#1) I love Shadow and figured I was due to draw him

[killjoy-prince]

Happy Sonic Prime Season 2 Day!!

[littlegaybean1]

Helo I would absolutely read your essay on Ianto Jones

The people have asked so the people shall receive - here's my 2000+ word essay on Ianto Jones through episodes 1-4. I have another in progress for episode 6 and the audio Broken, which I have not listened to but I have read several different summaries of it.

Ianto Jones's official role in Torchwood Three is the Archivist. However, he acts as general support, receptionist, butler and crime scene cover up in addition to this role. Prior to the episode Countrycide, he remained in the Hub during field operations, however the sixth episode of the first series saw him in his first on-screen field mission. At 23 when the show begins, he is Torchwood's youngest member, however he is far from its least experienced.

Before joining Torchwood Three (Cardiff), Ianto was employed at Torchwood One, the London branch whose downfall is shown in the Doctor Who episodes Army of Ghosts and Doomsday. He originally worked there as a junior researcher, however he also took on the job of Yvonne Hartman's personal assistant. He spent a short time as a junior field agent before returning to work as Hartman's PA. Whilst working there, he met and fell in love with Lisa Hallett, whom he started dating. This becomes significant after One's fall, upon which Ianto becomes one of 27 Torchwood London employees to survive the events, out of over 800. Having grown up in Cardiff, Ianto returned there and convinced Jack Harkness to hire him at Torchwood Three.

Despite being qualified, Ianto had to ask three times on three separate occasions before Harkness eventually gave him the job. By the time the program begins, Ianto has been at Torchwood Cardiff for three months. For the first three episodes he has very little screen time, appearing last out of any Torchwood Cardiff employee. He is first seen when Gwen, the protagonist, arrives at the Torchwood Hub for the first time. In this scene he is acting as a receptionist for the tourist office that is run as a front to the Hub. He is completely separate from the other employees, isolated even within the 5 person team. Rather than introduce him as the archivist, Jack chooses to say "he cleans up after us and gets us everywhere on time." This introduction paints the picture of him as a butler or lower-level employee, rather than someone with five years of experience within the organisation.

This image of him continues, with him appearing in the second episode to provide the team with food and then assist Jack when a prisoner escapes. Other than this, he remains either off screen or in the background, a lonely figure about whom the audience knows very little. He is never presented as one of the team, nor does any member of the team make an effort to include him. The only times in which he is seen in this episode is when he purposely draws attention to himself, something which he only ever does occasionally. He remains in the shadows, not a character who the audience is meant to focus on. Given the constant action and his rare appearances, it is easy to forget that he is ever there, something reinforced by the bold and full personalities of the other characters.

The third episode highlights his role within Torchwood. During the major action scenes, he is nowhere to be found. When they are desperately failing to find Harris, nobody even thinks to call Ianto and see if there's anything he can do at the Hub. He appears almost as comedic relief at some moments, with the "Splott/Sploe" comment being the most notable. He is seen only when he chooses to be, forgotten once more due to the high stakes, fast moving action and dynamics between the other characters. The only hint towards what sort of relationship he has with any member of the team is the tiny tidbits of flirting exchanged between him and Jack on two occasions. Even this tells us next to nothing about he and Jack's relationship, since one of Jack's most renowned characteristics is his constant flirting with any and all adult characters, including robots.

However, the scene that speaks the loudest about his character's role is the very end of the episode. Having understood the full, terrible potential of the Ghost Machine, Jack has Ianto lock it in the secure archives. This would be a tiny thing, considering the fact that Ianto's domain is the archives, if it weren't for the way that he is told to do it. Jack simply says his name and holds it out in Ianto's general direction. He never looks at him, responding only with a nod when Ianto asks "Secure archives?". He treats him not like an archivist, or a survivor or even an employee, but like a servant, someone he pays to do menial tasks for him. He does not see Ianto as someone who he needs to show respect to, and none of the others question it. The entire team is present, but none of them have any reaction to the way that Ianto is treated. Not a single one of them sees a problem with the fact that he is being treated as lesser, or being disrespected. For Gwen, this is understandable since she is dealing with the grief and guilt of being part of a man's death, however Tosh and Owen just act as if this is normal, which leads to the assumption that this is a regular occurrence. Different versions of that interaction must have occurred multiple times over the short period that Ianto had worked there.

Which brings us to Cyberwoman. The very first scene mirrors the end of Ghost Machine - Jack handing something to Ianto without acknowledging him, before immediately turning his attention to someone else. Ianto is left behind whilst everyone else goes out, he is always the outsider, the other. At this point, it is revealed that he has been hiding the remnants of Lisa in his basement, half converted and in pain. Ianto had no way of knowing that Lisa was not still herself, she spoke and acted like any human would if they were injured and dying. Somehow, Ianto was able to smuggle a full conversion unit/life support system and Lisa herself into the Hub without anyone noticing. Whilst he undoubtedly took many precautions to avoid being discovered, the fact remains that he could not have done so if any member of Torchwood Three had paid him any attention. All of them were perceptive, intelligent and presumably able to recognise a cyber conversion unit, this presumption coming from the fact that Owen recognised it, who is neither a tech expert nor the longest serving agent. The only one who wouldn't have been able to identify what it was was Gwen, who wasn't part of Torchwood when Ianto brought Lisa into the Hub. Once more, Ianto was ignored by the rest of Torchwood, fading into the background immediately after the worst event of his life, surrounded by the only people he knew who knew the truth of the "battle".

Later in the episode, Ianto still remains loyal to "Lisa", even though the Cyberwoman no longer has any part of her left. This is what the team, specifically Jack, blames him most for, telling him to "stand as part of the team". However, prior to this, no effort has been seen to involve Ianto as a member of the team, allowing him to become invisible. He was constantly undervalued; they used him as a dogsbody. Lisa had seen him, relied on him and loved him. If they had been thinking logically instead of acting emotionally, they would have realised that there was no reason for Ianto to choose to stand with them and every psychologically based reason for him to try and save Lisa. He lost everyone who could have provided him with support after Canary Wharf at Canary Wharf. Due to the secretive nature of Torchwood, Ianto could not legally tell anyone about the horrors that he experienced there; and the only people who knew shut him out completely. The only person he had left was dying and in agony; and she leaned on him so heavily that he could not lean on her.

Another point to consider is that the way Jack acts around Ianto is entirely based on what suits him. He allows Ianto to become unseen when he has no need of him, but orders him to be part of the team when he is faced with the reality of his treatment of Ianto. This demand is done with Ianto on his knees and a gun to his head. The only motives that Ianto would have had for agreeing were fear of execution and planning a future betrayal. In this scene he is filled with too much rage to be afraid of the threats; and he never had any wish to betray Torchwood Three, his only goal was to heal Lisa. To assume otherwise directly contradicts his actions in future episodes.

What can be considered the cruellest action towards Ianto is the use of Myfanwy to attack the Cyberwoman. Ianto came to the Hub with Myfanwy, named her and was the one who fed her and cleaned her nesting area. For Ianto, Myfanwy would have been something of a very large, dangerous, untamed pet. Something else that he cared about ripped away from him just as brutally as in London. However, what's almost worse than London is that she remains present, still exactly the same but completely different to him. Her existence for Ianto will forever be tainted by the memory of her attacking the Cyberwoman who bore Lisa's face. Such a minor loss at the time compared to Lisa, but nevertheless something he cares about also taken from him.

As if the episode did not already cause Ianto enough emotional anguish, one of the most emotionally charged scenes had not yet come. After Myfanwy’s attack, Ianto attempts to enter the Hub again through the tourist office. Before he has a chance to enter however, the other four members of Torchwood catch him up, leading to him pointing a gun at them and stating that he has “nothing left to lose”. Jack is able to call his bluff and disarm him, pinning him against a wall with a gun to his head once more. What follows is a furious exchange in which Jack demands that Ianto enter the Hub again to execute Lisa if she was not already dead and Ianto refuses, saying that “I won't do it, you can't make me”. His only attempt to defend himself is minor struggling when he is first pinned to the wall, after which he remains still. He has no way of knowing whether or not Jack will actually follow through on his threat “you execute her or I'll execute you both”, meaning that he is fully prepared to die rather than comply. At this point, Ianto has been completely stripped of his humanity - threatened with a deadly weapon, defenceless and being forced to choose between killing what he still sees as the love of his life and dying in defiance, which would do nothing to prevent the Cyberwoman’s execution. He doesn't know if she is already dead, but chooses death over pretending to comply then running or taking the chance that he will not have to shoot her since she could already be dead. He eventually is submissive and goes after her, however it can be safely assumed that his intention was not to kill her but to attempt to save her again. He goes in alone and could easily have run, but he chooses to cling to what he has, the remnants of Lisa.

A dreadful scene awaited him within. The body of Lisa with chunks of flesh torn away from the bones lies in a pool of her own blood; and an unknown woman stands before him. A bloody line is drawn across the woman’s forehead; and she recognises him. She calls to him, revealing the horrific truth of the Cyberwoman's actions. This woman has the body of a young pizza delivery girl, one that Ianto had called here, and the cybernetically modified brain of Lisa Hallett. The bloody line is from where the Cyberwoman had opened her skull, performed a brain transplant and fused the skull pieces back together. This moment truly annihilated any hope Ianto had left, forced him to see that there was nothing of Lisa left in the most brutal of ways. Ianto raised his gun but could not pull the trigger, whatever this monster was still had some of Lisa's memories. By talking of the times Ianto spent with Lisa, the Cyberwoman poisoned those memories. He had lost so much, now even his happy memories have been destroyed for him. Lisa Hallett died at Canary Wharf, but that was the day that her lover’s soul died with her body.

[zap0ch0s]

Remastered 9 headcanons for the painful experiment AU part 2

hey! here the second part of the headcanons for the "9: Painful Experiment"

and well, disclaimer below

TW: blood, death, murderer, mental diseases (maybe), gore, hardcore topics

please have discretion before reading

Tom (OC):

him :)

his father died because of a misterious sickness called sanguinosis (I explain myself,  it happens when the blood vessels break throughout the body, that’s because they didn’t develop well, causing internal and external hemorrhages, I’ll be fast, first, you get a fever, second, you cough up blood, third, you cough and cry blood, fourth, you get seizures, fifth, you get internal external hemorrhages, and lastly, you die, and no cure has been discovered yet, the only thing that relieves it is fever pills), that's the first traumatic event Tom went through

he had a young sister called Carie

Tom lived in a place of the city of Roanoke (Virginia) near from the beach, so when it was summer vacations, Tom and Carie usually went there to have fun, but one day, her sister was drifted away in the ocean, Tom's mother went very worried to call for some help, but when the ambulance came, it was very late for Carie, cuz she drown in the deepest part of the ocean (well, not so deep, but deep enough), that was the second traumatic event for Tom

after his sister's death, he used to sleep in his sister's bed due to the trauma of seeing her in an emergency stretcher, wet and pale, months later, he just stopped doing that cuz he thought it was time to move on

years later, at his 25's, he met Olivia and fell in love with her, they married and had a baby girl, months passed, and the baby was already 3 years old, after many yeras, Tom was finally in peace, but death knocked his door again to fuck his life once more, one night, a misterious man with a scientinst outfit came into his house and killed his wife and daughter, by the night, when Tom arrived to his house, he could only see their corpses, that third event was the drop that spilled the glass for him to resort to shadow magic to avenge his family

after making a ritual to obtain shadow magic, his skin turned white (literally), his eyes turned red, a weird shadow mask appeared between his eyes and his hands turned black due to the shadows effect

he lives with the grief of losing his family, but he tries to keep the composture

he met the scientist once more when he kidnapped Tom to study him until 9 released him

after the massacre in the laboratory, Tom (just like 9 with Tom) became attached to 9 and started to treat him like he was his own son

Tom sees 9 as a reflection of his daughter

when 9 has mental breakdown of feels very stressed, Tom usually cuddles him and spoils him a little bit, saying comforting things to 9

Tom is 9's paternal figure

9 just craves Tom's affection and Tom doesn't have any problem with that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

6:

In this part, there is a trigger warning of implied abuse, so please, have discretion

he has a lot of visions of the past and present (and maybe future?)when he's sleeping and when he's not, that happens almost often

almost all his visions are about demons and the Witch of Doom

during the demon massacre, he collided 7 while running away, then he met 5 when 7 saved his life and lastly, he met 2, 8 and 1 when 7 was reuniting with them with with a injured 5

he's very fearful and more shy than 5

not very talkative cuz he stammers a lot

when he has visions, he prefers to draw them so he doesn't forget what he saw

unfortunately, 1 saw that and forced 8 to beat him so 6 could learn to control that the bad way

that physical abuse traumatized him a lot that he became untrustful to 8, that from the beginning, 6 wanted to start a friendly relationship with him, and he still wants to but he's too afraid to do that

the only stitchpunks he really trust are 7, 5 and 2

one day, he prefered to lock himself in

once he had a vision about 9 and his next moves, but 9's figure was to fuzzy that he could barely see him, so 6 started to ask himself who was that stitchpunk

3 and 4:

it's funny cuz I don't have anything original with these dudes, just two things:

althought they are canonically non binary, I see them both as boys (don't get mad at me)

they communicate with flashes but they are really communicating in morse code

2:

when he leaved the scientist, he was a chill old man until he met 1, unlike 1, he didn't fell in love with him inmediately, first, he started being friends with 1 until 2 months later, he finally fell in love with 1 despite his moody personality

patient to some point

during the demon massacre, he never got separated from 1's side, of course, until he met the others, he became a little bit... distant

he's very gentle and always wants to help the others

it's very difficult to make him mad, since he doesn't get easely irritated

he didn't know about all the abuses 6 suffered before and after he went to "scout"

he didn't even know 5 was a pyromaniac, but he knew he could sing

he loves 1 with his heart, but he feels that 1 is the distant one (poor little oldman)

8:

he's a sentimental troubled brutus

he's 1 forced bodyguard

he has a good heart deep inside

introvert

rarely has something to say

abused physically and emotionally of 6

he really wanted to be friends with 6, but due to 1's shitty orders, he thinks he now lost that only chance to ask 6 If he want's to be his friend

he's very strong (but not that strong enough like 9 unnatural and abnormal magical strenght)

he hates to be the bully

everytime he ended beating the shit out of 6, he could only lament himself miserably

tries to hide his soft side due to the shame of seeing him acting good

he never doubts on protecting the ones he cares

eats when he's upset

and finally this bitch 1:

he was already a bit stubborn before leaving the scientist

when he met 2, he felt inmediately with him, in his case, this was love at the first talk

he noticed 2 was a very gentle and soft man, something that he hated but loved so much about him

during the demon massacre, he never got separated from 2's side, of course, until 2 met the others and 1 felt very distant from 2

all the bad decisions in the story is due to the stress and trauma that the demon massacre left in him

welp,the reason he forces 8 to beat 6 is beacuse he's afraid that any of his visions cam come true someday

it all went practically "good" until 2 tried to figure out 6's visions

1 considered that the man he loved was betraying him, so that's the reason he send 2 to "scout"

he wants to marry 2, but doesn't know how to propose

deep inside, he's regreting every damage he did to his little family, but he decides to hide that pain

wow, finally, after a lot of days making this crap, finally is finished, hope you enjoy it :3

[my-romance-library]

'Cursed Blood' series - J.D. Monroe

---

The Guardian's Curse (#1)

Shoshanna York knows vampires are nothing but trouble. But what’s a witch to do when the rent is due and the vampires are offering five figures for some simple spellwork?

This was supposed to be one simple job, but when a rogue vampire breaks into her apartment, Shoshanna’s fanged employers come to the rescue. Unfortunately, their idea of a rescue is to whisk her away to a luxurious mansion with a mysterious vampire as her bloodthirsty babysitter.

For over a century, reclusive vampire Alistair Thorne has hidden his cursed face in the shadows of his Atlanta mansion. When an old friend brings him an uninvited houseguest, he reluctantly agrees to protect the witch as long as she stays away from him.

But Alistair’s will is no match for Shoshanna’s, and they soon meet face to face. Determined to make herself useful, Shoshanna vows to break Alistair's curse. But this is no fairytale, and it will cost far more than true love's kiss to break this twisted curse.

It may cost everything they hold dear.

“I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”

“Like what?”

“Awake,” he said. “Alive. Doing incredibly stupid things for someone you care about.”

“I don’t…” As he trailed off, Paris’s smile widened. “I do care for her.”

“As you should,” Paris said. “I like her. We should keep her.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Alistair Thorne, are you asking me for love advice?”

“It’s been nearly a century,” he said. “Since you. And we both know I handled it poorly.”

Paris’s expression softened from his broad, mischievous grin to an affection smile. “Open a door for her rather than slamming it in her face. Then you must trust her and welcome her if she walks through.”

---

The Hunter's Curse (#2)

When she makes a devilish deal with the vampires to save her sister's life, she plunges deep into the shadowy world of Atlanta's vampires. Surrounded on all sides by dangerous creatures, she finds herself feeling safe for the first time in her life with the angel-faced vampire who saved her life.

Even before an agonizing curse cast a pall over his unnaturally long life, Nikko Baudelaire has been haunted by his failures for centuries. When he saves Olivia Pierce from a filthy blood farm, he's just doing his part to soothe his wounded conscience.

As Olivia becomes embroiled in the court and all of its politics, Nikko swears to protect her and give her the safety she's always lacked. Despite his best intentions to keep her at arm's length, she draws him ever closer and ignites a dangerous spark of hope.

But Nikko fears the danger he poses to Olivia. If not his primal hunger, then the deadly curse marked on his skin will surely bring her harm. And when the turmoil of the vampire underworld spills over into their lives, Nikko may not be able to protect his new love from a terrible fate.

"Every beat of your heart heals something that has long been broken in me.”

[melonmint1]

Assignment Name: Character Design 2

Tools: Sketchbook

Description: 3 full body visuals of Mammon, the devil in my game world. The demon of greed and wealth, Mammon grew jealous of many humans' greed and sought to re-establish himself as the "king of greed". To punish humans for their greediness, Mammon captures the souls of humans attempting to reach heaven using his fishing rod. Mammon takes the souls and infects them, turning them into his personal Lightsouls. In an attempt to stop Mammon's malicious acts, the Candle Mages leave their home and launch an all-out offense on Hell. The plan backfires - upon arriving at Hell, Mammon is nowhere to be found. It is soon discovered that Mammon was a step ahead, and had already launched his own invasion of the Candle Mages' home base and captured it (as depicted in my previous drawing). Side note: it seems like Mammon takes a liking towards the souls of politicians, and bankers on Wall Street. I wonder why.

Image breakdown:

Image 1: Mammon sits on one of his many thrones in Hell, bored out of his mind. Surrounding him are bars of gold. Mammon's greed has resulted in him owning everything (literally everything), and now he plans his next move that will bring him satisfaction.

Image 2: Mammon fishing the souls of Humans on the way to heaven. As a demon, Mammon has the ability to grow limbs and change form. Here, he has grown a third stump leg to act as a counterweight while he fishes.

Image 3: A demonstration of Mammon's greed, and playful/twisted personality. Here he is stealing pots of gold from donors, because he felt like it.

More character details:

no matter what Mammon transforms into, he will always retain his sizable belly. This is a crucial feature that hints towards his insatiable hunger/greed for all things.

red and gold are Mammon's main colors. Red for his devilish apperance, and gold as he just loves trinkets and anything shiny. The purple accent represents his jealousy and power. Mammon also wears jewelrey (which can be of any color), frequently switching between various jeweled items.

as for drawing style, Mammon should be sketched first, highlighting shadows and dark areas with cross-hatching. Color can then be applied afterwards to create the desired look.

Self reflection:

Rather proud of this one. Throughout this semester I have been trying a bunch of different techniques to create value from color, and I think I've finally found the solution that works best for me. Like I mentioned above, I sketched Mammon's figure and form first in black and white, using cross-hatching and quick strokes to highlight dark areas. I then used an airbrush tool in Sketchbook to apply one solid layer of color, then switched to darker tones of the same color to paint areas where I cross-hatched. Rinse and repeat through each color, and voila! This drawing did not take me as long as I thought it would, which is a great change of pace from other recent assignments. I'm also quite happy with the way I showcased Mammon's emotions through his facial expression, especially in image 3. I think the main areas that I could improve on is the mouth in image 1, and the tongue in image 2. Mammon's emotion in image 1 could be understandably confused as being scared/shocked. I think if I raised the dark areas above his eyes and changed the mouth shape to be bigger (more like a yawn), the drawing would be more successful. As for image 2, Mammon's tongue looks a little bit flat compared to the rest of his body due to incorrect perspective. I'll definitely have to pay more attention to perspective as it is a recurring issue of mine, but overall I'm satisfied. On to the next one.

[iheartgod175]

So, thanks to @blazing-shadows , I’m in a huge Ricochet Rabbit mood now, and I want to get started on a few new things that’ll appear in Redux!

I would love to commission someone for a cover for the story in the future. Like, I know that I can draw it myself, but I would love to have some digital art of it (well, actually, my dream is for someone to draw fan art based on my fics! Which has happened to me once, and it was such an amazing feeling.).

So, this idea has been running through my head since I was tweaking a few things on Ricochet’s profile on the BT Wiki, and it’s been a remaster of one of my favorite arcs of Blazin’ Trails: the Protector arc. It was at the time the darkest thing I ever wrote, as it dealt with racism, grief and action/adventure, of course. And while I still love the arc itself, I figured it’d be good to do an updated version showing the improvements I made as a writer, kinda like what happened with the Zula Patrol: Dreamscape Crusade Remastered. And I had a few ideas that I wanted to introduce in this, as well as a few buildup chapters to Redux’s edition of the Protector arc.

In the original BT, Ricochet and Droop’s friendship is considered an oddity due to their species hating each other—not to mention humans having a dislike/hatred towards coyotes. In Redux, there is the added factor that there are certain attitudes/behaviors that rabbits and coyotes—particularly wealthy or renowned ones—have towards each other. In the notes for both Ricochet and Droop’s profiles, I noted that the dynamics between coyotes and rabbits are often manipulative or predatory, but other than it being referenced a few times, I never explored it. In Redux, that’s actually going to be more of a focal point, as seen below (taken from the wiki):

Traditionally, coyotes only stuck close to rabbits if they planned on eating them; sometimes, the positions could be reversed, with a rabbit keeping a coyote as their personal “pet” (to coyotes, this is the lowest form of treatment and is considered slavery). As this was a common occurrence in Hoop ‘n Holler, rumors and accusations of either party using the other ran rampant. Ricochet was aware of this practice, and worked to put an end to it (Redux’s build-up to the Protector arc, titled “Unequal Yokes”, focuses on this exact issue, and in the remastered Protector--Part 1, he becomes physically ill at the thought of doing that to Droop-a-Long), but he ignored the rumors, knowing that his friendship with the coyote was genuine and not manipulative. He was unaware that Droop-a-Long was getting the brunt of the slander, however, which is why what Dave and Chuck did to Droop-a-Long both angered and horrified him.

I’m thinking of adding another villain alongside Dave and Chuck, who I felt were one-dimensional and weren’t super convincing. Not sure if this person will be a man or a woman yet, but I do know that they’re gonna be pretty nasty, and will make what Ricochet and Droop-a-Long went through in the original pretty tame.

I don’t wanna reveal everything…but I DO know that I’ll be putting up a snippet of the remaster on my writing blog maybe next week.

That’ll probably be after I work on a little project for Vulaan Kulaas, though. But that’s news for another post 😏

[fruitcoops]

Could we please have a prequel to the praise kink fic? Because i really want to know why were Sirius and Remus not together and what did Remus send him. I really need context

I was hoping somebody would ask for this!! The aforementioned fic is here for any curious souls (18+ please) and SW credit goes to @lumosinlove!

TW for spicy texts (not exactly nudes), and smutty feelings with nothing explicit

The bus went over a bump and Sirius winced as his shins knocked against the back of the seat in front of him, connecting with the metal brace inside. “Fuck.”

“You sure you don’t want to switch?” James asked next to him. Sirius glanced down at the veritable wall of gear and empty snack bags between them, then back to James in disbelief. He shrugged, then set his headphones back over his ears. “Worth a shot.”

“Merde,” Sirius hissed as a pothole nearly took off his kneecap. He gritted his teeth and readjusted, drawing his legs closer to his chest. I want to be home, he thought, allowing himself an internal moment to whine.

He checked his phone—not even ten in the morning. It was a Saturday, so Remus would probably just be rolling out of bed, still sleepy and soft with his hair sticking up like a disgruntled cat’s. Sirius sighed heavily and stared out the window at the small town rolling past in the distance; there was little he wouldn’t give to be back with him instead of on the way to a full week of conferences.

“Why did we have to win the Cup?” he grumbled.

James lifted one side of his headphones. “What?”

“Nothing.”

It wasn’t like they had had much time to themselves before that, either—Sirius’ schedule was packed with interviews that felt more like interrogations, and Remus had been running the PT department mostly by himself while Moody took a well-deserved vacation. They were dead on their feet every night, worked to the bone with little energy left to do more than cuddle and fall asleep. Still, Sirius was grateful for every second of it.

He waited ten more minutes before giving in.

New Message To: Re

Bonjour mon loup <3

There was no immediate response, which made sense, though he was a little bit disappointed. Sirius closed his eyes and tried to make himself relax; it would be at least another six hours before they arrived at their destination, and the bad weather gathering overhead didn’t bode well for quick travel.

His phone buzzed gently and he scrambled to answer. Don’t be Reg, don’t be Reg, don’t be Reg—

New Message From: Re

Morning love!

Thanks for the bagels <3

“Fuck yes,” Sirius said under his breath. The bagels had been a last-minute decision as he crept through the house in the early hours of the morning after carefully detaching himself from Remus with a final half-asleep farewell kiss. There was no guarantee he would remember breakfast with everything going on, so Sirius figured it was a safe bet to toast them and leave them on the countertop before heading out.

Message To: Re

Pas de problem

Sleep well?

Message From: Re

Decent

Missed you :(

Sirius rested his temple against the cold window with a soft sound. He hated leaving at different times, but that was just how their life worked at the moment.

Message To: Re

Missed you too <3

Three small dots appeared for a long moment before vanishing without a trace just as his heart rate began picking up. Where’d you go? he almost wondered aloud. Something bumped his arm and James raised a quizzical brow. “Loops,” Sirius said by way of explanation.

“I figured. He okay?”

“I think so? He just…disappeared on me.” Sirius was well-aware of how plaintive he sounded—James’ teasing smile was completely unnecessary.

“Aw, Cap,” he laughed, reaching over to mess with his beanie until Sirius slapped his hand away. “It’s alright, buddy, it’s just a couple days.”

Sirius jammed his hat back on his head and flicked James on the unprotected bit of his ear, making him yelp. “Fuck off, I know you’ll be a mess as soon as Lily FaceTimes with my godson.”

“He has a name, you know.”

“Sorry. You’ll be a mess as soon as she FaceTimes with Pocket Pots, who happens to be my godson.”

James rolled his eyes. “I regret giving you that title.”

“Nah, you don’t.”

As if on cue, his phone lit up again; Sirius ignored James’ snickering as he quickly unlocked it.

New Message From: Re

When will you be at the hotel?

“That’s it?” he muttered.

Message To: Re

That was a lot of typing for one sentence

6-7 hrs, if the weather holds

Why?

Message From: Re

Sorry lmao Reg came in for a bit

Just curious :) Keep me updated?

Message To: Re

Will do <3

Tell Reg he needs to wash his sheets. It’s been over a month.

A small thumbs-up emoji was his only answer, and he tried not to be too bummed. Remus liked having things to do; sitting there and texting Sirius while he slowly got further and further away was probably not his preferred way to spend a morning. With a sigh that was likely a bit too dramatic for the situation he was in, Sirius faced the window once more and buckled in for a long ride.

He chatted off and on with the others when they stopped for lunch, but everyone was exhausted from the combination of a packed week and an early morning. Even Talker stayed fairly quiet, and James kept his headphones on for most of the trip.

Sirius finally succumbed to his tiredness and put some music on, then dozed for an hour or three while they traveled through yet another field. A few halfhearted calls of “cows” made their way around the bus, though nobody seemed particularly enthused about being packed in with double the gear due to a broken storage compartment. Donuts and gas station coffee could only do so much.

“Just crossed the state border,” Arthur called from the front of the bus as Sirius tried to ignore the cramping in his thighs. Three hours. Just three more.

His music was interrupted by a soft jingle alert and he pulled his phone out, hoping against hope that Regulus hadn’t caused a fire anywhere. It was unlikely given the…well, everything about him, but with Sirius’ luck it could happen.

New Message From: Re

How far?

Message To: Re

About 3 hrs. Ran into some detours

Good day?

Remus remained silent on the other end and Sirius frowned. That was rather rude, and highly unusual. Between the two of them, Remus was the one who kept conversations going past the initial question to be answered.

Message From: Re

Attachment: 1 Image

Love you! Call me when you get there : )

Sirius opened the attachment and almost threw his phone in utter shock. Skin. Bare skin everywhere, its smooth edges broken up only by tight black fabric that may as well have been painted onto the curve of Remus’ ass. “Oh my god,” he whimpered, voice barely audible even to his own ears. It had been taken in their bedroom mirror; Remus looked over his shoulder, and Sirius caught the corner of a devious smirk on his lips. “Oh, you fucker.”

Message From: Re

Thoughts? They’re cozy

Message To: Re

Did you miss the part where I said three (3) hours

Message From: Re

Nope

Second one is a guessing game and u get a prize if u get it right : )

The second photograph was more zoomed-in than the first and Sirius wracked his brain, running through his mental catalogue of Remus’ body to figure out the answer. It did absolutely nothing to calm the situation in his pants.

He had no idea what the promised prize was, but anticipation made his hands shake slightly as he carefully scanned the picture. The shadows caught it at an odd angle—it wasn’t the steady slopes of his face or neck, nor was it the strong curve of a shoulder. Not enough freckles, either, he thought.

A lightbulb lit in the back of his mind.

Message To: Re

Right hip

Another thought connected half a second later.

Holy fuck you took them off

Is that my prize?

Re?

Remus Lupin I swear to god

TEXT ME BACK

Message From: Re

Bingo!

Christ you’re impatient, I was gone for like 2 mins

He chanced a look toward Pots, whose head lolled to the side as he snored.

Message To: Re

Hey quick question why are you like this

It’s a good thing Pots is out cold bc this bus is too small to hide anything

Message From: Re

Haha sux to be you

Sirius’ cheeks heated with a whole cocktail of different emotions as he furiously typed a response.

Message To: Re

‘Sux to be you’???

Are you 13 yrs old????

Message From: Re

Do you want your prize or not u horndog

Message To: Re

YOU MADE ME THIS WAY

He took a deep breath through his nose and flexed his fingers.

Yes please

A simple smiley face—Sirius would never see those things the same—popped up, followed by an audio file. He triple-checked that his headphones were plugged in before tapping ‘play’ with an unsteady thumb.

His face went very, very hot before all the blood went straight to his groin and he closed his eyes, covering his mouth with his hand. Breathy sounds came through the heavy earphones, a little more crackly than they would be in-person; he heard Remus’ gasp catch in his throat and crossed his legs as best he could in the too-small seat, torn between thanking and cursing any higher power. He could practically see Remus’ face in his mind’s eye as the noises continued, intermixed with fragments of desperate words.

The file came to an end after what felt like the blink of an eye and a hundred years, and Sirius did not look away from the violently red seat cushion in front of him for a long moment as his brain came back online. He couldn’t remember the last time he was so turned on.

He took a few deep breaths, though it did nothing to erase the poorly-muffled whines that still rang between his ears like church bells. Sirius huffed and turned to grab his waterbottle out of his duffel, only to make direct eye contact with Finn across the aisle.

Sirius froze.

Finn grinned.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” he hissed, too low to wake James but just loud enough to carry over the four feet separating them. Finn’s smile widened. “Stop it. Stop it right now.”

“How’s Loops?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“That good, huh?”

“O’Hara, I swear to god—”

“Oh, is Cap spilling secrets?” Kasey asked, poking his head over the back of the seat.

Finn opened his mouth, but the force of Sirius’ glare must have been enough to at least intimidate him a little, because he shook his head. The smug Cheshire grin remained. “Nah, just having a chat about our plans when we get home.”

Kasey groaned. “You’re a lucky man, O’Hara. Both your people get to come with you. Nat sent me a promise, like, twenty minutes ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. I won’t be available tonight from six to eight if anyone was wondering.”

“Did she really?” Finn looked back to Sirius, who bit the inside of his cheek and tried to keep his cool. Two and a half hours, and then he would be safe. Just two and a half more hours.

[dearestminyoongi]

To be natural - is part of the job | 2 |

‣ summary: As a result of the recent dating rumours spreading around, you are forced by your agency to resort to a very popular practice among idols: adopting a hybrid to draw the attention of your fans to the adorableness of your new platonic partner and not the scandal on the verge of breaking out. But it’s hard to get used to having a second shadow when you’re accustomed to being on your own, especially if your new companion is hell-bent on having all your attention directed at him. Constantly.

‣ pairing: Jimin x female reader

‣ genre: hybrid au; idol!reader; fluff; hurt/comfort; slice of life; sassy!reader

‣ word count: 11.5k

‣ chapters: 1 / 2 / 3

Notes: Hitomi is your idol/stage name! Beware, there are some profanities (it's like 1% but just to be sure). If you catch some mistakes, please notify me!

You’re sitting in the blue armchair you dubbed yours, in the bare office of the shelter, for less than ten seconds before Jeong-hoon starts to talk.

“Ah, H,” He says with a lofty tone of voice, his thin lips curving in a smug smile. “You always go above and beyond, exceeding all expectations, even when it isn’t asked of you. We wasted more time by the chatty secretary than what you spent in conversation with your future companion. Your priorities are in order.”

Just like that, the good mood you were in after talking to sweet Jimin is ruined by your manager. Figures. You would have been more surprised if he let you be.

“Thanks, I think I made the best choice I could have, considering the situation. Don’t you worry, if it turns out for the worst, at least I’m used to deal with pests,” you say, sending a meaningful glance in his direction.

He laughs, throwing his head against the back of his red armchair: “That should be my line!”

There’s a blessed silence for the next few minutes and you wonder if Jimin is currently saying his goodbyes to his fellow hybrid friends, if he has any friends – How long has he been in a shelter? Was he transferred often? – and if he’s thinking of you.

“What do you know about him?” Asks Lee.

You sigh: “Name’s Jimin.”

“Surname?”

You shrug, playing with your fingers. You realize you have been biting your nails as you are keen on doing when you’re frustrated. It hadn’t happened in a while. You are due a manicure at your favourite beauty centre, the one with the soft speaking old woman whose name you keep forgetting.

“Oh, you’re hopeless,” Jeong-hoon laments, almost by himself. He adds: “It’s Park.”

Park Jimin, you think. It suits him.

“Guess Ms Da-Hui isn’t the only one being chatty today,” you drawl lazily.

“I was just doing what you were supposed to do. You know, asking questions about the hybrid that caught your attention,” he retailates.

“I was out there for two minutes – if we are being generous. So sorry if I didn’t get to his tragic backstory with joined genealogy, I’ll remedy my deficiency as soon as possible. I know: waiting for ten more minutes? Tragic. But I guess you’ll have to deal.”

Jeong-hoon sends you a challenging look, unfazed by your attitude.“Do you even know his breed?”

“Cat,” you say back, eyes dull and eyebrow raised. “Duh.”

“’Duh’ nothing. What kind of cat?” He persists.

“Blond,” you answer. “Long-haired, I think. God, it’ll be a nightmare to clean if he sheds too much.”

The sudden realization puts a frown on your face. You remember how you always got in trouble for unnecessarily inconveniencing your stylists whenever you arrived covered by Hwan’s hair. The family’s cocker spaniel loved to cuddle you and you adored her back since she was your first and only pet. Your agency barely tolerated her and had encouraged you to keep to the dorms with your other members, and you found yourself obliging their wish. When your career as a solo artist began you were too grown up to live with your parents, so you moved out, alone. Now that you think about it, it’s been a while since you went home.

But manager Lee can’t seem to grasp the inconvenience it could bring you.

“What does it matter if he does?” He asks you. “It’s not like you clean.”

“Rude,” you mutter under your breath, taking your water bottle out of your bag and sipping from it just to have something to do with your hands. Your red nail polish is chipped, everytime you lower your gaze it catches your eye and it’s driving you crazy. “I always come around and do it, eventually.”

“Yeah, when you become incapable of distinguishing your floor under everything else,” he continues, implacable. “Which is a safety hazard, by the way. The one who should complain is Park Jimin, who–”, he adds with a smile. “–is not a long-haired cat, exactly.”

You sigh, resigned: “Since you’re bursting with all the knowledge I don’t possess, do tell me your wisdom, Cat Whisperer.”

He doesn’t need further convincing, that was the green light he was waiting for. Jeong-hoon scoots forward, almost falling down his armchair in the process, his dark brown eyes intent on yours.

“He’s a ragamuffin.”

You almost lose hold of your water bottle and hastily place it back in your bag.

“You’re fucking with me,” you say immediately.

“What? I would never,” he answers, having the gall to feign offence. “This is a matter of uttermost importance.”

“How so? A cat is a cat, and he’s only half feline, at that.”

He tsks. “You’re so impatient. Think, H: your fans will ask you, multiple times. And what you know of hybrids won’t appease the media, especially since it’s the bare minimum and it’s nothing relevant to your partner.”

“I know that,” you say tiredly. “This isn’t the first unpleasant situation that has been sprung on me, you should know this better than anyone. I figured I would’ve just asked him, so to have something to talk about for the first hour or so.”

Jeong-hoon sends you a sympathetic look while adjusting his tie and sitting straight again, but he still shakes his head at you.

Sometimes you forget that he’s ten years your senior. Oh, he looks the part, he always had, even when he had just started to work alongside you an eternity and a half ago, when he used to iron his own shirts and didn’t have to send them to a laundromat so they were dry cleaned to his standards. Back then, when you still went to high school and had your head full of dreams, you used to listen to him because he intimidated you. The agency told you they knew better, to pay heed to what you were told and if you were good enough – if you were the best – then your fans would’ve noticed. Being an idol loved by the people was your ambition and you still thought that all your tears and sweat would one day be repaid in full.

You are still waiting for that day.

Because your present is this: you’re in a shelter for hybrids that seems to have been opened before it was finished, not even out of your own volition but because it’s your job to fix your mistakes (as it was reminded you two hours ago), waiting for the one that has agreed to come home with you and share your erratic life, all this after you spoke for less than two minutes.

But Jeong-hoon is at your side, even now, as your maddening oldest friend and as your meticulous manager. At the end of the day – it doesn’t matter if you haven’t achieved your happiness yet, you know he wants your best, you trust him enough to care about his opinion.

So you pay attention to what he says next and listen.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you show him you went out of your way to understand who he is? He doesn’t know you and ignores the reason why you’re adopting him. He’ll find out soon enough, but it’ll be reassuring to know you saw him as someone worth the effort,” says Lee. “And not just someone to divert and be entertained by.”

“Fine, then,” you sigh, after a moment of contemplation. “Tell me what you know of ragamuffin cat hybrids.”

“First of all, they are a recent breed. They derive by the ragdoll,” he stops and looks in encouragement at you. Like he’s expecting something.

“Cool, they come from other cats. What news.”

That doesn’t seem to be the thing he was waiting for.

“You have never heard of ragdoll cats?” He asks in disbelief.

“It appears we don’t share the same hobbies, since I don’t pass my spare time looking up breeds of cats. The answer’s no. I told you: a cat is a cat. I just know some of the big felines,” you answer, already starting to feel annoyed.

“Wow,” Jeong-hoon comments. Then, probably sensing your impeding ire, proceeds without further observations: “They’re very popular thanks to their big blue eyes and sweet face. They’re famous for their silky coat, for being docile and very affectionate. Their name comes from the way they become limp and relaxed once picked up.”

“Sure. But you said Jimin was a ragamuffin,” you point out, feeling weird for calling the young man with such a name. You’ll have to grow accustomed to it.

“Yes, their main distinction comes from the colouration,” he says. “Ragdoll cat presents on their faces, tails, legs and ears a darker colour than the rest of their body. Ragamuffin’s coats are much more wide and varied, there’s a lot of white, but no pointed colours.”

Manager Lee pulls out his phone and show you first one kind of cat and then the other. You can barely distinguish the differences between them, but you nod, faking it.

“Jimin’s cat form is probably blonde and white, no pointed colours, got it,” you summarize.

“As you know hybrids instincts play an important factor and they descend directly by their breed. Ragamuffin cats are described as muscular, with heavy-bones, but also as very friendly and lazy,” he continues. “Ultimately, the human part of every hybrid influence heavily all aspects however, most ragamuffin cat hybrids are on the sweeter side if compared to other cat breeds. Mischievous, but not menaces. Idle, but not total sloths. They don’t mind sharing space with other hybrids, even if they are of a different kind, most are easily adaptable and they aren’t prone to aggressiveness.”

“Anything else?”

Jeong-hoon sits back, a satisfied look on his face. “That’s where my broad expertise comes to an end, so you can thank me by offering me dinner. If you please, I’d like that fancy restaurant that last Friday you asked me to make a reservation for.”

You snort.

“As if. You just looked that up on Google half an hour ago,” you deadpan. “I’m not buying you dinner because you can read.”

“At least I still have a functioning phone to search things on Wikipedia.”

Flexing hard, you think drily.

In that moment the door that lead to the hybrids opens. Seojun is the first to enter and he sends immediately a look at manager Lee, who had rushed to straighten himself the second he heard him coming in and is smiling back.

Jimin arrives behind him, a black backpack dangling from a hand and a couple of important looking documents in the other. His tail is swishing lightly behind him, but his ears are pointed down and he’s not looking at you. He doesn’t seem regretful, more like bashful: a light blush is colouring his cheeks.

“I heard the last thing you said,” says bluntly the caretaker. “We must have the cellphone number of the one who is responsible of the hybrid. It’s imperative for the shelter to have a way to contact both the adoptee and the one who is taking them. Otherwise the adoption can’t proceed.”

“The number I wrote down is hers,” reassures manager Jeong-hoon, at once. “There was an incident, but we retrieved the SIM, Memory Card and so on. She’s buying a new phone after we’re done here.”

“Two,” you correct him. “I’m buying two.”

“In case another incident were to happen?” Asks manager Lee, unimpressed.

“No. It’s for Jimin.”

You see a pair of ears raise up in blatant interest, his hazel eyes finally meet yours, big in their surprise. He looks like he’s searching you for hints of a joke.

“For me?” He asks you with a faint voice.

It’s a lilting sound, a melodious tone full of questions.

“Of course,” you reassure him, a slight smile on your face. “In case you want to reach me whenever we are separated.”

His brightened expression shutter off in a blink and in its place a grimace finds its home. He tries to conceal it, but his ears have dropped down on his fluffy blond hair as well, and the only one who doesn’t notice is Seojun, who is back to battling against the piles of paper on his desk.

“Here it is,” he says just then, satisfied. He waves the document in Jeong-hoon direction. “You have to compile this form and take it down at the city hall of your place of residence. They’ll process your donation to Nabi shelter and exempt it from your taxes. You,” he continues, pointing at you with the sheet of paper and pinning you down with a sharp glance. In that moment you feel like a butterfly nailed to a wall by a pin. “You and Jimin will go in the entrance hall and secretary Da-Hui will make you both sign the Acquisition of Hybrid lease. In the next few days you’ll have to go to the city hall of your place of residence and you will then receive the Certificate of Adoption, which–”, he looks at the silent cat hybrid. “–will substitute your birth certificate. All clear?”

“Crystal,” says manager Lee, unruffled in front of all the bureaucracy that had been throw on them. He takes the form from Seojun’s hand and surveys it quickly. “H, why don’t you take your companion to finalize the last steps?”

You welcome the dismissal with gratitude, for you certainly don’t wish to witness the writing of the donation check and you doubt Jimin feels any different.

“Sure. See you in the car.”

“Ah, I think I’ll call a taxi and go make process this thing directly,” he shakes his head wearily. “You know how it is with paperwork.”

You grasp what he’s not telling out loud and send him a smile. Looks like he’s giving you the rest of the day off to decompress and digest all that has happened.

When you get up to leave you catch Seojun patting Jimin on his head in a comforting gesture, and you’re pretty sure you hear the cat hybrid purring. He’s saying goodbye, and in the chaotic office his dark eyes seems to have tears in them. You guess Jimin was right: he cared.

You walk towards them, and the tall shelter worker turns to hide his face from you, clearing his voice.

“I’ll leave him in your hands,” he tells you.

In what seems to be his typical fashion he doesn’t wait for your answer and goes to Jeong-hoon, who is looking over the form with a furrowed brow, with his precious fountain pen in hand.

You leave them to it and go to open the door leading to the entrance hall. When you turn back to look at Jimin, you catch him already watching you, his little light triangular ears pointed up in interest and a nervous demeanour about him unbefitting his sweet character.

If the situation for you is paradoxical, for him it must be ten times more nerve-wracking. All that he has is in that black backpack, which he has thrown over one of his shoulder, his hand clutching the straps in a white-knuckled grip. Once he walks out of here, once he signs the papers waiting in the other room, this place won’t be his home anymore and he’d be dependant on you. Your lives will be intertwined.

You can feel your expression softenen in a reassuring smile. You might not have chosen to adopt a hybrid or the responsibility and obligations that come with it, but you are determined to take care of your new flatmate and nurture a good relationship with him. One day you hope to call him your friend.

Extending your palm in his direction, you say in your warmest tone of voice: “Let’s go then, partner.”

His ears twitch, his long eyelashes are all a flutter and he ducks his head to hide his bashful grin, but it’s with a spring on his steps that he bounces up to you and engulfs your hand in his. It’s a little bigger than yours, even if not by much, and it’s warm.

You turn hastily to walk through the arch of the door, trying to hide your endeared smile, and you tug him until he matches your pace. Down the white corridor you go, swinging hands in tow and this isn’t so bad. In fact, if you’re being honest with yourself, you rather like it.

It seems like you’ve just become a fan of holding hands.

Jimin’s voice rouses you from your epiphany.

“Could you repeat that?” You ask him.

He sends you a charming smile and says: “It was a question. I was wondering why that man called you ‘H’ and not by your name.”

“Oh that,” you say, waving your unoccupied hand in a dismissal gesture. “Lee is just careful with that sort of things because if I want to go around, I have to hide my identity. So it’s better if my real or stage name isn’t used in public. He just calls me by the initial of my idol moniker.”

“Hitomi,” he recalls. His tail brushes against your leg while it’s swaying behind him and he looks like he’s about to ask some more questions, but you arrive at your destination just then.

You open the door, setting foot in the bare entrance hall and Jimin follows you. Da-Hui notices you immediately and cries out: “Miss! You have found your hybrid!”

The hybrid in question seems to hesitate, his grip on your hand loosening up, perhaps wondering if you want to let go, but you squeeze back in reassurance.

Then the two of you are in front of Da-Hui, who is busy printing the documents you need and chattering away. Your hands go unnoticed behind the tall desk, and you are the only one who knows it when he interlocks your fingers together. His digits are soft when they move delicately to press between yours.

You’re left breathless by the daring move, and you watch by the corner of your eye the way a muted blush rises to colour the high part of his cheeks.

Then the paper is in front of you, the title proclaiming loudly what it is. You look at it, the words Acquisition of Hybrid reverberating in your mind, and fight a shudder.

Things started to change before you came to the world, so you never personally saw the lashes, cages and muzzles being sold side by side with other innocuous products such as shampoo tailored for the fur and scent patches designed to calm hybrids with their comforting smell. But you studied it, at school. And you saw the photos.

You could never forget those blank, dull and empty eyes staring back at you.

The shots captured so many different breeds, their ears and tails and instincts all so disparate, the clothing and the physical appearance nothing alike. There were starving, emaciated ‘strays’ who died on the streets in broad daylight and were carried off to the crematorium, and there were dazzling, spoiled rotten exotic hybrids, who were always depicted with heavy electric collars around their necks and scantily clothed.

But in the end, the eyes were the same: void of emotion and life. It didn’t matter if their vibrancy was destroyed by the hungriness or if it was ‘trained’ forcibly out of them. The end result achieved was always a frightful and terrible sight.

In your head hybrids were synonymous with beings who are purchased and enslaved.

But hey, it’s totally cool in front of the law.

Oh, it is better now! Some legislations are written specifically for them, and they are recognized as a minority group. Isn’t that nice? They can’t be owned! Yes, they are only adopted. And they can’t be mistreated! They can just be taken in by the first person who wants them. They can walk around the city, do what they want, work and buy things! But, they need to have a ‘caretaker’, a ‘guardian’ affixed to them, to oversee what they do, approve their actions and teach them how to behave. If they don’t find one then they have to live in a shelter, where their instincts can’t cause problems to other ‘normal’ citizens.

You don’t think things changed enough.

And you certainly never thought one day you would take a hybrid home.

Leaving the warm hand of Jimin to take the pen, you repress a sigh. You sign rapidly, as if under the impression that if you hurry enough the consequence of your actions can’t catch up to you. When you glance down, your name stares back, black perfect ink a stain on the documents and on your conscience.

I won’t ever treat him bad, you vow, passing the pen to Jimin without having the strength to look at him. He’s not a pet to me things are different now we’ll be like friends I won’t restrict him in any way he’s a free person–

The thoughts scramble one after another, seemingly in a race, and you wish you’d have a way to show the cat hybrid all of them so that he’d know you mean it and aren’t empty words. You guess time is your best option, the only way to demonstrate you want what’s best for him. For now, you should give him his space.

You have just come to that conclusion when Jimin, having just signed everything, comes back to you, bright hazel eyes curved in little half-moon for the big smile that’s turning his lips up. His hand searches yours and you’re already clutching it close, his fluffy tail brushing against your legs, when you recollect your decision.

Well, he’s the one who made the first step, you tell yourself tentatively, half-listening to Da-Hui last instructions and small talk.

“The website is up and running,” she’s telling you, light grey eyes focused on the computer’s screen, which has been turned around so you could follow her. You make a valiant effort to pay attention while she showcases the layout and where to find the information you might need. You’re aware it’s something you’ll have to explore in the next few days, whenever you’ll have a question about your companion that’ll be too awkward to ask directly to him.

It takes two minutes, then the dear secretary is pulling a little box from under the desk and pushing it in your direction. Her dimple winks at you, while she exclaims: “Ta-da!”

“Uh,” you start, dumbfounded.

“The basic care package we offer with the first adoption!” She reminds you. Then she lists: “There are two acrylic blankets for eventual nests, neutral soap, some nutritive snacks rich in protein, a couple of candles that smell of jasmine and lavender for comfort, lastly a discount coupon of 20% for the first purchase made in any store that sells hybrids products, even if those aren’t their main commodities.”

“That’s… a lot,” you point out, flabbergasted.

Jimin smiles beside you. “It’s all a hybrid might need for the first day after the adoption. You know, in case the new caretaker is unable to shop for them immediately.”

“Precisely!” Confirms Da-Hui with a nod, her mass of curls bouncing with the action. “It is of the utmost importance for every hybrid to have his needs met, so we thought to facilitate the transition.”

You feel your heart melting a little at her words. Nabi shelter didn’t look like much from the outside, made an even poorer impression inside, the two workers – how could they handle everything when they were stretched so thin? - were something else altogether. But they did their work diligently, with care and consideration.

“That’s wonderful, thank you for your thoughtfulness,” you tell her, bowing your head slightly in her direction, before taking the box and putting it in your bag. It’s not a deep bow; there’s a desk in the middle and you’d rather don’t bash your head in. But you want to show your respect.

She giggles, waving her hands. “Oh, no, miss! No problem! Take it as a farewell gift for our Jiminie.”

Da-Hui smiles at him and Jiminie smiles back. “Thank you for taking care of me,” he says to her.

“It was a pleasure, dearie,” says her, a more demure grin on her painted lips. “Now you’ll have all the attention and love you deserve to receive!”

The cat hybrid ducks his head, giggling softly under his breath and squeezes your hand in his. Then he turns to look at you, his eyes dazzling you and he repeats your words back at you, softly: “Let’s go then, partner.”

Now you are the one blushing.

“Yes!” You exclaim, your heart a pitter-patter of loud beats that seems to resonate in your ears. You see Jimin’s ears twitch, and hope it’s because of your higher tone of voice and not because he can hear your heartbeat. “Goodbye, Ms Da-Hui!”

You scurry off towards the exit, pulling the cat hybrid behind you by your joined hands, ignoring the way the secretary calls back: “Wait! The man that was with you, aren’t you gonna wait fo–”

The door close on her last words, and you stop your hurried escape to adjust your sunglasses and beanie, ignoring the suppressed titters coming from beside you. Once you’re sure you had regained your composure, you turn to him.

“Jiminie,” you drawl, watching as his amused smirk turns immediately into a soft expression of surprise, his pretty lips opened in a slight ‘o’, the red colouring his squishy cheeks. Even his tail interrupts his swaying, caught off guard. That’s more like it, you think self-satisfied. “Should I call you with this nickname, after all?”

He mumbles something to himself, ducking his head between his shoulders. Then his ears lift up in attention and he’s turning to watch the driver step out of the company’s issued vehicle.

“That’ll be our ride,” you tell him, tugging gently towards the car. You have to let go of his hand to enter easily, but once you’re both sitting in the backseats you offer your palm again and he takes it straight away.

The door is closed and the cat hybrid places his backpack by his feet, the documents he was still carrying sit on the middle seat. You peek at them: Park Jimin, male, 24, ragamuffin cat hybrid, says the first lines of information. He’s the same age as you, then.

“That’s my ID,” he explains. “There’s also my birth certificate, all the facilities and shelters I’ve been to, my diploma. It’s temporary, when you’ll get the Certificate of Adoption, then I’ll have official documents.”

He looks excited at the prospect, so you decide to keep your mouth shut. By the law, he’ll start to exist as a (second-class) citizen only after he’ll be integrated into society as an adopted hybrid.

The driver starts the car and you tell him to go to the closest shopping mall.

“You told me you’ll explain your stage name to me,” the cat hybrid recalls.

“And I asked you if I could call you Jiminie,” you answer.

He sighs, turning to look out the window in a gesture that should remind you of Jeong-hoon, who was doing the exact same thing just an hour ago or so. The main difference is the blush that sits on his face, and the fact you rather like it when it's him doing the melodramatic sigh.

“You can call me however you want,” he tells you. “So? Hitomi?”

You decide you’ll use the nickname sparingly, when he’s expecting it the least, because the worst thing that could happen is him getting used to it. It’s not that you like to embarrass him, it’s just that you find him lovely when his cheeks are all pink and he’s looking at you from under his long eyelashes.

“As I told you, it’s Japanese,” you start. Then you smirk at him. “I think you’ll particularly like its meaning.”

His ears perk up, and he turns to look at you immediately. “How so?”

“The kanji that compose it stands for pupil of the eye,” you reveal. “I chose it for my stage name because when I was younger I was obsessed with the manga and anime Cat’s Eye.”

His expression lights up and he gives you a big smile, showing off his sharper canines in the process.

“You always liked cats!” He says it as if it’s an accusation, wagging a finger in your direction in admonishment. You can’t help but laugh at that. Jimin just watches you with bright hazel eyes and a grin on his face, while you try to hide your chuckles behind a hand. He’s still gripping the other.

“There were not many cats, I’m afraid,” you confess once your giggles have come to an end. “It was just the name of the bar the protagonists worked at. And, of course, the band of thieves’ name as well. Hitomi is one of them.”

“Is she one of the protagonists, or one of the criminals?” He asks you, intrigued.

You can’t resist the temptation to tease him. “You can watch the anime and find out for yourself.”

He groans at that. “C’mon!”

“I’m not going to spend the rest of my free day ensuring you are caught up with an outdated production. Manager Lee’s sacrifice for these precious hours must be worthwhile.”

Jimin sobers up at that, an attentive look upon his face. “Manager Lee is the man that was with you, the one that calls you H?”

“Yes,” you reply, curious to see where he’s going with that question.

He seems to mull it over for a bit, zoning out, with just his ears twitching. Even his tail is still, tucked beside him. Then he nods to himself and looks at you.

“I have some questions,” he ventures.

“Shoot away,” you encourage him.

He doesn’t shy from it, and proceeds to do just that: “What is a stage name? Why do you need it? What does manager Lee do? Can you tell me what’s your work?”

You don’t know how much he knows of the outside world, if he was confused by the concept of a name that a performer chooses for his artist’s persona, so you try to be brief and concise.

“I’m a singer and Hitomi is my alias,” you start. “I don’t need it, per se, but I didn’t give it up once my first contract ended because the fans really liked it. That’s what the media usually call me by. Jeong-hoon Lee follows me around pretty much wherever I go during the work hours, and if he dismisses me while I’m not in my agency’s building, and I don’t have the order to come back there to train or participate in a meeting, then the workday is over. Back in the office, he was telling me he had to follow through with the paperwork and not to bother to go back for the rest of the day.”

“He didn’t tell you any of this, though,” he points out, disbelieving. “How can you be sure?”

You smirk at him. “Worrying that we’ll get in trouble?”

Jimin splutters for a moment, then catches himself and exclaims: “Yes! It’s just my first day out there!”

He truly looks frazzled, a preoccupied look pulling down the curves of his mouth, so you take pity on him, giving a firm press at the hand you’re gripping. Trying to comfort him. In a way, you feel bad. It’s easy to tease him, but you should hold back until he’s had the time to acclimate himself. ‘Till then it’d be better if you only poked fun at him to cheer him up.

“I rarely get days off,” you explain. “More often than not I put in extra hours, and so does Jeong-hoon. Today was quite stressful, the decision to adopt a hybrid came out of nowhere and we were both on edge. He probably didn’t want to deal with my terrible mood, and if I had to come back to the agency, I would have been in the blackest of moods, for sure. He made up the excuse that he had to go process the form given by Seojun immediately and since my presence wasn’t required for that he dismissed me, so that I could be free.”

“To do what?” He says almost to himself.

“But to get to know my hybrid of course!” You tell him, grinning up at him. “We’re going to the mall to buy your necessities, the phone I promised you and so on.”

Although Jimin smiles back, there’s seems to be still some troubling thoughts in his head. He starts to pass his free hand back and forth on the fur of his tail, seemingly petting himself in a gesture of comfort, while with the thumb of the other he draws circles on your palm.

You wait patiently for him, watching as he gathers the confidence to break the brief silence.

“Do–” He begins with a slight crack in his voice. He clears it, embarrassed, and continues: “Are you very busy?”

“Yes,” you reply at once, looking at the shopping mall that has just popped in your line of vision, and missing the way his ears press back against his head in blatant disappointment. “I’m always doing something or other, I don’t really have much downtime. Unfortunately, you’ll have to follow me around at work, or whenever I’m out and about, for the next few weeks. If you’re unlucky it might be for two to three months before you can stay at home all by yourself.”

“Oh, that’s okay!” Jimin rushes to say, voice raised in surprise and – if you didn’t know better – satisfaction. You return to look at him, eyebrow raised, and watch as he tries to act as if nothing is the matter. The brilliant smile on his face and shining hazel eyes give away his excitement, but before you can question him the door on your side is pulled open.

You turn to get out, thanking the driver when he holds your bag for you so that you can fish out your black mask. You put it on, messing with your beanie and sunglasses, and wait for Jimin to follow you out.

He didn’t even ask me why he should be attached to my hip for the unforeseeable future, you think to yourself. It’s as if all he cares about is staying by my side.

You shake your head at that, repressing a laugh. What wishful thinking! Jimin is beside you now, busy patting his clothes down to try and look the best, studying his surroundings in amazement. His fair ears are rotating in all the directions, tail tucked close to himself to protect it, while his gaze sweeps over the parking lot bustling with people and cars.

“We won’t need you for a while,” you inform the driver, not missing out on any of the cat hybrid’s twitches. It must be quite overwhelming, but he should have his first outing when it’s a relatively calm Monday’s late morning. Even you don’t deal well with the packed weekends. “We’ll be there for the better part of the afternoon, I’ll give you a call when we’ve finished.”

The driver hesitates for a moment, then with a low voice: “But miss, your phone–“

“Is the first thing I’m purchasing,” you cut short. “Thank you.”

He just nods, bowing his head in your direction. You offer your hand to Jimin, who hurries to take it back in his, and you walk off towards the nearest entrance. You’re already inside when the company’s car rejoin the traffic.

The cat hybrid looks around you two, keeping close to your side while you search for the Samsung store. He’s not exactly on edge, but it’s blatantly clear he’s not relaxed, the fur on his tail puff up every time someone brushes against him, his hazel eyes intent on every person about but quick to drop down if they try to meet his gaze.

You steer him easily, glad that there aren’t many patrons, and wonder at him.

It has been years since you lived with someone else, and even when you were with your group you didn’t particularly like sharing every space and the nonexistent privacy was an issue. Your new roommate isn’t even fully human, and it’s probable you will have to learn to coexist with his idiosyncrasies and him with yours. So how can he stand it? The idea to stay with you constantly, out in the world and inside the house?

New place, new people, new world and no time to acclimatize appropriately? You remember your decision to give him all the space he’ll need to grow close to you, to trust you, and think that perhaps you should also encourage him to tell you if he needed his alone time.

Luckily your apartment is of significant size, and you’ll both have your personal spaces. For sure, the common areas such as the kitchen and main living room will have to be shared, but when you’re home you spend the majority of your time locked up in your bedroom. He’ll have his privacy and won’t have to deal with you when the two of you will be alone.

“Here we are,” you tell him when you stop in front of the store you were searching for. You squeeze his hand and smile at him. “It shouldn’t take us long. We’ll pick the latest model out, pay and be on our way.”

“Uh,” he says unconvinced. “I didn’t really have a phone until now. Sometimes the caretakers gave me theirs, but it was just to play around for a bit, so an expensive cellphone isn’t needed. Since I don’t know how to use it, it’ll be just a waste of money.”

You shake your head at him, shoving your shoulder against his in a playful push before tugging him inside. Such nonsense! You have the money and you can certainly spend it to let him have all that he needs. You don’t say that, though, choosing to light up the mood in your favourite way.

“I’ll teach you how to use it over lunch.” You assert.“I’m sure you’re very smart Jiminie, so it won’t take long.”

You grin while entering the shop, the chiming of the bell overhead not loud enough to conceal his little intake of breath. You spare him a glance over the shoulder to bask in his rosy complexion and his happy little smile. That’s the treasured expression you like best on him, once again it charms your affections, and you allow it to ensnare a piece of your heart.

You are in the eighth store of the day when it happens.

It doesn’t catch you off guard because, to be completely honest with yourself, whenever everything proceeds in accordance with your plans you have grown to expect a sudden disturbance waiting just around the corner.

After you and Jimin bought your phones you went to eat some sushi in one of the restaurants inside the mall, where you had explained all the device’s features between bites. The first thing you did was telling him your phone number, but it’s not the only one in his contacts: you thought it sensible to add Lee’s too, in case you aren’t available and it’s an emergency. You had to remind him good-naturedly to eat as well, seeing how engrossed he was by all the things he could do with the little object in his hand, his tail flicking up whenever he found something interesting.

Then you took a stroll, swinging hands in tow, and went window-shopping. Most stores were only for humans, but there were a few that were selling products designed with hybrids’ in mind. You stopped at one that was part of a chain of high-end department stores, where Jimin bought the necessities he needed and, under your encouragement, some miscellaneous things to decorate his room.

Once you were done there, you took him around to shop for clothes, letting him explore various outfits. You reassured him this was the first of many other shopping trips, so he didn’t need to find everything he wanted immediately, and to take it as just a fun afternoon. The next stop was the glamorous stores where, ignoring the gawping looks of the people who weren’t expecting to see a hybrid in a shop catered only to humans, you led him to the accessories best suited for the clothes he already bought.

Shoes, belts, earrings and other jewellery didn’t have to be of a specific material so that Jimin could wear them, so you failed to see what the problem was. Unfortunately, he didn’t have too much to choose from the selection of underwear, pants and shirts since his sense of touch was quite sensitive. But you wanted to spoil him a little.

You had in your hand a silver necklace with a half-moon in hand, and were thinking of the beauty store next door, where you wanted to see if your cat hybrid would’ve been interested in purchasing some make-up, nail polish and a couple of perfumes, when it happened.

A muffled gasp, a brief zealous exchange between two people in low tones and then a shy tap on your shoulder.

Repressing a sigh you place down the necklace, you turn and look at the shy schoolgirls fidgeting in front of you. They’ve still got their backpacks thrown on their back, crisp uniforms in blue and grey colours, an expectant look on their faces. They’re clutching each other hands.

“Are you Hitomi?” The one on the right whispers to you, her friend scanning you from head to toe. By their expressions it’s clear they asked you just to jump-start a conversation, they don’t have any doubts about your identity. Despite everything, you’re impressed by their ability to recognize you behind the combined camouflage of beanie, sunglasses and mask.

You take off the shades, tug down the material in front of your mouth and smile at them. “You found me.”

They squeal, doing little jumps on the spot while holding each other even more tightly. You signal them to keep quiet and make a come hither motion with your hand. At that, they lean towards you, all curiosity and intrigue.

“No-one know I’m here,” you confide. “If I take some photos with you, can you not share them for a couple of hours on your social media? Would you do that for me? Can I trust you?”

You smile conspiratorially at them, giving each of them one of your pinkies. They rush to promise you their compliance and to link your little fingers, giggling softly. They’re young and seem to look up to you, so you know they’ll comply, especially when you ask them to leave you their Twitter’s handles so that you can like their posts once they publish the photos and they almost have a meltdown.

You’re taking the last photo with them when Jimin rounds the corner, the belt he has chosen on his hand, mouth already open to tell you all about it. He comes to an abrupt stop the moment his hazel eyes snag on the two figures by your sides, triangular ears raise straight up in surprise, and his tail lay motionless behind him.

“Ah, here you are,” you call back, trying to project an air of total relaxation to put him at ease. “These darling girls are fans of mine, they wanted to take a couple of selfies. Is that the belt you have settled on? Want to put it with the rest?”

You point to the little mountain of accessories and box of shoes already piled in the corner, where all your previous purchases are sitting close by. You tried to not hang out close to the changing rooms in any of the stores you visited today, the constant traffic not a good idea for your anonymity, but the little waiting room was your only option. The amount of bags you are carrying would clutter any passageways and are too bothersome to drag everywhere you go.

Jimin goes to do what you suggested, but his hackles are still raised, the fur on his tail puffed out and his eyes keep darting to you so that he can keep observing the young schoolgirls.

“A hybrid!” Says the dark-haired one, surprised.

“A pretty one,” adds the other, giggling behind her hand.

Jimin jumps slightly at that, ducking his head to pretend he’s surveying his loot.

You smile at them. “That’s right, he’s really pretty.”

The cat hybrid tries harder to look busy, but you can see the blush colouring his human ears, and his tail has started to flick around, its hairs no longer raised in alarm.

“Is he with you?” The dark-haired one, Mihi, asks you. Her friend stops to ogle Jimin long enough to turn and whisper something in her ear. So she also asks you: “What kind is he?”

“Yes, he’s my companion,” you tell them. “He’s a ragamuffin cat hybrid, so he looks quite similar to the most common ragdoll cats when he’s shifted. If he’d come here you’ll find him to be quite sweet, other than beautiful, but alas it seems he’s feeling quite shy right now.”

You know he’s listening intently to everything you’re saying, his ears twitching at every sound, and you’re watching him just as closely. You see the pout on his pink lips, the way he straightens himself up at once, how he passes a hand through his blond hair and then nods to himself before he turns and– God be gracious, but he struts in your direction.

He stops beside you, taking your hand in his and raises his chin a defiant gesture, sending the young fans a dazzling smile, rosy squishy cheeks pushing up his eyes in little crescent moons.

The schoolgirls watch him with gaping mouths, and your heart would go to them, but the one in most dire need of sympathy is you.

Because Jimin turns to look at you, hazel eyes smouldering with an unsaid challenge and some other emotion you can’t quite put your finger on. His gaze is hypnotizing, you’re under his spell and when your eyes drop down to see his pink full lips open in a delectable way, you try not to gulp.

In a tone of voice deeper than what you’ve grown accustomed to hearing, he says: “I can overcome my shyness if the occasion calls for it. Which me do you want?”

You’re painfully aware of the young girls laser-focus on you, and wish for them to not be there. You’d like to take this moment, treasure it all by yourself and never share it with anyone else. But you are in public, Jimin is your cat hybrid and he’s just retaliating because you teased him first.

With some difficulty you compose yourself, slowly letting out a breath through your nose, and smile back at him sweetly, feigning a serenity you don’t feel. Because that’s your job, both as a responsible idol and caretaker.

“Isn’t it obvious?” You ask him, batting slowly your eyelashes to put forward an innocent display. “I adore you exactly how you are, so I’d like you to just be my Jiminie.”

And even if you’re putting up a little bit of show for your fans’ sake, you do mean it. It’s not even been a full day, but you do appreciate him just the way he is.

As expected he blushes at that. Mihi and her friend – how could you have already forgotten her name? – make cooing sounds at him, telling him how handsome he is and that’s his visible hybrid traits are really cute. Then they ask the two of you to pose together for a photo – “We’ll post it with the others only two hours from now, not before, we promise!” – and Jimin accepts the request easily.

On one side you’re satisfied with this outcome because this will surely change the direction of the rumours already spreading around. Which is the whole reason behind your adoption. However, you feel conflicted. You were just spending his first day out of the shelter together, and he’s already under the spotlight, a place where he won’t be able to escape without a lot of effort.

And then, of course…, you think feeling a little dismayed, watching as the schoolgirls crowd around Jimin to show him how photogenic he is when he asks if he looked good. I guess I wanted to keep him to myself for a little while longer.

But this is your life.

At least, Jimin seems to glow under all the praises he’s receiving, and whenever you pitch in with a compliment of your own he looks even more radiant. He’s thriving under all the attention bestowed on him, tail swishing in contentment and smile so big he’s showcasing his elongated canines.

After a bit, you announce it’s time for you two to go back home, so the girls say their goodbyes, and you go pay the last haul of the day. While you’re waiting at the register you call your driver, looking from the corner of the eye at the bright expression that seems etched on Jimin’s face.

You wish all your days could be like that.

On the way home, you remember you don’t have much food in your fridge, so you convince the driver to stop at the nearest drive-through to order two greasy meals. You would have considered stopping for some grocery shopping, but the early hour means little: the tiredness has sunken deep in your bones and you know you wouldn’t feel up for preparing any meal anyway.

You don’t cook as often as you should. It’s always because of something or another: you’re busy, you’re tired, you’re eating out, you’re dieting. You hope the presence of Jimin will make you lose that bad habit. He’ll have to be fed, and if you’re eating well alongside him, it’ll be all the better to brush up the little skill you have in the kitchen.

But today you’ll have to make an exception.

You had also caught Jimin nodding off several times, his eyelids trembling while he forces himself to stay alert, shaking his head violently every time he notices his eyes are closing. A ruffled, sleepy cat hybrid is quite the endearing sight and you don’t want to push him into another outing when you’ve been out and about all day long.

The driver must have noticed the fatigue written all over your faces, because he doesn’t object to your direction, place your orders of preferred fast food and just asks you in a low tone to please be careful, the seats are real leather.

Both of you eat voraciously, the sodas rich in sugar you’re drinking helping a little against the exhaustion. You manage to not soil anything, the car going slower than usual helping in the task. It’s 8 P.M., it’s not rush hour anymore, so you know the driver is trying to mitigate the risks in every way he can.

He’s not the one that usually takes you to places. In truth, usually, it’s Jeong-hoon that drives you whenever you’re needed and he doesn’t want to you don’t have any problems sitting behind the wheel. He has been quite patient today, enduring the bad mood you were in early that morning and going along all your whims without complaining.

I’ll ask his name to dear manager, you tell yourself, fighting off a yawn. And then I’ll tell Lee that I like this one. He’s discreet, but not totally uncaring.

You don’t even know if you’re making any sense at this point.

The car slows down to a stop and Jimin jerks awake with a jolt, blinking his eyes frantically. His pupils are wide black windows, devouring the colour of his irises, and you can hardly see the ring of hazel circling them.

“I’m awake,” he tells you with a groggy voice, even if you didn’t comment.

You smile at him. “Good, we’ve arrived.”

The driver opens your door. You stumble out without an ounce of grace, then stagger – as if drunk – to the trunk to retrieve the bags full of the day’s purchases. Your right leg has fallen asleep so it’s not the easiest task, at the moment.

Jimin joins you soon enough, black backpack throw once again behind him. His documents are already in your bag, along with the box of basic care products given by the Nabi shelter. It has remained untouched there, even the discount coupon – you figured that if there’s something personal the cat hybrid wishes to buy by himself, it’ll be neat for him to have it.

For a while you both stay in front of the open trunk, looking at the overflowed space, with the disheartening awareness that you’ll have to take this with you when you’re already dead tired.

“I could help you,” the driver offers.

But that’s not his job, and even if it’s quite early, in truth his shift has probably already ended.

“It’s fine,” you tell him, shifting your weight from one leg to the other to test your balance. “We carried that all day long in the mall, we can walk to the lift without succumbing and dying a dog’s death.”

Jimin snorts, then bends to take a dozen or so of bags, his arms bulging out with the effort. You stare without any shame, diverting your glance only when he straightens up.

“I’m stronger than I look,” he reassures the both of you, while you retrieve the half-dozen bags left. They are lighter than you expected, and you surmise he has taken the heavier ones.

“Thanks for offering. Goodnight,” you say to the driver when he comes to close the trunk. He reciprocates the sentiment with a slight smile. You turn to Jimin: “I’ll lead you, my brawny man.”

He giggles back, following you while you go to punch in the code to open the gate enclosing the high-end apartment houses. The headlights of the company’s car illuminate the pathway for a few seconds before it drives away. The sun is still setting on the horizon, so the artificial lights have yet to come in to ease the way.

You start your brief trek but, unlike you, Jimin doesn’t stumble all over the place, not even once, placing his steps in an unfaltering graceful gait which you envy him. You don’t know if it’s because he’s part cat or if he’s just a nimble individual.

He helps you by holding the door of the building open for you. You thank him under your breath, once you’re inside you blink your eyes to get used to the lights overhead and say hello to the concierge sitting at the front desk, who's going through a magazine.

He spares you a surveying look, nods to you once, mumbles a greeting back and goes back to his engaging read.

You walk forward the lift, which is already on the ground floor – small blessings do exist– and go inside. Jimin follows you, intrigue in his eyes. You press your floor’s number.

“This place is massive, but there are just thirty apartments or so,” you explain once the doors have closed and you’re leaving behind the lobby. “I’m pretty sure we’re all famous people, here. You know: some artists like me, a couple of retired legends that played on the national team in that specific sport or in that other one, a few politicians for sure. So on. There’s always someone at the front desk, day or night, to call for security if the need arise.”

“Are there any security problems?” He asks you, brow furrowed. In the enclosed space his tail brushes against you while flicking nervously. You wish you had a free hand so that you could hold his and reassure him.

“Nope,” you tell him. “The cameras on the ground and the threat of hefty fines are enough.”

The lift comes to a stop, and the moment its doors open you stride on, eager to place down your bags and be at home. There are only two apartments on the floor and you turn to the door on the left, fumbling with all the straps digging in your hands to be able to fish your electronic card reader, which you placed in your jacket’s pocket.

You thought it would’ve been easier to reach than the meanders of your handbag, but you’re left struggling anyway, with a curse on the point of your tongue eager to tumble forward.

“Here, let me,” breathe a voice near your ear, the tone almost a purr.

Suddenly you feel warm fingers brushing against yours, a chest whispering close to your back, and Jimin is touching you lightly on the little of your back with a hand to hold you still while with the other he catches the elusive key card.

He’s gone the next moment, and when you spin to look at him, he dangles his prize in front of your face, with a sweet smile on his face. In the bright hallway, his pupils are pin-points in a sea of hazel, slitted eyes watching you from the face of an angel.

You shiver a little, then laugh to mask the way he affected you while taking the electronic card from him.

“Thanks,” you murmur, before passing it. The colour turns yellow and you digit your code to enter. When the light blinks green you have calmed yourself enough to turn and smile back at him. “I have a second key card to give you. The number is my mom’s birthday.”

He nods, repeating the digits back at you.

“That’s correct!” You grin. “But let’s not delay. Welcome home!”

And you open the door.

You let him go first, turning on the light and following him with a grin when you hear him utter out a wow. Because he’s right: it’s a mess. You close the door behind you, then place down Jimin’s bags with care, mindful of their contents and then throw your handbag in the vague direction of the sofa. You hear it fall with a sad thud – eh, missed it, you think – while you’re toeing off your sneakers, then you remember the box with the basic care package that was inside. You close your eyes in front of the temptation of cursing that assault you.

Jimin is still surveying the place with an open-mouthed expression.

“Yeah, that’s nothing,” you tell him, walking over your latest victim and overstepping some other items cluttering the place. “Wait until you’ll see my bedroom.”

You kneel to retrieve your handbag, missing the way he blushes up a storm.

“No, I-I meant– it’s very b-big…!” He stutters out. You hold back a snort, thinking that he’ll really too nice because you simply can’t gloss over the disastrous state your place is versing in. “What… what about your bedroom?”

“It must be difficult to envision, but it just looks ten times worse than all this,” you say, gesturing vaguely to the space around you. You pry open the box given to you by Da-Hui, making a satisfied noise when you see that everything seems to be in working order. Even the candles withstood your launch! You wrench the package free from your purse and re-close it. “Luckily, the guest rooms are in better shape.”

You get up, hearing your back cracking noisily. You walk towards the sofa yourself to place down carefully your handbag and the box.

“If I had known I’d soon have a roommate I would have cleaned up,” you lie to yourself. Then, deciding to be truthful, you sigh. “Or maybe not. It looks like a lot of work to be doing it so early in the morning. Or at any other time of the day.”

You put your hands on your hips, watching over the rubbish dump that is your living space, feeling like a queen upon her throne who’s surveying the state of her kingdom. You’re left quite dissatisfied by the look of things, but in no rush to fix anything. After all, it was still standing up, was it not?

“Guest room,” Jimin repeats to himself in a mutter.

When you turn to look at him he’s got his ears pointing down, a deflated expression on his face, while he’s staring in a dejected way at one white high-knee sock, which is sitting in his loneliness – you don’t know where it’s the other one; not that you searched really hard to find it – upon the armchair closest to the spent fireplace.

“You can decorate it any way you want,” you try immediately to reassure him.

He gives you a mild, wan smile, but it disappears in a pout in a matter of seconds.

What’s his deal? You wonder confused. Did I do something wrong?

You try to think back on your last words, but you're pretty sure you didn't say anything too strange. So you grab the care package you salvaged, walk towards him and present it as a peace offering. You look at him, beseeching him to take it and when he does so with a sigh, you grin.

“C’mon Jiminie,” you say in the sweetest tone of voice you can muster up, taking him by one of his sleeves and starting to tug him. “Let me take you to your room so you can rest. Tomorrow we’ll have to get up early and you’ll have to follow me around. All. Day. Long.”

He perks up at that, and you immediately carry on in a similar fashion, continuing to lead him to his destination.

“Ah, can you believe it?” You lament. “The day starts at 7 A.M. and then it seems like it never ends, I’ve got to do this and that other thing, and then once home usually I just want to nap. I wonder how long it’ll take for us to put all your things back in order, and I’d feel bad if I were to just leave you to do it by yourself.” You pause in front of his door, gazing at him with a smile that’s just this side of mischievous. “But this isn’t our case, is it? You’ll be with me. That’s not so bad, no?”

“No,” he answers you, eyelashes fluttering down, eyes back to that smouldering look that took your breath away in the department store. His tail curls around your leg and he takes one of your hand in his, raising it to his face to nuzzle into it. His nose follows your life line, while his lips brush against your wrist in a delicate press. They are the softest thing your hands had ever touched and your fingers spam with the repressed desire to sink into his blond mane, to trace the upcurved angles of his delectable mouth.

“Until tomorrow,” he whispers, his warm breath brushing on your skin, and leaving behind a blazing trail. “When I’d follow you around all day long.”

He leaves a last peck on your wrist, right where the veins are most pronounced and this time you don’t have to wonder if he can hear your heart stuttering: you’re sure he can.

Jimin gives you a last, enigmatic smile, then he takes a step back and walks into his bedroom, his tail the last to leave you and not before caressing your leg a final time. He closes the door gently and you almost collapse against it to let it supports your weight. Your legs are weak, knees wobbling.

But you know his cat ears will be able to detect any sound you make, so you hold all your sighs and curses inside, trying to regain your sense of self.

You walk stiffly towards your bedroom, shutting off the lights of the main living area, and once you’re inside you go through the motions of your bedtime routine with only half your brain connected.

Your thoughts are a broken record, scratching with loud noises and impossible to ignore, a never-ending cycle of: what the fuck man what the fuck good God what was that what the fuuuuck– and if he does it again then what oh God help me I’m fucked oh fuck.

Your phone pings to alert you of a new text message and at first, you thank the heavens for the distraction. But then you hesitate: what if he’s the one texting you? Can you deal with it as a mature adult? You peek at the notification warily, and while the name of the contact is one you recognize it isn’t Jiminie.

“Min Yoongi,” you read aloud, surprised. While you’ll regard the producer as one of your closest friends, you know he isn’t one for texting. Considering what happened the last time he sent you a message – just that morning – you open it with the same trepidation you would have felt if you were clicking on one sent by your hybrid. Even if it’s of a very different kind.

It seems like you didn’t waste time in replacing me, the DM reads.

But that’s not what captures your attention. The comment is a reference to a specific photo he’s just forwarded you: a picture where you and Jimin are smiling back at the lens pointed at you. His fair ears are raised in interest, his hazel eyes big and mesmerizing, his grin infectious. You’re beside him, but you scarcely take notice of this, and can’t imagine anyone else taking the time to regard you when he’s there looking like that.

You save the photo and go back to the handles who published it first, liking their rambling posts where they’re gushing about their chance-meeting with you. Here you find the other pictures you took with them. Already the retweets are in the thousands.

You go back to your DMs and answer him.

Jealous? You tease him.

Surprisingly he doesn’t let you wait an eternity for his next text.

My heart is broken.

You snort. You can hear his sarcasm through the screen.

Tomorrow your agency will compliment you, telling you that you managed everything as they expected of you. They’ll be pleased to see the buzz around you increase. A bad dating rumour turned around in a positive light, with good advertising. Suddenly the thing that was such a problem this morning, the thing that forced your hand so that you had to walk to a shelter and adopt a hybrid, isn’t bad any more, and all its negative attention can be converted in a curious particular about an important singer.

That’s not the way you look at what happened.

Sure, you recognize the fact that Jimin has turned out to be a splendid new addition to your life. You’re sure you’ll grow to like him evermore. But that’s why, in a way, you’re grateful for the paparazzi that caught you. The ‘adopting’ thing is still iffy to you, but if asked point-blank you’d say you’re glad you met Jimin.

You end the day the way it started, by writing to Yoongi just a word.

Sorry.

The context surrounding it is that you don’t mean it, and he knows that. What he can’t guess is that you had to fight the urge to write Thank you. After all, it’s also in part because of him that you met the cat hybrid who’s currently in the guest room down the hallway.

And that’s something you ought to be grateful for.

You’re sure of it because, once you’re tucked in your bed, ready to shut off the lamp on your bedside table, your phone – which you just plugged in – pings again. When you take it in your hand, this time there’s a text from Jimin waiting for you on the screen.

You’re unconsciously already smiling, even before you open it. Once you read it, your grin grows in size and you have to turn your head to suffocate a high-pitched noise on the silken cushion cover, your heart beating furiously in your chest. You shut off the light, throwing your covers over your head and, pulling insistently on the charging cable, you hide in the dark with your phone. With only the screen illuminating your delighted expression you hurry to answer him and then you reread his words over and over, until it seems to you that he’s whispering them in your ear. Until you’ve fallen asleep.

Once you’ve drifted off, the texts messages blink on the bright screen for a minute still, unread by anyone, but no less heartwarming.

Have the sweetest dreams! I know I’ll dream of you. If you can, try to dream of me. So that we can meet each other there. I’d like to follow you around all night long as well~💖

It’s a date, partner. I’ll focus only on my Jiminie, so that my last thought before I fall asleep will be on him. So if we somehow miss each other, it’s not my fault!✨

That night you do happen to have the loveliest of dreams.

If you liked it, please Reblog and Comment!

Your support would truly help me and I’d like to hear from you!

Thank you for reading all this, allow me to give you the reward you were unknowingly waiting for:

*Le gasp!* A handsome ragamuffin boi has made his appearance! Ahhh~ Now you'll have a wonderful day! I don't make the rules.

Also, I did reference a line from Filter’s lyrics (in English obv) because how could I not? Did you catch it?

Thank you, see you soon~ (｡●́‿●̀｡)

[jmoriarty-221b]

Ok so this idea was inspired by AUs where Tim Drake is a member of the Addams family and thus this cute idea was born

Ok so, Tim’s parents still travel a lot but instead of leaving him alone in a big empty manor they leave him with his aunt and uncle Morticia and Gomez Addams

And Tim is a weird little kid who grows up without fear of the dark figures at night because the boogeyman is actually a pretty nice fellow who was very touched when Tiny Tim gave them a drawing of themselves, the monster in the closet actually gives great fashion advice as well as providing the perfect clothes for playing dress up, and the monsters under his bed are great storytellers and the shadow man gives Tim great advice on how to hide and use shadows to his advantage, etc.

The point is that Timmy grows up under the care of the Addams when his parents have to leave on long business trips or excavation sites and as such, is exposed to Gomez’s great appreciation of swordsmanship and fencing, and the haunted suits of armors are always great at comparing which kind of swords are the best in which kind of combat as well as the the importance of craftsmanship when in relation to having a reliable sword

And then one day Timmy watches the movie ‘The Legend of Zorro’ and becomes absolutely obsessed with learning how to use a sword and fight with it in the way only little kids can become obsessed with something they find completely cool, and Gomez is so excited to be teaching Tim everything he knows and they work together to craft Timmy his very own mini rapier for learning how to fence (swords are heavier so Tim learns those from Gomez when he’s older and can parry more weight)

And Tim becomes very Focused and Serious on learning how to fence and he’s very excited when he manages to finally best his uncle in a fencing duel (not as excited as Gomez tho, “MY CHILD SHALL BECOME THE BEST SWORDSMAN YET MY LOVE, DID YOU SEE HIS TECHNIQUE, HAD I BEEN SLOWER HE WOULD’VE RIPPED OPEN MY THROAT IN ONE SWIPE, I’M SO PROUD” “Our child dear”)

And then the movie ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ comes out and both Tim and Gomez are super fans (as a whole the family’s favorite movies are this one as well as the Legend of Zorro because 1. Revenge is achieved to the improvement of the main character’s well being and 2. The Aesthetic) and Tim just focuses on getting the hang of swords now with Gomez being more than happy to help his darling nephew

So years pass and Tim’s parents have finished one of their most taxing excavation digs so they return to Gotham and Tim has to return too (for the purposes of this AU Janet and Jack actually do give a fuck about their son so they would call him every other night when they’re away and if they can’t then at the very least they would call Tim once a week; they also call Morticia and Gomez at least once a week to check on how Tim is doing and they were also very happy to know that Tim has taken a liking to swords so they try to bring new types of weapons or literature related to weapons from the culture of their latest excavation so Tim can learn how different types of swords are wielded all around the world)

But anyway, Tim is going back to Gotham so he and Gomez work on creating a new sword for him with the family motto carved on the blade “Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc” which translates to “We Gladly Feast on Those Who Would Subdue Us” which is metal as fuck so yeah, and this sword is super durable and strong, inspired by a katana’s durability and a rapier’s gracefulness with a blade that is such a dark purple that it looks black like obsidian and the inscription of the family motto is carved in letters that are ruby red with a black hilt where an image of a drake is engraved in the same ruby red as the family motto (basically it is a Very Deadly Sword that is also Very Pretty with a dark aesthetic)

So Tim gets back to Gotham and one day he’s watching the news and sees The Batman saving the day and what not and sees Robin do a quadruple back flip and figures out their identities and decides that he wants to meet them at some point while on his nightly photography sessions of Gotham architecture; and if he manages to snap a couple of shots of Gotham’s heroes sometimes then that’s a bonus but Tim is mostly focused on capturing the essence of Gotham city (at this point in time when Tim moves back to Gotham he physically looks like 10-12 year old; he did meet Dick at the circus when he looked like he was 4 years old but for the purposes of the timeline Tim, as an Addams, can choose to remain at any age he desires for as long as he wants so while he did appear to be 4 years old at the circus, he had been alive for a couple of years more at this point, this also explains how he can master swords and fencing while physically looking like a 10 year old because he has been practicing for years as well as why he remembers Dick from that night at the circus)

So the timeline continues with Tim figuring out that the Bats are actually his neighbors but instead of staying away from the Waynes, he decides to go ask his parents if he can stay with the neighbors whenever they have to stay later than usual at the company or have to take a short business travel and they talk with Bruce about it and he agrees to take care of Tim, so now Tim has an in to befriend the Waynes and helps smooth out the edges of Dick and Bruce’s relationship so Bruce doesn’t fire Dick from Robin, but rather they talk about their feelings for once and Dick decides he wants to create his own superhero identity and Bruce supports his decision (Tim may or may not have had to talk about how his family happened to be very open about their feelings and worry for one another and how much closer they are due to talking to each other and resolving conflict; Alfred may or may not have been 100% behind Tim every time he made such a conversation) also, Tim is basically a trial run for Dick on becoming a big brother for when Jason arrives

One time Tim asks Dick if he knows how to fence which Dick can’t really answer because technically he knows how to fight with a sword but that’s for vigilante purposes which his civilian self isn’t supposed to know so Dick says that he doesn’t and asks Tim why he wanted to know, Tim proceeds to talk about how his favorite masked hero uses a sword to fight injustice and he has a black cape and a black horse and Bruce comes into the living room they’re in in the middle of Tim’s rambling about his favorite hero using a sword and is Concerned for a hot minute until Tim finishes the rant by saying “. . . and that’s why I like his movie so much, have you seen the Legend of Zorro?” (Cue relief for both Dick and Bruce because for all that they scrambled to put a name to the hero Tim was describing they couldn’t come up with one and were considering the possibility of a new player in the vigilante scene) so then Tim asks Mr. Bruce if he knows how to fence and Bruce says yes and asks if Tim would like to learn cue the “Oh, my uncle taught me how to fence a few years ago and when I lived with them we had a duel at least once a week, it was very fun so I was just wondering if you knew so we could practice if you want to Mr. Bruce”

Dick is 100% on board with this because the idea of Tiny Tim and 6’1” Bruce fencing is hilarious in his mind, Alfred is there to supervise and both Tim and Bruce are provided with the appropriate fencing equipment and protection; Bruce starts off slow and is surprised when Tim manages to beat him before starting to enjoy fencing with someone who can surprisingly keep up with him (Dick is taking pictures because the height difference is just too cute to be ignored and Tiny Tim is adorable in his own mini fencing equipment)

Whenever his parents do have to leave for extended periods of time (any company trip that takes more than 3-5 days qualifies as this) Tim stays with his aunt and uncle, thus starting a fun tradition of having spontaneous fencing duels with his uncle Gomez, basically if one of them is in the library then the other will shout ‘En-garde’ while throwing a sabre towards the other person and engaging in a quick duel; basically, if Tim is reading about the latest poisonous plants produced by Poison Ivy and annotating his research in order to get an idea of what would be a nice gift for his aunt Morticia and Gomez walks into the library then Gomez will grab two of the sabres they have on the wall for this exact purpose while shouting ‘en-garde’ before throwing a sabre at Tim and engaging in a duel, same goes for Tim, it’s almost instinct to the point that Tim has to hold himself back from doing exactly this whenever he sees Bruce in the library of Wayne Manor

Later on, when Jason is already adopted into the Wayne family, Tim still comes over and makes it his sacred mission to teach Jason the art of swords so he has another fencing buddy because “Mr. Bruce isn’t always here and I have decided that we will be friends and you’re pretty cool but knowing how to fight with a sword just ups your coolness level ya know?” So now Jason has smol Tim teaching him how to fence and it’s pretty fun to be able to do a taxing physical activity outside of being Robin with a friend, when Jason gets the hang of fencing Tim decides that he must now advance to the next level: sword fighting (Alfred is always there to supervise and give tips and pointers because he also knows how to fence but chooses to stay in the sidelines and let the young masters have their fun)

The problem with this is that, while the Waynes do have sabres for fencing, they don’t have swords, at least not in their civilian selves, so Tim decides to bring his own swords to teach Jason how to sword fight, Alfred is the first to see Tim’s very own special sword and is both impressed at the craftsmanship and concerned as to why a child has a sword, Jason thinks Tim’s sword is the coolest he has ever seen and Tim is happy to talk about how he made it himself with his uncle’s help when he finally learned all about sword fighting and promises Jason that they can make him his own cool sword when he learns how to sword fight too, Dick also thinks that the sword is a little concerning for a kid to have but he also wants his own cool sword and so now he insists Bruce has to teach him how to sword fight because Tim said he’s not allowed to have his own sword until he learns how to sword fight, Bruce is baffled as to why Tim has a sword, impressed at Tim’s skills in craftsmanship, and a little Concerned as to why Tim’s sword has that Latin inscription on the blade (no Tim, knowing that “we feast in those who would subdue us” is your family motto doesn’t calm me down yet it explains a lot about your mother)

By the time Damian comes along to the family he is very interested in where Jason and Dick got their Very Cool swords from, his father also has one and he wants to have his own Very Cool Sword too, thank you very much, and Tim visits them when Damian is still settling in and asks his customary question of if he knows how to use fence and gets an affirmative answer he asks Bruce if it would be ok for him and Damian to have a fencing duel, Bruce explains the rules to Damian and makes sure that Alfred, Dick, Jason and him are present in order to keep Damian from maiming/killing Tim

The duel does get a little out of hand as Damian gauges that Tim is more skilled than he previously thought so he stops holding back, Tim is positively grinning at this since he always has to hold back with the Waynes in a way that he doesn’t with Uncle Gomez because while an Addams won’t die from a stab to the heart, the same can’t be said for anyone else; the duel ends with Tim winning because he has more experience than Damian but he is positive beaming at how awesome Damian was and how these duels could become a weekly thing before they transition to swords and once Dames graduates from swords he can design his very own sword with Tim’s help as a sort of graduation present for learning how to sword fight and he’s sure that it won’t take too long for Damian to master swordsmanship because he’s basically a natural already and very skilled and this duel was so much fun Damian we have to do this again sometime oh my gosh I want to teach you everything I know it’s gonna be so much fun

And Damian, a poor baby, was mad at having lost to Tim but then Tim hits him with all this excitement and smiles and it’s the promise of getting his own Very Cool Sword is what gets him to agree to learn from Tim, it’s not that he feels warm at getting compliments from someone who also likes swords and knows what he’s doing in a fight, he definitely doesn’t find Tim cool at all, he’s just making use of a resource and he will learn everything Tim has to offer and become better than both Grayson and Todd, that’s all (that’s not all because it turns out that Damian is the younger brother Tim never had and he takes Dami under his wing and helps him adjust to a life outside the League of Assassins and how to find hobbies to enjoy; Damian won’t admit it but he is also Very Attached in to Timothy and feels like he won’t be judged for his past with him and he is also a fellow sword enthusiast so yeah)

Tim decides to do the same thing to Damian and initiating a quick fencing duel whenever he sees that Damian is in the gardens (no fencing inside the Manor on pain of Alfred’s eyebrow of disappointment); this helps Damian with the transition of learning to have fun and also learn to realize that not everybody is an enemy, it also helps keep up his training and burn some energy whenever he gets restless and helps him bond with Tim more

The idea was that Tim and Uncle Gomez would surprise each other with spontaneous fencing duels by shouting ‘en-garde’ at the other person whenever they find one another in the library, and now it turned into a fluff AU where Tim isn’t Robin but he’s still a family friend to the Waynes and an Addams and helps bring the family closer through his love of swords because yes

[pumpkinpaix]

Hello! Feel free not to answer this question if it is in any way too much, but I've been wondering about something concerning the "western" mdzs fandom. Lately, i have seen multiple pieces of fanart that use what is clearly Christian symbolism and sometimes downright iconography in depicting the characters. I'm a european fan, but it still makes me vaguely uneasy. I know that these things are rarely easy to judge. I'm definitely not qualified to do so and was wondering if you have an opinion

Hi there! thank you for your patience and for the interesting question! I’ve been thinking about this since i received this ask because it?? idk, it’s difficult to answer, but it also touches on a a few things that I find really interesting.

the short answer: it’s complicated, and I also don’t know what I feel!

the longer answer:

i think that this question is particularly difficult to answer because of how deeply christianity is tied to the western art and literary canon. so much of what is considered great european art is christian art! If you just take a quick glance at wiki’s page on european art, you can see how inextricable christianity is, and how integral christian iconography has been in the history of european art. If you study western art history, you must study christian imagery and christian canon because it’s just impossible to engage with a lot of the work in a meaningful way without it. that’s just the reality of it.

Christianity, of course, also has a strong presence in european colonial and imperialist history and has been used as a tool of oppression against many peoples and nations, including China. I would be lying if I said I had a good relationship with Christianity--I have always faced it with a deep suspicion because I think it did some very, very real damage, not just to chinese people, but to many cultures and peoples around the world, and that’s not a trauma that can be easily brushed aside or reconciled with.

here is what is also true: my maternal grandmother was devoutly christian. my aunt is devoutly christian. my uncle’s family is devoutly christian. my favorite cousin is devoutly christian. when I attended my cousin’s wedding, he had both a traditional chinese ceremony (tea-serving, bride-fetching, ABSURDLY long reception), and also a christian ceremony in a church. christianity is a really important part of his life, just as it’s important to my uncle’s family, and as it was important to my grandmother. I don’t think it’s my right or place to label them as simply victims of a colonialist past--they’re real people with real agency and choice and beliefs. I think it would be disrespectful to act otherwise.

that doesn’t negate the harm that christianity has done--but it does complicate things. is it inherently a bad thing that they’re christian, due to the political history of the religion and their heritage? that’s... not a question I’m really interested in debating. the fact remains that they are christian, that they are chinese, and that they chose their religion.

so! now here we are with mdzs, a chinese piece of media that is clearly Not christian, but is quickly gaining popularity in euroamerican spaces. people are making fanart! people are making A LOT of fanart! and art is, by nature, intertextual. a lot of the most interesting art (imo) makes deliberate use of that! for example (cyan art nerdery time let’s go), Nikolai Ge’s What is Truth?

I love this painting! it’s notable for its unusual depiction of christ: shabby, unkempt, slouched, in shadow. if you look for other paintings of this scene, christ is usually dignified, elegant, beautiful, melancholy -- there’s something very humanizing and humbling about this depiction, specifically because of the way it contrasts the standard. it’s powerful because we as the audience are expected to be familiar with the iconography of this scene, the story behind it, and its place in the christian canon.

you can make similar comments about Gentileschi’s Judith vs Caravaggio’s, or Manet’s Olympia vs Ingres’ Grande Odalisque -- all of these paintings exist in relation to one another and also to the larger canon (i’m simplifying: you can’t just compare one to another directly in isolation etc etc.) Gauguin’s Jacob Wrestling the Angel is also especially interesting because of how its portrayal of its content contrasts to its predecessors!

or! because i’m really In It now, one of my favorite paintings in the world, Joan of Arc by Bastien-Lepage:

I just!!! gosh, idk, what’s most interesting to me in this painting is the way it seems to hover between movements: the hyperrealistic, neoclassical-esque take on the figure, but the impressionistic brushstrokes of the background AAA gosh i love it so much. it’s really beautiful if you ever get a chance to see it in person at the Met. i’m putting this here both because i personally just really like it and also as an example of how intertextuality isn’t just about content, but also about visual elements.

anyways, sorry most of this is 19thc, that was what i studied the most lol.

(a final note: if you want to read about a really interesting painting that sits in the midst of just a Lot of different works, check out the wiki page on Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa, specifically under “Interpretation and Legacy”)

this is all a really long-winded way of getting to this point: if you want to make allusory fanart of mdzs with regards to western art canon, you kind of have to go out of your way to avoid christian imagery/iconography, especially when that’s the lens through which a lot of really intensely emotional art was created. many of my favorite paintings are christian: Vrubel’s Demon, Seated, Perov’s Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, Ge’s Conscience, Judas, Bastien-Lepage’s Joan of Arc, as shown above. that’s not to say there ISN’T plenty of non-christian art -- but christian art is very prominent and impossible to ignore.

so here are a few pieces of fanwork that I’ve seen that are very clearly making allusions to christian imagery:

1. this beautiful pietà nielan by tinynarwhals on twitter

2. a lovely jiang yanli as our lady of tears by @satuwilhelmiina

3. my second gif in this set here, which I will also show below:

i’m only going to talk about mine in depth because well, i know exactly what i was thinking when I put this gif together while I can’t speak for anyone else.

first: the two lines of the song that I wanted to use for lan xichen were “baby, I’m a fighter//in the robes of a saint” because i felt that they fit him very well. of course, just the word “saint” evokes catholicism, even if it’s become so entwined in the english language that it’s taken on a secular meaning as well.

second: when I saw this scene, my immediate thought was just “PIETÀ!!” because LOOK at that composition! lan xichen’s lap! nie mingjue lying perpendicular to it! the light blue/white/silver of lan xichen in contrast to the darker robes of both nie mingjue and meng yao! not just that, but the very cool triangular structure of the image is intensely striking, and Yes, i Do love that it simultaneously ALSO evokes deposition of christ vibes. (baxia as the cross.... god..... is that not the Tightest Shit) does this make meng yao joseph of arimathea? does it make him john the evangelist? both options are equally interesting, I think when viewed in relation to his roles in the story: as a spy in qishan and as nmj’s deputy. maybe he’s both.

anyways, did I do this intentionally? yes, though a lot of it is happy accident/discovered after the fact since I’m relying on CQL to have provided the image. i wanted to draw attention to all of that by superimposing that line over that image! (to be clear: I didn’t expect it to all come through because like. that’s ridiculous. the layers you’d have to go through to get from “pretty lxc gifset” --> “if we cast nie mingjue as a christ figure, what is the interesting commentary we could do on meng yao by casting him as either joseph of arimathea or john the evangelist” are like. ok ur gonna need to work a little harder than slapping a song lyric over an image to achieve an effect like that.)

the point of this is: yes, it’s intentionally christian, yes I did this, yes I am casting these very much non-christian characters into christian roles for this specific visual work -- is this okay?

I obviously thought it was because I made it. but would I feel the same about a work that was written doing something similar? probably not. I think that would make me quite uncomfortable in most situations. but there’s something about visual art that makes it slightly different that I have trouble articulating -- something about how the visual often seeks to illustrate parallels or ideas, whereas writing characters as a different religion can fundamentally change who those characters are, the world they inhabit, etc. in a more... invasive?? way. that’s still not quite right, but I genuinely am not sure how to explain what i mean! I hope the general idea comes across. ><

something else to think about is like, what are pieces I find acceptable and why?

what makes the pieces above that reference christian imagery different than this stunning nieyao piece by @cyandemise after klimt’s kiss? (warnings for like, dead bodies and vague body horror) like i ADORE this piece (PLEASE click for fullview it’s worth it for the quality). it’s incredibly beautiful and evocative and very obviously references a piece of european art. I have no problem with it. why? because it isn’t explicitly christian? it’s still deeply entrenched in western canon. klimt certainly made other pieces that were explicit christian references.

another piece I’d like to invite you all to consider is this incredible naruto fanart of sakura and ino beheading sasuke after caravaggio’s judith. (warnings for beheading, blood, etc. you know.) i also adore this piece! i think it’s very good both technically and conceptually. the reference that it makes has a real power when viewed in relation to the roles of the characters in their original story -- seeing the women that sasuke fucked over and treated so disrespectfully collaborating in his demise Says Something. this is also!! an explicitly christian reference made with non-christian japanese characters. is this okay? does it evoke the same discomfort as seeing mdzs characters being drawn with christian iconography? why or why not?

the point is, I don’t think there’s a neat answer, but I do think there are a lot of interesting issues surrounding cultural erasure/hegemony that are raised by this question. i don’t think there are easy resolutions to any of them either, but I think that it’s a good opportunity to reexamine our own discomfort and try and see where it comes from. all emotions are valid but not all are justified etc. so I try to ask, is it fair? do i apply my criticisms and standards equally? why or why not? does it do real harm, or do i just not like it? what makes one work okay and another not?

i’ve felt that there’s a real danger with the kind of like, deep moral scrutiny of recent years in quashing interesting work in the name of fear. this morality tends to be expressed in black and white, good and bad dichotomies that i really do think stymies meaningful conversation and progress. you’ll often see angry takes that boil down to things like, “POC good, queer people good, white people bad, christianity bad” etc. without a serious critical examination of the actual issues at hand. I feel that these are extraordinarily harmful simplifications that can lead to an increased insularity that isn’t necessarily good for anyone. there’s a fine line between asking people to stay in their lane and cultural gatekeeping sometimes, and I think that it’s something we should be mindful of when we’re engaging in conversations about cultural erasure, appropriation etc.

PERHAPS IT IS OBVIOUS that I have no idea where that line falls LMAO since after all that rambling I have given you basically nothing. but! I hope that you found it interesting at least, and that it gives you a bit more material to think on while you figure out where you stand ahaha.

was this just an excuse to show off cool (fan)art i like? maybe ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(ko-fi)

[mmvalentine]

The Bargain Pt 9 | Feysand

Modern AU. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 10

Rhys had not intended for Feyre to ever see the drawings he turned into tattoos. He had made them impulsively and figured she'd never know and so it wouldn't matter anyway.

When Rhys first saw Feyre in the initial meeting, the thought of his tattoos did not enter his mind until later that night. He had been nervous then, but just made sure to wear long sleeves during the week and wasn't too worried. After all, there had been many occasions where he had had to hide his tattoos before.

He had not expected the spike in the weather today, making him warm under his black shirt. He had not expected to forget himself and push up the sleeves. He had not expected Feyre to react the way she did when she saw his arm.

He had not expected to wind up kissing her on her couch.

In fact, Rhys wasn't exactly sure how they got there, how drawing had turned to touching, and how touching had turned to kissing. What he did know is that he'd never had anything quite so sweet as Feyre on his tongue.

And at first, this was enough. The exchange of his breath for hers, the slide of her petal lips, and the heat of her mouth were all he wanted for a long, star-filled minute.

Then some dark longing clawed its way up his throat and the desire to bite and scratch, to mark her like she had asked came bubbling up out of him. Rhys pushed it down, tried to keep the kiss chaste. But then Feyre's tongue touched his and the next thing he new he had his teeth in her soft lower lip, and his grip tightening at her waist.

For a long time after Aramantha, Rhys had wanted to be the kind of person that was capable of a gentle, sweet kind of a love. He was so scared of hurting someone the way he had been hurt- but as a result the encounters he had after that long-term relationship were brief and didn't seem to mean much at all.

So on the one hand, Rhys was desperate to keep Feyre safe to keep himself in control. On the other, it was both fear and the deepest relief when she curled her arms around his neck and said "more." Knotted her fingers in his hair and said "more." Climbed right into his lap and said "more."

Rhys moaned raw and rough, and then he was scraping his fingers up her back under her shirt and crushing her body to him like he could absorb her whole.

The truth was that Rhys had always needed to feel things very deeply. Had needed tight hugs as a child, had wrestled in high school, had learned to tattoo on his own legs. Had spent a lot of time trying to hold himself back from being too rough with other people.

And yet here was Feyre, wrapped around him and squeezing him right back. He changed the angle of their kiss, and lit up all the way down his spine when Feyre licked the inside of his teeth.

"Where have you been all my life?" Rhys mumbled. "Somewhere in a studio, probably," Feyre replied, taking his lip between her teeth. Rhys shivered. "I've been in all the wrong places, then," he said. He moved his nose along her jaw. "I told you to start painting," Feyre said, her head tipping back. "I should have listened earlier," Rhys lamented, and kissed down to her shoulder.

"Still want me to mark your skin?" he asked against her collarbone.

Feyre said nothing, just pulled her hair over her left shoulder and tugged her shirt down on the right, to expose the stretch of skin there.

Rhys' eyes went dark. He slid one hand in her hair to cradle her skull, and the other behind her scapula to tug her in. Then he closed his mouth over her join of her neck and shoulder, and laid down a soft, slow bite that gave way to a suck. Kissed the small bruise tenderly, reverently and then smoothed his thumb over it. Then he nipped his teeth just once at her throat, before pulling away. Reluctantly.

"Has anyone ever told you, you have perfect skin?" he said. "People have told me a lot of things," Feyre replied, a half smile tilting her face.

"I thought it the first time I tattooed you," Rhys said. "It was so easy." "And what makes good skin for tattooing?" Feyre asked. Rhys shrugged, and kept running his fingers over the mark he had made.

"I don't know what exactly. But with some people, you have to really work the ink in there. For some people if falls out, or worse, bleeds like a shadow. But you? You make it easy like drawing on silk."

"Well thanks," Feyre said, picking up his hand and running her lips along his knuckles. "Maybe my skin knows what it wants. Maybe it likes your touch."

Rhys shuddered at this and cupped his hands around her face. Slid his thumbs down the column of her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed and he bit his lip to prevent himself from kissing her again.

"I should go," he said quietly. Feyre's eyes snapped open. "Why?" she asked. "Because," said Rhys, his fingers squeezing very lightly around her neck, "if I don't leave right now I think I might eat you whole."

Feyre's eyes flashed. "Maybe I'd like it," she said. Rhys gave a rueful grin. "Seriously," he murmured. "Why haven't I had you always?" "You've got me now," Feyre said, and a low growl slid from Rhys' chest. He closed his eyes, to regain control.

"I'm not good at this," he said quietly. "I get too intense and too fast and too much." "So you're deciding for me?" Rhys laughed, and then looked at her with eyes that did not match his mouth.

"We've got all day tomorrow. You can tell me exactly how you want to spend it. I just..." Rhys looked away for a second, searching for the words. "I know this all sort of just started happening but I couldn't stand it if you thought it was a mistake."

Feyre looked at him a little oddly, but then nodded.

"Okay," she said. "I'll think about it, and when I'm sure I'll tell you I'm sure. But Rhys?" she asked. "You have to believe me when I tell you."

Rhys nodded. "I will."

Then he pressed his lips to her forehead, picked up his jacket, and waved as he walked out the door.

The walk back to the hotel was a good opportunity for Rhys to clear his head. Part of him was kicking himself for leaving Feyre's apartment, but he also knew himself. How many times had he scared people off by moving too fast, by feeling too intensely? He was not going to fuck it up this time. Even if he was due back in New York the day after next.

By the time Rhys was riding the elevator to his floor, he was feeling calmer and had talked himself into believing in his decision.

The lift stopped with a 'bing' and Rhys padded down the carpeted hallway. Turned the corner to his room, and found Feyre leaning on his door frame.

"I thought about it," she said casually, "and I'm sure."

****

I'm sorry for the cliffhangers everyone got so mad last time 🙈🙈 But I'm writing the next part right now I promise!!

MASTERLIST

TAGLIST: @ghostlyrose2 @highladysith @stardelia @feysand-loml @tillyrubes10 @ratabrasileira @live-the-fangirl-life @maybekindasortaace @annejulianneh111 @thebonecarver @rowaelinismyotp @loosingdreams @whythefuckdoiexist @inejsarrow @swankii-art-teacher @sjmships @courtofjurdan @teddytdr @positivewitch @thalia-2-rose @darling-archeron @rapunzel1523 @fairchildjace @philosophorumaurum02 @story-scribbler @allthecolorsneverseen

[harriertail]

ooh, do you have any tips on doing fan wc covers? for example what size do you make them in, what font do you use, etc? your covers are very inspiring, it makes me want to try doing something like that too! im just... not sure where to begin

I’ve got a more comprehensive tutorial in the works but my process of doing them is basically have the bg be more background/location focused, ie a lakeshore meeting or walk through the forest, and the cat head be one of the main characters. Technically they are just an A4 size (depends on ur programme i think) and the text font is Source Serif Pro Semibold. The brushes are clip studios Gouache, Dry Gouache and Thin Gouache Brush. Gouache for blocking, dry for rocks and fur blending, thin for details. Regarding the actual composition of the covers... this might get long.

I’m a huge unironic fan of the skew-iffness of McLoughlin’s cats- the wrong eye colour, wrong description, round faces, weird eye and muzzle shapes, etc in the covers and Ultimate Guide. It’s charmin as fuck. For his background’s he’s honestly a master of colour. His red rocks have yellows, creams, gray-greens and blues. His green trees are yellow, blue, orange and indigo. His snow is pale blue, purple, green, or orange and red and white. Go wild with the colours on the first pass. Check out his other work as well for a better sense of this, he’s got a great American sense of the huge outdoors, (despite being born in the UK- he’s welsh but served in Vietnam. Anyway) it’s kinda reminiscent of Romanticism in a way and the series took a huge L in not hiring an artist to replicate this sense of grandeur and reverence for the outdoors for the new covers and chose to focus on the actual cats in a very safe way. I actually love McLoughlin’s work for I’m bias. His ammunition adverts are great lol im so gettin a print. Back to the actual covers. Pick a scene of the book, sketch in, keep the focus mainly in the bottom 1/3. The top can slack on detail due to the title and cat head. I like to give my covers a sense of cohesion- you can look at it without a title and know it is from X series (ie my New Dawn covers follow a rainbow colour, a WIP set of covers i have all have a shot of a lake in them, my TGL covers all focus on the sky) Where the fuck am i going with this? Tips. Pick a good scene that sums up the story- ie Rising Storm has Fireheart by the Thunderpath with Tigerclaw watching him. Keep colours strong, the natural colours are always amplified, shadows blue/purple, rarely use black. The rough pass is usually one layer for me and then i paint above that. I try use as little layers as possible to keep a “traditional one canvas one layer” feel. Cats/figures in the background have a lot of different colours on them- yellow, blue, red, etc. Fur detail is suggested with texture. Same with the background. No smooth gradients, use a brush to make gradients. Light and shadow are amplified. Highlights are a bit unnatural but make sense. Honestly just draw it. There’s no real ‘tutorial’ to it. Just throw urself into it and get the cover down! If you have any more specific questions please ask me! Or just come talk about why the mcloughlin covers are better. Idk. Enjoy a bear watching a basketball hoop in a forest. 

[cellard0ors]

Fic: Movement (4/5)

Still working on this for @peachworthy. Should wrap up sometime this week or next and then the full thing'll get posted to AO3. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 here for now!

They decide to do it on a Saturday night.

Link has the weekend off from work and no classes. Rhett’s schedule is also free. They discuss the matter in terse terms, both seeming nervous about the idea, but neither backing down.

As such, Saturday rolls around with little fanfare until late into the evening. An evening that finds Link sitting on the couch, one of his legs jiggling and bouncing about as he waits for Rhett.

Rhett comes out to the living room holding a pillow and he offers it to Link. Link looks at it with some confusion and his friend clears his throat, eyes darting away, “For your lap.”

“My-?” Link looks down and then to Rhett and then…oh. Link colors, realizing that the pillow is to be used in order to cover any potentially ‘arising’ situation on his part. Feel exposed yet stubborn, he remarks dryly, “Don’t think I’ll need that.”

Rhett lets out a loud laugh and pats him in the chest with it, “Trust me. If I’ve done my job right? You will.”

“…point taken,” Link says softly and he takes the pillow, settling it over his crotch. To be fair, he probably will pop wood. After all, he sometimes pops it when Rhett’s full clothed.

Nude?

Yeah.

Link presses down on the pillow harder, even the errant thought of a nude Rhett causing a stirring. Rhett walks to the television and fiddles with the remote.

An app that Link’s noticed before, but never bothered with, is clicked on. Erotes Plus. The screenshots for the videos that come up are…certainly something. Link looks away, almost overwhelmed by all the bare flesh before him. The titles of the videos are also a bit much. Rhett notices and Link can hear the smirk in his voice as he says, “Prude.”

Link scowls and glares back at him and the screen. He is nota prude. However, titles such as ‘Lonely Housewife Squirts for The First Time’ and ‘He Rides His Daddy Dry’ would take anybody aback. At least Link would like to think so – he supposes some people are more immune than others. After all, his own history with porn is on the small side.

During puberty he’d taken his healthy peeks at nude magazines and a few of his friends had snuck out adult VHS tapes to check out, but for the most part it hadn’t interested him. Granted, this was probably due to his eventual discovery that – while he appreciated the female form – it didn’t draw his interest quite like the male one did.

And finding gay porn? Where he grew up? Yeah, pretty much a completely impossibility. And then – when he’d finally managed to snag some – it had, once more, disappointed. It all just seemed so cold and callous. Like a business transaction with a boatload of grunting. Not at all to his tastes.

Rhett, scrolling through the videos, finally finds one titled simply ‘Movement’ and turns to Link with an apprehensive glance, “Still plenty of time to say ‘no’.”

Link’s throat is dry. Unlike some of the other screenshots, this one is vaguer. It’s two forms silhouetted in shadow. One of those forms is Rhett. Link feels numb as he speaks, “I’m good.”

Rhett clicks the video and it begins.

He moves over and sits near Link, lounging against the other side of the couch in an oh-so-casual way. As if an adult video starring him hasn’t just begun to play.

The film opens with a lithe redhead in a yoga outfit doing various poses. While this is being shown the title card appears followed by the starring and since Link highly doubts Rhett goes by ‘Jenessa Star’, he can’t help but chuckle at, “‘Donatello Velvet’?”

“What?” Rhett asks simply and Link gestures to the television, “That’s you, isn’t it?”

“Problem?”

“That’s the screen name you chose?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it, I just don’t see you as a ‘Donatello’,” Link grins at him and Rhett laughs, rubbing one finger along his top lip thoughtfully, “What would you’d’ve gone with then?”

“If I was doing adult film?” Link asks and at Rhett’s nod, he crosses his arms and thinks, “I don’t know…Bevin, maybe?”

Rhett tosses his head back and laughs and Link feels a fissure of delight at that sound, just as he always does. He turns back and the redhead’s poses have become…much more complex. Almost painful looking as she contorts herself to degrees Link wouldn’t think possible and then she rises, stretching out and that’s when Rhett enters.

Or maybe it would be better to think of it as Donatello enters. Yes, it’s a little easier that way and Link does his best to cling to that, to try and stay nonchalant as he offers dryly, “Well, well – there’s a familiar lookin’ fella.”

Rhett just hums and they both watch as he walks up to the woman. He runs his hands along her shoulders and down her arms, whispering into her neck huskily, “Good form.”

Link can’t help but let out a snort. Rhett rolls his eyes, “Okay, okay – I know, I know. Dialogue’s a bit-?”

“Bad?”

“…it could use some improvement.”

“Uh huh,” Link just beams and hey, this isn’t so bad. Cheesy and kind of silly and maybe it will just stay like this. Light and fun. For all Link knows, they won’t even watch the whole thing. Maybe just some of it and then they can turn on something els-!

Rhett begins kissing Jenessa’s neck, white teeth visibly dragging along her skin and Link’s whole body tightens. A phantom sting starts along the same side of his neck that Rhett’s touching on Jenessa. Jenessa’s whole throat arches back, a pleasured moan leaving her and Rhett’s tongue is…very pink.

Link’s Adam’s apple bobs as he says (much huskier than he’d like) “N-Nice camera work…”

Rhett just hums, “Mac’s always had a good eye.”

“Mac?”

“Mackenzie, the director of this one.”

Link just lets out a sound of acknowledgement as he watches Rhett reach around Jenessa and tug at her tank top. Tug until her small, pointed breasts pop free. He cups them in his hands and he has…great hands.

They looks so tan against her skin, palms rough and big, and Jenessa lets out a full throttle moan. Rhett teases the pink tips, fingertips agile as they play along the sensitive flesh, as they circle around her areolas.

She whimpers and turns, kisses him fully, passionately, and it’s…messy. Wet. Link can feel his whole heart thump hard at the sight. Janessa’s hair is shorter than Rhett’s – cropped close to her scalp and Rhett’s hands have abandoned her chest to run through the short strands.

Link barely stops himself from reaching up and touching his own hair, instinctively wanting to mimic how that might feel. To imagine Rhett doing it to him.

He tries not to fidget and talking, talking will help, “Surprised this isn’t more, ah, instant.”

Rhett shrugs, “Foreplay’s a thing, man.”

“No, I know,” Link knows his voice pitches a little high at this, defensive, “Just…figured, mean...’s porn…”

“Some of the earlier videos on here are like that, but when EP got bought out, the new owners took the company in a different direction.”

“EP?”

“Erotes Plus. The platform these films are on,” Rhett explains and then he starts mentioning a few things about different production companies and distributors and the like, but Link is too distracted because Jenessa is now fully naked and Rhett is on his knees between her legs, feasting on her moist lower lips.

The silken tip of his tongue is parting her, dancing along the bundle of nerves that is her clit and her head is tossed back on a loud, wild whine.

Her pale body undulates and she’s gripping his long hair so hard. Link feels as if he’s having an out of body experience. This is his roommate. His friend. The man he’s secretly in love with.

And he’s pleasuring this woman with such…focus. With intensity and finesse and when he rises, his erection is clear, straining at the linen pants that are containing it. Link points to the screen weakly, “Hippie clothes.”

The comment is stupid and unhelpful, but Rhett just laughs, “Yeah – kinda the theme of this series. I’m like, a Yoga Instructor or something? Least that's the way it was explained to me, so – linen pants, cotton top – I mean, we’ve had better costumes, but for this shoot-!”

Rhett is talking some more but, again, Link is barely listening. His eyes are transfixed by what’s taking place on the screen. Janessa easily strips off Rhett’s shirt and then his pants and – No. Underwear.

Link is seeing Rhett’s dick. It’s there…thick, but not as big as his own, a visible vein running along one side. Dusky dark and with a blushing pink tip and gently curling hair hiding his full, taunt sack…

“Link? Buddy? You doin’ alright?”

“Fine.”

“Lookin’ like you seen a ghost," Rhett teases, but there’s a breathless quality to his words, “My body all that bad?”

Link just shakes his head and watches as Jenessa strokes Rhett, as his head falls back and he lets out a shuddering gasp that Link feels in his very bones.

Link is suddenly very, very thankful for the pillow that bobs some as it reacts to the situation taking place beneath it. That situation being Link’s own dick perking upwards, making his jeans tight and constrictive.

“You…?” Something Rhett said finally seems to click in Link’s head, “You said this is a series?”

“Yup,” Rhett murmurs and now the film shows him pressing Jenessa against one of the studio walls and she raises one leg high. Insanely high. It’s a very gymnastic level move and Rhett slots his cock up with her opening, sliding hard and deep into her body.

Jenessa lets out a wail of pleasure as he presses in and she holds that leg up – all strength and grace as he begins to move within her at a steady rhythm.

Her hips answer some, but it’s more about how…open she is. And how deep he’s getting. They’re eyes are locked as he picks up his pace, rocketing in and out of her, shaking her whole form with his thrusts, her tiny breasts jiggling with each movement and movement, they call this…

“Got an award for this one.”

Thank God. That one comment draws Link back to some semblance of sanity even as his body quickens with an unspeakable longing, a carnal hunger that aches, “Really?”

“Uh huh,” Rhett says with no small amount of pride, “Best Sex Scene.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean, I owe it to her to be honest,” he waves to the screen, “She’s the one turning herself into a pretzel throughout this thing. Same for the rest of ‘em. They kept finding co-stars for me to work with who had had extensive training in this sort of body contortion. It was just my job to, uh, well…”

Rhett waves again and the answer is obvious: to fuck them through it. Link is not at all limber. In fact, he’s kind of a klutz. Nothing to match up with someone like this.

For some reason, this realization leaves him hollow. Cold. His arousal dims some, “Where’d you get the award from?”

“XRCO.”

Link makes some sound that would imply he understands, but he doesn’t. Rhett sighs, “Got nominated for Most Popular Male Performer on Pornhub but lost to Johnny Rockwell. Guy deserved it though. Performance he did that year was nuts.”

Link’s lost in the vocal cacophony that is erupting from the television speakers. Moans, gasps, grunts, cries of sheer ecstasy as Rhett and Janessa really ramp it up.

They’re in a different position now, Jenessa’s body once more arched at a crazy angle and Rhett's just...really getting in there. His hips are pumping double time, like a jackhammer, and she is loving it.

Her blue eyes are flashing with adoration, her lips curled in that moue that speaks to an almost pleasurable pain and Link can’t help but ask, “Are the others with her?”

Rhett takes a moment to process the question and when he realizes Link is asking about the other films in the series, he shakes his head, “Nah, man. You don’t usually have repeating partners. Like I said, they found other people who could bend in weird ways. The sequel to this sees me with Julian St. Croix. Great guy. Really smart. He’s actually working on another doctorate. Plans on working in the tech field when he retires, which – money he’s making, should be pretty damned soon. You want me to dial that up?”

Link just shakes his head. The idea of watching Rhett doing something like this with yet another person and with a man no less…

He feels crappy for, well, feeling crappy. This is Rhett’s job. He shouldn’t take this personally.

Besides, it’s not like Rhett knows how Link feels about him. To him, they’re just friends and he should play the part of friend – be a friend, a good friend, “I can see why you won the award, Rhett. You’re doing a…a great job. Real good acting.”

The sound of the shocked (yet oddly sharp) laughter that leaves Rhett at that actually causes Link to finally look at him.

Rhett’s face is a ruddy red, like he’s embarrassed or something, and he’s looking at Link with a bit of a wildfire in his eyes, “‘Good acting? Are you serious?”

Link finally shifts about on the couch (which feels fantastic considering his body has been fighting off a plethora of sensations for a while now) as he fully turns to him, pillow still firmly in place, “Of course! I mean, it-it seems like you’re really into this girl,” he gestures to the screen, “when you’re doing this and I imagine that’d take some acting chops.”

He chews on his bottom lip and lowers his gaze, hands ghosting over the pillow as he talks to it more than Rhett, “Un-unless you really are into her.”

“Into her?” Rhett pokes one finger over to the television, “Into Janessa?”

“Yeah, I mean…if-if you two are a couple or-or were one or-?”

“Me and Janessa?” Rhett asks incredulously and some of the heat seems to leave him. Link gets the impression that Rhett had, for a moment, been mad or affronted by Link’s well intentioned compliment, but now is completely changing track. Now Rhett seems charmingly baffled, “You think I’m into Janessa?”

“I-I was just saying if you’re not into her in this,” Link waves to the screen where (seeing as the volume is dying down) it would seem the film is reaching its conclusion, “Then the acting is good and if you are-!”

“I’m not,” Rhett confirms firmly, “I am very much not, nor was I ever, into Janessa. We’re friendly, but we’d never work as a couple, man. She likes cats.”

Rhett says the last as if it’s a blasphemy and Link can’t help but giggle, suddenly feeling bright and light even though he knows better than to do so, “Problem?”

“Not a big fan of lil demons…”

“Noted, “Link sighs and he feels much, much better. The film is finally over, he’s seen some of Rhett’s work, and he can now say the following with sheer confidence, “I’m proud of you.”

And with that, Rhett freezes. He freezes solid, back going ram rod straight, and his eyes – they’re as round as dinner plates.

Big and green and looking at Link like’s a wild anomaly and Link worries that maybe he, somehow, inadvertently offended him with the remark so he’s quick to explain, “I-I mean it, bo. I’m proud of you. Going out there and-and doing something like this. Being so…so exposed and vulnerable and for anyone to see and yeah, sure, I mean, I guess it’s just for people to-to beat off to or whatever, but when you think about it, it’s something that brings people pleasure, which is a lot better than bringing something bad into people's lives and I know some would argue that porn is like, some gateway into violent dark tendencies or whatever, but for the average person it’s a good thing to explore and the fact you can so freely provide that to them and not be ashamed-!”

Link is blathering.

He’s a blathering idiot.

But he feels like if he stops talking, Rhett might snap at him. Or be mad. Or-!

But instead Rhett just shakes his head and whispers, “You’re unbelievable.”

Link’s diatribe cuts off. His blood stops in his veins. He feels completely seized.

“I’ve been trying so hard…fighting with everything in me,” Rhett breathes and he just…eases forward, eases closer. He’s in Link’s personal space and Link wonders if he should back up or something.

He can feel the heat coming off Rhett’s skin. His breath is bathing Link’s face as he rasps, “But I can’t anymore. You’ll have to forgive me, but…”

Rhett kisses him.

Rhett. Kisses. Him.

Rhett kisses Link.

Their lips meet in the smallest, quickest, sweetest little peck. The sound of it, the quick wet click of their lips…it’s earth shattering, sound-barrier breaking.

And Link feels his whole nervous system lurch at it. And Rhett is still looking at him, searching his eyes wildly. Link blinks and licks his lips and tries to speak, but there’s nothing to say.

Rhett just grins softly, “Bad for business…that’s what you are…”

Link’s gaze dips to Rhett’s mouth. To his lips. Lips that were on his seconds ago. His eyes feel heavy lidded as he gulps and Rhett just huffs as he kisses him again. Again.

Another kiss and this one is more than just a peck. This one? This one is the one Link’s been dreaming of, the one he’s been wishing for.

This kiss is perfect.

[sirikenobi12]

This Capt' goes down with her Ship

I’m honestly amazed at how many messages I receive both here and on Twitter that ask me why I ship Obi-Wan with Siri Tachi over Satine Kryze. I guess I’m mostly amazed because I can’t believe people actually care enough to take the time to message me about my character preferences, that’s just really fascinating to me. 

But, since I’m getting tired of writing this out in individual messages I thought perhaps a blog would be a good idea so that way I can just reference/link them to it later - it’ll be much easier. So, bear with me while I get a little self indulgent (and Satine stans please don’t come at me, I will explain below how I really have nothing against Obitine). 

This is going to be really long, and I’m not expecting anyone to actually read this, but here we go! 

I’ll begin by answering questions that are sitting in my inbox:

1. Who the hell is Siri Tachi?? For those who don’t know the character of Siri Tachi, she was a female Jedi who was two years younger than Obi-Wan. She was originally from the Legends young reader book series Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest (written by Jude Watson). She was in many of the same Padawan classes as Obi-Wan even though she was two years his junior because of her advanced skills. She could hold her own against him in a lightsaber duel even as they grew up. She was chosen as an apprentice to Jedi Council Member Adi Gallia at age 11 which was very impressive given how young she was and the fact that a Council Member chose her.

(I don’t know why she looks like Brittany Spears in this drawing, not my fave)

She did have a hard time fitting in with her peers when she was younger though because she was so focused on her career as a Jedi which didn’t always make her the friendliest person to be around (it was really her masking her insecurities) and it was only after she was paired on several missions with Obi-Wan that they even became friends. 

She and Obi-Wan over the years grew very close and eventually discovered their feelings had crossed the line from friends to something more while on a mission when they were older Padawans (Obi was 18). They had been separated from their masters and nearly died while on that mission. So, before they “died” they each confessed their love to the other, but when it turned out they didn’t actually die they decided they’d wait and figure out what their relationship actually meant once the mission was over - putting duty above their feelings. But Qui-Gon and Yoda intervene before the two of them could have the conversation and the Masters reminded Obi-Wan of his dedication to the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan argued that he and Siri would be able to find a way to be together while still being active Jedi, that maybe they could be an exception to the rule or even change the rule entirely. Both he and Siri did end up choosing their commitment to the Jedi over their relationship in the end, because each of them realized they’d regret not being Jedi more than anything, but it did put a strain on their friendship for many years. 

At 23 Siri was secretly knighted and her first solo mission was sent undercover to infiltrate and take down a huge pirate slaver operation and she spent 4 years on that mission, all on her own with limited communication with the Council.

In order to do this she had to pretend to have a falling out with her Master and “leave” the Order entirely, everyone thought she had fallen to the dark side. Obi-Wan was devastated, and he spent several months looking for her because he refused to believe she’d actually fall. It was also clear that he was heartbroken that she left, especially knowing what they had given up in order to be Jedi. Upon ending the mission she returned to the Jedi and was then often sent on other undercover missions throughout the rest of her career (including one where she and Obi-Wan had to play a royal married couple which was super cute). Her actually being a Jedi Shadow is not official and is a fanfiction creation - but, it’s one that I 100% headcanon because it just makes sense. 

Siri was very different when she returned from her long undercover mission, she had lived as a pirate for 4 years and so she was not as uptight and rule bound as she had been in her youth. She began to wear tight unisuits/flight suits instead of the traditional Jedi tunics and she had grown to be a bit more irreverent - even showing up late to Jedi Council summons.  Obi-Wan didn’t seem to mind the change and the two became a formidable pair as Knights and they were sent together (with their Padawans who hated one another) on several missions.

Obi-Wan and Siri were always written as being equals, never one more powerful than the other. They often shared flirtatious banter (nothing new for Obi-Wan) and they seemed very much in sync on missions that it was clear they shared some kind of bond. They never seemed to let their failed romance stand between them and their duty, and only brought it up once more as adults to admit that they still loved each other, but were content to just be friends because it would be selfish of them to turn their backs on the Jedi simply for their love. Then upon Siri’s untimely death (she of course died in his arms) she told him that she’d always be with him. And he nearly fell to the dark side due to his anger, but stopped himself from killing the man who was responsible for Siri’s death because he knew she’d not want him to fall because of her. 

In canon there isn’t much about her (yet), except that Siri is said to be the girl Obi-Wan would hold hands with under the table during mid-day meals which suggests that they had a bit of a secret affair/flirtation for many years.

2. Why don’t you like Satine? This is a bit of a loaded question because even though I tend to write fics centered more on Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the character of Satine or that I don’t swoon over their relationship from time to time thanks to some very well written fics ( @mahizli​ I’m looking your way). I just tend to write Siri more than Satine because I can relate to Siri more as a character, but in truth I also feel Siri and Obi-Wan’s relationship is a bit more well rounded than his and Satine’s 

*ducks to avoid things being thrown at her*. 

Satine and Obi-Wan have a beautiful love story, don’t get me wrong. But for me personally I am a little sick of the Romeo & Juliette/star crossed lovers angle. And that’s totally what they are - She’s a Mandalorian, He’s a Jedi, it’s a forbidden love not just because of his code, but because their “families” were mortal enemies. And I guess I’m just not super inspired by it. Not to mention that they met as children (apparently only 15 years old according to canon), confessed their undying love for one another after a year of knowing one another in a life or death situation and then pined for each other for the next 20 years until they were reunited...I just have a very hard time finding this story relatable (and hate to say it, plausible). Not that they couldn’t have felt love for one another as teenagers (especially in that situation), but that they still felt that same level of love 20 years later without ever seeing one another...at least with Siri they still had to interact with one another on a regular basis so it would be harder to push those feelings aside. 

The other reason I have a hard time writing Satine and Obi-Wan is because the romantic love they seem to have in TCW is written to be very one sided in my opinion. While Obi-Wan clearly cares for her, and admits to having feelings for her at one time it’s only ever Satine who actually seems to want something with him in the current sense. Which honestly makes their relationship feels a bit cringy to me, it doesn’t feel like it’s on equal footing - and makes it seem like Satine is a bit obsessive (I don’t blame her, it is Obi-Wan after all). This is a similar argument I have about Padme’s character, I feel like we’re presented with these incredibly strong women characters who for whatever reason still fall apart when it comes to love...I think it’s a reflection of men trying to write women and it ends up being a bit of a fantasy (the sexy/badass woman who secretly needs a man to save her). So, to sum up - I really do  love Satine’s character outside of her relationship with Obi-Wan. 

Again, this is just MY interpretation of Satine and Obi-Wan’s relationship...I get other people tend to feel very differently and that’s wonderful!! 

I will say, the thing I do like about Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship and very much appreciate is how it is an opposite parallel to Anakin and Padme’s relationship. And it shows what a Jedi should’ve done - how you can’t have both a commitment to the Jedi Order and a marriage, but you can still care deeply about another person. I do very much appreciate that aspect of their relationship and it’s very well done from that perspective.

3. So, why SiriWan after all these years? Well, I’m drawn to Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship for several reasons, but mostly because they are written as equals/partners (as I had mentioned above), both have moments where you can see the love they hold for one another - their feelings are very much shared and not one sided, but above all it’s not the main defining factor of their relationship. They are Jedi and friends before anything else, and I love that! It may not be as flashy or maybe even as passionate as say Satine or Cody but to me it’s more full and well rounded. I can also see their relationship growing and changing over the years, they aren’t stuck in one place or in the past.  

I also tend to find the Jedi culture more fascinating than the Mandalorians. I know, I know, I’m a heretic. That’s not to say, again that I don’t think Satine on her own isn’t fascinating, I just am a little tired of Mandalore’s importance in virtually every aspect of Star Wars these days and I feel like there is only so much you can do with Obi-Wan having feelings for a Mandalorian, where as him navigating a relationship with another Jedi is more interesting. The Jedi are allowed to be intimate with people, contrary to popular belief they are allowed to love, they just can’t become possessive/attached - I feel like two Jedi would have an easier time navigating that than someone who wasn’t raised with that same code. I think Siri and Obi-Wan have more opportunities to have a more realistic and adult relationship and I like writing/exploring that. 

The other thing I like about Siri and Obi-Wan specifically is the fact that neither ever really considered leaving the Order for the other. They knew how important being a Jedi was to the other, and I think having a love interest that Obi-Wan didn’t consider leaving for is an important distinction. 

Instead he thought they would be able to change the rules/code because he assumed it would be obvious that their love was pure and not an attachment. Now, obviously they both realized later that it was just foolish/young love talking (because I’m sure teenagers have to be extra careful of forming attachments), but what I really adore the concept that Obi-Wan “by the code” Kenobi had loved Siri so much that he’d even remotely consider the idea that he’d want the rules to change for her/them (and Siri “by the code” Tachi felt the same about him). There is something incredibly romantic about that - naïve, but romantic. 

I also believe that romantic love doesn’t automatically equal “true love”. I personally feel that Obi-Wan and Siri have a love that is on such a deep level that their relationship doesn’t always have to be romantic. They simply just love one another, in whatever form that takes at any given period in time throughout their lives, sometimes it takes the form of just friends, sometimes lovers, sometimes romantic. And I wish we saw more relationships like that in various media. But I get why we don’t, they are harder to write and less overtly sexy/dramatic.

Also, when someone says the phrase:

“Forgive me if I still think I know you better than anyone.” (Siri)

And it’s followed immediately with:

“You do”  (Obi-Wan)

My heart just melts, because that to me is love!!

4. So, you actually think Obi-Wan loved both Siri & Satine? Yes, I do...100%. I think they all loved other people at different points in their lives. I personally feel that most of Obi-Wan’s various ships (with exceptions of Master/Padawan ships...sorry, just not my bag) actually happened. I could see a young Obi-Wan having a fling with Quinlan Vos (I doubt they could handle more than that), I could definitely see him have an attraction/affection towards Cody (I don’t think given the power dynamic Obi-Wan would ever allow anything to actually happen between them though), I even believe he and Ventress had a rather confusing and passionate night together (maybe even more than one), I can see him easily having a relationship at one point with Taria Damsin (to which Siri would give him endless crap about because he seems to have a thing for Jedi Shadows). I’m sure he even had a relationship with Annileen on Tatooine to help find some comfort during his exile. To me all of that makes so much more sense than him (and Satine) pining away for one another for 20+ years. 

Allowing Obi-Wan to have multiple loves in his life also helps showcase the idea of non-attachment. It’s not that Jedi promote promiscuity - though they won’t judge anyone for it (I see the Jedi very much in the mindset of: it’s your body/your choice) it’s that the idea of attachment means possessing someone, thinking you own someone and also putting that person’s value over others. The idea that Obi-Wan could find love and value in a multitude of lovers to me shows him capable of loving without attachment - He is able to let these people go when the relationship has run its course...it’s very healthy. 

Not to mention that realistically people tend to have multiple relationships and loves throughout their lives. To only ever love one person is incredibly unrealistic, unhealthy and frankly screams attachment to me *cough Anakin, cough*.

In conclusion: If you’re still reading this (did you not have anything better to do with your time???) I do hope you have a bit more of an understanding why I personally like to write Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship instead of his and Satine’s. Though if you read my fics (thank you if you do) I hope you realize that I try to not make the stories all about their relationship - yes, it pops up here and there, but I try not to make it the focal point. I believe both Obi-Wan and Siri are so much more than just a romance and that’s what I really love writing. 

But I raise a glass and toast all of those who prefer to ship Obitine or CodyWan or Ventrobi (or whatever Obi-Wan and Quilan’s ship name is) - I love reading your take on those relationships and I hope you don’t mind if an old SiriWan shipper joins the fun!

Phew, rant over...man, does anyone else have to defend their OTP preferences to strangers?? It’s just so odd to me! 

Thanks for reading, and if you’re a Siri, Obi-Wan or SiriWan fan drop me a line - I can seriously talk about them for hours! 

[popculturebuffet]

One Year Anniversary: Top 12 Ducktales Episodes!

Happy anniversary all you happy people! Yes it was one year ago today I started reviewing animation and it’s been a ride to be sure. I’d always WANTED to be a reviewer: I love going on and on about stuff I love, really digging into it and picking it apart... but I could never get started. I tried youtube but I didn’t have the money for the equipment nor a proper shooting space to record, so my efforts.. were not great. And while I TRIED text reviews, my own looming pile of self hatred meant every attempt I made was shot down when it got hard as me not being good enough. 

But one year ago I finally got past that. I’d already been reviewing a bit, doing invididual issues of comics... but got way in over my head trying to do the current line of X-Men comics as it came out, and wisely bowed out of that. But that left a gap: I had nothing to cover week to week and with a demanding new job, I drifted into just doing in charcter chats, little fan fictions script styles. Not bad work, I should do some more at some point and I even got a comissoin once in a while, but nothing I could really live on and not what I wanted to do with my life. 

Enter Ducktales. I’d always WANTED to review the show.. and when the double premire happened, I decided fuck it, and put up my thoughts. And then decided.. hey maybe I can do this every week.. and slowly.. my work evolved, getting better and better, getting more and more likes. I picked up Amphibia when that came by week to week.

And eventually.. this went from a hobby, if one I was passionate about to a career. Not a largely paying one, as only one person was really intrested in paying me for it, friend of the blog and our fincial backer @weirdkev27, but .. it’s money and i’m now making about 30 dollars a month due to a comination of comissions and patreon. Other contributers are always welcome mind you, my patreon is here if your curious and comissions are 5 dollars an episode, but i’ts just nice to have money coming in. To have gone from simply WANTING to review things and make a living off it.. to simply doing it. 

And it’s been one hell of a year.. and not just because 2020 felt like hell or 2021 began with a full on insurrection. I feel like i’ve acomplished a lot in the year i’ve been doing this: I finished what I started with Ducktales season 3, getting better and better as I went. And I didn’t stop there with ducks: I started covering what brought me to Ducks in the first place, the Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, and while that retrospective has slid a bit on the schedule, I intend to get it back on track this month. I reviewed a bunch of Darkwing Duck episodes leading up to the Just Us Justice Ducks.. chronologically anyway. The actual airing order reads like someone took 50 issues of a comic, made it rain with them, then just started reading whatever ones they picked up randomly. I also covered some of Duck Master Carl Barks work with the classics Night on Bear Mountain, A Christmas for Shacktown and Back to the Klondike, with more to come. 

And the Duck didn’t stop at just reviews I did on my own: Kev comissioned two MASSIVE retrospectives from me: My first for him was Ride of the Three Caballleros where in just a few short months I covered the boys entire televisied careers together from the movie, to house of mouse, to mickey and the roadster racers, to ducktales (again) and finishing with the wonderful Legend of the Three Caballeros. It has probably the worst Daisy imaginable, but otherwise is really excellent and i’m glad I finally watched it. I also covered Don Rosa’s two stories with the boys as part of it. It was a fun ride and I enjoyed every minute of it... okay most of them again Three Cabs Daisy is the worst. And once that finished Kev started up another idea: Shadow Into Light: a look at Lena’s character arc from start to finish that has gone on to be my most popular series on this blog, and that finishes next week. And there’s more to come as after that there’s a short breather with a look at Lilo and Stitch’s crossover episodes.. folllowed by me looking at all three of season 2′s ducktales arcs. And I fully intend to have covered every episode of the series by this time next year, so stay tuned. 

Outside of ducks though I didn’t slow down. I restarted my Tom Lucitor retrospective, covering what i feel to be one of Star Vs’ two best characters, tied with eclipsa, and my personal faviorite as he redeemeed himself, found love and I bitched a lot about the horrible directions the series took and probabably will more as that’s still not done yet. I did what I always wanted to do and started looks at some of my faviorite comics ever, starting with Life and Times and adding in New X-Men and Scott PIlgrim. I also threw in the awesome comic Blacksad. I did pride month for the first time and not only came out publicly, but also did two whole arcs i’m proud of with The Saluna episodes of Loud house and the rednid episodes of OK KO, and generally just had myself a good old fashioned time as an out bi man reviewing childrens cartoons. 

I started Season 2 of amphibia with it’s lows of an endlesss road trip and highs of adding Marcy to the cast and giving us more of the silky voiced keith david. And finally Patreon wise Kev’s taken me on a hell o fa journey: In addition to the restrospectives i’ve covered some additional darkwing duck, and a simpsons homage to the duck comics... but also got a bit weird and obscure with detours like the lost animnaics sucessor Histeria, the apocalyptic comedy where Santa dosen’t know how doors work Whoops! and the adventures of Santa’s bratty teen daughter jingle belle. In short.. it’s been a long year but damn has it been fun and there’s more to come. I’d like to thank all of you for reading, thank my Patreons Kev and Emma for supporting me, and thank my family for doing the same.  So with that out of the way, I figured the best way to celebrate was to do something i’ve been wanting to do for a long time, something honoring the show that gave me this calling in the first place. And with Season 3 sadly being the last, and enough weeks having passed for me to digest it between the finale and today, I could think of nothing better than my top 12 episodes of Ducktales.

Ducktales is one of the best cartoons of the 2010′s. Brilliantly taking EVERYTHING that had come before, the comics, the original cartoon and every bit of duck media period to craft a masterful, unique and wonderful reboot. It was funny, it was insane, and it had damn good character arcs. By the end every member of the main cast along with major supporting cast members like Fenton, Drake and especially Lena, had changed and signifigantly at that. The show was everything I could’ve dreamed of and more and I miss it terribly, hoping DIsney will do a revivial movie at some point. For now though, Frank and Matt’s run on ducktales, as they called it and I do too since i’m a massive comic book nerd, it’s time to look back on my favorite tales of ducks. So grab your sharks, your number one dimes and your friendship cakes with clear gay undertones and join me under the cut as I celebrate one of my faviorite shows and my anniversary in the best way possible. 

12. House of the Lucky Gander! 

 So as i’ve gone on about before and no doubt will again, Donald kinda got the short end of the stick in season 1. While Frank and Matt had good story intentions, keeping Donald away from adventure since he had no interest in it, in practice it meant a beloved Disney Icon who they and disney HEAVILY promoted as part of the series and whose being here this go round was a big draw for fans of the comics.... was only in a quarter of the season and only got TWO plots centered around him in 23 episodes, with only one being the main plot of the episode. The PIlot and Finale both centered around the family more as a whole if your curious how I counted those so while he got plenty of focus in both, it’s still not a day in the limelight sort of thing. 

But unusually for Donald, he lucked out as his one big starring role for Season 1 was both one of my faviorites and one of Season 1′s most inventive outings.  A lot of the episodes enegy comes from a one two punch of a great guest star and one of the series best settings. The guest star is of course everyone’s faviorite overly lucky himbo Gladstone Gander. The show adapted the prick perfectly: The original Gladstone from the comics.. was the worst asshole imaginable, utterly insufferable. And for a villian, and Donald’s rival, that’s all well and good.. but his super luck meant he RARELY , if ever, suffered any consequences for being just...

The 87 series simply made him nicer, while Going Quackers simply removed his luck. No adaptation really got how to make this fucker work.. until this one. Here Frank split the diffrence: Gladstone is still smug.. but he’s no longer actively malicious. While he is an insensitive prick to Donald in this one, unlike the comics he’s not constantly bragging about his luck or how great he is or actively BAITING Donald to fight with him or trying to ruin his relationship or a million other reasons he sucks and I hate him.

This version by contrast... is generous. He’s not the most empathetic, because he doesn’t get how life works, but he does share the riches of the casnio with everyone and in a cameo appearance in “Treasure of the Found Lamp” gladly offers his nephews some diamonds. He’s got a nice surface level charm to him that makes you understand why people like him.. but it’s also clear ther’es nothing UNDER that of value, making you equally understand why Scrooge and Donald hate him. Gladstone in this reboot is a perfect example of why we need reboots or new adaptations in the first place: Because sometimes the original got something wrong or something can be done much better by the new writers. 

He’s perfectly paired with the setting: The House of Lucky Fortune, a mystical casino with an East Asian astatic based in the country of Macaw and provides two great plots. Donald’s really highlights his character: His understandable jealousy at gladstone earning the boys love through nothing while he struggles to make a living for them, and how he feels like a looser and like Gladstone is simply showing that off instead of just not knowing what empathy is. Having Louie be the one to bond with Gladstone was also just pitch pefefct, as is showing some depth for the boy by having himr ealize his hero is an asshole and be the one to help donald in the end. 

The other plot is just pure joy though and is where the setting REALLY shines: Scrooge and the rest of the kids try to leave.. but can’t find the exit. This is where the creative part comes in: The Casino simply morphs to keep people trapped, and caters to them, giving them whatever they want to keep them trapped. In the cases of the kids it’s all hilarious and adorably in character: Huey becomes entranced by a fancy water show, in one of his best bits of the season, Dewey gets a pet tiger who sadly did not come home with him and Webby gets to live the dream we’ve all had of stuffing her face directly in a choclate fountain. Scrooge’s escape is likewise clever: He simply prepares to get a room.. then books it as the check in desk is ALWAYS near the front. 

We then find out Gladston’es trapped get the whole mystical contest with absolutely gorgeous animation, i’ll talk about it in full some time but this episode is just a treat to watch, has a great arc for donald and had some memorable gags. I can’t help but smile when I watch it. 

11. The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!  As I mentioned before i’m a superhero nerd so naturally Fenton was one of my faviorite parts of the show. Frank and Matt were just damn good at crafting superhero stories, and like gladstone improved fenton turning him from an awkward donald stand in to an awkward peter parker-esque science nerd who just wants to be a good person and the best hero he can be. He got into science not just because he thinks it’s neat, but because he honestly wants to help people and you can’t help but foot for him whenever he pops up. Lin Manuel Miranda is a large reason for that, bringing his incomparable a-game to the character. While we sadly didn’t get a ton of gizmoduck focused episodes, the fatct we got AS MANY as we did and that Lin didn’t drop out for a minute even with his busy schedule was a miracle and I’m acknowledging that. 

As for why this one, I feel it builds brilliantly on the previous Fentoncentric episode Who Is Gizmoduck?! which just BARELY didn’t make this list and uses the fact we haven’t seen fenton in a while as both a plot point and to move some things forward without having to spend screentime they clearly didn’t have. By having Fenton be just burnt out on superheroics it finds a way to both explain where he’s been, he’s been busy with his new job, and give us an interesting angle to the old “superhero is tired of the life” thing. He never once complains about saving people or stuff... it’s just like any job it gets tiring after a while. As someone who has his dream job but has struggled with it from time to time, I vastly relate. 

Though while I love my boy and Lin is game as always, the episodes real MVP is my other boy Huey. The episode has moved Huey up from being simply Fenton’s fanboy to being his best friend, and adorable as hell relationship. The two clearly respect and appricate each other and Huey is looking out for his buddy the whole episode. His love of love is also just really cute. Added in the mix is Webby, who in one of my faviorite gags of the series, finds out Fenton is  Gizmoduck because Huey is incredibly and insanely blatant with his unecessary coverup. But she of course is game to help while Fenton is trying to play it casual. We also just get a waterfall of great gags as everyone overdoes it wingmanning for fenton: Huey sets up an itallian bistro and tries to purposfully create a lady and the tramp situation, and sings opera (With Manny on acordian), the wonderfully 80′s suit from Fenton’s dad his mom gives him to wear, and Launchpad, who gives us a tremendous list of his exes, and plays my favorite song of the series: It’s a Date, a micheal mcdonnel riff. 

This episode also wisely ups Mark’s Beaks game as Fenton’s arch enemy, still keeping him hilaroius, with the guy acting like a bored teenager and guzzling so much nanite jucie he turns into a hulk, as well as said hulk mode leading to a ton of great gags from kidnapping the children (”I got your kids.. are they your kids? I don’t know how this family works), to “take that coach dad” to eating a pie with tins and all and wondering about said tins. But he’s an actual threat now, taking on fenton in one hell of a fight, and having an utterly transcendent scene where he hacks his way past gyro’s security while dancing.. and dabbing because of course he does. It’s a fun, well done character piece that’s mostly here for i’ts laugh but Fenton’s struggle with Gizmo overtaking his life, and finding out someone he truly hit it off iwth only wanted him for that.. it’s really good stuff and Lin’s delivery after Fenton finds out, the pure pain and betryal in his voice, is just excellent. Also that opera scene is poetry. 

10. Quack Pack!

One of the episodes that started my career naturally landed here. Not for that reason though: Quack Pack is a fun riff on sitcoms, specifically the tgif ones of the 90′s that Disney Afternoon Kids no doubt also watched, the kinds Disney Channel still makes today, and most importanly the kind the Disney Afternoon itself made like Goof Troop and well... Quack Pack. 

Riffs on sitcoms are nothing new and the last year has been FULL of them. 2020 gave us this episode, Beef House and the wonderful “The Perfect House” episode of Close Enough, and this year gave us WandaVision, my second favorite MCU project so far, right behind Black Panther, which used the sitcom deconstruction to create one hell of a character study. 

So you’d think with a year having passed and this concept happening as an entire mini series would dull this one.. but no. it’s still damn funny, having fun at the cliches while, again like WandaVision, having one of the main cast be responsible by accident but go along with it. The episode pivots from glorious affectionate parody of cheesy sitcoms, to that plus horrifying “Humans”, and a character piece for Donald. This brings Donald’s hatred and fed up ness with adventure to a head revealing his fondest wish is just to have a normal life and not loose anyone again. 

It takes one of his best friends to snap him out of it. Look Goofy is my second faviorite of the sensational seven, an episode with him was already an easy sell for me.. but the episode uses him really well. First for laughs as he’s gentically dispositioned to be a perfect sitcom neighbor.. but also for heart. With his family preoccupied and a bit hurt, i’ts Goofy who cuts to the heart of the issue, pointing out NO ONE is normal and even his normal domestic life raising Max, who we see go to prom with roxanne eeeeee, has all sorts of chaos. Normal is what you make of it and pining for some ideal that will never happen was just tearing donald apart piece by piece and by letting go of that.. he finally begins to grow as a person throughout the season. It’s also a great thematic tie in to the season’s overall plot with Bradford and what Makes donald, despite also disliking the chaos his family gets into, different. Donald accepted it and grew as a person.. Bradford clung to his hate and it ate him alive. Or turned him into a non-sapient kind of vulture. Before I close this part out Jaleel White is also excellent and I wish eh’d get back into voice acting. He’s so freaking good at it. Seriously man i’d love to see him and ben in a sonic property together as a mythology gag. Same with Jims cummings and carey. Just think about it whoever owns the sonic movies.. think about it. 

9. The Last Adventure!

Look I knew this was coming, you knew this was coming. But it had to be on here. The Last Adventure is not perfect: The lack of a build up episode like the previous two finales had really hurt this one: even at about 70 minutes, it still feels rushed in places and Huey, one of hte main characters of the season, dosen’t feel like he has a full payoff to his character like Dewey and Louie got. 

But despite those flaws.. this episode is just a damn good ending. Almost everyone gets a big moment paying off their character arc, everyone in the party that comes to rescue webby and huey, along with the two themselves, gets a moment to show off, and everything comes together to give us one last epic sendoff. There’s just moment stacked on moment stacked on moment from Launchpads heroic second wind and donning of the gizmoduck armor, to Webby’s tearful confrontation with Beakley, to Huey using the greatest adventure of all line to foil bradford in one of the most deligfhully nuts moments of the series, I could go on for days with just how triumphant this finale felt. While it left a lot of doors open.. that feels like part of the design. It’s the end of the fight with FOWL.. but our heroes will never stop adventuring, never stop going and never stop being in our hearts and the curtain call at the end is now my faviorite bit of end credits ever, perfectly giving the main cast and friends one last chance to take a bow in their own unique ways. I will always miss this show but I will never be disapointed by the note it went out on. 

8. The 87 Cent Solution!

Look some episodes are show stoppers, some are heartfelt tearjerkers, some are all this and more.. and some episodes are just clever and hilarious. The 87 Solution is the second funniest episode of Ducktales with me and my go to episode when watching the show. It’s just pure fun and with a clever premise: Scrooge notices 87 cents have gone missing, and already coming down with a cold, goes mad with paranoia as the kids slowly don face masks, something that has become even eeerier given everything, one by one realizing he needs to stop. 

While David Tennant is an EXCELLENT dramatic actor, his comedy timing is really something that shoudln’t be ignored and i’ts on full display here as his performance gets more and more deranged, to thep oint he thinks an 8th dimensional imp is repsonsible. He nicely balances the disturbing side of Scrooge’s paranoia, his distancing from his family, with plenty of great gags about it too, the standout being when he offers 2 million dollars to whoever took the money like he’s publicly appeasing kidnappers. It’s fucking brilliant. 

But while David is awesome as ever what really, truly makes the episode is my boy, one of my faviorite characters on the show if not my single faviriote FLINTHEART GLOMGOLD. Keith Ferguson is ALWAYS a dream as the character but this is his best performance by far. Part of this is the addition of Zan Owlson, Kev who I mentioned earlier’s faviorite Ducktales character. She’s not only throughly likeable in her own right, but provides the one thing Flinty was missing; a straight man.. or woman in this case. Scrooge wasn’t TERRIBLE in the roll, but can easily step away from his shit or foil it. Owlson has to put up with Glomgold’s nonsense while desperatly trying to stop him from undoing all her hard work with sheer force of jackass. The two jut play off each other brilliantly, Glomgold not getting sh’es not his employee but his equal and Owlson constnatly snarking at him. 

And of course both things hit their peak in the climax with the family staging a fake funeral (Though no one told donald it was fake), and we get the funniest scene in the entire fucking show as Glomgold burts in in a white suit, money shades and full dance number to “All I Do Is Win’, which when first watching this I was convinced the song was somehow accidnetly on in the background but nope. They got it after using it in the test phase and the scene is better for it. Glomgold twerking on Scrooge’s casket, trying to get on it to dance, and having to be placated like ac hild is the icing on this very rich cake

And the reveal scene is also gold as Glomgold gets into a YEARLONG staring contest with a baby, fails to steal more than the 87 cents and, in my faviorite touch, put on an imp costume just to make scrooge seem crazier... then keeps the damn thing on the rest of the time for no explicable reason. The episode is the show at it’s comedic peak while giving Glomgold a chance to be a genuine threat and that’s Glomgood. 

7. Let’s Get Dangerous!

Frank’s Rebooted Version of Darkwing Duck is probably his greatest achivment with the show. While this show is a team effort, something I slowly realized as I reviewed the show, it’s very clear from the way he talks, how well he knows the show and how much effort was put into porting Darkwing into the reboot that this was his baby. While redefining ducktales for the 2010′s was clearly a huge dream of his... doing the same for the master of suprise was an even bigger goal. And as a huge fan of superheroes i’ve seen my fair share of half assed takes on laired and complex characters. The XCU alone is one giant grab bag of missed opportunities for me. 

So i’ts no exageration when I tell you Frank.. nailed it. In one of the most brilliant moves i’ve seen for a superhero work Frank worked his love of the show into the reboot.. by having Darkwing have been a show, one Launchpad loved.. and so did Drake, who was inspried by the show to become an inspriation himself and while his attempt to do that through a zack snydery reboot failed, Launchpad encouraged him to do it for real. Drake was still himself, but the meta aspect and the toning down of some of darkwing’s more obnoxious traits that didn’t work in a universe that, while patently rediciulous still took it’s characters seriously, he made a BETTER version of the character.

This is where all that comes to it’s peak, and hoppefully convinced Disney to let Frank , and possibly matt, run the reboot. And no, even if Point Grey is producing that dosen’t stop that: Thanks to Invincible i’ve now realized that Seth and his friend Evan producing the show dosen’t mean it’ll be RAN by them, nor unrelated to this. It just means their helping make it and if anything given how lush and gorgeous invincible’s animation is, it’s a VERY good sign their helping out with it if it’s true. 

But wether this versoin continues or not, Frank gave it his best shot. Part of his diffrent angle is having Drake as a rookie here and as such here we see him truly struggle: he’s had his origin, he ahs the cape, he has the gadgets (in a brilliant turn thanks to fenton, who he actually likes... but is so far the ONLY person to not get he’s Gizmoduck), and the city.. but no crime to fight and no real idea how to go about his lifelong dream. The events of the episode slowly shape him: WHile he already had the spirit for darkwing, never giving up, looking good in a cape etc, this episode gives him the heart the same way it gave his original it: With Gosalyn. Dimantopolis and Beatriz just play off each other perfectly, as the two go from neimies to slowly bonding as Drake realizes this kid needs him and that he needs to fight for more than just filing the ohle inside, and goes to hell and back to help her get her grandpa back, with one of the best moments of the episode to me being when Launchpad helps her realize how hard he’s been working at it, an exausted drake refusing to acccept that he can’t get her grandpa back because he promised. He grows from simply trying to live the dream.. to surpassing the original. We also see more from Launchpad, who grows into his new family and helps push his boyfriend and newa dopted daughter in the right directions. The episode really evolves these characters from the simple disney afternoon versions, who while awesome were made into fully fleshed out characters. Gosalyn still has her edge but now has a hard lesson to learn about doing the right thing, forced to give up someone she loves for the greater good but finding a new family in the process. 

Part of what makes the episode work though as while it is funcitonally one big darkwing duck reboot pilot that’s awesome, heartrending and a joy to watch... it’s still a ducktales episode in parts without either part hurting each other. Huey plays a vital role, figuring the ramrod is too good to be true.. and discovering just how it is, then when captured, slowly unravling why Bradford’s there and being at least in part responsible for outing him as a FOWL agent. While this is largely Drakes story the rest of the cast is still vital to it: Scrooge trusting in huey, Louie serving as his logical counter and Dewey meanwhile bonding with team darkwing and helping Gosalyn, knowing exactly where she’s been and providing a nice foil. The episode is just one long and impressive love letter to the original show while creating it’s own thing and that’s really this reboot in a nutshell. It also has some of the best fights of the series, with the first fight between darkwing and bulba, where our hero, unlike his original counterpart, easily troucnes bulba using his speed and skill, is the standout. 

6. Woo-Ooo!

I covered this one recently so I won’t go on for too long.. but I will say I hold this one up as the gold standard for first episodes. In one hour, hell even in jus the first half we get a sense of the whole cast, the tone of the show, and the world we’ve been thrust into. It gets all the table setting out of the way by weaving it into a compelling story of Scrooge getting back in the game, finding a reason to get back to what he does best in those he loves most and setting up the season long arc effortlessly in the process. The worst I can say about the episode is it sets the bar a bit high for Season 1 and a lot of the first half really struggled to reach these heights. This episode is a masterwork and the perfect showcase for what the series would be at it’s height. 

5. Moonvasion!

Speaking of Golden Standards, Moonvasion is one of the best season finale’s i’ve seen. it’s not THE best.. but that’s a really high bar to clear and that spots currently taken in my heart by “The Crossroads of Destiny” from Avatar the Last Airbender. But while not the best of it’s kind, it’s sitll the best the series put out and is an utterly satisfying epic that ties up season 2. 

While I love the Last Adventure, it had a LOT to tie up and was really hampered by having to do all of that with no direct lead in. Moonvasion by contrast hits the ground running with the Moonlanders arriving on earth and all hell breaking loose, and the episode itself breaking into two stellar plots. Scrooge leading an army of every ally he has against the invaders, and Della seemingly going for reinforcements.. but really just trying to keep the kids safe from it, to their anger once they find out. 

Both sides end up going badly: Scrooge looses most of his army as Lunaris was one step ahead of him and is left iwth Beakly and Launchpad, while Della ends up marooned.. and finds Donald. The reunion between the two is the highlight of the special, as the two argue as you’d expect (And Dewey cutting in seemingly to stop it.. only to rant at Donald for costing him “ten years of turbo” is the best gag of the episode), before embracing. 

Our heroes naturally find ways to bounce back though. Louie, capping off his growth for the season, convinces his mom they can’t just hide.. and in the second best scene of the episode sings the lullabye she wrote.. one Donald sung them every night

And no sooner than Della gets her step back and realizes that dangerous or not she and her newly reunited family have to get back in there, do the cousins show up on Fethry’s giant shrimp/girlfriend Mitzi, and our heroes head back. 

Scrooge’s plot hits i’ts peak though as he’s forced to accept the help of an unlikely and unwelcome ally: Glomgold, who turns out to be exactly what they need: While his plan is as stupid, short sighted and insane as you’d expect, complete with forcing Scrooge to dress up as santa just to piss him off and dressing his sharks in parkas (”I call them sharkas”), the sheer lonacy throws Lunaris off as he dosen’t know how to deal with this and Glomgold not only gets the better of him but gets his company back as part of his scheme.  “You were prepared for our best but not our dumbest!” “And i’m the dumbest theirs ever been! Muahahahaha! Wait...”

And of course our other heroes arrive just in time to save things.. and the episode still manages to pull off what many works struggle to, something tha’ts very hard to: a SECOND climax. Lunaris decides to just say fuck it and blow up the earth and i’ts up to our core family to kick his ass in space. Epic space battles, Della’s girlfriend meeting the family and more insues and an emotoinal, action packed and fully satisfying finale is had by all... and it’s all topped with one of the best sequel hooks i’ve ever seen as FOWL makes themselves known to us.. and prepares to strike. 

4. How Santa Stole Christmas! This one will also be short as i’ve talked about this one.. a lottttt. The initial review, my best christmas specials list and my best of 2020 list. I stand by all of that: this is a unique and wonderful christmas special, i’ll be watching it every year, and i’ts full of charm, humor and gay subtext. In short it’s this series but on christmas footing. 

3. Last Crash of the Sunchaser! 

Another one I covered very recently, this episode is a master piece of suspense, slowly building tension as our heroes get closer and closer to the truth about Della.. and to death, the simple but deadly stakes making this an absolute nailbiter from start to finish. This is some of the series best pacing bar none... but what seals it is the ending: the masterful flashback finally explaning whatever happened to Della duck, our heroes lashing out at each other.. all cumilating in the best Scene of the show. I said it might be in the review but no I can confirm: Scrooge bitterly ruminating over things while we find out just how much he’s lost... ending with him tearfully and angrily sitting once again alone in one hell of a powerful shot echoing Scrooge’s first apperance. Damn fine stuff. 

2. Escape from The Impossbin Only one episode not only matches Last Crash in mounting tension and atmosphere but suprasses it. With FOWL and Bradford’s true nature now out in the wind, this episode uses that to create tension and rattles it’s two most unshakable characters: SCrooge’s normal boundless confidence is shot, not sure he can win this time against an opponent who knows him as well as he knows himself while Beakly slowly unravels, pitting Webby against the boys.. and pitting herself against Webby when Webby sees her terroizing them is only dividing them. Both plots start out funny enough but slowly escalate in tension and stakes until by the end your on the edge of your seat. The Beakly plot is the standout of the two, giving Bentina the starring role she badly needed, having gotten even better in light of the finale. Everyone is at the top of their game and everything builds up to one hell of a twist ending and one hell of a badass boast from our heroes: Their down.. but their far from out and this is far from over. 

1. Nightmare On Kimotor Hill!

I”ll be reviewing this episode in full later this week as part of my Lena retrospective, but I stand by putting it up top. This episode is ducktales in it’s purest form and focuses on it’s best original character as Lena grapples with her self hatred and her past. That core helps anchor an amazing concept: going into the Kid’s dreams and finding out their greatest desires. The results.. are all gloriously rediclous and are easily the best gags of hte series as a whole: Dewey’s high school musical santa claus is going ot high school nonsense from getting a’s in Dewology to running away from the abstract concept of a love intrest, to not getting the sybolism of himself crying a moon made of his own tears. Louie quite literally becoming garfield, and my faviorite scene of the show: Huey, wanting to be the tall older brother..g iving himself horrifcly long leg. While everyone else is just understandably baffled, what makes the scene is the banter between Dewey and Huey, with Schwartz and Pudi at their best as Dewey first freaks out and then asks what the hell man, while Huey defends his weird decision (”I”m not good at imagination stuff okay!”), and then tries to get a jar of pickles. Each dream is just so oddly and wonderfully specific to each kid and each one of the triplests dreams, as well as violets being color coded down tot he backgrounds is a very nice touch. The visuals here are just peak ducktales, using the setting for all it’s worth and the climax is utterly emotoinal and heartbreaking... and Lena’s break from her abuser, finally realizing she has the power now is not only a wonderful metaphor... but also just so damn cathartic. And that’s why this one’s the best to me personally: it just packs so much into 20 minutes: some of the series best and most creative jokes, a gripping emtoinal arc, and so much more. It’s just that damn good and tha’ts why it’s the best... that and starting Huelet for me. Seriously that LIbrary scene is so fucking cute. 

Thank you all for reading. If you liked this artcle, join my patreon and help me get to my stretch goal for monthly darkwing duck reviews, a review of super ducktales and more after! Until the next rainbow... it’s been a pleasure. 

[theprocrastinatingredkitty]

Byeonduck-nim is telling us something suspish, I can tell

LOOK AT THOSE GORGEOUS BRIGHT COLORS 😭 Yes, I know, the drawing itself doesn’t seem to be finalized yet BUT LOOK AT THOSE SUNBEAMS!!!!

Nothing in the series is coincidental, everything has meaning

This seems to be from a flashback of sorts, as Na-Kyum’s body seems to be thinner and smaller here. He seems to be at a tavern as well. (BOY, WHERE ARE YOUR GUARDIANS???) For me, this seems to be a time when he was still full of joy, judging by the rays of sunlight beaming down at him. The tavern and its shadows seem to symbolize his state of mind, as he was still a sheltered child in this scene. And the presence of four stacks of cups (15 in total) tell me that the other adults are somewhere within the vicinity and they left Na-Kyum alone with the sweet treats for him to consume (poor bby 😭)

Now, in BD’s post, she asks us to imagine taking medicine, which doesn’t sound much at first glance, but do you remember something similar to this scene?

In c57, we see the doctor telling Na-Kyum of a flashback about Seungho’s “illness”.

Later on, we see the adults talking in one corner while Kim talks to little Seungho to keep him entertained and to keep an eye on him

In contrast to the first picture above, as Na-Kyum didn’t really have any servants as he was an orphaned boy, he’d be left alone while the adults talk away doing adult things while Seungho, at least, had his servants to keep him company

If we align this to BD’s post, what’s there to say that the adults there went away from Na-Kyum so as to talk about him and possibly... of an “illness”? Probably an “illness” that is similar to Seungho’s? I suddenly had a thought. We know that Heena had most likely told (or suggested) In-Hun of Na-Kyum’s homosexuality. She probably told it to him in a roundabout way, probably telling the scholar that her brother loves him a little too much, like that of a father (or something). What if In-Hun knew of this all along and his suspicions were confirmed when Heena told him of Na-Kyum’s condition, and therefore had suggested that Na-Kyum be treated as well, similar to what Yoon dad wanted for Seungho?

I am guessing that Heena didn’t agree to these methods as Na-Kyum remained of sound mind in his childhood, and she probably asked In-Hun to keep it a secret from Na-Kyum, thus planting the seed that In-Hun had now thought of Na-Kyum becoming a prostitute due to his upbringing and his secret homosexuality. The sweets that Na-Kyum ogled at is a distraction so he couldn’t hear what the people around him were saying about him, it was like how Seungho was “distracted” due to the drugs he had after the beating and assault took place. 

The only difference between this situation compared to Seungho’s is: In-Hun thought of making Na-Kyum the scapegoat much, much later, during the time he realized Seungho is smitten with Na-Kyum, compared to Yoon dad, who thought of Seungho as a prostitute prior to the doctor’s visit

So, to summarize the similarities of these two scenes, we have:

1. the scene opened with closeups of the thatched roofs

2. the presence of light reflecting innocence (for Na-Kyum, the sunbeams; and for Seungho, his “lighthearted” expression)

2. a flashback of their younger selves

3. a trip outside accompanied by adults

4. the mention of medicine for a treatment of an “illness”

5. father figures trying to use their “sons” and sell them into prostitution

The question now is, what could possibly trigger Na-Kyum to recall these memories?

If you notice the pattern in s2, after the doctor had told Na-Kyum of Seungho’s “illness”, Seungho returned to him, feverish. And after a love session, Na-Kyum was kidnapped. Things happened, and all went down the drain from there on out

So I am guessing the first picture will only appear AFTER THE SECOND KIDNAPPING takes place, wherein Na-Kyum’s brain will go into fight or flight, recalling all memories that he could use to possibly escape or for people he can call help to, similar to c60

Now, THAT is possibility number 1.

Possibility number 2 is through a clue on BD’s recent sketch:

Recall that in s1, Na-Kyum also witnessed a similar situation where they slept together and Seungho was in the middle of a nightmare. In my theory, the sight of Seungho having a nightmare could trigger Na-Kyum to recall the doctor’s words about the illness, thus also prompting him to recall his own memories about the adults talking in secret about him. This could throw Na-Kyum into protective mode over Seungho, as he had done so since c38 when he first saw Seungho have a nightmare while they slept together

And what happened after that particular scene?

In-Hun comes to his room, asking about Seungho and his recent bout of scandal in public about him being seen with a lowborn at night.

And that’s it. THAT IS WHEN IN-HUN WILL RETURN. TO ASK NA-KYUM CONFIRMING IF THE RUMORS WERE TRUE. YET DIFFERENT FROM S1, NA-KYUM WILL NO LONGER REPLY:

But rather probably somewhere along the lines from c11, but instead of Na-Kyum contradicting In-Hun, it would be:

Na-Kyum has nothing left for In-Hun but pain and dead anger that he cannot express, and only Seungho will heal that pain, urging Na-Kyum to now become truly protective of Seungho’s name and reputation. Similar to Seungho who had been thrown away and had externalized his father’s teachings that he’s a prostitute, Na-Kyum, too, will externalize In-Hun’s accusation of him becoming a prostitute, making it “come true” as well. The only difference is, Na-Kyum will only be for Seungho and Seungho alone, as the painter had proved himself to be extremely loyal to those he loves