#and it reminded me how good hints are in media like sometimes you don't need to go off track

[randlemartin]

the use of the wwi monument in day of days is so good i don't think i talk about it enough but the hint at this whole wider conversation that can be had about the show and ww2 as a whole...crazy.

[lancer-fan-club-was-taken]

Looking at you with big puppy dog eyes....I want to read the ut character voice analysis 👁 👁

Toby Fox, being able to make a non voice acted game, FEEL, voice acted to the point that streamers all use the same voices with them is crazy cool. They all have inflections, and you can feel the pauses and tone the characters are using it's just so good 👌. Alphys getting really passionate when talking about mew mew to the point no streamer can even read what she's saying and the fact you can tell she wrote all the true lab entrys...she easily has the most 'range' in the game followed closely by flowey and undyne to me

hey, glad someone else is interested :]

toby honestly is one of the strongest character writers in any media. ever. not just video games, and i feel like he really doesn't get enough credit for that. all his characters are instantly recognizable just by their speech quirks and sometimes even just their grammar.

i'll prolly need to separate every analysis into a different post, cuz i do have a lot to say about em all, but ill give a brief run-down with the things i think are most interesting.

flowey:

he shares many vocal tics with his dad, which fits with his personality as asriel, and the sort of persona he puts on for frisk and papyrus. "howdy," has a very friendly connotation, so using it right off the bat kinda forces the player to see him as non-threatening.

when his "friendly" persona does slip, it's made pretty obvious that he is a child. he doesn't swear like undyne, he doesn't try to play it cool like sans, he says you're an idiot, and accuses you of trying to make him suffer. the sequence where he mocks you for calling for help, is prolly the best example of how childish his outlook on life is, despite how jaded he is. him specifically using the phrasing of "mommy" and "daddy" makes him sound like an older brother bullying their sibling rather then a final boss.

his voice reminds me a lot of porky minch tbh.

toriel:

my favorite thing about toriel's dialogue is how she doesn't use contractions. i think it really helps set up undertale as this twist of both old school rpgs and of fairy tales, which typically didn't use contractions either.

her dialogue has a very formal air about it, it really shows that despite her appearance, she's pretty old.

i think she has the simplest voice personally, i also haven't analyzed her too closely so i might be missing sth lmao-

sans:

sans is interesting, because he's the only main character with an accent rendered in his diarlogue. he uses a lot of new york slang, and cuts the g's off words with the "-ing" suffix.

it's a pretty subtle way to hint that he and papyrus aren't from snowdin, which is based off rural towns opposed to hotland or new home which are large cities. at first glance, his accent just looks like it's him being lazy, like "oh he can't even put the g at the end of words," or "he can't even put spaces in between words." then he says "capiche" and you realize you've been had. /silly

personally, i've always interpreted his text being all-lowercase as his voice being very monotone and inexpressive, opposed to papyrus whose implied to be constantly yelling and seems to be pretty emotive, but i think that's more-so up to the individual.

papyrus:

oh my god, papyrus.

i love this dudes character voice sm, it's so like- specific?

he uses a lot of obsolete words like "boondoggle," will make up his own words like "bonetrousled," will say words that are seen as childish and/or silly like "wowie" and "neato," or, my personal favorite, sometimes he'll just talk like starfire, the phrase "steam-thingies," will never leave my brain.

his grammar is also pretty distinct. he switches between using contractions and not using them. he also ALWAYS uses more then one exclamation point or question mark.

his speech patterns don't say anything too definitive about his character that you couldn't already tell from the story itself, but i think it really highlights his pompous and silly, but kind nature.

undyne:

her voice is honestly one of the most fun to analyze imo, because it ranges from being pretty realistic, to being so damn hammy and over the top.

her dialogue quirks change a lot depending on the context and whose she's talking to, and it honestly adds a lotta depth to her character. before her battle, she speaks very formally, it's clearly rehearsed, but it shows that she takes her job pretty seriously.

her dialogue with papyrus has her come of as a sort of older sister to him, their phone dialogue is seriously so damn funny/sweet- so many of their calls really show off her more playful side, with her purposefully just annoying the shit out of pap.

all the teasing nicknames she gives frisk really add to this imo, she views you and papyrus as both being "innocent," so she treats them both as her younger siblings.

anyway i love comparing her dialogue w alphys and asgore to her dialogue with you and pap. she clearly views people younger then her as surrogate siblings.

alphys:

i totally agree with al having the most range. she reads like a real person to me, and her dialogue sprites definitely help with that.

her dialogue starts off as pretty nervous and stilted, she stammers a lot, but that seems more to do with her shyness and self-loathing rather then it being a speech impediment.

after true lab, she begins stammering less, and is way more confident around everyone. her character development is so clear just through her speech quirks, its such a nice detail.

from what i remember, she never actually gets mad, just upset, and NEVER at anyone else. most of her wording implying that she really doesn't like it when people get hurt. (idc what people say about the hotland segment, she is clearly SO worried when you get hurt. she turns off the lasers if you keep getting hit by them- i just-)

all of her little bursts of energy are SO interesting, and idk if this was intentional, but it is so reminiscent of infodumping to me. it def reinforces her social awkwardness, because it does always come outta nowhere. autistic queen.

asgore:

asgore shares a lot of voice traits with tori and flowey. he shares toriel's somewhat archaic manner of speech, but also has the very friendly speech patterns of flowey's persona.

a lot of his dialogue comes off as very melancholy in a way most other characters don't. i can only assume this is due to us only really seeing him interact w frisk and tori, but he does genuinely seem so beaten down just based on his pauses and the way he talks to you. i don't remember the exact line, but his line before he fights you where he basically just asks if you have any unfinished business kinda encapsulates his whole character voice to me. it's very simple and respectful, but also caries so much grief behind it.

like alphys, after true pacifist his dialogue changes a lot, and his character voice becomes really indicative of a normal dorky dad.

(my favoritism is so obvious in this post lmao-)

[marciabrady]

So I read your thoughts on TLM II and I was just wondering if there was a princess or couple you’d like to see have a child/children - maybe not for a full feature length film but for maybe a 10 - 20 minute short film.

I’m very wishy-washy when it comes to children. Sometimes I love it when media gives a fictional couple I like children but sometimes it puts me off. Sometimes I’m split in the middle.

For example, I love the idea of Simba being a dad in TLK II and I really liked his character and how the movie showed how the PTSD from the childhood trauma Scar inflicted on him still affects him even though he appears to be this strong and powerful king and how even as an adult he still looks up to his dad. Unfortunately, whilst Kiara isn’t a bad character, I hated all of the next generation stuff. Like you said for TLK 2, it��s obvious that the sequel is much more cartoony and targeted for like seven and under compared to the wider demographic that the original film has. I can watch Lion King today and still love and enjoy every second. The same can’t be said for the sequel. Like how you came for Ariel and got too much Melody, I came to a movie called SIMBA’S pride and felt like he had to give up the spotlight to his daughter (and yes his personality was also reduced to ‘protect my daughter’).

This is an interesting question! I know they wanted to bring back the nine old men at one point in the late 90s and have them animate the princesses (up until Jasmine iirc) with children! I love the idea, but purely because I would've wanted to see Marc Davis return to Cinderella and Aurora, Glen Keane to Ariel, etc, but I don't really love the premise of any of them having children. Like I mentioned, I don't love having to divide the time we spend with a character with an OC. Most media doesn't do a good job of keeping the character intact after having a child either, it literally just becomes all about the kid and keeping the kid safe and who the original character was kind of gets lost and eroded in that entire thing, too. I also hate aged down content and "next generation" throughlines.

Out of the princesses I care about, I think Cinderella would be the most fitting to have children? Again, this is supposing the original creative team was involved (which is impossible since they've all passed on). But we've seen hints of what Cinderella would be like as a mother, through her relationship to the mice and I think she'd probably struggle with infertility due to how mistreated she was and neglected growing up, as well as the extreme manual labor she was forced to enact and how much of a toll that took on her body. Just like the dress enacted a plot device for Cinderella to connect with her mother, thinking of the type of parent she'd be during a pregnancy would probably recall so much of her own parents to her. It would also remind her of what not to do and of so many scars that her stepfamily inflicted. All of the things she had to repress to continue living with those monsters would then be brought back up to the surface. I think it'd also create engaging conversation with how the Prince was brought up and his own past and see where they agree and where they might conflict in ideologies pertaining to rearing a child. I don't think Aurora would have a child, since she's so defined by being a daughter to her parents and the three fairies. I don't know about Snow White- I'm sure she'd want them, but she's a perpetual girl in the best way possible to me. And, honestly, I think Ariel needs more time to discover who she is now that she isn't under Triton's repressive grasp so her having a kid would not be good lol of the princesses I don't care about as much, I don't know who I'd want to have a kid because a lot of the later Disney couples feel more like brother/sister to me than romantic (like Aladdin and Jasmine, for instance). I don't like Naveen, but I think Tiana having children would be really cute and would soften her up because the writers made her so career oriented in the film. I would love to see Mulan as a single mother teach her child the values of respecting your elders while also staying true to yourself and her validating her kid would be so cute. I don't trust literally any of the other later princesses to be moms though lol

[multifandomslxt]

Okay, so there is this Asian boy in my class right.

I have the biggest crush on him like I can't even explain it.

so like all I did when he first came was just look at him..from a distance tho

We've spoken a few times and we studied together for finals last semester so we're kind of acquaintances.

Lately, he's been very talkative with me and it's not helping my crush on him at allllll.

The other day I tried blonde braids right? And he was literally gushing over me.... what do I do...is he just being friendly?

sometimes he just stares at me yk...and I'm not the most confident so I start becoming self conscious after awhile

but last week I wore this dress to school right...its kinda like the skims dress and one of my other male friends made a joke about how they could see my rolls and I started to feel insecure.

later I heard that my crush and that friend had an argument about it and he threatened him not to say things like that to me which made me feel really good.

He's always checking in on me and stuff and just like your bf (you guys are so cute btw) he throws a fit when I don't eat.

I really like him and I know that I shouldn't think like this but I'm black...I'm dark-skinned and fat and ik that's not what guys like him usually go for...he's tall, athletic, smart and really fucking hot but what if he's just being friendly or just feels sorry for me?

I'm so scared to approach him....advice?

Sweetheart, first of all, he does not sound like an acquaintance at all.

and secondly love, from one black woman to another I'm telling you right now it's a blessing for others to even be able to look at us...your skin does not define you honestly it does nothing but adds more beauty to you.

So what if you're dark-skinned? so am I and so are many other people. Don't allow others to trick you into thinking your skin is some kind of disadvantage...have you ever seen yourself glow when the sun shines on you? Baby, you are a fucking star.

I know the media is always painting dark skin women as some type of unattractive monster but trust me when I say it's out of jealousy and ignorance...you are not automatically -ed out of being someone's love interest because you're dark skinned and if they do that thank God because you dodged several bullets.

thirdly, being fat and being ugly are two very different things. You have extra flesh okay...and? so, because you have back rolls that makes you unlikeable? NOPE!

girl you better cut that shit out!

I don't know you but I love you and I hate when the people I love talk badly about themselves.

Your body is your temple. Understand me when I tell you your body can hear you...when you think and speak badly of it...it shows.

I wish I was beside you to give you a good smack you need to understand bitches could never be you..they only wish they could.

and to that boy that was running his mouth knock him out nxt time ...actuallyy don't do that. next time just remind him just how much he's unwanted and how unnecessary his entire existence is😊.

fourthly, I think he likes you. and im sure anybody reading this ask agrees right guys?

staring at you?

gushing at your hair? (blond braids on dark skin is superior)

making sure you eat?

always checking in on you?

defending you against that bitch?

he likes tf outta you.

if you're scared to approach him though... just drop subtle hints.

IMO though i think he'll say smt soon.

also, I can't even imagine what he was thinking when he saw you in that dress AGIFGIEFHJOFEFRJ

GIRL HE MUST HAVE BEEN FREAKING THE FUCK OUT!!

ik you ate the fuck up out of that fit.

REMEMBER WHAT I SAID

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!

[misunderstandings-georg]

*scribbles my tags on a sticky note and tapes it to my monitor*

Hamb goes on a ramb - me not shutting the fuck up

Wishlist - dumb things I want to throw money at one day

Important - actual important information or things that mean a lot to me. Fun mix of genuine world issues and cute nonsense

Dont mind if I view - videos I need to be able to pull up at a moments notice, sometimes used as a media bucket list

Mystery box - things im reblogging for specific mutuals, but since im scared to directly talk to anyone on here and feel annoying tagging people, i just put the posts here instead

Poetry - please don't tell anyone I really like poetry because I'm not very good at exploring themes but enjoy trying anyway

OHKO - posts that make me break down sobbing no matter how many times I see them

Bangers only - songs that have sex

Tumblr wordsmiths - stories, phrases and tumblr-originals that hit those poetry fuelled brain receptors just right. This seems to be the tag people are drawn to and rightly so

Threatening images that fill me with dread - exactly what it says on the tin

I just think its neat - haha neat :)

Hambposting - posts and images that resonate deeply with me for whatever reason

Cursed tome of reaccs - images to inflict psychic damage in group chats

Media literacy tag - despite the name this is mostly dedicated to propaganda awareness and general critical thinking skills. Still some media literacy

Blorbo from my salad spinner - the jar I keep my fave pathetic men and problematic women in

Yippee - autism and autism accessories

Fashion - fashion tag and design inspo (I need something funny for this)

Fibsh - haha feesh blublub blub ><(((o3o) o O *

Future ref 👀 - life advice or quest hints

Iconique - yes go the fuck off

Hambs bad takes - chattering about media I've consumed and its impact on me. Minimal substance. Formerly sorted by movies/comics, but since I haven't shut up about actual books lately / want to try and stop mentally stagnating, it felt worthwhile to collate the tags and broaden the scope.

Fucked up dog haircut compilation - the only reason I believe in God is the concept that dogs can still be so loyal and kind to us despite what cruelty (bad haircuts) we force upon them in return

Hamb scribbles - ""art tag"". I draw once every thousand years and it's never particularly good

Evil book club - usually books and articles I'd like to read for morally dubious reasons, sometimes booktok cringe and things that remind me of booktok cringe (affectionate)

Unsafe - things that i like which are unsafe for work (WHS violations and sexual things)

Sex havers dni - things that i like which are about celibacy

Ipad baby core - things that make me feel like a toddler tied to a chair and forced to watch cocomelon while my parents fight, or like when my mum used to sit me at the kitchen table to watch DVDs, but the only 3 movies I owned were Hoodwinked, Barnyard and Flushed Away (the three movies I owned changes every time im asked but I was living out of a DVD case with the weirdest assortment of kids movies)

Song Rec Sunday - songs that I'm currently blasting on repeat. Note: tag never used on Sundays

Knice - I am so cool and normal about armour and the intricacies of its design (and general knightposting of various degrees of seriousness)

I am chewing on ur wires rn - I am so cool and normal about robots and electronics and their disassembly and definitely do not have some degree of objectum

Thalassophobia- I am so cool and normal about the deep ocean and its otherworldly inhabitants. Fun mix of silly ocean posts and genuine terrors. My favourite fish is the stoplight loosejaw whose face needs its own warning

Hall of Fame - my favourite posts on this forsaken website and the threads of goodness keeping me tethered to this world

No other tag is meant to be coherent or understandable hope this helps :0

...

If you've read this far then you probably want to know my deal.

Too bad. Find my sideblog.

Welcome to the shitshow.

[onwriting-hrarby]

some brainstorming about future writing topics

i've been reading a lot lately, scrolling down writing tips and blogs, thinking a lot about social media, blogging, writing in the digital era where you're supposed to have an audience or build one with your writing (just go to medium, search "writing" and see how many posts about "how to make money with writing blogs" come up).

as you know, this tumblr also serves as my very humble space to address the topics of writing, planning, to give "advice" on it (i think advice kills the flow and creativity, so...). and while i don't believe in meritocracy, or authority, and sometimes i still fear my imposter's syndrome, i need to remind myself that i have a voice in these matters: it is my professional sector, after all.

so i've outlined some of the things i would like to talk about:

On "writing better" / On "writing tips"

On interacting with writers / Writers in new social media

On style

On inspiration / How to find your topics

On "unreliable narrators"

On "hearing your public"

I am so angry with some of the things I've been seeing; angry that there is people willing to give horrible advice, or advice that doesn't work for everyone, or disregard, in sum, literature, as if writing was something capitalized. I am fed up with the constant jerarquization of writing advice, and I'm fed up with the view that, to be good, you need to follow the rules, be productive, look for ways to gain money. Boring.

As for the diaries of Rotten Judgement

I believe some of the writing diaries of Rotten Judgement could also work as these pieces I'm proposing. For now, I'll prepare the "Rotten Judgement - The hints", in which I talk about the dosification of information and where to find the hints to their past. But if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see and how I plotted the story, do not hesitate to tell me.

[decadentrot]

BKDK Nerd AU Interlude I

Izuku wandered into his shared bedroom and plopped on his bed unceremoniously, his feet leading him to his soft haven and army of plushies. Face down in his soft Best Jeanist blanket, his hands clutched at the worksheet his teacher assigned the class. His thoughts were running a marathon in his mind. He knew this day was coming; afterall, it was inevitable with high school coming around.

"Your sheer presence is ruining this peaceful silence," snarked his roommate and best friend, Hitoshi.

Izuku looked up at his purpled hair friend and retorted, “I’m not saying anything?”

He smirked and mockingly replied, “I can practically hear the words behind those swampy eyes. ‘Ahhh another problem plagues my miserable existence oh wonderful and dear friend Toshi-Chan you are the light of my life, the only thing that drives me to not be a sad sod everyday. Let me sell all my plushies in order to help you buy more cat hoodies-”

Hitoshi’s completely realistic (not!) imitation was interrupted by a roll of paper hitting his forehead with a loud smack sound and a shriek of smug laughter. He looked down and picked up the offending weapon of choice and raised an eyebrow to at the words: ‘Future Career Objectives.’

“This is what's interrupting my peaceful silence?”

Despite the words being jarring, his eyes showed a hint of compassion and frankly, a hint is all Izuku needs. He's been waiting for this sliver of an opening.

“What do you want to be in the future?”

Hitoshi cocked his head, not unlike a cat planning how to efficiently hunt its prey, “I’d be a product tester for beds, afterall if an insomniac like me can get sleep then its ready for the market. I'm looking for an easy way to pay the bills.”

Izuku, falling for the bait, sat up. They played this dance multiple times being as emotionally compromised as they were.

He took a deep breath, “Cause when I was young, I wanted to be a Pro-hero you know that of course, but I obviously couldn't. It wasn’t fated to be, I guess and I also like analyzing fights and stuff so maybe I can try journalism, but well...” I don't want my stalker notes and analysis to be public and deal with the outlash or having to interview him…

"I'm not sure I work well in media settings," he finished dumbly, a bit put out by the sudden reemergence of a certain blond haired boy in his thoughts.

“Yeah. Reporters are leeches anyways who do dumb shit to get their jobs done, that's not you. You're too honest. You want to save people, make them happy, all that sappy junk. Do something like that and be the hero you are fated to be,” stated Hitoshi in a bored tone, though the tenseness in his voice showed how much he disagreed with the negative thoughts that were not voiced.

“It just feels like a cop out, like I couldn’t exactly make it as an actual hero and i'm just doing this…” trailed off Izuku.

Hitoshi repaid the favor and threw the aforementioned paper back at Izuku, hitting him straight on his freckled head. 

“So I lied about the bed tester job (I could tell dumbass) I'm actually going to become an underground hero. And I was reading these forums and they always say you go underground when you don't want people to see how incompetent you are or when your quirk isn't that powerful. Blah Blah Blah If anything, that's what hero rejects are, but-hey don't interrupt me-I'm still hoping to do that as a job because that's what fits me best and that's the way I choose to save people. Saving others isn't always glamorous Izuku,” Hitoshi nervously stated, though his eyes reflected a fire that used to burn brightly in Izuku, “Sometimes saving someone is sitting with them at night and keeping them company as he online shops and reminding him that he's not alone and there are good people out there that are worth protecting.”

Izuku stared at Hitoshi, for once silence in the outer world reflected Izuku's mind. He was right, a save is a save and he knows better than others that everyone deserves to be saved. He knows better than others that somethings saving someone is telling them that they can do it, they can make others smile even without a quirk. Sometimes saving someone is telling them they can’t do that, they can’t make everything right by simply just having a quirk. 

Izuku knows this. His mind wanders once more, but these thoughts take a happier turn. He thinks of his mother, a hero in her own right, and much like Hitoshi says, she saved him on his darkest nights the only villian was himself. She showed how loved he is even if he is a little different from the rest of the world and her heroic actions are shown in her work as a simple nurse. Tending for the sick, comforting the grieving, supporting the doctors saving others lives. Her job definitely wasn't glamorous by any means, it was tiring and filled with poor sights, working long hours and not getting nearly a much respect as she should by stubborn patients or emotional visitors.

And so Izuku smiled, well doesn't that describe him. A simple boy who just wants to help working a simple job that offers opportunities for the help he so desperately wishes to give. God, this was such a simple problem with the simplest of solutions. Why was I stressing out about it so much? 

[supernaturalnovelsandmore]

Supernatural Novel: Bone Key

Welcome to my not-quite review of the third Supernatural novel, Bone Key.

Author: Keith R.A. DeCandido

Timeline: Set after Episode 3.07 A Very Supernatural Christmas

Location: Key West, Florida

Synopsis: Sam and Dean head to Key West, Florida to investigate reports of supercharged ghosts. What they encounter is far deadlier and far older than they ever anticipated.

Warning: Spoilers abound!

I found this book very enjoyable. It was certainly a much faster read than the previous two. With the story being further along in the series, there are a lot of callbacks to prior episodes, mostly concerning Dean's demon deal.

LGBTQ+ representation: Sam and Dean stay at a B&B with a lesbian couple and another gay couple is highlighted. Normally, I wouldn't mention this, but the book was written in 2008, which may have been early for representation in the media (I'll admit I haven't paid close attention to the evolution of such), and I think is still relevant today. Of course, Dean is quite straight in the novel, going after multiple women, so it fits with canon.

Included are a few references to sexual situations, e.g., a woman being leered at by her step-brothers, to a ghost who was gang-raped. It's not graphic by any means, but it's interesting to see how a novel can share more than a tv series can (or at least get past the censors).

Bobby appears in the book as Sam and Dean share the New Year with him drinking champagne out of whiskey glasses. This whole scene leads into a page's worth of trolling Ryan Seacrest. LOL!!!

Dean: "Who's the genius who thought replacing Dick Clark with Ryan Seacrest was a good idea?"

Sam: "Well, he was on American Idol."

Dean: "Dude, you are not equating being on that lame-ass Star Search wannabe show with American Bandstand, are you?"

Bone Key has fewer references to the boy's past than the previous two books, but here is a fun bit: "I don't need to make myself tall, Dean, I am tall," Sam said in that tone he always used when he gloatingly reminded Dean that, for all that Sam was the "little" brother, he had a good three inches on Dean. Sammy'd been using that tone since hitting his growth spurt at age fourteen and shooting past Dean on the height chart. Back then, of course, Sam provided those reminders approximately once every five minutes. "Hey," teenaged Sam would say, "can I borrow your jacket? Oh, wait - it's too small for me!""

In addition to the above, the book mentions John trying to put Dean in martial arts classes and it eventually failing because they moved around too much, and Dean's more of a brawler.

There's additional insight into Dean's intelligence that I find fits very well with canon after both acknowledging they know what laissez-faire means: 'When they were kids, Sam was always the book-smart one who liked studying, while Dean was more of the type to beat up the nerds, and who hated admitting to knowing anything. Smart made you an outcast, and given their hard-traveling ways, Dean had enough issues in school with that. So he adopted the jock persona of not caring about learning anything. That tendency still bled into his personality, to Sam's annoyance, to the point where Dean would profess ignorance on subjects Sam knew damn well he was knowledgeable about. Anything to not be the nerdy kid."

First, I don't believe for one second that Dean beat up nerds. Bullies, yes. Second, I can totally see the not wanting to seem smart as part of Dean's personality. He does this multiple times in the tv series. Sometimes Sam calls him on it, other times he lets him get away with it.

At one point, a demon requests that the boys work with them so they can both get rid of the 'big bad'. They are reluctant, as they should be, but then she brings up Ruby. Most of that fits with canon, but there was this part that confused me because I don't remember anything like this in the TV series: 'Ruby had also dropped some hints about Sam and Dean's mother that were leading Sam down some disturbing roads - sufficiently disturbing that he hadn't shared Ruby's revelations (and his own research) on the subject with Dean.'

If anyone remembers what that might be about, let me know!

As the end nears, there is a lot of Dean worrying about Sam, and a final showdown that basically uses the love he has for Sam as an anchor and uses that power to destroy the big bad.

Some final notes:

Funny scene: Dean has to pick up Bobby at the airport (yes, Bobby took a plane). His fear of flying comes back in full force, so much so that he seriously considers smoking. In fact, if he's going to Hell anyway, what's the harm? Luckily, budgetary reasons win out. Smoking is expensive.

Brotherly moment/Hurt Dean: I'll let this section speak for itself: 'Dean had suffered plenty of pain in his life. He'd been beaten up, beat down, shot at, stabbed, cut, electrocuted, punched, kicked, bit, thrown across more rooms than he could count, and run over by a Mack truck. If you combined all that pain, It was only a fraction of what Dean felt now.... No matter how bad it got, though, he refused to let the protection for Sam and the others falter. It didn't matter if he died in the effort - he was dead anyhow - but that sonofabitch wasn't taking Sam with him.'

Extra Bonus: For readers of my other blog: '[People] came in from the parking-lot entrance, as Megan had, past that smelly guy who was selling his poetry.'

[forkanna]

[AO3] [WATTPAD]

WARNING: Another NSFW chapter, though this one contains more plot.

NOTE: I apologise for taking nearly a month off from posting. Just haven't been in a writing mood. I'll be trying to get back to our regularly scheduled programme soon!

                                                  ~ o ~

The appointed hour had arrived. Rise watched Ai's face carefully as it was screwed up in concentration, trying to ignore the anxious flutter in the pit of her stomach. This situation was life-or-death, because if it went in a direction she didn't like she would probably want to throw herself off the nearest bridge.

"Well…?"

"Hmm… it's like… a shiny flower… butterfly… thing."

"What?!"

Huffing, Ai pushed up on her elbows a little more. "Well, what do you want me to say?! That's what it looks like, spread open like that!"

"Ughh, you don't have to make me feel like my body is weird! I'm doing this for you, remember?"

"Yes, and I appreciate it, of course," she conceded with a roll of her eyes. "But don't act like I don't have a point; that is what it reminds me of. I'm just being honest."

Now all Rise wanted to do was close her legs. But she had to ask one more question. "Does… does that mean you don't like it?"

"What? No way, don't be an idiot!" Crawling forward to look straight into her eyes, she whispered, "You're the hottest chick at Yasogami. Well, besides me." They both smirked. "And every part of you is beautiful, do you hear me?"

"Okay, okay," she muttered glumly, trying not to pout. "Sorry."

"No, no, I get it. Suddenly I'm the bitch whose opinion matters a lot because my body is the only one that gets really close to yours. Like, you're obviously going to be worried that I'm not into your body as much as you're clearly into mine."

"Geez, you don't have to put it like that, Ebi-chan. I'm not a pervert! I just… I really like my girlfriend, it's normal! Well… not that liking girls is."

Ai shrugged as she reached down to pet her fingers up and down over Rise's abdomen. They were on the tatami in the middle of their hotel room, the setting sun barely lighting up the walls, and Ai was still fully dressed whereas her girlfriend had fully disrobed, to give her the chance to examine her body at her leisure. It was a little weird, and she felt like a lab experiment, but she knew Ai had probably felt much the same when she was sniffing around her dick before. Fair was fair.

"I think it's pretty normal," Ai protested as her flawlessly-buffed fingernails teased through Rise's well-trimmed strip of pubic hair. Why was that not just hot, but somehow yet hotter because they were such delicate fingers?

"Mmhhh… well, I… I feel so guilty, still. Like we're sneaking around and doing something naughty."

Her lips quirked into another smirk. "Oh, we're definitely naughty. But sneaking around? It's kind of a social media blitz for you or whatever, so… either we're not doing that at all, or we are amazingly shitty at it."

"Shut up," she snorted, bopping Ai on the ear with her knee. It was the easiest thing to reach. "But um… I guess that's true."

"Everything's completely fine, girl," she told her in that extremely rare tone of gentleness that made Rise's heart pound double-time. "We're golden — it's Golden Week. Loosen up."

Snorting, she shot back, "I could have said that to you this morning." Ai rolled her eyes. "Y'know, when my finger was in y-"

"Yes, I get it, I get it." Her head tilted to one side, honey-hued locks pooling on the floor. "Did you like that?"

"Well… it was weird, and kinda gross at first. But!" she protested when Ai started to grimace. "I'd do it just to make you happy, even if it was horrible. And it wasn't, okay? I even…"

When Rise still hadn't finished that sentence after a few seconds, Ai wound up prompting her, "You even… liked it? Hated it? Give me something to go on here."

"No. It's too weird."

"Come on, it's just us. You gotta get used to trusting me sometime. Or don't, I guess."

"Are you… guilting me?"

"See? You already don't trust me." But when Rise pouted, she snorted and poked her in the tummy. "Just playing with you… but maybe also making a point. I know I'm kind of a bitch, but I'm trying to trust you despite almost outing me to the entire school. Can it start cutting both ways?"

Thoroughly chagrined, she whispered, "Well… that's not exactly what this is. But I get it. I'm just embarrassed and you know that, but I'll try to open up… if you do."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. So if I admit I thought it was pretty hot, watching you get all squirmy… will you admit that you liked me slipping a finger up there?"

Stalemate. Both of them were staring into each other's eyes, trying not to give ground. A perfect example that both of them were correct in their estimations of what areas they needed to work on. Eventually Ai took a breath and sighed, "Okay, okay, you're right. I just… it's almost like admitting weakness. Which is so dumb that I care, we should both be getting more comfortable with each other."

"Okay. Just this time, even though you didn't say it, I'll accept that as you admitting you liked it," Rise said in a slight sing-song. When her girlfriend pouted, she went on, "And I thought it was hot. Like, not the butt part exactly? But fingering you…" She could feel her cheeks heating up from having to put it into words.

"Yeah. I mean, I get that. Just because it's… where it is, doesn't mean you didn't fuck me right."

"EBI-CHAN!" she hissed in a scandalised tone.

"What? You did. I mean, now that we're being honest…" Ai still had to clear her throat, even if she was doing a better job of keeping an even tone of voice. "Your finger started hitting really deep — hit my spot, and it was all over. I've never, ever felt like that before. It was like my fingers and toes and nose and tits were all orgasming with me."

Rise had been gaping at her until the very end, when she let out a weak little laugh. "Nose and toes, huh? Wow. But I'm really happy I could help; I just wanted to make you feel good, and find out if that was one way we could do that."

"Definitely. Like, now that I'm past trying to pretend I don't need it." Ai squirmed a little. "Uhh…"

She sat up a little more, petting through her hair. And she leaned into the touch. Had she ever done that before? "Do you want me to do it again? Not right now!" she reassured her, and Ai relaxed a little. "But just, um, just in the future."

"I think so. Is that weird? You're my girlfriend, you shouldn't have to fuck me in the ass like a dude."

"Mm. Well, then I'll fuck you in the ass like a lady."

Ai giggled a little, crawling up to curl around her body. "I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm there. I'll offer you the same anytime you want."

"Oh, I think I'll be okay," she laughed easily. "I've never had any interest in that. Before! Before now. Wait — no, I still don't have any interest in having mine… d-do we really have to keep discussing this?"

"No," Ai told her with a slight smirk as she leaned in to kiss her cheek so tenderly that Rise briefly forgot that she was even nervous about the topic of conversation. "We could go back to talking about that phone call."

A brief pause. "So about my butt…"

"Come on, it can't have been that bad," she challenged her with a little snort. "You're just gonna keep being your fabulous self, and so will I, and Japan will join the fucking twenty-first century."

"Yeah, I just… talking about it… I'd rather focus on you, on us. On Okinawa! This is one of our last little flings — especially for you, senpai."

Clearly, that hint wasn't lost on her. She sighed and cuddled a little closer. "You're right. We should enjoy it while we can."

"Mmm, it feels like somebody already is."

"That's- it's an involuntary reaction! I was literally staring down the barrel of your pussy two seconds ago — anybody with one of these would have theirs sticking straight up, too!"

Voice the tiniest bit haughty, she said, "Well. I'm not going to assume anything, okay? I know you don't want me to… give you a little kiss down there… or caress with my fingers… or-"

"What a goddamn tease," she muttered.

"You love it." When Ai didn't answer, she grinned and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, pulling her in yet closer. They didn't really need any words anymore. As hard as it was to ignore that firm presence, given how unfamiliar Rise was with such things, she just tried to keep her focus on those sweet lips pressing against her own, on the warm back beneath her palms. On the woman she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

That realisation bowled her over. Even though they had been trending in that direction, she had yet to truly think about their future together. Sure, they would have to list Ai as male in order to get a marriage certificate… or would they? Maybe they really shouldn't worry about it. Not being able to enjoy the same status as her straight friends would be frustrating, yes, but it wasn't the end of the world. As long as she could live with her lover and share their lives, that was good enough.

By the time they finally parted, Ai managed to breathe, "I want you so bad…"

Careful to keep her tone neutral, she whispered, "How?"

"Any way I can have you. I… shit, what the hell did you turn me into?"

"Then I'm all yours. You can… have my mouth again, if that's what you like. Or did you wanna go, um… go all the way?"

"I don't know!" she groused as she pulled at her hair. Not that this minor crisis was reducing her arousal any; it was still grinding into Rise's hip and driving her up a wall. "UGH! I want to be as close to you as I can, and that seems like the way, but I also don't want to be the 'boy', you know?"

Drawing her in for another brief kiss, she whispered, "You won't be. Not to me; you'll always just be Ai. My cute little Ebi-chan. I… do you want me to use my finger on you again? I'd love to! I wanna do anything that makes you happy!"

"I… kind of? But no, not right now. I want to make you happy this time."

"Oh." Rise felt another flush of shame, trying not to remember the very obvious fact that she didn't have a stitch of clothing on her person. "Well, um… I want what you want." Did she just give her permission?!

"Good. Then let me try, um… with my mouth. I'll probably suck, but hey, no time like the present to start practicing. Especially if I ever want to be able to do this right."

"Sure! Yeah, that's… that's the same thing I was thinking while doing it for you." With a slight squirm, she then lowered her voice to barely a whisper, "I'm just… I'm sorry if it tastes, or smells… you know…"

Ai lifted a hand to waft away such thoughts. "You'll be fine. It's you. I mean, even if you weren't the sweetest girl in the universe, you're still Risette; that label of yours wouldn't let you have some stanky puss."

Bright red. Like a stoplight. Even though Ai was saying hers wouldn't be so aromatic, the very idea of it meriting a word such as "stanky" made her want to take a bath with a toaster. "U-uhm… thanks?"

"Anytime, girl."

And that seemed to be all the warning she got before Ai was kissing her way down her chest toward a clear goal. This was it; she was finally going to get as good as she gave. Unless she thought of some legitimate reason to ask the teen queen to pull back… but her mind was a blank. All she could think about was those perfect lips dimpling the skin of her abdomen, the lusty gaze being shot up in her direction as she moved lower, and lower…

Lowest. She felt a kiss in her hairs and she couldn't entirely suppress an anxious squeak. Her eyes slid closed as one leg moved up to drape over her girlfriend's back, hoping that would somehow encourage her — prove that she was ready. Even if she wasn't.

"This alright?"

Oh no. Ai was calling her bluff; it was glaringly obvious how high her nerves were running. "Y-yeah… it's just really, um, new?"

"I get that."

Then Ai moved again, and Rise almost curled into a ball. "WOW! That's- you kissed my…"

There was a slight sheen on Ai's smirk when she raised up to look at her properly. "You are soaking fucking wet, Kujikawa. How bad have you been needing it?"

"I haven't been! Honestly, I'm- NNH, how are you doing this?!"

"Pretty easy," she shot back before leaving a long lick along the entirety of her vulnerable flesh. Rise reached down instinctively to grip the hair attached to that head that was giving her so much pleasure it was overloading her system. Did everybody experience this? Was she oversensitive, or was it normal to feel like every inch of her skin was on fire, like she was losing all control?

"God, this is getting me so hard," Ai breathed before diving back in. Which didn't help matters in the slightest; Rise already felt like she was losing her mind, and knowing her girlfriend was nearly as bad off only heightened her pleasure, making her want to roll over and rut on her face. Or…

Or go further. Ai wasn't ready, and she would respect that, but if just her lips and tongue were making her feel this phenomenal, what would it be like for them to really go for it? Uniting their bodies had to be just as good as taking care of each other in turn, if not better.

"NH!" she finally burst out when she felt the pleasure rising. "I'm… I'm about to- it's gonna happen!"

"Yeah?" Ai panted as she used her thumb to caress that tortured flesh, gazing up at her with glazed eyes. "That mean… should I finish you off?"

The volume at which the word "YES!" ripped from her throat left their ears ringing. Rise would feel embarrassed about that — later. When she had time. Right now, she was too busy literally dragging Ai's head back down to devour her anew, moaning as her hips rolled up into their point of union. A little more — and the way her tongue was hitting her clit was spurring her on faster, making it-

Ai brought her to the hardest climax she had ever experienced. Feeling this one made her realise she had been only getting close to a real orgasm all those years since she first began to awaken sexually; a real orgasm blew those pretenders to the throne out of the water so easily. Guess that was what she got for never truly masturbating, or finding anybody who could take care of it for her.

Once the most intense of those sensations began to fade, Rise started coming back to her senses. A few things surprised her: she felt the tatami suddenly pressing into her back, because she had lifted herself upward. Ai's shirt moved when she started pulling her leg back, because her toes had clenched so hard in the fabric. The same was true of her hair — which she let go of first, feeling a few strands come away with her fingers with a little flare of guilt that she hadn't been gentler. Her mind had literally gone somewhere else while the ecstasy overwhelmed. It was almost scary, but mostly just… damn.

"Whoa," Ai breathed simply. The whole experience had left both of them speechless. After swallowing and clearing her throat, she licked her lips before wiping them on the back of her hand and crawling up to hover above her girlfriend. "You okay?"

"Hmnah!" was the best she could do. Ai giggled, so she tried to do better this time. "Yeah!"

Grinning, she pressed her face into Rise's neck. "Yeah. I can handle that review, I guess. Still wanna know if I did anything stupid, though; like, this was my first attempt, I can't have been perfect."

"Oh… you… close to… heaven." She hadn't meant to say 'heaven', it just slipped out.

"Really? Well… good, that's good." Ai was kissing her neck a little more firmly, more frequently. It suddenly occurred to Rise that she could feel that bulge digging into her hip; poor Ai hadn't gotten off since that morning, even if she did get there twice.

"You… want help?"

"Huh? Oh, naw, I can ignore it. Don't even trip."

"But you… I wanna… I like your friend." She took a couple of breaths, finally beginning to fully recover. "What can I call her?"

"Annoying," she snorted, and Rise rolled her eyes while she grinned into her hair. "Bitch that won't leave the party."

Nodding, she kissed into her scalp and earned herself a little sigh of appreciation in return. "I like her. That doesn't mean you have to, or like… that you have to keep her or like her for my sake. But just so you know, we get along pretty well. I mean, for a girl and an, um, appendage."

"Dork. But thanks. And it makes me mad that we have to have this conversation… but I appreciate that you get it. That you can really, uh, want my D without forgetting that I don't want it at all."

"Yeah, of course. I might have been dumb when we first started out but I learn fast."

"You do," she agreed with a little squeeze. Rise wrapped her arms more tightly around her girlfriend, appreciating their warmth, their connection. "It's honestly refreshing. Like, I got so much hate when I came out… even from my own family. I had started to believe it was impossible to expect people to get me. Then here comes this prissy famous bitch."

Rise smacked her on the arm, which only earned a harsh chuckle. "Who's the bitch here, really?" But then she moved her hand down to her bulge. "Let me take care of this. Like, it doesn't have to be anything special, or… not unless you want more."

"Mmhh… annoying." But Ai looked away, biting her lower lip. Again, Rise questioned why she found watching that to be so hot but she tried to relegate that question to the back of her mind for the time being.

"What is it?"

"Your mouth is so good… fuck, I'm sorry. Like, that's a lot to ask, twice in one d-"

"You got it." When Ai just blinked at her, she shrugged bashfully. "I'd do that. I'd use my finger again, I'll give you whatever you want. As long as you're okay with me figuring out how to do it as I go, I don't mind! It's nice that we can help each other out."

Though it took her a second, she started to nod with a slight smile. "It is really nice. Weird, but like, I guess it's not since we're dating."

"Yeah," Rise giggled. "We're just not used to dating, right?"

"Mm. You're sure I didn't mess up while muff diving?"

"While WHAT?! Excuse me? You can't call it that!"

Smirking a little as she sat up and started to disrobe, she purred, "I can call it whatever I want, Risette. Now perform for me. Maybe I'll just jerk off onto your butt."

"NO! Ew, why would you do that when I- that's gonna be all sticky, we'd have to take another bath!"

"So what? The last one turned out to be a real event…"

"Yeah, for you! And you were definitely writhing and squealing all over the place!"

"Y-yeah, well, that was your fault!" she shot back as that ready-and-willing cock bounced out into the open air. "Maybe I'll take you up on your mouth just so you can't say mean things to me."

Rise pursed her lips for a moment before saying, "Maybe I won't be as careful with my teeth this time."

"Hey, don't joke like that," Ai said with a shiver. "I might not want to keep her but that is NOT how I wanna lose her."

"Then behave," she purred as she crawled toward her lap, rubbing her cheek against the warm length. "And I'll behave exactly the way you want."

Ai complied. She complied for the following ten minutes, and got exactly what the doctor ordered — because the alluring Nurse Rise was tending her every need. Five star service.

                                               To Be Continued…

[rainycl0udss]

Chapter 3;

The morning after party

//When can I say "I love you"?//

Written Chapter!

Word count; 1780

Moons POV

I lay peacefully in my bed, sleeping.

That was untill I heard one of the most annoying sounds of all time.

My alarm.

Don't get me wrong, I love the song Euphoria but I wish I didn't have to wake up right now.

I turn my head to the noice and pick up my phone so I can turn of the sound of my alarm playing.

I check my phone on social media and I check my mails aswell.

I look at the time, it's 8:35 am.

Way to early for my liking but I don't really have a choice. I've got plenty of things to do today. I'll probably have to go grocery shopping too. I don't think Mimi is going to be in the right state of mind to do it today.

With a sigh I get out of my bed and walk to the kitchen.

Just like I  had suspected, nobody else is awake yet. They're probably going to be sleeping till noon.

I walk to the fridge and take out some banana milk, cheese and eggs. I'll probably make an omelette with some cheese, drink some banana milk and call it breakfast.

After preparing my meal and eating it it's already 09:48 am.

That's not as late as I thought it would be.

I have to be in the studio around noon, so I've got plenty of time to get ready.

I clean my dishes and decide I'll take a shower to clean myself. Something that is definitely needed because my hair smells like liquor.

I walk back to my bedroom and grab a black jeans and a grey hoodie. I also take some fresh underwear and head to the bathroom.

There is one positive about waking up before everyone else and that is,

The bathroom is not occupied.

I undress, step in the shower and start washing my hair.

I'm not really a morning person, I like to sleep in and I probably would never leave my bed if that was an option. Sadly it's not. I'm also normally not a person who showers in the morning. Normally I shower before I go to sleep. I like it better that way. That way my hair can dry naturally at night and I'll feel fresh in the morning. Obviously I had no time for a shower yesterday night. I was way to tired to do anything else but sleep.

I'm curious if the others remember anything about last night. I have a feeling Mimi probably doesn't. She never does.

Jae, that's debatable. She normally remembers everything, but she normally isn't that drunk so I guess we shall see.

For some reason Yun will probably remember everything, even tho that girl can get so drunk she almost dies, she'll always remember everything. It's kinda scary really.

Jae and Mimi, mostly Mimi, complain that she doesn't remember anything and that Yun should be happy she could remember.

Yun always responds with "It's more of a curse then a blessing, sometimes I wish I didn't remember."

I think I understand what she means, in that perspective I'm the same as Yun.

I can drink as much as I want, I'll remember everything. But I don't drink much so it's never a problem.

Ones I'm done showering I change in my clothes and head back to my room.

My hair is still wet so I decide to wear a beanie.

I look at the clock and see it's 10:27 am.

There is still no sign that my friends are waking up anytime soon.

I put on my boots and take my jacket. I take my keys and my bag and leave for the car.

I guess it's time for me to go grocery shopping.

Ones in the grocery I buy whatever I think we'll be needing. I'm normally not the one to do it, but it needs to be done.

Ones I'm back home I see that Jae is awake.

"Good morning." I say while unpacking the groceries.

"Hey Moon. Do you know where the painkillers are?" Jae asks me in a quiet voice.

She's definitely hungover.

"I think in the cabinet next to instant noodles." I exclam while still unpacking.

I hear her open the cabinet and take a painkiller.

"I found them, thanks." She says after taking a painkiller.

"You seem pretty hungover Jae." I state to her.

"I AM pretty hungover. This fucking sucks." She huffes.

"You shouldn't have drunk as much as you did. Then you wouldn't be in this position." I claim.

"Shut up will you. I know I shouldn't have but you know how it goes..." She argues back.

Honestly, I don't know. I'm pretty good at holding my liquor so it's never really been a problem for me.

"Whatever floats your boat Jae." I chuckle.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked me while she goes to sit down.

I look at the clock and see it's 11:36 am.

"About three hours now. I'm guessing you just woke up." I reply.

"Why the fuck would you wake up that early?" Jae exclames

"Because unlike some people I actually have things to do today and wanted to get it done." I articulate.

Jae just rolls with her eyes.

"I made y'all some breakfast btw, it's more like brunch right now but whatever. It's in the fridge." I announce to Jae.

I get up from the table to walk to my room but I get interrupted by Jae.

"You made us breakfast? That's a first." She interjects.

"It's not a first you bitch, I always make y'all breakfast when you're hungover." I remark.

Without waiting for her to respond I walk to my room.

I grab my bag and put all my work in it.

I walk back to the kitchen to see Jae eat the food I made for her.

She's watching her kdrama while eating.

I go to the cabinet and grab a pot of instant noodles and a banana milk out the fridge. I put them both in my bag and walk to the front door of the apartment.

"Where are you going?" I hear Jae ask me before I could leave.

"To the studio." I answer without looking up.

"It's not even school today." She nags.

"That doesn't mean I can't work for school. Besides, now I'm behind on schedule because of yesterday." I persist.

"Are you leaving already?" I hear a different voice say.

I turn around and look at both Yun and Jae.

"I have to get my work done guys." I sigh.

It's not like it's fun for me to leave them alone all the time. They're my friends and I care about them. But I also care about my future.

"Can't you go to the studio around 1 pm?"

Yun begs me.

I take a deep breath.

I guess I can do that.

I sigh but place my bag on the floor and walk back to the table and sit down.

"I'll stay till 12:30 pm alright." I confirm.

Yun smiles at me.

"Good to hear." She smiles.

"So how are you?" I ask after a short silence.

"I'm oke. I guess." She mumbles while stuffing her face with bacon.

"I honestly don't remember much." Jae confesses.

I'm not surprised about that.

"I fucking wish I didn't remember anything. It was so embarrassing." Yun grumbles.

"I only remember that Mimi started puking and that you were grinding against some guy." Jae laughs.

"Euw, Don't remind me of Mimi puking. You know I hate puke." She recalls disgusted.

"Who was the guy?" I hint in a joking matter.

"Just some guy I made out with, he wasn't my soulmate." She whines.

I just shake my head an laugh a little.

This is typical behavior for her. Same goes for Mimi. Always going around and have one night stands with random guys from clubs. The only rule we have is to not go to his home. Luckily that didn't happen yesterday.

"I really hoped I would have found my soulmate." Jae whimpers.

"Same here, I'll probably just die alone." Yun dramatically states.

"I actually enjoyed myself for and hour are so." I suddenly confess to them.

The both turn their heads to me at the same time and just stare at me.

"Can you both stop staring at me please, it's unsettling." I accuse.

"You enjoyed yourself? At a party? Do I even know you?" Yun jokes while she punches my arm.

"Then what did you do? Because I didn't see you dance even ones." Jae questions.

"I talked to a someone. Her name was Areum. She was very nice. She also helped me find Soo-Yun." I inform them.

"I'm glad you actually enjoyed yourself. Maybe you'll come with us again." Yun smiles at me.

She trying to hint me to go with them again. Oh hell nah.

"I don't think so, but good try." I laugh and pet her on the shoulder.

"But I'm leaving now." I inform them.

I get up and walk to the front door.

"Don't come home to late!" Jae yells.

I pick my bag from the ground and open the door.

"I won't, tell Mi-Hi that her food is in the fridge!" I yell before I close the door.

I decided that I'll go on foot. The studio isn't so far from our apartment it's only a 20 minute walk. I plug in my headphones and start blasting Dimple from BTS.

God I love that song.

Ones I get to the studio I start looking for my ID to show them I have promision to use the studio.

When I look in my wallet for my ID I found an familiar looking card.

It's the card that Ari unnie gave me.

I put it in my pocket and walk in the building.

I show them my ID and walk to my studio.

I poof myself in my seat and pull the card out of my pocket.

Coffee shop Blooming.

It look aesthetically pleasing.

I'll definitely go there this week. I would really like to talk to Ari unnie again. She was very nice.

I put it back in the pocket of my jeans and start to work on my final project of this semester.

I have alot to catching up to do. Definitely now that I'm leaving in a few weeks to Busan for Hanas birthday.

I can't afford to waist time.

I sigh one last time before I take of my headphones and plug them in my computer. I'm in work mode ones again.

This is going to be a long day.

<<Previous// //Next>>

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[lovetheplayers]

Taylor's interview on Karen's Night From 8 | Energy NRJ (May 2, 2019)

Karen: Since the snake we all knew from reputation transformed into a bunch of pastel colored butterflies in the brand new video to ME! is there a new Taylor on track again? Tell us about that.

Taylor: Well, I always tried to make my music a reflection of how I'm feeling, and a lot of the times you'll see that reflected in the color tones and sort of the imagery that I use with my music videos. So yeah, I think that if you're a musician, a lot of the times you can see how we're feeling based on what our music is doing. You know, I definitely am in a very good place in my life and really excited about making new music and excited about the new album I've made, so I think that is very reflective in the new video. Thank you for watching it, by the way.

Karen: You're very welcome. Well, you broke the records already. Like, it went, like, wow! The video is completely insane; like, so colorful and beautiful. I love it, by the way.

Taylor: Thank you!

Karen: So, yeah, tell us a little more about the new song ME! What is the message behind it?

Taylor: The message behind the song ME! is basically trying to celebrate and own your individuality and what makes you different from everyone else because I think so often in this age of social media and everyone comparing each other, I think that we can feel really, really low and really insecure and down about ourselves and think that there must be a better version of us out there somewhere and I think that we really just need to remind ourselves that we're completely irreplaceable. And I think that with a song like this, it's very catchy and it can get stuck in your head and so I really wanted that to be a message of, kind of, self love and positivity because I think we all could use that because I think we all have really bad days sometimes when it comes to trying to accept who we are and appreciate who we are.

Karen: I absolutely, completely agree. So do you have a secret for self confidence then?

Taylor: Well, I'm just—I'm just like everybody else in that I have really, really bad days with self-confidence too where you feel like you can't pull yourself out of it and I don't think there's any way to to say, "Oh, this is how you feel good about yourself." It's not that easy, is it? Like, but I think one thing that does help me is if there's a happy song that I can listen to that kind of makes me—makes me feel a little bit better. That can be helpful gradually, but you know obviously there's no pressure for anyone to feel good all the time. That's—that's completely—it's unattainable; that's never going to happen. But I just, you know, I was writing this song and I was, like, imagining, like, little kids dancing to it and feeling good about themselves and feeling like they're special and, you know, ever since it come out some people have told me, like, if this song makes them happy or if it makes them kind of forget about what they're stressed about and it's that—that's a really nice thing to hear. Like, that's all we can really hope for if we're making music, is to try to make things easier for other people or make things better.

Karen: This is a wonderful kind of thought you just have while listening to the song, which is completely an ear worm in all of our heads right now; so completely in love with it.

Taylor: Thank you!

Karen: You're so welcome. Can you give us a little hint about the new album yet? I know it's completely, like, you know, you don't talk about it and stuff like that, but can you give us a little hint. What can we expect?

Taylor: Well, definitely. I really want to tell the fans everything there is to know about the album probably pretty soon. I definitely want to be able to tell them directly from me everything that I've been working on, but I just really wanted to not do that as soon as the song came out because I feel like that's information overload. It's just so much information coming at them all at once. Like, "Here's a new song, here's a new video, here's a bunch of clues in the video." Like, "What does it all mean?", "And here's the information about the album." Like, I wanted to kind of give everyone a moment to decompress and kind of—and then tell them everything that there is to know about the new album. But I'm so happy and flattered that you're curious about it.

Karen: Absolutely completely curious, and the thing is that I just read about these—these hidden hints in the video and just watched it five times now and was like, "Okay, where could all these hints be?" Like, you know? We're completely in love with it.

Taylor: Thank you! That's awesome.

Karen: One short last question: since the Reputation Tour unfortunately didn't reach us here in Germany do you—do you know yet when you'll be back together with us?

Taylor: I definitely, definitely want to come back to Germany because the fans have been so incredible and that's on my list of things I want to do, especially with this new album, and so I really, really hope I get to, like, come there and see you and see all the fans because they have been so supportive of me and I'm really appreciative.

Karen: Cool, very looking forward. I just had the honour to see the Reputation Stadium Tour in Dublin. I went all the way to Dublin to just see it and I cannot imagine it to be and to get any bigger, so I'm completely, completely in love with all what's coming up for us.

Taylor: That is so amazing of you to go all the way to Dublin for the tour! Thank you so much.

Karen: Thank you for taking time for us! Thank you, Taylor.

Taylor: Thank you! Hopefully I'll get to meet you soon. Taylor.

Karen: You too! Thank you so much. Have fun. Bye, bye!

[rofoundsomethinginteresting]

Okay I'm just so in love with your writing!! This is going to be a lot so please know you don't have to read it, your work is just so appreciated! I'm reading at the same time as writing this comment, because even when I'd just started I was like "I need to talk about that!" So yeah, it'll be a bit much!

"...there would have been no shame in leaving the cheer squad, in running, if that would’ve been what you’d wanted or needed. But what you’d needed was to stay." So I've got Issues, and I ran from my r**ist (and my abusive mom, when I don't still fawn or freeze) and I love the way you handled this! I've seen so much media saying that the only "proper" way to handle things is to face them head-on, and if you run you're a coward and should be ashamed. So to see you saying that no, actually, sometimes we do need to run and there's nothing wrong with that, but sometimes we do need (for our own self) to stand our ground. Maybe I'm biased because I kept running until life literally forced me to stop (having to move back to the town where the worst happened can really push the whole therapy thing!).

I just love these two together so much, and to see the startled realization that the MC had after the game? Perfect! I love the imagery you used there, too, with all the sunshine and warm fuzzies, really showing that Eddie is a major light and lightening presence in the MC's life after Starcourt, her only real untainted connection. (and I don't include her friends because as much as I love them, they were unfortunately tainted by the whole experience. They may still be great friends, but there will always be a hint of a reminder attached to them - until the matter feels less raw, that is).

"“If there ever is a gate to another dimension opening up on your ceiling,” you said quietly, “Promise me you’ll run.”" So I haven't seen Stranger Things 4 (I have read all the synopsis and everything I could get my greedy hands on, though - I just can't watch things or listen to things anymore) but was the gate in the kitchen?? I knew it was in Eddie/Wayne's trailer, but I didn't know specifically where. I'd honestly thought it was in his bedroom since I heard something about a mattress. Also, love the teasing that was going on before this. The whole YooHoo thing cracks me up, and they're so on the same page witticism-wise. And I'm so glad Eddie ran when the gate opened, he did what the MC said, good!

Oh my goodness! I'm screaming at the entirety of the rooftop scene. First it was just adorable and funny (especially with that crowdsurfing bit) but then! Oh! My! Goodness!!! You're really letting us soar just to watch us fall with these two. Also the description you gave of the clock and the door was haunting, beautifully done. And then the kissing (and more)!! I'm such a sucker for virgin!Eddie and virgin!MC, I know a lot of people view him as worldly and kinky (and those fics totally do it for me) but I know that when I was in high school, guys like Eddie weren't exactly getting it on the regular. Honestly, unless there was a mixed friend group (with different genders or just a bunch of queer folks), there wasn't exactly a lot of opportunity!

NO, that transition!! One second it's warm and cozy despite the cold November night, and the next, BAM. Holy cannolis. And Eddie had to live with that pain for so long!! Poor babies (I'm including the MC, I don't think she handled it well but she was terrified, understandably, and that leads to rash decisions). I wish she had just told him, especially knowing what we know (of the NOW period). And for Eddie to feel that his worth was so diminished to just a distraction or just a drug deal, my heart hurts for him. He had been so open and safe and full of light and I hate anything reducing that.

So glad to have finally seen that November night!! It was well worth all the build up and hype. Very devastating and I am dying to see the recovery. Also, I love how quick the glimpses into the NOW period were, it really helped along that feeling of rush and worry and 'there's not enough time'. All while furthering the feeling that we needed to really connect with the THEN to appreciate and fully understand the NOW. Very well done!! I can't wait to see the next update, I'm loving this story so much!

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

Thank you so much for all the love on the previous chapters, I’m so grateful and overwhelmed by the response 🖤 This chapter might be the sweetest, most romantic and angstiest I’ve ever written and you’ll finally learn what happened that November Night. - Love, Kiki 🖤  

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 |  Eddie Munson x female reader

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 |  THEN. You’re the only survivor among the Mind Flayer’s victims, thanks  to your friends - but after the Battle of Starcourt, you find yourself  adrift in a sea of nightmares. Until an encounter in the woods with Eddie The Freak Munson offers an unexpected life line and turns your world upside down. NOW. Four months have passed since the winter  night you walked out of Eddie’s trailer and his life for good. But when  the mysterious headaches and nightmares return full-force and something  wicked stirs in sleepy Hawkins, starting a witch hunt against Eddie, you  realize that there are two things in this world that might be more  persistent than you’d thought: Evil…and love. The story is told  in two timelines: the past (after the Battle of Starcourt) and the present (during the events of season 4).

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 | angst with a happy ending, fluff, smut, it turned into a fix it fic for ST4

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (you need to be 18+ to read this story!), angst with a happy ending, attempted assault, bullying, canon-typical violence  

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 | 12 k (It escalated quickly, but it’s easy to split the reading into chunks if you like)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (only read if you’re 18+ years old! virgin!Eddie x virgin!reader), mentions of attempted assault, canon-typical gore & violence, blood, past trauma, reader is locked into a supply closet (I don’t know if that could be a trigger but better safe than sorry)

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.  

𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 & 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ♡

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓   ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

[Sunday, March 24th, 1986. NOW.]

“NO! NO!”, you screamed, fists pounding against the wooden door, “LET ME OUT! DON’T HURT HIM! DON’T HURT HIM!”

Your voice was breaking with the force of your screams – but it was futile.

They’d locked you up. In another fucking supply closet, in the townhall, deserted after the assembly.

You’d screamed, thrashed, but you hadn’t stood a chance against Andy Warren as he’d dragged you in here, slamming the door shut and locking you in the dark. Like Stacy had done all these years ago. Like the Mind Flayer had done last summer in your own mind.

And now they were coming for Eddie.

Which fighting chance would he stand against the whole pack of Jason and his friends, with their bats and crowbars and their fists and their mad, self-righteous hatred?

Eddie, sweet, kind, gentle Eddie who could never hurt a fly. Who was alone at the boathouse, scared and scarred by what he’d been forced to witness, hunted by a town which had never been kind to him, by people who’d always met him with wariness and derision and scorn and taunts simply because he was different, branded a freak long before Vecna had been part of the equation.

“LET ME OUT! PLEASE! SOMEONE!”

You didn’t care about the pain as the skin over your knuckles tore when you hailed your fists onto the wood as if that would make a fucking difference, as if, if only you screamed loud enough, thrashed violently enough, the wood would magically give in and you’d be free, to race to your car and the boathouse, to stop Jason before he could hurt Eddie.

And hurt him, he would.

The tears, of fury and this utter, all-consuming despair, were falling faster as you threw yourself against the door, vision blurring and mind racing and voice shattering before you sank to the ground.

“Anyone,” you whispered into the darkness. Prayed, to whatever higher power might listen. “Please, let me save him. Let me save him.”

Keep reading

[first-only]

You got any tips on how to analyse media properly?

I don't think I'm too bad at media analyse, but it is always something that I've wanted to better at (and a good skill to have imo! Even if it's just a basic understanding)

See, this is not aimed at you per se, but i really dont like the way people use 'media' now. "Media" could easily also (and sometimes primarily) mean, like, the news. Which is indeed something you very much need to learn to analyze and think (actually) critically about. What are the sources cited? What are the sources' backgrounds, and groundwork, and motivation? Who pays? Who owns the media? Did you look at different sources reporting the same thing? And if you have access only to shitty sources, try to separate the cold facts from emotional manipulation and twisting words and stories (eg our prime minister is talking about unity while actively bribing other parties' representatives. 'unity' takes a different meaning here, yeah?). Think of consequences, not ideals. Even if the ideal is protecting children, will banning drag queens from schools achieve that? What will the actual result be? Are they even trying to protect children or is the goal elsewhere? Media, as in reporting and news work, is genuinely the best to learn to understand tbh.

As for fiction and non-fiction prose and poetry, which is what im assuming you're actually talking about, there's no real set in stone 'real' and 'true' analysis take that can hallmark doing it 'properly'. Of course, some people will tell you it's 'obvious' and then oscillate vastly between approaches themselves. Let me make this more clear - when talking about interpretation and analysis im always reminded of a work of poetry i studied in high school. It was a poem called "you will be wearing white" (in my native tongue), and everyone in class was convinced that, yes, obviously the author is talking about marriage. He's talking to a woman about the future, about /their/ future. Marrying is never mentioned, but love is hinted, she has to be in white. Simple, right? Except our teacher was extremely adamant that no, the poem is definitely not about marriage. She listened to our arguments, called the interpretation shallow and then explained that the work is about the relief of the future, freedom, and happiness. Why? When it was written, brides did not wear white. Marrying for love was.. well, not impossible but definitely not how you would mention marriage one-sidedly in a work of art. White was a color not for a bride, but for a woman free from having to work hard to feed herself and her family, a woman with enough money to afford it. The intent of the author wasnt "i will see you married to me" (or "i will own you", as the teacher would say); but "i will see you happy [and i will be happy too]".

[under the cut because this turned into a monster im sorry]

Which interpretation is more valid? A bunch of high schoolers saw a love poem with a white dress, and thought of a happy marriage, that signifies future happiness. A lit teacher, used to interpreting marriage as the other side of Death, in symbolic meaning of course, and aware of the cultural and period background of the writer, tells them the original way it was meant to be interpreted. A 'modern' outlook versus authorial intent. Now, with all of the blatant wrong info floating around, let me tell you, /this/ is what death of the author means. Interpreting the text for itself, without the background or intent woven into it, even if you know it.

Now, to do Actually Proper, or /academic/ analysis you will have to either follow the author's works, life, intentions, and gimmicks closely, or you will have to catch and learn references to known classics. Especially biblical symbolism and references are an integral part of the classic analysis of (western) Classic Works, and catching how they're interwoven and reference each other is exactly what they teach you in school. Another huge part of this is learning how symbolism works (both in the particular text and outside of it - local symbols and widely used ones). Big archetypes are commonly referred to and used as a base of analysis, and i mean the actual meaning of this word by Jung (and by extension Freud), interwoven into literature on a bigger scale by Joseph Campbell. Im saying this because Star Wars is a good example of what im talking about - Campbell and Lucas are good friends, and the original trilogy is ripe with archetypical symbolism, it's effectively based on it. A simple example - Luke breaking Vader's mask in a vision is usually interpreted as a hint that vader is his father, but thats not the symbolic meaning. The Mask is an archetype - it covers the self in what it wants to see. In breaking the mask, Luke is discovering his fear that if he keeps on this path, if he lets the dark side guide his instincts, he will turn into what vader represents himself. It's a warning, not a foreshadowing. (now, the giant tree, that is the archetype for family, is very much foreshadowing and warning that his roots are in the Dark).

Obviously this approach has many critiques, and not every story will follow or acknowledge it. That doesn't stop you from analyzing it this way anyway. There is a reason when people write analyses theyre calling them "an analysis". There is place for interpretation, a lot of strings to pull, a lot of variables to take into account and a lot of approaches to consider.

Let's look at the infamous blue curtains. Were the curtains always there, and always blue, or are they mentioned specifically for this scene? Does the writer use the color blue in the work before to establish a particular meaning within the confines of this specific work? Are the protagonist's SO's eyes blue for example? Were the curtains in his childhood home blue? Does the writer use common symbolism often? Is blue the color of sadness to them as it usually is? Is the writer so inept as to not know that every word written on a page of a book has to have a meaning? (ie the "the curtains were fucking blue" approach). Or are the curtains a symbol, the cover hiding the outside world from the eyes of the protagonist, and painting his view in blue? Are the curtains the archetype of the Veil, the walkway into the underworld? Thus is the protagonist thinking of death? Does he feel dead? Is the protagonist dying? Or being reborn? (for in symbolic language death itself often just means Change).

None of these readings are Correct. Some would be based on the entire work's properties (looking for other symbolic language for example), some might be supported by the author themself (outside of the text), some might be rooted in cross-references to Classics or religious or culturally significant texts. Others might be a projection of the reader themself, what does blue mean to you? But no matter which approach to analysis you take, finding ways to support it can dip in different wells.

Let's go back to SW to have more clear examples. The dominant social media approach seems to be that The Empire is the nazi regime and everything is intentionally made to look and feel this way. Is this supported by authorial intent? Or is it more of a modern interpretation by people who want to find their morality everywhere. There was a post flying around mocking someone for saying Anakin is a Jesus figure, but, regardless of that person's other views, that /is/ a valid interpretation. Be it that Vader is actually the antichrist who fooled people into thinking he was a saviour, or be it that the story can be read as an attempt at construing what it would be like if their lord was in fact a mortal and fallible man. And Lucas? Lucas has given enough interviews to show that he was just writing about his special blorbos and their epic story about the magic of the universe.

When it comes to modern storytelling, be it shows or movies, etc, the approach to analysis is often Doylist first. Who is the target audience? Who paid for its production? Was there censors and content policies? Who are the actual writers, what conditions did they write under (did they know the whole story? were they allowed freedom of creativity? were they paid enough? how did they get that position?)? Was the story influenced by fans/social media's reaction? I feel like this is where the modern meaning of 'trope' comes from - it's more of a cliche, a setting of "the good guy" "the bad guy" and so on. Easily digestible and reproducible. That doesnt mean there isnt merit to deeper analysis however. Even if its unintentional (and thats not always the case) sometimes the best stories come from disjointed and confused narratives. A game sequel forgot about an entire essential part of the lore? Maybe something happened behind the scenes that explains it, and furthers the current narrative. Practicing suspension of disbelief and being charitable to the narrative is never wasted imo, you practice creative thinking and watsonian explanations, thus an 'internal' interpretation of the narrative.

I honestly think the most immediately helpful thing when approaching a story is your own, personal, what used to be called 'emotional intelligence', now emotional differentiation. Yes, knowing your own feelings, but also ability to decipher and interpret characters' feelings, emotions, goals, driving forces. The general theme of the narrative, and yes the narrative itself - what is the story about? Why did Luke refuse to kill Vader? Did he betray the republic for his family? Does he sympathize with a murderer? Did he Choose the Light and realize that walking into the dark side will make him worse? Or did he showcase his own character and personality, defend his own principles? Or all at once?

You know, i genuinely think that doing some analysis of fics can help with the basics of interpretation. Even bad fic. It's easier to see what the author is trying to tell you, and how they're doing it. Are they telegraphing simple movements just to make you understand the physicality of the situation? Are they trying to make it poetic and how? When reading a more advanced versus a more inexperienced writer, where are the differences between their ways of showing intent, and achieving it? The strings of symbolism and metaphor are also usually better visible in fic for an inexperienced analysis, because you can both juxtaposition the original text, and get an interpretation of it. And then, beyound authorial intent - how does your headcanon and interpretation of the canon differ from the fic author's? Why? Does the original text support their reading? How? Do the intent and the result in the reader match? What words do they use so their fic can be interpreted differently than intended? (the amount of 'fluff' ive read that was actually an unintentional horror lol).

I do want to say that if you're trying to get better at analyzing in order to participate "better" in fandom, that's your choice and all that, but it's not necessary. It's a buzzword nowadays how "critical thinking" and "actual analysis" in media are rotten and forgotten, but the fact is - this is fandom. Yes overanalysis and essays exist, but they were never lit crit or academic essays. They serve the purpose of fandom. And the purpose of fandom is very often, very expectedly, and very normally, "the curtains are blue, because his lover's tie is blue". There's nothing wrong with that. This is a hobby. We're here for fun. And way overanalyzing something in a completely haywire direction is tons of fun. Like hell, my personal take on a shallow ass FPS game with a base mechanic of healing orbs and vampiric attacks? Souls exist in this universe, thus soulmates too, thus my headcanons are toootaly canon-compliant. Was this the intent of the shallow FPS? Hell no. Is it supported by the source? Sure.

Worth saying however that like actual academic lit crit and analysis is a whole ass science and a huge field with many resources, theory and /a lot/ of work. If you want to get into it seriously, classes or at least reading theory is kind of a low bar, to be honest. And reading /a lot/ of classics - cant catch those references and universal symbols and common lit knowledge if you havent experienced them. It's genuinely not just making some shit up on the basis of five lines. And honestly? A lot of the theory is biased, and subjective, and western-centric so you gotta analyze the analysis theory. Yeeah.

Now the actual advice i will give you when it comes to existing in a social media world that's viscerally discoursing over every story is don't get gaslighted. Just because everyone is shouting loudly about a particular interpretation doesn't mean it's the only valid real one (or that it's valid at all). Listen to yourself too, read the source for yourself, if you care check on the author/s (and disregard as needed). If we went on tumblr one day and the dash was covered with new hot takes over how Luke is supporting fascism by not mercilessly killing his father will that mean he is the villain of the story? We've seen the Steven Universe/Aang is the real villain takes. Were they the villains? Is the claim supported by the text? Was Kylo Ren a one-dimensional villain with zero nuance? Did the text support that, regardless if it's his fans or haters that claim it? The Only Rule to make an objectively Valid take is take the entire source into account. Cherrypicking will get you an incomplete idea of the narrative and character. Support your claim with canon examples, references to outside sources, authorial intent, doesn't matter - but if you take a single scene, or a partial context, you're achieving a headcanon and personal fun (which is great!) but not an analysis that will hold to scrutiny and outside inspection.

[notemily]

The Witcher, episode 7:

"You need to be careful child. This place isn't safe if you're alone." "Then it's the same as every other place." Ok but no I am SO HERE FOR jaded growing up Ciri who trusts no one yes yes yes good

Geralt doesn't know Ciri is a girl. That reminds me of the first time we saw Ciri - with her hair up she's pretty androgynous. She could cut her hair and go around as a boy, if she wanted.

Some dudes try to attack Geralt when he comes to ask about Ciri. Mousesack portals them both the fuck out of there.

It's been 12 years since the fateful wedding. So we're like, what, three years out from the fall of Cintra? I don't actually know how old Ciri is. I'm guesstimating 15 but she could be younger, or "younger" (cast younger than the actress actually is)

(I looked it up, Freya Allan is 20, so she would have been like 17-18 when filming this?)

The lady who told her the place isn't safe offers her a place to stay, so Ciri steals her horse. Haha fuck yeah

Meanwhile in the past, Calanthe did NOT learn her lesson about what happens when you fuck with destiny. She's trying to pass off a fake Ciri as Ciri. Geralt figures it out fairly quickly, with destiny giving him a hint.

King dude whose name I forgot (names in media are just the first letter followed by a squiggle in my brain until they've been repeated enough) says that Calanthe pulled herself out of the depression she fell into when her daughter died, and he will follow her into the very jaws of death. Fair enough. (Also, Ciri's parents were "lost at sea," and there's a little voice in the back of my head going NO BODY NOT DEAD right now)

Yennefer is traveling through some sort of mining operation. There's a shitload of red dirt everywhere. Her old beau is there, I remember that his name starts with I and ends with a consonant! Istredd?

They discuss the political situation, with personal overtones. "Sometimes boring is better." I get that. I live in Milwaukee and work at a library.

Yennefer says she's missing him, but I assume she has ulterior motives because she always does. She says he's the only one who loves her for her, basically. He's tempted, but he's over her.

"You went after the thing you loved. I'm sorry you chose power." Ooooh

Some dude calling himself Engelbert of Humperdinck or something says that he wants to take her to Aretuza. I think he's been sent by the mage council. Ah yes, teal witch asked for her. (Or did she?)

Teal witch is not there. Yennefer walks the halls, remembering. She goes to her old room, finds some girls goofing off, but decides not to tell on them because "fuck that old bag." Ha.

Yennefer offers to teach the girls "what those herbs are really good for." Lol, she's accepting the teaching position Teal Witch offered her without even trying!

The girls get high on mixing herbs and giggle. Yennefer finds out that they're children of rich families, not children who showed talent with magic. She is AGHAST.

"You know, there are far worse things than expulsion." "Like what?" She's gonna show them the eels.

Teal Witch comes to stop her. "You ruined one life. Stop there." Whatever dude.

The council of mages doesn't want to stop Nilfgaard because Cintra never loved them, or whatever. This entire land is made of petty grudges.

In comes Fringilla, who talks up the White Flame and talks down Cintra.

Yennefer votes to burn it all down. The rest of them vote for Cintra to go fuck itself, but not Teal Witch. She says some of them are going to fight secretly and asks Yennefer to join them. She's like "why would I protect this?"

Finally, finally we're catching up to the present. During which time Geralt has been in the Cintran jail, it looks like? He gets the fuck out of there when shit starts to go down, and isn't there when Mousesack comes looking.

Geralt has been watching the sacking of Cintra, and sees Calanthe fall to her death.

He's been stabbing dudes and asking them where Cirilla went. One of them tries to prophecy to him and he stabs the dude in the neck, cutting off his speech. Hah.

"Gods, what kind of crazy person talks to a horse?" lolol

Some Cintran dudes find Ciri and decide to give her up for ransom. Nice. They grab her, she screams a bit, but then her head is thrown back by an unseen force and she starts prophecying! It's pretty creepy and great. But where is Geralt? If he's been following after her this whole time, why hasn't he caught up to her by now??

episode 1 - episode 2 - episode 3 - episode 4 - episode 5 - episode 6 - episode 7

[eldesvandehistoriasperdidas]

And don't you dare to forget it darling.

"It had been a normal mission, like any of the countless others they had made, until something changed. " 

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Risk... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUU

Wise beyond her years, smart, intelligent, brave, and one hell of a fighter. This little fic is to remind you how awesome you are. You get angry on my behalf (like a lot of people in our group), you make me laugh and smile when the dark clouds are too thick.

I love you to the moon and back.

And I will hug the stuff outta you when I see you in Madrid.

Love you

Abbie

P.S. Mel helped ^^

It had been a normal mission, like any of the countless others they had made, until something changed. One scream, a twist too slow, a flash of red and gold in front of him…

God, Tony…

Grabbing his head, Steve tried to forget what had happened, that memory that haunted him. But he knew it was a futile effort as he was never going to forget the worry, the fear, and the utter terror of losing him.

He didn’t know how many hours he had spent on the waiting room, sitting on the cold floor. Still dressed on his suit only without his cowl; Steve was silent and quiet, blue eyes cold and paralyzing to anyone who asked him to move.

He was not moving. Not now.

He waited, silent and still, until he saw Bruce and Doctor Cho get out of the Med Bay; tiny smiles on their lips, and he allowed himself to let a breath he was holding since that scream…

Tony was alive. He was going to make it. He was going to be ok.

Steve didn’t bother at hiding how relieved and happy he felt, and Bruce saw it. The doctor saw his fear, his relief and how affected he was. It was strange… He looked like a wounded animal and bringing Tony to safety had been the only thing keeping him from lashing.

All the team had been injured before. Why was this time different?

“I’ll go to talk with the team, keep him company”

Quiet, silent, quick on his feet; Steve left them; not caring about the prognosis, not about what had they needed to take care of. Bruce smile meant everything was ok, that his “science bro” was alive and ok.

That Tony was going to be ok.

The sight in front of him nearly bought him to tears. Tony, lying, surrounded by wires and machines, his chest falling and rising softly. It was like he was just sleeping, like every other morning.

Just like early that morning…

…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---

Blue eyes opened, light filtering from the windows making him frown. It was late, later than his usual hour to wake up, so why…

The warm body against his was the answer. A mop of dark unruly hair, tanned skin, a hand with a silver glittering ring... His husband had something to do with it, he was sure.

Every day he felt the luckiest man alive. He had his family with him, he helped to protect the world, laughed with his brother in all but blood, enjoyed life with his team.

Loved his husband every day…

The same husband he felt moving, curling against his chest, ending up nearly on top of him. It was such an endearing sight… He was married to a truly amazing man…

Carefully he began to draw in his skin, tracing mindless patterns. In his chest, Tony’s ring shone with a dark gleam, the vibranium reflecting the morning light. He smiled, remembering the moment Tony had told him about changing the rings, about how even when they needed to be separated, to ignore each other they would carry a bit of each other right next to their heart.

Hiding their marriage was difficult, sometimes wishing they could have a normal relationship. Always hiding their marriage, always keeping secrets and masquerading to have some time alone… Luckily with the help of Bucky and Rhodey (best man of each other at their wedding) they got quite a lot of time to be together.

He smiled remembering how invested their “brothers” have been during their relationship. They have become their biggest supporters and protectors. They have been there for them since the first date (Rhodey had been the one who convinced Tony to ask him on a date), their first kiss (Bucky had smiled when he had told him how earth moving had been the goodnight kiss they shared a few minutes before), their first “I love you” (Rhodey had laughed his ass off when Tony told him, red even in his ears how Steve had whispered into his ear the three magic words while watching the stars after being stranded in a little cabin on the mountains during a mission) or their first time (which both of them took lots of pleasure pulling every single detail out of them)…

But even when the decision had been mutual, something they talked about during their marriage it never got easier to deal with the consequences of that choice. Too many enemies, too many whispers, too much hate.

Their marriage was no one business, but their own.

The two James had been the only ones presents on their wedding, groomsman’s and witness… The ones who helped them, that covered them... The ones who loved them enough to be their protectors.

A soft noise bought him back from his thoughts, finding himself trapped in a pair of sleepy dark chocolate eyes he knew very well…

“mrrning”

“Good morning to you too sweetheart”

Their kiss was just a brush of lips, but oh so sweet… Smiling against his lips, Tony moved and kissed him on the chin, making him laugh. He was still half asleep…

“Like your laugh…”

“You make me happy Tony.” He replied tangling their hands together, pressing a kiss to his hair. Honey and metal… All Tony.

“Like you happy” he yawned, looking at him with a smile in his still sleepy eyes.

Without worrying, he kissed him again, this time pouring all the love he felt for the sleepy genius. He was the smile in his darkest days, his calm inside the storm, his partner inside and outside the battle.

He was the other half of his heart… even if no one (apart from their brothers) knew.

"Want to share the shower?"

"Uhmmmmmmm sounds nice"

…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---…---

He couldn’t believe that moment had happened only in the morning. They had been called into the mission; an easy mission. And now he laid there... so still…

“I suppose you will wake up early. If Bruce and Helen are not worried…” words poured, and he was unable to keep them locked inside his mind “You are an idiot… Why did you get between me and that shot? I heal quicker than you…”

He blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay. It was not the right moment. Not when he was guarding his husband. Not when he was weakened and vulnerable.

“You forgot to pick your ring today. Left it when you went to take your shower… Got it right next to mine” he smiled, talking softly “It’s strange to have my own ring with me… I’m so used at the gold that seeing the silver on the chain is weird. When you wake up I’ll put it on your finger, like the day we got married. And I’ll be glad to keep you on the workshop where I can keep you safe. “

He breathed deeply, trying to keep himself together. But he was not going to feel complete again. Not until those dark brown eyes were open and watching at him again.

“I know that you will do it again, even if I wish, foolishly you won’t. I tried over the years to get that promise from you, but… I know I would do the same for you. I guess that’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you, you are the most stubborn idiot I have ever met. And have the biggest and most loving heart I have ever…” A sob mingled with his words and stopped until he regained his breath again “When I saw you fall Tones, I felt like something died inside my chest. You are the reason why everyone thinks I’m so great. You make me be the best version of me… I need you with me until we are old and gray and I can still fall in love with you over our stupid bickerin…”

“Steve”

He stopped talking, frozen on the spot.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…

The whole team was watching them surprised, wide eyes after hearing confession no one should have heard. Only both James looked at them with their eyes filled with sorrow and worry; ready to jump on their defense.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

Fuck, Tony was going to be so pissed. He was pissed at himself…

Stupid idiot.

“If you are going to say something, say it now”

His voice was full of worry but had that hint of steel that was characteristic of the Captain. The team was going to be pissed, he knew that. But his partner was down, and he was going to keep him safe, even if he had to deal with the team on his own.

“Were you going to tell us at all?” Nat’s eyes were curious, trying to find something in his friend’s attitude.

“No”

Taken aback by the answer, the rest of the team went silent and stared; waiting. Steve sighed, his heart mixed… and started talking, this time his eyes glued to his husband.

“So many things could go wrong if everyone knew about us. Villains capturing one of us to get to the other, the media talking shit about how he got his spot on the team because of our relationship or how he is corrupting me. The board of Stark Industries trying to make him get an heir and the public saying whatever they want about us without knowing, hurting him. And you all would be in the middle trying to help us. But it was our decision.” His eyes were now ice cold, fixed in them, daring them to say anything. “So when Tony wakes up, don’t you dare to give him grief about this.”

“They will behave Stevie, of that I’m sure” Bucky added, going to stand next to his best friend, crossing his hand and letting the metal one glint against the neon lights. He had gotten attached to the tiny genius who had given Steve and himself not only a home; but a family.

“Hey, how’s our boy?” Always the mediator, Rhodey went to stand on the other side of the bed, dark eyes fixed on Bruce, hoping this would defuse the tension on the room.

“He will be okay in a few hours Colonel. Rest and light duty so if he tries the armour…” Bruce was going to continue, but Steve cut him with a frown.

“I’ll take care of that. He is not going to be near the workshop or the armours.”

“Please don’t let it be like the last time Rogers. That was so embarrassing” Rhodes snorted, trying to stifle a laugh, and the team got surprised when they saw Steve reddening. What was that about?

“Hey it was a legit way of keeping him off the lab. You just appeared on the wrong moment…” he shrugged, even if he was still a bit red on the ears.

“I assume you two were at the wedding” Clint said, pointing at both James who nodded, twin beaming smiles but…

“If I hadn’t made Rhodey my groomsman he would have killed me”

To their surprise, the owner of that voice was looking at Steve with tired dark brown eyes searching for any injury. Even after being the one injured on his behalf, he was worried about him. Then, it hit Steve like a train. And his blue eyes watered.

He was finally awake.

“Sweetheart, how are you feeling?” he asked, not caring now. They knew. He did not need to keep the appearances. He won’t.

“Like a truck ran over me. What happened?” he rubbed the bandages, sore and tired, but Steve grabbed his hand trying to keep him from reopening the wound.

“You put yourself between me and the blow… You idiot” Steve grasped his hand, trying to stop his mind screaming "heisokheisokheisok". Knowingly Tony gripped his hand, soft but alive.

“Your idiot” his smile, even tired and small, was pure unadulterated love, and he needed to kiss it.

Steve was careful with his lover injuries, and Tony still tired, only letting his hand rest against the nape of his neck. But they poured on the kiss the relief they felt seeing that the other was alright.

He is alright, their hearts screamed. He is alright.

When they moved, Tony saw a golden glint against silver and realized he was seeing both rings on Steve’s neck.

Tracing them with a finger, he looked into Steve's eyes, curious. His partner blue eyes watched him for a few seconds, always mesmerized by his partners fingers...

“Why do you have my ring Steve?”

“You forgot it on the bathroom this morning. I was going to give it back after the call, but you ended up here” he said softly, eyes fixated on Tony “It feels weird having it with me… It belongs to you.”

The team smiled at the sweet display of affection, tender and loving... Tired, Tony let his forehead rest against Steve’s, closing his eyes with a tiny smile on his lips.

“Always. And don’t you dare to forget it darling"