#— ❛ aesthetic. ┊ setting fire to our insides for fun.

[natlacentral]

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Crown Prince Dallas Liu Had Elliott Smith on his Zuko Playlist

With the Netflix show officially renewed for two more seasons, the actor talks to GQ about his personal style, his cult series PEN15, and bending lightning.

Before he found his calling, Avatar: The Last Airbender star Dallas Liu considered becoming a stuntman. But when Liu was only 12 years old, his soon-to-be manager discovered his competition videos on YouTube and asked him if he'd ever thought about acting. The answer was yes: “Martial arts had definitely inspired me to become an actor, because of the performance aspect of it,” Liu tells GQ from his home in California.

Now, at 22, Liu’s credits include a Gen-Z cult comedy (PEN15) and a high-profile Marvel film (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.) He’s been able to channel his eclectic background to play the complicated villain at the center of the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, Fire Nation royal Prince Zuko.

A few weeks before Netflix announced that Avatar had been renewed for a second and third season, Liu talked to GQ about how playing Prince Zuko changed him, his love of A24 films, and the Pen15 renaissance.

Were there any Avatar scenes that you were really excited to film?

All of the flashbacks. All of episode six was super fun, but specifically the scene between Aang and Zuko in that shed after an escape. And then, when Zuko sort of blows up at Zhao, at the fight at the Northern Water tribe.

The writers had given me a lot of good stuff to work with, and so I was just happy that in our show Zuko gets a character arc. In the first season of the animated series, he’s sort of one-note and quite melodramatic in each scene—he's sort of being repetitive about his motives. [But] he was always my favorite character as a kid. I just loved Zuko. Being able to play him was a dream come true.

I saw in another interview that you said that it was great to humanize him. Was there anything that you kind of discovered about yourself through playing Zuko, because he's such a complicated character?

Yeah, since he’s so complex, playing him opened up my heart while I was off-set. When I had originally arrived in Vancouver to work on the show, I was similar to Zuko in that I was very narrow-minded in what I wanted to do, in terms of how I wanted to be an actor on set. I thought this was my one opportunity in life to prove to the people that I have a spot in this industry.

I was like, I'm focused on my work, do my job, go home, rest, and just take care of myself. And throughout that process, that's what it feels like with Zuko and Iroh. Zuko is like, "I'm just going to capture the Avatar, and then return them to my father and then I get to go home." And we see that that's not the case.

There are so many things that are involved in this journey that Zuko and Iroh go on, and something that I felt was my relationship with the other cast members and with the crew members started to grow. I found myself wanting to open up my heart and share this experience with them, and share all the love that I had inside of me that I had been trying to hold back on.

If you were not playing a character from the Fire Nation, what powers would you want to have personally?

Oh, it still definitely would be fire. It’s the most aesthetically-pleasing one in my opinion. In the world of Avatar, you can start to manipulate other elements once you become a master of that base one, and I think lightning is something that I've always thought would be super cool to bend. I think fire represents me, my heart.

What's your Zodiac sign?

I'm a Leo.

That adds up.

Wait, why?

Leo is a fire sign!

Oh, yeah, that's true!

Have you seen the TikToks about the Pen15 renaissance?

During my time shooting it, Pen15 was still blowing up. It's been on this continuous rise, which I'm so happy because that show—now it's really, really popular. But at the time, it was so underrated. I was still tapping into a younger version of myself on that series. But [for Avatar] I took inspiration from watching Maya and Anna act out as kids, for Zuko being an innocent child himself in the war meetings, in that first scene with Uncle Iroh in episode six.

I mean, you were still a kid. You were 16. That's a child.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess it's a lot closer to Zuko, and that he doesn't think he is.

Did you really shave your head for this, or did you do a bald cap?

Given that we were trying to stay faithful to the original and what it represented in the show, I thought it was extremely important for me to shave my head. I had a choice. I won't get into what it represents so much, but you get to see a little bit in some of the Avatar lore that exists outside of our series. But it gets you into character so much because it pisses you off so badly every morning. Waking up on the weekends when I'm not working and I just want to go out, I have to throw on a beanie. But waking up and staring at myself—This is my life now, this is who I am—I think it certainly got me into character very easily.

I really liked your red velvet suit at the premiere. How has your style evolved from your younger years to now?

My mom has always been my biggest fashion influence. She's the one who sort of turned me into this picky critic when it comes to outfits and clothes. Even when I was younger, I wouldn't ever let her pick out my outfits. And because I didn't let that happen, I ended up looking really stupid and goofy a lot of the time.

But I think everyone starts in sneakers—very common, especially for guys. You start with basketball shoes, and then you transition into Jordans, and then you transition into some form of streetwear after that. And at that point, you could go, I think, either into this world of vintage or archive clothing, or obviously, people love designer clothing and mixing up that world of streetwear with that.

But for me, I think I just really elevated basics. My style has just become less about brands, obviously, and more about quality. I'm 22 now, so I'm paying for all of this stuff myself. So I'm like, is this worth it? Am I going to be fine without this? On carpets for the Avatar premiere, I wanted to go all out. When I'm in real life, I just stick to all black and different shades of gray.

Did you make a playlist for Zuko, his character to get into character?

I did, but at some point, I stopped using it just because I sort of found my groove from the character. But some artists that were in there were Elliot Smith and Duster.

Which Elliot Smith songs did you put on there?

“Between the Bars.” And just all of his most popular stuff for sure, because especially “Between the Bars” relates to some part of Zuko's life, whether it was his actual scar banishment or catching the Avatar.

Are there any genres you want to dabble in next?

I honestly love drama so much. Obviously, the new Dune film just came out and I just love Denis [Villeneuve]. Every actor, I feel like can agree with me on [that]—and that we want to do an A24 film. But honestly, I'm still just trying to take any work that I can get, because I do want to show my range as an actor. I'd love to work with Willem Defoe on something, that'd be cool. So, just projects that are grounded, but have a stylistic element that separates it from Hollywood blockbusters.

[djmossback]

Spacebar Downtown Boise Underground

Third Space Saturday 06/15/2024

2103 START TIME

Track List

Chic, My Feet Keep Dancing (12 INCH)

Sylvester, You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (12 INCH)

Yvonne Elliman, If I Can’t Have You (LP CUT)

Gazebo, Masterpiece (7 INCH)

Ashford & Simpson, Solid (7 INCH)

Dazz Band, Let It Whip (7 INCH)

Isaac Hayes, Theme From Shaft (7 INCH)

Super Girl Debora, Yo Vivire (I Will Survive) (7 INCH)

Ready For The World, Oh Sheila (7 INCH)

Tears For Fears, Change (7 INCH)

Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue (LP CUT)

LL Cool J, Big Ole Butt (12 INCH)

Tom Tom Club, Genius Of Love (12 INCH)

The Smiths, How Soon Is Now? (12 INCH)

The Rolling Stones, Hot Stuff (7 INCH)

Dillinger, Cokane In My Brain (7 INCH)

Hot Chocolate, Every 1’s A Winner (LP CUT)

Otis & Carla, Tramp (7 INCH)

Ohio Players, Fire (7 INCH)

Taste Of Honey, Boogie Oogie Oogie (LP CUT)

Prince, Erotic City (12 INCH)

Emotions, Best Of My Love (LP CUT)

Sinead O’Connor with MC Lyte, I Want Your Hands On Me (12 INCH)

Dolly Parton, Baby I’m Burnin’ (12 INCH)

Pet Shop Boys, Always On My Mind (12 INCH)

ZZ Top, Legs (12 INCH)

Romantics, Talking In Your Sleep (7 INCH)

The Kingsmen, Louie Louie (7 INCH)

Go-Go’s, We Got The Beat (7 INCH)

The Police, Message In A Bottle (7 INCH)

Heatwave, The Groove Line (7 INCH)

Alan Jackson, Chattahoochee (7 INCH)

Toni Basil, Mickey (7 INCH)

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want To Have Fun (7 INCH)

Exile, Kiss You All Over (7 INCH)

Bee Gees, Jive Talkin’ (7 INCH)

Simple Minds, (Don’t You) Forget About Me (12 INCH)

Commodores, Brick House (12 INCH)

B Team, Something For Nothing (12 INCH)

The Time, 777-9311 (LP CUT)

Thundercat, Them Changes (10 INCH)

Kendrick Lamar, Yah (LP CUT)

Lakeside, Fantastic Voyage (LP CUT)

Grace Jones, I Need A Man (12 INCH)

Human League, Love Action (12 INCH)

Kylie Minogue, Can’t Get Blue Monday Out Of Ny Head (12 INCH)

Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart (12 INCH)

Roots Manuva, Again & Again (12 INCH)

Vince Staples, Norf Norf (LP CUT)

Sweet, Love Is Like Oxygen (LP CUT)

KC and the Sunshine Band, Shake Your Booty (LP CUT)

Abbysinians, Declaration Of Rights (LP CUT)

Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra (7 INCH)

The Cramps, What’s Inside A Girl? (12 INCH)

Jimmy Gilmer, Sugar Shack (7 INCH)

0105 6/18/2024

Tasting Notes

Plan? Who needs a plan? Although, I did want to follow up a Dolly Parton track with a Pet Shop Boys track, and I succeeded in that. So, hooray for planning, I guess? A Dolly Parton disco remix. Who knew.

I’m late, and the first 20 minutes of the set are pure chaos. My opening song has a skip in it. I have to quickly switch to another track. Sylvester. What a jam. “YOU MAKE ME FEEL, MMMM MIGHTY REAL.” Makes me realize what a huge influence the gay club scene has on my aesthetic, but I’m too much of a dilettante to ever stay in one groove long. I love the totality of the musical experience, and I try to fit things together in a pleasing way. And tonight I did some of my best work. Will dialed in the sound system this week and provided booth monitors, which made a huge difference, since I have a kind of hybrid mixing technique. I like to listen to the house to make sure the transitions are working the way I want them to. I’m still learning, even after decades of doing this.

There is no one in the bar. It’s weird. Then, there are a lot of people in the bar. Saturday night in downtown Boise! The continual crawl. People come, people go. I hope they tip well.

The crew is different from last month. Except for Beth. The door person Abby introduces themself, but I never meet the second bartender, Emma. They all work hard, and take care of the crowd. Abby even works some crochet into their night! It rules.

Apparently there have been complaints from upstairs at the speakeasy about our volume, which is part of the reason Will put in so much work on the PA. No complaints this time around. I work hard to make sure I keep the music present, enveloping without being overwhelming. There is fellowship and hooking up happening, and I want to complement it, not ruin it.

No one I know is there, and no one is making any requests. A dude comes up to the booth and says, “I’ve got Cokane running around in my brain” and gives me a fist bump. “Man, I never expected to hear that around here!” I was gratified, because I often wonder what goes through people’s minds as they listen to my set. I must say, I was chuffed.

DJ Retronaut and his traveling party, which included Mrs. DJ I.G.A., roll into the bar. I am happy to see them. They are family. They also understand the life, and realize I’m at a job, and allow me to do it. I love them for that. Happy Birthday, Henry Dryden. Big Red is 21!

They stay awhile, but I don’t get to play “Headhunters” by Herbie Hancock for Retronaut. That would just be showing off anyway.

I played many of the 12” records that I acquired since the last time I played. They are thick and cheap on the resale market right now. Germboy Newcox scouted out a killer single for me, “Something For Nothing,” and I played the A-side next to the Time, and it fit so well. I had not heard of this record before, a 1984 slice of Electro Funk mastered by Brian “Big Bass” Gardner at Bernie Grundmans. So I obviously have much left to discover! The search goes on.

I started late, so I tacked on another couple of minutes with “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. This amuses Beth behind the bar, which was a nice note to end on.

Next Third Space Saturday is July 20th, 2024.

Thanks for reading.

PS. I promised last month to play Sleaford Mods twice tonight. I ended up not playing them at all. THREE TIMES NEXT MONTH!

[earthideasoutdoors]

Fall patio ideas — 10 seasonal ways to cozy up your Outdoor Landscape Lighting Installation

As the days grow shorter and the air takes on a crisp chill, something is undeniably magical about enjoying your outdoor space in the fall. Adding outdoor landscape lighting installation to your patio is one of the best ways to make the most of this season. This article will explore ten creative and seasonal ideas to make your fall patio a cozy and enchanting haven.

1. Fairy Tale Lighting — The soft, warm glow of your outdoor space using string lights, lanterns, and fairy lights will create a whimsical ambiance perfect for chilly autumn evenings. As you sit with loved ones, sipping hot cocoa, those lights create the perfect atmosphere that brings back cherished memories.

2. Leafy Lanterns — Incorporate the essence of fall by placing lanterns with leaf motifs around your patio. These can be easily found at local Outdoor Lighting Installation stores. Adding lanterns with autumn-inspired designs can instantly set the mood, welcoming fall to your doorstep.

3. Fireside Comfort — Imagine the crackling sound of a fire pit as you gather with friends and family. Arrange comfy seating around it and complement the natural flames with soft lighting.

4. Pathway Illumination — Ensure your outdoor landscape lighting installation includes well-lit pathways. Use path lights to guide your way through the garden, creating a safe and inviting entry.

5. Pumpkin-Spiced Ambiance — Embrace the season by using hollowed-out pumpkins as candle holders. Get creative with pumpkins and use them for a charming effect. The flickering candlelight inside adds a touch of rustic touch to your patio.

6. Autumn Colours — To capture the essence of fall on your patio, opting for warm-colored outdoor lights, amber or orange, can elevate the vibe of the entire setting. These colors harmonize beautifully with the changing foliage.

7. Nature’s Canopy — If trees are in your backyard, hanging string lights from their branches can create a magical, starry canopy effect. It is like dining under the open sky. Give this subtle yet enchanting choice a try!

8. Harvest Table Setup — Hosting a fall diner party? Illuminate your outdoor dining table with elegant candlelight or hanging pendants for an intimate gathering. It will surely be one experience that your guests will remember.

9. Rustic Elegance — Incorporating rustic elements like mason jar lights or repurposed wooden crates adds a touch of aesthetic to your space. These DIY projects can be fun and functional, bringing warmth to your patio.

10. Starry Sky — On clear nights, let the natural beauty of the stars shine through. Keep your lighting minimal to create an open-air stargazing experience. Let the starry sky be your backdrop. Lay back, gaze up, and allow the universe’s wonders to envelop you.

As autumn’s beauty unfolds, there is no better time to transform your outdoor space into a cozy retreat by installing outdoor landscape lighting in Houston. These relatable ideas, perfect for Houston, Texas, and beyond, will help you create a patio that captures the essence of fall and invites you to savor the season’s simple pleasures. Embrace the season with Earth Ideas Outdoors, get creative, and let your patio shine with the warm glow of fall.

Our Location:- Landscaping Companies in Houston:4430 Talina Way Houston, Texas 77041

The Article “Fall patio ideas — 10 seasonal ways to cozy up your Outdoor Landscape Lighting Installation” is Originally Posted Here.

[jaydeemedia]

[ad_1] Heythrop Park Hotel is the ultimate spa and golf getaway in the Cotswolds. History, grandeur, and cool country aesthetics combine to create the decadent adults-only escape you deserve. Ad | This guide was produced in partnership with Warner Hotels. Heythrop Park is a grand golf and spa hotel located on the edge of the Cotswolds.  A sweeping driveway sets the scene for the Downton Abbey escape of your dreams. Once inside, a beautiful Italian Baroque-style manor house is surrounded by 440 acres of leafy countryside. Modern facilities and a relaxed country ambience create the perfect relaxed getaway. Lounge in grand sitting rooms inspired by the early 1900’s. Join rifle shooting, archery, or one of the many activities offered on the grounds. Indulge in a spa treatment with a glass of prosecco or have a round of golf in a beautiful setting. Here is all you need to know about staying at Heythrop Park, A Warner Hotel. COMMENTS // We do our best to keep the information in this guide up to date, if you notice anything has changed, please leave a comment below. BOOKINGS // Booking your trip via the links in this guide will earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support – Paul & Mark. HEYTHROP PARK HOTEL, COTSWOLDS Warner’s Heythrop Park is a luxurious golf and spa hotel in Oxfordshire, on the edge of the Cotswolds. This ultimate country escape is set on 440 acres of rolling countryside containing ancient woods, lakes, rivers, golf course, and hiking trails. At its centre is the Grade II listed Manor House with an imposing sandstone façade supported by 12 columns. Inside, a grand staircase leads from the main reception to a mezzanine floor overlooking an opulent lobby. The period features and quirky modern touches provide a great spot to read a book, or attempt one of the daily quizzes. High tea can be taken in plush surroundings or you can simply stare out the windows at acres of green countryside. Modern additions like the theatre, late lounge, and multiple restaurant spaces mean you are never far away from fun and entertainment on a Heythrop country break. WHERE IS HEYTHROP PARK? Heythrop Park Hotel is located outside the village of Enstone near Chipping Norton (OX7 5UF). The estate is on the northern edge of the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in central England.   By Car — Heythrop Park is around 1 hour, 30 minute’s drive from London, between junction 9 and 10 of the M40. By Train — The nearest train station to Heythrop is Charlbury which is a 1-hour, 20-minute journey from London Paddington. From Charlbury Station, it’s a 15-minute taxi ride to Heythrop. HEYTHROP PARK HISTORY Charles Talbot, the 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, employed architect Thomas Archer to build Heythrop House. After falling in love with Italy, he requested an Italian Baroque-style residence. The glorious building was completed in 1710. In 1831 the house was severely damaged by fire. Thomas Brassey, a railway magnate, bought the house. Albert, his son, renovated the shell and expanded the estate. The Jesuits purchased the house in 1922, turning it into a college. In 1969, NatWest bought the house and park adding further buildings for staff training. From 1999 the estate was operated as a Crowne Plaza Hotel. In 2018, Warner Hotels took the property, undertaking a massive but sympathetic transformation. Without altering the footprint of the original building, they opened in 2022 and the Heythrop Park Hotel was born AN EXCITING COTSWOLDS GOLF HOTEL Twisting through the 440 acres of leafy, undulating landscaped grounds is a 72 par championship standard golf course with USGA standard greens.   With 5 sets of tees which stretch out to an impressive 7,156 yards from the tips, Heythrop Park Golf course is a challenge. Test your mettle on the tight fairways and try to avoid the numerous water features. It’s a tricky course even for the pros. The carefully prepared

course and beautiful Cotswold scenery make for a memorable – if perhaps high scoring – round. Choose from a 1- or 2-night package including breakfast, dinner and golf. Visit warnerleisurehotels.co.uk for more information. A LUXURIOUS COTSWOLDS SPA HOTEL Golf is not the only treat. The Spa & Wellness Club offers a rejuvenating experience in their modern onsite facilities. Treat yourself to a face or body treatment. Heythrop Park Spa uses Temple Spa products, a luxury British skincare brand which is proudly cruelty free. Go for a power breakfast facial and be on your way in 25 minutes or luxuriate with a 115-minute prescriptive facial and massage, designed just for you. If you just want to unwind at your own pace, have a paddle in the 20-metre indoor heated pool or soak in the thermal steam room. We couldn’t resist a glass of prosecco in the hot tubs on the outdoor terrace, and found it hard to leave. ACTIVITIES AT HEYTHROP PARK We had great fun exploring all the activities that are on offer at Heythrop. For many of them, qualified instructors are on hand to get you up to pro level in no time. For others you just turn up and try your hand. Channel Robin Hood in an archery lesson on the grounds. (included) Hire an e-bike to explore the 440 acres at Heythrop. (extra) Get to know your liquor with a Gin Tasting experience. (extra) Try a traditional afternoon tea in a grand room. (extra) Have a shot at rifle shooting on the grounds. (included) Try laser clay or laser pistol shooting. (included) Book yourself into a Pilates class. (included) Have a round on snooker in the elegant Billiards Room. (included) Try your hand at bowls or croquet on the lawn. (included) Have a soak in the pool followed by the hot tub on the outdoor terrace. (included) ENTERTAINMENT AT HEYTHROP Over the three nights we stayed at Heythrop there was no shortage of entertainment. The hotel has two onsite theatres offering a variety of shows every night. The calendar includes artists from all over the country, like comedians, bands, acoustic sets, and DJ’s. The Theatre – Sit back and watch a live performance in The Theatre. It showcases everything from rock bands to pop acts, cinema experiences to musicals. The lush setting with bar tables will make you feel like you’re at the Kit Kat Klub from Cabaret. All performances are included in your package. The Late Lounge – With a bar next door and a dance floor in front of the stage, the Late Lounge is the place to check your inhibitions in at the door. Regular performances include several well-known tribute bands. During our visit we were treated to a star performance by Ami Vaziri. Outside the two main theatres, piano sets swoon while you enjoy a drink in the manor house reception or the Orangery. WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA? Heythrop Park is located on the edge of the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with charming villages, excellent walking and a host of wonderful attractions. Read more in our guide to the best things to do in the Cotswolds.   Here are a few of our favourite Cotswold attractions near Heythrop. Blenheim Palace — Blenheim was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. It’s a stunning palace and a UNESCO World Heritage Site set on 200 acres of landscaped parklands. It’s just a 15-minute drive from Heythrop. Stow-on-the-Wold — Stow-on-the-Wold is a charming market village in the Cotswolds with a vibrant antiques scene. The town centres around a large market square surrounded by elegant Cotswolds townhouses. More details are in our best Cotswolds villages guide. Great Tew — Just a 10-minute drive from Heythrop, Great Tew is one of the most atmospheric villages in the country. The cottages with traditional thatched roofs make a great photo stop. Diddly Squat Farm Shop — Located just 10-minutes from Heythrop, it’s worth popping into Jeremy Clarkson’s farm shop, Diddly Squat. It’s open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Wednesday to Sunday. Oxford — Oxford is around 40 minutes from Heythrop so it’s easy to visit on your way.

You could see most of the main sights with our 1-day Oxford itinerary. If you have time for an overnight stay, read our guide to the best things to do in Oxford for some more ideas.   HEYTHROP PARK // DETAILS ROOM TYPES AT HEYTHROP PARK Heythrop Park has 337 rooms with choices to suit different budgets. Cosy – The cosy rooms are designed with solo travellers in mind. These pint-size spaces punch above their weight with all the modern conveniences for an indulgent stay. Standard – Standard rooms at Heythrop are the most economical option for 2 people. The rooms include double beds with stylings of earthy tones and vintage artwork. Deluxe – When you want some extra luxuries to level up your stay, the Deluxe Rooms are a great choice. They have super king-sized beds and armchairs. The style is elegant with wood paneling and heritage colours.   Superior – The 13 feet ceilings, ornate fireplaces, roll-top baths and marble bathrooms evoke all the Baroque splendour of the estate. Super king-sized beds and sofas take advantage of the country aspects from the large windows.   Search for your perfect room at Heythrop Park. YOUR HEYTHROP EXPERIENCE – WHAT’S INCLUDED? Heythrop Park is a spa hotel in the Cotswolds where you can be as active or idle as you wish. Enjoy the expansive grounds, take part in one of the many activities, or indulge in a therapeutic spa session. All bookings at Heythrop include breakfast and dinner. Kickstart the day with a hearty breakfast then finish up with a variety of options for dinner without the need to leave the property. Many of the activities on offer at Heythrop are also included in the price. Enjoy a live music act, take a yoga class, try your hand at archery or try a curious tea tasting experience, all for free. For more details, visit their website: warnerleisurehotels.co.uk WHERE TO EAT AT HEYTHROP Heythrop Park has a wide selection of food options with both traditional British dishes, and international favourites. Here’s what’s on offer: The Travelling Duke Pub & Kitchen – Named after Charles Talbot, the 1st Duke of Shrewsbury who built the first manor house. It’s a pub-style environment and serves British classics. The space is modern yet cosy with the option to eat outside when the sun is shining. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 8 am. Market Kitchen – The Market Kitchen is the main restaurant at Heythrop with a bright open feel and plenty of choice. Three-course dinner is included in your package. Order your entree and dessert at the table. The main course involves choosing from the tasty buffet. It’s open from 8 am to 10:30 am for breakfast and 6 to 8:30 pm for dinner. Brasserie32  – If you get the urge to dine like you’re in Downton Abbey, Brasserie32 is the place. The à la carte menu features beautifully presented dishes inspired by ingredients from the 1900s. The food is perfectly matched with the excellent service and elegant setting. It’s open from 8 am for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Brassey Bar – Named after Thomas Brassey who purchased the fire-damaged property in 1831, the Brassey is a lovely bar where you can grab a drink throughout the day. The nearby Snug is a library-like space for a cosy tipple.    THANKS FOR VISITING // WHERE NEXT? A BIG THANK YOU We’ve been providing free travel content on Anywhere We Roam since 2017. If you appreciate what we do, here are some ways you can support us. Thank you! Paul & Mark FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM USE OUR RESOURCES PAGE [ad_2] Source link

[kaarimarket]

YOUR VACATION WARDROBE INSIDE…

Travel in Style!

Vacation dressing has gained popularity and how!

As we take one step closer to the holiday season, our summer getaway wardrobe calls for a fresh update. To set the mood, you also need the right outfit. Resort wear can truly change the narrative of how you feel on a holiday.

Whether you fancy a boho vibe and bold colours or are known for feminine yet experimental style, we have decoded a chic Vacation Style Guide - a list of must-haves for your next sunny escape whether you’re taking a tropical plunge, headed to a retreat at an offbeat location, exploring a quaint city, or going for a road trip.

Aqua blue, citrus yellows, leafy prints and exotic florals are how we’re bringing the tropics to town. From elevated staples to statement hues, we’ve curated a picture-perfect closet packed with the most effortlessly stylish pieces to shop now. Take a quick look at our must-pack looks that instantly put you in a holiday mood.

Thinking minimal effort and maximum impact?

PRINTS are a fantastic source of inspiration for those seeking to add some fun, vibrant, and colourful outfits to their tropical vacation wardrobe, prints can simply transform any atmosphere!

Borrow the essence of sweet blooms to brighten up gloomy days with quirky printed co-ords by Dash and Dot and experiment with a striking colour palette and bold prints to enliven up your spirits.

Easy-Breezy and Fluid

Dresses are functional, fuss-free and a definite game changer. They always make you look put together even when you’re not.

We’ve curated some easy yet eye-catching looks that strike the balance between comfort and chicness during days that call for effortless style.

There’s no denying the joy of wearing something fresh and summery on a hot day, whether you’re on a tropical island or exploring a city. These vibrant colour-blocked Summer Dresses make a perfect look for around-the-town trotting or a stroll down the beach. Put the look together with a pair of slides to keep the look comfortable.

Play around with light silhouettes or rich, bright colours out in the sun. The best part? You can easily use these dresses in different ways all year round, just layer them up.

Beach Head-Turners

For lunch by the sea or casual brunches keep it cool and stylish with a minimalist aesthetic. The look-good-feel-better ideology is translated into relaxed silhouettes that give extra room for comfort and style. Flowy and airy Kaftans with artsy motifs and patterns promise to deliver an impact.

Take the style quotient a notch up by topping the look with fun and quirky beach accessories that instantly dial up these basics, just the perfect look for a lazy day spent by the beach with a dash of quirkiness.

Whether you’re striving to be chic or a trendsetter, these vacation-ready silhouettes are a sure-fire way to make you feel like you’re on a holiday retreat, even if you’re not!

[iadgasfdf]

Domain expansion: copypaste

LINK: https://www.tumblr.com/unofficialadamtaurus/689037012208107520/if-youre-asking-this-question-youre-probably

"

Why Is Everyone So Weird About Adam?

If you’re asking this question, you’re probably new to the fandom and/or the show. In that case, welcome! There’s a lot of fun to be had with RWBY, both Ice Queendom and the original show.

If you’re not new, consider this a chance to get up to speed. If there’s something you feel I missed, feel free to add it in a reblog or reply.

To answer the main question in brief: the tension around Adam is tied to his controversial* portrayal in the 3D source material.

We’ll go through the context of original show bit by bit so you can understand why people get so weird about Adam in ways they don’t for other villain characters. Keep an open mind, take in the facts, form your own opinion, and then engage with Adam however you see fit.

And, of course, Adam-related-stuff spoiler alert for the main show and the first episode of Ice Queendom. Additionally, content warning for high-level discussions of misogyny, grooming, pedophilia, abuse, and homophobia.

The Trailer

If you weren’t aware, RWBY began with four separate trailers, one for each main girl and letter in the acronym. These trailers started coming out in Winter of 2012 and the last was released on June 1, 2013 - just over a month before the first episode premiered. Within these trailers, Adam had the noteworthy role of being the first male character seen on screen and the first character to speak in the whole show.

In the Black trailer, Adam finds Blake in a clearing and tells her “It’s time.” They run through the forest and jump onto a massive train passing through. Once inside, Adam quips, “Looks like we’re going to be doing this the hard way,” to which Blake replies, “Don’t be so dramatic” with a little smile. As they fight a lot of robots, they leave opportunities for the other to finish off certain enemies. Their teamwork is tight and they clearly trust that the other will have their back.

At the midpoint, Adam checks a crate and tells Blake to move up to the next car while he sets the charges. Blake asks him about the crew members and Adam, with a very sinister edge to his voice, says, “What about them?”

There’s another big fight before Blake can answer, during which Adam gets a now iconic glory shot:

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Gif de t0-live-a-thousand-lives

The trailer ends with Blake cutting apart the coupling between hers and Adam’s train cars; she fades into the distance, out of Adam’s reach.

So, the aspects of Adam that hooked people immediately: his design (black and red is a very good aesthetic), his superpower (disintegrating a massive robot with a single swing), and his weapons (gun sheath that can fire the sword it holds).

Adam’s fighting style in the Black trailer is cool. It’s entertaining. It’s fun to watch. People makes gifs of it for a reason.

Gif de icelance669-blog

How much mileage a person gets out of these aspects varies, of course, but on the face of it Adam has a very solid design and is entertaining on the screen. Combined with his obvious history with Blake, people were invested. Theories about his future role in the story, a confrontation with Blake, and so on circulated as the show entered its first season.

Many of those theories found traction by using the trailer’s background music - “From Shadows.” The lyrics are not subtle:

Born with, no life Into subjugation Treated like a, worthless animal Stripped of all rights Just a lesser being Crushed by cruel, ruthless human rule

We can infer right off the bat that Blake and Adam are fighting against oppression. Moreover, they are not themselves human. The fight aspect comes across clearly in the chorus:

From shadows we'll descend upon the world Take back what you stole From shadows we'll reclaim our destiny Set our future free

Rather than a straight evil villain that Blake had to run away from to save herself, Adam comes off as a morally ambiguous counterpart to Blake with the way he was doing the right thing (resisting oppression) the wrong way (murdering innocent crewmembers). Working only with what’s in the trailer, Blake left because she no longer agreed with his methodology.

Also, for context: here’s a link to an official video explaining what a faunus (what Blake and Adam are) is. Tl;dr they’re humans with one animal trait, like cat ears, added on.

The Show

So we have him featured as a deuteragonist to Blake in the trailer...and then Adam isn’t mentioned again in the show until he’s mentioned by Blake in episode 10 of Volume 2, "Mountain Glenn."

Side note number one: there’s actually a point earlier at which Blake explains the history of the White Fang to Sun (another Faunus), and she notes that a new, more violent leader took charge after the old pacifist one steps down. She doesn’t name names, but we learn later that the pacifist leader is actually Blake’s father, Ghira Belladonna, and the new leader is Sienna Khan, both of whom won’t show up until later volumes.

Back to episode 10: Blake describes Adam as a partner and then clarifies that he was “more of a mentor, actually.” At this point, roughly a year and a half has passed since we last heard anything about Adam. This brief mentor description fits with what we went over in the trailer section and confirmed a lot of theories at the time. Hype grew for what people saw as the inevitable confrontation between Blake and Adam, especially now that Blake was actively fighting against the White Fang and was on a team with the Schnee Dust Company heiress.

Adam does physically appear in Breach, the twelfth and final episode of Volume 2, to reassure Cinder’s faction that the White Fang will continue to listen to their faction despite heavy losses. With full confidence in his influence over his men, Adam says, “they’ll listen to me.”

Cue a wild storm of speculation trying to figure out how Adam fits into the White Fang alliance with Cinder. It started with the White Fang allying with Torchwick (a human) earlier in the show, but having Adam show that their alliance was apparently a willing one changed things. This scene cemented Adam’s role as an outright villain, though some still held out hope that he had a better reason for allying with Cinder than the joy of murdering humans.

It should be noted at this point that Tauradonna (Blake x Adam) was a very popular ship at this time.

The Show: Volume 3

The next time we see Adam is Volume 3 Episode 7, "Beginning of the End." In this episode, we are shown a scene of Cinder approaching Adam in his camp in Forever Fall presumably for the first time. She asks for his help attacking Vale; Adam rejects her, saying, "The White Fang is not an organization for hire! We're a force of revolution!"

When Cinder tries again to appeal to him, he shuts her down by explaining, "You're asking my men to die for your cause. A human cause. That is not an idea I am willing to entertain." He finishes this statement by lifting his weapon in an implied threat. Cinder gets the message and leaves. Shortly after, Blake approaches Adam and asks who Cinder was, but Adam tells her not to worry about it.

Later in the same episode and after the events of the Black trailer have occurred, Adam and his lieutenant are having a discussion in a camp tent. The lieutenant swears he will find Blake; Adam tells him to let her go. Cinder then returns to the camp with some of the maiden powers and wreaks havoc. When the chaos pulls Adam and his lieutenant from his tent, Cinder again asks for Adam's help, this time with the threat of violence somewhat softened by the same cases of money and Dust she brought the first time.

Note the smoke and bodies in the background.

Important fandom split here: at the time this episode aired, it appears that there was a general consensus that Adam was genuinely threatened into doing what he did. After character revelations to be discussed in a bit, that consensus fractured with a notable subset of people interpreting this scene as Adam willingly submitting to Cinder in a 4D chess move to gain powerful allies and that he never cared about the lives of his men at all. That line of thinking also postulates that his initial rejection was nothing but an act to maintain his reputation with his men.

Moving on: Beacon, the huntsman training academy Blake is attending, comes under siege by hacked robots and hordes of Grimm. White Fang piloting ships are delivering Grimm where they otherwise could not reach, presumably with Adam's blessing. The man himself doesn't appear until Volume 3 episode 10, "Battle of Beacon." Adam has a defenseless student at his mercy when Blake sees him. Before she can run, he notices her and says, "Hello, my darling."

We get into the meat of their confrontation in episode 11, "Heroes and Monsters." Blake rushes Adam to save the aforementioned student, who promptly vanishes from the scene, but Adam is unimpressed. In response to her claiming that she's not running, he pushes her weapon down one-handed and says, "You will."

Adam dominates Blake in a one-sided fight. Yang shows up looking for Blake as Adam is promising to destroy everything Blake loves. Adam stabs Blake through her abdomen to get her to cry out, grabbing Yang’s attention. Yang launches herself at Adam in a protective rage; Adam cuts off her arm.

Blake throws herself in front of a now unconscious Yang and Adam, after a brief irritated pause, cuts off Blake’s head - only he doesn’t, because that was just a shadow clone Blake left behind so she could grab Yang and escape. Adam doesn’t give chase, just walks menacingly in that direction while casually killing a Grimm that lunges at him...and then he is gone for the rest of the volume.

So, during this confrontation, Adam kicks Blake in the stomach, backhands her across the face, and stabs her through the abdomen. Given that the entire encounter is soaked in Adam's "my love" and "darling" forms of address to Blake, many fans interpreted this violence as abuse, and specifically romantic partner abuse. Other fans interpreted it as violence against Blake as a combatant standing in Adam's way to whom he wants to prove a point.

To be blunt, this encounter shattered expectations, and not necessarily in a good way. To see Adam so vindictively pleased to attack Beacon, see Blake, and wear her down went against the buildup earlier in the volume with the Cinder scenes and particularly the scene in which Adam tells his lieutenant not to go after Blake.

After this episode aired, Tauradonna shippers vanished in droves as they were hit with accusations of supporting an abusive ship despite there being no indication that this physical violence was present before this point; Adam fans likewise retreated.

Although some of the dialogue - mostly Blake's - still made overtures at the revolution and justice angles to her and Adam's theorized philosophies, the romantic dialogue and violence from Adam distracted from those grander themes with petty revenge against Blake for her "betrayal" of him in the Black trailer.

Side note number two: one person found the jilted ex boyfriend characterization to be so egregious that they made an edit of the scene to remove it entirely. I recommend giving it a look after watching the original version.

Beyond the abuse angle, this episode also surfaced two other accusations now often leveled at Adam: pedophilia/grooming and misogyny. I can't speak to their frequency at the time the episode aired, but they are plenty common now.

On the pedophilia and grooming front, these headcanons mainly derive from Barbara and Arryn, the voices of Yang and Blake, respectively, stating during an interview their personal headcanon of Adam's age. They viewed him as in his twenties. Based on other vaguely established pseudo-canon not depicted in the show surrounding Blake and Adam's first meeting, this would mean that Adam met Blake when he was well into his teens and she was around 12 or 13.

Adam's age was never confirmed in the show. Grooming or pedophilia was also never depicted. These accusations are extrapolations from cast members' headcanons coupled with pseudo-canon material.

The misogyny accusations stem from Adam's attacks against Blake. Physical abuse against Blake, a woman, was grounds enough for the claim. There’s no delicate way to say this, but put bluntly, abuse against a woman is not inherently misogynistic. Abuse against a woman because she is a woman is inherently misogynistic.

Although the claim that misogyny doesn’t exist on Remnant has been floating around for years, I wasn’t able to track down a source for it.

Because of this misogynist label on Adam, fans of his were swiftly condemned as misogynists as well. This has led to many fans of his being interpreted as “dude bros” getting overly hyped about a "nothing” character just because they like how “cool” he is while they misogynistically ignore the main protagonists. If you want an example of this dismissive attitude, check out this video from Twiins iink. Also note that the title has been changed since posting from “Get Over Adam” to what you see now after there was significant backlash from parts of the fandom for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond the scope of this post.

Despite all of the troublesome implications and interpretations of Blake and Adam's confrontation at Beacon, there were some positives that Adam fans latched onto: Adam's intimidation factor as a villain (effortlessly besting Blake in a fight, taking down Yang in one shot), his indisputable personal connection to Blake, and his role in the central conflict of the story. He also, at this point, still could fulfill the role of the foil to Blake's more pacifist views going forward.

Side note number three: there are conflicting opinions on Adam's actual power level. I did a breakdown in this post.

So here we have another split in the fandom in addition to the ones before it: those who enjoyed his character now for the cool factor of how powerful he seemed - given that he took down Blake and Yang without apparent difficulty - and others who viewed that first group as endorsing the things Adam did and ostensibly stood for.

There is also another group of people existing even now who are genuinely supportive of more of less everything that Adam did and is accused of doing, but I honestly don’t know much about them. There are only a couple that I’ve seen and interacted with, but it’s not at all a common position these days. However, nearly all Adam fans are at some point lumped into this group.

I want to emphasize that Volume 3, and particularly the Adam and Blake confrontation, is the linchpin moment for Adam fans. I’ll run through the rest of the show just so you have context, but by the time one particular detail about Adam’s past came to light in Volume 6, most fans of his had already jumped ship.

Volumes 4 and 5

In these volumes we get an abrupt reframing of the White Fang's structure with the introduction of the cult-like Menagerie branch and, in the Mistral-based headquarters, high leader Sienna Khan. Although the show communicated that there was more to the organization than Adam in earlier volumes, those other branches and power structures had never been explored.

Sienna's introduction complicated people's relationship with Adam because she occupied the same niche he had originally been interpreted as filling: that of a violent activist.

For an in depth comparison of Sienna, Adam, and Ghira's methods, look at this post.

We are also introduced to Ilia Amitola, another White Fang member who subscribes to Adam and Sienna's view. Here's a post comparing and contrasting Ilia and Adam, since another common point brought up with Adam fans is how Ilia is Adam but "better."

Anyway, Adam features in one of Yang's PTSD nightmares in Volume 4. He then kicks off Volume 5 by giving a speech in support of reverse racism to Sienna, whom he promptly murders. His actual words: "[T]he Faunus are the dominant species of this planet. We're better than humans. We have everything humans have and more. Humans shouldn't just fear the Faunus, they should serve the Faunus."

Suffice to say he was hemorrhaging fans at this point. At the same time, critique of the entire White Fang plot, which had been present since its inception, lit up with Adam's latest characterization as the catalyst.

Adam succeeds in his coup and becomes the high leader of the White Fang. He's bad at it, he fails to bring down Haven, and is generally just pathetic. He ends the volume in disgrace, having narrowly escaped capture.

The Adam Character Short

Before Volume 6 aired, the show put out an Adam character short - think of it as a mini-episode dedicated to Adam.

The short showed that Adam was influenced and encouraged by Sienna, was the first to introduce Grimm masks to the White Fang, and emotionally manipulated Blake into staying with the White Fang when she no longer agreed with his methods. It also - years later - put in a scene of Adam apparently desiring Sienna's position of high leader despite his characterization in the first three volumes not hinting at that desire. This inclusion led to new analyses of early content with confirmation bias in full effect to show how Adam was actually terrible and one-dimensional all along.

I can't say for sure, but I suspect the 4D chess go-along-with-Cinder headcanon gained traction around this time.

Volume 6

In the first episode, "Argus Limited," we see Adam on his throne in the Mistral headquarters looking over the bodies of faunus he killed while soundbytes of those men questioning his competency play. Adam mutters, "the Belladonna girl" in reference to an accusation by one of the soldiers and then cuts the chair in half while yelling at the ceiling.

Later in the episode, we see Adam, wearing a new hooded outfit and blindfolded instead of masked, watching Blake from a separated train car. Yang also hallucinates him in his old outfit while the protagonists take shelter from a storm in an abandoned farm. He doesn't appear again until episode 10, "Stealing from the Elderly," cornering Blake alone at the Argus radio tower after killing all of the employees.

Adam's characterization in the volume's final episodes doesn't change much from his characterization in v4 onward. He's still obsessed with Blake and blames her for his problems. Unlike their confrontations at Beacon and at Haven, however, Blake is now terrified of Adam. She tries to run and talk him out of the fight on multiple occasions to no avail.

What we do finally get, though, is a face reveal fans had been curious about for years.

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Adam removes his blindfold to reveal the letters SDC branded over his bloodied left eye. The Schnee Dust Company is a company known for “controversial labor forces” (as said by Blake in Volume 1), a description usually interpreted in fandom as either outright slavery or dangerously exploitative working conditions. 

There are a lot of reasons why this reveal made things so much worse in the fandom. For more on why it was a very bad writing choice, check out this post. There’s also this Reddit post in the same vein as what you’re reading now that goes into even more detail on why Adam is so controversial.

In terms of the story, this reveal occurred because Adam was in the process of manipulating Blake again - showing his scar while he talked about Blake leaving him when he’s been hurt by “all sorts of people in all sorts of ways.” This scene further divided people because it emphasized his known manipulative and abusive relationship with Blake (unsympathetic) over the new fact that he was branded over one eye with the logo of a racist company (extremely sympathetic).

Later, well after the episode aired and people had come up with theories for the brand’s existence, the showrunners declared outside of the show that the racist company’s brand appearing on an oppressed minority character’s face wasn’t due to the racism in the setting but rather Adam getting into an argument with someone at an SDC site and that person “let[ting] him have it.”

This revelation created further division among people who heard and accepted that belated explanation, people who heard it and didn’t accept it, and people who didn’t hear it.

With this finale also comes the final big accusation thrown at Adam: homophobia. In broad strokes, this is sourced from the (to date) unconfirmed ship bumbleby (Blake x Yang). At Beacon, Yang leapt to Blake's defense and Adam cut off her arm. At Argus, Yang again comes to Blake's defense and, working together, they overpower Adam after holding hands and declaring that they're protecting each other rather than one of them protecting the other.

The confrontation plays out and Adam dies to the broken pieces of his ex's weapon, stabbed in the front by his former partner and in the back by a human he saw once before for about thirty seconds. Blake breaks down crying and Yang comforts her. Shippers interpret this scene (in addition to this one leading up to it) as a key moment in their relationship. Yang also hits Adam with her bike called Bumblebee when she enters the scene. Because Blake and Yang were fighting Adam in the lead up to this bonding moment, some view Adam as a representation of homophobia standing in the way of the wlw couple.

Many also frequently make jokes about Adam being homophobic even though, in the show, it's seeing his former partner hold hands with someone else that sends Adam over the edge - arguably because he sees that relationship as viable, not because he doesn't believe women can love each other. He even yells at Yang, "What does [Blake] even see in you?"

Now that Adam is dead, let’s get into the genuinely thorny part. Neither the homophobia and misogyny accusations nor the canonical abuse or even the pedophilia/grooming angle can be considered the most controversial part of his character.

The Faunus Controversy

It is, fortunately or unfortunately, disingenuous to bring up Adam without bringing up RWBY’s entire faunus plot. Adam was a leader of the White Fang faunus group, for a time the leader, and his prominent role in the Black trailer and Volume 3, as well as the way Blake talked about and reacted to him, made him a significant face for the group.  

With that in mind, the crew explicitly compared (clip download link) the faunus to the American civil rights movement. Adam as a horned faunus is allegorical to a black person in America - he’s a discriminated-against minority fighting back against an oppressive majority. Not only that, but he’s a minority whose face was branded with the logo of a company he worked for.

If you want more detail about the White Fang controversy, I recommend watching these videos on it.

So, to recap: Adam is an oppressed, traumatized, and branded individual leading an extremist faction of a minority group fighting for a revolution against racism...and he’s a violent murderer who doesn’t care about his kin or cause and stalks the ex he abused across continents only to die at her hand.

A bit complicated, yeah? Depending on which aspects of his character resonate and which you can overlook, as well as which parts of his contradictory characterization you want to believe are the true core of his character, he can either be very sympathetic or the scum of the earth.

Framed another way, Adam arguably falls into the archetype of “oppressed character becomes a villain to lash out against the society that oppressed them but is stopped by the protagonists without the circumstances that led to their villainy being addressed.” Basically, this.

Side note number four: if you want to look into how Adam’s characterization ties into (and hurts) Blake’s arc, check out this video.

Let’s also briefly look at how CRWBY talk about Adam. The cast and crew often interact with the community and their attitudes towards events and characters often impacts how the fandom treats those characters. Adam is a prime example. We already covered the creators headcanoning Adam's age off the cuff and creating controversy that way.

More examples: Volume 6's sound designer tweeted about how the sound of the river Adam falls into after being fatally stabbed included a recording of a flushing toilet. Adam's English voice actor tweeted that Adam's only allergy was to Blake and Yang's love for each other (of note: that tweet was made in 2019. Blake and Yang's relationship is not canon as of 2022).

Those points, combined with the Word of God explanation of how Adam got his scar, point towards a dismissive attitude on the part of the creators towards Adam. This attitude bled into the fandom; if the creators don't care about this character or treat him with nuance, why should the fans?

So there you have it: the most complete in-one-spot picture of Adam in the original show and why people are weird about him. Which brings us to...

Ice Queendom

Before we even get into the show, let’s get into the promotional material from the official Ice Queendom website. Specifically, Adam’s character description:

“Adam was Blake’s companion during her White Fang era as well as her combat mentor. He expanded his faction with immense ruthlessness to achieve his goals, and replaces the old leader of the organization.” [source]

The romance aspects from the original are absent and it seems more in line with the Volume 2 mentor characterization than what came later. Also absent are indications of his faunus supremacist mindset that debuted in Volume 5.

Two important changes were made in IQ’s spin on the Black trailer:

As opposed to the “What about them?” line, we get Adam stating clearly that he doesn’t care about the crew members because they’re human. This bolsters his characterization of prioritizing Faunus over humans to the point that he sees innocent human lives as not even worth considering when making plans. It’s similar to the original, yes, but that sliver of nuance matters when establishing a character.

We hear immediately after Blake leaves that Adam chooses not to pursue Blake when he could if he wanted. In the original show, this detail was not revealed until the third season. Moreover, we hear from IQ!Adam that he is choosing not to give chase specifically because he believes the world is so hostile to Faunus that Blake will see things his way soon enough.

Nothing in Adam and Blake's interactions in Ice Queendom indicate abuse, misogyny, pedophilia/grooming, or homophobia - just like the original trailer. However, the biggest point in IQ!Adam's favor is simply that he is not the main show's Adam. His character has been tweaked just like many other RWBY characters to better fit IQ's story. Not only that, but for all that the original Adam did in his RWBY run, he has done none of that in IQ. To judge a character based on things that have not happened in their story is to do a disservice to that character, and to judge people for liking the new iteration of that character is to be needlessly weird about it.

It is at this point that this post finally comes to a close. As I said at the start: use this information to engage with Adam however you see fit.

"

TLDR: Adam had magnetos motivation, vergils moveset and drip with jetstream sam weapon, how the hell he went from "Extremist of a civil right movement that wanted revenge against the world that fucked him up" to "blakes obsessive ex" is beyond me Also, from amity arena:

(why did weiss never met him!?)

Look me in the eye and tell me Monty planned for Adam to become a one dimensional edgelord after having spent three volumes building him up as a tragic, conflicted revolutionary.

Bruh.

Literally the first thing we see Adam do in the series is hijack a train full of innocent civilians and bluntly state he doesn't give a damn if they die because of his actions. He was never a good person.

[elevatedseasons]

Why You Should Add Christmas Lights To Your Home This Year

Getting into the holiday mood at home by decorating with Christmas lights is a wonderful way to celebrate the season. Not only will you be able to take pleasure in their merry beauty, but they also have the potential to make your house more secure and more energy efficient. This article will go through the many reasons why decorating your house with Christmas lights is a good idea and provide some advice on how to do it securely. Consider putting up some Christmas lights in your house if you’re searching for a method to inject a little holiday cheer into your abode this year. The following are some of the reasons why you might want to jump into the fun

Christmas Lights are Festive and Fun

As a celebration, Christmas has always been about going all out, and that’s part of what makes it so endearing. Decorating your home with Christmas lights, a Christmas tree, and maybe even a Nativity set is the best way to get into the holiday spirit. Christmas lights are a staple of holiday celebrations because they allow us to do so in style while keeping our enthusiasm for the season alive, year after year.

It’s a great way to celebrate Christmas, even if you’re home and busy on the 25th. You may be pressed for time, but lighting your home can help you feel more festive. Also, if you’ll be spending the holidays away from loved ones this year, it’s always comforting to have a token of home with which to celebrate the season. Putting up holiday lights doesn’t have to take a long time, just a few minutes, and then you can bask in their glow for the duration of the season.

Christmas Lights Create a Warm and Inviting Atmosphere

To be human is to enjoy the privilege of relocating to new and exciting locations, which is just one of the many advantages of our species. A home can be anywhere, from a mansion to a tree house. Christmas lights are the finishing touch that makes a house a home. They can make your home feel like a cozy retreat, perfect for hosting holiday parties, exchanging presents, and spending time with loved ones.

There’s certainly no reason to go to the trouble of installing lights if you don’t want to; however, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be glad you did. In the same way that putting on a coat before venturing outside into the cold, decorating your home with Christmas lights adds an instant layer of warmth and coziness, making it feel like coming home after a long day. All lit up and sparkling from the inside, the house welcomes your home and invites you to stay for a while when you pull up in the evening.

They Can Be Used Indoors or Outdoors The Christmas lights are one of the best parts of the holiday season. Whether a giant, flashy display or a simple, elegant string of icicle lights, a string of lights casts a spell on the bleak winter night. The practice of adorning trees and bushes with strings of lights dates back centuries, and their ability to spread cheer remains unchanged. As the days grow shorter and the weather colder, turning on bright lights can help your house feel more like a haven.

You may have heard terrifying tales of Christmas lights going awry and causing a house fire or roof blaze. While it’s true that purchasing combustible decorations isn’t the best course of action, there are plenty of safe ways to decorate for the holidays. If you want to adorn your outdoor area with lights that plug into an electrical outlet, you should not use an extension cable.

They Come in a Variety of Styles and Colors

Focusing on quality rather than quantity is essential when searching for Christmas lights. Before shopping for lights, consider what you need and want from them. Consider the dimensions of the areas you need to illuminate and the aesthetic and functional goals you have in mind for your home’s lighting. Reduce the number of possible light sources by eliminating those that aren’t suitable based on color and design.

Then, only get what you need. In addition to saving money, this will guarantee that the final product is exactly what you envisioned for your house. Just keep moving if you come across something beautiful, but it doesn’t fit into your larger scheme (for instance, if the lights don’t come in the color or style you want).

The holidays are a time for celebration, and what better way to celebrate than with beautiful lights? Elevated Seasons would like to remind you of the importance of adding Christmas lights to your home this year. If you have been considering adding Christmas lights, you can contact Elevated Seasons at (818) 698-2514 for more information. Let us bring happiness and joy to you and your family. We are proudly serving the greater Los Angeles area.

[rosmerta-bahadir]

tag drop. 

[unofficialadamtaurus]

Why Is Everyone So Weird About Adam?

If you’re asking this question, you’re probably new to the fandom and/or the show. In that case, welcome! There’s a lot of fun to be had with RWBY, both Ice Queendom and the original show.

If you’re not new, consider this a chance to get up to speed. If there’s something you feel I missed, feel free to add it in a reblog or reply.

To answer the main question in brief: the tension around Adam is tied to his controversial* portrayal in the 3D source material.

We’ll go through the context of original show bit by bit so you can understand why people get so weird about Adam in ways they don’t for other villain characters. Keep an open mind, take in the facts, form your own opinion, and then engage with Adam however you see fit.

And, of course, Adam-related-stuff spoiler alert for the main show and the first episode of Ice Queendom. Additionally, content warning for high-level discussions of misogyny, grooming, pedophilia, abuse, and homophobia.

The Trailer

If you weren’t aware, RWBY began with four separate trailers, one for each main girl and letter in the acronym. These trailers started coming out in Winter of 2012 and the last was released on June 1, 2013 - just over a month before the first episode premiered. Within these trailers, Adam had the noteworthy role of being the first male character seen on screen and the first character to speak in the whole show.

In the Black trailer, Adam finds Blake in a clearing and tells her “It’s time.” They run through the forest and jump onto a massive train passing through. Once inside, Adam quips, “Looks like we’re going to be doing this the hard way,” to which Blake replies, “Don’t be so dramatic” with a little smile. As they fight a lot of robots, they leave opportunities for the other to finish off certain enemies. Their teamwork is tight and they clearly trust that the other will have their back.

At the midpoint, Adam checks a crate and tells Blake to move up to the next car while he sets the charges. Blake asks him about the crew members and Adam, with a very sinister edge to his voice, says, “What about them?”

There’s another big fight before Blake can answer, during which Adam gets a now iconic glory shot:

The trailer ends with Blake cutting apart the coupling between hers and Adam’s train cars; she fades into the distance, out of Adam’s reach.

So, the aspects of Adam that hooked people immediately: his design (black and red is a very good aesthetic), his superpower (disintegrating a massive robot with a single swing), and his weapons (gun sheath that can fire the sword it holds).

Adam’s fighting style in the Black trailer is cool. It’s entertaining. It’s fun to watch. People makes gifs of it for a reason.

How much mileage a person gets out of these aspects varies, of course, but on the face of it Adam has a very solid design and is entertaining on the screen. Combined with his obvious history with Blake, people were invested. Theories about his future role in the story, a confrontation with Blake, and so on circulated as the show entered its first season.

Many of those theories found traction by using the trailer’s background music - “From Shadows.” The lyrics are not subtle:

Born with, no life Into subjugation Treated like a, worthless animal Stripped of all rights Just a lesser being Crushed by cruel, ruthless human rule

We can infer right off the bat that Blake and Adam are fighting against oppression. Moreover, they are not themselves human. The fight aspect comes across clearly in the chorus:

From shadows we'll descend upon the world Take back what you stole From shadows we'll reclaim our destiny Set our future free

Rather than a straight evil villain that Blake had to run away from to save herself, Adam comes off as a morally ambiguous counterpart to Blake with the way he was doing the right thing (resisting oppression) the wrong way (murdering innocent crewmembers). Working only with what’s in the trailer, Blake left because she no longer agreed with his methodology.

Also, for context: here’s a link to an official video explaining what a faunus (what Blake and Adam are) is. Tl;dr they’re humans with one animal trait, like cat ears, added on.

The Show

So we have him featured as a deuteragonist to Blake in the trailer...and then Adam isn’t mentioned again in the show until he’s mentioned by Blake in episode 10 of Volume 2, "Mountain Glenn."

Side note number one: there’s actually a point earlier at which Blake explains the history of the White Fang to Sun (another Faunus), and she notes that a new, more violent leader took charge after the old pacifist one steps down. She doesn’t name names, but we learn later that the pacifist leader is actually Blake’s father, Ghira Belladonna, and the new leader is Sienna Khan, both of whom won’t show up until later volumes.

Back to episode 10: Blake describes Adam as a partner and then clarifies that he was “more of a mentor, actually.” At this point, roughly a year and a half has passed since we last heard anything about Adam. This brief mentor description fits with what we went over in the trailer section and confirmed a lot of theories at the time. Hype grew for what people saw as the inevitable confrontation between Blake and Adam, especially now that Blake was actively fighting against the White Fang and was on a team with the Schnee Dust Company heiress.

Adam does physically appear in Breach, the twelfth and final episode of Volume 2, to reassure Cinder’s faction that the White Fang will continue to listen to their faction despite heavy losses. With full confidence in his influence over his men, Adam says, “they’ll listen to me.”

Cue a wild storm of speculation trying to figure out how Adam fits into the White Fang alliance with Cinder. It started with the White Fang allying with Torchwick (a human) earlier in the show, but having Adam show that their alliance was apparently a willing one changed things. This scene cemented Adam’s role as an outright villain, though some still held out hope that he had a better reason for allying with Cinder than the joy of murdering humans.

It should be noted at this point that Tauradonna (Blake x Adam) was a very popular ship at this time.

The Show: Volume 3

The next time we see Adam is Volume 3 Episode 7, "Beginning of the End." In this episode, we are shown a scene of Cinder approaching Adam in his camp in Forever Fall presumably for the first time. She asks for his help attacking Vale; Adam rejects her, saying, "The White Fang is not an organization for hire! We're a force of revolution!"

When Cinder tries again to appeal to him, he shuts her down by explaining, "You're asking my men to die for your cause. A human cause. That is not an idea I am willing to entertain." He finishes this statement by lifting his weapon in an implied threat. Cinder gets the message and leaves. Shortly after, Blake approaches Adam and asks who Cinder was, but Adam tells her not to worry about it.

Later in the same episode and after the events of the Black trailer have occurred, Adam and his lieutenant are having a discussion in a camp tent. The lieutenant swears he will find Blake; Adam tells him to let her go. Cinder then returns to the camp with some of the maiden powers and wreaks havoc. When the chaos pulls Adam and his lieutenant from his tent, Cinder again asks for Adam's help, this time with the threat of violence somewhat softened by the same cases of money and Dust she brought the first time.

Note the smoke and bodies in the background.

Important fandom split here: at the time this episode aired, it appears that there was a general consensus that Adam was genuinely threatened into doing what he did. After character revelations to be discussed in a bit, that consensus fractured with a notable subset of people interpreting this scene as Adam willingly submitting to Cinder in a 4D chess move to gain powerful allies and that he never cared about the lives of his men at all. That line of thinking also postulates that his initial rejection was nothing but an act to maintain his reputation with his men.

Moving on: Beacon, the huntsman training academy Blake is attending, comes under siege by hacked robots and hordes of Grimm. White Fang piloting ships are delivering Grimm where they otherwise could not reach, presumably with Adam's blessing. The man himself doesn't appear until Volume 3 episode 10, "Battle of Beacon." Adam has a defenseless student at his mercy when Blake sees him. Before she can run, he notices her and says, "Hello, my darling."

We get into the meat of their confrontation in episode 11, "Heroes and Monsters." Blake rushes Adam to save the aforementioned student, who promptly vanishes from the scene, but Adam is unimpressed. In response to her claiming that she's not running, he pushes her weapon down one-handed and says, "You will."

Adam dominates Blake in a one-sided fight. Yang shows up looking for Blake as Adam is promising to destroy everything Blake loves. Adam stabs Blake through her abdomen to get her to cry out, grabbing Yang’s attention. Yang launches herself at Adam in a protective rage; Adam cuts off her arm.

Blake throws herself in front of a now unconscious Yang and Adam, after a brief irritated pause, cuts off Blake’s head - only he doesn’t, because that was just a shadow clone Blake left behind so she could grab Yang and escape. Adam doesn’t give chase, just walks menacingly in that direction while casually killing a Grimm that lunges at him...and then he is gone for the rest of the volume.

So, during this confrontation, Adam kicks Blake in the stomach, backhands her across the face, and stabs her through the abdomen. Given that the entire encounter is soaked in Adam's "my love" and "darling" forms of address to Blake, many fans interpreted this violence as abuse, and specifically romantic partner abuse. Other fans interpreted it as violence against Blake as a combatant standing in Adam's way to whom he wants to prove a point.

To be blunt, this encounter shattered expectations, and not necessarily in a good way. To see Adam so vindictively pleased to attack Beacon, see Blake, and wear her down went against the buildup earlier in the volume with the Cinder scenes and particularly the scene in which Adam tells his lieutenant not to go after Blake.

After this episode aired, Tauradonna shippers vanished in droves as they were hit with accusations of supporting an abusive ship despite there being no indication that this physical violence was present before this point; Adam fans likewise retreated.

Although some of the dialogue - mostly Blake's - still made overtures at the revolution and justice angles to her and Adam's theorized philosophies, the romantic dialogue and violence from Adam distracted from those grander themes with petty revenge against Blake for her "betrayal" of him in the Black trailer.

Side note number two: one person found the jilted ex boyfriend characterization to be so egregious that they made an edit of the scene to remove it entirely. I recommend giving it a look after watching the original version.

Beyond the abuse angle, this episode also surfaced two other accusations now often leveled at Adam: pedophilia/grooming and misogyny. I can't speak to their frequency at the time the episode aired, but they are plenty common now.

On the pedophilia and grooming front, these headcanons mainly derive from Barbara and Arryn, the voices of Yang and Blake, respectively, stating during an interview their personal headcanon of Adam's age. They viewed him as in his twenties. Based on other vaguely established pseudo-canon not depicted in the show surrounding Blake and Adam's first meeting, this would mean that Adam met Blake when he was well into his teens and she was around 12 or 13.

Adam's age was never confirmed in the show. Grooming or pedophilia was also never depicted. These accusations are extrapolations from cast members' headcanons coupled with pseudo-canon material.

The misogyny accusations stem from Adam's attacks against Blake. Physical abuse against Blake, a woman, was grounds enough for the claim. There’s no delicate way to say this, but put bluntly, abuse against a woman is not inherently misogynistic. Abuse against a woman because she is a woman is inherently misogynistic.

Although the claim that misogyny doesn’t exist on Remnant has been floating around for years, I wasn’t able to track down a source for it.

Because of this misogynist label on Adam, fans of his were swiftly condemned as misogynists as well. This has led to many fans of his being interpreted as “dude bros” getting overly hyped about a "nothing” character just because they like how “cool” he is while they misogynistically ignore the main protagonists. If you want an example of this dismissive attitude, check out this video from Twiins iink. Also note that the title has been changed since posting from “Get Over Adam” to what you see now after there was significant backlash from parts of the fandom for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond the scope of this post.

Despite all of the troublesome implications and interpretations of Blake and Adam's confrontation at Beacon, there were some positives that Adam fans latched onto: Adam's intimidation factor as a villain (effortlessly besting Blake in a fight, taking down Yang in one shot), his indisputable personal connection to Blake, and his role in the central conflict of the story. He also, at this point, still could fulfill the role of the foil to Blake's more pacifist views going forward.

Side note number three: there are conflicting opinions on Adam's actual power level. I did a breakdown in this post.

So here we have another split in the fandom in addition to the ones before it: those who enjoyed his character now for the cool factor of how powerful he seemed - given that he took down Blake and Yang without apparent difficulty - and others who viewed that first group as endorsing the things Adam did and ostensibly stood for.

There is also another group of people existing even now who are genuinely supportive of more of less everything that Adam did and is accused of doing, but I honestly don’t know much about them. There are only a couple that I’ve seen and interacted with, but it’s not at all a common position these days. However, nearly all Adam fans are at some point lumped into this group.

I want to emphasize that Volume 3, and particularly the Adam and Blake confrontation, is the linchpin moment for Adam fans. I’ll run through the rest of the show just so you have context, but by the time one particular detail about Adam’s past came to light in Volume 6, most fans of his had already jumped ship.

Volumes 4 and 5

In these volumes we get an abrupt reframing of the White Fang's structure with the introduction of the cult-like Menagerie branch and, in the Mistral-based headquarters, high leader Sienna Khan. Although the show communicated that there was more to the organization than Adam in earlier volumes, those other branches and power structures had never been explored.

Sienna's introduction complicated people's relationship with Adam because she occupied the same niche he had originally been interpreted as filling: that of a violent activist.

For an in depth comparison of Sienna, Adam, and Ghira's methods, look at this post.

We are also introduced to Ilia Amitola, another White Fang member who subscribes to Adam and Sienna's view. Here's a post comparing and contrasting Ilia and Adam, since another common point brought up with Adam fans is how Ilia is Adam but "better."

Anyway, Adam features in one of Yang's PTSD nightmares in Volume 4. He then kicks off Volume 5 by giving a speech in support of reverse racism to Sienna, whom he promptly murders. His actual words: "[T]he Faunus are the dominant species of this planet. We're better than humans. We have everything humans have and more. Humans shouldn't just fear the Faunus, they should serve the Faunus."

Suffice to say he was hemorrhaging fans at this point. At the same time, critique of the entire White Fang plot, which had been present since its inception, lit up with Adam's latest characterization as the catalyst.

Adam succeeds in his coup and becomes the high leader of the White Fang. He's bad at it, he fails to bring down Haven, and is generally just pathetic. He ends the volume in disgrace, having narrowly escaped capture.

The Adam Character Short

Before Volume 6 aired, the show put out an Adam character short - think of it as a mini-episode dedicated to Adam.

The short showed that Adam was influenced and encouraged by Sienna, was the first to introduce Grimm masks to the White Fang, and emotionally manipulated Blake into staying with the White Fang when she no longer agreed with his methods. It also - years later - put in a scene of Adam apparently desiring Sienna's position of high leader despite his characterization in the first three volumes not hinting at that desire. This inclusion led to new analyses of early content with confirmation bias in full effect to show how Adam was actually terrible and one-dimensional all along.

I can't say for sure, but I suspect the 4D chess go-along-with-Cinder headcanon gained traction around this time.

Volume 6

In the first episode, "Argus Limited," we see Adam on his throne in the Mistral headquarters looking over the bodies of faunus he killed while soundbytes of those men questioning his competency play. Adam mutters, "the Belladonna girl" in reference to an accusation by one of the soldiers and then cuts the chair in half while yelling at the ceiling.

Later in the episode, we see Adam, wearing a new hooded outfit and blindfolded instead of masked, watching Blake from a separated train car. Yang also hallucinates him in his old outfit while the protagonists take shelter from a storm in an abandoned farm. He doesn't appear again until episode 10, "Stealing from the Elderly," cornering Blake alone at the Argus radio tower after killing all of the employees.

Adam's characterization in the volume's final episodes doesn't change much from his characterization in v4 onward. He's still obsessed with Blake and blames her for his problems. Unlike their confrontations at Beacon and at Haven, however, Blake is now terrified of Adam. She tries to run and talk him out of the fight on multiple occasions to no avail.

What we do finally get, though, is a face reveal fans had been curious about for years.

Adam removes his blindfold to reveal the letters SDC branded over his bloodied left eye. The Schnee Dust Company is a company known for “controversial labor forces” (as said by Blake in Volume 1), a description usually interpreted in fandom as either outright slavery or dangerously exploitative working conditions. 

There are a lot of reasons why this reveal made things so much worse in the fandom. For more on why it was a very bad writing choice, check out this post. There’s also this Reddit post in the same vein as what you’re reading now that goes into even more detail on why Adam is so controversial.

In terms of the story, this reveal occurred because Adam was in the process of manipulating Blake again - showing his scar while he talked about Blake leaving him when he’s been hurt by “all sorts of people in all sorts of ways.” This scene further divided people because it emphasized his known manipulative and abusive relationship with Blake (unsympathetic) over the new fact that he was branded over one eye with the logo of a racist company (extremely sympathetic).

Later, well after the episode aired and people had come up with theories for the brand’s existence, the showrunners declared outside of the show that the racist company’s brand appearing on an oppressed minority character’s face wasn’t due to the racism in the setting but rather Adam getting into an argument with someone at an SDC site and that person “let[ting] him have it.”

This revelation created further division among people who heard and accepted that belated explanation, people who heard it and didn’t accept it, and people who didn’t hear it.

With this finale also comes the final big accusation thrown at Adam: homophobia. In broad strokes, this is sourced from the (to date) unconfirmed ship bumbleby (Blake x Yang). At Beacon, Yang leapt to Blake's defense and Adam cut off her arm. At Argus, Yang again comes to Blake's defense and, working together, they overpower Adam after holding hands and declaring that they're protecting each other rather than one of them protecting the other.

The confrontation plays out and Adam dies to the broken pieces of his ex's weapon, stabbed in the front by his former partner and in the back by a human he saw once before for about thirty seconds. Blake breaks down crying and Yang comforts her. Shippers interpret this scene (in addition to this one leading up to it) as a key moment in their relationship. Yang also hits Adam with her bike called Bumblebee when she enters the scene. Because Blake and Yang were fighting Adam in the lead up to this bonding moment, some view Adam as a representation of homophobia standing in the way of the wlw couple.

Many also frequently make jokes about Adam being homophobic even though, in the show, it's seeing his former partner hold hands with someone else that sends Adam over the edge - arguably because he sees that relationship as viable, not because he doesn't believe women can love each other. He even yells at Yang, "What does [Blake] even see in you?"

Now that Adam is dead, let’s get into the genuinely thorny part. Neither the homophobia and misogyny accusations nor the canonical abuse or even the pedophilia/grooming angle can be considered the most controversial part of his character.

The Faunus Controversy

It is, fortunately or unfortunately, disingenuous to bring up Adam without bringing up RWBY’s entire faunus plot. Adam was a leader of the White Fang faunus group, for a time the leader, and his prominent role in the Black trailer and Volume 3, as well as the way Blake talked about and reacted to him, made him a significant face for the group.  

With that in mind, the crew explicitly compared (clip download link) the faunus to the American civil rights movement. Adam as a horned faunus is allegorical to a black person in America - he’s a discriminated-against minority fighting back against an oppressive majority. Not only that, but he’s a minority whose face was branded with the logo of a company he worked for.

If you want more detail about the White Fang controversy, I recommend watching these videos on it.

So, to recap: Adam is an oppressed, traumatized, and branded individual leading an extremist faction of a minority group fighting for a revolution against racism...and he’s a violent murderer who doesn’t care about his kin or cause and stalks the ex he abused across continents only to die at her hand.

A bit complicated, yeah? Depending on which aspects of his character resonate and which you can overlook, as well as which parts of his contradictory characterization you want to believe are the true core of his character, he can either be very sympathetic or the scum of the earth.

Framed another way, Adam arguably falls into the archetype of “oppressed character becomes a villain to lash out against the society that oppressed them but is stopped by the protagonists without the circumstances that led to their villainy being addressed.” Basically, this.

Side note number four: if you want to look into how Adam’s characterization ties into (and hurts) Blake’s arc, check out this video.

Let’s also briefly look at how CRWBY talk about Adam. The cast and crew often interact with the community and their attitudes towards events and characters often impacts how the fandom treats those characters. Adam is a prime example. We already covered the creators headcanoning Adam's age off the cuff and creating controversy that way.

More examples: Volume 6's sound designer tweeted about how the sound of the river Adam falls into after being fatally stabbed included a recording of a flushing toilet. Adam's English voice actor tweeted that Adam's only allergy was to Blake and Yang's love for each other (of note: that tweet was made in 2019. Blake and Yang's relationship is not canon as of 2022).

Those points, combined with the Word of God explanation of how Adam got his scar, point towards a dismissive attitude on the part of the creators towards Adam. This attitude bled into the fandom; if the creators don't care about this character or treat him with nuance, why should the fans?

So there you have it: the most complete in-one-spot picture of Adam in the original show and why people are weird about him. Which brings us to...

Ice Queendom

Before we even get into the show, let’s get into the promotional material from the official Ice Queendom website. Specifically, Adam’s character description:

“Adam was Blake’s companion during her White Fang era as well as her combat mentor. He expanded his faction with immense ruthlessness to achieve his goals, and replaces the old leader of the organization.” [source]

The romance aspects from the original are absent and it seems more in line with the Volume 2 mentor characterization than what came later. Also absent are indications of his faunus supremacist mindset that debuted in Volume 5.

Two important changes were made in IQ’s spin on the Black trailer:

As opposed to the “What about them?” line, we get Adam stating clearly that he doesn’t care about the crew members because they’re human. This bolsters his characterization of prioritizing Faunus over humans to the point that he sees innocent human lives as not even worth considering when making plans. It’s similar to the original, yes, but that sliver of nuance matters when establishing a character.

We hear immediately after Blake leaves that Adam chooses not to pursue Blake when he could if he wanted. In the original show, this detail was not revealed until the third season. Moreover, we hear from IQ!Adam that he is choosing not to give chase specifically because he believes the world is so hostile to Faunus that Blake will see things his way soon enough.

Nothing in Adam and Blake's interactions in Ice Queendom indicate abuse, misogyny, pedophilia/grooming, or homophobia - just like the original trailer. However, the biggest point in IQ!Adam's favor is simply that he is not the main show's Adam. His character has been tweaked just like many other RWBY characters to better fit IQ's story. Not only that, but for all that the original Adam did in his RWBY run, he has done none of that in IQ. To judge a character based on things that have not happened in their story is to do a disservice to that character, and to judge people for liking the new iteration of that character is to be needlessly weird about it.

It is at this point that this post finally comes to a close. As I said at the start: use this information to engage with Adam however you see fit.

While you're ruminating on that, enjoy this picture of my cat as a reward for enduring this post.

[nerdwriting]

The Creative Directors Behind Fate: The Winx Saga Must Not Be K-Pop Fans

Also, they have a pretty wrong idea of the role fashion should play in a show.

There are a few words that will stand out across most reviews of Netflix's Fate: The Winx Saga - drab, boring, flop, flat, unimaginative. Critics and audiences consensus is that the show is not only a mediocre-at-best story, but also an atrocious (and ultimately confusing) choice of adaptation of the color pop and fairy magic cartoon it’s based on, 2004 italian cartoon Winx Club.

Fate has plenty of it's own issues - white washing and erasing characters, cringey dialogue, outdated melodrama, etc. But where it truly, unequivocally fails is as an adaptation. Fate misses everything that was magical and lovable about the original series, in all levels, from bizarre writing choices, - such as never actually developing any sense of friendship between the characters, who are based on a cartoon about…..a group…….of friends -, but it's especially and immediately felt in the art direction and costume design.

Winx Club is set on a fantastical world, Magix, where each of our main characters hail from a different planet, à la Sailor Moon. Alfea, the fairy school they attend, is the most common background: a pastel colored, futuristic high tech-meets-fantasy, art nouveau inspired castle. Alfea sets the tone for the whole visual of the cartoon: bright, colorful, futuristic meets vintage, leaning into the technological positivism of the Y2K style, uniting it with magic, DnD worthy monsters and, of course, fairy wings. Often featured are also the Red Fountain school, where the Specialists train, and especially Cloud Tower, the goth and gothic inspired witch school Alfea has an OxBridge rivalry with (How cool would that be in a live action? I guess we’ll never know…).

On Fate, Alfea is the only school we ever see, and it’s another beige boarding school in not-Britain, somehow set in a magical world where everyone has the exact same technology and even social media that we have on Earth in 2021, no transformations and, most egregiously, no fairy wings.

This lack of visual creativity is pervasive throughout the whole show, and its most heartbreaking iteration is in the characters' wardrobe. The styling has the barest bones of a color scheme, - such as 'Bloom has to only dress in red since fire, duh',- the clothes are ill fitting, bland, dark and very dated. These are supposed to be teenagers who enjoy fashion, and yet they look like varying types of soccer moms from 2010.

The series seems to operate on an old and tired vision that women and girls can’t have depth and have adventures and fight monsters while also caring about fashion, a vision that the original show played a big, big role in challenging in the early 2000's. Fashion and costume design sets as much of the tone of a visual medium as the script does; through clothes we can gauge characters’ backgrounds, passions, and personality.

Winx Club has some of the best examples of this in the cartoon sphere - Bloom’s comfortable and bright style, Stella’s glitzy and bold, Musa’s edgy and cool, Aisha’s sporty and fun, Techna’s neon and tech gear inspired, Flora’s earthy and romantic, they all work as extensions of each character and serve a narrative purpose. And that’s not even mentioning how insulting it feels that in their quest to make Winx “edgier, darker” and fit for an older audience, the creators of Fate somehow decided that was in opposition to caring about style and fashion. Most “girly” shows, including the Winx Club are just as much adventure action shows as the ones geared towards boys, and it’s emphasis in fashion, friendship and color does not detract from that. The original run of the cartoon deals with war, violence, grief, abusive relationships and even genocide; leaning into those plotlines would not require Fate to erase any integral parts of what made Winx so beloved, and the fact that they did shows that the Netflix team completely missed the point of fashion in the original show, and really, the point of fashion and costume design in the world building of any show.

That, however, is not a mistake K-Pop makes very often; (This might seem like a bit of wild swerve in topic, but stay with me here). Unlike it's western counterpart, the Korean pop scene never lost the emphasis on music videos and how the visual medium can complete and potentialize music and performance; the K-Pop culture is very album and concept oriented in a way that has been all but lost in many other pop circuits, and the music video, styling and set design of a ‘comeback era’ is a key point of excitement among fans.

As such, music videos that follow storylines, connected universes, boundary pushing concepts and visual effects are the norm, rather than the exception, and a list could be made of works that are beautiful examples of what a live action Winx adaptation could look like. In fact, and very smoothly, here is a small list of exactly that!

A Small List of K-Pop Music Videos That Are Better Winx Club Live Actions Than Fate: The Winx Saga

3. Red Velvet - Psycho

If it was a darker and more somber look that Fate wanted, there was a way to make it actually appealing. While it still feels a liiitle too grown up and elegant for Winx, (maybe this author is biased, as a full proponent for the Y2K fun) Psycho makes a very compelling argument for a witchy, mysterious, fairy tale-esque show that could look scrumptious and definitely not boring, or even a gorgeous example of what the witches in Cloud Tower could look like. Black and white, dark green, pastel blue and pops of jewel tones make Psycho's color palette. To add interest to the understated colors, the styling is heavy on textures; We see plenty of stonework, intricate embroidery, tassels, lace on lace on lace, feathers, bows, opera gloves and lots of glitter. All of that is offset by bold, dark makeup, leather accents and eerie cinematography. Needle & Thread, Marchesa Notte and Self Portrait lend their hyper feminine and intricately detailed tulle gowns, juxtaposed with the creepiness of the lyrics and the dark backgrounds; their deep berry and green fairy tale looks are built with pieces from Zara to Nina Ricci to Dolce & Gabbana to Alexander McQueen.

Red Velvet’s more edgy styling for 2018's Bad Boy would also not feel out of place on the Trix.

2. IZ*ONE - Fiesta

IZ*ONE kicked off 2020 with sweet and fun Fiesta. The MV features rooms with mismatched décor that go from retro to space opera, rocky faux landscapes that feel other worldly, and visual effects that would look perfect on the back of a transformation sequence. Mirroring the set design, the girls wear various outfits by sustainable up and coming brand Chopova Lowena. Their signature skirts made with discarded and repurposed fabrics give a cool and interesting twist on a schoolgirl look that would look very sweet for a band of school fairies that occasionally go off to save the world. Also, wouldn't those bedazzled headphones look great on Musa's fairy outfit?

1. Aespa - Black Mamba and Next Level

Aespa is what fans call a monster rookie. With only three music videos under their belt, they still have some of the most visually interesting work in the industry right now. Their concept is very tied in with high tech, featuring even AI avatars of each member, packaged in a glitzy, fantastical and futuristic aesthetic, candy pop meets cyberpunk. I think I’ve exhausted ways to say that is exactly what a perfect Winx adaptation should feature.

Their debut smash hit, 2020’s Black Mamba is truly a perfect moodboard for live action Winx. Wearing a sequined and colorful mix and match of Dollskill, Gucci, Didu and Balenciaga to a backdrop that features some alien fairy forest realness, a pyschedelic fever dream, rooms straight out of a Y2K catalog or donning lime green and black techwear inside a metro fighting the "black mamba", Aespa look through and through the part of fashion loving fairies who save the world together, while looking fierce, stylish and, most importantly, interesting.

The styling and the sets jump seamlessly from more casual colorful fits with blouses, shirts and baggy pants to barren, darkly lit backgrounds and fringe-and-glitter heavy pieces necessary to fight giant snakes, in a way so fitting to transformation outfits for magical girls we could cry.

In their third MV, 2021's Next Level, the cyber in their concept is taken up a notch (get it. because Next Level-), set to a futuristic urbanscape intersped with a planet made of crystals and the ocasional alien fauna popping up again. We get treated to Monse, The 2nd Skin Co., Johanna Ortiz and The Attico styled to fairy princess standards, sporty sky racers and a white and sequined group styling that is top ten fairy busy saving the world uniform material, or maybe even a specialist worthy getup.

This particular look from Ningning is so Techna that it almost feels as if it's mocking Netflix.

And doesn’t this Karina trapped inside the "black mamba" in Alexander McQueen feel like a perfect Dark Bloom moment?

These are only a few examples of interesting and creative designs that are in line with what a live action Winx Club should have given us. There are so many more I could list, even among other TV Shows, like Sex Education and even polemic dark Euphoria, that know how to have fun with style and design without losing the depth of their stories. In the end, it's hard to justify why Fate creators even wanted to make an adaptation that didn't even try to capture the heart of its source material, and all we can do is watch one more "Restyling Fate: The Winx Saga" video on Youtube whilst mildly dreading season 2.

[talkfantasytome]

A New Habit

Rowaelin Month Prompt: You accidentally walked into my dorm or apartment.

Aelin's new next-door neighbor is gorgeous. And she just walked into his apartment instead of her own. Embarrassed, she flees back to her own apartment. She didn't expect to end up in the same space as him again so soon afterward.

Warnings: Language; Mild Smut | Word Count: 3,675

Read on AO3

a/n: I had a bit of fun with Rowan in this...I'm not sorry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Honey, I'm home!" Aelin called out, flipping through the mail she'd picked up.

She always greeted Lysandra this way. With her best friend and housemate having a job where she worked from home, and Aelin unable to cook without setting something on fire, Lysandra took on the misogynistically stereotypical role of a sixties housewife. They both loved it.

"Oh, good. I was getting worried, darling," said a deep, wry voice that most definitely wasn't Lysandra's or Aedion's.

Aelin froze in place, looking up and meeting a pair of playful pine green eyes.

Oh, shit!

It was her new neighbor. The one Aelin had been practically drooling over since he'd moved into the apartment next door the month before. Tall, broad with muscles for days, strong and defined lines, handsome as all hell with silver hair that truly sparkled. He was a walking wet dream, and had been invading hers since the day he moved in. And a quick look around the room at the dark aesthetic told Aelin she'd definitely walked into the wrong apartment.

Laughing awkwardly as the realization created a massive pit in her stomach, she started to back away. "So sorry. It's been a long day, I misjudged the distance to my apartment."

"And the big, bright, gold six-oh-five on my door," he added, smiling in amusement, the lilt of his accent causing Aelin's heart to skip a beat. She honestly hadn't thought he could get any hotter, but there he was, speaking with an Australian accent. If she wasn't so embarrassed she already would've dropped her panties.

"I clearly was not paying attention. I'm very sorry for barging in on you, I didn't mean to invade your privacy." Her tone was breathy and quiet as she offered her apology. "I'll just be, erm…" She motioned to the door and finally turned to walk out.

"It could've been worse," he called after her, making Aelin pause before she reached the door. She turned to meet his eye again. "I could've been naked." He smirked and Aelin couldn't help the soft blush that rose to her cheeks.

It didn't stop her from opening her mouth, though. "I'm not sure I'd call that worse." She then winked and strutted out the apartment, thanking Mala for bringing her swagger back just in the nick of time. She didn't miss the soft chuckle as she opened and closed the door.

And quickly rushed into her apartment.

Once inside, she slumped against the door, cursing herself for her idiocy. She couldn't believe she'd barged into her neighbor's apartment. Her unfairly hot neighbor. Aelin was sure her cheeks must've been a bright red that entire time, and bringing her hands to her face told her they likely still were.

"Ae, is that you?" Lysandra asked, walking around the kitchen island to find Aelin finally straightening. "Is everything okay? You didn't give me my usual greeting." Lys pouted before she actually got a look at Aelin, and suddenly her face shifted to one of concern.

"I just walked in on our neighbor," Aelin sighed, dragging herself into the living room and plopping down on the couch.

"Um, what?" Lysandra asked in confusion, grabbing the water she'd been pouring for herself and then sitting down on the other side of the sectional, facing her friend.

Aelin groaned and threw her head against the back cushions. "I was one door early for our apartment, and I walked in on our neighbor."

"The one you're in love with?"

"I'm not in love with him!" Aelin snapped, sitting up and glaring at her housemate. "I've never even talked to him! Or, well, I hadn't ever spoken to him…"

"But you have now?" Lys beamed. "Did you get his name?"

"No! I apologized and got out of there."

"Really, that's it?" Lysandra looked almost disappointed. As if Aelin should have used the situation to try and hook up with him.

Admittedly, it wouldn't have been the worst use of her time. Actually, it would have been a damn good use of it, but she wasn't going to say that.

Rolling her eyes, Aelin decided to give her friend something. "If it helps, after I apologized, we had a quick moment of…teasing. Like, literally, one line each."

Lysandra perked up at that piece of information. "Well, that's something! And, now you have a reason to talk to him the next time you're in the elevator together or something."

"Oh, I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not, Aelin?" Lysandra demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Lys, he's Australian," she explained.

Lysandra's eyes widened, her delicate face shifting into one of shocked amusement. "Oh, dear. That's your all time favorite accent."

"I know!" Aelin whined, throwing her head back again dramatically and squeezing her eyes shut. "I'll never be able to control myself around him if I hear him speak too often. That's assuming I don't melt from embarrassment the next time I see him."

"Oh, come on! You said yourself you ended it in style," Lys offered, an encouraging smile on her face. Aelin nodded in tentative agreement. "But, you know what, it doesn't even matter. Forget about him, cause we're going out with Aedion and that new colleague of his, remember?"

"It's not a double date, Lys."

"Not technically. Aedion would never, unless he could get you into that virginity belt from 'Men in Tights'." Aelin couldn't help but crack up at the comment, and the sad truth of it. "But, while I haven't seen him yet, Fenrys told me that he's gorgeous."

"Gorgeous?" Aelin's head popped up with intrigue.

Lysandra wagged her eyebrows and nodded with a smirk. "So, go get ready and pull out all the stops, or I will send you back in there."

"Why don't you just join me so you can approve my outfit before I even put it on," Aelin taunted, rolling her eyes as she stood up.

"Okay, I know you're joking, but I'm accepting the invitation," Lys laughed, getting up and following Aelin into her room.

"I really hate you right now."

"Don't blame me because you have a…generous bosom," Aelin retorted.

Lysandra snorted as she opened the door to the bar, walking in just ahead of Aelin. "It just sucks! It's not like you have tiny boobs or anything, I just have stupidly massive ones. And I could never pull a shirt like that off!"

Aelin shrugged, grinning at her friend.

She was in a bright, shimmering gold blouse that didn't have buttons or any proper fastenings. Instead, she crossed the two sides and tucked them into her straight, black leather mini skirt. The tuck was tight enough to keep the blouse in place, but loose enough that she was showing off a deep V that ended just above her navel. Aelin was, admittedly, very lucky. Her boobs were just small enough to allow her to pull off the shirt.

She kept her golden hair down, styled into loose curls that hung in a side part, and she was rocking a pair of black and gold peep-toe platform stilettos that had her standing about six inches taller than normal, at least. Which would put her at six foot one for the evening, but she didn't care. She tended to prefer a guy who could be a bit of a climb. Like her neighbor.

No, Aelin!

She really had to stop thinking about him. Tonight was about having a good time with her best friend, her cousin, and some new friend he made at work who was apparently worth hitting on.

"I see Aedion," Lysandra called, grabbing Aelin's hand and leading her over to a booth where Aedion was standing up from, waving at them. They walked to him, his companion coming into view for Aelin as Lysandra reached Aedion and gave him a quick kiss, the silver hair drawing her eyes like a beacon.

Fuck.

There, sitting in the booth, giving her an excited smirk, was her neighbor. And damn him, he looked even hotter than normal in a black T-shirt that seemed almost stretched over his chest and shoulders, leaving little to the imagination about the muscles corded there. The shirt also gave her a view of the tattoo that went from mid-left-forearm up to his shoulder, the ends of it peeking out of the shirt at his neck. The black ink revealed a pattern of symbols Aelin didn't really know, but they looked as if they could've been an ancient language.

His pine eyes sparkled with mischief as Aelin slid into the seat across from him, Lysandra sitting beside her as Aedion took the remaining spot next to him, pushing cocktails toward Aelin and Lysandra.

"Aw, thanks for getting us drinks, babe," Lys cooed, taking a sip of the rum punch he'd ordered for them both.

"Girls, this is Rowan. The new trainer at the gym," Aedion introduced, motioning to his friend. Aelin couldn't help but think that itwas the perfect name for him. It felt like it would just roll right off the tongue. A body part she definitely shouldn't be thinking about at the moment. "Rowan, this is my girlfriend, Lysandra," he pointed to the brunette next to Aelin, "and my cousin Aelin." His hand was now motioning to her, and Rowan's smirk had turned into a full-on smile.

"Aelin. Nice to put a name to the, er, privacy invader? That what you called yourself?" he asked, his tone thick with amusement.

"It rings a bell…Rowan," Aelin replied, holding his gaze, refusing to become the same blubbering idiot she was earlier. If he was going to have fun with this, and bring it up again, then fine, so would she. And he'd soon learn no one could match Aelin in such a battle.

Aedion looked between Aelin and Rowan, clearly confused. "You two know each other."

"Not exactly," Rowan shrugged. "Just had a quick conversation this afternoon in my apartment, when Aelin told me she wouldn't mind seeing me naked."

Aelin's mouth fell open, her eyes widening at Rowan. Aedion choked on the beer he'd been taking a sip of, the liquid spluttering across the table as Lysandra cackled at the comment. Maybe she was evenly matched.

"That is not what I said!" she argued, completely shocked and starting to create detailed plans on how to wipe that shit-eating grin off of Rowan's face.

"No? What did you say, then?" he asked, that damn smirk now a permanent feature of his.

"I…uh…well…" she stuttered, not exactly able to answer that question without a similar reaction from Aedion. She scowled at Rowan and coughed softly, which helped her find her voice. "I was just being me."

"You normally go around telling guys you'd like to see them naked."

"Okay, I definitely didn't say that," she seethed. "All I said was that I wouldn't call it worse if you had been naked, and that's on you. You started it."

She ignored Aedion's small groan that came from deep in his throat, and Rowan seemed to as well.

"I was just trying to make you feel less embarrassed," he stated as if it were an obvious fact.

"By mentioning the fact that you could have been naked?" Aelin scoffed.

"But wasn't."

"Do you typically walk around your apartment naked at six o'clock at night?"

"Guess you'll just have to barge in more often to find out," Rowan shot back, giving her a wink that left Aelin gaping at him.

She honestly couldn't believe the conversation they were having. Rowan bringing up the topic, how Aelin had flirtatiously teased him. Most guys didn't tend to mention things like that so publicly, especially in front of Aedion. She also couldn't believe how turned on she was by the argument, cursing her traitorous mind for attempting to picture him naked. It was a good picture, and Aelin was fairly certain the reality would be even better.

"So, anyway!" Aedion interjected before Aelin could spit out a retort. "Let's move on to any other subject. Please." The last word was strangled, betraying how desperate he was for this request.

"We could talk about how I wouldn't mind seeing him naked," Lys offered, grinning wickedly.

"Lys!" Aedion scorned.

"What? In the same way I wouldn't mind seeing Chris Hemsworth naked," she explained. "It's harmless."

Aedion grimaced. "Okay…I'm going to pretend the fact that that's two Australians isn't causing me some self-doubt…" he grumbled.

Lysandra smiled softly at him, placing her hand on his and squeezing it softly. "If it helps, you have a very strong 'clean-shaven, first movie Thor' vibe going, and I prefer the clean shave." Aedion raised his eyebrows at that, and the responding look from Lysandra was enough to make Aelin want to groan.

She didn't dislike the idea of her cousin being physical the way he did with her - she wasn't some stupid, territorial male. She just didn't like having to experience it in any way. It's why she had the best noise-cancelling headphones money could buy.

"Sorry, Aedion," Rowan chuckled, slapping his friend on the shoulder. "Aussies are just irresistible."

Aedion turned his face, giving Rowan an incredulous look before rolling his eyes. "So, if I understand correctly, you all live in the same building?" he asked.

"We're next door neighbors, actually," Lys answered. "Aelin had a small mix-up when she got home."

"I wasn't paying attention to the numbers and walked into the apartment just before ours," Aelin added.

The whole table chuckled, Aedion shaking his head as if it sounded exactly like something Aelin would do.

"It was very interesting, for a guy who lives alone, to have someone suddenly walk in and call me honey," Rowan admitted. "I didn't hate that last part."

"Aw, honey," Aelin teased, a playful smile on her lips. "I'll keep that in mind for the future."

"Please do. And feel free to moan it out while you're masturbating each night," he added. Aelin's bottom lip dropped again at the comment, which also had Aedion muttering something about going to get another round of drinks.

"Excuse me?" Aelin said, the demand obvious in her tone. She saw Lysandra in the corner of her eye, propping her chin on her fist to watch the two of them go at it again. But most of her focus was on the man in front of her.

Rowan was once again wearing an amused smile, his eyes entirely on Aelin, as if he was enjoying her reactions.

He probably was. Aelin knew she would be if the tables were turned. She just hated how, each time she seemed to get close to making the rotation, Rowan pulled it right back to its original place.

"Considering Lysandra and Aedion are dating, and I definitely haven't heard them together, I'm assuming you're the one I share a wall with," he mused. "It's not a very thick wall. And that vibration sound tends to last quite a bit longer than one brushes their teeth for. I put two and two together."

Aelin felt as if her entire face expanded into a look of shock and outrage as she attempted to hide her embarrassment. Not that she had any reason to be ashamed. It was perfectly normal and healthy. She just didn't realize the neighbor she'd been crushing on had heard her.

"That is none of your business," she ground out, her lip twitching slightly.

"The fact that the sounds keep me up at night kind of makes it my business, don't you think?" he argued, leaning back in his seat casually. "But I'm not criticizing. I like it when I can hear you at the end of it." His voice turned guttural as his eyes trailed over her, darkening slightly as they followed the path of her revealed skin. "It's set me off before, and knowing you're the roommate that I'm hearing isn't going to help in the future."

Aelin's face fell into something softer as his eyes met hers again, their stares locking, a tension in the space between them that had her breathing hitch and sent her core pulsing. She crossed one leg over the other, clenching and squeezing her thighs together subtly for any sense of friction.

Rowan dropped the topic once Aedion came back, and the rest of the night remained far more PG-13, mostly, but that didn't keep Rowan and Aelin from verbally sparring. No matter what the group talked about, they ended up taking a go at each other, one eventually resigning to a somewhat sexual comment that would fluster the other long enough for the topic to switch.

Aelin was proud to say that she had been able to fluster Rowan a few times as easily as he'd flustered her earlier in the night. It didn't take her long to figure out that getting him to picture her in certain levels of dress or in particular positions was the way to go, and she used it constantly.

Her favorite was at a point when Aedion and Lysandra had both gone to the bathroom - meaning they were making out in some dark corner for a few minutes - and Aelin and Rowan had been talking about their jobs. Aelin was complaining about the dress code at her company, how it didn't allow for much personality, to which Rowan made a comment about what a shame it is her colleagues will never see her in her current outfit.

"Quite. I could never get away with wearing a skirt that doesn't allow for underwear."

Rowan's eyes widened as his knee slammed up into the bottom of the table, but he'd been unable to respond as Aedion and Lysandra returned right at that moment.

That had been a true turning point for Aelin, and after that both she and Rowan had remained a bit quieter, content to hold each other's gazes and attempt to read the other's thoughts. Most of Aelin's had turned to mush by the end of the night, mush and fantasies she kept trying to ignore.

With Lysandra going home with Aedion once they decided to leave, Aelin found herself alone with Rowan, taking the elevator up to the sixth floor.

"So, now that we know each other, does this mean you'll actually talk to me when we randomly run into each other? Or will you just continue silently undressing me with your eyes?" Rowan asked as the elevator door opened up to their floor.

"Probably a bit of both," Aelin responded, smirking up at him. "But I think it's okay, because you'll be doing the same."

"You sure about that, darling?" He paused outside his door, Aelin taking a few steps before stopping and turning.

"Pretty positive, honey," she laughed as he unlocked his door. "But, don't worry, I won't barge into your apartment to do so."

He looked up at her and she gave him a wink before pivoting, starting toward her own apartment.

She barely made it one step before Rowan's hand was on her arm, spinning Aelin into him and placing his other hand on her waist, walking her into the wall as he dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers.

Aelin froze in shock for all of one second before she was kissing him back, her hands instinctively moving up and resting on the nape of his neck. Rowan's lips were soft and warm, tentative despite his firm actions, and Aelin wanted him to break free from whatever was restraining him.

Parting her lips slightly, she brushed her tongue against his bottom lip and Rowan opened instantly, his tongue sliding in as he took back control of the kiss. Aelin moaned as he explored every inch of her mouth, the kiss slow but deep and purposeful. Rowan pushed himself further into her and she gasped at the feel of him at her waist, her fingers grasping his hair.

Aelin couldn't even understand everything she was feeling as they kissed. She didn't have time to process how right it felt, how something beyond desire was sparking within her. So she focused on that, on the pulsing and heating of her center, on the unquenchable thirst that Rowan's lips were creating.

It was hot and heavy, and over too soon, Rowan slowing the kiss further until he pulled away, pressing a final tender kiss to her lips before straightening. "You can barge in whenever you like," he whispered, their eyes locked on each other's, both panting heavily.

His half-smile covered Aelin in goosebumps as he actually stepped away from her, going back to his door. He pulled out his keys and entered his apartment with one last look at her. She refused to look anywhere but those green eyes until he was out of sight, in his apartment, the door closed behind him.

No, not closed. Not exactly.

Realizing she never heard a click of the door shutting completely, or the sound of a lock turning, Aelin walked closer to Rowan's apartment. He'd left the door slightly open, the latch left resting against the strike plate.

It wasn't a mistake. These apartment doors were heavy. Just the lightest tap to close the door would send it slamming shut. Rowan had done it purposefully, and it made Aelin's heart race.

Considering his parting words, it was an invitation, one Aelin desperately wanted to accept. She wasn't entirely sure she should, but she'd also spent the last month fantasizing about Rowan. It didn't exactly make sense to decline the offer, did it?

No, it does not.

Biting her lip, butterflies flapping like crazy within her, Aelin placed her hand on the surface of the door, gently pushing it open. Rowan stood there, leaning against the wall about ten feet away, his arms crossed over his chest as he smirked down at her.

"That's twice today, now," he noted, his voice low and breathy.

Aelin took another step in, closing and locking the door behind her as she smiled up at Rowan.

"I think it's going to become a habit."

[obsidiancreates]

Ed's Sea Cred

(Role Swap AU, with a fun twist later...)

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The Most Feared Pirate Of The Seven Seas. Ruthless, cunning, a pirate no man has ever crossed and lived to tell the tale of. Evidence of his exploits stain the seas everywhere a ship sails, the waters below filled with the corpses of those who dared approach his ship.

Edward Teach closes the book and sighs. Hopefully those titles will be his someday.

He tucks the book back onto the shelf and splashes the whole thing with lamp oil before setting it ablaze. The ship has been looted for everything else of value, after all. And Izzy told him months ago that luxuries like books aren't very pirate-like to steal. He'd be a laughingstock if he did.

So though he knows his mother would have loved for him to have a small book collection at some point in his life, he walks away from the burning shelf as the rest of the ship's corridor catches fire as well.

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"That was a good raid, I think," Ed says as he observes the loot pile. "Should bolster our reputation a bit."

Izzy nods. "Maybe it's time we visit the Republic. See what's being said about you."

"Not a bad idea. Can pick up more crew, too. Think I heard a couple of them talking about mutiny."

"Want me to take care of it, Captain?"

"Yeah. Make it quick, though. Show that they're less than worthless and all that, I dunno. Make it intimidating."

"Right, sir."

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Okay... so maybe he allowed himself one book. Just one. One book... about the most feared pirate alive. Already known as the most feared pirate in history, because none can imagine a pirate could ever come around more worthy of title.

One book, about The Gentleman Pirate.

Sometime he reads it before he sleeps. It's a short book, because there's no firsthand accounts except for those who left his crew on good terms, and they seldom said much about him, if they spoke of him at all. Probably to keep those terms as good ones.

It's mostly a collection of myths, really.

He never gets dirty, no matter how much blood is shed. He can destroy a vessel without ever boarding it. He can see an attempted kill coming from miles away and always avoids it and returns it hundred fold. Some say he's not even a man, but a collection of fine silks and metals always seeking fellow fine things to liberate.

Ed doubts it. But it'd be interesting if it was true.

He rarely goes aground, so only a few establishments have ever had him inside, and he never goes into taverns. No, he's a Gentleman Pirate. Such places are below him, of course.

Some say he's the ghost of an aristocrat who drowned at sea at the hands of pirates, and has become one as a revenge. Ed think that one's stupid, not even interesting like the living silk one.

He closes the book and tucks it under his floorboard. When he'd stolen this ship it was pretty banged up, and he'd left some pieces of it in disrepair. Both for the intimidating aesthetic, and for ease of hiding things. Knives, extra guns, extra rations... and his book.

Besides. He's only been a pirate for a little over a year, after a long life of poverty and servitude finally made him just snap. So the older his ship looks, the more experienced foes and new crew presume he is.

After all, who would serve under a middle aged man who became a pirate on a whim? Idiots, that's who. So to not attract idiots, he has to look the part.

Luckily he's got Izzy. Man's an experienced pirate, and a good guide. Even if he's harsh sometimes in his... advice. But a pirate's life is a harsh one, so it's tolerated.

For now.

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"What's this?"

"Oh, just some gossip we heard at the port. Yeah, this one is from Jim, they heard there's some new pirate around making a big name for himself."

"Really? Tell me about him, then!" The Captain smiles widely, ready for a good story.

Lucius sighs and thinks. "Um... I think they said the guy is around your age, maybe a little older."

"Oh, excellent! I do hate seeing young folks get wrapped up in this sort of business."

"Um. Aha. I'm-I'm young."

"Yes, but you were already a pirate when we met. It's different."

"I mean, he probably was too, this guy. Not like someone just becomes a pirate captain out of nowhere, so."

"It could happen, I think, with enough passion, oh, and zest for adventure! What else have you all heard?"

Lucius blows out a breath. "I think he's trying out names right now? No-one really had a name to give us other than his beard was dark and he had like, a lot of tattoos, and some weird leather outfit with like, only one sleeve."

"Oooh, a rough-cut type! I like it!"

"What else, um... very fierce, apparently. Already has a lot of respect among most of the community, I guess. Good things all around, cold-blooded killer and all that."

"Really? Wow, and how long has he been around for?"

"Like a year or something."

"Only a year, and people already like him?"

"Yeah I guess, and um, someone heard they're on their way to the Republic soon."

"They are? Well, let's head that way as well!"

"... Really?"

"Yes! I want to meet this new up-and-comer!"

"What if he's um... a bit rude?"

"We'll deal with that if it arises. But I have a good feeling about this! Onto the port of the Republic!"

[ivy-loves-chocolate]

Chained (Lady Dimitrescu x F!Reader)

Ok at first I thought this was Alex

Warnings: nsfw under the cut.

She was assigned to work in Chris’ team to find a civilian named Ethan Winters and his daughter Rose, who were abducted from their house. Their rescue is important because after his involvement in the Dulvey incident he was infected with the mold which was passed down to his daughter. Chris believes the kidnappers want to use their gift in some twisted way. 

Knowing Chris’ history of not being able to keep his men alive, she didn’t trust him enough to follow his commands, sometimes questioning his decisions and doing thing in her own way, which turned out to be effective too. Chris threatened her to kick her out of his team and place her under someone else’s command, but he knew that her rebellious nature would get her fired and she was too good in the field to be discharged. He would have to gain her trust. 

How she wished  he wouldn’t question her captain now. 

The squad got into the castle where the kidnaper, a woman named Miranda, was hiding. They were stunned by the beautiful renaissance architectural style from the inside, everything being a shade of crimson with golden inserts. The aesthetic created a relaxing atmosphere for the team, but they were quickly pulled back to the reality by their captain. 

“This seems too beautiful for a villain’s hideout” she remarked. 

“Focus on our mission.”

Despite his efforts one of their member still got missing. Chris ordered them to stay close and to not investigate on their own. He didn’t want to repeat the incident from Edonia.  However, she got away from the squad despite. His orders thinking she heard the missing man, but it was a trap set by those witches.

As she approached the source of sound she didn’t realise that the hall became more and more narrow and poor illuminated. She was in complete darkness, and the voice sounded like it was still far away. To make the matter worse, her light flickered meaning the battery was running out. 

“Y/N!” Chris was screaming in the radio. “Where the hell are you?”

“I don’t know, I got lost. It’s like these halls are changing. I swear on my way here I saw some paintings. Now they are all gone. Shit, I can’t see a thing, maybe they are still here.”

She heard some gunshots through the emission 

“Chris, is everything alright?” 

“…don’t….back…Miranda…”

“Chris!” The signal was cut off. 

Her light was cut off too. Surrounded by darkness, she got a better grip on her pistol and pressed her finger on the trigger. As she was wandering around on her way back she had a feeling she wasn’t alone anymore. 

She heard some steps behind her and quickly turned around aiming at the possible enemy, but it was nothing there. Sighing in relief, she turned around to continue her walk, but bumped into someone. Yellow bright eyes were looking down at the small woman who was backing up slowly. Her company was tall, muscular, and judging by the large exposed chest she was a woman. She was standing there like a statue without saying a word. Freaked out Y/N pulled out her pistol and shot the woman in the head, who made a few steps back placing a hand on the wound. Y/N didn’t look back and ran past her finding a safe spot. 

She felt that gaze on her as she desperately ran to find Chris. She was trapped. Eventually she got tired of running and stopped to catch her breath. The radio was still off. She didn’t know if her team was alive or dead, or if that lady still followed her. In order to calm herself, she took a deep breath, letting the faint smell of wood and old furniture filling her lungs. It was the equivalent of a library.  She let herself dip into the silence. When her heart stopped beating in her year and she could hear, very dimly, the sound of a piano playing.

“…im going crazy..” She thought. 

“Enjoy the piano?” A firm, feminine voice asked her. She turned around and saw the same woman from early. Her outfit was fitting the aesthetic of the place, wearing a white dress with a crimson flower attacked to her dress, and a big black hat with black leather gloves. Her big smile exposed her perfect teeth. Not to mention she was very tall, Y/N being high up to her chest. She was still a beautiful woman. 

“I would enjoy a way out to be honest.”

“Come with me.”

She didn’t had a choice and she followed her.

The wood was cracking under their feet as they walked through the halls. The woman didn’t say a word, not introduce herself. The only thing Y/N could do was to look around and try to memorize as much as possible her surroundings in case she needs to run again.

“Don’t even think” her attention was back again on the stranger. “You won’t be able to leave by yourself.”

“Where’s Ethan?” Her eyes were fixated on her curvy figure and on the way she balanced her hips while walking.

“That’s where im taking you”

“You’re bluffing. We’ve been here before, I remember. We’re walking around in circles.”

The woman stopped and let out a chuckle. Then, she turned around and smacked Y/N so hard that she sent her flying across the room. The impact was so hard that she loft her consciousness. The only thing she remembers is the blury image of the woman approach her.

She woke up in a dungeon. The wooded smell was replaced with a rotten flesh and blood one. Her head still hurt from the impact. The woman tied her up on a metal table, with her hand laying beside her body. Her weapons, radio and other gear was taken away, leaving her in a turtleneck and cargo pants only. She tried to break from her restraints, the sound of chains hitting the metal surface echoing in the room.

Not long after she woke up the tall woman made her appearance. She walked to her side, caressing her face and removing some strands of hair from her forehead.

“How come a beautiful woman like you works with such beasts.”

She couldn’t help but blush when she heard the remark. She chose to remain silent.

“Im so happy that i took off that savage equipment off your body so i can have a better look at these curves” she trailed with a gloved hand the sides of her abdomen, sending shivers down her spine. It was a soft touch she didn’t experience in a long time. It wasn’t a good time to be touch starved.

The woman bend over her body, her chest pressing against her body and sending a warm wave down her lower abdomen. She removed the fabric that covered her neck and began to lick the tender flesh. Y/N dug her nails in the metal table when she felt the warm tongue licking and nibbling her flesh, and when the woman properly bit her she let out a scream. She was constantly moving like she was searching a vein causing her an immense pain. When she started to suck out her blood it didn’t hurt anymore, her screaming being replaced with loud whimpers.

The woman raised herself to let her breathe. Y/N liked the warm coming from the vampire’s body and she was disappointed when she was hit by the cold breeze.

“I don’t want to kill you, yet.”

“I didn’t know you kind existed.”

“You don’t know many things.” She began to caress her side again, going to her side boob to her hip and up again.

“I always enjoy a mortal’s body. So fragile and easy to break. But also very interesting to please.”

She closed brought her legs closer, feeling her core heating up.

“You blood pressure is high, and your face is all red. I don’t think you’re scared little girl.” She laughed at the conclusion.

“Just do it.” She spat out the words, feeling ashamed she let herself falling for her instincts. In the same time, she wanted the woman so bad.

The woman slid her hands underneath her shirt and reached her boobs, which fit perfectly into her big and large hands. She started to squeeze them firmly, then she raised her shirt and lowered the bra in such manner to release her nipple. The skin hardened in the contact with the cold air, but soon her hands found them again and began to roll the nipple between her fingers. She brought her mouth to one of them and sucked it, leaving lipstick and some of her blood on the skin. The other hand was working the nipple. Y/N tried to lif her legs but she couldn’t because of her restraints.

“Let me help.” The woman went to the end of the table and began to remove the cuffs. Y/N knew it was no point to escape because if her legs were free, her hands were still cuffed. Besides, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to leave.

The vampire freed her legs then she went to unbutton her pants. She grabbed both pants and panties and pulled them down revealing Y/N white smooth skin. She bent her knees and spread her legs. The woman kneeled lifted her dress and kneeled at the end of the table. It wasn’t an issue because she was very tall.

She bent over the table again with her boobs laying on the metal table, her mouth being close to Y/N pussy. She spread her folds and pressed so she could expose her clit, then she pressed her mouth sucking the wetness.

Y/N raised on her tiptoes from the pleasure. Her mouth was hot and her fangs pressed occasionally on her folds sending her head in the clouds. The vampire started to circle the bud with the tip of her tongue, them suck it. She wanted to suck blood from the flesh so bad but she didn’t want to stop her from moaning. Living in the castle tends to be lonely, and eventually you get tired of your minions. The only fun she gets nowadays is with her prisoners.

The vampire lifted her dress so she could slide her hand between her legs. She found it so hot when the mortals are moaning. She continued working her clit, then she moved to her entrance. She tasted so sweet, a vanilla flavour different from what she experienced so far. She moved in circles inside her, then she started to move in and out. Y/N was rocking her hips according to her tongue motions. The vampire pulled out her tongue and placed it again between her folds, but this time she didn’t move her face and let Y/N ride it instead. The hand began her panties started to move faster.

The mortal’s moans were increasing meaning she is approaching her climax. The vampire pressed a hand on her belly to stop her and began to lick her clit again until she finally came. She removed her face and continued to work on her own orgasm which didn’t take long to achieve.

Y/N took a while to get back to reality. By the time she was finally herself, the vampire was gone and her handcuffs were removed completely from both of her limbs. She got up and put on the pants, and went to explore the are.

As she explored the dungeon, she heard some moans coming from a cell. She rushed to it hoping this time there isn’t a trick again. The cell was opened, and inside a blond man was cuffed and beginning to wake up. She immediately recognised him. It was the man from the file and the reason why she’s here. She just found Ethan Winters. Quickly she went to check if he was hurt, but by her relief he just had some minors bruises.

“Wh-who are you?” He asked confused.

“Im not here to hurt you, im here to rescue you.” She helped him to stand up and walked out the cells.

This wasn’t a victory. Yes, she found Ethan, but her gear was gone and she was carrying an injured man in an unknown place. She needed to protect herself and the man, and that was difficult without her gun. Her priority is to find Chris and the res of the squad. Or whoever survived.

[libraford]

We interrupt the feral celebration of ousting an oligarch to bring you a story about Yeehaw and his Branch of Mystery.

  It has been a while since we last had some co-worker drama, but man- has it been a weird summer. I mean... we all had a weird summer in 2020, but I don't think I was really expecting this particular... flavor of weird?

 This is a story about Yeehaw, but it starts off with a story about Aggie.

 Aggie was someone we were excited to hire and part of our excitement was that it's rare to find someone with prior floral experience and we'd concluded at this point that it does no one any good to be picky about new hires in the middle of a pandemic. So finding someone who knew the difference between a carnation and a rose was a big deal for us.

 I say that in jest, but saying that we do 'on-the-job training' means that we've had to explain that yes- the flower in my hand that looks like a carnation is a carnation and not some other flower that looks like carnation but is not a carnation. Floristry is a very straightforward practice and for the most part a rose is a rose and a daisy is a daisy and if someone asks for those things, you give it to them.

 The hard part is, as always, making them look good together.

 Which is why we were pleased with Aggie- who previously did weddings for her friends and seemed to have a basic understanding of how to do things with her hands. We were happy to have her aboard.

 ... until you gave her criticism.

 She made her vases embarrassingly short, and if you tried to tell her how to fix it, she'd snap back with "I'm not DONE yet."

 She was done until you said something.

 If you gave her an order for two dozen white roses, she would take it upon herself to mix white and yellow roses together 'because it looks better.'

 It did not.

 Hashtag: #selftaught

 When a client asks for all white roses, there is likely a reason they asked for all white. Given that 90% of our work is funerals, it stands to reason that they are asking for all white because that is a traditional color for mourning. Working with a client means doing exactly what they asked for. Doing a wedding for your friends may get you high praise from people who trust you to work in the same aesthetic as them, but in a shop setting you are being paid to follow things to the letter. Doing so shows that you can follow directions, and they may come back next time.

 You don't know customer entitlement until you've been torn another asshole for leaving out a single rose.

 This seemed to never occur to her, and so criticism was a painful realization that perhaps she wasn't perfect at an art that was exceptionally susceptible to criticism. There were plenty of opportunities to make something in her own aesthetic, it wasn't like she was being stifled. There was a considerable amount of downtime where she filled the front cooler with her own creations- enigmatically giving each of them their own names like "Autumn Walk" or "First Snowfall." (This is not something that we do, on the whole.)

 Not very many of those sold.

 But I think what bugged me the most is that she only ever designed. She didn't take out the trash, she didn't answer phones, she never helped customers. She just... did flowers. Nothing else.

 Oh... and the chatter.

 "Do you travel? Oh, you simply MUST go to Bali sometime! You've never been to Asia? Well, there's nothing like achieving inner peace at a Buddhist temple on a mountaintop in Nepal. They have temples here in Ohio, but it's nothing like the real thing! You say you've never even been off the continent? Well, what are you waiting for? You only live once, you know!"

 Ma'am... we're in the middle of a pandemic. Ma'am... I only get paid so much...

 While trying to relate, I talked about my summer in Montana and she gave me the BIGGEST stank-face. "Montana? Ew, WHY?"

 Look, lady- I lived on a mountaintop next to an active, world-destroying volcano system. If that's not cool, I don't know what is.

 But thankfully, she only worked on weekends. See, this was her fun job. The job she does to stay social during a pandemic and flex her creative muscles while she makes money at her much more lucrative,but boring,HR job. So I only had to see her twice a month when I was manager on duty.

 Then she got fired from her weekday job and went full-time at the flower shop. Poor thing wasn't used to waking up at 7am every day. She was full of suggestions.

 "I think it would be easier for me if we only opened at like... 11am."

"Don't you think we should be taking proper photos of our work? All we would need is a nice camera and a soft lighting setup. Couldn't be much more than $1000."

"Oh I know! We should be doing inventory on tablets instead of writing things down!"

 Okay, you go buy those things then. It took her about a week of making those suggestions to realize that she wasn't real clear on how things worked around here and stopped. She became quiet, less enthusiastic about her 'fun' job now that she wasn't immediately the star of the show.

 Enter Yeehaw.

 We were excited about Yeehaw, too. He didn't just have experience with flowers- he had experience with a flower shop. He gave a good interview, he seemed like he knew what he was doing and was very passionate about flowers. He was definitely an entire hippie, but about 1/3 of all plant people are. Most importantly, we still had like three spots to fill left from our pre-Covid staff.

 Hired.

 There was an overlap of about a week where Aggie and Yeehaw worked at the same time. His work was... immaculate. Just... astonishingly beautiful work. You didn't even have to show him how to make anything. He just... knew.

 Well, Aggie didn't  like that much- we had only nice things to say about this new guy but all she ever got was criticism. And if we complimented him on something he made, he would give a little 'namaste' bow. And I could see her fuming with rage each time he did this.

 One day, she rushed into the back to take a phone call and any time someone went back there for a vase she would lower her voice as if keeping a deep secret. Twenty minutes later, she called Grandpa into the back as well to discuss something. Ten minutes later, Aggie left the building with her Live, Laugh, Love bag, looking pissed.

 "Where did Aggie go," I asked Grandpa.

 "She got a new job," she said. "Doing HR somewhere."

 "She didn't even say good-bye," Blue said, appearing unsurprised.

 And so we went on with out lives without really putting much further thought into Aggie, apart from the occasional 'you simply MUST visit Bali' line thrown in for bougie emphasis.

 Which brings us to the next part of the story, and that is Yeehaw.

 There are some details to know about Yeehaw that are kind of difficult to fit into a story neatly. Here is a brief list that may come in handy to know later.

-He lives with his mother.

-He drives a Tesla.

-He can afford the Tesla because he was in a terrible wreck that had him hospitalized, and a lawsuit was won.

-Because of this, he has two screws in his head at the temples.

-Unrelated, he has hair that goes all the way down to his back.

- And...

 "Grandpa, we need to tell you something," Blue said. "In private."

 Blue and Kali pulled Grandpa aside while Yeehaw slowly put together a funeral order. "Grandpa, there's no polite way to put this: Yeehaw is drunk as fuck."

 "He smells like whiskey," Kali said.

 "He's stumbling everywhere."

 "And he won't stop... burping."

 Grandpa paused. "There's something I need to tell you," she said, and she reached for a manila folder. "Yeehaw has something called... what's it called..." She leafed through the file and produced a paper, reading from it. "Auto-brewery Syndrome. His body actually produces alcohol anytime he eats bread or sugar. If he's drunk, it's because he can't help it."

 We each had a chance to go over the doctor's note, verifying that yes- that sure does look official. Everyone had questions, but it did answer the one I had about why he was sitting in the break room literally drinking peanut butter from the jar.

 So that was incredibly interesting and we no longer asked about the burping or why he was so slow.  

 However, the fact that he was so slow was extremely frustrating. Our average number of orders runs approximately 100 per-day. This can be eased somewhat when we have a full-staff with five designers- an average of 20 designs per person in an 8-hour day, 3 per hour.

 But it's a fine line some days, and if one person cannot keep up it turns into a struggle for all of us.  

 We did our best to accommodate. We gave him all the day-ahead orders so that we wouldn't be behind and he'd have all the time he'd need to make his gorgeous pieces.

 We were willing to make it work.

 A number of factors came into play one day, but most notably: Yeehaw's Tesla wouldn't start and he had to take the bus. So he was late.

 I think I saw him make one entire item in the two hours that we were in the same room. He went to lunch around 12:30, I took mine around 1:00. I saw him stumble back in from lunch, looking... out of it. Just... absolutely incomprehensible- mumbling, barely upright, his hair out of the bun, quite possibly sleepwalking- who knows?

 I saw him for that brief Sasquatch moment... and that was the last that I saw him that day. It was around 4:00 that  Grandpa asked the question:

 "Where's Yeehaw?"

 And no one had an answer. We all had places that we thought we'd seen him: cleaning the cooler, in the break room, heading to the bathroom... but no one had really... seen him since he stumbled back in around 1:30.

 We checked all these places.

 None of them.

 The person who actually managed to find him was Sarge, who noticed his feet sticking out from behind the bushes behind the building.

 "Huh," he said, presumably. He gave the feet a light kick and Yeehaw slowly sat back up. "Hey dude. You... okay, there? They're lookin' for you inside."

 Yeehaw mumbled something to Sarge and got to his feet, stumbling back into the shop without further interaction. He appeared into the workspace, holding a branch in front of his face for mysterious reasons. There were still twigs entangled in his long hair.

 "Where were you at," Grandpa asked, concerned.

 "Oh, I was in the bathroom," he lied from behind the branch of mystery. "I'm pretty tired. Is it okay if I go home?"

 Bewildered, Grandpa gave him permission to leave. It was soon after he left that Scout found his phone in the empty sink. "Who's trying to wash their phone," he asked in the loud manner that is characteristic of old white men. It rang while in his hand and one of our designers snatched it from him. It was his mother.

 "Hello," said the designer. "Yeehaw went home early, but he left his phone behind. Can you bring it home to him?" Mom agreed, she was just over at Trader Joe's anyhow.

 We thought, of course, that we were doing something smart and nice. Yeehaw's mom looks just about what you would expect the mother of a 30-year-old hippie that drives a Tesla to look. Grandpa, in a polite way, explained that he'd fallen asleep in a bush. To which Mom seemed neither surprised nor concerned about his behavior.

 "Okay. I'll be at Hallmark."

 Somewhere between the bus stop and Bexley, Yeehaw must have realized that his phone was not with him and so he came back looking for it. Despite his mother being literally in the same strip mall as we were, he seemed irritated that we'd taken the initiative to make sure his phone got to him.

 "Well, I bet if you just went down to Hallmark she'd give you your phone and probably give you a ride home."

 He mumbled something and then left.

 This seems like a decent place to pause, because him leaving the second time in the day should be the end of the story. However... at 5:00 in the evening there was still two hours left in the work day and from past experience... that is plenty of time for a lot of things to happen.

 The thing to happen was a phone call.

 "Hi, this is Jade from the main store. We've gotten... some... interesting phone calls. Is there... a... hmm... is there a dead body out in front of your store?"

 Pause.

 "We'll take care of it, bye."

 Who wants to be the one to poke the cadaver on the sidewalk? A volunteer from the audience! Ms Crowe: won't you come down?!

 I have had it planted firmly in my mind that Crowe certainly understands the concept of fear but does not recognize it. Apart from being one of our most reliable drivers, she is also a performer, a street medic, an activist, and most notably... a fire-breather.

 You have your hobbies.

 Point is- she's brave enough to check to see if the person laying on the sidewalk was dead or simply overdosed.

 As it turns out, it was Yeehaw- curled up in the fetal position with his arm covering his face.

 "Hey," Crowe said, poking him with her foot. "Heeeeeeey," she said again but more firmly this time. He moved, blinking in the evening the sun. "Buddy, you can't be laying around on the sidewalk. You gotta move on."

 Again, he slowly got to his feet. At this time, his mother emerged from Hallmark to see him talking with Crowe. A group of four people escorted him into Mom's car while he stopped every few feet to perform another 'namaste' bow.

 You think this is the end. But what have we learned?

 There's always more.

 He came in the next day as if none of this had happened. Conversation was difficult because we both desperately needed to know what the fuck happened and also did not want to trigger something. So we didn't bring it up. He apologized for leaving early: chronic fatigue syndrome, you know.

 Other places would have fired him, but we're a very forgiving workplace. Falling asleep on company time is not, in any way, the worst thing that someone has done at this location while still keeping their job. There was Sugar and her drugs, there was the dude that used the company van to pick up prostitutes (this was before my time), there was the guy that screamed at customers over the phone... it's a long list.

 The primary concern of our employers is whether or not you are a reliable person. If you routinely show up for your job and do the work, you're going to be okay at least for a little bit. And Yeehaw, for all his impeccable fuckery, at least showed up every day.

 We kept this at the back of our minds.

 One day, after the Day We Found Him In a Bush was behind us, one of the designers mentioned that they'd seen where Aggie works now. It was not in HR.

 It was our major competitor.

 Now, Grandpa knows this competitor well. She knows all her competition. It is the nature of a lot of florists to, once they've gotten sick of one place, move on to the next one and spill the beans on their operations there. So Grandpa gets the dirt on everyone.

 This particular shop was very regimented. You don't wing it- you follow the recipe as listed. He's been known to pick discarded flowers up off the floor and tell you exactly how much  money you're costing the company by letting it fall, to the cent. If you get so far as to make casket sprays, he will take your first one and chuck it across the room if it even looks like the stems are in there too loosely.

 This is what I mean about us being an easy place to work.

 Hashtag: #ohfuck.

 People come in and out of your life like that, in little ways. Sometimes you just have to have a little laugh at it. But what I thought was funny was that she felt the need to keep her new employer a secret, as though we would get jealous or tattle. Curious thing.

 Now that the glamour of Yeehaw's arrangements had worn off, we were starting to see more and more odd behaviors that didn't seem completely related to drunkenness.

 "Did you just fart?"

 "No, that was a spider barking."

 Amazing.

 Conversation with him was becoming... difficult. As I sat in the break room with my quick lunch and he drank soup out of a mayonnaise jar, he mentioned his area of study in college.

 "Cognitive Psychology and Hindu Philosophy, huh? That's an interesting combination."

 "Yeah," he said, funneling an amount of squash soup down his throat. "It'll take the rest of the world about 100 years before they catch up to where I am."

 I sat, posed in front of my beef and broccoli which I was eating with a fork, trying to process a logical reason why the rest of the world will be sleeping in a bush in one hundred years. "Uh... huh."

 This was followed by another thirty minutes of silence where I desperately wanted to know what he meant by that but didn't want to be the one to ask him.

 People will tell you that a hippie is generally an ineffective, benign kind of person who chants 'love love, peace peace' in a circle and consider that to be an action for change. But I can say with absolute certainty that I have met some downright egotistical hippies in my life. Those were lessons in bias- which I will have to save for other times.

 Eventually, Grandpa became frustrated with his slowness. We presumed that his speed of choice was a combination of his meticulous nature and his various ailments, but with the Christmas season coming upon us it was becoming much more than a series of symptoms.

 Previous persons who lacked speed were chatty, would play on their phone, or get distracted. But Yeehaw... Yeehaw simply moved like a tranquilized sloth. He slowly picked off each leaf, each thorn, each guard petal and took a minute for each action. He would put in his greens and then contemplate it powerfully for ten minutes before putting any flowers in... slowly.

 In the time spent doing this, I had already made something of a similar size and was starting on the second one.

 It was during one of these times that Grandpa finally said something.

 "Yeehaw, that spray is due in thirty minutes. Is there a way you can go any faster?"

 He looked up from his greens, held one carnation to his face, and said:

 "If you wanted me to move faster, you would pay me better."

 Let me start by saying that we do not get paid well. We don't. Compared to other flower shops in our city, we are probably the lowest-paid. This is something that the company is starting to work on with benefits and raises, but any amount of change takes time. (And its still better paying than when I worked in retail. But that's another book.)

 Yeehaw had been here for exactly one month. I don't know a single workplace that gives you a raise after one month and still lets you sleep on the clock without firing you. He knew what he was getting paid when we hired him.

 So anyways, he slowly grinds down our nerves to a very fine dust- burping, farting, falling asleep on his feet, staring intensely into space, talking about how much he should be making but isn't, bragging about his enlightenment, and generally just slowing down production.

 And then Grandpa had her well-earned vacation week. Blue was in charge for the most part and the week leading up to Halloween is generally pretty slow, so it was a good week for her to have a break with few mishaps.

 Eh... hehe. Yeah.

 Yeehaw... disappeared again. We checked the cooler, we checked the break room, we checked the bushes out back, we checked the sidewalk out front.

 He was in the bathroom.

 So we left it.

 He was still in the bathroom an hour later.

 We had one of the male drivers pound on the door to check on him. When Yeehaw opened the door to the men's room, there was a wad of toilet paper on the floor that he'd been using as a pillow.

 If I may pause here to explain- our men's room is disgusting. I have deep cleaned it several times only for it to become a germ-fest once more in a matter of hours. I don't ask who is peeing all over the floor because, honestly, I have no desire to know what grown man can't aim his willy in the right direction.

 So in order to fall asleep in the bathroom, you have to be willing to sleep in pee. During a pandemic.

 He reappeared in the workroom, put his apron back on, looked around at all of us still working and said: "Wow, it must be really hard to get fired here."

 It was at this point that Blue informed Grandpa.

 "Tell him that he's fired," Grandpa said, clearly 1001% done with this.

 "I'm not going to fire him," Blue said. "I don't think I can fire anyone."

 So she had the driver that found him do it, which was confusing for all of us. He ended up calling Grandpa to clarify. And by 'clarify,' I definitely mean 'beg for his job back.' A synopsis of the 20 minute phone call went like this:

 "What do you mean, I'm fired?"

 "Just that. You're fired. I'm tired of it, Yeehaw. You don't work here anymore."

 "Why?"

 "What do you mean 'why?' You spend all day making a total of three arrangements and then you wander off somewhere and fall asleep."

 "I can't help it if I have chronic fatigue syndrome!"

 "This is a physical job. If your body can't handle an 8-hour shift without falling asleep for two hours, this isn't the job for you. Tell me: where is that fair to the girls that you do 3% of the work while they pick up the slack and you wander off to sleep on the clock?"

 "I simply do not care about them."

 "You don't care that you're shoving all the work on your coworkers, and that's why you're fired."

 "I wish you'd given me a warning."

 "Tell me, Yeehaw: how many employers can you find that will allow you to sleep on the clock for two hours and let you off with a warning?"

 End of discussion.

 Now, you're probably wondering where Aggie comes back into this. Just hold tight, I'll get there.

 The Sunday after he was fired, he came in to pick up his paycheck. I was busy handling a minor emergency where one of our funeral homes forgot to order a spray and I had to make one as fast as I could. We held a brief conversation while I made the spray in a hurry.

 "I'm here to pick up my check," he said while I greened the spray and leafed through the paychecks simultaneously.

 "Here you go," I said, handing it to him without much fanfare. I presumed that he was looking for sympathy or some kind of followup or... I don't know. Sorry you suddenly care about your job?

 "So what are your next plans," one of the designers asked, trying to coax more information out of him while I did the work of three people.

 "It's kind of funny," he said slowly... as he did all things. "I've only ever been fired from flower shops." He paused, thoughtfully. "I think I'm going to go apply to the shop in Bexley that Aggie went to."

[the-mercurial-star-o-vesper]

TEN OUTTA TEN 1010

Welp, its happened. I’m into No Straight Roads, and the boys with the K-Bop in their step has got me hooked.

So I’m gonna celebrate (for the moment) with lots of gathered info I’ve found, seen, or heard speculated, regarding the Top Boy Band of Vinyl City... 1010. [Possible OCs to come later]

Some of this stuff might be common knowledge, some is already on the wiki, but hey, no shame in having a consolidated list.

But for now...

The Names of 1010 were deciphered by out of universe fans. They are Rin (White), Haym (Yellow), Eloni (Green), Purlhew (Blue) and Zimelu (Red).

An old placeholder model for 1010 had Black Hair and different tron lines.

1010 in binary is... literally just 10.

Eloni does not get fan letters; He’s the “Funny Band member”, and Funny Band Members don’t get fan letters.

1010 wears Sailor uniforms (The US Navy would call them Dress Blues, so think... Popeye. But no hat.) In fact, their flying limo is a god damn Tron-lined Battleship. Even the Cannons dance to the music.

They’re a parody on K-Bop bands or Boy Bands to the West. And while they’re listed as Funky, they’re technically Synthpop. (Haha, Synth)

In the background of their fight, when the Battleship Limo stops for pictures, you can see that there is a set of pictures of 1010. Rin the White has a Fuschia or Purple Background, while all the others have a background matching their aesthetic colors.

1010 have common powers... ... Firing Lasors. ... Levitation (Or small time Flight; as they rush to the side to meet the Cameras) ... “Taking to the Sky”, or just really powerful jumping. ... Being powered by Cheers. ... There’s a reason I left Shield off in a moment.

1010 are both outrageously tall (Mayday only comes to their waist when they stand up properly), and outrageously heavy (did you hear them walk backward in their intro cutscene? How heavy are these guys!?)

It could whatever kind of AI they have, but they are waaaay insynch, almost preemptively. Perhaps 1010 are directly linked to each other?

In most of their appearances outside of battle, they all have the same colored eyes as their aesthetic colors. But in Battle, they all have White eyes. Mind that in their Show Stopper picture, they’re back to having their aesthetic eyes again. Take that as you will.

1010 has associated attacks, when you’re in the Phase facing the Factory and Neon J. ... Yellow has Missiles or Splash Damage explosions. No literally, the yellow droid is the missle. ... Green has Bombs. HIS HAIR IS A BOMB. ... Red has Saws. He-He literally uses Red Droid as the Saw. ... Blue has some sort of Staffs or Whirlwind strike. They are staffs made of Purl-Hew. ... Because of his Picture’s Purple Background, White’s likely isn’t an attack but is, in fact, the Shields that occured early in the battle. Which is probably why they’re never deployed, because how the hell can you make a shield out of Rin Bots.

It was pointed out in one of the many Youtube Comment Sections that 1010′s hairstyles match their respective attacks in some form or fashion. ... Zimelu’s Mohawk indicates his associated Saws. ... Haym’s hair looks like a missile. ... Eloni’s hair looks line a Grenade Pin. ... Purlhew’s flat top hair could indicate the fact that he’s literally used as a Staff End. So basically he’s Blue. That’s his attack. [Hah] ... Rin’s the sexy one. Look, for a Band of Robots with fancy hairdos and attacks, he’s not considered remarkable.

As they are a parody of Boy Bands across the World, they may follow the boy band “archtypes” ... Rin is the Leader, and the Heartthrob (He doesn’t have a weird hairstyle, and he does the most flirting / talking; as well as the most promoted) ... Eloni, as already established, is the Funny Guy, or the Comedian. ... Purl-Hew is the Cool Guy, (consider his Sunglasses) ... Zimelu is the Bad Boy (Mohawk, his ANGRY EYES AARGH) ... Haym’s is apparently considered a Pompadour. Maybe he is also a Bad Boy? Consider his name, he may be the Smart Guy. ... There is no known “Shy Guy” or “Cute Guy (Technically, the Second Heartthrob, but isn’t a threat to first Heartthrob’s position). So, go forth and create.

Fun Consideration on my part. Since Names can have meaning in No Straight Roads and meaning in personal names... ... Rin is a japanese name, and boy can it mean a lot of stuff depending on the Kanji (Some of the meanings are “Dignified” “Compassion” “Cold”). He’s probably coolly impassionate off stage. ... Purl-Hew is apparently a pun on Pearl Hue (cos I guess blue Pearls). Perhaps he likes puns. ... Zimelu is an ooold fortress in Lativa apparently. Perhaps he has a warish personality. Or I guess knows very Niche military history. (Perhaps, in-universe, it was the name of a base Neon J served at?) ... Haym is the name shared by a few people, but in the themes of music, its probably Nicola Francesco Haym (Italian Poet, Opera Librettist, Composer, Manager, Editor and Numismatist (That’s uh, a guy who studies Currency)). Perhaps our Haym is quite the Nerd. ... the name Eloni means Lofty. Which can me “Of Imposing Height” (They all are), “Noble or Exalted Nature” (Possibly?) “Proud, Aloof or Self-Important” (They all are that too, yes), or in regard to Lofty Wool “Thick and Resilient” (I mean, if you look at those thighs-- Ahem). So basically Eloni’s name defines all the group... Wow, poor fella. No wonder he’s the Comedian, he’d have to pull anything to get noticed (when its not about his hair) [THE DUDE DABS]

If Battledroids all have background memories to be more efficient in combat... Does 1010 have backup memories from Neon J?

Metro Division shows other kinds of Robots, and the progression of 1010′s Mark Models (1 looks like your typical Sailor, 2 looks a bit like our 1010 but more droid, jointed and blocky, and our 1010 is currently mark 3... There are 4 known Types of Droid, so a 4th Mark may be on the way)

Neon J, Manager and Creator, is a Vetren of Vinyl City’s Navy (It only has a Navy); and his District is literally a Theme Park mashed with a Ship Yard.

Neon is the 10th element of the Periodic Table, and J is the 10th letter. Dude loves his 10s.

Considering how he replaces the bots in battle, or even outright uses them as weapons... Perhaps his “Troops” are not the Bot bodies, but the AI possibly hosted inside? 1010 has more personality out of battle after all, and Neon is seen fervently protecting 1010 when their eyes share their hair color. (As their eyes are only white in battle...) Hm, mayhaps the HC is, that when their Eyes have color, the AI is truely present.

Neon is a Cyborg, note that his body appears to be the same kind of droid as 1010′s, with a Radar head. His brain is apparently in his radar, and as we saw post-battle, that head was smashed to hell. Perhaps the reason he was reminiscing so much and though that BBJ was really after him, was because of some serious onset head or brain trauma.

Apparently, Vinyl City has or has had Border Wars. This could be a reference to the Korean DMZ Conflicts (As 1010 does distinctly include Korean K-Pop, and South Korean men do have to serve 2 years in the military forces by law), but there have been hundreds of different Border Wars throughout the world. [ I wonder what war Vinyl City was in. Perhaps against the Artist Capital of the World, Canvas City ] [ Oh take me down to the Canvas City, where the grass is green and the pics are pretty--]

Neon’s passion is Dancing.

Neon J and DJ Subatomic Supernova do seem to be in a lot of pictures together. No wonder everybody ships them.

Neon J used to make toys, as seen by the collectibles you can get. Done by hand too. Though if each toy found is a stage in his life... I wonder who the doll with the violin is.

Think maybe Neon J has direct control over 1010? I mean they share the same voice, they have a passion for poses and dancing, he does directly command them...

Are Cyborg parts cheap? Or was Neon J someone important enough in the Vinyl City Navy to actually become a cyborg? Military doesn’t do expensive prosthetic surgeries for random grunts without reason.

Okay, regarding what the Azkar faction is. Its probably suppose to be Askar. Azkar is a type of Islamic Prayer. Askar is actually Arabic for Army. So it’d be The “Army Faction” (which makes more sense for a nation city-state that only has a Navy)

The place he called “Kewan” is not a real world place. Its either Persian for “Saturn” (What, is he... Is he a SAILOR SCOUT!?) or Kurdish for Mountains (He does mention mountains).

Possibly more as information arises.

[onelastbreath-writes]

I Spy

Pairing: Frankie “Catfish” Morales/Fem!Reader (AFAB, no y/n)

Word Count: 1.7K

Warnings: Brief mention of bad(abusive/manipulative) parents, general adult topics, swearing.

Summary: You meet a cute guy at a bar, you date, you fall in love, and oops, it turns out you’ve both been lying about your careers. Classified only stays classified until you get assigned a mission together. (SpecOps&Spies, with Young!Frankie)

A/N: Hey guys, I was bad and started another fic. Whoops. This one is for Triple Frontier because I love that soft boi Francisco. The flavour of this fic, the vibe if you will, is basically the spiderman pointing meme. I’ve vaguely set the timeline to like mid-2000s? so I’ll be trying my best to stay true to technology and aesthetic of the era. There was so much denim. Anyways, that means I’m trying to write for about a 27-33 year old Frankie and a similarly aged reader. I don’t see this series being more than a couple chapters at best, so it’ll be short and sweet. Also, like, very little angst if I can help it; I just want this one to be a good, cute, fun read. Hope y’all enjoy! Xoxo

[AO3][Masterlist]

“So, you’re coming out tonight, right? You’re not busy or anything?”

“Please don’t say it like that, you know how busy work actually is. And I’m a grown woman; if I didn’t want to go to a shady dive bar with you and your very loud friends from the office, I’d say so,” You loved your best friend, and you missed spending time together, but you really couldn’t say the same for her co-workers.

You had nothing against the women she worked with, and you found that they were all perfectly lovely and usually quite fun to be around… it was just that when the alcohol came out, the volume control and verbal filters disappeared.

You wouldn’t say that barhopping was what you’d prefer to be doing tonight, along with more or less babysitting your friend and her friends, but you didn’t know when you’d next be able to squeeze in a night off to just hang out and have fun, so this was happening. You would laugh and smile and keep the drunk secretaries from going home with questionable people, and then you would look back on your ladies’ night with fond memories until you could eventually attend another.

You had known when you picked your career that it would be an around-the-clock, all-day, every-day sort of thing. You never deluded yourself into thinking you would have much of a social life or long-term relationships. Most partners, hell even most friends, would have a problem with you jetting off for weekends, or disappearing for days at a time under mountains of paperwork and appointments.

It just made your best friend that much more important to you. You’d met as kids, went through years of school beside each other, hung out, did stupid teenager things and then stupid young adult things together. You’d cried and laughed and fought and made up a million times, you’d gone to different colleges and still kept in touch, moved away, moved back, and you were still going strong. She was your ride-or-die, your anchor and your parachute and everything in between, so if you could use some of your precious, hoarded, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it time off to see her, that’s just what you’d do.

“You should take some of that fire, and direct it at your boss. Tell him no for a change. I’d love to see his face at that!” She meant well, always trying to look out for you and your health when it came to your beyond demanding job. You weren’t even allowed to tell her a fraction of what you were doing in your professional life, and she knew it, but that didn’t stop her from being ready to throw fists at your employer at a moment’s notice.

“One does not simply tell the über-rich that they don’t need to fly to Paris, again. Being a PA is a full-time nannying gig, except your charge is an adult who can argue when you say no, and you cannot put them on timeout when they’re being a brat. Where he goes, I go, and unless something drastic happens, it will probably continue on like that for a while.” She laughed at your jokes, and your heart hurt a little less at her glee. You knew she would never give up on you or blame you for your work being unpredictable, but that didn’t make the sting of last-minute cancels and missed outings hurt any less, for either of you.

“But it must be nice, just getting on a plane and going somewhere amazing at the drop of a hat. Travelling the world like a superstar, meeting people, having amazing adventures with mysterious strangers…”

“Easy there, Mamma Mia, your wanderlust is showing. And I’d take you with me in a heartbeat if I could. You were born to be a jetsetter, not to be stuck in this town with nothing but the office cubicle beside you to stare at. And I still think you should apply for one of those immersive culture grants you keep mooning over. They’d be fools not to fund your writing expedition!” She was an incredible person, three full degrees to her name in the time it took a normal student to get one, and a brain that could run miles around the rest of the professionals in her field. But she was tethered to this quiet backwater town, and she wasn’t free to fly like she deserved.

“You know I can’t just… go, like you can. My mom, it’d just break her heart… I don’t want to leave her alone, not after Dad,” You honestly doubted that you’d ever meet a woman more horrible and undeserving of her own daughter’s kindness. Helen was a parasite full of lies and manipulations and greed, and she had attached herself like a bad rash to your friend after she’d chased away the rest of her family members.

Your friend searched for the good in everyone, but you wished she’d stop looking for it at that home.

“You deserve your own happiness and freedom, and she should be encouraging you to spread your wings if and when you’re ready.” Politicking your friend was never something you enjoyed. She was the last person you wanted to use your negotiating credentials and sly subterfuge tactics against, but you wanted, needed, her safety and health more. You considered it almost bribery; dangling her dream future in front of her in exchange of being rid of the garbage in her life.

“Hey now, we’re getting way too deep into sad-drunk night conversations, and this is strictly a happy-fun-drunk night. Please leave all baggage and woes at the door, thank you!” You admitted your defeat and surrendered your verbal power point on Why Helen Needs to Disappear. You would get her next time for sure, give her the accelerant to burn down that bridge. “Anyways, the reason I called was to remind you of our haunt for the night. One of the girls, Kelly, you remember Kelly, found this adorable little hole in the wall. A total boys’ club apparently: darts, pool, sports games on the TV, but Kelly’s sister’s friend’s brother Tyler said the place was a favourite of the local army guys. So, if nothing else, we’ll at least have some hunks to look at for a while. It’ll be great!”

You jotted down the directions to the bar as she listed them, and the time you were expected to arrive there.

“Oh! And wear that cute little blue number you bought last spring; I know you still have it so don’t you dare lie. It makes your ass and legs look divine, and I think you could stand to make a new acquaintance tonight.” That Little Blue Number was buried in the back of your closet where you had hoped it would remain forever, but luck was not on your side tonight it seemed. But it did make you look, and feel, fantastic.  It was just so… breezy. “And heels! Real ones, not your cute little personal assistant kitten heels. Those black strappy ones would work like a dream!” You just sighed dramatically into the receiver and agreed to her demands.

“I’ll let you go now, and yes, I suppose I can be presentable tonight, dress and all. See-ya later!”

---

Hole in the wall was right. This place was basically underground it was so on the D.L. It was warm inside though, and in the middle of autumn with so much skin on display, you could not be more pleased to get away from the chilled outside air.

You would describe the interior as comfortable with a hint of rustic; lots of warm dark wood and low lights, mixed with the soft Latin music crooning in the background and the few patrons’ conversations adding to the ambience.

All in all, it was probably the nicest dive bar you’d been to in your hometown.

Your party was easy to spot where they had claimed a group of pushed together tables towards the far side of the establishment, and you carefully made your way over to them in your tricky high heels.

You said your hellos to returning faces and introduced yourself to the new additions, and accepted the chair you were pointed to and the drink pressed into your hand.

And so, the hours rolled.

You had enjoyed two fruity cocktails and a flaming shot before you called it quits on the alcohol for the night. You still had a few hours to sober up enough to drive home safely, and you would be able to help the girls get to their rides and ways home too. You appreciated having a social drink or two, but you didn’t care for hangovers and would happily take slightly tipsy over party-hard drunk anytime. Plus, your contract stated you were on-call, always, and you could be required to navigate high-stress negotiations at the drop of a hat. It was just better to cut yourself off, then reap the consequences of your actions later.

You tapped your friend’s shoulder as you walked past and leaned over to talk into her ear. “I’m getting some water for the table; do you want anything else?”

“Mmmm, no I think we’re good for now, thanks!” She was plastered already, but she had a huge grin on her face and was laughing at her co-workers’ stories, so you considered it a win of a night. You gave her a pat goodbye and swayed your way to the bar.

But you just were not accounting for the uneven floorboards, or how much your heels affected your currently less than steady equilibrium, and before you could blink you were teetering over into a nasty fall.

“Whoa there, easy does it, muñequita” Arms wrapped around you and pulled you back into a warm chest. “Careful now, don’t go twisting an ankle in those fancy shoes.”

You certainly did not account for the man you turned around to face. Wow.

His hands glided respectfully from where he had caught you around the waist to your still bent and held out elbows, steadying you as you swayed dangerously again.

Warm brown eyes, soft brown curls, and the sweetest smile you’d ever seen. It felt like your heart was going to beat out of your chest, and you knew that it wasn’t left over adrenaline from your near wipeout. He was gorgeous and handling you so gently, and you wanted to spend forever in that moment.

“Hey there, palomita, I’m Frankie, can I buy you a drink?”

[Next Part]