#i hope the longer-time audience members understand that too

[muddyorbsblr]

no resistance [kinktober 2023: fingering]

See the full Kinktober 2023 Collection here! See my full list of works here!

Summary: President Loki fires his assistant for booking an interview gone horribly sideways and hires you in her place.

Pairing: President Loki x Reader

Word Count: 7.4k [prepare drinkies and snacks accordingly]

Warnings: 18+ | smut (minors & pearl clutchers, be gone. i won't ask again); fingering; dirty talk; most likely inaccurate depictions of what a day in the White House looks like; improper use of the Oval Office desk; a handful of cuss words [let me know if i missed anything!]

Things to be aware of: power dynamic (she's his assistant); mentions of Natasha, Bucky, Morgan, and Steve if you squint; bit of a makeover trope towards the middle of the story; Reader is mid to late 20s

Dick-tionary (aka smut guide): smut starts at "He worked his hand back under" and ends at "When he pulled his digits"

"I uhh…I think that's all the questions I have for this interview. Thank you so much for your time, President Loki, and I wish you the best of luck with your re-election campaign."

The journalist, if she could even be called that, fidgeted the slightest in her seat, her discomfort evident from both the motion and the expression on her face. As if she knew that the god-president was now quite cross with her, and much deservedly so.

As if she knew she spoke out of turn in this interview that was so graciously granted to her.

"My security will see you off the premises. Good day, madam."

He exited the room with a slight swish of his coattails, striding down the halls with a fury now directed at his assistant rather than the would-be journalist. Once the offending individual had been located, there was a meek, fearful look on her face as well.

"Boss," her voice wavered. "Your forehead vein's making an appearance again…"

"Clear your desk. Today is your final day on my team." His voice rang out and echoed all over the floor of the campaign headquarters, most of the staff raising their heads and peering from awkward angles to have a view of the commotion.

"But Boss, you said you wanted to connect with the younger adult audience and capture their votes. Miss Lewis has an audience right smack in that demographic, her videos get millions of views, I don't understand--" She let out a frustrated huff. "An interview with her could secure you a good few million votes in your re-election. From fresh voters who've just registered and are undecided. She could bridge the gap that makes you seem so unrelatable with the digital age--"

"That woman that should never dare call herself a journalist asked me to confirm the measurements of my phallus because it appears that that is the dominating question her audience had for me," he snapped, rendering the former assistant quiet.

"I--I'm sorry, Boss. I didn't know--"

"No. No you did not. It is clear that you did not do ample research on how this Miss Lewis conducted her behavior and what type of a strategy she would likely use to bridge this so called gap of relatability. I have let a good few shortcomings of yours slide since the beginning of this campaign season in hopes that you simply needed to find your footing. But time is running short and frankly so is my patience. I no longer have leniency to spare for incompetence, especially from people that work too closely with me. Pack your belongings, I expect you out within the hour. Security will triple check for any information you may try to smuggle out of the premises, so I suggest you do not even attempt it."

She let out a sound of utter disbelief. "And how exactly do you expect to replace me on such short notice? The press will see when I'm not in your entourage at the briefing tomorrow morning."

"I assure you, it will not be such an impossible feat to replace the likes of you. Now if I were in your shoes, I'd hasten my movements. The hour will tick by before you know it."

Members of Loki's security kept a close watch on her to ensure that she only vacated her desk of her personal belongings. Checking every item she placed into her purse if there were scribbled secrets or supporters' contact information that might give the opposition some sort of an advantage over him.

Once they were positive that there was nothing she held on her person that could even remotely sabotage his re-election campaign, he had her escorted out of the building.

Now on to finding his new assistant. Preferably someone with a sensible enough head on their shoulders that they would at least do a rudimentary background check on who would be conducting the interview before writing them a gate pass and allowing them into such a private space.

Loki took a glance at the small pile of papers that his former assistant left behind. One had numerous strikethroughs and comments scratched on so harshly there were indents on the paper from whoever was wielding the bright fuchsia-inked pen.

Boring as all fuck, this isn't the aesthetic that we're going for. Try again, Y/N, the feedback read. The suggestion held the name of a creator whose content focused on documentaries centered on powerful individuals that have leveraged their platform in a negative manner. That perhaps this journalist could interview him and ask questions that touched on his past before he arrived on Earth and even some of the myths that surrounded his time on Asgard.

The president snapped his fingers at the nearest staff member, beckoning him over with an impatient flick of his fingers. "Which one of your colleagues is Y/N? Point her out to me."

The staff member raised a shaking hand, pointing in the direction of your desk. "O-Over there, Mi--Mister President, Sir," he stammered, mentioning your full name before Loki motioned for him to return to his seat. He took a good look at you, phone clipped between your ear and shoulder while you wrote something down on paper, the concentration written all over your face as you proceeded with your work.

"Yes I'll be sure to keep your contact information on file and forward your request for interview. You'll hear from us soon about schedules and logistics," you told the other person on the line with a smile stretched across your face that was so obviously strained, he could imagine your cheeks were beginning to smart from holding it.

He watched you work for a few more moments, your side of the conversation giving enough away for him to figure out you were speaking with a representative from Stark Industries. Something about a partnership to provide free sustainable energy to the impoverished communities throughout the country.

"We're very much looking forward to speaking with you in more detail about your proposals, Miss Stark. Thank you so so much for taking the time to answer my call, we'll be in touch soon." You took your little pencil and used it to twist your hair out of your face, your strained smile finally dropping. "Sorry I probably won't be able to call though because the president's PA is a complete ditz that'll reject my request because it doesn't go with the aesthetic," you grumbled, imitating his former assistant's tone toward the end and bringing an amused smile to the god's face.

"Miss Y/L/N," he called out to you, his tone uncharacteristically soft. Despite it, however, the sound of his voice still caused you to start in your seat.

Your expression morphed into a grimace, sucking in air between your teeth, looking defeated. "Good afternoon, Sir," you spoke, your words shaking with obvious fear. "You…heard me mocking your assistant, I apologize nobody was meant to hear that. I'll uhm…I'll clear my desk, it was an honor getting to work--"

"Hold on a moment there, darling, you're not in any trouble." He approached you with his hands held out and open in an attempt to tell you you had nothing to fear. "It was…quite an accurate depiction, if we're being honest. Hardly a mockery. I've erm…I've actually come here to speak with you about some of the interview requests you'd sent in prior to today."

He held up some of the scraps of paper in his hand, each of them containing your handwriting and his previous assistant's caustic feedback in the obnoxious fuchsia ink she insisted on using. "They were all rejected," you offered lamely, grimacing again as you squirmed in your seat.

"They're also quite clever. Intelligent, even." Your head snapped up at the compliment, a mixture of shock and satisfaction on your face as you looked at him. Your grimace had given way to a tiny endearing smile, a tinge of pink now in your cheeks. "Had my itinerary been comprised of these instead, today might have turned out to be more productive."

Your eyes widened to the point he worried they might pop out of your head. "The Lewis interview pushed through today?" He nodded once, a look of pity now painting your features. "I am so terribly sorry I sent over my research on her content but--"

"My former assistant likely shredded your findings," he finished, sitting slightly at the edge of your desk. "It's alright, Y/N, I don't hold you responsible for any of today's shortcomings. I see the efforts you've taken to enrich this campaign. Shamefully quite late, but I see them now. Hopefully moving forward we could work together to correct your predecessor's oversights."

"Wait, hold on…former assistant? Predecessor? Sir what--"

"I'd like to offer you a promotion of sorts. I'm in need of a new assistant, seeing as I fired the last one today for organizing an interview so brazenly invasive I might as well have taken the meeting completely nude."

"Well I'm sure Ms Lewis' audience would've loved that--" You stopped your words short, looking as if you'd bit your tongue. "Sorry I shouldn't have--"

"I'm sure they would have," he chuckled, leaning in the slightest to get a better look at you, finding himself surprisingly looking forward to what the next few days would bring, seeing your face more often as well as the potential of a better workflow considering that you seemed to be more focused on substance over appearance. "Take the rest of the day to familiarize yourself with the new workflow, as well as my itinerary. I'll defer to your judgment to rearrange or outright cancel any upcoming interviews as you see fit. I'll meet with you a half-hour before breakfast for a debrief on any changes you've decided on."

He barely gave you any time to nod your head in agreement before he reached for your hand, raising it to his lips and placing a delicate kiss on the back of your hand.

"I look forward to working with you, Y/N."

Your first few days working for President Loki had passed in a blur, working tirelessly to rearrange his schedule and maintaining a correspondence with the content creators that your predecessor had arranged interviews for. Spinning tales of how hectic the president's schedule had become on such short notice and therefore their appointments with him would have to be rescheduled at a later date.

A later date that probably would never come, considering that most if not all of the planned interviews conducted their business similarly to the one that effectively got his former assistant fired within the hour. You made a small note in your own binder that perhaps when he'd secured his re-election, they could be granted access among the crowd of reporters during larger press conferences.

"Maybe if you're among hoards of other reporters, you can keep your thirst in check and actually act like respective, decent human beings. Not asking about dick measurements like you're asking about the weather today. Thirsty idiots…" you grumbled, writing another name into the list.

"If that list gets any longer, you may need to have a rotation schedule, sweetling." You jumped at the sound of the president's voice coming from so close behind you, peering over your shoulder to find that he stood near enough that you could almost feel the heat radiating from his body. "Are these all the ones you'd rescheduled from the prior calendar?"

You mutely nodded, swallowing your nerves before speaking. "All the ones so far," you clarified, clicking away at your computer to show him the packed and borderline overbooked schedule that was formerly planned for him. "I made sure to go for the ones planned in the next few weeks first so that they at least have enough time to reallocate their time somewhat. There's about six more weeks worth to sort out."

"Excellent work," he told you, his voice even closer to your ear now that he was leaning over your shoulder to peer at the schedule on your monitor. "And what does my schedule look like for today, Y/N?"

You clicked to this week's view, taking a cursory look at the calendar. "After the press briefing, you have a lunch meeting with the Department of Defense along with one of the directors of R & B Weaponries, a Mr Barnes, to discuss about a new ammo supplier for the Navy forces and your own personal security detail."

He nodded along with your summary, the citrusy leathery scent of him wafting into your space and making you a touch dizzy from his onslaught of your senses. You just had to smell immaculate on top of looking like sex on legs, you hissed inwardly, biting down hard at the inside of your lip to keep you from saying a word aloud.

"And will you be joining me in this luncheon?"

Your eyes widened at his question. Of course you wouldn't be. The information to be divulged in such meetings should be something heard only by the president or those he deems closest to him. You were his assistant, nothing more. All you needed to know were names, dates, and overall points of discussion.

"I uhm…no. I don't--I don't believe I will be," you stammered, your breath hitching when he turned his head to look at you and suddenly you could feel his warm breath on your cheek. "Personal assistants aren't usually included in the guest list for these events," you offered in a lame attempt at explaining a question he didn't even ask.

"You are now. We'll leave at a quarter to noon." He began to walk out of the office, only halting to look at you over his shoulder when you let out a tiny squeak like you were about to protest. "Are you opposed to this new arrangement, sweet mortal?"

"Uhh--" You took a breath, composing yourself. "No, Sir. I'll call the restaurant to update the head count."

President Loki smirked at you, jerking his head toward the door. "Excellent. Now we should get going. I believe the briefing will commence in a few moments."

While you were on your way to the briefing room, you sent a haphazard text to a stylist friend, a Hail Mary to hopefully get you looking somewhat presentable.

Tasha, massive SOS. I need an outfit to not look like a total clown show next to the President for a lunch thing.

You followed a few steps behind the president, taking a quick look at your watch when you got notified of a reply from your friend, Natasha Romanoff. Is "lunch thing" your way of downplaying "date"? He finally made his move on you after making googly eyes at you all week long?

Her text had you fighting the urge to roll your eyes as you stepped into the briefing room, cameras at the ready and reporters sitting straight and alert, waiting to pounce with their questions once President Loki was situated at his podium.

The hour went on mostly without a hitch, you taking your notes on near everything he'd mentioned in response to the reporters' queries. While your boss was speaking with a few people from Press Relations, your ears perked up at some small talk between two reporters, one of them having a few biting words to say about you.

"I mean at least his last assistant had some sense of fashion. I never thought I'd miss Little Miss looks like she got hired from the red light district, but at least she didn't look like some frumpy ass college student who just rolled out of bed. Honestly she's dragging the whole look down and that's saying so much because Mr President can make anything look hot."

"Except her, apparently," the other reporter shot back in a snippy tone. "Guarantee you he just hired her so that he has less of a distraction in the workplace. She's the kind people look at and they're doing the opposite of mentally undressing her."

"Mentally putting a paper bag over her head," the first reporter capped off with a witchy cackle.

You felt your fury bubbling just under the surface, wanting nothing more than to march over there and give them a piece of your mind for being so catty at someone that they didn't even know. To drag them over their impractical shoes that made their legs wobble if they so much as tried to stand straight or their two sizes too small shirts that had buttons fighting for their life trying to keep their tits covered.

Instead of doing any of that, however, you pulled out your phone to text Tasha. Firstly, no it's not a "date", when are you gonna drop that tin foil hat of yours. And secondly, scratch what I said earlier. You've wanted to give me a makeover since college? Now's your chance, Babes. Gimme the works.

You sidled past the president and his current company, asking one of your closer acquaintances from the staff to accompany him to any impromptu meetings until the lunch meeting later and to inform your boss that you had to attend to a personal matter, but that you would be back before he left for the restaurant.

As the clock kept on ticking closer half past noon, Loki could feel himself getting antsy waiting for your return. He'd noticed how jittery you seemed when you passed him on your way out of the press briefing, and the staff member you'd sent to keep him apprised in your stead gave no satisfactory explanation on what caused you to step out so abruptly.

"Where are you, Y/N…" he grumbled into the empty office, looking on at your desk that he'd moved inside so that calling on you would require less effort. Instead of stepping outside or phoning you, he'd simply have to call your name from wherever he was and you were already there.

And if he was being completely honest with himself, he'd also done it so you would be closer to him and he would see you at all times throughout the day. He found your presence calmed him, the competence you'd more than proven to have over the last few days already easing his day to day.

Just as he was about to reach for his phone and call you to check if you were alright, he heard your voice outside his office, speaking with your reliever in a tone he likened to one that he heard back on Asgard. Whenever Frigga would correct him on any missteps he had throughout his magic lessons.

"I totally get how you can get lost finding the meeting rooms, it's a goddamn maze in here. But if you make any of them lose unnecessary time because of it, not everyone will come at you with understanding. Just make sure that it doesn't happen for next time. I'll draw you up a map for the rooms that are most frequently used. Study it, live it, breathe it. See if someone from security can accompany you while you familiarize yourself with the place, and don't stop until you can navigate the floor with your eyes closed."

"Yes, ma'am," your reliever confirmed, his tone audibly less jittery than when he was speaking with Loki. "Thank you so much, Y/N. Honestly getting you to be in charge of the rest of us might be one of the best things the President ever did. The one before you was so--"

"Harpy?" you finished with a chuckle, the lightness in your tone feeling like a soothing balm to the nerves Loki had had since he saw you exit the White House so hastily earlier this morning. "Remember when I tried to suggest that we should reach out to Greta Thunberg's team?"

He could almost hear the other man shudder from the other side of the door. "Gah, she nearly ripped your throat out that day. Something something not shippable and we need to get 'hot people'. Really lost the plot, that one. Anyways, I'll go work on memorizing that map. Thanks again, Boss."

"Yikes, don't call me that," you shot back, your voice growing closer to the door, prompting Loki to walk back to his desk before you stepped into the office. "That's just for our boss, no one else." Your footsteps sounded different; there was considerably more of a click in each step, and the slightest stumble to them as if you were re-familiarizing yourself with your own legs.

There was a bizarre feeling of the air becoming easier to breathe once he heard the door open. "There you are, darling. I hope your personal matter's been sorted out and you're ready to--" His words halted dead in their tracks once he turned around and got a good look at you, quickly surmising that the 'personal matter' was a complete overhaul of your appearance.

There was an ethereal glow to your face and your hair that had his hands twitching to reach out and touch you, and in place of the slightly oversized sweater and denim you'd worn this morning was a blazer designed to be worn as a dress, set in a shade of green that matched his waistcoat perfectly. To top it all off, the buckle that cinched at your waist as well as the heels that brought your height up by a few inches were set in a gold that matched the horned helmet atop his head.

You looked like the personification of his most far-fetched fantasies whenever he thought of what he wanted in someone that would stand by his side. A confidant. A partner. A lover, even.

Someone radiantly beautiful, brilliant, and completely unafraid to declare themself as his by adorning his colors.

"Too much?" you spoke up, jostling him out of his thoughts. "I-I mean if it is I still have a change of clothes in my bag I can--"

"No, no. It's not too much, little mortal. Not at all." Mentally he was stabbing himself for stumbling over his words so clumsily; he was normally so much more composed than this. "You look…ravishing." Your eyes lit up at his words, betraying the neutral expression you tried to maintain. "Come. We should head to the restaurant."

He offered out his hand to you, confusion plaguing him when the rhythm of his heart stumbled just as his words did once you'd placed your hand in his. He found you such an anomaly, looking at you with utmost curiosity, wondering how someone could simultaneously calm the chaos all around him and yet incite an entirely different type of chaos in his heart. Not to mention his loins.

"You know, darling, had we been in Asgard, your wearing of my colors could be interpreted as a declaration of your allegiance to me," he spoke once you were both situated in the back of the car. You nodded your head slowly, as if ruminating over what he'd just said. He couldn't take his eyes off of you.

"That makes sense," you answered, seeming as if you were thinking aloud. "Seeing as I am your assistant, people should see within seconds that I'm associated with you. The color thing's probably the most tasteful way of doing it rather than a t-shirt with your face printed on it…"

"May I ask you something…a touch more personal, Miss Y/L/N?"

"O-Of course," you stammered, your nodding a touch unsteady, fingers laced together tightly as if you were trying to keep your nerves at bay.

"What made you decide to work for me?"

You blinked rapidly for a moment, seeming to be genuinely taken aback by the question, before composing your answer.

"All the people who held the position before you were horrid…evil men. All they cared about was finessing a kick back. Burying their constituents in debt. You stepped into office and…I was out of debt in less than half a year. My student loans were nowhere to be found. All because you prioritized our right to have an education. Of course I was going to try working on your re-election campaign."

Hearing you talk about his predecessors, describing them the way you did as if they were so starkly different from him, somehow didn't sit right with the god. "But darling, you do know that I, too, am what others would call a…horrid, evil man?"

You shook your head stubbornly, sitting up straighter as if you were about to deliver a lecture. "No. You're not. I've seen evil men. I've worked with them, I've--" The words caught in the back of your throat, making you clear your throat before pushing on. "I've suffered at the hands of evil men."

Your eyes met his, the sincerity in them knocking the air out of his lungs. Had he been up on his feet, he was sure that your next words would have knocked him down on his ass.

"I'm not looking at an evil man."

His next query escaped from his mouth so swiftly, he couldn't have stopped the words even if he wanted to. "Y/N, what prompted all this?" He made a motion from your hair to your feet. "Why the change?" You squirmed in your seat, as if holding the answer in was making you physically uncomfortable. "It's alright, darling, you can tell me."

There was a heaviness in your tone when you answered. Like you were holding back tears from just recounting the events. "This morning…in the briefing room. There were these reporters commenting on how I looked and how it kind of…cheapened the image. Your image. Ruined the aesthetic."

"What is it with these feeble-minded mortals and their absurd fascination about aesthetics?"

"I don't know," you blurted out. "But the thing is, Sir, I don't have to know. The only thing I have to understand is that there are people, voters, who assign a high value to the aesthetic of a candidate. And it won't sit right in my conscience if I have the knowledge that my appearance can jeopardize someone's decision to vote for you, and I do nothing about it. So…I called up a friend of mine and…told her to make me a new person. A pretty one."

You were already beautiful, he thought to himself. It mattered not how you presented yourself.

Before he could suppress the urge, he was reaching over to your side of the backseat, tucking a lock of your hair that fell loose, obstructing his view of your features. "You deserve so much better than this, sweet mortal," he said softly, stroking your cheek with the backs of his fingers, his heart warming when he saw how you leaned into his touch. "You should be working for an honorable man. A decent man."

The next words to come out of your mouth had him just about ready to carve his heart out with his own dagger and serve it to you on a golden platter. "I am."

"Babes, noooooo," Tasha whined from her end of the video call. "Why are you putting your hair up? The whole fit goes better with your hair down."

You mumbled your answer as incoherently as you could, hoping she'd chalk it off to a bad connection as you fiddled with the half of your hair that was put up in a little gold claw clip.

"What was that, Babes? I didn't quite hear you."

Dammit. "Because he told me he likes it when my hair's not blocking my face, okay?" you answered her with an exaggerated sigh. "Now please tell me my makeup meets your standards because I really don't wanna explain that I lost motion in my right arm from blending my eyeshadow."

"Okay first, your makeup's fine. I'm so proud I'm about to quote that little red cartoon dragon. And second, I can't believe you had the audacity to tell me I had a tin foil hat on, I told you the first day you walked into that briefing room with him that that man couldn't stop himself from looking at you and looking like a heart-eyed emoji. Now you're telling me this? Babes, it's time you accept it. The President has it bad for you, and give it eight to ten months, and you're gonna become First Lady Y/N Laufeyson. In fact I'm so sure of it that 'if I'm wrong, I'll dye my hair puke green. Neon, glow in the dark, puke green."

You let out a frustrated sound that echoed throughout your apartment, stepping back from the phone and showing your friend your choice of clothing for the day, just like you had every morning for the last week. Today it was a dress with puff sleeves, a high neckline with a keyhole and ribbon bow detailing, and an a-line skirt. In President Loki's signature shade of green, of course.

"Looks great, Babes. He's gonna love it."

"Doesn't matter if he likes it, Tasha. The viewers just have to not think I'm ruining his look," you grumbled, stepping out of your phone camera's view to change into the dress.

"Mm hmm, keep telling yourself that, Y/N. Have a good day at work. Try not to ride your boss until after office hours, okay?" You waved her off, ending the call and putting your phone on Silent before you headed off to the White House.

When you got to President Loki's office, he was sat at the edge of his table, hands resting on the lux hardwood surface, and legs spread.

The posture put those unfairly sensual muscular thighs on sluttish display, made worse by the way the fabric of his at least one size too tight slacks stretched and strained over his skin. You had to look away before you dared look closer because you could've sworn you also clocked some tenting between his legs.

"Good morning, sweet little mortal," he greeted you, his voice even more gravelly than usual. Your knees nearly buckled from its effect on you, already feeling the familiar pooling between your legs.

"Good morning, Sir," you answered, already feeling flushed, your breathing a bit deeper and causing an uncomfortable pinch from how bra was pinching against your breasts. "You're up early today…"

"I'm still up, darling. I couldn't sleep. Something was…plaguing my mind."

"Oh?"

He gave you a single nod before raising his hand forward, curling his fingers in a motion that had your feet moving of their own accord toward him. Had you not known any better it was like he cast a spell that summoned you to his side.

But you did know better. He didn't need to cast a spell.

"Closer," he breathed when you were standing two feet in front of him, flicking his gaze down at the space between his legs.

Your heart caught in your throat, your pulse thundering in your ears and pounding so hard you could swear you felt it even at the tips of your toes. Regardless, you obeyed, stepping closer until you stood less than a foot away from him.

"I want you to know you're free to tell me if you wish for me to stop." His words came out strained, like it hurt to say them. "I would never hold it against you. If you do not feel the same I can drop it and we can both simply pretend this never happened."

There's no way, you kept on stubbornly repeating to yourself. Even as he placed his sinfully large hands at your sides, bringing you even closer, so close that you could feel his breath warming your face.

Even as he reached up to remove the clip holding your hair up, weaving his fingers into your hair to hold you in place while his eyes roamed your features, constantly returning to stare at your lips.

The stubborn voice in the back of your head only got silenced once he closed the remaining distance between you, soft lips pressing against your own in a kiss so delicate it was like he thought you were made of porcelain and you would crack at even the slightest touch.

"You can stop me if you feel I've overstepped," he whispered, still close enough that the movement of his lips still faintly ghosted over your own. "I just simply couldn't go another day without telling you--"

You felt the slightest thrill up your spine at the surprised sound that caught in the back of his throat, when you cut him off by giving him a fleeting kiss of your own.

You barely registered the heavy sound of his helmet hitting the tabletop before he pulled you closer, one hand tugging lightly at your hair, the other roaming down your body and working its way under your dress. He grasped at your thigh, letting out a sinful moan when you parted your lips for him and your tongues met in a frantic tangle.

"Do you trust me?" he rasped, catching his breath. He let out a sharp exhale, sounding relieved when you simply nodded your head. He wrapped his hand around the inside of your knee, his other arm wrapping around your waist to lift you up to straddle his lap, knees resting on the edge of the tabletop.

The precarious position had you grasping at his shoulders, leaning into him to keep yourself from keeling over.

He splayed his hand across your back, holding you steady. "I have you, sweet girl." He pressed a kiss to the corner of your mouth, kissing his way down your neck until you let out a strangled moan once he'd reached a spot between your neck and shoulder.

You had to be dreaming. That was the only explanation for this. You slept in and you were still in your apartment and now you were about to be late for work. Yup, that was it. You tried to dig your nail into your palm, wincing at the sharp pinch you felt but nothing came of it.

"Agh--" Your nail broke skin, a tiny spot of blood blooming on your palm.

"Darling Y/N, what in the Nine are you doing?" He wrapped his hand around your wrist, running his thumb across your palm, seeing the minuscule wound.

"This is a dream," you mumbled, more to yourself. "I have to wake up."

"Little mortal," he cooed, pressing a kiss to your cheek. "You think this a dream?" You whimpered at the smirk he gave you when you nodded. "So you've dreamed of this before? Of my kiss? My touch?"

Ah what the hell I'm dreaming anyway. "I have. Every night."

"Oh my sweet little mortal." He pressed a kiss to your palm, the pinprick wound suddenly nowhere to be found when he pulled away. "I can assure you…if this is a dream, it is one we share. The things I've wanted to do to you. With you. Now that I know you've wanted this, too, there is very little that can stop me from turning those dreams into reality."

He worked his hand back under your dress, between your legs, fingertips teasingly trailing up the inside of your thigh. He let out a staggering breath when he met the fabric of your panties, drenched with your arousal.

When you began to whimper from his fingers tracing along your slit he pulled you in for another kiss, effectively muffling your moans when he began to circle your clit over your panties. You started to roll your hips into his touch in response, your body already aching for more.

"So deliciously eager," he purred, kissing his way to your ear. "But I'll be needing you to stay alert, darling." You let out a little squeak when his hold tightened around your waist, keeping you from grinding your hips and chasing your own pleasure. "Now tell me what will be on my itinerary for today."

The softly growled order had your mind scrambling, thoughts that usually easily stitched together to form whatever answer he needed suddenly becoming disjointed and lost to the recesses of your consciousness. "Wait what?"

"I'm sure you understand my need for those under my employ to be mentally sharp as a tack. Regardless of my desire and affection for you, sweet mortal, you are still among those people." You arched your back, pressing your chest against his when he moved the fabric of your panties aside, sliding a single finger inside you and moving in long, languid strokes. "However now we could perhaps make our little morning discussions a touch more…interesting."

"You have the p-press briefing at eight and--Ohh fuck!" Your grip on his shoulders tightened when he inserted a second finger and curled them upwards, brushing against a spot that had you letting out the most obscene moan that filled his office.

"Such vulgar words from your lucious lips," he panted, stealing another kiss from you, nipping at your bottom lip as he pulled away. "Like watching an angel in the midst of corruption. On her pretty little knees for her god." He brushed against the spot with firmer strokes, making you wetter and turning you into a whimpering mess. "Keep going. What comes after the briefing?"

Your mind was spinning trying to recall. You mentally smacked yourself for struggling to remember when you'd just been committing the schedule to memory on your Uber ride here.

"U-Uhm…You have a pre--a prefatory meeting with Morgan Stark at 9:30 to dis--Fucking hell--To discuss free sustainable e-energy to lower class communities." You kept on frantically combing through your memories of your ride over here to recall the rest of the schedule.

"And what else, sweetheart?" He stilled his fingers while pressed on that same spot, lightly ghosting the pad of his thumb over your clit. "You're already doing so well. Finish it so we may move on to more…pleasurable…activities."

He pressed his lips to the base of your throat, the feel of him sucking lightly on the skin driving you near incoherent. "You--You have a meeting with R & B at three. To fi--" You threw your head back and let out a howling moan, his hand tightening on your back to keep you from falling over. "To finalize the contracts for the Department of Defense. And your security detail."

"Not just my security," he grunted, starting to stroke his fingers again. "Yours, too."

That was enough to break through your pleasure-induced haze by a fraction. "Hold on. What? Sir, I don't need--Ohh!" The rest of your words died with an obscene moan when he started flicking his fingers rapidly inside you.

"You're far too valuable for me to not allocate resources to ensure your safety when I can't protect you myself," he explained, peppering kisses across your collarbone. "Is that all for my day, sweet girl?"

"Y-Yes!" you whined, trying desperately to move your hips for even the tiniest bit more friction. "That's everything."

"Excellent." He moved his hand up to hold you by the back of your neck, letting out a sinful groan when he licked into your mouth. "And you'll be joining me in all of those, won't you?"

"Do you want me to?"

"I always want you with me," he murmured against your slips, letting out a moan of his own when he kissed you again, starting to move his fingers faster and pressing his thumb firmly on your clit. "Now come for me, my sweet mortal. My corrupted little angel. Make a mess on your god's fingers."

Your orgasm overtook you as the god moved his hand to your lower back, guiding your movements as you rode out your high, coating his fingers with your release. Your mind was a haze, the sound of his raspy utterances of your name barely hitting your ears. His chest heaved against yours, lips pressing soft kisses to the side of your face while your breathing evened out.

When he pulled his digits out of you, you let out a whiney groan, already feeling the loss of him. The sight of the god placing his fingers in his mouth, his sinfully dexterous tongue lapping up every drop of your juices from his skin, had you squirming in his lap all over again.

"More already?" he teased, pulling you in for another kiss. You could faintly taste yourself on his tongue. "What a beautifully insatiable little mortal you are. It's as if the Norns had made you just for me." His hands freely roamed your back while he kissed his way down your neck, sucking a bruise onto your collarbone. "I've indulged myself in such fantasies of claiming you on every surface of this office. Of every room in this house. I want to lay you down on my desk without a stitch of clothing on you and get drunk on the taste of you."

You could only respond with a faint whimper, images of what he'd described taking up all the space in the forefront of your mind. "Please…"

"I promise you we'll have all the time to make every single one of those debauched fantasies come to life, sweet girl." He kissed you again, wrapping his arms around you and lifting you off the table, softly chuckling against your lips when you started to pout at your feet hitting the ground. "But I want our first night together somewhere more intimate. A moment that shouldn't be rushed and stolen between meetings, held in secrecy in my office."

He held your chin delicately between his fingers, keeping you from looking away at him. The mere sight of the near fully blacked out eyes shining with sincerity and held back words was enough to have your knees buckling again.

"Later tonight," he continued. "When everyone's day is over, then our night can begin. I'll bring you to my private quarters and there…" He took a deep breath, a brilliant smile stretching across his face, a real one so starkly different from the practiced smirks he gave the public. "There I will make love to you."

He guided you to take a step back from him, your heart fluttering when he placed a soft kiss to your forehead before conjuring a majestic golden mirror into the room with a flick of his wrist. The image of you visibly disheveled, paired with the smeared lipstick marks all over President Loki's face, had you biting your lip trying to hold back a smile of your own.

You held the undone ribbon of your dress between your fingers. "And here I spent a good ten minutes on this trying to look all perfect," you told him playfully, a fit of giggles finally escaping you when he took the straps from your hands and used them to pull you to him once again, capturing your lips in a tender kiss.

"Much as I appreciate the effort and having you look as if you'd gift-wrapped yourself just for me with this lovely little flourish, may I say that it matters not how you dress. You were already perfect the day I first saw you on the campaign floor."

"I was wearing a ratty old sweater from college," you shot back, finding it hard to breathe.

"The color of the sky on a stormy day." He brushed his nose against yours, pressing a soft kiss to the tip. "Turn around. Face the reflection."

When you faced the mirror again, he redid the ribbon exactly as it was when you left your apartment with a wave of his hand, kissing along the side of your face as he put your clip back in your hair.

"There you are, sweetheart," he cooed, nipping at the shell of your ear. "Not a hair out of place." Another wave of his hand and he, too, had returned to his state before you walked into the office. "I'd very much like for you to join me for breakfast."

You answered only with a nod, reaching for his hand.

As he led you down the halls toward the dining room, you sent Tasha a quick text.

About what you said earlier…fingers don't count, right?

A/N: It's finally done! The initial 5 stories goal of Kinktober 2023 are all up and I'm finally going back to writing the series I haphazardly dropped when I decided to write these pieces over a month ago. And I finally have a President Loki story in my little library of works 😳👀

I swear I didn't expect to write such a mega chonker for the first President Loki story but I got all kinds of carried away…so much so that there are scenes that I cut from the final draft that might become drabbles somewhere down the line.

For now though…back to the blorbos of 'one look & they'll know', 'relinquish the crown', 'the final Lady Sharpe', 'let me hear you', 'rules of conduct', 'feels like mine'…and some other not-so-secret projects 😳👀

Ohh…and that bit in the end where he pulls on the ribbons of her dress? This was fully the vibe:

'everything' taglist: @simplyholl @loopsisloops @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @kats72 @kikster606 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @peaches1958 @lovingchoices14 @lunarnights95 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th  @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress @elizabethmidnight2017 @holdmytesseract @smolvenger @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokidokieokie @superficialdomina @anukulee @kmc1989 @november-rayne @goddessofwonderland @buttercupcookies-blog

Kinktober taglist: @azula-karai-27

[darkfictionjude]

I've followed blogs without a demo before and while sometimes it has paid off - I find myself doing it less and less overtime because all too often I go back to a blog 3/4 months later and find it dead with no demo.

That being said in a lot of cases the demos never being finished feels like a cycle of :

*wanting to foster interest and community around your writing* -> *writing an IF is a huge task and it takes longer than expected to learn coding/write a branching narrative/limit story scope to a feasible level* -> *interest dies down because it has been a long time with no demo* -> *low/no interaction on posts ends up feeling demotivating especially when compared to other IF authors so they lose passion for the project*

To compromise, on my part I don't often follow blogs with no demo but if I'm genuinely interested in the story I try to go back to the blog and like/reblog posts or ask questions if there's anything I'm curious about. I definitely think you should write what you want for yourself without necessarily expecting attention - but attention and interaction is always going to feel good regardless.

At the end of the day as an audience member you're never actually 'owed' free content (especially given that its more often then not a passion project) so I have no hard feelings for writers who make demo blogs just to share some fun info about their characters/story and then dip - even if it can feel disappointing.

It 100% feels weird/kind of scammy to have a patreon if you haven't actually written anything though, because you're taking money from people (who often don't have huge amounts in the first place) before they even know if they like your writing/world/story - and before they know if you're capable of actually fulfilling any of the promises you make (which given that IF is generally much longer than a traditional novel is a *massive* promise to make to your audience in exchange for their financial support).

After an author has dropped a demo (even before any/consistent updates) patreon is all good in my book. At that point the audience has a 'sample' of the writing and can use that as a method to judge if they enjoy it. As long as the promised content on the patreon tiers are being fulfilled - you as an audience member are now getting what you've paid for - and can unsubscribe at any point if you no longer wish to keep paying for it.

Yeah I do feel like writers tend to want to work on something that will sell, and why not? It feels good to know your hard work is recognized and appreciated

This is a very nuanced take, I feel that some people even get angry when writers disappear, which yeah I’ve been burned before but like I don’t understand getting pissed when at the end of the day there are more games out there and as you said, no one is owed free content. IF writers are hobbyists, like this is a side thing for most of us it’s a gruelling hobby not only work load wise but also if you unfortunately get anons being mean to you

Yeah I didn’t want to say that but it does feel strange when there’s no work but there’s a Patreon. Because Patreon is just additional writing, it’s meant to be complementary to the main work. People pay for additional writing because they hope it adds to their experience when reading the IF proper.

I mean based on the name it is a modern version of being a painter in Europe during the renaissance and have a richer patron pay you to make art 😭

[micamicster]

HII MICA i just wanted to ask your thoughts in the new season now that youve finished it, especially your favorite moments, episodes, and songs!!

Ok here are my long awaited (sorry babe!) season 2 thoughts! This really got away from me haha but long story short: I loved it ❤️

Long story medium: Nida Manzoor has done it again—beautiful, vibrant, funny, and poignant. A season 2 that succeeds in expanding the world and deepening our understanding of the characters. And the songs are great!

Long story LONG: under the cut <3 (and also I’ve reread this and i have managed to avoid any major spoilers so if you haven’t watched yet this post should be safe!)

I went into this season VERY apprehensive. I think the first season is a practically perfect season of television, and over the last few years I’ve had plenty of time to think of all the ways a second season could fail to deliver. But as the credits rolled on season 2 episode 1 my sister and I just sat there grinning at the screen like you guys we are SO back!!!!

Some thoughts, in no particular order:

The writing: Nida Manzoor has a knack for putting her finger right on the sore spot—right on the place where the show is most likely to receive criticism, and digging in. Not in a gotcha, bad faith sort of way, but by pulling those issues apart and showing how painful and complicated and nuanced these questions of representation and responsibility really are. Not to give too many spoilers but whew. Her episode fives! Other people can speak to this better than me but this seasons episode 5 was raw, painful, pointed… simultaneously a criticism of art and representation as political commentary, and like the only possible political commentary that could be made under these conditions. Fictional battles with censorship, identity, representation, and responsibility meet the very real world, where Nida Manzoor is producing a real show. To quote manzoor herself, “i don’t want to give the answer to the audience because i don’t have it—I don’t want to ever feel like I’m preaching or delivering a sermon about anything; instead, just posing the question.” It’s such a good show guys.

Character Arcs: The arcs given to the band members who were secondary characters in season one were executed beautifully. Getting more insight into Taz, Ayesha, and Bisma (and giving more to do to their incredible actresses!) was exactly what I’d hoped for from a season 2.

God I Wish The Show Was Longer part A: While I loved (and badly wanted!) more time with the other girls, I did miss the tight focus on saira and Amina as narrative foils and drivers of each others character development that season one had. Not just from a shipping perspective! (although we all know I’m guilty of shipping for sure lol). But I did miss their relationship, and a longer season would have given us more time to spare from the other important arcs going on to return to things I loved about season one.

Compared to season 1: One difference I noticed was how the surrealist elements aren’t only contained to Amina/her narration anymore, but that other characters have them or interact with them (Bisma pausing her arguments, Ahsan trying and failing to interrupt the spotlight on Amina and Billy). I thought it was a great way to show how much closer the characters have become (that Ahsan would even notice Amina’s little fantasy!) and also as a way to give narration over to different characters (Bisma being the clear pov in those fights as compared to Amina narrating things she’s only heard about in season 1). Another difference is how each episode of season 1 is so well-contained and precise, while I feel the show sprawls more in season 2 as a result of expanding the world and becoming more of a true ensemble show. This isn’t a criticism—shows need to expand in order to continue to grow! Just an observation, which leads us to:

God I Wish The Show Was Longer part 2: Around episode 4 and 5 I wondered if they were going to be able to tie everything up, given how many complex issues and conflicts had been raised. I had no reason to doubt—Nida Manzoor brought these conflicts and arcs to deeply satisfying conclusions, without feeling like these issues lost nuance or were reduced in complexity for the sake of a finale. It’s incredible what all she managed to achieve in 6 episodes! That said, I would have loved to have been able to see more of the characters journeys, and one or two more episodes would have given things more room to breathe. I would have loved to see more of Taz’s work with other artists, or Saira becoming more comfortable with the idea of herself as a mentor. Bisma’s arc in particular I thought could have used more time, although Faith Omole’s stunning performance of Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood does beautiful emotional work for her arc (and tbh for everyone else’s arcs—it’s a centerpiece of the episode and a great example of what a song can do for character, emotion, and arc in a musical narrative). Which brings us to!

The performances/songs: Putting these two together to say that every actress delivered an incredible award-worthy performance, juggling comedy and dramatic acting skillfully. And the songs! Villain Era is on fucking repeat in this house. Already said Misunderstood is amazing but it should be said again. Nina is pretty much the toughest act in the world to follow but Faith fucking does it. Stunning ❤️ Speaking of Faith her doing the voices in Oops I Did It Again was the happiest I’ve been all year oh my god this show is so much funnnnnnn everyone watch it it’s so! fun!

[xofanfics]

Lost for Words - Part II

Part I | Part II | Part III

Genre: angst, fluff, smut 🥺🤗🥵

Pairing: Reader x Kun // Reader x Taeyong

Word Count: 2.8k

Summary: You have the best boyfriend you could’ve asked for. Things take an interesting turn as you befriend your new coworker, exploring the blurred lines between friendship and something more.

Taeyong’s thoughts revolved around you for the rest of the weekend and for the three weeks that followed. He found himself thinking about you more and more as the days went on, even outside of work. They started out as simple thoughts; just flashbacks at how beautiful you’d looked that morning. Then the thoughts got a little more complex. He’d look at menus and think about all the foods you told him you liked. He’d make a note to himself to tell you all about it and give you that recommendation. But then he took it even further by imagining himself taking you there someday, on a date. He wondered what it would be like to kiss you, to hold you so close that he could easily smell the scent of your perfume. 

He hated the fact that you weren’t single. He hated the fact that you had a boyfriend. He hated the fact that he had absolutely no chance with you. He knew he had no right to feel this way, but he couldn’t help himself. His thoughts and feelings were just that - thoughts and feelings, where they would remain in his mind and heart until he decided to move on. An even more delusional side of him even wondered if there was the possibility of you and your boyfriend breaking up.

It was pretty early on into their relationship, but he knew that he could see himself with you. It’d been a month and a half and he felt like you’d gotten considerably close with him. The team was pretty close, in general, though, so Taeyong had a hard time understanding if this was how you acted with everyone. 

Today, he had a meeting with you to discuss his findings from a marketing campaign that just ended. You would normally have this meeting with the rest of the team, but Taeyong honestly just wanted to have some time alone with you. He presented it to you under the guise of wanting to give you the information as soon as possible. He insisted that he’d just do the full presentation next week, once Valentina had returned from her maternity leave. 

The two of you didn’t have meetings alone often, so Taeyong was enjoying every second of it. He watched as you listened to his findings. He loved how attentive you were and how you always had a question or two. Plus, the longer you talked, the more time he got to spend with you. 

He was well aware that you were his coworker. He knew that you should probably stay that way, but he couldn’t help feeling so drawn to you. Even your other team members praised how well you worked together. Workplace relationships were almost always a bad idea, right? But in the delusional side of Taeyong’s mind, he thought that he could make it work whether anyone knew about it or not. Of course, he would prefer no one knowing. He wouldn’t want you to be the target of gossip. Even if they were just words, Taeyong knew all too well how hurtful words could be. 

“I hope that all made sense,” he said, “but I think that audiences responded really well to the new templates we used for the email. We tested two different ones but it seemed like the new one performed better.”

“Yeah, that sounds good. We can definitely try that for new products moving forward. I think the new template was easier to read, with more white space.”

“I think that maybe changing up the templates on social media would also be helpful. I’d love to test that as well. I can bring up that idea in the larger meeting next week. How does that sound?”

You nodded. “That would be great. Thank you for your help on this. It really helps to go over this information.”

“No problem,” he said as you turned toward the door. He could see your coworkers gathering by the entrance. “By the way, are you joining everyone for lunch? I hear they’re trying a new soup place.”

You shook your head. “Nah. I’m not really in the mood for soup.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

You chuckled. “Honestly? I was thinking of going to the convenience store and having lunch there.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, joining in your laughter. 

“What’s wrong with the convenience store?”

Taeyong shrugged, teasing. “I mean, nothing…I guess.”

“Wanna join?”

“Sure,” he said. “It’s hump day, the perfect time for a cheat meal.”

You giggled as Taeyong opened the door for you. 

*

You enjoyed Taeyong’s company a lot, you realized. You felt like you could be yourself with him around. He was friendly with everyone, of course, but it seemed like you had a lot in common with him. Everyone at the office seemed to like him, too. He was a breath of fresh air, honestly. 

You talked about a lot of things but it seemed like you were having deeper conversations today. You talked about your childhood and how your parents struggled to put you through college and how you never knew until your parents told you that they were selling the house. The three bedroom home that you and your sister had known your whole lives was sold and they moved into a smaller home, further from the city. You told him how you always felt bad about it and how you should’ve gotten a job despite your parents telling you you didn’t need to. 

“Hey,” he said, noticing the melancholic aura, “none of those things are your fault…”

“I know,” you said, “but I wish things had been different back then.”

“If you could change one thing in the past, would it be that?”

You nodded. “I would’ve worked so they didn’t have to sell the house.” You turned to him after taking a bite of your noodles. “Is there anything you would change?”

Interestingly enough, Taeyong shook his head. “I don’t think so.” Noticing your surprised face, he added, “Life sucked a year ago, I’ll admit, but I wouldn’t be where I am today. And I like the way things are going in my life right now. I mean, I like the work I’m doing and I have a team that respects me. I’m also moving into a much nicer apartment in a couple of weeks.”

“That’s amazing. Do you need anything for the apartment? I’d love to get you something.”

“I was debating on having a housewarming party after I move in, actually.”

“You should! It would be fun.”

“I have a few friends that would be able to come. And I’d love to invite a couple people on the team, too. My friend, Hwan, would probably bring his girlfriend. You can bring yours, too, if you want.”

“Yeah,” you said, “I’d be down to come.”

***

Valentina had returned from her maternity leave, a month later, with fresh energy. Among the team, she found herself naturally drawn to Taeyong. His intelligence and unwavering enthusiasm for learning resonated with her deeply. Valentina had always held hard work in high regard – after all, it had propelled her to her current high-level position at the youthful age of thirty-three. Life was starting to come together for her; she was recently married and had welcomed her first child into the world. With her momentum, a promotion within the next couple of years seemed well within reach.

As she entered the meeting room, the soft sound of her heels pierced the air. Her lips curved into a warm smile as she greeted the room with a confident "Good morning." Setting down her cup of coffee, she took her designated seat at the head of the table.

“Morning, Valentina,” you said.

“Does anyone need to dial in today?” asked Taeyong, “We should set up the video conferencing.”

“I think it’s just Hina working from home today,” you said. “She had to have a repairman come in to fix her plumbing.”

Taeyong nodded and went to the computer to set up the camera. Then, David walked in with his laptop and a grin. He sat down at the other end of the table. 

A moment later, Taeyong had set everything up and Hina was on the screen. She waved to everyone and Valentina began.

“I called everyone here this afternoon to provide an exciting update. We understood that a few of you mentioned wanting to attend more conferences and conventions taking place in the industry as we went through last quarter’s employee survey,” she explained. “Due to the number of people that requested, we intend on buying extra tickets for those that are interested in attending. It would be a great opportunity to learn more about our competitors and attend keynotes. This is a new initiative for the company’s commitment to professional development.”

The room was filled with excited chatter and agreeable nods as she went on. She continued, “David and I will be presenting our upcoming product launch, along with a few other high level members of the company. The convention will be taking place in Incheon at the Songdo Convensia Center and we will be staying at the Hanuri Lotus Hotel, which is within walking distance to the convention center. If you’re interested in accommodations, of course, be sure to let us know. It’s coming up next month, so please make decisions soon. I’ll send out an email to follow this meeting with all the necessary information!”

Following the announcement, anticipation filled the air, a collective enthusiasm rippling through the team members. 

By lunchtime, it was all anyone could talk about. As you, Hina, Taeyong, and Kevin stepped out for lunch, the topic of conversation was the conference. It was taking place in the next three to four weeks. Thankfully, you hadn’t made any plans. Kun had mentioned taking a trip at the end of the summer, but that would have to wait.

"I didn't see that coming," Kevin commented, a hint of surprise in his voice. "I mean, we never have the budget for anything…"

Taeyong chimed in, sounding intrigued. "Seriously? You think so?"

Hina joined the conversation with a sarcastic smile. "Oh, absolutely. They're all about decking us out with the latest tech, but when it comes to travel and conferences, suddenly there’s no money" She let out a slight eye roll before returning to her noodles.

You nodded in agreement. “Yeah. They’re usually super strict about budget but I hope this means they’ll invest in us a little more so we can get promoted.”

Taeyong turned to you. “Is getting a promotion hard here?”

Kevin shook his head. “Not necessarily, but I think there’s more room for it now that the marketing and creative teams have been expanding. Honestly, the place was a mess before Valentina came. I’ve been here for about four years and Valentina has been here for a little over two. I went from an intern to a full time employee.”

“Me and Y/N came after. Valentina hired us both.”

Taeyong nodded. “Are you guys going to go to the conference?”

"Absolutely!" The collective response came almost in sync, a chorus of agreement filling the air.

Taeyong let out an airy laugh. “Well, I guess I’ll see you all there.”

***

Despite going into the office everyday, it still seemed like you had nothing to wear. You sifted through your closest, unsatisfied with almost all of the options available. Too business casual, you thought. Not fashionable enough. This was a conference, after all, and you needed to present yourself in a better way. With these sorts of events, you never knew who you’d meet and what opportunities could arise. It’s not that you were looking to leave the company, but you never knew where life would take you.

You started browsing online, looking for more fashionable pieces to add onto your weekend fashion itinerary. Kun placed a mug of chamomile tea on the coffee table for you and planted a kiss on your forehead.

“Still looking for an outfit?” he asked, taking his place next to you on the couch.

You nodded. “Yeah. I saw this really nice pantsuit. Wanna see?”

“Sure,” he said as you went ahead and pulled it up on the screen. “What do you think?”

“I think it’d look gorgeous on you,” he said, “but four hundred dollars?”

“That’s the cost of beauty, babe.”

At that moment, he pulled out his wallet and handed you his credit card. “Buy it. I’d love to take it off of you,” he said, giving you a suggestive grin.

“I’ll be in Incheon, babe,” you explained, taking the card.

“Well, you’ll be in a hotel room, won’t you?”

“I don’t know if we’ll have roommates or not…”

“Well maybe I’ll just have to book a room of my own then,” he said, placing gentle kisses on your neck. “Would you come to visit me?”

***

Taeyong looked at himself in the mirror after he got out of the shower. He sighed, unsatisfied. I need to get back in the gym, he thought. With all of what came with moving from one apartment to the other, he’d been busy trying to get back into his routine.  

Most evenings after work, he was too tired to unpack more than a few boxes. The more he unpacked, the more he wished that he’d hired someone to do this. But he was almost there. It’d been a little over two weeks since he moved in but he somehow found himself living out of the boxes instead of unpacking properly. 

But between the convention coming up and the housewarming he was planning, he needed to put some pep in his step. 

He reached for his new moisturizer, courtesy of their generous employee discount. He heard his phone vibrate on the sink as he applied it but he didn’t bother looking, as he figured it was just a random notification. 

A few moments later, he was sitting on his bed in a pair of shorts. He picked up his phone with a smile as he realized that you were the one who texted him. 

Y/N [9:12PM]: I got your invitation earlier. I RSVP’d with a plus one! 

Y/N [9:12PM]: Btw, do you have a registry?

Taeyong [9:13PM]: You don’t need to buy anything. You guys coming is more than enough!

Y/N [9:16]: I’ll get you something you won’t expect haha

He hated the fact that he’d brought up inviting your boyfriend. But what did he expect? For you to not ask him and for him to not show up? Of course, you’d probably want him to meet your friends. But maybe it would serve as a reality check. Maybe seeing you with your boyfriend together would snap him out of it. Maybe it would snap him out of it so he could realize that he couldn’t have you. Maybe it would be the push he needed to go out on dates so that romance with you wouldn’t even cross his mind.

But, his heart still thumped at the thought of you coming anyway. He couldn’t wait to impress you with his event. He wanted you to taste his cooking. For the past couple of weeks, he’d made note of all the things you mentioned you liked or food he’d seen you eat. So far, it seemed like one of your favorite things to eat was dumplings. And, when you could, you’d opt for seafood. When you went out, he noticed that you’d choose seafood noodles over beef or chicken. He had some ideas of what to put on the menu, for sure. 

He hadn’t had the opportunity to hang out with you outside of a work setting. Sometimes he’d get a drink with you and Hina after work but there was never a time when he hung out with you on a Saturday or a Sunday. It had been about three months since he met you, so he supposed that this wasn’t unusual. If anything, he’d have to tread a little more carefully since he worked with you. He knew that people didn’t always care to be friendly and hang out with their coworkers outside of a work related event, but you struck him as the open-minded type. Hell, you’d opened up to him so much already, which had been a bit of a surprise. 

The conference was also coming up. He was excited to go, in general, but he was also excited to potentially spend time with you. He’d never been on a work trip like this before but he was excited. Kevin was apparently already making plans for them to go out at night, after the conference and team dinner. 

He fantasized about getting you alone, just to talk to you without everyone there. He knew that there was a line that couldn’t be crossed. But he genuinely enjoyed talking to you. There was no harm in that. Even if he sometimes looked at your lips and wondered what they tasted like. Even if he sometimes thought about the sweet things he’d whisper into your ear if he could. Even if he wondered what would happen if you hugged him and he didn’t let you go. After all, there was no harm done in his wonderings.

***

General Taglist: @to-all-the-stories-i-love​ @sweetnspicy-noona​

THANK YOU FOR READING! LMK if you want to be tagged in the next part!

[gunilslaugh]

Hiiiii! What are your thoughts about Xdinary Heroes during their wedding day? How would everything go? 🥺

Hiii! Writing this made me feel a bit sappy, but it was cute. I hope the you like it :]

All members ∂ * ^ * ∂

Summary: How Xdinary Heroes are on their wedding day.

WC:~1.2k

Warning:grammar

photo not mine credits to owner.

Gunil

Gunil readjust his tie for the nth time. He’s a bit nervous, but the good kind of nervous. Today is the day where he gets to marry you, the love of his life, and he is ecstatic. Gunil checks the time, the ceremony will be starting soon. You and Gunil both agreed to not see each other before the wedding. A decision Gunil partly regrets because at the moment he wants to see you more than anybody else. He settled for sending you a text. “See you soon love ❤️” . He somehow becomes even more overjoyed when he gets your response. “See you soon future husband 🥰” .

The ceremony begins. Gunil waiting for you at the altar. The moment you enter the room Gunil’s breath hitches and his heart skips one or maybe two beats. You look absolutely gorgeous and Gunil feels like the luckiest man ever. He cutely stumbled over his vows, kissed you with so much love after you were announced married and bridal carried you out of the room, more than ready to spend the rest of his life with you.

Jungsu

Jungsu had been thinking about this day for a very long time and it has finally arrived, the day of your guys wedding. In less than an hour you two would be a married couple. Jungsu just got his hair finished. He checks himself over in the mirror, making sure that he looks perfect. Loads of planning went into today, so Jungsu wants to make sure that it’s everything you’ve dreamed of. He runs over his vows again in fear that he might forget them. He spent weeks figuring out the perfect words to say. 

Tears well up in Jungsu’s eyes as you make your way down the aisle. It’s a sight that Jungsu will never forget. He holds your hands tenderly once you finally reach him. His eyes are filled with love (and some tears). When it comes time for the vows Jungsu recites his words that took him weeks to figure out and they’re some of the most beautiful words you’ve ever heard. The kiss he presses to your lips is light and delicate, being a bit shy about the audience. Once the two of you exited the room, now married, he’ll give you another kiss.

Gaon/Jiseok

Jiseok is unable to remain still. He’s bouncing off the walls with excitement. How could he not be when the two of you are getting married today. He used to imagine what it would be like to marry you, what your wedding would look like. Now he no longer has to imagine any of it because it’s real, it’s happening. Jiseok almost can’t believe it either. Everything feels surreal right now. Him standing in his suit waiting for his cue to go to the altar where he can finally marry you.

Standing at the altar Jiseok can only see you as you walk down the aisle. Even as the marriage officiant speaks Jiseok can hardly understand what he is saying because he’s too mesmerized by you. He wrote out and planned his vows, but they seem to have gone out the window, so he just speaks from the heart. He kisses you with one hand cupping your cheek and the other not letting go of your hand. He looks at your wedding ring adorning your hand as you two walk out, married.

O.de/Seungmin

Seungmin is more nervous than he thought he would be. It’s a good nervous, an excited one. He checks the laces on his dress shoes because he’s suddenly worried about tripping. He was finally going to marry you. The two of you used to jokingly talk about your wedding day, but that day has actually arrived now. Your friends can no longer tease you both about acting like a married couple because you’re actually going to be one and Seungmin couldn’t be happier about it.

The second the doors open revealing you standing there Seungmin feels like he’s falling in love with you all over again. Sliding the wedding ring onto your finger reminds Seungmin of when he bought you a promise ring all those years ago. He stated it in his vows that he finally fulfilled his promise of turning that ring into a wedding ring cause he just wants to spend the rest of his life loving you. The kiss he gives you is delicate and passionate. He picks you up and twirls you around before setting you down to exit the building as newlyweds. 

Junhan/Hyeongjun

Hyeongjun and you agreed on wanting to have a small wedding, with only your close friends and family. Hyeongjun thinks that it makes the wedding feel more intimate. Hyeongjun’s heart is filled with warmth about the two of you tying the knot and coming together as one. The moment before the ceremony begins Hyeongjun finds himself rather calm. He’s excited of course the moment he dreamed of is finally coming true. 

The moment you entered the room and began to walk down the aisle Hyheongjun’s face is painted with a bright smile. He always thinks that you’re beautiful, but you are exceptionally beautiful right now. Hyeongjun carefully holds your hands in his and gives them a loving squeeze. He poured out his love for you while reciting his vows and even teared up a bit. The only time his bright smile left his face was when it was time for you two to kiss. It was quick, but warmhearted. The two of you exit hand in hand ready to embark on another life journey together and it almost doesn’t feel real for Hyeongjun, but the way you squeeze his hand reminds him that it is.

Jooyeon

Jooyeon is bouncing up and down, buzzing with excitement. He is thrilled that today has finally arrived, the day that he gets to marry you. Jooyeon recalls the days his members would tease him about arguing with you. Claiming that you two sounded like a married couple. Now, in about an hour, you two are really going to be a married couple, it makes him laugh a bit. He can’t tell if the minutes are passing by fast or slow. All he knows is that he can’t wait to be standing next to you.

Jooyeon’s heart picks up at the sight of you entering the room. It hammers harder the closer you get. Jooyeon doesn’t think there will be a day where you don’t affect his heart and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s a bit clumsy at slipping the ring onto your finger, but it’s oddly endearing. In his vows Jooyeon says that there is no one else he would rather spend his life with than you. He’s very excited to kiss you when the time comes and even more excited once the ceremony is finished and you two are now married. He hugs you while jumping up and down.

[glassprism]

Hi, maybe it's a silly question because it's irrelevant in the performance but...

What do you prefer? Wedding dress in final lair or PONR costume as well?

I notice now it's very commun to see Christine's PONR costume in this part of the show in severals non-replicas (Italy, Spain, Greece...). In my opinion, Wedding gown have so potencial and it's so sad to see how this production desicion deny us of to see variants of this costume.

I hope you have a great week

Bye

I definitely, definitely prefer seeing the wedding dress in the 'Final Lair' over the Aminta dress.

Now don't get me wrong, I understand why many non-replicas forgo the wedding dress: it can be just another expensive costume on top of a show that can be fairly costly (all those different period costumes, the Phantom's lair sets, faux opera sets, not to mention the chandelier itself), plus the way many non-replicas are set up, there's just not enough time for them to do the quick change from the Aminta dress to the wedding dress. I get it, and I don't really get fussed about it.

But on a thematic and symbolic level, the wedding dress wins. First, the wedding dress is just one of the best visual shortcuts to tell any audience member who is still unaware that, yes, this is what the Phantom intends to do to Christine: marry her, willingly or not, and with all the consequences expected thereafter. One can easily imagine that Christine figures this out too; why else would she demand of the Phantom, "Am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh?" Yeah, it doesn't really affect the performance, Christine can react this way whatever dress she's in technically, but I think seeing her in that wedding dress can certainly help audience members understand the state she's in, her fear and horror.

Within the show, it also acts as the "payoff" to the "setup" that's the Mirror Bride. We see the Mirror Bride in the wedding dress during the first lair scene, which is a pretty massive hint at how the Phantom views Christine; when we reach the second lair scene, it's Christine in that wedding dress, taking on that role (if against her will) that the Phantom envisioned for her. There's also some nice parallels, possibly unintentional, in Christine being in a white dress in both lair scenes - first the dressing gown, now the wedding gown.

And if you really want to get meta, you can say something about the Phantom trying to force Christine into the role of the passive doll that the Mirror Bride is, and that Christine arguably was during 'Music of the Night' when she was entranced; and you can also note how it shows Christine growth and the fact that she's not a passive doll, in that she resists the Phantom at every turn in the 'Final Lair', no longer acting as the hypnotized object of desire who's happy to be led around by the Phantom.

Where was I going with this? Oh yeah... anyway, wedding dress for the win.

[yuzurujenn]

[2024.05.11] Quardruple Axel May Issue: Takahito Mura – The Evolving Athlete 

Takahito Mura often co-stars with Mr. Hanyu, including in ``Notte Stellata'' and ``Fantasy on Ice.''  From their amateur days to the present, they have deepened their relationship from time to time as two comrades. ※ We asked Mura to talk about Hanyu's evolution as a professional athlete.

(Text by Tatsuya Murao)

--You performed in Notte Stellata last year, and you have just finished the second day today.

Just like last year, I had a very fulfilling time. The theme of the show is "Reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake", so when we skated, we were conscious of the concept of the show when selecting the opening, finale, and even solo numbers. I may have mentioned this last year, but I really feel that the skaters are very cohesive in this ice show.

--Continuing from last year, the opening was choreographed by David Wilson, and the skaters looked like twinkling stars in the night sky.

Yes, the opening and finale both have that kind of image. This time, we have a new member, Javier (Fernandez), so he has lengthened the song a little and changed some parts, but the overall flow and base is the same as last year. It seems that David has brushed up on that.

--What kind of guidance did you receive from David?

For each movement, there is an explanation: 'This is what it means, so this is how you move'. This is especially true for the finale, since the lyrics are in Japanese, I think the audience can listen to the content of the song directly. With that in mind, David asked Satton (Miyahara Satoko), who can speak English, "What do these lyrics mean?", and said, "In that case, the direction of the hands should be this way", or something like that. The finale ('Song of Hope') is a song that brings everyone together and I really like it. It was the same last year, and I could still hear that song playing in my head for a while after the show. It's very moving, and I like how it ends on a high note. I was glad to hear that the song would not change for this year's show. The opening song, combined with the lighting effects, starts from a very fantastical place, with an image of the ``night sky and stars,'' and builds into a magnificent feeling. That song is also the theme of "Notte Stellata", and it fits the image that Yuzu has in mind. Because the theme is so clear, it's easy for us to imagine it, and it's easy for us to skate to it.

--Regarding this ice show, does Mr. Hanyu, the chairperson, have any thoughts on the initiative or any advice given to the performers and staff about how they should skate?

At the opening, there was a quote that said, ``The skaters have put their thoughts into this show,'' and I think that's exactly that, and the feelings of each skater were reflected in the songs. The theme of the show was shared in detail last year, so I wasn't told anything in particular this time. But we could see what Yuzu himself was working on, because we were also rehearsing together. It would be a bit strange to say that we understood his thoughts and that we met his expectations, but I think it's because we're all firming up together, because we're all heading in the same direction, that we're all coming together as one. We are no longer amateur athletes, we are working on the show as professionals, so it goes without saying that we understand this aspect as well.

--Did you get a glimpse of Mr. Hanyu's strong commitment during rehearsals?

I feel like he puts a lot of emphasis on the direction and presentation. This is true for the opening and finale, the collaboration between Yuzu and Daichi Mao, and Yuzu's own program, but he really worked out the details in rehearsals, like the timing of the lighting and sound, and how bright it should be to start from. When he was interacting with the staff, I got the sense that he was very particular about the timing, saying things like, ``It's too late at the moment, so can you please try again?''

--Since turning professional, Mr. Hanyu has been appearing in a number of solo shows, and it seems like that experience has been put to good use in this show.

That’s right. In the case of "Saturday Night Fever", a collaboration between Keiji and myself, Yuzu himself told MC Gamada (Ken), "You can hype it up a bit more. I think it would be good if we could get the audience more excited before the show starts".

--I saw it yesterday on the first day of the show, and the whole venue was extremely excited.

The audience was really excited. Keiji and I said, "‘Saturday Night Fever’ is the most nerve-wracking" (laughs). Of course I'm nervous about my solo, but I'm more nervous about this one.

--I was thinking that it might be a bit more relaxing for two people to do it together, but on the contrary, it's nerve-wracking.

Quite the opposite really, I get really nervous (laughs). In a sense, a lively, danceable number like 'Saturday Night Fever' shouldn't be uncool, right? Keiji and I were saying to each other, “Are we going to be OK, are we going to be OK?”. I was also worried about the jumps, so there was a sense of tension in that aspect. But I'm very happy that the audience enjoyed it and I could skate while feeling that they were having fun. Today was the second day, so I was grateful that there were many people who knew where the excitement was. There’s one more day left, so I'm going to go all out there.

--As for the collaboration number, there was also ``Carmina Burana'' by Mr. Hanyu and Mao Daichi, which became a big topic this time. What did you think of it?

When I first saw him skating, I asked him, "Isn't it really hard?" He replied, "No, it's actually only about 5 minutes", but he also said, "While the movements seem to be slow, there are very detailed parts that require effort to express them, so it can be difficult at times because I have to hold my breath during those parts." I was watching Mao Daichi's movements as if she was picking up Yuzu, like he was being picked up by a god, that kind of expression is amazing to see in real life. After all, Mao Daichi's divine demeanour is amazing, isn't it? I think it's interesting because it's a combination of two top performers from different genres, and when I watch the program that brings those two together, I think, ``Wow, that's amazing.''

--It feels like Daichi on stage and Hanyu on the ice are working together as one.

Really, it's just overwhelming. At first, I wondered how the collaboration would go, but when I saw them rehearse for the first time, I was speechless. Something like, “… wow, that's amazing…”. “What the hell!” I thought. First of all, Yuzu has a huge presence. On top of that, Daichi's presence was also incredibly large behind Yuzu. Daichi-san's performance changes from the dark atmosphere in the first half to the scene where she changes quickly and becomes pure white in the middle made me think, ``Wow, she's a professional.''

--Mr. Hanyu's performance skills are amazing as he faces Daichi-san.

Yes, I agree. For example, if I were to perform Yuzu’s part, Daichi’s presence would be too strong and I would simply disappear. But I think the reason he can keep himself from being absorbed is because Yuzu has such a tremendous presence.

--It is true that just by standing alone on the rink, in that large venue, Mr. Hanyu gives off the impression that he is in control of the entire place.

At first, when Yuzu starts to skate, I think everyone’s wondering what's going to happen now. As Yuzu skates and Daichi-san suddenly appears, her presence is overwhelming at first. However, as Yuzu's movements become stronger and stronger from the middle, his presence becomes as big as Daichi’s. When I look at that, I think, "As expected."

-- Mr. Hanyu said that the program conveyed the message of experiencing the natural disasters and suffering that humans have no control over, and of resisting it, accepting it, and moving on.

That's how I felt when I first saw it. After all, it’s been true since the “Prologue" stage, his ideas were way ahead of us. When he tried to use games as the theme for RE_PRAY, I was blown away, and I think it would be very difficult for other people to fully express such an idea. In the first place, I think it is truly an extraordinary feat to be able to turn that idea into reality. The same can be said for his quadruple axel challenge. He was also an elementary school kid who said, "I'm going to win a gold medal at the Olympics!” and achieved that goal. Before we knew it, he has reached a truly amazing level and is creating a new era. I guess it’s something he was born with.

--During his amateur career, he has achieved numerous feats in the world of competition, and has defied conventional wisdom. I feel that turning professional has given him more freedom in his ideas.

I think that what we are actually seeing from him now is what he originally wanted to do and wanted to try. My simple impression is that I'm very happy and grateful to be able to see that part up close.

--After such an astonishing collaboration, in the second half, Mr. Hanyu performed a new piece, "Danny Boy".

Yes. I was talking with Akko-chan (Akiko Suzuki) about it, and she said, ``I'm really into programs with this kind of tune that Yuzu skates to.'' His movements really stand out.  During the actual performance, the finale was right after that and we were behind the curtain waiting for our turn, so it was a shame that we could only see a glimpse of the performance. So, the only way to see him doing it at 100% is in the video, but even watching him in practice, there was a part of me that thought it was really great to see Yuzu skating a program like that. Today's open practice was after my own practice, so I went to the rink side and watched it. It's amazing that he can skate songs from various genres, and the way it connects to the finale's “Song of Hope”, it’s like a story.

--Did you have a chance to talk to Mr. Hanyu during the performance?

Well, we do talk a bit during rehearsals and so on. Yuzu has been working on his training and various other things, and he says, “It's tough”, but I’m like, "No, it doesn't look like that at all!" Considering my age, Yuzu is still young, but essentially, performance declines with age. That is the fate of athletes, but he is working hard to build his body to do what he can. I think that's the theme he talked about when he turned professional, his attitude as a “professional athlete”.

--He said that he will continue to evolve physically as well.

In fact, I think so. I think it is extremely difficult to do this without compromising the technical aspects. People tend to think that athletes' bodies are strong because they train hard, but in fact, when the body starts to decline, the rate of decline is huge and fast. Because they are prone to strain at this stage, they may end up with more physical injuries after they retire. So, we have to be careful and make sure that doesn’t happen, but Yuzu is doing the opposite and trying to increase his level. I thought his body and his jump skills were well-honed even when he was competing, but now I feel like he’s in a slightly different realm. That's really what I think every time I see him skating in various places. It was the same when I watched Notte Stellata last year, and it was the same when I watched Fantasy on Ice. I think now, after the "RE_PRAY" performance, his body condition has improved considerably. I really feel that.

--Is there anything you feel that Mr. Hanyu usually pays attention to when it comes to taking care of his body?

When I met him at the dinner hall and so on, I thought that he seems to be eating better now. I haven't seen much of his training since he does them elsewhere, but looking at his physique, I think it's really well-balanced and toned. When you look at him from the side, he looks very thin and slender. However, you can see from the way he stands that he has a really strong body. I would say it's very solid. I feel like his body is perfect. When I met him, I asked him, ``Have you grown taller?'' and he replied, ``I haven't changed.'' But he kind of looks bigger. I feel like he’s taller than when he was competing, and I think it’s because his body has gotten stronger. This is what I thought when we met together for the first time in a while.

--In Mr. Hanyu's documentary program, he said, “I just want to make sure that oxygen gets distributed to my muscles.” “I have to stop thinking in order to get oxygen to my body”. I feel that he is reaching an amazing state.

“I want to get my body moving rather than thinking with my head”, I think that's what you have to strive for in order to handle such a long challenge by yourself. He is definitely doing things that an average skater can't do. Yuzu himself did one performance of his "RE_PRAY" and said, "It's really hard. My body is a wreck." However, compared to “Prologue” in the beginning, he’s definitely able to move better now till the end. 

--That's how he has evolved as a professional athlete.

I think so.

--It's really interesting to see the body from an athlete's perspective. I would also like to ask about Mura's performance. How did you choose the song for your solo performance "West Side Story"?

As expected, I chose it with the theme of the show in mind. In particular, after the Noto Peninsula disaster on New Year's Day, I was struck by the fact that those affected by the disaster definitely have someone they call their "loved one". I chose this song because I wanted to express my feelings towards that person in 'West Side'. I wanted to show that people are not alone. It's like the feelings you have for your friends, lovers, family and each other.

--Who did the choreography?

Mihoko Higuchi-sensei. I had a chance to meet her and she choreographed it last year.

--That's also a new collaboration.

Yes, that's right. When you change choreographers, you also get the characteristics of the choreographer, so there are a lot of movements that aren’t in previous programs. For example, the intervals between steps can be different from what I am comfortable with. So it was very refreshing. There are a lot of turns at the end, but I put in three clusters. I jokingly said, “I’d like to add a step-like feel towards the end”, and Mihoko-sensei said, "That’s it". And the cluster that came out was another difficult one (laughs). It’s not a typical rocker counter loop, but a back-in rocker, a back-in counter and finally a bracket. It's quite hard, this cluster. There are some combinations of turns that I would never have put in if I were competing.

--In that sense, Mura is still evolving.

Well, technically, I think it's really bad. I feel it every day. I normally teach as a coach, but when it comes the time for me to move, I sometimes feel a decline and think, ``Oh, that's not quite right.'' 

--I am reminded once again how amazing it is that you are able to perform so well even though you do not practice all the time, unlike when you were actively competing.

No, no, there is always a sense of crisis. I just can’t find much time to practice on my own.

--On the other hand, by teaching your students, do you have any feedback on yourself?

Teaching athletes has helped me to think about various aspects, such as “How should I improve my current physical condition?'' and “How can I compensate the weak areas with movement?''. My students have various characteristics, each with different qualifications and different jumping styles. I keep this in mind as I teach each of them to help them move more easily. Things I had originally imagined in my mind during competing times, after I started teaching as a coach, I was able to connect them to actual movements and made new discoveries. Sometimes I jump with the kids I'm teaching now, so I think there are some positive aspects there.

--Thank you for your valuable talk. Lastly, please give some words of encouragement to Mr. Hanyu.

Well, it's the same with "Notte Stellata" and the same with "RE _PRAY," and I think there are so many things that only Yuzu can achieve and embody. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you’ll do next, and I'd like you to show us a new world. One thing I'm a little worried about is that you might overdo it someday and break down. That's the only thing I want you to be careful about.

Source: Quadruple Axel 2024 #羽生結弦 SPECIAL pg 52-55 Info: https://x.com/AxelQuadruple/status/1790022696480235669

[aughby]

"The Song I Never Knew"

With his attractive voice that could make a crowd of hundreds feel as though he was singing directly to them, Kai had always been the centerpiece of their band. However, something felt off tonight. The band was scheduled to play at a big event, but Kai's best friend, the pianist, seemed distant. Her usually positive and enthusiastic personality seemed to carry an odd weight, especially when singing the song "Princesa."

"Hey," Kai said to her during their backstage rehearsal. "Why don’t you want to play 'Princesa'? You’re usually the one pushing us to perform it."

She gave him a quick glance and then looked away. She whispered, "It's nothing," as her fingers casually danced over the piano keys, avoiding eye contact.

Confused, Kai frowned. This song was special, but he didn't know why it affected her so much. He had no idea that it had anything to do with her feelings in private. For years, she had been his closest friend, but at some point, she developed feelings for him. She couldn't help but think of "Princesa," the song that always seemed to be for Kai's crush, the girl who was always in the front row. The thought that Kai had composed those words for someone else hurt, and she wasn't sure if she could handle the emotional weight of playing it again.

The band had put a lot of effort into "Princesa," and Kai had dedicated many nights to polishing the song and putting his all into each and every word. However, his closest friend was unaware that the song wasn’t about the girl in the crowd. It was about her—the pianist, who had been by his side for as long as he could remember. Kai had secretly fallen in love with her, never having the guts to say so. He hoped she would notice his gaze at her every time they played the song.

All they could do was carry on with the show. Kai's best friend lightly sat down at her piano as the lights went down and the band members took their places on stage. Unaware of the band's own emotional agony, the crowd erupted in cheers. She kept her head down, her fingers tapping the keys in a machine-like way as Kai started to sing the first notes of "Princesa," his voice gentle but powerful. Each word he sang made her heart ache because it reminded her of all she would never be able to have.

Between verses, Kai stole looks at her, feeling something wasn't quite right. She was obviously struggling, and her typical fire was gone. He couldn’t understand what had changed. They had always been in sync, but tonight felt like they were worlds apart.

The audience exploded in cheers as the song came to an end, but she was unable to stay longer. She got up quickly, abandoning the piano, and went backstage. She ran to a quiet spot, tears beginning to spill. She couldn’t bear it anymore—pretending like she was okay, like she didn’t feel anything. Knowing that Kai was in love with someone else hurt too much.

Kai noticed her sudden departure and quickly followed. He found her backstage, wiping away her tears; her back turned to him.

"Hey," he said softly as he approached closer, trying to figure out what had happened. "What’s going on? Are you okay?"

She refrained from turning around out of fear that her emotions would be obvious on her face if she turned to face him. "I'm fine," she whispered, but her voice was cracked.

Kai's concern grew as he said, "You don't seem fine." He leaned in closer and put a gentle touch on her shoulder. "Talk to me."

She shrugged off his hand and wiped at her face. "Just leave it, Kai. It's nothing."

But Kai couldn’t leave it. He had never seen her like this, and it tore him apart knowing she was upset. "Is it the song? Why do you hate playing 'Princesa' now?"

His question made her heart ache deeply, and she turned to face him for the first time that evening, her eyes sparkling with tears. She broke into a sob as she added, "Because it hurts, okay?" "It hurts knowing that song is for someone else."

Kai’s breath caught in his throat. For someone else? He stared at her, realization slowly dawning on him. "What are you talking about?"

Her voice trembled as she blurted out, "You wrote it for her, didn't you?" before she could stop herself. "The girl who’s always watching us from the front row. Every time you sing it, it feels like a reminder that you’ve fallen for someone else. I just can’t pretend it doesn’t hurt anymore."

As her words sank in, Kai's heart began to beat in his chest. He was unaware that she had been feeling this way. Her pain, her reluctance, her distance—all of it made sense at once.

"No," he muttered, emotion erupting in his voice. "No, you’ve got it all wrong."

She blinked; she was confused. "What do you mean?"

"‘Princesa’ isn’t for her," Kai murmured as he moved in closer, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "It’s for you. It’s always been for you."

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"

Kai grinned, speaking barely audible. "I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember. I just... didn’t know how to tell you. So I put it into a song, hoping you’d realize it was about you. But I guess I wasn’t as clear as I thought."

She could not believe what she was hearing, so she just stared at him. All this time, she had been hurting over a misunderstanding. "You... you love me?"

With a nod, Kai wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Yeah, I do. I always have."

As she gazed into his eyes and realized at last what she had been missing for so long, her heart began to fill with emotion. "I love you too, Kai," she said.

With a growing smile, Kai drew her closer to him and embraced her before she could speak another word. They stood there, holding another in the silence that no longer hurt, and for the first time, the burden of unsaid feelings lifted.

The song that had previously caused them pain now became a symbol of everything they hadn’t said—but everything they felt. And now they had finally found their way to each other.

[cartcop]

Can I get your opinion on something? how do you feel about Ravi lately. Because I’m happy we’re seeing more of him but I also feel like they kinda gave up on giving him his own personality? Last season he was his own person: he was an introvert, a bit shy and hesitant but still competent and emphatic. and now he’s. well. He’s Buck. All jokes and random facts. last episode every time he spoke (especially at some point when he said statistics about something i don’t remember) I found myself thinking “that’s something Buck would say”. Idk it’s probably a me problem (i read an interview where they said “he’s gonna butt heads with buck because now he’s the cheeky one” so I’m probably focused on that), we still don’t know much about him and it takes me at least a few episodes to understand characters. Hoping we’ll see more of his backstory (praying for a Ravi begins) and his relationships with other characters and I’ll be able to get him better.

It’s important to me that you (and everyone else) know that you can literally always ask my opinion on anything. Anytime. I love saying words.

Honestly, I never was part of the Ravi fan brigade (tho I’m really happy that he’s back) so my thoughts on who he is as a character are kinda ?!?!?!. His re-intro was phenomenal I thought, a great little retroactive explanation of where he’s been and why he’s been there—with the level of emotional depth that 911 is so good at giving.

I thought his “are you sure that’s a good idea”/“I did tell you it was a bad idea” this past ep felt on brand for him, but I also didn’t really clock his characterization that much in seasons past, beyond him being sort of hesitant in a way that made sense for a new kid Buck was harassing at every turn lmao. Moving him away from that hesitance now that he’s developed professionally makes a lot of sense to me, but again, I’m no Ravi scholar.

I like the idea of him being somewhat Buck-like but maybe a little more…grounded? Like as the newest member and also the one that’s existed outside the 118 in the LAFD, it’s kinda fun to have him side eying the team. I definitely didn’t read his characterization in this most recent ep quite as Buck-like as you did, but I get the concern. They both kinda emanate little-brother energy and I would hate to see Ravi turn into a Buck-redux.

I do think 911 is trying to prep for the next stage in the show tho, and bringing Ravi back is a key play in that imo. Like, clearly Buck is in the homestretch on the emotional journey he’s been on since s1, which presumably means getting linked up with his ~forever person~ in the next season or so. And reintroducing Ravi and giving him some familiar, Buck-like character traits might be their way of moving Ravi into that “star single hot firefighter” role Buck’s been filling for 6 seasons. Not to be Buck round 2, but to hint hint nudge nudge at the audience that he’s gonna step up into a similar role narratively; youngest on the team, still finding his footing in the 118 AND in the world. I think that’s a big reason we got the fire academy setting too, with named characters who had really distinct personalities despite having so little screentime—they need to be ready to sub in some new firefighters if they want this show to run much longer, whether the main cast stays after contract renewals next season or not.

That’s all massive speculation from me, but I just cannot get the idea out of my head that they’re readying themselves for the next phase of 911, and you mentioning Ravi’s characterization being reminiscent of Buck just kinda. Slots right in with that crackpot theory of mine.

[cinemabuffoon]

rant incoming!

I fully believe that the expendables series is one of the biggest wasted potentials of a movie series in recent cinema history. This series could have (and should have) leaned heavily into the energy of the expendables 2, which is the best one imo so I might be biased, where it leaned into the fact that it was a bunch of aging action stars from various eras and embraced it instead of constantly trying to hand things over to younger cast members or botching what could have been one of the most entertaining franchises to exist. I mean for goodness sake Jean Claude Van Damme is literally named Vilain and is generic villain™️!!

I personally enjoy these movies because I'm there to watch some of my favorite action stars be cool and shoot up crap and pal around, and thats what it always should have been. Now, it can be as serious or unserious as it wants to be (like I've stated before I lean towards 2 so that's my preference of the ratio) but it should have been focused on this cast of characters. I understand that Stallone had stated with the third movie that he wanted it to open to a wider/younger audience but I really think that was the wrong choice. As far as I've seen from various fan response, we are all here to watch this cast! these guys! Not some younger actors we don't really care about. They should have ham'd it up! Maybe they kill off some mebers every once in a while if they want to keep it interesting. They are the expendables after all! They could bring on so many cool actors too. Imagine if in the expendables 3, instead of being what it is, they brought in some of the female action stars from the 80s / 90s! They could be new additions to the team, a mercenary squad that has a cool, friendly yet competitive rivalship with them, or even as villains! Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hamilton, Uma Thurman, Michelle Yeoh, etc!! So many cool ladies that would have been a fantastic and fun way to keep the movies fresh while staying on brand. Now if they wanted to bring on younger crowds then maybe bring on some more established "modern" action stars then. Ronda Rousey kinda makes sense to me because to my understanding she's fighter in real life. I do think you can bring on newcomers and I'm welcome to it! But I wish they didn't want to hand it over to them. I understand many of these actors are aging and may not want to do this forever and thats completely fine, but i feel that there is a better way then how they went. Also! longer standing villains would be so great! Not necessarily like Thanos but maybe keep them on for more then one movie. Allow establishing time or allow more time to have the battle of good v evil! I.e Vilain was two movies and not one, Stonebanks (who was wasted in 3 smh) given 2 or 3 movies due to his connection with barney or 4 if they had a really good concept/reasoning/writing, etc. There's so much I could probably add and maybe I will later if i think of it but it saddens me to see the state of where this franchise is heading. I hate that Tool hasn't been back once, his arc will never be finished. I hate that so many actors that should be in this arent any more or never will get to be due to its decrease in quality. I hate that the latest movie feels like the lacroix equivalent of a tangerine. I hate that these movies have had more bad than good recently. I know they were never masterpieces, but as someone who loves action films and enjoys many of these actors movies, it was such a fun franchise and one that's potential has been squandered. It's just sad. This is also coming from someone who is relatively new to this series. I didn't grow up with this so I have no nostalgia or anything, I'm not blinded by rose tinted glasses. I'm just a fan who wishes better for this series. I hope we get a movie that absolutely revives and revitalizes this franchise but after 4, I'm not betting anything on it.

feeling like we should have gotten sequels to the A-Team (2010) instead right now

[hyewka]

Hi! I hope you’re doing well and I absolutely adore your stories, really. You’re an amazing person and I can see it.

As a fellow writer I just feel like asking you a question or so.

See, I’ve written like 30-40 or so full fics within the span of half a year or so, right. I even have a few series on my acc that I’ve spent so much of my time on. All of my stories, I enjoy writing them but then when I post them I don’t get much likes or reblogs. Like when I look at the graph it’s always so low.

What do you think I should do to be doing better? Or is it all just chance and luck?

Thank you!!<3

Hi anon! To answer your question, it's not necessarily all up to chance and luck especially on a platform like tumblr. To get higher interactions and to reach a bigger pool of people you should consider a few things!

One: what fandom youre writing for. Generally, to gauge at how active your fandom fanfic community is, check two things; top posts of all year under the most commonly used tag and top recent posts. On moablr, I wouldnt consider a post with 300-500 notes flopping and anything beyond that interval is big on here. In other fandoms, especially bigger ones, this information might be different so considering your fandom base is important in managing your expectations.

Two: what tags you're using. tags are very very important on tumblr. for txt, txt smut tag is the most followed versus using something like tomorrow x together smut. Don't use broad tags either, it wont get you that many interactions. For example, something like kpop smut isn't gonna do much for you.

Tags that work for me in relation to txt smut work: #txt smut, #txt hard thoughts, #txt hard hours, #txt x reader - also if it's not ot5 add the members name in place of txt for example: #yeonjun smut.

Tags I've seen people use that don't work: #txt x gn!reader or anything that identifies the reader like plus size!reader in tags just wont reach that many people.

Also, if you write things like hybrid and sub!idol I'd recommend to use those in tags! Though it seems broad, most people who follow these tags read anything regardless if it's within their fandom space or not.

Three: you have to consider your writing. Too many gramatical mistakes, too niche, the length- all those things matter. If you're writing in English make sure your writing is cohesive and easily understandable. I would say to stay away from writing abbreviations in dialogue or in your writing, things like "tbh" or "bcs" is a little amateurish and might put some people off if it's repeated throughout your work. Just make sure it's decently consistent. And also!! Cant stress this enough but if you're writing a full fic be mindful to not have a lot of very long paragraphs.

If you're too niche, like what you're writing is a fantasy world building driven sex dungeon, there might not be that much demand. I'm not saying to stop writing things that interest you or adjust your hobby to what people want, it's just that the more genre your fic falls under, the more niche it'll get. Meaning a smaller audience. Yandere and dubcon will always appeal to a smaller amount of people so keep that in mind.

When it comes to length, it's not that big of a deal but it might sabotage you. The longer it is, usually the less people interested. Especially if it's smut. Anything over 25k might be too much. Now on the other hand, a fic really small (like a sentence or two so basically a blurb) might not catch someone's attention enough to hit like or reblog. 1k-4k word counts is desired.

This also has to do with summaries, avoid very long summaries. Two to three sentences would do.

Four: how your fics look. check the layouts of your fics, and then compare it to everyone else's. I'm not saying it has to look the prettiest or be very neat, but adding pictures to your fics especially on tumblr REALLY helps with engagement. I also recommend using simple dividers and not to use different fonts for titles, especially tumbrs cursive one. Either three icons that are cohesive with the other or a header that's the size or a little bigger than twt headers dimension.

Five: what's popular on tumblr. This goes hand in hand with the niche point I made earlier but making the switch to x reader instead of a named oc genuinely makes a very, very big difference. Switching from first person narrative to 2nd person, so instead of writing in "I, me, we" use you and your. This also makes a difference.

That's all I think might be hindering your amount of interactions, tags I'd consider the most important. If you want tkwo build a more dedicated followg, I'd recommend opening your requests!

[lock-my-feelings-in-a-jar]

16, 29 and 7

16. "is there/what is a song that has been ruined for you by an ex or a former crush/situationship/relationship"

this is a very good one. no. because nobody holds that much power to ruin things for me. i wouldn't allow it. if something ever feels like it's being ruined for me, i'll take it as a sign that i need to change my perspective of it and/or i'll find something different and better to associate it with. it's the same as learning new habits, you can change anything in any way you want. your world is yours to shape. don't let anybody else shape it for you, because it won't be for you.

29. most OVERRATED band or artist. okay. i'm going to switch the word overrated with overmarketed because i feel like that's a better word for this, actually.

like kiss is usually described as overrated. lots of people like them for whatever reason they have for liking them, that's fine. i like some of their songs, i love that they did good with their version of god gave rock and roll to you, but besides that, i've never understood the MASSIVE hype worldwide. it's SO MUCH. but i know their appearance and stage act and everything was big, and the marketing is always such a huge deal with that too. they've been EVERYWHERE for way longer than i've been alive. even now, i still see things about them. and of course, you put something in people's faces enough, they're gonna know it and a lot of people will like it.

but i also have trouble sometimes processing the fact that hardly anybody likes my favorite bands/artists the way i do, because i listen to it and i'm like "this is SO GOOD" and then nobody else cares and i'm so confused by it. like HOW????????????? but it's the same on the opposite end too, somebody else might be really into something and i'm just not very into it and they'll equally be like "HOW??????"

a problem is, most people i talk to about my favorites, they've never heard of them in their lives. they're not out in anybody's faces that much, so they're less likely to know them or ever listen to them, so how are they supposed to know if they like it unless they go out of their way to listen? and even if they do, it might be just a one-time thing. for me, i usually need to let songs really soak into my head by listening multiple times.

most of the time, people posting songs on tumblr even, almost everybody will just scroll by and not listen. is it too much work to play it? is there too much on their dashboard that they can't listen to everything? is it an inconvenient time to play it, like they're in public with no headphones? are they just not interested in listening to anything different at the moment? or are they not even looking at the dash at the time and they totally miss it? do some people listen and they just don't interact?

and the way i see so many video posts people reblog and they have to beg people to unmute the videos, it's like you have to physically reach into people's heads, plant a speaker in their brains, tape their eyes open and then play it. it FEELS like that's what some bands have been doing to people with the marketing over the years and some are just better at it.

i can't say if a band is overrated, i can only say that i think it reached a very large audience for a very long time and that many people apparently found something more in it that i never did. whether it's the music, the stage performance, the members, the community, etc. i don't know. maybe there's more to it than it seems on the surface.

and i never know when i'll suddenly get really into something i've never been into before. for example, maybe in the future i'll go through a kiss obsession and then understand it. maybe i never will. the brain is very fickle.

okay anyway. 7. "is there/what is a song that always makes you think of your parents?"

yes.

when i was in my mid teens, my parents were in the process of splitting up, they were yelling and arguing a lot and i used to play this song while they were arguing hoping they would hear it and maybe think about the words. not that i wanted them to stay together, but because i thought there were better ways to split up. maybe actually listen to each other and talk it out and be civil about it. respect each other or something. i'd gradually turn up the volume little by little in the middle of their screaming at each other. it didn't work, they had no idea i was even doing that until i brought it up years later after they were divorced.

besides that, i kept using other songs to try to get through to each one separately. point out a line in a song and i'd be like "this is how you feel, right?" and then they'd talk to me about it and i'd let them talk as much as they needed. then i'd do the same to the other one and try to relay the messages back and forth in better ways than if they were actually talking to each other. not sure that helped anything either, but at least i tried and i learned something from it myself.

[ssunstng]

❛ if i say yes, will you shut up? ❜

                                                                        [ meme. ] ---- for kae sieran.

                  the city of eudom ran off complete freedom. most establishments were easy to bribe && pay off, crime was riddled through the never sleeping streets. in attempts to show the COMMONERS that the head’s were at least trying to do something about it, most business heads met up for council once a month. it was something each head couldn’t avoid && because of that, often times the meeting’s would end in some sort of brawl because no one could ever agree on the simplest of things. luckily for sumi, the only complaint she ever heard from the board members were that there were simply not enough girls at her establishment, which she didn’t care for. she wouldn’t take in just ANY withered flower. but as of recent, there was someone && their particular clan causing a RUCKUS at her brothel && she had to make it known to the others that it had become an ISSUE that could no longer be IGNORED.

                  kae sieran && his WHATEVER clan had not only rudely interrupted her girls at WORK once — but now it had become THREE TIMES within the past month. at first, she was paid off to keep the matter between them. if she didn’t know any better it sounded as if sieran just couldn’t get ENOUGH of getting under her skin && her business. too many nights were spent scrubbing blood of the floors && walls because sieran was far too impatient when it came to their hits. it didn’t matter how many times he paid for the cleanings, her business was being affecter && her girls AFRAID to cross paths with their men.

                  forcing an audience to what she was DEALING with because of HIM, a devilish grin ended after her INNOCENT request of having hits BANNED from her house. most of the councilmen agreed, bastardizing sieran under their breaths because how DARE he interrupt immense pleasure in such a horrid way. save it for the streets, not the sheets. lastly, she requested — no, demanded — that he paid for TRAUMA EXPENSES && that he was no longer welcome to enter through her doors. it seemed like everyone was in agreement && that made sumi beam, eyes brightening like no one’s seen before as she watched sieran crumble where he sat.

                  ❛    if i say yes, will you shut up   ?     ❜      she could SMELL the defeat of his words, it took her everything not to laugh out loud — && that was just be MEAN. 

                  ❛      thank you for being SO understanding, kae sieran. let’s hope you’re a good little boy && listen.     ❜   && with that her head turned away from his, long straight hair flipping && providing a curtain between the two. she could FEEL his glare, sense his seething — but she sat with a smile. sumi had WON.

[rainswept]

ngl i had to take a fat nap after that response ☹️

i have genuinely never felt so overwhelmed with emotion before, now we're in the same boat because i don't even know what to say to tell you exactly how much i enjoyed reading all of it. i got that whole eyes burning going on n shit and im having a very fun awesome time trying to put a name to whatever the feeling in my chest is (not), but love sounds like a nice way to put it so we'll go with that! i love you too, and appreciate the time you took to write everything out more than any sentence can convey the full meaning of

you're right about me not expecting my ask to mean so much, i wrote it because i knew most authors (and creators as a whole) like hearing how their viewers discover their work. you said you were curious in the notes of the url post, i thought i might as well send in my story to satisfy.

it would be a big step for me, but also a chance to say something nice to someone who inspired me and then move on after a “thank you” or vague acknowledgement to… prove to myself interacting isnt as bad as i thought it'd be?? something like that. i’m not sure what i wanted you to say, or how i wanted to feel about it

bbuut as per usual, you managed to surprise me no matter what i was looking for ( ‾́ ◡ ‾́ ) and it wasn't all over the place or hard to understand at all. my turn to be dramatic:

“what is the point of feeling if, as soon as you pry your eyes away from the page, the emotion fades with the ink?” is definitely a question i connect with. impressionable teenager check ‼️

i said i want to love like you because the way you dedicate yourself so completely is something i’ve never been able to do. i wasn't into picking apart characters before because i thought it was obsessive.

they aren't real right? who cares? which leads me to the metaphor i used for your writing: wholly consuming. imagine not being able to delve into those depths. of course it feels uncomfortable to be pulled under the waves at first— you aren't going to be able to breathe— but the underwater life has so much to offer. i know it now, because i’ve seen that unknowable infinity in your work and in your passion. and there's so much more to sea (ba dum tiss). thank you so much for showing me that

love changes a lot of people. it is sacrifice, and you often have to make compromises. so why not let myself be devoured by that endlessness? i would rather suffer, be swallowed by the ocean and have all of my soft edges filed into jagged pieces by the currents than to have never known that pain at all. because it changed me. i want to remember that.

i want to remember your words, and the part you played even if i am left with only hurt, because love is also giving. it's greed knows no bounds. it's scary, the only thing i had to offer was myself and my experience. but it's getting easier. i’m happy to be seen as a member of your audience, and will applaud every success long after our interests no longer align because that is my compromise for you ♥(ˆ⌣ˆ)

hope all that makes sense. i like the umbrella tag! i’m being perceived and i haven't exploded (yet) (destruction is imminent) ☂️

ANON i am so sorry for the late response i had to process this. i’m having such a hard time posting these bc i just want to keep them treasured in my inbox forever ugh

long post again

ANYWAY. you’re so poetic this is insane. hello???//?/? when i first saw this there were tears in my eyes literally. i cannot. the first paragraph. actually all of them. i . died?? goodbye?? this is the end of me as i know it. i will never be the same. these r the most impactful words anyone has ever said to me i think. i have no words. genuinely no words i’m going to melt into thr floor. plea. please. spare me anon. spare me. i’m in agony right now ur writing is so beautiful. ANONNNNN😭😭😭😭😭😭 god i will never recover. i am in tears

“i said i want to love like you because the way you dedicate yourself so completely is something i’ve never been able to do. i wasn't into picking apart characters before because i thought it was obsessive. they aren't real right? who cares?”

i get that, in a way. but as you said — “which leads me to the metaphor i used for your writing: wholly consuming.” — that’s how it feels to me, too, and it always has. i get the idea of thinking something isn’t important because it’s not real, but i’ve always latched onto them regardless. so i had to write, honestly. to get it out. because otherwise it would consume me instead. it sounds very dramatic, i’m aware, but it’s true — i have so many feelings surrounding these fictional pixels and stories and they have so much to offer and they take up too much space in my brain and if i do not talk about it i will Explode ™️. Or Implode ™️. so i write! because i want to. because i have to. because otherwise it will Swallow Me Whole. and i’d rather embrace it! i’ve always been an ‘obsessive’ person when it comes to interests — it’s all or nothing for me. so it’s one or the other — i can drown or i can swim, but i can’t really get out of the water of my own volition,,, and i’d rather not drown. so i’m both glad i inadvertently introduced you to that way of seeing things, and regret it, because it does hurt sometimes. but it’s worth it to me, and it seems like it is to you too, so that’s good!

ONCE AGAIN i could copy and paste this entire ask and comment on it but i fear it’ll just be me repeating your sentences and gawking at them and it would get way too long. 😭😭😭😭 so i’ll just let your ask speak for itself

“i’m being perceived and i haven't exploded (yet) (destruction is imminent) ☂️” also we can explode together actually. i’m glad u allowed urself to be perceived because. oh my god. 😭😭😭😭 this ask changed the trajectory of my life forever. half joke. destruction is not imminent you’ve got this

also, you’re definitely more than just a member of my audience now, in my opinion. if you do decide to stick around (and i hope you do), i hope we can become friends eventually too! even if you decide not to, these interactions have meant more to me than you know! so thank you, either way

[prying-pandora666]

I think you’re misunderstanding me.

I am not saying the Ozai of the live action isn’t abusive or horrifying. He very clearly is.

I’m saying the writing doesn’t convey it as well as the original and that’s a genuine criticism. It seems unfair to blame the audience for something that was super easy to grasp before being made more muddy.

An audience member shouldn’t need to be an expert in abuse to understand.

Yes, Zuko is less angry and desperate and volatile here. He is also older and was banished when he was older. It does lessen the impact.

Azula is insecure here, like she was in the original, but she’s no longer terrified of showing any vulnerability and even stands up to Ozai. Something she would’ve been too terrified to do on the original.

At some point, some of the fault IS with the writing.

Zuko and Azula seem more frustrated with their situation than traumatized. And while I agree with you that this isn’t what the show is TRYING to convey, it does do an inconsistent job of helping us understand what we are supposed to be getting from the additional scenes or changes.

Yes, in real life trauma can manifest in all sorts of unpredictable ways. But this is a narrative and they’re supposed to be conveying this to an audience.

This doesn’t surprise me though, given that it seems the entire production was made in crunch time and there wasn’t time for refining script drafts.

I also hope you have a nice day.

This is probably the only thought I’ll post on this, because overall I enjoyed the show but the internet is going to internet about adaptations:

I think there are plenty of critiques one could make about the live action AtLA adaptation (the pacing, some of the emotional character journeys not quite landing, some of the dialogue) but the one I keep seeing that I do not understand is that Ozai is “too nice” or that the show is downplaying his abuse.

If anything, live-action Ozai feels more cruel and horrific. Especially with the expanded exploration of his relationship to Azula. Do that many people really have trouble recognizing insidious evil if it’s anything other than literal cartoon villainy?

[monarchisms]

[from part 1 of the achievement hunter live: encore documentary | timestamp is 18:46]