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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Top 20 Animated Episodes of 2020 Part 2 (#10-#1)

And we’re back.. The first part is HERE, which includes the first 10 and my thoughts on this past year in animation, so we can cut the long intro and get right into it. This is the best episodes this year had to offer in animation, and it’s , without meaning to, at least a third bojack horseman. On with the show.

10. I Am My Monster (Steven Universe Future) “We all had Steven when we needed him, but the only person who's never had Steven is Steven. He's always been there for us, so... how can we be there for him now?“ Oddly “The Future”, a finale I did really truly enjoy.. is not on this list. Really good episode, it’s just Future was easily one of Steven Univereses best season, tightining up the pacing without loosing what made the series feel special and really digging into some of more unhealthy aspects of steven’s life. And while the future is good and certanily the needed epilogue.. this episode is the climax, the cumilation of EVERYTHING Steven had done and gone though and something fans sadly saw coming and just had to simply watch, unable to help as Steven slowly lost himself. Previously on this list we saw him hit rock bottom and it only got worse: He went to home world, attacked white diamond due to his pent up trauma and once again ingored attempts to help him, this time from the diamonds and spinle, angrily refusing to listen to his own words she she sang Change at him. This only got worse in the briliant and sadly edged out of the list “Everything’s Fine’ A really damn painful episode where steven tries to assert he’s okay and act normal.. only he cant and he destroys everything around him, and even repeats pearl’s text trick from a single pale rose with a pained voice message to connie saying to help steven. But the pressure of the LONG overdue intervension and the fact it came too late.. means steven confsses his recent sins.. and instead of taking them for twhat they are, spur of the moment acts caused by a toxic influence and a fuckload of ptsd and unreseovled issues with white that while certanly not okay are symptoms of a larger issues takes it to mean “Im a fraud”.. and thus he horriingly corurpts. So here we are as Greg, Connie and the main gems all gap ein horor as Steven has corrputed himself, reduced to a monster whose not even malcious just.. sad.. so full of self loathing he can’t function and at risk of STAYING like that. And the relization hits hard.. and hits everyone who joins in hard. The auxilery crystal gems soon join but attempts from both groups to stop Steven do nothing. The diamonds arrive.. and not only are saddneed by what htey’ve doned but equally powerfless to stop him. Everyone breaks down, blaming themselves for not seeing this sooner and for speding YEARS piling their issue on the kids, everyone ready to give up as they loose the person they care about most.. except one. Connie proves to be the hero of the episode, rallying the others with the above, pointing out Steven would happily help them if he could.. and that’s the problem. He’s spent his whole life fixing other peoples problems and focusing on that.. but never had someone to be HIS Steven. Fighting him’s not going to work.. he needs to know he’s loved... in the end the final battle of the series is not some struggle of life and death.. but of love. What wins the day isn’t a fight, though our heroes various powers do come in hand to restrain steven.. but it’s all of them, one by one telling them they love him in easily the most tearjerking moment of the series, cumilating in connie softly playing a kiss on his nose... and it’s this that FIANLLY frees steven from his self made prison.. finally realizing h’es not alone and that no matter who or what he becomes.. his family loves and forgives him. While we REALLY needed the next episode to wrap things up after this swell of emtitions. this was the climax the series desrved: after spending 6 seasons trying to help everyone ELSE and fix their issues he never should’ve had to.. it’s eveyrone else who gladly pitches in to fix steven’s own issues, to help HIM when he’s at his lowest point like they’ve been, and make it so he can FINALLY heal and finally find himself once and for all. IT’s one of the finest episodes of the series and easily the best of future.

9. The Perfect House (Close Enough) “I’m this close to connecting garfield, TO JESUS” This one’s just really funny, charming and creative. Simple as that.. I could move on but eh i’m a wordy bastard. Once again we’re focused on Emily, this time as we find out an endearing hobby of hers: She likes visiting open houses and fantasizing about affording a better place she likely never will afford, one with trash can nooks, a kitchen and a living room that are fully seperate, and indivudal bins for tea and sugar... and when it’s pointed out she dosen’t drink tea it’s only because she has nowhere to put it. But after Josh and Candace get them thrown out, if adorably so, Emily is forced to face reality... i.e. Alex, in one of the series finest gags, in his underwear with conspiracy boards trying to connect garifled to jesus and having a jug of his urine around for some reason. Did I mention I love this weirdo because I do. Brigette is painting in the ktichen.. using her body as the canvas, though in a bikini because the show wasn’t streaming only yet. You’ll have to wait a season for possible boobs. Naturally this just stresses her out so she goes to visit more houses while Josh vows to buy a family bike, a large circular bike for the whole family, as an activity because of course he does and of COURSE he also has a recurring issue of being mocked by some random kid about not having one.

So she escapes and meets dave and caitlin, a husband whose family life is miserable and a child star who got emanicapted and they quickly form a psuedo family to look at open houses.. only to, as if to remind you what show your watching, instead end up in a tgif sitcom... and trapped in a styigian void, with only Emily desperate to get out. Also she’s been missing three days and Josh has some thoughts on that and goes after her. Naturally given she’s crashing in on her fake sitcom family, this oly has him seen as a plot element, and Emily’s attempt at cursing and everything she can , while hilarious fail.. but the climax is what makes the episode and what inches it slighlty above quack pack.. which itself was fucking awesome. Instead of FIGHTING the format... Emily is forced to play into it, and realizes a cheesy moment of emtional honesty is what’s needed. She apologizes to her fake family, saying their nice but she has to face the world and to josh and much like Donald, seroiusly this episode was made years ago and there’s no way in hell frank knew about it, she just needed an escape but it’s more healthy: instead of wishing for a life she never had Emily just wants a break from the life she does for five minutes. She’s happy where she is, with her loving husband, wonderful daughter, impulsive but still carring best friend.. and well okay maybe not Alex, there’s somethihng really wrong with him, but as much as I love the guy I admit he’s not for everyone. I’m also a borderline feral man covered in hair who wants people to know i’m smart. I get him.

IT’s this that sets her free.. and we get another amazing gag as Dave’s family shows up and Dave chooses the fantasy.. though instead of this being thorughly pogiant it’s just “classic dave”. COmplete with title sequence. And of course it ends on a family bike with Emily getting those tins from Josh. Their relationship.. is REALLY what makes both this show and this episode in paticular work. Here while Emily screws up, it STARTS innocently enough, simply faking being a family and spirals into tgif because while this show isn’t, possibly, in the regular show cinematic universe, it’s defintely in the same multiverse. She just wants some peace of mind from a chaotic life, but dosen’t resent her husband or anything.. he just frustrates her sometimes which is fair. But he’s never portrayed as an abusive asshat which you think would be a low bar to clear but.. you’d be suprised. Point is it’s a wonderfully weird and somehow still unique despite being one of three tgif parodies this year. Seriously that shit is a goldmine. It’s how Dashieel Driscoll got half a season out of full house and a good chunk of a very special epsiode as a whole out of it. Though a certain incident helped.

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Point is good show, jolly good show... and ew’ll be right back with the rest afte the cut

8. Agony of a Witch/Old Bodies, Young Souls (The Owl House) “You always thought you were better than me! That I could never Beat you at anything! “ “I AM Better than you!” “Then WHY WERE YOU SO EASY TO CURSE?!” The Owl House was a show I took WAY too long to catch up on after missing the second half of season 2.. minus Enchanting Grom Fright which I caught first run and we’ll get to that story shortly. Point is my procastnation did me dirty here as this show , which was already fantastic just got better and better, cumulating in this epic, heartdestroying, soul punching, beautifully animated finale that takes everything the show has built up thus far, blows it up in some places and uses it to beautifully end in others, leaving us with a new road for the future. So yeah naturally it’s been a long ride as one of Owl House’s strength.. is that no episode is filler. No really, each one has a purpose great or small in the larger narrative, and every major arc has been expertly paced and crafted, bringing us to this point. The only major arc or plot thread left out is Amity, and that’s honestly for the better. Make NO mistake, she’s a great character.. but like fellow great Donald Duck, she was left out because the episode had a LOT of emotional stuff going on, a lot of plot to fit in, and a lot to do and it’s simply better for her character and for the moment’s she’s bound to have in response to well.. everything happening here, to let it breathe next season rather than try to shove it into an already stuffed two episodes. But this episode is one long string of payoffs, and payoffs creating more setups: So all season Eda, our loveable witch, has been grappling with a curse that turns her into an owl beast, one that’s been getting worse as far back as the mid season finale Escape from the Palisman. She’s been needing more and more elixer to combat it, a harrowing parallel to some real world diseases: Sometimes your meds can only DO so much to combat something actively killing you.. thankfully this time.. not speaking from personal experince. And Luz finds out soon into the episode as Eda makes a cloak of witches wool, which can deflect powerful spells, to protect herself.. only to black out and go owl just as she’s saying she’s fine. Like most parents would Eda hid just how bad things have gotten and it’s gone from needing just one bottle of elixer to needing their entire suply, and even that barely worked. Despite her mentor’s assurances, Luz is now PAINFULLY aware her mentor is on borrowoed time... not helped by the fact the coven attacked earlier that morning and she finds out by finding hooty playing tea party with them, meaning Eda is outgunned, outmanned and while Lilith failed, again.. the emperor can now easily find her himself and send whoever he wnats and however many people he wants to fetch her.. and Eda can’t use too much of her magic or else. So while Eda and King, touched by how much Luz has changed them, decide to throw a suprise party with King making a big cake to jump out of and Eda using witches wool she intended for herself to make her a cape. Meanwhile as you’d expect Luz.. is plotting a dangerous and life threatning mission: with a field trip to the Emperor’s Coven that day, one she was going to sit out because you know they hate her second mom for dogmatic and vile reasons the episode fleshes out, she finds out they have an artifact called the healing hat that can seemingly heal anything. So she does what Luz does and comes up with an impulsive plan to heist the thing.. but for once her impuslivness isn’t played for laughs. Her mother figure is slowly sucumbing to a fate worse than death, for once instead of just acting rashly because Luz.. she’s doing so because she KNOWS, that she has no other choice. Nothing else in sight and she’s smart enough to know that if Eda had a cure she’d of told Luz about it. Even if it was dangerous or required a sacrifice or something Eda would’ve just left that part out. But the trip serves a few other purposes besides getting Luz where she needs to be for the plot that makes it work: it elaborates on just what the emperor’s coven is like and WHY Emperor Belos gets away with everything: He claims to speak for the titan, the giant dead monster whose body makes up the boiling isles and who, as Luz has discovered, is the source of the magic there. So when he bloodily, I mean it’ sa kid show so they dont’ say so but given how violent this one is i’m asssuming bloody, took power, he claimed they were doing magic wrong, killed any hertiics and set up the rigid coven system. It explains just WHY the boiling isles limits themselves, gives the whole thing a creepy dogmatic religion vibe.. something that i’m REALLY suprised disney let them get away with as they had to fight for gays in the series.. but at the same time shouldn’t be because hunchback of notre dame exists and Soul , released the same year, was a big gamble against the bible belt. So their not afriad of religious groups.. but they ARE afraid of homophobic groups.. which have a lot of overlap.

Point is it’s a good storytelling device.. and cathartic given i’ve been playing Fire Emblem: Three Houses as I finally bought it with some christmas money. Good game, probably will talk about it in the future, not the point here.

The point is that the visit gives us some worldbuilding that helps show just how much of a threat the coven is and why their so intent on capturing Eda. We also finally meet belos, god emperor and man tired of Lillith’s shit and giving her till twilight to get Eda.. or presumibly die. I mean he dosen’t say it but he sure is implying it as loud as he can. That’s when things go pear shaped for Luz who finds the hat.. and LIlith who has found her barganing chip to lure Eda to her, which works as well as you’d expect and leads to the best figh tin the series thus far and one of , if not it’s best scene; A duel between edith and lilith. And while they fought back in Covention this time it’s not a petty squabble between siblings masquerading as one trying to capture the other.. it’s fight NEITHER can afford to loose. Eda can’t loose her protege and Lilith will loose everything, dying at best being cast out of the coven at worst, if she fails not to mention loosing what she feels is her only chance at saving her sister. But it’s also VERY clear Lilith is groosly outmatched, and while no slouch herself Eda’s constant bragging about being “the most powerful witch on the boiling isles”.. is entirely backed up. Lilith barely is able to hold herself and only gets ahead by using a child as a shiled, going even lower than her sister. However the stress of this, the build of having been the older sister of someone who constantly outshined her then turned entirely against her, finally causes lilith to snap.. and reveal the curse is her fault. Cissy Jones delivery here.. is jsut perfect, showing a mixture of rage and pain, showing that she’s spent YEARS hiding this, years resenting her sister for constnatly being better desptie working harder and doing the right thigns. Even when she’s trying to HELP Eda, genuinely trying to undo her mistake as we find out and as we’ve seen genuinely sees the emperor as the wise and benevlolent god he portrays himself as.. she can’t let it go. SHe can’t see past her own bitterness to see her sister is right and if she could just let this go and work on Eda’s terms instead of forcing Eda into her world, then maybe it wouldn’t of gotten this bad. Maybe she could’ve told her.

Eda takes it about as well as you’d expect, and Lilith.. uses this to threaten luz’s life and force eda to use up her magic to save her, leading to the series most heartbreaking moment and Wendy Mallick’s best acting so far as she bids her appretnince a tearful farewell. Luz RIGHTFULLY and angrily lashes out at lilith calling her a monster while Lilith takes Eda and urges luz to go home... and after a tearful ending with king realizing something’s deeply wrong.

So thus next episode after a history lesson from king and some suprisinging caution as he KNOWS what Luz is up against.. Luz still decides she dosne’t care. Eda’s sacrificed herself, to Luz it’s her fault she’s in this which while KINDA accurate missues some fine points such as her sister’s stubborness or the fact had lilith not shown up she could’ve taken the hat. And the fact LIlith saying the hat was junk was pretty unreliable. What i’m saying is maybe the child shoudln’t blame herself for being kidnapped while genuinely tring to reach the same goal.

But Lilith soon learns to her horror her sister was right. While Belos restores Eda’ss sentience even fully owled.. he has no intrest in helping her, eveyr intrest in publicly petrifying her, and not even the slightest hint of remorse at betraying lilith this deeply. After all her faith in the man.. Belos spat in her face and told her to like it. Meanwhile Luz goes on the warpath, and we see just how far she’s come.. and WHY Belos is probably so restrictive with magic and put it on such a tight leash: we see that with her natural power and just a handful of spells, the four she’s pciked up over the season, she easily curbstomps the conformotrium staff, gets to Eda fairly easily.. and fines sshe can’t free her and eda wants the door destroyed so whatever Belos wants with it, he can’t have it. Luz heads home, ready to destroy the door.. onlyt of ind two things. her magic dosen’t work there.. and Lilith followed her and grabbed king. After a breif fight and Luz angrily and rightously confroting the asshole, wish she was in Eda’s place.. Lilith admits luz’s right and gives her backstory: That her insecurity was so great that on the day before a duel with Eda to determine who got into the emperoror’s coven, she curfsed her own sister, with no idea it’d last this long or get this bad. And with no idea Eda had lost intrest in it and WILLINGLY gave her sister teh spot.. It’s very clear despite her masssive flaws that will need to be adressed.. lilith never stopped caring about her sister, and it took all this to make her realize that trying to fix the mistake on HER terms without including her sister.. instead has almost cost her it. So Luz and King relucntnatly take her help, though the other two are quickly capatured when theyt ry to get to hte exceution platform and thrown in the cage with Eda.. which dosne’t help the coven’s reputation as gus and willow try to make a case for Eda. Meanwhile we get the SECOND best fight of the series as Luz challenges Bellows.. and it’s UTTERLY chillling and while he’s had scenes before this it’s here we get the true scope of who he is ..and that like eda the god complex is something he can back up. Whlie Luz proves just how strong she’s gotten by keeping up with him it’s barely, and it’s clear from the moment go, and one of the series best shots, with Belos creeply materlizing behind her before announcing “sure, i’ll play” that this is a game. She’s no challenge to him and he simply wants to see waht she can do and is mildly impressed if a tad annoyed at her actually damaging his mask. But with Eda, King and Lilith’s lives in the ballance the only way Luz can save htem.. is to give him waht he wants.

Thing is, just like Lilith, just like everyone has, good an dbad all season.... Belos undereesitmated luz.. who left fire runes on the door, willnig to sacrifice ever seeing her mom again if it meant keeping him away from her. While he has no invasion planned whatever it is CANNOT be good. Luz saves them, and Eda flies them off with Belos saying the titan dismissed them. Also that Belos has a big penis.. super huge, size of a tractor that one. Yeah that’s the ticket.

But we get a happyish ending as LIlith does what she should’ve done a long time ago and apologizes, and Eda starts to fogive her, brought on by King earlier standing up to her as whle he’s not happy with her either, he realizes from her story she’s not a bad person.. just a very messed up one who couldn’t own up to her mistakes. One who belivied in the wrong person to fix her problem and finally takes repsonsiblity and part of the curse into her. So with the sequel hook of Eda having lost her internal magic power but still being able to use glyph’s like luz, we also find out the Emperor has the door and a mysterious masked minon,.. who i’m fairly certain isn’t amity only because it’s too obvious. This is simply how you end a season: It’s engaging, heartbreaking, well animated and pays off EVEYRHTING so far while setting up the season to come. It’s going to be a LONG wait till next time, mid-this year.. but I can wait. The high from this one’s going to last a while.

7. Good Damage (Bojack Horseman) “ That means that all the damage I got isn't good damage. It's just damage. I have gotten nothing out of it and all those years I was miserable was for nothing. I could have been happy this whole time and written books about girl detectives and been cheerful and popular and had good parents, is that what you're saying? What was it all for?! “

Bojack Horseman is one of the best shows of the last decade, and an important one to me. it was the first one I watched when we switched to all streaming. I really related to Bojack and his struggles with depresion and self loathing.. which backfired given he’s a much worse person than me and while I could relate, I also compared myself too much to a character who in retrospect is both far worse and has FAR MORE issues than I do and diffrent ones at that outside of the depression and self hatred. The point i’m framing is that the series and I have a complicated relationship and that coupled with how bad 2020 was meant it took until a few days ago to finally finish it, almost a year later. But I cannot deny how good the show is: it has faults, a bit of reptititon in some character arcs, casting a white woman as a Vietnamize-American woman (something both Ralph Paul Waskerberg and Alison Brie have apologized for to their credit), and .. I can’t think of a last one. They never brought Ralph back? Yeah let’s go with that one what the fuck there. So I felt I owed the show one last round and it payed off as the final stretch, while easily the hardest to get through due to covering the collapse of Bojack’s life, is easily one of it’s best.

But before the fall, we get Good Damage, which instead of focusing on BoJack focuses on Diane, said asian woman voiced by a white lady, neurotic writer and Bojack’s best friend, who has moved to Chicago to be with her boyfriend guy, a chill, charasmatic and likeable buffalo cameraman. Things are going better than they ever have: she’s in a supportive relationship and thanks to her antidipresenants, while still her loveably neurotic self, is now not obessing over shit as much and is solving her problems with applomb. Even the weight gain from her meds, which she dreaded in the previous half of the season.. has insteead only made her look healthier and happier, and more beautiful than ever.

The only problem is she can’t write her long promised Memoir, which Princess Carlolyn, her former boss, agent and loveable pink cat and single mother, has promised to a lot of celebrities. She TRIES, she puts lots of work into it, keeps trying to sit there but nothing comes out. And what makes the episode truly great is how this is presented. Bojack is no stranger to beautiful, visually diverse episodes, Stupid Peace of Shit being a notable example and one similar to this one but uniquely great in it’s own way, but this one is easly the bes,t using a squiggly crude style to show just how chaotic and uncomfortable diane is and how stuck she is. She’s TRYING, but she just can’t make her life’s story into anything GOOD, she can’t get the words out which as someone whose had reams of projects I never startd, even to this day and who has genuine trouble writing fiction.... I related to this like all hell. But even people who have never had an intrest in writng can just get the feeling thanks to the wonderful writing and animation, from cameos by the rest of the cast to Diane’s father showing up as a goblin to the word boxes showing what she’s writtne it’s just a treat. But what centers this amazing visual represtnation is Diane’s internal struggles as an encounter with a rude sales person leads her off on a tangent..and to Ivy Tran, a teen detective whose upbeat, optimstic, and in a great bit outlines who she is in jsut the right amount, and solves mysteries in a food court. It’s a genuinely good idea, one I honestly think could support it’s own series... seriously get on that Ralph-Bob. Get on that. Point is it’s good.. but Diane’s so hung up on what she SHOULD be making, she can’t see what’s right in front of her, despite guy saying the passages are good. Things come to a head when Diane makes a huge mistake and goes off her meds.. which from experince never ends well: for the entire episode she’s been under the impression she can’t write because of them.. only to be proven HORRIFYINGLY wrong. It’s a VERY necessary aseop: that your medication will always be with you and that going off it suddenly, or blaming it for writers block not only isn’t true but is DANGEROUS. Diane spirals, cries and her writing gets dark and full of self hate. It’s then Guy proves just how fucking majestic he is: he figures out what’s going on after she tells him, and helps her get to bed so she can rest, puke whatever she needs and they’ll talk about things after she takes her meds again and gets her head on straight, when she’s in a good place to do so. As someone with mental illness.. ti’s nice to see a character who not only supports someone fully, but knows how to handle it. Instead of a shitty third act breakup like many shows would do guy stands by her. He does however step SLIGHTLY over the line, if iwth good intentions and reason and send Princess Carolyn the Ivy Tran pages, because as he puts it he made an executive decision.. and when Diane is a bit annoyed by that as it does sound a tad douchey, he rightly points out she was in a really bad hole of a place, stuck in a loop doign something that even before going off her meds was clearly hurting her and going nowhere, and needed SOMETHING to snap her out of it, and did so not to hurt her or because he thought he knkew better or , like her ex husband, because he was oblvious to her needs; he did it because it was the hard but necessary thing to get her to seee she had something special and that she dosen’t have to constnatly tear herself up by diving into past traumas because of some internal obligation.

Naturally Diane dosen’t take it despite Princess Carolyn not only being impressed but PREFERRING the ivy pages, as she was genuinely unaware Diane had something so happy and charming in her. While Diane is worried about it when the two end up meeting in person, we soon find out why: If all the damage she went through wasn’t “good” damage, things she could writ eabout and use later.. what was it for? Could she of just been happy this whole time? Did she waste her life. And in a rare moment betwen the two PC helps Diane walk it back, explaning that she can do what she always wanted: write something that makes someone like her feel not alone. That she dosen’t HAVE to make her life story into something complicated, just make what makes her and other people happy. Something PC’s daughter could enjoy one day. So Diane finally accepts that maybe there’s something else for her.. and then we get a segue into the next episode with bojack having a panic attack and pasing out but that episode, good as it was didn’t make it so moving on. We also check in with Penny, the daughter of an old friend of bojacks who he nearly slept with and is stil haunted both by the decision and a drunken later visit to apologize... which isn’t helped remotely when max and page, two reporters inovlved in teh subplot that tears bojack’s life apart, start hounding her. While they have good intentions, exposing Bojack’s connection to Sarah Lynn’s death, the two’s methods still come off as creepy, following a, at this point , 21 year old girl whose been through ENOUGH home. While the two aren’t terrible people their actions.. are.. while getting hte story ismprotant is it truly worth genuinely harming this person. And penny wonders if she SHOULD air her story.. she ends up not.. but only because her mother, while lettiner he decide, poitns out it may not be worth all the pressure and possible trauma it digs up,especially since Bojack is getting what he deserved anyway. IT’s a decent subplot tha tties up a loose end but really makes our journalist characters feel like assholes for again, basically stalking and harassing a young woman who didn’t want to rehash the worst moment of her life. Otherwise top notch stuff.

6. Heart (Parts 1 and 2) (She Ra and the Princesses of Power) “Don't you get it? I love you! I always have! So please, just this once... STAY! Stay. “

Now we get to the gays winning.. and to one of the best series finale in recent memory. And given the other two titanic shows ending, one of which we’ll get to’s ending in a moment, last year, it’s a huge compliment. Heart is how you end a space opera... with big wonderful speeches, great payoff, a huge climax.. and a beautiful cathartic kiss paying off the relationship at the heart of the series that ends up saving the universe. So let’s just go ahead and crack open that pinata: The kiss.. was easily one of the best moments of animation this year and, at a time when the quarantine was starting, misery was spreading, and things looked pretty damn bad, having a major animated show, one of the biggest of the last few years, climax with an emotional moment between two women, one the series had been setting up since day 1... it was a huge step foward for gay representation in children’s animation, and warmed my big bi heart. And it’s not just good because of that: the fact it’s a giant pile of representation is wonderous, but it’s because it’s also well baked into the show. This is the conclusion of both their character arcs: Catra finally realizes Adora will not abandon her and her leaving the Horde was not choosing them over her.. it was simply doing the right thing. So instead of running or trying to escape she’s grown enough to fight for what she wants and fight for a future with Adora. Adora meanwhile finally overcomes her martyer complex, her determination, especially after Angela’s death, to make sure no one else is gone and she’s the only one that suffers and looses. To make sure there’s nothing else. It’s Catra’s confesssion that FINALLY gets it through her thick skull that she dosen’t have to be alone or bear anything alone.. she’ll always have someone with her to do that.. and even before Catra.. she’s always had friends for that. She dosen’t have to be alone. So the two embrace and it’s fucking beautiful..and gives adora the full power of the doomsday device they went to shutdown in the first place, restoring the planet.. and allowing her to destroy horde prime’s fucking soul. I just want to reiterate that because it understandably got lost in the shuffle of the gays winning, but our heroine fucking tears out the main villian’s soul.. and it is SO damn satisfying given what a truly repulsive , irredemible, asshat Prime was. So the two finally get a future together, a chance to build and to stop letting the past define them. It’s wide open. But while that alone would probably net it on this list but it’s damn good otherwise, an epic final struggle between our heroes and the horde for the fate of not just their planet but ALL of htem as Prime prepares to finally wipe everything else out in egomanical genocide. There are just.. tons of awesome moments in this one: Bow and Glimmer’s suprising but welcome love confession, Seahawk annoying mermista into fighting her chip, the people of etheria fighting back.. and the reason they do is easily the second best moment of the episode. With the chips down, not literally, and things looking bleak Bow hyjacks Prime’s egoamnacial hologram.. and broadcasts for everyone to fight, to fight back, and to END THIS. After spending most of the series as the one trying to keep his friends together, the glue of everyone.. it’s bow’s heart, courage, and voice, the one that lead his friends through some rough times and severed as reason when they needed it most wether they listned or not.. that frees the world and with Entrapta turns the tide at long last. It’s just a hell of a moment. And the only other moment equaling it is Hordak freeing himself and deciding he is his own man, he made himself tha tway for better and worst and kills prime, at least before adora finsihes the job with the badass “I am HORDAK and I DEFY your will. “ It’s just a wonderful, epic finale that pays off most of the shows major arcs, gives our heroes a MUCH deserved happy ending after spending their lives at war, and let it be said one last time, gave gay representation in children’s cartoon one hell of a win.

5. Nice While it Lasted (Bojack Horseman)

“ No, I need to tell you... thank you... and... it's going to be okay... and... I'm sorry... and... thank you... “

Back to back finales here and honestly both are REALLY close in quality, both satisfyingly paying off their series. But both take equal and opposite routes: Heart is an epic finale in scope size and impact... while Nice While it Lasted is a very stripped down character piece: there are other characters in the background but after the intro the only voiced characters in each segment are Bojack and one of the main cast, each one both showing how much said relationship has evolved since the show began, and giving Bojack time to reflect on his possible future. I say possible because one of Nice While it Lasted’s best aspects it that there’s no real concrete ending for Bojack. Ther’es still closure: after his life emploded and he nearly died, more on that in a bit, Bojack ended up in prison, offically for breaking and entering but unoffically for all the shitty things he did with him glumly accepting it. So one year later he’s out thanks to Princess Carolyn for her wedding, sober again thanks to prison and even started his own acting class at the prison he’s geninley invested in, inteding to continue it once he gets out. But otherwise.. his future’s in flux. HE’s sober for now, but he’s painfully aware that could change again, his friends while, with one excpetion, still having a place for him in their lives, have moved on, and his career is on the upswing again despite being a pariah a year ago because as I mentioned earlier and as PC brilliantly puts it

So he could become a better man, get his career back, make amends for what he did and stay sober.. or backslide and fall down into the same traps he always has. It plays into an aseop the series has always preached: There are no real endings, life just goes on. Even for the rest of the cast hteir lives aren’t over.. their just in a good place.. maybe bojack will, maybe he won’t. Tha’ts up to the indvidual viewer and I like that. While ambgious endings can be frustrating and I get while some preferred the more concrete if still somewhat ambgious ending of a view from halfway down, I feel this fits the series better: Bojack, like the end of every season is moving on to something new, but this time we don’t know what, and that’s okay. IT’s time for us to move on. Well okay not from this entry as each vingette deserves some praise: Our first has Mr. Peanutbutter pick up Bojack from prison, and even get him a new suit.. and then another one offscreen because predictably for his life BOjack got meatball all over it. He also calms our hero down when he wants to go back to jail, letting him know it’s okay and he’ll be there for him.. unless his friend Erica shows up but what are the odds... 1:1. But what’s nice about it is while Bojack still makes jabs, it’s clear he’s gone from truly hating and resenting PB for being the betterversion of him.. to truly seeing the guy as one of his best friends, his jabs having gone from hurtful and bitter to wry and warranted. I mean they were warranted a lot back then too he’s just a lot softer about them.

At the wedding Todd and Bojack finally reach some form of understanding after years of awkwardness, the two having reconclied but not being really remotely close or in each other’s lives hardly anymore after Todd’s understandable blow up at Bojack in “It’s You”. Here Todd has Bojack rush him to the beach to cary him on his shoulders.. to watch fireworks because he could tell he was overhwelmed, the two having found a rhtym again, with, like with mr peanutbutter, Bojacks jabs being a lot friendler and Todd having a respect for his own needs while actually being present for bojack instead of ignorant of how bad things were like he was at the start. He even helps BOjack see even if he DOES replase.. he can get right back on the horse, couldn’t resist that one sue me, and as the hokey pokey says turn himself around.

After, in one of the best payoffs of the series, finally trying Hondedew and finding it’s not so bad, Bojack dances with PC, admittingh e half hoped he’d have to help her go thorugh with it before the two run through the scenario, and PC expresses some honest fears with bojack helping her showing how the two hav egone from a horribly stiffing relationship.. to two close friends who are probably stuck with one another for life. Sunk costs and all that. And if bojack does want to act again she knwos some people. But for now PC finally really has everything she ever wanted:: A daughter, and a loving husband in judah.

Finally we have the most painful of the group because of course the Bojack finale wouldn’t be all sugar and would have to punch us in the gut. Bojack finds Diane again who hasn’t talked to him.. because he called her the night of his near death/sucidide and due to putting the blame on her due to being high out of his mind, made her feel like it was his fault during the 7 hours she could reach no one and thought he was dead. Diane is hurt, feeling betrayed that bojack promsied he’d be fine then possibly left her with the pain of his death on her concious forever. Thankfully she’s doing fine, as she’s now married guy and Ivy Tran is a huge success and probably a series now.. but it’s abudnantly clear her friendship with Bojack is over.. but even this bittersweet, and necessary, seperation, as Diane has moved past LA and Bojack needs to stop relying on her and stand on his own two hooves, still warms the heart as she thanks him and lets him know i’tll be okay, and endugles him in telling her one last story, a rathe rfunny one about prison movie night bfore the series ends on the melancholy and apporriate song mr blue as the two gaze out and they see each other and we see them for the last time.

4 The Wasteland (Infinity Train)

“I'm as good as dead, and if my last act is to bring you with me, sliver, I can't imagine a better way to go!” “Well, I can! “

So from a bittersweet ending to holy shit that’s depressing, we have our only entry from Infnity Train on the list. That’s not to say the series did bad this year. Season 2 was easily the series finest hour, taking the framework from season 1 and crafting a gripping story of a teenage mirror person who just wanted to live without assholes trying to kill her for what she fundementally IS, and be recognized as a person, with the help of a magical deer and a more optimstic teen grappling with his peer pressure issues. The series was still undoubtly silly with a parasite voiced by Bill Corbett, wonderfully so, and again a magical deer named Alan Dracula, long may he reign, it simply deconstructed the nature of the train and thus opened up the floodgates. By giving us a denzin who, after years of being someone’s reflection in both senses of the word, just wanted to live and how that clashed with the train and the racist assholes she met alnong the way, from the ones who wouldnt’ stop trying to kill her.. to humans who considered her as nothing more than a plaything at best and something to get rid of at worst. While Season 3 was not bad, if a bit way too strcuturally messy and trying to do too much at once, Season 2 still handled the same issues but in a much tighter frame storywise. And that’s why only one episode made it: Most of the episodes, espicially the later ones, are pieces of a large whole, with the show being heavily seralized. Which while a great approach intended for streaming, also means it was hard to find a chapter that worked that well on it’s own, steven universe future had similar issues. But I did and the wasteland is easily the darkest, harshest and most intresting episode out of the batch. The episode opens at MT’s darkest hour: The apex told the mirror police where she is, Jesse is gone, and MT is now running for her life from the sadstic assshole and his spinless partner who want her dead just for existing.. gee can’t imagine why a bunch of assholes refusing ot acknolwedge other peoples opinons, rights or even existance was a big topic last year.. or this year.

So while Mace, the main mirror cop, manages to handcuff her MT manages to throw him under the train. THe result is her trying to escape the train by wondering i’ts vast desert, forced to drag Mace along as he taunts her, bleeding out slowly from you know being bisected by a train. It’s a really moody peace as Mace mock’s mt’s dreams of escape and justify’s his own selling out, while MT pokes holes in that: he was so desperate to not nonexist.. he’s willing to kill others who just want the same. IT’s a damn hard watch but fuck if i’ts not compelling.

And the climax is what makes it. MT finds out she can’t leave the bounds of the wasteland, as it only projects so far and after escaping the ghoms ends up back on the train, with Mace, not long fo rthis world trying to kill her.. so we get a 13-14 year old GRINDING HER HORRIFYING ABUSER UNDER A TRAIN WHEEL. Just jesus.. I mean I kind of get HBO Max’s point that MAYBE this is a bit much for kids. I mean i’ve seen other really dark stuff but holy fuck a man died.. and we see his blood splatter. But it’s this horrible, harsh moment that makes the episode.. as is MT”s reaction.. not one of triumph.. but of exaustion and horror at what she’s done, before steadying herself to prove him wrong. A hard one to write about but damn it was good.

3. Enchanting Grom Fright (The Owl House) “Dear Luz, will you go to Grom with me- Amity” Now we THANKFULLY get to something lighter: the gays winning.. again. Coming out during pride month, phrasing, and only a month after the she ra finale we got this delightful episode. As I said earlier I watched this one first run: while I was super behind, I couldn’t resisit to the point I watched it before that week’s amphibia. I was that curious what was going to happen. See as i’ve given out about quite a lot.. and I mean a LOT, Disney dosen’t have the best track record with gay representation: they don’t do horrible sterotypes or anything.. but they also don’t do much of anything for the most part. Alex Hirsch has outright spoke about how much he had to fight just to get Blubbs and Durland firmly together in the finale, and how the symbols for the love god were widdled down to just male and female. And around the time this episode came Disney was coming out of a REALLY bad batch of pr stunt gay representation: They made a big deal about the first gay x in an x having gay characters in avengers endgame, star wars: Deep Hurting and onward.. but these were cameos AT BEST, with the endgame one being so minor I genuinely didn’t realize the character was talking about dating a man and only found out afterwords. Sure Ducktales had gay dads, which is awesome and always will be.. but none of the major cast was allowed to be openly gay. I mean we know webby and lena are gay but hell if disney would allow that. But miracoulsy.. shockingly and wonderfully.. Disney DID mange to finally just say fuck it and let some big gay rep in, something so obvious it can’t be ignored and that actually features the main character and one of the most major supporting characters. And what do you know, the good press and pats on the back outweighed the bad. It’s almost if giving up homophobic markets in exchange for doing the right thing.. is a GOOD thing while also being profable. Who’d a thunk. Point is via sheer perstiance, Owl House creator Dana Terrance got to not only make her lead bi, which Terrance herself is, but have her love intrest be a girl. And I find it genuinely wonderful that gay, bi, pan and what have you children can watch this and say “tha’ts me and this is okay”. But even minus Owl House saying gay rights.. the episode is just REALLY good and part of it is who it focuses on. Amity easily has the most character devleopment out of the cast going from someone who walls herself off from everyone, revels in her superiority.. to slowly opening up to heroine Luz, realizing Luz is not a bad person and that Amity herself dosen’t have to be, and right before this starting the road to patching things up with her former best friend willow. Allt hrough this said friendship had been prettty, prettyy, prettyyy gay. And that’s wonderful obviously, but part of why I watched this was while I HOPED they’d get to be couple.. I wasn’t convinced since see a fucking bove. But I was happy to realize that oh my god I was wrong, the gays won all along.

So with Amity a better person she’s naturally syampthetic when sh’es put front and center at hexside’s prom equvilent which while having a dance, gromprosals and a disco ball tha’ts also a sentient being, becuase boiling isles, it also has the queen or king forced to fight a horrifying monster that manfiests as your greatest fear. And, as we find out towards the end.. Amity’s is being rejected by Luz, having her love letter, which she fails to deliver due to running into luz.. and co (which is my faviroite gag of the episode and the adorable smiles gus and willow give in response are what make it). And . it makes sense. When you stop and think about it.. Luz is the best thing in her life. She got her to change as a person, genuinely cares about and adores her, just wants to be her friend and thinks the world of her. Given her siblings, while trying to be better, are two disaster bisexuals who just stopped a lifetime of untietonally harsh bullying and her parents are controlling asshats who made her abandon her best friend at a young age and she sees LILITH as a mother figure, just let that sink in given a few entires back.. yeah.. no wonder sh’es utterly terrified of rejection. Poor baby.

Of course WE know Luz wouldn’t. Luz may be many things, including oblvioius to thte freaking obvoius as this story line has revealed, but shes not cruel and even if she said no, which I higlhly doubt she would, she woudln’t be a dick about it. But being surrounded by cruel assholes for some time has made Amity a bit paranoid so Luz volunteers to sub in to both genuinely help her friend.. and to prove to eda she can do this. Eda is also chaperoning. and looks neat in a suit, while King and Gus get a wonderful b plot of mcing the dance with the egotisticl king having issues with stage fright. I will get more into that when I review the episode proper, come back in a month for that. But yeah while Luz does well when the time comes, and while sadly not wearing her otter suit does wear a wonderful tuxedo with a tutu.. she has her own repressed issues to adress as Grom takes the form of her mother, as Luz has been nursing guilt over not telling her the truth about what’s going on. Luz runs, and Amity ends up facing her fear to save her crush and the two get a wonderfully romantic, and desturctive dance together as they face hteir fear, untie as one and kill that motherfucker... well okay i’m not sure grom can die but it’s gone for now. The dance sequence.. is easily one of the best scene’s all year, beauituflly animated and painstakingly planned out, with wonderful music.. it’s just awesome and what takes the episode ove rthe top, with the two perfeclty in synch as they take grom out in less than a minute. Also king become prom king and queen, he is best of both as Luz’s own personal issues put a damper on things. Also someone’s been writing her mom.

Overall just a perfect episoe and a perfectly gay episode of one of the best shows going right now. Speaking of a perfect episode of one of the best shows going right now, tha’ts also on disney.

2. Escape From the Impossibin! (Ducktales) ”We have to keep them safe” “But not like this!” So from some emotinal torment mixed with some lovely shipping, we get a whole buttload of emotional anguish but with a robotic scrooge and the time loop room and the time loop room and the time loop room, and time l...

As I said in part 1, Season 3 is easily Ducktales best so far, having far better pacing, character ballance and bolder and more intresting stories than ever before. While the first two seasons are still excellent, this one has taken everything great and honed it and no episode shows off just how great this season is than this one. This one takes place in the fallout of “Let’s Get Dangerous!”, with the family dealing with finding out FOWL”s not only still alive, but is run by Bradford, head of scrooge’s board of directors former shush agent as we’d find out later, and asshole, who knows all their secrets. And given Scrooge is mildly paranoid on a good day and Beakly is extremley paranoid on her best day, it’s done a number on both as they’ve split the family minus launchpad, who just had a whole episode so fair enough, up: Scrooge has taken Della and Louie, wiht their see all the angels schtick, to test out his new security, while Beakly and Donald are securing the house while Beakly has webby throughly test the boys. Neither side goes well. The bin ends up locking our heroes out due to Scrooge’s password being changed, and forcing them to work past it. Louie rises to the challenge, as does della.. but as they beat a robot versoin of scrooge, because of course the final test would be a robot version of scrooge, Scrooge is instead of triumphant at not being dead, incredibly depressed and furious. Because when told he’s scrooge mcduck he tellingly replies “AND WHAT IF THAT’S NTO ENOUGH’. For once.. Scrooge is SCARED, up against someone who knows his every move and is one step ahead, iti’s how it’s always been, no matter what he’ll do, he’ll always loose and Bradford will always win. I REALLY need to watch spies are forever, point is he’s scared and Bradford PROVING the point by revealing he was behind it and taking over the robot dosen’t help. Our heroes win though in a damn impressive action sequence, but as it turns out.. it was just a distraction.. but we’llg et back to that. The other plot though is whyt his is so high. While the first plot is a fun romp with deep eomtional consequences.. the second plot is decidly far darker.. it still has some good bits as webby terorizes the boys and easily one of the best in the season when she horrifying imitates dewey, but its’ only when she does finally attack she realizes she’s taken it way toof ar. She’s terrorized her brothers, caused huey to break his leg and then turn her away when she tries to help.. all she’s done is turn them AGAINST each other and they can’t win this way. Beakly strongly disagrees and clealry lost in her own paranoia and fear, prepares to attack huey.. and thus Webby steps in... leading to one fo the most heartbreaking and tense fights in the series as grandmother and grandaughter fight one on one but both are outmatched.. but Huey and Dewey, despite everything, refuse not to help their sister and help pull webby up, with Webby panickidly realizing something’s VERY wrong and her granny usually isn’t like this when sparring... and is also chasing them. This leads to the roof, in a rainstorm no less, and Webby relcutnatnly ready to fight even though she clearly knows she both can’t win.. and dosen’t want to anymore. Despite her wilingless to scrap, fight and train.. Webby dosen’t WANT to hurt her granny she just wants to help her. Thankfully, the boys attempt to stop this, while failing horribly, catches donald’s attention as he catches them, ntocies what’s going on and furiously refuses to let this go on. While Beakly tries to ignore it and fight..s he instead slips and despite everything, the rest of the group rescue her, with Webby impressing on her grandmother that they aren’t fowl. They wont’ win acting like them and tearing each other apart.. they need to be the family they are. But if all that wasn’t enough turns out.. yeah, Bradford’s thing was a distraction and with the rest of the group distracted with Beakly, that meant his plan went off without a hitch: all the missing mysteries have been taken by FOWL, in a masterstorke that ties both plots together and brings what seemed like isolated adventures on their own in a tagnetally related plot into the fore. Everything so far has built up to this.. and despite the loss.. the family, having been through a dark night of the soul, is ready to fight back. They want the rest of the mysteries? Their going to have to fight clan mcduck in their elment. And it’s been glorious so far. A tense, well paced, hard hitting episode, this one’s a winner. and almost got #1.. ALMOST. But as much as I tried to not go with the obvious chocie, the one with tons of press and praise and that’s graced tons of best of lists... I had to go with what was honestly the best. So...

1. The View from Halfway Down (BoJack Horseman) “Oh BoJack, there is no other side. This is it. “ This episode was my main reason for catching up with the series and finishing it off once and for all. Awash with praise and hype I was curious about this one.. and my curiosity paid off. This is easily one of if not hte best episodes Bojack put out in it’s storied run: it’s creative, impossible to look away from and devistating: in short it’s the show in a nutshell.. and it’s a hell of a view.

Previously as mentioned before Bojack’s life blew up and he lost just about everything, from his friends, though as the finale bared out only one of them stayed away for good and for good reason, his only family in hollyhock, his house, even horsin around. He had nothing left.. so high on drugs and in his old house he passed out at the end of last episode.. and we wake up here with a recurring dream as Bojack has a dinner party at his mother’s house, another wonderful performance from Wendy Mallick. Everyone there is someone Bojack knew who died: his former best friend he betrayed Herb, Sarah Lynn his former child co start turned washed up 30 something he let die, Courdory, a co star who died trying to get off david caradine style, Crackerjacke, the uncle he never knew who die din the war and his parents, distant mother Beatrice as mentioned and his father, who is in the body of his hero secretariat who comited suiccide in this unvierse due to getting banned from racing, as that’s the kind of weird shit dreams do. Also Zack Braff, who has no real conncetion to bojack but still died during that time Mr Peanutbutters house sunk into the earth and his ex wife Jesscia bIel formed a death cult. The group play a game of best and worst, lay into each ohter and have some really intresting conversations with Bojack confident of when it’ll end: before the show their always mentioing. But this time, it’s diffrent.. Bojack is there for it so we get a trippy and horrifyimng stage show as Bojack watches the various people one by one vo into a black door, allt he while bojack coughts up sludge and is persued by it, unaware where he was before this. Sarah Lynn gives one last song, a reprise of a song from previous in the series, Courdroy does a ribbon dance and zack braff gets on roller skates. And bojack has a frank conversation with his dad, with his dad/secretariat revealing he DID care but was just so filled with loathing he coudlnt’ admit it to his son and thus was an abusive ass.. and then reveals to bojack he’s not waking up and bojack horryfigngly see shimself, drowning ina pool. And while he frantically, heartbreakingly tries to flee... he can’t. There’s no exit for him. As herb tells him, this isn’t the afterlife, this is his brain making sense of his last moments, and ther’es no way of knowing if he’ll get rescued, no way to do anything but watch.. watch as his father secretairat shows suicide in all it’s horror by letting it know he wouldn’t of done it if he knew “the view fro halfway down”, a horrifingly haunting poem that sells just how bad it was. As beatrice and crackerjack also go we’re down to herb who introduces bojack... before going in himself, claming there is no other side. Bojack tries not to go genle and runs, and in a horrfying sequence is surronded by the ooze as he tries his damndest to escape.. but in the end he can’t. As herb said.. he can’t do anything about this. So speaking to his min’ds version of diane he accepts he probbaly won’t be coming back and we hear a monitor as we fade out. While we know it’s not the end now... there’s no way of telling then.

The View from Halfway Down is a haunting, beatuflly animated, masterwork, taking 6 seasons worth of communinity and regret and shoving it in bojack’s face in an intresting way, while bringing back characters we thought we’d never see again for one last go round. It was patcually nice to hear LIn Manuel Miranda and Wendy Mallick again,, and Kristan Schaal is always great. The show ALWAYS had a horrifying habit of having it’s penutlimate episode be an utter gutpunch that broke you, with the finale picking up the peices and offering some hope.. and this was no exception. They literally saved the best for last, and it was worth the wait. The view from halfway down may be gahstly,.. but the view of this episode is hauntingly beautiful.

So that was the list, and it was.. a lot taking 2-3 days to finish all together over both parts. But it was worth it and hopefully we can get back to some regular stuff later today. For now, thank you for reading, and hopefully i’ll see you somewhere in the sunset.

#steven universe future #steven unvierse #the owl house #lumity #catradora #She Ra and the Princesses of Power #bojack horseman #close enough #infnity train #2020 #best of the year #animation #disney #cartoon network #hbo max #netflix #disney channel #lbgtq

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oddsnendsfanfics · 4 years

Text

Holding On for Dear Life

Genre: Fan Fiction (Vikings) Pairing: Hvitserk/OFC Warnings: Medical, Illness, Sexual Content Rating: M Length: Multi Chapter Disclaimer: a strict work of fiction, I own nothing except the original characters and the plot line. In no way am I affiliated to any of it.

A/N: Okay, this is something that I have been wanting to write for a long time, but never got to it. It’s not exactly polished a I would like right now, but wanted to posted the first part to see how it went over. Keep in mind, I am doing my best to go about Emmer and her illness as correct as possible, but a good portion of her is actually personal. I mean sure I can bog us all down with medical by the book, but personally I like my own life experience better.

thank you @flowers-in-your-hayr for the header

Catch Up Here

Hospitals, yuck!

Hvitserk wasn't a fan, then again was anyone?

Ironic that they would be there on the anniversary of them meeting, in this very hospital. Waiting for his best friend – sometimes girlfriend, Hvitserk had sat quietly watching a news programme on mute with captions scrolling across the screen. After what felt like ages, Emmer emerged, slightly sore and exhausted asking Hvitserk if he could take her home.

Cozy in her apartment, Emmer yawned and insisted that Hvitserk was fine to leave her. She'd been through this before, it was nothing new. Bed rest, only fluids, and pain meds only when the label dictated. Although Hvitserk admired her trying to ship him off, he knew better. The last time he listened to Emmer, she had gone and ordered a large pizza and proceeded to eat half of it. Landing her back in the bathroom sicker than when she'd gone to the hospital.

This time, he refused to leave.

“Hvits, I'm fine.” Emmer rubbed her eyes, yawning from the cocktail of medications that she'd received at the hospital.

“Nope, you're not getting rid of me.” Hvitserk shook his head, fluffing the pillow on her couch. He had zero intentions of moving, besides he was too tired to drive again. It didn't matter that his apartment was only a block away.

Hands on her hips, head cocked, Emmer scowled. “I'm not Ivar.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Hvitserk smirked laying down on her couch and yawning.

His baby brother was a far worse patient than Emmer ever thought of being. Although their diseases were nothing alike, they'd both had their fair share of surgery and hospital visits. It was during one of Ivar's stay overs that Hvitserk had wandered the halls of the ward, bumping into the frail girl with the IV pole. Emmer had recovered, gained strength, and a Hvitserk all in a few short months.

“Hvits,” Emmer whined.

“Bed, Emmy. The doctor said you should be on bed rest until tomorrow. You know the drill. If you need me, I won't be far. But I need some sleep, first.” Closing his eyes, Hvitserk took a deep breath, snuggling into the blanket that he'd pulled down from the back of the couch.

Ignoring her would eventually work, growing bored of sitting in the kitchen alone, Emmer would go to bed. If this were under any other circumstance, Hvitserk would have gone to bed with her. Knowing that she'd been in so much pain a few short hours ago, he didn't want to crowd her. Giving her space to wrap her head around the night's events.

Emmer was unfazed and not at all bothered by what had happened, but spending hours in the ER with a blocked stoma took a lot out of a person. Ulcerative Colitis was a cruel mistress, not only causing severe abdominal pains and cramping, but leaving one swollen joints, ulcers in various places, and fatigue. One time Emmer had told Hvitserk on top of that, it was literally the shittiest disease ever. Pun and no pun intended. Tonight's trip had been courtesy of something causing a block in Emmer's small intestine. Unable to pass, sending blinding pain shooting through her abdomen.

She'd called Hvitserk around the third hour of vomiting, asking for him to come over and keep her company. Arriving to find Emmer in the bathroom on the floor soaked in sweat, complaining that she was dizzy Hvitserk grabbed her emergency bag and escorted her to the car.

“Damn peas,” Emmer mumbled leaning against Hvitserk on the way to the car. She'd known better than to eat them, but she couldn't resist. They were there in all their green glory taunting her.

Home and somewhat comfortable in her bed, Emmer laid looking through her phone. Hvitserk on the other side of the door, stretched out and sleeping on the couch. Outside in the morning sun, the birds sang and the city slowly came to life. Oblivious to what some people were going through.

Each person lived their own life on their own path. Emmer had always believed that, even more so now. Her path had taken a turn, sick for months on end without reason or cause. Doctor's office after Doctor's office. Specialist after Specialist. Disease had nearly ruined her life. Easily, she could have allowed it, but why?

So she'd had some surgeries, a ruptured bowel, no large intestine, and had a bag on her side which was now her new bowel. It wasn't the end of the world and certainly wasn't the end of her life. Emmer enjoyed the freedom it had given her, now she was able to go places and not worry about whether or not she would be left in tears, over not being able to find a public restroom.

Meeting Hvitserk days after her first surgery had been another weird little blessing. He was quirky, sweet, and his own kind of funny. Not to mention he was a pretty good boyfriend. He was patient and gentle, even sticking around to be the supportive best friend when they weren't dating.

Rolling on her right side with a slight wince, Emmer rubbed her tummy above the spot where her bag resided.

“Really Eir?” She rolled her eyes at the grumbling stoma. “Now you're talking?”

Whatever. She shook her head, closing her eyes. Hvitserk would be in shortly, she was sure of it. His love for her plush bed would eventually take over, once he realized the couch was a tad to short.

Stretched out on the couch, his feet resting on the arm rest at the end, Hvitserk was surprisingly comfortable. Although he wished Emmer's couch was about seven inches longer. It was plush, comfortable, and like a cloud, until his ankles began to go numb. Curling his legs up, Hvitserk shifted over onto his side trying to stop his feet from tingling. Picking his head up, when he heard the bedroom door open.

No matter how hard she tried, Emmer wasn't exactly stealthy. The bottom door hinge and the floor board right outside of her door gave her away. Hvitserk pushing himself to sit up, scratching the back of his head, he looked like he'd been the one in the ER all night, in pain.

“Hey Hvits,” Emmer raised her hands over her head, stretching her shoulders, then dropping them. “What's for breakfast?”

“Why are you out of bed?” Hvitserk scowled with concern.

“Because I'm not tired? The day awaits us, Hvits.” She'd slept for three hours, it was almost 10AM. Time to be awake and out doing something.

“Your day is going to be spent in bed, binge watching cheesy sitcoms, while drinking tea, and eating broth.” Hvitserk smiled wide at her. “I'll even join you, once I clean up a bit.”

“You don't have to clean my apartment.” Emmer rolled her eyes at him. “I can do it.”

“I know, but I want to help. Besides, if I stay here it's an excuse not to go home. Ubbe had a new lady friend over, I should at least give her time to get out.” He shrugged. His older brother really needed to pick one of his rotating women and settle.

“He still on the rebound?” Emmer dropped onto the couch beside Hvitserk. Leaning over onto his shoulder, glancing up at him.

“Yep,” Hvitserk nodded. “Margrethe really fucked with his head. We have a talent for picking bat shit crazy women, you know. I think it's genetic or some shit.”

“Your mom isn't bat shit crazy.” Emmer countered. “She's just angry that your dad kept fucking around on her.”

“Understandable, although what did she expect? He did meet her, while he was married.” Rubbing his face, Hvitserk sighed. His family would never be up for any sort of Family of the Year awards.

“Your dad still seeing Yidu?”

“Nope, she grew some common sense and left.” Rolling his eyes, Hvitserk scoffed. “Did you know she's the same age as Bjorn?”

“I had a feeling she wasn't your dad's age.” Emmer shrugged. “Every family has their bullshit, what can I say?”

“There is family drama and then there is the Lothbroks. But, enough about my parents. How do you feel, now?” Leaning his head on top of Emmer's; Hvitserk nuzzled his nose into her hair. “And for the record, you're not bat shit crazy.”

“Thank you, I think.” Emmer laughed. “And I'm still a little sore, but feeling better. Really, I'm hungry. Can we eat?”

“Sure, but you're not getting anything solid.”

“Well, ice cream isn't solid. Oh! Let's go get ice cream.”

“Or, you can stay here, in bed while I go get some ice cream and bring it back. What kind do you want? Chocolate?” Hvitserk slowly lifted his head from Emmer's. “I can also bring back some coffee. Iced latte with almond milk and one shot of caramel syrup?”

“Yes! Yes that sounds amazing!”

“Alright, I will go get previsions. You stay in bed and rest. I shouldn't be long. Promise me, you won't try to do anything until I am back?”

“Well, I may shower.” Emmer shrugged, pretending to smell herself. “I stink like hospital, you know how much I hate that.”

“Fair enough, but nothing else. I will do the housework, when I get back. Okay, Em? I don't want you to get hurt or over strain yourself.”

Rolling her eyes, Emmer nodded. “Okay, fine, I will behave. Now go, I want my latte and ice cream.”

“Bossy Britches,” Hvitserk mumbled, grabbing his phone, keys, and wallet.

“Damn right I am!” Emmer called after him, gently tossing a pillow from the couch at his back.

Turning to blow her a kiss, Hvitserk laughed, closing the door behind him. A click indicated that he'd used his key to lock the door, saving Emmer from having to get up and walk twenty feet to the door. Hvitserk was always that way, making sure she was taken care of and he did anything to make her life easier.

Sometimes, it was annoying. Others, it was welcomed. Especially on days when Emmer had no energy. Some days she could barely make it out of bed, those were the days when Hvitserk's overbearing need to cater to her were welcomed the most. He was good at knowing when she needed him to take over, but not so good when knowing he had to back off.

Emmer adored him, but had no problems telling him when to lay off or go away.

In a family of six children, Hvitserk was number 4.

Since an early age, he had been the caretaker. Right after his older, half, sister Gyda. He was constantly taking care of his younger brother Sigurd while his mother focused on his baby brother, Ivar. Gyda kept her brothers from killing one another, while Hvitserk kept Sigurd from somehow killing himself. A task and a half to take on as a five year old. If they wanted Ivar to see his 10th birthday, it was a small price. Twenty years later...

Hvitserk had the ice cream in the car, thankful that the coffee shop wasn't overly busy. Along with their drinks he had gone ahead and ordered brown sugar oatmeal for Emmer and a bacon sandwich for himself. Food in hand, he tapped his foot lightly to the music that softly played through the shop. Lost in his thoughts and tiredness, he jumped when his phone rang.

“Hel-”

“Where are you?” Ivar huffed over the phone.

“I'm getting breakfast and heading back to Emmer's.” Hvitserk smiled his apology to the barista as he accepted the iced latte and the flat white. “Why?”

“You were supposed to drive me to that appointment, this morning. I tried calling you.” Ivar grumbled. Hvitserk didn't have to see Ivar's face to know it was twisted in a scowl. “I had to get an uber.”

“Sorry, fuck. Shit.” He hissed. “Ivar, look I'm sorry. Em had to go to the emergency room. She wasn't well and I had to stay with her.”

“So getting laid, because you played the hero, is more important than family?”

“No, Emmer had an emergency. Listen, I'm sorry. I am. Where are you now? I can come get you, before I go back to Em's.”

“Gyda came to get me. Unlike some people, she cares.”

“I care, Ivar.” Hvitserk defended himself. His younger brother was so dramatic. It came with being the baby. “Tell her I said hi.”

“Fuck you.”

Hvitserk sighed, the line went dead with a beep. Whatever. Ivar would get over it. Eventually.

It wasn't like Hvitserk intentionally forgot about his brother. Had Emmer not needed him, he would have drove Ivar as promised. Ivar was more than capable of getting places on his own, he simply refused. Unlocking the car, Hvitserk groaned and shook his head. Ivar was petulant, but still his brother.

Whatever, he could worry about that later. Right now, Hvitserk had to deliver ice cream and an iced latte, before Emmer sent out a search party or put a bounty on his head.

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#hvitserk ragnarsson #hvitserk lothbrok #hvitserk fanfiction #marco ilsø #hvitserk lothbrok fanfiction #Hvitserk Ragnarsson fanfiction #hvitserk's heathen feast #modern hvitserk #tw: medical #tw: illness

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invisibleanonymousmonsters · 5 years

Note

If you are taking black serpent request still I have an idea where y/n’s mob is trying to do one deal and Bucky’s mob messes it up somehow not realizing it was y/n deal or whatever and a big fight comes between her and Bucky but they somehow make up in the end. Just an idea

An extension of this one-shot: Black Serpent

Bucky was looking at some papers in front of him when Sam and Clint walked into his office.

“What’s going on, fellas?” The mob boss asked without looking up.

“We managed to intercept the drug load from that gang in Long Island,” Clint informed him.

Bucky nodded happily, and leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “How much you get when you sold the load?”

“80 grand,” Sam answered with a smirk.

“Well done, boys.” Bucky smirked.

Suddenly the three of them were interrupted by Steve rushing into the office. He looked a little scared.

“What? What is it?” Bucky asked hurriedly.

“Y/N’s here. You might want to make a run for it, Buck.”

Bucky squinted in confusion. But then he heard the clicking of her heels coming down the hallway with an aggressive and purposeful pace.

“Get outta here,” Bucky shooed his three men out of his office.

They both muttered polite hellos to his girl as they hurried out of the way.

Y/N ignored them.

She walked in with her four-inch stilettos and high-waisted jeans with fishnet tights peeking out of the waist and ankles. The whole outfit was covered by a long fur coat.

Bucky would’ve been more in awe of the sexy ensemble if he weren’t so distracted by the death glare he was currently receiving from his girlfriend.

“Could you be more of a fucking idiot?” Y/N hissed.

“Hello to you too, doll.” Bucky answered back.

“That payload you just stole… How much you make off it, huh?” She snapped.

Suddenly Bucky’s stomach dropped as he slowly put together what had happened.

“How much, James?” She hissed again.

“$85,000.”

“God damn it, James!” Y/N bellowed. “You really can’t think about anything other than the money, can you?”

“Doll, what am I missing here? It’s not like I stole your drugs.” Bucky held up his hands in surrender as he stood up and moved out from behind the safety of his desk.

It was a risky move.

“I’ve been planning that interference for a month!” She shook her head.

“Doll, calm down. I’ll give you the money,” Bucky tried to reason.

“It’s not about the fucking money!” She yelled at him. “I was going to plant that payload and use it to frame Rumlow and Rollins.”

Bucky’s face dropped when he recognized the two names. The two good-for-nothing, wannabe gangsters. They were too stupid to be successful, but hungry enough to still make trouble in the city. But, at the moment, Bucky was only remembering their confrontation with Y/N at the gala months ago.

“Jesus Christ, doll, I had no idea. I’m sorry.” He rubbed his face in frustration.

“Can you imagine what I look like to my crew? My men come back to tell me our deal was fucked up because my boyfriend took the drug load I was supposed to use. You made me look like a fool, James.”

Bucky took a step forward, wanting nothing but to comfort her with his touch. But her eyes were filled with fire and warning, so he kept his distance. “Y/N, you gotta believe me… I would’ve never got my men involved had I known anything about this.”

He didn’t think there was anything worse than having his girl be mad at him, to look at him with such rage.

But then Y/N’s face dropped to disappointment and dejection. And Bucky realized it was so much worse.

“You know, James, maybe…” She stop and took in a shaky breath. “What were two opposing mobsters thinking, dating each other like they lived in some kind of stupid fairytale?”

Bucky realized what she was trying to say. His eyes widened and his heart started beating rapidly as he took a quick step toward her. “No, doll, don’t even start going there.”

But she was already shaking her head.

“We’re not rivals, Y/N. We never were and we never will be,” Bucky urged.

“It doesn’t matter. We run in the same world and this is going to keep happening,” She argued.

All signs of anger had disappeared. In its place, Y/N only had hopelessness.

“James, I think we should–” “Don’t. Please, Y/N, don’t do that.” Bucky begged. His voice shook as he did it.

This time he rushed forward to her. But she quickly backed away.

“I’m gonna go,” Y/N told him weakly, making sure to keep her distance.

Despite wearing four-inch heels, Y/N sped out of the office with the grace of a ballerina.

Bucky moved to go after her. But he didn’t even know what he would stay to keep her there. Maybe she had wanted to leave him for awhile and this was just the first excuse she came upon.

“Fuck!” Bucky bellowed as his hand punched the wall. The blow cracked a dent in it.

———

Bucky’s penthouse had never seemed so quiet and cold.

He’d grown used to Y/N’s warmth filling it up. Over the months, she was there so much that she basically lived at his place.

Before their argument, she has told him she would head over there after work. Bucky had promised to make her dinner. (He’d tried to learn cooking more and more as soon as they started dating.)

But Y/N never showed up.

Bucky felt sick as he started to believe this was really how things were going to end between them.

Were they fools for thinking they could make it work?

The two deadliest mob bosses of New York City dating each other. It did sound ridiculous. Almost like the premise for a cheesy sitcom.

Bucky had fallen so hard for her, he never even questioned whether it was possible for it to work. He only knew that he wanted it to.

He tried calling Y/N. He sent her nearly a dozen text messages. All went ignored and unanswered.

Bucky knew he fucked up. Y/N held herself at a ridiculous standard when it came to her work. Nothing was every simple; nothing was halfheartedly executed. She always had a plan b or even a plan c. He could only imagine how much work and resources she had put into that job. And it was all for nothing, because he ruined it for some petty cash.

———

Y/N had locked herself in her apartment for almost a week. She decided to take some time away from work. She’d made a fool of herself and her crew after the their big job ended up being a bust.

Fury was the one to convince her to take some time off.

So there she was, lounging on her couch in leggings and a hoodie. She’d ordered takeout for all three meals of the day and had no regrets about it. She was currently waiting on her dinner to arrive.

She was on her fourth documentary for the day when there was a gentle knock on her door.

Y/N jumped up, realizing how starving she was even though all she had been doing the past week was eating, working out, and watching TV.

But when she opened her door, she was not met with her takeout.

Bucky stood before her. He wasn’t wearing his usual three piece suit. Instead, he was wearing black jeans, a hoodie, sneakers, and a denim jacket. Y/N didn’t even know that Bucky owned a hoodie.

Her eyes quickly moved away from the outfit when she took in Bucky’s face. He had messy scruff from the pure laziness of not shaving. There were shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep. His hair was a shaggy disorder, desperately asking for a trim.

“We need to talk,” Bucky told her firmly.

Y/N realized he had two coffees in his hand. He held one out for her like a peace offering or a fee that would allow him inside her apartment.

“Bucky…” she sighed.

“No. I let you have your space. Now we’re talking.”

Y/N blinked at his steadiness. But then she found herself taking the coffee out of his hands and moving aside to let him in.

They walked into her kitchen. Y/N took a seat on one of the stools at her island. However, Bucky seemed too tense to even consider sitting.

“You need to tell me right now if you want out. If you don’t love me and – ” He stopped and took in a short breath. “Were you too scared to end things? Are you just using that bust as your out?” The words came out quick and loud, like he had been rehearsing them over and over again.

He continued, “If you are, then I’ll go right now. I’ll leave you alone and I’ll stay away,”

She knew it was a real promise, even though the very idea would break his heart.

“I do love you,” Y/N inserted before he could keep going.

It made Bucky freeze.

“You do?” He whispered.

Y/N scoffed. “Yes, you idiot.”

“I don’t want to fight with you, Y/N. I don’t want you to be mad at me. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

Y/N sighed and ran a shaky hand through her hair.

“We were living in our little paradise for too long, Buck. And that deal was the thing that finally popped it. What are we gonna do when something worse goes down? What happens when one of my guys accidentally kills one of your’s or vice versa? We both know our power depends on our wrath and the reputation that follows.”

Y/N shook her head at the idea. “What happens when the person everyone expects me to seek revenge on is you?”

“What if I throw it all away?” Bucky asked quietly.

Y/N’s face fell. “What?”

“What if I gave away this life? I left it behind and never went back.”

“Bucky, that’s absolutely ridiculous! You built an empire! You can’t just abandon it!”

He shook his head. “You don’t understand…”

“What, Bucky? What could I possibly not understand?” Y/N yelled.

“I’d do anything to keep you!” Bucky finally yelled back.

That shut Y/N up.

“You asked me to fight for you,” Bucky whispered. “So that’s what I’m going to fucking do, okay? There is nothing in this world worth doing if it means I lose you. Nothing.”

“I’m not asking you to do that. Because you would never ask that of me,” she whispered back.

“You didn’t ask,” he quickly replied.

Suddenly Y/N rushed off the stool and into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder. Bucky instantly wrapped his arms around her body and held her close. God, he missed the feel of her. He missed her scent, her warmth. He missed her.

“As far as I’m concerned, my gang and I work for you now, you hear?” Bucky told her confidently. “That’s the only way this is going to work. If people know we’re connected, the miscommunication goes down to 0. We’ll share the same enemies, but will be stronger together.”

Y/N pulled away to look up at his face. “You’ve already thought this through.”

“I tried to think more like you, doll. Come in with a plan b,” he smirked shyly at her.

“Why didn’t you start off with that?”

“I just needed to make sure you weren’t trying to find an out. I wanted to hear your side before I came in trying to solve everything,” Bucky explained.

Y/N gave him a small smile.

“What?” He asked her.

“It’s just – you’re really trying. You really want this to work.”

“You and I both know that I’m no relationship expert. I don’t know how to do this. And I mean any of it. It’s all new for me,” Bucky admitted with embarrassment.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Well, what I do know is I never want you to be mad at me again. Because that really fucking sucked, doll. Worse than takin’ a bullet, if I’m being honest.” Bucky smirked again.

Y/N chuckled. “Well, you know there’s a silver lining of couples fighting.”

“Oh, yeah? And what’s that?” Bucky asked curiously.

Y/N smiled mischievously. “Makeup sex.”

“I’m unfamiliar. You’re going have to walk me through it step-by-step,” Bucky played dumb.

Y/N let out a loud laugh at his antics.

But then she yelped when Bucky suddenly picked her up by the back of her thighs and brought her hips to his. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, giggling as he led them to her bedroom.

———

Well, tumblr is alive…….for now. Write me love letters before it’s too late and my secret life dies with this website.

#black serpent #black serpent drabble #black serpent universe #mobster!bucky #mobster bucky drabbles #mobster!bucky x reader #gangster bucky au #mafia bucky #gangster bucky drabble

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nemolian · 4 years

Text

Real Genius turns 35—celebrating this cult classic is a moral imperative

Enlarge /

Mitch (Gabriel Jarret) and Chris (Val Kilmer) play young science whizzes trying to build a 5-kilowatt laser in the 1985 film

Real Genius

TriStar Pictures

Back to the Future justly dominated the summer box office in 1985, but it's too bad its massive success overshadowed another nerd-friendly gem, Real Genius, which debuted one month later, on August 9. Now celebrating its 35th anniversary, the film remains one of the most charming, winsome depictions of super-smart science whizzes idealistically hoping to change the world for the better with their work. It also boasts a lot of reasonably accurate science—a rare occurrence at the time.

Real Genius came out the same year as the similarly-themed films Weird Science—which spawned a 1990s TV sitcom—and My Science Project, because 1980s Hollywood tended to do things in threes. But I'd argue that Real Genius has better stood the test of time, despite being so quintessentially an '80s film—right down to the many montages set to electronic/synth-pop chart-toppers. The film only grossed $12.9 million domestically against its $8 million budget, compared to $23.8 million domestically for its fellow cult classic, Weird Science. (My Science Project bombed with a paltry $4.1 million.) Reviews were mostly positive, however, and over time it became a sleeper hit via VHS, and later, DVD and streaming platforms.

(Spoilers for the 35-year-old film below.)

Fifteen-year-old Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) is a science genius and social outcast at his high school. So he is over the moon when Professor Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton), a star researcher at the fictional Pacific Technical University, stops by the science fair to inform Mitch he's been admitted to the university. Even better, Hathaway has hand-picked Mitch to work in his own lab on a laser project. But unbeknownst to Mitch, Hathaway is in league with a covert CIA program to develop a space-based laser weapon called "Crossbow," designed for precisely targeted political assassinations. The only remaining obstacle is the weapon's power source: they need a 5-megawatt laser, and are relying on Hathaway to deliver.

The first act is a nerdier version of the classic fish-out-of-water tale, as Mitch arrives at Pacific Tech and tries to fit in. His roommate Chris Knight (Val Kilmer), is a senior who was once a bright young star like Mitch, but has since rebelled against the high-pressure academic grind and embraced a goofy YOLO approach to life, urging his fellow students to allow themselves to blow off a little steam now and then. Mitch butts heads with Kent (Robert Prescott), a less gifted older protege of Hathaway's who is jealous of the attention Mitch receives. He finds friends and allies not just in Chris, but also fellow science nerds "Ick" Ikagami (Mark Kamiyama) and Jordan Cochran (Michelle Meyrink), a hyperactive young woman who rarely stops talking or inventing gadgets, and by her own admission almost never sleeps.

Then there is Lazlo Hollyfeld (Jon Gries), a former star student who cracked under the pressure and is now an eccentric hermit living in the dormitory steam tunnels. Fun fact: Lazlo's steam tunnel hideout, accessible through Mitch's closet, is an elaborate homage to Leonardo da Vinci. As depicted when Mitch finally figures out how to gain access, it features a multidirectional elevator built out of a small car controlled by a rotating screw. The car descends to a horizontal track and propelled forward by a hidden drive chain. The automated scribbler Lazlo uses to submit over a million entries to the Frito-Lay Sweepstakes was inspired by a sketch in one of Leonardo's notebooks.

Eventually, Mitch and Chris succeed in solving the power problem for their laser, only to realize (thanks to Lazlo) that it will be used to build a powerful directed-energy laser weapon. The five of them team up to foil Hathaway's big military test of the system, in their usual eccentrically ingenious way.

15-year-old Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) is admitted to the fictional "Pacific Tech" to work on lasers.

TriStar Pictures

Mitch's rival, Kent (Robert Prescott) and his rather shady mentor, Dr. Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton)

TriStar Pictures

Mitch's roommate is the equally brilliant but idiosyncratic Chris Knight (Val Kilmer)

TriStar Pictures

Jordan (Michelle Meyrink) surprises Mitch in the men's room with the sweater she knitted

TriStar Pictures

Lazlo Hollyfeld (Jon Gries) is a former genius who cracked and keeps mysteriously going into Mitch's closet—and vanishing.

TriStar Pictures

Mitch discovers the passage to Lazlo's secret lair.

TriStar Pictures

Conked out

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Of course Chris sleeps like a pretzel.

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Chris engineers a "pool party" so everyone can let off some steam.

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Jordan and "Ick" Ikagami (Mark Kamiyama) help Chris and Mitch take revenge on Kent.

TriStar Pictures

"Is that you, Jesus?"

TriStar Pictures

Yes that is a giant pile of unpopped popcorn in Jerry's foyer. All it needs is a bit of heat.

TriStar Pictures

Hacking a defense department laser weapon provides that heat.

TriStar Pictures

Hathaway realizes his system has been hacked.

TriStar Pictures

The team celebrates a job well done.

TriStar Pictures

It fell to film consultant Martin A. Gunderson of the University of Southern California (who has a bit part as a math professor) to help ensure that the science and campus culture depicted in the film were plausible, even if certain liberties were taken. Certain details were deliberately left out, according to Director Martha Coolidge, such as those for Mitch's flash-pumped ultraviolet laser at the science fair, and technical details pertaining to a directed-energy laser weapon. ("We didn't want to inspire any lethal tinkering.")

I've always appreciated how closely the laboratory laser setups hewed to reality: Gunderson himself provided the blue-green argon laser and tunable dye laser used in those scenes. Chris uses a cube beam splitter to create the laser light show announcing the Tanning Invitational pool party that incurs Hathaway's wrath. That said, a 5-megawatt laser had certainly not been achieved in 1985. While Chris's construction of a xenon-halogen laser to solve the power problem was purely theoretical at the time, the underlying scientific details were later outlined in a scientific paper—a fitting example of how science and Hollywood can both benefit from such collaborations.

For the "Smart People on Ice" scene, the crew used a frozen volatile gas, pumped through thousands of feet of tubing beneath the corridor flooring that was connected to a refrigeration unit to keep the gas cold. And as Ick explains when Kent asks him what will happen when the ice melts, the frozen gas shifts directly from a solid to a gaseous state, rather than melting into a liquid.

Then there is the famous popcorn scene that marks the group's triumph over Hathaway. Mitch, Chris, Ick, Jordan, and Lazlo fill his newly renovated house (accomplished with funds embezzled from his CIA grant) with unpopped popcorn covered in tinfoil. They place a prismatic-like piece of glass on the window sill, and hijack the computer during Hathaway's big military test to redirect the laser energy through that window. The kernels start popping, expanding to fill the entire house until it quite literally bursts at the seams.

youtube

Real Genius movie clip: Jerry's House of Popcorn.

In a 2010 interview with the AV Club, Atherton revealed that the studio had six ten-foot-high air poppers devoted to popping popcorn all day for three months, filling a massive storage tank. Since the popcorn had been treated with fire retardant to keep it from combusting, additional measures had to be taken to ensure the birds didn't eat it. All that popcorn was then carted out to a new subdivision being built in Canyon Country just northwest of Los Angeles, and then stuffed inside a Victorian frame house specifically built for the film. That way the crew could pull the whole thing down in the climactic scene, with the help of an elaborate network of conveyor belts, hydraulic lifts, airblowers, and vacuum hoses. "Now they'd do it digitally, I guess, but in those days, you had to pop the dang popcorn and put it in a truck and schlep it out to the valley," Atherton said.

As evidence of the film's enduring popularity with the nerdy set, the Mythbusters decided to test the feasibility of popping that much popcorn with a laser and destroying a house in 2009. The initial test went well: the team successfully popped a single kernel wrapped in aluminum foil with a ten-watt laser. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get a sufficiently powerful laser for their scaled-up experiment, relying instead on a large pan used to cook the popcorn via induction heating. They also built a scaled-down model of the house in the film with a piston on the floor, pushing popped popcorn upward, to see if it could generate sufficient force to break apart the house. Alas, the Mythbusters determined it would require several tons of force. So myth: busted. But it's still an entertaining movie comeuppance.

Real Genius is admittedly a bit cheesy. The plot is predictable, the characters are pretty basic, and the dialogue can be clunky. And it goes without saying that the sexually frustrated virgin nerds ogling hot cosmetology students in bikinis during the pool party reflects hopelessly outdated stereotypes on several fronts. But the film still offers smartly silly escapist fare, with a side of solid science for those who care about such things. And its yearning idealism is a good antidote to the current prevailing cynicism.

via:Ars Technica, August 9, 2020 at 11:25AM

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marril96 · 7 years

Text

Her Devotion

Characters: Rowena, reader

Pairing: Rowena/reader

Genre: Hurt/comfort

Warning: Whump

Summary: Following Gavin's death, Crowley kidnaps and tortures Rowena. Reader rescues her from his dungeon and helps her heal.

Editors: @apritelleorai and @oswinthestrange

A/N: I decided to start writing Rowena without her accent. I’ve only done that because it was hard for me to imagine her saying her dialogue at first, but now that I've written more of her and gotten more familiar with her character, I'm dropping the accented speech.

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Pain.

For the last twelve hours, it had been her entire world. Every little movement hurt. Every twitch and wince would send her body into a frenzy of pain. So she relaxed. She allowed the chains that bound her wrists to hold the weight of her body, resting her head against her arm.

There was no use fighting it. Not anymore. If her son had wished to release her, he would have done so hours ago. She was going to die here. He was going to torture her until she begged him to end her. Maybe it would take weeks, maybe decades. It all depended on when Fergus would grow bored of causing her pain.

Judging by the satisfied look on his face every time he'd strike her, he would never grow bored of it.

A part of her could understand. She had had a hand in sending his son – her own grandson – to his death. As fond as she'd been of the young boy, she couldn't pass on a perfect chance to get her revenge. The urge was too strong. And, to be fair, Gavin had made the choice himself. She'd initially been opposed to it, of course – she wasn't that heartless – but seeing as he'd already made up his mind about it, all she could do was support him.

It had been worth it. All of it. All this pain and suffering had been worth the look on Fergus' face, the tears in his eyes, the agony in his voice. Now he knew what it felt like to have the thing you love most taken from you.

It had been cruel, what he'd done to her. How he'd made her choose between her freedom and the death of them all, and Oskar.

It was only fair for her to make him feel her loss.

She hadn't even had time to properly mourn her adoptive son's death. Fergus, on the other hand, had all the time in the world to miss Gavin.

Rowena had already made peace with her death. She would never get the chance to completely turn her life around, as she had planned. She would never get to see you again and tell you how much she loved you – this time without fear that someone would take you from her. She would never get the perfect life she had always wanted, with you by her side.

But that was alright with her.

She had gotten her revenge. She had hurt her son the same way he had hurt her. An eye for an eye. A son for a son.

As for you… You would be safe. You wouldn't have to run from her son's demons for harboring her. You wouldn't have to hide from the literal devil because of her mistakes. You wouldn't have to sacrifice your comfort and safety, your entire life for the sake of an ancient witch who couldn't even tell you she loved you properly.

After she was gone, you would be free.

Rowena could handle torture. It hadn't been her first time in this very same dungeon, bound by these very same chains. Whatever her son could throw at her, she could take it.

Steps echoed throughout the bare halls. Light and cautious, but loud enough to be heard. Rowena almost chuckled. Had Fergus become bored already? Had he come for round two? The cuts on her face hadn't even stopped bleeding. He'd barely left the wretched cell. Surely he couldn't have wanted to pound on her some more so soon.

The door opened and Rowena raised her head weakly, wincing as the bruises on her neck protested her movement.

"Oh, my god!"

Her tired eyes met yours, wide and frightened. You clasped a hand over your mouth as you took in her appearance, pushing back the gasps that threatened to tear from your throat.

"Y/N?" Rowena asked, narrowing her eyes in surprise. Was this one of Fergus' tricks, or have you really come to rescue her?

"It's me," you confirmed, running to her. "I'd love to have a heart to heart, but we're kinda in a hurry, so we're gonna have to save that for later."

"How are you here?" she asked as you started fiddling with the chains, looking for a way to free her. It was going to be tricky without the key.

"Long story short – as I'm sure you already know, Crowley has a lot of haters here. Some of them owed me favors."

You could have asked for literally anything – it's not often that demons owe anyone, let alone witches, favors – and you asked for her freedom? If this had been anyone else, Rowena would have called them an imbecile. Hell, she considered you an imbecile. Hadn't you realized by now she wasn't worth the fuss?

There was always something with her. The Coven. Fergus. Lucifer. Amara. And now Fergus again. It wouldn't be long before yet another evil thing went after her and, once again, it would be you who would have to sacrifice yourself for her.

"You should've just let me be," she told you. "I'm not worth it."

"No way in hell – no pun intended – and yes, you are. Don't make me give you a cheesy sitcom speech," you chided.

Rowena chuckled, which prompted another wince. God, how pathetic she was, all cut up and bruised. She wasn't sure she would be brave enough to look herself in the mirror. What must you have thought, looking at her pathetic form? You'd seen her injured before, but never to this extend. She had no doubt that you would care for her the best you could, but a part of her still hated that you had to see her like this. She was the older one in this relationship. She'd had centuries of experience and wisdom, not to mention power not many witches could measure up to. She was supposed to be the one to protect you, not the other way around.

You caught her as the chains slipped off her wrists, helping her get steady on her feet.

"Can you walk?" you asked.

"Aye," Rowena replied. Despite being in pain, she still had some strength in her legs. Her wounded stomach would protest her movements, no doubt, but she could take it until you got her out of this hellhole. Or at least she hoped she could. "I think so."

You gently cupped her cheeks, mindful of the injuries covering them, and tilted her head up to look her in the eyes. "Stay strong for just a bit longer, okay? A few more minutes and this is all over."

Easier said than done, Rowena thought. Not many could handle an entire night of torture. For the last twelve hours, it was nothing but pain for her. Punches. Strikes. Slaps. It was a wonder she was still able to talk, considering the amount of times her son's fist connected with her mouth. She knew you meant nothing but the best for her, but she wasn't sure she could be that strong, confident witch you knew her as.

You seeing her this broken was a huge blow to her pride as it was. If she was to stumble while you were getting her out of this place, she didn't know how – and if – she could ever recover from that. It wouldn't just be a failure to you – she'd fail herself just as much. She would never be able to live with herself if her weakness put you in danger, after everything you'd done for her.

As if you'd read her mind, you added: "If, at any point, it becomes too much, let me know. I'll carry you."

As if that would make her feel any better. Didn't you see that she was only dragging you down? "What about Fergus?" she asked, fear flashing in her eyes. If he was to catch you attempting to break her out, he would make you pay. He told Rowena, during one of his many rants in-between the torture session, that his punishment to you would be her death. He had no intention of going after you – losing her would have been enough for him. This, however, would change things. Rowena wouldn't be surprised if he killed you in front of her to torture her further.

"He's out with the Winchesters," you replied. "Don't worry. If he comes back, I won't let him hurt you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," she said. She could take whatever torture her son could inflict on her. It was you she was afraid for. She was the one who dragged you into the mess that was her life. It wouldn't be fair for you to pay for her mistakes.

"Rowena, I've got three hex bags and an angel blade. I'll be fine. And so will you." You made sure to emphasize every word. She wasn't getting hurt on your watch. "He will never hurt you again. I promise."

Rowena gave a small nod. If she wasn't in so much pain, she would have laughed. Sometimes she forgot how protective you could be. Then you would do something like this and remind her of your devotion. What had she done to deserve someone like you in her life? Someone who loved her so much that she would risk her safety, her life, for her. Someone who didn't think her weak despite her wounded appearance. Someone who would protect her at all costs. Despite all her misfortunes, Rowena truly was the luckiest woman in the world.

She threw an arm around your shoulders, leaning against your body for support. "Hold on tight," you instructed.

The first few steps were difficult, but once Rowena regained her composure, thanks to leaning most of her body weight on you, she managed to keep up. Every movement hurt, every step followed by a pained hiss or a gasp. Rowena wouldn't say it out loud, but your words of encouragement helped. Her wounds hurt, but hearing you say how what good of a job she was doing and praising her for her strength made her feel a lot better. She could do this. She could escape this horrible place and find refuge in your tiny, warm, warded apartment. Safety was only a few meters and a car ride away.

You'd barely made it halfway to the door when she doubled over, clutching her stomach, her hopes of freedom crushed in a split second. Damn Fergus! Did he have to hit her that hard?

"This is hopeless," she said, struggling to even her breath. Her attempt to straighten up elicited a moan as her injuries protested the movement. "Just leave me."

"Not gonna happen," you said defiantly. "Either we both leave or neither of us does. I am not leaving you."

"You're a fool."

"I am," you said with a nod.

How could you be so nonchalant about this? This was your life you were talking about! Couldn't you see what you'd gotten yourself into, bursting into a place of danger for a person who wasn't worth it?

"Instead of moving on with your life, you broke into Hell for a lost cause! And now you're going to die because you're too stubborn to realize that the perfect life you're dreaming about is never going to happen!" she snapped, barely keeping her voice below a shout, all the hurt and anger that had been building up inside her over the last twelve hours spilling out. "Fool!"

Instead of being offended, you looked bored. "Are you done?" you asked, shooting her an incredulous look. If she thought she could get you to leave by spouting nonsense, she was gravely mistaken. You haven't been dating her for so long – and loving her for even longer – to fall for an obvious attempt to push you away. You may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but you weren't that stupid. "You should know by now that doesn't work on me. I'm not leaving you. Period. You can hate me for it all you want, but I'm here and I'm taking you home whether you want it or not!"

"Stubborn girl!" Rowena said. As baffling as she found it, your protectiveness flattered her. No one had ever loved her that much. No one had ever put her first, above even themselves. No one had ever risked their life for her.

She realized, with a sinking feeling in her gut, that she was being ungrateful. You'd come all this way, used up all the favors demons owed you, and put yourself in danger for the sole reason of freeing her. And after you get her home, there was no doubt you would do your best to make her comfortable and provide her with care no one had ever provided her with before. Last time she'd been in this dungeon, her son had left her chained up and alone for weeks. He'd given her no medicine, no healing salve, nothing to ease her pain. You, on the other hand, would tend to her every need until she got better.

"Sue me!" you shot back.

Rowena sighed, and then took a deep breath. This was going to be difficult. "Y/N, I…" How do you apologize when you had never done that before? Apologies weren't in her nature. Guilt wasn't in her nature. How was she supposed to put what she felt in words?

"I'm sorry, too," you said softly, understanding what she'd meant without her having to say it out loud. "We can finish this at home. You think you can keep going?"

Rowena nodded. "Let's go." This would hurt like a bitch, but it was going to be worth it. Mere minutes parted her from the backseat of your car, where she could finally rest. And afterwards, mere minutes parted her from a warm bath and a safe bed. She could make it. She had to. It wasn't just her life that was at stake here – it was yours, too.

For you, she thought, reminding herself of what was most important. She couldn't let all your hard work go to waste over a little bit of pain. She was stronger than that. She could beat it just as she'd beaten it all those other times before. If she could rot in this place for weeks three years ago, chained and bruised and miserable, then she could walk a few meters to the car.

With all the hisses and swallowed yelps, the two of you made it to the car. It took a lot of out of Rowena, both physically and mentally. She instantly threw herself on the backseat, screaming as she landed on her injuries. "Take it easy," you said worriedly. As much as it hurt, though, she appreciated the ability to let it out freely, without fear that some demon would hear and try to lock her back up – or even worse, snitch on her to her son.

You'd given her the hex bags while you were driving, opting to only keep the angel blade. Rowena held them to her chest, clutching to them as if her life depended on it. If Fergus was to find her, that could very well become reality. Rowena was aware of how desperate she looked, huddled up with hex bags on the backseat of a car, but all sell-consciousness was thrown to the wind now that she was finally free. Her pride would heal along with her injuries. The most important thing was that neither Fergus nor his demons could hurt her anymore.

Parking in front of your building, you took a quick sweep to make sure no demons had followed you. After being convinced that the coast was clear, you helped Rowena out and, letting her lean against you for support once again, led her inside. You were both grateful your building had an elevator. Going up the stairs with a person who could barely stand would have been a nightmare for you both.

Rowena collapsed on the first thing she laid her eyes on, which happened to be your couch. A pained moan escaped her mouth as bursts of pain shot through her like electrical sparks, sudden and aching. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to just throw herself down like that. Considering everything she'd been through, though, no one could blame her from craving comfort. She brought her hands to her sides, the bruises covering her abdomen instantly reacting to her touch.

This was going to be a problem. If it hurt this much now, she didn't even want to think about how much it was going to hurt later. How was she going to sleep if every movement hurt as much as the beatings themselves, if not even more?

The answer to her question came in the form of a pill.

After locking the door and checking on the Devil's Trap underneath the mat, you went to grab the first aid kit you saved for emergencies (though not quite as dire as this one) and took a pack of your pain relief pills. You set the kit on the coffee table and sat down next to her.

"It's a painkiller," you explained when Rowena gave you a look, silently inquiring about the medicine you were offering her. "It won't numb everything down, but most of the pain will be gone for a few hours."

Rowena nodded, taking the pill from you. You handed her a glass of water and she gulped the pill down, her face scrunching at the bitterness. You chuckled.

"That face you just made was so cute," you explained when she frowned.

She smiled. You could be so silly. Overprotective and too prone to worrying at times, and at the same time so random. "Thank you," she said, taking another sip of her water.

You nodded in response. "Give it a few minutes to kick in."

You took her hand into your own, squeezing it for comfort. Rowena gave a squeeze back. She couldn't put in words how appreciative she was of you, of your care. Not many people would go to such lengths for her. Most would leave her to rot in that dungeon and laugh at her misery. After all, she was a wicked witch. Who gives a damn if someone like her gets tortured and murdered?

You do, she told herself. You'd always cared about her wellbeing. Even when she was chasing after Lucifer, you cared. You loved her in silence, but your concern had been very vocal. Rowena had dismissed it back then. She would never make the same mistake again.

You pulled her sleeves up for an inch to inspect her wrists. Rowena sighed in relief at finding no open wounds there. The chains that bound them had been firm. Her milky skin bore traces of deep red and purple. These bruises would take days, maybe even weeks, to heal.

You drew closer to inspect her face, tucking stray locks of hair behind her ear. Rowena winced when your finger grazed a cut covering her right cheek.

"I'm sorry," you said.

"It's fine," Rowena replied. It was just a jolt of pain. Nothing to be concerned about. There were bruises on her abdomen that hurt more than you accidentally touching her cut. She'd be lying, though, if she said your concern bothered her. It felt good to be cared for for once in her life. She hadn't experienced this kind of kindness since the time Oskar's family took her in.

Oskar… Rowena's heart clenched with grief. She wouldn't betray you like that. Not ever at the cost of her own life or freedom. She'd barely gotten over the loss of her stepson. She wasn't going to make the same mistake with you. She was going to love you to the very end. No matter what happens, she was going to put you first. Gone were her selfish days. If you could risk your life to rescue her, she could very well return the favor.

You have no idea how much I love you, she thought, looking you in the eye. A small smile played on her lips. She would remember everything you'd done for her. Every bit of kindness you'd shown her, every kind word you'd said to her. She would remember it all. Maybe this was her way to happiness. Not doing horrible things and telling herself it's fine. Maybe you were the thing she'd been missing all along, her way to happiness, her hope for a better future.

Maybe with you she could have it all.

"What?" you asked, noticing her strange expression.

Rowena shook her head, smile widening. "Nothing."

You gave her a smile of your own. "You're gonna need stitches," you told her, looking from the cut to her cheek to the one below her eye.

Rowena shook her head once again. "Just put some gauze on them." She'd been in enough pain as it was. There was no way she was letting a needle anywhere near her skin. Besides, she'd healed up just fine without stitches last time.

"Are you sure?"

"Aye."

"You don't trust me with a needle, do you?" you teased.

And there was, well, that. "I would be lying if I said I did."

You both chuckled. It felt good to let a bit of normalcy creep in. It seemed as if it was ages ago that the two of you laughed without a care in the world. In reality, it hadn't even been a full day.

Fergus' torture had taken a lot out of Rowena. She was going to need some time to readjust to normalcy. Being chained up and mercilessly beaten tends to do that to a person.

You cleaned her wounds with utmost care. Rowena stayed silent throughout the procedure, save for a hiss when you accidentally poked the split flesh while positioning the gauze. She understood your concern, but she couldn't comprehend why you felt the need to apologize. You didn't have to do any of this. Taking care of her had been a courtesy on your part. So what if you accidentally hurt her? It was nothing in comparison to what her own son had done to her. He had, after all, been the reason for this whole mess.

Soon enough both cuts had been cleaned and dressed, the pieces of gauze covering them secured with tape. Rowena realized, with a relieved smile, that most of her pain had disappeared by the time that you finished with her cuts. Sudden movements still hurt and her bruises were as sensible to touch as ever, but simply sitting there and breathing brought no pain.

"How are you feeling?" you asked, looking her over to make sure all wounds had been death with.

"Good," Rowena replied. "Your pill is working."

"Happy to hear that." You took her hand and laid a kiss to her knuckles, then another to its top. Then you cupped her cheeks and looked her in the eyes, your lips widening into a big, bright smile. "You're going to be okay."

Rowena could tell from the tone of your voice that you were telling it to yourself more than to her. You needed her to be okay. Just as she depended on your care, you depended on her wellbeing. You didn't like seeing her in pain any more than she liked being that way in front of you. You loved her too much to not let her injuries bother you. Her weakness may have wounded her pride, but when it came to you, it brought nothing but fear. Fear that you would lose her. Fear that you would be unable to help her.

"Of course I am," Rowena said. "I have you to thank for it."

"Thank me by getting some rest."

She most definitely could use some. She wasn't sure whether it was everything that had happened or the pill you'd given her, but she had gotten quite sleepy. "I could use a nap," she said. "Would you mind fetching me a blanket?"

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable in bed?"

"I'm good here," she assured you. Because you're here, she thought to herself. She'd be all alone in the bedroom. Here she had you to watch over her.

"Okay. Whatever you want."

She kicked off her shoes and got comfortable while you went to search for a blanket. It wasn't easy to find a good position to sleep when almost every movement hurt, but Rowena managed it. She laid on her side, facing the opposite wall. Her eyes settled on the edges of the Devil's Trap sticking from underneath the mat. The apartment had been warded against angels and demons per her request months ago, back when she'd returned to life and feared Lucifer's retaliation. You insisted on the Devil's trap. "Just in case," you'd said. Demons were sneaky creatures. Who knew what they could come up with in order to get inside and take her?

Now this very same Devil's Trap gave Rowena comfort. It wasn't even the Trap itself – it was the fact that you wanted it there, and that you checked up on it to make sure it still stood strong. You always had her best interests in mind. She was a fool not to realize it sooner.

To think that she went for Lucifer when you'd been there all along, loving her in silence, sacrificing your chance at happiness for her… Rowena had made plenty of mistakes, and that her been one of her biggest ones.

She was startled from her thoughts by you placing the blanket over her, making sure to cover her entire body. She reached for your hand when you moved to step away, grabbing your wrist. She wasn't entirely sure why she did that. All she knew was that she needed you to stay. She couldn't be alone, not after everything she'd gone through tonight. No warding or Devil's Traps could make her feel as safe as she felt when she was with you.

It was strange to depend on someone after centuries on depending on nobody but herself. One part of her was frightened. Another one was happy that she'd found someone who loved her just the way she was, without forcing her to change.

She was changing, but it wasn't for you. It was because of you. Being with you made her a better person, make her appreciate all she had and taught her that love isn't weakness – it's strength.

"I'll be right here," you told her as if you'd read her mind. You leaned down to lay a kiss to her temple, then tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe."

That was enough for Rowena. She released your wrist, looking you in the eye. "Thank you."

You smiled at her. "Get some sleep, sweetheart. You're tired."

Rowena looked you over, frowning at the dark circles surrounding your eyes. When was the last time you'd slept? "Aren't you?"

"I'll be fine. Coffee will take care of it."

You gave her hand a quick squeeze to assure her of your words, but Rowena wasn't convinced. You were sacrificing yourself yet again. She was going to have to come up with a way to repay you.

"Sleep well."

Rowena doubted she would, but she appreciated the kind wishes. Giving you one final smile, she closed her eyes. Within minutes she found herself in dreamland. Much to her surprise, there were no nightmares, no pain and torture and wicked smirks on her son's mouth.

Instead, there was nothing. Blissful, peaceful darkness she appreciated more than anything.

Next chapter: Her Gratitude

#rowena #rowena x reader #rowena macleod #spn fanfic #supernatural fanfic #spn fanfiction #supernatural fanfiction #rowena macleod x reader #hurt/comfort #whump

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emotten · 7 years

Text

Writer Questionnaire

Part One: The Writer

· Do you use a pen name? Explain why you chose it. I use my initials: E. M. Otten. I do not particularly care for my first name, and that’s really the only reason I went with my initials instead.

· Describe your writing process using just one word. Chaotic.

· What genre do you write most often? YA Fantasy

· Who is your favorite character that you’ve created so far? I really like Flip, a new character who will be introduced in Shift: Abomination. He’s a wild and fresh addition to the story. But, as far as characters I’ve already introduced, I am I big fan Adam Bliss (from Crooked). His story was really fun to tell and I love the friendship that blossoms between him and his partner in the book.

· Are any of the characters you write based on people from your real life? Explain. Not really. Certain mannerisms or things a character says are inspired by the people in my life, but I would feel too strange basing a character off of a close friend or family member.

· What is the most important thing that becoming a writer has taught you? I’ve learned a lot about myself, who I am and how my experiences have shaped me. I’ve learned about a lot of mythology and lore than I never knew about before, so that makes research fun. And, of course, I’ve learned that this is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life; writing.

· If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing? Acting? Trying to direct? I don’t think I could dream of doing anything outside the entertainment industry.

· How do you choose character names? Something I look up names by meaning if I want the character to have a certain type of symbolism. Other times I’ll hear a name or see a name and use it, and then look up hundreds of surnames and their meanings and say the names out loud to see if they fit together. It’s actually one of the hardest and most tedious parts of my process.

· Do you prefer typing or hand writing? Typing, only because my brain works faster than my hand can write. Typing allows me to keep up with my thoughts faster. But there is something special about handwriting.

· Describe your work space. I have a portrait of Deadpool next to my desk, and lots of trinkets to inspire me; jars full of pens and paintbrushes and twigs with fake birds on them… A lot of weird stuff.

Part Two: Books

· What is your favorite book? This is a hard one! There are so many. But the one I pick up the most is my collection of works by Edgar Allen Poe. I read a little from this book almost every day, and I try to create a visual story in my head as I read. It’s a sort of creativity and adaptation exercise for me that freshens up the jumbled thoughts already in my head

· Who is your favorite author? James Patterson is the author I own the most books by. But I’m not sure I’m ready to clai a favorite author just yet.

· Do you remember the first book you read that meant something to you? Explain. When the Wind Blows, by James Patterson, was given to me by my dad when I was young, and I just remember feeling so connected to the character of Max. (She was like eleven years old, her physical description matched mine, she had a heart of gold and a sarcastic defense system that worked quite well.) That book drew me into a whole new world of fiction and opened me up to new book genres.

· What genre do you read most often? YA Fiction, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery.

· Who are your favorite characters from a book? Why? One of my all-time favorite novel characters is Will Herondale of Cassandra Clare’s The Infernal Devices series. He’s funny, handsome, and charismatic, but he’s also kind of an asshole at first. His journey is one I’ll never forget.

· Who are your favorite villains/anti-heroes in a book? Why? I don’t think I need to explain why Severus Snape of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is one of my absolute favorite novel anti-heroes.

· Do you remember the first book that made you cry? Explain. Ugh. I read The Kite Runner in school and it really wrecked me. I remember sitting in the quiet classroom, trying my best not to sob, but it was too much. That book is rough.

· Do you have a “guilty pleasure” book or series? Explain. Not really. I display all my favorite books with pride! I do get shit from my friends sometimes about the abundance of YA vampire fiction that lines my shelves, but hey, everyone has their own thing, right?!

· What’s your favorite novel trope? I love when the hero of a story comes from a small town or something like that. Plain, un-special protagonist somehow discovers they have what it takes to save the world.

Part Three: Film

· Does film sometimes inspire your writing? Yes! Sometimes it helps me break free from bouts of writer’s block.

· What is your favorite film genre? Why? I love thrillers and horror, but I also adore comedy. The best for me is when a movie contains both terrifying suspense and witty, well-timed comedy.

· List three to five of your favorite films. Scream; Fight Club; For a Good Time, Call; Choke; Stuck in Love.

· Who is your favorite character from a film? Why? This is a hard question to answer. But the first character that I thought of was Fred in Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto. There’s just something about Fred that makes him interesting and intriguing and you want to know more. He’s totally nuts, and clearly has some deep issues, but his issues are never really explored and his insane behavior serves as a really unique source of mystery and intensity for this otherwise pretty calm film.

· What’s your favorite film trope? Has to be the old horror trope when playing “guess the killer” and it ends up being the guy who they said in the film was definitely not the killer.

· Who are your favorite villains/anti-heroes in film? Why? I will always, always have a place in my heart for Billy Loomis and Stu Macher of the first Scream film. First of all, two killers? That was a big mind-f**k for me as a kid. And the way these characters are portrayed is just perfect.

· If you had to write the reboot for any film, what would you choose and why? I suppose if I had to, I would choose something really, really old but not all that popular. There’s this old Martin & Lewis film, At War with the Army that I have loved since I was a kid, and while I don’t usually like “war movies,” anyone who’s seen this knows it’s a lot different. So if I HAD to do a reboot, I would want to bring the genius of Martin & Lewis into the modern era and introduce younger people to the classic comedy I grew up with.

Part Four: Television

· What television genre do you watch the most? Why? Fantasy, Drama, & Comedy.

· Do you have a favorite television show? If so, what is it, and why? I have a lot of favorite TV shows, but if I had to choose one I’d have to go with American Horror Story. There’s just nothing like it out there and every season is fresh; new characters, new story, new shocking scares.

· Who are your favorite fictional television characters? Why? I really love the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There’s nothing more to say.

· What’s your favorite TV trope? The love triangle, of course!

· Is there a character death/departure that still haunts you? Jon Snow, of Game of Thrones; even though he ended up coming back to life, it was the TV death that rocked my world. I think my neighbors probably thought someone was actually dying inside my house the night I watched that episode. I screamed, I cried, I threw things.

· Who are your favorite television villains or anti-heroes? Why? The Vampire Diaries had a few anti-heroes and villains that really stuck with me. Klaus Mikaelson and his family of Original vampires struck fear and worry into viewers for multiple seasons. They were so well created, and their story was so intricate, that they got their own spin-off show! Kai Parker was another incredible villain on the show; a sociopath with the ability to absorb magic from others and use it against them. He was a true baddie, with no weaknesses and nothing to lose.

· If you had to write a reboot of a television series that was on air the year you were born, what would you choose and why? Ha! I was born in 1989 and most of the shows on TV back then were cheesy family sitcoms. However, Cheers was also on air, which is an incredibly underrated classic coke-bottle show that I love and adore. I’ve always wanted to create a new, modernized version of Cheers, and maybe someday I will.

· What’s your go-to series to binge watch? Usually I’ll choose a comedy series or something I have watched before, because chances are, if I’m bingeing, it’s because I’m sick or hungover or something and I’ll definitely fall asleep. That being said, I usually go for something funny like Always Sunny, Parks & Rec, How I Met Your Mother, or 30 Rock. If I’m in more of a drama mood, I’ll stick to my old favorites like Dawson’s Creek, The O.C., The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, Being Human, Teen Wolf, or Buffy.

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ecotone99 · 4 years

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[RF] An Old, Broken ship

Edith Palfrey stares at the human wreckage that had once been her father. He is sleeping fitfully; with his gaunt frame, he looks like a skeleton covered in bedsheets. A thin rivulet of spit runs down one cheek, and she reaches out to wipe it with a tissue, tossing it into the trashcan near the bed. She lifts an overhanging bit of sheet to check the collection bag for the catheter and sees that it is only a quarter full. The catheter is the type they call a Texas catheter, which some people also call a condom catheter, which gives you a better idea of how it works. Needless to say, it took her quite a while to get used to putting it on and taking it off of her father--though if she were completely honest, she would tell you she had never really gotten used to it.

Edith reaches over and brushes the hair away from her father’s face with her hand; his hair is as white as snow, with thin patches where she can see glimpses of his scalp. It is hard to believe how thick and dark that hair had once been, in another lifetime.

She steps out of the room as quietly as she can and goes into the small kitchen, where her tea is finished steeping. She removes the Lipton bag from the cup and tosses it into the trash, then tears the end off of a packet of equal, measuring half the packet out into a spoon. She stirs it in and adds a dash of milk, then drops in a single ice cube to cool it down just a little. Taking a tentative sip, she nods her head in satisfaction before taking her cup of tea to the living room, where the TV is still on with the volume turned down.

Edith takes a seat in the chair that has always reminded her of the one Archie Bunker always sat in on All in the Family. She leaves the volume turned down as she watches some crappy sitcom she doesn’t really like play itself out on the screen while taking small, satisfying sips of tea.

After a while she starts imagining what is going on in the show, making up a storyline to go with the wordless images she is seeing. A tall, older gentleman steps out from behind a curtain he’s been hiding behind, and Edith decides that this man must be the Blonde’s father, and that he has been hiding because he doesn’t want her to know that he is secretly seeing the Brunette. She can almost hear the reaction from the studio audience, one of those cheesy ooohs that always accompany a scene were something racy is hinted at. Just then a younger man comes bursting onto the screen, and the camera cuts back to the Blonde, the Brunette, and the Dad/Secret Lover. They all look a bit sheepish, and when the camera cuts back to Young Guy, he looks perplexed. As the camera hangs on him, Edith imagines the Brunette saying something off-camera: “This isn’t what it looks like.” And the audience laughs.

Finishing the last sip of tea, Edith picks up the remote and hits the power button, and the TV goes blank. She goes to the kitchen and slowly washes and rinses the cup before leaving it upside down in the dish rack to dry. She shuts off the kitchen light and makes her way down the hall to the back bedroom to check on her father. She cracks the door just a bit and peers inside; there’s not enough light to see anything, so she opens the door just a little more to let in some of the light from the hall. A gasp escapes her and she rushes into the room, flipping on the light as she goes.

Her father is lying on his side on the floor, wedged between the bed and the bedside table. It takes some time (especially with him fighting her the whole way) but she gets him back up onto the bed. Some noises escape his throat, noises that might have been words if he could still talk.

“It’s all right, Daddy. You’re okay; you just had a little accident.”

Then the stench hits her, and she realizes just how right she is. She lets out an exasperated sigh, then immediately feels guilty for having done so. She knows that none of this is his fault. He had once been a happy, outgoing, man--a man’s man, her mother had called him. It all started when he began having trouble remembering things, and eventually, the road had led right here, to this room, to this night, and all the nights to come. The dark secret that lay in her heart, the nasty thing that she would never admit to anyone, that she could barely admit to herself, is that she often hopes that there won’t be many more nights to come.

“We need to get you changed,” she says.

She gets a pad and fresh pair of protective underwear from the linen closet (she can’t think of it as a diaper, never that) and sets it on the bedside table. Then she lifts her father and slips the pad under him to catch any spillage. She then works on getting his soiled protective underwear off of him, mindful of the catheter tube snaking out of one side. The soiled pair gets rolled up and thrown in the trash. She uses some wet wipes to clean him and then gets the fresh pair of underwear on him. She lifts him up on his side again to slip the pad out, rolls that up, and tosses it into the trash. As she works, she pretends that she does not see the tears in his eyes, or see the trembling of his too-moist lips. She can’t bear to see those things, and so she just doesn’t. She covers him with his sheets and gives him a quick kiss on the forehead before taking the bag out of the trashcan and tying it in a knot. She shuts off the light and shuts the door, then takes the bag of soiled things to the kitchen, where she stuffs it into the kitchen trashcan.

For a moment she stands in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. Then she walks slowly to the study where her father used to while away the hours once upon a time, reading, writing correspondence, or just napping (though he always denied that last one). She turns on a lamp and soft light bathes the room in a warm glow. She touches a few of the books lined up on the shelf: Gulliver’s Travels, Don Quixote, The Collected Works of Poe. She moves over to the desk in the corner where her father used to sit happily writing letters, and not-so-happily looking over the latest electric or heating bill.

Mounted on the wall over the desk is one of the scale model ships he used to build as a hobby. He had built at least a couple dozen of them over the years; the others were carefully packed away God knows where, but this one has always been his favorite, and so it was set on a shelf mounted on the wall of his study. It is a 1/50 scale model of the HMS Bounty. It had been up here on this wall ever since Edith could remember. She had often seen her father take it down and set in on the desk to just look at it, almost as if he were surprised that he had actually made such a thing. A few times she even dared to take it down herself, but never while her father was home.

As she looks at it now up there on the wall she can see that time has taken its toll on the ship. A few of the sails sag where they should be taut, a few scuff marks mar the hull, and the mizzenmast is bent slightly out of shape. She thinks that the ship must have taken a tumble from the wall at some time in the past; it must have happened when she was away, living her own life away from the house where she had lived as a child. For just a moment she considers taking it into a hobby shop to see if it can be repaired, put back in its original condition. Then she decides against it; why spend money just to fix something that will just stay hidden here in the study, where nobody will see it, anyway? She moves to the doorway and takes another look at the study, inhaling deeply the smell of the room, still retained, that smell that is so distinctly her father. Then she turns off the light and closes the door, leaving the room and its ghosts in darkness.

Edith leaves the house and slowly descends the porch steps. She walks to the street, turns right, and starts walking. At the stop sign she stops and turns back to look at the house that had been her home, then was her parent’s home, and now was her home again since her mother died and left Edith as the only one to take care of her father. There were a few lights on, and she couldn’t help thinking that the house looked like a big ship, lost and adrift on a dark sea. She turns and starts walking again, thinking that she will turn around at the place where Oak intersects Ridge. The big night sky envelops the world like a velvet glove, and a cool breeze blows gently in her face, blowing wisps of hair around her head. When she gets to the intersection of Oak and Ridge, she thinks that she will walk to the next intersection, and then she will turn back. But when she gets to the next intersection, she keeps going, thinking that it will be nice to walk just a little farther.

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sending-the-message · 7 years

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His Horoscope Said He'd Be Coming Home by owlcavedev

My boyfriend and I met in a coffee shop because I was reading the horoscopes in the paper.

I know, it sounds dumb. We were both in a Starbucks one morning, both sitting alone, drinking our morning coffees. I don’t even remember what I had that day. Everything was eclipsed by him.

He - Antonio - sat across the Starbucks from me, sipping from his steaming coffee, and occasionally our eyes met. Then they kept meeting. He smiled at me, I smiled shyly back. I felt my cheeks burning. He was stunning. Tanned skin, long dark hair, bright eyes that twinkled at me as he checked me out. Normally I hate being eyed up by complete strangers, but here there was a chemistry, a magnetism, and we both felt it, even divided as we were by a dozen caffeine-hungry patrons and the bustling of baristas.

I didn’t notice he’d approached my table until his shadow fell over me. I was reading the paper, trying not to keep staring, willing myself to build up the confidence to strike up a conversation.

“Horoscopes, huh?” he said. He gave me a broad smile, brown eyes twinkling. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He was confident; I loved that about Toni. Confident, but not pushy. He could read a social situation just as well as I’d later learn he could read a boardroom.

I gave him what I’m sure must’ve been a cringey, dreamy look. This wasn’t like me, getting nervous around a man. But my last relationship had been disastrous, although it was six months in the past, and I guess I was out of touch.

“Yeah. Uh, what sign are you?” I asked.

“Virgo,” Toni told me. “September seventh, nineteen eighty five.”

“Oh shit, no way!” I exclaimed. “September eighth, nineteen eighty five here.”

“Clearly fate,” Toni said. His deep voice was relaxing, soothing. I knew - I just knew - that this encounter was going to lead to something more, something bigger.

“‘Virgo,’” I read out. “‘An opportunity will arise that you shouldn’t pass up. You’ll find within yourself a calling to return to a deeply important place: Home. Do not hesitate, go immediately. You may find you arrive just in time.’”

“Well, I had no plans to go back to Italy,” Toni said. “Could do with a vacation, though. I’m Toni, by the way.”

I held out my hand to take his proffered palm. “Nikki,” I said.

“So,” Toni asked. “How would you feel about going to dinner with an older guy?”

Three years later, we’d been living together for 12 months in a lovely town house in Manhattan.

I was pursuing my dream of being an artist, and currently had an exhibition going in a downtown gallery. I’d sold a number of paintings, and I was on a buzz from that. Toni, who worked for a large New York architectural firm, was away on business in Phoenix. He went away frequently, travelling the country and even going overseas when work took him. Oftentimes, I’d go as well, my schedule as an artist allowing me to take off and accompany my boyfriend on his treks.

Not this time, however. The exhibition was in full swing, and I had to stick around in the city to field calls from prospective buyers, and drop in on the gallery from time to time for meet and greets.

That evening, having returned from the gallery to an empty house, I sat dejectedly on the couch, idly watching the news. I could barely stand it. Murders, rapes, violence, all on my doorstep. Toni was an aching hole in my heart. I wanted to feel his arms around me, to snuggle up against him, pretend the world was okay, if only for a night.

Instead of Toni, I was joined on my couch by my surrogate comforter. Boston, my tabby cat, leaped up onto my lap. I scratched her head as she nuzzled into me, purring. I sank back into the seat, changing the channel to some cheesy sitcom, and massaged the stress headache from my temples.

The exhibition was going great, but I was being messed around by a prospective buyer, and that annoyed me. He’d reserved my most expensive piece, a huge oil portrait of a woman in a doorway, but he hadn’t completed the sale. Instead, he’d been calling and emailing, wanting to meet me. At first I’d arranged to meet him at the gallery and he’d never shown up. After that, he kept asking me out for dinner. Clearly I wasn’t interested, and I wanted to tell him to get stuffed, but Natalie, the gallery owner and a dear friend, had convinced me otherwise. The guy was about to drop a lot of money, after all, if he actually bothered to seal the deal.

When my phone rang at just gone ten in the evening, I expected it to be the buyer yet again. Toni had told me he’d be out with clients until the early hours of the morning, so I shouldn’t expect a call until the next day at least. When I saw Toni’s caller ID on the screen, his name plastered over the smiling photo of him that I’d attached to his contact entry, my face lit up.

I answered. “Hey baby,” I said. “Didn’t expect you to be calling tonight!”

On the other end of the phone, I heard whistling, like a strong wind blowing against the handset. A few clicks too, like a distant operator trying to make a connection. And was that breathing I could hear over the wind?

“Babe?” I asked. Had he butt-dialed me?

On my lap, Boston let out a little mewl, and jumped to the floor, staring around discontentedly.

“Toni, you there?” I asked.

When he spoke, his voice sounded distant, muffled. “I’m coming home,” he said. “I’ll be home tomorrow night.”

This was news to me. He was supposed to be there until the weekend. It was only Tuesday.

“Oh, really? Everything okay?”

“I’ll be home tomorrow night,” Toni repeated. I could barely hear him over the sound of the wind.

The call went dead. I looked at the phone in bemusement, shrugged, then smiled at the thought of Toni being home earlier than expected. I fired off a text - ‘Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Have a good night. Love you.’ - and decided to take an early night.

When I awoke the next morning, I saw I had four missed calls from Toni. Sometimes when he was away he’d get a little tipsy and call me in the early hours of the morning. I always pretended to be exasperated by it but in truth I was happy just to hear his voice, even if it was at one in the morning. I regretted sleeping through my phone going off. It would’ve been nice to speak to him, hopefully with a better connection.

I checked the time. Eight in the morning. Too early to call Toni. If he’d been out with clients all night, he’d be sleeping in. He never got hangovers, something I deeply envied him for.

Forgetting about the calls, I went about my day, working on a couple new paintings I wanted to hang in the gallery before the exhibition ended. Progress went well, and mid-afternoon I took a break and called Toni. No answer. I waited a bit and tried again. Nothing. Didn’t go to voicemail either, which was odd, although I assumed that was a byproduct of the poor cell reception he clearly had where he was.

Around six pm, just as it was getting dark, Toni called me. I answered, pleased to hear from him.

“I’m coming home. I’ll be home tonight,” Toni said. The same strange line disturbance was still there. If anything, it was worse now. It sounded like he was standing on a clifftop, the wind snatching his words from his lips so they only echoed into the handset.

“Are you at the airport?” I asked. If he was getting in tonight from Phoenix, he should be leaving any time now.

No reply. Just the strange line disturbance whistling in my ear. I waited, repeating his name, trying to reach him. If he heard me - if he was replying - then I wasn’t hearing it. In the end I hung up, the sound from the phone starting to give me a headache. I’d see him soon, I figured. No sense trying to battle with a poor connection.

At seven pm, he rang again. Same disturbance, same distant voice. “I’m coming home. I’ll be home tonight.”

Same thing at eight pm. “I’m coming home. I’ll be home tonight.”

For a moment, I wondered if it was some kind of recorded message. Was there such a thing that allowed you to record a message and have it sent to someone else’s phone as a phone call? Could be Toni tried using a service like that and it had gone awry, repeating the message. It’d explain the dreadful connection, anyway. But the calls were coming from his phone. An app, maybe? I googled, trying to see if something like that existed. I couldn’t find anything. But it had to be that. He’d be on the plane now.

At nine pm, the phone rang again. Toni. I picked it up. This time I didn’t bother speaking. I wanted to see if he said the same things. To try and discern whether his tone and inflections were the same, prove to myself it was a recorded message.

“I’m coming home. I’ll be home very soon,” he said.

A different message. The same line faults, the same whistling, but clearly a different message.

“Toni, can you hear me?” I asked. I was getting a little freaked out now. What was he playing at? Had he rented a car or something instead of taking his flight back? I had no idea.

When he hung up that time, I tried calling back. It rang and rang and rang. I tried a few more times. Nothing. Boston rubbed up against my legs and yowled. I went into the kitchen and fed her, then returned to the couch, one eye on the phone and the other on the TV. More bad news. A severe-looking police chief sitting behind a row of microphones, talking gravely as a picture of a smiling couple floated in the right hand corner.

“This is not what I need right now,” I said, changing the channel. Boston looked up at me quizzically.

“Momma can’t deal with the world at the moment,” I told the cat, reaching down to pet her.

As it got closer to ten pm, I braced myself for Toni’s next phone call. I hoped I’d hear his voice, close and clear, saying he’d just landed. The conversation even played itself out in my head, the pair of us laughing about the poor reception, Toni explaining what had happened in his deep, comforting voice. Then I’d wait for him to get home, take him in my arms, listen to him talk about his business trip. We’d watch the news together; I could handle it when Toni was there. The horrors and the evils of the world seemed a little less dark when we were together.

At ten to ten, the doorbell went, startling me and causing Boston to flee from the room. I stood up, muting the TV, leaving my phone on the arm of the couch, excited about seeing Toni. I walked into the hallway and saw a figure outside through the frosted glass. I couldn’t make out any details, but from the build it looked like my boyfriend. My mouth parted in an impromptu smile and I rushed to open the door, ready to jokingly admonish Toni for making me get up and let him in instead of using his keys, even though he always rang the doorbell when he’d been away. Just one of our rituals.

I threw the door open and the smile froze on my lips. A police officer stood there, glancing around awkwardly. His build matched Toni’s, but his skin was pale, clean-shaven. He wasn’t Toni. This wasn’t Toni.

Why wasn’t this Toni? Why was there a cop on my doorstep?

It took the cop a second to notice I’d opened the door. His eyes met mine and I felt something inside me drop away. His mouth twitched in sympathy and I could see his Adam’s Apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed dryly, clearly looking for the words.

“Ma’am? Miss Nicola Goldfarb? May I come in? I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

I nodded, numbly, turning without a word and heading into the living room. I heard the front door close and the cop’s heavy footfalls following me. I collapsed onto the couch. My head felt like a veil had been draped over it. No tears, no breakdown, not yet. Just a dark, doomed sense of inevitability.

The cop took a seat on the armchair. I heard a hiss, and saw Boston crouched under the coffee table, her back arched, mouth open at the cop. I knew how she felt. I wanted nothing more than to scream at the cop too, to tell him to get out, to never darken my door again. If I could do that, if I could stop him from telling me what I now knew he was going to say, maybe it wouldn’t be true. Everything could go back to how it should be.

“Mr. Antonio Russo is your partner, correct?” the cop asked. His voice sounded reedy, nasal. It instantly annoyed me. Everything about the officer - his appearance, his sound, his presence in my house - was a cancer suddenly growing unbidden in my life. I hated him, more than I’d ever hated anyone.

I knew he didn’t deserve it. I knew he was just doing his job. I nodded silently. I couldn’t even look at him.

“I’m afraid your boyfriend was found on the bank of the Hudson earlier this afternoon,” the cop said.

I knew what he meant. Not my boyfriend. Not Toni. Toni’s body. Here, in Manhattan, not in Phoenix, Arizona. I didn’t know what this meant. I didn’t know what any of it meant, save for the fact that Toni was dead.

But he called you, a voice in my head said. He’s been calling you all night.

“Are… are you sure?” I said. There must’ve been some mistake. Toni wasn’t even in New York right now.

“We’re absolute certain, ma’am,” the cop said. “We’re treating the death as suspicious. We believe Mr. Russo was murdered.”

I could barely take in what he was saying. My ears were ringing, as if a wind had risen up, drowning out the cop’s words, perforating my eardrums with a rumbling that threatened to muffle my world.

“I’m going to need you to come with me down to the station, Miss Goldfarb,” the cop said. “As his next of kin, we need you to identify the body.”

The whistling in my ears died as suddenly as it had begun. The cop’s final sentence echoed in my head.

I frowned. “Next of kin?”

Toni’s mother was his next of kin. We’d even joked about this, recently in fact. “She’d kill me if I changed it to you,” he’d said jovially, when the subject came up. Then he’d shrugged. “Italian moms. You’ll understand when you get to know her better.”

“Yes, you’re down as his next of kin,” the cop was saying. “I really need you to come with me, ma’am.”

I looked at the cop. Was it just me, or did his uniform look cheap, ill-fitting? Was it just me, or did his cap perch on his head just too high, like it wasn’t for him?

Was it just me, or had he failed to show me his badge when I’d answered the door?

“I’m gonna need to see some ID,” I said, steeling myself on the couch, not wanting to make any sudden movements. Either I was in danger, or I was mistaken. I had to play it cool.

The cop stared at me for a moment, silently. I thought I saw a look of anger flash across his face. My breath hitched in my throat. I started to rise and the cop rose too.

“Of course, ma’am,” he said. “Let me just…”

We were both standing now as he reached into his breast pocket, the two of us locking eyes across the room. The tension was palpable.

When the cop removed his hand from his pocket, he wasn’t clutching an officer’s badge. Instead he held a small taser. Adrenaline coursed through my body.

This was no cop.

The story from the news flashed through my head. A husband, murdered. A wife, missing. The husband found in a landfill. No sign of forced entry at their home, from which the wife had been taken. Theories that the killer/kidnapper had either known the victim, or otherwise tricked her into letting him in.

At that moment, I knew precisely two things as absolute truths. One, Toni really was dead. Two, I would not allow his killer to make me his fourth victim.

The cop - the fake cop - pointed his taser at me. “We coulda done this easy, lady,” he said. His voice was deeper now. Less affected. Angry. Violent.

I froze, waiting for the taser to fire, bracing my body for the jolts of electricity that would render me immobile. My eyes darted back and forth, looking for the best direction to run, a weapon, anything.

On the arm of the couch, my cellphone began to ring. From where I stood, I could see the display, see the smiling face that appeared in conjunction with the name. Toni.

The cop saw it too. His eyes flicked down to the phone then back at me, too quick for me to make my escape. He opened his mouth to speak, a frown creasing his brow. Then, the color began to drain from his face. His jaw dropped open. I could see the hand that held the taser beginning to shake.

He stumbled back. The backs of his legs knocked against the couch. He was trembling openly now, his mouth opening and closing. I saw the dark spread of urine blossoming at his crotch. I stared, confused and terrified, still petrified of the taser pointed in my direction.

The cop wasn’t looking at me. He wasn’t looking at me at all. He was looking over my shoulder. The hair prickled on the back of my neck. I couldn’t turn around, I didn’t dare, I knew I couldn’t risk turning my back on the cop in case this was some kind of ruse. But I could feel someone there, a presence behind me. And suddenly, all the fear drained from my body, replaced by a feeling of perfect, total calm.

The cop wasn’t calm. Tears were running down his face. The taser fell from his hand and dropped soundlessly to the carpeted floor. He reached to his belt, for the gun holster hooked there.

I should’ve flinched. I should’ve moved, should’ve ran. But the calm held me completely, absolutely, and I stood there watching as the cop stared over my shoulder, hands trembling so hard it was all he could do to unholster his gun and raise it. The barrel clicked metallic against his teeth as he inserted it into his mouth. His finger twitched over the trigger.

Bang.

The cop’s brains splattered the clean white wall, the bullet punching plaster in a puff of debris. His eyes shifted from over my shoulder to gaze upon me now. Then he collapsed backwards into the armchair, his ruined head bouncing off the back of the headrest.

Everything was still.

As I stood there, staring, the sensation of calm drained away. I whirled around, suddenly, desperately needing to see what the cop had seen.

The room was empty, of course.

I reached down for my phone, unlocking it, preparing to dial 911. How I would explain it, I had no idea. But I knew, as much as I knew that I myself was alive, that Toni was dead. Whether they’d found his body or not, I had no idea. But they would find it, and the other missing woman. They’d look into this guy, this fake cop, and justice would be done, his victims laid to rest. Like a voice whispering these truths into my ear, I simply knew this to be true.

Before I could dial 911, my phone rang. It didn’t surprise me to see Tony’s smiling face on the display. I answered it and held the cell to my ear.

“Hey baby,” I said, letting the tears finally flow freely.

On the other end of the line, the wind whistled and static crackled. Toni’s voice sounded even further away now. I could barely hear him. But I could still make out his final words.

“I’m home.”

#reddit #nosleep #scary #story

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