#airplanes are kind my thing ngl

[magnoliasforyourmedic]

You could totally write a Band of Brothers-Masters of the Air AU where Easy Company is in the USAAF flying B-17s over Europe. Our Toccoa boys would be our “Original” crews of the 100th who flew over from the states in 1943 like we see in the Masters of the Air show.

Another thing to know is that if you weren't a pilot, you were a gunner. You might be a radio operator or a navigator or bombardier, but you were also a gunner during dog fights. I chose mostly based off of what I think fits them best with their personality but also somewhat with their roles in the company.

Here’s what I think some of the boys roles would be on a bomber crew (it’s kind long so see under the cut):

Eugene Roe would be a Flight Surgeon, without a doubt. Despite their title, Flight Surgeons don't typically fly becuase they can do a lot more good taking care of the wounded in the base hospital than they would be able to for a single crew of 10 men on an insanely dangerous mission (who could just as easily bleed out on the long flight home despite any medical attention they receive). The flight surgeons were never required to fly missions, and very few every did given the risk, but there were a handful that would so that they could get a better understanding of what the flyboys were going through in the air. Doc Roe would definitely be a Flight Surgeon who flies far more than he needs to.

Dick Winters would obviously be a pilot and I think he'd be a Squadron Commander who's promoted to Group Executive Officer. As the Air Exec he'd technically be third in command and he's in charge of organizing the bombing missions, briefing each mission, oversee group air training, navigation, bombing and to serve as command pilot leading bombing missions. He doesn't fly as often after he's promoted but will fly whenever the 100th leads which I think fits perfect with how we see Winters wanting to be in the battle with his men but can't always because of his new rank.

Lewis Nixon would probably be Group Intelligence Officer. As Group Intelligence Officer he was in charge of briefing flight crews before missions along with some of the other officers as well as in charge of interrogating the crews when they came back. I'm thinking he'd be a Marvin "Red" Bowman type if you know him from Masters of the Air, who was a much-loved member of the 100th BG known for “his sense of the dramatic” in that he would turn the morning debriefs into “real productions.”

Carwood Lipton would be a pilot. I think he’d be promoted to be the leader of one of the four squadrons of the 100th. He'd be telling Gene to stay back on a mission because they're flying in Coffin's Corner and don't want to lose their best Doc.

Buck Compton would be a pilot

Harry Welsh would also be a pilot or copilot

Frank Perconte would be a Ball Turret Gunner. Thank you, Perconte

Guarnere would probably be a Waist Gunner, but I can totally see him as a Bombardier. Also fits as a Top Turret Gunner/Flight Engineer but I really think he’d be a solid Bombardier. He reminds a lot of Bombardier James Douglass from MOTA in terms of personality

My first thought was that Bull Randleman would be a waist gunner because he definitely wouldn't fit in the spot for the tail gunner or ball turret gunner, but I actually think he might make a real good copilot with his leadership skills. Another thing that makes this a good fit is that when a Group Air Exec (think Major Kidd) flies on mission, they go in the place of the copilot in the lead crew when their BG is leading formation. The copilot then typically becomes a gunner for the mission or may assume the role of formation officer overseeing all of the aircraft behind them when they’re leading formation.

George Luz would be Radio Operator, duh

I'm honestly not quite sure where I think Liebgott would be. I can see him as a navigator or bombardier, or even a copilot. I’m leaning navigator, but I’d love to hear your thoughts

I feel like Skip and Muck could be a waist gunner duo on the same crew with Malarkey as the tail gunner on that same crew.

When replacements are brought in on masters of the air, we see brand new entire crews aircraft and all being brought in. I imagine this being the case for the replacements in this AU but I think Babe Heffron would fill in a spot on one of the “original” crews to mirror how close he becomes with the Toccoa men, or the “original” crews.

Ron Spiers would be a pilot who got transferred in from a different bomb group to replace Dike as a squadron leader maybe? There would definitely be rumors around him, if you’ve read Harry Crosby’s book, A Wing and a Prayer, you may recall the story of Leafy Hill. Leafy Hill was a navigator everyone despised and no one wanted to fly with due to his incompetence and insanity, but was set to be promoted up to Group Navigator. A crew decided to take things into their own hands and came up with a plan to ring the bailout bell when they got hit with the smallest amount of flak but make sure only Leafy would bail out over enemy territory. Im also think of Buck’s “we’re going to sit here and take it” line from Part 3, total Spiers vibes.

[chai-en-kaadhale]

that one time i saw a sukhoi (idk which model tho) and my first thought was "omg... so sugoi"

[overlydramaticinephile]

You and me, we're endgame.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!rader (no physical descriptions)

Summary: Steve and Y/N finishing high school, what could go wrong in their relationship?

Word count: 3.7k

Warnings: Season 2-3, Nancy and Steve never dated, reader is 18, controversial mentions of marriage, college, cussing, fluff and angst. Idk if this counts as AU so... beware just in case. English is NOT my first language. Not proof read oops. ngl this writing is chaotic....

A/N: so, if you been following me by now you can tell i love changing canon relationships from other tv shows and making them Steve Harrington and reader. I thought I would re-write finchel which is just hilarious and sad to me. Anyway, i hope you guys like it <3

Steve Harrington and Y/N L/N, Hawkins High 1984 it couple.

They have been dating over a year now, and they have been head over heels in love with each other. Their love was pure, real and above all, epic. There was nothing they couldn't face together which was honestly vomit inducing for some, and for others their clingy nature every other hour was cringe worthy, yet they didn't care. There were a lot of things they didn't care about.

In 1984 when Steve and Y/N were finishing their senior year, college applications were due soon and to say it was messy would be an understatement. Y/N had always wanted to go to New York, she was very font of the place, and she hoped Steve would want to go there too because there was no way they were going their separate ways...right?

Steve on the other hand was not as excited as her probably valedictorian of a girlfriend. He didn't know what he wanted to do if he went to college. Emphasis on if. There was never anything sure in his life, except for Y/N. He loved her more than anything, and he would not fuck that up.

Which brings us to today. May 16, 1984.

Steve was looking at a family photo from when he was 13 years old. The last family photo they would be taking. He couldn't help but feel a void inside, like something wasn't right, or was it just nerves?

"You have his eyes. His mouth a little bit, too." said Y/N while entering the room and watching Steve from behind.

Without turning around just yet, Steve decided to share his thoughts.

"I've always had trouble finding myself in his face. You know, when I was a kid, I used to stare up at the wall, his picture hanging there, and I used to convince myself we were, like, twins." he couldn't help but chuckle, how naive he was.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Y/N knew Steve had major family issues, and she has never pushed him into talking about it, but she was always ready if there would be a time he wanted to.

Steve turned around, instantly remembering why he asked Y/N to come meet him there, at their favorite coffee shop that was now closed; he wanted to ask her something.

"No, no. I, uh, I want to talk about you. About us. I was gonna lay out a picnic, like the one you had for our first date, but I couldn't really figure out where you got those cool airplane cups, so…"

Y/N couldn't help but smile at the memory, she really went for it, not knowing if Steve liked her that way, but she was optimistic. And well, that was enough.

"And I told you, you could kiss me if you wanted to. I never understood why you ran off so quickly, though."

"Yeah, I was just nervous." Steve said, looking down.

"Oh, I could never make you nervous." Y/N giggled out of embarrassment and shock. Till this day, Steve made Y/N nervous every time, in a good way that is, so to think of Steve feeling nervous because of her...

"Kind of nervous right now." he couldn't look at her, he wanted to so bad, but he had it all planned, he couldn't risk it now and also yeah...he was terrified. More terrified than any life or death threats he faced in the past.

"Wait, what's going on?" Y/N was now worried.

"Look, uh, I have something to talk to you about, but I want you to promise me that you won't say a word until I'm done. Okay, and I know that's sort of hard for you, so I need you to promise me."

"Okay, I promise." Well, as if she wasn't nervous already.

"Um, I just feel like, all my life, I've been, you know, wondering if I was gonna be as much of a man as my father is. Now, all of a sudden, I'm up at night worried that I'm gonna become the man who he is."

Y/N was giving him the softest eyes, not in a pityful way, but a compassionate one. So Steve knew it was safe to continue without Y/N interrupting him.

"Let's face it, I've got high school hero, life zero written all over me." he said chuckling but when Y/N just glared at him not finding it very funny, he stopped, going back to the point.

"You. You're like a beacon of light guiding me through the darkness. You're like this big gold star, and for some bizarre reason, you chose to let me love you. And... I feel like if I can just convince you to let me keep doing that, I'm going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay."

This was it. He has been practicing this moment for a while now, yet it was like the words couldn't come out fast enough.

"Uh... I opened up my first personal c-credit card to get this." Steve reached his jeans pocket to take out a small, red velvet box.

"I know it's not a swimming pool full of dancers or a tux or...it's not very big, but it's a promise... a promise to keep loving you for the rest of my life. All you've got to do is say yes. Y/N L/N...will you marry me?"

"Oh Steve-"

----------------------------

Later that week...

Y/N was taking her books out when Steve approached her feeling uneasy. The last few days were stressful as hell and Steve still had some unfinished business.

"Okay, it's been exactly 3 days to the minute since I proposed to you, which is the amount of time you said you needed before you'd give me an answer."

Steve hated being that guy. The one that doesn't give you space or the one that is really impatient. Who could blame him though? it wasn't how he imagined the whole thing going down. He didn't even imagine doing it right now until recently...but that wasn't important...

Y/N closed her locker turning to Steve and gave a good thought to her next answer.

"Look, this isn't the kind of decision you can make on a deadline."

"Y/N/N, I understand, you said you needed some time, but... to be perfectly honest not hearing a decision's kind of bummin' me out."

Y/N got closer and took Steve's hands, gently squeezing them to give him a little reassurance.

"No. Look...I love you, okay? And... I want to marry you someday, and... I'm open to anything. This is all just happening so fast, and I don't understand it. I mean, I... I need you to help me understand."

Steve sighed. He knew Y/N was being fair and she was right, an explanation was in order.

"Okay, well, even if you don't get into NYU, you're still gonna go to New York."

"Yes, and I want you to come with me."

"And I will, but... we're crazy if we think that it's gonna be easier to be a couple there than it is here. My point is that those rings are-are...will always be a reminder of exactly how we feel right now. They're gonna let us take a piece of our little world into the big city."

Y/N eyes soften, she could see Steve was projecting his insecurities. "Look, that's really romantic, but I have to be honest—this all just sounds really crazy to me, okay? I don't need to marry you to keep from straying—you're the only guy for me. Okay, I guess...my answer for now is…"

"No, no, don't...don't say anything. You're right, we shouldn't make this kind of a decision on a deadline. Just, uh...take a couple more days, okay?"

-------------------------------

Next day...

Y/N knew it was a crazy idea. Getting married at eighteen? She always pictured herself traveling, getting out of Hawkins, but the more she thought about it, all those things? she pictured Steve by her side. She knew sooner or later they would get married. She couldn't imagine loving anyone else the way she loves Steve Harrington. So... i guess that answered the question.

She asked Steve to meet her at Lover's lake, the place where they first said their i love you's to each other.

Steve saw Y/N playing with her fingers while she waited for him, that made him even more nervous...had he fucked up? Was it too soon? What would happen next if she said no?

"Hey..." Steve said while sitting across from Y/N to see her face properly.

Y/N sighed, preparing herself for the next words that would come out of her mouth.

"You're the love of my life. And...I may not get to have it all, but...I'll have what matters the most if we're together. "

Steve's eyes widen. "Is that a...?"

"Yes." Y/N couldn't help but chuckle. She was truly happy.

"Yes?" Steve couldn't believe it, was his mind playing tricks on him? He needed to hear it again.

"Yes, I will marry you."

"Got to get the ring here." Steve hands were shaking in excitement while he took the ring out of his jacket because of course he would carry it everywhere.

-----------------------

Next week....

Steve talked to Dustin, told him about asking Y/N to marry him and he didn't take the news as he hoped. Don't get me wrong, Dustin loved Y/N like a sister but he thought Steve was taking the easy way out. Following his girlfriend, now fiancé around the world without doing anything for himself.

This made Steve question everything, well almost everything. He knew he still wanted to marry Y/N but New York? Was that actually his dream?

So...with Steve's confusion he started drifting apart to think about it. Y/N noticed of course and she would do anything to make it work.

That's when Y/N was waiting again for Steve to show, she hoped he would.

And of course he did.

"I got your note. Anyone who's engaged to me should come to the gymnasium. You could've just ask for me."

Y/N smiled shyly. "Yeah, but I wasn't sure if we were speaking. I miss you."

"I miss you, too." he said getting closer so he could hold her.

He needed that and so did she. Badly.

"Now I feel like I'm finally reentering my body." Y/N sighed with content.

"I really don't like not talking to you. I mean, nothing feels real unless you're there to tell it to. I never realized how much time we spent talking." Steve said while cupping Y/N's face.

"I've been thinking, and if you don't want to go to New York, then we don't have to." Y/N mentioned without hesitation.

Steve took a step back for a moment. "Wh... Wh... That's crazy. I don't want to stand in the way of your dreams."

Y/N reached for Steve hand. "Look, the only reason why we've been focusing on my dreams is because we haven't taken the time to look into yours. What if your dreams are bigger than mine?"

That made Steve chuckle, he found it really ironic. "I don't think that's going to be a problem. I mean, I did one of those quizzes that was supposed to tell you what job you'd be good at, and my results were competitive eating champion."

Y/N felt sadness, sad that Steve didn't see how special he is. She wished he could see himself in her eyes. So she prepared herself for another speech.

"Okay, sit down. My whole life, I felt like I was in the wrong place. Like I was just some alien, an-and... no one understood me. But all I had to do was just go to New York and then everything would be fine. But I was wrong. My home isn't some place, it's... someone. It's you. Of course, I want us to go to New York, and... maybe we will. But not until we give your dreams an equal shot."

Steve's eyes were becoming cloudy while giving Y/N a tiny smile. "You love me that much?"

"Are you just figuring that out now?"

--------------------

Y/N and Steve were looking at college and jobs options trying to figure out what would make Steve happy, what he wanted to do with his life.

He smiled and nodded, acting like he was interested but the truth was he didn't imagine himself in any of those places yet he didn't have the heart to tell Y/N, he couldn't bare to disappoint her. Which he could never do but he didn't really believe that.

Steve entered his house to see Robin sitting in the living room. One would think that's weird but she basically lived there by now.

"Come with me." Robin said to Steve.

She took some papers from her bag, the college papers he had thrown away earlier that day.

"What, are you going through the garbage now?"

"Oh, come on. I know you were just humoring us in there. I could see it in your face. So I followed you out."

"What was I supposed to say, Robin? S-Sorry, I'd rather puke than spend a minute in any of those places? Right in front of Y/N, with... a big smile on her face, all proud of me?" Steve got defensive.

"She just wants what's best for you." Robin said as a matter of factly, she hated seeing Steve giving up.

"Yeah, she does. Until she realizes her fiancé is a total loser."

Robin narrowed her eyes in annoyance. How could he be so oblivious? "Is that what you're scared of?"

"It's the truth. Doesn't anybody understand that maybe the reason I don't know what to do with my life is because I'm not qualified to do anything."

"You just don't know what you want yet."

Steve got up, he couldn't have this conversation again, he had it with his parents, his girlfriend, his best friend who happened to be a pre-teen, now from Robin? Fuck no.

"What I want is for time to stop. Okay? I want it to feel like I'm on the basketball court and the crowd's going nuts! Or I-I want it to feel like I'm fighting some fucked up thing and everybody's counting on me."

"So let's find something out there that gives you that feeling." Robin got up as well. She wasn't about to quit this argument.

"Of being young? Where is it? Show me."

Silence. Complete, utter silence.

Robin sighed taking something else out of her bag. It seemed to be a video tape.

"I want you to watch this for me."

"Look, Rob, I don't really feel like doing any movie lessons right now. I just-"

"I think you know what you want for your life. I think you're just scared to say it out loud. I want you to see what it looks like when someone follows their dream, even though everyone else tells them it's impossible. You can do anything you want to, Steve. It's not the broken dreams that break us. It's the ones we didn't dare to dream."

Robin left the tape on the coffee table and exit Steve's house. He should watch this movie alone.

"(Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" playing over TV)"

--------------------------

Steve was playing basketball in his backyard, practicing for tonight's game, when Y/N showed from behind.

"That was amazing! You're definitely gonna win."

"I already did. But look, there's more. I figured out what I'm gonna do next year. Can we sit down?"

Shit, thought Y/N. Was he about to break up with her?

"Oh, why am I nervous?"

Steve smiled. "Don't be nervous. Robin made me watch Saturday Night Fever. It was really good, and I realized I'm a lot like Tony Manero. Except for the whole being-able-to-dance thing. When I saw that movie, I realized the way that Tony took on the world... I want to do that, too. I want to move to New York. Like Tony. Like you. I want to live in New York City with you."

Y/N gasped. "Really, are you serious?!"

Steve couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Yeah. Just... there's more. Just wait. Uh, what was that acting show, on Bravo, with the swear words and the cool dude you made me watch?"

"James Lipton."

"Yeah. I applied to his school. I want to go to Inside the Actors' Studio.

"It's... It's just The Actors' Studio, but that's great! It's a perfect, perfect fit for you." Y/N smiled. Steve becoming an actor? She could definitely see that.

But Y/N couldn't help but wonder...

"You just, you know, you can't... do this for me, right? It has to be for you. It's too much pressure for me to handle."

Steve locked his arms with Y/N's. "It is for you, but it's also what I want. It's my dream. I want to be an actor. I guess I was always afraid to admit it because I was scared of failing, but I'm not scared anymore...'cause of you. I want to be a great man for you, Y/N/N. And I want to see myself the way you see me; as though I'm capable of anything. Dreaming big. I love you so much...and you deserve that."

Y/N felt this warm feeling enter her body, something only Steve could do.

"You're my hero; you know that, right?"

"You're mine."

-----------------------

Three weeks later...

Steve wasn't accepted to The Actors' Studio. Which meant Y/N had a lot of thinking to do...

Y/N was getting ready with the help of Nancy, her best friend.

"I can't bring Steve to New York." Y/N said in an almost whisper-like voice.

"What? Why?" Nancy was truly confused.

"He'll be reminded of his rejection every day. So I've decided. I'm deferring my acceptance to NYU for a year and guarantee we'll go there together next year. I'm actually thankful for this whole mess. I'm so glad something has made me come to my senses."

Nancy wasn't convinced but Y/N seemed to have made up her mind already and who was she to judge?

"Come on, you're going to be late to your own wedding."

---------------------------

Y/N got in Steve's car. Their parents weren't really on board with the marriage idea, so they decided to have a ceremony just the two of them and... well the party of course.

"Hi." said Steve with no real emotion in his voice but Y/N let it slide, not thinking much of it.

"Hi. Okay, so you have my dress and my shoes, and I have my makeup and my epic love for you. Let's get married." she said with a genuine smile.

"Okay." that's all Steve could say as he drove away.

"My parents are still being kind of weird about the wedding. I brought it up last night and they were really quiet, but it's fine." said Y/N like it didn't affect her, the fact that her parents didn't support her on this big day.

Steve made a right turn that threw Y/N off... was he taking a short cut?

"Are you sure that we're going the right way?"

Silence.

"We're here." Steve said after stopping at a train station.

"Are you joking? 'Cause it's not funny. We're gonna be late." said Y/N with a frown on her face.

"You're on the 4:25 to New York. Your parents are gonna meet you there and they're gonna help you look at dorms at the new school. You're gonna spend four years of your life there and you've never even set foot in the place, so…"

Y/N was confused to say the least.

"But I... I have all year to go and look at it."

"You're gonna go there in the fall. All right? You're not deferring. We're not getting married."

Heartbreak.

"You don't want to marry me?" said Y/N with the saddest expression Steve had ever seen on her.

"I want to marry you so badly I can't go through with it. The thought of you being stuck here for another year because of me, it makes me sick."

"Then come with me. Okay? We can get married in New York and live in a little shoebox apartment together. It'll be romantic." Y/N was trying to make this work. She couldn't lose Steve.

"Do you love me?" Steve asked, plain and simple.

"Of course I do."

"Then tell me the truth and not just something you think I want to hear. Are you 100% sure you want to marry me?" Again, Steve couldn't have said all of this with a more serious expression.

"N-No-no one is 100% sure of anything." Deep down Y/N was still thinking eighteen was too young but... this was Steve, Steve the love of her life.

Steve looked deep into her eyes. "I am. I am that sure you're something special. That this is just the beginning for you. Okay? That you're gonna do amazing things. But to get there, you have to have these experiences on your own…"

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute." Y/N started panicking.

"Listen to me. You've got to have these experiences on your own."

"Wait a minute." Was this really happening?

"I can't to be there with you."

"Wait a minute. Are you breaking up with me?" Y/N voice broke.

"I'm setting you free." and there it was.

"Oh, my God." Y/N couldn't breathe properly, it was like someone was choking the life out of her.

"Look, d-do you know how hard this is for me? How many times have I've cried about this?" Steve face was getting red from all the emotion, tears were forming in too.

"No, I'm not going. I'm not going, not without you." Y/N wouldn't give up. She would never give up on Steve.

"You don't have a choice; I can't come with you."

"Well, then I'll stay here! I'll go wherever it is that you're going!" Y/N felt like begging right now. A life without Steve? That sounded like literal hell.

"Fort Benning, Georgia? Look, I-I need a chance to try and redeem myself, okay?"

That's when something clicked in Y/N's mind.

"I-I... Oh, my God! Oh, my God, wait a minute. You're joining the Army? Are you insane?! I can't believe that this is happening right now."

"It's also one of the places I knew you couldn't follow me. Look, you're-you're gonna get on that train. Okay? And you're gonna go to New York, and you're gonna be a star. Without me. That's how much I love you. You know what we're gonna do? Surrender. I know how hard that is for you because of how hard you hold on to stuff. But-but we're just gonna, we're gonna sit here and we're just gonna let go. Okay, and-and let the universe do it's thing. And if we're meant to be together, then we're gonna be together. Whether it's in a little shoebox apartment in New York or on the other side of the world. Okay? Will you do that with me? Will you surrender?" Steve said while trying to keep the tears out of Y/N's face.

Y/N felt numb by now. "I love you so much."

"I love you."

THE END <3 thinking about pt. 2....?

[castle-dominion]

5x9 secret santa, I read a fic with an episode tag; actually I can't find it & I went through 22 of my fic history with ctrl f & a bunch of different searches to see if I could find it, but I could not & I've been searching for this for over half an hour

Ew christmas but this is actually nice, mostly bc I don't need to deal with All The Rest of the christmas BS. I like christmas when there is only a LITTLE bit

I thought that the kid would find the body Oh dang where did he come from!? Chubby little hands <3 tradition <3 No wrecking tradition? As long as you don't change it entirely

AND NOW SANTA IS DEAD!?!? Well not anymore

Holy crap ryan is soooo pretty KR: Santa, lying there dead. You gotta ask yourself, what kind of world do we live in? Oh yeah she does ride a motorcycle

Ryan looks pretty again Ah yes, family *gives the pen to esposito* *espt looks mad* Poor ryan neither of y'all visited your family during xmas? You two drink a six pack between the just two of you? & only one videogame all night?

Becks why would he be dressed as santa in an aircraft when getting shot? He here for Lanie? lmao these two LP: Javiiiiii!

HOLY CRAP SHUT THAT THING UP What would he do during the warmer months?

Airplane??

*vomits from all the xmas* But it's cute. Castle Reminds me of a friend's family, they do xmas Big. Class? Make magic ew SANT CLASS!??

Pipe? against clown rules

The what now? Oh yeah santas def have agents

Wow man looks hella different & maybe he did have some

KR: He made that much as a Santa? Maybe I should switch jobs, huh? JE: What, gain 200 pounds and have a bunch of rugrats sitting in your lap with dirty diapers?

clausible was not funny

Apart for five years but he still called you three years ago & now recently? Maybe he became a santa to escape some sort of trouble & needed to disappear

THAT'S the lawsuit he was involved in! btw I love how beckett has a specific mug she uses

*esposito walking by listening* Why did we include that clip? xmas shopping this late? Ah he was hanging around waiting to give her info

Airfield?

& also he was listening so we could have this convo JE: So. You pulled the Christmas shift. Again.

EW HOLY CRAP THAT BLOOD

So esposito has this info to give to beckett but why doesn't she have info to give to him? Her shoes can have heels, but they should NOT be that THIN. Also yay we get to see reichle's shoes! btw is this the same hangar or set as the one with montgomery & lockwood?

Math like my baby brother But the cab driver said he got Back In the cab?

Meeting the boyf's parents at xmas? Oh wait it is not on christmas for her nvm.

He brought a thingamajig! Probably a gift! Oh aww for her It really is a gift from her gates almost swearing XD tiny freakin sandwiches She LIED to him…

OK WHO IS DETECTIVE ELDIN? I NEED A FACE FOR THE NAME

Wow you figured it was monogrammed candy canes?

Ok but they all look similar

Santa had a clock in his apartment! Fillion could not get thru that line WHOSE office was it from? Robbery is already interviewing them

yeah hella expensive clock, also can u sell it? like,, are you able to find a buyer? hohohoed out of there XD RC: No, the clock was commissioned by a secret society to count down the end of days. A secret society of Santas, who are the guardians of times. Ho! Oh, that’s good.

Making nice coffee Castle COMMUNICATE with her xmas tree in the coffee! castle don't interrupt she WAS telling you what, you just interrupted her!

You should have just TOLD him! See? He understands even tho u lied to him!

pipe tobacco!!!

through the heart lmao

clipped that fight scene

Wiped it down but didn't get the blood out of the seat? that crap is worth 30 grande!?

For two grand you totally don't ask that's horrible that's sad... Also why is he in the interview room as a santa?

OOH RYAN'S OUTFIT. rly pretty, dark, ryan is usually wearing lighter stuff redemption <3

ngl we all thought those two were in a relationship he TOLD you? remember norm jessop? paper is heavy! Imagine carrying textbooks! That's why like bank robbers or whomever struggle to carry bags of cash, they are carrying what's like textbooks. Paper cash is not light!

his name is mr case?

The wife!??? I love this! Usually you move past the girlfriend after fifty pages or w/e the poker writers said, they just came BACK around to the wife

VG: Speaking of people having their homes stolen... KB: Is that your mother-in-law again, Sir? VG: Detective, if you happen to receive a report of a homicide tonight at my address, do me a favor. Ignore it. Don't make threats/jokes like that

LMAO WHO PUT MISTLETOE BY THE ELEVATOR? shake handsdfjksdjfhdfjh

NO NO NO THIS SCENE IT'S SO GOOD IT KICKS THE DICKENS OUT OF MY HEAR

KR: staring into space JE: Yo, what you still doing here? (he sits) Shouldn’t you be at home, stuffing your wife’s stocking? ((XD)) KR: KR: I don’t think I’m ready, Javi. JE: For what? Sex? KR, a smile still cracking through at that: No. For what sex leads to. We were putting up the tree the other day, and Jenny says to me, “just doesn’t feel like Christmas without kids”. She wants to try. JE: smiles/frowns in a nod KR: But I come to work. I watch the news every day. It seems like the world’s falling apart. How am I supposed to bring a kid into that? JE: The world’s always falling apart, bro. Since the beginning of time. But having kids? Making a family? That’s what keeps it together. So go home. Make a baby. You’re ready. KR: nods along. KR: Yeah. Thanks, bro. (he slaps him on the arm) Merry Christmas. JE: Yeah. Merry Christmas. He forces a smile. He’s still alone.

OK BUT WHAT IF CASTLE MADE HIS OWN PLANS AFTER THE BOTH OF YOU HAD OTHER PLANS *opens the door before she knocks* YO HEY KARPOWSKI IS STILL MENTIONED & STILL EXISTS ROMANTIC AF SDHFJKHDSFJSH

You know, I thought the first time I watched the episode that castle & esposito would end up spending xmas together so when I heard that knock I totally thought it was esposito What a nice reveal <3 Obv going to invite him in sdkfhasdjkfhjasdfhkasdjfh uwu this this this I didn't like it the first time I watched it but I enjoyed it this time around jdfsjdfhjkh

HEY I MADE THIS EPISODE IN TIME TOO!

[the-doomed-witch]

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SANG THE CORN SONG!! 😂😂😂 My bestie and I love that song!!! Jesus, I sang along 🤣

I am pretty good with titles - let me help! (Searching for a way to get my hands on your draft? Maybe 😬). Jokes apart, actually I suck at the whole rest of the "fic-writer" ability 😅. Just to write this for you takes me a few re-runs, some Google translate and some searches like "what does it mean internet English slang ngl" 🥲

Don't worry about the skiped chapter: you are protected by the Brazilian curse, remember? 🕯<not>

Supplementary and professional degree? Oo where are you from? This is so weird. Here we graduate high-school, go to university, grab a degree, some post graduation and resentfully work with it until you die 😌. Very simple.

(I may have a tech level degree on business/accountant, so I kind of know what you are talking about - don't work with that, thankfully)

JANE AUSTEN? Ok.. you got 192100% more interesting right now.. and waaay out of my league of poshness 🥸🧐🤣

I am too old for my likings on books that may or may not have vampires / weird described angels .... and maaaaaybe I have too many Bernard Cornwell on my virtual bookshelf 😳. But hey, no judging, Miss EnglishLitForFun 🤗

. .

#waitinganxiouslyforyourWandaToxicFic

AHAHAH I LOVE THAT SONG, ITS LIKE ALWAYS STUCK IN MY HEAD 😭

and you’re a fic writer too omg? i didn’t know! now i’m a little curious, have i read any of your fics before? I WANT TO KNOW! hdhdhghj but i get you english isn’t my first language either so sometimes i google the most stupid things like for my airplane fic i literally searched “where do the flight passengers sit” AND 😭😭😭 they started telling me about airline seats like honey i know people sit on a fucking seat but I WANNA KNOQ WHATS THE AREA CALLED

and as for my exam, it went quite well IM DONE WITY ALL OF THEM SO IM FREE FOR A WHILE NOW :D

i’m from india! our education system is really messed up lmao. not all people here need two separate degrees, but a regular university degree has almost no value so yeah :/ where are you from? i think brazil?

so wait, you know stuff about journal entries and all that? what is the degree about?

i haven’t started reading the book yet, because i’m currently reading on earth we’re briefly gorgeous :) but yes i’ll start it by next week, i have only read pride and prejudice so far and i love it! lizzy bennet my love🖤🖤🖤🖤 guess i have this thing for the lizzies, you can say 😭

you can read any books tho 🫣 i mean, i think i’ve read more fanfics this year than books and if i count them as books i might’ve read over 43 this year ‼️‼️

also, the fic comes out today evening 🫶🏻🫶🏻 i just finished editing the draft :P

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 279: Here Comes the Airplane

Previously on BnHA: Gigantomachia gathered up the rest of the League and headed off to go help Tomura. Also he is now 80 feet tall. The heroes were all, “whoa this guy is really big, we should probably stop him and maybe even devote an entire chapter or two just to that,” and so they sent three whole people after him, which sadly is pretty much the exact sort of strategy I’ve come to expect from them by this point. Anyway so Mt. Lady tried to hold Machia off but kept getting flung aside, and Kamui Woods tried to catch him but was set on fire by Dabi who is just having way too good of a time setting all of the flammable heroes on fire today, and Midnight tried to put him to sleep but Compress threw a bunch of debris at her and so she fell like 80 feet. The chapter ended with Midnight being all “fuck this” and calling Momo, who ordered the rest of the child soldier squad into action as Machia approached. I’m not really sure what they’re gonna do, but I honestly don’t really care, because it’s Momo, and so, YES.

Today on BnHA: U.A.’s first-year hero students, who apparently had nine hours to prepare their battleground instead of the fifteen seconds we had all assumed, launch a complex multi-staged assault which is actually really fucking impressive because these kids are actually awesome. First they pin Machia down in one of Honenuki’s mud pits, and then they take turns making impassioned attempts to take out the other League members chilling out on Machia’s back. Unfortunately none of these attempts work because of Dabi, who’s working overtime while the rest of the League sits around shooting down each other’s escape plans. Basically a lot of stuff gets set on fire, and then the chapter ends with Mt. Lady pinning Machia to the ground while MINA, YES, MINA, charges at him covered in acid like some sort of video game boss that you need some kind of specific item to defeat. DID YOU KNOW YESTERDAY WAS MINA’S BIRTHDAY YOU GUYS. Anyway so this chapter is basically pandemonium from start to finish, and it’s great. It is a RUMPUS, y'all. A STRAIGHT UP HULLABALOO.

IS IT MOMO LOVIN’ HOURS I THINK IT IS, YOU GUYS. ARE YOU EXCITED. I AM EXCITED

but first, the color page we were promised, in celebration of Six Whole Years Of This Bullshit!!

oh god oh god so much to love so little time

some of the rowdier characters are making MULTIPLE APPEARANCES IN THIS SHITSHOW, including Kaminari who appears to be in a record-setting THREE of these! who exactly was taking all of these pictures, and why are they so obsessed with him. also how many of these are going to be used as evidence in the latest Kami Traitor Theory posts and is it too early for me to get mad about it

“WE INVITED ENDEAVOR AND HAWKS TO OUR ‘BEING FANCY ON THE COLOR PAGE’ PARTY, EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE NOT U.A. STUDENTS OR FACULTY. WE JUST FELT LIKE IT.” listen that is fine, y’all don’t have to explain yourselves to me

Mirko however is not here, I assume because if she was, Horikoshi would have forgotten to draw all the rest of the characters again. she’s too powerful

Midnight is so sexy I don’t even ksdfnkl

ALL MIGHT LOOKING HAPPY GIVES ME THE STRENGTH I NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE REST OF THIS WEEK. YOUR SMILE IS THE MVP

Cementoss’s face is the runner-up MVP and one of the greatest things I’ve seen in my life

half the people here seem to be attempting to flirt with whoever is taking the pictures. I am starting to suspect that the culprit is Momo. change my mind

for some reason I am really shocked to see Endeavor getting his drink on. and he’s literally the only one, too

Bakugou’s half-assed I SAID NO PAPARAZZI skills are no match for Tamaki’s legendary “I WILL LITERALLY DIE IF YOU CAPTURE ME ON FILM” abilities

I literally didn’t notice Deku until like three quarters of the page in. he sure does blend right in there

Tokoyami is approximately 97.3% done and ticking EVER CLOSER to full 100% doneness, and when that happens even I can’t tell you what is going to go down

do I even need to mention how sexy Aizawa’s hair is. apparently I do

SERIOUSLY THOUGH CEMENTOSS’S FACE

anyway, so that was nice! NOW ON TO THE MOMOLOVIN’

and we begin with FIRST YEAR CLASS B HONENUKI “MUDMAN” JUZOU just LAYIN’ SOME TRAPS IN THE WOODS, as one does

oh my freaking god Tokage

somehow her quirk didn’t freak me out quite this much the last time we saw her. she is really something. has she always had shark teeth

also WHERE IS MONOMA’S GROUP. I immediately want to know!! is he with the Shouto group? or is there yet ANOTHER student group we don’t know about? what would they even be doing

or did Horikoshi actually get three quarters of the way through writing this arc and then suddenly slap his forehead as he realized that if Monoma just casually copied Machia’s powers he would either DIE IMMEDIATELY or else become SUPER STRONG and also grow 80 feet tall and this would suddenly be a very different battle with the scales tipping decidedly in the heroes’ favor. and so he had to quickly write him out of the battle in this very half-assed way

anyway, so while I ponder that, Tokage is peeking the top of her head out over the trees and staring at Machia who is, you guessed it, still heading right their way! just like he’s been doing pretty much this entire time

and now there’s a whole page of reaction panels you guys. this is why Horikoshi tries to avoid these massive Endgame-style battles with every single hero known to man participating. hopefully we won’t have too many of these. like I mean thank you for the roll call and all but I’d like to get to the action now

Mineta of all people is stealing this entire page with that expression though. he is not fucking around. this is twice in as many chapters that he’s been a page-stealing face-making champ. dare I hope this could be the start of a new niche for him? lord knows it would be so much better than the old niche

also this page is just sweatdrops galore. these kids are so nervous. MANGA GODS PLEASE KEEP THEM SAFE, although I’m honestly not too worried about them compared to the adults. I’m sure I should be, but I just am not

all right so now Momo is explaining what those little canisters are!

okay but someone please explain to me how it is that they had time to stop and lay all of these traps?? not just Honenuki’s, but Mineta’s and what looks like some of Shiozaki’s work as well?? did Machia just STOP MOVING for like five whole minutes all of a sudden for no reason at all? while they were all sitting out here saying things like “with that speed...”? ????? ????????

also lol wtf. “we’re gonna have to make him eat it.” I still have no idea what their plan is, but it’s getting more entertaining by the minute I’ll say that much

okay so Momo says that if they can get him to swallow just one of these, then that should be enough to put him to sleep. oh my god this chapter is going to be AMAZING isn’t it

meanwhile Mineta is worrying about Midnight. I swear to god if they turn this into something where he’s only worried because she’s hot, I will take one of these canisters and shove it right up his...

okay good, Mina’s reassuring him that it’s gonna be okay, and then we’re just cutting to Machia stampeding in with Mt. Lady and Kamui still clinging to him

WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE GUYS EVEN DOING

“we’ll just stand here adjacent to him and just kind of watch as he rushes straight at the children.” someone help me, I’m having difficulty finding a synonym for “useless” that carries the full amount of emphasis I want to place on it right now. this requires a degree of language the human race is not yet capable of

OH SNAP

THEY GOT HIM YEAHHHHH

OH DANG, FOR REAL THOUGH!!

ngl, for a brief spiteful moment I was disappointed he hadn’t actually fallen on them :/

and they’re still JUST STANDING THERE, I CAN'T EVEN?? we’re getting to the point where I honestly think actual civilians might have been of more use in this situation

YESSSSS

TIME TO FIND OUT HOW MANY TENTH GRADERS GIGANTOMACHIA CAN TAKE IN A FIGHT

also, sorry to keep harping on this, but the juxtaposition of that earlier panel with all of the fully grown and experienced pros just standing in dumb awe, immediately followed by this panel of BRAVE BUT DETERMINED CHILDREN CHARGING IN AND YELLING “GO GO GO”, is just... it really is something. shit. if I was the HPSC and this was what I had to work with, I too might have seriously considered fudging a few age requirements in hopes of finding someone who could actually get the fucking job done

also what the hell is going on down there with Shishida and Satou and that third person? what are those Blackwhip-looking things?? I’m confused

ohhhhh no

Shiozaki is about to be sent flying through the air courtesy of her own hair vines omg

OH NO WAIT THE THREE TOUGH GUYS ARE STOPPING HIM. AHHH THE LAST ONE WAS KENDOU AHHHH

I still can’t figure out what the hell those are though lol. did Momo make some steel cables?? I feel like Machia would be able to break just about any kind of rope or chain they could concoct just by sheer brute strength alone

ah fuck

DON’T YOU GUYS GO RUINING THIS FOR ME!! THEY’VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING HERE, LET THEM HAVE THEIR FUN!!

although I do appreciate how they’re all “U.A.!!” in kind of this “oh shit, these guys we actually have to worry about” sort of tone lol

this look on Toga’s face is a bit concerning! well but Deku and Ochako aren’t here though, so I wonder who she’s gonna fight if it comes to that. huh

(ETA: seriously, does anyone have any idea what Toga is planning cuz I sure don’t.)

Shouji and Ojiro, who I might remind you are normal people with no enhanced physical abilities aside from extra appendages, appear to have somehow circled all the way around to Machia’s back and are now climbing up oh shit

oh and Aoyama’s there too! -- is Shouji carrying him omg

he’s using him as a human ray gun omggg. this is the most delightful thing I’ve ever witnessed

NOW SOMETHING IS BEING SHOT AT THE LEAGUE AND DABI’S STARING AT IT ALL “>:(” AND I’M PRETTY SURE THIS THING, WHATEVER IT IS, IS ABOUT TO BE SET ON FIRE, LET’S SEE

lds;afksjdl;fkj WERE THOSE JIROU’S EARJACKS??!!

okay you know what fuck you Dabi. you think it’s funny to set a little girl’s ears on fire?! don’t expect any sympathy from me when Aoyama lasers you in the face

WELL I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING BUT THEY’RE SHOOTING WHAT LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF LITTLE TAMBOURINES AT HIM NOW

I ASSUME THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY TAMBOURINES, BUT I REALLY DON’T KNOW, IT’S NOT LIKE THEY HANDED OUT THE RULE BOOK TO THIS THING AHEAD OF TIME

[HUGE EXAGGERATED GASPING SOUNDS]

oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my

OH MY GOD AND YANAGI THREW THEM WITH HER POLTERGEIST QUIRK!??

I DON’T KNOW WHAT THIS “ACK?!!” IS AND IT’S REALLY BUMMING ME OUT, BECAUSE THIS CAME WITHIN INCHES OF BEING THE COOLEST FUCKING COMBINATION I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!?!?

(ETA: it would have laid them all flat in seconds. Kaminari is to be feared you guys.)

NO!!!!!

it is sincerely frustrating to me watching the League carelessly toss aside all of their painstakingly accumulated goodwill from the MVA arc in the span of just a few short pages. hey Compress, you think it’s cool to hurl a bunch of rocks at my six-and-a-half-year-old son?? I hope someone rips that cool robot arm off and uses it to punch you in the dick

here comes Sero!! and how are you going to die, Sero

what in the

did he just... sneeze them all into space

okay but hear me out, what if Shouda absorbed that impact. SHOUDA YOUR TIME HAS FINALLY COME. CLASS 1-B’S ASCENT TO GLORY

(ETA: watch this space!! Shouda is here for a reason mark my words.)

meanwhile on Machia’s back, Dabi is soliloquying about Machia’s quirk while his arm is doing... something

please forgive me for not being able to drum up any sympathy for poor Dabi’s arms right about now. quit trying to set all my kids on fire

wait whaaaaat lol

so I scrolled back up to the previous page, and... that was fire?? lord help me why am I still so terrible at being able to tell when Horikoshi is drawing fire as opposed to just air randomly whooshing through trees. I have really got to memorize that foossh sound effect

so can Gigantomachia just BREATHE FIRE now?? or was ALL OF THAT Dabi??? if it was the latter then at least he had the decency to wait until all of the kids got blown out of range before setting the whole forest aflame to keep them back. I’ll admit it, that was thoughtful of him as far as villain power moves go

OHO BUT YOU CAN’T COUNT MOMO OUT JUST LIKE THAT!!

AND NOW EVERYTHING AROUND THEM IS EXPLODING AHHHHHH DID YOU GUYS SET LANDMINES, BAKUGOU WOULD BE SO PROUD

once again I have to ask myself exactly how much prep time they had here. Horikoshi would have you think it was mere seconds, but that clearly cannot be the case?? maybe they set some of these up beforehand to catch any stray villains trying to flee the area?

lmao Spinner’s all “wait why doesn’t he just dig his way out”, because apparently Machia can tunnel himself under the ground. but Compress is all “um because we would die” and Spinner is all “oh right”

though I gotta say, it’s not like they’re that much better off as things are now, either. pinned down in the woods surrounded by fire and explosives. definitely a conundrum

oh snap Compress has realized that their presence is holding Machia back. don’t tell me Machia is gonna head off on his own and leave the rest of the League to square off with the kids

YOOOOOO HOLY SHIT THE HEROES ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING

there you go, League! free cannon fodder to get you all pumped and confident again!

DKFJLSDKJ

PLEASE LET THIS BE THE ACTUAL TRANSLATION OH MY GOD. THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE LINE IN ANYTHING AHHHH

“I’m leaving it to you, U.A.’s youngsters!” yeah, you and everyone else. ah well, can’t deny they get the job done

OH MMKJKYYYY GODDDDDDJJK

MINA COATED HERSELF IN ACID AND IS RUNNING AT GIGANTOMACHIA AND IS SHE ALSO ON FIRE??!?! SHE’S JUST RUNNING AT HIM LIKE A BIG OL’ FIERY BLOB???! QUEEN MINA???!! FIRE IS NOT HER WEAKNESS???! MINA??!! IS AIRPLANE?!??!!?!? MINAAAAAAA

holy fucking shit this whole arc is just one big Arc Of Ladies Getting To Do Stuff and I am 1000% living for it. THIS ARC IS MY FAMILY. I WOULD DIE FOR IT AND LEAVE EVERYTHING TO IT IN MY WILL. ahhhhhhhhhh

[ml-salt-central]

So, I finally watched the Miraculous New Your special...

I know this is late, sorry about that. It took a while for me to find a way to watch the special but I finally did so let's just get this shit over with:

Okay, how the fuck are these fucking pidgeons lifting the Eiffel Tower? Do they get super strenght from Mister Pigeon or something?

51 TIMES?! HAWKMOTH HAS CHOSE TO AKUMATIZE THE PIGEON GUY 51 TIMES?! HOW DESPERATE CAN YOU BE, BITCH?!

Astro Cat's design is cool af honestly but Cosmobug's design is awful! Why can't Marinette have a good design for her hero form for once? Oh, right, misoginy...

Okay so, I'm just gonna skip every Love Square scene because then this post would be even longer and I reacted the same way towards all of them, I just rolled my eyes and didn't care

Marinette's still a drooling idiot for Adrien despite claiming that she tries to move on which is... tiring and not funny, JUST LET HER MOVE ON!

Ms. Bustier is having a baby or whatever but I hate her so I don't care

If you saw Ms. Mendeleiev's reaction to Kim calling her a stick in mud and thought that that scene would lead to her trying to be more relaxed and less strict then you get to eat shit because it goes nowhere other than one scene at the airplane

Alya and Nino are just straight up terrible in this special, they spend all of their screen time trying to push Mari and Adrien together despite the fact that Mari said she wanted to move on and that Adrien has a GIRLFRIEND! WHAT THE FUCK, GUYS?!

Miraculous Ladybug: Where cheating is okay as long as it's for the sake of the main pair

I do not like the idea of historical figures being miraculous holders, am I alone on that?

Nathalie's apparently in pretty bad shape for using the Peacock Miraculous too much... good! Die, bitch! Also Gabriel's the fucking worst again, no surprise there

Luka deserves to be an actual character, poor boy is just being done dirty again and again

I said this before but I hate, hate, HATE the fact that there are other superheroes whose powers don't come from a miraculous. This just destroys the already weak world building, New York and Paris in ML don't feel like places that would exist in the same universe and it raises so many questions like how do people like Majestia get their powers? Why don't any of them go to Paris to help stop Hawkmoth since it doesn't seem like that would take much effort? Why are superheroes seemingly an exclusively american thing?

Mister Damocles's owl thing was funny at first but it was kind of annoying here, like this just proves once again that the characters never learn anything, didn't he realize that being an every day hero would be better for him in the episode he got akumatized?

All the american heroes are just knockoff versions of already existing heroes from comics, they couldn't even bother to parody the interesting ones they went with the more boring (and sadly most popular) ones

They made Aeon (the first black girl character of the show) a robot, made her become ivory white when she transformed and gave her the name "Uncanny Valley"... FUCKING YIKES! And that's not even all the things wrong with how her character is portrayed! She isn't even good as a concept! At least the idea of Jess as a character could work if she was written by people who knew what the fuck they were doing

The scenes where Adrien and Marinette can't get through automatic doors are really funny and cute ngl

Normally, I would be all for magic hot dogs being a thing but not on this show

The american heroes having all of their identities being public is just BEYOND stupid! Do the villains just not target their families or try to murder them in their sleep? And if having your secret identity being public has seemingly no consequences then what is Mari's and Adrien's excuse to not reveal who they are to eachother at least? I know the answer is to drag the show out for as long as possible but still!

I don't like the existence of the Eagle miraculous or the fact that there are more miracle boxes out in the world, why add more shit when you've barely explored the things you already have?

Techno-Pirate is boring and his name being Miracolonizer when he wields the Eagle miraculous is just... all kinds of uncomfortable

Adrien throws himself a pity party after almost killing Aeon due to him getting angsty mid-battle, I don't feel bad for him at all honestly

Knightowl looks so ugly without her suit, holy shit!

How the fuck did Jess know the deactivation words for the Eagle Miraculous' powers? Also her suit is so ugly! And her hero name is just "Eagle", at least Ladybug is now tied with someone as the blandest hero

Why the fuck did Knightowl and Sparrow hide the fact that they were female? Like there are plenty of other female heroes around so it's not like they're gonna be judged for it and if it's to hide their secret identities then why are they the only american heroes that do so?

The Miraculouses just keep piling on, making them even less special than before but now with the added bonus that they now seem like a pretty shitty power source compared to the american heroes' superpowers

Lastly, what's up with the technology in the ML universe? Like most of the time it feels like the show takes place in modern day but then we get these very advanced pieces of machinery out of nowhere and it feels so... jarring and inconsistent

In conclusion:

The fuck was all that?!

[stormyoceansmain]

This might be asking too much, but I would love to see your full thoughts on each little part of the new trailer. Predictions on what you think is happening in each scene and whatnot. If you don’t have the time, I completely understand.

ngl i feel pretty honored that you want to hear my thoughts about the trailer, anon, so im definitely gonna try my best to do it!!! let's see..

so, the trailer opens up with each of our main characters getting a different kind of alert message on their phones about the main disasters that happened in the past seasons, which kinda makes me wonder if what they're getting is gonna foreshadow how things will go for them in the first 3 episodes, or just.. what they're gonna have to deal with, at least emotionally. idk if i can explain myself, but while buck's alert is pretty much self explanatory, bobby's and eddie's feel kinda weird to me, because bobby didn't have a big focus during the earthquake, while that was the moment we learned about christopher and we saw eddie being worried for him, and similarly eddie didn't have much focus during the mudslide, while at the end of it bobby learned that athena was in danger and went looking for her. it could be that they're using the mudslide to bring up eddie's trauma about being buried under ground, or maybe there isn't a big reason behind any of it, but i still find those choices kinda curious, so i wonder if maybe this time around we're gonna see bobby being worried about one of the kids (may? harry? or maybe he's just.. gonna be worried about his family in general?) and eddie being worried about his partner (or being the one in danger, with his partner looking for him, which either way would tie up nicely with buck and the tsunami, and it would be the perfect chance to show once again that eddie's partner is buck and not ana). eddie getting the mudslide also makes me really hope for a RECOVERY ARC!!!!!!! and idk what hen's and chim's alerts say, but the fact that we didn't get them read theirs out loud makes me think bobby, buck, and eddie are gonna be the ones with more focus in these episodes

we then see josh saying 'the whole city has been hacked', which is another very interesting part to me because all the previous disasters were natural ones, with no control over them, but this has someone responsible behind it, so i wonder how targeted the attack is gonna be (im not saying someone is out to get the 118, but it is kinda weird that chimney said 'it's like all of our greatest hits')

AFTER THIS THERE'S LIKE.. HALF A FRAME OF THE HOSPITAL LOSING POWER SO IM SITTING HERE HOPING AND PRAYING IT'S GONNA MEAN MORE DAVID

the yearly tradition of athena having to deal with car accidents continues (she had to do that during the earthquake and the tsunami too), but since we know that apparently she will have to face the serial r*pist that beat her up, it makes me think that the first episode/first half of the second one will have athena dealing with streets mayhem and the 118 dealing with the animals, and then things will progressively get more serious

possibly the airplane we see going down is gonna be the thing the 118 will have to deal with after the animals?? the last time they had to deal with an airplane crash it was all the way back in season 1 and it made bobby break down so???? maybe there will be some sort of parallel????

EDDIE LOOKS BOTH NERVOUS AND READY TO FIGHT EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL AND IM HERE FOR IT (though i hope no one is gonna actually hurt the animals)

i think this is pretty much it, even if i feel like i could have done a better job at going scene by scene, but it’s still all i have to say for now, so i hope it's okay anyway!!!

[samwrights]

First Year Daddies (+ Kyoutani!)

I’m trying to spread out my requests—I have a whole bunch of Kuroo ones that I swear he is my most requested person. So let’s take a break from our beloved rooster and get some daddies up in this! That being said, this will kinda be a part 2 to Karasuno as dads, with the addition of our beloved Mad Dog. @dreamyjaems you know what’s up.

Kageyama;

Alright, let’s redeem Kags cause I did him dirty last time.

It took him sometime to get used to being a parent, but when he finally got it down, he loved every second of it.

Your daughter, now five years old, loves daddy just as much as he loves her.

Now that you’d gone back to work and the two of you had some semblance of a schedule, Kageyama was 100% in charge of childcare while you worked in the morning.

Lucky break for the two of you that Kags didn’t start practice until the afternoon, giving him time to take your little girl to kindergarten with you picking her up.

It was the same routine every morning—mommy goes to work and daddy makes pancakes while putting on Disney movies.

Always a short stack and he made sure to cut it up just the way his little girl liked it—into 16 pieces. Yes, 16. No more, no less.

Your daughter was a lucky little bugger, getting her fathers thick, silky hair. By this age, it’s incredibly long and Kags always brushes it and does it nicely before taking her to school, then off to work he goes.

His locksreen is definitely a picture of him and his daughter. It gets him through the day.

After picking up your child from school, you help her with homework since Kags won’t be home until later.

Sometimes, it really shocks you just how lucky the two of you got for having such a well behaved kid—super low maintenance, doesn’t really cause trouble. That is, until she starts missing her dad.

Yes, she is a hardcore daddy’s girl 💀

Usually, it’s around dinner time that she gets fussy because Kageyama will be waking through the door any minute and that minute canNOT pass soon enough. She’s more like you than you think.

“Hi sweetie,” you call out while you know for a fact he’s scooping up his little bean in his arms before coming to give you a kiss. Routine was nice that way.

The three of you go about your evening as per usual—having dinner together, you giving your little one a bath and Kageyama reading her to bed so that the two of you can cuddle up on the couch before turning in for the evening.

After he finishes reading, he joins you for your quiet time, seeing that you’re watching a movie and drinking a glass of wine. “I wanted to talk to you about...something.” He says stiffly. You quirk a brow at him after hitting pause, patiently waiting for him to continue. “How...how would you feel about having another one?”

“Another glass of wine? Hell yeah.”

“[name], no. Another kid.” Oh. Well, this is a shocking turn of events. Kageyama, the barely legal adult that initially had no idea whether or not was ready to be a father, wanted another child.

“Are you sure, Tobio?” Was all you responded with.

“Obviously, since I’m asking you,” there’s a twinge in his voice that you aren’t sure you’ve heard before. Not quite begging, per se. perhaps imploring was a better word for it? “I love our family and I just want it to keep growing.”

This was such a far cry from the man that Kageyama Tobio was six years ago when you first found out you were pregnant, and you would be lying if you said that his admission didn’t turn you on in the slightest.

“Well we’ve got some work to do then, buddy.”

Hinata;

Hinata Shoyo finally got his wish. With his son, now 10, and daughter, now 8, your youngest daughter was nearing her terrible twos.

There was nothing more in the world that your newest baby loved more than daddy.

It was actually kind of irritating, actually, because if Shoyo wasn’t home, she would cry and throw temper tantrums until your husband walked through the door.

Shit, it even irritated your other two kids who, in order to avoid it all, would usually be at their friend’s houses doing homework and hanging out until they knew their dad would be home.

If only you were able to do the same.

The second that Sho walked through the door, every sound in the Hinata household ceases, as if your toddler wasn’t just screaming her lungs out moments ago.

“Hi, princess! Did you miss daddy today? I know I missed you a whole bunch!”

On god, he is such a good dad it hurts. He’s gotten even better since the addition of the youngest.

“Hi sweetheart,” you greet with a quick peck onto his lips. His daughter, and yes very specifically the almost two-year-old is his daughter, grunts in discomfort despite being held by dad. She doesn’t like the fact that you took dad’s attention away for a second. “Oh, quiet you.” You grumble at her.

“[name]! Be nice to angel!” You roll your eyes at him instead. As if you haven’t raised your last two kids, who were now walking in the door. “Come on, pumpkin, let’s go get some food in our bellies!”

Hinata places her in her high chair, obnoxiously making little airplane noises as he feeds her. Spoiled little brat.

“Mom,” your son starts cautiously, looking back and forth between his father and baby sister. “Was dad always like this?” He asks, referring to the overly enthusiastic train noises your husband was making.

“No, honey.”

“Okay, just making sure he hasn’t been a dork our entire lives.”

“Oh, that? Yeah.”

Tsukishima;

It needs to be reiterated, you felt, that Tsukki is an amazing father.

Your oldest and Kei’s step-daughter, now 12, and your youngest daughter, now 7, would vehemently agree.

They never did actually grow out of the habit of calling him Tsukki, as opposed to dad. Though when speaking to other people, they both referred to him as their father.

It was quite endearing, actually. Your family was happy with the way things were, even if they were slightly unconventional.

Sunday mornings were family days—an adamant rule in the Tsukishima household. Kei would be in charge of making breakfast while you and the girls blasted some upbeat music while tidying up your rooms.

While Kei does not find Kesha and Lizzo to be “the classics” as you so put it while you cleaned, he did find it amusing to see all three Tsukishima women dancing and singing while cleaning.

Lowkey, it warmed his heart to know these were the three women of his life.

Kei is still the same protective dad he was even before having his own child—it only got worse when your oldest started showing an interest in the opposite gender.

Ya know how he wasn’t afraid to fight a toddler for his little girl? He’s definitely not afraid to fight some middle school punk.

Especially when your oldest comes home bawling her eyes out because she had decided to confess to the boy she liked and he had said he didn’t return feelings.

No matter how much you tried to console her, nothing you said seemed to work. It was dad’s turn.

Tsukki sits her down, his face as serious as ever, before adjusting his glasses to look at his step-daughter clearly. “Don’t tell mom that I said this, but boys ain’t shit.” 💀💀💀

“Ooooh, Tsukki said a bad word.” She joked in between her now calming tears.

“It’s true, though. Now come on, chin up. Princesses can’t have their heads down, their crowns will fall off.”

Yamaguchi;

Despite the years of torture and struggle that was raising your twin hellions, Tadashi was kind of feeling a little empty now that the boys had grown into being more independent.

They were now seven-years-old, in sports, getting good grades—it’s like they were replaced with a different set of twins.

However, this also grants Tadashi the chance to actually step in and be a father, rather than letting those two run him ragged all day.

I see Yamaguchi being a slightly more strict parent, but loving nonetheless. Because the twins have always sort have been troublemakers, he’s strict on making sure the boys are home in time for dinner and that their schoolwork is done.

If they aren’t 💀💀💀

Honestly, your guys’ life though is just all around peaceful and a small part of you is longing for chaos.

So before the two of you head to sleep for the evening, your both just chilling in bed, maybe reading a book. Ya know, like 90s sitcom style.

“Hey Tadashi, can I ask you something?” That was never a good sign in his book, but he looks at you expectantly, waiting for you to proceed. “How would you feel if we had another kid?”

“Wait, are you pregnant?” You certainly didn’t miss the panic that filled his eyes. Oh. There’s your answer.

“No...I just...kinda miss holding a baby, ya know? Our boys are seven now, they don’t want mom anywhere near them and they think my hugs and kisses are gross.”

Ngl, it kinda hurts him to hear that because he knows it hurts you. All he wants to do his make you feel better.

“I mean, I’m not opposed I’m just—“

“Scared the next one is gonna turn out the same way?” He laughs at the fact that you know him so well. “Don’t get me wrong, I am too. But in the end, we raised them so well. I don’t think we’ll have anything to worry about.”

Kyoutani;

The two of you never ceased to surprise anyone.

At first, it started with the two of you dating in your third years of high school, all the way through college (which, it shocked some that he in enrolled in university at all), to bringing your three-year-old son to the class of 2014 reunion.

Where did people even begin? The fact that you two had been dating for ten years or the fact that the two of you were parents?

It bothered you when people made assumptions about Kentarou.

Yes, he was cold and brash and a complete pain in your ass, but he was a damn good life partner and father.

Kyoutani wasn’t satisfied with anything if he wasn’t giving it his all—that includes his relationship with you and your guys’ son.

While he isn’t necessarily the most affectionate person, he always made sure his little family had everything they needed.

Yahaba is the first one to approach the three of you, surprised to see Kentarou holding his little one. “Holy shit, I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Language.” Your boyfriend bites out. A small laugh escapes your lips as you pat him on the back in reassurance as you give Yahaba a hug.

“Nice to see you too, Shigeru.” The former setter looks between the two of you, then looks at your son.

“It’s so scary to see your mini-me with his eyes.”

“Don’t be rude.” You chide him calmly, while Kyoutani feels his blood boil slightly. That sounded like an insult to him. Wordlessly, he hands over your son before squaring up with his former teammate. “Honey, please don’t start a fight.”

You were one of the few people to calm him down; a given considering your decade together.

Backing down, Kentarou retreats to your side, securing an arm around his waist and placing a chaste kiss in his sons hair. Knowing his mannerisms, you knew that was an apology to his child for losing his cool for a minute.

“Holy shit.” Yahaba repeats, stunned by the display of affection

“Language!” Your boyfriend snarls again through clenched teeth, making you laugh again. The three of you were far from perfect, but you had everything you needed.

[empty-dream]

So I read 86 LN vol 1

S1 anime covers the entire Vol 1 except for the latter's epilogue, so full anime spoiler here.

And as of this writing, I'm still on Vol 2 so the things I mention here are solely those that happen in Vol 1. Idk if a thing happens in the latter volume, gotta dodge spoiler so I don't browse about it.

There was an interview with a person inside the anime industry that basically said "The point of an anime adaptation is not to be an exact replica of the original material, but to shine as its own medium for a story." I forgot who it was and I can't find the interview anywhere for the life of me, but that statement opened my eyes. I agree with it, that's why I can appreciate the differences between LN/manga and anime, especially if they turn out good and/or interesting.

And that's exactly what happens in 86. I'll start with this: I watched the anime first, and after I read the Vol1 novel, I actually like the anime more. Because there are a lot of meaningful original scenes in it

And because the Vol1 novel turns out exactly what I fear when I first watched the anime: that I won't care much about the squadron aside from the main 5. (Look, the anime promotional materials mostly only have Lena and those 5 only. As shocked as I was in the anime, I did have an idea where the story would go from those alone). The rest are barely mentioned. Not even the girls are named in the novel, even though they do talk and Lecca is even prominent in anime.

For example, the second half of the first episode, the one that shows Spearhead squadron's daily life right before Lena contacts them, is anime original scenes. Kujo already dies the moment the novel starts focusing on the squadron. Simply put, a lot of the squadron members that aren't the main 5 or Kaie get a *lot* more focus in the anime, like Daiya, Haruto (For characters who appear on the introduction page, their novel screen time is less than I'd expect), Kujo and Lecca. While the other members often appear in the background and actually behave like equal members instead of glue-them-on figurines.

(Idk if those other members are named and/or designed in the light novel before the anime is a thing or when the anime becomes a thing.)

The anime also adds relevant information in the Raiden's talk with Lena in EP7, like Kaie receiving racial abuse from 86 (in fact in both versions, she is the first one to get highlighted about this) and Haruto also having prominent Giadian Empire blood like Anju and Shin. These weren't in the novel.

I might be just nitpicking here because I love Kaie and Haruto, but see, this scene is amazing on its own. This is where Raiden and the squad reveal the weight of their motivation all along, that they *each* have different backgrounds and different kinds of sufferings, yet they are all sentenced to die, and they all choose to fight because they know no side is saintly but some things are still worth fighting for.

The prominent characters' deaths (besides Kaie's) are often mentioned with only one or two dry lines. I expected at least Daiya's to be detailed more, but it's just that so matter-of-fact-ly. Well I came from the anime, so I guess it's normal if I expected something as heartbreaking.

I broke down HARD at the last half of EP10 and that is nowhere in the Vol 1 novel. (Having Hands Up to the Sky playing in the background is also an advantage for being an anime. Fuck that song, I now play it 24/7 in despair)

Having a lot of original anime scenes really complement the story's nature. That there are two different sides of life here, it's not just Lena's or 86's only. And those couldn't have intertwined if not for their willingness to listen and communicate.

I know I mentioned this some days ago but really, I can't get over how many of the merch are Lena (and Annette) being cute doing cute stuff while the story itself is actually depressing. Merch staffs know the market lol.

- Novel side -

That said, the novel does have an advantage that the anime/visual media doesn't: Internal explorations and explanations.

It's obvious from the get-go, but Asato confirms that the inspiration of Republic of San Magnolia and its racial discrimination and genocide is taken from Nazi Germany in WW2. The Republic who favors the white/silver haired-eyed Alba drives Colorata out of the 85 sectors, overtakes their properties, and forcibly sends the now-called-86 to either fight their war and die, or work on the wall and die.

The life inside the Republic is also elaborated on. Class always exists, even inside one race only. The center of the republic is for the elites, Lena and Annette's families included. The farther a sector is from the center, the lower the education and economy there is. Most of the military come from these areas, which explains why Lena herself is in difficult situation. Since no one in the military is either capable or willing to bring change.

It's *insane* how easily the Republic could create such vile lies, and how easily the majority of the citizens go along with it.

Gotta admit, Asato does a good job at foreshadowing the fate of the 86, the truth that we can only see after Ep7 of anime. It is mentioned that supposedly, 86 soldiers will be welcomed back once their 5-years term is up. Lena once wonders about it, but ultimately she buys it thinking that surely they must have come back to another sector. She only realizes it's utter bullshit after Annette points out how, 9 years later, they have never seen even one Colorata inside the Republic when they should have seen at least some. This also shows that Lena has never ventured to the other sectors to find out more, probably due to work or maybe she's still a sheltered noblewoman in the end.

And the mentality of the majority of Alba is shown differently. Whereas the anime uses the academy classroom to show how deeply rooted the racism against 86 is, the novel uses Lena's mother who a) more or less does the same as the classroom, and b) presses Lena to get married and preserve their pure noble bloodline. This, when the nobility doesn't actually mean anything anymore. This version shows not only Alba's racism but also Lena's strained family life.

There is a scene of an Alba high school valedictorian who, during his graduating speech, says “My friends died fighting the Legion.” I’m not sure this will make it to the anime, and it’s just a minor scene in the novel, but the weight of that scene is heavy.

The science of Para-Raid is explained, which has something to do with tapping the collective consciousness of humanity and connecting it to one another. A bit far-etched but I guess that works, science fiction and all. But I like the part where despite (or maybe because?) of connecting via hearing only, the other senses are faintly receptive as well. For example, one can sense that the other side is biting their lips in frustration, something like that. Of course, actual real life things like sensing the hidden bitterness or elation in a talking partner's words are present, this being a story where listening matters.

The novel elaborates on Raiden's stay with the Alba old woman. He calls her Old Hag, but it's clear he greatly respects her. The part where she screams and curses in the middle of the road at the Republic soldiers who take Raiden and the other children away stays in Raiden's mind forever, and so it does to me. Ngl it is quite a chilling scene.

Same with the story of the previous Laughing Fox, Theo's Alba commander. It turns out, the entirety of Theo's first squadron didn't like him at all and bet on how fast he'd tuck tail and run back to the Republic. When he faced his death the way Theo explained, he sent a message to Theo revealing he knew about it and knew his place to not ask for acknowledgment or forgiveness. This made Theo regret why he didn't try to talk more with his commander and he keeps thinking about it forever. Now it makes even more sense why Theo, blunt as he is, is willing to listen to Lena and when he snaps, he wonders if his late commander would do the same.

What actually happens in Kurena's backstory is also touched upon. While in the anime some viewers could think "Man, I get where you're coming from but chill out." The novel graphically shows her parents being toyed on by the Alba soldiers while her sister protected her, the two could only watch, and then the same sister got sent to the battlefield to die. Now at that, anyone would think "Man, no wonder she can't chill out. Not with all that trauma."

I also like the addition that Lena can sense Kurena is the one who dislikes her the most.

The novel describes greatly that it isn't just Alba and Non-Alba. Essentially speaking, Non-Alba is called Colorata, and they consist of different race groups as well. Just as Alba is associated with the color silver/white, the other race have their associated colors as well. Asato assigns races to the named members in Vol1 and what their distinguished color features are. This also explains why Anju is exiled despite looking like an Alba.

It's a question that I pondered on when I first saw Shin's armor plates, and that I pondered harder on when Chise died: What happens if there is no armor plate to carve its processor's name's on? So it turns out Shin would substitute it with anything; piece of wood or some random piece of metal. For Chise's case, Raiden, Chise's leader, suggested using the wing of Chise's in-progress airplane model. Which did my heart so bad because I'm strangely fond of Chise and finding out that in his spare time in his limited lifespan, he was working on an airplane model made me sob.

I'm not particularly into mecha, and could care less about how it moves. But Asato did a good job describing the fight between a glorified suicide car and a line of brand-new solid A-grade tanks. Special mention to I-IV because wow the concept arts for all the mechas are so cool, even though I don't really understand. (Asato even said to I-IV "Go draw a tank so horrible it's stupid for the Juggernaut" and I-IV came up with the current Juggernaut)

You know how the Republic greeting is "Glory to San Magnolia and the five-colored flag"? I won't disclose who says this in what situation, but there is someone of Colorata saying "If you hate colors so much, you should have just colored your flag white" AND OOOH THE BURN SO HOT HOT HOT

Tl;dr: Bottom line is, I personally enjoy Vol 1 because I already watched the anime and got attached to it. If I were to read the vol 1 first, most likely I wouldn't fall this hard for the series. Hell, maybe I wouldn't even pick it up in the first place because I knew it'd be depressing. But this is not to say that the LN is bad. It’s very good, it just does not really touch the lives of other soldiers whereas that’s the very thing that I love from the anime.

[softboyscully]

Public School Stuff I Wanted to Share

public school is both beautiful and horrifying am i right

so ill just go by the grades i guess

Kindergarten, first year

i did kindergartden at a catholic school in a relativly big city so this one’s got some shit

we went to church every wednesday, me and best friend (lost track of her when we moved, wish we’d stayed in touch, she was awesome) would giggle the whole time, pretty sure we made fun of jesus once, can’t remember why, possibly the hair

i had the nicest teacher, she was (as i remember her) young, blonde, and super sweet, that was the first and last year i ever had naptime

SPEAKING of naptime

i never slept during it

once i found what i remember being a nut of some sort on the ground, probably came off someone’s shoe

i grab it, turn to sarah (my best friend), say something about putting it up my nose

sarah, apparently having common sense, says, “no dont do it!! we’re supposed to be sleeping!!”

i put it up my fucking nose

try to get it out, just push it farther in

im crying a little bit now, that shit hurts

go up to my teacher

“you’re supposed to be asleep!”

“i have a nut up my nose and it wont come out”

teacher tries to get it out, but it wont budge

just. sends me back to my mat

that was it

the art room was tiny

like re-purposed broom closet tiny

there was a copy of the mona lisa in the hallway, someone had drawn ray bans on it with a pencil, never got replaced

there was a creepy-ass basement i went down to after school, we ate cheeseballs and sandwiches with some kind of meat, mayo, and that kinda yellow bread

someone broke his leg down there once, think an older kid threw him at the ceiling or something

we learned how to play Silver Bells with actual bells in music class

Kindergarten, second year

i remember these two teachers as the evil step sister-type look, but it might be my little kid imagination

but seriously they were horrible

we learned stuff in a room that was more middle-school styled, except everything was green or black and it was v dark

me and sarah attained a new friend, john

honestly i think we would’ve stayed friends for a while if i didnt move away

i have two vivid memories

one is of me really wanting to go home, so i walked by the teacher’s desk and did a fake sneeze

they laughed at me and told me to go sit back down

the other is  john leaning his chair back and then falling, so me and sarah went to help him back up

it was funny, so he did it again

and again

me and sarah were laughing, had the time of our lives

after the maybe fifth time the teachers said “john can get back up by himself. sit down and stay there.”

one of the reasons we moved was bc i got sent a letter from my fourth grade buddie

most of the words weren’t spelled correctly, many letters were backwards

my mother was horrified

ofc now we know it was probably a learning disability 

1st grade

this is when i moved

beginning of school i was ASTOUNDED we didnt have uniforms, one of the best things ever to happen to me

nothing wrong with this teacher, she was cool

thing is i was a little shit

told everyone my dogs died (they did but i was maybe three when it happened, i remember it not)

all my personal narratives were bullshit (only one sticks in my memory, wrote it about celebrating christmas AND hanukkah with my dad’s friends who were jewish, i have never even met those friends)

had a crush on this kid, best friend (she was terrible and helped wreck me emotionally) told me to kiss him in music class. me being a stupid ass bitch, i did it, aND HE GOES TO THE TEACHER AND CALLS ME OUT. at the end of class she gets both of us to stay for a bit, AND I DENYIED EVERYTHING. i walked across the fucking classroom, kissed him on the cheek, ran away giggling, told my teacher i didn’t do anything, AND GOT AWAY WITH IT. i’ve embarrassed myself further with this child but thats another story

2nd grade

i loved this teacher but honestly he was absolute shit

like. all he did was play the guitar and sing with us

never actually taught us stuff???

middle of the year, my mom goes in for a parent-teacher conference, he tells her i dont pay attention is math.

“what do you mean?”

“she doesn’t listen, she just takes out a book and starts reading.”

“........have you.... tried taking the book away?”

“sure, i could try that.”

“o....kay”

he also told her i’d be a girl who’d grow up to love spellcheck (which i do lmao)

like ???? why not just??? teach me to spell????

there was this one dude who one day showed up, gave me a pink stuffed cat, and then asked me where i lived

funniest thing was he lived on the same street as me

something that is vivid in my memory is showing up to class one day and realizing that i was wearing my regular clothes over my pajamas

also we had fish

every day someone else was in charge of feeding them

one of the times it was my job, i grab the fish food and walk over to the tank only to find all of the fish floating on the top

i screamed “THE FISH CAN FLY?!?!?!?!?!”

everyone ran over, all of us scarred for life when Mr. G walks over and goes in the most normal voice ever “no theyre dead”

we held a funeral

the cause of death is still undetermined

3rd grade

this year just draws a blank for me

all i know is that whoever the teacher was, they neglected to teach me how to tell time from a clock

also we learned the Cotten Eyed Joe dance in gym around here

4th grade

i had two teachers this year

one was the same one from 1st grade, the other one was a total bitch

made a girl named hannah ball her eyes out once, never apologized

i was (and am) and avid reader, so my reading skills were high above average

instead of being proud of me she told me i was weird, not normal, and too smart for a 4th grader, so i MUST be cheating. 

she was the start of a lot of self confidence issues for me ngl

this was around the time i went and got tested for ADHD (me and my grandmother almost broke down on the highway but thats another story), Mrs. M (the nice one) was super supportive when i told her why i was leaving early but Ms. S (bitch) told me ADHD wasn’t real and i just wanted to be special for once

she sucked, Ms. S

5th grade

this is getting super long so this’ll be the last one i do

but my teacher..... Mr. F was A+++++

he legitimately taught me math

we had i guess like,,, a buddie class we switched with sometimes

the teacher of that class was Mrs. R, who had crazy red hair and many freckles

at one point she referenced a meme and my entire class started screaming

also there was another Mrs. S (to differentiate this one will be called Mrs. Su)

she was kind of crazy

she was the astronomy teacher and she told us many times that the moon landing was faked

once she handed out sunscreen and had everyone put it on their whole body (this was in december, fyi)

Mr. F also hosted an ‘archeological dig’ which sounds cool but in reality he had a bunch of arcade prizes from his childhood buried in little flower pots we dug into with plastic spoons

also heres some stuff i cants pinpoint the time of/happened in multiple grades:

someone held a who-can-scream-the-most-like-a-goat contest

a guy named Makenzie won

remember we planned it while the teacher left the classroom so the teacher walks back in and one by one everyone in the room starts screaming, there was some applause, a few kids got a standing ovation

we cleaned out our desks in the middle of the year, i found 3 socks and a dog treat in mine

like how the fuck did any of those things get there

and where’s the fourth sock

b o t t l e f l i p p i n g

but no seriously there were at least five water bottles stuck in the ceiling in the cafeteria

my sorta friend charlie was obsessed with paper airplanes

one time he might’ve broken the world record for longest time in the air but he was counting in his head and it was at recess so there was no video

four square and gaga ball would be played no matter the setting, time, or conditions and it was super competitive

like if you could get to king in four square you got the everlasting respect of everyone

and everyone was super educated on four square special rules, special plays, that kinda shit

no but guys i grew up with bus stop, candy store, haunted house on mondays, haunted mansion on fridays, zombies was fair game unless it was Zach, Ryan, Chrissy or Vee

me and one other guy named andrew were the only known pjo fans, had the time of our LIVES making refrences

“HEY ANDREW IM NOBODY”

“I HAVE WAITED YEARS FOR YOU, NOBODY, COME HERE AND FACE YOUR DEATH”

“hey annabeth, i thought you looked like a princess when i first saw you. i printed out a picture you sent me casually and kept it with me. i snuck along on a quest so i could save you, endangering myself immensely. i held the sky for you. when you talk about your crush on luke, i get jealous. beckendorf understood, but hes dead.”

“ikr we’re literally the best of friends”

“RIGHT”  

also the first time we finished mark of athena we were in the same classroom and we individually dropped the book, stood up, looked at each other, and screamed “WELL FUCK YOU TOO RICK RIORDAN”

[bibliophileiz]

A (not really) Ode to bucklemming

Last bucklemming episode, and you guys, it was just such a classic example of their stale mediocrity. And yet, at the end of this post, I found myself bizarrely happy with how the episode turned out.

This is the second time I’ve watched it, and while I was planning to just liveblog my thoughts, I realized quickly that would not work, because most of the episode is boring and miserable, (especially the first third or so) and that makes for boring and miserable note-taking. I think I said in a tag of a different post that Dabb assigning this one to bucklemming is just further proof that he hasn’t cared about plot at all this season, and honestly, I don’t know there’s much they COULD have done to make this plot entertaining. Chuck even says at one point that it ... isn’t entertaining.*

The first third or so is basically Sam, Dean, and Jack being miserable with nothing around them break that misery up (except, briefly, a dog). And that makes for a miserable viewing experience. Here are a handful of notes I took that give you the gist:

- Chuck standing there talking about how loneliness and no-people is “deep” and a “page-turner” is such a gratifying little critique of shitty writers who like their gritty stories about permanently miserable protagonists. Like dude, you know there’s a reason nobody rereads “The Road,” right? - Dean slurring his words because he’s hungover is the first time anything interesting has happened with the dialogue in this whole episode. - Rob Benedict is the only one who gets to inflect his dialogue this episode. I do think his acting in that last scene is great, where he’s screaming, “Guys, wait!” as they drive off. It’s not a terrible ending scene.

So there’s that. Now here are my notes not-related to how stale and boring everything is:

Beginning: -The shots of Kyoto and New York City remind me of all the shots in NYT and other major newspapers after COVID shut everything down last spring (except in this case all the traffic would still be in New York, just no people). - “I couldn’t save anybody.” Poor Sam. (must push down feelings about Sam’s leadership arc and how it always seems to end with people dying, ugh, repress, repress!) - Also, I wanted to see a shot of a sink running and one of them turning it off. Just a random thing.

Archangel stuff: - I guess it makes sense to lose Adam if you’re going to kill Michael at the end, but goddamn if Michael isn’t a way more boring character without him. - Ah, Lucifer, a.k.a bucklemming’s attempt at comic relief. I’m starting to miss the boring dialogue. - Ooh, awesome, the only female character in the episode shows up bound and gagged and immediately murdered so she can be used and then murdered again. (Also, the first time I watched this scene, I was sure she wouldn’t wake up and was gearing up to laugh at Lucifer for sucking.) - Jensen stays as far away from her as he can when he unties her, I’m sure that actress appreciates him trying not to give her COVID. Course then she immediately ruins it by head-butting him, which is NOT practicing social distancing. - Many have commented on whether Lucifer can actually kill Death by snapping his fingers. We don’t know, but the Scythe WAS right there, and if Dean can kill Death with it (twice), I’m sure Lucifer can. - On the other hand, it IS established lore that God doesn’t have power in the Empty. Presumably he could negotiate with it like Death, and possibly he just took advantage of the loud chaos of Jack exploding, Death dying, the Empty apparently being super pissed, etc. to sneak in and make off with Lucifer. - Also WHY DO ALL THE ARCHANGEL FIGHTS IN THIS SHOW SUCK ASS???? - “I haven’t been in a battle like that in several centuries,” Michael says, as if he just fought the Battle of the Blackwater in Game of Thrones, and not what appeared to be the archangel equivalent of Mario Kart.

And climax/last scene: - But the best moment of the episode is when they GET BACK UP BLOODY AND HOLDING ONTO EACH OTHER AND ABSOLUTELY BEAMING BECAUSE THEIR LITTLE BOY IS ABOUT TO BECOME GOD. - Also, I like the music in this scene. And it seems like it’s the same place they used to film the end of Season 12/beginning of Season 13, which was probably peak Dabb era, ngl. (Jensen as Michael was also great.) - I also like that Jack and Chuck are both wearing light jackets, but Jack’s is a leeeeeetle whiter. - Chuck looking at the blank book is that moment in every writer’s life, when they’re like, “NOOOOOO, the computer DELETED EVERYTHING I WROTE.” - “Dean Winchester, the ultimate killer” You guys, 10 is Chuck’s favorite season. - Of course it is sweet that Cas’s last words seem to have had an effect on Dean, how he goes from “That’s (killing) all I know how to do” to “That’s not who I am.” I’m far from the first person to point that out though. - What happened to Amara is THE WORST. - Also, I am annoyed that Jack isn��t going home with them, because I really wanted him to be God, and a hands-off one, but I also wanted him to drive the Impala and solve crimes, ya know?  - Jared at least seems to understand that this ending is upsetting, because Sam has tears in his eyes, whereas Dean is just kind of like, “ah, he’s leaving.” Which is fine because DEAN AND JACK ARE NOT AS CLOSE AS SAM AND JACK, fight me. - Him disappearing into light is stupid, though. - At least Dean and Sam get to sit close to each other at the end. I wonder if that was the first scene shot after they got out of quarantine. - WHERE ARE THEY DRIVING? - Maybe to go see Jody. - WE GOT BELA AND CROWLEY AND ANNA IN THE MONTAGE HELLZ YEAH, ALSO ABBADON AND ELLEN AND RUFUS, but we also got fucking Asmodeus and Ketch and no Benny, what the fuck, Showalter?

So I have questions.

Some of them are unimportant, like how did people in restaurants at the end react when they found themselves looking at food that seems to have undergone days’ worth of rot in the blink of an eye? Also, you got a shot of a full airport at the end, but that begs the question: were there airplanes in the sky at the time Chuck snapped everyone away, and did they crash, and did the people on them get snapped back into crashed airplanes and was that not super confusing for them and did the airlines lose billions of dollars because all their planes crashed right before COVID shut them down anyway and if all that’s the case is it really any wonder they needed a bailout from the federal government?

But some of them are plot-relevant and could have helped an episode in desperate need of it.

For example, I want to know what’s going on with the Empty, and if Mark Pellegrino had talked about it for more than two seconds, I might not have hated every second he was on screen. Also, there are other things happening this episode. Like Jack walking around sucking life and “power” out of plants catches Dean and Sam’s attention immediately. We know that, because we see them noticing it and exchanging confused glances in the flashback at the end of the episode.

Here’s the thing though: Why not have that in the beginning? It’s not a Huge Reveal, and it would have given Jensen and Jared something to do in that stale boring beginning other than Make Sad Face. As pretty as Jensen and Jared are, and as good as they are at making sad faces, you cannot build an entire episode around that. 

Related, there isn’t actually much of a beat in the plot where it makes sense for them to figure out Michael will betray them for God. It seems like it will happen in that conversation between Dean and Michael when Michael expresses his hurt that Chuck let Lucifer out of the Empty before even asking for help. But at that point, it seems Sam and Dean have already come up with their plan. The flashback makes it seem as if they began to suspect Michael would betray them when Lucifer called him a cuck, something I think they made a plot point purely to have the word “cuck” in the episode for the third time.**

There are a few hopeful beats that show that bucklemming understand on some level that there needed to be some flow to this episode, such as the dog and Dean thinking he may have gotten Cas back. But I don’t think those are substitutes for showing Sam and Dean come up with their plan to defeat God. Even if you don’t want to reveal that they know Michael will betray them, you can still get one scene in there of them saying something like, “You think this’ll work?” if you just cut two minutes of Michael’s boring monologue in the church and/or Lucifer’s bullshit.

It follows this weird pattern of bucklemming once again seeming to not find Sam and Dean particularly interesting, so they don’t spend any time writing them DOING anything, or at least succeeding at anything, because they’d rather write Lucifer killing women and generally being an asshole.

So ... who cares, right? It’s bucklemming, they were bound to be mediocre-to-bad anyway, it kind of makes sense for Dabb to give them this episode because nepotism definitely makes it a best case scenario. And while I take issue with Dabb as a showrunner, I do think he’s great at standalone episodes and character stuff, so I’m not too terribly worried about next episode. I just think there were things about this episode that could have sucked less.

There ARE things about it that were fine, dare I say even good. It was in my notes, but I just want to emphasize that I LOVED the shot of Sam and Dean getting up bloody and broken, holding onto each other and grinning their asses off knowing that Chuck’s about to lose to Jack, and they get to see it! They may very well have gone into that fight expecting to die -- Chuck nearly just zapped them from existence, which would have still unleashed God-power for Jack to soak up.

The ending scene is pretty good, with Sam and Dean seeming like they’re still pretty beaten down, but trying to get it together. That’s more Jensen and Jared’s acting than anything bucklemming wrote, but it’s still good. The montage is good (although I will say for like the third time, where. the fuck. was Benny?) 

Jensen’s acting over the dog was SO SOFT (doesn’t he have a dog?). I half-expected the dog to run to him at the end, which would have been cute.

There are also things that were ... potentially good, if they’d been brought up correctly? I actually really like that Jack is going to be “hands-off” (although I like less that he and Sam will never see each other again, but Dabb did say it was going to be a bittersweet ending, so ....). 

I also -- and God, I’m going to get hate mail for saying this -- don’t mind that he didn’t bring Cas back. That highlights the difference between him and Chuck. Chuck brings back Sam and Dean (and, in Season 5 at least, Cas) over and over again, not out of love, but just to throw them back into their exhausting existence. In contrast, Jack NOT bringing anyone back (except the people who’d been snapped out of existence, which I would argue is more about putting the world on its proper course again, as opposed to “violating the natural order,” as Billie would put it). He knows he has to let people go. You could argue that’s always been his arc -- he and Cas even talk about how hard it will be for them to one day lose Sam and Dean back in Season 14 when they think Dean is dying.

But I wish there had been dialogue exploring THAT instead of the weird vague stuff about how he would always be a part of them. It doesn’t have to be anything super analytical like what I just wrote, it just has to be him saying, “I understand that in order to be a just god, I have to let things go and be at peace.” 

(However, if the reason they DIDN’T go that direction is they didn’t want Dean to be like, “You know, he’s right,” next episode and not rescue Cas from the Empty, then I’m fine with them leaving that out. Screw the natural order, Dean -- go rescue Cas from the Empty!)

I also really really really want to get some sense that Sam’s faith has been rewarded. We got a tiny glimmer of that this episode in the hushed, awed way Jared delivers the line, “Are you really ... him?” Sam has always been the one with faith in a just and loving God, and one of the things that aggravated me about the end of Season 14 was his faith being so blatantly not rewarded, in favor of promoting Dean’s more cynical take on God.

The show has always, since the very first season, raised questions about where God is, whether his will is just, and how we know we’re following it, and the main characters all have different answers to that -- Sam’s being the more faithful, optimistic view of “God is good”, Dean’s being the more critical “If God is good then why do bad things happen?”, and, most interestingly, Cas’ viewpoint largely fluctuating with his own sense of identity and self-worth. The point is, we had all three of these opinions on God, without the show ever explicitly saying which one was right.

Until very recently, I thought it should have stayed that way. But now I love the idea that Sam’s faith in God was rewarded not by Chuck, but by Jack -- the very boy he took under his wing and raised as his own son, the boy who understands that he is good and that people are good largely because SAM TAUGHT HIM THEY CAN BE. It’s just so beautiful, and I’m getting more and more happy about this ending as I write about it, actually, so maybe I don’t entirely hate Jack’s ending after all.

That was a happier note than I planned on ending this on. I guess that is how you stop worrying and tolerate bucklemming. 

Goodbye, bucklemming. I hated many of your episodes, but I will miss you and your weird, inconsistent writing that was so entertaining to pick apart and analyze and make fun of. I hope you find some cop shows where you can churn out more mediocrity and make some money. And in the meantime, stop killing off women.

*Yet another example from this season of the writers intentionally writing a bad episode to highlight the fact that Chuck is a bad writer. NEWSFLASH DABB: Bad writing is still bad writing, I don’t care if the villain of the story is the writer, I still don’t want to watch it if it’s bad.

**Which is such a bizarre insult to use. Isn’t it slang for a guy who’s wife cheats on him? I swear I’m not innocent or sheltered, I have just literally never heard anyone use that insult in a real context in my entire life. 

[patchofsunlight]

If you get this, answer with 3 random facts about yourself and send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications, anonymously or not! Let’s get to know the person behind the blog 💜

OKAY OKAY THIS IS FUN

1) uh I have green eyes!!! but it’s kind of like a moss green?? so sometimes it just looks like brown. i would put a picture here but no one wants that so yeaaaah

2) i’m really afraid of heights. like, absolutely terrified. if dealing with them, i WILL have a panic attack. i WILL cry. i hate heights omg 😡😡😡 i’m okay with airplanes and all that stuff but anything besides that??? nightmare material

3) i can sing!!! kinda well actually!!! it’s one of my favorite things to do and i’m actually good at it!!!! music is like my main source of comfort and not being terrible at it makes me real happy ngl

[sweet-teeth-mfs]

10 Questions Tag

Rules: Answer ten questions, then write your own and tag ten people.

I was tagged by @gotmetalkinginmysleep 👋🏻

My questions:

1. Night owl or Early Bird? Why?

Night owl for sure, although I really love the early hours of the day. I think my adhd brain is naturally suited to taking a long time to warm up some days, so my thinking becomes clearest around 4pm onwards. Its not helped by the fact that I’ve spent so much of my life working in the evenings. I love sunshine, and it pretty much energises me unlike any other thing, so whilst I feel like my brain works best in the dark, my soul works best in the sunshine. 

2. You have alone time. What are you likely to be doing?

Ngl, when I’ve had alone time in the last three months (during lock down) the first thing I’ve done is have a quick wank. I try to get one in every day or every other day (alongside sex) just to keep myself sane. That or having a cry, which is something I kind of prefer to do alone. 

3. Congrats. You win the lottery. What’s the first thing you’d do for yourself?

Aside from the whole ‘Put a bunch of it in savings so I don’t go fucking crazy’ and ‘Buy my parents houses so they’re all sorted and I don’t have to worry about them in that way’ - the first Big thing I’d buy would be property. I’d buy myself a house, and or an apartment. I haven’t lived in an owned property since my mother bought her first house when I was 16 - and I lived there for like 3 years and then have rented ever since. I’ve always wanted a place that I got to do whatever the fuck I wanted in. 

The second thing I’d buy is an airplane ticket. 

4. When you sleep, in what position are you most likely to wake up in?

I sleep like Yoongi & Taehyung do, fetal and/or with body pillows, so that’s what I usually wake up in. Apparently a common complaint is that my partners end up with my knees in their backs. So....

5. Does ASMR work for you?

Not specifically, but I do really love background white noise playlists, and natural noise playlists, so I guess it kinda does? I work best in high summer, because it’s usually super sunny, boosting my mood, and its also a noisy time of year for natural sounds. I also used to live near the ocean, and the sound of water is especially soothing to me, in all its forms (rain, storms, rivers, seaside).

6. If you could meet with anyone, dead / alive etc for a chat over coffee, who would you want to converse with?

I’m really not sure about this one. Most people would assume I’d want to talk to my brother (who died a few years ago), or maybe my grandparents, who all died before I was 11. I’m honestly not sure. 

Should I say some celebrity, who I’d probably have some completely cringeworthy conversation with? Should I say all the people I love who live way too far away from me right now (family, friends)? 

I think I’m going to go with...me. I’d like to meet myself, perhaps an older (or younger) me. I’d like to know how they are. What they’re feeling, what they’re concerned about, what’s making them laugh lately... that’d be nice. 

7. What keeps you going?

Am I stubborn? or am I just determined? I don’t know where it comes from, but by god the world has tried to fuck me over SO. MANY. TIMES and I have been broken, abused, neglected, beaten and taken advantage of, I’ve been down and out so many times I practically own the bar at the bottom of the gutter, but somehow, somehowwwwww, I keep getting up. 

I see it as no contest. I don’t want to die. I don’t want others to win over my dead body. So, I get up. 

Don’t get me wrong - I am swearing and spitting and kicking and sneering all the way up, and I am more than angry that I have to struggle, but - who am I kidding? I’m always getting up. I keep going, and sometimes all I have to keep me going is the fact that I’m already walking and I hate the alternate, but sometimes that has to be enough. Whynot just be Buddhist about it? All life is suffering, but hey, it’s LIFE, and holy shit aren’t we lucky? I’m getting my life, come hell or high water. 

8. You have the munchies. What are you likely to make yourself?

One of my go-to snacks is cut apple w/ cheese (crackers & apple chutney if you have it!) 

9. How would you characterise your inner voice?

I swear like a fucking sailor let me tell you. I would say my inner voice bounces between a lot of emotions, and can jump from one to another quite easily, but I am consistently a cynical yet romantic, critical yet nostalgic, happy but solemn, silly but serious, sexy yet shy, respectful and cocky motherfucker.

10. What place is a draw for you?

I mean, if we’re talking about ‘places’ like locations, I’d say old spaces, ancient sites, historical sites, holy sites, quiet yet spiritual places etc. If we’re talking about actual countries, Italy & Japan.

But on a really simple level - I fucking love a good hotel. I am not the person who prefers camping, or even prefers being at home. I love being at home, sure, and the convenience, but goddamn do I love me a hotel suite. 

I was raised in a YHA, so this might be something to do with how I feel really relaxed in hotels, hostels, guest houses and the like. I was raised in them, have worked in them, and thanks to the extensive travelling I did in my teens and twenties, I’ve stayed in quite a few of them all over the world. I’m choosy as fuck and have Serious Opinions™️ about what makes a good hotel, a good room, a good shower, etc. It truly is a hidden art. 

All my favourite daydreams usually occur in hotels too. 😘

Thanks for tagging me Kiki! ❤️

[gra-sonas]

There Was Only One Bed

Pairing: Malex, Alex Manes/Michael Guerin

Words: 3.3K | Rating: PG | On AO3

This fic’s been written for my dearest @insidious-intent as a gift for the Cosmic Love Exchange 2019 over at @goodvibesinroswell.

Dear Inigo, the day you reblogged this screenshot of a recent CNN headline, was the day you were assigned to me as my Cosmic Love Buddy. I squealed, ngl. Not only because you basically delivered the perfect prompt to my doorstep, but because you are one of my closest friends I was lucky enough to meet through RNM, and now I got to make a gift for you. Lucky me!

You are a delight, darling, an invaluable beta reader not only for myself, but also many other writers, you’re the queen of sass, a thirstyfirst order Malex and Vlamburn enthusiast, and a wonderful friend. ILU! This is for you, bb. ♥

••••••••••••••••••••

“Professor Guerin, Sir, I’m very sorry, but the last flight back to Albuquerque has departed half an hour ago, there won’t be another flight until tomorrow around noon.”

Michael nearly drops his head on the desk and sighs. He’s tired and hungry and wants nothing more than a warm meal and a bed.

“Okay, is there a hotel where I can stay for the night?”

“There’s a hotel close to the airport. I’ll see what I can do, but due to delays and some cancelled flights, we had to organize overnight stays for several passengers. Please take a seat, Professor, I’ll let you know when I have more details.”

Michael runs a hand through his hair, messing up his mop of curls further.

“Thanks, Susan. I’ll sit down over there and wait.”

Michael gestures at the seating area near the check-in desk, grabs the handle of his trolley and walks over. Only one other passenger is sitting there, a black backpack placed between his feet. The man looks equally tired and disheveled as Michael feels, the strands of his dark hair sticking up every which way, like he’s run his fingers through his hair repeatedly. There's a dried coffee stain prominent on his vanilla-colored hoodie, as if he's spilled the contents of an entire cup all over himself. He’s wearing dark blue jeans and brown boots, and a crutch is leaning against the empty seat to his right.  

Michael slowly approaches the man.

“Uhm, hi. Are you also here to wait for hotel information?”

The stranger looks up and Michael feels a pang of something deep down. The man could easily be a model and grace the cover of GQ magazine, he’s that level of gorgeous. When the stranger smiles at him, Michael’s stomach drops even further. He knows he’s in trouble the second he locks eyes with the man.

“Yeah, apparently there are no flights back to Albuquerque until tomorrow. I’m just so lucky.”

The stranger looks down at himself to inspect the coffee stain. Then he looks back up at Michael, rubs at his eyes and dishevels his hair even further by running his hands through them. He's clearly tired and his clothes are rumpled, but he still looks absolutely stunning.

“Long day?” Michael asks.

The stranger scoffs.

“The longest day of my life. And I’ve served three tours.”

“Thank you for your service, Private.”

Michael bites his lip when he realizes that what he said might offend the veteran. He’s also sure that his remark came out a lot more flirty than intended, curse his tired brain. When the stranger laughs, he’s relieved.

“I’m Air Force actually, that would make me an Airman. And it’s Captain, if you don’t mind.”

“Captain, of course. Please forgive my ignorance, I’m not overly familiar with military ranks and stuff. So, you’re Top Gun, that sounds cool.”

The man laughs again, and Michael can’t take his eyes off of him.

“That’s usually the assumption. And while I know my way around military airplanes, I’m more of a desk criminal these days. I’m no longer fit for combat duty.”

He bends down and knocks against his right lower leg. It makes a sound as if the man’s knocked on metal and the crutch makes a lot more sense all of a sudden. Michael tries his best not to blush, even though he’s mortified and worried that he may not only have offended a veteran, but a disabled veteran. He likes the man, why won't his brain let him hold a normal conversation without blurting out inappropriate remarks? When the man smiles at him, Michael feels a little less like an ass.

“Captain...?”

“Manes, Alex Manes. Please, call me Alex.”

Michael grabs the outstretched hand of Captain Alex Manes and shakes it.

“Guerin, Michael. Well, Professor Guerin actually. But please, call me Michael.”

They smile at each other and there’s a spark. A spark of recognition, of longing, of belonging even, Michael almost gasps. Then he sees that Alex’s pupils are blown wide, like he can feel it too. Michael swallows around an invisible lump in his throat, his and Alex’s hands still clasping at each other.

He lets go of Alex’s hand reluctantly, instantly missing the warmth and comforting firmness of it.

Michael takes a seat beside Alex.

“So, Professor Guerin. What are you teaching?”

Michael smiles.

“Quantum mechanics and astrophysics.”

“Nice! So, if my career makes me Maverick, what does that make you? Bruce Banner?”

Michael laughs.

“I don’t have the bulk to pull off Bruce, at least not when he’s hulked out. I’m probably more like Mork.”

“Meaning you're a little awkward, a little inappropriate, yet very funny, and telekinetic?”

Alex raises a questioning brow at Michael.

Michael’s stomach twists. If only the gorgeous man across from him knew that he is indeed telekinetic. And an alien. Just like Mork. Oddly enough Michael doesn’t want to lie. He winks at Alex.

“Well, I can’t spill all my secrets on our first date, Captain.”

Alex’s brow climbs impossibly higher on his forehead.

“I wasn’t aware that this is a date, Professor.”

Michael blushes and drops his head into his open hands.

“I’m sorry, my brain-to-mouth filter seems to be defective when I’m tired.”

“Oh, don’t apologize, we can make it a date if you want. Let's see, I have half a bottle of water and a dry cheese sandwich. And I’ve downloaded season three of Stranger Things to my phone. You up for Netflix and Chill?”

Michael snorts.

“You do know what the chill actually means, right?”

Alex smirks.

“Well, I can’t spill all my secrets on our first date either.”

Michael laughs out loud at this. Then he opens the front compartment of his trolley and rummages around in it.

“Oh, I like you, Captain. I like you a lot. Let’s see. I have a bottle of lukewarm ice tea, an apple and a bag of nuts. I haven’t had a chance to watch season three of Stranger Things yet, so I’m up for it. After dinner?”

They look at each other and grin so hard, it almost hurts.

They eat half a sandwich and a handful of nuts each, then they take turns taking bites from the apple while handing the water bottle back and forth. Neither of them's in the mood for lukewarm ice tea and Michael puts it back into his trolley.

They skip the chill part of their ‘date’ and keep a conversation going instead, sharing random facts about themselves, talking about their jobs, and for all that Michael understands, they are flirting as if they were on a real date. He’s never felt so at ease with another person, so relaxed and calm. At the same time, he’s on edge, feeling a pull towards Alex, an indescribable urge to plaster himself all over the man.  

Unconsciously, he’s been edging closer throughout their conversation, reducing the distance between himself and Alex inch by inch.  

When he’s close enough to catch a whiff of Alex’s cologne, he almost moans, it smells so good. He must be so tired that he feels like he can barely control himself anymore, wanting nothing more than to drop his head on Alex’s shoulder and snuggle up to him. He wants to bury his nose in the crook of Alex's neck and stay there forever, surrounded and soothed by Alex's steady pulse and irresistible scent.  

Alex seems oblivious to Michael’s inner turmoil, animatedly telling an anecdote from a time at base camp when he was just 18 years old. Michael tries his best to follow the story, but all he can focus on is the way Alex’s eyes crinkle when he laughs, the way his elegant hands gesticulate (Alex is wearing a silver ring on his right middle finger, whenever he gestures, it catches the light from the ceiling lights and it’s mesmerizing).

Alex is also wearing an earring - a simple silver hoop – in his left ear. Michael wants to lean over and catch it between his lips. His cock twitches at the idea.  

When a young man heads over from the service desk, Michael tries to focus on what he has to say.

“Captain Manes, Professor Guerin?”

“That would be us,” Alex replies and gestures between them.

“My name is Thomas and I’d like to apologize that it took so long. Susan’s told me that you were hoping we could book accommodation at the airport hotel for you, and I’m happy to inform you, that we were able to secure a room for you. There’s a taxi waiting outside in front of the terminal, it will bring you right over.”

Alex and Michael look at each other in relief. As entertaining as their conversation’s been, they are both tired. Michael gets up first and nods at Thomas.

“Thanks for your help, Thomas, we really appreciate it.”

He turns around to Alex and gestures at his backpack.

“Do you have any more luggage?”

Alex shakes his head.

“Only this one.”

“Good, let’s head over to our carriage then, my Lord.”

He bows down in a mock curtsy, offering Alex his hand in the process. Alex blinks for a second, then laughs and grabs the offered hand and slowly pulls himself into a standing position.

“Thanks, Professor, you are too kind.”

Thomas clears his throat.

“Goodnight, gentlemen. Please be back at the airport around ten tomorrow morning.”

Alex and Michael bid their goodbyes to the man, grab their luggage and Alex also his crutch, then they walk over to the exit. Alex leans on his crutch heavily, like he's tired and in pain. Michael closes his eyes for a moment and wishes he had Max’s healing abilities. His telekinesis is fun and often helpful, but right now he’d rather be able to take away Alex's pain.

When they exit the terminal, their taxi driver is waiting for them. They put their luggage in the trunk and without being prompted, Michael takes Alex’s crutch once Alex sits in the passenger seat. Alex smiles at him warmly.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“My pleasure, Captain.”

He places the crutch in the trunk and takes a seat behind Alex. The drive over to the hotel is short, yet they tip the taxi driver generously. Michael gets their belongings out of the trunk and they enter the hotel.

A young woman behind the reception desk smiles at them.

“Good evening, gentlemen, my name’s Natalie, and you must be Professor Manes and Captain Guerin?”

“It’s the other way around, but yes, this is Captain Manes, and I’m Professor Guerin.”

The woman blushes.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I got things mixed up.”

Michael smiles at her.

“No problem. If you could please just lead us to our rooms, we’re both tired and would like to get some sleep.”

Natalie nods and walks around the desk.

“My pleasure, gentlemen, please follow me.”

By unspoken agreement, Michael takes Alex’s backpack and hoists it over one shoulder, then grabs the handle of his trolley.

“After you, Captain.”

Alex smiles at him thankfully and follows the woman to an elevator with slow, measured steps, leaning on his crutch. When the doors open, they all step inside and Natalie pushes the button for the third floor. When they arrive, the doors open and they step into a hallway. Natalie turns left and they follow her down a corridor until she stops in front of a door with the number 345.

She turns to them.

“You are lucky, we are fully booked and this is our last free room.”

Alex and Michael look at each other, then they look at her.

“Uhm, there must be a mistake. We are not together. I mean, we don’t travel together. I mean, we didn’t even know each other until an hour ago. We need a second room.”

Michael looks at her with wide eyes. She shakes her head.

“I’m so sorry, gentlemen, but there are no other free rooms. This is the last one.”

She opens the door with a keycard and turns the lights on.

They step into the room behind her. It’s a small room. A wardrobe and small desk with a flatscreen TV mounted on the wall above to the left, a bathroom and a bed to the right. One bed. It’s a king size but, but still, just one bed. Michael sighs.

Natalie looks flustered.

“I’m terribly sorry, I wish I could offer you something else, but this is all we have.”

Alex and Michael look at each other for a moment, searching for something in each other’s eyes. When they both seem to find what they were looking for in the other man's eyes, they nod at each other with a tilt of their heads and turn back to Natalie. It’s Alex who speaks for them.

“It’s okay, Natalie. We’ll take the room. It’s only one night, a couple of hours in fact. I’m sure we’ll manage.”  

Michael chimes in.

“Natalie, would you have another blanket, though? More towels would also be great. And is there a vending machine somewhere. And ice?”

Natalie nods.

“Yes, of course, Sir. I can bring the extra blanket and towels to you. The vending and ice machines are at the other end of the corridor.”

“You know what? Why don’t I come with you and spare you the way back up here? It'd give Captain Manes some space and time to get ready for bed.”

Alex smiles at Michael, a huge THANKS written across his face.

The young woman nods.

“Of course, Sir, please follow me. Good night, Captain Manes.”

“Good night, Natalie. And thank you, Michael.”

Michael grabs Alex’s shoulder and squeezes it for a moment.

“It’s okay. I’ll be back in about 15 minutes. Hope you won’t be asleep by then, Captain.”

Alex winks at Michael, then his voice drops an octave.

“I’ll eagerly await your return, Professor.”

Liquid hot desire runs down Michael’s spine. He licks his lips and when Alex smirks, he knows that Alex has noticed his reaction. He shakes his head and turns to leave the room.  

“I’ll be back in a few.”

Michael follows Natalie out into the corridor where she hands him the keycard to the room. He closes the door behind him.  

When he returns to the room about 20 minutes later, he’s carrying an extra blanket, towels and a cushion under his left arm, he's also holding two water bottles in his left hand. In his other hand he carries an insulated bucket with a lid. It's filled with ice. He’s holding the keycard between his fingers and hopes that he won’t drop everything in his attempt to open the door.  

He holds the card close to the magnetic field and enters the room with all items still in his hands.

Alex is already in bed, occupying the right side. His head is propped up on a cushion and he’s holding a tablet in his left hand. He looks up at Michael and Michael nearly drops everything there and then, because Alex is wearing glasses and no shirt.  

Michael can't help himself.

“Holy shit, did GQ call? I’m sure they want their cover model back.”

Alex laughs and a questioning eyebrow becomes visible above the thick rim of his black framed glasses.

“Didn't take you for someone who's reading GQ, Professor.”

Michael doesn’t know how to react to that. To any of it. Alex looks insanely attractive, and he keeps calling Michael Professor, which does things to Michael. He’s definitely too tired to handle the situation with dignity, so he quickly places the water bottles and the ice bucket on the desk, takes the towels in his now empty right hand and drops the blanket and cushion in a pile on the left side of the bed.  

“I... I’ll better go and take a shower. A cold one. Jesus Fucking Christ.”

He all but flees into the bathroom and only dares to breathe, when the door is closed behind him. Then he remembers the ice bucket and why he brought it. Shit! He looks at himself in the mirror and moans. He looks like a mad man, his curls a messy halo around his head, his pupils blown impossibly wide. He turns on the cold water, washes his hands and splashes some water on his face. Then he grabs a towel and rubs at his face. He takes a deep steadying breath, then takes a clean towel, opens the door behind him and returns to the bed room.

Alex looks up at him, questioningly. Michael grabs the ice bucket and pulls a ziploc bag out of the pocket of his dress pants. He holds both items up.

“Uhm, I’m not sure if this is ok, but I noticed that you were in pain earlier, and I thought that maybe you’d like to put ice on your leg?”

He feels terribly shy all of a sudden, his face probably tomato red from blushing so hard. He closes his eyes, the ice bucket and ziploc still clutched in his outstretched hands. What if Alex finally takes offense at something he says? What if he gets angry? Michael tries not to panic but breathing seems impossibly hard all of a sudden.

“Michael, please look at me.”

Alex’s voice is quiet and soft. Michael blinks his eyes open.

Alex looks at him with kind eyes, puts his tablet away and shuffles over further into the middle of the bed. Then he pats the empty space beside him. When Michael steps closer, he notices the prosthetic leg leaning against the nightstand. He quickly averts his gaze and looks at Alex instead, then he sits down on the bed.

“You are right, I’m in pain, have been all afternoon. You noticed and now you’re bringing me ice. It's remarkable, really. I’ve... I’ve never met someone quite like you. You're one of a kind, Michael Guerin.”

Alex’s voice sounds amused, a smile plays on his lips. Michael blinks at Alex’s words, and once again, he can’t help himself, he doesn’t want to lie.

“Well, technically there are at least two others of my kind.”

Alex tilts his head in surprise.

“Are you telling me you’re a triplet, Professor?”

Michael smiles and winks at Alex.

“I guess you could say that, yes.”

“Do the other two look as gorgeous as you?”

Michael snorts.

“Oh, they wish. But no, we’re not identical triplets, maybe not even biological triplets. I.. It’s a longer story. Too long and complicated to tell tonight.”

Alex smiles at Michael seductively, his voice smooth and inviting when he speaks.

“Good thing that I’m not in the mood for a bedtime story then. I have something more chill in mind, if you’re up for it?”

Alex slowly takes the ice bucket and the ziploc bag from Michael's hands and places them on the nightstand. Then he takes Michael’s head between his hands and pulls him closer in slow increments, giving Michael plenty of time and opportunity to indicate that he's not up for chill. But Michael doesn't want an out, he wants the opposite. He twists around further to face Alex properly. Alex slides his hands into Michael's curls and pulls him in until their lips meet in a kiss.

It’s tender at first, just a press of lips. Then Michael opens his mouth, then Alex does too, and then they’re not coming up for air for a long, long time, their tongues and lips too eager to explore and conquer. Michael never makes it back into the bathroom for a cold shower...

They're up for hours and when they finally fall asleep in the wee hours of the next morning, utterly sated and wrapped around each other, they sleep so deep, they miss the flight to Albuquerque at noon.

When they wake up, they extend their stay in room 345 for another night.

[rainbowkosmos]

Thoughts on Love Yourself: Tear

i’ve been listening to this album nonstop for over a week now, but I really want to organize some of my thoughts so Here We Go

(this is very long and i’m sorry)

Singularity:

This one has been out for a while and it was slow to grow on me, but now I really like it. it’s dark, sort of haunting, the kind of song that’s good for playing low at 3 am.

“감싸 보려하지만” especially sounds really good.

god this style of music suits taehyung so well. i also think this is definitely a song that is enhanced by it’s music video.

I just wanna talk for a sec about how Namjoon has had a hand in writing all three LY intros so far and how they’re all fuckin amazing

Fake Love:

I love the descending eerie “ding ding ding ding” in the background of this song. It just adds so much character.

whenever i sing this I try to sing “fake love” and then the fanchant “fake love” in the same verse lmao

“love you so bad, love you so bad, 널 위해 예쁜 거짓을 빚어내” is probably my favourite part of the song, it sound so good

also shoutout to namjoon who has two verses in this song and kills them both

jin sounds fantastic on the chorus. he really shines on this song- the way he sings “fake love” is just so pleasing to the ear.

the structure of this song is really weird. like, I don’t hate it, i actually kind of like it, but I wish they had pulled back for an instrumental break after “I just know why, it’s all fake love” and maybe built the song back up again with the “ding ding ding ding”s. it could have used the break in vocals imo.

The Truth Untold

I cried the first time I heard this song and it was 99% because of the rawness of these vocals.

god listen to jin on his first verse.

Jimin sounds beautiful on this song. jimin sounds beautiful always tbh but it’s especially noticeable here, and a lot of my favourite jimin moments from this album are on this track

“you know that I can’t show you me, give you me” i haven’t been fine since i first heard these lyrics

the connection between the first three songs (talk of masks, blooming flowers, hiding oneself) is pretty incredible tbh.

can you believe this is a steve aoki song? i can’t. well done to him for stepping outside the box.

“and i still want you” did????? i ask??????

134340

ngl this is probably my least favourite song on the album, but I can still appreciate it for it’s lyrical cleverness and the frankly amazing flute.

“Us is the plural form of U” i just. really fuckin love namjoon.

I will say, i really like the pre-chorus on this song, the “난 맴돌고만 있어“ bit. it sounds so... adventurous? idk when i first heard this song I was driving through really heavy fog at 3:30 in the morning and i honestly felt like i’d been transported back to the dawn of the dinosaurs and was about to run into a triceratops. anyway, moving on.

Paradise

Okay lyrically, this song is one of my favourites on the album, but instrumentally, it just can’t hold my attention. there’s nothing about it that grabs me except for the “Stop running for nothing, my friend” near the end. as it is, i really love the lyrics, and it has a message that i’m clinging to right now.

“We deserve a life, 뭐가 크건 작건 그냥 너는 너잖어” (whether big or small, you are just you) namjoon is like dr seuss for 20 year olds i love it

“꿈이 없어도 괜찮아” thank u bts this is a message i need rn

yoongi often raps like he’s pulled his verses straight out of my own thoughts and this one is no different. it’s kind of comforting, honestly.

why are he and hoseok turning into the same person though. like on this song and a few others, they trade verses seamlessly and it’s frankly kind of eerie.

this entire album is so cohesive though.

너를 이루는 모든 언어는 이미 낙원에 i kind of really love this line. it’s gorgeous. “every language that makes you is already in paradise”.

Love Maze

I feel like I haven’t explored this song lyrically enough, but I do like it. I especially like how defiant it sounds. Where it’s placed on the album feels very fitting.

“Love ain't a business, rather like a fitness” “Love is a maze damn, but you is amaze” goddamnit namjoon why do i love these lyrics so much

“baby, just don’t give a damn” seokjin.

tbh that’s all i have to say

that really warped sound that becomes prominent in yoongi’s verse is so cool and adds so much character and atmosphere to the song

also the reference to paradise after the last song was actually called paradise is a nice touch and again, makes this album feel like a story with a beginning, a middle and an end.

i’m really sorry. I know the actual lyrics in hoseok’s verse are “와 있고” but it 100% sounds like “white girl” and that’s all I ever hear when i listen to the song.

it’s interesting to me that some people say this song is romantic, whereas others say it’s about the relationship between bts and their fans. what i love about bts’s lyrics is they often leave a lot of things up for interpretation, and i don’t think they’d be bothered by either viewpoint.

Magic Shop

alright this is one of my favourite songs on the album and i have a Lot to say

i have the lyrics to this song saved on my phone so that i can go and look at them whenever i’m feeling down

also if a song is ‘atmospheric’ enough, i associate colours/images with them in my head, and magic shop is one of the most beautiful songs i’ve ever “seen”.

“So show me (I’ll show you)” is gonna be so fuckin powerful at concerts i can just tell

isn’t hoseok’s verse from his thank you in HYYH pt 1? ugh their minds

also hoseok sounds gorgeous here

the little “ey ey“s in yoongi’s verse please i love

and then there’s a reference to The Last here, but it’s written in a much gentler way and with a flip to it. god i love this song.

and then it goes back to hoseok rly quickly before the chorus again and have i mentioned how much i adore the way sope just fits together on this album

there’s something so calming about this song that just quiets my head for a few minutes

“you gave me the best of me, so you’ll give you the best of you” these are my favourite lyrics on the entire goddamn album, they’re just so impactful. a: a throwback to best of me, and b: a reminder to their fans that they should love themselves as much as they love bts (i’m trying, okay).

before we move on, I want to mention that Magic Shop marks a very obvious tonal shift in the album, the previous songs have all been sad, bitter, defiant, dark. there’s a consistent theme of hiding yourself behind a mask and worrying you won’t be loved (by others or yourself) if you take that mask off. in Magic Shop, the tone finally grows vulnerable, they talk of past fears, of using the “magic shop” to trade worries for happiness, and the rest of the album (until the outro) is going to be tonally more upbeat. this is not a coincidence.

Airplane Part 2

i’m not gonna lie, airplane was my least favourite song on hope world, but this? this is a fucking Jam.

the first time i heard this my mouth genuinely dropped open when jk started singing lmao

kings of singing latin pop in korean

okay jin and namjoon trading off lines is one of the most iconic parts of this entire album

EL MARIACHI

EL MARIACHI

EL MARIACHI

and then yoongi and jimin trading lines? also iconic. the rap and vocal lines worked so well on this album and it truly shows on songs like this.

this song ends on what feels like an unfinished note. like the structure here is weird too. is there a bridge?? i don’t feel like there is???

Anpanman

I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH

i remember listening to this for the first time and just laughing through the whole thing bc i was so delighted

this is a song where taehyung sounds very much in his element, but in a different way from singularity

this just feels like classic bangtan to me and it makes me so happy

“keep ballin ballin, still bangtan” there is something about this line that makes me smile so much.

“눈 뜨니 hero but still in 미로” interesting. “still in a maze”- is this a reference to love maze or am i overthinking things.

also this song seems all light and fluffy on the outside until u remember that anpanman was a hero made of bread who gave parts of himself to others to make them happy and then the rapline all get a turn singing “i’m a new generation anpanman”.... i see. pls don’t do what the old generation anpanman did.

even though things have gotten tonally lighter there are still dark undertones here and that comes to a head later in the outro

i fucking love jk’s verse in this song, it might be my favourite of his on the entire album

i stan a band of Nerds

So What

this is a very surface song that i enjoy jamming to in my car, but have no thoughts on it beyond that haha

i laugh every time one of them uses “bae” in a song bc it just sounds... off

“고민보다 Go Go” god i love it when they reference their older songs

this may not have been as surface as i thought it was upon closer examination of the lyrics. idk what i was expecting tbh like, this is bts.

“hope world, let’s go” that’s fantastic

tbh this might be one of my favourite hoseok verses on the album

wait so namjoon’s not saying “i wanna die right now”? i just now figured that out.

the last minute and a half of this song simply did not need to be there

Outro: Tear

i saw someone say that the instrumental for this belongs in a movie score and i 100% agree

namjoon goes the fuck off in this song like holy shit it’s been a while

and then he repeats “you’re my tear” three times, which alone isn’t interesting but is made interesting by the fact that when rapline comes together later, this bit is changed

okay this is my favourite hoseok verse on the album

and then again with the seamless transition to yoongi! god i’m curious as to why they decided to structure their verses like that, as far as I can remember they haven’t done this before and i really like this stylistic choice because they compliment each other so well.

“we thought we dreamed the same dream, but that dream has finally become a dream“ goddamn

this song sounds so raw, like the truth untold sounded raw too, but I really liked that this album had a vocal and a rap line track to showcase how music can sound vulnerable in different ways.

OKAY here it is, one of my absolute favourite pieces of wordplay (that i can understand) on the album

namjoon says “you’re my tear,” just like he did earlier. yoongi follows that up with “you’re my tear” but he uses the other pronunciation, changing the meaning to “you’re my tear (as in, tearing something).” then hoseok comes in and rhymes “fear” with namjoon’s pronunciation of tear. these are god tier (lmao i can wordplay too) lyrics my friends.

god i love yoongi’s verse so much. first the autotune, then the layering of autotune and his lower register (which he’s used so much more on this album and i adore it) like he switches things up so well and he’s such a versatile rapper i’m literally constantly floored by him.

and then there’s another really nice transition from namjoon to yoongi. what i like about bts’s rapline is that hoseok and yoongi sound really good together, but their higher rapping styles compliment namjoon’s deeper voice so well.

i just need you all to know that the first time i listened to this song i was driving at four am and it’s a good thing i was alone bc when yoongi started singing on the bridge i literally shrieked ‘fUCK’ and clapped a hand over my mouth

hoseok was a fuckin brilliant way to finish this album off, he gives this last verse the emotion and speed it needs and i love it. they’re all good at rapping over instrumental pieces like this but there’s something about hoseok (he did it in boy meets evil too) that just drives home the emotion.

and breathe.

Standout Things:

The cohesive storyline within a larger storyline

Love Yourself: Tear is almost what I would call a concept album, which is classified as an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical.” (yes i got that from wikipedia, but the point stands because there’s definitely a concept here.) Love Yourself: Her also falls within the larger storyline of the Love Yourself era (the rise, fall and resolution of love) but I wouldn’t classify that as a concept album in the same way. Sure, a few of it’s songs dealt with the same sort of ideas, a love that was destined by fate, but a few others veered wildly off of that course. Love Yourself Tear remains steady on it’s concept of masks, pain, self love, giving too much to other people and how to be an idol and still love and be loved for your true self. There’s truly a story being told here and I love it.

The metaphors

Kpop love songs usually do nothing for me, but BTS has been getting a lot better at writing them lately, and what I really liked about the romantic songs on this album is that they were explored using metaphors and references to old stories. 134340 refers to both Pluto and Hades to make it’s point. Love Maze weaves a picture of a dark maze with no way out. The Truth Untold references the smeraldo flower. Even the non romantic songs tell a story in a roundabout way- Anpanman and Magic Shop are both for the fans, one is built around a superhero, the other a psychological technique used in therapy to change one’s way of thinking. The writing on this album has matured greatly and it really makes you think about what they’re saying.

Yoongi’s style experimentation

There were a couple times while listening to this album that I had to take a moment to go “wait, is that Yoongi?” I’m rather used to Yoongi rapping in a certain way. his style-   occasionally cocky, occasionally bitter, usually high toned, fast and emotional- is pretty distinct, and for the most part, he ditched that on this album in favour of a style that’s more mellowed out and lower pitched. he experimented with autotune, sound effects and even singing and i think his experimentation paid off, because he was one of the most memorable parts about this album for me.

Namjoon’s writing

Namjoon is a phenomenal lyricist, we all know that, but every single verse of his on this album stood out to me in some way or another. he had a hand in writing/producing every single song on this album, and i could really see his influence all over it. I just love words and well written lines, and there are so many lines on this album, particularly in Namjoon’s verses that just make me stop for a moment so I can just appreciate the beauty.

Magic Shop’s themes

This. Song.

First of all, the concept of the “magic shop” is such a cool idea for a song, and the way they incorporated it is actually really clever? It’s literally a therapeutic song, because it is a real psychological technique and they’re saying ‘we’ll be your happiness, just come to the “magic shop” and trade in your worries, you’ll be okay’. but, it goes further than “we’ll fix you!!!” with the line “You gave me the best of me, so you’ll give you the best of you”. Here, they encourage their fans to find the “best of themselves”. Basically, saying “love yourself as much as you’ve loved me”. god this is so good.

I have to mention that this song just sounds magical. There’s a calming, celestial vibe to it that A: fits with the rest of the album up until that point and B: acts as a bridge between the rather sad first half of the album and the more upbeat second half.

Bangtan’s chemistry

A minor problem I had with a few of BTS’s older albums was the disconnect between members. (not in person, just in their music). They were all singing on the same tracks, but it didn’t always feel very cohesive. Wings especially (although it remains my favourite Bangtan album) felt like a bunch of separate artists got together and decided to make an album (an amazing album and that style really worked for them at the time, but i digress). On this album, BTS finally feels like a band.  Sure, I praise both the rap and vocal line separately for the truth untold and outro tear, but I’ve never heard BTS sound so strong as a group. The rapping and the vocals felt seamless- there were so many times where they rapidly went back and forth between members, or shared lines, or harmonized beautifully. It rarely, if ever, felt like the vocal line ft: rapline, or the other way around. They blend the two so well these days, from Jungkook and Namjoon’s bit in Fake Love to Yoongi and Jimin during Airplane Part 2. I’m honestly delighted at how well this album works as a whole. Those eight years of living and working together have really paid off for them.

Overall: Love Yourself Tear is a beautiful piece of music that shows a more mature side of BTS. It’s flaws- lack of energy in the middle of the album, more autotune than their previous works, occasionally hard to follow song structure- are not even so much flaws as they are stylistic choices that I can respect. It is a phenomenal 2nd part of a 3 part act, and I eagerly await Love Yourself: Answer for the conclusion of this story, and to see where BTS will take their ever-evolving sound next.

Rating: 9/10.