#also makes me wonder the specifics of that. like. does bridge just never have to worry about dental care?

[muniimyg]

𐙚₊˚⊹ bbydaddy!yoongi (7) ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

series m.list // taglist

note: yoongi and oc have the what r we talk,, have a few awh moments,, and r jus so cute... anyways,, my apologies as i'll be fixing my taglist next week ,, too busy n just trying to push out content lol !!! also PLEASE BE SURE TO LEAVE UR @ IN THE COMMENT BOX FOR SPECIFIC FIC TAGLIST STUFF (in the taglist form)

EDIT: mochi < injeolmi

//

as yoongi stands outside your door with a plastic bag swinging in one hand—all he can really think about is how amused he is from the 2AM craving text.

he takes a breath, raises his hand to knock, but the door opens before he can and there you stand with puffy cheeks streaked with the telltale signs of crying. 

his smile drops instantly.

“hey,” yoongi’s voice softens, concern etching into his features. “___, what happened? w-why are you crying?”

you try to muster a smile but fail. your lips tremble as you glance at the bag in his hand. letting out a shaky laugh, you wipe your face and take a deep breath in. 

“i don’t even really want pickles and peanut butter,” you admit. “i just… it’s… this isn’t about a pregnancy craving, yoongi.” 

yoongi’s brows knit together and he steps forward. closing the space between you two, suddenly you feel a rush of guilt. 

“okay, then what is it about?” his voice is gentle. he places the bag on the floor so he can rest a hand on your arm, grounding and reassuring. "everything okay? you okay?"

you looks up at him, eyes glassy and full of a vulnerability. 

“i just…” you take another breath, steadying yourself. “i didn’t know how to tell you i wanted you here. just you. no excuses, no weird cravings.”

yoongi’s eyes widen, confusion and something else flashing across his face.

“wait—you could’ve just asked me to come over. i would’ve dropped everything to be here. you know that, right?”

a tear slips down your cheek. shaking your head, a sad smile forms. 

“yeah. we’re friends, yoongi, but we’re not friends.” you say, emphasizing the word. a pang of bitterness lingers. “we’re not close like that. i guess i’m just freaking out because as much as i want this—fuck, i want this so bad… i’m upset that i’m having a baby with someone i can’t even ask to come over without making up an excuse. does that make sense?”

yoongi’s heart clenches. 

he’s struck speechless for a moment. then he sighs and runs his hand through his hair. 

“i get it,” he says quietly. his hand still rests on your arm. he squeezes it lightly. “can i come in? let’s talk about this please.”

you nod and move aside for him. 

yoongi steps into your apartment, closing the door softly behind him.

he heads to the kitchen, methodically placing the jars of pickles and peanut butter on the counter. his movements are slower than usual as the weight of the moment settles in. 

when he turns, he watches you retreat toward your bedroom and for a second—confusion prickles at the back of his mind. 

why aren’t we sitting in the living room? he wonders. 

he’s never been inside your bedroom before. 

… but he follows you anyway, trailing behind you like a shadow.

the room feels more intimate than he expected.

the walls holding a quiet familiarity, but also the tension of something unspoken. you two stand there for a beat, the silence stretching until you blurt out;

“s-sorry. uh, the couch makes my back hurt if i sit there too long. i’m more comfortable in here. is that okay?” 

yoongi takes in your words, a small pang of concern for her comfort, and nods, his usual nonchalance cracking just a bit. 

then, you both settle on the bed.

the awkwardness between you two is palpable. yoongi braces himself for the conversation they both know is coming, hoping the closeness will bridge the distance they’ve been struggling to cross.

“are you regretting this?” you ask, voice quiet and afraid. 

yoongi shakes his head instantly. 

“no. i’m not,” he answers. “are you?”

you also shake your head. 

“no… but, i do wish i thought it through more.” 

he titls his head. “specifically about what? about me?”

you bite bottom lip, trying to find the words to explain how you feel about him. how you feel about everything between you two…

and it’s hard.

it’s difficult because you never had to think twice about yoongi and your friendship.

friends. 

until sometimes, when you two are alone.. it’s friends. 

“let’s be honest,” yoongi begins, cutting your thoughts short. “we’ve always had this weird… in-between thing. but if you need me, you don’t have to make excuses. i’m already here, aren't i? and i’m committed to the baby—our baby. to you, even… so, tell me where your headspace is at. i’ll match it. i’ll place myself in between where you need me and where i want to be for you. you just have to tell me what you want, ___.”

you look at him, eyes searching his for something… then, yoongi continues, his voice sincere and steady.

“we’re about to have a child together, yeah, but more than that… i care about you. always have. so, please don’t think that you have to put up walls or hide what you need from me, okay? i want to see through it. i want to see through you.”

you take a breath, relief washing over her as you nod. 

“okay.” 

and in that small word, a bridge starts to form between them—something real and raw and hopeful.

you and yoongi have never been close. 

there has never been a moment where you were in trouble and thought to yourself; shit i need yoongi’s help.

no. 

there was always hyemi, nam joon, jin, hoseok, jimin, taehyung and jungkook before yoongi. not that you liked him the least—if anything; considering the current happenings—maybe you like him the most. but besides that, you two are truly just decent friends. 

everyone in the friendgroup is. 

you laugh at the same jokes, make fun of nam joon when he says something ridiculous, and have each other’s backs when needed—but that’s it. 

or at least it should be.

again, until you’re alone together... then, it’s different. 

there’s this undercurrent.

something unspoken that takes all makes it hard to breathe. it’s the way he leans in when he’s talking to you. it’s the subtle touches he probably doesn’t think about… all these vague flirting moments leave you second-guessing… but you know what is it. you know who he is. 

and that’s what’s confusing. 

in the midst of this in-between—you don’t know how to word what he makes you feel. 

safe?

nervous?

loved?

and now with the baby; it should be more complicated. everything in your life feels more complicated but somehow; what you are—or what you aren’t—hasn’t changed at all. 

you’re still friends.

friends. 

“can we talk about this?” you speak out. “like first… what are we?”

yoongi’s eyes widen. 

he wasn’t ready for this question, but he also doesn’t hate it. he’s been wanting to know too. he’s been thinking about it too. 

“what do you want us to be?” 

you gulp, not knowing if he’ll like the answer you’re about to give. 

“friends,” you tell him. “is that ridiculous?”

yoongi shrugs. “only if you make it to be.”

“it’s just… i feel like i need to get to know you more. i didn’t even save your number in my phone until last year. we’ve been friends for over 3 years, yoongi… also, i don’t know your favourite colour. i don’t know your birthdate because i always confuse it with hobi’s… yours is in february, right?”

“march.”

you throw your head back, letting out a sharp and loud hiss. 

“fuck—s-see what i mean?” you take a breath and regulate. then, you reach for his hand and squeeze it. “i’m sorry. we’ve been decent friends but truth be told sometimes i feel like a stranger to you. i didn’t think this through—”

“it’s fine,” yoongi says, patting your back. “we’re not complete strangers. you know things about me, ___. don’t act like you don’t just because you’re scared. and, you know what? we can get to know each other more as the pregnancy goes on. besides, once the baby comes out—you’re stuck with me for life. i mean, it’s our baby.”

your lips curve into a small smile. 

“is our baby gonna have two cribs?” you blurt. “hyemi made a passing comment and for some reason i keep picturing it. two cribs.. two sets of clothes.. two homes.. two car seats—”

“one then,” yoongi simplifies it for you. “move in with me or i move in with you.”

you blink at him. 

“...hear me out,” yoongi says, voice calm but his eyes serious, holding yours as if he’s trying to make sure every word sticks. ���we already spend so much time together—in our friendgroup setting at least… and i know it won’t be perfect. we’ll annoy each other, i’m sure, but it’ll be easier. for both of us. we won’t have to juggle back and forth or worry about where the baby should be or whose place has what.”

you swallow. 

the image of two cribs still lingering in your mind, mixing with the new picture he’s painting—one home, one set of everything, a shared life that feels both thrilling and terrifying. 

“yoongi…” you start, your voice wavering. “it’s not just about convenience. moving in together means… a lot. and what if we make things harder? what if it complicates everything more than it should?”

he nods, understanding the hesitation even as he inches a little closer, his presence grounding you. 

“i get that,” he says. “but we’ve already made things complicated, haven’t we?” his lips curve into a small, almost hopeful smile. “this way, at least, we’ll be complicated together. and if it doesn’t work, we’ll figure it out, for the baby’s sake. we owe it to them—and to ourselves—to at least try.”

you want to say yes.

to fall into this idea of a shared space, of yoongi always being just a few steps away, but the weight of uncertainty keeps you frozen. 

“i don’t know,” you murmur, dropping your gaze to your hands. “it’s a big step… and i’m scared of what it could mean… for us.”

yoongi reaches over, his fingers brushing lightly against yours. 

“i’m scared too,” he admits softly. “but i’d rather try and fail than not try at all. just… think about it, okay? no pressure. maybe a timer though. baby is coming soon.”

you finally look up, meeting his eyes, the sincerity there chipping away at your worries. a small, reluctant smile tugs at your lips. 

“hahaha… okay. yeah, i’ll think about it,” you promise, and the room feels a little lighter, hope lingering between you both. "... what if we buy baby things and leave it at yours? i think... i do want to move in with you. i think your points make sense and honestly? i've been thinking about us a lot... let's just do it slowly, okay?"

yoongi leans back slightly, studying your expression before he continues. 

“okay, if we’re doing this, I want to do it right,” he says, the seriousness of his tone making you focus. “since we're confessing.. truth be told, i’ve been struggling with this entire thing too. ___, i don’t want to be the dad who just shows up when it’s convenient or only takes half the responsibility. until we figure out the whole moving-in thing… i need you to keep me in the loop. not even the loop—in it. everything, okay? every appointment, every little thing the doctor says. even if it’s something silly, like craving pickles at 2 in the morning, call me. i want to be here. i meant it when i said i need you to figure out how to need me.” 

you nod slowly, his words settling into your chest. the way he’s looking at you—it’s like he’s already preparing himself for every moment he might miss if you don’t.

“and i'm serious about appointments,” yoongi adds, his voice softening just a little, the corners of his lips turning up in a small smile. “i want to know every detail. hear the heartbeat, see the ultrasounds, even if it means i have to reschedule work. screw it, honestly. you and baby are my priority… i’m gonna do everything to make you know that you deserve to feel like we’re doing this together.”

a lump forms in your throat, and you swallow, feeling the weight of his commitment. 

“you really mean that,” you say quietly, more to yourself than him. “yoongi…”

“of course, i do.” he pauses, his eyes holding yours with that steady, unwavering calm. “we might not be close, but this baby deserves two parents who are trying their best. and maybe…” he hesitates, his voice dropping lower. “maybe this will help us become more than just friends who share stolen glances. more than whatever weird, in-between thing we have.”

a beat.

“shit, do we have to talk about that now?”

he laughs. 

“no,” he shrugs. “i’m not in a rush. i’m cool with taking things slow. i have a lifetime with you anyway. also have a feeling you'll be moved in with me in a week or two.”

you roll your eyes and he chuckles.

then, you’re silent for a moment, processing the vulnerability he’s showing, the way he’s extending himself for both you and the baby. 

“okay,” you finally say. “i’ll call more. i’ll update you on everything. breakfast and prenatals and all.”

yoongi snickers at you. “... and when we’re finally living together… we’ll figure out a routine that works for both of us. we’ll make it as easy as possible… for all three of us.”

before you know it, you launch yourself at him.

you wrap your arms around his neck and he wraps his around your torso, returning the hug without hesitations. for a moment, it feels safe, like he’s anchoring you to something solid amidst all the uncertainty.

when you pull away, you glance up at him, nerves tightening in your chest. 

“can you… stay the night?” you ask, your voice softer than you mean it to be. “i guess that’s what i meant with the pickles and peanut butter.”

yoongi snorts at you. 

“i knew it.”

he earns a hit to his chest, but he takes it like a champ. even though he’s teasing you, there’s something so reassuring in the way he says it. 

“i'm already in my pajamas... i’ll just use the bathroom real quick. be right back.”

as yoongi makes his way to the bathroom, he flicks on the light and notices the little details of your life scattered around the sink. toothpaste, skincare products, and…

a blue toothbrush placed neatly next to yours. 

his heart stumbles at the sight, realization washing over him. 

it’s for him. 

you had thought about him even in the smallest of ways, planning for him to be here.

what the fuck is his heart supposed to do with this?

it tugs.

it skips a beat.

it races.

it falls for you a little more.

when he returns to your bedroom, he finds you already lying in bed, looking smaller and more vulnerable under the soft glow of the bedside lamp. he hesitates, unsure of how to fit into this space with you. the silence stretches awkwardly between you both as he slips under the covers.

neither of you knows quite how to lie together. 

you both fidget, trying not to make it more awkward, until you shift uncomfortably, a small wince escaping your lips. 

“ugh,” you mumble, “my back hurts.”

yoongi is at your side instantly. his nonchalant demeanor slipping away as he sits up. 

“here, let me help,” he murmurs, carefully guiding you to reposition. his hands are gentle but firm as he encourages you to lie partially against him, your body leaning into his. he wraps his arms around your belly, cradling you and the baby, and nuzzles his face into the curve of your neck. the warmth of his breath sends a small shiver down your spine, but it melts away as you sink into his embrace.

you both stay still, letting the comfort settle in. slowly, the awkwardness ebbs, replaced by a sense of calm as you relax against him.

just as you’re on the edge of sleep, you murmur something faintly. 

“yoongi?”

“mhmm?

“injeolmi...” you whisper.

yoongi stirs, confused. 

“huh?” he whispers back, trying not to disturb you too much. “are you craving injeolmi? i’ll get you some tomorrow–”

you smile sleepily, eyes already closed. 

“no.. our baby looks like injeolmi,” you explain, your words trailing off into drowsiness. “the ultrasound… injeolmi. let’s call our baby injeolmi for now.”

yoongi heart squeezes at the endearing name, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

“injeolmi,” he repeats, pressing a soft kiss into your hair. “okay. baby injeolmi it is.”

wrapped in each other’s warmth, you both drift off, with yoongi holding you close. all he thinks about before falling asleep is;

baby injeolmi, you are so loved.

[sysig]

You’re gonna die if you keep that up (Patreon)

[gorgynei]

one more thing about kristen o'neal's werewolves, can i just applaud her for making a unique werewolf transformation. there are basically no other shifts i can think of that involve teeth-based body horror. like. WHAT!

the number of times that horrifying amounts of random teeth are mentioned is so gross!! brigid having a giant slurpee cup of teeth in her bedroom???? the "tooth paste"??? brigid being born with a full set of teeth???? her having to spit them out every shift????? horrible! gnarly! i love it!!!

[nikethestatue]

Elriel theory time:

Something I thought about.

I am going to try to make it make sense, but I am excited about this so my mind is racing and scattered.

We have potentially THREE Made objects in Elriel's possession.

And I think that their reaction to them is very interesting.

Elain's engagement ring--she was wearing it when she was thrown into the Cauldron. it, by definition, has to be Made.

Truth-Teller--Made.

Elain's Necklace --quite possibly Made as well, by Elain's powers and through her emotions. *Just like HOW and friendship bracelets were Made by Nesta.

Now, what's interesting, is that Elain, even after Graysen broke up with her, couldn't get rid of the ring. We know that she held on to it, and wore it for at least a few months after she was Made. Yes, possibly harboring futile hopes for a reconciliation. However, interestingly, we know that Elain also kept the ring, even if she no longer wears it.

Whats more, Graysen demanded that Elain give him the ring back. She refused, again, possibly for sentimental reasons, but it was RHYSAND who stepped in and put Graysen in his place, telling Elain to keep the ring.

The question is, did he realize what it was? And did he want to prevent Graysen from having a Made object?

Does it remind you of another person--he couldn't get rid of a piece of jewellery after a break up?

Azriel found Elan's necklace in the pile of presents and took it with him to the snowball fight. Afterwards, he had every intention to return it, but as we know, he couldn't bring himself to. In the end, he ended up, as if in some daze, in the Library.

But he didn't go to Gwyn or any other priestess. He didn't go upstairs to his bedroom and he didn't shove it in a cupboard. He went to Clotho. Clotho, who, like Rhysand, very well might be a daemati. She takes the necklace, and of course we know that she didn't give it to Gwyn, because there is never any mention of Gwyn possessing it.

So the question is--does Elain, and by extension Azriel, now have their own little Trove of Made objects? We have a ring, a necklace and a dagger. What's interesting though with these items, is that at least two of them (dagger and necklace) were handled by both of them.

Unlike Nesta's swords, and friendship bracelets, and even HOW, which were specific to her and Made by HER, for HER, there is a sense, at least in my opinion, that the Elriel Trove is much more of a unified and combined sort of thing. Azriel who is just as involved in this exchange of Made objects as Elain.

I wonder how all of this will come into play later or, but it makes me think that the next book will be much more of a duet, like Feysand, than just "elain's story' or even 'azriel's story'--like that of Nesta, and Bryce.

Azriel and Elain are inexorably linked, not just in affection, but magic too. The magic is a bridge between the two of them. Like TT was--a bridge between dark and light.

There two MORE items that I am wondering about.

The headache powder and the ear plugs.

Now, interestingly, Elain tells everyone that 'I had Madja make it for me'--and it is quite possible that Madja made the actual powder. But did Elain also Make the powder? Which, by the way, is another thing that Azriel treasures and keeps by his bed, unable to actually utilize it, because...perhaps, he feels that now isn't the time yet? Might this potentially Made medicine come in handy at a later time? Just like the ear plugs?

Are Azriel and Elain, unbeknownst to them, building a treasure Trove of Made items, which will come in handy in their own book?

[maxwell-grant]

You’ll prob wait to answer this after Caped Crusader drops, but: Does making Penguin NOT a white guy drastically change the character? And if so, is that a good thing?

Anonymous asked: So... Thoughts on Oswalda from Batman: The Caped Crusader?

@jcogginsa asked: New Batman show is out, and with it is a new Penguin. Have any thoughts on Minnie Driver's take on the Penguin?

Regarding the first ask, I mean, it really ought to, right? That seems to be part of the point of doing this kind of thing, to change or recontextualize something big and important about a character in a new light. If it wasn't supposed to be some kind of big change, if it wasn't meant to at least be something new or say something slightly different, I'd ask what would be the point of doing it. Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely a thing to do just for fun / variety's sake, but it's not a choice that can just exist in a vacuum, it does matter how and why exactly you're doing it.

There's a couple of things that I'd say make or break this kind of stuff for me, besides like, you know, not removing existing meaningful elements of characters identities, like making Jewish or Romani characters generic caucasian Americans, real basic decency stuff y'know, not a lot to ask here. I think a change like this should at least bring questions to strengthen it, like: If this character is defined by certain traits or saying certain things, how is this interacting with those? Is this strengthening those existing traits and statements, is it providing new ones, or is it weakening them without offering much in return? Questions about how much can you redefine a character and still have that character be recognizable and all that, and of course the actual important questions of, Who is this for? What is being said here? Why was this decision made? And so on.

The example that comes to mind regarding that specificity, and how that can work wonders to breathe new life onto a character, is the MCU take on Namor, as Ritesh Babu elaborated on in a Patreon article

The reason I say I never truly cared for Namor is that while I thought him a great, compelling character in plenty of works I loved, I always felt a lack of emotional connection. He was enjoyable, but I didn't care about him, y'know? There was a connect. Watching Ryan Coogler's Wakanda Forever helped me bridge that disconnect. I finally realized what had been missing for me. It was Emotional Context.

Namor is historically an abrasive character. He's an angry character. He's got fury and rage, and he doesn't suffer fools. He's headstrong and unrelenting. He's an unyielding force. And he's great and fun that way, historically handled by mostly White writers (with rare exceptions, such as Greg Pak). But it was also, for me, an anger and rage and fury framed and constructed in such a way that it could be broad-strokes. It could be anything and everything from the pollution and climate ruination to perhaps some other tragic thing involving someone he cared about.

Ryan Coogler and Tenoch Huerta to me granted the character an emotional context here that clarifies everything he is, and all that shapes his thought. He's not angry at the surface world and its clownshit in abstract. It's not just the anger of a distant warrior-king of the oceans. It's the anger of the colonized, of the Othered.

What Ryan Coogler and Tenoch Huerta did is give him specificity. He's not just a broad-strokes figure in White hands, for White writers to write as an archetypal broad-strokes morally murky angry bastard guy. No, there's a specific history to this guy, there's a cultural specificity and context to his very existence.

And so Namor isn't some weird racially ambiguous/sorta white figure in largely White hands, but is instead an Indigenous Mexican hero and legend. He's a Mesoamerican figure and he's Mayan.

Coogler dispenses with the vagueries and broad-strokes thinking of the comics, and like any interesting creator should, asks good, rational questions. And that specificity, that's really what makes it for me. That's what I was missing. This is an attempt at using genre to speak to truth, to realities and real experiences, which are important to Black and Brown people. It's a far cry from some abstracted away thing to serve a primary White audience and its sensibilities or interests. - Ryan Coogler's Namor and Specificity

An example I'll give, as far as one reinvention that can make sense but I didn't find so interesting: The conception of Deadshot I like, from Suicide Squad (1987) and bits of Secret Six, is heavily informed by him being a privileged rich white man, a morally catatonic and emotionally rotten self-serving piece of shit in large part because of his privileged background and experiences, as well as a guy who's purposefully evoking the image of white western cowboys and providing commentary on their archetype. Deadshot, to me, is heavily informed by his whiteness, by his American elite background, and by his toxic masculinity, and thus the cocktail of what Deadshot is, comments on and speaks to comprises specific things that I think you'd have to approach very very differently if Floyd Lawton is a black man. I think the specificity of what that character is saying or tends to stand for is lost in adaptations that fudge those elements to make him more like the Will Smith version - you can definitely have another kind of meaningful and cool take on Deadshot, but it's a Deadshot who's gonna have to be saying different things, if he is to be saying anything at all - and most of the time, he isn't, and so to me, that context behind Deadshot is lost with not a lot gained in return. Under no circumstances does this mean you shouldn't be allowed to do it, but I feel like if you're dedicated to doing this to an existing character, there should be at least some commitment to what they are and do.

Getting back to that first question, it also really depends on what exactly are you changing. Like regarding the Penguin specifically, is it his race? His gender? His nationality? It's a very broad question to apply a single Yes or No to so I'm gonna say it's kind of both. On one hand, obviously some major aspects of his presentation and origin and defining traits would have to be altered to better correspond to that defining change. On the other hand, he is already extensively defined around his issues with his self-image and his surroundings and how people treat him, a person who is ostracized and Othered because of his looks or his background and where he stands in the city he grows up in. One of the consistent cornerstones of Oswald as a character is that he's trying extremely hard to overcompensate in wealth and class and power partially to override the ability of others to marginalize him over his weight or stature or poverty or disability and so on, in no small part that's what allowed him to take on protagonist status in recent years. If he was just a regular white guy, he'd be Rupert Thorne. Although, on the other other hand, I must stress here that treating marginalized traits as if they are equally interchangeable is how you get the X-Men school of representation, and we simply have do better than that.

I was very intrigued by the idea of turning Oswald into a woman. Fat men are very often shamed and ridiculed due to traits they are perceived to have in common with women, to be a fat man is to be dehumanized and stripped of masculinity and thus stripped of your worth of as man. To be accepted, fat men are forced to overperform masculinity just as fat women are forced to overperform femininity, and that element of overperformance is never not present in Oswald Cobblepot, who essentially lives in drag 24/7. A genderbend take on Oswald could certainly add a whole different meaning to his typical overreaction to jokes about his weight or looks, things that are commonly played as a joke. Fat women get consistently treated like absolute garbage by most people in ways that are different, more pervasive and frankly nastier than the ways fat men are also treated like garbage, and if people didn't treat him like garbage, The Penguin wouldn't be the person they are.

Penguin as a woman is a concept that could force a lot of his traits to demand renewed consideration, and in some ways you could argue he kinda already is feminized. He certainly doesn't get treated as a man the way Batman and the Joker and Bane and Gordon are. He overcompensates extremely hard in that regard, and it doesn't stick, he can act as tough and grizzled as he wants and he will never not be "the fat one", will never not get pushed around by the real man in Gotham, will never not be the unfit and bloated and squishy lesser-man hiding behind the umbrella because, why, he's not man enough to grit his teeth and hash it out with his fists. If we go back to Count Fosco from The Woman in White, we'll find this is something else they share in common:

"Fat as he is, and old as he is, his movements are astonishingly light and easy. He is as noiseless in a room as any of us women. With all his look of unmistakable mental firmness and power, he is as nervously sensitive as the weakest of us. He starts at chance noises as inveterately as Laura herself."

This passage holds the key to Marian’s complex attitude toward the Count; she is at once fascinated and threatened by him. As Marian’s description reveals, he is both alluring and dangerous, not merely because of his increasingly suspicious behavior throughout the narrative, but because he unnaturally exhibits the qualities of both sexes.

Even though Marian does not explicitly identify the Count’s androgyny as the reason for her discomfort with him, the novel’s keen preoccupation with identifying unknown figures by their sex illuminates the anxiety underlying Marian’s description of the Count. The Count complicates those binary categories, and, in true Victorian fashion, his deviance attracts simultaneous fascination and repulsion - Count Fosco and the Androgynous Mystique

He is Oswald Cobblepot, the pathetic little momma's boy, because even his personal tragedies are depicted as lesser, insignificant, not the right kind of cool cinematic masculine tragedy, and he is The Penguin, the eccentric oddly enthusiastic about worthless little things like his favorite animals and trinkets - things that the narrative deems worthless because Oswald is worthless in the literal term: he is worth less than Bruce Wayne, less than Batman, and we watch him as he fights tooth and nail to deny this, whether it's by beating Batman his own way or seeking power to avert his lot in life and stand above all the men that have put him down, or even just seeking villainy as a form of self-actualization, through that perseverance and ability to outmaneuver men so much bigger and scarier, who think they can nail the Penguin while their world is swiped from under them.

It's not for nothing that, in terms of where they stand in Batman's world nowadays, Penguin is practically sharing an apartment with Catwoman and the Riddler, the other 60s camp queens who won't leave banding together even when they can't stand each other. So, yeah, I was extremely curious as to what direction Caped Crusader was gonna lean into with the idea. Could it go wrong and be offensive garbage? Obviously, but I also thought it promised an intriguing new direction, of context that could add or rework so much about his existing traits. I didn't like the name Oswalda, no, but even besides all that I mentioned above, with The Penguin show coming out with it's new take on the character that's all about modernizing and grounding and twisting him around, I thought going big on Classic Penguin, with the top hat and monocle and sword-umbrella and existing in a Golden Age Gotham, and doing a genderflip, was a very solid idea to place opposite of it. So how did I feel about Oswalda Cobblepot?

...It sucked, guys, I'm sorry, I'm really not happy to say it. Caped Crusader's first episode was ASS, and 6 episodes in, while the rest of it has been better (not great, but tolerable, occasionally good even), that pilot was the most stone-faced I've ever been sitting through a Batman thing and frankly I don't even have anything to say about regarding Oswalda. There were tentative beginnings of a take but not actually anything that rounds out into one (and frankly I'd say this Harley Quinn also has that problem to a lesser degree, this show so far has been just really barebones across the board), and frankly I'm not asking for much, I've lived off breadcrumbs before when it comes to Penguin, I'd be good with something if there was something. She isn't remotely a threat to Batman and seems pretty damn dumb, and she gets dealt with on the pilot to make way for Rupert Thorne in a way that kinda really betrays the escalation theme they're shooting for here and it's, guys what else am I supposed to talk about here, seriously?

I don't even like the design that much, it feels like they started from Penguin's head and shoulders and then tried as hard as possible to cinch her waist and slim her down leaving a weird disproportion between her upper body and legs, it looks weird in some shots but I guess you could say that's just the animation being, uh, sub-par to be polite. I guess I like her ruthlessness and that scene where she murders one of her sons, even though that's her being really stupid not noticing the obvious snitch in the room, and it's more so because that was the only moment in the episode where something almost cool happened. I do like her being a cabaret singer, but, man she sounds way too boring for a character with such a distinct way of speaking, if she didn't look like the Penguin from the shoulders up you would never tell that's who this was supposed to be.

I'm sorry that she continues Penguin's bad streak from BTAS, man what a bummer. Still, I have been really enjoying The Batman Audio Adventures lately, it's not like I'm starved for a more classically flavored take on Penguin, so it's only a bummer. I'm open to the idea that she can come back in a later season for a better showing, and she was far from the worst thing about the episode, in fact by process of elimination she was overall the best, but she was the one part I had the most slight hopes for. Oh well.

[nariism]

i don’t dance!

pair. pro-player!ushijima x PR manager!reader

content: fluff, reader is his VERY TIRED PR manager who really deserves a raise, weak attempts at humour, no pronouns used for reader

synopsis. you need to teach ushijima how to waltz

wc: 2.2k

a/n: i eat the “teach me how to dance” trope up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (also yes i absolutely did use a high school musical song as the title who’s gonna stop me)

ushijima wakatoshi is what people typically refer to as emotionally unavailable.

he just doesn’t have the time to worry about trivial things like romance or feelings or anything of the sort. not while he’s trying to keep up with his rigorous training schedule on top of countless interviews and photo shoots that you, his wonderful PR manager, generously offer to help him prepare for.

it’s no surprise that this man - 6 feet and almost 4 inches of pure heart throb material - has yet to find a partner worth keeping around. not that he hadn’t had one night stands, per say, but being emotionally available for a committed relationship isn’t something he has on his mind right now.

although he isn’t exactly the type to be nitpicky about this kind of stuff, he does come off as cold if you don’t know him well enough (unintentionally, of course). people who he welcomes into his life simply find him too busy or too severe in his mannerisms to form proper relationships. thus, his friend group is kept tight, extending almost exclusively to members of the japanese national team.

ushijima keeps to himself and minds his own business. he doesn’t speak until spoken to, unless he has some opinion about other volleyball players you have to thwart. he doesn’t make a fuss about insignificant things. he respects his elders and works hard in every aspect of his life that involves his career. words are kept short and to the point, never sugar coated and he certainly never lies.

he specifically remembers one scenario in which an adoring fan had come up to him after a game while you were distracted with the press, and they had confessed their undying love to him much to his horror.

“could you leave me alone?” he had told them bluntly when they asked if he could please dm them on twitter, and you nearly died on the spot when the cameras all turned to the pair behind you. it was a horribly busy week for you, playing the role of damage control all while ushijima remained completely indifferent to the storm that was brewing on social media around his name and how he was trending for two whole days after the fact.

thankfully, the fan had gratefully accepted a bouquet of flowers ‘courtesy of ushijima’ (which he also almost vehemently denied online before you smacked him upside the head), and all was forgiven. it even made him trend for a couple days longer, but this time with everyone singing his praises. he should give you more credit where it’s due, because being a PR manager for someone so terrible at smiling for the camera is like hell on earth.

you had told him once that it was important to keep a good rapport with his fans, even if they were more forward with their advances than he was used to back in high school. he looked at you funny until you continued: “i’m not saying you should go off and date anyone who confesses to you, but could you at least be a little nicer?!” sounding extremely exasperated.

he didn’t even end up agreeing with you, too distracted by the way your lips moved while you scolded him to pay you his full attention.

“tonight’s the gala. everyone will be there.”

“i know.”

“so why,” you hiss out the words through grit teeth, jaw tense as you pinch the bridge of your nose, “are you standing outside my house when you should be getting ready?”

he’s silent for a moment. you glance up to make sure he’s actually still standing there being stupidly handsome and that you’re not just dreaming he is. ushijima averts his gaze awkwardly, hands in his pockets as he contemplates whether or not he should say what’s on his mind and risk having you slam the door in his face in frustration.

(it’s happened before; once, when he told you he was the top reply on a post for asking what “smash” means and why everyone was commenting it under all his instagram photos. you slammed the door in his face then, too, but he could still hear you erupt into laughter from the other side much to his confusion.)

you’re looking at him expectantly, with a brow raised and your lips pursed as you wait for an explanation.

“it’s a gala.”

you close your eyes and take a deep breath, patience wearing thin. “i know, wakatoshi. i just said that.”

“it’s a gala, so...” he huffs, “i have to dance, don’t i?”

you look up again at his words, confusion written all over your face. you’re in the middle of getting ready yourself, dressed to the nines. not as his date, of course, though he’d asked you.

(“what did you just say?”

“why can’t you just come with me? it would save you the trouble of getting the extra ticket. it’s not like i’m taking anyone else.”

“i can’t- that’s-... it’s unprofessional.”

“oh. i see.”)

you take the opportunity to scrutinize his outfit, as your eyes always end up doing. you’re always observing him closely, hoping and praying he doesn’t do or say something that will get him cancelled. in his defense, he’s gotten better at keeping his mouth shut when he knows you’re sitting there stressed to all hell about what you’ll need to apologize for on his behalf that week.

not that he would ever admit it out loud, but he likes the attention a little bit. enjoys being fussed over, since he spends most of his time isolated save for the members of his team. and it’s not like you’re very secretive about your judgment of him. it’s your job, for one, but there’s an undeniable and genuine worry in your eyes every time he says something he shouldn’t. he thinks it’s fine that he indulges in your presence just a bit, especially since people have found him intimidating his whole life. it’s nice to talk to someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to him once in a while.

you sigh quietly. “yes, you’ll have to dance. why?” you open the door wider for him, a gesture he’s familiar with equating to come in. “you’re not planning on bailing ‘cause of that, are you?”

he watches as you retreat further into your house, probably to fix your hair one last time before you head out early. you always arrive to these sorts of events earlier than he does, and always in a separate car. you were insistent that he arrive either alone or with his own date, since it would reduce the risk of scandals questioning your seemingly close relationship with each other.

close is not the word either you nor ushijima would use to describe your feelings toward one another. sure, you were the one helping to manage his schedule even though the job description did not at all entail that, and you’re the one keeping him in line with the media. he even has you over sometimes for dinner after an especially long day. but no, you’re not close. work acquaintances at best.

“no, i’m not bailing,” he tells you as he trails behind, following you to the mirror in the hallway - the one hung up above a high table littered with trinkets from past events and some photos of you and your friends and family. you look at him with a quizzical expression through the mirror.

“then?”

he stands rigidly behind you. the thought that it feels strangely domestic with you getting ready in front of him like this crosses his mind, and makes him grossly warm and fuzzy inside.

“i don’t know how to dance.”

you pause in your ministrations, hair that you meant to pin up falling back over your eyes as you stare at him with bewilderment. “you what?”

“i don’t know how to dance,” he repeats, though you heard him perfectly fine the first time.

“you... don’t know how to... dance...” you sound out the sentence slowly, hoping that you possibly misheard him. to your horror, he only nods in confirmation.

in your one year, three months and twenty-two days of working with ushijima, how could it have never once dawned on you that this 6 foot monster of a volleyball player doesn’t know how to do something as elegant as a waltz?

it’d never been a problem before. most events don’t include anything of the sort, and all the events you do attend with ushijima are to give out awards or give esteemed recognition to MVPs. but for a christmas gala, there will definitely be booze and partying and absolutely dancing involved.

for a second, he thinks you’ll keel over and place your head into your hands on the table like you usually do in these situations, or that you’ll start muttering curse words to yourself, or maybe you’ll scold him some more for never learning. but much to his (pleasant) surprise, you just laugh. and laugh. and keep laughing, until there are tears in your eyes. his poor heart can’t take it.

“what?” he asks, almost sounding offended. but his expression is still stone cold as you look back up at him, turning to face him this time. his breath hitches when the action causes a whiff of your expensive body spray to waft in his direction.

“i just wasn’t expecting you to say that,” you muse. he knows what you really mean is that you’re surprised he isn’t here causing trouble for you before this event like he always does, complaining like a child that he doesn’t see the point of attending. “why didn’t you just say so? it’s easy. i’ll show you.”

he stares at you momentarily while you stand there, hand outstretched as an offer to take it. he half expects you to yank it back and laugh in his face, more cruelly this time, but you just smile at him with the slightest tilt of your head. you sound so genuine that any hesitation left in his body melts away, and he awkwardly accepts your hand and waits for your guidance.

he’s stiff as a board as you pull his hands where they need to go, one resting on your hip and the other hanging in the air for you to take. “i’ll teach you how to lead first, okay?” he can only nod in response. you step forward once with your left, urging him to step back with your timing. then you’re shuffling over, gliding along the floor with ushijima trying his damndest to follow along, and then your feet meet again in a different spot.

he grunts quietly in concentration, watching your movements carefully and clumsily trying to catch up. it’s a simple enough motion, but he’s too big and it feels clunky to do this for the first time. you seem deeply amused by his confusion, and he glares at you quickly before his eyes are back on the floor.

“now you try. we can go slow,” your voice is soft. encouraging. so unlike your usual stern demeanor with him. “step forward.”

ushijima does so obediently, sliding his left forward to the best of his memory.

“good. now your right goes to the side and the left follows.”

he listens to you again, but his gait is much larger than you anticipated, and your back hits the table behind you with a gentle thud. he mutters something along the lines of an apology, but he seems too focused to realize the compromising position he’s put you in. you smile at him anyways, rotating around 90 degrees to give you more space to move.

“now again in the opposite direction.”

“this is too complicated.”

“this is the easiest motion...”

“i don’t like it.”

“you gonna keep complaining or are you going to dance with me?”

he stops in his tracks, boring into you with intensity in his eyes. you watch his adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows. “...what’s wrong?”

ushijima just shakes his head, and then his feet are moving again as he tugs you along clumsily. “nothing. but maybe you should be my dance partner for the rest of tonight.” you raise a brow at him in question, even though you can feel the heat rising in your face and all the way to the tips of your ears. he clears his throat, looking away. “wouldn’t want any bad press about my terrible dancing,” he quickly adds.

this gets a laugh out of you. “as your PR manager, i don’t think that’s the kind of negative press i’m supposed to be getting you out of.”

“and as a friend?”

another laugh, a little breathless. “yeah, yeah. fine. as your friend i’ll make sure no one knows how awful you are at this.”

he blinks down at you, unsure if he’s ever seen you so relaxed before. you’re always so high-strung about work and keeping his name clear. there’s a softness gracing your face right now and he doesn’t know how to handle himself or his racing heart.

okay, yeah. maybe he can try and be a little nicer to his fans to see you like this more often.

EXTRA:

© ALABOADOA 2023 — please do not translate or post my works to other platforms.

[bberry005]

THE BAD BATCH FINALE THOUGHTS

this goes without saying, but this post contains spoilers for the series finale of the bad batch. keep reading at your own risk. also this got so long like i had so many more thoughts than i thought i would.

okay first of all i LOVED the finale. it played out simultaneously exactly how i expected and nothing like i expected at all. my top moments from this episode were definitely the ending and the scenes where they found out omega freed the zillo beast.

okay now for a few rapid fire lists

things i loved: - the fact they absolutely did not let crosshair sacrifice himself. when i saw the "plan 99" tweet by jennifer corbett, i had a feeling it was going to be something like this and i've never been happier to be proved right - additionally, "clone force 99 died with tech. we aren't that squad anymore" was an amazing moment. i feel like some people might not like it much but i thought it was so fitting. i have so much to say about it i might make a whole post on it - THE RETURN OF HUNTER'S ENHANCED SENSES WHEN HE FELT THAT BLASTER BOLT COMING TOWARDS HIM. chat it took us three whole seasons but we finally did it! we saw his enhanced senses! - the humor was on point, as always - omega's entire character this episode. like all her tantiss part 2 moments, this episode really showed how much she's learned and grown and the person she's starting to become - ECHO AND EMERIE!!! they're such a duo and if star wars ever does any projects about the clone rebellion, i want to see more of them - all the fight scenes were perfect, as always - the clone prisoners all joining echo and omega to save hunter, wrecker, and crosshair - going off of that, i loved how the batch got stopped and they faced extremely high stakes and losses. it wasn't easy for them to get in and out. wrecker got severely injured, hunter nearly got crushed, crosshair lost his hand, and they all got captured. their losses stacked up with how insane of a mission they were trying to pull off. i was worried there'd be too many losses or they'd win too easily, but the balance was perfectly struck - the scene on the bridge with hemlock was AMAZING. no notes. i loved it. hemlock's death was also so violent like i feel like they don't show that much violence usually but they really just showed him getting shot until he fell off that bridge and you know what? it's what he deserved - THE ENDING. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE ENDING OH MY GOD. without getting too sappy, the very last scene reminded me of me and my dad when i left for college for the first time. obviously the context and stakes of omega leaving were VERY different and a lot higher, but just that similiarity made me cry

things i thought were okay: - nala se's sacrifice. it was kind of meh and didn't really feel impactful to me - rampart's villain moment was so high drama but again i thought it was okay - omega sneaking off and trying to leave without saying goodbye felt a little out of character but you know what? that's okay. i think it fits a little with parts of her character that weren't super explored in the show

things i thought needed to be addressed more: - that insane cx trooper reveal? like hello? those guys were INSANE and i loved how they were purposely designed to all mirror the batch in some way (also fellow "tech is cx-2" truthers we were absolutely incorrect and even if he was cx-2, he's firmly dead now so uh yeah) - but building off the cx trooper thing, having a cx trooper that mirrored each member of the batch and then revealing them in the last episode was odd to me. it makes me suspect there was supposed to be another season based on this plot line but said season got cut - the fates of some of the side characters. i was kind of wondering where phee went and what was up with her

things that we all thought were going to be addressed but weren't: - cx trooper (but specifically cx-2) identities - where the fuck is cody???? - how the fuck did wolffe join rex???

all in all, a beautiful ending to a beautiful show. to me, the bad batch has always been a father-daughter story at it's core. again, without getting too sappy and personal, star wars for me and so many other people my age has always been something that's introduced to us by someone older who we look up to, and for me that person is my dad. for a franchise i associate so much with my dad and being able to connect with him to tell the story of hunter and omega, a father and his daughter, really means a lot to me. so thank you to the bad batch for telling this amazing story and being the thing that fully launched me back into loving star wars again. thank you for this story about love and family and loyalty and sacrifice and for honoring all the core principles of this story in the finale. i can't wait to see where omega's story goes in the future, and as always, may the force be with you <3

[mooshs-crack-headcanons]

My go to plan as soon as I get totk:

Get through the tutorial area (probably in the sky then need to get back on to the surface)

Go to hateno. See if the zelink living in the hateno house together fanfics were real.

Check out something specific relating to the art book leak. (Not describing or sharing the leak so don't worry about spoilers from me! :)

Find a horse that at least looks like the one I had in breath of the wild, my beloved baby boy Romeo who can do and hasn't done nothing wrong ever in the entire 6 years of his life (he kicked me off a cliff four separate times):

Go to Gerudo desert because out of all regions it's the one I'm the most interested in seeing the state of post Ganondorf resurrection(?) murderous pissy fit.

I'm going to build me a big fuck off Zonai tractor.

Zelda. I need to know if she's alright, I would like to find out this earlier on but that's probably going to be found out through story and I really do want to take my time with it.

I need to see what the hell is happening with this korok with a backpack:

Speaking of the koroks, uhm... korok forest is gone. I definitely want to check that out. (Sorry this picture so so fucking blurry with how it's zoomed in but the forests gone)

I need to find out if I can glue two Royal claymores together (or an equivalent) to make a big fuck off abomination claymore that does double claymore damage that looks like this:

Go back to eventide. I wonder if they added something there. It seems like something thats a no brainer to do.

Check out what the fuck is going on with the labyrinths I can't find the screenshots now but I remember seeing some of them floating with the sky islands at some point.

If if I can find a sky island resembling at least a little bit of skyloft. I feel it in my bones that Nintendo would pull that type of shit. Or not because this is also Nintendo.

Documenting literally every even hint of a zelink moment in the entire game so I can make several posts gushing over it in the future.

Take lots of screenshots! I actually played breath of the wild on wii u and never on switch so of course I never really had that screenshot or recording capability so I finally can really go all out in this game.

The dragon that is 10000% a fucking Gleeok on the bridge of Hylia I've already determined is going to be the first overworld boss I fight. 🙂 I can't wait to fight it with only five or so hearts 🙂

Amd finally since amiibo support is confirmed and costumes are too - the artbook actually confirmed it but I don't really think that's a spoiler because it's a very obvious mechanic to bring back than just having them be used once only for the paraglider skins you get that was officially confirmed here below so I can't wait to get my ocarina of time and twilight princess gear back that I can wear for the whole game!

Over all I just really want to have fun in this game and really it looks like it's going to deliver. I can't wait to sink hundreds if not thousands of hours into and I REALLY REALLY hope it can at least fix a lot of it's predecessors issues, especially with how it executes it's story. I keep saying it, breath of the wild *had* the potential to be one of the best zelda stories ever but it was done so extremely poorly trying to tell it, majority of it is just ruined. I sincerely hope Nintendo has learned their lesson from that and actually let the Link/you the player actually play throughand experience the games narrative instead of just... having it exposition dumped onto you over and over in flashback cutscenes as stuff that's already happened and can't be changed. I went having this game with very low confidence it was first revealed in 2019, but the more and more I keep seeing it now the higher my optimism gets and I actually genuinely hope this game is really good.

I'm actually wishing the best for it and desperately hope it doesn't disappoint. We've all waited so long, and now we have only a little bit more to go.

[voxofthevoid]

I really liked chapter 261 because it addressed a part of Gojou's character that I felt was never really properly expressed beforehand; in the anime, s2ep9 (Gate, Open), the collectively opinion of everyone on Gojou is simple. He's the Strongest. The cast describe Gojou's personality in adjectives, but it seems to me like Gojou's someone who leads a very private life, they can describe Gojou Satoru in a straightforward manner, yet they cant recall specific instances where they felt like they really knew him. We, and the cast, don't know much about Gojou Satoru's life. He's the Strongest sorcerer in life, and even in passing he's still just seen as a human-weapon. This is why I hated 236, it felt like such an empty conclusion to Gojou Satoru; even in death we do not know him more than the persona he takes on and few instances where he goes cold and callous. Who is Gojou Satoru when stripped of the mantle of the Strongest? Who is Gojou Satoru and it begs the question from Getou Suguru, "are you you because you're the strongest, or are you the strongest because you're you?" does Gojou's powers make him or is he more than just "the Strongest"?

this panel felt like catharsis. We've never seen Gojou breakdown or show weakness, and to me, seeing a character break is how I feel like I know them. He's been a kid playing god since forever, and the world he lives in sees him as nothing more than a weapon. Who is Gojou Satoru?

Hmm, I have a fairly different interpretation. Not saying you're wrong, and I get why 261 made you happy, but since you've sent this to me, I figure you want my take on it:

Gojou being reduced to just the "Strongest" by others, even people (relatively) close to him, is a salient theme in JJK, but it's also patently not all he is to others. We see it with Shouko, Yuuji, Yuuta, and Getou. There's tragedy in how, despite his evidently deliberate efforts to be perceived as an irritating asshole more than a terrifyingly powerful entity, he never quite succeeds or bridges that gap between himself and others—and how he's resigned to it. No wonder he's chasing after Getou and what he represents—a time in life when he wasn't so alone.

As for us readers, we see a lot more than his persona from his teen years forward: the kindness, the casual cruelty, the arrogance, the self-awareness, the desire for reform, the trappings of the system, the compassion, the sadism. The list goes on. We know just as much about Gojou as we do about Megumi or Nobara. We know him better than we know Yuuta or Shouko. He may not have as many interior monologues, especially in adulthood, but his actions show plenty.

And I'm afraid I'm not sure I get what you mean by that panel and catharsis in terms of Gojou breaking down? Do you mean Yuuta's outburst serves as a kind of proxy breakdown for Gojou?

[strqyr]

... You know suddenly the fact that Raven had a decoy Maiden is suddenly in question if that was for her sake. Because Ozpin who Raven does not trust in the slightest has to know the details of her semblance. And so would Summer, suspected to be with Salem. Putting aside the question of whether either would - the fact that threatening Yang would get a highly elusive and hard to catch Spring Maiden to show her face wasn't known for over a decade. And relevant with the Relics of knowledge locked.

Okay I'm suddenly chewing this because Raven gets super mad at Ozpin for "What he did to [Qrow] and me" - and if you're right they are secondary keys Raven would have reason to be absolutely pissed upon finding out if Oz didn't say that at the time. Her semblance would make that a walking hostage crisis to anyone that can't defend themselves. And she runs specifically after Yang, someone who had no choice in the matter was born. (If she found out after Yang was born... No wonder she despised Oz) This also adds another layer to that talk in front of the Spring Vault if Raven burned her relationship with Yang to the ground to sell the lie she didn't care. Then with the weight of one of possible two locks off her back, the burnt/never built bridge that she can't talk Yang down because no trust after years of silence. Yang with one arm gone, already permanently harmed from the shadow war. Years of silence, Vernal dead and burned relationships all for naught ... Also if you're right about Raven being drawn into a trap by a threat to Yang - the parallels with how the audience first knowingly saw her. (And it lines up with how we saw her for the first time at least symbolically watching Yang as a bird)

what i find especially interesting is that, well, qrow knows what raven's semblance is. how it works. yet to him, raven acts like yang doesn't even exist, and most of the time he's always assuming the worst of raven.

but the thing is, raven cares, so her pulling this act that she doesn't is like... there's gotta be a reason for it, and kindred link being what it is fits perfectly.

and THEN. raven, with one simple, awkward question, makes it clear to summer that she cares. of course at the time it wouldn't have been necessary to hide the fact, but in hindsight, with summer working with salem, it's um. uh-oh, mistakes were made.

the main question as far as setting a trap goes is the reason for it. if the branwens are part of the solution to finding the crown, that could be one—assuming raven is still reluctant to cooperate. other option is that there really is just that much bad blood between summer and raven that it is Personal™ ("so you can believe when i say this wasn't personal" raven tells yang in the vault and oh boi if that gets told to yang by summer as well) that summer would set up an ambush just because. i'm leaning more towards the "cooperation" angle but the latter would be funny (to me) bc of cinder agreeing to change the haven plan solely to get a shot at ruby. time is a circle and no one is escaping from it (yet).

[autisticlancemcclain]

fic rec friday 21

welcome to the twenty-first fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.

1. Most Artists are Messy by @shipsgalore

Lance is drawing a complicated flower on the base of Keith’s wrist and it makes his lips pull up into a smile despite the panic. They’re always flowers when it comes to Lance. He uses them in everything he does, and usually doesn’t even know he’s doing it. Keith can count on one hand how many times the doodles on his arms haven’t been of flowers.

i love this one because keith & lance are just blatantly and clearly autistic. it’s wonderful. it’s sweet and fluffy and it’s a modern au, which as y’all know is my jam, and the last few paragraphs do this specific thing with sentiment repetition that genuinely gets to me every time

2. Be Alive With Me Tonight by @caesaria [EXPLICIT] [ABO]

When the Blade of Marmora requests assistance on an information gathering mission, Lance and Keith go undercover as a bonded alpha and omega pair. At first, it seems like this is going to be more like a vacation than a mission – right up until everything falls apart and they realize how unprepared they really are. Now, Lance and Keith have to fight to not only survive, but to make it out together. They’ll have to rely not only on their skills as Paladin, but the bond they’ve created and nurtured between them.

okay i gave this one the explicit warning bc there are chapters that are explicit, but tbh the scenes are skippable if that’s not ur thing. now this fic is an EPIC. truly. its a quarter million words and the plot is breathtaking, the worldbuilding is iconic and the romance is like HOLY SHIT. this is a novel, and better yet its a KLANCE novel, so. highly recommend if you have a day or two to read.

3. roses by @renyoi

Lance is always getting flowers for Keith, so Keith decides to return the favor--with a little help, of course.

written for prompt #4 of klance valentine's week!

keith is hilarious here. just in general but here especially and i love him. he wants to pamper lance so so badly and hes so straightforward and earnest!! and allura’s character in here is also excellent. i will leave u with this one line from the fic that made me laugh it loud: “ The next day, the sun rises to Keith Kogane, dressed all in black (that’s all that was clean, okay?!), loitering around in front of Alluring Blossom, the 5-star-rated “I’ve never had such a delightful bouquet delivered to me in my entire life!” flower shop of a woman named Allura Altea. Keith automatically trusted her because he loves people that also have alliteration in their names. “ king. love him

4. here it comes by rideahorse

Keith watched a lonely droplet of water fall from Lance’s soaked bangs, curving a path over the bridge of his nose and then pooling—almost teasingly so—at the bow of his lips.

“I feel like I won, for some reason,” Lance said quietly.

what have i told yall about fics from 2016!!! this fic made me SMILE and im not usually a fan of like senior year of high school fics but holy shit!! holy SHIT!! this fic had me smiling and kicking my feet and losing my mind. i will leave u with the note i put on my bookmark (spoiler warning):

a couple things: 1. “lance is a bad influence” and “lance is a pretty princess (tm)” are god tier tags so thanks for that 2. keith with a tongue piercing. must i say more. 3. i miss keith gyeong that was an excellent era 4. the couple tattoo moment had me taking a Moment 5. here’s how i imagine the aftermath of this: shiro: i saw u ditched prom. are you okay? keith: yeah actually! lance convinced me that we have to have a wild final night, so we went to a High School Party (tm), i decked a guy for lance and your honour, we panic drove away, went skinny dipping in a pool, got caught, ran away naked for two blocks, went to sonic in another town, got matching tattoos, fucked in the backseat of my car, and watched the sunrise :)) shiro: shiro: shiro: shiro: i’m sorry. what were those last parts keith: yeah i know you really like sunrises we probably should have invited you :// but it was kind of an us thing i’m sure you understand :) shiro: KEITH

anyways i laughed

5. if silence was a song by @angstinspace

“It’s … Your show is on so late at night,” Keith tries to explain, as if Lance didn’t know this already. “I guess I was just wondering why that is.”

A crackling silence answers him, and Keith’s stomach sinks. Did Lance hang up? Keith can’t exactly blame him.

But then he hears Lance make a noise––a short huff of breath that might have been either an impatient sigh or a quiet laugh … Keith has no clue.

“That’s the reason you’re calling? To complain about my time slot?”

or, Keith starts anonymously calling Lance's college radio show and develops an unexpected crush.

@catnippackets did a comic of this i believe, and it literally never leaves my head. yall know the trope where one person gets a phone call and halfway through they sigh wistfully and say “god i wish you were here” and then the other person smiles so viscerally it can be felt through the phone and they say “look behind you” and theyre THERE?????? that makes me lose it every time. i love this fic

that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!    

[milfygerard]

For the ask game: Dorothea, tis the damn season, cowboy like me?

oughhh the trifecta...

dorothea: If youre ever tired of being known for who you know y'know, youll always know me....dorothea

I just love when taylor really leans into wordplay and turns of phrases and this might be one of her most effective and smoothest examples. evermore is probably one of her albums with the least amount of what I affectionately call Taylor Clunk, which comes in many forms but here is where taylor has a specific idea she wants out and refuses to cut but she cant quite make it fit leading to awkward vocal patterns, rhyming a word with itself or painfully basic/obvious rhymes, songs where the structure just doesnt quite click etc. You can find it plenty in her catalogue but especially on the better bonus/cut tracks like jump then fall (rhyming face with face, you can almost feel her irritation that she cant fix that), its time to go (the "thing" bridge that feels just a little too vague and awkward compared to the rest of the track) and IION (the verses are just kind of a mess structurally). This line? is what happens when taylor has nothing but time to hammer out each kink and annoyance and just make a lyric that flows like water. Its extremely singable and noticably clever but also still clears as smart if you sit and think about it while working beautifully within the song and still feeling real to the character taylors inhabiting. HM: "skipping the prom just to piss of your mom and her pagent schemes" "from you i'd buy anything"

TTDS: theres an ache in you put there by the ache in me/but if its all the same to you, its the same to me

what a profoundly sad and resentful lyric in a profoundly sad and resentful song. This one line I think really captures what TTDS is about which is aboutthat constant sense of feeling trapped. You felt trapped in your home town and you ran away, you escaped, but the escape alone isnt enough as you have what feels like all the same issues but somewhere else, and how a few times every year you have to walk back into the open spring-trapped cage and be reminded of the comfort of the cage you already know compared to the one youre pursuing. the what if of "should I just come back and be unhappy here if theres at least one person who will truly understand that?" Old habits are slipped into easily but not unknowingly, and the ache is still there even as dorothea and her lover pretend for just a weekend that they are still two anchors in one terrible place kind of silverflitn if you think about it i mean what. When paired with Dorothea as a track its also a tale of poor communication, dorothea as a character creating a sense of resentment from her lover far more intesne than the fond sadness in her namesake track. HM: "if I wanted to know who you were hanging with while I was gone i would've asked you" "I parked my car right between the methodist and the school that used to be ours"

CLM: now you hang from my lips like the Gardens of Babylon/ with your boots beneath my bed, forever is the sweetest con

AMBIGUITY BABY!!!! CLM has a stone cold poker face with a bleeding gash of emotion on its cheek and i love it so so much (the my own private idaho AMV that exists in my head for this song goes so crazy you wouldnt believe). this weird little third-verse-bridge-thing (the structure of clm is batshit even genius barely knows what to do w it i cant believe the track works as well as it does)plays on the surface as plainly romantic but like all the best stories it doest quite line up. The song itself feels like a story being spun a story is true a story is untrue i mean what by someone trying to avoid the direct stating of a too-painful truth. Even within this imagined narrative, reality slips through. The Gardens of Babylon are a great and beautiful thing, and architectual wonder lush with life. They also most likely never existed. A common thread throughout evermore is the questioning of its own reality, of if any of it was real or just a construction of marriage or suburbia or the law or death or a dream or our own anxieties, almost none of the songs have a conclusive, clear-cut ending and some even loop into themselves (tolerate it and gold rush both end how they began). In the end, this is a tale told over a campfire under the new mexico night sky as you watch the storyteller look off into the distance and you wonder if anything theyve told you is even a little true. HM: "Never wanted love just a fancy car/now I'm waiting by the phone like I'm sitting at an airport bar" "tellin all the rich folks anything they wanna hear/like it could be love, it could be the way forward only if they pay for it"

[lia-land]

A Court of Frost and Starlight

3.5/5 stars

Spoilers for A Court of Frost and Starlight*

This felt like A Court of Rhys and His Infinite Amounts of Money. Why were we reminded every few pages that Rhys has unlimited amounts of money? I think the intention was to show us how strange it can be for Feyre to go from hunting for food to being rich all of a sudden, which made sense at first, but after all the times that it was brought up, all this did was make me wonder about the economics of Prythian and not get any answers. Does the Night Court have a Tithe-like system? Do the citizens pay tax? Did Rhys inherit the money? His wealth was mentioned so many times and we never get an answer as to its source. I liked the first time he’d mentioned paying the IC salaries in ACOMAF, as well as the Spring Court’s Tithe because we rarely see that sort of thing in this genre. It’s one of those details that isn’t necessary for readers to acknowledge, and for SJM to acknowledge fantasy economics and then not do anything with it felt unsatisfying.

I wanted to love this because a Feysand fluff book is all I wanted, but it was too good to be true because Feyre came across as a bit annoying and out of character to me. It also seems very sudden that she wants to have a child with Rhys now, even though she expressed earlier that she wanted to enjoy immortality for a while with just him. There's also the situation with the death pact, which causes a paradox because they can either 1. never have kids, and leave the fate of the Night Court uncertain when they both die or 2. have kids and both die at the same time, which can have drastic effects on the child.

This book made me realize that I think I liked evil Rhys more and he just feels too domesticated to me now, but that’s personal preference and not a fault of the book.

The art classes were also a bit random. I know this is a novella and was not meant to necessarily have a plot, but the things that did happen seemed out of place. I did enjoy that certain realistic things were acknowledged in this, such as the age gap between Rhys and Feyre, and the concept of Fae periods. Both were interesting to read about.

The interaction between Feyre and Lucien was odd. I don’t see why she was so rude to him when he was making an effort. He had every right to walk out after that. Feyre seems to be forcing him and Nesta into her group and doesn’t seem to be able to grasp that not everyone wants to be around the IC all the time. She specifically tends to forget the centuries of intricate history between Lucien and Rhys and how that won’t all just be unraveled in less than a year.

It was fun to see them all domesticated and celebrating the winter solstice, but it read like fan fiction and I likely won’t reread this (maybe I’ll just reread chapter 22 because wow). It was a nice bridge to the next book, I just did not like Feyre in this. Though, seeing Mor’s POV was refreshing, and for us to find out that she has a secret estate. I wonder if more will come of that in future books.

A Court of Frost and Three Stars, but 3.5 because we finally got the wall scene.

(Also, annoyed that this was the same price as the other books, but barely even a third of the length)

[therealvinelle]

Hi! My ask is a top 3. Top 3 favorite books, favorite songs and favorite movies. I would also like to know the last book you read, last song you listened and last movie you watched. Not for any particular reason, just want some recs lol

Oh this is a fun one!

Favorite books

I take it back, choosing three isn't fun at all.

Agatha Christie has had a little too much influence on me as a person to not get the number one slot. If I had to choose one of her books, let it be The Mirror Crack'd. Jason Rudd showing Miss Marple in to see his wife whom he just mercy killed in her sleep and Miss Marple reciting Tennessee as a eulogy was deeply formative for twelve-year-old Vinelle.

Philip K. Dick, specifically A Scanner, Darkly if I must choose

Les Misérables. Like Christie, it impacted me too much not to make the list.

Favorite songs

In the interest of giving you recs, I think I'm going to give you repeat songs that I will never grow tired of.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda, when the vibe is right for this one it's just right

Venom by Eminem, somehow my favorite Eminem song and I can't figure out why. I just really like what he does with the rhymes in this one and the song is always, always perfect for whatever I'm doing at the moment.

Drøm Hardt - Requiem 1 by Kaizers Orchestra, which surprises me too because it's not one of their flashier songs, but it also isn't one I ever skip when I'm listening to them. It's just nice. All of Kaizers is nice, every so often I remember the fact that I have tickets booked for their reunion tour and the sun shines just a bit brighter.

Favorite movies

Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean. Yes, these are two different movies, but I love them equally and they are weirdly the same movie in that exactly the things I loved about Lawrence are there in Bridge, meaning I have two movies with these wonderful things. Possibly three, if Doctor Zhivago is as good (same director, overlapping cast) as I hope it'll be.

The Silence of the Lambs starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. It's just the best movie in the world, the pinnacle of feminist filmmaking to the point where I was very surprised to find out it wasn't classified as a chic flick.

Unforgiven starring, produced, and directed by Clint Eastwood. You should watch a few 50's and 60's Westerns first, but I'm a snob when I say that - really you can just sit down, giddy up and enjoy a beautiful movie about elderly cowboys who angst about what it means to take a life.

Last book, song, movie

Book: I've just barely gotten started on Ursula le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness, however I keep getting distracted so this could take me years. Or a weekend if I get the mania.

Song: No singular ones (unless you count me currently blasting Kaizers Orchestra to determine which of their songs to recommend) I've been abusing my Eurovision playlist lately... The Sunstroke Project, Vesna, Go_A, and so on. Oh and uh Hamilton. Violently unsexy but so very catchy, one might even say I'm helpless.

Movie: Halfway through Remains of the Day, I'm at the part where the lord of the house asks his butler to explain the birds and the bees to his adult godson.

[the-phantom-author]

no because her needing reassurance is soooo delicate coded

“this ain’t for the best, my reputations never been worse so you must like me for me”

“is it cool that i said all that? is it chill that you’re in my head? cause i know that it’s delicate.”

“is it cool that i said all that? is it too soon to do this yet? cause i know that it’s delicate”

“sometimes i wonder when you sleep, are you ever dreaming of me?”

but with his reassurance she comes to call it what you want. because it doesn’t matter.

“my castle crumbled overnight, i brought a knife to a gunfight, they took the crown but its alright

all the liars are calling me one. nobody’s heard from me for months. i’m doing better than i ever was.”

“all the drama queens taking swings, all the jokers dressing up as kings, they fade to nothing when i look at him.”

“and i know i make the same mistakes every time, bridges burn, i never learn, at least i did one thing right! im laughing with my lover, making forts under covers, trust him like a brother, you know i did one thing right.”

“you don’t need to save me. but would you run away with me?”

I realized how delicate coded it was when I read through it. But can we have a small chat about how after the become public she goes back to question the things she does/say.

Like that New Year's concert, she gets caught up in the act of being on stage and just goes to debut "Slut!" the people at the concert can see her face rethinking it as she goes "I wasn't supposed to do that yet". You can also see her looking at a specific place in the audience, as if she was asking if it was an okay thing for her to do. And she was, she was looking at Hasan, who was so okay with it.

[iviarellereads]

The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 42 - Easing the Badger(1)

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Dragon fang icon) In which we finally learn what that smell was.

PERSPECTIVE: Perrin enters Illian, it's marshy so there are bridges sometimes, he misses blacksmithing. He notices two palaces on either side of a large square, and Faile explains that the bigger one is the King's Palace, and the Council of Nine were allowed to build any palace as long as it's no larger than his, so they built the same palace two feet smaller in every direction. So it is with the relationship between the two, ever since.

Loial's presence isn't novel here, and he worries that Ogier come here so often, and from his own stedding at that. Perrin tells him Moiraine values him too much to let them just take him back if he doesn't want to go.

Perrin's hearing is sharp enough to hear Moiraine say "something is wrong in this city". Perrin wonders what he's not seeing. On closer inspection, he can feel it, in the way the people are acting, but nothing specific. Many people look angrier than they should be. They finally come to an inn called Easing The Badger, its sign a badger dancing next to a man with a shovel. Perrin assumes it's some old local story he's never heard.

Moiraine is known as Mistress Mari here, and she asks the innkeeper if people are angrier than usual. The innkeeper, Nieda, says the previous winter was harsh, she woke to ice in the washbasin a couple of mornings, even. A winter not seen in a thousand years here, surely, almost enough to make her believe in traveler's tales of frozen water falling from the sky.(2)

Nieda says that there's a new lord on the Council of Nine, Lord Brend, nobody remembers hearing his name before winter, but he was raised to the Council within a week of entering the city, and now he's the strongest of the Nine.(3) She has strange dreams about him sometimes, too, walking in strange places with staircases like mazes. Nieda says she does maunder on, she'll show them to their rooms, and then a nice dinner. Moiraine asks what ships would be sailing to Tear, and Nieda says, well, none! The Council forbade all ships sailing to Tear a month ago, and the King never contradicted it.

They go to their rooms, and Perrin worries at Moiraine's fear as Nieda talked. They all wash up and make their way back, and Loial tells Perrin the Ogier stonemasons left with their work unfinished last winter, very unusual. Soon, everyone’s down for supper, at which Moiraine is stiff and distracted. Also, the meal is focused around fish. Faile hates fish, so Perrin taunts her by smiling around a big mouthful of his, and Moiraine tells her to eat, any meal could be her last, especially with them.

As Nieda clears the fish dish and lays out an assortment of cheeses, Perrin smells something vile, the same something he smelled in a few other places this book. He sees six men with ordinary faces crossing the floor toward them. He yells "They have knives!" and before the bouncer, Bili, can even cross the floor, the group have taken out all six.(4)

Moiraine heads for the door, Lan intercepts her, and Perrin can just hear their conversation. Lan says he pledged to keep her whole, but she says she must go alone. He protests, but...

She cut him off. “Heed me, Lan. Should I fail, you will know it, and you will be compelled to return to the White Tower. I would not change that even if I had time. I do not mean you to die in a vain attempt to avenge me. Take Perrin with you. It seems the Shadow has made his importance in the Pattern known to me, if not clear. I was a fool. Rand is so strongly ta’veren that I ignored what it must mean that he had two others close by him. With Perrin and Mat, the Amyrlin may still be able to affect the course of events.(5) With Rand loose, she will have to. Tell her what has happened, my Gaidin.” “You speak as if you are already dead,” Lan said roughly. “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and the Shadow darkens the world. Heed me, Lan, and obey, as you swore to.” With that, she was gone.

=====

(1) Begin the sex jokes again! You may recognize this inn name from TGH chapter 9. Bayle Domon gets some trouble there before he goes off to meet the Seanchan. Even the places get recycled in this series where appropriate. (2) Yeah, consider Illian just about synonymous with Florida or the parts of California that don't bother to look a little north and west at their mountaintops. (I mean that as fondly as I can mean it for places I've never been and have no interest in seeing for myself.) The last time I read this chapter according to my notes was late in the winter, with the snow piled at least a good 2 meters/well over 6 feet deep. (You may have heard of lake effect snow, now multiply that to Atlantic ocean effect snow, that's what I get where I live.) (3) That's a suspicious rise to power. Do we have any clues to what might have happened in, oh, the last year or so, any people maybe freed from three thousand years of sleep who might seek power for themselves and be able to attain it without attracting any unwanted outward attention? (4) Ah, so the smell was Gray Men after all. (5) Er, hate to break it to you, but she doesn't have Mat anymore anyway.