#another constantly recycled joke that I LOVE EVERY TIME!

[challenge-ant]

Next up tonight is a duo who spend all of their time together ...

[tired-hellowl]

here' a comprehensive list as to every problem I have with the current *unecessary characters known as 'Glitz and Glam'

Do they expand the story/worldbuilding in any meaningful way? Do they explore a new hidden dynamic/past conjunction with a differing character and is that explored meaningfully? What was the point of having them animated when Mammon can portray the same level of humiliation/degrading/on stage lack of positive reinforcements. 😐

I'm so sorry but I view these characters as necessary garbage that caused some animators arthritis via too many patterns, not enough screen time to have meat and potatoes worth of dialogue, or really any pretense within the story whatsoever and yes this extends towards every female character on screen but let's not worry about that !!! Even if they are IMPLIED to be from the ring of envy-a color or ring we haven't seen nor meaningfully conveyed to the audience that it even is possible to go in/exists- it isn't conveyed to the audience well enough besides the visual implication of colors???? Instead of having shitty b-plots that go nowhere via Stolas and Blitz goofing off in seeing stars, Moxxie and Millie getting C-plots for no reason, or loona getting a rabies shot- all of that time could have been exploring hell, going to different rings, focusing on other characters besides the main 5, literally I would prefer a quiet episode like BoJack Horsemans 'Fish out of Water'where we can actually see the personalities of the main characters be appreciated and shown to us but that's never gonna happen :/

What I've been worried about is not even the on screen racism/out of touch 'rap/hip-hop parody' leaves a terrible taste in my mouth, if that isn't enough then the sexualization/implication of an incest type dynamic and nothing else besides fetish bait with these characters constantly grabbing one another and not really acting like siblings moreso someone who has never had siblings attempting to write sibling banter and failing terribly :/

Why do you have a problem with 'Klown Bitch' it's so catchy! Uhm, no??? I feel bad for anyone who attempts to defend helluva/hazbin as good modern musicals let me grit my teeth in silence as to the glorification over white people dominating black culture

HERES A HISTORY OF FEMALE HIPHOP ARTISTS: X

Pictured above is very old concept art about twin characters and its the same hairshape viv kept to transfer over to glitz/glam- despite clearly being over designed and way too much going on Alá vivzie style. It just goes to show she recycles even from herself and not every design is always new hot and fresh :/ AND SPEAKING OF CONCEPT ART-

Also also don't forget salems' concept designs thst got passed even though they loon toony, loony, clown enough, and definitely majorly way easier to have animated besides the mess that is the current design meta ???

Love how you can clearly see the silhouettes being so easily identifiable comparably towards the actual amalgamated mess that is their current limbs attempting to hold onto their toothpick body for their head.

All this screams to me is viv using the artists thst try to come onto helluva and they try their best with what their given, viv only picks the best bits SHE thinks is worth her time rather then thinking about the audience or animating anything else besides overglorified white people rap 🤔

Also the episode literally presents its full internalized misogyny/racism within this episode because vivzie herself literally admitted to typing into script with a full chest that

'Women just ain't funny'

. . .

why present misogyny within the series if you as a creator aren't willing to tackle the subject matter? Why write about it or present it as if you're smart over including the joke in your script when it isn't even funny because it just further pushes women out of the entertainment/comedy business which mind you IS ALREADY VERY WELL MALE DOMINATED SO PUTTING OTHER WOMEN DOWN TO PUT YOURSELF UP ISNT HELPING YOUR CASE VIV???

So then what was the point of adding female clowns if all you were going to do with them was make fun of them out of their expense and then profit off of the fact that they are incest coded????????????

?????????Are we watching the same fucking series????????

[fayesdiary]

Congrats on beating 3H !! So what are your thoughts of the complete Fodlan experience ?

Jokes aside, honestly I'm not sure I can give a straight answer.

Overall I'd say it's been one of if not my least favourite Fire Emblem, but that really doesn't sum it up.

A more accurate description would be that it had a good chunk of things I loved (above all the Nabatean fam, Dimitri and his story and Claude as a character)... But it's buried beneath a mountain of boredom to slog through, decisions I just don't vibe with and The Bullshit™. Sooo much tedium and Bullshit in this game, and the fact I was kinda done halfway through VW and only persevered through the end out of sheer spite doesn't help.

And it's such a shame because when I liked the game I REALLY liked it and think it has some of the best/most interesting ideas of the entire series... But was it really worth slogging through hundreds of hours playing the same mediocre at best maps and story beats over and over and having to constantly bear that. Fucking. Monastery? Right now I'm inclined to say no. As much as I love those things, it was not.

Playing all the routes one after another really lays some of the biggest issues of this game, like the repetition. SOOO much of this game is recycled between routes and also in a single route to honestly insulting levels, and it doesn't get that much better in Part 2. The fact the devs somehow didn't think people would want to play more than one route is just. Baffling.

Something I realized in the final playthrough is that they also recycle maps for what are supposed to be completely different locations. So you get shit like Brigid somehow looking the exact same as a forest in the Alliance filled with Demonic Beasts, or Rhodos Coast and a beach in the Sreng Peninsula perfect copies of each other. Complete with the monuments for Cichol and Cethleann. Also like damn, Seteth's wife was so dead they had to bury her twice. In two different locations.

The writing is all over the place as a result of the chaotic development where not even the devs could agree on what the story was, and the whole game could be used as a test study on the sheer damage scope creep can do as well as the obsession with lore and worldbuilding that they contradict as soon as it's convenient over making an actually coherent narrative. And also why you don't throw literally any idea you can come up with to the wall hoping something sticks.

Because of the overreliance on telling over showing, what with the bland recycled maps and all, that Garreg Mach almost feels like the only real location in Fódlan, and that's something no amount of in-game libraries or novels worth of lore if those ten thousand years of lore are even real and didn't just make it up

Speaking of Garreg Mach, dear Sothis I hate that place now.

The monastery was fun the first time around, but then it became a chore to something I actively dreaded doing. It's monotone, you do the same shit every time, it lasts FOREVER compared to, you know, the ACTUAL Fire Emblem gameplay I'm playing for. And while you can technically skip it, you're losing on so much stuff to progress your units if you use it, so it feels like the option is just there to mock you. Getting into Persona and realizing how well the calendar system can work if done properly did nothing but sour me even more on the monastery.

The characters having new dialogue every chapter is really neat and something I wish got properly carried over to Engage, this game manages to turn even that into a chore.

And like - I really want to like this game, and in a sense I do, there's quite a bit of it I love. But so much of it makes me actively groan that I don't think I'm gonna replay it for at least a year. And if I do it will be with the No Monastery mod.

[overtake]

how DID you become a max girlie ? ❤️

This accidentally turned very long-winded so it’s going under a read more. TLDR: I consumed all content of Daniel I could get my hands on, which naturally included a ton of Max, and he really struck me as just a weird little guy that I wanted to put in a glass jar and shake around. Related, this tiktok makes my heart burst with fondness and it explains a lot of the “I just want to perform science experiments on him and keep him fed and warm” attitude I have towards him.

It started with the on the sofa videos. He was so funny and lively, and I was extremely confused why everyone made him out to be this soulless robot. He’s clearly very passionate and serious about what matters to him (racing), but he’s just a completely normal, fun guy. Maybe his personality isn’t for everyone - he’s not going to fake nice and he doesn’t have the same universal charisma that someone like Daniel does, but he’s so funny and entertaining in a more subtle way. Daniel constantly talking about how Max is unintentionally funny is exactly it. Max is so himself, unshakeable and matter-of-fact with a little bit of goofiness and inappropriate jokes. Also, the way Max is so unimpressed by fame and celebrity is so refreshing. He doesn’t give a fuck about status, he cares if you’ll listen to his stories about his cats or play iracing with him or indulge his long-winded explanations about every nuance of the car. It’s nice to see how utterly unaffected he is by the fame.

I was already becoming turned around on him around winter-time with all this content, but I didn’t know how I’d feel about him going into a season. I started watching some old races, and he was so much fun to watch. Then I made the potentially poor choice to search “Max Verstappen” on tiktok and oooo boy. I came out of that three hours later in a fog of fondness and that weird kind of protective attraction that first strikes a lesbian’s heart when she’s about to add another little guy to her eclectic collection of celebrity men.

I’m not used to individual sports since I only watch team ones, but I became really obsessed with Max’s drive and determination to win without apology. It’s so much fun - I can’t believe people hate him for Brazil. That shit was both petty and deserved. He has his morals and beliefs and he will stand by them, and he’s not rolling over for his teammate who was happy to screw him over. I wasn’t a Max fan then, but I was so thrown off by the outrage and hatred for him. Even if we didn’t know it was about Monaco, Max takes racing so seriously. I know he wouldn’t fuck around in a race and have had these talks with the team beforehand if it wasn’t for a legitimately founded reason. I think people just want to think the worst of him at all costs.

Then I became extra endeared from his documentary. That man loves racing so much that he puts up with the utter bullshit he has to deal with every race weekend - he seemed so stressed by crowds, extra interviews, etc. He’s not here for that and doesn’t want to put on this show. He just wants to drive. And then at home and with his family, he was so soft and funny. There were so many fun little nuggets of information (Max having a Harley? Okay, slay). Of course, the cat bits were deeply important as well. It’s obvious how much his childhood affected him, even when he usually laughs off what his dad put him through or avoids discussing how he grew up largely without his mom and sister. I found him a really resilient person who became a talented driver and genuinely kind-hearted person in spite of Jos’ shit.

I love that he doesn’t put on an act with the media. I am so sick of the same platitudes, the recycled and sickly sweet and fake ways to talk around shit. I think f1 in general is way better for getting real, raw quotes (I cannot emphasize enough how fucking unbearably boring hockey pressers are. If you get a coach saying a ref did a bad job, he’s getting fined and the whole hockey world will debate it for three days). But Max in particular doesn’t hide his contempt for their bullshit and tells it how it is. It’s so funny to watch him put people in their place.

Also: cat dad. Cat dad. Cat dad!!! Very important quality to me. I know people joke about cat dads being a green flag, but they really are. Max is so sweet with his little demons. He’s also so soft and kind to children, always making time for them (which is bare minimum human decency obviously, but it’s very cute how good he is with them as well. He really engages with them and gets down to their level and understands their boundaries well - like with that girl at silverstone who was very obviously overwhelmed and shy, and he talked with her while very carefully keeping his distance to make sure she was comfortable and felt safe and had a good experience).

In sum: there was no one moment where a light bulb just went on, but he grew on me so much the more I learned about him. It’s so much fun being a Max fan (and I don’t just mean winning, though that’s very fun after being a long-suffering fan of a cruel flop hockey team). The community of Max fans is so much fun, just celebrating all his weirdness and bad habits, and genuinely loving and embracing him for all his track terrorism and obvious hatred of the f1 circus. I’ve never seen so many people talk about wanting to eat a man (his love handles and thighs are that good though, very true). Letting myself actually learn about him and love him instead of trying to conform to the peer f1blr pressure to hate on him once I realized there might be something more to him (even when half those people seem to secretly consume and enjoy content with him anyway while pretending they can’t stand any part of him) is the best thing I’ve ever done.

[mister-eames]

1/? I was thinking about the whole dreamshare business & how interesting it is cos while you have the likes of Arthur & Cobb who would consider themselves “gentlemen thieves” & believe in things like “honor amongst thieves” etc, obvs not everyone in the industry is gonna be like that. They’re criminals, after all, so you’re gonna have people with a complete lack of morals, people who are power hungry, or jealous of competition or who are simply willing to screw others over for the right price...

2/? So I was like: how do you even navigate an industry like that? ESP when you’re starting off. It's gotta be a whole lot of trial & error when it comes to finding out who's trustworthy, who you’d be willing to work with again & who you’re gonna avoid like the plague. & then I was like how fun would it be if when you didn't know your other teammates well you literally just went by your role. Noone would know the others' names; you'd literally just be The Extractor, The Chemist, The Architect 3/? And then i was thinking the dreamshare business is DEFINITELY a gossipy lot. Because there's gotta be so much secrecy, rumours have gotta run abound (especially if you start making a name for yourself...whether in a good capacity or a bad one.) And then I was like how do I make this about Arthur and Eames? Imagine before you met your Pointman for the first time all you know about them are these rumours you've heard: "A buzzkill," "part ninja", "quiet", "he's like medusa, one look and you're 5/5 walls the other has built around them and form their own opinions... Idk, i just love the idea of them being constantly surprised by one another. And also! Yes! I stan the idea of Arthur as having a great sense of humour too!

------

Nonnie, my darling, it appears that tumblr ate the 4th part of your ask :( :( im so sorry about that, and just as I was getting so SO into it too, damn you tumblr!!! I think I can extrapolate a little where you were going with it though <3 --- I am OBSESSED with the idea of dreamsharers being a gossipy, busybody bunch - personal knowledge must be worth a lot, anything from someones real name down to their favourite colour or preferred detergent. And the rumours that must get born and mutated through the proverbial phone tree. Not just from other dreamsharers, but little white lies Arthur and Eames must have told about themselves a) to muddy the waters on any truth about them and b) to weed out who can and who can't be trusted with 'sensitive' information. And the idea that their love story is obtaining pieces and putting each other together like a jigsaw puzzle is beautiful, never having the most complete picture, but delighted by every piece they find.

Also "like Medusa" lmaoooo oh my god I want a fic of Arthurian tall tales

Arthurs having a great sense of humour, no matter how it's written, is my favourite thing. I mean, in canon we only ever get to see him 'at work', right, where it's his job to sort of curate the fun and dose out the reality checks, but even then we sort of see a couple of cracks - the most notable being 'worth a shot' aha. And outside of work? Arthur is a fucking hoot. Under that serious facade is a playful man with a face made for smiling, for silliness. It's what makes him balanced, as a character and I cannot be paid any sum to be convinced otherwise. I think one of my fave illustrations of this, of many, is HGTV verse where Eames legitimately finds Arthur breathtakingly hilarious and no one else in their work life 'gets' why. That's how I think of Arthur and Eames in canon - as having a language of inside jokes and wry, odd, weirdo sense of humour that you have to untangle and decode to begin to 'get', as with any good relationship and/or friendship. "Merry chase" is an old joke, the words so specific I can't help but believe they're born of history and hilarity, recycled between them so often throughout the years it still makes them grin.

[d0llqueen]

Circling back to writers and audiances

Sailor Moon Manga is written by Naoko Takeuchi who was 24 when it first published. A 24, almost 25 year old woman wrote the manga over 5 years with herself and other women from young adults to around her age being the intended audiance.

Her editor is never noted as asking for any changes to the romance iirc, but in the 2011 reprint Naoko herself did tweak it a bit. The only change i can recall is Usagi no longer lies to her mom about staying over with Mamoru. Which probably came from a change of perspective as Naoko had since married and raised kids of her own.

The 90s anime was given to a team of writers as they didnt have an already published manga to follow at the time. I do not know the ages but I do know every writer on the 90s anime team is a man. And as previously mentioned the intended audiance was changed to younger girls (who will buy toys) and you can really feel both differences of perspective

Not only does Usagi never mature to recycle B plots & jokes, all the women characters in 90s anime have a cattiness to them that is also played up for drama & comedy. It's sexist & dated & antithetical to the writing in the Sailor Moon manga.

The relationships between Usagi & everyone else in her circle in the 90s anime is tainted by this childish possessive jealousy of not nessicarily being in a relationship with Mamoru but being in one at all. Having a boyfriend is put on such a high pedestal, that girlish hopes & fantasies become obsession. Like the female villains kidnap Mamoru because they want him as arm candy, but Usagi's friends regualrly abuse her verbally and hang loss of this status over her head constantly. They fuel her paranoia and insecurity, then tease or get annoyed at it. Not to mention so many B plots are about chasing boys because one of the few characteristics the inner senshi are given is they want what Usagi has. But it's given to all of them. Btw I *DO* blame the writers for wanting to appeal to young girls but not knowing what girls would be interested in outside of the marketed stereotypes.

To be honest this not only sours their friendship but also Usagi & Mamoru's relationship. Because this behaviour reflects how Usagi sees Mamoru somewhat. Because Mamoru can't do anything but akwardly laugh it off. Because it's just a joke to this universe.

I think the lack of care & forethought into these kind of details in the 90s anime really makes it feel like theyre just going through the motions of love sometimes. And often even when the love seems genuine it's almost always undercut by another character getting upset about it.

In case anyone was wondering, this is the difference between 90s Mamoru and Usagi's relationship and their Crystal relationship

Same scene, same characters, different behaviors.

90s Mamoru isn't into pda with Usagi. He's a hella introvert. The writers also had him start out as a university student. Which even if not by much does increase the age gap between him and Usagi. Usagi is usually the one who wants to be kissed. This isn't always the case since when they're alone Mamo is very affectionate. But he also has boundaries with her.

It should also be taken into account that 90s anime Usagi was meant to be a role model for young girls. To appeal to a certain audience her maturity was downplayed. This effects the dynamic between Mamoru and her even further. Their age gap isn't that big in truth. Its at most 3 years. But when you look at it in terms of what grades they are in, it gets muddy. College student dating a middle schooler in the 8th grade. When said in that way, people's response to their age gap is justified.

Crystal Mamoru and Usagi are a different story. Their dynamic is that of a middle school and a high school student. They meet up before school everyday and the two are *very* intimate. By act 19 Usagi stays the night with him in his apartment. And the rest of the series they are often seen sleeping in the same bed. Mamoru is almost always the one who goes in for the kiss and like shown in the above examples, he's not quick to pull away.

Even though 90s Mamoru is the older and (supposedly) more mature iteration of the character, his and Usagi's relationship is far less mature than that of their manga/crystal counterparts. And I think this is due to the origin of their relationship. Naoko Takeuchi wrote Mamoru and Usagi as Lovers from a Past Life. And if you saw the art of them that is spread throughout the manga, you'd know that its in a very literal sense. To put it bluntly, manga Mamoru and Usagi ain't virgins and Naoko doesn't hide it. Sorry to burst any one's bubble but whatever age-of-consent laws you're worried about with these two, doesn't matter in Naoko's eyes.

However if this dynamic was acknowledged in the 90s anime people would be rioting on Toei's doorstep and Sailor Moon would've got canceled. So yea very glad they went the route they did 😅

[herinsectreflection]

The hilarious part about Faith and how incredibly gay she comes across is that it's all a natural side-effect of her intended narrative role. According to Whedon she wasn't intentionally written to be a queer or even queer-coded character, but the way she is written and her metaphorical function necessarily meant she came across as queer-coded. I'll explain what I mean:

1) As Buffy's shadow, Faith is meant to be symbolic of Buffy's repressed desires, and specifically her frustrated sexuality. Buffy is dealing with imposed chastity throughout S3, first with her trauma over Angel getting in the way of a relationship with Scott, and then the curse preventing her from being physical with Angel. It's the centre point of Enemies, its touched on in Amends, and is one of the reasons they break up. There's a reason the season climaxes with Angel and Buffy in a passionate embrace, making orgasm faces as he 'penetrates' her. It's a whole season of sexual frustration for Buffy.

Faith needs to be constantly reminding Buffy of the thing she can't have - sex. She needs to talk about sex to Buffy - and she does, extensively. Faith is written as a very sexual person in general, but it's specifically and disproportionately aimed towards Buffy, because that's her narrative role. So you end up with this character who is constantly going around like "hey Buffy do you like sex? you should think about sex now. sex. when I'm on screen the main thing on your mind should be sex and having it". Which begs the question - why does Faith want Buffy to have sex? Symbolically, it's because she represents part of Buffy, and Buffy wants to have sex. But on a pure character level... what is the explanation? What is motivating Faith to constantly talk about sex to Buffy? A few instances you can write off as her making Buffy uncomfortable for jokes, but not all of them. How it comes across is that Faith has some sexual interest in Buffy, and is probing for her feelings.

2) Faith is a Seductress. That's not a comment about her character, that's her function in the story. She is the version of Buffy who goes down a darker path, and is trying to seduce her into doing the same thing. Part of Buffy's arc in S3 is resisting this temptation, and the symbol of what she is resisting is Faith. So Faith must be an enticing, seductive figure. To quote Passion of the Nerd's review, if Faith is there to to tempt Buffy into a moral dark side, it only makes sense that she is, well, tempting. The seduction is happening on many levels.

Faith is more or less filling the Femme Fatale archetype: the seductive, sexual figure who leads the Hero off their path. It's a trope you see all the time in male-led stories, going back to goddamn The Odyssey. Buffy as a character was invented as a simple gender-swap of an old horror trope, and part of the appeal of the show is that she gets to fill the role of The Hero as a woman. So what happens when you gender-swap The Hero and don't gender-swap the Femme Fatale? You get a gay story, that's what.

3) The Faith arc of S3 is a recreation of the Angel arc of S2. It is structured in the exact same way, with the two having a push-and-pull in the early parts of the season, a setback in their relationship in episode 7, getting closest again mid-season before a night of passion that ends in sudden tragedy. Angel/Faith then turn to the dark side, become the Big Bad, and show that they are beyond saving in episode 17. The season ends with Buffy having to fight and the kill them in order to save others. This is all an intentional recycling, as part of the show building up the Trolley Problem and the idea of Buffy being a killer, repeatedly escalating it to get us to The Gift. What this means is that Faith steps into the role that Buffy's love interest played in the previous season. This is the story that we have just had told to us as a tragic love story. We see it again, and guess what? It's still a tragic love story. Only now Faith is in the role of the love interest.

4) Part of the conflict surrounding Buffy and Faith is Buffy's fear of being "Single White Female'd". She fears Faith might steal her loved ones, and Faith does threaten that. She gets along with her mother, her friends... but most of all, her love interests. Buffy's fear of being replaced manifests as Faith trying to literally seduce away anyone romantically linked to Buffy. Angel, Scott Hope, Xander, later Riley, Spike, Robin Wood... Faith is comprehensively and exclusively attracted to men that Buffy dated. I'm honestly surprised she didn't find Owen and Parker from somewhere for a night in the sack. Again, this makes perfect heterosexual sense from a symbolic point it view - she threatens to take Buffy's place in the narrative, so she takes her place in relationships - but on a character level it becomes ambiguous. Is she actively trying to replace Buffy? Or is she trying to stop Buffy dating anyone for another reason? The simple fact is, there is exactly one common denominator with all of Faith's romantic entanglements: Buffy.

It's a canonical aspect of Faith's character that she is jealous of Buffy. We see that made explicit in Enemies - she's jealous of everything Buffy has: her family, her comfortable home life, her friends, her narrative standing, and of course her loving partners. So of course Faith displays jealousy whenever Buffy is involved with a guy. It's a necessary part of building Faith as this figure of Want and Envy. But how it plays out on screen isn't that Faith is jealous of Buffy because she wants these other guys - of course not, because we see her look jealously through the window at Buffy and Riley in This Year's Girl and Riley obviously means nothing to her. Rather, it very much appears that she is jealous of these other guys, because she wants Buffy.

There's also the added bonuses that come from the show playing with so many metaphors, that sometimes they cross in interesting ways. One of Faith's main purposes is to celebrate being a Slayer, and to encourage the same in Buffy. She wants Buffy to accept and embrace being a Slayer. Here, Slayerhood is standing in for independence and hedonism and making your own rules, all the things that Faith is encouraging. But one of the many other metaphors used is the 'coming out' metaphor. "Have your tried not being a slayer?" "It's because you didn't have a strong father figure isn't it." "I've tried to march in the Slayer Pride parade." It's a note that's hit really hard specifically around the time in the show that Faith is introduced. So if you carry this metaphor on, then Faith becomes an out-and-proud lesbianSlayer, trying to convince Buffy to accept and embrace her sexuality.

And it has a recursive effect too. All this stuff contributes towards Faith feeling like a very queer character. And Faith, of course, is Buffy's shadow self, meant to represent her unconscious desires. So when the symbol of your unconscious desires is so lesbian-coded, then the implication becomes that one of your unconscious desires is lesbian desire. Faith's existence as a part of Buffy implies the existence of Buffy's bisexuality. Which contributes to the relationship feeling ever more queer, which makes Faith even gayer.

I find this absolutely hilarious, because the queer subtext was never intended. Joss Whedon apparently was annoyed that people read this into their relationship, and the commentary from the other writers that does address it tends to point to Dushku's performance. And yeah, she is definitely leaning into that in her portrayal. But the main reasons that so many people have this reading all come from the writing. It's all stuff that is integral to the point of her character. Every metaphor and function in the narrative, every symbolic purpose she has, none of it was meant to be gay and yet it all leads directly to Faith appearing to be totally and completely gay. The queerness is accidental and unavoidable. And I just find that really fucking funny.

[miraculouscontent]

It’s heeeeere! Another summasalt, this time with nearly twice the length of the first one!

(Turns out that not having caffeine doesn’t help me talk any slower.)

Script below:

Anonymous asked:

Thoughts on Rocketear?

Can you Rocketear the newest episode apart with your salt, my beloved Salt Queen?

Penny for your thoughts on Rocketear?

Aw, anon! You can have that for free! I'm a generous goddess.

"Rocketear" begins with Chat Noir and Carapace - just Carapace, really - holding back a pack of what I presume to be the physical manifestation of the writing staff's age, or at least a representation of how behind the times the writing seems.

Just as the dinosaurs break through Shellter. Ladybug shows up with the scientist who revived the dinosaurs in the first place and said scientist uses a whistle to calm the dinosaurs down. There's also a line from Bob Roth about putting the dinosaurs in a theme park to make money and I know what it's referencing but it's so incredibly random that it doesn't really come off as a proper joke.

Carapace was notably sad right after battle, but insisted that he was fine when Ladybug asked. Rena, sporting a... - I would like to say "new design" but it's a recolor in every sense of the word - is hiding behind part of a building and smiles after the heroes before walking off. Ladybug takes Nino's miraculous back but sees that he's still upset and asks him again what's wrong. Nino asks where Alya was and Ladybug claims that she only needed Carapace for the job, which cheers him up but only until Ladybug is already gone.

Mm, I guess Nino and Adrien relate in heroism not being enough for them unless they have their respective love interest to flirt with.

Also, I know this is an obvious set-up, but the show can't tell me that Ladybug just always brought Nino and Alya whenever she needed one of them. Season 3 required her to go to Master Fu to get the miraculouses, and unless she already knew that Nino and Alya would be in the same location - which, okay, the show does basically shove the two of them together whenever Nino is onscreen, fair, if two characters are in a relationship in this show then it's weird for them to NOT be with that person - but it just seems like a gamble, not to mention proof to Shadow Moth that the two are close if Ladybug constantly brings both of them.

Anyway, Ladybug goes into the sewer and asks Rena if she's seen any sign of Shadow Moth or his traps. Rena didn't see anything and they de-transform. Marinette is about to leave when she thinks of something, but Alya assumes it's about her new look, which was apparently not voluntary on her part and the suit automatically adapted to Alya's new role as Rena Furtive, which she has now named it as.

Marinette reminds her that this is supposed to be a secret and that they agreed that the fox has no owner. When Alya is evasive about whether she told Nino that she won't be Rena anymore, Marinette stresses that everyone needs to believe that Alya won't be using a miraculous anymore so that she can remain an undercover spy.

What's the point in changing the look if you're not going to show yourself anyway? I mean, insurance, I guess, but still.

Alya, exasperated, parrots what Marinette has apparently told her before: that she helps Ladybug with Mirage in case Shadow Moth tries to follow her so Rena can follow him instead. Marinette stresses the situation again and Alya tries to get Marinette to agree on her telling Nino that she's Rena Furtive, but Marinette refuses.

At Marinette's house, Alya talks further and explains that she doesn't know if she can lie to Nino since they don't keep any secrets--Alya, babe, you kept Rena Rouge from him and didn't tell him that you knew he was Carapace until Ladybug was forced to give you your miraculouses at the same time. I don't wanna hear it.

Marinette states that it's too late for that and also not technically a lie, but Alya gets upset and says that Nino will never trust her again if he finds out that she kept something from him. Marinette brings up how she had to keep secrets from Alya too, but they're interrupted by Tom appearing and wanting to play games with them. Marinette makes an excuse about homework that she's repeated many times, as Tom comments that the teachers give her too much. After Tom is kicked out - hang on, lemme just... - Marinette uses the moment to show Alya that she's lied to her family a lot and hasn't played games with her father in months. She states that there's no other option as they have to protect their identities, and Alya agrees to talk to Nino.

In Alya's room - I just presume at this point that Nino's house doesn't exist and Chris is an illusion - Alya tells Nino that they need to talk, but stammers and states that it's hard to talk about. Nino thinks that she wants to break up with him, but Alya assures that she loves him. She finally gets to the cover story that Rena herself made up in "Sentibubbler" and Nino understands, sad that she won't be around anymore but agreeing if it's what Ladybug thinks is best.

Is it weird that Nino respects Ladybug's wishes more than Alya does?

Nino hugs her and is confused by why Alya was nervous to tell him, as she can tell him anything and nothing will change their relationship. Alya feels guilty and hugs back, murmuring about how they don't have any secrets; that's not what Nino said, but sure, push this plot to its already predictable conclusion. I mean, I thought it was vaguely sweet that Nino switched to seriousness immediately when Alya said that she wanted to talk, but how am I supposed to be invested in this couple when their dynamic boils down to "STRONG, INDEPENDANT WOMAN who wears the pants in the relationship because her boyfriend is portrayed as a wimpy coward"? Like, the show constantly dragged Nino down to make Alya look "powerful" by comparison, and then when it comes to characters like Marinette, we get a girl who works very well outside of her relationship with her endgame love interest.

It's the fakest form of "girl power," dragging guys down to raise girls up or actually making a strong girl character but having her love interest be a weakness that creates flaws in her that weren't there originally and having that love interest be who she's "destined for."

I'm rambling, sorry.

In class, Marinette assures Alya that she did the right thing and Alya agrees. As they're leaving school, Marinette talks about how their "night walks" start soon, and Alya non-subtly talks about how Rena Furtive will be on the lookout while Ladybug and Chat Noir patrol. She stops, however, as gets excited about some pictures she took of herself as Rena Furtive, which has a lot of details that Marinette hasn't seen. I don't know whether to groan at what I just heard or remind everyone that Rena Furtive is literally just a recolor and therefore this is the writers patting themselves on the back for this design, so let's just move on.

Alya then shows Marinette her phone--AUGH, MY EYES--and suggests making a poll on her Ladyblog so people can vote for their favorite Rena design. Marinette has to stress again that Rena Furtive is supposed to be a spy and thus invisible, which Alya admits that she forgot about.

Okay, I've been holding off on talking about this, but now seems like the best time to bring it up. Alya has been a trash friend as well as a trash confidant, and her role as Rena Rouge boiled down to, "it was convenient for her to be the fox at the time it was needed." She's not particularly stealthy like one would expect of a fox, and she was easily one of the worst candidates to be told Marinette's big secret. I'll get more into this later, but I have to stress that Alya has treated Marinette no differently since learning of Marinette's identity and has already gone against Marinette's orders once before at the time of this episode airing. Episodes are constantly torn between validating their decision to have Marinette tell Alya, having Marinette be worried about the decision while the show considers her to be ridiculous for it, and then having Alya either consider or make choices that clearly don't gel well with what's good for her role. Much like Marinette, she lacks a sense of self-control and--wow, a female character who's impulsive, never seen that stereotype before.

Point being, "Sentibubbler" stressed over and over that Alya was the right choice and deserved to be both the permanent fox and the understudy for guardian, but then we have "Rocketear" here where Alya is making basic emotionally-driven errors that I'm not even remotely sympathetic to when Marinette has gone through so much worse over the course of three+ seasons.

*sigh*

Alya laments that it's hard to find new content for the Ladyblog - ah, yes, tell me more about your struggles, Alya - but figures that at least she can post stuff about Chat Noir instead of--I don't know--making fake Ladybug theories to lead people off Marinette's trail. Marinette says that it's a great idea, though Alya still doesn't look too happy. The scene then rewinds to a little bit to show a different point of view, this time with Adrien and Nino. Wait, this feels familiar, wasn't there another episode that did something like--ohhhh no, this is going to hurt.

After saying good-bye to Adrien - something I wish I could do every time he's mentioned or on-screen - Nino catches the bit of conversation where Alya talks about the Ladyblog. Nino talks as if Marinette isn't there and asks Alya out to the movies because Marinette is chopped liver and this is about Alya and how sad she is, guys.

Wow, she's turning into Adrien faster and faster.

Alya hesitates, but Marinette assures her that there's still time. Alya excitedly runs off with Nino and they watch what I presume are previews given the narrator, featuring recycled footage from the Ladybug PV. Nino is upset because Rena is mentioned but not Carapace, and the preview features Rena telling Chat Noir to forget Ladybug because it's Chat and Rena herself who are trulu made for each other.

I don't know what's funnier; the complete lack of self-awareness or the suggestion that a biracial couple would exist in this show outside of a special that gives them maybe a minute of screentime and acts more like suggestive canon anyway. I think I might've been too generous with that line about dinosaurs.

Nino is offended by the preview and Alya brushes off his comments, stating that it's just a cartoon and it's made to entertain people, though Nino himself is certainly not entertained. Can't say I entirely blame him considering that Alya doesn't really try to say anything substantial or even agree with him. No cuddling or reassuring kisses, she just gets slightly sad and turns to her phone for a bit.

After the movie, Nino is cheered back up again until he catches Alya on her phone once more. He offers to take her home, but she's distracted, and he comments that what she showed to Marinette looked pretty nice; I don't know because they didn't show it. Nino asks what it was and Alya evades the question, stating that her battery is running out. Nino is suspicious, but spots Andre's ice cream cart and the two head over there. Andre calls them his favorite couple and asks what they want, but Alya sees Ladybug gesturing for her and has to run off, giving Nino a cheek kiss as she goes which feels like too little too late at this point.

Nino catches some conveniently-placed kids arguing over who Chat Noir loves, but they settle on the fact that girls in general love Chat Noir. Nino is then seen at the Seine watching the Ladyblog's latest video, where Alya is talking up how amazing Chat Noir is. I hate to stop every five seconds to complain - okay, actually I don't - but I presume this video must've been made after the movie since Nino seems like the type who would actively follow his girlfriend's blog, yet not only is this video perfectly set up to echo the kids and the movie preview, but Alya - despite apparently caring about her boyfriend soooo much that she kept trying to convince Marinette to bend the rules - didn't even try to warn Nino or text him so he doesn't take it too seriously. It's like "Sentibubbler" with the conflicting messages about identity rules; Alya cares about her boyfriend but both isn't thinking about how he'll take the things she says and apparently doesn't know him well enough to realize that he wouldn't be mad over her keeping a secret that she was told to keep. I already talked about how they play up Nino to be the emotionally weaker one of the relationship, but then they don't have Alya try to cover or make up for that. She's been acting very much not like Alya - you know, the one who in "Sapotis" practically bragged about how great she'd be at covering for Ladybug - with her stutters and weak excuses, so I can't completely blame Nino for being upset after everything that's happened when he sees the writers projecting onto Alya as she talks about how Chat Noir is brave and funny and cute and showing all these images of him as well. I don't agree with all of his actions, but--oh yeah, speaking of which--

Nino calls Adrien and is talking to him about how Alya must be in love with someone else. Adrien dismisses the idea, as Alya and Nino are together basically all the time, and asks who she could possibly be in love with. When Nino suggests that it's Chat Noir, Adrien laughs and jokes about it being Fang instead. Nino points out the video but Adrien did see it but is overall unphased and convinced that it means nothing. Nino says that he'll find proof and hangs up, but Adrien is certain he'll find nothing. Plagg comments that Nino will find someone because Plagg's charisma has definitely contaminated Adrien.

Ugh.

Adrien expresses concern that he put on the cat's charm too much and accidentally made Alya fall for him, and decides to visit Alya as Chat Noir to be sure.

Meanwhile, we get a reference to film noirs as Nino narrates. That's the second blatant reference this episode and now I feel like they wrote this script while doing a movie marathon.

Chat Noir arrives at Alya's house and Trixx hides before Alya opens the curtains to reveal her surprise guest. Nino is nearby watching the scene with his phone as Alya wonders aloud if something's wrong. Chat assures that everything's fine, but brings up the video she posted. He insists that it made him happy, but points out that she's been following him and Ladybug since the beginning and that they know each other much better due to everything that's happened. He has some conveniently-worded dialog as he starts to say that he hopes something's just an illusion and Alya gets worried that he's about to bring up Rena. Chat continues and clarifies that he wonders if she started to feel something for him, though adds that he understands because just look at him.

UGGGGH.

Chat clarifies by making a heart with his hands, which Nino sees. Alya laughs at this gesture and states that she has a boyfriend, doing the same heart gesture and suggesting that her love for Nino is even more than that. Chat Noir apologizes - hm, I didn't know he had the capacity to do that - and hugs Alya, saying that he was just confused.

An absolutely unnecessary hug for two people who, at least in terms of their current selves, have had very little screentime together, but this is also the show where making eye contact basically means your friends and it's all just to push the plot along so Nino inteprets that Alya is in love with Chat Noir, so whatever I guess.

Alya states that Nino is far more irresistable than Chat, then adds that she doesn't even know his secret identity, and she'd never fall in love with someone she doesn't know. Nino then runs away upset and the scene cuts away to the next day where--

Wait, wait, wait, hang on a second. Two things right off the bat there.

First off, we're just gonna sidle past that "wouldn't fall in love with someone you don't know the identity of" while ignoring the existence of the love square? Not even Chat thinking about how he doesn't know Ladybug's identity and trying to excuse that he doesn't have to? This guy is that certain of their relationship?

Secondly, Nino is practically sobbing and Shadow Moth doesn't take this as his opportunity? Same guy who akumatized Mr. Pigeon 72 times and has akumatized Gigantitan more than once? What is this pacing???

But--alright, so Adrien comes into school and sees Nino, still dressed up in his detective gear, which gets ignored completely as Adrien goes to tell him about Chat Noir and Alya. Because the show doesn't know how Adrien would convey this within reason, Nino interrupts him, taking him down into the lower part of the school where he has a desk and chairs set up. Adrien goes to ask when Nino had time to do this, but Nino slams his hand on the desk to cut him off. Nino presents the evidence he took and they go back and forth, likewise with Adrien turning off the background music while Nino turns it back on. Adrien insists that it's a misunderstanding, but pleads innocent when Nino asks how he knows. Adrien states that Alya is just a superhero fan and that she and Chat Noir have nothing in common.

Again, the complete lack of self-awareness is astonishing.

Adrien repeats what Alya said about secret identities and how she wouldn't fall for someone she doesn't know - they're really ignoring this, aren't they? - and continues hitting Nino's soft spots about how unlikely it is until Nino decides to tell Adrien something he's not supposed to.

He tells Adrien, not only that Alya is Rena Rouge, but that he's Carapace. Adrien goes through a range of emotions beyond sAD for once, shocked at the fact that they know each other's identities. Nino states that they don't keep secrets from each other, except now Alya is with Chat Noir. Adrien still doesn't understand and brings up how secret identities have to be protected, or else Nino wouldn't have told him because Ladybug wouldn't agree to it.

Oh, here we go. So that's why they waited.

Nino states that it was Ladybug herself who gave them their miraculouses at the same time; not giving the reason why, of course, nor pointing out that they're temporary heroes so there's understandably some leeway. Adrien is having a moment, but manages to bring the subject back to Alya and Chat Noir, who he still doesn't think are a thing. Nino argues that it's because Adrien doesn't know Chat Noir, but he does because he's Carapace and knows how Chat Noir acts. He says that it's all flowers and confessions when Ladybug appears, but he gets rejected because Ladybug thinks that he's annoying, and she's right. He adds that Chat flirts with Rena Rouge and that's all that needs to happen, with Chat stepping in on the first mission Carapace lost in. Nino laments the loss of the love of his life and wishes to shut Chat Noir up forever; we all do, Nino, we all do. Shadow Moth finally steps in with - oh, less than eight minutes left in the episode, yikes - and Nino is akumatized into Rocketear.

Rocketear rejects Adrien's pleas to stop, insisting that Chat Noir is who he's after, not Adrien, and Adrien transforms in sad fashion despite Plagg's reminder of who Rocketear is after. Alya, meanwhile, is in the art club with Marinette - wait, since when was Alya in the art club - telling Marinette about how Chat Noir thought she was into him due to the video, which Marinette groans at. There's an earthquake and they peek outside to see Rocketear firing his tears at Chat Noir, shouting that he stole Alya from him. Chat Noir tries to tell him otherwise, but Rocketear won't listen.

Alya groans at Nino doing this, then she and Marinette set off to find a place to transform. They conveniently go to the same place Adrien and Nino were, so they see the desk that Nino had set up.

Genuine question, how seriously does this episode want me to take itself, because now when I recount all the unnecessary love square drama in my head - because you know that's where this is going - I'm going to have to think, "Nino, dressed in a detective outfit, ripped off his fake mustache and told Adrien both his and Rena's identities, and also that Ladybug was totally cool with it and thinks that Chat Noir is annoying."

Gettin' two completely different vibes here. The episode clearly wants to be important but it doesn't take itself seriously either, which it totally could while including enough jokes to keep things light. Instead, I'm just left scratching my head and wondering what tone they're going for.

Marinette finds Nino's phone on the desk - I'm calling continuity error on that one because he at no point put it on the desk, at least not on-screen - and she questions Alya on the video she sees. Alya insists that nothing happened, apparently completely unphased by her boyfriend having spied on her, and says that he wouldn't have misunderstood if he'd heard the actual conversation.

The two transform and Ladybug immediately uses Lucky Charm, receiving a projector. Ladybug is clueless and Rena Furtive suggests creating an imaginary movie like Nino. Ladybug gets an idea, remembering Alya's earlier comments, and Rena confirms that she remembers every word of it.

Aaaaand, just like that, all of the tension has been completely sucked away. You know, "Backwarder" was a trash episode, but at least when Ladybug was showing every step of her plan, she didn't tell us what it was.

Meanwhile, Rocketear and Chat Noir are still arguing--I started zoning out at hearing the same thing over and over again at this point, so I just presume they were fighting over who does stuff behind their love interest's backs better; I don't think they came to an agreement but they're both losers anyway.

Chat Noir says that he'll prove his innocence, tossing his baton aside to show him giving up, but Rocketear points out that it proves nothing and strikes Chat Noir with his tears.

Our endgame love interest, everyone. Straight As yet about as smart as a sack of bricks, and that at least won't flirt with anyone non-consensually.

Chat Noir makes a point that he doesn't want to hurt Rocketear, and Shadow Moth tells Rocketear to take his miraculous before finishing him. Chat Noir can only weakly tell him not to before Ladybug snags Rocketear's wrist and diverts the shot. Ladybug explains to Rocketear about the projector and how it'll let him hear the audio of the recording he took. She adds that she doesn't know what Chat said, but she trusts him.

Marinette, I'm sorry, I feel so bad for you.

Ladybug turns on the projector and Rocketear relaxes at actually hearing what was going on. Rena then de-transforms and hurries out to meet with Rocketear, hugging him as Rocketear apologizes for doubting her. Alya also kinda sorta apologizes in a way I don't understand and Rocketear then breaks his akumatization, very casually, all on his own.

Yeah, just--casually, in a matter of seconds in fact. You know, it's really sad when people resisting akumatizations are more tense and emotionally compelling than them breaking them. This is twice in one season now and has zero impact considering that Nino's reason for being akumatized was already taken care of so he had no reason to stay akumatized anyway. Him breaking his own object to release the akuma would've at least been different, but instead it's just a repeat of what Alya went through with even less tension considering that Alya's wasn't even that good in the first place, relying on her relationship to Ladybug rather than who she knew to be her best friend.

Moving on, Ladybug captures the akuma and uses Miraculous Ladybug to bring everything back to normal. Shadow Moth monologues about how love and secrets don't go well together and he's sure that she has a lot and I'll talk about this later.

Ladybug hands over the magical charm, which Nino takes but insists that he won't need it, as he'll never let Shadow Moth use his love to manipulate him again. Plenty of other things to get akumatized over, but they gave the supposedly ace character a robot to help him stick out and also gave the supposedly aro character a miraculous back in season one to give her more importance. If characters aren't in love then they need something to ceompensate for it.

Nino apologizes to Chat Noir for being wrong and Chat Noir assures him that everyone has doubts, even him. He gets sad and Ladybug asks him what's wrong, but he insists that he's fine - officially throwing away his right to be upset at her later as far as I'm concerned - and they do their usual fist buuuuu--

...Really?

Everyone then splits up and Chat Noir sulks by himself instead of--you know, talking to Ladybug, or asking her anything, or making any sort of excuse for her because that would mean he actually has faith in her and understands that their partnership is different from temporary heroes, even if the excuse was as basic as her wanting to protect him more than the others because he would be that egotistical if they didn't want to stretch out this unnecessary drama.

Later on, Adrien is staring at a picture on the Ladyblog that might be a metaphor for the show considering how "in the foreground" Chat Noir and Rena are.

Adrien vents about Ladybug giving miraculouses to Alya and Nino, but Plagg states that she's the guardian. Adrien clarifies that he's referring to Alya and Nino knowing each other's identities, but Plagg doesn't see the issue. Adrien gets huffy and asks why the rule exists for LadyNoir but not Ninya, but Plagg again points out that she's the guardian, so she makes the rules, though obviously he uses cheese metaphors to convey it.

Okay, Plagg is only, like--half-right because he doesn't have all the information. If you don't mind me rambling for a bit, I'm on the fence here because, on one hand--yes, I agree that Marinette should be allowed to make her own rules, and I often do that in my writing because I think she should be permitted leeway in order to let herself be happy, but on the other hand, it's not technically her rule, as she had to let Alya and Nino in on their identities back in the Season 2 finale, so Fu was still around for a season. She wasn't even guardian yet!

Now, presumably so the fandom could blame Marinette if anything happened, Marinette never discussed this with Fu on-screen, so I can't say whether or not Fu knew, but I feel like he must've since Marinette had to have told him the heroes' identities off-screen, given "Party Crasher," and thus I imagine that Marinette would tell Fu everything that happened, which is consistent with what she does on-screen even if she'd keep things from him for a little while.

"Furious Fu" had also established that not even Master Fu followed rules completely, meaning that Marinette is in this awkward spot of mostly following what Fu taught her, which aren't all guardian rules anyway, and having to break the rules on occasion for various purposes. I can't say what Fu approved of and what he didn't, because episodes spend so much time on the love square that they forget about Marinette as a person and how she interacts with everyone else. From an emotional standpoint, I can't blame Marinette for not revoking the miraculouses of people whose identities get discovered because of her, as I imagine she feels guilty and it probably doesn't seem fair to force them into another miraculous or have them be entirely without one because of a mistake that she made, meaning that someone needs to be throwing a lot of red flags for Marinette to be through with them.

Though obviously, from the show's standpoint, it's just an excuse to not make new models, but I complained about that enough in "Sentibubbler" and this episode even went out of its way to design a detective model for Nino while spraypainting Alya's bodysuit in the same breath, so this is the world we live in.

Anyway, Marinette is essentially in this position where she still has Fu's rules hovering over her, but she's also trying to step out on her own and make her own decisions to varying degrees of success or failure depending on your point of view. Tikki--wait, no, bad idea--Su-Han then, could easily give input on these things, perhaps with Marinette discussing a modern day set of rules for someone her age and going back and forth with Su-Han on what the right choices to make are, finding something that's comfortable but within a realm of predictable control. Su-Han was okay with some rules being broken after seeing how Ladybug handled them and they could've easily made this episode about that instead, but instead, we get rules being set and then being broken on a writer's whim.

Which now brings us to the end of the episode, where Marinette is on the phone with Alya and apologizes for causing trouble between her and Nino. Alya tells her not to worry and she'll fix things - you know, those things that, to Marinette's knowledge, have already been fixed - and asks if Marinette trusts her. Marinette does, and Alya hangs up in order to face Nino.

Yeah, that feeling of dread in your stomach? That means you know how predictable the writing is and what's about to happen, good for you.

Alya explains that she has to tell Nino something and he's worried, this time trying to sheepishly break the tension. She explains that she's still Rena Rouge, much to Nino's shock, and adds that she's in hiding, which is why Ladybug didn't want her to tell anyone. Nino asks why she's telling him if she's not supposed to tell anyone - proving my point from a while back that he wouldn't have been upset had she kept it a secret - then asks if Ladybug agreed with it.

I want to give him a pat on the back for considering Ladybug, but he didn't even tell her when he had the chance that Adrien knows his identity now, so I'm just beaten down at this point.

Instead of answering the question directly, Alya says that she can't hide her identity from him because she loves him and they don't have secrets.

You know, like Nino telling Adrien about Rena's identity, or Alya saying specifically that she's a permanent holder, which I'm sure both of them will confess to since they said that they don't have--aaaaand the episode ends on happy triumphant music, okay.

I mean, I guess Alya at least didn't tell him that Marinette was Ladybug, but that is such a low bar and not even remotely worthy of congratulations when Alya told Nino the specific thing that Marinette told Alya not to tell; the thing that they had agreed on.

Nino wasn't upset anymore. He won't be getting akumatized either. Alya endured the supposed hardship of being a permanent fox holder for four episodes before breaking down and telling her boyfriend. Even her excuse doesn't hold any water because, again, they're both still technically keeping a secret, particularly Alya who knows Marinette's identity as Ladybug. The episode also apparently forgets that Alya and Marinette's friendship must not be as strong by her logic of telling Nino specifically everything, as Alya kept Rena Rouge a secret from Marinette for all of Season 3, but tells Nino about continuing to be Rena Rouge in Season 4. Boyfriends before BFFs without explicitly saying it, or to be more specific, whatever screws Marinette over the most, because that's what this comes down to, made worse by "Optigami" where Marinette told Alya that she'd tell her everything and I guess that doesn't go both ways.

"Sentibubbler" had Alya stress that no one would ever know. She promised Marinette and told Marinette to trust her, and the episode spent its entire running time talking her up and assuring Marinette that she was the right choice, even considering Marinette ridiculous for worrying when Alya had done something without Marinette's permission the episode right before it. Then, three episodes after "Sentibubbler," when Marinette is finally comfortable and trusts Alya completely, Alya betrays that trust. Nino betrayed that trust, knowing he wasn't supposed to do so but telling Adrien his and Rena's identity anyway, because he was losing an argument and needed to PROVE something.

Marinette gives them an inch and they take a mile. Marinette bent the rules so that they could continue to have the miraculous they'd started with and they disrespected her because it was hard for like a day.

And if this bites them back, it won't reflect poorly on them, it'll reflect poorly on Marinette.

It's not like Alya just overrode Marinette. She didn't go, "Hey, I'm telling Nino, I'm sorry," or tried her hardest to go back and forth with Marinette until they both agreed. No, she did what she told Marinette she wouldn't do without saying a word to her, because LOVE and SEEEECRETS.

And this only applies to her, of course, because don't think I didn't notice the parallels between this episode and "Truth," because WOW.

Episode begins with Marinette hoping for something and it blows up in her face? A date at the cinema that ends on a sour note? Plot-centric couple trying to get Andre's ice cream and the female with a secret needing to leave in a hurry? Boyfriend character getting akumatized over their girlfriend's secret? Boyfriend assumes/suggests that the girlfriend's secret involves Aaaaaadrien - or his alter-ego in "Rocketear"'s case - and the episode hints as much to him even though he's completely wrong? Akuma's colors are blue and black? THE BRIDGE?

But, ahhh, little difference, here and there, y'know, like how Marinette was forced to break up with her boyfriend while Alya got to keep hers, and Nino got to have long talks with Alya while Luka got little to nothing with Marinette.

Because do note that Alya, while trying to convince Marinette and talk to Nino about not keeping secrets, at no point suggests that Marinette deserves to be happy and deserves to have a boyfriend and that Marinette should be allowed to tell Luka her secret so they can get back together, so you have Alya here selfishly prioritizing her relationship with Nino while making no comment about Marinette's relationship, essentially asking Marinette to allow her what Marinette herself didn't have the luxury of, and Alya knows this because Marinette told her. It is both incredibly insensitive of Alya and incredibly insulting of the show to make so many parallels between this episode and "Truth" just to have everything crash down for Marinette because she's Marinette while everything goes well for Alya and Nino because they're not Marinette.

We've talked before about the formulas that are literally baked into the show, and one of those is how Marinette makes a mistake in every episode and has to learn from it. What that mistake is in this episode, I don't know, but considering that she apologizes for Alya and Nino's problems, I guess the show blames her for what they themselves had taught her.

Point being, there's a clear karma system in place, but it only applies to Marinette, and forcing her to mess up in every episode means that she is literally not allowed to be with Luka because had she been able to clear things up between them, he would've eagerly accepted her and they could've been happy. It'd be too difficult for her to mess up when Luka doesn't put mountains of pressure and expectations on her like everyone else. Factor that in with how she can be herself around him and it leads to situation that are too difficult for her to screw up in because her mistakes - more often than not - center around Adrien or her role as guardian.

And because another rule in the show is to bring up Adrien so they don't "lose him for too long," she can't avoid bringing him up either. If he's not in the plot, he has to be mentioned, leaving Marinette in a lose-lose situation that she'll never be free from.

So, let me just get this straight then:

The guy who spied on his girlfriend instead of talking to her about his assumptions gets to keep his girlfriend, not because he realized it was wrong regardless of whether he was correct or not, but because the situation had been cleared up for him, yet the guy who actively resisted his akumatization, saddened by his girlfriend's secrets but wanting her to share them when she was ready, gets broken up with and tossed to the wayside because he's not a rich blond boy who got a miraculous because he happened to be within the twenty meters of space where Fu was searching for new holders?

Meanwhile, the girlfriend who has gone against the wishes and insistence of her best friend - guardian of the miraculouses, by the way, so she calls the shots, something that Alya herself said in "Optigami" BEFORE GOING ON TO DO HER OWN THING IN THE SAME EPISODE AND BEING REWARDED FOR IT - is allowed to go against the wishes and insistence of her best friend again for the sake of "all love, no secrets" with her boyfriend and so she can have the happy ending she wants, yet the girl who was chosen for a miraculous without her consent, forced to screw up and talk about a random boy who doesn't even go out of his way to spend time with her, treated like absolute trash by writers who find humor in her misery, and is the only one to receive overly harsh and long-lasting consequences for her actions while also covering up and forgiving the actions of others within the episode where they do it...

doesn't get her happy ending, and won't ever get her happy ending. That thing Shadow Moth said about love and secrets not going well together? Yeah, only goes as far as the writers want it to, because both Nino and Alya still have secrets, and some of the ones they did tell each other were forced by someone else and kept until that very moment. This idea that people in love have to tell each other everything and that it makes a relationship stronger makes me immensely uncomfortable, and that lesson is also in "Guiltrip."

People should be allowed their secrets, and obviously there are exceptions for things that are being hidden with malicious intent, but being essentially forced to share everything or risk not having a "full and complete" relationship is stifling and sounds like it'd only cause stress.

This episode sucks. It furthers and confirms everything I've already thought about the show, Nino's screentime continues to be dependent on Adrien, Alya, or both, there are pointless references that completely take me out of the experience, and the utter betrayal from Alya and supposed message of the episode just reminds me that Marinette is inevitably going to be stuck with a guy who didn't even DO anything in this episode and is going to let himself stew instead of asking for any sort of clarifications from someone he apparently trusts so much.

So the takeaway is that Marinette's life is awful, she'll be forced to apologize for rules that she didn't even come up with herself, her best friend will walk all over her for the sake of her relationship with a guy - not even for the sake, really, they were going to be fine, it was more for HER personal comfort if anything - and the guy who actually makes Marinette happy and could've known her identity instead BECAUSE HE AT LEAST DIDN'T HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF SPILLING HER SECRETS gets treated in the exact same way that she does; like nothing, just something to abuse unfairly.

What a waste of an episode.

[anonymous0writer]

Truth Or Dare

Author: @anonymous0writer​

Requested: Yes!

“Hey I had a request for a JJ x reader fic where the pogues are playing truth or dare and John b knows that someone’s been screwing around in his van so he asks JJ who not only confirms it was him but drags the reader down under the bus with him”

Warnings: Very light mentions of sex. Underage drinking. 

Summary: You and JJ have been messing around for a long time. And tonight's a night for truth.

A/N: I’m trying something different, by writing in third person.(I only did that in the beginning. I know I switch the narrative a little bit and I’m sorry for that! I hope it made sense!) Also this is much longer that it needed to be! Thank you anon! :)

This fic is dedicated to @jayjaymaebank​! Love you Kier!! <3

I am getting through all the requests! I promise! And I’m so sorry I’m not getting them out fast! I know you’re probably mad at me and I’m sorry! 

JJ Maybank was a boy known to have any girl he wants. However, there was one that he never thought he would have. That girl was Y/N Y/L/N. 

To JJ, she was perfect. Tan skin from days surfing and swimming. Bright, happy eyes that glowed in the sunlight. A smile that would light up the room and make everyone in a two mile radius smile too. A laugh that sounded like wedding bells and was highly contagious. A sense of humor that topped his own, a vibe that was even better than his. A wild side that made JJ catch his breath every time. A personality that had everyone falling in love.

And he never thought he’d have you. 

Until two months ago. When you had stumbled into him at a Boneyard party, seemingly drunk. (You were really just laughing too hard at Pope’s comment to think straight. But in fairness, you had two drinks, but you had a good immunity to alcohol, so you weren’t fazed.) You had grinned at the blue eyed boy, making him soften. 

“JJ! There’s my favorite boy!” You laughed. “You know I’m in love with you, right?” 

You were feeling very bold that night, and upon feeling this way, you confessed your feeling. Admittedly, the presentation of them was like a joke, but still. Your heart still clenched and you still held you breath. 

“What?” JJ sputtered, caught off guard at the words he’d ached for you to say for almost a full year. 

“I’m in love with you.” You said more seriously, your eyes flickering with something JJ couldn’t place. 

JJ being JJ kissed your cheek and nodded. “Alright, Ms. Alcohol.” His blue eyes danced with amusement mixed with sadness. 

But you frowned, shaking your head. He didn’t understand. You weren’t drunk, and the bad feeling in your stomach was increasing the more time went by. You were confessing your long held feelings and the blonde boy was just passing it off as drunk thoughts. 

“I’m not drunk, J.” You protested, voice hard with seriousness.

The laughing, easy atmosphere vanished. JJ’s blue eyes bore into yours.

“You love me?”

“I’m not kidding, JJ.”

All thoughts were thrown out the window at your words. So JJ did what JJ did best. Kissing. JJ leaned forward, lips on yours in a second. The kiss was tentative and soft. Unsure if this was even real. But JJ knew it was real the second he felt you kiss back. He felt on top of the world at the pressure of your lips on his.

You pulled back, trying to catch a breath. “Wait, are-”

“Should we keep this secret?” JJ answered, knowing you far too well. 

“We aren’t allowed to mack, J.”

“I don’t care.” He breathed and pressed another kiss to your lips. “As long as I can kiss you, I’m okay.”

You grinned, but pulled back a little. So you two looked like friends. Not a couple. “We gotta keep this away from the Pogues. Kie would freak.”

“God you’re hot.” The blonde boy complimented you, while ignoring your comment. You blushed and looked at the sand, wriggling your feet in the warmth of the tiny grains.

But before you could kiss the boy again, Kie was calling your name, making you pull away from the boy you’ve been in love with for a year. You glanced back to see the surfer still staring after you. You giggled softly and winked. You were now secretly macking on JJ Maybank. The one boy you thought you could never have.

~

You sat around the fire, surrounded by your friends. Pope on was your right, sharing a log with you. His bare feet were stretched in the sand, reaching for the warmth of the fire John B. had coaxed to life. Kie sat huddled to your side. She was talking adamantly about the problems with the planet. John B. was on the other side of the fire, pretending to be working hard on the fire so he couldn’t get schooled by the girl next to you. However JJ wasn’t as lucky, and he was getting a talking to.

You caught JJ’s eyes, smirking. JJ and you had been sneaking around for months now. Macking and sneaking kisses and quickies in when you could. You loved it, but wished it wouldn’t have to be a secret. But part of you feared JJ wouldn’t want to be in a relationship anymore once it got validation.

The blue eyed boy gave you a look that screamed “Help!” but you just added to the fire, by asking Kie a question that sent her off again. You loved Kie’s rants, but right now, it was funnier to see your secret boyfriend suffer as he nodded along to the curly haired girls words. 

“Y/N.” You glanced up to see John B. extending a red solo cup to you. You smiled and grabbed the cup, pulling the sleeves of your sweatshirt over your hands. Actually, it was Pope’s sweatshirt, but you’d stolen it a while ago and Pope had given up on getting it back only for you to steal it again. You loved sweatshirts, and you had plenty, but Pope’s were special. They were always bigger than you, and you loved bigger sweatshirts. Plus, you always loved stealing things from the boys to tick them. You’d steal from John B. too, but the boy didn’t wear many sweatshirts, and if he did, he never kept track of them. And JJ- well, you couldn’t steal from him now, because it’d be a red flag. And JJ never wore sweatshirts, and stealing his shirts just for his smell would make Kie ask questions. 

You take a sip of the drink, blinking and sputtering against the strong alcohol sloshing in your gut. John B. smirks at you reaction and you shove his shoulder, making him fall back onto the log. He laughs, taking a bigger, hearty swig of his drink than you. Showing you up. You glare and take another sip, bigger than your first, but you still sputter. Your little game of showing each other up continues, until the pogues catch on. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Kie asks, eyebrows raised as she watches the two of you tip your drinks back farther.

“Maybe you should..” Pope trails, 

“Whoa there, Y/N. Slow down.” JJ’s blue eyes find yours. He’s worried for you. because when you get drunk, you get bad. You’re usually unfazed with a couple drinks, but whatever John B. concocted is strong. 

“I’m fine. We’re just playing a game.”

Pope scoffs. “Yeah whoever can get shitfaced faster.”

You roll your eyes, but Kie plucks the cup out of your hand. You gape at your best friend as she sniffs the drink, frowning. “I was winning!” You protest. 

“I don’t care how much you can drink without getting drunk, Y/N, doesn’t mean you can drink it all.”

You roll your eyes and pout as the loss of your drink. But your disappointment is cut short as the honey eyed boy across from you jumps up. The rest of you stare up at him as he runs a hand through his curly hair. 

“We’re playing truth or dare.” John B. says, but it’s more of a statement as he doesn’t leave room for debate. 

You prod Kie in the ribs, intent on annoying her into giving you your drink back since begging the girl won’t work. Kie slaps your hand away and shuts you up by tipping the rest of the contents into her throat. You give a tut of disbelief. Kie smiles and hands you the empty cup. 

“Be sure to recycle, Y/N.”

You shove her shoulder a little bit, but let your eyes flicker to John B. who’s giving JJ a wicked smirk. A smirk that tell you the boy knows something. Your heart squeezes hard as fear strikes you still. Why is he looking at JJ like he knows a secret?

“Alright, bubba.” John B. addresses his blonde friend. “You’ve you been fucking in my van?”

JJ coughs as you go still. Shit. John B. knows something. But your boyfriend laughs, shaking his head. Kie’s brows raise as she stares at JJ with her questioning dark eyes. Pope snorts because this is classic JJ. After all, they don’t know that JJ doesn’t bring a random girl from a kegger to John B.’s van to fuck. For two months, it’s been the same girl he took to heaven.

“I didn’t choose truth, John B.” JJ takes a sip, trying to aviod the question because he knows the pogues. Kie will freak. John B. will ban you two from the house and make faces when he realizes it was you two in his van. Pope would be surprised but then tease you constantly.

“Doesn’t matter, you’ve been fucking someone.” John B. shrugs, waiting.

JJ runs his hand through his hair, realizing he can’t get out of this. 

“JJ?” Kie prods.

JJ’s blue eyes flicker up to meet yours for a split second before his lips curve into a smirk. A dangerous smirk. 

“Alright. It’s Y/N.”

Kie gasps at the same time as your eyes go wide. The boys startle, and Pope’s eyes land on you. 

“Bullshit.” John B. calls, honey eyes dancing between you and JJ. 

You’re at a loss for words, shocked. After two months, JJ revealed you two to the world. And he seemed... proud. Not afraid or like he was going to bolt, like he feared.

“No dude.” JJ stands, smirking at you. “Y/N’s favorite spot is the van, isn’t baby?”

You gape, a blush rushing to your cheeks. You thought you told your boyfriend that in confidentiality, but apparently not. Your cheeks flame as the surfer winks at you.

“Oh shit!” Pope laughs. 

“What about no pogue on pogue macking?” Kie desperately tries to remind you of the rule you and JJ forgot to care about a long time ago. 

“Oh my god! Y/N? Really?!” John B. groans, making a face. “Why the van?”

You bury your face in your hand, positive this is the most embarrassed you’ll be your whole life. There is no way another moment can top what you feel right now. A warm arm is thrown over your shoulders, and a familiar voice curls in your ear. 

“What? We’re out now, aren’t you happy?” JJ asks, blue eyes crinkling with amusement as you peek at him. 

“Fuck you!” You glare and shove him. 

He tips for a second and laughs, grinning like a fool. You frown. It was a horrible way to break it to your friends, and the boy beside you is taking it in a stride. You glance up to meet Kie’s still shocked expression. 

“Alright- I get it. No one listens to me.” Her lips purse for a second. “How long has...” She gestures between you and JJ with a hand. “..this been going on?”

“Two months.” You manage to squeak out, still incredibly embarrassed about JJ’ comment about you and the van.

Pope laughs as John B. gags. “Goddamit it, JJ!” The boy shakes his head. “You probably contaminated my whole fucking house.”

“You wish you got that lucky!” The surfer shoots back, arm still tight around you. 

You’re still nervous about everyone’s reaction. Especially Kie. John B. seems to accept it and Pope seems cool, but you peek gingerly at the girl. Kie seems to be thinking. 

“Kie?” You voice, grabbing her attention, trying to drown out the boys bickering around you. “Are you mad at me?” 

“No. Well, I’m upset you didn’t tell me sooner, but no.” She gives you a smile, making you relax. 

“We kinda figure something was happening when you asked for JJ to teach you new moves.”

John B. scoffs, talking about the time when you asked JJ to help you learn new moves on the surf board. You laugh and arch a brow. 

“Why is that?”

“Why else would you ask the worst surfer to help you?” John B. grins, telling you silently he’s not made either. 

But JJ’s mad at him, because a few seconds later a empty beer can is flying at the boy. John B. bats it away with a roll of his eyes as Pope speaks it up,

“It was going to happen anyway.” The dark haired boy shrugs. He explains when you all look at him with surprise. “You’ve been crushing on each other for a year practically.”

“Wait, wait!” Kie laughs. “Who confessed feelings first?”

You smirk. “Me.”

John B. whistles. “Damn JJ.”

“Y/N got the balls in the relationship.”

JJ rolls his eyes, but his hand drops to your waist to tug you close. You snuggle into his warmth, night falling fast, and with it, the temperature. The conversation slowly eases back into truth or dare. Conversations flows easily, along with the alcohol in your veins. Laughter sparks loudly even as the fire starts to die, the night becoming darker. And eventually you are dared to go jump in the water, fully clothed. You come back sopping wet, but grinning like a fool. Not because you just won the twenty bucks your boyfriend bet that you wouldn’t do it, but for another reason. 

Because you are JJ are a couple. And finally out. And your friends are mad. And JJ didn’t run away. That’s why you are grinning like your on top of the world.

Because you are on the top of the world.

[thetriggeredhappy]

Could i request an ace sniper fic? I really like that headcannon, and i dont think i've seen much fic about it

absolutely and hell yeah, anon. aspec sniper is best sniper. went with ace/aro specifically for this one but every iteration of aspec is fair and valid. also the demo-sniper-scout friendship because i love the idea of them hanging out

(no warnings)

-

Lunch break, Hightower. Scout and Demo were the only two who ever consistently visited Sniper in Hightower on account of being the only ones who would ever bother going all the way to wherever he’d posted up for the day, and they were aware of that fact, and so had started a habit of eating lunch up there with him whenever they could. It was a good system. Especially because going to that trouble had the added bonus of privacy, being able to talk about things they didn’t feel like talking about in front of the other mercs. Not that Sniper was particularly talkative—he preferred to listen.

Things they were embarrassed about were a topic, sometimes.

“—and so I’m beatin’ myself up over it, right? Like, yeah I’m barely scrapin’ by on my second senior year and workin’ one job for real and another one under the table and I’ve got sports the rest of the time so of course I can’t pay much attention to her, so figured she’d get annoyed, but I still felt bad right? But then, turns out, buddy from my track team sees her like four days after we break up holdin’ hands with some other guy!” Scout rambled from his place vaguely lounged back against Demo’s arm as both Sniper and Demo ate their respective lunches from their respectively marked tupperwares. None of them remembered who started it, but they tended to sit almost shoulder-to-shoulder, and it had escalated into leaning against each other and a wall and looking out over the field as they talked. “So, like, man, wantin’ to focus on her college stuff and too busy for dating, yeah right.”

“What you get, dating a lass who’s younger than you, lad,” Demo hummed around his mouthful.

“Yeah, yeah. Only a year difference, but man, felt it all at once, huh? Anyways. She got told off by a buddy of mine about it, and we had an argument at some point, but... yeah. That’s the messiest breakup I ever had, probably, just because everyone knew everyone,” Scout trailed off. Silence for a second. “What about you guys?”

“Told you mine,” Demo said, had to pause to finish his mouthful to get the rest out. “Chemistry class, dated three times, she cheated twice.”

“Oh yeah. Jesus, yeah, fuck,” Scout sighed, remembering. “Why’d you put up with that a second time?”

“She was cute,” Demo shrugged, almost dislodging Scout and jostling Sniper a little on accident. “Ah, sorry Mickey.”

“Y’alright,” Sniper assured under his breath.

“Any messy breakup stories for us?” Demo prompted.

Scout tilted his head a little back towards Sniper. “Hey, yeah. I feel like I ramble about relationship stuff like, constantly—“

“You ramble about everything constantly,” Demo teased.

“Eh, fuck you,” Scout said offhandedly, rolling his eyes. “But I talk about that stuff constantly, and Demo brings up stuff sometimes, but you’ve, like, never told us any stories.”

“Not much to tell,” Sniper shrugged simply. “Not my thing. End of story, really.”

“Not your thing?” Scout repeated, audibly confused, sitting up a little bit to look back at Sniper. “What’s that mean?”

“Never much liked dating, relationships, any of that,” Sniper replied without needing to think too deeply about it. “Didn’t care much, that’s all.”

“Thought that was me as well for a while,” Demo said carefully. “Realized I just didn’t have time for it, mostly, between the job and friends and that, so I’d rather wait until I do. Same with you?”

“Nah. Had the time, had the energy, just didn’t like it. Not my speed. Made me uncomfortable, mostly,” Sniper murmured, itching idly under his hat. “Went out with a few sheilas from around, they’d either properly like me or not, and... I just never liked them much. Mostly went because I didn’t know what else to do. Thought I was turning down too many chances, something like that. But then I figured out, nah. Just skip the whole thing.”

“Wait, for like, dating? Or for one-night stands?” Scout asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“Both. Or, er, neither. Wanted nothing to do with either.” Sniper pulled his hat back on straight. “Figured for a minute in my, er... must’ve been mid-twenties? Figured maybe my problem was just that I was into blokes instead, but nah. Just as bad. Just as... nothing, really. So I stopped bothering with forcing it.”

“Good on you,” Demo said appraisingly, jostling him cheerfully, and the corner of Sniper’s mouth quirked up a little.

“Nothing, huh?” Scout repeated, musing aloud. “What, so... like, how people will go on a first date and just never try and call each other again? Just, no sparks? But for everyone?”

“Presumably. Don’t have a frame of reference for what those sparks are like,” he said, then sat up a little a moment later. “No, wait, I know I’ve felt, er... felt something similar. Not sparks, the, er, the nervousness. Then I realized that wasn’t a romance sort of thing, it was me being, er... jealous, and intimidated, and just thinking they were good-looking objectively. Happened with a few blokes, s’why I thought I’d try men for a while. Didn’t last, not past properly meeting them. That’s all, really.”

A nod of understanding from Demo, a general sort of ‘huh’ noise from Scout. A pause. “Would you ever do the, er... marriage of convenience, then? No risk of it getting messy,” Demo joked.

“Nah,” Sniper said, laughing a little. “Nah. Thought about maybe trying it for citizenship at some point, but only on paper. I don’t tend to stay places too long. S’why I like this job.”

“Man, I’m kinda jealous,” Scout huffed. “It’d kick ass to not have to deal with crushes and shit.”

“Eh. Sometimes I’m curious, what it must feel like,” Sniper admitted. “Wouldn’t change it, it’s just... interesting to imagine. I like romance novels.”

“Really?” both Demo and Scout asked, sitting up and looking at him, and he huffed a laugh.

“Can’t be that hard to believe. Liked Jane Austen later on in school, kept reading more. They’re... I liked fantasy when I was young, it feels like that. Adjacent. And I know what love is, I’ve got parents I love, had pets, had relatives who were essentially siblings, it’s just something different from the sort I know about. S’pose it’s, er... just strange sometimes, nice to laugh at the characters for being so ridiculous about things.”

“Don’t tell me you pick up novels from the dimestore, Mickey,” Demo said disapprovingly. “Or those dry historical ones. Tell me it’s all good, not just the same few stories recycled.”

“Only if I’m particularly bored,” Sniper admitted, and Demo made a sound of vague disgust. “And I don’t read much, besides. Have other hobbies.”

“Is it the same thing with why you don’t talk to the rest of us guys much?” Scout cut in, speaking for the first time in a bit. “Just don’t feel it? Not a thing on your radar?”

“Nah. That’s because I’m just not the talkative type. I like you lot plenty, it’s why I go sulk in the base with you all quietly, if I didn’t like you then you’d never see me,” Sniper replied. “If anything, I think it means I appreciate you all more. Less worrying about balancing things, all that.”

“That’s fair,” Scout said, settling back down, nodding vaguely. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

A pause between the three of them. “So I don’t have any particularly interesting breakup stories,” he added. “But I’ve got farm stories, if you’d like.”

“Obviously!” Demo laughed at the same time that Scout chimed an emphatic “Fuck yeah!”, and Sniper rolled into a story about how particularly dumb sheep are as farm animals, and that was the end of that discussion.

[moons-and-stars-and-shit]

hi! i would love a match-up! i’m 5’8 with an hour glass frame, blue hair/eyes, piercings and freckles. i’m not super lovey-dovey but I can be affected at times the ideal partner is someone intelligent and funny. I like people i can tease and go back/forth with all day. I am massive science nerd with my uni degree being in marine bio, I'm also athletic, I used to play volleyball in highschool (setter/captain), at uni I play lacrosse,I've also been a horse rider since I was 8, I also love cats.

🍰 for @sarcasms-my-second-language

Romantic Matchup

Kuroo Tetsurou

How yall met

Yall got paired up together for a science project

Now you guys have been going to the same school for YEARS

But you never really talked to him yk

And he never really talked to you

So the beginning of this project was hella awkward

This was a legit convo yall had at the beginning

“So… atoms im i right”

“Yeah very uh...positive…”

“Ain't that a proton?”

“...”

“...”

“We should probably get to work”

“Yeah yeah for sure”

Yeah…. Very awkward

But things got less awkward as more time went on

Sometimes he would come to your house to work

And sometimes you would go to his

Or yall would just meet up in the library and work there

You two actually had a lot of fun working together!

And usually after every study sesh you guys would go find something fun to do

Sadly the project was going to be due soon

So there was really no reason for you two to hang out anymore

But kuroo didn't want to just stop hanging out with you :(

He actually really liked you

So he would still ask you if you wanted to come over and study every now and then

And eventually you two started developing feelings for eachother.

What they love about you

He loves how nerdy you can get

Oh don't get me wrong he teases you for it CONSTANTLY

But deep down he finds you nerding out super cute

His favorite thing is when you start to go on tangents about marine life

Because omg do you get PASSIONATE

He didn't recycle a plastic bottle ONCE

“Wow kuroo way to keep our oceans clean”

“Gee i'm sure that’ll make a delicious treat for a sea animal”

“Maybe i should shove plastic down your throat and see how you like it”

“Ok Y/n i get it :(“

Nah he uses his own water bottles now

He loves how athletic you are

I can see him liking someone whos into exercising and all that

So the fact that your active is a plus in his book

But once he finds out you stay active with volleyball?

Ohhh boy he didn't think he could love you any more than he did

He always asks you to help the team practice when you have time

And even does some one on one training with you

What you love about them

You love how he's so smart…

Yet so dumb at the same time

Now i think Kuroos pretty smart in science and math

But literature? Oh nah

Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah

He does not fuck with books

He prefers material that has a right or wrong answer you know?

Not work where you have to argue that your opinion is right

So yeah he's a real nerd when it comes to Science

And he can help you with math whenever you struggle

But if you give him a book and tell him to analyze it for meaning?

He’ll throw the book out the window

You love how sarcastic he can be

I swear when people listen to you guys talking to each other

They genuinely can't tell when your being serious or when your joking with each other

Cause it's just one sassy remark after another

But honestly that's what makes your convos so fun

So you wouldn't change it for the world

Favorite things to do together

I bet you thought i was going to say your favorite thing to do together was gonna be studying right?

WRONG

He actually really loves cuddling and watching movies with you

He says its because it's one of the only times you are affectionate towards him

And he wants to cherish those moments with you

So yeah movies and cuddles ALL DAY

Random Hc

You guys got an A on that project you got assigned

After that project you always pair up with kuroo in science class

Kuroko's favorite marine animal is a manatee or a sea lion

And yes he has asked for you to tell him anything and everything you know about them

He really likes to go horse riding with you

He's tried playing lacrosse with you but kinda sucks at it

Overall Aesthetic

Teen Romance

Songs-

Teen romance (lil peep)

Tongue tied (group love)

Wait a minute (willow smith

Everybody talks (neon trees)

Love songs (kaash paige)

[waywardwrestlewritingwaif]

Better Late Than Never?

I had a few other ideas in the creative queue that I planned to do first but after watching TLC and Smackdown, this one just pushed its way to the front. Kevin is one of my long time favorites and not just because he’s from the place where I live. I seriously think that despite having been Universal Champion, US  Champion, and a major player for years, he’s still undervalued by WWE. Aside from his skills in ring, he is one of the Top 10 and possibly Top 5 promos in the world, whether as a heel or babyface. I hope 2021 is the year that he finally gets fully acknowledged. 

SO... Here’s a story featuring Kevin that’s about someone seeing just how wonderful he is. 

Pairing: Kevin Owens x reader

Word count: 3,627

Content advisory: swearing, references to sexual activity

You definitely need to be more diligent about moisturizing your legs. There’s a fine, powdery finish that lays over your dark skin like a kind of mildew or fungus and you can see a delicate web of white lines where your body cries out for hydration. You run your fingers along your tibia, wiping away the offending dust. It’ll be back in a few minutes but you like the feeling that it’s something that you can get rid of when you choose to. However, unless you plan on rubbing your fingers over your legs constantly, you need to be more diligent about moisturizing. 

It’s one of those details that’s become kind of fascinating during the hours you’ve been sitting here, getting a headache from the endless background noise and recycled air of the hospital, consciously stopping yourself from turning into one of those strident Karens who get up in the nurses faces and yell because they want their loved one to take priority over everything else. 

‘Loved ones.’

Even thinking the term makes you feel nervous, makes your dry skin shiver. You’re here in this hospital sitting vigil next to the bed of a man who’s been your friend for years, a sometime sparring partner, a frequent travel buddy, and a recent one night stand. But now he is very much a loved one and you wish he’d wake up from his medicated slumber so you could tell him. 

“I love you, Kevin Owens.”

There are a lot of visible welts and bruises on his skin. There’s a contusion on his cheek that’s so swollen it looks like someone’s inserted a balloon under his skin, a bruise so dark you can see it through his beard, and various ugly yellow and purple marks all the way down his torso. You know because, after the nurse had left the two of you alone, you lifted up his chintzy medical gown to survey the damage. 

You were allowed to do that, you figured. That’s one of the things that couples who loved each other never had to be shy about: showing their ugly parts and imperfections. If he would just wake up, you’d be happy to show him how dry and dusty your skin had gotten. If he’d just wake up. 

More concerning than the bruises are the split on his wrist and the bandaged ankle that’s been elevated to reduce the swelling, and the two dislocated ribs. Those are things that can put a wrestler on the shelf for months. You know, because you’re just getting the chance to get back in the ring yourself after you somehow managed to break your ankle in two places at once jumping from the top rope to the floor, a move you’d done a hundred thousand times without incident. You don’t want that for Kevin, not when he’s been on such an upward trajectory lately, not while he’s been so able to remind the powers that be of what an incredible talent he is. That ankle is already held together with Mac-Tac and positive thinking. It would break both your hearts to see him sidelined now. 

That’s how a woman in love reacts under these circumstances, you think. When her man is threatened, she becomes dangerously protective. She’d do anything possible and probably a few things that aren’t in order to save the person she’s in love with. And if the bastard would just wake up for a few seconds, you’d say that. 

Tenderly, you run your fingernails through the wiry scruff of his beard, careful to avoid touching the bruised skin. You let one finger, your so-called ring finger (that’s never had a ring on it) over the corner of his lips. You consciously choose that finger because the human body exerts the least pressure on it. You want him to wake up but not because you’re poking at him. But you can’t resist touching him a little. 

Even when you and Jey had been together, you and Kevin had been affectionate. It was one of the many points of conflict that you’d had with Jey, along with the fact that you swore so much that he was worried about introducing you to his mother, that you were a shit cook, and that your parents’ marriage had made you extremely dubious about the whole concept. 

You might consider marrying Kevon Owens, though, because he thought it was funny that you swore, that you had a tendency to drool in your sleep, who thought you were beautiful when you woke up even though you had crusts in your eyes, who was fine with ordering takeout or trying to cook something together that occasionally worked out. 

And maybe he would have asked if you hadn’t been so weird about everything. That was on you. 

You wouldn’t have described Kevin as one of your closest friends but he was definitely a guy you got along with, dating back to before you’d both signed to WWE. You’d even fought each other a couple of times, the last one being a PWG event where you’d failed to tuck your head up properly taking his signature package piledriver and ended up with a concussion. 

He’d apologized every time he saw you for six months, even after you were both in NXT, until you’d finally figured out a way to assuage his guilt about the whole incident. 

“You don’t need to keep apologizing, big boy,” you’d cooed, “just because I couldn’t handle your package.”

Then that had become a huge joke between you, and everyone assumed it meant that something had happened, that the two of you had done the horizontal mambo and were trying to get over it. You’d almost felt offended because you knew Kevin wasn’t exactly thought of as a hot property. At the same time, there was something about his rough persona, the character of a guy who’d just take what he wanted that made you think of what it would feel like for him to grab your wrists and pin you to the bed and…

Well, the two of you were always just friends. You were both experts at banter and setting the other up for funny lines. And you even found it easy to travel together, which coworkers found pretty remarkable. 

Normally, Kevin traveled with Sami, and if Sami wasn’t available, he traveled alone. But he’d come to accept you because he’d realized that any kind of travel put you to sleep almost immediately, which meant that he could have the peace he wanted and you could sleep without the guilt that other travel partners gave you for not doing your share of the driving, or at least being good enough company to keep them awake and alert by being good company. 

An announcement sounds, exceptionally loud as they all seem to be, over the internal broadcast system. 

“Housekeeping to triage with a wet mop and a bucket!”

You don’t even want to think what that means, but Kevin stirs just the tiniest bit and you’re excited that he might actually be coming out of it. Without even thinking about it, you lean over and press a soft kiss to his cheek, close to his lips, like he’s Sleeping Beauty and you’re Prince Charming. 

His facial muscles twitch a little but he remains unconscious. You are not Prince Charming. 

About a year ago, you’d started dating Jey Uso. He was so incredibly hot to you that you could barely stand to look at him. He’d joked around with you all the time and rather than come up with your usual retorts, you’d been unable to do anything but giggle uncomfortably. Naomi, who was your closest friend at the time, had sworn up and down that the two of you were perfect for each other. 

“Everything that I think makes Jey a dick compared to Jimmy to me makes it like he was meant for you,” she’d gushed. 

And she was right. After half a dozen times she’d insisted you ride with them (which had forced you to stay awake), made you eat with them, gotten you to hang out with them, you were totally smitten and you had a pretty good notion the sentiment was mutual. One night, the four of you had gone bowling and you and Jey had just spontaneously started making out. Considering it was girls against boys, it had kind of ruined bowling night. No one had cared. 

After that, you’d seen Kevin a lot less. You were a couple and you were more or less connected at the hip to another couple. But after eight or nine months things had started to go sour. And then Naomi and Jimmy got sidelined and it became obvious that you and Jey had stayed cool more or less for their benefit. 

You’d been the one to end things. He’d been adamant that what you had was worth fighting for, whereas you knew that the two of you were just too different to mesh in the long term. Being funny and being wrestlers wasn’t enough. It had felt unreal that he’d fought so hard to stop you from leaving him when he hadn’t seemed that happy having you with him. Sometimes, you’d wanted to relent because the good times with him had been some of the happiest of your life. Sometimes, you’d wanted to relent because sex with him had been amazing. But you’d managed to stand your ground, even though your ground left you pretty lonely. 

It wasn’t that Naomi didn’t understand, but once you’d broken up with Jey, things with her became awkward. And you were suddenly on lousy terms with Jimmy, who’d been a pal to you. Other friends were hard to talk to because you’d basically dropped them when you’d hooked up with Jey. But Kevin was happy to welcome you back. The two of you fell into the easy, comic interaction you’d had before and it was the first time in months you’d felt like yourself. 

A couple of weeks ago, it had gotten weird. Well, not weird. It had gotten sexual. You and Kevin had been excited about the fact that you both had matches on TLC, the first time you'd been on the same PPV. You’d started with actual champagne, or at least whatever sparkling wine the restaurant had in your price range. Then you’d moved on to real wine for your celebratory dinner. Then there was this amazing cocktail bar that had materialized right across the street from your restaurant and it wasn’t like either of you was tired. 

You’d been the one to make the move. You’d had a hunch that at some point, Kevin had developed a crush on you, something that had been put on ice during the time you’d been with Jey, but that had started to thaw in the time the two of you had been back to your old ways. You were two drinks into sampling what the cocktail bar had to offer when you’d dove in, smashing your mouth against his and pressing your tongue into his astonished mouth. The two of you had actually ordered a third round but had barely touched the glasses because you were all over each other, making out like horny teenagers before it occurred to you that you could just go back to your hotel and fuck like you were both so eager to do. 

And fuck you had. Everything between the bar and being in the hotel room naked was a blur, aside from the fact that you’d been going at it so heavily in the back seat of the cab that the driver got irritated and threatened to throw you out. You’d had a jubilant time throwing each other from one position to another and it seemed like Kevin had made you cum in every single one of them. And yet nothing had been so satisfying as looking at his face when he finally orgasmed, like every part of him, body and soul, released at once. You’d pretty much passed out together, embracing. 

When you saw him the next day at the Performance Center, he’d wrapped his arms around you and tried to kiss you in full view of other NXT and WWE personnel. You’d twisted away from him, unsure of what you wanted to do, but knowing you weren’t comfortable just having some new relationship in your life announced to the world without so much as a conversation. 

“Sorry,” Kevin had said, head bowed, “was that not ok?”

“No it wasn’t ok,” you responded tartly. “I never said we were a couple or anything. We fucked. We’re friends and we fucked once. That’s it.”

Kevin nodded but it looked more like his head was bobbling after a hard kick. He’d slunk away and the two of you hadn’t seen much of each other in the days since. You’d wanted to talk to him but it seemed like every time you got close to him, he’d run away or rush to the safety of a group of male friends. 

At first, you’d told yourself that you just wanted to tell him that you wanted things to go back to normal, but as you thought about things going back to normal, you realized that wasn’t what you wanted at all. Then, on the Friday night before TLC, looking at him as he staggered to the ring and declared to Roman Reigns that he’d take the WWE Universal Title or die trying, you’d realized that you were in love with him. You’d rushed to find him afterward but somehow, he’d eluded your grasp. But the thought remained at the front of your mind: you were completely in love with Kevin Owens. 

It had pained you seeing the beating that he took at the hands of Roman and Jey. In theory, Jey was attacking Kevin to ensure that Roman, the head of his tribe, won. In reality, you knew that Jey was dishing out extra punishment because he believed that you’d broken up with him for Kevin. Ok, you had to admit that maybe he’d picked up on something you hadn’t. But it killed you seeing Kevin suffer because of it. 

After the match, Kevin had once again eluded you, but that Friday, when he was helped away from his match, bleeding and bitter, you’d been waiting at the top of the ramp. You’d tagged along as they’d laid him onto the stretcher and attached an oxygen mask because they weren’t sure he was breathing properly on his own. And when the EMTs had asked if you were his significant other, you’d immediately nodded and jumped into the ambulance. Kevin had just enough time to look confused about your presence before the IV full of painkillers did its work and he slipped into blissful oblivion. 

They’d kept him medicated while they did various scans and scopes to evaluate the extent of the damage he’d suffered. And so, hours later, you were still perched at his side, waiting for him to come around. The doctor had insisted that he was better off asleep since that allowed him to rest and heal. You nodded in understanding, even as you imagined yourself shutting the IV drop off so that you could wake him up and let him know what you were feeling. 

You’d memorized every crack in the institutional-standard paint, every scratch on the tile floor, every nuance of the voice that periodically crackled over the loudspeaker, but you were determined that you were going to stay in place. You were going to tell Kevin Owens that you loved him the second he woke up and if he recoiled the way that you had when he’d tried to hug you. 

After about a hundred and thirty-eight years, his eyelids flutter and his brown eyes open, still glazed with drugs. It takes a couple of minutes before he registers where he is and who you are and what’s happened. 

“How bad is it?” he croaks, his throat crackling from dryness.

You pick up the plastic cup of water on the tray next to the bed and push the attached straw to his lips. He obediently sips, his eyes focusing on you as he recovers himself. 

“You took a lot of hits. You weren’t really up to the cage match. So it’s not great,” you inform him. 

He twists away from the straw and stares at the ceiling. 

“I’ll be fine,” he groans, his neck muscles tensing. “I always am.”

“Yeah, well you’re not going to be fine for a while. So just drink water and relax.”

“I don’t know why you’re here. You don’t need to feel guilty because your boyfriend fucked me up and fucked me over. You can go home.”

“He’s my ex-boyfriend. And I’m not here because of him. I’m here because of you.” You gulp, realizing that your moment has come. “Because I love you.”

Kevin grimaces and his eyes flit towards you but he angles his head away. 

He thinks you mean it like a friend, you guess. He doesn’t understand what you’ve just said. You grab his hand and pull yourself closer to him, so that you’re leaning halfway onto the narrow bed with him. 

“I love you, Kevin. And I’m sorry I was stupid when you tried to hug me and I’m sorry that I’ve been stupid and haven’t realized it before. But I really love you.”

He doesn’t say anything but he looks at you with an expression of innocence and surprise and he pulls on you a little so that you’re forced to crawl onto the bed with him.

“I’ve been sitting here for about eight hours trying to figure out some wonderful way to say this to you,” you whine. “But now my ass is asleep and my eyes are burning and I can’t think of any other thing to say. I love you. I don’t know how long I’ve felt this way and I don’t know why I never acted on it. I just need you to understand-”

“Ok, ok, I get it,” he says with a sigh. “You love me. That’s great. I love you too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I’m the one who thought it meant something when we had sex, remember?”

“Hey,” you retort, placing your hand against his jaw and turning him to face you, “I did too. I just didn’t understand what it meant at first.”

Your lips come together softly and then urgently, until he twists away. 

“Ow,” he says, rubbing at his jaw. 

“Yeah, you definitely took a hit there.”

“You know, every time I hit Jey, I was thinking of you.”

“You know, everyone thinks you deserve to be the champion, but me most of all.”

Giving him a coquettish smile, you allow your hand to trail down to his thigh, curving towards the inner part. You can immediately feel a twitch from the one part of him that is definitely not injured. 

Sliding your hand under the thin fabric of his robe, you take hold of his member, already semi-erect, and begin stroking it, swirling your hand over the head and trailing your finger down the sensitive seam, reveling in the grunts and hums of pleasure this elicits from him. 

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

the sharp cry startles both of you enough that you sit up a little. The nurse, a middle-aged woman with wispy grey-brown hair pulled back from her care-worn face, stares furiously at both of you. 

“You can’t be doing anything like that,” she says sharply. “And you can’t just go climbing on the bed.”

Face burning, you slide back into your chair. 

“Now sir,” she says, haughtily turning her attention solely to Kevin and averting her gaze from the visible bulge under the thin bed sheet, “how would you describe your pain?”

“Painful,” Kevin quips, making you giggle a little. 

“On a scale of one to ten,” she snaps. 

“I’m a professional wrestler, so I’d say five was a normal day. Let’s call this a seven and a half.”

“So would you like the doctor to increase your dose of painkillers?”

“No,” he says thoughtfully. “I’d like the doctor to say it’s ok for my girlfriend to curl up in bed with me and take care of me.”

You smile broadly the second you hear him call you his girlfriend. 

The nurse rolls her eyes and walks away but as she does, both of you notice her covering her mouth to conceal how hard she’s laughing. Without even thinking, you clasp hands and as you watch her leave the room, you turn to look at each other. 

“You mean it?” you ask him. 

“Mean what?”

“That I’m your girlfriend.”

“Is there something else you wanna be?”

“I just want to be the woman you’re in love with and the one who you want to come home to.”

“Well that’s a given.”

You lean in and kiss his cheek. 

“Ow.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize I hit a bruise.”

You let your lips trail over to his eyebrow and press a kiss there. 

“Ow.”

“I didn’t notice the cut,” you gush apologetically. 

He squeezes your hand and smiles at you, full of his incredible warmth, even though it’s tempered by the drugs he’s receiving. 

“Well I love you,” he sighs. “And don’t you worry. I’m about a half a CC of this juice from dragging you onto this bed and having my way with you.” 

You wind your hand and arm around his, so that you can pull him close enough for a kiss. 

“I hope they up your medication,” you murmur, “just so that I can make you relax while I show you everything I want to do to you.”

[graceslavenderhaze]

dance denial {connor stevens}

you have a flirty and playful relationship, when the week of the glow dance rolls around she gets the courage to ask him but is sidelined by a supernatural disturbance.

also the gif belongs the @lovethephantoms idk why it doesn’t say it doesn’t have their handle under this. ( if they see this, omg hi i love you.)

requested fem!reader but it's not a main focus of the imagine.

trigger warnings: talks of bad crushes and boyfriends but nothing explicit, cursing ( not safe for Ramadan.)

It took a lot for you to come to terms with your feelings about Connor. You knew you had feelings for him, you just hadn't decided if those feelings were positive or negative in the long term. Your friends were tired of you dancing around your feelings, they just wanted you both to be happy. They didn't care if that meant you two dating or just having a friendship with flirtatious tension.

You had made up your mind on asking him to the dance on Monday night. After having a two hour long facetime with Gabby and Hanna they'd convinced you their was literally no reason as to why he would say no. So when Tuesday morning rolled around you were dead set on asking him. But he wasn't there. Then possibly one of the weirdest and scariest weeks of your life started taking place, so asking Connor to the dance was sidelined ultimately.

Then everything was reset. The shadowman was gone. Connor was back, and it was Friday night again. You had another opportunity to ask him but pushed it away. You'd already asked him, or his possessed state? It wasn't worth the possible humiliation.

"He rejected me once, I can't deal with that confrontation again." You said to Hanna as you got ready together. Gabby on facetime getting ready with you guys in spirit but her mom promised her she could drive so she opted to get ready at home. "Ok in the past twenty four you've battled a shadow demon." Gabby said as she stopped applying her highlighter to give you a dead stare over the phone for dramatic flare before continuing. " You can ask him to the glow dance."

"Seriously, you saved his life. He owes you a dance date at least." Hanna said as she began doing her hair. You shook your head, "He doesn't owe me anything. I would've done it for any of you." You said as you applied eyeliner.

"Yeah but for Connor just a smidge more." Gabby giggled over the phone, you rolled your eyes. "It's okay, you have a crush." Hanna said turning her attention to you, "Not the end of the world, literally everyone on the face of the earth has had them."

"It's not a crush!" You exclaimed, you hadn't had the best track record with crushes. Therefore you refused to even put Connor in that category. It seemed like every time you'd get close to someone, they'd hurt you and leave. You didn't want that with Connor. Even if you denied your own feelings, your walls were so high that you didn't notice them start to crack and grow flowers around your best friend.

"Is this about hewhoshallnotbenamed?" Gabby didn't have to ask that, it was a dead give away. Your ex had hurt you really bad. He was the first boy you dated in freshman year and slowly but surely he broke your heart with a sledge hammer.

"We all know my track record is shit, Connors just." You didn't even know how to explain it. "I chase people away. I don't know if feelings are worth losing him." You'd put your eyeliner down at this point. "Fuck that!" Gabby said before covering her mouth and checking to see if her mom was home yet. "Sorry but, you almost lost him this week isn't that more the reason to tell him?"

"When I first showed up in the dark the first thing he asked about was if you were okay." Hanna added, "If he didn't like you why would he have gone through such lengths to protect you this whole time?" It was true, since he got out of the light house he hadn't taken his sight off of you or let you get out of arms reach. Was the only thing stopping you, your own paranoia?

You'd finished getting ready with Hanna about half an hour ago. She went home so her moms could take pictures before she showed up at the dance and Gabby hung up not so much before hand. You stayed cleaning in your room so when you got home it wasn't a total disaster.

Your parents weren't back from work yet so you were enjoying blasting your music before going to the generic recycled playlists the school constantly played at the dances. Then your doorbell being rung distracted you. "Got it!" You yelled rushing towards the door incase it was a mail carrier or something like that.

Opening the door you saw Connor, his usual dark and distressed clothing tossed aside wearing something more fitting for the glow dance. "Hey!" He said walking in as you closed the door behind him. "Hey, I thought we were all meeting at the dance?" You asked, it had been mutually decided in the group chat. After Gabby's mom agreed she could drive there, Hanna's moms wanted pictures, and other personal conflicts that had presented that meeting up individually would be the best idea.

"We still are, I just thought that I should pick you up." He said as the two of you made your way back to your bedroom. "Why would you pick me up?" You asked as continued to clean your room while Connor jumped onto your bed. "Cause we're us, y'know." He said taking sudden interests in your squishmallows.

You stopped in your tracks. If there was a nobel peace prize or some societal outstanding award for stubbornness, you win beating every nomee in a landslide. "There isn't an us, there just is just our flirty friendship that has a suffocating amount of romantic tension which sucks!" You declared turning around. Taken aback he sat up, "I thought that you liked this flirty friendship."

"Not if it's only going to be a fucking friendship." You said lowly leaning against your desk. Realizing what you'd said you spit out whatever would save your ass, "Let's just pretend like this never happened." Standing up and walking in front of you. "I'm not okay with pretending, especially when I've waited so long." You try to push away but you're already in a corner, both literally and metaphorically.

" I'm bad luck, trust me. You deserve a girlfriend who can actually tell you how she feels, Con." It was like a lightbulb flashed in his head. Turning around and grabbing a reversible octopus off of your bed. "Tell me how you feel then." He said placing it into your hands. It was on green, green would be playing it safe. Your friendship would stay the same and you wouldn't have to risk ruining it. No deep end.

You flipped it to purple before handing it to Connor. He smiled, "You deserve to be loved." You looked up at him, deep end bound. He placed his hands on either side of your face. "So let me through those walls." You breathed in. "Only if you promise you won't hurt me."

"Never. I could never hurt you." You felt the moss and ivy that had grown upright on those walls slowly retracted. You moved to place your head in the crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around you. "Shit, there goes my stone cold bitch reputation." You joked.

Loosening his grip he curled one of fingers and placed it under your chin. "You were never stone cold to me." Pressing his lips to yours. "But my girlfriend is a bitch and I like her very much." He joked causing you to giggle.

"So, are we going to the dance? Because I like this." You said, He stepped back. "Yes and we can do more of this later." He said as you grabbed your shoes. "Didn't take you for a clinger, Con." You said sitting down to tie them. "Really?" He said jumping onto your bed and crashing into you, "Cause I can get clingy-er." He said pulling himself into you as you finished to tie your shoes. You looked over and smiled.

"M'lady." He said holding his hand out with a dorky british accent. "Why thank you kind sire." You said taking it and walking out of your room.

[sebspocketsquare]

Quarantine 5

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader (online)

A/N: Heya guys! Here’s part 5, sorry it’s been a little bit. I had some trouble with this one because I really just wanted to get to part 6 LOL. Anyway, i hope you enjoy it! -T

Warnings: Flirting, language, quarantine, feels, fluff

The next morning, a string of texts wakes you. 

It’s J, letting you know his friend will be by in a couple of hours to install your security system and bring by groceries. 

He tells you to double check who’s on the other side of the door before opening it, and informs you that his friend's name is Sam.

Seems simple enough.

You get dressed, deciding to wear something a little nicer than the pajamas you’d been wearing lately. Makeup finds its way to your face and you even manage to brush your hair.

You could at least make yourself look human today, especially since you didn’t know how good of friends J and Sam were.. what if he went right back and told J you looked like you hadn’t bathed in weeks? 

That wouldn’t be good for your blossoming relationship…. friendship? Whatever it was.

You’re getting yourself a glass of water when someone knocks at your door. 

The couch had been moved back to its original position, and you look through the spyhole on your door to find a man standing there in a doctors mask with a backpack and bags of groceries in hand.

“Can I help you?” You ask through the door.

He makes eye contact with you through the spyhole. “I’m Sam, J’s friend. I’m here to install the security system for you?”

That was convincing enough for you. Opening the door, you offer a small smile. “Hi.. I’m uh.. I’m Clair.”

You can’t tell if he’s smiling through the mask, but he makes his way inside and sets the bags on the floor. 

“You mind if I take this off now? I promise I’m not sick.” He motions to the mask and you laugh softly. “No, go ahead. It’s fine. Just uh.. Stay six feet away.”

He removes his mask with a sigh of relief before flashing a pearly smile at you, “I’m Sam. Nice to officially meet you.” He looks familiar for a split second, but you convince yourself you’re merely imagining it.

Sam gets right to work with the install, and you take that time to put away the food and wine he’s brought. It’s too much for just you, it’ll last you months, but with everything that’s going on, you don’t know if you’ll even be ready to leave the house again anytime soon.

You make sure to shoot J a text telling him thank you.

Sam puts a device on each window and in each doorway of your apartment. A keypad is put right by your front door, and a panic button right beside your bed. He helps you set up a 4 digit pin that you’ll need to enter any time you come or go, and shows you how to set the alarm when you go to sleep at night. It’s so simple, but so secure.

J was right. It made you feel better. Safer.

Once everything is completely set up, he pulls a piece of paper from his back pocket and hands it to you. It’s an order form. For your computer and television. You’d made the decision to not let him replace your tablet. He was already doing too much.

“Oh..” is all you can manage to say as you look it over.

Sam chuckles in return, “He um.. he really cares about you, you know..”

Meeting his eyes, you risk asking him a personal question, “What’s your opinion in all of this..? How he feels about me?”

He looks taken back for a moment, but smiles fondly before he answers. “I’ve known him for awhile now, and.. He’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him when he’s talking to you.”

You can’t help but smile at that knowledge.

“And Clair?” 

You meet his gaze one more time.

“I know it’s probably weird for you, that he wants to take care of all of this for you, but.. let him. He’s a good man. He doesn’t have any ulterior motives. He just.. when he cares about someone, he’s all in.”

Your heart warms at his words and you nod slowly.

He smiles again before picking up his backpack and heading for the door. 

“Hey Sam?”

He turns to you just before he’s out the door.

“Tell J I said hi.”

He chuckles and shakes his head, “Will do… and don’t tell him what I said about him being a good man and all that…  he’ll never let me live it down.”

HIM

I know as soon as the system is installed because a crude outline of her apartment appears on my computer screen. 

I set alerts to let me know anytime someone approaches the vicinity, when she leaves and when she sets the alarm for the evening. If she presses the panic button, it alerts the authorities first and then me.

I have to take every precaution to keep her safe. 

I’m closing the window on my computer when Sam returns home. I hear him kick his shoes off and set his bag down before heading straight for the shower. He pokes his head in my room on his way there. “System is installed, also.. damn she is way out of your league.”

His observation makes my heart rate increase. “Wait, what? What does that mean?”

He laughs and shakes his head, leaving it at that as he continues on his way.

I find myself suddenly jealous that he’s gotten to see her with his own eyes and I haven’t.

“You could at least describe her for me!” I call after him, to which he just cackles.

My best friend is an asshole.

HER

You’re sitting on the couch watching random videos on your phone when a new message comes through from J.

[Sarge:] Everything go smooth? :)

You’re sure he already knows the answer, and you’re positive that Sam already told him all about you, but you decide to humor him anyway.

[clairv0yant:] Yes. :) Thank you again for everything.. I really appreciate you. I checked the tracking on the form that he gave me and everything should be here by the end of next week. 

[Sarge:] Doll, I promise you don’t have to thank me. I’m happy to be able to help you out. :) 

[Sarge:] It will be strange not gaming with you every night for a while, but.. We’ll just have to find another way to spend time together.

His words only cause the smile on your face to grow. He’s so sweet. So considerate. So genuine and unfathomably selfless. You weren’t sure what you’d done to earn the affections of such an amazing person.

[Sarge:] By that I mean.. expect phone calls every night ;) 

[clairv0yant:] That sounds perfect to me. :P

xxx

You spent more time on the phone with J over the next week and a half than you’d ever spent in your life. Constantly exchanging texts and making phone calls, but never once asking the other for a photo. Not that you weren’t curious, because you surely were, but you were afraid of what he expected you to be like. Did he already have an image of you in his head? An ideal Clair?

You’d tried to picture him several times, but failed at each attempt. He still remained a mystery to you.

When your new tech finally arrives, you nearly jump out of your skin with joy. You make sure to lysol the holy hell out of the shipping boxes before touching them, and once the product inside is removed and placed in the safety of your apartment, the useless cardboard goes into the recycle bin outside.

It takes you an hour and 45 minutes to get everything set up, but of course as soon as you’ve finished, J is insistent about playing.

It’d been so long, there was no way you were denying him.

You missed it just as much as he did.

“You know what I miss most?” You speak into your mic, keeping your eyes trained on the battle scene happening on the screen before you.

J hums a soft, “hmmm?” in response, trying to keep his focus too.

“Mexican food.”

He can’t help but let out a bark of laughter, obviously shocked at your most missed thing while locked away.

“Mexican food? Really?”

It’s your turn to hum a soft, “Mmmhm”.

He’s quiet for a few moments except for the sound of his keyboard clacking as he fights, determined to win this round.

When the word Victory appears on your screen, he speaks again.

“You know I um..” He pauses, and you can feel his anxiety seeping through the internet connection. “Nevermind, heh..”

“What is it?” The first emotion you feel is concern. What could he not feel comfortable telling you?

“Promise you won’t just laugh at me?”

That’s a promise you know you’ll be able to keep. “Of course, J. What’s up?”

There's a bit of silence on his end, and then you swear you hear his adam's apple bob in his throat in a gulp for courage. “When all of this is over, I.. I’d really like to take you out on a date..”

You’re stunned into silence, thankful that a new game has yet to start.

He must take the quiet as a negative response, because he immediately backtracks.

“I-I mean, that’s stupid right? You wouldn’t go on a date with some guy you met online.. Hell, I could be some cree--”

“I would love to.” You cut him off before he can ramble on too much.

“You-really?” You can hear the smile in his voice and it brings an even bigger smile to yours.

“But only if it’s mexican food.”

He lets out a soft chuckle, the rumbling of the sound making your heart flutter.

“I wish..” He stops himself again, letting out a little sigh, “I wish I knew when that would be though.. When all of this will be over.. I just.. I really want to spend time with you, Clair.”

A new match begins in the game, but you’re so distracted by his confession that you almost miss your window to pick your character.

“We’re spending time together right now, aren’t we?” You joke, but there’s a falter to your voice, a doubt. You know what he really means.

“You know what I mean, I.. I want to be there, with you.”

It’s your turn to exhale a sigh.

“I know what you mean..” A funny image comes to your head, and you find it slipping from your tongue before you can stop yourself. “What would a quarantine date consist of anyway? You sitting on the opposite side of my front door drinking beer, while I sit inside drinking wine?”

He’s silent.

Not even a laugh.

It’s a whole two minutes before he speaks again.

“You know.. That could work.”

TAGS: (I wasnt sure who to tag, so if you dont want to be, I’m sorry!! Just trying to get this out there. ALSO if you wanna be tagged INBOX ME! I tend to miss people in the notes :(  ).  @mindingmyownbusiness​ @plumfondler​  @buckybarnesappreciationsociety​ @loricameback​ @tinaferraldo​ @geminimoonbeamx​  @preserumsteverogers​ @moderapoppins​ @lowkeysebby​ @buckyshattergirl​  @jayattemptstoruletheworld​    @the-observant-fangirl​ @moondancewrites​ @moonbeambucky​ @trinityjadec​  @stevieang​  @bionic-buckyb​ @eyecandybarnes​ @propertyofpoeandbucky​ @promarvelfangirl​ @ballyhoobarnes​ @bucky-plums-barnes​ @cate-lynne​ @witchymarvelspacecase​ @imaginingbucky​ @theimpossibleg1rl​ @babygurl8840 @wonderlandmind4 @buckysthing​ @formulafun​ @curvybihufflepuff​ @fanficsformarvelkillme​  @shadyskit​ @lostinthoughtsandfeelings​ @reading–mermaid @fuckmestan​ @siliverin​ @verygraphicink​ @sallyp-53 @thatsbucknasty​ @steadyphantomcat​ @booktease21 @kiki5283 @lostinspace33 @drayshadow​ @theperditioncrasher​ @mmyepic​ @feelmyroarrrr@alien-beans @heartsaved​ @sideeffectsofyou​ @dreamingofonceuponatime​ @just-a-littlebit-of-everything​ @bluerorjhan​ @tarynsnotokay​ @jamdropx35 @turquoisekokiri​ @pinknerdpanda​​ @starkrobb​ @marvelgirl7​ @unscriptedtimetraveler​ @fangeekkk​ @wonderlandmind4​ @pinkisokay​ @mrsdaamneron​ @rynabarnesrogers​ @wish-i-had-something-better​ @stanning-seb-stan​ @oilersgirl35​ @vaisabu​ @paranoid-borderline-insane​ @bonkywobble​ @vikki-rogue​ @witchymegg​ @a--1--1--3​ @margetastic33​ @stuffandstuff-stuff​

[ayellowcurtain]

Maybe a prompt for Elu: Lucas being bitchy and moody and Eliott is annoyed. Maybe they fight about it but with a Happy End

Can you write a fic about Eliott and Lucas and Lucas gets a little mad because Eliott wasn’t 100% truthful about how much their rent really is?

Part 1

Lucas had a great night with his friends, getting almost too drunk, smoking again after what felt like years, but the party was over before he could get passed out drunk like he wanted. It was still good, he was just a little too aware of his own feelings. 

He tries to do his night time routine ignoring Eliott’s eyes constantly following his every move. It’s hard, Lucas has always struggled to keep his feelings inside since they met, but he’s tired of fighting so he’ll keep his mouth shut this time. 

If there’s something that will drive Lucas wild is when his feelings are taken as a joke or as a cute trait of his spiky personality and that’s what Eliott usually does.  Lucas will try to explain his worries and Eliott will just look at him with those half-moon eyes, kissing him like what he said shouldn’t be considered as a real problem, but as a cute, flirty conversation. 

So Lucas gave up putting his feelings out for Eliott, he’ll never take it seriously anyway. Eliott has the tendency to brush everyone’s feelings off as cute and he takes his own feelings to his grave, not even sharing with Lucas, so he might as well have a taste of that from now on. 

“Can we talk?” He finally asks when Lucas passes by him for the thousandth time to fill another trash bag with cups and bottles to take to the recycling bin tomorrow. 

“Not really. I’m too drunk and tired and don’t feel like arguing again.” 

He can’t see, but he’s almost sure Eliott is closing his eyes, trying to keep this conversation going instead of just dropping it and pushing yet another issue under the rug. 

Lucas is almost sure if there was a real rug where they hid their unfinished arguments, you would have to jump a huge bump to walk on it.

“Lucas. The trash can wait.” Eliott quickly moves to stand in front of the door, holding Lucas’ hand, making him gently put the trash bags down and so he lets go, sighing in defeat. 

“What to do you wanna talk about? You, the master of acting like nothing is a big deal.” 

Eliott presses his lips together and raises his eyebrows, the face he does when he sort of agrees with Lucas while still trying to not laugh at his comments. And he doesn’t laugh because it’s funny, Lucas knows him that much, but because he really tends to brush everything off like it’s nothing. 

“I’m sorry that I lied about the rent. We both wanted this place and I just wanted us to get it, that’s it. And I’m sorry for inviting Lamifex to come tonight, I know I shouldn’t have, I was just trying to make this...recovery process easier for you and them.” 

Lucas can feel his jaw hurting already from clenching his muscles so hard and maybe - the thought crosses his mind - he was postponing this conversation too. If he’s being honest with himself, if he had a choice, he wouldn’t have this conversation, ever. If it was only his choices, Lucas would have made different ones so he wouldn’t have to go through this moment right here. 

“So like I said before: Are you their babysitter now? If I said I needed time, it’s because I need time. And do you hear what you’re saying? Just today, right now, you had to apologize for lying or “keeping things from me” twice. In one conversation. One line! Do you see what I mean when I tell you your secrets get in between us?” 

Eliott looks away and he nods his head quietly, making an even bigger mess in his hair. 

They really should have waited to have this conversation another time, but Lucas is the type to rip the band-aid off at once, so they just have to finish the conversation and be done with it. 

“If you want and if that’ll make you happy, we can split the rent equally. I just know it’s going to be a fucking nightmare to ask for more money for your dad and I was trying to save us this stress, but if that’s what you want, I’ll gladly accept it.” 

Eliott shrugs in that way he does when he’s getting a little angry too, but Lucas doesn’t talk about it. He’s just trying to finish this conversation and go take a cold shower, not start another problem. There’s always a limit he can push Eliott to before he shuts Lucas out completely and that would be the worst scenario for tonight.

“Yeah, it is going to be a nightmare, but I thought this was a decision we had to make together since we’re living together, both paying the bills. I’ll find a job soon now that school is over. And we’ll have even less time together, that sounds good to you, right? So you can breathe and be by yourself and shit.”

Lucas stops himself, needing a second to not let his past emotions get the best of him. 

Eliott looks deep into his eyes, clearly hurt and also done with this conversation. And the look he’s giving Lucas is exactly the first warning sign that he’s going too far for right now. “You’re not being fair now.” 

“Based on which standards? Yours or mine? Because I feel like I’m being really fair with myself and my emotions and you see how that’s a problem? If I only think on what I need and you only think on what you need, then how any relationship could ever work?” Lucas takes another break, feeling out of breathe, his heart beating so loud inside his chest it’s almost too much, but he continues. 

“I thought we were over this “needing space” issue months ago. We made big decisions together: to try this fucking relationship even when the start was a shit show from both sides, to move in together, to be together generally. I feel like we’ve talked about this so many times by now. I’m not asking for a report of your entire life, what you do, what you like. I’m just asking for enough information where I know when you leave the house late at night that you’re ok, that you’re safe.”

Lucas swallows the lump in his troath, really needing to go out to breathe some fresh out right now to sink his emotions back deep inside of him and lock them as far away as possible from coming to the surface again. 

“If you need space or hours away from me, that’s okay. I can accept that, but don’t let me guessing. If you need anything different from me or from us, I’m gonna need you to use your words as soon as you have needs that involve or don’t involve me. I can’t guess what’s inside your head.” 

Eliott moves closer when Lucas tries to get the trash bags from the floor, making him drop it again. “You’re thinking way too deeply about a small thing. I don’t need space, not like you’re saying of us going back to living separately. There’s nothing than I want more than to come back home to you. No matter where it is, if this flat or somewhere else, there’s nothing I want more than to come home to you, to spend time with you, to learn about you.” 

“And that’s all I’m asking in return. What you’re saying you want is exactly what I want too.” Lucas sigh, feeling he’s about to start crying and he really can’t do that in front of Eliott tonight. “Now can you please move so I can taking this mess outside?” He ends up whining, but he doesn’t even care. He just needs a fast way out of Eliott’s sight. 

“Wait.” Eliott says and his hand is in Lucas’ stomach, intentionally pushing him agaist the wall on their left. 

It takes a second, but Lucas kisses him back, putting one arm around his neck, not even having to stand on his tiptoes because Eliott’s whole body is pressed tightly against his, keeping them at the same height against the wall. 

It’s a different type of kiss, full of meaning and promises and some kind of possessiveness that Lucas’ drunk and needy brain is not complaining about, but it’s very different. They hardly ever kiss just so much intent. 

They stop when their lips are sore and Lucas’ head is spinning so fast he needs a second to put his head against the wall behind him, looking up, to really understand his surroundings. He feels Eliott’s body moving against his when he stand on his tiptoes to be able to see Lucas’ face again. 

Eliott looks like a hot mess and Lucas is sure he’s no different. He says what Lucas is always thinking when looking at Eliott. 

“I love you.” 

[aquariusrunes]

The Superfriends AU (part 2)

Marinette slowly zipped the black bag, smiling at the garment inside as it disappeared. That was the last of them. Fifteen. She had created fifteen new looks, some were recycled pieces or materials, but all the outfits were brand new. She’d only be with Edna for eleven days, but she knew outfit changes were going to be a must, she also had to factor in the formal events she’d be taken too. 

She placed the garment bag on the silver rack that was against her wall. Now that her outfits were done, it was time to finish packing the rest of her luggage. She��d already filled the small pink trunk which housed her shoes, accessories, and makeup. Now she just needed toiletries and electronics. She began mentally checking things off her list as she filled her backpack.  

It had been awhile since she last saw Edna in person. 

Last time was when Edna unexpectedly dropped by the bakery about two summers ago, her first summer as Ladybug. She remembered nervously squirming as her everyday school outfit was criticized for not being powerful enough for Marinette.

She also remembered nearly having a heart attack when Edna shooed her parents out of the room and sat down, crossing her fingers in the way she does, then saying very calmly in a low and threatening voice, “now darling, let’s talk about that suit.”

She still wasn’t sure why she ever thought she could keep her secret from her family, considering about a month later she was rushed to Gotham for an impromptu Cousin Hang Sesh and promptly pressured into giving up the goat. At least her family had a good concept of keeping a hero’s identity secret. The Wayne’s practically taught Marinette the hero code, as well as trained her in a lot of skills she was finding more and more useful as Ladybug. Still waiting for the day where she lucky charms a gun though, then it’ll be Jason’s time to shine.

She hadn’t seen them since that summer either, at least not in person. But it was pretty normal for her to go long stretches of time without seeing her extended family. Especially those on her father’s side, they were all rich and constantly busy. Which is why she was so excited when Edna asked her to come to Steel City and help her with her latest collection. Of course Marinette initially turned her down, explaining that she couldn’t just leave Paris for a week and a half. But Edna pushed her to discuss it with the Guardian and Marinette was quite surprised when he pushed her to go. 

Fu had said that it was important not to let her superhero life destroy her civilian one, and that this sounded like an excellent opportunity for her future. He then assured her that Chat Noir, and perhaps if needed, another hero, could handle things without her for a little while. Even Chat seemed excited for her. 

Marinette paused in her packing to look at the Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls sitting side by side on her desk. She and her partner had come a long way from when Ivan was first akumatized. There wasn’t a person in the world she was more in sync with, and she doubted there ever would be. They had a deal now, once Hawkmoth was gone and they return their miraculouses, they would reveal themselves. It had been her idea, and he had been over the moon when she suggested it. She just hated the idea of losing him forever, he was after all, her best friend. 

She quickly picked up the blonde doll and placed him in her backpack before zipping it up and slinging it over her shoulders. She did one last sweep of her room, making sure she didn’t forget anything before finally moving to the cork board above her desk. Her pictures of Adrien long since gone, her wall space was needed for other things now. 

The cork board had three lines drawn down it, Marinette’s name written on the right side and Lila’s on the left. The middle of the board was labeled Neutral. Push pins with her classmates’ faces on them were stuck all over the board. A lot had changed in her class since the Liar first showed up. Now it was a full on war. 

Everyone knew you were either on Marinette’s side or Lila’s. Chloé and Adrien were the only ones in the neutral zone, as Adrien refused to get involved and Chloé simple could care less. Marinette still had trouble disproving whatever Lila said, but now and again she’d catch her, and some of her classmates had just wisened up, like Max. 

Max was under Marinette’s name, as was Alix and Kim. Nathaniel was there too, and with him of course came his boyfriend Marc, even if the boy wasn’t in their class. Kagami and Luka were also on her side even though they weren’t in Ms Bustier’s class either. Ivan was also on Marinette’s side, despite Mylène being on Lila’s. The two girls were the only thing the couple fought over or could never agree on. But she was very happy when Ivan apologized to her and told her that he believed in her. 

Rose, Jukela, Sabrina, and Alya were also on Lila’s side. Though she thought Jukela was close to converting. It used to bother her that Alya always took Lila’s side, but over the past few months Marinette had become desensitized to it. Though it did take her forever to stop thinking of her as her best friend, demoting her to friend, and then just an acquaintance. Every now and again a spark of hope would fill her chest when the glasses wearing girl showed concern for her, but it was typically smothered as quickly as it appeared. 

With a sigh Marinette plucked Nino from her side of the board and pinned him back on Lila’s. Nino and she had been friends for a very long time, and it hurt like hell when he chose Lila over her, it hurt more than some Akuma attacks did. But then one night he showed up at the bakery and asked her if they could talk. And Nino explained. 

He told her that it took him awhile, but eventually, after doing some fact checking he realized Lila was lying, about a lot. He’d tried explaining to Alya but she just got upset with him for ragging on her friend, so he dropped it. He didn’t like the way Lila hung all over Adrien, or how she badmouthed a lot of people, not just Marinette. But he loved Alya, a lot. And he was quite sure that eventually he could get her to come to her senses, though he wasn’t sure if Marinette would still want to be her friend then, and when the day came, he wouldn’t push it. And furthermore, Lila told Alya a lot, and Alya usually repeated it to him. He knew things that Marinette didn’t, sometimes he even knew about rumors or frame jobs before they happened. Nino asked her if she would forgive him, and in exchange, he’d stay on Lila’s side. He’d be Marinette’s mole. 

She hated seeing Nino on Lila’s side of the board, she hated not being able to hang out with him like she used to. But his information was always good, and her side was making a lot of progress when it came to getting people outside of the class to turn on Lila. So she let it continue. 

“Marinette! The car is here!” her mother’s voice came from downstairs. 

She quickly doubled checked that she had all her legal documents in her red folder before clutching it to her chest and turning to face Tikki. “Ready for America?” She asked. 

The small kawami giggled. “Yes! I can’t wait to see how it’s changed.” It was still odd for her to think about the small god being anywhere besides Paris, but Tikki had assured her that she’d had wielders all over the world. Marinette waited for the creature to settle herself into her backpack before she went downstairs to greet one of Edna’s men. 

… 

By the time Marinette boarded Edna’s private jet her lugadged was already a board and secure. She eyed the black bags and trunk carefully as she went to sit in one of the white leather seats. It wasn’t her first time on a jet, she’d be on a handful throughout her life, but she always got a little nervous when it came to flying. 

She checked her watch quickly, it was almost 8:30pm, meaning by the time they got to America and she got through customs, it would probably be close to midnight. Her aunt had suggested Marinette come later in the evening, that way she would have a full night to adjust to the time difference. She’d thought it would have been a better idea for her to take an earlier flight and just sleep in the air, but she wasn’t about to argue with her aunt, after all, it wasn’t Marinette’s jet. 

She was introduced to the pilots and the two attendants that would be on the flight by Desmond, a large and imposing man her aunt had sent to collect her. After introductions the staff gave her a run through of basic plane safety. Both attendants, one male and one female, were very talkative and their safety monologue had a lot of jokes and quips in it. After they were finished they kept chatting with her, asking her questions about herself and how she was related to Edna. The man kept asking about her outfits, which were towards the back. 

By the time the conversation died down and Marinette looked out the window, they were in the air. She hadn’t even noticed the take off, either that or she’d just blocked it out. In any case she set to work making herself comfortable, she was hoping to sleep for most of the flight. 

As she spread the blanket she had been given over her lap she stealthily examined the man who Edna had sent for her, he was sitting on the opposite side of the cabin in a similar chair to her own. Desmond was large in stature, reminding her of Adrien’s bodyguard. His head was square shaped and he had a grey buzzcut. His chin was large and protruding with a dimple in the center of it. His eyes were a dark hazel and covered by square reading glasses that he had not been wearing when he picked her up. He wore a well tailored suit and was holding what looked like a romance novel in his hands. That’s when Marinette noticed the wedding band. 

When Edna had come to visit Marinette a few years back, she ended up stealing Marinette away for an impromptu American weekend. That was the last time she had been to Steel City, which was Edna’s home base. They spent two whole days in Edna’s costume shop attempting to come up with a work around for the magic suit. Marinette left with no new suit, but Edna did promise her she would come up with something.

She had ridden alone on Edna’s jet back to Paris, save for a bodyguard of her aunt’s. “Were you the man who escorted me home the last time I visited Edna?” Marinette asked, her voice low and calm. 

The man looked up from his book and smiled. “Yes ma’am.” His voice was deep and gruff with some sort of accident Marinette didn’t recognize. 

“I remember that flight.” She whispered. “Weren’t you, I mean, hadn’t your wife just give birth?” The conversation was still fuzzy in her head, but she remembered the man being very nervous about fatherhood. 

His smile grew as he sat his book down.

“Yes ma’am. Zoe was only about a week old. I volunteered for the day trip to escort you back. Needed to clear my head for a little bit.” 

“How is your daughter?” More of their previous discussion coming back to her. “She was in the NICU, wasn’t she?” 

“Ten days, yes. They needed to run some tests but the doctors and her mom and I were fairly confident that she was healthy by the time I agreed to take you home.” She could tell he was surprised she remembered so much.  

“Do you like fatherhood?” 

“Very much ma’am. Little Zoe’s babbling and toddling all about now. And she’s got a brother on the way, he’ll be here in a few months.” Marinette beamed at the man. 

“That’s wonderful! Do you have any names picked out yet?” 

“We’re thinking either Brandon or Lewis.” 

“Oh, I love the name Lewis!” Marinette chimed. “It’s one of my top two boy names. The other is Hugo, but I suppose you don’t hear that one as often in America.” 

“No ma’am, you don’t.” 

“Sorry that you had to fly to Paris and then all the way back for me. I bet you would much rather be with your family right now.” She looked down sheepishly. “If I had children I don’t know how on earth I could leave them for even a second.”

“I don’t mind ma’am. And besides, it’s not like I left my little Zoe all by her lonesome, she’s got her mom. And her grandparents are in town. Plus, Edna’s always much more generous with paternity leave if you’ve put in a few long hour jobs.” 

“Oh. Well I’m glad to hear that.” Marinette breathed. “Can I ask, it’ll be pretty late when we get there, do you think it’s worth me sleeping now? Or should I try and wait it out?”

“Honestly, with all the commotion, Edna will probably want you up bright and early. I’d say once we get you all settled in it’ll probably be around one in the morning, and someone will come round to wake you about five o’clock.” 

“So I should sleep now?” 

“That would be my suggestion ma’am.” 

She nodded happily. “Alright then, that’s the plan. Could you wake me up about an hour before we land so I can make sure I look a little presentable?” 

“Of course ma’am.” 

“Thank you Desmond.” She relaxed into the chair and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep. But sleep did not come to Marinette easily nowadays. In fact, it was getting hard to remember a time when sleep came easily to her at all. 

Her mind immediately went to Chat. He knew she was leaving that night, usually they would be patrolling together about now but she’d explained to him she would be leaving before they got the chance to meet up again. Hawkmoth had been unusually quiet the week leading up to her trip so she hadn’t seen Chat in about five or six days. She missed him. 

Usually on nights where one or both of them weren’t patrolling, Chat would drop by her balcony and the two would have a nice talk over hot chocolate and baked goods. But he hadn’t been in awhile. He’d explained that his schedule was getting more and more hectic as they moved into spring, or at least he explained it to Ladybug. She later used that information to rationalize to herself why he hadn’t been around in a while. 

She was a little surprised he hadn’t made this point known to her civilian self, but then he was leaving certain details out of conversation between her two alter egos. She’d noticed it a few months ago. He’d tell the same story twice but a handful of details would be added to one and would be missing from the other. When he told Marinette about his friend getting his head stuck in the railing of his stairs, he’d mentioned that this was the same friend who constantly challenged people to arm wrestling competitions. But when he told the story to Ladybug he completely left out the part where his other friend had tried to use butter to get him unstuck, thoroughly coating his head in the condiment. 

It felt almost like he was testing her. The dynamic between them had been weird like that for awhile. It was almost like he knew, or he was close to figuring it out, and was just trying to piece together the last few dots. If this had been a year ago, or even half a year ago, she would have lost it. But now, the idea of Chat knowing, didn’t bother her as much. She actually found herself playing along, dropping hints. 

He’d drop hints too. She wondered if he’d figured out that she had a guess for who he was as well. If he’d noticed her testing questions or not. He probably did, her kitty was a lot smarter than people gave him credit for. 

They’d agreed on waiting till after Hawkmoth’s defeat to reveal themselves, but she was pretty sure that by the end of the year they’d both have a solid grasp on who the other was. She wasn’t as afraid of it anymore, not after she came to terms with what her mind and heart was telling her. And the idea of him knowing got less and less scary the more he looked deeper into Marinette, the more he analyzed her when he thought she wasn’t looking. He almost seemed rather pleased at the idea of it being her, or at least at the idea of him having figured her out. 

Of course, everything could very easily fall apart if Marinette’s own guess was wrong. Hence why she was a tad more cautious with her own digging. After all, Chat knew that she had a very very large crush on Adrian at one point. The last thing she needed to do was upset him by assuming that the two boys were one in the same, or worse insult him. Though the evidence to support her theory was mounting quite high, she still felt a little unsure. 

At this point she was about sixty-eight percent sure Adrien and Chat Noir were one and the same. She felt like Chat’s percentage of where she and ladybug stood was much higher, but she no longer cared if he figured her out first. 

As she drifted off to sleep she made a mental note to make sure and get him something, a souvenir of some kind from her trip. She wondered if she should get both boys something, or just Chat and see if Adrian showed up with it on his person. That was a good idea, she’d have to remember that. 

_______________________________________________________________________

(part 1)  (part 2) - Here (part 2.5) (part 3) - soon

Planning on making a part 2.5 which will hopefully be up within the next few days depending on my spare time. And if you want to be tagged, let me know!

@graduatedmelon @northernbluetongue @violatiger8 @bamagirl513