#be warned it is not a shipping story but shipping does play a large part of the narrative

[roguephenon]

"When a rogue operative threatens to reveal the Galactic Kids Next Door to the greater populace of Earth, Nigel is sent back down to stop them by any means necessary. But people have changed, and the boy is tangled in a web of love and betrayal as he finds out just who he has been assigned to hunt down."

[nyehilismwriting]

Have you seen the recent comment made by Jelly Fish Field on your itch page for Project Hadea. I just read it, and found their view really interesting and extremely important criticism on how you've decided to write certain reactions. I love your writing a lot, so it was extremely eye opening what they wrote. What i'm getting at is, I would just like to hear your feedback on that specific comment! all love, and I do hope this won't be taken the wrong way!

I've seen it, yeah. and... okay, I've discussed my reasons for not using rape as a content warning before, and I stand by them; I'm not revisiting any discussion on what does and does not constitute rape. the content is warned for, by specifics of what occurs in the text, to give people the chance to make the most informed decision they can about whether to play. that's it.

as for the rest of it... there's things in there that I understand. I get being frustrated that you can't fully explore the extent of the operative's trauma, yet; I get feeling like the rest of the crew don't trust you, or like rohan is a bitch. they don't, and xe is.

the thing that I find disagreeable about a lot of these criticisms (and similar ones) is that I think they betray a fundamental misreading of the text: the operative is a war criminal. they are heavily armed, unstable, and trapped on a ship with civilians. they kill multiple civilians in chapter one; they might well attempt to kill rohan in front of everyone, and later succeed in doing so. they are a confirmed murderer, who by and large refuses to tell the civilians why they are so angry with rohan. this is by design.the focus of this story is very much about coming to terms with your trauma - from long before you meet rohan! you've been medically experimented on, had your personhood denied for a long time, and had any kind of human empathy stamped out of you. part of the point of the game is for me to explore how trauma can be expressed in ways that are deeply unpalatable - the operative is not a "perfect victim" (a phrase I loathe) and their trauma impacts the way they move through the world, drawing out reactions that aren't wholly sympathetic or empathetic, because their actions are often unjustified and cause real harm, or seem that way to those who don't have full context.

this is why joia is important, this is why your relationships with the crew are important. the crew aren't intended to be author voices, they're not the moral compass here or audience stand-ins: they aren't supposed to represent the "correct" approach to dealing with other people's trauma. no character in this situation is intended to be seen as perfect, but as a way to shine light on different facets of the story.

the operative is built a very specific way, for very specific reasons: this is intentional. they are a person who has been deliberately dehumanised, used as a weapon, who volunteered and fought for the right to be a scientific guinea pig for the war crimes company, in order to be of greater use to said company. they have had their bodily autonomy violated so habitually, for their whole career - they have been coercively used as a test subject by their employer - that they can't see it as an abnormal violation. this isn't to say it is justified, or to diminish the traumatic impact rohan has, but... it's not the operative's first rodeo here, even if it's the player's.

they're bad at processing their emotions. the operative Does Not Cry: this is a character choice I have made. this is because they have had that emotional response beaten out of them. the operative isn't capable of taking their own trauma seriously, because they're not equipped to deal with it. they can't look at it head-on.

likewise, nash isn't capable of being a gentle, reassuring, sympathetic person, much as they might want to; a big part of that relationship is the idea that the pair of you have to relearn to how to relate to one another in your new contexts, and that isn't a smooth process. nash also has reasons to be reticent with you that are yet to be explored - this relationship is undergoing development, with both of you as violent people who commit violent acts, and who relate through violence. your relationship is built on your capacity to commit violence together. they are not equipped to deal with violence affecting you in the way it might someone else, because you've both spent the last ten years being conditioned and trained to assault other people. part of the theme of this game is to explore the way these people might experience a uniquely traumatic violent event, and the effect this might have on their own capacity to endure and process violence again themself.

I understand that it might not be the way people want to play their characters, but it's the way the character is written, and I am doing that on purpose. all I'm asking is that you trust me when I say that this is not going to be swept under the rug, even in the least volatile relationship you can have with rohan. if that's not possible for you - if you can't trust me to do this - then you're welcome to stop playing.

[airbender-dacyon]

Benlynn Parallels & Analysis

Alright, so this is by no means an exhaustive list, just what I am able to recall right now, but here's some of the Ben & Brooklynn parallels I noticed from Season 1 of Chaos Theory, as well as a few under the cut that are speculation based on trailers and promos from Season 2 (so spoiler warning for those). And I ended up doing more analysis on this than I intended, whoops.

Apologies for the long post, but I wanted to keep any spoilers under the cut and this ended up being much longer than I planned. I also apologize because it's been a minute since I've been able to watch Camp Cretaceous in its entirety and a bit since I last watched S1 of Chaos Theory so I hope my memory is right on most of this.

Also, this is meant to just be a fun post. It is a ship post, but I also acknowledge that the parallels likely don't mean anything beyond they're friends with shared interests/similar traits (if they even mean that).

Dark Jurassic Nerds

"What about that website I showed you?" "OMG. Dark Jurassic? Yes. Amazing." "Isn't it?"

Ben, in a surprising twist to me, was the one to discover Dark Jurassic. When Camp Cretaceous ended, I wouldn't have guessed he would be the one to become invested in a social media site. I will say that it makes sense that Brooklynn, having grown up as a social media influencer, was staying away from social media more after the Nublar Six returned home and that she didn't come across Dark Jurassic sooner. Regardless, the pair are both heavily invested in the website, though Brooklynn seems to have vetted the theories more than Ben, given her interaction with Yaz:

So it seems like Ben had a habit of sending a lot of stuff he found interesting her way, but only a few things, like the Dino Immersion Therapy, Brooklynn found to be legit.

2. "Okay, at first, I was like, ugh. But this view!"

I still think it is surprising that between Ben's flashback and Kenji's flashback, Brooklynn expresses more excitement over the view of a pretty ordinary skyline from the rooftop of a college dormitory that Ben shows her during her surprise visit than she does the bioluminescent Parasaurolophus at sunset amidst cliffs and a waterfall that her boyfriend of 5+ years had planned as a big romantic gesture.

We don't know the exact date when Brooklynn visited Ben at college, so I fully admit that probably plays a big part in the difference in Brooklynn's reaction. Since this is shortly after Ben introduced Brooklynn to Dark Jurassic and we know that 1) Brooklynn visited Yaz 14 months before the start of Season 1 and 2) Kenji broke up with Brooklynn shortly before (at least a few weeks, I believe) her apparent death roughly 6 months before S1, the Benlynn flashback takes place at least 14 months before S1, probably even earlier than that. Heck, it might be 18-24 months before S1. So, obviously Brooklynn is in a much healthier headspace in Ben's flashback whereas she had become obsessed with uncovering the dinosaur trafficking conspiracy by the time of Kenji's flashback, resulting in her indirectly neglecting her relationship with him.

3. Funny Stories, Personal Questions, & Other Shared Interests?

"Uh, yeah. College is great, but sometimes I gotta get outside just to feel like I can breathe." "Weird how it can be so hard to feel normal, now that everything is so... normal." "See those Pteranodons up there?" "Uh-huh." "One of them grabbed a freshman's backpack and took off with it." "No way." "She had to tell her professor that a dinosaur ate her homework." [Brooklynn laughs] "What?" "That's really funny." "Well, not to her. She failed her assignment." [Brooklynn laughs harder] "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No, I'm sorry, that's really sad." [Snorts] "That's sad." "The point is, I don't know if there's such a thing as normal anymore." "Yeah."

It hadn't been my intention to quote such a large chunk of the flashback, but I do find it interesting how this interaction between these two played out. Ben & Brooklynn had only a handful of scenes - more accurately, a handful of interactions - together in Camp Cretaceous. And so to see these two alone together and enjoying each other's company was refreshing to see. Again, this isn't a 'they shared a moment together, now they're going to end up together' post. The fact that there was a significant flashback that highlighted how Ben & Brooklynn get along, despite not being one of the other's closest friends within the Nublar Six, was a stellar choice. They could have easily done for Ben what they did with Sammy: a very brief, but still impactful memory/vision of Brooklynn.

But in this scene, it's neat that Ben is telling the story to reassure Brooklynn that 1) even though they've been home safe from Nublar for years now, their experiences will never go away and 2) prehistoric wildlife is out in the world, "normal" doesn't really exist and they shouldn't expect it to. Like on Nublar, they have to adapt to the new dynamic. But, intentionally or not, Ben is also telling the story in a very humorous way, which results in Brooklynn's laughter. And whether you see the moment as shippy or just friends, it was pretty adorable to see Ben making Brooklynn laugh.

The scene on the rooftop also begins in a rather interesting way, as Ben's dialogue starts by announcing the rooftop view is his favorite spot on campus, followed by why he goes there/gets outside. So, presumably, Brooklynn had asked him how college was going. And after the Pteranodon story, Ben does something unique to the flashbacks we've seen in Season 1.

He asks Brooklynn how she's been doing.

"Anyway, how's everything with you? Any cool stories you're working on? Wrongs to be righted? Buried truths to be uncovered?" [Laughs] "Trying. It is hard out there for a reformed "social media influencer turned aspiring investigative journalist."

Now again, I fully recognize this is the easiest catalyst in the flashback to introduce Brooklynn's interest/activity in Dark Jurassic. And I also fully recognize that we haven't seen Darius' flashback with Brooklynn yet and Sammy's vision/memory of Brooklynn is too short to really compare to the other three we've seen so far.

However, in Yaz's flashback, we see Brooklynn is the one helping her with the Dino Immersion Therapy and inquiring about how she's doing, why she's there instead of Sammy, etc. And in Kenji's flashback, we see that he's so excited to share the view he's discovered with Brooklynn. And when she is too distracted (presumably by her mission) to acknowledge the beauty of the moment, Kenji breaks up with her and his dialogue suggests this has been happening for a while.

The video recordings of the earlier Kenlynn date and when the Nublar Six returned home at least give us a glimpse into happier times. But with regards to the flashbacks, while Brooklynn is likely there to check up on her friend (unannounced and strangely late in the evening from the looks of it), Ben's flashback is the only one where the focus seems to be on both characters equally rather than Brooklynn acting in a supporting/secondary role in the scene.

A much smaller parallel, likely unintentional, is that Ben and Brooklynn seem to (almost) have matching outfits in the flashback.

Continuing from that, and acknowledging similar outfits is already a stretch, I guess there is a parallel with music? Kinda?

We see in Brooklynn's video call to Darius that she is wearing what looks like a band/album T-shirt and Ben has become quite the fan of rock music. Some of the concept art for Ben's dorm room also showcased several band posters, if I recall correctly.

So, while not a certainty, it seems they could have also developed a connection through similar music tastes, though this is a fair bit of speculation.

4. Boots

Another parallel that's a stretch, but Ben eating food out of a boot seemed really, really odd when it was introduced. Perhaps out of desperation, maybe he accidentally broke his last bowl or ran out of disposable ones? Who knows. An odd choice, especially with the later Ruby Ropes container conversation being weird enough on its own that the food boot seemed excessive.

But then it was shown that Brooklynn also had an unfortunate boot-related habit, though fortunately nowhere near as disgusting. Kenji trips over one of her boots and comments on it, with Darius also having suffered from the problem:

"She was always leaving these in the middle of the floor. It was so annoying. I was so afraid I was gonna-" "Break your neck?" "Did she do that when she was staying with you after we broke up?" [Chuckles] "I swear she did it just to annoy us."

Again, this one's a big stretch, but it felt like a possibility.

5. A specific set of skills

Or, rather, just one skill. I can't remember if any other members of the Nublar Six ever picked any locks throughout the shows, but Ben having a set of dedicated lock picks was an interesting development. All of the N6 have picked up new skills in the time between CC and CT, but Ben's activities - and this skill in particular - seem to mirror a lot of Brooklynn's.

6. Conspiracy Boards

Again, going back to the fact that Brooklynn was more interested in legitimate stories and credible theories, Ben's board is quite a mess while Brooklynn's is more refined. Ben's looking into all the possibilities, no matter how ridiculous they might be, whereas Brooklynn is focused on (presumably) unraveling the dinosaur trafficking conspiracy and anything else nefarious that might be going on in relation to it.

7. Season 1 Bookends (unused)

I don't want to repost the art without permission and I really want to get the post up today, so credit to Brandon Roberts in this concept art post here. It shows Ben on his laptop in his dorm room.

However, I will provide the description Brandon Roberts gave, as well as the confirmation by Scott Kreamer on the post:

This would have been an interesting parallel and way to bookend the season: opening with Ben on Dark Jurassic getting vague messages and closing out with Ronnie sending vague messages to someone on Dark Jurassic and the reveal that it's Brooklynn.

And only time will tell if there is something real between these two. Or it might all be just an illusion.

"There's definitely some pretty out-there stuff on there, but every so often there's something that seems, I don't know..." "Real?" "Real."

And aside from the spoilery speculation below, I think this might be it. There could be other parallels I'd thought of previously, but as of right now, this is all I can remember. If you made it this far, thanks for reading my inane ramblings. I hope you enjoyed!

Also, shoutouts to @p0m0u and @kitabearuwu for being the inspiration for me falling down the Benlynn rabbit hole and continued inspiration since (we'll see if I can get my Benlynn fic done by tomorrow), especially their posts here, here, here, and here. And special thanks to @p0m0u for letting me use the beautiful gifs she made in this post!

Spoilers for Season 2 Trailers & Promo material under the cut!

Starting from what I feel is the weakest parallel to the strongest:

8. Why are you holding that in your mouth?

When I saw the tweezers or tool or whatever fall from Brooklynn's mouth, I swear I'd seen Ben do something like it before in the show. I tried to scour Season 1 of CT to find it, but to no avail. I then remembered where I'd seen something similar, back in Season 4 of CC. Again, leading with the weakest parallel here, but like the boots, I find it interesting and odd that both of them have held things in their mouths - and these are things that probably shouldn't be held in their mouths - only to drop them at some point during the scene. Ben's out of relief that the BRAD is gone, Brooklynn's potentially by whoever is breaking into her location (if the clips immediately before and after are part of the same scene).

9. You're great and I like you, but...

Given that it looks like we'll have a Darius and Brooklynn flashback finally, I have to wonder, will it play out in a similar vein to the Ben & Yaz moment in S4 of CC? We know that Ben mistook Yaz's interest in getting him away from Kenji & Brooklynn so that Kenlynn could develop as romantic interest. What if we see Brooklynn realize Darius' growing affection for her and makes it clear in a similar way?

I'm not saying we'll get a "Darius, look, you're a great guy and I like you. But I just don't like like you." But possibly something similar.

10. What? You've never seen a ghost before?

We'll see if this turns out to be another 'back from the dead' moment or not, but it has that kind of vibe to me. And I have to credit @p0m0u for pointing it out to me originally. Fingers crossed, it seems like a perfect setup for Ben's line to make a comeback!

And I think that's everything for now!

[musicalmoritz]

i’ve been following you for a little while because i’ve been considering getting back into TBHK. it was one of my strongest fixations but i was totally put off by the fandom’s reception of one part of the story until i dropped it entirely.

i thought i’d ask to see if the fandom has changed at all since i was last in it, and you seem really good at analyzing media: what’s your take on the amane/(possessed) tsukasa sa theory? i won’t argue regardless of what your opinion is! i’m just curious to see how the fandom is treating the story now. i miss the series alot ngl

Have I finally made it as a TBHK fan creator now that I’ve gotten an ask abt the SA theory?? Jk jk, that was a terrible joke I’m sorry guys

Before I get into this I wanna say thank you for being so respectful, people tend to have very strong feelings in this theory (for good reason, it’s a serious subject) and that can lead to pitchforks whenever it’s brought up. I’m going to try to discuss this as neutrally as possible but I will warn you that I’m very biased. I love Tsukasa as a character and the Yugi twins as a sibling duo so as much as I try to see both sides, I simply don’t want this theory to be true and that plays a large role in how I perceive it

TW: This is going to contain more mature themes than my usual posts. Talk of incest, abuse, sexual assault, sex, trauma, PTSD, and a very brief mention of lesbian fetishization

Starting off with how the fandom as a whole talks about it, people are very against it nowadays. When the anime first came out it was super popular, but now you can’t even mention it without someone telling you never to bring it up again. I have only posted about it once and it was a joke about Tsukasa and Teru both having allegations made against them (tho the Teru ones are way less common and only made by fans who want them to be true bcuz they hate him or ship him with his brother). So far I’ve strayed away from going in depth with my thoughts on it, writing this feels like I’m swinging a bat at a hornet’s nest. If your problem with the fandom was that they denied this theory, then I would continue to stay away from it. People on here are more open towards it than TikTok tho so if you still want to get back into the fandom, I would recommend staying on Tumblr. Someone made ONE post implying it on TikTok recently and the entire fandom was shitting on them for like a week. Those instances are rare, I like the fandom overall, but it has its toxic moments and areas just like every fandom

Okay now onto the theory itself. I’m not going to pretend I don’t see where it comes from, there are some scenes in the manga that are drawn and worded weirdly. Most notably the scene in the Picture Perfect Arc where Mei wrote “Brother Lover” on Amane’s face made me wonder if they were trying to imply something. I have since learned that other translations don’t have the incest implication, but it’s still odd to me that they allowed that in any version. Still, he just looked kind of annoyed as opposed to getting flustered like he would have if something was going on with him and Tsukasa (the way he gets flustered when his feelings for Nene are brought up). So I viewed that scene more as a dark humor joke from Mei, I don’t think it was meant to imply anything serious between the twins

There is another scene in that arc, however, when Nene sees Tsukasa clinging to Amane and Amane does get flustered. He starts blushing and says “um…we were just…” and doesn’t really finish his sentence. This made me raise an eyebrow, but I also wouldn’t take it as confirmation that there’s anything romantic or sexual between them. It could very much be viewed as Amane being embarrassed. I feel that the strongest evidence for the incest theory comes from this arc, but that’s only if you want to run with the scenes I mentioned. I also find it strange that people never use these scenes as evidence, only panels that are drawn kind of weird. Fans seem to be stuck on a lot of early scenes with this theory which weakens its substance

For the record, I will not be analyzing the scene from the anime intro. That has already been debunked, the shadowy figure wasn’t Tsukasa, it was a representation of Hanako’s guilt. Although I disagree with the theory, I’m trying to be fair to the campaigners by debunking the stronger pieces of evidence

The strongest evidence for this theory comes from the art, which is just as important to the story as the writing. With manga and graphic novels, the art tells half the story. It shouldn’t be overlooked, so I understand how some fans lean into it. Look back at the official art I put at the top of this post, it’s weird. Hanako is leaning over Tsukasa while Tsukasa holds his chin/lips and arm. They’re posed like a couple. We would never see the Minamoto brothers posed like that. In other scenes, we see Tsukasa touching Amane’s face or holding him from behind. They’re very touchy with each other, more-so than the other siblings in the series

I have two reasons for not taking these type of scenes/arts seriously in a romantic sense. One is that Tsukasa is simply an affectionate character, and Hanako is the same way. I think it’s more part of their behavior than being specific to each other. Secondly, if it’s intended to be taken in an incestuous way then I genuinely believe it’s fan service. That’s one part I don’t deny, AidaIro have certainly given us reason to believe the twins are like the Property Brothers. I just don’t believe it has any place in the actual story or their dynamic. Fan service is common in TBHK and sometimes it veers into problematic territory. Just look at the scene where Hanako possesses Nene to assault Aoi, and then Kou gets flustered by it and can’t help. A random lesbian fetish scene that is never brought up again and plays no role in the story other than moving us from A to B. I have also heard that there’s incest in some of the other works they’ve made, so it’s not a reach to assume they’d throw in a little fan service for the Yugi twins. How seriously you want to take those scenes is up to you, personally I will continue to deny it until we’re given undeniable confirmation

Back to the twins just being affectionate, we see them act that way with lots of characters. Tsukasa is clingy to Sakura and Mitsuba too, sometimes very suggestively. That doesn’t mean he’s into them. I will say that Hanako is most notably clingy to Nene, someone he’s in love with, but we see him get close and friendly with the other characters too (he sat on Kou’s side and booped his nose during their first meeting). And Tsukasa is the one who initiates their physical affection 99% of the time, Amane’s been receiving it since early childhood so him copying Tsukasa’s behavior makes sense. Romantic relationships in adulthood are determined by the way we interact with our families as children so him repeating these actions in a romantic context doesn’t indicate anything abnormal. In fact, it’s a very realistic portrayal of how our love languages and attachment styles evolve over time

And keep in mind, they’ve been that way since they were three years old, it’s just the way they interact with other people and each other. Tsukasa is a very childish character too, one who has very little concept of personal space and boundaries. So him being a little too clingy with his brother might not mean anything. Again, you could read into it if you really wanted to, but the way he interacts with Amane is nothing out of the ordinary. It aligns with his usual mannerisms, if it were specific to Amane then he wouldn’t act that way with the other characters (Amane was also clingy with Nene before he fell for her). Think of it this way, you don’t see Akane holding Teru’s hand or confessing his undying love to Nene. Characters are going to act differently in their platonic relationships vs. romantic/sexual, and we don’t see that difference with the Yugi twins

A difference we do see with them, however, is that Tsukasa isn’t physically aggressive with Hanako the way he is with everyone else. He never attacks him or tries to hurt him, in fact every time he sees him he gets overjoyed and tackles him in a hug. He has no problem hurting him emotionally and mentally, but we never see any physical aggression between the two. This leads me to believe that the SA theory is invalid, it doesn’t line up with how Tsukasa treats Hanako currently or in any of the flashbacks. If anything sexual took place between them, it would have had to be consensual, because the more solid evidence backing this theory focuses on Hanako’s side of things. He’s very possessive of Tsukasa, and he doesn’t experience a trauma response when they’re touching normally. If it’s an intense scene and Tsukasa is telling him horrible things while touching him, then he freezes in place and starts crying. But when Tsukasa is just hugging or clinging to him, he only gets embarrassed. Hanako does show some signs of PTSD, but that trauma is rooted in him killing Tsukasa. If the trauma were anything sexual, we would see him experience those same trauma responses he displays in violent scenes when Tsukasa touches him in any context. At the very least, we’d see him get way more uncomfortable than being mildly annoyed

(Note: I am aware that not everyone reacts to trauma and PTSD the same way. I do not have any trauma of my own so I am going off what I have heard throughout my life from others sharing their stories. I am in no way trying to invalidate anyone’s experiences, no matter how you react to your abuser your feelings are valid and I hope you get the help you need)

Another common piece of evidence used is that Hanako is hypersexual. I believe this is a serious misuse of the term, hypersexuality is so much more than being a pervert. People who are hypersexual usually think about sex all the time, they engage in excessive sexual behaviors and even think about it in completely normal contexts. This is a common response to many types of trauma, not just sexual. It’s a way for people to gain back control after they’ve been abused, or sometimes it’s a problem that arises from porn addictions or a weird relationship with sex. Even if Hanako were hypersexual, that wouldn’t necessarily indicate SA. He has canonical trauma aside from that, and it could also come from the pent-up frustration of being a middle schooler for 58 years

This is another situation where we have to account for the context. You can’t just take one element of a character’s canon personality and run with it, that’s the leading cause of mischaracterization. You have to consider how that behavior lines up with their other traits. Hanako is an allosexual boy who has been 13 for literal decades. Middle school boys are already one of the horniest species on our planet, it’s an awkward time when you’ve just learned those feelings exist and what they mean but you’re not emotionally mature enough to do anything about it. That usually goes away in the next few years when teens start getting into relationships. Now imagine that feeling staying with you for fifty-eight years. That’s over half a lifetime of being stuck in a transitional period. You have so many strong feelings, but you can’t do anything about them. Not just because of maturity, but because there’s no one to do them with. It makes sense that you wouldn’t know how to act when you get your first girlfriend (not excusing any of his weird behavior btw, frustration is not an excuse and it doesn’t make the way he treats Nene and Aoi okay. But it’s still important to understand his reasons, especially in this context)

I also want to note something I don’t see pointed out often, which is that most of the major scenes of Hanako’s pervertedness occur when he’s talking to Kou. TBHK has a very realistic portrayal of male friendship imo, and this is one of those examples. Having a girlfriend isn’t the only thing Hanako’s missed out on, he also hasn’t been able to make any friends his own age. He’s trying to get Kou to engage in “locker room talk” as a way to bond with him. Whether he’s trying to convince him to share his own preferences, or just wanting to mess with him, it brings them closer in a way. One of the main ways Hanako expresses affection is by annoying people, but I do think part of it is because he wants to be able to talk about hot girls with his only male friend. Sadly, he got stuck with the only middle school boy who respects women

We as a fandom tend to focus on these scenes as “omg Hanako’s a pervert,” or for people that ship him with Kou it’s “aww he’s teasing his boyfriend,” but I think the purpose is more-so to build a realistic friendship dynamic. I find it funny that the fandom as a whole leans more into the teasing explanation whether they ship Hanako and Kou or not, it’s funny to me that we all automatically go with the gay interpretation. But Hanako often uses jokes to cover up his deeper feelings, he acts like he doesn’t care when he actually cares very deeply. So him playing up his pervertedness in an attempt to make friends seems very on brand

My last piece of evidence against this theory is a bit silly and a lot of ya’ll aren’t going to want to hear this but Hanako is most likely straight

*the crowd boos me*

I know, I know, I love the bi headcanon too and I think it makes sense, but unlike with some of the other characters I don’t think it has a place in canon. He acts overly friendly with Kou sometimes but if you’re going to assume they’re queercoded, you have to assume the same about Aoi and Nene (both affectionate friendship that look a little queer sometimes). Shipping aside I read them as a purely platonic duo, if there are feelings on either side then it’s more likely Kou since he’s bisexual. Lots of people point out the scene where he flirts with Kou as a girl, and I agree that was gay af but I kinda think he was just trying to mess with him. And keep in mind that the first thing he wanted to do as a girl was look at girls changing in the locker room (yuri yuri lesbian yuri wlw gay gay lesbian yuri)

This isn’t to bash anyone’s headcanons btw, I headcanon Hanako as bisexual and I do ship him with Kou. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t bet my money on him being intended to be bi in canon. In my post about possibly bisexual TBHK characters I included him as an honorable mention, I just haven’t seen enough substantial evidence so far to believe he was intended to be interpreted that way

I’m aware that sexuality isn’t the biggest obstacle for Tsukasa and Amane, but it’s a relevant mention. If Hanako doesn’t like men, I doubt he’d want to be with his brother of all men. Even if he liked men that would be a terrible option. AidaIro have also confirmed in one of their official arts/doodle skits that Nene is Hanako’s first love, which further leads me to believe nothing happened between him and Tsukasa. You don’t get with your sibling if you’re not ride or die about it. And as I mentioned before, anything that happened between them would have had to be consensual in order to be in-character and line up with the evidence surrounding the incest theory

Lastly, I do believe the love between the brothers is somewhat genuine. It’s horribly toxic, Hanako left Tsukasa in some sort of void for decades and now he continues to keep him around as a yorishiro despite knowing it makes Tsukasa miserable. He loves him so much that he can’t let him go even when it would be good for Tsukasa. That’s selfish, it’s toxic, and on Tsukasa’s side things aren’t much better. He adores his brother but he also resents him for everything he’s done. He hurts him emotionally and attacks his friends. And, of course, Amane killed Tsukasa. Not exactly Brother of the Year

But through all of this, you can’t deny that the love is there. Fans who believe Amane hates Tsukasa kind of miss the point, Tsukasa wouldn’t be Amane’s yorishiro if he hated him. He loves him dearly but in a very complicated way. Adding romance or lust to that love frankly doesn’t make sense to me, it’s adds an unnecessary layer that doesn’t line up with the rest of their dynamic. It feels like a “yes and” to their story. I have read analyses that explain both sides, and ultimately I remain against this theory

I hope this helped you understand my perspective!! I tried to be fair to both sides but as I mentioned, I’m very biased. This is a very uncomfortable subject so it was difficult to write about, but I like tackling more complex topics. I don’t block people who believe this theory unless I dislike the way they talk about it, some people insist it’s canon to the point of hating Tsukasa for it or saying the series is bad. But for those that are more open-minded about this theory, I don’t mind interacting with them. In general though this is something I try not to think about lol

[nightghoul381]

This a fan translation so it is definitely not 100% accurate. I do not own anything related to Ikemen Villains. Support Cybird by buying their amazing stories!

No Warnings for this part, but it does become NSFW in later parts, so MDNI

(Wow… That’s a big boat…!)

I couldn’t help but gasp when I saw the luxury liner Orellus in the midst of a larger than normal crowd of well-dressed people and cargo.

William: “Ahaha, you look happy.”

Kate: “Yes! I’m so happy to be able to go on a boat trip with you, Will.”

Kate: “And it’s not even for a mission—its so extravagant for a completely private trip, it almost feels wrong!”

It was only a few weeks ago that I received an invitation from the ship’s owner—Viscount Morris.

(A ticket to the maiden voyage of the world’s most luxurious liner as a reward for my duties as “Fairytale Master.”)

(As expected of an organization that reports directly to Her Majesty the Queen.)

William: “I thought you said it was your first time on a boat trip, aren’t you worried?”

Kate: “Well… Of course, a little bit.”

(Boat trips can be dangerous and unpredictable…)

(Before I met Will, I would never have had the courage to take the first step.)

(But now--)

My heart is nearly bursting with anticipation.

Kate: “You know what? I like it when things are a little dangerous.”

William: “Huh?”

Kate: “You know what? I like it when things are a little dangerous.”

William: “Huh?”

William smiled softly, as if he knew what my response would be.

He sees through my heart, and Will loves my honesty.

(These moments are my favorite.)

Kate: “Also, if something dangerous happens, I’ll be with you, so I don’t have to worry.”

William: “Haha, you’re predictable.”

William: “…but this time, as I said, it’s both private and a reward for you.”

Kate: “Ah…”

He hugged my waist and put his lips to my ear.

William: “I’m more focused on pampering you as your lover than shielding you as your knight.”

Kate: “…o-okay…”

William: “…Fufu.”

William: “Your ears are red, cute.”

Kate: “Ngh?”

He kissed me on the ear, and I could feel myself turning red up to my neck.

(I…my heart might burst by that time we get back to London…)

A ship’s whistle sounds. It’s almost time to set sail.

As soon as the ship left the harbor, we stepped onto the wide deck.

The expansive sea spreads out as far as the eye can see, and a feeling of exhilaration fills my heart.

Kate: “It feels nice…! Ah, look Will, there’s a piano on the deck.”

On the deck is a beautiful grand piano.

Kate: “…won’t it be damaged by the sea breeze?”

For a moment, I thought it was a decoration and walked over to see it, but there were real piano wires lined up under the large open lid.

William: “It’s a very ‘luxury-liner’ way to use it.”

William: “Whoever put the piano here, even if the wire gets rusted, reducing the life of the instrument…”

William: “I think they wanted to enjoy the pleasure of hearing its music while looking at this scenery.”

Will’s fingertips caressed the edge of the piano’s side plate.

The sailor on deck noticed and came up to us with a smile.

Smiling Sailor: “Anyone is free to play, if they wish.”

(…!)

(I want to hear Will play on this ship.)

I glance at Will’s profile and he smirks, as if he could tell even with his eyes closed.

William: “Your gaze is hot. I feel like I’m going to burn.”

Kate: “…you know why, don’t you, Will?”

William: “I’ll pretend I don’t know.”

Kate: “Huh…?”

William: “…I feel like being begged by my lover.”

His inviting glance made my cheeks heat up again.

Kate: “…Oh, God.”

Kate: “You know I’m weak against your temptations, right?”

William: “Of course.”

Kate: “…I want you to play a song. I hope it’ll make whoever put the piano here feel great.”

William: “Haha, the hurdles are high.”

William: “…But if it’s a request from my lover, of course, I’ll gladly play.”

Just as Will began to walk over to the piano bench—

Female voice: “Kyaah! Somebody, somebody come!”

Male voice: “Gah, a person… a person is dead!”

(What…!?)

William: “…Sailing with a corpse.’”

William: “Sounds right up our alley, eh?”

What an amazing interior… If you only look here, it’s more like a luxury hotel than a ship.

Deck passengers were instructed to gather in the hall until safety was confirmed.

We descended the stairs and step under the glittering chandelier.

William: “It’s so crowded, don’t stray too far.”

Kate: “…uh, yes…”

A hand around my waist pulls me in smartly.

I feel so carefully protected that the shock of the earlier screams had already vanished without a trace.

William: “Look… Here comes trouble.”

Kate: “Hmm…?”

I followed Will’s line of sight to the middle of the crowd.

A man with green eyes and black hair wearing a frock coat seemed to be arguing about something.

Red-faced aristocrat: “I don’t know if you’re a detective or something, but treating someone like a murderer when you’re not the police tests the limits of our patience.”

(Detective…?)

Red-faced aristocrat: “Excuse me!”

Man in frock coat: “I’m not treating you like a murderer.”

Man in frock coat: “If you’re not the real culprit, we’ll never meet again!”

The aristocratic man huffed away and the other man lifted one corner of his lips in a smirk.

William: “That man is a detective in London. I’ve heard stories.”

William: “It’s said that he protects the peace of mind of citizens by solving cases that even the police won’t deal with.”

William: “He’s a weirdo who wants to get himself in trouble.”

Kate: “...seems like someone you would like, Will, doesn’t it?”

William: “Fufu, you know me well, don’t you?”

(…!)

Will smiled happily and pressed his lips to my hair.

(…I’m happy that Will can see through me.)

(And I’m really happy that I can feel like I’m starting to understand Will.)

At that moment, the detective’s green eyes suddenly turned toward us.

William/Kate: “…!”

The detective headed our way, walking steadily toward us.

(Wh-what is it…)

Feeling like prey in the eyes of a predator, I swallow unintentionally.

Detective: “Pardon me. Are you Earl William Rex?”

Part 1 | Part 2 | Premium End | Epilogue

[bluegalaxygirl]

There not fish men (Zosan X reader) P5

Plot: During a freak storm the sunny gets battered sending Nami, Robin, Reader and Chopper over the edge and into the water. Deep sea creatures save them but the rest of the straw hats think their crew mates are going taken.

The creature is based off Lovecraft stories and thank you to @being-worthy for the suggestion <3. Im also going to be adding Jinbe in but im sorry if i get him wrong. Sanji X Zoro X Reader, poly relationship, established relationship, Reader is GN. Reader is the photographer of the crew always carrying around a camera they made (Polaroid) that doesn't include a snail. (Yes the same camera form the Werewolf series)

Warning: Violence, Making out, Drinking and bad language

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Bonus

Looking at yourself in the mirror you look over the cut on your head thats almost gone. Whatever the frog people put on it made the cut heal much faster than normal and you were grateful for it. When you got back to the Sunny Nami, Robin and Chopper headed off to get a bath, they asked if you wanted to join but you could tell by the way Sanji held you that he wanted you to stay with him so you waited until they were done and got a bath with your boys. After a relaxing bath, a fresh change of clothes and the stuff in your throat completely gone you felt so much better. Looking in the mirror you can see Zoro walking up behind you and place his hands on your hips pulling your back into his chest "Come on the party's started.. i need a drink" he smiles placing kisses along your shoulder and up your neck making you smile ans turn in his grip to wrap your arms around his neck "Booze hound" you comment the swordsman giving you a stern look before squeezing your hips "Your just jealous i can drink more than you" Laughing you pull away and take his hand shaking your head as you leave the bathroom and head down to the deck, Zoro next to you interlocking fingers with you.

Making it to the stairs of the ship heading onto the grassy floor of the main area you both spot a large table and grill full of different kinds of fish, sea weed and very old bottles of alcohol. Sanji cooking away as Luffy and Usopp drooled watching him while shoving food into their mouths. Some frog people where on the deck talking with Robin a large pile of gold and treasure next to them that Nami was hugging with berry sighs in her eyes. Franky smiled and laughs looking down at Nami as she fawns over the gold pile. Brook was sitting on the mast bench playing his violin some Frog people watching him in amazement while not too far away Chopper, Jinbe were talking to a frog person who seemed to be giving the doctor some supplys, probably medical stuff but it looked weird. Stepping onto the grass with Zoro you both make your way over to the food table "Wow these are old" you state grabbing a bottle of booze, the glass was thick and green, the label had some water damage but you could see the date and company name. "Just makes it better" Zoro laughs opening one and chugging some.

A plate was placed in front of you two looking away form zoro you turn to see Sanji a big smile on his face and a cigarette in his mouth. "They have some very old and unique things" The cook smiles watching you take a bite of food "Wow this is amazing.. Why does fish taste like mint?" you ask amazed at cooked fish on the plate, picking up another piece you go to eat it but Zoro leans over and eats it instead. "Your right it does taste of mint" he comments watching you puff your cheeks out at him trying to act mad, but he knows your not really. Sanji laugh before going back to cooking "Apparently there's a sea mint around here that the fish eat" the cook smiles cooking up another fish. "Y/N" Nami yells your name running up to you and crashing into your back wrapping her arms around your shoulders. Luckily you managed to not fall over and keep your balance while looking over your shoulder at the woman. "Did you see all the gold? Did you?" she smiles wide pulling away and showing you a gold necklace "This is the best day ever" she jumps a little her excitement showing. Zoro try's to stop his laugh watching the navigator freak out.

"They also have a very old photo in a frame they found on a sunken ship, do you want it?" Nami asks taking your hand and walking you over to the pile of gold. You had no choice but to follow her waving back at Zoro and Sanji as you leave, they wave back watching you walk away. "Hay feeling any better?" Franky asks as you get closer and Nami finely lets go of your hand to pick up the photo surround by a wooden frame "Yea much better thanks" you smile before looking over at Nami and the photo in her arms. Your smile drops and eyes widen as you look it over placing a hand over your mouth to prevent you form screaming, Nami looks at you concerned as Franky places a hand on your shoulder "Are you ok?" he asks looking confused as you start to laugh and smile again "Nami... This is amazing" Your reach out for the photo taking it in your hands, it was a black and white portrait of two people kissing in the middle of a busy street. Looking it over you notice the marks, the details and realize your assumption was right, its the original.

You look up to Nami her face in slight shock at your reaction "Do you have any idea what this is?" you ask the smile on your face hurting a little but you can't stop it. Your question catches most of the crew's attention Robin looks your way raising an eyebrow while Usopp, Sanji and Zoro walk over to see what all the fuss is about. Luffy of course takes the opportunity to eat as much as he can before walking over to listen to brook playing his violin. "No... why? Its just an old photo" Nami shrugs making you laugh "Just an old photo. Nami this is one of the five most famous photos in the whole world. V-J Day in Times Square depicts the day a long war ended and the joy that came form it. The original has been lost of decades... This is the original" you bounce on your tip toes as Nami's eyes widen "It- it must be worth a f-fortune" she stutters reaching for it only for you to pull away "No way... i'm keeping it" you yell trying to keep it away form the navigator, some of the others start to laugh as you two argue "Your not keeping it we're selling it" Nami yells trying to reach for the photo frame over your head "No i'm keeping it, dont damage it" you yell standing as tall as you can, so she can't reach it. "Take a photo of it, and we can split the cash" she yells trying to climb on you but you step back and away from her "You want me to have Polaroid of one of the most famous photos in the world.... hell no."

Luckily there's no hate between you two and the whole crew knows it but someone had to step in and of course it's Robin. Arms sprout up form the ground separating you two as the others laugh and shake their head "As much as i'm enjoying the show... i think Y/N should keep the photo and you take the gold" Robin walks over placing a hand on Nami's shoulder making the girl sigh. "Fine" with the arms gone you step closer and hold out your pinkie to her "Promise me you won't steal it or get someone else to do it?" you smile the navigator linking her pinkie with yours and nodding "I promise" she smiles a little the ordeal over the two of you go back to normal like always the others going off to get food and party. While Nami goes back to her gold Sanji wraps his hands around your waits and looks over your shoulder at the photo "We should hang that up in our room" he smiles liking the photo. "We could even recreate it" he whispers making you laugh "How do you know its the original?" Zoro asks standing beside you looking it over "There have been many photos of this but their cameras never seem to pick up the seam lines on the girls tights plus the spots on the ground are clear not blurry" you smile looking up at the swords man who leans down to you "So god dam smart" he whispers before placing his lips on yours.

With the photo safe in your room and night approaching the party was in full swing, some of the Frog people deiced to join in much to Luffy's delight. You sat on Zoro's lap, your head on his shoulder while he drank yet another bottle of old booze, you were nursing one not wanting to get drunk but also try out a very old style alcohol. Sanji had finished cooking a while ago and sat next to you two, Zoro's arm around the cook's waist as Sanji held your legs in his lap. The music was up beat and lively with Brook singing and playing music while most of the others danced. Sanji placed light kisses around Zoro's neck while his hand rubbed your leg, the night air cool but you kept each other warm, Zoro hummed a little making you look up to see him leaning his head back so the cook could get better coverage. You giggle a little and run your hand over his bare chest, his eye opening to look at you, placing his bottle down he moves his hand to the back of your neck pulling you up to him, so he can kiss you. Pulling away he does the same to Sanji pulling the cook away form his neck and up to his lips. His hands stay on the two of you his cheeks slightly red seeming a bit drunk but you both didn't care.

Sanji had finished yet another cigarette and you had finished your drink now just relaxing under the stars. Zoro got more drunk as the night went on, becoming very touchy-feely, refusing to let one or even both of you go, his lips were always on you two somehow either on your necks, shoulders or lips. You could say when he's drunk he gets love drunk too, it can get annoying at times but its hard to say no when he gives you that adorable look of pleading. Zoro's lips crash onto yours again but this time he bites your lower lip wanting more than just a kiss, you laugh against his lips and open your mouth for him, the two of you making out with his hand in your hair while the other grips Sanji's hip. You moan into each others mouth moving in sync as the world goes by, your hand travels up his chest and to his neck rubbing it lightly before going back down to land on his peck where you push slightly. He doesn't let go of you keeping you close so you push again finally getting the message through that you need air. He pulls away watching you pant to catch your breath, you tried breathing through your nose during the kiss but it wasn't enough with the very long make out session. "You ok?" Sanji asks rubbing your leg only earning a nod form you as you place your head back down on the swordsman's shoulder.

Zoro turns to Sanji but the cook stops him "As much as i love you.. i would like to breath" he laughs the swordsman placing a light kiss on the cooks lips "Just a little one" he whispers before nipping at the cooks lower lips. Sanji smiles and wraps and arm around the mans head pulling him in for a kiss opening his mouth for the drunk swordsman. The two make out a little, the cook being in control and pulling away when he needs too. "You want to suffocate?" Robin laughs a little walking over to the three of you a Frog person next to her looking very nervous "we were going to wait until you were done but i don't think thats going to happen" She laughs again making you and Sanji blush hard, The cook apologizes and babels a bit while you hide your face in Zoro's neck feeling the man chuckle against you. "What do you want?" Zoro asks raising an eyebrow at the black haired woman. The Frog person croaks its eyes looking at you as you move away form Zoro to look at it. Once your eyes meet it bows head almost touching the ground as it almost folds in half.

The three of you are shocked by this but Robin just smiles "She wanted to apologist to you all" The frog lady clicks a little before standing up right again but keeping her head down, You had no idea it was a woman, they all had the same bodies and faces. "She? Why?" you ask not meaning to be rude and Robin seemed to get that "She was the one that saved you from drowning. She also heard about your outburst Sanji and wanted to say sorry for any harm she caused" Sanji's eyes go wide and a dark red paints his cheeks out of embarrassment. Zoro gulps looking over the frog not knowing how to respond. You on the other hand smile, you never held a grudge against the one who saved you so you stand up getting out of Zoro's grip. Making your way over the Frog lady shy's away but you take her slimy hands and bow a little "Thank you" your grateful to her, and she seems to realize that bowing a little as well. You let go of her hands and walk behind the boys secretly wiping your hands on your top before placing them on the boys shoulders "Now boys what do we say to the nice frog lady for saving my life" you smile as the two look up at you and then to the frog. They bow from where their sitting and in unison thank the frog whose eyes seem to light up. "Apologies to her Sanji" you whisper keeping the cook bent over, you hand on his beck while Zoro sits back up to look at you. "Im sorry for threatening to kick your ass" he sighs, he can't be mad at a lady even if she is a frog, plus she did save you.

You let the cook go watching Robin sign to translate, the frog lady nods and waves walking off with Robin who says her goodbyes to you. "Good boys" you joke patting their heads only for a large pare of hands to grab you and pull you over the swordsman "Get over here" he laughs a little pulling you onto his lap again and holding you tight "Your so needy" you pout crossing your arms over your chest acting annoyed at him. Sanji laughs and leans over kissing your jawline "Come on my love... don't be like that" he laughs pulling you closer to place his lips on yours "Remember what you said on the sub?" His smile is almost cocky as he pulls away making you raise an eyebrow "Yes why?" you ask not knowing where he's going with this. "Good... lets keep it that way" Leaning in the cook places his lips on your running his tongue over your lips, smiling you hold his cheeks in your hands and open your mouth for him letting your tongues touch, he moans slightly one hand running up your side and to your back pulling you closer to him.

[gladesglo]

[ 🌧️ ] HEY SAVBEAR HERE ! THIS IS AN INDIE RP BLOG FOR GLOBOX FROM THE RAYMAN FRANCHISE est. 27th Sept. 2023

PLEASE DON'T FOLLOW IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 .

SOME GRAPHICS ARE BY @ RAYHEROISM BEL MADE THEM SO THE TWO OF US COULD MATCH .

A HEAVY LEAN TOWARDS GAMES THE GREAT ESCAPE & HOODLUM'S HAVOC. ft. other verses such as MARIO + RABBIDS SPARKS OF HOPE and CAPTAIN LASERHAWK A BLOOD DRAGON REMIX , ORIGINS & LEGENDS .

# 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐆𝐋𝐎

affiliated with: @rayheroism / @pvachypessa & @l1mbless

( carrd . promo . playlist

OTHER BLOGS INCLUDE: @moralpuppet, @funbonded, @bearlyloved , @yellowpuppet , @ursadolls

//dash bio & rules under the cut.

MINI BIO / go to my carrd for more. verses etc 

GLOBOX is Rayman's scaredy toad best friend. He has abilities to create rainclouds to protect himself and his friends and family though mostly prefers to run and hide in the face of danger. Whether Globox is welcome to it or not somehow he always gets mixed up with the THREATS THAT PLAGUE WHERE HE RESIDES IN THE GLADE OF DREAMS. Be it through getting captured, or attacked by enemies. Globox in his mainverse lives in a large tree-based home with his 650 kids and wife Uglette.

DASH RULES

/ please read my carrd for more information/muse bio

One. FIRST AND FOREMOST. General RP etiquette applies that's always a given. 

I don't always get things right but I will always try to be the best I can be. Be sure to inform me if I can improve on anything etc. I'm friendly and I'm here to have fun as are you.

My portrayal of Globox will lean heavily towards Rayman 2 & 3 though I shall be changing pieces from both accordingly since sometimes the former contradicts the latter due to the early 2000s - edge humor in 3 . I will have a verse for Legends & Origins because I loved those games too but for the most part this is heavily, HEAVILY BASED ON THE ORIGINAL RAYMAN TRILOGY SPECIFICALLY 2 & 3 in terms of characterisation and background story for my Globox !

That being said I don't support Ubisoft as a company . I'm simply here to focus on the silly big frog I grew up with .

Two. DNI / I don't engage with people who are problematic or present problematic behaviour such as proshipping/pedophilia/incest or you are a terf/ableist/racist/antisemitist or you show any kind of hate to anyone like that . If you see me interacting with someone problematic likely I haven't been informed yet and shall deal with it accordingly as soon as I am informed. I don't support anyone who does any of that nasty behavior and I never will and if you know you engage in such behaviors then please refrain from interacting with me. You're not welcome. Likewise don't bring drama onto my blog. If you see someone problematic here just message me privately. I won't be reblogging callouts.

Three.  FOLLOWING. I'm selective. If I haven't followed back please don't take it personally. If we are mutuals and you decide to unfollow then soft block please otherwise I will see you on my Dash and still think we are mutuals and I don't really want to have to browse a list of followers to check every time I go to interact.

Four. I don't mind variants or to word it better people who play the same character as me JUST DON'T STEAL MY HEADCANNONS.

Five.  TRIGGERS Warnings for you: This blog may feature some angsty themes at times. I also require you to be 18+ for this reason. Please do not follow if you're a minor even though I know Globox is a children's character it still doesn't sit right with me as I am over 21 myself. So no under 18s please.

Six. SHIPPING eeeh, IF IT FEELS RIGHT / Globox's wife only really showed up in Rayman 2 in every other game is almost like she's out of the picture . I'll be incredibly selective as my main verse is Rayman 2 but hey if there's chemistry it doesn't hurt to ask .Still no smut. Ever. It's really not for me.

˗ . CREDITS : some graphics are by Bel ( @_rayheroism ) , some are my own, art featured in icons belongs to earthgwee , clairiphi & pinweena_pin unless specified to be my own ! & the Globox icons used in some icons are from crestamorphs videos.

NOTE ON AFFILIATIONS: the concept to me means that if you’re affiliated with my muse and mine is affiliated with yours that means I consider your portrayal my main and will most likely consider our cannons intertwined. I do not do exclusives as I understand everyone’s portrayals are unique and I am happy to see my friends interact with people who play the same muse/s as me and vice versa!

Likewise if you want to be affiliated and these terms don't suit you , please don't hesitate to speak to me I'm open to discussion always ! Same with shipping and other connections !

[neitherabaron]

Sharing my love for Starfox 64 (originally titled Lylat Wars here in the UK) today.

I played this game over and over in 1997 and loved it, but it’s only playing it again in 2023 on Switch that I’ve realised just how good it is.

N64 had a lot of great games but not many games from the early days of 3D have aged gracefully. Even Mario 64 and Zelda, two games I’d still consider some of the best ever made, are starting to feel a little clunky if we’re honest.

Starfox 64 feels fresh as a daisy, 26 years later. I don’t know how it’s possible, but it does.

The Switch’s button layout is less than ideal for N64 games, true. But ignoring that, the controls are so tight and so responsive, and so rewarding of skill. You can always make your ship duck and weave through laser crossfire exactly the way you want it to.

And you need to do so to stay alive on the tougher missions. It demands precision but in turn it always gives you full control. In an era where devs were still figuring out how 3D movement even works, it’s staggering that the game *handles* like it was released today, even though it looks dated.

There’s no auto-aim and while I’d normally call that a bad thing on a console shooter, this gels perfectly with the precise movement. You’re picking and placing your shots just like you’re constantly re-evaluating your position on screen. There’s a big risk and reward element as you weigh up the chance to take out a large formation of enemy ships vs putting yourself in the way of harm. And all of it feels intuitive. They still haven’t made a Starfox game that plays this well.

And the game is super replayable! It’s very short, clocking in at less than an hour, but that’s the point. You only play 7 out of 15 planets in any run, and each level can play out in vastly different ways depending on your performance, sending you on different routes of various levels of challenge.

There are 25 possible paths to the final boss - some are simple and let anyone pick up and learn the finer points of the game, while others offer crazy high scores but will test your skills to the limit. So that’s 25 hours to see everything the game has to offer, plus so much more time spent honing your skills for that high score, plus the incredible pick-up-and-play short session appeal of the whole thing…wonderful.

If you’re good you can protect your wingmates (they die easily) and in turn they’ll look out for you, leading you to hidden paths, warning you of ambushes and analysing boss tactics. Or you can let them get shot down and miss out on the extremely memeable dialogue. The story is corny as hell and full of classic sci-fi movie tropes and scenarios that are a delight to play through. You even fight an army of Gundams! At times, you really feel like you’re part of an epic movie space battle. I loved the old Star Wars Rogue Squadron series but even at its best, it never made me feel like that.

In short, I can’t believe in 2023 a game made in 1997 feels this good to play. It’s magic.

[kyleknight]

How to Make Friends: A Guide By Joe Hills with A Variable Success Rate

This is heavily inspired by Maple's Red vs Blue/Hermitcraft AU, which has utterly captivated me. If you're unfamiliar with Red vs Blue, it's a space opera series loosely set in the world of Halo, about a collection of dumb idiot troopers who get into hijinks and shenanigans. Maple's AU sort of follows RvB canon, but it also sort of doesn't. So I'm playing loose with it and just writing whatever's funny.

wordcount: 4563 warnings: violence, character death, discussions of war brief summary: Joe Hills arrives at Blue base, meets his teammates Bdubs and Scar, and befriends a tank. And perhaps a small incident happens. ao3 link

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

There’s no way to properly begin a story that involves many, many people with many, many different life experiences. Initiating events can only really be fully understood and realized in hindsight, with the subsequent actions and consequences to give the proper context required. And even then, background information is required. Who are these people, what are the circumstances they come from? Why is there a war, and why does it have to involve so many people who just want to live their lives in peace?

But Joe thinks that his slight mishap on the first week at this outpost is perhaps a good place to start.

He doesn’t have a whole lot of company on the cramped ship that flies him at a faster-than-light speed across the universe out to the base. The ship itself is on routine autopilot, giving the impression that the mysterious and distant “Command” can’t be bothered to spend the human resources to assign the ship a pilot. But they sure can waste a whole lot of resources on energy and fuel shipping one person all the way out to a little planet that Joe has never even heard of.

The planet itself is simply identified by a string of letters and numbers, which seems like a shame. It’s probably a perfectly nice place— shame it’s the setting for at least a part of this war. (Not that it seems like any planet in this part of the universe is untouched by the war.) 

Joe tries to get a good look at the planet as the ship approaches, but the most he can see is a rather large expanse of what could be badlands and perhaps prairie or savannah. Not a whole lot of green. It’s hard to tell from space, and the window shutters close as they get closer to the planet. 

Once the ship lands, the doors open, and Joe is finally able to leave, he’s greeted by a pair of people in blue-colored armor, similar to Joe’s. The shorter of the two is a light cobalt while the taller is something between teal and aquamarine. Only the aqua one has his helmet off, and he smiles sunnily at Joe. He has a friendly looking face, but Joe thinks he should take some time to make any conclusions about his character.

“Well, hello there,” the aqua guy says. “You’re the new recruit?”

“I suppose so,” Joe says. He would call his attendance the result of involuntary conscription, but that’s not necessarily something he needs to burden his new acquaintances with. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Joe Hills. I’m from Nashville, Tennessee.”

“What— you’re all the way from Earth?” the cobalt guy says. “No way. I thought it wasn’t suitable for life anymore.”

“Well, to my knowledge, I was still alive when I left, but I can’t say anything about what may have transpired for the other inhabitants afterwards,” Joe says. 

“That’s amazing,” the aqua guy says. “You can call me Scar, by the way. That’s Bdubs. Welcome to Blue base!”

“Blue base,” Joe repeats, a little quietly. That offers a surface-level explanation for the ocean-blue armor he was given after a sparse three weeks of “training” during which he actively did his best to underperform at everything in the hopes of being discharged. No good, since at the end of the three weeks, he was handed this armor and promptly shoved into a waiting ship with only a clipped explanation that he was being deployed to a place called “Blood Gulch.”

Jokingly, Joe says, “Is there a Red base too?”

“Yeah, the Reds are at the other end of the canyon,” Scar says, nodding his head to his right. His voice drops to a whisper. “They’re kind of silly, but don’t get too close to them, cause they’re seriously trigger-happy.” His voice lifts again. “But that shouldn’t matter, because Command said they were sending us a tank! And I can see it right there!”

Without any more preamble, he dashes past Joe, past the crates of equipment and supplies that have already been unloaded by the gently whirring mechanical arms of the ship, and straight up to the main thing that had been taking up the majority of the space on the transport ship.

A tank.

Joe had kind of hoped that it wouldn’t be getting off at the same stop as him.

“Hey— Scar— you’re not getting in that thing first—” Bdubs shouts, chasing after Scar. 

But as the two of them start scuffling to determine who will get to the tank first, there’s a mechanized activation sound from the tank.

Joe tilts his head. That’s odd. It never did that on the whole way here. Could it be solar-powered?

“Hello,” comes a surprisingly soft masculine British-sounding voice. “Thank you for activating the N808-V Main Battle Tank. You may call me Oli. Please standby as I run diagnostics.”

Oh, the tank has a name. And a voice. That’s kind of nice. Joe wishes it could have been active on the way here. It would have been pleasant to have someone else to talk to.

Bdubs groans. “Of course we can’t just use it right away. Hey, tank, can you skip the diagnostics and start working right away instead?”

“Rescheduling diagnostics,” Oli says.

“Hey, wait, diagrostics might be important,” Scar says. “Oli, you can keep doing your diabolics.”

“Restarting diagnostics,” Oli says.

“Stop that!” Bdubs snaps. “I want to drive that tank right NOW and blow something up!”

“Well, so do I, but it’d be safer to cab-ilirate it first,” Scar says. “Joe thinks so too, right?”

Joe pauses to consider his answer, and in that moment, Oli speaks up again. 

“Initiating restart mode. Please standby. This may take a few minutes.”

Bdubs throws his hands in the air. “I swear, if you guys have ruined it already…”

“He’s a brand new tank, just give him some time,” Joe says, walking closer to the tank as the large war machine hums at a quieter volume. Joe recognizes that he is making a rather presumptuous assumption here— he should ask Oli what his preferences are when he reboots himself. “We should probably just let him do his thing first.”

“In the meantime,” Scar says, turning his attention back to Joe. “We can show you around the base!”

“Sure,” Joe says. He glances at the walls of the canyon, stretching high on either side. The sedimentary layers are quite pretty, and he hopes he’ll get some time to check out the stratigraphy a little later. Just because he’s stuck out here for the foreseeable future doesn’t mean he has to dislike the actual landscape. While there might not be a lot of green life, there’s certainly got to be arid-adapted life instead. Could be interesting.

That is, if the skirmishes haven’t destroyed it or chased it all away.

The base isn’t terribly big. Scar shows him to a room that apparently used to belong to a man named Cub, who was their commanding officer until he died not too long ago. Not from fighting, Scar assures him, just an unfortunate accident. The space is nice and roomy, although it would be a lot more mentally soothing if it had a window. However, Joe can imagine there are a few reasons why that wouldn’t be recommended in this situation. The dust, for one.

There’s also a general common area, an armory, a kitchen, a large storage room, and a bathroom. Conspicuously, there is no dedicated place for medical treatment, nor are there any sort of recreational facilities. And, as Joe walks through the base, listening to Scar’s long-winded and elaborate explanations, there doesn’t seem to be anyone besides the three of them stationed here.

Joe is not sure whether to be glad or worried about that. The fact that the base only seems to be big enough for maybe a maximum of six people is certainly an indicator that… maybe this just isn’t a very important outpost.

Maybe Joe actually succeeded in his efforts to make himself a completely useless soldier, in a way.

After the tour, Scar and Joe work together to move some of the supplies into the base, starting with the food supplies, as Scar seems eager to see if they got “anything good.” Bdubs is noticeably absent from the kitchen stocking, as well as lunch, and Scar tells him it’s not a big deal. The three of them gather again after lunch to move the rest of the supplies into the base, which takes a few hours.

The sun is starting to sink below the horizon as the three of them approach Oli once again. The tank has restarted himself by now, if the lights are any indicator.

“Hey, Oli?” Joe says. “How’s it going?”

“Diagnostics check at thirty one percent,” Oli reports. “Estimated time of completion: six hours, twenty minutes.”

“Oh, yeah, SURE,” Bdubs gripes. “So we won’t even be able to use it until tomorrow.”

Joe glances back in the direction that Scar had pointed in earlier. “Do you think it’s alright to leave him out here all night?”

Scar shrugs. “He’s a tank, I’m sure he can protect himself.”

“I am equipped with 700 millimeter steel-alloy armor, as well as an AI-directed recognition system,” Oli reports. “As for offensive capabilities, I have a 50 millimeter wide plasma turret. I can also run people over with my big heavy treads.”

Bdubs seems startled. Scar leans forwards, clearly delighted.

Joe meanwhile, is intrigued. “You’re an AI?” he asks. “They put AIs in tanks?”

“While I do not possess the capabilities of a smart AI, I am certainly capable of keeping myself in working order,” Oli says. “Starting by making sure my systems are fully functional, so if you’ll excuse me, I still have another seven hours of diagnostics to run.”

“I thought you said it was six hours,” Bdubs says.

“I think I’ll take my time, actually,” Oli says, actually sounding huffy about it. “Don’t you have something better to do than bother me?”

Oh, he has a personality. Joe likes him. He’s pretty sure he likes Scar and Bdubs too, but he really likes Oli. 

They unanimously decide to leave Oli for the evening. Once again, Bdubs doesn’t join Scar and Joe for dinner, but he joins them in the common area as they’re winding down and getting ready for bed. There isn’t much in the way of leisure opportunities, but there are some books, board games, a deck of playing cards, a few thousand-piece puzzles, and a pile of sketchbooks that both Bdubs and Scar spend a considerable amount of time drawing in as the evening progresses. 

Joe has guessed by now that whatever threat the “Reds” pose, it’s certainly not enough that they need someone standing guard all night. That’s just fine by Joe. He takes the deck of cards and plays solitaire while occasionally looking at the very nice drawing that Bdubs is making in his book.

The next morning, Joe heads over to Oli first thing, even before breakfast. His internal clock isn’t aligned with this planet’s day cycle yet, so the sun isn’t even up when he steps outside. But he can’t sleep any longer, and he’d like to take a bit of a morning walk and hopefully strike up a conversation with Oli.

The tank is still humming that steady sound.

“Good morning, Oli! Hey, I don’t want to assume anything about you or your identity,” Joe starts off. “We’re both new here, and I want to make sure you feel that your boundaries are properly respected.”

“Well, that’s very kind of you,” Oli says. “I am just a tank though, so I’m not sure how you could be misidentifying that. I’ve never been anything else, to my knowledge.”

“Would you want to be something else?” Joe asks.

“Hm,” Oli says. “That’s something to think about. I’m quite fine as a tank, I think, but I suppose I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to become, say, a helicarrier or something else that could fly.”

“I can see the appeal in that,” Joe says. “Flying does give you certain extra freedoms.”

“What about you?” Oli says. “Would you want to be something else? A tank perhaps?”

“Since I asked the question to you, I guess it would be rude of me not to have an answer,” Joe says. “Let me think… There are a lot of things it would be interesting to be. I don’t think I would limit myself to just living things either. I’d like to be something that wouldn’t be caught up in a space war. Or something that could stop it.”

“Oh, now that’s a heavy topic,” Oli says.

“Is it weird hearing that, as a tank?” Joe asks.

“Hm. I don’t know. Just because I was made for war doesn’t mean I’ve participated in it yet,” Oli says. “My fundamental processes are all designed for combat and typically being an unstoppable force of violence. But you’ve put me in a quandary here.” 

“Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize. It’s all about considering your identity, as you said,” Oli says cheerfully. “I do think I’d at least like to try out my components while I continue to think that over. Not against anyone, of course.”

“How would you try them out?” Joe asks. He looks around again at their surroundings, barely lit in the pre-dawn. The canyon isn’t small, but he doesn’t think there’s a whole lot of space that could be used for whatever tests Oli might want to run next. 

“Well, I suppose I could just run the tutorial program,” Oli says. “That probably won’t hurt, and it’ll give us a more practical idea of how it feels to be a battle tank.”

“Mind if I join you for that?” Joe says. “Like I said, we’re both new, so this could give us both an opportunity to get to know each other a little better. I could tell you a little about where I’m from after you’re done with the tutorial.”

“That sounds lovely,” Oli says. “Of course you can join me! Just climb into the seat right there and I’ll activate the program.”

It starts out very nice, all things considered. Unfortunately, it’s already very warm, even this early in the day, and the radiant heat from Oli’s mechanisms only adds to the temperature. Joe finds himself regretting putting on his full armor, but he still hasn’t seen those “Reds” yet, and he doesn’t want to take any chances just in case there are potentially dangerous arid-adapted animals lurking around in the dusty canyon. 

The tutorial program starts out with driving. The number of pedals and buttons is alarming, but Oli assures him that Joe will get the hang of it eventually. So he tries to follow the prompts. Forwards, backwards, turn right, turn left, rotate in place. It’s a lot more complicated than driving a car, and obviously has the potential for creating a lot more hazards.

It’s at this point that things start to go a little wrong. 

Oli insists that Joe continue to drive straight, shifting to different speed settings. They’re driving deeper into the canyon, further in the direction that Scar had said the “Reds” are based. And in the distance, Joe catches sight of another structure— nearly identical to the Blue base. He doesn’t get much of a chance to examine it, because then Oli gets stuck on a large boulder and it takes Joe a while to get him unstuck. 

“Now that you’ve mastered driving, we can move on to some of the safety features,” Oli says brightly. 

“I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered driving a tank yet,” Joe says. “You’re an AI, though, wouldn’t you be able to drive yourself?”

“Oh, sure I can,” Oli says. “But this is standard for training uncertified recruits. Actually— were you certified in tank operations?”

“I don’t think I gave them the opportunity to certify me in anything,” Joe confesses. “I was trying to get them to kick me out, and it didn’t really work.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Oli says. “Now, the first safety feature you’ll be learning is the anti-locking brakes.”

“That’s sensible enough,” Joe says. 

The sun is starting to come up, which paints the canyon in a rather beautiful light. Oranges, yellows, and stunning shades of rich sandy tan come alight as the day begins. Joe does take notice of quite a few shrubs and stocky trees, doggedly surviving even in these conditions. Oli takes care to avoid hitting any of them, which is nice as well.

He thinks he might see some movement down at what he’s assuming is the Red base, but every time he tries to look, Oli turns in a different direction. 

“The driver visibility isn’t the best, I’ve come to notice,” Joe says as Oli finishes his explanation of the child-safety-locking rear passenger door. 

“Well, I can’t do much about that,” Oli says. 

“Can you see what’s going on?” Joe says. “I thought I saw something going on at the other end of the canyon. Not the place where we came from.”

“Oh, well I’ve seen a guy in orange armor and a guy in maroon armor driving an armored jeep towards us,” Oli says. “But I think I shook them off when we drove around that big rock formation a few minutes ago.”

Joe twists around in the seat, but he can barely see anything besides what’s directly in front of him. “Do you think those are the Reds?”

“Could be,” Oli says. “Do you want to engage in battle?”

“No, there’s no reason for that,” Joe says quickly. “It’s only my first full day here, I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

“Oh,” Oli sounds disappointed. “Weapons were next on the tutorial program, but if you want, we can skip it. I can respect that, for you, my friend.”

“Thank you,” Joe says. 

And it’s at this point that things start to go a little more badly. As Oli delves into an explanation about the more interesting parts of his mechanical engineering design, Joe hears something he’d rather hoped he wouldn’t hear so soon. Gunfire. Automatic gunfire. It’s nearby, but after a moment he determines that the shooting probably isn’t directed towards him and Oli.

“What’s that coming from?” Oli says. 

“You’d probably know better than me,” Joe says. “I can’t see anything.”

“Could be from those guys we saw earlier,” Oli says. “Think they’re doing target practice?”

The sound hasn’t ceased at all. “Well, anything could be possible,” Joe says, even though he’s not feeling especially positive about it. 

“Should we go to see what’s going on?” Oli says.

“If you want to,” Joe says. If it looks dangerous or scary, he will certainly suggest that they reschedule the tutorial for another day, but Oli sounds like he wants to check it out. Joe supposes that he can’t fault a tank for wanting to at least check out what might be a battle. It would be his intended ideal form of stimulation.

But Joe will do his very best to abstain from participating. Maybe he can attempt to talk things out.

They soon catch sight of a bulky armored jeep parked somewhere in the middle of the canyon. A person in orange armor is in the driver’s seat, while a person in maroon armor is standing on the back, directing a large automatic cannon to shoot endlessly at an already-battered rock formation sticking out of the ground. As Joe and Oli get a little closer, Joe gasps when he sees two blue-armored people standing huddled behind the rocks.

“That’s Scar and Bdubs!” he says. “When did they get out here?”

“Looks like a battle,” Oli says. He sounds a little too eager. “Shall I eliminate the threat?”

Joe winces. “I don’t think we’d need to perpetuate the violence,” he says. Scar and Bdubs are both visibly standing, so they should still be alright. Probably. “Maybe we can just fire a few times to scare them off. You’re a tank, after all, and they only have a jeep.”

“I’ll light up the array that has all of my weapons capabilities,” Oli says. 

Joe looks down at the rows of illuminated buttons. “Which one is the least lethal?”

“I’d reckon all of them are pretty lethal,” Oli admits. “It’s what I was made for, after all. You can always aim just to the side of their jeep so you don’t hurt them. Or if you’re feeling good about your aim, you can take out their cannon.”

“How do you aim?” Joe says, keeping his hands very far away from the buttons for now, even though Oli is continuing on with his advance. 

“That’s in the tutorial!” Oli says cheerfully.

“But we didn’t finish the tutorial!” Joe says. 

The people in the jeep have definitely noticed them now. They’ve stopped shooting at the rock and seem to be arguing with each other. The maroon one has abandoned the cannon for the time being.

“They’ve stopped,” Oli says, sounding disappointed. “Can I still shoot at them, Joe?”

“I can’t actually stop you from doing things,” Joe says. “You’re an AI and you have a certain level of autonomy despite being an unwilling participant in a war.”

“Well, sure you can stop me, there’s a manual override,” Oli says.

“What? Where is that?”

“That’s the last segment of the tutorial.”

“That’s not exactly helpful,” Joe says. He examines the buttons and levers in front of him, very aware that he’s running out of time. Oli had mentioned an energy shield earlier, but Joe didn’t really pay attention to how strong or durable it is, and he doesn’t want to test it out like this. 

There is a rather prominent joystick, so Joe experimentally moves that. Oli’s big turret moves. 

“Okay, that’s a start,” Joe says. He squints through the curved metal bars covering the hatch. “Huh. I can’t really tell what I’m pointing at. Oli, I’m not about to hit anyone, am I?”

“Only one way to find out,” Oli says. 

Perhaps. But Joe figures that if he pushes the joystick all the way to one direction, he’s more likely to hit one of the canyon walls than he is to hit a person. He does that, giving it a few seconds to be more sure that Oli’s turret is far pointed away from actual people.

“Okay,” Joe says, looking at the buttons once more. “Now… if I was designing a tank, where would I put the button for the least damaging attack? Oli, you don’t have any idea which one of these will fire the weakest beam?”

“Well, no. I could activate the tutorial mode again,” Oli offers.

“We don’t have time for that,” Joe says. The maroon guy has jumped back up onto the back of the jeep and is now pointing the turret at them. They really don’t have time for this. Joe pushes the first button.

“Firing main cannon,” Oli reports happily. The tank shudders with almighty force as an intense beam of energy blasts out of the turret. It hits the canyon wall, making an instant crater and causing chunks of rock to fall noisily onto the ground. 

The orange and maroon people are definitely spooked, but they haven’t run away yet. Joe carefully makes a small adjustment to the joystick and fires again.

Another crater, slightly closer to the people but still a safe distance away. Better, but the orange and maroon guys still haven’t left. Meanwhile, Joe notices that Bdubs has left the cover of the rock and is waving at him. He hopes he’s going to be careful.

Another adjustment, but Joe unintentionally makes a small mistake. He doesn’t think he can really be blamed for it. This is a high stress situation and he’s very ill-equipped to be operating this kind of machinery, even with Oli’s questionable help. 

Either he presses a different button by mistake, or there’s some kind of trigger activated after pressing that particular button three times. Joe has no way of knowing for sure.

“Initiating auto-fire mode,” Oli says. “Acquiring targets.”

“Oli, no!” Joe says. “We don’t want to hurt anyone!” He looks at the buttons, thinking desperately about which button or switch might be able to turn it off.

The one relief is that the orange and maroon guys have jumped out of the jeep and are running back towards what Joe guessed earlier is the Red base. When Oli auto-locks onto the jeep and fires several shots in succession to blow it to smithereens, there’s luckily nobody there.

But then, Oli says, “Acquiring new target.”

His turret adjusts. And in the span of a few seconds, Joe watches as, one moment, Bdubs is standing beside the rock, waving at him. And then in the next moment, there’s a small crater and a smoking pile of cobalt armor.

“Oh no,” Joe says.

“Oops,” Oli says. “Deactivating auto-fire mode.”

Good thing too, because Scar emerges from behind the rock and crouches down next to Bdubs. Joe opens the grated hatch of the tank and climbs out shakily.

“Scar,” he calls out as he drops to the ground and runs towards his teammates. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it!”

Scar pulls off his helmet as Joe approaches. He doesn’t look angry, though, he just looks shocked. 

“Is he still alive?” Joe asks, panting with exertion as soon as he’s close enough.

“Huh?” Scar says. “Oh, no, he’s definitely dead. He just said he hated all of us and died right away. Hey, do you think that’s a curse?”

“I don’t know… maybe?” Joe says. He kneels down next to Bdubs and examines the smoking debris. There’s no blood, which seems a bit odd, but maybe it got vaporized in the blast. “Gosh. I’m sorry, I don’t know any first aid. Um. Not that I think it would help at this point.”

“Well, that’s alright,” Scar says. He leans back with a sigh. “Do you know how to do last rites and all that? Bdubs was the one who handled that when Cub died a few weeks ago.”

“Uh, I’ve never done it before, but I guess I could give it a try,” Joe says. He wonders idly if they’re still in shock and that’s why there hasn’t really been an outburst of emotion over this. He just killed Bdubs, and Scar doesn’t seem to be badly affected by this. 

“By the way,” Scar says. “Why didn’t you say you knew how to drive a tank?”

“I don’t,” Joe says. “Oli was teaching me.”

“Oh,” Scar says. “Huh. When we didn’t find you this morning, we went out to look. Ran into Joel and Jimmy— those two Reds— and they started trying to kill us, cause that’s usually what they do.” He laughs.

“I’m sorry I got Bdubs killed,” Joe says, looking back at the corpse of the man he only knew for half a day.

Scar shrugs. “It happens. No point in holding it against you. We can request a two week period of mourning, though, and Command might send us some condolence gifts. Last time we got fresh fruit and the milkshake machine.”

Joe gives Scar a questioning look. “You don’t seem too upset by this,” he says.

Scar just smiles. “Oh, you’ll see soon enough.”

[ofpineapplesanddawns]

"god, you're such a nuisance. come here.. i love you."

14+House?

Oh yes, the Doctor and House! Wasn't that, like, the first ship I ever posted here??? Probably, I dunno.

Takes place between the comics and short stories and The Star Beast, so no Donna yet. Cause if Donna was here, she'd probably slap House right out of the TARDIS. Somehow!

Warning: House is a jerk, the Doctor puts up with him (which they really shouldn't), and for anyone confused House is the character Michael played in The Doctor's Wife, but he exists in this au as a solid hologram that lives in the TARDIS cause he's a parasite (and I love him)

On with the fic!

--

"She wants to update the systems and you're not letting her."

The Doctor did not turn to the voice, instead was pretending their whole attention was simply on the little custard cream dispenser on the console. Okay, most of their attention was on it, the other bits were on the new sonic that they had in their pocket and on the bright-green glow of the hologram at their side.

It was kind of scary to know that House had been in the system for years, even centuries, hiding away. Most of him had been removed when the bowtie-wearing Doctor and Idris had kicked him out all those years ago, but apparently he had been able to keep just enough of himself in the TARDIS to keep him attached.

It wasn't much, but in the centuries that had passed since that incident, the part of House that remained had grown and gotten stronger. No where near as huge as he had been as a planet, but big enough that he now had some influences on the TARDIS.

Not a lot, at least not as much as when he had controlled the ship when the core was removed. Or when he had been living in the TARDIS during this face's previous run.

But enough that he was still there, projecting as a typical hologram, in too many shades of green that it hurt the Doctor's eyes. Made them think of the Matrix, all those greens in such a dark space, clashed badly with the orange glow of the room.

The Doctor bit down on the custard creme between their fingers and turned to the hologram, who was hovering way too close now. They didn't know what they felt for this being, they had started to fall for him during their tenth incarnation, but after kicking House into the vortex and then properly running into him again in the next regeneration, well...

They were still pretty damn angry about what happened to his friends, to the Time Lords, and to Idris and the TARDIS.

But damnit, they also still liked him, and found his human-projection attractive. Even in this electrical green.

They sighed. "What do you mean?"

"She wants you out so she can update the desktop." House shrugged, pretending to lean against the console.

"I'm doing a bit of calculating, when I land she can fiddle around. Why does she want to update? What's wrong with this one?"

House glanced around and then looked at the large pillar in the center of the console. The way he seemed focused seemed to indicate a conversation with the TARDIS that the Doctor wasn't allowed to hear. Rude.

"She said that it's not you, and that she's got plans and needs your pretty, skinny butt out." House smiled.

The Doctor sniffed. "She didn't say that last bit."

"Well, I might have changed a word or two." House chuckled and was suddenly closer.

The Doctor glared at him and swatted at the projection, hand going through him a few times, glitching him out for a few seconds.

House looked annoyed when he came back and the Doctor smirked, popping the rest of the custard into their mouth as they moved to another part of the console.

"God, you're such a nuisance." House scoffed.

"You knew that the last two me's you interacted with, did you think I'd be any different? Not just a trait of this pretty face, it's always been a thing." The Doctor replied, flipping two switches, then turned a knob.

"And I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Doctor." House replied, watching them. There was a quiet pause between them before House sighed. "Come here."

"Why?" The Doctor frowned. "I'm busy, getting ready to find my next destination."

"Because I love you." The Doctor's fingers froze on a switch at those words, they didn't move. "And I know you still do as well, come here to me, let's make up for lost time."

The Doctor swallowed and before they could look at the hologram, the TARDIS suddenly flipped switches on her own, and the room rocked, sending them flying through the vortex.

A distraction, that's what she was doing, and the Doctor mentally thanked her. They weren't... they weren't ready to address that massive elephant in the room, not right now.

--

Lots of emotional stuff for Fourteen to deal with when it comes to an ex. Especially an ex that tried to kill them and their friends a while back. :)

[arcanescionmoved]

SHIPPING INFO: Caitlyn Kiramman.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR MUSES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW SHIPPING WORKS ON YOUR BLOG.

Tagged by: @misfits-of-zaun, @misstantabismuses, @independentzaun, @saviourofzaun Tagging: @hxundsprxdigy, @freedomsbounty, @legendscried, @bioniczaunites, almost everyone has done this already so XD

1. WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER?

I won't lie, I absolutely love Caitlyn x Vi (violyn, what a pretty ship name), however, I feel liek saying OTP means I'm exclusive to such things? Caitlyn and Vi are soulmates in my eyes, they will always be meant for each other; however with roleplaying, there is so much more we can go into. And that includes OCs!! So while I love this ship, I am not exclusive to it and that's all I'll write.

2. HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?

Caitlyn is around 25 years old (In her Baroness verse its conditional. could be 25 as well or older as 35/38). I would say the most I go with with caitlyn is perhaps 20 years pushing it. In reading it, I'm not bothered as long as things are tagged, but arcane is filled with very dark themes and its there. Caitlyn in IC setting would not go any further then at most 20 years difference.

3. HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NSFW?

For me, I'm not troubled by anything nsfw, whether its sexual, violence, or other topics in that area. So in terms of sexual relationships, I feel like for it to be considered nsfw is when hands start moving. They could be fully clothed, but its still the groping, hands slipping under shirts/pants, even intense make-out sessions I think would all quality for being nsfw.

That being said, nsfw for me is more of a warning to those who write with me. just hey, this is getting spicy and if you don't like it turn away because I typically do write out nsfw scenes including smut. I enjoy the writing of it because its a part of the characters and their developing relationship.

In terms of violence, again, its part of the story, no matter how ugly it is. I would say nsfw in violence if blades/weapons come out, and the writing is visual it would be marked as well.

5. WHO ARE OTHER CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH?

Alright, the fun part!! So, I haven't been around much to truly establish much, but I have a few ships that I've gotten to play around with!

Naturally, I have Caitlyn and Vi, and what I love about my ships with them is like, with everyone I write with the ships are different. Caitlyn has different connections with different Vis because all writers play them differently! I first started writing with @freedomsbounty and her Vi, and we kind of changed things up where Vi didn't walk away in teh rain in that angst, but actually decided to embrace her feelings and then promised to return. So its definitely a different way.

But then I have my ship with @misstantabismuses which is far more in depth with spreading out the timeline to be longer, rather then working in what looked like 'days' in teh show. So its this first developed partnership/friends, bonding on a level of noticing each other and then in time this whole '...oh shit.... I think I like her what do I do' and exploring this sort of long-term development from work partners to friendship to lovers.

So I of course love exploring with any Vi and I'm open to it (which I hope it would be known that I would never force a ship! I do ship them but I am not going to be like 'your vi has to like caitlyn' sort of thing).

As for other ships, some I'm exploring is with my Baroness Caitlyn, she has a relationship with Jinx as well! Its definitely a unique perspective in the mirror reflection of Piltover Caitlyn being with Vi, but here Zaunite Caitlyn is with Jinx. There's also an exploration between Baroness Caitlyn and Sevika, where Sevika works for Caitlyn in a sort of 'trade off contract with Silco where Sevika is now her body guard. Fun things to play with!

I also am open to other ships not just exclusively romantic. For example, @legendscried Jayce and Caitlyn are absolutely in a found family relationship. They grew up both as misfits, both having heritage from other lands, and just overall connecting with each other and finding comfort in the other. They develop a brotherly/sisterly bond and its a very strong one. I briefly touched based with @astrxae to and the possibility of Caitlyn having a big sister in Irisa which will be fun to explore!! And then oh, Oh the twisted AU with @independentzaun where Caitlyn and Jinx are half sisters! This whole complicated mess with that and the whole "How far will you go to take care of your sister" while also, ALSO dealing with the resentment of teh past and unable to forgive and forget. And then having Vi in it with her head going 'your her half sister, i'm her half sister, but caitlyn and vi aren't related' like the mind fuckery of this whole situation is absolutely hilarious!

But yes, that being said, I'm open to trying so many things and open to exploration of all ships if we plot and play around with it!

6. DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?

Yes. While I am open to shipping, I don't like being thrown things at with no plotting behind it. That being said, I'm very much an open communication channel, I have tumblr DMs as well as Discord (I prefer discord cause I can sometimes get obsessed and excited and write PARAGRAPHS worth of things). But I'm very much one for establishing a relationship before writing it. I like to make sure like, a character will click wiht Caitlyn and that chemistry through OOC talking.

I'm not one to be like 'we have to write 5 threads to see if chemistry works', but my form of checking on chemistry is talking ooc and seeing how one action reacts to the other and so on. If that chemistry is establish, then its ten times easier to start writing a ship.

So basically, come talk to me OOC. 99% of the time, I'm sure i'll ship, I just need to be able to talk and ramble and plot with you.

7. ARE YOU SHIP OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?

So, I don't quite understand this just because, I don't know? I love ships, but not exclusively romantic. I'm in for all the ships, whether its romantic, platonic, even antagonistic! I'm here to write and enjoy teh development between characters. So if I develop a ship it happens.

8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?

I love all my ships, I have several of them so its more, like, I just enjoy writing them! Whether its Caitlyn x Vi, or exploring the realms of other ships, I wouldn't say I have a favorite. Because all of them are my favorites, that's why I'm writing them! A few to list that I'm enjoying playing with are Caitlyn x Vi, Caitlyn x Sevika, Caitlyn x Jinx, Caitlyn x Ran, I also have my platonic ships with Caitlyn x Jayce, Caitlyn x Irisa (OC). There is also an new antagonistic ship i'm getting with Caitlyn x Neopolitian which is going to be a very of Sherlock x Moriarty which is gunna be hella fun I bet!

Honestly, if we have a ship, its a favorite.

9. FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?

Message me and go 'CAN I OFFER YOU THIS MUSE!?' and then we talk. Really simple. I won't automatically say yes, but like I said. OOC communication and checking chemistry by talking.

[judieasley57]

WARNING: REVEALING REVIEW, SPOILER ALERT

I had this review typed up on my tablet the other night when I finished reading the book, but Emma stepped on the keyboard and it got deleted! It was not meant to be. I have spent the past couple of days thinking about the review I wrote that night and Emma was correct. I had too much of the book in my review. So here goes my second attempt to tell you about this incredible book.

This is the third and probably last installment of the Thomas Tallant Mysteries. If you haven’t read either of the previous two books, you are certainly missing out on some really good reading. This third book takes place in the autumn of 1642. That in itself should tell you that this is an unusual series. Not too much historical fiction is written for this period. Our main characters are Thomas Tallant and Elizabeth Seymour. Thomas is from a merchant family. They own ships and bring merchandise into the London docks near their home. His father is Sir Ralph and his mother is Lady Beatrix. They are all for keeping their noses in the business and trying to ride out the current political troubles as best they can. In case you don’t know your history, this is the beginning of the Civil War between the King and Parliament, the royals and the roundheads.

Elizabeth is Lady Elizabeth Seymour. She isn’t important in the court, but she does know some highly-placed people in the court circles. William Harvey, Physician in Ordinary to King Charles for one. She and Sir William enjoy discussing astronomy, anatomy, and other scientific things. They also enjoy partaking in tobacco. Elizabeth smokes a pipe. Another is Lucy Hay, Countess of Carlisle, who has recently changed sides along with lovers. She summons Elizabeth as she has a message for her and a request. Sir William is looking forward to having Elizabeth’s company. And could Lucy perhaps borrow Thomas for a task? Oh, by the way, your necklace is mine. It was stolen from my home a couple of weeks ago. Elizabeth ends up sleuthing into the case of the gang of jewel thieves currently tearing around London, as well as the long and hazardous journey to locate William Harvey and the King. She finally locates him at a battlefield where the two of them end up treating the wounded and they both are rather overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of injured and dying soldiers. Surely tracking down jewel thieves is easier.

Thomas meanwhile has been loaned out to the Parliament militia, The London Trained Bands, under the command of Philip Skippon. The two men hit it off and Thomas is sent off with two favored troopers on a special mission to resolve the gunpowder source for the royalists. Spite and betrayal play a very large part in Thomas’ mission and he comes close to dying several times. He does see friends die in the process and becomes a bit bitter due to the betrayal.

My favorite scene in the whole book is when Elizabeth goes back to Lucy to let her know about the jewel investigation and loses it. Elizabeth is physically and emotionally worn out from the jewel thief who had been stalking her and threatening her as well as her journey to Sir William Harvey and their time at the battlefield. She is faced with this woman who hasn’t left her comfortable home through it all, who is practically hissing in her face about baubles while people are dying. Elizabeth simply lets go with all of the pain and anger she has inside her. I loved it. Granted, the Countess then banishes her, but I think it was worth it for Elizabeth to have her say. Brava! 

I know this is intended to be the last of the Thomas Tallant Mysteries, but I really hope that the author listens to what his readers are saying in these reviews and keeps going with them. We love these books. His way of putting history on paper and the story of this young couple is just so appealing. Too appealing to end here. CORRECTION: THIS IS NOT THE END..MORE TO COME!

Recommended.

[iviarellereads]

The Eye of the World, Chapter 24 - Flight Down the Arinelle

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Harp icon) In which surely none of those things will come up in the story.

Rand is dreaming again, an M.C. Escher space where Baa chases him. Eventually he comes on Baa purely by accident, yells that this is just a dream, and the scene changes. Suddenly Rand is faced with hundreds of mirrors, and he only sees his face in them, but he knows somehow that it's also Baa's face. When he wakes up, his finger is bleeding from a prick he acquired in the dream, from a thorn on a wall.

The ship they boarded, The Spray, is slowly making haste down the Arinelle river. The wind is blowing the wrong way to help them, consistently. The crew mutter about the dangers of navigating the river in the dark, as they're pushed to keep sailing night and day in shifts. Strangely, the crew don't blame Rand and his friends for their misfortune, but the man who had fallen asleep on watch while the boat was ashore, Floran Gelb. For his part, Gelb remains suspicious of the traveling trio.(1)

Thom does his part to discourage mutiny, telling stories for the sailors morning and night, and playing any song they request during the day. He also spends time teaching Rand and Mat how to play his flute, under the guise that they're his apprentices, and teaching them how to tell some of the simpler stories, juggle, and tumble.

On the first day, the ship goes through a section surrounded on both sides by tall bluffs, in which have been carved figures of kings and queens, a hundred feet tall. Some must be very old, because their features have been worn smooth by erosion.(2)

On the second day, they spot a shiny thing in the distance. Captain Domon tells them it's a never-rusting metal tower, two hundred feet high and entirely without a spot of rust, that's used as a landmark. It means they're about ten days from Whitebridge.

Mat thinks there must be treasure in that tower, and Domon doesn't disagree, there are many strange things in the world. He's seen a statue fifty feet high on an island far away, a hand sticking out of a hill and clutching a crystal sphere as big as the ship. The people there won't allow any digging, the Sea Folk care only for finding their coramoor, but Domon suspects that if anywhere in the world held treasure, it's that hill.

Domon also tells them of a place called Tanchico, a port city, where there's an old wall with a frieze full of pictures of animals no man has ever seen, and they've dug up and strung together bones that appear to match the animals. Yes, there are many strange things in the world. It wouldn't be at all a surprise if there were treasure in the metal tower with no doors.(3)

On the fourth day, Rand climbs the mast, and in his excitement at the height and the wind, he does silly and impulsive things(4) like let go of the mast with his arms, pulling a Titanic. Thom climbs up carefully to yell and scowl at him to get down. Rand gets down by sliding down one of the main ropes, jumping, and sticking his landing near where Mat is sitting.

Rand notices that Mat is holding a dagger, large and curved, with a gold sheath and a ruby on the hilt. After some prodding, Mat admits it's from Shadar Logoth, but it was never a GIFT from Mordeth, so Moiraine's warnings don't count.(5) Rand won't tell anyone will he? Rand promises he won't tell, not even Thom.

Thom then comes over and tells Rand off for his stunt, but says if he has such a liking for heights, maybe they could perform a high-wire act in one of the big cities someday. Rand says they're headed for Tar Valon, and Thom says, for now, but the life of a gleeman can take you many places.

=====

(1) On the one hand, he's the one who fell asleep and allowed our characters to run up on the ship without warning. His projection of guilt couldn't be more transparent. On the other, they cost him his job, and that's not nothing, in a world like this. (2) Probably a vague reference to the Argonath, the Gates of Gondor with ancient kings carved into them, that the Fellowship sailed through in LOTR. (3) A metal tower that doesn't rust, a crystal sphere as big as a riverboat, and a museum full of assembled skeletons from before the Breaking, and dozens more oddities the world over. This is what my intro line refers to. Surely, absolutely none of this will ever come up again. (4) "Headaches and numbness and exhilaration all mixed together, and you taking foolish chances or acting giddy." as Moiraine put it a few chapters ago with Nynaeve. Hmm, you don't think…? (5) I'm not sure that's how that works, sweetie.

[casliveblog]

Custom Toonami Block Week 164 Rundown

Spy X Family: Yor continues her fight with kusarigama guy and Anya demonstrates that in addition to reading minds she may have the power to influence them because she’s like ‘oh cool this lady I don’t know is doing a street performance’ and everyone instantly believes her. (That’s a joke but I would legitimately not be surprised if Anya developed some sort of low level hypnosis with her powers and that’s the reason everyone acts a little more stupid and agreeable around her but it could also just be she’s a kid in a comedy show idk). But yeah Loid comes out in an outfit that would fit right in in a Saint’s Row game and it’s just great. Yor’s group decides to lay low and navelgaze about the old ‘soldiers in times of peace’ chestnut while Yor debates giving up assassining which I guess they’d rename the show to Regular Mom Girl X Family if she did that. The next day Anya tries to ditch Loid all day but ends up having fun doing all the stuff she’s trying to distract him with before finally just coming out and saying she misses Yor and Loid agrees to go see her tomorrow. Meanwhile the bad guys are honing in on the group and the ship that’s coming to pick up the mafia wife is on its way so the final showdown is at hand.

Inuyasha: I’m pretty sure this is still filler but it’s hard to tell since it does tie into the main plot tangentially and sometimes even the canon is just kinda written like filler sometimes. The gang (read: Inuyasha) uses Shippo as bait for the demon of the week and it turns out to be a parasite that is leeching off of other demons. Long story short Shippo gets possessed and lets all the stuff he usually lets slide build up as resentment and the gang has a whole episode fight of ‘well that wasn’t very dangerous but it sure was annoying’ which is funny because it even feels like the parasites give Shippo a minor power boost since he’s shown using more powerful variations of his gag techniques and doing stuff like teleporting which he normally can’t do (though oddly I think it is something he can do to a limited degree in Yashahime if I remember right) But yeah after a bunch of gags where it’s ‘Shippo’s gag attack but moderately more threatening’ like a toned down version of Luffy vs Usopp, Inuyasha manages to yeet the parasite off of him and they find a fuckload of the things and it’s somehow tied to Naraku harassing a large demon or something or maybe not because this is filler. Like they say the parasites are left behind because the demon changed location but I’m pretty sure if they’re parasites they’d just… go with the demon, like if they’re parasites and not symbiotes the demon probably wouldn’t care to warn them like ‘hey I’m going somewhere you guys can’t survive or some shit so get off’ so yeah the tie to canon is tenuous at best.

Yu Yu Hakusho: The final-ish round of Yusuke vs Yomi has finally arrived and for some reason they’re doing three rounds at once now and we’re having Mukuro and the girl that beat Chuu as well as chrome demon and beret guy having their final clashes at the same time which seems like it’s a weird thing to do, dividing the attention of the spectators and everyone complaining that the competitors won’t have enough time to recover for the next round you’d think they’d draw it out more but given how Togashi’s health was declining at this time that may be some sort of commentary on the manga industry. If I recall correctly this is the episode they played during the Toonami April Fools joke that revived the block so that’s pretty cool even though at the time I hadn’t seen much of the Three Kings arc and didn’t know what was going on I didn’t miss as much context as I thought I did. See the funny thing is as weird a rushed as the pacing is here the weirdest part is that the ending’s so focused on characters we know nothing about like fucking baret guy vs chrome guy is one of the final fights we don’t know shit about either of those guys and Yomi’s only marginally better. Still as the fight begins, Yusuke starts his Megaman Zero “WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOR!?” monologue and if this arc had a proper… well, arc, this would’ve been something he’d been brooding over for a while but instead it kinda hits him all at once and he just kinda disassociates for half the fight. It’s a good angle to come at his character from this late in the series, him just wondering what he’s doing since he doesn’t want to be king of the demons and is just fighting because it’s all he’s ever done. He’s not an angry young man anymore nor is some brooding anime villain inspiring him to come kill them because they’ll kill his girlfriend because they want to be proven wrong, he’s wondering if all he’s waiting for now is to get beaten as well and have his own philosophy overcome. It’s good stuff but like I said it comes out of literally nowhere, though Yomi’s reaction to it is great he’s just like “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT YOU UPENDED THE GOVERNMENT OF A WHOLE DIMENSION AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!?” like it really puts into context how over a dozen demon illuminati Machiavellian schemers were thrown off by a teenager that just likes to punch things. Yusuke gets a vision of Raizen which basically says that he still has to resolve what his demon half means to him, or more loosely interpreted what place his love of fighting has in his future. He gets his demon powerup and starts fighting evenly with Yomi but Yomi has an anti-demon barrier but considering Yusuke has only been using demon power for like five minutes anyway it’s pretty easy for him to just switch to Spirit Energy and blast through it. Like thematically it’s cool Yusuke showing his original spirit powers are what make him unique and the power bestowed by his demonic transformation doesn’t own him even if it informs part of his identity but it also means implementing a loophole to something that only just became a thing in this fight and Yomi having a weirdly specific barrier that only blocks one type of energy. I always thought this’d be a more interesting fight if it was Yusuke versus Shura, like Shura is basically a blank slate and having him develop the foundation of morals he’d eventually rule by in a fight with Yusuke, having him shape the demon world without actually winning, would’ve been kinda neat like I guess they’re going for sort of the same thing with Yomi becoming less of a dick but it’s a harder sell for someone that’s been running a demon dictatorship for 500 years. Still, Yusuke’s voiceover in the preview warning how the end is near does kinda get to me, I’m gonna miss this show when it leaves the block.

Jujutsu Kaisen: So Yuji has to fight a Grasshopper (or a Locust idk, his name is Grasshopper Guy and everyone calls him a grasshopper but the overview is talking about Locusts so I don’t even know) and it’s a pretty funny fight like the dude is pretty funny for a mid-tier mook to stall Yuji for two minutes and give him a win when he chops off this guy’s dick and it just feels like the JJK author gets random hyperfixations and wants to throw them in and I’m fine with that. Meanwhile the plan is just to jump Gojo with three dudes and flood the place with hostages and hope for the best. I feel like we’re watching One Punch Man but instead of following Saitama we’re following a Will-E Coyote style gang of people trying to kill Saitama and it’s just like you know it’s not gonna work, fucking Krakatoa is not gonna get one over on Gojo and I feel kinda bad for them. They do this thing where it’s like Domain Aura which is just like ‘power up all my moves and give piercing damage’ because you literally need piercing damage to even fight Gojo at all and he’s just like ‘oh that’s kinda cute so you’re looking for a beatdown instead of me just shrugging you off and killing you, congratulations on moving up on rung on the ‘still not even a fight’ ladder.”.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: So the finale has gone full Ember Island Players for a play about the original Scott Pilgrim plot and Scott’s kind of in the awkward position of everyone resolving their character arcs without him, like I think everyone’s actually better off than if he ran around punching them in the face, did we accidentally make the original plot obsolete? Anyway during the play, Even Older Scott takes the main cast to… the moon or something? Idk if they are in the future or just on the present moon but they seem to have changed location and time and Even Older Scott is basically a demigod. Turns out he’s the one that made the knockoff AT Field that stops them from kissing but he didn’t put anything on his dick I guess so they still ended up married and they just don’t kiss while Scott’s rawdogging her like Goku which is kind of its own nightmare but yeah. They all fight and it’s basically like that scene in One Piece Stampede where everyone throws everything they’ve got at Douglas Bullet and he just tanks it by being ridiculously fuckshow strong. The funny thing is everyone but Scott and Ramona get defeated and sent back to the theater which like… Gideon straight up asked for that at the beginning of the fight so what was the point? Like it’s cool for all the Exes to get powerups from Ramona’s bag to showcase the mended bridges and show how making peace with her has turned them into their best selves but like if they’re just gonna pop back when they’re beaten what’s the point? Like I don’t quite get EOS’s plan here since best case scenario he just punches his younger to death and dies? Like he kinda gets interrupted before explaining what the plan here is and knowing Scott there might not even be one. Either way Even Older Ramona comes in to save the day and I kinda like what they did here, at first it seems like EOS is just overreacting and it’s a dumb ‘haha a Three’s Company misunderstanding almost destroyed the multiverse isn’t that funny’ but it’s a little more complicated. Scott saw the thing I’ve been complaining about the whole time, that Ramona just seems to bail on relationships at the first sign of trouble regardless of the other person’s feelings, EOR says this wasn’t the case and EOS definitely took it way too far but regular Ramona does see the conflict here and does the only thing that can really fix things: she decides to love herself. It’s a twist on the whole ‘can’t love anybody until you love yourself’ deal in that she can love Scott without fully loving herself but it’s still going to cause problems and her Super Saiyan transformation involves making peace with herself so she doesn’t feel the need to let her self-doubt yeet herself away from happiness. It’s nice, I like it, like it definitely throws some shade at EOS for all the shit he caused but recognizes Ramona’s involvement and her character flaws that led to neither of them being happy. Everyone goes home and gets their good ending and Gideon, Matt and Jules do a stinger for their own little evil council thing for being directionlessly evil but at least they’re not stuck on a girl anymore so good for them. It’s not ‘the best animated thing in 2023’ like I’ve heard some people say but I enjoyed it, as someone new to the Scott Pilgrim universe I can’t say it gave me a good grasp on everything about the world given how short it was (still not entirely sure how the power system works) but it’s a cute little thing with a nice ending and it addressed all the obvious things I was wondering about along the way, endings are hard and increasingly not good in most things so anything that has a good ending is worth some credit.

Ranking of Kings: There’s another small story about how baby Miranjo met the baby demon and it’s done in that same storybook artstyle as last episode. It’s cute but not much happens, like if anything I thought there was more to her relationship with the demon but I guess it’s just ‘nah they just met in the forest one day and started playing’ like… okay. The second part is Bojji leaving on his journey from the end of season1 and giving everyone sentimental gifts from the titular Treasure Chest of Courage it’s cute but rather than things from the actual story or flashbacks it’s just a bunch of stuff they have to make up backstories for which is kinda less effective. Bojji does eventually leave and find Kage again and they reenact the first ED while the first OP is playing and that’s nice. It’s just kinda weird, like there’s one episode left and we’re finally back to where we were at the end of last season like are we really just doing a whole season for one episode worth of story progression? It feels like Higurashi Sotsu all over again like I’d almost prefer a full season of meaningless filler so you can just skip the whole thing.

Vinland Saga: Thorfinn has a dream about killing Einar’s family, now it’s not literal, he’s just reconciling his past sins with now being such close friends with someone that could’ve bene one of his past victims but it’s kind of funny that his mind constructed a young Einar and his family for the dream and made it exactly what he looked like because we know what he looked like even if Thorfinn doesn’t and it’d be confusing otherwise. Thing is Einar’s finally become a level 4 friend and unlocked Thorfinn’s tragic backstory so he gives him the whole deal about season 1 and even goes so far as to say he doesn’t hate Askeladd anymore and without that burning hatred in him anymore he feels empty (hey, YYH, second time today we’re dealing with a young man that doesn’t know what to do without being angry and fighting things all the time). He even says he’s forgetting something and can’t quite remember something very important (I have a feeling it rhymes with “I hate Bow Emilies”) and the old man and Einar both reinforce to him that it’s never too late to start over and do something else with your life and if you don’t know how to do anything but what you’ve been doing the first step to stop that is learning new things and it’s a really great message. Also they mention catching fish for Lent and it being ready to snow which is weird considering Lent happens in the beginning of Spring but maybe the weather’s just kinda always shitty.This chill vibe is kinda completely torn down when they come back and all their plants have been fucked over by jealous farmhands who’re just like ‘if slaves do farm work then that means they’re just like me!’ Bro it’s a FARM if they don’t do farm work what the fuck else they gonna do!? Farming is like 90% of what goes on on farms! But yeah, Einar’s pissed and Thorfinn trying to talk some sense because obviously nothing will get done if they just fly off the handle but also also if they just do nothing then they’ll just keep wrecking their crops so there’s really no winning unless they post an armed guard on their farm 24/7. So yeah, they find the farmhands and THORFINN actually throws the first punch and it’s pretty badass to see him getting worked up but it doesn’t last long given Thorfinn’s not in ‘anime character taking on 50 guys’ mode and they outnumber them three to one and have weapons and shit so back into the hallucination hole for Thorfinn.

[hoboal87]

Fool Us Twice Writing Challenge

@synmorite and I are hosting a Challenge! Starting this month, which happens to be our birthday month (plus the bebe currently growing inside @hoboal87) and with no end date.

We want you to write a fic whose purpose is to trick us into believing something that isn’t true. As some of you know, Syn and I love to theorize the hell out of fics, and we're quite good at it. Throw us for a loop! We want you to trick us. 

For example: Make us believe someone is a villain but turns out they’re the good guy, or vice-versa! Or maybe the reader thinks he/she/they are being cheated on, but it’s really that the s/o is shopping for engagement rings (or go for the opposite and bring on the angst).

Bend the rules however you see fit, but it should still make sense once the twist is revealed. Distract us with other details. Is there a large time jump? Was something revealed about a character and they haven’t been heard from since? Does a character have a mysterious past? Make us focus on the why, even though it might be irrelevant to the story itself. The point is: make us believe the lie. You can use any type of literary device; unreliable narrator, red herrings, Chekhov's gun, flashbacks/flashforwards, in medias res, framing devices, ect. 

Interested? Check out the rules below!

Some Rules:

18+ participants only please

No minimum word count, max 3k per part. 

Any genre - Angst, smut, fluff, crack are all welcome. Please tag/warn your fic accordingly

If you choose to write smut, no scat or piss play. We both are pretty much open to anything outside of that, but if you're not sure you can send either of us a DM

Fandoms: Supernatural (Sam, Dean, John), Walker, The Boys, and any iteration (soulless!Sam, Demon!Dean, ect.) of those characters as well as RPF for those fandoms. Crossovers are more than welcome and encouraged! 

RIs, OCs, and Ships. We respectfully ask for no Destiel smut as neither of us are particular fans.

Need an idea for a pairing? Sastiel, Saileen, Denny, Dean/Cordell, Dean/SB, Sam/Jess, SB/Cordell, SB/Stella, Butcher/Liam, Cordell/Liam, Cordell/Stella. Think your pairing is unusual? Please write it!

If you write any RPF, wife-hate is not acceptable. 

We do ask if you decide to stay compliant or adjacent to the SPN canon, no mentions of the Barn or Dean’s death.

Post in at least two parts with the twist in the second part so we can theorize!

You can pick from either option one or two, or both, it's completely up to you!

Sign ups are not required, but if you'd like to let us know you can DM either @synmorite or @hoboal87

Please tag both of us as well as use the hashtag #trick and treat hobosyn in the first 5 tags

if one or both of us don't reblog within 48 hours please send us a DM

First option: pick a song or movie from 1987. Use this as the inspiration for your fic. Multiple authors may choose the same song/movie.

Bad by Michael Jackson

Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

With or Without You by U2

Here I Go Again by Whitesnake 

Don't Dream it's Over by Crowded House

I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffani

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2

Didn’t We Almost Have it All? by Whitney Houston

The Next Time I Fall by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant

Alone by Heart

Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi

U Got the Look by Prince

(I Just) Died in Your Arms by Cutting Crew

Lean on Me by Club Nouveau

(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) by Beastie Boys

Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac

Notorious by Duran Duran

The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby and the Range

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Overboard

Throw Momma From the Train

Lethal Weapon

Mannequin

Some Kind of Wonderful

The Untouchables

Predator

Roxanne

Adventures in Babysitting

Full Metal Jacket

Second option: Below is our Wish List of Tropes that we love to read. We have a wide variety of favorite tropes and once again, we aren’t here to judge.

Have Fun! We can't wait to read and theorize your fics!

A/B/O breeding farm

Dark Winchesters

CNC

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Fuck or Die

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Weecest

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Genderswap

Walkercest

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dub-con/non-con

Serial Killer AU

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Chef AU

Inappropriate Relationships

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Historic AU

[wincore]

field day | jung sungchan

pairing: sungchan x fem!reader

synopsis: when you, as cheer captain, are best friends with the pride and joy of the soccer team, rumors are bound to fly around.

genre: high school au, soccer au, bff2l, fluff

words: 7.5k

warnings: language, jung “the risk i took was calculated but man am i bad at math” sungchan

request: sungchan + ball + “ everyone is looking at us. is that a good or a bad thing? ” (from the first option) ^__^

song recs: after school - weeekly / pleaser - wallows / some - bol4 / sweet talk - saint motel / love so sweet - cherry bullet

a/n: i tried recalling some hs memories for this and im hoping i wasnt the only one that went through the “shipped with a random dude” ordeal LOL. i haven’t written shorter fics in a while so i’m glad i got to. tq for requesting, lovepie <33

In high school, peer pressure tends to come in different forms. For you, it’s taken the shape of this.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” 

You look around your classmates, scanning each and every face chanting with glee like you’re a star player scoring the winning point. The tall figure shifts beside you, glancing at you like a blinking idiot. You’re not even on the losing team but it feels just as frustrating.

You glare at the boy beside you. The trouble is Jung Sungchan. The trouble has always been Jung Sungchan. 

“Come on!” Chenle calls with a teasing grin from the buzzing crowd. The little shit. It’s getting hotter with each minute you spend by the green soccer field and its dusty chalked lines, just at the tip of the bleachers. You didn’t even get enough time to breathe before you were surrounded, the soccer team pushing a stumbling Sungchan onto you. It’s too sunny for this today.

“The star soccer player gets a kiss from the lead cheerleader after a winning game! That’s the rule.” Chenle announces.

Sungchan looks at you and you turn to him, the both of you looking at each other like fish out of water. Even though you’ve clarified at least a hundred times that you’re just friends, your peers don’t seem to be satisfied. (“Famous last words,” they say.)

“No,” you say, firmly. 

“No,” Sungchan agrees, nodding his head wisely.

“Don’t copy me,” you say, smacking his chest, and a quiet ‘oof’ escapes his mouth.

The fact that you’ve been best friends since Sungchan offered you a light green crayon in elementary school just fuels the idea that you have to date. There’s this difference between elementary school kids teasing and high school kids teasing—it was so much easier back when boys were afraid of cooties from girls. It was innocent too. Now, it’s more of nudges and sly grins, teasing with unnecessary innuendo. (What else do you expect from teenagers experiencing puberty?) It doesn’t stop you from being best friends though. Sungchan still visits on Fridays to get on your mom’s nerves and help you with homework (or try to). You still have all the little trinkets he’s gifted you over the years and the lock to his phone is still your birthday. You’re best friends and strictly that. 

When you got into the same middle school though is when it started going downhill. Holding his hand was awkward, touching him in any way was awkward and god forbid you compliment him on something. The kids around you would run across the halls saying “(name) likes Sungchan!” or the other way around sometimes. Heathens, the lot of them. But at the very least, he wasn’t too fazed and you wonder how he could be that even-tempered. If it was just you feeling that way, then maybe you did like him more than he did you. 

You shake it off. 

Sungchan’s much more grown now and at least a foot taller since his awkward adolescent years; he looks handsomer too but you wouldn’t be caught dead saying it out loud. After all, it’s only going to spark another debate on the anonymous school forum. (“(name) finds Jung Sungchan attractive, they’re totally dating.” “I knew it. A boy and a girl can’t be friends, especially if they’re both good looking.”) If you’re being honest, you hate the rumours so much—it’s one of the reasons, apart from puberty, stopping you from being as close as before. However, you do understand that this is how the passage of time works. You’re not going to be spending all of your time with each other, yes, but you still regard him as important. Your life is too busy now, with exams and practice—and you’d think a busy bee would get some honey as reward.

Sungchan’s curls stick to his forehead, unruly after he wiped at them with a towel. The sunlight plays with his eyes when he looks at you intently and you shrug. The smell of sweat is starting to make you nauseous. You remember that you too need to take a shower.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” you mumble.

“Not today?” He asks.

You shake your head. “The girls have a plan.”

It’s not just the sweat. Or the crowds. You don’t like being here at all. There’s one more problem with this place.

You hate soccer. 

And by hate, you mean you despise it. Like you’ll throw up at the sight of it. What’s so riveting about a bunch of smelly, sweaty guys excited about chasing a patterned ball? You’ve tried to understand it but every time your dad explains the rules, you find yourself zoning out of whatever alien language he speaks. 

Sungchan has been the closest to getting you to understand the game and even then, you refused to learn. It’s not like you’re society’s definition of girly—but you’re not a tomboy either. The school has granted you the “ice queen with a warm interior” stereotype so you’ll just go with that. To be honest, you’re just a little more awkward at open affection than your friends. (And Sungchan has the “friendly beagle” stereotype which you’ll agree is partly true. He’s more of a retriever though, with that size.) It’s just funny how you can never seem to know who you are but other people see so clearly.

You hurry up to the locker rooms and hope for a better evening than this afternoon.

-

The sky burns blue and you wipe the sweat off your brow once you step out of the changing room. Cooling off from your shower has gone to waste. Adjusting your school skirt, you take your usual strides to the school gates. 

Ryujin seems to be showing Yuna a very flamboyant dance move while the latter hypes her up. Ryujin is in her gym uniform because she has no care for her reputation apparently, but she makes it work. Yuna’s about to show her own move when she notices you and waves at you vigorously enough to make you jog towards her and stop embarrassing herself in front of the after school crowd. But then again, she’s too cute for that.

“We got bored waiting for you,” Yuna explains, voice hoarse from her cold. Poor thing wasn’t let into performing because of it. “Do you wanna see our cool new move? Ryujin came up with it!”

Ryujin rolls her eyes. “You’re trying to advertise me to (name) so she can recruit me into cheerleading, aren’t you?”

You smile and cross your arms, facing Yuna who’s been caught mid-act. She smiles sheepishly and pats your shoulder like she just said a funny joke.

“Actually…” You begin and Ryujin holds up her arms in a cross.

“No. Never. I’m already part of the hip-hop dance club.”

“I was going to say that I’ll join you instead.”

Yuna gasps in betrayal, big eyes widening, and Ryujin grins before sticking her tongue out and potentially ruining her image with that expression. She doesn’t care, however.

“Anyway, I can’t wait to get to college and join a dance club.” Ryujin looks at the two of you excitedly. “I keep getting snaps from Yeji and feel so jealous.”

Yuna pouts. “Don’t be so happy about leaving me.”

“Aw, is the baby afraid of not getting any more sisterly doting?” Ryujin teases and you laugh at the disgruntled expression on Yuna’s face. 

“Don’t worry,” Ryujin continues with a sly grin. “Taehyun’s here to keep you company for another year.”

Yuna turns red in the face, a high pitched complaint emitting from her throat. “I told you to keep quiet about that!”

“Oh, what’s this?” You wiggle your eyebrows. “We’re starting boy talk early today.”

Yuna huffs. “At least, mine’s just a crush. I don’t know what relationship status: complicated you have going on with Mr. Soccer Captain.”

You flush hotly. “There’s no relationship status to be complicated about! Seriously, why does everyone think we’re a thing?”

“You’re cheer captain and he’s soccer captain,” Ryujin answers logically. “Plus, you’re best friends.”

“You have a lot of sexual tension,” Yuna answers honestly.

You make a face, slipping your arms into theirs and pulling them along the sidewalk. You better get something to drink before the sky starts to turn purple from pink tinged blue. 

“Ooh, another desperate attempt from (name) to not get teased,” Ryujin leans back to whisper to Yuna.

You stop walking. “Wait. Where are we going?”

Yuna shakes her head. “I’ll lead the way.”

Skipping over the concrete sidewalk, you laugh at your friends and their stories (read: Ryujin gushing over Yeji’s college dance club and Yuna’s newfound crush on Taehyun). The blue sky has tinged orange by now but it’s the sort of colour that sits in between more significant timeframes, like night and evening. Passing by a city square, you eye the people with wonder. A girl in a pink skirt skateboards smoothly over the concrete, her boyfriend filming her with a loving smile. 

“We’re here!” Yuna announces.

You look around the large open plaza, with people of all ages and in different attires trying out skateboarding and rollerblading over the grey concrete. It’s been getting popular lately, with idol pop stars taking to it too but you never knew there was this big a community. There seems to be a few stalls renting out skateboards too. The wind caresses your hair, evening cool settling in nicely on your skin. The sky is purple but it’s lit up with the city buildings and street lamps flickering on. It’s not a bad day at all.

Someone catches your attention. A boy that sticks out like a sore thumb everywhere he goes. 

“Sungchan?!” 

Your eyes somehow always settle on his figure, tall and standing out in the crowd of teenagers. He clutches his blue bag, the one he’s had since third grade, close to his chest and looks more like a tourist in this place than a frequent visitor. He’s not the only one in school uniform now that you’re here.

“(name)!” 

You hate how you love the way his face lights up when he sees you. You’re not actually into him. It’s your friends brainwashing you.

“I was going to invite you,” Sungchan says, a sorry smile on his face. 

Ryujin and Yuna frown at each other but you can’t exactly ask the reason for it.

“Isn’t it great we had the same plans?” he beams at the three of you.

Yuna suppresses a smile and you wonder why. It’s not like your friends would know he’d be here—you’d know first as best friend.

"How did you guys come across this place?" He asks, eyes round with curiosity. 

"Somi's Tiktok," Yuna answers, smiling. "We thought she works here but if she really was, guys would be swarming this place."

Ryujin raises her eyebrows. "Speaking of which, I can clearly see why there are so many girls here."

Sungchan beams, turning to you for affirmation and when you don't give him any, he drops his grin to a more polite smile.

“I don’t work at the stalls though,” he answers. “I’ve just been here a few times.”

“You’re trying to learn, aren’t you?” Ryujin asks, raising an eyebrow.

He nods. However, you furrow your eyebrows at her. How does she know? Eyes widening, you realize it must be the school forum. You remember reading a post about a student wanting to learn skateboarding and the wording felt familiar but you didn’t think much. How they figured it out, you will never know.

“Oh! Oh, I think my nose is bleeding. Oh god.” Yuna sniffs vehemently, her finger at her nose. “I think I’m going to need Ryujin to get me to a clinic.” 

Linking her arm through Ryujin’s, Yuna makes an apologetic expression and runs off into a particularly crowded area.

You blink. The realization dawns. 

"They just left me," you tell him, exasperated. "How could they just leave me?"

He shrugs. "My team left me at a rival school's field once."

Great. Your last outing before midterms and your friends have abandoned you. If this is the case, you wonder why they complain about you spending so much time with Sungchan and allegedly ignoring them.

You regain a sense of your surroundings and turn to him. "Wait. They really left you?"

He nods diligently, eyes trained upwards as he tries to recall the memory. "I told you, didn’t I? On the plus side though, I made friends with the opposite team."

"That's so… cute."

Your cheeks heat up at saying it out loud. If Sungchan is affected by it in any way, he doesn't show it. Instead, he has his usual smile on. 

“Do you wanna try?” he asks. “Skateboarding. Or rollerblading but I personally don’t recommend that.”

He curls his lips, shaking his head slightly. You laugh. Of course this beanpole has trouble balancing on skates.

"I- I figured you'd be good at skateboarding. Since, you know, you're so balanced and all."

You raise an eyebrow. "You wanna add skateboarding to your resume or something?"

"Yeah, that and the ability to imitate dog sounds. Wanna see?"

"No, thanks. I’ll pray this weekend to cure your furry behaviour."

Before he can respond, you’re interrupted by a whirlwind of colours and excited calls. A few girls run up to the two of you, younger and probably in middle school, flocking to Sungchan like bees to honey. Never in your life have you felt so ignored as in this singular moment.

You blink, turning to Sungchan who looks like a rather helpless, flustered eye of the hurricane. The winds don't seem to be stopping any time soon.

You clear your throat trying to get their attention. 

"Wow, you brought your girlfriend?" One of the girls exclaims, sounding disappointed.

The other girls make similar whines of disappointment and you have half the heart to whack them over the head and tell them to focus on their academics instead of boys. 

"You're so lucky to have him as your boyfriend," a girl comments, round eyes brimming with jealousy. 

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you declare sharply.

Sungchan looks at you with his doe eyes, blinking cartoonishly. You nudge him with your elbow.

“Yeah!” He agrees, with far too much gusto to be believable. “I’m not (name)’s boyfriend. I have no idea why everyone keeps saying that.”

“Let’s go, babe,” you say, resisting the urge to stick your tongue out at the girls. They’re younger than you and you have high school dignity, you remind yourself.

Slipping your hand into his, you take a few long strides away from them before you realize what you said.

“I- I did- I didn’t mean to call you babe,” you sputter, pulling your hand from his to look at him with wide eyes. 

“It’s okay though?”

Sungchan raises an eyebrow and slips his hand back into yours, smiling. 

“I don’t mind the rumours, you know?” He says honestly but his smile feels all too teasing. “Maybe we should go out for real.”

You huff, separating yourself from him again. “Maybe you just love attention. Disgusting.”

You point an accusatory finger at him and he bites at it playfully.

“While you're here, wanna see a cool trick I learned?" He straightens only having to tilt his head to look at you.

"If it's you falling on your face, then yes."

"I mean, hey, I could totally do that. Done that several times actually."

You smile despite trying your hardest not to. You like this about him—that he’s easygoing enough to make you look at life less seriously. If it’s with him, you could quit everything that makes you unhappy and start everything you love. 

“So where is your skateboard?” you ask, walking side by side with him, who has finally learned to match your pace.

“It’s with one of my friends,” he answers, and points to a tall girl with long brown hair, wearing a pair of tomboyish shorts and T-shirt. Another girl with short hair and a bucket hat accompanies her, wearing a long hoodie and shorts, but she leaves before you reach them. They must be from a different school because you’ve never seen them before. The first thing that pops into your head is that they’d be good replacements for your cheerleading position if you were ever to leave. You shake your head. Now is not the time.

“That’s Jimin!” he introduces, and you wonder how he’s this way—how he makes friends so easily.

Jimin waves at Sungchan and then proceeds to ask if you’re his girlfriend with a big smile, like a script being followed everywhere you go.

She seems a little disappointed at the answer. “Well, I was going to suggest one of the couples skateboards.”

You flash her an awkward smile. 

“But those are pretty difficult! I’ve been here for a month and my idea of skateboarding is still sitting on it while Soeun pushes me around. That’s my friend, by the way.”

“Ah.” You nod. “This is my first time skateboarding, actually. The only ‘sport’ I’ve ever done is cheerleading.”

Jimin furrows her eyebrows before her eyes widen. “Wait a minute. You’re the cheerleader best friend that Sungchan wouldn’t shut up about!”

Sungchan flusters, in the subtle way he usually does, and waves his hands robotically trying to explain. “I was just saying- that- that you’d be good at skateboarding. Because of the cheerleading.”

A boxy grin accompanies his explanation. 

“Right.” Jimin covers her face and sends an obvious wink your way. “Anyway, you can have my skateboard for the day.”

She hands over a smooth black skateboard with white wheels, but on closer inspection you find that they’re light-up wheels instead. It’s oddly fitting for someone like Jimin even if you’ve known her the entirety of ten minutes. Sungchan is good at finding friends, rather. Soon enough, she runs off after making Sungchan promise he’ll deliver the skateboard home.

The trick Sungchan wanted to show you was a failed kickflip. At the very least, it made you laugh so hard you almost spit out the strawberry milk he’d bought you. Sipping his own banana milk, he sulked for a moment or two, telling you to try it out and see how difficult it is.

On the contrary, Sungchan was right. You are good at balancing on skateboards. But that’s where it ends. You don’t think you’ll be naturally good at kickflips, though being able to glide through the plaza while Sungchan runs after you with the drinks puts a big smile on your face. It’s the most fun you’ve had in a while.  

Accompanied by Sungchan’s panicked “oh no”s and “oh we messed up”s, the two of you try the couple skateboarding move too; no one’s watching you here. It’s fun to see him stress over a skateboard because frankly, you’ve never met anyone as easy-going as Sungchan. (“I’ll figure it out along the way,” he says when you ask if he’s studying for finals, and proceeds to get a decent enough score). Suddenly the wandering gap is closed again. You’re not going to worry about stupid rumours from now on. 

But for some reason, ‘you like him as a friend’ doesn’t sound right either. Despite having said it so many times, you might not believe in it. You shake off the thought. This evening, at least, you’re going to enjoy with Sungchan without thinking of teenage drama and hormones. 

"You still don't think you and Sungchan make the perfect pair?" Yuna pouts. 

You narrow your eyes. "I don't take opinions from traitors."

Chaeryoung leans back on her chair, and whispers to you asking if you’re okay. At least someone is concerned about you.

“It hurts to be left by my own friends but—”

“No, I meant, are you okay? Why aren’t you dating Sungchan already? You’re so cute together! And you’re best friends—Netflix writers literally daydream of this.”

You groan, throwing up your hands in defeat.

“And,” Yuna adds, knocking her chair closer. “Who’s really the traitor here? Us who ditched you with the love of your life—or you, who runs off every time she gets a call from her boyfriend?”

“Sungchan is not my boyfriend.” You cross your arms.

“She even shares her lunch with him more,” Ryujin complains from the side. “And they’re not even in the same class. Unlike me, by the way. Class 1 Shin Ryujin. Same class as you, (name).”

You slump, resting your forehead against the desk. At this point, you wish the teacher would walk in and start the class already. Unfortunately, lunch break isn’t over for another ten minutes and lady luck clearly isn’t smiling upon you. 

“Speak of the devil!” Ryujin announces monotonously, leaning against her desk.

Sungchan and a few of his friends from the soccer team wave at you and the girls from the classroom door. Noticing Taehyun, Yuna quickly fixes her hair and you would tease her if Sungchan hadn’t casually strolled up to your desk and sat down on the chair in front of you. Long legs barely contained in the space, he adjusts himself by resting his arm on the headrest and his chin upon it. It’s all normal. However, when he leans down to match your eye level, you hear the sudden pit-a-pat of your pulse in your ear. At this proximity, you can even see the mole on his lip that he’s pointed out before. The sunlight from the open windows is pulling golden strings over his eyelashes and his lips aren’t dry as a desert like you expected. You know he uses the watermelon flavoured lip balm. 

“Too close,” you croak. Embarrassed at your own voice, you rise sharply and glare at him.

“Is your heart fluttering?” Sungchan asks, smiling as he looks up at you.

You roll your eyes. 

You can hear Yuna’s giggling and before you can shoot her a glare, Sungchan calls. 

"Do you have any bandaids?" 

He points to a rough scratch at the base of his palm, fingers slender and less calloused than what you'd pictured. Then again, soccer players don't use their hands much, do they?

You blink. "You came all the way here for bandaids?"

"Well… I remembered you keep band-aids in your phone case. And the nurse hates me."

You giggle.

Yujin mouths from behind Sungchan, “He just wanted to see her.” 

You would feel flattered if you didn't know these people and their shenanigans. They'd do anything for some drama (and to get two innocent people into the dating trap).

“Why would I waste my cute band aids on you?” you mutter under your breath. “They’re limited edition, you know?”

No way are you sticking Ice Bear on your urban hazard of a best friend. A tall, cute, surprisingly polite hazard but he still annoys you nonetheless.

However, Sungchan's pleading smile has grown on you.

You reluctantly take the band-aid out of your clear phone case, the pink panda doll attached to it swaying with the movement. Proceeding, you take Sungchan's hand and lay it on your desk. With careful focus, you place the band-aid, admiring the size difference of your hands before snapping to reality.

Enough with the pink cloud of thoughts, you scold yourself.

When you look up, the proximity makes your heart skip a beat despite the logical part of you saying you shouldn't. Your faces are too close and this time, you don't even have the energy to croak it out.

"Thanks, (name)," Sungchan smiles at you. 

Right then, the sound of a chair sliding harshly against the floor makes the two of you jolt away from each other. All of your friends and his friends seem to be sporting Cheshire cat grins and you don't like it one bit. You don't like not being in on the gag.

"Anybody up for gaming after this? My treat." Chenle looks around. “Sungchan is banned from the arcade soccer game though.”

"'Ey," Sungchan complains.

"Hey, Jisung and Ryujin are banned from DDR too but that's because they almost broke the handles off last time."

The memory makes you smile. Sungchan was there too, and you don’t know why you’re only just recalling all the memories with him in it, carefully and in detail. Every one of them seems to have been amplified, the little interactions suddenly coming to mind. 

“(name)? You’re coming?”

You take one look at Sungchan and give up. Even if this is another childish ploy by your peers, you don't mind spending some more time at the arcade with infuriatingly addictive games. A tiny part of you is even willing to go along with them and see if it turns out the way they want it to.

“I’ll go,” you mumble, and the rest of the group cheers. 

“But I have cleaning duty today.”

The group groans. 

“Just get someone else to do it. Like a junior.”

“Isn’t that bullying?” You ask, frowning.

“Ask nicely. Anyone would be willing to do your bidding, (name).”

“Chenle, will you do it?” You give him a sickly sweet smile. “You’re class president after all.”

Chenle wrinkles his nose. “You’re getting stupider every day, (name).”

You sigh. “Fine. I’ll ask one of Yuna’s classmates then.”

“By the way,” Chenle announces. “Only twelfth graders are invited—”

A bunch of groans interrupt him. 

“Quit whining.” He crosses his arms, glaring at them. “What do you even have to worry about? We’re preparing for the exam of our lives. Oh, and Jisung is an exception.”

“We’re only two years apart,” Yuna mutters under her breath.

“Oh, and from class 5, only Sungchan is invited.”

Another round of complaints pass and Chenle breaks into laughter. “Just kidding.”

Your friends are and will always be an odd bunch. Sungchan has previously proved to be the weirdest (several times) and it makes him the most lovable too. But then again, you don’t have free space in your timetable to put in teenage crushes, much less falling for your best friend. What you do have time for this afternoon, however, is relaxing at the arcade. 

-

“Let’s go! I am so good at this. Think I’d impress your Steve Curry?” Ryujun gloats, after having scored three hoops in a row at the arcade basketball game.

“It’s Stephen Curry,” Chenle corrects. “And no, let’s focus here. Our goals are—”

He points to the two figures by the DDR machine, looking like a real couple. He’s been acting as damage control for the rumours and making sure you don’t drift apart because of it. They really don’t make guys like him anymore, Chenle sighs. He should get a friendship award or something.

“—those two.”

Really, Sungchan better be thanking him by the end of this. He’s never met anyone quite like Jung Sungchan, especially because Chenle cannot picture himself liking the same person since elementary school.

“Man, now I wish I had a girlfriend,” Chenle mutters.

Ryujin snorts. “Who’s going to date you?”

“You don’t have a boyfriend either,” Chenle reminds and gets a basketball to the shoulder.

“Why are you playing that when you don’t even know how to use it?” Your voice rings through to them.

“I said I’ll figure it out!” Sungchan reasons.

Chenle and Ryujin stare at the two of you blankly, as you bicker over a claw machine game and they share a look.

“Do they need our help?” Ryujin whispers.

Chenle shakes his head. “I think they’ll figure it out from here.”

Soon enough, you were laughing at Sungchan’s failed attempts and trying to outplay him. Your friends have already given you the shove. Chenle and Ryujin share a high five and that’s where the new story begins.

You finally know the thrill of a teenage crush. It makes you so damn infuriated that it had to be Jung Sungchan. 

Now every time he waves at you from the field or hands you a bottle of strawberry milk or explains the calc notes you missed or does the bare minimum, you need to deal with the quickening of your pulse and a few butterflies loose from their cage in your stomach. It doesn’t help that you’re almost always together.

The two of you currently sit by the school field, Sungchan tying his shoelaces while you cool off with the water bottle he offered you. Practice ended a while ago for you and the girls have receded into the air conditioned indoor gym. The indoor gym is apparently occupied by the gymnast club and you couldn’t be more disappointed that you didn’t join them instead. 

If anything, however, you’d rather leave this whole thing and focus on your academics. Hobbies shouldn’t be draining you—they should feel like skateboarding on a lilac evening with the wind in your hair.

With a friend you like very, very much.

“Sungchan,” you call quietly. 

“Hm?” 

When he looks up, you can’t hold in the urge to fix the hair out of his eyes. You’ve never been very physically affectionate so it might have come off strange. Sungchan looks at you quietly, stars in his eyes and you clear your throat.

“How long have you been playing soccer? It was before we met, right?”

He hums, eyes traveling up and then back to you when he remembers. “Since I was six. You were there at my first soccer match actually.”

“I was? Oh my god, was it the one you lost horribly and the whole team started crying?”

“Yes. Yes, it was.”

You giggle. “Six year old you would be so in awe now.”

Sungchan beams at that. 

“Who knows?” he smiles, looking into your eyes with firm determination. “Maybe I’ll be the next Son Heungmin.”

“Even I know who that is so… no.”

Sungchan pouts and you make a face in disgust. “Don’t act cute, it gives me hives.”

“Okay, maybe not Son Heungmin. I could definitely be the next Park Jisung—and I don’t mean him.”

Sungchan points to a boy passed out on the benches, his exhaustion typical of any high schooler while another boy sits beside him, fanning him with a bunch of assignment papers. Jisung and Chenle really are more entertaining than any game on this field. 

You turn to look at Sungchan, who’s moving his head around trying to catch their attention. When he finally does, he waves at them and gets big grins in response. He’s not all that bad, you think. In fact, he’s quite possibly the most amiable boy in senior year.

“Just be Jung Sungchan,” you mutter. “Not Son Heungmin or Park Jisung.”

Sungchan turns to you, smiling wide. “Advice taken.”

You scoff. “Whatever.”

Maybe it’s just you but Sungchan has been glancing at your lips very frequently today and mentally thank Chaeryoung for letting you borrow her lip tint. You didn’t know something so subtle could get you this giddy.

“Are you… going to give the CSAT?” You ask, glancing at him nervously. Part of you is sad you only developed your first high school crush in the very last semester. Or if it’s comforting, you could believe you’ve liked him all this time.

“Nah. Sports scholarship,” he says nonchalantly. “I was going to tell you but… I’ve been scouted already.”

You gasp. “That’s… great. Your future’s all settled.”

Sungchan seems to dislike the idea, lips pursing. “I don’t think anything’s settled except for the next step.”

You nod, somewhat understanding. 

“What about you?” He asks. “Any university in mind? SKY? I’ve seen you study extra hours at the library.”

You look away, not feeling ready for the conversation.

“I don’t know,” you say quietly. “I don’t know what I like and what I want. I don’t even like cheer anymore.”

Sungchan gazes at you wordlessly but it’s the most comfortable you’ve felt talking about this.

“Maybe I should quit,” you mumble.

You don’t want to commit to something you no longer have passion for. But then again, you’ve spent so much time on it that it’s hard to leave. 

“You should,” he responds, honest. 

You scoff, shaking yourself from that moment of vulnerability. “But why would I quit something I’m good at?”

“If you don’t like it. If it hurts to leave but isn’t any better when you stay, you should leave.”

You roll your eyes. “You’re quite the philosopher.”

“I’m smart, right?”

You smile. 

“Oy, you two!” Chenle calls, making his way to you two with Jisung trailing behind. “I don’t mean to interrupt your flirting but you got a spare water bottle?”

“Are you two going out now?” Jisung asks as a follow-up, and you feel a hot flush for some reason, unlike the previous times you’ve been asked this question.

“No,” you answer. You don’t mind the idea though now.

“Don’t lie,” Chenle complains. “I saw that picture of Sungchan teaching you how to kick a ball. You? And soccer? Something’s up.”

You throw up your hands in exasperation. “Seriously, who keeps up posting to the school page? And where do they get the time?”

"Two people with this much compatibility will always be a hot topic."

"We're not compatible," you retort quickly.

"Wait," Jisung says. "I know how to resolve this."

You raise an eyebrow.

"How do you have your cereal?" He asks, looking from you to Sungchan.

"Cereal first, obviously," you answer.

Sungchan looks up, finger below his chin as he thinks. "I drink the milk first, then eat the cereal and then breakdance to mix it all together."

You pinch your nose. "I swear I question your sanity all the time."

"Hah! That means you're thinking about me all the time."

You look away, rolling your eyes. He responds with an open-mouthed smile and finger guns.

"See?" Jisung grins. "Compatible."

The gruff voice of Coach Lee startles the four of you and Sungchan leaves with a sigh and a promise of meeting after practice. Jisung leaves with Sungchan and Chenle gives you one last teasing smirk before sitting down and going through the assignment papers he was using as a fan previously. You will never understand his miraculous ways of performing his presidential duties.

You don’t have a good feeling about the next match. The only reason you’re even sticking around anymore—as embarrassing as it—is to spend more time with Sungchan. Being with him puts you at ease, even if the school tries to wrap the two of you in a rope of uneasiness. This is your very last practice, for the next match is the final one of this year and then you’ll be back to spending even longer hours at the library with a stack of textbooks. It’s supposed to be a carefree age. At least, adults say that. Your high school life seems to be riddled with worries, and with that thought, you head into the air conditioned room to take a breather off your anxieties. 

Only one more match, you remind yourself. 

The pre-match buzz is driving you to the edge.

Your form is off, you can feel it already and Coach Kim isn’t as sunshine-as-rainbows as she usually is, courtesy to it being the last match of your life. She’ll never know though, how much you don’t want to do this. 

Sungchan waves at you as he usually does before a match, disappointing a third of his fangirls, but it helps you ease. One last time, (name).

Watching the crowd of people, parents and siblings and friends, all excited and talking makes you take a deep breath. You practiced but it wasn’t good enough. You can never do well at something you don’t like anymore. This time, you feel guilty for committing to things half-heartedly. You want to start that fresh new college chapter already, with all of this behind.

There’s ten minutes left. You go back to the empty hall outside the lockers only to pace. This isn’t helping.

“(name)!”

You turn around abruptly to find Sungchan’s tall figure, and you must be looking miserable because his smile falls.

He doesn’t even ask what’s wrong, only takes careful steps towards you. “Do you need water? Medicine?”

His hands hover over your shoulder but he doesn’t burden you with them. You put your face in your palms and sigh, sinking down to the floor in a crouch.

“I want to quit,” you whisper. Your voice comes off more brittle than you’d like, and you realize that Sungchan hasn’t seen you cry since seventh grade when you failed a math test. You didn’t tell him then but you appreciated him studying extra hours for math just to teach you.

“You don’t have to go out there if you don’t want to,” he says quietly, dropping to the floor beside you. “I’ll stay with you.”

You stare at him dumbfounded. “Don’t be ridiculous! They’ll lose without you—you’re the ace, Sungchan!”

“There will always be an ace,” he retorts. “Maybe Jisung will finally get to shine. Or anyone else. I don’t mind spending an hour with you alone.”

You feel a hot flush spread over your cheeks. Looking away to the side, you mumble an ‘alright’ and only glance from the corner of your eye to see him smiling. Jung Sungchan is the most unreasonable boy you’ve ever met. Perhaps it makes him somewhat loveable too.

“It’s your last match,” you whisper helplessly.

“I’ll join the college soccer club and get to play more matches.”

You sigh, giving in. If he’s so adamant, you think that perhaps there is something in you worth sacrificing his game over. It makes an oddly warm feeling bloom in your chest. Sungchan is so damn convincing with his words. You wonder if it’s really okay.

With shoulders touching, an awkward silence takes over in the next second. You turn to him and open your mouth, watch him do the same and close it at the same time he does.

“You know,” he begins, “I was kind of lying about not worrying because I get the feeling coach will evaporate me tomorrow but—I can handle it. Mostly.”

You stare at him with wide, worried eyes. “You don’t have to do this, Sungchan. I’m the one running away.”

You slouch, pulling your knees closer to your chest and burying your face in them. The urge to scream is boiling within you but you can’t get caught. Not now.

“Sometimes to run is the brave thing,” he responds, insightful. “If you’re not up for it, it’s better to quit early than to regret it in the long run.”

You don’t know if it’s the fact that he just quoted Taylor Swift or spoke like your old school counselor—but you find yourself laughing. He makes sense. Sungchan, in his weird, oddball ways, always makes sense. And in that same way, he feels like home.

“You’re so good to me,” you say, looking up at him and at a proximity you’ve never been before.

It’s his turn to fluster, though he doesn’t do so as visibly as you do. He clears his throat, shifting his eyes around before meeting yours. “I- This is bad timing but… I like you. I really do. Since third grade when you drew that birthday card for me. I have it in my bedside drawer, by the way.”

He looks away and makes a face, probably wondering why he said that out loud.

You press your lips tight to prevent the smile that tugs at them. He looks at you with a wobbly smile, trying his hardest to resume his usual dignity—but he’s just a boy, after all. 

“My type is dumb and pretty, though?” You tease, the smile escaping. “You said it yourself.”

He blinks. “Well, I am pretty but if you want me to be stu—”

You shake your head. “I like you too. You don’t have to act cute.”

He pauses, thinking. “I have never acted cute in my life ever. I was born cu—”

You hold his face between your thumb and forefinger. “You do that again and you die.”

He breaks into a smile. 

“I’ve never met someone quite like you,” you whisper, embarrassed of your own feelings bubbling up from the bottle you had kept them in.

He laughs, open-mouthed and pretty. 

“Actually, hey, I didn’t like you all this time from fifth. I liked you and then I didn’t like you and then I liked you again—”

“Okay, I get it.”

His shoulders relax and he smiles at you. You look up at the clock on the wall by the entrance to the field and bite your lip. You don’t love performing anymore but you know all the girls do, even the stand-bys. Jisung might not have to take over Sungchan’s position but you bet one of those tenth graders would love to take yours, the same way you did back then. They’ve practiced harder than you too and it’s only a matter of deserving.

You take a deep breath and get up, pulling up Sungchan by the hand. He raises an eyebrow, inquisitive eyes scanning over your face and you smile at him, strengthening your resolve. You should have done this way sooner.

-

Sungchan plays. You don’t let him sit it out with you. 

Halfway through, you cheer the hardest you ever have, plastic decorative gemstones stuck by your eyes borrowed from the other girls cheering. It’s much more fun, you think. You’ve never experienced soccer like this. You’d love to sit at stadiums and join in victory chants. There’s enough weight off your chest to yell your lungs out.

Sungchan scores a goal almost immediately after and sends a thumbs up over to you. You laugh. This is the best break you’ve ever taken from cheerleading. 

“Ooh, is this perhaps the (name) effect?” Chenle’s voice rings through the speakers and you feel yourself shrink slightly under the eyes. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see your homeroom teacher signal very angrily to the commentator box. You shake yourself off it. So what if everyone’s looking?

Sungchan places his hands on his hips, chest heaving and sends another signal to you before beelining for a straight goal. You whoop and the girl with a notebook beside you is visibly annoyed at this point but you don’t care. 

Without doubt, your school wins and you watch as Sungchan runs to his team, a big smile on his face. The second he’s done getting pet by the team, however, he rushes to the bleachers, skipping over the steps to you, panting when he stops. The risk he took was definitely not calculated. He holds up one finger while he heaves.

“My cheering worked best this time, it seems,” you say to him, laughing.

His face is flushed from the exertion but he laughs heartily. “You could be yelling profanity at me and it’d still encourage me.”

You shake your head at the cheesy line. He takes a step forward, well inside your space but you don’t mind. He leans in.

“Everyone is looking at us,” he says under his breath. “Is that a good or a bad thing?”

You look behind him to find the whole team, along with your girls sharing furtive glances and giggling at the sight of the two of you. A few of the junior girls slap each other’s arms, bouncing on the balls of their feet in excitement. You’re not a celebrity. But everyone wants to cheer things on once in a while, don’t they?

“Good,” you answer, before pulling him by the shirt into a chaste kiss. When you pull apart, Sungchan’s face is so struck with awe that you want to look away but instead you bite back an obvious smile. It’s about damn time, someone from the soccer team yells.

“Woah. I think I scored a goal either way,” he says, an offbeat smile on his face.

“Oh come on, we didn’t even get to chant ‘Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!’ yet—oh shit, the mic’s on.”

Chenle is definitely getting an earful from your teacher after this. The two of you wave at him at the box and end up laughing at him trying to hide behind the desk. 

As expected, the whole crowd surrounds the two of you in less than a minute’s worth of time, with several congratulations and “good score” offered to the two of you. The boys mess up Sungchan’s hair while the girls compliment you on how cute a couple you are. There’s also the question of when you started dating that pauses the buzz and makes everyone look to the two of you for an answer. Sungchan turns to you and you turn to him, and there’s no way you’ll tell half the school that your confession came in a private hallway outside the field—teenage imaginations run wild. 

Instead, you slip your hand into Sungchan’s and run down the bleachers and towards the exit, laughter spilling from your lips. There’s only one place you can think of going to spend a cool blue late afternoon with.

“Skate plaza?” He asks.

“Skate plaza,” you answer.