#I have so many feelings about that one rally oh my goodness

[reinedeslys-central]

iwaoi and oh it's you. every time it's you. I'm running I'm running my knee is killing me but it's worth it this is worth it I'm running past the line and I'm pointing straight at you and everyone can see it. because it's you who else would it be right at this moment it's you it has to be you. win or lose it has to be you. going pro or not going pro it will always have been you. I'm running and I'm making the longest most monstrous set of my life and it's up to you, I'm falling and crashing into the tables and I can barely feel it, I'm scrambling back to our stage and who else could it be right at this moment but us. win or lose. win or lose. six who are strong together are stronger six who are strong together are stronger who else could it be but us. who else would I choose right in this moment when we all know it's going to end one way or another. who else would I choose. but you. every time it's you.

[zorosnavigator]

Timebomb fics rec

A lot of timebomb fics are hiding through a lot of CaitVi/JayVik tagged works on ao3 (while many are also CV orJV centric) so i made this rec post for everyone who dont want to spent 1 hour scrolling or missing some of them bc you're filtering other ships!! (sorry for the short summaries/ i didnt write my thoughts as thoughtfully as i would have liked because.yk.time and all. update chapter count/add of new fics every week)

AU/crossovers fics

Je t'aime (Je t'attends) 3 chapter, WIP.

Hunger games x Timebomb/Arcane, the way the system of the games from the og novels are mixed in the Arcane universe is really masterful, the writer dont lose too much time explaining it but you understand the dynamics of the 2 cities and the characters perfectly anyway.

Where would you be now ? by enaven 5/6 chapters, WIP.

family/modern AU, timebomb feels, Ekko and Jinx are Isha's parents, CaitVi are just silly aunts and i'll never stop recommending this fic

you're the best thing to ever happen to me (but also the worst thing to ever happen to me) by grey_toiletpaper ( @greytoiletpaper ) 3/8 chapters, WIP. Rated T.

Timebomb inspired by 10 things i hate about you.

We Moved Into a Real House (a Wild Field Behind it) by smokesatellite 3/10 chapters. WIP. Rated T.

Modern AU, Timebomb roommates/friends to lovers, Isha is a foster kid...you know where this is going .. (Ekko as a nurse is not something i expected but its surprisingly good. Also the in law feud between Jinx and Cait is very funny)

s1 fics

Silco is less of an asshole

The Heart of Zaun by 1ts_Br1tney_B1tch 8/ chapters. WIP.

or: Silco try to rally the Firelights to his cause (in this case, Zaun - he's much more involved in doing better for his city than in the show) but of course they're bound to have some..tension between them, since they hate him - and Shimmer. (it has the good parent Silco tag so i'd say that all in all, this Silco is a little less...Silco than in Arcane, but manage to keep some of the bite he has in canon...) i only read 2 chapters, and what i can say is that it does a good job with the general cast, the interactions between Silco/Ekko-Firelights are believable, i think the one thing that could have weird me out is the way Silco is said to be 'proud' of the Firelights in the summary (for me 'pride' is something he'd reserve for Jinx yk?? anyway i stop the rambling) . The Timebomb relationship has more or less the same push and pull as in the show, with Ekko thinking about the girl Jinx used to be/ Ekko being a link to the past before Jinx and all that entail...so yeah, i'm loving it!

Powder doesnt become Jinx

The Alpha Command by typewriter_in_galaxy 13 chapters. WIP. Rated E.

ABO/Reverse AU where Powder doesnt become Jinx and is raised by Viktor, Ekko is taken in by Silco. btw i dont read a lot of abo fic (im very nickpick) but this one does every characters justice, and actually dwelve in depth in the abo universe.. (everything by typewriter is good to be honest, but my favorite thing is how they write Powder, who even when she doesnt become Jinx, is still shaped by a very violent world/trauma and it shows through her mental health issues and very, very low self worth/need to prove herself. )

everything's better with a friend by typerwriter_in_galaxy 7chapters. Completed. Rated E.

Timebomb centric rewrite of Arcane, Jinx is Powder, she doesnt fall under Silco's hand (or in his arms precisely), Ekko is Ekko, and 1, i need to hug Powder, 2 she deserves the world and 3 the characterization of everyone, everyone is so brillantly written and the timebomb relationship (damn even the CaitVi one too) oh, the timebomb of it all... they feel so, so real and it hurts, Powder's insecurities, her mental illness, her guilt, her need to prove herself but in same time she doesnt feel herself worth of anything (or anyone) good... just.read it. read it, because i just did, after like 2 years of not doing that and. im like mad bc why didnt i??? but in same time so grateful to just discover it now, taking my sweet little time reading it; it rewinded my brain its amazing, (like this work in another fandom, the first time i read this rebelcaptain's fic A Love song by skitzofreak - did i just linked it for you to read even tho its a timebomb rec post??? yes. yes i did. thats how much i love, adore, worship this one guys - so everything's better made me think a lot of this TB fic, and also of RC (the abandonment issues, thinking that you have to leave first before everyone leave you, Jyn and Powder damn).

Shattered Web by Firewolf2132 1 chapter. WIP. Rated M.

you know how everyone make the comparaison between Ekko and Miles?? well, the author found a way for Ekko transform into a spiderman that feels right in the arcane verse (end of act1) and damn its so good. Ekko slowly morphing and gaining his powers while everyone still have some focus on them (mostly Powder), but it still manages to keep the suspense of the fate of other characters. fabulous. author note: [I have seen so many comparisons between Ekko and Miles and a lot of fanart. So it felt that I had to do this. I can't promise future chapters right now (busy), but I am eager to see if this inspires any stories with a similar premise.]

S2 fanfics

fics covering Timebomb moments between ep 8 Ekko saving her /they painted each other and ep9

Go Back For Her by A_Lily_In_The_Moonlight 3/3 chapters. Completed. Rated E.

Ekko's pov -i only read 1 chapter - we see his thought's process on his relationship with Powder AU/ Jinx, and how he came to the conclusion he must go back to her. the moment where he help Jinx with his Z-drive comes a little differently than in ep8 (well, the aftermath) aaand another fic where Jinx's grief over Isha's death shatters me, the pain and the self loathing/blaming from Jinx really devastating.

I dont believe in God, but i believe you're my savior by mquesterminds One shot. Rated T

[summary: every time Ekko has to rewind time to stop Jinx it cuts to a different moment from throughout their love story because I'm allergic to happiness the moments covering their shared past really make their present 10 times sadder.]

I'm sure we're taller in another dimension by hallwayheart One shot. Rated M. i have nothing to say because i'm still processing what i just read.ty.

Fires That Were Set by ilophilia ( @ilophilia on tumblr) 1 chapter. WIP.

the conversation after Ekko helped Jinx in episode 8. Loved the banter, the emotions (the grief is there and its important to feel it but damn i want to hug them so bad). They tell each other what happened when Ekko was gone, and you feel the distance/the closeness, near intimacy building again and its beautiful..

Hope is a winged beast by Grey_ Unicorn 4 chapters. WIP. Rated E.

prepare you tissues because i was myself not ready for chapter 3 and the emotional wreck of Jinx processing her grief. but here we are.

fics from AU Powder pov/exchange between Jinx and AU Powder

what we left behind by re_dragon_rising 3/3 chapters. Completed. Rated T.

Powder traverses to the og arcane universe 1 year after Ekko's visit. (the insight into her life after Ekko leaves is wholesome and also give the reader a glimpse of the Mylo/Claggor/Powder siblings dynamics + the impact of Vi's death on them. really great. a little sad too.)

The other Ekko by GrammarThyEnemy Oneshot. General audience.

Powder knows this Ekko is not her Ekko.

memento vivere by fuwaaa 1/2. WIP. General audience.

covering the AU episode, Powder knows something's up with Ekko.

See Ya On The Other Side by moth_dust 3/5 chapters, WIP. Rated T.

Powder also travel to the og universe.

these forgotten faces by whippindippin ( @whippindippin on tumblr too!) 6 chapters, WIP. Rated T.

Jinx and Powder body swap and its both the worst and best thing that could ever happen to either of them. great reading and their reaction on point.

Isha is alive

Astrantia by AelinCreativ ( @aelincreativ they're on tumblr too!) 5 chapters, WIP. Rated T.

canon divergence where Ekko saves Isha. a lot of angst. but also a lot of happiness. so we can cry while smiling along with them. great. ty author!!

Ankle-Biter by darkfire1220 8/9 chapters, WIP. Rated M.

Isha is Jinx's biological daughter, Silco is a not so bad (grand) father, and their mother/daughter bond is one a the greatest thing ever. (very slowburn timebomb). Also Vi. i love you Vi.

post s2

we made our peace with weariness (and let it be) by The_FlamingTiger 3/3 chapters. Completed. Rated M.

Ekko and Jinx reconnect in Bilgewater..(and Jinx goes to therapy. that too. its nice)

I don't believe in God (But I believe that you're my savior) by yeonatsu Oneshot, general audience.

Ekko is mourning.

this hunger for love won’t disappear by Amuria Oneshot, rated T.

Months after the battle for Piltover, Ekko begins to dream of Powder. He thinks it’s his grief playing tricks on him. She has different theory.

Francesca (Do You Think I'd Give Up?) by PoetProlific 2 chapters. WIP.

Ekko tries searching for Jinx...(with the help of Caitlyn, yep. and its well done, because I think Cait would help, for Vi. And i love how Ekko-Cait's dynamics might evolve because of this..)

So I met him there and told him I believe by ijustwanttoreadinpeace 3 chapters, WIP. Rated T.

Jinx begins a new life in Bilgewater but is forced to come back... (edit: be warned, this is now an orphan account so idk if there will be more chapters.)

all the 6 timebomb one shot by atabex (the other fics are not timebomb) they're all rated E and oh boy is it worth it. most of these oneshot are gut wrenching and do smut + characters so well... the most recent one is just Ekko and AU Powder ahem doing the boombayah on the rooftop, but yk, with bits of sad and tragedy here and there.

i'm a little ashamed i'm only adding it now but every TB os fics by @shroomystar is 🤌 nothing else to add because each one of them are good. so. (if you want the explicit one-shots it's here and if you prefer without, it's here )

[cosmicobubisi]

Cosmic's Malleyuu Whump vs Flufftober Day 3

wrongfully arrested | "I warned you" / Favorite Scent

They didn't know how they'd gotten here.

It had all been a mistake. Just someone in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Was this an error, somehow? Had they slipped through the cracks of some system, or was this a possible case of mistaken identity?

Right now, it didn't matter. No one was coming to save them. They couldn't call for help, because their phone had been kicked across the floor by their captor.

"Yuu," that very captor grumbled.

What was his intention? To rip them to shreds, devour them whole? To hold them hostage, and random them off? Yuu didn't have anything valuable, any it's not like they were worth much.

"Yuu," that rich voice rumbled again.

They didn't even know if the best move was to fight back, or let their captor have their way with them. Which move would give them the best chance at-

"Yuu."

They jumped a bit in the arms of their kidnapper.

"What?" they bit back.

"What are you thinking about?" he grumbled, straight into their neck. Malleus's breath tickled the hair on their neck.

"Oh, I was just monologing to myself," said Yuu.

Ok, maybe they did have some clue of how they'd ended up here.

Not very many, though. All they'd gotten a few days ago, aside from stood up, was a cryptic text message telling them he wasn't showing up to their usual walk tonight, and not to come by.

Yuu hadn't taken that lying down, and had insisted on having some sort of face-to-face conversation, which had caused them to head to Diasomnia.

They'd believed him to be running from their budding connection, and that had made Yuu awfully upset.

Yuu had already freaked out about it on their own, with their friends. Malleus wasn't allowed to freak out now.

Speaking of their friends, their phone rang, and Malleus gave off an unhappy groan.

"Let me grab my phone. No one ever calls me unless they're dying, or they think I'm dying."

"I warned you," he mumbled, yanking them back quite harshly.

He did. He said not to come by.

Apparently, he'd been hit with some sort of magnetism spell, and needed constant touch. He, and the rest of Diasomnia, knew he'd want Yuu first, so he'd told them not to swing by so as to not create any trouble while the spell worked its way out of his body.

When his dormmates wouldn't let Yuu see him, or even let them wait in the common area, Yuu... may have taken it more than a little personally.

Maybe they'd stomped away, and walked the perimeter of the dorm with Goodram, one of the few beastmen in Diasomnia, heckling them as they tried to look for the third year floor and then for Malleus's window.

It was almost surprising to see how much Diasomina had rallied around their dorm leader, but it also warmed Yuu's heart. They knew Malleus had expressed a lot of insecurity at his role, feeling a distance between him and his perceived subordinates, but at least Yuu knew they were for sure loyal.

Anyways, after calling for Malleus a few times, he'd ended up poking his head out of his window, and Yuu had gotten a glimpse at him. The next moment, they'd been in his room, snuggled up with him in bed, and then Malleus had explained the whole potion thing.

"C'mon," whined Yuu. "The sooner I answer, the sooner it goes quiet. Just let me let them know I live."

Malleus groaned, but summoned the phone in his hands and practically threw it into Yuu's hands. They picked up.

"Hello?" they said.

"Yuu! Are you ok? What's wrong?" It was Ace's panicked voice.

"Oh, I'm all good now! Thanks for checking in," they quickly replied.

"Yuu." They thought that tone was trouble. "You said you were arrested."

"Well," they said, "I was being detained."

"Ugh. Whatever. Call me back later."

"Bye," they said, "and I really am glad you called."

Ace didn't say anything before the phone clicked, but Yuu could basically hear his sideways smile.

"Mmmmm," said Malleus. "Finally. You know, your intoxicating scent drives me to madness."

"Yeah," said Yuu, as Malleus started nuzzling at him. "I can tell."

[earlycuntsets]

My Chemical Romance's Ray Toro talks new album Danger Days

Ray Toro rocks out during a My Chemical Romance concert in Taiwan, 2008. © Nicky Loh/Reuters/Corbis

Intense? Oh yeah. Toro puts his hair into his playing. © Joel Auerbach/ZUMA/Corbis

With the upcoming release of Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys, My Chemical Romance are intent on building on the success they enjoyed with 2006's multi-platinum The Black Parade.

Already the album's first single from Danger Days, the memorably titled and positively bouncy Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na), is making a serious dent at radio. And the album as a whole is a joyride of exuberant, slamming rock that leaves a listener little time to catch one's breath - a far cry from the dark-tinged themes and musical soundscapes that made up The Black Parade.

Getting there wasn't so easy, however, for the New Jersey-based band, which consists of singer Gerard Way, his bassist brother Mikey, along with guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero (drummer Bob Bryar departed earlier this year). Throughout 2009, the group worked with producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Bruce Springsteen), desperately trying to reinvent themselves and capture magic...to no avail. At the beginning of 2010, the band made the painful (and no doubt costly) decision to shelve the album and start all over again, this time reuniting with Black Parade producer (and newly minted Warner Bros Records Label Group Chairman) Rob Cavallo.

"It was a hard decision to scrap the record we had made with Brendan, but in the end it was the right decision," says Toro "Nobody was feeling quite right about what we had done. There was no joy in the record. It had nothing to do with Brendan. We were the problem."

The difficulties in recording Danger Days the first time, is there anything specific you can point to?

"We were just burnt out. The touring schedule on The Black Parade was very hectic, and it probably went on six months longer than it should have. When we started talking about what the next album should be, we saw The Black Parade as the enemy - it was a big, theatrical rock record, and we were wearing the costumes and stuff. We wanted to go the other way.

"So we spent 2009 writing and recording and trying to do a real stripped-down record. I remember distinctly, whereas in the past I would have laid down a bunch of different guitar tracks, harmonies and stuff, this time I said, 'No, I can't do that.' After a while, it started to feel like I was going against my nature."

Did Brendan ever say to you guys, "This is good, but it's not great?"

"He was really trying; he did the best he could with us. He knew things weren't clicking, and he'd try to rally us. I remember he said, 'Hey, on some songs, I'd love to hear you do what you did on The Black Parade.' Because there wasn't any of the harmonized guitar parts or the stacking that I usually do. He was trying to get us to make one record, and we wanted to make something totally different.

"Musically, we wanted to go back to our basement. But just because we wanted to do something different didn't make it easy. In many ways, we felt as though we were holding ourselves back creatively. We were going through the motions. Some of the songs were good, but we weren't happy with all of them."

Did any songs from the original sessions make the finished album?

"Yeah, but we recut them. There's Bulletproof Heart, Party Poison and a song called The Only Hope For Me Is You. Those songs always excited us, so we weren't going to lose them."

Having worked with Rob Cavallo on The Black Parade, I assume he was the natural choice to come in after you tabled the first attempt at Danger Days.

"Rob's always been one of our biggest cheerleaders, and he and the rest of the guys at the label totally backed our decision to start over again. Originally, Rob came in to work on some mixes and see if he could help things along, but before long it became clear what we had to do.

"With Rob, we got the band back. We got out creative energy back. I think one of the problems with the sessions with Brendan was, we had already decided what the album should sound like, and in hindsight, you really can't do that. You have to let the music speak and be what it wants. We found our sound again, and it was exciting."

The record seems like a stark contrast to The Black Parade. It's more hopeful and upbeat.

"It's weird. That wasn't the goal at any point. I think it was just how we were feeling in the studio once we got back on track with Rob. In 2009, the record was kind of strange, and not everybody in the group was sold on what we were doing. Once we got going with Rob, like I said, our spark came back. So maybe that's why it sounds, you know, the way it does."

As a guitarist, who are your influences? Who did you listen to early on?

"Really, my biggest influence was my older brother, Louie. He was awesome, man. He was 17 or 18 when he started playing. I shared a bedroom with Louie and my other brother, Ed. And I just remember being in bed and hearing Louie play the guitar till all hours of the night and into two in the morning. He was great.

"That's how I first got into the guitar, from hearing and watching Louie. He was into Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Metallica, Motley Crue - a lot of classic rock with some metal thrown in. So I got into that stuff as well. He helped me out a lot. He had a stack of Guitar World magazines - I'd go through them and look at the tabs. Then I got more into guys like Jeff Beck and David Gilmour."

How did you develop your style into what it is now?

"I think it's a mixture, the classic rock and then more metal bands. Megadeth, Pantera, Metallica, Iron Maiden - I think I have more of a faster-riffing, minor-key kind of thing going on. Then, as I got older, I got into punk bands. So I mix it up: I love the attitude of punk, but I love the precision of a lot of the metal players."

With influences such as you mentioned, what kind of practice schedule do you adhere to? Punk players are more about vibe and spontaneity -

"I know what you're getting at. I definitely used to practice more. I think I found that the best middle ground is one where you're hitting your notes and feel comfortable on the fretboard, but you still want to leave room for attitude and freshness. Listen to a guy like Stevie Ray Vaughan, who's one of my favorites. He's a flawless player, but you hear the heart and soul there - he's reacting for the moment."

How did you come to join My Chemical Romance?

"It's funny. Gerard said that I was the best player he'd ever heard, which kind of floored me. I don't think that's true, but it was nice that he would say that. I didn't have to audition or anything. We were friends, so he already knew what I could do. I think he knew that I was always trying to push myself as a player.

"And I still am. I love searching for new lines and parts. Every song is a challenge. That's what keeps me excited. For instance, there's a song on the new record called Planetary (GO!), and I had to try to figure out how to make the guitar sound like a keyboard or a synthesizer. What I ended up doing was using an Electro-Harmonix POG, which is one of my favorite pedals. It's sick - you have all of these octaves to play with. So I found some great sounds to use there.

"On a song like Save Yourself, the playing is more precise, with heavy palm mutes on the verses. The solo is more of a pentatonic thing, kind of like what Kirk Hammett might play. So exploring all of those aspects but trying to keep it fresh and with a bit of a punk spirit is what keeps me going."

Two guitar bands are funny animals: one guy can't do what the other guy does. Do you find that you have to change your style or hold back in any way to play with Frank?

"No, not at all. I love playing with Frank. Our styles are very distinct. He's much more melodic than I am. If you listen to him, he's always harmonizing with or backing up the vocal melody. His guitar is more like another lead vocal. I guess I'm the 'lead guitarist' per se, but we're always swapping roles. Sometimes he does little leads on the choruses. He so free. He's got an energy that I find very inspiring."

In the past, you've played Les Pauls pretty exclusively. Are those still your go-to guitars?

"Yeah, definitely. But I'll tell you, recently I had the chance to play one of Jimi Hendrix's Strats. Totally mind-blowing! This guy, Jimmy from Mates Rehearsal Studios in California, has one - I had shown for practice, and I didn't have a guitar to play. So Jimmy let me play this Hendrix Strat that he got from Jimi's old guitar tech. The thing was beat to shit, but it was the best-playing guitar ever. I played it for a year - Jimmy let me use it in the studio. Man, I loved that. It was fucking awesome!

"Live, I'm still a Les Paul guy, but playing Jimi Hendrix's Strat really got me interested in Strats and other guitars. In fact, I'm in desperate search for the ultimate Tele to play. If I can find one, I'm there."

Lastly, let me ask you about your drummer situation. You recently got a new guy in…

"Well, not really. My Chem is a four-piece, and we're going to stay that way. We've been playing with Mike [Pedicone], who's a good friend of ours. He's terrific, but he's not an official member. I think we're going to stay a four-piece."

11/18/2010 joe bosso with music radar ray toro interview

[acronym49]

Obey Me! Characters react to mc being a dragon

(trying my hand at writing headcanons, let me know what you think! Other brothers + dateables are a work in progress)

__Lucifer__

He's not optimistic. His brothers are hard enough as it is, but adding in a new large creature? It'd be better to just keep you down with Cerberus. Maybe he'd enjoy the new playmate.The annoyance turns to intrigue when he learns you have the mind of any other demon (or person, if you will). And you can speak? Strange. This wont make him like you by any means, of anything he will be very distrusting. As you live there, though, he starts getting used to you. He even enjoys your odd antics, and especially the way you can rally in any ensuing chaos (despite how often you cause it).On one or two rare occasions, he'd absently try to pet you on the head when he was in that 'dead tired from paperwork' state. Depending on your reaction, he might do it more. When/if he does end up falling for you, expect to be near him a lot (obviously). There's not so many head-pats, but he likes to have you sit next to him while he's working or reading, sometimes absently stroking you neck or asking your opinion on whatever he's working with. There'll definitely be some teasing as to how catlike you are at times, but he means it lovingly. *he might put a collar on you if you ask-*He wouldn't ever be the type to outright ask to ride on your back, but I have the feeling he'd make subtle hints to it.'Ah, darn, the ride canceled last second. How can we get there now?' Ykyk. He'll turn you down the first time when you ask if he wants to fly with you, but that's just the pride talking for him. He'd love nothing more. After all, one of the most powerful lords of hell swooping in upon a dragon? You two would be an awe-inspiring duo, that's for sure.

__Mammon__

Ugh, he's gotta watch the new student? Lame! Humans are so- what the fuck is that?He dosen't know how to react at first. This is the thing he's looking after? It'll be awkward for the first few days, but as we know, he falls for MC fast. Awkward silence changes to him griping about how you always have to follow him. After the pact, though, he realizes you're not so bad. You tease him a little bit, sure, but he notices how you praise him, too. Just simple compliments, like how he looks good in his shades, how he's so good at math, how he's super fun to be around. It makes him feel better, y'know? Other demons also seem to be a bit less inclined to make fun of him when you're around, especially when you growl at them for being so openly mean. After a little bit of time, you two are basically glued at the hip. Depending on the kind of MC you are, you two could be the ultimate partners in crime or the closest confidants (or both!). There'll never be a boring moment with you two.It wont take him too long to ask to fly on you (probably be one of the first things he asks you tbh- it's like a joy-ride squared)He'd be respectful but mopey if you say no, but if you say yes? That's a happy demon on your hands right there. Be sure to set some boundaries, though, he might not wanna go by car anymore (like when you give a hognose snake a toad and they refuse to go back to pinkies lmfao). He'll try and get you to learn some aerial maneuvers, maybe how to spin or go upside-down (it's harder than it looks). When you two aren't flying or causing chaos together, you're both just hanging out. When he's relaxed, he likes to trace his hand over your smooth skin/scales/feathers/fur. He can't help it, the texture's just so soothing. Don't point it out, though, he'll go BRIGHT red. He likes it when you two watch movies together, or when you browse Devilgram with him over his shoulder. Feel free to nuzzle him and cuddle up, this man loves it. Sometimes he returns the favor, using you as his own sort of couch while he talks with you, sometimes giving you a peck here and there.

__Leviathan__

Oh this man is hyped from the start. A whole-ass dragon? LIVING with him and his brothers? What could be cooler? He has an internal war between wanting to get a good look at you and being really nervous to get too close. That nervousnes amps up when he realizes you can talk. You might think he's a hallucination at first with how fast he darts out of sight the moment you try and look at him. Fortunately, Mammon's debt to him is what spurs your first interaction. After, he's a little bit more ok with being percieved. He plays it cool at first, not wanting to seem too pushy, but he can't help but barrage you with questions when he gets the chance. It's actually quite a fun time, especially if you love infodumping as much as he (and I) does. You ask your own share of questions as well, about the Devildom, about him, about the games and figures he loves. As you two get more relaxed with one another, you both love to sit and chat about each other's hyperfixations. You can't exactly game with him due to your talons (not comfortably, anyways), but he lets you watch over his shoulder while he games. It makes his victories that much sweeter, and any losses a tad more bearable. Sometimes he lets you go on the mic to startle or taunt the other players, just for fun. It's hard to tell exactly when the relationship begins and the friendship ends, it's a smooth transition that neither of you really notice until you're literally cuddled up together, watching Assasination Classroom on his phone at 2am. It takes a surprising while for him to ask to fly with you. You may have to be the one to bring it up, actually. Nervous the whole time, 100%. He may decline, but upon numerous reassurances he'll agree. I think it's like... that test drive scene from httyd. It's so unfamiliar at first, being high up, with the wind blowing so fiercely. After a while, though, something clicks with him. He'll gain that confidence, guiding you (with your permission) where he wants to go. Something about that wild, windswept sensation of being a mile up in the air melts his nerves. It's just you two and the sky. The others are def gonna be jealous about how well you fly together.

(Feel free to tag with your dragon ocs! Sorry for any spelling errors lmao my eyes tend to skip over words sometimes)

[briarberrythornedhart]

Reading You Right

18 plus, darlings or do not engage

CW: explicit language, smutty talk, dom/demeaning tone with established consent

Eddie - even from a very young age - (hyper) focused on people's body language. He saw micro-expressions and noted when they didn’t sync up with what people were saying out loud. And he used that information to understand, control and -to a certain degree- manipulate situations.

For Hellfire Club, that helped him with creating an experience his players enjoyed (yes. even when they bitched about him being stingy with XP, or throwing them into peril, he knew they liked his style overall. It shouldn’t be too easy or players wouldn’t appreciate their wins, right? Of course right.)

With you, it made him the sweetest boyfriend ever born. And very good (uncannily so) in bed.

Over time Eddie memorized every hitch of your breath, every bite of your lower lip, every flutter of your eyelashes, the way you lifted your chin to give him access to your neck and throat. He enjoyed learning All the ways he could make you happy.

Of course he’d much prefer you make as much noise as possible, but he didn’t need his ears to know what was going on in your dirty little mind. You didn’t have to make a sound and he still knew he was treating you right.

🎲 💀 🎲

Hellfire club had moved to the weekends and now met in Dustin’s basement. Eddie graduating meant he didn’t have the blackmail hold on Principle Higgins anymore so meeting on school grounds was out of the question. But it was easy to convince Ms Henderson to host ‘game club’ once she knew Dustin would be home and safe.

After a particularly tricky Hellfire session - puzzles, traps, the near-death of Will’s wizard, your Paladin losing her ancestral sword when you rolled a one - everyone was heading out and Eddie asked you to help him carry his D&D gear to his van. Not that there was too much to carry on his own. This just felt like an excuse to make out a bit. To get each other more and more turned on until you both wished you could move in together already and not have to sleep apart so often. But rent is expensive, and you had work early tomorrow morning, and Hellfire always runs late.

Anyway, you were always more than enthusiastic about helping Eddie clean up after the game. Making the night last just a little longer. Getting his sweetness all to yourself for as long as you could.

Out in the dark, with only a waning moon and some holiday lights on neighboring houses to light his handsome face, he backed you up into his drivers side door with a smirk. You couldn’t wait to feel his body pressed against yours and you were on fire with wanting his lips. But he stayed a few too many cruel inches from you.

“You like it when I’m mean to you in game.” He accused.

You may have gasped. “What!? No, I just appreciate that you don’t treat me different than the others. You know, just cause we are together… you don’t pander to me or go easy on me. I like that.” You rallied. You slid a hand under his jacket to rub his back.

“No, sweetheart, you get excited when I goad you or mock you or…laugh at you. Like… really excited.”

“Oh, Eddie, c’mon, I get excited by you all the time. Just heavy eye contact from you makes my heart race. Please.” You laughed nervously and twisted your hands in your skirt. Looking down at the ground.

Eddie leaned on one arm against the door and used his other hand to lift your chin and get your eyes back on his. He pushed a lock of your hair gently behind your ear. “I mean, I’ve seen girls go crazy over total assholes before but I thought you liked that I’m your very Nice boyfriend. Not a dick to you. Just Your. Devoted. Servant. I didn’t know you’d like it if I was mean.” His tone was playful.

“I like every side of your multi-faceted personality. I adore when you are thoughtful and kind.” You took a deep shaky breath. “But it does I guess sorta do something to me when you mock me or are a little extra… I dunno… mean but in a joking way? It’s probably b-because I trust that later you’ll be so… so good to me and…” why were you nervous? This was total cinnamon roll Eddie, your dreamboat boyfriend.

“Okay, okay… At ease, soldier.” Eddie huffed a laugh and leaned in close enough that you offered your lips for a kiss that he didn’t give you, yet. “If I’ve got you this worked up from just making fun of how bad your die rolls went… do you want to hear how I can see every time you squeeze your thighs together and lick your lips at me during the game. Brazenly, In front of aaaalll our friends, showing me you can’t wait for me. That — when I walked behind your chair tonight I saw you shudder and arch your back as if you wanted me to feel you up — right then. You were so needy and honestly a little pathetic for me, princess. I had to be more theatrical and clown around like a jester to keep the other players eyes off you- you were so ::chuckle:: obvious about how bad you want me.”

It wasn’t so dark out that you couldn’t see the challenge in his eyes, he was watching you so intently he could probably see your heated blush. You swallowed and it sounded loud in the silence.

“Well? Am I right or wrong?” He asked but he knew. He totally knew.

“You are…. Right. I’m sorry I made you work harder tonight.”

Then he smiled again, sexy and demonic.

“You say you are sorry, sweet thing, but I don’t think you really are. Anyway, you can’t help it, can you?” He taunted you. He’d never done this before and you were not even sure how to react. This was a brand new game. “Look at you, legs spreading, leaning into me hips first. All turned on over some light trash-talk from your mean ol’ DM. Does that mean, if I reached up under your skirt right now I’d find you wet for me?” He dropped his voice to a dark whisper “Are those panties fuckin’ soaked right now? I think they must be. And since you clearly don’t mind getting all worked up in public, I wonder if you’d let me finger you right here. Out in the open where some neighbor might come out for a smoke and see you writhing on my hand extra excited because I’m talking down and dirty at you. You know what they’d think, look at that scary metal-head taking advantage of that sweet girl. So innocent. Not the kinda girl who would instigate something naughty ever. Oh no. Not the kinda girl who would Beg for me.”

“Please Eddie.” You were begging. You’d never even had to ask for anything from Eddie before . he always knew what you wanted sometimes before you even knew it. And he was always so kind and generous and super silly a lot of the time. He could make you laugh one minute and then melt you with hot kisses the next. But usually you were in control. Not now.

Yes, you were begging, and you didn’t want to stop! what was he doing to you??

“Please..?What?” He licked a canine and his slow knowing smile made you ache deep inside.

“Please let me make it up to you. In your van. Right now.” You managed to stutter out.

He hummed in approval. He opened the back door. “After you, princess.”

[thisthirstisreal]

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FINALE AND I MUST SHARE THEM

Okay, to preface I want to say that I have been very ambivalent about the current KNY season. I can understand both sides of the mixed reception, one declaring that Ufotable is padding things out too much, the other saying that this is perfect to flesh out slice-of-life character moments that weren't present in the manga. Me, I find myself agreeing with both sides and have been having mixed feelings. Either way I've kept watching.

So the finale just dropped. And oh my gosh. It's so. Fucking. Good. I loved it — and not just because of the animation, which was bonkers this episode and obviously one of its main highlights. But I'm not here to talk about that.

The narrative was SO good.

From the moment Muzan meets Ubuyashiki, he calls him hideous. This is very important. Their entire meeting this episode revolved around their different ideologies — Muzan believes in the beauty of immortality, while Ubuyashiki believes that true immortality stems from human bonds and wills. He makes an excellent point: after he dies, the Demon Slayer Corps will continue to thrive, if not rally harder against Muzan because of their bonds and Ubuyashiki's legacy.

If Muzan dies, everything he stands for ends with him.

Look at Muzan. He's beautiful. He is unblemished and young and Amane even describes his physical appearance out loud. In contrast — Ubuyashiki is, well, not looking great. His skin is scaly and he's covered in bandages and he's coughing blood. That's the point. Mortality can be ugly. People decay, people die, but what matters is that their bonds and traditions live on forever. That's literally the definition of culture in our real world today.

During the climax, we see that. We see Muzan stripped of his beauty again and again, to reveal all that monstrosity beneath his skin before his beauty is restored.

Meanwhile we don't see those demonic visuals with Ubuyashiki and his family — because they died and disappeared into nothing in the fire. We don't see their skin stripped away, their eyeballs bulging from raw muscle, nothing. They moved on with grace. Mortality can appear ugly on the surface, and immortality beautiful, but the author is trying to tell us it's the OPPOSITE if we look deeper.

Is this a groundbreaking theme? Hell no. There's nothing subversive or unique about this, and that's perfectly fine. There is a reason Demon Slayer is so popular, and part of it aside from the animation is, ironically and unbelievably, the story. Because simple storytelling can also be incredible if executed right, and Gotouge knocked this out of the park.

Man, just seeing all the Hashira pull up to attack Muzan, Gyomei being entrusted by Ubuyashiki to pull Ubuyashiki's scheme off, Tamayo showing up (really ties up her debut this season) and weaponising the Blood Demon Art from the man Muzan carelessly turned into a demon in S1 was so good. Time and time again, Muzan has done things at his whim without giving a shit about the consequences because he doesn't think there are any. He says so himself — that he doesn't face retribution.

He was wrong. Everything he did caused a ripple effect that led back to him. I loved how Gyomei's backstory last episode tied in with his respect and love for Ubuyashiki this episode. How Ubuyashiki saving him from prison sealed Gyomei's loyalty to him and how this bond lived on in Gyomei with his entrance against Muzan. I loved how Ubuyashiki's character was portrayed. He's not physically strong, he's not a swordsman, but he's a leader, a conveyer of wills, a symbol, and we felt how he conveyed his message to his Demon Slayers and to Muzan in this finale. He had to die to expound his message.

He was the perfect foil to Muzan's character (Muzan, who was also born sickly but went down a different path, who clung to immortality rather than accepting his death) and he truly went out with a bang. RIP.

This may not be a perfect season for everyone. But I am so fucking glad it happened anyway. I can't wait for Infinity Castle. I can't believe this episode was so phenomenal when we haven't even gotten into the peak of the series (the movies).

[tinytalkingtina]

Not a "Big Deal"

Written for the @strangerthingswritersguild kinktober day 21 prompt "ride" Rating: E (18+ only please) | ~1.3k words | Ao3 link

A sequel to Not Your "Cute Little Button" from day 10 (either can be read as a standalone though, just wanted to give these two a chance to let Eddie top in the micropenis AU <3)

Tags: Steve/Eddie, Eddie has a micropenis, mutual insecurities, blow job, fluff/smut/comfort, anal sex, Top Eddie/Bottom Steve, Steve's oral fixation continues to be happily fulfilled, modern AU, bisexual Eddie and Steve (it's not brought up in this one but I want it to be known lol), no feminization, the boys fall hard for one another

Many thanks to steddiecameraroll-graphics for the divider!

Eddie stared at the box of condoms, half expecting it to explode at any moment. The packaging claimed they were good for a “snug fit.” As if that would preserve his dignity for being too small to buy normal sizes. Belatedly, he realized Steve had continued talking after he had walked in and slapped the incriminating object onto the counter like it was nothing:

“I figured the kind I usually use probably wouldn't fit on you so uh, I got these? The lady at the store said they'd work fine unless you were super thick.” Of course Steve would have no problem asking someone what to buy for a tiny dick.

“You…you really want me on top?” Eddie asked. Steve nodded eagerly.

“Are you sure? It's okay if you don’t, it might not feel super good if I can't reach your prostate and you should feel good, it takes two to tango after all, right? Not that I'm saying I don't want to, because holy shit, you have a ‘well-turned ass’ as a French peasant would say, or maybe they wouldn't say that because it's too lustful and the Church of course—”

“Hey,” Steve interrupted his ramblings before he could launch into a wildly off-topic tangent about medieval Catholic guilt. “Weren't you just saying last week that the rim is a, what's the word, erroneous zone?"

“Erogenous,” Eddie wheezed, his face bright red.

Steve snapped his fingers.

“Oh yeah that's it, erogenous! When you do that thing with your tongue I see fucking stars man, so why wouldn't your dick feel the same? Don’t think we’re gonna have a problem though. Your fingers are shorter, and they've definitely managed to reach my prostate. If the play ends up not working then we'll regroup and try out another one, yeah? Change up the position.”

Eddie squinted at his boyfriend.

“Are you trying to give me a pep talk like this is the championship ball game and I'm the next guy up at bat to make free throws?”

“First of all, you know they’re called home runs, you came to two games when my kids made the playoffs, and second of all I don't know what you're talking about,” Steve said, like a lying liar. "It's working on you though, isn't it?"

“…A little.”

“Good.” Steve gave him a confident smirk, and G-d, Eddie had never been more attracted to the man. “Get undressed already so I can blow you first. Want you to last if I'm gonna ride.”

He eagerly followed him to the bedroom, leaving shed clothes in their wake without a second thought. Two months of dating and Steve lavishing compliments on him any chance he got meant that Eddie's instinctive self-consciousness about someone seeing him nude was finally giving up the ghost.

After one enthusiastic blow job—holy shit did his boyfriend love having something in his mouth when there was no risk of gagging—Eddie was rather proud of the valiantly quick rally on the part of his dick, eager to get to the main event of the afternoon. 

Steve pushed him onto his back against the pillows. Impatiently, he rolled the condom down and slathered on some lube before straddling Eddie’s legs. They both moaned as Steve slowly lowered himself, relaxing quickly.

A whispered “fuck!” escaped his mouth as he bottomed out and without pause began to frantically bounce straight up and down.

“Feels okay sweetheart?” Eddie had to check, even if another part of him continued to thrust in time to match Steve’s movements.

“Yes. See, I ohhh, told you so,” he said breathlessly, giggling when Eddie stuck out his tongue in retaliation. Steve was so beautiful like this, lit up in gold by the setting sun, chasing his pleasure with abandon.

As his boyfriend rode him ever faster, Eddie had to concentrate on not coming for a second time so soon. He grabbed Steve’s hips when he finally lost his balance and collapsed onto his chest, stomach muscles trembling from the effort of keeping himself upright for so long.

The movement was too much though, and Eddie felt himself slip out enough for Steve to whine in protest.

“Shit, lost it,” he said, desperately trying to find his prostate again from this angle, but it was no use like this. The bitter voice at the back of his head got louder and more insistent the longer he took. Steve was going to leave him now, he couldn’t satisfy him. He’d be nice about it probably, let him pick up the things he’d left in his apartment but—

“Eddie?” A hand to his face shook him out of the spiral. “Do you wanna stop?” Steve’s thumb brushed his cheek and came back wet.

“N-no but I’m so s-sorry, I can’t make you feel good.” Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and stilled his hips. “I can blow you or eat you out, whatever you want, just let me get rid of the condom and—.”

He let out a yelp when Steve suddenly flipped them over without pulling off, and locked his legs behind Eddie’s back.

“If you don’t want to stop, can you tell your brain to shut up? Told you we might just need to change the position.” He huffed out. “Come on, what I want is for your abs to get a workout instead of mine now.”

It took a few seconds for Eddie to process what Steve had said. But another bitchy demand had him get with the program. He hitched Steve’s legs higher over his shoulders before grinding down. Better able to move like this, it wasn’t long before:

“Yes, there, right there, please don’t stop!” Steve writhed underneath him, openly moaning as his hand drifted closer to his dick, where it slapped against his stomach with every thrust.

“There you go,” Eddie panted. “So gorgeous, so good for me.”

Steve moaned louder and looked up at him with pleading eyes. His lips, still slightly puffy from the earlier blow job were so inviting. Eddie gave into his impulses and stuck a couple fingers into Steve’s mouth. His boyfriend sucked them down and hummed happily. The sight had Eddie careening straight towards an orgasm. He just barely managed to hold it off while babbling:

“There you go, just needed to be filled up on both ends huh?” Steve frantically nodded. “That’s good sweetheart, take what you need, you’re so tight around me holy shit.”

It didn’t take much more encouragement for Steve to finally stiffen and come. Squeezed from all sides, Eddie pretty soon followed him over the edge.

Later, after they’d wiped themselves off and changed into clean clothes, Steve curled up in his arms like a giant contented house cat. Eddie considered letting three words slip from his lips, ones that he hadn’t quite worked up the guts to let out just yet.

“Thank you,” he settled for instead. “You’re kind of a mensch when it comes to dealing with my shit, you know that right?”

Steve didn’t open his eyes, just nuzzled further into his neck as he snorted. “I’ve dealt with worse shit than yours. ‘sides, it’s worth it, you make me happy. I'm gonna start yelling at your brain to fuck off with the bullying,” he continued. “Not too good to fight it to get the point across for someone I lo-like. Someone I like a lot.”

Steve heartbeat plucked out a staccato rhythm against his chest from his slip-up.

Eddie placed a kiss on his forehead and held him tighter, hoping it conveyed the intended meaning. Someday soon, he’d find the courage. 

Because Steve was worth it too.

Author's Notes, aka some irrelevant G-rated world building for this AU: -Steve is an activity coordinator at the local YMCA and coaches Little League. His team didn't win the playoffs that year, but they were very excited to be there! -Eddie is a session musician. Wayne has a display of the albums he's appeared on in his trailer, right under the mug collection.

[blockgamepirate]

I've gone through a lot of emotions since Shubble's stream, but the one that I feel the most right now, after going through several layers of mental barriers, is actually RELIEF

For years we've been watching this guy and his interactions with people and feeling this sense of frustration and unease that we haven't wanted to talk about because it would have had such bad implications on a popular streamer who so many people love and who's best friends with the streamers we love, and always having to go "oh it's probably just a bit" or "they probably talked about this off stream" or "he probably just doesn't realise what he's doing" etc. etc.

Always thinking it wasn't worth the drama to call out his behaviours as shitty

Not worth pointing out how he constantly managed to convince everyone that he was smarter than anyone else and always right, making his friends feel stupid and insecure even when they were actually right and he was wrong

Not worth pointing out how weird he was around his female friends, not worth pointing out how he would bring them into social situations only to then dismiss them, ignore them and push them aside

Not worth pointing out how controlling he was towards all his friends

Not worth pointing out.... except in private, with friends we felt safe talking about these things with

We have Discord logs of these discussions going back three years, these discussions about how we saw him do something shitty on stream to one of his friends that we cared about and how shitty it made us feel... but it would have been wrong to say that publicly, to parasocially accuse a famous stranger of being a bad friend. It wasn't our place to make that callout

And we could never know for sure if he really was a bad friend or if it just seemed that way because all we saw was his streamer persona

So yes, THANK YOU SHUBBLE

I just feel like my own trust in my own feelings and rationality has been validated

(Obviously it's a bad idea to think you can tell when someone you literally don't know is actually secretly an abuser; this sort of thing is constantly used as a weapon to cancel streamers some people don't like. Including by manipulative CCs who are very talented at making themselves seem like the victim and rallying their fans against their enemies)

(But maybe it's good to learn to recognise some warning signs anyway, even if you don't outright accuse them of anything)

[therealslimshakespeare]

Ugh this blog has been bursting with content lately which I love love love love. I haven’t sent many asks but trust me when I say I follow them religiously. But amidst all this controversy about Maureen and the resurfacing of the fight between her and Ida, I do just want to say that, all that stuff and discourse is so fun and special and it’s amazing that you’ve created all of it, but in addition to that, there’s so much other stuff about ur blog that’s incredible as well. The biggest thing that I think is, I know this sudden surge of asks about Tallulah Smith that started at the start of summer and just has continued on since, might have surprised you and certain readers. And I feel like it might be easy to boil that all down to “oh well she’s not as controversial as some of the other characters so she’s easy to like”, and while that might be true to some extent, if I can offer a bit of context to all that, I have been a part of SO many fandoms over the course of so many years and this is actually pretty common. A lot of the time, with historical shows especially, where a lot of the characters and therefore the OCs that are created are white, people in the fandom who are NOT white will find one creator or one blog who is doing gods work in representing history in a more diverse way. And they will absolutely rally around the OC/ OCs created by that individual because hello?? Where else am I gonna get this sort of representation?? And like I know, I know, people might think oh but this is just fanfic, it’s not that deep, but the thing is, it absolutely is that deep. I mean think about all the people that have Indigenous family members who fought in world war two and didn’t get recognition or respect. Or all the people who might have family members that experienced racism and discrimination in the army. OF COURSE those people would be so intrigued by what you’ve created here and OF COURSE they’d be so excited by Tallulah. And I just don’t want you to think that she’s comparatively flat or boring compared to the other girls. You’ve really created something thats so incredibly special for so many people by writing her character. I mean even just her backstory aside from her identity, I was so thrilled and amazed to see this brave and incredible young girl who’s in a male dominated field and who’s going through it but is still SO gracious and tender hearted. Like even ONE of those qualities of hers is enough to absolutely adore her and of course I love her for her strength and bravery and ambition AS WELL AS her identity. And I know you said a few things about being surprised that everyone was up in arms for her and Sanchez so early on, again, I personally was not the least bit surprised at that just because of the fact that this fandom is sort of limited in what it explores. And I know that it might not have been your intention to have ur blog and this universe be THE haven for a lot of BIPOC members of this fandom, and I hope it’s not an insane amount of pressure to insinuate that it is?? Cause part of why what you do is so special is how it’s folded in so seamlessly, you acknowledge the identities of these women while also not making it the only thing about them. But I just want you to know that what you’ve done in writing Sanchez and Lu and now Tilly as well is SO beyond special and incredible and I hope you are so appreciated and loved for it because you deserve it.

Oh my goodness, this was so very sweet.

I had not registered it as a haven necessarily but I knew I was spoiled with interaction and affirmation and I massively appreciate your perspective on it. It’s not a crushing pressure at all to be that, it’s an honor and maybe a bit of a daunting one but the sheer amount of contributions my beloved anons such as yourself has brought to the plot and the BIPOC characters gives me a lotta surety I might not otherwise have.

I wanted these characters for all the reasons you mentioned and to simulate my own friend group in some ways. Glad to hear it’s gone above and beyond even that intention. Glad? Thrilled

And this last compliment?? Literally soothed my soul as it’s exactly what I wanted to come across and yet I never know if I’m managing it, thank you thank you thank you:

“Cause part of why what you do is so special is how it's folded in so seamlessly, you acknowledge the identities of these women while also not making it the only thing about them.”

[pyromaniacbibliophile]

bricktober day 12- ghosts

@lesmis-prompts

It's not going to work. no one will show up. Why am I trying so hard to make a difference for a few people?

I feel stupid, now. Oh sure, I know it's a good thing, what they're doing (what we're doing) but we read about the French Revolutions today and that's just so much more-

What I mean is that they were fighting for everything. For everyone. For freedom, for liberty, for their lives. They won. They made a difference. What can I do, me and my friends?

It's not a competition I hear and spin around.

There's- fading in and out of view, a few inches above the ground, is a ghost. Messy black hair and green coat, paler than he would have been in life. It's a shock. Sure, I know ghosts are real, but it's one thing knowing and another seeing.

"What?" I probably sounds stupid but I can't bother to care.

Revolutions, fighting battles that shouldn't have to be fought, they're not a competition.

I say nothing so the ghost continues.

I know some of us thought similar. Back then. We were thinking that really, what can we do? Dictatorships and monarchies? People were dying daily in the galley for crimes they didn't commit. Other places were torn by war. Thieves were sentenced to twenty years just for running away. Our government were bad but there were other things far worse that were taken for normal.

But you can't fight every cause at once. Just because there are worse things doesn't make your thing irrelevant. Injustice can be big or small. The important thing is that you are fighting it. I thought, when I was alive, that we wouldn't change anything. And if you looked at us, just us, we didn't. But after we fought and lost, others took up the banner. When they fought and lost, others took it up. After them others. After them more. Until one day some people fought and won.

It might not feel like anything now but there are people who will see what you are doing and be inspired. Or be happy. Or maybe their life will have changed because of it.

Let me tell you something. There will be fights after you. After this cause has been won there will be others. And they will look back and think that they aren't doing anything, that bigger causes have been fought. And then they will change more than they imagined.

It happens every fight. The people might doubt, the leader might doubt, but as long as they fight things will happen. Things will change. Je te promets.

"Who are you?" I ask.

Me? Nobody. Just Aire. R. That's me.

"You-The french revolution?"

It was never one revolution. A thousand different ones, sequencial and simultaneous. We called ours the June Rebellion, then. But yes, in a way.

"But then-really?"

Really.

"Wait!" I call, but he's already gone.

I sit on my bed, thinking about what he said.

Years later and I'm leading a rally through London. Waving rainbow flags, there must be thousands of us. Out of the corner of my eye I see a flash of green. I turn.

R is there, smiling sadly. When I blink he's gone.

I looked through as many books as I could, after that day. I know his name now. His revolution, his golden leader. I still don't know why he found me, nor why he gave me advice. I am glad he did, or I might not be here today.

It's 2013. I haven't seen R since that day, but so much has changed. Yesterday the Same-Sex Couples Act was passed. I'm already thinking on how we can celebrate it, make sure everyone knows. I see what R meant now. I would never have thought our battle would have become this big, but it did and we've just won it. There's still so much more to do though...

[whywoulditho]

hq movie review!!!

(not spoiler-free)

went to see the haikyuu movie: dumpster battle today and i wanted to share my thoughts!!

first of all the movie had better animation than season 4 of the series! even though it stuck with the same animation style and character designs this was a much more neatly done project for sure. it felt like they had finally adapted into the style and managed to bring out the best version of it. in that sense i feel like season four was their experimental phase, if that makes sense? the movie's animation was so much smoother than i expected. i still prefer the first three seasons' style, but this wasn't bad at all in my book.

they used the same OSTs from the series as far as i've noticed, and they did make the match dramatic enough in most parts, (-we'll get to those other parts) and the voice cast did a good job as always.

they cut the arc a little shorter, trying to fit it into a 1h 30m runtime. it's a three set match so it was bound to be shorter than the five set matches like the shiratorizawa and the inarizaki matches, but it still deserved a good two hours in my opinion. you might think, well obviously they weren't going to animate every single point but honestly? furudate drew almost every single point and people READ that, on paper. we would have eaten up a two hour long movie. but well, since it's all done let's talk about what we had, and what we didn't.

the movie opened with a redrawn version of the season one scene where hinata meets kenma for the first time. it was a nice, nostalgic touch. they kept focusing on the random crow and cat they added to the background of the scene for peak symbolism and frankly i kinda loved that. i don't care that it's overdone it's still good okay? 😤

oh and even though they reanimated that first scene, there were still many instances in the movie where they cut to flashbacks from earlier seasons taken straight from the original version with the older animation style.

the first half of the movie was weaker than the second. they skipped a bunch of points and tried to only show the important lines but without the leading rallies the lines just looked kinda goofy and out of place. this one for example,

when they threw in this line i was kinda thrown off?? because like, the build up just wasn't there? does that make sense? this whole bit about yamaguchi finally catching up to tsukishima and then actually surpassing him was very well done in the manga. and it was a huge thing too, the two of them were the first page art of that volume, but the movie tried to get it over with in like, thirty seconds, i'm not even joking.

this part:

was made into a weird little slideshow type of thing that transitioned into their high five and it looked so goofy to me... i'm sorry. i just wanted them to have this moment so badly. and they did, kind of, but it wasn't all that satisfying.

also, they didn’t give us tsukkiyama having a telepathical conversation, HOW DARE YOU.

tendou and tsutomu watching the match on tsutomu's ipad was also in the movie! i was really happy to see that because that's one of my favorite things from this arc lol. though they didn’t give much of tsutomu's frustration with tendou.

the first half was pretty bland, accurate to the manga but with most inner monologue cut and some parts skipped.

through the middle they gave us the kuroken childhood flashbacks, it was cut shorter than it was in the manga. and get this, i feel like the way they delivered their childhood memories were like they wanted to make them more about kuroo's love for volleyball than exploring kuroken's bond with each other. i feel like the movie tried too hard at focusing on one thing at a time, they cut the tsukkiyama scene short because during that bit they were focusing on kenma. they cut the kuroken memories short because they were trying to focus only on kuroo.

this kept going, honestly. even though this match was ALL about parallels and the bonds these characters have with each other, friendships and rivalries. in the manga, furudate made this match about exploring ALL the dynamics he'd been building up since the beginning. it was more random, yes, but that's what made it natural. kenma and hinata's rivalry/friendship, kenma and kageyama's rivalry, yaku and nishinoya's rivalry, kuroo and daichi's rivalry, tsukishima and kuroo's mentor-student relationship, nishinoya and asahi's trust bond, whatever the fuck yamaguchi and tsukishima had going on. the man took the time to give us crumbs of all these dynamics in the middle while a volleyball game was kind of just playing in the background. i know that sounds like i'm saying playing volleyball wasn't the main point, that's because that is what i'm saying. inarizaki v karasuno was about volleyball. shiratorizawa v karasuno was about volleyball. nekoma v karasuno wasn't. it was about two teams. because furudate made sure that we know every single player in each team, through and through.

this match wasn't just a simple match, it's something that they never shut up about since season one. this match was the end goal of all the relationships and parallels and dynamics they have been building for these characters, and the movie did a half-assed job delivering their fated battle.

it's like they looked at the arc and thought, "this is about hinata defeating kenma. let's focus on that and mention everything else briefly." so it was a whole mess of characters throwing these one liners back and forth and you just sitting there trying to catch up. look, maybe i'm blinded by nostalgia. but i don't remember feeling this way while reading the manga.

(edit: totally forgot to mention this but THEY CUT OFF THE COACHES' BACKSTORY !!! no young nekomata :((( )

okay, moving on, they did give us the birdcage scene:

and better than the manga, if i'm being honest. like i know it's a bad picture but LOOK at that composition. i love it so much.

they also included the one where kenma and shoyo shoved knives up each other's throats (they're such good friends fr 🤧)

they did this scene:

so well i was about to cry. shoyo literally screamed it was kinda overdone but i'll take it. kuroo's laugh was beautiful.

there was also this other scene where kenma is exhausted from running and is just desperately trying to keep playing and they did this amazing 360 degree perspective shot from his pov and IT WAS SO GOODDD. the heavy breathing kept getting louder and intenser and you could literally FEEL his breath and the voice acting in that scene was top notch i had fucking goosebumps. there was this bit where he faced the ground and his sweat was dripping down on the floor and YOU COULD SEE HIS REFLECTION ON THE WATER DROPS?? LIKE???? i'm still shocked this studio pulled that off you guys it was awesome.

and at the end of the match, they took this scene,

and made it 10 TIMES BETTER?? AS IF THAT'S POSSIBLE???

in the movie my boy kenma was fucking FLOORED. he was lying on the ground all sweaty and limbless and he had this beautiful smile on his face as he looked up at kuroo and said this line. I LOVED THAT SO, SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WARM IT MADE MY HEART. THANK YOU WHOEVER LOOKED AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PANEL AND THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT, I CAN MAKE THIS EVEN GAYER"

oh, and they also included this for some reason lol:

okay, so, the movie wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.

i was really surprised by the quality of animation. they definitely solved the problem they had in season four where even the smallest movement always looked stiff. i don't think they paid enough mind to what the arc was actually about, to be honest. they tried to make this into just another one of their matches. well, maybe it was and i'm just reading too much into the character dynamics, who knows..

oh, and the bitter sweet news is that in after credits they teased the kamomedai match. since we're getting only one last movie for the finale it was a given that either the kamomedai match or the time skip were going to be cut short or cut off entirely. well, it doesn’t seem to be the kamomedai match... so. yeah. i guess we're kissing our beloved brazil and V league and olympic arcs goodbye. there was no way they did all of them justice anyway.

while the time skip is a high sacrifice i have to say i'll still be pretty happy if they make the kamomedai game full-length. that's my favorite match in the whole series and it definitely deserves more love. i doubt it will receive any if it comes in the expense of the time skip though...

so have you seen the movie? let's chat on the comments!!!

[starlightandmusings]

mini dissertation on 92sies jack kelly and why he's spectacular

92sies jack is So. Complex. there are so many tiny moments in the movie that illustrate the depths of his trauma and desires, and although i've benefited from adding hard promises canon to my read of him, he's just... inherently so good. he's #1 posturer, improver of truth, performer, deeply scared (and scarred) kid...

on the whole, he's characterized by loose movements, putting on a show. he feigns punching SO MUCH. during the trolley strike chaos and also in front of sarah; he almost romanticizes the violence because maybe if he leans into it he has control over it. and he's got precedence for this: at the rally fight, the way his body is grabbed, piecemeal, public property, is a living illustration of his greatest fears and the way he loathes to be treated, the way he avoids being perceived. he leans hard into independence partly because of this. (more on this in a sec.)

improving the truth!! besides the obvious francis sullivan alter ego/dead parents/etc, he also postures to denton ("does it scare you? you're going up against the most powerful man in new york city." "oh yeah? look at me! i'm tremblin'!"). he does not want to be seen as afraid or weak or vulnerable, so he masks all of this with sarcasm and a smile. and he makes one concession -- he tries to tell denton "no pictures" -- because he can only posture up till a point where he hits reality. even when he's visiting the refuge, this place of childhood nightmares, the place tangled permanently with michael's death, he smiles for crutchy because he has to be okay. his fatal flaw is his all-consuming care for others and neglect for himself. "i can't afford to be a kid no more," he says. and some goon, later, tells him, "show's over, cowboy."

i think michael's death and the loss of his parents have scalded themselves into jack's soul, no matter how he tries to pretend otherwise. the way when les does the show of coughing to sell paper and jack goes "yeah, that's heartbreaking" with a little smile and then as soon as les turns away his smile fades. the way jack lingers in the doorway of the jacobs' apartment, holding les' wooden sword and staring at the ground, unwilling to invite himself into the family but unable to make himself go. on the balcony outside, again, unwilling to invite himself in but deeply torn apart, aching for the love and stability of a family. he wants to feel needed, wanted, like somebody gives a damn about his existence. and because he doesn't have that, he convinces himself it's better that way, that he's free and independent and so strong he just doesn't need anyone. and yet, he carries that little dime-store booklet with drawings of country life in his pocket at all times, burning the fantasy images into his dreams.

i think these various ideas of freedom are explored visually, too. in the big rally fight, there's an emphasis on jack being trapped and walled in on every side with bodies. during santa fe, he ricochets against the walls when he sings about being trapped (possibly also a refuge callback!) and then runs out into the open space of his neighborhood, reveling in his freedom and solitude together. jack aches for freedom and he longs for a family, and he just doesn't know how to reconcile the two in a way that's going to heal his heart and keep his defenses up all at the same time.

[jack-kellys]

hi guys i saw newsies again

i think what we collectively didn’t realize about the context of which santa fe is sung is that jack is beat to hell, like on his way to a concussion while he’s singing that. he is barely pulling himself up that ladder, he’s leaning against literally every piece of rail or penthouse beam that he can. like. santa fe is, really, a dream. he sings it when waking early in the morning with charlie and then when he’s fucking concussed. it’s actually a delusion in this version. god…

david jacobs will get his way or die trying and i have to admire his gay little snooty faces LMAO… “tell me how quitting does crutchie any good?” is said while he’s looking over the paper with his back to jacks with an eyebrow raised. and when jacks doesn’t respond (which davey doesn’t even see he just fuckin knows) his “exactly” is this sing-song told-you-so of-course-i’m-right and i’m obsessed with it

tommy boy’s like plot thru this is really strong???? he’s reluctant to strike and then shows up as a scab and is the last one to agree to join the strike, and then at the rally when jack betrays them he. he is literally screaming “we hate you! we hate you!” at the top of his lungs at jack oh my god. jack bromage i owe you everything holy shit

charlie is genuinely like my favorite character in this production. i think this is the best take i’ve ever seen, the best acting, the most genuine acting, like. matthew is that good, and so is crutchie as a character. he’s so fun to watch react

^going off that through the whole precursor scene to TWWK for him is like. visceral. charlie has an understanding of the streets and the police that is sort of… almost deeper than jack’s. jack is ready to fight, but charlie is like horribly aware of their position, and almost argues jack’s for-the-strike fervor against the strike. he’s looking at other guys with this older sibling “don’t be stupid don’t do this” look, he’s very in favor of finch’s “the cops’ll bust our heads”, and his “like we got a choice?” to henry’s “[can we sell] at those prices?” is definitive. it’s a fucking command, until jack says to hold on obviously. idk… i just really crutchie’s very obvious position as a leader in this show, and he’s not just strong for “getting through it”, he’s jaded from living with it. ugh. best character.

jack’s face through the “my daughter, katherine” scene is such a journey LMAO… michael is soooo. good. he gets so mad at pulitzer’s “and beautiful, isn’t she?”, he has this withering look when he says “i’ll tell her you said so.” god. and then the WAY that goes to a different kind of anger—

one thing about jack is that anger is not one emotion for him, and he shows it every time. disgust looks different, shock/betrayal looks different, rage looks different. he is so, so, genuinely angry as a character and that’s terribly romantic and sad. to feel the fight for every scenario in your veins, to only feel forced to run at every opportunity. god god god, jack kelly, the character you are.

also i asked michael to sign my sketchbook’s inside cover like everyone else has so far and he was SO excited and went “you sketch???” with the most enthralled inflection. and then we also talked about interracial relations on stage and jack kelly being black. and i’m really not sure how many people have actually asked him or told him how much it meant, because he was very ready to talk about it, which is quite bittersweet.

that’s all i have rn it’s late :( see y’all soon

[kitkatt0430]

I am already intrigued by Hartley/Barry/Cisco with the same shitty ex (Eobard) mention

So I'll have to take my time to workshop this some, but the event isn't until July 14th so I've got plenty of time to shine this idea up. But.

AU-land here, where Professor Thawne works at CCU. Or did. He's being fired after a grad student - Barry - came forward to admit that he'd been taken advantage of by the Professor and now lots of current and former students are coming out of woodwork because Thawne threatened their grades if they didn't sleep with them or etcetera.

There'd be some establishing flashbacks as they all had very different experiences with Eobard. He wooed Hartley then stole his research and ruined Hartley's relationship with his parents by outing him to them. While he was in the screwing Hartley over stage of things, he took up with Cisco who was able to get out of the relationship before things went sour and was only really aware in retrospect that it was a very toxic and power imbalanced relationship for him and that Eobard probably pitted him against Hartley deliberately so as to prevent them from realizing how he was using them. Barry was not directly one of Eobard's students but quickly realized he was being used for a.) his research and b.) as revenge on his parents for his mom snubbing Eobard when they were much younger... well...

So they all meet on campus, Barry's worried that this could affect the PhD he's about to finish up, Hartley and Cisco are reluctantly apologizing to each other and admitting they've got more in common with each other than they realized... and both vowing to make sure that Barry gets his degree since he was the first one out of so many who was brave enough to speak out about what was going on. And the three of them wind up at the campus coffee house just talking until a ridiculous hour of the morning when one of them jokes about this being what a nice first date really ought to be like. And...

They're like... why not? Why not have this be their first date? Why not go on more dates, to see if they work as a trio.

Fast forward to Eobard catching sight of them a year later and realizing they're on a date. His three most hated exes. And they're just kind of like 'ah, thanks, if you hadn't been a shitty, toxic influence on our lives then we never would have found such a healthy relationship with each other afterwards.'

Eobard - *life ruined, steaming with rage, blaming these three in particular for rallying the rest and Barry especially for being the first domino*

Hartley/Barry/Cisco - *too busy being happy together to give Eobard the time of day*

Admittedly, there's room for a canon AU in there too as an alternative take on the prompt. But I feel like a non-canon AU gives more breathing space for having Eobard date and break up with all three of them separately before they all meet up with the intention of destroying his reputation beyond repair.

I'm eying several other prompts on there going oh this one's a good Westhallen prompt (Love triangle? No!) or thinking how I've never written Len/Mick/Sara before but the criminal 4 criminal 4 criminal one could be fun for them, there are several I'm kinda going 'hmmmm, Barrisco???'... and I haven't done Oliver/Felicity/Dig since Telephone, but the friend group goes through trauma prompt does seem very them...

So I'll see what I write between now and July and maybe I'll hit a few of these. :D

[shallowseeker]

Their three-man kitchen huddle is more than a little conspicuous.

“He asks every weekend, though,” Jack is whispering. “It doesn’t seem very nice to keep ignoring him or hiding in the living room.”

“One, it’s the Dean-Cave. Two, no one’s makin’ you ignore him. I mean, didja even friggin like it?”

Jack straightens up, defensive. “I—a little bit.” Dean raises his eyebrows at him, and he feels caught out. “At first.”

Cas clears his throat, and then both turn their attention to him. “I find that the human ingenuity of pyramid schemes wears off after the first stroll around the market.”

Dean nods at Cas and snickers. Then, he turns his attention back to Jack. “See? You can be honest, Kiddo.”

Jack deflates. “I just—maybe Mary will go with him? She’s here.”

Dean and Cas share another significant look.

“Come’mon, kiddo. You spent how many months together?”

Jack flounders. “Bobby, then? Maybe Rowena.”

“Rowena does not like to sweat, nor does she enjoy badly homemade soap and overpriced vegetables.”

Jack huffs. “Someone has to go—”

“Jack!” Sam says, sparkly-eyed and excited as he enters the kitchen. “I’m about to head out to Smith Makers’ Market. Wanna tag along?”

Jack feels panic rise up in his throat. Sam looks so happy about it, but, “I—can’t,” he spits out awkwardly, to which Sam cants his head in confusion.

“Dean promised to take me to-oooo, uh,” he tracks his eyes over to where a commercial for a monster truck rally blares on the tiny kitchen TV, “a monster truck rally.”

Sam’s eyebrows go to his hairline and he makes a disgusted face, but Dean looks overjoyed.

Dean crows. “See? Look at that face. It’s a good thing we didn’t get you a ticket. Lookit that.”

Sam’s eyes track hopefully to Cas next, and Dean hooks an arm around Cas’s neck. “Cas’s idea, actually. He’s driving.”

Sam scowls.

Cas stares. “Yes, Sam. It’s in Salt Lake City, so we have to leave soon to make it in time for the show tomorrow. We can’t go to the Makers’ Market or the afternoon Smoothie Fest, I’m afraid.”

Dean balks at that, and Jack suspects that the lie has probably gotten too complex by this point.

Mary strolls into the kitchen next, and Sam’s eyes light up. “Morning, Mom!“

She freezes but can’t escape the full blast of his puppy eyes.

“I’m about to head out to the Makers’ market,” he prattles on. “Wanna go?”

“The one with the overpriced vegetables?” she squeaks. Her face falls, but she manages to zip up her horrified reaction. “Uh,” she says, sending Dean a mayday signal with her eyes. “Could we…do flea market instead? Hot dogs n’ funnel cakes are more my speed.”

Sam scrunches up his nose. “Really? Those are kinda—I mean—I don’t know any closeby.”

“Maybe Dean will go with you.” Her tone is strangely accusatory, and Dean laughs.

“Dean is taking Jack to Salt Lake City,” he crows, triumphant, and Mary’s eyes seem to beg, ‘Take me with you.’

“Well, we do have one extra ticket,” Cas says fiddling with his phone. “If Sam doesn’t want to come along…”

Dean almost gives the game away with a hushed, “You already bought tickets?!”

But Sam’s ears don’t seem to pick it up.

“I’d love to go!” Mary exclaims, not even knowing what the tickets to Salt Lake City are for.

She looks at Sam, “Unless…you want to go?”

Sam looks like Salt Lake City is about the last place he wants to go. “No, you guys go on ahead,” he sniffs, seeming put out. “That’s uh, no.” He trudges off in the direction of the library.

As soon as he leaves, Jack lets out a gush of air. “Oh, no. Was that mean? It seemed mean.”

“Dude,” Dean whispers, gleeful. “That was awesome.”

“So,” Mary coughs, checking to make sure Sam’s out of earshot. “Where’re we going exactly? It’s a good time for a hunting break, and I’ll go anywhere so long as it’s not the frou-frou farmers’ market.”

Cas punches some stuff on his phone. “If we leave soon, we’ll be there in 12 hours and can do a late hotel checkin. The monster truck rally is tomorrow evening.”

“Monster truck rally?” Mary sounds intrigued.

Dean, on the other hand, buzzes with nervous energy. “Wait, are we really going?”

Cas deadpans. “It’s likely they’ll have hotdogs and funnel cakes in the concessions area.”

Mary pumps a fist. “Sounds great. I’ll have a quick shower and be ready in forty-five. I’ll check one last time if Sam wants to come along.”

Two hours later, all four of them sweep up the bunker steps with duffel bags in tow, deciding to take Cas’s Dodge in case they stop by any stores on the way back. (Mary has been wanting an air fryer.)

Sometime between their huddle and getting ready, Bobby had wandered into the library and gotten cornered by a lonely Sam.

Jack hears Mary lean over to check with Cas, “Oops. I forgot Bobby was stopping by. Were there any seats left near us?”

Cas cringes, punching at his phone. “Unfortunately…no. Not anymore.”

“Too bad,” she whispers, before shooting a cheeky grin Bobby’s way. “We’ll see you later,” she calls. “Probably Monday.”

Bobby looks like a deer in headlights, or maybe a lamb offered up for slaughter.

“Have fun at the farmers’ market,” she adds. “Thanks for going with Sam.”

Then, she ushers them quickly out the door.

The look Bobby gives her is nothing short of murderous, but the one Dean gives her is utterly adoring.

The best part about it all is Cas makes Dean and Mary sit in the back seat. Jack always gets shotgun in the Dodge.