#Human Splend

[e-icreator23]

[tomtomthetanktank]

jame

[popculturebuffet]

I thought I'd try an interesting idea. Looking at how Community is, I thought it'd be cool to bring this question up: Favorite episode for Jeff, Britta, Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and Pierce (I'll do the non-Study Group main cast members in a second ask to make it easier) on where they shine the best individually and why?

Okay finally getting to this one since I have a spare ten minutes: Jeff: Advanced Criminal Law. He has plenty of great moments but I think his bullshitting yet also genuine defneses as Britta's lawyer get to the heart of this guy. Jeff shines best when his heart has to show, that he's full of bullshit and axe body spray, but he's also a good man deep down despite himself and will do the right thing when pressed. He shines best comedically when just given a good withering put down or spinning out over his vanity.

Britta: Lawnmower Matinence and Postnatal Care. This episode is already one of my faviorites: it brings keith david into the series who damn well better be in the movie even just for a cameo, who shows his immense comedic chops as elroy, and has my faviorite line in the entire series

But while the a plot is one of community's best, the b plot is no slouch. While jeff stayed largely the same comedicaly, the bill murray type for everyone to rally around, Britta's evolution is intresting going from a bland as hell love intrest for Jeff who mostly just scowled at the others.. to deconstructing that as a hilariously pathetic hipster trying badly to be the moral center she was originally creeated to be and becoming a human train wreck the group sometimes fairly, sometimes not picks on. This late stage episode showcases that the best with the reveal her parents have secretly been subsiding her friends paying for her nonsense. Yet it's also a good character piece: While Britta is being performatively petty with her parents, even riding off on a trike while telling her parents not to infantalize her in what I consider THE britta scene and why this is here... it also gets as to WHY she's like this: her parents were strict, controlling and led her to being the conrarian mess she is, and she's understandably upset they both changed this late AND her friends can't accept she has valid frustrations. But I like them settling things: britta accepts their help and they geninely apologize for how they were. As you can see Britta works best as a mess.. someone who SEES herself as this big sister type, but is really just as flawed as the rest of her group.

Abed: This is a fucking hard one but thankfully like the rest of this my brain filled in the blank for me. Abed has a LOT of good episodes: as the series meta guy, he's the best vehicle for high concept nonsense the crew had. There's a lot of great stuff from his early breakout with his film for his dad, to his time as jesus, to "I'm a cat i'm a sexy cat". But honestly the best abed episode is abed's uncontrollable christmas. It gets to the real heart of him and Danny Pudi's splended performance: Abed's schitck goes way too far as he gets stuck in christmas and his friends have to help him out. It shows why he flees to tv: with a disapproving dad and a mom who left him, it's a source of comfort.. and finding out his mom no longer wnated him makes him shut down. It takes his friends geninely supporting him to make him see he dosen't need to escape.. that tv is nice.. but he can share it with his new family. It also has a lot of great weird shit. Abed is at his best in a LOT of circumstances: palling around with troy, when you tear him apart just a bit, and honestly feels like a better picutre of a neurotypical person than most. It's still a BIT tv autisim, but they lean off that early in favor of having him be a person: he hyperfixates on a ton of shit from inspector spacetime to the cape, has trouble with other people's emotins and get slost in his own world. It's exagerated because community is a live action cartoon at times, but they never stop making Abed feel like a person as much as a gimmick.

Annie: Virtual Systems Analysis. While this is a good abed episode, showing his mind in pieces and getting a good dig in at grey's anatomy, again a show i've watched all of up to the current episodes, it also gets to annie: her need to help people, her crush on jeff and why at the time it wouldn't work, and who she is. Annie like Abed is a good multitool character. Like Danny Pudi (And the whole cast really), Allison Brie is super talented, so Annie got to evolve from a vaugely defined character who was breaking down to a chill yet still type a person. She also plays off abed VERY well and Ig et why the shipping for these two was thick and frothy: Annie makes a good straight man while still being zany enough to kick off her own plots and she plays perfectly off Pudi and Glover. Giving the two a whole episode together was genius. You could see this dynamic as early as the psycological study which again, feels like an accurate depcition of autisim compared to a lot of what i've seen: Annie asked Abed to do something, so he did it. She's a strong character as the show goes on and this shows it off well.

Shirley: Comparitve Religion. It's one of only two shirley episodes I relaly like, the other being urban matriomony and the sandwitch arts. I love Yvette Nicole Brown, she's talented and does the roll well... but Shirely is easily my least faviorite of the greendale 7. It's not even close. Yvette Nicole Brown does a good job playing her.. but it's very hard to like her as 8 times out of ten, their focusing on her being a self righteous asshole who can't understand that being religoius dosen't make you a moral authority.

Comparative Religion uses this well, as her sermonizing is a problem: None of the gang is Christian like her and her passive agressive shit towards there religions grates and causes Jeff to lash out. While he DOES mend the fence by agreeing not to fight, Shirley realizes she needs to get the stick out of he rass ant takes a candy cane to a mans face. "It's december 10th!" Yvette Nicole Brown is, and I stress this, talented. I like her as a person. She just didn't get nearly as much to do as the others and as a result they tended to fall back on her sandwitch shop or her religion. Shirley works best when called on her shit or serving as the voice of reason.

Troy: Troy was hard to think of an episode for which is weird. Troy is one of the shows best character going from typical jock to loveable weirdo, with Glover having top notch comedic timing: a lot of the shows most memeable and memorable lines come from him: "HOw about I pound you like a boy", the that's racist exchange, the cookie crisp breakdown, the masturbation breakdown.. Donald Glover is REALLY good at having a hilarous breakdown, and of course TROY AND ABED DOING ANNNYTHING as pairing them up was genius.

Thankfully I did remember the one plot where Troy's not only mostly on his own but gets to shine, and partly because as a change of place he's a straight man. His time at Air Conditioner Repair. I mean the whole subplot is great from the good will hunting parody, to John Goodman as hte manical dean of the air conditionir repair school, but the climax is fantastic: with the dean dead Troy is thrown into a weird labyrinth of rituals, attempted murder and a contest to the death. It also leads to his best line,

It works thanks to Glover's great acting.. and the simple fact that TROY, who in this same season had a blanket fort war with his best friend rather than just talk things out, is the sane one.

Pierece: This one is easy. Intermmediate Documentary Filmaking. While it has a lot of good gags to it on it's own, patucally troy's freakout over lavar burton (Who also hopefully shows up for the movie). At it's core though it's a character piece for Pierece: It shows how fucked up he is as a person, putting everyone thorugh elabroate mind games to fuck with them, while also showing how he sees some of them giving annie a genuine gift and abed a neutral gift as he's neutral to him and vice versa. Piece has a valid reason to be pissed at everyone, how they treat him, ignore him and generally dispise him.. yet his going to such elaborate lengths to fuck with him kinda proves WHY: he's a bitter old man who rather than just call everyone out, decided to fuck with their heads and pretend to be jeff's dad and he's only not beaten to death ofr his actions, which he was warned about, because everyone else stops jeff.

Pierce can be hit and miss: his offensive grandpa jokes don't always land and he works best being weird as shit, like desnging the greendale human being or the college's theme song, getting high on paint thinners, making streets ahead a thing or other wacky nonsense. I"ll also say this: Chevy Chas eis talented. He's funny, he adds something to the show and it was nice to have him.. but unlike the rest of the cast who far as I can tell are wonderful human beings and talented, Chevy Chase is a giant combative prick, always has been always will be and while I like him as an actor, as a person he can go fuck himself and I want that on record.

[mtgc858]

ASKS ARE OPEN

I'm bored and It might help me with my au ;)

Ask any character from Thomas and friends cause there most likely on my au.

Just don't ask very gross or personal asks....oh and you can ask things like: Can you make [Insert character] shirtless? XD

{James is so smug in this gif...I love him so much :)}

[sciatu]

MURALES FROM BANSKY AND BLU (EXCEPTION THE LAST ONE) AGAINST THE WAR

IL CORVO: ANCORA ADDII Se io dovessi partire per la guerra e dovessi salutarti, non direi nulla. In silenzio ti abbraccerei, nutrendomi del tuo calore e delle tue paure. Se io dovessi partire con l’ultimo convoglio o tu dovessi fuggire con l’ultimo treno e forse per sempre dovrei solo ricordare i tuoi occhi e tu il mio sorriso, ecco, io non direi nulla, stringendoti e donando ai miei ricordi il tuo profumo, il senso del tuo corpo ancora una volta e per sempre, parte indissolubile del mio, terra feconda da cui, non saprò per quanto e perché, non potrò più raccogliere il nostro raccolto d’amore; il tuo corpo, mare su cui non so fino a quando non potrò più navigare, fiore a cui il mio corpo ed i miei desideri, non potranno più donare l’acqua che nutre la nostra vita, fatta di tenerezze e carezze, di abbracci seguiti da lunghi silenzi che nella notte di questi giorni, sono l’unica luce che splende. Se dovessi partire per mietere vite che non conosco o bruciare sull’altare di una guerra che non capisco e che non volevo, ma dove, per te e per tutti quelli come te che sono la nostra vita, dovrò vivere tutte le fragilità e le dannazioni della carne, ti abbraccerei, vivendo del tuo respiro, stringendoti per ricordare per sempre la tua essenza, per sempre custodendola nella mia anima e per il mio temporaneo sempre, ricordare come la mia anima ti ami e che sola nella tua può vivere e vivrà. Se io non potessi più trovare la strada che a te porta, tutto il restò sarà solo una salita al calvario, una discesa nei gironi dell’inferno dimenticando umanità e pietà, vivendo, nell’oscurità di questo mondo, solo grazie alla scintilla eterna del tuo vivere dentro di me.

THE CROW: AGAIN ANOTHER GOODBY - If I have to leave for the war and I had to say you goodbye, I wouldn't say anything. In silence I would hug you, feeding on your warmth and your fears. If I had to leave with the last convoy or you had to escape with the last train and maybe forever I should just remember your eyes and you my smile, here, I would say nothing, hugging you and giving my memories your perfume , the sense of your body once again and forever, an indissoluble part of mine, fertile land from which, I will not know for how much and why, I will no longer be able to reap our harvest of love; your body, a sea on which I do not know until I will no longer be able to navigate, a flower to which my body and my desires will no longer be able to give the water that nourishes our life, made up of tenderness and caresses, followed by hugs from long silences that in the night of these days, are the only light that shines. If I were to leave to reap lives that I do not know or burn on the altar of a war that I do not understand and that I did not want, but where, for you and for all those like you who are our life, I will have to live all the frailties and damnations of the flesh, I would embrace you, living on your breath, holding you to remember your essence forever, forever keeping it in my soul and for my temporary ethernity, remembering how my soul loves you and that only in yours can live and will live. If I could no longer find the road that leads to you, all the rest will be only an ascent to Calvary, a descent into the circles of hell forgetting humanity and pity, living, in the darkness of this world, only thanks to the eternal spark of your living inside of me.

[mothmanismyuncle]

Vampire Jaskier 👀👀 or just non-human Jaskier if vampires aren't your think. Geraskier? Idk have fun fam, I trust your writing ✌✌

vampires AND non-human jask are totally my thing hueh hueh hueh

thank u love u jamie damned-delion at your service

“the bard, dandelion, at your service!” the man said with a deep bow and a flourish.

geralt had to admit, it was a good set.

“ah. i’ve never met an iteration of dandelion before,”

“our loss,” dandelion purred, eyeing geralt up and down.

“how many dandelions have there been? six? seven?”

“only about four hundred years worth,” the bard chuckled. “give or take.”

geralt, having little reference for how many years an unadulterated human had, merely sipped at his ale and nodded before sliding the stein back to the barkeep and making his way back upstairs.

“see you ‘round, master witcher,” dandelion called, despite geralt’s abrupt exit.

right. sure he would.

***

“master witcher!”

geralt knew that voice.

“dandelion,” he said, irritation lacing his speech. “you’re not subtle.”

“i beg your pardon?”

you better beg, geralt thought.

“the white wolf? seriously?” geralt held a hand to his furrowed brow. “not subtle.”

“i’m glad the song’s caught your ear,” dandelion replied, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. “i make the entire continent know your name, and you’re cross with me?”

“thats not my name,”

“well, if you would have been so kind as to introduce yourself,”

“geralt.” he turned back to roach, ready to mount right back up, stopping at an inn for the night be damned.

“oh? where are you headed so soon?”

“away.”

“oh, splended! i was also headed that in that direction. perhaps i’ll accompany you in your travels!”

“it’s well past midnight, dandelion. you look like you were beginning to ply your trade.”

“you know, past midnight, by all means, should be the time to travel. no one deigns to take to the road at night because evergbody knows the bandits and ne��er-do-wells all attack at night. who are they robbing, it makes one wonder.”

“it doesnt,”

“they should be pouncing by day! why, if i were a bandit, which i’m not! in case you were worried,”

“i wasnt,”

“if i were, i’d attack by the noonday sun. more traffic, more chances of finding a suitable target, i genuinely don’t see a downside,”

geralt considered urging roach into a gallop, but she’d been ridden all day. she’d tire out before the next resting place for sure if he pushed his luck.

that’s what he told himself, anyway.

***

“a demon, you say?”

“a demon, they say.”

“well, what do you say?”

“i say demons don’t exist.”

“if they don’t exist, i’d very much like to see one,”

“if they don’t exist, i’m not going to get paid,”

“more’s the pity,” dandelion sighed. “you know, the whole thing is quite romantic. doomed from the start makes for a lovely song,”

“no,” geralt declared, forcibly putting space between himself and the bard. “no songs.”

“barring me from a song is like barring a hen from laying an egg!” dandelion crowed.

“then cross your legs?” geralt replied. dandelion’s turns of phrase were still a mystery. dandelion burst into uproarious laughter at his suggestion, however, so maybe he had said something right after all.

***

“if you’re going to kill me, get on with it. but the sylvan’s right. don’t call me human.”

“me neither, actually, so i just feel like we have a simple case of mistaken identity, hm?” dandelion broke in.

geralt blinked, screwed up his face, and tried to turn and look at the man tied to his back.

“what?” he asked, intelligently.

“dont worry, darling, virtually nobody gets it right the first time,”

“if youre not a human, then what—“

“maybe this isnt the time, love,”

the elves shifted uncomfortably, looking from torque to geralt to dandelion, back to torque.

with the wave of a hand, filavandrel had them untied, but geralt couldnt find it in him to be any more surprised than he already had been.

***

“there’s a song here,” dandelion quipped, tuning his gifted lute.

“no,” geralt grunted, rolling his eyes. “what are you?”

“a bard,” dandelion said simply, before wincing and looking back to geralt. “an anomaly, that’s for certain. i… do you remember when you when you asked me how many dandelions there had been?”

geralt hummed, motioning for dandelion to continue.

“it’s always just been me.”

in geralt’s head, the possibilities of what dandelion could be shifted ever so slightly to the left.

“and i swear to you, geralt, i’m not…” dandelion squared his shoulders. “if you must do your job after what i tell you, i— i understand. i do. but will you at least give me one last night before the end of all things?”

geralt nodded, slowly. its not as though a trail of dead bodies followed dandelion wherever he went, or ghastly things seemed to happen around the bard. he assumed the bard was an elf—

“i got caught here, after the conjunction of the spheres. i’m a vampire.”

“a—?!” geralt felt himself get a mite dizzy. “there’s— you!”

“oh my,” dandelion tried to steer him to a nearby log but geralt didnt budge. “i’m sorry for keeping this from you,”

“you said you were caught here after the conjunction?” asked geralt. dandelion looked mildly fraught for a moment before he nodded, taking a step back from the witcher. “so that means,”

“i suppose you’d call me a higher vampire,” he said with a sigh. “definitely less brutish than my local cousins,”

geralt couldnt help the snort that escaped at that.

“much, much less. in comparison, foppish,” he said, wondering if he was having some sort of medical emergency. latent concussion? perhaps a broken blood vessel in the brain?

dandelion was quieter than he had ever been in geralt’s presence.

“and humans?”

“only the consenting ones,” dandelion was quick to assure.

geralt hummed.

“well. i don’t know of anyone with enough money to force me to do my job at you,” he said honestly. “even a bard of your kind would cause me too much trouble to consider.”

dandelion let out a sigh and wavered on his feet, enough that geralt reached out to catch him.

“i don’t know if i’m at ease or not, but at least this won’t be our last night,” he looked up to geralt with worried eyes. “right? you’re not going to chase me away?”

“i’ve already tried everything i know,” geralt said flatly, sending a chuckle through dandelion. “and yet.”

“yet,” agreed dandelion. “i’ve got a while, yet.”

“so have i,” agreed geralt. “unless,”

“unless.” agreed dandelion with a smile. “well. that’s settled.”

they set up camp, falling into familiar rhythms and motion, before dandelion paused.

“does this mean i can get closer while you work?” he asked.

“not unless you want to take the contract,” geralt grunted from where he lit the fire. “maybe work a day in your life,”

this argument was familiar and full of dandelion’s melodrama and geralt’s dry teasing. everything fit so easily into place with the bard that even the thought of forcing him away made a pang run through his chest.

that, and he hadn’t been joking about the money. even dandelion, someone who once unleashed a squeal at a slug so dire that geralt had run half-dressed to save him, as a higher vampire… geralt likely wouldn’t win that fight.

“hang on,” geralt said, abruptly stopping what he was doing, fooling with the fire. “you didnt need me to carry you down that mountain.”

“i— well, not physically,” jaskier babbled, holding his hands out with a placating smile. “but i was emotionally wounded.”

“you played dead after those drowners got around me last summer,” geralt accused.

“you didn’t know i wasn’t human then!” dandelion shrieked, “what quicker way to show you!”

geralt let his shoulders slump, mentally cataloguing every time dandelion had needed carried, coddled, and otherwise fretted over in their acquaintanceship.

“maybe i just like being carried,” dandelion sniffed.

“you’re heavy,” geralt groaned. without warning, dandelion’s full weight bore down upon him, nearly taking out the struggling fire in the process.

“am i?” dandelion asked playfully, resting his head on the back of geralt’s. geralt shifted, forcing dandelion to ooze to the ground with much complaint.

geralt hadnt heard him coming at all, which shook him to his core. it also bode ill for mischief, but geralt was glad to know at least that of dandelion’s true nature.

“you can ask.” dandelion said quietly, still slumped to one side of geralt, head resting on geralt’s thigh.

“i trust you.” geralt replied, shocking the hell out of both of them.

dandelion didnt seem to have an answer to that, and instead, was content tuning his lute with his head on geralt’s lap.

geralt was content to let him.

[ask-the-good-creeps]

Story request: the proxies meeting Splendor Man and Trender Man for the first time.

//Here’s the Trenderman meeting//

"I wonder why he chooses to wear a suit?" Masky pondered aloud before taking another drag off his cigarette.

"Probably because it suits him," Hoodie grinned as Masky resisted the urge to smack him for such a lame dad pun. The brunet settled for a deadpan expression instead, and his partner just chuckled at the look. "Seriously, though - I can't picture any other clothing working for him. Just imagine if he appeared wearing a top hat, or hipster glasses and a sweater vest? I don't know about you, but that would really throw me off."

"Me, too..." Toby agreed before adding, "...and Sp-plendor might be ok-kay with it, but T-T-Trender would be mad that B-Boss was copying his styl-le." The other two paused for a moment as they processed what he'd said, and turned to look at the newest (and youngest) proxy.

"Who are you talking about?" Hoodie asked carefully with a frown.

"Splendorman a-and Trenderman. Boss' br-brothers?" the fifteen-year-old stuttered back. When his answer was met with silence and quirked brows from the other two proxies, he attempted to explain further. "Splendor wears a top h-hat and has col-lorful circles on h-his s-s-suit, and T-Trender wears a vest and g-glasses, but they b-both look similar to B-Boss."

Masky had frozen in place with the end of his cigarette a few centimeters from his lips as he locked eyes with his older partner. They were both well aware of the kid's mental issues after working with him for a few months, but they also knew that his hallucinations were usually a bit more horrifying than copies of their Boss with different names and outfits.

"How do you know he has brothers?" Hoodie asked.

"I m-met them. Splend-dor wanders a l-lot, but Trender's h-house isn't far." Toby shrugged.

"Okay, then." Hoodie was planning to drop it and ask Boss for confirmation later, but Toby heard the disbelief in his voice.

"I'm n-not making it up-p," he glared.

"I didn't say you w-" "I k-know you th-th-think I'm j-just crazy, b-but I'm not!" Toby's voice was raised just below a shout now, and the other two knew if they didn't calm him down, there'd be trouble.

"We just didn't realize there were others like Boss," Masky cut in as he put out his smoke, "You said one of them lives close by here, so maybe you could introduce us?" Toby seemed to be thinking it over for a minute, then nodded slowly before compulsively cracking his neck and shoulder. He stood quietly and walked off the porch, and the other two shared a glance before following him into the wilderness.

They half-expected to be walking in circles for a few hours, but it took less than twenty minutes for them to come across a tall, stylish cabin in the woods.

"I told y-you." Toby glared and crossed his arms. The other two looked at each other again, then back to the cabin. The front door was unnaturally tall, so it was clear that a human didn't live here...but some part of them still didn't want to believe there were other slender entities. Toby huffed, annoyed by their hesitation, and ran to knock on the door as the other two tried to stop him.

They ended up following him to the bottom of the steps and waiting with baited breath, but the door didn't open. Toby knocked again, a bit more aggressively. Masky exhaled in relief.

"I don't think he's in there," he told the younger proxy as he tried to figure out the best way to convince him to leave this place. He didn't get the chance before someone else spoke.

"No, I'm not. I've been on a nature hike all morning."

Toby smiled, and Masky and Hoodie followed his gaze. Standing behind them was a creature even taller than their Boss wearing a light sweater vest and glasses, with an old-fashioned camera hanging around his neck.

Hoodie's jaw dropped, and he heard a soft thud next to him. He and the creature both looked over to see that Masky had fainted.

"Is he going to be alright?" The creature asked with a note of concern.

"P-probably." Toby chuckled as he watched Hoodie lift his partner. "Good to s-see you again, Trender."

"Likewise."

[endreal]

Tagged by the lovely @splend-42 for a Stop Drop and Selfie! I just got off a zoom call and am still recovering. Not to trick y'all into gazing longingly at my neck, but I always get flushed and splotchy when I have to speak on camera no matter how many times I've done or before!

At this point I choose to interpret it as my body attempting to activate a symbiote that sadly I do not have because the other alternative is simply having either too much blood or not enough skin, and on tumblr that just gets weird

I tag @peaches-and-bees, @callmebliss (since that's what we do this week, it seems!), @anaquana, @such-cartography, @vaultstrega, @quannaix, the handsome @sirhro, @wildhaunt and @idontknowjonsnow if they are willing to participate, and I shadow tag any of the other 47 humans and 10 zillion bots that follow me who want to play because I love seeing selfies of friends and extant entities!

[khada-in-prada]

Oh.. This display was very intriguing. The terror on their faces. The strange gore that blossomed from their corpses. Splended... Truly splended indeed..

But Thresh was not to be in the centerpiece. His human form lurked on the fringes, lantern and sickle vanished for the time to adhere to expectations of a human facade. As he drank in the scene, a tug pulled at the left side of his lips. Eyes; striking teal, settled on the masked stranger. The breathing monster that had left Thresh entertained by the torment. Albeit -- short lived.

Jhin's breath was labored after his exertion, his gun still raised as his eyes were blown wide from adrenaline, thrill and nerves that each performance brought. He slowly lowered his gun as he finished, though raised it again as he noticed someone out of the corner of his eye, as far as he could see behind his mask.

He didn't have any shots left in his gun, but he raised it anyways as he stared at the intruder on his stage. "Excuse me, may I ask exactly what you're doing here?" He huffed, still coming down from his recent high. This person gave off a strange vibe that irked him, and kept his hackles raised. He was cautious of anyone who stumbled upon his work while he was working, who knows what they may think and do?

[sasorikigai]

If you had three wishes that come true without consequences - what would you wish for? @ Scorpion!

If...Questions || @somniaxperdita || always accepting!

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ 🔥 || Finding positivity in something as dark and moribund as death is perhaps the biggest inspiration a human being can achieve. Hanzo Hasashi never feared death; he fears wasting a life for nothing, and as Scorpion, he had wasted enough of it to know that he breathes regrets and remorse. He harbors heavy heart, a heavier black tar of soul encased around it. How the undead wraith grows centuries old by every year lost of Hanzo Hasashi’s stifled silence. He divulged too much of his wounds on a sanguine-bearing Sea of Blood, where the Shirai Ryu ninja’s lost and relinquished will, conscious, discipline, and honor. His entirety still viciously writhes in sweeping paroxysm when he thinks himself being rendered to become Quan Chi’s loyal lapdog, without the proverbiality of Hanzo Hasashi’s whole. 

He still has moments of waking up greasy and warm, sweat clinging to him like the bedsheets he so desperately grasped the night before. Scorpion’s mourning of Harumi Hasashi will continue as long as he takes a living breath. For everywhere he looks, he finds a melancholic beauty, with somber glance in every face he sees. The purified flames may light a scintillating spark for better tomorrow, hoping the dusk will recall her lost soul to come back home; in the dilapidated fragments of his kintsugi heart as the smoldering silence will feed Scorpion’s maelstrom emotions to continue to ravage his being in a monstrous devouring. 

“I would gather all the crimson petal tears flowing downhill from the ravaged mangle of Harumi’s body and make her whole, as a living, breathing being in the cradle of my heart as I will embrace her in all eternity,” his love is absolute, and even when the world becomes an excruciating chisel that will erode his being at all cost, Scorpion will continue to hold her in the most exemplary form of a steeled rose. Even when the arbitrary blackness gallops in to make him depressed, as he shuts his eyes and all the world drops dead, he will seek her out; death and beyond. “I would also like to watch Satoshi conquer his own monstrous demons, lest he he bends and breaks, struggles beneath the tides of his own hate-fueled vengeance, but I know that if he would mature and grow into a fine Shirai Ryu of his own, he will surpass my own feats and achievements. He will even become the youngest Grandmaster ever in the history of Shirai Ryu, narrowly beating my own age. He deserves much more than I could ever bestow upon him. For the splended radiance of his life had been unjustly eradicated without the pursuit of happiness, as he drowned in an empty hollowness instead...” There is deathly silence, as Scorpion’s glinting fire reflects the shrapnel of Satoshi’s tender, shattered bones beneath the absolute merciless of the winter’s despair. 

“In our synchronicity, the Shirai Ryu and I have suffered beneath the scorching inferno of all-destructive nether. I would also like to revive them, for I could not bear to be eternally wounded by my own understanding of love. They are more than the extension of my family, for I have vowed to bleed willingly and joyfully as their Grandmaster, to wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving in solemn duty and responsibility, to rest at the noon hour and meditate the splendor of its space, to return home at eventide with gratitude. Their presence means more than a world to me. All the elders, warriors solemnly dedicated themselves to protect and serve, and all the apprentices and children looking up to their respective caretakers in imitation and reverence. All amounts to exquisite contentment, as I have been extremely lucky to live in wonder and ensorcellment.” 

Such arising vehement passion in his voice thickens, as the gushing magmatic fervency suffocates his heart, its pieces already scattered and ripped apart with the insurmountable loss. The depths of his loneliness, despair, and sinking guilt become the triad that will perpetuate his heartstrings, as the beaten exterior of his being, as fevered heat suffocates beneath his mask. A tsunami of emotions that he had futilely tried to keep in reigns but how they backlash in their vicious violence. Nothing could be held as prisoners for far too long, for the renegade of his intrinsic qualities will always overcome as the haunting scream of his hopelessness becomes roaring and soaring column of hellfire, as his graveled, harrowing scream spills like volcanic eruption, as he oozes magmatic inferno from every orifice. ▬▬ι═══════ﺤ 🔥 || 

[e-icreator23]

Human Splend

[todorokis-left-shoe]

Hawks and Dabi call each other different chicken dishes as pet names

Hawks: I'll see ya later man. I got a hot date with an equally hot Popeye chicken strip!

Endeavor: Don't you ever get tired of eating chicken?

Hawks: Yes..... I am talking about my dinner. Totally not a human being who may or may not be your son a villain. >>;;

**

Hawks, in the middle of an interview: Yes I—

*his phone rings and he answers it*

Hawks to Dabi: Hey Hawaiian chicken breast, what's up?

**

Hawks: How's my spicy hot wing this morning?

Dabi, not looking up from his book, 100% monotonous: Doing splended my Kentucky fried chicken man.

[tail-feathers]

Gethsemane by Mary Oliver

The grass never sleeps.

Or the roses. Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.

The cricket has such splended fringe on its feet, and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body, and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn’t move, maybe the lake far away, where once he walked as on a blue pavement, lay still and waited, wild awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not keep that vigil, how they must have wept, so utterly human, knowing this too must be part of the story.

[bookdragonlibrary]

Halloween

“Hey Ed! Did you choose your costume already?”

“Not yet. But I think you might have an idea, amigo.”

“Duh! I have the idea since summer. Wanna hear it?”

“I’m all ears.”

“Did you watch the Mysterious City of Gold?”

“No, I see where you’re going and no. Besides, it’s not a couple idea?” 

“What do you mean? They are best friends.”

“I’m pretty sure they were... Wait, who are you talking about?

“Esteban and Tao! You already have the hair! Plus it would be really crash for Taos’ peer councelor to come as Tao, don’t you think?”

“My... hair?”

He tugges at a curl without thinking. When he was younger, he could spend hours trying to straitghten it, not hesitating to pull it hard with a brush. Not like it worked anyway...

“Yeah, they’re so crash, amigo!”

Ed bites his cheek to not blush, but he’s sure he failed.

“And we ask Tye to dress as Zia, I presume?” He jokes to hide it, pushing the attention somewhere else.

But he cannot stop himself for imagining his friend in that outfit and a light blush comes on his cheek. He take his composure back, hoping that his dark skin had hidden it. Wasn’t his best idea.

“Do you think he would accept?”

Bart didn’t seem to have noticed. 

“This was sarcasm, amigo”, Ed replies with a smile.

“Ah. It’s Zia? I thought it was Tia... That would have been even funnier.”

“I heard the new season was in Japan, so maybe Sam could find a cosplay too. Maybe Tye would come along if Asami does it.”

Bart cocks his head on the side and Ed explains this new retro concept. He doesn’t need patience just for Bart’s personality but also for his lack of knowledge of the present, even if he learnt a lot since he arrived, but most of it weren’t useful for daily conversation as his special interests were often about facts, science or even art and litterature. 

“Bart, why... why didn’t you ask to Jaime for this?”

“Why would I? Blue doesn’t have Tao’s hair. Plus he does a duo costume with Traci this year. That would be weird if we do a trio costume, right?” he adds with a sad smile.

Ed doesn’t know Traci well, but he knows from Tye they are going out since summer as all the Team and the Runaways spent time together, hanging around all over the country thanks to the Zetatube and also to his dad giving acess to Sam, Tye and him. So he could go to Mount Justice beach and still be on time for dinner in Taos. Sometimes he loves his papá’s technology even if it has to bring him away and take his time.

Jaime and Traci did spend a lot of time together with their new love slowly blooming, didn’t realise sometimes they let their friends behind. Cassie was fine and spent more time with the other girls of the squad. But Bart was all alone and so used to be clinged to Jaime he wasn’t really close with the other members. He was close to Gar but he had to leave the Team months ago. Ed knows Bart could be shy when he’s in a new environment or with new people. And people he barely talked to was as new for him than a stranger. Hopefully Virgil was there and bring him along with his times out with Ed. 

The first time, he was taken aback when he saw his crush appear out of nowhere with Virgil behind and his soft knowing smile, as if he didn’t know what he was doing. Bart was fidgeting all the time, unsure if he had a right to be there, afraid of forcing his way in, until Virgil’s kindness and himself being chill made him at ease. Sometimes Virgil and Bart talked about nerd stuffs he barely undersands but he ignores if it’s because of lack of vocabulary with the language barrier or his own lack of knowledge. Virgil’s clear explanations and Bart’s ramblings helped him so he wasn’t completely lost about the subject. He never saw Bart like this, all serious. No, he was still chill as if he was talking about the weather and not electronical materials and he was still rambling as usual. But it’s all the details he knew about a difficult topic which amazed Ed. So he just listened during most part of the conversation but Bart was still aware of his presence as he explains something whenever Ed frowned at a word or a concept and that made his stomach tighten. Virgil remained silent during this moments and Ed was glad to him for that. 

“Yeah, fine. Whatever. I didn’t have any idea anyway...” Ed finally say, trying to not be too overwhelmed. But maybe it sounded too cold instead?

“Crash!” 

Preparing his costume wasn’t complicated. It was ready pretty fast. Even if Ed was so excited for this day to come, he doesn’t bring his hopes too high. That would be just two friends hanging around at a party. Two single friends, sure. Nothing more.

As he slowly spent more and more time with Bart, Virgil step backward, giving them moments just the two of them. He is closer to Cassie now. With the Team splending in two parts, Cassie was also invited to the Runaways hanging out to not be left behind and alone. And it wasn’t the Team and the Runaways anymore, but one group of friends. Sam became close to Traci thanks to the double dates with Tye and Jaime. Ed was happy for her; she had difficulties to make friends outside the Runaways, certainly because of the language and culture barriers. Traci being half Asian was the bridge she needed.  

The party is tonight. Ed cannot really think about it with all the preparatives he still needs to do. Of course, Tye had refused to come in a Zia’s outfit even if Sam found the idea really cool. But Ed is unsure if he is glad it would be just Bart and him or stressed to not have a third person to not make it awkward. Nobody discussed about the closeness of Bart and Jaime as everyone knows how Bart is: clingy, touchy and a hugger monster and also because they know how much they had to go through together. But how would they react to Bart and him being close? During all the Reach invasion, no trauma brings them together, not in the War World or even in the Reach ship as Ed didn’t know Bart and Gar were in the next room and was barely aware of the other teens around him through the pain. In a way, he relieved it isn’t the trauma or the pain who made them friends, like they were destined to be not matter what. Their friendship is dued to their personalities and not the Reach or being both meta and abducted because of it. He doesn’t want to own this aliens anything. Not even his powers. But still, their friendship is due to normal facts, meaning he could expect “normal” reactions to their closeness. 

He needs to focus on what he’s doing. Like preparing enough food because Bart– Urgh. He went in the kitchen anyway, checking if they would have enough. They have no alcohol beers and cocktails and punch also withtout alcohol, so basically fruit juices, but “cocktail” makes it sound fancier. Especially with a little umbrella in the glass.

When his friends arrive his fears are blown away. With Bart’s entrance, another feeling blooms instead. Bart was really cute in this cosplay. He even created Esteban’s famous necklace with paperboard.

Jaime and Traci have a Disney matching costume as Aladdin and Mulan. Sam was dressed as Haku and Tye as a cowboy, affirming there is nothing more terrifying than colonialism. Ed shares a look with Jaime to decide which one is going to explain it to Bart who frowns. Virgil chose Darui from Naruto and Cassie Sakura from the same universe. Ed thanks him to also took a matching costume with his own best friend. Gar arrives later, transform in a half way between human and animal to look like Michelangelo from TMNT. He was accompanied by Perdita, dressed like Belle, here incognito. Some of her guards are dressed as benevoles helping the Center for the night if anything happens. But he doubts it would be necessary – or even usefull – as Perdita is always surrounded by heroes during the party.

“Ed, mi amigo! You... you don’t wear your costume?” 

And Ed hopes he didn’t imagine the quick sad look on Bart’s face.

“I... I didn’t have a chance to put it on. You know, too much to do. I didn’t see the time passed. But it’s ready in my room. Just give me the time to–” 

He teleports right in his room. He didn’t mean to. He was just too embarassed, blushing too much, wanting to reassure Bart but not doing too much about it either. Now he isn’t sure to put the costume on even if he really wants to, his fears kicking again. Everything is too much. His feelings are a mess, he is overwhelming, completely loss and– He needs to breathe. He needs to tell him, he needs a clear answer, because walking on this string giving him headaches and he wants to stop his hopes before they get too high, before it’s too late to prevent the heartbreak. Or maybe it’s already too late. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t even know what he feels for Bart. Or he wishes it’s true. He wishes he can hide from the truth a little longer, just to be sure he is ready. But he also needs to stop lying to himself: he would never be completely ready for this kind of answer. 

He breathes and put the yellow poncho on. A little part in him still whispers he didn’t imagine things. 

He teleports back in the party and finds his friends nearby. He exhales and walks toward them. 

“Your costume is really crash, Ed!” Virgil complementes, his knowing smile on his lips again.

He would have glare at him to stop if he isn’t blushing already. 

“Edo-kun, you look like the character so much”, Sam approves. “And yellow really suits you.”

“And there’s even a bit of red in it”, Jaime notices.

“Your costume is so crash”, Bart zooms next to him, clinging at his arm. “Where do you buy it?”

“I didn’t. I sewed it mysel–”

He put his mouth shut. Now Bart would probably teasing him because he can sew, a old useless hobby...

“You can sew? This is so crash, amigo! Is there a talent you don’t have?’‘

“I... Uh...”

“Apparently, speaking isn’t one of it”, Tye teases.

Ed rolls his eyes. His friends would be the death of him if Bart’s cuteness doesn’t kill him before. 

“And you, my friend, how did you make your costume?”

“Oh! Grand– I mean Iris bought me regular clothes and helped me costumize it. And Milagro made the necklace! It’s crash, uh? Oh! And she made one for you.”

He reaches in his pocket to give him the present. The necklace was a golden crescent moon to match his golden sun. Ed blushes slighly as he just viewed them as matching love necklaces and quickly push the thought away. 

“Thanks, Bart. But I thought it was Zia wearing the second necklace?”

He smacks himself mentally. He should not have said this.

“It’s not Tao? So moded... I was sure he was him...” 

“It’s ok, I like it”, he reassures while put it on. 

And that’s what enough to make Bart smile again. 

The group talks, mixing with the rescuing teens. Ed is glad to be able to give them something common, to show them they can still have a normal live, powers or not. Some of his friends are dancing, like Traci bringing Jaime on the dance floor with Bart’s help. But the other are shyly stay on the side of the gymnasium. At this picture, he smiles to himself.

But seeing Bart dressed like that, with the same necklace and his usual cuteness, is too much. He walk to the public restroom of the building and put water on his face. 

“Ed, are you ok? I saw you rush in. Are you sick?” 

He turns his face to see Bart. He takes a paper to dry his skin, giving him time to recompose himself and find a good excuse.

“It’s ok. I was just too warm over there, you know, with the crowd. Not really a party type”

Well, half true. The Center opens only few weeks ago so it was pretty empty for now but party was never truely his thing.

When he looks back at his friend, he knows he is doomed: Bart has chocolate all over his lips as he is casually eating a brownie.

“Bart, you have... on your... Just let me help.”

Without thinking about it, Ed takes a new paper, puts some water on it and cleans Bart’s mouth. He really should have think twice  because now he is really close to his lips which are red again and somehow a little shiny with the water. He is lost in his thoughts and at the same time living an out body experience as it moves on its own and kisses Bart.

It is slow and gentle. His lips feels soft under his own. He can still taste the chocolate and ice sugar. He cups his cheek, resting his forehead against his and breathes, finally finding peace in the middle of all the emotions mixing during the night. 

Then panic rises again as he realises what he just did. He steps back.

“Bart, are you ok? Was it ok? I’m sorry, I didn’t–”

Bart’s look makes him stop. He was speechless and his eyes had widened. Ed can’t see if it is because of chock, surprise, fear or disgust. His friend opens his  mouth but looks over his shoulder almost at the same moment. 

“Guys, what is it?” he answers to the comunicator. “Emergency? Yeah, I know, but... Ok, here in a flash.” He looks back at him, as if he realises Ed is still here. “An emergency mission with the Team. Found a new meta facility. I... I have to go.”

Before he can say anything, Bart is gone. 

He screwed up, didn’t he?

When he quits the restroom, Ed wants to talk to Virgil, then remembers he left with the Team too. So he looks for Tye and Sam instead, clutching at his necklace, ignoring if he wants to keep it or tear it. They stay with him, a little away from the party, waiting for him to break in tears or get mad or anything, at least a reaction. But Ed just stay silent, still clutching the pendant.

The Team comes back few hours later with the rescuing metateens. Without the poncho, Ed tries to put a fake smile on his face while welcoming the new students. He avoids Bart’s look as best at he could, not sure what he would discover in his eyes. Tye and Sam joins him, both helping with his work and his feelings. He wants to go see Virgil so much to tell him what happened and ask how Bart was during the mission, his old self or not. But he has responsability first and those kids went on so much more trauma than he did this night. He isn’t a priority right now, no matter how his heart is currently a storm. 

After the welcoming and helping the kids have a room and rest before registration and all the administration work the next day, nobody has the heart for party anymore, tired from the mission. Ed goes to cleaning the room as an automate, his body moving so the mind doesn’t have to think or the heart to feel anymore. 

“Ed?”

With a blank mind, he doesn’t hear it at first. He notice the presence when a hand rests on his forearm. He turns himself to discover Bart, still in his hero costume, with an unsure look.

“Can– can we talk?” 

“You sure you want to talk?”

Bart doesn’t answer. Not with words. He cups his face and kisses him back. Well, with hours delay, certainly. But now, he isn’t afraid anymore of what could come next. Ed frozes an instant, melts in the softness again, taking Bart by the hips. He teleports them on the roof where nobody can see them, interupt them again, where he feels they’re alone in the world. 

“Why? Why did you do this?”

“Freaking out or kissing you?” he chucles nervously, a little out of breath. 

“Both.”

“Ed, I like you. But you don’t like me. You can’t. I’m not what I seem to be. You don’t like a real person. Just a joke.”

“I know you. You’re clever, funny, kind, you care of others. You’re stubborn and determined. Can you dare tell me there’s something wrong on that list? You can’t fake all those.”

“But you don’t know...”

“Your trauma? What you have been trough? It’s ok, you can tell me with time, when you’re ready. I will listen to you, I will confort you and I will still accept and love you after that. I won’t ask for it. I promise. We all have traumas. Heck, Gar said we can’t be true heroes without it, right? I hide sides of myself too, you know.”

Bart is looking at him, his eyes widened as he never sees them. But he can’t place what he sees though. What is hope? Acceptance? Realisation?

He cups his face, pushing him even closer to him, drying the tears forming with his thumbs.

“I know you think noone loves you, that you can’t be loved. I know it’s something you never knew or remembered, that you’re afraid of it. I promise you I do love you. I will show it to you, until you believe me and after.”

Bart bursts into tears, Ed holds him closer. He kisses his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks, his lips. Bart hides his face in his neck, his scent calming his mind while Ed breathes in his hair, smelling the peach perfume. 

“You know, I was always afraid to hug you.”

“You can do it all the time you want. I don’t mind your crashing hugs”, he smile to his hair.

Bart kisses him again, more passionnate. Ed descends on his jaw, on his neck. He goes slow, doesn’t want to scare him, but still overwhelmed with hapiness and the love he can finally expresses.

“Ed...” Bart moans lightly.

The older boy quickly pushes away.

“You ok? Was it too much?”

“Sorry my skin is really sensitive and your slowliness excites me.”

“Ok, maybe it’s better if I stop.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok, don’t apologize.”

Bart hugs him, tears dry and his big smile back on his lips. 

“Oh, Ed?”

“Hm?”

“I lied to you...”

“About what?” 

“I was the one making the necklaces. I was afraid you find that weird.”

“So you have talent in your hands too? Not only the foot?” 

“We can say that.” And Ed can feel his smile against his neck. 

“It’s ok, chiquito. I like it even more.”

“So... Are we boyfriends now?”

“Do you want to?”

The little boy nods against his chest. Ed pets his hair, still can’t processing they had the same size merely a year ago. Bart vibrates in his arm, a quick regular path. The panic rises once more, not quite the same one. 

“Something wrong? Did I–?”

“I’m so happy! You’re my boyfriend now. We’re boyfriends!”

Ed smiles fondly at him, waiting for him to slow down to hold him closer as if he won’t ever let go. And maybe, in a way, it’s true.

“Te amo, novio mio.”

—————

Why I feel is worse than my previous pieces? --’ Sorry for the light angst by the way!

I know Ed is drawn after Spike Spiegel so I wanted to suggest someone new :) 

I totally see Tye casually dropping bombs like that. Was it ok? :/ What do you think of the other costumes? Oh, by the way, does someone know the accurate word for Tao’s “cape” in this show? It’s a poncho or something else?

Thanks to @gegeru I realised I wrote their first cosplay together and kiss for the @zetaflash-week day 1: firsts without even knowing it xD

Day 1 ; Day 2 ; Day 3 ; Day 4 ; Day 5 ; Day 6 ; Day 7

[pleaseanotherbook]

The K-Drama Book Tag

È quasi Pasqua, le giornate si stanno allungando e il sole splende sulle nostre teste e io davanti al pc lavoro, o cerco di lavorare, con una soglia dell’attenzione che si abbassa sempre di più. Leggo poco e male, la sera mi sparo drama su drama in call appassionate con le mie amiche del Team Drama Club e insieme a loro abbiamo anche organizzato una challenge su IG (seguitemi sul mio profilo, @anncleire per vedere le meraviglie create da Chiara). Mentre cercavo ispirazione per un post qui sul blog, perché non leggendo non ho al momento tantissime recensioni da scrivere, mi è venuto in mente di unire le passioni del momento, in un’unica soluzione: un book tag, è da un po’ che non ne faccio uno e mi divertono sempre un sacco. Speravo di trovarne uno già messo in piedi, in realtà, ma dopo una breve ricerca in quel di Google non ho trovato quello che stavo cercando, un Book Tag che unisse i kdrama con i libri, sostanzialmente le categorie definite tramite i drama coreani di cui ormai sono ossessionata (si, ho un problema, lo so, ma sorvoliamo) e quindi sono finita a costruirmelo a mia immagine e somiglianza il mio THE K-DRAMA BOOK TAG con alcuni dei miei drama preferiti.

Enjoy!

Her private life

Un libro o una saga che ti ha reso una completa fangirl

Vi sorprenderò probabilmente con questa risposta, ma capitemi, sono un po’ folle. L’ultimo libro che mi ha reso una fangirl è sicuramente La storia delle api di Maja Lunde che mi ha portato addirittura al Festivaletteratura di Mantova per due giorni per incontrarla. Oramai chi mi segue da tempo sa che ho una leggerissima ossessione per i libri che parlano di api e anche questo non fa eccezione, è un racconto straordinario che lega epoche diverse in un passaggio avvincente e incredibilmente ben costruito, che pone l’attenzione su tante problematiche che affliggono la societ�� moderna e che potrebbero distruggere il mondo così come lo conosciamo. Un lucido disegno di un mondo distopico fin troppo reale. Il meraviglioso intreccio di tre vite, indissolubilmente legate dal fil rouge delle api e della vita, in un racconto organico e variopinto, che esce dagli schemi e urla la premura di non distruggere un ecosistema e un mondo con l’avventatezza di migliaia di piccoli gesti. Un mondo fugace e irresistibile, che non è solo intrattenimento, ma anche monito, per una storia vividissima e indimenticabile.

Because This is My First Life

Un libro di narrativa contemporanea in cui riconoscerti

Probabilmente non è il mio libro preferito, anzi, probabilmente una certa parte di me lo ha odiato profondamente, però Parlarne tra amici di Sally Rooney fotografa bene in pieno un’intera generazione ancorata perfettamente al mondo dell’internet, nerd, con un mare di passioni, proiettata verso il futuro, fortemente tecnologica e allo stesso tempo con chiaro in testa il senso dell’analogico. Il ritratto di una intera generazione, quei millennials precari e contraddittori che cercano di sopravvivere come meglio possono, incostanti e provocatori, e allo stesso tempo incredibilmente fragili e confusi. Leggendo di Frances mi sono resa conto di quanto il nostro vissuto sia universale, come i miei dubbi e le mie paure sono gli stessi dei miei coetanei, di quanto sia difficile superare certi schemi mentali, di quanto sia facile cadere vittime dell’insoddisfazione e di comportamenti meschini e di egoismi tutti umani.

Are You Human Too?

Un libro o una saga sci-fi piena di colpi di scena

Ho pensato molto a cosa mettere in questa categoria e non posso non citare La Trilogia dell’Area X di Jeff VanderMeer (Annientamento – Autorità – Accettazione). Io me ne sono invaghita dopo aver visto diverse recensioni positive e la parte sci-fi unita a quella post-apocalittica mi hanno convinta che fosse il libro giusto per me. Una storia pazzesca, consumante, che tiene desta l’attenzione, arzigogolata, dal ritmo incalzante, un vortice di informazioni e descrizioni accuratissime, che sconvolge e inquieta, lasciando a bocca aperta il lettore, incredulo e sconcertato. Tantissime domande che non hanno ancora risposta, per un primo volume stupefacente. Bramo gli altri volumi, per immergermi ancora nei segreti dell’Area X. Per chi vive di scienza e per chi di scienza non capisce niente.

Goblin

La perfetta bromance su cui fangirlare

Dovevo infilare in un TAG la mia adorata, ma lo farò evitando di citare sempre il mio Divino. Una delle bromance che più mi piacciono è quella che troviamo ne La spia del mare di Virginia de Winter. Cassian ha il fascino del maledetto e i modi da nobile d’altri tempi, un uomo di cui innamorarsi senza possibilità di scampo. Nonostante il suo essere scorbutico e un solitario votato al masochismo di mesi trascorsi a rincorrere un sogno, Cassian non è solo, ma accompagnato da tre fedelissimi amici e compagni di missione, un gruppo di spavaldi giovani alla ricerca di gloria e passatempi per sfuggire alla noia. El Cid, Manuel, un giovane nobile spagnolo scappato da uno scandalo innominabile, accompagnato sempre da una schiera di Mori pronti a sfoderare rinfreschi in qualunque posto e in qualunque condizione. Un giovanissimo e impertinente Casanova, pronto a sfoderare il suo fascino per piegare la volontà di chiunque, e il mio preferito del trio, Monsieur un elegantissimo giovane francese, sempre accompagnato dai suoi spiriti, da sussurri, da modi galanti e da quella superiorità tipica dei cugini d’oltralpe che irretisce e inganna.

The Legend of the Blue Sea

Un libro o una saga dal finale perfetto

Non potrei immaginarmi nessun altro finale per Vani Sarca di quello racchiuso in quello racchiuso in Un caso speciale per la ghostwriter di Alice Basso. niziata nel 2015, ma scoperta da me solo nel 2017 perché sono un po’ scema, la serie segue le avventure di una ghostwriter, come da titolo, in una Torino contemporanea e ricco, e i legami che crea con le persone che la circondano. Alice Basso ha il dono di costruire con ironia e sagacia un intero mondo, a cui è davvero difficile dire addio. Per fortuna che c’è la rilettura. La fine perfetta insomma per un’avventura intensa, in cui le risate si accompagnano agli abbracci. Alice Basso è riuscita a coniugare una storia speciale in cui perdersi, per cercare il mistero e la commedia, il sarcasmo e le lacrime, la forza e la determinazione, perché in fondo la vita è un mix di esperienze in cui “né uragani né tormente ci potranno fare niente”.

Healer

Un protagonista dalla doppia vita

Ho solo un libro chiaro in mente per questa categoria. I cieli di Sandra Newman e non ve lo posso neanche spoilerare troppo. Kate, la protagonista, è una ragazza come potrebbero essercene tante in mondo che si sta affacciando nel nuovo millennio, quel 2000 che nella nostra epoca è stato infestato dal mostro del Millennium Bug, ma che per Kate si affaccia in un mondo migliore. Sembra un’utopia, un miraggio, un sogno. Ma poi Kate si addormenta e si risveglia nel corpo e nelle intenzioni di Emilia, una giovane artista italiana trapiantata nell’Inghilterra di fine Cinquecento. Una storia incerta e assoluta, la sovrapposizione di così tanti layer, di così tante decisioni, che è il risultato probabilmente anche delle interpretazioni del lettore. A tratti angosciante e a tratti illuminante, I Cieli è una storia da leggere in un fiato.

Search WWW

La perfetta protagonista da amare

Avrei la protagonista perfetta per questo libro, ma non posso dirvela ancora. Perciò mi tocca ripiegare su Ead una delle protagoniste de Il priorato dell’albero delle arance di Samantha Shannon. Entrare nel mondo della Shannon è una scommessa perché non sai di preciso se ne uscirai tutto intero, si tratta di una storia lunga ottocento pagine e potrebbe intimidire da più punti di vista. Le immagini che la scrittrice riesce ad evocare entrano dentro e superano le barriere della pagina scritta per fagocitare completamente il lettore. È un fantasy di vecchio stampo, con un mondo completamente estraneo al nostro, ma che allo stesso tempo lo richiama vuoi per usanze, vuoi per cibi, vuoi per i luoghi. Le leggende si intrecciano per creare una storia nuova, un mondo immenso e terribile minacciato da forze oscure in cui alchimia, magia, e lotte per il potere si combattono per la supremazia. Eadaz du Zāla uq-Nāra si nasconde sotto i falsi abiti di Ead Duryan alla corte della regina Sabran. Ma Eadaz non è chi dice di essere, infatti è una delle ancelle del Priorato dell’Albero delle Arance, una comunità antichissima del regno di Lasia, da sempre votata ad uccidere i wyrm, gli sputafuoco, con un compito molto importante, proteggere a tutti i costi l’ultima erede della Madre o Donzella, a seconda del culto di cui ci si riferisce, Cleolind Onjenyu ultima che ha combattuto contro il Senza Nome e l’ha gettato nell’abisso. Ead è più coraggiosa di qualunque altra ancella, e ha anche un dono particolare. Lontana dalla sua casa Ead si adatta come può e soprattutto deve farsi forza per rinnegare il suo credo. La storia ha una forte matrice femminile, molte sono infatti le protagoniste femminili che emergono, ma Ead è sicuramente la mia preferita.

Fight for my way

Una storia d’amore su cui fantasticare

Ormai lei è diventata una delle mie scrittrici salva vita per le romance e non vedo l’ora di mettere le mani sul suo prossimo volume. Notte numero zero di Rebecca Quasi è una di quelle storie che neanche credi che esistano ma ti scaldano il cuore. Costanza e Mario si incontrano per caso in un aeroporto, ma sono destinati ad incontrarsi di nuovo. Sembra impossibile che due come loro riescano ad innescare una tale reazione, ma si sa la chimica è imprevedibile e la Quasi accompagna il lettore in un viaggio affascinante e una storia d’amore emozionante.

E, voi quali sono i vostri drama preferiti? E con che libri avreste risposto?

Fatemelo sapere in un commento.

[thorkingofasgard]

Goodnight people of Midgard. Sleep well and enjoy your Sunday. It shall be splended as my polar bears and I conquer humanity!

-Loki