#Shout out to the voice cast. they did an amazing job

[v4mpyinred]

Watching Aleks Le and the rest if the Reload voice cast beat Reload has me so messed up rn. To me it feels like the end of an era. I remember the first video dropping last year, along with so many other Reload playthroughs from other people. All those other playthroughs have since died out as more people beat the game. This was the last "big one" in my opinion...Sigh. Truly an end of an era

I can't believe reload is a year old now. The era when Reload came out was such a good time for me. I made so many fun memories & friends I'll cherish forever all thanks to this game alone. SO much has changed since I beat the game a year ago. Every day I miss it dearly 😭

[myfairkatiecat]

LOTR Musical Chicago Experience (according to Katie)

I GOT TO SEE THE LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL IN CHICAGO! As promised, here’s a blog post detailing my experience, my opinions on the characters/plot portrayal, and basically everything else I’m still rotating in my brain after seeing it last night.

Audience Member Experience

After coming in off Navy Pier and into the theater (Navy Pier was cool too but that’s not why we were there), I started seeing Lord of the Rings fans. Some people even came in costume, which was fun. As we got closer to the beginning of the show, it got harder to tell cosplayers apart from actual actors cause… the actors were just there. Walking around, greeting the people, saying hello…

The show began at seven. At about 2 minutes til 7:00, they really began interacting. Our seats were on the main floor near the center, and Bilbo Baggins came out right in front of us, asking some of the people, “Who’s here for my birthday party?” we all responded enthusiastically, and then he shouted so the whole theater could hear, “WHO’S HERE FOR MY BIRTHDAY PARTY??” Then the entire theater sang the happy birthday song to Bilbo Baggins and applauded, but that wasn’t even the beginning of the show. Hobbits were walking around playing games with the audience. I heard Frodo introduce himself to some people behind us. Rosie was carrying around what I believe was a ring toss game.

At about four minutes after 7:00, the main character hobbits began to make their way from the audience and onto the stage, while ensemble members stayed throughout the audience to create the sense of really being there with them in the Shire. The Hobbits greeted each other, gave each other hugs, and everyone started playing instruments to indicate the beginning of the show.

I wouldn’t realize it until house lights finally went off, but they were still on through the whole first number! The actors looked like they were having a fantastic time. The prologue song was a rendition of the “Now and for Always” chorus sung by the hobbits, and then Bilbo said his iconic lines at his birthday party and ended up disappearing in a puff of smoke. When Bilbo said he was bequeathing everything to Frodo, this one actor far back in the audience started grumbling and telling everyone around him that was stupid, and I’m officially dubbing that guy Unidentified Sackville-Baggins Character.

After they began to tell the actual tale and Frodo’s journey began, the house lights finally turned off, and it was like, “oh, we were hanging out with hobbits in the Shire, and NOW we’re watching Frodo’s story after he leaves,” almost like we, the audience, were in the Shire the entire time.

The characters onstage played all of the music. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about that when I first heard about it at the watermill, but now having seen the show performed that way, it was AWESOME. It made everything feel very homey, like a story being told around a campfire, even though the effects for the epic parts were FANTASTIC (I’ll talk about that in a later part of the post).

The characters often showed the nature of their journey by trekking through the pathways in the audience. Act two began suddenly the the house lights going all the way off as Gollum suddenly appeared up in the audience, scurrying down and murmuring in the Gollum voice. (Sméagol’s actor was amazing, by the way. Amazing portrayal. 10/10.)

The audience interaction really made it feel like you were in the story, and it was absolutely so much fun. I could tell the actors agreed.

Casting and Character Portrayal

This is the casting we saw:

With the following cast update:

As you can see, Sam’s understudy played Legolas in the show I saw. He did a fantastic job. He kinda looked like a Sam to me? But that’s probably just because I saw that in the program. His acting was phenomenal and I could tell he was having a great time with the role (especially singing Lothlorien, which, of course. Singing that song is so much fun.)

The rivalry to friendship of Legolas and Gimli was portrayed fantastically. Both characterizations were spot-on and their catfighting from the very establishment of the Fellowship was very entertaining. While a lot of the show was understandably abridged from the original plot, leaving less room for a full development of the relationship, but their journey to understanding each other as friends was beautiful nonetheless, and one of the main things that stood out to me as far as the well-portrayed character development in the show.

Sam and Frodo were phenomenal. The portrayal of their relationship, the good parts and the bad parts, Frodo’s descent as the Ring affects him more and more paired with Sam’s unwavering loyalty—that was one of the things done best about the show. Sam embodied the role, and when he grunted in determination as he picked up Frodo to carry him over his shoulders, the entire audience burst into applause. It was such a wholesome moment because of how well their relationship was done.

Arwen and Aragorn’s romance was done about as well as I could have hoped for given the length of the show and how much of the rest of the plot was going on. It was sweet and given many moments, but there wasn’t tons of development there. However, it touched on the parts that were most important to the plot, and I definitely enjoyed them.

Merry and Pippin were chaotic and played amazingly. Nothing more to say there. Just. Fabulous. 🙃

Boromir!! They did my guy Boromir justice, from his initial hesitance, to the true development of why he sees the Ring as a possibility for good, to the unwavering way he cares for his people and their wellbeing, to the way his honor remained even in his worst moment… it was really good. His death scene made me cry. Aragorn holding Boromir as he died 😭 I don’t even remember their exact dialogue but I was like wow you might as well just kill me now 😢 I went from giggling at “GIVE ME THE RING wait no I didn’t mean it I’m sorry stay with me—“ (yes that was the exact wording he used) to absolutely sobbing over his death. YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT TO ME (they did it was in the books)

Galadriel… :/ okay so the actress was very talented. Like, insanely good. I just would have done Galadriel’s character differently, and I think she was done differently in other productions of this show. She was a powerhouse for sure, but her scrunched expressions on long notes and moments of growling and the way she walked were giving “sassy girlboss” which was fine but not really what I was expecting for her character. So… do with that what you will.

Arwen’s character was portrayed amazingly. She usually only showed up to be in love with Aragorn, which was unfortunate, but the way she was done by the actress was an absolute 10/10. She was so graceful and tender and strong-willed and beautiful and just. Arwen vibes.

I don’t even have anything to say about Sméagol/Gollum. Just… perfect. Amazing. I can’t even describe how well he did the character. Imagine Sméagol in your head and that’s him. The script also did justice to his internal conflict, which I appreciated so much!

Effects

They gave a strobe lights warning but they did NOT tell me they were going to be flashing lights right at my eyes 😭 if you’re sensitive to lights at all, just don’t go to see it. Take care of yourself.

That said, if you can handle it, it was AWESOME. During the “you shall not pass” scene, they had a black tarp waving near the ground with projections of fire on it. It created a seriously awesome lava effect. They were also flashing white lights directly into the audience during the whole thing, which I think was purposefully disorienting while Gandalf ended up disappearing.

The Shelob scene featured an ACTUAL GIANT SPIDER ONSTAGE. I mean not a live spider, it was a puppet I guess? I have no idea how they did it. But it took up the entire stage and it was terrifying. People with arachnophobia DO NOT LOOK.

The effects were genuinely awesome the entire show. I can’t do them justice with description, but the use of their set pieces and lights and fog genuinely made for a great stage fantasy experience.

Other Stuff

The show began right before 7:00 with the interaction as I mentioned before, and bows ended at 10:15. So the actual show was 3 hours, with a fifteen minute intermission.

The adaptation of the plot was very abridged, as I may have mentioned, because of entire the run time being the length of one LOTR movie (which is already a slightly abridged LOTR adaptation). Minor plot points/middle sized plot points were diminished in favor of major plot points and character development, which I think was appropriate for the medium. You could tell where the time skips were, of course—Frodo puts on the ring in the prancing pony and suddenly he’s been stabbed by the witchking and is recovering in Rivendell. And a lot of the plot of Return of the King that didn’t involve Sam and Frodo just vanished. But again, I wasn’t expecting a fully faithful adaptation of every plot point in three hours, and I truly believe the spirit of the Lord of the Rings was captured in this production.

Some of the best and most famous quotes were done basically word for word, which I really appreciated. I did feel like I was immersed in the world of Tolkien’s books, with a dash of the Peter Jackson movies and lots of really well composed music.

If you have any specific questions about my experience at the show, certain scenes or songs, etc, send me an ask or a DM because I could absolutely continue to talk about this show. I’m in love with it and I’m so lucky that I got to see it. If any of you get the chance, I highly recommend it!

[nixcloud]

Spider-man on the Job - Kagehina fic

Happy New Years Eve! Finishing up the year by sharing the first half of my kagehina disney cast member AU WIP. This will just be a little one shot when its done! Gotta think of a good tittle too !

Title: ???

Fandom: Haikyuu!!

Word count: 4715

Rated: T

Pairing: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Tags: WIP, oneshot, Disney cast member AU, established relationship, idk???

Summary: Hinata is living his dream getting to be a Disney character actor for spider-man at Disneyland, and Kageyama is living his dream getting to work with his boyfriend who wears skintight spandex all day. A cute mushy boyfriend story

——————-

"Field testing, here I come!" yelled a boyish voice.

And then off it went, flying through the air, the bright blue and red animatronic folding and expanding for the whole crowd to see. Kageyama hated that stupid robot.

The crowd cheered.

On some level, he understood. For the average person, this was a rare spectacle—some might only see it once in a lifetime. To them, it was the amazing Spider-Man soaring through the air, bending up to strike a pose before landing safely back on the Stark Industries building. But Kageyama could see its choppy movements. The way it flung itself too much like a ragdoll to be realistic. Too thin and small to be amazing.

It was his least favorite part of the show because he knew it could be better.

"Yah! I did that!" came that triumphant boyish voice again.

He could do it better.

Kageyama had seen this show a million times, watched a handful of different actors play the part. But this one? He was the clear winner. Some of the other guys just dragged themselves over the prop crates. Hinata cartwheeled over them. Leaping and bounding across the platform like he was weightless. Just doing... What was the line again? Oh yeah, "just doing spider stuff."

He was charming, and dumb, and effortlessly athletic. He jumped like he was flying, and everyone was drawn to his warmth. He was undeniably the best Spider-Man character actor at the park.

Kageyama looked up in time to see him wave off the audience before striking his signature pose and descending the wall in a practiced upside down crawl.

As soon as Hinata was out of sight from the audience, he shouted, "Gwaaah! Kageyama! Did you see that? Did you see how much height I got on that backflip?"

"Of course, idiot," Kageyama grumbled, walking up to him to help unclip him from the wiring. They had to move fast, only a few minutes between the end of the show and the meet-and-greet. But before he could help get him rightside up and standing agian, Hinata batted his hands away.

"Hey, hands off! I’m Spider-Man, not some helpless civilian."

Kageyama raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Should I let you fend for yourself next time you get tangled up in the harness?"

Hinata snorted, the sound muffled under his mask. "Like that’s ever happened!"

Kageyama gave him a deadpan stare. "It happened last week."

Hinata waved a hand dismissively. "Details, details."

Despite himself, Kageyama felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. "But it was a good show today. The crowd was really cheering. Seriously though, I don’t know why they don’t just let you perform the main stunt. You’d obviously do it better. and you’d probably manage a few flips, too."

Hinata laughed, his bright sunny laugh. And Kageyama wished this was the movies, where the Spider-Man mask would react to its wearer’s expression. He wanted to see the way Hinata’s brown eyes curved with delight, the way his nose scrunched up when he laughed.

Against his better judgment, Kageyama reached up and tugged the mask down, just enough to reveal a wide, toothy grin and soft pink lips he couldn’t resist.

"You’re such a nerd," Hinata teased, but his voice was quieter now, softer.

"And you’re an idiot," Kageyama muttered, leaning in.

And he kissed him, pressing against the smaller man softly. Melting together in familiar warmth. Kageyama pulled back slowly, his voice low as he murmured, "Hurry up. We’re behind schedule."

-----xxx-----

It was Hinata's first show of the day, so his energy was still high, even if the winter chill made his muscles feel stiff. He preferred the afternoon shift. It meant after his shows, he got to walk through Avengers Campus with the other actors, playing Peter Parker hanging out with the Marvel heroes. But most importantly, it meant Kageyama was in a good mood.

Morning shifts were a nightmare for both of them, but Kageyama especially. He moved like a grouchy zombie in the early mornings, stumbling around their apartment in a half-conscious fog. It was endearing in its own way, seeing someone so tall and usually composed fumble with his hairbrush or trip over the rug. But slow mornings, with the sun high in the sky, coffee already brewed, and the two of them meandering toward the cast member entrance, were far better.

That is, until Kageyama decided to be annoying.

Hinata huffed, Kageyama had kissed him then just left him dangling upside down after. "It's your fault," he'd said smugly, still refusing to help. "You’re not some helpless civilian, right?"

Forced to eat his words, Hinata had flailed wildly, trying to climb the wire just enough to unclip himself. His grand escape ended with an unceremonious tumble to the floor, his foot catching on the wire during the dismount. Kageyama, of course, had been no help, too busy doubling over with laughter. At least he’d choked on his own spit halfway through, that had been something to feel smug about.

By the time they both recovered from the fiasco, they’d barely had two minutes to get back on schedule. Now Kageyama was meticulously adjusting the placement of Hinata’s wrist mounted web-shooters, muttering something about them being off-center.

They weren’t.

Hinata bit his tongue, deciding it wasn’t worth the argument. Especially since, on the off chance Kageyama was right, his ego didn’t need another hit today.

Finally, Kageyama stepped back and gave him an approving once-over. Hinata expected a gruff, "Good enough," but instead, Kageyama hesitated, eyes lingering on him for a moment longer than usual.

"What?" He asked, eyebrows raising beneath his mask.

Kageyama's face soften slightly before leaning in just slightly, his voice low. "Don’t mess up."

"I never mess up!"

"Sure you don’t," Kageyama said, but there was no bite to it. He pulled Hinata’s mask back over his mouth carefully, his fingers brushing against Hinata’s jaw. "You’re the best one out there, so act like it."

Kageyama turned and led the way out the building. 

Hinata stood in the doorway leading out into Avengers Campus, a little too long, heart pounding. The crowd was huge today: families lifting their kids to see, teenagers waving excitedly, children yelling for Spider-Man. His gaze never left Kageyama, walking towards the edge of the crowd in his cast member uniform. The navy fabric clung tightly to him, leaving very little to the imagination. And fortunately blue has always been Kageyama's color. He moved efficiently, keeping the crowd at a safe distance, his body a protective barrier between Hinata and the public.

Meet and greets were the easy part—just chatting with people. Playing a teenager wasn’t hard for Hinata. He hadn’t grown much taller since high school, and Peter Parker wasn’t all that different from him: a curious, friendly kid from the neighborhood who’d been through a lot but still came out kind and cheerful. Everyone was drawn to Peter's unrelenting optimism, his desire to always do better and stay close to his friends. It made slipping into his role as easy as pulling on the suit.

Hinata had loved Spider-Man since he was a kid. He grew up watching the movies, collecting the comics, and trying to imitate Spider-Man's moves in his backyard. Those backyard stunts had eventually turned into more serious training. By high school, he was practicing parkour and getting good enough to be picked up by a stunt agency.

He still remembered the day he got the call, he’d been sitting in the grass outside his school, arguing with Kageyama over something stupid. They’d been wrestling when his phone rang, and he’d almost ignored it because he refused to let Kageyama win their little fight.  Until the black haired man had insisted  he just answer it and stop being an idiot. He had been right, he was often right, that call had changed his life. 

Hinata had had a few years, a few indie films lead stunt double, and a bunch of background work in action scenes under his belt when he finally showed up to the disney auditions. He had been so nervous he had hid in the bathroom about to throw up most of the morning.  Kageyama, stupid, insistent, supportive, Kageyama had come with him, pounded on the bathroom door until he unlocked it. Only intending to peek out and tell Kageyama that he couldn't do this, that they had to go home. Just for the larger man to wrench the door open and drag him down the hall. He had squished hinata's face between his hands. Berating him, "You have read every comic, you forced me to see every movie with you in theaters, you are a great actor, strong athlete, and the most annoying and outgoing man i know. Now get in there, get this role.” and he'd kissed him hard before shoving him through the audition room door and leaned his whole body weight against it so Hinata couldn't turn tail and run. 

Kageyama had been right then too, Hinata got the call back and was highered only a few weeks after. 

Hinata was the hero, he was here for that sole purpose. But that infuriating man, the grouchy, too blunt, stick in the mud, man always had been looking out for him. Making a path for him to follow. 

Hinata found himself jogging after him without having to think about it any more. He skipped right up behind him before starting to talk to the kids. He high-fived as many kids as he could, waved back at teenagers, and tried to respond to every enthusiastic shout. Kageyama remained a steady presence just ahead of him, his uniform a guiding beacon. Nearing the meet and greet post, Hinata began to run backwards waving animatedly. 

“Spider-Man!”

The deep, familiar voice made Hinata’s head snap up, the only warning Hinata got before he felt a mass on the back of his leg. 

Hinata’s body wrenched backwards, his foot slipping from under him as he tried not to fall directly onto the small child who had clearly slipped away from his parents. He was falling, he needed to save this moment. He only had a split second of decision making before he was on his ass, and as best as he could he wanted to avoid crushing a snotty 4 year old. 

Instinctively he clenched his stomach trying to tighten the muscles there and put all focus into slowing the bend of his knees, desperate to transform this fall into some kind of controlled back bend. But still his body was moving too fast, and in a last ditch effort to keep his spiderman integrity, and to protect this child he flung his arm out, allowing him to catch himself. Hand down on the concrete, he let the momentum take him, throwing the rest of his body weight over his shoulder, a one-handed cartwheel. He landed on his feet, a little wobbly but upright, and exhaled sharply.

His eyes locked with those dark blue eyes, too wide, and too shocked for either of their own goods. But he was shocked himself, glad it worked but surprised none the less. The crowd broke into cheers and applause. 

“Careful there, little dude!” Hinata said, slipping easily back into character. He crouched down, taking the child’s hand. “Good thing I’ve got my Spidey senses. You’re not hurt, are you?”

The kid shook his head, still looking a little stunned. “Good! Let’s get you back to your parents. My aunt used to freak out if I wandered off too far.”

Hinata carefully led the child toward Kageyama, who was already stepping in to handle the situation. “I think these nice people were looking for you” he says in his practiced ‘polite cast member’ voice. 

“Here, hold hands now! That's how we can all keep eachother safe!” Hinata added animatedly, and continued on his way. 

Finally he was able to get to his physical check point, he leapt onto the yellow crate, striking a pose and letting the wave of camera flashes wash over him before flipping off it and taking a deep breath as cast members helped organize the meet and greet line. 

Kageyama was at his side again in under a minute. They exchanged another glance, seeming to ask the other if they were ok, and they both just nodded carefully. And Kageyama welcomed their first guest to talk to spiderman. 

---xxx---

He couldn’t believe how busy it was. Didn’t kids have school? He didn’t understand how so many families were at Disneyland on a random weekday. Then again, he imagined that if he and Hinata had had the money at fifteen to go to Disneyland on a random Thursday, they wouldn’t have thought twice about ditching class.

Kageyama stood at the front of the growing line, hoping it would stop soon. He hated being the guy who had to tell families they were out of time and couldn’t meet the characters, even though it was literally in his job description. A little boy at his feet bounced excitedly, his parents pointing toward Spider-Man and hyping him up as they waited.

He turned to check on Hinata—and there he was. Feet apart, hands on his hips, the perfect little action figure come to life. The red and blue spandex stretched across his chest, the blue paneling accentuating his waist and legs. God, his legs. Kageyama swallowed hard. He rarely admitted it out loud, but he loved Hinata in that suit. Not just because Hinata was a good Spider-Man, but because Kageyama couldn’t help imagining him with the mask off—orange curls bouncing as he moved, that broad chest under his hands, those strong legs wrapped around his waist. He knew every inch of the man under the costume. Athletic. Heroic. Cute. And, well… perfect.

He must have spent too long staring because the kid in line bumped into him with all his pent up excitement. So Kageyama nodded to him, letting his eyes rove over the picture perfect Peter Parker one last , drawn out look, before directing the boy and his family toward Hinata. 

The boy bounced up to Hinata, a little book in his hand, Hinata crouched to meet him at eye level, chatting animatedly as he signed the little autograph book. The boy’s parents struggled to get him to stand still long enough for a picture, but Hinata was endlessly patient, guiding them through poses and making the kid laugh until they finally got the shot. Watching it all, Kageyama couldn’t help but smile.

The line shuffled forward, two teenage girls next. They blushed and giggled nervously, unable to string together a sentence, but Hinata didn’t falter. “Hi there!” he chirped, launching into an interrogation about their day at the park. They nodded and laughed along as he filled the conversation effortlessly. Hinata could talk anyones ear off and with ease, Kageyama knew this best. How many nights had he spent lying in their dark room, trying to fall asleep while Hinata recounted every detail of his day at work or some juicy park drama?

The two girls huddled around Hinata, “Show me your best web shooters!” Hinata called, striking his signature Spider-Man pose. The girls giggled and copied him, earning exaggerated gasps of praise as the cameras flashed. By the time they walked away, still giggling, Kageyama was positive they’d remember that moment for the rest of their lives.

The line was finally starting to dwindle when Kageyama’s watch buzzed softly, the reminder it was time to close the queue. Kagyeama sighed, as far as he could see it was mostly older teens and young adults. It still sucked, still made his stomach turn, but in his experience these age  groups would probably be the most understanding.

 He steeled himself to make the announcement. Daichi's manager's voice reminded him in the back of his head to be polite and guest friendly. 

He cleared his throat and…

He was stopped immediately by a small tug on his pants. He looked down, and standing below him was a tiny child. He felt his eyes go wide, there was no way…. 

A tiny girl, barely tall enough to reach his knee, stared up at him with impossibly big brown eyes. Her curly black hair was tied into wild pigtails, and she clutched the hem of a red-and-blue tutu paired with a Spider-Man T-shirt.

He couldn't do this…

Her parents stood nearby, looking hopeful. There was no way he could say no to this kid. Daichi might scold him later, but Daichi wasn’t here right now. And Hinata wouldn’t mind especially not for a kid this tiny. Distantly he wondered if this was how small Hinata was at that age. He would have to ask him about that one later. 

He glanced over his shoulder, Hinata was available…. So Kageyama looked down at those big eyes, her soft face, and the smallest spiderman t-shirt that had ever been made in the world. 

“Go on,” Kageyama said, stepping aside.

The little girl’s face broke into a grin as she let go of his pant leg and her tiny chubby hand waved around for one of her parents to take her. She toddled forward, her ribbons bouncing with every step. Her excitement slowed the closer she got, her earlier confidence gone.

“This is Emma,” her mom said. “She’s your biggest fan!” trying to help her daughter introduce herself as she shyly watched. 

“Oh wow!” Hinata exclaimed, crouching to her level. “I’m honored to meet my biggest fan!” His whole body radiated warmth as he beamed at her. “I love your outfit! Red and blue are my favorite colors!”

The girl nervously straightened her shirt, showing off the Spider-Man logo.

“Wow, that’s me!” Hinata said, his voice full of awe. She nodded and, after a moment’s hesitation, stretched her arms out toward him.

Hinata didn’t miss a beat, scooping her into a hug. Her tiny arms clung tightly to him, her cheek squishing against his shoulder. A webbed blue hand came to rest on her back hugging such a tiny child close. 

This far away and the noise of the crowd made it almost impossible for kageyama to hear what they talked about. And the little girl just continued to cling on.

In a brief moment of quiet he could make out her words. 

“Yowr my hero spwider-man. I- when I get scared I just think of you. I wana be a hero just like youw some day.” 

Kageyama’s heart hammered. Spider-Man was a favorite among kids, sure, but knowing this little girl looked up to Hinata’s portrayal so much? It made him want to melt into a puddle on the spot.

“I think you're already a great hero. Your parents over there, I'm sure when they get scared that you are there to make them feel better too.” 

And she nods a tiny confirmation “I twy” 

“I know you do.” 

It might have been disney policy for characters to never break a hug until their guests pulled back, but this, this was all Hinata. Kind, attentive, good with kids Hinata. 

Kageyama desperately wished Hinata would look his way, so Kageyama could memorize the soft expression he was sure he was making as he spoke to his number one fan. But he didn't look up instead he just patted her back and looked at the child in his arms while they talked. That was probably what really finished Kageyama off. Because no matter how much these two goaded each other for attention, Hinata always made sure each child felt like the center of the universe. And kageyama, he was melting. 

Hinata had always been so good with his little sister, of course they bickered they were siblings and Hinata was unreasonably fun to tease. Kageyama could imagine a future where even when he himself was awkward and stiff and all around bad at parenting that iHnata might step in and balance them out to raise a perfectly kind, and athletic, and goofy, mini Hinata. 

Eventually the girl stepped back from the hug. And Hinata watched her, waiting to see if she had anything else to say but she stayed quiet with her big eyes. The parents were obviously looking for the perfect picture, so he slipped back into his job. 

“Show me what you got! How high can you jump?” 

And the little girls jumped, clearing a solid 2 inches above the ground. Spider-man’s reaction was huge, “WOW! That was amazing, how about show me your spiderman pose?” and she bent her knees and made tiny spiderman hands pretending to shoot her webs. “That looks perfect!” and he struck his own similar pose, letting the camera flashes go off for a few minutes in response.” 

The clock was ticking, Daichi would definitely be mad. But neither one of them cared at that moment. Every kid deserved to experience this magic and Hinata was there to create it. It struck Kageyama, for the millionth time, that he was desperately in love with a man whose professional job was to dress up as a superhero in all latex and run around. All he wanted was for their shift to end so he could take Hinata backstage and kiss him senseless.

—-xxx—

“Kageyama! Kageyama! Wah did you see how cute that little girl was!”

Hinata can practically feel himself bouncing off the walls. Back inside the Stark Industries building he didn't have to be spiderman anymore and all of his usual Hinata energy was bubbling up, especially because that kid had been so tiny and cute. Kageyama was annoyingly ignoring his antics. Those stupidly broad shoulders walking too far ahead! Kageyama had no right to ignore him now! And he was going to do something about it. 

Hinata leapt forward with both hands pressing down onto those shoulders so Hinata could hoist himself up. In the air looking down on kageyama's cowlick as the larger man lost his footing slightly. 

“KAGEYAMA” he shouted in the air. 

Both of them were very lucky that Kageyama was so sturdy because a weaker man would have been pushed to the ground easily under that momentum. But Hinata trusted Kageyama, even when it came to trusting him to be the perfect subject to tease. 

Kageyma whipped around “OY! You're going to knock us  both over!” 

He sounded irritated, but he was pressing his lips together in that awkward kageyama way that Hinata knew from experience meant he was suppressing a smile, so Hinata smiled big enough for the both of them. Still bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet. 

“But did you see that kid! And her little spiderman shirt was so cool too… I wonder if they sell that in adult sizes….” 

Before he could become too distracted by that thought, Kageyama turned the tables and this time was the one to press on Hinata's shoulders. But not to do a cool fun trick like he had done instead he was just holding him still and firm on the ground, boring. 

Kageyama was still making that fake irritated expression and his bangs were falling effortlessly a bit wind swept. His blue uniform was wrinkled where it was stretched too tight over his chest, and those fluorescents above them were reflecting in his deep blue eyes. 

“Kageyama…” Hinata felt his throat go a bit dry. This was the bad part about working at the same place as his boyfriend, he was so… distracting. But Hinata was saying… something… needed an answer… needed, to feel those lips on his again. He felt a bit lightheaded again and this time it wasnt from being suspended upside down. What had he been saying? Nothing was coming to him now except that Kageyama had been ignoring him and that was enough, “ Are you even listening to me?” Was all he managed. 

Kageyama leaned in close and Hinata could feel his warm breath against his skin, it sent chills down his back. 

“Yes Shouyou, I'm listening to you.” Had Kageyama's voice always been that deep? “I did see that kid, you know what else i saw?” his eyes flickered down to Hinata lips, Hinata was too warm and too unkissed for this conversation to continue so he took it upon himself and closed the distance. 

His lips were warm and soft against his own. He let his eyes slide closed. And he knew that a flush was rising up his face, and it had nothing to do with all the running around and acting he had just done. This job was great, it felt so good to know all his hard work had paid off and now he could create special memories for kids just like he had once been. But nothing, and he meant nothing, felt better than being held in those slightly too rough hands, and kept warm under the heat of Kageyama's attention.  

This was going to be a very long day if Kageyama kept distracting him like this. One large hand left Hinata's face to slowly drag down his side. He licked the seam of Kageyama's mouth in response. He wished they could go back to their apartment right now, but that would also mean ending this kiss and that was out of the question. 

Kageyama made a sound low in his throat as Hinata's tongue pressed against his own and pulled him closer but the waist. Maybe they could slip into one of the maintenance closets, they wouldn't be the first cast—

“AHEM!” 

The two men flew apart, faces flushed both from their actions and because that cough sounded distinctly like…

“Hahaha…. Daichi…. Didn't see you there…” There was nothing for Hinata to do but try and laugh this off, even as embarrassment was burning in his gut. 

“I am aware of that.”

Daichi was smiling, but nothing about that sounded happy. Hinata side eyed the giant idiot at his side when he swallowed autobly. 

“Do you know what else I saw?” Daichi continued teeth clenched. Hinata whipped his head back and forth, “I saw that you both let the meet and greet run overtime by 20 minutes.” His voice was rising with every word. 

Hinata hadn’t realized they went on for that long…. That meant that they probably impacted the next show deeper in avengers campus…. Likely ment their whole day would be a bit behind schedule. 

“Do either of you have anything to say about this?” Daichi’s loud voice daring them to have a reasonable excuse. 

Kageyama looked more calm then Hinata knew he was. If the way he kept clenching and unclenching his hands was any indication. But in his usual straightforward monotone he attempted “there was a little kid next in line.” 

“There are always little kids in the line!”

He could see Kageyama's eyes slowly rove over the room, searching for another reason. He landed back on Daichi, explanation ready. 

“If i had ended the meet and greet before she could meet spiderman it would no longer have been the happiest place on earth.” Kageyama nodded, assuring himself. Too confident that he was right and not confident enough that Daichi wouldn't smack him for something so boldly stupid. 

Daiching slapped a hand over his own face, exhausted. “Don't use disney logic against me. Just stay on schedule.” 

Hinata and Kageyama could only nod their confirmation before they were waved off. And Hinata took that opening in stride, quickly skirting around Daichi and making their way through the behind the scenes hallways towards the break room. 

“And keep the pda off the clock! Isn't that why you moved in together” Daichi’s voice chased after them, still too annoyed. 

Hinata snickered then and just picked up the pace so they could get out of there as quickly as possible, before he couldn't contain his laughter anymore. 

Kageyama kept pace at his side till they made it to the empty cast member lounge. 

“Daichi is going to kill us.” Kageyama groaned 

Hinata's smile only widened, his nose scrunching, and eyes wrinkling “yah but not till after our shift ends. Otherwise it would ruin the schedule.” His laugh shook his whole body. And he leaned in, placing one last kiss on Kageyam’s stupid little frown. 

And they both drop into their own chairs.

________________

hope you enjoy this little WIP :) still deciding how this one shot should end.... and team let me know if i should make this fic end with an E rating....

[silverstarsimuran]

The Сonfrontation

This fanfiction was written before the release of the third Sonic movie, so this story can be considered his alternate universe...

— Great job, guys! We did it! Sonic the blue hedgehog solemnly announced to his friends and brothers, the yellow two—tailed fox cub and the red warrior echidna Knuckles, standing next to a pile of scrap metal that just a few minutes ago was a formidable military machine of the GUN organization.

— I wonder what else we can expect from these soldiers...— sighed Tails.

— I hope that there won't be any more battles or battles for today... — Sonic looked at the fox cub. He couldn't blame the kid for his words, because all three of them were pretty tired from fighting today.

And the hedgehog still couldn't understand why the GUN was so angry at him and his friends, because they hadn't done anything wrong. Yes, the Hanoverians still did not like the motley trio, but they still did not touch him or his friends and family until today. But then the question arises: why did they suddenly decide to hunt them, especially him, Sonic?

Sonic, on the other hand, lived quite peacefully in the town of Green Hills, and did not commit anything so criminal. Of course, he couldn't always sit around, so he could mess around. But all his pranks were harmless enough to be hunted down like that. Did someone really consider his fun to be a real crime?

In any case, Sonic and the others wanted to get to the Wachowski house as soon as possible, where they would definitely be safe.

— On the contrary, I would not mind another battle! Knuckles suddenly responded, flexing his fists. "If that's all these pathetic warriors are capable of, then they're no match for us.

"Knuckles, you'd better keep quiet, otherwise you'll get into trouble," the blue leader chided the red warrior. "What did I say?" — Echidna did not understand. — Battles are the meaning of my life! And... how am I going to get into trouble?

— It's not that important, — said the hedgehog. — Right now, your main purpose should be to save our family from evil people and save our skins.

"Sonic's right, Knuckles,— Tails interjected. — Now we'd better hurry, before new cars arrive here, which may turn out to be much stronger than the previous ones.

— Ha! I'm not afraid of any hardware! The warrior boasted.

"Knuckles, we need to be smarter here, not braver, okay? Sonic sounded tired and annoyed.

—Um... yes, I suppose...— Echidna replied.

— It's wonderful! Now let's go… Tom and Maddie are worried about us.…

— Sonic, Knuckles, look! Suddenly, the fox cub screamed, pointing to his older friends at a bright flash of light that appeared right on the wreckage of a combat vehicle.

—Oh, no! If it's the soldiers from the helicopter again, then there's no way I'm going back to them! — Sonic shouted angrily. — They don't even have a TV with interesting programs and chilidogs!

At the last sentence, Tails and Knuckles cast puzzled glances at the blue hedgehog. He caught their glances and asked in surprise:

- what? That's how it is.

But then the flash disappeared, and a silhouette appeared in place.

— Hello. Glad to finally meet you, blue hedgehog," the stranger spoke in a low but very pleasant voice.

— Who? What? — That's all the hedgehog said in response. He himself did not trust the stranger.

— And to be more precise... — meanwhile the unknown continued. — Sonic the Hedgehog… I'm right, aren't I?

He came out into the light, and the three friends gasped when they saw a representative of their race, the Mobians. But Sonic himself was the most shocked. A black hedgehog with red stripes towered over him, standing in a proud pose.

— Wow! Another hedgehog? Tails was amazed. — And moreover... he looks a bit like you, Sonic…

Yes, even though the black and scarlet hedgehog had the side needles on its head turned up, while the blue one had all the needles turned down, and the alien also had red eyes, like the stripes on its skin, and there was a white fluffy tuft of fur on its chest, and its feet were not wearing sneakers. and the jet boots, nevertheless, Sonic noticed some similarities with him. And it's quite attractive for a teenager, which is also a blue hedgehog. And if you don't pay attention to some of the eye-catching details of the exterior, then the striped hedgehog could quite look like a reflection of the blue hero, only maybe dark, or like his ... shadow.

— It's been a while since we've seen each other, Sonic, right? — the stranger was still talking to his fellow.

—Sonic, do you... know him? — Tails asked Sonic uncertainly.

- N-no… It's... the first time I've seen him... — was all he said, and then suddenly he screamed. Putting his hand on his forehead, he clenched his teeth, and some fuzzy images appeared before his eyes: as if at first he was playing and laughing with someone, then horror and fear came, and then complete darkness.

"Sonic, are you okay?" — The fox cub was worried about his friend.

—Yes... I'm fine... — Sonic whispered, having overcome a sudden headache.

— Are you sure about this, hedgehog? — Knuckles also expressed concern.

— Yes, yes. It's okay, guys. Everything's fine, — and then blue turned to his kinsman. "Who do you even think you know me?"

"Have you really forgotten me, Sonic?" Striped asked, feigning surprise. — Maybe those nasty people who hunted you can help you refresh your memory?

Then suddenly it dawned on Sonic…

"So you set me up, huh?" Is GUN following us because of you?

- Hm. Well... you could probably say that..." the black and red hedgehog grinned slyly.

"So you're the criminal the GUN soldiers are looking for!" — Sonic got angry. "You should be put in jail!" — he glowed blue all over.

—If you think so... then try and catch me,— Tabby said mockingly.

Sonic angrily rushed towards the stranger.

— Sonic, wait! — Tails tried to stop him, but the hedgehog did not listen to him. Sonic was too angry at the hedgehog, who had, in fact, put him and Blue's family in danger! He could not allow the attacker to escape deserved justice so easily.

At the same time, he remembered how he left his first family on his home planet, the owl Longclaw, who took him under her wing. He just couldn't make another mistake and lose the second family he had found on Earth.…

Here the hero jumped up, curled into a ball and rushed to attack the dark hedgehog. Knuckles and Tails couldn't believe what was happening in front of their eyes: Sonic had never been as furious as he was now, so they didn't understand what could have angered their prickly friend and brother so much.

—Take it, You Faker! Sonic exclaimed, continuing to charge at his kinsman. As for the black hedgehog himself, he stood calmly, keeping his composure. And then he said faintly:

—Chaos Control, — and then he disappeared.

And Sonic just shot forward until he hit the asphalt, leaving a decent dent in place.

— Oh... what happened? Where did that hedgehog go? — shaking his head and coming to himself, he said.

— Sonic! — soon his sworn brothers ran up to him.

"Aren't you looking for me, blue hedgehog?" — three guys turned their gaze to one of the high-rise buildings, where the unknown man was now standing.

"Is he really that fast?" — Sonic was amazed. "Is he even faster than me?"

—I... I don't think it was speed, Sonic..." the fox cub hesitated. And the stranger continued a moment later:

— Ha! Nothing compares to the power of Chaos itself... and only the Ultimate Life Form, which I am, can master it.…

— Oh, yeah? If you're not a coward, but come down and fight me! — challenged the Ultimate Life Form of the blue hedgehog.

"You shouldn't underestimate me, little hedgehog..." he giggled. — I really shouldn't have... — but still went down to the ground, although he did not approach the heroes.

— Come on! Fight me one on one if you are not afraid of me and my power! — Sonic got ready to run. — Just watch it without tricks!

— Sonic, maybe it's better not to? — Tails was afraid for his best friend, after all, they know so little about the striped hedgehog. After all, it is not known what he is capable of.

—And we're a team, hedgehog,— Knuckles also reminded.

— Guys, I can handle it, don't worry. I can handle it," Sonic informed them confidently, turning to them briefly.

—Well, since you're bragging about your strength like that, Impostor, then show it to me,— the black-and-scarlet man said arrogantly.

— Well then... turn on the maximum! — and Sonic raced down the street, soon his brother chased after him.

"Let's go after them, Knuckles,— the fox cub then suggested to echidna. — Something tells me that nothing good will come of this.…

"I agree with you, fox. Let's hurry after the blue hedgehog then," Tails nodded, and the friends set off after their leader.

Meanwhile, Sonic kept trying to figure out what kind of super-fast hedgehog was next to him. And... why did it look kind of familiar to him, albeit vaguely? — Heh. Now we're alone, hedgehog. Show me what you can do without your... "friends," the black and red hedgehog sneered.

— With pleasure, Faker! — and Sonic tried to kick his kinsman, but he deftly dodged, and then struck back at the blue with his fists until he collapsed to the ground. But quickly recovering, Sonic rushed back into battle. However, the enemy easily repelled his attacks, it was clear that the hedgehogs were equal to each other in strength and were not inferior to each other.

— Ha! Is that all? Tabby scoffed. "I thought you could do better."

"Then how do you like it?"

Sonic went on the attack again, but, alas, he missed, as the other hedgehog managed to jump back in time. Nevertheless, the blue one did not give up and continued to strike, until one of them hit the same boastful striped tribesman.

— Hmph. Not bad, — he involuntarily praised the hero, which made our blue even a little embarrassed. "For a beginner,— and the black one hit Sonic right in the face, knocking him aside so that he bent a lamppost. "And yet... I'm a little disappointed with you… Sonic".

Sonic, admittedly, has already managed to run out of steam. He already had a difficult day because of the soldiers, so the addition is still now an unfamiliar hedgehog, running as fast as he does, and also possessing the energy of Chaos itself.

Therefore, he continued to lie on the ground, catching his breath.

— Sonic!!! — soon screams were heard, and after a couple of minutes, his loyal friends were already next to the prickly hero.

"Sonic, are you okay? Sonic?" The little fox's voice was trembling with undisguised excitement and fear for his older brother.

—It's okay... guys... now... I'll get up..." he muttered, trying to get up, but after an unsuccessful attempt to get to his feet, he fell.

— No, hedgehog. Then we will fight to protect your honor! — Knuckles said, and stepped in front of his younger companions. "Listen up, hedgehog! More precisely, the dark hedgehog! Leave our brother alone and fight with me!"

— And with me too! — Tails volunteered, standing next to Echidna.

The striped hedgehog didn't even look towards his rival's loyal companions, as if they were nothing to him. He rolled his eyes in boredom.

"I don't care about you two. You are not worthy of my attention.

—Oh, right! — Knuckles said angrily. —Then I'll make you pay attention to us, dark hedgehog! — and the red warrior attacked the insolent man. The man only stole a glance at him, and then suddenly disappeared, so Knuckles couldn't get to the stranger either. — Argh! You're dishonest, dark hedgehog! You're only bringing shame on yourself by hiding from me and my righteous wrath!

— You are not my rival, Red, so give up. We can fight in another one, but now I've come for the blue hedgehog," the friends were surprised to see the black and scarlet one on top of the lantern.

— You won't get Sonic, no matter who you are! Tails stood up for his best friend. He was all fluffed up in anger.

- Yes! And are you really afraid of my fists? — Knuckles quipped, striking his fists apart, and small red lightning bolts ran across them from the impact.

—You two are just a waste of my precious time,— the hedgehog calmly replied to them. — And I came here only for the sake of the well-known "Blue Justice". However, I thought that our glorious blue hero was much stronger and more capable than the way I see him now.…

—I... Haven't... Finished... Yet... You Faker! — Sonic shouted, all lit up with lightning. "And I'll show you what heroes can do when they're underestimated and belittled!" — the blue hedgehog rushed at the enemy again. He grinned contentedly.

"That's what I expected to see from you, Faker," his striped kinsman broke into a smile, after which he also sparkled with lightning, except perhaps in red, and then, curling up into a ball, rushed towards the hero.

Sonic also curled up into a sparkling blue ball on the fly, and then both hedgehogs hit each other. They were thrown in different directions, but that did not stop them from returning to the fight.

With each attack, there were bright blue-red flashes of light.

It felt like someone had staged a light show.

Tails and Knuckles even had to turn away, squinting so as not to be blinded by such a sight.

Well, the two prickly tangles continued to spin and spin for some time, colliding with each other along the way, until with one powerful blow they bumped into each other, unwilling to yield to their opponent in strength.

And after such a powerful blow, a huge wave swept through the area, which caused windows to be blown out in houses and other buildings and even cut off electricity.

Tails and Knuckles were also affected, and the two of them were thrown aside.

And two hedgehogs bounced off each other after their big collision with each other. Each of them, breathing heavily, managed to exhale decently.

"Very impressive, blue hedgehog,— the black and red hedgehog said, catching his breath. — You really managed to show me your strength.

Sonic didn't even know how to respond to the praise. Besides, he expected a trick after the opponent's words, just like last time.

"However, you..." the striped one soon continued, "still have a lot to learn...— he straightened up. — Join me, Sonic… And you... will know the true essence of the power contained in you.…

Sonic was shocked by what he heard. He turned to his friends. They were recovering from a powerful explosion caused by hedgehogs. And then, having regained control of himself, the blue hedgehog replied to his fellow:

— No way! There's no way I'm going to help a criminal like you!

—Humph,— he snorted. — That's a little sad to hear.… But I'm sure you'll change your mind eventually, especially after running away from those soldiers..." and as if to confirm his words, loud sirens of police and special military vehicles, the noisy chirping of helicopters, and light circles from searchlights appeared nearby. — And now goodbye, Sonic. We'll meet again. You'll see," the striped hedgehog smiled mysteriously and, before leaving with the help of "Chaos Control", added goodbye. — And yes… I'm Shadow... Shadow the Hedgehog..." and then he was gone.

— The blue hedgehog! Don't move! You're under arrest! Put your hands behind your head, stay where you are and don't resist! — it was heard later from the loudspeakers.

— Sonic, what are we going to do? — the fox cub shouted to his friend. Sonic didn't immediately figure out what to do, because he still hadn't recovered from what had just happened to him.

—You and Knuckles get out of here, as fast as you can!" Go back to Tom and Maddy! And I'm going to stay here and distract the GUN's attention on myself! — the blue hedgehog commanded and was already preparing to run when his friends called out to him:

"But, Sonic, we can't leave you!"

— The fox is right, the hedgehog! We are clansmen, one family, and therefore we must cope with difficulties together!

— Guys, I appreciate your help, honestly! Sonic asked them. "But I know what to do!" Besides, if something goes wrong, then you, Tom and Maddie can come up with a new plan! Now go away! Right now!

"But… Sonic..." Tails said, because he didn't want to leave his best friend alone with the GUN people.

"You heard him, fox. Let's go quickly,— Knuckles urged him, and the little fox, casting a sad glance at the hedgehog, flew up on his tails and headed away from the city with echidna.

"At least they'll be safe..." flashed through Sonic's mind. He looked after the guys with a smile on his face, and then ran forward to meet the soldiers.

Also, while running, the striped hedgehog, who introduced himself as Shadow, appeared before his eyes again.

Ha! Shadow... is that really his name? The guy who looked kind of blue? Surely it's not possible that Shadow... turned out to be Sonic's doppelganger?.. Or at least a kind of doppelganger?..

But here's what's weird… For some reason, Sonic found that strange hedgehog... really familiar.… But only... how could he know that?..

"Now is not the time to chase after visions, Sonic! Concentrate! We need to get the soldiers as far away from Tails and Knuckles as possible so that they don't get hurt! Concentrate! Run faster!" the young hedgehog thought, growling to himself, not stopping to run. Soon, the chase began again.

Sonic could have laughed or made some jokes, but he didn't, because the situation was too tense and serious, which required the hedgehog's attention if he wasn't going to be captured by the military.

***

Well, at the top of the cliff, at the edge of the forest, Shadow was looking at the chase from the side. — Ha! Stupid hedgehog… You still don't know what awaits you next.… Still, I have no doubt that when you find out the truth, you will change your mind and return to your family... your real family... after which, we can take our revenge... in the meantime... run, Sonic… Run while you can..." he grinned. — And be ready for our new meeting ... brother... — he laughed ominously, and then with the words "Chaos Control!" he disappeared in a bright flash.

[dreamchasernina]

I speak 4 languages and my Tik Tok algorithm knows that, so now that I’m obsessed with ATLA again my tik tok is full of clips from ATLA in those 4 (English + 3) languages. And it’s a Nickelodeon show from 2005 so I guess they didn’t put that much thought or effort into who would voice those characters in all those different languages, so it feels pretty sloppy at times. So now that I’ve seen certain moments of the show dubbed in different languages, it makes me really appreciate the original voice cast. They did such an amazing job! Especially since most of them were still kids or teenagers. Seriously, they’re freaking amazing!

I have to give a special shout out to Aang’s voice actor, because his voice is the most different in other languages, it’s either obviously a woman dubbing Aang, or a grown man trying so sound young. It just sounds wrong, as opposed to Zach Tyler Eisen being a little kid and doing such a fantastic job voicing Aang. The way he hits those emotional moments as a little kid actor is just fantastic.

Seriously, I’m so thankful the creators chose actual kids to voice the main characters. Goes to show you another aspect of the show they put so much thought into.

[mari-writes]

My thoughts on Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle

⚠️ Warning: Spoilers for the film (and portions of the manga) ahead!

Two days ago, I went to see Haikyuu: The Dumpster Battle. I've been a fan of this series since 2015, and I started the manga within a month of the anime. So going to this film was a huge deal for me. (The only other time I've experienced a HQ screening was at the 2018 Crunchyroll convention!) It was awesome being at the theater with fellow fans wearing jerseys of our favorite teams, all excited to see our boys on the big screen. 🥰❤️

I absolutely LOVED how the film began, showing us Kenma and Hinata's first meeting but in a different way than in season 1, with the cat and crow staring each other down, and Kuroo overhearing their conversation from nearby. It really set the mood, especially with the incredible score (honestly the soundtrack is one of my favorite aspects of the movie).

However, I was upset that they left out the backstory of Nekomata and Ukai Sr. These flashbacks are so important to give the rivalry context and depth. The fact that these two characters met in middle school, and then had this battle decades later as elders, was so impactful. Not showing the history of their relationship affected the film's emotional impact. In my opinion, THIS was the biggest flaw in the script.

While we're on the negatives: I do think the film relied a lot on prior knowledge of the story. Which is to be expected, it's basically the 5th season of a show, but I don't think even casual fans would be able to keep up with how many characters and plot points quickly came and went. I recall being perplexed at certain things they chose to keep in, some of which were fun, but not necessary and just muddled the viewing experience.

Also: the subtitles. I've always had a beef with how Crunchyroll does subs. Not the translators themselves (I LOVE YOU GUYS YOU'RE AMAZING) but how they place the text. It was hard to distinguish between the primary and secondary dialogue. They were often stacked onto each other, with the barest hint of italics to differentiate. Honestly, while some background dialogue was great, I would've rather gone without to avoid confusion.

There were some other weakness, like the pacing and important character moments they cut. Obviously, as a MASSIVE fan, I would want everything to be adapted fully and perfectly. But that was never going to happen with a 1.5 hour film. 🤷‍♀️ The screenwriters did a really impressive job considering what they were tasked with accomplishing. Major kudos to them!

Now, on to the things I loved about the movie:

The animation. Gods, the animation was fantastic, such a breath of fresh air after season 4. I could tell how much care the artists put into this project. Some scenes literally had me speechless, sitting there frozen with my mouth hanging open. The final rally was animated ENTIRELY in Kenma's POV. The music faded out; you could here his heavy breathing and the team calling to each other. It made you feel like you were on the court. I've never seen anything like it before.

I mentioned the score earlier, but special shout out to the musicians, composers, and everyone involved in the soundtrack. 👏 I literally had goosebumps multiple times. And having a track by SPYAIR playing during the end credits gave me so much fuzzy nostalgia!

The voice acting was amazing. Kenma's actor, Yuki Kaji, absolutely hit it out of the park. He's always been one of my faves from the cast, but he went above and beyond in this film. But everyone did, really. It was so important for me to see the Japanese version FIRST to hear this wonderful cast who I've been following for the past 9 years.

Kuroo Testsuro. Good lord, did I come out of the theater having fallen completely in love with Kuroo. 😍❤️ His character is just SO GOOD, full of passion and love for his friends and the sport itself. I think the movie really highlighted this. (And it made me so emotional, knowing where he ended up in the future!)

BOKUTO AND AKAASHI. Thank you, movie team for letting them have their cute little moments. Especially the one with Yachi. I love these two so much. I'm very scared that their biggest arc, aka the Mujinazaka match, won't be animated. But I'm so grateful we got them in this film.

The after credits scene. REMEMBER TO STAY AFTER THE FIRST CREDITS YOU GUYS! They included the hilarious exchange between Kuroo and Daishou after the match, which was a really fun way to end things. 😆 Mika's little "You ready?" to her silly snake boyfriend was perfect. It made me giggle.

Okay, those are my initial thoughts! If I see the film again I might update this. For now, let me just say I really enjoyed it overall and it was such a special experience seeing these beloved characters on the silver screen. I still mourn the loss of a 5th season, and I'm nervous about what will be cut from the final movie... but that's future Mari's problem... 😅

Thanks for reading! 💕

[ivy-loves-chocolate]

Mission accomplished

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ N o t e ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ this was requested by @princeinsomniavoid. Thank you so much for the amazing plot and for helping me with the proofreading. You are amazing 💖 Reblogs and comments are very appreciated 💖

Plot: Leon and the reader work for Umbrella. The reader hates their job because they were being trained to be a field agent kind of like Leon but ended up being heavily injured in a training exercise. Very sardonic and full of sass they walk around using a cane now with their job being similar to Hunnigan. Leon gets into some trouble during his assignment and with the help of the reader, he manages to get through. The Reader has to semi-begrudgingly help him out because they do care about Leon but find it a little hard to show it. Who knows, maybe when Leon gets back to the HQ they'll kiss or something :).

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ P a i r ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ Leon Kennedy x GN!Reader

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ W o r d c o u n t ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ 1.3k

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ T a g s ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ fluff.

Ko-fi || Patreon

A gentle summer rain turned into a thunderstorm quickly.

Y/N was sitting at their desk, wearing a headset much like Hunnigan's. Their attention was directed at the monitor in front, which displayed the activity of a field agent. Their job was to watch the situation and help the agent fulfill his mission.

It was late, so late that they could barely keep their eyes open. Near them, there were a few cups of coffee, some empty, some with a little liquid in them that ran cold except for one that was fresh. They liked their coffee hot. When they felt another wave of fatigue hit, they quickly took a sip of the hot beverage.

An assignment shouldn't take this long, but the Government loves to give Leon the toughest missions. So they were stuck on that chair until he returned home. Normally another agent can replace them, but for reasons only known to them, they refused to be replaced.

"Condor One to Roost, do you copy?" A familiar voice said through the microphone that made them flinch.

"Roost to Condor One, I copy. What's your situation?"

The first instinct was to scold Leon for being out for so long, but the mission was already hard. He didn't need more pressure.

"I got the papers and the sample. Man, these mercenaries are no joke."

"Did you really expect to get an easy mission?"

"A man can only hope."

Y/N chuckled, and with a few clicks, he found Leon's current location.

"I see you found a safe place."

"Not exactly. I found this weird, wooden piece, and my guts telling me it belongs here."

"I don't think you have time to play with toys, Kennedy."

"Just trust me, ok? Condor One out."

A moment of silence followed, during which Y/N took another sip of the coffee. What an agent like Kennedy can do with a wooden toy is beyond him, but he has faith in his unorthodox methods.

"I never understood these villains' obsession with puzzles," Leon said suddenly as he struggled to rotate the wooden piece in front of the light to cast the shadow of an emblem on the near wall. This puzzle was crucial for him if he wanted to advance.

"Neither did I with world domination but here we are. I'm stuck in a chair and you're stuck matching colors and creating shadow animals."

"It's not an animal, it's the family's emblem. Get your facts straight."

Y/N let out a long exhale.

"Please tell me I wasn't stuck here for days just for you to get stuck at some childish game."

"Excuse me, but this kind of stuff requires a lot of precision and I can't quite finish in such conditions."

"I'm so sorry dear. Which troubles you most: the fact that you have an entire clan trying to kill you for stealing their research, or my bitching?"

"Right now, your bitching."

"Can't run away from that, sorry. You'll be stuck with it until you return, I'm afraid."

"Who says I wanted it to end?"

Y/N remained quiet. They didn't know how to respond.

That silence was soon disturbed by some gunshots. If Y/N was sleepy, those sudden sounds sure woke him for good.

"Leon!" They shouted through the microphone.

"Ah, shit! Can't talk right now, will call you later. Condor One out."

The communication ended, leaving them staring at the monitor.

Only an hour had passed but it felt like days. They waited anxiously for Leon to respond. Despite seeing him moving along the map, they still needed to hear his voice for confirmation.

"Condor One to Roost, do you copy?"

"Yes, I copy Leon."

"Good. I solved the puzzle just in time and was able to escape."

"That's good to hear. Are the files and sample still in your possession?"

"Yes. I'm in one piece too by the way."

"I had no worries that it would be otherwise."

"You have so much faith in me."

"I just trust your skills."

"Meaning you have faith in me and care about me. You just don't wanna admit it."

"Do I have to remind you that you're still on duty?"

Leon scoffed and ended the conversation.

They never understood Leon's attitude toward missions. He seemed carefree, sometimes making silly jokes with them and his enemies like his life wasn't in danger. They both share the exact same coping mechanism, which is so strange to them.

"You know, this situation takes me back," Leon said suddenly.

The agent was very talkative during this mission, which was strange because he wasn't talking strictly about the mission. It seemed that he wanted to talk with them, as if he missed them?

"Back to what?" they asked.

"Back to the training days." they heard a couple of gunshots after.

Reluctantly, they moved their hand to their thigh and rubbed it gently. No matter how gentle the touch was, it was still painful.

"How so?" they asked with bitterness in their voice.

"Well, first, I feel like a rookie. I don't know what I'm doing here, and it feels like the first time I've been in combat. And second, this guy I'm with is kinda bossy, and it reminds me of Krauser."

"...Krauser..." That name sent shivers down their spine because it was the same guy who trained them, and it was the same guy who was responsible for their accident. Well, not directly, as his training methods were very unethical and pushed them far beyond their limits.

Noticing that they remained silent, Leon began to feel a little guilty.

"Right, you got injured during his training...sorry." His voice dropped.

"No, it's fine. I'm way past that. And besides, I hated the idea of being a field agent. No offense."

"None taken."

"I like what I'm doing right now, so if you are done reminiscing, I'd advise you to focus on your mission."

“You’d make one helluva agent, you know that, right?” Leon said it genuinely.

“Thanks! Coming from you means something.”

“Oh don’t get all sentimental on me now, you’re gonna make me cry.”

The mission ended successfully as always.

They hurried to greet Leon. Despite not showing it, Y/N deeply cared about him. A slight hunch in their posture, aided by the cane they now heavily relied upon, gave you an air of weariness that matched their cynical demeanor perfectly.

Once they saw Leon they let out a sigh of relief, the weight of the mission finally lifting from their shoulders. Even if he looked perfectly fine, there was no way of telling if the mission affected him or not because he hid it well.

"Bastard..." they thought. His act of hiding his pain is contradictory to them because, by concealing his true emotions, he is presenting a facade that does not reflect his actual state of being, thus perceiving him as a hypocrite.

However, all of that anger was cast away when they and Leon made eye contact. His eyes instantly glimmered and his lips curved into a big smile. They stopped being so tensed as all that rush caused by adrenaline gave way to a moment of calm.

"Hey stranger, come here." He said softly, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and affection as he pulled Y/N into a tight hug. "We make a great team, you know that?"

"I know, even if you annoy me sometimes." They couldn't help but smile genuinely.

Even if they broke the hug, they remained very close to one another. Y/N was so happy to see Leon alive, and he must've been happy to see Y/N too.

"You should get some sleep, tho." He said as he closed the gap between your bodies.

"Yeah, you too."

Leon reached out a hand and gently touched their cheek. It was a tender, unspoken acknowledgment of the bond they shared. And before they could react, he leaned in, capturing their lips in a lingering kiss.

At that moment, the weight of their frustrations and inhibitions melted away, replaced by a sense of warmth and connection. Perhaps, in the chaos of their lives, there was room for something more—a fragile yet undeniable love that had weathered the storm.

Tag-list: @lunarastrobabe @rokurodokuro @skylar-todd @brownsugarwrites @alewesker @burningcoffeetimetravel-fics @ravenrune

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 13th August ✨

Happy #AudioDramaSunday, lovely people! I’ve listened to so much audio drama this week and my house is so clean as a result 🫧 

SPOILERS BELOW!

🌲@hellofromthehallowoods Starcrossed Gods!! I felt so brave daring to listen to this again. My heart 💔 Marolmar is written so well! Every sentence contains something to flinch at, it makes me sick to hear it all again. I’d also repressed the memory of how gut-wrenching Nikignik’s shouting at the end was, and how much it hurts to hear people trying to sing with a closed up throat. ANYWAY, I’m fine, thank you for asking. I’m not sure if the live show was released early due to logistical reasons, but I am fearful that it’s to provide context for what’s about to happen in the regular episodes (AKA tears and tears and tears for me). 

🦀 What an absolute delight to hear from the @thesiltverses cast again! These season recaps are so funny and it’s so heart warming to hear it when the cast of a show are clearly also its biggest fans. I’m SO excited for S3!!

🦮 @malevolentcast (34) what an episode!! If I recall correctly, this is the first time we’ve had an episode entirely without Arthur & John’s perspective? The Butcher is a worthy character to hold that mantle. Do I feel like I understand him more? No. Did I love being along for the ride? Absolutely. It’s also so weird to hear Arthur talking to John out loud when he thinks no-one can hear. I hope he makes it out in time! 

📻 @monstrousagonies (107) So thrilled to have this show back and I hope Hero is feeling much better! The first letter was so cute!! I’m sure there are lots of us who can relate to choosing love and kindness when we’re used to the opposite! Whichever bridge that little one finds, I’m sure it’ll be the loveliest by far!! 

🌒 @monkeymanproductions gave us the low-down on just how incredibly talented the Moonbase Theta, Out cast are in their Cast Special. Spoiler: Very. It was very wholesome to hear DJ Sylvis hyping everyone up and the episode is full of great AD and other recommendations! 

��Welcome to Night Vale is back!! I felt particularly targeted by the ad copy in this episode, but I’m sure that was their intention! This ep’s weather was particularly up my street too! I loved the harmonies! 

🎞 Tiny Terrors OOF hey so I found out what was up with Angela… and I didn’t like it one bit! I also need to know what the hell was happening at the end there. Jess, girl, you’ve got to stop getting yourself in these situations. It’s too much (for me to listen to)! 

🌍 @lastechoespod (8) I can’t believe it’s the last episode! Ishani Kanetkar was wonderful as Trast. I wish we could hear the final decision, but I guess I’ll just have to relisten and try decide for myself . . . 

🧛‍♂️ @re-dracula Uhoh, someone’s arrived in Whitby . . . I love Mina so much and Isabel AdomakohYoung is doing amazing job as her VA. She captures the good-hearted intelligence I love so much about the character!

 💫 Wolf 359 (38-46 + Special!) Oh MAN this podcast has my entire heart. Isn’t Memoria one of the best episodes of anything ever? Oh, Hera, I love you sooo much!!!!! I also loved the Lovelace cliffhanger at the end of 46 and the special was so different but so good! (Although listening to 2 hours of anything is a challenge!! I need a 20-30 min ep or I can’t fit it into my life) 

🎩 @ethicstownpod (7) OH MY GOD. January fans are looking a little bit bloody silly right now! What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On???? Please, if you haven’t yet started listening to this show, now is your time! It’s SO good and has so many twists and turns!! 

🥾@doyoucopypod (5) oh my GOD, imagine how horrifying it would be to be out in the woods to grieve your partner, only to hear their voice in the middle of the night. Nope. Absolutely not. Get out of the dead zone!! Wilson remains the goodest boy, even if his growls give me goosebumps! 

🎧 In this week’s The First Episode Of, W Keith Tims talks to the creator of Untrue Stories! These interviews are always fantastic and this show sounds so interesting for fans of sci-fi!! 

Thanks for reading! I’m so excited for more Regina Prime and to catch up with happenings in the Hallowoods next week! Hope you all have a restful weekend ✨

[yami-yomiel]

I got my grubby hands all over an fnf fangame

'Alright, but you better bring him back by 5:30" Cyan grimaced. Her face softened when she saw her player two, CD-boy, clutching his head in pain. 

Now on a time limit, Dude grabs the robot and runs off to the arcade leaving Lady and Cyan behind. The metal doors of the arcade swung open as he dragged the broken bot to the counter, operating it was his best friend, Buddy!

'BUDDY BUDDY BUDDY, YOU GOTTA HELP ME!' Dude yelled, his eyes were the size of dinner plates. 'Lemme guess, CD-boy?' Buddy figured- a slight British twang in his voice. He was the one watching it all go down with Cyan, so of course he should know! 

Dude was amazed, he had no idea his bestie was there, he'd think the Brit was some sort of psychic or something.

'I'll take that look in your eyes as a yes, then?' The youth asked, waving his hand in front of him.

'Y-Yeah of course!'

'Right this way then.' Buddy walked from the counter into the corner where a secret door was hidden. To Dude, it just looked like a regular employees room, but inside it was filled with crtvs and wires, the heat made his face flush a bit as they both set CD-boy on the table in the middle; despite his human appearance he was quite heavy - but that's what you should expect from a sentient robot after all.

'So this is where the magic happens?' Dude asked while wiping his forehead with his pink shirt. 'Yup! All my free time is spent here, practicing to be a mechanic!" Buddy pats the computer conveniently next to the table 'I plan on taking over the world one day after all.' There was a smug look on his face like he's been waiting to announce that for ages now. His friend could only imagine Buddy with a giant throne and crown, holding the globe between two fingers. 'Well.. could I get a cool job if that happens?' The teen said mid-daydream.

The mechanic stuttered for a bit, then finally settled on 'royal toilet scrubber". Dude could only pout at this idea...

CD boy was hooked up to the computer, turns out he didn't have a trace of antivirus in him whatsoever, which of course is like letting a toddler run wild outside, you're bound to get germs - er viruses- all over you. Not to mention he wasn't connected to the internet, so Buddy did Cyan the favor of fixing all of the little bugs. 

'Isn't Lady supposed to be with you right now?' Buddy asked as he adjusted his headphones.

"Nah, apparently her mom visited and she's super upset cuz she hasn't seen her in forever." Dude sat on one of the TVs laying around, due to how short he was - just sitting down he could reach the top of his friend's midriff. "Did you ever tell her about the thing?"

Dude shook his head frantically 'Heck no! Her parents would kill me if they found out she was dating a bum, I can't tell her that!' He started to tug on his cap a bit, loosening it and then fastening it once more '-I mean, I don't wanna burden her with my problems. She already has enough going on." 

Buddy interrupted him 'You already sleep on the streets, that'd worry anybody. I mean, I let you sleep in my van when it's cold; even then I have to convince you to stay!"

"You have your own problems going on, you shouldn't have to do that!" 

"JOEY!"

Dude froze upon hearing his real name. The way Buddy shouted it made tears well up in his eyes, he felt like he was drowning in his misery. Joey took a shaky breath, shaking his head.

'Can we...can we talk about something else?' He squeaked.

Buddy sighed, wrapping his casted arm around Dude 'Alright, but you can't keep putting this off, Imagine how she feels knowing that you lied to her.'

...

'You're right.'

THUD

while Buddy and Dude were having a heartfelt conversation CD-boy fell off the table with a huge thud - unplugging him from the computer.

'Hey!' Buddy yelped 'The anti-virus isn't done yet, help me get CD-boy back up!' Both of them got to work, Buddy taking most of the weight that was on the robot's torso. But just before Dude could pull his legs up the robot's leg suddenly winded him! It was like he was flung halfway across the room, Sure he was small but he had some weight to him.

Was CD-boy...growing?!

But that's impossible, at least that's what Dude Thought. Catching his breath he watched as Buddy got squished under the giant. Now CD boy was about as tall as the door.

The little guy quickly ran up to Buddy, grasping his hands tightly.

'I'm alright-' the Brit said 'You should get outta here while you still can!' Before Dude could argue ...

'CRITICAL ERROR DETECTED - ENLARGING PROGRAM CANCELED." CD-boy shouted. 

Just as stated he stopped growing.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Buddy managed to wiggle his way out from under the giant with help from Dude.

'You good?' The shortie asked, patting his friend's shoulder, the [slightly] taller one nodded 'Yeah!'.

The excitement died down as the both of them looked at the mini giant in front of them, trying to assess the situation. What was Cyan thinking when she added this feature, DID she add this in the first place?

CD-boy looked at the other two, since he couldn't fit on the table he just sat in the middle of the floor. His mechanical breathing filled the room as he looked around, he couldn't comprehend how much space he took up now. He pressed his palm against the ceiling, CDB could easily break through and do whatever he wanted.

But the number 1 rule of robotics is to not harm other humans, besides, it wouldn't be in character for him. 

'//So I'm just stuck like this?' The giant asked.

Buddy shrugged 'Not sure mate, you'd have to ask Cyan.'

CDB looked at his hand and flexed it, seeing his hand be bigger than someone's head was certainly a surprise for sure.

'//my internal clock Is offline. What time is it?' 

Buddy checked his wrist '5:35'

5:35...

Dude's eyes went wide just like earlier -arms flailing as usual. 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CYAN IS GOING TO KILL ME!! OK CD-BOY TIME TO GO!'

In one fluid motion, Dude was scooped up into CD-Boy's hand. 

'//This will be faster, trust me'

' scr_setTime( ‘to go’): '

Dude was amazed, he'd never been held by a giant before. unless you count his girlfriend, but she is just tall at the end of the day. He could've sworn he heard a ticking sound coming from CDB's chest, maybe that was the clock he was talking about.

Or maybe that was his heart..?

Regardless, this way of transportation is much faster, though it probably could be safer, given how the big guy broke the door off the wall before stomping off - hopefully, Buddy doesn't mind.

However, all he cared about was selling a t-shirt about the whole event

'I survived getting hacked, grew up to 10 ft, and all I got was this stupid t-shirt'.

[quillyfied]

Hellaverse Theories: Helluva Boss S2E1

Welcome to Quilly’s Hellaverse Theories, where I overthink the entire Hellaverse! We’re on the first half of season 2 for Helluva Boss, and the episodes have gotten longer this season, so I think I’m going to try just taking it an episode at a time like I did with Hazbin Hotel; them being longer means more stuff to chew on, after all!

Let’s do this, s2e1:

BABY STOLAS! BABY BLITZO AND BABY FIZZ! BABIES!!!

Thanks to Game Grumps, I know who Sam and Max are now, so the fact that Stolas has a little imp plush that looks like Max makes me giggle because I get that reference.

Alright moment to shout out the quality of the animation going up pretty drastically; it was already pretty dang good so the fact that it’s even BETTER makes me happy. Shoutout too to the butler; he’s very good at his job.

Paimon’s entire existence has…interesting implications. For a start, he doesn’t even have a solid form; I’m only convinced he looks like a bird because he’s spending time with one of his bird sons. And the fact that he has enough kids that he doesn’t KNOW which kid he’s interacting with until reminded…raises questions. Like. What’s Paimon’s rank? How many spouses does he have, to churn out so many kids he can’t keep them straight (or won’t keep them straight, more like)? What responsibilities does he have to the Goetia family? How long has he been a Goetia babymaker, apparently? Where’s Stolas’ mother? Or…additional parent? (I’m not entirely unconvinced that Paimon isn’t just spawning them from his own essence independently tbh, his form is malleable and takes on many different animal aspects.) How many siblings does Stolas have? Do all Goetia get purposes, or just high-ranking ones (because lord knows it seems like Stella and Andrealphus don’t have anything better to do than scheme for more power)? Does Stolas have Goetia siblings that aren’t birds, since Paimon himself isn’t truly a bird? QUESTIONS. I HAVE THEM. Okay, Paimon specifically says “which SON is this?” so…uh…does he even count his daughters? Does he HAVE daughters? (And children that are neither?) Is the Goetia family patriarchal and sexist?? Is that why Stella is the way she is? DAMN YOU VIV AND BRANDON PUT MORE GENDER DIVERSITY IN THE MAIN CAST. Anyway. Ahem.

Stolas is so excited, look at him. Look at his widdle face. Look at his big excited eyes. NOW LOOK AT HOW CRUSHED HE IS TO FIND OUT THE SECOND HALF OF THE DEAL. One: proof Stella was always like that, and Two: what do you want to bet the portrait was taken/painted after she was told about her engagement as well? Also I question the choice of sending along a picture of a kid strangling cute animals but this is a comedy show, I guess. Oof. Y’know what’s not a comedy? How Stolas does stop crying fairly quickly, but remains visibly miserable for nearly the entire duration of the circus.

I wonder who had the idea of assaulting the crowd with clowns first, Mammon or Cash.

BLITZO AND FIZZ BLITZO AND FIZZ BLITZO AND FIIIIIIIZZ. BABIES. SWEET BABIES.

Alright, pretty sure THIS was when it finally occurred to me what must have happened to make Fizz all white instead of red: seeing him as a kid without any white on him at all. Still didn’t know what happened, exactly, but it’s really chilling when that realization finally happens, that the white is scar tissue (and such extensive scarring, too). Also who voiced all these kids, they’re amazing and adorable.

Listen. LISTEN. Turning Stolitz into a version of childhood friends to lovers is the number one way to make me love them even more. Do you know how INSANE I am for childhood pining?? The answer is very. And I love that Stolas notices BLITZO. Even at this tender age, Blitzo is different, especially from Fizzarolli; Fizz is dressed better, looks the part better, can do the tricks, has the upper hand. But Blitzo is fearless and he’s creative and Stolas is just the right kind of sheltered and twisted to be into Blitzo’s kinda violent sense of humor. The ways that they are PERFECT for each other KILL ME.

Also the way that Fizzarolli swoops in to save the show and says “Hey everybody!” just like he does at Ozzie’s. Hhhhhhhhhhhh. (Also how did I never notice before that his horn stripes are mismatched just like his jester hats later)

I notice that Paimon doesn’t specify that he’s purchasing Blitzo for the day. There very much is no timetable discussed here. And the fact that Cash just DOES IT, would have sold Fizz for more but knows parting with Blitzo for chump change will pay out just as much in the end. Fucker. Then that asshole has the gall to ban Blitzo from seeing Fizz in the hospital later??? ARGH. Is this man still alive? Can we see someone punching his lights out just once?

Also, Cash’s voice. Can we talk about that? Who did that?? Why???

Listen these two asshat dads just did a bad, but also…was there really a need to vaporize half a tent to teleport out of there, Paimon?

I’ve said it already but let me say it again: whoever voiced the kids did PERFECT. Fizzarolli’s cute little giggles and Blitzo’s absolutely unhinged energy and Stolas’ little bitty hoity-toity accent. Aaaaaugh. Shows usually don’t give us this, it’s such a blessing. (Also why didn’t we get Barb tho)

(Maybe a continuity error, but the fact that Blitzo uses ketchup to represent blood instead of something darker…y’know…kinda unusual, for a Hellborn imp. But whatever, it’s adorable and I’m enjoying myself.)

I also love that Blitzo’s first reaction to being told he’s spending the day with a prince is “ew.” I hate that his first reaction to being told to steal is “what if I get caught” because that means this isn’t the first time Cash has made him do something like this. And if he’s worried about getting caught, that means it either almost happened or did happen in the past. Let Someone Punch Cash Buckzo 2k25. Surprisingly, though, for a shitty dad, the fact that Cash uses coercion and puppydog eyes to get his way with Blitzo instead of violence is actually refreshing. Though. Blitzo is already fully aware that his dad is a piece of shit, so helping him out…eh. Helping Mama, though? Yeah, that’s the correct button to push. I hope we actually get to meet an accurate version of her in Ghostfuckers and not a screwy nightmare version, because the way Blitzo in the future falls to pieces at her picture and the way even baby Blitzo wants to do everything to help her out means she meant a lot to him. And Blitzo doesn’t seem to trust or care easily even as a little kid.

STOLAS BOWS TO BLITZO EVEN WAY BACK WHEN. This information will never not destroy me, given how often Stolas does it to Blitzo in the present. Especially since Paimon immediately punishes him for it. And he still does it. Though, also interesting: Blitzo can see Paimon moving for Stolas before Stolas can, so Blitzo’s focus shifts there; his expression when Stolas gets hit is pretty shocked, too, an expression he only gets when the situation gets really dire for him. Hmm.

“I’m so good at daddying!” GO FUCK YOURSELF. Let Someone Punch Paimon Goetia 2k25.

Because Stolas is a kid who apologizes to his dad when his dad hits him, and he apologizes to Blitzo when Blitzo calls all of his books boring, he’s so sweet and so lonely someone help him.

Blitzo is already quite the little conman, though. That saddens me but also it’s nice to watch his budding strategic brain at work already.

Okay, here we go: “Is this an imp game?” That’s a fairly innocent question, especially from a kid, but it’s also a question that’s already loaded with class distinction. He might as well have asked “is this a commoner game,” because the tenor is the same. Stolas as a child gets a pass from me for his classism, because he literally does not know any better; even his imp butler constantly scolds him for behavior that is unbecoming for a Goetia. This isolation doesn’t improve even after meeting Blitzo again as adults, but I’ll talk more about that later, because there’s another layer to Stolas’ bigotry to examine and right now I’m in cute happy kid land.

Nooooo twinkly heartbreaking pretty tune, why are you heeeere, you make this sweet moment so much more bittersweet with your presence. Also if we get a reprise of this chandelier scene I might actually pass away.

Blitzo climbing a tree while Stolas reads a book. They’re so perfect. Y’know??

Alright, this little scene by the tree here: very packed with meaning, and foreshadowing too, I’d wager. I do notice that we don’t go much into Stolas’ duties with the grimoire as an adult (it would be cool AF to get into prophecy work one of these episodes), but the fact that Blitzo remembers all of this enough to plan a heist for it twenty-five years later is impressive (especially given what he goes through just ten short years later) (…wait a second…does that throw a wrench in my math…? Later, finish this tangent first). Stolas is excited, but unsure; it’s what he’s supposed to do, but there’s already something inside of him that feels discordant with that (with that, or with his impending marriage? Maybe both, since the two are likely intertwined given that they were introduced to him at the same time).

Blitzo, on the other hand, is gonna run his own circus (after a fashion lol) and be the most famous imp ever (YEAH I’M PRETTY SURE HE WILL BE ACTUALLY, he’s already making a name for himself and has interacted with one Deadly Sin so far, soon to be a second and a third later this season half. Plus there’s my ever-looming “IMP and Stolas Get in Legal Trouble” theory) and have an office (you go bb). The hiring of Stolas just feels like the next logical step, especially now that we have a pretty good indication that Stolas is about to be possibly stripped of his title and powers (if that’s what the trial/gathering in Pride and the altercation with Andrealphus means, anyway).

Happy childhood laughter…TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER.

(Alright, doing my math now: so Blitzo and Fizz haven’t seen each other in fifteen years. Presumably, I’ve been working under the assumption that they haven’t seen each other since the accident, and that the two of them and Stolas are the same age. But. There’s some…inconsistencies, if that’s true. I don’t think we get a number for what age Fizzarolli is turning on the explosive birthday, but he looks young; I think Blitzo still has his braces (which hurts me in a way I don’t know that I can articulate; that just feels so young and vulnerable still, for Blitzo to not only lose his mom but be blamed and also blame himself for losing his mom, blowing up his best friend, and burning down the circus). If we assume they’re ten on Stolas’ birthday, then twenty-five years later, they’re thirty-five. Fifteen years before that is twenty. That’s too old, or feels too old, anyway. Octavia was two years old the last time Blitzo and Fizz saw each other, since she’s seventeen; Stolas already being a father while Blitzo is in braces and the two of them being the same age feels like a stretch (though it COULD happen; adult braces are a thing). So either Stolas is older than the other two by at least a couple of years, or Blitzo and Fizz saw each other sometime after the accident. Which is possible, and certainly makes more sense as to why Fizz didn’t have some sort of trauma-induced explosion at Blitzo at Ozzie’s if that was the first time they’d seen each other since the accident. The math on this is all screwy; does anybody have a better resource on this?? Fizz and Blitzo being younger than Stolas would make sense…in fact, it’s the only thing that makes sense if the accident happened fifteen years ago. In order for Stolas to be 18 when Octavia is born, he has to be ten at this birthday at minimum. For Fizzarolli and Blitzo to still be teenagers ten years later, if we assume the accident was the last time they saw each other, they have to be 6-8 years old at most. And an eight-year-old and a ten-year-old can get along much better than a ten-year-old and a six-year-old (I work childcare, I know these things). So Stolas can be 35 while Blitzo and Fizz are 33. Wow. So many of my assumptions challenged by math. What a fun exercise these posts are.)

ANYWAY HALFWAY THROUGH THE EPISODE, one episode per post is looking more and more likely.

The differences in Stolas waking up as an adult versus a child are so stark. He groans instead of cheering, he drags himself around instead of bouncing. His hair just sort of falls into place after a brief tousle. And the Happy Pills, the most damning evidence of all. Because, uh. People who are happy with their lives don’t take antidepressants (or, rather, people who are happy with their lives don’t START taking antidepressants; people can be happy with their lives once stabilized on antidepressants). That is stupidly obvious but also, incredibly sad. And as I know I’ve mentioned before, to be a young immortal already on antidepressants because his life is so unfulfilling and miserable is upsetting.

I do wonder at how this episode would have gone if Stolas had seen Blitzo at the window at that point, though. Probably not much different.

Here’s another sad thing: Via looks so content in her sleep when Stolas checks on her before going to face Stella. I really, really hope we get an unfiltered look at Via and Stella’s relationship without Stolas, because Via’s reaction to their separation is not one of a kid who was fully aware of how unhappy her parents were together (how she wasn’t, I have no idea, because Stella doesn’t exactly hide her disdain in any way, shape, or form). Via does it without screaming but she does also blame Stolas for breaking their family, and does it the entire time we the audience know her. And in the s2.5 trailer, Via still blames Stolas for it, saying “You never loved Mother.” The fact that THAT is such a sticking point for her makes me think Stolas (and maybe Stella but I doubt it) was successful in creating a fantasy for Via where her parents were content enough, maybe even happy (at the very least, they didn’t hate each other, which was enough for Via even if she was already aware that they didn’t love each other).

We don’t know how Stella talks to Via. We don’t know how Stella talks about STOLAS to Via. We know how she talks about Stolas to her friends, to equals, but we have yet to see how Stella and Via treat each other at all, even in the new normal of screaming and throwing things. Via clearly doesn’t like that Stolas screams at her mother, even if it’s framed in the context of what Via really doesn’t like being Stolas forgetting about Via in favor of fighting with Stella or flirting with Blitzo. It is pretty damn well implied that Via thinks Stolas deserves to be screamed at and have his stuff thrown around for sleeping with someone else. “Maybe [I liked Loo Loo Land] back when my parents didn’t hate each other. And my dad didn’t flirt with some weird red dickhead all the time. I just want to go home. But home doesn’t even feel like home anymore. You ruined it.” “He’d rather spend his time just screaming at my mum.” “You never loved Mother, you don’t love me, you love HIM.” If anyone in this damn marriage is going to be accused of turning Via against one or the other, it had better be Stella turning her against Stolas, because the foundation work is already there (and the fucking messy part is that it’s partially Stolas’ own fault; he wanted to play happy families because it’s what was expected, and when he reached his breaking point, he had an affair and then flaunted that affair without talking about any of the other messy parts of himself that made it unbearable to exist in their previous life anymore. Via’s world is burning down around her, and Fuck You Dad for that).

(Disclaimer that I don’t think Stolas exactly deserves BLAME for it, because it’s an impossible and deeply unhappy situation created by others’ expectations being forced onto him, but we’re talking about Via’s point of view and she very explicitly blames her father for how miserable and tumultuous her home life is now, and she isn’t entirely wrong, even if she doesn’t have the whole picture. Hell, WE don’t have the whole picture; we don’t know if Stella going to strike Stolas is a recurring offense, or if this was the first time, but the casual way she goes about it and how surprised she was that Stolas caught her arm does make me think it happened before. And Via has NO IDEA about that if it happened, I’d bet money on it. For fuck’s sake, Stella SCREAMINGLY plans Stolas’ ASSASSINATION at the goddamned DINNER TABLE with Via RIGHT FUCKING THERE and Via has NO IDEA. Here’s something I want to see: Via getting the unvarnished truth about what her parents’ marriage was like, every messy detail, INCLUDING that her mother tried to kill her father TWICE now. Does he deserve that much, Via? Because I don’t think you think he does, even if you’re having a hard time accepting that the home life you knew was a lie. Heck. The home life she knew was a lie. No wonder she’s so messed up.)

ANYWAY.

Ugh seeing Stolas TRY to be friendly to Stella only to have his presence dismissed is just. AAAAUGH. How does Via not see this?? Stella isn’t exactly subtle! Though I suppose Via can be aware that her mother is a raging bitchface bitch while also harboring resentment towards her father for disrupting their equilibrium. Loona was right when she said it’s not as simple as that and this shit gets messy. It likely wouldn’t be this messy if Via didn’t love her mother, though. Which means there’s likely something there TO love, or at least care about. That’s a delicate path to tread, because children are conditioned to care about their parents even when those parents aren’t worth caring about, and we just don’t know what Via and Stella’s relationship is like enough to guess at how deeply Via is hurt on her mother’s behalf, and how much she knows about how her mother feels about her father. It feels incomprehensible that Via wouldn’t know, but keep in mind that we see Stella through Stolas’ eyes, not Via’s; to Stolas, she is unequivocally cruel and insulting and she hasn’t made any moves to hide it from him. Has she made moves to hide it from Via, though? We DON’T KNOW. Via isn’t at the “Not Divorced” party. She isn’t listening to her mother loudly and publicly trash Stolas in every way possible. It could very well be that in front of Via, Stella is better-behaved, and so Stella’s shows of rage post-affair are justified to Via. I’ve gone on this tangent for way too long but I’m just so enraged by it right now, and hoping that Via and Stella both get their screentime dues in s2.5 (or if not both, then definitely Via, because she matters more lol).

Good grief, though, back to the main event, which is Stolas meeting Blitzo for the first time in two and a half decades and that fantasy romantic streak coming in hard and heavy. “I will handle him accordingly” with the blush and the eyebrows EXCUSE YOU SIR.

The captions for Blitzo’s reaction to Stolas declaring “you were here to ravish me, weren’t you” is “Ew.” Which is hysterical, given that’s exactly what he said when he was a kid and forced to hang out with him, and incredibly sad because nobody wanting Stolas is the THEME OF HIS FUCKING LIFE. But Blitzo is a consummate performer and conman (he learned from the best, or at least the good enough); going along with Stolas’ ravishment fantasy is the easiest way to get what he wants, so he’ll do it. Blitzo, I will posit with my whole chest, doesn’t give two shits about Stolas very nearly this entire scene. He’s willing to work the connection, to lay it on thick, but he isn’t emotionally invested one jot until Stolas brings up how much it means to him that they’re friends. THAT, Blitzo can’t ignore, not at this point in his life, when he’s trashed just about every relationship he’s ever had. Having someone who looks at him like he hung the moon probably isn’t something even he can fully resist, especially not when he needs something from them and maybe it’ll go more smoothly after the fact if he rails Stolas into the mattress and leaves him with a positive impression even as Blitzo steals from him and illegally uses his grimoire to commit murder.

But there’s also a moment where things sort of clunk into place here—not a good place, but the place where their relationship starts that for me explains why Stolas thinks constantly calling Blitzo little and his plaything is cute, maybe even something Blitzo wants him to do (and heck, he might, in the bedroom, but we aren’t allowed in there to find out; however, context clues would imply that even in the bedroom, Blitzo probably doesn’t like being condescended to)—and that’s when Stolas thinks Blitzo wants him to be a loud, chatty, submissive bottom. Blitzo doesn’t exactly do anything to disabuse him of this notion, just sort of tolerates everything Stolas spits up at him, and with how sheltered and also up in his own ass Stolas is, I still genuinely don’t think he understands on a basic fundamental level that anything he says is a problem. How can he, when the guy he’s been demeaning won’t tell him that he’s being demeaned and literally no one else in his life could possibly offer him that context? (I will admit that if Stolas tried looking past his upbringing and seeing the world around him, he’d pick it up real quick, but that’s the thing, Stolas isn’t there yet. He hasn’t been broken down that far yet. I think he will be, though.)

Alright, stopping my own blathering enough to actually watch this scene, and can I say how impressive it is that Blitzo remembers the little eyes up top when he’s blindfolding Stolas? Mainly because I forget them constantly? Also tying Stolas up in the first place is hysterical, but I guess Blitzo doesn’t actually need to restrain him, just distract him for long enough for him to get out of there. Right before his own feels get hooked into this and he commits to “real fast.” Which is his downfall, really, but also the start of one of the most important and fulfilling relationships of his adult life. Also the most tempestuous and aggravating and dangerous. Blitzo doesn’t show his emotions, not anymore; they’re too dangerous for himself and others. But. There’s that selfie of himself and Stolas, quite possibly taken on this very night, where he looks so content, even happy, snuggled up to Stolas. Keep that in mind, because as we all know, a picture Blitzo takes while Stolas is asleep is just one piece of the puzzle.

The rest of the pieces are incoming, with Stolas’ own camera roll.

…sidenote, do y’all think Stella’s had affairs? Possibly a kinky threesome with the two friends she’s constantly talking to?

Aaaaand, here we are, fresh out of Ozzie’s, with Stolas still in his fancy suit and hungover from absinthe (which is a very strong alcohol, for those who aren’t aware; there’s a reason the serving imps brought it out with a tiny glass. Goetia resilience on display there). And his theme song is about to get words, oh nooooooo. Stolas goes through his third morning routine, doesn’t even fix himself up, just downs more Happy Pills than seem to be his recommended dose, then starts scrolling through his camera roll. In every picture of Blitzo, he looks bored at best, annoyed at worst. And this is the moment, the breaking point—the fantasy has finally fallen away. Stolas might be in love, but they aren’t together. This isn’t a relationship. It’s a comfortable lie, something unbalanced and slowly killing them both just as surely as Stolas’ marriage was killing him.

And that’s why it’s so significant to me to look at the timeline here; it’s easy to forget that these events are happening so quickly, what with the lengthy release schedule, but this is the morning after Ozzie’s, and now Stolas is looking into Asmodean Crystals, looking to give Blitzo an out, because he understands now—or, at least, he understands better than he did before. He noticed the grimoire missing right before Blitzo bit him all that time ago on their first night together; he certainly noticed it missing afterwards. He let Blitzo keep it, maybe had one or two conversations about it, and then the series practically opens up with Stolas proposing they start sleeping together so they can both get the grimoire and sexual gratification from each other. Maybe because Stolas was fluttery and happy about finally being with his first-ever crush and friend, he thought it was the only way he could keep Blitzo close (because why would Blitzo stay with him otherwise if Stolas didn’t have anything more to offer than himself?). Blitzo agrees for his business, but he didn’t have to even start—didn’t even have to agree to the deal, either, could have asked Stolas if they could talk about it later because he was in the middle of getting shot and kept putting him off. Blitzo doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do (or so he projects). Stolas has had an entire life of doing what he didn’t want to do.

Only now here they are, in a tangled web of their own joint making that’s going to break some things before they can set it straight. But Stolas taking the first steps to even out the score? HUGE. Significant, because he’s the one with the most power, literally and figuratively. Stolas didn’t have to do this. He could have kept Blitzo on a leash if he wanted to. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t WANT that kind of relationship with Blitzo. He doesn’t just desire Blitzo, he loves him, wants what’s best for him and wants Blitzo to have what Blitzo wants as well as needs. Stolas wouldn’t have given him so many outs from their full moon rendezvous if he didn’t care about Blitzo having a choice. This is just the next logical step to Stolas escaping his own fantasies and coming into the real world.

(I have a feeling Stolas Sings here has some thematic elements tying it to Just Look My Way, but I refuse to watch that music video more than the two or three times I did when I first discovered it back in February; I want it to punch me in the mouth in its full context, so I’ll just take mental note of what I’m seeing in this particular musical number so I can make the comparison later.)

“It’s annoying to hear you screeching your silly woes all the time” says the woman incapable of lowering her voice when talking about how boring and stuffy her husband is and mocking him to everyone she knows.

Unreliable narrators are a fact of life; we’re all unreliable narrators in our own ways. But when Stolas says he tried so many years to make it comfortable for both of them to have this family, for Octavia to grow up with a normal life, there’s evidence to back him up, to show that he isn’t just talking out his ass. Stolas waking up to Via’s crying and informing Stella of it, only for Stella to push it off onto him. Stolas attempting to greet his wife in the morning as he gets himself coffee, only for her to turn her back to him and ignore him and keep trash-talking him on the phone. Via’s simmering anger at the turn her life has taken now that her parents are actively hostile towards each other and not just barely tolerating each other for her sake. And Stolas says he didn’t hurt Stella, which is sort of true; he didn’t betray her trust. What he did was hurt her reputation, make her a laughingstock and a figure of pity. Stolas Goetia’s beautiful wife, so pretty but apparently not enough for her aberrant husband, who fucked an imp of all creatures. We never see anybody else judging Stella for it (or, like, talking about it at all?), but the way she acts, you’d think she’d been shunned from every noble tea party in the entire Pride ring and had her shoes spit on. Image is everything for her, but her reaction is certainly winning her no favors, either (and even her ass of a brother knows it).

Fascinating, too, at how Stolas’ firmness implies that Stella’s been dragging her feet at the divorce when it’s been months since Stolas first slept with Blitzo right after their “not divorced” party. Not out of any desire to make the marriage work, but just to torture Stolas. Just to hold that over his head. Bitch.

Alright, the body language here really does imply that Stella’s hit him before. I was already comfortable living with that assertion, but studying the animation now…yeah, absolutely not the first time she’s gotten in his face, raised her hand to him, threatened him with what the rest of the Goetia family will think and ESPECIALLY her brother (whom I’m willing to bet Stolas only tolerated because he was trying to appease Stella). And Stella might actually be stupid, might actually not care enough to regulate her reactions and behaviors towards Stolas in front of Octavia, but I don’t think she’s dumb enough to hit him in front of her. …not yet, anyway. Rile her up enough and she might. But again, we don’t know what Stella and Via’s relationship is like. But we DO know what Octavia and Stolas’ relationship is like, and I doubt Via would let it go if her dad was seriously hurt. (Which makes me really wonder if Stolas ever told Via he was in the hospital. I can see him hiding it from her to try and keep the peace.)

Stella’s choice of words here is interesting, too. “Traitorous embarrassment.” Is she just referring to the fact that he cheated…or that he cheated with an imp specifically? “And I know you’ll pay for it” because she’s so self-assured that the other Goetia family members will back her over him? It’s possible, but the only other Goetia we know of now is Andrealphus, who of course sides with Stella anyway. For all we know, they’re in the minority, but Andrealphus does make it a point to say that no Goetia has ever acted as Stolas has before (which…if the family is that big and old…I doubt it. But I don’t doubt the family’s ability to cover up a scandal before it reaches the proportions that Stolas and Stella’s divorce is about to reach).

But Stolas managed to stand up for himself, for his OWN sake, and that’s not a victory to be taken lightly for a man in an abusive marriage. But it doesn’t assuage the other matter weighing on his heart and soul. It’s fine. Full Moon is coming.

…Paimon and Cash had the same voice actor? Okay…that somehow makes more sense, why Cash’s voice sounds like that.

…yeah, these season 2 episodes are gonna have to be done on their own. Especially since every single one of them is an absolute banger. But that means this one is done! And we get to jump into Via’s head next episode and maybe relieve some of this tension I’m constantly living with trying to understand how Stella can be such a raging horrible person and yet Via still defends her! (To a point; there is a pattern where Via gets angry about something only to reveal she’s actually upset about something else, but! Next episode!!)

[iamaicecreamlover]

Hadestown Review - From Months Ago!

So, I saw Hadestown with Jordan Fisher as Orpheus. Let me just say, he slayed! I went in blind to who was on the cast like I usually do with Broadway shows. I was surprised to see someone I knew, especially from a show I barely watched like Liv and Maddie. I loved his voice and his chemistry with the actress, Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice. Solea Pfeiffer was a spectacular Eurydice. Her predecessor Eva NoblezadaI was just so amazing as Eurydice that I doubt anyone can reach her level ever again. I am now a fan of Eva for life! Still, Solea's acting and singing were so good that I only see higher roles in her future. I also am in love with her hair, I wish I had the dedication to put effort into that.

The fact that both couples, Hades and Persephone, were short boy, tall girl couples was a cute parallel. Phillip Boykin as Hades was good, didn't stand out much but still a good actor and singer. Didn't get the best chemistry vibes between him and Betty Who as Persephone. The dance seen though always makes me smile and these two did that very well. Seriously though, Betty Who probably let me down the most with her portrayal of Persephone. I love Amber Gray as Persephone, she brought the free spirit, love, and wildness I could see the goddess of spring bring to the show. One of my favorite songs, Our Lady Of The Underground, was not a masterpiece with Betty as a soloist. She tried her best, but I needed more from her to be on the same level as Amber Gray, especially in acting.

I went in expecting to see a male Hermes based on the soundtrack and got Lillias White instead. She did a great job, I just prefer a deep, male voice for his part in the songs. It might also be my bias for Andre de Shields as Hermes. The Fates were amazing, they blended so well and harmonized beautifully. There was one Fate whose voice I wasn't in love with when she soloed, but when they were a group - mwah! The fact that I can't remember which one that was shows how strong they were as a group.

Don't get me started on the choreography and chorus, they are the backbone of this show. Especially when the show moves to Hadestown, the set was well done but the chorus made the environment real. Honestly, the show would not have been the same without the hard work of the chorus and their part in the dance numbers. Shout out to everyone behind the scenes that I didn't get to see on stage.

Overall, my favorites were the Fates with Orpehus in second place. Loved the entire show, it was really sweet and sad and real. Highly recommend it, must be watched by anyone interested at least once on Broadway. I swear the next show I'm seeing has to be Lion King. It is been on my list for a while, to see my grandma - all my love to her 🩷, I just have to win the lottery!

[sepyana]

Jjba Diamond is Unbreakable Ep. 8-16 Thoughts

Ep. 8-9

Yukako has so many issues god bless

I've taken a liking to her design. Her color scheme goes together well, her hair has a lot of character and I do like the rose emblem on her outfit.

Her stand, Love Deluxe, plays the prehensile hair trope straight, other than her ability to control her hair even when it is not attached to her scalp. I like the name but I find this type of stand boring to be honest.

I'm not really interested in Yukako as a character, unless she gets something more later on. The funniest thing they can do is pair her and Koichi together. "Me and my girl don't argue, she tells me to shup up and I do" and such.

Josuke and Okuyasu were nice this episode. We learn that Crazy Diamond can't bring back anything The Hand deletes. Just goes to show how opposite their powers are.

Koichi is not really my cup of tea. I appreciate him being part of the group but solo episodes with him don't really interest me. Plus his voice is incredibly grating in both sub and dub. It's interesting that he set up that rock so that Yukako wouldn't die, you gotta be really confident that you'll win if you are worrying about the safety of your opponent.

Hey, Koichi with the new hair kinda looks like... No I shan't say it.

Let's talk about Echoes. My boy. My lil man. Look at his lil smile :) My favourite stand from part 4 so far. It seems to emote on its own sometimes, like Star Platinum who smiles every time it gets a chance to beat someone up. I like it when stands emote on their own. The fanworks do this a lot but jjba itself rarely does it. Which is a shame.

Ep. 10

This is just 20 minutes of Okuyasu having nice things happen to him and I think that's just great. If I had so say my one gripe (and be a killjoy), it would be that it doesn't tell us much about Okuyasu and Josuke that we don't already know. The best thing about filler is that it gives us characterization and I don't think this episode has enough of that.

Okuyasu and Josuke fighting reminded me of the Death 13 episode except Polnareff was infinitely more stubborn

Also this is a great time to just give the VAs the biggest shout out cuz wow I love them. Especially Okuyasu I love the way he says Josuke. It brings me joy. They are perfect fits for the characters they are playing. I can hear Tonio's accent but I know fuck all about Japanese so It might be horrible, not my problem tho.

Ep 11 - 12

I think Tomoko is one of my favourite female Jojo characters so far. The bar is on the ground, but, you know. Take what you can get.

I don't get why they added that scene with Josuke at the start. It doesn't really add anything.

I think the funniest thing in episode 11 is Koichi and Okuyasu just going through it and the Jojos not giving a shit. I hate the Joestars so much it's unreal. It did struck me as a bit weird. It's not at all weird for Jotaro (Have you seen the stardust crusaders? They told Polnareff they lied about Avdol's death to him and then they had the audacity to go "I didn't think you'd be this hurt"), It does feel a bit off for Josuke though.

Jotaro smiling as he says Jospeh could die is amazing. Of course he would.

I didn't think about what Red Hor Chili Pepper's stand user would look like but I am definitely not dissapointed in Akira. Personality wise he is insanely boring but I do like his design.

Okuyasu looking at his own hand as he thanks Koichi was a nice touch.

I like how they handled Joseph. Obviously Josuke is not gonna be amazed to see him but It wouldn't go with his personality if he was antagonistic either.

Ep 13

I don't like how different the japanese VA of Joseph sounds when he is yelling. English VA doesn't have this issue but it's also was the weakest of the sdc cast imo. No winning with this one.

Ep 14 - 15

The first episode is just set up. It does that job pretty well though. Really makes Rohan seem insane. I mean, he *is*.

Rohan relating everything to art and writing isn't even that off from how most artists think tbh. Writers will see a documentary about the most disturbing shit they have ever seen and they will go "That will make my writing about this part more accurate".

And Rohan'a advice is actually pretty good. Like, draw with references. Draw from reality. Base your characters on people who you know, instead of like, just taking from your favourite artisans. Anyways,

Rohan's stand is called the Heaven's Door. Firstly, It's a really cute stand. Secondly, this thing is busted. It'd be one thing if looking at a draft was the only way for it to work but touching you with his stand also works. And he can knock someone unconcious when unfurling them. Add on that the insane speed he has for no reason and honestly we should just be glad this guy isn't a villain. He is just weird and offputting.

I fucking love episode 15. The pay off is amazing. I love that Okuyasu and Josuke notice something small like a cut on his hand and immediately help him. I love that Rohan opens Josuke's eyes by insulting his hair. And then he just. keeps. going.

Josuke being literary so blinded by rage that he doesn't see the draft? Amazing. He absolutely destroyed that place. And threw a fucking chair at Okuyasu and Koichi. This show is pretty funny when it wants to be.

The story of his hair was really sweet. The guy helping them seems to be a student like the current day Josuke too.

Ep 16

The art style for this episode looks different from normal and I have no idea why. The style is ussually pretty consistent. You can see the gums in their teeth it's strange.

Jotaro gets a slight outfit change. I like the colors and the tilted belts. I'm not sure on the new jacket. I liked that they used the collar of his shirt to give the same vibe as his part 3 outfit insead of just giving him a jacket exactly like his old one. His new jacket is a bit dissapointing. I like dolphins. I'm not sure what they were trying to do with the triangle and the sun. Overall, I like the older one just a bit more. I would love it if he kept changing outfits like this tho.

It's something that Jotaro can't seem to seperate Star Platinum's time stop ability from Dio. Like, that's Star Platinum's power.

As funny as seeing Jotaro get his ass beat by a Twitch looking ass rat is, It's also shows what I like about stands. I know Jotaro is holding back here, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a bad machup for him. So you don't need to nerf him in ordert to create conflict. Stands are good against combatting power creep, is what I'm saying.

Love Crazy Diamond popping up out of nowhere just to look sad. Don't look at me with them big ol' eyes.

Ep. 17

I think one thing part 4 is good at is the character dynamics. Rohan and Koichi was fun to watch. Rohan grinning at Koichi getting flustered was great. Reimi being really friendly with Rohan cuz she knew him when he was a kid is a nice bit of writing.

I made a joke post about where Kak went after death, a few people mentioned how ghosts were real and he could be like Reimi. Now I know what they are talking about.

Reimi has a nice design. Especially the choker with the hands holding on it. Speaking of hands

I know I shouldn't be laughing at the guy whose only trait so far is that he kills young girls to date their hands to satisfy his stupid fetish or something but

what even is that music. Why did they make it like that.

To close this off, I am currently on vacation with little internet access. It's a rural area so there isn't much to do. I've been spending my time writing these, slowly. Gonna take a hot minute to finish this part.

I've been also wondering if I should watch Stone Ocean before Golden Wind and get the Jotaro story over with. I'll decide that later, I dunno.

[backstage-bucknell]

A Men On Boats Takeover

By: Katie Schadler

Come See The M.O.B.

“Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. MEN ON BOATS is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition, when a one-armed captain and a crew of insane yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River.” 

P.S. : The amazing Clea Ramos made this poster.

MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Men on Boats

LOCATION: Harvey Powers Theatre Oct. 20, 7:30pm Oct. 21, 7:30pm Oct. 22, 2pm Oct. 23, 7:30pm

TICKET PRICES (General Admission):

Adults: $12 Students, Senior Citizens, & Children: $7

Buy your tickets here !

If you bring ten friends to the show, you can get tickets at the box office for $5 each! 

More on the show:

As per the playwright’s request, these historically white male characters are all given voice and movement by actors who are anything and everything but white and male identifying - offering an entertaining and critical lens on the determination, foolishness and humanity of this group of frontiersmen in an historic moment in America’s adolescence.

A Message From Tseday: Senior in Men on Boats

By: Tseday Robinson

Hi, my name is Tseday Robinson. I am a senior here at Bucknell, double major in Animal Behavior and Creative Writing, and I play Hawkins in the play Men on Boats. As a student who is a double major on campus, it is hard for me to get into other things outside of my majors. Because I do research, dance as an extracurricular, and also work multiple jobs on campus, my time is very limited. But I always loved the arts and theatre in general. 

In high school, I had an acting class and performed a piece of a play in front of my whole school. In my first year at Bucknell, I watched a friend in a play and admired her hard work and clean performance. My second year, I wanted to get into theater here, and I auditioned for a cocktail, a ten-minute play directed by students. I had such a great time, which made me want to continue with theatre. I did a cocktail my junior year, yet this year, I wanted to take a little leap of faith and do a MainStage. So when Hutch and Anjalee asked me to audition for this, I was all in. 

I was a little nervous auditioning, and heck, in a way, I am nervous now. But I love the cast, and I love the set and costumes. I am enjoying this whole experience. It is a little hard during midterms and being a senior and all. Yet I never notice the time flying by during rehearsals because I am having so much fun. I hope the audience enjoys our hard work and sees how much love we put into Men on Boats.

Bucknell Departments of Theatre, Dance, Film and Media Studies co-host New York City Student & Alumni Brunch 

October 19th, 2023 from 10am - Noon

Students, Faculty and Alumni from Bucknell's departments of Theatre, Dance, Film and Media Studies are cordially invited to a Networking and Social Brunch in the heart of New York City during the weekend before Thanksgiving! Join us for a wonderful opportunity to meet up with fellow Bucknellian artists from across the years, many of which are working in the business! This year's event will be held at the elegant Elsie Rooftop in Manhattan to accommodate the growing number of attendees this event has attracted over the years. Let's celebrate together and kick off the season! 'Ray Bucknell Theatre & Dance! 'Ray Bucknell Film & Media Studies!

For more details and/or to register please go this link: https://cvent.me/eYMxWZ

Wonderstudies

By Zoe Fleury 

As a first year student, being a “Wonderstudy” for the fall mainstage, Men on Boats, was an incredible opportunity. It was amazing to be a part of the process, to witness how rehearsals and notes work, and to be a part of the community a show creates. Understudying is an important job, as theater is such a physical artform. Bodies in space are a necessity–both to get the feeling of a show and for other actors to be present in a scene. In the rehearsal process, leaving an empty space in a scene with someone shouting out lines from the audience can halt almost all progress that could be made. It just doesn’t work. Not to mention if there’s no understudy, there's no solution if an actor can’t be in a live performance.

Going into a scene without practice or knowing the blocking can be uncomfortable. A lot of times you’re in the way, or you feel like a fool because you don’t really know what you’re doing. While filling in during rehearsals started off this way, the entire team of Men on Boats could not have been more welcoming. The cast was extremely helpful both in and out of runs, and they never got frustrated when I’d make a mistake or be in the wrong place. In fact, the only thing I ever received from the cast and the director, Anjalee Hutchinson, was gratitude and respect. After the runs, I always got a “thanks so much for filling in” and “thank you for being my scene partner today”. It felt so good, not only to be appreciated but to be a part of the group.

The other understudies and I joined the process of this production very late to the game. It was about 3 weeks out from show time when I filled in my first rehearsal. I thought that it would be weird and I would feel like an outsider, like I was just a random person thrown on to the stage. While I’ll admit this was true in the very beginning, it was immediately undercut by the inclusivity of the team. Coming into a production as an understudy is scary, but none of those fears are founded, especially at Bucknell.

Redefining Disability on Stage with Penn State’s Samuel Yates

By Abby Campion

A theater artist and dramaturg working as a researcher in the realm of musical theater primarily at Penn State, Disability Consultant Samuel Yates was thrilled to be a part of Bucknell Theater’s production of Men on Boats. With a background in theater, Sam realized that as they began aging into different roles, they encountered disability-specific limitations on stage. A cochlear user with a neuromuscular disability, Sam refers to this realization as that of being “in the right rooms, but in the wrong roles.” Having started out working as a dramaturg primarily for new plays, Sam’s immediate priority was that of reorienting perspective for audience and performers alike; painting an accessible world so that it may help in vanquishing our own inaccessible one.

As a Disability Consultant, Sam is tasked with ensuring that shows are well-researched; uniformly ethical; and approached with a disability perspective, especially when it comes to disabled roles for nondisabled actors. It’s crucial that this is done in an informed manner so as to not further perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and instead positively influence the conversation. When working to create an ethical and safe space for the character of John Wesley Powell in Men on Boats, Sam maintains the responsibilities of a Disability Consultant; one of which is encouraging the use of disability-specific language when referring to the character’s disability. For instance, in Powell’s case, he is a “limb-different” individual who lost an appendage during the civil war. Powell’s experience is a complex one, as he is a disabled explorer captaining a boat in 1869—a feat that obviously had been traditionally fulfilled by able-bodied individuals. 

In addition to focusing on the informed use of language in his work on Men on Boats, Sam had a lot of long conversations with the designers regarding what clothing would be appropriate for Powell, and really what clothing means for him in terms of his disability. They underwent discussions regarding what the character would use that falls under the guidelines of what’s respectful and accurate, Sam inevitably aiming to give the Men on Boats team the tools to discuss and engage with disability respectfully in their design process.

Sam reflects upon their favorite part of the Men on Boats process, which has been getting to witness the rare occurrence of a comedy featuring a disabled character where disability isn’t the butt of every joke. Sam emphasizes how Powell’s disability is an integral part of his character and is interlaced throughout the show, yet the comedy isn’t at Powell’s expense. And this, they later continue, is the very part of what makes access dramaturgy worthwhile–“shifting perspective about practices we have ingrained in us that we aren’t always aware existed.” Rather than gaining a cheap laugh with a joke about Powell’s disability, Men on Boats instead works against the harmful ableism perpetuated in the entertainment industry. Bucknell Theater’s Men on Boats rejects the position of assuming non-disabled spectators and non-disabled performers are in the room, and instead is conscious of ¼ of the population being disabled; meaning that a disabled individual is most likely seated in the audience. “We’re often not aware of the barriers we’ve generated,” asserts Sam. With these practices comes redefining what the world of production is so that all may join: creatives and audiences alike.

Of course, the matter of disability on stage goes beyond Men on Boats, especially when it comes to non-disabled actors portraying disabled characters. Sam touches on how when a non-disabled actor is portraying a character with disability, it’s essentially a “disability simulation,” which is a conscious curated version of what the said nondisabled person thinks a disabled person looks like. Sam stresses that there’s a vast difference between disability as a fabrication, which is the “disability simulation” in an uninformed context, versus transitioning it into a real-world embodied experience, which comes with the “disability simulation” in a context of knowledge and care. In the case of the uninformed context, the audience experiences a disability loss when they could be experiencing a disability gain. Sam goes on to say that if someone is simulating, how do they do it ethically? And if they’re disabled, how can the team create more accessibility? 

“Good accessibility practices invite everyone into the theater,” affirms Sam Yates. More of their ideas and teachings can soon be found in their upcoming book Cripping Broadway: Producing Disability in the American Musical. Sam’s book is essentially a research project that uses musicals to understand how disabilities are used in American culture production. They use “Crip Theory” to demonstrate how disability is central to theatrical production in industry and how it works differently than race or gender, contending the long-assumed belief by theater academics and artists that disability is primarily associated with other identifying practices. Sam’s work helps to integrate new enactments regarding disability into institutions that weren’t there before, further urging us to stop considering our assumptions of what disability is, and instead look at what it can be.

Reclaiming Native Narratives on Stage with Bucknell’s Sierra Pete

By Katie Schadler 

As costume designer and Native American cultural consultant for this year’s MainStage production Men on Boats, Costume Studio Manager Sierra Pete is one of the main forces behind transforming a show into a conversation beyond the stage. With a background in commissioned costume and set designing for dance performances and movies, Sierra Pete began working in the design shop two years ago, Bucknell being her first exposure to theatre. Before Sierra ever picked up the sewing needle, she was a dancer. Being an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Sierra grew up dancing at Native American community gatherings known as pow-wows, catalyzing her love for designing her own performance outfits and gaining inspiration from Native clothing pieces. 

When designing the costumes for Ute Native American characters in Men on Boats, she not only consciously considers historical details like geography of tribes; trading between Natives and non-Natives; and US policies that were affecting tribes during that time period, but she also consults members of the Ute community regarding the attire indicative of the historical era and their cultural customs. While she may identify as Native, Sierra emphasizes the wildly different customs between Navajo and Ute communities and thus, acknowledges her limitations to accurately speak for the entire Native population beyond her own experiences. 

Doubling as a Native American cultural consultant for the show, Sierra’s job is to implement a combination of research and her personal experiences as a Native woman into a curriculum used to educate the cast, directors, dramaturgs, and tech and design team on the historical context of the show in order to portray Ute Native Americans as accurately and ethically as possible. Through facilitating well-researched workshops designated for different members of the show or juxtaposing staged Native American photographs with the “surprisingly” casual day-to-day Native attire of the 1800’s, Sierra aims to break the inaccurate, stereotypical image of the stoic Native American chief sitting in a feather headdress. 

While the Bucknell show was still in its early stages of bringing in a cultural consultant, department faculty reached out to other theatre community members who adapted Men on Boats only to find that alternate versions of the show completely omitted the scene involving the interaction between two Ute characters, due to fear of inaccurately broaching topics of culture or potentially inciting controversy. As a cultural consultant, Sierra is interested in not only equipping actors with the accurate background knowledge and confidence to approach potentially uncomfortable scenes but explaining the broader importance of keeping these scenes in the first place: With the willingness to revel in the discomfort and give voices to Ute characters while accepting the inevitable inability to please everyone, members of the show avoid erasing entire communities. 

Despite not having direct work experience in theatre prior to Bucknell or an academic background in Indigenous scholarship, Sierra brings her invaluable, lived experience and perspective to the role of a cultural consultant. Having formerly spent so much time trying to fit into roles that felt unnatural, Sierra feels that cultural consultancy allows her to be herself and proudly represent her community. With a versatile academic background in biology and ceramics, along with a passion for dancing and outdoor sports like mountain biking and rock climbing, she can appreciate the freedom of working at a liberal arts college among young costume designers all looking to bring in a new point of view and other faculty members like director of Men on Boats, Anjalee Deshpande Hutchinson, who is not afraid to take artistic risks that show a commitment to DEI.  

Ultimately, this conversation is bigger than the production itself but speaks to a broader social tendency to let cultural ignorance breed inaccuracy and fanaticism. Sierra aims to dismantle this dangerous societal narrative that Native Americans are these “hippie-like stewards of the land or alcoholics living on desolate reservations; we are lawyers, athletes, artists, and students who are infiltrating modern spaces, and many of us come from culturally-rich reservations!” she asserts. Given our tendency to remain in our own limited world views, Sierra encourages us to learn about culture not through the invasion and interrogation of other communities but through the creation of diverse roles within contemporary settings and institutions that will provide us with the opportunity to engage with people and cultures different from our own. Advocates like Sierra working within and outside of their communities know there is so much injustice to tackle, but in times of hopelessness, it’s up to us to infiltrate these modern spaces and reclaim the narrative.

[theshelbyclan]

Love Language

Summary: Tommy doesn’t say ‘I love you’.

(Gif by @nofckingfighting​)

A/N: Sweet anon asked: Hello i love you're writing! Can i request a tommy one shot imagine where the reader (his girlfriend or wife) finds out in his office, one of the locked drawers has everytning shes ever given to him? Maybe like love letters or random flowers everything he keep 😍🤍 thank you so mych. This request was so amazing to me, because you it made me feel like you understand this character so well? Either way, it made me think, and this is the result. It’s kinda different but I hope you like it! Words: 1448

***

“Tommy?” “Hmm,” the preoccupied reply came. You sounded defeated, against your best efforts, “I love you.”  “I know.” 

***

There’s blood on his shirt. It’s the first thing you noticed when he walked in. Not the mud, not his eyes, not his energy, just the blood on his shirt.

“Who’s is it,” you asked as casually as you could. Tommy lit a cigarette in reply. “Are you okay?” “Yes,” he drew out the ‘s’ like he usually did when annoyed or tired. “Who was it?” you continued. “Y/N,” he held up a hand, “not tonight, eh? Not with the hundred fucking questions tonight, alright?” You remained silent for as long as you could bear, “Just need to know you’re safe.” “You knew who you married,” a low voice replied. “I did.” Tommy stood up again slowly started to walk away.

“Do not,” you hissed, “walk away from me.” “Y/N, what the fuck do you want from me, eh?” he raised his voice, “This is me. This is who I am. And I’m doing it all to give you everything you want. To keep you safe. Alright?” You leaned forward and tried to lock eyes with him, “What I want, Thomas Shelby, is you. In one piece, preferably.” “I know,” he lowered his voice again, “And I understand.” He waved a hand like he was about to say more, but didn’t. “It’s because I love you,” you emphasized. He nodded slowly, “And that’s why I’m doing all of this.”

***

You were sitting at your desk writing. Some people seemed to think that being married to Tommy Shelby was a fulltime job and it could be if you’d let it, but not for you. Even before Tommy you’d been a writer, a journalist and an author of short stories. Neatly you typed them out and send them to the publishers in question. It was the one thing in life that always offered you solace.

“You spelled ‘enthusiastic’ wrong,” you husband commented helpfully after having popped up suddenly behind you. You ripped the page irritably, “Says the man who never even went to school.” “Life taught me how to spell, Y/N,” he sort of joked. “Life taught youhow to spell ‘enthusiastic’? Can’t remember the last time you were ever enthusiastic about anything…” He raised one eyebrow slowly, “How about ‘sarcasm’, can you spell that? Or ‘devil’, how about that, eh?” You pouted theatrically, “Sometimes I’m not even sure you take me and my work seriously…” “Oh, I take it seriously,” Tommy took a drag from his cigarette, “I know it’s enough to keep my wife away from me.” You smiled back at him when he did, but still a pang of hurt went through you: you’d give up everything just to have him say ‘I’m so proud of you sweetheart’. Just once.

***

“Come on,” he whispered. You looked up. “Come on,” he repeated, cigarette hanging from his lips, “let’s go upstairs.” “Why?” you asked, as you already started to follow him. Once inside the bedroom, he started undressing you with surprising tenderness. “Tommy,” you breathed, “look at me. What is it you want?” As a reply without words he gazed at your body, like he was drinking in very detail and getting drunk at the mere sight of it. “You and me, Tommy,” you said in between kisses, “remember it’s you and me. Fuck the rest of them. Fuck your family. Fuck the whole world. I love you and you love me. It’s you and me and nothing can ever come between us, right?” As he took off his own shirt, he gently pushed you down onto the bed.

“You and me, right Tommy?” you repeated, a little breathless as his head disappeared between your legs. “No,” he finally spoke, “you.”

*** Thomas Shelby had a long day of dealing with renegade family and dangerous enemies, so when he got back home, all he wanted was his wife and some peace and quiet.

“I cooked,” you said as you lingered against the doorpost. Tommy looked tired, worn-out, dead almost, with his head in his hands, “even told the cook to take the evening off,” you commented while your voice sounded flat. It was funny, because your emotions were all over the place, but your exterior just didn’t show any of it.

He slowly lifted his head, “You did, eh?” “Thought you might like it…” you fidgeted in spite of yourself. “I pay that cook for her to actually fucking cook,” he grumbled. “Fine,” you snapped, “I’ll feed it to the dog,” and you started to walk away. “Wait…” “What?” You didn’t even really turn around. Tommy sighed again and for a moment it was like he noticed the disappointment in your eyes, “What did you cook?” “Mint leaves. Your favourite.” And then a minor miracle took place and Tommy Shelby actually smiled a little.

***

“You were late today. I waited.” “I’m sorry.” “Are you?” “I am.” “Do you love me?” “Yes.” “Tell me.” “I do. Every day.” “Not with words…” “No, not with words.” “Tommy, tell me again.” ***

You were still half-asleep in Tommy’s arms. His eyes were closed and his breath was steady. Outside, the sun wasn’t up yet, but it wouldn’t take long now.

Next to you, there was a gun on the table. Tommy had just taught you how to shoot. He’d shown you over and over again, even though you’d protested. But he said you might need it one day. On the other side there were his cigarettes and whiskey. His medicine. His comfort. His eyes were closed and his breath was steady. But for how long? How long would it be until he’d die by his own gun, or get killed in some fight? Or met some other girl, prettier and smarter than you? As if he could read your insecurities, he shifted in his sleep and hugged you even closer to him. Thomas Shelby might not be perfect or a gentleman or eloquent when it came to expressing his love, but he did hold you at night.

***

“Tommy?” you shouted out through the house, “THOMAS!” “Fucking hell, woman,” his head appeared around the corner, “What is it?” Slightly embarrassed by your own volume, you said, “I can’t find the scissors.” “They’re in my desk somewhere,” he put on his cap and added, “I need to see a man about a horse. I’ll be back in ten minutes.” You made your way to the desk that was always so tidy and neat. So you did as any sensible woman would do and turned over everything in search of a pair of scissors. Nothing. Angrily you threw down a pile of papers. And that’s when you noticed it. One drawer hadn’t been opened at all. When you tried it, you found it locked. But you were a girl from Small Heath and no locked drawer could stop you. In less than twenty seconds you had managed to force the lock en slid the secret hiding place open. Inside there were more papers, neatly stacked and tied together with pieces of string in different piles. Breathlessly you took them from the drawer and examined them one by one. “Still looking for those scissors, eh?” a low voice grumbled in your ear and you practically jumped from fear. “For fuck’s sake, Thomas,” you mumbled as you tried to hide the papers you’d just found. Tommy was eyeing them already, but didn’t say a word.

So you went back through them, “These are the letters I wrote to you, when you were in France. I thought you threw away everything. Your medals, everything…” He didn’t reply. Tears sprang into your eyes as you examined the second pile, “And these are all my short stories. Did you cut them from the papers? Did you really keep them all?” You quickly went through them and they were all there, from the very first one ever published, “And these, my articles…”

Tommy cleared his throat once and cast his eyes down when you looked at him. Lastly there was a small box. When you opened it, you found, “The rose I wore, when we were kids. The one my brother stole…” And now you couldn’t find the words, “I hardly… I didn’t even know you… back then. Why?” Tommy grabbed his case and started searching for a cigarette. “Tommy,” you insisted, “I had no idea. Why did you keep all of these?” “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” he smirked lightly. You stared at the content of the secret drawer and decided that nothing was ever obvious when it came to Thomas Shelby. “Well?” you questioned. “I love you.”

*** Masterlist

[popculturebuffet]

CODENAME KIDS NEXT DOOR:OPERATION NAUGHTY REVIEW (comission for WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy mutants. It's been way too long since i talked something x-men related and given the last time I did was … this

It's been even longer since I talked about something GOOD from the house of X. Thankfully Kev had an idea left over from last X-Mas that I was eager to jump on this X-Mas: Operation N.A.U.G.H.T.Y, Codename :Kids Next Door's classic christmas episode spoofing the strangest heroes of all. And the fantastic four because apparently this episode wasn't personally targeting me enough as is.

For those Krakoans not as familiar with KND, in short KND follows the Kids Next Door, a group of child superspies trying to fight adult tyranny. KND takes place in a world where many adults take up supervillany just to impose their will on kids, from forcing braces on them, to shipping kids to the moon so their parents have no excuse not to work a billion hours, to bras actually being battle ready armor and teens all being douchebags who want to bully kids. In short it's every sterotype about kids and childhood taken up to eleven, and given cool gadgets. The show evolved from our main five kids, super cool british super spy and tightwad Nigel Uno, carefree pilot Hoagie Gilligan, spacey plushie lover Kuki Saban, perpetually angry aussie Wallabe Beatles and cool as a cucumber second in command Abigail Lincoln, Numbahs 1 through 5 respectively.

The show evolved, starting as simply the kids ocasoinally harassing people and fighting weirdos who werne't taken seriously by the rest of the world into a complex epic with the KND becoming a global orginzation and our heroes being one of a large cast of other KND agents, kids and characters. The show had a tight, expansive continuity that I ate up as a kid and even now wish to go back and rewatch some day. IT's a show I deeply loved and still do admiring it' screativity and having a continuity way thicker than most shows at the time, but gloriously so.

The show also LOVED it's pop culture refrences, including an entire episode that was just a parody of a short form the Animatrix, a two parter following empire strikes back, and many more. If the creators could squeeze in something they loved, they would. So it's not a shock that.

So it's not a huge shock the show would one day tackle x-men, which is another franchise about disenfranchised outcasts fighting an unfair system that has a massive cast, mythology and nice dollops of batshit insanity. The fact the storytelling is similar to the claremont run of x-men, i.e. fun one off adventures with ocasoinal bigger multi parters with a tight continuity and clear plans for the arcs, just makes it all the more obvious to me as an adult. Not only that they did it TWICE, though we'll save operation S.A.F.E.T.Y. for another day. The fact they made their x-men shout out a christmas episdoe and based their elves of x more on the comics than the movies, depsite the movies being red hot at the time and rightfully so, is just icing on the cookie. So join me won't you for some KVX as we dive into operation N.A.U.G.H.T.Y.

We open with a Stan Lee style narration which just warms my heart. See back in the 80s Stan Lee did a LOT Of narration for marvel cartoons, including the failed 80's X-Men Pilot, Pryde of the X-Men, which I intend to review eventuallys. And while obviously I wa stoo busy not existing to see most of this, I did get a vhs tape of Firestar's origin episode in spider-man and his amazing friends, and I THINK pryde of the x-men as a kid, so I got to hear it plenty. So seeing someone tribute that and do a pretty good job capturing his energy if not his voice at all.. it really hits me right there.

It's Christmas Eve and the elves are all hard at work. THey even sing their own verison of the rainbow monkey rainbow monkey all very round and super chunky theme song, which is imbeded in my skull on a load bearing lobe. One elf isn't so jolly and that's Elf Logan, codename Wintergreen aka Weapon G. He's just here on santa's orders to keep an eye on things not to sing and dance and make presents.. which is fair. It'd be like asking your CIA assigned body guard to knit for you. That's not what there here for. There's one thing Wintergreen does best and what he does isn't very jolly.

Things quickly get all humbuggy as 5 familiar figures show up.. figures SEEMINGLY matching the KND.. but wearing masks and acting unusual. I mean showing up somewhere and shooting a bunch of adults with tranq dart,s including about 40 for Elf Logan because ti's the only way he sleeps at night. Otherwise he just strokes that picture of Elf Jean Grey longingly. It weirds the rest of the team out.

Still there's clear hints it's not them: besides the makss they dont' talk or yell. While they CAN be quite on a mission, it's usually not fo rlong and usually nigel would at least have to give out some order. Most dammingly.. you have Number 3 in a room full of Rainbow Monkeys and she DOSEN'T react? That.. that's not possibly her.

The elves reactions are also gold as their all holly and jolly even as their getting some mmmmm drugs. Even the one who yells at them for entering the REINDEER room tells them merry christmas. So they enter it and kindap the santy claws as we get our holly jolly credits.

One title explination later, we're back with what's the REAL sector V, though the special does do a good job keeping it ambigious: While most audiences first instnct, even child me, is to say "well of course it's not them" Numbah 4 mentions an icy fortress, and their all returning from somewhere that isn't revaled till later. Given this franchise it could just as easily be that Santa was evil or undre mind control or they stole it to save it from a greater danger. It's not of course but the fact we don't know if they did it and if it wasn't them who adds nicely to the tension and their are hints as to who.. but we'll get to those at the reveal.

Our heroes prepapre to head home, with Numbah 3 being the most excitable and kind of the group, happy to give Numbah 4 his gift. They have a very drawn out will they or won't they thing, though it's a bit more tolerable than most series as their children and Numbah 4 is in DEEP denial. Like jason fox or calvin insertlastname here levels of girls have cooties I don't have feelings YOU HAVE FEELINGS. STOP ASKING QUESTIONS. Their just kids so it works that it dosen't go anywhere and Kuki is empathetic enough I coudl see her patiently waiting for him to finally stop being a butt.

Turns out theres a snag as Wally didn't get her a present. Which is typical for him. What really clearly distresses numbah three.. is that NO ONE did. When she mentions a gift exchange EVERYONE else whitstles nonchanlantly and Nigie tries to change the subject as soon as possible. That makes what she does in the climax more understandable.. whlie Numbah 4's actions are crappy.. their typical for him. She's used to this dance in their relationship by now and for once he seems genuinely regretful till of course Numbah 5 teases him with a predictable response

But NONE of them, including Numbah 5 herself, bothering to get her a gift when she clearly wen tout of her way to get all of them one , especailly given how their one big family? Yeah that's far less forgiveable. She does, to her defense brush it off as it's better to give and receive but the gang has bigger issues. Someone has stolen the treehouse

Yeah this went from the ocasional shocking moment.. to being so common Nigel has a melt down over it and rightfully so. You'd get pissed too if your second home got kidnaped every other week. Though to answer his rhetorical question of "why", simple: it's your base of operations with all your stuff in it. Granted their flying bus thing MIGHT have some weapons stashed.. but given the KND also puts "blow up the engine buttons" on it's vehicles and how numbers 2 3 and 4 can be when it comes to actually doing their jobs at times, it's just as likely the emergency slot has a bunch of candy, broken rocks, comics, and rainbow monkeys instead of weapons. I mean it's still all useful it's just not when the best at what he does and friends come a knocking.

Naturally for wolverine's bootleg, Wintergreen is waiting propped on on one of the plane thingy's wheels with a candycane in mouth. Because if Marvel won't let the man who cannot get cancer and is in no remote danger of it smoke because "drugs are bad mkay" then Cartoon Network sure as heck won't.

I do love how they get Logan down so well though: After seein Garth ennis' attempts at parodying logan which were

That… it's nice to see one done with affection that really GETS the character: his manerisims, his attitude, his competnece, his sideburns, hell even how he looks shirtless. Which may be a weird thing to get down, but it's something that's been hilariously and weirdly consitant. That and the fact he goes shirtless a lot. The movies got some things right and other things horribly wrong, but the one thing they just downright nailed was that logan shows off those canadian abs a LOT. Him being shirtless is about as much of a costume to him as the old yellow and blues or the less used but still awesome browns and slightly lighter browns.

Point is it's very clear the writers of KND REALLY loved the x-men and this parody was done in good fun. The idea of making the X-Men into christmas elves is the weird kind of redressing this show is REALLY good at and it fits the x-men like a glove. As I like to repeat the x-men are REALLY fucking weird and i'm just skippy with it. Cyclops lived on the moon for a whlie, mutantkind as a whole lives on a sentient island that tried to murder them once, death is such a non factor that Mr. Sinsiters advice to seeing if ressurction will fix nightcrawler growing horns is just to shoot him, Storm is queen of mars with Magneto as one of her staunchest allies, and there's also Doop.

And most of that is just recent events. THey've fought demons, been to space so often mutankind is in good with a space empire with Xavier's clone daughter leading them, storm has merged with a space whale, an extradimeisdonal tv exective wants to record them for his shows, and one of them has a space dragon. The X-Men are so inherently gloriously insane that having an elf equivleant isn't the weirdest thing that's happened to them and finding out which one would be near impossible. Like I said though Wintergreen acts like Logan and it's thankfully not early days "will kill you just for looking at him sideways" logan, but later "calm and resonable but will cut a bitch if you cross him" logan. He asks for the REINDEER back civily wanting to avoid a fight. Our heroes are the ones who draw on him and while sure Elf Logan took their treehouse, they didn't bother to try and talk things out.

So we get KVX.. or KVE as the x-men here are Elpha Strike, a nice nod to alpha flight, a candian super team. Their really more like the avengers, down to having their own hulk in sasquatch, but since they started out in X-Men and are old friends of wolverine despite trying to kidnap him a few times, as you do with your buddies, their frequently part of the x-men. It helps they never really QUITE broke out like creator John Byrne was hoping.

So for this parody the team stuck with the classics, the four longest standing x-men who served as the teams core during Chris Claremont's legendary franchise defining run: You've met wintergreen who had peppermintium in his bones, but we also have Nutcracker, based on demonic looking german teleporter and badass preacher Nightcrawler (complete wtih telepoting and being mildly unsettling), Snow Angel, whose primarily based on queen of mars, former queen of wakanda and always survivor storm having her apperance and beign associated with the wather but also has shades of two other x-men; Ice man (having snow powers) and angel (having half the name and the wings), and finally conferous, based on Colosus. Sadly they didn't bring Elf Deadpool, nor an elf cyclops with visons of sugarplums. Maybe he was busy with Elf Madlyn Prior. I dunno.

Point is the fight is fun if mostly one sided: While the KND are good, they only have some chillip peper guns against people as strong as the uncanny x-men's best and just as skilled. The only reason the KND even turns the tied is their trying take the present Numbah 3 got for Numbah 4 thinking it's the reindeer and well.. Kuki may be one of the sweetest kindest people you'll ever meet in fiction but for fucks sake DO NOT. PISS HER. OFF. The fact she juggernaughts Elfa Strike all her own proves that. She even pantses Wintergreen and pushes him off the tree house stump.

Not wanting to do this because Numbah 3 would make a good new child sidekick but out of options Wintergreen calls in their strongest attack, the 12 days of christmas attack. Which is just dropping all those things on her. Including a danny partridge in a pear tree.

Wintergreen gets the present but SUPRISE it's just a special edition rainbow monkey which was where they were: in line at the offical store to get it as you can ONLY get it on christmas eve. Good thing it wasn't a tickle me wiggly. Wintergreen realizes wait something's off and BACK AT THE NORTH POLL, because Elpha Strike didn't think to check the room where the REINDEER you know was or comb it for Santa or the REINDEER itself as Kev pointed out to me because.. I guess they were hungry ? I mean I know how much wolverines love turkey

WE find out who it was: The Delightful Children From Down the Lane, a creepy hive mind of children and our heroes arch enemy. Their so called good children.. who instead bully and harass other children and try to take things from them as they feel entitled to it. Since they all loook similar enough, they easily pulled this off. It's also nice foreshadowing for a twist of just where they came from later. I dont know if this was setup or they just decided on it later and it fit into place but well played.

Naturally their NOT on the nice list being you know, evil little shits, but being ENTITLED evil shits, they've decided to use the REINDEER to get the presents they feel owed while everyone else gets coal.

The REINDEER itself is a clever concept, santaizing another X-Men concept; Cerebro. It's a cool looking metal helmet that telepaths, i.e. Charles Xavier or Jean Grey mainly, can use to find any mutant. It's also now backup for any mutants personality so they can be brought back from the dead.

This is the only part of the parody really taken from the movies as a big metal walkway leading into a giant dome room wasn't really a thing for cerebro till the movies, though its now so iconic it wasn't relaly changed till charles started wearing it full time. And it';s as dope looking as it sounds

It also has a neat grid and is how santa delivers presents: he links up with it and gives presents to any kid he finds nice and giving coal to the naughty. He also warns that like Cerebro it's a LOT. Not everyone can handle it which the Delightfuls naturally ignore.

So as the Delightfuls try to steal christmas, our heroes arrive at the poll, now all on the same page as most superhero team ups go: you fight a bit, realize you were bamboozled and then kick the ass of who made the misunderstanding happen. The Delightfuls just.. shut the door and reveal their contegency: Edna Jucation, a bitter susbtitue teacher whose mad Christmas overshadows substitute teachers day

And who unelashes the faculty four, a teachertastic verison of the fantastic four. WE have mr physically phtiastic, who instead of the skinny and stretchy genius reed richards is a buff gym teacher who can stretch, the unteillgible tutor who instead of the mepahtetic and unstoppable invisble sue storm is an headache inducing branaic, the human text , the human torch but made of paper instead of fire and fuckboy energy, and thesarsus rex… whose a dinosaur made of books instead of a grumpy brooklyn rock man because the pun was too awesome not to use. They were apparently suppsoed to be the secretary squad.. but Cartoon Network didn't think kids would get office jokes. Which sucks.. but is probably right and the faculty four fit the knds rogues better nad honestly i'm shocked they didn't fight our heroes again. They aren't any weirder or less specific than the foes our heroes usually face

Elfa Strike takes them on while Winty has our heroes sneak in. They find the delightfuls… all with grinch face and BEGGING for help. Turns out that's what abusing the REINDEER does, so our heroes yank it away from them with Santa's help and all is well right? Everyone's ready to call it a day, with Santa being greatful and it's a nice touch that Santa is one of the few non-parent adults our heroes fully trust. Even Nigel, who distrusts any adult who isn't a parent on sight, is happy to see the big guy. Even an anti-adult orginization knows Santa is an ally.

Problem is.. Kuki found the reindeer and while she intends to use it for good, to give her friends even more presents.. power corrupts and even the nicest soul has her hate and reseintment over her friends screwing her over take her over, going full Dark Phoenix and preparing to do what the delightfuls did. Santa has only one option: Send Numbah 4 In

We get a nice bit too as Santa outright tells Numbah 4 "You think if I had another option i'd be sending YOU?". And he's right as Wally giving Kuki his french fries is a warm enough gesture, she drops it instantly. Santa thanks the knd, but asks them to get stepping as he only has minutes to undo the damage. We do get a really nice moment with him and Numbah 3 though: she's genuinely sorry, on the verge of tears. .but he forgives her. He gets that the REINDEER is simply THAT powerful, and that she's truly sorry. SHe's a goo done. We also get a nice gag to cap things off as it's reveald Elfa Strike simply used the tree as a christmas tree for ice skating ala time square. Merry Christmas to all and al la good night bub.

This episode is excellent, a true christmas classic that not only combines two great tastes that taste awesome togehter, but is just a fun christmas story. It's not every show that could pull off christmas of x.. but not every show is KND. Thanks for reading.

[imaginemrvel]

Dresses and Promises | Simu Liu

Pairing: Simu Liu x Female Reader

Summary: Simu made a promise to not let you trip over at the London Premiere, but you can’t help feeling like you’re ruining his big night.

Word Count: 2.5k (9 mins reading time avg.)

Warnings: fluff, implies smut (but nothing happens of the sort), kissing

Masterlist

“Okay so my one aim during all of this is to not let you trip over…” His voice trailed off as he smiled adoringly at you. You were minutes away from arriving at the premiere and you’d explained your current existential crisis four times to your husband.

“Simu honey,” Your hand rested on top of his as you tried your hardest not to tell the driver to drop you back off to the hotel so you could get this dress off of yourself, curl up in the bed sheets, grab the nearest tub of ice cream and watch all the episodes of Gilmore Girls back to back.

You sighed as your husband tried his hardest not to let laughter escape his lips, seeing as an angry you was a very dangerous you. “I’m wearing heels and my dress has a very long trail and it is going to get caught at one point, I can feel it.” Simu tilted his head at you, flipping his hand over and intertwining his fingers with yours.

“Darling, you’re going to speak it into existence. Stop worrying about it and it won’t happen.” You rolled your eyes, your shoulders slumping.

“But I wasn’t worrying about it when we left our room and I nearly fell remember?” He nodded his head, a smile on his lips. “Don’t you laugh.” You said warningly, as a small chuckle left his pursed lips to which a similar one broke out of yours. “Baby, you’re going to be fine. I’m here and I won’t let you fall over, I promise.”

You sighed once more, accepting that was the best he could do right now. The car began to slow down and cameras outside were beginning to click in unison. But Simu noticed your defeated stance and instantly knew that you were already regretting wearing the dress you currently had on. Yet he leaned over and pressed a kiss to your lips.

“You look beautiful.” He mumbled as he slowly pulled away from you, squeezing your hand. You’d lost count how many times Simu called you beautiful over the years you’d dated and had been married to him, but the effect those words had on you never lessened. The butterflies you had when he first called you beautiful still erupted in your stomach every single time since then.

“Thank you.” You whispered to him and he smiled, sending a little wink your way with it. After noticing you’d been in the parked car for an increasing amount of time, Simu exited the vehicle to which his entrance brought on cheers from hundreds of fans surrounding the carpet and cameras shuttering at every angle.

He rushed over to the other side of the car, opening the door and holding out his hand to which you graciously accepted, stepping cautiously out of the vehicle and watching where your heels stepped before you’d even set them down. God, this is like playing a game of chess.

Simu looked down with you, guiding you to where your dress would fall behind and your feet would land first to which he did an amazing job at. The security guard shut the door after you’d exited the vehicle and the chauffeur drove the car away, exposing you and Simu to the great crowd of fans, who were mostly dressed in costume.

“Wow.” You muttered, smiling and waving to as many fans as you could.

“Wow indeed.” You looked to Simu, the bright overhead lights casting an ethereal glow on his skin, he looked like an angel but it wasn’t long before your husband looked back down at you, glancing over your face. Your skin was as smooth as butter under the lights and it didn’t escape his attention how your eyes glimmered like every spec of colour in them was a star of the Earth.

You broke out of your trance when your attention diverted to the men and women behind the big flashy cameras that, with no doubt in your mind, costed thousands of dollars. They began shouting for Simu to look their way. It was only then that you realised the setup of the premiere and you were in awe of how real this finally was.

You’d only been hearing about it through the words of your husband and rumours on the internet, but to see it with your own eyes and on big billboards across the scape, the newfound love and appreciation for your lover pooled into your heart, it was overwhelming to say the least.

“I think they’re ready to chop our heads off if you don’t get over there right now.” Simu chuckled, nodding his head. You looped your arm through his, bending your knees ever so slightly to push the trail of your dress behind you and as your attention slowly drifted away from where you were walking, Simu’s free hand suddenly grasped your hand that was wrapped around his arm.

“Watch your step darling.”

And it’d been like that all evening. You’d been growing increasingly worried that someone would step on your trail and cause you to fall over or that your heels would get caught somewhere or that your dress would get caught underneath someone’s shoe seeing as the wind wasn’t helping in any way either. Along with worrying, you’d even grown increasingly frustrated with yourself that you were asking for way too much help from Simu and weren’t letting him enjoy his premiere, so you’d stopped asking him for help almost an hour ago and you hadn’t regretted anything more.

“Y/N?” You whisked around with a smile on your face and your smile only widened when you saw equally as bright smiles on three lovely ladies before you, Michelle, Fala, and Meng’er. “Oh my, you guys look absolutely incredible.” You gave each of them a long and lingering hug, taking in their appearances.

“But look at you!” You tilted your head as your eyes softened at Fala’s compliment and a smile arose on your lips. “Thank you, but congratulations on the movie. I think I’m seeing it tonight, I’m so excited. It better meet my expectations.” You said with a playful tone in your voice to which Michelle replied.

“It’s going to exceed your expectations.” You chuckled, “is that so? We shall see, we shall see.” The three ladies chuckled with you and you all conversed with each other a little longer before you felt a warm hand rest on your waist, you knew who it was instantly.

You looked up and saw Simu smiling at the ladies before looking down at you with a sparkle in his eyes, “can I steal you for a moment?” Silently obeying, you excused yourself from the group and picked your dress up off the ground, as he followed you to where he wanted you to go. 

Where Simu guided you was a lot more secluded since there were now only a few people jogging back and forth with clipboards in their hands and mics in their ears. “How’re you doing?” You turned your attention to the man in front of you, he had his hands in his pockets as you intertwined your fingers with each other, fidgeting away. There was a part of you that was worried he was mad.

“Yeah I’m okay..” There was a slight pause before you returned the question, yet he didn’t answer it. His eyebrows furrowed, he was thinking about how you seemed entirely too distracted for him to let it slide or dismiss it as nothing. “Simu?” You clicked your fingers to try and grab his attention but it didn’t seem to work.

He removed his hands from his pockets and wrapped his arms around your waist, instantly pulling you closer to him with the outward gesture. You were startled to say the least but you didn’t resist it. You rested both of your hands on his chest, drawing shapes on the part of his chest that was bare as an attempt to avoid eye contact.

He was looking down at you with the tiniest smile playing on his lips, when you were in his arms, there was nothing around him that mattered to him anymore, it was only you and him in that moment and if he could, he would keep it that way forever.

“What’s up with you?” He mumbled, as if he was saying it to himself but you were so close to him in that moment that there was nothing he could’ve muttered that you wouldn’t have heard a part of.

“Nothing.”

“Then why aren’t you looking at me right now?”

You bit your lip to stop a smile breaking out on your face, it always slipped your mind just how much Simu could read you, you’d bet your entire life savings that he knew you better than you knew yourself.

“Because… I… don’t want to.” You wanted to laugh at your pathetic attempt of an excuse but you stopped it as much as you could. “Because you don’t want to?” He repeated with breathy chuckles escaping with every word, his chest raised underneath the touch of your fingers as he stifled his laughter.

You chuckled, your head falling forward to his chest as a wholehearted laugh left his lips. “That is one of the worst things you’ve said to me and it’s still one of the funniest.” You shook your head against his skin, your cheeks tinting pink as you finally moved your head back and looked up at him.

“I don’t know okay? I don’t know.” You answered honestly with a smile on your face, he looked down at you and into your eyes. “That’s better.” You sighed, exhaling through your nose.

“Now what’s really going on? Because…” His voice trailed as he removed one hand from the small of your back, his right hand, his eyes flickering to his hand before he set it back on your body and flicked his eyes back to yours.

“You haven’t asked me for help in 56 minutes.” You crooked your head at him as if you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. “You’re keeping count now?” He nodded confidently, a bright smile on his lips.

“I’m okay honey.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Well you should believe me.”

“But I don’t.”

“Well that’s not my fault is it?”

“It is if you’re lying.”

You opened your mouth to respond but shut it moments after. There was no point in hiding it from him, you knew he’d figure it out either way, hell he probably already had. “I- I just feel like I’m ruining your premiere that’s all.”

“You’re kidding right?”

“Yeah totally.” You chuckled as did he, but he tightened his arms around your waist, your back slightly arching with the lack of proximity between you and your husband. Before he could speak, you did.

“If I were you, I’d be so irritated with me right now or at least slightly pissed off, this is your big night and my stupid dress is just-”

The rest of your words came out in mumbles when Simu’s hand covered your mouth, he laughed once more whilst you rolled your eyes, making sure you wouldn’t burst out with more words, cautiously removing his hand.

“I’m not irritated or pissed off Y/N.” Your eyes softened at his words, your gaze fell back to his chest but he tilted your head up with a finger under your chin. “But do you know what I actually am?”

“What’s that?” You questioned quietly and softly.

“Your husband. And if I promised you that I wouldn’t let you fall over, that is what I’m going to do.”

“That’s like a trivial thing, it should be in sickness or in health, like our vows.” Your eyebrows raised as you added on to your initial sentence. “Yes but I’m not your husband only when taking care of you when you’re sick or when you’re healthy, I’m your husband for every little thing in between.”

A smile crept on to your lips as you listened to every word he said with intent, he truly meant every little bit of it. It was evident in the way he spoke to you.

“Do I ever tell you how much I love you?” You rested your arms on his shoulders, gently wrapping them around his neck, snaking your fingers through his hair.

“Everyday.” He replied with a loving smile.

“That is so not enough.” You whispered, tiptoeing a little, your eyes fluttering close as you planted the softest kiss on his lips. He pushed your hair back behind your ear in order to rest his hand on the side of your face, tilting it up so the kiss could continue.

The one thing that had changed, the only thing, was your body’s reaction to the kisses you and Simu shared. At first, your limbs would shake and your heart would beat erratically at the feeling of your lips being connected but now, it was calming. Your heartbeat would slow down, your body would enter a state of serenity, as if amongst all the chaos of the outside world, he was your anchor.

You felt loved at every given moment you were with him.

Once your lips parted from his, your eyes opened back up very slowly as did your husband’s. There was a slight smirk on his face as he pulled you completely into him, your arms were wrapped around his neck as you embraced each other.

Turning your head to the side, you left a lipstick stain on his neck from where you just kissed his bare skin, smiling at the sight of it. “I love you.” He mumbled, his head buried in the crook of your neck, his jaw inching as he spoke.

“My husband huh? How did I get so lucky?” You whispered, knowing he heard it when you felt his lips connect with your skin, your head tilting back at how good it felt. He left another before you both realised you had to get back out there, seeing as people would start questioning where you’d disappeared to all of a sudden.

You looped your arm through his, similarly to how you did at the start of the premiere. You were careful to make sure your heels didn’t get caught on your dress. “I know you want to get out of this dress as soon as possible but…”

You looked to Simu, waiting for him to finish his sentence. He looked over your body before looking back up to meet your eyes.

“…I’m taking it off of you tonight.”

Your body warmed up at his words and what he was most definitely hinting at, you looked to the floor but back up at him moments after.

“Behave my love then you shall receive.”

He smiled at you, maintaining the eye contact for as long as he could before diverting his attention to a fan that was calling his name.

And you knew neither of you could wait to get back to the hotel.