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luna-rainbow · 3 years

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meta: implantation for prosthesis

Okay I wrote an entire essay on this and decided no one was going to be interested because it was so technical so I spent hours rewriting it but it turned out to be an essay anyway….

I hope this is helpful for anyone writing fics about Bucky’s time in Hydra cos you really don’t need to think up new torture methods when you consider the medical procedures he had to go through…

The TL;DR version: Bucky's implant doesn't obey the laws of biophysics but neither does Steve's shield; all that matters is they both look cool.

As you can see from this picture, compared to what I referred to in the amputation meta, the amputation level has moved from forearm (transhumeral) to above shoulder (probably forequarter) level.

How was Bucky's arm implanted?

The thing about Bucky's prosthesis and the way it's implanted is we don't have anything close to it in the real world, and there are some practical issues with it.

I dislike anatomy too but we gotta see it to understand, so bear with me.

What's important about this picture? Look at the ball and socket joint. The glenoid cavity i.e. "the socket" is basically a tea plate to the golf ��ball” of the humerus - you rock it hard enough and the ball will fall out (e.g. shoulder dislocations). It's held in place by tendons and muscles that are built for mobility rather than durability, which is why rotator cuff tears are so common (and annoyingly debilitating when they do happen). To add to that mobility, the socket is formed by the shoulder blade/scapula, which itself is just a dinner plate sliding across the back of the rib cage, held in place only by a few flaps of muscles. Now look at that flimsy clavicle, then at that tiny point of contact between the clavicle and the sternum - that is the only attachment the shoulder has with the main (axial) skeleton.

What I'm getting at is that the entire human shoulder stays in place by the sheer miracle of opposing tendons and muscles and ligaments. This means at Bucky's level of amputation, all the things that hold the arm onto the body are gone, and just fusing metal components onto what remains is not going to cut it.

But he's still got his pecs, you say. Maybe he's still got his scapula, which means he'll also have his rotator cuffs. Yes, that brings me to the other unrealistic issue about his implant. In real life, we simply don't have the technology to do this - the components we have bond to bone but do not bond to soft tissue, i.e. muscles, fat and skin. Even if you have muscles left you can't attach them in a way that holds the joint on.

Directly attaching metal next to skin, as it appears for Bucky, has its own problems. One of the newest techniques these days is interosseus implants (Source), which inserts a metal shaft into a long bone and attaches the prosthesis at the end. A major drawback is fluid leak and infection because the soft tissue simply does not bond to the metal and form a good seal over/around it, so you essentially have a chronic open wound going all the way through to bone.

In Bucky's case, he doesn't even have any long bones left to even consider this technique. Where are you going to attach an entire arm? The clavicle? The ribs? The flappy scapula? Have you seen how easily these bones snap like legit grannies just have to trip over and they'll crack 8 ribs on the way down.

Of all the ways Bucky was attacked and injured in CACW, this is the one scene that makes me wince every time. That’s what, a 10 meter drop? I know what you’re thinking Bucky - it's gonna look impressive in front of Steve. Well, GOOD F**KING JOB BUCK YOU'VE JUST RIPPED YOUR IMPLANT OUT OF YOUR BONES. On a scale of "freezing yourself in cryo" to "breaking Zemo out of jail" can you STOP being such a self-destructive drama queen for FIVE minutes and—

Okay, but Bucky's arm is canon. Can it theoretically work if we take into account futuristic technology and super soldier serum?

So let's talk about what it needs to achieve: - Very strong attachment to axial skeleton WITHOUT use of muscles/tendons - Full range of motion as a normal human arm - Ability to connect to neural supply (won't go into detail in this post)

Let's pretend the metal-skin interface won't be a major issue because of better skin healing/better materials.

Even with the serum's healing/durability, the implant still needs a stronger attachment than a single clavicle. One (imaginary) possibility is having most of his left ribs and clavicle filled by (not replaced by) implants with attachment sites, to which the metal arm actually attaches. This distributes the loading forces more evenly throughout his thorax. Remember though the weak point is always at connection points, and at high enough impacts something will give, and if it's not his bones it'll be the metal work, and that will still hurt.

That leaves the issue of scapular movements. I just want you to take a moment to appreciate the many directions this bone flap spins in. It’s vital in positioning the shoulder relative to the rib cage, and it’s every anatomy student’s nightmare (or dream, I guess, depending on which end of the spectrum you fall).

Two (imaginary) possibilities: this is built into the prosthesis - ie the scapula is removed and jointed components pull the shoulder across the rib cage - this method means more bone/muscle have to be removed. The second is if they develop technology to attach muscle to metal implant, and I almost don’t want to think about that possibility because the amount of experimentation that would take, the amount of muscle tears and tendon rupture and repeat surgical procedures and pain is just horrific to consider.

CBB reading all that, can you just tell me what it practically means for Bucky?

He would have to: - Undergo multiple revisions to reach his current level of amputation: this could be from unsalvageable implant failures or injuries forcing them to go up higher (amputate more) for attachment points. - Undergo multiple rounds of experimental implant techniques: failures in those early decades are common due to the materials used and the immature techniques. Metal shattering within bone or snapping outside of bone can happen especially at the huge forces he puts the arm through. For perspective, people are advised against running after a hip replacement because that counts as "high impact" ARE YOU LISTENING TO THIS BUCKY. - Complications? Pain, infection (painful), bleeding (painful), nerve damage (painful), fractures (painful), implants breaking (painful), rejection of implant material (painful), reaction to sediments produced by crappy implant material (painful). I don't know if you see a common theme or... - After each surgery there will be a necessary healing time (even for a super soldier) where he will be vulnerable while the bone heals.

All of this suggests - and not to minimise what Isaiah was able to do single-handedly - that the early Winter Soldier was not the sleek machine that Steve fought, and was likely far more prone to injury and damage.

And finally, as a heartfelt thank you for getting this far, someone pointed out that Bucky cradles his metal hand for comfort. That itself suggests that despite the amount of pain that he inevitably endured to get a functioning prosthesis - his life was infinitely worse without it.

#bucky barnes #meta #tw: amputation #tw: injury #medical meta #your daily dose of pain #long post #looooong post #stucky meta

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bushcloverprincess · 5 years

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Let me explain Sai and Ino's love life to everyone who is still saying "I don't know how they ended up together": 💜

People really be jumping to Boruto series without knowing what has happened in the Naruto series after the war arc. So here is Sai and Ino's relationship throughout the entire Naruto canon timeline.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN MANGA

First and foremost, Sai and Ino met in the very early episodes of Naruto Shippuden. Ino immediately had a crush on him because he was handsome, also noting that he looked like Sasuke. That is basically Ino, the flirty girl as we know. Having a crush and falling in love are two very different things.

Sai was introduced as a character with no emotions and feelings whatsoever. The reason why he thought Ino is "ugly" in their first interaction was because he didn't know what a real beauty is. He had no emotions/feelings, how do u expect him to understand beauty? Ironically, despite this, he called the opposite of what he thought at her, "Mrs. Beautiful" - building the foundation of SaiIno (Also Ino being the only person who didnt get insulted by Sai's nicknames.)

So, here Sai thought Ino was ugly and Ino had a crush on Sai solely because he was handsome. Two flaws, alright. Most of the fans know their relationship up to here. But that's not even close to the end of Sai and Ino's relationship before their marriage.

Moving on. As Sai and Ino are both side characters, they had almost no interactions on-screen afterwards in the manga, until the Fourth Shinobi War Arc. In the war, both Ino and Sai had each other in their Infinite Tsukyomi dreams. Ino dreamed of Sasuke and Sai fighting over her and Sai dreamed of Ino, along with his other close friends acknowledging his smile. (Sai's dream was in anime-only).

This proves that both have had interactions off-screen to the point that they were already very close friends before the war began. Morever, their Inifinte Tsukuyomi dreams reveal that by the war arc, Ino likes Sai as much as Sasuke (as she did not choose Sasuke over Sai in her ideal life/dream), and Sai likes Ino complimenting him.

During the long timeskip after the war Ino and Sai eventually starts dating. This was revealed in a spin-off manga chapter written in Akamaru's point of view by Kishimoto, where he spotted Sai and Ino together on a date and described them as "A couple totally on fire".

Around a decade later, in the very last chapter of the Naruto Shippuden manga (Chapter 700), they were shown married with a son together.

That's the end of Naruto manga contents for Sai and Ino's relationship, as expected not much because Naruto manga is NOT a romance manga.

BLANK PERIOD

Now, for those who wanted to know more about Sai and Ino's romance and the ship's further build up during the timeskip between the end of war and Boruto (Blank Period), there was a Novel series called Hiden. (Note: All Blank Period Hiden Novels are approved canon, illustrated and proof-read by Masashi Kishimoto, the author of the Manga himself). The Blank period is a part of the official canon timeline.

As mentioned above Novels are the stories of all the important events that took place during this blank period, including the romance between the characters. Get ready to hear one of the cutest love stories of Naruto series.

1- SHIKAMARU HIDEN NOVEL

Ino lost her crush on Sasuke long back and is pretty much not into any relationship. This was until in Shikamaru Hiden events, Ino read a letter which describes Sai's tragic life. Since then Ino wanted to know even more about him than she already does. Ino was sent on a mission with her fellow ninjas to help Shikamaru and save Sai, who has been caught in a very strong enslaving genjutsu by some enemies. Her top priority after reading the letter was nothing but to save Sai.

As they confronted the genjutsu-controlled Sai, for some reason Ino believed that she is the only person who could save Sai. Ino risked her life and used her Mind Transfer Jutsu on Sai, in other words, Ino's soul entered Sai's body. Ino dived deep into his mind but all she could see was darkness. She didn't give up and tried to find his soul by diving even deeper into his mind despite the fact that it could be a threat to her own soul too. Ino finally found Sai's soul crying deep inside, covered with his memories and darkness. Ino learnt about him (in the novel it says "She knew all about him so much that it hurt her"). Ino called out for him and showed his soul the path out of the darkness. Ino cleared his mind hence saving him from the genjutsu, also giving colors to his colorless soul. Ino's soul then hugged Sai's soul with a heartfelt smile ~ A hug between two souls.

This is the point where both of them fell deeply in love. The point Sai achieved his dream, the point where he got his emotions and feelings completely back. This is the first time he felt this much kindness from someone and learned what a true beauty is. When Sai is successfully saved by her, the two wake from Ino's jutsu and Sai finds himself resting on Ino's laps. Sai instinctively reaches for Ino's hands and he expresses his gratefulness to her, as her eyes begin to tear up, by affectionately calling her "Thankyou, Miss Beautiful". This time, he truly meaning this unlike the first time he called her beautiful. "Idiot" - replied Ino. And this time, Ino fell in love with Sai, not because he resembles Sasuke unlike the first time they met. This interaction was the complete opposite of the first time they met. This is how their love story began ladies and gentlemen. *Tears because how beautiful this is*

2- SAKURA HIDEN NOVEL

Later, while Ino and Sakura was on their way to Sand village to participate in an international Medical Ninja Conference, Ino reveals her love for Sai to Sakura after what happened. She was thinking of confessing her love to him properly but was unsure which flower to give him: Flower Dogwood or Lavender. Ino, the botanist explains that in Flower language, Dogwood means "Accept my feelings" while Lavender means "I'm waiting". Sakura tells that Ino was more of Flower Dogwood type, as she wants a direct answer from Sai. Whilst for Sakura herself, Lavender will be the best because she is willing to wait for Sasuke.

When they returned back to Konoha after the conference, Ino finds out Kakashi has sent Sai alone on a dangerous mission. Ino gets worried and questions his safety, and is angry that Kakashi let him go alone. After Sai returned and Sakura got kidnapped, Ino ran to Sai's place to inform him about Sakura's disappearance. When she arrives, she becomes flustered to see Sai only in his underwear, as he was taking a shower right before she came.

Following the crisis, Sai and Ino together goes on a mission alone to save Sakura upon Hokage's orders. They are the only couple besides Sakura and Sasuke who did a mission together alone in canon. Sai and Ino flew on a Choju Giga Bird, and Sai comforted Ino as she was afraid flying and had a difficulty maintaining the balance, causing her to feel a sweet warm sensation well up within her heart. They both together infiltrated a hideout. The Saiino duo's teamwork was amazing and flawless.

After Sakura is saved, they had to fight the enemies. Ino, who has been usually positioned near the back lines during close ranged combat situations was now instead supporting Sai with her taijutsu and healing Sai's injuries with her medical ninjutsu. Sai and Ino confronted a very powerful enemy, Magire who was drugged with Tailed Beast chakra, but their flawless teamwork and bond strength lead to their victory. Sakura, and Sai himself compliments Ino on how well she works together as a duo with Sai, getting Ino blush even more. Later Sakura prompted Ino and Sai to have a date dinner together, where Ino possibly confessed him with flower Dogwood and that is when they started dating.

3- KONOHA HIDEN NOVEL

As usual, Sakura and Ino keeps on fighting and competing, and now Ino takes a lot of pride with her blossoming relationship with Sai, claiming she has better love life than Sakura and that she will get married before her, much to Sakura's infuriation. After some days, Sai and Ino attended Naruto and Hinata's wedding ceremony as a dating couple holding hands, with everyone around them admiring their relationship. (Bonus: SaiIno is the only couple that was featured in The last opening of Naruto, Opening 20 (Karano Koroko).)

4- SASUKE SHINDEN: BOOK OF SUNRISE NOVEL

Later, after Ino was hospitalized due to the injuries she had after stopping an invasion, Sai was with her at the hospital all the time. Shikamaru and Chōji decide to visit Ino at the hospital and find that Sai is watching over her whilst she sleeps as he sketches a flower that Ino's mother brought her. Shikamaru and Chōji asks Sai to come with them for some investigation, but Sai remains, claiming that he will leave as soon as he has completed his drawing, however, Shikamaru notices several of Sai's already near-completed sketches in the trash as he exits. Sai intentionally made many half-complete drawings and discarded them before completion because he doesn't want to leave Ino. Shikamaru and Chōji realize that Sai did not want to leave Ino's side and begin discussing how much he has changed from the emotionless man he used to be after he met Ino.

Ino and Sai then got married, and had a wonderful wedding ceremony where Shikamaru and Choji were both so happy for Ino that they cried and wished their sensei, Asuma was there to see Ino. Sai and Ino's wedding ceremony is the only ceremony to have been mentioned after Hinata and Naruto's wedding. Well, that's the end of their relationship's details in the Blank Period Novels. Sweet, right?

NEW ERA: BORUTO ANIME, MANGA AND NOVELS

Sai, now married to Ino is the only male known to have taken his spouse's surname upon marriage, being now a part of the great Yamanaka Clan, finally having a family of his own. This family confronted gossips and prejudice from the villagers, and Ino's relationship with Sai was not well received by the Yamanaka Clan, all due to Sai's dark past in the currently disbanded Anbu Root. Despite all this, they managed to be as happy as ever. It is when he married to Ino and got to hold Inojin in his arms, Sai finally felt free and got control over his own life after years of being a puppet to Danzo.

As Boruto series is the story of the new generation, it's main focus from the Yamanaka Family is obviously Ino and Sai's son, Inojin Yamanaka. (Trivia: It is believed that Inojin's name is a mixture of Yamanaka Clan's customary name prefix "Ino" and the suffix "jin" is reference to Sai's late brother Shin). Sai has already told his son Inojin how his mother, Ino saved him with her shintenshin and how they fell in love, and Sai uses the same method (a hug or an affection) to calm Ino down when she gets upset or angry now. Boruto notes that Sai's only weakness is when it comes to Aunt Ino. According to Ino, Sai has never forgotten their anniversary throughout more than a decade they have been together. Although Ino remains as boisterous as ever, Sai is the sole person that gets Ino to fluster despite how angry or upset she is since beginning and even now.

According to Kakashi, Sai and Ino is the most beautiful couple he could imagine, and they both are so close that it seems they are glued to each other, noting that they are like a peculiar picture. Sai and Ino also often gets teased by their friends because how close and affectionate they are even in the public. Ino takes pride in Sai's ninja abilities and Sai takes pride and is proud of Ino's abilities. Ino is thankful that she moved on from Sasuke (Her childhood crush), because according to Boruto Manga, Ino now she feels bad for Sakura, whose husband, Sasuke visits her only very rarely, noting that she has been living such a perfect love-life that she cannot even imagine having a husband who is hardly at home. She is thankful for Sai, so is Sai for Ino. In one of the Boruto Novel it is stated about Ino:

"Because her husband was the one she knew was the best in the world" ~ 💜

SO,

I do not think this much of content, especially for a side-couple is less at all. It's more than enough, It's explained perfectly well. Only people who aren't having an idea on Naruto complete series will question or doubt SaiIno's relationship. So "Random couple", "Ino likes Sasuke because he looks like Sasuke", "Sai is a Sasuke rebound", "Ino lost to Sakura in love-life becuase she couldn't marry Sasuke" arguments are all total crap ~ 💕

AND FOR THOSE WHO SAYS SAI AND INO DOESN'T HAVE CHEMISTRY...

Sai was an emotionless and socially awkward boy who worked for the Root Section, meanwhile Ino was an emotional and lively sociable girl who works at a flower Shop, what else do you see other than the raging chemistry between this root and flower? The flower that baths in sunlight and the roots that grow in the dark! It has everything. They perfectly fits into the Yin (Sai) and Yang (Ino) philosophy Kishimoto seems to have considered when making the couples and friendships. As mentioned above Sai is the only man who can make Ino blush since beginning and even now! Ino had no problem with glomping on Sasuke and hugging him, but Sai calling her "Beautiful" makes her blush - See the difference? They both are perfect for each other. Ino gave colours to Sai's black & white life. Ino was a rainbow when Sai was colour blind. Not to mention they both wear crop-tops with exposed midriff. In addition Sai and Ino is the most affectionate couple who has shown most PDA (Public Display of Affection) content and closest moments together so far. I'd argue they have the most chemistry and couple symbolisms.

There, its done.

I hope its clear how they ended up together now 💕 So again, saying SaiIno is forced or random / Calling Sai a Sasuke Rebound / Saying Ino settled for Sai because she didn't get Sasuke as a plan B / Ino lost to Sakura in love life / Sai and Ino don't have chemistry- is making yourself a huge 🤡, actually an entire 🎪

Thankyou 💜

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viking-raider · 4 years

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Nothing to Stand On - One Shot

Summary: You get hurt on the job and it causes almost life changes damage.

Pairing: Henry Cavill/Reader

Word Count: 2,744

Rating: G - Language, Angst and Fluff

Inspiration: Something that’s been on my Muse’s brain after watching Justice League a couple of times.

Author’s Note: Tell me what you think!

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“I'll be fine, babe.” You smiled at Henry as you both stood backstage at the X Game you were doing with your Motocross team. “I've done hundreds of these shows, Henry.” You tried to reassure him, rubbing your hand up and down his thick arm.

“I know, I just worry.” Henry replied, frowning down at you.

You were an athlete first and foremost, freestyle motocross had always been your dream job and it took you nearly a decade to obtain the success and fame you wanted to achieve within it. You hopped around the world working any job you could do within the ring, no matter how small and obscure. But, you also understood Henry's concern for you, it was a dangerous job. You and Henry had met while you were recovering from a torn ACL two years before, after a failed back-flip. But, you knew the consequences of your profession, so did Henry, and until you couldn't do it anymore, you were going to keep doing it.

Nothing could prevent you from it.

“I know you do, Puppy.” You sighed, wrapping your arms around his waist. “But, I'll be fine.” You tried to comfort him. “Why don't you go up to the box, and I'll see you after the show.” You told him, seeing he wasn't going to be comforted until you were safe on the ground with him again.

“All right.” He grunted, cupping your face in his hands and kissed you, deep and long, like he expected it to be the last time he ever kissed you again. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Henry.” You smiled, kissing him one more time before letting him go.

Henry made his way up to the private viewing box the arena had to watch you. He grabbed a drink from the bar in the box and stood by the windows facing into the arena, checking out the multiple dirt ramps and the already screaming fans. His gulps of Guinness turned to painful acid in his stomach as the minutes ticked by before the show started. The rumble of engines hummed above the roar of the fans in their seats and a line of bikes shot out of the entrance tunnel, you at the front of the pack. He felt the familiar rush of adrenaline and pride he always got watching you come out, all suited up and on your dirt bike, always accompanied with the icy cold knot of worry and fear in his stomach.

He pulled out of his thoughts seeing you raise your hand, saluting him. He forced a smile and returned the salute, you had given Henry the salute at the very first X Game he ever accompanied you too. It was a gesture that said; I see you and I love you.

After you and your team did some showboating for the crowd, the show got down to business. As a tease to Henry, the first trick you did after hitting one of the ramps was the Superman, holding onto the handle bars of your bike and kicking the rest of your body out, hovering parallel with the seat and bike, before righting yourself and landing. It achieved what you were going for, making Henry laugh and shake his head, blushing like wild.

Th more tricks you did and smoothly landed, the more Henry relaxed, assured you would be fine. It was getting towards the end of the show and Henry abandon his neglected Guinness. He was about to turn and start down to the locker room to meet up with you and tell you how great you did, when he noticed you and one of the other riders in your team decided to give the crowd an encore trick to close out the night. His head tilted as he watched the two of you take to two different ramps that crossed each other, he'd never seen this before. You and the rider hyped up the crowd for a minute or so before taking off up the ramps, planning to leapfrog each other, like you had done a thousand times before.

“Oh god.” Henry let out in a breathy whisper, his stomach falling out of his body.

The rider that should have been below you, over shot the ramp and the two of you ended up colliding together, mid-air. You let go of your bike, arms oscillating as you kicked the machine away from you. It was a long fall that made time slow, while the ground rushed up towards you. You relaxed your body, preparing yourself for the impact you were about to make. Your legs buckled beneath you, sending you spinning several feet before slamming back down on your side, head and helmet hitting the ground, leaving you to limply roll and slide the rest of the way down the ramp, knocked out.

Henry's eyes were huge was absolute horror, tears threatening to fall as he shook with fear. Personnel and medical teams rushed out to you and the other rider, carefully pulling off your helmet and assessing your injuries. A few minutes later, you opened your eyes with a groan, every square inch of your body throbbing and screaming. You listened to the medical crew, squeezing their hands and moving your feet, telling them what day it was, your name and every other question they gave you to check out your condition, before they let you sit up. Your first motion after sitting up was looking up at the private box and giving Henry the salute.

I'm all right.

But, it didn't ease Henry's panic.

After a few more things, the medical crew cleared you, helping you up onto your feet and supporting you to the back, shaky from the ordeal.

“Y/n!” Henry's yell echoed down the concrete as he rushed down the hall towards your room.

“Right here, Henry.” You called back with a groan, pressing an arm to your angry ribs. “Out.” You snapped at everyone else in the room.

“Oh god, y/n.” Henry panted, panic attack in full swing and cupping your dirty face.

“I'm all right, Puppy.” You told him, gently, resting a hand on his chest. “Just banged up, that's all. There's nothing broken or torn.”

“You're sure?” He fussed, looking you over.

“Positive, Hen.” You smiled at him, always amused by his mother hen tendency.

“I should take you to the hospital.” He fretted, lifting your jersey and seeing the ugly bruising on your side.

“They cleared me, Henry. I don't need to go to the hospital.”

“What if they're wrong?” He babbled, frightened blue eyes holding yours.

You rested your hands on his face and pressed your foreheads together. “Breathe, Henry.” You whispered, caressing his cheeks with your thumbs. “I'm fine, just bruises and stiffness. Nothing more, I promise.” You cooed at him, as he took deep breaths in and out.

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, very gingerly wrapping his arms around you, standing between your open legs. “Can I take you back to the hotel now?” He asked, palms gliding up and down your back.

“Yes, please.” You smirked, wrapping your arms around him and nuzzling your face into his neck.

Henry kissed your forehead and helped you slip off the exam table and limp out to the rental car Henry had, taking you back to the hotel room you had reserved. You limped through the lobby and onto the elevator, Henry scooped you up and carried you down the rest of the way to the room. Pushing open the door, Henry detoured into the bathroom, resting you on the counter and plugged the drain to the tub, twisting on the hot tap with a splash of the cold, then turned back to you. He pulled off your boots, socks and jersey, followed by your pants and panties, before he eased you into the full tub of hot water, making you moan at the majestic feel of it on your ravaged body. Henry gently washed away the dirt and grime from your banged up body, and massaged shampoo into your hair, easing the tension migraine you had going.

“Thanks, babe.” You yawned as you rested back against the pillows Henry had piled up against your back in bed.

“You're welcome, sweetie. You just rest.” He replied, tucking you in and kissing your temple. “Do you want one of the painkillers they gave you?”

“Yeah.” You nodded, feeling the stiffness your bath had eased away seep back into your muscles.

“Okay.”

Henry grabbed the bottle out of his jacket pocket, took out one of the oval tablets and a bottle of water, out of the room's mini fridge, cracking it open and handing it and the pill to you. Tossing back the pill, you downed half of the water and let Henry set it on your nightstand. Turning out the lights, Henry crawled into bed with you, smiling as you laid your head on his shoulder and watched some tv with him, dozing off as the painkiller took effect.

You woke a few hours later, Henry sound asleep beside you, Kal wedged between your bodies at the foot of the bed, and your bladder begging to be emptied. Groaning softly, you pulled back the blankets and stiffly sat up on the edge of the bed, then frowned. Shaking your head, you pushed up with your hands, but couldn't stand. A nauseating and tight chill ran up your throat from your stomach, realizing you couldn't stand up, you could barely wiggle your toes.

“Oh god.” You started to breath heavily. “Oh my god.” You gasped, starting to panic and freak out.

Kal lifted his head, sensing your fear and let out of low woof, hopping out of bed and going around to you, touching his cold snout to the bare skin of your knee, that you barely felt, which did nothing for your mounting fear.

“Henry.” You whimpered, his name dying out to a pitiful squeak. “Henry.” You huffed out louder.

“Hm.” He hummed back, stirring a little bit.

“Henry!” You called out louder, tears dripping down your cheeks.

Henry took a deep breath, frowning as he woke up, shaking his head. “What's wrong, y/n?” He asked, eyes half open as he battled to stay away. “What is it?” He mumbled.

“I-” You gulped down the thick knot in your throat. “I can't...get up.” You told him, desperately trying to quell your fright.

His eyes popped open at your words, brain going on high and panicked alert. “What?” He snapped, startled.

“I can't stand up.” You repeated, slower.

“Holy fuck.” He gasped, sitting up and looking at you, seeing the pure horror in your red and wet eyes. “You're sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure.” You snapped back, scared. “I've been trying to for the last five minutes, and I'm still sitting here. I can't really feel them either.” You told him, panic gripping you firmly as you looked down at your feet.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Henry panicked, ripping out of bed and throwing clothes on. “It's okay.” He tried to assure you, watching you shake.

“How is this okay?” You mewled, looking up at him. “I can't fucking walk.”

“It'll be fine.” Henry repeated, slipping a pair of socks on your feet and your jacket on, before picking you up in his arms. “I told you, we should have gone to the hospital.” He said, on the elevator ride to the lobby.

“Not the time for 'I told you so', Henry.” You replied, eye twitching at him.

Henry got you into the car and rushed you to the nearest hospital. “Yes, hi.” He rushed, standing at the admittance desk in the ER. “My girlfriend was in an accident, for her job, and now she can't walk.” He explained to the nurse as she asked for the nature of the visit.

“When did this happen?”

“The accident..” Henry looked at his watch. “Four hours ago. She was fine just after the ordeal, but she woke up about forty minutes ago, unable too.”

“All right.”

The nurse got the rest of your information, secured a hospital bracelet around your wrist and wheeled you into an ER bay. Another nurse came into your room, taking your vitals and put in an IV port, putting you on fluids and painkillers. Henry paced up and down the side of your bed, too worried and antsy to sit or stand. After several minutes, a technician came in and took you for an X-Ray and MRI, before taking you back to your room.

After a terrifying hour, the ER doctor assigned to you, entered your room with his clipboard. “Ms. y/l/n?”

“Yes?” You nodded, gripping Henry's hand.

“Can you tell me what you were doing, when you sustained your injury?” He asked, lifting a brow at you.

“I'm an athlete.” You replied, licking your lips. “Freestyle motocross. A fellow team mate and I botched a trick we were doing for a show last night and I fell.” You explained to him.

He nodded his head at you, staring at your chart. “Well, after reviewing your tests, it seems you have lumbar pressure from your fall.” He told you, matter-of-factually. “So, you have spinal cord swelling in your lower back, as a result of your fall. It didn't become so dangerous until much later, which is why you suddenly lost the ability to walk and use your legs.” He explained.

“Can you reduce the swelling, so she can walk again?” Henry asked, mouth hanging open as he stared wide eyed at the doctor.

“Thankfully, yes. The warm bath you took beforehand really helped reduce the risks. If you hadn't and waited as long as you did, we might not have been able to reduce the swelling soon enough, before real lasting damage was done.” the Doctor nodded at him and gave you a reassuring smile.

“But, you'll have to stay in the hospital for a little while, while we give you anti-inflammatory medication and some antibiotics, in case you develop an infection, as a result of the swelling.” He added.

“I'll do whatever I need too.” You told him, nodding your head.

“Great.” He smiled at you. “We'll start your treatment right away and work on getting you a private room.”

“Thank you.” Henry sighed with relief, rubbing his face and carding his fingers through his wild curls.

“Seems you saved me, Hen.” You smiled up at him.

“Yeah.” He grinned and blushed. “I just wanted to help you relax and ease some of your pain with that bath.” He babbled, shyly.

“And you did, then some.” You told him, squeezing his hand. “My Superman.” You giggled at him.

A nurse hooked up your first round of anti-inflammatory medication to your IV, along with the antibiotics. You were moved to a private room a few hours later, Henry insisting that he would stay with you, for however long it took for you to get better; which luckily was only two days. But, you still had lingering weakness in your legs from the ordeal, so your primary doctor set you up with some physical therapy.

“Come on, you can do it.” Henry smirked, his hands hovering inches from your wobbling hips as you stood on the balance disk. “Twenty seconds.” He told you, glancing at the clock on the living room wall.

“Fuck, this hurts.” You whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut and teetering.

“No pain, no gain.” He chuckled, wrapping his arm around your waist. “That's twenty.” He huffed, kissing the top of your head. “You're lasting a lot longer now.” He praised you, as you gingerly stepped off the disc.

“That's something, at least.” You panted, licking your lips, feeling the muscles in your back and legs throb.

“You'll be back on your bike in no time.” He smiled, though you could see the apprehension in his blue eyes, fearful about you going back to work and getting hurt again.

“Yeah, but for now, I think I'll just take it easy and stay home with you and Kal.” You told him with a sweet smile. “That's enough of an adrenaline rush and adventure for me.”

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groovypalacehorselover · 4 years

Text

A Drunken Nightmare

An AU in which MC and Ethan slept together in Miami.(The morning after)

Probably the most smut I'll ever be able to write.

Warning: if you came here for smut you will be disappointed.

"A doctor who could make a difference in patient care"

"More then you already do?"

Salty air blew over the Celestial's front gate. Doctors that came to the conference were all drinking and dancing, without a care for the world. The loud dubstep beats roared from the speakers, people grinding eachother. All were there except two people.

All except a certain famous diagnostician and his rookie.

Casey Valentine and Ethan Ramsey were leaning against the railing of the balcony of their shared room, looking at Ethan's drunk colleagues rave though the night just beneath them. Casey was quietly observing an individual who had caught her eyes, a young male doctor probably a second year residency, he looked about her age. Young and energetic, he was talking to a woman and from the looks of it they both were flirting with each other. Casey had a humourless smile on her face, how lucky the doctor was, where as she was stuck in between a competition, half the interns hated her and some acted like she doesn't exist. Her own friends, Jackie and Landry were dead set on trying to take her no. 1 position. At least Elijah, Sienna and Bryce treated her like a human being.

Right beside her was the one and only Ethan Ramsey, the nightmare of interns, the cold man who keeps his emotions underground, the damn asshole who Casey was in love with.

Ethan's eyes subtly stared at Casey's curves, imaging how they would feel beneath his fingers. Of course she had to wear such a sinful dress which would only give him a teaser of what her curves were, but enough to get him exited.

If she she wasn't an intern, he would be tearing it down right now.

Ethan had to tear Casey away from the bar, or she would have drunk herself to death. The whole time while he was taking her back to their room, she was giggling and swaying back and forth. But she went quiet when they were inside.

"You're awfully quiet" Ethan stated, Casey looked at him, baffled "O-oh? Just thinking." She answered.

Ethan didn't bother asking what she was thinking about, he was frozen in place. It was the first time he looked at her properly after they returned to their room, her face was red and her mouth slightly parted, her eyes reflected the stars and her bangs were messy. But yet she looked so damn beautiful.

"What do you think Naveen would say if he knew at what levels we were going to get him treated?" She broke the silence.

"He would probably first laugh, and then say we are making fools of ourselves" He said giving her a half smile. "But if he survives this, it will all be worth it"

"What you did just then was very smart, we are finally making a big progress!" She said existedly. I love it when you make that face, Ethan thought. "You mean almost losing the team on the hands of a man who only cares about money?" He said staring into her eyes.

"No I didn't mean it like that!" She said flushed. Ethan smirked, he loved seeing the flustered look on her face.

"I know"

Both of them went quiet for a while, then he decided to break the silence, "What you saw tonight wasn't me, I don't gamble on anything".

He looked into her eyes," Medicine is a assembly of facts leading to a conclusion, once you know the rules and the disease you're working with, the risk should be minimal." He turned to face her."Your decisions are informed, and you choose the safest path. But that card game…I've never done anything like that before."

Casey turned and looked at him,"I don't know, it seemed like a pretty well-informed decision to me" she stated.

"Risking Naveen's treatment on a game? Having to hope I'd judged Declan's character enough to risk losing instead of using a winning hand?" He said furiously, "There were too many variables, I could have lost everything!"

"But you were right, your risk paid off" She smiled, he loved it when she smiled like that, it was when she was reassuring a patient that she will help them, and she damn well did.

"It did…and I'm only beginning to realise…" his eyes shined with desire.

"There are some things that are worth any risk"

Both of them looked at each other, and both knew what the other wanted.

°~~~~~•~~~~~°~~~~~•~~~~~°

Casey groaned as sunlight interrupted her sleep, her whole body was hurting and for some reason her womanhood was hurting the most. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw the sun shining right outside of the glass wall that separated the bedroom from the balcony. She just had the best dream ever.

Ethan pushes her against the bedroom wall, his right knee between her legs. Their tongues desperately met, "Dr. Ramsey!" She gasped as she felt Ethan's hand opening the zip of her dress. "Ethan" he whispered in her ears and kissed on her neck, stoping momentarily to nibble on the sensitive spots.

Casey face heated up, even for a dream it felt too real. 'It would be better if It only was a dream' she thought.

As much as she hates to admit it, she can never be with Ethan. He was an attending, she was an intern. He was her boss, she was competing to be in his team. If they were a thing, his reputation would be affected she would be told that everything she 'achieved' was because she slept with her boss. Plus…

Ethan would never see her in that way.

To him she is a newbie, a nuisance, someone that likes to stick her head in other people's business.

Casey lay there quietly for a short while, then decided to get up. As soon as she pulled the cover away, a breeze chilled her bare chest. Casey flinched, wasn't she waring her dress from last night? Where'd it go?

Ethan's fingers touch Casey's core, only a thin layer of her pantie separating them. Casey pulls Ethan on top of her she herself lay on the bed, Ethan kisses the rise of her breasts. "Mmm…" Casey softly moans as she felt Ethan's fingers enter her. "Don't…stop"she said between her shaky breaths. "I don't think I can. I have been wanting this for a long time Casey" Ethan's lips brushes past Casey's breasts, then her stomach and slowly lower…

Casey's head was spinning, memories of last night were slowly returning back to her. She was horrified.

This can't happen! It can't!

Casey looked beside her to see a shirtless Ethan sleeping soundly, he looked so peaceful probably not having a clue what they have done.

Casey got up and quickly walked towards the bathroom with wobbly steps, her legs were hurting like hell. She quietly shut the door and glanced at the mirror.

Hickeys and bite marks everywhere. How was she even going to hide this?

Tears spilled from her eyes…'why am I crying? I wanted this' she thought. She broke down, this can't be happening, not today. She was supposed to be happy that they found a possible cure for Dr. Banerji, feel proud because Dr. Ramsey trusted her. Not guilt trip because she slept with her boss.

|~~~~~•~~~~~|~~~~~•~~~~~|

Ethan's head was pounding relentless, he could only focus on Casey. Despite the raging party below them, the loud sound of waves crashing on the rocks…he could only hear Casey's voice. She was drunk talking and saying nonsensical things, but he was still encaptured by her voice. This is what shook him.

The unshakable Ethan Ramsey, the face that doctors from afar dreamt of meeting. He had only a decade's experience but yet he was one of the best doctors from around the world. He always thought that he cannot be distracted by anything or anyone. No one was truly able to crack his wall of ice, no matter how warm they were. And yet here she was, Casey Valentine an intern, clueless, novice, and trouble. She shattered the walls like they were a tower of cards, melted everything like she was the scorching sun in a summer afternoon, invaded his life like a skilled thief, and stayed as if she belongs here. Whenever he thought he knew her she would do something he least expected. She could even yell at him if she felt like he deserved it.

Never before had he been so head over heels for a woman.

But fate was against him, he was her attending, her boss, 10 years older than her. It was unprofessional, unethical, something he was against. But something he longed for. He could have anyone, but the one he wanted was out of his reach.

But yet here they are in a perfect setting. 10 floors above the ground, everyone was busy partying, they were alone, the party was so loud no one could hear them, he was drunk, she was even more drunk, if anything happens he can just blame it on the alcohol, both wanted the same thing.… Then why not have it?

Never before had Ethan broken his rules for anyone, but tonight he cannot resist any longer.

|~~~~~•~~~~~|~~~~~•~~~~~|

Casey's sobs were abruptly interrupted when she heard something from outside the bathroom, she tentatively opened the door slightly to peek, Ethan was still asleep. She snatched her bag that lay right outside the door.

Casey has never had a shower this quick, she dried her hair begging to God that Ethan will still be asleep. And just like that she was out of the room. Her eyes felt prickly, she knew that she was about to cry. How can she not? Ethan will never look at her in the same way again. He will probably only see disappointment and a mistake.

∆~~~°~~~∆~~~•~~~∆~~~°~~~∆

Ethan stirred in bed, trying to find a comfortable position. He let his hand fall off from the bed and hit the bedside table with a 'twack'. "Ouch!" His eyes abruptly opened, he immediately regretted it. Sunlight invaded his vision, and for a second he thought he was now blind. He sat up, making the sheet that was covered his taunt muscles now visible. He looked around confused, and suddenly remembered that he was in Miami. His head was killing him, he tried to recall last night's events.

'I and Casey got the formula from Nash, she went to drink at the open bar. I dragged her back into the room, we were talking…'

Then he remembered, her flustered face, her soft lips, her beautiful body…

Ethan went quiet, he knew this was coming. One way or another he was going to ruin everything. He didn't blame Casey, he couldn't.

It wasn't her fault.

It was his.

He cursed himself for being drunk, careless. Of course he would do something stupid the moment alcohol runs through his vains. He had a habit of drinking alone, the day he was drunk and alone with someone he did the unthinkable.

How many people already know? Were they too loud? Maybe they forgot to lock the door?

Ethan looked beside him to see the crumbled sheets in shape of a person, a place where Casey slept hours ago.

Does she hate him now?

•••••×•••••°•••••×•••••

"ah, Casey! Hi."

Casey heard Ines's voice behind her. "Hello Ines" Casey greeted her enthusiastic resident trying her best to sound happy,"Already had breakfast?"

"No, but me and Zaid were just on the way" Ines said happily, "Talking about Zaid…where is he" Casey asked glancing around to find the grumpy doctor. "Oh, he went to the bathroom" Ines said as both of them walked towards the Dinning Hall.

"You sure spend a lot of time around him" Casey remarked. Ines blushs, "We-well he is my friend! I like spending time with him!"

"But is that all there is to it?" Casey smiled warmly towards Ines, completely forgetting about the events that happened this morning.

"We are just friends, that's all!" Ines mumbled looking at the floor like a guilty child. "Ines, you should make a move or something. You two look cute together" Casey said to the blushing doctor.

You still have a chance, unlike me…

"Do you think…he likes me?" Ines asked so quietly it was almost inaudible, "Of course! He is like a happy puppy when he's around you" Casey laughed.

"By the way, why are you wearing a full buttoned up shirt? Isn't it hot? Ines asked curiously.

"W-well you see…"

Both of them continued walking towards the Dinning Hall.

+~~~~×~~~~+~~~~×~~~~+

Ethan quickly walked down the stairs, 'she should be in the dining hall right now'. He thought.

He came just in time to see her leave towards the elevator, "Rookie, wait!" He said loudly as he jogged towards her.

His chest tightened when he saw her face look at him in horror, the door to the elevator opened and she ran inside.

Ethan broke in a full fledged run, just as the door was about to close he smashed the elevator button. And the door opened again…

https://groovypalacehorselover.tumblr.com/post/638215403128127488/a-drunken-nightmare COMING SOON!

https://groovypalacehorselover.tumblr.com/post/638215403128127488/a-drunken-nightmare

Taglist (tell me if you wanna get added) :-

@caseyvalentineramsey @drariellevalentine @archxxronrookie @openheartfanfics @bellcat2010 @mayatrueman @maurine07 @kaavyaethanramsey @aarisa-frost @keenempathdeanfan

@nikki-2406 @terrm9 @iloveethanramsey

@shanzay44 @schnitzelbutterfingers @princess-geek @ramseysrookiex @kiara-36

@fayeswiftie

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wingedwizardcat · 4 years

Text

Child Of Mine

Summary: After Emperor Hux’s death, his son is forced to grow up in a cold palace with a grieving father who refuses to speak of his soulmate. Can the two reconnect before it’s too late?

Also on A03

“Phas, does Father hate me?” the small redheaded child asked, his tone casual but his eyes serious as he practiced his fencing manoeuvers. He was slim for his age but strong and toned thanks to his daily training, the spitting image of Emperor Hux.

"Why would you think that?" Captain Phasma asked, gently tapping his leg with her training sword to correct his position. She’d always enjoyed her sparring sessions with Hux throughout their time on ships and had jumped at the chance to train Hux’s son. She’d taken particular joy in training him in the activities that Hux had preferred, guiding him towards fencing, shooting and hand-to-hand combat.

"He never spends time with me and he glares at me when I see him." the boy explained, working his way through another set of movements, “I try my best to be good, so I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. If only he’d tell me, then maybe I could be better.”

“You don’t need to try and improve, you’re fine as you are.” she replied, thinking over her words carefully before she spoke, "You remind him of your Mother, he finds that difficult, but he doesn't hate you. He’s proud of you, he wouldn’t have arranged the best education in the galaxy if he didn’t want you to thrive."

"I’m his heir, I suppose he has to make sure I’m educated.” he shrugged slightly, letting the wooden sword drop and rest against the ground, “Why doesn't he talk about Mother? If he loved him so much-"

"He still feels immense pain, it's been years but as I understand it, the loss in the force continues to cause ripples." she sighed, leading him out of their sparring arena and over to a nearby bench, “Your parents were soulmates and your Father... he’s been broken since your Mother’s death. The thunder and rain that we get when he’s on-planet are his doing, his emotions bleed out and influence the environment.”

“Will you tell me about Mother? Father hasn’t spoken to me since the last time I asked and Mitaka won’t tell me anything. I just want to know what he was like.”

“Hux was... he was everything the obituaries say about him. Strong, strategic, brutal... His own father, your grandfather, was cruel to him in his youth and he always wanted a family of his own to raise properly, with love and care. Of all the things our Emperor craved in this galaxy, a child was what he wanted most of all. He would have adored you. Somewhere, he’s watching you with pride, have no doubt about that.”

“Would there be any holos of him? Anything more... relaxed?”

“Has your Father not shown you Hux’s study? I believe most of his possessions are kept there now.”

The boy shook his head, “I’m not allowed to go anywhere near the Emperor’s rooms. I’ve only seen the paintings kept behind drapes and an official speech or two.”

She frowned at his words, “Then we’ll go there now. It’s not right that you don’t get the chance to know your Mother. Hux would have wanted you to have everything of his.”

“You have to move forward, Ren. It’s been almost a decade.”

“I can’t, not without you. I just need to try a little more and I’ll be able to bring you back. Death is nothing compared to my powers, they’re growing stronger every day.”

“By fixating on me and burying yourself with your duties, you are missing our son’s childhood. He doesn’t know either of us, don’t let him have a youth like ours, filled with isolation and pain.”

“Now you’re just my guilt talking.”

“I’m dead, Ren. All I am now is a figment of your imagination, but I’m right. You’re pushing our boy away and each day the divide grows. Fix it now, before it’s too late.”

“You’re always right.” the Supreme Leader sighed, ending his meditation and opening his eyes. He knew his soulmate couldn’t be a force ghost, but Hux’s voice and advice had accompanied him all these years. Every strategic move to grow the Empire or maintain order was whispered to him in his dreams by the voice of his beloved.

He got to his feet and shrugged on his cloak, heading out of the room he’d converted for meditation and towards the sparring arena where he knew the boy would be with Phasma. Hux’s friends and former colleagues had taken the child on without needing instruction from Ren, and he trusted that they acted in his best interests as Hux would have wanted.

When he found the space empty, he frowned and reached out into the force, alarm rising inside him when he realised that they were in Hux’s wing, the only place in the palace he’d insisted be off-limits. The thought of anyone touching Hux’s things sent rage pulsing through him, he’d locked them away to keep them safe and now the boy - the one who taunted him with Hux’s face at every opportunity - was rifling through his beloved’s possessions.

He stormed through the corridors, forcing terrified staff to move for him or risk being thrown aside with his powers. He’d destroy anyone who dared enter Hux’s space, whether they were of his blood or not. He didn’t even set foot in there, Hux’s things were too precious to be placed at risk of his temper.

“He insisted the chair didn’t look right without his greatcoat on the back.” Phasma murmured with a fond smile, watching the boy run his fingers over the black gaberwool coat with the stripes of a General on its sleeves, “He spent so long in the miliary that matters of trade and domestic issues were something of a learning curve at first. He trained as an engineer originally, it was him that built the Supreme Leader’s Silencer.”

“I didn’t know that.” the redhead admitted, taking a cautious seat at the large desk and glancing around the room. There were boxes and racks of clothes that clearly didn’t belong in the space, but he could imagine the Emperor working comfortably with the large windows overlooking the palace gardens.

He carefully opened the top drawer on the right side and was surprised to find rows and rows of holos packed inside. He picked one at random and slotted it into the desk’s holoprojector, curious to know what was so important to be kept in the Emperor’s top drawer.

“Ren, will you put that thing away?” Hux’s imperial tones echoed through the room as the blue-tinged holo came to life, “It’s not even visible yet!”

“I want to record every bit of this.” Kylo Ren’s chuckle could be heard as the holocam was moved to show the two of them stood in front of a mirror, “You’re going to hate it when your feet swell and you’re stuck in bed, and I’ll show you these holos to remind you how happy you were when we found out.”

“No matter how awful I feel at the time, I’ll always know that this is worth it.” the Emperor replied, leaning back into his husband and holding their hands over his flat stomach, “Can you believe it? Us, parents?”

“The best parents in the galaxy.” Ren placed a kiss on Hux’s neck before the holo cut out.

“These are all of him, of them...” the boy realised, wiping a tear from his cheek and slotting another holo into the machine. Now he’d seen a glimpse of his parents, he wanted to see more. The Kylo Ren on the recording was not the bitter Supreme Leader he’d grown up with.

He was watching his Mother cradle him, his Father proudly sat beside his husband and newborn offspring - when Kylo Ren himself burst into the study with unrestrained fury spinning around him in the force.

“How dare you set foot in here!” Kylo roared, the dark inside him delighted as the child cowered under his gaze. The anger drained away when he saw the holo that was still playing and he moved towards it, drawn like a puppet on a string to the vision of beauty that was his beloved Hux. He’d been careful to avoid holos and images of him in the years since his death, not wanting to cause himself further pain, but now he couldn’t look away.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to see...” the child whispered, tears of joy now replaced by tears of fear as his father approached, “I won’t do it again, I swear. Please forgive me, Father.”

“I brought him here. Don’t blame him.” Phasma spoke up, moving to stand behind the Emperor’s chair, ready to defend Hux’s boy if necessary, “He only wanted to know Hux, you can’t punish him for that.”

“I understand.” Kylo murmured, entranced by his soulmate’s smiles and laughter in the holo. They’d been happy, the palace had been filled with hope and sunshine, but he’d allowed that to drain away. His son had been raised in cold and darkness, the opposite of Hux’s wishes, and he’d allowed it. He’d punished their son for his own failings, for allowing Hux to be put in harm’s way and brought down by a single blaster shot when he should have been there to stop it.

“I’m the one who should be sorry.” the Supreme Leader admitted, “You may come here and explore as often as you wish. It is only right that you would be curious.”

He turned away, intent on leaving the room and never returning when he spotted the sealed envelope on one of the shelves. He remembered when he’d been handed one similar by Mitaka, Hux’s dying words to his husband and child noted down at the Emperor’s insistence, and how he’d stashed it away in the study along with the rest of his memories of Hux.

“This is for you... Armitage.” he breathed the name, using the force to levitate the letter to the desk where his son sat. He’d insisted they name their son after Hux himself, yet he’d refused to even use the name since his beloved’s death, “After the shot... before he... those were the words he wanted to say to you.”

He nodded to his son and Phasma, leaving the room as quickly as possible.

Armitage,

Dear Mitaka has promised to give this to you and I truly hope that he keeps his word.

Of the 1294 days I’ve known you, you are already my proudest achievement.

You have a bright future ahead of you, one day you will be the Emperor of the galaxy that your father and I brought peace to. You must remember to be kind and just, to embrace compromise, and to find the light in the darkest of situations.

I am with you, always.

The boy, Armitage, gently placed the letter down and walked to the window. The rain clouds were slowly clearing, revealing a hint of sunlight beneath. When he closed his eyes, he could almost feel his mother standing beside him.

“I wish I could have known you. It’s not fair that we had hardly any time together, but I promise to do the best I can to protect what you built. I’ll try to make Father happy too, he’s been so sad for so long.”

“Don’t worry about him.” Phasma quietly interjected from her place beside the door, “Coming in here, seeing the holo, it’s reminded him what’s important and what he’s been missing. He won’t make the same mistake again, we won’t let him.”

“I’d like the drapes removed from the paintings around the palace, I don’t want Mother to be hidden away any longer.” the boy decided, a new rod of steel seemingly running through him as he turned to face her, “And I want to have meals with Father. Will you help me arrange it, Phas?”

She carefully lowered herself to one knee, “As I did for Hux when he was barely a Captain, I pledge my fealty to you, Armitage Hux II. Long may you reign when the role of Emperor becomes yours.”

“You’re still not going to let me win during training though, are you?”

“Dream on, little Huxling.”

“You did the right thing. It’s not too late for you to bond with him properly and be the father he deserves. You have to make the decision, no one can do it for you, do you continue on this path of pain or do you make a change?”

“I can’t just leave you behind. Don’t ask that of me.”

“Never. As if you could be rid of me so easily, Ren. We’re in this together, you and I, always. It’s time for you to raise our son now, to give him enough love for both of us. He’ll need you at his side when he comes of ruling age.”

“And you? I hate the thought of you being alone.”

“I’m not alone. I’m here with you and Armitage, waiting for a time when we can be together again. Stop trying to save me from a fate that has been decided and focus on protecting him. Make sure that he becomes the ruler that this galaxy deserves.”

“I love you.” he whispered, opening his eyes as golden sunlight chased the darkness from his meditation space. He knew he wouldn’t be complete until he was back with Hux, wherever that place was, but until then he’d do his best for their son.

A new era was dawning, an age of peace and prosperity for all the galaxy under Emperor Hux II.

#kylux #kylux fanfiction #armitage hux #kylo ren #mpreg #emperor hux #supreme leader kylo ren #captain phasma #armitage hux ii #grief #angst #author: wingedwizardcat

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that-shamrock-vibe · 4 years

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Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984 (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: I haven’t been able to see this movie when it came out here in the U.K, so had to wait until a couple of days after Christmas to both watch and review it. If you haven’t seen this movie by the last week of the year and want to avoid spoilers go and watch it before reading on.

General Reaction:

I have finally seen Wonder Woman 1984, the first new superhero movie I have seen in 2020 outside of The New Mutants and my god it has been a trial to be able to watch this.

Being from the U.K, which was surprisingly a factor with one minor part of this movie, we over here usually get the big blockbusters particularly of the comic-book variety before or on the same day as the U.S. However, thanks to this fakakta pandemic and the new world order that movie studios and theatres find themselves in during 2020, I have been reduced to watching a blockbuster movie for the first time initially on my laptop rather than on the big screen as movies like this should be brought out first as.

I am fully aware that this is a global pandemic and that watching movies in the cinema pales in significance to what needs to be done to combat and eventually defeat this crisis, but being from an area where all cinemas are closed I’m out on a limb basically.

I won’t turn this part of the review into a COVID rant because frankly I am sick of talking about it but I do feel COVID will be a factor with the performance of these upcoming movies.

That being said, the second real world rant factor I have for this is WW1984 I feel has suffered due to constant schedule shifting and I feel a fairly uneven advertising campaign.

I went into this movie not thinking I was going to see the villains the way they are in the trailers or the comics and honestly it does seem that Cheetah and Max Lord, who are both credited Wonder Woman villains, have their roles reversed and the one who you think is going to be the biggest threat pretty much becomes a henchman and the one mainstream fans may not know a lot about is surprisingly the big threat but you’re also meant to feel sympathetic for both of them to a degree.

It seems a complete 180 spin from the first Wonder Woman movie which was a very grounded and gritty WW1 story to now be in the zany 80s...which as a decade has aspects of being zany yes but the way in which this movie plays out genuinely made me think of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies...but the best of them rather than Emo Peter.

There are so many plot points in this movie that more or less spawn from the main McGuffin of the movie which is the Dream Stone allowing people to make wishes but grants them with a sacrifice. The movie has several sub-plots that are the repercussions of the wishes that everyone makes and individually all of these sub-plots are very interesting...it’s when you then try to tie them all together for the big climactic battle that is when you get a bit of a mess,

Also, there is hardly any action in this movie and as both a Wonder Woman movie and a superhero movie in general, I am longing for some action sequences this year and the fact there are almost no good v evil fights would be disappointing, if not for the fact I understand where Patty Jenkins and the writers are trying to accomplish with this movie in comparison to the first movie.

I am not a massive Wonder Woman fan, I know the basics of Diana, the two Wonder Girls, Cheetah and Max Lord enough to understand what is going on. But the one thing that has always drawn me to her is that she is a hero with two distinct sides.

Firstly there’s the warrior that most mainstream fans would be aware of which is more played up in the first movie, but then there’s also the diplomat and the ambassador who attempts to always get across her message of peace which is more played up here.

If I think about it from that perspective, I can forgive the lack of action.

That being said, there is still a jumble of plot points that once you do untangle them all lead to the same conclusion, but there are too many ideas in 2h30 to make the movie coherent.

That’s the main negatives out of the way, the positives somewhat outweigh the negatives, let it be known I did enjoy this movie and there are some brilliant moments and sequences, but a lot of scenes aren’t developed enough or some aspects seem to be kept on the backburner maybe for a sequel.

Characters:

Diana:

We have to start with Wonder Woman herself, but as I mentioned before I am calling her Diana rather than Wonder Woman in my subheading because there wasn’t a lot of Wonder Woman action in this movie. If you’ve seen the trailers you’ve seen pretty much everything.

Going back to that first action piece when we are reintroduced to Wonder Woman at the shopping mall, I do understand why she’s doing what she’s doing by acting as a vigilante rather than a public superhero and not using violence does keep in step with where we first met her in Batman v. Superman during present day where she claims not to be about fighting or saving mankind anymore and to be honest here she does keep with that. She’s given up her Godkiller sword and shield but still makes full use of her lasso of truth along with her bracelets of submission and Aunt Antiope’s Tiara in a defensive manner but never to outwardly cause harm.

But yes, this entire sequence could easily substitute Wonder Woman with Spider-Man and her lasso and tiara with his web-shooters and feel like the good parts of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies. It’s just borderline corny and somewhat cartoonish particularly when she’s saving the two young girls by either dropping them on a rocking horse or spinning them into giant teddy bears.

Also there’s that Cairo highway chase scene which sees Steve and Diana chasing after Max Lord who has just achieved his goal of claiming an army. I both like and dislike this scene. I like the scene for showing the starting effects of Diana’s power loss which is later explained to be the cause of Barbara’s wish to be like her which means she is syphoning Diana’s power.

On the flip-side, I really don’t like the overall action in this scene. Firstly, she seemingly has her armour on underneath her clothes because as she’s getting out the car she has her clothes on one minute and her armour in the next shot with no spinning involved.

Secondly, she gets out the car and starts running almost instantly while the car is still moving...I get she’s a demigoddess and therefore normal laws of motion may not apply to her but there’s no dodgy transition or stumbling or anything, she just starts running...Baywatch style to a remix of her theme which is brilliant but because of her losing her powers she is somewhat weakened and therefore you see her bleed. The whole scene just seems rather sloppy.

Regardless of the somewhat lacklustre action of the movie, Wonder Woman 1984 excels in presenting a different form of battling with words rather than weapons. Diana’s message of hope and love at the end of the movie may be a complete switch around from how she was all for being the god-killer in the first movie where Ares was involved, but it’s definitely a good message and, particularly in these times, a needed message.

Sometimes love and hope is enough, Diana does try and see the best in everyone and cannot understand or comprehend evil unless there is no other option. Ares was the God of War and as such a personification of hate and therefore evil. Max was simply corrupted and misguided and Diana could see that, just as Barbara was.

All of this is sold in Gal Gadot’s performance. You can tell from the start Diana is doing what she’s doing because she feels it is what’s right, but particularly when Steve comes back and the ultimatum is either saving the world or keeping him she is definitely torn at one point. Steve is the only thing she has ever wished for herself other than becoming a warrior and protector so why shouldn’t she be rewarded for her decades of servitude?

Also, much like every movie she appears in, Gal Gadot looks stunning throughout this movie. Not just in her Wonder Woman and Golden Armor but also in her Diana persona, she wears what appears to be a boiler suit at one point in this movie and still looks like it could be modelled on a runway. I know Gal is/was a model but she is never defined by that. When she’s acting she’s an actress first and a model second and the clothes never wear her.

My favourite look of hers which I now have in Funko form is her gala dress because not only does it honour her Amazon roots but it just looks stunning.

Her Wonder Woman armour here is made somewhat more cheesecaky than her other versions and it does make Diana look somewhat like Wonder Woman barbie but because of the vibrant 80s setting this movie is in and particularly with who else shows up in the movie offering a great parallel to it, it actually won me over. If this is how Wonder Woman looks as a diplomat I’ll allow it.

I really do enjoy the parallels between the DCEU’s Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne in terms of the detective/vigilante combination. Because there was little fighting here, Diana was allowed to be the detective more, travelling to different places tracking down Max Lord and figuring out that the Dream Stone is the cause of Steve returning from the dead.

However, while they may be pushing Diana and Bruce together in the present day, Diana’s true love is Steve Trevor and the two do have a fantastic blend of a working and romantic partnership on par, for me, with Ant-Man and the Wasp from the comics.

Outside of Steve though, Diana definitely has no love-loss for other men until the end of this movie. She sees right through Max Lord’s childish bravado at the start of the movie, she’s quick to repel any letchy guy throughout this movie, and it isn’t until Steve effectively gives her permission to move on at the end that she does...albeit seemingly with the man whose body Steve took over which seems a little backwards to me but I’ll allow it.

Wonder Woman also gets some fancy new upgrades in this movie. Not only do we have more functions of the Lasso of Truth with showing memories and broadcasting a voice, but also Diana gets her invisible jet through the means of a new power being able to make things invisible which she says is inherited from her father (Zeus) who used the power to hide Themyscira from the world.

The jet is a great precursor to what comes later because while flying in the jet, Diana talks about her longing to be able to fly which we all know as fans that she can do in pretty much every other incarnation yet all we’ve seen her do in the DCEU is leap long distances.

So the payoff when she actually flies after letting go of Steve finally was fantastic, honestly a fist-pumped the air and startled my dog because I got that excited. I do love how she still uses her lasso to propel herself and swing from lightning because it’s kind of like training wheels but seeing her fly at the very end unaided was everything.

I can’t decide how I feel about the ending, I do love how Diana saved the day in terms of using words over weapons, but it’s the fact she is pretty much looking directly at the camera while giving this big hope and love speech implying that she is talking to us as an audience as well as the world within the movie. It just seems very much a #BeKind movement which, again, is an important message particularly in today’s climate. But why does this need to be in a superhero movie?

Gal Gadot continues to be rather funny in the role as well. As with the first movie though, her humour is never really in jokes or in her actions but rather in serious dry whit. This kind of humour is right up my street. From her rejection of Max’s offer to buy her a TV to teaching Steve about the advancements in the 1980s from his time it was all rather well handled.

Diana simply continues to be a very warm and welcoming hero and Gal Gadot radiates these traits effortlessly. You feel bad whenever she feels bad, you want to cry whenever she cries, you get angry whenever she gets angry and you smile whenever she smiles. Gal Gadot continues to be as perfect in the role of Wonder Woman as Johnny Depp is for Jack Sparrow and Rosario Dawson is Ahsoka Tano.

Max Lord:

Okay so this is where things get complex because, to the best of my knowledge, this version of Max Lord is not the same as the one from the comics or any other media I’ve seen...I genuinely actually think they say Lord isn’t even his actual surname in this movie.

Alright, so this is where I’m slightly conflicted on this character. Maxwell Lord from the comics and Smallville where I first became aware of the character is a meta with the ability to control minds.

Becoming the Dream Stone doesn’t really give him the same power as effectively it makes him a genie but the power of the dream stone being equivalent to that of the Monkey’s Paw which grants wishes with consequences I guess is of similar elk.

Also, it’s not stated but shown that Max has some sort of degenerative condition before obtaining the stone but using the power of the stone seemingly sped up the condition because by the third act of the movie he looked like a shell of a man.

Obviously he knew of this which is why he wanted to utilize the stone’s power to a mass audience in order to grant their wishes and in return syphon their health and wealth but this is why I say that neither he nor Barbara were true villains because they were corrupted by the power the stone gave them.

I have a very weird stance of sympathetic villains, Cheetah is supposed to be a sympathetic villain to a degree but I’ve never really seen Max as such. In Smallville he is pretty much a henchman or underling whereas in Supergirl he was somewhat an anti-hero towards the end but mainly a villain.

I get the movie’s message of “Nothing good comes from hate” is in reference to the stone which was made by a trickster god and as such is inherently corrupt which makes its users also corrupt but not evil. But considering I originally didn’t think Max would be the main antagonist of the movie, when it was revealed he was I wanted to see some evil for evil’s sake behaviour rather than power corrupts twice over.

Also, in relation to his wishing power, the scene in which he tries to go through numerous clients to regain his health does play off a lot like Lucifer luring out people’s greatest desires.

Speaking of the wishes, two aspects of this I want to highlight. Firstly, when he reaches out to the world and grants everyone’s wishes, that one wish the diner lady utters about wanting the Irish to go back to where they come from...as someone of Irish heritage this is that wish I mentioned being from the U.K. was a surprising factor in for me...despite my Irish heritage being of Republic blood rather than Northern.

Secondly, I have now seen this movie twice and I do not know the reason for the weird satellite light that Max was in during the climax. I mean everything was basically going to hell and Max receiving the energy of the wishes and granting the wishes was basically giving him this protective funnel which Wonder Woman couldn’t penetrate, but was the light from the satellites and why did he need the satellites other to broadcast himself which he’s clearly already doing so what’s going on? I may not be making much sense but I genuinely don’t know what was going on at that point.

Pedro Pascal was still very good in this role, he comes across a lot better in the actual movie than he does in the trailers because the shots we see of him in the trailers I genuinely thought he was wearing a hairpiece, and he still might be but it looks more natural throughout the movie.

I know Pascal to be a rather funny individual in interviews and behind the scenes of other projects, but I’ve never seen him actually be funny in character...again I’m not sure how I feel about a comedic villain, but between this role and his role as Agent Whisky in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, he has the makings of a great villain actor.

There were times when Pascal played the character like Steve Carrell voice’s Gru in Despicable Me which again plays into the comedic villain angle but overall I felt his motives were clear and the way in which he went about achieving his goals was bold, ballsy and well executed.

I get why they added a son for Max in this movie and I am glad they stuck with the fact Pedro Pascal is Latino despite I don’t believe the character originally is but it added some diversity to the movie along with Gal Gadot’s Israeli accent. But yeah the point of the son was to personify what Max sacrificed in exchange for his wish because all he wants deep down is to be a success in his son’s eyes and feels this is how to go about it, but when it’s the choice between his son’s safety over the completion of his dynastic plan, similarly to Diana choosing to give up what she wants (Steve) for the greater good, he chooses his son.

Also I will say this. When Alastair tells Max that he already loves him because he’s his dad and strokes his face...Had I actually seen this movie when it came out in the U.K. it would have been two days before the finalé of The Mandalorian Season 2. But because I saw that finalé first and the very emotional scene between Din and Grogu...to see that pretty much replicated here felt slightly lacklustre.

Max doesn’t die at the end, no one dies in this entire movie (technically) so there is room for him to return unless they do another time jump. I’m not sure why he would return unless he goes full villain for villainy sake rather than corruption but I am actually happy he survived.

Having said that, one of Wonder Woman’s most famous moments from the comics is snapping the neck of Maxwell Lord. This could have easily been the climax of the movie but I feel thanks to Man of Steel giving this plot point to Superman when he snapped Zod’s neck, despite chronologically this coming first it would lose it’s momentum,

Cheetah:

I will admit I was not as disappointed with Barbara as I thought I would be going into this movie.

Having said that, I’m going to start with the negatives before talking about the positives of the character.

Firstly, both Barbara and later Cheetah are redheads, Kristen Wiig is naturally not but for the role of the character she could have easily worn a wig or died her hair for the role because not only is Barbara being portrayed as the ditzy blonde at the start of the movie a little redundant at this point, when she became Cheetah it did not look right with her as a blonde.

Now let’s talk about the actual Cheetah look. We’ve seen that one shot of her in the DC Fandome trailer but it was so dark and so quick that there was practically nothing to analyse, seeing her appear in the final 30 minutes of this movie...which is how long she actually appears as Cheetah...it’s both a lot to take in but also a lot to be disappointed in.

So Barbara’s turning point to villainy I feel isn’t when she beats up that man who attempted to assault her, but instead when she fears Diana and Steve are talking about killing Max to save the world because he absorbed the stone and the stone needs to be destroyed to save the world from carnage.

At this point she appears at the White House just as Diana has Max captive, dressed in this admittedly trendy Cheetah-print attire, incapacitates or possibly kills the White House security team and gives both Wonder Woman and Steve a whooping.

Firstly, the very fact there was no mention of the fact Barbara could tell Diana Prince and Wonder Woman were the same person just shows how daft the secret identities of some of these DC Heroes is.

But secondly, when Max retreats, Barbara hitches a ride with him and gets another wish for saving his life. Rather than wishing to be like Diana this time, she wishes to become an Apex Predator and is therefore granted the anger and vengeance of all the people Max grants wishes to via satellite.

This combination somehow turns her into a Cheetah as when we next see her she is Cheetah...a very badly CG’d undeveloped version of Cheetah but this is our Cheetah.

My version of Cheetah is from Injustice 2 and I know a bit of her backstory in the comics enough to know she was an archaeologist who was cursed to become the Cheetah and how in the DC Rebirth Wonder Woman, Barbara and Diana were friends but then when she became Cheetah, she felt betrayed by Diana and became her enemy that way.

That’s kind of similar here but it’s not a Cheetah curse that made her Cheetah, it’s a wish and a very literal interpretation of the wish “I want to become an Apex predator”...what’s an apex predator? A cheetah, get it?

Also as Cheetah, she just looks like Barbara styled her hair different and bought a Cheetah onesie. I wish she had gone full cheetah with the face, instead we get some very weird make-up which seems to wash off when they land in the water and some weird contouring or something to give Kristen Wiig a different nose...they could have continued the Cheetah fur on the face, given her cat-eyes, bigger fangs, something!

Again, Barbara’s villainy stems from power corruption, Barbara’s first wish was wanting to be like Diana and because of this got her powers so went a little bit power mad when she discovered she had super strength and speed.

Interestingly though, despite being electrocuted, Barbara does survive and when all the wishes are renounced she reverts back to a human...or does she?

Keep in mind that we never see Barbara take back her wish, in fact she is quite adamant in not doing that which leads Diana to making the hard call. The fact is it was by Max’s hand that Barbara finally became Cheetah so when he took back the wish of becoming the Dream Stone, that wish was rescinded…but Barbara’s original wish of becoming like Diana and thus gaining the powers of an Amazon demigoddess actually might still be in tact.

It’s implied that she is still pissed at Diana even after reverting back to human, so I do see her returning more than I do Max Lord but in her return I hope there’s a Cheetah redemption.

Steve Trevor:

I am really starting to be won around by Chris Pine as an actor. Originally in my list of “Hollywood Chris’” he was at the bottom because he isn’t Marvel, but now I think I actually would put him ahead of Pratt. Not only do I love him in this role here but also Rise of the Guardians which I’ve re-watched over the holidays.

So when it was announced that Pine would return as Steve Trevor in a movie set decades after the first movie which he died in, I like a lot of fans were curious as to how they were going to accomplish this. I mean we’re dealing with the DC variation of Greek Mythology and so I thought maybe Hades could be a factor, but then when the MacGuffin known officially I think as a Dream Stone became a factor with the trailers, the idea of him being resurrected as a wish by Diana was speculated which was kind of true but there was a catch in that he only came back to Diana but taking over another man’s body.

The movie I think beautifully brings Diana’s childhood lesson taught to her by Aunt Antiope about cheating full circle with the wish she makes to see Steve again. In her defence, Diana did not know what she was doing or that she was actually wishing on a wishing stone, but when she realises the impact that this seemingly innocent wish is having on the world, ultimately she has to wake up to the fact that this is a cheat because Steve is dead but Diana has brought him back in another man’s body...without his consent. Again, NOT DIANA’S FAULT, but she is pseudo-responsible and so can’t win because she cheated. This is a plot point I wish they had developed further or highlighted more because, having seen it twice now in the past 24 hours, that is probably my favourite message of the movie. Cheaters never prosper, not even Wonder Woman or Cheetah.

Steve being introduced to the 1980s was a great chance to reverse the fish out of water story Diana had in the first movie but while hers was one of both wonder and humour, Steve’s was mostly wonder and it was so endearing to see.

I loved how we didn’t take too long on Steve exploring the 80s, I liked how organically it was woven into the ongoing story. We did get that great small touring scene of Diana showing Steve the art and the breakdancing, but that he discovered pop tarts and his wonder in wanting to fly that jet rather than simply get on a plane to travel to Cairo, it was all very well done and that’s mostly on Chris Pine.

I did find the body-snatching a little bit creepy at first and at the very end. We didn’t meet the guy that Steve inhabited (for want of a better word) so I don’t feel strongly positively or negatively about him because we don’t know him, but when we meet him at the end when we somehow flashforward from July to Christmas, I did feel weird that not only did it seem that he and Diana were interested in each other but also the fact it wasn’t even mentioned that he couldn’t remember the time that Steve was in his body.

As I said before when talking about Diana, the blend of the romantic/working relationship between Diana and Steve is (sorry) #relationshipgoals for superhero couplings. I am aware that Steve Trevor isn’t a superhero but neither is Lois Lane but both civilian halves of these superhero couples are very potent in the comics and I have never understood this particular relationship until now.

Steve is as strong a part of the duo as Wonder Woman is because while he doesn’t have her Amazon physiology, he has that core inner strength that he had in the last movie which is why he sacrificed himself originally...now yes he pretty much did the exact same thing here but this was after he was pretty much carrying Diana through that D.C. street and seeing all the chaos that these wishes were causing...genuine anarchy....that Steve knew the only way Diana could regain her strength and save the world was for her to let go of him.

It was the most emotional scene of the movie for me and the only scene to almost make me cry. after crying at the Mandalorian finalé I am not crying at another show or film for a while but still, because not only could you tell both of them didn’t want this to happen but also as Diana pulls herself away from Steve not looking at her as the camera pans away from him you just hear his voice saying “I will always love you Diana, no matter where I am”. There’s never been a more potent portrayal of a superhero couple in my opinion in the movies. Tony and Pepper came close in Avengers: Endgame but this tops it for me.

Do I see Steve returning again? Yes, because I feel when you’re dealing with a property about gods and magic there is always potentiality for anything. I mean this movie is the definition of potentiality for anything because I think if it does succeed then they get away with a lot that other properties wouldn’t, but anyway yes I want Chris Pine to return to this role because I love him in it.

Amazons:

This is another scenario where the advertising lets the audience make up what is in store for us with announcements because announcing that Robin Wright is returning as Antiope after dying at the start of the last movie does raise suspicion.

The obvious solutions were resurrection, vision or flashback and for the majority of Amazon scenes save for one it was all flashbacks which I’m not going to grumble at because I enjoyed that opening scene.

I like how Themyscira basically has their own version of Ninja Warrior and that this scene was most likely set chronologically after Antiope agreed to train her. Which begs the question why her mother was so okay with it considering even as an adult Hippolyta has issues with Diana becoming a warrior but her contribution was so short I let that slide.

I’ve already mentioned how Antiope’s lesson of cheater’s never prosper was utilized so well in this movie but, similarly to Chris Pine, I just love any reason to bring back Robin Wright.

Aside from Hippolyta and Antiope though there was a third minor Amazon focused on in a couple of scenes in this movie, that is the ancient Amazon warrior Asteria.

Asteria was mentioned a couple of times, firstly by Hippolyta in reference to her statue as someone to strive to become and then by Diana to Steve when discussing the origins of her Golden Armor. During this discussion we see a flashback of Asteria in a crouched position being whaled on by Neanderthals protecting the Amazons as they retreated to Themyscira. We only see her eyes and at this point in the movie I thought Asteria was a throwaway character and so Connie Nielson was doing double-time as Hippolyta and Asteria.

However, this proves to be untrue as in the only post-credits scene we get we see Asteria walking down seemingly the same street we left Diana on in Washington, though they never clarify where it is. Furthermore we originally only see the back of her and she is dressed a lot like Diana with the same hair and clothing style. She even effortlessly stops a pillar or lamppost from crashing down.

But it isn’t Diana, at least not the one Gal Gadot is portraying...as it is revealed to be Asteria portrayed by Lynda Carter in a fabulous short, sweet and somewhat cheeky sequence where she states “I’ve been doing this for a long time” with a cheeky wink directly to the camera. I mean she basically echoes lines Diana says in the movie, but the fact it’s OG Wonder Woman and knowing we’re also getting Michael Keaton returning as Batman in the upcoming Flashpoint movie, it’s all just brilliant.

Obviously for fans of the Supergirl series, Lynda Carter had a recurring role on that as Earth-38′s President of the United States who was an alien and I have also seen her in Sky High, but looking at her here she just looks flawless.

Does this mean we’re going to see Asteria in Wonder Woman 3? I can’t wait to find out.

DCEU:

Speaking of the larger DCEU, this movie does absolutely nothing to connect itself to any other DC movie or property. We’re in 1984...Bruce Wayne is 12 so at this point has lost his parents, the original Black Canary is potentially crime-fighting, it’s the year Lex Luthor is born, Clark Kent is living in Smallville, Amanda Waller would just be starting out in the career that would see her become director of ARGUS. There are so many possibilities particularly as we haven’t had a movie set in the 80s within the DCEU before.

This is where DC continues to flounder where Marvel succeeds. They do not grab the opportunities for a cinematic universe expansion and instead keep everything contained. I don’t even think the events of Wonder Woman were mentioned outside of Steve’s death.

Particularly as we now have to wait until August for The Suicide Squad as the next DC movie (outside of the Snyder Cut), it would have been nice either if there would have been a tease to lead into that or even if something in this movie links to the Snyder Cut of Justice League.

Overall I rate this movie a 7/10, it’s a very enjoyable movie if you manage to follow all the threads the plot weaves into this movie, because they’re not seamless.

I’ve actually paid attention to the box office, reviews and CinemaScore for these movies since Birds of Prey and I have to say for being a focussed Wonder Woman movie it is underperforming from the first one with a B+ here as opposed to an A there, but considering Diana’s first outing was in Batman v Superman with a B score, I think the fact both Justice League and this have a B+ bodes well as it averages out with middle of the pack superhero movies, and that’s a good way to describe this movie.

It’s not better than the original, and there are many tangles within it, but it’s not a terrible movie. Again I’ve seen it twice in the last 24 hours and neither time got old for me.

So that’s my review of Wonder Woman 1984, what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more DC Movie Reviews as well as other Movie Reviews and posts.

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anxiouslyfred · 4 years

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You Wouldn’t Steal a Movie

for @dukexietyweek‘s day 3 prompt of Pirates, all that’s coming into my head is that antipiracy add on videos. Let’s run with it

Summary: Virgil wanted to be a pirate when he grew up but pirating films and music doesn’t quite fill his dreams. After a small comment about that Remus suddenly wants to pirate a pirate ship and by hell he’ll achieve it.

Warnings: theft, piracy, sexual comments, pining, if there’s anymore let me know

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Virgil had met Remus when they were in school. They’d been sat next to each other on the first day of class when their teacher decided that the best way to have a successful start was some conversation games. Really they’d just been given quiz sheets of questions to ask each other and had to go through them.

Now Virgil could only remember one of the questions he had been asked since each sheet had held a different selection of questions. Remus had asked what he wanted to be when he grew up and he’d insisted that he’d become a pirate.

Looking back at that excitement and all the games Remus used that sentence to pull him into, Virgil really wished that had just stayed a dream. Instead he was headbutting the desk next to his computer, praying it would play along sometime this decade.

“You know I don’t actually need any more stock this week. What on earth are you attacking the poor desk over.” Remus called, sprawled over their couch upside down. He had been the one to get them into movie and music piracy, opening a market stand up after Virgil worked out the easiest ways to get the movies downloaded.

Remus had insisted it was just like the pirates, only instead of the oceans their seas were websites and movie theaters, and the swordfights were replaced with viruses Virgil had been creating and destroying since he first hacked into their schools mainframe.

The glare Virgil turned to him with showed that the five-hundreth realisation that it wasn’t was about to explode and the popcorn he kept behind the cushions was all prepared to watch it.

Seeing the popcorn get brought out though had Virgil silently talking himself through the breathing exercises most often used to help his anxiety. They’d always doubled to prevent him from blowing up at Remus if he remembered in time. When he spoke all he said was, “When I said I wanted to be a pirate, I was expecting more ships than this.”

“Ooooh, Do you wanna try pirating a pirate ship? There’s gotta be a way to download one I swear or the modern world has failed me!” Remus bounced over, the idea clearly racing through his brain as with a few clicks he managed to reset and finish the download Virgil had been staring at trying to resolve the issues from it for an hour.

“You could have done that earlier. And wouldn’t we at least need like a 3D printer or something if we’re going to download a pirate ship.” Virgil cautioned, already tempted to see just what had appeared in Remus’s room recently.

That room was one Virgil usually tried to ignore given how many things would be brought home as market bargains only to get transformed into something completely different. The last time he’d looked through the door there was what seemed to be three rugs slowly getting cut and sewn into frankenstiens monster.

Remus was shaking his head already. “Or I could get the location for nearby ship owners, visit claiming to be an elite caterer or something, steal or copy all the keys in their house then try each of them until we’ve got the boat for ourselves.”

“And how are you going to avoid getting arrested while doing all of that? Or store a boat while you turn it into a pirate ship?” Virgil had to ask about the flaws in the plan, not caring about the cover story since Remus was actually qualified in catering after getting bored one summer while Virgil was in college.

The concerns were easily waved off, “I found this cave, really big except for the entrance although a ship could get into it at low tide. That would be a perfect place for our pirate ship. Also it’s easy enough to convince rich guys to show off their wealth with parties on their boats.

“Hang about they’d probably actually give me keys to the boat for the duration of that party. If I just made a side trip to Janus’s shop I could have the copy made and actually get paid for the catering job at the same time!” Remus cheered, nodding at Virgil as though waiting for any other concerns.

Virgil couldn’t be bothered to go into plotting with his best friend after so long arguing with his computer though so decided to just walk away instead. Hopefully this would all get forgotten by the morning.

/\/\

It wasn’t forgotten and the tuxedo Remus had somehow gained while Virgil slept had a lot of thoughts Virgil would never admit to running through his head. “Please tell me your brother has called about a family event and that’s why you’re dressed up?”

“Are you asking to get dolled up too because I have some scandalous outfits you could try on?” Remus smirked, doing a spin. The bow with a wink was enough to increase the blush on Virgil’s cheeks to a vibrant red reaching his ears.

“Never.”

Luckily Remus had already tired of that bit of teasing, grabbing a folder from the desk. “I’ve got to visit this lawyers family. He seemed rather interested when I reached out last night as a catering start up one of his colleagues is funding. I’ll have your pirate ship in no time, little Incubus.”

Virigl could only groan as Remus left, wondering just how long his blushing could be ignored for. Part of his mind wanted to worry about what remus was getting them into but he’d know the other for too long to seriously think he’d be able to change anything now.

/\/\

The next month passed quietly so far as Virgil was concerned. He carried on getting stock made for Remus’s market and tried to remain speaking whenever Remus disappeared in his tuxedo, without getting flustered.

He did notice when the tuxedo disappeared from the outfits Remus wore regularly after a month. There had been nothing more said about getting a pirate ship, but Virgil had known that was still what his room-mate had been disappearing to try and manage, and he’d thought it was going well.

There had even been a night of celebration with leftovers from what Virgil had thought would be one of the final events Remus did for the pirate ship. They’d gone out to the clifftops over the ocean, curled up either side of a skull and crossbones blanket and laughed about all the monsters they could find at sea or on land.

Instead of being dragged out to a ship shortly afterwards though Virgil just noticed that Remus was disappearing off in his comfy clothes, sometimes with a giant rucksack that would return empty. For all the random bouts of flirting between them still happened Virgil became certain that Remus had forgotten about getting a pirate ship in favour of some fling although that didn’t explain why the details of it hadn’t been shared.

Trying to deny any hurt at that possibility Virgil scolded himself that they’d never been together for him to get hurt over anything in the first place. It didn’t work very well.

/\/\

Almost three months since Remus had decided to give Virgil his wish of having a pirate ship and he was finally ready to share everything he’d managed to do.

Virgil had been right about the things he’d need to do to remain unsuspected by the law as well as actually come out of it with the boat. He’d just forgotten that any ship Remus was able to steal through that method wasn’t going to look like a pirate ship at all without a lot of work.

Remus had been determined though. If he was going to make his loves dreams come true again then the ship had to be a pirate ship before Virgil could ever see it. Perhaps this time he’d actually be understood when he told Virgil he loved him even.

He’d noticed the looks when wearing the tuxedo and all the blushes Virgil had been trying to hide for years, but honestly that outfit was never one he liked to wear. Remus had even registered some reluctance or upset from Virgil recently although he was a bit more confused about it and just hoped that whatever thoughts were upsetting him could be worked through soon enough.

For now though he’d finally tied the last flag to the mast and was ready to bring Virgil to their very own pirate ship. The next afternoon sounded like the perfect time.

/\/\

Virgil wasn’t quite sure what to think about being corralled out to the car after having thigh high leather boots thrown at him along with a loose shirt and black leather jacket. Remus had already been decked out in mostly leather when he barged back into their apartment, and had even added beads and braids to his hair alongside the usual excess of jewelery he’d wear.

He wasn’t about to refuse a hyperactive and affectionate Remus though, especially not one practically pulling his arm out with his bouncing as they headed off. “Come on, Black Hole, I wanna show you my best biggest surprise ever, and I’m not talking about the monster in my pants, though I’m happy to show you that too.”

“Where are you even taking me? I thought you had a fling going on that was taking up oh so much of your time.” Virgil tried to demand, instead snickering as he spoke until he registered the words had stilled Remus’s enthusiasm.

In fact Remus had stilled so much he wasn’t getting into the car.

“O-okay, what did I say to upset you? We can get in the car now.” Virgil stuttered out after being stared at for almost a minute, never hearing the car doors unlock.

“Only fling I’ve been having is with my hand.” Eventually Remus blinked out of the stunned realisation of how Virgil had thought he’d been spending his days. “Literally you’re the sewer map that guides me and thought I’d do anything like that without at least mentioning it to you? Virgil I freaking have been exhausting myself constantly for your surprise. There’s no action in the world that could take me away from your side, not even if you said the kraken and mothman wanted to invite me for a threesome!”

The words almost froze Virgil in turn but he still reacted enough to climb into the car as soon as it was unlocked. “So..” he tried to ask about the rant but was cut off by a finger on his lips.

“Let’s get to your surprise and then we’ll talk there.” Remus insisted, turning music on to further prevent any conversation.

/\/\

After being coaxed through a tiny cavern, constantly climbing downwards with a rope he was sure Remus had pinned to the edge himself to act as a safety tool Virgil had begun to remember what this could be. That didn’t do anything to prepare him for when the single rope turned into a rope ladder dropping down through the masts of a pirate ship.

“Woah!” There were no other words for him to say. It looked excatly like the pirate ships from the books and films he’d adored as a child. Virgil could only spin around taking in all the details and additions he was sure Remus must had made himself somehow.

“Captain Sanders, I believe you are missing your hat.” Remus said, breaking through his awed staring and holding out a captains hat, completed with a large purple feather.

“You got me a full on pirate ship.” Virgil whispered, still shocked.

Remus just nodded, “Well it at least looks like that while above deck. Downstairs it’s a lot more of how I felt like decorating in the moment. The kitchen is awesome though so I’m cooking us dinner tonight.”

“You said you’ve been exhausting yourself to do this for me?” Virgil asked, entirely believing that now, but not quite able to comprehend anybody doing such a momentous task all for him.

“Captain, do you realise just how much you could ask for and I’d do everything I could to get it for you? I’m driven to insanity for you and will thank you for it in every way I can think of.” Remus raved, barely even realising how close his steps brought them until he was looking down at Virgil.

Virgil swallowed, shaking his head, “Does that list include kissing me?” He spoke.

There were no words after that as their lips finally met, aboard a pirate ship in a hidden cavern.

#dukexietyweek2020 #dukexiety #remus sanders #virgil sanders #pirates #piracy #stealing a ship

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doomedandstoned · 4 years

Text

Meeting Bomg, Doom-Drone Legends from Ukraine

~Interview by Billy Goate~

Doomed & Stoned continues our week of epic interviews with a long overdue conversation with the great Ukraine doom-drone band BOMG, who have been desamating stages and blowing out amps since 2010. During that time, Nikolay Temchenko (guitar), Yuriy Temchenko (bass), and Anton Khomenko (drums) have put out two mammoth LPs, an EP, and a split.

I first got turned on to BOMG's sound with the record 'Polynseed' (2013), which released the year that Doomed & Stoned was founded. I recommend starting there if this is your first exposure to the mighty trio from Kyiv.

Bomg have been gradually drifting in the direction of full-on drone metal, executed in their own authentic and compelling way, as we're about to discover as we drill into 'Peregrination' (2020) -- which we reviewed last year and Robustfellow has recently reissued.

Give ear...

You state that BOMG means “vagabond” on your Bandcamp page. Can you elaborate on how the name ties in with the band’s history and core identity?

It’s an abbreviation literally meaning “with no particular place of living”. Funny thing is that its’ meaning is degraded in common use (like “bum”), but when it was incepted (60s – 70s in USSR) those who were stigmatized by it were better off going elsewhere than being part of the regime, taking it as a positive. This became somewhat of a short-lived movement even. We think that despite being prone to misunderstanding in every way, it fits the overall vibe. Blessing and a curse. But frankly, the name is a secondary thing at best.

How would you describe your distinctive sound, to someone who has never encountered it before?

Basically, trying to elaborate and add to “Black Sabbath spaghettified” idea. We try to squeeze out any possible amount of low frequency, volume, distortion and effect saturation to the instruments, not necessarily designed for it. As of similarities and influences, it’s 60s-70s heavy psych, proto-metal and proto-punk, 80s - 90s continuation of it (doom metal, stoner/desert rock, sludge, drone doom), besides that – dub, ambient, prog rock, experimental music, field recordings and whatnot.

Peregrination by Bomg

Your new album 'Peregrination' is an explosive bombshell, massive in every respect. When was the concept for the album born?

The first track was almost ready in 2011, we played it at our first show. As of concept, it started to take shape somewhere in 2013-2014, most of the lyrics were written back then. Then it took years to “grow.” First, we tried to make it so each track would fit one side of LP, but it seemed kinda compressed and landed too quick. Then we decided not to confine it to any time limit but each track landed itself around 40 minutes, so we made sure it evens out like this in final recording.

Tell us about the recording process involved. We’re very curious about instruments, gear, amps, and the general studio environment in which it originated.

Each whole track was recorded live (took roughly four weeks for four tracks), then layered with two additional guitars. Synths, field recordings, vocals were added afterward.

Gear: we used two Tank amps (Orange/Matamp clones) made from old soviet broadcast amplifiers and Tesla Disco 240 for guitar and bass (wish our Sunn concert bass was alive at that point, but it just burns transistors when turned on – we couldn’t find an exact schematic for it, even photos of the exact amp on the web, seems like it’s from some transition period).

The drums are '70s Rogers 13”, 16” toms and 24” steel shell bass drum from '50s-'70s (mass-produced for political celebrations, weddings and funerals), coupled with Meinl hi-hats, Paiste Rude China and Zildjian Mega Bell.

Guitars used were early '00s Gibson SG Standard, '72 Musima Eterna Deluxe and ’69 Musima Record; and ‘70 Cremona Violin bass.

Pedals: Poltava fuzz-wah, Noname “flanger” that is actually phaser for bass; Tesla Vrable fuzz-wah (the seller told us that his uncle was under KGB investigation for just having it), Noname dist (most likely a ProCo Rat clone), Vox wah, Boss BF-2, Lel’ parametric EQ, Lel’ digital delay, Boss dynamic wah, Roland Space Echo for guitar.

Recording equipment: Two '70s Oktava ML-19 for overheads, '50s-'60s Oktava ML15 and ML16 for room and various dynamic and condenser mics for everything else into Pro Tools, then later in mixing/mastering stage partly routed through mixer and cassette deck using beaten up cassette for analog saturation and vibrato.

Long story short, we tried to use most of the stuff we got in our studio, and at this point, it’s hard to remember every detail of the process. Referring to the environment, it is compiled of numerous weird gadgets which got to us throughout years, most of which were collecting dust somewhere for decades, and have a history (an entire topic by itself) we’re always asking for. And when used, they tell a story which then leaves a mark in recordings for sure. That was a hell of a fascinating process.

I noticed you had lyrics for each song on 'Peregrination,' but the singing doesn't seem discernable. Are there indeed vocals and, if so, how can I hear them?

Yes, there are vocals. They appear on low volume as reverberated and somewhat oscillated notes, more like presence; on high volume, you can hear words with 1-5 kHz correctly dialed in (on most audio equipment these frequencies tend to be excited, so lowering EQ at this range brings clarity), it appears as a whisper in a loud, saturated mix. Also, we added subtitles on YouTube, so you can know for sure where to find vocals. The point was to make them recognizable only with intent.

Talk about the album art. It seems there is hidden symbolism there, is that true?

It’s some sort of a window that leads to four areas, which are the visualized soundscapes to each track. There were no particular symbols, but the thing is that they fill in the picture as it is set - like a hallucination, which is often a well of meaning where symbols change and multiply interpretations, at the same time being just momentary blobs of form.

The process of making this album cover involved many iterations of drawing, running through GAN networks, editing the result to achieve the effect of a captured hallucination, close to the exact one. When hardwiring symbols directly into it, they would be eaten up by hallucinating AI. So by randomly forming a resemblance of shapes, things started popping out where they fit the most contextually - weird stuff. It’s a common thing in art to throw “open for interpretation” on everything, but this one might be.

What is the concept behind each "hobo" symbol and track on 'Peregrination'?

So, the first one means being quiet and alert, seeing what’s going on. The second one is a sign of a trolley – hopping from one soundscape to another, time travel. The third one – safe camp; it may be confusing when applied to the lyrics, but the position that is stated there facing the object is some sort of a “safe camp”, ground to stand on. The fourth one means “don’t give up”, even if applied in both meanings of this phrase to track. But the symbol references may lack context without diving into tracks.

I'm sure our readers would be most happy if you were to illuminate the meaning of each of the songs on your new album.

Well, it’s like trying to create a soundtrack to some introductory ontological theories (pretty blank, sterile stuff), realizing their intensity. Here uneven-numbered tracks touch on mind ontology, even-numbered - on reality ontology. Not diving into details too much, let them hang there.

I. Electron

Peregrination by Bomg

it's no light of star it's a light of mind walking thru a dream electron shamanism

"Electron" is covering the theme of mythical perception akin to humans and the discovery that put a dent into these beliefs. Variation on a Tunguska story, mythos surrounding Tesla, how people mythologize all around.

II. Perpetuum

Peregrination by Bomg

Across desolations Caravans astray Sand covered roads Forget old ways

"Perpetuum" goes more into sci-fi territory: endless cycles of dead and born-again civilizations, the Great Filter caused by cosmic events or beings themselves, and how we just might unknowingly observe such things staring at the sky.

III. Paradigm

Peregrination by Bomg

Giant web built and set in lines It works when mind reflects Leaving us with all the fears Or letting them disappear

"Paradigm" is based around the tendency of the mind to confine itself into some set of ideas, building a higher fence while thinking it broadens the space. Thinking of one thing while it is the opposite, fear of the structure collapsing while an event like this would alleviate any sort of fear. But breaking a paradigm usually leads straight to the next one, to which the same attributes apply. And keeping this notion brings a safe distance to it.

IV. Emanation

Peregrination by Bomg

Now the opportunity is To see the universe spinning Emit structures boundless Round its' endless borders It's the very first the very last small moment In periods of endless time When the structure merge infinite To manifest as something

"Emanation" goes somewhat contrary to the second one - a reality that may be started at some point, complicates itself, and never is truly repetitive. Also thoughts on subjective existence and the point of it, maybe being an instrument of the Universe to explain it to itself. Speculation on whether or not consciousness flows from one state to another, as energy does, returning to its inception or scattering across until equilibrium, or even said results being the same thing. And the uncertainty of these things that are left to be answered while we as beings, it seems, are just left to fade away.

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#D&S Interviews #BOMG #Kyiv #Ukraine #doom #metal #doom metal #drone #sludge #atmospheric doom #Robustfellow #Doomed and Stoned

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notapaladin · 4 years

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against a blood-red sky

Chalchiuhnenetl knows what she wants: power. Her young, idealistic brother Teomitl, destined for greatness, is an excellent way to get it.

Her plans don't work out as well as she'd hoped.

Spoilers for pretty much ALL of Master of the House of Darts, because you’re not telling me she wasn’t goading Teo on behind the scenes. Also on AO3!

It takes her a while, but after he returns from the coronation war, Chalchiuhnenetl decides she quite likes her baby brother. She’d discounted him at first—after all, she has many brothers, Tizoc and Axayacatl as shining examples of their general mediocrity—but he is different from the others. His conviction and ambition burns brightly within him. He is strong. Proud. A skilled warrior, even at his young age.

And so, so deliciously easy to manipulate.

She is no longer the fragile girl sold to Moquihuix-tzin’s bedchambers, not after all these years in service to Grandmother Earth. (All the sacrifices—her beauty, her youth, her physical strength—they were as nothing. Nothing compared to power.) She has learned that each man has his lever, his weak spot, where the skin is thinnest and the blood easiest to spill. It takes her only a few private conversations to learn Teomitl’s, though the answer surprises her when she does. A new-married man, still uncertain on where he stands in his wife’s heart, might be sensitive to her lack of respect for him, to her apparent lack of care for his feelings. (For she is the new Guardian of the Duality, and known to have a sharp tongue besides.) A freshly-appointed Master of the House of Darts, so loyal to his country and so determined to lead it to glory, might be infuriated by Tizoc’s utter failure of a coronation war. (For it is a failure, with only forty captives and most of those ill; Axayacatl would be ashamed if he could see what his brother has managed to do with the Empire he handed him.)

Teomitl is sensitive. Teomitl is infuriated. Mihmatini and Tizoc, then, are easy cracks in his armor.

But she listens, smiling at the right times and frowning at others, until she peels back the skin of him to the raw and quivering nerves below.

Acatl. High Priest of Mictlantecuhtli, brother to the Guardian Mihmatini, and Teomitl’s teacher in the magical arts. And—so clearly, so disgustingly clearly—the man Teomitl is in love with.

“Acatl-tzin,” Teomitl still calls him, with a sort of tender exasperation that comes close to tugging on the heartstrings she buried when Moquihuix cast her aside. Though he is Master of the House of Darts and therefore at least Acatl’s equal, though there simply isn’t much the man could possibly teach him anymore, he still insists upon addressing him with all due deference and honor. It’s clear to her that he thinks Acatl set the sun in the sky, that he reveres Acatl far, far more than the bond between student and teacher. He spends half his time worrying over the man’s health (pretending he isn’t, of course, but oh how transparent he is) and the other half cursing him for a fool to overwork himself so. (She thinks of telling him that when he is Revered Speaker, he can easily assign the man a dozen personal slaves—but that’s too obvious, even for her.) And under all his noble concern and reverence, like poison glimmering in the shine of a salamander’s skin, lies his certain knowledge that his feelings for Acatl will never be returned. That he will only ever be a student to him, never respected as a man. (Certainly never loved in return, for where can love follow where respect has not led?)

When she realizes it, she laughs until her guards step forward in concern. She waves them off, still chuckling, and permits herself a smile. This will be simpler than she thought.

(No, she’ll still never be an Imperial Consort. But having been the one to set the Revered Speaker on the throne, having his ear while knowing she could remove him just as easily...there’s power in that, too.)

From then on, it starts to fall into place. The spreading plague grants her an opening and she takes it, opening her house in Zoquipan for the quartering of her troops. (Teomitl’s in name, yes, but hers. Hers as long as Toci’s power pulses in her veins.) Teomitl comes with her, wearing gold at his throat and a cloak that is almost turquoise, and they speak long into the night. His doubts shine like cracks in jade, and she leverages them until the stone splinters.

“You know you’ll be a far better Revered Speaker than Tizoc could even dream of.”

“Look at how the boundaries are tearing themselves apart, how our enemies bay at our borders like wolves. I cannot wait for your reign to bring us back together.”

“Acatl will never respect you as a warrior, as a leader—unless you make him. Unless you show him your might.”

There is a minor setback when Acatl finds them and deems it necessary to investigate the situation in person. True, she almost laughs in his face at first—she is older than him, and for all that he can muster the raw power of Mictlan she has had decades more years than him to learn the finesse of her own skills—but before she can crack his ribcage like so many raw eggs Teomitl appears, and for a moment she thinks she will lose when he enters in turquoise and gold to confidently declare Acatl his. (Love, even doomed and one-sided, can be a powerful force in its own right. She should know.)

Then she sees the priest’s face, shuttered and raw-edged and very nearly furious, and she realizes she has nothing to fear. Though she cannot hear their conversation, Teomitl is angry and shaken when he returns to her side, and anger widens the flaws in his jade until her words can slip in like smoke.

“See? He always worries too much, doesn’t he? You must be strong.”

“Of course he doesn’t understand. You told me yourself he’s always hated warriors, always known that you have strengths—experiences—that he could never match.”

“I’m sorry, Teomitl. I suppose you’ll always be a child to him. He’ll never see you as the strong young man you are.”

Young Mihmatini is next to arrive, and that’s even more trivial to deal with. Whereas Teomitl has known and worked with Acatl for years, he and Mihmatini have still barely spent a week together without a chaperone. She is prickly, bold, opinionated, and somehow even worse at delicate diplomacy than her elder brother. Teomitl’s heart is hard as stone by now—as hard as any heart of a true Revered Speaker—and she is near to tears by the time she finally retreats. He’s quiet afterwards, but it’s obvious their exchange bothered him as well.

And so Chalchiuhnenetl steps in, once again the wise, understanding elder sister. “Imagine her face, Teomitl. Imagine how she’ll love you, honor you, when you are Emperor.”

“She’s your wife, and the Guardian besides. She’ll understand.”

“It’s all for the good of the Empire.”

He starts to smile at that, and she knows she’s got him in the palm of her hand. Yes, his rule will be for the good of the Empire. He will not only hold it together where Tizoc is tearing it apart, he’ll lead it on to new heights of glory. His name will spread like smoke, like mist, and she will be behind him every step of the way.

Finally, the hour approaches. The calendar priest they’ve...borrowed is clear; if they strike now, they will achieve their goals. And from a purely practical standpoint, this is the best time for Teomitl to seize his destiny; he has strong warriors behind him, Tizoc has fled the city for fear of the plague, and the clergy—especially Teomitl’s beloved Acatl—are busy with the breach in the boundaries. Teomitl is proud and stubborn, sure that what he is doing is right, and she knows he won’t be dissuaded. Because he is right. Tizoc is a failure, and it is his destiny to rule.

And then she and Teomitl are facing Mihmatini and Acatl, and Acatl—with his fists clenched and his face far too calm for a man who looks like his heart is breaking in two—is tearing through her carefully laid plans like cobwebs with a single sentence.

“I’m asking this as one man to another.”

She sees Teomitl’s face when he speaks, hears his indrawn breath, and knows that her hold over him is slipping; if she doesn’t act now, she’ll lose it entirely. And if he falters—if she allows him to falter—they will never have a better chance. She tells him this, voice cracking with desperation.

“You’re right,” he tells her. “It won’t happen again.”

Triumph.

And then he continues, dashing all her hopes. “But I’ll make it happen. Someday.”

She wants to scream. She thinks she does scream, in her hatred and fury. But it’s too much—he turns and lashes out, Jade Skirt’s power rising like the waters of the lake in flood, and she knows in that moment that she has lost. She has lost, and he will never trust her again.

In the end, she walks away silently. It’s clear she’s misjudged; the ties that bind her brother to Acatl are stronger than any words she could spin.

(Respect has led the way. She wonders, idly, if love will follow.)

#obsidian and blood #teomitl #acatl #teocatl #chalchiuhnenetl #paladin writes stuff

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thats-how-i-role · 4 years

Text

Sea Salt By The Sea Shore

A/N: The title was funnier in my head. Also this technically goes with Day 6 but shhhhhh. I had to do research about SNOWBOARDING. Which I surprisingly knew even less about than I thought I did. For the record, this is a halfpipe.

They put in their headphones, swiftly as to not get Amalthea’s attention as she blabbered into. They tuned into the local news station, where the segment had just switched to sports. And once again, as they have been for weeks since the crash, Jem was the top story.

Regan, the stout news anchor began as a photo of Jem holding their first Olympic gold medal appeared next to him on screen. “Folks, today some news that shook the Olympic world to its core was announced. As twenty four year old Jemon Morale, who is known for being last Winter Olympics Gold Medallist in the halfpipe circuit, has announced the fact they are retiring.”

“Now, if you haven’t been following this story, let’s catch you up.” Regan switched to a different camera angle as a new graphic appeared by his face. One of Jem in their snowboarding gear after they qualified for the Olympics when they were nineteen. “Jemon Morale was America’s underdog in the 20xx Winter Olympics, as they rose to the spotlight as being the first ever openly non-binary Olympic athlete. Quickly, they received support particularly in millennial circles, and became an LGBTQ+ icon for the sports community. Although, nobody was expecting them to get gold on their first try- with a twenty to one Vegas odds- Jem succeeded on the half-pipe. Not only becoming the first non-binary gold medallist, but one of the youngest that the Olympic world has seen in the past few decades.”

Another camera angle, another graphic. This one showing Jem on their knees, crying as they were announced the winner of the gold medal. “Throughout the past two years, Jemon had appeared on multiple talk shows, and different sports magazines. As well as promoting brands anywhere between underarmour, and frosted flakes. They quickly became America’s favourite.”

Jem felt Amalthea, a slender woman with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes, tug one of their headphones out. “Jem, are you listening to me?”

“Yeah totally.” Jem replied, eyes still transfixed on the screen.

“What’d I say then?” Amalthea questioned.

“Yeah totally,” Jem answered, completely not paying attention to her.

As another graphic appeared, one with Jem shaking hands with fans right before the qualifiers started for this year. Jem remembered that day so clearly, and yet it felt like so long ago. Regan continued, “because of their massive success, Jem was the favourite to win all the way up to the Olympics. But at the criticized event of the semi-finals, horror struck the world.”

This time, the camera zoomed in on Regan’s face with no graphic. “The winds were high on the day of the semi-finals, where many experts say that it would’ve been safer had the event organizers post-poned the event until the winds had calmed down. Yet in the moment, the event continued. With Jemon’s points putting them in the lead, the final round was approaching.”

The frame had left Regan, showing the live feed their news reporter had caught on camera on that day. Regan’s continued the story through voice over as he narrated what happened, “As you can see, Jemon lined up and took off into the half pipe smoothly. Achieving their first fourteen hundred degree spin on the first jump.” Jem flipped their snowboard around 3 and a half times, flawlessly besides the dismount. The landing was shaky as the wind pushed them farther into the half pipe. “But as Jemon flew up in the air for their second fourteen hundred, tragedy struck.”

Suddenly, present Jem was flashed back into the memory. When they went up in the air, hearing the cheers from their adoring fans. Succeeding on completing the spins, Jem counted in their head. One, two, three, land.

Land. That’s all they had to do. But they couldn’t.

They felt themselves get pushed through the air, further towards the ledge of the halfpipe. Jem went into panic mode, and even though this only happened in a couple seconds, time slowed for them. They curled into themselves, grabbing the top of their snowboard to try and get their legs over the ledge so they could slide down the side of the halfpipe relatively unscathed.

It almost worked too.

Because Jem fell towards the ledge at sixty four kilometres per hour, and their weight easily increased to almost two hundred pounds with all their winter gear, it wasn’t going to be an easy crash in any sense of the word. Jem didn’t work fast enough as their back leg clipped the ledge, bending and snapping the opposite way of their knee. Jem, feeling the pain shoot up to their spine, let go of their board, and they got completely turned around.

All they remember before their head hit and skid down the side of the halfpipe was the pain.

The next thing Jem remembers after the crash was waking up a week later in the hospital, with screws and metal pins in their left leg.

Jem came back to their senses, in the town car as the crash was shown on their phone screen. The video ended after Jem’s face grinded against the snow, shattering their helmet and goggles. The doctors said that they were lucky they didn’t lose an eye. But it was hard for Jem to even imagine that they were lucky as they gazed at their casted leg.

The screen went back to Regan, with a photo of the paramedics loading Jem into their ambulance. “After much deliberation of Jem’s injuries, it was leaked from an inside source that they were going to need to go through extensive physical therapy if they wanted to even walk properly again. The crash left Jem’s hip dislocated, their shin was shattered and their knee was completely torn out of its socket. Not to mention the torn ligaments and strained muscles. All of which were in Jemon’s left leg.”

The next camera angle featured the photo of Jem last night, standing at a podium with press surrounding them. Regan continued with, “Last night, Jemon gave this statement regarding their future in their career.”

Jem didn’t think they looked half as distraught as they did getting up on the podium. Jem began their speech, “Thank you one and all for coming tonight. And thank you for your hopes and prayers for me and my family as we pushed through these trying times over the past couple months. But as my recovery continues, and after getting a second and third opinion from trusted physicians, I am saying that I will never be able to compete again. I will continue my physical therapy in another facility down south. I’m sorry to all my fans,” at this point Jem’s voice began cracking the slightest bit, “I’m sorry to all those who supported me in achieving my dream. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making my dream come true. Even for a little while.”

The camera panned back to Regan, who had a solemn look on his face. “A teary eyed statement from Jemon Morale, and what will probably be their last public statement for a long time. I do want to say on behalf of this network, it was a pleasure covering your journey. We wish you all the best. In other news...”

Amalthea had finally ripped the phone out of Jem’s hands, effectively tearing the earbud out of Jem’s ear as well. “What the hell Mal?” Jem yelled, rubbing their ear to soothe the pain.

“You are the worst glutton for punishment I have ever met Morale.” Amalthea criticized, smacking them in the arm. “Anyways, Jimmy Kimmel wanted to to see if you could make it-“

“No.” Jem answered.

Amalthea flicked them in the nose, “I’m not letting you become a hermit down here. People want to hear from you Jem!”

“You’re trying to come up with things so I can keep paying you to do your job.” Jem stated, starting to toy with their cane. “The job which you’re terrified of losing because now that I am a washed up, cold, son of a bitch, I don’t really have a need for you anymore.”

Amalthea gritted her teeth but kept her voice as calm as she could. “I’m trying to give your fans what they want. We used to both want that.”

She stared Jem down to the point where guilt began to weigh in their shoulders. After a moment Jem sighed, “Fine. Set me up with Jimmy in a month, I just got here and don’t want to leave so soon.”

Jem looked out their window, as they passed by a boardwalk. This sunshine state was much different than what Jem was used to. No snow, and a fresh smell of the sea. And with that small inspiration, Jem got an idea.

They knocked on the window separating them from their driver, “Thorne, pull in here. I wanna go for a walk.”

Their driver nodded as Jem unbuckled their seat belt and readied their cane. Amalthea’s eyes widened, but really didn’t want to fight about this. So instead she just said, “Try and be back in ten. And take in some of the sights, maybe it’ll remove the stick shoved up your ass.”

Jem chuckled, opening the door. “Thanks Mal.”

With that, Jem left their town car. The boardwalk was alive with tourists and music. The sun beaming down on everyone was relaxing, although it was quite overbearing for Jem who had spent most of their life surrounded by the snow.

Leaning half their weight on their cane, they made their way up the wooden platform. They silently hoped that the sunglasses on their face would be enough to hide their identity. Although somehow, even here Jem’s face had graced some newsstands. But this was going to be a fresh start for them.

Right?

Wrong.

As they kept to the side of the boardwalk, they watched as the waved floated below them. The sun shining off the ocean was absolutely breathtaking. They couldn’t help but feel like they were at peace. But all good things must come to an end.

“Hey!” Someone shouted at Jem. Jem turned towards the yelling, and saw three, burly men approaching them. “You’re that guy, right? The snowboarder.”

Jem nodded, giving the men a thin lipped smile, “Yep, that’s me. Are you guys fans?”

The aggressive manner in how this man and his friends cornered Jem into the railing was telling them the exact opposite. But the man kept with a large, but obviously sarcastic smile.

“Kind of, give or take.” The man said, taking a puff from his cigarette. “I really thought you had some potential kid. You were truly one of a kind.” There was a moment of silence, that Jem was about to thank the guy in but then he continued, “I even put some money down on you.”

Shit.

Jem put the hand they didn’t have gripping their cane up defensively, “Okay, I see how it is.”

“Do you?” The guy dropped his cigarette on the would and put it out with his boot. “Because, I couldn’t get my son the game he wanted because of you.”

To sass or not to sass, that is the question. And unfortunately for Jem, since their accident they’ve been leaning more towards the former. “Buddy, it sounds like if you couldn’t afford buying something for your kid, then you had no business in putting your money down elsewhere. You cared more about getting more money then making your son happy.”

With that, the guy’s face fell. Fury is becoming etched into his features, but Jem continued. “Your deadend job isn’t paying you enough, or maybe you’re just lazy and refuse to ask for more hours. Maybe you’re just a coward, who thinks it’s unmanly to ask for help.”

Jem laughed to themselves, before delivering the killing blow, “The truth is, you’re emasculated when your pride takes a blow. And because you’re that sensitive, I may not have a gender, but somehow I’m still twice the man you’ll ever be.”

Now, in an hour after all this unfolds if you asked Jem if they regretted their actions here, they’d reply, “no, not really.” Despite any logical person would say yes.

The burly guy nodded to his friends, who immediately closed in on Jem. Jem instinctively tucked their bad leg behind their good one and leaned back towards the boardwalk railing. They deserved this, they know that. So they were gonna roll with the hits.

One of the friends snatched Jem’s cane from them, throwing them off balance. Jem quickly grabbed onto the railing, as the guy with their cane hit them in the stomach with it. Jem’s only response was a grunt.

A crowd began to form around them, some people taking video and Jem knew that surely enough this would be their next headline. The friend took Jem’s cane and tossed it over the side of the boardwalk, into the water. Jem tried to spin around and grab it, as somebody came up from behind Jem and knocked them over.

It was difficult for Jem to process what was happening, even as they went crashing head first into the water. They quickly were able to spin right side up, but couldn’t keep their head above water. Every desperate claw towards the surface, every time they tried to take a gulp of air, it was to no avail.

Jem’s vision began to blur, in a sense it was peaceful. As if this was what Jem was waiting for. After all, hadn’t Jem done everything they were meant to do? Their journey in life was over, their dream destroyed because of one mistake. Everything was over.

Or had it just begun?

Jem felt arms come around them and pull them up towards the surface. They gasped for air, coughing up some of the water. The strong arms wrapped around them gently patted their chest as Jem heaved.

“It’s all right mate, I got you.” The voice said. Jem peeked over their shoulder to see a man, with dark hair and green eyes. Not far off in the distance was a small boat, and Jem felt a small rush through their veins.

Yes, the next adventure had just begun.

#campaign 1 #jem #alveyn #my writing #my ocs #au week #friend ocs

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jackbabewang · 5 years

Text

New addiction

Pairing: Jaehyun x Reader Genre: Tattooist!au, Smut Word Count: 4,063

“Welcome to your new addiction.” There goes the slogan of Empire Ink, a place you’ve found to build the little dream of yours, a place where you discovered your new addiction.

Note: There’s something magical that I have to tell you guys—Few days ago, I stumbled across a tattoo of Jaehyun on my insta feed. Then, there’s a post where Jaehyun said that in his dreams he had a tattoo on his body. And I just had my tattoos touched up weeks ago. All this happened when I’m in the middle of writing this. Hope this turns out well! First attempt with suggestive content and then I have this one dollar photo shop quality, please bear with me. Thank you! (Not proofread, changes will be made in the future.)

Over the last decade, tattoo parlors burst forth within the districts of Seoul, like desert flowers blooming after a rain.

The body art was no longer viewed as a sign of trouble or gang affiliation and it was pretty common nowadays, even among the ladies.

You weren’t in the exception either. Well, not in a way like covering your skin with tattoos because you knew you would definitely regret it in the future.

Preferably, you are good in sketching and you’ve always had the idea of bringing your artworks into life. The canvas you wanted to work on was human skin, that would provide the pieces of art the mobility as they went down the streets of the city, showing off to the eyes of the public like a walking exhibition of your own.

Instead of chasing after the end goal, you chose to start it small with getting yourself a part time job during your breaks, to keep yourself motivated. Although you knew the possibility of you holding the gun is close to none, you wouldn’t mind either as long as you get to make your designs known.

You’re glad that the store you’re heading to did show a lot more interest in your artworks besides the multiple owner’s you’ve contacted, which they were looking for someone that could actually handle the machine.

A minimalist signage on the shop front, Empire Ink, large double-door of oak and glass serves as the entrance. The exterior was already welcoming.

With a genuine smile on your face, you push open the door, revealing a wide studio with high-class and modern interior. It looks as if it was an art gallery instead of the ideal place you were looking for. You’re in awe at how neatly the furniture and decorations were arranged. There’s a feature wall adhered with torn pages of sketchbooks with hand-drawn designs, the lightings in the studio making it more visually appealing.

You were lost in admiration when the sound of a friendly voice broke in, “Hello, how may I help you?”

You turn around and your eyes met with a guy who stood behind the reception desk, greeting you with a toothy smile. His hair was dark, with piercings that you couldn’t count on your fingers, wearing a black Hawaiian shirt patterned in hibiscus and palm leaves.

“Hey, um…” you begin hesitantly, unsure what to say when he continues to stare you down. “I’ve made an appointment few days ago, with Ten. It’s about the part-time job...”

“Oh, it’s you!” his smile grows even wider, eyes crinkling as he gives you a high-five instead of a traditional handshake, telling you to take a seat by a bar table while he gets some drinks for you. “I’m Ten, by the way.”

Slow and jazzy music booming through the speakers giving a comfortable feeling while you’re still doubting whether you’ve gone to the wrong place. It wasn't the tattoo parlor you envisioned.

“Relax. I don’t bite.”

He occupies the seat in front of you and props his chin on his hand, “So… I’ve seen your portfolio and I’m really amazed with your skills. I assure you that the others feel the same way too.”

Immediately a smile splits across your face, half appreciation, half embarrassment.

“Do you have any tattoos on yourself?” he wonders. The so called interview wasn’t as formal as you thought, it’s more of like a casual conversation where you get to know each other.

“No, I might regret it,” you chuckle, noticing the obvious differences on your skin. His was covered in elegance of floral line art, like the garden of Eden, while yours is a blank canvas.

And you begin to tell him about your story and the little dream of yours. You could sense the connection between him when he lets out ‘oohs and aahs’, putting you more at ease. The tiny seed of hope inside you was blooming when he said he sees the potential in you.

“That’s great! I can’t wait to work with you,” he squeals.

Your chatting gets interrupted when the entrance door opens, comes in guys in colorful hair and inked skin. You suppose they were visiting for their appointments, not until Ten calls over.

“Newbie!” he points at you and they wave in unison, greeting you with the same warmth-filled smile.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Leaving the place with a new excitement, you made a statement in your head: The whole studio just screams aesthetic, even the tattoo artists themselves.

Three weeks into your new job, you’ve gotten closer with everyone besides Ten, namely Taeyong, Yuta and Jaehyun. All of them are fairly nice and pampered you with food. While you’d help them in a lot of aspects like setting up the tattoo machines, arranging their schedules, snapping photos of their works, managing the official Instagram profile, the list goes on. You’ve done the most for Jaehyun, being busiest among the guys, that he somehow gave you the title as his personal assistant.

And when Ten needs your help, “Can you prepare my gear while I get the stencil done…”

“No, quit making her do things for you… She’s mine,” Jaehyun argues back.

It always turns out as their childish bickering with Ten defending that he was the one that brought you in while Jaehyun muttering bastard under his breath.

“How old are you? Five?” you accompanied the question with a jab on his chest.

That said, his expression brightens, the playful smirk was replaced with a fake pout and he whispers, “You poked my heart.”

You pull your hand away as soon as it was caught in his, spinning around to Ten’s workstation.

In a skillful manner, you set up the equipment and laid out unopened packages of needles, ink caps placed by the side. After one last check you had everything done, you return to your drawing desk.

The studio falls silent again, only with the soft music playing on the speakers, until you heard feminine giggles coming from Jaehyun’s workstation. Your head turns to the voice to see him entertaining his client, while she has her free hand covering her redden face.

Recently the parlor has attracted quite a number of females, each tattoo artist has one or two for a day while Jaehyun mostly have them for all of his appointments. Surprisingly they came in with the proposals to have your designs inked on their skin. Your artworks that were published on social media received thousands of likes and comments. Not to exaggerate on your achievement, you were grateful for that.

Your eyes train onto Jaehyun’s nimble hands as he works professionally, watching as the desired art piece slowly forming on her milky skin. The humming of the tattoo gun filled your ears and time just flew by when you had your full attention on the poking of the needles.

He must have felt your gaze so he raises his head, flaunting his dimples as he shoots you a cheeky smile. Something about him made you whisk away, blinking several times, clearing your throat. There was a sudden rush of emotion you couldn’t pin point but you felt your cheeks burn and your heart picks up a beat.

Jaehyun was a charming guy, you could say that’s a fact, which explains why he was flooded with the females. He is playful at times, serious when it comes to work. He gets all lovely around you and you’ve always thought it must have been their nature to be flirty and such.

The other guys have left earlier when you both were occupied with work. About half an hour later, Jaehyun is finally done, greeting his client goodbye, and he makes his way to you.

Your arm moving in a frenzy, forehead furrowed in concentration that you didn’t realize he’s lying on the bed by your side. A hand propping his head and he watches you, mirroring your actions from before.

Then all of a sudden, he breaks the silence, “I'm bored.”

He stifles a laughter, amused seeing that he gave you a little jolt of shock at the sound of his voice. Your hand jerked in reaction and you stare at your messed-up drawing, which was almost done.

“Shit. I hate you.” The pen flew across the table and you rise on your feet, lunging forward the guy who appeared to be giggling. “You’re so annoying sometimes…”

His laughter growing louder when your hands reach to his neck, strangling in a playful manner and you shove his chest.

“Are you a man,” he chokes out.

He shifts on the cushioned surface and settling to lay flat on his stomach, arms draping the sides of the bed.

“My back hurts, can you help me?” he groans painfully when his spine straightens in his current positionㅡthe drawbacks of being a tattoo artist. They often crane their necks, bend and stoop for long hours practicing their craft. They do stop for breaks to stretch their bodies, but the ache they put themselves into were incomparable.

“I wasn't hired for this…” they sure never did. None of them had you done something that ever requires physical contacts, something like giving a massage. Jaehyun was relatively comfortable with you, way too comfortable you suppose.

“Please…”

Convinced, you climb onto the bed, your knees by the sides of his thighs and you begin working your fingers on his tense muscles. He lets out grunts and hisses, squirming underneath when you reach the trigger points. Cracking sounds can be heard when he moves his head, the joints in his neck popping like a glow stick.

“I might need your help next time… You’re really good at this,” his voice muffled between folded arms.

“Pay me.”

He chuckles, basking in the silence before he speaks up again. “Hey, I’ve caught you watching me for a couple of times. I suppose you were studying the procedure, or should I say you were checking me out?” he just couldn’t let a day go without teasing you.

Perhaps, he has a secret satisfaction about your baffled, flustered and bewildered reactions.

Rather, you remain quiet. Your silence didn’t go unnoticed when he suddenly turns on his back, facing you completely. The position had your eyes grew the size of saucers, you’re practically straddling on top of him in a considered intimate position. Words caught in your throat and you find yourself avoiding his eyes, a flush starts at your neck and creeps to your cheeks. A slow panic begins to set in at the thought of getting caught, especially by the guys.

Bolting upright and trying to scramble off the bed, but Jaehyun won't let you pass. He grips your hips and holds you down, having you sitting on his thighs.

“What are you doing?”

He smiles cockily and warning signals flickered suddenly in your head.

“What do you think, babe?”

“Babe?” your brows furrowed in disbelief, you felt your heart thumping, almost jumping out of your chest. This time he loosens his grasp, letting you crawl off the bed just when Ten walks in.

The innocent guy has his eyes flitting back and forth between the both of you, staring quizzically at Jaehyun who's still lying on the bed, grinning from ear to ear.

“Please don't tell me you guys just done something like what I have in mind.”

“What-”

Jaehyun rolls off the bed and stands, “She's an expert I can say.” A contented mewling sound slipped past his lips as he stretches his body.

Laughing once again at Ten's remark. “Oh my god, you guys are nasty.”

“We didn't!”

And from that day onward, Jaehyun just stays on your mind, in your brain, your head. The voice that called you by the pet name ringing your ears, the warmth that clasped on your body making your stomach churns in a good way.

He’s always there, within your radar. Light brushing of skin which was once overlooked, you’re hyper aware of them now and they never failed to spark your curiosity. When your eyes meet occasionally, he returns it with a smile and for the first time, you realized that dimples are indeed adorable.

He does have some strange effects on you that you didn’t think it could ever happen.

In this decent size of a pantry, large enough for three people, you find yourself growing alert in his presence. He wasn’t even doing anything yet your fingers are trembling when you reach for the cabinet.

“Peach tea?” he questions out of the blue, as though he was watching you.

Jaehyun too, is having a hard time biting back a grin when he sees you like this.

You nod.

When you thought he left, suddenly, hands braced on either side of you, trapping you in place between muscular arms, inks on the skin that you can easily recognized.

“Jaehyun?” you duck your head to the side when his face closes in from behind.

“Why are you so nervous?” his voice resonates in your ears, laced with amusement.

“I- The guys-” your words came out stuttered and slurred. The last thing you wanted was to get caught red handed in this situation. Ten could hardly keep his mouth shut for weeks about that one time albeit it wasn’t even true.

“What if I say they've already left,” he turns you around, looking straight in your eyes, toothy smile still plastered across his face, “Does that allow me to do this?”

He grabs your empty cup, only a tea bag was dropped inside, and he puts it away, in one fluid moment. He wasn’t even forcing you into it yet you’ve already let your guard down.

It was his eyes that drew you in. They challenged you. Their intensity, their energy made you fall under his spell. You couldn’t move away as he holds your chin tenderly between thumb and the crook of his index finger. Jaehyun stares down at your lips. You felt the magnetic pull towards each other’s mouths. But he still didn't kiss you.

The entire time he hovers above you, his lips a hair’s breadth away from your own. Teasingly he grazes your lips a couple of times, his minty breath brushing lightly and a moment later, his tongue skimmed over your quivering flesh. Though he has the audacity to pull away, laughing softly when you chase after him.

“Back to work,” he sings, taking a sip from his mug before waddling out his way under the bamboo beaded curtain. Its tone of bright red of the millennial brand, Supreme, reflecting the shade on your cheeks.

There are times when things just come at you like a déjà vu, that you see with the familiarity when Jaehyun laid on the bed by your drawing desk while everyone’s gone. However at the present moment, he has his shirt removed, revealing numerous tattoosㅡan ornate cross with wings from his throat that stops between his jugular notch, tarot cards of the Sun and the Moon clad on the left side of his rib cage, a gun on his pelvic which was pointed to his groin.

His body is beautiful as it is, muscles of a Greek god that seems almost unreal.

“C'mon, don't be scared.”

The tool in your gloved hand which you were more than familiar with its assembly, feels so much different when you're going for the real deal, despite practicing it couple of times on apples and pears.

With thick, hesitating articulation, you put the question which your eyes asked mutely, into words: “Are you sure about this…”

“I’ve never doubted my decisions and it’s not like you’re gonna stab my insides with the needle, unless that’s what you’re intended.”

“Now that you’ve mentioned, I’m more towards the idea of it.”

You weren’t in a rush for the hands-on experience though, while Jaehyun thinks otherwise. He even listed out the many reasons that manipulated you into the current situation. Whether it was made up or not, you find it hilarious when he said he’s uncomfortable working on female areas that are labelled as body boundaries. Aren’t those what the ladies want in the first place? You just have to poke fun of him. But what are the chances for them to walk in and tell it straight to their faces that they want their vagina or nipples tatted when the studio is crowded with fine men.

“Just do it exactly how you practiced and I’ll guide you,” he assures.

You draw a breath and will a note of confidence into your voice, “Alright.”

Your back hunched over as you lean on the edge of the bed, fingers lightly pressing on the patch of skin just above the waistband of his Calvin Klein underwear. Purple colored stencil of a lipstick print mark works as a combination of visual simplicity and detailed lines to achieve greater realism.

You tighten your fingers on the barrel, trembling slightly when the needle vibrates at a consistent speed upon pressing the footswitch. You begin with drawing in the outlines, taking a good amount of time due to your inexperience. The first lines are often most painful as the needles need to penetrate deeper to create distinct lines but Jaehyun doesn’t budge or flinch, as if it was nothing. Well, it isn’t, if it were to be compared with the ones that are done on certain parts of his body closer to the bone.

To be frank, there’s a slight discomfort during the process. When you pull back to wipe the skin with a sanitized wipe to clean away any extra ink, he fakes a dramatic yelp and wince. Immediately you drop everything onto the utility cart, glancing over at him in concern. “I’m so sorry, does it hurt very bad? You should tell me to stop.”

“I’m only kidding,” he says, laughing a bit. “Relax, you’re doing great. Try not to press too hard and remember to pause between few seconds.”

Once the outlines have been drawn, you concentrate on shading and coloring. This time there’s no pain, just a slight tickle. Jaehyun watches your intense eyes on his skin, the needle steady in your hand. The red ink flowed down the syringe as the design gradually forms its shape.

The session took longer than usual as it is your first. Staring at the tattoo for a moment, he gives you a nod of approval. Surprisingly the end result looks better than you’ve imagined and you couldn’t hide your glee, bursting with joy over your achievement.

“You good?”

“Content.” He sits up and throws his legs over the side of the bed, eyes glued to the back of your head.

“Now that you’ve left a mark on me-”

You listen carefully, slipping the rubber gloves off your hands and tossing them into a bin.

There's something in his voice of the authoritative tone, something which has the effects of flawlessly circular pancakes, perfectly swirled ice-cream cones or a truly seedless watermelon.

“It’s my turn.”

Without a warning, an arm loop around your waist from behind, then draw you against him. The warmth of his breath heats your delicate skin when he runs his nose along the side of your neck. He takes a whiff of the fragrance you sprayed on earlier and boldly leaves a trail of open mouth kisses, enjoying your gasps.

“Jaehyun,” you mutter weakly, but you have no idea what you’re going to say next. His mouth closes over a spot behind your ear and all you can do is melt into the pleasure.

To finally be wrapped in his strong arms feel heavenly, and if you thought you have any strength to resist before, it has now been obliterated. You lean back, sinking into the seductive caress. He tightens his grip affectionately, filling you with a deep, needy longing.

“God, I want you.” He groans impatiently, gently biting on your neck with the obvious intention of descending further.

Turning your body to face his, he pulls you flush against his bare torso. You pray you won’t swoon when he touches you, because you’ve been obsessing about him and his kisses for too long.

Incredibly, he presses his lips onto yours fully for several seconds before taking it up a notch. It was nothing like the kisses you had before, so desperate and urgent. His tongue seeks entrance and you open to him, angling your face to allow him total access. His hands found themselves in the back pocket of your jeans, squeezing the solidity of your cheeks.

Many minutes passed, you aren’t sure for how long but you’re beginning to feel lightheaded when he has literally taken your breath away. Jaehyun pulls back just in time and his lips move onto the column of your neck. His large hands massage their way up either side of your body until they found your breasts. With his thumb, he rubs a tantalizing circle around your nipple over the fabric of your shirt. The sensual shivers wrack your body as each kiss heightens your sensitivity to his touch. Sweet, hot desire shot through and you moan.

Your middle soared to life, and the moisture between your legs grew.

You’ve worn a tank top, granting him free access to your bare skin all the way to the upper swell of your breasts. He takes advantage of it, pressing small, nibbling kisses all over and tasting with the very tip of his tongue. Splotches of red and purple bloom at his wake, your body as a canvas to his vandalism.

“Please,” you whisper, begging for more. Your fingers curling into his thick tousled hair, tugging on the roots with a little force. A small, animal-like sound of need, passes through your lips when his mouth hovers just above your skin.

“Easy, princess.” He laughs softly. “I want to take my time with you.”

His hand finds the hem of your top, pulling it over your head until your bra-encased breasts are revealed.

“Gorgeous. So beautiful. All for me.”

Words became lost in your throat. You’re too busy experiencing the way he laves your cleavage with his tongue. It feels like you can come right then, without any further preliminaries.

Jaehyun kisses on your mouth again, a hand moving its way down your body, undoing the button of your jeans. You shudder uncontrollably when his fingers dip into your laced underwear without warning, reaching your sex. Brushing through your folds, seeking and finding that nub that brings you ecstasy. His thumb plays across the swollen wet flesh of your clitoris, caressing, teasing.

“Oh my…” you gasp, and soften against him when he touches you deeper. The slickness of your arousal spreading his skillful fingers. “You’re so good at this.”

Devilish laugh resonates in your ear. As he kisses and nibbles your neck, a finger slides deep into your body, grinding the heel of his hand against your most sensitive spot. And he adds another. Then, a third.

“Baby, you’re taking me so well.” He curls his fingers, rubbing your walls and pushing them further to reach the spot that could make your eyes roll back in your head.

Hot breath fanning your cheeks when he inches closer, whispering lowly in your ears, “I can’t wait to bury myself inside you.”

In a few short moments, you feel yourself on the verge of a climax as his fingers work expertly, flickering over the nub. His thrusts picking up pace, ramming harder like he’s going to destroy you.

“Let go,” he prods.

Soon, like a command, the building tension explodes and you cry out his name and arch against him.

When all the explosive sensation subsided, you find it difficult to look at him in case he looks smug, you won’t be able to handle it.

However there’s an urge within you, that you want to touch him, you need to. Blindly, you lean forward, kissing anything you come into contact with—his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks. Your lips travel south until you reach the fresh tattoo, and pressing a gentle kiss on it.

The permanent ink of your lips that you left on him.

A smile makes its way on your face as you stare at your work in admiration, satisfaction, with accomplishment. The idea of it was endearing, an indication where the man before you, is yours.

You may have found your new addiction.

#nct jaehyun #jung jaehyun #nct scenarios #nct smut #nct stories #nct imagines #jaehyun smut

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cricketbatbest-blog · 4 years

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The best & strong cricket bat

Cricket, like most other sports, has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. England's Test series with West Indies in July was played in a biosecure environment and the domestic season has been reformatted for the 2020 season.

The Bob Willis Trophy – a one-off tournament involving all 18 counties – finally got underway on 1 August, some three weeks after amateur players were given the go-ahead to return to the crease.

Though we're well into the summer now, there's still plenty of cricket to be played, which means it's still worth considering buying a new bat. But with so many brands offering a variety of ranges, selecting the right willow for you can be a tricky task.

Fortunately, that's where we come in. We've compiled this handy round-up of the finest bats around, along with a buying guide detailing what things to consider before making a purchase. Whether you’re a Boycott-esque blocker or a blistering Buttler, we’ve got you covered.

How to buy the best cricket bat for you

What type of bat should I buy?

This all depends on what sort of player you are. You may not be happy to hear this, but getting your hands on the very best cricket bat money can buy won’t transform you into Sachin Tendulkar overnight. What’s important is to buy one that suits your own style and plays to your strengths.

For instance, if you like to play the ball along the floor, you’re going to need a weightier bat with a lower middle. Conversely, those that like to play more expansive shots will want a lighter bat, with a higher sweet spot and thicker edges. Naturally, there are also bats on the market that bridge the gap between these two extremes, and will suit players with a more rounded style.

How much should I spend?

Again, this depends on what type of bat you’re after. As a general rule for part-time players we would recommend a lower limit of around £60, and an absolute upper limit of £400. If you dream of emulating the likes of Root and Kohli, you can certainly find bats for more than this but, for the most part, models that go for between £100-£200 should do the job just fine.

What size is right for me?

For the vast majority of senior players, or those who are between 5ft 8in and 6ft 3in tall, a Short Handle (33.5in x 4.25in) bat fits the bill. For the amazonian amongst us, Long Handles (34.375in x 4.25in) can be bought from some retailers, although these may have to be ordered specifically in advance, since many retailers don’t keep Long Handles in stock.

For junior cricketers, a much wider range of bat sizes is available. From size 1 right up to size 6, followed by ‘Harrow’ (32.75in x 4.16in) – the latter generally aimed at those between 14-18 years of age. For a full lowdown, check out

What else do I need to consider?

As long as you’ve purchased a bat that suits your style and is the right size for you, then there’s not much else you need to worry about. You can buy all manner of different grips from your local sportswear shop for not very much money, but as long as you replace these at least one or two times per season, there’s not much to choose between them in the long run.

One thing that is vitally important, however, is to make sure that you properly prepare your bat before using it in matches. Linseed oil and a knocking-in mallet are essential purchases to help achieve this – not only are you going to want an effective piece of willow but, at today’s prices, one that will last you a long time. Last but not least, taking time to choose pads and gloves that fit you snugly is also more than worth it.

The best cricket bats to buy

1. Kookaburra Kahuna 3.1: The best all-round cricket bat

Kookaburra’s Kahuna range represents the best all-round option for the everyday village cricketer. It’s the perfect bat for those of us just looking to turn out for our local village team on a Saturday and score a few runs.

Originally developed in collaboration with Aussie great Ricky Ponting in 2001, the Kahuna has stood the test of time for nearly two decades now. The reason for that? Well, you can’t really go wrong with the Kahuna: it’s easy pickup and mid-blade sweet spot help it to suit almost any style of play. Its striking new design isn’t half-bad, either.

A variety of willow grades are available, but we think the Kahuna 3.1 represents a sensibly-priced mid-range option at £250

2. New Balance Burn+: The best bat for T20 specialists

21st-century cricket has been dominated by the rise of the Twenty20 format, so it’s inevitable that bat manufacturers would bombard us with specialist products. Kookaburra gave us the

Our favourite of the T20 specialists however, is New Balance’s Burn+. Yes, it’s expensive, but you’re really getting what you pay for here. It’s lightweight pickup and mid-blade sweet spot make it ideal for quickfire, reactive shotmaking – particularly

3. Gunn & Moore GM Siren 202: The best bat for juniors

Industry heavyweights Gunn & Moore (GM) have been a mainstay in cricket kit bags worldwide since 1936. The Nottinghamshire-based bat supplier produces a wide range of bats but this particular one is aimed at juniors making their way in the game. It's not flashy but is made with attacking cricket in mind: its swell runs almost all the way down to the toe of the bat, while its shortened blade and concaving ensure the pickup remains smooth.

The Siren 202 comes with a Toetek toe guard and face cover so is ready for immediate use and resistant to the punishment it will take as your youngster thrashes the ball to all corners of the ground. It's extremely well-priced, too, which is important

Kookaburra Concept 20 6: The best cricket bat under £100

The Kookaburra Concept 20 6 is, as its name suggests, a bat created with a very specific vision. Combining a higher middle, unique scalloping running all the way to the toe, shortened blade and oval counter-balanced handle, the Concept 20 6 is made for playing big shots. Whether you favour a heave over cow corner, smashing the ball straight back over the bowler's head or a cheeky reverse pull, this affordable blade is a strokemaker's dream.

MRF Chase Master: The best cricket bat if money were no object

It’s nothing but the best for this offering from Indian cricket giant MRF. The Chase Master is crafted from top of the range English willow, and the highest-end model, listed above, is on a par with bats used by world-class players such as Indian megastar Virat Kohli.

Being from the subcontinent, MRF traditionally produces bats with a significant bow, to enable players to swat away spin on dusty tracks with consummate ease. The Chase Master is different, however, in that it features big edges and shoulders, alongside a square toe to help lower the bat’s centre of gravity and give power when driving. As a result, it’s just as suitable in English conditions as it is in south Asia. If you want the best bat money can buy, look no further than the MRF Chase Master.

Millichamp & Hall The Original: A beautifully-crafted cricket bat

If you’re a cricket purist, then Millichamp & Hall won't be an unfamiliar name to you. Founded in 1987, master batmaker M&H has been crafting some of the finest willow money can buy at its County Ground, Taunton home for over 30 years now. The Original is its most recognisable creation and made entirely from English willow. It's not particularly widely-used by the pros but you'll often see it being wielded by Somerset players, including England spinner and blocking extraordinaire Jack Leach.

The M&H Original has a beautifully weighted pickup and a meaty sweet spot: there are few better feelings than middling one with this bat. But perhaps its true standout feature is its design. With a white grip, green stripes and old-school red font, the M&H Original is minimalistic, understated, yet extremely elegant.

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yobaba30 · 5 years

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This.Is.Fucking>Brilliant.

On Sept. 1, with a Category 5 hurricane off the Atlantic coast, an angry wind was issuing from the direction of President Trump’s Twitter account. The apparent emergency: Debra Messing, the co-star of “Will & Grace,” had tweeted that “the public has a right to know” who is attending a Beverly Hills fund-raiser for Mr. Trump’s re-election.

“I have not forgotten that when it was announced that I was going to do The Apprentice, and when it then became a big hit, Helping NBC’s failed lineup greatly, @DebraMessing came up to me at an Upfront & profusely thanked me, even calling me ‘Sir,’ ” wrote the 45th president of the United States.

It was a classic Trumpian ragetweet: aggrieved over a minor slight, possibly prompted by a Fox News segment, unverifiable — he has a long history of questionable tales involving someone calling him “Sir” — and nostalgic for his primetime-TV heyday. (By Thursday he was lashing Ms. Messing again, as Hurricane Dorian was lashing the Carolinas.)

This sort of outburst, almost three years into his presidency, has kept people puzzling over who the “real” Mr. Trump is and how he actually thinks. Should we take him, to quote the famous precept of Trumpology, literally or seriously? Are his attacks impulsive tantrums or strategic distractions from his other woes? Is he playing 3-D chess or Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots?

This is a futile effort. Try to understand Donald Trump as a person with psychology and strategy and motivation, and you will inevitably spiral into confusion and covfefe. The key is to remember that Donald Trump is not a person. He’s a TV character.

I mean, O.K., there is an actual person named Donald John Trump, with a human body and a childhood and formative experiences that theoretically a biographer or therapist might usefully delve into someday. (We can only speculate about the latter; Mr. Trump has boasted on Twitter of never having seen a psychiatrist, preferring the therapeutic effects of “hit[ting] ‘sleazebags’ back.”)

But that Donald Trump is of limited significance to America and the world. The “Donald Trump” who got elected president, who has strutted and fretted across the small screen since the 1980s, is a decades-long media performance. To understand him, you need to approach him less like a psychologist and more like a TV critic.

He was born in 1946, at the same time that American broadcast TV was being born. He grew up with it. His father, Fred, had one of the first color TV sets in Jamaica Estates. In “The Art of the Deal” Donald Trump recalls his mother, Mary Anne, spending a day in front of the tube, enraptured by the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. (“For Christ’s sake, Mary,” he remembers his father saying, “Enough is enough, turn it off. They’re all a bunch of con artists.”)

TV was his soul mate. It was like him. It was packed with the razzle-dazzle and action and violence that captivated him. He dreamed of going to Hollywood, then he shelved those dreams in favor of his father’s business and vowed, according to the book “TrumpNation” by Timothy O’Brien, to “put show business into real estate.”

As TV evolved from the homogeneous three-network mass medium of the mid-20th century to the polarized zillion-channel era of cable-news fisticuffs and reality shocker-tainment, he evolved with it. In the 1980s, he built a media profile as an insouciant, high-living apex predator. In 1990, he described his yacht and gilded buildings to Playboy as “Props for the show … The show is ‘Trump’ and it is sold-out performances everywhere.”

He syndicated that show to Oprah, Letterman, NBC, WrestleMania and Fox News. Everything he achieved, he achieved by using TV as a magnifying glass, to make himself appear bigger than he was.

He was able to do this because he thought like a TV camera. He knew what TV wanted, what stimulated its nerve endings. In his campaign rallies, he would tell The Washington Post, he knew just what to say “to keep the red light on”: that is, the light on a TV camera that showed that it was running, that you mattered. Bomb the [redacted] out of them! I’d like to punch him in the face! The red light radiated its approval. Cable news aired the rallies start to finish. For all practical purposes, he and the camera shared the same brain.

Even when he adopted social media, he used it like TV. First, he used it like a celebrity, to broadcast himself, his first tweet in 2009 promoting a “Late Show With David Letterman” appearance. Then he used it like an instigator, tweeting his birther conspiracies before he would talk about them on Fox News, road-testing his call for a border wall during the cable-news fueled Ebola and border panics of the 2014 midterms.

When he was a candidate, and especially when he was president, his tweets programmed TV and were amplified by it. On CNBC, a “BREAKING NEWS: TRUMP TWEET” graphic would spin out onscreen as soon as the words left his thumbs. He would watch Fox News, or Lou Dobbs, or CNN or “Morning Joe” or “Saturday Night Live” (“I don’t watch”), and get mad, and tweet. Then the tweets would become TV, and he would watch it, and tweet again.

If you want to understand what President Trump will do in any situation, then, it’s more helpful to ask: What would TV do? What does TV want?

It wants conflict. It wants excitement. If there is something that can blow up, it should blow up. It wants a fight. It wants more. It is always eating and never full.

Some presidential figure-outers, trying to understand the celebrity president through a template that they were already familiar with, have compared him with Ronald Reagan: a “master showman” cannily playing a “role.”

The comparison is understandable, but it’s wrong. Presidents Reagan and Trump were both entertainers who applied their acts to politics. But there’s a crucial difference between what “playing a character” means in the movies and what it means on reality TV.

Ronald Reagan was an actor. Actors need to believe deeply in the authenticity and interiority of people besides themselves — so deeply that they can subordinate their personalities to “people” who are merely lines on a script. Acting, Reagan told his biographer Lou Cannon, had taught him “to understand the feelings and motivations of others.”

Being a reality star, on the other hand, as Donald Trump was on “The Apprentice,” is also a kind of performance, but one that’s antithetical to movie acting. Playing a character on reality TV means being yourself, but bigger and louder.

Reality TV, writ broadly, goes back to Allen Funt’s “Candid Camera,” the PBS documentary “An American Family,” and MTV’s “The Real World.” But the first mass-market reality TV star was Richard Hatch, the winner of the first season of “Survivor” — produced by Mark Burnett, the eventual impresario of “The Apprentice”— in the summer of 2000.

Mr. Hatch won that first season in much the way that Mr. Trump would run his 2016 campaign. He realized that the only rules were that there were no rules. He lied and backstabbed and took advantage of loopholes, and he argued — with a telegenic brashness — that this made him smart. This was a crooked game in a crooked world, he argued to a final jury of players he’d betrayed and deceived. But, hey: At least he was open about it!

While shooting that first season, the show’s crew was rooting for Rudy Boesch, a 72-year-old former Navy SEAL and model of hard work and fair play. “The only outcome nobody wanted was Richard Hatch winning,” the host, Jeff Probst, would say later. It “would be a disaster.” After all, decades of TV cop shows had taught executives the iron rule that the viewers needed the good guy to win.

But they didn’t. “Survivor” was addictively entertaining, and audiences loved-to-hate the wryly devious Richard the way they did Tony Soprano and, before him, J.R. Ewing. More than 50 million people watched the first-season finale, and “Survivor” has been on the air nearly two decades.

From Richard Hatch, we got a steady stream of Real Housewives, Kardashians, nasty judges, dating-show contestants who “didn’t come here to make friends” and, of course, Donald Trump.

Reality TV has often gotten a raw deal from critics. (Full disclosure: I still watch “Survivor.”) Its audiences, often dismissed as dupes, are just as capable of watching with a critical eye as the fans of prestige cable dramas. But when you apply its mind-set — the law of the TV jungle — to public life, things get ugly.

In reality TV — at least competition reality shows like “The Apprentice” — you do not attempt to understand other people, except as obstacles or objects. To try to imagine what it is like to be a person other than yourself (what, in ordinary, off-camera life, we call “empathy”) is a liability. It’s a distraction that you have to tune out in order to project your fullest you.

Reality TV instead encourages “getting real.” On MTV’s progressive, diverse “Real World,” the phrase implied that people in the show were more authentic than characters on scripted TV — or even than real people in your own life, who were socially conditioned to “be polite.” But “getting real” would also resonate with a rising conservative notion: that political correctness kept people from saying what was really on their minds.

Being real is not the same thing as being honest. To be real is to be the most entertaining, provocative form of yourself. It is to say what you want, without caring whether your words are kind or responsible — or true — but only whether you want to say them. It is to foreground the parts of your personality (aggression, cockiness, prejudice) that will focus the red light on you, and unleash them like weapons.

Maybe the best definition of being real came from the former “Apprentice” contestant and White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman in her memoir, “Unhinged.” Mr. Trump, she said, encouraged people in his entourage to “exaggerate the unique part of themselves.” When you’re being real, there is no difference between impulse and strategy, because the “strategy” is to do what feels good.

This is why it misses a key point to ask, as Vanity Fair recently did after Mr. Trump’s assault on Representative Elijah E. Cummings and the city of Baltimore in July, “Is the president a racist, or does he just play one on TV?” In reality TV, if you are a racist — and reality TV has had many racists, like Katie Hopkins, the far-right British “Apprentice” star the president frequently retweets — then you are a racist and you play one on TV.

So if you actually want a glimpse into the mind of Donald J. Trump, don’t look for a White House tell-all or some secret childhood heartbreak. Go to the streaming service Tubi, where his 14 seasons of “The Apprentice” recently became accessible to the public.

You can fast-forward past the team challenges and the stagey visits to Trump-branded properties. They’re useful in their own way, as a picture of how Mr. Burnett buttressed the future president’s Potemkin-zillionaire image. But the unadulterated, 200-proof Donald Trump is found in the boardroom segments, at the end of each episode, in which he “fires” one contestant.

In theory, the boardroom is where the best performers in the week’s challenges are rewarded and the screw-ups punished. In reality, the boardroom is a new game, the real game, a free-for-all in which contestants compete to throw one another under the bus and beg Mr. Trump for mercy.

There is no morality in the boardroom. There is no fair and unfair in the boardroom. There is only the individual, trying to impress Mr. Trump, to flatter Mr. Trump, to commune with his mind and anticipate his whims and fits of pique. Candidates are fired for giving up advantages (stupid), for being too nice to their adversaries (weak), for giving credit to their teammates, for interrupting him. The host’s decisions were often so mercurial, producers have said, that they would have to go back and edit the episodes to impose some appearance of logic on them.

What saves you in the boardroom? Fighting. Boardroom Trump loves to see people fight each other. He perks up at it like a cat hearing a can opener. He loves to watch people scrap for his favor (as they eventually would in his White House). He loves asking contestants to rat out their teammates and watching them squirm with conflict. The unity of the team gives way to disunity, which in the Trumpian worldview is the most productive state of being.

And America loved boardroom Trump — for a while. He delivered his catchphrase in TV cameos and slapped it on a reissue of his 1980s Monopoly knockoff Trump: The Game. (“I’m back and you’re fired!”) But after the first season, the ratings dropped; by season four they were nearly half what they were in season one.

He reacted to his declining numbers by ratcheting up what worked before: becoming a louder, more extreme, more abrasive version of himself. He gets more insulting in the boardroom — “You hang out with losers and you become a loser”— and executes double and quadruple firings.

It’s a pattern that we see as he advances toward his re-election campaign, with an eye not on the Nielsen ratings but on the polls: The only solution for any given problem was a Trumpier Trump.

Did it work for “The Apprentice”? Yes and no. His show hung on to a loyal base through 14 seasons, including the increasingly farcical celebrity version. But it never dominated its competition again, losing out, despite his denials, to the likes of the sitcom “Mike & Molly.”

Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” boardroom closed for business on Feb. 16, 2015, precisely four months before he announced his successful campaign for president. And also, it never closed. It expanded. It broke the fourth wall. We live inside it now.

Now, Mr. Trump re-creates the boardroom’s helter-skelter atmosphere every time he opens his mouth or his Twitter app. In place of the essentially dead White House press briefing, he walks out to the lawn in the morning and reporters gaggle around him like “Apprentice” contestants awaiting the day’s task. He rails and complains and establishes the plot points for that day’s episode: Greenland! Jews! “I am the chosen one!”

Then cable news spends morning to midnight happily masticating the fresh batch of outrages before memory-wiping itself to prepare for tomorrow’s episode. Maybe this sounds like a TV critic’s overextended metaphor, but it’s also the president’s: As The Times has reported, before taking office, he told aides to think of every day as “an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals.”

Mr. Trump has been playing himself instinctually as a character since the 1980s; it’s allowed him to maintain a profile even through bankruptcies and humiliations. But it’s also why, on the rare occasions he’s had to publicly attempt a role contrary to his nature — calling for healing from a script after a mass shooting, for instance — he sounds as stagey and inauthentic as an unrehearsed amateur doing a sitcom cameo.

His character shorthand is “Donald Trump, Fighter Guy Who Wins.” Plop him in front of a camera with an infant orphaned in a mass murder, and he does not have it in his performer’s tool kit to do anything other than smile unnervingly and give a fat thumbs-up.

This is what was lost on commentators who kept hoping wanly that this State of the Union or that tragedy would be the moment he finally became “presidential.” It was lost on journalists who felt obligated to act as though every modulated speech from a teleprompter might, this time, be sincere.

The institution of the office is not changing Donald Trump, because he is already in the sway of another institution. He is governed not by the truisms of past politics but by the imperative of reality TV: never de-escalate and never turn the volume down.

This conveniently echoes the mantra he learned from his early mentor, Roy Cohn: Always attack and never apologize. He serves up one “most shocking episode ever” after another, mining uglier pieces of his core each time: progressing from profanity about Haiti and Africa in private to publicly telling four minority American congresswomen, only one of whom was born outside the United States, to “go back” to the countries they came from.

The taunting. The insults. The dog whistles. The dog bullhorns. The “Lock her up” and “Send her back.” All of it follows reality-TV rules. Every season has to top the last. Every fight is necessary, be it against Ilhan Omar or Debra Messing. Every twist must be more shocking, every conflict more vicious, lest the red light grow bored and wink off. The only difference: Now there’s no Mark Burnett to impose retroactive logic on the chaos, only press secretaries, pundits and Mike Pence.

To ask whether any of this is “instinct” or “strategy” is a parlor game. If you think like a TV camera — if thinking in those reflexive microbursts of adrenaline and testosterone has served you your whole life — then the instinct is the strategy.

And to ask who the “real” Donald Trump is, is to ignore the obvious. You already know who Donald Trump is. All the evidence you need is right there on your screen. He’s half-man, half-TV, with a camera for an eye that is constantly focused on itself. The red light is pulsing, 24/7, and it does not appear to have an off switch.

#the apprentice (tv program)

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bountyofbeads · 5 years

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The Real Donald Trump Is a Character on TV https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/06/opinion/sunday/trump-reality-tv.html

Great analysis by James Poniewozik🤔 To understand the wacky, outrageous, demented mind of Trump is to know that Trump is nothing more than a self-grandized TV character (D-rated).

"To ask whether any of this is “instinct” or “strategy” is a parlor game. If you think like a TV camera — if thinking in those reflexive microbursts of adrenaline and testosterone has served you your whole life — then the instinct is the strategy."

"And to ask who the “real” Donald Trump is, is to ignore the obvious. You already know who Donald Trump is. All the evidence you need is right there on your screen. He’s half-man, half-TV, with a camera for an eye that is constantly focused on itself. The red light is pulsing, 24/7, and it does not appear to have an off switch."

The Real Donald Trump Is a Character on TV

Understand that, and you’ll understand what he’s doing in the White House.

By James Poniewozik | Published September 6, 2019 | New York Times | Posted September 8, 2019 9:00 AM ET |

Mr. Poniewozik is the chief television critic of The Times and the author of “Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America.”

He syndicated that show to Oprah, Letterman, NBC, WrestleMania and Fox News. Everything he achieved, he achieved by using TV as a magnifying glass, to make himself appear bigger than he was.

If you want to understand what President Trump will do in any situation, then, it’s more helpful to ask: What would TV do? What does TV want?

It wants conflict. It wants excitement. If there is something that can blow up, it should blow up. It wants a fight. It wants more. It is always eating and never full.

From Richard Hatch, we got a steady stream of Real Housewives, Kardashians, nasty judges, dating-show contestants who “didn’t come here to make friends” and, of course, Donald Trump.

It’s a pattern that we see as he advances toward his re-election campaign, with an eye not on the Nielsen ratings but on the polls: The only solution for any given problem was a Trumpier Trump.

#trump #trump administration #president donald trump #trumpism #maga #donald trump jr #donald trump #u.s. news #u.s. presidential elections #us politics #politics #politics and government #u.s. politics #republican politics

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