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rukiakwashere · 3 years

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Chasing Last Summer

An amazing experience while working with talented artist for the @grishaversebigbang

Corporalki:

@gimmedafood

Materialki:

@anubem (link to art),

@bookish-ginger (link to art),

@wellwatersurprise (link to art)

Summary:

As Jesper is trying to settle down, away from cards on the Van Eck estate with Wylan alongside him as a work partner, wondering what to do with his father’s empire, they both start thinking of what they want. The Summer they left behind them went great so maybe it was time to get something serious going on. While busy reordering their priorities, Wylan receives a letter (more like hides it) and it all goes downhill after that...

Jesper boards a ship... The Wraith makes a visit and convinces some cane-dude to tag along... Some Grisha appear... And Wylan may or may not fulfil one of Kaz’s lifelong dreams

tl;dr Post-Crooked Kingdom Wesper making their best to figure out themselves and each other.

Ao3 Link : https://archiveofourown.org/works/33678499/chapters/83698627

[Chapter one under cut]:

Jesper looked at the clock on the wall for what seemed like the twentieth time in the meeting. He fidgeted on his seat looking left and right spotting both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Men and women, mostly old, everyone much older than he was.

Wylan was on his left, completely still and focused on the woman speaking loudly, moving her hands animatedly to make her point. Jesper thought that her hands were too distracting, he really couldn’t make what the point was with so much waving around. Wylan on the other hand seemed to perfectly understand. He nodded a lot when anyone paused, he offered his opinion when asked and he conversed easily with all the businesspeople around him. It suited him, Jesper thought. Wylan Van Eck looked like a businessman in his own right. His young and calm presence made people trust him and his ironed black and white suit made them believe he was one of their own, refined elite.

Jesper, on the other hand, didn’t know what to make of himself. His long legs never remained in the same place for more than mere seconds and his awkward posture as he tried to fit on the chair always brought on curious and sometimes annoyed stares. People weren’t used to seeing someone like him sitting on their expensive and elegant chairs. They simply weren’t made for him.

Still, Wylan never commented on anything. Sometimes he caught Jesper’s stare in a meeting and all he did was nod- like he was on autopilot. Jesper didn’t know what to make of it. Was he just another face in Wylan’s business-related crowd? Sometimes he wasn’t that sure if Wylan was only keeping him around because of the promise they had made months ago. Was he just pitying him?

Jesper didn’t know if being Wylan’s secretary was the lowest or highest point of his life to date.

Occasionally, he wondered what life would be like if he had never made that deal, not being Wylan’s eyes. Nina’s offer echoed in his ears. Ravka… Would he dare to leave home and become a Grisha? Probably not.

He would have been back at the Barrel, sitting at a gambling table spending the money he had till it vanished. At least working with Wylan saved him from going broke again, he concluded. Still, was he happy with where his life was at now? Spending his days waiting for the next meeting, talking about things he had little interest in with people that didn’t interest him?

Wylan though… The ginger’s presence was steady and when they weren’t in a meeting, he was okay to be around. Jesper didn’t mind his presence, he rather enjoyed Wylan’s witty remarks and random facts.

The past few days though, the ginger seemed less and less enthusiastic about anything. Dark circles seemed to have formed permanently below his eyes and he seemed to be sighing a lot – and it didn’t seem to be because of Jesper’s breathtaking presence.

“Wy?” Jesper mouthed, poking the ginger’s shoulder lightly. Wylan didn’t seem surprised, turning discretely towards him with a tired smile.

“What happened?” Jesper read the ginger’s lips.

“You cool?”, he mouthed back.

~~~

Wylan had the audacity to snort, suppressing his laughter at Jesper’s question. He opted for a small hands-up and a smile that nearly reached his eyes. Sincerely, he felt tired and spent.

He didn’t know business. Kaz had taught him the basics, which felt more like the principles of manipulation, bribery and theft – which Wylan had decided pretty quickly, were better than nothing.

His father had given up on him early on, realizing Wylan’s bad relationship with letters would make him a bad businessman and would let people exploit him freely. His father never imagined, though, his son would have found Jesper, the only person Wylan could put his trust on fully - and did so every day.

Jesper was the one responsible for what came in and what went out, who might prove beneficial and who was to be avoided. He read stacks of papers daily, and even though his legs wouldn’t stop moving and tapping the floor, he read them all and reported every line he found even slightly useful back to Wylan. While all Wylan could do was sit and wait, pretending the numbers he could make out at the sheets in his hands were enough.

He didn’t understand why Jesper was still there. His awkward fidgeting at the meetings they attended together made it clear that he felt out of place. Wylan was sure Jesper was longing for action, his revolvers out, not hidden inside his jacket. Sure, they were sharing their profits but was Jesper missing the Slat? Did he want to go back to risking his life every day? To feel the thrill of chasing and being chased? Was Jesper still around him out of pity, trapped in a promise he had made while in action, when he wasn’t sure if he would make it out alive to see the next sunrise?

Maybe, it was the same as his awkward confession, a stupid phrase that kept replaying in Wylan’s mind even though he had hit stop months ago. Maybe I like your stupid face.

Wylan was annoyed with himself about how a six-word sentence that nearly insulted him made him feel so tingly and weird inside. He soon realized though, as the battle came to an end, as his dad backed off, as Kaz won whatever feud he had with Pekka Rollins, that some things that are best left unsaid can rise in the heat and uncertainty of a battle and what happened between him and Jesper had been one of them.

We were fugitives, bounties on our heads. Of course, some emotions would be misunderstood, Wylan repeated in his head.

What happened with Jesper was one of them. Wylan was passable and the time they had spent together just- was like that. It meant nothing more. Jesper might have kissed him twice, or once – damn Kuwei – but as things calmed down and they went back to their lives, old and new, he didn’t approach him again in that way - apart from the occasional flirting - and Wylan… Wylan felt really stupid to have expected something more.

Wylan poked the side of his cheek, annoyed with himself. This wasn’t time for his thoughts to be drifting. The meeting… He had to speak with Lady Kadrir and make sure their agreement held,even though the head of the Van Eck family had changed and he needed to speak with that white haired man and give his condolences to that Lady and so many things he had never pictured himself doing ever before.

He never expected to be here. When his father still tolerated him, Wylan dreamed of a music school and maybe joining a theater orchestra with his flute. Even when his father decided otherwise, he still hoped for a demo-related work at the Crows or maybe someone reaching out and joining a traveling band… never business. His father had made it clear early on that he was not suited for that and it was the only thing Wylan and his father had agreed upon. He wasn’t sure he would like it… and he had yet to decide.

Business was… weird. Wylan’s perspectives of it had been two; one when he was growing up, seeing his father busy with paperwork he was always signing… and then, there was business the way the Dregs did it. Meetings under the fold of darkness, sometimes gunshots sounding along, a gambling parlor expecting tourists and sailors from far away…

Yet, what he felt he was doing on his own, was different. Sure, Jesper seemed to be writing and reading tons of stuff but Wylan thought of business as constant meetings, a lot of useless information in his head and a relentless bell ringing in his head reminding him to be polite yet entitled. That was the way.

At first, he liked being good at it, memorizing estates, meeting people that didn’t look at him down their noses, because Wylan Van Eck possessed property the same way they did. He sat and talked and traded in the language they understood.

Still, that feeling had slowly drifted away, as the bell in his head rang louder and louder. He felt lost and disconnected, yet he wouldn’t stop. He was more determined than ever not to give up. Those meetings had come to be the only place where he felt like he proved his worth. The only thing he could be good at and be of use.

“Mister Van Eck.”

It was his turn to speak.

“As my father retired and passed me on new property, I’ve made the decision to establish a reliable network around the Van Eck brand.” Words scripted and exercised in front of a mirror, delivered to an audience just like in a theater.

It’s fine. I can work like this. At least that’s what he convinced himself as he went on with his speech.

~~~

#gvbb21 #gvbbfic21 #chasing last summer #grishaverse #wesper #wylan van eck #jesper fahey #fanfiction #post crooked kingdom #post-canon #grishaverse big bang

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disruptedvice · 6 years

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Two wrongs don’t make a right (but a double negative does make an affirmative)

A fluff/humor Peraltiago get together one shot

That Monday was the slowest day at a police precinct since police were even invented. The slowest day in history for cops and criminals (no robbers to catch, no nothin'). The slowest day since police even started being a thing, according to Jake Peralta.

It was the most boring day at work he had ever had. And it wasn't just him that thought the day was boring. Everyone was bored. Terry, Charles, Rosa, Hitchcock, Scully, and even Santiago was bored. She loved boring stuff. She got excited by boring stuff.

But even that Monday was too boring for Santiago.

Just paperwork, and then when that ran out it was just sitting there. There wasn't even enough paperwork to go around.

Jake never understood minesweeper and just clicked around randomly to blow stuff up, and he never had a hope of getting down the rules of solitaire. Eventually he resorted to just doing that select slide blue square with his cursor on his desktop over and over again because he was that bored.

He was so bored he couldn't even find the will to entertain himself. He couldn't be bothered to even try. Boyle kept trying to show him funny videos on youtube, but Jake was too bored to even give them a chance and just groaned every time Charles made the trip between their desks until he just stopped trying.

It was that boring.

He wasn't even tired enough to fall asleep, but he wished he was. Sleeping at his desk would be way better than this drag. But he was too awake to even get in a quick snooze and it was killing him. All this nothing.

Amy loved boring tedious stuff, but that day was too boring to even catch Amy Santiago's interest. She looked just as dead and faded as everyone else and started drawing circles on a sheet of paper because there was no paperwork to fill out after so long in. Jake would kill for some paperwork because he wanted something to occupy him other than banging his head on the desk, cause that got old (and painful) after 60 seconds.

About half an hour after Jake got home from the gray hell of work he got a text.

Amy: Are you busy? Can we talk?

Jake: I'm free as can be. You wanna come over? Or meet up or something somewhere

Not a second after he sent the text there was a knock at his door and he opened it to find his partner standing on the other side.

"I was already in the elevator when I realized I probably should have checked if you were even home first so it would be a little less rude," she explained looking like a mix between apologetic and hesitant as he let her inside.

"Is everything okay?" He asked out of genuine concern. Amy didn't do stuff spring of the moment, and she never just popped in on people. She always gave advanced notice on any and everything, and she never stopped by anyone's place for a visit just because she happened to be in the neighborhood. So he assumed it must be bad for her to forget to warn him until she was already in the hallway of his apartment building. He was actually afraid that someone might have died, but she didn't look sad so he hoped it wasn't a death related house call.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to talk to you," she said with a half smile that made him doubt her reassurance. She took a deep breath before launching into what seemed to be a pre-planned opener into whatever she wanted to talk about.

"You know what, Jake? We're cops."

"Yeah, Ames. I know that."

"We could die tomorrow. We're always in mortal danger."

"I don't know where you're going with this..." he trailed off, half expecting her to go into an existential crisis of their chosen profession.

"I always think about what would happen if we go wrong and how that'll affect everyone we work with. But we could die literally any day. So screw everyone we work with, because if I die I want to have fucked you the night before. Or that morning. I put my life on the line and I've earned the right to be happy with you and not worry about everyone else being happy with us. But it's not like we know exactly when we're going to die, so we're just going to have to have sex on a regular basis. As in dating. You and me dating. Boyfriend girlfriend dating. This is me asking you out. If you want."

She realized that was pretty forward of her, but she decided that forward was what she needed to be. She needed to be forward and lay it all on the line exactly what she wanted from him. Because she wanted him. And from her speech it made it sound like she was sure he was going to say yes, but she wasn't sure. She decided to phrase it like she was sure so she wouldn't back down out of fear. But it was more than probable that he wouldn't want that anymore. Their timing with each other never matched up in a way that worked. But she decided that it was a good time for her and prayed that it was a good time for Jake too. A good time for both of them, at the same time. Instead of it being a good time for her and a bad time for Jake. But she went in with the hope that it was a good time for the both of them.

After she finished asking him out in a way that she thought might make him laugh (her rambling was unintentional and she didn't exactly think about phrasing the words that came out of her mouth, but afterwards it seemed like a style of confession that Jake would appreciate). But he didn't laugh, or even smile. Just silent with no response, and she realized that it probably was a bad time for Jake. Just another case of mismatched timing between the two of them.

"So let me get this straight, the most boring day since ever was the day you realize our job was so dangerous and basically yolo?" He asked, still trying to piece it all together.

"It was kind of like an epiphany," she explained. "Random perspective. You can say no. I totally get it if you've moved on from feeling all romantic-stylez about me" she informed him, dropping her confident act so he wouldn't feel bad about rejecting her when she seemed so expectant of him. Cause he was just standing there staring, and she figured that since he hadn't said yes yet he was just trying to find the best way to say no. She really did it overkill with that whole speech, didn't she? It definitely would've been a billion times less awkward if she just asked him out like a normal person instead of her almost dying speech. God, this was a huge mistake.

She wished she could just turn and walk straight out the door, but she knew she couldn't leave until he actually said a word. At least one word. She couldn't leave without him telling her yes or no. She needed an answer from him.

"God, please say something, Jake. If that sounds like something you want to do then okay, but if you don't just say no. Or something along those lines. If you don't want to do a whole romantic-stylez dating thing with me just say no and I can go," she pleaded for him to give her an answer so she wasn't just left wringing her hands in wait all night. Wringing her hands only a few feet away from him waiting for him to say a word.

"Nuh-uh. No way. Not at all," he said like she was crazy to even ask and her face fell flat. Of course she was hoping he would say yes, but he didn't need to be such a jerk about turning her down.

"Wait – I'm not saying no to you," he hastily tried to correct himself from her reaction. And he looked half frantic with flurried hands so she had no clue where he was going with it. "I'm saying no to what you're saying. I'm saying no to your no. You're wrong about how I feel. I mean, you're right, but your last few sentences were wrong. I mean... fuck," he swore before giving up and kissing her.

His hands tangled in her hair was so much better than seeing them fumble around in the air a moment before when he was talking. A moment before he shut up and gave her probably the best kiss of her life. Definitely the best kiss of her life.

She wasn't exactly expecting the kiss so when it happened all of the sudden her lips parted completely involuntarily and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and ran with it. When he was kissing her like that it wiped all trace of what he said from her mind. She couldn't remember what he said, couldn't even remember what she said. She couldn't even remember what she asked him or what she was doing there when Jake was kissing her like that. When Amy was nibbling on his bottom lip and scratching her nails down his scalp there wasn't anything else in existence. No words, no signals, no messages.

Just the kiss.

She sighed when their lips parted, but he leaned his forehead against hers so even without kissing she still had his breath mingling with hers and their hands still entangled in each other's hair, but he didn't make a move to separate any further than that.

"Yes," he breathed. "That's the word I was looking for. I'm saying yes. No to your no. Yes to your yes."

"You forgot the word yes? And you forgot any other word that could have sufficed?" She wanted to be mad cause he came that close to giving her a small heart attack because he forgot one of the most common words ever, but she couldn't stop smiling and actually chuckled because he was saying yes. He wanted that. Her. He meant yes.

"I kinda forgot most of the English language. And I forgot how to stop speaking too."

"You're such an idiot."

"Is that an epiph-y-thing-y you're just now having too?" And god, with that smile, there was definitely no way she could be mad at him now. And... she was pretty okay with that. She didn't mind.

"So, just to be clear, now that you remember the word yes, that is what you're saying?" Amy knew she probably didn't need to double check, but you couldn't blame her for wanting to hear it again. Truth be told, she wanted to kiss him again too. She wanted to hear him say yes one more time, and kiss him oh so many more times.

"Yup. Yes. We're dating now, no take backsies. You're stuck with me now that I remember word stuff."

"I think I can live with that," she told him, wrapping his arms around his neck and dragging his lips back to hers in a very, long awaited kiss. Now all they had to do was catch up on lost time.

Luckily, they had all the time in the world.

#peraltiago fic #b99 #brooklyn nine nine #fanfiction #peraltiago #fanfic #fluff #humor #jake/amy #jake x amy #jake peralta #amy santiago #jamy #fic #get together #one shot #myb99 fics #my b99 fics #my fic

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oncethrown · 7 years

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2x15 Reaction: Hope and Boobs

This Episode Was Amazing

(except for one consistent problem)

And I’m So Excited

(but seriously you fuckers need to commit to fixing this one thing)

This was the best episode of the entire show so far, and is a clear indication that everything is going up from here. With the exception of the Jace/Valentine exchange, and the couple seconds of Isabelle giving orders, every scene in this episode was about characters talking to each other, and deepening relationships while still advancing plots multi-episode plots which didn’t take over the character stuff. It makes the show feel more anchored and real, like you can finally really sink your teeth into it.

I wrote a big long ask reply yesterday about how I’m optimistic about the new characters, because it signals that the writers are working toward a perfect ensemble mix, and I feel like this episode completely bears that hypothesis out. This was the first true ensemble episode the show has managed, that worked in the majority of the characters, involved all of them in an A, B, or C plot and didn’t short shrift anyone. Everyone got something real to work with and had an important conversation with a key person that both did something with their storyline, and highlighted something about their relationship with the other person. That. Is. Amazing.

And everything built on what came before. This show is still totally within a reasonable time frame to be finding it’s feet and maturing, and this episode was absolutely that point where the path becomes gravel on it’s way to being paved and solid.

This episode also had a feeling like the production team, writers, actors and directors have finally gelled. It’s a massive stylistic improvement over even the last episode.

But Seriously, Write More Women that Don’t Make Me Hate You

However… Shadowhunter’s treatment of women is still pissing me off, (though I have super high hopes for Aline and Izzy after this episode).

The Bleeder Den basically being a sex club full of women in lingerie was lazy and cliche as hell. Simon’s entire storyline revolving around a fridged blond, was also lazy and cliche as hell.

Clary’s inability to go a full scene without crying about a boy makes me want to slap her, and then slap everyone who wrote that scene. I’m really truly sick of all this bullshit. I understand that the writers are constrained by the books, which are popular directly because of all that bullshit, and that their hands are, to an extent, tied and I believe that they are working on it, and that’s why I’m still excited to watch every week.

Clary-wise, I will begrudgingly accept that they need to do some book bullshit first. Because they are racing through the book plot at a break neck pace, and I am willing to believe that at some point, someone will want the lead of their show to be something other than a skinny red-headed version of the average american 13 year old’s diary (back in the 90’s before teenage girls were encouraged to do or be anything other than basically vending machines that money (and possibly sex) would come out of if you put enough boy bands into them first). But right now? It’s not promising, and Clary-the-theoretical-lead being such a dumpster fire makes it that much more enraging when they through in a collage of pointless boobs.

I understand that this isn’t a completely black and white issue, cause the male characters are occasionally pretty shirtless, but there is a difference between girls coming in to audition for “Boobs in Club One, Two and Three” and “Featured Boobs In Club” and that fact that they find some very thin reasons to get Alberto and Matt out of shirts.

Boobs vs. Pecs

1. The Panning Shot

This is really the main thing. The camera consistently runs over Izzy’s body like it’s initiating awkward foreplay with her. It does the same thing to Boobs 1, 2, and 3. The camera presents shirtless men, it caresses semi-naked women. It makes me nauseous and the directors who do it should all be hit with a fish, left gaping at the absurdity of being hit with a fish, and then be hit with a much larger fish.

2. Alberto, Matt, and Harry are prominently featured in the social media featuring working out and fight training .When they are shirtless, there is an element of congratulations in the way they are framed. This awesome dude worked so fucking hard and look at the artisan abs they have cultivated in our boutique gym. “Boobs In Club” are a standing expectation that these girls fulfill, and Kat and Emeraude’s workouts are not marketed in the same way.

3. Harry’s only extended shirtless scene wasn’t sexualized. Alec doesn’t walk into that scene dumbfounded at the sight of him, and Magnus is doing tai-chi magic. It’s almost filmed aesthetically. Beautiful Magnus, in Magnus’s beautiful loft, doing beautiful magic with our new beautiful budget that we want to make a point of. Also, there’s an element of showing off with Harry in this scene not related to his body alone- Harry’s a dancer, the quality of movement he brings to Magnus is amazing, and they are showcasing that talent, not just his bulldozing shoulders.

3. Alec is (with one exception) Incidentally Shirtless. Alec takes off his shirt to access his parabatai rune in over half of the instances he’s shirtless. He’s shirtless for plot, and they don’t do any aching panning shots of him. Also, whenever he and Magnus touch each other, they are showing as little skin as humanely possible. Their first kiss? They are both in full suits. The date? Jackets. That face grabbing kiss? Sweaters. At this rate Alec might be allowed to touch Magnus’s butt while they are both in parka’s sometime in season four. Look at the difference between Izzy crawling into bed with Meliorn in heels and lingerie, and Alec waking up in Magnus’s silk sheets. It’s a very different scene.

The one time the camera is trying not to beat off to Alec is when he’s working out shirtless and Magnus comes in to give him a file, and that pan is very clearly from Magnus’s perspective (while he’s dressed like a Victorian trying to ward off the devil) and it’s a very quick pan.

We are shown Matt, Alberto and Harry semi-clothed, we are sold Kat, Emmeraude, and Random Boobs semi-naked.

4. And then there’s Dom.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that they film Dom like a sirloin steak in an ad for a restaurant that does not sell sirloin steak.

The camera pans over Dom and makes him flirt with it in a scene where Clary is left speechless at the sight of him. It makes it very clear that he is naked while he is boobs adjacent, and then leaves him naked talking to a dissaproving Alec. While he’s imprisoned, his shirt hangs off of him like maybe, just maybe, he might have boobs.

And his body is also strung semi-naked on chains and made a site of violence and penetration.

This is a problem because Jace is the most feminized male character.

I can hear your thoughts. You are thinking “Magnus wears makeup” “Alec is an awkward virgin” “Simon is sweet and nerdy”

Sorry. Everything about Magnus comes back to his power. Circle members in his club? He evicts them with arrogance and magic. Evil Shadowhunter Villainess tries to derune his friend? Defeats her with shiny new law-powers. Drug Dealer in his bar? Gets him the fuck out with a smirk and a couple pointed remarks. And he is fucking ripped, and his magic is a very physical power. Masc as fuck kiddos.

Everything Alec does comes down to paternalistic protection and inherent leader-ness. He has to take care of Jace, he has to take care of the girl Jace likes, he has to save the Institute from the Inquisitor’s racism, he creates a downworld council full of grown ass men way more politically experience than he is and holds his own. They repeat at least once an episode that he’s a natural leader. It shouldn’t, but that codes masculine too.

Simon is always the sweet nerd— but he’d been on screen for less than a minute before he was a sweet nerd with killer abs. He’s had more sex than anyone on the show. He’s in a band. He’s the only one with a car. His father figure/mentor is the manliest man on the show. He pretends to be a serial killer and get shot 10 times. A lot of bullshit manliness boxes get checked by Simon Lewis.

Jace’s storylines revolve around the go-tos of lazy female writing— abuse and romance. He also uses sex (or the promise of sex) to get things (to be fair, mostly in the books) and even though Magnus has 17,000 exes and Simon pulls it’s only when Jace gets promiscuous that the storyline judges him a little. Other men have sex because they want to, Jace has sex because he has daddy issues. Yet another bullshit feminine trope for the one guy the camera tries to hump.

Back To Women: This Time with Optimism

Interestingly, while Clary is at her most insufferable, Izzy and Aline rise.

Aline comes across as very mature, and I love all the little last lingering shots they give her, of her knowing that she is being misled in some way. Also, everyone is thrilled to see her, and the writer’s stroke in as quickly as possible that she is a woman with real connections to the main characters. She and Real Sebastian clearly had a very strong relationship. She knows him, she can tell he’s different, and apparently they were close enough for him to be trusted with her secret about her sexuality. She and Izzy get a totally unnecessary scene together, that just demonstrates that they like and respect each other, and are most likely long distance friends. That is the fucking best.

I was not a big fan of Izzy’s yin fen plot line, but I really appreciate how they are using it moving forward. She’s there to vouch for Evil Sebastian, she’s been matured in a way that makes her fit into the ensemble of Alec and Jace a little easier and now every time she’s put in charge of something, like training Max or leading the mission to transport Valentine, it reinforces that she is smart and competent and deserves it. Especially because her confidence in her abilities is solidifying. She went from “I’m not sure I can teach my little brother shadowhunting” to “Hell yes I will transport our biggest villain to our biggest prison, and I will do a great job and I will look amazing”

Clary didn’t suck in this episode. They gave her character a goal, and Kat gave a much better performance. Also… it was acknowledged that her story wasn’t the most important thing going on, and so it wasn’t given undue time, freeing up everyone else to have interesting plots and creating a nicer balance. Another sign of a solid ensemble being set up.

(But Also where the fuck are Maia and Maryse?)

Live Reactions:

Oh god. They are really going to do this intro every time.

Oh hey! An ENTIRE FUCKING ROOM FULL OF HYPERSEXUALIZED WOMEN EXCHANGING SEX FOR DRUGS. FUCK YOU FOR THIS SHADOWHUNTERS!

That was a weird blink and you miss it sort of scene. But kudos to Will. It takes a great actor to make meaning in a short scene with no dialogue.

Bed head Alec is cute.

Listen to Izzy! Don’t pursue this plot! Go find Maia!

Izzy is back! Authority! Smarts! Let me love her, don’t fuck up/kill/disappear all your women Shadowhunters, goddamnit!

I want to like this scene between Clary and Simon. The direction is great, the lighting is great. Alberto’s choice to go quiet angry is bringing a maturity to this exchange that I didn’t expect… but I’m not invested in this at all and it just makes it aggravatingly over dramatic for a boring 6 episode episode to finally end when we always knew it was coming.

That was a gorgeous exterior shot. Unfortunately, it was by itself much more interesting than the previous scene.

This dialogue is agonizing. It sounds like CC actually wrote it and Dom and Alan are struggling to act it because it’s just so bad.

See, this Simon Luke scene is perfect. This is the kind of scene that would have been amazing between Clary and Luke, especially after Jocelyn was killed, if Kat was capable of creating believable character relationships.

This Izzy Alec scene is the kind of character scene that has been missing all season, and putting this back to back with the Luke/Simon stuff is make the whole show feel more anchored and mature.

Mentor adult Luke is a fantastic direction for this character, and I super wish we had seen this earlier.

This scene of Izzy giving orders is perfect for two reasons: 1. Leader Izzy is so important on a show full of nameless boobs (fuck you shadowhunters) and 2. We are finally getting an episode that is not drowning in plot, and they were able to push the big plot-y thing forward with a quick flash while finally highlighting character driven scenes. This is a big deal, this has been Shadowhunter’s other defining flaw all season.

Super manipulative Sebastian is great. I feel bad for real Sebastian, because you know he must have felt like garbage giving everything up to fake Sebastian, even Aline’s big secret in a world where Alec Lightwood is the only openly gay member of their entire species.

Yes! Run real sebastian! Run!

So much Alley sex in this show.

Oh shit.

Making Luke a cop was a fucking genius move on the writer’s behalf. Absolutely fucking brilliant.

Alberto is really good in this scene.

Oh… I just realized he was turning himself in. Of course he didn’t have to stay in that car. Oh, Simon.

Oh good. Boob time. The screen is dark, but these are all straight shadowhunters. Worth noting. This is such fucking bullshit. There were other ways to do this. Also, fuck you shadowhunters. Hire one fucking director who isn’t a filthy pervert.

(I kind of feel like an unfair equivalence might be being made between kink and murder-y deviancy... but that is so far out of my lane I’m not going to explore it)

Ughhh. At least when Quinn says “some sluts might die” Simon is like “No, we fridged a real person for my character development! She had a name, and was the source of my man pain for a full 5 minutes!”

For all the bullshit that is part of this plot, Simon’s plot during this episode is a super good example of a character entering into this world and not knowing the rules, and then having a whole story about learning to adapt. It’s the story Clary would have, if the writers would 1. Give her a goal 2. Let her actions have consequences.

The acting in this Alec/ Magnus scene is fabulous, the dialogue is fine, the lighting and directing are noticeably fantastic. And it’s fit into the overall narrative really well.

Oh! Oh Shit! Izzy and Aline just passed the Bechdel test! It’s a fucking miracle.

This glamour is not going to work, and it’s going to be so good when Ollie gets back on this. Also, Luke and Raphael working together is great, and yet another example of why this is the best episode. I said that I was getting excited about the way that this show was starting to create a real ensemble, and they are finally doing it well! Yay! Excited!

Clary isn’t the worst in the B plot. AND! They gave her a goal for this episode, (achieve Simon’s forgiveness) and Kat is actually pulling it off. I’m not rolling my eyes every time she speaks. I dig it. Keep doing it.

Well. This camera work doesn’t bode well. Slow motion villains are never a good sign.

Duncan is bad shit. Calling it now.

I’m a genius.

Oooohhhhhhhhh. Yes. This exactly what I wanted. Sebastian has to replace Valentine, Valentine is such a weak villain.

Well. I was not expecting that demon face thing.

#Shadowhunters meta #episode reaction #shadowhunters 2x15

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seriestrash · 7 years

Text

London’s Calling

1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11 || 12

Chapter Thirteen: Attitude Adjustment

Word Count: 2669

☏ ☏ ☏ ☏

The following day Riley met up with Zay. By then he’d learnt of Riley’s arrival through Lucas and was coaxed into giving Riley a letter. The second Riley took the envelop with her name scrawled on the front she knew the handwriting belonged to Lucas. Reluctantly she accepted it and slipped it into her bag.

Twenty-four hours later Riley sits in her London bedroom with the unopened letter resting on the sheets in front of her. Nervously the brunette chews on her thumbnail unsure if she should open it or not. Riley knew the letter could only contain another apology from Lucas, after their talk on the subway she’s sure that would be the nature of the letter but still she cant bring herself read it.

Luckily she’s not forced to ponder that option for very long as her parents call out for her to join them in the living room. Riley picks up the envelope and slips it in her desk drawer. Out of sight, out of mind.

Riley had returned to London determined to give her new life the chance she promised she would when she first left New York. Riley was going to embrace the experience to it’s fullest and embrace it she did. After that day Riley approached everything with a new attitude, everything including her school life. The first morning back since Spring Break Riley approaches a table full of Finn’s friends.

“Hey,” Riley says bravely. Pretending like she wasn’t a ball of nerves.

“Hi,” One of the girls, Michelle, gives her a warm smile, “Finn isn’t here yet…”

“That’s okay,” Riley nods, “Is it cool if I sit with you guys anyway?”

“Of course,” Michelle’s smile widens and she slides over on the bench seat, freeing up space for Riley.

“So how was New York?” One of the guys, Parker asks.

“Eventful,” Riley laughs nervously, praying they wouldn’t press for details which they did lightly but Riley steered clear of any Lucas talk.

The conversation flows naturally until the morning bell rings and Riley walked to her homeroom with a smile. Maybe things weren’t as bad as she believed them to previously be.. That is a thought that sticks with Riley all day, it’s like her own cloudy mind was slowly clearing the more the day went on.

During English Riley is handed back a report she did prior to leaving on spring break. A big A+ is circled at the top of the page and her teacher - the one that gave her a hard time when she first began - gives Riley a congratulatory pat on the back and an encouraging, “I knew you had it in you.” Maybe he was being tough on her because he saw the potential she had? This makes Riley think about how she once wondered if she brought the isolation on herself and she now knows for sure that to an extent she did. That her longing for the life she had back in New York made her paint London gloomier than she had to.

As another week passes things only get brighter for the New Yorker. Little conversations with her friends - yes she now calls them her friends - make Riley smile.

“Mish your hair looks so cute,” Jake says to his girlfriend Michelle as he plays with her golden locks.

“Thanks,” Michelle shimmies one shoulder slightly, “I thought Riley looked positively adorable the first week she wore them so I thought I’d copy. Hope you don’t mind, Ri.”

“Mind?” Riley coaxes her head. For a moment she thought maybe she was being made fun of again but the genuine smile on the girls face made that thought disappear quickly. “Of course not.” Riley smiles at the notion that she inspired something, even as trivial as a pigtails it made Riley feel special for the whole day.

Even with things looking up for Riley it didn’t erase the loneliness she once felt. That empty feeling still weighs on her mind from time to time, mostly when she’s alone with her thoughts but the new perspective she has on things certainly makes the smile she wears more genuine. That and the open line of communication she has with her parents again also helps Riley cope emotionally with things.

On the last day of the school year Finn and Riley sit at her favourite bench, the one where Finn gave her the peace offering (the hot chocolate) and the two look at the pretty gardens surrounding them.

“You know what?” Riley says with a loud exhale, “I think I’m actually going to miss this place.

“Yeah, but not enough to stay,” Finn says with a crooked smile, “New York is where you belong so New York is where you’ll go.”

Oh yeah… Did I forget to mention Riley’s moving back to New York City? Not just with the Minkus’ either but with her whole family. After coming back from the trip during Spring Break Topanga couldn’t help but shake the feeling that she’d made a terrible mistake. As exciting and challenging as her new position was it resulted in her losing touch with the most important thing in her life, her family.

In fact, the very day Riley and Topanga returned from New York - when Cory and Topanga called Riley into the living room - they brought up the topic of moving back to the states.

Topanga being Topanga always had a contingency plan in place, one she set with the help of her husband. London was always going to have a one year trail period. That’s why Topanga held onto the bakery as long as she did and why Cory and Topanga only subletted their apartment rather than give up their lease completely. Also, both Cory and Topanga had their old jobs waiting for them if they ever chose to return to the city. This was all news to Riley and Auggie of course as it was kept under wraps because both Cory and Topanga didn’t want to discourage their children from embracing the move but they still wanted the security of having a backup plan incase things didn’t work out in London.

Riley asked her mom why she wanted to move back and Topanga cupped Riley’s cheek in her hand and explained how she overhead what she said about losing her parents if she left. Comending her once again about how mature she is, willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the greater good.

Riley argues that if they moved back wouldn’t that mean that Topanga would be the one giving up her happiness and dream job. Topanga explained that during their trip back to the states she met up with her mother rather than potential buyers for the bakery. A meeting they’d organised after Topanga cried on the phone to her and the two of them found a way where no one would have to sacrifice their happiness. Because moving home would make her children happy therefore Topanga would be happy too.

So, after a long chat the Matthews decided to finish out their year and return home. Sure things were painful and weird between with Lucas and Riley had the new positive attitude she planned to apply to her school etc. but Riley would’ve been lying if she said that moving back to New York City, with her whole family, didn’t excite her. She’d get to see Maya again everyday and she’d study with Farkle and they’d continue their regular planetarium gazing they did at his apartment once a month where they’d talk and he’d gush about Smackle. Smackle, Riley thought, she’d go home and make certain that Smackle new she was indeed Riley’s friend, not just Farkle’s girlfriend and then there’s Zay whose lighthearted teasing and witty banter would once again bring regular joy to her life.

Riley knew, after a year of being away she wouldn’t just be able to return to her old life, things would be strange and there would be a readjustment period. Then of course there was Lucas, who knows what would become of them if she moved back. If that would cause an obstacle with Riley and her friends. Then there was Rain, whom she’d never met before but in Riley’s eyes the girl is a trigger for her emotionally. Even though it’s not really the girls fault but Riley couldn’t help but fear the impact Rain would have if she moved back. This is a girl that inadvertently caused Lucas to break up with Riley, that and she had been welcomed into her friends, friend circle so facing her would be inevitable. All worries aside, Riley couldn’t help but feel the pros outweighed the cons.

Back to the bench where Riley and Finn sit at school on their last day Finn asks Riley if she’s coming to his end of year party to which she smiles and nods.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Riley beams. There was no nagging required by her parents or by Finn to get her there just a genuine interest in making the most of the time she has left with the people she’s come to care a great deal for.

As the night unfolds Riley has a blast. The goofball is so genuinely happy as she silly dances around the room that her face hurts from all the smiling. Out of breath and tired from all the dancing Riley takes a breather in the kitchen where Finn fetches her some water. The pair make their way up to the rooftop garden, an obvious awkwardness lingers in the air.

Noticing this Riley jokes, “You’re not going to try kiss me again are you?”

Finn gives her a playful shove and wraps an arm around her shoulder. “It would be like kissing my sister now,” he pokes his tongue out in disgust.

Riley giggles and nods her head.

“What a wild year this has been,” Finn exhales loudly and both he and Riley admire the city lights they see from the rooftop.

“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” Riley shakes her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe we’re going to different schools in different countries…”

“If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were saying goodbye,” Finn gives Riley a funny look, his mouth slightly agape.

“I guess I kind of am…” Riley says solemnly.

“Hey, I heard once Smiley McCheese is in your life she’s in it forever,” Finn gives her an intense look.

Riley presses a kiss on Finn’s cheek and pulls pack with a grin. Finn slaps a hand to where she marked him and gasps, “What was that for?”

“Just a bit of fun,” Riley gives him a knowing look and the two chuckle along and return to the party.

Riley’s not sure where he heard the whole forever thing she believes so much in but him adopting it as a belief of her own touched Riley, thus earning him the peck on the cheek but the thought of this stirred up her confused feelings for Lucas. The ones she’s spent two months trying to suppress. Feelings she could now no longer ignore, for that night when Riley returns to her apartment she paces by her desk. Trying to talk herself out of it but curiosity won in the end as she opens the drawer and pulls out the unopened letter. Riley retreats to her bed and sits with crossed legs and slowly opens the envelope and reads the letter.

Dear Riley,

I know you asked for time and I intend to respect that but I can’t help but feel as if I didn’t stress something enough when we spoke. No, it’s not that I’m sorry.. Because I am.. It’s that I genuinely do just want you to be happy. Anywhere in the world, with anyone, always. That means more to me than anything. Even if my jealous, idiotic behaviour seems to prove otherwise.

I know what you said about pretending to be happy makes sense but we pretend to be happy because we care. We can’t force ourselves to like a situation but, smiling anyway? We do that because the other persons happiness is more important than our own. That’s what I meant when I said it. I know you’re familiar with the concept. You’ve always put others before yourself so I ask you not forgive me because you think it’s the right thing to do but because it’s the right thing for you.

Two months, two years, forever. However much time you need and I’ll respect that. I promise you won’t hear from me unless you want to.

With love, Lucas.

Riley knew Lucas was right, about pretending to be happy. Riley had been guilty of doing it for almost a year with her mother. Also, she’d keep certain things from her friends if she thought it would make them happier. Riley doesn’t even know why she said what she did, maybe it was part of her wishing that no one had to suffer quietly. That in a perfect parallel universe that she could be Riley and he could be Lucas and in any form; romantic, platonic or other and they’d be happy.

With a heavy sigh and the letter still in hand Riley flops back on the bed. Riley knew Lucas, even after a year she’s still sure she knows him and she knew that when he felt bad about something he could react in a number of ways. One of which is Lucas being embarrassed for his behaviour, too embarrassed to acknowledge his actions right away. He’d go quiet and hope the situation would do the same. Another way is something Riley always referred to as ‘over apologising’ where Lucas would become neurotic and constantly spit “I’m sorries” until he was convinced he’d convinced them of his regret. Another way - the most common Riley feels - is how Lucas makes a point to show you he’s sorry. He does this by first apologising and then once the conflict is resolved Lucas would be proactive in demonstrating he’s learnt from his mistake. The first example of this that comes to Riley’s mind Lucas’ “you’re too much” comment he made on their first day of high school and how he constantly made the effort to reassure Riley that wasn’t the case. Riley’s knows Lucas doesn’t do this because he feels guilty but because he genuinely wants the person to understand that they deserve better than whatever he did. This is something Riley has always admired about Lucas.

It’s with this knowledge that Riley can only assume Lucas would have found it difficult to respect Riley’s request for time and space. Much like herself Lucas shares the same incessant need to please the ones he cares about. Knowing this makes Riley feel slightly guilty for phasing him out even though Riley knew she had reason too. But, it’s not the guilt or the thought that if she was moving back they’d eventually have to get over it that makes Riley pick up her phone. It’s not even her own incessant need to please the ones she care about, it’s because she wants to. Things would be weird and Riley still wasn’t sure they’d be able to get over it but she was willing to try. With that she texts Lucas.

Lucas thought he was still dreaming when he woke up to the early AM text from Riley. When his mind cleared he replied back to her. Of course he still wanted that, he’d spent two months physically stopping himself from trying to contact her. He’d spent two months trying to think of ways he could make it right should Riley ever speak to him again. Two months wondering if she even read the letter and if she did, did she understand what he was trying to say? Riley didn’t reply to his text and she didn’t have to. Lucas knew Riley was coming home and this text, even though it may be the weakest of glimmers, it gave him hope.

End Note: Again I feel like I couldnt get across what I intended… Sorry if this chapter is choppy with the back and forth but I feel as though I wanted to tell you how much more enjoyable Riley’s last two months were BEFORE you found out they’d be the last two months.

Anyway, the epilogue is next. The FINAL part. 24 hours away :)

Please let me know what you think thus far dksfjsdkjf !!

#rucas #rucas au #rucas imagine #rucas fanfic #rucas fic #londonscalling

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