#i exaggerated a bit they have some significant differences

[ghostofsoup]

This is a bit random and not intended as an oc plug I SWEAR but when I watched epithet erased for the second time, I was super stuck with one of my ocs but fell so in love with giovanni's character to the point that, for I think the only time ever in my life, I straight up stole another fictional character's personality and just GAVE it to my oc and my partner and I still joke that they're literally the same character other than genre and the fact that the people in my oc's world are so stupid-naive that he's actually extremely competent lmfao. Giovanni potage but competent and an elf. can you imagine. well i can. i made it real

[mariasont]

What if I put an insane little idea in your head and let it bounce around? Mid seasons (7/8 ish?) Spencer with a kinnda sorta fangirl? She just started at the BAU and it’s not that she’s weird about him but she does have like 3 of his papers memorized down to the letter and she “possibly quoted him on her college application essay” (it’s the literal conclusion).

Like she’s just this little ball of excitement and he has no clue what to do when the team is like “ask her out for the love of god and stop making heart eyes when she lets you nerd out”

Sorry if this makes no sense it’s 2:30 in the morning

FANGIRL - S.R

a/n: AHHHHH BECAUSE WHAT IF I JUST SMOOCHED YOU

loved, loved, LOVED this idea and writing it! you are amazing <3

masterlist

pairings: spencer reid x fem!reader

warnings: reader being a fangirl for reid because WHO WOULDNT BE UGH

wc: 1.2k

"Dr. Reid, hi, it's such an honor. I'm the new agent."

You give him your name, hand extended out to him, bouncing off the balls of your feet. There was a badge pinned to your shirt, the clip attached to it gleaming in the fluorescent light, which despite its usual severity, seemed to soften around you.

Spencer comes to a standstill, his coffee suspended mid-sip, documents wrinkled in his hands as he assesses you. You are pretty. exceedingly so, but he's having trouble processing it, his mind still shrouded in the remnants of sleep. 

He blinks away his surprise. "Nice to meet you. Hotch must've briefed you about the team, I assume?"

He adjusted the heap of papers to under his arm, freeing his hand to meet yours. The softness he encountered prompted a momentary pause, awakening a sudden urge to not let go. However, he promptly set aside the thought, releasing your hand with a concealed hesitation. 

You fiddled with your earlobe, you shot him a sheepish smile. "Yeah, Hotch did, but I already knew a bit about you. I've always been a fan of your work. I mean, not like a fan per se, because that would be weird, right? But I've read all your papers, and they're just... they're brilliant, honestly."

Spencer was clearly caught off guard, his brows leaping upwards as he surveyed you. You weren't lying--that much was clear to him. He could see it in the way you met his eyes with an enthusiasm so bright it was nearly blinding.

"My work? You're actually familiar with it?"

A soft giggle bubbled from you, a sweet sound that seemed to momentarily leave him winded. He placed his coffee on the desk, leaning back slightly. 

"Oh, definitely. Your research on chemical composition analysis in narcotics? I've read it so many times I could probably recite it in my sleep."

He considered the possibility of you exaggerating. He took great pride in his work and (without sounding too cocky) he was well aware of its significance and contribution to his field. However, there's a difference between knowing your work is recognized and encountering someone who has internalized it to such a degree--especially someone like you. He suddenly felt a touch of self-consciousness.

"I'm sorry, that was too much, right? I promised I'd play it cool, and then I saw you and... well, it's all just really surreal," you said before gesturing vaguely towards the bullpen. "Anyway, I'm going to go, uh, find my desk."

You hurried away before he could refute your words, head bowed. He felt like an ass.

The day threw him off balance. His contributions to the team lacked their usual insight, his mental gears turning more slowly. And for some inexplicable reason, he found himself preoccupied with thoughts of you. He attempted to rationalize it as a reaction to your interest in his work, a level of admiration that was a rare find. Unlike the formal niceties from others, your excitement about his work, about him, stood out.

He tried to latch onto Hotch's deductions about the unsub, willing his intellect to snap to attention and offer up a decent theory. However, a glance in your direction derailed his efforts. You were bent over the desk, your hands animatedly navigating through the papers. He was happy to see your enthusiasm was there despite his lack thereof earlier.

"Based on the geographic profiling and the choice of victims, it looks like the unsub has a background in urban planning."

Emily nods, "Good theory. What led you to that?"

He watches the anxious flicker in your eyes, glancing towards him, hands clasped together as you incline your head his way.

"Actually, I read about a similar case in Dr. Reid's paper on The Spatial Patterns of Serial Offenses." It strikes him then--he hasn't yet invited you to use his first name, adding another tick to the ever-growing list of ways he feels he's been inadvertently discourteous. "The clustering of crime scenes near arterial routes suggests the offender leverages the urban grid to facilitate escape and avoid detection. Embarrassingly enough, that was the topic of my college application essay."

Spencer was momentarily speechless (not something that happened often), his mind racing through the physiological response to shock--catecholamine release, vagal tone alterations, even transient arrhythmias--mirroring the way his heart seemed to skip a beat. You really did have his work memorized.

"That's, uh, right," he said, his voice gaining momentum. "By leveraging the urban grid, the offender not only evades capture but also creates a psychological terrain of control."

Hotch nodded in agreement, turning your attention to a series of photographs.

Before Spencer even looked her way, he could sense Garcia's stare, and as he turned, she prodded him with her elbow, smirking. "Seems like she's quite the match for you, doesn't she?"

"Huh? What? No, I mean--she's my coworker, and besides, she's much younger." Spencer was quite sure he sounded anything but convincing.

Garcia raises an eyebrow, shaking her head. "I meant in terms of smarts, but oookay, Spencer."

She walked out with a bounce in that definitely hadn't been there earlier, and Spencer was left with a red face.

He had every intention of pulling you aside, to apologize for earlier, to reassure that he didn't find you odd or weird, and to admit that he was genuinely flattered. But it appeared that every time he had a chance to make it to your desk, you had vanished, or were in deep conversation with JJ, or inside Hotch's office.

It was a relentless cycle that persisted until the end of the day, when everyone began to leave--except for you, who remained still firmly planted at your desk, fervently jotting notes into your notebook.

Absorbed in your work, you didn't notice his approach until he cleared his throat.

"Hey," he said softly.

Startled, you flinched, prompting him to immediately feel like shit. Strike three. You laughed off the shock when you realized it was him, moving your notebook aside, offering him your undivided attention.

"Sorry, Dr. Reid, hi! How's it going? Is there something I can do for you?"

"I thought I'd see if you needed help with anything, and you can call me Spencer, if you want." He glanced at his watch. "Are you still working?"

You pushed a piece of hair from your face and nodded towards the formidable pile of forms. 

"Spencer, okay," you said, like you were testing it out, "and just sorting through a mountain of onboarding paperwork."

He nodded, hesitating slightly before speaking. "Listen, I need to apologize for earlier."

You tilted your head. "What for?"

"I think I wasn't as welcoming as I intended to be."

"That's okay, I know I was a bit intense."

He shook his head. "No, you weren't. It's just... It's rare that my work gets much attention. I'm happy you appreciated it. If there's a specific topic that you're more interested in, maybe I could explain more about it sometime?"

You glanced down at your hands, trying to hide the smile that was blooming there. You weren't successful. When you looked back up, Spencer felt a little bit awestruck by your eyes, the flecks of color that he could now see clearly.

"I'd love that. Maybe over coffee?" you suggested.

"Yeah, sure." He could feel the heat rushing up his neck. 

He reluctantly parted ways, leaving you to your paperwork, and as he approached the elevator, Penelope was there.

"You know, sugar, maybe I did mean quite the match in a romantic way. So, are you going to ask her out, or shall I play Cupid?"

He blushed. "I think she might have just beat me to it."

taglist: @hotchhner @khxna @readergf @sarcasm-and-stiles @edencherries @aurorsworld @princess76179 @malindacath @freyy253 @broadwaytraaaaash @r-3dlips @m-indkiller @sunfyyre @sleepysongbirdsings @trulycayla @reiderrambles

join my taglist here!

[valkyriexo]

idk why but i just wanted to show you this

Behave | Yang Jeongin

ᑉ³pairing; Jeongin x Reader

ᑉ³genre; Smut MDNI

ᑉ³warnings; Spanking, dirty talk, swearing, use of 'slut', 'Brat', 'Good girl' , Degrading, P in V, Rough sex , teasing, Masterbation (F) , oral (m. receiving) hair pulling, begging, edging, Brat and brat tamer dynamic, Mean dom Jeongin. Smut. SMUTTT minors do NOT interact

ᑉ³Authors Note; NAHH BECAUSE THE WAY THAT I WENT FERAL THE SECOND I SAW THIS. I HAD LIKE 100 DIFFERENT SENARIOS RACING IN MY HEAD. Also, i wrote the whole thing then tumblr deleted it, so I had to rewrite it. Sorry it took so long.

Jeongin, who one day receives an invitation to a gala hosted by Alexander McQueen. The event was a glamorous affair, with people dressed to the nines, mingling and chatting animatedly.

You, who didn't want to go, but knowing how significant it was for him, of course you were going to be there to support him.

You had excused yourself a few minutes ago to go to the bathroom and reapply your lipstick.

Jeongin looked incredibly handsome tonight, practically radiating allure. His perfectly tailored pinstripe suit jacket highlighted his broad shoulders, while his crisp white dress shirt clung to his lean, athletic frame, showcasing every defined muscle.

Muscles you wanted to kiss, and bite on while he fucked you.

You always had a way of driving him wild, but tonight, it seemed, you were in a particularly mischievous mood.

You finally returned, your lips now a perfect shade of red, and immediately caught Jeongin's eye. He smiled, eyes twinkling with amusement, as you approached. His hair was styled to perfection, a few loose strands falling over his forehead, adding a hint of casual elegance to his polished look, and looked like he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. His presence was magnetic, and you couldn't help but feel a rush of pride and excitement knowing that this stunning man was yours.

"All freshened up?" he said smiling at you.

You nodded, giving him a little twirl to show off your look. "Had to make sure I look my best for my handsome boyfriend."

Jeongin's gaze traveled over you, taking in every detail. The long, elegant dress you wore clung to your curves in all the right places, the deep emerald fabric shimmering under the ballroom lights. The dress had two daring slits up the sides, revealing tantalizing glimpses of your legs as you moved. The neckline was sophisticated yet alluring, framing your collarbones and drawing attention to the delicate necklace you wore. You looked absolutely stunning, and Jeongin's admiration was evident in his eyes.

"You look incredible," he murmured, his voice filled with genuine awe. His hand found its way to your waist, pulling you a little closer. "Absolutely breathtaking."

You leaned in, a playful smile on your lips, and pressed a soft, innocent kiss to his lips. "And you look incredibly handsome," you whispered, your breath warm against his.

You take this opportunity to slip your underwear into his coat.

By accident, of course.

Jeongin felt the soft material and looked down. Instantly, his cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and he glanced around anxiously, hoping no one had noticed

"What is this?" Jeongin murmured, feeling the soft material between his fingers.

You glanced up at him with exaggerated innocence in your eyes. "I don't know, Jeongin," you replied with faux sweetness. A smirk curled at the corners of your lips as you tilted your head slightly. "Why don't you find out?" you suggested, your tone intentionally bratty, relishing in teasing him

His hand tightened on your waist, and he stole another quick kiss before pulling back, a slightly dazed expression on his face. "You're gonna kill me, y/n," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

You gave him a coy look. All you wanted was a little bit of attention from him instead of having it all focused on the event.

But instead, he just gave you a playful scolding and then smoothly excused himself to mingle with someone else.

Rolling your eyes, you sighed inwardly, feeling a mixture of irritation and amusement. It seemed like Jeongin was determined to play by the rules tonight, even if it meant ignoring your playful antics.

Oh, well.

There were plenty of other ways to have fun and grab attention tonight.

With a sly smile, you sauntered onto the dance floor, your eyes scanning the room until they locked onto Jeongin. He was engaged in conversation with a group of people, his attention fully absorbed by the discussion. As the lively music filled the air, you spotted someone who seemed equally eager to let loose and have a good time, and you didn't hesitate to join them, seamlessly blending into the rhythm of the music.

As you danced with the stranger, you couldn't help but steal glances at Jeongin, who seemed increasingly agitated by your behavior. His brows furrowed, and his jaw clenched as he watched you, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a simmering frustration.

With each flirtatious move you made, Jeongin's anger seemed to grow, his grip tightening on his drink as he struggled to maintain his composure. Finally, unable to contain his emotions any longer, he abruptly excused himself from the group he was talking to and strode purposefully towards you.

"Y/N, what are you doing?" Jeongin's voice cut through the music, his tone a mixture of frustration and concern.

"What? I'm just dancing," you replied innocently, a playful glint in your eyes.

"Y/N, you're causing a scene. This is an important event. Behave," he urged, his voice firm.

"Make me," you challenged, intensifying your movements with a mischievous grin.

Jeongin's expression darkened, and he leaned in close, his breath warm against your ear. "If you don't behave, I'll have to punish you," he whispered, his tone laced with warning.

"Promise?" you teased, enjoying the thrill of pushing his buttons.

He shot you a stern look, his gaze piercing. "Behave, Y/N," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

You just smiled and continued dancing, making sure to rub your ass against him a little extra.

You had no intention of behaving. Not when the prospect of a punishment was so tempting.

You suddenly felt Jeongin's presence disappear, glancing around to see him heading in the direction of the bathroom. Confused and a bit concerned, you were left standing alone on the dance floor, surrounded by swirling couples and soft music. 

Deciding to leave the dance floor, you stepped to the side, your mind racing. You couldn't help but wonder if you'd inadvertently made him mad. As you reached a quieter corner, you pulled out your phone, hoping for some clue to his sudden departure. Your screen lit up with a notification— a message from Jeongin.

'you still want to misbehave?'

You opened it quickly and saw a photo of him in the bathroom mirror, holding a condom in his mouth.

Your heart skipped a beat, and a wave of heat hit your core. You looked around the ballroom, making sure no one was looking, as your mind was raced with possibilities. The next thing you knew, you were pushing open the door to the bathroom.

The bathroom was big, with stalls and a large, ornate mirror above the sink. You locked the door behind you, your heart pounding with anticipation.

It was empty except for Jeongin, who was leaning against the sink.

He was standing there, his pants already unbuttoned and unzipped. He had a condom in his hand and a stern look on his face.

"So you decide to be a fucking brat. The one day I need you to behave," he said, walking towards you, his eyes dark and filled with desire.

You knew what was coming, and while your heart raced with fear, you couldn't help but feel a hint of excitement at the thought of being punished by him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't do it again," you said, backing up into the sink.

"I don't think you are," he said, walking towards you. He pulled you and pushed your hips into the sink, his hands firmly grasping your waist. His fingers dug into the soft flesh beneath your dress, pulling it to the side, revealing your round, peachy ass. You let out a small gasp, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he exposed you for his punishment. 

"You just wanted attention, didn't you" Jeongin growled, his voice low and menacing. "I've had enough of your games. It's time for you to learn your lesson."

His hand came down swiftly, landing with a loud smack against your bare skin. You yelped in surprise.

"I j-just wanted to-" You began.

“Did I say you could speak?” He said in a stern tone, earning you another hard smack. You nodded feverishly. He continued, each strike harder than the last, each one leaving a fiery imprint on your delicate flesh.  Your eyes welling up with tears as the sting of his punishment echoed through the room.

As Jeongin's punishment came to an end, he pushed you to your knees, forcing you to look up at him with wide, frightened eyes. His pants fell to the floor, revealing his hard, throbbing cock that stood at attention, eager for your mouth. 

"Is this what you wanted, slut? To be on your knees for me?"  You nodded frantically at him, your eyes full of lust and longing. You could feel the heat rising between your thighs as you wrapped your lips around his shaft. His hands tangled in your hair, guiding you as you took him deeper into your throat, swallowing his length with each stroke.

His moans were quietly as he was determined to not let you know how good you made him feel, But you could feel his grip on your hair tighten as he thrust deeper into your mouth. You could feel the saliva dripping down your chin. He began to fuck your mouth roughly, his cock sliding in and out of your throat with each thrust. You choked around his cock, tears pricking your eyes as his tip hit the back of your throat continuously.

"Speak now brat..... Come on. I can't hear you." He thrusted harder and harder into you. You felt his cock twitch in your mouth, his cum spurting into your throat. You swallowed, wanting to avoid any more punishments.

He pulled you to your feet, his eyes blazing with lust. He turned you around, pressing you against the cold, porcelain sink once again. Your chest heaved with anticipation, your nipples hardening at the thought of his cock inside you.

"Beg for my cock." He stated. You were caught off guard by his request, and for a moment you were silent. "You want it? Beg for it," he commanded once again

"Please, Jeongin," you whimpered, your voice quiet.

"I'm sorry what was that? I cant hear you", He said taking a step closer.

"Please, fuck me, I need your cock inside me." You cry out.

"You're such a dirty little slut," he growled, his voice thick with lust. "I can't believe you're begging for my cock."

"Please," you moaned again "I need you to fuck me, please, fuck me hard."

Jeongin reached for the condom he had left on the sink and slid it onto his throbbing member. He positioned himself behind you, his hands gripping your waist as he prepared to take you.You let out a soft sigh, your eyes closed as you felt his cock pressing against your slick entrance.

"You're so wet, you dirty little slut," he murmured, his cock sliding around your entrance. "You're desperate for my cock, aren't you?"

You moaned and bit your lip.

"Tell me how much you want my cock," he commanded, his voice a low growl.

"Fuck me.... please. I need you," you say, whining.

Without warning, Jeongin thrust into you, filling you completely with his thick, hard length. You cried out, your voice echoing through the room as he began to pump into you with long, powerful strokes. 

Your cries of pleasure grew louder with each thrust, your body trembling with desire as he claimed you as his own. Jeongin's hands roamed your body, his fingers digging into your hips as he fucked you with wild abandon.

"That's it, you little whore," he growled, his hips thrusting forward. "Take my cock." The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, accompanied by your moans of pleasure and his growls of satisfaction. 

"Yes, J-Jeongin," you moaned, you body trembling with pleasure. "Fuck me harder, please, fuck me harder."

"Oh? Are you telling me what to do?" You nodded your head 'no' frantically not wanting him to stop.

Jeongin reached around, his fingers finding you sensitive clit. He began to circle it, applying just the right amount of pressure to send you over the edge. You cried out, your body trembling uncontrollably.

Your eyes were starting to become glossy. You began to clench around his cock. You could barely form a coherent response, only able to focus on the cock that was fucking you so well and dumb and the obscene sounds of you wetness coating his length. Jeongin continued to fuck you, his pace quickening as he felt his own release approaching. He thrust into you one final time, his cock twitching as he filled the condom with his hot, sticky cum. 

Just as you were a bout to reach your climax, your pussy clenching around his cock, Jeongin pulled out of you. you moaned loudly, your hips bucking against the air.

"No... No... No. please," you whined, your body trembling with need.

"No.. No. I only let good girls cum on my cock." You whimpered, your eyes pleading with him to continue.

You felt a surge of desperation, your heart pounding in your chest. "I promise, I'm a good girl," you insisted, your voice softening as you looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes. The atmosphere between you grew thick with tension, the air crackling with a mix of challenge and desire.

Jeongin's eyes darkened, a smirk playing on his lips as he studied your expression. He reached out, his fingers gently tracing your jawline, sending shivers down your spine. "Oh, really?" he murmured, his voice low and filled with a dangerous edge. "And what makes you think you've been a good girl?"

Your breath hitched as his fingers continued their slow, deliberate path along your skin. "I promise," you repeated, your voice barely a whisper. "I'll be good. Just, please..."

Jeongin's smirk widened, and he leaned in closer, his breath hot against your ear. "You want to cum?"

You nodded frantically hoping he would fuck you again.

"Play with yourself then." He said taking a step back from you. He discarded the used condom in the nearby trash can and pulled up his pants.

You were caught off guard by Jeongin's request and hesitated for a moment. He had never denied your orgasm before. But the desire in your eyes and the heat between your legs was too much to resist.

"Dont make me repeat myself." He said. You began to touch herself, her fingers exploring your pussy as Jeongin watched intently.

"That's it, baby," Jeongin murmured, his voice low and seductive. "Play with your pussy for me. Make yourself cum."

You increased the pressure, your fingers sliding along your clit and into your wetness. You stuck two fingers into yourself, moaning from the sensation. Your fingers moved faster, your breath coming in short, ragged gasps. You could feel the tension building inside you, the pleasure growing more intense with each passing moment. Jeongin, seeing you on the brink of climax, whispered dirty words into her ear, pushing her closer to the edge.

"Cum for me, baby. Cum hard on your fingers. I want to see you cum."

Your eyes squeezed shut, your body tensing as you reached the peak of pleasure. With one final thrust of your fingers, you cried out, your body trembling with the force of your orgasm.

"I hope you've learned your lesson, brat," he whispered, his tone both mocking and affectionate.

Before you could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving you alone in the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and you were left standing there, heart racing and mind whirling with a flood of emotions.

With trembling hands, you cleaned yourself up and smoothed out the fabric of your dress, adjusting it to sit just right. A quick glance in the mirror reassured you that your makeup hadn't smudged, but your cheeks were flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure.

Gathering your composure, you made your way to the door, determined to follow Jeongin.

ઇଓ M.LIST | Ko-Fi | Taglist | Thank you for your support ♡ | Consider leaving a comment, reblog or like ♡ | © 2024 Valkyriexo 

ઇଓ Taglist

@kayleefriedchicken  @stellasays45 @beautyandmentalbreakdown @bo-fairykim @hopefulrascalstatesmantoad

@seunghancore @skzruby @kimahreummm

Red means you are not able to be tagged! Please Send me a dm to get removed from the taglist.

[the-curious-butterfly]

While it wasn’t quite so early in the morning when the infamous Red of Hearts decided to barge into her office, again, it was around the time Uma was about to sit down and enjoy a quick cup of coffee before the more hectic parts of her day would begin. So perhaps you could forgive her for entertaining the thought of throwing the red head out the window. It was only for a second, she would assure you. As a principle she must not condone violence.

As a pirate, well, that’s different.

But she’s actually gotten quite use to Red coming into her office what feels like every other day, sometimes welcomed sometimes not, always for one reason or another. That a part of her actually kind of expected it.

What she did not expect was for Red to fling/splay herself upon the couch as if she was in a therapy session and for the first words out of her mouth to be. “Chloe won’t kiss me.”

Uma very nearly did a spit take as she placed her mug down upon her desk. “What?” Was the girl really coming to her Principal for relationship advice? Not that she was any bad at it, but really?

Red ignored the sound of Uma nearly choking in favor of her own problems. “At first I thought it was because she didn’t actually like me like that. That she only agreed to date me because I had no experience with love and she felt bad for me. I mean, every time I tried to take our relationship to the next level she always turned away, how could I not think that right?”

“Hmm.”

“Except I finally confronted her about it and you know what she says?”

“I can’t imagine what it could be.” Uma genuinely means that too, everyone knows Chloe really likes Red, like a lot. Whatever is holding her back has to be rather significant.

“She said, I can’t kiss you Red, if I do then I’ll have to marry you.”

Oh hex, Uma should not have tried to take another sip so soon. This time her throat was too preoccupied to even get the word out so she thought it in her head. ‘What?’ Fortunately the lack of response didn’t matter to Red in the least.

“Suffice to say, that really threw me for a loop so I very calmly and gently asked her ‘what the hex are you talking about?’ And her response was ‘that’s how it always happens, Red. Once true loves kiss is shared it’s marriage and happily ever after. Don’t get me wrong, I really like you, and don’t mind at all the thought of marrying you. But we’re only sixteen, and what if you find out being tied down with me is not what you wanted. After all you’re all about-“

“Breaking rules and causing trouble?”

“She used the word freedom.”

“Course she did. Red, did you come to me for reassurance that wedding bells won’t start ringing the second your lips touch your Charming’s?”

Though she provides no response Red gives her a look that is actually rather innocent coming from her, cluing Uma in that she’s on the right track.

“Look, I can’t say that it won’t. She’s right, these fairytales feel like they happen fast. You two have all the makings of a fairytale if I ever saw one, and I was even there to witness Ben and Mal back in the day.” She pauses for a moment as she considers her next words. “But let me ask you something. Would that really be so bad?”

“I’m…not sure.” Red’s response is rather honest and genuine so Uma continues with the same.

“Red, these people didn’t get married because their fairytale told them to. It’s because they loved each other so much that the thought of cementing it in stone, or carving it out into the hull of a ship just felt right.”

Red really looked as if she was truly taking in what Uma was saying…for once.

“Now, to think you’ll be married so soon after your first kiss is a bit of an exaggeration. That kid is surprisingly sheltered for one so good with swords.”

“Tell me about it.”

“But, if it does happen some time in the future. I ask again, would it really be so bad?”

After a moment of thought Red offers Uma a small and genuine smile. “No, I don’t think it would.”

“Now go get that kiss.” Huh, why does that line remind her of something from years ago, royals are so weird. “And for the love of the sea can you please stop breaking into my office with or without me in it!”

“Thanks a lot, Principal Uma, I’ll see you later.” Red calls back as she leaves rather cheerfully, causing Uma to grin despite herself.

“Red of Hearts, I know you heard me.”

….

“Red!”

[enlitment]

i am curious about robespierre and camille and “doomed by the narrative”, if you are free i would love to learn some more about them since i only have basic frev knowledge!

- @iron--and--blood

Thank you so much for the ask! ✨

The short version is that they started off as school friends and got separated for a couple of years after finishing their studies. Then the revolution started in 1789 and brought them together again by uniting them in their shared goal, only to completely tear them apart in 1794. And by ‘completely tear them apart’, I mean that Robespierre was one of the people who signed the decree for Camille’s arrest which led to his execution in 1794. Talk about star-crossed…

The answer would not have been possible without this great article by @anothehumaninthisworld btw! Definitely go read it if you haven’t already and are craving more information.

Both Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre studied at Lous-le-Grand, the former Jesuit school, in Paris. Camille was 2 years younger than Maximilien, but they definitely knew each other, and there is a strong suggestion that they were friends back then. Later, Robespierre calls Camille his ‘study companion’, ‘college comrade’ and (and this will be important later, so just put a pin in that) ‘a talented young man without mature judgement’. Their favourite topic to discuss with each other was apparently the Roman Republic - because of course it was. I also like to imagine they bonded over their enthusiasm for classical authors!

Although two years is not that much of an age difference, a lot of people (including Przybyszewska, who takes it to the max) picked up on the fact that their dynamic was kind of like this:

picture by @did-slid-skid (hope it’s okay to share it, if not then I’ll take it down. Give it a like here!)

…and it sort of continued to be like that until the bitter end, but let’s not get ahead too much.

Once the revolution kicked off and Camille started publishing his first newspaper, he seems to have tried to capitalise on the fact that he knew Robespierre,whose political career at that time was already gaining significant traction (in a bit of ‘I’m so proud of my famous talented friend! Just look at Robespierre! And have I mentioned he is *my* friend?!’ kind of way). At this point, Camille might have had an incentive to exaggerate their closeness a bit to help his own journalistic career.

But I think it’s fair to say their relationship became closer once again sometime during 1790 since Robespierre was not only a witness at Camille’s wedding to Lucile, but he also became a godfather to Camille’s and Lucile’s son Horace, according to some sources. And if not a godfather, then definitely at least an occasional babysitter.

Also not super relevant from a historical perspective but the wedding scene in La Revolution Francaise is very cute, despite the film's many issues:

Then, around late 1793 and the first half of 1794, things got really messy. I mean, they were always really complex of course, it was the revolution and fractions kept forming and falling in quite a rapid succession. I mean messy specifically in regards to Camille. To put something really complicated as simply as possible, Camille started to be associated with the Indudgents/Dantonists - a name coined for the political fraction which included figures like Georges Danton and Fabre d'Églantine, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal.

Around that time, Camille also started publishing a newspaper – La Vieux Cordellier – which criticised the actions of the Committees and as such, came to be seen as something that was actively undermining the authority and the efforts of the revolutionary government.

There was quite a heated public exchange between Camille and Robespierre in January 1794 at the Jacobin Club. It also marks one of the greatest instances of what I like to call ‘using Rousseau as a weapon”.

Basically, Robespierre ordered Camille to destroy the copies of his journal, to which Camille replied by quoting Rousseau and saying "to burn is not to answer." It's important to know that Rousseau was *the* hero of Robespierre - a fact of which Camille was fully aware - so this was meant to cut deep. It must have stung!

Robespierre then replied “Learn, Camille, that if you were not Camille, one could not have so much indulgence for you”. This to me really illustrates the nature of their relationship at this point in time.

I am not sure how much of this is actually historically accurate and how much is my view based on the interpretations of their relationship in the media, but the sense I get is that Robespierre was quite protective of Camille until he felt like he had no choice but to move against him.

Despite the small age difference, there seemed to have been kind of an older, wiser person in a protective role/younger man led astray (or, if you want to go the Przybyszewka's route, acting like a brat) dynamic. Robespierre is quoted referring to Camille as a ‘spoilt child’. I mean, Camille might have been one of the first people to be called enfant terrible (I swear I saw it somewhere and did not hallucinate it, right?), despite being a man in his 30s.

Camille's whole vibe is somehow 30+ going on 14. Like that's pretty much a historical canon.

But then, in one way or another, the situation reached a point where for Robespierre, the importance of preserving the revolutionary cause outweighed the importance of friendship with Camille - his old college comrade. (DOOMED BY THE NARRATIVE!)

In March 1794, Robespierre, as a member of the Committee of Public Safety, was among the people who signed Camille’s arrest warrant and thus, with a stroke of a pen, sealed his fate.

blood and ink parallel etc etc you get it ~

According to Robespierre’s sister, Charlotte, Maximilien tried to visit his friend in prison. I'm including a longer version of the quote because it is fascinating! Przybyszewska includes this supposed event in her play, The Danton case. It is also something which I may or may not have capitalised on in my own writing. Ahem.

"all I know is that my brother had much love for Camille Desmoulins, with whom he had studied, and that when he learned of his arrest and his incarceration in the Luxembourg he went to that prison in the intention of imploring Camille to return to the true revolutionary principles he had abandoned to ally himself with the aristocrats. Camille did not want to see him; and my brother, who would probably have defended and perhaps saved him, abandoned him to the terrible justice of the Revolutionary Tribunal."

An important question though is whether we can trust Charlotte as a source here… (most likely no?) If it were true though, it just screams doomed by the narrative (and own hubris?) to me.

Lucile Desmoulins, Camille’s wife, meanwhile tried to plea for Camille’s release by writing to Robespierre and trying to remind him of his and Camille’s friendship:

Have you forgotten these ties which Camille can never remember without tenderness? You who prayed for out union, who took our hands into yours, you who have smiled at my son and whom his infantile hands have caressed so many times (…) Even if he (…) hadn’t been as attached to the republic, I figure his attachment to you would have functioned as a substitute for patriotism, and you think that for this we deserve death?

(I’m not crying you’re crying)

Lucile’s letter, however, did not help to change Robespierre’s mind and overturn the decision. On 16 Germinal Year II (5th of April 1794), Camille Desmoulins was executed, along with other Dantonists.

Just one more line that always makes me sad, to really rub it in as a special treat – from Camille’s letter to his wife from prison:

“I have dreamed of a Republic such as all the world would have adored. I could never have believed that men could be so ferocious and so unjust.”

Or, as @anotherhumaninthisworld aptly puts it in the tags, Camille and Maximilien’s relationship essentially boils down to this:

(Really funny, but ouch.)

Their relationship also features prominently in the works by S. Przybyszewska, an early 20th century Polish playwright who very much picks up on the potentially queer vibes of Camile's and Maximilien's dynamic and just runs with it. She's much loved by the French Revolution Tumblr fandom for writing what is essentially a beautiful extremely angsty historical RPF in the 1920s.

[yinyangofnevermore]

So you’re considering watching RWBY

Or you’re trying to convince someone else to watch it

(I made another similar post about this a while back)

But you/they aren’t sure. Something is holding you/them back. Like:

“But the animation n stuff is SO BAD!” - Sure. In the beginning it’s not great (though many of us now look back on those early volumes with fondness.) But you have to understand, RWBY started as a passion project at a small company with a budget of like $20 (yes I’m exaggerating but STILL.) They simply didn’t have the funds for good animation. But, after volume 3 came out, the show became a literal international hit and so the budget increased. And, subsequently, so did the animation quality. You can see that progression easily enough here. The quality goes from this:

To this:

“It looks stupid and childish!” - Yeah, in the beginning it’s meant to seem silly. And it still has its cartoonishly silly moments later on too. But those silly moments are meant to soften the blow of the PAIN. Because, while RWBY starts off as a silly, “good always triumphs over evil” slice of life magic academy type show it does not STAY that. There is PAIN. LOTS OF IT! If you keep watching, you’ll find out within like 6 hrs worth of watching that it’s not just some silly slice of life show. There is a complete 180 along the way when you find out what RWBY is truly about. The show actually delves into some pretty heavy stuff. PTSD, abuse, neglect, abandonment issues, alcoholism, loss, the inability to move on from loss for some, and more. For more on this, check out this post.

“I saw some stuff on Twitter/Tumblr/Youtube about how bad it is.” - That’s because there are ppl out there who want the show to be something it’s not. Or they got upset when things didn’t happen the way they wanted. Like Blacksun shippers or Adam and Ironwood Stans. Or they just want to shit on something. But EVERY show has its haters. Every piece of media has its haters. And they like to be loud edgelords about it. Sometimes just to be controversial and pick a fight. But that doesn’t mean shit. There are ppl out there who absolutely hate your favorite pieces of media, whether you’re aware of it or not. And that doesn’t stop you from liking it, does it? Don’t let a few haters prevent you from potentially finding your new favorite thing. Because there are a LOT of ppl out there who absolutely LOVE this show.

“I tried watching the first few episodes and I just... Couldn’t.” - Dude, I get it. Trust me. I did the same exact thing when I started watching. I watched the first couple of episodes and literally turned it off. But then I saw a few ppl posting about it here on Tumblr a while later and gave it a second shot on a whim. And BOY did it not disappoint when I got far enough in (and yes, that took a minute.) Mind you, this was back when Volume 3 was originally airing, so the drastic improvements in animation hadn’t happened yet. But I stuck with it anyways. And now look at me. But the show does take a while to really ramp up, so to speak. The beat doesn’t DROP until a bit later on in volume 3.

But, if you enjoy character growth and analysis, then you will most likely enjoy this show. The number of analyses on Tumblr and prolly Twitter as well are MANY. The main 4 characters are badass ladies learning how to fight and deal with life. Every character in the show is based on either a fairy tale, mythology, history, pop culture, etc. (sometimes they have multiple allusions to different degrees) and teasing out those details on top of everything else is quite fun if you enjoy searching for Easter eggs, significant imagery, foreshadowing, parallels, and so on. Interesting villains too. Not just the standard “Evil Witch because she’s evil with henchmen” thing. But fleshed out villains that have their Reasons™️. Like “Cinderella took so much abuse as a kid/teenager that she fucking snapped” type reasons. There is SO MUCH you can delve into with this show if you want to. Details as small as a whale statue in Gepetto’s office, or Belle reading a book with a candelabrum that looks like Lumiere, or characters wearing the colors of the person they love, or characters having eyes the color of their love’s aura (an extension of their soul.) SO MANY PLACES TO FIND THESE DETAILS. Including the lyrics to the music.

Which leads me to the music in this show is freaking AWESOME. And if you can’t appreciate that Casey Lee Williams has been singing in these soundtracks since she was like 13 or 14 (and listening to how she’s grown as a musician throughout it all to the point where she is now one of the music leads for the show) then I don’t know what to tell you. The music is all produced in house. And the lyrics reflect that. Each song is from the perspective of a RWBY character (or like team RWBY in general, depending on the song) and the lyrics give insights either about the characters or about stuff in the show (lore, foreshadowing, etc.) And they’re as fun to analyze as they are to jam out to.

The writing is FANTASTIC. Is it perfect? No. Of course not. They made mistakes along the way. Prolly will make some more. But every piece of media does to some extent. People aren’t perfect and so neither are their creations. But those imperfections don’t outweigh how amazing the story they’ve woven is. The writers of RWBY constantly subvert expectations in a BRILLIANT way. Not in a “wtf?? Where did that come from?” sort of way. But in a “OMG! Now that I go back and watch this again it makes SO MUCH SENSE” sort of way. And things that happen in early volumes actually COME BACK to affect things later. The show doesn’t just MOVE ON. The writers have been playing the long game this whole time. And rewatches will almost always show new details and foreshadowing you might have missed before.

Also, it GAY. And it’s THE major romance of the show. Not just a side story. And the voice actors are the Captains of the Ship! And it’s a beautifully written slow burn romance (amongst other romances also in the show) with yearning and pining for DAYS.  I believe it was Monty who said, “Good romance is earned.” And boy are they earning it!

So, in short, FUCKING WATCH RWBY.

DAMMIT.

If you do decide to watch, Volumes 1-8 are all on RoosterTeeth.com for free or everything is on Crunchyroll. And I definitely suggest starting with the 4 trailers, in order: Red, White, Black, then Yellow.

[mikuni14]

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo - Ep 1-2

Most BL series I watch follow a familiar path: there are 2-3 memorable scenes per episode that I have a normal, healthy meltdown about.

However, every now and then there are series like The Eighth Sense, Love For Love's Sake, The On1y One, which are about 96% made up of only significant, important scenes 💀 And I bet some of them even think to themselves: "you know what, that's not enough", and they put two episodes in at once. Which instead of giving me a regular, week-long sugar rush, which is normal, which is healthy, they just put me straight in a coma 😆

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a worthy successor to the above series.

After watching these two episodes, I feel in love with it, but also overstimulated and have a massive case of FOMO, meaning I'm sure I missed / forgot / both a ton of details imprtant for the story. Luckily, the massive sugar rush makes up for it 🧁🤡

Below is a random, incomplete list of things that I really liked:

how real this series is in all aspects. There are no exaggerated scenes, there are no scenes in which there is an "imagination" of how something should look, there is no exaggeration or sanitization, e.g. how to show domestic violence. For example, running away from home without even taking a jacket, or how JuYeong behaves differently trying to stop the violence towards DoHoe from other boys and from his father, when you can see how he doesn't know how to behave in the latter case, because it is a family issue, the perpetrator is a parent, which can worsen the situation of the victim, and then there is the cultural aspect of "respect for elders". These are details, but they are INCREDIBLY REALISTIC

how the series shows domestic violence, bullying, life in a closet, homophobia, but again without exaggeration, without overly dramatic scenes, with respect for the victims, without the fetish of watching someone's suffering. We know who is suffering and how they are suffering and the series also treats us, the viewers, with respect for our intelligence. And again - everything is very realistic thanks to this

the characters know who they are in terms of their sexual orientation, they know who they like. I love that after their first kiss JuYeong and DoHoe kind of… "fall" straight into their relationship, bypassing all the awkwardness, denial, drama. They are just like: ok, there is no point in pretending that we didn't kiss, so let's keep going lol (I missed this "awareness" that 'we are in this together' in The On1y One)

naturally I move from this on to the scene of looking for places to make out, then the sitting in the car, when you can see that both of them are not thinking about anything else and how they kiss and they are a bit awkward, a bit shy, a bit funny, but so eager that it is visible from space. This is also very realistic, I had such experiences when I was a teenager 😄 Apart from that, I'm a huge fan of BL series, in which the characters are horny for each other and it shows

how they flirt with each other - this is the kind of barely noticeable flirtation, which was also visible in the series I mentioned above. It's so good!!!!

I love how much they do for each other, it's so lovely in such a simple, uncomplicated way. The most ordinary things, such as a train of thought: "oh, it's raining, he doesn't have an umbrella, I'll go get him so he doesn't get wet", "for what the father does, his son will pay, I have to do something", caring for the other person in ordinary, everyday situations - these are the things that always choke me with emotions

I like the intelligent, calm storytelling, in which we gradually get to know the characters. The plot throws in a sentence, a gesture here, a scene there, and that's how we get to know the characters and their past

there's also a turn-of-the-century vibe here, like the late 90s and early 2000s, very realistic and impossible to fake. a bit traumatic too tho...

the whole situation with HyeonHo… ok, don't get me wrong, I hate bullies, I hate closeted bullies even more in BLs, but when such a story is well written, especially in manga or ff because I perceive drawings and written words differently, like here, then normally I would eat such a dramatic, toxic relationship up 😤🤡

when JuYeong, who is normally incredibly lovely, dorky and cute, organized a snow experience for DoHoe and exceeded the acceptable level of cuteness per minute of a BL series in the scene when he peeks from over the gate. it was the sweetest scene ever 🧁🧁🧁💖✨🥺

This series is really good, but because after watching the first episodes I found out that we were going to have a time skip and PAIN, a natural reaction developed in me to control my feelings a bit, so that I wouldn't be too sad and upset later. I'm a big fan of Where Your Eyes Linger by the same creator, where the time skip was bearable and there was a happy ending, so I hope it will be the same this time 😊

[fraeuleintaka]

Investigations 2 Official Anthology Manga

This is the 75th post in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Countdown: 6 days left until release!

Today's topic: the Investigations 2 Official Anthology Manga!

After three entire volumes of anthology comics for Investigations 1 it's time to get to the anthology manga for Investigations 2! "Sadly", there's only one but that's about how many I would've expected for a single game so I'm not going to complain. This one was by far the hardest to get, as it's barely available anywhere even in used condition. But I got it! In regards to its content, it's very similar to the first two I1 volumes I talked about: several short stories of varying length, for this one most are several pages long, from different artists that aren't canon to the games. It's again a nice mixture of funny and serious scenes (most of them being funny, of course) and most interactions are in-character (apart from some exaggerations for humour) so could be taken as canon as far as they don't contradict anything (like the actual timeline of the case). It also has some nice coloured (and not coloured) artworks!

I only have one small criticism in comparison to the other anthologies and that is that while most of the stories are about our main trio getting up to shenanigans related to what happens in I2, like at its locations and with its case-specific characters, the new main characters (except Ray (Eddie)) feel a little neglected. Both Sebastian (Eustace) and Justine (Verity) only appear in about 1-2 stories each with a significant role. That's a little disappointing considering they're both such fantastic characters. The stories are still a lot of fun, don't get me wrong, I just would've liked a bit more involvement from these two. Anyway, on to a few of the highlights, my favourite (out of context) panels and pages:

A Tragedy in Three Acts

Kay has some fun with what Little Thief can "re-create"

Lotta and Nicole (Tabby) really want to get that interview with Miles

Gumshoe and Ray try to avoid Franziska's whip in... creative ways (they fail, Miles told them so)

Sebastian tries very hard to get involved in Miles' "case" (Awww~)

Justine's hammer strike is so powerful that it leaves an imprint in the floor! (And makes Miles' cravat fly in his face)

A team of Great Thieves! (Love the detail of Miles' "flying" in a much more elegant pose than the typical "superhero" one! And that he still has his cravat over his Yatagarasu scarf! Perfect team right there!)

[silverview]

alright i’m shifting back into tlw mode. i'm finally writing a fic from chas's POV and it's sticking a little bit. i know i can never actually do justice to him but the attempt is being made and i have a lot of thoughts, i'm just going to throw them all down in one place

chas might be my all-time favourite in9 character. reece has described the performance as being basically the same as he gives in sardines, which is a fair comparison honestly – the difference isn’t really in the performance or the character as much as in the circumstances. as in, stuart doesn’t do much relatively speaking and he never really has to shift gears onscreen. whereas chas is what you’d get if that character went through literally the full spectrum of human emotion onscreen in the space of half an hour, including an extended closeup on him experiencing the most extreme betrayal and mortal terror it’s possible to imagine, while covered in gunk and immobilised from the neck down. it's an extreme exercise in humanising/complicating a stock character, and it's an extraordinary performance. chas’s vulnerability and humour and courage carry the entire episode. and his little dancey dance. i love him for his defence mechanisms and the pain and heart that's underneath when he lets them drop. i love him for losing his dream, and coping with it terribly, and being forced to rebuild his life and his sense of self. i love him for being a bad person and a good person

and YES i love him for being camp!!!! i watched the original boys in the band recently and recognised so much of chas in some of those characters, especially emory, both as written + performed. crucially the humanising/complicating of a comedy stock character for pathos. tlw is only two seasons out from how do you plead and i think that contributed to some negative reactions about reece's camp performances being too exaggerated and/or too frequent. i don't think many people really noticed that urban explicitly, intentionally speaks & acts that way as part of his job. he is a man who is explicitly playing a character for most of his screentime. why exactly he does it in that particular way is not clear to me. i am desperate to understand that episode & character better, partly because i feel like unlocking it would also provide a key to better understanding their overall handling of gay characters & themes

i've talked before about chas and simon being linked by the experience of death by parasocial rejection. lately i've been thinking about how this strand of rejection (in a less fatal but still tragic form) also runs through reece's characters in merrily merrily and plodding on. "i never responded in kind" = *suffocates you with a pillow* = "move on" = "i don't even know if we are friends anymore." why is he always the one who loves too much, discovering that his feelings are not reciprocated? and why is this tendency punished so much more violently in episodes where it's figured as explicitly gay, hmm? if you read the end of plodding on as resolving the rift in that episode, then it's also resolving this long-running meta arc; if you read it as unresolved then it is also leaving the meta arc unresolved

anyway here's my tlw timeline. i have joe & chas being born in 1965 + 1975 respectively. that puts chas in his early 20s in the late 90s when atlantic 5 was active, 30 when olivia attempted suicide, 39 when he met joe, and 48 when he died. if you listen to the audio described version it literally does differentiate them as being "the younger one" / "the older one," even though that's not explicit in the episode. they do need a bit of an age gap to make the backstory work. idk, i know they have a small age gap irl – it's just funny to me that they managed to turn that into a more noticeable/significant age gap through sheer looks and vibes

and here is my tlw playlist and here is my dedicated chas playlist, which has some overlap and is still evolving and is a mix of songs about him + pure vibes. i get really emo thinking about him listening to eternal flame as a sad teenager and dreaming of finding love someday :/

[justasensitiveplant]

As promised here is a post about the blorbo of my own making, Niki! I'll go into a bit if a trip with this so buckle up. Details under the read more

@the-great-old-grump here goes

Stats

Age 30

Married

(Ex) Navy

Idk what else

While I adore the boat design and want to continue and develop it further, Niki is originally a human. Her story aims to restore a bit of faith in humanity and help me understand it as a whole by answering what exactly is the human nature. The AU premise generally assumes that vehicles have a human origin and their personality is an imperfect mirror of what humans perceive as themselves. Now, to some backstory.

Niki, in both HAU ( Human AU) and CAU (Carstober AU) is somewhat mysterious in a sense that her past is not really known by anybody. She has served in the navy for a good amount of time and has seen a thing or two, and she has also taken part in recon missions. More so in HAU she has managed to go up in  the ranks quite a lot, and in both she has managed to get herself quite a reputation. After some significant jading and general no-fucks-left-ification we can assume she falls solidly in the aloof mentor type. She's a solid and calm person, very dependable and, with a matter-of-fact quality, its hard to find a situation she'd be embarrassed by. She generally devoted her time to protecting her found-familly, since it consists of generally very traumatised people ( and that way she can project and avoid her own issues !! Yay!!). With a series of complicated events she ends up meeting and falling in love with her husband (major "cringe" warning here)

Her husband originally ( as originally Niki was an oc insert in Cars 2) was Siddeley the jet (humanised). The thing is, nowadays the characters share a name and appearance, but the backstory, personality, and any other thing of substance is changed. So much so that his appearance in the movie barely makes sense. That's generally not a problem when I'm staring at a wall daydreaming but this is a public space, so we'll say the character has been switched with an original one of similar make. Idk man. Do I know how I got here? Yes very much so. Can I explain it? Not really....

No matter who represents her husband, they are irredeemably in love, and together they heal past trauma, learn to be vulnerable and whatever other tooth rotting fluff you can imagine. Someone told them that to love another you must love yourself and they both went like "bet" and aggressively got to work.

Another important part is that she is disabled! As a human she has had and over the knee amputation and is using a prosthetic, most days with a walking stick.  The scar across her face is a mystery one, she'll tell a different story every time sb asks. The dragon one was an all time favourite.... I'm working to figure out a way to translate that into her boat design....

I want to also make kind of clear that she's usually not so murder happy as the Carstober artwork suggests. She can do it, and probably has tbh, but there exists an exaggeration for spooky purposes, and the victims are usually past antagonists.

Anyway, here's a little thing of info for Niki.... She is a work in progress for the last 10 years so there's much more than this. I don't even know if this has a coherent train of thought.  My asks are open if there's anything that doesn't make sense or isn't touched upon

[sarkyfancypants]

Borderlands: My honest thoughts

Warning/Disclaimer: Long rant and personal opinions from someone who knows a little too much about the games and maybe spoilers.

What can be said that hasn't been said about Borderlands? The gameplay is fine but its story has wasted potential? That the fanbase keeps getting rear-ended by the franchise's creator who can't pay his workers right and suffers a meltdown from getting feedback and critiques? That it's been taking a slow nosedive after BL3 as the characters and plots keep getting dumber, slowly losing its loyal fans?

That third statement may be a bit of an exaggeration but I have heard people feeling exasperated about how many tumbles Borderlands has taken with Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (although that's not directly a Borderlands game, much more of a spinoff) and The New Tales from The Borderlands which nearly drove me into tears from how awful it was...

I'm not counting the movie, that's it's own thing, but I'll just say it is equally as disappointing.

I'm gonna start with a phrase I heard someone say:

"Handsome Jack was the start and the end of Borderlands".

Stay with me.

Borderlands didn't have a proper plot to begin with, and it was until BL2 when things started to pick up and you can't deny Handsome Jack was part of the reason it became the talk of the town.

I'm not saying this just because Jack is my favorite character. It's something that I have heard from many different people who have talked about the franchise in general. Jack was, and still is, highly appraised as "one of the best videogame villains" so far. He set an unexpected standard for the franchise that held up throughout The Pre-Sequel and Tales from The Borderlands, up to his definite end.

When Jack died, the franchise died with him. Dramatically put.

Sure, we still had some more of him in The Handsome Jackpot but that's inconsequential I think.

This is not saying that I want them to bring Handsome Jack back.

I don't want them to bring him back.

I feel that he has served his purpose.

But a much wasted purpose. Here is where my issues begin. At the end of The Pre-Sequel we got the cutscene where the Guardian/Watcher warns the VHs of a war. A war that we yet have to see because nothing of that extremity happened in BL3. Who knows, maybe it'll come in Borderlands 4 and 3 was just the setup.

That scene seemed important, and it coming from The Pre-Sequel, an underappreciated game that talks about Jack's transformation to Handsome Jack, the revelations of his involvement in BL1 and the things that then led to the events of BL2 on forward, almost seemed to indicate something. At least in my point of view.

I don't want them to bring Handsome Jack back, but what I do want is to see a follow-up to the consequences of his actions. That warning of a war almost felt to me like the the things Handsome Jack did triggered something big. His meddling was more significant than what Atlas and Dahl did previously, and it would ultimately justify Zarpedon's urgency to bring him down as she was enlightened by Eridian knowledge and supported/guided by the Guardians.

But after BL3, it was almost as if he was simply swiped under the rug and that was it. People only mention him to say how much of a dick he was but that's all of it. No impact, no shred of importance. Just an underwhelming "he was an asshole".

Maybe I'm looking too hard into this and I don't know if anyone else sees my vision, but it is one of the many missed opportunities from BL3, just the same as my bane which has been Troy draining Tyreen to death and becoming the focus for the rest of the game. The signs were there, it was leading up to that, there was even cut dialogue that implied that! But it was ultimately scrapped and therefore wasted.

Like the cutscene after Maya's death, the scene that would redeem Ava from being an annoying brat to a more grounded person with space for character development.

The fact that Aurelia was presented in the trailer as an ally later to be revealed as a one-dimensional villain we have to kill to progress on the story. That one still pisses me off.

I'm also upset that the awesome characters we played as in BL2 were turned into bland npcs that only showed up in DLCs that serve no purpose, with Maya being the only person to actually show serious development only to become the product of a death made for shock value in an attempt to replicate Roland's death. It's so appalling.

Don't get me wrong, Borderlands 3 is a good game and it holds up because it is really fun to play, but the story has me and many others longing for something better.

Oh by the way, did you know the first Borderlands game had a whole third act scrapped out which showed more of Commodore Steele's involvement, grounding her more as a proper villain/antagonist? Yeah, I'm mad too. Shit was already bad from the start.

I will not talk about New Tales, I refuse to think of it as canon. Someone said the best way to cope about its existence is to imagine that none of it is real and it was an in-uneverse film and all the characters in it are in-uneverse actors.

The franchise seems to be in a dire spot and my hopes for the 4th game which was confirmed to be in development, it is making me nervous and I'm disillusioned.

All I have is whatever made-up content I have for myself to still enjoy this franchise that hurts so much to watch it sink like this.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

The line between acknowledging and being vocal about industry issues, idol management, company policies and much more and becoming a manager fan that is convinced their favorite idol is persecuted and disrespected at every step is a really fine line which is getting crossed more and more and I feel that we're losing a grip on reality.

Especially when this is a discourse surrounding rich, influential and respected idols. Not that they would be immune, but I'd say it's a bit different if we're talking about a successful man in his 30s or a young boy in a rookie group that gets ignored. Or women idols for that matter. We shouldn't forget them.

I'm saying this because there's always a slippery slope that I saw with Jimin's case and now with Taemin. As much as there were clear and evident issues with Jimin's solo album release, he's also one of the most important idols out there. His name means something. He's among the top succesful idols which says a lot as we know that a big percentage of idols don't get a high level of success or a really significant income. I was never shy in talking about the things that went wrong with that promotion period, the weird weverse articles and everything else, but Jimin also resigned a contract, he's staying at that company and he's part of that group and so far there hasn't been any other news so let's not turn unsaid, imaginary things or our own wishes into reality.

As to Taemin, he too had a short period of promotional activities which seems to be the standard now. What a shame to go through it at such a fast pace that we're not able to sit with an album, to have performances spread throughout, to immerse ourselves. This is the industry's fault and I hope that at some point, people with decision power will realize and make some changes.

Taemin not performing at an end of the year show is unfortunate. Yes, it is. But why the need to exaggerate? Why? Just a couple of weeks ago he had more than 2h of performances in a show that will be taken to Japan. Taemin promoted the album and the title song and having a 2-day concert is not something insignificant. Why are we forgetting this?

Taemin is not disrespected, he's the idol in SM that has had the most opportunities since early on and we can see that until present day. He's been able to perform how he wants and do the concepts he likes and he's actively creating a legacy. He is K-Pop. A 20 something idol doing a cover of Guilty is the proof of the influence Taemin has. This is not something new and certainly not bad. I'm surprised at how many people can't seem to understand that.

We need to find a balance and stop with the persecution theme that has been spread through fandoms.

[yournextflame]

Have you discussed what it really means to be a God in Elden Ring? That's one of the concepts that confuses me because of how differently it manifests with the different Empyreans. Would you be willing to share your thoughts on that?

Godhood is a social construct

It might sound like an exaggeration, but the DLC really appears to echo Goldmask's assertion that gods are no better than humans, albeit in a less metaphorical way.  When Count Ymir talks about us all coming from stardust and being children of the Greater Will, it gives off those Gnostic vibes Miyazaki likes. It's like saying everyone's got a divine spark, but some people think they're more special than others.

The Gates of Divinity's significance lies in their completely man-made nature, both in a symbolic and literal sense. They're not some ladder to the heavens handed down by the Greater Will; they're just this huge pile of dead bodies that's simply bigger and more effective than other dead body piles (like Sellen's experiments). If there's any genuine divinity in there, it's just borrowed from others.

Regarding Empyreans, I reckon their Shaman/Numen bloodline might give them a leg up genetically (not the best term for a fantasy world), making their flesh special and their spirits more in tune with divine stuff.  But, I'm not so sure about trusting Fingers' choices post-DLC.

It's a bit of a bummer that we haven't come face-to-face with any "traditional" Empyreans to figure out why they stand out (if they do at all). Miquella and Ranni ditched their Empyrean traits, Malenia's grappling with being possessed by Rot, and Marika's history remains veiled in secrecy. That's why I kinda wish we had that cut Age of Abundance, where Miquella seemed to ascend to godhood without all the extra hoops he had to jump through in the DLC.

[narhinafan]

While I love 'The Last' movie, there are many things that needed correction. The movie actually made NH forced and made them a controversial couple. I mean, Naruto never showed an ounce of romantic interest in Hinata before that movie. And even then he started seeing her romantically after that Genjutsu. Throughout the Show, he was obsessed with Sakura. While it may be a shallow crush, but at least he saw her romantically. He liked her ever since he was a kid. Kishimoto really stretched his crush for so long, it made it difficult for fans to see him with someone else besides Sakura. If Kishi actually wanted NH to be endgame long before, he should have shown Naruto seeing Hinata romantically in the Original show and not in a movie. Like him blushing while looking at her or trying to spend time with her. Their relationship would not have seemed One Sided then.

If you think that you should read the actual manga. Naruto showed plenty of interest in Hinata the way he interacted with her has always been quite a bit different to how he is with any of his friends or teammates.

Naruto even outright says he likes girls like Hinata and the face he made when she called him a proud failure showed how touched he was and he was even obviously blushing. He also asked himself if Hinata was watching he beat Neji. Even before that you have the whole swearing on her blood to beat Neji and when he checked on her after she lost Naruto's hand is over hers.

The fact you mention the show which is 99% filler made by a bias scriptwriter who was infamous for being a NaruSaku fan does not help. The actual canon manga does not have Naruto obsessing on Sakura to such a degree he has a shallow crush which the anime took great liberties to exaggerate and blow out of portions.

Kishimoto did show Naruto being interested in Hinata in the manga its just subtle, but is there. Like during Pain did you know when Naruto went berserk at six tails he purposely avoids Hinata when he goes after Pain and gets him away from Hinata, Naruto is even shown briefly looking Hinata's way before pursuing Pain. In the manga while they don't get show together often NaruHina's interactions are always special and significant and a lot of subtle hints since early on that NaruHina was going to be canon.

Naruto did show interest in Hinata during the film even before the genjutsu at that point though Naruto didn't realise what romantic love was and couldn't tell what he felt for Hinata that which was the whole point of the genjutsu to make him realise that.

It really feels you've gone through the anime then watched the last, but got hit by a serious case of whiplash. Kishimoto personally supervised the last movie so its tone and how it does the characters and their interactions more closes matches how they were portrayed in the manga. The anime though is famous for its amount of fillers, but also greatly bias towards NaruSaku when the manga was still running especially in the fillers and did not accurately portray some NaruHina manga scenes add the long run time cause of the sheer amount of filler made it even worse. The manga really did set up NaruHina to be canon from the start your issue stems from the fact the anime was not on the same page as Kishimoto and really changed up the context and original intentions from his manga.

[georgegraphys]

Why is George Russell important to Mercedes PR plans in entering the Chinese market? — An opinionated talk by Ari

I'm not going to over speculate/over exaggerate the recent possibility of George promoting Mercedes (car company) in the Chinese market but if that really is the thing behind the whole douyin account thing, then allow me to do this talk about the whole possibility and why he's the right person if everything came true 😌😌

Why is he important? I've said lots of times on twitter (and maybe here i forgot) that George is a very good conversationalist. People use PR63 or PRussell to insult him but I do not think of it as an insult. Not everyone has natural born PR skills like George and if you look at some of the people in the grid? Fucking PR disasters whose image are saved by the work of their PR teams.

A good conversationalist like George can be seen from a) how he speaks b) the people he mingle with. Let's talk about point A. George might sound robotic to people who aren't used to/so fond of hearing PR speech but it is actually great because he answers those things diplomatically, weighing equally on the good and bad, rights and wrongs. Good and bad, rights and wrongs are heavily subjective. It differs from person to person. Having the ability to answer such questions diplomatically is a crazy talent. You might say "oh it's common sense, Ari" lol when you get out there and start working in the HR department/PR department, you'll notice that only 1% had that natural ability to be like George. And talking about speeches, forms of speeches extends beyond what is spoken verbally. Non verbal cues also shine through in this matter as the worst betrayer of a person is themselves and their non verbal cues. George is very good at controlling his non verbal cues. His expression, body language, gestures and much more. He is very good at controlling them (controlling ≠ hiding). He is very open with his body languages but also controls them very well (or it might just be him as an honest and good person tbh 😭) which is why these aspects made him a very good conversationalist.

The second one is the people he mingles with. "Ari he talks with that fraud FIA president and Fl*vi*" Gurl... I'm VERY sad to inform you that when you're in that position, you have 0 choice. It is very easy to be idealistic when you're not in that position but when you're in that position, it is not easy. This is the harsh truth. But aside from that, look at how easily he befriends people outside and inside the sport. From the executives, engineers and staff inside his team, other drivers on the grid, media, fans and more. He mingles with just anyone. And i think that might have to do with him being very good at finding people's hot buttons, being very responsive, a good listener and a good conversationalist. Those things are REAL talents because even me, myself, have not fully established those qualities despite studying these theoretical things myself in educational institutes and from obtaining real life experiences related to that. The people he mingles with shows that he is able to handle any kinds of diversity with such grace and respect. And respect won't happen without someone knowing and acknowledging the boundaries and differences as well as the concept of diversity.

Now we move on to the part of why he is so important to Mercedes PR plans for the chinese market.

Not every part of the world revolves with the european/american progressive mindsets and cultural values. Some parts of the world value the concept of cultural significance and emphasize a lot on respect (could be age/cultures/etc) which may be a bit lacking when compared to the european/american liberal progressive ways. And China is one of the latter countries. China is a very culturally rich country and they are very strong in the concept of respecting others. Those values are a part of the reason for where they are now internationally. They are very very proud of their own culture (as they should!) and living values. They are also a very innovative and creative country that uses every single thing at their disposal to the utmost.

To appeal to a country that is culturally rich and emphasizes heavily on their values and norms, they can't just pull a whole "let's do business" kind of thing. Every company/brand obviously needs someone, no matter if the impact ended up being small or big, to represent them. That representative will then be their ambassador/muse for them to appeal to the general public. And that's where George fits the criteria. A Formula One driver, one of the most followed on instagram (Top 10), having a pretty much solid spotlight on him in the sport, and on top of that, he is a very respectful, open minded, down to earth person who is also a good conversationalist that is REALLY REALLY great at networking.

George is also very strong and dedicated to his PR duties and obligations. He interacts well with his fans and is very good at creating a positive friendly environment and vibes for everyone. He is very good at networking and he knows the boundaries, both for the people he interacts with and the boundaries with Mercedes. He knows very well how to play the game and does everything so diplomatically.

There is a thin line between being diplomatic and being a "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker" and others. The thin line is when someone is being diplomatic, they know how to not just please someone but also assert their stance on something politely and these people are not the kind of people that are pushovers. They know very well how to stand up for themselves, tug the necessary strings and others. While the so-called "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker", they don't know how to do those things. They don't do it very well and could easily be a manipulative and cunning person. A diplomatic person is able to take advantage of a situation without pulling on some tricks, evil strings, and others. They do it so naturally while also asserting what they want and where they stand. That's what differentiates a diplomatic person and a "teacher's pet", "ass licker", "dick sucker".

So, these are the reasons why, in my opinion, George could make a very great piece to Mercedes PR plans on their chinese ventures. It's not all about marketability, popularity and those numbers you see on social media but what is also important is the individual themselves and how they carry themselves in real life, in front of the public, to the company and everyone else.

[septembersghost]

If this is a weird comment you don't have to post it, but listening to E a lot I notice there are a bunch of idk? sounds in his songs that I guess they'd edit out now. you mentioned him laugh in Power of My Love and I hear it EVERY time now, but there's a lot of other stuff too that makes the recordings sound so real.

not a weird comment, i love this actually, and it's true.

i think it's a combination of factors. obviously, no digital editing (and no auto-tuning, which is why his studio vocals and his live vocals are as close to identical as they are. studio recordings are cleaner due to the setting and equipment, but the timbre and tone, the color, the melodic quality, that was truly the man's voice), although engineers could still clean things up in places, and lay in background vocals and further instrumentation etc, it was a bit more involved/arduous as a process and the central recording probably didn't get fiddled with as much. i'm not going to say i'm super well-versed on production of the time, but of course computers and digital mixing, snipping together various takes, etc, today can alter a LOT of what's captured to make it more "flawless." if you listen to any of his rough studio cuts/outtakes, you'll hear him rehearsing, changing up tempos, deciding on different arrangements or following instruction, (messing up lyrics and laughing and being a weirdo lmao i love him), clicking into how to get a song to work.

i also think it has something to do with E's particular technique and delivery, where he breathes is often very deliberate (try singing along and you'll notice how measured and controlled he was at this and the way it emotionally affects his delivery). i mean, as an example that isn't the power of my love laugh™, you can hear him gulp slightly at the beginning of in the ghetto (in the rest after "as the snow flies"), whether that's direct emotion or nerves or just how he was getting the song out. there's a moment in another song where you can hear what i think is the clink of his rings against the microphone. the memphis sessions have a LOT of the raw studio sounds left in. some of this is also that he...did not sit still (affectionate), so some of that fidgeting and rustling and personality is all captured in the recordings. listen to true love travels on a gravel road (my beloved), and there are a bunch of the organic moments right there. especially between the first chorus and the second verse - between "ohhh, true love travels on a gravel road" and "down through the years..." like four different things audibly happen. you can tell when he's playing around and exaggerating some of his vocalizations and quirks and trademarks, leaning into it - which he did in places in the comeback special too, because he knew exactly how to utilize/distill that, and the way it would transfix the audience, he just had command of that to unleash however he chose. (or whatever. he decided. to do. at the end of such a night). it's also why it's really apparent in a song when he smiles, which is one of my favorite things in the world, when you can HEAR a smile in a song. not every artist is easy to detect this with, but he is, and it's so warm.

what i really really love about this with him is it makes the songs so present and lived in and felt, all these unfiltered and natural details still exist in the tracks and so does his personality. then when you listen to the concert recordings, the only significant difference is stuff like banter with the audience or switching up bits of arrangement for the show, but the emotion and the amount of himself he put into everything is as real/accessible/clear in the studio as it is on the stage of the international or anywhere else. it's such a vibrantly alive aspect of his work that i believe it's part of why it's endured the way it has tbh - it still feels like he's right there about to pull that gold curtain back again.