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#this is basically exactly what happened in the trailer
onehelluvatime · 4 months
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So, the Hazbin Hotel official trailer is out for good this time ! What exactly happens in it ?
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Well basically the entire plot of the series.
This is barely a joke. They spoiled the entire series in a single trailer. Boy am I excited to see what just played out in a 2 minute video in a much longer, way less funny way for 40 dollars.
First of all I'd like to comment that the Alastor on the cover of the show, aside from just looking... Not good, is also directly traced from the announcement of his redesign.
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Which is just hilarious. His facial shape and emo hair were just too hard to learn, they had to trace over the image they already got him down in to draw him again. And this isn't even the first time they do that, because they already did it with Cherry Bomb in the first set of promotional images they dropped before the trailer. The first is just an image of her reference sheet directly placed over the background, second is her in-show appearance from the trailer. This is going to be So Good. (/sarcasm)
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Secondly, any and all intrigue and momentum this show might've had has fallen completely flat on its face thanks to this trailer, which tells you point by point exactly what is going to happen in the series. Which include, but isn't limited to:
- Charlie having a reunion/reconciliation with her dad, Lucifer, AND ALSO a revelation for his wings, which I feel is a much bigger deal than it is being presented as. (Without any sighting of Lilith herself, by the way.)
- Charlie meeting with Adam and Lute in heaven, and them blowing her off for her ideas. (Adam's first words in this series are going to be "Fuck", because that's how you know he's an angel)
- A close-up for a seraph character, which... okay. Great way to build intrigue for what Heaven is like in Hazbin Hotel. I mean, the subtlety here is just off the charts, right ? (THE VALUES ARE GOING TO MAKE ME CLAW MY FACE OFF)
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- Hell is going to go to war against Heaven... and this is revealed in the trailer-? The trailer for the series it's going to happen in ? In the first minute ?? This is so damn lame. I mean, if you're going to just show the audience everything that happens before anything has a chance to be processed, next time show the ending in its entirety why don't you.
- But that's still a lame ass plot point. Your idea of a morally complex, subtle story that deals with mortality is just "EVIL GUYS VS GOOD GUYS BUT WITH AN #EPIC TWIST !! THE DEMONS ARE GOOD AND THE ANGELS ARE BAD !!"? That's the entire premise of your show, and you show everything it is going to delve into in TWO MINUTES IN ONE TRAILER ??
- Huskerdusk is canon I guess. Hooray. Gay men visible on the screen that's so cool and never seen before. Not like the other series was entirely focused about mlm relationships and this series has a sapphic main couple for you to explore. Crazy.
- Vox and Valentino are going to appear and I guess be major antagonisrs in the story.
All of these events are happening in the series and you get spoiled for Every Single One of them. Instead of clever foreshadowing or subtle hints at what might be built up from looks into smaller plot points, you just watch 2 minutes of what I assume is 2 whole seasons condensed. That's not a good thing, because now I am going to be completely unimpressed when something major DOES happen in the series, since I know beforehand that everyone just keeps living to do More Stuff Later. The audience has no time to build up expectations for what happens next because everything is just happening Here and Now. It's very underwhelming to say the least.
Third, the voices just... don't sound very good. Angel is out of place, Alastor is never going to live up to what he used to be before (I don't know why his filter is weaker now– it makes it so much less unique), Husk is good but I know damn well he's going to be underutilized unless its for shipping's sake, Vaggie is just whatever, and Charlie sounds like every "Chipper princess who wants to do good" character out there, so much so that when she was singing I was reminded instantly of Rapunzel from the Tangled series way more than the show's actual pilot. Other characters either just don't talk enough or sound too generic to be properly critiqued.
For so much spent on broadway professional voice acting, you'd think they'd have more of a clue on how to Voice Act, or at least be given more direction in how everyone sounds like instead of just Saying Words in a way that is Similar Enough to the old cast.
This isn't to demerit the voice actors– They're all talented people on their own, just watching one of their performances on literally anything else should give you a good idea on that– But their acting here just doesn't...cut it. There's no feeling of authenticity, because all they're doing is an impression of a cast that once was, instead of bringing their own energy to the table and breathing new life into these characters. And it Sucks dude, because you KNOW this isn't what they sound like and you KNOW it could've been way better if they were just allowed to do something new for this show, but ultimately it all hinges on the writers and directors for it... and those people are, uh, not doing a great job.
And finally, the animation. Boy, I have a lot of thoughts.
This show is already infamous for having Way Too Red and for the values not being too good, all things I've said previously about Helluva Boss, but do not worry ! Instead of red, this show is Way Too Purple, and the values aren't just kinda bad, they're straight up just Awful. I don't want to crap all over the artists and animators that worked on it, they're just making do with what they have, but... lord.
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This last one is slightly less egregious, but the sky mixing with the city and obscure the light of the actual tower, which is THE CENTRAL FOCUS ON THE IMAGE, just looks really... sloppy, which in turn makes the whole image seem even more disorganized. There are not nearly enough dark tones to accomodate for the amount of mids and lights, and so everything just blends together in the most disorienting possible way. Like, Vaggie, who is a MAIN CHARACTER, is on that first image. Did you see her? Because if it wasn't for the cut preceding that scene, I deadass wouldn't have noticed her there.
I don't know. I don't like being pessimistic about things before they come out no matter how much it the trailers don't convince me they'll be good, but this is just really amateurish. The entire plot is revealed, the colors aren't good, the voice acting sounds whatever at best and the animation itself just feels like it was crunched to oblivion. Not a good outlook on everything so far, but hey, maybe if we all go into it pretending not to have seen the trailer, it'll be a Little Better, right? Right.
Man, I can't wait to see the direction this train heads. Hopefully not down a hill.
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unclewaynemunson · 6 months
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'What's your favorite holiday?' Steve asked while they were looking at the fireworks, pressed against each other in the dark of the night. They had been dancing around each other for months, ever since Eddie woke up in the hospital with Steve already at his bedside. They had taken their time to get to know each other better, to let that something between them grow and to figure out what it all meant exactly. But around the time Eddie graduated, it had finally culminated into what it had been destined to be from the start.
Eddie could barely believe they had only been official for about a month and a half, that Steve had only been part of his life for a little over three months. But he knew, with a certainty that he couldn't really explain, that he and Steve belonged to be like this. No matter how scary it had been to fall for him, it had been the only available option.
'Sukkot,' Eddie answered his question with no hesitation.
Steve leaned away a little bit to be able to look at Eddie.
'Was that the one that was, like, three weeks ago?'
'No, that was Shavu'ot,' Eddie answered patiently. He knew that Steve was trying very hard to keep up, and that the Hebrew words didn't exactly make it easier on him. 'The boring one that Wayne's obsessed with.'
Steve chuckled. 'So what is Sukkot?'
'I thought you'd never ask, big boy,' said Eddie, a wide grin creeping over his face. 'It's the best fucking week of the year. We build those huts in our yards where we're supposed to live all week. It's really awesome, we get to be outside all the time and Wayne tells all the best stories about how our ancestors escaped from Egypt and wandered through the desert for years. Back in Virginia, on the farm, it also used to be this celebration that the harvest was done. The best moment of the year, man, like when the summer holiday starts, y'know.'
'Sounds pretty cool.'
'Pretty cool?' Eddie repeated in a mock-offended tone. 'Pretty cool?! Stevie, how dare you, it's fucking magical! It's the awesomest of holidays! You know what? You're gonna have to join us this October and get the whole experience!'
'Are you sure?' Steve looked weirdly hesitant about Eddie's proposal and Eddie felt the excitement in his chest deflate like a popped balloon.
'Yeah, I mean... If you want to,' he said, reigning himself in a little bit. Maybe Steve thought it was weird, maybe he would never quite understand it, maybe –
'Of course I want to,' Steve cut off his spiraling thoughts, like the mere suggestion was completely ridiculous. 'But would it be okay? You wouldn't mind? And your uncle?'
'Why the hell would we mind, Stevie?'
'Well, I'm not Jewish...'
Eddie chortled. 'Yeah, we know that, dude. But you're always welcome in our humble little home.'
And Steve's face lit up in a way that the fireworks in the sky above them could never compete with. 'Alright,' he said. 'Then I'd love to celebrate this awesomest of holidays with you.'
******
And so it happens that a little over three months later, Eddie runs out of the trailer with even more excitement than usual when Steve's way too fancy car shows up. He basically jumps into his boyfriend's arms as soon as Steve gets out of his car – and of course Steve catches him, stumbling only a little bit while huffing out an “oomph” as Eddie wraps all four of his limbs around his body.
'Hello to you, too,' he murmurs with a soft smile on his face. He can't exactly kiss Eddie here, in broad daylight with all of Eddie's neighbors to see, but he lets his hands linger around Eddie's shoulders when he gently puts him down on the ground.
'You're excited.'
'We're building the hut today!'
'The sukkot, right?'
And the proud smile around Steve's lips makes it almost impossible for Eddie to correct him.
'The sukkah, babe. It's one sukkah, multiple sukkot.'
'Sukkah,' Steve repeats, his voice still as unsure as ever when he tries the Hebrew words that are so familiar to Eddie and Wayne and still so foreign to him.
'C'mon, Wayne's already waiting for us.'
Eddie starts tugging Steve along with him towards the trailer. He wishes he could do that by taking his hand instead of the sleeve of his jacket, but he's too aware of how careful they have to be here, out in the open in the trailer park.
They go around the trailer, where Wayne is already surrounded by a bunch of corrugated sheets and some big pine branches.
'We're building it here?' Steve sounds surprised. 'Why not on the porch?'
Eddie sees his uncle's face fall, and his own excited smile fades away as well.
'It's too eye-catching, on the other side,' Wayne explains to Steve. 'Too many folks lookin' to trash stuff 'round here, ya know.'
Almost every year, they find some graffiti on the walls of their sukkah at some point of the week. It has become better since they moved the hut to the backside of their trailer, hidden away from Forest Hills' main roads. Before, when they still built it in front of their home, they'd regularly find the roof or the walls demolished. Nothing ever happened when one of them was home: both Wayne and Eddie were protected from any serious danger by their own scary looks. But unfortunately, the sukkah did not enjoy the same protection when the Munson men weren't present to keep an eye on it.
Wayne doesn't outright say it with that many words – that's not his style – but Eddie can see in the arch of Steve's eyebrows that he gets it. That he understands that Forest Hills is not the kind of place where Hebrew should be spoken loudly and that anything more than a menorah in front of a window can be considered offensive real quick. He sees that Steve understands it, because Steve knows what it feels like to not be able to take his boyfriend's hand when they're outside. It's not the same, but it's similar, in a way.
When Eddie came out to Wayne, his uncle told him that he was sorry Eddie got dealt the wrong cards twice. But that's not how Eddie sees it. Standing here, in the quiet world behind the trailer, with his uncle, his boyfriend and a pile of junk that will soon turn into a refuge, he gets the confirmation of what he already knew back then: that he wouldn't have it any other way. Even if it means having to hide away from prejudiced eyes, he'd choose this right here over anything easier in a heartbeat.
Wayne takes off his trucker hat to reveal the kippah he often wears hidden underneath it, then turns Eddie around by his shoulders so he can attach a kippah to his curls with some hairpins. Eddie usually never wears one: he doesn't like being told what to do in any way, and he proudly wears the pentagram of the Church of Satan on his denim vest. But for events like this, Wayne insists the kippah is important, and Eddie has long since he moved in with his uncle learned that there's no use digging his heels in the sand about it. If it's that important for Uncle Wayne, he'll doesn't mind complying.
'And one for you,' Wayne states after Eddie's kippah is properly secured to his head, turning towards Steve with a third one in his outstretched hand.
Steve's eyes widen in an almost cartoon-like way.
'For me?' he repeats, as if he's unsure if he understands Wayne correctly.
'U-huh,' Wayne confirms with a nod of his head.
Steve's eyes flash back and forth between Eddie and Wayne, still clearly confused, like he's trying to catch some lie or a prank between the two of them.
'That's – would that be okay?' he stammers.
'Neshama sheli,' Eddie says, his voice soft. 'Of course that'd be okay. It's the polite thing to do, actually, when you're in shul – or in other Jewish places – whether you're a Jew or not.'
'Okay, cool,' Steve says with a little shrug of his shoulders. He's slightly too obviously trying to play it cool, and that makes Eddie realize something he hadn't really considered before: that Steve is nervous about this. For Eddie, sukkot is nothing but a holiday of fun. But Steve doesn't know any of those traditions, he doesn't know any of the unwritten rules. For all he knows, what they're doing today is something sacred and solemn – it makes sense that he's afraid to do the wrong thing or mess it up somehow. It's written all over his face: he's afraid to be disrespectful, to be an intruder, to somehow offend Wayne and Eddie without meaning to...
Steve takes the kippah from Wayne and places it on his hair, where it lies dangerously close to sliding off.
'Here, lemme help you.' Eddie digs around in his own pockets to find some long forgotten hairpins and slides up behind Steve, attaching the kippah to some strands of his soft, shiny hair. When he's done, he slides his arms around Steve's waist and tugs him close to his chest.
'Hey,' he whispers in his ear, nuzzling his nose against the soft hair right above it because he simply can't resist the temptation of touching Steve's locks in any way, ever. 'You don't need to worry 'bout anything. We're just gonna build a hut, that's all. And we're trailer park Jews anyway, we don't care about etiquette and shit. Or, well, maybe Wayne does, a little bit, but he's used to me, so... You're good.'
Steve chuckles, then turns himself around in Eddie's arms until they're face-to-face.
'Thank you,' he whispers in the space between them.
Wayne emphatically clears his throat, no doubt worried that the boys are about to forget he's still with them.
'You lovebirds ready to get to work?'
Slightly unwilling, Eddie lets go of Steve and flashes Wayne an excited grin. 'Alright, my dearest uncle, tell us what to do.'
The next hour or so is spent hauling corrugated sheets around and assembling them into a decent-sized hut. While Eddie is drilling their metal walls together, Wayne tells Steve all about the meaning behind what they're doing. He gets like that with every holiday: he loves the big stories, and Eddie has always loved listening to Wayne telling them.
'All of this,' Wayne explains with a gesture towards the half-finished sukkah, 'Is to remind us of what happened to our people a long time ago. They were enslaved in Egypt, far away from their homes. When they got out, they wandered through the desert for forty years, tryin' to find their way back. They suffered drought, storms, heat, famine... But G-d's protection was with them every step of their way, until He safely delivered them back to their homeland. For forty years, they didn't have no place to call home. They slept in huts beneath the stars. That's why, for one week a year, we still live in huts. We don't sleep here, 's too cold for that in Indiana –'
'I do sometimes,' Eddie cuts in.
'Your boy is crazy,' Wayne dryly states. 'But we live here as much as possible. The most important thing is to have all our meals in here, as long as it ain't raining too hard. We're not supposed to make a solid roof, y'know, 'cause it's supposed to be a reminder of how our people used to sleep under the open sky. It's a symbol for how we should submit ourselves to G-d's protection.'
Steve listens attentively and keeps asking Wayne all kinds of questions while they continue working on the roof, which they assemble out of pine branches that Eddie and Wayne took from the woods around the trailer park earlier that day.
'This day's extra special,' Wayne tells Steve when they're almost done, 'Cause it's a Friday evening. Means our first meal in the sukkah is a Shabbat meal.'
Usually, Wayne isn't exactly world's most diligent cook, but for days like this, he always tries to go a little bit bigger than usual. Not that their kitchen is suited for fabricating any kind of fancy meals – let alone that they can afford anything like that – but that doesn't really matter. Not to Eddie, at least, and he's pretty sure the same thing applies to Steve. The most important thing is that Wayne tries his very best to make days like those feel special. So while Steve and Eddie get tasked with setting up the interior of the sukkah, Wayne heads back to the trailer to make sure the food will be all done before sunset.
Steve and Eddie haul a bunch of plastic lawn chairs and a trestle table inside. After the furniture, they add some pillows, a truly hideous tablecloth, and a bunch of random clutter from the trailer to make it feel more homely. Eddie always likes to put this one Jesus sculpture they once got from the old Mrs. Brooks from number 70 in one of the corners, for no other purpose than to get on Wayne's nerves. Steve, on the other hand, actually cares about making the sukkah look good, and he comes up with the idea to walk around the trailer park and go into the woods to find some flowers as a finishing touch. Most of the vegetation around Forest Hills is withered all year round, but Steve manages to find some branches with beautiful autumn colors and a bunch of shiny chestnuts among the decaying junk.
'You manage to make anything pretty, huh,' Eddie notes when they're all done, with leaves of dark orange and golden yellow miraculously brightening up every single corner of the hut.
Steve smiles and pulls Eddie in his arms. Now, shielded by the walls of their dwelling, they can do that without worrying about the watchful eyes of nosy neighbors.
'Nah,' he murmurs, his lips ghosting over Eddie's cheek. 'I don't make things pretty, I attract pretty things.' And the way in which Steve's lips find his, soft and full of promise, tells Eddie that he wasn't merely talking about pretty things. It makes his heartbeat stutter and his cheeks heat up.
Steve pulls back before the kiss can become anything more than a promise, with a sparkle in his eyes and a soft smile still tugging at his lips.
'C'mon, let's go help your uncle with the food.'
By the time they're ready to welcome Shabbat, the autumn sun has long disappeared behind the trees and it's rapidly cooling off outside. Wayne puts on his thick plaid jacket and Steve borrows one of Eddie's favorite black hoodies. During this time of the year – when it's not yet cold enough to waste money on heating – the trailer doesn't really stay much warmer than the sukkah, so they're used to the cold anyway. Steve, however, is shamelessly exploiting the chill of the evening as an excuse to cuddle up close to Eddie at the table – not that Eddie minds that at all.
But when Wayne lights the candle and recites the blessing at sundown, it feels like the sukkah is actually much warmer than any other place in the world. It's because what's happening in this place is special, Eddie thinks. For a week, this hut is their home. It's designed to house two people – just Wayne and him – but Steve fits in this cramped space with them like he was always supposed to be here. And when Steve turns to Eddie to wish him a good shabbos with a smile on his face, Eddie knows that he will never want to celebrate another holiday – Jewish or not – without him.
Some fun facts for those who are interested: Sukkot 1986 indeed started on a Friday (October 17th) The use of corrugated sheets for a sukkah is actually quite common, and I took the liberty to interpret the skillful way in which we see Eddie drilling them down in the Upside Down, as him having plenty experience with creating a refuge with those things. For those who don't speak Hebrew: when Eddie calls Steve neshama sheli, he uses a common Hebrew pet name which literally translates to "my soul." I imagine Eddie loves calling Steve all kinds of Hebrew pet names and this is a truly beautiful one imo. I hope I did right to this really cool holiday with my lil story!
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jaegerisim · 9 months
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Vent post y'all are gonna hate me for.
I viscerally hate how the Duffers treat most of their non white or queer characters and I hate even more viscerally, how y'all big byler blogs in your circle jerk of other 5 big byler blogs casually like to ignore many red flags the show has.
Y'all like to say: "tHe DufFeRs ArE gReAt WrIteRs" and it's like girl, who are you lying to??? They aren't top shit writers at all. The Duffers are pretty mid imo. Yeah, they run a good show that's fun to watch and theorize abt , but that doesn't mean they're good writers cuz they're not.
1. they completely side lined Will during s3 for the sake of their straight romances: lumax, jancy, mlvn, duzie and partly stobin (even if stobin wasn't endgame, thankfully, Steve's intentions were clearly wanting to date Robin and they gave it a lot of screen time). Will was sidelined bc he didn't fit the straight romance plotline bc they planned to make him gay or whatever. Now in s4 Will and his feelings have been used as mlvn toilet paper. Yes, we like to say this is build up for byler but canonically, Will's feelings have been used to clean the shit mlvn leaves behind.
2. Billy was sympathized a lot during the last 2 seasons. They gave him the sad backstoryTM in order for ppl to feel sorry for him. Billy's backstory is literally Jonathan's but whatever.
3. El's anger issues are constantly girlboss-ified. They down play her bullying situation and literally just use it for El to be a ''girlboss" without realizing how triggering that is. As someone who has lived bullying, seeing it be ignored by canon and fanon is super sad. The whole Rink-O' Mania experience must have been so traumatizing for her yet, everyone absolutely forgets abt it 🤷🏻‍♀️
4. Robin, Erica and Argyle are stereotypical characters. Robin is the quirky lesbian with social anxiety, Erica is the badass black woman and Argyle is the Latino stoner that sells weed to white kids and works as a pizza delivery guy.
5. Altho Argyle and Eddie both do drugs, (Eddie actually sells K-12 to a minor and nobody batted an eye. He has a huge fan base). Eddie is held in a pedestal bc "poor thing 🥺 he lives in a trailer with his uncle 🥺". Tell me a single fact you know abt Argyle that isn't "he smokes weed", "he is Jonathan's only friend", "drives a van" and "he works at a pizzeria". Exactly, Eddie is given a useless backstory and Argyle isn't.
6. Dustin stopped being important to the plot sometime around s2 and s3. He is only there to curse and be mildly funny. My guy needs to hangout with ppl his age cuz he only hangs out with seniors.
7. El needs to stop having so much "I'M THAT BITCH" screentime like I need in s5 for El's arc to not just be her becoming more powerful and falling in love with Mike. I need the Duffers to explore her trauma and problems.
8. Angela should have been run over by the van.
9. Patrick should have been given a backstory that isn't the basic "strict black parents that hit their kids cuz they are a disgrace". Patrick's backstory is actually racist af, fight w the wall.
10. As Lex already said, they didn't trigger tag the ep where Jason and his friends assault Lucas and Erica. Like wtf? Why was that necessary? Why did I have to see a black boy being held at gunpoint by some white guy?? Was it relevant to the plot?? I don't think so. And then I've got to see ppl online be like "Jason wasn't that bad. He was just mourning" like bitch you can stfu. This is what happens when you make the racist assholes conventionally attractive.
Also the fact that Lucas's arc is fulfilled by him fist-fighting Jason and "embracing his weirdness" aka accepting he is black. His arc was not fulfilled at all cuz that ending spoke so loud to me. It showed how little empathy ppl have towards the struggles poc ppl living in the Midwest have. Y'all circle jerks can only see racism when it's super obvious.
Furthermore, parents complained when ST showed "an excessive amount of smoking" yet nobody batted an eye when Billy tried to run over Lucas, when Erica (an 11 y.o ffs) was chased by white kids or when Lucas was held at gunpoint by Jason.
All of this happened while they focused on Max's guilt and mourning that, yeah, are important but certainly not less important than racism!!!
11. In s3, they gave us that whole Nancy vs The Bigots arc that was honestly just triggering and useless. It didn't help Nancy's character at all, quite the opposite it put unnecessary angst.
12. Lonnie being presented as an abuser just for him to never be spoken of again. Can we please get to explore the trauma he left the Byers's with?
13. The fact that both queer relationships are considered "sloppy seconds" is extremely sad. Both Vickie and Mike are rebounding from their failed relationship with Robin and Will. These 2 ships have caused more commotion than Jancy and Jopper together! (These last ships are technically sloppy seconds too but everybody forgets that. Shocker!!)
14. Last but not least, ppl blame Argyle for being the one to get Jonathan into smoking weed as if Jonathan probably wasn't the one looking for it. Let me tell you, that you only find weed if you look for it.
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ryunumber · 5 months
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Spooky from Spookys House Of Jumpscares/Spookys Jumpscare Mansion
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Spooky has a Ryu Number of 5/4/does not have a Ryu Number.
(explanation below)
Look, it's complicated. Things will be more concrete when Cross Impact hits Early Access.
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Fair warning: this explanation is a bit more involved than normal, because the research hole this sent me down had me sincerely doubting my own base competence.
So, from the top: Spooky's only eligible appearance is in her own game, Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion née House of Jump Scares, as her only other appearance, period, seems to be as a trophy in Indie Pogo.
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Naturally, this makes SJSM's specimens as the only connecting points. I've identified three that could work:
Unknown Specimen 1 is just White Face from IMSCARED.
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This seems to be a dead end, as White Face's only other eligible appearance seems to be in the Nightmare Mode of Cooking Companions, as part of a menagerie of other horror game characters, including SJSM's own Specimen 6. But all of those also seem to be dead ends, and Specimen 6 just gets back to where we started, so that's probably no good.
How about Unknown Specimen 5?
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Named Lisa. Sure looks quite a bit like Lisa from P.T. and once-prospective Silent Hills. Let's say it's that Lisa. What else has Lisa been in?
Apparently just P.T., which wouldn't be altogether unsurprising given, you know, all that happened with Silent Hills. Even the Lisa decoys for Metal Gear Solid V showcased in the Tokyo Game Show 2014 trailer didn't make it to the final game.
But there are still other P.T. references that did make it. Namely, that pleasant radio transmission, interruptions and all, can be heard from some radios in MGSV.
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Now, given that audio-only appearances are broadly eligible, you could make a case that whoever's reading in this transmission is a character themself, which would in turn connect Lisa to The Phantom Pain, at which point calculating the Ryu Number is just a matter of hashing out who exactly is and is not in MGSV. The only issue I have with making this connection is that the audio is basically reused wholesale from P.T., which arguably makes it more in line with an archival recording, which is not eligible, than bespoke radio chatter, which is eligible, but hey, whatever, I've peddled dodgier. Why the hell not.
So in the search of a route with less caveats, let's consider what I've identified as the last possible eligible connection, Specimen 8. This cervine bundle of fun can be seen in Lost in Vivo as part of Lost Tape 3.
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It turns out there's another character in Lost in Vivo who's been in something else: Sotiris. It also turns out that the "something else" in question is, uh,
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the EEK3 2020 Virtual Show Floor. Which, to the best of my knowledge, is never referred to as a game, so if that matters to you, then we're done, and Spooky either has the aforementioned route through Lisa or nothing.
If you're willing to say that the virtual show floor is a game, which does not seem to be an unpopular opinion, then good news! There's a clear path to Ryu. You just have to go through Skully, who cameos in Toree 3D,
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to the titular Toree, who's a guest character in Lunistice,
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to Kit, the main character of Lunistice, who cameos in CrossCode,
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to Lea, whose Ryu Number of 2 is already established, which gives Spooky a final Ryu Number of I'm sorry, I'm being handed a note.
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Oh. Well fuck me, then, for not considering that the realities of game development could lead to a scenario wherein a character from an in-progress game could make cameo appearances in other games, only to be scrapped entirely before their would-be source game is released. Clearly, this is what the kids refer to as a "skill issue".
And the best part? This chain is so long that I'm genuinely expecting to have overlooked something really obvious that gives a shorter number, because the documentation I found on indie-ass indie horror game crossovers is spotty. So if you have any information that could shorten this more substantial than "White Face is graffiti in the full release of FAITH", send it my way. I'd rather be definitely wrong than dubiously correct.
Anyway, Toree's set to be playable in Cross Impact, so when that's released to the wider public most of this nonsense I just spewed at you will actually come into play. Until then, make of all of this what you will. If you'll excuse me, I need to go fucking distort.
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soulprompts · 2 years
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"𝙎𝙃𝘼𝘿𝙊𝙒 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘽𝙊𝙉𝙀" - 𝙄𝙉𝙎𝙋𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘿 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙋𝙏𝙎.
hi friends!! basically, i watched the teaser trailer for season 2 of shadow and bone, got excited, began to reread the soc duology, and then these happened! or rather, i found an ancient unpublished fic i wrote after the first time i read the duology, and decided to make that a problem for everyone else! i hope you all enjoy these, you don’t need to have seen the show nor read the books, i actually think many of these are fairly fandomless! i just wanted to explain my inspiration! DON’T ADD TO THIS LIST! i’ll make more lists like this one! ily all, bon appetit, go forth and write or read or nap or watch tv or something!
" my goodness, you're not nearly as stupid as you look! "
" you have all the answers right in front of you. you just need to look at it differently. "
" don't presume that you know me just because you've heard a few rumors and read a few articles. "
" there's certainly more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? "
" i urge you to remember exactly who it is you're talking to. because while others might appreciate your tone, i assure you, i do not. "
" i'm concerned that you mightn't understand what discreet means. because the path of chaos you've just created is exactly the opposite of discreet. "
" you owe me a favour. i'm here to collect. "
" i thought it was a good time to pay you a visit. it's been so long, after all; and we have so much to catch up on. "
" you are not your father/mother/parent's child. not by anything other than blood, and that's not even on the spectrum of importance. "
" i was wrong about you. "
" you know, i was warned not to get involved with you. people insisted it was a fool's decision. but i held out hope that you'd prove them wrong. now's your chance. "
" i'm not the sort of person to fuss over hurt feelings. you're either of value to me, or you're worthless. so prove to me that you're not the latter. "
" you honestly think i don't know where you go each night? i'm not blind nor an idiot. i just trust your ability to return home unharmed. "
" have you told anyone else about this? "
" there are no children anymore. only survivors. childhood and innocence are luxuries afforded to the privileged. not us. "
" i offered you an opportunity once. to build a better world together. we both know how that turned out. and now, you come crawling back, begging for... what? mercy? forgiveness? "
" i'm with you. always. no matter what happens, i will be right by your side. do you understand? "
" we're a team, aren't we? teams stick together. even when the leader is being a prick. "
" ...i was really worried about you, you know. you scared me earlier. and i'm not saying it to make you feel bad, it's just... promise me you'll tell me if things get bad again? "
" i can't pretend to understand all this stuff you've got going on. but i do promise that i'll be here to help you through it all. alright? "
" there's a job that needs to be done before we get to work on the big task. that's why i'm here. you'll be helping me/us to complete both jobs. payment upon completion. "
" you and i aren't as different as you want to believe. that must be why you're so angry. because looking at me, all that i've done... it's like looking in a mirror. isn't it? "
" people are scared. they need a leader. and right now, like it or not, they're looking to you. so go on. lead us. "
" you've come up with some really insane plans over the years, but this is just defying any amount of belief. "
" look. i don't care if people underestimate me. i actually enjoy it. they see me as an idiot, they drop their guard, the end. but i need you to know that i'm not an idiot. okay? "
" people have died. we can't let that go unpunished. "
" the world is changing. and if we don't get ahead of it, then they'll be the ones to decide what it changes into. "
" right! what's the plan, then? and god help the lot of us if you don't have one. "
" not all of us can afford the luxury of a conscience. "
" don't make the deadly mistake of presuming my actions reflect weakness. too many have made that same presumption. and not a single one of them lived to tell the tale. "
" you're scared. i can tell. the shaking, the look in your eye... you want to run. don't. you'll waste precious time and energy, and you'll need it all if you want to live. "
" everything is gone. it's all smoke, ruin, obliterated. is that our legacy now? our reputation? destruction, devastation, death? is that who we are? "
" we've fought against powerful enemies before, but this is beyond that. if we want to get out of this alive, we need to be smarter, stronger, better than we've ever been before. "
" don't forget why we're here. there's far more at stake than our lives if this goes wrong. "
" you're the only person here i trust. we need to stick together, watch each other's backs. just because everything's changed, doesn't mean we have to, too. "
" i can't think of anyone i'd rather be doing this crazy, ridiculous, nearly definitely lethal mission with. let's go out with a bang, eh? "
" you people are completely insane. but you're also insufferably good at this sort of thing. so let's go save the world, shall we? "
" why are we fighting so hard to save the lives of people who hate us, anyway? "
" you're the best there is at this sort of thing. i'd hate to see the one who got the better of you... "
" look at them all. going around, fussing over money, clothes, land... do they ever realize what's going on around them? do they ever see the bigger picture as we do? "
" you're clever. good. it's nice to have a challenge. but you should know now, you'll want to be a hell of a lot smarter than that if you want to go up against me. "
" you and i both know the risks. we both know what people like them are capable of. tell me it's all okay, and i won't question you. but if it isn't... we need to be ready. "
" it's lonely and vicious at the top. i can handle that. but you... you wouldn't survive five minutes of this life. "
" you can't survive in this world without growing a thicker skin, and erasing that naive belief that you can trust anyone you meet. least of all me. "
" if you're knocking on my door, i can only imagine it means you're here to collect. and by your demeanour, it's one hell of a favor you'll be asking, too. "
" i understand your anger. i've lived with that sort of rage for many years of my life. but you need to set it aside, understand? we need you calm if we want to get out of here. "
" oh, don't get all sentimental. i saved your life because you're worth more to me alive than dead. it doesn't signify any degree of care or affection. "
" you have one hell of an inflated ego, you know that? we were told this job was impossible. that's not a challenge. that's a fact. it is not possible. even for you. "
" i've heard it all before. one more job. one more mission. one last heist. but there's always more. it's like some sort of obsession for you. searching for another thrill. "
" enough! this is it! don't you see that?! we almost died! you almost got killed! if the saints are kind enough to save us today, it's only so we can quit while we're ahead! "
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terapsina · 6 months
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Now that the writers and actors strike is about to begin being felt (and as we wait for those greedy billion dollar companies who are refusing to negotiate fair pay and conditions to give up) here's 10 of my favorite (all around best) fully finished older series you should definitely check out if you haven't watched.
I mean it, these are the shows with continuously great writing and a satisfying endings that manage to actually deliver on their promises.
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1. Leverage - (containing 5 seasons, or 77 episodes) - trailer here.
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Hitter, Hacker, Grifter, Thief and Mastermind. Heists and cons. Stealing from the rich and giving to their victims. They provide... leverage.
Meant for anyone who enjoys bad guys being the best good guys, who will burn down the lives of evil CEOs and then gloat in the background. Very satisfying.
Hands down the best example of a found family trope I've ever seen on screen. Barring none.
2. Killjoys - (containing 5 seasons, or 50 episodes) - trailer here.
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Space Bounty Hunters. Another case of found family trope. Bisexual space princess assassin. Quippy sentient ship. Green alien goo. Evil lesbians (but like... in a good way). The warrant is all.
More seriously though, it's a story about three killjoys and the bounties they go after. Initially. And then they have to save the entire Quad from some very terrifying... stuff.
Contains one of the best friendships I've ever seen on television.
3. Orphan Black - (containing 5 seasons, or 50 episodes) - trailer here.
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Found family trope but with clones.
Low level grifter sees a woman who looks exactly like her kill herself and plans to take over her identity long enough to cash out. Except then there's two other women who also look exactly like her. And apparently they're all clones and someone's killing them.
Enter a global conspiracy. Human experimentation. Lots of clone shenanigans. Some serial killings. And a few murders 💖.
4. Person of Interest - (containing 5 seasons, or 103 episodes) - trailer here.
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Okay I'm beginning to see how I might have a found family trope issue.
Former CIA agent gets recruited by a reclusive billionaire computer programmer who developed a... machine that can predict acts of terror before they happen. But it also predicts 'irrelevant' acts of violence that will result in someone's death.
Unless someone interferes.
I'd really like to spoil some stuff to get you all to watch this one. But I'm going to maintain self control and just mention that early on they get a dog named Bear. Bear is a very good boy. Watch it for Bear.
Also for excellent commentary on rights of privacy, government surveillance and what does 'greater good' even mean? But mostly Bear.
5. 12 Monkeys - (containing 4 seasons, or 47 episodes) - trailer here.
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The very best time travel show out there. What starts out as a confusing mess of causality basically exploding, by the end of the series all makes complete and total sense.
(when that final timey-whimey loop slid into place and revealed the entire pattern it was like a choir of angels started singing in the back of my head. It was freaking glorious).
Anyway, a man from a post apocalyptic future travels into the past to stop a plague from decimating nearly the entire world population.
He has the name of the man who released the virus and it's supposed to be a single trip. One trip. One bullet. Simple. Done.
Except then things keep escalating, and escalating until time begins eating its own tail and it might start looking like the end of the world might be a better ending than erasing all of time and space from reality.
Because when our guys screw it up, they screw it up GOOD.
And oh yeah... found family.
6. The Good Place - (containing 4 seasons, or 53 episodes) - trailer here.
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A self-proclaimed Arizona dirtbag opens her eyes and finds out that she's dead and got accepted in the Good Place. Except that as soon as she arrives the Good Place starts glitching, and she really, REALLY needs to become a better person before she can be found out and kicked out to the Bad Place.
Luckily her assigned soulmate was a professor of ethics and moral philosophy.
One of the funniest, most thoughtful and clever comedies I've ever watched. Ever. The characters are delightful and by the time the final minute rolled around I had sobbed my heart out multiple times (which, as we all know, is a sign of the very best comedies out there).
As for the question of whether or not this too contains Found Fami- Yes! Obviously, yes.
7. Avatar: the Last Airbender - (containing 3 seasons, or 61 episodes) - intro here (couldn't locate the trailer but it's basically the same thing in this case).
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The four nations lived in harmony. Until the Fire Nation attacked.
It's been a hundred years since the beginning of the war when two kids from the Southern Water Tribe find a boy frozen in ice and wake him up. A boy who's able to bend all four elements... though not very well.
Enter multi-nation flying road trip (thank you Appa, we love you most of all) as they try to find teachers for the Avatar and save the world.
Includes found family (shut up), amazing fight scenes, the most heartfelt and vivid characters ever, and the best example of a redemption arc actually done well.
8. Love Between Fairy and Devil - (containing 1 season, or 36 episodes) - trailer here.
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This one gutted me. I'm saying this as a compliment. But it had to be said. Completely destroyed me. I just haven't been the same.
A love story between an Orchid Fairy and the leader of the Moon Tribe that starts out with her accidentally releasing him from millennia long imprisonment and then takes you through the caleidoscope of all possible human emotions (it's a body-swap comedy through the first part, then a romcom, then a dramatic romantic tale, and finally a tragic love story).
But it's such a satisfying slow burn.
And it carries this... humanity through the whole thing that makes it so visceral.
If you're a romantic who's very tired of instalove and characters dropping all their morals because 'ooh, attractive person' then you've got to watch this. Because this story does NOT take the easy road there.
(my more extensive rec for this series can be found here)
9. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - (containing 7 seasons, or 133 episodes) - fanmade trailer here (it was better than any of the official ones).
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This series did so much. Introduced Ahsoka Tano, and made us love her. Gave names and faces and souls to the Clone Troopers (okay, it's the same face but you know what I mean), to a point where their endings during Order 66 destroyed me just as much as the ending of the Jedi Order. And somehow made me both love Anakin AND be a million times more angry with him.
There are some arcs in this series that might be a bit weaker. But there were some... god, there's a reason I love Clone Wars more than any other series or trilogy in this universe. And I'm not even a little ashamed to say it.
Must watch for Disaster Lineage shenanigans; for the vod'e; AND for the Jedi (who did their best okay? They always did their best 😭💔).
(and on the subject of found family... do I even need to comment)
10. Nikita - (containing 4 seasons, or 73 episodes) - trailer here.
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A rogue assassin that escaped Division - covert government agency that takes recruits out of prison, fakes their deaths and then forces them to become spies and assassins - has come back to take it down. Brick by brick if she has to. With guns and explosives too when that works better.
Contains soooo many cool fight scenes. Is full of incredible characters you'll fall in love with (and hate with) very quickly. And most of all has an incredibly complex relationship of mentorship and friendship between two women that holds both great admiration and betrayal, real care and love as well as rage and hatred, forgiveness, mutual respect and an unbreakable kind of bond that so very rarely involves even one female character on TV, let alone two.
(as usual, found family tropes up the wazzoo).
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In conclusion. We all know there's going to be a large space between seasons of our favorite shows now (and some shows that aren't going to survive it). Let's fill that space with some excellent TV we haven't had a chance to see yet.
And direct the blame for the wait towards the right place (i.e. the studios).
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moonshine999 · 5 days
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Team Green promotional stills
side note : this “analysis” is only limited to the promotional stills and I’ll probably do the trailer/posters a bit later. Also that this is just speculation and most of it is probably bs because I just woke up from a nap and decided to start typing.
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this might be one of two things
a) Larys talking to b&c in the dungeon..possibly informing them of their punishment OR watching their punishment unfold
b) Him talking to Aegon about fleeing King’s Landing or actually fleeing King’s Landing
now this also may be where Larys says the “survived dragon-fire” line if it is the second scenario
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I would really like to think of this as a scene where Aemond expresses more emotion to Criston about what happened at Storm’s end.
If you notice then Criston seems to be in his night clothes while Aemond is still in his “fighting” or training clothes (if that makes sense).
possibly to indicate how at ease Criston would be trying to make him feel while talking about this but Aemond just keeping his guard up.
it also does look like Aemond is trying to avert his gaze while Criston talks
Also if the above is true (which is highly unlikely actually), then it would serve as a great parallel to Alicent & Aegon with the candles of the sept vs the candles Criston has lit in …possibly his chambers?
Im not very sure about this particular shot at all so even though I’d like to, going into detail on the above point seems useless
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SERVING CUNT
okay so all possible times we may see Aegon at the coucil basically come down to a) the first episode as an introduction and b) after b&c
If it is his introduction, then he is probably zoned out here - thinking of something else and playing around with his dagger until (according to the leaks) he is snapped out of it by either a council member or a guard informing that Helaena needs him
But if it's after b&c then he may be zoned out because he refuses to listen to other council members dictate what he should "rationally" do at this time. His mind would be struck with grief and a want for revenge and maybe the placement of the knife near his face like that is no ordinary mistake.
He is probably plotting something here on his own (could be the reason he could ask Larys for help) and it would be such a good parallel, if he's sort of snapped out of it again by the thought of Helaena
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phia saban is turning your kids GAY
so we know this is the funeral dress…the two main questions are whether it’s after the funeral or before the funeral and who she’s looking at
my personal bet is before the funeral. This is because she still looks a bit composed as she not seen her son’s body / refused to see it since that night probably because she realises she can’t handle it
(don’t exactly know if the above bit is phrased properly at all but hope the point gets across)
also in details of the shot itself…her veil isn’t tied on yet and her hair is undone/not braided yet..signalling that she is still getting dressed.
As for who she is looking at…the safest bet is either Alicent or Aegon (considering the situation these two are the people who would understand her emotions best)
If it is Alicent.. then it’s most likely her providing comfort to her daughter and sharing feelings/thoughts of what it means to be a mother
And if it is Aegon (which I do think is more likely and that is not just the helaegon manic shipper in me)… then it would probably be him trying to justify not being there (in the room when it happened) and probably promising that he will get revenge for such a heinous act (or something along those lines)
another note : I did not do Alicent’s promo shot because I think that shot could be anything and I personally did not notice any details that could specify the situation or what she may be doing
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roseharpermaxwell · 3 months
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RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs - Part Two
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I'm such a fan of an AU, and I love how many there are in FirstPrince. Any situation you can put Alex and Henry in, I'm here for it.
Here are many of my favorites so far, 10k+ words. Give the authors some love and let me know if you find something you adore!
And they call it— by @clottedcreamfudge. T, 10k. "You're late, but at least you're wearing a more interesting tie this time," The Dog Sitter says as he opens the door, leaning against the doorframe like he's a GQ model and not a law student slash dog whisperer. Henry's mouth feels incredibly dry.
"Mishap with my socks," he says, then immediately wants to throw himself into oncoming traffic. "I mean, I didn't have any trouble getting them on or anything — I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself."
"Good to know," The Dog Sitter says, looking amused and devastatingly attractive, as always. "David get ahold of them again? He looks at mine like I look at freshly-brewed coffee."
"Yes," Henry says, relieved. "Yes, exactly that."
Creative Differences by @sparklepocalypse. E, 10k. Zahra tilts her head at him, a contemplative expression on her face. “How attached are you to the notion of being a solo artist?”
(AU; Alex is a failed solo musician and Henry's band needs a lead singer.)
Dick, Dick, Dick (You Down) by @everwitch-magiks. E, 10k. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Henry Fox is an absolute dick.
Henry Fox is an A-list movie star, Alex is in charge of the craft services trailer on Henry’s new romcom, and Alex just might be the only person on the crew who has his doubts about the world’s unfavorable assumptions about Henry. Why would Henry be a dick just because he doesn’t stop to talk to his fans every time they crowd him? Henry Fox is probably like most people: not his best self every second of his goddamn life, but decent on the whole.
As filming gets underway, Alex learns both how right and how wrong he is. Henry Fox, much like Alex’s well-stocked buffet at crafty, is a goddamn snack — but he’s definitely not like most people.
(Alex doesn’t feel this specific way about most people.)
You Came Out of Nowhere (And You Cut through All the Noise) by @affectionatelyrs. E, 10k. Alex starts to feel worse about how he reacted to the man earlier — he’s usually all bark and no bite, but how is the bartender supposed to know that? Alex can be snarky, but he’s never cruel.
Allowing his lips to quirk up into a small smile, he replies “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you, really.”
“Well,” he says with a smirk, “in the event that you are lying to me simply to placate our earlier interaction, my shift ends in 15 minutes. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to stick around to chat with a perfect stranger?”
Alex’s brain stutters for a moment at his facade being so transparent that it's all he can do to stutter out a “Yeah—um, yeah. Okay, sure.” Maybe he also gets stuck on the words perfect stranger, and the immediate thought of mmmm, perfect indeed that pops up in his brain as a result. He chooses to ignore that as well.
Or, Alex is feeling insecure after a bad date - Henry shows him that he doesn't have to be
Controlled Experiment by clottedcreamfudge. E, 10k. Basically, what it boils down to is this; Alex is mostly sober when he says - to a group of people he barely knows - "Yeah, I might be a little queer, but who knows? I'd kinda like to experiment though, y'know?"
This statement, which is actually something he's thought about a lot, is met by general bobbing of heads, in the kind of bros-trying-to-be-chill way that usually happens when a bunch of straight guys are trying very hard to be non-toxic. That is to say, it's kind of awkward, but they get mad props for trying.
The only person who isn't nodding is Henry, Pez's best friend and the only known gay man in this circle of people. Alex has no clue about the others, but he knows Henry's gay because Pez once introduced him as, "the most handsome man in all of Christendom — and before you ask, no we've never shagged, which is a damn shame. Not for lack of trying on my part, of course, but Henry's one of those gays who thinks it's bad manners to get drunk and have an inadvisable fumble with your best friend for larks."
kiss my collarbone, found my archetype by uptownwarblerr5. E, 10k. English literature teacher Henry starts a new job, and immediately meets law teacher Alex (and in the process, becomes a little bit obsessed). Alex is a clueless bisexual disaster as per usual. Nora and Pez love their stupid friends. Zahra wants to go home.
Arts and Minds by @orchidscript. T, 11k. Henry felt like he was holding the shreds of his career and dignity all in one. The most profound interaction between Henry and the colleague he respected the most – had respected and looked up to since beginning his master’s degree – was now posted online, trending across Twitter, and was now up to 23 million views. Alex showing off and Henry standing there, mouth open like a fish. He wanted to throw up. He wished he had argued back, had said anything. Instead, he had all but swallowed his tongue and sunk back to his laptop, floundering for how to push forward.
23 million views.
Henry should be angry. He wasn’t.
He was going to die of embarrassment. Zahra would make sure of it.
Art history professors go viral, then go to a conference... and there was only one bed ;) 
Fox Repairs (and Basic Construction) by floatingaway4. T, 11k. “Yes, so let me get your details and I’ll come over whenever it’s convenient for you,” says the voice. It’s dark and soft at the same time, kind of...velvety...and Alex curses his brain that can’t ask a simple question but can come up with a thousand adjectives for this guy’s voice.
“My details,” Alex repeats, while his brain is busy flipping through a list of similes that would get him fired if he ever put them into anything official. ‘Like honey...like molasses….like sunshine on a cloudy day…’ Nope, that’s a song lyric. He’d get charged with plagiarism for that one.
All Booked Up by @three-drink-amy. E, 11k. A book tearing up the Bestseller’s List is quickly shoved into Alex’s hands via June and Nora. Despite his resistance, he’s taken in by the book and its whirlwind romance. When Nora insists they all go to a reading with the mysterious author, Alex is drawn in by H. G. Fox, hanging on his every word. When they meet after the signing, it sets him on a path he’d thought was impossible.
Try Me On For Size by everwitch. E, 11k. "Yeah, I might be a little queer, but who knows? I'd kinda like to experiment though, y'know?"
Henry’s carefully orchestrated nonchalance melts away in an instant.
He’d been about to do what he always does at these shindigs when the topic of hypothetical queerness is brought up; come out. In this strange little pocket of humanity — this full-volume version of reality filled with red solo cups and many a youth exploring their sexuality — making his preferences known has always been Henry’s most successful first step on his path towards getting laid. And Henry does, truly, want to get laid tonight; he didn’t spend well over fifteen minutes on his hair for bloody Instagram clout. His discreet but unmistakable rainbow wristband isn’t meant to signify allyship.
The thing is, though, that Henry’s personal gay agenda for the night may just have taken an interesting turn; Alex wants to experiment.
In which Alex does experiment, and Henry is a most willing participant.
we've been here forever (here's the frozen proof) by @onward--upward. T, 12k. Objectively, I am aware that you – a stranger – cannot tell me my own sexuality any better than I can, however... Can you, please? Tell me? It’s 4am and I have been thinking about this for hours, and I can’t sleep.
Warmest regards,
ACD
It’s four in the morning, and Alex Claremont-Diaz has managed to follow a research spiral straight down into a personal crisis. It isn’t the first time.
Kinda think that I might be his type by @kiwiana-writes. E, 12k. “Bea.” He clambers onto his knees, grabbing her hands in his own. “Bea, take me to Thanksgiving with you.”
Bea blinks. Blinks again. “What?”
“Bea, I could terrorise your gran until she’s begging you to stay single forever.”
Or, Alex agrees to be his friend's fake boyfriend for a weekend. He is not prepared for his friend's brother.
Countermelody by @omgcmere. E, 12k. On an old tour bus, tucked into the corner of a bunk bed, there's a bit of wood that gets covered up when the particleboard shifts back and forth on the road. If you catch it just after the bus has gone over the right kind of bump, you can shine a light up and find a message etched there, with the tip of a key or maybe a Swiss Army knife.
Alex discovered it within his first week of the tour. He's never told anyone about it. It says:
RULE #1: DON'T FUCK YOUR BANDMATE
Luckily for him, as a solo artist, he doesn't really have to worry about it.
Alex is opening for Henry on tour and, uh, hates him. A lot.
Elevator buttons and morning air by dollarstoreannabethchase. E, 12k. Last night, Alex hooked up with the most attractive man to ever exist after getting stuck together in the elevator of his apartment complex. He's incredible, but the second day of the job that will make or break his career is not the time to be starting a relationship; even if he kind of wants to scream every time he thinks about Henry. So you can imagine his fucking surprise when he walks into the office the next day and sees none other than his Henry—elevator Henry, blue-eyed, British, dreamy, with thighs for days Henry—standing and talking to Pez. It’s in that moment that it all clicks, and Alex realizes. He’s Henry, as in, Henry, his other boss. Henry, his boss, a.k.a. the man who was on his knees in Alex’s bedroom last night. He is so fucked.
Or: Alex and Henry get stuck in an elevator together; Chaos ensues.
coyote ugly series by @smc-27. E, 12k. The bartender, in his mesh tank top, towel tucked into the back pocket of a pair of jeans, leans on the bar, eyes twinkling, and asks, “What can I get you, sweetheart?”
You Are the Wave I Could Never Tame by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 12k. That should be it. Henry is doing his job; the pool is getting cleaned, and Alex shouldn’t think anything more of it. Then why does he feel the slightest bit of disappointment when he walks back to the pool house and Henry isn’t there?
Or, the pool boy Henry AU that I couldn't stop thinking about until I wrote it.
Count The Stars And Constellations by everwitch. E, 14k. Alex and Henry meet at their first Partner Summit. After a single night of warm smiles and intriguing conversation, Henry is more than ready to follow his heart and enter a Match with Alex. But Alex is not. 
Meet Your Match by allmylovesatonce. E, 14k. Alex had first learned about soulmarks when he was 10. June had just turned 13 and had woken up that morning with her soulmark. The two of them sat at the dinner table, in awe of the mark on her wrist. It was delicate and pretty. Three hearts intertwined like a triple infinity sign. Alex was almost envious. He wanted to know who his soulmate was so badly and he wouldn't get his mark for another 3 years.
Everybody needs good neighbours by @rmd-writes. E, 14k. To nora(9.37pm):
So a funny thing happened
My hot neighbour brought me the mcflurry i ordered and we fucked
From nora (9.38pm):
WHAT
DETAILS NOW
Which neighbour?
Wait, you only have one hot neighbour. Alex, did you fuck a guy?!?!?!
ALEX 
Alex meets a hot new neighbour. Shenanigans ensue.
Captious (calculated to confuse, entrap or entangle in argument) by lucky (revolutionbarbie). M, 14k. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”
Alex hadn't intended to be 45-minutes late to his blind date, he really hadn't.
Thankfully Henry - broad-shouldered, blond, British and downright beautiful - didn't seem to mind.
written in the stars by @indomitable-love. G, 15k. Henry has always been entranced by the transformative power of stories; the way a happy ending can heal an ache better than any medicine.
He never set out to run a bookshop, but when he’d ended up with an obscenely large inheritance and an expanding cavity in his chest before he was even old enough to drink, there was only one thing that he wanted to do, only one way he wanted to fill the void: he wanted to be surrounded by the one place that had always felt like home – between the covers of a book. No matter the time period or genre, Henry has always found a home in books.
falling in love (in the cruelest way) by @coffeecatsme. M, 15k. “Alex?”
The name makes Alex stop halfway to the register and look back. Henry is standing in the same spot, shifting from foot to foot, before he juts his chin out. He meets Alex’s eyes.
“Where are you traveling to?”
Or, Alex picks up a stranger on a road trip, only to realize too late he's the missing Prince of Wales.
Financial and Other Instruments by clottedcreamfudge. E, 15k. “I’m Alex,” Alex says quietly, and something in Henry’s stomach jolts. “I’m a trainee financial adviser — I think you know my mom?”
***
Financial instruments are assets that can be traded, or they can also be seen as packages of capital that may be traded... These assets can be cash, a contractual right to deliver or receive cash or another type of financial instrument, or evidence of one's ownership of an entity.
Alex has owned Henry since the second he laid eyes on him, whether Alex knows it or not.
maybe take me into your room by smc_27. T, 15k. “This is kinda boring, ma.”
She pats him on the cheek, leans in a little closer, and says, “Find something to do, darlin’. You live here. You can’t leave.”
She’s not exactly right, but he isn’t going to argue. Plus, her main advisor, Zahra, comes over. Alex is already a little afraid of her, so he doesn’t feel the need to draw attention to himself by smarting off at the mouth.
She’s still talking to him when he spots this really beautiful guy about his age, and fuck, wow. Okay.
“Not him,” his mom says into his ear, and he doesn’t even… Look, if she knows about the few guys he made out with at parties in Madrid last year when the opportunity arose, this is the first he’s hearing of it. “His dad is the British ambassador. I can’t have you breaking hearts and causing an international incident.”
OR: Ellen Claremont is the US ambassador to Canada. Arthur Fox is the British Ambassador to Canada.  
When The Time Is Right by everwitch. E, 16k. “Maybe I could challenge you more,” Henry suggests, his eyes carefully trained on Alex. “And hold you accountable for longer. How does that sound?”
“That sounds fucking amazing,” Alex tells him, the words coming out in a rush. “Yes. That. Please.”
“Alright, then.” Henry offers him a sly grin. “Alex, love. You just gave me a wonderful idea.”
It’s really something, how quickly Alex’s heartbeat picks up. “Oh? Do tell.”
Henry’s grin widens. He looks alarmingly pleased with himself. “How would you feel about a staycation?”
When Alex asks Henry for something a little more intense in the bedroom, they end up taking more than just their sex life to the next level.
you'll be right where i left you by smc_27. M, 17k. He wakes up to a weird noise and - once he realizes he’s not dreaming it - starts trying to figure out where it’s coming from.
He takes a steadying breath and opens the closet door, and the scream he lets out is like, practically not human at all.
He did not fucking expect there to be a man in his closet. A man who is also yelling. Who’s tall, and hot, and wearing what seems like a wool suit, some kind of medal around his neck, and a sash.
OR, a time traveling Henry AU
Tell Me All Your Secrets by everwitch. E, 17k. When Henry dates Liam, he inadvertently learns about June’s brother Alex’s not-so-heterosexual tendencies of the past. But Alex has explicitly told Henry he’s straight. If Alex had the slightest interest in being with Henry, he'd definitely have set the record straight (ha) in regards to his sexuality. Except with pride month just around the corner and Alex making another trip to New York, Henry finds himself reexamining parts of their friendship. Perhaps there is more to their connection than he's ever dared hope for?
Or: the one where Alex and Henry go to New York Pride.
Fate Marks the Spot by @preppymayhem. T, 17k. Alex Claremont-Diaz wants absolutely nothing to do with Prince Henry of Wales and would be completely happy to never speak or be in the same room with him again.
Except for the tiny fact that Henry bears his mark.
A/K/A: What if Alex and Henry were soulmates, literally.
The Art of Falling in Love by floatingaway4. M, 17k. Alex Claremont-Diaz is a struggling actor, but his next role might be his big break. To research the role, his agent connects him with her friend at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The employee assigned to show him around annoys Alex before they even meet.
Will they ever learn to get along?
(Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes they will.)
Cursed is a State of Mind by @dustratcentral and @welcometololaland. E, 17k. Alex Claremont-Diaz is well aware that he’s an absolute catch. He’s intelligent and quick witted, has an ass that absolutely refuses to quit and was once voted ‘most attractive law student’ in a slightly irresponsible and probably unethical NYU student magazine poll.
Which is why he finds it super fucking weird that his new roommate, Henry, thinks his caffeine consumption habits are a bit off-putting. So what if he has some unconventional drink choices? It’s not like Alex can’t vehemently defend all of them.
5 times Henry has something to say about Alex’s coffee choices and 1 time he says nothing at all.
team henesmee series by @coffeecatsme. E, 18k. Henry isn’t home when Alex returns from his weeklong trip to his father’s lakehouse in Texas.
There is, however, a bat hanging from their fan, wings curled around its little body, a drop of drool clinging to his lips. Sleeping.
“Huh,” Alex says, tilting his head. “I didn’t know vampires could actually turn into bats.”
Or, 5 times Alex learns something new about Henry and 1 time Henry learns something new about Alex.
Luck of the Draw by LolaLand (Lola_di_Penates). T, 19k. Henry isn’t an artist, but he runs an art studio. Alex isn’t in a bridal party, but he’s arranging a bachelorette.
Neither of them are looking for love, but when life gives you lemons, you throw them in the fruit bowl and find yourself the man of your dreams.
The Beginner's Guide to Floristry by clottedcreamfudge. E, 19k. As if there's anything romantic about it; as if it's not the most humiliating death Alex can imagine. This is why he doesn't do relationships. This is why he never will. The risk, as far as he fucking sees it, is too great.
Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible.
Route 11 by LolaLand (Lola_di_Penates). E, 19k. Alex thought the New York City subway was a cursed public transport system. That was before he moved across the Atlantic and took the route 11 bus every day.
A public transport love story told in 11 parts.
My Songs Know Secrets You're Sick of Keeping by ma_lark_ey, paythe_piper. T, 19k. "How about this," Alex offered, "If I win AOTY, I announce Henry and I in my acceptance speech. If I don't, we do it your way."
OR: Alex is a world famous pop punk star, Henry is still the Prince of England, and the public is onto them.
A Practical Arrangement by @kiwiana-writes. E, 19k. “I know.” In fairness, he didn’t ask his mom to delay the wedding after the betrothal was made official when he turned eighteen. It wasn’t that she expected another option to materialise—he’s pretty sure she was trying to give him and Henry more time to get to know each other, maybe move past their open animosity a little. They’ve been pushed together every few months for the last three years, their marriage an inevitability. “I just… I still can’t quite get my head around it, you know? Married. To Henry.”
All the Old Showstoppers by @cha-melodius. E, 20k. “Dunno, kinda looks like you know what you’re doing. Are those macarons?” Alex asks incredulously after a little while, and a moment later Henry sees him start slowly approaching out of the corner of his eye. “I didn’t know princes could bake.”
“I’d wager not many of them can,” Henry replies as he works, letting one corner of his mouth tug upward.
(In a universe where Alex didn’t go to the royal wedding, three years later Alex and Henry find themselves both competing on an episode of The Great Celebrity Bake Off. Will old hostilities lead to disaster, or is there something else causing all that tension in the tent?)
i told myself don't get attached (but in my mind i play it back) by coffeecatsme. E, 20k. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Claremont-Diaz,” the woman behind the counter says, eyes wide and apologetic. Alex grits his teeth so he doesn’t say something inappropriate in a lobby full of scared families, crying kids, and the obscenely tall British guy that’s currently giving him a fucking migraine. “Due to the snowstorm warning, all the flights are cancelled, and unfortunately the room you’ve booked is currently occupied.”
“Occupied,” Alex repeats dumbly, nails digging into his palm. “I booked this room three months ago.”
“Yes, well, the previous occupant—”
“Should’ve been out of here by now.” Alex knows he sounds harsh, he knows the stupid blond is hovering somewhere behind him listening to the whole conversation, but he can’t help it. He’s not spending what’s supposed to be his vacation alone with another guy in his room.
Or, Alex and Henry are stuck in the same room in a hotel during a sudden blizzard
For all the world to see by everwitch. E, 20k. Henry Fox — bestselling author, mystery millionaire and infamous recluse — never gives interviews. So when June is tasked with writing a profile on Henry, Alex agrees to help her. How? By posing as Henry’s next-door neighbor, charming his way into Henry’s life for the purpose of obtaining some real substance for June’s article. Eat the rich, right? What could possibly go wrong?
i wake with your memory over me (that's a real fucking legacy) by coffeecatsme. E, 21k. The ski instructor stops in front of him, takes off his goggles, and Henry about stops breathing for another reason. “Hey,” Alexander says with a grin, his face distinctly lacking in wrinkles Henry was expecting from a renowned instructor. There’s a bright grin on his face that rivals the sun, rich brown curls spilling out of a red beanie, and Henry realizes he’s absolutely fucked for a whole other reason than his inability to figure out how to stay upright in skis. 
Or, the one in which Henry is hopeless at skiing despite his family's aspirations, and Mary hires Alex as an instructor to amend that.
we might just get away with it by smc_27. E, 21k. Henry is the most gorgeous man Alex has ever seen. And Alex has seen a lot of gorgeous men. He’s a fucking model.
“This is Henry Fox-Mountchristen,” Prada’s current PR lead says, and Alex smiles and pushes his hand out. “He’s a journalist covering the merger.”
Alex doesn’t know what merger or what it would have to do with Paris Fashion Week. But he does know that Henry holding a glass of champagne as he shakes Alex’s hand is maybe the sexiest thing ever, and there is just no explanation for that.
“Hi. I’m Alex.”
Henry says, “I know,” and then does this weird, forced smile at Bianca and walks away.
Alex doesn’t know how to like, not be completely obsessed with things he wants.
OR, Alex is a model. Henry is a journalist, and a bit of an asshole. Alex wants him anyway, even when it doesn’t feel good.
Fractured by clottedcreamfudge. E, 23k. Alex has been in the New York PPC for seven years, and it's seven years too long. He's not looking for his Half, because he isn't half a person. The Algorithm can kiss his sweet, Texan ass.
He doesn't need anyone - leggy, blond, or otherwise - trying to change that.
The Snow Prince by @orchidscript. M, 24k. Two little boys meet in a dream that isn't quite a dream.
Years later, two young men dance at a ball without touching.
A governor's son falls in love with an isolated prince who cannot be held.
A winter fairytale inspired by folktales, fairytales, and other stories. Alex and Henry meet twice, then fall in love a decades-old curse. When the threatened effects begin to come true, Alex endeavors to break it.
in summer air series by Standinginmoonlight. M, 25k. There’s something magnetic about Henry, though, and his feet feel like they’re rooted to the spot. He opens his mouth again and decides to just go with it. He’s on vacation, after all. Whatever fucking goes.
Or: the one Alex Claremont-Diaz flies halfway around the world to find himself and ends up finding Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor instead.
One Wild and Precious Life by @sprigsofviolets. T, 26k. In 2015, Arthur Fox was diagnosed with cancer. He went into surgery to have a tumor removed from his brain, and fell into a coma.
Nine years later, he wakes up.
Clue Me In by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 27k. Henry and Pez’s new shelter is opening in Brooklyn, and Henry is determined to spend the entire night avoiding Alex, while Alex is determined to do the exact opposite of that.
Cracked Heart by @absoluteaudacitywrites. E, 28k. Liam takes a deep breath in and out. “I’m so sorry, Alex. I’ve thought a lot about this and I don’t want to hurt you but it’s the right thing to do.” He pauses, taking another deep breath. “We need to break up.”
after hours by @dumbpeachjuice. M, 28k. “Spend the night with me. I’ll show you around the city, take you to all my favourite haunts. Give you a sample of what the real New York is like,” Alex explains, altogether far too casually to excuse the speed with which Henry’s heart has set off galloping. “Maybe you’ll even change your opinion that we Americans have no taste.”
Henry’s mouth feels sort of dry, so he swallows a large gulp of his new martini down and immediately chews through both olives to stall for time. “Why on earth would I do that?”
Alex shrugs. “It’ll be fun. I’m an excellent tour guide. I have references.”
The Byline by @rosetintednerdglasses. M, 28k. Press Secretary Alex Claremont-Diaz serves at the pleasure of the President, and he does it excellently until a new White House correspondent darkens his press room: Henry Fox, The Guardian.
Every Star That's Ever Fallen Knows the Way to Where We're Going by @dracowillhearaboutthis. G, 29k. When Henry’s family moved in next door when Alex was four years old, Alex was not a fan. 
In Your Orbit by everwitch. E, 30k. Alex, a third year student at the pilot academy — and more importantly the son of the First Commander of the Unified Systems — finds himself kidnapped by a duo of interstellar smugglers, Henry and Pez. The two space fugitives soon turn out to have a plethora of problems; between a severe illness, a freighter that keeps falling apart, and a meteoroid storm raging outside, they're in quite a pinch. Alex reluctantly comes to their aid, if only to make sure they all get out of this alive.
The thing about Henry, though, is that despite everything, he doesn’t actually seem cruel. He seems the exact opposite of cruel.
muscle memory by stutteringpeach. E, 30k. It's been ten years since Alex was in London to stage a PR friendship with Henry after ruining the royal wedding. It's also been ten years since Alex dropped to his knees in front of Henry in a Kensington Palace kitchen.
But now Henry's in the Hamptons for the summer, and who should he bump into? None other than Alex Claremont-Diaz, who happens to be working in New York all summer long.
Double, Double, Acting Trouble by @welcometololaland. E, 30k. Due to no fault of his own, Alex Claremont-Diaz winds up in a theatre class.
Due to every fault of Percy Okonjo, Henry Fox Mountchristen-Windsor finds himself roped into the very last thing he ever wanted to do - following in his father’s footsteps by being thrust onto the stage. OR
Confusion now hath made his masterpiece as Alex and Henry fall in love while performing the Tragedy of Macfish.
Be Worthy Love, and Love Will Come by @sparklepocalypse. E, 30k. "For Christmas this year, all I would like is a best friend who doesn’t mind too much that I’m a prince. Most of my classmates poke fun because of who I am, or treat me like I’m too special to be their friend. I want a best friend who knows me as much as my family does and still likes me. I know that you can’t wrap a best friend up in a box and put it under the tree, but you’re magic so you know the best way to bring one."
(Movieverse canon divergence; Prince Henry, age 8, writes to Father Christmas wishing for a best friend. A few weeks later, he finds one.)
it's you and me by smc_27. M, 31k. He can’t fucking wait to see everyone. To hug Bea. To have Catherine tell him he’s handsome and tap his nose with her index finger like she’s always done. For Arthur to make some inevitably fucking terrible joke about Alex bringing two duffels and a carryon. He also honestly can’t wait to see his mom and Arthur together.
Alex just really needs this summer. He needs time away, outside of Texas, with his family and the people outside his family who know him best.
or, an indulgent summer fic in which Arthur and Ellen are best friends and their families summer together in California
Nebuchad-never had a friend like me by clottedcreamfudge. E, 32k. When the dragons came, it was like nothing the world had ever seen before – and it hadn’t been anything like the movies either. There weren’t great, leathery wings beating up hurricanes and pinpricks growing larger on the horizon until sharp, white teeth became visible; there were no screaming citizens or calls to arms; nobody saw them coming, because they didn’t come the way Hollywood had expected them to.
The dragons had, instead, crawled out of the earth, just hatched and hiccupping smoke, barely old enough to support their own heads.
The world had fallen in love in an instant.
Waiting in the Wings by DracoWillHearAboutThis. M, 33k. Henry had always known he would end up in an arranged marriage.
He had not expected, though, to end up in an arranged marriage with Prince Alex Claremont-Diaz, who he'd secretly been in love with for the past fifteen years.
when i need to get home by smc_27. E, 35k. He drives the car he’s rented up the lane and half wonders if he’s just exhausted or if the place actually looks as bad as it does.
Oh. Oh god. Christ. What’s he gotten himself into?
He can’t help thinking if Jean knew her home had fallen this far, she would’ve been heartbroken. He’s not going to let her home sit like this. He’s going to fix it. For her, yeah, but for him, too.
or: Alex inherits an English country home, and Henry lives in the cottage next door.
Seven Years by @welcometololaland. E, 35k. Seven different places, seven different timelines, seven different meetings, seven different Decembers.
And still, Alex and Henry find each other in every universe.
Take me where I cannot stand by clottedcreamfudge. E, 36k. Henry blinks at him. “Galactapol?”
“Yeah, you know – the Intergalactic Peace Force?”
“Yes, I know them,” Henry says drily, “but you said—”
“We don't have a lot of respect for them around here,” Alex informs him succinctly. “If that's the kind of line you wanna take, then maybe—”
“No, no,” Henry says hurriedly, straightening up. “Galactapol. I like it. Catchy, even.”
“Read the contract or don't, Fox,” Alex says firmly, pressing his own hand to the line of studs between the engine room and the lower corridor. “I can find another engineer if I need to, but you'll never – and I mean never – find a ship like this again in your life. Jackie's one of a kind.”
Space, smuggling, and a ship called Applejack. Everything's shiny.
Before This, After That by @orchidscript. M, 37k. Henry Fox is lost. After suffering a serious injury from horseback, he struggles through the pain, depression, and frustration inherent with long term healing. Giving up is easier.
Discontent to leave him so unmotivated, the Fox siblings go in on a new solution: a private, personal physical therapist. Enter Alex Claremont-Diaz. He comes with glowing referrals, top of his class in all his degree programs, a sparkling personality and dug-in stubbornness to match. If anyone could light a fire in Henry again, it would be him. Right?
Most People Exist by SprigsofViolets. T, 40k. Henry Fox is a nurse at the New York Cancer Center. He’s happy with his job, content enough with his life, but it all gets turned on its head when he connects with a patient with a brain tumor—Alex Claremont-Diaz.
into the spotlight by indomitablelove. E, 40k. Alex Claremont-Diaz is a star on the rise.
A wildcard up-and-coming new actor who finds himself thrust into the Hollywood limelight when he’s nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his small-budget indie movie. It’s his more than he could have imagined in his wildest dreams. That is, until he discovers that also in his category is his mortal enemy: Henry Fox – generically attractive, completely boring and part of an acting dynasty that stretches back generations. In short, everything Alex hates about Hollywood.
So when a comment Alex makes about Henry in an interview goes viral, and the two find themselves thrust together through awards season, Alex can’t help but think his dream has become his worst nightmare.
Except, maybe – just maybe – Henry isn’t quite what he seems.
Down For the Count by LolaLand (Lola_di_Penates). E, 40k. Alex came to Las Vegas to count cards, not feelings. Henry came to win it all.
Is it possible to find something real in Sin City, where nearly everything isn’t as it seems?
Goodbye reality, hello Vegas (the blackjack/poker AU).
What's Up, Danger? series by @cultofsappho. E, 41k. “How thick do you think I am, exactly?”
Alex mumbles something under his breath that sounds like, “Got away with it this long, didn’t I?”
Henry’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline. “I’m sorry, are you bragging about lying to me?”
After a long pause, Alex says, “...No.” slowly.
“Hm. Thought not.”
In which Henry can’t recognise the sound of his own boyfriend’s voice, Alex isn’t as good of a liar as he thinks he is, and living with a superhero is both exactly, and not at all, what Henry thought it would be.
In Any Universe by SprigsofViolets. T, 54k. Boy Meets Boy.
Boys Become Friends.
Boys Fall in Love.
The Red White and Royal Blue Heartstopper AU that no one asked for.
Camp Llwynywermod by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 56k. The first night of camp with Henry is always weird. Weird in the sense that they haven’t seen each other in nearly eleven months, but Alex knows that Henry has been thinking about him in the months leading up to camp. Alex is guilty of it too; often the first thing he thinks of after applying to be a counselor is seeing Henry, Henry and his stupid blond hair and stupid English accent and stupidly gorgeous face, and thinking about just how he could outdo him in pranks this year.
Alternatively, the camp counselor AU that nobody asked for.
Fall Into You by lucy_in_the_sky. E, 56k. Alex is smart and witty and kind and clever and driven…but graceful, he is not. Several stints in the ER within one semester can confirm this unfortunate fact. The only good thing to come out of wracking up his out of pocket co-pay is the gorgeous nurse with beautiful eyes and a killer smile. Maybe breaking several bones is kinda worth it.
Basically: several times Alex was a clumsy wreck and Henry had to patch him up.
The Arrangement by cmere. E, 58k. “Gran sat me down the day I finished my A levels and made it abundantly clear I was not to let anyone know about any deviant desires I might be beginning to harbor that might reflect poorly upon the crown, and there were appropriate channels to maintain appearances if necessary.”
Shaan approaches Henry with a deal from the Queen: agree to an arranged marriage with a woman to flaunt in public, and he can enjoy the services of a male escort in private. Alex comes storming into Henry’s life with sparkling brown eyes, a mischievous smirk, and a challenge, and Henry struggles to maintain control of his emotions as boundaries begin to blur.
Alex doesn’t actually care about him; it’s just a job. Right?
Down By The Water, I Saw You by @myheartalivewrites. E, 63k. “Henry straightens up, head snapping over to look at the new arrivals. Then there’s the sound of a voice he’s not heard in ten years, a voice he never thought he’d hear again.
“Fuck, I can’t cook tonight. I think I’d rather starve.”
Henry stares, mouth dropped open. A head of curly brown hair turns slowly his way and his heart explodes.
“Henry?” Alex says, and Henry can’t bring himself to reply, so he just keeps staring. Alex looks at him for a few more seconds, eyes wide, blinking furiously, before swiftly turning on the spot and walking away from him and into the woods, but not before Henry can see the distraught look on his face.”
Henry and Alex first met and fell in love as teenagers, while on holiday in Jamaica. Ten years later, they run into each other again, and have to deal with the emotional fallout of how things ended last time. And fall in love again along the way, of course.
With so much of my heart (that none is left to protest) by @kiwiana-writes. E, 65k. Alex is a former child star struggling to make the transition into being seen as a serious actor. He jumps at an opportunity to perform on stage in the UK, seeing it as a way to break free from the typecasting and show what he can really do. But he wasn’t prepared to star alongside someone he hates.
Henry is a recent theatre graduate who accepts an amazing role in a queer reimagining of Much Ado About Nothing. And then it turns out his co-star is none other than the man he’s been hopelessly pining after for years—even though Henry made a terrible first impression when they met.
It’s… well, it’s practically Shakespearean.
You Know I Love a London Boy series by @three-drink-amy. E, 66k. When Alex has a break off of work, he decides to get away and spend that time in London. On his first day there, he meets Henry and sparks immediately fly between them. As they spend the summer together, touring the city and enjoying each other, Alex continues to keep a very big secret about himself: who he really is.
Nova, Baby by chamel. E, 66k. Agent Henry Fox-Mountchristen is an asshole.
Alex is 90% sure those exact words are going in this mission report. Yeah, they’re supposed to be objective when writing this shit up, but that isn’t his opinion. It’s a fact.
(CIA agent Alex Claremont-Diaz and MI6 agent Henry Fox-Mountchristen don’t exactly get along, but that doesn’t keep their respective agencies from insisting they work together as partners. Then a mission in Colombia changes everything, and their relationship begins to shift and grow into something that neither of them ever expected… and something that could have deadly consequences.)
Shatter Me by @historicallysam. M, 67k. Henry is resigned to the life he's meant to lead until he meets a man so full of happiness and life that he's got no choice but to confront the secret he's been keeping for years.
Deep Blue by myheartalive. E, 76k. “I picture myself in a small house by the sea, overlooking the water. Writing and reading all day and taking David on long walks and swimming everyday. Somewhere really quiet, where there’s not a lot of people. And where nobody thinks of me as Henry Mountchristen.”
Fed up of working under his grandmother, Henry quits his job in London, dropping everything for a writer’s life by the sea. He’s desperate to focus on his work and produce something worthy, but a mouthy American with a beautiful smile and a chin dimple has other plans.
But I love him, whether or no. by @leaves-of-laurelin. E, 77k. Henry moves to New York City to help Pez with the opening of his new bar in the East Village. The location—fortunately for business, but unfortunately for Henry’s sanity—is directly across the street from a fire station. The sound of sirens is bad, Alex the gorgeous firefighter is worse. But when Alex helps Henry avoid a near catastrophe the night of the bar’s opening, the two form a tentative friendship that starts to develop into something more.
I'm Taking A Ride With My Best Friend by @cultofsappho. M, 79k. When Zahra, the leader of the Fireflies, makes a deal with Alex to smuggle some guy outside of the D.C. Quarantine Zone’s walls, Alex immediately says no. He doesn’t move people, not anymore. Not since his ridiculous, and definitely past-tense, savior complex got him into hot water with June.
What could possibly be so special about some scrawny refugee? When he had his gun pointed at Henry, the expression on Zahra’s face was not one he’d ever seen on her before. She desperately needs him alive. For once, just this once, Zahra isn’t the savior today. It’s Henry.
“What’s so important about him?”
“Nothing you need to worry about. He’s just cargo, Alex.”
Alternate Universe - The Last of Us
Never a Guarantee by clottedcreamfudge. E, 87k. Henry – Prince Henry, third in line for the throne of Windsor and Alex's goddamn betrothed – has very soft hands. Alex knows this because he is literally holding them in his, both of them standing in front of just about everyone with a title in either of their two kingdoms, while a man in an extremely large hat has them repeat oaths and other things Alex has been learning by heart since he got engaged.
Looking back on their time at the altar, Alex should maybe have read a little more into the way Henry kissed him like it was the last time.
the poem you make of me by cmere. E, 91k. "Just, you know," Henry says. "If your mum weren't the president and you were just a normal bloke living a normal life, what things might be like? What you'd be doing instead?"
After being discovered on Instagram as a teenager, Alex Diaz is thriving as a social media influencer and model who just landed a high profile, high fashion contract with Calvin Klein. Alex can get any girl he wants, and he’s loving it. Meanwhile, British poet Henry Fox has just arrived in L.A. to kick off a North American tour promoting his new, steamy book of gay erotic poetry, and he’s attracting a lot of attention.
Bad blood is immediately sparked between them when Henry blows Alex off at their first meeting. Several tabloid rumors and an Instagram tantrum later, Alex and Henry are reluctantly thrust together to make nice, resulting in a grudging friendship and a magnetism between them that Alex can't explain. Why is Henry's poetry making Alex feel like this? And just what is it about Henry Fox that gets to him so much?
(our last summer) memories that remain by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 91k. Fresh out of law school and fresh out of a relationship, what Alex Claremont-Diaz needs most is a goddamn vacation. He plans to spend his summer on a small island off the coast of Wales, three months of peace and relaxation and figuring out what the hell he actually wants to do with his life. But all that is thrown out the window when he runs into his ex-fling, Henry Fox, who just so happens to be running the hotel he's staying in for the next three months.
Four years prior, Henry Fox meets the most beautiful boy he's ever seen at an NYU party: Alex Claremont-Diaz. Henry soon finds himself whisked away to Texas with Alex, a summer full of poetry and skinny dipping and stolen kisses, and everything is perfect. Almost too perfect for a summer fling. Yet Henry can't stop himself from falling in love with Alex, falling for the lake house and everything Alex loves, even when he knows it's too good to last.
Two summers, two places of falling in love, one filled with memories of the last. It leaves Alex and Henry wondering: is this summer truly going to be their last one together?
A Long Way From the Playground by allmylovesatonce. E, 96k. Henry and Alex were best friends growing up until they went to separate colleges and they grew apart. When they see each other again as adults, against the odds, both living in the same city again, will it be a joyful reunion or will the pain of the years apart get in the way? How do you become friends again when there is so much of the past in the way?
Peaches and Cream do Sexy Murder series by @dumbpeachjuice and @clottedcreamfudge. E, 103k. There are precisely three things Henry knows for absolute certain:
1. There is nothing that can’t be solved by a good cup of tea.
2. His dog, David, is probably the person who loves him most in the world, and that is because Henry is the provider of sausages.
3. His sister would do anything for him, including, but not limited to, murdering his wanker of an ex-boyfriend.
Or, Henry is a witch with a slew of dead ex-boyfriends, and Alex has a badge and a gun.
The Consequences (Of our Actions) series by @anchoredarchangel. E, 135k. "I sort of came out as bisexual to both Nora and myself when we were watching that fucking snoozefest of a Royal Wedding years ago, and I told her with no hesitation that you were on my list.”
Suddenly, Henry looks very present in this previously one-sided conversation, eyes boring into him even if he sounds a little choked as he clarifies, “I was on-”
“My No Consequences sex list,” Alex confirms brazenly, “Yeah."
Or: During an inadvisable spot of dating years back, Alex and Nora made a game out of making extensive lists of celebrities they could hook up with without it being cheating. One breakup and several years later, Alex meets someone on his list for the very first time at a charity gala and decides it's appropriate to tell him all about it.
I only tag an author once per post, but I'm still figuring out firstprince author handles. If you see one I may not know or find a broken link, please give me a heads up!
RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs Part One
RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs Part Three
Master List of RWRB FirstPrince Recs
Master List of Recommendations
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auramgold · 26 days
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On Acht and Romance
going into side order, from the september direct trailer where Acht was first revealed i remember the joke at the time clearly being "and now Marina's ex is here".
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the way this line [image description in alt] was written was basically the only evidence for this kind of idea, when the theories were kind of "Marina's order tantrum is sucking people in from her past and the DLC will be about going through her memories", so ellipses in a line like this is basically all theory crafters on no info need to go for shipping.
i'm not one who's super into plot theory crafting, i know full well the tendency to theorize something that's cooler than what you actually get and being disappointed that the story didn't live up to your imagination. the things i was obsessed with in side order promotional material was the obvious bleached coral theme, the symbolism of coral ejecting it that which keeps it safe out of stress being mapped onto Marina, the idea of her pushing those she loves (and those that keep her colorful) away out of a spiral (and it does turn out that was basically exactly what the prologue was going for)
so the whole "Acht and Marina exes" thing was kinda just a joke to me, wasn't even on my radar as something they were actually going to lean into, frankly i was still scared nintendo was going to make them kill pearlina by sending Marina to superhell or smth and we'd end up with a splatoonified destiel meme
so when the DLC comes out and it is legitimately a "they knew each other since childhood" thing, and the running bit is Acht feeling awkward third-wheeling pearlina, and it's explicit in text that one of the reasons they're coming back after the DLC is over is to scope out Pearl as the girl who took down the NILS statue who is now dating Marina... it struck me as really interesting.
at first it was me keeping up the "Marina and Acht are exes" as a joke, but as i kept reading dialogue lines, it slowly became less of a joke, they were to some degree dating because opposite but complimentary autisms, and then drifting apart as Marina got pulled away on the big girl assignment with DJ Octavio, and then the despair of knowing Marina left without even saying goodbye to Acht... it fits well into that reading, it slowly became less of a joke to believe that
but the thing that really makes me think this is intentional subtext is the final Acht diary entry you get from clearing Eight's palette. through the rest of side order talking about Acht's backstory, it seemed like they were retconning the OE lore that Acht had gotten themself sanitized intentionally, losing themself so they could explore their music deeper. but in the final diary, where Acht directly says they drifted into the deepsea metro to fall into their music, because, and i quote
"Hey, Marina. You can guess the chaos your desertion caused. I ended up without much to do except make music. "
they fell into a depression spiral when their girlfriend deserted their society without so much as saying goodbye, falling into their music deep away from interacting with everyone else, to the point that, as the old lore implies, they chose to give up their identity to escape the depression, but sanitization so thoroughly did it that they forget even making the choice.
so when they get brought out of that haze back into being themself again, with the only the barest strung-together horrified memories of what happened in the half a decade interim gap in their life, only to find themself replaced by some inkling they don't know at all, of course they're gonna be awkward seeing the two flirting.
they put on a stoic face because that's clearly their coping mechanism within this damaged body they barely recognize, hiding their eyes behind their tinted glasses so they can't be seen beneath. but the only time they let themself be vulnerable, the only time their eyes can be seen, is when they charge out in the climax when the world is at stake, diving in to try to save Marina, leaving the elevator and its protection behind to help the only person they remember ever caring about.
it's why i don't really like the aroace reading that much, because i think this reading is even more tragic and fits into the themes. the world has changed, it can't go back to how it once was, you can't put the octolings back in the canyon bottle. Marina abandoned Acht to the point they got their identity destroyed willingly to escape the pain, and when Acht came back they were replaced by the inkling whose voice they remember even through the haze of sanitized memories.
the lingering effects of sanitization have changed how they relate to everything (i think there's a fair argument to be made for the idea that sanitization took their gender can't have shit in the deepsea metro), but Acht clearly still cares for Marina and still, the slightest bit, resents having to be reminded repeatedly every time pearlina flirts in front of them how they were replaced.
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h4rring1on · 2 years
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reader and eddie play fighting and reader snatches his bandana and runs as fast as reader can but eddie is too fast even if he just walks and reader bumps into something and passes out then eddie takes care of them
i made a mix of this and
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this bc they’re basically the same idea anyways enjoy!
warnings: reader passes out lmfao, swearing nothing else but please tell me if there’s something i missed!
quick a/n: i couldn’t really think of anything that reader bumps into and faints bc apparently you dont exactly faint when you bump into a wall, so i made another reason, hope thats okay!!
ANOTHER NOTE! IN THIS SITUATION YOURE OK WITH EDDIE TAKING OFF YOUR CLOTHES SINCE YOU TRUST HIM MORE THAN ANYONE!!
ೃ༄*ੈ✩
“eddie! stop” you breathed out, giggling as he kept tickling you, you pushed him away and tried to wrestle him, the two of you kept play fighting as he threw you on the bench in front of his trailer and you quickly got up and got on his back
“keep trying baby, im always the winner” he said and that made you frown, you looked at his head and took your chance, you snatched his bandana and ran away
noticing it in your hand, eddie didn’t bother to even run, since he already knew he could get to you just by walking
you looked behind you to see if he’s chasing you, you stopped in your place, you had been under the hot sun for longer than eddie, and you weren’t feeling very well. it was suddenly getting very hot, you fanned yourself with your hand but it didn’t work, and suddenly, everything went black.
“oh—shit” he muttered as he now ran to you, “god—sweetheart, you okay?” he asked as he kneeled down, he furrowed his eyebrows when he saw your eyes closed
“hello?” he said as he lightly shook you, his eyes growing in concern when you weren’t waking up, he picked you up and got you inside the trailer, putting you in bed, he obviously saw how hot you were getting and knew why you fainted, though he was still very worried, he’d never seen you faint before.
he slid off your clothes, he then started a cold bath and placed you in it, he stroked your hair as he let you soak in the cold water, he was really worried about you. anyone would when you go from smiling and playing around to falling unconscious
he massaged your head as well, you fell on hard ground, there had to be some pain there, your eyes slowly fluttered openly, making eddie breathe in relief
“oh thank god” he said as he held your face, “you went away for a bit there”
“what—what happened?” you asked
“think you were a little too hot” he said, “not talking about weather”
you let out a giggle, “you’re so cocky, eddie”
“i know” he said as he got up and grabbed a towel, “lets get up, yeah?”
you got up and he wrapped the towel around you, once you got to the room you wanted to change but he insisted on doing for you, making sure you rest even though you weren’t really tired.
he dressed you up in his boxers and shorts along with one of his shirts, he then picked you up and put you right in front of the air conditioner
“eddie i swear i can do things on my own, i didnt die, yknow” you grumbled
“can’t risk anything” he said as he sat next to you and made you sip one of his cold beverages, not even letting you sip it with your own hand
once you did, he put it on the table and stroked your hair again, “eddie” you said
“got me all worried didn’t you, pretty girl?” he said with a smile on his face
“maybe” you muttered
“well i have to let you know just because you fainted doesn’t mean you won” he said
“i didn’t have to faint, i already won” you said
“the war isn’t over” he exaggeratedly glared at you
you glared back and before you knew it, you were back to playing around
a/n: i feel like this wasn’t that good :(
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heyclickadee · 2 months
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Screw it, I need to get this out of my system. A thought about the guy in the Clone X armor on Pabu:
So…okay. I’ve seen people pointing out that there are resemblances between Tech and the mysterious clone x guy we see standing in front of the Archium in the trailer. And, honestly, they’re not really wrong.
There are some very, well, Tech-like shapes to this guy’s outfit (the dotted lines are ones I wasn’t so sure about):
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They’re not an exact match, because some of the line proportions of the similarities I pointed out are different, but the similarities are there. There’s even a similar effect—not shape, but effect—to the lighter green outline around the eyes calling attention to the area as Tech’s goggles had—the difference being that we can’t see this guys eyes behind the glass.
And, yes, this mystery man does have a really similar build. And shoulders. And general proportions. And there’s that freaking shin pouch. They gave him a shin pouch!
And then, of course, the basic silhouette of the Clone X helmet is very similar (not exactly the same, but similar) to Tech’s helmet, minus the visor and the ear cuffs:
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Now, there are major differences as well. The Clone X armor is much more streamlined and less bulky than Tech’s; the pauldrons have similar proportions but a much more rounded shape; the breastplate fits a bit tighter and is also significantly shorter; the overall shape and muzzle of the helmet is very similar, but the Clone X helmet muzzle is about half the length because the covering for the eye-ridge area juts out that much farther, and it has more of a fluid “backswept” effect overall; he’s only got a few pouches, two, maybe three if the arm-band works as a pouch.
But the overall effect of this particular Ckone X character is that he reads as a somewhat Tech-shaped individual. And I have a few thoughts on this.
First, I do think this might be on purpose. Yes, the base armor, minus the shoulder and arm straps and the pouches, is basically identical to the Clone X armor we see in season two. I think it’s more or less standard issue to clone assassins and, apart from a couple little tweaks (again, the straps and the pouches), is not at all unique in that regard. That said, if the production team knew what the story was doing with Tech in advance—and I think they did, I don’t think this show was written from beginning to end at the start, because that doesn’t happen, but I suspect they had the major story beats outlined before moving forward—it’s possible that the design team used Tech’s armor as the template from which to derive the clone X armor for season two. I’m not saying that happened, but I am saying it’s possible.
Second, I’m not saying this is Tech. I’m not sure if it is. I’m leaning that direction right now, but I might lean otherwise in an hour or two. We’ll see. What I am one-hundred percent sure of, however, is that these shots of this guy are Grade A Tech speculation bait—and intended that way. I think we’re meant to speculate about whether this is Tech or not. The TBB team gave us absolutely no indication that Tech is dead for real, nothing final, just the same shot of Tech’s ambiguous fate with a Sad Filter, and then they offered up this very mysterious and Tech-shaped person standing in front of an emotionally poignant location. Whoever he actually is, even if he’s just some random guy, Mystery Clone X guy is here in the trailer to drive Tech discussion during the lead up to season premiere.
Third, if this is Tech, if that’s him, then I think the trailer is being incredibly misleading about what he’s doing there. It looks like this Clone X is leading a squad of stormtroopers in an invasion of Pabu. I’m not sure that’s what’s happening—the stormtroopers are probably there to wreck Pabu, but I’m not sure this Clone X is leading them or even on their side. I don’t think we’re getting an imperial or brainwashed Tech scenario, especially not with how late in the season this shot is probably happening. I think it’s a lot more likely that this outfit originally belonged to the Clone X guy we see speaking in the trailer, Tech jumped him, used the guy’s armor to disguise himself, added some pouched because of course he did, and then inserted himself into a situation to see what he could do to help out. And I don’t think they found Pabu because of Tech, either—the empire has plenty of other ways of doing that.
Fourth, if—if!—we do get a brainwashed Tech, I think it’s going to be short-lived and, hopefully, very different from Crosshair’s situation. I almost wonder if it’s going to turn out to be a bit of a schlocky b-movie mind control helmet situation (I notice that the Clone X from season two only took the face of his helmet off). Like the clone x helmets interface with the inhibitor chips somehow, and it doesn’t work with Tech, because he doesn’t have one, but he plays along so he can get something else done and have a chance to escape. Or something. I’m thinking out loud. Anyway, whatever happens, even if we get an imperial/brainwashed Tech scenario, I think he’s going to be fine and himself well before the end of the series.
Fifth, brainwashed Tech is probably my least favorite of the Tech-lives options. I don’t like it. But this show has a habit of getting me on board with plot choices I did not want, so. If they go that route, I’ll see how they do it, and evaluate from there. I still don’t want it right now, though.
Sixth, there are lots of reasons for it not to be Tech at all,
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katyawriteswhump · 3 months
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364 days later (Steddie holiday drabble)
Written for @steddieholidaydrabbles, day 30/31 prompt, New Year's Eve/Resolutions I AM SO SAD IT IS NEARLY OVER!!!!
When Steve is hurt on New Year’s Eve, he discovers there’s only one person he can truly go home to.
WC: 918 Rating: T CW: off-screen/pre-fic violence including domestic violence. Tags: hurt/comfort, fluff. Established steddie.
Also part of my steve whump fic series (mainly steddie) on ao3
***
“I hadn’t a clue where else to go,” says Steve, an odd tremor in his voice. 
Steve hadn’t knocked, hadn’t announced his arrival. Eddie simply opened the trailer door and found him. God knows how long he’s been standing at the bottom of the steps, cradling one arm in the other. It’s dark, but it’s screamingly obvious something’s wrong. Steve’s hair is kinda ruffled for starters. 
“I mean, yeah, we have a date later,” Steve rambles, “being New Years Eve and all that crap, and… uh…”
Holy shit! Eddie jumps down to him, freaking out big-time. Blood smears one side of Steve’s face, his lip is bruised, and his harsh breaths cloud the icy air. Eddie wants to hug him tight; instead, he briefly clams up, super-terrified. He’s never seen anybody so robust appear so… brittle.
Gently, he cups the uninjured side of Steve’s face, curves an arm around him. “What the hell happened?”
“I did it, man. Finally. My dad… I, um…”
“Your dad did this?”
“He wishes,” Steve says, snarky.
Eddie seriously can’t fathom whether he’s lying: “Who else, man?”
“Got jumped leaving work, and I… I…” Steve’s wretched laugh crumbles into an even more wretched whimper. Eddie catches him, as his knees buckle.
“Okay, big guy, I gotcha.”
He bundles him inside, sits him on the couch. Steve stares spacily, hugs his arm, rocks himself. 
Momentarily, Eddie literally flaps. Then he grabs a chilled beer from the fridge, douses a clean cloth in water. He coaxes Steve into holding the can against his swollen wrist, while Eddie dabs the blood from his face.
“Gonna sting,” warns Eddie. Steve hisses. “Sorry, Stevie.”
“It’s fine. Christ, I’m okay.”
“Not buying that BS today. Not sorry.”
Eddie frowns, concentrating hard. The cut, fortunately, has clotted already. He binds Steve’s wrist with a make-shift bandage. Steve mutters about getting kicked a LOT, when he was curled on the ground, shielding his face. Eddie feels sick, soothingly shushes Steve’s gasps of pain. Possibly as much to comfort himself as Steve. “Look, we should get you to the Med—"
“No way. I’ll fix… Listen, I finally did it,” repeats Steve, as his eyes flutter closed.
“Yeah? Did what exactly, Babe?”
 “Carried out my New Year’s resolution.”
***
Steve barely recalls how he got here.
He’d driven around aimlessly. His wrist hurt so bad that he goddamn cried, too far gone to give a shit. He couldn’t think; he was drowning, sucked deep into thick, suffocating waters. Some crazy inner compass drew him to the one place he could pull for the surface.
He found himself outside Eddie’s trailer. Standing there stupidly, hurting and shivering. Not even yelling to be let in. Now, he’s inside and getting warm with Eddie, who asks again what happened.
Crap, does Steve even know?
He honestly couldn’t ID his attackers. Sorta knew why he was attacked, being guilty of so much these days—hanging with geeks, being a king that lost his crown, not to mention his boyfriend being Eddie ‘spawn-of-satan’ Munson.
Then his Dad.
The look he’d given Steve, when Steve arrived home bruised and bloodied. 
“He didn’t need to say it,” says Steve, head resting on Eddie’s shoulder. “It was written all over his smug-ass face. You deserve this.”
He’d yelled his butt off about Steve making trouble. Shoved Steve around a bit, knowing he was in no shape to fight back.
“I told him to stick it. Left with basically nothing. Okay, the car, though that technically belongs to him, and… Shit, where am I gonna go?”
His tardy reality check hits like a baseball bat to the gut. Huddled against Eddie, he’s shaking, breaths hitching, hating himself for it. Eddie wraps his other arm across Steve and holds him. 
Simply holds him.
And yeah, he calms a little.
“Seriously, don’t sweat it,” says Eddie. “You can stay here till you’ve figured stuff out. Forever, if you need.”
Steve glances up, swipes angrily across his damp cheekbone. “Uh, earth to Eddie? Wayne?”
“He’ll cuss under his breath. And love the heck out of you. Already does. What’s one more overgrown brat?”
“C’mon, he’ll—"
“Look, I’m genuinely blown away. It’s New Year’s Eve and you’ve already nailed your resolution.”
Steve buries his face again, and… Woah! He’s laughing. Eddie’s kickass painkillers are working, or… Screw it, life never sucks so bad when he’s with Eddie. 
“Leaving home was last year’s resolution,” he mumbles toward Eddie’s armpit.
“Oh.” Eddie plants a soft kiss on Steve’s hair. 
“Yeeeeah. I’m only, like, 364 days late.”
***
Eddie’s still freaking that he should get Steve better help. However, Steve is a dead weight against him, knee curled in Eddie’s lap, and refuses to budge from the circle of Eddie’s arms.
New Year ticks by, lost in a gentle, lingering kiss. Eddie ghosts his thumb, featherlight, down the uninjured side of Steve’s face. Steve scrunches his good hand tightly in Eddie’s hair, deepening the kiss more passionately than—given Steve’s bruises—Eddie dares.
“Happy New Year, Babe,” whispers Eddie, when they break apart. A sneaky smile plays on Steve’s lips. “What?”
“I hit a winning streak,” says Steve, “I��ve smashed this year’s resolution already.”
“Huh?”
“Do I really have to spell it out, dipshit?”
Fixing deep in Steve’s eyes, Eddie’s grin spreads slowly. Dammit, this was going down as the worst and best New Year ever, and sure as heck the most shamefully sappy:
Oh, I get it. Falling in love.
“Back at ya,” he says, and tumbles forward into another kiss.
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Text
BB Season 3 Title Speculations
Just my theories as to what could happen based on the episode names.
"Confined"- This will be strongly Omega and Crosshair centric. I think a lot of clips, including the ones from the trailer where they see each other and the leaked clip, will take place in this episode. It's clear that Crosshair is at his all time lowest so it can only go up from here. We probably will see a glimpse of Hunter and Wrecker, but the name suggests a strong focus on Omega and Cross. This is pre-time jump btw based on Omega's hair. We might also get that Palpatine scene of him saying how important Hemlock's work is as well.
"Paths Unknown"- this gives me strong Hunter and Wrecker vibes. I think it's safe to say that this episode will focus on what the two have been up to since Omega's capture and Tech's "death." Hopefully, we'll see a bit of Rex and Echo as well. However, I feel like this will be more of the boys trying to pick themselves up and find out any info on Omega. We might also see the scenes of them talking to Rex.
"Shadows of Tantiss"- again, this sounds very Omega and Crosshair centric. The use of the word shadows indicate dark times for the pair as Hemlock's control tightens and Cross presumably retreats even further within himself. Maybe this is the episode where we get the time jump since the word "shadows" could mean that time has passed since we last saw the pair.
"A Different Approach"- This could mean two things: either Cross and Omega try a new way to escape or Hunter turns to bounty hunters to help. In the trailer, Fennec is visible with Hunter and Wrecker when they take that boat in the swamp.
"The Return"- this episode name could have a double meaning like the last one. The most obvious one is that it's the return of Crosshair. We know that he and Omega potentially escape and crash land in a ship. I have a theory that they'll both make it out, however, Omega gets captured again, sacrificing her freedom for Crosshair's. Another meaning could be the return of Ventress. It makes sense since she's a pretty big character within the animated shows. I think that we'll meet her on Teth. However, I'm unsure.
"Infiltration" and "The Extraction"- these two episodes seem to go hand in hand. I'm not sure what could happen based on the trailers. Maybe the Batch has to go somewhere to retrieve information or an item for a mission. Maybe that turbo tank chase is during these episodes because Phee comments "not exactly a stealth exit boys." However, I think that could actually be the episode "Juggernaut." Since this is a two-parter, I speculate that we might also see bounty hunters after the Batch.
"Bad Territory"- this episode feels more mission-y based because of the name. It sounds like the Batch are going to a planet where hijinks ensue and they wind up in trouble. It could also mean the return of bounty hunters like Cad Bane or clone assassins but who knows.
"The Harbinger"- now this is where things get interesting. At its most basic definition, a harbinger is person or thing that signals the arrival of something, a herald so to speak. I think this is the episode where we see the mysterious imperial take front and center. Maybe he's a harbinger of doom that the Batch have to out maneuver. Or maybe the Batch receive a warning that Omega's life is truly in danger and they need to act fast. It could also be the episode with CX-1. He does warn (the Batch I assume) that they're being hunted.
"Identity Crisis"- my theory for this episode only makes sense if Tech is the one under the mysterious imperial's mask. This episode could very easily apply to Cross and Ventress as well. However, if it's Tech that's under the mask, then it this title makes perfect sense. He's fighting the imperial programming while the others try to bring him back. But Tech's survival is controversial so I can't confidently say that this will happen
"Point of No Return"- this feels like an ultimatum type of episode. The Batch know that what they're going to do will lead to their demise or survival, including Omega's. On the other hand, this could be the episode where Pabu gets invaded. If that happens, then it tells the Batch that there's no turning back for them; they have to save Omega and stop Hemlock or else they will lose more of what they care about. The Empire took enough from them; now, the clones prepare their final stand.
"Juggernaut"- I think this is episode where we get the turbo tank chase. We know that Cross, Hunter, and Wrecker are together again along with Phee. Alternatively, someone suggested that Wrecker dies in a giant explosion based on the name "juggernaut," but I'd rather not think about that.
"Into the Breach"- according to Google, this phrase means that a person steps up to do a task when someone is unable to do it or there's no one else available. This raises questions: who's stepping up? What task is being conducted? I hate to be that guy, but it's possible we might see Echo or someone die. Think about it: one of the Batchers or an ally gets badly hurt trying to do something and someone else steps up. The episode is a big fanfare of things that go boom and epic music as the task is completed but at a grave cost.
"Flash Strike"- this feels very action heavy. There are many clips near the end of the trailer showing the Batch hijacking ships and troopers fighting/being shot at. On google "flash strike" can refer to workers going on strike without notice. This episode is probably where we see the clone rebellion truly begin to act out against the Empire and Tantiss.
"The Cavalry has Arrived"- the grand finale of it all. It's poetic that the final chapter in the story about a group of special clones is titled after their very first line in their very first appearance in Clone Wars. Like the Batch arriving on Anaxes to help the Jedi and Rex, I think this episode will be the full culmination of the clones' stand against the Empire. We will see the Batch reunited and Omega will be saved... but at what cost? If this show parallels the OT (which I think it is), then we probably will get a happy ending. However, I'm leaning more towards it ending with just Crosshair and Omega left.
Anyways, these are just my theories and speculations. Feel free to share any theories about the episode titles down below. And one quick note about the poster: Hunter's helmet kinda mirrors Jesse's in the final episode of Clone Wars. It's probably symbolizing the end of an era for the clones as a whole. Spooky.
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Okay I've seen a lot of people theorizing about Prime Season 3, especially the last bit of the trailer with Shadow carrying Sonic, and trying to figure out why he's taking him into the "Boscage" portal. But he's... not? Guys just look:
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This is the clip from season 3. We can see that the opening of the gateway Shadow's taking Sonic to is kinda "S" or lightning bolt shaped? Idk how to describe it exactly but pretty distinctive.
Whereas the Boscage portal is more of a teardrop:
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Also it's a brighter green and the hexagon pillar things are a lot more chaotic.
But you know which portal is shaped like a lightning bolt thing?
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The Ghost Hill one. In fact, it's exactly the same if you compare all the hexagon things and everything. The only difference is the color. But I think it's easy to assume that all the shenanigans that Nine is up to could be making the colors all weird and faded and stuff. I mean, the Shatterverse is basically tearing apart and dying just like Sonic is 😭
And it makes a lot more sense for Shadow to try to save Sonic by getting him to Ghost Hill rather than the Boscage Maze.
Honestly the only part that doesn't quite make sense is that it looks like the portal kinda blows up earlier in the trailer
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But that blast didn't necessarily blow up the portal, it might have just been a weird energy pulse or something.
Anyway, kinda freaking out about what's going to happen in season 3 😱😱😱😱
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pedgito · 1 year
Note
Hi Ali <3 how would you feel about writing some cozy Saturday morning sex with Tom x fem!reader? Basically just fluffy smut with Tom and reader showing how much they adore each other. - @munson-blurbs 💚
author’s note: tom is so fucking boyfriend it makes me want to cry. anyways enjoy my dirty thoughts, this was meant to be sweet but…oh well.
cw: 18+ (minors dni) morning sex, tom being a menace, this is a good mix of sweet and really depraved you’re welcome, mentions of past relationships, if i missed anything lmk!
word count: 2k
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You wake up in the early morning, before the sun is up, and the spot on the bed beside you has gone cold, void of the warm body that usually lies there. Tom didn’t go to work this early, he never did—that immediate instinct to reach out for him and cuddle up against his warm body is left lingering, eyes falling shut in hopes that it’s all just a dream.
Your relationship with Tom evolved quickly after the encounter that happened a few weeks prior—if you weren’t spending the night most of the time, you’d at least stay at his place into the ungodly hours of the night, watching one of those ridiculously cheesy movies he liked to put on before bed, always falling asleep halfway through and never finishing them.
It didn’t take long for Tom to unload on you, all of his hesitance in past relationships, things he wanted now, things he wished he would have fixed or changed about himself in the past—he’d practically buried himself into his work until he met you, it’s a nice change to his life, no longer reeling over how badly Ruth had hurt him.
Still, it stings when you wake up and he isn’t there—doubt slipping into your mind immediately. It isn’t his fault, only yours. It’s your own mind reminding you that you couldn’t always be enough for everyone—even Tom. You opt for cuddling the pillow instead, the cold sheets pressed up against your cheek as you squeezed the fabric, forcing yourself back to sleep.
And when the morning finally breaks, that ache in your heart is soothed as you feel a warm body press into your back, having shifted in your sleep to face your side of the bed, giving Tom ample space to squeeze in behind you.
You hate yourself for doubting him, but they were old habits you needed to break and even that took time.
Tom hums softly, the noise vibrating against the shell of your ear, his voice like velvet as he speaks a quiet, “Good morning,” riddled with exhaustion, seemingly having managed to get a small nap in somehow, “sleep well?”
“Woke up and you were gone,” You mumble groggily, hands fisting into his shirt as you turn on him, seeking his body heat, “got cold—you’re like a furnace, you know?”
“Yeah,” He says knowingly, “left to grab some things, didn’ mean to worry you.”
“Impossible,” You say truthfully, “always worried ‘bout you.”
Tom laughs softly, pressing a couple quick kisses against your hairline, pulling you tight as his arms wrap around your body.
“What exactly had you outta bed so early?” You ask curiously.
“Needed to grab some milk,” Tom says nonchalantly, “cereal, just some stuff.”
“At five in the morning?” You grumble, eyes peeking up at him slightly, the brightest burning. “To the store for fuckin’ milk and cereal—“
Tom laughs deviously, low and calculated as he leans forward to mouth at the exposed skin of your neck, pulling your shirt aside briefly.
“Some other stuff too,” He adds, “—could put ‘em to use now if you want.”
You make an appreciative noise, hands slipping under thin cotton of his shirt to press against his skin, cold fingertips sending a shiver through his body as he curses.
“Fuck, hands are ice cold,” He groans, “s’not nice.”
“Tryin’ to warm up, Tom. Shut it.” You complain, laughing airily as he trailers kisses further across your skin, over your collarbone before briefly returning to your face, eyes glancing down at you, lids half closed.
“Surely I can fix that.” Tom decides, his hands slipping up to the hem of your shorts, pulling them down with no resistance.
You’re still consumed with grogginess but you move, adjusting the covers up so he can rid you of your shorts and underwear, his own following soon after.
“What’s gotten into you this morning?” You pester him, a wicked smile on your face as he settles between your legs, flexing his fingers inside the drawer at his bedside to find the fresh box of condoms. It’s a little astonishing how he manages to rip it open with one hand, making you laugh in the way he grins widely, holding up the foil square between his fingers triumphantly.
“Missed you,” He says lazily against your skin, words drawn out, “is that bad?”
“Tom, you see me everyday,” You point out, fingers drifting through his fluffed curls, messy from how they air dried and mused themselves against his pillow.
Tom doesn’t reply, instead opting to slip a careful finger through your folds and press inside of you, body never yearning for the contact so fiercely. It’s no surprise when he finds you wet, finger sliding inside with ease.
“Coulda asked what’s gotten into you,” Tom comments slyly, bottom lip pulled between his teeth as watches your reaction, his finger moving in short thrusts, lingering on not enough, “think we’re about to find that out.”
You groan at his ridiculous humor, shoving his face away as his head lands unceremoniously against the pillow.
“Get on,” You complain, “stop being that way.”
He doesn’t relent, squeezing a second finger in soon after, forcing a soft gasp from your mouth which Tom mocks with amusement, face turning up similar to yours.
“S’not funny, Tom.” You frown, hands raking along his sides and under his shirt, fingertips pressing against the lean ridge of muscles just to feel him. “Want you.”
“Yeah?” Tom says hopefully, eyes lightening up like he didn’t already know how badly you wanted him—how badly he wanted you.
You nod fervently, “Just want you inside of me, but you’re pissin’ about and it’s not fair—“
Tom kisses you quick, deeply, any words geared to leave your mouth falling dead as soon as he touches you, hearing him moan happily into it. The foil crinkles somewhere under the confines of the blanket, his hands dragging along your thighs as he fists himself briefly, before he’s suddenly inside of you, shared gasps breathed into each other's mouths.
“That good enough?” He say snarkily, eyes fluttering open briefly to peer into your own, “All you needed was my cock?”
You laugh in a short huff, biting down on your lip to stifle it. It sounds silly enough to amuse you every time he says it, but it easily has you melting against him, desperately turned on by how raw he is with you.
“S’all I ever want,” You tell him, words slurring together tiredly, eyes starting to adjust to the natural brightness peeking in through the blinds, still half shut as Tom’s mouth drags against yours slowly—he’s not even kissing you anymore, rocking with the slow thrusts as he groaned openly against you, “think about it all day.”
“Naughty,” He chides, his snapping harshly to prove his point, forcing a ragged gasp from your mouth as you grip him tighter, hands squeezing around his ribcage, “thinkin’ about me inside you while you’re working, yeah?”
You nod honestly, “While I’m—I’m going to sleep and I’m not with you,” You speak softly, head tilting up to chase his lips as he moves away slightly, watching you intently, “fuck—when I’m at the store where I first saw you, just trying to shop and all I can think about is you—“
“If only I’d knew,” Tom says in a bittersweet tone, finger squeezing at the dip in your thighs where he’s got your legs pushed up slightly, wrapped around his waist, “wouldn’t have waited so fuckin’ long.”
“If I knew you fucked like this,” You moan shamelessly, his hips burying deeper with every thrust until he’s all consuming, body draped over you fully—his arms comes up to rest above your head, giving him the proper ability to watch you, leaving his other hand free to roam your body, “would’ve jumped you that first night, ‘stead of my hand around your cock.”
“Fuck,” Tom curses, eyes falling shut briefly as he presses his palm against your stomach for leverage, thrusts going wild for a moment, your moans mixing together until they couldn’t be told apart, “you’re ruining me.”
You smile widely, a hand reaching up to shift through his curls, tugging lightly. “Oh?”
“Ruinin’ me for anyone else—never going to want anyone else.”
It’s as close as an “I love you” that Tom has ever admitted to you, it's always implied but he’s still hesitant, unwilling to open himself up that easily again.
He groans as your grip tightens in his hair, hand traveling up to graze over your breasts briefly before cupping your face, thumb pressing past your lips, plush and soft and begging for his touch.
Tom doesn’t even have to speak the words, watching your mouth close around his finger, tongue swirling teasingly.
“Good,” He nods slightly, “you’re learning.”
It’s mostly a tease, but it strikes a nerve inside you, body running hot with arousal.
“Tom,” You beg softly, eyes connecting with him in a moment of vulnerability, “touch me, please.”
“I am,” Tom mumbles, “always am.”
You grab hold of his wrist, pushing his hand away from your face and down toward your cunt, his hips faltering as he watches, your delicate fingers pressing his own against your aching clit, deprived of the touch it needed.
“Touch me,” You reiterate, tilting his head up in your grip, exposing his neck more until you can’t stand it, reaching up to press your lips against the skin, speaking a slurred, “want to feel you come inside me.”
Tom’s perfected your body by now, touching you in just the way you needed—quick and hurried against your swollen clit, dragging you right along the edge until he’s coming with you—the words and your lips along his neck doing him in immediately, hips stuttering in their movements as he groans loudly, face creasing up from the force of his orgasm.
Tom breathes heavily against your skin, eerily silent as he tries to catch his breath.
“Are you still with me?” You ask, voice raw and worried, his hands squeezing against your skin a gentle acknowledgment.
“God—need a warning next time you feel a need to say shit like that,” Tom complains with a tired smile on his face, head turning over to look at you, “can’t handle it.”
You snort softly, shoving him off of you. Tom falls with a weak groan, rolling over silently to remove and dispose of the condom before turning back to you, only to be met with another eager press of your lips.
“I love you,” You say, feel as every bit as vulnerable as you imagined, but the need to say it was too strong, “and I—I’ve never said that to anyone.”
Tom grins, the sunrise creating a beautiful glow against his pale skin, his hand coming up to drag through your hair, pushing the strays away from your face.
“I love you,” He says softly, thumb rubbing at your brow gently, tracing the lines of your face, “probably should make you a proper girlfriend, would you want that?”
“Kinda figured we were already there,” You tell him honestly, his deep laugh ripping through the silence of the trailer, “—you don’t strike me as formal, Tom. We don’t have to make it a big thing.”
“You’re important to me.”
“Doesn’t mean I need big, grand gestures all the time.”
“Fine,” Tom grins, “next time I’ve got my cock inside you I’ll pop the question, see how you react to that.”
And Tom always followed through on his word.
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Please consider a reblog if you enjoyed this fic! It’s makes a huge difference. ♡
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dwreader · 8 days
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iwtv pt 2 book vs. show
in the book the loumand courtship leading up to the sham trial feels like it takes place over a few weeks (???) but now that we know the show is extending that to more like 2 years, there's a lot more space for smaller dramatic arcs that help build to the climax. like in the book we pretty much immediately get one vibe from louis (horny for armand), one vibe from armand (horny for louis, wants claudia gone) and one vibe from claudia (hates the theatre/armand). loumand get together, madeline is made as a consolation for claudia and then the big climactic blow up.
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idk what exactly the show's cooking but just from the trailers we've already seen multiple dynamics between claudia and theatre vampires. she's clearly excited watching their show and riding with them in the motorbike/mansion scene (there's also scene where they lift her in a chair and she's laughing some sort of initiation?), then her eventual annoyance with being tasked with dressing up as a doll and giving out flyers, and her diary entry where she's like fuck these vampires. in the earlier motorbike outing she gives louis a cute encouraging nod when he wants to stay outside to flirt with armand so how exactly that develops into the later anger towards them is again, way juicier to explore now that we have more breathing space. [which is again why i hope they don't rush these developments in favor of other less relevant flashbacks]
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the feeling i got from the earlier released cafe clip is that claudia has grown a bit tired of louis latching onto her as his only sense of identity possibly because they've become so co-dependent during their harsh travels through europe, which matches nicely to book claudia wandering off alone at times and louis being confused/upset about it. that makes him easier prey for armand. so again how do we go from that to claudia feeling threatened by louis's relationship with armand after the initial encouragement?? this is all a lot more complicated than what's given to us in the book and hopefully a sign of better writing than what AR was capable of.
similarly loumand's courtship doesn't seem as straightforward as just them hooking up and killing claudia like armand basically wants her GONE right off the bat and doesn't wait long to do it. in the show, whatever's happening builds up over the course of years and while there is a clear courtship phase in the show, it also seems like loumand are in a real relationship for a while (and potentially with even a mini break up) before things finally come to blows. the rainy bench and museum bits seem to be the break up/goodbye but somehow these four end up happily drinking martinis before the trial (exact same clothes on claudia and madeline). wtf is going on??? did the break up happen as a result of claudia's accusation that he's choosing armand over her? is the making of madeline a reconciliation between both loumand and louis and claudia (also in book facilitated by armand's mind control)? it's potentially a good way to explore what i felt was an underdeveloped aspect of the book, that is why armand finally decides he has to kill claudia as opposed to just letting her and madeline leave town together.
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that's not even getting into how and when madeline gets dragged into it cause the trailers haven't given us a lot of info on that. or what the hell is going on between louis and santiago since we've now gotten multiple hints in the trailers to focus our attention a bit more on that relationship. either way the relationships feel a lot more realistic where they go through sometimes contradictory spells of contentment and conflict rather than just point A to point B.
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