#We know who holds the braincells in this household

[little-elf-candycane]

[einfalls-los]

I finally watched what we do in the shadows over the last week (and finally caught up so I don't have to worry about spoilers anymore) and I love it so fucking much? How are all of the cast so amazing?

Nandor is so fun, the way he holds himself, how he just thinks he is the main character when he is more like the sidekick more often than not. Colin Robinson just shouldn't work, he should be so annoying. But the fact that he knows this and is using it for his advantage is amazing. Also baby Colin Robinson came at the perfect moment. My boy Guillermo. He is such a baby. He deserves everything he gets, my little serial killer, holder of the one (1) braincell of the household. Laszlo with his amazing British stoicism while also caring so much about everyone around him. And of course my girl Nadja who could not be more perfectly feral. More unhinged women on TV, just look at her <3

Also I just love how casually gay it is. I wasn't sure what people meant when they called the show extremely gay before watching it (because frankly that phrase gets thrown around so much that it kind of lost meaning for me) but now I get it. Everyone (oder just every vampire?) being pan isn't just something the creators said to get brownie points, it's literally there in the show all the time. Amazing.

[lambda-complex]

Some sketchbook doodles of some of my characters! These are some lads I've had in my head for a little while now- a few of which have pages over on my toyhouse.

Premise of the world & some character descriptions under the cut!

(Bear in mind all the toyhouse pages are WIPs and some have super old info / refs on them that are pretty out of date.)

The basic premise of their world is that rifts have been opening up across time all over the world and dragging things in, bringing them to a realm outside our own. This new realm is similar to Earth, with the exception of different continents and the giant rift in reality splitting the world in half. Everything near the rift is barren and occasionally unnatural creatures will claw their way out of it and attack anyone unlucky enough to be living nearby. These creatures are attracted to large concentrations of people, so most population centers have been built as far from the rift as possible, with those unlucky enough to be refused entry living in small communities.

In order of arrival to the realm we have the following:

MouthEye (Usually referred to as ME)

A void creature from the opposite side of the rift. The realm's most recent 'overseer' sent by the more powerful beings on the other side to keep tabs on the realm. The mortals see him as a terrifying godlike entity, however he's seen as more of a fuck up to the rest of his kind. ME has delusions of grandeur and aims to rule the realm, eventually pushing forward through the tears they open up and take over Earth. His higher-ups like to keep a close eye on him, waiting for him to fuck up so they can replace him with someone better equipped to do the job.

Doc / Sawbones / 'The Good Doctor'

Another creature from the other side of the rift. Broke off from his people to live in relative peace- not necessarily a 'good' guy, more chaotic neutral. Has the ability to speak through radios, very rarely speaking with his mouth as it tends to drive mortals mad. Acts as an apothecary owner in the middle of nowhere that hands out strange cure-alls to those who seek him out. As bizarre as his treatments are, they always seem to work perfectly without explanation. Has a tendency to eat the odd traveler or two if they come by him by chance instead of seeking him out. Oddly good friends with Sigurd, whom he treated to fix the void infection that was taking hold in his fingers.

The Knight

Nobody knows who or what The Knight is, nor how long they've been roaming the wastelands babbling jibberish to themselves. Unbeknownst to most, The Knight is comprised of a house of nobles from an unknown period who were merged into one upon their house being absorbed by the rift. They always give a different answer whenever anyone asks their name, and each member of the household can take over the body at any one time. Nobody knows what The Knight looks like under the helmet- at least none that have survived.

Sigurd

Having lived in the new realm for many years, Sigurd has picked up the basics of survival deep in the wasteland as well as a knack for scavenging and repairing lost things that land there. The proud owner of a thrown together jeep and Spas-12 shotgun, Sigurd is a bombastic and eccentric character, who has a particular fondness for Rex's animals. Sigurd had two of the fingers on his left hand taken off by a void creature, but was saved from infection by one of Doc’s cure-alls.

William 'Rex' Jameson

Rex has a few years experience in the realm- enough to survive in the area just outside the wasteland. Softspoken and kindhearted, Rex has a love for paleontology and a knack for necromancy, resulting in his menagerie of undead dinosaurs that he keeps on his farm. Julep was the first, a microraptor with perhaps one braincell- two on a good day. She tends to try to eat anything she can get her claws on, usually without much success. Another is Atlas, an achillobator with a personality akin to a giant, mischievous cat.

Charles Palmer

Originally a highwayman on the run back on Earth with a distinct love for the stars, Charles paid to be taken in by a pirate ship by the name of the Dreadnought and ferried to another country to escape the law. On the journey they were caught up to by the British navy. During the ensuing fight he summoned ME, who fulfilled his wish of escaping somewhere the law could never catch up with him. The ship was torn apart by an unseen force, killing the crew of both the Dreadnought and the British ship. Charles woke up in the new realm, having got his wish at the cost of living in this unforgiving realm, as well as an unknown ashy infection slowly clawing its way up from his right arm.

Bristol ‘Shanty’ Foxwhelp

Bristol was a crew member on the Dreadnought, alongside his partner Arthur ‘Bluejay’ Calvary and their pet one-eyed iguana Angus. The two barely survived the onslaught brought on by Charles’ deal, struggling to keep the ship afloat in the aftermath of the attack. The Dreadnought ended up being pulled through the rift, hurtling through the sky and landing in the wasteland. Arthur was injured in the crash, leaving Bristol to travel in search of help. It turned out the two arrived in the realm much later than Charles had due to the distortion of time- by the time Bristol met with him and Rex, he had been living there for months. The group returned to the Dreadnought to find the entire ship in pieces and Arthur missing. Bristol is usually fun-loving and outgoing, often the life of the party alongside Sigurd. The two are unlikely friends due to their seafaring nature. He isn’t yet aware that Charles is the reason for the Dreadnought’s crash- finding out the companion he’s been travelling with was the cause for his partner’s supposed death would destroy him.

[well-shit-im-a-morosexual-now]

Hey, it's me again! The Anon that constantly comes back because I'm too lazy to play the new lessons myself.

Anyway, Lesson 30-something, what happened in it? I've just seen screenshots and most of them are Solomon blushing (which, well, can't really say I'm complaining).

Hope you answer, and I'll probably ask you about the lessons after this.

-Anon that's still somehow stuck on Lesson 31. Seriously, I should really start playing the game again soon.

I'm screaming I literally wrote this whole thing and it got deleted because tumblr refused to send it and just banished the reply into the void i want to fight someone. I'm so sorry I'm gonna bang my head against something now.

It's okay if you ask cause I need someone to rant to after lessons!

So two days before the ritual to break the pacts. Solomon is researching how to use the night dagger.

Lucifer & Satan are arguing on the staircase (cause 50% of all important conversations happen on staircases - and I mean this sincerely). Lucifer promised mammon he'd come play cards with him and Satan doesn't want him to go cause he thinks it'll be a scam (he's worried about his dad big brother❤). MC asks Satan if he's worried about Lucifer and that makes his affection go up. He asks MC to promise him to go with Lucifer and keep an eye on him. He ruffles MC's hair and gives them the same we'll still be friends talk that the others do

They go to play cards and place bets, if Mammon wins he gets Lucifer's credit card for a day and if Lucifer wins he gets mc alone for a day. You can choose whether you want mc to either play along or cheer for Lucifer. (And look my MC's performing Olympic grade gymnastics to avoid Lucifer's advances & this lesson has a lot of options to romance Lucifer that I didn't pick so...)

Lucifer gets distracted by Mammon's car before they start playing.

WE GET THE BACKSTORY ABOUT THE CAR!!!!!! AND LOOK IT'S BEING THERE FOR SO LONG WITHOUT BEING ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I WAS ALMOST CERTAIN IVE BEEN HALLUCINATING IT. the backstory was actually really cute.

Mammon really really wanted this limited edition car (it had a rare colour) so he worked his ass off and earned money to buy it (I think it's mentioned that this is the first thing he bought from his own money). But by the time he'd earned enough it had been sold out. As far as Mammon knows Lucifer spoke to the dealer and was able to find one last car (can you do that? Can you just ask them to look in the back and they'll just pop out with a car they accidentally overlooked?). BUT Lucifer recalls that he actually spoke to diavolo and called in a special favour to get the car for mammon. Lucifer tells mammon he was impressed by him and I no longer possess a physical form I'm now a bowl of goop with thumbs to type

Lucifer wins (duh) and mammon asks to speak to mc alone. He tells them that even if their pact is severed he'll always be their first man. MC says 'I won't forget.' Mammon does that stuttery thing and says something like 'don't forget.' He hugs them tight. I added a screenshot of this (& other important moments) to my first answer but I don't wanna risk it cause if I lose this again I will realistically commit homicide. But anyway this line killed me 'suddenly I feel like the invisible bond between us is even stronger than it was before'. If I wasn't a puddle before I would be now

The next day mc & Lucifer meet up to go out, Asmo and mammon complain, I'm a total dick so I don't let MC hold Lucifer's hand and it makes him sad (I cry). They meet Solomon at the gate and he says he needs to talk with MC but can wait till after. He suggests going to the carnival (from the beginning of the season) cause it's the last day at the devildom and Simeon was planning on taking Luke but had to bail to go to the celestial realm. (Also the devildom is only one city/district right? I always saw it as the capital of The Devildom as a whole)

Lucifer laments not being able to remeber their first time at the carnival, mc gets to reassure him that it's okay. They get popcorn and go on the ferris wheel.

He asks them what they spoke about last time on the ferris wheel. The answers are 'Lucifer' or 'diavolo' . if you choose diavolo he throws shade at past Lucifer for being an idiot and talking about another man when with MC (*SNORT*) .

LUCIFER CONFESSES!!!? HE SAYS "MC I LOVE YOU"?!? HE'S THE FIRST BROTHER TO DIRECTLY CONFESS AND HAVE MC DIRECTLY CONFESS BACK.HE BASICALLY SAYS 'ANYWAY PAST LUCIFER WAS A FUCKING IDIOT BUT I LOVE YOU'. my mc goes 'lol as a friend'

Yes yes ik mammon technically confessed first and did so twice (thrice?) but neither were direct. The first was him agreeing with mc about them being in love in front of someone else and the second was under the influence of the truth bracelet. Asmo confessed too but in a 'never thought I'd find someone I love more than me. That's wild' way.

After mc shoots him down he goes 'that sucks guess I'll have to try harder to make you fall for me'

@like-nxrthernstxrs if you say you love him back, you get to kiss and mammon who followed you sees and goes quiet which yeah no, no thanks

I didn't unlock the locked lessons but screenshots show that all the brothers follow them I think (imagine the nightmare of dating one of them for real tho? Like you, me and your friend Steve except Steve is your 6 brothers who want to sleep with me)

The most notable exchange during them is when Levi asks whether Lucifer seems happier without his memories (he actually is more carefree) but mammon says he wouldn't be happier because he loves all his little brothers and he wouldn't be happy if he couldnt remember them. Levi tells mammon it's gross whenever he starts acting like an actual older brother (so we've seen mammon step up to the role of a older brother every once in a while - specially when Lucifer isnt able to - and he's actually really good at it? And that's just💞💞)

When they go home, solomon's in MC's room. He goes 'so do you want the good news or bad news first? Actually they're both bad news and you're fucked lol'

The dagger is so old that it doesn't have enough power to break the bonds and even when charged with Solomon's power it isn't enough.

The only way to restore the power is to use it to stab a powerful demon in the chest and have it absorb the demon's power.

Then he gives mc the dagger and is like 'anyway go stab Lucifer in the chest or we're all gonna die'

MC's like 'what the fuck'

Solomon goes 'lol just kidding i wouldn't ask you to do that'

Solomon tells them that he spent his whole life protecting humanity and that he is willing to do anything to save it. He tells them that choosing between all of the three realms and one demon should be easy. But he can't because he knows that'll make MC sad and he doesn't want to hurt them (honestly some of the dialogue from Solomon, Simeon and even diavolo makes me wonder if they'll ever become LIs down the road)

Lucifer has been eavesdropping the whole time (obviously) and kicks Solomon out.

Mc tells time not to worry and that they'll figure something else out. He tells them that he cares about his brothers and them (he puts a bit of emphasis on MC) and that he wants them to stab him. MC keeps on protesting. He grabs their hand and makes them point the dagger to his chest. You get a choice. You can either stab Lucifer, MC or command him to 'stay'. If you choose to command him, he freezes for a sec and then tells MC they are too distraught to be able to put any actual power behind the command. He moves their hand to stab himself. The screen goes white. If you decide to stab MC he screams their name. The screen goes white

A '???' voice tells them to stop and that it's not needed. Simeon (the only person with even a single braincell in this entire game) stops their hand and tells them they've been brave. He slips an old ring on to their finger. The screen goes white.

The screen's still white but now it's white in a way that makes it look like it's sunlight blinding the screen.

Another '???' voice apologises to MC for not being able to meet them before. It asks mc why they refused to stab Lucifer. They can say it's because they love him, because they didn't want anyone to get hurt or because they wanted to find another way. And look even if you aren't romancing Lucifer you have to admit at this point of the game MC does love him and all his brothers as well.If you pick the first option the voice says that it's a good thing and that they should cherish that love and let it grow. If you choose the second it tells them they are kind. The voice then tells them that after seeing how much the brothers adore them it expected them to be wicked and that it's happy they aren't. It tells them that they don't have to worry and that the ring of light will keep their powers in check and that they should go back because the others are worried. MC wakes up to Lucifer calling their name.

I'm 90% certain the voice in Michael, 10% of me is terrified it'll turn out to be God. And look I'm not religious, I don't really believe in anything and either way I was raised in a Buddhist household so God has never been anything I believed in BUT God talking to me through an otome game is definitely not something I need rn or ever really

Mc, Solomon, Simeon and Luke are by the lake at the palace. Solomon says he can finally relate to Mammon cause Lucifer had punished him. Simeon reveals that Lucifer had punished diavolo as well and would be coming after the rest of them that kept this whole thing secret from him (And this kills me! This man loves his family so much he was not only willing to go against God and his army when his family was in danger but he was also willing to lash out at DIAVOLO who he has so much respect & loyalty towards when he accidentally put Lucifer's family in danger!??? Anyway any chance I had of solidifying into a physical state has been completely swept away)

It's revealed that Simeon may or may not have stolen the ring from Michael who still loves Lucifer and keeps a shrine to Lucifer all of Lucifer's things from the celestial realm with him. And honestly I want whatever superpower Lucifer has that allows him to act like a dick with major issues but still makes ppl just absolutely love him. (I absolutely adore how easily om! throws around the word 'love' or actions of love. And I don't mean regarding MC. I mean between the brothers, undateables, Luke and side characters. Like at this point there's no doubt that despite all their differences everyone loves each other.)

Simeon (or Luke) note that now with the ring MC is as powerful a sorcerer as Solomon and may someday surpass him. Solomon is asked of he's jealous and he says he's not and he's glad to finally have someone like him.

Solomon pulls MC aside and asks them for a favour. They can either ask what it is or say 'anything for you'. If you choose the second option he blushes. He tells them he has spent his whole life looking out for humanity (thousands of years) and that he would like to work side by side with them to protect the humans. In his own words they'd be 'partners'. You can either agree or tell him it sounds like a pain in the ass. If you agree he says that a part of him knew they'd agree. (I can't remember if this is said outloud or implied but I'm assuming this means Solomon will teach them to use actual magic thus making 3 out of 4 of my main game MCs magical apprentices. Nice.)

*Solomon refers to himself as 'the witty sorcerer' confirming that all their aliases in the cards have actual canon meaning...so Mammon's 'fallen warrior' and 'punishment party' is basically just confirming he was probably the only one classed as a fighter from all his brothers back in the celestial realm and that he's a masochist right? That's what that means?*

Barbatos arrives to welcome them and ask them to follow him.

The lesson ends.

The pre stabbing scene with Solomon and mc doesn't really follow the exact dialogue of the first scene in S2 and the backgrounds don't match either (the human world vs MC's bedroom). Now this could mean the devs fucked up or it could mean there's more BS waiting to be stirred up. Personally I believe it's the first one BUT with how determined the devs seem with turning all of Lucifer's hair white i wouldn't be surprised if it was the second either

Hope that helps 31!❤ sorry it took some time I had to take constant breaks to scream cause the app sucks :)))

[egyptian-sun-god]

S2 has my heart and soul and I love that we got feral Murder Five y’all. Also Diego and Luther having less than one braincell when combined.. (Y’all know which scene I’m talking about here)

So I came up with the head-canon that Five hates photos and the only photo they have of Five is when Diego is holding him down and they managed to click the photo right before he jumped away. It’s a ritual now in the Hargreeves household to see who can keep it up the longest. 

Tell me what do you guys think of this picture and who do you guys think has the record of having this photo up the longest and how long was that? Comment down below.

[helihi]

The Good, The Bad, and the Dirty: Spop season 5

I’ve stopped screaming, and I took the time to rewatch season 5 with my little brother. So, here are my thoughts:

The Good

Horde Prime - The cult™ : I really dig the aesthetics, that combo of religious fanatics + fascism hit good. The crew did a good job at portraying Horde Prime as the ultimate villain of the show. He was engaging to watch and his ideology was pretty clear. The way they played with the hive mind concept was really fun, and it was Horde Prime’s biggest strength. He was also a very good manipulator, successfully playing with Glimmer and Adora. He was unsuccessful with Catra because she had already hit her lowest point.

Entrapta: honestly, she was the most hilarious character this season. Not only was she engaging to watch and listen to, I felt really connected to her this season. The fight with Mermista hit really good and it hurt, but you could see her trying her best. I love how open she is and how accepting of everyone and everything. I’m glad we got to see so much of her this season.

Scorpia: baby, she only deserves good things in life. When she got mind control, you could see how fucking powerful she is, but luckily for us, we got to see her shine independently before that. Her interactions with Swift Wind, Perfuma, and Double Trouble made her shine. She’s smart, talented, and without an evil bone in her body. I’m happy she can move on from Catra and find love and friendship. (I hope she reconnects with Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle in the future too)

Mermista: babe, you were always mood. She has been consistently funny, her get ups and plans are so entertaining to watch, but also: her relationship with Sea Hawk is great! They are definitely made for each other. I’m sad she was mine controlled for the other half of the season, but I’m happy we got to see a lot of her before. (Also she burned someone’s ship OMG GANGSTER SUIT)

Sea Hawk: happy to see him back. He was funny as always, and I’m happy he got his moment with Mermista at the end. 

Perfuma: “ADORA, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE?” “A TANK” “NO!” Her relationship with Scorpia is so good! I wish we could’ve seen more.

Netossa: I was one of those who was sad to know the 2 canon lesbians of the show were just background characters. I am so incredibly happy to see her shine this season! SHE SAID MY WIFE. She is the queen of the roasts and I stan.

Spinnerella: Dude, I didn’t know you were this powerful what the fuck. Also, your wife is super cute and she draws like Noelle.

Emotional Support Cat: Bro, I love Melog’s design. I think it was a really clever way to have Catra express her feelings and process them out loud for the audience by giving Catra a supernatural cat.

New She-ra design: I see the subtle reference to Bow, Glimmer and Catra in the design. Honestly, Adora looks 100% more badass.

Not Hordak: I really wish he had picked a name from himself. Aside from Entrapta, this might be the other hilarious character of the season. He goes through his individualization process in a healthier way than Hordak and showcases that the clones can be different from Horde Prime and rehabilitated. I wonder how he will feel about Hordak? But we got no epilogue so idk I guess.

Darla: I can’t believe they named the ship, but I love it.

The Best Friends Squad: I swear to god, when Bow, then Glimmer and then Catra interrupted Adora’s train of thought, I knew we were going to have a great dynamic. The way their characters play of each other is hilarious. Bow, who usually has the only braincell, is cautious and a total dad; Adora is the dumb jock with the heart of gold that gets herself into trouble; Glimmer is the chaotic enchantress with no patience; and finally Catra who’s got all her walls up, but gets shit done. I want a show of them together going on misions and almost dying in the process, thank you.

Catra Redemption: You wanted it, and here you have it! I was cheering for Catra this whole season while proclaiming I’d die for her (which I had only reserved for Scopia previously). Though things may be a little rushed, Catra takes her time to process things, and goes back and forth a couple of times. She deflects, lies, and runs away, but in the end she opens up and rushes back.

In general, the season was packed with content. I was never bored through any episodes and I honestly laughed outloud while watching it alone and later with my brother. There were moments when we paused the episode to discuss what had just happened or to process new information. This makes me feel even more weird about the bland season 2/3 division.

The Bad

Okay so, let me make this clear: I will never attack a ship or anyone who supports it. In this blog we multiship like adults and respect other people’s OTPs.

That being said, while this season was long and packed with content, it also felt rushed when it came to the relationships of the main cast

Glimmer - Catra: The prison episodes had barely any interactions between both of them. I wish they’ve had had more time to talk and to connect. There were Glitra moments that make me feel happy, and my brother was for a moment convinced that they could be canon. They are foils of each other after season 4. The conversation they had, where they realize they had a lot of things in common could’ve been a catalyst for both of them to grow and heal. However, Catra has her change of heart really soon and saves Glimmer, which prevents any deep interactions between them in the future. Aside from the jokes, Catra must be with Adora, and Glimmer must be with Bow, so everything else gets dropped.

Glimmer - Adora: The conflict between them after Angela’s “death” was one of the main plot points of last season. When they reunite again, their issues are solved in a couple of minutes and then brushed off. They really don’t have big interactions after that, which feels completely OOC and empty.

Glimmer - Bow: I wasn’t the only one who felt the sharp turn of their relationship. In previous seasons, it was really platonic, but as soon as they see each other again you know they are going to end up together. The camera zoomed on them, Bow was always holding her protectively, the way they looked at each other change. Since Glimmer is not allowed to have intimate moments with anyone else, it kinda dulls everything up. Don’t get me wrong, I love some best friends to lovers, but in this case it felt rushed for me. If I pinpoint the moment things turned romantic for them, it’s the first time they interact in person this season. It didn’t feel organic (contrast with a ship like Korrasami, where you can point at the moment Asami realized she had feelings for Korra, and then later when Korra’s attitude towards Asami changes after the time skip).

Adora - Catra: Honey, we all knew this was going to be end game, and I love the fact that Catra is dealing with her feelings and Adora acknowledges that. However, after the end of season 3, I’d have expected things to progress a little slower. Catra did put some resistance with the chip scene, but even afterwards, what would’ve been better paced with more episodes, was condensed in a few. Don’t get me wrong. I love that Catra redemption, but I’d have loved a better pacing.

BTW for anyone interested: I ship Glitradora, so any of the 3 ships ending up canon were good for me, and I liked Bow/Glimmer, just preferred them as bffs.

There’s a list of characters that barely show up that could’ve had more screentime:

Huntara: barely appears at all. She’s seen fighting, but there are no references to her or a storyline with her.

Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle: briefly shown. The gay couple of the century have adopted the baby demon and are now the best dads in the desert. Lonnie is their braincell.

Double Trouble: at least they had a scene and lines, but I feel like they could’ve been more involved after they were discovered by Scopria, especially since they escaped with Sea Hawk and Perfuma.

The Star Siblings: idk man, they were part of a whole episode and then faded into the background. It was a glorified cameo for an episode where Glimmer and Bow fight.

Glimmer’s Aunt: sorry but I was asking “where the hell is she?” until she finally showed up late. She barely had any purpose.

The Dirty

Hey, guys, girls, and nonbinary pals, can we sit down and talk about redemptions?

IDK about you, but just because a show is aimed at kids you shouldn’t “redeem” all the villains. This trend bothers me specially when it touches on abuse or totalitarian leaders.

Shadow Weaver was an abuser until the end. She shouldn’t have had a heroic sacrifice, and her “I’m proud of you” line was bitter for me. I’ve said before I was raised in an abusive household and I don’t think it’s healthy to tell children that you can change your abuser or that you can expect them to change without therapy. I’m glad Shadow Weaver died, but I wish her death wasn’t in any way shape or form considered a “redemption”. A heroic act of sacrifice doesn’t erase all the pain she cause and the years of trauma Catra and Adora have had to endure.

Hordak. HEY HEY ETRAPDAK SHIPPERS DON’T COME FOR ME! I was weirded up by the ship until I realized Etrapta is in her late 20s. I’m happy they found each other but I think it’d be better if Hordak had to redeem himself through a life of service to Etheria. He can't erase the horrible things he has done, but with the help of Entrapta and others, he could give back to the community he ruined. Since we don’t have an epilogue, we just see him reuniting with Entrapta at the end and that’s it.

ALSO SOMEONE GIVE MICAH A HAIR TIE. My man, you are not in a hostile island anymore, go rock a dad bun or a dad ponytail!

--

How do you guys feel about it?

I’m here looking at cute GIFs of Catra and that kiss scene on repeat. I want a Rogelio poster, he was my boy.

[eyeslikefoxglove]

Episode 8 - WangXian go on a date & DON’T BLINK

Hello there, welcome to another Untamed commentary. To put everyone in the mood, it is Friday evening, one of those grey rainy days interrupted briefly by by brilliant burst of sunlight. I’m having a snack (chopped mango with yoghurt and a homemade matcha latte with honey), I just washed my hair, I’ve exfoliated, masked and moisturised. And everyone in this household is doing their own thing (napping, watching tv shows, more napping), I’m in a very good mood, so let’s go ahead with episode 8.

I think I’ve never commented on the intro credits before, I’ve seen people say they prefer to skip them because they find them spoilery, which they undoubtedly are. However, besides the absolutely stunning cinematography what I feel they aimed for is confusion. You’ve got this guy who’s kind of dark, but he’s crying and playing the flute, then some people are trying to kill him in some scenes, but in others he’s fighting back to back with the same guys and then there’s black smoke everywhere... I feel that, if I saw the credits I’d be intrigued enough to actively look for the drama and find out what the deal with the guy with the flute is.

And let me repeat something from the previous episode:

BUNBUNS. LOOK AT THE BUNBUNS

HOW’S WWX CUTER THAN THE BUNBUNS. THEY’RE BUNBUNS.

DONT FUCKING DO IT. Oh but these three with the bunbuns just melt my heart. STAY WITH THE BUNBUNS FOREVER AND NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN.

JC: gentlemen’s don’t hold bunbuns.

JC: *proceeds to be soft and cute and gentle with the bunbun he’s holding*

Ok but stoic serious no-nonsense LWJ stopping to say goodbye to the bunbuns? That’s fucking adorable.

FR tho, people who are “tough/cold/unapproachable” being super soft with tiny creatures is my damn kryptonite. It’s like, Ben Solo, being a super-beefcake with a lightsaber, a terrible past, too much attitude... and a kitten on his shoulder, I would 100000% ignore the bit where he was a super effective killing machine and go “aww. you like cats!”

As a lover or thunderstorms at night when everything is still and quiet I would’ve stabbed WC up a nostril just on principle, so props to LXC for not murdering that clown. Never mind threatening his baby brother.

I LOVE SHIJIE’S UNWAVERING FAITH IN HER XIANXIAN.

Aaaaaand let’s have a moment to admire LWJ/Wang YiBo in blue.

Ok, done.

OH MY GOD. I’d forgotten this bit was in here. So you know when WWX has just caught up with LWJ and he throws him a loquat and complains about LWJ leaving him behind? I love the bit when he’s calling the Lans petty, and LWJ just goes “boring” and sweeps past him with this tiny sassy smirk and leaves WWX fucking processing for a second. I live for that kind of LWJ and that’s partly what my TimeTraveling!LWJ was based on.

WWX: *ties them with magic* isn’t this neat?

LWJ, internally: so he’s a genius dumbass, I’m fucked.

Ok now that we are a bit in I can safely say this is one of my favourite episodes. No, it is not because it is pretty much an episode-long WangXian date. How dare you.

LWJ’s internal monologue: I can’t believe in so in love with this dumbass. I’m moron-sexual the gods help me.

JC being a good bro and JYL being the fucking queen of the universe like she always is.

(Another moment to appreciate LWJ/Wang YiBo in blue)

I feel LWJ’s aversión to crowds on a spiritual level.

I also feel NHS excelling just in what he likes so much. I mean, I was never a terrible student, but looking back at just the last six years in Med School my marks skyrocketed from a passing grade in stuff like physics and biophysics to top marks in things like neurosurgery; just due to the fact that I find neurosurgery way more interesting than physics.

THE PETAL SHOWER SCENE IS STUNNING. Also, if you don’t think WWX already had a crush on LWJ (and I am talking in The Untamed/CQL verse, I know that in the books he still thought he was straight) I’m pretty sure this is filmed just so we’d have visual confirmation that he is indeed crushing so hard. And I still don’t know if NHS is wingmaning or third wheeling. (Both? Both? Both? Both is good.)

I mean, NHS goes onto his “LWJ is stunning” monologue, and then WWX gives him kind of a disbelieving look. BUT THEN, he glances at LWJ (again being showered in flowers bc he wasn’t gorgeous enough on his own) and his face turns considering, he makes a stupid joke, and he goes back to looking at LWJ with the softest smile. I will fight anyone that dares tell me CQL!WWX hasn’t been crushing on LWJ since the Cloud Recesses.

//Sidebar LWJ’s looks adorably in awe at the petal shower this whole time.

Aaaaaand plot happens.

Oooof! The contrast between all the colourful flowers before and the burned blackened garden now. Ooooof.

Ok but that shadow bird is fucking cool and I want one.

WC’s head piece (guan?) makes me think of the Disney designs for Pain and Panic.

I know is wishful thinking, but if I wonder how different things would’ve been if WQ had snapped and offed WC when he was taunting her with the safety of her family.

Can I take a moment to rave about how clever WQ is? I mean, she’s already worried and scared for her family, she had absolutely no warning before JC ran into her and yet she managed to pull off that ruse to warn him about WangXian and NHS being in trouble in what, a few minutes? She’s so cool.

Ok, full disclosure here, I can’t see elderly people being sad, scared or worried, it reminds me of my maternal grandparents whom I adored and I get super sad.

(My dad still has his parents but they are terrible to my mum, dad and me, so they get no sympathy)

Funny story: I almost fell backwards the first time I heard “grandmother” used as a respectful term to an elderly lady back when I was living in Bulgaria (I moved back to Spain like a week ago, I’m over the moon to be home y’all). You don’t do that in Spain, calling someone who’s not your grandma “grandma” is really fucking rude.

Aaaaaand none of these knuckleheads know how to speak with a person in shock. They get a pass because all teens are knuckleheads in some measure but...

But if I heard a terrified lady muttering about soul snatching I’d fuck right off that village tbh. I’d take my chances sleeping in the woods with the roaming serial killers.

[it just started storming, I love this!]

Sure! Let’s stay the night in a cave with a creepy anthropomorphic statue that’s supposed to snatch souls. I’m sure it’ll be ok.

NHS is the only one with a Braincell here. (NHS is my adorable Slytherin son and I love him)

Y’all might not have noticed but I have not I’m not going to comment on the quality of the CGI/special effects/monsters. I’m aware this is a tv show and it doesn’t have the same budget as idk, a Marvel movie. I’m ok with them not being that believable. Same with unbelievable sword moves, I know shit all about sword fighting and even less about xianxia. Y’all might even be lucky enough to avoid my “bodies don’t work that way” rants, because again, everyone has magic, why would medicine be any different.

[brief interlude here, I had to go cat-hunting because we couldn’t find one of the cats, she likes to make a break for it sometimes, it’s a full on thunderstorm outside, almost sundown and she’s solid black. We found her in the basement exploring. Two of the other ones are in the kitchen with my mum and my big scaredy boi is under my bed. Also, this storm just reminded me that my dad is fixing the attic so I can have a “loft” next year when I start my residency and I can’t wait to fall asleep to rain up there.]

NOT THE TIME TO FLIRT WWX. NOT THE FUCKING TIME.

What LWJ says: stay alert (in case the statue moves again)

What I hear: Don’t Blink!

Oh come on! Zombies now? Fuck right off, let them sleep!

And that was episode 8! Thank you for reading.

[banashee]

Found Family

 Funnily enough, life with 5 kids around instead of fully grown Avengers kind of adjusts itself over time. They get into a rhythm, learn how to approach things and what to avoid. It is very much a work in progress, but still a lot better than anyone would have thought before. And as it turns out very quickly, Thor would let them get away with murder while Phil, more often than not, is the designated holder of the single shared braincell.  

 Believe it or not, they do have a system. Mostly - there are hiccups still.

 At least that is how it starts out. The more time goes on, the more the kids escape almost-disasters in their own household, the more concerned even Thor grows.

 Usually, he loves the chaos and is always up for a fun time. But especially when one of the kids is in danger of getting hurt, he worries - human kids are a lot more breakable than asgardian children, and he is constantly reminded of it.

 “I wonder what would happen if I put this into the microwave.” Steve wonders out loud one day, which, sadly enough, is not at all unusual for his 10-year old self in the 21st century.

 Tony, who is solving a sudoku with Bruce on the kitchen table snorts and absentmindedly says,

 “Sure, try it.”

 But when a few seconds later, the sounds of clattering metal and the beeping of the microwave fill the room, he jumps up in a panic and yells,

 “Wait, no! I was joking!”

 which startles a series of movements from several different directions, with Tony and Bruce both making a mad leap for the plug to pull it out and Thor sprinting in from the other room, grabbing Steve to pull him away and shield him and the other children from a blast that, thankfully, doesn’t happen.

 A sigh of relief comes from all of them. Only Steve, who hangs in the middle of the air held up by Thor, seems to be entirely unconcerned, although very much apologetic.

 Half an hour later, Clint enters the kitchen with Natasha hanging off of his back. Both of them are to be covered in tiny pieces of paper, glue and glitter - no surprise there, since Nat loves crafting and she loves spending time with him. Clint, for his part, is happy enough to keep her company and help her build whatever it is she has set her mind on that day.

 This, and climbing up the walls in the gym are amongst their favourite past times spent together. The only reason that he hasn’t taught her archery yet is simply the fact that they don’t have a bow small and light enough for her.

 Secretly, everyone else agrees that this is probably a good thing, because these two as kids are just as inseparable as they are as adults, and who knows what would happen if Nat had a bow and arrow in her hands - she may be a tiny 6-year old, but it never serves well to underestimate her.

 Right now though, she looks happy and peaceful, snuggled up on Clint’s shoulder while he is looking for snacks.

 “Hey, I could heat up some Bagel Bites…” he starts out but stops in his tracks when a loud, unison choir of “NO!” interrupts him when he is about to touch the microwave.

 “Jeez, guys. What’s the matter?”

 “The microwave may or may not explode - Stuff happened. We didn’t plug it back in yet…”

 “Aw, no…”

 “Sorry!” Steve pipes up, shooting him a bright, innocent smile. He really is lucky he’s cute.

 With a giggle, Natasha jumps off of the older boy’s back and scurries over to the table. She climbs onto a chair next to Steve and looks at him expectantly.

 “What happened?”

 As chaotic as most days are, they have slowly but surely grown together as a family. The fear and distrust from the kids has almost disappeared. Not completely - they’ve seen too much for that - but it’s about as good as it’s going to get for them, they figure. It surprises all of them, especially seeing the children slowly grow closer to the adults as well.

 They have reached the point where some of them are okay with being touched by either Phil or Thor as well as the other kids. That wasn’t always the case.

 Some kids have tried to avoid any kind of physical contact - especially Clint, and he’d made it clear that people would lose fingers if they’d try it. No one doubts that for a second - they would be stupid to.

 He’ll let the other, younger kids pull on and climb all over him or let them use him as a pillow to snuggle with, no problem. But any adult who tried to come near him would be met with resistance if they were lucky, or with sharp objects if they were not.

 Phil, Thor and Pepper never tried, making it clear that they wouldn’t do anything to hurt either of them, unintentionally or not. It works - the fact that he is willing to sit right next to either of them speaks volumes.

 Natasha, for her part, is young enough to crave love and affection from a caregiver, but is already damaged enough to fear it. It’s painful to think of, and even though they’d known her file, and Phil especially knows her history, seeing the effects firsthand in the little girl just about breaks his heart.

 For days and even weeks, Natasha would lurk in corners and doorways, as if hoping that no one would notice her while simultaneously wishing for someone to hug her, just this once.

 Phil suspects that this might be one of the reasons she’d immediately stuck like glue to Clint. The fact that the two of them have always had a close bond is probably one of those reasons, since the kids display very similar relationships to each other as they are as adults. But Clint is the oldest of all the kids while also being young enough to not be threatening like adults are.

 Phil carefully tries not to think too much about that, as well as the fact that Clint is providing something for the younger kids that he knows he rarely if ever had in his own life.

 Bruce is heartbreakingly similar to these two: distrusting, afraid of getting hurt. He is slowly warming up though, and despite everything, he’s seeking out hugs from Thor on a regular basis now.

 As huge and imposing as the god of thunder looks, he is much more gentle than that, and kids in general tend to love him. His age regressed teammates are no exception.

 Tony, as mouthy and suspicious as he can be, at least knows from experience that not all adults suck. Sure, plenty of them do, like his Dad, but there are also people who are loving and kind, like his Mom, Edwin and Ana Jarvis or Auntie Peggy.

 He is slowly warming up, if the way he is leaning against not only the other kids but also either Phil or Thor when they’re watching movies is something to go by.

 Steve, luckily, is a ray of sunshine. He knows differently, despite all appearances, because his own father, from what they know, did not treat Sarah Rogers kindly.  But he’s not as distrustful in general, and overall easy to get along with. That boy is trouble, sure, but never with malicious intent. He, too, trusts the adults relatively easily.

 Dinner that night is a joyful event. They laugh and argue, just like any other family would, and it feels natural by now.

 It’s days like this when Phil thinks that things aren’t nearly as bad as they could be. Sure, most of the Avengers are still kids, and there is no way to get a hold of Dr. Strange or anyone else who could be actually helpful in reversing this mess. But the kids are happy - they laugh and move freely, more or less trusting him and Thor to keep them safe.

 It’s more than he would have wished for at first.

 Early the next morning, however, Phil is about to rip his hair out again. It’s not even the kids fault - who would have guessed that it is a jar of ground coffee that is the culprit. It looks just like the other container, only it has a red lid.

 Clint doesn’t think anything of it when he pours it into the coffee filter that morning, preparing half a pot for himself and Tony - just because they’re 12 and 14, doesn’t mean they’d walk through life with no caffeine. It’s a bit unsettling, really, but it’s nothing they didn’t expect with those two.

 The problem?

 Their regular coffee is in the jar with the green lid. This jar, however, is empty - no big deal, Clint thinks, there is a whole other jar of coffee grounds right there. Only, said jar with the red lid? It contains a devil's mixture that truly deserves its name, what with the threefold amount of caffeine in it.

 Long story short, it is a near-miracle that neither of the two boys has a heart attack, although Phil might just be close to having one.

 Usually, no one touches that specific brand of coffee, unless serious business arises, or if your name is either Tony, Bruce or Clint on any given day - if they’re adults, that is.

 Phil himself is no stranger to living off of nothing but coffee and willpower either, but even he would have to pass if this stuff was his everyday beverage. Nope. No way.

 Later that day, Tony and Clint are trying to run off some energy and literally climb the walls in the gym. Phil is on one of the benches, filing paperwork while keeping an eye on the two over caffeinated boys.

 It probably says something, about their state, that Thor is very much concerned about them, rambling with worry for several minutes straight and then interrupting himself with,

 “Odin's beard, I’m starting to sound like Phil.”

 “Hey! That is not a bad thing I’ll have you know!” the man in question calls back from the stove - part of him hopes that a hearty breakfast might help, at least a little bit.

 The coffee jar with the red lid miraculously disappears out of the kitchen that day - Phil locks it into a cupboard in his office, just to be sure. He’ll happily hand it back when all residents of the tower are legal adults again and know what the hell they’re getting themselves into. Until then, he’ll keep it just where it is. There is no need for another incident.

 For now, Tony and Clint run circles in the gym, Natahsa has joined them just for fun and Steve is hanging out with Bruce on the side - they don’t talk much, since both of them are busy reading books, but it is a comfortable silence. The two of them get along well, and at least with books, they can’t hurt themselves.

 Thor arrives later, bringing a tupperware container with him.

 After spending so much time here on midgard, he picked up a habit or two. Stress-baking being one of them - he passes cookies to everyone, sitting down on the bench in between Phil and the quietest two of the kids. Bruce looks up when the container of cookies appears in front of him, and he happily takes two, handing one over to Steve.

 Then, he scoots closer to Thor, leaning against his arm as he finds a new, comfortable reading position.

      *+~

22 - Shielding

[slytherinknowitall]

Potion Fumes and Cauldron Leaks

Chapter 12: A Friend For The Lonely Beast At Last

(Click here for chapter 11!)

(Click here to start from the beginning!)

Disclaimer: I don’t own the “Harry Potter” book series. The story of “Harry Potter” is the property of J. K. Rowling, it is not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

The following days went by way too fast, and the weekend was over before Severus knew it.

He had spent the two chilly autumn days locked away in his quarters, not leaving the cold confines of the dungeons even once. While he would normally spend his free days hunting for rare potion ingredients and interesting literature or working on improving his already impeccable brewing technique, he had passed the past 48 hours buried beneath countless pillows and thick blankets in his large four-poster bed. The only contact to the outside world had been provided by the school’s ever-diligent house elves, who had both kept the Potions Master’s rooms clean and delivered warm meals three times a day – not that the man had touched much of the food.

On Monday morning, Severus woke up with a throbbing headache. A quick look at his watch told him that breakfast was probably already in full swing, but he didn’t feel like eating. Most of all, however, he didn’t feel like facing a certain brunette before he absolutely had to. So instead, he got up and moved to the bathroom with sagging shoulders.

As he was standing in the shower a few minutes later, letting the icy cold water pour over his lithe body, he tried hard to ignore the intrusive thoughts that had been plaguing him all throughout the past days. They all had something to do with some newly discovered and rather confusing feelings for a little know-it-all, of course.

While he had dismissed his earlier impure thoughts about Granger as the simple result of prolonged abstinence, these confounding emotions were of a whole new calibre. Physical attraction was one thing; he could deal with that. But fancying one of his own students – let alone maybe falling in love with them – was simply too much. It made him feel almost physically ill.

Severus had never been one to handle his own feelings well, and his relative inexperience when it came to the opposite sex – especially in the romantic sense – only added to his confusion and uncertainty. The only woman he had ever been interested in, the only one he had ever loved, was Lily. And he had always thought that she was the love of his life. Even almost two decades after her violent death, her mental image was still looming over his scarred heart. The redhead had been the one thing that had kept him going throughout the war; she had been the only reason he had tried so desperately to keep that stupid Potter boy alive – and the only reason he had continued to live.

But now, he was slowly but surely starting to question all that. Whatever it was that he was beginning to feel towards Granger was so different and so much more intense than anything he had ever experienced before. Somehow, it even felt more powerful than his love for Lily had ever been to begin with. And over the weekend, the wizard had come to the shocking conclusion that the only reason he had ever been that obsessed with his childhood sweetheart was because she had been one of the few people to ever show a genuine interest in him as a person. Whether Severus liked it or not, he had always been someone who craved the attention and acceptance of others. That had been the main reason he had joined the ranks of the Dark Lord in the first place. Lily had been his friend, she had treated him with respect; and teenage-him had mistaken that for love. Looking back, he realised that it had never been her that he’d been craving; it had been her kindness towards him. The fact that his personal archenemy had also quickly started to show an interest in her had only made Snape more determined to make her his, of course.

His feelings towards Granger were of a different nature. She had never been his friend; in fact, Severus was pretty much sure that she hated him just as much as the rest of the student body – even if she never really showed it. So it wasn’t her continued affection he desired. No, he wanted her. He wanted to run his calloused fingers through her voluminous curls, he wanted to listen to her babble on for hours about some random boring topic, he wanted to hold her and sleep next to her like they had done in his office. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t striving to possess a woman but rather to give himself to her – and it was driving him absolutely insane. Even forgetting the fact that she was his pupil and personal apprentice, those feelings still managed to make him feel vulnerable and weak.

The half-blood sighed before stepping out of the shower and drying himself off with a towel. He took his time with the rest of his morning routine, but it didn’t take long before he found himself in the Potions classroom, surrounded by an annoying, hyperactive flock of second-years. And unfortunately, it seemed to only take a blink of an eye before those young students were then soon replaced by the seventh-years – with Hermione Granger being on time for the first time in weeks.

Severus noticed her presence instantly. She looked the same as always – her brown mane was pulled back into a classic Dutch braid, and her spick and span uniform was topped off with her polished Head Girl badge – yet somehow, the sight of her gave him an armada of butterflies in his stomach. She must have noticed his intense gaze, too; as she gave him a quick but radiant smile before hurrying to her usual seat in the front row. He would have lied if he had said that that small gesture didn’t make his dark heart jump a little.

Staggered by his inner turmoil, the professor frowned as he waited for the class to settle down. As soon as the last chitchat faded away, he briskly made his way towards the front of the classroom. Lightly tapping his wand against the black board, a dozen or so rows of brewing instructions appeared.

“Today –“

He let out a small cough, trying to get rid of that sudden lump in his throat.

“Today, you will be brewing Doxycide. Now, as you all surely are aware, this specific potion has the purpose of temporarily stunning Doxies. These fairy-like creatures are common household pests, so this remedy will likely prove useful to each and every one of you at some point. As anyone with even just a handful of braincells would know, these beasts are –“

The Gryffindor’s eyes were following his every move, and he was uncomfortably aware of that. They seemed to burn through his skin right into his soul.

“Um … bad.”

The little slip-up had an instant impact. There was immediate commotion, with loud chatter practically bouncing between the heads of shocked teenagers, and Severus’ eyes grew big as he unsuccessfully tried to mask his own surprise – never in his entire career as a teacher had he ever tripped over his own tongue like this before!

Not having the slightest clue how to handle this most unprecedented situation, he simply muttered a quick “The required ingredients can be found in the supply cupboard. You may get started.” before disappearing into his office, his long black robes whirling up around him as he did so.

*************** *************** ***************

Snape waited an extra ten minutes following the chime of the old Clock Tower before finally emerging from his hiding place, making certain to give the students enough time to finish up their potions, clean their workspaces and leave.

As he re-entered the dark teaching lab, he scrunched up his large nose at the foul smell of Doxycide; while he’d become inured to most unpleasant smells over the years, he for some reason still could barely stand the solution’s disgusting stench. Nonetheless, he marched to his desk and was just about to sit down and organise the countless parchment rolls spread across the table when a soft voice suddenly caressed his ears.

“Professor Snape?”

Startled, he spun around. Standing on the doorstep, there was Granger. Her heavy book bag swinging from her delicate shoulders, she was holding another three or four books in her arms. Over the course of the lesson, some of her locks had become undone and were now framing her freckled face nicely.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to take you by surprise!” Biting her bottom lip, she gave him a quick grin.

“Miss Granger, I …” Severus was at a loss for words. Trying hard to ignore his beating heart, he was frantically searching for something, anything to say. Never before had he struggled for words like this in front of a student.

When he didn’t continue, Granger stepped into the room and said, “Oh, well, I apologise for ambushing you like this, but after what happened last Friday, I really feel like we should talk.”

“Fuck!” Severus thought panicked. “Now she will accuse me of being a bloody pervert! What kind of teacher falls asleep hugging a student, anyways?! You really should have known better, Severus! She has probably already reported you to that duffer of a headmaster and demanded to switch apprenticeships! Hell, the whole school likely already knows about that little slumber party, what were you –“

“Thank you.”

Snape was completely taken aback. “Wh-what?”

Her rosy cheeks became even redder. “I would like to thank you, sir. What you did for me was more than kind. The way you defended and comforted me … I cannot express my appreciation enough.” She flashed him another shy smile. “Oh, and also thank you for sending that house elf up to my rooms with my belongings after I ran off. That was very thoughtful of you.”

Severus could only stare at her, his mouth slightly agape. “So … you are not going to switch to another professor?” he asked meekly, the disbelief in his voice clearly audible.

Granger laughed nervously. “No, of course not,” she answered as she fiddled with the cuticle of her right middle finger. Furling her eyebrows, her gaze then wandered to the floor. “If anything, I’m here to apologise for my behaviour over the past couple of weeks. I just … overreacted, I guess.”

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds, during which the flustered wizard did not allow himself to breathe. Could it really be that she was grateful for his actions? Perhaps she didn’t dislike him after all? While he would never – could never – permit himself to give into his irrational emotions, Severus let himself believe for just a split second that maybe, just maybe, the two of them could become something like friends instead.

Don’t be stupid! She may not hate you, but she still thinks of you as nothing more than an old, crusty codger.

Or did she? Helplessly overwhelmed by his inner conflict, he simply had to know the witch’s true feelings. Meeting her hazel eyes with his, Severus silently and effortlessly delved into Granger’s smart mind. As soon as he entered, he was amazed – he had never encountered such an extraordinary brain before. He didn’t have time to marvel at it, however, as he was in a hurry to search for any thoughts concerning his person before the Muggle-born would notice his presence inside her head.

Once he found them, however, he was stunned – there was not the least bit of hatred or disgust. Instead, Severus was rushing through a vortex of muddled memories.

First, he found himself in his own classroom more than six years ago, watching a slightly younger version of himself hold his typical introductory speech in front of a bunch of bright-faced 11-year-old Slytherins and Gryffindors. Looking around, he soon spotted a familiar bushy-haired, buck-toothed girl. Concentrating on her, he was able to feel the astonishment and admiration radiating from her.

The next memory seemed to be a couple of years younger, located yet again in the dungeon classroom. He saw himself aiding to a hurt Neville Longbottom lying on the ground after what seemed to have been another botched brewing attempt. Standing amongst the crowd of students gathered around the scene, a fourth-year Hermione Granger was looking at the two of them with both worry and fondness in her eyes. To Severus’ surprise, the latter seemed to be directed at both of them equally. He didn’t have a lot of time to process this, however, as the image promptly vanished before his own eyes.

The last distinct memory was only a few months old, taking place in a little suburban town somewhere in Muggle England. A casually dressed Granger was sitting on a small twin bed situated in what he suspected to be her bedroom. He raised an eyebrow at the various shades of green that the room was arranged in before stepping closer to the young woman. She was presently bend over a piece of parchment paper, and upon closer inspection, he realised that it was a letter from Hogwarts – an application for the apprenticeship programme, to be more exact. He watched as she used a small beige-coloured quill to fill in Professor Severus Snape next to the words Desired Tutor. Looking at her bare, makeup-free face, his breath was taken away when he saw her grin broadly, seemingly filled with excitement. Astonished, Severus slipped back into reality.

“Is everything okay, sir?” Granger asked with obvious concern in her voice, blissfully unaware that her privacy had just been invaded.

Snape gulped. “Yes, Miss Granger. Everything is quite all right.”

And when the girl smiled at him this time, he couldn’t help but smirk back at her. Perhaps they could become friends, after all.

(Click here for chapter 13!)

[watercolourferns]

And this is why the 1% is still in power.  People fail to understand that to many others that 50k or even just 2k could be a huge help... It isn’t exactly pocket change and many people can’t afford to “pick someone’s brain” for business knowledge, many people have to work day by day to pay for their necessities and have no time to be business people.  Most of the time people who receive stimulus checks use them to pay immediate things, that’s why they don’t last. They are supposed to be to relieve people from debts, to help stretch their income checks a little more during the pandemic, to stand in for a non existent income due to the pandemic; not to be saved in a bank. In some cases they can be used to give people an extra income as incentive to start a small business, but most of the time they are to relieve immediate necessities like bills (both medical and not), buying groceries, putting gas in cars (not every city has a comprehensive public transport system), and pay other things that could come up.  Entitled people, whether they have money or not, like to believe they know everything. If they are poor they want to fit in with the “elite”, to be like “them” so they can get benefits from it or at least not be abused the same way the rest of us are; if they have money they want to feel better about their assholery and money hoarding by putting the blame on others’ lack of “desire to succeed and just wanting quick fixes” when they know the rules set by their kind don’t work like that. Quick fixes aren’t bad, they are just that, quick. Like, dudes, I’d LOVE a quick fix right now!!! My fridge is dying and so is my washer and as a member of a disabled household a washer is very important since we can’t exactly wash by hand without adding more pain to our already strained backs and limbs; the house needs a good deep cleaning that only professionals can do, specially because my dad is immuno-compromised due to his surgeries and my mum has medical bills to pay... So a quick fix could help with several things like that that suck more money than they should out of our checks, money we could use on other things like new shoes for my mother, a new mattress and a car for my dad since he can’t exactly walk well anymore and his mattress is DECADES old... Maybe we could finally start saving for that food business my mum wants to open, or I could be able to pour all my pay check on my illustration studio... Taking this into consideration would anyone say it will keep people from working? Anyone with two braincells will say no, because money is still needed and one (1) 5k-50k stimulus check won’t really set anyone who actually truly really needs it for life. It’s sad that stereotypes about poor or middle class people have taken such hard roots in society to the point where help is equal to laziness. It’s sad that corporate has taken such a hard hold on us that people can’t see beyond “work work work”. It’s sad and infuriating and just plain frustrating... So yeah. As someone who’s government doesn’t care to give out stimulus checks nor welfare help, please do hear me out. I’d kill for 50k, hey, even 5k could do! But that’s just wishful thinking, because Mexico is riddled with people like these above, who think that we are poor because we don’t work hard enough and we just want hand outs... Look around, USA, you could end up like us one day if you don’t keep people like this in check. 

[sadviper]

Alas, I couldn’t actually answer half of these questions because I don’t remember?? o_o;; I re-watched up to a certain point for my writing, and then never got around to re-watching the rest or taking copious notes to cement everything into long-term memory.

What is your favorite tragic backstory? No one’s backstory stood out to me, since all of them involved parents dying in an awful way. It’s just a mechanism to set all our young folks onto their respective paths of doom.

What is your favorite costuming choice? The costume designer(s) who decided that Seon-ho was the Blue character! Like @hedvig-ulrika, I loved Seon-ho’s navy blue working uniform with the pleated skirt the best! Blue is my fav color to start with, and then just the way it drapes his shoulders, shows off his tiny waist, the manifold pleats that are a nice tailoring touch to an otherwise plain outfit, even the brown undershirt that you only see when he’s injuurrrred!

What is your favorite instance of Seon-ho barging uninvited into Bang-won’s house? The first time? When Hwi got captured while Bang-won was hunting. I’m afraid it’s the only one I rewatched and can remember, other than the stupid ending. I guess what I liked about it was how it cemented the lengths that Seon-ho would go to fight for ppl he loved, even if it was a detriment to himself. But at the same time he went through the trouble of ‘dressing up’ his rescue as an execution attempt, which also fed nicely into the new persona he was building for himself as ruthless and barely-on-the-rails inspector upstart.

What is your favorite Bang-won murder (including murders committed by his men or as a result of his scheming)? NAM JEON! such build up, wow. Honestly, the show should've ended there, everything after was a bit superfluous. I lol’d a bit at having to look up who this Poeun person was that he killed on a bridge. So odd that so many key historical figures are just plain ol’ missing, though I understand the director didn’t want to cover old ground that Korean viewers would know already. It’s kind of like we’re dropping into a fanfic that assumes we know the canon.

If you could resurrect a parent, who would you resurrect? Ambivalent. I thought like the others that Seon-ho’s mom should be resurrected, but left in Nam Jeon’s household? Methinks she’s better off dead. Sorry Seon-ho. =/

Pick a ship: Seon-ho/Sung-rok or Hwi/Bang-won or Seon-ho/Bang-won? SUNG-ROK???? :P I’ve been thinking A LOT about this, even though I don’t ship. ahahaha, it shall remain in my head for my own private consumption, lol. I can see the appeal of Seon-ho/Bang-won, but only where Seon-ho is able to hold his own. I read some non-con, and they were well-written enough that it made me really upset. ;__;

Pick a ship: Hwi/Hui-jae or Seon-ho/Yeon or Hui-jae/Bang-won? Seon-ho/Yeon! I had NO CLUE he loved her so much that he would proceed to grieve so tearfully for years after, even as he got colder, more ruthless and reckless in his politics. Would’ve loved to see more of the build up there. I won’t spare a braincell for Hui-jae, she was so pointless, but IF she had been written better and had a stronger actress, Hui-jae/Bang-won has some interesting potential.

Pick a ship: Hui-jae/Queen Sindeok or Hui-jae/Hwa-wol? meh

What is your favorite sword fight? Hmmm... The long one-take battle scene where Hwi and company were fighting enemy soldiers was excellent.  The happiest fight was the one where Hwi and Seon-ho charged into the exam courtyard together, with SH being his backup. But perhaps the fight that really set the stage for me was the mock exam where Seon-ho cracked Hwi’s head open after the match supposedly ended. It was framed in a way to cast all this blame and moral judgment on Seon-ho. HE betrayed his friend. HE was the sore loser. What I saw instead was an exhausted and absolutely desperate young man, traumatized his entire life, getting pulled to pieces by too many conflicting burdens, passing out after permanently establishing his 2nd best status to Hwi. And then his body reacted, completely out of his self-conscious control. The agony on his face when he realized what he’d done...;;;;___;;;; The rest of the show was Seon-ho slowly punishing himself for all imagined and actual wrongs, until he finally managed to orchestrate a suicide-by-proxy. It was awful. So not my favorite, but it made the most impact.

What is your least favorite of Hwi’s life choices? When the a-hole betrayed Seon-ho so that he’d get tortured and he didn’t care. >:( Seon-ho walked out by himself with gorgeous hair and a dribble of blood because of Plot-Armor, but any other person would have had broken collarbone, broken ribs, punctured organs...

What is your least favorite of Seon-ho’s life choices? Opium? =/ Say no to drugs!

Pick an awful father: Nam Jeon or Yi Seung-gye? Nam Jeon!!!! He was DELICIOUS in his awfulness. Very restrained, nothing maniacal or moustache-twirly about the terror he wielded, but it was omnipresent. And yet. And yet. I think he DID care for Seon-ho in his messed up way and was doing his best to mold him into someone who would survive and win? Also, he wanted a government in which the people would rule, rather than kings. I think most modern folks can see the prescience in that, lol, too bad he went about it in the most ignoble ways possible.

Pick a setting: Ihwaru or Hwi’s sad shack of scheming? haha, the sad shack of scheming? idk

What is your favorite time skip? =/ *forgot everything* But. There was that scene where Hwi was in the forest and slowly turned around. And I’m sorry, but I laughed. ^^;; Hwi’s floppy hair suits his actor’s face so much better than the topknot.

Would you have preferred, canonically, for Hwi and Seon-ho to have survived the ending? YES. How they died was so stupid. The show went to great lengths to illustrate how both of our leads were effective leaders and schemers, but then they go storm Bang-won’s palace by themselves without any diversionary tactics or ANYTHING to up the odds of success? That was rubbish, and a deliberate plot manipulation to wrench ugly and unfair tears out of us. >:O

Are there any songs you associate with the show, other than the soundtrack? N/A

How did you end up watching the show in the first place? I avoided it at first, because I figured all sageuks were depressing. (Guess what, I was right!!! -_-) But the Netflix previews were always so eye-catching. Then I watched “Mad Dog” and WOW, FELL IN LOVE WITH WOO DO HWAN!!!!!! So I started chomping through his entire filmography. Watching TKEM live got me to start writing fic, and when I ended up writing Sung-rok and a version of Seon-ho as a modern-AU tyrantverse Yeong into my TKEM fic “Nil Desperandum”, I realized maybe I could start writing for My Country as well. :3

My Country the New Age Ask Meme

Because I want to ask ppl questions.

What is your favorite tragic backstory?

What is your favorite costuming choice?

What is your favorite instance of Seon-ho barging uninvited into Bang-won’s house?

What is your favorite Bang-won murder (including murders committed by his men or as a result of his scheming)?

If you could resurrect a parent, who would you resurrect?

Pick a ship: Seon-ho/Sung-rok or Hwi/Bang-won or Seon-ho/Bang-won?

Pick a ship: Hwi/Hui-jae or Seon-ho/Yeon or Hui-jae/Bang-won?

Pick a ship: Hui-jae/Queen Sindeok or Hui-jae/Hwa-wol?

What is your favorite sword fight?

What is your least favorite of Hwi’s life choices?

What is your least favorite of Seon-ho’s life choices?

Pick an awful father: Nam Jeon or Yi Seung-gye?

Pick a setting: Ihwaru or Hwi’s sad shack of scheming?

What is your favorite time skip?

Would you have preferred, canonically, for Hwi and Seon-ho to have survived the ending?

Are there any songs you associate with the show, other than the soundtrack?

How did you end up watching the show in the first place?