#i love mon el and i got the feels

[bisupergirl]

[i-love-oldermen]

|Now you know my name| pt.1

A/n: I know it’s been a while but Ive recently started watching the boys and fell on my knees for this man. Literally on my knees for him, I love him so much.

Summary: After having a long mission all you wanted was a shower along with a sneaky link but What happens when you take a steamy shower pic and send it to the wrong person?

Warnings: Language, homel@nder (such a cunt)

Smut will happen in pt.2 I promise

Word count: 1.5k

Some of the basics you just joined the boys and have became close with Frenchie, Kimiko, M.M, Hughie, and even Annie. For some strange odd reason Butcher never seemed to be interested in you or even care to remember your name. You’ve tried being nice and understanding towards him but he either ignored you or walked off. That’s when you decided you weren’t going to pay attention to him anymore and for 3 whole weeks you haven’t.

You couldn’t think of Butcher at this exact moment though, the only thing you thought about was finishing a stupid mission to get some intel and get out quick. You sat with Frenchie and Kimiko in the van right behind Butcher who was driving. Everyone was busy talking who was doing what, when Hughie turned to you.

“You remember what your job is right y/n” he seemed nervous but serious.

To be totally honest today wasn’t the best day for you and you weren’t having it he told you your job over and over today least to say you were tired of it. Sure you were the youngest but you weren’t dumb.

Sarcastically you say “ You know what Hughie after the million times you told me, I don’t fucking remember”

The van got silent for a moment. Hughie was in shock along with M.M and Frenchie.

“Oí whats the matter with you” Butcher roughly says while looking in the mirror to look at you.

“Can you just drive” Rolling your eyes you avoid the gazes from everyone else by looking out the window. You see as Butcher he goes to say something but you just put on headphones and ignore him.

————————————————————————

After an agonizing car ride, the van comes to a full stop. You took off your headphones and climbed out of the van, Frenchie holding the door gave you an apologetic look. You pull down your pencil skirt fixing your blazer as well.

“You okay, mon amour” he put a hand on your face.

“Yeah Frenchie don’t worry about it” you gave him a comforting smile and turned to close the door.

The job today was to get into vought and plant a bug in Stan Edgar’s office. The seven haven’t seen your face around enough to remember it so you were the one going to sneak in.

Frenchie was hooking you up to a mic and camera so if you were to need back up you could get it within minutes. “Okay you should be able to get in and out with little obstacles” Hughie reassured you. M.M handed you the bug which you put in your phone case as Hughie did.

“Okay I think I’m ready to go” you were confident you were going to be able to do this.

“Aye don’t screw it up”

You turn to Butcher. He has a dumb smirk on his face that you want to punch off his face but you keep your composure while you put in your ear piece before walking away.

You pulled out your phone while walking in the building typing a message.

‘You’re such a cunt William , fuck you’

While walking through security and getting a pat down, you see Annie walk by she gives you a smile and a head tilt on which way to go. You are escorted by security up to the elevator. You had a cover as being an important investor to vought but you wanted to meet the man himself. Stan Edgar. Feeling your phone vibrate in your hand you look at it to see a message from Butcher. Without unlocking your phone to see the message you show it to the tiny camera connected to your shirt.

You hear through your earpiece, it’s Frenchie telling you to ignore the English man so you do putting your phone down to your side.

When you hear the elevator ding you are met with none other then Homelander. He has a disgusted look on his face as he looks at you. You start walking out of the elevator when he speaks.

“Have we met before”

You don’t know what to say almost to stun to speak so you just smile “No I don’t think so, maybe at a charity event”

You give a smile to reassure him. He looks you up and down seeing his expression change you change the topic. “Hey would you happen to know where Mr.Edgars office is?”

“Oh sweetheart you’re on the wrong floor” you cringe at the ‘sweetheart’ part feeling your skin crawl.

“Here I’ll take you” he states not making it seem like a question at all.

In your earpiece you hear Butcher -don’t fucking get in the elevator- he sounds furious so you take out your earpiece and take out earrings to cover it up and shoving it into your purse. Now your team can only see and hear you.

Homelander steps into the elevator holding the door for you, giving you an overwhelming smile “so are you coming or not”

You smile back to him before stepping inside the elevator. “Thank you so much for showing me”

He holds the smug smile on his face “No problem sweetheart” you cringe at the name again as your smile dies down. It becomes awkwardly silent as the building floors ding, you hear your phone starting to blow up. Homelander turns to you “You can answer that if you need to” you give him a head nod “oh it’s nothing important” he starts to speak as the doors open.

You take a step out quick not wanting to be with him a minute longer, leaving homelander in the elevator by himself. Thanking him you hurry to Stan Edgar’s office, he’s not in his office according to starlight. Quickly you pop in putting the bug under his office desk. You rush out of the office to be greeted yet again by the bitch in red white and blue.

“He wasn’t in there was he” he’s staring into your soul, taking a step closer to you.

“Oh no he’s not, my assistant was texting me that he rescheduled last minute” you smile to him hoping it would make your lie seem more believable.

“You’re a lying bitch” the supe threatens backing you into a corner with a freighting grin on his face.

“Excuse me”

“I do know you, you’re one of Huggies little friends aren’t you”

You try to shove him but he doesn’t move “I don’t know what you’re talking about” He pins your arms down.

“You’re lying, I can tell” His eyes start to glow red, when starlight comes into view.

She rushes to your side as she yells for him to let you go. He lets go “Oh hey starlight” he tries to play it off.

“Miss why don’t you come with me” She puts an arm around your shoulder, leading you back to the elevator. When inside the elevator and the doors close she turns to you with a worried look on her face.

“Did you really take out your earpiece”

“Yeah but Annie-“ you try to justify for yourself but she cuts you off.

“Y/n that was really risky, if it weren’t for Hughie who knows that homelander would have done”

“Okay im sorry” you didn’t mean it you still finished what you were suppose to and nothing that bad happened. You open your phone to see you have 10 messages all from Butcher.

Ignore the dumb cunt.

Don’t get in that fucking elevator.

You’re stuck with homelander how is that not in your fucking brain.

Y/n get out.

NOW.

Bloody hell stop being a cunt.

You’re going to get killed.

GET OUT!

He’ll KILL YOU!

Get the bloody hell away from him.

You have a shocked look on your face turning your phone to Annie. She has a puzzled look before grabbing your phone and looking at the messages. She’s shocked too. She covered your camera mouthing how she’s so shocked and didn’t know Butcher was this upset, totally agreeing with her as you are still in shock.

As the elevator doors open you separate now at the main floor, you step out of the elevator giving her a small wave. Walking towards the front door, you see a person you recognize pretending to read a newspaper. As you meet his eyes Butcher drops the paper and starts walking over to you. You stop walking standing in place in shock. He grabs you by your wrist before practically dragging you outside the building. M.m pulls up with the van before Butcher shoves you inside following you in climbing in the backseat. M.m drives away and that’s when Billy starts yelling.

“What the bloody hell were you thinking” he yelled.

“I think I planted the fucking bug” you yelled back at him getting into his face.

“You almost died y/n”

The van got quiet. Butcher had never said your name ever. To stunned to speak but still boiling with anger. You try to turn away putting on your headphones.

He pulls them off “I think the fuck not”

“Oh so now you want to act like you care like you’re my daddy”

You continued on “You treat me like shit just to care now, fuck you butcher”

Hughie tries to intervene “Guys come on-“

You turn to him “Hughie thanks for the back up but I swear to fucking god-“ you feel a hand go across your face. You hold your face.

You hear Frenchie in the back of the van “oh shit”

You turn to Butcher “Did you just fucking slap me”

[msriri030]

Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader

cw: mention sex work and slight toxic work place

The club buzzed with electric anticipation, fueled by a swirling rumor that someone important to Don Price was visiting tonight. You had no idea what your boss had done to arrange to host this visit for the Don—and honestly, you didn’t care. All that mattered was that, while you were on the clock, you were the club's star singer. But when the lights dimmed and the applause faded, you became just another pawn—another sex worker your boss dangled before wealthy patrons, provided they played their cards right.

With a sigh, you ran your fingers through your hair, smoothing it back with a touch of pomade. In the mirror, you checked the fading bruise from last night’s "guest," ensuring the makeup the kind bartender lent you concealed it. Satisfied, you leaned back, drawing a deep breath to steady yourself.

Knock. Knock.

The door swung open, and your boss' voice crashed into the room—gruff, sharp, and impatient. “Don’t screw this up. Got it?”

“Got it,” you replied coolly. As his footsteps retreated, you muttered under your breath, “You bastard.”

Rising from your chair, you adjusted your suit, making sure the lapels were sharp and every detail flawless. A final glance in the mirror—your practiced smile in place—and a sip of water later, you strode toward the stage, your heart thudding in rhythm with the faint murmur of the crowd.

As you approached, the band filled the room with a sultry, polished rhythm that kept the patrons engaged, the melody weaving through the dimly lit club like a spell. You lingered just offstage, nerves buzzing, waiting for your cue. The announcer stepped into the spotlight, microphone in hand, his polished smile betraying just a flicker of unease beneath the surface.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and esteemed guests from all walks of life,” he began, his voice smooth and confident, “please welcome our star performer, Mr. [Your Name]!”

The crowd erupted into applause as you stepped into the spotlight. The familiar warmth of the stage lights greeted you, casting a golden glow over the room. Your eyes scanned the sea of faces until they landed on one that sent a chill down your spine—a man seated next to Don Price. His vermillion suit and open black coat were striking, but it was the skull mask obscuring his face that unnerved you. Though his expression was hidden, his gaze felt piercing, unrelenting. You tore your eyes away and accepted the microphone from the announcer, who leaned in close.

“Good luck, songbird,” he murmured, his voice tinged with both encouragement and warning.

The lights dimmed, the room quieted, and the moment was yours. Drawing a deep breath, you began your performance with one of the club’s favorites—Antes de Ti by Mon Laferte. The band played a soft, smooth melody, their instruments blending seamlessly with your voice as it filled the room. You swayed gently, letting the music guide your movements as you sang:

"Antes de ti

Yo no conocía el amor

Estaba sola y triste como esta canción

Transitaba el lado oscuro de la luna."

Despite the music and the adoring crowd, you could feel his gaze. The skull-masked man’s attention was like a tangible weight, burning into you. A quick glance confirmed that he and Don, in front, were engaged in a quiet conversation, their heads close together. You silently thanked the heavens as the song neared its conclusion. Just one more chorus.

"Antes de ti (Before you)

Yo no conocía el amor( I didn't know love)

Por cada estrella una decepción ( For every star a disappointment) 

No había nada-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah~

(There was nothing-ah-ah~) "

The final note lingered in the air as you extended your hand toward the crowd, lost in the emotion of the moment. But then, your hand accidentally locked with his. The masked man. His gloved fingers briefly brushed yours, and the intensity of the connection sent a jolt through you.

"Antes de ti, mi amor! (Before you, my love!)"

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, oblivious to your inner turmoil. But as you froze on stage, the masked man rose from his seat and began walking toward your boss. Your heart sank.

The announcer, sensing something amiss, stepped forward quickly and dismissed you with a practiced flourish. You retreated backstage, your thoughts racing.

What did I do? Did I offend him?

The uncertainty gnawed at you as you slipped into your dressing room, waiting for the inevitable knock that would summon you to face Your boss' wrath. 

The knock came, sharp and deliberate.

You braced yourself, then opened the door, expecting your boss’s fury. Instead, the man in the vermillion suit stood before you, his tall frame filling the doorway. The mask caught the dim light, casting shadows that seemed to deepen its ominous design. Up close, his presence was overwhelming—an aura of authority, mystery, and something darker emanated from him.

You cleared your throat, adjusting your tie to mask the unease creeping up your spine. “Can I help you?” you asked, voice steady.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click. The air grew thicker, more charged. His gloved hand rose, brushing over the edge of his mask before he finally spoke, his voice smooth and deliberate, carrying an accent you couldn’t quite place.

“You performed beautifully tonight,” he said, his tone a mixture of admiration and something else—something you couldn’t name. “But I came to discuss something more… more important than music.”

Your instincts screamed at you to tread carefully. “I appreciate the compliment,” you replied, carefully neutral. “But I’m not sure what business we could have.”

He chuckled softly, the sound both disarming and chilling. “You sell yourself short. A voice like yours… and a presence like yours…” His gaze, though hidden, felt like it was peeling back layers, scrutinizing your very soul. “... has value far beyond this club.”

You stiffened, unsure if this was flattery or a veiled threat. “If you’re looking to negotiate something, you’ll need to speak with My boss.”

“Your Boss?” He scoffed lightly, the corners of his mouth barely visible beneath the mask. “Your boss’s not the one I’m interested in.”

Your pulse quickened. This wasn’t about Club’s business. This was about you.

“What do you want?” you asked, your voice firm despite the uncertainty gnawing at you.

The man stepped closer, his presence enveloping the small room. “What I want,” he said, his voice dropping into a low, almost intimate murmur, “is to offer you something this Club never could.”

Before you could respond, he leaned in just slightly, enough for you to catch the faint scent of something sharp and expensive. “Freedom,” he said, the word hanging in the air like a forbidden promise.

Your breath caught. Whatever this man’s intentions were, one thing was clear—tonight was going to change everything. He extended a single crimson rose, its petals almost too perfect, as though crafted rather than grown. You hesitated before taking it, the velvety texture brushing your fingers. 

Lifting the rose, you studied it carefully. “You promise me freedom,” you said, your voice steady despite the racing of your heart. “And I don’t even know your name. What do you want from me in return? We both know nothing is free in this life.”

The man chuckled, the sound low and smooth, as if amused by your boldness. His gloved hand reached out, brushing against yours as he gently adjusted the rose in your grip. “Clever,” he murmured. “You see through the illusions most are blind to.”

Before you could step back, his arms encircled you with a deliberate slowness, not forceful but undeniably commanding. The leather of his gloves was cold against your skin as he pulled you closer, his presence intoxicating and suffocating all at once.

“I don’t expect you to trust me,” he said, his voice now a near whisper, inches from your ear. “Not yet. But I see what others overlook—the fire in you, the defiance you try to bury under obedience. You don’t belong to anyone else.”

His words struck a nerve, stirring something deep within you. You tilted your head to meet his gaze—or rather, the unyielding mask that shielded his face. “And you think you can free me? Just like that?” 

His hand trailed down to your waist, holding it lightly but with undeniable intent. “Freedom comes with a price, it’s true. But it’s not what you think. What I want,” he paused, the room heavy with his words, “is you. Not as a pawn, not as a commodity. You, as you are—your loyalty, your will. In exchange, I’ll give you a life you never dared to dream of.”

Your heart thundered in your chest as his words sank in. The rose in your hand felt heavier now, its beauty tainted by the weight of his proposition. “Why me?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

The man leaned in even closer, his breath ghosting against your cheek. “Because you’re more than you think you are. And with me, you’ll finally realize it.”

The room felt impossibly small, as though the air itself had thickened under the weight of his presence. Somewhere in the distance, the hum of the club faded into an afterthought, leaving only the two of you in this charged silence. His towering frame loomed close, not menacing but magnetic, drawing you in despite the warning bells ringing faintly in the back of your mind.

He leaned in, his movements deliberate yet unhurried, and the faint scent of leather and something darkly intoxicating mingled with the cheap perfume you’d hastily dabbed on earlier. His voice was low, smooth like velvet over steel, sending a soft tremor through you.

“By the way,” he murmured, his breath brushing against your skin like a whispered secret, “people call me Ghost.” He paused for a heartbeat, his words hanging in the air before he continued, softer this time. “But you, dollface…” His lips tilted into the barest hint of a smile, one that held both mischief and something deeper, something almost tender. “You can call me Simon.”

The name hit like a soft ripple in the storm, grounding him in a way that made your heart lurch unexpectedly. Ghost spoke of shadows, danger, and the unknown. But Simon? That felt real. Intimate. A name not given to just anyone, but to someone who mattered.

Your breath caught in your throat as his gaze—hidden behind the mask but still piercing—seemed to hold you captive. His gloved hand reached out, fingers brushing the curve of your jaw, light as a whisper, before retreating. You felt a warmth rise to your cheeks, unbidden.

“Simon,” you repeated softly, the name rolling off your tongue with an unfamiliar ease, like it belonged to you now, like it carried a piece of him that he was offering. A nervous, fluttering feeling settled in your chest as his head tilted slightly, watching you with what felt like infinite patience.

In that moment, the world outside dissolved, the distant hum of the club fading into nothingness. It wasn’t about the suffocating glamor of the stage, the shadows of his mask, or the bruised dreams you carried in your heart. It was about him—a man who had given you more than just a name. He had given you a sliver of himself, something real, something raw.

The silence between you felt alive, stretching and pulling like a taut string, yet it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was charged with something unspoken, something you couldn’t name but felt deep in your bones. Your hand, almost without thinking, reached out. Fingers trembling, you lifted his mask.

And there he was.

The face beneath the mask took your breath away—not because it was flawless, but because it was human. His features were strong yet softened by a vulnerability he rarely let anyone see. Scars etched across his skin told stories of battles fought and survived, and his eyes—those eyes—bore into yours with an intensity that felt like it could unravel your very soul.

You stared into the deep, stormy pools of his gaze, searching for the truth behind his promises. His eyes softened, and for a moment, you saw not a shadowy enigma, but a man—Simon. Just Simon.

He leaned closer, his movements slow, deliberate, as though giving you the chance to pull away. But you didn’t. You couldn’t. The world stilled, and your heartbeat thundered in your ears as his lips brushed yours in the lightest, gentlest touch.

It was a kiss that spoke of unspoken promises, of a hope neither of you dared to name yet. His hand cupped your cheek, his thumb tracing a tender path along your jaw as he deepened the kiss, pulling you closer. The warmth of his touch melted the walls you didn’t realize you’d built around your heart.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested lightly against yours, his breath mingling with yours. His voice, low and intimate, broke the silence.

“You deserve more than this, dollface. Let me give you more.”

"Okay, Simon," you whispered, your voice barely audible but laced with a newfound strength. The simple utterance of his name felt like a key turning in a lock, freeing something long buried within you. His eyes searched yours, and in them, you saw a flicker of something you hadn’t expected—hope.

For the first time in what felt like forever, you allowed yourself to believe that maybe, just maybe, more was possible. A life beyond the suffocating confines of the club, beyond the bruises hidden beneath layers of makeup, beyond the weight of a world that had always demanded too much of you.

Simon’s hand lingered on your cheek, his thumb brushing your skin with an aching tenderness. “We’ll figure it out,” he murmured, his voice a low, soothing promise. “One step at a time.”

You nodded, leaning into his touch, your heart pounding as the last remnants of doubt began to fade. In the intimacy of the moment, the world outside seemed impossibly far away. There was only the warmth of his presence, the safety of his arms, and the quiet certainty that, whatever lay ahead, you wouldn’t have to face it alone.

And as his lips met yours once more, the kiss soft yet brimming with unspoken vows, you felt it—hope blooming in the spaces where despair had once lived.

[kj-yikes]

21. Sparks

(on ao3 here)

Lena sinks into Kara's slow kiss, feeling how soft and plush her lips are. She sighs and slides her hands up Kara's toned waist, fingers itching to dive underneath Kara's shirt. Kara's hands move from her cheeks, to her waist, and down, down, down until she's gripping her hips and it feels so good that Lena licks into Kara's mouth with a moan. She's pushing herself closer into Kara's body as Kara's hands slide back up to sit chastely above her belt — wait, where are they going? — and suddenly, there are sparks jolting from her hands onto Kara's arms.

Kara pulls back reflexively, and Lena lets out a groan. "I'm so sorry Kara. Did I hurt you?"

Kara smiles and shakes her head, grabbing Lena's hands in hers and holding tight. "Not at all. It felt a little tickle-y actually." Lena groans again and hangs her head.

"This is so frustrating. I know that my magic is fueled by my emotion, but this?" Lena waves a hand. "We're just kissing."

Kara chuckles. "Yes, and it's really, really nice. It's okay if it gets a little out of hand."

Lena shakes her head, frustrated. "I need to learn to control it. I'm not hurting you now, but I don't want it to get out of control."

"You will, Lena. I know you will," Kara says earnestly, dipping her head so she can look into Lena's downcast eyes. "When I first got to Earth, I had to learn to control my powers. It just took practice!" Always the optimist, Kara places a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Look at me now. Total control. I haven't even come close to breaking your nose or anything!"

Yes, Lena thinks, that's the issue. Kara is the picture of control. Kara is sweet. Kara is gentle. And don't get Lena wrong, she loves it. Lena loves every kiss and cuddle and stroke of Kara's hand on her back.

But if she's being honest, she wishes Kara would lose control, just a little.

Every time they make out on Kara's couch, or against the apartment door, or tucked away in a corner of the Tower, Kara's hands stay in decidedly PG places. Every time Lena manages to pull a soft moan from Kara or gets Kara to dig her fingers into her hips ever so slightly, Kara pulls back with hazy eyes and a small chuckle and kisses Lena on the forehead before wrapping her up in cuddles.

Lena hadn't had issues with controlling her magic the first time Kara kissed her, even though it took her completely by surprise. In fact, the first few weeks were completely fine. In fact, now that she's thinking about it, it wasn't until last week that the crackling static sparks started appearing. Lena had Kara pressed up against the door, hands pulling to untuck her shirt from her chinos. Kara's tongue had slid into her mouth so deliciously, and Lena thought that finally, finally it was happening, until Kara pulled away and she started peppering sweet kisses on her cheeks and removed her hands from under Lena's sweater. Lena had leaned back in to capture Kara's mouth, and boom. Sparks.

Oh God, is Lena is losing control of her magic because she's horny? She groans internally. How embarrassing.

Of course, Lena doesn't want to pressure Kara to have sex before she is ready. The issue is that Kara seems to be ready, seems to poise herself to dive across that line in their relationship, but pulls back hastily every time.

Kara claims to be the picture of control, but Lena wonders if perhaps there was more to it.

Lena doesn't know a lot about Kara's previous dating history, other than Mon-El. She wonders if she's the first human Kara's gotten close to sleeping with, wonders if she's the first woman Kara's considered sleeping with. Maybe Kara's scared of hurting her.

If Kara just needs more time, Lena can wait, but if Kara's afraid, then that's something they need to work through together.

Lena takes a deep breath before diving in. "Kara?"

"Yeah?"

Lena entwines her fingers in Kara's and blushes slightly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Anything." Kara cocks her head curiously, fingertips drawing little circles on Lena's palms.

"What are your feelings about sex? Specifically, about… us having it." Kara's fingers freeze, and a light blush dusts her cheekbones.

There's a long pause as Kara absorbs the question. "Oh! Um, yeah. I, uh, I want to," Kara says bashfully. "Have sex with you, I mean."

Lena smiles slyly. "Yeah? You do?" Kara nods vigorously.

"Um, kind of a lot, actually." Lena raises an eyebrow. Kara squirms a little on the couch as she continues. "Like, so much. But I think I keep getting in my head about it? I mean," Kara reaches out and strokes Lena's cheek, "you losing control of your magic isn't that big of a deal so far. It's just been little sparks and I'm Kryptonian so it won't hurt me. But you? I could hurt you, Lena." Kara's brow furrows as she threads her hand in Lena's wavy hair. "I get a little too lost in the way you're making me feel, and suddenly, I'm not in control anymore, and if I'm not in control…"

Lena gives Kara a reassuring smile. "I trust you, Kara, but you know your body best. Is there anything I can do to help you feel more in control?"

Kara ponders this for a moment. "You've been incredible so far, Lena. I, uh," she pauses, blush reddening atop her cheeks, "I have wondered if there is a safe way to dampen my powers without Kryptonite or power dampening cuffs. Something that dulls the more dangerous powers without dulling all my, um, my senses."

Lena's smile widens, ideas she's already been spinning around in her head getting set loose with Kara's permission. "I can definitely look into that, darling."

A thrill shoots down Lena's spine as Kara's gaze turns hungry.

——————

"Oh, Jesus, Luthor. I'm going to pretend like I don't know exactly why you're trying to make red sun lamps," Alex complains as she shoves the schematics back towards Lena.

"Yes, like I'm going to pretend like I don't know why you called Kara and I last minute on Thursday to pick up Esme from school," Lena smirks, arms crossed.

"There was a Guardian emergency!" Alex protests, but Lena can see the blush rising across her neck.

"I'm sure there was," Lena laughs. "We're all adults, Alex. We can talk about sex."

"Yes, but I'd rather not think about my sister doing it!"

Lena presses on, undeterred. Even with Alex's sqeamishness, Lena knows she'd do anything for Kara. "Look, Kara's nervous about losing control, and I don't want her to worry the whole time about hurting me. I want her to enjoy—"

"Yes, yes, okay, I get it." Alex glares at her before glancing down at the schematics again. After a moment, she says softly, "This is actually really sweet of you, Lena."

A warm glow settles in Lena's belly. "Alex, we've had this conversation. There is nothing I wouldn't do for Kara." Alex's eyes flick up and she gives Lena a small smile.

Suddenly, Alex's face shifts into a michevious look as she scans the schematics. "You remember that scotch you brought to Christmas a few years ago?"

"The Glenlivet 25?"

"That's the one," Alex grins. "I'll help you in exchange for a bottle of it."

"Alex, if you help me with this, I'll buy you a whole case."

"God, I don't know if that's better or worse," Alex wrinkles her nose. "Why didn't you go to Brainy? He'd help you without all the awkward questions."

"You know Kara's biology better than anyone. Brainy may be a tech genius, but we're both scientists." Lena raises an eyebrow at Alex. "I know you're intrigued, even if it gives you the ick."

Alex appraises her for a moment, before extending a hand. "Damn. You've got yourself a deal, Luthor."

——————

Lena hears Kara's key in the lock of her apartment, and a pleasant thrill settles in her stomach. She quickly rises from the couch to meet Kara at the door.

"Uh, wow. Hey. Hi. Hello." Kara's frozen in the doorway as she looks Lena up and down, mouth slightly agape. Lena's dressed to kill, in an off-the-shoulders, tight green dress that leaves little to the imagination. She smirks as Kara's eyes linger at the dip of the v-neck dress.

"You gonna come in?" Lena teases. Kara shakes her head and giggles before coming in and shutting the door behind her, dropping her bag and keys on the floor. She crosses the room and pulls Lena into a fiery kiss.

Lena's breathless by the time Kara pulls away, lips swollen and eyes hazy. "Did you finish the red sun lamps? Do they work?"

Lena wipes scarlet red lipstick from the corner of Kara's mouth and shoots her a mischevious look. "Want to go to the bedroom and see for yourself?"

Kara nods enthusiastically, and before Lena can say anything else, Kara has picked her up and sped into the bedroom.

Then, there are sparks, oh, there are sparks, but not from Lena's magic.

[c-optimistic]

Prompt for your consideration? Lena and Kara fighting post-reveal. Lena yelling "I lost everything," referring to Kara, her brother and all her friends, Kara saying "I lost everything too," referring to Lena.

In her heart of hearts, Kara thinks perhaps she’s broken.

(This is not an uncommon thought with her. She’s had it since the day Krypton died, the day her parents sent her away, the day she awoke as a stranger on a strange planet only to discover she wasn’t even needed.

She’s had this thought nearly every day. Wondering why it’s so hard for her to be like everyone else, to be normal.)

These days, the thought feels more aggressive. More accusatory even. It isn’t just that she’s broken, it’s that she breaks all of those around her as well.

Alex gave up her whole life to watch over her. All of the Danvers did. Everyone close to her got hurt. Everyone who had the misfortune of loving her was doomed to suffer.

And now, it’s Lena’s turn.

(Lena, strong and capable and oh so brilliant. Lena, with her quick wit and surprised smiles. Lena, who quickly made a home in Kara’s heart.

Lena, who has spent every night attempting unsuccessfully to quell her sobs.)

Kara touches down on the balcony, but doesn’t enter Lena’s office, content for a moment to just watch through the glass as the exhausted CEO crumples into her chair, head in her hands, elbows propped on her desk. For once, she’s not dressed to the nines—she’s in a simple pair of pants, comfortable looking shoes, a loose fitting top.

Kara wishes she could see Lena’s face. Wishes she could take Lena by the hand and—

“Go away, Kara,” the other woman says suddenly, in nothing more than a whisper than only someone with superhearing can understand, pulling Kara out of her thoughts. She doesn’t move from where she’s sitting, and Kara wonders, stupidly, how Lena could possibly have known she was there.

Kara pushes the balcony door open, taking a step closer.

“I just want to explain—”

“There’s nothing to explain,” Lena interrupts, though she makes no move to force Kara to leave as she had the last “I just want to explain—” times Kara had shown up. “Just…go.”

“Lena, please,” Kara starts, steeling herself and stepping fully into the office. Lena turns finally, and—

Oh.

Her eyes are red rimmed from crying, puffy, make up not immaculate. She seems…devastated. As though her whole world has been torn asunder, as though…as though she has broken.

(Kara wishes she could make Lena see. She wishes she could take Lena’s hands and let her touch the damaged and broken parts of her heart, beg her to smooth it back out again, ask her to risk the pain, risk the hurt, but to stay.

Love me, Kara wants to scream. Love me, she wants to plead selfishly. Because Kara is broken, destined to go on and on breaking others, but it would be okay if only Lena would hold her again.)

“Don’t you get it?” Lena shouts as she stands, eyes taking on a fierce gleam. “I lost everything! My friends! My brother!” She chokes on the last word, tears escaping despite her best efforts to hold them back. “What could you possibly say that would change any of that?”

Nothing. She could say nothing.

(Kara is fairly sure she’s broken. Everything she touches seems to crumble away to dust. CatCo, her family, Mon-El, and on and on and on…

This has always been yet another thing she was destined to lose, destined to break because of her own cowardice.)

She has nothing to say in response that can change anything. And so, she settles for the truth. “I lost everything too. I lost you.”

Lena just stares for a moment, then she shakes her head. It’s clear she understands what Kara hasn’t said. It’s clear she can tell it’s the first purely honest thing Kara has ever uttered.

And it’s clear, utterly clear, it’s not enough.

“You can’t possibly think that changes anything,” she says, but she’s not yelling anymore. She sounds practically breathless.

(And Kara wonders, just for an idle moment, what things would be like had she confessed to Lena when there had been no lies between them, no loss, no betrayal.

She wonders, for a brief but tantalizing moment, if Lena would have accepted her jagged and cracked heart, those deft fingers quickly piecing it back together.)

“No, but I…I wanted you to know,” Kara says, swallowing hard and looking down.

Lena doesn’t speak again, but when Kara chances a look at her before she leaves the office (the same way she came in, ashamed and uninvited), her fingers twitch as though she wants to reach out.

And for now, Kara finds that that is enough.

[thecasualqueer]

oooooohhhh def def agree with your addition! and just bc your addition got my brain tumbling, if I may add:

"So, I don't think this is something that TV Kara has ever admitted to anyone, to the point where even when being asked by someone close to her who has been through similar things she still can't admit it."

I sooo agree with this PLUS I think the expectations and pressure she felt all added to her not admitting it. Like in the start, she didn't have anyone to really talk to about her survivor's guilt who would really understand why it hurt so much. Someone who wouldn't pity and baby her if she mentioned it. Bc to the Danvers and even to Kal, Kara was just a kid. Not someone who would've been the youngest Kryptonian in the science guild, not someone who will never hear the harmony of prayers in Rao's Temple ever again, not a girl who didn't just lost her family but every single person she's ever met, too.

When Kara was younger (and even in the show, as an adult), the people around her could never fully grasp the depth and grief that Kara carried (which Kara is also infinitely grateful for, she wouldn't wish this pain on anyone), so she definitely kept it in. Both duty-bound to continue living for her parents who told her to, and for her new family who have sacrificed so much to keep her safe and alive. But for a long while, she definitely did not want to.

But what else could she do? Add another point of pain to the people who have already been through so much just to keep her with them?

You're so right in mentioning Kara's martyr-like approach in S1 and I think that applies to the way Kara never really talks about her darker thoughts too. She would martyr her emotions and thoughts if it meant keeping her loved ones from worrying about her. In her mind, and as taught to her way back on a planet that once was home, it is important to be "other-focused" and to show restraint towards things that would "unbalance" the peace.

Kara doesn't admit that she dreams of death bc she doesn't feel like she deserves it and because she doesn't feel like it's fair to share to her loved ones (who, to Kara, have sacrificed so much for her).

anywayysss sorry for the long ask-reply to your addition it just got my brain going brrrrrr 😂😅 I'd love to hear if you have any more additions or different thoughts though!

yes this ☝️☝️☝️

I also think this intense unspoken pain is also what draws her to Mon El. At the point when she meets him she has gone so long feeling this way and never being able to talk about it that when she thinks she has found someone who could finally understand she can't let that opportunity pass by (even if he is the biggest dick to walk the earth).

also... having to send him away after all this??? ie literally subjecting someone else to the the same trauma she's spent her entire trying to get away from, bc it's the only choice she has to save the world.

No wonder she has a mental breakdown and quits her job after!!!!

Also, also, this is one of the things that makes her relationship with Lena so special and unique, bc even though they have vastly different experiences Lena is probably the only person in her life who can relate to having trauma so deep that it cannot even be spoken about. Just like Kara, Lena has been through so much that she is practically bursting at the seems (mentally), and just like Kara, she has had to put on a brave face through all of it.

Like, look me in the eye and tell me that Kara does not put her trauma into little boxes!!!

Anyway, sorry it took so long for me to reply to this ask I've been really busy lately but I hope it was worth the wait.

👉original post (where it started)

[havendance]

New Comics Time!

And it's a long one this week. Lots of comics. I might poke my head in Harley Quinn or Powergirl later for completion/curiosity purposes but I wanted to talk about a lot of these now :)

Detective Comics #1090 - The flashbacks in this issue are far more interesting in my opinion that the present day which is like 'oh no, another serial killer!' While I do think that it's hilarious that Taylor is having it so Thomas Wayne saved Joe Chill's life back in the day (A plot point that would be right at home in Batman: Year Two where Bruce is busy agonizing over the fact that he's planning to kill Joe Chill with the same that killed his parents), I still can't help but be intrigued by the themes of unseen consequences of well-intended actions that he seems to be setting up. Between Thomas saving Joe Chills life, and the fact that I can't help but get shady vibes from Scarlett Martha Scott's anti-aging stuff and offer to Bruce, I'm interested is seeing where this goes

Art-wise, previously, Mikel Janin's art has always had this too-smooth feel to it that made me think of cgi or cell-shading and it just didn't work for me. This time, with him doing his own colors, there's still some of that smoothness, but he's also some texture to it that has vastly improved my enjoyment. We really are in the middle of an age of these bright, technicolor comics and I really like it.

Action Comics #1072 - I do appreciate the flashback we got to explain Mon-El this issue as someone who is not familiar with Superman lore. Kon and Kenan continue to be fun while the adventure in the Phantom Zone continues. For the backup, I continue to really love the art--especially the environment this issue. Plot wise, my curiosity about the prisoner and the nature of Kara's mission is building. I'm a little worried that the tension is getting build up too much and when we finally do get answer's it'll be a disappointment, but we shall just have to see.

Green Arrow #17 - Most of this issue is taken up by cleaning up the last of the double-agent Green Arrow plotline that I largely did not read. I did enjoy the start of Condon's run though. I liked the atmosphere it was setting up and the sniping between Ollie and Batman was very enjoyable. I am interested in seeing more of this new costume. The mask makes him look younger.

Superman #19 - Okay, the moment where both Clark and Lois ducked into the same broom closet to go out and save the day? That was cute. I think my main take-away from this issue was that I really don't know a lot of the current Superman status quo because, like, Lois Lane as the Planet's Editor in Chief? The whole Supercorp thing? Luther's amnesia. I've got nothing on any of it. Part of being a comics fan is rolling with the punches though. I'll probably keep seeing where this story goes, but I think it's also getting prone to being dropped as I wander off.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 - This was so good. I admit, that was I was doubtful when I first heard the announcement because, I've found in my experience that Kelly Thompson writes fun comics but ones that don't necessarily grab me. I think this best thing of her's I've read, honestly. Diana as an exile! I am also obsessed with Circe being the one to raise her. "How you fall in love with a child is by raising it." It's hitting the same beats for as one of the best parts of the Messner-Loebs run which was Circe as Donna Milton and how she found herself getting drawn into Diana's orbit. The things you do, the people you surround yourself with. That matters for your character. I just loved seeing that redemption there for her.

I love what this is setting up in terms of Diana setting out to try and find who she is and what was hidden from her. There is this mission that is tying her to an origin and people she's never gotten the chance to know. It leaves me really hoping that we get to see her reunited with the Amazons at some point.

The art was also gorgeous. Bellaire's colors were knocking it out of the park as always. Those long horizontal panels I really like, but I did leave wishing I could read this on paper. I am just a little tempted to go out and start getting this in floppy form and we shall see, but also, I am spending this money of dcu infinite and trying to not buy a ton of comics weekly on top of that so I'll probably try to just hold out for the trade instead.

The Flash #14 - This is looking like it's going to be such a fun story arc. Vacation to Skartaris!--I am not the Warlord fan, but it still brings me joy. Not sure if I'm really feeling the artist for this, but the lettering continues to be top notch for this series.

Nightwing #119 - I am a fan of this creepy puppet-master type villain it looks like we're going to get. Fun archetype. I do like the setup we're getting here and the DickBabs banter is top notch. (As a side note, while I know Barbara isn't back to all of her post-crisis glory, I really do appreciate Oracle popping up everywhere in comics again especially coming from the new52). Interested in seeing where it goes!

Green Lantern: Dark #1 - Another comic I checked out because I could, and unlike the werewolf Batman one, I think this one's going to be a keepr. The fantasy vibe that this had was very fun. I like how it played with stories. I also really liked the art. It had this very nice sketchy feel to it.

The Question: All Along the Watchtower #1 - I really liked the opening sequence--that spread of the watchtower? Beautiful. That being said, there was a lot of set-up in this issue. It felt like most of the time was spent having Renee follow Wonder Woman around and have stuff explained to her. This is a new setting and this is also a lot of the introduction to the Watchtower that we're getting prior to Justice League: Unlimited #1 afaik, but I also can't help but feel that there could've been a more efficient way of getting this information across. Say, a map, or a casefile, or even Renee explaining it to the reader rather than having everything explained to her. I think what I really wanted was Renee taking more of a lead, and I hope that we do get that next issue now that all the set-up's out of the way.

All of that being said, the supporting cast is shaping up to be very fun. I was admittedly, holding out for the Huntress, but I will not complain about the Blue Beetles + Batwoman! I am looking forward to seeing how that team unfolds. Art-wise, I don't think I really have much to say, but I did really like the text-boxes that the robot guy had. Nice touch right there.

[toppersjeep]

Chapter 3- All For Love Charles Leclerc

Link to Masterlist

El’s POV

“Hey mom how are you feeling today” I said walking into the hospital room. “My El you look so pretty today” Mom said. “The doctors said it’s looking good” I said. “The race was great honey I’m so proud of you P2” she said holding my hand.

“Mom I think it’s turning out well for you here too” I said. “Oh honey you don’t need to worry about me” she said cupping my cheek. “I do worry” I said. “Charles oh my goodness you look as handsome as you did.. growing up” Mom said.

“Hi Joy I figured I’d stop to see you” Charles said. “Flowers too what a gentleman” Mom said. “I’ll set these here” Charles said setting the flowers on the table. “You guys are doing so good with the races” Mom said.

Charles sat next to me.

“El is doing amazing for sure she’s got that Mercedes” Charles said. “Oh you two are so cute together” she said. “Oh mom” I said. “So Joy how are you feeling” Charles said. “I’ve got good days and bad ones” she said Charles smiled.

“That’s good” Charles said. “I mean they want more chemo but I don’t wanna do that you know” Mom said. I teared up. Charles looked at me and held my hand. I just looked and smiled. “What if this one works mom” I said. “Honey.. I just can’t keep doing it to myself I’ve lived a great life” Mom said.

“But..” I said. “Joy are you sure you cant” Charles said. “Charles if it happens I’m at peace with it” Mom said. “Okay guys visiting hours are over” the nurse said. I hugged my Mom. “I love you honey” she whispered in my ear. “I love you too” I said.

I began to walk out and Charles stayed for a second. So I just waited outside the door. He then came outside.

“Sorry she wanted to talk to me” Charles said. “No it’s alright thank you for stopping she appreciates it” I said. “Elena” Charles said. “I’m fine” I said as we walked to the Elevator. The doors shut and it was just me and Charles.

I hated crying in front of him. But I just couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Char I” I began to say as I started crying he then pulled me into a hug. “I’m here” he said holding me tightly. “I don’t get it” I said. “It’s alright you can let it all out” he said kissing my forehead.

He then drove me back to my apartment. He parked in the parking garage and walked up with me.

“Addie should be home soon” I said. “Do you want company” Charles said. “..I was gonna say no but I don’t wanna be alone” I said. “You don’t have to be” Charles said. “So how about we order in” I said. “Movies and take out” Charles said as I opened my apartment door.

“Yes” I said. “Like old times” he said shutting the door. We ordered our food and then put a movie on while we waited. “So anything else new” Charles said. “Aside from my Mom not really” I said.

“Have you talk to Joss” Charles said. “My Dad didn’t want me so I refuse to” I said. “He’s a jerk” Charles said. “So is Max” I said. “Max is well” Charles said. “Don’t get me started” I said.

Later…

“Cold” Charles said. “A bit” I said he put the blanket over me. “Thanks Char” I said. “Anytime” he said I rested my head on his shoulder. “I’m home” Addie said. “Hey Addie” Charles said.

“Hey guys” Pato said. “Oooo how was the date night” I said. “Good” Addie said. “Did you guys have date night too” Pato asked. “Oh no umm” I said getting up. “No she just had a rough day so” Charles said. “Oh” Addie said.

“I think I’ll just head to bed” I said. “El” Charles said following me into my room. “I’m fine Charles” I said. “If you need me just text me” Charles said. “I will” I said. He then hugged me. “You know I care about you.. you will always have me” he whispered in my ear. “I appreciate you so much” I said.

“I know love” he said kissing my forehead I smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow on track” I said. “Maybe I’ll let you pass me” he said. “Hmmm only if I let you in front of me” I said he laughed. “You’ll probably be in front anyways” Charles said.

“Then join Mercedes” I said. “Hmmmm I’ll think about it goodnight mon chéri” Charles said leaving. I then changed into a t shirt and shorts. Addie came running through my door afterwards. “ELENA LYNN VERSTAPPEN ARE YOU KIDDING” Addie said. “Why are you yelling” I said.

“He called you mon chéri and said you’d always have him” Addie said sitting on my bed. “Sure Addie come right in” I said. “He’s in love with you” Addie said. “He’s just Charles” I said. “Elena he always kisses your head what friend does that” Addie said. “So what Daniel did that” I said setting my clothes in my dresser.

“Yeah and Daniel was your boyfriend see my point he wants you” Addie said. “Pato get your girlfriend” I said. “Come on Addie let her go to bed it’s race day for you guys tomorrow” Pato said.

“Alright fine” Addie said leaving shutting my door. I then turned my light off and got ready for bed. Maybe she was right about Charles.

Or maybe everything was in my head. As usual. I laid down and attempted to go to bed. When Daniel texted me something.

____

Danny Ric: I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t have said the things I said to you the other day. I know you are going through a lot with your Mom.

Me: No I get it we shouldn’t keep doing that it keeps hurting our friendship Daniel. And it’s alright

Danny Ric: No it wasn’t okay on my part. I didn’t mean the things I said. Are you doing okay? I know your Mom is still in the hospital

Me: honestly I don’t know how to feel dan.. she’s all I have I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her

Danny Ric: Do you want me to come over and talk about it? Or do you wanna be alone

Danny Ric: Scratch that you aren’t gonna be alone I know you too well.

____

I then waited a couple minutes and Danny walked into my room.

“Don’t worry I told April I came to check on you” Daniel said sitting next to me on my bed. “Daniel” I said he pulled me into a hug. “I know” he said I started crying. “I’m here” he said rubbing my back. “I can’t lose her” I said.

“You won’t” he said I laid my head on his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair. “I just don’t know how to cope with this” I said. “You have me and everyone else” Daniel said. “Is it bad to wish Max cared” I said. “He does care” Daniel said. “I doubt it” I said. “El your his sister” Daniel said.

“Doesn’t mean he has to care” I said. “You are so stubborn” he said I laughed. “Yeah that’s why you loved me remember” I said. “Loved Elena I still love you” he said I didn’t say anything. “I’ll always love you” he said looking at me. I just pretended to fall asleep.

I couldn’t keep breaking his heart. Of course I loved him. He was my first real love. But I can’t be with someone when I’m thinking about another guy.

[fazedlight]

How I think the Supergirl seasons should've gone...

Season 1: Leviathan

Hear me out. By far the biggest screwup of season 1, in my opinion, was getting rid of Kara's status as the Last Daughter of Krypton so quickly. I want to see more of her angst as a character, as a refugee from a dead planet, coming into her own powers. Give me the complicated emotions of missing her family, of feeling like she is honoring their memory, of wishing she had more guidance from her culture and values.

Starting with an Earth-based villain is a good scope for season 1. I think Leviathan could be reimagined to be remaining an Earth-based villain (none of this "technology" plot). What if they want to decimate all humans via increasing natural disasters? How would she stop them, when destruction is so much easier than creation?

Season 2: Rhea & the Daxamites

Season 2 was actually a great villain setup (Mon-El aside). I don't have many complaints here from a Big Bad perspective - Rhea was interesting and compelling, and it was fun watching her manipulate her way into a world invasion.

(I will say, if they wanted Mon-El to be a vaguely compelling character, they either should've made him some sort of freedom fighter rebelling against his parents, or they should've made Daxam a less terrible planet to begin with - with Kara learning how much propaganda she had been fed on Krypton.)

Season 3: Worldkillers (feat. Villain Alura + Worldkiller Kara)

There are hints that the original plan for season 3 was to have Alura amongst the Juru witches and Kara as a worldkiller (I may have written a fic on that). We could've combined the worldkiller arc, with Kara's angst about her parents' flaws and her existence, with Kara finally learning that she wasn't the Last Daughter of Krypton.

Her people would be alive - at a cost. Suddenly she'd be thrown into this conundrum... what did it mean to be kryptonian, and what did it mean to be human?

Season 4: Lex (and xenophobia)

Much like season 2, I really liked the existing plot of season 4. I'd make some minor changes, but overall it was a strong season.

Seasons 5 & 6

The Lex redux is kind of weak (and Lena's villain era, if she had one at all, should not last an entire season). Nyxly and Lex were the worst combination ever in my book. Not a fan of these seasons' big bads and I don't want to reuse them. But there are a few other options:

Bringing in Astra and Non at this point might be interesting. After the Daxamite invasion, the first solution people would think of would be "what if we spread kryptonite in the atmosphere?" with obvious angsty implications.

I would've loved to see Brainiac here. Perhaps he's mad that he didn't get to bottle Krypton before it exploded, so he wants to bottle Earth since it has the last kryptonians left. (Would've been an interesting arc for Brainy, too.) Or maybe he bottled Argo City.

Nyxly could've been a better solo villain, I think. I'd remove her backstory with the king/etc - make her some unhinged imp who somehow got around the usual limitations on 5th dimensional magic usage.

There are other great classic villains, like Darkseid.

As a final aside, I really loved the Red Lantern Kara arc in the comics, and wish they had done that on the show. It could've been...

A solution to the Astra/Non/Myriad problem. I thought the season 1 ending was kind of cheap, in that Kara only won because all of the kryptonian criminals were asleep on Fort Rozz when she was fighting Non and Indigo. Having Kara go red lantern and wipe them all out instead would've been immensely satisfying.

It could also have been an angsty response to Lena's betrayal, perhaps combined with the above.

Overall, the point is that there should be increasing stakes as time goes on. Moving from physically destructive villains (with increasing emotional cost) to something more vague and existential (the risk of being frozen in time, brainwashed, or fighting an unknowable magic) would've been a good escalation path for the show.

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

Cool questions!

1: What's Chris/Thara & Jake/meredith wedding songs?

2: Dark question (feel free to skip) have the starburst duo ever been kidnapped? Like from school or maybe from their place?

3: Has somebody ever try to get revenge on the duo?Maybe a family member of a goon they stop tries to get revenge?

4: Let's say the duo filled their months with any drink of their choosing & the goal is to make the other spit it out, what would they do to each other & who spits it out first?

5: What's the super twins like with starknights/titans of tomorrow? Or maybe just Jake & mar'i?

Hmmmm....Lemme see what I can come up with @pin-crusher2000 ;-)

1) Chris/Thara: "Can I Have This Dance?" by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudges; they’d have a waltz on the dance floor to that song

Jake/Meredith: "Hold Me” by Fleetwood Mac; The newlyweds can through on a performance with Meredith and Jake on guitar and drums respectively playing along to it

2) I would say it was primarily Jake who got abducted from his school during recess and then held up for ransom money by some mafia goons. In particular, since Jake is connected to billionaire Bruce Wayne via being the son of the adopted Richard Grayson-Wayne, the hostage takers demanded a payment up to $2 billion if Bruce and Dick are to see Jake unharmed. Thankfully for the Bats and Jake’s loved ones, these crooks weren’t particularly too technologically savvy so it’s was real easy for Cyborg to take down their locations via their internet signals and within the two hour mark after they post up their demands, Robin!Tim, Chris and Mar’i all came to Jake’s rescue, utterly curb-stomping the crooks. Still Jake was deeply embarrassed by this situation and vows to be extra careful next he ventures out of the school boundaries during recess.

3) Hmmm….I can probably see some of the street gang punk friends of Kryptonian Phantom Zone Prisoner and enemy of the House of Zod , Vla-Bol, all assemble around their ringleader after he tells them of his recent defeat at the hands of Chris. This Gang of Four can then sneak into General Zod’s base of Fort Rozz, hijack some of those Zone crossing pods many of the Fort’s residents including Chris long ago use to travel to Earth, and invade the planet themselves, going a mini rampage in Hamilton County to get Chris’ attention and start up a massive brawl, Chris trying desperately to lead said brawl away from the town and into areas worldwide where no one else can get hurt. It was a tough battle with him on the ropes many times but Jake’s, Penny Troy’s and the rest of the StarKnights’ timely arrival helped turned the tide long enough for Chris to borrow his Dad Clark’s Phantom Projector and send these Kryptonian street punks back to the Zone where they came.

4) I can see Chris mainly going for Jake’s ticklish spots while Jake would try making Chris laugh as hard as he can with some intentional slapstick and doing a small stand up routine filled with puns and other jokes his Uncle Gar taught him. It’s not even a real contest; Chris gets Jake to squirt out his grape soda not just out of mouth but also his nose.

5) Hmm….Okay so at least in this version or at least for a possible version that satisfies both Kid!Jon fans and fans of those two; I’d have them being raised by Mon El, Clark’s Daxamite de facto brother, after having to rescue them from the tyrannical clutches of Mongul during a mission at WarWorld.

As for their bond with the StarKnights and the Tomorrow Titans, I can see Osul being close with Chris, almost brotherly bond between them while also having something of a kinship with Robbie Long, something one can see being mirroring the bond Clark and Diana have. As for Otho, She’s no doubt part of a lot of friend group formed by Mar’i, Lian and Irey, an honorary member of that little Tenacious Trio and their shenanigans.

One thing is perfectly clear though; Besides Mon El, Osul and Otha are both very close to Chris and Jon as per usual.

[moistvonlipwig]

sorry, i resisted for a long time but the send me a show ask meme: cwsg 😅

please don't resist i am still without my computadora and need some enrichment in my enclosure!!!

looping in @yourlocalegotisticalqueerishere who also asked for sg!

The first character I fell in love with: Probably Lena.

The character who is my 'baby': Streaky!!! 🐈🐾

The character who I do not understand: I genuinely do not understand ANY of the writing decisions they made around William. Why was he like that. Why were we supposed to want him to get together with Kara. Why did he pretend to be married. Why did he die. Why did he vlog his death and email it to Andrea instead of, like, calling for help. Why did his offscreen girlfriend not bother showing up to his funeral. These questions will haunt me forever.

The character that I think the show ruined: Many such cases 🥴 They really did poor Mon-El dirty, his comics counterpart could've been adapted in so many cool ways but instead they did That. Additionally, while I think Lex is used well in S4 and isn't truly overexposed to the point of ruination until S5 and S6, I nevertheless think that the character S2 implied him to be -- a good person & brother who slowly became corrupted by his obsession with Superman -- is much more interesting than the always-evil character we got in S4. Also, post-Crisis Lillian felt less complex to me, and S6 was the final nail in the coffin, with her dying to save Lex instead of Lena and also with the bizarre 'she encouraged Lena to go into STEM to lure her away from magic' retcon.

The most attractive male and female character: Most attractive guy is Manchester Black. I mean, c'mon, it's David Ajala, my favorite Star Trek prettyboy. Most attractive female character...it probably is Lena just because Katie McGrath has such a magnetic screen presence. Honestly though there's a lot of pretty people on this show.

The character death that was the worst for me: Manchester Black...why'd they hafta do him like that :(

The character that is the most like me: Brainy my best friend Brainy!!! ...Also Nia, largely because we're close in age.

The character I think the writer(s) love: Lex 🥴

The character that I just want to be happy: Lena, and per the finale she is, which is good, even if I didn't love every part of how we got there.

My four favorite characters, past or present: Lena Luthor, Querl Dox, Clark Kent, and mm idk I'm feeling James Olsen today.

My four least favorite characters, past or present: Mon-El, Ben Lockwood, Overgirl, and idk William or Winn or Lex or any of the other members of the rotating circus of misogynists they kept trotting out before us.

[amniotic]

I do love to make little mixtapes for my ships. well, this got out of hand, so there's the lyrics and the vibes i get of each of these songs. i'ts first time that i make a "story" with the songs, so each one is from zoro or sanji pov, kind of progressing cause my headcanon it's that they started like frenemies with benefits to married husbands cause i'm a romantic at heart.

˗ˏˋ listen here ˎˊ˗

lyrics under the cut ♫₊˚.🎧 ✧

Montero (call me by your name) - lil nas x

Romantic talking? You don't even have to try. You're cute enough to fuck with me tonight. You know that you can Call me when you want, call me when you need Call me in the morning, I'll be on the way Oh, call me by your name. Tell me you love me in private, Call me by your name.I do not care if you lying

Amarrame - Mon Laferte

Ignórame. Ven y pierde la razón. Quiero que me ruegues y me mires a los ojos. Dame la espalda, desenfócame. Tómame del pelo y repíteme mi nombre. Y ámame, pero sin querer

Kiss with a fist - Florence + the machine

You gave a kick. I gave a slap. You smashed a plate over my head Then I set fire to our bed I spilled your blood upon the floor. You broke my leg in return So sit back and watch the bed burn. Love sticks. Sweat drips. A kick to the teeth is good for some. A kiss with a fist is better than none

Rush - Troye Sivan

Big communication, tell me what you want Translate your vibration, let your body talk to me I feel the rush, Addicted to your touch

I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys

If you like your coffee hot, Let me be your coffee pot Secrets I have held in my heart, Are harder to hide than I thought, Maybe I just wanna be yours, I wanna be yours, I wanna be yours

Good Old fashion lover boy - queen

What're you doing tonight? Hey, boy, Set my alarm, turn on my charm. That's because I'm a good old-fashioned lover boy. Let me feel your heartbeat, can you feel my love heat?

O sarracino - Renato Carosone

'O sarracino, 'o sarracino. Tutt"e ffemmene fa 'nnammurá Ll'uocchie 'e brigante e 'o sole 'nfaccia. Ogne figliola s'appiccia si 'o vede 'e passá. Na sigaretta 'mmocca, na mana dint"a sacca. E se ne va smargiasso, pe' tutt"a cittá

Pienso en tu mirá - Rosalía

Me da miedo cuando sales Sonriendo pa' la calle Porque todos pueden ver Los hoyuelitos que te salen Me da miedo cuando sales Pienso en tu mirá', tu mirá', clavá', es una bala en el pecho

Algo contigo - Rita payes

Y me quedan muy pocos caminos. Y aunque pueda parecerte un desatino, no quisiera yo morirme sin tener algo contigo

Hallucinate - Dua Lipa

I hallucinate when you call my name, Got stars in my eyes, And they don't fade when you come my way No, I couldn't live without your touch, No, I could never have too much, I'll breathe you in forever and ever, Hallucinate Kill me slowly with your kiss, Wrap me 'round your fingertips

Washing machine heart - mitski

Baby, will you kiss me already? And toss your dirty shoes. In my washing machine heart. Baby, bang it up inside Baby, though I've closed my eyes, I know who you pretend I am

Your best american girl - Mitski

You're the sun, you've never seen the night. But you hear its song from the morning birds. Well, I'm not the moon, I'm not even a star. But awake at night I'll be singing to the birds. Don't wait for me, I can't come You're the one. You're all I ever wanted. I think I'll regret this

誰かの願いが叶うころ - Utada Hikaru

あなたの幸せ願うほど　わがままが増えてくよ. それでもあなたを引き止めたい　いつだってそう それならあなたを抱き寄せたい　できるだけぎゅっと

Can't help falling in love - elvis presley

"Only fools rush in". But I can't help Falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin. If I can't help Falling in love with you? Take my hand. Take my whole life too

One of your girls - troye sivan

Give me a call if you ever get lonely.I'll be like one of your girls or your homies Say what you want, and I'll keep it a secret. You get the key to my heart, and I need it

Sei la mia cittá - cosmo

Sei la mia città, fuori dal tempo. Sei la mia città, è un complimento. Sei la mia città, ti sento dentro

koko de kissu shite - shiina ringo

I´ll never be able to give up on you. So never say good bye And kiss me once again 行かないでね. 何処にだってあたしと一緒じゃなきゃ厭よ. あなたしか見て無いのよ 今すぐに此処でキスし�� Don't go. Wherever you go, you have to be with me. I only see you. Kiss me here right now

Eres para mí - Julieta Venegas

Temes sentir más de la cuenta. El corazón es un músculo, Si no late revienta. Extraño mirarte de lejos. De hacernos los tontos, parecemos tan viejos. Tiempo, mm, ¿quieres más tiempo?. Mírame la piel, ¿no ves acaso lo que siento?

Tú eres para mí, yo soy para ti El viento me lo dijo con un soplo suavecillo

Strawberry blond - mitski

I love it when you look my way. Look at you, strawberry blond. Fields rolling on, I love it when you call my name. All I need, darling, is a life in your shape I picture it, soft and I ache

there is a light that never goes out - the smiths

Oh, please don't drop me home¨. Because it's not my home, it's their home And I'm welcome no more To die by your side Is such a heavenly way to die. And if a ten-ton truckKills the both of us To die by your side. Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine

From the start - laufey

Don't you dare look at me that way I don't need reminders of how you don't feel the same. Oh, the burning pain Listening to you harp on 'bout some new soulmate "She's so perfect", blah, blah, blah That when I talk to you Oh, Cupid walks right through And shoots an arrow through my heart. And I sound like a loon, but don't you feel it, too? Confess I loved you from the start

Enamorada - Miranda!

Mi corazón palpitaba, Cada vez que ese hombre se me acercaba. Y con el tiempo me empezó a gustar. Debo decir que no me fue tan mal Ahora estoy mucho mejor, Porque me di cuenta que tuvo sentido Haber recorrido lo que recorrí. Si al final de cuentas él era mi recompensa, Qué suerte que nunca me fui

Somethin' Stupid - Frank Sinata

And then I go and spoil it all. By saying something stupid like "I love you"

Dreams - the cranberries

Then I open up and see. The person falling here is me A different way to be And now I tell you openly, You have my heart so don't hurt me. You're what I couldn't find

Love on top - beyoncé

I can feel the sun whenever you're near. Every time you touch me, I just melt away Nothing's perfect, but it's worth it. After fighting through my tears And finally, you put me first. Baby, it's you.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Things are Very Mixed

May 2023 Wk 1

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Step By Step (Thai Tues WeTV & Gaga) ep 3 of 10 (MDL still says 12, but Gaga still says 10) - The subs are janky on YT, so you might want to watch this on Gaga. This is such a good show, it just feels so much more authentic to an office environment and first job then anything else I’ve seen in BL. Now that might be because it has western source material, or it might be because it is actually kind of old-fashioned (it’s been years since I worked as an office grunt). While the authenticity may be a little triggering for some, I love how much tension it adds to the leads’ dynamic and the quality of the narrative. I also really love the brothers’ relationship, now that we got to see them on screen together for a bit. Walk of shame was great! Oh look, character development, how novel. This is what Boss & Babe should have been. Not sold on the sides tho it’s nice to see a faen fatal as the main character in a dynamic for a change. 

La Pluie (Sat iQIYI) ep 2 of 10 - This one is really grabbing me by the throat. I love the starter concepts, what a fantastic twist on a meet cute not to mention soulmates. I hope we spend more time with the vet and his coworkers, they seem awesome. And another surprise, the guy we think is being set up to be the brother’s love interest is now clearly interested in the wrong brother. I love the trope subversions going on with this show! 

Our Skyy 2 (The Eclipse) eps 5-6 - FirstKhao are just ridiculously cute as a couple. Honestly? Aye just seems like he would be a lot of work as a lover. I’m not as wild about the premise of this installment, with the film clips and stuff (as I was of NlMG’s installment). And then, the singing. Oh well, you can’t have everything. I gotta say, First is a great crier, although I don’t think this story warranted his tears. In the end? My feelings on this installment were mixed, the movie storyline didn’t grab me and the birthday storyline seems a touch mean spirited, but I do think it adds substantially to the original Eclipse rather than feeling superfluous or slapdash like many of the other Our Skyys. So I’m going to go with 8/10 

Future (Thai Sun YouTube & Gaga) ep 6fin - More of the same (which I like) but I’m glad it ended. Didn’t need to get dragged out. Such drama over nothing. In the end? This is just a soft sweet cotton candy fluff piece about a younger boy who pursues an older boy and then manufactures silly gay drama. Nothing wrong with that. But I don’t think this style of BL really appeals to a very large market share. Will I rewatch it? Sure. Will anyone else? Nope. 7/10 RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS.    

Pastsenger (Thai Weds Gaga) ep 9 of 12 eps - And now the amnesia trope. I’m not a fan. This is such a pulp. At least it ends next week? Groan, no 3 more eps.  

A Boss and a Babe (Fri YouTube) ep 10 of 12 - one thing I realize I like about this main couple’s dynamic is that the seme/uke seems earned, where it didn’t in Echante. I don’t have much else to say except it’s crazy when a narrative betrays its characters like this and why to poor ForceBook keep having to deal with it? 

The Promise (Thai Weds YT & WeTV) ep 7 of 10 - Honestly, who wears an all white outfit to play around with coffee beans in the countryside? I LOVE the faen fatal, he’s so good, courageous, honest, and morally sound. He even gives his rival fair warning. Nan should totally go out with him. I made awwww noises over the faen fatal! I NEVER do that. I guess Phu was right all along? Nan won’t date a friend. Ultimate friend zone. Well shit. This show. Ouch. 

House of Stars (Thai Mon iQIYI) ep 1 of ?? - There seems a slight horror element which I do not like and it’s also confusingly like Melrose Place or something. Everyone is sleeping with, or wants to be sleeping with everyone else. It’s kinda hilarious to watch something where all the actors are supposed to be good actors but it’s a pulp so they just really aren’t. So far my main issue is I can’t keep them all straight in my head (pun intended). 

Tin Tam Jai (Tues Gaga) ep 10fin - There is very little I enjoyed about this show. The entirely forgotten side dishes gave us 5 min of excellent high heat and then vanished, but otherwise this show sucked in the wrong way. It’s forgettable and I intend to do just that. 5/10  

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - The way these two are very quietly yet thoroughly falling in love with each other is executed with such grace and subtlety that only Japan could have handed this out. It’s not even “falling” it’s more like sliding gradually into love. 

Love Mate (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 1-2 of 8 - Launched very much openly gay so that’s fun. Also very much bubble too, so no one around them cares. So: Seo is a player jaded older uke (fun character type we don’t see often) and his seme is a romantic if arrogant weirdo. Can you see my hands clapping? Combative trope activation! Absurdity. How fun. Also workplace harassment but hayho that’s BL for ya. (Also a nonBL Kdrama specialty.) ALSO whole office in on seme-stalker’s side? All in all, it’s odd and questionable, but I’m into it. Why am I like this? 

Happy Merry Ending (Korea Thurs Gaga) eps 3-4 of 8 - OK I’m not super into the main couple but I love all of the surrounding characters. The overly protective best friend with a crush is giving bad advice but it’s understandable and he’s super hot so I forgive him. And the idol character is a wonderful addition, he is my baby. Also, evil ex is v evil. 

Vian the series (Vietnam YT ) - I thought this was gonna be Tiktok only but apparently it’s showing up on YT too. It’s cute! My cat boyfriend (which is more common that it should be) and this seems to be Vietnam’s installment (we got Thailand’s last year). The boy playing the cat is the prettiest human being on the planet. Fight me. No fight him, get scratched. Serious tho. Holy hairballs. Look I don’t really like vertical content but I am watching this for him. Meow, indeed. 

The Day I Loved You (Vietnam YouTube) eps 2-3 of ? - BL Express’s first impressions mirror mine. Niks is so flipping cute. Rich kid is so into him, so is bestie. So much gay macho posturing. So much bi fear and het shame. But also it’s killer to get a femme main characters who isn’t being mocked. Dancing trope continues (better than singing together). It is kinda Heartstopper goes Pinoy BL. Honestly, I prefer kids a little drawings to terrible sound effects. This is better than it or we have any right to expect. 

Naked Dinner AKA Zenra Meshi (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 4 of 12 - There is a lot I like about this drama, except the weird central conceit of the naked dining. But the romance part is cute, if a tad simplistic. 

My Story (Pinoy Sat YouTube) ep 4 of 10 - chukchuk went missing and so did my interest in this show. I’m DNFing this one. 

Dancing together, the baby sub-trope of 2023. (The Day I Love You) 

It’s Airing But ...

Love Syndrome (Thai Sat WeTV) stopped at ep 2 of 12 - I’m just not into any aspect of it (except Lee Long Shi) - saving to binge if the end is solid.

Venus in the Sky (Sat YouTube) pilot/tester?) 0 of 10 - not entirely sure what’s up with this one distribution-wise, but the pilot was classic university-set pulp. I hope it happens because the leads are cute with good chemsitry and I thought it was fun. However, this pilot holds together as its own little short too.

Stormy Honeymoon (Vietnam) - meh

In Case You Missed It

Actors Bas Suradej (2 Moons etc...) and Copter Panuwat (so much BL) have left Starhunter. So Copter and Kimmon will part ways as an on-screen pair (RIP KimCop). Their upcoming show Boy Never Smiles will still air, but will likely be their last together. (source) 

Restart After Come Back Home (highly recommended), Athlete, Capture Lover, Tkumi-kun, His the movie (recommended) and also a bunch of the dark stuff like Forbidden Love and Shortest Distance are all leaving Gagaoolala soon. So watch ‘em while you can. A few are also on Viki, but many will be difficult to get hold of without Gaga. 

I finally finished the second season of The Reason Why He Fell in Love with Me (Japan Gaga) and gave it a 4/10. I just don’t like or recommend any of the installments of this franchise, but if I had to pick, it’s season one. 

Make a Wish finished at 6 eps. Stars Fluke Natouch (OhmFluke UWMA etc...) & Judo (The Miracle Of Teddy Bear) in medical-fantasy about a doctor who sees ghosts and a deity who resides in a Bodhi tree that earns merits whenever he fulfills a wish. Based on a y-novel by Sammon (Manner of Death, Triage). I will watch it if I get hold of it, but for now... who knows how it went? 

Here’s a really interesting podcast ep from 99% Invisible on captions and captioning.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Coming in May 2023:

5/18 - Starstruck (Korea ????) - A boy has had a crush on his childhood friend for a long time. Stars Zuho (Kpop SF9 - noted good egg) opposite rookie actor Kim In Sung (the one with the crush).

5/27 The Luminous Solution (Thai ????) 10 eps - Thana is having trouble at work and in his relationship. He can't seem to catch a break. So he makes a wish to change everything. The wish has a price.

5/27 Takumi-kun Series 6: Nagai Nagai Monogatari no Hajimari no Asa (Japan) - NO ONE ASKED FOR THIS (but that has never stopped Japan before) and no, I have no idea where to get it, why would I ?????  (Say it with me everyone: Oh Japan, must you?)

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

Defining Gut Wrenching from The Promise

Honestly you gotta be so careful who you case as the faen fatal, sometimes he steals everyone’s hearts. I caught a BAD case of second lead syndrome. 

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Future reviewing itself for us. 

Tiny king of the GMMTV cameo. (Our Skyy et al)

Frankly if this weren’t such a bad story, Cher might be one of my favorite BL characters. (Boss & Babe) 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? BTOB's - Wind & Wish (I don’t consider myself Melody but I make no case for that statement)

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week ?

Action Comics #1068 - loved the quick thinking from Superman regarding how to save Kandor by using his cape. The narration boxes do an excellent job of conveying a Bronze Age feel, but I wonder if there’s a twist coming regarding who is narrating? Perhaps the alien who entreats Superman to serve as champion? Was not expecting a Daxamite to serve as the final boss. Any guesses who that will be? At first I thought maybe Mon-El, would be a good way to transition into Waid’s turn next where Mon is set to play a supporting role, but perhaps it will simply be an OC. All the handwringing about the second story from others baffles me. This is a natural point of contention between Clark and Lois which I think works very well, Rainbow is doing interesting stuff here. Plus the Steve Lombard roasting is hilarious!

Ultimates #3 - Tony’s voice felt a little off, otherwise I loved this new She-Hulk. Completely and utterly different from Jen, and takes full advantage of this being a different universe. I guess 6160 Bruce Banner was always a sociopath, more like his 1610 counterpart than 616. I saw a theory that Tony is going to start experimenting with time to undo the gamma damage to the island, and boy does that make me excited!

Fantastic Four #23 - Got major Dragon Ball vibes from this issue, always fun to see Johnny being the Cool Uncle. Logically Strange is the one to take down Sorcerer Supreme Doom, but with the movie coming next year and Reed immediately focusing on how bad Doom with that power is, maybe we will get a F4 led event? They haven’t been at the forefront since Secret Wars, and if North is writing I’d be confident it would be enjoyable.

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of April 2024

[last month]

Last month, I was just sooo excited about so much music (see: the giant five-star songs list)--I must have used up a whole lot of my enjoying-music energy, since this month I withdrew a bit & got super picky. (Which, for some reason, meant only enjoying three artists--Repion, Majiko, and Mon Laferte--for a solid week. No, I have no idea why my brain chose those three in particular!) So, I'm not feeling as sparkly as I did when I wrote last month's post, but there was still some awesome stuff this month (which is why I'm doing a top 20 instead of my usual 15!!).

Most of my favorite releases this month ended up being not-kpop, but my top 3 kpop releases of the month would be: "Undefeated" by XG (*insert obligatory acknowledgement of the "is XG kpop?" debate here*), "I'll See You There Tomorrow" by TXT, and "Candy Crush" by ARTMS!

1 . El Imán - Remix -- Delfina Campos, Santiago Martínez

If you, like me, still aren't over Tiffany's "I Just Wanna Dance", allow me to introduce you to...

2. La venganza de los Sith -- Comic Sans

By FAR my favorite release this month. This has the same indie-boy euphoria as "joyrider" by second thoughts, which is an instant win in my book!

3. Abittipsy -- Youha

I think I'm a normal amount of angsty for a college student! "Abittipsy" signifies an about-average amount of angst... right?

4. It Was Coming All Along -- Maggie Rogers

I don't really understand these lyrics, but they've been haunting me anyway. I guess I never get tired of this kind of apocalypse song--the ones that aren't even all that angry or scared anymore, they just sound completely exhausted. For me, they're always the most powerful.

5. Solo en Vos -- Luciana Tagliapietra

Loving the trend of synthy music that sounds straight out of a video game! And this synth is especially well-produced--the texture is IMPECCABLE.

6. Death To My Hometown -- Bruce Springsteen

Down two spots from last month, but still awesome!

7. Luz -- Ine Güemes

Another repeat offender! (I told you, this month wasn't all that exciting.) It's moved up a spot from last month, though. This album has a stranglehold on my soul btw.

8. Hemofilia - Remix -- Delfina Campos, Ferla

Re: Tiffany's "I Just Wanna Dance" !!

9. El día no me da -- Repion

Just an average Repion song--which, of course, means it's fantastic and has been my go-to song every single day for the last month.

10. Altas Nubes -- Adrià Salas, Repion

It's sooooo DND coded.

11. Spotlight -- Creepy Nuts

I love Creepy Nuts so much, and this one encapsulates everything that got them on my stan list in the first place--the incessant energy, the creative instrumentals, the rock influences !!!

12. Undefeated -- XG, Valorant

Yessssss sound design for the win!! There's never a dull moment in this song--XG really are bringing the thrill back to girl crush, and I couldn't be happier!

13. Nightshift -- Bruce Springsteen

This month's sulking song, I dare say? I'm SOOOO lucky I got to hear it live in March, and I've been addicted since. And it makes me SO SAD OH MY GOD--

14. Stayaway - Now, Now Remix -- MUNA

I still love the original, but this one had me at house keys!

15. Martes -- Repion

I'm getting sooo tired of complimenting Repion (look, I've been doing it nonstop since the release of their album last February). So I'll just say: harmonies good yes.

16. The Kill -- Maggie Rogers

Watching the live performance on YouTube broke me a little. This isn't the most exciting song, but Maggie Rogers makes it SO emotional in the most wonderfully subtle ways--a little sentimental, a little resigned. As Phoebe Bridgers once said, "I feel something."

17. Dice -- Onew

The album is better, but this is really cute! I must have left it on repeat while doing homework or something this month.

18. Alley Rose -- Conan Gray

This goes out everyone who cried to "Wish You Were Sober" in 2020 !!!

19. Found Heaven -- Conan Gray

I like the lyrics way more than I like the actual song, but I like the lyrics a LOT. "There's a God / in the sky / don't believe him." GODDAMN.

20. .tumblr -- Saramalacara

I want big clumsy melody-heavy EDM back!!!! Make dark-concept kpop like this again pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee

Five-Star Songs (& Albums!) This Month

Alley Rose -- Conan Gray (Now THIS is how you make retro exciting again. "Alley Rose" has disco and psychedelic rock built into the bones of its Elton John tribute, and the layers and layers of influences are just so endlessly fascinating to me!)

Amárrame -- Mon Laferte, Juanes (I ran across this during that weird week where I could only enjoy like 3 artists, and I'm so glad I did! I already expect Mon Laferte choruses to be wonderful, but this one still managed to take my breath away. Love at first listen, the vocal layering and the drums and the VOCAL LAYERING GUYS GUYS LISTEN TO THAT CHORUS. To my 10th grade Spanish teacher--I like a Juanes song now! Sorry it took me so long lol)

World -- MUCC (I've liked this since it came out, but it just hit differently this month. I don't know, maybe I'm just more obsessed with multilayered vocals than usual this month--which would explain the Repion obsession, actually...)

Como Bailan los Demás (Lado B) -- Delfina Campos (I think I'll always be that guy who wants my albums aesthetic, and this selection of hazy, muted club tracks is exactly what I'm looking for in an album worth leaving on repeat. It all flows together so effortlessly, and Delfina Campos really got my attention with these performances--so delicate, and so captivating. I'll have to go back and check out their other stuff!)

[hitchell-mope]

(Valor’s Interrogation)

Haley: state your name, rank and intention.

Mon El: Valor. Third in command of the team, Sovereign’s Commanding Officer and Supergirl’s husband. To help Supergirl in whatever way she may need.

Haley: why did you come to earth.

Mon El: entirely by accident I can assure you. I’m a refugee. Just like Supergirl. Just like Superman. Just like Sovereign. Just like every alien on this planet that didn’t escape from Fort Rozz.

Haley: what is your motivation here?

Mon El: what’s yours?

Haley: I’m the one who is asking the questions here.

Mon El: well I’m here voluntarily aren’t I? Or at least I thought I was. Or is that just something you say before you break out the handcuffs? Which I feel like I should remind won’t work on me.

Haley: we’re getting off topic. Who is Supergirl. What is her real identity?

Mon El: not telling. And you cannot make me.

Haley: I can get a court order.

Mon El: which would be null and void because as I have previously mentioned. I am Supergirl’s husband. See. I don’t understand you people. You hunt down the ones who actually want to help while endorsing people like the Luthor’s who just want to subjugate you. It’s actually maddening when you think about it.

Haley: the Luthor’s are American citizens.

Mon El: who gives a shit about that? They’re psychopaths only in it for themselves.

Haley: don’t you dare raise your voice to me.

(The “Interrogation” continues. Behind the glass. Kara, Alex and Winn keep watch)

Alex: he’s really got her on the ropes

Winn: I know. It’s amazing. Kara. The windowsill.

Kara (realising she’s been putting dents into the windowsill): heheh. oops.

Alex: is he speaking Daxamite?

Kara: yeah.

Winn: whets he saying?

Kara: um. “Why should I sit here and listen to you disparage the woman that I love. Why go after us when”-I guess Luthor’s-“run free? What right do you have to persecute us when the real villains”-

(Back in the interrogation room)

Haley: speak English!

Mon El: alrighty then. You. Will not get. Anything. Out of me. Short of vivisecting me of course. But then you’d have to sully your human hands. And we can’t have that now can we?

Haley: what is Supergirl’s identity?

Mon El: I have spousal privilege. I am Supergirl’s husband. If you want to harangue someone deserving then haul in Lena Luthor because I can assure you that her sins are worth an entire week of questioning.

Haley: this isn’t about Miss Luthor. This is about aliens like you threatening our people.

Mon El: oh you remind me so much of my mother. She was a paranoiac as well. Only. She was in charge. You’re more like a deputy sheriff.

Haley: your mother. What happened to her?

Mon El: she tried to terraform the planet. I broke her neck, became king and sent what’s left of my species away to save earth. Does that make me sound like a threat to you?

Haley: it remains to be seen.

Lucy: well then. You have your answers. Now let Valor go and stop Baker’s witch-hunt before it ends worse for you

Haley: Major Lane. This is no business of yours. Kindly leave.

Lucy: hm. Nope. I’m the DEO’s JAG. I minored in alien and superhero law. It’s a subject close to my family’s heart. Especially after my father was rightfully dishonourably discharged.

Haley: do you really want to throw in your lot with them?

Lucy: yup. And Valor’s right. You can’t make him expose his wife’s identity. Now I suggest you let him go before I report you.

Haley: President Baker ordered this interrogation.

Lucy: not. Him. You know who my brother in law works for. You know who Director Danvers’s sister works for. Perry White and Cat Grant may not see eye to eye on everything. But I’m sure they would love to coauthor an exposé on your less than legal practices.

Haley: very well. Valor. You may go. But don’t think I won’t be following up in the future.

Mon El: I’d say it was a pleasure meeting you General Haley. But given the circumstances I’d rather not lie.

Haley: yes. Well. Goodbye.

Mon El: right back at ya(.)

(End of “Valor’s Interrogation”)