#anyway Hana is really cute I need people to start seeing how funny she is

[lavenderjewels]

she’s so cute

[atopearth]

Collar X Malice: Unlimited Part 7 - Adonis Route

Honestly, I find the way Ichika joined Zero's side to be pretty iffy even back then in the original game, so I kinda hoped something like Kazuki dying would have changed here but I guess not.. I feel sorry for Kazuki that they reconciled but she still ended up joining Adonis alongside Akito, it must be a pretty big shock having to deal with that. (EDIT: guess he is gone..) Ichika being at the top and training people in marksmanship and stuff is very interesting lol. She looks all right with short hair but yeah, I agree with Zero, I liked the long hair more. Anyway, Zero wants her to find out if there's a traitor amongst them before the next X-Day (since the one 2 years ago failed) in 30 days. Anyway, it seems like you go through each of the Adonis' executors' stories so that's interesting. I'm just going to go from the ones I least like to the ones I like the most haha, and then leave Mikuni for last I guess. Well, Hana's story first then~

Kobayashi Hana

I guess Hana is as bright as ever. I quite enjoy seeing her try and dress Ichika up and make her cuter lol. On the other hand, seeing her mercilessly cut through that panda cake was pretty hilarious. One thing I enjoyed insight into was hearing that Hana has been avoiding going to Isshiki's concerts to avoid causing any trouble to them with the police just in case they come to crash it because of her or something. Honestly, I was pretty impressed. Like, she's always been pretty selfish, and she's always prioritised her love for Isshiki above everything, but to see that she could stop herself to protect him was nice in its own way. Even though she's a pretty ruthless killer, and even though she's obsessed with Isshiki, I guess she does think things through a bit so that Isshiki won't ever have to suffer because of her. Hmm Ichika seemed to reminisce about Kazuki, does that mean he died? Anyway, these investigations are short? Are they really just segments of story for Ichika to become friends with each person? Lol. I mean, Ichika literally did nothing but talk about random stuff with Hana lol. I actually find it rather endearing that Hana and Ichika can fight so openly about their feelings and understand that they actually do want the best for each other, it's kinda nice how they became good friends under such circumstances.

Soda Manabu

Honestly, I kinda wish we could just pick one character and continue until the investigation completes because it's sooo annoying having to press on each one like 7 times just to get a couple of lines of story each time Zzz. Anyway, gotta admit Ichika is pretty judgmental towards Soda, and actively tries to "fix" him and thinks what he does is "wrong", which is pretty annoying tbh. Just because she doesn't understand games, she thinks it's useless to Adonis, and then judges him for his eating habits? Lol. Anyway, at least she tried playing his game though lol, and even got lessons from him haha. I see, I can understand why Ichika would go to Zero for "revenge" but not sure about the "sadness" thing if that's what she's going for tbh. Losing Yanagi, Enomoto, Shiraishi, Okazaki and Kazuki is a big hit and I can understand it shattering her world, but going to Adonis is basically breeding everything that killed everyone important to her. Anyway, Sasazuka's pained voice telling Ichika not to go to Adonis really hurt. I'm sure he's really hurting over the fact he didn't notice the weapons that ended up killing everyone, alongside survivor's guilt of being the only one who survived out of the group, and then now not even being able to stop Ichika from going over to the other side.. It's painful to see. Anyway, lmao, Soda is probably a tamer little brother than Kazuki. His words are harsh but you can tell he only talks like that to protect himself, so any time he swears, I don't bother taking him seriously, he's a hurt little kid. It's cute how Ichika mixed his hated eggplants into the gratin and he didn't even notice, but he ate the whole thing happily🤣 He's so adorable lmao, especially when his face went red and he told her he'd eat her stuff again (even though she shouldn't hear it), and then he ran off🤣

It seems like Soda regrets his actions much more than I initially thought. He was able to get revenge, but now he's even more scared of death because of what he had done, and now he's just in this never-ending cycle of fear, needing to have Zero's power to protect himself, doing his bidding so that he won't die, but at the same time being so scared of his life that the only time he probably feels "safe" is when he plays his games. I love how happy he was when Ichika gave him a SS tier rare item and he put it on, locked it and kept it in a special box🤣 That's so cuteee. Definitely enjoyed Soda's mini part more than I thought hahaha, he's such a cute little kid, which makes it kinda sad lol. Soda blowing up and getting mad at Ichika for playing solo and saying she didn't need connections when she made him realise he wanted to start building connections because of her was really...heartwarming. Soda gave up on people and a lot of things thinking that he could never have them because that's how it was considering how people are, but he changed his mind after Ichika so insistently barged into his life, and now to say that it's practically useless would be extremely hurtful to him. I was really impressed with Soda, and I'm happy that he even told Ichika that she can rely on him more, he's such a sweet boy🥲

Uno Suzune

Lmaooo poor Shion, the woes of a big brother. I found it hilarious how Suzune would give him the green peas she doesn't like even though Shion hates them too, definitely something siblings would do🥲 I superrrr agree with Suzune about handwriting diaries instead of writing a blog! I mean, I have both obviously, but I definitely have different feelings when I read my blog and when I read my writing in my diary. Through my blog, I can easily read my exact thoughts and get to the gist of what I'm talking about, but with my diary, I can see stuff like when I started getting tired of writing, when I felt like changing my pen, and a lot of other feelings that can't be seen or portrayed properly in a typed blog, and yes, the memories of me writing all this usually comes back better when I've written it, mainly because I either say it in the entry or because I can actually remember sitting there and putting time into writing about my life/day.

Guess Suzune's pretty yandere for her brother if any kind of possible romantic interest from Ichika gets her other self to come out and threaten her about it lol. Anyway, it's cute how she’s starting to kinda think of Ichika as a big sister. Suzune willingly taking Ichika to Shion and calling Ichika Chi-chan is probably the biggest improvement you can get considering she could stab you as the worst case hahha. Well, Suzune was definitely cuter than I thought and seeing her so vulnerable, shy but wanting to protect Shion and getting out of her shell for him was sweet. Are there endings for each executor? Well, anyway, Suzune saying she would be sad if anything happened to Ichika was really sweet.

Sugawara Rika

Lmao, I forgot Sugawara is obsessed with Zero, this is going to be fun I guess. It's kinda funny that getting a 50,000 yen strawberry entices her lol, I'm surprised Zero approved it as an expense, like dang, can I have one too, I'm curious lol. Lmao when Sugawara wanted to keep the strawberries as a memento instead of eating it😂 She should have been convinced when Ichika said it'll become a part of her hahahah. LOL when Sugawara started lecturing Ichika about dressing better in front of Zero, and then tried to get her makeup to make her look better, but then Ichika runs away😂

Okay, I loved the girls dress up night with Hana, Ichika and Sugawara. It was so funny how they started arguing about what Ichika should wear and then became fast enough friends to recommend each other stuff and then wear it for fun. I loveee that they had a CG for their new outfits because they're all so pretty, I love them! I think Hana's is my favourite because it's so simple but cute in a different way from her usual. I guess it's kinda cute how in Hana's investigation, Hana focuses on Ichika's clothing fashion, but Sugawara takes it further or I guess mainly focuses on skincare, makeup and haircare haha. I guess it's nice that Sugawara is definitely much more open about standing up for herself and other women when it comes to men who try to objectify them or think of them as "lesser". She's become stronger. I think it's kinda sad to see that amongst all the other happy mini endings with the other executors, Rika's one with Ichika is actually pretty sad because it was through them bonding that Rika noticed Ichika's true intentions of revenge, and that's why they can never truly see eye-to-eye and be friends.

Ogata Tomoki

I guess I didn't expect Ogata to be the type to go to batting cages, but I even more didn't expect him to reserve sweets to make sure he can get them hahaha! It's nice that he enjoys wagashi though, I definitely should have tried it when I went to Japan, but I completely forgot😭 Aww, Ogata had such a sweet daughter! Whenever his wife wasn't looking, she would eat his hated tomatoes for him! Such a kind kid😭 I've never heard of monaka before, so I googled it and they look nice!! Kinda like an ice cream sandwich but not with ice cream and has red bean paste and other stuff inside I guess? I would totally eat it. Lmaoo at Ichika's impression of the typical salaryman😂😂 It's true though, I can't imagine Ogata going home to watch comedy shows with a beer in his hand🤣 Aww it was so cute how Ogata did an impersonation of a character in a drama because he got so used to doing it for his daughter. But lmao at Ichika though, telling him what he can improve on since Adonis might have end of the year parties he could use it for, imagine a bunch of terrorists partying for something so normal like the end of the year hahah😂😂

It's actually really sad how Ogata feels like he can't be a father anymore because he knows that he prioritises his current ideals and dreams more than his daughter. And I guess considering how long they've been separated and how much he has changed, it would probably feel awkward to try and be a normal father, but I guess at least through Ichika's encouragement, he's willing to try and reply to his daughter's letter of wanting to meet him. I think the reason why I've always liked Ogata is because he doesn't regret his actions. Like, he knows that he's killed people and that's why he doesn't want to see his family and get them involved with what he's doing right now, because he knows the gravity of his actions. But at the same time, his hatred for Fujii, the police and the whole mistaken arrest that led to such injustice for him and changed his whole perspective on life is something he can't let go of, and that's why it led him to Adonis and to fulfill his "new" ideals. He knows it's a path that will not necessarily have a "good ending" but he's willing to sacrifice everything for it, and I think that's what makes me attracted to his character. Anyway, LMAO at how insistent Ichika was on seeing young Ogata with a buzzcut playing baseball, absolutely hilarious when she was ready to tie him up with a rope and search his room😂😂 It's pretty sad to see that Ogata wanted to be like Isshiki and save people with his justice without faltering in this cruel world but he just wasn't able to do it because hatred was what fuelled him to move forward and not forgiveness or hope. But I'm glad he encouraged Ichika to listen to Isshiki's song and hear Kazuki's guitar, because seeing Ichika show her emotions again, even if just a little bit was nice...

Uno Shion

Aww, it's cute how much Shion cares about Suzune, but also so cute how he's embarrassed to say he likes chocolate🤣 It's nice that he's more cooperative than Suzune I guess hahaha. I never expected Shion to like to paint though, that's interesting. Anyway, it's pretty sad to think that the "outside world" was much more unforgiving to the Uno siblings, and that it was only after they joined this terrorist organisation did they get to feel safe and secure that they have shelter and food without people going crazy on them. In that sense, it's understandable how much more comfortable Adonis would be for them. Aww Shion and Suzune getting excited over a chocolate cake is so adorable. Them saving up to buy a home for themselves is so heartwarming, it makes me really want to cheer for them. I'm dying from how cute they are trying to feed Ichika the chocolate cake too because they really like her and think she's really kind like their mother was before. Shion buying a cheese tart for both Ichika and Suzune was sweet, she's like a part of his thought process when buying stuff for his sister hahaha. Lol when he just shoved it into her mouth instead of giving it to her like a normal person🤣 Lmaoo when Shion drew a portrait of Ichika stuffing herself with cheese tart🤣 To think that Shion was so serious about drawing that he's actually thinking about a future with it after the X-Day stuff..it’s so endearing.

Sera Akito

It must be difficult for both Akito and Ichika to talk to each other. Just seeing each other's faces would make them remember the past and compare it to the present, making their whole encounter just...painful to watch. It's so like Akito to hide that he dislikes shiitake mushrooms so that it wouldn't inconvenience Ichika and make her remove it from the cooking menu. Lmaooo at Akito being so scared of bugs, enough that Ichika has to call cockroaches dark fairies to make him feel more at ease🤣 I'm sure Akito must be hurting too, but his consideration for Ichika above himself really makes my heart feel so warm. Awww, my heart swooned when Akito said his ideal type was Ichika! If only there was an Akito route~ Anyway, I didn't expect Akito and Soda to really interact but lmaoo at Soda having spent millions of yen on in-game stuff, Soda is right though, gacha rates are cruel😭😭 Aww, it was so cute how honest Soda was about wanting to have defeated the boss with Akito instead of dumping him and killing it himself, since what Soda values is playing together with other people. So, Kazuki was stabbed by a guy who was influenced by Adonis into taking revenge against his bullies or something, and I guess Kazuki was killed when he tried to step in? Honestly, I feel terrible for Akito. He was already feeling doubts and guilt over getting revenge for his sister, but after experiencing Kazuki's death, he must hate his choice for joining Adonis even more than before. It honestly broke my heart to see Akito break down like that not knowing how he could atone for his sins in causing Kazuki's death. His heartwrenching screams really cut me and made me tear up from all the pain Akito must have been bottling up all this time. Akito will always be my favourite side character, I think his pain, his feelings and his emotions were portrayed so well.

Sanjo Keisuke

Aww, Sanjo's favourite food being ramen is very him, kinda hahaha. I can't imagine a 7kg bowl of ramen and having to finish that in 30 minutes😱 On the other hand, Sanjo being into arcades is kinda unexpected, lmaooo at Ichika thinking he would play the crane games😂 I didn't think about the fact that Ichika is a former cop just like him now, I wonder how he feels about that or whether he even cares😅 Lmao at Sanjo seriously answering Ichika what his type of woman is and then even describing the body shape with sound effects😂 I can't believe Ichika just tickled Sanjo and made him laugh like crazy, I would have liked to see that😆😆 I think it would have been so nice if Ogata was Sanjo's boss, I feel like their values and ideals of justice back in the day would have matched well since Sanjo probably desired something "pure" back in the day and hoped to be a part of an organisation that helped people, and Ogata was always helping people already, so they would have worked well together. It's just sad that they both got betrayed by their ideals of what the police should have been to them and others.

 The idea that you can't feel any fear because you don't value your life is a pretty interesting and saddening thought. Maybe because I get that feeling sometimes. I agree with Sanjo, Zero definitely doesn't truly care about those ideals of saving the weak that he keeps spouting, he's not like Mikuni, and that's also imo the reason why Zero believes that he and Mikuni will never truly understand each other. Ichika and Sanjo eating ramen together is so cute lol.

Mikuni Rei

Lmao at Zero calling Mikuni an old man for liking fish, disliking carbonated drinks and other junk food because they're not nutritional hahaha. Otherwise, nothing much to say tbh, Mikuni has always been a rather bland character to me? I like him, but at the same time I don't because even though it's interesting to see that he actually has "noble" goals compared to Zero, the fact is that Mikuni as he himself said has been told that he's a "saviour" of sorts, and I think that really exemplifies the type of person Mikuni is. Someone who believes that he can and wants to "save" people in his own way as if he is someone above them all, but at the same time, he is very apparently flawed exactly because he is like that. He's not someone who truly understands the people "below" him and he also doesn't seem to perceive that as something that can be helped, and that's why even though his goals are "noble", he's not really noble at all. But it doesn't really change the fact that Mikuni is kind in his own way though. Mikuni eating shrimp crackers is so cute😂

Saeki Yuzuru

To be honest, I've always liked the chill policeman Saeki, and I personally think Zero likes that version of himself too. I feel like he always enjoyed just talking about stuff with Ichika during their drinking charades, and had fun visiting her. But at the same time, I feel like because of the existence of Adonis and Mikuni, Zero never really allowed his negative emotions to be "accepted" in order for him to move on, so instead it just continued piling up inside to the point of indifference towards the world and others imo. Anyway, it's sad, seeing Zero and Mikuni happily play chess together. They really look like two brothers just having fun in their own way. Hearing them say that they've been doing this since they were kids makes it all the more saddening when they realised that despite how "close" they were to each other, they never really understood each other. In a sense, I feel like in the end, both Mikuni and Zero use Adonis as a way to get the things they want and feel like it's one of the only ways they can do it? I mean, I do feel like Mikuni treasures his relationship with Zero more than Adonis or anything else, because when it comes down to it, I feel like he tries really hard to understand Zero by trying to see things from his perspective and hanging out with Ichika, the one that Zero thinks understands him best and the one Zero likes the most. On the other hand, Zero seems to use Adonis as a way for revenge of his mother and as a way to vent those emotions and scars he got, but at the same time Adonis also granted him Mikuni (a brother), and it gave him opportunities and power.

Zero definitely loves Ichika in an obsessed way, probably the only way he thinks he can love someone, since he doesn't want to become "weak" like his mother was. So if he felt anything like love, he would prefer it to be a love that would destroy him, because in a sense I think I can understand that sentiment of wanting the person you love to solely focus on yourself and no one else, whether that is hatred or whatever emotion doesn't matter, because being the entire focus of someone else's is a sort of "love" to enjoy, so I don't blame Zero for his twisted "love" lol. Especially since you can tell how much he has always enjoyed his after work beers and just chatting with Ichika. I quite enjoyed their little date walking around reminiscing the past and discovering new things they missed out on, now I really want to eat crepes🥲 The ending where Ichika kills Saeki is pretty sad though. Seeing Saeki the most relieved and happy he has ever been is probably what made me kinda happy for him though. He still sucks, but like Ichika said, I can't hate him, because it was true that he did reduce the sadness of many (whilst creating sadness for many others too though) and at the core, he was like in a sense a guy who consumed so much sadness from everywhere around him, always in pain, always sad despite his appearance, and thinking that makes it difficult for me to truly hate him.

Overall, I like the Adonis route! Initially, I was a bit sceptical whether it was really necessary and whether it would be interesting at all but I really loved bonding with all the executors. Seeing more of the human and emotional sides, seeing them warm up to Ichika and become friends with her really made me enjoy the "what could never be" part of it all. I think I especially loved Akito's because of how emotional it was tying into Kazuki and everything. But I also really enjoyed seeing the different sides of all of them. It really makes me wish Ichika got an individual route with like Akito and Sanjo and Ogata because I loveee them🥲🥲

Overall Review

I definitely enjoyed CxM: Unlimited much more than I thought I would! In the beginning, Sasazuka and Okazaki's routes kinda made me wonder whether I really wanted to continue this, but I'm so glad I got through them because I enjoyed Enomoto's, Yanagi's and Shiraishi's routes a lot! If I ranked them, I probably liked Shiraishi's the most, then Yanagi, Enomoto, Okazaki and then Sasazuka. It's definitely what I wanted in a fandisk, which is more fluffy romance and just bonding with all the guys even more, and I absolutely loveeee the potential romances with Yoshinari and Minegishi, they were so unexpectedly nice. Definitely no plot but that's okay since it's a fandisc and I think it fulfilled really well what its goal was when it comes to more romance in the story haha. 8/10! I'm definitely going to miss the characters, I'm so attached to Enomoto and them lol.

[ae0nx]

FRUITS BASKET S3 EPISODE 1 + 2 RECAP!

Yayyy! Season 3! Finally! I’m hoping this season will make me understand/sympathise with Akito and maybe even Shigure a little bit more because... honestly? My opinions on episode 2?... I might get some flack for my opinions on them...  😬

But, first: I’d like to appreciate how on the Funimation app we got a little interview/message from a few of the english dub VAs! Specifically Colleen Clinkenbeard, Jerry Jewell, Eric Vale, Ian Sinclair and Brina Palencia (Akito, Kyo, Yuki, Kureno and Isuzu). And it was nice seeing some of their opinions of the characters they play and how much they’re emotionally invested in the story. (Ian’s such a nerd ‘I wanna see giant mechs later this season’ 😂 - I lowkey stan him lol)

You should definitely check it out if you’re interested in what they would have to say!

ANYWAYS, let’s get into it...

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EPISODE 1

I really love this depiction of the original zodiac and how you can just tell from the tone of the scene how desperately the God of the Zodiac was clinging on to these connections that they had with the participants in the banquet. How much they clung on to and loved the cat... Also, interesting how Tohru’s narrating this scene... almost like she can relate to the desperation of wanting to keep things the same... but we’ll get to that later. But also, Tohru is a God

This new opening is beautiful, I love the way that camera moves around the still illustrations and how the general tone just hammers down that... this season is gonna be some real shit lol (which makes me nervous for the opening for the second half 😳). It’s so warped and the general blue, grey and black tone that follows around every Akito scene we get in the anime has bled into every scene in this opening concerning the rest of the zodiac. Almost... like something is decaying. It’s great, it’s just very sad lol. I love the song tho, issa bop.

One of my favourite things in stories is when we get a bigger villain than the ‘pronounced’ villain of the story. Ren’s introduction through a manicured outstretched hand towards Kureno and Hatori is so weirdly gross in what it insinuates (especially when you apply her connection with Shigure) but again... I wanna know why she’s such an asshole to Akito specifically besides the bad mental health management within the Sohma compound. I have an inkling of what it is through memory of the manga, but like Akito and Shigure... I just wanna understand why.

Also, Ren is gorgeous and I’m sorry for simping. 

I mean... she’s kinda got a point? She just didn’t need to be so mean about it lol. It’s pretty clear that the connection the zodiac have to each other is real and something they cannot control. BUT, wouldn’t it be easier if this connection wasn’t perpetuated by outer circles of the family and if Akito herself wasn’t so cruel about it? But, I guess Akito - through her relationship with her mother - kinda doesn’t know how to genuinely show love and affection. (Which brings me into my thoughts of how the manga ends and how I kinda... have a few problems with it which I will get to... when that comes lol)

Lol - weeeeeeeee! (flashes back to Tohru being yeeted into the river). Is this a part of Akito’s god-like powers?!

Again. She’s got a point! They’ve both got a point. But, they’re both the source of the problem. It’s really painful to see two mentally ill people duke it out. This whole institution is just rotten.

- I am super curious about what Akira’s relationship was like with the zodiac and if it was just as dark. I’m gonna assume it slightly already was, as the exclusion and degradation of the cat curse is already dark in itself but maybe the rest of the zodiac were just fine with how things were? I dunno if we actually will get the full backstory of Akira and his zodiac but I’m definitely intrigued

Ok, but if four crying children came up to me after I’d just consummated with my partner to reach out at my stomach chanting ‘we’ve been waiting for you’. That would disturb me and scar me for a while too so... 😂. I know it’s supposed to be ethereal and spiritual but... dude, wtf lol

...I don’t like how much I’m into Ren being such a Villain™  😅

- Akito being seen as a crying child by the older zodiac members has always been interesting to me because yes, they could see her as that through mainly the age gap, general empathy and the way she sometimes irrationally acts out. But, also the depiction of Gods being seen as children having tantrums has being reflected in many different beliefs and myths (especially Greek Mythology) and I just like the fact that this all powerful, all knowing being would be compared to a child. It gives you a different perspective on power.

- Is the paper note in the CD case that Kureno gave back to Tohru an extra addition or was it always there?...

Mannnn... I really wanted Isuzu to fuck shit up after seeing Tohru so upset but... *le sigh* (outfit’s still on point)

But, I’m so glad we get an equal Ethereal Goddess to save Tohru! HANAJIMA! We love her, we stan her. <3

- ‘Tohru will be in my custody’ 🤣 I personally think Hana’s bluntness was a kindness in her conversation with Yuki because if I found Tohru upset? I’d automatically start firing metaphorical shots at everyone in that house

- Shigure fearing Hana makes me sleep better at night <3

Hana’s just like ‘hmm... sounds like someone I know... 👀’ I’m here for this parallel between Tohru and Kureno in the hopes that Tohru doesn’t ever get in as bad a situation as Kureno. Ahhh... Kureno... (Also, Laura Bailey was killing it in this scene as always)

- Hmmm... there’s something terribly poetic about Kyo saving Tohru’s scarf from oncoming traffic... but also, Kyo can’t help himself aha

KWEEEN! I love this look for Uo, it’s very Kyoko. I already said this in Season 1 but I STILL need to get wool-lined jacket. Outfit Appreciation goes to her - 3.5 stars.

<3<3<3 Friendship is magic!

- Megumi is such a good egg as always! From him going to get Uo to him being so wise with his outlook on love and how it takes time to really flourish. The best!

- This whole episode ends really nicely from Tohru’s return home and Kyo washing and returning Tohru’s scarf and Yuki being happy to see Tohru and Shigure being somewhat decent. It was nice to get a bit of relief after the tornado of emotions

Also, this was a nice screencap! Even Kyo is smiling!!! :))))

EPISODE 2

*takes sip of wine* ...ok.

👀... later lol

This scene really highlighted how Tohru is starting to see Shigure and the whole zodiac curse in a new and darker way. For the first time, it felt like Tohru was a little bit more guarded around Shigure and I hope they delve more into this season. Her description of her feeling around the curse being like a ‘dark well with no bottom in sight’ is pretty spot on. Ugh.

Aw! Is this the last we’re getting of Small!Momiji?! I love them :3 (Momiji’s shorts look a little shorter too, like he’s growing out of them ahaha)

- I haven’t found the Yuki fan club funny since their first scene in the anime but their poor disguises made me chuckle

- Yayyy! Kyo has an obsessive fan club too? ...Yay?? 😅 haha

- ‘I won’t kill them but they can go to hell’ why is Kyo speaking like me?! 😂

The fact that we got a scene of Yuki kinda admirably looking at a group of friends (boys and girls) playfully physically interacting and he unconsciously reaches out to Machi almost like he forgot about the curse? Heart eyes... 🥰

Again. Relatable. 😂 God, Yuki. You really are an airhead. Bless your soul. <3

And that look says it all. Damn. Kyo’s sense of hopelessness is heartbreaking but I still stand by it being understandable considering his circumstances.

Kyo freaking out about Tohru being visually upset was super cute but I couldn’t even appreciate the fluff because the whole scene had such a morbid tone to it, despite it being so visually romantic:

KYO’S FACE!!! 💔 Ahhh, my emotions!!!! Also, that shot from Tohru’s perspective under her bangs is great.

- Poor Mitsuru, I’d ask for extra pay just for dealing with Shigure’s ass.

Hahah - what a great metaphor!

- Now that Shigure’s ‘true form’, so to speak, has been fully exposed all his comments that are supposed to be teasing come off so much more awful. Him insinuating Mitsuru wasn’t ‘upper class’ enough for Ritsu was awful

COLLLDDDD. AS. IIIIIIICE. But seriously, Shigure this whole episode was cold in many different ways but I definitely felt this personally since I’ve been told something like this by a family member before... 😕 Also, it’s just gross how both Shigure and Akito are taking their own personal issues and mistrust of each other out on to other people. The curse and the institution behind the curse complicates a lot of feelings for sure, but there’s a difference between wrong and right and I get the general feeling that they both are just using the muddy waters to their advantage. Although, I feel like Shigure is taking more advantage of this than Akito but I’ll get into that in a bit.

- There’s also something about this episode that made me sympathise a lot more with Kureno in a more understandable way. But, it also makes me question the ending of this whole story and the resolutions that happen and what life for the whole Sohma institution/family looks like after the curse has broken.. I guess, I should read ‘Fruits Basket Another’ after this, huh?

😳... Shigure is so petty, man. Really?!

So...

I hate this relationship. I’m sorry. I know there are loads of people who like this relationship. And I’m still giving myself space for the show and the story to convince me why it’s worth it. But... I really don’t like this relationship. It’s so toxic. In so many ways. And in a weird way, this scene made me feel a LITTLE bit more for Akito than Shigure. It feels like Shigure gaslights everyone in his life but none no more than Akito, herself. I hate the fact that he keeps saying he loves her while hurting her or disregarding her. You know, almost like he’s treating her like a child. But on the other hand, I hate the fact that Akito has lowkey gaslighted herself into thinking she can treat people however she wants because she is ‘God’. I understand this is part of the way she was brought up and it seems like life in the Sohma compound has been very isolating for her so there’s been no one really to show her better (or have the confidence to show her better). But, at least I can be a little bit more sympathetic on her side than Shigure’s. I dunno... it’s just all very ugly and toxic and I’m hoping that it’ll turn around somehow.

I just hope it’s not one of those relationships that are ‘so good cos it’s so bad’.

...I’ll briefly talk about the ending theme to end this on a good note lol:

I really like this ending! I dunno if they’re gonna have two endings and two openings for this season but this ending definitely feels like it should’ve gone in the second half as it’s almost spoiler-y? But, then again what anime opening and ending isn’t packed with spoilers lol

All the illustrations are gorgeous, I’m assuming they were drawn by Takaya-sensei herself as it seems very much in her current style of artistry but my favourite illustrations are definitely the ones shown above! <3

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Ahhh! Fin! Sorry, about this one being super long and you probably having to scroll past a whole lot on your dash 😝 As usual, I had a lot to say. I’m open to hearing from people who actually like Shigure and Akito’s relationship btw, it’s just that everything before and episode 2 just really didn’t sail the ship for me, personally. I do want to understand! Haha

See you soooon!

[accidentallyadramablog]

Review: Down With Love (2010)

I felt a little nostalgic this week and decided to rewatch Down With Love, a romcom out of Taiwan featuring Ella Chen (from Hana Kimi) and Jerry Yan (Meteor Garden).

This is more of a brain dump as opposed to a real review. More below the cut.

Let me just start with the fact I love dramas with tomboys, gender benders, and gender non-conforming women and girls in general. I'm a 40 yr old gnc bi-woman, so some of these storylines really resonate with me - despite the trend of making those female characters glaringly stupid and pitiable.

Tags: Nanny, Love Square, Tomboy, Male Chases Female First, Sismance, Rich Man/Poor Woman, Pretends To Be Gay, Single Parent, Sisterhood, Boss/Employee Relationship

Our girl Ella Chen plays tomboy Yang Guo. Yang Guo works, has friends, and a shitty boyfriend of 5 years. She acts naïve, but she actually has a lot of life experience due to a *tragic backstory*. After her mother died, her father ruined the family business. Their family plunged from riches to rags and their father abandoned them. Yang Guo is 6 when this happens and it falls on her older sister Yang Duo to raise them both while homeless, starving, and navigating the homeless camps in the parks of Taipei.

Yang Duo (Kelly Huang) has raised her little sister by herself, beginning from poverty and homelessness to having a house and making a life for themselves. They bicker good-naturedly, but Yang Duo is very protective and supportive of her sister. She's managed to earn a job at a prestigious law firm as an admin assistant with strong accounting skills. She is seen as frugal, clever, and competent. Several characters make comments throughout the series about how it was a shame that she didn't go into certain careers because she's so accomplished despite not having a formal education. It's obvious that Yang Duo has put her own dreams and happiness on hold to make sure that she and Guo have financial security. Yang Duo is my favorite character btw. She is a supporting character that is multi-faceted and has her own character arc. I really like seeing her growth in this drama, and she gets some cute side couple action later in the series. Skip the last episode.

Due to growing up in poverty and scrabbling to lower-middle-class, the two girls work nonstop. After Guo is fired from her job waiting tables, Duo gets Guo a job as a nanny for her boss Xiang Yu Ping by lying and saying Guo is a lesbian.

Xiang Yu Ping (Jerry Yan) owns his own law firm and is seen as cold and overbearing. He is raising his dead brother's kids and none of the nannies he's hired have lasted either due to being chased off by the kids (a la the Sound of Music) or by trying to seduce him because he's a rich handsome lawyer. Relieved to have found a nanny who definitely wouldn't seduce him (because he thinks she's a lesbian), he just pays an unreasonably huge salary to keep her there with the kids despite their abuse.

Supporting characters: Amanda Chu as the best friend Yan Ling with the messy dating life is also delightful, but I've enjoyed all her roles. I may rewatch Lion Pride for her, now that I'm walking down memory lane. The office of 'just some lawyer dudes being dudes' are funny. I love when they gather around to watch drama and place bets on what's happening. They're also slackers. I would love/hate to work with them.

So that's the setup.

Honestly, I hate the 'pretends to be gay' plots. It's typically really offensive and this was no exception in a lot of places. (It's not at the same level as Personal Taste, but it's bad.) One of the cases Yu Ping takes on is unlawful termination and blackmail of a gay teacher and he asks for Yang Guo's advice to help the man. Taiwan was trying in 2010, but it wasn't exactly good representation to have a fake lesbian help an actual gay man faced with employment discrimination and blackmail over his orientation. When I compare this with Love is Science (2021 twdrama) that has two out lgbt characters employed in their office with significant roles, I'm just so happy that lgbtq media representation is still progressing.

I don't care about Yu Ping's best friend Qi Ke Zhong or Yu Ping's ex-girlfriend Ding Hui Fan because they're both terrible people that don't deserve forgiveness and their only purpose was to drag out our leads getting together. Since this was a rewatch, I knew how much I hated their scenes and skipped them as much as I could. You're not missing anything. Someone on YT needs to just make a Yang Duo/Xiang Yu Ping cut, tbh. Also? Go ahead and skip the deadbeat father.

The nanny bit only lasts three episodes (the kids are adorable), but it's long enough for Yu Ping to catch feelings and think his lesbian nanny is cute. He actually is not cold and overbearing as episode 1 makes him out to be. Yu Ping is supportive and tries to be a good friend to Guo. When he thinks her 'girlfriend' is cheating on her, he absolutely flips out because he feels she deserves to be respected and loved in her relationship. He learns about her family. He learns about her friends. He knows where to look for her when she's upset. He knows how to cheer her up and later, he knows how to make the perfect date. When he finds out she lied about being a lesbian, he's not even mad. He admits it was his fault for making certain demands in the employment contract. He's just upset that he's lost chances to flirt and court her.

Listen. It's a dumb premise in this drama and the misunderstandings suck. But it's so refreshing to see male leads be decent to women that are romantically and sexually unavailable to them. The bar is so low, in RL and in dramas, that Yu Ping belongs in the top tier of male drama leads. This dude was just going to continue in a supportive friendship for an undetermined time, both when he thought she was a lesbian and later when his shitty weasel of a best friend dated her under false pretenses. He didn't burden her with a confession until her relationship was over. And whenever she asked for space, he gave it to her. And when she confronted him on instances of jealously, he apologized and gave her space.

Yu Ping never tries to change Guo. He doesn't give her a makeover. She has a makeover scene that is instigated by another character and all he does is try to make her comfortable when she's so obviously uncomfortable. Then he cheers inwardly when he sees her overcome her awkwardness and have confidence. But by the end of the drama, she is still dressing and acting the same as in act 1. It honestly reminded me a little of Coffee Prince in that the fancy male lead is still just as enamored with his gnc woman by the end and the way she presents herself doesn't have an effect on their romantic relationship. Again, this is content catered to me as a bi & gnc woman in a relationship with a cis-het man. I often am mistaken for a man when I go out with my spouse and he's still super into me so let's normalize gnc people with gc people already it's 2021.

Anyway, if you watch romances for kisses, there's really only a couple of pecks and one nice passionate kiss and they're all in basically the last 3 eps of the series.

The last episode sucks. Stop at episode 15. Seriously. Don't watch episode 16. Why oh why do you let terrible people back in your life? Qi Ke Zhong and Ding Hui Fan are toxic and should but cut out of their lives. The end of ep 15 had a happy ending with a family-style breakfast for our two sisters with their boyfriends. Ep 16 threw in some more misunderstanding, jealousy, and separations followed by a time skip for no reason and brought back my two least favorite characters.

Anyway, I will live in my little world with Yang Duo and her sweet lawyer boyfriend Liang Zhi Hao (Ian Yim/Cyran Yan/Yan Yi En yeah, this actor has three stage names) that supports her interests and self-determination while they save money on mass transit by using his motorbike. And they build her dream home that she designs. Perhaps they put aside funds for her to pursue a degree in what she's passionate about.

[baekhypnotized]

☆— [four]

summary: Baekhyun is just a man who doesn’t believe in romance as much as Byul, who is trying to give herself to him. But day by day, he will soon realize that her fleeting actions are breaking down his cold-hearted brick wall, no matter if it takes her a million years.

warning(s): -

word count: 4.1k+

author’s note: please let me know what you guys think about this chapter!! if you would want to be tagged for next update, do tell me!! enjoy reading :)

tag list: @iloveagain​ @xlxbaekhyuneex​​ @catboyseni​

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As promised, I come to the cafe early to pass the keys to Senior Hana. I offer to help her with the opening procedure which includes setting up the coffee machine and displaying desserts, so it would be easier for my other colleagues to start their work in the morning. Ever since last night, Baekhyun hasn’t replied to my text, up until now. I’m just hoping he wouldn’t forget our discussion that we had agreed on last night because I don’t want to screw any of my plans for today.  

I make myself a serving of chicken sandwich and a cup of latte for breakfast while waiting for him. At least I can kill time before he arrives. Having done preparing my breakfast, I bring the tray and sit at the table by the window, at his usual spot. I devour the sandwich while watching the customers enter the cafe once Senior Hana opens the cafe for business. They must be the type of people who needs caffeine in order to start their day.

My phone rings, signalling a new notification. I put down my sandwich and grab the device. Finally, it’s a text from Baekhyun. 

[Baekhyun]: I just woke up from my sleep. Am I late?

[Byul]: No you’re not. It’s 10:10 in the morning and you still have time.

[Byul]: Don’t rush yourself because I can wait for you though.

[Baekhyun]: Nah, I hate making a woman wait for me so I’ll be there soon.

[Byul]: Drive safe, Baekhyun.

[Byul]: I don’t want to meet you only with one hand.

[Baekhyun]: Haha, funny. Anyway, good morning.

[Byul]: Good morning :)

A wide smile is plastered across my face after replying to his texts. His replies are always so cute to me. I lock my phone and put it on the table before continuing to munch my sandwich and enjoying my hot latte. I love how today’s morning is peaceful with only a few people walking pass by the cafe. I’m also quite grateful that the class is cancelled. 

I bet Soomin is still sleeping soundly on her bed as I don’t know any of her plans today. She might go out for shopping with Sehun or prefer to stay at home and watch Netflix. The differences between us are pretty visible. Soomin was born into a wealthy family, whereas I came from a humble background. My parents were divorced and my dad just went missing after the separation. My mom, on the other hand, decided to remarry. Even though Soomin and I came from different backgrounds, I’m still grateful that we are friends, because more often than not, we complete each other with our opposite personalities.

Suddenly, I get startled by a few knocks on the window that I accidentally smudge the sandwich across my cheek, leaving a streak of mayonnaise. I turn my head towards the cause of my surprise and is met with Baekhyun, the man is giggling to himself watching my funny reaction. I roll my eyes and pick up tissue to wipe the smudge off as he enters the cafe and joins me.

"Sorry I’m late,” Baekhyun apologies and I shake my head, telling him it’s fine as my mouth is full with the sandwich. He realises that I’m busy eating my sandwich. It makes him chuckle. 

I quickly swallow the food in my mouth and ask him, “Have you had your breakfast?”

"My breakfast is coffee,” he answers and I nod my head. Once I finish eating my sandwich, I grab my cup of latte and sip it slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the sight of Baekhyun watching me.

I pull away from the cup, “Why? Is there any problem?” I ask.

"I want a cup of latte that you make,” he says. I scoff after hearing his request. 

"Really, Byun Baekhyun? All the latte tastes the same!”

"But not yours,” Baekhyun grins widely, showing his white teeth. I sigh in surrender and stand up from my seat. He passes the money to me and I roll my eyes at him, causing him to chuckle. Heading back to the counter, I key in his order into the system and prepare his latte only in a few minutes. I use my skills to draw an angry emoji at his latte as a sign of revenge. As I head back to the table, Baekhyun has his legs crossed while he’s busy scrolling his phone.

I place the cup in front of me before settling down in my seat. “Baekhyun, your latte is there,” I inform him but he does not move any inches. I release a scoff while taking out my laptop from my bag. I don’t even know why he seems surprised to see that I’m back from making his latte.

"Yeay!” He beams. “Thank you, Hanbyul,” Baekhyun continues as he displays a sly grin to me before lifting the cup from the saucer plate and sips it. 

I ignore him this time, rolling my eyes to the back of my head. Without wasting any time, I turn on my laptop for the discussion, expecting Baekhyun might need some time before he is done with his breakfast.

"Do you bring your laptop? Or any notebook to jot down?” I ask him and he replies with a nod. He finishes up his latte and begins to prepare himself for our first discussion by taking out his laptop. 

After we reassure ourselves ready to begin the discussion, both of us starts by reading the statement and question given by our lecturer. Baekhyun looks smart when he shares his opinions regarding this project. I suddenly remember the first time we met at the cafe, he wore a fancy suit to order a coffee and I assume he's someone who already got himself a job. Because right now,  Baekhyun looks like a professional, like someone who is a master in this course. Maybe, there is a reason why he decided to further his study in the Master of Business Administration.

Throughout our discussion, Baekhyun contributes more in giving his ideas. At the same time, I list down every point that we need to add or do research before starting the assignment. His hand gestures when explaining the details manages to distract my focus from the topic which causing me to keep on staring at it. Baekhyun’s long and slender fingers, hands with a few visible veins popping out shows his masculine side. His attractive silver wristwatch positioned on his left wrist gives an extra point. 

"Hey, missy. Are you lost in your dreams?” Baekhyun snaps his fingers right in front of my face that cause me to jump in surprise in my spot.  

"I’m sorry. Where are we again?” I tighten my grip around the pen as I lift my head to look at his face. Baekhyun chuckles at the astonishment on my face. 

"Let’s continue this, huh?” He suggests and I reply with a hum. Baekhyun shakes his head, probably remembering my face when I was spacing out while he was talking. I admit, my face looks funny.  Biting my lower lip as I try to forget that embarrassing moment, I continue to listen to his explanations diligently.  

After spending hours at the table, I realised it’s already passed at 12 o'clock noon. We were too busy up until we didn’t have the time to even hold the discussion for a rest. Baekhyun already looks exhausted when he rests his back by the backrest. I turn off my laptop and keep it back in my bag, gathering all the used cups and saucer plates to bring it back to the kitchen. 

"Tired, Baekhyun?” I ask him.

"Kinda, my brain isn't working good now,” he expresses. 

I snort softly. “Now, you can go home and rest. I need to get ready for my next shift at 2. Great job for today.” Getting off from my seat, I carry the cups and plates to the kitchen. 

But before I get to move, Baekhyun calls. “Hanbyul.” I turn around to face him with a curious look.

"About our date,” He stops for a second, “can you empty your schedule for this Saturday? I’ve booked a restaurant for dinner. We can go anywhere you want before that, if you want to.” Baekhyun speaks. My heart drops for a second when he mentions the date.I thought he had forgotten about it, not expecting him to be serious about his invitation the other day.

I think of the plans I might have for the day, hoping I will be able to clear it for the date. “Yeah, sure.” I give him an answer, remembering that I am free on that day. Baekhyun beams brightly upon hearing it. 

He keeps all his stuff in his bag while I wait for him. Baekhyun gets ready to leave as he plasters a soft smile on his face. 

"I’ll see you this Saturday, then?” He confirms back as I nod. Baekhyun comes closer to me and gives one last smile before he leaves the cafe without turning back. I swear, my heart is about to jump out of my chest at that moment.

Baekhyun doesn’t text or talk to me after the day we met for the discussion. We didn’t encounter each other by chance either since our Friday’s class was also cancelled by the lecturer. Now I am pacing around in my room on Saturday. I’ve done all the chores in the house today, from doing the laundry to washing the dishes and mopping the floor. I am determined to free my schedule today just for the date. But, I’m not sure if it’s going to be happening at this rate. I don’t have the guts to text him. 

I even refuse Soomin’s invitation to go to the mall because I was waiting for him. In the end, she leaves the house with Sehun and I hope he will cheer her up. I’ve been scrolling my Instagram last night and I encountered his account that practically got me to sit up abruptly from my lying position. 

Indeed, he’s not the type of guy who loves to post pictures of himself. Most of the pictures were random scenery and I found them aesthetic. Maybe, he just doesn’t like to share about his life and somehow, I think it suits his personality. 

Baekhyun is a mysterious guy.

My desire to get to know him, every side of him is getting stronger day by day. He’s… irresistible. There is something different about Baekhyun, something that he hides deeper, away from everyone else. I’m sure it’ll take me some time to figure him out.

Finally, my phone rings after a few hours sitting in silence. I literally run to get to the phone. When I check the notification, a grin makes its way to my face. It’s really him! Like finally! Unlocking the phone, I open the text with a click. 

[Baekhyun]: Hey, miss me? 

I chuckle. Baekhyun is really an annoying guy, expecting that I will be missing him. 

I don’t miss him. I’m just expecting his text. That’s all. 

[Byul]: Ha ha. Obviously not, Byun Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: Ouch. That hurts.

[Byul]: Serve you right. So, why are you texting me?

[Baekhyun]: You must’ve forgotten our date tonight, huh?

I thought you’re the one who forgets it, Baekhyun.

[Byul]: Date? What date?

[Baekhyun]: Stop playing around, Hanbyul.

[Baekhyun]: I’ll pick you up at your house if you’re okay with it.

[Byul]: My house? But, I can go by myself to the restaurant.

[Byul]: No worries.

[Baekhyun]: Hanbyul, it’s unpleasant to let a woman go by her own for the date.

[Baekhyun]: I’ll pick you up at 8. Send me your address later.

[Byul]: Okay then…

[Baekhyun]: See you.

[Baekhyun]: And I’m expecting a real address.

I text him the address of my apartment before he replies to me with a curt 'okay'. Looking at the clock, I realize I still have a few hours left before the date. I stand in front of my wardrobe, staring at the few dresses that I have hanging in it. Going through some dresses, I sigh realizing I don't have any dresses that could be suitable to wear on a first date. He did mention about booking a restaurant so I figured he wouldn't bring me to somewhere I can simply wear my ordinary dresses. After contemplating between a royal blue coloured dress and a black dress for more than a few minutes, I decided to settle with a wine-coloured dress. The dress is short but it ends nicely above my knees. I then take my bath and get myself ready despite having an hour left till 8. I choose to put on natural shades make-up before putting on my dress. Finally, I style my hair with my hair curler and let them fall loose on my shoulders.

I inform Soomin about going out, omitting the fact that I'm going out for dinner with Baekhyun. As usual, she tells me to take care of myself, to not come back too late and to call her if anything happens. I agree with all of the things she told me and tell her to have fun with Sehun. She must be having a splendid day with her boyfriend. I envy her.

When the hands on the clock move to 10 minutes before 8, I receive a text from Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: I'm almost there. You can come out now.

It’s time. I bring my purse together with me when leaving the house. Riding the lift to the ground level, my heart couldn’t bring itself to pump normally. I wait for him at the entrance, my toes curling in anticipation. A few minutes later, a familiar black car stops right in front of me. 

The driver rolls down the window, peeking his head from the inside, “Hop in, Hanbyul.”

I take a deep breath before getting into the passenger seat, buckling myself up. Baekhyun watches me settling down and when I turn to look at him, I was awestruck. The car may be dark right now but his charming look is visible.

"Ready to go?” He asks as I nod my head. Baekhyun presses the pedal and drives the car to our destination. Believe me, I just stay still like I used to, fingers gripping tightly around the seatbelt. The urge to look at him, the way he drives, is strong but I fight the desire. I realise he is stealing a few glances at me that makes me blush quietly.

We finally arrive at the restaurant after nearly half an hour. As expected, he brings me to fancy, and most probably, expensive restaurant. I follow Baekhyun from behind as the waiter brings us to the private room that he had reserved for us. He helps me pull my chair out, letting me take my seat before he does and I thank him softly. Baekhyun only replies to me with a smile, as sweet and charming as ever.

The waiter hands out the menu and I get surprised seeing the prices that make me gulp. Baekhyun must have saw me reacting to them as he chuckles softly. 

"Would anything be okay for you? Any allergies or requests?” He asks concernedly.

"Yeah… I’m okay with anything.”

"Good. I’ll order the same thing as usual,” Baekhyun tells the waiter before he leaves the room, leaving me and Baekhyun alone.

"So… how are you?” Baekhyun initiates the talk first. 

"I’m fine, as you can see. How about you, Baekhyun?"

"Quite busy handling something.” He replies. My mouth turns into an ‘O’ shape and we both get into silence again. I’m so nervous to look at him straight into the eyes and at the same time, I just don’t know what topic should we talk.

"Hey," he calls, making me lift my head up to face him. "You're usually so talkative at the cafe, why are you being quiet now?" He muses, followed by an amused grin.

"Baekhyun, how old are you?” I ask after contemplating for a few seconds. 

"28. Do I look too old?” He questions me back and I chuckle with a shake of my head. 

"I’m 2 years younger than you,” I confess.

"Yeah, I can see that.” He chuckles huskily this time.

A waiter comes into our room with a bottle of wine, pouring it into our glasses. I thank him politely before continuing the conversation. 

"Regarding our assignment, when do you want to proceed? Are you free after we have our classes or—” 

"Hanbyul, can we talk about anything else aside from the project?” He orders. My breathing stops for a second, hearing him speak in such a serious tone. I bring my head down to look at the table, fiddling with the napkin as I try to think of another topic to converse.

"How about you tell me about yourself? Maybe your family or anything?” I purse my lips together, waiting for his answer. Baekhyun smirks slightly, fixing his sitting posture.

"My family isn’t interesting at all. Let’s talk about yours. Shall we?" Baekhyun taps his fingers while staring at me with the same smirk. My stomach is about to flip all over because he's making me nervous with that look. I take a glass of wine and drink it slowly, tasting the alcoholic drink that is foreign in my throat. The wine somehow causes me to make weird facial expressions and I guess, Baekhyun sees it. Because he laughs softly.

"Does it taste weird?" He asks with concern.

"Kinda but it's tolerable. Thank you for asking," I reply. At least, the wine can calm my nerves after being so nervous in front of him. Baekhyun plasters a smile before he drinks his wine, waiting for me to start telling him about myself. I take the opportunity of the silence between us to calm myself down.

"So… here it goes.” I start telling him about my background honestly. I tell him about me being an only child with divorced parents; my dad disappeared since then, while my mom got the full custody of me. A few years after the divorce, she remarried another guy, my current stepfather and decided to move in with him at New Orleans. I also have an older stepbrother named Suho. Suho is two years older than Baekhyun.

"Don’t ask me whether he has a girlfriend or not because he hasn’t talked about it with me,” I warn Baekhyun. He only chuckles to my statement and asks me to proceed with the story.

It goes on from my life in New Orleans, with my new family. He listens to me diligently while waiting for our main courses to arrive. I tell him the reason I’m continuing my studies and it’s because I would love to run my own business. But, would definitely apply for a job at any company once I graduate from this post-graduate study. 

"So, you’re telling me that you work at the cafe to pay for your study?” Baekhyun asks once he sips the wine as I nod my head slowly. 

"I applied for a loan for my study because I had to,” I confess with a soft tone. Realising how tough my life is when I’m trying to be an independent person for my own future. I may belong to a modest family but I have been told by my mom that living without trying to achieve one's dream are useless.

Baekhyun hums. Finally, our meals arrive on time and I am glad for the distraction because I couldn’t bring myself to tell him more about my struggling life. He thanks the waitress that served us the food before she leaves the room. We’re having steaks for dinner tonight. 

"Let’s eat, shall we?” He says and I smile. Both of us start to devour the juicy and thick steaks as I leave myself stupefied with the rich taste of the meat. It’s really scrumptious and no wonder it's one hella expensive food at a 5-star restaurant. 

Baekhyun notices my reaction as he asks, “How does it taste? Good?” 

I bob my head up and down, carrying on to eat. He seems happy watching me eating so well as a wide smile appears across his face. Baekhyun gives me one last glance before he continues to eat. 

"How about you? What made you decide to continue into this course?” I blurt out, asking him a question.

"Well, I want to expand my knowledge in business. Who knows, I might be given the opportunity to handle a big one, one fine day,” he stops, making eye contact with me. I just bob my head a few times as a sign I’m listening to his explanation. 

The conversations go on and on, but the difference is the awkwardness between both of us has vanished. Baekhyun literally tells lame jokes but it’s still funny when he expresses it. It manages to make me almost choke myself while eating. 

Those crescent eyes, bulging cheeks and endearing smile when he smiles caught my attention. It’s a good view to be able to witness his another side apart from his manliness. Manliness was my first impression of him when he stepped into the cafe with a well-tailored suit. Not to mention, the way he talks and behaves, he must be a great person to befriend with. 

We have chocolate lava cakes for dessert. Baekhyun has been asking my favourite flavour as I answer him, “Chocolate. How about you?”

"Strawberry flavour. Gosh, I’m willing to eat them 24/7 rather than kill myself with cucumbers.” Baekhyun explains.

I scoff while giving him an unbelievable look. “You don’t like cucumbers?”

"It’s not just I don’t like it. I hate it.” Baekhyun replies with a serious tone that makes me giggle. He may look like a sulking boy right in front of me, eating the lava cake with a slight pout.  

"Come on, Baekhyun. It’s just a cucumber and delicious too when you eat just like that.” I give him my own opinion.

"Na-ah! Still, I hate it.” He retorts with a scowl on his face. I chuckle lightly and eat the lava cake. Suddenly, his phone rings loudly. He digs out his phone from his pocket and looks at the dialler. Instead of answering it, he lets the rings continue as he silent his phone. 

"You can answer the call, Baekhyun. I don’t mind at all, it might be important.” 

"It’s okay. Not important at all,” he says. “Let’s finish this up and then I’ll send you home, okay?” I hum and continue to eat quietly in my seat. I’m curious about the caller because the phone is still ringing and vibrating as he places his phone on the table. It does look like it’s important but he insists to ignore it so I am left to wonder quietly on my own.

Baekhyun pays for dinner and we go straight to my apartment with silence lingering in the car. Without having any courage to initiate the talk, I decide to stare at the window, looking at the Moon shining brightly in the dark sky. There aren't many stars tonight, only the Moon decorating the lonely night sky. The journey to my apartment is short, basically, he drifts the car at the empty road swiftly like a professional. When we arrive in front of the lobby, he offers to help me get out of the car by opening the door and lending his hand. Which successfully makes my cheeks go red. 

"Thanks for tonight and the wonderful dinner, Baekhyun,” I thank him politely.

"No problem. Rest well and I’ll see you on Monday,” he says and I nod my head. Baekhyun gets back into his car, rolling down the window and bidding the last goodbye before he leaves. I sigh in relief, grateful at the same time for the great time I spent with him tonight. 

I head straight home quietly without making any noises to avoid awakening Soomin who is probably sleeping in her room. After taking a quick shower, I hop on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I reminisce the moment I had with him. It’s almost 11 pm when my phone receives a notification and I bet it’s from Baekhyun.

[Baekhyun]: Asleep already?

[Byul]: Nope. Have you arrived at your home yet?

[Baekhyun]: I’m dropping by somewhere because I promised someone to meet tonight.

[Byul]: Oh… I see.

[Baekhyun]: Hanbyul, I forget to tell you something.

[Byul]: What is it? 

Baekhyun doesn't reply to my question straight away that leaves me curious on my own. I decide to switch off the lights and gets ready to sleep when suddenly my phone rings again. I unlock it and look at the text. That text manages to make my heart and my mind has gone crazy when I read it.

[Baekhyun]: You look amazing in that dress, Hanbyul.

[Baekhyun]: Goodnight and sweet dreams, beautiful.

[basket-of-fruits]

ok here we go! rewatch season one episode one sub

i love how tohru just walks up to a random house in the woods like honey, you would not make it very far in a horror movie

from the get go they are basically like yeah she’s gonna fall in love with the cat just so you know that now lol so any yukiru shippers out there i’m sorry but they put that out there REAL quick lol

yuki in a little apron COME ON so friggen cute. also it’s funny that he’s the one with the apron on cooking when he and shigure only get take out ever lol. also relatable though cause i can cook but i’m always too lazy too lol

ugh when yuki starts talking about the cat and he’s like ‘the cat is an idiot there’s no room for him anyways’ and you are like oh he hates the cat and then he says ‘it’s probably for the best anyways’ and you’re like oh he doesn’t want kyo to go through what he or any of the other zodiacs went through. its so sad that kyo wants to be included so bad when everyone else wants out. they have all been affected so negatively by the curse and kyo doesn’t even necessarily realize the other’s pain because his own pain is so much. ugh this poor family lol.

also random but tohru says that hana is a family of five?? does she have another sibling besides megumi? unless that was a mistranslation or something?

omg her deciding to live in a tent is actually the saddest thing, she says ‘this is a good chance for me to learn to endure the harsh life of living alone’ tohru baby you won’t have to live alone. i never realized how alone she probably feels. i mean obviously she does but like she has mentally prepared herself to live a life alone and work herself to the bone the rest of her life and that is incredibly sad.

i’m noticing some differences with the sub and dub already, its interesting because the dub makes it seem lighter, she’s like ‘and i want to see if i’m up to the challenge of living alone’ which changes the tone a bit. it makes her seem like she doesn’t know what she’s getting into when she really does.

shigure is an asshole for laughing at her living in a tent omg lol

yuki not only compares his personality and ability to make friends to other people’s but also his struggles as well, he says he realized that he’s spoiled because he compares his struggle to that of tohru’s. he dismisses his own problems because he doesn’t think they are as bad as hers, which like honey, you have both gone through terrible terrible things no one’s pain is more valid than the other’s.

one thing i love is that their animal counterparts come and find them and i wish that that happened more in the series lol, like they live in a city right and rats are common in cities so i’m just picturing like a little trail of rats following yuki everywhere he goes lol like how cute would that be.

i know people have mixed feelings on shigure but he really is one of the characters that makes me think the most because i never really know what he’s thinking lol. when tohru is telling him about her mom he has this look on his face that i can’t really decipher like it’s not really pity but almost like understanding like he seems to be relating to what she’s saying, maybe he relates to her regret idk. he also brings up an interesting point when he says yuki is rude for calling her suffering amazing, of course that’s not how yuki meant it but i definitely see what shigure means like of course tohru’s ability to not crumble under the weight of her problems is admirable but she’s just trying to get through like everyone else. it makes more sense to me now when disabled people hate when abled people say things like that. 

tohru honestly reminds me of like a toned down ritsu in some ways, she thinks she’s such a burden and apologizes for things she doesn’t need to which makes it even more amazing that she can make ritsu feel better. tohru is one of those memes that is like ‘omg you are so beautiful, you are incredible and amazing’ but when it comes to herself she’s like ‘what? no not me, never’. 

lol kyo is there for 2 SECONDS and blows their family secret lol what a hazard

also i sort of miss the creepy mystical music they had in the og whenever they talked about the curse

last thing sorry, a lot of people don’t like yuki’s dub voice but i never really minded it but now that i’m watching the sub, the dub voice does come off a bit weird and almost creepy at times lol. 

well there we go! episode one down! i would love people to comment and give me their take on any of this stuff! 

[haikyuuscreaming]

hi um so no one requested this but like i went through something basically like this and cried a whole lot about it and i dont think its even that angsty or makes sense but i just barfed it up as a vent fic so haha funny imi’s stupid and writes about her emotional exhaustion as an x reader 

heres an unrequited iwaizumi x reader :D (SORRY THIS ISNT FDSKFJ this isnt really a tumblr drabbles its more of an ao3 oneshot so)

(also sorry if none of the fic makes sense or flows well,,, i just wanted to get this out)

-

Ever since your first day at Kitagawa Daiichi, you found yourself with a crush on Iwaizumi Hajime.

You couldn’t help it. As soon as you saw him in your school-orientation group the week before school started, you couldn’t help but feel something more than a friendly glow. You were already sitting with your orientation group, but once you saw him join the group (albeit sort of late), your stomach practically flipped with butterflies.

He even sat down next to you.

The rest of the orientation went more than fine. Your delight when Iwaizumi started conversations with you was absolutely immeasurable. Even when your group was performing normal get-to-know-you activities, your heart seemed to race every time he made eye contact with you.

“Your name’s [Surname] [Name], right?” Iwaizumi asked, tapping his pencil against his desk. The orientation paper had asked for the names of three people in your group.

“Yeah.. and you’re Iwaizumi Hajime…?” You didn’t really need to question it, but you did so anyway to be polite.

“Mhm. Uh-- sorry, how do you spell your name?” Your heart picked up its pace once you heard him attempt to spell it out. To your feeble, gleeful surprise, he spelled it right.

“Oh! Um, that’s actually how you spell it. Thanks.”

“No problem.” He smiles at you and your seventh grade self felt like beaming brighter.

His impression on you had lasted.

In fact, that first impression on you had made your school year much better somehow.

Initially, you wanted to go to Yukigaoka with your best friends, but you ended up getting into Kitagawa Daiichi. You were miserable at the prospect of going into a school without your best friends that had been with you through thick and thin, but you lit up once you saw your schedule and found you had quite a few classes with Iwaizumi.

Throughout middle school, you made new friends and became close with Iwaizumi and his friend Oikawa Tooru. They eventually became one of your primary friend groups: you and them. Your number one best friend though, you found, was a new friend you made, Hanae.

Maybe the first mistake you made was telling her that you had a crush on Iwaizumi.

Okay, well, you didn’t tell her- she found out? Forced it out of you? Either way, not a big deal, you two are basically sisters now. But you did kind of wish she would stop mentioning it so much.

“Look, [Name]-chan~” she would always laugh and point at him discreetly whenever he was in the vicinity. “It’s your future boyfriend.”

It was always the same, every time.

“Would you shut up,” you complain, smacking her shoulder lightly which earned a laugh from her. “He could be listening!”

“Just telling the truth~” Hanae would always flash a smile back.

Things changed, though.

On a hang-out with Iwaizumi and Oikawa, you noticed their glances at each other-- Iwaizumi's being weary, while Oikawa’s was cheeky and sly.

“Hey, what are you two smiling about now?” you laugh lightly. The varied stares they gave you made you quiet down. “No, seriously, are you keeping secrets?”

“Of course not,” Oikawa chimes in. “Iwa-chan has big news though!”

Your heart rate spikes a little bit and you feel sweat beading on the back of your neck. And you're blushing too. Under Iwaizumi's warm, sharp gaze, you feel like melting under his radiance. “Eh? Haji, spit it out!!” Your anxiety falsely passes off as intrigue and excitement.

Flushing a little bit, Iwaizumi scratches his neck and smiles at you, “I wanted you to be the second to know, I have a girlfriend.”

…

You're shell-shocked.

If Oikawa picks up on it, he doesn't say so. “Seeee, [Name]-chan, I know we didn't believe it, but Iwa-chan finally snatched himself a girl!” Iwaizumi responds with a swift punch to the gut.

“I….” you can't find the words. You force yourself to smile like it's the only thing you can do. “Haji, that’s amazing!! Who is it? I didn't even know you had a crush…” Your voice falters but you push your words out as if your life depended on it. How did you manage to sound so genuinely happy when it felt like your entire world was about to crash?

Iwaizumi flushes again and you feel jealousy seep in. You so wish it was you that he blushes for. “Haha, yeah. Oikawa didn't know either for once; I didn't tell anyone, you know? Wasn't really sure yet. But it’s Aika-chan.” The way his face lights up burns a hole in your heart.

He even uses -chan for her. How special. The bitter envy feels like acid rising in your throat, and you feel queasy. Like you could keel over, cry, and puke out your guts.

“Ohhh, Aika-san is cute,” you make yourself say.

(Honestly, you're so good at lying and saying this wrong but right bullshit, you’d think you're a sociopathic robot or something.)

“Mmm… don't get jealous though, [Name]-chan, you're cuter!” Oikawa hums and you laugh loudly, hoping that you'll fake it till you make it. “Tell her how it happened, Iwa-chan. It was hilaaarious.”

The poison in you burns harsher but you nod along.

“Don't tell me what to do, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi bites almost playfully, before meeting your blank gaze with his kind, gently blazing eyes that always made you weak. Right now, you were not weak in the good way. “Aika-chan confessed to me yesterday near the sakura tree after we had class together… and I don't know, I guess it really clued me in that the feelings I had were real.”

(Iwaizumi looks so happy and content that it makes you want to be happy too, but you honestly feel like doing nothing but crying.)

“Aww, that's so sweet~” Your voice gets softer and you hate yourself so much for sounding weak.

But before either boy can reply, the panic and agony sets in. You feel your eyes glass up and your body tense, and your mind is begging you not to break down.

Unfortunately, they both notice.

“[Name]-chan? Are you okay?? You look kinda sick~” Oikawa sounds cheery and playful but his eyes convey an undercurrent of worry.

And bless Iwaizumi’s stupidly handsome oblivion, he blinks at your worriedly and puts a hand on your shoulder to steady you. “Do you need to go to the nurse? School’s still open I think, and it's right around the corner-”

Fuck him and his mind-meltingly handsome everything. Just his voice and his sharp gaze makes you want to cry harder and collapse to him.

“I-I have to go, sorry guys,” You fucking despise how cracked your voice is becoming as your facade slips. “I promised Hanae that I'd go get bubble tea with her. See you Monday.”

Eyes stinging, you turn as quick as you can and ignore their confused voices.

(The tears flow like acid and you feel like dissolving from the inside out.)

Months pass and you deny your horrifyingly strong yet compressed feelings.

You greet Aika and Iwaizumi in the hallways, and you know that you're happy because Iwaizumi is, and that's honestly all you could ask for your long-time crush (turned bitter love). You even talk to Aika freely during shared classes, just to disguise your depressing jealousy.

Every time you see them share a discreet kiss or grip each other's hands, you genuinely wish you were dying. It sure feels like you are.

(Like you're drowning, like your lungs are burning up and you're begging for oxygen, begging to breathe in Iwaizumi's love that's reserved for someone else. It hurts a lot but he's happy.)

(So you have to be happy.)

Hanae spares you sympathetic looks. “Come on, wifey-chan, you're married to meee. Get over him, he doesn't deserve you if he chose Aika the troll over you.”

“That's mean,” you sigh and crumble onto Hanae. “Aika-san’s nice. And pretty. And talented. It's no wonder Haji would choose her.”

“Stopppp! You’re so much more than Troll-chan, okay?!?” Hanae’s pep talk is brash, but you appreciate the charm. “If Iwaizumi-kun doesn’t see that, I’ll punch him.”

You laugh lightly at the fact that Hanae had talked to Iwaizumi enough to be calling him kun, but your voice is still heavy despite the sentiment. “You're so weird. But that's why I love you.”

“Of course you do~”

On another innocent hang-out with Iwaizumi and Oikawa, you’re met with abrupt news.

“Aika and I broke up.” Iwaizumi mutters softly.

“Eeeeh?!” You’re shell-shocked again, but you'd be lying if you said you were crushed like last time. “But-- but you guys were doing so well! You were the cutest couple!”

“She broke up with him over text,” Oikawa chimes in and you gape as Iwaizumi punches him again. “Two days ago.”

“She what-”

“She said she wasn't ready for a relationship,” is all Iwaizumi says.

You feel heartbreak and burning pity boil inside of you. “I-I’m so sorry, Haji… you didn't deserve that. You'll find someone better.”

Me. It's me, I promise I won't break your heart the way she did, because you're all I ever wanted.

He nods and for the first time in a while, he hugs you tight. “Yeah..”

It breaks you because it feels so good, his embrace warming you.

But it breaks you more to hear him whisper, “I can’t get over her though.”

(You just wanted him to be happy but he can’t. You can’t fix it.)

“You will,” you breathe out, trying not to let the tears slip. “You’re gonna be okay.”

(You know you’re not.)

But you don’t say that when you feel Iwaizumi’s shaky breath and him muttering, “Thanks.”

“Oh my god, [Name], did you hear about Hajime-kun?” Hanae’s alarmed voice three days later makes you concerned.

First of all, Hajime-kun-- “W-What? What happened now??” Nonetheless, panic still seeps into you.

“Aika broke up with him!!” Hanae seems so worked up over this and you wonder, how close is she to him? “Can you believe it?? She really threw away one of the best people in school!”

Shouldn’t I be saying that…? “Yeah, I know…” you try not to sound too bitter. “But like, it’s not really her fault she wasn’t ready for a relationship..”

Hanae huffs and crosses her arms, leaning onto you. “Well, I mean you’re right, but she shouldn’t have signed herself up for it if this was gonna happen. I feel so bad for him.” You’re about to layer on your argument, but Hanae straightens up and smirks. “See, your man’s single. Shoot your shot!”

“Right after a break-up?? Hanae, you’re batshit crazy-”

“Uh, well, make him like you, then shoot your shot!”

Your head and heart kind of hurts from all this talk about Iwaizumi, no matter how smitten you are for him, so you just blindly nod and agree.

It works for the rest of the day until you get home and cry into your pillow, wondering what to do.

Hope is re-kindled into you.

Over the past two-ish months, post-breakup, you find that comforting Iwaizumi makes you feel much better than wallowing in your self-pity. It’s a win-win: you’re putting even more of his trust into you, you two are getting even closer, and this could quite possibly end up in a great situation.

You melt at the sight of Iwaizumi, and every day you can see happiness soak back into him. Every time he laughs at one of your stupid jokes or grins at you while you rant and complain, you feel like your heart stops out of complete adoration of how stunning he is in every way you can think of.

He isn't perfect, but you think he's the perfect match for you.

And one day, at a study “date” (you try very hard not to take that term to heart!!) at a café, Iwaizumi peers up from laptop and gives you his signature, gruff yet content smile and says, “You know, I don't think I need Aika anymore.”

(You want to kiss him.)

It’s honestly been a shitty time for you and your friends, you realize.

Hanae broke up with her boyfriend, as you would have figured over the past few weeks she’s been ranting to you about how annoying and clingy and overprotective he is, but you found that she broke up with him over text. Oikawa went through three girlfriends in a month, to which he pouted and whined about but you knew he was secretly relieved that he didn’t have to carry more burden. And there’s the whole heartache Iwaizumi thing, even though things have been getting relatively better.

(You also realize amongst all your friends, you’re the only one who’s stayed very, very very single. You hope that’ll change soon.)

Things are going absolutely amazing with Iwaizumi. Even Oikawa’s been smirking at you and teasing you about your “true love” (to which you frustratedly deny but you honestly know that it’s just the truth when you consider your feelings for him). The two of you have felt confident enough to spend time with each other at your respective homes without feeling awkward or the need to have Oikawa there to provide a third wheel. You couldn’t wish for anything more.

So now you’re at a family-friend’s party, lounging on the couch away from the scene, on your phone. It’s so loud, but you’re content and refreshed on all the snacks you’ve practically been inhaling. Your phone pings in your hand and you glance up at the notification you’ve just received.

Oh, a text~

It’s from Hanae.

poopy hanae >:)): [name] are you busyyy

YOU: no not really

YOU: just at a party

poopy hanae >:)): OH okay so um can i tell you something but

poopy hanae >:)): i dont want you to get mad or sad ...so please let me just finish my texts

YOU: ?? yea go ahead , ill wait for you to finish :)

You feel kind of nervous once she puts it like that, but you let her continue.

poopy hanae >:)): remember how after my break up i promised i wouldn’t fall for anyone else, not for a while yk? i promised that to me and him: i wouldn’t let my heart get broken or whatever. but i found out that i don’t think i’ve ever really fallen for my ex. i think i just dated him because i felt bad and felt like i had to date him because i didn’t wanna reject him… but it happened still. but i think i’m in love now. honestly.

poopy hanae >:)): i’ve never felt this way around any guy before, not my ex, not anyone. everytime i see him my heart goes crazy, and i want to talk to him all the time. he’s just so perfect in every way. he’s so smart, he’s handsome as hell, he’s strong and caring… and i promised both of you i wouldn’t fall for anyone else but i broke that promise to him, you, and me. and i think you’ve figured out who he is now.

poopy hanae >:((: i’m sorry i can’t help it. i didn’t want to tell you because that would make our friendship weird but i hope now we’re at the stage where we will still be best friends regardless of him. i’m truly in love with iwaizumi hajime and i’m gonna confess to him on monday (tmr). i love him so much but i want you to know i love you more so he won’t ever get in the way of us. ily <3

The more you read the message, the more it makes you want to cry. Your hand starts trembling around your milk tea and you feel your face warm up, your eyes glassing over and your vision blurring. Stumbling your way into the bathroom, you lock yourself inside, staring at yourself in the mirror. You watch your delicate, shaking features in the mirror as the first bitter tear rolls down your cheek. More tears follow.

Sobs wrack your body and hot tears glide down your face, constantly, like a river. Whimpers escape you, and your lips are cracked and dry, and you keep thinking, Why would she do this to me?

YOU: ahaha it’s okay!!!

YOU: a boy shouldn’t get between us, ly :) make him happy

YOU: you desrvee him mroe than anbyody else

You cover your mouth with your shaking fingers in hopes that the others can’t hear you outside over the music.

You pretend it’s fine the next day at school.

Hanae doesn’t even mention it, but she hugs you a lot more and keeps whispering, “I love you”. The bitterness has sunken in a little bit and you resist the urge to tell her, It doesn’t change the fact that you broke me, but you figure that it’ll be okay.

You’ll just lose your feelings for Iwaizumi so she doesn’t have “competition”.

(It turns out to be harder than you think.)

When you see Iwaizumi at lunch, his smile never fails to make you flush a little bit and make you feel so warm and comfy. When he sits down next to you (!! ahhh!) since Hanae was in line for lunch, he makes a sigh-grunt noise as he nestles his chin into the crook of his palm. Oikawa, bless his dumb ass, sidles down next to you, making a dramatic sigh.

“Did you know Hanae-chan confessed to Iwa-chan today?”

You try so, so SO hard not to tense. “Yeah. She told me a few days ago that she- she was in love with him.”

(The way your voice cracks at “in love” is pathetic, you think.)

You don’t miss the way Oikawa’s face briefly flashes a frown at you before morphing back into his signature pretty-boy smile. Iwaizumi looks a little embarrassed to be talking about this but he nods. “Yeah, she pulled me aside right before lunch and… yeah. It was so embarrassing…” You’re in fucking awe of how cute he is even when he’s distressed, but you remind yourself (with a pang of bitterness) that you aren’t supposed to think that anymore.

“And I turned her down,” Iwaizumi continues, and your ears almost fucking pop at the noise. He- how, what? Why? “‘Cause I don’t know, I never really felt that way about her. I guess that’s why she’s been talking to me more and more lately. She said she understood if I wasn’t ready to move on ‘cause of Aika and stuff, but.. she said something like she’ll change my mind.” He snorts and murmurs, “I don’t think that’ll happen, honestly.”

Oikawa laughs, a peppery laugh accompanied with a side-eyed glance towards you. “Iwa-chan, you’re such a brute~ You sure that’s the only reason you turned her down?”

Iwaizumi lets out a snort again. “Yeah.. I’m over Aika now, but I don’t think I’m ready for a relationship. Plus, there isn’t anyone that I like like now. Hanae doesn’t stand out.”

The statement makes you crumble on the inside.

You idiot of a best friend. What good are you if you don’t stand up for Hanae?

But it doesn’t matter! He said he has no interest in anyone, including you. Or her. It’s pointless, futile. He never even considered you.

You’re so stupid, so worthless sometimes. You’re the worst. It doesn’t matter if you would go to the end of the world for Hajime. You have to give this up for her. Fight for her because he would never settle for someone like you.

You fight back the sob crawling in your throat, as your self-loathe and intrusive thoughts rain in. You try so hard not to let it get to you, but still-

It’s what Hanae deserves for putting up with you.

“You should give her a chance,” you force a small smile. “I mean, she’s pretty and smart, you know?”

Oikawa gives you a pitying gaze before Iwaizumi shakes his head, his cheek now pressing against his palm. “Nah. I don’t like anyone in that way now, and it’s gonna stay like that for a while, I’d think.”

He doesn’t like anyone in that way.

You shrug and nod, “Fair enough,” but your voice is so much smaller. You love Iwaizumi Hajime so much, and he’s always been your everything. From his habits to his comforting demeanor and his entire profile, he’s always infatuated you and you know that no matter how hard you deny it for anyone, you will never let go of the feelings that shackle you to him like chains.

You love him so much.

But I guess I’ll never win.

[natsspammityspamspamham]

Random List of Anime Recommendation:

This is mostly directed for @caratheillustrious but I figured posting it wouldn’t really be that much of a problem anyway. I’ll divide these up into categories in terms of mood.

Feel Good Stuff – Some stuff that leaves you feeling good about stuff. Whether the majority of the series or film is lighthearted or it’s just laidback, both will be included here.

Tokyo Godfathers: one of my favourite anime movies and far more light-hearted than Koe no Katachi (warning though for slurs used in this movie towards transwomen – she’s still the best character in the movie and the movie makes a point to let her know that she’s the best human on this very planet because Hana is a treasure)

Gin no Saji: If you've watched Fullmetal Alchemist, it has the same creator except it's slice-of-life on a farm. I found it to be touching because it squares in on student experiences and connections. Also has sage advice.

Barakamon: Has children actually voiced by children. I watched it during a really important period of time for me. It centres and hits points that a lot of artists have.

Kimi to Boku: I can't remember why I enjoyed this anime. I just know that I did for some reason. It was really simple.

The Boy and the Beast: I have mixed thoughts about this movie, but at the end of the day, I really enjoyed it.

Zombieland Saga: I just find it nice to find an idol anime that doesn’t focus on the whole “the girls all have to be cute”. One is a biker chick, one is indicated to be a former prostitute, one is a verified transgirl.

Those Movies That Have to be Mentioned – I’m legally obligated to mention these.

Anthem of the Heart: sounds like a crack premise ("girl gets cursed by an egg to never speak again after seeing her dad cheat with another woman in a love hotel like a castle") but ends up being really good.

Your Name: practically everyone has watched that.

Koe no Katachi: A lot of people have watched this already. I always recommend it, but it's very emotionally heavy and deals with suicide, bullying, and disability. It's ending can make you cry from happiness though.

Wolf Children: Well, only if you're okay with crying (at least on the inside)

Hotarubi no Mori e: It's only 40 minutes. Probably won’t make people cry, but yeah, I can’t say that much.

Shounen – crack open one of these, and the boys and girls are sure to come

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic: It was my first anime. It has a lot of shonen crap, but it's also dialogue-heavy.

Seishun Buta Yarou: Drew in fanbois for the "plot" (bunny girl - what else can I say) and made people stay for the actual plot. It ended up being really quirky and funny. It was like the Monogatari series (which I tried and didn't like) but better and more "legal"

Yakusoku no Neverland: If you've watched Chicken Run, imagine that with people. It's a farm that farms children so they try to run.

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Shonen Jump doesn't have that many misses.

Noragami: The gags resonated with 14-year-old me

Assassination Classroom: Underdeveloped cast? Yeah, but it was still a really good Shonen Jump adaptation.

SKET Dance: The romance is too... canonly ambiguous for me to really put this under “romance”, it’s a comedy but can be serious, so I decided to put it under here. It’s quickly become one of my favourites. 

Comedy – The stuff that’s not quite conventionally “shounen or shoujo” but still tries to make you laugh, no matter how hard they try or how hit-and-miss they are

Mob Psycho 100: The second season is amazing. I found it to be a really good solid show.

Hinamatsuri: If you like Mob Psycho or if you just like the idea of an adult adopting a kid and teaching them stuff along with the kid teaching them, this is the one for you. I was laughing and crying (from tears of laughter) at this.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: I can’t label this a romance because the romance doesn’t go anywhere. We start at square one and we finish at square one, but the stuff that happens in the meantime makes it all worth it.

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou / Nichijou: Hit-and-miss, but there are a lot of iconic moments here.

Hataraku Saibou: I think this fits the best here. It’s just a good solid anime about cells in your body.

Shoujo/Romance – In case you need some fluff to fill the dark times; cheese levels vary.

Fruits Basket: Shoujo at its best.

Kono Oto Tomare: I don't know how this got produced by Shonen Jump SQ because it's like a cliche shoujo that would make even shoujo manga readers throw up flowers

Toradora: It's a hit-and-miss for people just because the main character is a tsundere (played by the queen of tsundere herself)

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi: this ended up being a guilty pleasure for me – not quite a direct romance but direct enough

Haikara-san go Tooru: Technically a movie and only has the first part, but the manga is from mid-70s is a shining example of the feminist boom in Japan after WWII

Gamers!: This was best explained by a comment I read somewhere going “I love this anime, but it makes me want to bang my head on a wall repeatedly”. Misunderstandings: The Anime. Everyone has a hard time.

Kaguya-sama: It was a huge hit in the 2019 Winter season of anime and for good reason. It’s getting a new season coming up too.

Wotakoi: Two adults falling in love. It’s funny and a little bit niche and directed towards otaku.

Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo: Technically a shounen, it was a harem anime that ended up being pretty good? I was so side-tracked by the idea of that, especially since I found the premise mildly interesting. The manga gets extra points for being really cute with that last chapter. I mean, it has boobs, ass, and a lot of kissing, but the female mangaka was taught by the creator of Fairy Tail so it’s really runs in their roots.

Shigatsu no Kimi no Uso: Ultimately included this one in romance, but many would say this belongs in the next category.

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime: This is so heavy on cheese that I had to pause at times and go “what am I doing? Is this how I die? How will my family react to me watching this?” (the last question is one I ask of myself often)

Hamefura: Have you ever wished for a harem with GUYS and GALS?! Have you ever wished for a bisexual harem with a protagonist is dumb, and literally everyone but her knows it?! Look no further!

Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo.: I found this to be a very empowering anime. It tackles the sexuality of women, and it does it in a very... unique package.

The Horror! The Horror! Some Dark Stuff That Belongs in a Cauldron, and those onion-cutting ninjas. – Honestly, it’s not my favourite genre, but some of these ended up being among my favourite anime?

Death Parade: It wasn't in the genre I usually watch (no comedy at all), yet I was moved every time? That last figure skating scene was *Canadian-French Accent* C’est Magnifique.

Shinsekai Yori: I watched this anime feeling SOOOOO UNEASY. Nothing was even happening that was “scary”. It was just the mere ideas behind it as the eerie world-building led me to go “WAHHHHH” over my computer. It’s one of the best anime I’ve watched, but I can’t recommend it to everyone.

Mousou Dairinin: It’s Satoshi Kon but sane. You actually get a conclusive ending. It has a surprisingly current message behind it though. It’s like Satoshi Kon continues to influence.

Perfect Blue: Now to the less sane Satoshi Kon work that confused me. Western movies literally copied one of the scenes from this movie. 

No. 6: I can’t list this anywhere else, but it was the first anime to depict a really, really, really sweet gay relationship. Even though it was a complete fail adaptation-wise, it also gave Hosoya (voice actor) inspiration to keep going. It’s a gift. 

Anohana: *ahem* I was recommended the anime by someone I’m no longer close with, but the memories that I had watching this and the message was probably the closest an anime has brought me to actually crying in a non-depressive fashion. 

Gakkougurashi: Cute girls doing cute things with zombies that are about to eat them and destroy them all.

Erased: Okay, compared to other great series that I’ve yet to watch (Steins;Gate and Monster), it’s probably trash, but I remember really enjoying it when I first watched it.

And that ends my TED Talk. 

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRH Book 1, Chapter 13 (One Last Yeehaw)

• It's the chapter everyone's been waiting for! We're pregnant, we get to tell our spouses, we get to tell our friends, we get to tell the courtly ladies, Olivia wears leather, our MCs get to buy a crib for an poppy seed-sized something in their womb that doesn't even know what hands and legs are yet (forget cribs), and the best news of all...WE ARE FINALLLY LEAVING TEXAS!!!!

• If you don't want to see this post on your dash, these are the tags to block: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs and #long post.

• Screenshots:

Hana: The Universal Studios 77 YouTube channel

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and the HIMEME YouTube channel

Maxwell: @itsbrindleybinch

Title: Spreading the Word

Alternative Title: It's a Child, Not the Gospel 🤦🏽‍♀

• Before I start talking about the chapter...storytime!

• Sooo...my first pregnancy was a couple of years ago. And I like telling the story of how I broke it to my husband coz it is pretty damn funny. We'd been trying for two years, and had a couple of times when our tests would be met with a disappointing negative. So by the time I did get pregnant, the hubby was a little wary of hoping too soon.

• I had an inkling just before my periods were expected to arrive, because I found myself flopping down on the bed immediately after work, without even making dinner. No morning sickness, no giddiness initially, just constantly feeling so tired. Anyway, hubby insisted I wait a couple days more before a test because he was too afraid of getting his hopes up, and I agreed.

• I took my test around 4 or 5 that morning? And had to wait a couple minutes for the lines...and THERE WERE TWO. Do you really think I could keep such news to myself for more than ten seconds?? (even that was too much). Of course I was going to shake poor hubby awake and show him the test.

• It took five vigorous shakes to wake the poor guy up, and as soon as he was somewhat awake I shoved the test in his face (I was excited ok! 🙈) forgetting that without his glasses he couldn't see shit (very high power). "I can't see anything," he said sleepily, so I gave him his glasses. Ensuing conversation went as follows.

H: There are two lines.

Me: Yeah...sooooo...? 😀😀

H (sudden realization what two lines are supposed to mean): OMG there are two lines??? *sleepy smile*

Me: YES. I'M PREGNANT.

H (weakly): Yayyyy. (pause)...can I go back to sleep now?

Me: But what will I do???

H: You also sleep.

Me (running on sheer adrenaline now) : I CAN'T SLEEP I JUST FOUND OUT I'M PREGNANT.

H: Oooookay. (is too sleepy at this point to process anything).

Me: (excitedly hops over to Google at 5.20 in the morning and types out "I'm 4 weeks pregnant now what")

LMAO. That first pregnancy was quite something.

• The chapter begins with the MC sending her spouse a text. Depending on whether you mentioned a surprise, mentioned that you need to have a talk or texted emojis instead, the LI will react accordingly.

• With the surprise option, the LI flirts with her. With "we need to talk", they appear tense and believe she's angry with them. The emoji option is the funniest, coz the MC sends a string of emojis with the last one being this: 🍞, and the LIs are confused and referencing the bread (I've seen only two routes of this one - Liam talks about the Cordonian Baker's Festival which will only happen after a couple months, and Hana speaks about a bread course). The MC is puzzled at first, then gets to choose how to tell her spouse the news.

• AAAAAND NOW THEY KNOW.

Liam: Ecstatic and excited at the thought of holding his own child in his arms. Immediately after, he worries over the preparations they will need to make, the childproofing of the throne room and the things they will need to get ready, and it is the MC who calms him down.

I personally love that the narrative makes a mention of Liam "recentering himself" here, because it does show me that this is a rare display of raw emotion, of Liam letting go of his control, and you get a glimpse of what calming down for him looks like. Wish it hasn't taken four books to actually muster up the effort to write that.

Hana: One of the sweetest reactions ever - "We're going to be moms?" and a hearty squeal after that. She then becomes emotional and teary, cries with joy. There's some gentle teasing of each other where they call each other "cute", and then Hana tells her she's so glad she gets to share both this moment and this entire journey of pregnancy with the MC.

Hana doesn't show many signs of her intensive planning in this particular scene, because this - again - calls for raw emotion where the LI basically forgets their "normal" and truly savours that moment, but we do see signs of the same type of planning in other scenes.

Maxwell: WHOOPS with joy and excitement as soon as he realizes. Wants to scream out the news on a mountaintop. He promises the MC that their family will be the most awesome, most fun one that the kingdom has ever seen.

I love how Maxwell's overall vibe in this chapter seems to reflect his family situation - he definitely wants to be the exact opposite to his own child what his father has been to him. It's a pity they don't explore that enough.

Drake: Wild with joy, can't stop grinning. But also worried about whether he is being careless with the MC and is overly concerned for her. Calls her not just by her surname but also her first name. I wonder if that should be added to my Book 1 tallies 😂

• That TRR lullaby music is going to be played so much after this that we'll eventually get sick of it. I know it. I know it already.

• The LIs also get to check in with the MC about how she's feeling, and you as the reader get to decide how she is feeling at the moment (ecstatic, nervous, scared?). We also get the option to decide when to break the news to our friends (at the reception itself, or the next morning at breakfast). I think enough of us had an axe to grind with Savannah and Bertrand for the stunt they pulled (with our help) last book, that most people slammed that "reception" button like their lives depended on it.

• The LIs also act in different ways before their friends find out about the pregnancy:

Liam and Hana both dote on the MC, and Hana specifically keeps the MC's dietary restrictions in mind (gets sparkling water/orange juice in place of champagne/mimosas, asks about caffeine content/salmon during breakfast - this varies depending on when you make the announcement). With Drake, the group figures out that he has something on his mind because he's grinning nonstop, and Maxwell tries really really hard to hint at the MC's pregnancy by using phrases like 'bun in the oven' and 'expecting', and gives up in frustration when no one catches on.

• There are three ways you can tell the news to the group - if you're at the reception, you can leave them to guess, get the LI to announce via loudspeaker or scream it out. If you're at home, the same three options except the second one is simply the LI delivering the news in a more low-key manner.

•

YOU'RE SUCH DORKS ISTG.

• Bertrand is happy for us but Savannah is surprisingly (to my great joy) nowhere to be found.

• CELEBRATORY DIAMOND SCENE. For 30 diamonds, which is usually reserved either for finales or turning-point diamond scenes. Again, these scenes deal with the newness of it all, the jubilation, the end of a (not very long, actually) wait, and the LIs get to talk about family.

•

The sex part is 🔥 🔥 🔥 as usual, but the parts that really justify the 30 diamonds we're spending come before and after that. Each LI, as I've mentioned before, responds differently, but the thread that connects them all is the awe and wonder at this new life, and their plans and worries for the future (Good. You all should be worried if Olivia's diamond scene is anything to go by).

- Liam: In the pre-sex portion, the focus is on celebrating this moment they have alone - as parents - together, because once this news is brought out to the world, both they and their child will be thrown into the spotlight. I have spoken in this essay about the kind of upbringing royal children tend to have and the lessons they unknowingly learn in that environment. Liam has gone through this, he is aware his child will go through it too, but he wants the child to have as normal a life as he as a father can provide. This is clear in the last portion of the scene, where he touches the MC's stomach, marvels at the life they both created and - as per the MC's choice - communicates with said child. My favourite option of course is the lullaby, because it's one that Eleanor used to sing to him - and it is interesting how a lot of Liam's memories of an actual parent, doing actual parent-things, is of his mother.

- Hana: In the pre-sex portion, she speaks about how nervous they've both been over whether this pregnancy would happen and the pressure from the court, and how excited she is that that moment is finally here. When the MC asks her if she is nervous or scared, Hana tells her that even though everything that has led up to this (leaving her parents, having a new life in Cordonia) has been unknown and scary, knowing that they will finally have their own family outweighs "all the worries in the world". In the last portion of the scene, they flirt playfully, leading Hana at some point to wonder about whether they should set ground rules if the child is going to be such a charmer. She's already got a whole range of things prepared - from a pregnancy kit to snacks and drinks appropriate for the MC's condition - but the MC encourages her to relax and not worry too much. You can tell that Hana is already in the zone of wanting to be a better parent for her child than her own.

- Maxwell: I find the Maxwell version of this scene really interesting this time, because it deals with both his struggle to change for his child, and his struggle to NOT be the kind of father Bartie Sr was (finally they address this!). The first part of the scene involves Maxwell being his usual excitable self, wanting to scream the news from the rooftops then realising that it might be too risky for his wife. He speaks of wanting to "rewire" himself into "Good Dad mode". The last portion is especially poignant, because he speaks both of what a life without the MC would have been life (an enjoyable Beaumont Bash, but one where he is forever searching for someone, and feeling constantly lonely, like something is missing in his life), and he also promises his wife that he will be the kind of father who will learn and grow from his mistakes, and who will be there whenever his children need him most, not just drop by on the day of their child's wedding.

- Drake: Drake also falls back into old-habit before getting into father-mode - he mentions celebrating with drinks before realizing the MC cannot have them. The MC gets to choose either a non alcoholic beverage or a massage, and as far as I have seen the massage comes with yet another family story about his father massaging a particular spot in his mother's shoulder that would easily tense up. It astounds me how much effort the writers make into making Drake's scenes and exchanges so much more personal than the others. Like the others have their moments in this scene too - but in their cases such moments are the exception, not the norm. In Drake's it's always the norm.

In the aftermath of the scene, the couple get to discuss how they will bring up their child, even though that child will be heir to Cordonia's throne, and get to choose if they want to bring that child up with a sense of normality, or to appreciate the benefits they get from the royal life. In the end, all Drake wants this child to know at the moment is how much their parents love them.

• We now have brunch, hosted by the newlyweds. If we have not yet announced our pregnancy, Bertrand will simply announce us the way a herald would at a royal event before Savannah teases him for doing so, and if we have, he mentions that we are "celebrating the happy news with them once more". Bertrand speaks of being overly formal when he's very happy, and is even happier to mention the word "wife". That'll last.

• Leona gives Bertrand a cup of bourbon as a reward for the way he stood up to Chuck, claiming that she thought of him as a "pretty boy" who knew nothing, but was impressed by his behaviour on the wedding day. At this point I can only roll my eyes and finally celebrate when Auntie Bitch disappears. We've wasted way too much time than necessary on Drake's shitty family.

• If you haven't announced the news, you announce it after this scene. There are a few slight changes, esp the drinks mentioned in certain cases because the brunch is a more relaxed atmosphere than the reception so the food and drink items mentioned are pretty low-key. But everything else is pretty much as is.

• Bertrand and Savannah have a honeymoon to plan, which means we will finally get a break from them too, and Bianca asks us what we're planning in order to celebrate the news. Maxwell suggests getting a gift for the new arrival (9 months before arriving), and Savannah suggests they go to the general store and get something from there. The MC is nervous, because she wasn't exactly planning to meet Cassidy West again. Thankfully, he isn't at the store, so she's pretty safe 😂

•

All the LIs have items they will check out with their friends/wives, but the scene varies related to who the MC married. Minimally in most cases, quite a bit in just one. As usual.

Maxwell shows us baby socks, and realizes that this child is a "miniature human" who will have small-sized everything. Virtually nothing changes in this scene except for Maxwell calling the child "our baby" instead of "yours" in his own playthrough. Everything else is disappointingly identical.

Hana shows us a toy tea set (it's still early days but Hana tells the MC it will be fun to practice and to think of the treats the child can eat from that). If you are married to her, she gets a single line referencing the childhood scene where she waited in vain for her mother at her own tea party.

Liam's scene is the one wit the diamond option - as the King of Cordonia whose entire country's future rides on this child, he is the one who gets to show the MC (+ LI in their respective playthroughs) the crib. There are two variations in this scene - the ones where Liam speaks about "our heir". Other than that, very little difference (though he does mention Constantine in one line later, so I guess that's a plus).

Drake shows the MC a wooden rocking horse. In his friend playthrough, he speaks of the gift as something the child can have to remember "ol' Uncle Drake" by. But if you're married to him, there is a whole set of dialogues where Drake talks of riding horses being part of the Walker DNA, and there is a reference to the secret wedding (riding off into the sunset), and there is interactive banter between the MC and Drake that you don't see much of in the other playthroughs. I wish I could say I'm surprised.

• I mean...seriously??? Maxwell gets NO OTHER VARIATIONS??? Hana's mention of her mother never coming to her tea parties isn't even followed up by a line expressing comfort from the MC????

• Just as we got there options for our nursery decor, we also get three options for the crib (classic, royal, forest fairytale). The royal option is lavish, all gold and cream, and the fairytale option is whimsical, wood finish and the same patterns of forest animals and flowers and leaves as the walls. The classic option is, like its corresponding decor, "very neutral. very baby".

• We exit the shop as quickly as we can either because Maxwell broke a trampoline (in the Liam, Hana and Drake playthroughs), or Hana dropped some teacups (in Maxwell's playthrough).

• Once we're done shopping, we get a call from Olivia, who is at our estate in Valtoria, asking us for the most precious thing in our room. But before she can ask, we tell her we're either furniture shopping or pregnant. The option the writers want us to be choosing is "pregnant", because there's a scene where Olivia secretly happy-cries for us when she learns the news. We can agree to loan her either some fancy shoes, our engagement ring (in the Maxwell playthrough, apparently, there is a reference to the twig ring he made back at the beginning of Book 3) or the Cordonian Royal Sceptre. She isn't sure if she'll come back alive, so she thanks us in case she doesn't.

• The ensuing Olivia diamond scene comes with a chance to figure out what Olivia is upto, an advantage over Auvernal, and a tiny hint at a Nevrakis name for TRM.

• I must say, the writers never cease to go all out for Olivia. Even over the female LI that should have been treated like a co-protagonist. And it's tiring because yet again I'll have to see half the fandom drag Hana just so they can drool over the white girl (in fact I already have).

• Olivia's sprite on the left side of the screen...is going to take some getting used to. It's disorienting. But it's fine after a second one!

• Anyway. She is now at a casino in Monte Carlo, meeting up with Bradshaw and Isabella. She's clearly in super-spy mode, since she refers to the King and Queen of Auvernal as targets rather than their names or titles. She has a better edge over the two if she is honest about her intentions and doesn't pretend she just bumped into them.

• Bradshaw speaks about King Liam sending his 'attack dog' to them and 'not doing his own dirty work' which is hilarious considering this man is from a militaristic society yet doesn't even know the C of combat training and has never done anything besides strategizing.

• Isabella always delivers her stinky, unwarrented opinion as if it holds any weight or has any relevance. In Olivia's case, she mentions Anton's marriage contract with Olivia and wonders aloud how the Queen/Duchess still trusts her enough to allow Olivia in her inner circle after that. All three options to push back at Izzy are 🔥 but my favourite one is "you look like you know all about poor judgement" (which is true, look at who she married).

• Olivia then gambles with Bradfraud and Stinkybella, with whatever the MC chose to give her as stakes. The best option is to simply call Bardfraud on his bluff, because he folds easily. Depending on whether Olivia wins or loses the game, he either asks the guards to place the item in the penthouse, or to get more funds from there. Olivia takes note.

• She then has to make sure she nicks the key to the penthouse from Stinkybella, either by acting tipsy or by coming closer to her for an "awkward hug". Both do the job.

• She learns the following from the penthouse:

- Bradfraud and Stinkybella stay in separate rooms, which means things "aren't as rosy" between them.

- She finds a letter of rejection, doubtless from another royal couple, and this is an indication that they aren't as popular as they pretend to be.

- She finds a map of a land she doesn't recognize (is it Monterisso? Olivia would recognize a map of her own country...and neighboring countries...but who am I fooling it's not like team TRH concerns themselves with such ridiculous things as logic!), which has troop formations on it. They're planning something called Operation Swan. I've heard of "Black Swans" and "Swanning About" used as military terms, but there's not a lot I understand from this. Perhaps this leans more towards a "black swan" idea - where they will launch a surprise attack with a nation they are allying with? IDK.

- Basically, we have enough leverage to win against these two, thanks to Olivia's work.

• In any case, someone comes to the room, and Olivia is on the verge of getting caught. So she'll need to scale her way down.

• This shows us if you have Olivia pray to her ancestors for wings:

(Theodosia is clearly the Renaissance Nevrakis)

• If you don't choose to scale down, Olivia will land on the pool instead, but even then she makes it out okay. She decides to keep an eye out because Bradfraud and Stinkybella could pose as a problem for Liam and the MC.

• Olivia is operating on her own, as far as she has told Bradfraud, but the possibility that Liam is aware of what she is upto still exists. And the MC has no clue even if she is Liam's wife because:

a. The writers are too lazy to code this for Liam, and

b. It's not like the MC puts any effort into finding things out anyway

• We're now leaving the Walker Ranch, a couple hours later, and saying our goodbyes to Drake's mother and aunt. I heave a sigh of relief at the fact that there's no additional "memories" from Bianca become this family has gobbled up enough of our attention. Seems like their horrible attitude was really about the money they didn't get after all (it's a fair gripe to have, but doesn't exactly warrant the attitude they've been throwing around).

• Leona still acts like she did us a huge fucking favour hosting us, even though she was an awful host and seriously deserves to lose her ranch. Bianca tries to be civil but no apologies from her for allowing her son in law to be treated like crap until his wedding day. Seems like all Walkers have a habit of expecting civility from others while giving none.

• Bianca asks us to keep in touch and I'm pretty sure a huge chunk of the fandom said "no way in Yeehaw Hell".

• Liam continues to be mysterious with regards to what Olivia is up to, and Esther - who I HC'd as inquisitive - seems not to care enough to ask more.

• The LI tells us, as we leave, that Kiara, Penelope and Madeleine will be traveling in the jet with us, and it's up to us to decide how we break the news to them. If you own corgis, that features as an option. Two of the options (writing on a cake and announcement by corgi) come with a simple "Coming Soon...The Royal Heir", but the charade one is my favourite 🤭

• Penelope is that particular Drake/Walker Ranch stan who loved the time we spent at the ranch and Kiara is the rest of the fandom, who would much rather be in Cordonia than cooling her heels in Texas.

•

AAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The MC then tries another charade, one that resembles cradling a baby in her arms, which Kiara takes to mean "American football" (thank God they don't force Cordonians to call it "soccer" anymore), Madeleine takes to mean "a common pirate jig" and Penelope somehow gets the guess right (though Kiara is the one who straight-out says it).

• The ladies are ecstatic, and congratulate us. Penelope calls for drinks, but Kiara has the common sense to add that the drinks should be alcohol-free. Madeleine informs us of the events lined up for us, including the Apple Ball which will doubtless be the ball we will be attending in the finale.

•

There's a small private moment where the LIs dote over the MC more than necessary, wanting to pamper her and keep her in comfort. The MC calms them down, convinces them that they have a very good support system/are a great team together who can achieve anything.

• Mara still finds out about the pregnancy via Maxwell scouring the online shops for corgi-themed onesies even when he is the father. Which makes sense. It's still Good Dad Mode 😁

• In the tiny space of time it took between Madeleine finding out we were pregnant and us talking to people, she managed to schedule a conference for the same day! At least let us confirm the pregnancy with our docs???

• Plus, announcing this early, even if you're not royalty, is pretty risky. You're mostly advised to not disclose it too soon because the first trimester can be a little risky. And there are also cases where your first ultrasound turns out to not be that happy moment where you see that yolk sac and hear its heartbeat, or an ectopic pregnancy 😔. I recall reading about it on pregnancy forums before my first ultrasound (and stressing, but I had to be prepared) and not being satisfied until I confirmed it for myself.

• The writers and the readers know she'll be pregnant because that is what the story is, but perhaps if the team hadn't wasted so much time on the Walker Ranch, they'd at least not have to hurry like this.

• Actually...no. "Hurrying" would be the wrong word. Because they're going to stretch the press conference itself to like two chapters, it seems like. Basically they will spend time on everything that isn't important to the story as long as it's important to their pet character.

• The summary of Chapter 15 (CHAPTER FUCKING FIFTEEN. We're stuck at the beginning of all this even by CHAPTER FIFTEEN) speaks of the press conference heating up, so I'm having an inkling that there will be some pretty heavy stuff being asked in between? Maybe with regards to alliances, or a new scandal, or something else. But it's not going to be easy at all, that much is pretty clear. It's going to be frustrating and there's going to be stuff that will anger the LIs I think. I could be wrong, though.

• Overall this chapter does better in terms of variations even though they still do beef up Drake quite a bit over the others. But at least Liam, Hana and Maxwell get the rare opportunity to briefly address the mistakes (too small a word for what they've done) their parents have made. It's still not enough though. Esp considering the last 9 chapters have seen such an overall of Walker history and Drake's memories and the others have barely a handful of chapters to catch up.

• Sometimes I wonder if Olivia's independent investigation is also fueled by her desire to be so different from her parents and aunt as to wipe out the memory of their betrayal through her deeds. I do wonder if she will burn herself out completely in the process. She is made of sterner stuff than that, I know, but the determination she was showing in this scene and in the last few chapters was on another level.

• I wonder if we will get intel on Monterisso as well (I don't fully trust Amalas yet), or whether the narrative plans to establish this country as the underdog we will be supporting. Who knows. But I'm sure we will see more of that country in further chapters as well.

• That's it for this chapter, I think. Until the next one!

[chyrstis]

Rain or shine

This is kinda shameless fluff that got out of control, because I wanted to skip ahead and write something cute, and also write more Sharky in general. I just wasn’t expecting Nick and Kim to show up as well. 

Pairing: F!Dep x Sharky Boshaw (pre-ship but the feelings are there)

Rating: T

Word Count: 4.5K

Link to AO3!

___

After a mission Sharky’s left with something he wasn’t prepared for: one sick deputy.

______________

“Almost there?”

Sharky held onto her tight, making sure she wasn’t going to fall. “We sure are, chica. I can see their house from here.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie, he could see parts of Nick and Kim’s through the trees ahead, but it wasn’t the clearest of shots. Still, he heard her chuckle, and felt her lean into him more with each step.

He was half-dragging her by the time they got to their front porch, and she set herself down on one of their chairs. When he crouched down to look her in the eye, she couldn’t hold the look. Just kept on letting her attention skim him as her head bobbed in place.

“I think,” Hana started, holding her eyes open for a few seconds as she blinked, “…I don’t actually feel that great after all.”

“You’re not looking great, shorty. Not gonna lie about that.” He looked her over, taking in how pale she was starting to look, and worry set in quick. “Sit tight, and I’ll be right back.”

He got to ring the doorbell, trying not to pace in place, and found himself knocking only seconds after going for the bell.  “Yo, Nick? Kim? Either of you home?” No one answered immediately, and he shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from jabbing the bell again.

“Coming!” A voice eventually answered, just as he started to pace in earnest. He glanced over at Hana, watched her give the weakest thumbs up he’d ever seen, and knocked on the door even harder.

“I’m coming, can you calm down a little!” Kim opened the door, and she gave him a surprised look. “Oh, hey! Didn’t expect to have you drop by like this, not without a call at least. Hana with you?”

“Yeah, that’s just the thing,” he began, talking fast. “We would’ve, but we were in the area, and H wasn’t looking all that hot after we had to run from those cows, then it was pouring, and we were trudging through-“

“Sharky, seriously, it’s fine-“

“And since you’ve still got that bun baking up in there, we didn’t wanna cause any problems, but Dep’s not feeling right enough to make it down the road even with help. Think we nearly fell twice just trying to get up the stairs, and we’re both stone cold sober. Back me up on this, chica, because the lines we were walking were like this.”

He mimed the movement, showing the rise and fall of a wave as it jumped back and forth with his hand, and watched Kim blink at him. Hana, however, he didn’t hear a peep from.

His hand came to a stop mid-wave. “Uh, Dep?”

She was out. Out like a light, judging from the way she was slumped against the chair, and he ran right to her with Kim on his heels.

“Hey, H? Yo, you there?” Nothing. He put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently, and her eyelids fluttered, but didn’t open. That made him tense immediately.

“Shit, you weren’t kidding,” Kim said, getting a good look at her. “Quick, let’s get her inside.”

Sharky pulled her up, placing her arm over his shoulders before getting his arm under her knees, and by the time they were through the door, she was mumbling against his shoulder. Not much better, but she was saying something at least. He’d take it, even if he wanted to babble right back at her just to see if she’d understand him too.

“Okay, put her here for now, and I’ll just…” Kim pointed towards the couch, and stood in the living room for a few seconds before heading upstairs. “Blankets! I’m grabbing blankets. Grab some water from the kitchen!”

Setting her down wasn’t hard, and he spent probably too much time trying to arrange the pillows beneath her head to get her comfortable, but he tried. Watched her face for a few seconds too long for anything off before forcing himself to step away to grab just what Kim said to grab.

She just didn’t say to place it in what, and he went right for a glass, because Hana needed something to drink, right? He went with that first, and headed right back to the living room. By then Kim was on her way down with blankets, and between the two of them they were able to finally get her settled in.

So, there she was, under two blankets, both tugged up to her chin. It would’ve been a funny sight, and one he was sure they’d both be laughing about, if he wasn’t left wondering just what it’d take for her to feel better again.

Her forehead was warm, but not feverish, and she wasn’t shot or bleeding. The lack of color to her was a problem, and she still tried to say things every now and then. Just nothing the two of them could really join into a sentence that made sense.

“Look, I’ll call Nick,” Kim said, running her hands through her hair. “He was out over by the airstrip, but there’s a clinic nearby. It’s the same one we’ve gone to for our checkups. Last I heard, there’s a nurse out over there that John managed to miss, and we’ve spoken to her on and off for the last few weeks. Maybe we can get her over here and have her take a look.”

He nodded, standing there awkwardly. “Yeah. If anyone’ll know what this shit is, it’ll probably be her, right? You want me to go grab her?”

The words were out before he could think against it, and he was torn. It wasn’t completely safe on the roads, not with the convoys John still had running. The nurse would need someone to get her here safely. Kim needed Nick. They had a kid-shaped situation they were still working out, and taking him away during that wouldn’t help.

As for them, Hana had a bunch of people willing to have her back, but right now all she had was him. Kim and Nick counted too, but they hadn’t spent days with her on the road.

And why didn’t he notice it sooner? Most of the day had been as close to normal as others spent in the valley, minus any help that could’ve come from Grace. She was off running shooting exercises with the Resistance, and wasn’t going to be back for another day or two. So, Hana said they’d stick to what worked for them.

They’d wake up, pick a new target guaranteed to get John mad – and fuck that guy, Sharky just wished there were more signs to mess with to really get him steamed - but the target that day had more to do with cow wrangling than actual damage. “Think re-appropriation of resources,” Hana had said. Kind of disappointing, but she promised him they’d hit a silo on the way back for old time’s sake.

Up until the downpour he hadn’t suspected much either. She’d even been laughing at him earlier when he’d slipped in a muddy patch, even when he’d tried to drag her down with him.

With her sunglasses perched on her head, he’d focused on her grin as she helped him back up, not the sleepy look in her eyes. Sure, he’d looked into them and let himself enjoy that for a few seconds too, but didn’t have a chance to say anything before the two had to break into a run. Getting stampeded by a herd of pissed off cows was not how he planned on dying, and was going to fight that if given the option.

Mid-run she had started slowing down and breathing hard, and that’s when he could really see how beat she seemed. How she couldn’t wave him off, or keep on downplaying the points earlier when she had been staring off into the distance. She hadn’t bothered waking him up for watch a few nights back when they had to camp out either, and he found himself wondering how much sleep she had been getting.

Either way, it was too late now, he told himself, shaking himself out of it. Sitting here worrying about her wasn’t doing shit for her. Getting some kind of doctor or nurse here was the better option.

“Where’s the clinic at?”

“It’s not too far from here, but…”

“You two got any wheels?” he asked, pointing towards the door.

“We do. Just our old truck out back. Sharky. Hey, wait.” He got as far as two feet from the front when Kim grabbed his arm. “Sharky, stop for a couple of seconds, okay?”

“Kim, you two are great,” he said, turning towards her, “but you really wanna send Nick out there? I’ll go, grab her, be back before the sun’s down, we find out what’s really going on with H in there, and then we get her some kind of get-well fast shot, something guaranteed to punch the shit in of whatever’s bothering her. Then we'll go back to our usual thing, kicking more Peggie ass once she’s up for it, and it’ll be all fine!”

“Fine?”

“Finer than fine.”

It was easier to buy when he put it like that. He just didn’t like that he was trying to convince himself of it as much as Kim.

She stood there, ready to say something to argue against him, but let it go. “I’ll have to call her anyway to tell her you’re not out to kidnap her, but…okay. You know how to get there?”

“Uh, no. But you’re good at directions, right?”

The exasperated exhale she gave told him what she thought of that.

---

It was not as easy as he hoped. There was a shortcut, and an actual path, and he didn’t wait for Kim to explain it further. Just took the quicker way at upwards of eighty, and didn’t think about the crowds of trees bombarding him.

He needed to be fast. Careful always came later, but Sharky did feel sweat start to gather on his brow when a moose nearly blindsided him.

Can’t help if you’re dead. Can’t do shit if you’re dead, his mind told him after that, and he eased off. Went more for fifty-five when the road kept on being squirrely.

The clinic came up ahead, and he tried not to make too much of a show of stopping. The squealing of the tires rang out loud as he skidded, and he winced. If anyone was paying attention, that would be the thing to check out, and he hopped out to head inside.

It wasn’t hard to find the nurse, a woman named Danielle, and he shouted out who he was before barging in further. She had been hiding, with a gun out by her side, and had been ready to put two in any Peggie that might’ve barged in. Lucky for him he gave her the warning, but that didn’t make her any less nervous as they made their way back outside.  

They were back on the road in no time flat. Nick was on the radio by this point, arguing with him about the entire thing, and he nearly clipped a sedan going in the opposite direction when the two couldn’t come to a truce over what was worse, heading out there half-cocked alone, or leaving Kim with only a down and out deputy to defend her.

It was a stupid fight, and even Danielle tried to get them both to cool it. But they kept up with it, only letting it go when Kim came through on the other end to put a pin in things.

When they rolled up in front of the house, he hit the brakes harder than intended, getting his second screech in of the day. Only Danielle’s seatbelt kept her from jumping forward, and he gave her an apologetic look before helping her get out.

After that it was a matter of getting her inside the house, and once Danielle crossed the threshold, she was all business. Making a promise to check with Kim once she was done, she settled down by the couch and started asking questions.

‘When did this start? What are her symptoms? What has she eaten?’ were a few of them. Most he was able to answer. Others he wished he had more to give, and trailed off as she started checking Hana in earnest.

It was completely out of their hands. But right at the back, watching her work, he couldn’t sit still. Not like this.

Ducking outside, he took Hana’s spare pack of cigarettes and lit one up. He’d meant it when he’d told her he didn’t need them as much as she did, but it was a way of getting his lighter out without lighting anything up, and he’d pay her back. Shit, he’d get her five packs if she wanted them.

One cigarette turned into two, and by the time he went for the third he found himself threatening to wear a hole into the porch from the path he kept on taking. Fiddling with his lighter wasn’t much better. The click that came with opening and closing it helped at first, but the longer it was open, the more he wanted to use it, and the urge built with every repeated motion.

It was when he started eying a dry patch of brush nearby for maybe one small controlled fire, that the door to Nick and Kim’s house finally opened. He’d hoped for the nurse, but found himself looking over at Nick instead.

The disappointment showed, judging from Nick’s reaction. He shook his head at him and held out a beer. “Well, glad to see you too. Thought you might need this.”

Sharky hastily put out what was left of his cigarette before taking it. “…This fucking sucks.”

“Yeah, it does. It’s weird seeing her laid out like that. The Deputy, our big damn hero, resting right in the other room half-covered in mud on my couch. Weird and wild, and just another day here in Hope County.”

“Spent half of ours mud-wrestling, and it wasn’t even the fun kind. No extra ladies, no cheering while we’re making it rain. Just cows. Lots of fighting off cows,” he muttered. “…And sorry about the couch. Didn’t think we’d drag that much in.”

“Don’t worry about the damn couch. We’ll clean it later.” Nick placed a hand on his shoulder. “But Shark, I mean it. Just drink, kick back, and chill the fuck out for a bit. She’s in good hands, and you’re watching her too, so nothing bad’ll happen long as you don’t look at her wrong.”

“That’s nice, man. Real nice coming from a stand-up dude like yourself.” Sharky flashed him the finger after the jab, but managed a smile. “You still think relaxing’s the way to go?”

“There’s nothing else to do, but that. And after that, sleep. You both probably need it. What was this I was hearing about being out there for a week straight without getting in a single wink?”

“It wasn’t, but some nights you hear one wolf howl and that’ll ruin any good feelings about a spot. You can’t stop, and Hana here just…didn’t stop either.” He jabbed a thumb into his chest. “That was on me.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it, okay? You can play the blame game all you want leading up to this, but accidents happen. And when she needed you, you brought her here and got her help. Think about that too.”

Nick gave him one solid pat on the arm and the two settled into silence after that. Forgetting the lighter for the beer, he cracked it open and tried not to drain it too fast.

After a minute, however, Nick spoke up again. “Sorry.”

“About what?”

“About…being a real shitbird earlier. Neither of us were entirely in the right, but I get what you tried to do. Hell, what you did do.”

Sharky glanced over at him, and gave a small shrug. “It’s nothing. She would’ve done it for me. Probably wouldn’t have hit half the shit I did on the way up and back.”

“Nah, you were thinking of Kim, and there’s no two ways about it, I am stressing the fuck out over little Nick Jr. in there. It’s settling in and making me short with a whole lot of people I’d rather not be, and I don’t wanna leave that hanging between us. So, I’m sorry.”

Sharky held out his fist, and smiled when Nick returned the fistbump. “We’re cool.”

“Might owe me a few for new tires for the truck, though.”

“Man, what the fuck!” he exclaimed, and Nick burst out laughing. “Starting with we’re cool, and bros and shit, before going into that.”

“There’s enough rubber on them left to use, but I know a bald set of tires when I see them.” Nick stopped to take a drink, and pointed towards the truck.  “They were looking mighty fine this morning before heading out on the road. Now...”

Sharky threw up his hands in exasperation, but chugged down the last of the beer first, making sure it wasn’t about to go to waste. He wanted to go another round? Round two was on.  

That was when the door to the house opened, and Sharky snapped his mouth shut when Danielle stepped out. He hadn’t tried to get his hopes up before, but with her looking both glad and relieved, it was hard not to.

“All right. No need to keep on hanging back here. Everything’s clear.”

Sharky felt his heart jump, and Nick turned towards her as well. “Clear?”

“Well, almost. Come inside and see.”

She waved them inside, and they quickly followed her in.

Hana was still one blanket short of a burrito on the couch, but seemed comfortable now. No longer half as close to miserable as she had been before, and actually looked like she was resting.

But what had knocked her clear out? In the end, Danielle gave them all the simplest answer. Exhaustion, and what was looking to be a mild cold. Nothing rest, food, and water wouldn’t fix.

The heavy feeling sinking into him lifted, and he took in a deep breath before letting it out. Hana wasn’t up and moving around yet, but this wasn’t the major fuck up he’d been dreading. She would be able to bounce back from this, and they’d be out and about in no time.

Hanging back while she packed up, Sharky found himself wandering over by the couch, and rested his arms on the back of it. Curled up below, Hana had turned her face into her pillow, and was dozing along, completely at peace. The blanket had inched down below her shoulders, however, and he reached down to tug it back up.

“We got you, shorty. Told you we would.”

---

It was tough to sleep, but he managed it, camping out nearby just in case she woke up in the middle of the night.

When morning came around, he yawned, stretching his arms out wide before peeking over at the couch next to him. He nearly rolled off of it onto the floor when he saw a pair of dark eyes staring over at him. Her red hair was a mess, sticking up as she tried to sit up to look at him, and she let out a long sigh.

“Fuck me running,” Hana murmured. “The roller coaster come to a proper stop yet?”

He got up, and found himself split between hugging her, and yelling for Nick and Kim. When neither decision seemed to win, he opted instead for giving her the glass of water by her side. “Not even close. It’s been going non-stop ever since you fainted outside.”

“Fainted? Ugh.” She took the glass, and gulped down a mouthful of water before handing it back. Her voice was rough as she closed her eyes, but wasn’t pained.

“Yeah, Kim and Nick were cool with setting us up - shit, they’re still cool, just sleeping - and we had to get a nurse in here to look you over. It’s all fine now, but it was tough for a few hours the night before.”

“Don’t tell Grace. She’ll give me so much shit if she hears about this.”

“About the fainting bit, the nurse and not getting back up part, or where I had to carry you inside all heroic-like?”

“Hush, you. I only have your word on the last one, so for all I know, you’re embellishing it.” She pulled the blankets up and over her head, and Sharky couldn’t help but laugh. “I hear you out there! Don’t think I can’t, even with this up.”

“Just saying it was pretty great. All dramatic, looking every bit the sexy outlaw that we both know I am.”

The blanket shook as he heard her muffled laughter come right through, but it soon gave way to a set of coughs. “Totally,” she rasped. “But Mr. Sexy over here better cool it before he makes his cop friend hack up a lung. Got it?”

She waved him off, reaching out from under the blanket, and he let his posture relax. “Okay, shorty. Holler if you need anything.”

The rest of the morning he spent wandering between the living room and kitchen, trying not to poke around at too much until Kim came downstairs to check on them.

Having over ten hours of rest really did the trick. She didn’t seem confused or dazed, was up for talking as long as there were breaks, and took any food that they offered. All good signs, and Sharky set himself up to help out when he wasn’t tailing Nick and Kim for ideas on other things he should be doing. By the early afternoon he was officially banished to the living room.

Which led him to his current idea, as he sorted through the books and magazines nearby. He felt Hana’s eyes on him as he looked around, but she didn’t speak up or say anything. Just kept on watching until he picked up a magazine, gave it an approving smile and sat down by her on the couch.

“Uh, so to help you kick back and take it easy, I figured I’d read something to you. Not that there’s much down here, and I didn’t want to dig through their things upstairs or go for any of the baby stuff. This plane mag’s not bad, though.” Sharky flipped through it, going for the main story in the middle. “Kinda wish I had one of my comics on me from home, because at least I could do the sound effects and make it a whole lot more fun to listen to.”

“Hey, you don’t have to worry about doing that stuff.”

“It’s something I know I’d like when I’m feeling lower than dirt, so…”

Her next few words were soft, and he almost missed them. “You’re a sweetheart, you know that?”

He sat there stiff as a board for a few seconds, staring right at the picture of the pilot in the magazine, and wasn’t sure if he should look at her or not.

“Because you know you don’t have to do this.”

“Don’t what?” he asked, talking around the growing lump in his throat. “I said I had you covered, shorty. Rain or shine.”

“Ride or die?” She coughed, and he couldn’t help but look at her. Her lips were twisted into a frown, but they didn’t stay that way as she relaxed. “I’m not dying, man. It’s okay. And sticking close’s a recipe for getting sick yourself, so I’d really hate to be to blame for that.”

He was leaning down towards her to hear, and she did have a point. Just one he wasn’t too bothered by. “But if you need anything-“

“They’re in the same house, Shark. Or area. I’m not dying here. Just spoiled rotten by you for the moment.” She was still sleepy, but the smile she wore was bright as ever. “Careful, or I’ll get used to this.”

He wouldn’t have minded that. Not one bit. The words were a second away from spilling out of his mouth too, when he let the moment go. “I’ll shotgun some OJ from the kitchen, and I don’t know. Eat five pounds of apples or something. Might grab you a few for later too.”

The magazine was scrunched together between his hands, and he let it curl back out.

“Now I’m gonna go ahead and try this, but if this blows, or if you’re about to take a cue from the Exorcist let me know and I’ll put the brakes on.” He cleared his throat, and flipped back to the story in question. “If you ever wanted to fly a plane in Wyoming-“

“Wait a sec. Wyoming?”

He looked over at her, then back at the magazine. “Yeah, she’s from Wyoming. The pilot. She did a trip where you go from the Pacific to the Atlantic, but made a few stops here and there along the way.”

“Just to get away from Wyoming, I bet. …Actually, no. That’s pretty mean to say. I don’t even know that much about the place, except that the license plates have a guy on a horse on them.”

“Mountains are nice. If you like mountains.”

“I could. Oh, and there is Yellowstone,” Hana said, perking up. “Doesn’t it have that supervolcano? Like, the one totally on the verge of popping?”

“Shit, you’re right. That’s right in our backyard.”

“Oof. Nice having a potential front row seat to that. Probably won’t go the way of what 2012 showed us, but…” He started chuckling, and she paused. “What? You really don’t think the Earth’s just a ball of magma, and the continents are skidding along the top like some kind of demented air hockey game?”

“Nah, just…I fucking saw that, and didn’t think anyone would ever bring it up. Ever.”

She gave him a look. “Are you questioning my movie taste?”

“Only thing I’m questioning is why you didn’t move here sooner.”

Surprise crossed her face, but as it faded, the corners of her mouth curved up and he found himself on the other end of one of those smiles of hers. The kind that he didn’t want her to stop giving away. “Anyway, you were talking about that pilot before I derailed you. Did she want to do anything other than hit the coasts?”

Forcing himself to go back to the magazine – again, he pointed out – he gave the words in front of him a quick read. “Uh, yeah. She wanted to see how long it’d take with her class of plane. Hit a record or two.”

“Cool stuff.”

“The goal was always to get back home, though.”

There was a light hum as she thought it over.  “I feel that. Finding home again. …You can keep on going if you want.” She propped her head up on one arm to look at him, but kept the blanket tucked under her chin. “You’re right. It is nice.”

Not quite hiding the smile that earned, he went right back to the beginning, and started over, making sure she could hear every word.

[parfaitwaffles]

Finished my HUGtto! Pretty Cure rewatch! And what can I say than I’m a totally different person that I have been last year. While I have come to like HUGtto with the final few episodes last year, I’ve totally come to adore the season as a whole! And I am glad that I did this rewatch.

Over all, I think HUGtto! Pretty Cure is a season that needs (at least) a second watch as there’s so much happening in the season that it’s hard to get it all at first. Maybe, after rewatching for a third time, some things will get even clearer, who knows. Fact is, that many things, that didn’t make sense for me during the first watch, made sense and were well done as I rewatched the season. Of course, since I knew the show, there was nothing new for me and I knew what would happen, but it is not always a bad thing? After all, I really enjoy watching Pretty Cure seasons for more than only one time! Don’t ask me how many times I’ve watched Fresh Pretty Cure, Yes! Pretty Cure 5 or Yes! Pretty Cure 5 GoGo! Just like these seasons, I can see myself go to watch HUGtto! Pretty Cure in the future, if I need something nice to watch (same goes for HaCha and Go! Pri btw).

Note: I ended up typing a lot. Imma add a Keep Reading instead! :)

But as it always is, with everything you like, there are things you don’t like. It is always like that, and with HUGtto as well. For one thing, I didn’t like the short comings of several characters, such as Ruru for example. She might have gotten a lot of episodes with Emiru, but these were mainly to tell her “liking someone is okay, even if you are different than them”, which is not bad, but since she always got the same lesson, it felt like Ruru didn’t get much of development after she became a Cure - until Traum appeared at least. Their interactions were always funny and pure. I love them! 

Saaya’s development may have been rushed and at some point maybe forced, but she had her share of episodes where she slowly developed a new dream, which was wonderful in my opinion. Now, she didn’t really have a lot of episodes were she was the main-main-centered character, but she did develop in some other filler episodes that, if you think about it, are actually Saaya episodes. And I do not have to hide the fact that I love Saaya’s development very much.

I know a lot of people didn’t like Homare’s crush being her second plot, but I personally wasn’t bothered by it that much - during the second watch. I also hated it during the first watch. However, now I realized that this plot was well done. Whether you ship mouse and girl or not, the point is not the shipping, it is the strength that one gains. Homare’s arc is supposed to tell the kids that falling in love is not a bad thing, and that if your love is not returned, you can still be strong - just be cause you cry doesn’t mean that you are weak. Sometimes, lifting a secret is better for yourself than holding it back.

Emiru on the other hand, has gotten quite a lot episodes, in which she developed from her “It’s dangerous nanodesu” self into a girl, on which others can rely and which will never hold back her dreams - in other words will never stop playing guitar because that’s what she likes to do. While Emiru had a lot episodes, I think the least Emiru-centered episodes actually showed anything new. Emiru sure is a cute girl (praise my MaCherie doll) but she has gotten a lot of focused episodes, when she was already well developed and that, in my opinion could have been used on something else. But Emiru is fun and her faces are always entertaining, so nothing to complain here. (The best development still goes to her bro, though. Sorry Emiru)

And Hana--- I don’t know what to say with Hana. I love her - but I have already loved her and her development during the first watch. But imma be honest, with all stories that end with the pink character being the centered plot point; Hana has done the best job, as HUGtto wasn’t all about Hana from the beginning and Hana just simply deserved to have this final showdown with George (which I admit had to watch a whole of 3 times to finally like it, cuz it is - in fight terms - really lame. It’s more impacting based on the things that are said). For people who aren’t sure how Hana developed: Hana started off as a girl, who had been shamed by her old classmates and thus has been questioning herself a lot. Once she even wondered if “cheering on others” was the only thing she could do. But thanks to her experience, she could grow over her past self and fully accept herself with her strengths and weaknesses. - Or at least that’s my impression of Hana’s development.

I don’t know how to say that, but all the people that have talked with me about HUGtto once before know that I like Criasu, as a villain organisation a lot. I like how in detail Criasu as a whole is (and the fact that the main villain is basically the economy. Thank you Toei xD). My favorite villains of the season where the first three that were purified - or defeated, in Daigan’s case (it was over in 5 minutes) -, even though I’m not that solid on Charaleet, but he was funny from time to time, so I’m not complaining. (See that? Throw in some good humor and you got me) I think the problem Criasu had was the fact why I love it so much - every villain had their own reason to stop time. Each of them have their own story - but because of that... Each story had to be developed, and we hardly got the time to see the stories of all employees of Criasu, which is why, especially Listol and Bicine got almost nothing, and I can’t really say that I care much about Gelos, which is sad, since I do think she is an interesting character (JinJin and Takumi on the other hand.... eh...). And - I know that was never the goal of HUGtto as he was supposed to be somewhat a mystery - I wished we had learned a little more about George. Because, ... you know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it? I feel sympathy for him and it’s weird but I do. Still no excuse to be a creep.

Glad that everyone of Criasu got somewhat like a new life. It is really refreshing and I like it when the defeated villains don’t just disappear.

Ah- actually, you know what? I wanted to continue with the episodes that I didn’t like as much (or at all), but since I’ve started with “I wished we had known more about”, I need to add in, something I kept complaining about the whole rewatch: I really wished we had known more about Cure Tomorrow. I never knew I liked Cure Tomorrow so much until I found myself complaining that we never even saw Tomorrow fighting. I guess, yes, it was not her story... but still! It would have been so cool! Better than the Minna wa Purikyua anyway...

Fure Fure Hugtan, may your future be bright.

So.. where was I? Oh yeah, with the episodes I didn’t like as much. I am surprised to say that there weren’t many, which I really didn’t expect, since I expected the second half to be a lot worse than the first was - the first half was better but the second still wasn’t a total mess. Among the 49 episodes we had, there are a total of 8 episodes which I didn’t enjoy, which didn’t have good pacing, where the built up was missing etc. 

Rules were; if the episode upsets me, it will be added to the list. Some episodes were better, some were the worst, for the story of HUGtto, in my opinion. But before I tell you what I thought was missing in/wrong with the episode, please note, that I really didn’t like how the Cures got the attack Minna de Tomorrow! The episode itself was good! But the whole Mother Heart thing was just too rushed in my opinion. This should have been a two parter. So in case you wonder why you don’t find the episode on my list: I did enjoy it and did think it was a good episode - until the Mother Heart stuff.

20: Cure Macherie and Cure Amour! Hooray hooray! The Pretty Cure of Love!

(I’m actually one of the people who think it had been better if HUGtto had stayed a 3 Cures team. But that is not the reason why I’m not happy with the episode). I love you Emiru, Ruru, but I just didn’t like how you got your powers. ... It’s not that you didn’t deserve it, but... I have an issue with Mother Heart in general - they should have explored the whole Mother Heart plot a lot further. “Miracles happen”, yeah, but do miracles excuse a story to be rushed? IMO, this either should have been solved differently, or should have been a two parter as well. 

But luckily the next Twin Love episodes were good stuff! So welcome to the team Cure MaCherie, Cure Amour!

28:  Catch That Heart? Hooray Hooray! Mogumogu!

I... have tried to explain my problems to my friends when I watched it, but I just cannot get it in words... Imma try again. So the episode... is a mess. Papple’s appearance was unnecessary but it rescued the episode. Whoop Whoop! Great comedy. I do get and like the message they tried to deliver. And Emiru and Ruru’s talk was very touching. But just .... the WHOLE way they delivered ... the episode as a whole...

I have got nothing to say. Next!

(Btw. the message I understood was that you don’t need to change yourself to make others like you. Being yourself is the best thing! And it doesn’t matter if you are different or not.)

34: The Great Detective, Kotori! The Big Sister Investigation!

Kotori!! Precious bean has become the third member of Team Yell! --- I mean Cure Yell-san fanclub. While it is an over all good episode idea... I didn’t think it was well done. I don’t know myself what was bad again or what could have been improved, but since it is HUGtto, it probably had pacing problems. And right now, I wished we had seen more sisterly moments between Hana and Kotori.

LOOONNGG SIGH The crossover disaster

Actually two episodes, I take it as one. Just... you know? They did really interrupt the flow of HUGtto’s story. And I really think they were not good for HUGtto at all. But we gotta advertise the 15th anniversary movie. Fine, fine, let’s get going. 

(ARGH PIKARIO. DON’T HYPE ME)

41: Emiru's Dream, Shout It From Your Soul!

(looks at notes: “had many good parts though”)

I suppose I liked the fun elements the episode had, like how everyone tries to talk to nyanko face Emiru or how everyone reacts to her. And the Emiruru talk was very touching (it always is very touchging) but I suppose I didn’t like watching it. 

No, actually, I did struggle putting it on the list, as it was a good episode for Emiru, but I felt like something was lacking, even if I can’t put it in words. Much like Emiru lost her voice that episode.

Best point of the episode goes to Masato though. May his jokes rest in potatoes.

42: One Yell For Another! This Is My Cheer!

(pls don’t hate me dear fandom)

Cure Infini was a great step in Pretty Cure history, and I will never act like it wasn’t!! The thing is... I was missing the built up towards Cure Infini. Yes, we had the one episode where Listol confronts him and then at the end of episode 41 we saw Henri fall. But that was all. I would have loved to see a little more built up towards this. I never asked Toei to put Henri in a car accident.. dear god Toei... just maybe... even earlier let Henri have obvious struggles. 

But looking at what we got, it was just too rushed for me, and Cure Infini had deserved better. Maybe even join Criasu for a little and then break free from it and become Cure Infini. Just... something!

45: HUGs For All! Merry Christmas☆

How to improve the episode: Take away the whole stupid “Santa falls from the Sky” thing and we are good. Thanks.

Long review, one thought: HUGtto! Pretty Cure is a good and very emotional season with amazing characters (minus JinJin and Takumi... though they were funny in the Christmas episode) and a touching plot! It also helped me a lot with having faith in my future... something no Pretty Cure season could have done since Yes! Pretty Cure 5 (please note that the first time I watched Go! Pri was in 2018. But Go! Pri also helped me a lot).

I hope that everyone can also look forward to the future. Stopping time is an impossible thing! You may never see the next episode of Pretty Cure if you do!!

With that said, Fure Fure Everyone!

[murasaki-murasame]

Thoughts on Fruits Basket 2019 Episode 16: “She Said Don’t Step On Them!”

I feel like I’ve been waiting ages for this episode specifically, and let’s just say it surpassed my expectations!

There’s something surreal and thrilling about finally getting an episode that’s like 99% stuff that wasn’t covered in the 2001 anime at all.

I think this might already be an improvement over this arc from the manga, and it was already one of my favourite bits to begin with, so that probably says a lot about how much I liked it.

Anyway, thoughts under the cut. [Potential spoiler warning for the whole manga]

I guess this is what I do every week, but I want to immediately talk about how this compares to the manga and exactly what material it adapts, since this is the first episode thus far where it’s been unclear in advance exactly how they’d go about it. Every episode thus far has more or less covered one- or two-chapter long self-contained story beats [aside from some rearranging early on], but this is the start of a two-episode arc adapting a three-chapter arc of the manga, so I’ve been wondering how they’d do it.

So basically this episode adapted chapter 39 and the first half of chapter 40. Which is a bit of a jump forward from the last episode covering chapters 25 and 26, but honestly I think it works fine to move Uo’s whole backstory arc up this early. Especially since we know that they’re also going to be adapting Hana’s backstory chapter later in this season, even though it happened even later in the manga, it’s clear that they’re trying to shuffle things about a bit so that the first season of the reboot covers all of the major character introduction/backstory arcs from the first half of the series, which I think is a good choice. This way the second season will be all about introducing entirely new characters and developing old ones.

I was wondering if they might attach chapter 50 to the next episode so that it can keep up a two chapters per episode pace, but I probably should have expected they’d just cover one and a half chapters per episode instead. It should work out for the best, but I guess this means that we won’t be seeing Kureno until season 2. I wonder if they’ll also leave Rin’s introduction to that point too. She gets introduced a little bit earlier than Kureno in the manga, but they’re gonna be shuffling things about later in season 1 anyway so she might also just appear near the start of season 2.

Anyway, that aside, this was a really good and faithful adaptation of the first half of this whole backstory arc. And since it covered less than two chapters, it gave them room to really flesh things out and to add a few things here and there, including an entire post-credits scene. Which was a real surprise, since I don’t think there’s been a single post-credits scene in the whole show before this point. But I’m not complaining or anything, since it was incredible. You’d think it would have been way too jarring after how sad of a note the episode ended on, but I think it did a nice job of just sneaking in some last minute comedy. It was also an entirely anime-original scene, which was nice. It’s pretty similar to a few background moments we get with the delinquent girls, but I’m pretty sure it’s technically still a new scene. I have a feeling that they wanted to give themselves an excuse to throw in some character animation that’s a lot more cartoonish and loose than what this series usually has, and I respect that, lol. It fit these characters really well, and it made the scene really stand out.

It’s also worth noting that back in the New Years episode they also added a scene that gave us a glimpse of Uo’s household, and how her father is a recovering alcoholic. Which at least puts a more positive and hopeful spin on this whole episode.

I’ve always really loved this whole arc from the manga, since it’s one of the best examples of the series’ willingness to take the time to really flesh out it’s supporting cast and to build up this interconnected web of relationships, and thankfully the anime’s really doing it justice so far. We still have another episode to go before this whole part’s finished, but I think it’s safe to say that the next episode should be just as good as this one.

The whole deal with Kyoko having been a delinquent in the past, and even Uo having been one too, have sorta just been running jokes up to this point, but this is where the story really makes it clear that on top of being a running joke, it’s also a topic that it’s willing to seriously dive into and explore the implications of. We haven’t gotten to the part where we really get to know about Kyoko’s own delinquent days [that’ll happen WAY later], but we do get a really interesting glimpse at her post-delinquency life in this episode, and most of all this is where we get all the details about Uo’s time in her gang.

The manga was already pretty explicit and heavy about it, especially for the time it was made, but pretty much everything about the animation and music and voice acting really elevated it even higher, and made the reality of it all even more hard-hitting. The specific type of gang Uo was in probably comes across as a bit more ‘dated’ in the modern day than it’s meant to, but I don’t think it’s super jarring or anything.

I have a feeling that most people getting into this series don’t exactly expect it to end up having a whole arc about how young people can fall through the cracks in society and end up involved in criminal activity before they know it, but that’s just what this series is like, lol.

I think one thing that really gives this whole part a distinctly ‘realistic’ tone is the fact that in several different ways it’s all about looking back on dark elements of your past when you’ve been able to grow past them and become a better and more happy person. Uo is literally narrating this story to everyone as a flashback just to highlight how different she is now and how much happier and more well-adjusted she is with Tohru and Hana in her life, and how she’s channeled her rebellious punk energy into being part of her self-confidence and independence, rather than it all being about her being a vulnerable live wire who just wanted to lash out at everything.

And on the other hand, we find out that the thing that really shook Uo as a child and made her think about her own life and whether or not she was truly happy was seeing how Kyoko had moved on from her own delinquency days and forged her own life and her own family. Like she said, she just learned to relax, and to let it all go, and Uo just didn’t really know how to process that at the time.

It just gives it a more mature and introspective sort of feeling, rather than having it be about characters who are still in the midst of it all. We do get the three delinquent girls who are tailing Uo in this episode. Though they’re mostly just funny background characters, which in it’s own way also spells out how the series isn’t trying to, like, glorify and glamorize the image of deliquency.

But I do still like, on the other hand, how Uo still has largely the same punk aesthetic and attitude going on. It’s just channeled in a more positive way, and she does it just because she genuinely enjoys it, and not out of a need to fit in with a gang. It’s just neat that the story still lets her embrace certain aspects of how she used to be, rather than having her completely abandon all of it and just be conventionally ‘normal’ afterward.

Also, before I forget, they also added a small detail of having Uo’s senpai from the gang watching her leaving Tohru’s house, and I think there were one or two other moments elsewhere that emphasized the way that she was keeping an eye on Uo. It’s not like there wasn’t any of that in the manga, but it was a lot more minor and easy to miss, and it was a bit more out of the blue when we found out later in this arc that she went to Kyoko for help.

And even if it wasn’t exactly a new scene, I really like how moody and atmospheric the scenes at the start and end of the episode with Uo in her apartment were. It’s not the sorta tone this series usually has, but it worked really well. The bit at the very end with Uo’s thoughts and the sound of her father’s TV blending together into overwhelming white noise was a really fantastic touch that helped get across how bad Uo was feeling.

With how this episode managed to be even more intense than the manga version was, I can’t wait to see how the next one goes, since it’ll be the big emotional climax of this arc. And now that we’ve seen how well they’re adapting Uo’s backstory, I can’t wait to see how their adaptation of Hana’s backstory chapter later in the season will be.

Also, on top of all the incredibly good and dramatic Uo content, the cute and fluffy present-day scenes were even more cute and fluffy than they were in the manga. It’s kinda funny at this point how much they’re leaning into the Kyo/Tohru ship-tease, lol. I feel like Kyo’s screen-time in this episode was 90% just him blushing and making a >n< face and honestly I am living for it.

I have a feeling that a lot of anime-only people might not even realize that this is actually the first part of a two-episode arc, rather than a self-contained episode like basically all of the ones before it, since it was still so cohesive and satisfying on it’s own. So I wonder how surprised they might be when they find out that the next episode is a direct continuation of this one.

Anyway this was a great episode and I’m even more excited than ever to see the anime get even deeper into ‘new’ material.

[atopearth]

Collar X Malice: Unlimited Part 1 - Enomoto Mineo Route

Okay, so I thought Collar X Malice Unlimited was a fandisc sequel but it seems more like an alternate world/possibility or kinda both I guess lol. Not sure if I really care for the new character called Tachibana, but anyway I'm doing Enomoto's route first and I'm so happy already~ I love how quickly and easily he deflected every attempt of Tachibana's to like touch or do anything to Ichika, like geez this guy lol. Anyway Mineo after story!! So I guess it is a sequel hahaha, I guess they just kinda changed a bit of things to fit some other stuff? Anyway, Mineo without his eyepatch is something I'll need to get used to hahaha. Lmaooo when he said that his ikemen powers will go up now after unlocking the seal on his right eye😂😂😂 Aww I love how Ichika told him that him with and without the eyepatch both had their own appeals, and then I died when he called her a heart thief for saying something sweet like that🤣🤣

HAHAHA when Mineo tried to convince Ichika that he needs to live near her just in case she needs help with anything, and his example was if Kazuki wasn't home and she needed to open a jar of jam😂😂😂😂 Mineo is so hilarious, he'll always be the death of me🥲🥲 Okay, Super Mineoman is the hero I never knew I needed, he's so adorable🤣🤣 I loveee how Soma Saito voices Mineo, like omggg LOL when he said her love is priceless and said priceless in English😂

I find it so cute and sweet how at home Mineo is with everyone in his team. Lmaoo when they ate his lunchbox because he kept bragging about how Ichika lovingly made it all for him🤣 Awww I love how Ichika fed him! Lmao when he kept talking about indirect kisses and she had to tell him to shut up and just eat the hamburger steak🤣 I loveee how Kazuki asks about how Ichika is doing now, especially considering the new "Adonis" crime. What I love the most though is that Kazuki and Mineo are friendly enough to cook together for the exhausted Ichika! Honestly, if I had to take all those phone calls at SCRPO, I think I would either want to die or kill someone loll. Mineo remembering how Ichika cooking him food when he was down making him cheer up, and then now doing the same for her was so cute. Seeing him so lovingly prepare the food was just so sweet~ And omggg, I love how caring Mineo is towards Kazuki as well. It was one of the things that made me love Mineo more than all the other guys, since I feel like they put in a lot of effort to show how much Mineo cares about Kazuki as well, and how much he embraces their family. I love how honest Kazuki was about thanking him for supporting him when he found out about Akito. Anyway, Mineo and Kazuki made a full course meal in the morning?! Danggg, I'm impressed too, they even made pudding. I was so happy when Mineo flicked Ichika's forehead and told her to not bottle up her feelings inside all the time and to tell him like she is now. She always doesn't want to burden others and that's definitely a bad habit! Okay, I was still laughing at how Mineo was saying he should turn himself in for making her forehead red from the flick, and then he kissed her forehead to make the pain go away!! I nearly died, that was so cute. Lmao at Mineo's birthday being called eggplant day because it's Tokugawa Ieyasu's death anniversary and he apparently loved eggplants lol. Ichika brainstorming ideas for Mineo's present was so funny🤣 it would be so funny if she actually gifted him a funky eyepatch though😂

Anyway, it was pretty obvious that this Someya pretended to be attacked by Adonis did it to herself and "blamed Adonis" just so her classmates could finally forgive her for her “crimes” and she could live a normal school life again, but yeah honestly, that was really naive of her, and quite ridiculous but I can sympathise to an extent since bullying is always something really terrible to experience and deal with. However, I still found her little story boring tbh lol. Okay, I usually don't care that much about kiss CGs but dang, the sudden kiss CG after their zoo date was soo hot, I loved it. Oh and lmaooo when Isshiki teased Mineo saying he didn't know who he was without his eyepatch😂😂 it's so true though hahaha. OMG, when Kazuki said Enomoto is the only guy he would call big brother, I nearly died, that's so sweet and cute of Kazuki to tell him that!!! LOL when Mineo started speaking English asking him to repeat it once more, please😂😂 Mineo is such a lovable idiot, it was so cute how Kazuki and Ichika were trying to ask him what present would he like and he kept saying them just being there for him was enough🤣 I can understand his sentiments though hahahah, honestly I feel like I would be as silly as Mineo and not notice these things🤣 On the other hand, it was kinda saddening to hear that Hana's arrest made Isshiki doubt his music and whether it was his music that caused people to misinterpret his songs etc, I'm just glad he was able to overcome that and believe and hope that his songs can one day properly reach Hana though.

Awww, Ichika finally stayed over at Mineo's place but he ended up having to go to work😭 It was so cute how he was practically trying to propose to her with the Miso soup line hahahah. Omgg, the flashback to Mineo telling Mochida and Satake his and Ichika's love story to properly report to his superiors that they're dating was hilarious😂😂 So awkward for Ichika lmaoo, definitely a funny and embarrassing but good memory though loll. Mineo being so earnest about these things really makes you hope that there are people as honest and endearing as him in this world. Considering how undecided Ichika was towards Mineo's birthday present, it's amazing how thoughtfully she prepared that roll cake birthday cake with his favourite pudding as the filling! It sounds so good😭 Anyway, for a moment I really thought they would just hold hands to sleep but omgg, their first time was so cute, and I love how embarrassed they were towards each other in the morning. They're so innocent it's adorable. Lollll I can totally understand Ichika running away in embarrassment and getting mad at Mineo for blurting stuff out to make Sakuragawa realise what they did last night lmao. I'm surprised they survived not talking to each other for so long, like even if they're busy, they could at least communicate through messages! Anyway, I loved how the ending ended with Mineo asking Ichika to be his partner for life in public this time haha, the partner thing was one of my favourite scenes so seeing him do it again was sweet. It made me so happy and giddy for them hahaha. It's also nice how they met each other's families, it's kinda sad that Ichika's parents still don't seem to care for her apparently, but I'm glad Mineo's family is as wholesome as he is and as accommodating and bright. No one could be sad with their family around hahaha. I kinda like how they handled Ogata in the normal ending, it's nice to know that Mineo's sincerity really got through to him.

Overall, I really enjoyed Mineo's route~ It was honestly pretty short but that's okay because Mineo still makes me laugh so much, he's so funny that it brightens up my mood every time I watch him and his antics lol. I also really enjoyed seeing Ichika and Mineo be this silly happy couple that is really sweet too. But I think the biggest highlight for me is seeing how much of an effect Mineo had on Kazuki and just Kazuki and Ichika's relationship in general. I always loved how Mineo helped Ichika communicate with Kazuki better, so I just love how Kazuki treats Mineo like family now, and it doesn't feel awkward at all with how they all are. Seeing Kazuki appreciate Mineo for the guy he is made me really happy for them haha. Definitely an enjoyable after story and Mineo definitely has the same happy vibe and sincerity as his original route, and the ending was so cute~

[ae0nx]

FRUITS BASKET ‘19 EPISODE 23 VS FRUITS BASKET ‘01 EPISODE 19

Ok! We’re finally here! We’re at the beginning of the storm! I’m so nervous... I didn’t know how to do these comparisons especially the storyline in the 2001 version not syncing up completely with the 2019 version. But I’m just gonna try and puzzle piece my way through it, ‘kay? :)

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

Also, just some notes that I wanna state about the 2001 version so I don’t keep repeating myself for the next 2-3 weeks:

- I love love love the opening. It breaks my heart and heals it every time I hear it and the images of the characters by doorways/windows/alleyways looking outward and always to the side of the frame is a great artistic choice and metaphor. Also, the lyrics are just simply... everything. ‘Let’s stay together always...’

- Some of the colour choices in clothing (or even the hair) that the characters have are... interesting. I definitely find myself appreciating the newer version as you can tell they put more thought into it, even if I do think the power ranger assigned colours are kinda silly. But really? Kyo wearing pastels?! No way. ...But I kinda love it anyway. Outfit Appreciation: 2.5 stars.

- I adore the music box sounding background music. It really adds a lot of whimsy to the show and kinda reminds me that Fruits Basket in a lot of its elements takes inspiration from fairy tales. 

- The English dub voices obviously sound different and in comparison to the 2019 version, you can really tell how much they’ve all matured as VAs. ESPECIALLY Laura Bailey and Jerry Jewell.

- I also adore how ridiculous and mostly comedic the 2001 version is. Which makes the later turn in the anime so much more heartbreaking and tough to watch as it comes as such a shock compared to the tone of the rest of the anime. Unbalanced? Maybe so. But on a shallow kind of level without thinking too hard, I can enjoy it.

- I love 2001!Shigure. Again, it’s a shallow choice and I don’t deny he’s a lot more interesting and fleshed out in the manga/2019!anime. I just like 20-something year old, new-father-to-two-teens-but-he’s-not-like-a-FATHER-he’s-a-’cool-older-brother’ who likes to laze around the house in his kimono and ISN’T MENTALLY TRAUMATISING THEM. Well, without meaning to anyway... AND LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS.

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

Right! Let’s get into it! 

This is me knowing the future trauma I’m going to have to go through with this anime.

But in all seriousness, the 2019 version really captured Tohru’s depression a lot better. Especially with the later scene where she breaks down in front of Kyo in the bedroom. A+ crying from Laura Bailey, I really felt it this time. As I said, the 2001 version seemed like it didn’t wanna deep dive too much so I’m glad we get a deeper in look to the complexities of Tohru this time.

It might be a translation ‘nothing’, but I find it interesting that Kyo felt like he jinxed her. Especially linked with his comments to Kagura later about how he feels ‘no one should want to hang around him’. I mean we’ll get into the reasoning for this most likely in the next two episodes but you can probably guess why... Poor kitty.

(Also side note: Do you think that’s why - out of everyone that has been bullied in this anime - Kyo seemed the least affected by school bullies? Is it cos of his experience within the Sohma family and his curse, that he almost expects that everyone he meets would treat him like that? It’s interesting because Hana had the same thought process towards her own bullying but she never fought back... But Kyo did. I might just conclude this thought as it just being in his nature to fight back, but we’ll see...)

Also, 2001 giving us Kyo freaking out in cat form about Tohru’s fever was pretty funny. Man, they really did do an overkill with the transformations back then...

2001 really was not good at showing the gradual progress of Kyo controlling his anger around Tohru as much as the 2019 version. Yes, in the 2019 ep, Kyo was still annoyed that Tohru wouldn’t just relax and concentrate on getting better but my God, Kyo is sooooo shout-y and yell-y in this version! And I don’t wike it lol.

However I shouldn’t shit on the moment too much. I do think 2001 wanted to show us that Kyo saw how receptive Tohru was to Shigure being calmer and nicer and it kind of influenced him to take more of a gentle approach to Tohru later. Kyo being influenced by Shigure is... questionable... but whatever, it’s got good intentions! (I still like the 2019 version better)

Momiji with the oversized work outfit! He’s so adorable I could cry.

- I’m kinda bummed that the 2019 version didn’t include the ‘Kyo stealing leeks from Yuki’s garden’ moment. It’s a hilarious moment (especially with Yuki’s reaction) and it is just PEAK ‘it’s not stealing if you’re taking it from family’ energy that I adoreeee and stand by lol

Really, 2001!Kyo... are you five years old?

‘ 🎵And at most... I’m sleeping all these demons away...’

‘ 🎵But your ghost... the ghost of you it keeps me awake’

Kyo seeing ghosts of Tohru is both unintentionally funny and dramatic in both versions to me, I’m sorry. I’m really just a child.

Where do I start? Kyo being ever so dramatic with the goggles and the face mask... Shigure with the all-knowing troll look. 2001 really gave us some gems and I think we all tend to forget that.

Plus...

I. LOVE. THIS. BROTHER. DYNAMIC. (I know it isn’t accurate don’t ruin the fanfic going on in my head)

- Tohru being depressed that she wasted Yuki’s time and didn’t fulfill her mother’s wishes makes me wish she was more so just concerned about herself and how she’s gonna pass for herself? But it is very much in her character to do so, so I guess I’ll let it slide. And I guess Kyo said what I said in well... his own unique way of giving advice.

- But when it came to the actual soup porridge scene, I lean more towards the 2019 version. There’s so much said in Kyo’s body language and Tohru’s own inner thoughts. She’s really falling in love with him and she doesn’t even know it!!! 

THAT PEEK FROM HIS ELBOW?! COME ON!!! STOP IT. MY HEART. these dumb fuckin kids...

I loveee the 2019 porridge moment so much more, but this moment right here just ELEVATED the whole moment. It says so muchhhh without saying much at alllll and ohhhh this poor boyyyy...!!!!! It really took a fluffy moment and just stabbed me in the heart and I guess I respect you for that? Thanks...?

I’m so glad the 2019 version is feeding us in stupid made up songs. *chef’s kiss* haha

- I’m really glad that Kisa calls Hatori ‘uncle’ in 2019 and not ‘grandpa’ like she did in 2001. Cos as someone in their mid-twenties that shit was straight up offensive lol

The Momiji and Kyo moments are always so heartwarming in this version. My faves. <3

- Also I dunno why but I really liked Hatori, The Doctor Who Smokes in the 2001 anime. It didn’t make sense but quite honestly if anyone in this anime chose to smoke to let off some steam, it should be him. (Not an advocate for smoking)

---- Right! No more 2001 comparisons cos the episode that is equivalent to this part of the episode is also riddled spoilers for the next 2019 episode so... just normal review from here. ---

Why is it that Yuki’s insults against Kyo always hurt so much more?! They are both terrible to each other but for some reason, I always feel it more when Yuki verbally backhands Kyo. Maybe it’s the way Eric Vale practically venomously spits out these words or maybe it’s cos Yuki kinda has more privilege than Kyo so it feels like he’s kicking a literal homeless cat.

- Also, my poor boy! Definitely felt myself sympathising a lot more this time around to how weak he was feeling.

Lol I felt that exasperated breath. At least this time, Kyo doesn’t call Tohru’s umbrella ‘a sissy girly pink umbrella’. A minor improvement? (So, I might of watched a bit of the 2001 version of episode 24...)

...Need I say anything? <3

- HEADLINE: Shigure ships Yuki/Tohru and Kyo/Kagura? What is he up to...

- Kyo shouting at Kagura in the middle of the supermarket was a shitty move but Kagura mooshing his head in response was great... what a terrible but very entertaining couple lol

- Kagura’s ‘If I told you, you’d cry...’ is giving me all the heart pain. How many times can I say that I’m not ready...

I’ve seen people in the tag compare this moment to his porridge moment with Tohru and while I agree, it does seem like Kyo just naturally wanted to help Tohru compared to Kyo feeling obligated to hold hands with Kagura. But errrrm.... I just think Kyo is a good kid haha. And while I do think he CLEARLY holds Tohru in a very treasured and locked away place in his heart, he just doesn’t like it when girls cry around him and will do anything to stop it. I also think he does care about Kagura, and that he’s more so annoyed that Kagura doesn’t seem to get that he won’t love her in the way she loves him (and well... her being a tsundere lol). But I could be wrong! I’m a walking manga amnesiac as always...

*HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING*

Talk about FINALLY. They really named the episode that and made us wait until the LAST SECOND OF THE EPISODE TO GIVE US THE WORDS: ‘You look well...’

What a tease.

And we’re not even gonna get into the preview for the next episode and how three words made me tear up minutes before I had to go to a party on Friday night.

Wow. This might be the longest review so far. I don’t doubt that next week’s will be longer lol. The reason why I wanted to do the 2001 comparisons will probably make more sense next week and I will also say my thoughts on the 2001 version of the events with the umbrella and Kagura and Kyo’s date next week before I go into the review.

Jeez, this took two hours to write. WHY DO I DO THIS?!

[teababe27]

Notes From the 2019 Myanimelist.net Challenges - Part 1: Anime

Health problems have laid me up a little, but now I’m finally posting this.

As you can tell by the title, this is a post in the vein of last year’s notes about the Myanimelist.net Anime Watching and Manga Reading Challenges. While I didn’t complete everything by the deadline, I had some fun with it and saw/read some good things, some okay things, some things I’ve been meaning to watch anyway, and some things I probably wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for this challenge.

This post will deal with the anime side. Part 2, dealing with the manga side, will come soon.

I will mention some notables/honorable mentions and then some of my favorite things I watched for this challenge.

Let’s do this.

Honorable Mentions/Other Notables: Millennium Actress - completed for the task “Watch an award-winning anime”

Two filmmakers interview Chiyoko, a retired, reclusive actress from long ago. She brings the two filmmakers through her memories.

As far as I’m concerned, anything Satoshi Kon does is great. A movie with an interesting concept and an interesting art style. I teared up a little at the end, ngl.

RIP Satoshi Kon.

My Neighbor Totoro - completed for the task “Watch an original anime”

Two little girls move to a house in the countryside with their father. While at the house, they discover forest spirits and go on adventures with them.

As expected from Studio Ghibli, the art is gorgeous. The story was fun. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t seen this until now.

While not my favorite Miyazaki movie, this was still beautiful and also fucking adorable.

It was also pretty cool to hear the Fanning sisters in early roles.

Problem Children Are Coming From Another World, Aren’t They? - completed for the task “Watch an anime in which your favorite character’s voice actor participated”

Three kids, each with a different special ability, are whisked away to a world called Little Garden. They are called upon by Kurousagi (Black Rabbit in the English dub) to win “Gift Games” and help the community regain its former glory and resources after a demon took them away.

I’d put this under the group of “Things i probably wouldn’t have watched if not for this challenge”.

I’m not normally into isekai anime (I feel it’s been way overdone lately), but I had fun with this. I honestly didn’t like a couple of the characters at first, but then I realized it was kinda the point. They did get better, though.

Automatic props for having Josh Grelle in there voicing one of the titular problem children.

I had fun with this one overall.

Aoi Bungaku Series - completed for the task “Watch an anime with more than 16 minutes in total and tagged as Mystery, Psychological, and/or Thriller”

An anthology adapting several classic Japanese books and stories.

This anime was different than a lot of what I have watched before. Bleak as hell a lot of the time (especially in the first story), but I found this anime interesting. I might try and read the books that these stories were based on.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor - completed for the task “Watch an anime suggested by Myanimelist or Anime+”

Justy Ueki Tylor is a bit of a lazy bum. He signs up to join the space military because he wants to live a relatively easy life and get a good pension when he retires. Through sheer charisma and dumb luck, he helps diffuse a hostage situation, leading him to be promoted to Captain of a ship with a bad reputation. An evil space empire and higher-ups looking to get rid of Tylor are also involved.

I found this show funny, but I also feel like this is one you need to be in the mood for. That being said, this was a fun watch.

A lot of zany hijinks and watching Tylor get by through sheer luck and charisma. Gave me some mixed feelings at times.

I have a weakness for things that came out in the 90s, as I grew up with that animation style and shows from that time period. As such, it was very cool to hear voice actors from my childhood, like Rachel Lillis and Lisa Ortiz, in this anime. (I was internally going “OMG it’s Misty!!” every time Yuriko talked.)

Favorites from the Challenge:

Hanayamata - completed for the task “Watch an anime that began airing between 2010 and 2015″

An ordinary student, Naru, wants nothing more than to be pretty and dazzling like in her fairy tale books. One day, she meets a mysterious girl, Hana, who dances with her one night. Hana turns out to be an American transfer student who ends up transferring into Naru’s class. Hana then introduces Naru to Yosakoi dancing and forms the Yosakoi club.

I thought this was a cute and fun slice-of-life anime. Premise can be a bit iffy if you really think about it, but I had fun with this show. I love how everyone slowly opened up with each other and was able to make their club work.

Also, I couldn’t help but have this thought: I feel like the first couple episodes had so much lesbian subtext that I had to check if this anime was made by KyoAni (it wasn’t, it’s made by Madhouse).

Tatami Galaxy - completed for the task “Watch a Noitamina anime”

A third-year college student runs into a mysterious guy at a ramen shop. The student reflects on his past 2 years at college, mostly spent with his friend Ozu trying to break up happy couples. The student wonders if he’s wasted his life and resolves to do better. Then a time loop starts happening and more chances arrive.

*clasps hands like Gendo Ikari*

We meet again, Masaki Yuasa.

No better time than this challenge to work through more of Masaki Yuasa’s filmography, especially after watching the decent Mind Game and the excellent Kaiba for last year’s challenge.

While watching this anime, I felt myself going back and forth on whether or not I really liked this anime. Whether it was overrated or underrated. Whether it was a good idea on what the Endless 8 could have been or something that kept going unnecessarily long because the Student couldn’t see what was in front of his face. Whether it was style over substance.

The answer?

Yes.

I honestly liked it, but I do understand the criticism. I feel like the confusion about my feelings can be a good thing and this anime still had some great points and made me think.

I also thought the art style and soundtrack were great, as usual from Masaki Yuasa.

One Outs - completed for the task “Watch an active staff member’s favorite anime with 10 episodes or more”

A struggling baseball team recruits Tokuchi Towa, a pitcher who is more of a gambler than anything. Kojima, the team’s veteran player, hopes that Tokuchi will lead them to the championship. Corrupt ownership and unethical opponents also add problems.

Tokuchi was a great character. He’s a genius, but also a huge troll. His method is basically trying to psychologically get to the other players and go from there. I liked seeing him work through situations and outsmart people. This was one of the few anime from the challenge where I could watch several episodes in one sitting and not even realize it.

Basically, this was a take on sports anime I didn’t know I needed.

Aggressive Retsuko (aka Aggretsuko) - Season 1 completed for the task “Watch an ONA,” Season 2 completed for the task “Watch an anime with more than 16 minutes in total and a popularity lower than #700″

Retsuko, a red panda, is an average office worker. Unfortunately, she hates her job. She is harassed by her boss and given unreasonable amounts of work. To relieve the stress from her life, she secretly goes to karaoke and sings death metal to scream everything out.

I love this. I love Retsuko. I love the little songs sprinkled in. I love Retsuko’s relationships with several of her office-mates.

I feel like I can relate so hard. Not necessarily with the heavy work load, but just the general stresses of life in your 20s. Being stuck in a job that isn’t the best, and also liking metal.

I had a ton of fun with this show. Season 1 was slightly better than Season 2, but I loved this show all the same.

Girls’ Last Tour - completed for the task “Watch an anime that finished airing with more than 10 episodes and has a synopsis by MAL Rewrite”

In a post-apocalyptic, war-torn landscape, two girls, Chito and Yuri, travel the world for answers, with only their motorbike/tank, their supplies, and each other.

This, by far, wins Best of the Challenge this year.

This anime gave me a mix of emotions that I don’t know if I’ve ever felt before. A strange mix of existential dread and sadness and going “aww” at the slice-of-life adventures the two girls have. It made me laugh, made me cry, and made me think.

Watch this one, please.

[fluffy-marshmallow-heart]

Drake's Diary ch.22 -Things That Go Bump In The Night

The Royal Romance canon from Drake's POV

Drake x MC (Emma)

Words: 3502

Emma confronts the Queen Mother at Madeleine's tea party, Drake takes the group camping

Drake walks into the most extravagant tea party he’s ever seen. This is definitely not where he wants to be. He’s surrounded by pink lace, fancy china teapots and saucers, golden chandeliers, white doilies…the very definition of “not his style.” But he’s not here for himself. He promised Emma he would help her in every way possible, and he didn’t intend to break that promise.

He immediately walked over to the petit fours and started eating. A second later, Kiara was at his side.

“Hello, Drake. Beautiful party, isn’t it? I just love being in Paris.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Oh, hey Kiara…yeah it’s a nice place I guess.”

She smiled seductively at him. “They do call it the city of love. With all the lights, and operas, and scenery, it’s no wonder.”

“Oh, right. You mentioned you gave Savannah French lessons...for months.” Drake said, still a bit annoyed he hadn’t known that.

“Oui, yes. I really enjoyed teaching her. French is my favorite of all the languages that I speak. I’ve always found it to be such a romantic language.”

She trailed her finger along Drake’s muscular arm, lingering near his hand.

What the hell is she doing? Why is she touching me? And why is she looking at me like that? Her touch feels…

“Hey guys”

Drake visibly jumped at the sound of Emma’s voice, jerking his hand away from Kiara.

“Oh, hello, Lady Emma” Kiara said politely.

Drake looked at Emma guiltily. “Hey, Rose”

“Well…Don’t you two look cozy.” Emma was glaring between the two of them, practically shooting daggers from her eyes.

Wow, that’s quite the harsh tone. She’s…jealous. That’s definite jealousy. I’ve thought maybe she’s shown it before but…I’m positive. She’s so jealous…over me.

He felt his heart flutter at the thought of Emma being so possessive over him. That is…incredible.

Kiara blushes “We weren’t…I wasn’t…I’d…better go.” She runs off, and Emma turns her fiery gaze completely on Drake.

“Drake…You know you’re mine, right?”

Unable to stop himself, he grinned from ear to ear.  Yes I am. “Rose…You’re cute when you’re jealous, you know that?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Believe me, if I need to stake my claim on you, I’m not going to by shy about doing it.”

Holy shit, she is so hot right now. In more than one way. Hmm…

“And what would that look like?” He asked.

She sauntered up to him until they were only a breath away from each other. “I’m debating between a very public, very passionate kiss…And shoving Kiara into the petit fours the next time she flirts with you.” She trailed her own finger up his chest and he relished her touch.

Wow. Just wow. She’s getting dangerous right now, people are everywhere, and she doesn’t even care. God, she’s so hot.

Drake cleared his throat. “As much as I’d love to see that, we both know you’ve got nothing to worry about. You’re the only girl for me, Rose…” He trailed off as she broke into a huge smile, her eyes sparkling just for him. He swallowed. Okay. Let’s not carried away. I feel like she’s going to jump me right now, and as much as I’d like that… “Anyway, don’t we have more important things to talk about?”

Her smile turned into a smirk. “Like the fact that you stick out like a sore thumb here?”

“Very funny.”

“Why are you here, anyway? This seems like the kind of event you’d bend over backwards to avoid.”

Seriously? I told her I was in this with her.

He frowned. “Oh. Well. I figured you might need some support today with the…er…mission. Not that I think you need me. But in case you wanted help…I wanted to be here for you.”

“Aw…thanks, Drake.”

He blushed. “So…what’s your plan?” Glancing over, he sees Queen Mother Regina surrounded by noble ladies as she chats with Adelaide.

Emma turned back to him. “We might need some backup. Maybe a diversion to draw most of the nobles away?”

He nodded. “I’ll go find Maxwell.”

“But I thought you and Maxwell…”

“It’s for you. I’m not going to let my personal gripes get in the way.”

She stared at him a moment, biting her lip.

Yes, I want to kiss you right now too.

“…And maybe you can see if Liam is available to help. Meet back here?”

“Roger.” She salutes

Drake goes off to find Maxwell, while taking several deep, calming breaths. He finds Maxwell by the bar.

“Emma needs us, let’s go.”

“Good to see you too, Drake! I’m so happy you’re here! Spending time with all your friends…” Maxwell stopped talking abruptly as Drake grabbed him and dragged him over to where Emma and Liam were standing.

Don’t have time for this.

“I’m here to save the day!” Maxwell announced.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Tone it down, chief.”

“Toning it down!”

“What’s our play here?” Liam asked, ignoring the obvious tension between Maxwell and Drake.

“I need a distraction, so I can talk to Queen Mother Regina away from the crowd of nobles.” Emma told them.

Liam nodded thoughtfully. “So, we must draw a crowd.”

“Dance-off? I’m feeling a dance-off. Drake drop a beat!”

Drake groaned. “Maxwell, we’re at a fancy tea party. Somehow I think that might be too distracting.”

“Right.” Emma agreed. We need something that will get people’s attention, but not something that will stop the party in its tracks. I still need people around, so Regina doesn’t run off or try to kill me or something.”

“I’m not sure we should be putting you in such danger…” Liam began.

Now Emma rolled her eyes. “Well, that might’ve been an exaggeration. What I really mean is…what’s one step down from a dance-off?”

“There is one thing we could do…we haven’t done it since primary school.” Liam looked expectantly at Drake and Maxwell.

Oh god no. That’s not happening. “No.” He said firmly.

“Do you really mean it?” Maxwell asked, surprised.

Emma looked between the three men. “Now I have to know.”

“The three of us were briefly in a singing quartet with Bertrand.” Liam explained.

Her face lit up. “That’s adorable! I can’t think of anything cuter than the four of you singing together as kids!”

“How about the three of us singing together as adults?” Maxwell suggested.

“That’ll be a close second.”

“How about it, then?” Liam asked.

“I’m always in for…pretty much anything, actually.” Maxwell shrugged.

Drake sighed. “Is there no other way? Can’t we light something on fire, or critically wound Maxwell?”

“Remember, we’ve got to do this for Emma.”

Damn it. Does everyone know I’ll do anything for her?

“Oh, fine. Let’s get it over with.” He turns to Emma. “You are not allowed to bring this up ever again.”

“Your request is noted.”

“But not confirmed.” He stated. She shrugged innocently, a mischievous look across her face.

Yep. She’s definitely going to use this against me at some point. Goddamn it, she’s lucky I love her. I literally would not do this for anyone else. Ever.

As Maxwell, Drake, and Liam take the center of the room, she sidles along the edges until she reached the queen.

Liam cleared his throat and addressed the crowd. “Excuse me. If I might have your attention. My friends and I would like to provide a tribute to Cordonia.”

The nobles turn to their King and begin crowding around. Butterflies erupts in Drake’s stomach, he can’t believe he’s about to do this.

Liam nods at Drake and Maxwell as he begins to sing. “Cordonia…”

“Cordonia…” Maxwell joined

Drake frowned. “Cordonia…”

“Land of apples, home of snow…”

“Place where all good things grow…”

“Teach us all we need to know…” This is so stupid.

As the other nobles draw even closer, Adelaide and Regina are hanging back, locked in conversation. He notices that Regina looks mad, but Emma cuts right in. He could help but smirk at her boldness.

 “Cordonia…”

 “My home…”

 “Sweet home…” Everyone breaks into applause as the song comes to an end, then Drake, Liam, and Maxwell approach Emma, who is in the corner. Maxwell waves back at the crowd. “Thank you all, my adoring fans.”

“I’m really glad that’s over.” Drake mumbled

Hana joins the group. “That was a good performance.”

Liam smiles at her. “Thank you, lady Hana. Drake still has some notes in him.”

“And they should stay inside me.”

“Any luck with the Queen Mother, Emma?” Maxwell asked

“I got some information…but I’m not sure what it all adds up to.”

“There’s still the opera tomorrow. You might be able to get more out of her then.” Drake suggested

“I hope so.” She responded warily.

Drake took one look at her defeated face, and knew he had to do something. An idea he’d been toying with popped in his head. Might as well ask.

“Hey, you look like you could use something to take your mind off all this. How about a group camping trip? The leaves are changing, and there’s a spot where we can see all the trees over the valley. Sunset included.”

Emma gasped. “Did you just suggest we do things…with people?”

“I can take it back, if you’d like.” He retorted

“She’s teasing you, Drake.” Liam broke in. “Fortunately, there’s a break in the tour schedule tonight, so I can slip out for the night.”

I know she was teasing Liam. It’s what she does.

Hana looked nervous. “Are we allowed to just leave like that?”

“I only need to notify a few guards, and we’re good to go. Nobody will miss us for a night.” Liam assured

Drake turned to Emma. There’s no way he’s going if she’s not. “How about it, Rose? We can escape for a bit.”

She smiled at him. “I need a reprieve from all this.”

“I think we all do.” Liam agreed

“I hope we see fluffy critters.” Hana said excitedly.

Drake grinned. “Let’s go.”

“Yay, camping!” Maxwell exclaimed.

Drake turned on him, glaring. “Who said you were coming?”

Maxwell paused a moment. “Of course I’m coming…we’re all still friends, right?....Right?”

Still up for debate.

Emma lightly pulled Drake away from him. “Maxwell…We can get along for a whole night of camping. It’ll be a bonding exercise.”

“We’ll stick together like glue!” He said happily

“No.” Drake said sternly

Maxwell nodded vigorously. “Right. Like glue that respects personal boundaries.”

Emma looked at her friends. “Now, let’s hit the road!”

Drake shook his head. “After we pick up some camping gear. Unless you normally carry a tent with you.”

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. With a tent, I could live anywhere. Like inside the limo!”

“I don’t think you need a tent for that Maxwell…” Hana started

“It completes the experience”

Drake sighed, running a hand through his hair “There’ll be no camping in the limo. Now let’s go. We’re losing daylight.”

They all pile into the limo. One shopping trip, a few hours of driving, and a long hike later…they arrive at a cliff overlooking the ocean

“It’s…”

“Wow”

“I can get used to this.”

“Hellooooooooooooo!” Maxwell’s voice echoes down the valley. “Wonderful.”

Drake ignores the group as he stacks up wood for a campfire on the rock. Emma walked over to him. “Gee Drake, you should build the entire campsite for us.” There was a note of sarcasm in her voice.

“I’m working on it.” He muttered. Can’t you see that’s what I’m doing?

“We should help.” Hana announced

Maxwell clapped. “Yeah! Let me start the fire! I’m great with fire. And flammable objects in general.”

Oh god…  “No, no I’ve got it. This needs to be done safely.” Drake chided

Maxwell scoffed “What are you implying?”

“Seriously?” Drake rounded on him

Maxwell smiled nervously. “Nah, I’m just kidding. I know I’d probably just set us all on fire if I tried. But in its own way, wouldn’t that be a form of success?”

“No. That would be a medical disaster.”

Liam clapped Maxwell on his shoulder. “This is how he gets when he goes camping. Best to let him have his way.”

Drake nodded. Finally, someone is talking sense around here. “Exactly. This trip was my idea. It’s my responsibility to make sure you all survive out here.”

Maxwell pouted. “Aw, we’d be fine on our own. I’m very resourceful”

Drake rolled his eyes. “You’d be the first to go.”

“Really? Even before Hana?”

“Hey!” Hana laughed

Tuning them out, Drake positions a few more sticks, then lights the fire. “There. It’s ready.”

Everyone sits around the campfire, and Hana lays out snack for everyone.

“Thank you, Hana.” Liam told her

“The trip was short notice, so I could only pack so much.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? Brie, sandwiches, and…is that hot chocolate?”

“Like I said, I didn’t have much time, so I just threw some things together…”

Emma chuckled. “Is there anything Hana can’t do?”

Hana blushed. “Aw…you’re too kind.”

Maxwell leaned back on his elbows, relaxed. “This is the life. It’s just food, nature, and friends.”

“Sure.” Drake said. Most of you are friends anyway.

Liam pipes in. “I’m certainly happy to be with everyone. It’s liberating.” He gazes at Emma, and Drake feels a pang of guilt.

Emma smiled softly back at Liam, before meeting Drake’s eyes. “I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else”

Drake felt himself blush and turned his head quickly to look out at the valley.

“Finally taking in that view?” Emma asked.

And trying to stop blushing at the way you just looked at me. “Now that the basics are taken care of? Yeah.”

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” She pressed.

You’re beautiful, especially by this fire.

“Yeah. I’m glad we came out here to see it.” He responded.

Hana quickly points to Maxwell. “Maxwell! There’s a thing on your shirt!”

“Nobody move! I can feel it.” He carefully rubs his shirt, picking off a green lizard. “Hey there, little guy. Did you come join us?”

“Is that…a leash?” Hana tilted her head to the side.

It sure is. A pink one. “I have so many questions right now.”

Emma smirked. “It’s a lizard? Nurture it into a mighty dragon.”

Maxwell’s mouth fell open. “I can’t wrap my mind around how awesome that idea is. How would you like to become an unstoppable dragon, little guy? Together, we will rule the world and demand ice cream as tribute.”

“Is it poisonous?” Hana asked hesitantly.

“It doesn’t look like it.” Liam told her.

“It’s a harmless lizard.” Drake confirmed.

Maxwell extends a finger to stroke the lizard. It bites him. “Oww!”

Emma broke out in laughter. “Sure. Harmless.”

Maxwell narrowed his eyes at his new friend. “Yeah, well, let’s see how you like being bitten” He opens his mouth and bares his teeth. The lizard does nothing. He gasped. “My god, he feels no fear. This must be the bravest lizard throughout the land.”

“Or, possibly, you’re not very scary.” Drake joked.

“Hey, I’m a terrifying menace.”

A menace? “You know…you’re not wrong about that”

Maxwell frowned and turned to Emma. “Emma, do you want to pet him?”

“Drake should do it!” She announced.

Maxwell holds out the lizard to Drake.

“Really?” He grimaced.

“Do it!” Emma pleaded.

“You’ll enjoy it” Liam chuckled.

Drake reluctantly takes the lizard and pets it. “There. Is everyone happy now?” The lizard bites him. “Ow!”

Emma laughed even harder. “Very happy.”

Maxwell takes the lizard back and sits him down on the ground. “Go forth and conquer, little guy.” The lizard scurries into the brush

Drake suddenly notices the sun is almost gone. “Alright, we’re almost out of daylight, so we should set up our tents.”

Hana looked over at hers. “What if we’ve never done that before?”

“I’ll come help anyone who needs it.” He reassured.

 “Let’s do it!” Maxwell jumps up and runs over to his, while everyone else followed suit. Drake oversees as everyone attempts to build their tent.

Several minutes later, Maxwell steps back and looks at his masterpiece. “I knew I was an expert at this.” He said confidently.

Oh my fucking god. It’s a disaster. “No, you don’t put that there.”

“Then what’s this supposed to do?”

“That’s your sleeping bag.” Drake gritted out. Unbelievable.

“But isn’t a tent just one big sleeping bag?” Maxwell questioned.

As Drake begins to redo Maxwell’s so-called ‘masterpiece, he notices Liam asking both Hana and Emma if they need help.

Great. Just great. I’m stuck with fucking Maxwell while Liam plays the hero.

“Need any help, Lady Hana?”

“I’ve got this. It’s kind of like a puzzle, isn’t it? I think I can figure it out.”

“How about you, Emma?”

“With the tent? I’ve got it! I’m practically a tent architect.” She proceeds to build her tent in front of Liam, Drake watching her proudly from the corner of his eye. That’s my girl.

As the last of the light fades away, Drake manages to complete Maxwell’s tent. “There. Its done, despite your ‘help’.

“We make a great team” Maxwell agreed.

“I wouldn’t go that far. Alright everyone. Time to settle in. We head back first thing at dawn tomorrow.”

Darkness falls on the camp ground. Lights flicker from inside everyone’s tents as they settle in for the night.

Drake pulls his shirt and pants off, and starts sliding into the sleeping bag when suddenly Emma opens his tent flap and crawls in.

She freezes when sees him. “Oh…I’m glad I didn’t knock.” She told him, teasingly.

Drake, however, was still in shock. “Rose…what’re you doing here?”

“What does it look like? I’m here to seduce you.” She started towards him.

“What?”

“Isn’t this at least a little romantic?” She gestured around his dimly lit tent, then cuddles up with him nuzzling into his neck. His arms immediately wrap around her, and he feels his erection come to attention through his boxers.

Oh. My. God. She’s in my bed.

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “It feels good to be out here, with you.”

She drew lazy circles on his bare chest. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. I wasn’t sure.”

“What do you mean?” He murmured.

“You’ve been pretty bossy with everyone since we got out here.”

“Bossy? I’m just trying to keep everyone safe!” he defended.

“Yeah…by giving everyone tons of orders.” She retorted.

Oh no. I took it too far. “I guess my dad always ran a tight ship when we went camping. Maybe too much of that rubbed off on me. Sorry. I hope I didn’t ruin the trip.”

I so hope I didn’t ruin this for her. All of it…it was all for her, just to get her to relax with me.

She paused before speaking. “To be honest, it’s cute.”

…..What?

“Really?” He asked

She chuckled lightly, her breath warm on his skin. “Yeah, in a very Drake sort of way. It’d adorable that you take it so seriously.”

He was glad it was dark, so she couldn’t see his face turning red as his ego took a boost. “I aim to please. Is there anything I can do to make your camping experience more enjoyable, Ms. Rose?”

“There is one thing…you can kiss me.” She said softly

His breath caught. “Rose…” He raises his thumbs to her lips, tracing them lightly. “You know I want to.”

“Then do it.”

Conflict is warring inside him as he searches her eyes. We’re alone in my tent…sharing a sleeping bag…I’m practically naked…she wants this as much as I do…she chose my tent to sneak in to so…

“Aw, hell.” He leans in and kisses her. One of his hands tangles in her hair. His other hand slides down, pulling her waist closer to him, grinding his cock against her, wanting her to feel how hard he was for her. She moaned quietly, and the sound drove him mad. I can’t wait anymore

He began to pull at her clothes, his heart beating wildly that he was finally going to know what it would feel like to be inside her, to love her the way he wanted…When there’s a noise from outside! Drake’s hands froze in place, her shirt almost off.

“Bear! Bear!”

“Hana, it’s just me! I was looking for a snack!” Maxwell’s voice rang out. The two of them started laughing and Drake sighed.

I should have known it was too good to be true.

He straightened out her clothes.  “Next time we go camping, how about we do it without the rest of them.”

“I’m in.” Emma said immediately.

Drake kisses her one last time, and then they curl up together.

He couldn’t stop smiling. She just made future plans with me. I made future plans. We might actually have a future. I cannot believe this woman takes me as I am and wants just me.

 Feeling blissfully happy, they fall asleep in each other’s arms, while the moonlight shines on the campsite as the night passes.

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