#are putting so much love into this season and it SHOWS

[unabletonotlovesatoru]

i know nanami’s only 27, but i can’t help but think that he’s probably got a lot of “old man” traits that he’s acquired one way or another. maybe life made him that way, maybe he chose to act like he is in his 40s and not late 20s, but either way, having him around would be a very interesting experience to say the least because i’m pretty sure he…

he complains like a seasoned retiree. he’s got that heavy sigh, rubs his temple routine down to an art. the kind of man who mutters, “i’m too old for this,” when he’s only been awake for ten minutes. if you suggest staying out late, he just looks at you like you suggested committing a crime.

he has a very specific way of doing things. nanami doesn’t just go grocery shopping—he has a route. he knows which brands he likes, which cashier is the fastest, and he refuses to go on weekends because “that’s when the amateurs show up.” he folds his laundry a certain way, and god help you if you disrupt his system.

his idea of “treating himself” is so dad-coded. nanami doesn’t do impulse buys—when he does spend money on himself, it’s always something practical. “i finally got those orthopedic insoles” or “this is a quality briefcase; it’ll last a lifetime.” and he probably has one (1) expensive pen that he never lets anyone borrow.

he dresses like he’s ready to scold someone for stepping on his lawn. pressed slacks, polished shoes, dress shirts with the sleeves neatly rolled up. casual wear? good luck catching him in it. even his loungewear is suspiciously put-together—like, who wears an actual button-up pajama set in 2025? nanami kento, that’s who.

he drives like a dad. he never speeds, always uses his turn signal, and complains about “reckless drivers” while driving exactly the speed limit. the kind of man who refuses to start the car until everyone has their seatbelt on.

oh, and dating nanami as someone younger than him would be an experience. he already acts like he’s in his 40s, so the age gap (however small) feels so much bigger because he refuses to let loose. but deep down, he wants to—he just doesn’t know how. so to be in a relationship with him is to get used to stuff like this;

he sighs like he’s raising a teenager. if you stay up too late? heavy sigh. if you forget to bring a jacket? exasperated sigh while taking off his coat to drape over your shoulders. if you tell him about a reckless decision you made? pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs like you just told him you totaled his car. but beneath all that dramatic suffering, there’s genuine care. you might get an “honestly, do you have no sense of self-preservation?” but it’s followed by him adjusting your scarf, making sure your shoelaces are tied, and keeping a steady hand on your back when crossing the street.

he pretends to be annoyed by your energy, but secretly loves it. he acts like your enthusiasm exhausts him, but if you ever stopped being excited around him? he’d miss it desperately. when you drag him to try something new, he’ll complain the whole time (“this is a waste of money”), but afterward, he’ll admit—very quietly—that it wasn’t that bad. he likes how you remind him to enjoy life in ways he never lets himself. he’ll never jump in recklessly, but if you say, “just trust me,” he’ll hesitate… then sigh… then go along with whatever nonsense you’re up to, even if he acts like he’s suffering the entire time.

he acts like a responsible adult, but enables your habits in secret. “you shouldn’t be drinking so much caffeine.” and yet, the next morning, there’s an extra coffee waiting for you. “wasting money on little things adds up.” but somehow, that limited-edition item you wanted just magically appears on your desk. he talks a big game about being responsible, but when it comes to you? he has no self-control.

he takes care of you like an old-fashioned gentleman. he opens doors, walks on the outer side of the sidewalk, and insists on carrying heavy things for you. not because he thinks you can’t—just because he wants to. he likes taking care of you, even if he pretends it’s just out of obligation. if you try to carry something heavy, he just looks at you. doesn’t even say anything. just crosses his arms and waits for you to give up and hand it to him. if you call him a gentleman, he’ll scoff, “that’s just basic decency.” but if you really gush about it, you might catch the tips of his ears turning pink.

he thinks trendy slang is ridiculous. you use modern slang just to see his reaction, and it never fails to make him sigh like he just aged ten years on the spot.

“nanami, be so for real.”

“…so for real what?”

“you should just trust the process.”

“i’d rather not.”

if you ever jokingly call him “king” or “bestie” he’ll give you the look. he pretends he doesn’t care, but if you say something really out of pocket, you might actually get him to break character and let out a very exhausted, “what does that even mean?” (you’re keeping track of all the slang that makes him react the most so you can use it strategically. it’s your favorite game.)

he secretly likes when you cling to him. nanami acts like he’s too mature for overly affectionate behavior, but the first time you loop your arm through his or rest your head against his shoulder in public, he freezes. clears his throat. tries to pretend he doesn’t care—but his hand naturally comes to rest over yours, holding you there like it’s second nature. if you ever hug him from behind or whine “but i missed you,” he won’t admit how fast his heart is beating, but he will sigh and say, “i was gone for twenty minutes.” doesn’t matter. he still lets you cling to him as long as you want.

he plans the most responsible dates, but lets you drag him into chaos. nanami’s idea of a date? a nice dinner, a quiet café, maybe a bookstore. nothing loud, nothing unpredictable. your idea of a date? “let’s go to an arcade.” “let’s take a random train and see where we end up.” “let’s sneak into a rooftop at night.” he knows he should say no. but when you look at him like that? sigh. fine. but if you get into trouble, “i had no part in this.” (he’s definitely bailing you out of trouble five minutes later.)

he absolutely dads you when you get hurt. if you get a tiny scrape? nanami reacts like an overprotective father. “what happened?” “let me see.” “you need to be more careful.” and you’re like, “it’s a paper cut.” but he’s already pulling out a bandaid (which he definitely carries with him, because of course he does). if you ever get seriously hurt? he’s scolding you while carefully patching you up. “you’re too reckless.” “next time, call me.” but his hands are so gentle, and he won’t leave your side until he’s sure you’re okay.

he adores when you fall asleep on him. you knock out on his shoulder? he won’t move. his arm is numb, but he doesn’t dare wake you. if you fall asleep on his lap? his hand naturally comes up to run through your hair. if you curl up in bed and mumble “stay with me,” he’ll sigh, say something about how he has work in the morning… and then stay anyway. and if you ever catch him staring when you wake up? he’ll immediately look away. “you were drooling,” he lies. (he was watching you like you hung the stars.)

he acts like he’s too old for all this, but deep down? nanami loves you more than anything. and if loving you takes years off his life? so be it.

[mv1simp]

Agora Hills ♥️

Max Verstappen x Midsize!Reader

heavily requested part 2 to cuffing szn! Can also be read as stand alone/on its own too 😌😌

kissing, i hope they caught us, whether they like it or not (i wanna show you off, i wanna tie the knot)

Your sweet boyfriend, Max Verstappen, is a lot bigger than you are, and a lot stronger too. You know firsthand - when he uses it time and time again to prove how your curves are the perfect size for him, both in the bedroom and out of it. Your insecurities don't stand a chance against his protectiveness. This tough season, though, you want take control and look after him, and take all of his tension away. You might have underestimated just how strong Max is though...

content includes: 18+ MDNI, smut, size kink, dom!max, reader who tries to be a dom but fails lol, overstimulation kink, brief mention of eating disorder, WC 4k

Filing your patient’s notes back in place, you warmly say your goodbyes to the nurses and make your way to the carpark. You loved your work as a doctor in women's health, truly you did - it was even how you’d met your loving boyfriend, Max, when you’d delivered his sister Victoria’s baby. But it had been a very trying week with numerous complex births and anxious new parents. On top of that, your sweet boyfriend, who’d normally take all your stress away in the evenings by breaking you apart with his strong hands and then putting you back together again, had been away for the past month on back to back race weekends.

So you’re very excited because he’s finally flown back into Monaco today, and you can’t wait to get home and see him. Tossing your Hermés bag - a one year anniversary present from Max - into the passenger seat, you slam on the accelerator and speed to his downtown penthouse that you’d recently moved into. Your dainty heels click against the hardwood floor as you walk down the hallway, curiously looking around the living room and pouting when you don’t spot him lounging on the sofa or back on his sim. Frowning, you think he must not have arrived yet - but then you spot the open French doors on the balcony.

Eagerly walking through them, your suspicions are confirmed when you see your boyfriend comfortable dressed in a hoodie and sweats, intently watching something on his phone and oblivious to the outside world. When he hears your excited Maxie! his thick neck snaps up, focused expression morphing into one of pure adoration as he swiftly stands up from the outdoor chaise and steps towards you. Schatje! he beams, broad arms opening to meet your running figure and easily picking you up to bury him face in your neck. You laugh delightedly, finally reunited with your golden retriever of a boyfriend. Missed you so much, pretty girl, Max murmurs, his deep voice muffled as he presses soft kisses all over your neck and chubby cheeks. Did you finish work early? Sorry, I got distracted, I was going to come pick you up.

You sigh contently, feeling some of stress of the past couple weeks leaving your tense figure just from your boyfriend’s warm and secure embrace. Max supports your full weight when you wrap your soft thighs around his toned waist, your YSL heels slipping off and landing on the ground. Not as much as I missed you, you promise, your small palms running across those ridiculously broad shoulders to gently tug at his soft locks. He draws back just enough to let your plush lips meet his, the pair of you smiling into the sweet kiss. You’re well on your way to a steamy make out when the ringtone of Max’s phone interrupts the mood. You pout as Max reluctantly pulls away, scowling when he sees his boss’s name flash on the screen. When he doesn’t bother answering the call, turning back to you instead, you curiously ask if he was going to get that.

Max firmly tells you absolutely not, I have much more important things I’d rather be doing as he carries you inside. He sets you down gently on the soft bed, moving to cover your much smaller frame underneath him as he grins down at your flushed face, his display of strength never failing to get your heart fluttering. Things like taking good care of my pretty girlfriend like she deserves, hmm?

Distantly, you hear his phone ringing again but it’s once again ignored as he leans down, desire clear in his gorgeous blue eyes. As much as you would rather resume your makeout session (and wow, did it take a lot of self control for you to pause this), you place a hand to his broad chest to gently halt him. He pauses, confused, and you tilt your head and ask if everything was okay, he normally would never miss Horner’s calls?

Max rolls his eyes at the mention of his boss’s name, flopping down next to you with his head propped up against a large palm. He grunts out that Horner had been up his ass for no reason lately, waffling and trying to skirt around the issue when Max had been very clear that the goddamn car was the issue this season.

Your boyfriend’s angled jaw clenches as he says this, his expression turning stormy as his mind wandered someplace else. You’re perplexed, as normally your boyfriend was a bit of a yapper - something you adored about him - and could easily complain to you for hours about anything troubling him. You feel a bit guilty as you may have taken a bit of a backseat this month given how rare a bad outcome was for Max’s races. You’d known that this season hadn’t been as stellar but assumed it would all smooth out - but by the looks of it, it clearly hadn’t, and you knew Max took his racing career extremely seriously and wouldn’t repeatedly avoid calls from Horner without good reason.

You sweetly apologise to Max for being so out of it, a worried expression on your face, especially since he had always been so attentive and caring to your needs. Especially last year when you’d been struggling with an eating disorder when fans had made vicious, jealous comments about your curvy figure once your relationship had gone public.

Max’s gaze softens as he looks down at your guilty brown doe eyes, his hand coming up to brush against yours which was resting on his stubbled cheek. His heart swells at seeing how cute you were trying so hard to make sure he was feeling okay. Oh, schatje, he croons, leaning down to lovingly kiss your adorably scrunched brows. Don’t worry, you always take such good care of me whenever I need it. It’s just the same old cycle of racing drama. Besides, things at the hospital were really hectic this month, right?

You try to protest the change in topic, wanting to bring it back to him, but then he’s sliding his tongue in to explore your mouth and you’re rather distracted, especially when his fingers trail up your fitted skirt. Your ass looks amazing in this, Max groans against your ear, his cheeks lightly dusted in pink despite his bold words, telling you he liked you in it so much he almost didn’t want to take it off. You giggle at that, coyly telling him he didn’t have to and guiding his hand to slide the skirt up over your thick hips, making his cheeks flush from your tempting show. Grinning wickedly, Max shamelessly lets his hungry gaze wander all over your curvy figure before he makes good on his earlier promise to take good care of his pretty girlfriend.

Really, there was no better stress relief than your boyfriend bending you in half, you think satisfactorily that evening when you and Max are out with friends for dinner. He catches your eye as you stretch your neck, your muscles pleasantly relaxed after a month of wound up tension. When he smirks at you over his G&T you flush, knowing he was probably thinking about how he’d had you in several different positions just a couple of hours earlier. Quickly joining the conversation on your right, you hope your friends don’t notice the heat rising to your cheeks everytime Max’s blue eyes meet yours. You two had been dating for over a year now, so you had no idea how he could still make you feel shy and flustered after an hour (or two) in bed.

Still, you hadn’t forgotten about your earlier conversation with your boyfriend, where you’d made it clear you wanted to support him more. Over the next couple of weeks, whenever you’d ask him about it, he’d open up a bit but you still noticed a frustrated edge to his behaviour. You tried to talk to him about it, of course, with a soft hand against his swollen bicep to sweetly murmur that you would always support him and ask how the latest debrief had been, was there anything you could do to help? You offered to cook his favourite dinner, or give him space to spend hours on his sim and practise, or personally go to headquarters right now and give Horner a peace of your mind for stressing out your talented boyfriend-

Max laughed, head tilted back and lips pulled into an adorable smile. You paused your rant to enjoy the sound of his genuine laughter, looking at him fondly as it never failed to make your heart race. But he’d still evade your inquiring questions and countless offers to do more, as your need to do more for Max the way he always supported you grew over the next month. For all his yapping, your boyfriend was very much an action man where it truly mattered.

So you made sure to attend his next race, rescheduling a few work commitments and joining him aboard his private jet to fly out to Singapore. He'd protested initially, of course, telling you that you didn't need to add more stress to your busy workload for his sake, but you'd firmly told him there was no where you'd rather be that weekend than by his side. And you remained steadfastly dedicated throughout the free practice and qualifying, diligently observing the team dynamics and Max's mood in response so you could debrief with him in the evenings, letting him yap about it to his heart's content. You made sure to give him space when he needed it or rub a soothing arm over his thick shoulders when he tensed, knowing how physical touch was your boyfriend's love language.

On race day, you arrived stylishly dressed in a House of CB floral corset dress and dainty heeled sandals that perfectly matched the weather. Smiling from behind your sunglasses at the multiple paparazzi and fan cameras clicking at you, you confidently walked alongside your boyfriend with your small hand in his much larger one. The pair of you made for a rather romantic sight with the large height difference, going viral on many a Pinterest board for your couple aesthetic. Of course, you'd learnt the hard way about how quickly public attention could burn someone badly with the hate comments you'd received about your weight or height from jealous fans when you two first went public. Although they had never stopped occurring, only increasing as you and Max stayed together, you had gotten far better at tuning them out. And it seemed your attentive boyfriend hadn't forgotten about it, either, judging by how his grip tightened around your delicate fingers and he protectively pulls you into his side when more paparrazi join the storm.

You're quick to reassure him, telling him how happy you were to be here, wanting him to focus on his race and knowing how guilty he would sometimes feel when reminded of how much his public career negatively affects those he loved. Besides, baby, you wink at him as he's about to buckle his helmet on in the driver's room, You know I hate to miss a chance to see you all worked up and sweaty in those slutty fireproofs!

Successfully diverted, your boyfriend now groans embarrassedly at your words, rolling his eyes but not being able to hide the cute blush that appears on his cheeks or his affectionate smile. He leans down to press a gentle kiss to your forehead, his chest warming at the sound of your happy giggles at his reaction. He can't resist pressing a kiss to your lips then, instead, making you promise you would stay safely in the garage the whole race. Of course, Maxie, you reassured, knowing he didn't need the worry of you encountering the occasional nasty fan adding to his stress. I'll be right here, I promise.

Once the race starts, you're asking yourself why on earth you weren't attending them more regularly, because the sight of Max expertly navigating the track never failed to make you hot and bothered. The high Singaporean temperatures only added to the heat on your face as you heard your boyfriend's normally gentle tone turn into a confident, demanding voice over the team radio. The race was a great one, with the Dutch Lion aggressively fighting his way to P2, making you clap your hands in excitement as he crossed the finish line.

Afterwards, his garage crew guided you to the podium, where Max's blue eyes sparkled warmly at you in the front row, as you laughed with delight, buzzing exctedly. You knew he had been raised to firmly believe only P1 mattered but since you'd begun dating him, you'd made it clear that he was always a strong champion and racer to you regardless of his position. You greeted him as he descended from the podium, beaming up at him as he took you into his strong arms to give you a passionate kiss, your heels lifting off the ground. Cameras clicked around the loving scene, but for once Max didn't mind, content in the feeling of you wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders to whisper how amazing his performance had been!

Setting you down, he took your smaller frame against his with his muscular arm across your shoulder, guiding you away from the crowd. He relaxes a bit closer to the safety of the garage, now answering some reporter's questions as they eagerly question him. He swears he'd taken his eyes off you for only a minute, but suddenly you're not at his side, and he immediately spins around mid interview to look for you. You're only a few meters away, chatting away to one of the news outlets. The reporter holding the microphone balks nervously when a angry looking, 6 foot blonde Dutch appears behind you, looking the very picture of a guard dog with his suspicious glare to the cameraman.

Noticing your boyfriend's intimidating presence, you welcome him into the conversation, saying you'd just been explaining how proud you were seeing him race, the turn into corner eight and when he'd overtaken the Mercedes with DRS were your favourite moments! The reporter hastily nodded, wiping away nervous beads of sweat as he confirmed Yes, yes, we were just discussing the race highlights, and many of our viewers were also eager to know who had styled your lovely girlfriend today, we had many fans hoping to buy the same outfit...?

Oh, Max says, softening his icy glare. Fine. My girlfriend is very beautiful, after all, I can see why those watching would want to have her style. Which she picks out, herself, by the way, no stylist or anything, he adds almost smugly. You giggle cutely at his overprotective antics, leaning in when he presses a kiss to the top of your head and stays by your side. Pinterest goes crazy that evening with the picture of your boyfriend adoringly gazing down at you, his muscled arm curled around your waist, as he listens to you animatedly explain your outfit to the reporter.

On the flight back home, he'd taken your smaller hand in his again, gently stroking it and avoiding your questioning gaze as he softly murmured that It had been hard, with work recently, and he'd loved having you there as a good luck charm. His cheeks are flushed again as he confesses, almost shyly, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand and looking down at your intertwined fingers instead of at your beaming face. He was grateful you'd come, knowing how hard it was to get out of work and also deal with the media circus. His words sounded dangerously close to guilty territory and you sit up immediately, pressing into him so that he finally looks up at you.

Not at all, Maxie you insisted, firmly telling him that the actual hard part had been trying to keep your hands off him, did he have any idea how insanely hot he'd looked when warming up with his trainer this week and boxing shirtless? I had to remind myself that this was technically your place of work and take a cold shower, you continue, enjoying seeing him erupt into laughter at your own confession. He'd slyly suggested that the race weekend was over and, well, maybe it was time to for you to finally join the the mile high club?

Your boyfriend always seemed to know how to make you flustered and you lose any upper hand you had immediately, gasping from his suggestive words and unable to meet his heated stare. Max! Wh-what if someone sees? you whisper nervously, to which Max laughs and tells you he'll just have to have you have you here on his lap then, where no one would notice. The cabin is already empty, giving you two complete privacy and Max doesn't hesitate to make the most of it. He uses the strong arms you'd been admiring to easily bounce you on his cock, the both of you still half dressed. You're completely powerless in his firm grip, eyes rolling in bliss as his large hands leave bruises over your hips from the intensity. You’re desperately trying to keep quiet and Max smirks at this, giving you another wicked thrust at just the right angle so you let out a squeal. You whine from his mean teasing and have to bite down on his shoulder to muffle your satisfied moans as he makes you cum on his cock, leaving a creamy white ring around the base. Afterwards, as he presses a loving kiss to your head as you fall asleep leaning against his shoulder, you can't help but pout over how little control you seem to have over Max in the bedroom as he uses his strength to control the pace. How were you ever going to make him go mindless and relaxed for once?

Of course, the drama continues with work well after Singapore, even though there was a month's break before the next race. Max's schedule is packed with meetings and discussions and debriefs on how to secure the WDC title again this year, and you make sure to keep an attentive eye on him. But to your frustration, you note Max is withdrawing again, turning down your offers to talk his frustrations through or let you take care of him for once. So after you’d already gifted him the latest e-sim racing game, and cooked his favourite foods for dinner, you naturally offered another one of your boyfriend’s favourite things - you.

When he returned from a late strategy meeting he’d had to fly out for, jaw tense and frustration evident on his face, he immediately felt himself start to unwind when he opened the front door of your shared apartment. The delicious smell of roast chicken and potatoes wafted out to the hallway, and he smiled as he walked towards the corner, knowing you must be in the kitchen from the Doja Cat song blasting that you hummed along too. Kissing and I hope they caught us, whether they like it or not...

Jimmy and Sassy, Max's cats, rubbed their tails along your freshly shaved and moisturised legs as you started cutting up the chicken you’d baked. Giggling at their demanding antics, you turn to kneel down and give them a small piece each, whispering that they had to promise they wouldn’t tell Max. An amused chuckle makes you startle and look up to see your boyfriend watching you, leaning against the counter. The tips of his ears go pink as he takes in your angelic white mini dress, its sweetheart neckline and tight waist with flowy skirt showing off your hourglass figure.

Maxie! You greet him excitedly, making his gaze wander when your tits press up against his firm chest when he bends down to let you kiss his cheek. You smelt so addictive, too, like honey and vanilla that he wanted to bury his face in and never leave. You excitedly show him what you’d made for dinner, stepping back and telling him to go take a shower while you finished up. And after he’d eaten your delicious cooking, groaning and telling you how much he missed it when away, you coyly smile and say you’d forgotten to make dessert but if he didn’t mind you had something sweeter you could give him?

The blush returns to Max’s face now as you lean him to give him a deep kiss before settling in between his thick thighs, spread wide apart. Within a few seconds you've pulled his impressive semi out of his sweats and are teasingly jerking him off, letting his leaking tip press against your chubby cheeks. It's a sight that never fails to drive your boyfriend wild and he groans when you swirl your wicked tongue over his sensitive head, one hand still pumping his shaft as you sweetly bat your wide, doe eyes up at him. He can see the curve of your plump ass on the floor peeking out as your white minidress rises up your soft thighs. You take him into your drooling mouth fully, eagerly deepthroating him and placing sloppy kisses along his length when you pull back to take a breath. Fuck, schat, it’s so fucking good, I’m not gonna last- Max swears above you, deep moans rumbling in his chest from your worship of him tonight, his blushing face thrown back into the sofa with pleasure as he threads his hands into your dark curls to softly tug at them. Pleased with yourself, thinking you'd finally gotten him to let go and relax, to let you take care of him for once, you jerk him off, your pink tongue darting out eagerly to catch his hot cum-

But your boyfriend has other plans, apparently, because suddenly he's leaning down and pulling you into his lap. You gasp at the unexpected movement, your hands automatically going around his broad shoulders. He kisses your protests away, leaving you whining that he should let you finish, you wanted to make him feel good, Maxie-

He cuts you off with a low groan against your lips, whispering you that you'd done such a good job, sweet girl, and now he wanted to eat dessert properly. And you hadn't been able to protest any longer because soon enough he had you sprawled across the soft sofa, moaning his name blissfully as he ate you out to completion. Always taste so damn sweet for me, schat he huskily murmurs against your soaked core, strong hand pressing on your soft tummy to hold you down. His blue eyes are trained on your flushed face as his deep, rumbling voice sends sparks shooting in between your legs. He then sends you into another head pounding orgasm when he sinks inside your inviting walls, whispering that it was never going to stop being the most addicting feeling he'd felt.

Face flushed from his generous praise, you desperately hold onto the cushions behind you as Max fucks you into the sofa. You plead with him to let you ride him, Maxie please, let me take care of you too-

Your boyfriend’s blue eyes darken at your request. Schatje, he croons into your ear, I wasn’t clear enough, hmm? The best fucking feeling in the world is having your tight pussy take my whole cock like this, letting me fuck all the stress away. He accentuates each word with a deep thrust, making you squeal and moan endlessly. So you stay right where you belong, sweetheart. Underneath me, taking all of me like a good girl, okay?

Your eyes widen at his dominating tone, your cunny clenching excitedly around his length at the thought of your normally sweet boyfriend using your body like a ragdoll to release his stress. you nod frantically, babbling that you’ll be so so good Maxie, you promise! Max grins wickedly at your teary expression, giving you a passionate kiss as he fucks you with full strength, not holding back as he drives you into a third dizzying orgasm. He’s not done, though, and your drooling pussy twitches from the overstimulation, making you moan weakly that it was too much, you couldn’t handle another one. Oh, we’re not stopping till I say so, schatje Max murmurs against your throat, making his way down to your bouncing tits and taking a swollen nipple into his hungry mouth. You promised to be a good girl, remember? This time you’re gonna squirt all over my cock.

—————————————————————————

A/N: thank you all sm for all the love and support for cuffing szn, i am absolutely here for the midsize girlies and glad you all enjoyed it so much!! Nothing like big boyfriend Max to get us going 😏 Hope part 2 is also good thank u for waiting so long for it xx lmk what u think!

[lonestardust]

anyone still reacting to the finale??? like the fact that it happened at all?? and now it's over for real??!! i'm wrapping you all in a tight 126 hug. it's been A JOURNEYYYYYYYYY. like i don't wanna be melodramatic but good god does it feel so real and good in our bones to be part of a story that tells us about deep abiding love and soulmates and chosen families and what is it like to give and what is it like to lose and love and fall and get back up again!!! i'll hold that forever

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 6!

and what a week it's been... idk about you all, but i'm very much looking forward to all the 8b spec fic after seeing That One Leak...

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags before reading! some might also contain spoilers for season 8.

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

a graveyard in blue | moonlightmornings/@moonlight-mornings | 12.9k | GA

After a call goes south because of limited resources and an equipment malfunction, Eddie's brave move to rescue a young girl takes a nasty turn. i love how this captures the energy and vibe of a rescue!! genuinely feels straight out of an episode <3

and i'd do it over and over again | playinginthunderstorms/@playinginthunderstorms | 4.4k | E

Buck and Eddie hook up at the end of "Confessions". oh when i tell you i savoured this one... such a wonderful fic that captures buddie's first time so so perfectly!! i love how their dynamic is written here <3

everything in between | simplyylupin | 2.1k | T

They’re quiet for a moment, mulling over the unsaid, and then Buck’s bringing his phone closer to his face, eyes squinting. “Are you naked?” the absolute codependency of these two <3 so good!!

hot ghost problems | ebjameston/@ebjameston | 40.9k | T

The ghost would prefer to go by Buck, if Eddie wouldn’t mind. this was a reread! i was reminded of the magic system here and revisited it - can confirm that magic and ghosts and all that are so very good here, and i love the diaz siblings!!

i'll tell them put me back in it (and i would do it again) | paleredheadinascifi | 4.8k| T

Eddie doesn't know how to make his listening history private. Buck doesn't know what to do with the words in front of his eyes. Chris cannot believe he has to deal with either of them. the sheer brilliance of this concept... such a lovely look at the buckley-diaz dynamics! i was smiling the whole way through <3

it's golden, like daylight | rarakiplin/@hoediaz | 8.7k | T

“Shut up,” fingers dig into his ribs, “I mean, would you want to? Be married again?” such wonderful firefam dynamics!! i read this last week, i think, and already reread it this past week as well. a new favourite for sure <3

lonely little love dog | littleghost/@ghostlandtoo | 24k | M

When the 118 is closed for reconstruction after an earthquake, Buck is a floater for different stations around the city. He tries not to let it get to him. Much. this is such a fascinating look at buck's character!! and i LOVED the mara scene <3

parabola | semperama/@semperama | 4.6k | T

“Hey, uh. By the way.” Buck’s been thinking about this, and he has to say it now, or it’ll explode out of him at a much worse time, in a much worse way. “Make sure you don’t forget to change your will again.” truly no fic captures the angst with a happy ending tag like this. also this fic is how i learned that there's a special ao3 tag for eddie's will, which sounds about right. anyway, point is, this is wonderful!!

the last shred of truth in the lost myth of true love | lemonzestywrites/@lemonzestywrites | 25.7k | E

After the events of 6x13, Buck is worried he's lost his charm in bed. Eddie eagerly offers his services to prove otherwise. a reread of one of my favourite fics <3 there's something about the intersection of smut and feelings realisation and introspection in this fic that just hits so very hard, it's lovely <3

the whale fall principle | fastcardotmp3/@fastcardotmp3 | 95.5k | M

Daniel Buckley lives, but he’s still deciding what that means. Maddie is having a baby, but it isn’t her husband’s. And Evan knows his purpose. Until he doesn’t anymore. okay so definitely heed the creator chose not to use archive warnings tag here (there are specific warnings in the chapter notes) but holy shit, this fic. genuinely the best buckley sibling dynamics i have read, like, maybe ever. such a wonderful eddie and chimney and everyone, and such gorgeous writing!! if this one sounds up your alley, you're in for a treat <3

to ebb and flow | akapeterman/@akapeterman | 5.1k | GA

buck is sick, eddie is worried, and christopher is an angel. they'll be okay. i've really been vibing with sickfics lately, can you tell? this is another lovely lovely fic, such great hurt/comfort/domestic fluff!!

wait for me to come home | written_promises | 1.9k | GA

Eddie comes back home to LA from Texas to find Buck waiting for him… in his bed. Because he’s been living in Eddie’s home. and eddie's bed is exactly where buck should be<3 so soft and sweet and beautiful!!

we return to each other in waves | cozycatwriter/@leon-trans-kennedy | 3.1k | GA

“Yes I do. Of course I do. You saved Chris and looked after him the best you could during a tsunami-and you’re still recovering from an embolism from having your leg crushed on the job. The least I could do is look after you and let you stay the night. Besides, Chris would want you to stay.” post-tsunami fics my beloveds <3 it genuinely makes me so happy to see new ones pop up, and this is truly an excellent one!! i love the bed-sharing especially!

you need a friendly hand (and i need action) | AmZamReads | 13.1k | E

Eddie picks up pottery as a hobby and accidentally blows up on Instagram for "accidentally" posting thirst traps of him throwing on the wheel. Buck stumbles across the account and immediately becomes obsessed with Eddie's hands, and horny shenanigans ensues. this fic makes me wish i could make pottery. i love eddie's pottery friends!! and a lovely buddie dynamic too <3

[rosesbleachblondehair]

Where did the idea that Doctorrose mostly took off with Tenrose come from? There was an obvious tension because Nine and Rose present throughout season 1. Rose flirted with Nine constantly and Nine had a complicated yet palpable yearning going on for Rose. And yes, it was nuanced, but there was an apparent mutual pull towards each other. Rose was 19 years old and putting her life back together after her abusive relationship with Jimmy ripped it apart, while Nine was still emotionally and mentally stuck in the Time War and not ready to jump into a relationship, but they still obviously yearned for one another. I know it can be uncomfortable to acknowledge that Ten is a much older man — significantly older than his major love interest Rose — but I think the discomfort is there deliberately. It’s the reality of a Doctor/companion romance. The Doctor has been a grandfather and the Tenth Doctor left Rose with the Metacrisis Doctor in the same manner that the First Doctor left Susan with David, which highlights the age gap between the Tenth Doctor (the Metacrisis Doctor too) and Rose. And Nine continued onto Ten, which can be seen in how Ten continued what Nine wanted to do: Nine wanted to kill that Dalek before Rose stood in his way during the Dalek episode. Ten continued Nine’s actions from the Dalek episode after he loses Rose: he takes his grief out in revenge upon a villain (Racnoss) that reminds him of the Time War in an underground facility (under the Thames), only this time Rose is not standing in the way anymore. Ten did to the Racnoss exactly what Nine wanted to do to the Dalek, meaning Nine and Ten are the same man and therefore the same older man. And memories are what make up a man so that means that the Metacrisis Doctor having all the memories of the Time Lord Doctor is also in an age gap relationship with Rose. Tentoo knew his name, he angrily told Donna what his name was, and he was mature enough to kill what he discerned to be a problem, he isn’t a newborn.

Between the Doctor’s apparent age and the similarities between Nine and Ten (they even had the same Tardis console), Tenrose is an age gap relationship that naturally continues from Ninerose’s age gap because Nine is Ten, Nine is deliberately Ten, Nine chose to be Ten, and Ten doesn’t regret being Nine at all. Eleven doesn’t either considering when he asked the Tardis for someone he liked, the Tardis showed him Rose, but when he claimed that was giving him guilt, the Tardis instead showed him Martha. Eleven doesn’t feel guilty over Rose, neither did Ten and Nine. Nine knew how young Rose was, he remarked on it during Dalek, but he still yearned for Rose and that unapologetic attitude continued on to Ten and even Eleven. Ten knew that it was an age gap, he was old enough to know, he just loved Rose anyway.

[gallowdancingmuck]

Analyzing W(e)yler Part Four:

(I was going to talk about Tyler’s arc but got super excited about this analysis and found it’s best to explain this in detail to make Tyler’s analysis more concise.)

Y'all its time to talk about the significance of Frankenstein. As soon as Laurel presented the book to Wednesday I knew she was behind it all. What I didn’t realize was how this whole show is an ode to Frankenstein, or I dare even say the creators own fix it fic?

Tyler:

The most obvious correlation is Tyler as Frankenstein’s Monster. The monster is “assembled from old body parts and strange chemicals, animated by a mysterious spark” (Sparknotes) much like Tyler’s hyde is genetic, activated by Laurel’s plant derivatives, and animated by his spark with Wednesday. I am giving credit to Wednesday for animation because I speculate the hyde did not develop his snarkiness and personality with Laurel (she would not nurture him to have any sense of self) but rather developed it after spending time with Wednesday and her quirks. The monster displays humanity and gentility, but due to his appearance, is shown disdain from his creator and is isolated from society. Tyler is a kind boy who displays compassion and friendliness, but due to his mother’s death, father’s neglect, and master’s abuse, he is faced with estrangement from every parental figure in his life. Add to this the knowledge of the hydes stigmatized nature even within the outcast community and he is predisposed to becoming monstrous. While I can’t say for sure, I think next season we will hear more about Tyler’s guilt and anger over what he is and what he has done which is exactly the way the Monster feels throughout the novel, regretful over his own monstrosity.

Wednesday:

Wednesday I believe is an amalgamation of Victor, Walton, and the Monster’s companion. I combine all three because I think in an effort to mend the original storyline, the creators need to “fix” these characters' fatal flaws. While Laurel is the obvious equivalent to Victor, Wednesday shares a lot of Victor’s characteristics (ambitious, obsessive, reckless) and is meant to resolve Victor’s flaws. Victor is so concerned with being successful and assuaging his curiosity he often fails to see the impact he has on other people. Wednesday struggles with this as well because she often equates her life to being all about her (“every day is about me”) that she neglects the fact her life is interconnected with her loved ones. Victor begins the story ignoring his family in pursuit of his goals much like Wednesday is disconnected from her family due to her actions, and continues to miscalculate the repercussions her actions have on her friends (Eugene going to the cave alone, Enid and Tyler getting hurt at the mansion, Thing being stabbed). Like Victor, Wednesday currently has no active empathy towards Tyler’s experience (She makes a few offhand comments but she is not acting with empathy yet) and makes judgements based on only her perspective.

The divergence of Victor and Wednesday comes when Wednesday begins to take accountability for her the risk she puts her loved ones in. Unlike Victor who continually blames the monster and never admits his part in the chaos, Wednesday takes the blame (sometimes too much) and begins to make compromises to protect her loved ones. These compromises come in the form of forming partnerships with Tyler, Enid, Weems etc. Another difference is that while Victor hates and fears the Monster, Wednesday is not horrified or disgusted by Tyler, merely disappointed. A contributing factor to why I think Wednesday is able to do all of this is she has courage and a sense of justice that Victor does not. Victor, despite all his grandiose beliefs still seeks societal validation (this is the main reason he does not tell the Judge about Justine’s innocence), and places himself over any morality.

Wednesday acts as Walton because this story is told through her narration. Walton also is meant to be a more grounded Victor, evidenced by his decision to turn back when his voyage became too dangerous. Theoretically, if Wednesday is only one character she is Walton, because Walton does exemplify Victor, but it is harder to parallel specific events since Frankenstein explores Walton’s perceptions more than actions and because Walton does not have the same personal connection to the Monster as Wednesday has to Tyler.

I say Wednesday is also the monster’s companion because once we remove the emotional conflict between her and Tyler concerning his betrayal, Wednesday and Tyler are the same (refer to part one of my analysis series). While Shelley never had the Companion come to fruition, the Companion was meant to act as a source of comfort and relatability for the Monster, and Wednesday is that for Tyler. She is all the things Tyler is afraid to accept about himself, and she does it in a way that is encouraging to Tyler. The Companion could have calmed the Monster's loneliness and remedied the narrative if she came to life and accepted him, and since the creators are using the show as a conduit to fix this narrative, I firmly believe Wednesday will come to accept Tyler.

Based on Frankenstein and what snippets we've seen of season 2 (I’m geeking over the teaser), this is what I expect moving forward.

If it is not a circumstance that requires Tyler’s help, Wednesday is going to go see him out of revenge (you know she will taunt Tyler). Much like Victor meeting the Monster in the mountains, Wednesday will meet Tyler at Willow Hill. In this meeting I think Tyler will blame the loneliness and manipulation and probably be just as abrasive as Wednesday is towards him. At some point however he will express remorse and even ask Wednesday to not help him escape but perhaps to kill him. Tyler is going to be in such a bad state he will fluctuate between rage and depression. When Laurel is brought up he will lament her the same way the Monster lamented Victor’s death, with relief but loss at a solid connection. Wednesday will strike a deal with Tyler. What this deal is I don’t know, but it will act as Victor’s deal of making a Companion for the Monster. The deal between Wednesday and Tyler will be a more concrete, logical deal, but in working together to make it happen she will become his companion (source of understanding, support) and their relationship will reconcile. This will diverge from Victor turning away from the Monster and rescinding the deal. While this already steers us in the direction of resolution it won’t be that simple.

At the end of the season, after Wednesday has fully forgiven Tyler and their relationship has grown attached again, something will happen that causes Tyler to leave or distance himself from Wednesday. It will either be in a soul searching pursuit or Tyler thinking he is better off alone. Either way it sets up for next season to focus on their reunion, Tyler’s self actualization, and hopefully Tyler’s admission to Nevermore.

A few other parallels I want to include but don’t have the energy to integrate eloquently:

Enid as Henry Clerval

Enid represents Henry Clerval, Victor’s best friend who dies at the hand of the monster. Clerval is the more socially acceptable version of Victor, they share ambition but Clerval is able to express himself in a more socially digestible way. Victor sees Clerval as his equal and closest friend. As we see the show progress we see Wednesday begin to connect with Enid and see her as an equal. Both relationships are meant to show the importance of companionship and allow Wednesday and Victor to find comfort and connection.

Enid did not (and will not) be killed by Tyler, but she did suffer an attack from him. Frankestein used Clerval’s death to traumatize Victor and cement his hatred for the Monster, so I think the fight with Enid will serve as a reason for Wednesday to prolong the bad blood between her and Tyler.

Xavier

Xavier doesn’t represent a specific character but more so his relationship with Wednesday seems reminiscent of Victor and Elizabeth’s. I personally don’t hate Xavier but I do not like his relationship with Wednesday. He seems to project an idea of her rather than seeing her, and when Wednesday fails to match this image, he blows up. It correlates because Victor does not truly see Elizabeth and only relegates her to his possession ( “I[…]looked upon Elizabeth as mine.”). If Xavier’s character remained in the show, I think it would only amount to him blaming the state of his and Wednesday’s relationship on Tyler, just as Victor blamed Elizabeth’s death on the Monster, when in reality it stemmed from his own neglect and lack of consideration.

Eugene as William Frankenstein

Since Puglsey was not at Nevermore, Wednesday adopted Eugene as a surrogate brother, and much like William, Eugene has a cheerful and childlike presence that acts to represent innocence. In the book William is the first victim of the Monster, and is what is symbolic of Victor’s loss of innocence, naivety, and control. Eugene being attacked was the event that turned the mystery of the hyde into a serious and personal pursuit, and just like Willaims death, Eugene’s attack is what “sealed fate” and made it so our protagonist would not stop until the monster was confronted.

Gomez & Morticia as Alphonse Frankenstein

Alphonse is Victor’s loving father, who acts as a contrast between Victor’s fragmented relationship with the Monster. Morticia and Gomez are extremely devoted and affectionate but despite this Wednesday has trouble in her personal relationships. In terms of her and Tyler, it shows how despite having a healthy relationship modeled, Wednesday and Tyler’s relationship will remain complicated until the two reconcile their family dynamics.

Francoise Galpin as Caroline Frankenstein

Caroline and Franocise are two characters that haunt the narrative of the story. Caroline’s death affected Victor and could be cited as the root of his obsession with death and the creation of life (mommy issues). He even so much has calls his mother’s death an “omen” of his “future misery”. Francoise’s mistreatment and death is what triggered the events of Tyler’s unlocking, if she had been accepted and lived, Laurel would not have been able to manipulate Tyler’s love for his mother and Tyler would probably be more empowered instead of confused and isolated. Caroline is also reduced to a maternal figure who died so her child could live (she dies from taking care of her sick child) and I think Francoise will be revealed to have admitted herself to Willowhill and died there or to have killed herself to protect Donovan and Tyler.

Why Fix Frankenstien?

I personally think that Tim Burton is rooting for Frankenstein (and implicitly Wyler) because he is a horror lover! I love consuming media that analyzes horror and interviews the people that make it happen and I’ve noticed that a lot of the people who make horror don’t blame the monster and actually wish for its happy ending. After all, the monster in movies is typically only meant to act as a focal point for the true monsters, people, society, etc. to act against. If we look at Tim Burton’s work, he tends to empathize with the monster (Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Beetlejuice). As for other horror moguls, you can look up interviews by Guillermo del Toro and Stephen King where they reference the Creature from the Black Lagoon and talk about how they wanted the monster to get the girl. This is what inspired the Shape of Water. A quote that I think exemplifies this mindset is “the creature only gets deadly when threatened by man, and is desperately in need of companionship” (David Konow, author of Reel Horror). Horror is a genre that focuses on the underdog overcoming terrifying circumstances. What could be scarier for an outcast than being taken advantage of and thrown away? What could be more vindicating than defeating the naysayers and winning the companionship of a pretty girl? I just feel like Wyler makes the most logical sense for the genre and would be a lot more satisfying because Frankenstein is universally seen as such a tragedy and the genre is all about glory and gore and love and horror and Wyler really exemplifies all of these qualities!

[izzythehutt]

“The ultimate irony is, of course, that in the context of the show itself Miguel is the "son" who feels far more insecure in his relationship with Johnny post season 4. But that's an idea that merits its own post...”

would love to see that post

Well I promised it to you and the show's almost over, so I guess I gotta.

It kind of feels like it shouldn't have to be explained. Robby is Johnny's biological son, while Miguel is his karate protégé. Robby is literally the one who is in the position of "power" as far as being a son is concerned because he...is his son. The burden to be seen as and treated like a son is on Miguel, whose relationship with Johnny started in the context of sports coach/student. For Robby it's just what he is by virtue of Johnny being his biological father, with whom he's had some sort of relationship with since his birth, though Johnny's involvement in Robby's life has obviously been unstable.

The thing that is fundamentally misunderstood by a large swath of the fandom is that Johnny spending time with and growing his relationship with Miguel in the first couple seasons while he spent comparatively less time with/was estranged from Robby...had nothing to do with him "preferring" Miguel. It was because Miguel sought the relationship and in fact pursued it (at times, more than Johnny did!) Robby, meanwhile, actively rejects his father's attempts to make up for past mistakes and be in his life.

That's it. Robby could have moved in with Johnny in S1 if he had wanted to (and his mother didn't convince him that the idea was a scam.) He has trust issues with his dad but still acts out to get his attention. A lot of why he won't give Johnny a chance is because Shannon, who has her own issues with her ex and substance abuse, discourages him from trusting his father. In season 2, Shannon admits to that parental alienation, reassures Robby that his father cares about him and wants him in his life—and at the end of that episode, he does go to Johnny. Johnny immediately prioritizes caring for Robby, buying him school supplies (we see him ignore a call from Miguel to keep talking to Robby in the car.) He rightly does prioritize his son when his son opens up to him and gives him a chance.

Robby's "jealousy" of Miguel vis-e-vis Johnny was, in my opinion, never about believing Johnny loved Miguel more than him, but resenting that Miguel doesn't share his emotional baggage regarding Johnny and is capable of trusting him in a way Robby struggles to do. The few times he accuses Johnny of siding with Miguel over him, it's really just expressing general anger with his father (their encounter in the hardware store—does Robby really think Johnny told Miguel to fight dirty?) or deflecting from his genuine guilt (the soup kitchen where Johnny calls him out on putting Miguel in the hospital.) Once he chooses to have a relationship with his dad, he's very secure in his place as his son. He is the one who lives with his father, while Miguel still lives in the other apartment with his mother and grandmother.

Miguel is very aware of Johnny's past with Robby. Johnny's been emotionally honest with him about his guilt and shame over his failures as a father, the flip side of which is seeing a window into how much Johnny loves Robby and wants to do right by him.

So, the combination of the drunken "I love you, too, Robby" right after the fight where Robby told him that his father is just trying to make himself feel better because he screwed up with his actual son has such a potent effect it gets Miguel to abandon the tournament and get on a bus to Mexico alone to meet his (dangerous criminal) bio dad. Why?

Because Miguel knows there is some truth to what Robby says. Would he and Miguel have forged such an intense student/teacher bond if Robby had been in Johnny's life? No. Johnny was exercising paternal energy on the only receptive person in his life ("That kid... is the only person in the world who hasn't given up on me.) Once Robby is back in the picture, Miguel will no longer have Johnny "all to himself." While this is going on, his mother is also forming a romantic relationship, which puts Miguel on the path to being a stepchild: also something new they have to navigate.

Now, this is more of a subtextual read on S6, but I do think part of what fueled the competitiveness about the captain's fight was how it related to both boys' relationship with Johnny. Miguel wasn't just fighting Robby, he was fighting Johnny's son. He's not used to having to compete with anyone for Johnny's attention regarding martial arts, and Miguel obviously knew that his teacher was fine with him losing the fight, and may, in fact, have actually secretly wanted Robby to beat him. He accuses Johnny of ignoring him during the tournament (implicit: in favor of Robby) and the fact that he starts crying when Johnny tells him he considers Miguel his son, too shows that he felt insecurity about his place in Johnny's heart and life now that Robby is back.

Which is not to say that Robby doesn't have insecurities about his future and his relationship with his dad, too! This isn't to take away from his character journey. But I do think that part of the reason why the show has spent more time on the Miguel/Johnny relationship (screentime, anyway) is because they expect a certain amount of implicit buy-in with Robby/Johnny that doesn't require flashbacks. Obviously Johnny loves his kid! His karate student, on the other hand, you're seeing that relationship develop entirely in the show itself. I also don't think it helps that Robby and Johnny are similarly emotionally reticent so touchy-feely scenes between them feel more out of character which is why (I believe) we see so few of them. They are men of action, not words. Miguel, on the other hand, was raised by his grandmother and mom who literally works in a care giving profession...

[metanarrates]

Do you have any thoughts about Mark's brother's "shitty book" being a bit of a catalyst for the changing behavior in the MDR team?

Is it a common experience for people in Mormonism/cults to find some kind of "outside 'shitty' media" that they enjoy and leads them to start questioning more of the "programming"?

i do have thoughts! unsure if they're unique or revolutionary insights, given that this is stuff that anyone might be able to infer from watching the show, but I can ramble about it a bit

so it is a really, really common cult tactic to disallow, or in lower-control cults, just heavily disapprove of certain types of unapproved material. this is a tactic of thought control - if you only consume things that don't contradict the cult's mindset, you are much less likely to be influenced by something that could lead to you questioning or acting out. (i'll note that mormonism is typically lower control in that regard - you're heavily discouraged and shamed out of consuming things that are impure, but there's no actual banned books list or anything.) cult members often end up with pretty limited worldviews and understanding of the broader world because of this.

because the pool of approved ideas in a cult like this is so very limited, it's not uncommon to have a lifeline out be something that seems very small and mundane to ordinary people. something like a group of non-cult friends, or a weekly class, or even a shitty book might give the cult member the much-needed experiences and insight that they need to realize that something isn't right. sure, ricken's book in severance is objectively full of shitty, self-centered platitudes, and is quite shallow, but to someone like mark s., who has never once heard that his interior experiences matter and that he shouldn't be controlled by his work, it is revolutionary. he needs a little self-centeredness to be able to escape the trap that lumon has put him into, frankly!

i'll also point out that limiting materials/approved experiences isn't just relegated to physically limiting what members can do. there is a heavy propaganda in almost all these cases against unapproved material and unapproved actions, saying that they will make the people who engage in them miserable, unfulfilled, impure, etc. etc. etc. while this particular tactic doesn't seem to work much on mark s., we do have an example of that kind of propaganda working on a severance character, which is of course irving.

irving in many ways is a perfect cult member. throughout much of season 1, he is deeply ideologically committed to lumon. he quotes the handbook like a bible, finds all his meaning and beauty in life through lumon teachings, and strives to be the best worker he can be for the sake of kier's vision. and like any good cult member, he fears what might happen if he contradicts what he's been taught to be. he might become tainted or imperfect if he does things that are banned or has thoughts or behaviors that aren't in line with what lumon approves of.

what he finds to free him of that is not reading material, but a relationship with burt. and though this is a little bit different than the original question, i do find it to be very emotionally similar to what I myself have experienced. if you're told all your life that doing something Wrong will make you miserable, but you discover that it makes you happy or gives you new insight into the world, it's a powerful catalyst to break free! you realize how much has been kept from you by a prison of fear, and you realize how much you've been taught was a lie.

irving has this experience with burt, realizes that what he has been taught makes him miserable, and it sets his attempts for freedom into motion. and this is a full aside now, but as a gay ex-cult member who used to be deeply committed to the cult, it's why i find myself Really resonating with his character. me too guy!!! a powerful experience of love outside of what you've been shown is Right can really do a number on your head for real.

but to answer your question finally - yes, it's common enough. a lot of cult members don't always break free because they have experiences with something Profound. it's often quite mundane but that mundanity shows them that there's more to life than what they know!

[hleas]

has anyone here ever seen the show Kevin Can F**k Himself? I've had this post in my drafts about Johnny being like Kevin so I'll just put it here before the show ends.

basically, in KCFH, whenever Kevin and his friends are on-screen, the show is filmed like a bright multi-cam sitcom with a laugh track. When Allison, his wife, and other characters are away from the Kevin, the show transitions to a regular single-camera drama, which contrasts the hilarity of Kevin's ridiculous antics with Allison's misery and desperation at being trapped in a marriage that forces her into the role of a submissive housewife.

the show basically underlines how the stereotypical husband-wife dynamic in sitcoms comes across as toxic. and it's sometimes incredibly jarring when the show cuts away from a sitcom to a gritty drama because it really puts into perspective how the framing easily masks the abuse. That Kevin can get away with every horrible thing he does as long as it's not framed as him doing something horrible. Everyone in town is aware of Kevin's behaviour, but no one sees it as a problem because it's just Kevin. He's just a funny, silly guy! Maybe he can be a little thick, but he doesn't have malicious intentions.

kevin McRoberts is a man-child but it's funny. He can treat his wife like a maid but it's funny. He can accuse her of having an affair and cost her her job but it's funny. He can drain her savings account but it's funny. He can accidentally give her a black eye but it's funny. He can repeatedly ditch her for his buffoon friends but it's funny. He can remove a stop sign and cause a car accident but it's just funny.

in the same vein... Johnny Lawrence is a man-child but it's funny. He can sic rabid dogs on a bunch of kids but it's funny. He can use Demetri as a human punching bag but it's funny. He can tell his students to jump off a building but it's funny. He can have all of his students get brutally kicked in the balls for practice but it's funny. He can trick his son into crossing the border but it's funny. He can nag his son and his student to beat each other up to let off steam but it's just funny. Sometimes it's even inspiring!

johnny's actions could EASILY be depicted as toxic and abusive. But because it's Johnny, and the audience loves Johnny, we just write off his actions as funny, typical Johnny, maybe a little obnoxious at times. And with the upbeat music, Johnny's one-liners and William Zabka's comedic timing, it's easy!

robby, before season 5, was almost the "Allison" of the show. One of the few characters left who saw who Johnny was outside of his funny guy exterior and hated him for it. But after season 5, it's like he too has been sucked into the sitcom-ness of it all. Even Robby has been won over by Johnny's zany antics, even though basically the whole point of Robby's character was to reveal a different side of Johnny.

anyway I guess I didn't care much at first because the show seemed to be self-aware about it. Like, yeah, they framed Johnny's actions as funny, but they clearly didn't condone those actions.

but Johnny is still like this! He literally has a beer in one hand and his newborn baby in the other, while watching TV with the the rest of his family, including his son whom he'd previously neglected largely due to his alcoholism. And fans are just like "ha! Classic Johnny!" Johnny is just a funny guy to them. Nevermind that this is the stuff straight out of a black comedy.

[vaxildanscyare]

#VAXLETH .ᐟ : COMPAIGN 3 SPOILERS .ᐟ

“ I AM HOME. ”

I know , I know it's not "Will you fall in love with me again" but I did that earlier with animated show + My bestie already did one so I decided to do smth different 🫣

This was one of the most beautiful and happy endings I seen in my entire life. Thank you Matt for giving them happy ending , thank you Marisha and Liam , for putting so much emotions , I feel like I myself teared up a little knowing that Vax'ildan and Keyleth finally are reunited , together. Words cannot describe how much I love Vaxleth as a ship , Vax'ildan and Keyleth as their own individual characters , Vox Machina as the team. Thank you Critical Role and I am waiting with excitement for next seasons of TLOVM and future compaigns 🫶🖤🧡

[marginofthought]

you get me. dean’s obsession with feminizing his brotherwife is such a huge part why the possibility of sexual/romantic wincest exist in the first place but the fandom almost never talks about it

anyway, what are your fav canon moments of dean feminizing sam? ♡

We need to talk about it more! It's such a huge aspect since it both plays into their platonic relationship as well as a sexual one (if you see one, which I do)

Even taking Wincest out of it, Dean canonically feminizing Sam and putting him in the role of a woman is important for their inherent power imbalance.

Which is why I especially love all the subtle and little moments, they intensify the manipulation so much. Dean subtly insinuating that Sam is the feminine one, both to him and to other's.

One of my favourites is the use of "Sammy". The diminutive nature of that nickname (ending in -y) already screams "less authoritative" and "less masculine". It goes so far that people like Gordon and Cole pick up on it, using it to mock/depreciate him, they don't see him on the same level as Dean.

Dean constantly refers to Sam's feminine ways, be it his hobbies, his diet, in reference to other duos...

And it seems to work, we see Sam do their laundry or (try to) take on the emotional labor in their relationship.

Dean leaves him with the distressed victim to bond like a husband would leave his wife in the kitchen before he goes to drink whiskey with the other husbands.

Dean would be so much happier if Sam was his 1950's housewife, that will let him hit her and talk down to her when he get's home, that would still put out for him out of obligation.

Dean doesn't want a boyfriend and he wouldn't get into a sexual relationship with just a guy - it only works because Sam is not a guy to him but his Sammy, which is basically a woman and basically his wife

Back on topic, some of my favourite moments (I wish I had more with proof rn, so it's sadly only these ones):

Dean referring to Sam as the woman multiple times (Mulder/Scully in S2E07 or Bonnie/Clyde S02E12) Sam seems so used to it in the first example, his refusal feels justfor show. The second one shows to me that Dean is perfectly fine with other people assuming Sam is the woman, he even likes it, judging by the smirk

It continues into the later seasons too, Dean asking if Sam wants a divorce in S10E03, making it clear again that Sam is the woman (even better since it is directed at Castiel)

[tribow]

So I watched Natsume Yuujinchou

or "Natsume's Book of Friends" for the English title.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It's a real nice slice of life anime. I'm writing this as of watching season 1 and I'm absolutely going to continue watching this one.

Anyway what's it about? Youkai! Easy way to hook me in immediately. If you involve youkai (or similar folklore creatures) in a story I'm immediately interested. Even so, despite my strong bias on the subject matter, I promise it's done very well.

The titular character, Natsume, is a highschooler born with the ability to see and interact with youkai. Growing up while being able to see supernatural phenomena while everyone else can't was rough for him. (If you don't know what youkai are, think of Natsume's situation like being able to see ghosts.) His parent's weren't even sure how to deal with him and sent him off to their relatives instead of raising the child themselves.

Natsume's character is defined by his isolation, but also by the few people he has met that has shown him real kindness. His current family earnestly cares about him, but he hides the fact that he can see youkai from them, as he does with everyone. He has learned that doing so will lead to isolation, but ironically hiding what he can see isolates him from other people as well.

However, Natsume's ability isn't unique to himself. His grandmother could also see youkai, and she's infamous for creating the "Book of Friends." This book contains the names of tons of youkai, and with that book, you can essentially control any youkai whose name is written in it. For a long time Natsume would have to deal with some youkai targeting him, and this was why. Having now learned that he has his grandmother's book, Natsume resolves to return the names of youkai.

Why?

Well watch the show. I could sit here and summarize it, but that doesn't make for a good review. The story....or at least season one of the story....focuses on that theme: isolation. It's not just Natsume, but many of the youkai he encounters that deal with it in their own ways. As a result, each episode ends on a pretty bittersweet note.

Isolation comes in many forms; loss, rejection, protection, selfishness, resentment, and much more. People, and in this case, youkai experience it in many ways, but instead of wallowing in its own despair, this anime focuses heavily dealing with it positively.

I appreciate this anime's willingness to show very sad situations and the characters involved are pretty mature about it. I can imagine this anime helping actual people deal with their own struggles with isolation.

Now, that's not this anime's only theme. It would be fairly shallow if that's all it had to say. You got some action, comedy, and drama here or there. There's some nice character development going on as well. I really like how the show is written overall.

I wouldn't say its at a "masterpiece" quality since there are definitely some jumps in logic that happens sometimes. It definitely makes some poor excuses to set up certain scenes, but I can't complain too much. These issues only show up for a few episodes.

Speaking of the episodes, they're all self-contained. There's a linear narrative of course, but every episodes concludes itself and does not inform what happens in the next episode. This made it strangely hard to binge for me since there isn't a hook to keep you watching. I loved the show, but each episodes ends on such a satisfying note I want to do something else and come back to it later. Weird.

Anyway, Brain's Base was animating this one! Y'know these guys really take on a wide variety of stuff huh? Natsume is an interesting one since it's both very laid back and has some action. I wouldn't say Brain's Base went particularly crazy here, but you can see the effort put into a lot of shots. The animation looks good, but it's humble. Nothin real fancy going on, but the visual direction does a great job at conveying this story.

I have a feeling this is one of the shows Brain's Base is proud of, and it's successful too! This anime goes on for several more seasons and I'm pretty excited to keep going with it.

What's real crazy is that I've never heard anyone talk about this anime before. This is good! Real good! I highly recommend this to anybody, even if you have never seen anime before. It's rare that I get to say that because there's usually some caveat to an anime that makes it hard to recommend to anybody, but there's nothing to worry about here! It's good, great even.

Maybe it just couldn't reach a large western audience. It is dealing with youkai after all. That's a shame, but hey, it doesn't mean you can't watch it now! Give it a try!

[bikananjarrus]

finally time for the "some of the reasons i love cassian and luthen's first meeting so much" post that got way too long lol. in short, the overarching reason is that it brilliantly sets up some of the themes of season 1, and gives us one of our first real glimpses at the reason why cassian is a spy for the rebellion later on (besides the obvious 'will do what needs to be done, even if it's dirty work' introduction we get from him in rogue one, and again at the beginning of andor).

starting with two really quick exchanges they have:

L: "are we alone?" / C: "i am." L: "is [the starpath unit] here?" / C: "is the money here?"

i love how quickly this shows that they don't trust each other (obviously) but also that cassian isn't letting luthen have the upper hand so easily (little does he know yet just how much luthen already knows about him); but he isn't willing to give more than luthen. this untrusting back and forth continues throughout the scene, with luthen saying maybe cassian is an imperial spy, and cass shooting that right back at him later saying maybe luthen is the spy. it just very quickly establishes that they are like minded people, and there's a reason luthen is seeking cassian out to recruit him.

but moving on to the real meat of their conversation and the exchange that i love SO MUCH. (iirc this was the first clip we got before the show aired, and i remember being immediately compelled by this dialogue, in particular cassian's line "[they can't imagine] that someone like me would get inside their house" but i'll get back to that).

(and since this got a bit longer than expected, i'll put the rest under a cut)

so, after luthen asks (and pays!) cassian to tell him how he stole the starpath unit:

C: "you just walk in like you belong." L: "takes more than that, doesn't it?" C: "what? to steal from the empire? what do you need? a uniform, some dirty hands, and an imperial tool kit. they're so proud of themselves, they don't even care. they're so fat and satisfied, they can't imagine it." L: "can't imagine what?" C: "that someone like me would ever get inside their house. walk their floors, spit in their food, take their gear." L (starting to smile now): "the arrogance is remarkable, isn't it? they don't even think about us." C: "us? i don't know you." L: "fair enough. but i know you. these days will end, cassian andor. the way they laugh. the way they push through a crowd. the sound of that voice telling you to stop, to go, to move. telling you to die. rings in the ear, doesn't it?" ... "but they'll think about it soon enough" ... "soon enough, they'll have something else to listen to."

to break down what i love about this whole exchange. for the first part, with cassian's answer:

i love that cassian says "you just walk in like you belong" so casually, like it's no big deal. it's an early testament in this scene to his skills as a thief and a spy. and--

it's also not the answer that luthen was expecting at all, so already we're seeing something surprise luthen; and as we have been introduced to luthen thus far, he seems very calm cool collected, and mysterious to boot. luthen knows, seemingly, everything about cassian. but asking how cassian managed to steal such a piece of tech, and having cass be almost flippant, as he scoffs that he just walked in. it's not what luthen was expecting, and of course that just intrigues him more. and i think for luthen, who's trying to play 4D chess with the empire, having cassian give him an answer that's so simple is so satisfying. bc so often, i don't think luthen is really considering what the simplest solution would be, bc he's trying to hard to stay ahead.

next, cassian's line, "[they can't imagine] that someone like me would get inside their house" i think is a really underrated line of dialogue. again, it's simple. but it says SO much about cassian, and it's a theme that not only ties into the rest of andor s1, but so much of the rebellion era of star wars as a whole:

cass saying he just walked into their house, that they're "so fat and satisfied, they can't imagine it" and luthen affirming that they're too arrogant to notice: this part of the conversation does an excellent job of introducing the pride and ego of the empire, which is one of those themes that keeps coming back around throughout the season. cassian telling nemik that the empire doesn't care about them (the exact line escapes me atm). cassian telling kino, "nobody's listening!"

this theme is present throughout rebellion era star wars; it loops all the way back around to a new hope - tarkin so sure of the power of the death star, and too arrogant to believe that a couple of measly rebel fighters could take it down, ultimately killing him on that same station. how many times throughout the OT and shows like Rebels do we see characters just acting like they belong and getting into places where the empire doesn't want them to be? where the empire doesn't think they can get to? nemik tells cassian "surprise from above is never as shocking as one from below," which sums it up nicely as well. the empire doesn't think anyone who they deem below them has the strength, the organization, the will to beat them.

(there's also the additional layer of this line being delivered by diego luna, with his mexican accent, talking about a brown man like him walking into the house of the very white, nazi/white supremacy metaphor that is the empire, but that's an additional conversation.)

i'll come back to luthen's last chunk of dialogue. but first, a little more about their interaction later into the ep, namely going back to praising cassian's skills:

i love how cassian, though he doesn't trust luthen, he trusts that luthen has experience; bc he can see that experience with his own eyes. and he immediately starts learning from luthen, and right away starts to put that knowledge into actionable steps. prime example in this ep: luthen's first lesson is to not carry anything on you that you don't control, and he smashes cassian's comm. later in the same episode, one of the first things cassian does is smash syril's comm. it's such a perfect way to show, without an additional conversation between luthen and cass, that cassian heard what luthen was saying, and put it to use.

cassian, as we see him through the eyes of other ferrix citizens, is set up to be this untrustworthy, skips-town-while-owing-you-a-lot-of-money kind of guy. he lives off favors and IOUs, and as bix tells luthen "no one really knows him". but we know how smart cassian is. he's unflinching when holding a blaster. he's incredibly observant, light on his feet, quick-thinking. and in this first scene with luthen, we start to pull that curtain back on the expert spy cassian we know he will become by rogue one. these observation skills, particularly, also continue to come back throughout the season. one particularly good example being when he suggests to taramyn and skeen that they switch marching sides because skeen is left-handed. and then he's able to rattle off everyone's dominant hand when asked.

to close, back to luthen's last bit of dialogue from the above exchange:

i mean, i still get chills when luthen says, "these days will end, cassian andor." because we, the audience, know that's true. we know the empire will be defeated. not much to say other than this is one of those perfect little tidbits of foreshadowing dialogue that i love.

the other line here that i really want to highlight, is the, "the sound of that voice telling you to stop, to go, to move. telling you to die. rings in the ear, doesn't it?" firstly, i love how this ties into the idea of rebellion, of defiance, in general. a specific example from the show, the imperial troops ordering cassian to stop as he moves to attack them after clem's death. it's moments like that - the simple act of not doing as you're told by the authority that wants to keep you down - all those moments compound on one another, and that's how you get the rebellion against the empire. and especially with cassian, that voice "telling [him] to die" that he refuses over and over (until he can no longer run from that fate, of course). but until that moment, he refuses to let the empire tell him what to do.

i also love the combination of "rings in the ear, doesn't it?" + "soon enough, they'll have something else to listen to." in combination with the industrial sounds of ferrix outside. which is then shortly followed by the actual ringing of all the pipes and whatnot from the citizens of ferrix as they alert each other to the arrival of the pre-mor officers. and to continue the domino effect of this scene just building and building, you have maarva's lines paralleling luthen's so perfectly:

"gets to you, doesn't it? that's what a reckoning sounds like. you want it to stop, but it just keeps coming. it's when it stops, that's when you'll really want to start to fret."

the empire (or rather the pre-mor security officers working for the empire) is literally experiencing that "something else to listen to" right now! a reckoning, as maarva so aptly calls it. the sound of defiance and rebellion, of everyday citizens bonded by their shared community coming together. they're flipping luthen's script on its head, putting it into action. the empire has the sounds of ferrix ringing in their ears. the empire doesn't listen (again, "nobody's listening!") but they'll be made to. and it will be the sounds of rebellion that they hear.

which then really all loops back around to the exchange jyn and cassian share in rogue one:

C: "do you think...anybody's listening?" J: "i do. someone's out there."

this whole long post to say: there is so much incredible dialogue, and so many amazing speeches in andor. but i think this first conversation between cassian and luthen sets up so much of what this show and the rebellion era are about. hope is a defiant thing, and cassian's defiance and will to fight are some of his strongest traits.

[darklinaforever]

Even before Charlie, she (Claudia) wasn't calling him (Lestat) "papa" but the lesser "uncle" indicating a lesser connection. Add to that Lestat's intense resistance to even making her, suggests that he is withholding his affection.

Just... what the fuck ? 😂

Claudia calls Lestat uncle it's mainly because of society outside (because Louis and Lestat unsuccessfully try to pass off their relationship as brotherly).

And otherwise... Claudia considered herself as the daughter of Lestat ? She literally tells him at one point that she is no longer his child anymore but his sister companion. That he is not his uncle or her dad now either. And that in the end of her life, Claudia looked at Lestat like a child looks at her father. So, in fact, Claudia considers herself effectively as the Lestat's daughter, all the same as for Louis. Claudia even considers that she was brought back to life by their blood, to both.

And I remind that even though she said Louis was her favorite, that she and Lestat had a lot in common. They even literally have a nickname among themselves (without Louis) for human blood.

Moreover, on several occasions the show shows that Lestat seems to understand and know Claudia better than Louis on certain things (he is the one who notices the dark changes in her, understands that she is a predator, that she does not starve, etc).

Lestat is also the one who teaches Claudia to drive, to be a good predator (because he sees clearly that on this point she has nothing to do with Louis), he doesn't want Claudia to be limited about her nature, he essentially made subtly her sexual education, that they should not mix too much with humans, etc.

The story also spends its time reminding us that Claudia is indeed Lestat's daughter (that she is their daughter to him and Louis, Louis daughter, Lestat daughter, she was even called in the show Claudia de Lioncourt specifically, that they are her parents) and that she resembles him. That they are very similar to each other.

Their connection is maybe less tender than that of Louis and Claudia but no less strong (and certainly not because she calls him uncle).

And uh... wtf ? Lestat's refusal to make Claudia has nothing to do with a lack of affection for her (he don't even know her in that moment), or even a future lack of affection / love for her, but simply because it was forbidden by law and because he knew very well what he was condemning Claudia to if he transformed her ?!

At that moment, it was even Lestat who had more consideration for Claudia than Louis. Lestat thought about Claudia's future, while Louis only thought about himself and what Claudia could bring him and the guilt he felt. Lestat cares, Louis should care but doesn't.

Yes, Lestat didn't want Claudia at first, but he grew to love her anyway over time (and I know season 3 will prove me right about the fact that he loved her).

However, it is clear that he loved Louis the most, but that is something that also applies to Louis. They were both extremely shitty parents.

Lestat and Claudia then began to hate each other because they saw themselves in each other, because they were too similar. Something they can't stand because they partly hate themselves.

And also because Lestat was afraid that Claudia would take Louis from him, which he couldn't stand because of his abandonment issues. Not to mention that big episode when she put their lives extremely in danger with her murders in New Orleans (with was the first big divide on Lestat's side for his relationship with Claudia).

And for Claudia, also because she was stuck in a body too young for her mind (fault of Louis and Lestat equally), that Lestat did not want to create a companion for her (at the same time he is not going to transform someone close to Claudia's physical age a second time obviously, and she herself is aware of the atrocity of her own condition), that he said she was a mistake (which is sadly not technically wrong), that he have a mistress (a post on why Lestat had this affair with Antoinette would be interesting to do elsewhere), and because apart from telling her that vampires from the outside are dangerous (the simple true by the way) and nothing else about them, which annoys her knowing that she absolutely wants to meet them, because she is less and less able to tolerate life in the company of only her parents, which is understandable.

Their relationship became very toxic (something that could perhaps have been mitigated if Lestat had been better at least in simple communication, even with Louis himself). But that didn't stop the love from staying somewhere until the end between them, even with the hate present.

[arcane-ish]

I love Silco, but can we talk about how he's totally a snitch?

I find that very interesting since season 2 drew attention again to Vander's "we don't hand over our own" line.

versus

I'm personally still convinced that when Silco had his meeting with Marcus in episode 2 he told him that Vander's kid were to blame for the Topside job. Which leads directly to the raid on the Last Drop.

Evidence? Silco's meeting scene with Marcus ends like this.

We go directly into the raid and Marcus even references the conversation that he imo had with Silco.

IMO he wanted Vander to get raided and be put in a pickle. Maybe see how Vander would react.

Of course I think Silco thought there was some fight in Vander left and that Vander would find some way to keep his kids from being taken. But if Vander really was as much of a lapdog as Silco claims it would have led to 4 actually rebellious childern being taken to Stilwater just so Silco can have his little test or just so Silco can enjoy making Vander suffer. (again I like to think Silco at this point was already dreaming of things escalating in some way and Vander being forced to do something radical)

It happens again in Act 2. In Act 1 when Vander's daughter was the cause for a Topside bombing he said the line about not handing over one of their own. When Silco's daughter is at fault for a Topside crime, he has zero problems fingering fellow Zaunites, including planting fake evidence. Worked with enforcers to pin the blame on other Zaunites he does not like.

Remember that line from Ekko to Caitlyn about how the enforcers hunt them (presumably the Firelights) like animals?

It just sometimes feels like people forget that Silco talks about doing everything that absolutely includes throwing his own people to the wolves if it makes strategic sense for him. And I think that's why some people think that there's a hypocrisy there, since his big accusation against Vander was that Vander worked with enforcers. When Silco never was above working with enforcers. So his rule is not "never work with enforcers" but "work with enforcers just secretly don't mean it" or you can do acts that are bad for Zaunites and good for the enforcers as long as you look down on the enforcers while doing it"?

(sidenote: there was this one older writer interview where they discussed Sevika on the council versus Ekko. And Christian said a line about Sevika not liking Silco's methods and I remember turning the video off at this point with a big "do you even watch your own show" feeling? Or a "Is this another writers versus animators thing?" Like you have Sevika the person who clearly viscerally enjoys fighting and violence and you really expect me to believe that she had moral qualms about Silco's methods?

But now I wonder if there's a chance he meants something like that (ie shifting the blame for Jinx's crimes on other Zaunites). Sevika is not present for that meeting between Silco and Marcus about the Firelights, so we don't know her opinion on it I think.

For the record, I don't think it would be that weird characterizationwise if there were things Sevika did under Silco that she began to wonder about/didn't like as much in retrospect and that's why in season 2 we see her sort of experimenting with some elements of Vander's approach)

[kedreeva]

Oh, yeah the OG recipe when I found it wanted me to add the onions halfway through cooking the meat and it was like uhhhh absolutely not, those will still have texture and crunch. For your roomie, a good way to tell with onions is put them in, and then watch the color. They start kind of translucent, kind of turn opaque, and then they start to go translucent again as they break down from the heat. THAT is when they're cooked enough that you can add the meat in, imo, just when they START getting translucent again. They'll be fully so by the time the meat finishes.

I actually think next time I will try cooking the noodles a little less, and then adding some cheddar cheese soup to the mix for a cheesier mixture, and MAYBE adding more actual Mushrooms since I LOVE mushrooms and it'll break up the Endless Noodles (it's that, or maybe add a second lb of venison. maybe both... which is so wild because normally i'm a very noodles person, hamburger helper always has WAY too much meat and not enough noodles, I'm always cooking extra noodles for that stuff and this time... too much noodles and not enough other stuff). I'm not sure how the extra soup will affect the Day 1 taste and texture, but the added moisture I'm HOPING makes the following days of eating leftovers a bit less tacky (texture) when the tomato sauce part reheats. I also think I'll wait to add the top layer of cheese until closer to the end, or the actual end even, so it's melted but not crisped. The extra liquid can bake off a little better without it (hopefully).

I don't know what my next up adventure will be. Sark's coming home in a few days, so I will probably be showing him the stuff I learned while he was out, and then I'll have to start combing for more "Use All This Ground Venison" ideas. So far, meatloaf and meatballs seem to be the best pure use for them (though the meatballs...... they needed so much less seasoning....), and this and the tater tot casserole were both stellar, and I wasn't particularly impressed with chili (a HUGE batch of chili only used 1lb of meat??? somehow???) or taco meat (I'm more of a taco beans gal), but I'm definitely open to suggestions for interesting dishes people make with very lean ground beef or actual venison. Just stuff I could look up (or if you want to add recipes, feel free!) for ideas.

Thank you so much for posting the cheeseburger casserole recipe! My roommate, @randomslasher, made it last night and it is INCREDIBLE. I have lunch for the rest of the week--though I quite agree, I could also absolutely sit and eat it all at once. NOM NOM NOM

IT IS SO GOOD RIGHT

Did you make it to the original recipe or do changes? I'm already looking forward to making it again and tweaking it (want it a little cheesier, need to cook the egg noodles a little less before bake, need to bake a little less time, I turned off the timer and forgot to actually take it out....), but the OG was already so good.