#full fangirl mode engaged

[dehydrated-for-donghae]

[kingofbodyrolls]

Songs of the Heart (m) | pjm | chap 1: rebirth

Having just settled into a small house on the outskirts of the bustling city, you’re drawn into the haunting melodies of your neighbor’s sad love songs, echoing through the quiet walls day after day. Concerned, you finally gather the courage to knock on his door, unsure of what to expect—only to be face-to-face with Park Jimin, the renowned singer-songwriter whose voice has touched millions. What begins as a simple gesture of kindness soon unravels into something far more complex, as the melodies of his heart beckon you closer.

→ Pairing: jimin x reader (female) → AUs: musician!au (not completely idol!au), single dad!au, slice of life!au → Trope: strangers to lovers / neighbors to lovers → Genres: slow burn romance / fluff / angst / smut / comedy → Rating: mature/explicit/R18  (this is mature/explicit content, so minors, please do not interact.) → Word count: 5.6k → Warnings + triggers: nothing much, just heartache and small misunderstandings 🤭 → Read on AO3? [link] → Author’s note: Hi!!! How are you doing?? 😄 I hope you’re as excited about this new series as I am (and I really, truly mean it when I say this might be my last series for a long while… so buckle up, it’s going to be a ride!). Now, before you go thinking I’m just setting myself up for failure, let me be real with you: my last Jimin series didn’t exactly set the world on fire—sigh. But I adore it, like, adore it. (I know, I’m biased, but can you blame me?) Soooo, this time, we’re going for a more “mainstream” vibe. Think heavily inspired by Jimin’s album Muse (seriously, his whole vibe in that is chef’s kiss), sprinkled with some Face flavor, and, honestly, just Jimin being Jimin. Because, let’s face it—he’s my bias, and I’m OBSESSED. Like, full-on crush mode. So, yeah, it’s basically me writing about my ultimate crush 😳 Now, let’s clear the air about the smut—I’m not going all-out with it here (though there will be some spicy moments, don’t worry 😉). Why? Well, I have a sneaky feeling this series is going to do okay (I mean, I adore these characters so much already 🥹, but engagement might be a different story). So, I’m going to save my energy for what really matters to me—the heart and soul of the story, instead of focusing too much on the smut (which, honestly, I’m not as into writing as I used to be). Okay, okay—back on track. I’m super excited to share this story with you, and I really, really hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Don’t forget to tell me your thoughts—whether you love it, hate it, or just want to fangirl over Jimin with me ✨ This whole story (which will be posted every Sunday for the next eight weeks) is for my dear friend @remmykinsff! I hope you’ll love it 💜

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“Why the hell do you have so many boxes?” Yoongi groans, his voice slicing through the quiet winter air as he hefts a particularly heavy one—something he clearly should have let Namjoon handle. His breath fogs up like ghostly clouds, a silent testament to the biting cold.

You stand by the moving truck, arms crossed, the chill curling around you like an unwelcome scarf. The streetlamp above flickers weakly, casting long shadows over the small gathering of your life in boxes. You shiver, not just from the cold but from the weight of this moment—watching your brother Yoongi and your best friend Namjoon haul the sum of your memories into the truck, piece by piece, bound for a new beginning.

It wasn’t your choice to leave; the landlord had pulled the rug out from under you with a sudden hike in rent you couldn’t possibly manage. But this wasn’t just an ending. There was a glimmer of hope in the move—a small house on the outskirts of the city with a garden that you could already see yourself tending, sunlight warming your face. Perfect wasn’t something you’d often dared to dream of, but this felt close enough to touch.

Namjoon heaves the final box into the truck and straightens with a satisfied grin. “That’s the last of it. We managed to fit everything,” he says, his breath visible in the frost-tipped air.

Yoongi, less triumphant, leans against the truck, arms crossed, his usual scowl softened by exhaustion. “Not a lot of stuff, huh? Then why does everything weigh as much as a small planet?”

You roll your eyes at him, a faint smile tugging at your lips. “Tiny apartments don’t leave room for a lot of stuff,” you murmur, thinking of your now-abandoned shoebox of a home. What you own might not fill much space, but every piece carries its own story, its own weight. To them, it’s just heavy. To you, it’s everything.

“Yoon, you should really hit the gym more,” you tease, your voice laced with playful scorn, though the grin on your face betrays your fondness. The sibling bond—a language of its own, fluent in jabs and unspoken affection.

“Are you calling me weak?” Yoongi snaps, his tone sharp, but the flicker of indignation in his eyes is almost theatrical. He knows the answer. You know he knows. It’s part of the game.

You laugh, the sound light and unbothered, a knowing glint in your eyes as you glance at his slender arms. “I don’t have to say it, do I?”

Before the exchange can escalate, Namjoon steps between you with a calm authority that feels as solid as the ground beneath your feet. “Alright, easy, you two. I’ll take care of the heavy lifting. Yoongi, you drive.”

Yoongi scoffs, letting your remark go as he shoots you a withering look that doesn’t quite land. He climbs into the driver’s seat with a practiced air of resignation, his fingers brushing over the steering wheel as Namjoon closes the back of the truck with a satisfying clunk.

The three of you settle inside the truck, and silence slips in, gentle and familiar, as the hum of the engine vibrates beneath you. The radio crackles to life, filling the space with the soft strains of a slow love song. The melody spills out like liquid silver, sad yet hopeful, and the singer’s voice—a perfect blend of sweetness and longing—wraps around you like a blanket against the cold.

Your chest tightens as the words begin to take root, burrowing into the quiet corners of your heart: “Even though I was pitch black, I can’t stop thinking about you all day long. Without you knowing, I want to take one step, then another, closer to you. Stay with you. I will be your reason. I hope this feeling reaches you.”

You stare out the frosted window, the aching beauty of the lyrics mingling with the soft glow of the late afternoon light. The world outside shifts and transforms as Yoongi steers the truck with steady hands, the city’s sprawling chaos giving way to the calm, snow-dusted edges of the outskirts. Frost clings to the barren trees and lonely streetlamps, their icy shimmer catching the fading sunlight like quiet promises.

There it is—your new beginning, cradled in the quiet of the outskirts. The small house stands modestly, embraced by a low, whispering hedge that frames its quaint charm. A tiny terrace juts out at the front, its stone surface dappled with the faint traces of winter frost. You remember the cozy backyard from the last time you visited—a patch of earth waiting patiently for spring to bring it to life.

Yoongi eases the truck to a stop in front of the house, the engine humming briefly before falling silent. The three of you step out, boots crunching softly against the snow-dusted gravel. Your heart thuds louder with each step as you approach the door. It’s a humble thing—made of frosted glass that blurs the world on the other side, catching the dim afternoon light and casting it gently inside. You know that when the sun graces it, the whole entrance will glow like a promise.

Your fingers tremble slightly as you fit the key into the lock, turning it with a satisfying click. The door creaks open, and you step over the threshold into your new home. It greets you with its smallness—barely 80 square meters—but it feels vast compared to the cramped city apartment you left behind. Here, there’s space to breathe, to begin again. And the rent, blissfully lower than what the city demanded, makes it all the sweeter.

You glance at the neighboring house—a touch larger, its lot sprawling wider—but you don’t feel envy. This space is yours. Yours to fill with laughter, with quiet mornings, with life.

Flipping the light switch, the warm glow floods the entranceway. The layout unfolds before you in inviting simplicity. The entrance flows seamlessly into a snug living room, its openness spilling into the compact kitchen. The single bedroom feels intimate but holds a delightful surprise: a small walk-in closet that sets your heart alight with possibility. The bathroom, unexpectedly spacious, feels almost indulgent—a small luxury you hadn’t dared to imagine.

You stand in the quiet warmth of the space, letting it envelop you. Yes, it’s small. Yes, it’s simple. But it’s yours. For the first time in what feels like forever, you’re not just standing in a house. You’re home.

Namjoon brushes past you with a box in hand, his footsteps purposeful. “Where should I put this?” he asks, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of settling dust.

“In the bedroom, please,” you reply, recognizing your own messy scrawl on the side of the box. He nods, disappearing down the short hallway. Moments later, Yoongi follows, arms burdened with lighter boxes this time, his silent stare speaking louder than words. You’re not sure if it’s disapproval or exhaustion—or maybe a mix of both.

Together, the three of you move with practiced rhythm, unloading the truck, the occasional grunt of effort punctuating the soft winter stillness. One by one, your belongings find their way inside, until finally, after an hour and a half, the truck stands empty. Inside, your life now lies in disarray—boxes scattered like misplaced puzzle pieces across the small living room. Thankfully, the heavier furniture already sits snug in its designated spots, thanks to Namjoon’s methodical eye for order.

You all collapse onto the sofa, a symphony of sighs and tired exhales filling the room. The cushions envelop you like a long-awaited embrace, and you lean back, the ache in your muscles giving way to a fleeting moment of peace.

“Do you need help with anything else?” Yoongi asks, his tone more dutiful than eager. You catch the subtext immediately: he’s ready to leave, and who could blame him?

“No, I’m good,” you reply with a grateful smile, sinking further into the plush comfort of your sofa.

But Namjoon isn’t done yet. “Can we make dinner for you before we go?” he offers, sitting up straight as if a second wind has just hit him. You wave him off, declining politely, but he shakes his head, determined. “I saw a grocery store just down the street. Yoongi and I will grab a few things, and then he’ll cook for you.” He’s already on his feet, brushing invisible dust from his sleeves.

Yoongi remains rooted to the sofa, his arms crossed and his expression somewhere between incredulous and annoyed. “You think I’m going to cook for my baby sister?” he scoffs, throwing you a pointed look.

Namjoon doesn’t miss a beat, rolling his eyes like an exasperated parent. “What, are you planning to let your family starve?”

Yoongi’s brows twitch as he fires back, “She’s over thirty. She’s a grown-ass adult. She can take care of herself.”

Your lips part, ready to volley something back, but before you can, Namjoon grabs Yoongi’s arm, hauling him to his feet with an ease that speaks of strength and familiarity. “Come on, Mr. Grown-Ass-Adult,” he says dryly, shoving Yoongi’s coat into his hands while slipping into his own.

Yoongi grumbles under his breath, but he doesn’t fight it. As Namjoon steers him toward the door, he casts a helpless glance back at you, like a cat begrudgingly herded.

“We’ll be back in a moment,” Namjoon calls over his shoulder, his voice brimming with cheerful authority. “Relax. Or unpack. Your choice.”

The door swings shut behind them, leaving you in the stillness of your new home, the faint scent of winter air lingering. You let out a soft laugh, your heart warm despite the cold. Family might be exhausting, but they’re also everything.

Then the door closes, and for the first time today, you’re alone. The silence wraps around you like a fragile shell, amplifying the creak of settling walls and the faint hum of distant life. You sink into the sofa, letting the stillness settle, until your ears catch something unexpected—a faint thread of melody, a guitar’s quiet murmur drifting through the air.

Curiosity tugs you upright, your steps soft against the floor as you follow the sound. In your new bedroom, you pause, pressing your hand to the wall. The music is clearer now, gentle and raw, strings bending under someone’s practiced fingers. Your new neighbor, perhaps? The thought lingers as you drift back to the kitchen, the faint melody becoming a backdrop to the rustle of cardboard and clinking pans. You begin to unpack—the pans your brother will use to cook, the utensils that clatter together like an impromptu percussion. Cooking has always been his way of showing love, and you can’t wait to taste the comfort it brings.

As you move through the small kitchen, time slips through your fingers like grains of sand. You make progress—each box emptied feels like a small triumph. The living room is next, and though you didn’t bring much, your touch begins to transform the space into something warm, something yours.

The sharp chill of winter sweeps in as the front door swings open, announcing Namjoon and Yoongi’s return. Cold air rushes past them, carrying the earthy scent of snow and fresh groceries. Shoes and coats are shed in a flurry of motion, and Namjoon drags his bags to the counter, while Yoongi mumbles something under his breath—his version of commentary that you’ve long learned to ignore. Yoongi grumbles as he hauls two bags into the kitchen, while Namjoon shoulders four with ease, a playful smirk on his face as he shakes the cold from his hair. Your brother dives into the kitchen, already rifling through drawers to find the pans you just unpacked.

As you help Namjoon sort the groceries, you note their choices: fresh greens, vibrant vegetables, sturdy staples like rice, beans, and coconut milk. Practical and thoughtful, as always. Your brother doesn’t waste time, snapping orders your way to chop this and rinse that. Namjoon, wisely, steers clear of the chaos and retreats to the sofa, knowing better than to tempt fate near a knife.

You and Yoongi move seamlessly, a practiced rhythm born of years of shared meals and unspoken communication. The kitchen fills with the sizzling symphony of cooking: onions crackling, garlic blooming in fragrant waves, and the gentle stir of sauces melding together. The aroma wraps itself around you, warm and grounding, a promise of the meal to come.

When the food is done, the three of you gather at your small round dining table. The plates are filled with comfort—steaming rice, perfectly cooked vegetables, and savory flavors that speak of home. Yoongi hums faintly in approval as he eats, his silence a language of contentment. Namjoon, ever the conversationalist, smiles wide as he asks about the neighborhood. You don’t know much yet, but his enthusiasm fills the gaps.

The meal lingers, rich and satisfying, until the plates are empty and the room carries only the faint scent of what was. They stand to leave, hugs exchanged at the door, their warmth momentarily shielding you from the cold creeping back in. As they drive off, the truck rattling softly into the night, the quiet returns. But this time, it feels different. Not empty.

Your home, though still half-full of boxes, feels alive now, touched by their presence. And for the first time in a long while, you feel like you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

Silence settles again, fragile and heavy—except for that faint sound of a guitar, now joined by a man’s voice. It drifts through the stillness, soft and haunting, the kind of melody that reaches into places you didn’t know were aching. From the little you can hear, his voice holds a quiet sorrow, tinged with a beauty that seems almost too fragile for this world. Wrapped in the haze of a full belly and the gentle pull of exhaustion, you sink deeper into the cushions of your couch. The music lulls you, and before you know it, sleep claims you.

When you wake, it’s to the sharp protest of stiff muscles, your body groaning in rebellion. You stretch, long and languid, wincing as you ease into movement. The living room light is still on, casting a warm but tired glow across the scattered boxes. Reaching for your phone, you blink at the screen: Saturday morning.

A sigh escapes you, accompanied by another stretch, your bones clicking softly in protest. As you yawn, the faint strands of music that lulled you to sleep the night before have grown bolder, louder, weaving through the quiet morning air. It’s coming from next door, a melody more insistent now, rising and falling like a tide against your walls.

You pause, half-annoyed, half-curious. Who plays music so loudly on a Saturday morning? Still, it isn’t unpleasant. The sound curls around you, melancholy and mesmerizing, coaxing goosebumps to bloom along your arms.

Shaking off the morning grogginess, you shuffle into the kitchen to make tea, the faint chill of the floor against your bare feet grounding you. As the kettle hums and hisses to life, your attention drifts back to the music. This song, like the one before, carries a sadness that pierces through its beauty, the kind of sorrow that feels personal yet strangely universal.

You sip your tea slowly, the warmth unfurling through your chest, and let the notes wrap around you. The lyrics, muffled but achingly tender, float into your thoughts. A sad love song, you think—heartache distilled into sound.

And then, for a fleeting moment, your mind wanders. Who is your neighbor, and what might they be feeling? It’s hard not to wonder. To play songs like this on a quiet Saturday morning—it speaks of longing, of loss, of someone trying to untangle the knots of their heart.

Exhaustion anchors you to the couch, your body heavy with the weight of weeks spent unpacking, working, and simply trying to adjust. The hours blur together as you let yourself drift, half-lost in the steady stream of music flowing from your neighbor’s house. Sad love songs, one after another, their melodies curling through the air like smoke, filling the silence with their ache. At least your neighbor has good taste; the voice is mesmerizing, familiar, tugging at the edges of your memory. And then it clicks: you’ve heard it before, floating from car radios or playing softly in cafes.  

Nearly two weeks slip by, the days stacked like unopened letters. Despite the proximity, you’ve yet to meet your enigmatic neighbor, though their music has become an unintentional soundtrack to your life. Namjoon, ever the social butterfly, has nudged you more than once to pay them a visit. “Just say hi,” he urged, grinning. But socializing hasn’t exactly been high on your list, not when there are boxes to unpack, deadlines to meet, and your energy drained to its dregs.  

Still, a seed of worry takes root. The songs haven’t changed—still steeped in longing, still carrying that unshakable sadness. Day after day, it’s as if the house next door is exhaling heartbreak. Maybe Namjoon’s right. Maybe you should go introduce yourself, ask about the neighborhood, and gently check if everything’s okay.  

Which is how you find yourself walking up the snow-dusted path to your neighbor’s door, nerves prickling like the winter air against your skin. Their house looms larger than yours, its quiet elegance a subtle reminder of its age and stature. Even the door, frosted glass like your own, feels imposing—a pale barrier between curiosity and the answers waiting behind it.  

Your footsteps crunch softly on the frozen ground as you approach. You hesitate, your breath clouding in the cold, before raising a hand to knock. For good measure, you press the doorbell too, its chime echoing faintly into the stillness.  

And then you wait, heart thrumming in quiet anticipation.  

The music drifts out from the house, faint yet achingly persistent, wrapping around you like the winter chill. You shift on your feet, blowing warmth into your hands, impatient as the cold nips at your nose and fingers. Just as the thought of retreating crosses your mind, the door creaks open.

Your gaze lowers, meeting a pair of wide, brown curious eyes belonging to a little girl. She’s impossibly small, bundled in a sweater too big for her, her dark hair a gentle mess. Her smile, shy but sweet, carries a warmth that momentarily pushes back the frost.

“Hi,” she says, her voice as soft as a whisper of wind through snow-covered trees. She studies you carefully, her head tilting as though trying to puzzle you out.

You return her smile, bending slightly to her level. “Hi, I’m Y/N. I just moved in next door.” A pause, then a gentle laugh. “I was getting a little worried with all the sad music coming from here. Are your parents home?”

Her smile falters, her gaze flickering downward before rising to meet yours again. There’s something heavy in her small expression, far too much for a child her age. “It’s just me and my dad,” she says quietly, her voice tinged with something you can’t quite name.

Your heart clenches at her words, though you don’t fully understand why. She’s so young, so sweet, and yet there’s a fragility to her presence that stirs something protective in you. For a moment, you wonder about her mother, where she might be, what might have happened.

“Is your dad home?” you ask gently, your tone as soft as your smile.

She nods, stepping back into the warm glow of the house. “I’ll go get him. Please wait here,” she says, her words so polite they make you smile again. She scurries off, leaving you at the threshold with the frosty air swirling in around your feet.

As you stand there, you catch glimpses of the house’s interior: the dim light casting long shadows, the faint smell of wood and something floral, and always that music—a bittersweet tune that seeps into every corner.

When she returns, she isn’t alone. A man follows her, his presence filling the doorway.

Your breath catches, your jaw slack as your mind struggles to process the sight before you. You’d expected the father of the sweet little girl to be ordinary, unassuming. But this? This man? He’s a vision pulled straight from the realm of angels.

The first thing you notice is his presence—tall, confident, yet carrying a quiet weariness that tugs at the edges of his posture. He’s dressed simply, but somehow that makes him all the more striking. A plain white t-shirt stretches across his chest, the sleeves rolled just enough to bare sinewy arms, and on his wrist, a faint tattoo peeks out like a secret. His black dress pants sit high on his impossibly small waist, falling loosely down his legs in elegant folds, a sharp contrast to the effortless way he carries himself.

And then there’s his face—soft yet devastatingly sharp, a contradiction of beauty. His jawline is so defined, it looks as if it could carve through stone, and yet his full lips, slightly parted as if mid-thought, ground him in warmth. His eyes—soft brown, tender, and framed by glasses and sleeplessness—pull you in, speaking of long nights and untold stories.

His hair, warm blonde kissed with streaks of brown at the roots, falls in uneven waves, longer in the back. It looks as if it was tousled by the wind or restless fingers, and you can’t help but wonder if he even knows how effortlessly beautiful he is. A few faint birthmarks dot his skin, adding something human to a face that feels otherworldly. As he steps closer, his features soften even more, and your pulse quickens.

“Hi,” he says, his voice a low, soothing melody that sinks into your bones. It’s angelic yet grounded, the kind of sound that lingers, reverberating long after the words are spoken. “What can I do for you?”

For a moment, you forget how to speak, how to breathe, how to exist. All your intentions, your purpose, your very reason for knocking on his door dissolve under the weight of his gaze. You can only stare, unmoored, helplessly captivated.

“This lady said she’s our new neighbor,” the girl chirps beside him, her bright voice cutting through your daze like sunlight through clouds. She looks up at her father with a grin, and he nods, clearing his throat.

He steps closer, extending a hand toward you, the motion deliberate and polite. His hand is warm when it meets yours, soft in a way that belies the calluses at his fingertips—marks of labor, of skill, of a life lived. 

“I’m sorry, where are my manners?” he says with a gentle smile, and you realize your heart is racing, thundering in your chest like it’s trying to escape.

“My name is Jimin, and this is my daughter, Hwa-Young,” he says, his voice soft yet resonant, like the distant hum of a melody that refuses to be forgotten. It’s only then that you realize—mortifyingly—that you’re still holding his hand, the warmth of his palm grounding you far too much. With a jolt, you release it, your cheeks burning like embers, the sting of your foolishness wrapping itself around you. This is why you don’t talk to people, you scold yourself silently. You’re a mess. A fool.

The moment blurs, and you barely register Jimin’s words as he politely repeats something—was it your name? Before you can respond, Hwa-Young steps in, her voice clear and chiming with youthful certainty. “Her name is Y/N,” she declares with the pride of someone who’s solved a puzzle.

Jimin smiles, his expression warm enough to melt the frost clinging to your thoughts, and opens the door wider. “Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea, Y/N?”

You nod mutely, words lodged somewhere between your heart and throat. Speaking feels too dangerous; your silence, you hope, can’t betray how tangled your thoughts have become.

Inside, the house welcomes you with a kind of quiet charm. You peel off your coat and shoes, swapping them for a pair of slippers left by the entryway. The hallway leads you into a living room bathed in soft, creamy tones, its minimalist style broken only by the unmistakable fingerprint of family. Children’s drawings hang on the walls in uneven rows, their vibrant colors a stark but beautiful contrast to the muted decor. A small clay sculpture, wobbling slightly on its base, sits proudly on a side table. It feels like stepping into a story—a place where every corner holds a piece of life lived and loved.

Jimin gestures toward the sofa, and you sink into its inviting cushions, the fabric soft against your fingers. Hwa-Young follows, nestling beside you with a quiet familiarity, her presence grounding. From the nearby kitchen, the faint clatter of porcelain and the rustling of tea packets signal Jimin’s quiet movements.

The room feels alive with warmth, not just from the home itself but from the gentle energy of its inhabitants. You take it all in—the way the light filters through the curtains in golden streaks, the faint scent of lavender mingling with the hum of boiling water, and the soft chatter of a child’s imagination as Hwa-Young shows you a paper star she made.

You glance toward the kitchen, where Jimin moves with unhurried grace, and a strange calm settles over you. Maybe, just maybe, this unexpected meeting wasn’t such a mistake after all.

“Are you from the city?” Hwa-Young asks, her voice bright with curiosity, her smile tugging at the corners of her youthful face. You nod, mirroring her smile with one of your own.

“Yes, I just moved in about two weeks ago,” you reply, the words tumbling out like snowflakes in the quiet. “How old are you?”

“I just turned ten!” she exclaims, her voice brimming with pride, her grin wide and unrestrained. Somehow, the innocence in her joy stirs something deep within you, a warmth that begins to thaw the cold edges of your weary heart.

“Congratulations,” you say softly, folding your hands in your lap as if to hold the fragile moment still.

Jimin enters the room, carrying two steaming mugs of tea. He sets them gently on the coffee table, the soft clink of ceramic against wood breaking the silence. With effortless grace, he disappears briefly, returning with a glass of water for his daughter. As he takes his seat in a plush chair opposite you, his presence feels both calming and grounding, like the steady rhythm of a familiar song.

“How are you liking the town so far?” he asks, his voice carrying a soothing cadence, as if he’s accustomed to drawing out answers with kindness alone.

Lifting the mug to your lips, you blow softly on the surface of the tea, the fragrant steam curling upward like a wisp of memory. “I like it so far,” you say, your tone reflective, as though you’re still making sense of this new chapter in your life.

The faintest flicker of realization ignites, and you remember the reason for your visit. You set the mug down, hesitating for a moment before continuing. “I haven’t seen much of it yet. Between work and unpacking, I’ve barely had a chance to explore. But, actually…”

He takes another sip of his tea, and you can’t help but let your gaze linger. The delicate curve of his lashes, impossibly long and casting soft shadows on his cheekbones, draws your attention. His lips—pink, full, and unassuming—meet the edge of the mug, and for a brief, absurd moment, you find yourself wondering how something so simple could be so captivating.

What are you even thinking? You shake off the thought, clearing your throat.

“Ah, yes,” you stammer, a little too loudly. “I couldn’t help but notice…” You trail off, grappling for the right words. “I’ve heard a lot of sad songs coming from your house since I moved in, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Like, not…heartbroken or anything?”

Your words hang in the air, an awkward tangle of concern and curiosity, and you silently curse yourself for blurting them out. Was that a question or a statement? Even you aren’t sure.

But then he smiles—a real, genuine smile—and for a split second, his eyes vanish into crescents of warmth. His teeth peek out, slightly crooked, but so charming it nearly takes your breath away. Running a hand through his tousled blonde hair, he chuckles softly, his laugh like a melody in itself.

“Oh, that’s me. I’m the one guilty of all the sad music,” he admits, his voice carrying a quiet confidence that makes you feel at ease despite your earlier awkwardness.

Your brow furrows in thought as you tap your pointer finger against your lips, the name of the voice eluding you. “What’s the name of the artist? I know I’ve heard him on the radio, but I just can’t place it…”

His smile blooms, radiant and unrestrained, his eyes crinkling into crescents of pure light. “That’s me,” he says, a giggle escaping his lips, soft and melodic like the hum of a lullaby.

You blink at him, utterly perplexed, your mind spinning as you try to piece together what he could mean. “Sorry?” you venture hesitantly, hoping for clarity, your confusion painted plainly across your face.

“The artist,” he explains, his voice effortlessly calm and sure, “is Park Jimin. And I’m Park Jimin.”

The name lands in your ears, but it takes a second longer for the meaning to sink in. His daughter bursts into delighted laughter, while you sit frozen, your expression surely something straight out of a cartoon—wide eyes, jaw unhinged, disbelief written all over you.

Your thoughts race, chasing one another in circles. His voice, angelic and hauntingly beautiful, had felt familiar from the moment you heard it. And suddenly, the puzzle clicks into place. The songs—the ones that wrapped around you like a bittersweet embrace—were his. His.

Your eyes dart toward one of the rooms down the hall, where the music had been flowing endlessly up until the moment he greeted you. But now, the silence is palpable, a stillness that confirms your dawning realization. It wasn’t the stereo at all. It was him.

“Daddy, show her a song!” Hwa-Young pipes up, her small voice brimming with excitement as she hops off the couch and scampers toward a room. The door is ajar, revealing a glimpse of equipment and scattered papers.

Jimin’s smile softens, his eyes meeting yours with a gentle invitation. Without a word, he rises and gestures for you to follow. And as though caught in a spell, you do, your curiosity pulling you forward.

His studio is a world unto itself—a symphony of black and white, sleek lines, and personal chaos. Guitars in all shapes and sizes line the walls, their polished bodies gleaming under soft light. A microphone stands at attention, its cable curling like a lifeline to the scattered pages of sheet music littering the desk and floor.

It’s not just a room; it’s a glimpse into his soul, a sanctuary of sound and vulnerability. You can’t help but let your gaze linger, taking in the effortless beauty of it all.

Hwa-Young leaps onto the couch with a boundless energy that only a child can muster, the cushions bouncing under her weight. She pats the spot beside her, a silent invitation laced with an innocent warmth. You accept, settling in as Jimin crosses the room with a quiet confidence, his every movement purposeful yet unassuming. He retrieves an acoustic guitar, its wood glowing faintly under the soft overhead light, and perches on a nearby stool.

“Play her that new song, dad,” Hwa-Young beams, her voice lilting with pride and affection. She leans back into the couch, her tiny frame dwarfed by its embrace, but her presence fills the room.

Jimin nods, a soft smile tugging at his lips, and then his fingers meet the strings. A single strum reverberates, low and tender, a sound that seems to dissolve the walls and pull you into a different world. 

And then he sings.

His voice flows like a stream over smooth stones—gentle, searching, yet laced with a fragile ache. Feather-light and haunting, it brushes against you, delicate as a whisper yet powerful enough to root you in place. “We never met, but she’s all I see at night.Never met but she’s always on my mind.Wanna give her the world,And so much more.Who is my heart waiting for?If every day I think about her,Yeah, every day of my life.Then tell me why I haven’t found her.”

Each note hangs in the air like a secret meant only for this moment, for you, for the stillness that has settled over the room. Your mind empties, swept clean by the sheer beauty of his voice, each syllable carrying raw emotion that you can’t help but feel, though it’s not your story to claim.

You watch him, this man who pours his heart so freely before a stranger, as if vulnerability were as natural as breathing. His fingers dance over the strings with practiced ease, but it’s the weight in his voice—the yearning, the quiet pain—that lingers in your chest.

A flicker of a question rises, unbidden, as you take in the scene—a renowned singer-songwriter, his talent unmistakable, living humbly in this crappy and cheap neighborhood. Why here? Why this place, when his voice alone could carry him anywhere? But the question dissipates as quickly as it forms, lost in the tide of his music. At this moment, none of it matters.

→ Permanent taglist: @nora12379 @jeonsbabygirlsworld @fancypeacepersona @ktownshizzle @pjmxxjm @ajoonniice @kookiewithluv

→ Series taglist: @13-manggaetteok @mima795 @hnnnjm @flaneuseonthestreets @miniesjams32 @graydolan12

→ Author’s endnote: soooo?? Tell me everything! What do you think about Jimin? Is he stealing your heart yet, or is it his adorable daughter who’s totally got you wrapped around her tiny finger? 👀💜 And don’t even get me started on what’s coming next... are you excited? Nervous? Ready to cry?? Because trust me, the next chapter has all the feels™. Let’s hear your thoughts—I’m dying to know!

© @/kingofbodyrolls 2024 // Please don’t copy or repost! You are more than welcome to reblog it, leave a comment or ask me anything about the story 🥰

[until-another-one-comes]

Your TNMN headcanons give me serotonin! 🩷

I promised myself not to engage in this fandom because of the milkman but after playing the game, he started to grow on me and so do the other residents.

I also personally agree with your headcanon of Francis being completely depressed. He’s just an average guy so he doesn’t see himself as anything special. But then again, I’d like to think he’s dead on the outside and dead on the inside. By that I mean, he’s secretly insane because whatever horrible happened to him in his childhood made him snap one day. I remember someone headcanon him as a serial killer too.

If we ever get a story mode for the game and Francis canonically turns out to be some insane yandere guy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had more fangirls than he already has or his fans end up loving him more.

Thank you so much anon I'm happy you enjoy them! Feel free to ask me anything!

AND YES I didn't want to care about the milkman too cuz I just see him as simp bait before but now I really love him (simping wise I prefer Steven though lmao)

Not sure if this is what you're talking about but maybe you're thinking of @/pengold's au where Francis is a serial killer?

I want a story mode so bad... I NEED to know more about the neighbors, their lives, their lore, their personality, their relationships etc.

I don't think Nacho-sama would make that canon but it is hilarious how he knows full well how people simp for him and feed the fanservice. Maybe in story mode there'd be a scene where he's covered in blood from an attack and the internet goes crazy yet again

[yibocheeks]

A Completely Biased Fan’s Opinion (and Interpretation) of 无名

I’ve tried to keep my reviews online mostly neutral when it comes to my fangirling over Wang Yibo in the movie, as I really do feel that the movie is well done, the entire cast did a remarkable job, the cinematography and set details are commendable, the music compliments the scenes really well, and there are many interesting parallels and clues along the way that make each rewatch rewarding. 

@faery-snow​ requested a long post and after watching the movie three times, I will henceforth enter full fangirling mode with my thoughts on the film (there will be spoilers). I have also summarized the sequence of events, based on analyses from Chinese fans online (but again this is still open to interpretation) ↴

I’ve summarized a spoiler-free version of some historical background that is relevant to the film here and will note below when I start getting into plot spoiler content.

The opening scene begins with Tony Leung’s character (Director He) sitting on a bench. He appears to be deep in thought, and behind him we see the grid of a prison window. We are then introduced to an array of other characters, and the who/where/when are all still unknown to the audience. 

We then meet Yibo’s character (Mr. Ye), who is having what seems to be a casual breakfast with his colleague, played by Wang Chuanjun (Captain Wang). They are speaking Shanghainese, and upon first hearing Yibo’s Shanghainese I was grinning to myself from ear to ear. His Shanghainese is really very cute, and if you speak to people who are actually Shanghainese they will be able to identify immediately that he is not from Shanghai. 😂 Still, for him to be able to speak Shanghainese to this degree is not easy, considering he only just learned it for the film. And of course from watching all the behind-the-scene footage and interviews, I was already very fond of this 阿呆 and 阿瓜 pair. We see the scene where they are sitting in the car together, on their way to collect the corpses (whom we at this point do not yet know the identities of), and the moment when they both look down at their watch at the same time, which was unscripted. The conversation about every man for themselves, although discussed in the context of breakfast, can be applied to the situation of the times as well.

We are shown the bombings in Guangzhou and there is a scene here that is difficult to watch every time (this, as well as another scene later in the film are particularly difficult to watch; all I can say is that the suffering that ordinary citizens experienced during wartimes really leaves one speechless.) Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, there is a ominous sense of heaviness that is felt as the Pacific War wages. In Shanghai, the foreign concessions, which had once been free from occupation, are also taken over by the Japanese.

Cheng Er does not shy away from showing the violence and cruelty of the time, and we see that Mr. Ye’s job is a rather bloody one. It is such a delight to watch Yibo play this type of role, and although his face was splattered with blood, all I could focus on was how much the yeekies vibrated 😂 (I’m hopeless, I know.)

We see Mr. Ye observing Ms. Fang at the dancehall, and at this point it is not yet clear what their relationship is (although from the article that Cheng Er has written before in GQ, we know that they were engaged, but have grown apart over the years due to conflicting interests - Ms. Fang works together with other progressive youth to assassinate Japanese officers, while Mr. Ye is working for Wang Jingwei’s regime. Thus, in Ms. Fang’s eyes, Mr. Ye is a traitor.)

Tony Leung’s performance is also incredible. He is lauded as having eyes that can tell stories and this is so true. I think he is one of the greatest actors of his time, from every expression to every posture - and it is really amazing that Yibo is billed as co-lead in a film with him. 

Plot spoilers begin here:

After Wang Jingwei’s death in 1944 and towards the end of WWII, Minister Tang tells Director He that he will enter negotiations with the Japanese as a representative of the Kuomintang (KMT) - Minister Tang is a character who truly is a fence-sitter (in the GQ interview Da Peng reveals that he was once part of the CCP, then the KMT, before becoming Minister of the Political Security Department for the Wang Jingwei regime). This poses a potential threat to the Communists. It is at this time that Director He utilizes the list of important Japanese people living in Shanghai, which he had received from Ms. Jiang, the KMT agent whom he spared the life of back in 1941. We see Mr. Zhang deploying men to assassinate the Japanese prince. The next morning, Mr. Ye and Captain Wang go to dispose of the bodies. Officer Watanabe gets the call that the prince has died, and the peace talks between the KMT and Japan end. This series of events is part of the story that Cheng Er has written for the film, and as far as I know is not based on any actual event. Mr. Ye accompanies Officer Watanabe to the Communists’ warehouse, only for a bomb to go off. They find that the Communists have already abandoned the warehouse. At this time Officer Watanabe speaks with Mr. Ye and says that anyone who does not join you in killing immediately becomes suspicious - Captain Wang had been at home for his father’s birthday and because of his absence, Officer Watanabe begins to doubt Captain Wang’s allegiance. We see drunken shrimp being served at Captain Wang’s father’s birthday dinner, a traditional dish from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai regions.

Interestingly Yibo is the only one who speaks multiple languages throughout the film, and perhaps it shows his presumed allegiance to the Japanese as he is able to adapt to their food and language. Hearing Yibo’s Japanese was also such a treat.

Following the prince’s death, the Communists are under further scrutiny by the Japanese, and so it is at this time that Mr. Ye goes to the dancehall to warn Ms. Fang that the situation is dangerous and that she should suspend her activities of targeting Japanese officers. There is a moment here where Yibo drops Mr. Ye’s usual cool countenance and shows a moment of vulnerability as he looks at Ms. Fang - we see that he still cares for her, but that he can not give her any further explanation nor refute her when she calls him a traitor and tells him to go die. His babyface looks extra vulnerable in that brief moment 🥺 He lets out his suppressed anger and helplessness by beating up the Japanese officers he encounters on his way out, and I can only say that after filming that continuous-shot scene for several nights in a row, the outcome is very satisfying to watch as Yibo fully immerses himself into the character. At the end he pulls down his tie again, returning to his prim and well-dressed appearance (although still slightly rumpled 🤭).

The moment when Mr. Ye finds out about Ms. Fang’s death is a devastating moment - Ms. Fang is probably the only person left whom he cared about, and his colleague whom he had considered his friend was the perpetrator. In this moment he is now truly alone.

Officer Watanabe sends Mr. Ye to the docks to investigate the assassination, and Mr. Ye goes to sit silently at a food stall on the docks. Beside him is a member of the Communist underground network, who then goes to warn Mr. Zhang (Huang Lei), the secretary for the Communist underground network, that the docks, their liaison station, have been compromised. Mr. Zhang becomes nervous and asks Ms. Chen (Zhou Xun) to runaway with him. He says he knows someone of high ranks in Nanjing who can help them, and by so doing he becomes immediately suspicious, as at this time Nanjing is still the capital of the Wang Jingwei regime. I must say that Zhou Xun’s performance here is splendid, and this exchange between them always makes me laugh. 

Mr. Zhang calls Minister Tang and says that he knows something about the incident surrounding the Japanese prince, thus betraying the Communists. Minister Tang informs Officer Watanabe and Director He, and between the three of them it is decided that Director He will go to interrogate Mr. Zhang. It is here where the scene from the beginning of the movie takes place, when Director He meets with Mr. Zhang. After getting rid of the traitor Mr. Zhang, Director He knows that his identity as a Communist will be exposed, at the same time he had no choice but to do what he did in order to protect the Communists’ intelligence. 

Officer Watanabe then invites Minister Tang, Director He, Mr. Ye and Captain Wang to dinner. The tension created in this scene was excellent. Mr. Ye turns to Officer Watanabe to ask for permission to leave the dinner in order to get rid of the Communist in their midst, whom Officer Watanabe suspects to include Captain Wang. Here we see Yibo’s tears again as he hears the click of the gun behind him, confirming his friend’s betrayal. Interestingly Mr. Ye and Captain Wang are wearing the same ties as the ones they wore from when they shared breakfast together. Things have certainly changed between them since then.

The reunion between Mr. He and Ms. Chen is a touching moment, and here we see how Zhou Xun and Tony Leung truly shine as the veteran actors that they are, being able to convey such deep emotions in such a brief scene. We are instantly able to feel how much the two have sacrificed in the time that they’ve been apart, separated by the situation of the times and in their hopes to fight for a better future. I really wish we were able to see more from the female actresses, as their time to shine felt really limited.

Then we have the fight scene between Mr. Ye, who is on the Japanese side, and Mr. He, who has revealed his identity as a Communist. This fight scene was filmed so well. Yibo was choked many times, he got to touch Tony Leung’s face, and the music accompanying him is quite fitting for the villain role which he has taken on during this part of the film 🤭 Cheng Er alludes to this in interviews and through camera angles that there may be eyes and ears observing their fight peripherally.

Following this fight, Officer Watanabe seems to trust Mr. Ye completely as he reveals the map of Manchuria and the Kwantung Army’s operations. The scene after this is one of my favourite scenes and gives me chills every time, when Mr. Ye walks up to the office of the Director of the Political Security Department. What a glorious moment for him! 

For the classical music nerds like me, the piece that plays here is Mozart's Requiem. How very fitting.

Shortly after, Japan surrenders and Mr. He gets released. On his way out, he sees Mr. Ye being brought into prison along with Officer Watanabe. Mr. Ye gives Mr. He a taunting look, which is followed by the skirmish between them and Mr. He’s slight smile afterwards - this and the following scene were both delicious.

At the end of the movie, we see that Mr. Ye has moved to Hong Kong, where many spies fled to for safety after the war. He enters a restaurant and says thank you in Shanghainese, revealing that he is from Shanghai. The server turns to him and recognizes this, and we realize that he is at Captain Wang’s family restaurant. The family moved to Hong Kong, not knowing the fate of their son whom they believed to be still in Shanghai. Mr. Ye is served the drunken shrimp and we get a feeling of nostalgia - perhaps he wishes to pay homage to his former friend, or to the homeland from which he came from where he is no longer welcomed. The way in which he eats the shrimp while they’re still jumping, and the persistence with which he chases after the shrimp that has tried to escape - all of this is so true to character and really a memorable scene, particularly with the red from the fermented tofu brine. We get the sense that the past still haunts him, despite living in a new city. (As to the question of whether or not one should spit out the shell when eating drunken shrimp, this seems to be a question of debate. 😂)  Of course the shrimp jumping out of the bowl was not scripted, and Yibo again demonstrates an excellent understanding of his character.

We then see Mr. Ye at a temple where he is burning incense. I tear up every time when I watch this scene, at the silent tears he has shed as he grieves - perhaps he’s grieving the loss of his ex-lover, or the loss of someone whom he had thought was his friend, or the loss of his own self and who he was before 1941, or the loss of the times before the war, or all of the above. He has had to make so many sacrifices along the way as he strived to pursue what he believed in. Why is Yibo so good at expressing silent repressed sadness? 😭

In one Ningbo roadshow, they were asked the following:

When Yibo has a crying scene at the end in Hong Kong, how had CE directed Yibo?

CE: I didn't make too many requests of him in that scene, I wanted to see how he would portray it, which is what you now see

Yibo: It felt very complicated, after experiencing everything that had happened prior, when I arrived alone at Hong Kong, I think it was a very complicated feeling. 

So what we see is Yibo’s own emotional interpretation of Mr. Ye’s experience  😭

We end the film listening to Yibo’s voice singing as the ending credits roll. The song is truly such a striking song and so fitting. Many people left the theatre as soon as the movie ended, and those who remained until the end of the credits were likely fans 🤭

All in all this was a fantastic film, although it may not be for everyone as it is one that can be hard to follow. If you pay attention to the details and have a basic understanding of the different parties in play, I think it will be an enjoyable watch as there are many hints along the way for the viewer to piece together. The character of Mr. Ye has really challenged Yibo with a different role from what he has played before, and he really stepped up to it. He’s not a perfect character either - Cheng Er makes it clear that along the way Mr. Ye commits a lot of immoral acts and has a violent streak as well. Many of the characters are morally grey, which is a bit refreshing to see in a film that was funded as part of a trilogy for the CCP’s centenary. 

I can’t gush enough about Yibo in this film, so if you have more thoughts, my messages are always open!

Addendum: In interviews for GQ and 人物, Cheng Er says that the biggest compromise he has had to make for a film was Wu Ming. It sounds like there were many bumps along the way that he encountered during the film review process. The 人物 interview suggests that this may also include the choice of the ending scene, which is not in keeping with Cheng Er’s usual style of film narrative. There’s been mentions of a director’s cut potentially being released at some point in the future (perhaps with the DVD/Bluray release) and I would be so curious to know what this film looked like prior to the film review!

Addendum #2:

Some other thoughts:

There is one line that Mr. Ye says that left an impression, a line he says in Japanese that goes along the lines of, “No matter how much we strive, what’s lost is lost.” This feels like a rare moment of truth that he says casually in a scene wrapped up in deception.

In speaking to others, many people say that a scene that really disturbed them was the scene with the injured dog. In a movie where we see the torment and death of so many people as a result of war, it is still this scene that leaves an impression on people. Is it that we as an audience have become desensitized to human suffering? It is certainly a memorable scene, and perhaps this is partly why Cheng Er chose to include this in the movie.

Many of the characters remain largely unnamed, even Mr. Ye himself. The only time we see his name is when he gets the appointment letter to become the new director.

Ms. Jiang is seen wearing a ring, and later on in the movie we see Minister Tang wearing a matching ring. Ms. Jiang is thought to be based on Zheng Pingru, a well-known KMT spy who was involved in a plot to assassinate the security chief of the Wang Jingwei regime (The movie Lust, Caution is also thought to be inspired by her).

In the scene where Mr. He speaks to Mr. Ye, there's a line that Tony Leung says, "我无法继续下去了." The English subtitles translate it as, "I can't cope anymore," but a more accurate way to translate this given the context would be, "I can no longer continue." It's a subtle difference, but implies that there may also be other external reasons for why Mr. He can no longer continue what he is doing, rather than just personal.

Another minor translation error in the subtitles is in the restaurant scene in Hong Kong, when Captain Wang's mother says that their family moved over in the 1930s. She actually says that they moved over in the 30s of the Republic of China calendar, which would be the 1940s, so likely sometime after the dad's birthday dinner scene that we see. (Note that the subs in the online version are correct here)

Addendum #3:

There is a scene that was added to the international release that is not in the mainland version or the version that was released on Chinese streaming platforms. It takes place after they get the call about Pearl Harbor, after we see the invasion of the Japanese Army into the concessions. There is a conversation between Officer Watanabe and Mr. He, where Officer Watanabe discusses the politics of what occurred. He comments that Mr. He was late to their meeting and Mr. He says it is because he went to pick up pastries. Officer Watanabe asks him where the pastries are, and Mr. He says they are in the car. There is a moment of dramatic suspense as Mr. He walks slowly towards the car, brings out the pastry box, and gives it to Officer Watanabe, who opens it to see only the Napoleon cakes.

There are also many places in the movie where Cheng Er has changed the music for the international release, which is different from the mainland and online versions. He has cleaned up the timing in some parts and changed it in others to better fit the mood. Let's hope these changes get incorporated into the DVD release when it comes out! Still, I don't think that this takes away from the viewing experience of the mainland/online versions.

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 112 - The Little Redhead

Let's start the day off with a milestone for Lulu! She can sit up all by herself now.

Gemma's like "big whoop, I've been doing that for ages" and struts off with her knock-off Crocs in sport mode.

It's lunch time and Gemma is getting… better about eating her meals.

Xander: Are you going to fill up that hunger bar for Daddy? We can't go to the park on an empty stomach!

Gemma: Park!

She'll be too grouchy to play if she's not full. That's not a bribe, just a fact!

Gemma actually eats without complaining.

Ophelia: That's my girl!

Xander needs a shower and Lulu needs a bath, so Ophelia plays with her eldest daughter while they wait.

Ophelia: Hey, where'd she go?

Ophelia's mock confusion makes Gemma burst into giggles. Mommy's so silly!

Before we go, now that Lulu can sit, we need to do the traditional first smashed lemon taste test! Don't let the smile fool you, Lulu hated it!

Gemma: I wanna play with my food too!

Xander: No, muffin, we don't play with food.

Gemma: Lulu does!

Xander: She's a baby, Gem.

Ophelia: You're a big girl, you know better than Lulu.

Xander: Last time I checked, you're a big girl too and yet you still think feeding our kids food you know they'll hate is funny.

Ophelia: Aw, come on, I HAVE to!

Lulu's not amused but Gemma just wants to go to the park!

It's Lulu's first trip to the park, and Gemma's first trip as a toddler. Now she can actually do stuff! Exciting!

Obligatory shot of Xander being dad goals. It feels like just yesterday he was playing with toddler Violet Sistem at this park and now he's playing with his own little princess 😭🥹

The princess of the Lemon Legacy looks out at her royal subjects, the townies of this save file. A lot of them sure do dress goofy! Maybe if they give Gemma candy, she'll convince the Watcher to give them makeovers!

As she sets Lulu down for a nap, Ophelia tries to ignore the townies fangirling over her in the background. They're not bothering her family, or taking photos, so she considers them harmless. Then again, one of them is wearing a bag over his head. Who knows what his deal is.

Gemma jets off to play in the sandbox when she bumps into a little boy around her age. She's never spoken to another toddler before!

Gemma: Sorry. M-My name's Gemma. I like your hair. It looks like a carrot. I don't like carrots though.

Toddlers are the masters of word vomit.

Luckily toddlers don't really understand the concept of awkwardness.

Jaden: I'm Jaden! I like your piggytails!

Gemma: Thanks! My mommy braided my hair.

Jaden: My mommy and daddy don't let me do piggytails.

Gemma can't even imagine a hellish life like that!

Xander sees Gemma talking to a little red-headed boy and strikes a conversation with who he presumes is his dad.

Xander: That your little guy?

Calvin: Did the hair give it away? Calvin Huff, COO of Espo Enterprises.

Xander: Xander Lemon, guy who doesn't know what a COO is.

As Gemma and Jaden babble to each other about their favorite princesses, Ophelia starts a conversation with who she finds out is Jaden's mom, Anna.

Ophelia: Oh, I'm so glad Gemma's making a little friend. It's so hard to get out of the house with the paparazzi-

Anna: Huh?

Ophelia isn't offended or anything, but it's been rare to find someone who at least hasn't seen her on Simstagram or FlipFlop.

Ophelia: Oh, I'm the lead singer of a band, The Main Squeeze.

Anna: Ah. We don't really engage with mainstream media. It's a little too woke for us.

Ophelia: Woke? What does that mean?

Anna: Oh, you know, we try not to stray too far from The Watcher's light.

Ophelia: That does not answer my question at all but okay.

Ophelia doesn't want to ruin things with what could be Gemma's first friend, so she doesn't push further.

Gemma: My baby sister is sleepin' over there. She's stinky sometimes but she's funny. Do you got a baby sister?

Jaden: No… Daddy says I'm 'nough for him to deal with.

Gemma: Oh.

Jaden: Wanna make a sand turtle?

Jaden and Gemma get to work while their moms converse.

Anna: Look at them! So precious.

Ophelia: Yeah. That sweater vest doesn't look very comfy, though. Did you come from an event and not have any play clothes on hand?

Anna: What do you mean? Those are his play clothes.

Calvin and Xander get to the subject of Xander's new nectar-making hobby.

Calvin: You can make good money with that.

Xander: I just kind of do it to blow off steam.

Calvin: Anything to get away from your wife and kids, huh? I get you, brother.

Xander: …I don't think you do.

Ophelia: Okay, I've got your number. We can set up a playdate later. Xander and I would be more than happy to host.

Anna: Oh, that'd be wonderful. Calvin doesn't like having too many toys around the house so that works great. I'll bring funeral potatoes!

Ophelia: …Okay.

Calvin: You know, my boss is always looking for new business ventures and he's been interested in nectar. You mentioned your bar, so you've got an established name in the mixology biz.

Xander: I don't know, man, I'm just one guy.

Calvin: So was my boss and now he's a CEO!

I don't know how two toddlers managed to make something this intricate. Gemma's built different.

Gemma: We did it!

Anna coos as they hug.

Anna: Look at those two. Jaden's first girlfriend!

Ophelia: Uh, let's wait until they're not in diapers anymore before we start all that.

Anna: I must say, I'm so relieved Jaden has finally taken interest in a girl that isn't a princess. I was starting to worry he'd grow up to BE a princess, if you know what I mean!

Ophelia can't even fake a smile anymore. If Anna notices the awkward silence, she doesn't show it.

Before Ophelia can pop off on Anna for her bigoted comment, Gemma runs up to her.

Gemma: Mommy, did you see our turtle?

Ophelia: I did! Good thing it wasn't a shark, Aunt Marcie would have freaked out.

The things she and Xander do for these kids…

[sleprandomizer]

Happy birthday Framme and Clanne

"The divine dragon looked at me" This line haunting me even in my dream

Our twins the 33rd steward of divine dragon. For their birthday I want to share my experience when I used them.

I used Framme in my first playthrough (hard mode) and Clanne in my 2nd playthrough (maddening). I couldn't lie that I actually dislike Framme and Clanne before engage released. The high pitch voices and the unhinged dialogue line made me uncomfortable and felt embarrassing to hear their dialogues. Part of me want to kill them at my first playthrough. However, I tried to give them a chance. I couldn't handle the amount of embarrassment when used both of them so I pick one of the twins. At least I could handle the amount of uncomfortable fangirling if only one character.

Design wise Framme and Clanne are quite good. I actually like it that they are teens who look like teen so part of me can tolerate their behaviour when fangirling a little bit. I like the colour choices refered to christmas cav. Oh they also remind me with the colour of mario and luigi.

As unit Framme probably had more upper hand since Qi was something new compare to Clanne who was a mage. We already knew what mages do but not with Qi class. At the beginning, through Framme the game taught player that Qi class could heal, break bow and tome, and chain guard. Chain guard caught my attention and it was really cool, it taught us how to create human wall with your units. For example when enemy attack Alear and Framme already activated chain guard before, the first hit of enemy would be deflected and the damage was transfered to Framme. Very interesting mechanic that sadly not aged very well. Chain guarding only allowed when Framme in full health. After she took the damage because of chain guard, she couldn't do chain guard again because her hp was not full. The problem was frame the main healer in the first part and healing other units was more important than chain guarding. Then she just became our staff bot until we recruit jean and yunaka-micaiah. In part 2 I delayed her reclass because other new units need master seal more than healer. I reclassed her as martial master. Framme rarely engaged in combat because fist in this game used (str+mag)/2 so she never dealt meaningful damage. She also was too busy to chain guarding or healing or playing with staved. Mostly healing and using staves. In the end she never felt like so important for me. I just kept using her because it was my first playthrough. I did feel annoyed when i heard her selection dialogue.

Clanne I used him in my second playthrough. Engage is kinda whack with classes and unit. He was a mage but his personal mag growth only 10%. Because my first maddening was fixed growth it affect Clanne performance later. As our first mage clanne actually useful in part 1. He can chip or dealt a lot of damage for armour which i appreciated. In part 2 I reclassed him as mage knight and gave him forged levin sword. Levin sword helped him to keep him relevant. Oh he was quite fast so he could at least double enemies. However due to his low magic stat in the end he couldn't kill general or great knight due to their bulkiness. It was not his fault even pandreo sometimes couldn't finished those enemies however at least pandreo almost kill it while clanne still leaving like half of the hp. In the end as mage knight he just okay but other mages definitely outclassed him.

At the end of the day I still don't feel attachment to Framme and Clanne despite playing this game 5 times and part 1 forced me to use them for like the first 6-7 chapters. Their support conversation actually okay as long as it was not about Alear. I like framme x diamant support and clanne x jean support. I didn't dislike them much compare to pre-release engage but I don't think I love them. Just okay.

Framme

Character: 6.0/10

Design : 8.0/10

Unit performance : 6.5/10 (staves in general just powerful but she was not the only staff user)

Clanne

Character: 6.0/10

Design: 8.2/10

Unit performance: 6.0/10 (still okay until the end of playthrough as MK but i prefer not to use him again)

[bbytetsu]

HAIKYUU!! DYNAMIC DUOS AT THE GYM

oikawa + iwaizumi:

everybody wants to go the gym when oikawa and iwaizumi goes

but let’s be real. iwa does not wanna go to the gym with oikawa lmao

iwaizumi prefers to work out alone, but he’ll go with oikawa when he needs motivation also because oikawa begs him to go with him

oikawa literally knows everyone at the gym

he even knows the girls who work at the front desk? whenever he goes, they let him play his own playlist on the gym speakers. pretty boy privilege 😤😤

they train through free weights and calisthenics (iwa’s specialty)

OIKAWA SKIPS LEG DAY hence the flat ass (iwa would never)

oikawa simply doesn’t have the patience to grow his glutes. he does 2 squats and checks to see if he has an ass

while oikawa has his fanbase of girls, iwaizumi has MAD clout in the gym. gym bros are always checking him out and trying to figure out his routine

iwaizumi has an IG fitness account dedicated to posting his lifts, calisthenics, and personal PR. he do be a lil camera shy tho 🥺

while the two have very different physiques, they have one thing in common: washboard abs

they like to do partner ab exercises with medicine balls. it’s always a beautiful sight to see, a sight that unites gym bros and oikawa fangirls

they ALWAYS stretch properly after their gym sesh, especially since oikawa is no stranger to physical injuries

hinata + kageyama:

infamous and controversial. you either love them or hate them.

everything is a competition between these two, which is lowkey dangerous. but, together, they are always pushing their hardest, which many gymgoers admire

so fucking loud in the gym and completely unaware of it

these boys got RANGE. hit free weights, HIIT/cardio, plyometrics

they usually train separately, but they’ll go to the gym together a few times a month. or they’ll bump into each other at the gym

once the two of them are together, everything’s a competition. lowkey get the whole gym involved in their petty competitions because they’re always arguing who’s better

“KAGEYAMA! you may have done more squats than me this time, but your form SUCKED! my squats were WAY deeper than yours.”

you know how they’ve competed for the higher vertical jumps since high school volleyball? yup, they’re still at it.

KINGS OF HIIT. while others do HIIT for maybe 20 min, they can and will go for an hour out of sheer competitiveness

they NEVER wipe their equipment when they’re done. disgusting

ushijima + tendou:

poster children for any gym. they have strong lifts, practice proper gym etiquette, are smart with their workouts, and get results.

ushijima carries tendou with his extensive training/anatomy knowledge. he develops and follows his own workout routine

tendou doesn’t care that much about working out. he’s just there to spend time with his beloved wakatoshi 😌he also likes the power trip he gets from just walking into the gym next to ushijima

like everyone else, ushijima suffers from low motivation at times. but even on those days, ushijima sticks to his routine. holidays? he’s at the gym. days off from training? he’s at the gym. his own birthday? he’s at the gym

the two of them not only hit free weights, but they do a lot of cardio

super antisocial at the gym. goes to work out and just leaves after.

everyone’s terrified of them. both of them tower over most... not to mention ushijima’s stern eyes and tendou’s playfully menacing stare

if the squat racks are all taken and ushijima and tendou walk in, people will leave their squat rack to let ushijima and tendou squat.

ushijima wants to help people at the gym, though. always helps people rerack their weights, but they always run away while he does it. he genuinely does not understand why others fear him and tendou always laughs about it

while ushijima’s completely focused on his workout, tendou keeps things interesting for himself by checking people out at the gym. never hits on them though—that’s on a+ gym etiquette! 

kuroo + kenma:

kuroo: *activate MOM mode*

kuroo has to drag kenma to the gym. for obvious reasons, he’s always worried about kenma’s health and tries to get him to be more active.

antisocial. they go the gym at like 2am right before it closes, since kenma hates crowds (kuroo dislikes a crowded gym, too)

while kuroo doesn’t have an obnoxious following like oikawa does, there are a ton of girls and guys at the gym who got their eyes on him! kenma gets glared at A LOT. the two of them know how lowkey popular kuroo is, and kuroo relishes in it tbh, much to kenma’s disdain.

kenma and kuroo strength train through machines and free weights. 

unlike a lot of gymgoers, they pay attention to more than just the numbers. when training, they focus a lot on form, timing, more advanced techniques (such as supersets) and challenging themselves through properly engaging their muscles.

kuroo forces kenma to do some cardio. since kenma doesn’t want to run, he sticks to the stationary bicycle (and plays video games while on it lol)

cutest fits at the gym and u can’t convince me otherwise. both of them feel more motivated when they’re wearing something that makes them feel confident

kuroo’s a big fan of the rowing machine and always tries to set personal records. imagine his delts, his BACK when he rows though..... hello 😳

if there’s something both boys are super good at, it’s not comparing themselves to others, when it comes to their training methods and physiques. respect 😌

bokuto + akaashi:

kings of leg day, PERIOD

they go together pretty consistently! even if they’re not at the gym, the two of them try to stay active

bokuto is SO LOUD. the type of guy who grunts and yells before deadlifting just to hype himself up. akaashi has given up on asking bo to quiet down. he just has to deal with the secondhand embarrassment

even though he’s so loud, it’s hard to be annoyed at him. bo motivates everyone at the gym. so full of life and vigor, you can’t help but to want to push your hardest in your workout!

free weights only at the gym, but bokuto loves attending classes at the gym and dragging akaashi to them, too! zumba, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, you name it—they’ve tried it all. the two of them are super loved by all the soccer moms and aunties in morning zumba

catch them hitting hip thrusts, deadlifts, squats, lunges and every variation. while they’re the definition of well-rounded, they definitely hit glutes more than the average guy and are proud of it (as they should be!)

bokuto has made a ton of girl friends at the gym by doing god’s work and converting girls and guys alike to do hip thrusts. the local glute guy 🍑

the best spotters. patient, attentive, and supportive

super stranger friendly, even akaashi! he never ever judges you regardless of how advanced you are

bokuto IG lives his workouts LOL and he always takes selfies or screams to the camera when he or akaashi hits a PR

[madsdefencesquad]

What do you think the dynamic will be like between kate and Kevin and Madison next ep?

All around loving, anon. Just all ‘round.

We’ve got the besties bonding over the fact that they’re now both mothers like excuse me while I weep for an hour or three. I mean, who wouldn’t want their BFF in the entire world to eventually be their sister-in-law! These gals got the best of it and I fracking love that for them.

Then of course we’ve got Kevison in full fangirl/fanboy mode with KaToby’s latest addition like they won’t even let Toby get settled in and put the baby down before Kevin’s all yes SELFIE WITH THE UNCY and Madison’s like OMG ADORBS LET ME SQUEEZE

#chaotic

But I think this episode will be light-hearted in that this is the first time we’ll see these four physically together again since the premiere and that was fraught with tension and concern over Rebecca going missing and Madison having “morning sickness”, so to see them in their element with their new babies, it’ll be wild, fun and all around fam love!

I honestly hope they don’t pass the Bechdel test this episode because I’d like to really see Kate and Madison not just bond over motherhood but also for Madison to bring up her and Kevin being officially engaged. 

I’d like Madison talk to Kate about her feelings about the whole thing, perhaps even some doubt on her part just to create some angst (of course, we thrive in good angst lol) but also as a means for Kate to eventually have a talk with Kevin about Madison and how, as much as he’s her twin, Madison is her bestest, closest friend and she only wants what’s best for her (and each other) so I want to see some fierce BFF protectiveness there just as much as Kevin telling Kate all the wonderful things about Madison and how he’s truly falling in love with her.

And hey, Chrissy already told us that Kate knows what’s best for Kevin and her best friend being that? YES MA’AM GIVE US THE GOODS.

Let the crazy dynamic of these foursome kill us this ep!

[msbluebell]

I see plenty of posts about Blue Lions eagerly waiting for the Dimileth shoe to drop. But I raise you this: Friendly Neighborhood Shipper Gatekeeper.

That’s right, our friend the Friendly Gatekeeper is the ultimate Dimileth shipper.

Gatekeeper learned early on how to read Byleth’s stoic face, and has been able to tell even the tiniest details in their mood, I’m talking “Oh no! Professor’s eyebrows are .02% lower than before! The Professor must be super upset about something!”

Gatekeeper is a Byleth savant! He speaks Byleth and is the a professional Byleth translator. He got his degree in five minutes because that’s all it took after meeting Byleth for him to decide that they’re obviously #BFFs5Ever

So OF COURSE he’s going to notice if the Professor is slowly catching feelings for anyone. He probably realizes even before Byleth and he doesn’t have even half the context. But, *gasp*, it’s forbidden. A teacher and their student? Oh noooooo, it was never meant to BE! 

Note he probably doesn’t even know WHO Byleth has feelings for because he never leaves that dumb gate. He just knows that his bestest friend is going through FORBIDDEN LOVE! (He refuses to believe they’re in love with someone in faculty because he would have heard rumors by now).

This is cause for drastic action!

Gatekeeper takes a day off.

Yes! A day off from guarding the gate!

This is a matter of life and death! His best friend needs him Goddess damn it all! He needs to do reconnaissance! For the professor! He needs to find the fiend that stole their heart and find a flaw in them so Byleth can move on!

Note that Byleth doesn’t even realize they’re catching feelings yet.

So Gatekeeper spends the whole day spying, looking for the despicable scum that wooed their best friend with their willy willy seductive ways. He’s stalking the professor the whole day and being totally obvious about it. Sorry Gatekeeper, everyone knows you’re hiding behind that bush. Byleth is just a good friend and not letting anyone call you out.

The Blue Lions all think the Gatekeeper is stalking Byleth. Felix offers to duel him. Ingrid just advises that Byleth report him to Seteth. Byleth, knowing that’s their bro, just tells the students it’s no concern and goes to see what the heck is going on. To which Gatekeeper, caught, does the only thing a man in his position can do and bursts out the whole truth through his tears. Bawling about how he knows about this seductive seducer that been trying to claim their heart with their fiendish ways, and how he was worried, and he wanted to make sure nothing happened to the professor because it’s his duty as their BFF to make sure that their heart remains unbroken.

The Blue Lions are...flabbergasted to say the least.

Then it’s full on panic mode because WHAT? What seductive seducer? Who is trying to steal Byleth’s heart?

And Gatekeeper is all like, “That’s what I was trying to find out!”

And now Gatekeeper has a class of baby lions basically spun into a panic thinking that there’s another Sylvain going around trying to seduce Byleth, only they’re a fiend out to purposely break their heart or something.

They’re pretty livid about the idea.

Gatekeeper is escorted out of the class by a mildly confused Byleth who promises to spend the day “mending their broken heart” with the Gatekeeper, leaving behind a very confused class, a Sylvain who wants to snoop because “what the fuck”, and a mildly jealous Dimitri. The incident isn’t forgotten, per se, but it’s brushed off.

Cut to five years later.

By now Gatekeeper is much more protective of their friend, what with them having gone missing for five years. But he’s still able to read them like a book, and it’s only gotten easier with time and their growing emotions. 

So it’s pretty easy to tell they’re head over heels.

He just doesn’t know with who.

But his friend is SAD.

SAD!

Who would dare make them SAD!!!!!!?!?!

It’s sin!

Be can’t take a day off to stop guarding like he used to, but he dang well keeps an eye open! He’s got them peeled, he’s watching everyone, he’s going to catch this fiendish fiend!

But whoever it is never shows up at the front gate with the professor. He just can’t seem to find them in the same room with them any other time either. And the professor is getting sadder and sadder, and even everything going well and having nothing to report is making them happy. 

So Gatekeeper does the only thing he can.

He takes it upon himself to find someone else for the professor!

Now, love doesn’t just go away. It’s going to take some time to mend a broken heart, plant some seeds of romance, but he’s going to do it! In the name of friendship!

So he goes to the one person he thinks is as much Byleth’s friend as he is.

The Prince!

The professor spends a lot of time with him! And they’re always talking about them, and...and...

Oh.

Wow.

Gatekeeper is floored. Now it all makes sense! So much sense! The prince had been grumpy for months before that whole thing where he got better! Professor was always mentioning him! And..and..

Interrogation time!

So Gatekeeper, not a strong or powerful man, but filled with enough determination to fuel a Smash Competition, marches up to the Prince of Faerghus and just stares at him.

Poor Dimitri is so confused. He’s wondering what he did to piss off this guy, and if he accidentally killed his brother or something. He’s already moving to apologize, but Gatekeeper is already on him. Demanding to know his favorite foods, and color, and what does he finds romantic, and how he feels about dogs.

Dimitri is so fucking tired.

He’s so confused, but he just rolls with it because he’s newly on the atonement train and doesn’t wanna be an asshole, and figures this is just someone’s weird way of making sure he wasn’t going to kill everyone in the room and then himself.

Wanting to know his ideal date is strange though.

The convo actually takes a surprisingly heartwarming turn soon after though, when both men end up talking about Byleth and how much they mean to the both of them. Gatekeeper goes on about how Byleth is his best friend, and makes days guarding the gate seem like the most important job in the world, and Dimitri goes on about how without Byleth he’d still be lost. And suddenly they’re bonding over small things too, like chamomile tea, and lances, and fond memories they have of Garreg Mach. And, suddenly, Dimitri and Gatekeeper both have a new friend.

And Gatekeeper, after so long of Byleth friendship, has learned to notice when people are #Feeling and not noticing, and it’s pretty easy by the way Dimitri smiles when he says the professor’s name, and how he looks when he talks about them, and that tiny tiny smile that he’s pretty head over heels himself.

Gatekeeper quickly goes from over protective friend to rabid shipping fangirl watching their OTP on the fast track to becoming canon. He might squeal a bit when he gets back to his bunk that night. Every second of his life the next day is consumed by the mighty need to watch these two get married yesterday please.

His poor shipping heart can’t take it.

His eyes are on them whenever they walk by. He has to physically refrain from dying and mentioning how much they should kiss. He’s dying. Someone help this man.

He cries when they announce their engagement. 

He gets to guard the wedding.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #283

“if teardrops could be bottled, there’d be swimming pools filled by models”

How much would you tip a waiter or waitress for good service? I honestly don’t even know the proper etiquette of tipping because I almost never ever have been in a sit-down restaurant where I’ve paid because of the whole “I don’t have an income” thing. If for whatever reason I did, I would have asked the person with me how. I do (maybe…) believe however that there should be a baseline for how much you tip, even if your experience is somewhat unpleasant. You don’t know what that person is going through that day. If it’s just pure awful, then I might not tip at all, but I think I’d honestly feel way too guilty. Who is your favorite character from the television sitcom Friends? I don’t watch it. Whose name might you have tattooed on your body? None. Well, I guess if I had hypothetical kids, I might, especially as a tribute if they died. What is something that you always need to leave plugged in? I always at least have my laptop charger plugged into the wall, but not always into my computer as to not totally kill the battery. I just need it a lot because I’m only always on it. Who might you send a selfie to? I don’t send them to anyone, really, save for specific occasions. I just take selfies once in a blue moon to change my Facebook picture, honestly. I feel weird just sending people pictures of me because I feel like I’m screaming, “HEY LOOK AND COMPLIMENT ME!!!!!!!!!”, so it makes me uncomfortable. I only did semi-recently because my friend did my makeup for a Halloween shoot and for once in my goddamn life I felt really pretty so sent it to Sara. Name an item in or on your bed every night. My phone is on the right upper corner of my bed so I can check it when I wake up; I always wake up throughout the night and wanna know what time it is. Out of your work shift, how much time do you spend doing “actual work”? Well one, define “actual work,” but odds are almost zero because I don’t have shit to do. How long do your New Years resolutions typically last? I don’t make ‘em. Who would you call first after getting engaged to tell them the news? Most likely Mom. What’s the song that reminds you of the person you like?Okay so deadass I listened to NSP’s “Wish You Were Here” cover recently and kinda cried lol. Are you good at holding back your tears? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Have you ever sacrificed something important to you for someone you love? My goddamn sanity. How many jobs do you have? None. Do you have any memories you want to erase? There’s one occasion with Jason I wish I could forget so, so badly. Do you believe in the phrase “If it’s meant to be, it will be”? No. I don’t believe in pre-determined destinies and such, and thus I don’t see anything as “meant” and “not meant” to be. Do you believe in destiny? Wow, good timing lmao. Do you believe that things will get better? I like to think so. Have you ever drunk dialed someone? No. Have you ever worn a tiara? Haha, I think on my 18th birthday maybe, my friend Summer came with us to dinner and brought me a birthday tiara. If someone offered to take you out for your birthday, where would you decide to go? I almost always go to Olive Garden for dinner. But, after trying the Cheesecake Factory for the first time… *eyes emoji* If you plan to have kids, what will you tell them about Santa Clause? I’m not having kids, but hypothetically, I’d let them believe it. It’s so magical as a kid and brings so much excitement. I’d tell them the truth when it feels appropriate, and if I know they’re not the type to go telling other kids for no reason “HEY MY MOM SAID SANTA’S NOT REAL SO UR DUMB.” I’d be damned if they ruined it for other children. If you have ever been employed, have you ever been attracted to your boss? What about a co-worker? Not that I remember. Do [would] you avoid kissing your [possibly hypothetical] significant other when you or they are ill? Look man I made out with my ex while he was recovering from bronchitis before we knew it wasn’t contagious so OOPS yeah because I am 110% the “if you’re sick, I’m sick” dumbass all the while going FULL Mom Mode taking care of the person. What was the last thing you bought, other than food? With my own money, that is a daaaamn good question. I only really use it/am given it for food. Have you ever had a crush on a teacher? No. Who was the last person you Facebook messaged? Do you know what that person is doing at this moment? My mom. She’s in the living room watching TV, probably. Think back to the last time you cried, or felt like crying. Who or what helped you to feel better? My mom. Do you own any accessories with your name or initial on them? No, they don’t appeal to me. Is there someone of the opposite sex that knows everything, or almost everything, about you? I would say Jason, but we haven’t seen or spoken to each other for almost four years, and I’m a much different person by now, and I’m sure he is, too. Do you remember the last time you cried because you missed someone? A few weeks back I had a breakdown over Jason again. My PTSD was and still is being pretty rough lately. Are your eyes the same color as your sibling(s)? Just my brother. Anything in your room that you’re hiding from your parents, or someone else? No. What’s your most noticeable flaw? Thinking about it, probably my extreme aversion to conflict. I will BOLT from confrontation. And what’s your best feature? I’m extremely empathetic. Have you ever hallucinated? Yeah; I would see shadows move when I was coming off a certain med. Do you have fangirl-ish tendencies? ………………. Have you ever replied “OK” when someone confessed they liked you? Wow, no. Either admit reciprocated feelings or gently turn them down. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or The Beatles? OHHHHHHHH BUDDY. Led Zeppelin, I think… but maybe the Stones. Idk. What would you do for immortality and infinite youth? Nothing. Would you rather have a pool or a hot tub? A pool. Is your handwriting legible? Yes. Well, some people find it slightly difficult because it’s kinda fancy. Have you ever held a baby chick? Yes! Do you think ‘everything bagels’ are disgusting? I’m not a fan. Do you live with anyone that you try to avoid at all costs? No. What did you last get upset about? How incredibly fuckin weak my body is. When is the last time you personally made someone else cry? I don’t know. How many more people do you think you’ll kiss before you die? Hopefully only one. I do NOT want to deal with anymore heartbreak, nor do I want to waste anymore time with someone I’m not going to spend the rest of my life with. Are you more spiritual or religious? Spiritual. Ever been to a rave? Nooooo, most definitely not my scene. Are you afraid to name the person you talk the most shit about? No. Song playing right now? I’m listening to “PRESIDENT X” by 3TEETH rn. Have you ever laughed at someone because they had a funny name? No, that’s incredibly rude. Speaking of names, why do celebrities always call their kids stupid ones? They’re not all “stupid”…? There are some beautiful names I’ve heard. It’s none of my business why others’ children are named what they are. Do you get car sick easily? I don’t. Do you think you’re a good conversationalist? Why is that? NO. I’m just awkward and don’t know what to talk about or what to say back to people a lot. Awhile back though my friend Ian told me I was actually a really nice one and it meant a LOT to me. Hearing someone say that reassured me a little bit. Have you ever been on a float in a parade? What were you doing on it? No. Have you ever been in a helicopter? No. Have you ever had chicken pox? No. Who is your favorite animated character? Oh boy that’s hard man, idk. Maybe Ninetales, at least aesthetically. Idk about as characters themselves. Is it easy to make you gag? Yeah. Who’s your favorite Disney character? Probably Scar. Would you rather have a pet crocodile or a pet octopus? I deadass kinda want a caiman lol. It’s something I doubt I’ll actually do, though. Do you like Ritz crackers? Yeah. Do you have any designer clothing? If so what brand? No. Were you afraid of the dark when you were little? Not very, no. What are your opinions on war in general? It’s fucking awful and could be avoided if people weren’t so goddamn hasty, selfish, and uncompromising, among many other adjectives. Do you like pretzels? Yessss, especially soft ones. Have you ever wanted to be a writer? Yeah, tons of times in my life on-and-off. Did you even vote? This is the very first year I actually did. I felt really bad for not acting, only complaining about my government, and “silence speaks” was heavy on my head. Did some research to educate myself, and I felt amazing afterwards. What is your favorite flavor of gum? Usually watermelon. Are you wearing any bandaids? If so, where and why? No. Do you currently have any bruises on you? No. Do you/did you like or dislike school? I always hated it. Are you currently wearing any lotion? No. Do you ever make recipes found online? What was the last one? I don’t cook, so… but there sure are some that look good. If you smoke weed, what do you usually do after you get high? If you don’t, what would you do if everyone around you were smoking? I never have, so I wouldn’t know. Haha, for the second half, sit there awkwardly… been there once. What’s the last thing you ordered online? The next Wings of Fire book. Starting Sunny’s story now. Tell me about your favorite dress. I had this spring dress in high school that was white with purple skulls on it in a floral design… It was really cute and just has a special memory tied to it. Have you ever slept in a waterbed? If so, what was it like? Yeah, that used to be considered “fun” as a kid. They’re not awful, but not that comfortable either, and if I remember well, it’s easy to get sweaty because of the material. How many floors does your house have? Just one. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Yes. Do you enjoy sappy love songs? Hell yeah I do. Do you ever buy the same shirt in different colors? Simple tank tops, yeah. Ever made out on a rooftop? Damn dude no I’d be paranoid of falling off lmao. One place you will never eat at? Arby’s. If someone went through your pictures, would they find a "bad" one? Nope.

[kendrixtermina]

I haven’t played all four routes yet but from spoilers I do know that Edelgard has some feelings for Byleth regardless of the route. While the shipper in me likes that detail, objectively from what I’ve seen of AM/VW so far I’m not sure why El would feel that way. I don’t want to chalk it up to waifuism right away. Any thoughts on this, since you’ve played all the routes?

Comments on the premise

(Scroll down for an answer to your actual question) 

First of all this “waifuism” thing is exceedingly cynical. 

Male antagonists in huge classical words of art are given a tragic crush or adorable little daughter/sister them all the time so  as to humanize them, give them internal conflict and expose some contradictions about them, and people get how it’s tragic and gives them dimensionality and no one ever says the only reason is so fangirls will think they’re hot. If anyone gets made fun of it’s the fangirls for “not getting the depht” as if that were mutually exclusive. Vulnerability, temptation, struggle for independence... you find that all over the best stories ever told. 

For every damself in distress there’s one dude (her boyfriend) who manages to be a full compelling non-satelite human being despite having romance as a motivator the problem isn’t romance it’s bad writing. There’s certainly a problem if almost every single female character in a setting were entirely by romance but the idea that liking someone is to degrade, flatten and cheapen yourself is just as toxic. It can coexist with other more complex motivations and in fact lampshade them.

You might perhaps call bad writing if it were one of those situations where the villainess has no other motivation than dudes, brings it up constantly or is so defined by it that it keeps her from acting in any self-consistent manner or just isn’t taken seriously as an antagonist.  Not saying she’s a villain at all but you oppose her on the other routes.

I pretty much all the characters like Byleth and express regret when they go up against them... They have a sort of heroic charisma that’s why they’re the main character. (not per se the other way around - you don’t point the camera where nothing interesting/extrordinary is happening. Few stories tell us about a sack of potatoes falling over or people sitting on chairs, and if they did they’d be about pointing out how potatoes or chairs are actually plenty interesting)

They’re described as accepting ppl just as they are with that having been an attitude impressed on them by their father who himself is cool with Byleth’s own oddities, and also described as one hell of a badass field commander.  Also you DO run around all day bringing everyone gifts, their favorite snacks lost possesions and listening to their problems/lifestories. 

It’s not like it’s super over the top in your face it’s like a handful of lines many of which you might not even hear if you’ve recruited certain characters or don#t trigger certain engage quotes, and it ties into her greater characterization as someone with consummate laserfocus dedication who has pretty much given up on anything that doesn’t further her goal even her own feelings.  - having a crush is just one example, she mentions how she’d have preferred a more peaceful life doing idle fun things and did enjoy her time at the monastery where she got to be just another classmate sand fight alongside everybody else as a comrade.

Though she enjoyed her time at the monastery, her resolve doesn’t waver... but now it hurts a bit more to go through with what she had planned all along since it means losing some of the relative normalcy she had not dared to hope for anymore

You actual question (ie what does she like about them)

Crushes, by nature, are just something that randomly shows up and can produce quite a bit of a reaction in a short time. 

Regardless of route you save her from a bandit and there’s all the explore time dialogue and basically lived in close quarters/ saw each other every other day. Even if theyd spend more time with their own class theyd still be around the place doing cool stuff. That would be explanation enough, I mean it doesn’t necessarily mean that something had to come of it, that she wouldn’t get over it or that you’re immediately soulmates or whatever, I mean you can pair her off with plenty of other peeps in her route. 

Which isn’t to say that the whole thing is just any old youthful crush. Crush or no crush she really wants them to be allies. 

First of all Edelgard has been describing as being drawn to/ sorta ‘collecting’ people she views as talented and exceptional so if you are a badass she’s gonna like you (just in general not even romantically), and if you’re a badass who’s also her ‘type’ that might manifest itself as a crush as well. 

She says pretty early on that she thinks they have similar personalities, and she clearly looks for like-mindedness in friends and allies as well, of the ones that she gets semi-friendly with even before the timeskip the only one with a significant different outlook/temperament is Dorothea, and everyone likes Dorothea, since she goes out of her way to befriend anyone who doesn’t resemble an arrogant dunce. 

Also, she probably finds the idea of having an ally who is “like her” very enticing. First because she’s used to being misunderstood and someone who is similar might “get” her and relate to her. (Conversely there’s a lot of dialogue where she’s like “I know you’re lying” or “wow you’re telling the truth”... she doesnt find them that opaque/unreadable compared to the other characters. so this also goes both ways... this occurs regularly enough that its even kinda used to hint at who the flame emperor is (”I can tell you dont actually want to join me”)) 

Byleth is just generally described in a lot of scenes dialogues and supports as someone whos pretty accepting of peolples weirdness and quirks. Leonie thinks they get it from Jeralt. That tends to be a selling point for most of their romantic options especially the house leaders

Likewise, due to various reasons relating to her natural personality, station and backstory she finds it hard to step out of business mode, and ppl tend to sort of flinch away from her because she’s uncommonly powerful and also the princess, and she doesn’t like that/tends to feel somewhat isolated because of it.  Even ppl who know Edelgard well enough to have significant insight into her (like Hubert or Ladislava) still speak of her with a kind of awe.

Due to their upbringing away from mainstream society, sorta unphased slightly flippant personality and their own considerable power/competence Byleth is one of the few who isn’t daunted to approach her like any ol regular person. They’re powerful enough for her to approach them on an even level, or even rely on them/ take pointers from them. 

You also see that to an extent with Lysithea (who is not just a fellow experiment victim but also has a similar ‘serious/focussed’ outlook and love of sugary things) with whom she also gets various “I wish you’d joined me/pity that we must fight” sort of dialogue. She’s Edelgard’s one inter-house support (suggesting a similar “I kinda can’t help wanting to get to know you even though I know we might become enemies” dynamic at play) the “free recruitee” on the CF route (whereas the other cases are in situations where they have incentives to flip - Lorenz is only with the empire out of opportunism so why wouldn’t he join the kingdom if they look to be winning? And Ashe was flat out drafted and is only with the Rowes out of obligation) and if you spare her she’ll say that Claude explicitly told her to waive the white flag if things get tough because he figured that Edelgard would be likely to spare her. 

[cromulentbookreview]

Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'!

Yes,  Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'!  AKA Bloodleaf (also called Bloodgood). Described by Monrovia as a “ delightful small tree with gracefully branched stems that hold beautiful, palmate, red-purple leaves.” This deciduous tree is hardy to US Zones 5-8 (I have no idea what zones that’d be in the UK, Australia or New Zealand sorry guys), prefers partial-to-full sun exposure, requires regular watering, and will reach up to 18 ft (5.4 meters) in height! The beautiful red-purple foliage turns an even more brilliant red in the fall! I mean, just look at this gorgeous tree:

Fuck yeah, Japanese maples. Did you know there are over 1000 cultivars of Japanese maple? They’re gorgeous. 

This is a gardening blog, right?

No?

Shit. 

Whatever, nobody cares.

And by that, I mean: Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith!

I wasn’t kidding about how amazing Japanese maples are. Seriously, if you’re in a compatible zone (most are 5-8 on the USDA hardiness zone map, which includes the western areas of the Pacific Northwest, fuck yeah!). Anyway, the eponymous bloodleaf of Smith’s novel do not belong to a Japanese maple. It’s more like a flowering ground cover, like a little white, three-petaled Lobelia. Only super duper poisonous and the only safe part are the petals, which can save lives, but are practically impossible to harvest. Hurray?

Anyway! Book review! That’s what this blog is for. Not for recommending various plants that I like. It is for reviewing books. I’m pretty sure no one actually reads these, though, so I can include whatever the fuck I want. My favorite Japanese maple? Well, I don’t just have one, but I am partial to lace leaf Japanese maples, because the leaves are just so damn pretty...

Bloodleaf! By! Crystal! Smith! I am capable of focus!

Princess Aurelia of Renault is having a hell of a time - for one, everyone thinks she’s a witch, a crime punishable by death in her country. Even being accused of being a witch is enough to get you hanged by the neck until dead. Or burned. Seems like the preferred method in Renault is hanging, but burnings work, too.

What, did you think there weren’t going to be Monty Python gifs here? 

Everyone in Renault, even the royal family, lives in fear of the Tribunal, a shady organization that apparently has jurisdiction over witches and seems to possess absolute power. The public is on the side of the Tribunal (witches = bad), so the fact that Aurelia is rumored to be a witch isn’t exactly great.

The fact that she is, indeed, a witch, is even worse. Aurelia is a blood mage - she can see spirits of the dead and do magic with her blood. Fun! I wish I could do magic whenever I get a paper cut - if that were the case, I’d be doing magic all the time at work. Or whenever my cat springboards off me or I nearly slice my thumb off shredding Parmesan cheese. Anyway: Aurelia has to keep her witchy-ness secret re: regular hangings and burnings. Aurelia has been engaged to Prince Valentin of the neighboring kingdom of Achelva since infancy. Things look a bit better for witches in Achelva, which sounds great, but Valentin himself? Not so much. Valentin is rumored to be a weak and infirm invalid who rarely ever leaves his rooms. The current king of Achelva, Domnhall (no relation to the beautiful, red-headed Domnhall Gleeson) is the worst. He’s basically Donald Trump in everything but name. So Aurelia isn’t overly thrilled at her upcoming marriage, but she’s eager to get the hell out of Dodge before people catch on that she’s a witch, holding out to the hope that, in uniting her country with Achelva and becoming a queen, she can lessen the influence of the Tribunal and make things better for her fellow witches.

(Seriously, did you think I wasn’t going to use Monty Python gifs here?)

That’s all well and good, but just as Aurelia is getting ready to head off to Achelva, the Tribunal stages a coup - Aurelia’s mom, the Queen, is captured, while Aurelia and her little brother Conrad, the future king of Renault, just barely manage to escape.  Things get even worse when the people who helped Aurelia escape Renault turn on her. They take Conrad and head off to Achelva with an impostor posing as Aurelia, while the real Aurelia just barely manages to escape being murdered.

Now stuck in Achelva with no money, no friends, no papers, nothing, Aurelia has to do her best to survive. Then a handsome stranger called Zan steals her horse. Well, he tries to pay for it after the fact, but still. The only thing Achelva has going for it is that Aurelia can now practice her blood magic without fear of immediate hanging and/or burning. But there’s still the fact that the Tribunal still has her mother hostage back home, and Conrad is in the hands of the impostor and her Tribunal-loyal father. Plus there’s something weird happening within the walls of the city-state of Achelva. Old magical protections seem to be failing and Zan is determined not only to find out why, but also find a way to stop it. When he learns that Aurelia (now calling herself Emilie) is a blood mage, he offers to teach her how to use her power in order to save his country. Can Aurelia manage to save her family and Achelva and Renault from the grips of the Tribunal without dying a horrible death?

Good luck with that, Aurelia/Emilie!

Sometimes its hard for me to be objective about books that I enjoy. If I like a book, I’m willing to forgive most of its flaws, embrace the story and roll with it. For the most part, the books I review here on this stupid tumblr blog are books that I’ve liked. I don’t really want to waste my time slogging through a book that I don’t like. Life’s too short, if I don’t like something, I’m not going to read it. If I like a book, I’ll finish reading it, even if it takes me a while. 

And then sometimes I encounter a book like Witchmark or The Binding books which, once I started reading them, I literally could not stop and now I love them forever holy shit those books are so good you guys, you should buy copies of both right now I am not joking, Jesu Christi people, READ THEM!

Uhm. 

Bloodleaf happens to be among the latter. It’s one of those books where I started reading and then would not stop. I remained at the gym for an extra ten minutes just so I could finish a chapter. I was ready to hiss at anyone or anything that would stop me reading. For example:

Housemate: hey, we’ve got a bunch of old bananas here, would you be willing to make banana bread tonight?

Me, reading Bloodleaf:

Needless to say, I enjoyed this book a lot. It has its flaws typical to YA fantasy (mostly just some weak characterization and worldbuilding) but once I got going I really didn’t care. I went into full YA Fangirl Mode. And once I enter Fangirl Mode it’s difficult to convince me not to like or enjoy something.

Plus there’s a bunch of not-so-subtle Donald Trump references to the regent of Achleva, who is definitely a Trump-type. One of the characters even refers to him, sarcastically, as a “stable genius.” Another character tells him, very publicly: “Facts is facts. Wishin’ ’em false and declarin’ ’em fake don’t make it so.”

Heee. I see what you did there, Crystal Smith. I see what you did there! And I very much enjoy it.

So if you’re looking for a strong, female-led YA fantasy novel featuring blood magic and the occasional witch burning, Bloodleaf is the book for you. And a brilliant scarlet-leaved Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum is the tree you’ll be wanting for your garden. Don’t let it die of a fungus like mine did. RIP, Mr. Bloodgood. You were a tree that I got for free.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of YA fantasy with a strong female lead, magic, romance, etc.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone who came here legitimately hoping to read about Japanese maples, non-YA fans, people who can’t stand the idea of a kickass female protagonist.

TRIGGER WARNING: Midway through the book there’s a scene of a very violent near-rape - be warned and prepare accordingly. If that’s really not your thing then you may want to steer clear.

RATING: 4/5

TOTALLY UNBIASED FANGIRL RATING: 500,000,000/5

RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2019

ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR SEQUEL: Chhogori

TREE RATING: Eucalyptus regnans

[qwertzu824]

Owner’s handbook: Viktor

Congratulations, you are now the eccentric and whimsical owner of the majestic Viktor. To ensure his proper and problem-free operation, please read this manual.

 Technical Specification:

Name: Viktor Nikiforov

Manufacturer: RSU, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Date of production: 25 December 2017

Age: 15** / 27* (please check the serial number)

Colour scheme: long** platinum hair, blue eyes

Languages: Russian, English, French, Japanese*

* Adult Viktor only ** Teenage Vitya only

 Activation:

Your Viktor comes with a Makkachin unit and a bag of dog treats. To wake Viktor up, activate the Makkachin unit first – simply fill a bowl with the dog treats, and then have Makkachin lick Viktor awake.

Alternatively you can ask a Yakov or a Chris unit to wake him up. He will get up eventually.

If you have a Yuuri unit, ask Phichit to dress him up and have him walk by Viktor’s box. Don’t be surprised if your Viktor wakes up head over heels in love with the beautiful boy from his dream.

 Accessories:

Your Viktor comes with

- a Makkachin unit, handbook on the care and feeding of Makkachin, dog treats and various dog accessories

- a pair of skates with golden blades

- a heavy box of medals and awards (you’re the one who bought the most decorated skater in history, don’t look at us like that)

- digital* album full of lovely Makkachin pictures

- a photo of him and Yakov

- a photo of him and Chris

- a heavy box of skincare products

- five suitcases of designer clothes

- a lovely Makkachin tissue box

- a stash of fanmail

- a coach badge*

- an engagement ring for Yuuri*

- Japanese electronic dictionary*

- an album of accidentally seductive Yuuri photos, courtesy of Phichit*

 Compatibility:

Makkachin – Your Viktor loves Makkachin and will grow sad if forced to spend too much time away from his Makka.

Yuuri Katsuki – Viktor and Yuuri are soulmates. Adult Viktor will want to become Yuuri’s coach (among other things).

Yakov Feltsman – Viktor has a lot of respect for his coach, even though both teenage Vitya and adult Viktor are prone to ignore his advice most of the time.

Yuri Plisetsky – Yuri and Viktor are rinkmates. Yuri is often annoyed by Viktor but recognizes him as a great skater and rival.

Georgi Popovich – Rinkmate and friend. Due to the fact that the production of Georgi units began only a day after Viktor’s, they often celebrate their birthdays together. Viktor appreciates Georgi’s penchant for drama and will offer make-up advice if asked.

Mila Babicheva – Rinkmate, friend and shopping buddy.

Christophe Giacometti – Friend, rival, drinking pal, shopping buddy, fellow diva, great butt selfie partner.

Jean-Jacques Leroy – While JJ sees Viktor as an adversary obstructing his path to the top, Viktor tends to ignore him and will often forget his name. This will make your JJ sad. We recommend keeping them apart.

Phichit Chulanont* – Phichit has Viktor’s endless gratitude for being the endless source of Yuuri trivia and adorable pictures (these may or may not include drunk pics, pictures from Yuuri’s pole dancing practice and post-workout gym photos).

 Functions:

Skater/Living Legend – Your Viktor will activate in this setting. Please note: Don’t leave this function on for too long, or else he might get depressed.

Coach* – This function will only activate after meeting adult Yuuri, though teenage Vitya will happily teach teenage Yuuri a thing or two.

Yuuri fanboy – This function will activate instantly upon seeing Yuuri skate, dance, stand around or, you know, breathe.

Dog person – Viktor’s pre-programmed setting, cannot be deactivated. Don’t be surprised if he ignores you in favour of a dog, especially if it’s a puppy or a poodle.

Son-in-law – Available even before marrying Yuuri. Son-in-law Viktor will gladly help with Yu-topia’s upkeep, including cleaning, cooking and promoting this beautiful resort.

 FAQ and troubleshooting:

My Viktor won’t skate anymore and he’s permanently melancholic!

It seems you left the Living Legend mode on for too long. Introduce your Viktor to a Yuuri Katsuki unit and ship them to a remote location of your choice. Don’t be surprised if they come back engaged.

My Viktor is crying!

Oh, my. This may have several causes:

- Check Makkachin. If your Makkachin unit is malfunctioning, repair them according to the handbook on the care and feeding of Makkachin (included in the package). Send someone to get Yuuri Katsuki.

- Yuri Plisetsky has told Viktor that he’s getting bald. Hug your Viktor while repeatedly reassuring him that it’s not true. Send someone to get Yuuri Katsuki.

- Phichit has sent him a Detroit Days photo of Yuuri. It’s okay, let him cry. Or you can also look at the photo and join him.

- Yuuri has agreed to marry him.

 My Vitya is being chased by fangirls!

Viktor usually likes the attention but if he doesn’t, get him sunglasses and a hoodie to hide his hair. Introduce him to Yuuri*/teenage Yuuri** and whisper ‘hashtag Victuuri’ into Phichit’s ear.

 My Viktor has dyed his hair black and put on Goth make-up!

Either your Viktor is trying to surprise his audience or you might have mistaken Georgi for Viktor.

 My Viktor won’t stop flirting with anything that moves!

That’s not Viktor, that’s Chris. Don’t worry, he’s mostly harmless (except for an occasional quick butt grope) and doesn’t mean anything by it. If you want, you can bring him to any ISU shop or mail him to us and we will trade him for Viktor.

[blackcuttingmoon]

ROMANTIC HEADCANONS

name : Ichigo Kurosaki nickname : He does not really likes nicknames and he will give you quite a nasty glare if he does not trust you. He’s been called: Berry, Ichi, Ichiberry, carrot, pet, punk...  gender: Male romantic orientation : Romantically oblivious pfffff sexual orientation : Bisexual (more orientated towards men). preferred pet names : YOU BETTER NOT. relationship status : Depending on the verse. 

opinion on true love : He does not have such a concept as true love, considering it as something that can only happen once. Ichigo thinks that you may love a lot of people and your love for them is always valid and as important as the first one. So he believes in love, and that feelings are totally true, but he does not like the concept of an unique true love.

opinion on love at first sight: He had never experienced it, even if he had felt attracted by men at first sight. However, it takes quite a while for him to consider that they are in love. So maybe we could say that he believes in liking at first sight. But he considers love to be a deeper thing. Of course, he accepts that people may experience it, but it has never been his case. Ichigo does not often like someone out of the blue, even if it had happened before.

how ‘romantic’ are they? : He’s not really that romantic. He loves his partners a lot and if he sees something that he considers they can use or need, he’d buy it. But he’s not really into preparing secret dates or being really thoughtful about special dates or anniversaries. He’s more into showing his love with simple presents when he feels like it, or gentle gestures, or just protecting and making his meaningful person feel at ease.

ideal physical traits : He does not really have a type, even if he feels more attracted to men who are taller than him and with a good built. In the cases of women, he loves long hairs, or super short ones. He also loves a woman who is well-built and he adores curves. Dahhhhh now I’m fangirling about @iliyovunjika‘s Nel. PRECIOUS BRIDE.

ideal personality traits: Intelligence and kindness. Intelligence, not only meaning the typical stupidity related to studies,  but also emotional, existential, logical... Kindness is a trait highly respected from his point of view. If someone is kind, for him that’s really appealing and a reason of feeling proud.

unattractive physical traits: None really.

unattractive personality traits: Egocentric assholes (AND I’M SO SORRY BUT I JUST THOUGHT OF BOUTH @aizen-sousuke AND @skyvar AND I’M LAUGHING MY ASS OFF. I LOVE YOU TWO THOUGH). Selfish and self-centered persons have it quite more difficult to win his heart, because he believes that some of those behaviors can lead to cruel acts towards a third party. However, he really respects people who have a lot of trust on themselves, or that try to do what they want.))

ideal date : He’d be up to anything while he was in company of the person he likes. Both trips, theater (shut up, Aizen, I know you smirk at this, so shhhh...), cinema, museums, gallery visitations, hanging around the town, staying at home lazying around while watching movies. He’s happy with all of that.

do they have a type? : Not really. He’s not normally attracted to people so... 

average relationship length : He doesn’t engage in meaningless relationships, so the average should be a long relationship.  

commitment level : 100%. Always.

opinion of public affection : He does not  care about people showing it, but in his case... he’s shy as fuck. Japanese culture is not really a culture in which you often see public acts of affection, all the opposite. So in that stance, he follows the Japanese habit. He does not mind a brush of hands or maybe a hand on his shoulder or lower back, but he’s not that open to a full making out session. Maybe if you steal a kiss he won’t punch you that much... but if his partner tries to engage in something more... you’re gonna get kicked in the 95% of the cases. @gadian-shin or @iliyovunjika‘s Nel, again, are the exception B) TOO PRECIOUS. 

past relationships?: Again, depending on my verses. For mentioning some: Nelliel is his bride, Noya is his boyfriend, an Ulquiorra was also his boyfriend. But in nearly all my verses Ichigo’s always single.

favorite canon ship : With my character... none. I’m not into IchiHime, even if I respect it. 

favorite non-canon ship: ALL OF THEM. I always love to see people experimenting with ships and I don’t care of what kind they are. For mentioning some of my fav pairs: ShiroIchi, GrimmIchi, UlquiIchi (because of my damn Ulqui), AiIchi (because of Illa, damn you too), NelIchi, IchiRuki.. Dunno. I’m open to all of them rp-wise if there’s chemistry. And I don’t mind ships if people enjoys them, soooo... -Mode Zen On-

Tagged by: @aizen-sousuke ((Thankies cutie!)) Tagging: Everyone reading this shit B) YOU’RE TAGGED MUAHAHAHAHHA.

[tellywoodtrash]

ishqbaaz 15.09.17 lb

anika’s had enough of the husband being a right pain in her butt and put the phone on airplane mode. 😆😆😆

shivaay, it’s not like you were telling her your feelings over the phone anyway. lbr, you were just calling and being like “achcha wyd? hmmm. theek hai.” ad nauseam. 🙄🙄🙄

he decides to do the completely normal thing in this situation. no, not calm the f down and get a hobby or something, but to write a letter instead. 😐😐😐

knowing his extraaaaa ass, he’ll get khanna to deliver it as well. 😌😌😌

my aesthetic of the day: billu repeatedly saying the word “chitthi” till it doesn’t make sense anymore. 😁😁😁

FOR FUCKS SAKE SHIVAAY, KHANNA IS SECURITY. NOT YOUR… PERSONAL SHOPPER. IT’S NOT HIS JOB TO BUY YOU FANCY SCENTED PAPER TO WRITE LOVE LETTERS ON. 😒😒😒

“GET ME THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAPER ON EARTH!!!!!!”

jesus christ, this man is intolerable. how khanna himself hasn’t killed him, is beyond me. khanna deserves a damn raise. 😣😣😣

look how pleased he is with himself. 🙄🙄🙄

lo, udhar gauri came back home, shivaay comforted her, got a champi, talked about love letters, raat se din ho gayi, par idhar om ki exhibition abhi bhi chal rahi hai. 😑😑😑

great, this snobby couple are back. why are all rich people who are into art so damn pretentious and such assholes? 😤😤😤

UM EXCUSE ME, WHO THE FUCK EVEN ARE YOU PEOPLE TO SAY THESE THINGS???? EXHIBITION HAI, PAINTING DEKHO AUR CHALTE BANO. LITERALLY NO ONE ASKED YOU FOR RELATIONSHIP ADVICE HERE. 😒😒😒

om, why the fuckkkkkkk can’t you say these things in front of herrrrr ughhhh 😫😫😫😫😫

ok omki ka paara chadh raha hai, he’s ready to cut a bougie bitch. 🔪🔪🔪🔪

sigh, i get it from his pov too: he wanted to protect her, from the shitty snobby people of his social class. my heart just hurtsssss. for the BOTH of them. 😭😭😭😭😭

om you better not get mad at her for this though. 😑😑😑

LMAO KHANNA GOT SHIVAAY NEWSPAPER. AND COZ HE SAID KHOOBSOORAT PAPER, HE GOT HIM THE ONE WITH ALL THE PICS OF THE MODELS 😂😂😂

omggg khanna did anika’s “i’m so smart” gesture. 😯😯😯

headcanon: anika and khanna actually hang out quite a bit. anika bitches a lot about “tumhare shivaay sir” to him and khanna fucking loves it. 😊😊😊

lord, he’s all heart-eyed just at the prospect of WRITING a letter. #saveHimFromHimself 😭😭😭

lmaoooooo khanna’s like sir you’re hanging out with omkara too much these days. you’re beginning to talk like him. “kuch HUA hai kya???” 🤣🤣🤣🤣

hahahaha khanna’s grin as he leaves. 😂😂😂

“svetlana???? kyaaa laaana????” 

lololololol. 😂😂😂😂

oh no. my fears and predictions came true. pinky’s teaming up with svetlana to blow this all up from the inside. ghar ka bhedi hi lanka dhaane waala hai. sighhh. 😕😕😕

khanna’s in serioussss danger of getting fired for his impertinence and nautanki today. 😐😐😐

“isse kya ho gaya??? lagta hai yeh bhi pyaar mein hai.”

nope, he’s just extra happy for his otp. remember, he’s literally been shipping you two since day 1. 😇😇😇

my god, this lovesick, besotted fooooool. 😭😭😭😭😭

ok paper 1 down. 

LOL BALLPOINT PEN MEIN ROMANCE NAHI HAI. 😆😆😆

paper 2 down. 

try #3 - with ink pen. 🖋🖋🖋

woooop! dadi alert! 😯😯😯

lollllll look at him trying to cover up. 😂😂😂

“main toh naye pen ki NIB dekh raha tha!” 

sure, bro. uh huh. 😆😆😆

dadi be calling out billu’s ajeebness. dadi, it’s too late tbh. pehle hi karti, iske bachpan mein, toh aaj yeh aisa nahi hota. 🙄🙄🙄

OMFG HIS SHARMAANA IS TOO CUTE AND I CAN’T STOP LAUGHINGGGGGG 😂😂😂😂😂😂

oh no dadi is singing again. dadi plz no. 😖😖😖😖

ok attempt # 3 continues. 

oh god, abhi handwriting gandiiiii hai. ouff, toh ab 10 din cursive writing practice karke likhega kya??? 😒😒😒

also, shout out to original “keede makode waali handwriting” 4 Lions Bade Bhaiyya, Arnav Singh Raizada 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand he’s giving up. awaiiii khanna ko itna bhagaaya “most beautiful paper in the world” ke liye. 😒😒😒

waaah. full fledged professional video cam leke aaya hai. why can’t you just use the front cam of your phone like NORMAL PPL shivaay. lord. 🙄🙄🙄

……. and he’s doing this in the living room. WHY??? 😣😣😣

wow. he’s handling this much better than i thought he would. must be all that media training and his comfort with the camera. 😐😐😐

lol awwww “main jaanta hoon thank you sunke tumhe bura laga and you don’t want to hear it ever again…” 

oh billu!!!!!!!

lmaoooo aw, he’s taking a break to drink paani. 

“i’m back.” ugh i am dying at how adorable he’s being. 😭😭😭

“anika, tumne toh apni khidkitod style mein jo kehna tha keh diya… lekin mujhse nahi hota, kyunki main main hoon…” 

oh man, he’s talking about dhadkanein and a kahaani and i’m already beginning to cry a little bit. 😥😥😥

“sunogi na? forward mat karna.” 

god howwwwwwww different they both look right now from that first ep. 

“tumne notice kiya??? MAIN BINA CRINGE KIYE GOBAR BOL RAHA HOON! GOBARGOBARGOBARGOBARGOBAR! I CAN SAY IT!” 

ok yuck shivvay stop hitting yourself in the head with your chappal. 😬😬😬

AW HE THOUGHT SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL RIGHT BACK THEN 😚😚😚

“toot tum rahi thi, lekin bikhar main raha tha.”

ok i… i’m really full-on crying right now. i can’t handle all these feelings. oh shivaaaaay. *holds him 5ever and cries* 😭😭😭😭😭

time for another paani break. 

pffffffft, i can’t believe you just said the words “hate chemistry”, shivaay. 🙄🙄🙄

MALLIKA. THEIR CUPID. GOD BLESS HER FOREVER. SHE’LL FOREVER REMAIN ONE OF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS THIS SHOW HAS EVER GIVEN ME. 💖💖💖💖💖💖 NO REALLY, LIKE, AFTER SHIVIKA AND RIKARA, I THINK I LOVE MALLIKA THE MOST.

“you’ve made me the luckiest man, anika. i feel like the luckiest man in this world today. tumhari wajah se.” 

i’m weeping like a damn bitch baby right now. 

“pehli baar jab tum meri baahon mein giri thi. pehli baar tumhe khone ka darr hua tha uss din. mujhe aise laga ki agar maine tumhe kho diya toh… duniya sahi nahi lagegi.”  . . . . . “meri engagement tia se ho chuki thi, lekin main soch… main tumhare baare mein hamesha sochta tha. ladta tha tumse, par khud se bhi ladta tha. pata nahi kyun, lekin tumhare saath rehne ki chaah thi hamesha mujhe.”

i can’t stop crying. 😭😭😭😭😭

i feel like they should really have had him apologize again and seem really remorseful about the whole daksh thing and the way he married her. like… that was seriously horrible, and he should have given her a proper official apology in this speech. 😐😐😐

oh harneet, the rest of this was A+ perfect, why didn’t you just write that bit in????? 😩😩😩

“insaan ko pyaar na ho toh kya ho???? tum ho hi aisi, yaar!”

he’s said “yaar” so many times in this speech. not complaining. just observing. 😶😶😶

…. mom ka dil jeet liya???? uh. no. 😑😑😑

come on. prettty huuuuuuuuuge slip up there. why wouldn’t they edit that out?? 😐😐😐

“main tumhe itna pyaar doonga, ke aansoon kya hote hai, tum bhool jaogi. itna pyaar karoonga, itna pyaar karoonga ki, main… mujhe nahi pata! saare jawaab mere paas nahi hai! sab kuch yaad nahi rehta!” 

billu now knows how we fangirls feel. no words. just flailing and squealing and screaming. 😭😭😭😭😭😭

“woh jo teen shabd hai, woh is feeling se bohut chote hai. aur yeh jo feelings hai woh bohut bade hai, aur sirf teen shabd mein is saare feelings ko capture karna…. feelings ke saath nainsaafi hogi.”

billlllu yaaaaaaaar, bas bhi kar, mere naazuk dil se aur saha nahi jaata! *weeeping* 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

“kuch aur ho na ho…. tumne mujhe ishqbaaz zaroor bana diya.” 

hate to be that person, BUT SHE TOLD YOU SO! SHE TOLD YOU THAT YOU’D SAY IT! MWAHAHAHA! 

ok after that EPIC scene, i reallllllly don’t care about rudra’s romantic nonsense. 😒😒😒

i really can’t believe that this 4 years older nonsense is what they’re focusing on as the “conflict” in their relationship. instead of rudra’s patriarchal mentality, and bhavya’s emotional numbness and insecurities. like… there’s literally so many other issues. but no, go with the most stupid, cliched one. fuck this coupling. 😤😤😤

oh no bulbul, why the sad and dramatic bangle removal?????? 😟😟😟

oh shit, om is back. please god, don’t let this get worse than it is. my heart can’t bear it. 😥😥😥

ok good, he looks stricken at the sight of her sadness. 😶😶😶

and gooooood, she just left. abhi filhaal kehne-sunne ke liye kuch bhi nahi hai. 😔😔😔

girl, stop thinking about HIS izzat. 😑😑😑

oh my baby bulbullllllll. *hugs her tight* you’re so good and pure and you deserve to be so happy. 😭😭😭😭😭

oufffff, either get a move on with this tejViLana plotline, or just fuck offf with it. so manyyyy other issues to focus/resolve and phirrrr se time waste on wohi svetlana ki dhamki type scenes. 😒😒😒

lmao her disdainnnnn when she said “personal life” hahahahahahaha 😂😂😂

everyone’s got theirrrrr eyes on pinkyyyyyy and her fuckery now. good! 👀👀👀

shaktiji is finally becoming active and taking charge round here. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

siiiiiiiigh. this fight is just exhausting meeeee. coz iska resolution toh kuch hona nahi hai. awaiii ki negativity, killing my buzz. 😣😣😣

oh pinkyyyyyyy. 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

lmao svetlana’s boredom!max face. she is me and i am her. 😆😆😆

she’s like ok fuck this i’m out. 👋🏽👋🏽👋🏽

OMFG SVETLANA MURDERING A TOMATO, WHILE SINGING MAAR DIYA JAAYE YA CHOD DIYA JAAYE 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

lmaoooooo the sign language. esp. when jhanvi is like “why don’t you just take the damn thing offf?????” these two are so married. 😂😂😂

they shouldn’t have showed us that jhanvi has a dummy by her. that would have been a good surprise reveal for monday/later. 😕😕😕

can’t believe svetlana got a fancier car than shivaay. 😒😒😒

ohhhhhhhhh boyyyy. GIRL FIGHT. jhanvi about to kick some assssssssssss. 😟😟😟

svetlana be like FINALLY. THIS BITCH CAUGHT UP. 🙄🙄🙄

what sultry looks. they should make out. 😚😚😚😚 #foreverCaptainOfSvetViShip

OH GOD, PINKY BOUGHT SUNDARI BUA. WHY? 😫😫😫😫

AND WHY IS SHIVAAY SAVING SUNDARI BUA? SHE’S THE FUCKING WORST. COME THE FUCK ON, SHIVAAY! 😣😣😣

OOOOOOH WAIT. HE WAS JUST BUTTERING HER UP FOR THE REAL DEAL. GOOD GOING SHIVAAY! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[coin-river-blog]

EthTrader has a naming challenge for the next Ethereum hard fork, Ledger Live users can now download the Tezos Wallet app, and Plasma Bears joins the lineup of cryptocollectible games.

Your daily distillation of crypto news for Wednesday, January 23, 2019:

Name That Hard Fork!

Yesterday, a contest thread was posted on the community subreddit EthTrader to name the next Ethereum hard fork. The thread will run for at least seven days, and the top seven suggestions will be posted to a separate EthTrader poll. The winning entry will be included in an EIP that outlines the Ethereum hard fork process, and will then be presented to core developers in a future meeting.

Although Istanbul has been the tentative name given to the forthcoming fork, the announcement poster opined that it was a "dull" choice. Commenters on the thread provided suggestions ranging from crystal stone types (like amber, brookite, and carnelian) to months from the Roman calendar (Martius, Aprilis, Maius, etc.).

Tezos Wallet on Ledger Live

According to information shared with ETHNews, the Tezos Wallet app is now publicly available to users of Ledger Live, which is Ledger's account-management platform. Previously, the app was only available in developer mode, which meant that individuals had to activate a certain setting within Ledger Live to install the app on their Ledger Nano S devices.

"We are thrilled to welcome Tezos to the Ledger platform," said Eric Larchevêque, CEO of Ledger. "It is exciting to see active community members and external developers adding Ledger support, and we look forward to seeing continued engagement coming from the community."

Assemble Your Squad of Plasma Bears

The cryptocollectible game Plasma Bears is live, according to a January 21 tweet. Players can buy, sell, and trade their bear-inspired digital assets, as well as adventure and quest with their furry – yet ferocious – squad. The game's EDCCs (aka smart contracts) are deployed on Loom's blockchain, with deployment to Loom's native PlasmaChain coming later.

Plasma Bears has noted that individuals "can enjoy the full game experience without ever caring that blockchain powers the backend." Indeed, the team maintains that the game's blockchain infrastructure is "just part of the invisible user experience."

The project was developed by Blockade Games, the company behind the strategy-based role-playing game Neon District.

Dani is a full-time writer for ETHNews. He received his bachelor's degree in English writing from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he also studied journalism and queer theory. In his free time, he writes poetry, plays the piano, and fangirls over fictional characters. He lives with his partner, three dogs, and two cats in the middle of nowhere, Nevada.

ETHNews is committed to its Editorial Policy

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter @ETHNews_ to receive the latest Ethereum, hard fork or other Ethereum technology news.

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