#I really like her expression here so i kinda wanted to try capturing that + practice my rendering skills

[cacturnia]

ursula study(?💥💥💥

[nachrosas]

A LITTLE BIT OF JEALOUSY, PLEASE | s.reid x reader

summary: in which you're jealous of the new agent. pairing: spencer reid x reader content warnings: none, just pure fluff word count: 776 a/n: i promised to myself that yesterday was the last fic of 2024, but i kinda lied? this can be viewed as the reader version of “a cup of jealousy, please” (but you also can see then separately)! hope you guys like it and feedback is always appreciated! also, my inbox is always open to chat (i love to talk and meet new people)! till the next one!

The BAU's famous meeting room was illuminated by the yellowish light of the fluorescent lamps, and the round table was littered with papers and folders. You and Spencer were poring over the evidence from the latest case the team was working on, analyzing every detail with his characteristic attention. He moved quickly, adjusting his glasses and pointing at the scattered documents, while his words formed a continuous stream of logical reasoning.

"So, if we consider the pattern of the attacks, the modus operandi of the criminal begins to distort... we need to start looking for people with a certain knowledge of psychology, or someone capable of manipulating minds." said Spencer, his voice soft and focused.

You were totally focused, analyzing the data with him. But something in your mind told you that something was wrong. A murmur from somewhere behind Spencer caught his attention, confirming his suspicions. The sound came from one of the corners of the room, where the team's new agent was trying to talk to him, her words sounding louder than usual as if she was trying her best to capture his attention.

"Do you really think that criminals think like that?" she moved a little closer, making an almost casual gesture towards his face, as if she were fixing his hair. "You have such a fascinating way of looking at things. It must be amazing to have a brain like yours."

Spencer, totally oblivious to the change, and possible intentions, in the tone of the conversation, shook his head in understanding. "Well, I have an IQ of… 187. But I like to study patterns and behavior. I believe that every human being is predictable, on some level."

The agent smiled, leaning forward slightly, her eyes shining with an expression you could recognize from miles away: interest. Something more. Her eyes narrowed involuntarily, and an uneasy feeling began to form in the back of her mind - and her heart.

You looked back at the papers, trying to concentrate, but the sound of the conversation continued to flow in the background. The agent didn't seem to want to stop. "You're really modest, Spencer. You don't know how… attractive you are when you talk about your work."

You knew that jealousy was a strange feeling, of course you had felt it a few times before, but now, when she mentioned it, it was completely clear. You were dying of jealousy at the interaction between the new girl and Spencer. Your stomach churned. Spencer seemed so innocent, so absorbed in their conversation, that he didn't even notice her intentions. And that made him even more vulnerable. But who wouldn't? The way she smiled at him, the way she touched him lightly as she gestured. You had to hold on with all your might not to get up from your chair and rip her hand off his arm — Hotch would certainly be grateful if you didn't do that, after all, aggression between agents wouldn't look good on his report card.

You bit your lip, mentally deciding that you had put up with enough of this nonsense — in your own opinion. You raised your head, your voice coming out stronger than you expected.

"Spencer." you interrupted the agent's conversation with a firmness that surprised everyone in the room, even you. "I think we've found new evidence about the connection between the victims. Come and see it here."

He quickly turned to you, his expression of concentration giving way to a gentle, soft smile. "Oh yes! I'm sorry, I'll help you." And, as if nothing had happened, he walked away from the agent, who stood there awkwardly, watching the two of you work together and who was quickly forgotten by Spencer. Giving up, she quickly left the room, stamping her feet at not having gotten what she wanted.

"That's new, huh?" Spencer commented, as he approached, noticing your change in behavior. You didn't want to look at him, but you couldn't help it.

"Oh, it's no big deal. I just didn't like the way she was throwing herself at you. I thought she had something better to do with her life."

Spencer let out a low laugh, understanding but keeping his tone playful. "You know, I didn't really realize what was going on. I'm not very good with… social cues."

"I know," you replied, your lips curving into a slightly annoyed but also relieved smile. "Fortunately, you have someone to take care of it."

Spencer laughed again, more softly, and the two returned to their task. And you mentally prayed that a moment like that wouldn't happen again, otherwise it wouldn't just be words flying at the new girl.

[bktoluver]

Underground Heat

Dean Winchester x f!reader

Summary: while on a hunt with the brothers you and dean are captured and locked up. some teasing and banter leads to a fun time while waiting for sam to rescue you.

Warnings: 18+, afab!reader, unprotected p in v, no big o, classic male and female mc have sex at the most inconvenient time where the bad guys could def get them, against the wall, kinda nasty place to have sex, reader tries to act like she’s not interested, he clocks her so hard 🙏🏻

Word Count: 1,668

not proof read 🫶 im him but im also in love with him. also not sure if i want to use second person pov or third person pov which is better 😭

As you and Dean find yourselves trapped in the dimly lit sewer room, you can't help but feel a sense of unease wash over you. You glance around the damp space, your eyes adjusting to the darkness as you take in your surroundings. The air is thick with the smell of mold and decay, making it hard to breathe. You shiver involuntarily, pulling your jacket closer to your body for warmth.

"Great, just great," Dean mutters under his breath, running a hand through his messy hair. He looks around the room, his gaze settling on the metal door that's separating you from freedom. “Looks like we're stuck here until Sam figures out where we are."

You turn to face him, leaning against the cold concrete wall. "Well, we can't just sit here and wait for him to save us. We need to come up with a plan." Your voice echoes off the damp walls, the sound reverberating in the otherwise silent chamber.

Dean chuckles dryly, shaking his head. "And what plan would that be?" He crosses his arms over his chest.

"I don't know," you admit, biting your lower lip nervously. You begin pacing back and forth, your boots clicking against the wet floor. "Maybe there's something in here we can use to break down the door."

Dean raises an eyebrow at you. "Like what? A magic wand?" He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "There's nothing in here but mold and rat shit."

Your pacing comes to a halt as you turn to face him again, frustration creeping into your features.

"Well, thanks for being so helpful," you snap, letting out a frustrated sigh.

With a huff, you sink down onto the cold concrete floor, your legs giving out beneath you. You rest your back against the damp wall, closing your eyes as you try to think of a solution to your current predicament. Having been stupid enough to fall for the shifter’s trap, now stuck down in the sewers somewhere. The silence in the room is almost deafening, the only sounds coming from the distant dripping of water and the occasional scampering of rats in the distance.

As you sit there, you can't help but steal glances at Dean out of the corner of your eye. Even in this dire situation, he still manages to look incredibly attractive, despite the grimy surroundings. The way his clothes hug his muscular frame, the slight stubble lining his jawline, and those piercing green eyes that seem to see straight through you...

Snapping out of your momentary trance, you shake your head and push aside any unwanted thoughts. Now isn't the time for such foolish distractions.

As if sensing your gaze upon him, Dean turns to look at you, his expression unreadable.

"You know, if you keep staring at me like that, I might start thinking you actually like me," Dean taunts with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans back against the opposite wall.

You roll your eyes at him, a small smile playing on your lips despite yourself. "Fat chance," you retort.

"Oh really?" Dean challenges, pushing himself away from the wall and taking a step closer to you. "So you don't think I'm charming, funny, or irresistible?"

"Arrogant and delusional maybe," you say, fighting back a grin. You pull yourself up to your feet, brushing off the dust and dirt from your jeans. "But definitely not irresistible."

Dean takes another step forward, closing the distance between you. You can feel the heat radiating off his body, sending a small thrill down your spine and your breath hitches slightly as you catch a whiff of his cologne – a mix of sandalwood and citrus. . "Is that so?" He challenges, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yup," you confirm, trying to keep your tone casual even as your heart begins to race in your chest. You meet his gaze squarely, refusing to back down from his intense stare. There's no way you're going to let him know that he's affecting you like this. That would just be embarrassing.

But as Dean continues to close the distance between you, towering over you with his broad shoulders and commanding presence, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain your composure. The feeling is disconcerting yet undeniably tantalizing all at once. And that smug little smile he's sporting isn't helping matters either – if anything, it's goading you on even further. Unconsciously, you take a half-step back, only for him to follow suit and close the gap once more.

He leans in close, his lips curled upwards in a lopsided grin.

"No part of you wonders what it would be like..." Dean trails off, leaving the insinuation hanging heavily in the air between you like a fog, waiting for you to fill in the gaps in your mind.

“Curiosity killed the cat...” you remark as you continue to study his features intently, noting with barely concealed amusement the way color has risen ever so slightly along his neckline and ears. “But satisfaction brought it back.” He grins reciting the rest of the idiom and raising a challenging brow.

With no reaction from you, save the dumb staring, Dean moves in claiming your mouth with his, tongue sliding past your open lips eagerly exploring every inch.

As his lips press roughly against yours, the rational side of your brain seems to evaporate instantly—replaced by sheer sensation washing over your body as he forces your lips apart, seeking entrance. A surge of emotion floods through you at the contact; lust bubbling beneath your skin causing your knees to buckle for a split second before you catch yourself, wrapping your arms around his neck to steady yourself. Time seemed to slow to a crawl in this cramped and humid underground tomb. Seconds seem like hours and you realize this may not have been your greatest idea but its certainly working towards sating your carnal hunger for him all the same.

Feeling bold and wanting more��your fingers clench into fists twisting handfuls of fabric from his T-shirt as your thigh finds its way between his. Pressing urgently against his leg and eliciting an unexpected moan from the hunter entangled within this newfound intimacy with you against him—body melding against yours as you kiss feverishly ignoring all warning signs ringing in the back of your mind telling you now isn't the best time nor place to be doing whatever it is you both seem keen to act on. But none of that matters anymore as your world shrinks to just you and him.

His hands roam freely across your form claiming territory as they drift lower and lower until finally cupping your behind and hoisting you effortlessly into his arms, his strong grasp keeps you anchored there and your back pressed to the hard wall—a moan erupting from deep within your throat and vibrating through your entire chest cavity—inciting his grip on you further as he devours your gasps and moans mercilessly. Sucking your bottom lip into his mouth playfully before allowing a heated breath to fan across your swollen lips as they pull apart for air—only amplifying the growing hunger between you both—growing stronger by the second—making both participants acutely aware that restraint has officially lost this battlefield.

Dean relucatntly lets go of you as he lowers you back onto your feet. Leaning down over you, capturing your mouth in a hungry kiss which serves to draw another passionate whimper from deep inside you while he quickly removes your pants entirely unable to contain his desire for even a brief moment longer. Exposing the bare flesh of your legs; goosebumps littered across their surface and raising them as you kick them to the side haphazardly. Reaching for his belt impatiently after removing those pesky barriers - his lips remaining locked against yours as if worried you might change your mind at any second if given the chance—while freeing his rock hard erection from confinement at long last.

He grabbed hold of your hips firmly while lifting and hooking your legs around his waist to support you easily as your back hits the wall again.

Bringing his mouth down against yours savagely—as he lines up his throbbing shaft alongside your slickened entrance — rubbing it gently against you provoking a pleased purr from your trembling lips.

You hook your heels around the curve of his flexing buttocks and pulling him toward you desperately as you writhe against him attempting to coax that thick bulbous tip inside.

"Eager are we?" He teased; pressing upward with his hips and spearing into you slowly with one swift thrust that stole the breath from both of you simultaneously. “Shut up.” You gasp out, eyes closing.

You let out a choked cry of pleasure as he retracted his hips and then snapped them back into you; digging your fingernails deeply into the muscles of his arms.

The rough texture of the damp stone scrapes your back through your shirt fabric with every thrust sent rippling throughout your core. Your nails dig in deeper with each successive impact from his body impaling itself inside yours. Foreheads pressed against each other closely and steamy exhales mingle together in the chill damp air.

With sweat gathering at your brow, he leans into your body more intensely — crushing you between the unforgiving cement block wall behind you and the heavy weight of his torso pinning you in place against it. The forceful slaps of pelvises colliding and ragged breathing fill the otherwise quiet room.

Both you and Dean freeze immediately still locked in each others embrace as you hear someone calling out your names outside that closed door from somewhere down the corridor beyond it. You share a quick panicked glance before hastily pulling away from each other. Panic setting in and reality starting to settle back into focus as the sound of Sam's distant shouting reaches your ear drums. “Shit, Shit.” Disengaging hurriedly your movements jerky and erratic as you frantically begin to collect your discarded clothing from earlier, struggling to stuff limbs into holes and zippers moving at hyper speed. Once you have gathered everything up you dash over to the door making noise to attract Sam.

[kiris-wife]

by your side | spider socorro

summary: after getting captured by miles quaritch, spider becomes a hostage at the rda. but with a curious young girl secretly visiting him every night, he started to think that things couldn't be so terrible. based on this ask.

genre(s): fluff

warnings: none i guess? they're just purely in love i think that's adorable. this is not proofread, i got too lazy so if you see any mistakes, no you didn't!

there was a big commotion going around the rda base — a human boy, raised by na'vi, was being held hostage in the exact same place you were in. of course you were curious: people say you took a lot after your mother, wanting to know about everything and everyone. how would a human adapt in such different circumstances? could he speak english? how did a baby human end up in pandora? your mind was racing with so many questions. you had to see him now.

but it's obvious no one would let you do that. what could a sixteen year old do to help the operation? you shouldn't even be there; your mother only brought you partly because she had no one to take you in and partly because you begged her to let you come. luckily to you she was an important woman and with the help of a few people they managed to bring you to pandora. the conditions? don't stop studying. don't cause any trouble. keep your nose out of the adult's business.

you couldn't screw this up. being so close to the rda operation, even if it was just as a watcher, could be a big step for your future. so you tried your best to not get caught.

it was the middle of the night when you decided to go out of your shared room — your mother was a heavy sleeper so the chances of waking her up were almost zero. quickly typing in the password of his little kind-of-room-kind-of-prison, you couldn't keep your excitement to yourself.

"hey." you said closing the door behing you. "i know you're awake. i'm not quaritch. i'm not working for the rda either – wait, do you speak english?"

he turned his face to you with an startled expression — spider had so many questions. what was a teenager doing there? and why were you talking to him in the middle of the night? you had to be lying. there was no way you didn't work for them.

"um... my name's y/n. i know this might sound strange but i find you really interesting. my mom works here, you know. she's a scientist. i'm sorry about the way you were treated by them earlier... i mean the torture and stuff." you were getting closer to him, trying to keep things friendly.

"so you came here to apologise for your mother's actions?"

"sort of. i kinda want to know more about you. but i wanted to apologise for that too, yeah." now you were next to his bed. "miles, isn't it? can i sit down?"

"it's spider. nobody calls me that." he said giving you enough space to sit beside him.

"so... spider, how are you feeling? i mean... you were raised by na'vi and now there's just... so many humans. this must be confusing."

"there's humans where i live too. i'm not an animal, y/n."

"right, sorry. it's just that this is new to me. i didn't know humans lived in pandora. my mom does everything to keep me clueless about the operation — it's not like i should be knowing something, but i just want to learn more. people treat me like an outsider here, it's so annoying."

being an outsider. the boy knew a thing or two about feeling out of place. of course you were in different situations, but he could relate to your feelings in a certain extent.

"what are you even doing here? in pandora, i mean. you're like... my age? shouldn't you be at the earth?"

you shrugged. "i didn't have anyone to take care of me back there. and i really wanted to meet the operation. i want to follow my mom's footsteps, being a scientist and all."

you and spider kept talking about your differences and about pandora the whole night: he had so much knowledge to share, even if it didn't seem like it. he told you about the fauna and flora, the natives traditions and religion, and about himself too. he was quaritch's son. well, not this quaritch. the human one — you knew about the story. the colonel's memories were transfered to an avatar once he died.

you, on the other hand, explained to him how things worked at your home planet: the animals it had (he got really interested in monkeys and dogs), the organized society, and how the earth was dying. you talked about your hopes and dreams of a better planet and how much you wanted to make you mother proud. before you knew, it was almost morning and you had to leave before someone catched you with him.

"it's getting late, i have to go. but i'll be back tomorrow if you want me to? we can talk more."

the blond smiled at you — it was good knowing someone in this hell of a place, maybe making a friend even. "i'll see you tomorrow. take care of yourself."

...

a few weeks passed since you started visiting spider. you soon became really close — it was like you were a planet he was orbiting over. the boy was constantly thinking about you, craving for your attention; you became the center of his little universe.

he paced around his room impatiently. you were late. he didn't know what time it was, but he knew you should be with him already. you always came shortly after all the lights were turned off, maybe 20 minutes later. 30, if you were feeling scared of being caught. but it felt like hours already, and there was no sign of you.

the boy sat down on his bed. "im being pathetic" he though. it was impossible for such a smart and beautiful person as you falling in love with him. and there was the fact that you were from two different words — there's no way you wouldn't take this into consideration when getting closer with him. you wouldn't leave everything you know to be with him; he wasn't enough.

soon, he heard the sound of the keys being pressed, snapping back to reality.

"spider. sorry i'm late. my mom couldn't sleep so she kept talking with me until she felt tired. im really sorry i made you wait!"

that was a lie. you mother always fell asleep right after she hopped on the bed. the real reason you didn't come earlier it was because you knew that you were falling for miles socorro. and at this point you could do nothing to stop it. laying on the bunk bed you kept debating with yourself if you should just start to avoid him. he didn't feel the same, and it would never work out anyways; you knew how loyal he was to the na'vi and specially the sully family. it was only a question of time until he could find a way to escape the base and come back to his normal life. without you.

the thought of being separated made your heart ache. how could you become so attached to someone in such a short period of time? as your mind drifted back to the thought of being far from spider, you couldn't help but give him a tight hug, trying to fight back the tears forming on the corner of your eyes.

that was the first time you hugged.

his knees felt like jelly, trembling hands resting on your back. "why are you doing this? not that i'm complaining..."

"sorry. i'm sorry. it's just that i... i've been thinking." you said, not letting go of him. it was like you were scared he was going to disappear if you did so. "your place is not here, spider. you belong with the na'vi in the forest. it's not fair what they're doing to you. but is it selfish of me to wish that we could continue together?"

the boy tightened his grip on you. "but we can. come with me."

you went silent for a second. he didn't mean that, did he? it was insane, leaving all that you knew behind — your brilliant future, your mother, the place you called home — for a boy. but at the same time, it felt right. being with spider felt right. and it didn't matter if you were in the forest, the base or the earth. as long as you were with him, anywhere felt like home. "promise me you'll always be by my side. if i go with you, you can't leave me behind. don't forget about me."

translation: don't fall in love with someone else.

he broke the hug and looked at you, putting a strand of your hair behind your ear. "are you kidding me?" spider smiled. "how could i ever leave you? i'm not that dumb, y/n. you're the most amazing person i've ever met."

now it was your turn to smile; you knew it was hard, dropping everything just to be with him. but at the same time you had this gut feeling that it was going to be worth it. you didn't know how or when you were going to do it yet, but you had each other, and it's all that mattered. getting on your tiptoes, you placed a kiss at the top of his head, stroking his cheek with you thumb.

"ill always be by your side, spider socorro."

"and i'll always be by yours, y/n"

authors note: i hope this doesn't suck too much... i lowkey hate this scenario but i really wanted to give spider some love, my boy deserves it! i don't know if it's too long or rushed, i tried to fit everything that i wanted to happen in just one chapter bc i don't really feel like writing a pt two for this one, sorry.

likes + reblogs are appreciated! ♡

[blorboazula]

a little draft on how this AU could start (basically: people think Azula is being stubborn for not speaking to anyone, meanwhile her vocal chords are just terribly damaged – kinda want to write it in Azula's POV actually, but Katara's sorta my default for some reason). (buy me a coffee)

In every interaction of theirs, Azula was polite enough when she wasn't trying to kill them. Or trying to capture them, actually, in hindsight it didn't quite look like she was going for the kill. (She was too deadly, too efficient, for not having killed them if she wanted to.) Surprisingly pacific for a perfect princess soldier.

Which means Katara isn't that surprised by Azula good behavior in the asylum Zuko sent her to. She's more annoyed by how long it took him to bring her home, being stuck in a place where she was locked up in her room all day, forced to take teas to keep her malleable and with her bending weakened didn't seem like the ideal way to deal with yet another child soldier.

It's ironic, really, that knowing Zuko better is exactly what made Katara feel any sympathy towards Azula at all.

Knowing more of Zuko's childhood is also why she's here. It took not much convincing for him to believe that if Azula is behaving well, maybe she doesn't need to stay stuck in there. Reports say she's quiet and cooperative, there are group activities and she seems to tend to have a teamwork mentality – that explains why she's that good at strategy. The only issue is that she doesn't talk.

She never talks. Not even back in the palace, not to servants that have been around her her whole life. She silently acknowledges them, with nods and glances. There are no threats, and no fire, even after a few weeks and there's no trace of that chi-weakening tea. She's not even hostile towards her, and she had been expecting lightning in her face instead of a nod before Azula went on to do whatever she was going to do.

In one of her walks around the palace, late at night, Katara finds herself in that courtyard. It has been over a year, the ground is still scorched. It's disturbing to look at the grate and remember the chains – it's a weird feeling, knowing she did the right thing, stopping Azula, but feeling so bad for the way she did it.

The chains, the armor, had been deformed where Azula's fire touched. Fire hot enough to soften metal.

She blinks, fire hot enough to soften metal.

Firebenders aren't immune to fire, look at Zuko's face.

She's not surprised that Azula is up when she knocks at her door, the princess just frowns at her and tilts her head. It's kinda cute- what? She's quite expressive, actually, Katara had formed the image of cold and stoic, when Azula says more with her eyebrows than with her words.

"I want to test something, I-" this is something they should have checked, yes? Treated, like they treated the burns on her wrists and her chest and shoulders- "You can't speak. It's not that you don't want, or that you're this stubborn, you just can't."

Azula looks astounded for a second, like she expected nobody to notice it. She didn't seem to mind that people thought she was a stubborn brat, letting it slide and just being... a quiet presence. Like she was tired of fighting, of taking up space, like she wanted some peace.

You know, like she was exhausted from a life of being someone's pawn in a senseless war.

"Does it hurt? Your throat?" Azula blinks, like nobody has asked her if anything hurts- then she nods. "I can try to... soothe it a little. I can't really heal anything..."

Azula seems to calculate the risk of allowing someone to bend water on her throat, but maybe it hurts enough to be worth the risk. She nods, steps aside and allows Katara into the room.

Not in a million years Katara thought she'd be in the Fire Nation's Crown Princess chambers to offer her relief for her pain, but here she is.

The war is over, everyone deserves their pain to be soothed, their wounds healed.

[atla-confessions]

I wish they would because it'd be funny as fuck but it might kill the mod

Lets put this in terms you might understand. Im going to repeat what you said, and then make a Katara 'critcism' of equal value

zk: aang is kind of inattentive and gets distracted easily

"Katara is kind of mean and gets really prideful and self-righteous"

These are two things Aang does, and two things Katara does, but if we made this Katara's entire fucking personality, that would be anti Katara

zk: aang yelling at toph was kinda shitty

"Katara making the blind comment at Toph was kinda shitty."

"Katara saying Sokka didnt love their mom like she did was kinda shitty."

The statement about Aang is true, as are these statments about Katara. If we were to call Katara a bad friend because of these, or toxic, or bring it up as reason that Katara isnt deserving of Aang, that would be anti Katara

zk: aang getting so jealous at the idea of Katara being with someone else that he would go into the Avatar state is kind of problematic

"Katara getting so jealous of Aang she says shes not going to come watch him ride the unagi to make sure hes okay is kind of problematic"

Neither of these statements are true. Both are ignoring the larger context and making their behavior out to be jealousy when its not. Aang was upset about the play as a whole. His comment about the avatar state was clearly not a literal thing, but him trying to express how upset the play as a whole has made him. Katara was upset Aang was being irresposible and letting the praise get to his head and didnt want to come watch him show off.

Aang doesnt even show any jealousy in this scene, zutara shippers just like making it about themselves. Aang doesnt mention Zuko once. Hes not thinking "Katara might have feelings for someone else" hes thinking "I dont know where I personally stand with Katara as she has been sending mixed signals." Which is, frankly, reasonable, even if he went about trying to express this in the wrong way. Thats not jealousy, thats a basic desire of wanting someone to communicate with you.

Painting Katara's frusteration and refusal to care about the potential of Aang getting hurt as just toxic jealousy would be anti Katara.

zk: here's a fic where aang faces consequences for burning Katara

Now, before I go into this one, lets remember the real consequences Aang faced, like getting jumped and slammed into the ground, like feeling so guilty as to swear off something he needs to save the world, like this incedent shown to be one of the things that haunt Aang the most when hes opening his chakras. Like this insident (incident? Im not looking it up rn) literally being the context in which he allows Zuko into their lives as he believes Zuko can help teach him firebending in such a way as to avoid ever hurting someone again.

Heres a list of things Katara did and did not face consequences for: abandoning Aang along with Sokka because Aang withheld a map for a few hours, stealing a waterbending scroll and sneaking to use it despite agreeing not to and putting everyone in danger, (she got saved and still got to keep the scroll, even made it very obvious she felt no remorse for this, I consider that not facing consequences), making Aang think Appa was sick, telling people Aang is the avatar because shes proud of it despite that putting Aang in danger many times, encouraging Aang to throw himself at problems with no help like Hei Bai and the NWT invasion, stealing appa after Aang said he did not want her to.

If someone were to write a fic where Aang's mistakes are ignored, and these mistakes of Katara's were emphasized and used as reasoning shes not good for Aang, to the point where they add consequences that didnt happen but could have happened, like Aang getting captured and/or hurt in order to make her feel guilty, that would be, say it with me, anti Katara.

When someone ephasizes or exaggerates a characters flaws while ignoring their good deeds and qualities, that is being anti, not fair criticism, especially if they do it while ignoring most of the flaws and mistakes another character has made and treating them as near perfect and a victim of the first character.

Most zutara shippers are not interested in analyzing the show for the sake of fair criticism of characters. If they were, they would be pointing out Katara's mistakes just as often as Aang's. They are only interested in justifying their dislike for Aang.

X

[quijotine]

Thoughts on NATLA so far (up to ep 5)

I'm really loving it!!! There are some parts where the pacing gets a bit slow but it makes up by hitting you out of left field with the feels.

Episode 4 is my favorite so far.

I absolutely LOVED this rendition of Sukka. What bisexual disasters, the pair of them.

ON THE FIRE NATION:

I absolutely LOVE the background story on the fire nation family, particularly the bond between zuko and iroh. It is presented completely different than in the OG, since the 'show don’t tell' of the original happens in Book 2 and here they use flashbacks, but it works. Still ended with me in waterworks. Also, I understand the logic behind showing all of the cards from the very get-go being that Netflix can cancel the show before it is renewed for another season, so it needed to make the best impression possible, show all the stakes but not reveal them in ther completion. I think they did that very well so far.

ZUKO IS SO AWKWARD I LOVE HIM

his expressions and reactions are just peak comedy. He is the embodiment of "😫😟" and I love that for him.

Dallas' performance is definitely one of my highlights.

ON KATARA AND SOKKA:

The thing that is the most foreign to me so far is the decision to improve Sokka's emotional stakes at the expense of Katara's. I like it but this has to be the element where the adaptation departs the most from the og. Like, in the cartoon it is Katara who bears the brunt of the responsibility taking care of the water tribe and her brother, which is why Sokka's sexism as a character flaw worked there. I can see now why they chose to drop that. With the script flipped like this, with Sokka being the main caretaker and provider between him and Katara, making him stay sexist would've been a bit too much. It is very different, but I like how they flipped the script between them.

What I did not like about this flip is that the change seems to affect Katara's character for the worse. She is not as outspoken or short-tempered as she was in the cartoon. It's almost the complete opposite. But I can definitely see the shyness and insecurity being the deliberate starting point of her arc. Now in ep 5, you can see her becoming more confident both in personality and bending. I think this was a conscious decision, but I still wish she had been written to be more headstrong from the very beginning.

That being said, I really appreciate how different the dynamic between Sokka and Katara is. I love how Katara is trying to get her independence while Sokka is still caught on the fact he has to be her protector, almost parent figure, which is a cool change of pace. One of the things that kinda bothered me as a young girl watching Avatar was that Katara was always stuck being the mom and sort of getting teased for it despite the fact no one else could or wanted to step up to that responsibility. It's cool to see Sokka bearing that responsibility as the eldest in the adaptation.

ON THE BLATANTLY MISSING KATAANG

You know, I don't hate this change. Aang and Katara's interactions are still pretty wholesome, and once they start catching feelings for each other, it will be super cute because you see where the love is truly coming from. It's not just Aang's childhood crush/Katara's "destiny", as it was presented it the cartoon. Besides it would have looked a little weird, considering that the age gap between Gordon and Kiawentiio is way more obvious on screen than it is right now when you see the interviews with the cast, because that kid Gordon is growing up SO fast.

OVERALL:

I am enjoying it very much! The adaptation is excellent. Despite some changes being quite big, they managed to capture most of the show's essence. I do believe it could have benefitted from a bit more balance between the comedy and the seriousness, particularly when it comes to Aang because he is mostly just weighted down by his responsibility in the adaptation, I don't see him joke as much, but in general and all limitations considered, I think they did an excellent job! It won't be for everyone, for sure, but I can say it has managed to bring back that feeling of watching the show for the first time again on some parts :)

[maddrumsticks2]

Just finished Skyward Sword! And I finished A Link Between Worlds a few days ago.

So, double post time! I'll start with ALBW because I had a few days to sit on that one.

Also just realized that with the completion of Skyward Sword, I have officially played and completed every 3D Zelda game! YIPPEEE!

(Long post below the cut!! Along with major spoilers for both aforementioned games!)

Ravio is SO SILLY. Though, he's already talked about a lot. Anything I could say about him has probably already been said.

But hey, I can't help but really like this silly guy who stole my house and all my rupees, okay? He's a little rascal.

So instead, I love Hilda having a clear motivation behind her actions. She is just trying to restore her kingdom. She wants her people to thrive. But she turned to the triforce instead of trying to find better meds to maybe help her people. Though the place was literally breaking apart, so maybe there really wasn't anything else that would've worked.

The story of this game is really heavy in the last 30 minutes, and that's really it. Before that it's just dungeons. Oh, and helping Ravio retire. I absolutely LOVED that XD

So, the distribution of the story could've been done better. But really, this game is so underrated for a Zelda game. Also, the whole moving through walls thing is super fun. LOVED that mechanic. Altogether, great game.

Okay, on to Skyward Sword!

SO good. This game does NOT deserve all of the negativity the surrounded it for some reason. Sure, I used button controls (I couldn't figure out motion controls for the life of me pff) but STILL! I think the Switch version definitely made it easier on me. Though idk what the Wii version is like so I shouldn't be trying to compare them lol.

On to non-gameplay stuff, the dungeons were so cleverly designed. As someone who is not particularly smart, I never found myself super stuck in the dungeons. Instead, I had a lot of fun with them! That's always a plus with me, but I don't find too much shame in looking up a walkthrough here or there.

Story! So fun! I loved Groose's character arc especially. I totally despised him at first but he reached silly status pretty quickly. His character was handled really well, too. He didn't just flip personalities. He showed his flip through his actions, not his words. Which for Groose is a perfect choice.

Also, Ghirahim is SUCH a theatre kid. Nothing can change my mind on that. (And before anyone gets mad, I'M a theatre kid. I know what we act like.)

I find it interesting that the whole game only takes place in three regions that you visit over and over again. Other Zelda games have done this before, but I think Skyward Sword does it the most. I loved all the regions, but tbh I think the forest was the most boring to me. The Ancient Cistern was cool though. I won't deny that. Also, Eldin was probably the most traumatizing for Sky. SO many bad things happened there lol. Like being burned because of how hot it is, then finding chains Zelda has definitely been bound in, being told he was too late. Then he comes back later and not much traumatizing stuff that time. Maybe getting chased by lava, probably not lasting trauma, just scary for a minute lol. But when he comes back a final time, the volcano erupts, covering the sky in ash and leaving him with no return to the sky. To make matters worse, he gets beaten up and captured by monsters and all his stuff was stolen. Wow I just wrote a lot about Eldin pfff

Sadly, I already knew about the whole Zelda is Hylia thing. I kinda wish I hadn't known that. That cutscene probably would've been cooler if I played this game in the complete dark.

Also, Link is so subtly expressive in this game. He actually has facial expressions! I love how at the end of the game, you can SEE Link's determination. You can see his desire to cut Demise down and save his world. I LOVE his expressiveness!

One thing I didn't know was that Demise was the Imprisoned. That actually surprised me.

Then there's Impa. I already figured out that the Old Lady was Impa before the reveal. So that was just "I called it." But here's the silly part about that cutscene: I read fanfic saying she died once. But of course I let my guard down. I believed that the author had Impa die from Ghirahim hitting her. And so, literally one text box away from the scene, I sent my sister in law a text like "lol, idk why I thought Impa dies. She's literally been here the whole time."

I had to send a text probably two seconds late saying "nvm, she died."

Whoopsies, silly me XD

Last thing I wanna say! (I think.) The whole lightning in the end battle is SICK! And now all the lighting scars people give Sky make sense. That's probably one of my favorite scar headcanons, honestly. That and Wild's blast scar. Also love giving Twilight a nasty arm scar, but I'm getting off track.

So yeah! Those are my silly disjointed thoughts on both the games I finished recently! Now I only have 2D games left to play. My list became so much smaller! It went from having ten games to just five.

Just have the Oracles games, Link's Awakening, the original and Adventure of Link to play! (I'm debating which one to start with. Probably the Oracles games to I can get Legend's character down better.)

Yay! Wall of text!

[letsgetrowdy43]

can you please do something with the prompt “I've known you since... forever. I can't imagine my life without you" for luke hughes? <3

Liquor Fueled Kisses

He was ignoring her, he’d drunkenly kissed her at the party following the boy’s win at the Littler Caesars arena for ‘Duel for the D’.  He had been on a winner high, and the tequila flowing through his bloodstream had given him just the right amount of confidence he’d lacked for years.

She was his childhood best friend, the girl he had met in Toronto while his family was living there, who had vacationed with him every summer at lake Michigan ever since their meeting, the two of them both committing to Umich in hopes of being reunited for good.

She’d been dancing with the boys when Luke had pulled her away from the group, her arms wrapped around his neck as they sang along with the slow song playing over the speaker. He slowly leaned in and captured her lips on his as they continued to sway to the music. 

It was sweet, it was warm, but mainly it was a mistake.

Luke had never meant to reveal to her that he had some sort of hidden crush on her, that was a secret he was willing to take to the grave in order to keep their friendship intact.

That led us to this moment, she showed up on the sophomore’s doorstep after a week of ignored calls and texts that had been left unanswered.  “Hey Yn, what brings you here” Dylan opened the door with wide eyes, all of the boys knowing that Luke had been locked up in his room with anxiety about the whole situation. “Hello Duker, I haven’t been here in a week and the house is a mess,” she said with a dry laugh looking over at the mess of dishes on the counters and dirty clothes around the kitchen and living room. “We haven’t had our resident mother here in a week, we’ve been dealing with divorce just as horribly as you have” Mark joked making her brows furrow, watching as Mackie slapped the boy in the arm for the unneeded comment.

“Luke and I are still friends?” she deadpanned. “Have you ever really been just friends?” Ethan said skeptically, “just think about that for a moment”

She swallowed harshly and looked around at the boys, “I never said I just wanted to be just friends, he’s the one that made it awkward”  All of the boy’s jaws dropped, their faces breaking out into smirks as Mark pulled her in front of Luke’s door, “talk to him. Fix it. Tell him what you just told us,” he knocked on the door and ran away from the room.

“Duker this is like the fourth time-“ Luke opened the door aggravated, but his expression grew soft as he saw her standing in the door frame, “oh” “I think we need to have a talk,” she said as he ushered her into the room, shutting the door behind her. “Yeah, probably”

She sat down on the end of the bed, as he sat in his previous spot, “we kissed” she said quietly. “We did” "And I get that you think it was a mistake,” she said as his brows furrowed, “so please stop ignoring me and let’s just pretend it never happened,” she said quickly looking up for him to give her some sort of sign that they were okay

“Do think it was a mistake?” He asked looking up at her. “Do you want me to be truthful?” He picked at the skin around his nail, nervously, as he looked back down “I never want you to feel the need to lie to me” She took a deep-breath, “then no I don’t think it was a mistake, it actually meant a lot to me” she awkwardly turned to Luke, trying to see any sort of reaction on his face.

Luke sat stunned for a second, nodding but no words left his lips as he stared at her, “but that doesn’t mean that it has to happen again, I just want us to be good again, talking at least” he was still silent. “I've known you since... forever. I can't imagine my life without you,” her eyes filled with tears as she stared at him, “so just say something, please.”

“You never asked me if I thought it was a mistake, you just kinda assumed” “Luke, you ignored me like the plague for a week, I’m pretty sure I know when someone regrets their drunken actions” “Ask me” She wiped her eyes and looked over at him, rolling her eyes as he smirked back at her, “Luke do you think it was a mistake” “No, I think it should’ve happened much sooner than it did”

Her worried expression dropped as a smile broke out on her face, “you’re such a dick, you had me really worried there” she said moving up from the bottom of the bed to sitting face-to-face with him

“So if I were to kiss you again you’d be okay with it” “I’d probably want you to do it again, and again, and again some more” She grinned as his hand cupped the plush of her cheek and pulled her face closer. “Good cause I was thinking the same thing”

[ethanhuntfemmefatale]

fuck it. ethan hair ranking

it's saturday im bored i don't want to practice mozart anymore. let's go

I'm gonna rank bottom to top this time and include visual aids. none of my choices are going to be much of a surprise to anyone who knows my particular tastes I think.

7. Dead Reckoning Part 1

Ethan is just gorgeous in this movie but his hair doesn’t do it for me. It’s short enough that it can’t have the same personality as it does at Fallout or MI1 length. It looks good on him! But it’s kinda flat. It's just fine. Also it doesn’t strike me as being a character choice so much as a “McQ likes TC’s hair better short” choice

6. Fallout

I would like to formally apologize to arc @callmearcturus i am sorry for slandering your boy like this. I love him too. fallout ethan is objectively the finest look that ethan has ever had I love him even above my dearly beloved MI1 ethan. He's deeply beautiful and i love him so much my heart hurts. but for me it's not the hair it's the Vibes. the vibes are here but the hair is just. it's a haircut. It's just normal to me, it’s floofy which I appreciate but. still. It’s a nice looking cut. Good for cosplaying a man. Utilitarian. It works well on Ethan but it doesn't capture my fascination.

5. MI3

it might also be time for me to formally apologize to mar @malewifebillcage for slandering her boy.......mi3 ethan's hair is also just a cut to me. and objectively i think the fallout cut even looks better on him. but I love MI3 hair dearly and deeply for character reasons because it’s such an aggressively rom com cut it really feels like Ethan googled “house husband” for reference pics. so i like it better cause it amuses me

4. MI1

I'd like to formally apologize to myself for slandering my own boy. (Also Luther in the back hi Luther I love you.) Ethan's hair in this movie is also excellent characterization and provides a perfect baseline for all my Ethan Hunt hair meta thoughts. And it’s so expressive! I love how spiky it is! That being said while it has a lot of personality it is simply not as aesthetically gorgeous to me as some of the cuts I ranked higher. MI1 Ethan I’m sorry

3. Rogue Nation

rogue nation Ethan literally takes my breath away at times with how beautiful he is. I am obsessed with the subtle length and swoop and the way it falls over his forehead. It’s the kind of hair that says “I had my gender crisis years ago and decided my gender was Gorgeous”. And yet it isn’t Character Driven enough for me to have it at the top

2. MI2

mi2 hair i think about you all the time.

both rich in Character Implication and mind-blowingly pretty. This is his hot girl summer hair his cherry bomb by the runaways hair it’s his ‘blew up my dad who wants me’ hair. It’s so far from the MI1 ingenue that it leaves manwhore in the dust and wraps back around to ingenue again. This is the hair of a man (????) who is trying so very hard to be absolutely anything other than what he is that he becomes exactly what he doesn’t like being. Every single image of him with this hair is like a masterclass in gender and rebellion and trauma and self discovery. and I Want To Run My Hands Through It.

But! there is something about the MI2 hair that feels. Styled and calculated and superficial. Hair for an Effect. Which is part of what I love about it! It’s also why this hair isn’t my absolute favorite. That title goes to:

Ghost Protocol

Ghost Protocol hair my absolute fucking beloved. What tips this hair over the edge for me is the way it looks when he’s tired and disheveled, in the prison breakout scene, in the car after the Kremlin, etc. This hair feels so natural for him, it’s a bit wild and floppy and makes him look kinda like a Creature instead of a man (I mean this in the most flattering way possible). He’s not trying to claim gender the way he is in MI2 or MI3, he’s…doing his own thing. It’s somehow both a utilitarianism and an indulgence. He’s not trying to fit in anywhere, he’s not trying to be anything, he’s in his base state and it’s fucking gorgeous. I guess for me this is the thing—MI4 is the movie where Ethan doesn’t have to function as a member of society, and has been free of functioning as a member of society for a while now. And this is the result. I could stare at him forever<3

[compacflt]

While I was reading your slider oneshot for the third time (sooooo good btw, i cant say enough how much i love your writing), I kept thinking about Ice and Sliders conversation about Carole-[“Me and Carole?” Ice said, thinking it over. He smiled his bitter, bashful smile— “Yeah, we might’ve worked out, once. I won’t get into the details. We tried it out. But I don’t think the timing was right.”]-What is Ice referencing here?? Is he referring to when Carole kissed him? Or did I miss something (entirely possible tbh)? I really felt like Mav when I read that scene ["What do Admiral Kazansky and Carole Bradshaw get up to when he doesn’t know about it?"]

The parallel of Mav being [redacted] with Goose and Carole liking/loving/pining for Ice. Wow! So deliciously complex. What an interesting little love square they have going on. Bradley and his four parents.

But man...Carole really is such a tragic figure in both canon and your fic. But I really really love the depth of emotion that you give her in the glimpses that we get. Her relationships with both Mav and Ice are so interesting and layered. They just feel very real. I really really loved the gimpse of her point of view you gave us in the Dad!Ice fic (the half empty box of cigarettes!! I still think about that)

this is such a sweet ask. thank you. yes he was referring to her kissing him (not really “trying it out,” to be fair, but he’s also trying to “prove” to slider that he’s still interested in women, so he’s using even the most tangential of evidence and holding it up like “see? See? not gonna give you all the details but Trust Me bro we tried it out😎”)

& also here’s from my notes in my printed-out copy of my fics from last OCTOBER (whoa). Referring to the scene in the hospital when Carole gives ice & maverick the instructions to pull Bradley’s USNA app & suggests she & ice have discussed it previously (they haven’t).

Carole is pretty much the only person who is around both Ice & mav enough to know the truth of who they are. (Slider also recognizes this— “ice let Carole Bradshaw see his happiness but not slider… :( que cruel”. And the whole “she is literally the only camera capturing icemav’s happiness on film for the historical record” section of slider

.) And Carole therefore is the only person to whom ice quite literally cannot deny that he & maverick are together, because she… has eyes. And is their best friend. and they’re raising her kid with her. So that sets her up as like a confessional character, in that ice HAS to be truthful with her in a way he isn’t with anyone else, including… his literal boyfriend maverick. so it’s a pretty easy leap for Maverick to be like, It’s a given that ice does not honestly want to be with me, a man -> but he is honest about his feelings with Carole, a woman who has expressed interest in him, behind my back (“what do admiral Kazansky & Carole Bradshaw get up to when he doesn’t know about it?”) -> Omg they’re having a heterosexual emotional affair. Which, like, they totally might be? which is why i keep going back to the *possibility* that they might have worked out once, had it not been for the simultaneous timing of ice falling in love with maverick, since ice is also Bradley’s no. 1 dad figure in my story. Which slider points out.

From a heterosexual family planning perspective, ice & Carole together just kinda makes sense. In a way that everyone in the story recognizes, for better or worse.

[butterflydm]

wot rewatch 1x2: shadow's waiting

Continuing my pre-s2 rewatch with the second episode, Shadow's Waiting. <3

spoilers for all of season one plus through The Fires of Heaven in the book series

The way the Whitecloaks are set up here does feel like Rafe & co were pulling a lot from how they were portrayed in New Spring, where the newly-raised Sisters get warned that an arrow in the back kills Aes Sedai as easily as anyone else. But this cold-open is brutal and also sets up the stakes for Moiraine later in the episode - this is the kind of death she would get from Valda if he were able.

Valda's special bird breakfast was a gift from the "Lord" to congratulate him on his "victory". Which Lord? Presumably not Bornhald, given the way he behaves around Valda later. The victory is, presumably, the capture of this poor Yellow Ajah Sister.

Since I was recently thinking about forkroot in my story... I wonder if it'll get introduced via the Whitecloaks in the show. Ronde was a Yellow's eyes-and-ears in Amadicia (Whitecloak country). But I don't think the Whitecloaks have forkroot yet, or he would have just dosed Egwene with it when he has her prisoner.

I love the credits sequence so much. <3

The scenery is just so gorgeous.

It makes a lot of sense that the kiddos don't challenge Moiraine until after they've both a. reached a measure of safety by being on the other side of the river and b. saw what happened with the ferry. They are village kids and the ruthless calculus of war is not something they've had to think about in their lives. Of course they'll think "there had to be a better way".

So now all the kids have a chance to breathe and to actually think. Rand wants a plan so that they can try to keep each other safe if that stops being a priority of Moiraine's -- and that is a worry of his that kinda does get proven true at the end of the season when the Red Ajah is sent after Mat by Moiraine.

Poor Rand is also very much not ready to think about one of them being the Dragon especially because, well, he's already suspecting that it would be him and desperately not wanting it to be.

And Egwene is already embracing the idea that maybe it is one of them, so maybe they can help save people.

Mat trying to break the tension and play peacemaker.

Here is where we get the difference between Egwene and the others -- it isn't that they doubt Moiraine and she doesn't, it's that Egwene gets an explanation when she expresses her doubts to Moiraine during their nighttime conversation. Moiraine actually walks Egwene through her thought process here so that Egwene will understand why she made the choices that she did.

Moiraine's explanation of the Oaths also puts Valda's "victory" from the cold open into perspective -- unless she knew her life was in imminent danger, that Yellow Aes Sedai could not use the One Power against Valda. Some "victory".

Moiraine must have been so relieved when she realized that Egwene can channel. It made it that much more likely that they were lucky enough to have the Dragon reborn as someone who would not fall to the corruption. Like, I 100% understand why Moiraine wants Egwene to be TDR but, in her eagerness to have the less dangerous choice as the Dragon, she treated the qualms of the boys too carelessly and dismissively. They all deserved the explanation that she was willing to give Egwene.

Poor Rand. Poor Egwene. I understand both sides of this -- Egwene was seeking familiar comfort but... you literally JUST broke up with him. Rand is not being an "asshole" to want some space.

Moiraine is demanding information but not giving them sufficient answers when Rand tries to press her in return. And tbh I think part of Egwene's anger here is because Rand rejected her last night and she's hurt over it. But Mat is the one who is able to talk Rand down and get him to play ball.

Once again, how similarly Rand and Egwene are costumed really stands out -- brown coat over a blue top. Mirrors! Co-protagonists!

The encounter with the Whitecloaks accomplishes several things: we see that the Whitecloaks feel free to act as an authority in lands that are not their own; Valda sees their faces so that he'll recognize Perrin & Egwene later; and we see that there are other Whitecloaks who appear to disagree with at least some of Valda/the Questioners beliefs (Bornhald telling Moiraine to seek out Aes Sedai healing). Plus there's a lot of tension in the scene because we saw the cold open.

Love the Manetheren song scene. And it's another example of Mat working to help the emotional state of the group. And I love hearing the story from Moiraine. I teared up on rewatch too.

Timing note: "I haven't seen any Trollocs for days", Lan says.

Again, we get to Rand and Egwene's further discussion and I can see both sides: Rand would like to be given space to process but Egwene wants reassurances that in a world that has changed so much Rand still cares about her. But Egwene has been the one sending mixed signals, not Rand. I understand why she has but it was definitely absolutely baffling to me when I hopped online and saw Rand being taken to task for holding on and being 'clingy'.

Perrin gets wolf healing and we get a hint here that Something Supernatural is up with Perrin but it's now been explicitly linked to wolves.

Love pretty much the entire Shadar Logoth section and Mat is a lot less randomly treasure-hungry and naive in this version. It accomplishes what it needs to do in splitting the party and there's a great creepy vibe.

It also gives us some nice character moments. Perrin and Mat's conversation about Laila is really sweet, and again shows us that Mat is very emotionally sensitive to others. And Rand and Egwene's silent moment together is also sweet.

Rand really likes to go the high places to think. Chills on the mountain in the first episode and seeks out a tower with the view of the dead city in this one.

Giving Perrin a weapon that is primarily a tool is also very thematic for him. That's part of the struggle for him -- between choosing a weapon that he sees only as a weapon and one that is primarily a tool but can be used as a weapon if needed. Knife here rather than a hammer but it still fits the themes for Perrin.

So many of the criticisms of the show baffled me and here's another one: did the people who said it was "too clean" watch past the big village festival? They are showing wear and tear already and it gets worse in upcoming episodes.

Poor horse. Being eaten by a tendril of darkness and dissolving into dust seems a rough way to go.

I also like the choice of darkness as opposed to fog, partly so that people don't associate the fog of the Heroes of the Horn with Shadar Logoth lol.

Party split successfully accomplished!

Weapon as tool: we see Rand use his sword not as a sword but as a crowbar to help him and Mat escape Shadar Logoth.

And Nynaeve (not dead) shows up as our surprise ending!

<3 <3 <3 <3

[nights-nonsensical-ramblings]

okay so I watched the knuckles series (by following the example of the pirates of course ) and I have to say while it was a very enjoyable watch, I have no clue what I watched and I’m mostly confused and have come away feeling mostly neutral. I don’t hate it, but it hasn’t dug its hooks in like other sonic things have for me.

Like some bits I very much enjoyed watching and would happily see again and others I couldn’t stand and dread the idea of watching again.

there were plenty of moments where Knuckles went against what I adore about him, and others that perfectly capture what I adore about him. Boy was so adorable though. Loved lots of the expressions he made.

okay I’m gonna get a bit more specific from here and cuz I got no clue what’s going on with the tagging and it gets long I’ll put it under a cut.

So it’s kinda hard for me to remember what happened, but I will say I love wades mother, she was amazing, loved her and Knuckles’ dynamic and would welcome it if she appeared again. (Also, new headcanon unlocked that knuckles is such a mamas boy he’s a magnet for motherly figures)

I really am not a fan of his sister Wanda tho. The childish sibling banter did entertain me at first (and made me think that knuckles was going to reflect on his relationship with his brothers) but it went on too long and just made Wanda feel like she never matured past being a bratty teenager. (And judging by what I’ve seen I think she’s gonna be on ‘top _ worst sonic characters’ lists for a while)

my opinion on Wade himself hasn’t really changed. I have no strong feelings towards the guy

We didn’t get as much as I wanted, but I loved the Wachowski family stuff. I needed so much more of knuckles being the trouble kid and the family trying to help.

It’s pretty annoying that the start of the show set up Knuckles learning to chill, be a kid on earth and settle in with his new family. Only to drop it basically immediately and the closest thing it has to a resolution is Knuckles finding his jam.

and yeah, I could see plenty of moments where they had the perfect opportunity to explore knuckles on a deeper level but chose not to. But I am glad they at least hinted at it with those expressions I keep raving about

On that. Cuz Pachacamacs appearance was what springboreded what was going on in a different direction. What is going on here? Is this a Knuckles thing? But Wade speaks to him to, but that was under knuckles’ guidance? I think? So can anyone in this world talk to spirits? Can only certain people be spirits? I mean. One Knuckles got over the initial shock he accepted the fact he was talking to a dead tribe member (I’m also sad that nothing was done with the idea that in this universe Knuckles and Pachacamac were alive at the same time) I got so many more questions on how spirits work in here, but I’m just gonna move on. (Although, maybe this sets up knuckles speaking to Tikal 👀. Or maybe his dad or even his mum.)

But considering what Pachacamac’s role is in the games making him so comedicly focused felt weird. Yeah this universe has different events. But still feels weird cuz of how we know Pachacamac.

I don’t even know what to say about the whole fire powers fire demon (who’s heavily implied to be iblis) I need way more time to think what is going on. Like does any of the pre existing lore apply? If so those are some WILD implications. If not, did that mean they just made this guy like iblis cuz it’s a fire creature that fans will recognize??

A minor thing but I can’t hear our house without thinking of the chemist warehouse add. And a few of the other songs are strongly associated with other things and I couldn’t help but think of them when they played. I don’t see this as a good or bad thing. It is just a thing.

hmm. I had more thoughts but after that ghost tangent I can’t really remember them. I guess I’ll have to come back later with another post if I get them back.

So, for now my closing thoughts are: it’s not a terrible show. Lots of writing choices I disagree with, but I don’t nessicaily think they’re bad. And there’s definitely enjoyment to be found (more if you watch it with some friends) but it’s not really to my taste. Especially with how much irs advertise as about knuckles and then not. Some moments made me very happy some made me want to nope out some I don’t even know.

congratulations to Wade fans, I’m gonna find what bits I wanna cherry pick and I’ll be on my merry way.

[ly-art]

Chapter 24—A Dangerous Agreement (this time Solas is on the waiting bench lol)

Even though I'm sick with a cold, I managed to finish my newest Solavellan chapter. Solas is still unconscious so this time it's only Amatisha. She and another character finally face off, (kinda) and the consequences will only be revealed in the next chapter (I think?). As always here's a little snippet from the chapter!

They entered Bull’s tent, and there she was—Silassan, tied up and gagged, her rose-colored eyes gleaming with defiance. The sight of her, like a captured animal, sent a ripple of unease through Amatisha. Silassan’s eyes reminded her of something precious, yet here she was, restrained like a prisoner ready for interrogation. Amatisha folded her arms across her chest, her gaze flicking to Bull with a raised eyebrow. "Was this really necessary? She looks like she's about to be executed." Bull nodded gravely. "It was. Trust me, Boss, I know what I’m doing." His voice carried no trace of his usual joking tone, and Amatisha knew she had to trust him. But as she studied Silassan’s face, something flickered in those wild, rebellious eyes—confusion. The realization hit Amatisha like a punch to the gut. *She wasn’t expecting me. She was expecting Solas.* Her breath hitched at the thought, but she masked it quickly, crouching down to meet Silassan at eye level. Bull stood behind her, his massive figure looming like a protective shadow. "I’m going to remove the gag," Amatisha said, her tone calm but firm. "And I’d strongly advise you not to scream. Drawing attention isn't going to help you." Silassan’s gaze blazed with fury, but her expression remained impassive. Amatisha removed the gag, only to have Silassan spit directly into her face. Amatisha blinked in shock but didn’t react, wiping the spit away with the back of her arm. "*Really? Spitting? Wow,*" she said with a calm that even surprised herself. "You really must hate me." She felt strangely detached, almost bored by the insult, as if the act of aggression had no impact on her whatsoever. Under different circumstances, she might have retaliated, cursed, or lashed out. But right now, it was like watching a scene unfold through a thick pane of glass. Instead, she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Let’s skip the bullshit. You’re here because you're hiding something, and I need to know what that is. But first, let's start with this: *Why did you try to kill Bull?*" Silassan remained silent, not even the flicker of a blink betraying her thoughts. Amatisha sighed internally. She knew the truth—the elf wouldn't break. But she gave it a shot anyway, taking a few pages from Leliana’s playbook. "I already know why. Bull filled me in on your little conversation with Solas." Nothing. Not a twitch, not a blink. Amatisha smiled, a cold, calculated gesture. Of course there wouldn’t be a reaction. “You’re a disgrace to the Elvhen. Go ahead, kill me if you must, but don’t expect me to say a word. I will not break,” Silassan finally hissed, her voice as cold as the frost biting at dawn. Amatisha cocked her head, watching her closely. “Do you really think I’ll torture you? Or is it because you acted alone when you tried to kill Bull—knowing damn well if he survived, it would lead back to Solas? Whatever you are to him—friend, family, or something else—Solas wouldn’t want that kind of attention. That's probably why he's kept you hidden, right? He seemed pretty pissed with you in that forest. Did you join the Inquisition just to watch *him*? I could ask him when he wakes up. I'm sure he'll love hearing, right after nearly dying, that you tried to kill one of his companions and failed. Guess the cat’s out of the bag now.”

[project1939]

200 Films of 1952

Film number 187: Francis Goes to West Point

Release date: July 1952 

Studio: Universal 

Genre: comedy 

Director: Arthur Lubin 

Producer: Leonard Goldstein 

Actors: Donald O’Connor, Lori Nelson, Alice Kelley, Gregg Palmer 

Plot Summary: With the help of Francis the talking mule, Peter becomes a hero by saving an atomic plant from a bomb attack. His heroics capture the attention of the US Government, and he is offered a spot at West Point. But can this bumbling hero really make the grade there? 

My Rating (out of five stars): **¾  

By making my list 200 films long, I’ve included a lot of things I would never purposely choose to watch. So, I’ll be real- I hate talking animal movies. I can’t stand them. I love animals, but I loathe when real live animals talk in movies. (If it’s a cartoon animal, that’s a different story.) If they are older films, I especially worry about how the animals were treated on and off set. So... I did not want to put this film on my list! I finally gave in because it was a hugely popular and culturally significant series of movies right dab in the middle of 1952. Hell, Francis was even a guest on an episode I saw of What’s My Line? I like Donald O’Connor too, so hearing he starred in these helped push me to give it a try. 

The Good: 

Donald O’Connor! He is utterly charming and impossible to hate. He can always make me at least giggle or smile. 

For once we got a moderately realistic portrayal of a military school or basic training! All the other films I've seen from 1952 made joining the military seem like a summer camp or a class trip. Here there was tough discipline that characters could not talk their way out of. 

The real life footage of the military drills was wowing. 

I also loved the bona fide footage of a college football game. Seeing a real stadium filled with thousands of people... even seeing the parking lot teeming with vintage cars and buses was a weird nerdy highlight for me! Those snapshots of the actual world at the time are so fascinating. Still. 

I was kind of ambivalent to Francis, but I did find it amusing that he seemingly randomly knew everything there was to know. When he was tutoring Peter in French, that did make me smile. 

The Bad: 

I didn’t find the film terribly humorous. I smiled a few times, and maybe there was a giggle here and there, but was it funny? Not to me. But I also know I am not the audience for this. 

The whole premise was so ridiculous, sometimes it was too hard for me to set aside.  

The plot was relatively loose. A lot of these kinds of comedies can turn into a succession of gags bound together by the thinnest of threads. This movie wasn’t that bad- it did have a rough plot at least, but sometimes it was still too erratic. 

I try not to be mean to actors, but the actress who played Cynthia, Peter’s possible love interest, was not good. Her line delivery wasn't too bad, but her expressions were off. She kept her eyes so wide open it looked like she was having an eye exam, and it was just kinda weird. I’m sure she was a lovely person, though. ;-D

And speaking of the possible romance- what happened at the end? We never found out anything about Peter and Cynthia being together or not. 

The characters were not developed at all. I know that is expected from a comedy geared toward kids, but it made it hard to actually care about the people in it. For example, I kept getting Peter’s two roommates mixed up because they were almost indistinguishable. 

Who designed that horrible horrible poster?

[midnightfire830]

I’m bored, it’s late, and I’m not feeling great (like usual), but I don’t have the energy draw anything for asks so imma just hammer ya’ll with headcanons and ideas from cyberpunk because I feel bad I haven’t been talking about it as much. I have so many cussing ideas for this AU but I’m running out of ways to express those idea. Yay. ✌️

Anyway! Here’s some thoughts and little tidbits about Cyberpunk!

- Dr. Flug is a genius cybernetics designer and helped create all the tech that the cupbros use. And he’s behind all the programming. As instructed by the Devil. Hat of course helps Flug a lot with the tech. (The demon race is especially well known for their advancements in cyberware technology. The other races also specialize in certain things of course, but demons are known for cyberware.)

- Black hat also does own a casino. Although the tables are usually operated by androids plus a lot of gambling machines and coin slots. And an antigravity dance floor that Bendy really, REALLY wants to try.

- Mugs has a literal teleportation device that works with his dash charm. It gives him a larger range and more control on direction. It’s powered by his magic and his charm and it only requires him to throw down a specific piece of tech where he wants to go and he’ll teleport there. He can only carry one person.

- Mugs also has a support item. I drew it a few times in some drawings. You’ll notice in his character designs he wears two scarves wrapped around his forearms. Hat imbued his favorite scarf with some cyberware tech (and some magic) to turn his scarf into a capture weapon that works a lot like Aizawa’s capture scarf in My Hero Academia. He uses it as a non-lethal way of fighting. And for better range.

- Holly is the guy in ther chair. Whenever anyone goes on patrols she’s on commas tapping away on her screens. She hacks cameras remotely so that the boys don’t get caught, listens in to police radio and tell them where any crime might be happening.

- The Devil had decided to cut off majority of the Quester’s money access. He put pressure on the Quester’s usual buyers to not purchaser their products, so money is currently tight.

- Tho they get by by mostly selling to smaller companies and oftentimes regular people anyway so it doesn’t really matter.

- Food in their world is kinda crap. Oftentimes they have to buy prepackaged food to reheat. Everything is always processed food bc they can’t afford much more than that. (That is to say fresh produce is RIDICULOUSLY expensive). Only the rich can really afford it. I wonder who’s fault THAT is…

That’s a few little tidbits for now. Enjoy!