself to save her eldest during the horrific events of the Red Wedding.
Catelyn is murdered, along with majority of the Stark party, at the Red Wedding. However, she is resurrected and becomes Lady Stoneheart. Stoneheart is out for vengeance, because she believes all of her children are gone; taken by the enemy. Stoneheart murders Frey or Lannister alike--whoever is associated with them. She holds no mercy.
There is so much more to Catelyn that I could go on, but I will stop here. (Besides, I need to reread the books again!) I will say this: fuck you, D&D.
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5. Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) - Marvel
MAGNETO TIME? MAGNETO TIME.
Erik Lehnsherr was a young boy when World War II happened and because he was Jewish, he was sent to Auschwitz. His family did not survive, but Erik did. Depending on what you follow on, Erik either A) escaped with Magda (who is the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s mother) and started a life with her or B) he hunted down the men who worked for Sebastian Shaw (movie universe).
Anyway, Erik had been a mutant since around the time he was sent to the camps and after the horror and trauma he’s faced, Erik decided that mutants would never be accepted by “their less evolved kin”. So, he became Magneto, a protector for mutants and enemy for humans.
Magneto is only one side of the coin, however. Charles Xavier is a longtime frenemy of sorts, both having different perspectives in life. Xavier believes in coexistence, but Magneto believes otherwise. He had seen what humanity is capable of, and he never wants that to happen again. If he must be a villain, than so be it.
Magneto is beautifully complex. He has done some questionable things (I’m thinking of the comics for this one), but he has also done great things for his people. “Never again,” he says. He fights to keep it that way. Magneto is sympathetic at best, and I certainly understand where he comes from. Tell me this: if you were Magneto, what would you have done?
Also: while Michael Fassbender is not Jewish in any way, he did one hell of a job portraying this amazing character.
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6. Kira Yukimura - Teen Wolf
I wasn’t planning on adding Teen Wolf to the list, but here I am.
Kira was introduced to us in season 3b, written as a “new love interest” for Scott McCall. I remember a lot of fans of a certain ship were pissed, but whatever. I’m not here to talk about romance.
So, in 3b Kira was a new student, with her dad as the new history teacher at Beacon Hills High School. She’s of both Korean and Japanese descent, and she ends up playing an important role in the story arc. We find out that she’s a Kitsune, thanks to her mother who explains how a Kitsune and a werewolf must come together to defeat the Nogitsune, who happens to be possessing the loveable Stiles Stilinski.
After this, Kira becomes a part of the McCall Pack and Scott’s girlfriend. In my opinion, they’re cute together but many people hate them together. Oh well. Kira also becomes a badass in her own right, as her abilities evolve. However, in season 5, the creators put her on the shelf, as she trains with Skinwalkers and is never seen again. I am so fucking MAD about that.
Like many characters on this list, Kira has heart and courage. She’s a bit of an introvert but she is loyal, and cares for her pack. She’s cute and a bit goofy. She is skilled and deadly. Kira is one of the coolest characters Teen Wolf had, and the way they treated her was disappointed. (Even though after her death, Allison was always mentioned/connected in some way. I like Allison, don’t get me wrong but all I can say is: interesting...)
Fun fact: Arden Cho, the actress, is the VA for Sam Nishimura in Tomb Raider (2013)!
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7. Lois Wilkerson - Malcolm in the Middle
The mother of four boys, the matriarch of the Wilkerson household is not one to push around.
Lois has had a rather rough life. Her parents were not the best, and everyone tries to push her down. However, Lois fights back and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. Francis, her oldest, describes her as an absolute menace and while her sons and husband fear her, they also admire her for her strength and courage. Lois is tough as nails, but she can also break, too. However, her family--the family she and Hal created, no one else--is there for her. Lois is incredibly strong willed no matter what, and I love her so much.
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8. Theon Greyjoy - A Song of Ice and Fire
No words can describe on how much I love this fashionable war criminal.
Before the start of the series, Theon is a hostage/ward of Lord Stark, as a result of his father’s failed rebellion. Theon was a reminder that if Balon Greyjoy pulled something again, his last (male) heir would get the chopping block. Pretty brutal for a young child, right?
Now, at the start of the series, Theon is nineteen and is seemingly best friends with Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell and the North. He shows loyalty to Robb and the Starks, claiming that Lord Stark was like a father to him. He’s also skilled with archery and, like I mentioned earlier, fashion.
Then A Clash of Kings occur, and we began to see how Theon Greyjoy is.
Robb Stark has been proclaimed as King of the North, and sends Theon to the Iron Islands in hopes to gain allies with Balon Greyjoy. However, this does not occur. Old Greyjoy says “fuck that and if you’re [Theon] aren’t with us, then you‘re against us.” We see Theon conflicted, but we also see how strained his relationship with his father is. In the end, Theon joins the Greyjoys, and promptly sacks Winterfell. However, that is not the end. Theon is tricked by Ramsay Bolton and this vile man takes Winterfell. I believe while he took the women and children captive, the men were killed...save for Theon, of course.
Theon is held captive by Ramsay Bolton, and is tortured quite brutally. Theon goes through a lot in this time. His appearance had changed drastically: black hair turned white and brittle, he becomes skin and bones, and loses a few fingers and toes. Theon is no longer Theon. He became Reek. The new Reek.
Then, Jeyne Poole (or Sansa; I hate you D&D) arrives, under the guise that she is Arya Stark and she is to wed Ramsay Bolton. Jeyne begged Theon to help her, but he is in no position of power. He is a completely broken man. Time flies by. Jeyne is in absolute misery but with the help of Mance and some spearwives, Theon is able to escape Winterfell with Jeyne during a winter storm. Currently, in the books, Theon is set to be executed by Stannis Baratheon, who is currently holding him captive.
Theon Greyjoy may be a fuckup, but to me he is such an amazing character. He holds much conflict, from being a hostage/ward to Prince to prisoner. Theon Greyjoy may have done a lot of shit, but he is also a survivor. Everything he has been put through, he somehow lives to see another day. Despite holding negative feelings to Lord Stark and everyone around, claiming he owed no one anything (fair enough), he loved Robb. When Theon had found out he was murdered at the Red Wedding, you know what he thought?
I should have been with him. Where was I? I should have died with him.
Theon is far from perfect, but that is what makes him great. He has come so far, and I hope his journey does not end any time soon.
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9. Suki - Avatar: The Last Airbender
Zuko may have the best redemption arc (or does he? See above.), but Suki holds a special place in my heart.
We first meet Suki season one, on Kyoshi Island. She is the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, and effectively puts Sokka in his place. However, when Sokka requests a few lessons, Suki is happy to help...as long as he followed the guidelines.
Suki is a certified badass. Although a non-bender, Suki has incredible skill and event went against Azula. However, Suki and the others surrendered (so that Appa would not be captured), leading to her imprisonment at Boiling Rock. Eventually, Sokka and Zuko free her (with the help of Mai). After this, Suki joined the Gaang in ceasing the 100 Year War.
Suki is strong but like many other characters in this list, she has heart. She is an effective leader and fighter, offering her help whenever she can. Too bad she was never mentioned in The Legend of Korra. Suki is underrated and she deserves more love and respect.
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10. Max Mayfield - Stranger Things
We first meet Max in season 2 as the new girl in Hawkins. She seems like your average girl but she quickly gets tied into the party after Lucas begs her to show her what has happened with him and the rest of the party. However, there’s a lot more to Max.
Max moved to Hawkins with her mother, stepfather, and stepbrother. It’s easy to see that Max and Billy, her stepbrother, do not get along. Billy is outright mean to her, lashing out at practically every chance he gets. Max fights back, however...especially when he threatens her friends.
In season 3, we finally get to see Max and El bond. (Thank God we didn’t have to put up with the “jealousy” tidbit. I would have--) El believes that Mike is lying and Max is like, “Well yeah. Come on let’s go to the mall!” and the girls have a blast together. I was so happy to see the two bond and have fun. I was so happy that El was spending time with someone other than Mike. I was so happy the girls were having fun by themselves. Honestly, the best part of season 3 was them becoming friends.
I love Max because she is confident and is not afraid to speak her mind. She’s funny and in many ways, we are alike. (Especially with our attitudes on boys and relationships.) However, Max is also vulnerable. We see this with her stepbrother, especially in season 3 I think. Their relationship was drastically different in season 3 and while many didn’t like it (myself included)...I also thought about Max. She’s a young girl and no matter how much bad blood was in between them, it will be traumatizing to see a transformation like this to someone you know quite well. It would be scary.
Anyway, I love Max.
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Honorable mentions: Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat), Ororo Munroe (Storm), Jean Grey (Phoenix), Anna Marie (Rogue), Sam Nishimura, Malia Tate, all of House Martell, Dustin Henderson...
Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Tell me, do I have a certain type of character that I’m attracted to? Also, I’m not sure who has all done this, so if you haven’t it: who are your top 10 favorite characters? Let me know!
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angelkurenai · 5 years
Text
A supernatural marvel - Dean Winchester x Reader x Steve Rogers - Chapter 14 (Dean’s Ending)
Title: A supernatural Marvel
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader
Warnings: Set in season 13 and Post Avengers: Infinity War, No Infinity War spoilers
Word Count: 5k+
Summary: Imagine being transported in the Supernatural universe, with no memory of your life, where you become a hunter and fall in love with Dean. Only for a very important person from your past to come looking for you and change it all.
Read Chapter 1 here! l Read Chapter 2 here! l Read Chapter 3 here! l Read Part 4 here! l Read Part 5 here! l Read Part 6 here! l Read Part 7 here! l Read Part 8 here! l Read Part 9 here! l Read Part 10 here! l Read Part 11 here! l Read part 12 here! l Read part 13 here!
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Your eyes fluttered open.
It was as simple as that, an action that happened every morning, yet this time you wished with all your heart that you'd get to do once more. You took in a breath, and although it came in shakily, a smile graced yours lips because you actually felt it. You felt your lungs fill with air, felt the small protest of your back as you shifted, you were a bit sore apparently, but more than that you were alive. And as your eyes took in the room, everything so familiar, as well as the photo on your nightstand, the happiness in your heart couldnt get any bigger.
With another smaller breath in and exhale, you pushed your blankets off you and before your mind could even register the action, your feet carried you towards the only person you wanted to see at the moment.
You pushed the door slightly open and peaked inside to see him in the exact same position you found him nearly every morning you went to wake him up, sprawled all over the bed with his lips slightly parted. The corners of your lips tugged into a smile and you slowly padded your way to him, laying on the other side which in all hnesty had turned into your side over the course of time. You could have gotten carried away just by gazing at him but quickly gathered your thoughts.
You brought a hand up and gave his shoulder a small shake, whispering “Dean.” but you knew one try wasn't going to beenough “Dean. Dean. Come on, wake up. Dean. ” you heard a soft groan of protest as a response and you insisted even more “Come on sleepyhead, wake up. You gotta get up at some point.” but another moan of protest, soon followed by a soft whine.
“No” he huffed, eyes not opening for a second all the while.
“D” you grinned anyway “It's already very late. You seriously can't tell me you're not gonna get up and help us with research.” you said and only got a hum and cheeky smile from him “And then what are you gonna do? Keep sleeping?”
He let a small soft sigh at first, licking his lips before he sleepily mumbled “Nope. I've got a better idea-” he didn't hesitate to throw an arm over your middle and pull you to himself. Your legs tangled and your arms wrapped around his shoulders as he layed his head at the crook of your neck and layed nearly all of his body on top of yours. “Keep sleeping and cuddle.”
A giggle involuntarily escaped your lips and you let your body relax against his “So what, am I not allowed to get off this bed either?”
“Definitely no.” he said stubbornly but so adorably, so carefree and even innocently that for a second it took your breath away. The past couple days had felt like years when you realized he wasn't being this open with you, as much as Dean Winchester could be. Not when you saw that you were the very reason to his flirty and playful side, even, being gone. Nearly all words died out in your lips. Deciding to erase everything that happened from both reality and his memorywhile staying wasn't just the right choice, it was the only choice your heart could make. It would otherwise crumble, thinking Dean wasn't going to smile like this anytime soon. You cleared your throat, pushing the thought on that back of your mind. It wasn't time for that now.
You bit your lower lip, your fingers playing with the short hair in the back of his head “Somehow always knew this was your favorite position, Winchester.”
He hummed, his smile getting even wider which meant he was fully awake yet didn't want to pull away from you “Hmh you have imagined it, sweetheart?”
You could hear some smugness but even more playfulness in his voice and certainly see it on his face that you couldn't help but want to take it further “Can't tell you all about my fantasies, D. I need to keep a dirty secret or two to myself.” it was one of the hardest things to keep yourself from bursting into laughter when he popped an eye open and raised a suggestive eyebrow at you “Oh, so you're awake now.”
“What did you just say?” he asked in a much more gruff and low voice.
“I mean, I'd go into detail but-” you gave him an innocent yet full of meaning smile “We're kind of in a dangerous positionright now, don't you think?”
He looked up and down at you, just as you shifted a bit, and he gave you that kind of small and breathless laugh that just showed he had thought of something definitely not appropriate. “Right. You're right. I should prob-”
He had already started pulling away but that didn't mean you were going to let go of him, taking hold of his hands “But that still doesn't mean-” your smile softened as you you placed it back where it was and rested your own head on his chest “Any of it has to be over, D. Nobody's stopping us, are they? And I know... I don't want it to end either. Not when it feels good.”
Dean's lips parted for a second, mostly a perplexed expression on his face because of the tone in your voice but at the same time unable to help the skip of his heartbeat at the small confession that left your lips. He was ready to question it but couldn't find the words to it so he decided against it. He let out a soft sigh of content, nodding his head a bit before leaning in to kiss your temple. He didn't say a word, not when he knew he didn't have to. Silence with you always felt so comfortable and when he got to hold you like this, that's when he felt truly complete. And oh he would be damned if he ever let himself ruin such a moment, not when he could have you all to himself like this.
“I mean-” you started peaking again and he could swear he held his breath, waiting for what you'd say and almost hoping you'd give him yet another opportunity to flirt with you just so that he'd see the small tint of red that involuntarily showed up on your cheeks “You're good as a blanket, no doubt the best one I've ever had. Wonderful and so soft, I could never change a thi-”
“What?” his voice came out a bit high-pitched “I'm not- I haven't gone soft! I'm a hunter, I'm supposed to be hard a-and firm a-and-”
“Yet so squishy.” you giggled, wiggling your fingers on his side and making him squirm. But he fought the smile from your tickling and nearly glared down at you, offended. “Come on, Dean! Just admit it, we both know it!” your fingers quickly danced underneath his shirt and onto his belly. This time you couldn't help your laughter when you heard that squeak, almost a yelp, when you pinched it. He almost tried to wiggle away from your grasp but you wouldn't let him.
“No! No! I swear if you keep it up-” another yelp and many more giggles and laughter for you “No, (Y/n) stop, I'm not-”
“Oh you so are!” you only kept going, laughing along as he tried to escape from you “Soft here. Soft there. It's all so soft. See my point?”
“Alright, alright I give up! I give up.” he tried to catch his breath when you let go of him “I get it. I shouldn't have eaten that second burger last night.”
“You idiot.” you still laughed softly before whispering softly “You definitely should have and it's great that you did. Dean Itold you, there's nothing wrong with being soft here and there. I know I love to be able to grab something whenever I can on a man, not to mention my man.” you smirked at him, words so casual he had to blink twice, and do a double take because he thought his mind was playing games on him, both eyebrows raised “Besides, that jaw of yours is so sharp it can so easily cut me through just by looking at it.”
“Doesn't sound bad to me.” but you were sure the smile on his lips wasn't more about the second part than the first.
“It's in fact one of the most beautiful things about you.” you caught yourself able to keep going and he couldn't help but look at you with sparkling eyes and an innocent curiosity “These broad shoulders give me the best piggy backs wheneverI'm too clumsy and break my leg or twist my ankle. And I gotta admit I may or may have not exaggerated a couple timesjust to get an extra ride.” you giggled when he groaned and mutter a small “Of course” but still with a fond smile, almost of disbelief at hearing you say everything you did. For the first time not behind shy smiles or hidden glances “And I'm only gonna apologize for your back, old man.”
He scoffed, rolling his eyes “One mor of that and I'm gonna make you regret it.”
You grinned, snuggling closer to his side “I'll have that in mind.” you whispered “But... it's also your arms, that give the warmest and biggest bear hugs I know. Like when I have a nightmare, they instantly make me feel safe and at home. It's something only you can do and I think I might have finally figured out why but it's way too cheesy to admit.”
“By all means, I'll bring the crackers. Keep going.” despite how he couldn't even hear his own words because of how loud his hammering heart was, he just didn't want you to stop. Not now.
“'M sure you will.” you let out a soft sigh “But I was going to say about how all this softness is the reason why this chest makes you the softest and certainly my favorite pillow in the whole world.”
But much to his surprise, those words made the smile slowly fade from his lips. A frown slowly started setting as the words repeated in his head. Images started flashing through his head, foggy but still the words very much clear. His eyes looked away from you, his entire body went stiff and his heart almost twisted painfully inside his chest. More things kept coming back to him.
“D?” you asked softly, perplexed at noticing the seriousness on his face “Everything ok?”
“N-No- I mean, yeah.” he cleared his throat, giving you a reassuring squeeze “It's nothin' just- I think I had the weirdest freaking dream ever.” he said in a gruff voice, mind elsewhere.
“What dream?”
“I-” but he stopped himself, his eyes slowly falling on you as another image flashed through his eyes and his heart did a flip; making his breath hitch in his throat “No-nothin'.” he cleared his throat, blinking with almost wide eyes looking away “It's just... hard to explain. It- It felt so real and I- I think...” he shook his head “Nevermind. 'S just a stupid dream.”
You noticed the way he struggled to swallow but you didn't try to ask, not this time. This time you wanted to do it better. To do it right.
~*~
“So I'm thinking it's probably not our thing.” Sam shrugged, closing the computer “Maybe for once we could catch a break or somethi-” but the younger Winchester stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Dean wasn't even looking at him, let alone listening “Dean?”
This time you did look up through your lashes to find the older Winchester still looking at you with that awe-struck look on his face that you had noticed was there throughout the entire morning but didn't comment on, too occupied enjoyed yet another supernaturally normal morning with your family.
“Dean? Dean, are you even listening to me?” Sam asked with a deeper frown and you blinked, glancing at him before looking back at Dean with a soft smirk.
“D?” you asked with a small giggle “Do you have a fever or maybe a stroke?”
He finally blinked, being brought back to reality as he scoffed with a smirk “Told you I'm not old. And no uh I'm- I'm ok, why shouldn't I be?”
“Well, for starters... you haven't touched your pie, and mind you it's the last slice you've been saving for days now. Heck, you barely touched any of the bacon I made for you. Jack ate more of it than you and you didn't even notice.” you pointed out, leaning back in your seat.
“H-he did? Oh.” he barely even reacted, shaking his head “Yeah well, I'm just not hungry. 'S nothing to-”
“You?” Sam raised an eyebrow “Not hungry? How's that not worrying.”
“Told you, I'm just fine. I've just got-” he bit his lower lip, taking another look at you – one of the longing ones, as if he had not seen you in years and was really taking you and admiring. Sure it had first made you blush like a mad and you didn't say anything about noticing it, but him not being anywhere near subtle had made you a bit suspicious. “Some things on my mind. That's all.”
“Really? Then maybe you'd sound more convincing if you stopped looking at me as if I'm gonna disappear any given moment.” you rested your elbow on the map table and your chin on your palm, giving him a soft smile “As cute as it may be, it's still a bit worrying.”
“Well, then-” he shrugged “It's maybe cause you're so distracting it's impossible for me to focus on anything else when you're in the room.”
The confidence in his voice, along with the words and the way he smiled softly yet sincerely at you, made your back straighten and your eyebrows shot up in surprise. The smile faded from your lips when you felt the heat rush up your neck. Dean had been flirty before, but it was mostly longing gazes and touches when other people were around that you jut didn't know how to handle it. Your eyes met Sam's for a moment, the look on his face even more stunned than yours, and you could swear he was ready to ask if someone had possessed Dean.
“I-” you blinked, your eyes slowly casting down as you felt your face heat up “Thanks, I guess.”
“What for?” he smiled casually “Was just sayin' the truth, princess.” it turned into a smirk “Would say a lot more if Sammy wasn't in the room but I just gotta compromise.” this did earn a small giggle from you but an even more surprised look from Sam who couldn't believe his brother was actually saying this out loud.
“D-Dean are you- are you sure you're ok?” Sam finally asked instead of you, unable to process it.
“Never been better, Sammy.” the green-eyed hunter leaned against his seat with a casual smile “In fact, I was thinking about that break part and I agree. When was the last time we even went on vacation? We've been hunting non-stop and from how I see it the world is safe for once. We freakin' earned it.”
“I- I mean it doesn't sound bad, I think we could-” but Sam didn't even get the chance to complete the sentence before Dean enthusiastically slammed his hand on a book and got up with a grin, startling both of you.
“Perfect!” his smile mirrored that of a child's on Christmas day “Sweetheart, get that pretty ass up. We're going supply running and Sammy start packing, we'll chose a place when we come back. (Y/n), I'll wait outside, don't break my heart by standing me up. Oh and don't bother changing clothes, undressing you is my job only.” he gave you a wink that left you a bigger blushing mess than before.
“I- I-” it all happened so fast you didn't get the chance to fully comprehend everything “Sure.”
“Just-” Sam raised a finger, the smirk on his face scaring you as you silently threatened him to be careful what he asked “One question.” Dean stopped on his tracks and looked at him “Will you make it by noon or am I gonna see you two tomorrow morning?”
“Don't know.” Dean shrugged so casually, you just prayed that was it, but it wasn't “She's the dom, ask her. Depends on how much she wears me out.” he gave you a boyish grin, another wink and you were left to stare after him with wide eyes. Unaware if you should just end him or Sam who was chuckling and nodding his head. Maybe both.
~*~
Having slipped on a pair of shoes and your thin jacket, you didn't bother taking off Dean's flannel and your shorts. Not that you planned to change, but Dean's smile when he saw you was something you had been craving to see more and more so it just made it all the more worth it. It was actually that very smile that after everything that happened - at least that you remembered happening - gave you the courage you needed. Sure, some weight had lifted off your shoulders at knowing you had made the right choice but actually seeing him be the man he was when it was just the two of you, before the stone and before Steve, allowed you to finally let all your worries fade. At least for the moment.
You couldn't deny that you hesitated for a split second, but with him so close to you, it was hard to resist the urge to reach out for his free hand. You saw the corner of his lips lift into a soft smile, even if his eyes stayed on the road, you were sure he was thinking of you when he gave it a squeeze. He held it with his hand, his thumb started rubbing softly your knuckles as you slowly leaned on his side and rested your head on his shoulder. The soft kiss on the top of your head and the way his fingers nearly laced with yours, had you smiling the entire ride.
“Didn't sleep well?” his rough yet gentle voice was the first thing you heard after some time of driving, and only when you heard him did your realise your eyes had drifted close.
“Probably not enough.” you whispered, rubbing your eyes with your free hand. His warmth, his scent and the deep rumble of the car along with the exhaustion you felt had made you fall asleep. You looked around, only to realize the car had finally stopped but the market stood a good few feet away from you two, so you were mostly by the side of the road.
“Could've always told me, princess.” his eyebrows pulled into a frown “Was it your dreams again?”
“I-” you shook your head “No. No dreams, and no headaches I promise. It was good, it really was. I feel like it's been quitesome time since I slept this well. It just wasn't enough, I'm too tired these days.”
“Well, you-” he licked his lips a bit nervously, worry still on his face “You know that if you ever have a problem with- with dreams or nightmares, then I'm here for you. I'm always here, (Y/n). Doesn't matter how, when or where. Even if it's the freaking middle of the night. You don't have to think twice to wake me up. I'm-” he let a small sigh “I want to be there for you. I- I know what it's like to see things that you don't like, things that scare you and I-”
“If you say it's your job to protect me, so help me Winchester, I will have to kiss the leaving heaven out of you to shut you up.” you breathed out with a fond smile that earned a deep warm chuckle from him.
“Is that a threat or a promise? Cause it only makes me want to keep going.” he smirked at you and you laughed, shifting to bury your burning face in the crook of his neck and wrap both your arms around him “But, in all seriousness, I- I don't do it because it's my job, (Y/n). I do it because I want to.”
“I know you do, D. I always know.” you whispered, the comfortable silence that set between the two of you not lasting for long.
“And you know, in case you have trouble sleeping... your favorite pillow is always waiting for you. I mean, to make the deal more sweet- not that my cuddles aren't the bet you'll ever get, I was thinking-” he paused for a second, a smile playing on his lips "If we tried a bit, move some of the furniture, there could be a space for Kong aside from the rest of your things. Maybe I'll even put him by the flowers I bring."
The casual yet serious tone in his voice but even more the words that he uttered made the air leave your lungs and the smile to vanish. The very familiar weight rested on your chest again and your heart dropped. You froze in your place at first but willed yourself to slowly pull away and look him in the eyes. “Wh-what?”
But his face held no signs of exhaustion, or anger or most importantly pain. It was calm, relaxed with a hint of a smile on his face. His eyes actually sparkling and very similar to the awe-struck one he had been giving you all morning. Until he finally whispered in a hoarse voice “It wasn't a dream, was it?”
Your eyes moved back and forth, searching for more than he was ready to voice at the moment. And you certainly didn't need him to voice them. You couldn't really expect for everything to be erased once and for all, not for a second time. Memories would always find a way back, all that was needed was a key to unlock the past. You gave him a slow and weak nod, trying to swallow down the lump in your throat but it was impossible. Your blood had run cold and you slowly started to pull away from him “No. No it wasn't.”
If you had not let your eyes trail down you'd have noticed the way his lips fell apart and he tried to fight the excitement and eagerness from showing through. His eyebrows raised softly, his lips pulling into an almost smile as he nodded his head “I don't-” he cleared his throat a bit “I don't care about the rest of it. In fact I don't care about most of it. Hell, I don't even know if I remember it in the right order to begin with.” a nervous laugh that caught your attention “I don't care at the moment. I just only- I care about- At some point I saw, or at least think I saw-” but he struggled to keep going and when you finally looked up at him, a small breath escaped your lips when you saw the real uncertainty in his eyes “I hear you say I'm- that you're- That we-”
“Are soulmates.” you completed his sentence and his eyes, big, green and still filled with awe shot up to meet yours. A half, nervous smile appeared for only a split second. Before he slowly nodded his head.
“It was-” he started in a gruff voice “Everything came back and I didn't know what to believe. It felt so real. And-” his smile vanished and a deep frown set “I guess it's because it really was.”
“Gosh, Dean, I'm...” your eyes casted down at your hands “I'm sorry, for everything that went on. Steve won't remember me now, none of the do, it's as if I never existed for them and nothing will be there to remind them of me. But you do now. And hurting you was the only thing I'd never want. I swore to myself I would never do anything to hurt you and I- I thought that if I tried hard enough I'd make things right and I-”
“No” he breathed out fast and desperate “No, shit, no, (Y/n). I didn't mean that-” he dragged a hand down his face “Sweetheart, I should be the one to apologize. I acted like a total dick but I-” it was hard to put it into words and you actually held your breath. It wasn't until you whispered his name that you actually heard him speak, and his words did make your eyes widen.
“I was jealous.” his eyes were glossy, he ran his fingers through his hair as he chewed on his lower lip “I was so freaking jealous, baby girl. Jealous that he'd get you and I- I couldn't. I was blinded by my jealousy. I was... scared. Scared I was gonna lose you for good before I even got the chance to fight for you. And it drove me insane, kid, so much I didn't know what I was even saying. But I acted like a total asshole and I- I didn't mean any of it.” he took in a deep breath that came in shaky as you were only left to stare at him with wide eyes and gaping “I shouldn't have., it wasn't your fault. But I just didn't know how to deal with it. And yet you... stayed. You chose to stay here and it makes me feel even worse.”
“I stayed because I wanted to.” you whispered despite how hard it was with his words setting in “There is no way, no possible version, no life I- I could live without you Dean. I'd always chose you... us.”
“I- I thought I was going crazy, I thought-” he bit his lower lip, shaking his head softly with a nervous laugh that made you look up “My imagination was running wild again. That is was one of those dreams.”
“Th-those dreams?” you blinked, your heart fluttering inside your chest.
“Yeah, you know-” he gave you a half smile, hesitating for a second but reaching out to take hold of your hand again, his eyes glued on them as he rubbed soft circles over the back of it; taking a deep breath and just lacing them without a second thought “The ones with no monsters involved, not in our life at least. Lots of those cuddles. That beautiful summer dress you have. Heck, your fandom pjs too. Cooking, lots of that cause you know I'm addicted to your food. A dog maybe. You know, playing and running around the garden in- in the back of... the house.”
“The-” you started but no words came out and when your eyes met his, the heat on your face only got bigger. Dean gave you a squeeze as you breathed out “O-oh”
Your heart was beating so hard inside your chest you were scared it would break free from your chest. You were thankful for his smile. “You know, though, you staying pretty much means you're stuck with me, right?” he asked with a small smirk.
“Stuck? Well, I was actually going to say blessed to be even destined to have a life with a man like you, whether that happens or not.” you said full of sincerity, smiling on your own “I know how you think of yourself, Dean, but heavens you're only a blessing for a woman and I feel like- sometimes I think I won't be enough for you. I just pray...” you closed your eyes, taking a deep breath “I pray I will get the opportunity to be worthy for you. To make you happy. That's why I stayed, because that's what I want. You. And I know...”
You could swear your entire body was shaking, not just your hands which were sweating. But you had been on the verge of losing him for good, you had seen his soul slip from his body and you had never felt more terrified in your life. You couldn't lose any more time, not a single second, and certainly not by beating around the bush. “I can't be without you, Dean.” you confessed “I just can't. It scares me to think I- I could live without you. I know, and I understand now, that we were meant to be for a reason. And that reason is what I feel for you.” you breathed out shakily, looking away almost shyly “And I feel so many things I can't begin to describe. You're important to me, in so many ways and so much that I just know I want you in my life... in whatever way and form you think you can give me. It doesn't have to be any more than this, I don't want you to feel like you have to-”
You could swear you heard a gasp leave his lips but you were set to get it off your chest. And it was the closest you could get to a confession. In this line of work saying saying the L word wasn't easy, even if your heart was screaming it at the moment for him, you knew you'd freak him out. And you were already saying too much to-
“I love you.” it was slow and in a gruff voice, but firm and sincere. You choked on your words, your eyes widening as your head shot up. Your eyes met his red-rimmed eyes and you held your breath, not sure if your head was playing tricks on you.
He looked even more nervous and scared than you “I- I do. I really do, and it's killing me to think there was a chance I'd never get to tell you. I- I don't care whether I live or die-” he paused when he noticed your wince “I know that in this life the end of the line could be just around the corner. And I don't wanna go without telling you everything, baby. I need you to know it, despite how much it scares me, I want you to know. I do and I can't help it. I love you.” he gave you a small nod, the tear that rolled down his cheek perfectly mirroring yours. But you were far too taken aback to say a word, silence setting between the two of you as he held his breath. He sniffled and cleared his throat, in the end, looking slightly away as if disappointed “I really don't expect you to say it back, I know it's-”
“Stop, just stop.” you whispered shakily, bringing your hands up to cup his face and make him look at you “How will I ever be able to show you that I love you with every fiber in my body, Dean Winchester?”
His beautiful green eyes widened once more, a shaky intake slipping past his lips but he didn't try to say anything. He knew he didn't need to, not at the moment. He gave you a small half smile before with every bit of courage left in him and what you'd given him, he leaned to crash his lips to yours.
A small gasp left your lips but you expected no less than a big smile from spreading on your lips as you kissed him back. The kiss was slow and his lips were soft and delicate on yours, as if he was scared he'd break you like a glass doll. You could feel some of his nervousness slip into, and for a man who had been with so many women before you, it only showed how much more important said first kiss was to him. Just as much important as it was to you. The small sound tha he let out when you pressed yourself closer to him only made you giggle, loving that you had to be the one to deepen the kiss or make the next move.
You pulled away only when your lungs protested. Dean chased after your lips for a second, a small whine leaving and you didn't need to be asked before you leaned in again and pressed two or three small kisses on his lips again. The warm chuckle that you earned from him made you grin.
“Do you think-” you started, your lips inches away from him “Do you think Sam will mind if we take a bit more time than usual to return?”
“To be honest-” he whispered “I think he wishes we don't go back home early.” it made you both laugh “Question is, do we plan to go back home early?”
“No, no we definitely don't.” your arms slipped around his middle again, nearly sitting on his lap and he gave you a boyish grin.
“Great, because there are a couple things I'd like us to talk about.” he turned the car back on, a hand on the wheel and the other wrapped around your middle
You raised an eyebrow “Such as?”
“Alright, first, I'm talking anything dirty here or roleplaying or anything but you may just have given me a new kink.” it earned another laugh from you “So, do you think you can find a suit like your superhero one? Because, not that I don't love you in my flannels or how cool you look as a hunter, but hot damn baby, you're the most badass Avenger I've seen in that suit.”
“Well, hunter or Avenger? Hhm, maybe, if you choose your side wisely, Winchester.”
~~~
Read Steve’s Ending here!
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thejoeywright-blog · 5 years
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YEAR IN REVIEW : Film 2018
Good evening/afternoon/morning,
A few notes on the breakdown on my year at the movies. I saw a grand total of 134 films released in 2018. A fair amount thanks in great part to MoviePass and various streaming services. If you are a fan of comic book movies, I would like to extend to you a personal thank you as you kept the movies theaters afloat this year. However, with the exception of Black Panther, I was located in the auditorium just down the hall. Full disclosure: I did actually try and see Avengers : Infinity War, but two four year-old’s were not being parented correctly and I ended up walking out. I hope they enjoyed seeing their favorite heroes turn to dust. I also most notably missed Mary Poppins Returns, Aquaman, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Spider-Man:Into the Spiderverse, Oceans 8, and Fifty Shades Freed. One film I did have the privilege of seeing and would surely be in my top ten, Under the Silverlake, is technically not scheduled for release until the Spring of 2019. So look forward to hearing about it next year. All that being said, here is how I saw the movies this year. Enjoy.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Black Panther, Bodied, Boy Erased, First Reformed, Hearts Beat Loud, Hot Summer Nights, If Beale Street Could Talk, Isle of Dogs, Minding the Gap, Mission Impossible:Fallout, A Quiet Place, The Rider, Thunder Road, Tully, Won’t You Be My Neighbor
THE TOP TEN
10. The Miseducation of Cameron Post
This is the “other gay conversion camp” movie that sadly was overlooked in place of Boy Erased. I saw both, and while the latter packs some excellent performances, judging by my exposure to Christian camps, this was the one that rang most authentic.
9.  Suspiria
Coming on the heels of Luca Guadagnino’s masterpiece Call Me By Your Name, there was no other film I was looking forward to more in 2018 than Suspiria. I also wouldn’t believe they had the same director. This heavy on style remake of the 1977 horror classic of the same name is truly made in Guadagnino’s image. It was vile, erotic, funny, beautiful, and captivating often in the same breaths. The buzzed about “contortionist dance sequence” from CinemaCon lived up to its vomit inducing hype reminding me while I liked the film a great deal, it’s not for the squeamish.
8.  Vice
Some are saying it lionizes former Vice President Dick Cheney. Others are saying it runs his name through the dirt.Part biopic, more parts political satire. It is definitely more Dr. Stangelove than Lincoln in terms of story and tone.  In a somewhat packed theater, those looking for a straight biopic, who I imagine missed director Adam McKay’s previous works Anchorman and The Big Short were seen heading for the exits due to the amounts of silliness. Amy Adams gives a downright diabolical performance as Lynn Cheney often overshadowing that of her on screen husband. 
7.  Annihilation 
Alex Garland’s follow-up to Ex Machina is much bigger film which in his hands is not a bad thing. Natalie Portman plays a biologist looking for answers after her presumed dead husband suddenly returns from secret military assignment.Your typical “journey into the unknown” story is enhanced with amazing visuals, intriguing scientific concept, and chilling horror. I’m still haunted by the sounds coming out of that, uhh, lets just call it a bear.
6.  Burning
An American remake of Burning would clock in at 92 minutes and be forgotten immediately upon leaving the theater. This is why I’m glad this was in the hands  Chang-dong Lee, a director who focuses greatly on the human condition. Large amounts of the run time of Burning is dedicated to the emotions, reactions, and exploration of our characters. The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun gives the supporting performance of the year as the mysterious Ben. A love-triangle, a missing girl, and burning greenhouses amount to the most rewarding cinematic experience I had in 2018. 
5.  Roma
Roma is a film that asks of its viewer to almost meditate within it. Those familiar with director Alfonso Cuaron’s other films, Children of Men and Gravity, will find a more reserved and personal picture. The story of a maid and the middle class family she cares for in the Colonia Roma neighborhood of Mexico City is the most relatable and touching film of the year. First time actor Yalitza Aparicio gives one of the most award-worthy debut performances in recent memory as Cleo. Scenes have lingered in my mind since my viewing almost a month ago now, particularly a single-shot sequence of a family swimming into the ocean with no realization of how powerful the surf can be. 
4.  The Favourite
This cheeky period COMEDY, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, had me laughing harder than any other film in 2018. The story of Queen Anne’s two most trusted advisers battle for her commendation is delicious and diabolical at every turn. The film relies strongly on the equally grand performances it’s three ladies Olivia Coleman, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Stone, but DO NOT, I repeat do not sleep on the duck races.
3. A Star is Born
A Star is Born has been a social and commercial juggernaut with hefty box office sales, record sales, music award nominations, and memes beyond galore. However, it’s also an excellent example of Hollywood at its nostalgic best. There are easy avenues director, star, screenwriter, songwriter, catering manager Bradley Cooper could have taken with the thrice revamped story, but he plays it very close to the chest. It’s well known within my circle of friends and family how much I truly adored Cooper as the burning out rock star Jackson Maine.. Or Jack as you told me at the bar you wanted to be called... Every line of dialogue. Every smirk. Every caring gesture to Allie, Lady Gaga in frankly the best thing she’s ever breathed life into. Everything works here. See it the biggest and loudest way possible. 
2.  BlacKkKlansman
Here is my pick for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It checks all the boxes. Great performances, screenplay, and direction with a great message tied in. I used to hold issue with Spike Lee’s political and social statements book-ending his films, but here it really works. Ron Stallworth, the excellent John David Washington, is Colorado Springs first African-American police officer, who on whim manages to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. He works as the voice on the phone while his partner is the nice upstanding wh-ite man they are seeing. What follows is a wild, funny, thrilling, and cautionary tale that rings truer in 2018 than its setting of the 1970s.
1. Sorry To Bother You
I saw Sorry To Bother You on July 16, 2018. It has held my number one spot for almost seven full months. Leaving the theater I had a feeling I have not had in a movie since 2003, “Well I’ve never seen anything like that before!” That alone holds a lot of weight after watching 133 other films this year that I could compare to something previous. The feature film directorial debut from The Coup musician Boots Riley ten years from now, much in the same way Pulp Fiction and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are viewed, will be seen as “the norm” and a turning point in the way movies in its genre are made. I realize that is high praise, but risks are taken here where lesser films have flown off the rails. Somehow Riley takes what many would deem “absolutely insane” and makes it work. The performance of Lakeith Stanfield has been grossly unmerited all award season and is one of the best of the year. No other performance this year is asked to navigate the varying levels of despair, satire, and rage than Stanfield. Sorry To Bother You arrives without training wheels or a brake, possibly even handle bars. Enjoy the ride because you’ve never been on one like it before. 
YEAR END AWARDS
BEST FILM: BlacKkKlansman
BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuaron for ‘Roma’
BEST ACTRESS: Olivia Coleman for ‘The Favourite’
BEST ACTOR: Bradley Cooper for ‘A Star is Born’
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams for ‘Vice’
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Steven Yeun for ‘Burning’
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: ‘Burning’
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: ‘Sorry to Bother You’
CINEMATOGRAPHY: ‘Roma’
BEST SCORE : IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK’
BEST ANIMATED FILM: Isle of Dogs
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Minding the Gap
BEST FIRST FILM: Boots Riley for ‘Sorry To Bother You’
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE: Jim Cummings in ‘Thunder Road’
SCENES OF THE YEAR:
“Shallow” from ‘A Star is Born’
“Breaking the Waves” from ‘Roma’
“What’s On the Menu” from ‘Vice’
“Eulogy” from ‘Thunder Road’
Final scene from ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’
“The Contortionist” from ‘Suspiria’
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noelmu · 6 years
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WEEK(S) IN REVIEW 6/3/18-6/30/18
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Longtime readers of this Tumblr know that last summer was an unusually active one for my household. In addition to the usual camps for our kids, Archer and I went to Orlando with his high school choir for a week (visiting every Disney park plus Universal), and later the four of us took a cruise to the Bahamas (including a port visit to the Atlantis water park). This summer -- again, camps aside -- we’ve had too many work and family obligations to range as far as we did a year ago. But we wanted to maintain some of 2016′s momentum: taking long family trips that involve just the four of us, and indulging Archer’s newfound fascination with rollercoasters and Cady Gray’s love of waterslides.
So this past week we spent a few days in Arlington, TX, which is about a six-hour drive from Conway, AR. We stayed at a nice hotel on a trolley line to our three planned activities: a Texas Rangers game on Tuesday night, a day at Six Flags Over Texas on Wednesday, and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor on Thursday. It was a great trip. Fun times and some genuine adventure. Experiences the kids will remember... which is the whole point.
I don’t know how much of this Archer and Cady Gray have noticed, but for me part of what’s stood out both with last year’s cruise and this year’s amusement park trip is how many families of different racial, ethnic, and social backgrounds we’ve met and chatted with. We have this in common: We’ve all saved our money and spent months planning, so that for a week each summer, we can relax, have fun, and make memories.
I don't know the political inclinations of any of the people we've casually befriended over these past two summers. Some probably share our views. Some might think less of us if they knew how we vote. But during the few days that our lives overlap and we pass each other in the lobbies and elevators, what matters is: What did you do today? How was it? Did your kids have fun?
During our week in Texas, the daily news wasn’t great. I was grateful that for much of the week I was screaming my head off on a coaster or a slide, away from social media for hours at a time. I’m not the first to make this observation, but I increasingly feel that Twitter isn't healthy, either for individuals or for society at large. For much of the past two years, my feed has been one long, angry howl of despair.
I’m sympathetic to the howlers. They’re not using Twitter to crowdsource solutions to our problems; they’re more like C.S. Lewis in the movie Shadowlands, telling a friend that he doesn’t pray to God looking for answers, but rather, “I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me.”
Still, even if Twitter gives the frustrated a necessary outlet to vent, it’s more exhausting than therapeutic to scroll through it, all day long. When every viral controversy is greeted with maximum outrage -- regardless of whether or not it actually merits just a mlld rebuke or a righteously angry rejection -- it weighs on the reader.
So it’s good to get offline for a while, and spend time around real people, who in person tend to be much friendlier -- especially in an amusement park. If nothing else, on a coaster with a drop as steep as the Titan’s or the New Texas Giant’s, at least we’re all hollering in the same direction.
Anyway, onto this month’s links! After a slow spring (due in part to a lot of travel and family obligations), this summer’s becoming blessedly busy. There are quite  a few pieces below I’m really happy with: my review of the Mr. Rogers doc, my interview with Billy Bob Thornton, and my essay about “nice” reality competitions like Great British Baking Show in particular. Click and support, so we can afford to go on vacation again next summer.
The A.V. Club Movie Review: The Mr. Rogers documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is a tearjerker with a purpose
The Los Angeles Times Movie Review: Cop and drug dealer team in smooth Korean action flick Believer Movie Review: The Nicolas Cage police thriller 211 can't match his intensity Movie Review: Katee Sackhoff stands up for humanity in 2036 Origin Unknown Movie Review: Sex-tinged melodrama Affairs of State mirrors real politics Movie Review: Mike Tyson fighting Steven Seagal is a mere sideshow in the strange action flick China Salesman Movie Review: Korean comedy The Accidental Detective 2: In Action is a smooth, if unmemorable, ride Movie Review: Christina Ricci excels in otherwise dull thriller Distorted Movie Review: The Icarus Line Must Die maintains its punk rock cred New In Home Entertainment: Love, Simon and Year of Spectacular Men New In Home Entertainment: Unsane may be shot on an iPhone, but it's a slick paranoid thriller
Rolling Stone 10 Best TV Shows From 2018 (So Far) That You Should Be Watching 50 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century ( I wrote about State and Main, Love & Friendship, and Enough Said)
The Verge Cut The Crap: Netflix’s Before I Wake is the perfect film to stream after seeing Hereditary Cut The Crap: After The Incredibles 2, watch this Venture Bros. episode Cut The Crap: Caught up on Westworld? Here’s why you should watch Humans
Vulture Interview: Billy Bob Thornton on Goliath and Why TV Is the New Indie Film TV Review: Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 1: In a Big Country TV Review: Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 2: Boys Will Be Boys
The Week Reality TV is getting nice Hereditary is the best scary movie of the year
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Ep. 7: “[whoopi voice] You in danger, girls.” - Gian
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DeNara
Let the chaos start! Nicholas going home was a 10/10 tribal. 😈 Now I need to figure out who I can trust. I feel like I can keep working with the people on my tribe for sure. Can I trust my old warriors? Not sure yet. Elle says they havent been spoken too since tribal but who knows what happened over there.
Rachel
OMG. So glad Gian and Madi have made it through that tribal! I literally have so much to tell them, but I also have a feeling they have a lot to tell me.  This is going to be a crazy next couple days, but at least i don't work! I am also way too nervous to join this merged call right now, but i'm glad my homies are here and happy to meet some new ones!
DeNara
Looks like Raffy, Steven, Ginnifer, Madi, Gian and myself are gonna try to take out Julia and Pietro. Hopefully we can plan that
DeNara
Lol, Julia and I arent even pretending to talk to each other. We both know it DeNara vs Julia lol
Elle
🎶MERGE, BABY MERGE (ᵈᶦˢᶜᵒ ᶦⁿᶠᵉʳⁿᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ)🎶🕺🏾WE MADE IT :DDDDD
Honestly roll credits like right now for me 😂😂😂😂. I do Not have high hopes!!! I'm gonna be voted out with a quickness I just know it :')
So anyway Do Not Cry for me Argentina, winning for me was making it to merge and guys: ✨we did it✨
(Just to be clear I'm still going to try my darndest *to* win; I'm just not all that hopeful for the prospects)
Julia
I literally hate merge. I never do well at merge. This is going to suck so much. I just know raffy is coming for me
Raffy
Merge! I did what I, honestly, didn't expect to do this game. We love to see it. According to Madi and Gian, Julia has been spreading to her tribe that I am the one with the idol. Thankfully, I implanted the seeds into those two already, so they seem to really think Julia has an idol (which she does). However, due to this, I feel that I should play my idol soon to avoid any future hurt feelings from my lying. Thanks to my connection with Madi and Gian, Rachel and Anastasia seem to now not believe that I have the idol. Those two are doing the work for me which is fun. I want to bring in Elle and Moth to our little group to ensure numbers. I am unsure where Ginnifer's loyalties lie as she still seems to not trust me. Which is fair. Plus, she did vote for me which is..... Tragic. I think I will stick to the group I'm already in and try to get people to target Julia and Pietro for being far bigger strategic threats than me.
DeNara
Merge tribe is going well. Anastasia and Rachel apparently really like me, so I am hoping to use that to my advantage. Hopefully they arent just playing me for Julia. She is such a great player she could have them with her.
Gian
Winning both reward and immunity challenge makes complete sense with my fantasy 😌 -from a deluded gay
Gian
The merge being 4 winners vs. 4 warriors vs. 4 wannabes just screams chaos. The war is here!
DeNara
I have to say, I am super nervous for the first tribal council. Raffy and Steven have kind of been quiet since the merge and I am paranoid they might have flipped and joined the winners to get me out. Nobody seems to be talking strategy except Gian which is worrying me. I have no idea of our plan is to go after Julia and Pietro with the newbies, or with the warriors. Everyone could be playing each other. Honestly, I feel good with Rachel from the OG wannabe's tribe because we have connected well, but who knows if I can work with her. I am struggling between checking in with Raffyy and Steven about what to do, or try to start calling the shots now and make my own alliances. That could end up biting me in the butt so I am super stressing over what to do. Plus we have the auction today and that could either be really good or really bad for me.... guess we will find out 🤷‍♀️
Moth
Sooooo the merge is here
I have no clue what is happening I don’t wanna be the merge boot, so I’m hoping that I can glide by
DeNara
We just had our auction and I spent $500 on literally nothing. Oof, now to play it as something or to tell the truth....I am thinking I might say it is a disadvantage and I lose my vote at next tribal just to see what comes of it, but who knows. So many things I can do! Also I was giving Raffy a play by play of what was happening and he told me to stop, then immediately started asking questions about what was happening in other chats.... oof
Gian
The way I won absolutely nothing in the auction is... homophobic. How am I supposed to send these people home in caskets without an arsenal? 
Anastasia
so we merged and I just went to the auction and I bought some magic beans for like all of my money.. I don't really know exactly what to do with them but I did tell Madi about what they do so hopefully that will make her trust me more and she can help me come up with a plan to trick someone!!
Raffy
I wasn't at the auction, but Julia is already trying to pin that I have an advantage. Ginnifer is on exile, so that means Julia is trying to target me this round. I hope I win immunity so I don't have to use either of my advantages. Gian was trying to push me to reveal what I got, but.......... I don't like that. It's disgusting. Like, please back off. Otherwise, the plan should still be splitting between Julia and Pietro.
Madi
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PpAuWdOpVHtYEN6F8hFrr9M1gk0_J0rh/view?usp=drivesdk
Raffy
Right now, there should be a split vote between Pietro and Julia. Steven, Gian, and Madi are going to be voting for Pietro. Meanwhile, everyone else will be voting for Julia. Pietro and Julia will be voting for me. I am a little nervous. I want to use my idol to ensure I survive, but, based on how this game is going, I will most certainly need it for later. I just want everyone to be telling the truth here. Elle has come to me saying how she believes everyone should be voting Julia. If I have Elle, then I think I have Moth. If I have Madi and Gian, then I have Anastasia and Rachel. I want to confirm with people tomorrow without seeming as if I am coming too strong. People already see me as a Big Bad and someone with a chaotic play style. One wrong move and I am toast. For me, this is going to be the most stressful tribal of the whole season. No competition. However, I trust that I have rallied the troops. I have put it in the work. I will succeed. On a side note, I told Steven that I had a Safety Without Power. I know he can use this against me, but I really do trust Steven. I think he's my ride or die at this point. We were talking about how dangerously close the newbies were. It will present a big problem, especially with the Warriors and the Winners being so fractured. Final 9 will be the last chance to get a newbie out in my eyes. From the newbies, Anastasia would be the easiest out of them to get rid of. Plus, she is too inactive to be used as a flipper. After that, I would need to rally against Gian and Madi because Rachel is too tight with them. We need to fracture the newbies before we can go in for the kill. I think if any newbie (besides Anastasia) were to make it to the end, then they will win hands down. I know this is going to get me hate in the VL, but the newbies need to be taken down if I want to win. Right now, I am thinking of taking Steven and DeNara to FTC. This will, undoubtedly, change when I get closer to the goal. However, I'd be happy to see any three of us win the title at this point in time. Additionally, it'd be a great story arc for Steven and I. From enemies at the start to F3 ride or dies at the end. However, they would not crown us the winner. I get the vibe this cast may just very well come to the conclusion of "They have won before, so they should not win again." That's dumb. Should I not win a board game because I won it before? Should I never get an A if I got one already? It SHOULD be the most deserving (or at least most respected), but I have a sinking feeling that it won't be the case.
DeNara
There is soooo much going on, ohmigoodness.... Okay so we had the survivor auction and the thing I bought was a big fat plate of NOTHING. Rip the dream. Then we found out that Rachel won individual immunity so that is good because Julia and Pietro not winning it is the best outcome. After that is when we all really started to talk about tribal. I connected with Moth and Elle and they said they want to vote Julia out. Rachel feels super close with me and she said her and all the newbies have a fake alliance with Julia and are willing to vote her out too. So right now everyone is against Julia and Pietro (or so they say). So we are going to split the vote 6 on Julia and 3 on Pietro. I just don't know who I can truly trust in this game. If we only put 3 votes on Pietro and someone flips and Julia plays an idol, whoever those 4 vote for is going home. Plus if Pietro and Julia both have idols, then someone else will be going home. I am just really nervous this won't go the way I expect it to. Part of me wants to switch my Julia vote to Pietro and make it a 5 Julia, 4 Pietro vote just in case someone flips so we still have numbers on Pietro... the question is, who can I trust? I DON'T KNOW..... cries forever Don't even get me started on what happens after this vote if I am still here....
Elle
Ughhhhhhh I got a 10% DA in the auction which I just knew was gonna happen 😂 Chance hates meeee or at least is like a slightly annoyed ambivalent to me lol. Anyway tribal is tonight and I think Julia is going home if people have lied to me Again Im going to CRY like SOB on call this is a threat 😂😂😂😂 lmao I dont think Steven would lie to me or my tribe mates though and I dont think Raffy is lying in this case (I'm choosing to trust him, ik everybody says he can be a chaotic player but eh I'm not like, calculating enough to like analyze what could be deception so I am choosing Trusttt until choosing trust gets me sent home lol). Just in general I'm not smart enough at this to play it like a game of chess or anything (which reminds me I need to watch Queen's Gambit) so my strategy is: be genuine and hope people believe that I'm actually being genuine and somehow that bringing me to the end 😅 yes great strat i know
Moth
I don’t wanna go home tonight If Julia gets voted out I’ll feel so relieved
Madi
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PpAuWdOpVHtYEN6F8hFrr9M1gk0_J0rh/view?usp=drivesdk
Madi
NOT MY GF HAVING TO HOP ON A CONFERENCE CALL WITH JULIA BC SHE PICKED JULIA AS HER DRAFT PICK LMAOOOOO
Madi
jay I only know this bc she I trying to plan it only her calendar bc she is a busy boss bitch and we are always fucking together
Raffy
Julia thinks she some kind of master manipulator. She thinks that she can come in my DMs and act like she had nothing to do with my name being thrown out. Do not come to me with that BS and expect me not to smell it. Allegedly, she claims that she wants to work with me in this game (bullshit). Also, Julia revealed her idol to Anastasia which is going to put a major damper on things. Now, Anastasia is getting paranoid about the idol when she really shouldn't be. She's not the one in danger. Leave it alone. The only time you should care is if the idol will harm you in any way. Julia has successfully caused chaos which is going to put a damper on things. I feel, at this point, that I almost have to use my idol considering that the chaos could easily lead to people stacking their votes on me. Plus, I wouldn't be at a total loss considering I still have the Safety Without Power. I still want the majority of votes on Julia though because I need to get her to use that idol.
Julia
I think the newbies are trying to work with raffy to try to plan shit, especially madi. I do not trust her at all. She’s playing way too hard right now. I know I’ve said this every fucking round but idol is coming out tonight Pietro I think I’m in trouble tonight. Now with that stupid beans Anastasia and everyone knows about Julia’s idol, and I think they will try to pretend to be voting her out to make her flush her idol and get me out instead. I have been able to get closer to Rachel and Gian, I really like them, but they havent talked much with me on the most important day - tribal day. But god sent me to this earth to be the protagonist of everything I put myself into, so going home tonight or not, I can say, I made my own.
Moth
hahahahahahahahah Tribal is scary omg. I'm writing this in class so I dont have too much time, but maaan am I worried for whats to come. It still seems to be Julia Vs. Raffy so as long as its not my name I dont care, but from what I'm hearing there's a lot going on that im not seeing. So I am just gonna sit here and pray no one targets me
Raffy
I think I'll just play my idol to ensure my safety in this round. I still have the SWP. So, it should be good and fun. Julia seems to think I have an idol nullifier. She'll be in for a shock.
Steven
https://youtu.be/gXqEkdyHHgA
Gian
Pietro. Julia. [whoopi voice] You in danger, girls.
DeNaraCouple hours before tribal and Pietro is freaking out. I feel bad but it is also kinda funny since he hasn't talked to me before.
DeNara
This is the most chaotic first tribal and it is still hours away... scared....
Gian
Julia has two options: Play her idol or go home. Stay tuned for a crazy tribal guys 🌞
Rachel
OMG. what am i doing with my life. i really don't know who to trust. i can't trust the winner or warriors and really only have trust in my core OG tribe. thankfully we're in the middle and THANKFULLY i have immunity, but other than that, this vote will really show who's got ties with who. I am so nervous cause this will definitely draw the line in the sand. julia did make a good point. if raffy and steven are controlling this vote and play from the middle, we need to get them out before they can make it any further.
Anastasia
Our main focus this round is to get Julia out. We have the numbers but Julia has an idol. It will hopefully be Julia or Pietro if all goes as plan. I do still like Pietro and I hope he stays in the game but my alliance thinks they are a duo so one of them has to go. I'm pretty sure Julia will play her idol so it might be Pietros time  Unless something changes in half an hour.
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utah2020 · 3 years
Text
Utah Day 4 - Beauty and Challenge
Cold, so cold this morning I didn’t want to get out of the tent until the sun hits it. Camping in a shallow valley means this won’t happen until 10:30, too late for this ride. Leaving my sleeping bags warm cocoon I slip on cold clothes and make coffee. Greg is sound asleep so, as many times before, I place a speaker next to his tent and play acoustic music to calmly end his slumbers. I can tell it’s working by the laughing that emanates from his tiny home.
Just after the sun breaks the ridge above we break camp and start our second full day. Sometimes you wait all day for a challenge, sometimes it’s what you eat for second breakfast. Today’s first would be 1 mile down this beautiful road, a water crossing. Flow wasn’t the issue it was depth. It was too murky to see the entire bottom. The one area you could see had 3 rocks in the shallow path in front of a beaver dam. Hit one and you’ll spend an hour trying to restart the bike if it swallows water. And you’ll be very wet. I walked around the water hole and with a long stick found the bottom. Only 14” at most, we can do this. I went first and luckily hit nothing. Greg came second and did the same. Yes it took 25 minutes but we are dry, that’s a win.
The next 50 miles were spectacular, a day spent in the Fishlake and Manti-LaSal national forests. Starting out at 5000 feet we slowly crept up, the forest getting thicker every mile. I’m starting to relax enough on the bike that I can enjoy the views, not worrying about the weight or handling of the bike. We crest the top of a ridge and get a view to the east, our first mesas in the distance, ancient earth that refuses to succumb to erosion. Heading farther north we zig zag along dirt roads that follow highway 70, crossing through multiple tunnels underneath. A steep ravine takes up higher into the high grass plains and our first Aspen forests. They are changing color at this altitude, brilliant yellow canopies, leaves scattered at the road sides. The road is surrounded on both sides, a welcome mat for the summit ahead. We stopped for lunch at 10,500 feet, sitting in a field that must have had 500 or more grazing sheep. This spot, we would soon find out, was the end of the east way out.
Farther on this fine road ends. Turning left there a light grey hill in front of us. Not very tall but it gives me pause. I know these hills, it’s not hard pack, it’s actually 6 inches of soft silt covering a graveyard of large rocks. This isn’t easy, the hidden rocks will kick your tires in different directions. It’s hard to get get traction and it’s hard to stay straight. The only solution is speed. I drop to second and peg the throttle, taking the right line fast. The lower section is fine but as I near the top a hidden rock kicks the rear end left, hard. I’m standing so it’s easy to shift weight left to counter it but I loose speed and only burning the clutch saves me. I crest the top, take a breath and yell in delight. On the radio I hear Greg coming up behind me, he’s attacking it as well but then I hear the dreaded
sound of the hill taking it’s first victim.
I park the bike and run back down the steep hill. There i see two wheels lying perpendicular to the hill, just off the right side, Greg below it, the top of the bike pointing down. Not the best angle. Greg is fine though he’s hit his leg and needs a minutes rest. As he moves aside i see gasoline pouring from his front tank. Not a huge worry but the bike has to be moved. The nice thing about steep hills and gravity is I can just grab his rear tire and pull the bike around, his front tire facing uphill the gas stops leaking. Checking on Greg it’s clear he isn’t hurt, but now we have to do this again.
He’s unsure of taking the same line so we spy two alternative routes on both sides of the road. Neither is great so I offer to ride his bike up. There’s no shame in this, I ride this terrain often in racing so I’m ok with it. Plus I don’t to risk him crashing again, there’s no need. We turn the bike around, get it to the bottom and I take the same line back up, hitting the same rock, getting to the top safely. We rest for a minute and carry on. The road is rocky but otherwise easy though not for long. We come to a sign post indicating the trail ahead is black diamond and the narrow, rocky entrance confirms it. At this point the only way out is through so we dive in. It’s definitely more technical but after a few miles it turns easier, moving through high mountain meadows of aspen and low grass, eventually taking us back to a hard pack road.
Cattle range freely in this next section and we pass many, a few blocking our paths. It’s best not to scare them, they bolt in unpredictable directions. Near the end of this track we start descending into Link Canyon. It’s not a good road for one reason, these damn cows. Their hooves have turned it into the same silt covering hidden rocks like the hill before us but this time it’s downhill with tight switchbacks and a guaranteed to be deadly drop off to one side. Did I mention they don’t put guard rails out here? To make matters worse, we scared a cow.
Once one cow runs they all run, down the hill they chose. This isn’t good because there’s nowhere for them to go but down, with us, and it means we have to try and stop on the terrible ground, downhill. One cow turns to five then maybe 20, all slowing our path. Halfway down the canyon a bull decides to block our way and give his family time to flee. He stops, turning sideways in the road and starts to Moo at us. The sounds of our horns and engines, normally enough to scare a cow off, are of no help. This cow is mad and isn’t going to take any shit today. We are at a stand off for 4 or 5 minutes until finally I take a short charge at him. Normally I dont take on 1,200 pound animals but I’m tired and need a beer, so it’s time to push. Thankfully he caves and starts down the hill, eventually fleeing left behind a bolder. We cheer and ride on not knowing this is only the beginning.
Exiting the canyon we run into what must be a herd of a few hundred cattle dispersed across the area, but most of them on the road, all of them running right in front of or next to us. And some have horns, some really big horns. We are patient and wait for openings on the left side just big enough to squeeze through then bolt forward. They always go right, I don’t know why, but they do. Greg wonders if someone in town will be mad we moved the cattle to lower altitude too early in the season. I can’t believe this hasn’t happened a dozen times already this month.
Crossing a cattle guard we know the beasts are finally in our past and we make our way to Farron to top off on gas and get cold beer. Corona is best we find but that works. I ask the cashier about local camping spots and he directs us east to a hill overlooking the town. Rising up we find the spot as promised, an empty fire ring atop the hill with a perfect view west. We setup camp, ravage the area for firewood and settle in for the night, watching our first sunset of the trip, sipping our cold reward.
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MTVS Epic Rewatch #179
BTVS 7x01 Lessons
Raise your hand if you never thought I’d make it to season 7!
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Shame on you, Wallace, I thought you’d always have my back!
Stray thoughts
1) Except for Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest, I’m of the opinion that this show always delivered lackluster season openers. It’s not that they’re bad per se – most of them are pretty solid episodes. It’s just that they don’t hold a lot of promise for things to come, you know? And while they do tend to set the tone for the rest of the season, they are usually far from stellar. “Lessons” is no exception. It’s a good episode, with some very nice moments and a very promising ending (oh, the promise of what The First could be was definitely captivating!) But a good ending does not make for a great episode, you know? And now I get to another point I wanted to make. “Lessons” is probably one of the weakest episodes in an otherwise pretty balanced, quality-wise, season. Yes, I said it. Season 7 is not bad. In fact, it’s rather good? (cue gasps!)
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Season 7 is flawed alright, but so are all the other seasons. I think that what probably bugs most of us is the fact that this season’s flaws are more noticeable, kind of always there, and, in most cases, extremely grating (The First, the focus on the potentials, the wedge between the Scoobies…) But – and I hope I don’t change my mind as I proceed to rewatch it – season 7 is an overall good season, with its hits and misses. I’ve found that I’ve grown to like it more and more with each rewatch.
2) The first scene in the cold open is an interesting change of pace from the usual way most seasons start. First of all, there are no Scoobies in sight and we are nowhere near Sunnydale. Then there’s the fact that the chase scene is very suspenseful. We don’t know who this girl is, but you can’t help to root for her. Unfortunately, she doesn’t make it. But it’s clear whatever went down will have some relevance. And it’s all made clearer when the scene cuts right to…
3) 
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It’s hard to miss the connection when you get such a tension-filled scene leading to our main character delivering the very first line in the season, a line that will basically embody the backbone of the whole season.
4) I love the fact that Buffy has kept her promise to show Dawn the world.
5)
BUFFY Never forget it. Doesn't matter how well prepped you are or how well armed you are. You're a little girl. DAWN Woman.
BUFFY Little woman.
DAWN I'm taller than you.
6) Why would this recently born vamp be afraid of the Slayer, though? How would he know what a Slayer is? (remember how Spike didn’t know about her for a while after being turned?)
7) I love the fact that Dawn missed the heart just like Buffy did her first time. Like mother, like daughter.
8) Where this super-sized scissors store, though?
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Oh, yeah, also, Sunnydale High is back, btw. Get it? Because this season is about going back to the beginning… *rolls eyes*
9) Giles needs to stop getting cooler and cooler. 
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This was also a very gratuitous shot just so that Anthony could show off his horse-riding skills. And I’m very grateful.
10) 
GILES Then why aren't you in your lesson?
WILLOW Sorry.
GILES It's alright. She was just—
WILLOW —afraid. Yeah, they all are. The coven is—they're the most amazing women I've ever met. But there's this look that they get. Like I'm gonna turn them all into bangers and mash, or something. Which I'm not even really sure what that is.
Can you really blame them, though? She literally almost ended the world. You can’t hold it against others if they don’t exactly feel like hanging.
11) 
GILES This isn't a hobby or an addiction. It's inside you now, this magic. You're responsible for it. (I guess we’ll just cross out all of season 6, then...)
WILLOW Will they always be afraid of me?
GILES Maybe. Can you handle it?
WILLOW I deserve a lot worse. I killed people, Giles. (like, I get that you’re a main character, but you should be in jail, like Faith is...)
GILES I've not forgotten.
WILLOW When you brought me here, I thought it was to kill me or to lock me in some mystical dungeon for all eternity or—with the torture. Instead, you go all Dumbledore on me. I'm learning about magic. All about energy and Gaia and root systems.
I repeat, Giles: too little, too late. THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY! Please tell me ONE good reason why he couldn’t have done this BEFORE Willow got the Extreme Makeover from Hell and went on a killing spree.
12) “I want to be Willow.” Even though it’s a bit hard – at least for me – to sympathize with Willow at this point, my heart literally melts at Alyson’s delivery of this line and the heartbreaking expression on her face. Alyson is such a great crier.
13) 
XANDER I ate. I'm good. How are you?
BUFFY My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years. I can't change districts, I can't afford private school, and I can't begin to prepare for what could possibly come out of there. So, peachy with a side of keen, that would be me.
14) I do enjoy how domestic Buffy and Xander are with Dawn. Like, yeah, Dawn has a bunch of parents and she deserves it.
15) You gotta love all the callbacks to early seasons, though. 
BUFFY Now, remember, if you see anything strange... or, you know...dead.
DAWN I got it
BUFFY And stay away from hyena people, or any lizard-type athletes, you know, or if you see anyone that's invisible.
16) 
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Now, isn’t this something that would’ve been cool for the show to explore? Like, isn’t this something that should haunt Buffy? All the lives she couldn’t save? All the people she failed?
17) Dawn’s intro is so early 2000s it hurts…
DAWN I love to dance. I like music. I'm very into Britney Spears' early work, before she sold out. So mostly her, um, finger painting and macaroni art. Very underrated.
And… do you think Joss was taking a jab at Britney because they couldn’t arrange for her to be on the show in season 5? In which case, how dare you judged Britney?
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18) So… Anya is not that into vengeance anymore. I guess spending a few years as a human and fighting the good fight really did put things into perspective. And apparently, this was their attempt at giving Anya her own arc? Unfortunately, it won’t last long.
19) So why do you think the spirits or demons were targeting Dawn and Buffy specifically? I mean, other than because of Contrived Plot Device. I get Buffy: she’d touched the talisman thingy or whatnot. But what about Dawn…?
20) I do love how Buffy’s conversation with Wood is intercut with Dawn meeting Kit and them getting sucked into the basement by the manifestations. There’s something off about Robin, and we can just sense it as much as Buffy does. I didn’t think he’d be evil, though, it would’ve been too on the nose if he had been. But we immediately get the feeling he’s hiding something. There’s just something about his word choice and his fixation on Buffy that raises a lot of red flags. And of course, the fact that he’s questioning Buffy while her sister and her friends are under attack kind of paints him as supect número uno.
21) And the great reveal… Dawn’s gift/weapon…
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That was a bit underwhelming, especially considering it was 2002 and cellphones were already a household item. I get that the show was kind of making fun of itself and its lack of technology awareness. But I find the joke counterproductive. Instead of making me go “Oh hahaha, they have cell phones now!”, it reminds me how little sense it makes for these teens – now young adults – to have NEVER EVER used any type of electronic devices or technology other than the computer. It feels, again, as a Contrived Plot Device. Technology, in some cases, would’ve made the Scoobies lives much easier. They definitely would’ve have avoided some misunderstandings and miscommunications.
22) And then… 
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23)
BUFFY What did you do?
SPIKE I tried... I... tried to cut it out.
Hm. I wonder what this “it” might be... huh.
24) We can safely say that Joss’s primary focus when writing this scene was Spike, right? Did he even remember the last time Buffy had been in a room with Spike he’d tried to rape her? Why wasn’t her reaction to seeing her would-be-rapist again explored? Why wasn’t that the focus of their reunion? Why have her acting so nonchalantly, as if she wants to pick up things where they left them off (that is, prior to Seeing Red, of course…)? She literally asks him if he’ll come help her...
25) Now, why didn’t we get to see more of these two – the punk/bohemian, and, I’m assuming, bisexual, girl and the troubled yet sweet latino boy – instead of introducing like a dozen new characters – most of which were pretty forgettable - almost halfway through the season when the focus should’ve been placed somewhere else?
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 26) At least Buffy got a new job out of it. But let’s be real, the only reason she got the job is that she is a fictional character in a fictional world. Like, Joss tries to play it off as “oh, she only got it because it is a crappy position with very low pay.” But even crappy positions at schools require some kind of qualifications. Working at the Doublemeat Palace? Yeah, that’s not gonna cut it.
27) And then the scene that nearly makes the episode…
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WARREN Of course she won't understand, Sparky. I'm beyond her understanding. She's a girl. Sugar and spice and everything...useless unless you're baking. I'm more than that. More than flesh...
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GLORY ...more than blood. I'm... you know, I honestly don't think there's a human word fabulous enough for me. Oh, my name will be on everyone's lips, assuming their lips haven't been torn off. But not just yet. That's alright, though..
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ADAM ...I can be patient. Everything is well within parameters. She's exactly where I want her to be. And so are you, Number 17. You're right where you belong.
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THE MAYOR So what'd you think? You'd get your soul back and everything'd be Jim Dandy? Soul's slipperier than a greased weasel. Why do you think I sold mine? (laughs) Well, you probably thought that you'd be your own man, and I respect that, but...
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DRUSILLA ...you never will. You'll always be mine. You'll always be in the dark with me, singing our little songs. You like our little songs, don't you? You've always liked them, right from the beginning. And that's where we're going...
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THE MASTER ...right back to the beginning. Not the Bang... not the Word... the true beginning. The next few months are going to be quite a ride. And I think we're all going to learn something about ourselves in the process. You'll learn you're a pathetic schmuck, if it hasn't sunk in already. Look at you. Trying to do what's right, just like her. You still don't get it. It's not about right, not about wrong...
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There was so much promise in this scene, and it’s beautifully written and masterfully crafted. I think it’s probably one of the most memorable scenes in the show, just because of its jaw-dropping wow factor, the questions it raised, its potential for epic greatness, and the impact of seeing such an iconic group of characters blending together in what promised to be the Biggest Motherfucking Bid Bad Ever. And the biggest question of all…if this thing, whatever it is, is turning into all the Big Bads... then why did he turn into Buffy? 
The answer to this question will be, as most things The First related were bound to be, extremely underwhelming. But imagine... imagine if Buffy had been the Big Bad...
28) Oh, just for funsies, I’ll try and keep count of how many times The First did touch something or someone:
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 29) You gotta love the book ends in this episode, though…
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