#and i'm crossing my fingers we get more of them as a focus in season 2

[backjustforberena]

You can bargain with me all you like; bring my granddaughter with you to soften my resolve...

[woso-dreamzzz]

Christmas II

Hardersson x Baby!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: Your first holiday season

You sniffle a little bit in your pram.

You're fast asleep amongst your blankets but your little nose is red from the cold, as are your little cheeks.

"Are you sure you don't want to take her inside?" Popp asks as Pernille gently rocks the pram back and forth to settle you again. "It's warm there."

"She'll be fine out here," Pernille assures her," The cold air will be good for her lungs. We've got a call with Magda later and I want her to be awake for it."

"Magda can't come for Christmas?"

"She's still trying to sort out a flight but most of them are already booked up. She's going to try but..." Pernille sighs. "I don't know. It might just be me and the princesse. We'll survive."

"Well, you will," Popp laughs," But I'm not sure how long this one will in the cold."

Pernille rolls her eyes. "I told you! The cold is good for babies to nap in! She'll be fine!"

You sniffle a little in your sleep again, wiggling around in your pram and Pernille pops a dummy into your mouth. The effect is instant as you suckle it for comfort and drift back off to sleep again.

When you wake up, it's only because your dummy is being replaced with a bottle and people are standing over you and cooing.

Lots of your Momma's friends are watching you but it's the stern face of Caro that you focus on, legs kicking out happily as you feed from your bottle and reach out for Caro with your little grabby hands

"Caro's the favourite," Ewa teases, reaching up to ruffle her hair.

"Frido will be jealous," Pernille laughs as she adjusts your bottle so you're not drinking quite so quickly," She's convinced that she's the favourite."

Caro rolls her eyes dismissively. "Yeah, well Frido isn't exactly here, is she?"

Pernille's lips curl upwards into a smirk. "You've warmed up to my baby then? Because a few months ago, you would never say such a thing."

Your little hand curls around one of the fingers Caro offers you, a tight grip on the appendage that she wouldn't even get out if she tried.

"My heart isn't made of stone, Pernille," She says with an eye roll," Besides...y/n's...She's kind of cute when she's feeding."

"Do you want to feed her?"

"Let's not go that far. Baby steps."

You end taking yet another nap during the gym session and Pernille feels slightly vindicated when it's clear that this nap hasn't been nearly as nice as the nap you took in the cold air earlier.

The two naps you take at training gives you more than enough energy in the car to attempt to take both your shoes and socks off by the time that Pernille pulls up to the apartment.

In that time, you've managed both shoes, one sock while the other one hangs off half your foot.

"Good try, princesse," Pernille laughs, stroking a finger down your nose so you go adorably cross-eyed trying to follow it," But you haven't beat me yet. Let's get all of this back on, shall we?"

You make little huffing noises as Pernille puts your socks and shoes back on you, tightening them up so you won't be able to kick them off on the way upstairs to the apartment, as was your habit.

Pernille nearly drops her keys in shock at the sound of music playing through the front door, frozen in horror at the unexpected sound. Her grip on you tightens for a moment before Magda's horribly off tune singing reaches her ears and she's all but breaking the door down to get inside.

"You're here?!"

Magda's slumped over the kitchen table with a piping bag that she's trying to force icing out of to act as cement for a crumbling gingerbread house.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I...The flights? The airport? You said-"

"But it's a good surprise, yeah?" Magda teases, gently taking you from Pernille's arms and kissing her girlfriend on the lips," Besides, I couldn't miss the little one's first Christmas. I've got such a nice Chelsea kit to put her into! It's got my name on the back, you know."

Pernille laughs, somewhere between delight and shock.

"Ow!" Magda yelps as the back of a hand connects with her shoulder. "What was that for?!"

"I thought someone had broken in!" Pernille scolds before bursting into laughter. "Next time, send a text!"

"And ruin my surprise? Never!" Magda's voice goes high pitched as she lifts you up to blow a raspberry on your belly. "You hear that Princesse? I'm never going to ruin a surprise!"

Your peels of laughter echoe over the music playing, feet kicking happily as Magda does it again.

"Let's get these little booties off," Magda coos at you," And this silly little snow suit. We've got a Chelsea kit to put you in!"

"It's not Christmas just yet," Pernille reminds her before she can sweep you away," We don't do early presents in this house."

"Bah!" Magda waves a dismissive hand. "What's a few days early? She won't understand."

"That's not the point," Pernille says with a laugh," But, by all means, if you think you can get her in that kit without crying, go right ahead. I'm going to shower."

"Yeah, yeah...Wait, what do you mean?!"

Getting you into that Chelsea kit, like Pernille predicted, didn't exactly work. You started crying the moment it was brought near you and you didn't stop until Magda banished it from your sight.

Instead, you're put into a fuzzy reindeer onesie that matches with Magda's own and the one that she'd left for Pernille on the bed.

"Is that my little reindeer making that noise?" Pernille coos as she comes back into the room to the sound of your little giggles as Magda tickles your tummy with your swan and moose toy.

"It is!" Magda says proudly," Your little reindeer also decided we're going to watch some Christmas movies tonight."

"Oh she did, did she?"

"She did," Magda insists, flipping up your onesie's hood to show off the little antlers on it," She also requests that we order in dinner rather than cooking."

Pernille laughs. "I'll grab the menus."

[theriverbeyond]

arcane s2 act 2 THOUGHTS, overall I think this was a lot stronger than the first act --- at the end of the day arcane is a character and relationship (primarily sisterhood/brotherhood/parent-child/family) driven show above all else, with plot as a sort of loose secondary, so like, even though i DO have plot critiques they're feel a lot softer just because the arc was genuinely so enjoyable to watch on an emotional level. anyway #SPOILERS and critiques below. well more like one big excessively long critique but I spent ages typing it all up so here it is:

i think my big critique thus far is pacing and story planning. there is just... a lot going on, for a 9 episode show. like a LOT. like way too much. and I think this was obvious in the first arc, and better managed in this arc -- but that is largely because this arc wildly narrowed the focus. this arc totally left out Ekko and Hermidinger(i can never remember his name. the squirrel dude), the new enforcer squad were basically back to being background characters, and while Sevika, Jayce, Victor, Cait, Ambessa were all present/involved in plot, they all took a big backseat screentime-wise. This allowed the act to really focus in on Jinx & Vi, Jinx and Vi & Vander, and Jinx & Isha, which is of course where the arc really shines -- but it brings BIG concerns for act 3, where presumably we will be back to having a full plate of characters. So I expect the "too much going on" issue to be more obvious in act 3, which is disappointing because that's like, the finale.

following from the above, there's a lot of skipping around that feels very economical but also like.... WEIRD! like.... we are watching a highlight clipshow? or something? Salo gets told "hey check out this healer" -> next time we see him he is totally healed. WHAT? like sure i dont care about him as a character, but that just feels kinda.... like we are really squeezing in here huh!! and we go from seeing Victor heal one dude in act1 -> next time we see him he has set up a whole commune and is playing big jesus. WHAT???? we dont get to see anythijg in the middle?? what about Jinx and Isha reuniting after escaping Stillwater but before finding Vi??? etc etc etc? and sure those scenes would be not be necessary on a "the plot doesnt work without them" level, but these types of "TITLE CARD READS: 2 DAYS LATER, AFTER THE GANG SETTLES IN" situations are happening SO frequently in this season that it really seems like they have too much story to fit into the time they are given, and are now aggressively trimming anything they can so stuff will fit and still make sense.

Basically what I'm saying is the show feels like my twitter reads, where Im a verbose mf and have to aggressively abbreviate words and cut sentences and rambling when I tweet so it can fit the character limit. and sure I don't need all those extra characters and words to convey my full meaning but "economical with time" is not really the best compliment I could give a show. Like why do you have to be so economical. why are we pinching pennies seconds here instead of modifying the plot to improve the pacing.

shallow critique but the "Jinxers" all getting blue hair and pronouns and pink accents was weird. like..... Jinx has a lot of symbols, like the monkey or the shark or whatever, that they could have easily done something like that. and the blue hair is GOOFY!!! the only one who gets a pass is Isha, bc her hair clearly looks like a quick dye/paintjob, versus everyone else who looks like they went to a salon.

I think this is, again, an issue of screentime economics, but im honestly disappointed in the CaitVi reunion. it's not that I dislike the scenes themselves, but it all feels so... easy! fast! like their breakup felt so emotionally resonant and them making up felt so quick. I have my fingers crossed for Consequences (and fallout from both Vi's alcoholic era and Cait's rebound bedsharing) next act, especially based on the preview, but like.... we have so much other stuff to tie up I am just not sure there is enough time for them to really deliver the impact that the breakup promised.

I've been told that they always planned for 2 seasons and had everything plotted out beforehand but the pacing is... really weird for something they had so meticulously planned for two seasons. It feels a LOT more like they wrote a story they wanted to tell, they were then given 18 episodes in which to tell it, and they decided they liked their original story so much that they didn't want to cut anything even though 18 episodes is a huge squeeze for this number of characters/this level of plot complexity.

And I think the quality difference is SO noticeable between the acts that are tight and focused (like this arc here, or the original season 1 act 1 -- both were tightly focused around Vander family dynamics, with some B and C plots. Compare that to act 1 of s2, which feels like trying to the contents of an entire pringles can into my mouth at once)

Related to that, I keep getting the sense that the writers want Specific Events to happen -- they want Jinx to care for someone that represents Powder, in order to coax out that part of her again. They want Cait and Vi to pull a doublecross deception on Ambessa. They want Victor to lead a jesus cult. etc. And then they draw a line from A to B in the most efficient way possible instead of doing things in a way that feels natural or actually rewarding. And then of course the specific Thing they wanted to happen does happen, and they do it really well. And it going really well retroactively justifies the hamfistedness of the setup, but also, should it? I talked about this issue for s2act1 last time but it remains, so.

Anyway that ways just way too many words to essentially talk about one issue. But that one issue (pacing/story planning) just... seeps into EVERYTHING, and I spent a long time typing all that out, so.

This is a bit of a complimentary critique, but I think the wild pacing means that there is a LOT of feeling jerked around emotionally, and I think the show is doing a pretty good job at making that feel exciting instead of confusing, so props for that

Ok now for stuff I liked, because despite my Hater Energy I loved this arc. that is why I have critiques. Because I love it and wish it was better.

like I said, Isha's introduction felt really hamfisted but I can't deny her story crushed my SOUL this arc. I loved that she was nonverbal, I loved her growing relationship with Jinx and it all definitely got enough screen time for Jinx's character development to feel natural/real/earned. I loved that. I cried. oh my fucking god. I love the thematic parallels of it all and I love how it puts Jinx into the role of a parent -- this WHOLE show is about family. sisters and brothers and parents and their kids. this is what it is ABOUT this is why i love this SHOW aughgaaiudsadsafdkha

Jinx's whole character development and everything is so. I don't have brain to write more about it tn but im like. yeah. i love it a lot. she allows herself to try to be the big fat hero...

I love women. This was such a good arc for beautiful handsome women.

I was suuuuper skeptical of Warwick -- I knew from fan speculation the likely connection between him and Vander, and also that he was a big fuckoff werewolf, and I was worried it would all be too goofy but really loved this. Jinx's look of utter terror when she didn't know if she'd killed her father/sister again, the hug, Vander's head touch with Vi, his love for his children bringing him back from thoughtless rage... i loved it. i can't even think about that last scene oh my GOD

I did just complain about the CaitVi reunion but as a homosexual I loved it a lot. Like. It was hot. There was spit and handcuffs and wrassling in the dirt. the almost-kiss when Cait pulled the bag over her head was more intimate than a kiss. there was name calling.

I love Cait having a rebound gf/fuckbuddy. It is SO funny to me, it's an excellent characterization moment for Cait, it's great tension that will HOPEFULLY have payoff in act 3, it's incredible fodder for angsty erotic fanfiction that I hope will soon grace a browser near me. and i hope it influences the CaitVi NETFLIX SEX WARNING scene that will soon grace a TV near me. I hope it is so long it compels me to write 1k words complaining that it was an irresponsible use of screen time

Jinx and Vi teaming up is another thing that felt too fast for me but like, was retroactively justified by how good it was. LIKE!!! Vi protecting Jinx. Parallels to childhood. Their sibling fight. How Vi reached out to her and welcomed her into the family hug. I'm emotional

We finally got to see BLOOD like I'm not a gore person, honestly, but act1 was pretty bloodless even during violent scenes, and I was a little worried that it would just be like that. but NO!!! Warwick's massacre was soooo good and got that blood spraying

I really like how Silco continues to haunt Jinx, and I love the way the show is exploring her grief and like... that she doesnt know who she is anymore. ough.

LOVE Sevika and Jinx's heist/disguise scene, especially all the animation/art details. Like the way Jinx's disguise is so poorly fitted, it's so good. I rewatched that scene specifically like, 4 times

Pitfighter Vi 🧎

as always super interested to hear other people's thoughts, critiques, critiques of my critiques, if im missing something big, etc etc.

[sameschmidtdiffname]

Can I get a Derek Danforth x shorter Male Reader where reader is like the only person Derek cares about. Reader is very cuddly but Derek isn’t big on PDA but when they are alone Derek loves holding the reader in his arms.

If not it’s ok!

OFC YOU CAN!!!

I had like fifteen different drafts for how this story could go and I couldn't make up my mind until literally last night, thus why it took so long. I hope this is okay!!!

Tangled

Derek Danforth x Male! Reader

Summery: The holidays are a miserable time of year, especially when ones mother won't even talk to them to let them know she's not coming, sending Derek into a breakdown and wrapping you up in the process.

Tags: No use of Y/N, short! Reader, hurt/comfort, mommy issues, drug use (marijuana), arguing, breakdown, banter, comedy, injury, eventual fluff, holiday fic. (I don't give a fuck that it's Febuary, shut it.)

Notes: honestly I was HYPED when I saw this request. I fucken GOT YOU babe and I am so sorry it took this long. I hope this was worth the wait <3

•°○《▪︎☆▪︎》○°•

I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to be honest; who likes the holidays?

The decorations are nice. The food's better. But in the matter of family and visitation, could anyone honestly say they liked the whole routine? Picking who to see, booking flights, trying not to lose yourself in a bottle of liquor that you bought on the way to their house.

Maybe not every detail is the same, but you get the general idea.

"Please sit down," I begged Derek, watching him pace the floor. All week Derek had been in a mood, which isn't totally uncommon I will admit. But usually he could be coaxed out of it, sweet words whispered in his ear finally bringing him off whatever edge he was ready to fling off of and convince him death was for another day. This week however was different, Derek always tapping his foot, glaring at something. And pacing. Neverending, always thinking, lasts through the night pacing. I was beginning to feel sick from the anxiety, and my mood was making Derek even shorter in his.

"I'm fine," he snapped.

"You're clearly not," I said. In his hand he gripped his pen, clicking it to life with five rapid clicks before taking a long pull like he couldn't breathe without it. "Derek."

"I said I'm fucking fine."

"I have never seen you as more of a mess, will you please just sit down for one moment?" I pleaded, shifting closer to the edge of the plush loveseat kept in front of our bed. "I'm worried about you."

He wants to snap. His jaw is tight, teeth gritted as he spins on the heel of his black, pointed boot, mouth opening as he begins to point one finger at me. But the minute he actually makes eye contact the edge drains, his shoulders sagging slightly as he exhales his smoke, bags appearing under his eyes. Derek had a reputation for being a hard-ass, but when we were alone and I grabbed his attention, his demeanor would shift into one more gentle, more honest. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he finally crossed over to me, sitting beside me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I'm fine," he said quietly, tucking my head under his chin. His hand strokes up and down my back, his heart still pounding but beginning to calm as the smoke begins to work into his bloodstream, allowing him to focus on me more than his thoughts. His cologne compliments mine, smelling mostly of cinnamon to match the winter season. The silk material of his red shirt is soothing against my skin, little silver snowflakes decorating it. Always a pattern with him.

"Is it your mother?" I asked quietly. He stiffened, his heart rate picking back up against my ear.

"I don't want to talk about this," he said quickly, beginning to pull away. I gently grab his arms, making him look down at me before he can close off once more.

"We've been together for almost a year and you won't say anything about your-"

"I said I don't want to talk about this."

"We have to talk about this at some point or you're going to have a giant fit and I won't be able to help you."

It isn't meant as an insult, but I hear it as soon as the words come out. Derek's eyes narrow into slits, bitterness seeping through.

"Fuck you. I don't throw fucking fits." He pulled away quickly, the battery of his pen glowing as he took another hit, long and deep, blinking rapidly to show he's hit his limit.

"You are on the cusp of one right now. You're in denial," I said concerningly.

This time he really is about to snap when someone knocks on the door, popping her head in to announce dinner will be ready shortly.

"Is she on her way?" Derek asked the redheaded assistant, blowing his smoke out through his nose, hands on his cocked hips. The woman presses her lips together tightly, glancing between the two of us before speaking.

"I haven't heard anything from President Danforth for a few hours, sir," she finally said. Derek sighed deeply, looking down and pinching the bridge of his straight nose as he taps his foot at impressive speed.

"Thank you," he said quickly, not meeting anyone's eyes. She takes the opportunity, quickly nodding at me and ducking out of the room with the quick click of the door, leaving us alone again.

I simply stare at him, hands folded on top of my lap as I wait for him to say something, do something. When he goes to take a third blinker, I finally stand.

"Don't you fuckin' dare," Derek warns me, holding out his palm.

"You are going to get stoned to the point that you'll fuck up this dinner the you have been worried over for the past week. What the fuck is wrong with you?" I hiss, stepping closer.

"There's no fuckin' point, she's not coming," he said, shrugging harshly and scoffing.

"And that bothers you. Will you just admit that?" I said. I step closer, close enough to reach for the pen, but I wait, letting him narrow his glazing eyes at me first.

"What is your obsession? You want me to break down? Cry? You wanna fix me, huh?" His tone is harsh, paranoia settling in as he takes a step towards me. "Whatever savior shit this is, I'm not taking."

I snatch the pen quickly from his grasp, only to have his hand grab my wrist without any real thought. Derek towers over me, gripping me tightly enough it hurts.

"Drop it," he growled.

"No," I growled back.

"I'm not asking."

"Tough shit."

"What is your-"

"Derek." The snap does something, my voice bouncing around in his ears as he glares at me, but releases my wrist nonetheless. I step away quickly, tucking the pen into the inside pocket of my evergreen blazer. "You'll get this back tonight," I tell him, not looking back. Derek mutters under his breath, brushing past me to exit the suite. Fine. Let him hate me. See if I care.

Derek never liked public affection in the first place. Growing up in a house with a politician for a mother he was hyperaware of all the right and wrongs to a public reputation. I think he also just had no desire to be seen as any kind of vulnerable in a crowd. But tonight it's different. Tonight there is a tinge of hate with the distance he creates, and my side feels cold without him. With each step forward he takes five back. People filter in and out of each room, some I'm sure just here with a friend of a friend for the free food. But if there's anyone I never see through the passing hours, it's Derek's mother. I can see him checking his phone every five, three, then every other minute.

It was a touchy subject. Derek loved his mother, adored the ground she walked on. And when she would visit him or welcome us over to wherever it was she was staying it was obvious she loved him too, allowing him to get away with things most mothers wouldn't. But her head was always in work, her eyes always scanning a document with a pen in her hand to sign off on anything at any given moment. There were times we'd spend the visit gathered in silence lest she retreat to an actual study, claiming she could not focus with our chatter. Derek loved his mother, but it was obvious he was neglected by her too.

He'd been planning the party meticulously. Ordering dozens of sample just for garland, asking my input on plates. Yes, Derek was known for throwing elaborate and wonderfully tasteful parties, but if he thought his mother would be in attendance he would go the extra mile, not sparing an inch of detail and making sure that it was so perfect she'd have no choice but to attend.

Problem is, Madame President has many choices for her perfect Christmas party.

It isn't until the clock strikes ten and security begins to push people out that he finally locks eyes with me, the hate draining and giving way to the exhaustion underneath. He disappears through a doorway, and I follow after him, watching his snow white suit that matches my shirt perfectly work its way quickly through the endless halls as I chase him down the rabbit hole. Oh yes, don't think I escaped his scrutiny just because I'm a living being. I didn't even know we'd have complimenting outfits until I stepped out of the shower that morning while he worked on a cigarette, waving it around between his fingers on one hand with the hangers in the other and a phone pressed between his shoulder as he shouted something in Spanish at the poor assistant on the other line.

He doesn't bother shutting the bedroom door behind him whether he knows I'm following him or not. But when I gently push the door shut behind me, finally turning away from him, I feel his warm body press against mine from behind. His arms wrap around me, one around my waist and the other around my shoulders, alcohol thick on his breath as he buries his head into the crook of my neck. His hand finds my hair, burying his long fingers in it as he takes a deep inhale of the pine scented cologne dabbled on my neck. His body is heavy against mine, swaying slightly from exhaustion.

"Hi," he says softly.

"Hi," I say just as soft, reaching up to find his curls. I smile slightly at the feeling of his fried ends, tainted from overprocessing. "You wanna talk?"

"No," he maintained. But his voice cracks, and the collar my shirt is starting to feel wet. Not to mention his arms are shaking.

"You wanna not talk on the bed?" I ask him.

"I'm fine right here," he says in a broken voice. But when he softly sniffles and takes a tiny gasp for air, he's finally done in and dragging me towards the oversized bed, not bothering to actually open the canopy as he flops himself down onto the lush, green and gold duvet.

"It's fine, I'm fine," he insists even though he's dragged half of a gold chiffon curtain down and around him and he's too high to figure out how to get it off. "She has meetings, this happens."

"Yeah, well. It happens a little too often," I say gently, trying to help him before he gets this thing wrapped around his neck. In his vulnerable and understandable fit he's making this curtain situation much worse, actively reweaving whatever I untangle from him in his blind confusion.

"I mean, I get it. Running the country, having a conversation with your own son, it's fine," Derek hiccuped as he gestures his hands like scales weighing the options, one drastically higher than the other. His face is as red as his shirt, large tears streaming down his face as he paws uselessly at the fabric. He swipes frantically at them, clearly becoming frustrated at being unable to control his raw emotions. "I mean, priorities shift so what the fuck am I complaining about?"

"Honey, I think you're sitting on it."

"What?"

"The curtain."

Derek moans inconsolably as he throws himself against the bed, taking down the rest of the gold chiffon and covering us both in the material.

"What does it matter?" Derek cries pathetically. "I could hang myself with this and she'd have a fucking meeting in Germany!"

"Your mother would come to your funeral," I say softly, stroking his hair as I press my lips together, letting him heave out his sobs. He brings a bundle of the fabric to his face, bunching it up and sobbing into it before raising his head once more for another comment.

"Probably have a flood in Uganda day of. I'd fuck up my own suicide day," he snaps to no one in particular.

"No you wouldn't," I say, continuing to run my hand through his hair. Derek sinks into the golden bundle once more, curling in on himself like a child. Then suddenly his eyes grow cold again.

"And the fucking appetizers were cold!"

The comment is so out of left field that a short laugh escapes me, my hand immediately covering my mouth. I instantly feel awful, looking away as I try to compose myself from the dramatic change in complaint.

"Don't laugh at me," Derek snaps. "I paid good money for those."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, that was just a bit random. Would you like to get off of the curtains you also paid for?" I ask him softly, fighting the fit of giggles his hateful eyes inspire to continue. I try to wrap my arms around him in comfort but he moves away in irritation. Or tries. This curtain is keeping us pretty close, which only adds to the whole thing.

"No," he says as he finally gives up. He crosses his arms in irritation and huffs, but after a long moment and a glance at my bemused face he moves to get the curtain off of his own. "Yes. Get this off of me!"

"Okay, I'm coming."

"Where the fuck is the end?"

"I told you, I think you're sitting on it."

"Your mother is sitting on it!"

"Let's not bring anymore mothers into this-"

We struggle in the cocoon of chiffon, twisting and turning in the same and opposite directions, both of us bickering over who has what and who's preventing our freedom.

"This shouldn't be fucking hard!"

"Quit moving, you're making it worse."

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you!"

"Hang on, I think I-"

With a forceful tug I pull the end out from underneath of Derek. Unfortunately, Derek had shifted himself to move off of the end at the same time, leaving me to fling off the side of the tall bed and hit the lush rug underneath that hardly cushions the oak floor with a loud 'thud' that makes the artifical blond gasp.

"Fuck! Are you okay-?"

Derek scrambles to the edge to look down at me, but he's too high to realize he's overshot his position and sends his larger body crashing on top of mine, making me cry out as I break his fall.

"Eat a salad," I groan, curling in on myself as I try to catch my breath.

"I did, that's why I'm the tall one." Derek and I are once again tangled in the curtain, laying on the floor in a pile of limbs and half of Derek's face is burned from the rug. "Are you okay?" He asks worriedly, looking over my body for obvious injury.

"Have roses at my funeral," I cough, clutching my stomach.

"Rose's are cliché."

"Rose's are fucking iconic."

"If you have basic taste, then yes."

"I don't mix snake and cheeta."

"It's French."

"Then get fucking cheeta print rose's."

"Don't be hysterical."

I shoot him a look and finally he manages a laugh, wiping at his nose with the cuff of his blazer and smiling.

"Maybe I'm a little hysterical," he offers.

"I think I have a concussion."

"Oh, you don't have a concussion," Derek says dismissively. He cups my cheeks gently, his soft hands forcing my eyelids open wide as he checks my eyes. "Oh, fuck. Yeah, you have a concussion."

I laugh, pulling him close and keeping my eyes closed to keep from getting sick.

"Mister 'I Don't Throw Fits,'" I tease.

"I can just not take you to the hospital."

"Bitch."

"Cunt."

"Dickhead."

"Fuckface."

"Fashionably handicapped."

"Poor."

Derek finally figures out how to free us from our prison, pulling away the fabric and looking down at me from above with a gentle smile on his tear stained face. "You've got good bone structure, though," he says.

"It's my daddy's," I tell him.

"I don't remember buying you that."

I smack Derek's chest playfully, groaning as I try (and fail) to sit up. "You're awful."

"You love me," Derek says softly, sitting beside me. The statement is true and meant as a playful reminder, but it's the way his bloodshot eyes still glisten with leftover moisture that makes me cup his face. Or try. I can't see.

"I love you," I say softly.

"That's my chest."

My hand moves.

"Knee."

My hand moves again.

"That's my dick."

"Jolly good friend," I say with a squeeze and overexaggerated British accent. This knocks the last bit of sorrow out of Derek, making him laugh loudly as he finally lays down beside me. He wraps his arms around my smaller frame, pulling me close to him as he presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

"I'm sorry,' he says softly.

"We really do need to talk about your mother at some point," I tell him, stroking his arm that lays across my chest.

"I know." Derek's voice is soft, his fingers playing with one of the buttons on my blazer.

The silence is sweet, the sound of Derek and I's breathing the only sound in the room. And the slight ringing in my head.

"I think you need to call someone," I tell him.

"My problems aren't that bad," Derek says in a hurt voice, moving to look down at me.

"For me."

"Oh!"

▪︎《•☆•》▪︎

I'm going to be so fr, I haven't watched 'The Beekeeper' since it was in theaters so if the mommy issues are inaccurate that's on me. But y'know what it works better for his character so it's °~*accurate to meee*~°

Taglist:

@cassiecasluciluce @gh0u1ishly @joshhutchersons-slut @schmidtsbimbo @sugarevans @wompwompwomp57 . Thank you for your support pookies!!! <3

Masterlist

[rwrbficrecs]

First monthly faves for 2024 !! ❤️

Leave a message by @sherryvalli (book-verse)

@dot524: In the mood for some cute, heart-melting fluff? This is a one-shot that recounts Alex’s voicemail messages over the years from those who care about him - including Henry.

would you be my love, my love? (would you be mine) by ohprongs (book-verse)

@wilmonsfolklore: a strictly come dancing AU with a lot of feelings that I've been thinking about ever since i read it!!!

even though we know it isn't true by @matherines (book-verse)

@wilmonsfolklore: for everyone struggling with academic pressure, or anyone, really. it's pretty sad but of course there's comfort personified in Henry!!

beyond infatuation, how obsessively i adore you by @waterloolovers (book-verse)

@wilmonsfolklore: a new fandom classic if you ask me. Henry works at the daycare Alex's daughter goes to and their relationship progresses really naturally. the kid content in this fic is some of the cutest i have ever read and this is the perfect fic to go on your reread list for comfort.

And They Were Roommates by @14carrotghoul (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Alex and Henry get to know themselves and each other after they move in together. This story is not sugarcoated at all, very realistic - just how life is, and so so sweet. Also, unfortunately, rather short, but still worth the read - as are many other stories by this author, such as the 'Las flores' series.

Spirit of the Season by @pridepages (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: A little late to the game but I finally read E.J's Christmas story. Her way of story telling doesn't disappoint in this shorter tale (by her standards). It's not lighthearted and it touches some difficult topics (mostly canon) but it's all worth it because of the way they fall in love through Christmas Eve/night. Can't recommend it enough!

Where There Are Octobers by @iboatedhere (book-verse)

@na-dineee: 31 short chapters that are just really fun to read! Some are post-canon or canon-compliant, others are AUs - but in all of them the characters are so beautifully drawn, true to how we know and love them! A vet AU, a hospital AU, major fluff, even an X-Files AU - and who knows, maybe one or two dribbles will turn into more?! Fingers crossed!

The Art of Losing by bigfishbigpond (book-verse)

@dot524: If you think the mid-story breakup should have been longer and more angsty, here’s the story for you. An interesting and heartfelt story of what Henry and Alex are like apart, and what pulls them back together.

I know that you hate me (Do you though?) by @arand0mdutchgirl (book-verse)

@magnificentandcoolfez: A bit of good ADHD angst (with some comfort ofc). I like the focus on how hard adhd can be and it's a short and good read for those who like comfort that comes in the shape of your crush holding you until you feel grounded again.

blushing ears and beating hearts by @kill8a (book-verse)

@na-dineee: This story is not just slow burn, it is glacial burn. It's an college AU, set in New York, and so slow, so tender, so fluffy - after reading it I was floating on cloud 9 for quite a while. I don't know if you feel the same way, but it's funny how changing one given variable somehow changes the whole dynamic between the two of them. Or is it just me?! Either way, it's so wholesome to tag along as their love blossoms, I still feel so hugged and cared for.

all so human with our guards down by @maxbegone (book-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: a post-apocalyptic story that is unlike any other. There are no zombies or gore, but instead it focuses on rebuilding and the softest love growing between Alex and Henry, surrounded by family and friends. I kinda wanted to live there by the end of it.

The Snow Prince by @orchidscript (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: several fairy tale tropes meet to create this absolutely amazing story. It has dreaminess of a fable, best kind of yearning of your favourite slow burn fics and a little bit of adventure of a fantasy novel.

but to say that I'm a rainbow, to tell me that I'm bright (when I'm so used to feeling wrong, well, it helps me feel alright.) by What_Is_A_Mild_Opinion (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: Fandom is really sleeping on this one! This story is a canon rewrite with characters reimagined as creatures with animal characteristics. The wordbuilding is so fantastic that even if you are not a fan of long fics following canon step by step, it's absolutely worth to check this even for a chapter or two and get to know these wonderful versions of Alex and Henry. (Alex is literally rainbow.)

safe with me / more than I ever (in a thousand years)by @indomitable-love (book-verse)

@na-dineee: I think the author is very well known among all rwrb fanfic readers. I really, really liked these two stories, like a lot: Two 5+1 fics, one from Pez's point of view, the other from Bea's - unfortunately both characters are given too little attention in the book imho. As expected, both narrators are sharply observing, protective of Henry, loving, honest, tender - and you end up loving Henry (and Alex) even more.

check out our past Monthly Faves here ❤️

[saltygilmores]

Thoughts While Watching Gilmore Girls, Season 3, Episode 14- Swan Song- Part 4

Today is my 41st birthday, and in an act of Reverse Birthday, here's a gift for YOU. More unbridled rage! Luke and Lorelai, I dub thee The Penetration Patrol.

Penetration Patrol Officer Gilmore comes back downstairs in a real serious mood. Luke appears to be scrubbing crayon marks off a table. She's got some breaking news. Her 18 year old daughter and her boyfriend of several months were KISSING. WITH THEIR CLOTHES ON!

Man, it must suck to have such a fucking Nudity Narc for a mom. Rory would get eaten alive in public school if word got out that her mom sucks so hard and is awful and annoying and doesn't want Rory to have any fun. Rory would be ground into the sawdust like the filler they put in the meatloaf in the SHH cafeteria. Or the fine arsenic powder that Lindsey sprinkles into Dean’s dinner to cause violent convulsions.

My eye, it's doing that thing again, that thing that happens whenever Lorelai opens her yap.

NOT THE COUCH! I mean they could just go and do it Luke's bed if you prefer. And I'm sure they have already.

Yeah, Rory is learning how to breathe through her nose alright.

FOCUS ON ALEX'S GENITALS! I mean. Your own genitals! Both of your genitals. Take all this pent up rage and do him good later, before you give him the ol heav ho into the wormhole. Do him for Salty. But don't think about Dean while you're doing it.

You settle down, Decorated Four Star General of the Anti Fingering Brigade. That WE is doing some heavy lifting. That WE means this is a conspiracy. A blowjob blocking conspiracy. I could probably name a dozen facets of Jess' life Luke should be more concerned about than whether he does normal teenage (adult) boy things. Really you guys, does Luke really care that much? Jess and Shane (honk) were repeatedly getting sloppy in front of his customers two inches in front of his face and there were probably other future homicide victims, I mean easy lays, that Jess has been horizontal with since he met Rory over a year ago. Besides a few fumbling attempts at a Man to Man talk and advising Jess about the risks of Inter-Closet-al-Relations, Luke wasn't exactly getting between them with a crowbar. He's not even simping for Lorelai right now, so it's not like he's pretending to care to build more of that sweet sweet pussy credit. And there's NO way in hell Luke thinks Jess is still a virgin or would ever care if he was. So this is really just about Rory’s virginity...again (just like when he caught Jess and Rory ALMOST kissing chastely and read Jess the riot act). This has bubkis to do with Jess. There’s nothing weird about the guy who works at the local diner conspiring with your mom to make sure your hymen stays intact. I realize I pogo between saying Rory's libido is frostier than a penguin's nipple and musing that since Jess has entered the picture she’s just a technical virgin at this point, but look I’m suffering let me flip flop. Besides I think this it’s become clear in this episode she’s crossed that magical threshold into technical virgin territory. It's the horny hair. (Also, do you think these kids are that stupid that they don't know what you're doing? Even Rory isn't that naive). If you're that concerned that Rory is going to get pregnant or something, idk what to say anymore, because for all this absolute madness Lorelai's "sex talk" with Rory at the end of this episode boils down to "Oh well. Just let me know when he finally takes you to pound town."

There haven't been many instances so far where Luke has pissed me the hell off this much but there's a first for everything and the rest of season 3 looms ahead. Why don't you shove those tools up your butt. Or have Nicole do it for you later. In Milospeak: Oorange county, Califoooornia. I WAS RAISED IN DISNEYLAND!

Even First Class Five Star Brigadier General Nudity Narc Lorelai Q. Gilmore's flabbers are gasted.

"It's good that they're "safe" upstairs (whatever the fuck that means) but I'm going to turn the hose on them anyway."

What kind of establishment are we running here, Lucas? Customer: "Where the hell is my cheeseburger? Where did that diner guy go?" Sorry, you'll have to wait, he's on Third Base Patrol making sure his other (non paying) customer's daughter doesn't get fingerbanged on his couch by his nephew.

Lorelai calling Christopher a two pump chump is the only saving grace in this scene.

The next scene is going to be equally wretched. Goody.

[fujimusume]

New Thunderbolt Fantasy side stories to be released with the upcoming final movie!

I apologize for the lack of consistent Thunderbolt Fantasy updates here; I have trouble being consistently active on multiple platforms/social networks. But I wanted to share an update that I'm particularly excited about: for the first two weeks of Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Final Chapter hitting cinemas across Japan, two side stories will be given away as freebies for viewers!

Sources: TBF's official Twitter and website

The stories will focus on Lin Xue Ya's and Shang Bu Huan's backstories, respectively. The freebie for the first week will be the Lin side story, while the one for the second week will be Shang's.

It's a shame that these side stories will only be available in limited quantities, and only for such a short time, but assuming I am able to get copies (fingers crossed; I plan to watch the film right as soon as it hits theaters), I plan to translate them.

I have translated the synopses below the cut; I also explain my translation choices for the wording right after the synopses.

Spoiler warning for those who haven't watched Season 4: the synopsis for the Shang side story contains nods to S4.

Thunderbolt Fantasy Side Story, Lin Xue Ya Edition: A Conversation* Over Antiques

One day, the inventor of magical tools Lian Qi receives a visit from a man calling himself the Enigmatic Gale. Lian Qi treats the man who wishes to become his disciple with indifference. However...

This is a short story about Lin Xue Ya and Lian Qi's first meeting.**

Thunderbolt Fantasy Side Story, Shang Bu Huan Edition: A Premonition*** of Flowing Swords

Du Shuai Sheng sends Ren Shao You across time and space for his training. As he thinks of the future that the young boy will reach, he opens a diary that his former friend left behind.

This is a short story of Shang Bu Huan's boyhood years.

Note: For those going "Du Shuai Sheng? Ren Shao You? Who?", remember this old man from S4E10?

Well, it turns out that his name is Dù Shuāi Shēng (渡衰聲)! His name was not revealed in S4 itself, not even in the credits, but it was revealed in the synopsis for the side story. I'm not sure what the Japanese reading for his name would be, though.

As for Rèn Shǎo Yóu (任少游), that's the name baby Shang went by. He wasn't addressed as such in-series, but fans noticed his name in the credits.

Translation Notes:

*A more literal translation would be "question-and-answer," but I think "conversation" sounded more natural than, say, "a question-and-answer session."

**The literal word used means "encounter," but context-wise, I think "Lin Xue Ya and Lian Qi's first meeting" would be better than "an encounter between Lin Xue Ya and Lian Qi."

***The word 縁起 can mean "[good/auspicious] omen," "[sign of] good fortune," or "origin"/"cause." I can't say with absolute certainty which word to use without knowing the context, but I felt that the "omen" definition might be closer context-wise, so I settled on "premonition" for my translation.

My thought process was: flowing swords = swords clashing into each other = Du Shuai Sheng having a feeling that this boy would have all sorts of adventures/interesting encounters in the future 😂

After all, based on the synopsis, it seems like we will be getting glimpses of Shang's childhood through the eyes of Du Shuai Sheng (and/or maybe even his former friend through their diary).

[clonehighdoublehelix]

CLONE HIGH S3 NOTES

This poster art is such eye-candy! I wish the animation budget was slightly higher so it could look this hand-made throughout. Though as someone who works on Flash shows, the production value has been high overall but nothing can compare to the unnecessary lavishness of Rough Draft Korea animating the original series. I never watched the show for shipping and last season the romances were so arbitrary and unengaging that I have no reason to expect anything. Joan and Confucius? Yeah, why not. Who cares! (I might pay attention if they had an mlm couple that aren't background characters that appear for one second)

I'm still crossing my fingers we get some more zany Scudworth B-plots that aren't getting wasted or mooning over Candide. This little snippet of them grave-robbing looks promising!

Though I'm a little disappointed that they're revisiting the Looney Tunes hijinx with Skunky-Poo. We can hope there's some new angle to it. (PITCH: Candide becomes jealous of the 'new woman' in Scudworths life, not because she's winning his heart but because SHE wants to be the one causing him grievous bodily harm)

The new writers really like writing JFK as a big golden retriever so, having him be Abe's goofy comic relief buddy could work. That's right: JFK is the new Gandhi! (A very normal sentence)

The cast list also reveals some new foster parents and school faculty which I'm super excited for. Last season had such a myopic focus on the leads that it felt like they existed in a vacuum. I hope some of the supporting characters get to, y'know, speak this season.

Sighting a Salvador Dali clone almost makes up for Baby Patrick Swayze. Is the name the whole joke? Because it *kinda* rhymes? I refuse to screencap the creature but me and my friends would beat that thing with hammers, I can tell you that much. And we all agree this is the last season, right? I'm shocked such a niche cult show didn't get shelved indefinitely but Zaslav's reign of terror is characterized by writing shows off seemingly at random. Maybe the sheer clout of Lord and Miller got this reboot made and released? The crew seem to indicate the shows future depends on how many people watch the show on premiere day through an app only available in the United States. Yikes! 'Max' is doing the bare-minimum of legally required advertising but the audience still appears to be a handful of die-hard fans who complain about every creative decision the reboot has made so far.

Here's looking forward to February 1st!

[yakysanny]

Netflix's official press has released episode titles and descriptions for One Piece Live Action

Some of my thoughts under the cut!

Seems like Syrup Village has been changed pretty drastically, which is not surprising - it's widely considered one of the weakest arcs in the entire series. I think here the live action actually has a chance to improve upon the source material, hopefully the changes will be positive!

Love that Kaya is a ship yard heiress, now we have a real tangible reason for why she's wealthy

Trio of overbearing house staff? There's Merry and Kuro, but who's the third one? Am I forgetting someone? Is this even important?

I wonder if we'll get Usopp's little friend trio or will they be cut

The action seems to have shifted from the slope to the mansion. Good change imo, more interesting location and the slope antics probably would've been to cartoony for live action anyway. Also the mansion has become a prison??

More Koby focus!!! This is a big one, he's a recurring character in this! I feel like not only are we gonna get the Koby-Helmeppo-Garp cover story, but even more importantly they'll feature prominently in other arcs (really curious about how they'll fit into the Syrup Village arc, also Usopp was the one who called them??)

No mention of them but when do we get Luffy and Zoro's backstories? Will they go the manga route and give them pretty much as soon as we meet them, or the anime route and hold on to them for a while

I have a feeling that Krieg plays a relatively small role in Baratie, again probably for the best since he's the least interesting part about that arc. I'm gonna be really sad if we don't get Gin though :(

We saw in the trailer that Arlong pirates were at the Baratie so they will probably replace the Krieg conflict and be the reason that draws Nami away (rip Johnny and Yosaku, I think we won't be seeing them either)

We most likely won't get Loguetown either. We've seen the barrel scene in promotional material, but I think they moved that scene around and we see it right after leaving Arlong Park. Now this works well if we get a second season. Arlong Park, the emotional climax of East Blue, is the finale and then Loguetown is going to be a great new season opener (many would probably consider it a stronger start than Reverse Mountain arc too). So fingers crossed for season 2!!

[daresplaining]

Your thoughts on She-Hulk ep 8?

I loved pretty much everything!

Yes, so, I was finally able to watch the rest of She-Hulk (I lost access to Disney+ partway through, so it took some finagling) and I do have thoughts! First, as I've mentioned previously, I loved the show overall; I thought it stayed very true to the spirit of the She-Hulk runs I have read (though to be clear, I'm not a Shulkie completist), was really funny (the knockoff "Avongers" merch in that one episode got me. I was on the floor), delivered some sharp commentary on the rampant misogyny in fan spaces and towards media with female leads (often drawing from actual online responses to the show by Comicsgate-types, which was genius), and poked fun at superhero tropes in a way that felt-- again-- true to the character and also mostly in a spirit of love, which is very important. I wanted to start with this because one of the things that kind of drove me nuts while the show was airing was seeing people prioritize the various cameos over the actual fact that freaking Jen Walters, She-Hulk herself, had a TV show, and I loved that she actually broke the fourth wall to call people out on this at one point.

(I'm glad this screenshot now exists in the world, and I'm worried that I might have to pull it out again when Echo's show airs. But hopefully not...)

But the cameos were fun, and felt correct for a show dealing with superhero law and tropes-- you do need a whole bunch of superheroes and villains around for that sort of thing, and I like that they went for an eclectic mix of big names and more obscure characters. Anyone who follows my Iron Fist blog might have seen me freaking out about the surprise appearance of El Aguila, one of my favorite side characters from Power Man and Iron Fist volume 1 (more freaking out will be forthcoming; I'm going to write a post about him when I have two seconds to spare). His MCU counterpart was kind of a parody version of the character, but that was true for many of the D-listers in the show, and I'd never expected to get El Aguila in anything, so I was still pretty dang thrilled. He even had his mutant powers! Amazing! We got MCU El Aguila before, like, MCU Scott Summers.

He also appeared alongside Man-Bull, who is a wonderfully weird Daredevil villain who I also never expected to see adapted. The decision to use El Aguila rather than the more obvious Matador was a little surprising (though I didn't mind at all), but a friend told me that she thought she had heard that they weren't allowed to use the Matador...which is intriguing... Hopefully it's because he's going to be the Big Bad in Daredevil season 4. One thing I was fairly disappointed by was the fact that we didn't get an appearance from Trish Walker, whose modern-day comics counterpart Patsy Walker/Hellcat is very close friends with Jen. However, considering MCU Trish's current situation, I can see why they made that choice. Tonally, this wasn't the right place to continue her story. Fingers crossed, though, for future interactions. Someone needs to get her out of prison!

But anyway, on to the main focus of this post-- this guy:

They definitely made this Leap-Frog hype-up ad as a joke, because hahaha, who gets excited about Leap-Frog, right? Joke's on them: I get excited about Leap-Frog. I was losing my tiny Silver-Age-Daredevil-fan mind that entire night, even knowing that it would be a while before I'd actually be able to watch the episode. Do you know how amazing it is that we got Leap-Frog in this thing? Leap-Frog in a largely comics-accurate costume? Leap-Frog who was allowed to be Silver Age goofy? Leap-Frog with a CATCHPHRASE? (I'm largely allergic to MCU things being imported into the comics-- if I have to open a Daredevil issue and read "the Devil's of Hell's Kitchen" with my own two eyes ever again, it's going to be my supervillain origin), but if 616 Leap-Frog were to start saying "ribbit and rip it", it wouldn't bother me. In all honesty, I didn't think he quite lived up to the hype. He was essentially a different character, and wasn't tremendously Leap-Frog-y when you got right down to it. But seeing him bouncing around in that green rubber costume still filled me with joy, and gave me hope that this might open the door for other such characters. Other fun, wacky, classic Silver Age villains who are long (emphasis on long) overdue an MCU debut. Stilt-Man. I'm talking about Stilt-Man.

In any case, I hope that anyone who might not have checked out She-Hulk yet will give it a try. It's a fun ride.

Psyche. Okay, yes, I'm also going to talk about Daredevil.

To be brief: I really, really liked this cameo. My interest in MCU Daredevil pretty much died in 2018 with the Big Cancellation, and as many bolts of lightning as I shoot through it (or...Hand ninja I sacrifice for it? I guess that's more on-theme), I haven't managed to revive it yet. It was fun while it lasted, but it's not a version of the character that really appeals to me much in isolation, and at the end of the day, I'm a Daredevil fan because I like the comics.

I also have the same issues with Charlie Cox playing Matt Murdock that I think a lot of people have, though that's not something I really feel I need to go into in this post. On the most superficial and shallow level possible (sorry), he just doesn't look like Matt to me, which is something I was able to overcome in the Netflix shows because when you're watching something for thirteen hours straight, eventually your brain adapts. But getting this brief cameo after having not seen him for four years, it was extra jarring, and it actually threw me out of the story a few times. He walked into the courtroom in that one scene and said he was Matt Murdock, and I'm afraid my immediate reaction was, "Pfff, what? No, you're not." (Also...his American accent has not really improved, which was just something I'd assumed he would have been working on.)

But my longstanding quibbles about casting aside (and to be clear, I love that people like the asker above like him in the role! I think for many people who got into DD through the MCU, he is their Matt Murdock, and I fully respect that), this is the live action Daredevil content that I've been waiting for ever since it became clear that the Netflix show was wedded to its dark, tortured version of the character and would not be touching on many of the other attributes that make Matt interesting to me. If this had come out at least five years ago, I would have gone completely bonkers over it-- and even now, I had a thoroughly great time watching this cameo. I had hoped, but I'd never, ever imagined that we'd actually get the yellow suit--especially after the Netflix show picked the practical-but-boring Man Without Fear/"Trial of the Incredible Hulk" outfit as his origin costume. And you know what? It looked pretty good.

For a "grounded" live action take, I think they did a decent job of translating the feel of the yellow costume while being shackled to a certain expected MCU DD aesthetic as established by the Netflix show's version of the red suit. I particularly liked that...that...

No, I'm sorry. I can't do this. Let me just...

Okay, THERE we go.

As I was saying, I thought they did a solid job referencing this most classic of DD costumes, and I would love to see him wear it in more than just this cameo.

And with the yellow suit came-- my god-- the quippy, swashbuckly Matt I have been longing for. The fight with Leapfrog was fun! The banter with Jen was great! I don't know what else to say! Swashbuckly Matt = Happy Daresplaining. What a relief to finally see that side of his personality make an appearance in this universe, and from an in-character perspective, to see him finally finding that confidence and joy in his adventuring. I hope that the Daredevil show (if it ever actually happens at this rate...) pulls from this; that we didn't just get a lighthearted Matt because She-Hulk was a comedy show.

And the romance was a surprise, but I didn't mind it. It was handled with humor, and it's not a relationship that exists in the comics so it was a fun new concept to play around with. Plus, both 616 Jen and Matt are characters with pretty hefty love lives, so it fits. And even more to the point, as the third asker above mentions, it took a baffling 40 YEARS for Marvel's two most prominent superhero lawyers to even interact, finally facing off for the first time in Soule's She-Hulk run, so I cherish every new scene they have together in any medium because they're great together. I was a little--"worried" is too strong a word, but maybe "cautious"--about how this would be handled from Matt's end, since he's really not a one-night-stand kind of guy. He falls in love easily and dates a lot, but it's dating. He gets attached to people. He clings. But this ended up seeming like maybe not a one-night-stand after all. The last episode seemed to imply that they were still together, so...is this going to be a thing? Are MCU Jen and Matt a couple now? Anyway, it was fun to have a bit of the soap opera-flavored drama of 616 Matt's love life filter into the MCU, because it really didn't come up much in the Netflix show.

In any case, to make a long and much-delayed post short, while MCU Daredevil will have to work very hard to re-earn my interest, I did enjoy this, and loved She-Hulk. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a show that's an all-around good time.

[bamboobrat]

succession s4 e3 recap: i just called to say are you a cunt? 1/2

ding dong the bitch is dead!

today we celebrate! extra long recap! (you'll find part two here and at the bottom)

it's finally time to fire gerri:(((

this has been in the cards since the hazmat suit remark, but still shakes me to the bones.

and sticking her with cruises? horrifying.

almost as horrifying as logan asking roman to kill her...

"you two, you know, you were close"

dickpickgate, the laughs were too high a price to pay.

on a more positive note, greg is also not having a good day.

is he out of the inner circle? was he ever in? did kerry really look up if a focus group existed and pull him apart like string cheese?

my guess is it's because he is annoying. on this, logan and i agree. visually aggravating, indeed.

(on a more serious note, yes, i've seen the posts about nick and all i can say is believe women)

big boss man's last words:

i wasn't paying attention. karolina was in the scene.

tom uses one line to summarize the episode we never got.

wanting to kill cyd and gerri on the same day can kill you, you know. it's called karma.

felt a strong impulse to skip the intro having seen the trailer, but i'm a good lil nick britell fangirl of course.

also, you know it's going to be a good episode when it's a mylod.

roman is very nervous about breaking up with his girlfriend firing gerri. "let's enjoy this sham marraige and the death of romance", he said...

i know i asked for more gerri. THIS NOT WHAT I MEANT!

roman is me, i am roman etc.

i'm also sad to report that i am, in fact, team hat.

they are sad and angry but not in a perverted way:(

so, so pretty<333 j. for supporting! sarah for lead, please!

it's the least they could do. seriously.

looks like having to kill gerri was the last drop for our romey.

calling your dad a cunt right before he dies? it's shakespearean.

connor associates victoria spunge with the loony bin. some of you might think the cake is not an essential part of this episode, but you are wrong.

shiv doesn't pick up the phone. first the cake, now this!!

this is what my mom tells me all the time: gotta pick up the phone, i could be dying.

and just like that... logan roy died. on the toilet. where all horrible fathers deserve to die. special shout out to tywin lannister!

the writers are absolute sickos for making me actually morn this guy by watching how his children absolutely fall to pieces:

roman repeating how everything will be okay. ken saying he can't forgive logan, but that he loves him. shiv immediately reverting back to her younger self and calling logan daddy...

anyone else have some trauma responses to share?

these asshole kids crying over their asshole father </3

they frantically go back and forth between accepting that he is dead and making action plans on how to save him. it's a beautiful and heartbreaking throwback to the first season, when they still believed their money and status could save them from experiencing death.

even billionaires are mortal. really makes u think 👀

frank calls kendall son and i think it finally sinks in. i'm a pool of tears ready to be wiped up off the floor.

shiv and ken go to let connor know.

they look so smol and lost and sad, i CAN'T. they really are kids.

connor is on some GOAT shit with this line:

well, his father may not ever have liked him, but at least he got the world's strangest hug from his homey romey.

being in denial too hard can cause hug disfunction.

it's not a nice thing to call someone dead.

truly a heartbreaking rant we get from kieran here. one emmy for our favorite slime puppy!

karl continues to be the voice of reason:

i feel connected to this man, spiritually and emotionally.

he should pour one for kerry as well.

our girl is simply not dealing. fingers crossed for a delicious breakdown to come.

tom agrees.

funniest shit i've ever seen.

this is why we like to keep karl around, for the drinking and the nicknames.

part 2

[storyofmychoices]

Dani Rambles about COPII.... chapter 9

Okay, firstly I know I am literally behind on everything!!! I'm sorry, the past few days have been crazy so I'm trying to get caught up today but needed to read chapter 9 so that I could make prompts for the book club so here we are.

I actually found this to be one of the most interesting chapters in a while. I feel like we got some information and it felt like we could have a moment with Trystan that wasn't physical and we could see their relationship growing, as well as actually focus on the case!

I'm very disappointed the twins didn't have any actual information, that's just such a tease on PB's part, but revealing that information now would be too easy, so I get it. Well played on their cliff hanger.

I loved seeing Trystan bond with Juli's moms. Seeing that relationship mended has meant more than anything else. Seeing Eliose forgive Trystan and literally cheer on Lilah was such a heartfelt and beautiful moment. I loved it! (and also when Trystan said he wasn't good enough for Juli and the moms said he was 🥹😭❤️

(also the more we learn about Juli, the more wonderful I think she was and I kinda love her)

But the scene in Juli's room!!!

Okay so, I have lots of thoughts, they're not really coherent so I apologize.

The letter's were interesting, I really don't think it's Bas, they've literally been pointing fingers at Bas since we got to Drakovia. If it were him that'd be a huge let down. I chose the option that MC says she thought his letter sounded like a friends vacation trip. I thought it was funny to see that Astrid wrote complaining about her siblings, it could just be a quick funny Astrid moment, of course she would be complaining, but Astrid doesn't seem the type to send letters complaining to just anyone... we've never seen her and Juli mentioned as friends (or am I blanking?) so could there be more to them than that? No letters from Vasili though 🤔 (I still think Vasili is Juli's lover and Eveline knew about it)

The nightingale whistle!!!

ugh, so I've been a bit emotion about Nightingales for a couple weeks now, thanks Neil Gaiman and Good Omens. If you don't know, you're better off, the angst is real and my heart can't take waiting 4+ years for season 3.... 💔😭

But I digress,

So Nightingales are interesting birds especially with the symbolism they carry. And even in the chapter they mention star crossed lovers as part of that symbolism which is totally on point so It could just end there, but then I thought of Romeo and Juliet and their conversation about the bird and whether it's a nightingale or a lark.

In the play Juliet (whose name begins with Juli (like Juliana)), she believes the bird is a lark and represents light/morning (and their time together must end), where Romeo says it's a nightingale so it's still night and they have more time together.

Perhaps in COP, Juli is the lark and her mystery lover is the nightingale (who thought wanted more time with her even after night had past)

What that means, I really don't know, but here we are.

Then the shocking(?) twist that there might be another heir... i mean I think a lot of us probably thought that. I mean you have 9 heirs already, what's one more. But the missing heir might be the queen's?

I don't know if we've met them already, of the background characters we met so far, the only 2 I could think of would be Bird (only because his nickname is bird and he was randomly mentioned in this book, when the crime really didn't fit his mo) and the royal assistant (who just seems awkward around the family. I thought she might be Eveline's secret daughter, but maybe the queens?

Or maybe it's someone we haven't met yet.. or maybe one of the Thornes we know isn't really the King's. 🤷‍♀️

Maybe if the Queen has a child older than Trystan, maybe it's why she is so hard on him. She knows he is destined for the crown but not deserving? But also, why wouldn't she have been more supportive of the bill?

Lots of thoughts, I'm sure I'll be back with more. If you made it this far, you totally deserve a gold star!

Oh, and one more thought... if the Queen does have a lover, that would finally explain Patryk lol that boy does not fit in.

Wouldn't it be fun if Trystan weren't the King's how easily that would tie things off! But I don't get why the queen or anyone would want to stop the act then, if passed it would make any of her children (by the king or anyone else) legitimate so she could get Trystan in without worry if the act went through. So many questions. So little information

[anime-chick]

YYH TRAILER REACTION

i already love yusuke's actor

i'm sad koenma isn't a baby, but maybe we'll get a snippet of him being a toddler before shifting into an adult

a MUCH more serious tone than i was hoping for

the demon that attacks yusuke is scary as heck

did they just show the dark tournament island? they did oh yes they did

kurama looks as pretty as ever, as gay as ever, and i dont mind the wig, i said it, i like it even

hiei fucking around with stabbing cars??? okay okay, im here for it

kuwabara's energy sword!!!

the fight scenes look badass, there's definitely a lot of effort being put into them

kurama's handstand spin thing is just what i want for him, like, yes baby you do that

karasu and bui being in it so early on??? along with toguro??

speaking of - elder and younger toguro both look so so much better than i thought they would

i dont know what to do with the four of them fighting toguro together - seems odd but hopefully in the context of the show it makes sense

live action bui is totally giving off shredder vibes and im not mad at that

the focus of the trailer is mainly the action which does make me a little nervous because so much of the magic of yu yu hakusho happens outside of the battles and the characters interacting.

i do wonder with the inclusion of the toguro brothers if theyre skipping over the saint beasts arc to get to the yukina arc which would be a good place to end the season, though including bui? and karasu? i think they're trying to make hiei and kurama's battles more personal.

crossing my fingers we get another trailer that shows more than just the action (even though the action does look amazing and the cgi is solid).

ANYWAYS. it looks awesome. i think it's going to be a very fun adaptation~

[plumblossomcafe]

Ch.56: In the Depths, an Unexpected Reunion

Katheryne: Ah, Aether, Y/n. Right on cue, hehe.

Paimon: Hey Katheryne! Got any new commissions for us today? Also... how come you look so happy to see us? What have you done!?

Katheryne: I went to the shrine to draw a fortune slip earlier. The shrine maiden told me that "it is the season for an unexpected reunion."

Paimon: Katheryne? Drawing fortune slips at the shrine? ...Is it just Paimon, or is that the most unusual thing ever!? Wait, no, that's not the unusual part — we're in Liyue! You went to Inazuma and back in a single day!?

Katheryne: Hehe, even I have a private life, you know.

Y/n: "Creepy"

Paimon: Okay, so when you say "unexpected reunion," you mean running into us, right?

Katheryne: Who can say? But the anticipation of knowing that an unexpected reunion is due is making me happy to see everyone I cross paths with today.

Paimon: Fair enough, even though we see each other pretty much every day... Whatever makes you happy.

Aether: An unexpected reunion... Perhaps...

Paimon: Wait, are you saying... Ohh, Paimon gets it, Aether. Well, let's just hope the shrine maiden was right...

Y/n: Fingers crossed we find her.

Katheryne: I'm sorry... Did I say something I shouldn't have? You three seem a little down.

Paimon: Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, back to business. Do you have a new commission you want to give to us?

Katheryne: Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. This one is from a miner. It seems to be related to investigating The Chasm.

Paimon: Really? Does this mean The Chasm's not sealed off anymore?

Katheryne: I will leave the requester to fill you in on all the relevant details. His name is Yuehui, and he should be at The Chasm right now.

Paimon: Alright then, thanks, Katheryne! We'll head there right away.

Katheryne: Very well. Ad astra... abyssosque. Hmm, this time, you are truly bound for the abyss. Good luck to you both.

Paimon: Hi there! You must be "Yuehui," right? We've been sent by the Adventurers' Guild.

Yuehui: Ah, great, good to meet you. Yes, I was the one who posted that commission. Wait a second... You both look kind of familiar. Are you a famous adventurers or something?

Aether: Never mind that. Let's focus on the task at hand.

Yuehui: Oh, uh, alright then. I'll start by introducing myself. I'm Yuehui, a miner, and I received a Mining Permit for The Chasm just recently. I have a handful of other guys in my crew.

Paimon: Seriously? They actually give permits out for The Chasm?

Yuehui: Yes, the folks over at Yujing Terrace finally came to their senses and are now allowing a limited amount of ore mining near the surface. We were among the first to gain approval. But some things have happened recently that put all the miners on edge.

Paimon: Really? What happened? We haven't heard anything.

Yuehui: So... it's hard to say exactly how big of an issue it is. Could be something. it could be nothing. The main thing is that it's just very... strange. While one of the miners was on a break, he suddenly noticed a few hilichurls walking his way. They seemed like they were in a daze or something. They walked right by him without giving him a single glance. They just made a beeline for the depths of The Chasm. After that, the miner started observing his surroundings more closely and noticed the same thing happening time and time again.

Paimon: Hmm... are the hilichurls just curious? Maybe they just wanna take a peek inside...

Yuehui: Not likely. The strange part is that in all the time, this miner has been watching the hilichurls......he's never seen any of them come back out. It seems to be a one-way trip. Once the hilichurls go in, they never emerge again. And it seems to be happening more and more frequently as of late. "What are these hilichurls up to?" "What happens to them after they go inside?" "Is there a disaster brewing?" These are the kinds of thoughts going through the guys' heads now. Everyone's driving themselves crazy worrying about it.

Paimon: Uhhh! Paimon's not surprised... Paimon feels spooked just hearing about it.

Y/n: "Strange" is definitely the right word...

Yuehui: Exactly. The deepest fear is the fear of the unknown, you know? So we have to get to the bottom of it before everyone can put their minds at rest.

Paimon: Do we... do we really wanna take this commission? Um, thanks, Mr. Miner, Sir, we need to consider it first—

Aether: We'll take it.

Paimon: Hey! You could at least pretend to consider Paimon's opinion first!

Aether: When strange things like this happen... I'm inclined to think the Abyss Order is involved.

Paimon: Oh, so that's where you're coming from. Hmm, well, okay then, maybe we will find some clues about your twin. You'll really regret it if you don't go, huh?

Yuehui: So, what's your verdict? Will you take the commission? No pressure, but I gotta say... I'm not loving the prospect of my Mining Permit going to waste.

Paimon: Yup, we'll take it. We're kinda curious ourselves now, too.

Yuehui: Great. You're doing me an enormous service here. Now, let me give you the rough location that the hilichurls keep heading to...

Upon reaching the area, a destroyed city was seen, but unlike other cities, it was quite the opposite, leaving the trio in shock and confusion.

Paimon: What the... It's a city? A whole city that's... floating in the air... upside down!?

Y/n: I'm at a loss for words. This is not what I was expecting...

Paimon: Just look at this place, Doesn't it remind you guys of something? Wait, what was it again...

Aether: "The Defiled Statue."

Paimon: Yes, that's it! It's just like that. It's just as strange, just as upside-down and just as spooky. In which case... Maybe whatever's going on in The Chasm really is connected to the Abyss Order. Oh, we gotta get to the bottom of this...

Dainsleif suddenly emerges from a portal beside them, shocking everyone who was present...

Paimon: ...Oh...

Dainsleif: ...

Y/n: Dainsleif!?

Aether: I was not expecting that.

Dainsleif: The feeling is mutual. I certainly hadn't expected to meet you here, either.

Paimon: Long time no see, Dain... Wait, but how did you suddenly end up here in The Chasm?

Dainsleif: The Chasm? So, we're in the depths of The Chasm, are we. *looks around* Interesting... This is one place where I have never set foot before.

Y/n then went up to Dainsleif and started punching him in the abdominal area while complaining about him leaving unexpectedly and hitting her, but Dainsleif didn't seem to be phased

(Pretend that's you and Dainsleif)

Aether: I have a lot of questions for you.

Dainsleif: *holding Y/n by the collar of her shirt* I understand how you must feel. Last time, we met suddenly and parted hastily. Now our paths cross again... Fate, it seems, owes you an explanation. *referring to Y/n* Please come get this one

Y/n: *hissing* I'm not a thing, you old man!!!

Aether: *held Y/n close while covering her mouth* First, tell me what you're doing here and what was going on with that portal just now?

Dainsleif: That much should be self-explanatory. I came upon the trail of another Abyss Herald recently and began pursuing it. Unfortunately, I got as far as cornering him before he resorted to the same trick that they all do... I was hot on his heels when I followed him through the portal, but as usual, it was to no avail. It took me to the wrong place.

Aether: So you didn't actually catch up with my sister last time?

Dainsleif: Correct. Based on my recent experiences, I can only conclude that the Abyss's portals are not simply pathways from point A to point B, but gateways to an entire network. Where they emerge on the other side is their choice. It can be anywhere within the network.

Paimon: Sounds kinda similar to how Teleport Waypoints work...

Dainsleif: In short, though I was right behind your twin last time when I entered that portal, the next moment that I realized where I was......I was all alone, back in the ruins known as Stormterror's Lair.

Paimon: Oh yeah, about that — whatever happened to the eye of the first Field Tiller?

Dainsleif: It's in a safe place. You can be sure that I will learn the truth of the "Loom of Fate" operation sooner than it could ever fall into the Abyss Order's hands.

Aether: Why don't you tell us who you really are? Who is the "Twilight Sword"?

Dainsleif: Hah. So that title stuck in your memory. I by no means went out of my way to conceal it from either of you. It once stood for the glory of Khaenri'ah, but now......It is but a cruel joke. My curse to bear. Twilight Sword was my title as captain of the Royal Guards when I witnessed the destruction of my entire homeland firsthand. I believe my reluctance to raise it in conversation is quite justified.

Y/n: Sounds like your sister was right...

Aether: What is the history between you and my sister? What happened between you?

Dainsleif: We were travel partners. We both partook in a painful journey of searching for our fate, but regrettably... we did not make it to the journey's end together.

Aether: The journey's end...

Dainsleif: Before you continue questioning me, I ought to warn you... If my suspicions regarding the portal network are correct, then the fact that there is a portal leading here tells us that the Abyss Order has their eyes on this location.

Paimon: You mean the Abyss Order is plotting something here? Actually, Paimon, Aether, and Y/n suspected that, too.

Dainsleif: I mean that it's highly likely that even as we speak, the Abyss Order is watching our every move.

Paimon: Uhh, don't say that! You're giving Paimon goosebumps!

Aether: I'll trust you. For now.

Dainsleif: Huh, a wise choice. There appears to be light from a fire coming from near that rocky wall. Let's take a look.

Art Dump(Spoiler for an upcoming story?):

"We had no time to say goodbye, so let's not call it that."

"I will protect you, so you should keep on smiling"

"Once you reach the end of your journey as I did, you will see for yourself the true nature of this world."

"So we'll meet again. Though we need not rush, sister‍. I have more than enough time to wait for you."

[23739606]

Todayyyy

Today I did not get much done on my project, but I learned a ton and feel like this has been one of my most productive days in terms on networking and engagement.

I ran into Nic and Hope while working at the library and had another brief chat with them about the new Oxford Road temporary library setup! I can't wait to see how they transform the space and see how students actually use it. I can't imagine trying to build an academic library from a building of classrooms rather than from scratch... and to design it in a way that students can use the same way as before seems so confusing to me. But I'm so glad I can help out!

I had a meeting with Jen, Stella, and Matthew to chat more about the Open Research team. Jen gave us a ton of tips and recommendations for finding a job during the stressful season--both Matthew and I can only work 20 hours a week, and we both have library experience, customer service experience, and are working on our LIS MA certification, so it seems like we fit a lot of the boxes needed for library work. I just have to be really diligent about checking job boards and seeing what new posts are open.

I learned more about how Jen's role is the strategy part of Open Research at MMU. She decides how to make our uni's plans and aims work for the LCS and specifically the OR team, directing the team to work in those ways that support the overall strategy of the university, now being a dual focus uni. There is emphasis on teaching as well as research which can make it difficult to decide whether OR moneys should support researchers or students...

After a quick lunch, I shadowed the help desk and booksorter team. Basically, they showed me what their daily tasks look like, and I asked questions and related it to my own experience working in libraries. The library here deals with the collection in a different way than my previous uni (SPU), but it makes so much more sense given that MMU is probably five times the size of SPU. Differences like: holds are only placed on books already checked out, the booksorter manually returns items, and the staff are very chill on quiet days like today.

I'm honestly loving this placement so much -- I'm learning so much about working in an academic library and just desiring more and more to be back in one in an official role!

Then, I went to the Manchester Central Library for an orientation session because I will be volunteering at the Embassy of Utopia event next week! There was one other woman from my course that was there, so it was nice to see a friendly face. I'm hoping I can get some good networking done at this event, and the Information desk person I was talking to suggested talking to as many people as I can because he knows some staff are near retiring age and are looking for replacements. Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow I have a meeting with Stella after some more shadowing at the front desk, and I'm hoping to get my presentation mostly finished by then. If not, I'll be working from home on Thursday, and I'll definitely be able to bang it out then.

[billfarrah]

What are your thoughts on people saying Simon's storyline was reduced to being Marcus's love interest or to the love story? I disagree. But what are your thoughts.. you make the most sense in your responses so share. 🙂

I mean, it is true. Well, I don't think anyone is saying he's reduced to Marcus' love interest, but rather his role was more reduced to the love triangle plot. I think a lot of people myself included were disappointed we didn't get to see more of Simon's family life because that was such a highlight of season 1, but I understand that they're only given 6 very short episodes (42 minutes for most of them, one was 47) and they wanted to focus on Simon's romantic life, which I'm ultimately okay with. I still think Simon's character arc this season was well-done, if less in-depth than Wille's. I know some people disagree and that's to be expected. Not all fans are gonna agree on everything and that's okay. I respect other's opinions and understand their gripes. The way I look at it, I think he learned a lot about himself and what he wants out of a relationship and I thought his characterization was pretty consistent with how he acted in s1, he just had his guard even more up. I liked that he got the chance to be messy and petty, and I did actually like the Marcus storyline.

I'm hoping that if we get a season 3, the family element will come back into focus, which I'm hopeful it will since Lisa said in that live she did post-s2 release that we'd only just begun exploring the family lives of both the royal family and the Erikssons. So I'm trying not to be too upset about the missed opportunity and hoping they make room for it if there's another season. There will most certainly not be any love triangle drama - Marcus is toast - so there will be plenty of more time to explore Simon and hopefully Lisa capitalizes on that. I’m also hopeful as Omar said he and Lisa intended to sit down and talk about a potential s2 storyline, so hopefully he gets a lot of input. He loves Simon so much and I’m sure he has great ideas. Keeping my fingers crossed for a season 3!