#BUT the reverse is ALSO incredibly hilarious

[ferallester]

fun fact if you look in my brain right now you will see and possibly hear the lazytown au that is now bouncing around in my head

you can tell I’m going insane bc this is like the third or fourth au I’ve conceived in the last month

[casscainmainly]

A Deep Dive Into Why Cass Threw Dick Out A Window

If you've been here long enough you've probably seen or heard of this moment, which is super hilarious and iconic. It's mostly discussed in reference to Dick and Cass' relationship. However, in my opinion Cass throwing Dick out a window had very little to do with her opinion of him, or even of Barbara; it has more to do with her understanding of romance and love. I briefly touched on this in my gender/sexuality post, but I'm going to explain more in depth my interpretation of how Dick functions in Batgirl (2000) as a whole. (This moment is very open to interpretation though, this is just my opinion!). So let's try to answer Dick's question: what was that all about?

Love, Language, and DickBabs

While Puckett's run is notable for not having Cass date anyone, romantic love does play a role in Cass' early understanding of the world. It's the impetus that spurs her to write: in issue 2, she sees a wife read a letter from her deceased husband, and her reaction affects Cass so strongly she immediately starts trying to write. (She also kisses the husband on the cheek earlier, which may or may not be a crush). Romance, and the ability to communicate your love, is a fundamental part of Cass' desire to learn language.

So we have Cass, who has experienced neither love nor language, living with Babs, who's in a relationship with Dick. This telephone conversation in #4 (the issue where a metahuman changes Cass' brain into understanding language) again links romance to communication. Dick and Babs are talking on the phone, unable to see each other but understanding each other perfectly; Cass and Babs, on the other hand, live together and can't understand each other at all.

"She can't talk, so it's not all that different [to living alone]." Babs is telling an eavesdropping Cass that her inability to speak prevents her from love and connection - a love and connection symbolised by one of the first romantic relationships Cass is consistently around, Dick and Barbara.

Dick as an Ideal

There's a debate whether Cass likes Dick or not because half the time they're friendly, and half the time she's punching him or throwing him out windows. This disparity makes sense if you consider that Cass strongly associates DickBabs with communication, understanding, love - very idealised notions - but she does not associate Dick as a person with them. Her interactions with Dick (sans Babs) are cute and normal - Batgirl #29 and Nightwing #81 feature some very adorable Dick-Cass moments, with no real tension whatsoever.

It's only when Cass sees Dick in a romantic light (as in associated with Babs) that she makes him into a symbol.

Cass often tries to copy Babs, thinking it's the 'correct' thing to do - in DC First: Batgirl/Joker, she goes after Joker because that's what Barbara did; later in Horrocks' run she'll wear Barbara's outfit. In a way, Cass' affairs with Tai'Darshan and Kon - as much as I do think Tai'Darshan was genuine attraction - is another way to 'copy' Barbara. In #42, Cass stares at a picture of Dick and Babs while asking if Babs likes boys. Obviously Cass knows the answer is yes, but see what she asks next, and how Barbara responds:

She shifts from 'like' to 'love', and Babs responds that she 'care[s]' about him. For Cass, whose arc in Horrocks' run is about parsing out the nuances of attraction, understanding the difference between like, love, and care is incredibly difficult. She struggles to separate familial from romantic (Bruce in #50) or romantic from platonic (Kon, and in somewhat the reverse way Steph). In this conversation, Cass comes to associate Dick with like, love, and care - DickBabs becomes not just a symbol of romantic love, but of any connection whatsoever.

The Old Costume

I've discussed elsewhere that Cass wearing Babs' old costume in #45 is a representation of her desire to be 'girly', and how she associates girlhood with someone other than herself, discarding her own costume for Babs'. But putting on a costume is not the only prerequisite for being a 'girl'. In Babs' speech to Cass, she emphasises being sexually attractive to men, with her final comment being about this "particular look Dick used to give [her]". For Cass, visual language is incredibly important; putting on Babs' costume is not about being or feeling like a girl, but about being perceived as one. Dick is symbolic of the perceiver: the one who can essentially 'grant' women their femininity.

But Cass is disgusted when Tim calls her hot, which adds to her confusion - why should Dick being attracted to Babs make Babs happy, but Tim (who's not a sibling at this time) perceiving her like that grosses her out? Cass' inability to feel good - to feel 'feminine' - through the male gaze is another sign, to her, of her failure to be a woman.

Which finally brings us to issue 46...

That Ableist Kon Comment

Cass finds out Dick breaks Babs' heart and then starts hallucinating on a drug. One of the things she hallucinates is Kon saying "who wants to date a cripple? Ain't that right, Nightwing?" and Nightwing responding "not me--at least, not anymore."

For the first time, we get to the heart of why DickBabs mattered to Cass: it was an example of a disabled person in a loving, romantic relationship. It goes back to that phone call in #4, where Babs implies that Cass is hard to care about because she can't speak. The Kon comment suggests Cass has carried that with her all this time, trying to find proof that she can be loved, no matter her disability. DickBabs showed her it could be done - the break-up shows her now that it can't be done.

Dick's hallucination mocks her disability: "look at her--she can't even read!" Attributing this mockery to Dick (whose real-life counterpart, unlike the other hallucinations, has never said anything remotely like this) shows that this 'Dick-as-ideal' is intrinsically tied to Cass' self-worth.

Honestly this whole post stemmed from me thinking about this one panel. There is no real reason, from Cass' view of Dick as a person, for her to think he's brave and noble and kind (more so than anyone else). But it's in the DickBabs context - that Dick seemed to love, wholeheartedly, a disabled woman - that makes Cass think this way. And now that DickBabs is broken up, it shows that she, too, is rotten to the core; that someone like her cannot be loved.

And so when Dick shows up, she throws him out the window.

Conclusion

In this moment, Cass isn't just reacting to Dick breaking up with Barbara, she's reacting to what it means to her. If Dick can't stay with Barbara, then that means Cass, as another disabled woman, is also unable to be loved. This all leads up to #50, which features another Cass punch to Dick's face, but more importantly is when Bruce and Cass reconcile through Cass' first language. It's a confirmation that though her verbal skills may not be fully developed, she still can communicate, and she can love and be loved.

I don't think a lot of the ideas I touched on here are fully developed, or conclude cleanly. For example, how does Cass' 'failure' to be a woman relate to her inability to be loved? Is she able to have a stable romantic relationship? There are lots more questions, but the role Dick specifically plays in Cass' understanding of romance is probably not going to develop further. I just think it's interesting how Horrocks uses the Dick-Babs relationship to explore Cass' identity.

[himejoshiangels]

Duke Thomas fic rec list

I've scowered every tag relating to him, combed thru the 'duke centric tag' at least 8 times, this is what ive come back with, at least my personal faves

necessary reminders - duke pov, outsider pov, and some social media following duke as he gets used to his day job as a vigilante. flows really well, has a good balance of sad and happy, and gets dukes character rlly well

that which you cannot bear - THIS FIC WILL BREAK YYOU duke is kidnapped and its only down from there!! this is like, one of the first duke fics I read and it's still labeled as such in my mind. its well based, sooo cohesive plot wise, and stays completely in character w all its characters, especially duke, while exploring such an interesting facet of him > his tendency to self-isolate, insistence on being independent, and his stubbornness. sooo much good angst just incredible stuff while also staying hopeful and grounded. ALSO duke is an intelligent badass throughout the fic which is an important detail 2 me

signal, n. a divine act - same author as the last one, absolutely insane concepts are explored and its just so well written srsly it's like poetry. digs into some of dukes ideologies so well. if u like holy imagery??? kind of but not rlly?? ig you'll love this

this whole series is just so fucking incredible but something about my bodies made of crushed little stars I don't fucking know it messed w my brain chemistry, I've recced it b 4 bcs it made me cry but read the whole series, it's all duke centric and just so good. Saki writes bruce and duke in a way that fizzes u up w emotion and focuses on such unique facets of dukes character/dynamics and sleep well my little sunshine is soo cute and fun and soft >when earth finds the stars - bonus presignal duke and jason fic, balances being incredibly fun with a realistic zoom in on duke before we are robin. he's quippy and witty and always at the edge of his rope

not mutually exclusive - tired of bruce being kinda shoved into the role of dukes capital F father when that's not quite what their dynamic is? Then this is the fic for you!! Just good duke and Bruce interactions overall, it's sad and hilarious with just incredible dialogue and peak Bruce and Duke interactions

signals and symptoms - a classic sickfic and like one of my fave bruce bonding fic ever ever EVERRR!! really introspective abt dukes character and just so well done

even exchanges - some of u are gonna hate me for reccing an incomplete fic and esp one that doesn't look like it's gonna be finished anytime soon but even exchanges is so formative to my duke characterizationalong with portraying such a fascinating dynamic w him and his new family. it delves into his messy and angsty experiences pre-becoming the signal and is overall written like several subsequent punches to the stomach. promise ur gonna bitch and moan about this fic as much as I do

scientific method - extremely cute fic, watch Duke bond w the bats and slowly get more comfortable with them over time as they all tru to figure out what the fuck this guys powers are. Really fun dynamic wise, the dialogue is crafty and captures the familiarity between the characters. Really realistic about day to day vigilante life and how genius the bats truly are. really slice of life fluffy shit w some bonus sciencey stuff

turn my voice human torch remind people what I’m fantastic for - truly a classic, Duke invites cass to slam poetry night. short n sweet I LOVE BUMBLEBATS RAHHHHHH

tradition - pure duke n bruce ice cream fluff

meal prep - real sad angst one shot ft. alfred

occupational health and safety violations - duke pov reverse robins but it's way out of order

write about flowers (at a time like this) - duke and dick fic where they meet pre we are robin. yes I just found this one yesterday yes I'm absolutely obsessed. it characterizes him so well and understands his thought process and motives and UGHH just tune in yall

sidequest: the viper pit - WE ARE ROBIN DND JUMANJI

signals of fear and hope - duke centric reverse robins, caters TTOME specifically it's so fire

and now here are fics that arent duke centric but he's in it and in character/well written and now forced into the back of the room aka some of my general faves that feature duke

gotham aviary - the batman fic where he just adopts a bunch of em truly adorable like the cutest thing you'll read

I walk the streets at night (with monsters in my mind) - dragon fic, absolutely goated 10/10

fight, flight - cass centric but duke plays a big role, they mean everything to me

[fandomsandfeminism]

Jordan Reverses Himself and Will Push for a Third Speaker Vote

Here is the recap-

Republicans, continuing their tradition of playing stupid games and being shocked when they win stupid prizes, kicked Kevin McCarthy out of his post of Speaker of the House.

For context, Kevin McCarthy had a fucking awful time getting the job back in January, needing like 15 tries and a bunch of stupid placating and bootlicking the MAGA nuts. An incredible moment in US history. So many memes. Republicans almost getting into fist fights on the floor on the House. Embarrassing Chaos. and they STILL FUCKING KICKED MCCARTHY OUT. AFTER ALL THAT. (Probably because he compromised with Democrats to temporarily fund the government while they argued about the budget) Embarrassing.

They fire McCarthy with no backup plan. To be clear, this is intentional. The MAGA fuckers want to break the government. Also no one wants to be Speaker. It's an awful job.

Ok, so then they have to decide who will be the new speaker. Trump suggests Jim Jordan. There is a secret republican ballot. Jordan loses to some other guy (Scalise.) Ha.

Once it's time for the real vote (with the democrats and all)- unity shatters and Scalise can't carry the vote. He says he doesn't want it anymore.

So fine, Jim Jordan. Let's go.

He loses.

A bunch of Republicans hate him. He is suuuuper implicated in Jan 6 and is a scumbag.

He tries again.

He loses. Again. Worse than the first time. Hilarious. Humiliating.

Everyone is like "not this shit again. Can we just let the temporary speaker be the speaker until January so the House can like...function while the Republicans figure their shit out?"

Jim Jordan says he'll go along with this plan on TV. Because publically losing the Speaker vote multiple times is humiliating.

The MAGAs loose their FUCKING MINDS because this was a Democrat idea so its BAD. How DARE YOU WE JUST FIRED MCARTHY FOR COMPROMISING WITH THE DEMS.

Jim Jordan says FINE, I take it back. I'll try again.

We don't have a third vote scheduled.

It'd be funnier if the clowns weren't running OUR circus, ya know?

[hummingbird24220]

A part 2 with shanks and more swordsmith reader would be great! I think it would suck for any of the swordsmen if their swords got damaged in any way but it could be good angst (though I think only zoro would get emotional and only if it was Wado maybe law too, I think Yoru is to tough to be damaged and I don’t know if shanks’ sword has a name) but Reader being scared of shanks but just straight up walking up to Mihawks front door is hilarious.

hoohoh part 2 is here. Daddy Shanks time. Kinda all over the place but its just scenario ideas .

Enjoy :3

Sharp Tongues, Sharper Blades (Part 2)

One Piece x Swordsmith!Reader

You weren’t technically part of the Straw Hats.

You helped them sometimes. Fixed their blades. Teased Zoro. Mocked Law into drinking water. But most of the time, you wandered. You went where the wind (or talking steel) called you.

Which was how you found yourself on a quiet island dock one evening, minding your business—just admiring a sunset and eating a mango—when he arrived.

Red-Haired Shanks.

You spotted him from a mile away. The coat. The effortless presence. The “I accidentally destroyed a country but still get invited to parties” energy.

You promptly panicked.

You immediately stood up, dropped your mango, and bowed like you were about to be knighted.

“HELLO SIR. GOOD EVENING SIR.”

Shanks blinked at you like you’d just recited poetry in reverse.

“…Hi?”

You straightened up, hands at your sides, smile stretched way too wide. “I’m just—admiring the clouds. Definitely not hiding. Definitely not eavesdropping on the world’s most legendary pirate captain. No sir.”

Shanks raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“YES SIR.”

You were not okay.

Then you heard it. A low, dreamy voice in your mind, slow and soft like incense smoke in a drum circle:

“Heyyyy. Wow. You’ve got a cool aura.”

You froze.

You looked down at Shanks’ sword, resting on his hip like a perfectly normal, terrifying, world-ending accessory.

It sparkled faintly in the sun. You could feel its energy—calm, mellow, and incredibly high.

“You ever think about how swords are, like… just really long truths?”

You twitched.

“Don’t react,” you whispered to yourself.

“You’ve got chakra all tangled up in your left ankle. That’s emotional stagnation.”

You gritted your teeth.

“Also, have you tried mushroom tea? Really opens up the blade-body bond.”

Breathe. Ignore it.

“I once talked to a seagull for two hours. Changed my whole perspective on sharpness.”

Finally, you snapped.

“Oh my god, can you just shut UP for like, five minutes?! You’re making my teeth feel round!”

The dock fell silent.

Shanks blinked. “...Were you talking to me?”

You turned slowly, eyes wide, face pale. “No. No, sir. I mean—yes, sir. I mean—NOT ON PURPOSE.”

Shanks tilted his head. “You can hear my sword?”

You dropped to your knees so fast you nearly ate wood planks.

“I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to intrude! Please don’t kill me, I know I’m technically trespassing, but I promise your sword is just really chatty and high and floaty and it will not stop telling me about its opinions on dream geometry—”

Shanks stared at you.

“—and I just wanted to enjoy my mango and now I think I’m spiritually allergic to sandalwood and also, again, please don’t kill me.”

Shanks just started laughing.

You blinked up at him in confusion.

He doubled over, one hand on his knee, the other wiping a tear from his eye. “You—you think I’m gonna kill you? What am I, a marine admiral?!”

You sat back on your heels. “...You’re literally Shanks.”

“So?”

“So your sword vibrates like a Tibetan singing bowl and won’t stop complimenting my aura.”

Shanks looked down at his blade, amused. “Yeah, she’s like that.”

“You’re doing great, Captain. Beams of intention, man.”

You squinted. “What does that even mean?”

Shanks offered you a hand. “C’mon. Let’s get you a new mango.”

You stared.

“…You're not gonna, like, challenge me to a duel for yelling at your sword?”

Shanks laughed again. “Why would I? Honestly, it probably needed that. It’s been on a ‘vibrational cleanse’ since Jaya.”

You let him help you up, still in a daze.

His sword hummed softly.

“I forgive you. Anger is just unspoken music, you know?”

You groaned. “Please stop talking.”

-

You were sitting on a barrel now, legs swinging off the edge of the dock, mango juice on your hands and a sense of lingering dread slowly being replaced by confusion.

Because Shanks? Was actually kind of a vibe.

He was sprawled on the dock like a dad on vacation, cloak tossed lazily over one shoulder, cup of something suspiciously fruity in his hand. You still weren’t convinced he wasn’t dangerous, but he hadn’t smote you for screaming at his sword, so… progress?

“So,” he said, sipping. “You travel with Luffy a lot?”

You blinked. “Uh… yeah. Off and on. Not really part of the crew, but I hop aboard sometimes.”

Shanks straightened slightly, eyes brightening. “How’s he doing?”

You smiled. “Loud. Hungry. Nearly broke a guy’s neck trying to befriend a mechanical crab. Typical Luffy.”

Shanks beamed. Like, full-on sunshine-beam. “That’s my boy!”

You stared. “…You’re really happy about that.”

He nodded, grinning. “Of course I am! I haven’t seen the kid in ages. Tell me more!”

And you did. You told him about Luffy eating soup off the deck with his hands because he dropped his bowl. About how he tried to give Usopp a crown made of seaweed. About the time he declared war on an island’s bread tax. And every story just made Shanks laugh louder.

Then he leaned back, stretching. “Alright, so you travel, you sword-speak, you Luffy-sit. What else do you get up to?”

You shrugged. “I... do therapy.”

He blinked. “You what?”

“With Mihawk’s sword,” you said casually. “Yoru.”

Silence.

Shanks stared at you.

You continued like it was nothing. “It’s a little intense. Very proud. Kind of like if a grand piano had a superiority complex. But we’ve made progress.”

Shanks nearly choked on his drink. “You give therapy to Mihawk’s sword?!”

“It needs it!” you insisted. “It brags constantly but clearly has a lot of unresolved tension from centuries of duels and being held like a declaration of war.”

Shanks was losing it.

He wiped his eye, wheezing. “Okay, okay, wait—you were terrified of me, bowed like I was gonna throw you into the sea, but Mihawk—Mihawk, who literally radiates ‘I will kill you for breathing too loudly’—he didn’t scare you?”

You tilted your head. “No? Why would he?”

Shanks fell over.

He actually doubled over on the dock, laughing like you’d just confessed to arm-wrestling a sea king for a sandwich.

You waited, blinking, unsure if he was crying or just joy incarnate.

Finally, he looked up at you, wiping his face. “I just—I can’t believe I’m the one who gets the ‘yes sir, no sir’ treatment, and that bastard gets therapy sessions.”

You sipped from your mango drink, expression flat. “You glow, Shanks. Like spiritually. I thought I’d die if I looked you in the eye too long.”

“Maybe I should start wearing sunglasses,” he muttered, still laughing.

From his hip, the sword hummed gently:

“You’ve got a very high-frequency soul. It’s intimidating. But like, in a nurturing tree-father kind of way.”

You groaned. “I am never going to survive this blade.”

Shanks grinned. “You’re surviving just fine.”

-

You thought you were out of the woods.

You thought, after screaming at his sword, oversharing about Mihawk’s therapy blade, and nearly crying over a mango, that you’d hit your peak embarrassment quota for the day.

You were wrong.

“Hey,” Shanks said casually, turning slightly so his sword shifted into view. “Would you mind giving her a once-over? Just to check for any damage.”

Your brain stalled.

“You—you want me to touch your sword?”

Shanks grinned. “You’ve yelled at her already. Might as well get to second base.”

You made a noise that was probably a wheeze. “Yes, sir.”

He unbuckled the sword and handed it over carefully, like he was passing you something sacred. Which, to be fair, he was.

The moment your hands closed around the hilt, something inside you snapped—not emotionally, but professionally. All your fear got elbowed out of the way by pure, focused swordsmith instinct.

You crouched down, rolled up your sleeves, and locked in.

The blade practically purred in your hands.

“Ooh, this is new. I like this energy.”

“Shhh,” you muttered. “Work time.”

You slid your fingers along the edge, testing for microchips, then ran your thumb along the ridge with exacting care.

“Spine’s got a slight imbalance. Nothing serious. Could be from a parry against a heavier blade. Finish is still intact, though…”

You shifted angles, holding the sword up to the light.

“…a few spots of rust beginning to form in the ridge vent, though. Probably from exposure to sea air without a sealant coat.”

You narrowed your eyes.

“And what oil are you using?” you asked sharply, not looking at him.

Shanks blinked. “Uh. Some stuff from a blacksmith in the South Blue?”

You looked up at him, judgment incarnate.

“That’s sesame oil, sir.”

Shanks frowned. “It smelled nice.”

“It’s for cooking, sir.”

You turned back to the blade, muttering to yourself as you wiped it down with your own cloth from your belt pouch, hands already reaching for a proper oil vial.

“Unbelievable,” you grumbled. “Legendary sword passed from generation to generation, and you’re moisturizing it with salad dressing.”

From your hands, the blade murmured gently:

“It was very aromatic, though. I smelled like tempura.”

“Not the point,” you snapped.

Shanks was watching you, brows raised, both amused and slightly alarmed. “You really know your stuff.”

You finished re-oiling the blade, wiped it clean, and pressed your palm to the hilt, murmuring something only the sword could hear. A quiet blessing. A whisper of respect.

Then, blinking like you’d just come out of a trance, you stood up straight and handed it back.

“…There. Good as new, sir.”

A beat.

Shanks stared at you.

“You called me ‘sir’ again,” he said, lips twitching.

You blushed. “Habit.”

“You just yelled at me over cooking oil.”

“With respect, sir.”

His grin split across his face.

“You’re weird.”

You bowed slightly. “Thank you, sir.”

The sword whispered to you fondly as it settled back against his side:

“I like them. Can we keep them?”

You coughed and looked away. “Pretend I didn’t hear that.”

-

You didn’t technically sneak off Shanks’ ship in the middle of the night.

You left at dawn. That’s different. Sneaking implies guilt. And you were mostly just… tired.

Tired of being called “aura child” by his sword. Tired of hearing "good vibes only" from blades that had definitely seen war crimes. Tired of pretending Shanks didn’t terrify you just by existing.

Still, you left the Red Force with every sword onboard polished, oiled, and whispering contentedly like they'd just gotten back from a spa retreat.

You patted one of the crewmates’ twin sabers on the hilt as you passed. “Don’t forget to oil the tang, not just the edge.”

“Tell them to stop using me to open bottles!” the saber wailed.

“I will not,” you muttered.

The last to see you off was Shanks himself, who leaned lazily against the rail, one hand raised in a casual wave, grin too sharp to be comforting.

“You sure you don’t wanna stay?” he called.

You smiled with forced calm and mild trauma. “Very sure, sir.”

“Suit yourself! My sword says you’re its favorite manic energy gremlin.”

You saluted him half-heartedly. “Tell your sword I’ll be in therapy.”

He barked a laugh, then turned back toward the deck, his crew already chattering about you like you were some strange wind spirit that came through and reorganized their lives.

You hit the shore, took two steps inland, and collapsed onto a sun-warmed rock.

“Holy shit,” you wheezed, staring at the sky. “How am I still alive?”

You laid there, letting the adrenaline seep out of your bones. Your fingers twitched, still subconsciously twitching through sword checks. You could still hear one of Shanks’ daggers humming sea shanties in your head like it missed you already.

Eventually, you sat up.

“Well… yeesh,” you muttered, brushing yourself off. “Welp. Back to Luffy, I guess.”

You didn’t even try to act casual. You were already mentally prepping for Usopp’s dramatic reunion pose and Nami’s “You left without warning again?” scolding. You’d accept it all if it meant a break from Yonko-level emotional stress.

Maybe Zoro would let you bully his swords again.

Maybe Sanji had something fried and sugary waiting.

Maybe—just maybe—Luffy would tackle-hug you like always and say “YOU’RE BACK!” like you hadn’t been nearly vaporized by charisma incarnate.

You smiled to yourself.

Yeah. Back to Luffy.

And this time, you were bringing better oil.

-

The moment your boots hit the Sunny’s deck again, you barely had time to wave before Luffy launched himself at you.

“YOU LEFT!!!”

You hit the floor with a wheeze and a very enthusiastic captain glued to your torso.

“I came back,” you wheezed, tapping his back. “Hi. Breathing. Remember that?”

Luffy sat on your chest with his arms crossed. “You didn’t say goodbye!”

“I said I was going for a walk!”

“FOR FOUR WEEKS?!”

You blinked. “…Has it really been that long?”

Nami folded her arms. “Yes.”

Usopp appeared dramatically behind her. “I had a whole eulogy ready. I was gonna do a funeral with a flaming sword raft!”

Chopper burst into tears and clung to your leg. “I thought a sea king ATE YOU.”

You awkwardly patted his hat. “Nope. Not eaten. Just traumatized.”

Zoro, leaning on the railing, grunted. “Where were you?”

You shrugged like it was no big deal. “Shanks’ ship.”

A beat.

Luffy’s eyes sparkled so hard you thought they might explode.

“SHANKS?! RED-HAIRED SHANKS?!!”

“…There’s another one?”

Cue instant barrage.

Luffy: “WHAT DID HE SAY? WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE? DID HE REMEMBER ME?!”

Nami: “You met Shanks and didn’t write anything down?!”

Usopp: “Did you touch his sword?!”

You: “Define ‘touch.’”

Eventually, Luffy let you go—mostly because Sanji showed up with fried things and a drink—and the day settled into its usual loud rhythm.

Until you caught a glint. A wrong one.

You froze.

You turned, eyes locking on Zoro’s swords resting nearby.

There. A chip. Tiny. Barely visible.

But you could feel it.

Your entire body shifted into pure instinct.

“Zoro,” you said, voice level.

“Hm?”

You marched over, grabbed him by the ear like a misbehaving child, and yanked.

“OW—WHAT—HEY—”

You shoved his face within an inch of the chip.

“Do you see that?”

Zoro squinted. “…Kinda?”

“That’s a fracture in the blade’s edge. One good clash and this thing snaps.”

“It’s fine—”

“You are so lucky it didn’t already snap and embed itself in your collarbone, sir.”

Zoro blinked. “Did you just ‘sir’ me?”

“Yes, and you don’t deserve it.”

You turned to the others, voice loud and proud.

“FRANKY. I need your workshop.”

Franky leaned out from the doorway with a wrench. “YEAH?”

“I’m commandeering it. It’s a blacksmith's now.”

Franky’s shades glinted. “MAKE IT COOL.”

“Oh, it’ll be cool. Lava-cool.”

You dragged Zoro’s swords inside, already rattling off tool needs, oil types, forge temps, and structural supports.

“DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING WITH SESAME OIL,” you shouted.

“Why would I—?”

“ASK SHANKS.”

Brook leaned to Robin. “Do you think they ever stop?”

Robin smiled. “Not a chance.”

-

The sound of steel meeting steel rang through the Sunny’s workshop like a heartbeat.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Each strike was deliberate. Focused. Rhythmic, like the beat of an ancient drum. The forge glowed with golden heat, and sweat clung to your skin in glistening beads, trailing down the lines of your arms—arms built from years of honing your craft, of wielding tools heavier than some swordsmen could lift.

You weren’t just working.

You were in it.

Muscles flexing with every swing, your shirt—thin and loose—clung to your torso with sweat. You’d tied your hair back to keep it out of your face, jaw set, eyes burning with the same fire that lit the forge. Sparks danced in the air around you like fireflies drawn to the aura of your intensity.

Outside the workshop, the entire Straw Hat crew stood at the doorway.

Staring.

Absolutely silent.

Nami whispered, “Are they… always like this?”

Usopp’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. “I—did they always have arms like that?”

Sanji had stopped breathing entirely. “Mon dieu…”

Zoro squinted. “They’re doing it wrong.”

Wado Ichimonji, in your voice: “No I’m not, shut up.”

Zoro jumped.

Inside, you didn’t glance up. You were too deep in the conversation.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You want a mirror polish, but this isn’t a spa day, sweetheart,” you muttered, tapping a long, thin blade resting on the anvil. “This chip runs deep. You want it gone, we’re digging for it.”

“I’m just saying we could buff the rest of me first. A little self-care before trauma repair?”

“Emotional damage control after the physical, you drama queen.”

The crew exchanged looks. Brook’s nose cavity should have bled if he had flesh.

Chopper blinked. “Should we… say something?”

Robin tilted her head, smiling. “Why ruin the view?”

Franky crossed his arms, jaw slack. “That’s the most super thing I’ve ever seen in my own damn workshop.”

Luffy, munching on a snack, finally spoke.

“They look cool. Like a fire demon who gives hugs.”

Back inside, you adjusted the blade’s position, wiping sweat from your brow with the back of your hand, smearing a little soot across your cheek in the process.

The sword whispered: “You know you’re making people fall in love with you right now.”

You scowled. “I’m literally fixing a chip.”

“Hotly.”

“Stop talking.”

You raised the hammer again. The forge crackled behind you. The crew stared in awe.

Another swing. Another spark.

Clang.

And still, you didn’t notice the stunned crowd in the doorway.

Because in that heat, with that steel, you weren’t a crewmate or a wandering craftsman.

You were a swordsmith.

And gods help anyone who dared bring you sesame oil again.

[stopbuggingm3]

...Holy shit, Arya Myers actually being social? And making friends? And having actual human(ish) connection? Impossible!

jokes aside this might actually be one of my favourite things i've ever drawn. angst always hits but gawdamm this was fun as fuck to make and its like holy shit my girl actually has a friend?! I went incredibly giggly when their creator accepted them as canon friends before i'd even drawn 'em yet I was very happy.

and also a version with their masks too bcuz they deserve it

Slasher belongs to @slasherflicks999 go give 'em love because they're cool and they make great stuff and because i said so

rambles underneath the cut because my mind was RACING with headcannons while making this (TW for mentions of gore, death, and creepypasta typical violence)

These could be completely inaccurate (i hope not) and I apologise in advance if they are

I like to think their friendship probably formed as the result or them forming a "truce". "truce" in quotations because its closer to a stalemate than anything. they literally can't kill each other (Slasher is immortal and Arya is kept alive by Slenderman to torment her) what other choice do they have? if they can't murder they may as well vibe. They do vibe though they'd get along great, I can see their types of humour complimenting one another well. they seem to have a shared habit of taking the piss out of the very dangerous situations they get into which together makes them both hilarious and incredibly frustrating to anyone around them.

Honestly i can see Arya bonking him in the head with her shovel upon first seeing him and leaving him on the forest floor thinking nothing of it only to freak the fuck out seeing him back on his feet days later. like she knew she was losing it but she didn't think she'd reach the level of seeing things just yet. Theres literally still traces of his blood on her shovel he should be dead.

So, she tries again, which would probably go one of two ways:

1. She somehow (probably luck) manages to take him out a second time and is then further confused by the fact she has, in fact, now killed this guy twice. Yup, thats brain matter on her shovel, he is real and he is very much dead, so what the hell? This time she doesn't leave him, instead choosing to stay and investigate (after a five minute breather because jeez thats a lot of blood-). She watches him for who knows how long, going back and forth on whether or not she really is crazy because he definitely looks dead but theres something off about his body that she can't put a name to, and eventually stays long enough to see his skull slowly stitching it back together with her own eyes.

2. the likelier of the two possibilities and the one i personally prefer, Slasher is prepared for her this time and avoids a second death, now knowing that he has to keep an eye out for a crazy blonde girl with a shovel and murderous intent, and now theres a similar situation in reverse where Aryas the one full of injuries but just not dropping and Slasher is the one confused. He knows first hand how easy it is for someone to die and she is covered in blood, she should be long dead. Stab wounds? yeahhh give her a couple days she'll be fine...probably. idk the thought makes me giggle

Slashers affinity for blood and gore combined with Aryas squeamishness and hatred for blood would also probably be pretty funny at times; like Slashers just sat there caked in blood casually chewing on a handful of raw meat while Arya sits next to him and watches like 😦🫣 ("..." "...what?" "Dude."). Shes fine handling her own blood but she anyone (or anything) elses blood is still a huge no-go.

That being said, if she were to ever come across Slashers dead body in the woods she'd stay by him until he regenerated, no matter how brutal the sight is. She doesn't know if "keeping his body safe" if really necessary in his case but she'll do it anyway. just in case, y'know?

(pls lmk how accurate these actually are I really don't wanna mischaracterise him by accident)

[bekaterrier]

Happy Audio Drama Sunday! I hope you're all taking care of yourselves and being kind to yourselves. 💜

@ameliapodcast S5 Part 2: When I was talking about S5 Part 1, I didn't mention the music, which has been absolutely incredible. Changing the theme music to match the episode's theme/time period is genius, and so well done! The idea of telling their stories in reverse is so interesting, and it's really having me think about how each disappearance would have impacted the ones we heard before. I still technically have 2-3 episodes left of this part, but I just had to say something now! 🐦‍🔥

@storiesfromylelmore Episode 212 - Being Puce: Season finale time!! I always love how straight up Keryth and Rion are with Elas. We won't give you permission to bully us just so you don't feel as bad about it. Good for them! And then their background adventure with the river monster was hilarious. That was such a great conversation between Elas and their mom. I think we've all had feelings like that before. And then Elas took a small step! They said no to Voran! I'm so proud of them!! Ruvyn knowing everything from their podcast and sitting on it is kinda terrifying. I'm sad that the season's over, but it was SO GOOD, and I can't wait for the next one!! ✨

@forgedbondspod Chapter 7: Dite and Phae texting through the first of many wedding rehearsals is adorable. Also as someone planning their own wedding, multiple wedding rehearsals sounds like a nightmare... I appreciate Calliope sharing the details of Zeus' glare for us! Also I love how the respective besties are so excited that Dite and Phae are becoming friends. The sound design for the forge scene was very good. 💍

@vestaclinicpod Episode 17 - Drifter: A new species this episode, Gralli from Pluto! I burst out laughing when I heard what this episode's patient had chosen for syr name - Goggles! Too cute! I too would like to hear more about Faye's family. More Professor backstory!! Finally!! It sounds like quite the mystery...I have many thoughts (mostly silly ones) about where they might have stored their consciousness... Also a very poignant line from Faye, "When is grief ever convenient?" ⚕️

@hinaypod Episode 49.2 - Snow Village: A flashback episode to early Donner and Murphy, so of course it made me sad. They love each other so much! But they can't work (then)! They (possibly) pretend they don't remember the super deep, emotional drunken conversation they had! Ahhh! 💔

@hauntnowpod Season 1: I am loving this ghost story! It was so cool thinking back to The Narrator and realizing she was telling the story to Eulalie. I like that we heard from both Eulalie and Frankie's perspectives. The sound design was really cool, conveying so many places and feelings, and the state that Frankie was in. The acting was also fantastic; I had to stop doing dishes and hold tears in when Parker was begging Eulalie to wake up. I hope they're able to save Frankie from the house and the ghost hunters! 👻

@monkeymanproductions' Waiting For October S1 Episode 4.5 - Frederick: We got to follow Frederick as they went on an adventure trying to find their place! One of the lines at the beginning brought me immediately to tears, "I wish Yvonne had stayed. She smells like home." 😭 Ishani was very good at bringing this kitty to life, and I had a lot of fun hearing the different shenanigans Frederick was getting into. I just hope they remember their way back and forth between worlds! 🐈

[cringefaecompilation]

I find the idea of Chetney kidnapping Ashton for the Kryn dynasty incredibly funny.

Firstly because the kryn didn't ask Chetney to kidnap Ashton. They asked him for information. So that implies chetney took it upon Himself to kidnap Ashton.

Secondly it also implies Chetney successful kidnaps Ashton. Which means 1, bells hells either didn't notice chetney attempting or failed to stop them kidnapping their friend. And/or 2, Chetney somehow subdued Ashton to kidnap them. If you were to ask me who is stronger, Chetney or Ashton? Ashton.

Also Chetney Pulling a reverse essek? Absolutely hilarious.

you. you get it.

bell's hells needs more joke pvp like the nein did and the thought of this shit happening after a massive battle kills me. chetney reverts to chutney for a solid twenty minutes and nobody takes ashton seriously when he says chetney is trying to kill him. the kryn are horrified but awkwardly give him a thumbs up. everyone wins.

[livelaughghoul]

Oscar Piastri Personality and Career Tarot Reading

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only, nothing observed or taken away from this should be considered fact. As a reminder, I know fuck all about Formula 1, I just like fast cars and have a dumb amount of knowledge of astrology and tarot. 

Since I am just recently getting in F1, the first race I actually watched was the Hungary GP. Which like, what an introduction to the sport. Since then I have watched a lot of the replays from prior races, but my knowledge outside of the track is nonexistent. Having this be my first introduction to Oscar was interesting, and I think that there is a lot to unpack there between the team dynamic and the way they approach and relay information to both Oscar and Lando. I may end up doing a reading on two of them at some point, but we will see how I am feeling. 

This spread is actually amazing to me, because we have one of the better Swords followed with a slew of Cups. I love that we are mixing Swords and Cups (even if we are Cup dominated), because Swords are very self focused, almost interalized, whereas Cups are incredibly emotional. I think that it specifically being the Two of Swords really telling, especially with the specific correlation of the Cups we pulled. 

I really love this spread, like a lot. I usually don’t care much for wanting to learn more about the people on the grid, but I actually am interested in getting to know more about him because this is just so interesting to me. I might actually look into someone other than Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Raikkonen (honestly I owe that anon SO MUCH, because you truly have made my life so much better with these men). 

Outward personality - Two of Swords

This card has a soft spot in my heart because it absolutely is the introvert card. It’s protective in nature, and more reserved. While I don’t think it’s a full avoidance of feeling or expressing things, but it definitely is a more thought out or silent approach to emotions and expressing them. Since things are more reserved, there is going to be a lot to go through to develop a friendship or relationship with Oscar. I see a lot of people referring to him as a cat (which is hilarious, I love this), and I think that is really seen in this card positioning. Cats take time to develop trust in people, but when they do, it’s lifelong and so rewarding. Cats are also really good at masking how they really feel, I think that there is a lot of masking and hiding of things in terms of how he is feeling or what is being experienced. 

Inward personality - Ten of Cups

Interally, once you break past the resting bitch face and flat affect, you feel nothing but valued, delight, and at home. The Ten of Cups is like, coming home to your family after a long day at work and just getting to feel valued and at home. It’s a happiness, feeling fulfilled and loved. I love the switch up of the outward personality being this like professional brickwall, and then on the inside there is this soft gooey center filled with love and affection.

Current career - Queen of Cups, reversed

I’m not a huge fan of this one when it comes to the career, because I think that this has the possibility of being too willing to take everything lying down, allowing others to essentially make the decisions for you, and almost put yourself in a secondary or lower positioning. There is a lot of tenderness in this card, and I think that while yes, Oscar absolutely can be aggressive and challenge things, I think that there is alot of hesitancy in this. There is going to be this patience and accepting of whatever he is told to do. It absolutely tells me that he is a team player, but I think that there may be too much of prioritizing of others instead of himself. 

Future career - Three of Cups, reversed

No matter where he goes in his career, who is on a team with, or what his support team looks like, this man is making friends and building a community wherever he goes. Oscar is going to be able to foster a community wherever he ends up, and this is going to make work so much smoother, especially when there is a transitional period that happens. 

[electra-jolts-magnetism]

...or...or reverse adopt

Griselda: Why did the girls give me a mother's Day card?

Griffin: I got a step-mom card.

Faragonda: I got a mother's Day card too.

All three: ...

Griselda: Did the girls really just adopt us as mother figures?

Winx: We did it in first year actually!

This reminds me of a post I reblogged 😂 It said:

Yes it's sweet when your fave adopts the plucky child they've just met, but the best trope is when the child finds the tallest, gruffest old man they can find and says 'yeah, I'm gonna be his problem now'.

The Winx spend more time with Faragonda and Griselda than their parents at this point, and those girls know something is going on between them and Griffin. They’ve been calling them their Moms for years (In the beginning, The three of them always chalked it up to an accident as it wasn’t unusual for students to call them “mom.”)

After graduation, The Winx realize that this could become confusing and decide that their Birth Mothers (& Vanessa) would be “Mom”; Faragonda would be “Mama”; Griselda would be ”Mother or Ma”; Griffin would be “Step-Mom or Wicked Stepmother” (because they think it's hilarious); and that Faragonda, Griselda & Griffin would be their “Bonus-Moms”. However, when referring to All of them, the Winx call them their “Moms”. And yes, the specialists are aware.

[Most of these take place after graduation, but some can take place before]

===== Bloom =====

Person A: What’s it like having two moms?

Bloom, looking through her phone: Five.

Person A: What?

Bloom, holds up her phone and shows them a picture of Vanessa, Marion, Faragonda, Griselda & Griffin having tea: Five moms, and It’s pretty nice.

Bloom, counting on her fingers as she lists them off: When I experience culture clashes, I talk about it to my adoptive mom because she can understand my point of view. (Vanessa)

Bloom: I’m able to get to know my birth mom and learn how similar we are despite not being raised by her. (Marion)

Bloom: Mama is always willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on and offer advice. And when she has time for tea, she will tell all sorts of stories about my other moms, especially the embarrassing ones. She also gives the best hugs. (Faragonda)

Bloom: When I was falling asleep during my classes, the professors eventually stopped waking me up; I later learned Mother told them to let me sleep. She would then go over everything I missed one-on-one during detention or let me sleep through detention if I was in there for another reason. Now, she lets my friends and I nap in her office and will make time for us in her absurdly busy schedule if we need her. She also gives surprisingly good hugs if you’re brave enough to ask. (Griselda)

Bloom: And if the Winx and I are ever in trouble or end up in jail, our Step-mom will bail us out and not tell any of our other Moms. (Griffin)

===== Stella =====

Stella, hears someone talking shit about Faragonda: Keep my Mama’s name out of your fucking mouth.

–––

Stella, hears someone talking shit about Griselda: Keep my Mother’s name out of your fucking mouth.

–––

Stella, hears someone talking shit about Griffin: Keep my Step-mom’s name out of your fucking mouth.

(This one, in particular, has led several people to wonder when Griffin married one of her parents; Luna is the usual assumption)

===== Flora =====

Helia, over the Phone: The guys and I are wondering if you and the girls are free this weekend?

Flora: I’m so sorry, but we all have plans.

Helia, a little curious: Really? What are you all doing?

Flora: Well, Mama’s taking Bloom and me to that new Botanical Garden that recently opened.

Flora: Mother got tickets to a Ballet that Musa and Aisha have been talking about for months and is taking them both.

Flora: And Stella and Tecna are going to watch a Meteor Shower with our Step-mom.

Helia: That sounds incredible. I hope you all have fun!

Flora: We will!

===== Musa =====

Some Asshole to Musa: Well, at least I have a Mom!

Musa, without missing a beat: Actually, I have three, and each of them could kick your mom’s ass!

===== Tecna =====

Timmy, staring at the device on the table in disbelief: Where did you get this?

Tecna, speaking casually as she typed away on a laptop that wasn’t even available for purchase yet: Mother made some calls. It turns out a lot of people owe her favors.

===== Aisha =====

Nabu or Nex: Hey, Aisha, can I ask you some quick questions?

Aisha: Sure, what’s up?

Nabu or Nex: Why do you have a dagger strapped to your leg? Where in the Magic Dimension did you get it? Do you even know how to use it? If so, who taught you? And do your parents know?

Aisha: My Bonus-Moms firmly believe you should never go anywhere without a knife.

Aisha: It was a gift from my Step-mom.

Aisha: Yes, I do. Mother taught me, and she wouldn’t let me go anywhere with it until she was confident that I knew how to use it.

Aisha, Smirking: Mama asked, and they said No.

[thank-god-and-you]

Now that I've had a week or so to digest it, I need to post about my appreciation of New Year week's Sukeve scenes.

[FULL THOUGHTS IN THE REBLOGS, THIS IS JUST PART ONE.]

The whole week was so beautifully done. Monday's ep was heartfelt and hopeful, Tuesday's was hilarious, and the moment it was announced that Kevin Rundle had Wednesday's and Thursday's, I knew we would be in safe hands. There can be a stigma about men being in wlw spaces, but it's so clear that no one on the EE writing team understands Suki and Eve's relationship the way he does. He has consistently given us the most incredible, beautiful scenes for the two of them, and there was no one else I would have trusted to have delivered the wedding episode. Take a bow, sir.

(Good to see Walford police being as useless as ever by deciding that a dying murderer who is a danger to his family broke out of prison to...commit suicide, on the 'evidence' of an anonymous call and an abandoned bag with no body. Case closed, job's a good 'un, no need to verify any of it! Also, they were conducting a manhunt...but didn't think to check the abandoned flat just around the corner. Great job, guys.)

ANYWAY, I appreciated the lovely little family moments on Monday. It was so nice to finally see everyone (minus Nugget) as a proper unit, happy and supportive of each other, and Suki and Eve just basking in the chaos.

The scene in the kitchen was so special, seeing Vinny and Ravi in particular throwing their full support behind the wedding was such a nice moment after their actions last year. I don't know why, but Ravi kissing Suki and then instigating the group hug really made me emotional. It's crazy to think that literally every male Panesar/Gulati besides Kheerat has attempted to kill or been complicit in an attempt on Eve's life, LOL. Suki really is Eve's soulmate for her to forgive all these idiotic men and not run a mile in the opposite direction.

(The Yolande and Suki scene was also very powerful and beautifully written, I loved these two survivors coming together and it ultimately giving Suki the strength to press on with her life regardless of Nish's looming presence.)

The hen night was in turns heartfelt and hilarious. Loved seeing all of the women gathered together, just generally having a good time. I always enjoy seeing Suki and Eve being incorporated into the wider community.

Eve being there to comfort Suki about not hearing back from Ash, and Suki correcting Eve when she said that it was Suki's time to be happy with it being their time to be happy, and the little sway in the rain were so lovely.

HOW Nish was able to lurk in the shadows and wander around in front of the club without anyone recognising him is another thing, but whatever, LOL.

The moment between Priya and Suki was one of my favourites. Priya has been such a wonderful addition to the family dynamic, and I really hope we continue to see her relationship with both Suki and Eve develop into 2025. I've loved seeing Suki going from subtle hostility to grudging respect to reluctant acceptance to genuine affection for her (and the same in reverse). And Eve is going to be losing Stacey soon, so it would be nice if Priya could fill that role for a while (but no one can ever replace the Bap Van Wives duo, sorry).

Suki's reaction to Eve's 'I have never slept with a woman' made me laugh, it was so cute. Yes, girl, you do sleep with one particular woman!

Will always appreciate Suki and Eve being complete horndogs for each other. It's so refreshing to see two older women clearly portrayed as loving each other (lots of sweet physical touches, words of affirmation, always there to support each other), but also really fancying each other as well.

(I always thought getting the "beg" scene pre-watershed was unbelievable, but a middle-aged lesbian dipping her finger in champagne and then suggestively putting said finger in her wife-to-be's mouth on the king's BBC...good LORD!)

And it literally carrying over to the actual wedding day, haha!

[jamesrodayrodriguezpresents]

Thomasin McKenzie & Katie Douglas Leading Temple Hill Horror Franchise Hopeful ‘The Rule Of Three’; Protagonist Launching For Cannes

EXCLUSIVE: Smile producer Temple Hill Entertainment is partnering with Protagonist Pictures on The Rule of Three, which is being set up as the first installment in a new horror trilogy adapted from thriller author Sam Ripley’s novel of the same name.

Protagonist is launching sales at the upcoming Cannes market with Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit) and Katie Douglas (Clown in a Cornfield) aboard to star. James Roday Rodriguez (Gravy) directs, adapted from a screenplay by Todd Harthan (Hulu’s High Potential) and Rodriguez.

The synopsis reads: “Beware, Beware, The Rule of Three, It’s coming for you, like it came for me… Are Amy (Douglas) and her family plagued by a deadly curse? Every three years, death strikes under mysterious circumstances, horrifically killing family members. It’s almost three years to the day since Amy’s parents’ death, and Amy realises the curse must strike her next. With the help of her best friend Lizzy (McKenzie), the two friends try to cheat Amy’s death and find a way to reverse the curse. But is Amy’s fate already sealed? Bad things always happen in threes, so they say…”

Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and Isaac Klausner will produce for Twilight and Smile outfit Temple Hill, with Hal Sadoff and George Berman executive-producing. Dave Bishop, James Pugh and George Hamilton serve as executive producers for Protagonist, in collaboration with Rodriguez and Harthan’s new shingle, Taft Tennis.

The Rule of Three marks Temple Hill and Protagonist Pictures’ fourth collaboration, which began with Clown in a Cornfield, scheduled for a wide U.S. theatrical release on May 9. The companies also joined forces on the horror Monitor, currently in production, and Simon Curtis’ Encore.

“The Rule of Three is the kind of gripping horror that gets under your skin and stays there,” said Bishop. “It’s a bold, elevated horror with an unsettling psychological edge that taps into something universal – and terrifying…a truly wild ride. With Temple Hill’s expertise in the genre paired with a chillingly sharp concept, this is a must see for horror fans and audiences worldwide.”

Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen added: “We were immediately hooked by James’ vision for a fresh and terrifying curse movie revolving around the notorious lore behind the number 3. Centred on a ride-or-die friendship between two young women, set against the nostalgic backdrop of the 90’s, and underpinned by James’ trademark wit, we know that audiences will find The Rule of Three scary and hilarious in equal measure. And with this being the first in the franchise, there are many jaw-dropping twists and turns to come.”

“This is any director’s dream — supportive and mustached producers, an incredible cast and material that defies the ways we try to define ‘genre’ filmmaking. Come for the terror, stay for the storytelling,” said Rodriguez.

McKenzie’s upcoming projects include Bleecker Street’s comedy Fackham Hall from comedian Jimmy Carr, and Anna Lee from Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet, writers and director of the Oscar winner, The Brutalist.

Douglas will next lead the horror feature Clown in a Cornfield, which made its debut at SXSW 2025 and will release in theaters in the US on May 9, 2025. Previous credits include Lifetime’s The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, Lifetime’s Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey and Vertical’s The Walk.

McKenzie is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, Gail Cowan Management and Johnson Shapiro; and Douglas is repped by Play Management, and Skrzyniarz & Mallean. Roday Rodriguez is repped by CAA, Principal Entertainment and Peikoff Mahan Law Office; Harthan is repped by UTA, Circle Management+Production, and Barnes, Morris. Sam Ripley is repped by CAA on behalf of James Wills at Watson, Little.

[demonictumble]

fic rec list (1/??? )

this is a fic recommendation list for whomever wants a good read. All of these are on AO3. I have not provided links, so just search them up!

If you do end up reading any of these, or really any fic in general, remember to leave the author comments!! They deserve them, esp because they do this for free and they deserve to know how beautiful their writing is and how appreciated they are.

My PSA: COMMENT ON FICS AND DONT TAKE AUTHORS FOR GRANTED

DC..

IMPORTANT NOTE I am not a religious fan where I only like a fic when it adheres to canon characterization or texts. I can enjoy fics even when they completely throw off what's actually canon and that's okay for me, but it might not be for you. So just keep this in mind and the back button exists for a reason if you don't like something.

Buy Back the Secrets by Sundiscus (incomplete)

Tim Drake and Kon El centered!! OH MY GODS. I could rave on and on about this fic all day but I'll have to keep it brief. I've reread at LEAST 5 times. It's brilliant. The writing, the plot, the characterizations!! They are incredible. If I had to use a phrase to describe it, it would be "identity shenanigans and timkon" but that simplifies the absolute masterpiece that it is SO MUCH

Executive Assistant to the Batman by heartslogos (complete)

Tim is basically Bruce Wayne's assistant and is desperately trying to avoid letting them know that he knows. This is complete crack, but it is hilarious. The writing is so funny and It's what I need after a bad day or anything tbh. It may not be completely true to characters or whatever, but it makes up for it a thousand times over in spirit and the laughs it's produced from me.

anything (not the title because literally ANYTHING) by IzzyMRDB

I can rave about them all day because the dc/batfam fics I have seen them right are all so delicious and I devoured them far too fast and momggg its just so good. and I love their writing style <3

Reverse Robin AU by yellow_cabellero (complete)

I CANNOT DO THIS SERIES JUSTICE WITH MY WORDS. IT is a must read for me. The writer writes spectacularly and the characterization, even though its a reverse robin, feels on point, especially considering the circumstances (Im a huge believer in circumstances shape a person's personality, which is what I think occurs beautifully in all of these fics). They're just so GOOD.

Also this author has a STEPH FIC that is stunning. 10/10. Steph is a character that doesn't get the appreciation she deserves, so this fic was especially more touching for me. It was terrific seeing her girl bossing in the 90s (IT ALSO FELT SO PERIOD ACCURATE CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT). Not to mention, the author shows off character flaws in a believable manner and nobody is a Mary Sue and it's just EVERYUTHING IS JUST *chefs kiss* by them.

The Fishbowl by LordLuxury (complete)

This is Dick Grayson centered. THEY HAVE MADE A MASTERPIECE. I genuinely mean it. Dick is constantly trying to pull the family together, he is trying to be the glue as everything tries to go the opposite. LET THIS MAN HAVE HIS FAMILY. This had me in shambles. Bad Dad Bruce hurt me, but it was just so realistic. That's what gets me. The whole dynamics portrayed in The Fishbowl are so goddamn realistic and it feels so real. Everyone is flawed in their own way and its just... PLEASE READ IT I BEG OF YOU.

Love and Bruises by Acin_Grayson and Hoebiwan (complete)

Despite what the title may suggest, this is actually funny! Jason thinks Batman is abusing Bruce. And I just remember dying of laughter as I read this. Terrific! Would read and Will read again

Marvel (I am a movies fan so most if not all fics I recommend from here on out will be probably based on movies!)

Tennessee Outreach for Spider-Man and Friends by ciaconna

GREAT FIC. Harley (potato gun kid in one of the iron man movies for those who don't remember) gets an internship with Tony stark for college application reasons and its to help Spiderman. Peter Parker and Harley whateverhislastname is such a funny duo and they made the fic spectacular. Terrific writing omg.

Peter and the Jailbirds by beautifullights

I THINK THIS FIC HURT ME. I don't really remember much bc its been a year and a half, but I think my emotions remember because I feel mildly sad when I think about it. Peter is on the raft and bonds with the ex-avengers also on the raft. The premise of a teenager possibly spending the rest of his life in prison is terrible, but I swear this fic has funny moments and the conversations that occur are to die for because the WRITING. WHEW.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? by theskeptileptic

Tony survives and it's set after No Way Home. Where I'm pretty sure the only people dead are May and Pepper. Morgan saves the day by remembering her big brother (Im a sucker for big brother Peter arc). Peter is kind of a mini Tony in this one I think, which is such an interesting take. And it's such a coming home story and its just so beautiful.

Cross Overs:

Even Heroes Have the Right To Dream by Bounemr (complete)

mlb/dc crossover!! where marinate and Jon are retired superhero and go to college together! Great writing and plot with a good ending. Fluffy for the most part as far I as I can remember (it's been a year since I've read it so you know it's good if I can still remember)

Hired Hands by neighborhood_yogurt (incomplete)

Percy Jackson/ DC crossover!! It's been a while since I've read this one too but It's stuck with me. It's hilarious and I need to reread it but Percy is accidentally on Penguin's payroll because he's just a dumb blonde at heart, but it's okay we all love him. And Shenanigans occur. I don't remember exactly what happens so reminder to read this again for myself as well!

(IDK if any of these authors have tumblrs, if they do, someone please tag them and I will forever be in your debt)

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

Surface Tension

EA: Water Walking

NRG: generates many high viscosity bubbles in all directions. Not lethal, but definitely annoying considering they're basically floating balls of glue/tar

Size

EA: Perfect Size. Is always naturally the right size. Door frame too low? Naturally becomes shorter. Crowd blocking his view? Instantly becomes tall enough to see over them.

NRG: Theres only one idea, but its kinda mid (Elasticity). The only other one is shrinking so much, temporarily, that the user can essentially teleport. Think kinda like Ant-Man with the Quantum Dimension, only less "hey here's an invisible microscopic world" and more "lemme shrink so much that I can just blip from one building to another one nearby." idk theres no good options I feel

Propulsion

EA: Propelled Punch. Can launch propulsive energy with physical moves. Think MHA Air Force

NRG: Bound and Rebound. For a time, they will propel themself off of any surface. Like a pinball. Horrifying in tight spaces.

Figment

EA: Never Alone. Whenever they're alone, no they're not. At least one clone is with them if theres no one else around (that they known of at least, won't detect hidden people)

NRG: Me's A Crowd. Makes a seemingly infinite amount of copies. He makes a few copies, which each also make a few copies, etc. Think MHA Twice Sad Man Parade

Balance

EA: naturally well balanced, always lands on their feet, difficult to trip up, etc

NRG: Imbalance. Those around the user become very unbalanced, like they have sea legs.

Decay

EA: Unstable. Objects they hold are naturally more brittle. Think reverse Fusion EA

NRG: Vaporize. Everything within an inch of the user is decayed. Floor, walls, life, etc. But only within an inch, otherwise this would be WAY too powerful, especially for what's already the most lethal element in Ninjago history! (Sorry Destruction and Poison, you've been outdone.)

Heeeere we go!

Surface Tension: EA- YES, although this feels incredibly obvious (also forces me to reconsider the non-canon Effect of Water I theoretically gave to Jesse jhgfds NA- Ooh I could see this working similar to Lloyd's Energy Shield actually!

Size: EA- This seems hilarious on a first glance but can you IMAGINE the life improvement that would come from this jgfhdgsds NA- I kinda like the Elasticity idea! It's kind of like changing your size without changing our size, in. way! But there's also nothing wrong with temporarily blipping to another dimension either jhgfds

Propulsion: EA- Nice! And fitting! NA- That DOES sound horrifying. I love it!

Figment: EA- Also horrifying! But maybe comforting for them to some degree (also I totally forgot what figment was for a sec hnnng) NA- ...and of course, taking things to the opposite extreme! Though there's not a whole lot we can do with this one to begin with, so this is probably the best route to take

Balance: EA- Yes! Precisely what I'd been thinking xD NA- And again, the inversion! Which I also like!

Decay: EA- "EVERYTHING I TOUCH DIIIIIIES" NA- Yeah man this really is like if Destruction and Poison had baby lmao

I also would like to see more from those other elements before making any sweeping claims about them!

Swarm: EA- Yesssssss I love the Communication EAs a lot actually Misfortune: EA- Yaaaaaas Qrow semblance reference! This also feels like a negative twist on Jesse's NA too!

Anyway all of these are pretty cool, thanks for sharing!

[twochildreninamoteldemo]

what’s on your personal list of “must reads” for wincest? i have a feeling you’ve got good taste

- @spn2006

i wouldn't necessarily say i have a must-read list as in everyone has to read something, because everybody has different taste, especially when it comes to sam and dean's dynamics (both sexual and otherwise), but the fics that i would heartily recommend that fall into my reading of supernatural (or adjacent to it) go as such, keeping in mind that I am a samgirl, pretty much only care about early seasons, and enjoyer of the family horror of the show:

The Ballad of the Invisible Boy + Two Headed Boy by @dollyluxed

If i had to pick any fic as a must-read for a samgirl cestie, this would be the one. the yearning and desperation speak deeply to the isolation of samdean's youth, especially how sam feels it, and dollylux isn't afraid to get inside the beast of teen angst, which makes it feel really lush and visceral. the 90s nostalgia is excellent (disclaimer: i was born after the 90s, but it made me feel like i was there without being corny), and the way the story is told through several vignettes feels a lot like the show itself. these kind of snapshot short films of how samdean's codependency develops through this unspoken tension over the years. the stanford era portion has a scene i think about every time i listen to joni mitchell (check out the soundtrack for this duology too; it's excellent), and the season 1 section ties together the story in a way that fits well with the show. a slow burn, really beautiful story, and i love the illustrations. i would also recommend dollylux's shorter works for amazing smut:)

@applecrumbledore 's fanficography

The first of Roni's fics I read were "Dream fuckery" and "Drywall dust" (the latter the first of a 4-part preseries story), and the balance of angst, sexual tension, and humor blew me away. It keeps the tone of supernatural, which a lot of fics don't (which is fine), but this was super cool in that it felt extremely natural, and very fun to read. I haven't been updated in all my fanfic reading lately, but I loved the beginning of Pine Sweat, their time travel fic, and "try asking," their pov outsider fic, is fucking hilarious and exhilarating. they have lots of creative ideas from preseries to late seasons and it never gets old!

Gospel Truth by @cowboyified

A case fic with an accute sense of shame embedded within angst, a really great sense of description, and perfectly inspired by art by @thegoodthebadandtheart for the reverse bang a couple years ago. the aesthetic of both frauke's work and the fic itself feel real, both the openness of the great plains and the claustrophobia of incestuous pining. definitely a modern classic.

"Buy You a Mockingbird" by candle_beck

the dark pov outsider fic to crown all others. candle_beck is an amazing writer and i also recommend all their work, but this one in particular stands out because of the horror of the dramatic irony of the story--what the reader knows, but the pov character does not. it's incredible to see everything unfold, and a realistic if bleak interpretation of another classic trope (which i won't name for spoiler's sake).

"Other Brothers" by @homo-pink

another incredible pov outsider fic with this beautiful sense of empathy and also a hint of adrenaline thrill. sam's cheeky and sassy and smart, and dean's cute and so in love. pov outsider weecest has the potential to be disturbing or sweet, and while this teeters the line, i think it falls into the latter category in a way that doesn't feel too saccharine.

"Three Days on the Rack" by keerawa, read by Reena Jenkins

I'd highly recommend listening to this via podfic! reena is great and there's a lovely cello cover of fade to black by metallica that plays in the interlude. anyway, the fic is an orpheus and eurydice-adjacent story about sam trying to get dean out of hell--but it's a torture fic. i love the way it describes hell, i love the way we see dean in the depths of alistair's apprenticeship, i love sam's strength. another gorgeously dark gem.

"Skin Like Fear" [orphaned]

I can't speak much on this one because I don't remember it super well, but it's a take on samdean after sam's hell trauma, something not very touched on by the fandom, and the horror is super well done, it's a great fic. obviously dark, deals with rape aftermath, proceed accordingly.

"show me again, shame takes hold" by objectlesson

if you can't tell yet, i really love preseries fics. this one is a lesbian femchesters AU, butch dean i love u foreverrrrrr. as you can tell by the title, more angst, more shame, etc etc. i was catholic what can i say. there's a lot about the ambiguity of sexuality and gender in this fic too.

and that's it! some of my other favorites are "Tomcat," the Caged Desires series, "The Truth in His Bones," and Brothers, but those i wouldn't necessarily rec on a wide basis because the first one is specifically about transmasculinity, and the second 3 deal with dom!dean/sub!sam dynamics in a pretty sharp way that everyone may not sit with right. that being said they're wonderful and sexy (and the last two, rather sad). let me know what u thought of this list!

[nozomijoestar]

LIFTING THE SPOILER WARNING ON THIS POST FOR LAUNCH DAY

Here's my initial analysis and thoughts on Asuka's ending (character episode) in Tekken 8

caught yearning in 1080p

handsome

thinking abt getting students now that the Zaibatsu ate shit (btw you don't find out the Zaibatsu is pretty much on track to being done with no leader again, which is why they continue the tournament presumably after the final battle unless you look through the character episodes, not the main story, for some fucking reason)

Asuka finally smiled at her accepting her and the feeling is mutual, this ending had great role reversal in the sense instead of previously only getting clear insight into Lili's feelings and thoughts now we're openly getting them from Asuka in response- she also felt tempted to give in to her old reaction first think later ways but here she's finally thinking before deciding it doesn't matter why, she enjoys fighting Lili and she finally seems to recognize what Lili's schemes are about on a level (wanting Asuka's attention and getting back at her for having lost), this is the closest so far we've ever gotten to a "I like you too"

EDIT 2/1/2025 : You can see too during Asuka's voiced over inner thoughts that she keeps her warm feelings of missing Lili to herself spoken in a softer tone than she ever has to Lili's face, and when Lili shows up in person seconds later Asuka's excited surprise is in her blink and miss it cry of, "There you are!"/"You're here?! " (You can translate this either way but I prefer the latter because it's less literal while conveying more of the surprise at Lili's timing) Before remembering to snap into her irritation/half hearted frustration demanding to know what Lili wants now, then her tone softens just for another instant when she says Lili is an idiot (Aho carrying a sense of affection and playfulness in calling someone dumb for Kansai vs calling someone a Baka which in Kansai is the genuine insult version, I hear the opposite is true for Kanto dialect speakers, specifically Tokyo) but oh well (what can I do about it? > Implied)

Asuka is engaging in the same behavior of hiding her honest emotions as Lili also does toward Asuka, she couldn't just admit "I was thinking about you and I missed you actually" she has to play her part in their little game, a part she has long since accepted, as much as Lili can't say the same outright but says it in her pursuit of Asuka's attention and wanting a fair battle against her

Wonderful voice acting by both Ryoko Shiraishi and Laura Blanc, but especially Shiraishi

this is on top of the teasing and compliment she gave Lili's ability in the same scene, and also correcting Lili on the Kazama Motto Asuka learned, which only Asuka could have told her at some point suggesting further closeness

"Softness overcomes hardness" you two are (HOPEFULLY) starting to change your relationship to be softer (also the hilarious hypocrisy of Asuka BARELY being a person living by any softness in practice)

I love that she even refers to Lili as "That noble (rich) girl", an ojou-sama, which is far better than calling her by nothing or using a rude form of You (anta) as in the past (and generally she's given up calling Lili by rude terms be it in the story mode or otherwise including Shaheen's ending, which is honestly more about AsuLili than him lol, it's also incredible seeing Asuka glad Lili's life was protected and joking about Lili being a handful with someone else)

And despite provoking Asuka in a very shitty way reminiscent of Feng, the premise of this ending is Asuka beating Lili at the tournament so Lili will honor her word of putting Asuka's dojo back the way it was before she bought it- which Lili does after losing rather than refuse out of spite, even if she then uses taking it in a fight to provoke Asuka again, it's nice that she IS willing to listen to Asuka when it comes to promises

honestly if you cut the entire scene into only my screenshots here it still looks so fucking gay

Video source ( @ 1:03 )

This is the de-facto best Asuka ending yet, at last she's happy, hopeful, not confused, and at some form of peace and connection in her life

ALSO ASUKA DIDN'T CALL LILI A DINGBAT SHE CALLED HER AHOU (Idiot/Moron) LIKE ALWAYS AND IT WAS SOFT THIS TIME 😭😭😭😭

Plus Asuka might finally get the dojo back up and become the next leader with Jin's image being fixed and thus how people would see Asuka since they're related, as well as the current war being over- though Reina's new devil bullshit will probably ruin this in the future

EDIT: I FORGOT TO MENTION

PAIR OF BIRDS; BIRD MOTIF FOR KAZAMAS RETURNS

I doubt these are Jun's birds specifically it's more likely just symbolic of Asuka and Lili if it means anything at all. Also doesn't have to specify meaning lovebirds, in general their characters will always be put together. But it is funny how Jun's birds always appear to show her connection to someone she loves, so there could be a parallel here that Asuka's bird imagery would represent the same sense of connection. If it is a visual metaphor for lovebirds though by the time we get Tekken 9 then, the cinema of it all.

ALSO Harada has said Jun attracts animals because of her spiritual mastery over martial arts. She's at a level of power where animals don't run because of sensing her aura; she can suppress her fighting spirit. With how at peace AND in control of herself Asuka is in this ending, maybe the birds imply she can move in a similar direction from here on. And it makes sense too because Asuka has returned to a state of equilibrium now that she doesn't have the stress of the world being in chaos affecting her. As a person who prefers being in control, she's back to feeling some control over her life.

----

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:

1. It's great that the tone of their relationship is now friendlier, but like in story mode and other places they appear as a pair, we're never shown anything on how they started transitioning from fighting all the time to agreeing to listen and partner up in general, nevermind during a global war they're supposed to have their own personal stakes in beyond not wanting to die (those personal stakes ended up being entirely irrelevant anyway which is it's own problem)

There's a problem present where you're shown the end result of an emotional shift with none of the journey or even a simple scene explaining how they got there, much like the main story and other characters in general many plot points and character changes are resolved off screen showing only the results with no explanation the majority of the time. In the main story this gets even more egregious because even how a character knows specific information usually doesn't get explained at all either unless it relates to Jin understanding the devil gene. This writing makes a lot of things simply happen like it's checking off a list.

In essence, WHERE is a scene connecting Asuka who did nothing but fight Lili and get pissed with her to the Asuka who's tolerant of her, is more catty and accepting than outright angry, is now willing to joke and play around with her, who taught Lili the Kazama Motto she learned (though I guess this one you can say Lili found it while looking up Asuka's family, something we ALSO don't get Asuka's thoughts on beyond surprise) and so on

2. The fact this scene ends with provoking another fight, as much as I like that it's friendly now, isn't the best direction. This fits again into problem 1; there's no on screen room to let these characters breathe and illustrate what made them change now to the viewer. There's no fresh angle given about their relationship outside fighting or even a new approach on their relationship within it. There's no pause in the formula which many people are tired of (and people are already back to calling Asuka a useless piece of shit who's a complete fucking joke, and I can't really blame them entirely because on a surface level all they see is the exact same situation as it's been for twenty years of cutscenes).

Also the logic of having this scene exist is confusing in itself. Nothing in the game story clarified if Asuka sat the tournament out or did participate but was eliminated and decided to follow Lili's progress in Rome as a spectator. A scene explaining either of those would give better weight and context to this one.

3. Zero mention of Asuka's father or his current condition

4. Having Lili imitate what Feng Wei did to dojos like Asuka's is the cruelest way she's ever provoked her. Whereas before it was often ridiculous, silly, and teasing, involving an event that led Asuka to spiral adds something uncharacteristically spiteful toward her from Lili's end. Insofar as what Lili has previously used to get her attention anyway. Keeping Asuka's trauma out of it has always seemed to be a line Lili was willing to respect. And it's off too because this is happening when they're supposed to be becoming friends/are friends now. It's too personal to be brushed off the way it is.

The only way I can rationalize it is if Asuka has let go of her anger towards what Feng did in part (but she still has a special intro where she wants to attack him on sight saying they finally meet so, I don't fuckin know, that may as well have been included as an easter egg if they're gonna do nothing with it) or she never really gave enough of a shit about the entire thing in the first place. You can make a loose argument using prior games to show Asuka never really cared about the revenge aspect as much- but her behavior sorta contradicts this at the same time. So really who fucking knows. Based on how she reacts here I guess it's not a big deal at this point cuz she doesn't get mad and jumps into messing around with Lili like a friend anyway.

Maybe this could be explained too by whatever made them act friendly now in the first place, but again we never saw that. So instead it comes out worse than if we knew.

5. WHY THE FUCK DID THEY MENTION THE ENTIRE MAIN KAZAMA FAMILY WAS ELIMINATED BY OGRE IN THE STORY MODE THEN HAVE THE NEWS NOT IMPACT ASUKA AT ALL

We also never see them discuss what Lili knows about the family in any depth between themselves

Viva le sex gay I guess but now I have more questions than answers and that's a problem when the game acts like I've been given answers it never provided. I got something I wanted but with nothing to show for it.

EDIT 1/27/2024 : However that won't discount that I do love what I received and the potential it represents; I adore this shit.