#but it was uh. concerning how many people were surprised that a person who legit hated butches believed in gender essentialism

[honeypiehotchner]

i knew you (Bucky Barnes soulmate AU) -- part two

Y’all are about to make me turn this into a long/full-length fic. I swear. Thank you for the feedback!! It made me all :D Enjoy this angst xx.

For the next few weeks, you would meet Steve at the coffee shop after class just to talk about Bucky. Your best friend joked that you must be dating someone, but left it alone when you told her she wouldn’t believe who you were with if you told her anyway.

Day after day, Steve brings some new story about his best friend. Last week, he brought you the sketches he found that Bucky made him draw. He said he has no idea how they survived, but by the yellow tint of the paper, you knew they were legit.

As was the letter Steve handed you a few days ago.

The paper is yellow. The ink faded. The creases permanent. 

And the handwriting. It’s Bucky’s.

You’ve yet to read the letter. You tried. You opened it. You got as far as “Doll, if you’re reading this, that means Steve kept his promise. I’m sorry I can’t be there--” before the tears made it too hard to read anything.

The letter sits on your dresser and every morning you hold it against your chest, pressing it over your heart. As stupid as it sounds, you can almost feel him standing behind you when you do.

How painful it is to love and miss someone that you have never met.

The emptiness is present most days, but today it is especially prevalent, and you can’t pinpoint why.

You dreamt of him last night. Sometimes you feel especially empty after seeing him, mainly because when you wake it’s a painful reminder that he isn’t here. But something about today feels different.

“You okay?”

The voice makes you jump, but it’s only your best friend. Her eyebrows furrow in concern at your reaction.

“Yeah,” you murmur, slowly placing the letter back on your dresser. 

“You know,” she pauses, walking further into your room. “You told me I wouldn’t believe it if you told me. But I’d still like to know.”

You smile, looking at her in the mirror. “You sure?”

“You’ve been acting strange for weeks now,” she chuckles. “I’d like to know why. I’m your best friend.”

“Okay,” you exhale. You turn around, gesturing to your bed. The two of you sit next to one another, and you hold a pillow to your chest for comfort. “It’s Steve.”

“Steve? Steve who?”

“Steve Rogers,” you say, watching the realization dawn. “Captain America.”

“You’re serious?”

You nod.

“Are you guys dating?”

“No,” you laugh, shaking your head. “Nothing like that. He’s...We’ve been talking about Bucky.”

“Bucky? Barnes?”

“Yeah,” you nod again. This time, you stand and grab the letter from your dresser, returning to your bed with it in your hands. “Bucky is my soulmate.”

Your best friend’s eyes go wide. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” you hand her the letter. “I haven’t read it yet, but Steve gave it to me. Apparently Bucky dreamt about me, too. Tried to find me and couldn’t, but he gave Steve this letter before he was deployed in the war. He made Steve promise he’d find me, and well…”

“Holy hell,” she murmurs, staring down at the handwriting. “To Y/N, from Bucky,” she shakes her head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Me either,” you admit.

“Is this why you were so emotional that day?” She asks, looking up at you. “Gosh, Y/N, why didn’t you tell me?” She pulls you into her arms, the letter resting on the bed between you. “I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t want you to think I was delusional,” you confess, holding her just as tight. “I’ve had to be careful. No one outside of my parents knew before Steve figured it out.” 

Your best friend pushes back from the hug. “Wait. How did he figure it out?”

“He saw me standing in front of the video of him and Bucky at the museum,” you explain. “He said I looked familiar, and he was right. Bucky used to have him sketch me so he could have a picture of me to look at.”

You lean back and reach under your pillow, pulling out one of the many sketches Steve gave you. Your best friend takes it in her hands, one coming up to cover her mouth in a shocked gasp.

“Dated 1940,” she says softly. “Wow. It really looks like you.”

You nod. She’s right. Even you were a little shocked upon seeing the first sketch. Aside from the hairstyle being a little traditionally 40s, everything else was really close. Enough that it couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else, that’s for sure.

“So Steve tells you about Bucky?” 

You nod some more. “I didn’t think he would. I’m surprised he does, honestly. I can’t imagine how he must feel being thrown 70 years into the future without his best friend -- or anyone. He still visits Peggy in her nursing home, you know.” You smile softly. “They’re soulmates.”

“They are?” Your best friend gasps. “That’s so sweet.”

“Yeah,” you agree. “But he’s told me a lot about Bucky. Every time I think he’s told me everything, he comes back with a new story. And every day I swear I fall more in love with Bucky. It’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not,” your best friend shakes her head. “I’m sorry he’s not here.”

“Me too,” you murmur. “I miss him.”

“I know,” she replies, a sad smile crossing her lips. “Are you gonna be okay at your interview?”

“Yeah,” you nod. “I have to go. I need this job.”

“Okay,” she says. “When was the last time you got to talk about Bucky?”

“Oh, it’s been a few days. Steve’s been busy, probably, but it’s alright. We’ve talked about him every day for the past two weeks. I can manage a few more days without him. Now, get out. I need to get dressed,” you tease, shoving her off your best.

“Yes ma’am,” she laughs. “We meeting for lunch after?”

“Yep,” you nod, heading for your closet. “I’ll let you know where after the interview. Not sure if I’ll need comfort food or not.”

“Gotcha,” she shakes her head.

+++

The interview went...okay. You’re not sure which way it’ll swing, but you’re hoping it’ll be in your favor.

“Hey girl,” your best friend’s eager voice greets you. “How’d it go?”

“Good, I think,” you laugh, straightening your purse on your shoulder. “Still wanna do lunch?”

“Duh,” she replies. “Where?”

But instead of answering her question, your eyes are caught on something else. Smoke. The smell hit you when you first walked out of the building, but you just assumed someone had been smoking. Now that you see the large cloud in the sky, you think otherwise.

“Y/N?”

“Uh, where are you?”

“Still at the apartment, why?”

“Stay there,” you say quietly, quickening your pace. “Cancel lunch. Stay inside.”

“What?”

“Just trust me!” You nearly yell, cursing yourself for wearing heels, but you’re breaking into a run nonetheless. “Turn on the news.”

“Okay, okay,” she replies frantically. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” you rush out. You skid to a stop at the intersection. “I don’t know what’s wrong but...I can feel him.”

“What? Bucky’s dead, Y/N.”

“I know that. I know he is. But I can...I can feel him. I don’t know why. Something’s wrong. Really wrong.”

“Then get the hell out of there!” Your best friend screams. “Call the police!”

An explosion booms in the distance. Something in your chest pulls you toward it. Logically, you know you can’t run after it, but your legs have a mind of their own.

“Y/N! What are you doing?!”

“I have to see!” You scream. “I’m sorry! I have to!”

“Y/N, it’s not him! He’s not there!”

“I just have to make sure!”

About that time is when another explosion rattles the ground below you. You now recognize the other noises as rapid gunfire, an automatic weapon. Screams echo in the distance but all you hear is your soul screaming at you. It’s Bucky, it tells you. It has to be Bucky.

“Y/N, listen to me!” Still, your best friend tries to get you to turn back. “What’s on the news isn’t pretty. Cars turned over and people running. The police haven’t even arrived to contain it yet. Think about what you’re doing!”

“I am,” is all you can say. “I won’t get too close. I just have to see.”

“Y/N!” 

“I’m sorry!” You scream back, right as the line goes dead. Damn service must be down.

Shaking it off, you keep running. While everyone is running away from the danger, passing you with wild looks in their eyes, you run toward it with tears streaming down your face. 

It’s him. It has to be. I don’t know how. But it is. It just is.

Up ahead, you can see a fight going on. And it’s... 

It’s Steve?

Your steps slow when you see his shield thrown into a car with such force that it terrifies you and almost makes you turn back. The crunch of metal on metal causes you to flinch, but you don’t turn away.

But you don’t. You watch the scene unfold before you. It’s hard to tell who has the upper hand. Steve or...the guy with the metal arm? That alone confuses you to no end. What kind of person has a metal arm?

You watch for a few more frightening seconds. The one with the metal arm brings out a knife. As you get closer, you notice he has a mask on over his nose and mouth. You’re not close enough to see, but...

Steve finally gains the upper hand, landing a few punches and kicks on his opponent. You gasp when Steve sends him flying, doing a somersault in midair.

You slow to a walk as you get as close as you’ll let yourself. Steve stands, shoulders rising and falling rapidly with his breaths. His opponent turns, his long hair swinging around his face, and all of the air around you seems to disappear.

“Bucky?” You whisper.

Bucky says something you don’t hear before raising his gun at Steve. You shout, “No!” before you can stop yourself, breaking into another sprint before you can think twice about what you’re doing. You don’t know what’s happening but you know that’s Bucky.

Something bird-like -- or someone, rather -- swoops down from the sky, knocking Bucky to the ground before he can shoot. Steve turns, sees you running, and yells something at you that you don’t process. You imagine he’s telling you to stop but that’s the last thing you want to do right now.

“Bucky!” You scream, voice full of hysteria and pain. 

Bucky hesitates, eyes locking on yours. You know he’s just tried to kill Steve, you know something is wrong, but you just want to hug him--

Steve catches you in his arms before you can get too far, saving you from being in the crossfire of a grenade that is shot right at Bucky by a redhead. You yell a broken sob that rips you open, fighting against Steve’s grip, but to no avail. You’re no match for his strength, and your emotions have rendered you weak.

The smoke clears and Bucky is gone, vanished into thin air. As if he was never there. 

Just like your dreams.

“Shhh,” Steve murmurs, arms not loosening around your body. Your knees buckle and he’s there to hold you up. “It’s okay. I know.”

“Bucky…” You whisper, face contorting in pain and you scream, a blistering heat spreading through your chest. Steve holds you tight, jaw clenching as he listens to you.

Sirens wail down the road, getting closer, but all you can see are Bucky’s eyes. They’re his eyes, but they’re not the same. That was Bucky, but he wasn’t your Bucky. The one who keeps you company during the night-- It wasn’t right. It wasn’t him.

But it was his face.

What happens next you hardly remember. Guns pointed all around. Someone screaming at all of you to get on your knees. Handcuffs circle your wrists and your heart is split in half. Someone asks who the hell you are. No one answers.

You’re ushered to the back of a van, all four of you. You’re shoved in next to Steve and across from the Wingman and the redhead. Steve’s worried eyes look you over, but you can only stare down at your cuffed hands.

The ride is quiet. The guards beside you don’t move.

“Bucky,” you whisper, tears springing back to your eyes.

“I know,” Steve murmurs. “It was him.”

The ringing in your ears takes over, blocking out all other noise. You see everyone’s lips moving, but nothing registers. You’re too heartbroken. He’s alive. But he’s not...him.

+++

When you finally return to reality you’re sitting up against a concrete wall. The cuffs are gone, but you don’t remember when. You don’t even know where the hell you are.

You kick your heels off, too out of it to even care that the floor is probably dirty and full of who knows what kind of germs. But your entire body aches too much for that to bother you.

Bucky.

He looked right at you. He hesitated. Who was he?

You hear voices in the room next to you. Footsteps. Then Steve is kneeling in front of you.

You blink slowly, focusing on his face. His smile is sad.

“How you holding up?”

You shake your head.

Steve sighs, moving to sit down in front of you. Your eyes look to your hands instead.

“We’ve got a safe house set up,” he says. “We’ve already sent agents to get your roommate and some of your things. You need to stay there until we finish this. I don’t know how long it’ll be.”

You nod. Steve’s only indication that you’re listening.

“The doc wants to check you out first. You were unresponsive so he wanted you to come out of it before he did.”

Another nod.

“Come on,” Steve holds out his hand.

Tentatively, you grab it. His hand feels foreign, makes your skin crawl, but then again, so does the floor you were just sitting on. Regardless, your hand slips from Steve’s as quickly as you can. You smooth your sweaty palm down your pants leg, grimacing at the way it makes you shiver. Steve watches you like you’re going to collapse again, and honestly, you might.

Steve leads you into the room he just came from, where you find the redhead, the Wingman, an agent, and the doctor. You glance to the left and see a man with an eyepatch lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to all sorts of shit. Your eyebrows furrow.

“Welcome back to earth,” the man says, full of snark and yet, a hint of caring. “Sorry you’re mixed up in all this.”

You shrug. “It’s okay.” But it’s actually not. You’re in so much pain you can barely breathe. It just...came out of nowhere. “Fuck--”

Steve’s arms jerk out to hold you up. You grip his arm as tight as you can, your eyes squeezing shut. The pain sears, it fucking burns--

“What the hell is going on?” Someone asks, frantic, you don’t know.

“I don’t know,” Steve replies. “Y/N? I’m gonna set you down.”

Slowly, Steve lowers you, but you aren’t met with concrete, you’re met with a soft mattress. Another bed, must be.

 Your head rolls back, the pain subsiding for only a moment. It returns as quick as it left, starting in your head, splitting your skull open. Your body seizes, unable to move. The burning is in your fucking bones but how is that even possible?

Faintly, you hear the doctor asking for something. There’s a prick in your arm, and your breathing slows.

“Thank you,” you mutter, eyes slipping closed. “Fuck.” You cough. “What the fuck was that?”

“I gave you a small dosage of a nerve blocker to ease it for now,” the doctor says. “Have you ever had something happen like that before?”

“No,” you croak, opening your eyes. “And I don’t want it to ever happen again.”

“Any ideas, doc?” The man in the bed says.

The doctor shakes his head. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. Not with as sudden of an onset as that.”

“Well, great,” you mutter, covering your eyes with your arm. “I love being a walking mystery.”

“You are a walking mystery,” the man in the bed replies. “Steve never gave us your name. Mind enlightening us?”

“Y/N,” you mutter. “Y/N L/N. I’m just a college student.”

You hear Steve sigh. Don’t do it--

“She’s Bucky’s soulmate,” Steve says, and you want to scream. But you don’t. Instead, you focus on holding back your tears.

“Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting,” someone else says. You move your arm to see it’s the Wingman. “I’m Sam, by the way.”

“Nice,” you nod.

“That’s Natasha,” Steve continues, pointing at the redhead. She has a bandage over where she was shot, a patch of red beginning to seep through. She nods at you, emotionless. “Director Nick Fury is over there.” Eye patch. Got it. “And that’s Maria Hill.”

You nod, not that you’ll remember all of their names in the next minute. Especially not if another episode of pain comes back on, but you really hope it won’t.

“I’m Dr. Fine,” the doctor says, walking around the cot to shine a flashlight in your eyes. You refrain from smacking him with it. “You’re The Winter Soldier’s soulmate, then?”

“Who’s The Winter Soldier?” You say, eyebrows furrowing. “Is that…”

Steve nods solemnly. “That’s what they call him.”

Your nose scrunches. You don’t like it at all. Yes, he wasn’t himself, but deep down, he’s still Bucky. Your Bucky.

“What are you thinking, doc?” Steve asks, arms crossed over his chest.

You turn your head away, bringing your arm down from your eyes. You have an idea of what it is, but you don’t like it. Because that means you’re going to begin feeling everything, and judging by what you just saw and experienced today, you don’t know that you’ll survive it.

“Some soulmates-- It’s not sound because there haven’t been enough studies done on this, but for some soulmates, it is possible that she feels what he feels. And vice versa.”

Your eyes close out of sheer frustration. “I figured.”

“You figured?” Steve questions, almost incredulously.

You open your eyes and you almost glare at him. “I’ve felt empty all my life, Steve. With no explanation. Went to therapists and doctors and all of them said it wasn’t that bad. So I learned to live with it. But when I woke up this morning, I felt different,” you explain, your voice losing volume the longer you speak. “Now I know why.”

“But that’s it? Just empty?” Sam chimes in, confusion covering his features, too.

“It’s possible that seeing him, face-to-face for the very first time today triggered the nerve endings,” Dr. Fine replies quietly. “Before it was muted feelings, and if they’ve brainwashed him, then that is understandable. But seeing him must have flipped a switch.”

“I’ll say,” you scoff. All you can do is deflect right now. If you think too much about Bucky, you’ll check out again. “Can you do anything at all?”

“I can prescribe some nerve blockers like what I gave you, but I don’t know how effective it’ll be,” the doctor shrugs mournfully. “They appeared to have worked for now, but I don’t know for how long. There isn’t much science behind it. Because you aren’t in pain -- he is.”

“Right,” you mutter. As if you needed the reminder.

“I’ll have them sent to the safe house,” the doctor says, nodding to Maria. “Other than that,” he focuses back on you with a sad smile. “You’re alright. Unless you have any other questions?”

“No,” you shake your head, beginning to sit up. Your calves ache, most likely from running through the streets of D.C. with heels on, but it’s nothing you haven’t dealt with before. “As long as that pain doesn’t come back, I think I’m good.”

“Is the car ready?” Steve asks, wrapping his arm around your waist to help you stand. Unfortunately, the episode zapped a lot of your energy.

“It is,” Maria nods. “I’m tagging along, but I’ll be back once they’re settled.”

“Thank you,” Steve says. Then, he cranes his neck toward you, “Ready?”

You nod, not that you have much of a choice here. A chorus of goodbyes ring out from everyone in the room, which surprises you. Natasha didn’t look like she cared for you too much, but she was also shot in the shoulder, so. Sam seemed nice. Confused about everything, but that made two of you.

After what feels like a mile-long walk to the car, Steve is helping you into the backseat of a blacked out SUV.

“Steve,” you say softly, hoping he’ll hear you. 

He does. He turns, raising his eyebrows. 

“He’s in a lot of pain,” you whisper. “Emotionally. It feels like a black hole.”

Steve nods firmly. “I’m gonna get him back.”

“What if you can’t?” You ask, tears coming back, but you shove them away. You can cry on the ride to the safe house. “What did they even do to him?”

“I don’t know,” Steve shakes his head. “But I swear, I’ll get him back.”

“Okay,” you murmur. “If you can’t, though,” you shake your head, willing the tears to stop. “It’s okay. Thank you...for everything you gave me.” You shrug half-heartedly. “I never would’ve really known him if it weren’t for you.”

You swear you see tears gathering in Steve’s eyes, too. He pulls you forward again, into his chest, holding your head as you take in a few shaking breaths. You don’t know how he’s been so put together this whole time. 

Pulling back from the hug, Steve waits until you’re looking at him before speaking again. “I promise. I’ll bring him back to you.” He smiles, all crooked and sad. “He has to meet his girl. He promised.”

You chuckle, wiping tears from your eyes, sniffling loudly. “Thank you.”

“Get some rest,” Steve says, squeezing your shoulder.

“Okay,” you promise, swinging your legs the rest of the way in the car. 

Steve shuts the door, waving to you as Maria drives away.

In the car, you finally have enough sense to check your phone. There’s a lot of panicked voicemails from your best friend, and then things calm down when she tells you she’s headed to the safe house. She’s already there, as of thirty minutes ago. You send a text to let her know you’re headed there and that you’re okay, you’re not injured.

You turn and lay down on the seats, using your arm as a pillow, and you dream.

You dream of Bucky.

#i knew you #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #captain america: the winter soldier #bucky barnes soulmate au #angst #james buchanan barnes #james buchanan bucky barnes #angst city #i'm so sorry for this #oops

[casualotptrash]

Why the Persona 3 FES vs Portable Debate Makes Me Want to Fly Into the Sun Pt. 2

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Hello everybody and welcome to Part 2 of this emotionally fueled rant. In my previous post I went over a lot of the changes that Persona 3 Portable makes from Persona 3 FES, and how a majority of them can make the game more enjoyable for certain people. This spawned from the comment I see a lot, which is that instead of playing Portable people can just play FES with a controllable party mod and it makes everything hunky dory.

Below I will go over the next thing that infuriates me about this whole discussion: the idea that FES is objectively better because it has cutscenes and is not done in the “visual novel” style of Portable.

To cut to the chase, Portable gets shit on quite a bit for its presentation and some choices available in the game. One of the most popular suggestions I see when someone is asking which game to play is to first play FES and then play Portable for the FeMC route, if they want to see that one. This is in order to get the “real” experience first, and I think that is some bullshit.

It seems people forget completely that Portable has a Male route option! Newsflash, it does. As far as I know, other than the gameplay changes I mentioned in my previous post, the Male route in Portable is exactly the same story-wise as FES. However, I assume this isn’t brought up because people who enjoy FES and don’t like Portable consider the FeMC route the only reason to do a run of Portable. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue....but this isn’t really the case.

What elevates this into being a part of the reason why I hate this debate is because I see so many people essentially demand that newcomers to the game play FES first. They say it is the “real” way to experience the game, and they say that everyone will have more of an impact from FES and enjoy the game more. Like I said, I see this so often that it frustrates me. Shout out to people who are actually cool about the comparisons and don’t sound like they’re forcing the newcomer into either game. Anyway, there is one glaring, serious issue with this type of statement about FES.

It is completely subjective.

Surprise surprise, an opinion is subjective. Now I know that sounds obvious, but remember I’m talking about the issue where people act like FES is factually better than Portable. So much so that they say it’s the “real” way to experience the game.

I’m going to be real with y’all, I know for a fact that if I had played FES first I would have taken way longer to finish it, might have not even finished it, and definitely wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. Thankfully I had a family member who got me into Persona, so when discussing which version I would play I decided P3P would be better based off of what he said, and he also happened to have the game on Vita.

I think the main reason that this statement gets thrown around is because 1. FES was the first of the two to come out, so it could be seen as the best experience by the people who played it first or became a sort of “classic” among the fans, and 2. it is coming from a specific crowd in the Persona fandom.

As anyone who steps into the fandom can see, people play Persona for a wide variety of reasons. Some play for the gameplay, and like to challenge themselves to beat the game on the hardest difficulty with one persona only. Others play for the social sim aspect of the game, and enjoy the dating, characters, and social links/confidants. Obviously the story brings most people into the game in the first place, but some might enjoy the story and the lore of the series the most.

I am not trying to knock anyone from any of those categories, but I think the reason that this statement about FES gets thrown around is because it comes from the first and perhaps third category of people.

For the first category of people, they think Portable is too easy (despite a harder difficulty than FES being implemented and the option to just use the tactics like FES) and prefer the FES combat. I have even seen someone try to explain the lack of direct control of party members by saying that the MC wouldn’t be able to “control” the party members and they would do whatever they want, aka the party members would have autonomy if they were real. I can see this being a nice little headcanon about the gameplay, but they also don’t mention that you can do the exact same thing in Portable and set party members to something other than direct command; so it’s not really applicable to the argument of why FES’s combat is better as far as the tactics are concerned.

I assume that the main gripe with the story of Portable from FES fans, aka some changes to the plot with the FeMC route (a rant for another time because the changes to the plot aren’t that well-done in the first place...so they don’t really change the story...) and the overall presentation of the story, is from the third category of people.

This is brought up with two factors: the lack of cutscenes and an overworld in Portable, resulting in a “visual novel” type of presentation. Like I mentioned earlier, this is a bad reason to say that one game is better than the other because it is completely subjective. Some people may really benefit from the cutscenes and overworld, while others might not care that much. That being said, I can understand the issue with the lack of cutscenes a lot more than the issue with the overworld. It makes sense that a cutscene could have a larger emotional impact, depending on if it is well done or not. However, I really don’t understand the problem with the overworld. I suppose it’s cool to see Port Island in 3D...but the mechanics are really not that different in Portable? An argument could be made that moving in the 3D environment makes people feel more connected to the locations, but like I just mentioned the mechanics aren’t too different so a player in Portable is still seeing all of the locations and “moving” around in it. The difference is that they’re just moving a dot instead of a character model. Now I do like the idea of an overworld better, and I agree it’s cool to see your model walking around and to see all of the party members in the dorm and such, but I think it is the weakest point to bring up when trying to say that it affects the plot in any significant way. Lastly, for the lore bits, I assume people in this category like the addition of The Answer, but even opinions on whether or not that is worth it are very divisive.

(Side note, I forgot this in my previous post but Portable also adds the fast travel mechanic like the one P4 has, so instead of needing to run everywhere like in FES you can just fast travel to locations)

However, this is still my subjective opinion on the matter so do with that what you will. Perhaps it does really affect someone’s enjoyment of the game, but claiming it will affect everyone’s enjoyment is just a false statement to try and spout.

If you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned the second group, it’s because I believe they would either like Portable a bit more or not see much difference between the two. I personally fall into this category. To be honest I don’t think the visual novel style took that much away from the story itself, and I really enjoyed the additional social links with the male party members in the FeMC route. I think it gave them a lot more “life” per say, and elevated their characters from being good to great. I will agree that the lack of cutscenes made some scenes a little less impactful/cool, such as the MC persona awakening, but that didn’t negatively effect my experience with the game as a whole. In fact, Persona 3′s cast is actually my overall favorite of the three neo-Persona games, and in large part because of the additional characterization that Portable gives them.

Well...I think that’s everything I had to say? Overall, just uh don’t try and force someone to play either of the versions because of your own subjective views, don’t act like those views are anything but subjective, and let people come to the decision themselves based on facts about both of the games (Ex. They can decide themselves if no cutscenes would impact them or not rather than someone stating it will impact them less for sure).

I think this all really just boils down to needing a legit, definitive version of the game...but I’ll save that for later :)

(Last side note, I know emulation is a thing but why do people suggest buying/emulating/a mix of that for two games instead of just one game or the other? This is 100% me being lazy but that just seems like a lot of work when you could either buy one game and get the content, or buy another game and get the content in a slightly different way (barring The Answer).)

#persona 3 #persona 3 portable #p3 #p3p #long post #we're out here ranting bois #I'm probably doing myself no favors for the FES fans but im really not trying to bash on them #I just hate the condescending ones #and I hate this whole debate #just play one and shut up about which one is superior

[simptasia]

ultimate ship meme ask <3 for science trio!

ah, thank you! i’m so sorry it took me this long to respond, i didn’t mean for 2 bloody weeks to pass. i kept procrastinating or being too tired

daniel + charlotte + miles

General:

Rate the Ship Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OT3 to Rule all other OT3s

How long will they last? 

eternity and then some

How quickly did/will they fall in love?

daniel @ charlotte, i’m thinking like a week or so. kinda hit him like a bullet

charlotte @ daniel, two or three weeks

daniel @ miles, somewhere from a couple of months to a year

charlotte @ miles, in living timeline didn’t happen, in limboverse, i’ll give her 3 months. and she loved him as a friend already anyways. i imagine it’s her who brings miles into the fold, allowing the sci trio to be fully realised

miles @ daniel and charlotte, oh Fuck Knows. it happens, but [shrugs]. and i like the idea that miles didn’t realise he was in love with daniel and charlotte (and sawyer and juliet) until waaay after their time together. like he falls in love with richard and then The Power Of Hindsight kinda fucks him over

(and for anybody who gets snippy saying that “a couple of weeks is too quick to fall in love!” or some shit: my bf fell in love with me in 2 weeks, and for me it took a month. so nyeh. also hurley/libby, sayid/shannon and charlie/claire)

How was their first kiss?

all of these take place in limboverse

daniel/charlotte: so i imagine this happens like right after they Remember, so emotions are running high and char is like “i’m gonna do something i should have done when we were alive” and just sorta grabs dan’s face and <3

and dan is stunned for a second and then sinks into it. you know that lovely trope of somebody being kissed and their eyes are open and then they practically melt closed from the kissy feelings. and they’re soulmates and this has been a long time coming and i feel cliche but uh, fireworks

daniel/miles: so the three of them have started Their Thing and like, they’re in a sexual relationship now but because char started this, dan is unsure about like, do him and miles do... stuff... together too? is that a thing? they were all touching each other during The Event. plus dan isn’t exactly sure how he feels about miles, but he’s been slowly getting more attracted to him over time. and also dan’s never been with a guy before. so yeah dan is overthinking things and meanwhile, miles is like “if he’s up for it, i’m down” but keeping his distance because like, it’s dan and he doesn’t know if dan is into him

that was a long build up to say, eventually the dan/miles side of the triangle does get figured out and after a moment of awkwardness dan kisses miles, tentative at first and then That Spark happens and they both get into it. at one moment miles pulls back just a bit and dan deliriously like... chases his mouth. because it turns out kissing miles is awesome. and miles notes dan’s a good kisser too, and dan isn’t even offended at the surprised in miles’ tone. 

so in short, dan and miles’ first kiss went on for longer than miles expected because dan got tingly soup brain

also in both of dan’s first kisses with these two he kept his hands to himself outta 1. not thinking clearly because Mouth Things and 2. awkwardness. both char and miles had to grab dan’s hands and place them upon themselves, to remind him, you have these, please use them (there’s a line i give char: “i think you’d find i have many lovely things below my shoulders, dan”). from then on, dan is Characteristically Handsy. annnnyways!

charlotte/miles: it was very shortly after they met actually. pierre introduced them at the museum and there was attraction yes, but also this spark which they both wordlessly acknowledge. when pierre has left (just to get coffee hjjdhasa), they talk for a bit and then casually agree to go somewhere private. a coat check room. they got hit with familiarity and both of them being the type of people who have casual sex that information translated into “i’m gonna fuck this person now”

so basically their first kiss was messy, frantic, impulsive, clothes quickly being taken off, etc etc. thats how their friends with benefits thing started, even before they were friends, really. this was years ago and they became besties

Wedding:

in this set-up, it’d be dan and char getting married

Who proposed?

dan, technically but it wasn’t a surprise. marriage was something both of them discussed for a while before and char was the one who brought it up

(and here is where she jokes “you know what my mum would say about me marrying an american” and daniel gets an Awful Feeling from that)

Who is the best man/men?

well, miles, of course. richard is also one of the groomsman <3

Who is the braid’s maid(s)?

Why Weren’t You Allowed To Have Lady Friends

and besides that, most of the available women in lost have Moved On

annnnd i just remembered char has two sisters. chelsea and chloe

Who did the most planning?

char. it’s not that dan doesn’t care, it’s just she just has more preferences. patterns and colours and things like that. but they all pitch in at least a little

tho miles is the least help. at one point char holds up two swatches for bridesmaids dresses and asks which one he likes more (she’ll decide herself, she just wants Interaction, for her nerves) and miles doesn’t look up from his magazine and says “the left one”. char is annoyed and he says “whichever one is closest to purple”. they’re each a shade of green and blue

Who stressed the most?

oh, char. she never thought she’d get married so she’s never really emotionally prepared herself for it. or for planning a event like this. she isn’t paitent with people she doesn’t already like so dealing with wedding business people has been a task. and just. marriage isn’t stressful, weddings are. which is why dan is gonna be a good boy and absolutely help. and miles is also helping...

char: and how exactly have you been helping??

miles: [serious tone] i’m the plucky comic relief

char: [death glare]

miles: ...i’ll go pick up the flowers

- later -

daniel: heeey miles, you know how you and charlotte like to playfully snipe at each other? ...you can’t do that right now, she’s kinda stressed

miles: [wheeling in dozens of lillies] yeah, i figured that

char, from the other room: WHY ARE CAKES SO FUCKING EXPENSIVE

How fancy was the ceremony?

Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

i’ll give this a 7 outta 10 on the “ooh aah” scale. oh yeah they could absolutely afford a huge fuck off wedding but they didn’t want one. also another reason they didn’t have a Huge Wedding is that dan, char and miles legit don’t know enough people i always picture their wedding happens in like a park. a nice one. and there’s a real prevalant flower motif happening here. arch covered in flowers, petals on the ground, lotsa white lillies about. there’s a real English Garden / cottage aesthetic vibe to this. char’s got a flower in her hair and i just decided her wedding dress has like cloth white flowers on it, not all over it. so like, the whole thing is cute and elegant  and flowery and more expensive than it looks. the main colours being used are white, light blue and lilac

oh oh, the cake is chocolate on the inside! and it’s white (duh) but with lilac flower trim around each layer. char never planned for a wedding before but once she adjusted to the idea she was like “this is gonna be really really pretty”

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding?

eloise. no explanation needed

Sex:

Who is on top?

well, everybody who can be, has been. char has defo given dan and miles the strap. the least toppage going on is dan topping miles. very rarely happens

Who is the one to instigate things?

well, char is the Most instigate-y and dan is the least instigate-y, with miles in the middle. and damn if that doesn’t sum up their dynamic

How healthy is their sex life?

Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

gonna give them all, overall, a reasonable eight. it happens a Lot, but it’s not a crazy amount. (except when dan and char are trying for a baby, then dan is... dan is... lovingly tenderized)

there’s diff variables (heh) at play here, but for the most part theres quite a bit of sex going all around. so yeah, their neighbours don’t like them very much, because char is Really Really Loud and easily satisfied

How kinky are they?

Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

that 8 is via the power of char and miles’ kinky tastes

dan is decidedly more vanilla but willing to try new things. and he’s got some latent kinks/fetishes hiding in him that these two bring out of him

i’ve gone into this many times but basically char is into being dominating, miles loves pain and as far as dan’s brain is concerned, Charlotte Is A Fetish

there’s more going on than that, but i’m being succint

How long do they normally last?

miles doesn’t last notably long, or notably short. but he seems like a real stayer in comparison to dan and charlotte. char comes quickly and repeatedly

dan, oh dan, he’s not. he’s not lasting long. this is not bad thing. he was worried about it at first but char is a-okay with this. she wuvs her boy. and besides, he has pretty good recovery. so second round if the first round was like a bit “oh”

dan is sensitive (and autistic!), sex is a Lot for him. anyways miles has defo joked about these two cumming at the drop of a hate. another reason the neighbours are annoyed, Please Go To Sleep Charlotte (nyet)

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms?

nobody here is unsatisified

How rough are they in bed? -

Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it

on this scale, i’m giving dan/char a 2 to 4, char/miles a 5 to 10 and dan/miles a 3 to 6. and all together oh... anything could happen

the general “rule” is Take It Easy On Dan, He’s Delicate

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do?

No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory

so much. so much cuddle snuggle uwuwuwuwu no no get back here miles you cannot escape, come back here and be loved

dan is a major cuddler, very tactile, char is pretty affectionate. miles used to be “meh” on affection but he’s warm to it these three cuddling in bed lives rent free in my head 24/7

Children:

How many children will they have naturally?

i’ve given dan and char 4 kids (three girls and a boy). penny, ada, marie and isaac. i’ve made charts about this

hypothetically, like in sims, i’ve given char and miles a daughter but i’m not commited to that idea, like i don’t have that in my Internal Canon

but he’s their papa too, emotionally <3

How many children will they adopt?

none, unless you count rats

Who gets stuck with the most diapers?

dan’s job requires the least Work, so he’s at home more often, so yeah

Who is the stricter parent?

char, but she’s not strict strict, this is just in comparison to daniel “but i can’t say mean things to my babies” faraday and miles “wanna learn how to shoplift?” straume. she’s not a Mean Nagging Mum stereotype tho, i won’t allow it

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school?

dan and char are Equally “you can’t be doing stuff like this, it’s not safe” whilst miles is lowkey encouraging it. but after a stern look he has to admit riding a scooter on the school roof is kinda fucked up. like miles is... miles but he doesn’t want his babies like actually hurt, he’s still a good dad

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)?

dan dan the photographic memory man

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings?

char, because i think that’d be really funny. and i want all of them to go to at least one meeting together, because they heard some bitch refer to their daughter marie as “that weird child” and that she warned her children to keep away from dan, char and miles kids. and also she refered to dan, char and miles as “deviants” cuz she feels kids shouldn’t have three parents

soooo char is going to publicly cut her down. verbally and viciously. dan and miles are also angery but they’re there to make sure char doesn’t actually physically beat this woman. and also this final caveat:

miles: [eating a sad looking muffin] and your muffins suck too

Who cried the most at graduation?

char but dan and miles are crying too

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law?

MILES IS A COP!!! and it’s never felt so good until the moment ada got busted for drinking at a party when she was only 17. oh miles isn’t that abusing your authority? “yeah but every cop does that, i may as well do it for my kid”

yeah, that crime is  the worst thing i could think of for this, i don’t think these people’s kids would do like actual bad crimes

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking?

you know, i tend to picture miles cooking the most. my typical default for imagining char and miles chatting is that they’re in the kitchen, she’s holding tea and he’s making something on the stove. typically mac & cheese. or bacon

but really i think they all cook a decent amount

Who is the most picky in their food choice?

dan because he’s autistic and has some medical requirements, like my esoteric headcanon that he cannot digest meat at all

Who does the grocery shopping?

char and miles are more used to it, whilst i imagine dan has barely set foot in a grocery store in his life. but upon, like, being a grown up, he starts going more with char and miles and he likes it, for the most part. the lights are a bitch, tho

i think dan does it the least, miles the most, and char and miles go together more often than not. oh, and when char is out of pads and she forgot to stock up, miles is the designated Get Me Pads And Painkillers You Bastard man

tho that trope always confused me, as somebody who has at least 5 packages of pads in my pad drawer at all times. are there really period having people who don’t stock up ahead of time and have to ask their significant other?

but i digress

How often do they bake desserts?

not notably often, but i’ve defo imagined miles making Special Brownies

which daniel proceeded to eat all of in a fit of I’m Suddenly Very Hungry

what’s that puddle over there? oh it’s just dan

but anyways thinking on this, i can see these three making a cake together. and it goes a little wonky because their kitchen is small and Too Many Cooks. but a flat chocolate cake is a cake nonetheless. monch

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater?

dan: salad, the other option is No Good, so my boy is a vegetarian

char: i’ve made her more a meat lover than a veggie lover (tis her love of a proper English Breakfast) but not overally so

miles: defo likes meat (and savoury things in general) over salad. he’s not one of those guys whose a dickhead about it tho. veggies are just alright to him

tho i can see miles teasing dan about his “rabbit food diet” (which isn’t even apt because rabbits aren’t in the habit of mainlining noodles and pasta)

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner?

aaahh this feels like something dan would do, he wants to be ~womantic~

Who is more likely to suggest going out?

char, the extroverted outdoorsy one

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking?

dan because he got distracted by something. like he was cooking something in the oven and then some Musical Thoughts overtake him and he’s gotta write it down and wait 30 minutes have past OH GOD THE PIE BEEP BEEP BEEP

Chores:

Who cleans the room?

The Room. the Singular Room

anyways they all clean, it’s not very interesting to think about

Who is really against chores?

none of them. miles will half-heartedly complain sometimes but he grew up used to helping out around the house

Who cleans up after the pets?

dan and char clean up after their rats and cat because they are responsible pet owners. and char will clean miles’ wounds because jean-luc is a bastard cat

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug?

what kind of idiot... No!

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over?

i can’t see this, like any of them getting stressed about that

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning?

miles’ dollar now

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths?

dan takes longer showers, char takes longer baths

Who takes the dog out for a walk?

no dog, only kitty. kitties don’t go for walks

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays?

ohh i imagine char decks the place out for christmas. she loves christmas because good family memories. and also she has knitted christmas jumpers for her boys (and cat). christmas and halloween is the only major holiday that they got ham for. and by they, i mean char and miles

dan is just happy to be here

char: you know miles, it’s january and that little bat is still hanging above the fireplace

miles: if you wanna take him down, you can

char: ...no, i just wanted to adknowledge him

dan: he’s part of the family

What are their goals for the relationship?

uh, love, sex and babies. duh

Who is most likely to sleep till noon?

miles. coffee keeps him on his work schedule

Who plays the most pranks?

well, miles, obviously. i can’t think of any because i don’t really go for pranks but nothing elaborate, simple stuff. does that “orders a black coffee at macdonalds when your kids are in the backseat” count as a prank. miles would do that, pause for enough time for the kids to be like :O and then ask for their orders

there! done! wowee, bless any y’all who take the time to read All Of That

#this is like 50 miles long #had to restructure this because i like this meme but it doesn't look good #and defo ain't made for OT3s #agardenintheshire

[professorspork]

ANOTHER BUSY DAY IN THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY

I started the day running errands on Havarl, culminating with finishing off Jaal’s loyalty mission! I took Vetra with us thinking ‘hey, if anyone knows sibling dynamics...’ but then she factored into all of that absolutely 0%, lol @ me. but no matter! Jaal was super flirty as we made our way to the Forge, and it was adorable when he was like “HERE MEET MY FRIEND SO YOU CAN SEE AKKSUL IS WRONG” and bodily dragged me toward his siblings. their fight was absorbing and intense; I LEGIT GASPED WHEN HIS SISTER SHOT HIS BROTHER. LIKE!! the whole confrontation with Akksul felt super weighty and I really enjoyed it-- keeping my trigger discipline to not shoot that dude was really hard! there was a split second there where his bolt was headed toward Jaal’s face and I was like “if I kill off Jaal in his loyalty mission I’ll be so upset” but nope it all worked out, he has a bitchin cheek scar now, and the respect of his people, and I got a forehead touch so y’know. i melted. GOSH. then I died laughing at Akksul’s not-apology email.

now Jaal wants me to meet his mom(s) but Helen said that’ll lock in the romance, so I’ll probably wait just a little longer so I can uh keep having FWB sex with Peebee and ?maybe??? flirt with Vetra at some point? altho I teasingly called her MOM last time we were in Kadara Port so maybe not. (Jaal still hates it there, he’s so grumpy and it’s cute, but I digress)

this one got even longer than usual so doing a cut

one thing that I really like, that the game navigates in interesting ways, is that to the angara, we’re all just “Milky Way people.” like. so much of the original trilogy is about navigating the differences between all these aliens, and like, some of that is here too, esp with the krogan, but it’s actually really neat the way we’ve flattened out. and even with the krogan it’s still night and day-- like. comparing what Tuchanka is like in ME2 when Wrex is still solidifying his status as warlord is miles away from what it’s like for me to wander around New Tuchanka or, especially, just run into random krogan out and about (like the nice water scouts. WHY COULDN’T I JUST GIVE THEM THE WATER? but I’m getting ahead of myself). I know some of it has the Watsonian explanation of, like, only forward-thinking, open-minded krogan would be interested in the Initiative in the first place, and some of it is the Doylist explanation of ‘well people really liked that Charr/Ereba romance so let’s have more sweetie pie krogan’ but like. overall. it’s interesting, and I’m sure there’s more angles I haven’t considered.

I traced more of those comm buoys for Addison and learned that the doctor she’s obsessed with ran away to get pregnant! I definitely read that whole situation as Addison being in love with this lady and tbh it still doesn’t refute it? but I won’t get any more progress until I make a new outpost. the whole idea of ‘the first human baby born in Heleus’ thing is really cool, though, and I’m invested.

then I went to Elaaden! I feel some kind of way about Lexi diagnosing all of these scavengers with Brain Disease, but I can’t put my finger on it exactly-- other than, I guess, my general discomfort with pathologizing criminality. I was glad she said we couldn’t vaccinate people without their consent, but the whole thing smacks as very... self-conscious on the part of the game creators? like they thought people would say “hey it’s a huge plot hole that the Initiative screened every person before putting them on the arks and yet so many of them do crimes, explain that to me” and they were like “oh yeah shit that makes no sense, it’s not like people faced with the existential crisis of being in a brand new place 600 years away from everything they’ve ever known with no way back and not enough resources and multiple things wanting to kill them might just make desperate, risky choices, that’s not good enough, obviously we need to explain it with BRAIN DISEASE.” come on.

I made it to New Tuchanka, where the postings on the terminals are literally my favorite part of this whole game. THE ONE KROGAN WHO WANTS GINGERBREAD. THE ONE WHO DOESN’T WANT TO FOCUS ON CONS AND SUGGESTS A “PRO-VERSATION.” THE ONE ABOUT THE “PROBLETUNITY” OF MATING SUGGESTING WATCHING KRANTT HARDLY WAIT. THE ONE WHO INVENTED BLOOD RAGE FOR GUN TURRETS. but also, the best one, my favorite one of all: KRANTT THE RAGENING LARP. there is nothing I would not give to play Krantt: The Ragening.

I sort of tripped and fell and decided to finish Drack’s loyalty mission even though I intended to do more Elaaden things first, and that was a blast. Vorn is so presh! and also Drack is my dad so there’s that. I loved that Vorn helped save the day with a poison vegetable, and I love that Kesh pretended not to like the flower he got her. it was like-- okay. real talk, I just spent like 20 minutes trying to find proof that there is, in fact, a scene in parks and rec where someone gives April a friendship bracelet and she pretended to hate it until they threatened to take it back and could not find it ANYWHERE and felt so gaslit until I realized that that scene was not about April at all but Louise Belcher so. GOOD JOB ME. anyway. it was like that. kesh pretending her comm was broken when Tann tried to talk to her is the oldest joke in the book but I laughed anyway. 

and then I TOOK SPENDER DOWN FOR GOOD. I’m a little miffed that neither Kesh nor Tann got to be in on that discussion; like, I recognize he was Addison’s underling but given all the bullshit he pulled with the krogan I especially felt Kesh deserved to be there? at one point there was a dialogue tree where I could either say it was Addison’s fault or Spender’s fault, and I picked the latter because I think they both such but Spender sucks worse, but in hindsight I wish I’d stuck it to Addison more because my dialogue was way too nice. when faced with the choice of jailing or exiling Spender, I picked jail despite my desire to defund Nexus Militia because I was scared if I exiled him he’d just come back as a worse enemy because of all his off-station contacts. when reviewing the choice in the codex, though, it narrativized my choice by saying I imprisoned him knowing he “would never survive life on the run from his former associates.” that wasn’t my assumption at all! quite the opposite! I jailed him thinking he’d start a coup from without if I didn’t, and it’s really interesting to me that the game isn’t framing that as a concern Ryder would have reasonably had. anyway, now Brecka has his job, which is good because Brecka is the best.

before leaving I unlocked my last memory, and SURPRISE MY MOM IS ALIVE. WELL. FOR A GIVEN DEFINITION OF ALIVE. i don’t know why I’m surprised; of course my dad sucked that much. but also, the fact that all of that got nestled in with the reaper ‘reveal’ (if you can call it that) felt... very strange? like. this is such a personal, emotional thing for Ryder. obviously for the player harkening back to the trilogy is supposed to be a gut wrench, and objectively, yes, I can see how the knowledge that they might have narrowly escaped certain death is a big deal, but like. the reapers aren’t HERE. they aren’t relevant. my MOM, on the other hand, is and is, apparently! it’s occurring to me I didn’t even try to find her mis-labeled pod, I was so turned around by all the benefactor stuff after the fact. anyway.

swung by Kadara to get drinks with Drack and had an epic bar fight, and then Lexi p much lectured us both abt it because Drack is like 90% spit and duct tape at this point. him talking about raising Kesh giving him a new lease on life was VERY sweet, tho, and his line about how parents aren’t the finish line, they’re the starting line was very good.

went back to Elaaden, which Jaal called “a big planet” while discussing hunting someone down and AU CONTRAIRE, JAAL, IT IS A MOON. wish I’d had Drack with me when I found Annea’s water because I bet he would have had better dialogue than Cora, but alas. felt very weird giving control of the reservoir to the Nexus, but like. Annea being like “you can’t, this is my emotional support monopoly on a vital natural resource” just wasn’t gonna fly with how I’m playing Ryder. I was gratified to hear the Nexus guy at Paradise say we were giving the water to everyone, including krogan and scavengers, because I 100% did not trust Tann not to overrule him with some shitty call.

then I went to the Remnant ship to stop Morda from making a bomb out of the drive core, and it was all going swimmingly until I traced the signal to that cave inside the flophouse and suddenly my triangle button stopped working, making me unable to activate the console. YIKES. a quick google of the issue tells me that this mission is buggy for a lot of people and reloading from an earlier save tends to help, but I tried that and the issue persisted so I gave up for the evening. hopefully a fresh start tomorrow and time for the ps4 to cool off is all that is required. 

#leah plays mass effect andromeda

[connorspiracy]

Roasted and Ghosted || Connor & Rio

Timing: Current Location: Abandoned shack in the woods Description: Connor and Rio go ghost bustin’. Warnings: Ghosties

Orion hadn’t exactly decided what he was doing here. On one hand, his goal had partially been to determine whether this guy was for real or just try to use ghost hunting for fame or that thing other kids were saying these days…. Clout. But on the other hand, Rio had always been intrigued by those ghost hunting shows. Though he had never had the courage to watch them by himself at night or anything, trying to determine which ones may be legit or which ones were obviously fake had been a type of research for him. Ghosts and spirits were not Rio’s main focus or even a big concern of his, so he considered this little outing more of a hobby or something. 

He spotted Connor coming from afar, recognizing his face from the videos Rio had been binging ever since the two had made plans. The place Rio picked was one of the lesser known ones around town. Places like the Misery Manor and Strawford park that regularly did scary shows and ghost tours would have been too baiting. Just outside of town, Rio stood many, many feet away from a large abandoned house that Rio had heard horror stories about growing up. Kids in school growing up regularly dared other students to hang out around the abandoned property, and sometimes Rio would hear the kids in his college classes brag about hopping the fences and trying to break into the house. This wasn’t Rio’s thing at all. In fact, a few months ago Rio would have gotten a good laugh out of the idea that he had just asked this semi popular and objectively very pretty youtuber to go to a haunted location together. His friend gang really had helped Rio come a long way. 

Rio jumped up and down and waved at the guy as he lugged his equipment toward him. “Hey! You’re Connor! You look just like you do in your videos. Which makes sense. Because you’re you!” Maybe he was getting a little too excited about the idea of meeting a mini celebrity. “I’m Rio, nice to meet you in person. Do you need help carrying anything?”

It wasn't an unusual occurrence for Connor to meet up with people in the towns he visited, to be given tours, to have guides or people interested in contributing to his work. Rio hadn't been unique in the least, but that didn't mean Connor wasn't intrigued by him. Rio had offered to show him some cool places, and if there was anything Connor had learned over the last few years, it was that you couldn't overestimate the value of a local. 

He really hadn't had the chance to settle into White Crest before Uncle Joe had gone full-on polter on his dad and Connor had needed to go home to London. He was intrigued by whatever Rio was going to show him. Based on what he'd said in their DMs, it wasn't somewhere you'd find out about on the town map. 

"Alright, mate," Connor greeted, shaking Rio's hand. "Nice to meet you too." He handed Rio one of his cameras at his offer. "If you want to offer a hand, I might need some additional handheld shots, but I want to get some establishing stuff first. What's this place you wanted to show me?"

Orion grabbed onto the camera that Connor offered and fiddled with it for a minute, “Sure! I don’t have much experience with the stuff but I’m happy to help where I can.” He had watched a number of videos to get prepared, but it wasn’t until he started thinking about being with the Youtuber while he filmed that Rio realized just how much work must be put into each video. The number of cuts and changes in a video must have required multiple different shots and camera angles and takes. And that was just the groundwork filming at the location before going home to have to edit everything together. Rio was only getting a peek into the first portion of what went into making one of these videos. That didn’t make it any less fascinating.

“Yeah, definitely.” Rio waved his arms at the house behind him and began wracking his brain for the myriad of stories he had heard about the place. “Well, it’s a bit of a wild ride. This place has been abandoned since I was a little kid. And people have been talking about it for just as long.” Rio could barely remember the first story that he heard about the place because they seemed to blend together. “The general consensus is that a family died inside. But the rest of the story gets murky. Some people talk about seeing a woman in black and some say that they hear like little kids crying from one of the rooms. The stories aren’t all exactly consistent. I’ve never been brave enough to come here by myself to see if there’s any truth to it.” Rio laughed nervously and scratched at his neck, “But I figured if anyone knows what they’re doing I guess it would probably be someone who made a career out of it, right?” 

At least this way Rio could hopefully get a good read on whether or not this guy was legit. Rio already knew how he was leaning. He had used words like medium and exorcist. Not exactly unknown words outside of people in the supernatural know, but it had still made Rio curious. If this guy was legit, at least Rio would know an exorcist. Having connections was always good. “When you say establishing stuff do you mean like, filming the outside of the property? Or are you going to record yourself talking about the place?”

"Just keep it steady and keep me in frame unless you're filming something else specific. Pretty much the basics," Connor said. Maybe if Rio was really interested in this stuff and he was any good, Connor would be able to have an actual camera-person again. "You ever done something like this before?" he asked, curious as to what had made Rio decide to take up this opportunity. 

He listened as Rio spoke to him about the abandoned shack. The wood and brick was old and beginning to crumble. He could see rot and damage, evidence of weathering and bug activity. "Oh, sick," he said, probably a little insensitively as Rio explained the history of the place. "It's not uncommon for places to have their own local lore, rumors and stuff that start up. One thing we can do is check local records to see if there's anything officially on file." 

He looked towards Rio with a smile. "Good question. The answer is both. But since you're the one who told me about the place, you can do the introduction, if you want."

Orion flipped the camera on and started spinning with it, trying to get a feel for it, “Got it!” He hoped he wasn’t completely awful with it, that last thing he wanted was to screw up any of Connor’s takes. “Uh, depends on what you mean I guess. I don’t know much about ghosts or spirits. I wasn’t even convinced they actually existed, if I’m being completely honest.” Not until Blanche at least, but Rio decided to keep things more vague for the moment. Rio wanted to remain a bit skeptical. He’s been told he has a habit of trusting people too easily. “But like I said I like to keep an open mind. And honestly all this history and supernatural stuff is super fascinating to me.”

Rio nodded, “Yeah, well obviously if you came here you must know that White Crest’s local lore is pretty intense.” The only perspective Rio had into that were stories he had heard from others that moved into town. Apparently, not every town had as many horror stories as this one did. But for someone that had never known anything different, this had all seemed so normal to Rio until he had gotten older. “Wait, really?” Rio couldn’t hide the excitement, bubbling up and forcing him to hop back and forth, “You look at local records and stuff like that?” He had to admit, this was already more convincing than some of the other shows he watched. Plus, who could turn down the idea of doing research? “That’s a great idea! I spend a ton of time at the local library. I can see if there’s anything they can pull for us!” 

The offer actually took Rio aback for a moment. He was stunned at first by it, though it eventually developed more into stress as Rio thought deeper about it. He could feel his neck heating up and knew he was blushing from even considering the idea of him being in a Youtube video. “Oh uh- Wow. I mean I really appreciate the offer. Because that sounds really cool. I’m not much of a like… public speaker though. Even if there’s not a public right now. I know there will be a public. That’s terrifying. Does that not terrify you?”

God, if this kid broke his camera, Connor was going to flip his shit, but you had to give a little to get a little, so if this guy was going to help him out, Connor had to give him a chance. "What convinced you?" he asked, eyes bright and inquisitive as he looked at Rio. He liked hearing stories about people who had been skeptics and had changed their minds.

"White Crest's supernatural lore - if you wanna call it that - is exactly why I'm here." He snickered. "Usually I'd look up the records before I came to the building, but it's fun to shake things up. I like the surprise." The idea of being terrified of speaking in front of the camera was hilarious to him, and he gave a good natured laugh. "Nah. Never bothered me. Some people are more naturally inclined to it than others. I get that." 

How did Orion explain his introduction into the supernatural? No, it was probably better to stick strictly to ghosts for the moment. Among the many horrors that Rio had seen and knew existed, ghosts had always been more elusive to him. He had proof of werewolves and fae. He had no proof that ghosts or spirits existed. So while he always kept an open mind, certainly not refusing to believe in them, he had kept a healthy amount of skepticism too. Maybe it was idealistic, hoping that maybe one horrifying thing people believed in actually was fake. “A good friend of mine has had experiences with them,” Blanche was like Connor, a medium. Or at least what Connor claimed to be. “I’ve never really had much experience by myself with ghosts, but she wouldn’t lie to me. So I believe her and I want to experience it for myself.” He shrugged. This wasn’t exactly the truth, but it was the closest thing to it that Rio was able to go with someone he barely knew. 

“Yeah, fair. There’s uh- plenty of content to be had here. So are you just focused on like ghosts and spirits? Or anything supernatural? White Crest offers lots of stories of both.” Rio had to admit that he was impressed by Connor’s willingness to dive into what most would consider the more boring aspect of ghost hunting. Most seemed to go purely based on stories that fueled the ghost stories. It was nice to see that he actually wanted to dig a little deeper. “Well I’m happy to offer my help in that regard, if you want. Research is kinda my thing, y’know? History major and all.” It was easy to tell that the easy going demeanor that Rio saw on YouTube wasn’t an act, not completely at least. Connor seemed to have that ease in person too. Even his body language was more relaxed as opposed to Rio’s. “Yeah, haha. Awkward people probs, right?” He laughed nervously, cursing himself for not being more sociable. “But let me know what I can do, yeah? I’m willing to help with anything. I want to see what the whole process is like.”

"A friend, hm?" Connor began walking around the house, keeping his senses peeled for any sign of ghosts. There was nothing yet, but that didn't necessarily mean Rio was wrong about the hauntings. Maybe they were just shy. "Might be the same friend that I know." If there was more than one medium in town that he could liaise with, he'd want to know, but most people weren't exactly as open as Connor was. 

"I'd say ninety per cent ghosts, ten per cent everything else." He'd probably record a voiceover for this footage so he could add any information they might find in the archives. "Great. Research buddy." He grinned over his shoulder. "Don't suppose you have the key?" His grin widened. "Or are we doing some good old-fashioned breaking and entering?" 

“You know someone else that sees ghosts?” Orion questioned, running through the small list of people that Rio knew who was able to see ghosts. The very small list. But just because Rio only knew Blanche, that didn’t mean there weren’t others in town that could also see ghosts. For now, it was better not to bring her up. “That’s pretty cool. I can imagine that it can get sorta frustrating sometimes, seeing things that others can’t? So I’m sure it’s nice to have others that can.” 

Ten percent everything else. That ten percent could give him a lot of content in a town like this. As long as he wasn’t too reckless and got himself hurt hunting it down. But trying to film the supernatural wouldn’t always land well with the ones trying to protect it’s secret. Which left a sort of conundrum that Rio had never considered before. Would hunter’s break their own code about protecting humans if it meant protecting the knowledge of the supernatural? Either way, it was probably better to make sure he kept an eye on these videos. To make sure he was safe. Rio gave an awkward thumbs up, “I think being your research buddy would be super cool.” Something told Rio that this wasn’t the first time that Connor had considered breaking and entering. Not that Rio could judge anymore, since he had done his fair share of it himself now. Rio tried the front door, the knob catching and refusing to budge. Unsurprisingly, it was locked. But Rio pressed against the door a little harder this time, shoving it until the lock cracked and the front door swung open, “Hmm. Guess it was rusted or something. Opened right up.” He laughed nervously, standing to the side and allowing Connor to get the first look inside. Rio couldn’t believe he was actually doing this.

"Well, I know a few people through family contacts and networking and stuff, but one in White Crest." There were likely more, Connor knew. Zombies, vampires, banshees... but he only knew Blanche. "It's pretty validating to have someone who knows you're telling the truth. I spent ages thinking there was something wrong with me when I was a kid." 

Rio decided to answer Connor with his actions rather than words. He tried the locks himself, but they didn't budge. Rio, however, was stronger than he looked. "Would it be unprofessional if I said that was pretty hot?" he said with a grin. Once the door was open, Connor started filming, getting some shots as he walked through the door. "So we just got in, and apparently my new friend Rio is the Hulk in disguise," Connor narrated, flipping the camera to Rio for a second to smile at him. He turned the camera back to the house, slowly exploring. "Hey, anyone home?" he called. 

Orion considered what it would be like to not know anyone else that could see ghosts or spirits. Rio had grown up around people like him, at least genetically. Maybe his was the opposite extreme. Rio had spent most of his life wishing that he hadn’t grown up around other hunters. “I can’t say that I know exactly what that’s like. But it sounds pretty lonely.  I’m familiar with that feeling.” 

Rio’s face was on fire, and he could tell that it must be a bright shade of red. “Uhhhhhhhh” Rio drug that out for far too long as he tried to figure out how to reply to the compliment. “Thanks. I mean it doesn’t bother me. That’s very nice. And you’re very pretty. Like objectively pretty I mean.” Rio rambled, clearly not used to receiving any compliments like that. “I mean, I’m sorta dating someone right now. Now that you asked. Or that you were like flirting or anything. But just so you know. I’ll shut up now.” Please for the love of god, have Connor edit that part out of his filming. Luckily, Connor got right back to work filming the place as they walked inside, and Rio trailed behind him and held his own camera up to film as well. When Connor turned the camera towards Rio, he smiled and gave the screen a thumbs up. “So does that usually work for you? Asking if they’re home?” Rio asked curiously, wondering how many ghosts kept up with manners. Considering the two had just broken their door down, greetings probably wouldn’t be the first thing on their minds.

Connor turned the camera back on himself. “Do you hear that, lads, gals and non-binary pals? You heard it here. I’m objectively pretty.” He couldn’t hide his charming little smirk before he went back to filming the room. “Nah, not always, but I’m going into their place. It’s polite to announce myself, right?” He started slowly and carefully looking around the room for any signs of who might have lived here previously. Family pictures, old letters, things of that nature. Mostly all that was left was damp and rot. “We’re not here to do you any harm. My name’s Connor, and this is my mate Rio. We just want to say hello.” 

A shiver ran down his spine. Where there would normally be some kind of outline of a person, all Connor could see was a vague shape, like someone had left the stove on. “Whoa.” He stepped back, getting a look at the viewfinder of the camera. “You see that? The orb. That’s one of them. But it’s not.. I mean they’re not… they’re just a shape.” 

Orion accepted his fate of embarrassing himself in front of his new friend and the potential hundreds of thousands of viewers that watched his videos and resigned himself to focusing on the video instead of pondering that any further. He liked the ease that Connor talked while the camera was around, as if he was just talking to friends. He definitely had a lot of charisma that Rio wished he could channel. “Hey there” Rio called out into the house as a response to Connor introducing the two of them to the spirits. 

Rio spun around at Connor’s sudden find and trained the camera towards the orb-like shape that floated across the house from them. Rio could feel goosebumps running along his arms, but tried his best to keep the camera steady as he slowly trailed behind Connor. Why could Rio see this? He didn’t know nearly enough about ghosts or spirits, clearly. He didn’t to find something in the Scribrary and start reading. Especially if he wanted to continue being friends with and helping Connor out. Rio took an instinctive step back, but managed to keep the camera pointed at the orb. “I hate this. Why is it just floating there?” Rio mumbled, worried that the ghost wasn’t that concerned with manners at all.

“You come here alone?” The voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it seemed to come from all directions. “Bold mistake.”

Okay. That was less than ideal. The camera (and most people who accompanied him) wouldn’t pick up what it was saying, so Connor always repeated it back. “They asked if we came alone, and said it was a bold mistake.” He paused. “Why?” he asked the spirit, his voice casually inquisitive. “Why is it bold? You’re not out to hurt us or something, are you? Seems a bit unnecessary.” He kept his voice casual, not wanting to provoke it. “You got your bracelet?” he whispered to Rio. His own rested on his wrist, a leather knotted piece of jewellery with a glass vial containing salt. “It isn’t a hundred per cent failsafe, but they help a lot. Kind of like a condom.”

‘What are you whispering about?’ It asked. ‘Are you making fun of me?’

“No, of course not. We’re just… talking about the best way to help you.” He’d heard of spirits like this. They weren’t really ghosts in that they couldn’t take a human form, but they could still possess people, usually those who were emotionally vulnerable and isolated. “Are you here alone? I thought a family lived here?” he asked, keeping it talking while he took some supplies out of his bag on a rotting, dusty dining room table.  

All of his life, Orion had been the one that heard everything. His stupid hunter hearing was temperamental, but it usually picked up on sounds too far away from any normal person to hear or too private for Rio to be listening in on. For once, Rio actually found himself frustrated that he couldn’t hear something. Knowing that the spirit was saying something that Rio couldn’t pick up on was nerve wracking and left him feeling vulnerable. “Can they hear me?” Rio asked Connor, taking a step closer to the ghost hunter as he tried to unpack his things. It seemed like he had a plan. Rio nodded a confirmation that raised his hand to show off the bracelet that he had tied against his wrist. The salt center made sense. It seemed like a pretty common supernatural deterrence. At least for things no longer alive. “Connor’s telling the truth. I can’t hear you, but neither of us are here to do any harm to you.” Rio felt useless. It wasn’t an uncommon feeling for Rio, but it was something that he hadn’t felt for awhile. For once, Rio had finally started to feel like he was able to help. Now, he was practically back to square one. But he took a step forward and tried to block Connor’s path. If Connor had a plan the least Rio could go was try to protect him.

“They can hear you,” Connor said. “Sorry, I… dunno what to call you,” he said to the specter. It swooped around the room. In the darkness, Connor couldn’t see it properly in its flimsy shape, but he figured it might be trying to possess one of them, hopefully to no effect. He drew out the circle in chalk on the ground, making use of the space Rio was blocking with his body. Hopefully it would respond to the same ritual that had got rid of Uncle Joe. 

‘This one is stupid,’ the ghasper said. 

“That’s not very nice,” Connor answered, looking at Rio sympathetically. “It said you’re stupid.” He wiped the chalk from his hands. “Some people just don’t know much about spirits. He’s new to this, mate, give him a break, yeah? So how long have you lived here? It’s… nice, apart from the structural issues and dust.” Connor was trying to keep it calm while he prepared his tools. 

‘I don’t know how long I’ve been here…’ it admitted. ‘Years. There’s always losers coming in. I took hold of them sometimes.’

“Must be lonely,” Connor answered after repeating its words to Rio so he was clued in. “Make sure you get this on camera, okay?” he whispered. 

A ghost had just called Orion stupid, and all he could think to do was chuckle. “That’s fair, but you might be surprised actually. Ghosts just aren’t really my specialty.” He turned around and glanced at Connor over his shoulder. Maybe that comment was a little more information than he needed to give to either Connor or the ghost, but his goal was to keep the ghost busy. Whether that was by peaking its curiosity or annoying it, Rio hoped that it was working. He spotted that Connor was drawing something and didn’t want to risk the ghost being able to see it, so he turned back towards the ghost. 

“I think I knew those losers.” Rio agreed with the ghost after Connor had translated, “I grew up around here. I’ve always heard people bragging about coming here. They were usually jerks.” He nodded silently to Connor and readjusted the camera a bit, hoping that even though he was clearly scared out of his mind he was able to keep calm enough that he wasn’t ruining the shot. “But Connor here isn’t a loser. He’s the real deal. And I think he can help you.”

“Aw, yeah, massive wankers, Rio told me all about ‘em,” Connor chimed in. “Can you do me a favor though? I’m trying to help you, yeah? But I need you to come closer so I can see you.” Connor had left his camera on the table with a wide view of the room so it could record anything Rio might have missed.

‘You two don’t seem lonely at all. Well, maybe the stupid one, a little bit, but I can tell he has love in his life.’ 

Connor shot Rio a look, giving a low chuckle before repeating the ghost’s words. At least Rio was getting some. 

“Nah, and nobody should be lonely, so… what do you say?” 

There was a poignant pause before the ghasper decided to take Connor up on his offer, fluttering closer, like a little badly formed cloud of smoke. Connor stepped back, beckoning, until it was in position, right there in his chalk circle.

“Sorry, mate. Can’t risk you possessing some other poor bugger that walks in here.” He picked up his book of rituals, holding the ceremonial dagger that operated as his focal point, starting to recite in Latin. The wind seemed to pick up, walls shaking as the ghasper tried to resist.

‘LIAR! You lying bastard. You will suffer eternal damnation. My brethren will rip your insides out and use them to string you up!’ 

And so the threats continued, but Connor kept his focus, feeling his energy deplete. With a hard gust of wind, the ghasper vanished, and the building was calm once again. Connor had to lean against the table to keep himself upright. 

“Bloody hell. Oof… still kind of new at that part,” he murmured. 

Connor was sweet talking the ghost. Orion stayed mostly silent from then on, assuming that Connor had a handle on the rest. It was impressive to watch. And certainly cemented the fact that Connor was the real deal. This definitely hadn’t been his first run in with a real ghost. So that must have meant that Connor’s other videos had been real too then? Fascinating.

Rio’s face turned red again once Connor repeated its words. Even the ghost was embarrassing Rio in front of the cameras now? That had to be a new low for Rio. He decided to just shrug against the words. He couldn’t believe that he had just been called stupid multiple times by the random ghost. Though Rio didn’t have much time to dwell on it. The ghost was coming closer to the two and Rio backed away behind Connor to let him take over, making sure to angle it so that both the orb and Connor could be seen in the shot. Once the ghost got into the circle that Connor had drawn, the ghost hunter pulled out a book and started reciting Latin. Rio was familiar with the words, Latin being the only language that his parents had actually supported the twins learning. This was an honest to god exorcism. The orb seemed to go crazy, and Rio could only imagine what it must be saying. And then, the thing vanished as if it had never been there in the first place. “Holy crap.” Rio stares quietly, staring at Connor in wonder, but soon the excitement took over and he was hopping up and down and repeating himself, “Holy crap! You just did that! That was so cool! I couldn’t even tell that you were a beginner.”

Connor caught his breath. It always took something out of you to perform an exorcism, but Connor was still learning. He wondered if it got easier the more you did it, but from the way some of the contacts he’d tracked down spoke about it, he doubted it. “Thanks,” he chuckled tiredly, but his pride was evident in his voice and his expression. “Probably makes me a bit of a masochist to say it was fun, right? Luckily ghaspers aren’t very strong or dangerous.” He straightened up, his energy slowly returning to him. “Alright mate, let’s go back to my place and we can grab a beer and I’ll show you how I edit.” He grinned. “Unless there’s somewhere else you’d rather be.”

Still reeling from the exorcism that he had just witnessed, Orion had no plans of cutting off now and heading home. He had hoped that he could get a look into editing at some point but hadn’t expected Connor to invite him over immediately following this. “Seriously?” Rio asked him, still a bit confused at the idea of someone wanting to hang out with him. He shouldn’t be anymore. He had made friends that he knew wanted to be around him. Rio just supposed he had almost twenty years of evidence to the contrary that always kept him a bit skeptical. But this was a new year for Rio. He wasn’t about to let those doubts hold him back. “I mean yeah, definitely. Nothing better to do at all.” He didn’t break the news to Connor that he didn’t really drink, but figured that wouldn’t be important once the two got to work cutting all the footage together. “I can stop by and grab food on the way? I know a great diner.”

#paras #with: orion #wickedswriting #with: rio

[alegacyofmikalsons]

The Act of Living Chp. 3: A Link of Fate

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has read and supported this, I've loved seeing your reactions to what is happening. As you can see this chapter is a flashback, I want to include some of these to give some background context for why Sera has the relationship to all of them that she does. I also wanna include some other important moments from her past that don't involve them as well. I'll probably be including these every three to four chapters, depending on where it would make sense to put this in the story.

I've already started the next chapter so hopefully it won't take quite as long to finish as these ones have. 

Rating: Mature

Series Summary: Klaus and Elijah were supposed to die, but fate in the form of new friends Serafina Hewitt and her sister Stevie intervened. A year later Stevie is dead and Sera returns to New Orleans to see her friends and investigate her suspicions about what happened. When it’s confirmed that a powerful hunter group is responsible, she realizes a much bigger threat is coming, one that threatens all of New Orleans. As they race to stop it, she gets more than she bargained for, finding the truth about who she is and a growing attachment towards a certain Mikalson. Most importantly, they all get answers to the biggest riddle of all: what the act of living really means. 

Link to Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/874712498-the-act-of-living-chapter-3-a-link-of-fate

@kinda-iconic​ @endlesshero1122​ @bbchoices​ @katelynnicolerollins​ @im-a-bisexual-mess​

If anyone else wants to be tagged in future chapters, please let me know and I’l add you!

New Orleans, LA - 2019

The streets teemed with locals and tourists alike as I searched for any signs of potential danger. In New Orleans, there was plenty to look out for. There were the normal creeps looking for a harmless young woman to bring home and the rogue vampire who didn't want to wait until midnight to obtain their refill. However, the thing that concerned me the most was the group of hunters who wanted me dead more than any other powerful being. While not a typical threat here, if they ever learned how important this place was to me they could become one.

"Are you sure we should be out here?" I asked.

Hearing a sigh, I finally glance over in time to catch my sister rolling her eyes. "Uh yes. Taking part in the nightlife here is practically a requirement."

We slowed to a stop as she looked at one of the bars along the street, Rousseau's.

"Says the person whose ID is fake?" I crossed my arms raising an eyebrow.

"Oh come on, that hasn't mattered before." When my expression didn't waver, she gave me a pout. "Come on. Don't be such a Debbie Downer Sera! We'll be fine, especially if I stay by you."

Letting out a sharp exhale, I muttered, "That's what everyone in Mirebrook thought too until Nemean showed up."

Until I gave my heart to the worst person I could have.

I didn't say that part out loud but, judging by the scowl forming on Stevie's face, I didn't have to.

"No," she stated, shaking her head adamantly. "We are not bringing them up, especially not James. In fact, you aren't going to think about them for the rest of this trip. It's not like they're going to follow us here. Even if they do, there aren't any large events this weekend for them to crash. So, let's just get out of that overactive mind of yours and have a good time. Who knows when we'll be able to come back."

This didn't ease my anxiety entirely, but she did make a dent in it. She was also right. I did love being in New Orleans again after twelve years. As soon as we drove into the city limits, I felt like I was returning home, something Mirebrook hadn't felt like in years.

"Fine," I told her after a minute. "But, we're leaving before midnight. You know what happens then. And if anything goes wrong, I'm blaming it on you."

A contagious grin spread across her face. "Deal. Now, is this place fine or should we walk further?"

I read the sign above the door once more turning my attention to the inside. I remembered it being popular when I was here last, at least with the underage crowd since they were pretty lenient. However, I was barely in high school when we left so, I didn't get to join in much. Most of the few parties I attended were in the Bayou.

"Yeah, this is fine," I told her with a nod. "Let's go before I change my mind."

Following her inside, the bar is already filled to the brim with loud conversations and dancing. After a minute, we were able to snag the last two open seats at the counter. I took the time to examine the surrounding scene. Everyone seemed to be having a good time with a live band playing a jazz tune.

"Sorry about the wait," I heard the bartender shout over the noise. Quickly, I turned back around to find her eyes carefully trained on us. "I'll have to see some ID, you both look a little young."

We both handed them over without a fuss. It didn't take much time at all for her to return Stevie's fake with a nod. However, when she got to my genuine card she paused, looking back and forth in disbelief.

I traded a knowing look with my sister. Ever since I was a teenager, I appeared younger than my real age, the difference becoming more prominent as I got older.

Finally, after another minute, the woman returned my card shaking her head. "Well, I'm not quite sure I believe it but, it looks legit"

"Yeah, I know. I get that a lot," I replied with a shrug. "It certainly isn't the strangest thing to find in this city."

The lady at the counter suppressed a laugh. "It definitely isn't. Anyway, what can I get you, ladies?"

"Rum and coke please," Stevie said, excitement tingling in her veins.

"And I'll have a Vieux Carre."

It was the Big Easy after all. But there was another sentimental reason why I picked the whiskey cocktail, it was our dad's signature. Since this trip was to honor him a year after his death, it felt right.

"Interesting choice. I'll have those ready as soon as I can. In the meantime, enjoy the entertainment. It's open mic tonight."

She turned away to make our drinks and I sighed, focusing my attention back on the stage where a man sprang up with a lively grin. As he approached the microphone, I raised my eyebrows.

Marcel Gerard.

Our parents talked about him frequently when we still lived here since he was running the supernatural scene. He implemented the rule banning witches from practicing magic, keeping Stevie from studying her spells for a few years and me from using dark magic. However, unlike many at the time, our parents didn't really protest the rule out in the open. While they didn't particularly like it, they understood where it was coming from, that the witches' added fuel to the ever-burning flame among the different factions. That ability to see every side is something they instilled in us and that I took to heart. So, Marcel often came to them when he needed a favor requiring magic, giving our family an exception in return.

"How's it going?" he exclaimed, causing the small crowd to cheer. "Who's ready for some music?"

Hearing the bartender shout that our drinks were ready, I took mine from the counter with a courteous smile. "Thanks."

Bringing the glass to my lips, I was surprised to find myself enjoying more than expected as I let it linger on my tongue. In fact, the more I tasted it, the more it became my new favorite.

Looking over, I noticed Stevie's face scrunched up in disgust. "Don't tell me you actually like that."

"What can I say," I answered, gladly having another sip. "Dad had good taste."

I frowned for a moment before shaking it off. This wasn't supposed to be sad, he wouldn't want that. As I scanned the masses of people, I couldn't help tapping to the beat. Music has always been a passion of mine since it was one of the few things I did that felt effortless. It was more feeling than thinking. Which, for my overactive mind was a needed comfort. Soon, only half of my drink was left and I willed myself to slow down, remembering to pace myself. My tolerance was high but, it wasn't roofless.

"Come, let's dance!" Stevie shouted, hopping off her stool.

I debated turning her down but, then I remembered I was supposed to be having a good time. Sighing, I stood up and took my drink with me.

"Oh, why not."

Wading through the crowd we managed to get ourselves relatively close to the stage. With a giggle, she spun me around, catching me off guard for a split second. She was definitely more buzzed than I was but, then again, she was a bit more of a lightweight and had less experience.

"Hey, take it easy, I am not losing my drink." I told her, trying not to encourage her antics with my laughter. "Or breaking a glass."

"You're no fun," she complained but, let go of my arm.

I rolled my eyes, continuing to dance on my own until the song ended. Pausing, I took a deep breath as my heart raced with an electric feeling. I hadn't been this happy in ages, not like this anyway. Realizing Stevie was no longer beside me, I glanced around a little concerned.

Then, I heard her voice shout from the other side of the dance floor. "Vincent!"

At the name I turned to see her approaching a long time friend of our parents, our dad especially. Smiling, I quickly made my way over being careful not to bump into anyone. When I arrived, I found them deep in conversation.

"Last time you were here, you were about this short and had bright pink braces," he told her.

She scowled, her nose wrinkling at the end. "Ugh, I'd like to forget that ever happened, thank you."

"That is definitely not going to happen, Stevie," I chimed in. "He's seen you in diapers. Something I didn't even get to witness."

Turning in my direction, the grin on his face widened. "Sera. It is sure good to see you in person."

I got pulled into a tight hug that filled me with nostalgia.

"It's good to see you too Vincent," I said once we separated. "Only took a death to bring us back."

A sad look entered his eyes and he swallowed. He and our dad were friends since they were both kids. "I still can't believe he's gone. It's been, what a year now?"

Vincent watched both of us grow up at least somewhat. In fact, he was the reason I was adopted at all. It was him I met first when he stopped by the foster home to donate some supplies. Then, my parents showed up the following week. I didn't know until years later that he was the one who encouraged them to do so. Without him, my whole life would be completely different.

Biting my lip I nodded. "Yeah, it certainly doesn't feel like it."

"Is Mary not here?" he asked, scanning the bar surrounding us.

Our mother.

"No, she didn't feel like coming with us tonight," I replied. "Not really her scene. But, she did plan for all of us to come to visit tomorrow. I hope that's okay."

His expression brightened once more. "Of course it is. She actually already ran it by me the other day, wanted to make sure I would be available. Tell her I look forward to seeing her."

"I will." Taking another sip of my drink, I asked, "So, are you here with anyone, or are you drinking by yourself?"

Hesitating, Vincent ran a hand along the back of his neck. "I'm actually meeting up with...a family I know. The one I've complained about before."

Suppressing a smirk, I remarked, "Ah, so they're what...frenemies?"

"You could say that. One of them invited me and I couldn't really say no. She can be a bit persuasive."

I raised my eyebrows in interest. "Oh, I hope we're not keeping you from them."

"You're not, I'm still waiting for them to arrive," he replied with a half-hearted chuckle. "Actually, why don't you can stick around and I'll introduce them to you. You actually might get along which would be very helpful for me."

I let out an aggravated sigh. "Vince, I am not going to be your pawn for ass-kissing. I have to do that enough at home, I do not need more." However, I found myself becoming curious about these acquaintances. "But, I will meet them, only because I want to. From what you've told me, they sound interesting."

"Yeah, that's...definitely a word for it. More like dangerous and cruel when provoked."

Well, now I was definitely interested. "Is that supposed to make me dislike them? Because it is not working. I can be like that if the impulses take over, you know that. That doesn't necessarilly make me a bad person."

He flashed a disapproving look at me. He always tried to steer me away from the dark energy's effect on my desires. I didn't necessarily love that part of myself either but, I'd accepted its presence a while ago. It was a part of who I was. Plus, the more I used it, the more I learned to control it.

A wave of cheering and applause erupted around us and I looked just in time to see the person currently onstage finishing their song.

Marcel hopped back up as the noise died down slightly. "We'll be taking a five-minute break but, after that, since there are no more names on the list here, anyone can come up to play something."

Vincent glanced in that direction before giving me a grin. "You should go up there Sera."

"What, me?" I stammered as a subtle warmth grew in my cheeks. Then, I shook my head, mild anxiety coursing through me. "I don't...not in front of all these people."

It wasn't a lack of confidence that held me back, but the prospect of being noticed because that led to prejudice. During my childhood and adolescence, most of the attention I received from strangers and acquaintances were for things I didn't want to be known for. Actions I couldn't control. It was easier to be invisible, without any expectations or labels being placed on me. I wanted to be able to choose how moral I wanted to be, without the restriction of reputation.

"Come on sis," Stevie exclaimed, her eyes pleading once more. "You have the voice of a goddess. One of these days you're going to have to let the world hear it. Plus, I know how much you enjoy it."

I pressed my lips together. "That's not..." Once again this evening, the lessons I've given her on rhetoric backfired. "I don't even have an instrument with me."

Vincent shrugged this off, the determination now fierce in his eyes. "That's not a problem. The guitar up there is for anyone to use."

Looking back at the stage, I found what he was referring to and let out a silent gasp. It was one of the nicest ones I'd ever seen. The wood was a beautiful brown color with black on the edges. It was of good quality and the right amount of worn-in too. As soon as I saw it, my fingers itched with the temptation to pick it up.

"I see that look Sera," he said, snapping me out of my daze. "Do it for me will you? I haven't heard you live yet, just the recordings your parents sent me."

I peered back at the stage, as my resolve began to dissolve. The desire to create, that euphoric feeling, it tugged until I had to say yes. It was one of the more common ways my blood influenced me.

After a minute, I sighed. "Oh, alright. One song."

Stevie let out another squeal, spinning me around until I was slightly dizzy. "I win again." Setting me down, her gaze turned bittersweet for a second. "Will you sing one of Dad's favorites?"

I found myself swallowing a dry lump as I nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."

Clearing my throat, I finish off the last of my drink, handing the glass to her. Then, I approached the stage, nerves crawling all over my stomach. The person with the clipboard, a boy around my age, looked up with a sloppy grin. His eyes roamed my figure appreciatively. Instinctively, I tensed ever so slightly.

"Well hello, to you. Interested?" he crooned, tilting his head towards the small stage. His hair was slicked back with too much gel that it needed.

He reminded me a little too much of J...no. I needed to stop thinking about him. About what he did.

Feigning a smile, I nodded. "I am. What do I have to do?"

"Just sign here with your name and the song you're doing," he said, his words blurring together. "You'll be up first when we resume things."

I simply took the pencil from him and jotted the information down. "Anything else?"

"Nope, just wait here until we call for you. Won't be too long." He leaned in, more than a little too close for comfort. "You have a vibe, you know. Mysterious, dark. I like it."

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed," I quipped deliberately taking a step back. "Let me save you some effort, I'm not interested."

He responded by letting out a chuckle. "Oh come on, I won't disappoint. At least let me buy you a drink." He inched forward once more, even closer than last time.

Strong coils of dread seized my stomach as the urge to do something violent took over.

"What part of 'I'm not interested' don't you understand?" I hissed with a glare.

Making sure no one was paying attention, I kept my eyes on him as I concentrated on the dark energy lying in my veins until it stirred ever so slightly. His smirk vanished as his eyes widened, no doubt noticing how my eyes had darkened and the orange glow.

"What the--?" Before he could finish his face contorted in visible pain as the blood boiled beneath his skin. "Ow!"

I continued for a little longer then released him to gasp and shudder. "Keep your hands to yourself, and we won't have any more problems. Is that clear?"

He let out an agonized groan. "Yes, I got it, thank you."

"Good." Smiling, I walked away to the other side of the stage to wait.

"Okay everyone, who's ready for more music?" Marcel eventually exclaimed setting off a loud cheer. "Now up onstage we have, Serafina Hewitt, singing Neon Moon."

Taking a deep breath, I climbed up on the black platform and grabbed the guitar from the hand, slipping it around me. Feeling the comfort of the instrument in my hands I relaxed enough to approach the microphone with a nervous smile.

"This is for my dad, Anthony Hewitt," I said, my voice wavering.

I pulled up the stool at the back of the stage and sat down, adjusting the mic stand until it sat perfectly in line an inch or so away. I took out the pic I always kept in the pocket of my jeans, mainly as a good luck charm, and placed my hands in the right position. Searching the bar, I found my sister and Vincent who were now at the counter joined by several people. They had to be the family he wanted me to meet. This made the nerves increase but, I pushed past them.

Closing my eyes, I strummed the first chords. "When the sun goes down on my side of town, that lonesome feeling comes to my door, and the whole world...turns blue. And there's a run down bar across the railroad tracks, I got a table for two way in the back...where I sit alone...and I think of losing you. I spend most every night beneath the light of a neon moon." I felt myself smile and start to let go as the chorus came in fully. "If you lose your one and only, there's always room here for the lonely. To watch your broken dreams dance in and out of the beams of a neon moon."

Now, I as I looked out, the stares of the people listening didn't matter anymore. Everything drowned out except me and the music until all too soon, I approached the end.

"To watch your broken dreams dance in and out of the beams of a neon moon." I played the last note, letting it reverberate in silence.

Once it died, I sat back with a smile as people began to clap enthusiastically. It made me a bit sheepish but, not as terrified as I was in Mirebrook whenever I played at the local café.

"Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your night." I placed everything back where I found it and climbed down to reunite with Stevie and Vincent.

After a minute, I finally made it through.

"Okay Vince you were right," I said.

He looked in my direction his grin straining his cheeks. "Sera, that was amazing. Had the whole place in the palm of your hand."

"Thanks," I responded, tucking a loose strand behind my ear.

Once again I soon found Stevie's arms wrapped around tightly threatening to cut off my air supply. "I knew you would kill it!"

"And you are killing my lungs right now," I wheezed, and she immediately let go.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it! You were just so good."

Laughing dryly, I remarked, "Yeah, I know you can't help depriving me of oxygen."

As she stuck her tongue out at me, I turned my attention to the people I'd noticed earlier speaking to themselves. Now that I had a good look at their faces, I knew I'd seen them before, in my head. Not from my memories but theirs. After a beat, I realized with surprise who they were.

Oh my god. The Mikalsons.

I knew their story well, anyone who grew up within a school for the mystic did. But, the other version I received painted a more holistic, human picture of them. The two certainly had similarities, such as the endless number of people they'd killed over the centuries. But, they also had differences. I started receiving their memories back in high school after we started to cover them in supernatural history. The first was a painful one from ages ago, probably around the time they first were turned. The intensity of it all woke me up, and I'd been unable to stop thinking about it the rest of the night and following morning. Then, in class that afternoon, I began to question what they were telling me. I wondered just how much information was hyperbolic.

After that, I continued to see them almost daily until the end of that unit. After that, they occasionally showed up though it was only once every few months now. Strangely, I didn't mind. For some reason, I felt like I could sometimes relate to what they went through. Balancing the different parts of yourself, having this darkness that sometimes took over. Even letting it when it was easier to forget you had a heart.

I caught myself staring, and I blinked, willing myself to look away before one of them noticed. The last thing I wanted to do was make them feel uncomfortable. I decided that I'd wait to judge them until we talked. Lord knows I would love someone to look past the demon blood and destructive powers for once.

Glancing at Vincent once more, I raised my eyebrows in interest. "So, Vince, you promised me an introduction to these friends of yours, did you not?"

"I did," he replied. "Let's see, we have Freya, Rebekah, Kol, Elijah, and last but not the least Klaus." I followed along silently as he named each of them. "And this is Serafina. She's Tony and Mary's other daughter."

"The adopted one I presume?" Klaus commented, his grin widening.

He received a punch on the arm from Rebekah. "Nik! You can't just say that. Excuse my brother he has the manners of a two-year-old."

I shrugged it off.

"Oh it's fine," I answered with a laugh. "It's something I don't mind people pointing out. It doesn't make a difference they're the only family I've really had."

"I presume you don't know your birth parents then?" Elijah observed in mild curiosity.

Getting lost in his inquisitive stare, it was a minute before I responded. "I don't know anything about them really."

I scolded myself for being so flustered all of a sudden. Though I had to admit, his eyes were captivating, even more in person. I snapped out of it, noticing the smirk on his face.

"Except that, at least one of them isn't human, right? Or did that poor fellow suffer an aneurysm all by himself?"

So much for being subtle. At least I didn't have to feel guilty about my knowledge of them. Hearing Stevie snickering next to me, I pursed my lips.

"No, that was me," I admitted freely. "Though I figured it was that or breaking his hand when he put it on me without my permission."

This received some more laughter from his siblings and even an impressed look from Rebekah. "Sounds like the bastard deserved it then."

I found myself smiling at this. No wonder Vincent couldn't get rid of them.

"I sure thought so." I returned my gaze to Elijah. "Now, I'm guessing what you really want to know is what I am."

He opened his mouth then closed it. "You could say that. Usually, it's a bit more noticeable. Vampire I'm guessing?"

"Demon, actually," I answered. "Well, a half-blooded one anyway, but that just means we work up here, on Earth. We absorb malevolent souls which transports them to Hell. It also gives us a little more power for a short amount of time."

He almost choked on his drink, his eyebrows raised once more. "Demon...I knew you existed but I don't think we've ever met one."

I feigned shock. "Even with that thousand-year life span? That's...a bit surprising," I replied with a smug look.

Now he was the flustered one which only increased the satisfaction.

"Ah, so you do know who we are," Klaus laughed.

I scoffed loudly. "Of course I do, you're the Mikalsons. What supernaturally gifted person hasn't? I mean you're taught in schools now these days." I ignored Vincent's cautionary stare. "I just didn't feel the need to point it out until now."

"There's no need to be shy love," he chuckled to himself. "Most people make it known either in disgust or fear."

Shrugging, I remarked, "Yes, well, I try not to be like most people. And from outside research, I know the people who wrote the story of you have a bit of a bias. So, while my lessons were entertaining, they haven't influenced too much." The stranger sitting on the barstool next to Freya left and I immediately took his place. "See, not bothered. In fact, I kinda like you. Now, I'm gonna need another drink."

This was met with an array of smiles including from Elijah. "The feeling's mutual."

There's no way I could be Vincent's little spy now. It was an innate pull as if the universe wanted to forge a link between us, a link of fate. However, I wouldn't know why until years later. When the thing that I once hated would prove to be exactly what they needed.

#the originals #elijah mikalson #elijah Mikalson x oc

[eisforeidolon]

Episode: Back and to the Future

I get why, thematically, they chose that song for the previouslies that kick off the final season. However, from my perspective I just do not think it actually works at all.  It is far too sedate for the action it’s recapping and the scene it cuts into.  The juxtaposition of such different paces is just ... odd.

I guess I'm supposed to feel all sad and shit from the lingering shots of dead!Jack's burned out eye holes?  Maybe if he'd had a personality other than being an amorphous shifting blob of unbelievable power and permanent intellectual infancy I was supposed to care about because of the number of times they had the other characters say he was their son/family/awesome.  As is?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I wish I could say I was surprised that the veritable army of animate corpses making a beeline for the Winchesters and Cas just … somehow … let them escape and run away.  I'd have been a lot more surprised if the writers had actually bothered to do the work to get the characters out of the corner the last finale put them into, at this point.  Then there's the bit where the writers shove some nonsense into Dean's mouth to try and make it seem like this whole thing with Chuck isn't a sudden random asspull to go for the most absurdly overpowered villain they could think of for the last season.  Totally believable, oh yeah.

Although the idea of a sewer running through a graveyard including right to the wall of a crypt does not exactly seem likely to me, I do actually give the writers points for having that not actually work as an escape route.  Also awarding some points for them remembering that as an angel, Castiel should be able to see demons.

As other people have already pointed out, considering what he did to the Novak family and how haphazardly he handled Claire, especially?  Him bitching about any other creature defiling somebody's corpse is pretty fucking hilarious.  Though I'd possibly be more sympathetic if demon!Jack didn't already show a 500% more interesting personality in thirty seconds than actual!Jack did in two seasons.  So far as I’ve been concerned, the only think Jack has really had going for him is Alex, so Alex as a different character, even a demon, I’m calling a win.

I honestly do not get the decision of trying garner fan nostalgia by bringing back ghosts from previous seasons if they're just going to arbitrarily make them kill anyone at random for kicks.  Would it have been that hard to have shown “Bloody Mary” killing one person who might have had a secret where someone died?  Because I could buy it for one of those teen girls, but not both.  Or limiting the “Woman in White” to attacking men along highways who might possibly be unfaithful?  Maybe we're supposed to believe that they're all just so pissed off at having spent all that time in hell that they have completely lost touch with what originally tied them to earth and drove them to kill in the first place?  I don't mind them no longer being tied to a physical location since they were banished and unnaturally returned, but to be so disconnected to what drove them to become angry spirits seems much more intrinsic to who and what they were.  I guess even the ghosts lose their personalities to become cardboard in the hands of Dabbernatural.  

Oh, look, mysteriously, big G God's tantrum opening up hell is not actually big enough to impact the whole planet – or even, you know, more than the literal next town over.  This is my surprised face.

Then we get to the bit where the Winchesters find an abandoned car with a bloody mess inside and are all, “Look at this Woman in White kill!  Obviously it was a Woman in White!  Totally the specific one we sent to hell!  Because … car!  And, uh, blood!  And, oh, because the fucking script says so.” REASONS, YO.

Aren't all garage doors required to have an emergency pull for if the power goes out?  Obviously the script required the pair of VotW end up stuck hiding in the garage, which, uh, a ghost can't find people hiding now?  Did I miss something in there that explained that silly convenience that makes the ghost even less spooky in an episode that really really fails on that count even more later on?

I guess maybe I should be happy that it's Castiel that gets hit with the dumb characterization stick to necessitate Sam & Dean not work together to clear out the town? Look, at this point, considering the way the writers have had him act as a constant disaster zone of idiotic choices and betrayals for several seasons now, my ability to sympathize with Cas is a wee bit limited.  To have him now sulk like a toddler and refuse to work with the demon to help the Winchesters save an entire town full of people and prevent the spread of angry hell ghosts to the world beyond that? Because oh noes it's wearing Jack's face and he was just sooooo attached?  Even though all of them supposedly thought of Jack as their kid?  He doesn't even try to offer up alternatives to working with the demon with the very convenient solution, just whines about it? 

So basically this billions of years old angel somehow has less fucking practicality than the Winchesters (despite how easily he killed the shit out of his fellow angels when it suited his plans).  Not to mention that by refusing, he's saddling Dean with having to work with demon!Jack. The human guy who was just recently convinced he had to kill Jack for the good of the world after Jack killed his mother, only to have a change of heart when he saw Jack’s understanding, only for Jack to end up killed anyway – you know, emotions a hell of a lot more conflicted about their supposed kid's than Castiel's?  Castiel is just fine with that!  What a self-centered dick.

I liked Dean's conversation with Rowena on the phone and his response to her presumable demand to ask more nicely.  I laughed at Sam accidentally shooting Cas and Cas' resultant reaction.  I thought it was curious that they had the demon bring up Dean's time as a torturer in hell, though I'd be pleasantly surprised if it was anything but a way to segue into the Cage getting opened.  One utterly wasted Michael storyline is apparently not enough for Dabb!  Maybe it's just supposed to be some kind of weird demon idea of flattery, but I did find their interactions interesting.  I would be intrigued by the weird flashes when Cas was trying to heal Sam (Another angel power that actually works for once?  Wow!) … if Dabb hadn't already yammered on about what it means in an interview.  That dude is absolutely allergic to leaving any kind of major storyline an open mystery or letting it retain any intrigue for fans to speculate about.  I was not impressed with Sam getting damsel-ed to be saved by Castiel at least twice.  Come on, show.

As I speculated before and said above, I’m fine with the Chuckified nature of their release meaning some rules don’t apply.  I could maybe even understand the thought process that them being out in the daytime, without being limited to darkness, was scarier? I just wish anyone behind the camera was awake enough to actually look at the aesthetics of what they did here and realize that no, it's really really not.  The whole thing just looked so embarrassingly mediocre - pantomime actors in bad bargain basement costumes silly.  I think it was @hippychick006 that suggested gifs of the whole end portion looked like they should be set to Yackety Sax?  The context of the episode does not in any way negate that. Just … wow.  Like with the wire fight, I am flabbergasted that this made it to air without somebody finding the brakes.

I'm not sure if the writers actually made a failed reference by having the Woman in White say Dean was the one who took her home when it was Sam, or if they meant to imply he and Sam together had been there/responsible and Dean was the one she was addressing.  Regardless, I'm not impressed with how all the ghosts Sam & Cas were being confronted by just … stood there to be shot one by one for a while.  And then … ran … literally ran … chasing them down the street instead of doing the whole ghost teleport thing.  There are way, way too many times in this episode where the guys get away or win a fight because reasons and there is absolutely no tension in that.  Even if it didn't also look ridiculous.  Dean’s part of the confrontation was a little less absurd in that respect, at least.  And the spell effects actually looked reasonably cool.

I'm a little annoyed at myself that the obligatory brother scene at the end of the episode kind of works on me.  Though I’m not particularly impressed with Sam's conclusion that God is totally going to leave them alone now.  Sure, Chuck has a long habit of leaving when he's bored, but he isn't leaving this world because he's bored.  You guys actively pissed him off!  Yet Sam treats it like a foregone conclusion Chuck will have buggered off instead of sticking around to watch his previously favorite but now uncooperative toys suffer and die first. Though I'm not sure if that's a writer issue, actually, or just a legit choice I don’t care for.  I could see Sam insisting on trying to sell a potential positive side with no room for doubt with as fatalistic as Dean is being.  I could also see it just being one of those things Sam convinces himself must be true because he's reasoned it out in his head and refuses to consider alternatives may exist.  Like how he was so convinced it could only be God planting visions in his head back in season 11.  Still, I like the callback and I can even see why Dean is the most immediately cynical and pissed off, so hey!  There was actually one whole entire scene I enjoyed in there!

#negativity for ts #anti dabb #anti castiel #anti jack kline #writer incompetence #spn 15x01 #spn season 15 #long post

[chubbyooo]

Blurred Lines: Cursed Past Chapter 39 - Horned Rancors

back for another Gacen chapter and oh boy it’s a longone

Gacen and Ash arrive at the Horned Rancors base and are surprised by the changes

Gacen frowned as he began to fly towards the old Horned Rancors base, there was so much traffic, he could see all sorts of ships coming and going from the station. It was much larger than he remembered but most of all it seemed so commercialised he looked to Ash who seemed unfazed by all this.

He brought the ship into the open hanger landing the ship with a delicate thud, he turned to Ash “I’ll be honest things seem a little different since last time I was here” Ash nodded looking out the viewport at the bustling hanger bay

She raised her eyebrow “different good or different bad?” she gestured to one of the many weapons on her person, she really was a walking armoury.

Gacen thought about the question for a couple seconds “uhhh I dunno yet, it definitely seems safer though” Ash seemed satisfied with that answer as Gacen stumbled towards the landing ramp, he was still pretty hammered but this was when he did his best work. Gacen teetered as he made his way down the landing ramp, he could see a Nautolan shuffling towards him looking flustered

As he arrived Gacen tried to stand up straight “uh ah um hello sir we uh don’t appear to have you or your ship on our flight records for today” Gacen frowned what flight records this was still a criminal organisation right

Gacen wobbled catching himself on the landing ramp “do I need to be last time I was here I didn’t need that” the Nautolan nodded frowning at him

He stuttered “well ah you must have not been here for a while this place is a spaceport and has been for a while” Gacen frowned they better still own this place this place was a hot commodity at least he thought it was.

Gacen glanced to Ash who was silent “well uh who’s in charge here then” Gacen looked around at the busy hanger it certainly seemed more legit and less dingy or whatever

The Nautolan looked at his datapad “uh well that would be Vlugo Deys I can’t think wh-” before the Nautolan could finish he was interupted

Gacen snapped his fingers “that’s his name ohhhh yeah I remember now he was a big guy, uh zabrak super friendly ah he was great” he looked to Ash proud of himself, Ash’s expression didn’t change however and after a few seconds of awkward silence he turned back to the Nautolan “tell him the voidhound wants to see him it should clear things up” the Nautolan didn’t seem to believe him but still messed with the datapad for a second. 

A look of surprise crossed his face and he looked back to Gacen “I uh have been asked to escort you um sir” Gacen grinned people still knew him that felt good. The Nautolan began leading them through the spaceport, it was surprising to see the halls of a once secret hideout covered in franchises, neon signs everywhere and so many people it made Gacen’s head spin

Gacen turned to Ash “I am freaking out right now this is wild” Ash frowned at him confused 

She cocked her head at him “what do you mean?” Gacen could tell Ash was already scoping out every danger around them, must be hard to turn that sort of thing off.

Gacen rubbed his neck awkwardly “I dunno last time I was here it was a super secret hideout for one of our gangs and now it’s so uh docile” Ash nodded rubbing her chin

“well it’s been five years Gacen things and people change” she had a point he was never expecting it to be the same

Gacen screwed up his face “yeah I know but changing this much, it’s like I’m at a mandatory republic gathering” Ash gave him a stern frown, they had been at plenty of those gatherings together and 9/10 times Gacen had embarrassed her or Risha, it was really the republics fault for making it open bar.

They made their way to a lift where the Nautolan gestured for them to get in, once in Ash turned to Gacen “so what if this is a trap” Gacen let out a jovial sigh 

He put an arm on Ash’s shoulder “man you really don’t trust anyone” Ash’s expression stayed stern

“Gacen on my first proper assignment my entire squad betrayed me I have pretty good reason” oof she had a good point there he couldn’t exactly argue with that

Gacen conceded answering her question “well in that situation I have plan A” Ash looked at him expectantly “by which I mean plan Ash cause regardless of the dangerous situation we get in to you are still gonna kick their ass” Ash couldn’t help but smile 

She lightly punched his shoulder “damn right” Gacen flinched back a little rubbing the surprisingly large pain in his arm wow she was strong. 

After a few minutes the lift opened and they were met with a large lavish chamber filled with expensive rugs, in the middle Gacen saw the form of Vlugo the pale stocky zabrak wearing very expensive clothes, looking admittedly older but still energetic as his face broke into a large smile. He clapped his hands roaring with laughter “Gacen fucking Zandar you son of a bantha” as Gacen approached Vlugo pulled him into a hug “where the hell have you been” Gacen laughed happy to see his old friend even if he hadn’t really remembered him, the fact he wasn’t trying to kill him was a big plus.

Gacen laughed to himself “well that’s a long story but the basic jist is that prison sucks and don’t be noble” he let go of Vlugo, Gacen felt weird seeing someone from before Zakuul but it did feel kinda nice.

Vlugo gestured for them to sit down “words to live by I’d say” Gacen laughed as Vlugo turned his attention to Ash “and who is this lovely lady” Gacen gritted his teeth as he saw Ash’s face twitch

Gacen stammered “uhh this is uh Ash and she will uh probably kill you if you call her lovely or lady again” Ash’s eyes narrowed nodding

Vlugo’s stepped back wide eyed “I uhh I uhhh noted” he sat down opposite them hands clasped together “She reminds me of Akavi” Gacen laughed maybe a bit more friendly “now not to insult you but given what I know about you you’re not just here to see your old pal” man was he that obvious he had to work on keeping up with people first Amy now Vlugo.

Gacen cleared his throat “yeah sorry I am here for a reason but first what in the force changed around here? it’s all commercial” Vlugo laughed looking at the expensive items around him

Vlugo rubbed his chin “well a couple years ago we noticed a lot of ships coming through this route result of a new charted hyperlane and many of them needed somewhere to refuel. So we thought we’d oblige considering they had plenty of money” Gacen did think the new hyperlane was perfect to get here quickly. ”and well we made like twice what we made as a gang so we talked to Risha about it and we decided to turn it into a spaceport of course with you guys getting a cut” Gacen grinned Risha was always the opportunist he would’ve totally done the same.

Gacen clapped “that is awesome man trust Rish to take advantage of that sort of thing” Vlugo nodded suddenly his face turning serious

He looked away for a second “how are you and her Gacen is it all ok? She didn’t want to talk about you when I last saw her” Gacen sighed slipping out of his nostalgic moment and remembering his situation he couldn’t imagine what she’d been through he just hoped she hadn’t given up on him.

Gacen’s tone got much more serious “I uh still haven’t seen her” Vlugo nodded solemnly “that’s actually why I’m here, she was last seen here right?” Vlugo pondered the question for a few seconds.

Gacen glanced to Ash for a second, she was still silent he could see her analysing the guy man she really couldn’t turn it off. Vlugo looked back to them “uh yeah I guess so I saw her maybe three maybe four years ago, she said she’d take a ship and dump the old one, that was it she was acting kinda weird kinda jumpy” that explained why he found the ship at a dump and it added up no doubt Dubrillion had definitely gotten more intense with their searching. Gacen still remembered when he read that King Acta-whatever had levelled 6 cities to suppress the rebellion that guy seriously had no chill. 

Gacen refocussed on the matter at hand “did she tell you anything else like where she was going? or who with if anyone?” Vlugo sighed shaking his head. No no no no no there had to be something anything what about those records he looked at Vlugo intensely “you keep ship comings and goings on record right? we could check those” Vlugo frowned 

He looked at Gacen concerned “I uh I guess maybe they could have something I can give you access as long as you have supervision” ok that’s something the lead wasn’t dead phew

Gacen nodded frantically “yeah yeah sure that’s perfect” he caught himself letting out a breath he looked like a lunatic he had to calm down.

Vlugo shrugged off the moment messing with his datapad “ok lift should take you there, it was great to see you Gacen I hope you find what you’re looking for” he put a hand on Gacen’s shoulder, Gacen smiled at him and after a few seconds Gacen and Ash made their way back into the lift.

Gacen caught his breath before turning to Ash “do you still think this is a trap?” Ash gave a thoughtful look

“it’s still yet to be seen” Gacen nodded she may be paranoid but at least paranoia would equal safety. Ash turned back to Gacen “you ok?” ugh he didn’t want to answer that 

Gacen sighed “I dunno I just want this to lead somewhere” he felt a hand on his shoulder as Ash gave a smile good thing she put up with him he’d get nowhere without her help, he still didn’t understand why she put up with him. The elevator was silent for a few seconds before it arrived in a small room overhanging a large hanger, a short rodian turned around to face them

The rodian cleared his throat “I uh was told you want to look through our records on a day about three years ago” Gacen nodded he looked to the screen which already had a day inputed, good old Vlugo remembering the day if he restarted his crime syndicate that guy would be his first hire. 

Gacen peered over the console “Ok uh look for departures on one of your ships by uh human females is that possible?” the rodian nodded putting some data into the console and in a few seconds a long list of hangers came up, wow this place is huge now.

The rodian frowned looking at the different logs “I uh sir there seems to be a problem” Gacen frowned but as he looked closer at the data on the console he saw all the information for each hanger was mysteriously redacted. Gacen let out a long sigh clenching his fists “Of course” trust Risha to redact not only her own information but the information of everyone with her description, he took a few deep breaths how the hell was he supposed to find her if she kept doing this shit. There was a long tense moment of silence then Gacen had a realisation “ok you know what scratch that last thing search for male mon cal all other details the same” Ash frowned at him

“last time I checked your spouse was not a fish” Gacen couldn’t help but chuckle, he really hoped that doofus was still with Risha

He smiled at Ash “yeah but in my crew I had a incredibly loyal mon cal friend” Ash’s face flashed with realisation “and I’m willing to bet he would help Risha honestly just so he had some structure in his life” the rodian began putting in the details 

Ash frowned “this is the guy who’s always praising you right?” Gacen nodded that was definitely one of the reasons they got on “as if you needed your ego stroked any more” Gacen took a sarcastic gasp before looking back to the console

The rodian spoke up “here we go two results one in hanger A22 and one in” he paused frowning “G31 I uh I don’t think we have a G31 it should end at 30″ Gacen frowned that didn’t sound right 

Ash folded her arms “if there’s no G31 who noted it down” that was a good point this could totally be something

The rodian stammered back “It’s uh an automated system it doesn’t make mistakes but it says there’s a male mon cal and the other information is redacted” Gacen sharply gasped and began to choke.

After a brief coughing fit he spoke up again “we have to find this hanger NOW” Ash nodded at him in agreement

The rodian quickly interjected “well I can get it up for you in a second but there’s a little more information” Gacen gestured to the rodian in a spit it out motion “well ah it says that the ship was a MC-18 light freighter and they headed down the hyperlane to the outer rim the one that leads to Dantooine”

Gacen’s eyes widened this really was a lead “ok show us where hanger 30 is and we’ll work from there”

Ash frowned at him “I don’t understand what’s so important about Dantooine?” Gacen smiled at her it made sense she didn’t know he only knew due to Risha

“Dantooine is very close to Dubrillion she’s hiding in plain sight, well probably not that plain but like near Dubrillion” Gacen paused he may be jumping to conclusions here “maybe I mean either that or they jumped somewhere else”

The rodian gestured to the screen “ok this is where the hanger is, the lift is programmed to take you close” Gacen gave the rodian a smile and headed back into the lift

Gacen shuffled agitated, Ash turned to him arms folded “dude calm down it’s just a theory lets get some proof before you lose your mind” Gacen nodded trying to take some deep breaths 

“i uh yeah sorry I know I’m jumping to conclusions but you gotta admit that whole things fishy” Gacen couldn’t help but smile at his accidental fish pun, Ash gave him a piercing glare. He could always count on Risha to be super careful but he could also count on Guss to be the opposite. He quickly realised he was jumping to conclusions again and tried to put it to the back of his mind, the lift arrived and Gacen scurried out making his way to Hanger 30. It was at the end of the corridor with 29 opposite Gacen looked at the end of the corridor studying it, Ash caught up a few seconds later not nearly as out of breath as Gacen was.

Ash looked from him to the wall “you think it’s a fake wall don’t you” Gacen nodded very intently

He rubbed the back of his neck “well maybe like a bit of it” he walked up close to the wall staring at it for a few seconds before trying to slam into it. To his disappointment it didn’t budge and his arm also really hurt, he saw Ash let out a long sigh heading up to the wall and knocking on different parts of it. She moved along the wall and stopped at the left side suddenly kicking at the wall, Gacen watched as the wall flew back out of his vision Ash turned to him with a cocky smile. “yeah I know you’re awesome I’m a klutz let’s move on” Gacen sulked walking through the passage, he could see what looked like a large hanger on the other end of the tunnel. 

Ash stopped him before they reached the other side “it could be trapped let me go first” Gacen nodded that was fair. Ash slowly made her way in Gacen was trying very hard to contain himself this may be it the lead they needed finally a solid direction. Ash moved forward but no traps were triggered she then gestured to him to come forward and he quickly made his way into the hanger, it was empty which made sense but he could see a thick layer of dust this place hadn’t been touched in a while. There were walkways and girders though this seemed like a legit hanger

Ash coughed to herself looking around “so where are we going to get the proof in this empty hanger, I mean a secret hanger is good evidence that something is up but it’s still not proof” Gacen looked to the corner of the room spying a camera 

he pointed up to it with a grin “cameras baby they have an internal memory we’re gonna get that boi sliced” Ash nodded pleased with the plan. Gacen rubbed his chin “now we just need to work out how to get to it”

Without a word Ash sprinted off towards the wall, Gacen watched as she jumped using her momentum to scale the wall and grab a beam about a third of the way up the wall. God she was acrobatic he thought as she pulled herself up grabbing onto the bottom of a walkway then flipping onto the top of it, he couldn’t even climb out of bed sometimes how did she do that. Gacen watched wide eyed as the walkway began to shake and fall as Ash ran up it jumping and grabbing onto a small pylon on the roof, she swung back and forth before releasing herself springing over to the edge of the room where she seemingly caught her foot in some grove that kept her from falling. Gacen watched as she ripped the camera out the wall she then let her foot free and began free falling, she fell for a few seconds before grabbing onto the now fallen walkway to slow her down and then dropped to the floor like it was nothing. Ash walked back over to Gacen with the camera in hand frowning while massaging her wrist.

She threw the camera in Gacen’s direction “I think I injured my wrist a little” Gacen caught the camera still unsure of how any of that happened.

Gacen collected himself remembering the plan “awesome let’s go get this camera sliced”...

#swtor #my swtor #OC #ocs #swtor ocs #swtor oc #gacen zandar #gacen #smuggler #ash #ash'shen'tor #republic trooper #trooper #Guss Tuno #risha drayen #risha #blurred lines #blurred lines: cursed past #amimee #bounty hunter #swtor fiction #swtor fic #swtor fanfiction #swtor fanfic #oc fanfiction #oc fanfic #OC Fiction #OC fic #fanfiction #Fic

[theonewiththefanfics]

Reciprocated (one-shot)

Summary: College!AU

After being bothered by Brock Rumlow’s incessant pestering of asking the Reader out, she agrees but obviously regrets it. She has a ginormous crush on the star quarterback Bucky Barnes, who unbeknownst to her is absolutely head over heels for the girl and when she needs help getting rid of Brock, he turns into her knight in shining armour.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: legit none

Genre: tiny bit angst; fluuuuufffff

Word count: 2894

   Y/N Y/L/N was the typical college nerd. Her head always stuck in a book, parties never being her scene, but the difference between high-school where she was teased for things like that was that here no one cared. Everyone was too engrossed in their own struggles with keeping up with assignments, having a social life and extra activities. Y/N was even great friends with the captain of their football team ‘The Howling Commandos" Steve Rogers.    They had bonded over their mutual hatred for their non-fiction teacher. Y/N was studying Creative Writing in hopes of becoming a full-fledged novelist one day while Steve wanted to be a sports reporter/ journalist.    “God, her voice is just so annoying,” he’d muttered underneath his breath one time while the teacher had droned on about something. Y/N couldn’t even remember what the lesson had consisted of.    “You should see her in publishing. She doesn’t even know how half the websites we’re supposed to use works.” The girl had muttered back, not really expecting an answer, but Steve immediately whipped his head towards her, a pained expression on his face.    “You have her for publishing!? Oh, you poor thing! I’m so sorry!”    A snort escaped Y/N, while she extended a hand towards the guy. “Y/N Y/L/N.”    “I know. You’re in the top three of every class,” Y/N’s cheeks heated up at the statement, but she wasn’t embarrassed by her accomplishments more so that others noticed it. “Steve Rogers,” he replied shaking her hand.    Y/N smirked, jotting down a few useless notes, knowing that she’ll have to go to the library to find the information herself to actually understand what the teacher had said. “I know. Your face is plastered all over campus. Running for Student President’s seat.”    Now Steve was the one blushing. “Uh, yeah,” he stammered, “thought it might look good on my CV. And I do think that I could improve things,” he quickly added, “at least I hope so. Don’t wanna idly sit around these four years, well now three and not do anything.”

   “Well,” Y/N smiled at him seeing his face flushed from the corner of her eye, “you’ve got a vote from me them.”    And that is how their friendship started. Steve introduced her to his friends and to her surprise all of them were really nice. The football team was completely opposite of what one would imagine, given the movie stereotypes that are seen in movies, especially when communicating with such a hermit like Y/N.    Being in their second year of studying was a lot of fun, except for certain lectures, of course. But what was even worse than a nasal teacher droning on and on about proofreading and editing was Y/N’s social life more specifically- her love life.    It’s not that she hadn’t had boyfriends before, but right now her main concern was her career and her studies. That’s why she found herself slamming Steve’s door open and rushing in, the eyes of his girlfriend Natasha- the head cheerleader and an incredibly nice, let alone attractive girl-, Sam- the vice president of the student union- and Bucky- quarterback of the football team and Y/N’s longtime secret crush- all staring at her with wide eyes.    “Sorry guys,” she heaved out, looking through the peeping hole, “sorry.” She crouched down as if the person or people the girl was hiding from could see her through the wooden door.    “You okay there, doll?” it was Bucky who took away her attention. The guy had started calling Y/N the little nickname the second they’d met. She thought that it’s how he referred to every girl, but little did Y/N know that it was only her.    “Fine,” she slowly slid up to look through the tiny glass hole and seeing that the coast was clear, she let out a breath the girl didn’t even know she was holding. Y/N gently placed down her laptop on the mantelpiece, while sliding her backpack off. Bucky had stood up from the couch and approached the girl taking her jacket off and hanging it.    “Such a gentleman,” she teased while ruffling through her Y/H/C. They were good friends, quickly hitting it off with their mutual love for everything space and science, yet she always kept her distance, afraid to let her true feelings slip. And even though Steve had told the girl many times Bucky couldn’t stop talking about her and that the man was head over heels for the girl, she didn’t believe him.    “Well not helping out such a pretty dame would be a sin.” There it was- that cocky smile, yet at the same time oddly affectionate as he looked down at Y/N. Her heart skipped a beat, but before anything could happen, Steve, pulled her out of the daydream.    “So you wanna tell us what happened or do we have to go beat someone up?”    “What, no! God, Steve stop!” Y/N flopped down onto the couch between Nat and Sam, where Bucky’s place had been. “Remember that guy Brock?”    “Rumlow?” Bucky was leaning on the back of the sofa right behind Y/N his palms clasped on her shoulders.    “Yeah. He’s been pestering me for a while to go out on a date and I just got so fed up with it, and his inability to take a hint, I just…. gave in.”    “And?” Nat was nudging Y/N, while rubbing soothing circles on her thigh, clearly seeing in how much distress the girl was in.    “And he was an asshole! A boring one at that. And now,” she emphasised the word feeling Bucky’s grip on her shoulders tighten, “he wants to go on another date.”    Sam’s eyes almost popped out of his head “You can’t be seriously thinking about going?”    “I may joke about wanting to die and not having a soul, but I’m not a masochist,” she deadpanned while keeping a completely straight face. “I just don’t know what to do! I keep telling him that I’m busy and I can’t but he just won’t stop.”    The room fell silent for a second. Everyone was pondering over what Y/N had said and what she should do before Bucky broke the tension. “Was he the one you were running away from?    “Mhm,” she nodded, feeling the man’s fingers scrape her skull as he massaged her head. Y/N almost moaned in pleasure but kept it to a deep sight. And let’s just not mention the butterflies in a hurricane rolling around her stomach. “I pretended to have my headphones in and to not to hear him, but I can’t do it every time and I just…. wanna die!” Y/N whined pressing her scalp in Bucky’s hands who cradled her head and put a little bit of pressure on her temples, rubbing them in a soothing motion.    He kept on doing his movements more so because the quarterback had fallen for the shy girl way too hard and this could be the only time he got to console her like this, let alone hold her. Then an idea popped into his head. It involved some pretty selfish things as he didn’t think Y/N reciprocated his feelings, but it would definitely get Rumlow off of her back and just the simple thought of Y/N on a date with that ass made bile rise up to his throat.    “I have a plan, but we can do this only,” he looked deep into Y/N’s eyes, getting lost for a second with how the evening sun made them sparkle, “only if you trust me.”    “Buck, you know I do. We've been friends for more than a year now and besides, you're Steve's best friend.”    There came a sound of protest from Sam, but neither took it to heart.    “Tomorrow morning, when you see Brock at any point in time, just come and find me. We’ll probably be by the main campus door; an early practice.”    Y/N squinted not really sure what cogs had started to turn under those long brown locks she just wanted to rake her hands through. “What’s your play here, Barnes?”    “Trust me,” he lent down whispering in a conspiratory tone, sending a shiver down Y/N’s spine, while his own heart threatened to hammer out of his chest, “it’ll get Rumlow off of your back forever.”

***

   It was 8:20 in the morning and Y/N was already on campus. She hadn’t really slept throughout the night, too excited for what was about to happen. Her first lecture started at nine, so the girl still had plenty of time to kill. She’d gone on a coffee run, given the fact that Steve and Bucky would be almost dead, after having to get up at 5 AM for their practice. Barnes’s black coffee still sent tendrils of steam through the plastic lid, while Steve’s latte and Natasha’s mocha had already gone down from scalding hot to ‘just-the-way-I-like-it’.    Ten minutes later and she could hear the roaring laughter of the Commandoes as they made their way across campus, coincidentally enough coming from the other side of the field was Brock, having spotted Y/N.    But it would seem that Bucky truly was a knight in shining armour.    “Doll!” he exclaimed opening up his arms as if awaiting a hug. “If this ain’t the prettiest sight on an early morning, then cut out my eyes and leave me blind. And you brought coffee! Truly you are amazing!” He whisked up Y/N eliciting a genuine squeal more from surprise rather than happiness.    Her Y/E/C eyes saw the two top lawyer students Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson walk by and her jaw dropped open when Matt laughed out loud at the blind joke. “So true, Buck. You’re one lucky guy.”    “What is going on?” Y/N hissed into Bucky’s ear.    “Relax, doll. Just roll with it.”    Y/N almost wanted to ask ‘roll with what’ when her brain caught up to his shtick. He was pretending they were together. It sent a mix of emotions through the girl- happiness, sadness, bitterness, that this was all a ploy to get Rumlow off of her back and not real, relief that she had such amazing friends and even a wave of jealousy as she realised after this, he’d probably go back to pining after other girls.    Brock’s eyebrows scrunched up in confusion yet he still made his way towards the pair, or rather their group as Steve, Nat, Sam and their friends Tony and Bruce- literal geniuses- had also joined. Y/N handed out the respective coffees trying not to acknowledge Brock’s appearance, but his voice didn’t give her much chance of that.    “Y/L/N. You look lovely this morning. Though what would be lovelier is if you would ditch the loser bunch and come hang out with me.”    Bucky’s grip around her shoulders tightened, the metal plates whirring as they positioned themselves. He’d lost his left arm in a car accident, but Tony’s father- owner of Stark Industries- had specifically designed a new one for him, the two families of Barnes and Stark being close friends. Still, even without an arm, he was the hottest guy in the school. At least in Y/N’s opinion.    “Sorry, we have to head to class,” he shot back giving Brock a mocking smile that was still nothing short of dazzling.    “Hey, hey wait! I think the lady can speak for herself and if you could take your arrogant head out of your ass, Barnes, you’d realise we have a thing going on here and she’d most definitely want to spend her time with me.”    Y/N couldn’t contain the sigh that escaped her as she rolled her eyes and head simultaneously. “There is nothing going on between us Rumlow. I went out with you just because you couldn’t take a hint. And as you might see,” she pointed with one finger, the rest still holding her coffee cup, “I am with someone.”    God, did Bucky love the way it sounded when she said she was with him.    God, how right did it feel for Y/N to say she was with Bucky.    They turned to leave but Brock was relentless. “Come on Y/L/N. I know what you’re doing.”    Y/N quirked up an eyebrow also noting that they were causing quite the scene as more and more students started to pile in for their 9AMs and decided to stop to see how the situation would get resolved.    “You’re playing hard to get. Trust me, I know tons of girls like you, but you don’t have to do that with me sweet-cheeks. Just drop the act and let’s go.”    “The fact that you have the audacity to think Y/N would even give you the time of day to play such games, after so many times she has told you ‘no’, really baffles my mind,” being a surprise to everyone it was Bruce who spoke up. The usually very quiet and scientific boy really looked at Brock as if he had suddenly sprouted an elephant’s trunk.    Bucky knew he had to act fast or this could turn ugly because he could see Brock’s friends from “Hydra”, the local motorcycle gang, approaching real fast.    “Do you trust me?” he mumbled into Y/N’s hair getting a whiff of her shampoo and almost just staying there like that- engrossed in her smell.    The girl’s only reply was a tiny nod of her head. She felt Bucky’s fingers underneath her chin as he lifted it up and for second there existed no one but the two of them. His ice-blue eyes bore into her Y/E/C and she could see, she could swear on everything that she held dear, there was true love in them. And before she could do anything they were closed and his lips were on hers.    A pleasant shiver ran down her spine as Bucky’s hand snaked around to hold the small of her back. And even though the kiss lasted barely a few seconds it felt like an eternity. His lips were softer than she could’ve ever imagined, barely pressing against hers, but as she didn’t pull away a small smirk appeared on Bucky’s face that Y/N couldn’t help but mirror.    When the two separated bashful smiles graced the lips of both the girl and the man. Suddenly a thunderous noise of applause invaded their ears, popping the bubble. Everyone was clapping, some of Bucky’s teammates were hollering ‘finally Barnes’ and ‘took you long enough’ and ‘we thought we might have to go and tell her ourselves’.    “Tell me what?” she looked up at Bucky, once again in that safe bubble, she always felt when around him.    He replied without any hesitation, still holding on to Y/N’s waist as if to reassure him, she was there, they had just kissed and hopefully, she won’t run away. “That I’m absolutely, irrevocably and utterly head over heels for you, doll. Have been since the second Steve introduced me to you and, good grief, have I been dying to kiss you.”    Time slowed down for them. There was no Brock, no “Hydra” or “Howling Commandoes”, no Steve, with a grin stretched across his face so tightly Nat was afraid it would actually split his cheeks open. Nor did they see quite a few people exchange money as pretty much the whole school had bets going on when Barnes would muster up the courage and ask Y/N out or how long it would take the quiet girl to realise that everyone could see her longing gazes that she threw at Bucky, but could not open her eyes to see the same coming from Bucky.    “Well then,” she cleared her throat dropping Bucky’s gaze just to tease him a bit as her lips pulled into a thin line. The man’s face turned into a horrified grimace that he’d overstepped a line and more so than anything, he felt his heart shatter with the fact that Y/N didn't feel the same. “It’s a good thing I’m in love with you too, otherwise all of this would be really awkward.”    “You- what?” he was so confused.    “I said,” she leaned in closer, Bucky’s nostrils filling with her scent as a hopeful look appeared in his eyes, “that I love you too. And that means you’ll be able to get to do this more often.”    “Do what more often?” he was now teasing the girl the same way she was him.    “This,” and Y/N pressed their lips together. Only this time, neither let go.

A/N: I’m a literal mess.. but thank you so much for showing such love to my Bucky one-shot Perfect. It blows my mind how many of you liked it, really from the bottom of my heart, a giant thank you!  ;****

P.S. have any requests or wanna be tagged? drop a message

P.S.S. please tell me what you think

P.S.S.S. please don’t repost without credit :)

#reader insert #sebastian stan #sebastian stan imagine #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky imagine #bucky barnes #steve rogers #steve x natasha #tony stark imagine #tony stark #bruce banner #howling commandos #brock rumlow #hydra #imagine marvel #marvel imagine #marvel #avengers fanfiction #avengers imagine #avengers x reader #avengers #the avengers #matt murdock imagine #foggy nelson #college #college au #natasha romanoff

[hotarubi-e]

Keep a steady hand on me

Request: Would you mind doing a fanfiction with our cute little pidge getting some bad stomach flu or something? Poisoning? And the team doesn't believe her (since they might think she's cramping or something) but it's really bad..if you'd like to do a pidge ship you can do whatever! I legit ship everyone with everyone

Summary: After a difficult mission, Pidge enjoys the feast set out for her and the other paladins by the local populace. But when she starts feeling sick and struggling to breathe, it becomes painfully obvious that something is not right. And as the others all think it’s ‘cramps’, Pidge is at serious risk of suffocation at the very least, unless she manages to explain.

It had been a long day, and Pidge was feeling more than a little worse for wear. Called to the bridge early in the morning, the Paladins had been alerted to the dire situation of a planet in a nearby quadrant. From what Pidge had picked up during the short meeting, Allura had hailed the royal family in order to establish a potential allegiance, only to discover the total annihilation of all members of power. Unsurprisingly, the planets occupation by the Galra had been a disturbing turn of events to the Alteans, and they had immediately deployed the lions and their pilots to return the planet to its rightful occupants.

The fight had been long and arduous, but thankfully the casualties had been almost exclusively Galra. But the pain of losing their rulers was still fresh in the resident species’ minds, and as such the presence of the Paladins of Voltron was a cause for celebration - anything, it seemed, to lighten the hearts of those grieving such a monumental loss.

And so the Paladins had obliged, agreeing to stay for a feast and tour of the once royal grounds, begrudgingly allowing the rampant disregard for personal space and rest, purely out of a desire to be kind. Even Keith, Pidge noticed with a grin sardonic and snide, but all at once fond and filled with a sort of familial pride she hadn’t felt in the longest time. He was trying his best to be nice, even if it did result in a look that appeared somewhere between bemused and terrified.

But, at least there was food - even if Pidge was beginning to feel distinctly sick. She didn’t even know what she was eating, and with a quick, bitter stab of her fork and an unhappy rumble of her belly, she swirled the contents of her plate around so that it might smush into a slightly smaller pile of gross. Contrary to her hopes, it failed.

‘You know, I’d love to spend a day with these guys and just like, talk to them about all the cool ingredients they have here,’ at some point during her somewhat dejected manhandling of her dinner, Hunk had sidled up to her and begun to observe her movements, a small glint of worry sparking in his eye. ‘I mean, they have so many interesting tubers and root vegetables - and don’t even get me started on the herb situation - but all they seem to use is that weird gold glow-y stuff and the yellow goo. And man do I not wanna ever see edible goo again,’ he chucked, rubbing a hand over his belly. Pidge grunted and returned to her stabbing.

‘Not like it can be any worse than what Coran made last week..’ she mused, remembering the wriggling brown tentacles of the ‘delicacy’ Coran had tried to feed them less than six days ago with contempt. It had not gone down well, and the mere thought of it was enough to trigger another gurgling rumble in her gut.

‘Oh man, that was nasty!’ Hunk’s face brightened in glee at the memory, and Pidge could only imagine that he was remembering the way Lance had nearly died of fright at the mere sight of the thing. ‘Hey - You okay, Pidge?’ he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her as she stared down into her dinner. ‘you seem kinda off..’

‘Huh? O-oh, yeah.. you know what, I think I’m gonna pass on the whole conversation thing, though, head back over to Green and take a look at her compression panels. I think they were malfunctioning after that last hit I took,’ Pidge dropped her plate by her side, shifting her weight from where she sat to the balls of her feet, standing in a quick jerk that nearly had her toppling.

‘Okay, whatever you say, dude,’ Hunk muttered, but as Pidge retreated into the distant trees in search of Green, he couldn’t quite take his eyes from her back. Something about the way she moved and spoke seemed off to him, and unsettled the nerves around his heart. But if she said she was fine, then fine she would be. Who was he, after all, to distrust the word of his Paladin friend?

Pidge pulled off the maintenance door from beneath Green’s leg, tongue sticking out slightly as she concentrated. She knew she had been unfairly brusque with Hunk before, but something in her gut was making her antsy. Almost as though everything she did, every move she made were dislodging something, shaking it around in her stomach like the cube inside a magic eight ball. She had felt fine earlier, during the fight, but since settling down for the night of festivities, a feeling of ill ease had been growing in her.

It had started as a simple niggling in her gut, a dull ache surrounded by a feeling of disquiet, but over the last twenty minutes, it had grown into a very present sense of nausea. Most annoyingly for Pidge, though, was the tight feeling in her chest and throat, and the way her eyes felt like they were swelling shut.

Grunting, she dropped the maintenance door onto the ground and poked her head inside the crevice, squinting in the relative blackness. She could make out a few flashing lights that definitely should not have been doing that, but as she reached out a hand to test the wiring, a violent pang in her stomach launched her forwards and into the rim of metal running around her chest.

Pidge swore heavily, panting as she fought to regain the wind that had been knocked from her, but it was as though no matter how deep a breath she drew in, no air reached her lungs. Rather, it seemed to stay its course somewhere in her neck, lodging in the centre of her trachea.

Panic bubbled to the surface of her skin, and she dropped down from the hatch onto Green’s foot, just catching herself before hitting the ground.

‘W-what the hell was that..?’ her voice came out vaguely distant, as though it had been trapped somewhere inside of her, cutting it off before it was fully released. Breathing heavy, scared breaths, Pidge scrambled to her feet and ran for the clearing filled with people, doing everything in her power to suppress any further attempts at mutiny from her traitorous stomach.

By the time she finally found Shiro, she was so winded that she had to pause for a moment, clutching his arm to get his attention. And when she had finally regained enough breath to speak, all that came out was a wheeze.

‘Something’s wrong..’ she huffed, staring up into his concern filled eyes.

‘Pidge? What is it? Are you hurt?’

She shook her head, desperately gesturing towards her stomach. But as she did, Shiro’s eyes blew wide and a gentle blush spread like fire across his cheeks. ‘My belly.. it’s cramping like, so much.. I fell of Green’s leg - I never fall off Green. Well, I mean, aside from that time I tried to calibrate her cloaking device and -‘

‘Woah, okay, Pidge, you’re rambling,’ Shiro smiled, raising his hands in what he hoped was a calming display. ‘So, y-you’re, uh.. cramping? I mean.. I don’t really think I’m the best to talk to about this, you know?’ he scratched the back of his neck, nervous. ‘Maybe Allura would be better for this?’

‘Wait - what?’ Pidge’s face scrunched up against Shiro’s words, confusion muddling her mind. But another pang shooting through her stomach was enough to distract her from the nonsensical nature of Shiro’s comment, as she fought to stay on her feet.

‘Pidge?! Pidge, maybe you should sit down. D-do you.. have anything for this?’

‘Why the hell would I have anything for this, when I don’t even know what this is?!’ In the space of seconds, Pidge’s brain went from confused to pissed, and as Shiro just gestured weakly towards her lower half, she realised there would be no pulling the anger back. The man was clearly a moron. ‘Wait.. do you.. think I’m menstruating..?’ she narrowed her eyes, daring Shiro to nod.

The blush that had been subtle at first, seemed to explode like a super nova across Shiro’s face, and with an awkward cough he nodded, confirming Pidge’s worst fears. Of course, any mention of a cramp and that automatically ruled out any and all options but periods. But before she could school Shiro on the error of his ways, another voice drifted into the fray.

‘Hey, Shiro? Is everything okay?’ Keith asked, taking a step towards them from behind the nearest tree. Pidge wouldn’t have been surprised to find that he had been hiding, using the abundant foliage as a cover for his escape.

‘Uh, that’s a little bit of a sensitive topic, Keith,’ Shiro sighed, turning to speak more privately, as though fearful of the repercussions should they be overheard. ‘She’s, uh.. got her time of the month,’

‘Huh? Her what -? Oh. ..Oh! O-okay, yeah.. erm, s-sorry to hear that, Pidge?’

‘Oh my God..’ Pidge lamented, but yet another burst of pain from her belly had her doubling over before she could offer any further comment. She heard Keith wince vaguely from somewhere above.

‘Damn.. that looks.. unpleasant..’

‘…Understatement..’ She breathed, struggling to stay upright as pang after pang of nauseating pain ran through her. To her horror, it was followed shortly by another wave of suffocating tightness in her throat, and gasping for breath, she stared imploringly up into Shiro’s now fearful face. ‘C-castle..’ she winced. ‘y-you gotta get me to t-the castle..’

‘Okay, okay, Pidge, just try to relax, alright? As soon as we get you there, we’ll get Allura and she’ll -‘

‘No!’ Pidge shook her head, desperately trying to convey her meaning as Shiro lifted her from the ground, careful to keep her steady as he carried her through the air. ‘No, you.. you don’t understand, this isn’t..-!’

‘It’s okay, Pidge,’ Keith soothed, jogging by Shiro’s side, following them to the castle ship parked a short distance away in a large, open cleaning. ‘It’ll be alright, trust us - we’ll get you to Allura,’

Pidge tried to reply, to tell them that it wasn’t Allura who could solve her problem, but her trachea was tightening at a terrifying rate, and she knew that no words would escape her throat. So she just lay still against Shiro’s chest, hoping beyond hope that when they finally did find Allura, she would figure it out. And the sooner that happened, the better - Pidge’s eyesight was starting to go black.

She lost time. One moment they were in the forrest, next she was on the ground, fretful hands and despairing faces all swirling above her. The voices belonging to the faces she could see swam in her ears like a kaleidoscope of noise, focusing in and then fading out, but one voice picked up above the others and stuck in her mind, consoling.

‘Guys, I dunno what you think cramps look like, but that’s not it, trust me,’ Lance. The voice belonged to Lance, and with it, bought a clarity to the others as well, honing Pidge’s senses on reality.

‘Then what the hell is this? ..And anyway, how do you know what cramps look like?!’ Keith. Of course - temperamental and fierce, but deep down just concerned and caring.

‘Dude, you know I’ve got a big family - I’ve got a whole bunch of sisters, and literally every week one of ‘em’ll be complaining about being on,’

Pidge heard no reply, and assumed he had shut Keith up. At any other time or place, Pidge would have snickered at that, enjoying the banterous discourse diving the Paladins, but as it was, she found herself incapable of concern. Her stomach was in agony.

With a sharp cry, she rolled to her side, struggling past the swelling in her neck to bring up the vomit that was forcing its way out. She closed her eyes tight against on onslaught, no desire to see the flood splashing mercilessly against the ground.

‘Okay, seriously guys, what the hell is wrong with her?!’ Lance called, his voice a distant anchor that Pidge tried everything to cling onto to, to hold with everything she had. ‘Pidge? Pidge! Answer us, Goddamnit!’

‘Lance, lay off - you gotta give her some air, buddy,’ Shiro. Pidge felt his hands against her throat, one soft and warming, the other metal, cold to the touch and heavy on her skin. ‘Her throat’s swollen. Looks like an allergic reaction - what’s she eaten?’

‘Uh, j-just.. that goo stuff, with the glowing gold topping..’ She felt Hunk more than heard him, but his tight hand on her shoulder seemed to steady her breathes, weak and nauseous as they were.

‘Wait - what?! She ate that?!’

Pidge couldn’t figure out quite why Keith sounded so upset, but it worried her, a low, unhappy keen letting itself from her teeth in response. Shiro shushed her gently, hands rubbing circles, soothing and slow across her gut.

‘What’s wrong with her eating that? Everyone did,’

‘Lance, it’s made of pollen - the locals here eat it as a delicacy, they were telling me all about it earlier. I thought..- I thought they’d have let you all know, I -…’

Shiro’s hands still a second, pulling a whine like thunder from Pidge’s aching chest, and a pant, sharp and agonising soon followed suit. ‘Sorry, Pidge. Keith - why couldn’t Pidge eat the pollen?’

‘..She’s allergic to it, Shiro.. remember? She has hay fever, and I guess.. well maybe seeing as she ingested so much of it, maybe..’

‘Maybe it made her sick..’ Shiro finished for him just as another spill of vomit slid unobstructed from Pidge’s lips. ‘Okay.. okay, Lance, run ahead to the castle, take Hunk with you and set up a healing pod. Keith, go and find Coran and Allura - we need to call this party off and see to Pidge. I’ll get her back onto the ship,’

‘Got it,’

‘Leave it to me,’

‘Yes sir,’

She was hoisted into the air once again, and into Shiro’s chest she shivered, feeling not for the first time thankful for the men around her. Slow and oblivious they may have been, but hearts the size of empires lay behind their ribs, and intentions so good they were blinding.

But best of all, they were always there, just sat waiting to keep Pidge steady, and that was more than she could ever have dared to dream of.

#sickfic #allergies #pollen poisoning? #pidge #pidge gunderson #voltron #voltron legendary defender #lance mcclain #keith kogane #takashi shirogane #hunk garrett #vomiting #no ships

[emlydunstan]

"Little Woods" Explores Family Bonds, Poverty, and Opioids in Small-Town America

Writer-director Nia DaCosta’s first feature Little Woods is fresh off the film festival circuit and now playing in theaters nationwide. The movie earned multiple awards including Tribeca’s prestigious 2018 Nora Ephron Prize. It’s the kind of thriller that makes you lean forward—a nail-biter. Tessa Thompson and Lily James keep the audience transfixed.This is a tale of two sisters living in Little Woods, North Dakota, a fracking town in rapid decline. Ollie (Thompson) is the stronger, tougher sib. She’s the one who gets things done. Unfortunately she got too careless as a drug runner and was caught transporting opioids across the border from Canada. When Parole Officer Carter (Lance Reddick) reminds Ollie that they have only one more meeting before she’s free to start a legit job in Spokane, his concerned look foreshadows looming problems. He says, “Please stay out of trouble,” but the audience understands: Uh oh. Something bad is gonna happen.Deb (James) had been the most popular girl in high school so it’s not a surprise that she paired up with the most popular guy, Ian (James Badge Dale). But now Ian is an alcoholic and deadbeat dad to their son Johnny (Charlie Ray Reid). Frail Deb is a broken and broke substance abuser with a knack for screwing up her life.The estranged sisters are together again in the house they grew up in, each feeling exhausted and alone despite their close physical proximity. They are separately grieving the recent loss of their mother after a prolonged illness, in which Ollie stayed to provide care while Deb did her own thing. Their family history is fraught with resentments.Easing their mother’s pain was the impetus for Ollie’s initial border-crossing opioid-gathering mission. Canadian prescription painkillers were cheaper. That was how the trafficking started; we get the bigger picture when Deb asks Ollie why she got caught.“I forgot to be scared,” Ollie said. “I liked it too much.”There is no money left after their mom’s death. Mortgage payments are overdue and Ollie finds a foreclosure notice on the front door. She is ready to just walk away, to blow this depressing town and let the bank take the house. With a new job to look forward to, she feels hopeful for the first time in longer than she can remember.Then everything comes to a screeching halt.Deb reveals that she is accidentally pregnant by Johnny’s no-good father.Deb tried to handle things herself: She went to see a doctor but was told that without insurance, the cost of prenatal care combined with the fees for the birth would run between $8,000 and $9,000. Disillusioned, she opts for an abortion only to discover that North Dakota abortion centers were shuttered. Finally, desperate, Deb researches where she can get a legal abortion in Canada.When Deb breaks down and tells Ollie the news, including that she’ll have to travel hundreds of miles in order to get an affordable abortion, the stronger sister kicks into high gear like the super-duper codependent she is. With only one week to pay the bank at least half of the $6,000 they owe on the mortgage, Ollie decides she can’t leave destitute Deb and Johnny homeless.That’s when I wanted to scream, “No! Go to Al-Anon!”But Ollie risks her freedom, her new job, and her safety to make one last drug run. The heart-pumping action begins. Luke Kirby plays the frightening drug dealer.Nia DaCosta talked to journalist Dorri Olds for The Fix.“They told me in film school, ‘Write what you know,’” said DaCosta. “At first, I took that literally. But I didn’t want to write about my life, I wanted to explore other worlds.”DaCosta figured out that she could use the same principle to write about topics she didn’t know but could learn if she was able to relate emotionally.“We look at poverty and addiction as personal failures, moral failures,” said the Brooklyn-born, Harlem-raised 29-year-old. “I had a great family. I mean we weren’t well off but growing up in New York City, I could walk to a hospital. I can get to a Planned Parenthood. Lives of deprivation, like Deb and Ollie’s, [were] completely unfamiliar to me.”Determined and hardworking, DaCosta spent time in Williston, North Dakota to write the fictional town of Little Woods. She was stunned by how little she knew about how dark life is for so many people in America, especially women.“I wanted to present what was happening. This is reality. This is where we are. Medications are overprescribed to a startling degree. I remember getting 20 Vicodin pills when I got my wisdom teeth taken out. I didn’t need any of the pills.”Alarmed, she threw them out.“I hadn’t set out to make a political film but my personal point of view about what’s happening right now is horrifying. I mean whatever way we’re dealing with the opiate crisis, it isn’t working. That is heartbreaking.”DaCosta confirmed that trafficking opioids was never about getting high for Ollie. But after smuggling affordable painkillers to help her mom, Ollie found out how much locals would pay for the ill-gotten opioids. The town of Little Woods attracted men who came for the oil drilling jobs, hard manual labor that resulted in body aches and chronic pain. The more Ollie became known as the go-to for “meds,” the more it went to her head. She liked being a badass drug dealer. In a town where there were few options, especially for women, she liked her tough persona and getting to hang with the boys.“It gave her a purpose,” said DaCosta. “It gave her a place where she mattered; a way to stand out.”The filmmaker decided to add substance misuse to Deb’s problems after she spent time in North Dakota researching for the movie.“I remember talking to people, and it was just a part of the ecosystem. Everyone I spoke to either knew someone, or they themselves had substance abuse issues and had been involved with it in some way.”Even though she didn’t set out to make a political film, DaCosta’s movie explores interrelated social, economic, and health problems that the U.S. is grappling with. In the red states, clinics that perform abortions and other health services for women are being shut down. Many fear that Roe vs. Wade may be overturned. The opioid epidemic has reached astonishing numbers. Click here for more information.Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson discuss Planned Parenthood:

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 https://www.thefix.com/little-woods-explores-family-bonds-poverty-and-opioids-small-town-america

[pitz182]

"Little Woods" Explores Family Bonds, Poverty, and Opioids in Small-Town America

Writer-director Nia DaCosta’s first feature Little Woods is fresh off the film festival circuit and now playing in theaters nationwide. The movie earned multiple awards including Tribeca’s prestigious 2018 Nora Ephron Prize. It’s the kind of thriller that makes you lean forward—a nail-biter. Tessa Thompson and Lily James keep the audience transfixed.This is a tale of two sisters living in Little Woods, North Dakota, a fracking town in rapid decline. Ollie (Thompson) is the stronger, tougher sib. She’s the one who gets things done. Unfortunately she got too careless as a drug runner and was caught transporting opioids across the border from Canada. When Parole Officer Carter (Lance Reddick) reminds Ollie that they have only one more meeting before she’s free to start a legit job in Spokane, his concerned look foreshadows looming problems. He says, “Please stay out of trouble,” but the audience understands: Uh oh. Something bad is gonna happen.Deb (James) had been the most popular girl in high school so it’s not a surprise that she paired up with the most popular guy, Ian (James Badge Dale). But now Ian is an alcoholic and deadbeat dad to their son Johnny (Charlie Ray Reid). Frail Deb is a broken and broke substance abuser with a knack for screwing up her life.The estranged sisters are together again in the house they grew up in, each feeling exhausted and alone despite their close physical proximity. They are separately grieving the recent loss of their mother after a prolonged illness, in which Ollie stayed to provide care while Deb did her own thing. Their family history is fraught with resentments.Easing their mother’s pain was the impetus for Ollie’s initial border-crossing opioid-gathering mission. Canadian prescription painkillers were cheaper. That was how the trafficking started; we get the bigger picture when Deb asks Ollie why she got caught.“I forgot to be scared,” Ollie said. “I liked it too much.”There is no money left after their mom’s death. Mortgage payments are overdue and Ollie finds a foreclosure notice on the front door. She is ready to just walk away, to blow this depressing town and let the bank take the house. With a new job to look forward to, she feels hopeful for the first time in longer than she can remember.Then everything comes to a screeching halt.Deb reveals that she is accidentally pregnant by Johnny’s no-good father.Deb tried to handle things herself: She went to see a doctor but was told that without insurance, the cost of prenatal care combined with the fees for the birth would run between $8,000 and $9,000. Disillusioned, she opts for an abortion only to discover that North Dakota abortion centers were shuttered. Finally, desperate, Deb researches where she can get a legal abortion in Canada.When Deb breaks down and tells Ollie the news, including that she’ll have to travel hundreds of miles in order to get an affordable abortion, the stronger sister kicks into high gear like the super-duper codependent she is. With only one week to pay the bank at least half of the $6,000 they owe on the mortgage, Ollie decides she can’t leave destitute Deb and Johnny homeless.That’s when I wanted to scream, “No! Go to Al-Anon!”But Ollie risks her freedom, her new job, and her safety to make one last drug run. The heart-pumping action begins. Luke Kirby plays the frightening drug dealer.Nia DaCosta talked to journalist Dorri Olds for The Fix.“They told me in film school, ‘Write what you know,’” said DaCosta. “At first, I took that literally. But I didn’t want to write about my life, I wanted to explore other worlds.”DaCosta figured out that she could use the same principle to write about topics she didn’t know but could learn if she was able to relate emotionally.“We look at poverty and addiction as personal failures, moral failures,” said the Brooklyn-born, Harlem-raised 29-year-old. “I had a great family. I mean we weren’t well off but growing up in New York City, I could walk to a hospital. I can get to a Planned Parenthood. Lives of deprivation, like Deb and Ollie’s, [were] completely unfamiliar to me.”Determined and hardworking, DaCosta spent time in Williston, North Dakota to write the fictional town of Little Woods. She was stunned by how little she knew about how dark life is for so many people in America, especially women.“I wanted to present what was happening. This is reality. This is where we are. Medications are overprescribed to a startling degree. I remember getting 20 Vicodin pills when I got my wisdom teeth taken out. I didn’t need any of the pills.”Alarmed, she threw them out.“I hadn’t set out to make a political film but my personal point of view about what’s happening right now is horrifying. I mean whatever way we’re dealing with the opiate crisis, it isn’t working. That is heartbreaking.”DaCosta confirmed that trafficking opioids was never about getting high for Ollie. But after smuggling affordable painkillers to help her mom, Ollie found out how much locals would pay for the ill-gotten opioids. The town of Little Woods attracted men who came for the oil drilling jobs, hard manual labor that resulted in body aches and chronic pain. The more Ollie became known as the go-to for “meds,” the more it went to her head. She liked being a badass drug dealer. In a town where there were few options, especially for women, she liked her tough persona and getting to hang with the boys.“It gave her a purpose,” said DaCosta. “It gave her a place where she mattered; a way to stand out.”The filmmaker decided to add substance misuse to Deb’s problems after she spent time in North Dakota researching for the movie.“I remember talking to people, and it was just a part of the ecosystem. Everyone I spoke to either knew someone, or they themselves had substance abuse issues and had been involved with it in some way.”Even though she didn’t set out to make a political film, DaCosta’s movie explores interrelated social, economic, and health problems that the U.S. is grappling with. In the red states, clinics that perform abortions and other health services for women are being shut down. Many fear that Roe vs. Wade may be overturned. The opioid epidemic has reached astonishing numbers. Click here for more information.Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson discuss Planned Parenthood:

[alexdmorgan30]

"Little Woods" Explores Family Bonds, Poverty, and Opioids in Small-Town America

Writer-director Nia DaCosta’s first feature Little Woods is fresh off the film festival circuit and now playing in theaters nationwide. The movie earned multiple awards including Tribeca’s prestigious 2018 Nora Ephron Prize. It’s the kind of thriller that makes you lean forward—a nail-biter. Tessa Thompson and Lily James keep the audience transfixed.This is a tale of two sisters living in Little Woods, North Dakota, a fracking town in rapid decline. Ollie (Thompson) is the stronger, tougher sib. She’s the one who gets things done. Unfortunately she got too careless as a drug runner and was caught transporting opioids across the border from Canada. When Parole Officer Carter (Lance Reddick) reminds Ollie that they have only one more meeting before she’s free to start a legit job in Spokane, his concerned look foreshadows looming problems. He says, “Please stay out of trouble,” but the audience understands: Uh oh. Something bad is gonna happen.Deb (James) had been the most popular girl in high school so it’s not a surprise that she paired up with the most popular guy, Ian (James Badge Dale). But now Ian is an alcoholic and deadbeat dad to their son Johnny (Charlie Ray Reid). Frail Deb is a broken and broke substance abuser with a knack for screwing up her life.The estranged sisters are together again in the house they grew up in, each feeling exhausted and alone despite their close physical proximity. They are separately grieving the recent loss of their mother after a prolonged illness, in which Ollie stayed to provide care while Deb did her own thing. Their family history is fraught with resentments.Easing their mother’s pain was the impetus for Ollie’s initial border-crossing opioid-gathering mission. Canadian prescription painkillers were cheaper. That was how the trafficking started; we get the bigger picture when Deb asks Ollie why she got caught.“I forgot to be scared,” Ollie said. “I liked it too much.”There is no money left after their mom’s death. Mortgage payments are overdue and Ollie finds a foreclosure notice on the front door. She is ready to just walk away, to blow this depressing town and let the bank take the house. With a new job to look forward to, she feels hopeful for the first time in longer than she can remember.Then everything comes to a screeching halt.Deb reveals that she is accidentally pregnant by Johnny’s no-good father.Deb tried to handle things herself: She went to see a doctor but was told that without insurance, the cost of prenatal care combined with the fees for the birth would run between $8,000 and $9,000. Disillusioned, she opts for an abortion only to discover that North Dakota abortion centers were shuttered. Finally, desperate, Deb researches where she can get a legal abortion in Canada.When Deb breaks down and tells Ollie the news, including that she’ll have to travel hundreds of miles in order to get an affordable abortion, the stronger sister kicks into high gear like the super-duper codependent she is. With only one week to pay the bank at least half of the $6,000 they owe on the mortgage, Ollie decides she can’t leave destitute Deb and Johnny homeless.That’s when I wanted to scream, “No! Go to Al-Anon!”But Ollie risks her freedom, her new job, and her safety to make one last drug run. The heart-pumping action begins. Luke Kirby plays the frightening drug dealer.Nia DaCosta talked to journalist Dorri Olds for The Fix.“They told me in film school, ‘Write what you know,’” said DaCosta. “At first, I took that literally. But I didn’t want to write about my life, I wanted to explore other worlds.”DaCosta figured out that she could use the same principle to write about topics she didn’t know but could learn if she was able to relate emotionally.“We look at poverty and addiction as personal failures, moral failures,” said the Brooklyn-born, Harlem-raised 29-year-old. “I had a great family. I mean we weren’t well off but growing up in New York City, I could walk to a hospital. I can get to a Planned Parenthood. Lives of deprivation, like Deb and Ollie’s, [were] completely unfamiliar to me.”Determined and hardworking, DaCosta spent time in Williston, North Dakota to write the fictional town of Little Woods. She was stunned by how little she knew about how dark life is for so many people in America, especially women.“I wanted to present what was happening. This is reality. This is where we are. Medications are overprescribed to a startling degree. I remember getting 20 Vicodin pills when I got my wisdom teeth taken out. I didn’t need any of the pills.”Alarmed, she threw them out.“I hadn’t set out to make a political film but my personal point of view about what’s happening right now is horrifying. I mean whatever way we’re dealing with the opiate crisis, it isn’t working. That is heartbreaking.”DaCosta confirmed that trafficking opioids was never about getting high for Ollie. But after smuggling affordable painkillers to help her mom, Ollie found out how much locals would pay for the ill-gotten opioids. The town of Little Woods attracted men who came for the oil drilling jobs, hard manual labor that resulted in body aches and chronic pain. The more Ollie became known as the go-to for “meds,” the more it went to her head. She liked being a badass drug dealer. In a town where there were few options, especially for women, she liked her tough persona and getting to hang with the boys.“It gave her a purpose,” said DaCosta. “It gave her a place where she mattered; a way to stand out.”The filmmaker decided to add substance misuse to Deb’s problems after she spent time in North Dakota researching for the movie.“I remember talking to people, and it was just a part of the ecosystem. Everyone I spoke to either knew someone, or they themselves had substance abuse issues and had been involved with it in some way.”Even though she didn’t set out to make a political film, DaCosta’s movie explores interrelated social, economic, and health problems that the U.S. is grappling with. In the red states, clinics that perform abortions and other health services for women are being shut down. Many fear that Roe vs. Wade may be overturned. The opioid epidemic has reached astonishing numbers. Click here for more information.Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson discuss Planned Parenthood:

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 http://bit.ly/2viCqVl

[survivor-hosts]

Ep. #5: “TRICK ASS RAISIN” - Andrew

For this round, the game was One World and the players will allowed to talk to the members of the other tribe. The tribes competed in Crack the Code with the tribe with the lowest combined amount of guesses winning Immunity. Naicha lost for the second time in a row.  There was a lot of confusion throughout the day about who had what advantage with the members of Jinsei trying to influence the vote as well.  Matt decided to use his vote reveal on Drew seeing that Drew cast his vote against Matt instead of Allision like he said he would.  Matt went to Sam asking her to use the Haumaru idol for him stating that the votes were coming his way.  In a deal to still play the Haumaru on herself, Sam gave Matt the Sapphire Idol to use.  Sam and Matt tied the vote by voting for Allison and Josh to cancel out all 6 votes cast at tribal.  Only Drew and Connor were now eligible to be voted for and Drew was sent home in a 3-1 vote.

All I wanna say is fuck matt summers for inventing the jeopardy swap.... Luckily we won, but Sam is a big meat shield and it would be nice to have her around that way I'm not seen as a threat and the target is all on her. Thats why I'm contemplating abducting her which is a big move, but risky cause then i have to explain why I did it and how i found the amulet and i dont have the answers to that. I guess I'll see how this tribal goes. I'm really happy to reconnect with Jessy cause I think the two of us could do some mad damage in this game. I'm trying to get info now so hopefully that works. As for MJ, hes cool but I dont think he really tries if that makes any sense. Oh well, hopefully I can last longer since I'm right back to having no alliances again

*Playstation Trophy Sound* Got Past 13th Place

Can't wait to be fifth boot

i see you palawan twist i see you

miss sam getting the haumaru idol makes things complicated because i want to flip next tribal to work with mj but in order to do that i need lydia to come along. in the event we end up losing sam's gonna be asking what's happening because she needs to know how to use the idol. i'm no dummy and knows that she would want mj to go before anyone on this tribe so i can't tell her that we're voting scott/andrew out because i know she's close to scott, and if i tell her we're voting mj/jessy then flip to work with them, i've lied to sam and she won't trust me. god this idol really just came at the worst time possible. the best case scenario would be to win this round because i really can't deal with this idol getting played against me

So fuck all of this? Honestly the Solomon one world twist giving me all this tea is life but the tea burnt my tongue and I'm pissed the fuck off. Because I'm literally gonna be advantaged out again! So let's just run through all these supposed advantages: Sam - Sapphire Idol but like could be a Phoenix Idol? Idk Sam's a shady fuck and threw me under the bus to Scott to make him not trust me. "Just know they have a chat without you" IT WAS 9 MINUTES YOU TRICK ASS RAISIN (also has a regal idol? idfk but girl can go) Matt - Regular idol? Idk? Idk how him and Sam would both have a regular idol. Also a vote negator I guess. Wtf? Scott - Amulet Of Abduction that he didn't tell me about. Which ngl? Hurt? Like I thought he was my number 1 and yeah I was skeptical I was his ACTUAL number 1 but. He knew about the map since day 3. And now almost every space is gone and I just hate myself so thank you Scott! Like love him but highkey pissed at him rn because all of these people having the map for so long and everyone having all of these advantages has psyched me out :') Jessy - Obsidian Idol which is the only thing I'm not fully mad about. Except I guess everyone knows about it. But this could be good if we need to break a tie. But could also not work because we're in One World and people could transfer idols and shit to MJ/Lydia/Connah. So now I'm in this fun f3 with Scott and Jessy. Love Jessy. Am now skeptical of Scott. They both know Allison and I are hosting Hoenn on the side but like, I changed my name to Kyoto host hehe. Except everyone has probs noticed oops idc. All I know is that MJ, Lydia, Connah, and Sam are probs together. And I'm really pissed at Sam like? She had no reason to not wanna be with us. I just thought that the older players would be mature enough to not rely on past relationships but instead they're all Obligation Flocking™ and I'm like okay whatever that's fun. Can't blame them for taking the easy way out when at the beginning of this game I was so ready to unapologetically vote out Allison or Drew - 2 very close friends of mine. But hey maybe I'll give them some benefit of the doubt and they'll start backstabbing one another. If they do, I wanna be here for it.

Okay so, a lot of shit went down so I need to dive right into it. Not gonna lie I was really happy to see Sam make it out of there alive and that they voted out David, cause I was scared as to what would happen. And I was surprised to see David come for Sams life at the end of that. Her target is growing bigger and bigger with each passing moment, which is a huge concern to me. Now in the moment I thought I did the right thing by doing this, but I revealed to Sam that I have the Amulet of Abduction and told her I would use it on her if she was ever in danger. We decided not to use it this round, but to wait until the next cause she found the Harimau Idol, so she has to automatically play that this round. Jessy also approached me and revealed the map to me. I wasn't surprised she did this, but I was surprised that she wants to lead an army against Sam and her other allies. Which I'm happy I'm not the only one that realizes her threat status, however I don't think I'm in a position to really go after her. Like I feel like I could be like how Matt Summers was in Adversaries if I flip. Cause they have all of these advantages, and I don't want any of them to screw me over. Most importantly, I dont want to be the first person to be Sapphire Idoled out twice so I need to do my best to maneuver around all these advantages. So Jessy and I made an alliance with Andrew to potentially lead the resistance against these big threats and we agreed that one of them needs to go during premerge. I think I'm in a good position because I don't have like a big duo. In Maluku, my duos were Mattica and Maria and they made flipping to the favorites 10x easier. This time around I don't really have any strong significant allies, but I would rather be at the end with people like Jessy and Andrew over people like Sam and Lydia. I kinda just feel like I'm Sam and Lydia's secret lapdog just because they include me in somethings, but not everything. Like I don't appreciate how close they are with Connah/MJ/Matt Summers when all three of them don't ever converse with me unless I go an initiate the conversation. And if I'm going to align with people, I need to know that I can trust them. For now I'm gonna act like I'm with Sam/Lydia, but I dont see it lasting too long. If we lose they'll want to vote out either Jessy or Andrew and I don't want to see them go.

[18/06/2017, 11:12:22 AM] Josh: should i start calling you wonnor [18/06/2017, 11:12:26 AM] connor: no. [18/06/2017, 11:12:30 AM] Josh: just a 1 letter difference to winner tho :~) [18/06/2017, 11:12:43 AM] connor: uh [18/06/2017, 11:12:44 AM] connor: no [18/06/2017, 11:12:46 AM] connor: its two

For the past 7 days or so this game has been making me anxious and i'm not sure why! i dont like checking chats or even Skype. Yesterday I took a nap, woke up and saw a PM from Lydia and I'm like "HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH right im playing TS". I dont know why i feel like this!!!!! This dosent happen at all. I've played too many games to know that. I suspect it's the one year gap between Gens and this one. The stress is 3 much 5 me. Anyways I needed to rant but here's game stuff now lol. Idk what to expect this coming round. I dont feel comfortable on Naicha. I have Connor, I know but I have a feeling is hiding something. I want to work with Sam because in the long term I want to work with Lydia and slide under the radar. I HOPE it's the Sri Lanka twist so everyone gets a fresh start but I might be taking for granted the position I have in Naicha. I do not like having control and not being in the loop. If we factor in everyone. It's an Old School feel on a New School game and I can't keep up with modern Tumblr Survivor. I'm gonna get eaten alive in this game. Wont be surprise if i go out premerge again lol

I love suffering

Honestly I'm just so happy we won because.... I can still hide in the background for a bit. I know if my tribe were to go to tribal, I would have to pick a side to work with. Do I go with Jessy/Andrew, or do I go with Lydia/Connah/MJ. And honestly if we lost I probably would have stuck with Jessy/Andrew because I really don't... trust MJ. Like he makes no effort to like talk to me, which I could reach out to him but idk its kinda awkward so I might do that tomorrow. But like I don't see why people expect me to work with people who I have no relationship with. As for Connah, I actually am starting to like him. He's been approaching me for once and we actually hold decent conversations which really caught me by surprise. Like I thought he was faking everything but turns out he's being legit. Which is good for the Sam/Lydia side of things, but I'm also starting to get the feeling that they are wary of me. I don't blame them because if they are suspicious they have every right to be. If it wasn't for Jessy dropping the T about them I probably would have been their goat. I'm thankful Jessy clued me in on what's really been going on just because now I have the chance to really impact this game. I just hope all of these advantages don't become the death of me. At least the Haumaru idol gets played this tribal so thank god.

i'm playing with a bunch of dummies

The plan right now is to have a 3-2-1 vote. 3 votes on Matt, 2 votes on whoever Sam and Matt vote, 1 vote Sam. This is to be safe in case Sam plays a Sapphire Idol, or Sam plays an idol on herself. People are concerned about Sam having a regular idol/haumaru idol so it's just a safety net in case those happen. I am not confident going into this tribal council at all. This is an important one and this sets the tone for merge. I'm prepared to get voted out as well.

This has been crazy, and i'm barely getting this in before tribal, so here's a summary: So Sam tells me her advtandage is a ruby idol but tells others that it is a saphire idol. The challenge was indiviudal so people thought it was the Palawan joint double tribal of doom twist. Josh, myself, Connor, and MJ made and alliance since we are starting to be seen as duos (Me/Josh and MJ/Connor). We lose the challenge and its a regular tribal. I called with Josh to figure out our approach to tribal, with three of us (ending up being myself, Drew, and Allison) voting Sam, Sam and Matt voting another (for Allison), and Josh voting alone for Matt. TBH it's scary but im glad its not my name being the second name, because there is more than likely a buy-back so even if an ally gets voted out, theres a high change they can and will come back. 3-2-1 ensures that if a saphire idol is played, which is probably what Sam has and lied to me about having a ruby idol, Matt goes home. If no idol gets played, Sam goes home. If a regular idol gets played on Matt and Sam plays the saphire idol, we revote. The only way shit hits the fan and allison goes home is Sam or Matt play an idol on Sam. To make sure the plan works tho, I had to take a page from Nick Wentworth and record some calls. I went on 8 calls today alone, and I recorded all of them. Will they be useful? We'll see. To make sure the 3-2-1 works, we had to make sure Sam and Matt vote one way. To do that, I worked a conversation on iMessage with Matt so that he thinks he came up with the idea of voting out Allison (or any one). I let him lead the conversation, saying that I was "ready to make a move" (true) and i was "over naicha" (no?) so that an alliance was made of me, Sam, Matt, and Drew as safety. I made fake receipts with Drew so they think the alliance is legit. So, in summary: I am literally in an alliance with everyone on this tribe.

When Sam tells u on call she wants to use the Sapphire Idol to save Matt Summers.... tbh I don't see that being a good move moving forward cause there's so many people she has to explain her reasoning's behind that too. I'm actually kinda hoping Matt  goes cause then it breaks up the big Sam/Lydia/Matt/MJ/Connah alliance that everyone is so worried about and it can ease me in this game knowing that I'm not too much on the bottom. Honestly Sam should just worry about saving herself and whatever happens to Matt happens to him. He got himself in that mess and it isn't Sam's responsibility to save him. Moving forward, I'm starting to think it's best that I just stick with Jinsei. While my tribe is filled with threatening people, Niacha seems to be pretty strong moving forward and with Jessy already on the outs I don't see how flipping to them would benefit me long term. But I do need to figure out how to work the A Dora Bowls (Me/Jessy/Andrew) in this game because honestly they're people I want to go to the end with.

mj and i this entire round

allison is so funny KLSJSLKSJKL me: MJ king of thinking this is a monarchy allison in my pms: Omg u dislike him too? BKLMSDFMKLSKLMSD i told her ass the Tea. We WORKING TOGETHER to get out these Jinsei hoes + Matt/MJ. jinsei minus a dora bowls at least People who won't vote me out: - MJ (possibly) - Andrew - Allison - Scott (possibly) - Josh - Connor - Drew (possibly) People who will vote me out: - Connah - Sam - Lydia - Matt (possibly)

#torchsnuffers