#either way I should def look at more stories where the last two pairs interact

[melk917]

Should've Made a Pastry (Part 2)

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Warnings: Teasing (lots of teasing), kissing, groping, some fingering (f receiving), and the offer of a threesome

Rating: E (maybe M, but just to be safe)

Pairings: Rafael Barba x f!Reader, Rafael Barba x Sonny Carisi, Sonny Carisi x f!Reader

WC: 5,036

A/N: For those have you who have been waiting for it.... Part 2! I hope the wait will have been worth it. This stretched on to be exceedingly long, so stay tuned for part 3 dropping tomorrow morning.

This fills the 'xmas baking' + 'holiday party' squares for @storiesofsvu’s Holiday Bingo.

BIG thanks to @thatesqcrush for taking a look and helping me through the last efforts for all this when all I was doing was banging my head against the wall.

And for those of you who have never had the joy of a pizzelle, you can def find them at Whole Foods, but they're also really easy to make. They're a traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and flavoring. In the case of the ones in this story, they're anise, as that is the most traditional (at least where my family is from). They're thin and crunchy and great after a big meal!

The title comes from my absolute favorite line in Banana by Anitta & Becky G: “Oh, Willy Wonka, how’d you get so tasty / Mama made a boy, but she should’ve made a pastry”

Days turned to weeks and time passed without further mention of that particular fantasy. It seemed to fade to the background as life took over in the lead up to the holidays, neither of you bringing it up again in such vivid detail. Though, it was never far from your mind… or Rafael’s.

In fact, it had become a bit of a problem for Rafael. It was as though acknowledging the fantasy out loud made into a real, tangible thing, tension present in every interaction. Every glance, every “Am I right, counselor?” took on new meaning, and Rafael couldn’t even look in Carisi’s direction without blushing. He compensated by being even more brusque than usual, cutting down the detective with harsh remarks every time he leaned in.

But much to Rafael’s dismay, it didn’t seem to deter the younger man. If anything, it made him even more eager for validation, more eager for acknowledgment. And it was how he found himself trapped in his current situation.

The squad had posted up in Rafael’s office, bringing a stack of files they had been going through for their most recent case. Rafael was making a conscious effort to maintain eye contact with Olivia as she enumerated the details of the victim’s statement. He was doing his best to ignore where Carisi was perched against the conference table, long legs spread wide, arms crossed as he twisted to the side to peer at the plate of cookies Rafael had laid out for his own consumption.

He thought he was doing pretty well, too. He was focused on the case and not fleeting thoughts of you pressing against his back as Carisi tugged him forwards to stand in the V of his spread legs, trapping him between the two of you.

At least he was until Carisi let out an obscene moan, drawing everyone’s attention. He had a half eaten cookie from the plate in his hand, eyes shut tight in pleasure as he chewed. He made another small noise as his tongue flicked out to pick up the crumbs, drawing Rafael’s eye to his full lips, making him groan internally as he flashed back to you wondering if Carisi had sucked dick before.

No evidence either way, but Rafael had a sudden vivid image of what he might look like, lips stretched thin around his cock, as Carisi took another bite of the cookie.

“Do you need a moment, detective? Should we leave you alone with the plate there?” Rafael was gruff, short, and shifting his hips to hide that maybe he wasn’t unaffected.

Carisi flushed a bit and ducked his head sheepishly. “Sorry, Counselor. Just… wow, where did you get these? They’re almost better than my nonna’s and I didn’t think you could get pizzelle like that in a store.”

He shoved the last of the cookie in his hand in his mouth, already reaching for another from the plate.

Carisi’s enthusiasm had drawn Fin and Amanda over as well, and they were peering down at the snowflake-shaped cookies with great curiosity.

Rafael rubbed his hands up and down his thighs as Carisi took another big bite and held the plate up, wiggling it under Amanda’s nose in encouragement.

“They’re not from the store, I brought them from home.”

Carisi made a noise of surprise as he swallowed his latest bite. “Oh, man, really? That’s gotta be great, living with someone who bakes…you gotta get her to bring ‘em to the holiday party. I’ll make my nonna’s version and we can compare.”

Rafael frowned slightly. “I’m not volunteering someone else’s time to feed your sugar cravings, Carisi.”

As disapproving as he tried to make it sound though, he knew you’d jump at the opportunity to prove you were the better baker. And if it encouraged the rapturous look on Carisi’s face as he shoved another cookie in his mouth, Rafael was pretty sure you’d do it just to hold it over him, teasing until he was hard and begging.

Before he could make up his mind if that made it better or not, Carisi interrupted again.

“I’ll ask her then, Counselor. Just lemme try? We gotta compare. I promise—I’ll bring the goods, and it’ll blow your mind.”

Rafael choked slightly, but Carisi looked totally guileless, not even a twitch to indicate if he knew how his promise sounded.

It was Amanda who intervened in the end, brushing crumbs from her own half eaten cookie off her jacket and shrugging. “I mean, I’d eat more of these.”

Carisi beamed. “Awesome. I promise, counselor, you won’t be disappointed in this Carisi specialty.”

Rafael groaned internally. Carisi Specialty Goods, indeed. You would never let this go.

-------------------------

Two weeks later, you and Rafael were in the elevator, headed up to Olivia’s apartment for the squad’s holiday party, an extra large tupperware filled with pizzelle in your arms and a smirk on your face.

Rafael had tried to dissuade you initially, saying you didn’t need to feel obligated to bring anything, never mind setting aside a few hours to make cookies. But he was right, you could never pass up an opportunity to show off your baking (or an opportunity to tease him, holding him at your mercy).

With each press of the pizzelle iron the day before you had thrown out suggestive comments or glances, wondering out loud what the Carisi Specialty might be, and if he’d make more of those little moans Rafael mentioned over this batch of cookies as well.

You had poked and prodded and teased until Rafael shut you up the only way he could in that moment, mouth hard and insistent against yours as his fingers slipped into your pants and brought you over the edge with firm strokes.

(That round of cookies in the press ended up in the trash, burnt to ash and still smoking, but neither you nor Rafael were complaining from where you were sprawled naked on the kitchen floor, breathless and satisfied.)

And now he was taking great pains to not meet your eyes as you rang Olivia’s bell and Carisi himself opened the door, grinning widely.

“Oh great!” He exclaimed at the sight of the two of you. Impossibly, his grin got even wider as he clocked the box of cookies in your arms. “Oh this is perfect. I made mine too.”

He took the cookies from you with one hand while he pulled you close with the other into a tight hug.

“I’ve been waiting all night for these. Barba made it sound like you wouldn’t have time.” He leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I think he was just selfishly keeping them for himself. I’m not sure he shares very well.”

You laughed and met Rafael’s eye over Carisi’s shoulder, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. “Well, I’m very good at sharing. You only have to ask.”

Rafael’s lips pressed into a firm line, but the innuendo went over Carisi’s head as he tucked the cookies under one arm. He turned to Rafael, free arm going out like he intended to hug him, too, but Rafael dumped his coat into Carisi’s grasp instead and brushed past him before you could say or do anything else to tease color to his cheeks.

Carisi was unfazed, tossing Rafael’s jacket with the others and gestured towards the kitchen.

“C’mon, grab some drinks and let’s get these laid out. I want to see how they stack up. I’ve got mine in the kitchen.”

You followed him further into the apartment. Inside was warm, the scent of cinnamon and cloves heavy in the air from the pot of mulled wine on the stove, the soft hum of Christmas carols in the background, just barely audible through the boisterous conversation of everyone gathered.

You and Rafael were a bit on the later side, and it appeared everyone else was quite a bit ahead of you on drinks, if the flush across Amanda’s face and the way Mike was gesturing were any indication. It was impossible for you to tell how many deep Carisi was, his grin and enthusiasm standard operating procedure for him.

He hummed along to the music as he unboxed your cookies, arranging them on a plate next to another holding the pizzelle he had brought. They looked nearly identical, and you picked up one of his, bringing it to your nose to breathe in the spices.

“Made them the same flavor you did, I think. Near enough anyway.” He was fidgeting with the presentation now, long fingers brushing over the edges, lining up the stacks of cookies, turning them this way and that until he grinned, satisfied. “There. Identical.”

Amanda and Mike had wandered over, leaning over the counter from the living room to watch as Carisi fussed.

“How is this going to work?” you asked, ladling a large glass of mulled wine for yourself. Carisi clocked your pour and held up a bottle of brandy in offer, adding a rather heavier pour to the mug than you might have yourself. He giggled a bit at the end and you bit your lip. Maybe his cheer wasn’t all organic after all.

Across the room, Olivia had turned to pour a hefty four fingers of scotch into Rafael’s glass and gestured for him to drink up. He met your gaze and you wiggled your eyebrows in response and he flushed, covering his reaction by taking a big sip from the glass and grimacing as it went down the wrong pipe in his haste.

“Well, I think everyone eats at least one of each and then votes?” Carisi suggested.

Mike frowned at the cookies. “Any particular features we’re voting on?”

Carisi looked over at you and you shrugged.

“Just whose tastes best?” he suggested. “Let's not complicate it.”

“Well what about texture? Mouth-feel?”

Amanda snorted, “You watch too much British Bake-Off, Sarge.”

You laughed into your mug, leaning into Rafael as he brushed a hand over your lower back, joining next to you.

Mike frowned. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“No—just like Carisi said.” Amanda leveled a finger at Mike. “Keep it simple. Take a bite of each, and your vote goes to the one you liked better.”

Rafael peered over your shoulder at the plates and you cut him a look out of the corner of your eye, a smirk tugging at the corner of your lips. He rolled his eyes, sipping his drink to hide the color on his cheeks as he leaned against the counter to watch the proceedings unfold.

“Come on, come on. Fin, Lieu. Everyone take your cookies.” Carisi took both plates, pushing them towards the rest of the squad, gesturing and grinning wide.

Fin and Olivia started to reach for the cookies when Amanda cut in: “Wait!”

Everyone froze.

“Wait, wait, wait. What does the winner get?”

You and Carisi looked at each other. He shrugged this time. “Bragging rights?”

Amanda snorted. “Boring.”

Carisi frowned and crossed his arms. “Fine. Then what do you suggest?”

Amanda frowned, chewing her lip.

“Loser has to bake something for them?” Mike offered.

Amanda rolled her eyes. “Why would you want to eat the shitty cookies as a reward?”

“Hey now—” Carisi broke in. “Losing doesn’t make them shitty….”

Olivia cut in at the look on Amanda’s face that signaled a possible argument. “Loser buys everyone a round the next time we’re at Forlini's?”

“I might not be there,” you pointed out. “I usually host office hours in the evening.”

“Barba can steal your credit card?” Mike suggested.

“Hold on, what about—”

The conversation was quickly devolving as Carisi jumped in again, gesturing wildly and spilling some of his mulled wine across the counter, barely missing the cookies. Amanda’s voice rose in protest, and Olivia seemed to be trying to moderate, an eye down the back hall to Noah’s room where he was sleeping. Fin had wandered off with what looked like more than just his share of cookies, clearly over the whole endeavor.

While the rest of the group argued over possible rewards, you reached over to tangle the fingers of your free hand with Rafael’s, tugging him until he was pressed close to your side and you could press an exaggerated, smacking kiss to the corner of his mouth. He grunted and ducked his head to hide the pleased twitch of his lips at your teasing display of affection, his face flushed ever so slightly.

You leaned in further, impervious to all his put-upon, petulant grumblings, lips against his ear. “Pout all you like,” you murmured, voice low, “but I know that blush on your cheeks has more to do with a certain detective’s denim-clad ass and not all that scotch Olivia is topping you up with.”

Carisi took that moment to lean over the counter and get in Amanda’s face, putting said denim-clad ass on full display.

Pressed into you like he was, you could feel the shiver that passed through Rafael’s body in response, undermining the glare he shot your way. You arched a brow, challenging, lips twitching. He didn’t deny it.

You tangled the fingers of your free hand in the front of his sweater, intending on pulling him firmly against you and properly kissing the grumpy lines off his face. Instead you were interrupted by the sharp crack of Amanda slamming her glass down on the table with enough force that the remaining ice jumped over the lip.

“I’ve got it,” she announced. “Winner fucks Barba.”

Rafael choked on his drink.

“Excuse me?” He had flushed a violent red, eyes wide as they darted to you.

The giggle bubbled up from deep in your chest and spilled out, the frantic edge of panic in Rafael’s voice setting you off.

He frowned and pinched your side, but it only served to make you laugh harder, doubled over as Carisi sputtered next to you.

“Geeze, Amanda. Had enough?” The younger man gave an hysterical little laugh, voice cracking on the end as his eyes cut to you and Rafael, wide with panic.

Amanda was flushed and grinning, nodding as though she knew she had totally nailed it.

Rafael was looking at you, eyebrows pinched. Oh, outwardly you were sure the bright flush across his cheeks and the panic in his eyes appeared to be from his objection to being auctioned off. But pressed against you like he was, you could feel the twitch of his half-hard cock against your hip, betraying his true interest in the possibilities.

You flicked your eyes to the side and clocked the bright blush that was spreading from Carisi’s cheeks down his throat as he startled and looked away, embarrassed that he had been caught staring.

A slow, teasing smirk spread across your face and you licked your lips. Maybe all those fantasies weren’t so far out of your grasp as it had seemed.

You turned back to the group and shrugged a casual shoulder. “Ok, deal.”

Both Rafael and Carisi choked this time, and a slow, evil grin spread over Amanda’s face.

“Awesome. Now pass me those cookies.”

-------------------------

Much later you were getting yourself a glass of water when Rafael slid up behind you, one hand on your hip as he pressed his nose to your neck. You huffed a laugh and turned into him, gently threading your fingers into his hair and tugging affectionately. “How are you holding up?”

“Wanna get you home,” he murmured, pressing his lips, then his teeth, just under your jaw, making your shiver and sigh.

“Oh yeah? Gonna put me to bed, counselor?”

He growled and nipped at your jaw playfully. “Teasing me like that in front of everyone…I know you threw the competition on purpose. I ought to send you to bed without supper for all your insolence.”

You turned in his hold, wrapping your arms around his neck to pull him down to you and brush your lips together. “But didn’t you want to see if he’d take the bait?”

Your eyes flicked to the side, clocking the detective’s gaze as he watched you run your hands over Rafael’s shoulders, licking his lips and clearly not listening to whatever story Amanda was recounting to the group.

Smirking you leaned up, lips grazing Rafael’s ear, your voice low and dark. “He’s got his eyes on us now. Don’t you want to see if he follows us home?”

Rafael groaned lightly and pulled you hard against him, hand slipping low to grasp your ass before giving it a sharp swat.

You jerked in his hold and giggled as he dipped low to kiss you, hiding his own grin.

“Go grab our coats while I call the Uber.”

-------------------------

The cold air was welcome on the flushed skin of your cheeks as you stumbled outside to wait for your Uber. It was impossible to tell if it was the alcohol or Rafael himself that had you lightheaded with intoxication. Amanda’s drunken suggestion had reignited the flame of every filthy suggestion concerning Carisi you had whispered in his ear the other day, and he seemed dead set on leveraging all that frantic sexual energy to turn the tables on you, whether or not Carisi was there to join in.

He pressed against your back, hands on your hips as you made it out to the sidewalk, pulling you firm against him, lips pressed warm under your jaw, nipping at your skin.

You let out a soft moan, tilting your head to grant him more access, and he pressed his advantage, nuzzling behind your ear before using his lips and tongue to suck a light mark.

“Mm, you smell good,” he murmured in your ear, the contrast of his warm breath and the winter air making you shiver against him.

“I don’t think it’s just my perfume that has you like this.”

His hands slid up your front, undoing the buttons on your coat so he could slip his hands inside, long fingers curling around your ribs and turning you so you were pressed flush to his chest.

“Hm…no, not just that.”

You hardly had time to register the smirk curling at the corner of his mouth before he ducked his head to press his lips to the hollow of your throat, hands slipping down your back to push up your skirt and cup your ass through your stockings, gripping and rolling the muscle in his palms.

Your head fell back with a soft moan, your hands coming up to rest on his arms, hips rolling into him on instinct. You could hardly feel him against you through the layers of clothing, your frustrated huff tapering off into a moan as he scraped his teeth up the column of your throat, nipping at your jaw. He soothed the bite with his tongue before the sting even registered and you gripped him harder, tugging on his coat sleeves.

“Raf—” you meant for it to come out as a warning, but instead the end curled on a whine as he pressed his teeth to your pulse point.

“Oh, no,” he murmured into your skin. “You wanted to tease me all night in there. If you can’t handle the consequences of your actions, you shouldn’t provoke me.”

One big hand slipped under your sweater, cold fingers making you gasp and arch as it slipped higher to cup your breast.

“Oh hey, Counselor—”

You groaned lightly as Rafael’s thumb flicked over your nipple through the lace of your bra, desire curling bright and hot through you as Carisi froze, eyes wide, lips parted as he processed the moment that he walked out into.

It wasn’t even that suggestive in the grand scheme of things… no skin was on display—your coat is hiding just how far up Rafael has rucked up your skirt and the spread of his hands on you. But the tilt of your neck, and the angle of Rafael’s head hinted at something lustful. A tease that had a bright flush spreading over the detective’s cheeks.

“Sorry—I didn’t realize—”

Rafael lifted his head to meet your eyes, a smirk spreading slow across his face as he tweaked your nipple again and you visibly shuddered, knuckles going white as you gripped his sleeves harder.

Even with the blood rushing in your ears as Rafael continued to tease his fingers over your skin, you caught Carisi’s bitten-off whimper. And from the way Rafael breathed out hard, you knew he caught it too. You licked your lips, arching an eyebrow at him in question. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide as he ducked his chin in acknowledgment.

And then he was stepping back slightly, hands smoothing your skirt back over your ass as you tug your sweater down, peering sheepishly around Rafael to look at Carisi.

“Ah, no, you’re good, Carisi. We just um… got distracted.”

“No, no… it’s my bad.” The detective laughed nervously as he ran a hand through his hair and seemed to be trying to look anywhere that wasn’t where Rafael’s hands are still obviously moving inside your coat.

You cut a sideways glance at Rafael who was still smirking at you, eyebrows raised expectantly as his fingers brushed the thin strip of skin between your sweater and your skirt.

A wave of possibility and anticipation surged through you, making your blood run hot and your breath come quick. You turned back to Carisi who’s eyes had dropped back down to track the movement of Rafael’s hands under your coat.

“How are you getting home, detective?”

He started, eyes flicking back up to yours. “Oh, uh, just the train.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the entrance to the 1 at the other corner.

Rafael slid his hand down the back of your skirt in that moment and you gasped lightly, pitching forward into him. Carisi's fingers curled into his palms, his eyes tracking every involuntary roll of your hips.

Rafael was flushed, too (and completely unrepentant) as his hand slipped lower to grasp your ass in full, licking his lips as you shivered.

Carisi was still watching, brow furrowed the way it had been in the bar weeks ago when his eyes had been on both of you at the booth, hot and heavy. Behind you, your Uber pulled up to the curb.

“It’s awfully cold out. And late,” you told him, a bit breathless as Rafael kept up his teasing. “Let us give you a ride.”

Carisi’s head jerked up, eyes wide. “Oh, no—” he choked a bit, hands flailing. “I mean—not no, but it’s uh, I live in the total opposite direction. I wouldn’t wanna put you out or anything…”

You finally managed to extricate yourself from Rafael’s hold as he moved to open the door to the car, tugging your coat closed as best you can to hide your disheveled clothes, but not before Carisi’s gaze dropped to your exposed thighs. “You wouldn’t be putting us out at all.”

Carisi was caught in your gaze like a deer in headlights, wide-eyed and flushed a deep pink.

“I uh…”

“There’s room for one more, Carisi, if you’re joining.” Rafael’s voice was deep and dark with promise as he pressed against your back, one arm sliding around your waist to hold you to him.

Carisi’s head whipped up to stare hard at Rafael, lips parted around his soft gasp of surprise. Rafael held his gaze as he slowly slid his palm down, long fingers dipping under your waistband to tease across the sensitive skin of your abdomen, lazy smirk tugging at his mouth as you shuddered and melted back into him at the touch.

Carisi looked shell shocked at the older man’s encouragement. Then he shook himself and shivered, licking his lips, taking a half step forward before he paused. “I uh,” he looked from Rafael to you and back. “If you’re sure I’m not imposing…”

“Now or never, Carisi,” Rafael's voice rumbled through you. “Meter’s running.”

-------------------------

You didn’t add Carisi’s address to the ride and the detective didn’t bring it up. Instead a heavy, loaded silence settled thick amongst you like the tension before the break of a storm, undisturbed by the soft murmur of the driver on the phone in the front seat.

A little hiccup of hysteria bubbled in your chest as the silence stretched on, your fingers trembling in anticipation where they rested on your thigh. You were so absorbed in the warm press of both Rafael and Carisi against you that you startled as Rafael covered your hand with his, a soft gasp falling from your lips. The sound drew Carisi’s attention from the window and you heard his sharp intake of breath as Rafael’s hand slipped past yours to curve over your thigh, sliding up to rest high under your skirt, fingers stroking your skin.

You shivered at the play of his fingers over your sensitive skin, body craving more of his touch (always more), but you breathed out hard, catching his hand in yours and lacing them together before things could spiral further. Carisi let out a soft sound, and then choked on it, trying to swallow his obvious interest.

“This doesn’t have to go anywhere you don’t want it to go, Carisi.” You kept your voice low, soft and generous at the glimpse of his face you caught in the flash of the streetlights, jaw slack and dumbfounded. “The competition… the prize… It can stay a drunken joke.”

His head jerked up to meet your eyes, gaze flicking from you to Rafael behind you, down to your intertwined fingers, and back. He let out a little hysterical laugh like he had earlier, shifting restlessly in his seat, running his hands through his hair, shaking his head.

“Jesus, is this real? This isn’t like, some fever dream pulling from my deepest fantasies?”

“Want me to slap you, Carisi? See if you wake up?” Rafael offered, dryly.

He yelped as you pinched his thigh in admonishment, ruining the effect of all his smug arrogance with a pout.

You turned back to the detective, meeting his eyes. “It’s as real as you want it to be. Seriously, Carisi, you say stop, it stops.”

His eyes widened and he gave a short, sharp shake of his head. “Fuck, I’m not saying that… I just…” He breathed out hard. “Jesus really? I… both of you?”

“If you want both of us.”

“What do you want, Carisi?” Rafael’s voice was low, threaded through with promise.

Carisi squeezed his eyes shut as though he could better control the onslaught of his desire at the older man’s tone and breathed out hard, his voice shaking. “God. Whatever you’ll give me.”

Rafael moaned so softly you almost missed it. He caressed your knuckles with his thumb, the barest tremor of anticipation in his hands before he untangled your fingers, once again teasing along the soft skin of your inner thigh. You glanced up at him but he was watching Carisi, who’s attention was once again rapt on your legs, his knuckles white as he gripped his thighs.

“Say stop, detective, and it stops. At any point.”

“And if I say ‘green,’ you’ll keep going?”

Rafael huffed a surprised laugh and arched an eyebrow at the other man, fingers pausing, “Not quite the ingenue, then, are we?”

Carisi flushed.

Rafael’s smirk sharpened from pleased to predatory.

Emboldened by Carisi’s response, you wrapped your fingers around Rafael’s wrist and directed his hand higher as you shifted your hips, letting your legs fall open with a soft moan. You missed his smirk in the darkness of the backseat, but not how he shifted, switching hands so his left was now cupping your inner thigh, fingertips brushing across your mound in a tease, his right arm wrapping around your shoulders to cup and grip your jaw.

Your gasp was cut off by his hand over your mouth and Carisi swore softly, eyes flying up to meet Rafael’s.

“So needy,” Rafael murmured in your ear, holding Carisi’s gaze in the dim light. “Is this for me?” Your soft groan was muffled as he brushed his knuckles back and forth across the damp crotch of your stockings. “Or are you this worked up for Carisi?”

Your breath caught and Rafael chuckled, breath ghosting across your hairline.

“Should we show him?”

You whimpered as Rafael’s palm curved over your thigh, pulling your leg over his so you were spread open across the seat, your other leg pressed firm against Carisi’s.

“What do you think, detective?”

“Shit,” Carisi breathed out, eyes darting to yours as he licked his lips. “I…”

You reached out to grasp his wrist, pausing as your fingers curled around it. His fingers flexed in your hold, reaching out to just barely graze your thigh. You made a soft noise from behind Rafael’s palm and pressed your thigh into Carisi’s more firmly.

“Shit,” he murmured, palm warm as he ghosted his fingers up your leg, pausing at the hem of your skirt to toy with the edge as he met your eyes, searching for something. Something he must have seen in the pinch of your eyebrows and the way you tilted your head to press into Rafael’s hand across your mouth, because he slipped his fingers under your skirt to skate along your inner thigh.

“That’s it. Just like that, Carisi.” Rafael rumbled from your other side. “See for yourself.”

Carisi breathed out hard as he brushed his fingers higher and across where you soaked through your stockings and you let out a muffled gasp. Just that light touch sent pleasure sparking along your nerves and you arched into it, your other hand flying up to knot in Rafael’s hair as Carisi’s fingers went from questioning to a firm stroke. His other hand grabbed your hip in a tight grip and pushed you back down to the seat, holding you there as he stroked his thumb along your slit through the thin fabric covering it. Rafael breathed out hard in your ear, his fingers trembling against your skin at the display of easy dominance.

“Fuck.” Carisi’s voice wavered, shell-shocked.

Rafael let out a breathless laugh. “Oh, if you’re lucky, Carisi. If you’re lucky.”

< Previous Part : Next Part >

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Tag list! (join or edit your listing here!)

@madpanda75, @alwaysachorusgirl, @detective-giggles, @dianilaws, @detectivebarba, @objection-argumentative, @prurientpuddlejumper, @designersophisticate, @thatesqcrush, @greeneyedblondie44, @ashtheironbat, @chasingeverybreakingwave, @crowfootwrites, @dreamlover31, @barbabangme, @amelia-song-pond, @witches-unruly-heart, @darkheart-brightsmile, @mrsrafaelbarba, @simpforbarba, @beardsanddetectives, @shittanyy

#rafael barba #sonny carisi #law and order svu #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba x sonny carisi #law and order svu imagine #law and order svu fic #sonny carisi x reader #storiesofsvuholidaybingo

[minghaocouture]

Fearless: Chapter 5

Pairing: Werewolf!Jeon Wonwoo X Vampire!Reader Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Non-Idol Au Warning: Language Rating: T WC: 3.8K AU Lore:   Vampire Coven Info/Wolf Pack Info/Lore Info

A/N: So I didn’t mention, but Minghao is def my favorite to write in this AU. I can’t wait until I get to his actual story. Oh idk if anyone cares, but if you wanna be tagged for updates just let me know!

Chapter List: Chapter 1/Chapter 2/Chapter 3/Chapter 4/Chapter 5/Chapter 6/Chapter 7/Chapter 8/Chapter 9/Chapter 10/Chapter 11/Chapter 12/Chapter 13/Chapter 14

***

Wonwoo groaned, feeling a sense of deja vu as he heard the blaring alarm of his roommate going off...yet again. Only this time, the man wasn’t nearly as tired as he had been the day before so he welcomed the wake up call. There were quite a few things on his to do list today, work included. Before his shift began though he needed to find Sojung, needed to talk to her. He had a hunch but couldn’t find enough information on his own. She was the only one he could really trust with his questions, she was the only one he couldn’t see completely freaking out.

So he went ahead and got up to get dressed, pulling on some jeans and a rather comfortable gray sweater that’s sleeve were a bit too long and ended up stopping part of the way down his hand. The alarm song was still blaring loudly through the room, he rolled his eyes at the fact that somehow Mingyu was still snoring through it.

Ignoring the alarm, Wonwoo left their shared room and made his way towards the kitchen were Sojung would no doubt be. It was a bit earlier than he usually got up so she was probably still making breakfast with either Jacob or Sana. Just as he expected, Sonjung and surprisingly Felix stood in the kitchen. Felix attempting something with eggs? Maybe scrambling them? Wonwoo wasn’t too sure, and from the looks of it Felix wasn’t too sure either. Sojung was on the other side of the kitchen making...pancake batter? Wonwoo wondered for a moment if he should start trying to learn more about cooking, but that was a thought for another day. 

He passed through the threshold and made his way straight over to Sojung. She seemed to notice his presence and glanced over at him as she lifted the bowl to begin stirring her batter. 

“Sojung can I talk to you?”

***

It was a good 20 minutes before breakfast had been finished, but just as requested Sojung came to the living room alone and shut the door behind her. There weren’t a lot of places to talk privately here, what with 12 people living under one roof. It got a bit stressful at times. 

Sojung looked a bit worried, as if his request was something to be concerned about. She didn’t say anything though until she sat down, taking a seat on the couch closer to the side where Wonwoo’s chair resided. 

“So, we don’t have the most time. But what do you know about Mates? And how do we react to them when we meet them?” He began, a bit of worry tugging at his chest. He began pulling at the ends of his sleeves as he continued. “I looked through some of the books we have here but I couldn’t really get a concrete answer.” 

Sojung seemed a bit taken back by his question, like his inquiry was the farthest away from what she had expected. Pushing a few strands of her light brown locks behind her ear, she adjusted herself on the couch.

“Well, from what we’re told as kids. Your mate is someone you just can’t ignore, it can be anyone of any gender or species.” Wonwoo felt his heart sink a bit, any species? “And when you meet them, it’s less of an instantaneous attraction to them but more of a pull. Where you’re subconsciously drawn to them.”

This definitely lined up with what Wonwoo had been feeling the past two days, a pull, a need to talk and be around that person. That...Vampire. The realization had his heart in knots. Not only was his mate most likely a Vampire but...the Pack was planning an attack on the Coven within the next few days. He felt conflicted about how to react to this situation. He refused to betray his pack but if let the attack happen then...he would never even have a chance to be with his mate. That thought alone had his inner wolf crying out in sadness.

“Why the sudden interest? Did you start feeling a pull? It wasn’t that Vampire girl was it?” She questioned, as always perceptive. Wonwoo froze for a moment, only now remembering that Sojung was currently the only member who knew about his interaction with that woman. Now he wasn’t the best liar, but he seemed to be doing a lot of it lately. He only hoped that this time Sojung didn’t see through his pathetic attempt.

“Oh uh, no. I just got curious, since i couldn’t find that much about it in any of our books. And i mean my parents barely talked to me about mates before I left, so I figured it’d be better to know.” Hopefully she bought the ‘thirst for knowledge’ lie. To be fair, out of everyone in the cabin, he would have been the only one asking just for pure information's sake.

Before Sojung could question him more, the door to the living room was thrown open and Seungcheol entered. If it was possible, he looked even more tired than he had been the day before. To be fair, Sojung wasn’t too far behind him in the exhaustion department from the looks of it. They were pushing themselves in order to keep the pack safe.

“When you get off work tonight make sure to come straight home. We’re having a pack meeting at 9 since everyone is home tonight. We need to go over our plan for the Full Moon.”

Wonwoo’s heart sank, he didn’t have a plan yet. But if that Vampire was his mate...he would have to figure out how to call off this plan.

***

“I absolutely can’t believe you have nothing better to do tonight than babysit me.” You muttered, your eyes bore holes into the ceiling but your words were harshly directed towards Minghao. The man in question had claimed your desk as his home for the rest of the night. After your confrontation last night, he decided that until you were healed enough to be assigned patrols again, someone would have to watch you. Since you obviously weren’t going to just stay at home like you were supposed to.

Minghao flipped the page of the book he was reading, ignoring your whining. He obviously wasn’t up to playing your game, and considering he had been around Jun for about a century now...it was fair to assume he was pretty good at tuning people out when he needed to.

Groaning you rolled over, flopping your face onto your pillow in irritation. It wasn’t like something like suffocation could kill you anyway. The last time you had checked the clock it was almost 10, so sometime in the next thirty minutes you would need to magically get rid of Minghao or you weren’t going to make your meeting. 

Quickly you pushed yourself up from your bed, taking a seat cross legged on the mattress. A confused look graced your face as you tried to recall when you had decided you were even going to the beach like Wonwoo had asked. 

Your companion seemed to notice the conflicted look that had crossed your features. With silence that only Minghao had, he placed the book down on your desk and cocked an eyebrow at you.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s so important you keep disobeying orders? If you do I might let you out tonight.” He began, and he seemed honest about it. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he waited for you to speak. “Keep in mind that I know all of your tells when you lie, so it’d be smarter to just tell me the truth.”

A chill ran down your spine at his words. You had no idea how someone that looked so slender could be so terrifying when he wanted to be. With this in mind, you groaned loudly. This was the definition of a rock and a hard place. Gods it was frustrating.

“Fine you want the truth. I think...fuck I think I might be able to get the Wolves off our back. I have a contact that I was going to meet tonight, and he might be able to help me.” To be fair, was it really a lie if it was based on truth? Sure Wonwoo hadn’t said anything about helping you get the Wolves to back off but he was also weirdly going out of his way to talk to you. 

“And why didn’t you tell Jun or Soonyoung?” of course he had a follow up, he wouldn’t just be like ‘oh well why didn’t you say so?’ and let you go. That just wasn’t like Minghao, he was too through for that. It’s why he was an enforcer. 

“Because…” Now was not the time for your creativity to fail you, but you couldn’t exactly figure out a good lie for this one.

“Because he is a wolf…” The words came out pretty mumbled and quiet. Your gaze left Minghao, not really looking forward to seeing his reaction to this revelation. Honestly, just meeting with the wolf was bad enough but actually talking to him could be grounds for being cast out. Which was definitely the last thing you wanted. You jaw tensed as you waited for him to begin berating you, but the moment never came.

“I know.” 

Your eyes quickly jumped back over to your elder, the look on his face was rather neutral. Before you realized what you were doing, you had stood from your bed and made your way over to him.

“You know? How the hell do you know?!” 

“You really think I saw you yesterday in the residential district and just kept going with my night? I sent Kevin home and followed you obviously.” Of course he did. You honestly should have expected that, but for some reason you had believed you had actually gotten away with sneaking past the sneakiest person in the whole Coven. At this point you felt a bit stupid. 

“I’ll give you points for telling me at least some of the truth. I’m pretty surprised you told me you were talking to a Wolf, but he didn’t say anything about helping you. So for lying I need to deduct points for that.” At this he stood up, brushing past you as he walked towards the door. He stopped once right after he grabbed the knob.

“Your meeting is at 11 right? I was going to give you until 2am, but since you lied to me you get until 1am. If you’re late, expect Soonyoung to get to hear you’ve been meeting with a wolf.” 

You were baffled, mouth agape as Minghao left and shut the door behind him. He was...letting you go meet a wolf? A wolf that was known to be a part of your current rivals and mortal enemies? Honestly, baffled didn’t even begin to cover the range of emotions you were currently feeling. Adrenaline seemed to rush through your veins as you snapped your head towards your nightstand to check the clock. 

10:30.

Fuuuuuuuck

***

Wonwoo was grateful that the strategy meeting hadn’t lasted as long as he had expected. He hadn’t thought he would make it on time, but he walked up to the beach right at 11. The Vampire, whose name he really needed to learn tonight, was nowhere in sight. It was a large beach though, so he casually began strolling down the beach.

The beach was mostly silent tonight, the only sound other than waves was the distant sound of a mermaid luring in a helpless human who had unfortunately been afflicted with a broken heart. He was a bit grateful that the mermaid’s calls never worked on creatures besides humans, while he might not have had a broken heart he was still grateful he wouldn’t have to deal with that...ever.

He continued his walk silently, stopping every so often to simply stare up at the moon. It was almost full, only four more days before Seungcheol’s plan would go into effect. Frankly at this point, Wonwoo was dreading the Full Moon which was quite strange for someone of his nature. Usually the Full Moon was a comfort and a source of power for the wolves. So to have it bring him such a sense of dread wasn’t something he was used to.

Thirty minutes passed and Wonwoo decided it would probably be smart to head home. She wasn’t coming, and it was pretty dumb to assume she would. Just as Wonwoo was about to give up and walk home with his tail between his legs, he heard the sound of footsteps against the snow covered sand. 

Turning he saw a figure running down the beach towards him. His Vampire. His heart caught in his chest at that thought. She wasn’t his, not technically? Not yet? No, even thinking that sounded predatory. He wasn’t going to force her into anything, she would have to decide if she acknowledged the mate bond or not.

He hoped she did.

***

Your legs burned as you raced down the beach, barely catching sight of him as he appeared to be leaving. Skidding to a stop a few feet in front of him, you slumped over. You had been basically forced to run from the bar to the beach which is about an hour when walking, running had gotten you here in about 30 minutes. 

“Whoever said Vampires had unlimited stamina...was an asshole...and a liar.” You muttered between pants. Once you were back to normal, you straightened yourself and eyed the wolf. You were honestly still a bit worried that he had planned some kind of attack. 

You noticed a small smirk on his lips, as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, I figured the rules of politeness or whatever you live by would mean that you wouldn’t be late.” He teased. Oh, oh was that how we were playing? Rolling your eyes at his terrible joke, you placed a hand on your hip.

“Oh, haha. Bite me wolf boy. I had to run all the way here.” You retorted. While it was in fact a bad joke, thinking about it again caused you to chuckle a bit. So he was funny and attractive, that was pretty annoying. 

Your eyes flicked towards him again when he took a step forward, you retaliated by taking a step back and eyeing him harshly.

“Just because we are talking doesn’t mean I trust you.” It had only been two days ago that the two of you had literally been fighting. And after everything, you still couldn’t bring yourself to fully trust a werewolf. “So you say what you wanted to say from right there, and then we both go back home content to try kill each other tomorrow.” 

You watched as his smile morphed into a neutral yet almost disappointed frown. Clearing his throat, he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck and his eyes turned to face the ocean waves that continued to crash into the shore. The moon seemed to cast a gentle glow on him, and if you were being honest he looked beautiful. Which was weird to even think about, you enemy being beautiful and all. Especially since he seemed so uncomfortable with your words.

“Well, I don’t want to kill you or your friends.” He muttered, not returning his gaze towards you. It wasn’t something that you should go off about, it really wasn’t. But just hearing those words seemed to make you angry, that anger boiled in your gut as you took a step closer to him.

“Oh? Well then why don’t you tell your friends to stop trying to break into our home? Or why don’t you get them to not hurt my Coven? I’m sure Hyunjin would appreciate not having a broken arm.” 

Running a hand through his hair, he kept his eyes out towards the moon. The sound of the waves pulling in and out was the only sound that filled your ears for a good long moment. When he finally responded, well it wasn’t what you had hoped for.

“It’s not that simple.”

“Oh I’m sure it’s not. All you wolves are the same, we were doing just fine here until you guys showed up and started fighting us for this town.” You weren’t quite yelling, but a harsh tone had laced itself into your words. Frustration flowed through you as you took another step towards him. At this point, despite your hesitation, you couldn’t tell if you were going to attack him again or not. All of your senses told you not to, but your rage continued to push your forward towards him.

Finally, he turned to face you once again. A similar look of frustration on his own features, like what you were saying was actually getting to him. He noticed you had crept closer and even though you were painfully angry, he could see that you were hurting as well. Sure there had always been hatred between your two races but this felt different from your typical prejudice.

“Oh, and you Vampires are any better? Leaving corpses in the woods for us to find. Felix is only 20, he shouldn’t have to see a dead human for at least another two decades, if ever.” Remembering the fear that had shook Felix when he had returned home from his run that day, it was a terrible sight. The first corpse was found not even two weeks after they had moved into the cabin.

This accusation seemed to only fuel your fury. By this point you were almost directly in front of the wolf. Fist balled at your sides as you glared up at him. 

“You seriously think we just dine and dash like that?” It was pretty damn insulting. Even before Soonyoung and you had gotten settled as a Coven, the two of you had done your best to not fully drain anyone you had drunk from. Of course there have been accidents during extreme situations, but those were far and few between. So if someone was draining humans and dumping them in the forest, well that was news to you.

“Well, unless there is something about the Fae I don’t know about, then your Coven is the only fit. Considering all of the corpses have puncture wounds on their necks.” Now he was on the advance, taking a step closer towards you and closing what little distance that had been left. You now had to crane your neck slightly to keep your eyes on his face. You stood your ground, knowing that despite the evidence there was no way this had come from your Coven. That’s why you were a Coven, because you had the same morals and those morals had to do with not killing Humans whenever you felt like it. 

“It’s not us. I don’t know why there are bodies showing up in the forest but it isn’t my people. It’s just not. We aren’t like that.”

“Oh? And what are you like then? You seem all too willing to push all werewolves into a box so why don’t you tell me why I shouldn’t do the same to you?” His challenge had you flinch, but you refused to break his eye contact. After all, that would be to admit defeat.  Before you could return the biting remark, he stepped back and dropped his gaze once again.

When his eyes returned to you, you could see the remorse now lingering on the surface.“That...that was uncalled for. I’m sorry. I’m not here to fight you, I just want to figure some things out.” He pushed a weak smile onto his face, and you noticed his hands almost nervously playing with the hem of his sweater sleeves. “If you say it’s not your Coven then I believe you. But, can you believe that my Pack didn’t really mean to hurt that kid? I talked to my brothers about it and they said it was an accident. Apparently the boy attacked them on sight, which is fair, but they were just acting to defend themselves.” 

You’d have to confirm this with Hyunjin when you got home, but for now, against your better judgement, you decided to trust him. Taking a step back as well, you crossed your arms over your chest and nodded but kept a stern look on your face. Keeping that might help remind you that this was the enemy you were talking to, he wasn’t your friend and at the drop of a hat the two of you could get into another fight. It was something you seemed to be having trouble remembering the longer you were around him, frankly it was pretty annoying. 

Your nod brought a smile to his face, and you almost completely forgot what you had been thinking. It was a much cuter smile than you were expecting from him, especially since the two of you had literally just been at each other’s throats. Clearing your throat, this time it was your turn to avoid his gaze.

“Okay you’ve got to stop doing that.” He just tilted his head in confusion, his smile morphing into a rather cute look of confusion. “Don’t give me that look. You know what you’re doing. Trying to be cute just so I’m not mad at you anymore. It’s not gonna work, that barely works for people I actually know.”

It wasn’t until you noticed the new smug look on his face that you realized just what you had confessed to him. Before he could tease you about your words, your phone came to life with noise. The alarm you had set, letting you know that you had to leave. You muttered a curse.

“Looks like we have to cut tonight short, mut-...Wonwoo. I’ll ask around and see if anyone knows about the corpses.” You said, irritated at the short time limit you had been given. “I’ll try and get out again tomorrow night but I don’t know how lucky i’ll be tomorrow. I guess you can just wait for me again?”

“Or, better idea, we exchange phone numbers? Then you can tell me if you’re coming. I’ve got people I’ve got to keep from getting suspicious too.” While he wasn’t wrong, you didn’t really know how you felt about that. After deciding you didn’t have the time to debate this you quickly said the number, repeating it once more after he quickly fumbled with his own cell phone.

After he confirmed the number, he flashed you an almost cheeky smile. As if this had been his plan since you had arrived and he was glad that it had worked.

“And your name?” 

#Seventeen x reader #seventeen fic #seventeen au #seventeen fanfic #svt x reader #svt fic #svt au #svt fanfic #seventeen werewolf au #seventeen werewolf #werewolf seventeen #svt werewolf au #svt werewolf #werewolf svt #jeon wonwoo x reader #jeon wonwoo imagines #wonwoo x reader #wonwoo imagines

[trensu]

Episode 7: The One where At Last LWJ Sees the Light

We’re still in the cave of wonders, guys, and lan yi is doing plot exposition so we’re gonna skip that

Once Lan Yi is done laying down Plot, we have this cute exchange

Lwj: elder, as your descendent i pinky promise to complete this Super Important Mission 

Wwx: oh, same, me too!

Lwj: this is a LAN FAMILY MATTER and none of your business

Wwx: YOU CAN’T STOP ME FROM HELPING

Wwx: and besides, since my grandmaster was besties with your ancestor that means that it’s practically my family matter too, so there

YOU’RE ALSO MARRIED NOW GUYS, REMEMBER, SO IT’S A FAMILY MATTER EITHER WAY

And now, drumroll please…

Our beautiful boys tumble out of the cave of wonders (while still tied together!!) and crash land onto the ground, with wwx oh so conveniently sprawled on top of lwj

THAT’S RIGHT GUYS

IT’S THAT TROPE AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL

Lol lwj’s stunned face here

Wwx: I DIDN’T MEAN TO FALL ON YOU…! Oh hi jiang cheng

yep, jc’s here to ruin the moment (i love you jc, but you have horrible timing)

Wwx is so happy to see his brother, he greets him immediately and completely forgets about the fact that he and lwj are in a…compromising position

It’s adorable, really

Lwj: *glares with every ounce of Repressed Gay Rage in his body* GET UP RIGHT NOW.

Wwx: oh, right sure *totally unruffled bc he is shameless*

At this point we cut to the next scene which is still in the same place and with the same characters but now lwj has his ribbon back on his forehead

Ngl i’m kinda bummed we didn’t see him untie their wrists

It would’ve been hilarious since jc and wen qing wouldve been watching it all happen lol

like, i’m just picturing wq and jc being awkwardly silent as lwj unravels his ribbon from wwx’s wrist. wwx’s eyes would ofc be glued on lwj and he’d be babbling some inane thing or another

but we didn’t get that. oh well.

Oh, and here we find out that lwj and wwx were in that cave for one day and one night

Now that lwj is all put together again, we see wwx, jc, and wq have a conversation that i think counts as a wangxian moment

Jc and wq both start throwing questions at our boys about where they’ve been and what they were doing and all that

Lwj looks very uncomfortable about all the questions.

Lans don’t lie (supposedly; lwj is such a stickler at this point in his life he def doesn’t lie)

So wwx swoops in to ~rescue~ him!!

He answers all the questions by lying thru his teeth: oh yeah, we got lost and trapped and swam for hours and hours in an underground, waterlogged maze that definitely exists before we finally found a way out!! I almost froze to death (he says with a whine bc that’s just how he is lol)

Once he finishes answering all those questions he turns to share THE CUTEST LITTLE SECRET SMILE WITH LWJ. SO ADORABLE GUYS, HOW IS HE REAL

Lwj sees it and HAS TO LOOK AWAY

I CAN’T EVEN BLAME HIM BC IF WWX SMILED AT ME LIKE THAT (WITH HIS CUTE LITTLE BEAUTY MARK IN FULL VIEW!!) I WOULD’VE DIED.

JUST DROPPED TO THE GROUND DEAD.

IT’S TOO MUCH, IT’S TOO MUCH

Now we cut to a Plot Heavy Scene, featuring our boys and lxc and lqr, that is not relevant to this post at all EXCEPT I HAVE TO SAY OH GOD, LWJ LOOKS SO BABY-FACED HERE?? HOW?? HIS LITTLE FACE LOOKS ALL ROUNDED AND SOFT AND HIS LIPS ARE ALL POUTY. HE’S BEBY. I JUST WANT TO WRAP HIM UP IN BLANKETS AND GIVE HIM HOT CHOCOLATE

More plot discussion happens and whatever they’re talking about makes wwx bump shoulders with lwj and call him “my confidant” AKA MY SOULMATE AHHHHHHH

OH WAIT, do you know what else is important about this scene?

It shows how much taller wwx is than lwj!!! And I LOVE IT.

Lwj’s shoulders are a good two inches lower than wwx’s

WHY ISN’T THERE MORE FIC/ART SHOWING THIS??

I MEAN, THE STOIC SOLEMN CHARACTER IS SMOL AND THE SUNSHINEY CHARACTER IS GIANT. IT’S SUCH GREAT COMBINATION!!!

I think ppl in the cultivation world probs don’t realize how short lwj is bc he gives off such an intimidating aura i’m so jealous; i need to get myself an intimidating aura

Blah blah more plot, wwx promises not to tell anybody anything about the plot blah blah

Right after that, they bump into nhs who’s like, hey you guys were gone all night did anything weird happen?? (this is the guy who sneaks porn into this place on the regular, i’m pretty sure we all know what he means by “weird”)

Wwx: oooh, yeah, this super weird thing happened, let me tell you all about it

Lwj: *whips around to stare at wwx likE OMG SRSLY YOU JUST SAID YOU’D KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT*

Wwx: *proceeds to tell nhs a spooky lie about meeting a demon snake*

Nhs: *flees in terror bc he thinks snakes are scary for some reason* (they’re not, snakes are def cute critters)

Lwj: *exasperatedly rolls his eyes at wwx’s frankly amazing story-telling skills*

AND HERE WE GET TO SEE THE FIRST TIME LWJ STARES LONGINGLY AT WWX. LWJ, THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR MAIN HOBBY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Wwx runs after his brother and slings a playful arm around his shoulders and walks away without a second glance to lwj

Lwj stares soulfully at him, def noticing that wwx didn’t spare him a second look (poor bb lwj)

After a moment of Soulful Staring, his lips part as he lowers his gaze to the ground and decisively turns and walks off

INTERNALLY HE’S LIKE OFC WWX WOULDN’T WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH ME SINCE I’M ALL STOIC AND REPRESSED BUT THAT’S FINE, IDC, I DIDN’T WANT TO HANG OUT WITH HIM ANYWAY

POOR LWJ!! DOESN’T THIS MAKE YOUR HEART TWINGE???

Even more plot stuff happens

But they make it worth the wait because now we get to…

THE LANTERN SCENE (PART 1)

YES, YOU HEARD RIGHT.

WWX: lwj, we should set off a lantern and make a wish together since we’ve been thru so much together now

LWJ: *pulls a batman* I work alone 

WWXX: habits change!! Besides, i made this lantern specially for you~! *shows drawing of magic cave bunny on the lantern*

HERE WE GO GUYS, OMG, IT’S HAPPENING

Lwj looks at the lantern and, just, his face, ahhh, LWJ’S ENTIRE FACE GOES SOFT AND WE SEE HIM SMILE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SERIES

FIRST!!

TIME!!

EVER!!!

AND IT ONLY TOOK 7 EPISODES!!

I’M DYING I’M D Y I N G

HIS LIPS PART AND THE SMILE JUST GENTLY BLOOMS ON HIS FACE, ILLUMINATING IT SOFTLY LIKE A FUCKING SUNRISE OR SMTH

FUCK IT’S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL IT’S MAKING ME POETIC

GAHHH

NO WONDER HE NEVER SMILES

THAT SMILE COULD KILL PEOPLE IN THE BEST WAY

Ofc wwx has to ruin the moment by giggling at him and saying “hey you’re smiling!!”

Okay, guys, you know and I know that wwx is giggling from joy. Like yay!! I made lan zhan smile!! I did a Good Thing!!!

He is genuinely tickled pink about making his soulmate happy!

But remember, LWJ is the King of Repressed Gays here. So, you know, the laughter in his ears sounds mocking. Because he’s a dumb boy who can’t Emotion well yet.

LWJ reacts to the giggles by immediately grabbing his sword which startles wwx into stumbling back into the group behind him and the mood is effectively ruined

But just for a little bit!!

Then ~THEIR SONG~ starts playing in the background AND THEY SEND OFF THEIR LANTERN TOGETHER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT GENERALLY ONLY ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED COUPLES DO 

as is shown by how everyone’s trying to get jyl and jzx (aka our token heteros) to send off a lantern together

The pair of them, need i remind you, are currently betrothed (even tho that dumb peacock doesn’t deserve her)

so yeah, that’s totally not gay at all

WWX makes his wish: “I wish to always stand with justice and live without regrets”

THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE MOMENT. 

THIS IS WHEN LWJ FALLS IN LOVE, I SWEAR

LWJ is watching wwx as he’s making that wish (more of an oath, really), and as soon as he hears those words, his eyes widen the way they do when someone gets hit with a life-altering realization. He’s completely thunderstruck 

IT’S NOT SUBTLE GUYS

YOU CAN PRACTICALLY SEE CUPID’S ARROW STICKING OUT OF HIS CHEST (OR WHATEVER ANCIENT FANTASY CHINA EQUIVALENT THERE IS)

THAT’S IT. HE’S A GONER. THERE’S NO ONE ELSE FOR HIM NOW. NO ONE BUT WWX.

For real tho, after this moment, we really don’t see lwj be angry towards wwx like he has been. Annoyed and exasperated at him, sure, but never angry in a petty mean way like before.

It’s beautiful

The next wangxian moment isn’t nearly as intense but it happens shortly after the lantern scene

Wwx goes to beat the shit out of jzx for saying he doesn’t want to marry jyl (because jzx is a moron and definitely deserves a beat down for this insult)

Wwx and jzx are surrounded by a group of loud, flailing people

And lwj just dives right into that throng of people to get to wwx (contrast this to a scene in a later episode where he actively avoids going anywhere near a much calmer, collected group of people bc ew people)

Lwj: *grabs at wwx* stop, wei ying

Wwx: DON’T STOP ME, LAN ZHAN, IM GONNA KILL THIS GUY DEAD IS2G

Next wangxian scene takes place the following morning

Lwj is walking along minding his own business and sees wwx kneeling as punishment for the fight before

He approaches him and calls out to him.

THIS IS IMPORTANT

This is the first time we see him willingly initiate interaction with wwx. Every other time, wwx was the one to approach him first and start to pester him for attention.

BUT LOL JOKE’S ON HIM. THE FIRST TIME HE DARES TO APPROACH WWX FIRST AND HE IMMEDIATELY REGRETS IT

‘Oh hey lan zhan’ wwx responds to LWJ. ‘look at all these little ants i found on the ground!!’

‘OMG WWX YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE KNEELING TO REFLECT ON YOUR MISDEEDS NOT TO PLAY WITH ANTS. SO UNTEACHABLE’ *walks off in a huff*

Wwx is left pouting and saying ‘but the ants are so cute.’

I’M SORRY WHAT??

WHAT DID YOU SAY WWX?? ANTS ARE CUTE??

ANTS ARE NOT CUTE. 

YOU, WWX, YOU ARE CUTE. ANTS ARE NOT. 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.

(i just really hate insects, guys, i would not get near them even if wwx was the one holding them)

(okay, maybe if wwx was holding them, i’d try to get near them, but idk how successful i’d be)

Blah blah more plot stuff happens, blah jin “can’t keep it in my pants* guangshan exists now blah blah 

Alright so now we have the jiang clan saying their goodbyes to the lan clan since i guess Ancient Fantasy China summer school is over maybe??? Idk, point is they gotta leave. 

As they leave, wwx starts to whisper at lwj “lan zhan, lan zhan, about that Plot Device…”

But gets tugged away by his fam, HOWEVER he manages to hear lxc telling lwj to be careful in that foreboding Important Plot Things Are Afoot sort of way

And wwx makes the effort to go back to talk to lwj but jc grabs him and yanks him out by the arm

Jc: are you crazy?? That guy hates you!! He must be happy you’re leaving

Wwx: LIES AND SLANDER, everyone here LOVES me

Idk about everyone, but lwj definitely loves him and jc knows nothing

now it’s THE RETURN OF WINGMAN LXC

The lan bros are watching the yunmeng sibs leave

Lxc: gosh, it’s gonna be quiet here without him, huh? (HIM, HE SAYS, NOT ‘THEM,’ HIM! BC HE TOTALLY KNOWS WHO LWJ IS ACTUALLY WATCHING)

Lwj: *looks down to the floor and refuses to answer*

Lxc: soooo…r u gonna tell him about your Super Important Mission?

Lwj: no. *walks away*

Jeez, he walks off on his big brother a lot, doesn’t he?? Rude. didn’t your parents teach you any manners? Oh wait that was an awful joke and i’m a terrible person, SORRY LWJ

AHHHHHHHHHHH WWX WITH THE BUNNIES!! THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Wwx: *holding a bunny* Bunny, are you gonna be happy hiding here??

Wwx: *pretending to be the bunny* Happy!! 

GUYS THIS SCENE IS JUST TOO CUTE FOR WORDS. 

I REWOUND AND WATCHED IT LIKE, 3 TIMES BECAUSE THE CUTENESS WAS JUST UGH I COULDN’T RESIST. 

HIS VOICE GOES ALL HIGH PITCHED THE WAY IT DOES WHEN YOU MAKE VOICES FOR YOUR PETS!! IT’S ADORABLE AHHHHH I DIE, I DIE

Wwx: maybe i should take you back to lotus pier with me…?

Wwx: hmm, no, i can’t do that. What if lan zhan gets lonely and comes here looking for you? He won’t be able to find you!!

This is literally what wwx said. Like, that was the deciding factor for not taking the bunny home. 

Lan zhan might get lonely. HOW SWEET IS HE. WWX, THE SWEETEST BOY, WHO’S SO IN LOVE AND DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT YET

Then as he’s bonding with the bunny he gets the epiphany that OMG LWJ IS GOING ON THAT SUPER IMPORTANT MISSION ALONE, WITHOUT HIM

And that’s the end of that episode. 

but we got to see the EXACT MOMENT LWJ falls in love for real. And it’s BEAUTIFUL. Not to mention the we were gifted the accidentally-falling-on-top-of-each-other trope. 

and we got bunnies! did i mention the bunnies and wwx being adorable together? because that happened.

Ah, this is the show that just gives and gives *wipes away tears* what did we do to deserve it?

Return to Masterpost

#WangXiantics #the untamed #wangxian #aka the second part of my valentines day gift to fandom

[pokemonmasterscheats-blog]

Pokemon Masters Guide

Pokemon Masters Guide is a guide for hot new game. Step up is somewhat more commonplace. You level up after each battle, just as by utilizing manuals that are given as remunerations in-game. Step up your Sync Pair builds their details in battle so it is critical to stay aware of the levels. The coach manuals don't give some other advantage so use them as required, particularly on the off chance that you get another Sync Pair that you have to step up rapidly. You can likewise include new, progressively incredible moves to your Sync Pairs by utilizing preparing machines — and later tonics — to overhaul them. Bosses is relied upon to dispatch for iOS and Android on August 29, 2019, despite the fact that may arrive anytime during Q3 2019, so we'll make sure to keep this page refreshed. In case you're anxious to download Pokemon Masters the minute it drops on your individual stage, you can enroll enthusiasm on Google Play Store now. Dissimilar to Pokemon GO, its fight mechanics will be undeniably more top to bottom, giving various roads past tapping the screen and spamming things. It appears you'll collaborate with changed coaches all through your adventure, each with their own accounts to advise and Pokemon to battle with. Particularly a game intended for telephones, Pokémon Masters is still a great deal of fun, with complex game mechanics, just as that exceptionally significant "Gatherers" attitude. The game discharges formally in September however in the event that you are in Canada — or you are somewhat tricky — you can play it today. Pokémon Masters inclines intensely on our craving for sentimentality, also our need to finish accumulations, by requesting that we travel around the island of Pasio, gathering things as we go. I utilized a burly Alolan Dugtrio as one of my tanks for its speed and protections. Snorlax will populate in the room where the Chansey bring forth in Cerulean Cave 2f. To guarantee a greater amount of this uncommon Pokémon pop, utilize any kind of bait. Give them Toxic, Protect, and any variety of solid move, for example, Psychic or Earthquake. It's impossible they'll get an opportunity to assault by any stretch of the imagination, and are there for when you're compelled to change out, or need to Toxic slow down any of Red's husky group. For the total of this fight, I'd propose taking the one hit KO on any of his Pokémon when you realize you can. Utilize Psychic to murder the Machamp. Arcanine has Roar, and it gets a kick out of the chance to utilize it on you because of the Calm Mind buff (and some of the time, even without). You may outspeed it and have the option to escape a Psychic before you're compelled to swtich. On the off chance that you get a Pokémon got out that can tank a hit, attempt to utilize a Toxic, at that point Protect. Just pokemon with a * after the name can advance. Exploring 10 at once does not seem to influence rates, dissimilar to some gachapon games. I'd suggest being thrifty with your pulls. In case you're purchasing Gems, the 1-every day arrangement is far better than blowing a 10 pull. Scout Points are a whale repairman to let individuals who spend an abundant excess cash on F2P versatile games to feel somewhat less ripped off in the wake of blowing seven days' compensation in 5 minutes. On the off chance that you fill the scout indicates metter you get pick any Sync Pair you need from the pool—however the prerequisites are outrageous. All coaches travel with only one Pokemon, and the mentor and Pokemon together are known as a Sync Pair. Mentors can bolster their Pokemon with wellbeing lifts and other such buffs. In a perfect bend, you have the choice to mate up with well disposed Sync Pairs that you experience around the Pasio locale. Doing as such will enable you to assume responsibility for the whole group in exceptional 3v3 fights against adversary adversaries. Oddly, yet in addition in all respects intriguingly, Pokemon Master's fights happen continuously. That is it for our manual for all that you have to think about Pokémon Masters! Is it true that you are amped up for this better approach to encounter the Pokémon universe? Tell us in the remarks underneath! For the underlying arrival of Pokemon Masters, there are a couple of explicit strides to getting things running. This is tragically constrained to Android, yet the guide on downloading is accessible underneath: As the fundamental draw of Pokemon Masters, there are two different ways to open mentors and their Pokemon, alluded to as Sync Pairs in-game. Every coach has a solitary Pokémon, and you'll have to frame a group of three mentors and their Pokémon to fight your way to the highest point of the Pokémon Masters League. Pokémon Masters is allowed to-begin, implying that part (or all) of the game will be free, yet some in-application buys may accelerate advance. Battle is ongoing in Pokémon Masters. Your group of three Pokémon coaches and their Pokémon go head to head against another group of three constrained by a PC adversary. Mentors can likewise get in on the activity by utilizing capacities that buff or mend their Pokémon. Seeing as you can generally observe them coming, use Protect directly before they tear through the majority of your HP. Exchange with an Electric-Type move to attach more harm for looking for basic hits. The Lapras never utilized Confuse Ray on me, yet don't hesitate to do as such yourself in the event that you'd like to go that course. In the event that it utilizes Thunderbolt, you're likely dead, yet on the off chance that you keep at it, as this round of karma will make sure that you Toxic slow down your rival in around 5 or 10 endeavors. After the 4 instructional exercise battles and the Scouting instructional exercise, you'll be kicked back to the fundamental menu to download the remainder of Pokemon Masters (another 660 MB). Clearing part 5 opens Skyla and Swana as a playable Sync Pair, just as opening the Events menu. Opens Co-operation play just as Brock and Tyranitar synchronize pair. Center play of this stage is the least demanding approach to get Gym Leader Notes for max level top opening. Each Sync Pair has an extraordinary smaller than normal story that gives you a chance to get a few things and perhaps Evolve their Pokemon (if the mon isn't as of now completely developed in any case). He will likely use Heat Wave, taking down most any member of your team. After your Roar-ed Pokémon faints, send back out Mega Mewtwo Y. Once again, you can try to use a Calm Mind here, and likely should. Either way, it will die to two or three Psychics, depending on your Mewtwo's level and the Toxic's stage. Arcanine will end up doing a decent amount of damage with Heat Wave, so try your best to take it out as quickly as possible, especially since it can choose to use Will-O Wisp. It is accessible from the "Shop" Menu. To kick you off however, the game gives you a lot of preparing machines to give every one of your Sync Pairs another move. Obviously, what I consider as tenderfoot data you may not, so help me out and ask the same number of inquiries as you like. The more I think about your needs the more data I can give you. Details are rebalanced from mainline Pokemon; detail spreads will for the most part be natural, yet numerous pokemon have had their Special Defense and Defense details brought to be progressively equivalent. This implies a cumbersome mon is a massive mon, and furthermore implies you can be somewhat more thoughtless about which assault type to utilize; the greatest def/spdef spread I've seen is about half a greater amount of one than the other. Likewise, speed currently decides Move Gauge recovery, instead of turn request. Every one of the 3 pokemon's speed are joined to decide the rate. We didn't get much data on them, yet they look like fueled up Pokémon assaults. Pokemon GO should make some room on the versatile gaming position of royalty, since DeNA's exertion may be quick to sit close by Niantic's million-production juggernaut. Going about as an increasingly conventional section in the pretending arrangement, Pokemon Masters is advancing toward iOS and Android in the coming months, and it would seem that a great deal of fun. Reported during the Pokemon Press Conference not long ago, Trusted Reviews has arranged all that you have to think about Pokemon Masters including all the most recent news, discharge date, ongoing interaction, trailers and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Everything has all the earmarks of being clock based, including your development check, so you'll must be snappy just as savvy with your basic leadership. Likewise, assaults need to energized before use, and, when prepared, you can tap the screen to release hazardous Sync Moves for reward harm. Pokemon Champion's greatest draw, for me at any rate, is that, at dispatch, it'll highlight pretty much every notorious character from the prior Pokemon games, including rival coaches and exercise center pioneers. There are set to be 65 Sync Pairs when the game dispatches this late spring, and you can probably expect a ton all the more once the game's updates begin taking off. Much like different fights on this rundown, you need the adversary's transition to miss. It will spam Iron Tail at you, which kills you in one hit, however has just 90% exactness. Catch your very own Aerodactyl by visiting the side of the historical center by removing at the hedge. Get the Old Amber from the researcher in the back, and offer it to the researcher in the last room in Cinnabar Island's lab to get back a Level 44 Aerodactyl. In any case, kindly, don't invest $80 at an energy in this game. In-application buys make you need to purchase more in-application buys, so space them out to set aside your cash and rational soundness. The most ideal way I have found is to utilize Google Play Gift Cards to add an equalization to your telephone. When you have spent that gift voucher, you are accomplished for that month. It shields me from overspending. There are a few cool ways you can improve your Sync Pairs in Pokémon Masters including advancing your Pokémon, step up through battle, and by utilizing things to add new moves to your arms stockpile. It will have in-game buys too however it's not so much clear yet whether that will incorporate a buy to open the full game or if that will just mean there are smaller scale exchanges for specific things. In the event that you;re ending up in need an of a Pokémon fix and are getting a little tire of Pokémon GO, this is one to watch. You can likewise spend a diminished measure of an alternate cash you can procure in-game once every day to open a character of your decision. And afterward ultimately, playing the story mode will allow you to fight and afterward select mentors and their related pokémon into your list. The story mode itself is planned much like Fire Emblem Heroes, where you advance through sections with little, discourse overwhelming cutscenes that ordinarily end in fights. DeNA made a custom story for the game highlighting a couple of unique characters on another island called Pasio, and you play as an interesting male or female character that begins matched with Pikachu.

#Pokemon Masters #cheats for Pokemon Masters #Pokemon Masters cheats #Pokemon Masters guide #guides for Pokemon Masters #Pokemon Masters tips #Pokemon Masters android #Pokemon Masters beta

[zenosanalytic]

Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Impermanence

So like I said, Rey’s story was probably my favorite part of the film, and it was my favorite because it played most to what I thought of as the film’s strongest points, which I identify as: dialogue, interaction, acting, its characters and, always very important to me, its Philosophy and Worldbuilding >:]

So Rey and Ren’s stories are pretty deeply intertwined, but I didn’t really get any Reylo vibes from TLJ. I def think that’s something to be worried about given that this is Disney and how that pairing would snap into convention, and the moment when they started fighting side-by-side did confuse and annoy me for a bit before I realized what it was about from Ren’s perspective(just your usually Sith assassination graduation). Part of why I didn’t get that feeling from it was that Ren’s story, while Driver’s performance was excellent, struck me as so limited and passively responding to/reflecting on Rey’s that it was practically ancillary to it. He was less his own character in the movie than a foil; a narrative device for Rey to bounce off of. Her desire to redeem him didn’t strike me that way either because Her motivation always felt to me to be about placing herself in the universe. Like: She didn’t want to redeem Kylo for his sake, or because of her feelings for him, she wanted to do it because that’s what Luke did. Which she directly says: “you ended the last war by redeeming Vader, so that must mean that’s how I will end this one, by redeeming my Vader, Kylo!” This gets into some larger ideas so I’ll back-up a bit for a sec.

Rey came to that island to find Luke, but that was really just a means to an end. Her real motivations were three-fold, two minor ones, getting Luke to go fight and getting Luke to train her, and one core motivation: finding out about herself. And these two minor ones are actually related to the core one:

if he trained her she would be his Apprentice, following his lead and teachings rather than having to figure out her own place and way; her confusion about her feelings and ignorance about herself wouldn’t matter, because he’d be giving her a purpose and clear social place. She wouldn’t have to struggle to figure out where she feels she belongs, who she feels she is and should be, and what she should be doing and why because he would be giving her all those answers.

if he went to fight she’d be the person who found Luke Skywalker, brought back The Legend to set everything Right again, and she’d have done her part without ever having to face the challenge of measuring up. Her anxiety about herself and her power wouldn’t matter because she wouldn’t be at the front of things; her role would be in the background, supporting the Real Heroes and Legends and following their lead.

So Rey’s main hope and fear, the source of both her drive and her anxiety, was always finding out about herself and orienting herself in this, for her, new social world she has dropped into, and in which she feels partly to be a stranger and a phony. That is made explicit when Luke questions her on who she is and why she’s there; iirc, her first two answers(”to bring you back, to train”) are stilted and awkward and he easily dispenses with them while her third, her confusion and fear about herself and her desire for him to help her make sense of it, is honest and heartfelt, and gives Luke real pause(and fear). Obvsl this is, on top of everything else, an analogy for becoming an adult so I’ll just get that out of the way as it’s pretty basic and not really what I find interesting about it. So her desire to redeem Ren was based not in sentiment for Ren but in her desire to fill Luke’s place. It is mainly an expression of her anxiety over feeling disconnected and socially adrift by attempting to solve it through role-modelling and repetition of her defining narratives; by abstracting her life via metaphor to the Legends she holds dear, and out-sourcing the anxiety of decision to the surety of history, though she doesn’t really understand the people involved in those events, and their experiences don’t really map to her circumstances.

So the whole “redemption” thing never struck me as romantic, because her interactions with Ren and desire to Redeem him were pursued for abstract immediate reasons in service to psychological primary ones.  Affection and attraction had nothing to do with it. She does come to share a common feeling with Ren(quite directly in that they, as aware Force-Sensitives, can feel each others’ emotions and thoughts), but this is never affection; never sexual or romantic attraction. Rather it is true Sympathy; a recognition of emotional and contextual similarity. She sees her conflict, confusion, and unmooredness reflected in his own, though distorted by his different particulars.

And not only does she see his confusion and chaos(mirroring her own), but she also feels the stability and control he can exercise within that via his ambition, sense of purpose, and historical nihilism[1]. As someone in conflict, she wants that stability so she seeks to understand it where she finds it(Luke certainly isn’t displaying any). In a similar way and for similar reasons, though with some morbid inversions, Rey needs to understand how he could choose to throw away the family, friends and easy affection -the connections- which she most wants because she’s never had them. Her social universe, made up largely of people who knew him and who he abandoned, is filled with all these potentials for the affirmation and acceptance which she most desires, and which he destructively rejected. She has little idea how to cultivate these connections which he was born with -has never even been able to have them(until Finn[2])- and so she’s anxious about Fucking Up and, in one of these morbid inversions, is partly drawn to Ren as someone who has had them. As, I think, has been clear since TFA(and is powerfully and repeatedly reinforced in TLJ), Rey sees herself as abandoned and thrown away; she conceives of herself as an outsider but, more than that, as one who was rejected as “not good enough” and “not wanted”. Ren threw others away, chose to be an outsider, and she also needs to understand that because it’s inconceivable to her that anyone would make such a choice. That he knows Han loved him, and doesn’t hate Han(even, in fact, still says he loves him), makes this even more incomprehensible to her, which makes her need to understand stronger. And not only in an abstract sense of curiosity; by understanding why he threw away people and how he feels about that, she seeks to understand why she was thrown away, whether she was truly unwanted, and through that seeks the validation of her hopes for what her parents felt for her; seeks a morbid reflection of Ren’s murderous “love” for his father in an abandoning “love” in her parents. That’s why Ren’s “I didn’t hate him” line is so important, and why it hits her so true. That’s why she reaches out to him(beside the control and his place as foil to her own desires). In some ways he reflects her, but in others he is a surrogate for those who rejected her and her reaching out to him is part-and-parcel with her desire to understand them.

Which brings up another interesting part of her narrative, and this is where TLJ’s take on the The Force starts to get involved and developed. Luke defines The Force differently than Kanata did, not as an energy that “moves through and surrounds every Living thing”, but as the Energy between and connecting all things: its Flow, its Tension, and its Balance. Rey’s stated motivation, her greatest desire, is to know what her place is. But her real, unstated motivation is To Belong, because she’s never Belonged with anyone, she was always alone, and she thinks knowing her place will show her who she Belongs with[3]. This is her driving Tension -the source of Tension- in her story; the thing she wants most in the Universe. Which ties it to The Force; Tension is explicitly mentioned as an expression of it. Building on this, there is a place beneath the island associated by Luke with “The Dark Side” -a pool in a cave, one wall of which seems to be ice- which the movie explicitly aligns with this precise Tension: Rey is drawn to it, feeling that she will find answers about her parents(her Belonging) there. There are other metaphysical things about this place I’ll get to later: what’s important right now is this connection: Rey, to Tension, to The Force, to this Place, to the Dark Side. Taking this as an archetype and looking at the other Force users in the film, we can see a possible pattern: Ren’s Tension is the desire to be strong and measure up to, then surpass, then be free of, his heritage; to be without “weakness”, as he sees it: restraint, connection, and sentiment; To “Let the Past Die”, and be Free to pursue his own will/strength as and when he wishes. Giving in to that leads him to the Dark Side. Luke’s Tension was Anxiety over living up to his own Legend and being able to Defeat “The Dark Side”, and indulging in that Tension on one terrible night precipitated Ben’s final alienation. So the film seems to be arguing that this Tension in the Force is what the Jedi-culture(and thus Sith-culture) considers “The Dark Side of the Force”. This doesn’t just advance compelling worldbuilding; it situates Rey’s central conflict and motivation within that Worldbuilding; within her larger world. I find this sort of structural integration with character narratives really satisfying, and it brings an added meaning to conventional movie techniques for displaying emotion by projecting it onto the world(like placing her most intense moments of confusion, danger, and inner-conflict within environments of darkness, storms, cold, and wetness during times, for instance).

Thinking about it, I feel like maybe you could expand this(and thus The Force) to being a central theme of the movie? In each “Good” character’s narrative there is a Tension driving them which they, over the movie, learn to let go of(which, in turn, leads to their naturally fulfilling it). Luke lets go of his sense of failure at continuing the Jedi, finding peace and ensuring the Jedi continue. Poe lets go of his desire to Lead through Action and Heroics, which saves the remaining Resistance, especially their pilots, and in doing so becomes the leader he wants to be. Finn lets go of his myopic desire to get back to Rey and escape the First Order and starts to really fight for the ideas and people important to him, which leads him to defeat the FO personified by Phasma, brings him back to Rey, and ensures both their safety. It is in letting go that people achieve balance and fulfillment in this story. Conversely, Ren gives in to his desires for Power and Escaping the Past by destroying it, and thus ends up being entrapped by them, like the tragic, hubristic lead of an ancient Greek play. That idea of Enlightenment, Freedom, and Fulfillment coming from letting go, and suffering coming from holding on, is Very Buddhist and Very, Very Zen, which finally brings me to my Favorite aspect of this film ^u^ ^u^ ^u^

I’m obvsl not the first to draw a connection of inspiration between The Jedi and Zen(I’m actually pretty sure Lucas even said as much at one point, but I’m too lazy to look it up rn), but the return to a more Original Trilogy, Zen treatment of the Jedi and The Force is something I loved So Much[4]. The main Tension in this narrative is between the characters while the world is just... there in its Suchness, surrounding them, and they’re in it, and part of it, and their reactions to its Impermanence. Life lives and dies and lives again; matter is built, torn down, and built again; all physical things are locked within a Permanent cycle of Impermanence, and The Force is the sinew binding it all together, the Energy flowing permanently through the impermanent. And understanding and accepting that, even unconsciously, brings about release from pain, internal balance, and true fulfillment. Hence Rey’s Tension/Desire, and the Balance she achieves when she lets go of it; admitting her fears about her past and her desires for it without letting them control her. Hence Ren’s failure to achieve balance and freedom by giving in to the Tension of his Ambitions; his past, quiet literally in the projected “ghost” of his master, defeats him. Hence Rey’s Flow with The Force when she realizes the pattern set before her(the Rocks at the end; a clear callback to Luke’s earlier comments, and to Luke’s training with Yoda on Dagoba which the Island sequence is a reference to, and Luke’s line about “moving rocks” a direct quote from his Dagoba training).

And, in typically ironic Zen fashion, by giving up on her Desire to find where she Belongs, by accepting her greatest fears of the truth and meaninglessness of her natal rejection, Rey is inevitably brought precisely to where she Belongs: to the embrace of Finn and her new found family within the Resistance. I know at this point I’m repeating myself, but this is why the complaints about Rey “not training” never really flew[5]; one doesn’t need to “learn” how to “use” the Force, one already can “use The Force” because One is already attuned with it simply by existing. One is “Born Enlightened”, as it were. What one must do is “get out of the way”; not Try to move something with The Force, but allow The Force to Flow Through You and connect you to the universe such that your Will and its Will become one, and the thing you wish to occur occurs(and, conversely, you play the role you are meant to). TFA Got this, but TLJ both Gets it and explicates it explicitly to the audience.

The whole destruction/giving away/loss of iconic objects plays into Impermanence as well. Most obviously there is Yoda’s “the books don’t matter” comment to Luke, which is one of Zen’s most famous aspects; it denies a doctrinal, textual past, and gives primacy to the experience and learning through experience(though obvsl there ARE Zen books and doctrines; so another similarity :p). More broadly is the “suchness” mentioned earlier: Physical existence is As it Is, and also impermanent. TLJ confuses things a bit though because, while Buddhism acknowledges that all physical things are impermanent, it also recognized the impermanence of immaterial things like ideology, family and connection. Zen is particularly “rigorous” on this point through its (mis?)understanding of the doctrine of “voidness”, or Sunyata. Zen interprets the Heart Sutra,

Oh, Sariputra, Form Does not Differ From the Void,

And the Void Does Not Differ From Form. Form is Void and Void is Form; The Same is True For Feelings, Perceptions, Volitions and Consciousness

often taken as the primary text for this doctrine, as an affirmation that physical reality, identity, ideology -all Things- are “empty” projections of Void or “Nothingness”, which is the true reality which Enlightenment is direct awareness of and communion with.

TLJ, and SW in general, fumbles and commits the common Euro error of replacing a Buddhist conception of impermanence, and Zen conception of “Void”, with Platonic ideas preferencing the immaterial as “divine, immortal, and Real” in opposition to the flawed, illusory “mortality” of physical reality. So TLJ, while destroying or giving away important items, consistently ties that to the message that the ideals and concepts/feelings/ephemera those items symbolized or taught -Family, Relationships, Freedom and Justice and Democracy, oneness with The Force, The Resistance, Identity, Agency, Heroism, etc- are what is Truly Important and Lasting as opposed to immaterial possessions. That’s not very Buddhist and, in particular, it’s not very Zen, as Zen not only denies the permanence of both physical and ideal things, but makes a point of encouraging one to appreciate the impermanence of existence, material and immaterial, and to see an ultimate unity, rather than opposition, between material and immaterial, through their impermanence and Voidness. Star Wars includes many visuals that are true to this tradition(Luke’s final scene in TLJ, for instance, is an excellent example, especially as it is an obvious symbol of his life as a whole, and represents his attaining a final, complete community with The Force), but then it undermines it a bit with this far more prominent Idealism which, while |:T, is sadly expected and so I don’t let it bother me.

Though, from a fan perspective, I LOVE the idea of their being doctrinal disagreements about the nature of The Force among Force-sensitive and Force-using communities. It helps to make the world and its possibilities bigger if this fictional world reflects the uncertainty, and inevitable multiplicity of opinion, of real life. And, obvsl, it both creates more space for fans to fiddle around in, and presents an easy justification for doing so(well This, my own Personal Jedi Sect, thinks THIS...) >:] >:]

And, obvsl, Zen Yoda is Best Yoda, and reinforces the Zen treatment of The Force as well. Luke’s sarcasm and leaf-swatting of Rey was also a nice callback to the ole Swamp Hermit, and to Zen, which has in its history some pretty famously crotchety Teachers.

Ok, I think that’s it on this topic. If I come up with anything else about Zen, The Force, the TFA trilogy’s Force-Users, and TLJ, I’ll make another post and mutually link the posts. Thanks for Reading ^v^

[1]”nihilism” isn’t really the word I want here, but I can’t entirely metaphorically grab the term/concept I’m reaching for |:T I mean his whole insincere “let the past die” schtick

[2]Well there’s also BB-8, but I’m not sure if she feels that’s the same. She certainly knows her way around droids, and one gets the sense she likes them and gets on well with them, but at the same time she clearly doesn’t see her relationships to droids as being as fulfilling as those she has with biologicals; her responses to people are just much more intense and invested. Or Maybe this is just part of the Series Bible for SW: that bio characters generally not respond to droids like their equals, even if they are friendly and respectful towards them. The position and condition of Droids is a Whole Other Topic re: Star Wars, Politics, and Philosophy though, so I’ll stop there ftm.

[3]This is one thing about the story that makes Reylo worries understandable, I think, because one of the possible answers the film presents Rey as considering is “with Ren”, and there’s fundamentally a romantic implication in that. They’re both young Force-Users. They’re both, obvsl, very attractive and conventionally “fit”. They’re both conflicted, confused, and searching for answers which is a frequent romantic prelude in film. Moreover he presents himself as having answers to her questions and is obvsl trying to seduce and dominate her in ways that anyone who has ever dealt with passive-aggressive manipulators like him can recognize. Which are -again; sadly- common cinematic harbingers of romance and sex. The movie certainly plays with this, but while watching it I always felt that it was for effect, for characterizing Ren and their interactions, and I thought Ridley’s performance both completely refused to reciprocate this and presented a... unstated awareness of and resistance to Ren’s overtures. Which is why it didn’t ping me as “legit Reylo” and cause concern; she was aware of and quietly guarding against his bullshit even while seeking to understand him and learn from their connection. And this was all subtle and silent, conveyed purely through her physicality and line-delivery.

[4]Though, obvsl, it was rather shallow and aesthetical in the OT, like most early Euro attempts to adapt the concepts.

[5]aside from Luke’s training being all of “shot in the butt by a laser ball while blindfolded” before he blew-up the Death Star, and Rey getting more moments of Force failure than his missing the bullseye once and going for another pass

#Star Wars #The Last Jedi #Zen Buddhism #Buddhism #SW Worldbuilding #Movie Reviews #zA's Outside Viewing #analytic posts