#valenshawke

[cyberneticnightmares]

I've been turned into a fine paste

[almea]

For what it's worth, I don't think you giffing Blake literally holding up Yang after Ruby did what she did was at all inappropriate. That easily entered top 5 most traumatic moments in Yang's life and Blake was there this time to hold her up (literally and figuratively). And the sheer amount of angst Yang is going to be dealing with until they reunite with Ruby means Blake is going to have to carry the emotional load for them while dealing with her own angst. She called Ruby her hero. If nothing else, it is appropriate for the reminder: The Bees got their moment. Now they got to suffer because this is a show and that's what happens. (Also, thanks for giffing in general).

Aw, thanks for the reassurance. It's just a kind of vague anxiety because I'm like. I promise I'm not ignoring what happened with Ruby (and Neo) for shipping reasons, it's just that that was so upsetting and it makes me a little sick if I dwell on it for too long and it does Matter that Blake was there for Yang to lean on.

[cock-holliday]

"I wish you would write a fic where…" Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Reyes, Doggett, and good old Cigarette Smoking Man himself were in a room with a tied-up Chris Carter and be able to just yell at him for the shit he did when writing the series.

I don't feel like I have a good enough grasp on either Doggett or especially Reyes (or how CC will likely fuck them over) to write them faithfully, so pardon the liberties taken

"...just get here as soon as you can,” Mulder’s voice said on the phone, “I'll explain everything then. Oh, and bring Skin-man with you...he'll want to see this..."

The line went dead before Scully could reply, not that she even knew what to say. It took some convincing to lead Skinner out to a warehouse on the edge of the city. The man wasn’t being particularly forgiving of Scully’s cryptic ushering, but then again, Scully had no more information than he did to aid in the prodding. Mulder sounded urgent, and that had to be good enough for them.

Something ‘big’ he had said, something ‘life-changing.’

The possibilities churned in Scully’s gut as she opened the side-access door of the warehouse, stalking into the open room, flanked cautiously by Skinner.

“Oh how the tables seem to keep on turning,” a familiar sinister voice cooed from the shadows.

Scully drew her weapon immediately, pointing her gun in the direction of the sound. Smoke curled around the shadow in the dark and with a breathy blow from the source, the smoke dissipated.

Unphased by Scully’s show of force, the Cigarette Smoking Man stepped out from the cover of darkness, cigarette dangling between his fingers and aiming a toothy grin back at Scully.

“Where’s Mulder?” Scully barked, taking a step forward.

“We’re on the same side this time, Agent Scully,” CSM explained with a smile, “Against an even greater threat.”

“Now why does that sound like a load of crap?” Skinner chimed in.

CSM didn’t bother to give Skinner a glance, instead deciding to drop the remainder of his cigarette on the ground and stamp it out. “Walter,” CSM added, finding the crushed ash to be worthy of greater attention than the two agents.

It was only then that Scully noticed a man she had never seen before tied to a chair in the center of the room. The man had waves of grey hair cascading down his shoulders. Tape was obscuring his mouth, and his eyes were wide in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

To Scully’s immense relief, Mulder finally rushed into the room.

“Thank god,” Scully huffed, “Mulder, what’s going on?”

“You can put the gun down, Scully,” Mulder explained, drawing shock and bordering on outrage from Scully.

CSM smiled smugly, but Mulder paid him no mind.

“Trust me, Scully, he’s not the one you’re going to be mad at for long.”

Scully lowered her gun, but didn’t dare holster it. Not yet.

“Scully…” Mulder began, “I found the answer…”

“To what?”

“Everything.”

Mulder stepped to the side, gesturing to the man in the chair.

“This is the man responsible. For all of it.”

“You sure? Pretty sure it’s that one,” Scully replied, jerking her chin in CSM’s direction.

“No, I’m sure,” Mulder replied gravely, “This man is behind…everything. Samantha’s abduction. Your abduction. The attempts on your life,” he added with a nod to Skinner, “He’s been orchestrating everything Cancer Man has done." Mulder looked back to Scully, "He’s why you and I took so long to get together–”

“Well,” Scully huffed, holstering her gun and avoiding the curious shifting glance of Skinner, “I don’t know about that...”

“He is. He was controlling everything from behind the scenes!” Mulder insisted, “Your infertility, your pregnancy–”

Scully’s hands curled protectively over her stomach.

“Everything!” Mulder concluded, “It was all him. Chris Carter.”

“Everything?” Scully asked, letting the waves of consideration hit her.

“Your cancer, Scully. My unspecified brain disease–”

“Yeah, what was up with that, by the way?” Skinner interjected, “I don’t feel like I know what it even was or how it fit in with anything. It seems like it came out of nowhere.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Scully agreed, before turning to CSM, “Was it because of what you did?”

CSM raised his hands defensively, “Don’t blame me. The sick bastard won’t let me die.”

Scully’s brow furrowed.

“It doesn’t matter,” Mulder replied, “All of it was controlled by this man for his own sick amusement.”

“Why?” Scully asked, looking the bound man in the eye, “Why give me cancer? Why take away my ability to have a child and then give it back? Why keep Mulder and I from being together?”

“Are we sure that last one wasn’t due to protocol or FBI rules? You know, the no-fraternizing rule?” Skinner huffed, “I’m standing right here, for christ sake, why don’t you just kiss in front of me?”

“He won’t let us!” Mulder yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at the tied up man, “Every time we have an opportunity something stops us. Once it was a fucking bee. A bee!”

“What?” Skinner’s face scrunched in confusion.

“It doesn’t matter,” Scully waved him off, turning her attention back to Mulder, “So what do we do?”

“Torture him?” CSM mused, “Throw his body into a quarry?”

“No,” Mulder sighed, “No, he deserves to be handed over to someone even angrier than us.”

“Alex Krycek?” Skinner offered.

“No. The X-Philes.”

“The X-Files?” Scully asked, quirking a brow.

“N–don’t worry about it,” Mulder explained, “It’s a group of people who will take matters into their own hands and deal out a judgement we can’t.”

He stepped toward the man in the chair, cutting him loose from his bonds before pulling him away. In a moment of free movement, the man pulled his tape gag off.

“Wait!” Chris pleaded, “We share a birthday!”

Mulder ignored him, continuing to lead him away. Skinner grabbed the other arm, effectively dragging the man when his legs stalled out.

“I’ll give you whatever you want,” the man begged, “A monologue! Two monologues! As long as you want! Hell, they can take up the entire cold open, would you like that?”

The men ignored the pleas and continued walking.

“Please! I’ll make you a jesus metaphor! Again! You’ll be a messiah or savior or some other heavy Christian metaphor that declares you the most specialest boy!”

“I’m Jewish,” Mulder grumbled, unphased by the offers.

The man sank in his captors' arms in defeat.

“Hey Chris,” Scully called.

Mulder and Skinner stopped walking, turning back to look at Scully.

Scully raised both hands, brandishing her middle finger on each, “This is for Emily.”

Mulder nodded and continued pulling, Skinner doing the same.

The trio disappeared into the dark end of the warehouse.

CSM lit another cigarette before offering one to Scully, “So do you think the overarching invasion plot is ever going to get resolved?”

Scully took the offered cigarette, placing it between her teeth, “Fuck if I know.”

[karinta-agogobell-unified]

Was tagged by @valenshawke!

Template (I found a clearer one than what was on the post I was tagged in):

Tagging: @anthurak @zweizilla98 and whoever else wants to participate.

[mikelogan]

Best Fleetwood Mac album to start with if you've never listened to them before?

I'm really only super familiar with Rumours! I adore it though and it has a lot of their most popular songs! Otherwise, when I'm getting into an artist that's new to me but established, I like checking out their greatest hits album(s) as well!

[connie-rubirosa]

So I'll send you an ask here so as not to clog-up the lawandordersource blog with my love for Mike and Connie. But yes! I did catch the how the board had Mike and Connie and, much like you, I now headcanon it that Mike and Connie are back in the office somewhere. From what I've read, most DA's offices have a Chief Assistant DA that acts more on the operations and administration of the office and is more traditional the office's second-in-charge. There was a character in SVU, Chief Assistant DA Charlie Phillips and he mentions that he gave a case to an appreciative McCoy (was a slam dunk) to Cabot in some talk they were having, And there was statement by Cabot that it was rumored he would run against Nora Lewin.

But I headcanon that after Mike's stint as SVU Bureau Chief and his prior experience as... I think it's now all but confirmed that the EADA on the mothership is the... Homicide Bureau Chief that Jack promotes him to Chief Assistant to handle the administrative end of the office and Connie came back as a Bureau Chief (hey if they can bring back Jamie Ross as an ADA, let me have this people).

I kinda hold out hope that if/when Sam leaves the show, they'd bring back Linus Roache as the DA with the justification that operationally and with his prosecutorial experience, he's best equipped to handle a smooth transition.

Plus I just want to see Cutter tear into Price.

No shade against Hugh Dancy, but when Price said he was the best after Jack says there were 20 other homicide prosecutors that could have taken the case (and should have!) I said to my friend as we were watching, "In a ranking of 21 Homicide Prosecutors, I'd rank you 22 Nolan."

Sorry for the long ask again but that's just how I headcanon that board (changes be damned).

hehehe we can be on that headcanon bandwagon together! (i just feel like it'd be in character for the two of them anyway—Mike would definitely be a lifer in the DA's office, and i can totally see connie returning in like a "oh, i can't stay away from you, manhattan!" scenario, lol.)

it's easy to envision Mike in that kind of second-in-command position for jack the way you described (it's funny but i just started a rewatch of the early SVU seasons and i just saw the episode where they introduce Chief ADA Charlie Phillips. very funny to see him show up periodically in the original later in the run as a different defense attorney, haha.)

and yeah i feel like enough time has passed that both mike and connie could easily handle those respective positions (would love to have seen Connie as a lead prosecutor at some point on screen—she nails that closing in the season 17 finale—but i think that might be beyond what the writers on the revival are capable of delivering right now, ugh.)

[side note - THANK YOU for pointing out that weird thing with Jamie!!! they're telling me that she was a defense attorney, then an ada, then a defense attorney again, then a judge (okay fine, i'm still on board, this is a somewhat normal career trajectory so far) and then SHE BECAME AN ADA AGAIN???? who goes from judge back to being an attorney??? i was happy to see her again but then just make her the trial judge!!!! please l&o i can be your continuity person, you need one]

HAHAHA i've had SO many laughs with my roommates (we watch the show every week anyway and play a drinking game called "Claw & Order" named after the White Claw seltzer) about Price (no hate to Price fans, he's just not my cup of tea) doing bizarre things or totally bungling cases. maybe he's "the best" because he screws up royally in nearly every episode and then still wins almost every case???

i would LOVE to see Linus come back as DA Mike, i could definitely see him as being more of a hardliner compared to the revival's characterization of Jack (when they feel compelled to write him any dialogue, lol). (and i wouldn't mind seeing him rake Price over the coals hehehe. i can't tell you how many times Price gets reticent about prosecuting or something and i'm just like "Mike would be foaming at the mouth right now LET IM AT EM")

for the record, long (or short) asks about l&o are ALWAYS welcome!!! i feel like i'm just finding the l&o contingent on tumblr (especially the seasons 18-20 gang) so it's always a blast to chat about it with people who clearly know their stuff and have great takes.

once again, here's to earnest civil servants!!! (i made this gif for the last ask you sent in to lawandordersource and i feel like i'm already getting a return on my investment hahaha)

[arcanegifs]

#can we have an arcane special where everyone just goes on a vacation thanks <- To be a cliche-riddled mess on main: Arcane-beach episode. Cupcake and Vi relaxing on on a beach, drinking Mojitos (or whatever appropriate in-universe drink would be).

SO TRUE. And give us a matching Vi Pool Party skin sneak peek while they're at it lmao

[dishwashingrat]

After the Renora kiss, I just felt like the writers were going to drop another the-world-goes-to-a-new-level-of-hell-bomb and they didn't disappoint on both fronts. Equivalent exchange, happiness must be met with incoming disaster. But we got confirmation on Renora and Bumbleby so... Not all is lost (Vote "Guillotine Jacques Schnee 2020")

I know right, if it ended with Renora kiss, I’d be happy.But it didn’t and now I’m just sad.