#and the more they let Guzman talk about his character

[canichangemyblogname]

lol. LMFAO even.

(All the notes are incredibly civil, this just breaks the perception that Buddie is the majority opinion.)

[mischiefbuckley]

For this season being marketed like Eddie’s season again with Ryan doing so much press heading into the beginning of season 8… like where are all my Eddie scenes ABC??? Season 8b please deliver on more Eddie scenes and more focus on Eddie’s storyline please 🙏🏻

[miriam-heddy]

Ryan Guzman's gotten so much better at talking about all this. I mean, compared to 2020? He's really had an intellectual glow-up.

On being Mexican...

"The reason I’ve spoken more and more about being Mexican is the fact that I’m white-passing, so a lot of people assume that I’m more white than not... So now let me make it a staple... Let me make a direct connection that no, I’m Mexican. I want the world to know: don’t be speaking ill about mi gente in my vicinity, or else, you’re going to get some feedback.”

On Catholic guilt...

“I have my own relationship with Catholic guilt. I was an altar boy and I went to the seminary for a couple of weeks and realized, you know, not for me. And I think, it’s so ingrained in the culture that it’s synonymous now to us, which is kind of crazy to me now that I’ve gone back into my own heritage and understood that was never where we came from. ”

Read the whole thing. It's a good interview.

More in this vein here: https://www.tumblr.com/stagefoureddiediaz/762088451583672320/everything-ryan-says-is-so-considered-and

[ryanguzmansource]

Full Transcript (8.4.24)

(already posted on RGS here)

M: Recording? Everybody recording?

R: Everybody's recording.

M: Everybody tuned in? We just filmed half the episode and forgot that we weren't recording.

R: No, that was great.

M: Yeah, and that's my time. Man, yo, what up gang? Welcome to the L&L Podcast, where we sit down with a dope individual, get a lecture, learn a little bit about their life, then we get in the lab and create something dope, which is gonna come at a later day, because me and this guest got a real special one that's gonna take some time, so be patient. I promise it's gonna be worth it. In the meantime, there's gonna be a special aspect, a special section of this interview. It's gonna be for Patreon only. It's gonna be Fan Questions and a little mini lab that I haven't told him about yet, because it's gonna be a surprise slash side mission, but yeah, so we're gonna get there, patreon.com/lnlpod.

Join the university right now, it's only $5, and you can get the BTS and the creatives and all the episodes a day early, and for the other seven episodes as well. So this episode is the season one finale.

Yeah, I'm so hyped that y'all made it this far. Season One has been a road. So yeah, you know, we wanna keep doing more and more and more, and we're in a new space. This is the Feybl [pronounced Fable] House, first episode that we gonna do here, and this is gonna be our new home for a while, and it ain't cheap, so all my brands out there, if you wanna sponsor the boy, that'd be great.

[INTRO MUSIC]

M: All right, we're here today with somebody super dope. I've known him for a while now, maybe six years or so through a mutual friend, and since day one that we've met, he's let me into his life and into his home, and he's been a big supporter of me and everything I've been doing these last six years and vice versa and some quick flowers. Multi-talented in so many different facets of art, and we're gonna try to get into all of them in some way, shape or form today. My boy, Ryan Guzman. What's cracking, my boy?

R: What's up, bro? Thanks for having me, man.

M: I appreciate that.

R: I appreciate you.

M: Yeah, you're my dog. You're my dog. I just jumped into it. I wasn't gonna start it this way, but when you told me where you were earlier today, you had a fitting for a season eight for 9-1-1. What kind of weird shit they got you wearing?

R: Nothing weird yet. I mean, I feel like it's more clothes this season than last. The last season, I felt like half naked half the whole season. Nah, I mean, the character's been established now. We kind of know what to expect with the vibe, and now it's just kind of falling back in the old rhythm. And the only thing different now is where the character's head's at and where he's going.

M: Got you. I mean, the majority of what you wear is the firefighter fit anyway.

R: Yeah, a lot of plaid, a lot of cowboy shit.

M: It's legit, though, like the firefighter fits. They're like legit firefighter shit.

R: To an extent. Yeah, there's certain times where we're wearing the actual gear and we'll have to take out the lining because if we're in, say, for instance, 112 degree weather, we got to stay in that shit for like hours. I can cuss?

M: Yeah.

R: All right. We got to stay in that shit for like 12 hours, 14 hours. So we're not trying to do that. So luckily, the wardrobe department helps us out.

M: Because that shit be heavy as hell, bro.

R: I mean, full gear, that's like 50, 60 pounds.

M: See, no, I'm good.

R: Yeah.

M: I'm good. That's why you get paid the big bucks, bro.

R: Yeah.

M: That's dope, man. Okay. Can we talk about where you just came from? With Rosario [Dawson]?

R: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We can talk about that.

M: Cool. Yeah. He just got back from filming over the weekend. It was quick weekend shoot, like in and out?

R: It was full week. Yeah. And how it happened actually was kind of crazy. Like my boy Lamont, shout out to him, he's the writer on the movie, and they had already been filming. So they're like 10, 12 days in. He hit me up and he's like, hey, so this character that we've been writing, like we don't have anybody for him. They have somebody in mind and then Rosario has another person in mind, but we're not sure if they're going to work out with the scheduling and everything. So I'm like, all right, send me the script. Sends me the script.

M: You was plan B, dog?

R: I was plan C, but-

M: I'll take it.

R: Oh man, after I read that thing—cause I'm not thinking nothing like that—I'm like, you know what? I read that. I'm like, all right, now I'm gonna kill this.

M: Okay.

R: Yeah, I want this. And it's a smaller role, it's what I've been looking for, I'm not looking for, like, the lead role right now.

M: Word.

R: I'm looking for something really textured, really, like, fun to do, and this is everything it was. So, like, I get the thing, I hit Lamont back, I'm like yo, whoever you're thinking about, you can tell me. I'ma—I'ma beat them. I need to get—I need this.

M: I need names. Who were they?

R: Yeah. So I can't remember the first person, but the other person was Wilmer Valderama, and that's a close friend to Rosario.

M: Okay.

R: So I almost hit Wilmer, cause I know Wilmer, and I was like, bro, step out. [laughs] But everything worked out the way it should be. So I sent Lamont, you know, my fight background. I sent him me shooting and stuff cause it's an action flick.

M: I was going to say fight background. So your character, you whooping on somebody?

R: Yeah, we get down. So me and Rosario, she's doing like a John Wick kind of thing.

M: Oh.

R: Yeah.

M: So she's the John Wick?

R: She's the John Wick.

M: Let's go.

R: Yeah. I'm the partner.

M: Okay. Good guy partner.

R: Good guy partner.

[INDISTINGUISHABLE]

M: Alright.

R: Either way, though, like the whole thing was just from day one, like, as soon as I get on set, she was the coolest person in the fucking world.

M: Tight. First time working with her?

R: First time working. We have mutual friends. Like I said, Wilmer, we know Wilmer. Another girl named Pantera Sarah. Shout out to her too. But there's so many like individuals that we know, we never crossed paths.

M: Sure.

R: And I heard from all of them, like, when you get to see her, you're going to understand why so many people love her. And I can understand.

M: Quick.

R: I was on a FaceTime with my kids and my mom, and she pops in right behind, and she just like naturally flows into the conversation. She's like, give me a hug kind of thing. And she's like, you know..

M: Those are the kind of people you want to work with, man. Like, there's so many people out there, they can turn such a positive environment and opportunity into just like, yo, get me out of here.

R: I've worked with them.

M: I know.

R: Yeah, I've worked with some idols of mine and I'm like, never meet your idols. idols of mine and I'm like, okay...

M: Never meet your idols, man. That's what they say.

R: Learning experience, yeah.

M: You don't have to say names. Do you have any stories that pop in your head, like when you think of working with people like that, you're like, yo, there's one time, there's one person that was like this.

R: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

M: You don't have to say names.

R: It's a learning experience. As soon as you find out certain people you thought would be, like, really, really talented in one aspect, and you hear that they're using a little ear thing, or they don't even know about the script. I heard one of my idols say, I hope—the movie that I was doing with—goes straight to the trash. I was like, I'm doing a movie with you. Yeah. Like what? Like how do you—? Come to find out it was just for a paycheck. So I'm like, okay. So those kind of things are defeating. But then you work with Rosario Dawson. You work with certain individuals like Angela Bassett.

M: Like, yeah.

R: My God. They give you this new sense of energy, this new like, like, this is why I do this, you know?

M: I was going to save this question for the private one because we already flown in it and you can plead the fifth, bro. But there was another podcast interview from a homie of mine called the No Chaser Podcast. Shout out No Chaser. And he brought on an ex of yours who mentioned that there was an ex of hers who that person worked on a movie where that actress forced him to pretend to be single and went public and faked a relationship for press for the movie.

R: Yeah.

M: Some legitimacy behind that?

R: To fake to be single? Nah, there was no faking to be single, but it did seem like I-I don't know, because I was going everywhere with, we're talking about Jennifer Lopez, right?

M: We are, yeah.

R: I was going everywhere with Jennifer Lopez and, like, rumors get spread and that's kind of what it was. And I'm kind of new to the whole, like, fame thing and at that point, so I done Step Up and stuff, that's a certain fame, but Jennifer Lopez is on a different level. So I wasn't used to everybody being in my business and asking crazy outlandish questions. Seeing me by her side, I'm thinking it's all promotional for the movie, and then it turned into this other thing.

M: Well, I mean, when she's like, you think it's promotion and she's like, yeah, promotion and just slips you one of these or leans in a little bit too close and is like, hey, I'm going to head out. You need to leave with me. Like, just walk me to my car, but don't tell people why. Just let's go.

R: Like, it was nothing like that. It was like, yeah, because had it been like that. She's a vet.

M: She knows what to do.

R: She knows what she's doing. But I, at the time, didn't, and I was just going with the flow pretty much. And I had, yeah, at that point in time, I had a girlfriend. Everything was on the up and up. I told her, you know, everything that was going down and everything. And I think she had been talking to Casper at that point.

M: Jen.

R: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they were on and off and on.

M: That's how I met Jen was through Casper.

R: Relationship kind of thing, yeah. So everything was exactly what it should have been. And again, I'm thinking, I killed this shit on the movie. So I'm like, I want people to see this. So you're asking me to do promotion with you? Yes.

M: Let's go.

R: Let's do it. I'm going to do everything I possibly can. Oh, you want to bring me on a whatever show? I'm there.

M: Yeah.

R: So I'm saying yes to everything. Yeah. So it can be perceived as something else. But to be honest, I never had that interest as crazy as it sounds. I don't know if a lot of people have been like, I'm not that, I'm not that. And if you really know me, then you understand that I'm not that. But yeah, and when I got that, that peek into her lifestyle, it's even more the fact that I don't want to be famous.

M: Yeah.

R: And I don't want all of that, that comes with her and everything. So I'll be a friend of hers.

M: Sure.

R: I'll support her from this side.

M: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the first time I met Jen, I was in her house. I didn't even know it was her house. Casper had a, we were doing something with Ian Eastwood for Tyga, and we were rehearsing at this place, and Casper was like, yo, just do rehearsal at my house. So I show up to Casper's house, and it's in Calabasas. I need a freaking password to get into the neighborhood. All this other shit. I'm like, yo, what is happening? And I pulled to this house. I was like, there's no way a dancer lives here, bro. You got to have like 46-

R: That's the one with the theater room in it, right? Big old theater room.

M: In the studio? Or in the house?

R: In the house.

M: I didn't get to view the whole house. There was like three wings. There was like three wings. I only went where the dance studio slash gym was.

R: I know what you're talking about. It had a big-ass gym and had a boxing bag.

M: Big old gym, boxing. Yeah, a whole set up, bro. And I walk in that joint, and I'm just like, there's no way you live here, bro. So I was like, I don't know whose house this is, but whatever. And then we rehearsing, and Casper's on the call, and he's like, yo, Jen's on her way home. She wants to come in and watch. And everybody's like, oh, no pressure, all that stuff. And I was like, I don't know who the fuck Jen is. Who's Jen?

R: Yeah.

M: Like, there's a million Jens in the world.

R: Ms. Lopez herself.

M: Yeah. And she just got off of work. At the time, I think she was a guest judge on American Idol or something like that. So she comes in, dolled up, heels, whatever, looking like she just got off the fucking national TV show. And then she just walks in, takes her heels off, sits down, wipes her butt, and shakes my hand. And I was just like, well, there go that hand.

R: You haven't washed it since?

M: I mean, I run it under water. Nah, that was a while ago. That was back in, I don't know, 2013, 2014. It's been a while. But I just, yeah, I had no idea this was her crib. And then it clicked, I was like, oh, okay, yeah. All right, Casper, you went, really? How? How do you do that? How do you pull that? Are y'all like Britney and Kevin Fed? Like, K-Fed? Is that what's going on? And they're like, yeah, pretty much. I'm like, all right, this ain't gonna last. This ain't gonna last very long. And it didn't. Shout out to Casper.

R: Yo, that's a crazy shout out right there. That's a crazy shout out.

M: Well, honestly, man, I don't like, I got respect for Casper, everything that he's done. That job, I got through Ian. So like, I don't, you know, credit Casper for like putting me in that situation. I do remember working with Casper one extra time, and he showed up to set as a creative director in rain boots, basketball shorts, and like a peacoat, and that was his fit of choice for the day. So I was like, okay, huh, that's interesting. Yeah. Yeah. And at that point, I was like, you lost me, bro. Like, you lost me. I don't know what's happening now. No disrespect, though. Like, you're talented, you're cool, like, we cool. But as a person who was your friend for like two hours, we got to talk about that fit. And that's just public help. So working with Jen on the show or in the film was good. It was a good experience.

R: I had a great time.

M: Well, I mean, yeah, we all saw the movie. We saw.

R: Yeah, it was intense on many, many levels.

M: You were like, I need another take. I got to run that back. I can do better.

R: The whole thing was crazy. I was, I mean, obviously, it's Jennifer Lopez. I'm a no name person from Step Up series, which I don't think anybody saw at that time.

M: Yeah.

R: Come to find out later on, it's like one of my bigger movies.

M: Big community.

R: Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to everybody that supported me and all the dancers out there. You know that. So I'm thinking coming in to this thing, like I got to work a trillion times harder as if I just started Step Up. Like I'm not a dancer, I'm not an actor, so I got to work a trillion times harder to get this role. Same thing with Boy Next Door. This girl is established, she's had plenty of things. I'm talking to Selena. So like I need to step up my game in all aspects.

M: No pun intended.

R: And I literally felt every single day the pressure of like, how do I still give her all her glory and shine to make her look good, but also stand out?

M: That's a nice balance. That's a hard balance.

R: Yeah, because you don't want to try and outshine somebody.

M: It's hard to do.

R: Yeah, I mean, but people try and do that and it backfires on them.

M: You look thirsty. Yeah, it looks real bad.

R: It looks really bad. Nobody wants to work with you or anything. So I like—there's a level of respect that you always want to have, and I always gave her that level of respect. It was kind of reciprocated and I think it was an open environment that we created together. So it lent itself to just what it is now and why people enjoy it. And yeah, there's campiness to the movie, which I think again makes it an enjoyable film. If everything was supposed to be serious and everything was supposed to be like—

I was just on a radio show talking about how my character gives her a first edition book that should have never been given to her. And like, there's no way, like unless I robbed the Vatican, I would never have been able to give her this book. So, you know, there is some like level of levity to the whole film. But the whole fact that we were able to work cohesively and play off each other so well and it be kind of nice and comfortable, which was partly because of her as well.

M: Yeah.

R: Yeah, you know, I didn't feel anything crazy and it felt like natural.

M: That's good. That's good. Honestly, man, like, and this is also speaking from slight experience, but there's actors and actresses out there that you got to catch them in certain stages of their life to have those type of experiences with them. I feel like if you would have booked this movie with her maybe two years ago, you probably would have had a completely different experience.

R: Yes, I would have.

M: You know, based on where you are in life but also the things that she's gone through.

R: Yeah, I've heard the other stuff. Yeah, and like I can't relate to be honest.

M: That's great. So, okay. So have you been asked about that specific scene with her before?

R: Too many times.

M: Yeah, kind of like how that came about.

R: Came with a lot of Jen and a lot of Rob, which is the director.

M: Yeah.

R: Those two individuals came with the whole scene. I stayed quiet. I didn't do nothing.

M: You're like, just tell me where you want me.

R: I was like, what? You want me to do what? And with what? What? Okay. Let me wrap my head around this because…

M: Is this your first sex scene?

R: That was my first sex scene.

M: Like in your career? I mean…

R: Yeah, yeah, that was. Yeah.

M: That's scary.

R: Yeah.

M: To have your first sex scene with Jen, bro? Like, she's already a sex icon.

R: All these different things. And like, bro, I got nervous at one point in time in the middle of filming. I think it was like our first or second take. And I was supposed to pick her up and I grabbed her. And I was so nervous.

M: Is this okay?

R: Nah, I grabbed her and I accidentally put too much behind it. And I threw her ass into the roof. Like, she hit her head into the roof. And I was like, oh my God. I'm like, I just damaged the like, the lead of the film.

M: Am I fired?

R: Yeah, I'm thinking like, I'm blushing and everything. I'm like, I'm freaking out.

M: I'll get my stuff.

R: Exactly. They already found out. Casper's about to swoop in and take the ball. But it's one of the things, like the whole time, I'm trying to stay calm and copacetic and just be like, alright, where do you need me? What do you need me to do? And I don't want to make it a weird, it's already weird to be doing a sex scene amongst like, in general, you know, seven, eight people.

M: Yeah.

R: And a bunch of, you look up, a bunch of dudes are just sitting there like this. [stares]

M: Like, all right, look.

R: Yeah.

M: Go get a snack, man.

R: It's not as sexy as everybody thinks it is, no matter who you're doing it with.

M: Right. It's still awkward.

R: It's still very awkward.

M: See, I could, man, like—the first time, I mean, once you've done a couple, okay, your first one ever being with Jen, I'm questioning, can I ask, can I, is this like consent? You know what I mean?

R: Yeah. I mean, luckily again, she was the one controlling everything and I think that's how it should be in the sex scenes where, you know, females are just like, you know, I'll give you my two cents on where I feel like the character is coming from.That being said, like, tell me what you're comfortable with, because I will not, I don't want to step over the boundaries or anything like that. So, and she was, and she is that kind of person. She's very directional. So she knows which direction she wants to go to. And Rob, you know—this is another thing, like nobody would understand how awkward this situation was. As much as it looks sexy, we're trying to sell that sexiness and intimacy.

Picture this: me, Rob is right here. He's like, alright, you're gonna lower your hand. Okay, then you're gonna go to her neck. So, it's not like…

M: You got a grown man whispering in your ear while you're trying to touch on Jennifer Lopez.

R: I got a grown man telling me how to make love to this woman.

M: I know what I'm doing, Rob.

R: Yeah. So, it's not what it seems. And the whole fact that people resonated with that and that scene kind of went so much. It's like, we did our job then.

M: Yeah.

R: Because you don't feel a person right next to me talking to me like this.

M: And honestly, and you telling me that like, your real mindset was like… The first thing that it went to was, I feel like this is what the character needs, as opposed to, Mikey is about to touch Jennifer, not my character is about to touch her character.

R: Yeah, not gonna go that way.

M: You know what I mean? So to have that switch is like, that's hard to do, brother.

R: For me, it's not, to be honest. And I think maybe also being in a relationship at the same time, like, I did feel weird, because I mean, yes, we're actors and we're doing what we're told to do. But in my personal life, I'm giving my everything to this girl.

M: Sure.

R: You know, and you know me, I happen to be very devout when it comes to being respectful to my women that I'm with, and I don't want to cross any of those boundaries. So I'm forced to cross this boundary in this film. Yeah. So I'm like, alright, I got to make this more businesslike. And I know a lot of men out there, you know, a lot of friends out there would come to me and be like, nah, bro, if I was in this situation...

M: But you're not.

R: That's why you didn't get the job.

M: But you're not.

R: And that's why you probably wouldn't be in it. So like, you know, I have to get the respect to who I'm working with.

M: Is there any role out there that you feel uncomfortable with? Are you like down for whatever? Are you one of those actors that's like…

R: No, I got my boundaries.

M: You got your boundaries? Good, good, good.

R: Yeah. And I don't think I'll ever, you know, really explain my boundaries.

M: Voice those, yeah. That's for you.

R: Yeah. It'll just be like, no, I don't want to do that.

M: Got you.

R: I'm gonna stay over here.

M: Got you. Is it more situations or like characters in general?

R: All the above. It depends on what I'm resonating with or not resonating with. Because I want the character now, at this point in my life, I need the character to resonate in truth.

M: Yeah.

R: You know, even if it's a comedy or not, right, you know, I'm trying to up my acting as much as I can every single year.

M: I feel you.

R: So if I can't be truthful in it, then I don't feel like I'm doing it justice.

M: Yeah. I mean, as an aspiring actor, I know, you know, I've been like taking classes. I'm not like anywhere near what you got going on. But you know that it's a goal one day and I'm working towards it. You know, you already start the picture in your mind, your dream goals, but then like your dream roles. But you also start the picture like—because I'm so new and you feel like you want to say yes to everything because you don't have anything on your resume yet. Like if a major motion picture, John Wick 7, whatever, I don't even know what number they're on now, hits me up and we're like, yo, we want you to play a role and be a significant part of the film. It's really hard to say no to something like that, but they're like, you have to play a racist who says the n word 46 times. I have trouble living with myself being that character. You know what I mean?

R: You have every right to at the same time. Like you don't—just because it's Quentin Tarantino doesn't mean you have to do it.

M: I know.

R: But it is Quentin Tarantino. So a lot of people will be like, all right, well, I got the pass now. You know?

M: Yeah.

R: I got the culture pass like...

M: Yeah, it's for the arts, for the films, for you know.

R: And if it is meant, it's all about how you interpret it. And so anybody that does do certain things that I probably wouldn't do, there's nothing against any of that. And they found their way through that, and you know, it probably came out with an incredible, you know, performance.

M: Yeah.

R: What was the BlacKkKlansman? That? Yeah. Like, so you see certain people do certain things on that. You're like, oh, I don't know if I could do that.

M: I probably couldn't do it.

R: So, you know, all power to them, and we're all storytelling at the same time. So there's an understanding and a kind of like acknowledgement that this is for an art and this is for the story itself, this has no representation on your personal life.

M: Yeah.

R: But again, it's the interpretation of the artist.

M: Also, though, with that, it is not a personal, like, indication on who you are as a person. But when it's your first project and you blow up from it, a lot of people recognize you as that. Somebody who's already established, who have done 10, 20 different roles at this point, you know, Johnny Depp comes out with a movie tomorrow where he's super racist. No one's gonna look at him as the racist guy in the street. They're like, he's playing a role.

R: Exactly.

M: But if you've never seen me before in your life and now every time you see me, you just think of, oh, he's the one that was…

R: Oh, he's that guy that did that.

M: He's that guy from the—You hate me no matter what. Even though you know it's a role.

R: Yeah.

M: You know what I mean?

R: That's gonna be the nature of the business, man.

M: You said that a little too believable, man. You said that a little too believable.

R: But literally, that's how it's gonna be for the rest of your acting career, man. People are gonna resonate with a certain character from your career, and they'll always see you as that character. When I go out, nowadays, I'm either Sean from Step Up—

M: Or you Eddie

R: Or I'm Eddie from 911. I'm not Ryan. And I gotta understand that. So the way I break the barrier down is, when you come up to me as a fan of the show or a fan of the character, I come up back to you and I'm like, hey, so what's your name? Tell me something about you. And that kind of breaks this whole, like, you know, actor barrier that allows it a little bit more ease, and then you get to see Ryan rather than Eddie. But that's something that you'll come upon, like John Wick 7 comes through and you have to be this crazy person over here and that somebody sees you as that person for the next couple years.

M: It's the nature.

R: That's the nature. You gotta learn how to navigate.

M: You got to be the guy who slept with JLo for a couple of years though. That was who people saw you as.

R: Yeah, that was crazy. Yeah, I mean, that's on so many levels.

M: I'll do that. I'll take that.

R: You could tell the type of fan because it was Step Up and Boy Next Door at that time. And certain fans show up and I'm like, oh, Step Up from the jump. Step Up. Alright. And then the other person be like, looking at me a little differently, alright. I know what scene you're thinking of.

M: Well, let's pick up with Step Up. That audition process, because you weren't a dancer before. And I'm pretty sure out of all, was it like four or five, five films, five Step Ups?

R: Now there's five.

M: Five, yeah. Out of all five step ups, I'm pretty sure Rob Hoffman was the only one who was a dancer prior as far as lead roles go. You get a, you get a call from your agent saying there's an audition for a role. Can you dance? Or I guess the audition process of Step Up specifically, because as a dancer, we know what our audition is like as dancers for a step up film. But like as an actor role, like walking through that a little bit.

R: Yeah. So I just got my manager like two, three months prior.

M: That's a good manager.

R: Yeah, man. I stayed with him this whole time. Like shout out to Tim Taylor. Yeah. I hear from another individual they're going out for the bad guy in Step Up. Like the guy that's trying to take down all the people that are trying to do these flash mobs.

M: He's so mean. He just looked like it.

R: I hear this and I'm like, bro, alright, I need to try, at least try, you know. I've seen the first Step Up. I really liked it. I love dancing. Even though I'm not a professional dancer, they would have like little sessions, little battles and stuff in Sacramento. And I remember I throw myself in the middle of the circle.

M: Got a big community over there.

R: Yeah, I love it. It's like a Bay Area influence, but we're not the Bay. So it's like, you know, we're the capital. We have our own little vibe too. So I would love to be in those like little situations. I'm like, alright, I know I have rhythm. I know I can dance. I'm not on that level, but I'm competitive. So just throw me in there real quick as like one of the side characters. And then my manager hits me back that same day. He's like, alright, you got an audition for the lead role. No, I said side character. I don't know if you heard me. And he goes, no, no, no, you're not a side character. You're a leading man. Like, so you're going to go out for the leading man. Again, for him to have that kind of vision for me, like that set my career path. I read it. I called a friend of mine. We went over the audition. I did my best version of Channing Tatum.

M: Which is what? Which is what?

R: I can't even tell you right now, because I like-

M: Let's see it, let's give me your Channing.

R: It was a version of Step Up 1, you know, like endearing, but kind of like got the street wisdom to it, and like I can move, and I got that little like, I don't know, the charisma was there and everything.

M: Well, he was a stripper before, so that kind of helps.

R: He was a stripper. Yeah, I wasn't a stripper. So he had all that in his bag, but for me it's...

M: There's still time. Magic Mike 5.

R: I'm gonna follow this man's career the whole time.

M: Why not?

R: Yeah, so I went in there, I did my thing and then, bro, that was the longest audition process I've ever had in my entire life. It was four or five acting auditions and then four or five dance auditions on top. So I remember doing the first audition hearing right away that I'm gonna get a call back. I'm flipping. So I'm like, okay. And the next audition was a dance audition. I'm like, I didn't know that. Okay, we gotta go there. So I'm on YouTube trying to figure out like, what's the new move out there? Like, how do I even get into this choreo thing?

M: I was gonna say, you gotta learn choreo or they want you to freestyle?

R: I didn't know, but I was gonna prepare both.

M: Regardless, yeah

R: And mind you, I showed up not prepared because like, you can only prepare so much in the night. So, or even a week. And I come in and come to find out I'm going to Jamal Sims, like, leading choreographer out there. And he's still doing, killing things right now. And he's teaching the choreographed session to Chris Brown's song. I can't remember what song it was, but—and then Don Draco Johnson was helping out as well.

M: Yeah, Draco.

R: And man, after a certain amount of time, like, you know what, I'm just going to be, again, competitive. I come from, you know, sports. I come from fighting. I'm going to just try outwork them. I know I don't have the talent they do, so I might as well just outwork these motherfuckers. So, like, that's what I did, and I think it kind of showed. And later on, we got paired up. I think it was four of us, Misha. Gabriel was up for the role of the main guy. And then I remember the last audition, they brought us all in, and they kind of just paired us up as duos. And they were trying to find the best friend kind of dynamic, and they found me.

M: He ended up being the best friend, right?

R: He ended up being the best friend, yeah. And it was his first acting role, my first acting role. Obviously had dance experience with MJ and everything. So I was leaning heavily on these people. Then I got the role, and then honestly that changed my life. And I met my family, my Step Up family to this day.

M: Yeah.

R: You know what I call my family. So Draco, Twitch, Marvelous, Bianca Brewett and Tony Bellissimo, all these individuals I still keep in contact with.

M: Y'all had a good squad, man.

R: Yeah, man.

M: For those films. And what I'll say too, and this is something that I told one of my last guests, my boy Terrence. You know Terrence Green? Ex-dancer who's one of the characters in the Step Up TV show, The High Water.

R: I met him through Marvelous, actually. Yeah. He sings and dances, right? Or no, he raps.

M: Raps, Yeah. So we were talking about his audition a little bit. And what I told him, when it comes to auditioning for a role like that, you're looking for an actor who can dance, not a dancer who can act, because acting is harder than dancing. And you wouldn't think it is, but it is. And like you can clearly out dance me.

R: Can you sell the role?

M: 80% of the movie is conversation. And then 20% of it is dance. So if you can't hold a conversation, if you can't deliver a line like that, even as good as the dancing is, it's not going to matter. You know what I mean? If you're a good enough dancer, but people are going to want to hear you talk more, then we can shadow the dancing, put you in your best limelight in these moments and then let the professional dancers around you carry the dance aspect of it. You know what I mean?

R: 100%.

M: So acting comes first, and then what you need me to do as the character when it comes to physicality, as long as, like you said, you have the will to be competitive and to learn and adapt quick and learn quick, and I have to be told things twice and you're willing to work at it. Those things can happen a lot quicker for you than, hey, you have to go learn how to deliver a line. That takes time to build a character and learn that, you know what I mean?

R: Yeah, I wanted my best just to, I think that that's the key to success in anything, to be honest. Stay open to people that are way more knowledgeable about whatever you're trying to get into, and I just happen to be blessed to be around some of the greatest dancers of all time.

M: Facts.

R: And again, shout out to my brother.

M: Thank you, man, I appreciate that. That's love, man.

R: So, it's like, yeah, man, I've had a great opportunity to be surrounded by some incredible individuals, and my success is partly because of them. So, yeah.

M: You know, you're on 9-1-1, what, nine months of the year, right? And then when you're off, you go shoot a movie real quick in a week, and so you're always trying to stay working. Do you find time to go watch film? Like, do you watch movies? Do you go watch, you go to the theater?

R: All the time. Yeah, I try to. Yeah, because I mean, I feel like I'm just starting, to be honest. I didn't call my, I've said this in so many other interviews. I didn't call myself an actor for the longest time, just because I felt like so many other people were more talented than me. And again, I was going off the basis, like I'm just gonna outwork you. And to this day, I've only had one acting lesson, like one acting class.

So I'm not pulling from the stereotypical thing or what most actors would come from, that background. So I'm like, this is gonna be degrading to hear, this man comes out of nowhere, doesn't want class, and gets all these jobs.

M: With some Will Smith shit.

R: Yeah, I can't do that to these individuals, these artists. So let me just shut up about my stuff and do my thing. And it wasn't until a couple years ago, my boy Kenny Choi, who's on 9-1-1, straightened me out and gave me some wise words. And he's since then been my voice of reason in this whole acting game. And has handed me books that I've been reading and learning. So, yes, it's been a process. So like, I always stay open to new movies, to new act—like Austin Butler is killing things right now. Shia LaBeouf has always been on his game.

M: Directing game, you say.

R: Just in general, like these individual artists have this captivating, you know, sense of who they are as an actor, that when you see them on a big screen, their minimal movement allows you to be like, engaged. Oh my God.

M: For sure.

R: So that's what you really want to study is like, you know, how do I encapsulate that in my own way? And then how can I continue to build each time? What I love, like an actor like Robert Downey Jr. who's had a successful career since he was young, and he's still getting better. Like, he does roles now that we've never seen him do. And just like, how you still kind of outdoing yourself, that's the type of artist I want to be.

M: Just continue to build and try to find new ways to adapt and bring on new characters. So with that, so going back to you watching film, movie of the year.

R: Movie of the year...

M: And there's a right answer, don't fuck this up.

R: Movie of the year, I don't know if I have a movie of the year.

M: I watch this movie every day, Cause of Zo, but continue.

R: Cause of Zo?

M: Yeah.

R: Oh man, so you're going kid movie? No?

M: You would think.

R: Damn, um...I loved Everything Everywhere All at Once. To be honest, it was so outlandish, it was crazy.

M: That last year too though?

R: That was last year too. So this year?

M: Yeah. I mean, I mean,

R: I don't know.

M: It's already July.

R: Yeah. To be honest, I don't know. Nothing, nothing pops into my mind.

M: Dang, you heard it here first. Ryan thinks every movie that came out this year is trash.

R: I've been more in the TV shows, to be honest.

M: Okay, so which TV show?

R: The Bear.

M: The Bear?

R: The Bear is incredible.

M: Okay.

R: Yeah. Have you seen it?

M: Nah, I saw Cocaine Bear. That was crazy.

R: Nah, not that one. The Bear is on the second season or third season.

M: Okay.

R: Third? Yeah. And just the cinematography alone is top tier, but the acting itself is incredible.

M: I'm gonna peep it up.

R: Yeah, Shogun was amazing. I don't know if you've seen that one.

M: Which one?

R: Shogun.

M: Shogun. Okay. Nah, I haven't seen it. I know what it is, though.

R: Shogun is incredible. But those kind of like… I think a lot of what we thought was back in the day, I'm talking about like you, you know, the movie star or TV star, they blended this now with the whole streaming services. So we're seeing a lot of movie stars go into television.

M: Yeah.

R: They're telling what they couldn't do in two-hour movie or three-hour movie into a full-length series, and that's why I kind of lead more towards the series.

M: No, I feel like that's a lot of people's goals right now, because first off, when people like—I couldn't tell you their actor names right now, but when the three leads in Big Bang Theory started banging out a million dollars an episode, and then you go for 15 seasons of 15 to 20 episodes per season, like that's… Yeah, let's do that.

You know what I mean? Let's do that. I could see why being a lead in a TV series that pushes the, you know, Grey's Anatomy of the world and like all of those people who just keep banging out seasons and then you forget the show even exists, but there's enough fans out there to make season 36 for no reason because there's still money coming in.

Like that's the ultimate goal in longevity in this kind of… You know what I mean? As far as finances go anyway, and like being able to hold a character with so much value for so long.

R: Yeah, that's why I have so much gratitude towards 9-1-1.

M: Being Eddie, yeah.

R: Yeah, man. I mean, we're on our eighth season and we're kind of a dying breed, to be honest, as a procedural. There's not too much of procedural is out right now that are successful and making the numbers that we are. So again, to the crew and the cast that create this show, it's just like we've been on cloud nine. And I feel like most of us now that have been here for the long haul have depth now in that gratitude.

So, yeah, to your point, yeah, man, and like having longevity is everything you need. And then having the ability to kind of like step outside and do a movie every now and then. You know, Angela Bassett, bro, like, I'm working with one of the top actresses in the world. And then I get to go play some other actress-Rosario Dawson. I'm literally living in my dream. And it's a pinch me moment all the time. So, yeah.

M: All right. So my favorite movie of the year.

R: What was it?

M: And I want you to find a way to be a part of the third one. Somehow, someway, Godzilla x Kong: New Empire.

R: That was it?

M: Did you see it?

R: I saw Godzilla Minus One, which was incredible.

M: Yes, but not bro. Kong, Godzilla, some epic shit. First of all, one of my favorite like movie. Maybe I just like Gorillas, bro. Maybe I see what it is because I love the Planet of the Apes series.

R: Oh, that was a good one too, yeah.

M: You know what I mean? I mean, they just dropped a new one that was OK. I think it's because of the lack of the Caesar character not being in this one. Maybe just kind of threw me a little bit. But the other three, I just love that shit, right? But Kong x Godzilla from…And I watched a lot of BTS and how they wrote it and what they wanted to do with it. They made Godzilla thinner, more agile, diving in the shit, doing the most. Kong got a gray beard because he's getting old, bro.

R: So the aesthetics got you.

M: Yeah, the way they're building it and the connection between it, but then the way they got the action of them teaming up and fighting the other shit was bugged. The characters behind it, the way they—I don't know, bro. I'm gonna send you a BTS video. And I had you tap in because I think you could find it on Amazon Prime. That's where I watch it. But Zo asked for it every day, every single day. And I bought him the toys and he just got some toys he watches and he does the thing. But I'm super into it. I fucking loved it.

R: I'll check it out just because you said.

M: You're welcome. You're welcome.

R: Alright. Yeah, but the Godzilla Minus One was nice.

M: It was. It was.

R: It brought you back to the actual like rendition, first rendition.

M: Yeah, where it's less about Godzilla and it's more about the character.

R: Them being scared of this massive ass lizard walking around killing people. Yeah.

M: Yeah. Could you imagine like some real life shit having titans in this world? Even if like you're not by it, but you know that they're there.

R: No amount of martial arts, no amount of, like, weaponry can help you.

M: There's nothing.

R: No, you just got to sit back and watch this thing.

M: Find a bunker.

R: Yeah, bro. I'm digging a big asshole in the earth.

M: Huge.

R: Yeah. And I'm putting my family and friends in it.

M: 100%.

R: Yeah. That sounds bad, but I'm going to make a bunker.

M: Yeah. I'm going to get a hole and put my friends in it. Yeah. [talking to someone off camera] I'm going have you grab that. Can you grab that for me, bro? That paper and that metal thing.

Okay. So me and Ryan are about to do something a little fun, but at the same time, I'm going to ask him some fan questions. So this segment of the show is going to be on Patreon. So go to patreon.com/lnlpod to see the extended version and catch this part of the show. Go right now.

[PATREON Q&A. APPROX 15 MINUTES]

R: [talking about the film The Present and the advice costar Isla Fisher gave him.] You know, I thought it was funny and I thought it was, you know, really quality stuff. So it showed me that like, yeah, what she's saying is correct. I need to believe in myself a little bit more. Even having a 14-year successful career, I think people should understand that I didn't feel that for the longest time. I did not believe in myself and I felt like I was always again, trying to outwork the individual. Since I put in so much work already, I kind of need to sit back and realize and let it sit in and take advantage of it and shout out to her and many other individuals that allow me to kind of reflect on that.

M: Bro, like people, 14 years is a lot. And I know we compare ourselves to those we look up to and we go, they've been successful for 40 years. They've done this, that, and third. Until I'm that, I ain't shit, which ain't true because you got to remember that that's the 1% of the industry. To have that kind of success. You know what I mean? Having a 14-year career, where you have multiple projects, people would dream to do one of them and never get the chance to do. Their entire resume is extras on set for things.

R: Yeah.

M: You know what I mean? Or just praying, like, I hope they give me one line, so I can say I acted in this movie.

R: Yeah.

M: You know what I mean?

R: Yeah.

M: So like, from going from Step Up to Boy Next Door to 9-1-1 and everything in between, and even some of the smaller stuff you've done and the bigger stuff you've done, these are all things that you gotta be proud of, man.

R: I got you, thank you.

M: You gotta be proud of, because one is leaf-frogging you to the next, you know what I mean? And you don't have to feel like it's a fresh start every single time, because you know that what got you there is the past and everything that you presented yourself in before.

R: Yeah.

M: You know what I mean?

R: Yeah. Thank you for that. I take that. And again, when I do get stuff like this now, I try to take it a little differently than I would before. I mean, beforehand, I probably would have been like, oh, thank you so much, you know that. And I still not think that way. But right now, I'm really allowing that to marinate the individual, so I appreciate what you say. Thank you.

M: Yeah, no, fuck it. I mean, you got to respect yourself enough to be like—know that there's so much more I can do and so much more room to grow. And that's the exciting part. But I'm not going to pretend like I ain't done shit in my life either. I'm not going to pretend like my resume is not something about, you know what I mean? Like I've done some cool shit. And I feel you, and same with dance, man. Like there's, when someone books me on a job or as a choreographer or brings me out to a country to teach. And sometimes I sit there and I get like…

R: Imposter syndrome?

M: Imposter syndrome, where I'm just like, man, do I even deserve to be on this lineup with these other hitters? And I'm like, yeah, because they wouldn't have asked me to be here, bro.

R: Yes, you do.

M: They wouldn't have asked me to do this if like I wasn't. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like they spent all this money on me to bring me out to this country to do all this with all these people. Like they see me in line with these people for a reason. Why the fuck don't I? You know what I mean? So like, I hear you. But then you got to remind yourself.

R: Sometimes it takes somebody else outside to really acknowledge that and then you to hear that. Because I remember when I first met you, I'd already known about your dancing. I've seen plenty of videos. And I don't know if you remember when I came up to you. I was like, bro, I'm a huge fan.

M: Yeah.

R: Yeah.

M: Yeah.I introduced myself and you're like, I know who you are. I was like, pssst.

R: Like, nah, bro, I know exactly what you are in. Like, it shows, like, you know, like to get to where you are in your dance, and it takes years upon years, but also you have to find your own little niche, your own little style, and you did. And that style has resonated with so many other individuals. So again, giving you your flowers back, it's just like, yeah, man, I would like to recognize what you offer to this whole artistic spectrum in the dance community.

M: Yo, thank you, man. That's fucking love, man. I really appreciate that kind of shit. You don't hear it too much and you get in your head a lot. But from one friend to another, man, if you need that reminder, man, you call me.

R: I appreciate that, bro.

M: You call me.

R: That's what we need to show more of, man. You know, like, man, helping each other out, you know. A lot of us, I feel like, and I've spoken on this on plenty of other platforms. It's just like we got toughen up. And to an extent, yeah, I get that. You know, you do have to be tough as a man.

M: Time and place.

R: And time and place. But like you also have to have your brothers to to open up to it, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because we all got here as a community. No one got here by themselves. So, yeah, you know-

M: And we gonna stay there as a community.

R: Exactly. The stronger your community, the stronger you'll be.

M: All the most successful dancers, actors in the world, people you look up to, all have teams that have been together since the jump. You know what I mean?

R: All right, let me see this.

M: All right, all right, all right. So before we reveal these, we're back from the Patreon. All right, we back in the episode. We're going to wrap this up here. What we did on Patreon is we got a sketchbook and he drew me and I drew him while we did some fan questions. So we're going to reveal these pictures as the last little segment before we head out.

Before we show these pictures, I just want to give a quick sign off. Everybody, please join the Patreon and enjoy that. Spotify, Apple Podcast, please give a five-star review and check out the other seven episodes and keep an eye out for Season Two that's coming.

If you're on YouTube, like, subscribe, all of that, comment, share with your mom and your grandmama, all them peoples. Spread the word. We want to make Season Two even bigger and better and keep bringing y'all quality. Keep an eye out for The Lab between me and Ryan because it is a special project, but it is a big project. It's gonna take some time. He's back filming 9-1-1, so it might take some time.

We're gonna write some things together. We're not gonna tell you the idea because we don't want none of y'all biting it because we know how y'all get. But it's a pretty good concept. It's a really good idea. It's gonna be a short film that involves comedy, acting and dancing. And we've already been chopping it up about it.

So keep an eye out for that, but it's gonna take some time. Be patient. But the more Patreon members, the more money that comes in, the bigger the budget is gonna be, and the better we can make the project. So please show love. We appreciate it. Ryan, anything you want to say before we head out?

R: Man, all love to you and all love to this, that you cultivated yourself, man, and everybody that watches this. I hope you are thriving in all the dreams that you choose to give your energy to.

M: Thank you, man. All right. Enough of that talk, man. All right. Me first, you first?

R: I go first.

M: You go first? Yeah, yeah, all right, all right, all right. Damn! Alright, you get close up, get close up. Yeah.

R: Yeah, mine was a quick sketch, so I couldn't put too much detail to it.

M: Just a quick little whatever, man. Oh, shit.

R: Yeah, yeah.

M: Yeah, you kept it small. I should have made mine smaller. Probably would have been cleaner.

R: Yeah.

M: Yeah. I'm keeping that. Don't throw it out. And you got to keep this one, too. It's better to go in the fridge.

R: I put it in my refrigerator, yeah.

M: Bro, so when Mateo [Ryan's son] asked who drew that, he knows, what's up, Uncle Mikey rocked this, all right?

R: Hey, you captured my facial hair. In the… In my little swoop. Am I swooping right now? Yeah, you got my swoop.

M: I caught the swoop.

R: Yeah, the mic looks like a mic.

M: Yeah, you know, it's mic-ish.

R: I appreciate your effort.

M: Yeah. Oh, come on, it's not that bad.

R: Why I look like Joe Campbell?

M: I made the head a little long. Your head is not this long. I didn't have an eraser.

R: Yeah, me neither, bro.

M: No, whatever. All right, well, I'm going to let you keep this. Yeah, you can put it.

R: Let me sign this for you, too.

M: Yeah, yeah, sign that. Sign that. You know, I have a picture in my bathroom. It's a lion. It's a drawn lion from 98. It's beautiful. My uncle did it. Yeah. He was an artist back in the day and like used to draw a lot of shit and he framed it and gave it to me. His name is Matthew DellaVella.

R: Okay.

M: He signed it "M. DellaVella"

R: M. DellaVella. So technically you're an artist.

M: I've been taking full credit for that painting and that drawing since I was a child.

R: Clearly, you made that painting.

M: People go into my bathroom when they use it, when they visit and they go, yo, that's, I saw, and you drew that? Yeah, man, like it's a long time ago. I don't really do that anymore, but it was fun back in the day.

R: So I need to get a frame for this, to be honest.

M: Yeah, you should, man. This is cold. This is, man, my mic is better.

R: Yeah, your mic is better.

M: Well, I did a mic stand, so I got the arm.

R: You got the arm for sure.

M: Yeah, yeah.

R: Yeah.

M: Yeah, no, this is quite lovely. This is quite lovely, Ryan. Thank you.

R: I appreciate that, bro.

M: Thank you my boy. Love you bro.

[buddiebeginz]

Since everyone is so up in arms over Ryan's recent interview I wanted to compile some of what he's said in other interviews this season. There are a lot of breadcrumbs here that show Eddie's sexuality storyline is in the works it's just going to take some time to get fleshed out especially since there has been so much focus on Buck and his coming out this season.

----

But what about Eddie and Buck? Is there still a chance for romance between them?

"As far as [Eddie's] sexuality, I think it's pretty clear that he's tried to fill in this motherly, this wife type role—that's all he knows," Guzman explained. "And he's a man [that] first off, he's Catholic. Second off, he's from the military. So those are very straight-edge kind of lifestyles that don't offer too much of exploring. But through the 118, he's had this epiphany each year, like, 'Well, maybe I don't know as much as I thought I did. And maybe I should be exploring a little bit more and maybe I should understand myself a little bit more and even seek a therapist,' which is something new for Eddie. So I feel the representation is reflective of the inclusivity that Ryan Murphy's show likes to have and Tim Minear likes to write."

Parade

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Did you have a personal reaction when you found out about the reveal of this moment and the change in Buck's character? Was it something you saw coming, or was it a surprise?

GUZMAN: Since there's so much talk about our characters, it wasn't a shock to me. For Buck's character, I feel like it kind of tracks. And I think that we trust Tim [Minear], to be honest. He's such a great, incredible writer, and he's very inclusive in his writing. And it shows beyond the sexuality, beyond representation. It shows humanity, and that's what I love about these characters. You can do whatever you want in the bedroom, but at the end of the day, that love remains, brother-sister, intimate relationship, whatever that kind of connection is. We allow the audience to get a sense of the human side. And I think we explore that in new ways every single season. So, this season, getting that opportunity to see Buck evolve into who he is has been just a beautiful storyline.

You've mentioned it a little bit already, but I can't not talk about the potential of romance between these two characters. It's such a huge aspect of the fandom around this show and around the commentary of this show. Did the reveal make you consider a romance between these two characters? Have you considered it seriously before? Or was it always, "We'll see where it goes, we'll see where it takes us"?

GUZMAN: It's always kind of been a "we'll see where it goes, we'll see where it takes us." Because, at the end of the day, it's a fine line between giving the fans what they want and also staying true to the characters themselves. As an actor, your one job is to give your character truth. And what I love about this whole world that we play in 9-1-1 is that truth changes at a moment's notice. So, we allow ourselves to stay open to all possibilities. At this moment, Eddie's got so much going on in his life as far as his relationship with himself, and Marisol, and God, that he's got his plate full. And to take on anything else at this moment, I don't know, he might crack again! [Laughs] So, who knows what happens with him, and we're here for Buck and his relationship. And, again, I think that strengthening of that bond is crucial.

I don't think either of these characters are ready for this yet. They need to settle their own lives first before anything happens in that direction!

GUZMAN: Yeah.

Collider

----

Do you think it was the right decision for Marisol to move back out?

Eddie has shown himself to go from zero to 100 all the time. He finds one girl that checks off a couple boxes in his list and he's like, "Ah, that'd be good enough. Let's get married." This time, thank God, he didn't need a Carla in his life to say "Slow down." He did it himself. He had a conversation with Bobby, he had a conversation with Buck, he figures it out and he goes, "Okay, maybe it's time to have some growth on my end." He is doing a big thing for not only him, but for his son. He's not trying to fill in this space that was left open by Shannon and he's taking care of that relationship that [Gavin McHugh's] Christopher has with his mother that passed. He realizes he has to take it a lot slower. It seems like a step back, but it is so many steps forward for Eddie in what that means to him and his family dynamic.

How did you react when you found out Buck was going to explore his bisexuality? And what did you think when you first read the scene where he comes out to Eddie?

I think we felt this scene was coming one way or another — and we knew we had to handle this with care, because there are so many people who have attached themselves.... Oliver and I are so grateful for the people who have attached themselves to our characters, and what they do with it. And so we really wanted to give this scene a sense of groundedness. And luckily for me, I've had an experience in my life where a friend trusted me with their own coming out, and I got to understand first person that it wasn't so much about me accepting them, it was more about me allowing them to feel safe and loved. So I wanted to exemplify that in this scene. Like, "Hey man, you can say whatever you got. I'm not going anywhere. Okay? This connection remains." That was something that forever changed my life — in my personal life, with my friend — so this had to feel the same for the millions of people who are going to see it, because some may not be getting this from their friends. Some may be scared to do this in front of their friends, and maybe this gives them the opportunity to find their own bravery, as Buck did, and go to their closest friend and say, "Hey, this is how I feel nowadays. Can you explore this with me?" I love that scene.

What else can you tease for Eddie this season?

Now that Eddie's taken that step forward with Marisol, that offers a lot of new obstacles. This is unknown territory — much like Buck's character, it's unknown territory. And that is something to be a little bit more scared of, to be honest, because we have no clue how to handle the unknown. So I think with Marisol and Eddie, their relationship is strengthening, but there's so many traumatic moments that Eddie still has yet to answer for himself in his own past. So how that plays into this present moment is a balancing act. And what I'd like to see is him handle it with ease, but that doesn't offer great TV. So yeah, he's going to be a mess just as much as he was — as we all are, really.

EW

[wenellyb]

Hello, I know you’re new to the fandom so I just want to tell you you two things:

1. You can be mad a Ryan for what he said but believing he only apologised for keeping the job is just projecting. Oliver was mad too and not only him but more members and he didn’t speak to Ryan in years, they’re friends now, that means that Ryan is human and he has learnt, because we all made mistake and we all have to unlearn and educate ourselves.

Also, and please I love Tommy, but it’s also fun seeing how a lot of people (who hates Ryan/Eddie and Buddie) defend Tommy when he was racist and misogynistic when we met him. And he didn’t apologise, we just saw him talking with Chim and helping them and assumed that he did. So, if people can forgive a character and defend him saying “he has grown up and he has learnt and he made mistakes because he’s human and Chim and Hen have forgiven him”, we can say the same to a real human who was also forgiven by Oliver, Aisha and other members.

2. As people said, Roben from lone star (I don’t even know if that’s how you write his name) supports the genocide. He’s also problematic in different ways, and he hasn’t apologised, not even once. In fact, he has done the opposite and he hasn’t taken the time to unlearn and educate himself.

I’m not here to make you love Ryan, but we can learn from our mistakes. And maybe, if you can’t see just that, maybe it’s because you’re not ready and that’s why you’re projecting your feelings towards his apology. Anyways, that’s all! Bye!

Hi Anon!!!

Please don't mix 2 things:

- Tommy: fictional person

- Ryan Guzman : Actual real person

No matter how bad Tommy's actions have been, you can't compare the 2. It's easier for me to believe that a character has grown than a real person even though it happens all the time.

Now that we made that clear, please show me the post of people defending Tommy's past actions, because I'm not saying there aren't any, I'm saying I haven't seen any.

The post I have seen were posts calling out Tommy's past actions but saying he has grown since then , especially he made up with Chimney and Hen, exactly everthing you are saying about Ryan Guzman. You're saying there hasn't been an onscreen apology but with the kid of show 911 is...there are always scenes missing, where we have to guess what happened in between.

And again no!!! Fictional characters are not the same as real people! I love Anakin Skywalker but would hate him in real life (extreme example I know). Moving past Tommy's actions isn't the same as moving past Ryan's actions.

What you can do is compare Ryan's actions to Lou's actions: two actual people.

And take a look at your fandom, that is calling for forgiveness , education and growth for one, but calling for the other one to get fired??

Can you see why I'm annoyed by the double standards?

Especially since Lou's video was taken out of context.

This isn't against you anon personnally it's more a general statement, but fandoms will select whether or not to be mad based on whether the person involved is their fave or not.

So let me tell you the timeline of what happened and you'll let me know when I "projected my feelings about his apology":

1. I saw an interview where Ryan Guzman was defending the use of the n-word by non-Black people adding the classic "I have Black friends..."

2. I reblogged the interview and tagged it "wtf"

3. I received asks telling me about it and how bad it was, and pointed out the hypocrisy of the fandom because they wanted Lou to get fired for his "teasing" comment about Tommy but didn't want the same for Ryan.

4. I pointed out that the apology didn't feel genuine because instead of apologizing right away he, at first, doubled down on what he said.

Mind you, I never told anyone to get mad at Ryan, or ask for him to get fired, I was just pointing out the double standards.

I appreciate yoy sending this, and again, as I said this isn't "against" you I'm just taking the opportunity to share how I see this whole thing.

I'm of course new to this fandom, but I'm not new to fandoms in general, and this is the Sebastian Stan take a knee instagram post all over again. I know how it goes, I'm not surprised by the influx of messages about growth and forgiveness etc... But when those scandales involve people who are not your faves they get feral...

[voidsdamned]

Wicked Natures - The Ghoul/OC (Female Character) Chapter Fifteen

Summary: Bounty hunters are frequent customers at Mulholland's Saloon, and Rue's taken quite a shine to one gunslinger in particular: a cantankerous, old Ghoul in a tattered duster. Witness her unabashedly lust after him in all his irradiated glory (as we are all currently doing), as well as navigate the precarious relationship she unfortunately has with local law enforcement.

Minors, do not interact.

Content Warnings: the usual swearing, descriptions of injuries, drinking, and sweetness -which is to say, Rue loves on the Ghoul the way she's been wanting to.

Enjoy <3

Chapter Fifteen: Come Alive

Rue stopped thinking when she remembered Artie –everything. She’s rotten at it, and it never does anything but dig her into deeper pits. She’s operating purely by feel, leaning heavily into spur of the moment inclinations more so than she usually does. And so, she didn’t even think about the fact that any of the injured, burning boys from Deck’s house would end up in her sick room. It didn’t cross her mind that pretty much all of Dust would wake up and start swarming like ants, trying to put out the fire. Trying to help. Trying to figure out what happened.

Those in the house don’t currently have any answers. They aren’t in the state where crisp, clear thinking is possible.

Most were out drinking, but Lucky, Yannis, Guzman, Myers, and some nameless man were snoozing away when disaster struck. Lucky is soot-stained, minorly burned, and quietly staring into nothing. Guzman –who always looks sunburned– is just a bit toastier than normal, but he’s coughing like his throat’s been scorched. Yannis is extra crispy, body more burn than whole flesh. Myers is dead, and Rue doesn’t know if they brought him down here dead or if he passed while they were carting him and they didn’t notice. But he’s definitely dead, glassy-eyed and cooling –from smoke inhalation, maybe? Physically, he’s in pretty okay shape –a little sooty and red here and there– so, it has to be something on the inside. But that’s beyond Rue. So is the nameless man’s condition. His left leg is flattened, dangly, and weird; and Guzman just barely manages to cough out, “Beam fell on him,” to let Doc Nguyen know why.

The good doctor is grim for the beat of the heart, but then slips into the straight-faced professionalism she’s known for. She orders everyone –exempting Rue and those injured– out of the room and instructs Rue to tend to Lucky and Guzman while she works on Yannis and No-Name.

Rue does what she can, taking in the destruction she wrought up close. She wipes the soot off an exhausted Lucky, rubbing aloe on minor burns, and does the same for Guzman. She gives them both water to drink, and then watches a Stimpak do the best it can to heal Yannis’ charred form, leaving him tight and shiny with burn scars but still bloody and raw in some places. She helps Nguyen move Myers’ dead body so No-Name can stretch out on the sickbed, and for a moment, she holds No-Name’s hand while Doc Nguyen puts him under. The leg must go.

Doc Nguyen pulls a privacy curtain closed, and Rue helps Lucky and Guzman from the room once the sawing and squelching, squishing sounds become too much for the two men to handle. She gets them settled in the front room, into saggy chairs with their feet kicked up. And they talk to Rue with bowed heads and shaky timbers, telling her they awoke to swirling red and heat. They have no idea what happened, and the last look Lucky took over his shoulder just showed a bonfire blazing on the hill. He doesn’t think there will be much left.

He’s right. When morning comes and Rue picks her way to her home, she sees blackened, skeletal remains smoking on the hill. One wouldn’t know a house used to stand there unless they were aware of its previous existence.

Rue breathes easier without it there, towering over her, and she goes about the mundane with a pep to her step. She does laundry for what is likely the last time. She feeds Eggshells, delighting in the fact that the bobcat lets her give it a few chin scratches that have it purring like a chainsaw. And after accidentally leaving the door wide open in all her back and forth with chores, she comes in at one point to find the bobcat perched all pretty on her kitchenette. It feels like a victory, but Rue mindfully doesn’t act like it’s a big deal. She lets Eggshells be.

She cleans her rifle, checking it over to see if it’s still in operating order, and it is –it even has a bullet in the chamber. She needs a helluva lot more than that, though…. She tunes Baby Destiny, playing a snippet of��Some Enchanted Evening for Eggshells before stowing the instrument and packing the guitar case with a few clothing items. She empties out her over-the-shoulder bag of any useless junk and leaves it empty. It’ll be strictly for water, food items, and bullets.

When afternoon comes crawling in, Rue pauses in her work to allow Mrs. Ira Jean and Mrs. Rosa into her home for a dinner of tamales so delicious and flavourful –spicy– she nearly sheds tears. She keeps topics light, changing them when she has to, and does her best to keep both women laughing to keep them from questioning and worrying. And they both really are worried. Mrs. Ira Jean insists Rue come to her ranch, and Mrs. Rosa even chimes in, trying to tempt Rue with the promise of her cooking –breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day (and fuck, is it tempting).

Rue’s mind is made up, though. She can’t be swayed, she can't stay, and her answer is a, “Maybe soon,” that makes no promises. Then she pulls out a bottle of gin to distract them.

It works. The rest of the visit is all of stories and laughter, not another word of worry. When the two lovely ladies leave for the night, they do so with hugs and firm but kindly reminder from Mrs. Ira Jean that, “You’re welcome with us. Ya always will be. I’ll come runnin’ when you’re ready.”

And Rue, more than just a little bit tipsy, can’t help but say, “I love you lots, Mrs. Ira Jean.”

The rancher smiles as she kisses Rue on the hair. “I love you, too, honey.” She squeezes Rue’s shoulder before pulling away to step off the porch and take her wife’s hand. “You be good and careful.”

Rue promises she will (though, it feels like a bit of a lie) and bids them goodnight and safe travels, watching as they hit the road.

If she wasn’t more than a little drunk, Rue might snatch up her bag and hit the road, too.

But she really is, and she doesn’t plan on sobering up. No, she plans to finish the bottle and eat leftover tamales at dawn, and then she’s going to sleep until… midafternoon, probably. Then she’s taking what’s likely to be her last good bath for a while, and then she’ll hit the road.  

So, Rue drinks. She spins around her home, bottle in hand and the radio playing too loud. She sings along with it, dancing when a song is meant for dancing. Disassociating when the music gets a bit too sentimental. At one point, Eggshells wanders back in (and she is leaving the door open for this express purpose now) and hops up on the kitchenette, watching Rue with yellow eyes of searing, heavy disapproval. But Rue doesn’t care. The Wanderer plays on the radio, driving her mood back up. She risks her physical wellbeing by shimmying up to the pretty kitty and scooping it up in one fell swoop.

And Eggshells is so fucking fluffy. So soft. And despite the hateful look it gives her, it purrs up a storm in her arms. Lets her give it a little kiss on its perfect, little head as she turns gently.

In the midst of that turn, as Rue briefly faces the front door, she notices that it had opened wider. Wide enough for death’s specter to post up, back pressing into the doorframe as he regards her in what is clear amusement. His ruined lips quirk with it, and goddamn, does Rue want to kiss death on the mouth.

“I always find you doin’ the dumbest shit.”

“I’m havin’ myself a good time,” Rue tells the Ghoul, matter-of-fact. “You’re just jealous it’s not you in my arms.”

He snorts, eyes rolling hard, and Rue finishes her spin, placing Eggshells neatly back onto the kitchenette before spinning her way towards the Ghoul. The music shifts, becoming Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of Blue Moon. She offers him a hand that he just stares at.

“Are you drunk?”

That offered hand turns into a fingergun. “Only a lil’.” And then it becomes a hand of beckoning. “Don’t break my heart, sugar.”

His eyes roll again. “How ‘bout I break that hand.”

Rue sweeps a little closer, holding out both. She looks up at him with a small, hopeful smile. “Just one dance? I won’t bother ya again.”

The Ghoul’s dark gaze ticks away, mouth pursing. He grumbles out, “You ain’t botherin’ me. I just… I don’t really do that anymore. Not in years.”

A soft sigh leaves Rue’s lips, and her hopeful hands curl inwards. They cross over her chest as she holds herself and whirls away. “I bet ya were smooth as silk on your feet…. I used to have a guy that’d spin me ‘round in the dark. He didn’t have the fanciest of footwork, but it was sweet he tried, y’know? That’s all that really mattered….” Her heart gives a sad, guilty twist. “I didn’t do right by the poor boy. I loved him, but I didn’t love him. I feel like I led him on in a way, dancin’ with him in the dark.”

Among other things….

Rue turns again, shooting the bounty hunter a sleepy smile. Dream softens everything around the edges, and she sighs. Rue loves their dynamic. She does. She doesn’t mind it’s all moonlight visits with ghosts of fondness –it’s fun; it’s what she wanted since she first saw him– but she’s hooked on something different now. On starlit nights where they just talk. On hearing him breathing –deep and even– from close by.

But she supposes they’ll just have to be what they are. Her something carnal –a good time– and he’ll just keep being the moons and stars that make her come alive. …Is that what she was to Bram? Are their rolls reversed now?

Rue sighs a third time. “Ya ever love someone who didn’t love ya back?”

“Lovin’ ain’t somethin’ I much fool with anymore.” But he pushes off the doorframe, catching her in the middle of a spin. She thumps against his chest, heart pounding away at her ribcage when one hand presses at the small of her back and the other captures one of her own. “You’re sentimental when you’re drunk.”

Rue grins wide. “Ain’t everyone? But I ain’t drunk-drunk. Just a lil’ tipsy. Perfectly in my right mind.”

“Nothin’ ‘bout your mind is right, honey.”

Rue makes a, “tsk,” sound but smiles brighter. “I saw that one comin’ the second that came out my mouth.”

He chuckles softly, finishing the turn with her and guiding her through small, gentle movements. “You always give me a good set up.”

The sound, the motion, makes Rue giddy and dizzy. “I like it when ya laugh,” comes dumbly from her lips.

“It’s hard not to laugh when you’re goofy as all shit.”

“I think that’s one of my most desirable traits,” Rue says factually. “Right behind my perky tits and winnin’ smile.”

The Ghoul gives a snorting, “Fuck’s sake, Rue,” as they glide into a moonbeam cutting across the floor. She only grins up at him, letting him get another look at that winning smile. And for a heartbeat, he’s got a handsome half-smile pinned on her.

But it drops off his face in the blink of an eye, replaced by a narrow-eyed intensity as he comes to an abrupt stop. As the hand that holds hers pulls away to brush lightly at the right side of her head. “What the fuck happened?”

“Oh, I got shot.” She’s nonchalant about it, shrugging her shoulders and trying to take his hand back, but he’s got her by the jaw now, turning her face so he can get a better look. “Sweet, it’s nothin’ that don’t happen to everyone out here. It was just my turn is all.”

His grip tightens, both the one on her jaw and the one at her back, fingers pressing into her spine. Which is actually kind of nice….

“Who the fuck shot you?”

Rue’s drifting mind comes back, finding his gaze sharper, darker. His jaw works. “Bounty hunter named Geraldine.”

He clicks his tongue, and there’s a grave simplicity to his query of, “She skip town or is she in lock-up?”

“Oh, she’s dead,” Rue comes out with it plainly. “I bashed her face in so good I knocked her nose bone into her brain.” And she lifts her hands to show him the remnants of her mental break. “Look. I split almost all my knuckles, and I dislocated three fingers. Ooh, and look.” She pulls down the collar of her blouse, letting him get a peek at the scar on her shoulder. “That one went through and through.”

The hand at her jaw slips away, ghosting against the scar. “Shit, that’s right by an artery.”

“That’s what Doc Nguyen said –the uh… the subclavian? Yeah, yeah. That sounds right.”

The Ghoul doesn’t say anything to that, his gaze just goes darker and darker. Burning and burning. His fingers slip more to the center of her neckline, pulling down the collar before he ultimately rips her blouse off to get a look at the bruising on her chest from where Geraldine hoofed her square between the tits. They’re yellowish, fading slow. Not the prettiest thing to look at.

Rue tries to joke, “Sweet, all ya had to do was ask, and I’d gladly take it off for ya.”

“Don’t be cute with me right now,” the Ghoul snaps. Rue has to swallow down her giggles and the shivers that try to rattle up and down her spine at such a… commanding tone. Such a scorching gaze….

But Rue goes quiet. She’s not cute at all. She just stands there in the moonlight, letting him inspect and swear and feeling just a little special that he’s bent out of shape. That he… that he cares.

“It’s really not that bad,” she tells him, unable to repress the shiver that goes through her when the smooth leather covering his thumb drags over the bruising on her left breast. She’s doubly sensitive –due to her nature and how tender the flesh is. “Honey, ya just told me I couldn’t be cute, and then you’re gonna go touchin’ like that? It ain’t fair.”

The Ghoul exhales sharply, hand pulling away and curling inwards into a fist that ultimately drops to his side. Rue debates on whether or not she should try to take it again. The mood feels pretty dead, and the radio’s gone to soft static.

“You ain’t hurt anywhere else?” he asks, still tight-jawed but his eyes aren’t half as stormy.

“My ass is a lil’ sore.”

He almost snorts, but he smothers it quick, shaking his head as he asks, “What happened?”

Rue gives him the shortened, easy version. She failed to avoid Geraldine in all her running around the saloon, and the bounty hunter took great offense. Rue’s brain took great offense to being pushed down and having a gun drawn on her, and… tackling, gunfire, and face bashing ensued. Followed quickly by a panicked Hal running Rue to Doc Nguyen.

He’s quiet with the knowledge for a moment before he says, a bit baffled and a bit amused, “It’s hard to imagine lil’, ol’ you doin’ any of that.”

“I keep tryin’ to tell ya I’m tough, but you just think I’m dumb and soft and spoiled.”

“’Cause you are.” And he flicks her on the nose. “It sounds like ya just got lucky.”

Rue almost flicks him right back but quickly remembers the absence on his face. She could poke him in there, but what if she poked his brain? …If she angled her head just right, could she see his brain?

“You got somethin’ weird goin’ on in there,” the Ghoul interrupts the line of thought, finger tapping on the left side of her head as he eyes her narrowly. “I can tell.”

“Nah.” Rue rubs her nose. “I’m just thinkin’ you oughta take me more seriously, considerin’ I can kill people with my bare hands.”

“It’s hard to take ya seriously when you don’t take nothin’ seriously,” he says it factually, the hands that fell away slowly coming back. One runs along the swell of her breasts while the other presses into the softness of her left side. “I can be threatenin’ ya physically, and all ya do is bat your eyes up at me and smile like I just told ya you’re the prettiest thing I’ve seen since the world ended.”

Rue’s mind whirlwinds, body shaking in response to such small stimuli. She most certainly bats her eyes up at him. “I’m the prettiest thing you’ve seen since the world ended?”

The Ghoul’s lips wobble, fighting a smile and a laugh that ultimately come tumbling out of him. Rue basks in the sound, the sight, warm and bubbly with it. Her fingers want to trace the curves of his mouth, dance along the line of his jaw. She wants to feel the laughter on her skin….

“Hey, I know ya got a thing ‘bout it, but can I touch ya?” she asks him as suddenly as the urge struck her, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “With my hands? Please?”

Laughter ceases, so do those trailing touches. The Ghoul’s head tilts and those deep-whiskey eyes narrow. His tone is a touch hostile when he asks, “Whatcha mean I got a ‘thing’?”

Rue simply explains, “The times we’ve fooled ‘round, ya tied my hands, so I figured ya don’t like bein’ touched.”

The fingers that press at her side suddenly pinch, and Rue jumps, not quite able to stop the small yelp –though, it is more of surprise than pain. The Ghoul deflects, gaze averting. “Ya not into it or somethin’?”

Rue moves a little closer, head tilting until she’s back in his line of sight. She grins up at him. “Sweetheart, I am into it, but I wanna do some of that sweet, coddlin’ shit.”

The Ghoul glowers at her silently, but that grip at her side eases, turning into a flexing. A tip-tapping. A surprisingly gentle caress that is mirrored on her right side, pulling her flush.

All of these are very good signs, but he still hasn’t given his consent.

“Just a lil’ bit,” Rue pleads, voice like honey, saccharine and smooth. “Unless ya like it, and then I’ll do it lots.”

He clicks his tongue, eyes rolling, and then sighs through his no-nose. “You get too handsy,” he grumbles, “and I’m cuttin’ ‘em off.”

“Fair.” Rue bounces, excited. “Can I kiss ya a bit?”

His petting hands rest firm as his head angles down. “A bit.”

And that’s an invitation if Rue’s ever seen one. She seizes it, her arms wrapping around his neck as she rises to the balls of her feet and seals the distance with a slow kiss that quickly becomes so hungry, so needful, on both their parts. The bounty hunter gets grabby, petting and squeezing, and the sounds Rue makes against and in his mouth earn her a groan from him.

She walks him back, knowing her bed is close, but he turns her around and pushes her back so that she hits the mattress first. Then he’s atop her, pushing her into the mattress and stealing the breath from her lungs with devouring, exploratory kisses. Rue lets him for a minute, responds to every touch; but eventually, she places a hand to his chest. She pushes against him, turning her face; his lips press against her cheek.

“Lemme be sweet to you.”

The Ghoul is quiet. Still.

“C’mon. Ya already agreed.”

His deep-set eyes roll. “I was just tryin’ to getcha in bed.”

“And I’m in bed, but I’m tryin’ to getcha out that duster. And vest. And shirt. And trousers. Boots.” She kisses the corner of his mouth. “Please.”

The gunslinger swears sharply, a yielding, “Goddammit.” He pulls back. “How… what…. Tell me what to do.”

Rue sits up. “Kick those boots off.”

She hears them thump to the floor, and the gloves she bids him to take off soon follow. And then she holds out her hand. “Hat.”

His eyes narrow. “The hat stays on.”

“Hat.”

Slowly, reluctantly, and eyeing her like he wants to slap her in the mouth, the Ghoul removes his hat and puts it at the foot of the bed.

That works just fine for Rue. “Put your gun down there, too.”

He makes a, “tch,” sound but complies.

“Bandolier.”

The Ghoul grumbles, ever grouchier, “I’m surprised y’know the fuckin’ word for it.”

Rue laughs. “We’re goin’ for sweetness, darlin’, remember?”

“Never said I’d be sweet –said you could.” Yet he dumps the bandolier, along with the rest of his accessories, at the foot of the bed. “That good, sweetheart? Or do I-?”

Rue shuts that snatchy tone up with a kiss, a hand touching his face ever so gently and drawing him towards her. “That was so good,” she murmurs, pulling back only to place a quick kiss to his mouth. A second that lingers slightly longer. “Thank ya.” The hand not skimming his jaw presses to his chest, softly guiding him to rest on his back.

The bounty hunter is reluctant to go down, catching himself on his elbows. Rue relents. She can work with this. She doesn’t want to make him too uncomfortable, and she can tell he is. Her touches have him stiffer and stiffer, his body a taught wire ready to snap –but not in that good, tensing way because something’s so sweet it just about hurts. It’s like he’s waiting for something to happen. To hit. To hurt. And that… that makes Rue sad for him.

She knows he must not get a lot of softness from people. Most folks barely tolerate Ghouls from what she’s seen, and it always burns her up. They’re the same people they were before radiation started picking them apart. They’re human. They deserve proper loving. Gentleness. Everyone needs it. Even Rue does despite her inclination towards rougher sex. It has to be tempered by some sugariness from time to time so she doesn’t forget, so she doesn’t harden to stone.

So, she’s patient. Her touches careful and slow so they don’t surprise him. She trails her fingers along the back of his head, his neck. Her other hand ghosts along his collar, dipping down for just the barest of grazes at his chest. She feels all his ridges, craters, and ruination. She shivers.

He shivers, the smallest, loveliest of groans rattling from him.

Rue’s smile is gentle, gaze half-lidded as she reaches for his hand. She takes it in her own and raises it to her face where she leans into it, ghosting her lips along his pulse as his rough fingers skim her face.

Wide-eyed shock. Disbelief. They transform the Ghoul’s face, softening all his hard edges and allowing her to see a different shade of him. Something hidden and soft and so wanting. His mouth parts slightly. Closes. He wets his lips with the tip of his tongue but still says nothing. Rue kisses his palm, nuzzling his open hand. He keeps it there, holding it steady himself, caressing her of his own volition.

“Can I take your duster off?” she asks of him.

The Ghoul nods his assent, allowing her to guide him into a sitting position and remove the tattered thing. She repeats the process with the vest beneath: asking for permission and waiting for consent before removing another layer. And again when she comes to the faded blue and gold of the button-up beneath. She’s particularly slow about removing it –the last of his upper layers. She brushes the fabric down his shoulders, pressing her lips to the newly-revealed skin and unhurriedly pets his chest when he’s fully bared.

Withered but toned. Strong. Lovely. She admires him as she once more directs him onto his back.

He goes all the way down for her this time, back flush with the mattress and head landing upon a thin but good enough pillow. Rue persists with her slow, loving work: petting, kissing, trailing, rubbing, and simply lavishing him. She slowly crawls atop him, sitting back on his lap as she unhooks and discards her brassiere. Then she dips forward, pressing her chest to his, and the sigh that escapes him… it’s hitching, breathless, tailed by a moan.

Rue kisses his neck and mouth, smiling wide when his arms drape around her, drawing her tightly to him. The feel of his skin against hers is pure magic, almost sinful it’s so damn good. She prickles all over, limbs trembling. A soft, breathy sigh of pleasure leaves her lips, feathers against his, and his tongue flits across her mouth to taste it.

The bounty hunter shakes when she pulls back, but she hardly notices. Rue’s too intent on doing all the things she’s desired for what feels like forever. Her fingers press soft to his cheeks, trace his jaw. Her heart absolutely soars when those soft, whiskey eyes flutter and he leans into her touch. When his hands and arms move to pull her flush against him once more. One hand finds the small of her back; the other cradles the back of her head as he turns them on their sides.

He engulfs her, entwining their bodies. Rubbing her, kissing her, like no other has in the entirety of her life. So deep, needful, and longing –as if he’s starving. Like he’s been craving what she has offered all his life, and now that he’s had a taste… well, there’s no stopping what she started.

Rue moves with him, grasping him just as dearly, wrapping herself up in him. She only stops to coax him out of his trousers, and he doesn’t need much prodding at this point. He readily comes out of them and his underwear –he’s insistent in getting her out of her skirt and panties– and then he immediately pulls her back into his embrace with a rough, breathless, “Come back here.”

“I didn’t go nowhere,” she says with soft laughter promptly stolen away by the most fervent French-kissing she’s experienced to date. There’s not an inch of her mouth left untouched. Not a single breath he doesn’t devour.

Rue’s on cloud nine. Fuzzy, dizzy, and drunk on more than just gin. Her whole world is bright, soft, and humming. Singing when those rough hands being so sweet touch her in a similar fashion as to how she touched him. Skimming. Careful. Exploratory. Then threatening her sanity when one hand winds lower to be just a little harsh with her. It’s nirvana combined with the tenderness of everything else, especially when gets to fucking her with his fingers, slow and purposeful.

She reaches for him, feeling him in her hands for the first time. His strong, firm shaft with all its ridges and length. She pumps him experimentally, smiling bright when the Ghoul groans into her neck.

“You’ve got such soft hands,” he tells her, lips dragging along her shoulder. “Such soft everything. Fuck.”

“Told ya the first time ya shoulda let me use ‘em.”

“Hush,” he mumbles against her skin. “You can use ‘em now.”

A panting, teasing, “Ya sure?”

He bites her pulse, not as rough as she has come to expect of him but still enough to make her breath catch in her throat and her toes curl. “All ya do is fuckin’ tease.”

“I do much, much more than that.” She continues to stroke him as she hooks a leg around his waist. Her free hand draws his face from her neck, cupping his cheek and jaw, and pulls him in for sugary, slow, greedy kisses. “I give ya every bit of me, every time. I think I deserve to be a lil’ cute ‘bout it.”

Rue guides him into her –initially. Once he figures out what she’s doing, he handles the rest, pressing slowly into her. Sparks and shivers go up and down Rue’s spine until she’s full to the brim with him.

“Ya fit so good,” she mumbles against his lips, peppering him with small kisses. “I wanna feel you behind my eyes.”

The Ghoul moans into her mouth, an arm wedging beneath the leg she has hooked around him so it rests in the crook of his elbow. He hikes her leg up; he sinks in deeper.

Rue’s entirety lights up, unravels. She gasps and grasps at him, fingernails skimming his neck and the back of his head. His hips pull back, pressing in slow and deep again. She pleads for that –as much of that as he can give her.

“Know I shouldn’t spoil ya, but fuck, when ya ask so sweet….” Another pull back; another slow, dragging, firm press that has Rue whimpering. “Ya got a dangerous mouth, darlin’.”

“Ya got a… a mind-n-numbin’ s-stroke and a drawl –ah, mh, please, please. It’s so good. You’re so good. S…sugar, just the sound of ya makes me wet.” The gunslinger groans; Rue’s eyes roll at another toe-curling push of his hips into hers. “Kiss me more. I –mmhm– I don’t wanna breathe.”

The Ghoul eats her up, his hold on her tightening and his lips melding with hers. Hot and molten. Tongue trailing, consuming every sound and plea and praise. All she can see are stars. Her heartbeat and his growls fill her head. She’s melting slow. She’s spinning on an edge.

“This sweet enough for ya?” the Ghoul asks, lips stilling just long enough for her to pull in a breath of air.

“S-so sweet. You’re l…like honey.”

A chuckle rumbles out of him. It makes her warm and dizzy.

“Lemme ride ya. I can be honey, too.”

“You’re more like caramel.” The bounty hunter flips them, exposing Rue’s back to the mild air and moonglow. She shakily drags herself upright.

“Caramel?” She’s never heard of it.

He nods, hands running roughly up and down her thighs. It’s what you get when ya cook sugar, add some butter and cream to it. It’s sweet and warm.” Those calloused hands travel up, gripping her waist and pulling her forward. Rue gasps and quivers at the circles he rubs into her skin. “It gets stuck in your teeth.”

“Fuck.” Rue’s hips roll without her permission, hooded eyes watching as the Ghoul’s head falls back on the pillows. “Ya make it sound so sexy….” Her eyes trace his throat, intently watching the way it bobs when he swallows thick. Something so simple makes her ludicrously wet, ravenous. She dips forward, pressing her chest to his and kissing her way up the column of his throat, along his jaw. Then she holds his face to kiss him dumb and breathless.

She rides him, doing everything she knows to undo him. Her hips roll or grind. She bounces upon the ridged length of him. She pulls back so she can watch him watch her, to see the fixation of his whiskey eyes as she musses her hair or touches her breasts (she also hits her sweet spot a tick better in the upright position). When he reaches for her, when his rough fingers trail against her pert breasts or rub against her clit, Rue forgets everything. Her name. Who she is. Every awful thing that’s ever happened to her.

There’s only the Ghoul. The feel of him inside her, of his ruined skin along the soft, no-longer so pristineness of hers. The sweep of his eyes, the heat of them. The curve of his lips and the praise and roughness that slip from them. And when his arms loop around her, pulling her flush to his chest, she wants to sink into him. To feel the strength and heat and coarseness until… until she’s really okay again. Not masking or stomping things down into the pit of her.

He makes her feel okay again, and goddammit, she must make sure he feels amazing.

She focuses on his pleasure, on meeting his upward strokes and finding his lips when they are wanting. She listens to the quick hitching of his breath, her name breathed like a prayer. She feels his trembles. Tremors. Quick, unsteady snaps of his hips.

“Come on, sweet, fill me up,” she bids, voice husky. A purr. “I’ll be right there with ya. I’m s-so close.”

“Then take it, darlin’.” His hips drive up hard. He holds her down firm, and for a moment, she swears he’s behind her eyes. And the thumb of his right hand mercilessly rubs her clit. The jolt. The pressure. The pleasure. The deep hit and warmth flooding her core. His growling, rasping praise of, “You’re such a good girl. Takin’ it. Lovin’ it. Show me how much you love it.”

It’s a sucker-punch of divinity. Everything she wants. Everything she needs. Sweet, sharp, hot, and molten. Dragging on, coaxed further, with gentler touches that take absolutely everything out of her. Make her so weak and flimsy that she goes to the bounty hunter’s chest. She’s waves of pleasure. Aftershocks. Starbursts and soda bubbles.

When it subsides, she’s a quivering mess, every particle of her shiny and new and tender. His arms around her are almost too much, but it’s all she wants. So are those lips that press to her hair, speaking her name gently. Laughing at the dumb, drooling puddle of idiot that she is.

“Ya called me a good girl,” she mumbles against the warmth of him, “and I ‘bout blacked out.”

The gunslinger laughs louder, and Rue smiles so bright she could probably light the room. Maybe the planet. Fuck the sun.

“You’re a mess.” But it’s said so fondly, accompanied by the sweep of his hand through her hair before it trails down her jaw. Tips her chin up so that she looks at him. “But you are such a good girl.”

Rue about spasms, whimpering again. Shaking from her head to her toes when a thumb brushes across her bottom lip. She immediately sucks upon it, bringing a soft swear from him. A jump from down below where he’s still sheathed within her.

On unsteady arms, Rue pushes herself back up. She finds her breath and one or two pieces of her sense. She doesn’t need them all, not for this. The goal is for him to be senseless and fucked-out. She wants him to be a quivering puddle beneath her.

“Well, don’t you look serious,” the Ghoul’s tone is teasing, curious, as he pets her. He props himself up just close enough to kiss. “What’s that face about?”

“Shh, darlin’,” Rue says softly, taking his face into her hands and brushing her lips against his. “I ain’t finished takin’ care of you yet.”

[zigglystarduster]

ELITE UPDATE 2: THREE SEASONS FINISHED

Ookayyy let's go so my first elite (let's say review) was after watching just 4 episodes and forming a holy shit amount of opinions for every character coz boy was I wrong..anyways I just finished 3 seasons of elite!.. like wow can't believe that. so let's talk about it. Firstly I get that this is a murder mystery show but like do we get someone or the other getting killed of in the end or like what? okay first things first I said some wild things about some of my babies and i really wanna retract my statement because these people are my babies.. guzman, lu, omar and ander lord i had absolutely no idea that there characters would be here now, like god! okay nadia and guzman I was shipping it then and I am shipping it now (although they broke up, but fuck that! they're still together for me) yeah, so like, believe me no one I repeat not a single person saw the whole nadia and lu friendship coming , like it literally hit me and I was like wha-

THE throuple ended, some people died and we got our second favorite couple - samuel and carla!! aghhh they were soo cute. love them so much! just fyi if you also love them, then don't see the short stories they literally broke up every single couple in there) now coming back to the elephant in the room- POLO*** jesus but I from a hundred miles away could not even think this was gonna happen, like my 1st update is evidence of that, I was so indifferent towards him coz I just didn't care! he was a sidekick imo but somehow this guy even after MURDERING someone made me feel sympathetic for him!! for a murderer like how did they do that!? Polo's death actually made me cry more than marina's ( never liked her but still). He was going through so much . He was in pain. like watching him struggle through life was insanely difficult and his mom supporting patriarchy after being in a lesbian relationship was another level of rage for me. But boy the guy did have a thing for throuples (I am still wrapping my head around the first one) ooh and newbies-- cayetana ,rebeka ( not sure i spelled it right), valerio (*heart eyes*) oh and emir ( idk if that's the name but carla's rich bf) These people somehow pulled the rug right out of my feet. Valerio was in the headlines in s2 and s3. Firstly s2 the whole thing with lu..ooh but that was a bit (no actually very much) weird. Let's not go there. Yeah and the whole cayetana thing..nicee ( as in story wise not in disrespecting your mother for her work wise) i don't really like her tbh but I have a strong gut feeling that I would eventually end up loving her. I still wanna say sorry to guzman. You're the best srsly. samuel I love you, but what you did to rebeka was wrong. So fuck you ( but like gently) yeah uhm rebeka.. okay so new story and lots of drama *widens eyes* obv I love her like how could anyone NOT love her. She's a total babe. ugh this is getting really long okay yeah so about my future elite plans...? none for now, I feel like s3 ended on a good note for me. And if I am being honest. I dug up a bit and found out that samuel and guzman have some beef over a girl in s4 and I am def not in the mood for seeing there friendship get messed up. So yeah for now it's a goodbye to elite. I feel like there should be one more update coz I missed some major plot points like the whole ander and omar thing, and nadia's dad and yeah lu and party scene but *shrugs* let's see.

[the-navistar-carol]

who is an OC that is near and dear to your heart? What is their story?

The obvious answer that everyone would know would be Kelly “Vacay” Savannah, because she’s the main character of “Aftershocks” and there’s a fairly good chance people would know who I’m talking about. However, the obvious answer is wrong.

Long post ahead lmfao, this is your fair warning.

I will elaborate on any of these characters if someone asks.

From an old writing project I scrapped, the dragon princess Birch and her half-demon girlfriend Twilight mean so much to me. They’re the epitome of crossing every border of perception. Erika Heiden, the woman who grew to love a power that was forced upon her, the one became a storm incarnate — Alessia Rybak, the illusionist who turned from Cold War Soviet spy to an underworld-famous one of six, protecting instead of endangering.

Sakura Arai, the writer who gained her confidence, and Daiyu Cheung, the one who was forced to learn power wasn’t everything.

From the Miraculous RP server, Valérie Levi, for who she became. She was me, in the most human and fulfilling sense of the word, and if she could rise to greatness, I could, too. Jamie Lee, my outstretched hand to every fallen friend, was my reassurance that my actions mattered. Eva Sepal, my self-loathing, became a better person, though that rocky road never let up. She had friends, at the end of it all. Friends who would help. Kacie Lee, my naïvete, was my reassurance that just because I didn’t know something — it didn’t mean I was any less off for it.

To Aidan Fierro, who did his best with what he had; to Nagihiko Fujisaki, who was loyalty in a way very few can be; to Colin Strami, whose patience could outlast the world; to Victor Guzman, whose anxiety was never taken as a joke; to Tina Zaipe, whose trauma was taken seriously.

From my own private and unpublished Star Wars writing projects, Jeena Tika, for standing her ground. Jamille Klaskoll, for pursuing what — and who — she wanted, even in the depths of it all. To Shaari Sandspear, whose occupation as a seamstress became a silent cry for rebellion against slave-masters. To Silja Sykemi, the Clawdite spy who, somehow, managed to juggle optimism, too. I have some snippets that I might post on Ao3.

From my Star Wars RP server set in the Clone Wars, I love Nima Choko wholeheartedly. Nima, whose epithet became one of the matched "Twin Suns," who refused to let a war dictate who she was -- Jedi or General. To Nol Solga, the Shadow who did not lose himself to the Dark inherent to his profession. To Indali Solimar, the Jedi Initiate who has not overcome her fear over her own abilities but gets up anyway. To Luviel Homa, the inexperienced Senator who used connections available to her friends as her own. To Karis Stoclo, she who was taken from her family but made herself a new one. Pix Mitraza, the man who believes himself as no better than his profession -- a headhunter -- and does good anyway. To Bracer, Livewire, Lock, and Burner: clone soldiers, copies by nature, but each all irrevocably different. And Jhati Jessot, the woman who never should have had to become who she is, but also the woman who will make the world her own.

For Aftershocks 'verse, I love Kelly "Vacay" Savannah for how she loves -- without question or doubt. I love Marisol "Floodgate" Carter for how I wish I could do what she does in how she refuses to stand for anything less than her own standards. For Ezekiel "Twister" Morris, when he appears, for being more than his past mistakes.

I could go on about more characters than just these.

But they are all me, when it matters.

[tehamelie]

Sex, lies and videotapes (Community 1.5)

Previous Post index

I bought my first mouse! Yes, I've worked and played with PCs daily for 22 years and I've never had to specifically buy a mouse before. So nice to not double and triple click on everything I try to click on. I also managed to move my Community DVD from the standalone DVD player I was duped into buying once so I feel obligated to use it as much as possible, to my DVD drive one step away so now we can do screenshots. Now let's catch up with those crazy college kids.

Community rewatch S1E5: Advanced criminal law

We're introduced to Greendale's most famous alumnus, celebrated actor and "model Puerto Rican American" Luis Guzman. Wait, Puerto Rico is already in the United States. Or maybe you can immigrate since it's a colony or something? I'm just assuming there's something off here since it's the dean talking. With a statue of Guzman and a school song due this week, he assures us "this sure feels like a real college to me!"

Duncan tells Jeff he's into Britta, even though he doesn't remember her name. They, or rather Duncan by himself, comes to a gentleman's agreement to let Jeff "finish striking out with her first." I wish more people were this honest about their intentions cause it feels like it would make some people who deserve to be lonely very lonely people.

Troy introduces the concept of messing with someone to Abed, with some hilarious claims like he's Barack Obama's nephew (we all expected Glover to be related to Hollywood superstar Danny Glover) and he invented the Ferrari. (Ferrari did that.)

Starburns wants to be called Alex; Señor Chang suggests he spends five hours carving that into his face. The Starburns story so far fascinates me. This man with his overly elaborate ostentatious facial hair who only ever interacts with a teacher who, while he has a lot of character and he's almost the only teacher we've been introduced to, is still presumed to be a minor side character like teachers are in students' lives. And we can already see he's tired of being defined by his starburns. (Yet he never shaves them off.)

Chang goes off the deep end when he finds someone's cheat sheet and promises to fail the whole class if no one takes the blame. The stakes have never been, okay I don't think anybody thinks he can do that. The study group has a study group moment where they make it clear all of them suspect everyone else.

Then Pierce asks Annie if she's a musician (since she's on the school song committee) and her immediate response is "Ew, no" which has to be one of the more surreal moments in this entire show. Is it Pierce who offends her, or musicians, or music? Only cartoon villains hate music.

Abed discovers lying is fun if you do it with comedic intent. Really, couldn't anything be funny if you want it to be funny? "This isn't a table. Ha!" might foreshadow the symbolically important role the study room table will come to play.

Come on Jeff, you've never studied anything.

Pierce discovers talking yourself up as an accomplished professional genius musician might lead to people expecting you to compose songs in a reasonable timeframe. It's impossible for me to imagine how people can just make up songs, but I have seen it happen on live streams and it can be done in mere minutes. Pierce immediately going into panic mode when they need it done "this Friday?" would be funny if he was even good, but it's even funnier cause he thinks he's absolutely brilliant.

Over in Spanish class, Britta goes Spartacus to save everyone from the wrath of Señor Chang. That sounds so much funnier than it is if you say it like that. But it gets pretty funny when the whole class instantly bombards her with rolled up papers on command. Britta faces tribunal by the swimming pool which affords Jeff an opportunity to gain some attorney-client privilege, if you know what I mean. (Britta sure does.)

Meanwhile Abed pulls the extremely Autism-relatable move of taking things further than anyone expects or even thought possible. He leads Troy to think he still doesn't get how to mess with people ("Did you hear, all dogs are blue now") and makes bleeping sounds while he takes notes in a script that reminds me of the Zodiac killer's little code messages. It's probably Arabic, right? At least Abed says it's "probably Arabic." (It looks nothing like Arabic.)

So the reason Britta's tribunal is in the bathhouse is so the judges get to use the fancy judges table they just got installed. What kind of swimming competition level does Greendale have? Is this another weirdly competent branch of the school like air conditioner repair we don't ever see?

And Pierce promises Annie to write a song that will make the Devil poop God's pants although from what she sees of his process, or "throbbing cosmic womb of creativity," I'd have doubts. I can't tell if he's faking confidence cause he thinks he can bullshit his way through the job like a real fraud or if he's trying to convince himself he can do it.

"I move this case be thrown out of the pool area." Dang, this episode is full of staggeringly good one-liners. Britta changes her story, catching her lawyer off guard (protip: don't ever do that if you have a real lawyer) and is saved from handing the case to the prosecution only because the trial is interrupted by a splash of water on the judge's table. How fancy is this wood?

And Abed makes Troy think he might possibly be a space alien for real, and It's lucky Abed doesn't know how fantastically naive Troy really is yet or this would be much meaner. And he's not done yet!

(Is Troy just trying to act like he's seen it all because he's not yet sure of himself enough to let out all his childlike wonder and enthusiasm, or did they not have his final character figured out at this point? That seems like a silly question once you see him sucking on a lollipop at the end of this scene.)

Here's a distinct core of raw humanity at the center of the episode that I'm not even sure how to approach. Jeff makes a naked appeal to be Britta's friend and I feel I did really judge him too harshly in previous episodes. ("I just didn't want to take sex off the table* without doing my due diligence.") And Britta tells us she's so used to being worthless and fucking everything up it's comfortingly familiar to her.

There's a moment when every great comedy stops being a comedy. . .oh that was it, now we're going back to the trial with a comical insanity defense. "Do we really want to make it a crime to be crazy at Greendale?"

Cue the first appearance of Leonard, naked in the pool yelling that he's not crazy. He may be my favorite.

Britta is exonerated mainly so Duncan can try to sleep with her under the pretext of giving therapy. You know, there's a point in the third season when we get Sucker Punched and it seems Greendale actually was a creepy old mental hospital all along, well, we'll get there in time.

Troy is really not buying Abed's prank and tells him he's gone way too far. Between shooting a greenscreen video to have a conversation with an identical copy of himself on TV in the darkened Spanish classroom, making a T-shirt with even weirder alien writing on it and a costume for Garrett (hey, first time we get a name for him too), it would seem like too much, wouldn't it. They make a pact of no more pranks, we see their handshake for the first time and everyone's friends. I wish my school experience had been more like this instead of people getting creeped out or angry and shutting me out.

Over to Pierce, who it seems manages to independently invent the tune to "Twinkle twinkle little star" and plays it for several seconds before recognizing it. He gives up and admits to Annie he's no more a songwriter than Billy Joel is. (Billy Joel burn count: 1) It turns out the one song he did write (to sell Hawthorn wipes) was just "She'll be coming round the mountain". But after a pep talk from Annie involving a questionable amount of references to being a teenage girl, even considering she's quoting a speech she was given by her mother verbatim, he comes up with a pretty great song (stolen from Bill Hornsby) and we get a grand closing scene outdoors with the statue and the music (and our heroes talking about how they'll definitely get sued.)

The stinger has a sweet gag where it seems the pranks continue with Abed putting 36 pens in Troy's mouth while he's sleeping, but it turns out he's just zoned out in order not to gag as they are taking turns checking to see how many pens they can fit in their mouths. Good, clean, drooly fun.

Learning fact of the week: Ferrari makes terrible vanity cars that you basically don't buy but spend millions of dollars and sign a contract to live a Ferrari-approved lifestyle that fits their brand to be allowed to lease. Buy Lamborghini instead, if you have that kind of car money.

*And then they eventually have sex on the table! In the episode where someone first calls attention to the table. And the whole subplot with the judge's table too. This is either the best foreshadowing in history or a coincidence using a very common turn of phrase.

[yeah-uh-the-pilot]

I wanna hear more about why you think Ryan Guzman auditioned for Blaine and if he got the roll how do you think it would’ve played out?

Hi!!! So, this is something that just came out of my mouth as a joke when my brother started watching 911.

Because I remember watching this interview Ryan and Oliver did at the beginning of S2, and Ryan said that he never really auditioned for 911, he got the role because he auditioned for another character in another show, that didn’t pan out but he was liked enough to propose Eddie to him.

Which fair.

And because he never said who that character was (afaik at least) that got me wondering about, you know, actors his age and the kind of roles they got - especially within the Ryan Murphy Cinematic Universe.

(Tbf, I think he auditioned for either American Horror Story or American Crime Story. Something like… The Assassination of Gianni Versace)

And because I was joking, it was like… what if he auditioned for Glee? What if he auditioned as Blaine (both Darren Criss and Ryan were born in 1987)??? And it was actually a pretty hilarious conversation because my bro thought Ryan was too old for that and I remember saying ‘dude, he’s actually younger than like… most of the Glee cast, what are you talking about?????’

(My brother was just grappling with the fact he’s getting old)

So it’s not like I believe in this theory but it’s funny to think about.

Also I feel like Ryan would have been hilarious in Glee. I think he would have learned a lot with that cast (let’s face it. Ryan has gotten so much better than he used to be) and he would have been able to dance and sing in the meantime! It’s quite difficult to imagine how the story would have gone with him as Blaine - I don’t think it would have changed much, but love him or hate him Darren was a powerhouse, what with his voice and how he managed to make every single song his (to this day, listening Teenage Dream sung by Katy Perry is kinda weird to me). So I don’t know. I just like to believe he would have had fun. And it’s such a shame he and Naya Rivera will never have the chance to work together.

[lesser-mook]

Let's Talk About Deku's girlfriend--- Re: What girlfriend?

Ain't nothing baddie status about momo, she's designed specifically for one purpose, best thing about her is she takes leadership roles from time to time (when ironically she wasn't shy at all in the first season), so this myth that her costume & her coming into her own as a leader is what Horikoshi meant to do but what really happened- is Momo was a snob, and loosened up.

The shy bits happened at random times when the cringe "uwu kawaii" gags had to happen.

But one of her first lines is checking Deku infront of everyone, there was nothing shy about her lmfao.

So when you really look over what actually mattered in these fights- she's filler.

Balsa Yonsa, Ema Guzman, Lila Rira (look em up youngins) those are baddies.

Momo is a bad oc made canon, the most she got to her was giving orders, spawning plot devices, and serving her actual purpose as the token 17yr Senpai-big sister waifu.

Horikoshi really tried to dodge the cap and give a reason as to why a school let this child wear that bullshit costume (and didn't upgrade to anything better neither, just added some stripes lmfao) and the most she got for a winter alteration was a goddamn cape.

LMFAO. Yeaaah, nice try buddy boi. All the studio mandated assshots, cleavage, crotch shots below perspectives- i'd respect the man more if he just admitted he doesn't respect most of his female characters. At all tbh.

Mirko's annoying ass showed up later but she got way more to do than ANY of the 1A girls in terms of badassery. I'll give mirko credit for being a plot-armored up beast, but how does that make any sense? That some random furry shows up & gets more clout in like what? 2 fight scenes than the 1A girls in 2 goddamn movies.

Trying to rationalize it with in-world reasons, EVEN SO FAR as to have that pos Midnight go on a talk show and justify it--

just looks desperate, too desperate to justify 1 guy's need to dehumanize his female characters no matter the cost. Could easily have her evolve her power to spawn portals like Elizabeth Comstock through her hands only or learn to expand portals on the ground via a circle vector like Full Metal Alchemist or expand on where exactly are these objects coming from- give her some unique lore

cause in the manga it looks like she's organically mutating these materials out her skin

in the anime it looks like she's pulling them from an alternate dimension.

See THOSE details, would make her a baddie, amping her power level, giving her more control over her quirk, instead of quirk dictating how she presents herself to the world.

AUTONOMY. But you see, the more a character has that, the less likely they are to be exploited like a piece of meat or an NPC.

And Horikoshi can't have that.

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

As for Ochako? Like i said on another post, her & deku's relationship peaked in Season 1 when their dynamic had actual conversations without a lot of interruption.

The other 18 extras shut the hell up and weren't given too much dialogue yet--- thus the story wasn't a clusterfuck and it felt more focused.

And Horikoshi was fresh, and wasn't panicking thinking "oh shit? I don't know how to actually write a couple what do i do? OH I KNOW, I'll have Ochako overthink her stake in Deku's life & then bottle her feelings for no reason"

AND THEN i'll establish that U.A. forbids students to have relationships which is just...THE LAZIEST method to guarantee that you can have your cake & tease 24/7 but and eat it too without having to develop anyone's relationships

Lazy lazy lazy.

So when the two were interacting in S1? the likelihood of a bullshit distraction was minimal, because the extra's were non factors.

Their little convo in Episode 6 S1 is still one of the most meaningful ship moments in the show for them.

But all you see in those bullshit wholesome compilations is the crap Horikoshi fed you for 6 years to distract you from the fact that AFTER Season 2-- those two not only didn't get any alone time to actually be further closer friends, but because the man refused to commit and develop their relationship....whatdoyaknow? They didn't have a relationship to speak of that would justify being a couple.

Ochako didn't even meet Inko, that cringe speech is technically the closest she got, Deku didn't meet her parents. They never had lunch together, played video games, trained together NOTHING nothing nothing.

BASICs.

So (rhetorically) tell me, what exactly Do.They.Have?

What girlfriend?

Deku was closer to Todoroki in terms of talking & how much time spent, (OVA's, Seasons, Movies) Todoroki has more of a relationship with Mdioriya and guess what?

He showed up AFTER Ochako in the show. Why couldn't Ochako be part of that trio? Despite having one of them most prolific powers in fiction? (tactile telekinesis)

Why is it the boys get upgrades after upgrades but Ochako's main/major quirk upgrade after that plane feat is in the goddamn finale of the ENTIRE story. ....because she talked about love with someone she has zero stake or obligation to, who was cutting her up trying to kill her.

Despite the contrary of my reply. I'm going to be honest op, there's literally nothing to talk about with these two or any of the girls. They're decoration, a wide variety for the rule-34 warriors & bottom feeders to take their pick.

That's their relevance to the fandom, who they like, and what they look like.

Who they are? When has that ever mattered.

Hence referring to Momo as a "baddest bitch", and I'm pretty sure that descriptor has nothing to do with who she is as a character.

The most you can say is: WASTED potential.

Or they "look cute", which is more honest to reality. Their reality of relevance to the fandom.

(Will space out the paragraphs & add more visual another time, this is just a last min dump)

[911firefox]

They literally reduced Eddie to “that angry guy” in Buck’s dream, what are you talking about? Now canonically deep down in Buck’s subconscious Eddie is just an angry guy. A failed parent. Not his best friend. Not something more which some delusional people try to use as a reason for Eddie not being there. The only reason Eddie wasn’t there is that the showrunner hates Eddie and Buck’s relationship wether it be friendship or romance and you choose to not see that, too afraid to criticise the show instead of standing up for your presumably favourite character. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from that.

Hello again angry anon. I just had a really great nap so decided to humour you once more.

Firstly 'A failed parent' good parents lose custody all the time. Good parents in bad situations. Losing custody is not proof of being a failed parent. There's already an example in the show of Nia, her mum hit a bad situation and a bad time with the pandemic etc. Bad shit happens to good people. And that's true to real life, it's pretty scummy to assume keeping/getting custody = good person.

Eddie isn't in the dream world 118 because he didn't have the support system that enabled him in the 'real world'

The dream was the worst case scenario. Bobby wouldn't for sure have died without Buck, Eddie didn't need solely Buck for things to go his way but as the most important people in Buck's life it makes sense that his anxiety over them and the worse case scenario being worse. But if Eddie had been in the dream, I suspect you would have complained then too so 🤷

The angry descriptor is not something I liked either actually. But I'm guessing it was a clumsy way to allude to the episode rage and the street fighting. Either way there could have been much better ways to show he was overwhelmed that's true. They could have done better with this, yea.

I'm guessing they were talking about how when Eddie did have anger issues in the episode rage etc relating to his grief re Shannon, it was Bobby that stepped in and talked to him man to man. Considering Eddie kicked a guy's nose into his brain, that is pretty angry so maybe that's what Hen is talking about. That's admittedly a pure guess but you can't say that Eddie didn't need the 118 as a family to help him through his grief and rage-

Ahhh, the showrunner- every passive aggressive anon I've seen a friend get today is obsessed about the showrunner. I don't read her interviews since the first one she did that upset everyone. And before that I didn't really read any interviews with showrunners aside from tidbits that came across my dash so you do you but I'm not gonna stress about that. It's outta my power who the showrunner is, shows I've loved and characters I've loved have been done dirty before too. I can just hope not this time. Yelling on tumblr about it won't change her day so, for the most part I do my best to pay her no mind either.

Oh, Ryan Guzman has stipulation in his contract to work reduced hours on I believe two episodes a season and by the amount he was in I'd guess this was one. Perhaps that means next week in an episode dealing with PTS like he has too, he'll be way more prevalent. I really hope so but I'm also prepared to be disappointed. Is it ideal that this episode may have been the reduced episode? Depends on who you ask I guess. I can predict your answer.

I do actually criticize the show a lot when I think it's warranted, which tells me again you have no clue who I am and just want to yell on anon at people.

And you know what I do when I'm disappointed with a show? Well, I sure as shit don't go yelling at people on anon that's for sure.

One piece of advice for you: when a TV show stops being a source of joy or even mild entertainment for you, maybe stop watching.

Go play with a kitten, I am right now. It's super fun.

[cryptidkoretmblr]

Wednesday Addams

Anyways here’s my takes and opinions about some of the most talked about aspects of the show that no one asked for!

1) Wednesday vs love interests, let’s break it down! 

Tyler: I think I’m in a minority when I say I was rooting for them and still are? It is the most ADDAMS family thing ever to be dating a Hyde. Like you’re telling me they wouldn’t revel in that? I’m also a big enemies to lovers or lovers to enemies to lovers again fan so that explains it. I know his friendzone comments were out of left field, like many have pointed out as feeling odd to them, but Hunter Doohan said in an interview (https://collider.com/wednesday-tyler-relationship-hunter-doohan-comments/) that Tyler was always manipulating her. So if he NEEDED to be close for his and Laurel’s plan, then it just makes sense. On the topic, Hunter’s acting in the station when he drops the facade sent chills down my spine. Their relationship just tickles so many of my favorite tropes. 

Enid: I also was rooting so hard for Enid!!! Also the show writers literally had to be coding her. Like I actually don’t know how the topic of wolfing out and c0nversion therapy came up and was greenlit otherwise like ,,,,, but yes, Enid transforming to save Wednesday, to hugging her, to actually being the one to crack her walls... *chefs kiss* I ALSO love the golden retriever and black cat vibe (I am in fact the black cat to my partners golden retriever). But yes, of course friendships can be just as rewarding and meaningful as romantic relationships which takes us to 

No one (Aro/Ace): I also would be so happy if she is Aro/Ace, or anywhere on the spectrum. I have some friends who are, and romantic relationships aren’t everything!!! And the aro/ace community is long due for mainstream media representation. 

Xavier: Look. I wanted to like him so bad. He had so much potential. I hope they up his character development because I was so lost by the time the Rave’N came around like what even was that with Bianca. Also why did he think she was using her siren song on her? 

3) Gomez. Luis Guzman is literally the best casting of the comics you could have asked for. The younger version of him was phenomenal. I do wish he had some more energy, I really liked how eccentric and outgoing Raul Julia’s Gomez had been. 

4) The biggest plot point that made exactly zero sense to me was the murders. In what world would either Addams be ashamed or try to hide it? It just seemed so out of place and is the biggest characterization flaw in the entire show tbh. 

5) Arnisen as Fester. That’s it. That’s my take. Literally I could watch him all day. 

Anyways that’s all I have for now. I’m obsessing over this show and need to scream into the void about my special interests :) 

[juhneenteagues]

I’m currently watching Wednesday and I’m not finished with the season but I have a couple thoughts:

SPOILERS FOR NETFLIX’s WEDNESDAY!!!!!!

1) I love Enid that’s my sista

2) I love Bianca. From ep1 I was like YES a DS Black girl who’s the HBIC !!!

2.a) I immediately wanted an enemies to lovers ship with Wednesday and Bianca while watching ep1 lol I doubt the show will ever go that route but a girl can dream

3) I love how Enid and Wednesday have a “we’re opposites but we will do anything for each other” type friendship… similar to Galinda and Elphaba in a way lol

4) so far from what I’ve seen in the show, Wednesday is either aro or at least queer (even outside my want of an enemies to lovers arc) therefore I find the triangle between Wednesday Tyler and Xavier very boring

4.a) another reason I don’t care for the triangle is one, Wednesday, to me, has not shown or expressed any romantic interest in either guy since she got to Nevermore but because both boys immediately took a liking to her, they both projected their feelings onto her and then got upset when it came to the Rave’N dance; and two, the classic teen romance drama kinda takes away from why we like Wednesday so much as a character. She is diff from everyone else and I feel like I’m fine with her going to a high school and not having a bf, gf, or any romantic partner

5) I don’t think Gomez actually killed that Garrett kid… either Morticia did and he’s covering for her bc he loves her or possibly he died some other way? Anyway considering where I left off in the show before making this post is Gomez going to jail and Wednesday bearing his story and her not believing it… I’ll guess I’ll find out soon

6) not crazy about these portrayals of Gomez and Morticia… the energy just isn’t there for me. I know a lot of ppl dislike the casting of Gomez (Luis Guzman), I assume mostly bc he’s unattractive by societal standard (aka he’s fat)… which I initially didn’t care about bc who cares if Gomez is fat, as long as his personality is the same then it’s fine… but idk…. his Gomez is different but not in a refreshing way.

6.a) I do like CZJ’s Morticia more than I like LG’s Gomez but still idk… maybe I’m being too harsh of a critic but it’s not quite all the way there for me for some reason….

7) Since episode one I haven’t trusted the principal and I half don’t trust Miss Thornhill so I’m curious to see how their characters play out by the end of the season

8) Eugene, just like Enid is very precious to me! I felt bad he got got by the monster and I’m shocked but happy they didn’t kill him off… I was upset that he (very predictably) still went into the woods the night of the dance even tho Wednesday told him not to

8.a) I love the fact that he has lesbian moms!

9) idk if I have other thoughts if I do I guess I’ll reblog and add more later

10) I wanted this to be an even number lmaooo

10.a) I am 25 and I barely saw The Addams Family 1 & 2 this year 😭😭😭 I have no reason as to why I had never seen it before last month (or maybe it was September) but I LOVED those movies and them kooky ass Addams 😂 which is why I feel like I’m disappointed in the characterization of Gomez and Morticia. That’s all

If you actually read all this pls feel free to reply ur thoughts as well and let’s talk about it. (Reminder I haven’t finished the show, I’m on ep5)

11) I just remembered… Tim Burton you ain’t seeing heaven for multiple reasons but WHY is the Black mayor also the owner of a theme park or whatever that is PILGRIM themed???? The disconnect????????