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echo-of-sounds · 4 years ago

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lazy start, intense finish (pt.2 in the 'your first creampie' series)

-Aizawa x f!reader-

smut drabble of aizawa giving you your first creampie

I’m posting this using my phone’s hotspot because I just really wanted to get this out today. Nothing’s really loading. I picked a gif at random. If the format is a little wonky, I apologize. I’ll fix it later.

Warnings: nothing serious, just a little deepthroating/gagging

At the commercial break, you lowered the volume for Shouta sleeping on your stomach. He sighed and nuzzled into you. His hands were burrowed inside your sweatshirt for warmth, resting on your sides. Not that he needed the extra warmth. His body was nothing but a radiator, keeping yours pleasantly cozy in the cool room.

He remained motionless for another thirty minutes until his chest rumbled a swear.

“You alright?”

He groaned, turning his head. Through the thick, black mess, you saw his eyes straining at the Tv. At least they seemed less red than an hour and a half ago. Hair stuck to his mouth. You gently brushed the strands out of his face, carefully combing through them.

A low hum sounded at your grooming. Your fingers graced behind his ear, down his jaw, skimming the defined bone and bristles. It’s grown a little longer than usual, shading in the sparse five o’clock with attractive, full stubble.

He grumbled in a thick voice, “I need to shave it soon.”

“I like it like this.”

“It’s annoying like this.” He shifted on top of you, removing his hands from your sweatshirt. You moved too, bending your left leg, wedged amid him and the couch’s back, to relieve your stiff knee. He faced your thigh and pressed his lips to it. The peck formed into a long kiss, dragging the thin skin into his mouth.

The heated weight between your legs allowed you to lazily hump, working up wetness, not from his mouth. His lower chest rocked with you. Fingertips depressed into your thigh. Hair mingled around your playing fingers, keeping you coupled as he sucked, stressing the skin with teeth and lips.

You sighed for him. He didn’t budge. You wiggled, cooing, “Shouta, come here.”

Your voice corralled him; he lifted, crawled up to your mouth. Heft settled on top, happily trapping you for a kiss. Swelling swayed against you, encouraging your hips to return the favor. His tongue crudely sunk into your mouth. It drew moans and heavy breaths from both of you, hastening your grinding.

The kisses trailed to your jaw, then neck once you opened it, where his teeth decided to taste. You fondled him through his sweatpants. The material didn’t stifle his girth and heat. And your groping spurred his swaying into thrusting, obviously wanting something to thrust into.

You were about to speak when he bit your neck, shaping your words into a gasp. His jaw didn’t release, very clearly set on leaving you swollen. You squeezed his cock. That only made his hips jerk. You squeezed his sleeve next, panting, “Let’s go- Fuck. Let’s go to bed.”

Shouta heaved himself and you up. The cuddly start to your night-in quickly disappeared as he muscled you to the bedroom. His tongue left your mouth once when he slipped his shirt off. Your palms flushed over his abdomen, feeling up the grooves and hair, smoothing along his pecs, kindling from his radiator of a chest.

“God, you’re so fucking hot.”

“Then suck me off,” he gruffed, gripping your hair to keep your mouth against his for an airless ten seconds before shoving you to the bed. He dropped his pants and boxers, then joined. But he laid beside you, waiting for you to enact what he said.

And you did. Ready and willing, you hopped between his legs, kissing his erection. Veins in his foreskin slicked with your tongue, from his raphe to his frenulum. The little ridge of skin roused him, physically and audibly. A blush tainted his cheeks. Gorgeous sighs charmed your ears. You lapped slowly, softly, and sweetly at the reactive zone, soaking up his sounds, also soaking your panties.

“You look so handsome right now,” you praised. “Not that you don’t look handsome other times.”

Holding him steady, you pressed a lewd kiss to his head, and you couldn’t help but nip his corona. Then you took him in your mouth, quickly sinking, gradually rising, lightly dragging your teeth along him.

His head dropped to the pillows. Black hair frayed out, exposing pale collarbones and marred skin. His abs expanded in lengthy, indulged breaths. As your fingers trailed up the muscles, he snagged your hair, forcing you lower. Another hand joined. Hips snapped up. Each loud, deep prod choked you. Tears fell when he held you down, flattening your nose into his hair, stationing his dick thick and solid in your throat.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

Saliva dribbled. Heat pooled in your neck. A crude gag came with his grinding, making him yank you off. Dark eyes watched spit seep past your lips, drooling to him. They kept yours in focus, his head tapping your lips. “Clean it.”

You nursed on him again, sucking up all his precum and your spit. After a gentle thumb wiped the tears away, his palm rested on your cheek, calmly guiding your head. You hummed.

The switch from dominant to mellow wasn’t new, but it always sparked an affectionate glow in your stomach. The glare, from arousal, not anger, was always pleasing. And the intensity, you’ve seen many a time. Yet something about the tilt of his eyebrows and the pink of his ears goaded an unfamiliar experience, a new need.

Wetly, lust-filled, you spoke around his glans, tasting the salt you wanted to feel inside, “Cum in me.”

“What?”

“Cum in me.” You climbed up, parked on his waist, and removed your sweatshirt. You cupped his cheeks, kissing him with all the potency this need inflamed. “I’m on birth control. It’ll be okay. I want to feel what it’s like.”

“No one’s ever cum in you?”

You stroked his jaw. “No. It’s never come up. I want it to be with you.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” you whined before kissing him, smiling at the tongue muscling in.

Rough fingers coasted down your back and into your underwear. They kneaded your ass, spreading and pressing you while you moved with his hands, lightly riding his naked chest. The foreplay was becoming a bit too much, evident in the wet material pressing between you.

The fingers skimmed to your front and easily slipped in. “You’re this wet just from thinking about-”

“Yes,” you gasped, appreciating how his palm graded your clit. You stilled his wrist to grind down. “Sho, I’m gonna- Fuck.”

“How am I supposed to cum in you if you get worn out before I’m even inside you?” His stupid, rugged, lovely smirk taunted you.

Before you could respond, you were whipped to the mattress and your panties were tugged off. Shouta nestled between your thighs, immersing himself balls deep without any pushback or preparation. Knowing how this was going to end livened your noises and heightened your skin. Coarse hair, fevered skin, sultry breaths, digging fingers, lips, teeth, nails; all fueled the fire.

With a bite to your already bitten-up neck, the thrusts started solid. His head brushed straight into your front wall over and over and over again. Your nails made a home in his back, scratching, thanking him for his beautiful dick.

Shouta pushed up to his hands, increasing the strength behind the thrusts. You grasped at his biceps and rose, needing his mouth. You got what you wanted; sloppy, saliva, tongue-filled kisses and deep thrusts to curl your toes. Your eyes fluttered closed and head lolled back. Refusing to break, the kiss followed with his added grunts, amorous sounds he barely shared.

You tried speaking, voicing how amazing he always made you feel, your love, close you were, how so fucking high you felt. But nothing escaped your connected mouths except saliva. Instead, you stroked your clit. The width inside was leading you straight to orgasm.

Yet, rather fiercely, your hand was stopped.

“Sho, I-”

“Tonight, you cum from me,” he growled in your ear. He hooked both your knees, leaned forward, and continued his unabashed rutting, flattening you to the bed, completely caging you under him and the weight bearing down and into you.

He withdrew till only his head remained then bucked, slapping his balls against you, using the bed’s bounce to repeat repeatedly, jarring your hips and legs. His thrusts reached your depths. Pleasure drowned any twinge of pain out. You weakly clawed at his shoulder blades, losing energy.

“Cum.”

You whined his name.

“Now.” Teeth, once again, found your sore neck. Hair flared over your face, lending more building heat. “Cum, now.”

Arousal dripped from the disgustingly vulgar sounds between you. Your muscles couldn’t straighten under his control. You fussed and pawed.

“Fucking cum,” Sho gnarled. The guttural demand rolled your head back, driving home what he wanted, clenching muscles and limbs around him. Water formed from squeezing your eyes too hard. Skin gave under your nails.

All the joyous bliss almost turned painful with his nonstop thrusting. Because of the position, your legs couldn’t wrap his waist. But they still tried, needing him to stay inside. You felt down his sides and grappled at the sweat-coated skin. “Shouta, please- Fuck! Please.”

“I’m fucking-” His own huffing cut him off, struggling to even out. Thick groans melted in your ear. His thighs, while railroading through, trembled, humping, seeking.

“Cum in me. I want it.”

The thrust slowed, but the weight behind them didn’t lessen. He pressed into your neck.

“God, Sho, just cum in me.”

Each ball slap lingered longer and longer.

“Please,” you all but pleaded.

Swearing and growling your name, he sunk one last time, grinding against you, trying to push just a little deeper as you finally felt cum inside. It was new, different, and so, so warm. Hearty groans rumbled his chest. He dropped your legs, giving you the chance to wrap around him, embracing tight, and refusing to let him pull out.

Shouta’s labored breathing gradually calmed. Though it didn’t ease the heat of your bodies. And neither of you spoke, choosing to just lay and experience the feeling together.

#aizawa shouta #aizawa x reader #aizawa smut #aizawa imagine #bnha x reader #bnha imagines #bnha smut #bnha

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fruitcoops · 4 years ago

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hey! I have a request if you want to do it. so all the coops experiments (as far as I remember) went pretty well and they both liked it. I would really like a fic where they try something they end up not liking and just changing it up or stopping completely. I just feel like it should be shown that's its completely okay to not like something new and that not everything has to go how you planned. you know? so long story short coops saying orange or red and changing what they're doing so they both feel comfortable.

This is such a great idea, anon, and I’m really glad you brought it up! I’ve combined it with a couple other requests that tied in nicely. Hope you enjoy! Coops credit goes to @lumosinlove

@ravenclaw-reblogs: humble request for some Coops in the shower? it can be ✨spicy✨ if you want, but I was thinking more along the lines of warm shower cuddles and washing eachother's hair, maybe post-sex shower happy afterglow tings? it's up to you 🥰

Anon 1: Could you write sleepy cuddly coops? I'm very sleepy and I wish I had someone to cuddle while i fall asleep

TW for brief smut at the very beginning (not graphic) and anxiety during sex

There was something about the blindfold. Sirius was doing wonderful things further down, running his mouth along Remus’ ribs and grinding his hips in the slow rolls that usually drove him crazy, but something prodded at the edge of Remus’ mind. He blinked and made a face at the feeling of his eyelashes sliding against the fabric; he turned his head to the side, and his neck itched as the small knot moved.

“You’re quiet today,” Sirius murmured. Remus’ stomach jolted as a warm mouth attached to his hipbone and nipped a light hickey just above the waistband of his boxers, and for a brief, terrible moment, he wanted nothing to touch him ever again. Sirius’ hands were too hot on his body, his mouth too damp and unpredictable. Even the sheets were just this side of wrong.

Remus tried to look around, but the whole world was black through the soft strip of fabric. They had been careful to get it on just right and Remus had been so sure he would enjoy it. How different was it from a gag, after all?

One hand vanished from his chest and then reappeared on his mid-thigh. It wasn’t quite fear that trickled ice-cold down his spine, but something wasn’t right. He took a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes. Sirius had been excited about this. Remus had been excited about this. Just grit your teeth and get through—

“Yellow,” he blurted, shoving himself further up the bed and fumbling to get the blindfold off. “Yellow, yellow.”

“What?” This fucking knot, get it off get it off get it off. “Remus, are you okay?”

He finally gave up on the knot and yanked the blindfold over his head, breathing heavily; he could feel his hands shaking as he drew his knees up. “Yeah, yeah, all good. Just—just needed a break,” he panted as sudden nausea made goosebumps erupt on his skin.

Sirius looked more than a little concerned. “This feels like red, not yellow.”

Remus shook his head. “No, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Sirius reached out to touch his knee and he flinched away. “Re, what’s wrong?”

After a moment of internal conflict, Remus let his head fall back against the headboard with a slow exhale. Every nerve still felt crawly. “I’m sorry, love.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because—” He waved a hand around vaguely. “Things were happening. I killed the mood.”

“You don’t need to apologize for that. Just please tell me you’re okay.”

Remus sighed and picked at the loose thread at the edge of the blindfold. “I’m alright. I told you I wanted to do this, though.”

Sirius gently tapped his knuckles and Remus glanced up; he didn’t seem upset, just worried. “It’s okay to change your mind. Can you tell me what went wrong so I don’t do it again?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, baby, I just didn’t like this.” He held the blindfold up and Sirius took it from him with careful hands. He couldn’t feel his heartbeat in his ears anymore, which was a good sign. “I want—I want to see you and know what’s going to happen next. I trust you with everything, but I don’t like losing the confirmation that it’s you.”

Sirius rubbed soothing circles into the side of his knee with his thumb and the touch anchored Remus a bit. “I’m sorry for not checking in more.”

Remus shook his head and, after a beat of silence, scooted closer to Sirius, who wrapped him in a tight hug and kissed the top of his head. “I feel gross,” he muttered.

“Should we take a shower and go to bed?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

He didn’t let go of Sirius’ hand all the way into the shower and only stepped back when the water was hot, though he didn’t close his eyes under the spray like usual. Sirius grabbed his shampoo of the shelf and opened it to pour into his hand, but Remus gently tugged it away.

“Can I?”

“Yeah, for sure.”

Instead of washing his own hair, Remus turned Sirius around and kissed the crest of his shoulder, holding his lips there for a moment. The tension melted from Sirius’ whole back as Remus laced his fingers in his hair, combing through with honey-lavender that made the steam smell like heaven. “I love your hair.”

“I know you do.” There was a smile in his voice and Remus kissed the top notch of his spine.

“Close your eyes,” he said quietly, pulling Sirius under the showerhead by his hips to wash the shampoo out. “You need a haircut, baby.”

“Who, me?” Sirius smoothed the front of his hair down—it was long enough that it completely covered his eyes and half his nose when it was water-straight instead of fluffy curls. “I feel like a sheepdog.”

“You look like one, too,” Remus teased, laughing as Sirius snatched the shampoo away and reached out to tickle his ribs. “Hey!”

“Alright, your turn.” Sirius pushed his hair into a wonky cowlick and uncapped the bottle, then raised his eyebrows. “Is it cool with you if I do it?”

“A hundred percent,” Remus said without hesitation. He turned around and took a slow breath that turned into a sigh as Sirius’ hands slid through his hair. “That’s good.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Loads.”

“I’m really sorry for not checking in more.”

Remus shrugged. “Live and learn, right? I’m sorry for not saying something sooner.” For a moment, the only sound was the water running down into the tub. “What’s on your mind, love?”

“You haven’t felt like this before, have you? With other stuff we tried?”

“No. Have you?”

“Not yet. I guess this was a learning moment, huh?”

Remus chewed his lip for a moment as he closed his eyes to let the soap wash away. “I meant red, not yellow.”

“I could tell.” A little bit of sadness leaked into Sirius’ voice.

“I didn’t want to kill the mood, but I was done.”

A hand pulled lightly on his shoulder and Remus turned around; Sirius cupped his jaw in his palms and made direct eye contact. “I will never, ever be upset with you for changing your mind. If you’re uncomfortable, please tell me.”

Remus curled his hand around Sirius’ and leaned their foreheads together. “Same goes for you.”

“Are you up for cuddles or do you need space?”

Remus turned the shower off and wrapped his arms around Sirius’ torso, nuzzling against his damp chest. He was tempted to say space, but he knew that contact would be the best idea in the long run; Sirius had a way of grounding him to reality, and after the jumpy nervousness from earlier, he wanted that reassurance. “Cuddles.”

“D’accord.”

They both shivered a bit as they stepped out of the steam-warmed bathroom and went back to bed, tangling their legs beneath the sheets. Remus rested his forehead on Sirius’ shoulder and breathed in the clean smell of him, running a palm in a steady oval over his abdomen. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Sirius gave him a little squeeze and kissed his forehead. The blindfold laid somewhere on the floor behind Remus and he closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek against soft skin. Sirius was warm and solid—there was nowhere Remus felt safer as he drifted off to sleep.

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popculturebuffet · 4 years ago

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X-Men Evolution Reviewcaps: Rogue Recruit

My series long look at X-Men Evolution rolls on as eveyrone’s favorite goth reworking of everyone’s faviorite southerner debuts. The X-Men and Mystique race to bring Rogue to her side after her powers accidently coma a boy. The X-Men try the usual compasion.. while Mystique just tries attempted murder and gaslighting while wearing a wolverine costume. Mother of the year! Meanwhile Kurt tries to get Kitty to likes him, Kitty does something profoundly stupid to prove Wolverine wrong that ends up proving him right, and Wolverine grumbles and is kind of an asshole. Well at least one of those is just an average tuesday for him. We’re going Rogue, Rogue, Rouuuuggeeee under the cut.

Onto episode 3 though this time I did actually get around to watching a few in a row, so while i’m not MILES ahead of this episode, I do have a better sense of where things are going and where this falls in line with everything else. And this is a big one as it’s the debut of Rogue, easily one of the shows more popular characters from what I can tell and it’s no real suprise. In most incarnations Rogue is a huge fan faviorite, with a tragic but very useful and intresting power that makes for good stories.. and okay in the comics and carton she’s also fanservice incarnate, but that’s not exactly a factor here so moving on. And here is no exception as naturally, with her goth apperance, and general moody outsider atittude, she was a huge hit with goths and emos one and all! And eveyrone really, it’s a good take despite being almost the oppsite of the angsty but still fesity and funloving 90′s version.. and the ironic part is BOTH are entirely accurate to the comics. And yes like the last time about to dive a bit into the comics.. but unlike the shiar thing this is throughly relevant to how the character is portrayed here and a neat history less for those not in the know, so buckle up.

What’s intresting is both adapt the character.. just at vastly diffrent points. See most probably think of Rogue as she is now: Bubbly, Scrappy and able to throw a man into a mountain, if still understandably mopey about not being able to touch anyone, thoguh that issues come and gone a dozen times by now because comic books can’t resisit undoing things to meet fan expectations despite most dedicated fans wanting some fucking change once in a while.

But that’s due to years and years of character development: When Chris Claremont first intorduced her, in an avengers annual no less.. she was a villain, a member of her adopted mother Mystique’s brotherhood of evil mutants, and unlike here, we’ll get into that, she was a fully willing member at first, gleefuly following her mama’s orders to drain the powers of one of Mystique’s most hated enemy: Carol Danvers, aka Ms Marvel and the future Captain Marvel. Yeah this one takes some explination for you non-comic fans, and even some of you comic fans who might not get how one of the more iconic x-men villians has personal beef with Carol.... granted i’m pretty sure half the marvel unvierse has personal beef with Carol in present day after Civil War II, especially tony for murdering him, but story for another time. It’s actually pretty simple: Chris Claremont was writer of x-men for a decade and easily the most important x-men writer period who created a ton of iconic and well loved characters and shaped Cyclops, Charles Xavier and Magneto into the characters fans know and love among others. And around the same time as his x-men run’s early years in the late 70′s, he was writer of Ms Marvel, and took Carol from a half hearted girl counterpart to the first Captain Marvel with a wonky two identties gimmick, into the asskicker and feminist icon we know today. As such Mystique debuted there and when that book ended, Claremont slided her over to the x-men and the rest is history. And this wasn’t an isolated incident: Sabertooth, aka wolverine’s arch enemy and one of hte more famous mutant baddies, debuted in, of all comic books, iron fist, with Claremont bringing him back years and years later as part of the mutant massacreing Marauders, while Misty Knight and Coleen Wing were breifly supporting characters in x-men inbetween Iron Fist’s cancelation and Iron Fist becoming bros for life with Luke Cage and forming the heroes for hire, bringing the two along as supporting characters in the process. It’s a process writers have contiuned to this day; Bringing a character from other unrelated comics in to keep them out of comic book limbo and one i’m in favor of: as long as their writing the character well and they fit why not. And like her momma Rogue DIDN’T debut in the pages of X-Men, but in Avengers Annual #10. And no Chris wasn’t writing avengers, though it wasn’t really unusual for another writer to hop in for one annual to pinch hit for the regular writer for whatever reason, with Chris Claremont being one of the few who wrote every annual himself for his run on X-Men. What was is he did so for one reason and one only: To get justice for Carol Danvers after a recent story had screwed her over BAD. Two things before we start: If you haven’t heard of this debacle, my apologizes and rape and abuse trigger warning. If you want to skip this portion of the review just ctrl f HIGHER FASTER FURTHER MORE and you can move right on past this clusterfuck and the aftermath. Anyways in Avengers 200, Carol gave birth via terribly contrived mystical pregnancy to Marcus, son of avengers foe and sometimes ally immortus and creepy asshole. Marcus is revaled to have brainwashed carol into loving him , and making love to him so yeah he raped her physically and mentally and the story ends iwth the “Happy ending” of him whisking carol away with him to his limbo dimension while everyone else is fine with it despite him admitting to using the “subtle manipulations of his machines” to make her love him. So yeah, he kidnapped carol to his limbo dimension, mind controlled her, had his way with her, had her give birth to him so he could come to earth then took her back with him.. and not ONE avenger raced a hand, shield, repulsor or hammer, and yes the big three avengers were very much present for this debacle and very much cuplable. IT’s a throughly disgusting hideous story i’ve only see played out thanks to Linkara, long time comics reviewer and all around sweet guy, reviewing it, though with the panels show to show yes all of this is there, and have no intrest in EVER reaading this vile piece of garbage. If your still curious or after just hearing about it want to see it torn to shreds, here’s the review for you.

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It’s terrible for a variety of other reasons. Naturally Chris, who’d put a LOT of time into building up carol and like any creator who sees their character throughly dragged through the mud, was PISSSSSED.. and so were fans who rightly rioted at the issue, so editorial was more than happy to let one of thier biggest draws right the ship and also allowed him to take Carol back home to the x-men with him. As for how that happened, after Rogue stole her powers, Carol fell in a river and was rescued by her best friend and fellow Chris Claremont alumnis Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew, who brought her to the x-men since she was a friend of theirs, where charles fixed her mind, though Carol was left with no emotoins attached to most of her memoreis. When the avengers, after scrapping with the brotherhood in some neat bouts, came to visit their friend.. Carol instead laid into them for letting Marcus take her, poitned out just how fucked up it was as well as how, and this actually happend, the avengers downplayed her concerns and tried to get her to connect with her demon spawn instead of worrying about her while others made jokes. Basically just one long page of chris claremont unloading on the issue and Carol unloading on her former friends before staying with her new ones. And to the issues credit the rest of the team. .takes it, is utterly devistated to realize what they’d done, and reflects on if they can ever make up for it or if they even deserve forgivness. She would eventually, mostly because people wanted to forget this story after that for good reason, but it’s still a damn cathartic moment. HIGHER FASTER FURTHER MORE.. so yeah Carol was now with the x-men, who did end up meeting Rogue during a mission to wipe themselves from goverment records for good reason. And to his credit Chris not only used Carol’s lack of emotions tied to her memories for good drama but gave carol a huge power upgrade as binary, if your curious as to where her glowy headed distctrugion of an entire starfleet in her solo film came from. So okay after about a paragraph not really involving her we get into why this is so important to rogue’s character; Rogue now had Carol’s personality and memories trapped in her head and her mind was blurring between them, something this episode would use, and was falling apart as a result and with her moms Mystique and Destiny unable to help a despearate scared and repetnant Rogue went to her last hope for help saving her sanity and her soul: The X-Men. The X-Men, having both fought her and bonded heavily with her victim, naturally were less than pleased about this, and Colossus outright attacked Rogue before charles stopped him, not unresonably given the circumstances. However after talking with her and realizing both how badly she needed her help and how genuinely she wanted to change, going from a brat in love with her own power to a scared young woman terrified of what she’d done and what she was becoming, decided to roll her into the x-men. And everyone revolted: Carol was understadanbly piss and famously punched Rogue into orbit, while the rest of the x-men threatned to walk. Charles however refused to back down and gave one of his finest speech and one of the characters best moments:

To me this is Charles Xavier, a man who will accept and try to help anyone, regardless of their past, because it’s the right thing.. because they deserve a chance and he will GIVE IT TO THEM. It’s a powerful and well done moment and the x-men relucntantly take her in as a result, eventually seeing her as family as she proved herself. So yeah THAT is why I took so long to get here and went through ALL of this: Because this series adapts this period in it’s own unique way, taking out Rogue’s outright villiany mind, but leaving in her being a moodier, more closed off person who is constantly afraid of once again stealing someone’s very soul. She still has her confidence, as idd the comics version, it’s just tempered by a wall she puts up between her and everyone else that wasn’t as present by the time the 90′s series adapted her. And there are other bits i’ll get to as we go and in future episodes, I just felt this story was important as it colors Rogue’s journey here, hence me taking a good portion of the review to dive into it and even then I have more bits to give as we go. So with all this exposition that’s probably lost ya’s out of the way, this is Rogue Recurit. Pitter Patter. We open in the mighty Missisipi, neighbor to my home state of missouri and home of the deep fried shoe. No wait that’s connecticut my mistake. We meet our unfriendly neighborhood goth moping outside, not really enjoying the dance and probably only having gone because her mom told her not to.. Destiny not Myistque mind. More on that in a minute. She’s being watched by two guys: Cody, who if you know your x-men lore you know this never ends well for him, and his friend uh.. let me check my noootes (Checks wiki while shuffling papers to simulate notes) Ty. Turns out Cody’s been starring at Rogue all week but dosen’t even know her name which to be fair, minus the muscles and being on the football team, is pretty much me in high school and is just as pathetic in 2000 as it would be from 2007-2010. I mean if I just went for it I PROBABLY would’ve been shot down, and the one time I did I indeed was, but at least I would of went for it and maybe learned more about women and not been such a dipstick for the next decade.... “sigh”

Point is Cody awkwardly asks Rogue to dance but like most cool kids, including the kind I hung out with in high school and tended to crush on, she’s there to look COOOOL and mope a bit.. and again tell her mom she can’t tell her what to dooooo. But Cody’s awkwardness and sincerty gets her to say why not, he means well.. a little pity dance can’t hurt. So they dance and then Ty causes this entire episode, yes really, by shoving Cody into her because they happen to be dancing seperatley because Cody’s a goddman gentleman ya maroon, and is respecting her personal space, and IS actually hitting it off as she seems to be enjoying herself. Had he not done that, he at least MIGHT have gottne a kiss before what happens next.. during the fall he accidently touches her skin, which had been mostly covered up and goes into a Coma while Rogue is now stuck in a stupor wondering who she is. Yeah as I omniously hinted at Cody is the guy in every version of Rogue’s origin story, including I assume the 2000′s one where until doing some research i.e. going to wikipedia then letterboxd to find out if his name was given, who she has her first kiss with.. and thus the poor sap who first gets hit with her absorbtion power and traumtizes her. And here it’s no exception. Cue the opening credits. Which despite this setting up the slow arc of Rogue joining htem.. has Rogue in an x-men uniform with the team. Not that the arc is particuarlly subtle about hiding it, we’ll get there but still. After the credits Ty is wondering what she did to him.. even though she barely moved when he fell on her, and Ty shoved Cody into him, and for all we know Cody just went into shock. He also easily could’ve fell on an epi pen or something.. I mean she could’ve stabbed him wiht one but that’s more of a candian thing than a southern thing.

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So Ty, who while understandably given Mutants aren’t public and Rogue herself had no idea still casued this by shoving Cody into her without thinking about if either had any medical conditions or if Rogue you know WANTED to phsyically touch him that soon, and yes diffrent standards and all but even 2000 this was stupid, decides to mess up things further when Rogue tries to run and tries to block the way. Now granted I get it on some level: For all he knows Rogue drugged his best friend and she needs to be there anyway to answer the police.. but counter arguments 1) She may have a record (She dosen’t) and while not having DONE anything may get brought up on charges anyway. 2) If she DID drug cody with a needle of something WHO SAYS SHE DOSEN’T HAVE MORE AND CAN’T JUST STAB YOUR DUMB ASS 3) she’s got a VERY distinctinve haircut with a white streak, wears a very specific outfit she probably son’t have time to change out of , and everyone there saw her. YOu can tell the police what she looks like. They will find her. No instead she tries blocking her and she football tackles him.. because Cody is a footballer because this show, much like Tommy Wiseau, weirdly loves football. though unlike the room most instances it comes up, the first episode, cody being one here, and a future episode where the objective is to get the ball from your opposing x-man, all make some sense versus “Let’s go put on tuxes and play football because that’s what friends do huhhhhh?”. But yeah THIS is why I brought up Rogue’s past: becuase this episode heavily uses the part where she had Carol’s memories.. and would occasionally get messed up between who she was, with one issue having her lapse into being carol to rescue her ex from capture, which he dosen’t take well for obvious reasons. This episode uses something similar with Rogue’s brain a bit fried from taking in cody and thus not being sure where she ends and he begins, which is a very intresting idea and was a cool wya to go about having her powers activate. I mean sure it’s the second time in two episodes a mutant’s powers have traumatically awkaned. but both were distinct and interesting and it’s a staple of x-men stories to have this sort of thing happen.

Meanwhile Rogue’s caretaker Destiny, who we flashed to a bit during the awakening of her powers, calls Mystque. I mentioned her ealrlier in jokes but for those unaware both here and in the comics Destiny is a pre cog, although sh’es an elderly woman in the comics, or rather was having died decades ago in real life, meaning she can see the fuuuuttureeeeee. And thus she saw what was about to happen but couldn’t prevent it. Mysitque is apparently railing her out on the other end over it.. and not in the fun way they usuallly do. And that’’s not crude ininsiuation.. in the comics.. Chris Claremont wrote them as a gay couple and only didn’t explicltly say anything because Jim Shooter was a homophobic moron, even if he had the common sense to stop the kitty and colossus thing because dear god why was that a thing, chaste or not dear god why. The point is Chris fully meant both as lesbians though Mysitque became bisexual under other writers, and the two finally kissed on panel, in flashback last year and Msique wanting her revivied, the x-men can come back from the dead now in comics and Xavier and Magneto refusing for complicated reasons I won’t go into here, and Desitny herself knowing they might not and telling her to burn Krakoa to the ground if she dosen’t get to come back is a major bubbling plot point that got set up earlier this year. So yeah I fully see them as a couple here. ANd yes mistue was with her even as an old lady, it’s really sweet and misty is also immortal so they’ve been together a long time. Also fun fact you probably dind’t need to know: Chris Claremont FULLY inteded to have it turn out the two were Nightcrawler’s biological parents. Mistque is a shapeshifter and can become a man after all.. I like to think that’s what happened here since thankfully the show decided NOT to go with the “kurt’s dad is a demon” explination from around the same time.. and yes that’s a thing and yes it’s fucking stupid and only ever worked under jason aaron who made Kurt’s dad into a pirate who raided heaven and lead to the x-men pirating up alongside a about to come back from the dead nightcrawler to kick his ass. And yes much like the misqute shapeshifting a dick to make a child being shopped around, this actually happened. Comics are awesome sometimes and I genuinely wish Destiny was kurt’s mom. Also yeah spoilers Mystique is nightcrawler’s mom here as usual, including possibly in the movies but it’s kept vauge in both timelines.

Destiny explains that while she kept Rogue’s powers under wraps, giving her a phony skin condition and having her wear skin covering clothes, she couldn’t keep her away from teenage things forever and figured she’d be fine.. she was wrong but hey her precontion isn’t something she can control and she can still see the fucking future, so it’s not like it’s a bad trade off. Myistque is of course coming to collect her but Destiny warns her that, naturally, the x-men are going to be there soon.

Speaking of the X-Men, Wolverine is breaking into the x-men mansion in a ninja costume while storm tries to thrwart hm. Yes there is actual context to this and he is a trained ninja so this fits.. yes really he apparentlyt rained with ninjas as part of his backstory and later had a samurai sword fight iwth his girlfriends dick of a dad twice and has had many since then since even with his claws the image of wolverine wielding a sword is fucking awesome. He crawls through the vents but Storm freezes them and he’s forced to enter the danger room and then tears some machines apart because chuck stops him because APPARENTLY their expesnive.. even though he can afford to buy his teenage son a sports car and himself a fucking rolls, so no Chuck I don’t see why Logan would assume you can’t afford to buy more death machines.

Scott rightly asks what the hell their supposed to learn from one of their teachers putting on his ninja robes and trying to sneak into his own house while another teacher tries to murder him. And yeah with enoguh episodes I can fully say my assement was accurate, and not only that this scott has a bit of a temper at times, being a bit quicker to fly off the handle while also having a clear sarcastic streak, something his comics counterpart would thankfully soon pick up and that’s come back in full under jonathan hickman:

It’s.. a long story.. a bunch of racist genocidal scientests decided to inject themselves with devolving serum to protect their project from the x-men.. okay maybe not that long a story. BUt I LIKE that this scott is flawed, but not enoguh to make him unlikeable just enough to round him out: He’s charming, empathetic and a tactical genius.. but he can also be hot headed, sarcastic and impulsive. I’ts a nice ballance that dosen’t prevent him from being likeable or useful to the team, but keeps him intresting and gives him room to grow. What I really am liking about the series so far is the team is fairly fleshed out.. except Jean and Storm unforuntantley as Storm really hasn’t gotten enough screne time to shine like her comics counterpart and Jean is just sort of “popular girl type a who’s sweet to everyone, but also still badass”. She’s still better than the 90′s cartoon, as she can actually do stuff more often and is a vital member of the team, and has mor eof a personality, but I hope we get more to her as we go. But otherwise the characters are layerd, flawed but likeable, and enjoyable to watch, and it helps with these earlier more awkard episodes, papering over the weaker aspects with strong character.

Anyways Logan explains why they did all this: both to show the kids how to infiltrate big complexes, which given most x-missions are “investgate a base of some sort wher eno good is coming of anything”, case in point the mission in the picture above, it’s a valid and useful skill, and to test the mansion’s security, suggesting since the vents are crawlable to electrify them and add poision gas. Storm objects to the poision gas part as well.. their only enimies besides mystique are two teenagers who while dicks don’t really deserve to choke to death. Wolverine’ relucntantly agreers.. he’ll get em next security update. Next timeee. Kitty meanwhile wonders if anyone else is freaked out and just gets blank stares.. a great gag and a great bit of character as she just joined and had a fairly normal life before all this. Kurt assures her she’ll get used to it, but his telporting over and offering popcorn fails to impress her and she nopes out of there, though Jean reassures him chicks will dig the fuzzy eventually. This is a nice nod to the comics where , with Kurt being the only non-human passing x-man, Kitty was afraid of him for some time, but slowly came around going from being horrified to him to defending him to evelangenlical lunatic reverend stryker, he was a preacher in the comics but no less vile or murder happy, telling him that kurt was one of the noblest souls she ever met after he angrily lambasted him as not in god’s will because you know, he looks like a demon.. and apparently is half of one but let’s ignore that bollocks shall we? Here i’ts more he’s coming on a bit strong on top of that, but it still works reconfigured like that. Anyways enough teen romance, to me my x-men as Charles needs the full team for a mission and it’s the first time we’ve HAD a full team mission which makes sense: Episode one only had two active x-men and one who just joined and episode 2 only needed a smaller team for both subplots so we split the team minus storm in half. Here we have our first full mission: To find Rogue as Xavier believes she’s a danger to herself and others.. which isn’t exactly wrong when her power can abosrb at a touch and she has two entirely diffrent minds overlaping in her head. I do questoin however going in full combat gear, as they do. Bringing it, no sweat what if someone shows up to attack them, their apparently aware of the brotherhood as of next episode... which makes little sense but whatever. But when they land they go out in full superhero gear which not only ends up playing into myistques hands , more on that in a bit but makes htem look super supscious. And this could just be wanting more costume action early on which would be fine.. if the previous episode hadn’t had jean in plain clothes to talk to kitty, because yeah most people freaked out about their powers probably wouldn’t assume the best of someone in tactical gear iwth a big x on their costume! Gah. I”m glad I went ahead simply to know the x-men do get smarter.. a little.

Anyways, that stupidity aside on the jet Kurt is flying for the first time with Scott proud of his skill saying he’ll be an ace.. and taking it back when Kurt starts driving with his feet.. even though to me that’s just as impressive as while he has that classic arms behind the head relaxed pose, he is still paying attention, has his feet on ten and two and, and it’s a fact that I forget sometimes: His feet are just as, or at least, almost as good at gripping as his hands. It’s why he can wall crawl like spiderman. Their llike gorilla feet but better. So yeah that joke dosen’t really land. Meanwhile it’s time for what an older man thinks two teenage girls talk about.. and I just noticed looking at the credits this episode is written by Simon Furman, one of the more renowed transformers creators and write of the UK comics and later the US comics, as well as the first few mini series and one shots for the first idw continuity.. granted the latter is a bit infamous for what he did to arcee, which I both don’t know enough about and don’t have enough time to get into here, nor have I read enough of his work to gush, but I sitll felt it worth mentioning. ANd it’s not uncommmon for comic book writers to write for animation: Greg Weisman started in comics before moving to animation with Captain Atom’s post-crisis solo series, Dwayne McDuffie had a rather sizeable career in comics as a writer and editor and returned to writing comics in the 2000′s for a stint, and Marv Wolfman helped make the treatment for beast machines, while Peter David’s done scattered episodes of various shows, most memorably for me Ben 10. So not a HUGELY uncommmon thing but still worth noting. Anyways legend or no, he still makes the rest of this scene awkward as Kitty fawns over scott, Jean ends up agreeing and in annoying fit of jealously kurt ports to the roof to do .. some sort of stunt to impress kitty and end sup having to come back in due to wind resitance, teleproting on her by accident and pissing her off. It’s not a terrible scene, as it shows some vunerablity in kurt and furhters the jean scott love triangle but in revisiting it it just feels a tad awkardly put in there, especially since so far kitty having a crush on scott goes nowhere and love triangle wise it’s more Jean, Scott and Rogue.. more on that next time. Wolverine mutters about kids in annoyance.. so for the first and probably last time in my existance I feel the exact same as wolverine for one shining moment.

Mysitque arrives and is angry at her wife for letting their daughter get away, Irene reitrates the dance thing.. you get it. Luckily having a precog for a wife is handy for more than timing your orgasms to happen at the same time, and Irene knows she’s going to Cody’s hosue which she thinks is her own and that’s where we see her next. Now while this episodes quality is mixed... I do like this element of Rogue torn between two identites not sure which is her.. it’s thorughly intresting and hasn’t been used enough in adaptations, though the 90′s series did do a good job with it’s own take of having Carol and Rogue fight for Rogue’s body.

At any rate wolverine attacks.. wow jesus wolvie I know you don’t like kids but this is a bit far.... at least go back home and take it out on duncan if you need to murder a teenager sheesh. Of course it’s actually mysitque whose trying to make her afraid of the x-men, shifting into storm next. It’s not a terrible tactic.. it has specific faults i’m saving for the end, but in the short term using the x-men in costume to scare her, then having Irene show up and tell her their mutant hunters.. it’s not bad. It also nicely back fries when the x-men arrive, charles unable to pointpoint her due to her brain being scramble, and end up going down the alleyway with Wolvie in tow causing her to book it.

Kurt, whose really on the ball outside of the plane stunt this episode, comes up with a better plan than “Chase the frightened teenager around missiipi and hope it works” and realizes since she’s clearlys cared of logan, even if they don’t know why he can try talking to her while in inducer form. Logan relucntantly agrees but tells kurt to keep an the rookie, i.e. kitty which pisses her off. Remember this for a second from now.

So Kurt.. actually succeeds in calming her down, pointing out he like her was once freaked out, that being diffrent is okay etc, usual line but it works.. then ... yeah that second from now is now now as Kitty decides “she dosen’t look so tough” AND TACKLES ROGUE. Who they know has the power to absorb things by touch even if she’s mostly covered, and who was about to turn to their side. Just because Logan, it turns out CORRECTLY, insulted her. Just.. jesus this is bad writing.. Kitty isn’t this obnoxious or usless later on and while she could sometimes fuck up in the comics..it was less noticable since she was the ONLY teenager, and still once fried a demon with a jet engine. Here? She hasn’t done any of that so she just comes off as a dumbass brought on a mission too soon who causes her friend to not long after this get his powers absorbed by rogue.. though weirdly she dosen’t get his blue skin, which annoys me a bit but whatever. Animation budgets. Point is kitty lost their target and got kurt comaed. Kitty paniced realizes she can reach the professor telepathically, and we do get a great gag of her doing so too loud, while Logan grumbles about not going with them.. which is a godo point.. why didn’t he just.. you know take the costume off. even if she panicked if she learned who he was later, they would at least have her on the plane and could easily knock her out gently, especially logan since he recovers fast and would the instant his healing factor came back, and then deal with her panic and her fear of them they didn’t know about back home versus here. He didn't even have to come with her just hang towards the back in plainclothes. Instead his telling Kitty she sucks caused her to prove that assessment accurate. So Charles goes to help while Storm, Cyclops and Jean continue the search They find her and Jean shows her empathy again, and I have to admit the character really isn’t that bad in moments like this.. the only reason I ragged on her coming to kitty last time is she made the rookie mistake of telling Kitty about her telepathy, which, while better sooner than later, was done so clumsily it backfired. Here.. she genuinely and softly talks to Rogue, and offers her a communicator which looks like a neuralizer for some reason.. seriously why not just hide it in a compact or a watch or something Chuck? But that aside i’ts a nice moment.. that storm accidently ruins by showing up and terrifying her away. Yeah that’s PART of my problem with the episode right there is jwhile it changes up setting and what not it’s still just “The x-men find Rogue , get her calm, then she runs when one of the x-men mystique traumatized her with shows up”. It just gets old fast despite some clever switches here and there.

Thankfully we’re at the climax and since Mystique saw all that she shifts into Cyclops.. and up until now I haven’t mentioned this but it becomes a glaring issue here: Mystique’s dialouge when shapeshifted when coming up is basically variations of I’M GOING TO KILL YOU. Which not only is a bit dull, as she apparnelty knows the x-men and at least could make them sound like evil versions of the people we know but also REALLY dumb... again i’m saving this for the end of the episode because it all comes together with her endgame for Rogue, but even if you haven’t watched the show given what’s happened with Toad and Avalanche you can probably guess. But yeah while watching I WAS going to lambast her for not using Jean.. but she’s actually clever here, using Scott who Rogue hasn’t met to unerve her already, then shifting into Jean to take back the chance she offered. IT scares Rogue out who naturlaly books from Jean.

Rogue then touches storm.. and Cyclops promintently craps himself as he realizes “Oh shit an already scared and psonically scrambled teenager just got an omega mutant’s levels power but with none of the experince and 80 times the angst”. So yeah Rogue’s powers spin out of control in what’s a great sequence and she hit sa transformer but ends up running. Xavier decideds to call this one a wash, and can’t find her anymore anyway as Cody has faded and decide she has to come willingly. Kurt reawakens to Kitty’s delight. Yay that mildly annoying subplot is done. We end at the school and this is what i’ve been building towards folks: Myistque enrolls Rogue in the school, comersrates on magneto on a job well done and Rogue looks at her commincator. And now for the reason I was a bit patient on this: Mystique’s plan is really shortsighted and dumb. Now pretending to be the x-men, that works.. but her impersinations are so shallow, ESPECIALLY for an experinced shapeshifter that the minute Rogue gets to know any of the x-men, her entire facade will start to crumble. Or if she touches one of them and gets their memories.. which never happens even when she borrows one of their powers next time but hey. Instead of making the x-men seem like gaslighting manipulators she makes them seem like petty murderous villians.. when 5 minutes with Scott or jean or just watching either will cure that. And sure as we see next time she TRIES keeping her from talking to them for too long.. but as we also see school projects happen and she can’t control EVERYTHING without raising some red flags with her faculity. She’s principal, if a teacher’s supscious she’s abusing a student she brought in, they hopefully won’t hesitate to call someone to look into it and as a shapeshifter running a dodgy mutant milita made up of students you brought in that’s the last thing you fucking want. It’s really not even a remote surpise this only lasts three episodes before she turns, and makes me question why do this arc if it’s going to be so half assed? In the comics Myistque was not only a master planner, even getting her team jobs as goverment enforcers when she realized being anti-human terrorists in a very racist climate was just going to get them all killed, but she also CARED about Rogue and her using empathy and kidness on TOP of the manipulation would make Rogue trusting her so much make more sense than “Well it’s you or the attempted murderers”. It’s just really fucking sloppy and to it’s credit Wolverine and the X-Men ended up doing this sort of plotline 80 times better, with Rogue being a villian for a while AFTER the x-men had broken up, left her with nothing, and things had only gotten worse for mutants.. and I think bein ga double agent, it’s been a while, but her reasons for turning there feel natural in comparison to this. The x-men aren’t much smarter as they only connect the dots that maybe it’s a shapeshifter, a shapeshfiter I belive xavier, storm and wolverine alread know about and coul’dve told the students. Gah.

Final Thoughts: This episode isn’t very good and in reviewing it I really realized it when it took me 4 or so diffrent sessions to finish this thing. While it has good parts, like a lot of ROgue’s stuff, the danger room break in, it’s held back by stupid decisions, a stupid villian plot, and a waste of great POTETIAL stories for a half assed one from a writer who clearly can do better and a show that will soon enough. Glad to finally be done with this one.. I might not come back to evolution for a second, but when I do I promise it won’t take this long.

Next Time on X-Men: Evolution: Blob debuts, crushes on jean to an obssesive and quickly very stalkery degree and also nearly murders duncan with a locker... so he’s clealry a mixed bag. Meanwhile Scott and Rogue get paried up on assigment and Paul wears out his welcome Like this if you enjoyed it, I have other x-men evolution reviews in the x-men tag on my blog, as well as other animation goodness, and if ther’es an episode of another x-men show, including the gifted and legion as i have hulu, or marvel show in general you’d like me to cover just drop me a pm to comission it for a reasonable fee. ANd until next time, courage.

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soranihimawari · 4 years ago

Text

what he sees...

word count: 1.8k

tagging: @m0nstergeneration20xx

warnings/genre: gamer friends to lovers [is that even a thing?]// rated F for fluff

<< |master list|>>

hallway meeting [day 0] :

part of kenma’s daily routine was to roam the halls of his high school during lunch break in search for a stronger wifi signal. recently that proved to be a challenge considering the fact the wifi was acting all wonky during the aftermath of the thunderstorm that occurred two weeks ago. the dual-toned setter was about to abandon all hope and just suffer the penalty for using one of his many devices as a hotspot during school hours.

that plan was almost coming into fruition when he heard a rather pleasant monotone voice pleading with the audio visual club members to take on a new second year recruit. with a resounding and stern, “no,” kenma heard the door close when he rounded the corner. he paused long enough to see the girl in the class across from his lower her closed fist before releasing a short lived sigh. for the life of him, kenma could not remember the name of the student he was quietly observing, but that didn’t stop him from staring at the phone you took out from your blazer pocket.

you held your phone in one hand while using your dominant hand as a mischievous smirk carved its way across your features. you swiftly stepped away in the opposite direction of the clubroom with a few keystrokes of code being typed before you pressed enter. you pretended to not hear the screams of horror when you whistled a tune down the hallway. kenma glanced down at his phone to notice his phone switched from LTE to a new closed wifi server nicknamed “chaos fiber.” it wasn’t password protected, meaning the girl’s device picked up his phone’s presence. kenma let out a chortle before he turned on his heels to head back toward his homeroom.

that afternoon on the train ride back to their neighborhood, kenma was rather quiet,even more so than what his best friend/neighbor had been accustomed to.

“kenma, do you think there’d be aliens on mars?” kuroo baited a question to see if his friend would bite.

“mmhm,” kenma replied; his subconscious was busy trying to remember any noticeable detail from lunch. the mysterious tech angel helped him out, but he didn’t want the rooster haired third year next to him cause a raucous over it.

“you’re acting strange, even for you,” kuroo said when they were heading off the train and taking the stairs outside to the platform leading to their side of the tokyo suburbs.

“you think so?” kenma quipped knitting his brow.

“i don’t know what happened, but i guess it’s alright for now. you probably need sleep. don’t stay up too late, man.”

“ok.”

the next day right before classes were dismissed for the day, you found yourself tinkering with your mother’s old phone trying to breathe it back to life. you decided to take a break to crack your knuckles and stretch your arms when your class vice-representative, sayo-kun, said you had a visitor. Kenma did not come up with a valid reason why he thought his feet to moved on their own at lunch leading him to an impromptu visit to your class across the hall.

he wanted to know thank you for sharing the closed wifi name with him because he was able to finally play all this games without any interruptions whatsoever, but since he knew himself to be no expert on romance, he decided to text the team. ok, let’s be real, he texted kai and yaku. if kuroo found out, homeboy would have made a big show out of something so small like kenma’s first high school crush. kenma did receive some decent advice after making the vice captain and libero of his sports club team promise to not tell their captain right away for fear of scaring the girl.

12:05

ꜰʀᴍ: ʏᴀᴋᴜ-ᴢᴀ ʟɪʙᴇʀᴏ

ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴇʀ? ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴄʟᴀᴍᴍʏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ꜱʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴠᴇꜱ ᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ? ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀꜱᴋ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ɢᴀᴍᴇꜱ ɪꜰ ꜱʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇꜱ ᴍᴍʀᴘɢꜱ?

12:09

ꜰʀᴍ: ᴠɪᴄᴇ ᴄᴀᴘ

ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴꜱᴡᴇʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ʏᴀᴋᴜ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ ᴋᴇɴᴍᴀ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ɢᴇɴᴜɪɴᴇ ᴄʀᴜꜱʜ ᴏɴ ʜᴇʀ. ɪꜱɴ’ᴛ ꜱʜᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏꜱ?

“talk to her, ask her out for some ice cream or pie at the cafe down the street from campus? practice is cancelled today anyways since nekomata has family visiting today,” kenma mumbled the last text kai sent him right before reaching your class’ door.

“can i help you?” your ears were completely oblivious to whomever sayo-kun was talking to while you pressed the power button of the phone on your desk, eyes lighting up with glee as it slowly powered on. You chuckle amused at your own genius turning your mother’s older (and by all means obsolete) phone into an emergency back up of the back up mp3 player.

“hey y/n! kodzume-san’s here to see you,” your classmate said breaking your thought process.

“thanks,” kenma said quietly brushing past sayo-kun stopping roughly a foot before your desk. He played with his hands a bit as you lowered your arms back on your desk folded on top of each other.

“what can i do for you kenma?” you asked, an eyebrow raised at him. You knew why he was there. you were the one with the wifi server that you closed off to the other audio visual club jerks the other day, but what you didn’t know was what piqued your interest.

“i wanted to say thank you for the other day,” kenma stated in a shy tone. he was testing the waters by taking a step or two forward in your direction. you had this sly smile growing across your face which kenma found kind of endearing. Have you always looked this effortlessly sophisticated? or was that just how nature laid out your kind features every time artificial fluorescent light made your eyes sparkle in the day time.

“ah,” you reply. you bop your head while adding a quick, “i see.”

a fleeting moment of silence passes between you two before you suggest something to him which nearly caused the aloof member of the volleyball team to be caught off guard:

“want to spend a free period with me? a have one coming up right before classes are dismissed today. i’ll be in the computer lab if you’re interested.”

kenma didn’t say anything else, but you took into account the way his pupils dilated in excitement at the invitation right before he accepted your offer. you exchanged contact info once he arrived at the lab an hour later where you helped each other in creating a small network of computers to connect to the fiberware and now password protected “chaos” server from a few weeks ago. every computer that was turned on in the lab had different operating systems running through (of course with the best games downloaded by the seniors beforehand).

“welcome to the chaos network. wanna play a game?”

kenma did not have to be asked a second time as he sat down in front of one of the computers and thus began a partnership between you and the pudding haired setter. you brought over an extra wireless keyboard for the game kenma chose to play, laughing with him as he began to design his lvl 1 character. you did the same when the game prompted kenma to choose to add another member to his party...

later that evening, when he offered to walk with you to the train station with kuroo saying he had cleaning duty, kenma and you found yourselves headed in the same direction for the platform close by.

“seems like this is where we part,” you say, readjusting your school bag on your shoulder. “thanks for accompanying me earlier. i haven’t been able to play that game yet. i had fun.”

“yeah,me too.” kenma agreed taking out his gaming console again. what you did next, you had no idea why you did it, but you just went with it: you invaded kenma’s personal bubble rather quickly pressing your lips onto the side of his cheek without any forewarning. you retreated back to where you stood in front of him before

“sorry, i should of asked if that was ok,” you apologize in a meek voice admist a now crowded station. kenma shook his head to indicate that it was alright. afterall, his crush just kissed him and his brain had an emergency halt of normal kenma-esc thoughts. “see you tomorrow at school.”

“see you later,” was all he managed to say seeing as you turned to walk to your platform number to wait for your train.

--[ three weeks later]--

A couple of weeks later, you were formally introduced to the rest of the Nekoma Volleyball Club when you mentioned that your gaming partner left behind his switch in the computer room during mid-class break. Needless to say you were bombarded with questions ranging from, “where did you meet kenma,” “what class were you in,” and finally, “are you going to be our manager? You’re practically kenma’s ‘player 2’ already, right?”

Nekomata chuckled at his team, recalling the days of his youth, when something eerily similar happened to his captain at the time.

“Umm,” you cleared your throat before you drew a deep breath in. You closed your eyes on the exhale and tilted your head to the side, curling a hand under your chin in thought.

“C’mon, you don’t have to answer any of--” Kenma’s voice was pretty even throughout meaning he was getting more annoyed at how everyone else got to ask you those pressing questions, but he had been interrupted. Over the past three weeks, you hung out with kenma more and more, seeing what was his level of comfort around you versus other people. Every time you hung out with him, kenma finally felt himself breathe a little better than before. His crush still clung on to him, so it wasn’t properly addressed until that afternoon when seeing you dropped by unannounced to return his console after you helped free the os for any bugs and malware.

“I met Kenma in the other side of the hallway where audio/visual club after they shut me down from joining their ‘prestigious’ club, so I launched a virus that killed their LAN party mid-campaign; class 2-5 [college prep]; if you need one, i don’t see why not? I’ve got time to spare. And actually,” your eyes never wavered off Kenma’s beet red ears from the moment you interjected. “I don’t know. You should ask him that when I leave Lev.”

[ The team’s focus switched back to where their setter was standing utterly dumbfounded by your honesty. You’d think you never saw a clowder of kittens look this excited for their ‘brain’ to find someone as wickedly smart (if not smarter) than their captain. ]

Scowling at the tallest first year on the team, Yaku nearly roundhouse kicked his kouhai for the third time that practice. Kai, judging by the way Kuroo and Yamagoto’s jaws went slack after you agreed to be the official team manager right before the prefecture qualifiers were announced, just laughed with a knowing smile. The first years on the team were so enamoured by your bold, yet casual attitude, they could see why their gaming senpai would find someone special like you. Especially since they noticed how Kenma’s usually displeased expressions seemed to have subsided to his version of “i’m not upset, just disappointed,” neutral face during practices lately.

“Do you want to be?” Kenma’s voice was the loudest anyone ever heard him speak, well except for you. This voice you had grown accustomed to when you helped him during a rare monster raid in one of the various mmorpgs you linked your devices to. By now you two were at the half-way point when you were walking toward each other, it was like your bodies just took comfort automatically as though your subconscious knew the other was close. Kenma was facing you and despite his height, you were a little shorter than he was while wearing your ballet flats.

You extended your hand to hold one of his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Your thumb rubbed miniscule spirals to calm the tensions in his fingers down. Much to their surprise, their setter rested his forehead against your shoulder muttering a “please?” so you did what you do best, you pat the top of his head gently. you avert your gaze for a split second; you hum while you prepare a straightforward answer.

“I thought we already were,” you say with the utmost sincerity in your voice. “Let me know when you get home. See ya Kodzu-san.” Your lips curled into a hauntingly gorgeous smile as you walked away shaking your head. You chewed your bottom lip to stop from screaming in excitement. You introduced yourself with a slight bow toward the coach, asking him to cut the team a little slack with the remainder of time left for practice; you told him you’d also fill out the manager interest form asap.

“Did we just get my second player to be our manager?” Kenma was given enough time to process what he said aloud a few more times. Before he realized what he truly said,he took a knee covering his mouth in a failed attempt at hiding the widest grin he’d ever show his teammates.

Kuroo chuckled, nodding with his answer. “Yep we sure did buddy. Is she the reason why you were acting so strange that day?”

Kenma glared at Kuroo who held up his hands in the air like he was caught stealing cookies before dinner like when they were kids.

fast forward four days later, you found yourself in the comfort of kenma’s room. more so, in the comfort of his hoodie you saw lying around at the edge of his bed. you were stealth enough to quietly slip it over your head while kenma went downstairs to grab a plate of cut fruit from the kitchen. you were invited at the request of his grandparent who just happened to be visiting that day after he mentioned your name in passing right before he left for school that day. you were lost in your within your own stream of consciousness, so you were unaware that kenma was standing behind you. the sound of the plate landing on the corner of his desk in his room caused to you to turn around quickly.

“you look cute,” was all he said slightly lowering his head to kiss your forehead. you hugged him, sweater paws and all, causing him to chuckle when he made his way to his bed. kenma patted the space next to him.

“oh?” you hum in earnest. your eyes scrunching up when you felt your blush under your eyes glow a little more iridescent than before you sat down next to him on the bed. “glad you think so highly of me.”

kenma rested his head on your shoulder similar to the way he did on the day you dropped off his switch earlier that week. you raised you right arm in order to have your hand run through his hair and you could of sworn you heard him purr right as he drifted off into a nap. you felt your eyelids grow heavy not too long after, not realizing you were about to lay yourself down on the bed to get more comfortable with kenma’s arms loosely wrapped around your waist (and your hand lost in his blonde hair).

Later that evening/morning:

#kenma things #kodzume kenma x reader #5W's entry #what he sees #supporting teammates: kai and yaku #kuroo figured it out first though lets be honest

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kylo-v · 5 years ago

Text

Under the Big Top: Chapter 1

Word Count: 2k

Warnings/Tags: Minor Sexism

Synopsis: Reader gets her first murder case

*******************************************************

One week later.

It was your first case in a few months. The last one had been such a bust and word got around that it stifled your work for weeks. Thankfully Morrison had been kind enough to let you float by on some of his earnings, but that was wearing thin. Your stomach growled loudly as you approached the mildly extravagant mansion. It's even bricks and elegantly cared for shrubbery intimidated you slightly. You barely had a concept of this amount of money being a single working woman with sparse money making opportunities. All you had eaten in the last few days were a few cups of coffee, stale bread, and a handful of potatoes and carrots. God you were sick of potatoes. God you hoped your stomach would embarrass you during the meeting. Maybe he would even feed you. You made a note to yourself to not devour anything like an animal if offered to you.

You straightened the lapelles of your jacket and pressed down the wild strands of your long, long hair. Morrison had thrown you a bone with this case, not like it was much of his choice. The client had specified that he wanted a woman’s touch when it came to this one. You wondered what that meant… You knew it was a murder case, and pretty brutal as you had seen the pictures of the body, but nothing that shocked you to your core. Shaking the thoughts away and calming your anxiety, you reached for the lion headed door knocker and knocked three times. Still the anxiety crept back up your spine as you waited for an answer. You pulled a thread off your sleeve and refixed your cufflinks. You grimaced as you looked down and noticed your shoe was untied, but before you could bend over to tie it a penguin of a man opened the door. His nose was held higher than any other part of his body as he looked down his glasses at you with slight distaste. You were used to this at this point, men didn’t appreciate seeing a woman wearing men’s clothing.

“I’m Private Investigator (Y/N) Caulfield. I have a meeting with Dr. Thompson this afternoon,” you say with confidence. You had rehearsed this at least twelve times in the mirror this morning and internally patted yourself on the back when you didn’t stumble over a single word.

“I know who you are. Right this way,” the man said with slight disdain as he moved himself to the side to allow you to step into the mansion.

The mansion might not have looked lavish on the outside, but the inside was a different story. The walls were papered with purple and red patterns that reached to the tops of the high ceilings. The furniture was all made of heavy, polished mahogany and decorated with accents of gold. You were directed to a grand staircase and greeted by a cinnamon colored cocker spaniel. She approached you cautiously and barked in response when you attempted to reach down and pet her.

“She bites,” the man, who you now assumed was Dr. Thompson’s butler, barked in the same tone as the dog.

“Now, now, Abraham,” a voice broke the awkwardness. At the top of the stairs was a sloppily put together man, “Is this anyway to treat our guest?” He was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and beard and tired, aged blue eyes.

“My apologies, Dr. Thompson,” the butler replied, straightening himself but unable to hide the weariness in his tone. You glanced at Dr. Thompson and noticed his misbuttoned jacket and uncombed hair. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days but given the nature of this case, you understood his disheveled appearance.

“Let’s talk in my office, Mrs. Caulfield. Come on, Maggie,” he beckoned the cocker spaniel who followed him obediently.

“It’s Miss Caulfield, Dr. Thompson. I’m not married,” you huffed slightly. This was something that always annoyed you but couldn’t be helped, you supposed.

“Oh, my apologies, Miss Caulfield. I was under the impression that Morrison was your husband,” he replied as he held the door open to his office, allowing you inside. Maggie cut you off first and darted in to hop into her dog bed seated by the desk.

“Yes, that is usually everyone’s first impression…” you sighed slightly while you take a seat directly across from Dr. Thompson’s chair. You took a quick glance around the room. Fine, leather bound books and scattered items collected on the bookshelves around you and paper files were stacked neatly on the desk in front of you. The walls were littered with diplomas, awards, and a few pieces of unremarkable artwork of landscapes. Hanging at the opposite wall of the desk is a taxidermied boar’s head with wonky eyes and you have to control an outburst of laughter at the state of this poor creature, whose one eye is looking to China and the other to Antarctica.

“My first big kill. I used a Wincester ‘94 to clock the bastard in the skull,” Dr. Thompson said with confidence when he caught you staring at the boar’s head for far too long.

“I don’t know much about animal hunting, Dr. Thompson,” you said politely, not looking to engage in any more small talk.

“Right, right…” Dr. Thompson gaped for a minute but cleared his throat as he took a seat in the large armchair on the other side of his desk.

“Onto business,” you say as you pull out a hand notebook and a pen from the breast pocket of your jacket.

“Are you aware of the nature of this case, Miss Caulfield?” Dr. Thompson asked cautiously as he reached down to pat Maggie on her little sleeping head.

“I am. These types of cases have not stopped me before. Murder, 23 year old female found in the woods, mutilated and dismembered. Police investigate and rule it murder by hitchhiker but the culprit is never found.”

“Good, Morrison updated you well.”

“Thank you, I did all the research myself,” you retorted casually without looking up from your notes. Dr. Thompson couldn't help but smile slightly.

“Do you know why I asked you to get involved, Miss Caulfield?”

“No, sir,” you said as your stomach growled with slight persistence, though you ignored it.

“I requested you because this case is...sensitive,” Dr. Thompson pursed his lips nervously. He reached down and opened a drawer in his desk, after a moment of shuffling around he pulled out a file folder. He laid the folder on the desk and retrieved two small, black and white pictures from it and handed them to you. Each photo was of a blurry portrait of a man, who at first glance could have been mistaken for one person but closer inspection proved otherwise. Both men had the same brisk white grey hair though in one picture one had it slicked back as opposed to down in the other. As you examined closer you realized these men were brothers, not just brothers but twin brothers. You could tell by the face structure, but the one with long hair had a stronger jaw and a small twisted mustache. He was smirking cockily in the photo, while the other man had a piercing and serious gaze. It sent shivers down your spine in an uncomfortable way.

“These men are called Dante and Vergil Sparda. They run a circus by the name of Devil May Cry. The body was found not even a mile from the circus grounds though police could make no connection between them and the murder. Many of the eye witnesses claimed that they saw a man wandering around the campgrounds that they didn’t recognize. The police wanted to wrap the case up quickly and just pinned it on this supposed "interloper". Appearantly they have other things to worry about than the murder of a "whore",” Dr. Thompson said spitefully. You glanced up at him through your lashes and could see his hands clenched into fists on the top of the desk.

“She meant something to you…” you said in a calm tone while you carefully slide the two photos back to him. His fists unclenched and he visibly intended his shoulders. He sighed and nodded his head regretfully.

“She was my lover…” Dr. Thompson paused, “I...I tried to get her out of that lifestyle and bring her here but the man she worked for wouldn’t let her and we would have to meet in secret. I loved Marie, I truly did...” His voice cracked slightly and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Your eyes softened with sympathy and you bit your lip gingerly. This was the shit that really got to you…

“And you think these men are involved somehow?” You point to the pictures lying untouched on the desk. Dr. Thompson inhaled deeply to compose himself and nodded.

“The night before Marie was murdered, she told me that she would be gone for a few days while she and three other girls entertained here,” he opened the file folder from earlier and handed you a flyer from the circus. It depicted a black lion roaring with the words Devil May Cry circus coming out of its mouth. Scrawled across the bottom is the location of the grounds and dates. It seemed that they would only be stationed in their current location for 2 more weeks, and there was no telling where they would go after that.

“Marie wasn’t murdered by an interloper, she was murdered by someone or something on these grounds,” Dr. Thompson said deadly seriously, “It’ll be dangerous, so make allies. Are you still up for this? I’ll pay you anything, please.”

You pondered for a moment. The stakes in this case were much higher in this case than any other one you had had before, but the paycheck was nice and something seemed to...pull you in. Your stared at the picture of the black lion for an extended period of time. It’s shadowy fur seemed to glisten with purple and it’s fierce eyes drew you in with its amethyst intensity. For a moment, you had to remind yourself it was just a drawing.

“Why me?” You asked as you gathered the flyer and pictures into the file folder to take with you. Dr. Thompson smiled sadly at your quiet acceptance.

“I just wanted someone who would care…” he said solemnly.

After half a payment in advance and a few signed contracts, the case was yours. The gold in your pocket weighed heavy in your trousers and tugged your suspenders tight against your shoulders. You didn’t care. You had enough money to buy ten pairs of suspenders if you wanted! You laughed gleefully and marched proudly towards the end of the driveway where Morrison was waiting for you in his car.

“Seems things went well,” Morrison smiled cockily, the smoke from his cigarette swirling the inside of the car.

“You betcha! First case in months and it’s something worth my time,” you said as you climb into the passenger seat of the clunky old Model T. You splayed the file folder in your lap and scanned over the notes once again. It contained police reports, eyewitness testimonies, and a few extra photos of the workers. You picked up a photo shoved between a bundle of papers clipped together. It showed a dark haired man with plush lips and calm eyes. The picture was a full body and showed off his neck and arms that were covered in intricate tattoos. Sat atop his shoulder was a mighty bird with a piercing gaze and at his feet was the same black lion from the flyer. Again you felt that same pull you felt earlier when staring at the drawing of the lion. You flipped the photo over and written on the back was just a simple letter.

V…

What was this pull? You didn’t know, but you were determined to suppress it.

#v devil may cry #devil may cry 5 v #v/reader fanfic #v/reader

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slusheeduck · 7 years ago

Note

yo im all for hector and victoria being opposites that love teasing each other and getting on eachothers nerves. but im also 100% here for overprotective!hector since shes the youngest of everyone there. victoria accidentally sticks herself with her sewing needles and hector busts out a medical kit and lathers her hands in lacquer. she knocks her knee against a corner and hector forces her to sit when she sees her near tears. imagine Hector fighting off any danger for her bc shes a baby to him??

Thereare several sounds that Victoria cannot stand. Just a few of these sounds include: scrapingsilverware, dripping faucets, las chicharras.

The newest soundis “MIJA!!”

She didn’t used to mind itbefore. When her parents said it, it filled her with warmth and a sense ofbelonging. When her Tia Rosita said it, it was always dotingly or gentlyconcerned. When her abuelita said it, it usually came with some sort of adviceor correction.

But her abuelito…ay.

If so much as a “Oof!”escaped her, there was an immediate, panicked “MIJA!” that followed fromthe next room. And next thing she knew, he was fussing over her like she was a child (andas if he wasn’t a child) and checking her for damage. Ifthere was–however slight–he whipped out all manner of first aid to try and fix it.“Don’t you roll your eyes at me,” he’d chide–never quite as authoritative as Mama Imelda, but he tried–as he wrapped the newest chip or tiny crack. “You look at it now and think, ‘Oh, it just a little thing. Why bother with it?’ and then suddenly you end up with this.” He’d always point to the duct tape on his arm for emphasis. More than once, Victoria was tempted to say “But my bones aren’t as brittle as yours,” but even she knew there were snarks better left bitten down.

It was ridiculous. Here he was with broken ribs, a wonky fibula, and half-held together with duct tape, and he was scolding her for bumping her arm against a sewing machine. No one else got this treatment! But since she was the granddaughter, apparently that meant she was unable to handle herself.

The very thought grated on her for weeks. Here she was, more than double Hector’s age, and he was acting like she was an irresponsible child. The more she stewed on it, the more distracted she got. Until…

“Ay!”

Pain shot up through her femur as she slammed her knee against the leather splitter, and she just barely bit back the stream of less-than-polite words at her teeth as she heard the inevitable “MIJA!!”

He was in the shop in a second, ready to hover and fuss and treat her like a child. Between the pain in her knee and the still-boiling frustration, the words spilled out before she could even begin to self-edit.

“Don’t. Don’t you even start. I’m well over fifty and I’m not going to be treated like a little girl who can’t keep herself out of trouble,” she snapped at him. “You missed me at that age, Hector! And you don’t get to make that up! You’re not even a grandfather, you’re just…just a little chico playing pretend!”

She knew it was harsh, even for her, the moment it left her mouth, and she was ready for the usual fight about respect that would inevitably happen when her sharp tongue got the better of her.

She wasn’t ready for the way his eyes widened before they flicked away from her, or the way his shoulders automatically drew in as if it could make him smaller. His head hung, just a little, as his eyes flicked up to her a few more times.

“You’re right,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t treat you like a child, Victoria. Lo siento.” He hesitated. “Do you need–?”“No.”“Of course. My apologies.” The phrase was earnest, lacking the usual irony it had when he said it. That made something uncomfortable twist in Victoria. But she wasn’t going to apologize, not now. Something had needed to be said.

But, she realized as she watched him quietly leave the room, maybe she could have been a touch nicer.

She managed to keep the guilt at bay for the rest of the work day. Mama Imelda gave her some stern looks, but said nothing. Papa and Tia Rosita glanced her way, but did their best to keep conversation light. And Papa Hector…well, she didn’t know where he’d disappeared to, and she didn’t ask.

She found him in the courtyard once the family called it a day, tapping a pen against a new leather notebook as he stared at a blank page. She sighed to herself, glancing upward. She knew what she should do. But she didn’t want to do it. It’d be easy to just head inside and not talk to him for the rest of the day.

Ay, Papa Hector was lucky she loved him.

He looked up, startled, as she sat down beside him with a huff.

“First you give me your rotten eyesight, then you give me these massive kneecaps that bang into everything. And now I’ve been limping like you the whole day.”

Hector didn’t respond, just waited with a curious frown for her to get to her point. Victoria sighed, taking off her glasses before letting her head fall back.

“Papa Hector, I know you’re trying to help. And I…” She shut her eyes and sucked in a breath. “I shouldn’t have been so…mean. Well, I mean, you must have heard the way my knee hit that estupido splitter…”

“It was like we had a church bell in the house.”

She peeked an eye open as Hector finally spoke, and she nodded. “So I think you can excuse a little of that. But…I know you’re doing your best.” She finally lifted her head to look at him. “You are a good abuelito. Still annoying, but good.” His mouth turns up, but before he can speak, she adds, “But Papa Hector, por favor, no more playing nurse.”

Hector gave her a small, grateful smile before returning to his usual self. “Si, si, claro, niña. But while you can blame me for your eyes and your kneecaps, that matching piece of duct tape you’ll wind up with on your arm will be your own fault.”

“I’ll take that risk.”

#You wanted Hector protecting Victoria but what you got was Victoria being mean to Hector #my apologies

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shingeki-this-kyojin · 7 years ago

Photo

Happy Holidays! Have some of my Modern Collage AU!

Pairing: Springles (Sasha Blouse x Connie Springer)

Rating: G (General Audiences)

World: Modern/Collage AU

enjoy!

It was only 5:49pm and it was already pitch black outside. The wonders of Winter. Sasha stared out the kitchen window aimlessly; watching the snow fall, gazing at passersby walking down the side walk, peering up when she spotted headlights, but quickly leaned back onto the windowsill again when she could see the vehicle and that it wasn’t the one she was looking for. She played with the band around her wrist, and then switched to play with her hair that she had taken down to shower earlier that day.

She was waiting for Connie to get back to their shared dorm home. They rented it with their giant group of friends, seeing as it could fit all of them snugly with the absurd number of rooms and space held within. It was nice having a big house to goof around in and a bunch of cool people to hang out with. It was rare that no one was home, so you were guaranteed to having someone there to bug.

Lost in thought a bit, Sasha barely noticed the headlights in the driveway go off, but the change was enough to have her sit fully up from her lean and smoosh her face up against the chilly glass to get a better look. When she saw the figure digging out bags from the trunk, she knew it was Connie that had come back. More than half the house had gone out somewhere, and the other half were either decorating, or sick, or taking care of the sick.

Sasha broke into a mad sprint to the front door, swinging it open with ease. She started making her way down the walkway. After locking his car, Connie looked up at the form approaching him.

“Hey Sash! It’s freezing out here, go back in, I’m good!” he called with a big smile adoring his face.

She ignored him and continued to make her way forward. Once reaching him, she smiled brightly.

“Gimme half! I can at least help a little!” She demanded in a jolly tone.

Seeing as Marcel and Ymir were sick, Sasha opted to make them some nice soup while Connie left to shop for a few things. She felt bad not accompanying him, but the look of delight on Marcel’s face and the wonky, but genuine smile on Ymirs face with the soup offering was more than worth it. That and Porco thanking her as well in such a heartfelt way. It was nice and then funny when Pieck pointed out how sappy he looked so he retreated back into the living-room (stomped back, more like it) to continue decorating.

Connie relented and gave her about half the bags to which she happily took them, taking big strides back to the house, leaving Connie’s warnings of slowing down and not slipping as well as his comment on how he’d be in the house by now on deaf ears.

Once inside, they were greeted with Porco yelling to “close the damn door” and Pieck welcoming Connie back from the living-room. Connie greeted them both back as he knocked his boot against the outside trim before making his way in. He kicked his boots off, like Sasha did, and dropped his half of the bags off onto the counter. Sasha was already unloading them and placing food into the fridge or freezer or cupboard or wherever they needed to go.

“Ohh! Thanks for the measuring stuff, Reiner still couldn’t find that spoon set that he swore he had. Plus we really needed some big measuring cups.” She exclaimed. Connie grinned back at her in response as he unloaded the bags before him. Placing the bags of chips in the counter top, Connie peered over to Sasha who had collected a number of things and was lining them up on the island.

“Wait, you wanna make the cookies now?” he asked, eyeing up all the ingredients needed for Gingerbread.

“YES! This is what I’ve been waiting for!” She exclaimed, overjoyed.

This was her favorite part of the holidays, making deserts, but especially making Gingerbread cookies. She still couldn’t drive a vehicle herself and had to rely on others taking her out or getting stuff for her, but seeing as everyone was so busy this time of year, she hadn’t been able to go and get all the baking supplies she needed this year. It had her feeling mildly depressed, so when Connie finally asked what she needed that morning, she teared up.

“Okay, okay! Wash your hands and we’ll get started.” He lamented.

She nodded, turning to the sink, before she stopped to tie her hair up into a high pony tale. Connie took this time to wash his hands, and when she began to wash hers, he noticed how much the sweater she wore hung off her shoulders.

“Soooooo, what happened to the sweater?” He asked.

She snorted and started drying her hands.

“I stretched it out a bit too much to make it comfy.” She began, a big grin on her face, ”And then I washed it and the hole was even bigger, so now I gotta go out and buy Bert a new one altogether.”

A lot of them decided to dig into Bertholdt’s sweater collection and steal whatever fit, which, everything fit everyone and then some. Bert didn’t pay any mind, he thought it was cute and happily allowed the sweaters to be borrowed. Key word is: Borrow. So Sasha very much did need to buy the guy a new sweater, but she knew Bert wouldn’t really care much, he’d appreciate her going out of her way to get him a new one.

“So where do we start?” Connie spoke. He’d never made Gingerbread himself, only bought the pre-made stuff at the store to decorate. Sasha looked up at him, a gleam in her eyes and a giant smile on her lips.

She began taking him through the steps: dry mix, wet ingredients, mixing, rolling, all with excitement. At his question as to why she had a sad look about her at points, she told him it was something she and her Grandma would do every Holiday season. She loved it so much and it was always her favorite thing, spending time with her Grandma. She didn’t say much after that and Connie viewed her with understanding. He wouldn’t push what didn’t need to be pushed.

“Well, if you want, we can make this a yearly thing between us.” He started, causing Sasha to stop and look up at him. He folded the dough again and pressed down. “You can teach me, just like your Grandmother taught you, and we can make these every single year!” He finished, grinning and looking to her. She gave a sweet smile back to him and nodded.

“I’d love that, Connie.”

After cutting out all the cookies into people and filling the trays, Sasha popped them into the pre-heated oven where it would take a time before they were done. The two washed their hands again.

“It feels so oo-y goo-y, but it’s kinda cool after a while.” He spoke, a bit grossed out at how the remnants of dough fell from his fingers in little gloops while under the water. It was kinda nasty, but it reminded him of silly puddy and just being a little kid in general.

“You’ll get used to it. Over time, you start to love it and can’t wait for it.” Sasha spoke, obviously remembering over time how she felt about folding the dough.

“Thick doughs feel a lot different from thin ones and wet ones, those are sticky and get EVERYWHERE.” She laughed.

“Yeesh, maybe we can work our way up to that then.” He said in response, wincing a bit.

“Yes, of course!” She agreed.

They started cleaning up after turning some music on to get them into the mood. Cleaning was never the fun part, but it had to be done. They moved around each other seamlessly, almost dancing. When they’d bump into each other they would laugh and giggle quick apologies, before going back into the rhythm. It didn’t take to long to scrub the islands counter and throw away the tiny pieces that didn’t make it and were too small to do anything with, even together. They hand washed the bowls and measuring cups and spoons and utensils, and through idle chatter they found the cookies to be done.

Sasha took them out wearing her oven mitts and put the trays onto the stove top to cool off.

“Kay, so now we get the frosting and stuff ready to decorate!” She began, gathering up the various coloured frostings from the counter to place onto the island.

“Should we use some paper towel or something so we don’t have to clean much again?” Connie interjected.

The strawberry brunette shook her head, yes, and grabbed something from one of the pull-out drawers.

“Parchment paper.” She spoke. “It’ll keep everything clean as we decorate. When we finish a cookie we can just put it back onto the trays for now, since the icing would then need time to set.”

She ripped some of the paper off of the roll and placed it onto the island with the icing.

“Perfect!” Connie exclaimed. “Also, I’ll be back, potty break.” He quickly said before he left the kitchen.

He returned to Sasha touching the cookies lightly. She looked back at him and stated they were cool enough to decorate now. He helped her bring the trays into the island where they could reach things better and the two began their decorating.

Sasha decided to make her cookies look like their housemates. She asked Connie ahead of time to make sure he got black icing to which he had asked if it even existed. After looking to her cookies now and then, he realized why and thought it was cute.

Connie went a different way. He wasn’t so good at piping, nor was he going to bother with filling, so, he just drew squiggles and swirls. He made a face on each one, at least, but the most important thing was having a steady hand with the letters. On the chest of everyone one of his Gingerbread people was a letter. Even if Sasha looked over, she may think that Connie just didn’t know what to fill the space with, so he’d just put a letter there, but she was fully engrossed in what he was doing to pay much attention to him.

When the two had finished they looked over their tiny Gingerbread friends.

“Wow, Sash, thats super cool!” Connie expressed with joy as he looked over the cookies Sasha had worked hard on. “Also, where are the giant muscles on Gingerbread Me?” He joked, earning him a laugh and a tiny shove, which he snickered at.

“No, but, honestly...These are amazing, they’ll love ‘em.” He complimented.

“Thanks, I’m sure everyone’ll have a fun time eating themselves.” She grinned. “So, let me see what you’ve got.” She peered up at him expectantly.

It took him a few seconds of just nervously gazing at her, to move his body away from what he had been covering up.

The Gingerbread people had been placed in a way where the letters on their chests could spell something. It took Sasha a moment of genuinely loving what Connie had done with all the Gingerbread people to spell out what was written.

“...U...Wanna Date...?” She said out loud. It then clicked in. She turned her head to Connie who had the biggest blush she’d ever seen on him, and that alone lit her own face up. She looked back to the cookies, reading it in her head again and then back to Connie who looked a bit more worried than before.

She snorted and then began to laugh whole-heartedly, a sweet look on her face. Connie was a bit taken aback, but when Sasha turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and then leaned in to kiss him, he knew it was okay. They both smiled into the kiss and they both broke it to laugh. Sasha held him close, to which he responded by wrapping his arms around her waist.

“So what does that mean?” He questioned was a love struck look. She looked up at him, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

“It means, as long as we eat those now, so no one else thinks you’re asking them out, I’ll date you.” She answered.

It was Connies turn to burst out laughing now. He loved her, so very much.

“It’s a deal!”

#Connie Springer #Sasha Blouse #Sasha Braus #Springles #snk #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #aot #Modern AU #Collage AU

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kneesheee · 7 years ago

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Stark Sibs

Noelani

WARNINGS: MILD VIOLENCE

It was a regular day in the tower as Selene sat around and watched movies in the common room. Her siblings including the recently added Pietro Maximoff Stark all surrounded her under piles of blankets and pillows and snacks and drinks.

Their dad was at a UN meeting discussing possible proposed additions to the accords. The kids were slightly sad considering it was a movie night and they were still slowly engrossing Vision and Pietro into modern movies and classics. They were a family that sometimes talked in movie, television, songs etc. quotes.

It really was peaceful moment in the tower for the young Starks. Then the renegades had to ruin it.

Immediately upon entering, Wanda tried her best to get the attention of Pietro and Vision. It broke her heart that her twin wanted nothing to do with her, but he had been watching from Olympus and he hadn’t like what he saw. No, she needed to make up for her actions and apologizing and begging for his and Vision’s attention won’t help. She needed to go to Tony himself.

Clint Barton stood to the side feeling uneasy as he gazed upon his newly discovered son. After being properly threatened by Francis, Laura, Tony, and F.R.I.D.A.Y., Clint thought it’d be wise to keep the information to himself.

Sam sat to the side watching the children all tense as Wanda continued to try to get close to her not-twin brother and Vision. He had blinked and missed the moment when Selene produced a small dagger. He didn’t know what to think about the look in her eyes as Wanda’s hands started to gleam red as her emotions grew wonky.

Scott stood close to the doors ready to escape the first second trouble brews. He had and currently has enough issues going on surrounding what Stark’s children dubbed renegades or his daughter’s, Selene, favorite idiotic bag of dicks that I cannot possibly wait to see fall from their makeshift pedestals for me to torture and kill and drown in their stupidity. He lost his daughter, he lost the girl, and he lost his hero title. He didn’t want to take the chance to lose his mind-or his life.

Bucky watched the proceedings as they slowly took a turn for the worse. Stark’s daughter (the little red head) and his son (the platinum blonde one) both wore snarls on their faces as Wanda drew closer. He could clearly see the distress coming off the android (Vision, they called him) and he didn’t doubt for a second that his siblings didn’t notice it either.

A growl escaped from the young dark skinned one. The Prince of Wakanda. It put them all on edge even Wanda who stood still at the sight of the electricity running up the boy’s arm. His eyes glowed with power and Wanda didn’t know if she would be able to take him on. Before a sneer crossed her features and she moved her hand to make him leave her alone, but a dagger flew dangerously close to her face being stopped only by the thrower’s will.

“Touch him and I will kill you,” Selene stated without emotion. Her eyes grew dark as she gazes upon Wanda. “I believe both of my brothers have constantly rebuffed your advances and more or less told you the only road to redemption with them is to apologize to our father.”

If anything, Wanda’s sneer grew fiercer never mind the small stab of fear she held. But she was Wanda Maximoff. She was the Scarlett Witch. She was handpicked by Captain America himself. She was an Avenger and she would not let a little girl frighten her. Especially not the child of Tony Stark.

“Why should I apologize to him when he murdered my family? When his murder bot attempted to murder my Pietro?”

Natasha knew things were about to go to hell when she saw the smirking playing on her daughter’s lips. Selene looked so much like her. James did also. If it weren’t close to impossible, she’d wonder if her doppelganger somehow managed to conceive them on their own. Like Queen Hera from the Grecian myths. Natasha remembered plenty of times the small mantra Tony used to say when he was close to collapsing with exhaustion. Stark men were made of iron. Maybe she’s just being biased, but her two children. Her beautiful baby girl and baby boy may look like her, but they were everything of what the Stark name represents. What she’d lie down and kill to have again. No, the elder Starks men may have been made of iron, but Tony and all of his children were made of diamonds. Beautiful under light, fragile in one look, expensive as hell and belong in bulletproof glass cages. It made sense for Tony to hide them from the world. He wanted to protect them even when they know how to hold their own. Even when they knew how to pick their battles. And boy, did they pick them and win. Like a true Stark in all but blood. Though she only known the children in whole for a few months, knew of the twins to be her children for two weeks, she’d help Tony kill anyone that dares look at them wrong.

She didn’t know she had spaced out long enough for Selene to have Wanda pinned to the ground. Natasha saw the way Selene could move in battle and noticed how she still seemed to hold herself back. She could remember a conversation she had with Thor and Bruce about Selene. How she was leader of the Stark Siblings only to be met with gentle headshakes.

“Selene’s a lot like Tony. She doesn’t trust herself to make the right call. She feels like she’d go into a battle and makes a plan and it’d go wonderfully. But she’d feel like she still did something wrong. If they came out with more injuries than just a few scrapes and bruises. If someone died or was injured. She’s not afraid to give her input, but she’s not the leader. She flat out refused and laughed in our faces when she was asked,” Banner had stated.

“Aye. If you want to pick a leader out of them, it’d be James. A brilliant warrior with a heart of gold. My Torunn tells me great things about him when inquired,” Thor agreed smiling a bit at the thought his daughter. He had taken her to Asgard as soon as he gained her trust to introduce her to her people. It was a joyous occasion especially when Sif (the strongest female warrior he has met) broke into tears at the knowledge of her. Even when his brother Loki looked upon her and declared her the most beautiful being across the nine realms whose beauty only rivaled their mother.

“He’s every bit of the good man and leader that I thought Steve was. I didn’t necessarily approve of Tony teaching and training his kids to be heroes. I was glad I didn’t voice or show my disapproval to Tony. He was doing a good job with them. Honestly, I saw them in the labs more than the training rooms. Then I learned the truth about their origins and saw them fight in one of the stimulation rooms. James led them like a good leader. Francis and Torunn seemed to be his second in commands. Pym is their tech expert. Azari helps them remain calm and keep a clear head. Selene was Iron Man mixed in with you and Captain America. She sometimes derailed from the plan, but you couldn’t tell until the end when they commented on how it went. She kept everyone’s spirits high. But she fought like a bat out of hell. Pure strength and strategy.”

The conversation gave Natasha a lot of perspective when it came to the group and she could easily see their dynamics. They weren’t a team. They were a family in more ways than the original Avengers could ever comprehend. Though Selene was still a leader in her mind. It just showed when her dark side came out.

“You do not scare me, little girl. No matter what kind of powers you have,” Wanda continued not noticing the growing tension in the room. A burst of magic had Selene flying away, but she managed to flip mid air and just sit there. Wanda turned back towards Pietro and Vision not minding the dagger that flew back inches from neither her face nor the look shared between James and Selene.

Then Selene started laughing. A laugh that was filled with so much hatred that a shiver went down Steve’s spine.

“That sounds familiar. Where did I hear that from? I think it was something like I cannot control anyone else’s fear. I can only control my own. Tell me, Wanda, what do you call you actions against my father? When you stirred up his fear of losing those he cared about and he saw the Avengers dead? Hm, you control that fear of his. Or when your magic crept into his room every night and plagued him with nightmares so bad that he had to move out of his own home? You can’t control anyone else’s fear, but you did a damn good job at controlling my dad’s.”

Wanda turned back to Selene with a look of annoyance in her face. She was tired of Selene constantly bringing up Wanda messing with Tony’s head. Steve already forgave her for her actions. He let her atone for her mistakes, so what the point of constantly bringing it up. She asked Selene this aloud and watched as Selene’s lip curl up in disgust at her words.

“Steve doesn’t care about you. Allowing you onto the team was for strategy he said. No matter that you unleashed the Hulk into a city of innocent people. Controlling Uncle Bruce’s and Hulk’s fear of losing control,” Selene snarled. “No sweetie, I don’t where you got in your head that he gives a damn about you. He only cares about himself and Barnes. He hated Hydra. He fought against them for many years, yet in a single day or two... he outright forgives you? No, he had plan. Get the world to forgive you for your actions so that when he found Bucky, they would do the same for him. Let’s not mention the fact that he also wanted to use you for Bucky. Captain America doesn’t care for you. You are nothing.”

But Wanda was no longer paying attention to her. She only had eyes for Steve whom flinched at the heartbroken and betrayed look in her eyes. Steve had wanted Selene to stop talking. He was close to walking over to the young girl and making her, but he couldn’t seem to make himself move. It figures that any child of Tony would follow in their father’s footsteps, but he wouldn’t accept the bullying they were giving. He had hoped that Tony would have raised them better than him, but alas he could only hope. It was, however, a good thing he was around. He could teach them about respecting the adults around them.

“Steve, is that true?” Wanda’s broken voice pushed through his clouded thoughts.

“Of course not, Wanda. I’d never betray your trust like that,” he told her. But you did, the traitorous part of his mind whispered.

“You’re a lying liar who lies,” Selene stated unmoved.

Wanda nodded albeit a little dazed before she moved away from Pietro and Vision. “I-I need to go lie down,” she muttered before walking back towards the elevator.

The Stark Siblings said nothing though Pietro did look worriedly over to elevator. “Go, Pietro. She is your blood sister. You care about her and we care about you. Go comfort her,” Azari told him before paying attention the movie. Pietro sat for a few more moments before Selene stood up and threw him into the elevator with an “And don’t come back until you stop moping”.

Then grabbed Vision and threw him in the elevator also. “Let her know how you feel. She is in fact an adult, so she needs to have this conversation like an adult.”

Steve turned towards the Stark Siblings to let them know how he disapproved of their behavior when he noticed Natasha walking over to the couches and got settled to watch the movie.

“What’s this?”

“The Underworld movie series,” James piped up before stuffing his mouth with popcorn. Clint made his way to the group and sat on the floor in front of Natasha. Sam sat in one of the available arm chairs and Scott sat the furthest away from Pym he could get without being too far from the screen. Bucky cautiously made his way over and Steve noted how every child gaze immediately snapped to Bucky. Steve opened his mouth to berate them for the rude way they were treating Bucky just because their dad had a few screws loose in his head when they all shifted around to make room for Bucky on one of the couches beside them.

Steve made his way over to sit beside Bucky when all the children shuffled around again and there wasn’t any more room left for him except on the floor. He scowled at the disrespect, but said nothing as he sat on the floor in front of Bucky.

Everyone noticed how tensed the children were. They all noticed the scowls each of the children wore, but they said nothing because the children said nothing.

Then the Lang family walked in. Little Cassie squealed excitedly and raced over to Selene and jumped into her lap. And didn’t that break Scott’s heart. Selene looked fondly at the little girl before raising an eyebrow at her mother and looking pointing at the TV screen.

“It's no worse than seeing her dad hurt her Uncle Tony,” Maggie said sarcastically without even sparing Scott a glance even when he flinched from the jab. Francis snorted from his spot beside Selene and just stuffed his face with more popcorn. He looked up when his notmom-mom walked into the room. He really needed to figure out what to actually call her. She didn’t say anything as she walked over and placed his baby half-brother into his lap. Nathaniel smiled up at him and Francis is manly enough to admit that his heart melted into a puddle of adoration. Cooper and Lila crawled into James’ and Torunn’s lap and settled in to watch the movie.

“If they have nightmares, they’re sleeping with you tonight, Francis,” Laura told them as she walked into the kitchen with Maggie while her husband Jim walked to join the group and sat on the floor in front of Pym. Francis shook his head amused, but said nothing as he continued to watch the movie.

The Siblings were still tensed as they sat quietly and watched the vampire lady, Selene, kick ass on the screen.

“She’s definitely my inspiration,” Selene piped up. “We even share a name.”

James being the little shit he is replied with a, “I thought mom was your inspiration.” Selene glared at her brother and pointedly ignored the stare she got from her mother.

“My mother’s dead,” she deadpanned. She took no notice of the Natasha’s subtle flinch. Natasha suddenly gets children and her masks start to slip. “But trust me, if she were alive; I’d have a lot to say to her. None of it necessarily nice.”

James scowled at his sister. He knew what she was doing, but he shook his head and returned to watching the movie.

Tony walked into the room head buried into his StarkPad. He didn’t notice the occupants, but he vaguely remembers F.R.I.D.A.Y mentioning that his children were having their movie night.

Steve’s hearts skipped a beat at the sight of Tony. Honestly all of the renegades felt a flutter at seeing him. He avoided them like plague; he let up on them keeping their distance from the children. Though Steve felt that it was because he wanted to see them bully Wanda. It was a stupid thing to do and Steve had every intention to talk to him about it, but Tony never stayed around for too long.

Without looking up from his StarkPad, Tony stated, “Selene, can you please stop buying out thrift shops and turning them into your personal closets? Francis, you’re archery range in Wisconsin is finished. Torunn, Thor and Loki have managed to fit the doorway to Asgard on your floor. Azari, I’ve gotten in touch with Storm. She’s willing to meet you. I haven’t given her all the details though, so you can give her the truth if you want. Pym, your dad called. He sent over some schematics for you and Hope to look over. And James, your holographic watch is finished so you can do whatever with the shield unless you plan to keep it.”

Selene rolled her eyes before turning back to the movie. Everyone else noticed how the tension seeped out the siblings as they continued to watch the movie.

“Tony,” Steve called out breathlessly as he jumped up. All of the siblings’ eyes landed on him especially Selene and Francis. They eased the children off their laps. Tony froze his spot. Tension leaking out him in waves. He hurriedly made his way over to Tony before he was roughly thrown back into a wall.

Everyone turned to see Selene floating in the air again with a trident floating ominously beside her. Her hair flowed like the red sea and her green eyes turned stormy. “Don’t take another step,” she stated and it was an echo of other voices merging with hers. Cassie was huddled protectively into Jim’s arms as water rushed into the room. Laura and Maggie rushed into the room with their pants soaking wet and drops of water on their shirts. They didn’t know what to say as everyone look at the champion of Poseidon.

“What makes you think that you have the right to approach our father?” Selene questioned. “After you mercilessly tore him down, used his money and resources to find the murderer of his parents and didn’t tell him. After you shunned him for the creation of Ultron when your little princess, Wanda, was responsible for his birth? After you continuously berated him for not owning up for his actions when he was the one covering for all of you after every battle? When he sign the Accords to do exactly what you constantly asked him to do? After you’re little friend Scott over there climbed into his suit? You know how dangerous that was for both of them? Maybe it was after you decided to throw a fucking truck on his mentee, Spiderman? After your little girlfriend Natasha decided to let you go and Uncle Rhodey took a hit to the suit after your friend Sam dodged in the pursuit to get to you? After Clint over there had the gall to reference to Uncle Rhodey’s fall when Dad visited them? Was it after you had the nerve to try to lie to his face about knowing about his parents’ murder? Or maybe it was after Bucky tried to rip out the arc reactor? No, I think I know when you decided you had the right.”

“Selene,” James warned, but his voice was drowned out as the water continued to rush into the room forming a hurricane under her. When the water dropped from the ceiling like rain and burned on impact to Steve’s skin as she kept her eyes on him. Selene paid him no mind though she did feel the subtle shifts in the air as Francis tried to reign in his anger in.

“You’re scaring the kids,” Francis struggled out and waves of water caressed the children before carrying them out of the room. Another wave rushed over to her father and gently pushed him away from the room and eased away the panic attack that was building up. A part of Selene felt disgusted for using her powers to manipulate her father in such a way, but she would not let any of them see him in a moment of weakness.

“It was right after you went from bashing the shield his father made you in his throat to bashing it in his arc reactor and leaving him for dead in Hydra base in Siberia where he nearly froze to death for three hours if it weren’t for Vision and FRIDAY.” Selene’s words cut deep and all the adults in the room eyes cut towards Steve.

Francis’ anger seemed to escape his hold and before anyone knew it, the platinum blonde haired teenager was giving off a glowing light. The middle of his forehead had the crescent of the sun and moon like the Queen’s necklace from the movie Twitches. His eyes were like staring into an eclipse as gold and silver arrows and bow appeared on his person. There was a distinct howling of a wolf as his eyes landed on Steve.

“Thank Poseidon that Dad didn’t rely on the arc reactor to live anymore,” she deadpanned. Maggie, Jim, and Laura stared in horror.

The two champions’ energy seemed to feed off each other. James and Torunn both knew they needed to separate the two before someone ended up burnt to a crisp or drowned from the inside out.

Before they could make their move though, a familiar voice called out to them, “I am Groot!” The two champions’ whipped around to face the small sapling. “I am Groot,” he said again and the champions looked properly shamed. The auras faded away from around them and the two fell unsteady on their feet. James and Torunn help steady them.

“You gotta stop overusing your powers, ‘Lena and France,” Torunn scolded. She carefully placed her younger sister into the hands of their adopted step-dad. Selene smiled tiredly unashamed at her sister before cuddling into her step-father’s arms. “No promises, T. Hey dad.”

Peter look down fondly at his stepdaughter before shaking his head. “I’m not even going to ask. Mainly because I left my weapons on the ship.”

A laugh bubbled out of Selene and she relaxed even further. She turned her head to the side to see Francis pouting at being carried by Aunt Gamora like a damsel in distress but everyone’s afraid of Aunt Gamora so he didn’t say anything.

“Dad?” Natasha questioned. Her eyes went wide and she began to scrutinize the man. What did she see in him to have children by him?

Apparently, Steve decided to ignore everything and try to get his words out. “Fucking Christ, you think I don’t know that? I was- I was fighting for our freedom-“

“You were fighting for control, Rogers, don’t lie. Every action you made was based around having control of the situation. It was the reason you didn’t sign the accords. The reason you chose not to share the information about Zemo. The reason you never told Dad about his parents,” Azari spat, “you dragged your best friend into a problem he didn’t even need to be in, and he ended up in exactly the same situation he would have been in had you just taken up his damn offer at the start. But no- it had to be your way. Everyone called Dad a control-freak, but you, Rogers, you take first prize.”

“Rogers? As in Steve Rogers?” Peter questioned aloud as he turned towards Steve. There was a look in his eyes that no one but he children could place.

A flash of something crossed Gamora’s face before Francis was placed down. Selene was placed right beside him. Her infamed smirk crossed her features. “Oh, yes, dad. It’s him and the rest of idiotic bag of dicks that I cannot possibly wait to see fall from their makeshift pedestals for me to torture and kill and drown in their stupidity. Thinking that they were entitled to dad’s presence.”

“Who are you,” Scott questioned hesitantly even as Gamora pulled a sword out of nowhere. The raccoon began muttering under his breath something about made us leave our weapons but she could bring her blade.

“Peter Quill. Star-Lord. One of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Husband to Tony Stark. Reinforcements for the battle against Thanos,” Peter stated but his eyes stayed on Steve. Steve, who looked a little heartbroken and mad, to hear that Tony went and got married to someone else.

Someone else would’ve commented, but at that moment the wall exploded.

#tony stark and his children au #tony stark imagine #not steve friendly #notstevefriendly #not team cap friendly #post ca:cw

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mundoavatar · 7 years ago

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Legend of Korra Comics: Irene Koh Interview

The Legend of Korra is back! We spoke to Irene Koh, the artist behind Turf Wars, the upcoming graphic novel trilogy. The first graphic novel trilogy continuing the series, written by co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino, is coming out this month.

Irene Koh is an illustrator from Seoul, now living in Los angeles. She received her BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and has worked for Dark Horse, DC, Marvel, IDW, Oni Press, and Stela.

If you read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Batgirl, you might have seen her work before.

But we are here to talk about Korra! So let’s get started! Spirits, elements, martial arts, and maybe a bit of Korrasami?

– For those who might not have heard yet, can you tell us a little bit about how you got the job on the Korra comics?

I’d been joking for years that I’d be a perfect fit for the comic, as a bisexual Asian martial artist and avid Avatar fan. After Brittney Williams dropped out of the project, a friend of mine was offered the gig, to which she referred me instead.

I drew a few test pages, and now here I am, almost done drawing Part Two.

– There have been a lot of artists who have worked on both Avatar and Korra, do you have any favourites that informed your own style?

The key art people on staff (or at least the ones whose work I can readily find on the Internet) have been great to look at. Not necessarily for style’s sake, since I was asked to draw the book in my own style, but for movement.

Animation folks have totally different way of approaching movement and character acting, and there’s a lot of great tricks I picked up just studying their work. Specifically, I looked at Steve Ahn’s work for action, and Ki Hyun Ryu’s amazing, expressive faces.

– Animation and still drawing are different disciplines, what kinds of changes do you make when taking something from screen to page?

I know very little about animation itself and have even less experience doing it, but I have formal training in both cinematic art and comic art respectively, and there definitely differences. It manifests sometimes in my layout designs versus what Mike and Bryan would like to see on the page (though, for the most part, they let me do my thing compositionally).

As a small example, comics can do vertical formats/panels, which is not something animation can necessarily pull off in the same way. It is far more about overall page flow than individual moments. Additionally, it’s can be harder in a way to show an element bending motion without the full movement shown, so I have to come up with ways to imply/depict the direction, effect, and impact of fighting action.

– How do you keep the spirit and flow of the original while also giving it your own unique style?

If I love something, it’s because I’m good at distilling why it’s good, what parts of it are done skillfully, things I admire and would like to emulate in my own work.

In the case of things like Avatar and Korra, it’s a mix of incredible character acting, humor and expressiveness, and the lively, realistic fighting (minus, y’know, the elements). None of these things require a specific kind of art style to pull off, just understanding and good old hard work.

I think it’s also been extremely helpful that I have 10+ years of doing martial arts under my belt, particularly kickboxing and judo, that consistently inform the action. When there’s something specific Bryan wants in a fight scene, I can understand his language.

– How involved did the creators – Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko – get in the process? What was working with them like?

It’s a deeply collaborative process; I get pretty extensive notes from both creators, plus notes from Nickelodeon. Mike’s notes tend to be less art-focused and more to do with if I’m expressing his script correctly.

Bryan’s notes are all technical, fixing my art where it’s wonky and the like. They’re fantastic to work with — concise with their vision, but also open to feedback and suggestion. They give my art a lot of breathing room, which I’m grateful for, and let me design new characters.

Just on their critiques alone I’ve leveled up immensely since starting the job.

– Has Korra been different from other comics you’ve worked on?

It’s definitely the biggest book I’ve worked on since entering comics. I’ve only done shorts or monthlies up until now, so being tasked with 72 pages at a time was pretty daunting at first (and honestly still kind of is).

The amount of notes I got back for my pages was also a first, though it’s a blessing. As well, it’s the biggest IP I’ve dipped my toes into, and I’m definitely feeling the support (and pressure) of the fandom.

– When did you first realise that being a professional artist was something you wanted to be?

I don’t think it was ever a realization or a conscious choice. I’ve been drawing nonstop for as long as I can remember! I used to get in trouble for drawing at the dinner table.

I’ve always been a very decisive, driven person, even as a kid, and in seventh grade an art teacher told me about the Rhode Island School of Design. At twelve years old I decided that’s where I was going to college. (I did.)

– Do you look back at your earlier works at all? How have you changed as an artist? (Attitude, technique, work ethic, etc?)

I don’t really linger on old work because I’m still at a point where I’m improving rapidly, so even a few days after I’ve drawn something, I look back at it scornfully because I’ve already learned something new in that time, haha.

Thematically, my work tends to stay the same: I focus a lot on intimacy, in all its forms and expressions. I’d like to think I am getting better at drawing those moments! At this point, I have the whole working-from-home freelance thing down solidly, in that I know what working hours are best for me and what not to force (I am decidedly not a morning person); when and how often to take breaks; and getting better at just grinding through assignments.

I tend not to wallow in “art blocks” anymore, since I don’t really have a choice.

– Any advice for people who want to go into illustration and comics? What’s the best way for people to get their talent out there?

I posted this on my blog recently, and I stand by it:

1/ Do them on your own. The Internet has made it so easy to get noticed/paid for the work you do on your own, so take advantage! Don’t quit your day job for comics unless you know you’ve got a good amount of stability or financial cushion.

2/ Comics are a really intense exercise in time management. There is no way you can put in 100% on every single page like a single illustration; you would never meet standard schedules. You’re going to only be able to put in 60-70% of your true potential — the trick is to get your 60-70% to be Really Good.

3/ Finishing something and putting it out there for people to see is just as much a skill to nurture and improve upon as draftsmanship, coloring, composition, etc. Give yourself deadlines and try to meet them, and try to share your work. Peer critique is how you improve, and also how you build confidence.

4/ Have a social media presence and post art consistently, and don’t expect or feel entitled to any kind of mutual, instant friendliness or attention. For me personally, Twitter is how I’ve met colleagues, employers, friends, and been inspired by other people’s work.

5/ Don’t apologize or speak disparagingly of your work, even if you notice flaws. Chance is, most people didn’t notice it, or they it didn’t detract from the piece itself to be worth a comment. It also comes off as unprofessional.

6/ Do not undersell yourself. Here’s the Fair Page Rates info: https://fairpagerates.com/

– Other than Korra, what are you working on? Any big projects in the works?

I’ll be part of the final Spera book by Josh Tierney along with an awesome roster of other artists, and then I’m off to work on my own original things. At my core I’m a storyteller, and I have my own stories I’d like to share.

– Where can people find you online? Social media, etc?

Twitter: @kohquette Tumblr: http://prom-knight.tumblr.com Website: http://koh.money

The first issue of Legend of Korra: Turf Wars is scheduled for release in comic book stores on July 26, 2017, and in mass market retailers on August 8, 2017.

#irene koh #korra comic #turf wars #interview

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lifeasarandomdudeknowsit-blog · 8 years ago

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ARD Entry #6 - Wrestlemania 33 Predictions And Picks

I haven't done one of these in a while, so if you'll indulge me, I'm going to write a disgustingly long entry about Wrestlemania 33 and give my picks for who I think will win these predetermined matches of a so-called fake sport.

Before I get started on the picks, though, I will say that this show has a thoroughly impressive card. To me, it almost feels as though none of the matches should be pushed to the pre-show, since it almost feels disrespectful to the performers involved. This is especially apparent for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, since Big Show worked his ass off to get into amazing shape for his purported match with Shaquille O'Neal, only for the match to be scrapped. So Show is relegated to the pre-show in what must be one of his final matches. I can't imagine how his body is holding up after twenty years in the business. So I'm a bit disappointed that there even has to be a pre-show at all. I would have rather had a five hour main card than a two hour pre-show with two matches and 90 minutes of filler. But that's me.

With that being said, let's look at the card and make some predictions!

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

I remember hearing someone saying that this was the most stacked battle royal in a long time. Well, let's take a look at the competitors...we have Big Show, Braun Strowman, Sami Zayn, Mark Henry, Mojo Rawley...uh...Jinder Mahal...erm...the entirety of the Smackdown tag division...okay, so this match has like three people who could feasibly win the match and about two dozen jobbers. I'm disappointed enough that the Smackdown tag titles aren't even being defended. Really, though, those titles have fallen into obscurity ever since the Wyatt Family lost them to American Alpha late last year. I'll get into THAT storyline later on. So the vast majority of this match is full of jobbers and tag teams. Which means that there are probably only one or two possible winners here: Big Show or Braun Strowman. I'd like to give Sami Zayn a chance of winning, but I feel like Braun is just going to eliminate him. And seeing as how, out of all of these competitors, Braun likely has the most to gain out of winning this match, I will give him the nod for the victory.

Winner: Braun Strowman

Cruiserweight Championship Match – Neville vs. Austin Aries

While I think the apparently annual tradition of the Wrestlemania ladder match should have gone to the cruiserweights, this is a very suitable substitute. I'm rather saddened that this is a pre-show match, since it continues the feeling that the cruiserweight division is treated as second-class citizens in the company. But I will attempt to focus on the match. These two have built up a fairly strong feud over the past few weeks, and Aries has looked spectacular since his return to active in-ring competition. And ever since adopting his heel persona, Neville has been better than ever and finally relevant in the company after being neglected for such a long time. If you want to talk about show-stealing matches, this has the potential for that so long as they're given fifteen minutes or so. If not, it will feel like a rush job, and that is yet another disappointment for the cruiserweight division. So who wins? My heart wants to go with Neville, because the cruiserweight division has been very unstable ever since its inception last year, what with there having been four champions over the course of seven months. I feel like Neville could provide the stability at the top of the division that the other competitors desperately need. Then again, with Neville already having gone through two of the top faces in the division (Rich Swann and Jack Gallagher) and Cedric Alexander out with an injury, it would probably make more sense to put the title on Aries, since he could feud with guys like Tony Nese, Drew Gulak, and The Brian Kendrick, among others. So I suppose I'm going to pick Austin Aries to win, because Wrestlemania is usually about feel good moments, and this would be a great one.

Winner: Austin Aries

Smackdown Women's Championship Six Pack Challenge Match – Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James vs. Naomi vs. Natalya vs. Carmella

The fact that it took until the week before Mania to decide on the stipulation for this match is unfortunate. For weeks, this match was so nebulous that I wished they would have just called it a gauntlet match or, hell, even a women's ladder match. But at least we all got some peace of mind with Naomi making her return to the ring, which, considering she had to relinquish the title less than two months ago, makes things feel a bit wonky. Still, I'm glad that the women of Smackdown had their match moved to the main card thanks to overwhelming fan support. Women are taking part in three matches this year, which is seemingly far more than in previous years. Sure, one of those matches is a mixed tag match, but still, it's a step in the right direction. I just wish that one of the title matches would have been a singles match as opposed to a fatal four way and a six pack challenge. But it's better to have as many of these awesome, talented women on the card as possible. So who wins this match? I'm quite certain Alexa Bliss won't be retaining her title today. And as much as I'd like to see either Mickie or Natalya win, since there have been rumblings that both women may be winding down their careers in the next couple of years, I feel like the hometown advantage will be the way to go despite how WWE always seems to make people lose matches in their hometowns. Naomi shouldn't have had to relinquish the title in the first place, and I'm betting she'll win the title back at Mania.

Winner: Naomi

By the way, I should probably mention that I'm taking my match list off Wikipedia, so if something has changed or is inaccurate, I do apologize.

Raw Tag Team Title Triple Threat Ladder Match – Gallows and Anderson vs. Enzo and Cass vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

I really hope WWE isn't going to try to capture the lightning in a bottle they had with the Triangle Ladder Match they had many years ago with the Hardyz, the Dudleys, and Edge and Christian, because that will never happen again. However, this should still be a pretty good match. Enzo seems to always love flying around the ring, so I'm expecting at least one spot where he either leaps off a ladder or is tossed off one. And we all know how ridiculously athletic Cesaro is, so I'd imagine he'll have a spot or two to show off. All that being said, I still don't feel like this feud has the fire and intensity behind it that others do. Ever since The New Day lost the belts, the Raw tag division has felt adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Not even remotely close to the level of the poor Smackdown tag division, but still, there isn't any stability in the division. While chaos might sometimes be a good thing (like in the Smackdown women's division, where it feels like every competitor there is on relatively equal footing and any one of them could win the title on any given night), ever since The New Day broke the record for longest reigning tag champs in WWE history, the titles have felt a bit less important. Not that Sheamus and Cesaro or the Club are bad teams. Sheamus and Cesaro have turned into one of the most entertaining teams in the world today, and the Club are pretty much THE heel team in WWE right now. I just kind of wish that The New Day had held on to the titles until Mania (or at least the Rumble) and lost the titles at one of the major shows. But oh well. As much as I'd like to see Gallows and Anderson retain, I have a weird feeling that Enzo and Cass are going to walk out as Raw Tag Team Champions. I'm a bit sick of their schtick, but maybe putting the titles on them will bring them back to prominence.

Winners: Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Intercontinental Championship Match – Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin

One year ago, Baron Corbin shocked everyone by winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal as a seemingly random entrant, while Dean Ambrose had a shitfest match against Brock Lesnar. Since then, Ambrose has been WWE Champion and has held the IC belt for far longer than necessary. After that fantastic feud between Dolph Ziggler and The Miz last year, having Ambrose hold the belt for as long as he has has basically helped us forget that the title even exists. I actually cannot remember the last time Ambrose defended the title. It wasn't defended at either the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber, since Ambrose was a participant in the Rumble and the Chamber matches. Corbin, on the other hand, has had a slow but steady build to this point. He started out as Just Another Big Dude, but has found his footing in recent months, and both his in ring work and promo skills have improved drastically. Six months ago, when JBL kept yelling that Baron Corbin would be a future world champion, I scoffed at the idea. Now that Corbin is heading into an IC title match with Ambrose in what has been a pretty well-built feud, I could feasibly see Corbin winning a world title in the next two years. But the journey to the world title begins with the IC title. Baron Corbin HAS to win this match. And I believe he will.

Winner: Baron Corbin

Mixed Tag Team Match – John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The Miz and Maryse

Say what you will about the motivations behind this match, but it has been built up surprisingly well. The Total Bellas parody vignettes, while incredibly dorky, I found quite amusing. Maryse has really been the shining star of this whole feud. Back when she was an in-ring competitor, she just felt like just another model turned poorly trained wrestler. But ever since she returned, she's been a surprising breath of fresh air. She's a strong independent woman who don't take no guff and stands up for her man when he won't stand up for himself. She's a badass, and I respect the hell out of her for that. Miz and Cena have had some blistering back and forth promos over the past month, and while Miz has always had great points and moments, it's basically impossible to hold a candle to Cena in the promo department. Say what you will about his in-ring style or the fact that he definitely has a particular cadence and formula to his promos, but he can turn a crowd at the drop of a hat. He might actually be the best talker in wrestling history not named Paul Heyman. This should be a pretty entertaining match, but I think we all know what's going to happen. Cena and Bella win, and Cena proposes to Nikki in front of 70,000 people. If that doesn't happen, I'll be a bit surprised, but it really feels like that's what this entire feud has been leading towards. So I suppose we'll all see what happens, but Cena and Bella are definitely picking up the win.

Winners: John Cena and Nikki Bella

United States Championship Match – Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens

Jericho vs. Owens could very well be an early candidate for feud of the year in my book. Their Festival of Friendship was the crowning moment in this friendship-turned-blood-feud that we all knew was going to happen but never knew WHEN it was going to happen. Personally, I would have preferred to see these two feud over the Universal Title, but that's me. And with the winner of the Universal Title match being a part-timer anyway no matter who wins, it's going to mean that, just like right after the brand split before the Universal Title was created, the US Title was the top title on Raw. And seeing as how Owens carried the Universal Title for six months (say what you will about how he kept the title, it's still an impressive feat to hold a title for this long nowadays), he'd be the perfect person to hold what will essentially be the top title on Raw for the foreseeable future. Besides, Jericho is going on tour with his band, so this will be a great blowoff to a stellar feud.

Winner: Kevin Owens

I'm halfway through the card. I may be able to finish writing this entry by the time Summerslam rolls around.

Raw Women's Championship Fatal Four Way Elimination Match – Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax

While I would have preferred to see a singles match between Charlotte (who would have held the title until now) and Bayley to have Bayley win the title and end Charlotte's caveat-filled PPV undefeated streak, I suppose this will have to do. I still think Nia is FAR too green to be on the main roster, let alone in a match at Wrestlemania, but I'm not booking the show. Sasha has been teasing somewhat of a heel turn for a few weeks, what with her basically helping Bayley cheat so Bayley could win and retain the title, and it's entirely possible that the turn could happen here. Or it could happen tomorrow night on Raw. Either way, it seems almost a foregone conclusion that there's going to be a Bayley vs. Sasha feud in the near future, sort of as an extension of their apparently epic feud in NXT. I was not watching NXT at the time, so I haven't witnessed their feud myself, but I certainly would like to when I have the opportunity. Anyway, I'm glad that women are getting more and more representation at most WWE events, and this should be a hell of a match. Charlotte is one of the best wrestlers in the entire company, Bayley is the perennial fan favorite, Sasha has all the potential in the world, and Nia...can knock people down really easily. Of course, with the elimination stipulation thrown in, this makes everything a bit weirder. I kind of get the feeling that we're either going to see Bayley somehow squeak out a victory or have Sasha screw Bayley out of the title and win it over Charlotte. Then again, if WWE is going with a slow burn Sasha heel turn, then Bayley is definitely keeping the title. Let's go with that.

Winner: Bayley

Singles Match - Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles

While I would have significantly preferred Styles to be in a title match (let's just forget the whole mess with Orton and Wyatt and the Rumble for now), I will say that, even though dirt sheets knew about this match weeks ago, the build has actually been halfway decent. Though I will ALSO say that the line between face and heel is very awkwardly skewed. Styles has a legitimate gripe about not being in the WWE Title match after Orton basically forfeited his Rumble victory, then saying, “Nah, just kidding,” after Styles won the right to face Wyatt at Mania. But I did say I was going to forget about that whole mess, so let's just focus on the match we have. Styles is easily the best in-ring performer in the company, and as a shrewd armchair booker who has never stepped into a wrestling ring in his life, I think he should have a more appropriate opponent for the biggest wrestling show of the year. Don't get me wrong; Shane is still a surprisingly agile man for his age. But he was never a technical wizard or a charismatic enigma. He was a kid who took ridiculous risks for the spectacle, and now that he's in his forties, he can't really take those risks. I mean sure, he jumped off the Hell in a Cell last year, but it just didn't feel all that spectacular. And seeing as how he's had all of two matches in the past year while Styles has been WWE Champion and has pulled stellar matches out of everyone he's faced, it just feels like Styles should have a more appropriate opponent for Mania. Like Samoa Joe. Or John Cena. Or Finn Balor. Or Shinsuke Nakamura. Especially considering Styles' age, I can't imagine he has TOO many Manias left in him. He's still the best wrestler in the company, but the full time schedule is going to wear on him, I'd imagine. So there will probably be a couple of awesome spots, a few good strike exchanges, but in the end, I can't imagine Styles losing this match.

Winner: AJ Styles

Non-Sanctioned Match – Seth Rollins vs. Triple H

To think that had Samoa Joe gone to Smackdown instead of Raw, we would have had a far better build for this match and what would likely have been a knock-down, drag-out fight between these two. But a freak accident messed up Rollins' knee, so we have a “Non-Sanctioned Match,” which as far as I can tell, will basically be the same as a No Holds Barred match? I guess? It probably just means that Samoa Joe can interfere, seeing as how he doesn't have a match on the card (which is a travesty in and of itself). There will probably be weapons, run-ins, and other assorted shenanigans. These two COULD have torn the house down in a passing of the torch moment, but instead, we're getting what will probably boil down to a car crash. It could still be great, especially if both guys get really brutal with each other. But I'm not holding out a ton of hope for this match to be as good as it could have been. Who wins? I think Rollins has to win, since it's wrestling and the good guy should triumph in the end.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Singles Match – The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns

If WWE Creative is trying to turn Roman Reigns heel, this would be the perfect opportunity. While there are MANY others whom I would have chosen to face Taker (Styles, Joe, Cena, Balor)...I actually don't have a second part to that statement. Reigns is actually much better than a lot of people give him credit for, but he still needs a great partner to work with in order to perform at his best. His matches with Styles were fantastic, but Styles could make ME seem like a competent wrestler. And Reigns' feud with Rusev was actually going fairly well up until Reigns won the US Title, but again, that's because Rusev and Lana are just plain amazing. At this point in his career, Taker likely needs someone to carry him to a decent match, but since Reigns ALSO needs a good partner, I'm a bit worried about how this match will go. And seeing as how Reigns is like Cena in that he always wins lol, it's difficult to choose a winner. Though ever since Taker lost the streak to Lesnar, it does seem like he's probably ready to hang it up. Then again, we've been saying that for about a decade now, and he's still going somehow. I don't expect this to be a good match. But you never know. As to who wins? As much as my heart wants to go with Taker, I just can't help but shake off the feeling that Vince wants Reigns to be the next face of the company by any means necessary. I don't like saying this, but I think Roman Reigns might actually win.

Winner: ...Roman Reigns

That felt awful to write.

WWE Universal Championship Match – Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar

I would have been perfectly happy to see this feud end without a title on the line. Hell, I would have been perfectly happy to not see this feud crop up at all. Goldberg has been great on the mic, Paul Heyman has been Paul Heyman on the mic, but in the build up to the two encounters they've had, the payoff just feels so lackluster. Goldberg has had roughly five minutes of actual match time across two singles matches and the Royal Rumble. So we simply don't know if he can even last ten or fifteen minutes. The guy is still in awesome shape, especially considering he's fifty years old. But I just can't imagine this match being anything other than an utter train wreck. And really, no matter who wins, in the long run, the fans lose. Because either Goldberg retains and very likely promptly retires, sending the Universal Title picture into utter chaos again, or Lesnar wins and we have him once again show up four times a year to perform the exact same boring match against whichever sacrificial lamb Creative decides to send to the slaughter. Sure, it'll pop ratings for a week or two, but how are things going to go for the next four months leading to Summerslam? I doubt Vince thinks that far ahead these days. This will either be another two minute Goldberg squash match, or maybe five minutes tops of Lesnar tossing Goldberg around. Not exactly Universal Title match material, methinks. As much as it pains me to say this, probably Lesnar will walk out Universal Champion. Blech.

Winner: Brock Lesnar

WWE Championship Match – Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

This is a feud that could have lasted another year and it would have been THE feud to look forward to in 2018. But you know how WWE loves to rush feuds for the sake of PPV buys (even though PPV buys don't really exist anymore what with the WWE Network and all), so they had the Wyatt Family drop the tag belts to American Alpha and hurried this feud to its logical conclusion about a year ahead of what I would schedule. And it definitely feels like they cut huge chunks out of what could have possibly been a fantastic, nearly two year long feud. The whole thing went from Orton being the servant one week to Orton burning down the Wyatt compound the next week. That could have been like four months' worth of build, but they crammed it into a week. And it just all feels so rushed. Don't get me wrong here: I LOVE Wyatt as champion. I just would have liked to see him hold it for, say, nine or ten months, just utterly dominating Smackdown alongside Orton, Harper, and possibly a returning Rowan. But here we are. I desperately want to see Wyatt retain, since he's deserved a world title run for years now, and an Orton victory would be Just Another Orton Victory. What I wouldn't mind seeing is this match getting overbooked to hell and back, with possible run-ins by Harper and Rowan and (if things go the way I would want them to go) the Broken Hardys. But that's fantasy booking, and I would have written a fantasy booking entry, but this week has been super busy. Against my better judgment, I am going to go with my heart and say Bray Wyatt retains. There's no logic to this pick. I just don't want to see Orton standing tall after a truncated, disappointing feud.

Winner: Bray Wyatt

Well, there you go. That was probably the longest entry I will ever write. At least until next year. Or unless I feel like writing a post-Mania entry. But even if I do, I doubt I will have time to do so until later in the week. I have a LOT of stuff coming up, and those things take precedence. If you managed to read this entire gargantuan entry, thank you, and also I'm sorry you had to read so much.

#life as a random dude knows it #writing #life #pro wrestling #wwe #wrestlemania 33 #picks #predictions

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