#i still loved the show. if nothing else for nostalgia sake

[verdantcreek]

thinking about the reboot mw games collectively and it’s so sadly unfortunate because like. when put up against the other two, mwiii fails so visibly.

first of all you’ve got their thesis/emotional core, right. for mw19, it’s all about the personal motivation of being a solider, the cost of war on an individual. what it means to fight and discovering the importance of what you’re fighting for. for mwii, it’s about trust. the importance of knowing that your team has each others backs, the weight that it has between individuals. what happens when that trust is broken and how it’s found again through vulnerability, because that’s how you truly know you’re there for each other.

and then there’s mwiii..? you should let your sergeant kill a prisoner illegally so said prisoner, when he breaks out of maximum security prison, doesn’t kill your sergeant 4 years later? you should illegally kill people who piss you off (shepherd)? sure there’s the whole “never bury your enemies alive”, but where does that come in to play outside of the soap/makarov interaction? it’s definitely not a valid reason for price to kill an american general in his own office. they could’ve used it for graves if they wanted to take it a step further, but no— graves doesn’t betray the team again, for whatever reason. we’re expected to consider him just a much a member of the team as anyone else, and the narrative treats him as such outside of a few bristly reactions to his involvement.

secondly i take a huge issue with how characters were handled in mwiii. literally everyone is here, and there is no reason for several of them to be. alex felt like a cameo— you see him actually on screen for maybe 30 seconds. farah’s missions feel forced for the sake of her involvement. not that farah shouldn’t be in this game, but makarov’s flimsy reasoning for targeting the ulf is so clearly an excuse to involve her. it feels very random and transparent as a decision to reuse her character because she’s familiar. again with graves— why is he here? i still genuinely do not understand why they decided to retcon his death. it was a perfect arc for mwii to kill him, and him being alive adds absolutely nothing to the story. he has nothing to do in mwiii and there is zero reason for his involvement other than “people liked him in mwii and he has a cool accent.”

within the 141, it’s mostly rehashing of the growth/personality that each of them showed in previous games. none of them have an arc, except maybe price if you’re willing to call the *post credit scene* where he commits cold blooded murder a completion of an arc. gaz, soap, and ghost are static versions of themselves that simply are just … there for most of the plot. they’re not out of character or ruined, but none of them individually have anything going on that can’t be tied back to price.

i think a lot of it comes down to the way they tried to shoehorn mwiii into the original trilogy’s storyline. people loved those games, and nostalgia sells. i don’t think it’s a coincidence that makarov was a big marketing factor for this game— and that’s not to say that mw19 or mwii didn’t abuse that either, but in execution you can feel the difference. price, gaz, soap and ghost are all their own characters miles away from their original trilogy counterparts. makarov… isn’t. he’s a poorly written villain riding on the success of the original trilogy— he’s scary because he’s *makarov*, not because he’s a real threat. it’s cheap. the knockoff “no russian” mission felt insulting. it’s a callback with no real impact in the story, just simply “look! remember when we did this in 2009 and everyone loved it?”

and all of it culminates into a shit ending with shock factor that it tries to make you feel emotional. i’m not sad over this character death. i’m mad, because it’s unearned and lazy. i realize it’s a lot to ask a multi-billion dollar corporation to actually put effort into their stories, but… it’s such a let down when the previous games actually had at least an ounce of passion. i’m just still so disappointed with this game ruining what could’ve been a really interesting and unique story.

[talkinbouttinygames]

FAREWELL. - A Send-Off to Blaseball

I’ve got no way to put this that it’ll make sense to someone who wasn’t there. But I’ll try my best, because at this point, recollections are what’s left. The stories told – about something really, really excellent. I said it in my original coverage, but stories are Blaseball. The names and the stats and data are just the materials the fans steals to collage into a narrative of strife and struggle and the whims of fate and community, and it was like nothing else I’ve seen before. And I doubt I’ll easily see it again.

It makes sense. Blaseball in its entire run has never been sustainable in a healthy way. Despite being about as lightweight as you could make a kind of game, it just wasn’t enough for the fast pace. Things like the sun being swallowed by a black hole or the Grand Unslam are wonderful legend pieces, but they’re also proof of the game’s frailty, and the fact that they were embraced by the fandom is partly a stroke of luck. It’s pretty clear that Blaseball can easily run you dry—I myself was rather checked out during the Expansion Era, which I now regret despite circumstances at the time—I don’t blame the Game Band for deciding continuing the game wasn’t worth it. Maybe if the game had been drafted with sustainability from the start, requiring a subscription like an MMO and on a TV show schedule… but it was made as an off-hand project born of frustration at impotence in times of crisis for the sake of profit, a gift of the internet. The way it took off and grew probably wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t you could just sign up for.

Of course, “took off” might be a bit of hyperbole. It exceeded the Game Band’s expectations after they passed the game around to some friends, sure. But the fact is that despite the overwhelming love from the fans, Blaseball is really quite terribly small and niche in the grand scheme of the internet. It mostly existed on Twitter, a site whose future existence is a great deal more precarious than it was around a year ago. It’s very liable to become a piece of passing trivia, or obscure nostalgia, supposing no Youtuber video essayist makes a rundown that goes 7-figures viral. Obviously, as a man writing for a ‘zine mostly read by his patient friends, I’ve not nearly that influential, but I want to say: Blaseball will not be forgotten, not by me. I love(d) it and it opened my eyes to a wondrous form of narrative and I’ll be thinking about it for the rest of my life.

It was a game of rotten systems, about how disparate people across groups can work as a greater community in order to rebel against those systems, and yes, through rebellion be punished—sometimes dearly for it—but never negating the existence of the rebellion in the first place. It was a lovely loom for weaving sports narrative and the fandom (a good chunk of whom are not sports fans) provided thread with passionate fervor. It was a wonderful testament to collective play and the act of giving a shit.

I’d advise any Blaseball fan to save and archive (preferably physically somewhere) any and all Blaseball media they’ve got on their socials or elsewhere. Even aside from the now seemingly imminent Twitterpocalypse, the Blaseball wiki exists primarily as a way to dispense the events of Blaseball in a clean, matter-of-fact way. It won’t express the reaction tweets, the fan theories, the narrative as it was on the ground. (And for that matter, the wiki itself still has gaps with what is essentially a skeleton crew of editors…) Blaseball was ephemeral in its life and it’s up to fans to stop it from fading.

I am, we all are love Blaseball.

[feedback]

[xsoulxsilencex]

I know I've been pretty harsh on episode 94 but I really have a hard time getting something positive out of this episode. I've seen some people saying it was a good episode for Rovian and I can't really agree with that.

Idk but first, she's all sad about having nothing than her space poems (while everyone else does something... or well, almost everyone *side eye at Yuna*) so she decides to seal them away in order to change herself - just to get offended at Princess Minstrel for saying that you can't live off doing what you love. I mean Rovian was about to give up her space poems anyway so why even get mad when your idol basically encourages you do that? And PM wasn't really a jerk to Rovian (Idk why some think she was) but was likely worrying for her. This wasn't the same rude shit Manya pulled on Mbembe - this was an actual adult thinking in an adult way and trying to give the kid in front of her some advice for the future.

The curry poem is the biggest shit and if Rovian now sticks with them, I'm gonna throw something. But man, the moment PM basically thanked Rovian for showing her a curry poem, Rovian pushes everything to Kamos. Come on, Kamos might have told you to go to UTS (which is also dumb since why couldn't Rovian have this idea on her own) but she didn't say "go and show your idol a curry poem you just pulled out of thin air".

And well, I've said enough about Yuna in this episode. First, this girl can do nothing but wait every day (and yeah, I bet she does even if she denies it) for Yuga, then sort of "bribing" Damamu to tell her first if he sees Yuga (even though Yudias needs this information way more urgently) with some curry udon (oh boy, another curry reference...) and then she sees Rovian and goes into hiding mode. Why? Was she embarassed to let Rovian see her just walking around instead of doing something relevant? But seeing how Rovian wasn't doing much better, it wouldn't have been really embarassing.

So Phaser and co. find out that the Rush Robot has lots of information. Thank God for one plot relevant detail in this episode...

Next ep is Asaka vs Galixon and I keep my expectations low because I still think the match up is forced for Sevens nostalgia sake. I just hope for some info about the Velgearians or something else important.

[roberta-xx]

Is it just me for whom heartstopper is extremally charged these big huge emotions and now, all of those plus my biggest enemy - nostalgia?

Heartstopper made me feel very big emotions last year, after the show came out. And I got to feel them with the show, with the comic, with other books written by Alice Oseman, with the almost summery air, with the wonderful vibes, and with an amazing class schedule. And now, it's a year later. It's like I want to enter that era again, I want to feel those big emotions, yet there's nothing to feel them with. Just the music, which now carries this big big charge of nostalgia (which I hate, 'cause I love the feeling of nostalgia, but the feeling of nostalgia also makes my throat close up), and the weather is awful, unlike last year, my schedule this year is pure crap, I've still got those big unresolved feelings that got left over in the era, except there's nothing to continue the era, I'd love to rewatch Heartstopper like I did before yet I've watched it so much, it can't hit the same again, I have memorised the whole thing, there's nothing new for me to cling to, the fandom's dead and they're only coming back after august 3rd. So I'm left here with a big longing for a show like that for me to cling to, big feelings of nostalgia towards the songs and, for fuck's sake, the goddamn good weather, a school trip, a competition, and a gigantic crush on my best friend. I can't be nostalgic for that much shit. But I am. I am left with longing to cling to a show that is personal but not actually, loads of nostalgia, emotionally charged songs, and all that shit that came back up after recently rewatching Heartstopper, plus the shit I already had to deal with. THIS. IS. TOO. MANY. BIG. EMOTIONS. I. SIMPLY. CANNOT. TAKE. ALL. OF. THAT.

does anyone else feel that way?

[bnavmo]

mariposa

[craving something that ain’t right for me

idealizing something that ain’t serve me]

like a butterfly i come to you

pretty flower covered in dew

but then you make it clear

(how you’re so full of you)

and then all i feel is fear

(because of what you do)

so much hidden in each tear

(you like it when i feel blue)

the tunnel that opens into your eyes

and the smirk on your face when you roll the dice

but ambition makes you look pretty ugly

superficial and cold-blooded, the opposite of lovely

although an interstellar relationship

navigates as humankind’s situationship

i won’t encode your apocalyptic behavior

because in all honesty, i’m not you savior

every cell in my body

dancing like it’s a party

but when the poison enters my body

i turn into the best version of nobody

paralyzed, crystallized

forever my spirit immortalized

materialized, desensitized

never have i ever been so mesmerized

i pay respect for my emotional needs

because i’m just an insect laying down in the weeds

and i’ve turned down most of my desires

because unkindness always backfires

and i can’t control the outcome

because i don’t know if my heart and soul will ever become

if they’ll ever become one

[cómo sonaría esa canción que pudiese describir el último momento en el que seas consciente de que tienes un cuerpo físico?

y qué imágenes serían aquellas

proyectadas por tu mente en ese momento tan específico?

cuáles serían las melodías?

entenderías las galimatías?

dime, vivirías en paz tus últimos días?]

but, who am i?

tell me, what am i?

and who are we?

who are we to be?

and what have we?

tell me, who were we?

a donde sea que vaya, me llevo siempre conmigo

y aunque no te conozca, anhelo toda una vida contigo

una casa pequeña en tamaño, pero enorme en calidez

y un jardín lleno de flores, con paz y mucha sensatez

[mariposa is about how sometimes in life we need to cut ties with certain individuals for the sake of our own wellbeing. bnavmo starts off by describing that something doesn’t feel right, which turns out to be a relationship that isn’t doing him any good. he cares about this person and sees them for who they truly are; however, the other person is pretty narcissistic and doesn’t even bother to care about him the same way he does. while bnavmo craves connection and reciprocity, the other person values the surface-level things more. but then bnavmo realizes that the way the other person acts has nothing to do with him, and that he can’t heal other people’s traumas. in addition, bnavmo analyzes how someone else can have such a big impact on ourselves. in this case, he feels completely intoxicated because he picked up some traits from the other person. these traits are negative and send him straight to a dark place. once the storm passes, bnavmo uses metaphors to point out how: even though he’s an insignificant particle, he still has emotional needs that need to be respected; he gave up many things he wanted to not affect others; and he can’t control the outcome of life, despite his feelings. bnavmo then shows us a piece of his inner mologue, which focuses on those thoughts, feelings and memories that we may have before we die, just to emphasize the importance of living in the present and knowing that everything’s temporary. bnavmo also asks himself some heavily existential questions, like who am i? what’s my purpose here? and who are we now? who were we before? he wraps up by telling us how he wants to be forever with somebody he doesn’t know yet, referencing nostalgia for craving a deep connection that he’s sure will come into his life at some point. he also mentions how the small things can turn out to be the most significant ones, the ones that can make you happy]

[decepticon-nerd]

Rules: shuffle your ‘on repeat’ playlist and post the first ten tracks, then tag ten people 🎶

I'm amused because I actually saw the post with my username tagged by @novafire-is-thinking before Tumblr actually notified me of being tagged.

Anyway, let's get this show on the road!

Nothing - Unloco

YouTube

I used to play a video game called Test Drive: Off-Road Wide Open with my brothers growing up. This was part of the soundtrack.

Golf Swamp - Security Breach OST

YouTube

I don't remember downloading this, but it has vibes.

Die In A Fire - The Living Tombstone

YouTube

If you're a FNaF fan you probably know this song, and if you don't know this song I'm kind of impressed.

Burn It Down - Linkin Park

YouTube

Linkin Park fucking slaps and counts as metal so it's in my metal playlist.

It's Time To Die - DAGames

YouTube

DAGames also fucking slaps and my playlist apparently wanted to show everyone that I still love FNaF music.

The Memory Remains - Metallica

YouTube

Reload is my favorite album by them for nostalgia's sake because Fuel is also part of Test Drive: Off-Road Wide Open's soundtrack.

Ride the Lightning - Metallica

YouTube

Reload may be my favorite album but Ride the Lightning is my favorite song.

Never Surrender - Skillet

YouTube

Usually I like things here or there by artists but everything I've heard by Skillet is great, and I'm looking to add more of their CDs to my collection.

Dragula - Rob Zombie

YouTube

Dragula is fucking iconic and memed to hell but even little old ladies like it.

Unreal Who (I Am a Timelord) - Miguel F Ettema

whomix

I have lost and found this song a million times because I kept forgetting what it was called. Do you know how hard it is to find something when the only thing you know about it is an obscure title on a 3DS SD card who's file names are all swapped about due to an error transferring said files from the computer onto the SD card?

Tagging: @she-toadmask @i-mean-technically @megatrons-tits @transingthoseformers @a-wynterwonderland and anyone else that wants to join in

[bluesidez]

Thank you so much for the tag Dia! 🥰 @monarchberrysblog

Do you make your bed?

Honestly, no. I have a lot of pillows, so I only put the important ones in place and decorative ones there when I'm cleaning or having someone over.

Favourite number?

23! It's my birth date and I just love the way it looks.

What's your job?

I don't have one right now because I am a student! But I do art commissions sometimes!

If you could go back to school, would you?

I'm technically still in school! 🫨 I'm definitely getting my masters, though. Maybe even a doctorate.

Can you parallel park?

Yep! My dad worked with me on that every time we practiced driving, and I have to do it constantly now.

Do you think aliens are real?

Yeah! Knowing that there's more than just the Milky Way and we don't even know everything about the Milky Way, there's no way it's just us here. Maybe they don't want to be called aliens though.....

Can you drive a manual car?

No, but I could probably drive one.

What's your guilty pleasure?

Nothing really because I live like Larry. But! I guess indulging in a milkshake or soda during the week because I have no self-control when it comes to sweets. I need to be more healthy during the week.

Tattoos?

Nope! I don't think my skin can take it.

Favourite color?

Pink! And maybe sage green! And yellow....There's too many choices.

Favourite type of music?

I listen to everything, but I think I frequent hip-hop and pop the most. But I love BTS, Tinashe, and Meg Thee Stallion. But honestly, I have my favorite songs in each genre.

Do you like puzzles?

Like physical puzzles? I think so. I'll do them! But I don't frequent them.

Any phobias?

Not that I can think of??? I really dislike roaches, though.

Favourite childhood sport?

I'm not a sports gal, so none.

Do you talk to yourself?

Absolutely. Talking through thoughts, interviews, talk shows, The Office-like camera stares, when something crazy happens on my phone screen. The whole works.

What movie(s) do you adore?

The Spongebob Movie, The Spider-Verse movies (LOVE LOVE LOVE), The Bring It movies for nostalgia's sake (my cousin replayed them like crazy), The Cheetah Girls movies, Bratz movies...I think that's it???

Coffee or tea?

Sweet sweet coffee or really fruity tea. Like I'm talking caramel macchiatos, caramel frappes, mocha frappes, fruity bubble tea, and arnold palmers.

First thing you wanted to be growing up?

The US's first woman president or America's Next Top Model. One of these is still possible.....

No pressure tags 🩵

@slushycoookie @lexluvswriting @yougavemeyourheartyouknow @cherryredstars @muneca-lemon-steppa + anyone else who wants to join!

Thank you for the tag @sleketon666

Do you make your bed?

Yes, on the weekends especially, but If I don't make the bed my partner does. 

Favourite number?

17, Idk just a good number.

What's your job?

I won’t get specific, but I do stuff that involves art on the daily. 

If you could go back to school, would you?

Maybe, just to get my masters. But as of now definitely not doing that. 

Can you parallel park?

Yes! I’m not the best but I have done it before.

Do you think aliens are real?

Yes, I think there's just no way there isn’t other life out there.

Can you drive a manual car?

Nope

What's your guilty pleasure?

Writing smut and drawing cocks. But also pop music and cheesy romances.  

Tattoos?

None, but my partner does!

Favourite color?

Like a light blue

Favourite type of music?

I like many different types…Just anything but country.

Do you like puzzles?

Yeah sometimes. 

Any phobias?

I don’t know what the phobias are called, but I am scared of deep murky water and also the dark (don’t judge me…) 

Favourite childhood sport?

I used to like volleyball and basketball 

Do you talk to yourself?

Yes, all the time. 

What movie(s) do you adore?

Pride And Prejudice, Sixteen candles, 10 things I hate about you, and the original Halloween. Plus many many more. (Fun fact about me, I quote movies all the time so much it’s become a game between me and my mother) 

Coffee or tea?

Neither….I don't like bitter drinks

First thing you wanted to be growing up?

I wanted to be a vet and then for a long time I wanted to be a mortician. 

No pressure tags-

@cinnasalmon @dark-and-kawaii @dutifullylazybread @lazyjellyfish300 @lemonsrosesandlavender @drizztdohurtin

[run-me-through-but-not-like-that]

Love your writing!! Maybe Izzy x Reader where they have been dating but they’ve been fighting due to Izzy not opening up. They get on land which is readers hometown and reader runs into an ex who wants to get back together. Maybe Izzy does a grand gesture or something to show his feelings

Sometimes Izzy just needs a firm push.

You and Izzy Hands running into your Ex:

"It all looks the same" you mused, leaning against the railing as the ship approached the port. "Always had been a pretty busy port, was a great place for some pickpocketing" you told Izzy, never too sure whether he was listening or not.

The man in question stood beside you, gaze focused on the ports they would be docking at for supplies. He had visited these docks before, not often, he barely even remembered it, but he had been a little surprised when you mentioned having grown up there. Of course, everyone had to grow up somewhere, so he didn't consider it too important. You hadn't told him a lot about your past, simply that you had nothing keeping you in your hometown, and that you didn't seem upset or hesitant to return.

And, for the record, he was listening to you. He always did.

"Never thought I would end up back here but it might be nice to see if anything's changed" you hummed, beginning to feel that sense of nostalgia nestling into your chest. "What about you? Ever think of visiting where you grew up?" you looked to him curiously.

You didn't know where he grew up or any of the details, but you had deduced that it hadn't been an easy upbringing. It wasn't the first time you had asked about his past, or anything about him, but it also wasn't the first time that Izzy dodged your attempts.

"Why would I? Left for a reason, nothing back there for me" Izzy shrugged, only glancing at you for a second.

"No good memories?" you frowned slightly. Was there nothing positive that came to mind when he thought back on his childhood. The thought broke your heart.

"What's it matter?" he pulled his face, making it clear that you weren't going to get anymore from him.

You just nodded, sighing to yourself before looking back towards the port. His defensives were up but then again when weren't they?

"Gonna speak to Roach, see if he needs help picking anything up" you mumbled, pushing yourself away from the railing and leaving to find the cook.

Izzy sighed to himself, knowing he messed up, just like he always does. He wasn't sure what you wanted from him. You were pirates, for god's sake. The two of you already had more than any pirate should, a relationship, somebody who genuinely cares about you. Pirates don't talk about their childhood or their feelings, don't you know that?

What did you want from him?

-

It had been a long time since you wandered through this market but not much had changed, you still remembered it fairly well. Izzy and you had to go your separate ways when leaving the ship but had planned to meet up here after getting some tasks down.

You were perusing a stall that sold various trinkets, musing to yourself about how Stede might like them. How he might line them on his shelves, only for them all to break during the next storm.

"Y/n? Christ, it is you" a somewhat familiar voice, a faint memory of a familiar voice, got your attention, making you turn on your heel.

You took in the made that was striding towards you, a bright smile on his face. He had aged, of course, so had you, grown his hair out a little but kept a clean shaven face. His voice had deepened but still had that familiar lilt to it that caught your attention.

"Oh, hey!" you almost hadn't even considered running into somebody you had known in your past life. Most people you were close to were gone, and you didn't think anyone else would bother to remember you. You had almost forgotten about the possibility of Samuel still being in town.

"So what, you finally decided to come back home?" the man asked, seemingly pleased to see you.

"Just visiting. The crew I'm sailing with needs to stock up, just happened to be close by" you explained, purposely keeping the details of your crew vague. Though his face if you told him you were sailing under Blackbeard would have been amusing.

"How long are you here for?" Samuel asked, almost looking...hopeful.

"Just the day, probably" you shrugged.

"Well...maybe we could-"

"There you are" Izzy voice's got your attention. It was low, even gruffer than usual, he was angry about something. "Just had to fucking stop Mr Feeney from fucking detonating shit on the beach" he informed you as he came up to your side.

"It's what he enjoys doing. You know he's going to do it anyway" you remined him fondly, both of him and the larger man. Izzy might have confiscated all of Wee John's explosives but he definitely had more hidden away somewhere.

"For fuck..." Izzy cut himself off with a sigh, collecting himself, finally noticing the man in front of you. "There a problem?" his shoulders straightened, anger turning into protectiveness.

"Oh, no, I told this is where I grew up. Samuel is an old friend" you informed him, assuring him there was no need to draw weapons.

"At least that's what we told our parents" Samuel joked, giving you a knowing look. Izzy's face hardened some more if that was even possible. Old friend, his ass. "This one of your crewmates?" the man asked you.

"First mate, actually" you corrected him. If Izzy hadn't been so in his head, he might have noticed the pride you said it with.

You had introduced this man, this Samuel, as an old friend though the two of you had clearly been more at some point. Samuel didn't seem eager to hide that, like the two of you had from your parents apparently. You had also introduced Izzy as your first mate, no hint towards the reality of your relationship. Though, how else should you introduce him, the two of you hadn't discussed the semantics.

"Nice to meet you, man" Samuel grinned, politely holding his hand out for your superior to shake.

Izzy looked down at his hand like it had somehow offended him, making no move to introduce himself further.

"How is your father by the way?" you asked, trying to distract from the awkwardness by changing the subject.

Seeing that you new friend wasn't going to return the politeness, Samuel lowered his hand and turned his attention back to you. He didn't seem deterred in anyway. "He's good! Really pulled through from that fever two years back, went right back to work" he told you proudly.

"I'm glad to hear it" you smiled. Samuel's father had been a good man, one of the few people in town who didn't turn their nose up at you towards the end.

"You have to come see him, he'd love to see you" Sam insisted, eyes lighting up at the idea.

"Really? He would?" you raised an eyebrow.

"He always said you were a good influence on me" he told you with a nod.

"A good influence?" you couldn't help but laugh. The two of you had been on good terms, without a doubt, but people don't usually want to associate with people who become pirates. "Alright, well, he's the only one in town who thought that. Good influences don't run off to be pirates" you scoffed.

"Yes, because you seem like a very ruthless pirate. Well, he actually does, but you don't" Sam teased but to Izzy's ears it sounded condescending.

You weren't the best pirate by any means but you were a quick and eager study. What the fuck did this guy know about your pirating skills?

"Alright, I haven't been one for long. Give me a chance" you huffed, folding your arms over your chest.

"Seriously, you should come by. Maybe stay for dinner, dad would really like that" Samuel suggested.

Izzy noticed your hesitation, felt you shifting slightly by his side. "...maybe, if I have time. I still have stuff I need to do, captains' orders" you considered.

"Well, you know where I live" Samuel nodded, understanding that you had your responsibilities but hoping you would take up his offer. "Just come by and say goodbye before you leave at least" it didn't sound like he was leaving much room for argument on that point.

"Alright, I can do that" you nodded. You could spare the time for a quick goodbye.

It caught you by surprise when Sam pulled you into a hug, but you returned it friendly. He gave you another smile and nod before leaving, carrying on with his daily errands.

Once the man was out of sight, you turned to your first mate. "Alright, you can stop silently seething now" you assured him sarcastically, "no matter how much you glare at him, he's not going to drop dead."

"Old friend, eh?" Izzy questioned accusingly. As if he didn't have a past before you.

"You're not jealous are you?" you pouted teasingly, no real malice behind it.

Izzy just scoffed, turning his face away. You sighed, shoulders deflating before muttering something about getting back to work.

If it were up to you, would would take hold of his hand and walk around your hometown proudly by his side. You should show him around, tell him stories of your time growing up here, the more entertaining ones away. You would flash smiles at vaguely familiar faces, as if showing them the treasure you went to sea and found.

But Izzy was so damn defensive, just as always. You wouldn't even make an attempt to hold his hand, the man could barely spare you a smile in public, he couldn't even voice his feelings to you. So, you dragged your feet through the streets instead.

You never went for dinner with Samuel and his father, instead you dragged Izzy to one of your favourite places to eat in town. Truth be told, you simply hadn't missed Samuel all that much. He was a good man and of course you had thought about him during your first few months at sea but you moved on, grew and changed.

Still, you had promised him that you would at least go and say goodbye. And so, you trailed up to the familiar house, Izzy obviously tagging along since he hadn't left your side all day since your run in with Samuel.

Izzy had stayed by the gate of the small vegetable patch outside the front of the house while you walked up to the front door.

Samuel had told you that you were missed at dinner, you had blamed your captains for keeping you busy. You had another small walk down memory lane before saying your goodbyes.

He had given you another hug, a tighter one this time, which you returned before turning away from the house.

"Stay" Samuel's voice made you freeze, the longing in it almost aching.

"What?" you frowned, turning back to him. You must have heard him wrong.

Izzy had heard him too, had heard him completely right, and had gone tense by the gate, glaring at the other man.

"Come on, love. Stay. You aren't really going back to the ship, are you? You're not really going to keep...being a pirate or whatever your doing" Samuel scrunched up his nose in distaste, maybe disbelief. You might have thought good of him, but Izzy heard the patronising mockery underlying his words.

"Samuel...I made my decision when I left. I was lucky enough to find a pretty good crew. They're my friends, my family. I don't want to leave them" you clarified, brow furrowing.

"We were good together, really good. Surely you see that. You're home again, why would you go back out there?" he questioned, stepping down from his doorway and approaching you.

"That's my home now...we broke up before I left anyway, I thought we ended things on good terms" you shook your head. You weren't surprised when Samuel wanted to catch up but you hadn't expected him to want to get back together. You had expected him to have moved on like you had.

"Sure, because I thought you'd come back" he scoffed, making you flinch a little.

"Look, Samuel, I'm sorry but I only came back to stock up the ship. I've moved on, started a new life, and I'm happy." Damn right you are, Izzy thought to himself. Who was this twat to tell you what to do?

"Yeah, you moved on? With a crewmate?" he squinted accusingly at you.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes, quickly becoming tired with this conversation. "Don't do this" you chastised. "I just came to say goodbye, I really have to get going" with a huff, annoyed that you had to leave things on a down note this time, you turned to leave.

Only for Samuel to swiftly catch your hand in his. That was all it took for Izzy to snap, stalking up to you both with his hand clutching his sword, ready to unsheathe it.

"That's enough, Samuel" Izzy warned, practically spitting the man's name, before demanding, "let them go."

"C'mon, man" Sam scoffed as he released your hand, "wasn't like I was going to hurt them or anything."

"They're leaving, that's what they want and I'll make sure they always get what they want" Izzy insisted, doing his best to place himself between the two of you. Protectively. Possessively.

Samuel took a moment, looking between you both before it clicked. "Wait...really, love...him?" he questioned, eye brows raising like he had the right to be surprised, to be judgemental.

"Yes, him" Izzy answered for you through gritted teeth. "They're happy on that ship, pirates shouldn't be that fucking happy, it's ridiculous but they fucking are. And their happiness has become the most important thing to me, so I won't let you jeopardise it" he had stepped up to Samuel now, getting in his face with his usual intimidation tactic, baring his teeth at him.

"If you wanted them to be happy, you would want them to come home, to be safe" Samuel puffed out his chest, standing up to the pirate against his better judgement. "I can give them everything, surely you can see that, man. I've got a stable family business, a good income, I'm a real good partner-"

"That's enough, Samuel" you snapped, nothing but anger and irritation in your tone now. Before you could chastise him further or Sam could defend himself, Izzy spoke again.

"You're right. They'd be safer on land, we all would be for the most part. You could give them a stable life but I think they've made it clear that they don't want that, nor do they want you."

"Iz, come on" you sighed, placing a hand against his arm. You didn't want this trip to end in bloodshed.

"If I were you, I never would have let them leave in the first place. Actually, no, I would have went with them. Gave up the business and stability for them" Izzy continued, ignoring your gentle plea.

"Oh come on, you're all bark no bite, I bet. Just saying all this to convince them to leave with you" Samuel scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't need convincing" you glared at him. You already made up your mind, you hadn't even considered staying, you certainly didn't need convincing to stay with the crew, with Izzy.

"If there is one thing I do right, it's devotion. And I am wholly devoted to them, even if I'm not always good at showing it. I am willing to fight for them, to kill for them, die for them should it come down to it. Can you say the same?" it was intense, no doubt about that, but you could see it on Izzy's face, he was being truthful. He meant every word.

Samuel must have also thought it was pretty intense if the way he was staring at him was anything to go by. Neither of you knew what to stay, simply staring at the first mate.

"Alright, that's enough" you decided, coming back to your senses as you squeezed yourself between the two men. "Sam, it was good seeing you, I wish we could have ended this on better terms. Good luck with everything" you gave him a curt nod, it was a shame things had to end like this.

"Come on, Iz, the captains' will be expecting us back soon" you had to give Izzy a few tugs for him to step away from Sam and follow you. Still, he didn't start to relax until the house and Sam were well out of sight.

He relaxed only for him to tense right back up, suddenly aware of all the things he just said, of everything he just confessed. Yes, Izzy might have been afraid of losing you in that moment but he hadn't lied about one damn thing, and he knew he would have to come clean to you about that. Surely, you would confront him about it eventually.

The silence dragged on for most of your journey back to the docks, you were wandering through the market by said docks when you finally spoke up.

"Jealousy is a good look on you" you smirked a little to yourself. You knew he couldn't deny that he had been jealous, you were sure he would have killed Sam if you didn't deescalate things.

"Fuck off" Izzy muttered, embarrassed by his uncharacteristic outburst.

"Here we go" you sighed, your disappointment palpable. Just for a moment you thought you were getting somewhere, that maybe this had been the push Izzy needed to be more vulnerable with you. Apparently you had been wrong.

Suddenly there was a hand on your shoulder, stilling you and turning you back to face Izzy. A petty part of you wanted to cock an eyebrow at him, to give him an inpatient look, but you could see the conflict on his face, so you waited.

"You were right. I'm, fuck, I'm sorry. I'll be better, be what you deserve. Just don't fucking stay here, come back with us" you had never heard him sound so...desperate. He was practically pleading with you, for another chance.

"Iz" you soothed him softly, gently taking hold of his arms. "I didn't even consider staying, I was always going back to the ship, going back with you" you assured him, "I get it, you need more time to open up. It's...yeah, it hurts sometimes but I'll be as patient as you need."

"I want to open up. I want to tell you everything, even the unimportant shit, I want to share everything with you, I just...I don't know how" Izzy confessed with a sigh, hanging his head, almost looking ashamed of himself.

"Just try" you shrugged. You didn't need him to make any drastic changes, you didn't even want him too, just trying to open up to you was enough for you.

"I will. From now on. I promise" he vowed, meeting your gaze again in the hopes to convince you. You didn't need convincing. "I love you" you knew he did, he showed you that in the moments you shared together, in the little things he did for you even if he would deny doing them. He had just never said it in so many words.

"I love you too" you had been wanting to say it for so long, always worried that it would scare him off if he wasn't ready. "Now, don't you dare go worrying that I might leave you. It's not going to happen."

When you took his hand in yours, he didn't flinch or tense or hesitate. He just intertwined his fingers with yours like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"C'mon, let's get back to the ship" you smiled softly at him before turning, beginning to walk back towards the ship.

But Izzy didn't move, his feet firmly planted. Using his grip on your hand, he pulled you right back to him. You opened your mouth to question him but his other hand was already on the back of your head, his mouth was already on yours.

Obviously, you returned the kiss instinctively, not caring if you were standing in the middle of a port, of your hometown. You were pirates after all, fuck decency.

Israel fucking Hands was kissing you in public after promising to open up more, after telling you that he loved you. You were on cloud nine.

[goldengoddess]

soooo the idea is a fic set during king of scars where the reader is nikolai's childhood best first and we stumble into his room one evening and we actually see him change into the demon and just absjajnsns

i am yours - nikolai lantsov

* KING OF SCARS & RULE OF WOLVES SPOILERS *

pairing: nikolai lantsov x reader

a/n: okay this is absolutely garbage rae i am so sorry pls forgive me,,, i KNOW this is not how nikolai’s demon works and he wouldn’t just like turn back but for the sake of this fic pls pretend <33333

for the lovley @wtfrae !!! i love u pls go read her work everyone <3

warnings: spoilers! some angst n like threat of violence but y’all know me, everything is good and happy by the end

nikolai had always been the one person you could turn to. since the two of you were kids, it had always been an unbreakable bond. something no one else seemed to understand. how to kids, tossed aside by their family, tested in every way possible, were able to find each other and bring out the best in one another. nikolai made you better, made you good.

life in ravka was never easy, it was a constant struggle. especially in the years leading up to nikolai’s reign. the two of you almost hadn’t made it out alive then, and while nikolai had been out fighting with alina in the fold, you had stayed at the spinning wheel helping the injured.

but when things finally settled down, alina and mal safe and away, nikolai had told you so many stories. the two of you had spent months apart. so out of nostalgia, every night you’d sneak into nikolai’s room and listen to your best friend tell you stories about everything. all the battles he’d fought along as sturmhond, what the battle against the darkling had looked like.

and even when nikolai ran out of stories, and you ran out of questions, you kept sneaking into his room to talk to him. he was the king of ravka, during the day he never even stopped to take a breath. but his nights were reserved for you. just so he could hear the sound of your voice before he was bound to his bed by chains.

nikolai loved you dearly, you were the only constant he had ever known. but he couldn’t bring himself to share what had happened to him during the battle with the darkling, what he’d become. instead, he told you the stories he told everyone else, how he was captured and tortured. it hurt him, to lie to you. but he couldn’t have you seeing him the way he saw himself, a monster. so even though lying to you pained him every night, he would do it to hear your excited questions and giggles as you snuck out of his room.

he always made sure you were gone before zoya came in. he wouldn’t be able to explain the drugging potion. or even worse, his horrible transformation into the demon that lived inside of him.

but secrets almost never stay secrets.

“saints nikolai,” you gasped, rushing off his bed to grab grab your coat, “it’s past midnight. i can’t be in here!”

nikolai sat up and looked out his window, you watched the color drain from his face. he cleared his throat and walked over to you, “you’re right you should probably go.”

you nodded and shuffled away from him, but before opening the door you paused. you turned back to the blonde haired boy, “nikolai?”

“yes sweetheart?” he answered, facing you.

“i could,” you hesitated, “i could sleep over. one night, i’m not saying tonight. just some night. i’ll sleep on the floor but, i spend all of my night here anyways. just like when we were kids.”

as nikolai slowly walked closer to you, you waited for his teasing remark and eventual acceptance. the two of you w had a sleepover since before he left ravka. of course it wouldn’t be the same, as he was now king, but he was your nikolai.

instead, he gently tucked a piece of your hair and kissed your forehead. “i don’t think that’s such a good idea sweetheart.”

your heart shattered at his words and his at the fact that he had to say them. there was nothing he wanted more. nothing that would bring him more peace than holding you in his arms until the sunrise. not just for a couple of hours right before bed, not having to pretend that everything he felt for you was strictly platonic.

“oh” you said defeatedly. “that, yeah that’s okay. i’ll see you tomorrow nikolai.” and with that you rushed out of the room.

later, as zoya gave nikolai genya and david’s potion to knock him out, all he could think about was the horrible look on your face.

at some point in the night you’d made the decision to go talk to nikolai. the two of you couldn’t go on like this, attempting to be way you have been before the darkling and alina while tip toeing around these new feelings you had for eachother.

but as you made your way to nikolai’s doors, hand on the doorknob, you heard a soft growl coming from inside. you covered your mouth with your hand to prevent a gasp from escaping your lips. you slowly turned the handle and stepped into the room.

on nikolai’s kingly bed was a dark giant looking demon. it’s wings were the color of the night sky seen in the window of the bed room. it took your breath away.

you pressed your back against the wall, trying to move back towards the door without making any noise. but the demon heard you and snapped it’s head in your direction.

every part of your body was screaming to run, to scream even. but something stopped you. the eyes. they stopped you. they were dark and pitch black but there was something familiar about them. not the color but the way they watched you. like they were trying to remember every single part of you just in case.

nikolai was the only person who you knew looked at you that way.

“nikolai?” you whispered to the monster.

the creature craned its neck to the side, similar to the confused head tilts that nikolai used to give you during lessons. you took a hesitant step forward, holding your hands up to show that you weren’t going to cause harm.

“nikolai” you tried again, with more conviction in your voice.

the creature let out a small growl as a response and you flinched away. at your movement it out a whine and moved away from you.

you shuffled closer, “hey no no i’m okay. nikolai?”

slowly, as you repeated your best friends name over and over, the creature became less beast and more man. slowly morphing into a messy set of blonde curls and body you’d hugged more times than you can recall. your nikolai.

he curled up in a ball and leaned his back against the end of his bed.

“nikolai” you attempted softly, falling to your knees in front of him.

he scrambled away to a corner of the room, “please. please leave. i’m begging.” his voice was raspy from misuse, thought the two of you had spoken only hours before.

“nikolai i’m not leaving, please explain to me. what was that?” you pleaded with him.

“that was nothing, now go. please please” he sobbed into his hands.

you crossed your arms over your chest in a stubborn gesture that he couldn’t even see, “you’re lying to me again! i’m not leaving until you explain what that was. why can’t you tell me the truth for once?”

“that was me!” he yelled as he lifted his head and met your eyes for the first time.

you let out a sigh of relief at the familiar hazel color of his eyes. you crossed your legs together, “that was you?”

“yes that was me. that is what the darkling did to me. now please,” he let out an exhausted sob “please leave sweetheart.”

you felt tears swelling in your own eyes at his voice. how broken he sounded. your nikolai never sounded so defeated. and if he ever felt that way, he had never shown you. you crawled over to him slowly and placed your hands on the sides of his face, rubbing away the tears.

“what are you doing” he whimpered and dropped his head into your hands, “i could hurt you. sweetheart, you have to go.”

“my nikolai” you whispered, pushing his damp hair away from his forehead.

he closed his eyes and you couldn’t tell if it was from anger, exhaustion, sadness, or a mix of all of it. “i cannot be yours. i’ve lied to you, i’m a demon, a monster. you can’t possibly want me to be yours.” he spit each word about himself as if it were venom, like the words ripped away a little bit of his humanity, or his confidence.

you shook your head and softly placed your forehead again his, still holding the sides of his face. “no. you’re my nikolai. you always will be.”

you placed two soft kisses on his cheeks, one on each side. “my” kiss, “nikolai,” another kiss.

“oh sweetheart, i am yours” he sighed and opened up his knees so you could fall into his embrace. “i am so sorry.”

“you should be” you mumbled into his chest. “what if you had died nikolai? and i wouldn’t have known what was happening to you until it was too late. i could have helped.”

he kissed the top of your head, still hesitantly. “im a fool, you can spend the rest of my life reminding me. i didn’t want to ruin this, us. it’s the last precious thing i have in my life.”

“we are still precious” you whispered and clung to his shirt like your life depended on it. “the same way you are still the nikolai i have always known, since childhood. you are still good. we will fix this.”

“and if we can’t?” he asked so softly that you almost couldn’t hear him.

“then i’ll have to get just as familiar with the demon as i am with you” you joked.

and the rumble of nikolai’s laughing chest told you that everything would be perfectly fine. demon and all, he was still your nikolai.

taglist;

@deardiarystuff @bookishcrows @kazsimp @vintagebitc @obiwansjedi @thegirlwiththeimpala @hybrid-in-progress @mrs-brekker15 @mrsbrekkers @simplyluvzuko @ode-to-joy @gallysonegoodlung @sixofshadowandbone @castielcouldbeasecretdentist @meiitanoia @caaarstairs @itisroe

if your name is in bold, it means i couldn’t tag you <3

[phantaloon-books]

Things about Tower of Nero that I want to highlight to remember them forever:

Lu being an absolute badass woman, I just love her too much

Piper McClean being canon wlw, she was actually kissing another girl, we really fell in love in october

Chaos being canonically female (just chaos being mentioned as a deity rather than what's below tartarus)

nobody DIED, like no one on the good side at least?? yes plenty of beings have died throughout TOA, but nobody died in TON?? so many died in TLO and BOO, I expected to mourn someone and I didn't have too??! it made me so happy

solangelo. that's it. solangelo makes me happy.

will being incredibly supportive of nico, and instead of stopping him, going with him on dangerous adventures because he doesn't want to leave him alone. also them treating Nico's PTSD for what it is

WILL SOLACE CANONICALLY GLOWS IN THE DARK. HE'S A GLOWSTICK BABY.

also will just appearing at the gates of the throne room, glowing in rage because someone touched his boyfriend (and tried to kill his dad), and him just marching through everyone (everyone else letting him), just to pick up his hurt precious boyfriend and take care of him.

meg McCaffrey got her happy ending. she's baby, she deserves her family and her happy ending. also Lu being the mother and the 12 children being siblings?? that's one hell of a way to tell nero to fuck off and right his mistakes. we love meg.

dionysus being the best olympian after apollo. the duo content we needed, and now will never get

nico mentioning bob and how he wants to go look for him, because he can still be in tartarus

rachel still being a Total badass and hitting people in the eye with her blue hairbrush thus being iconic

meg acting as lester's anchor and only reason why he didn't let go of the ledge, not falling into chaos, is top tier 'reasons why I cried reading', because if you think about it, Meg is the first ever friend apollo ever had, and them being best friends is everything to me

also apollo choosing to go looking as lester rather than apollo because lester feels like home is on top tier 'reasons why I cried reading' too

again, the only thing apollo did in the end (once he was god again) that could be described as 'godly' was be in several places at once, fly his chariot, and get meg her unicorn

but apollo shooting fucking fire out of his hands is crazy asf, it was so cool. he really got amazing godly powers this book.

rick being bold enough to showcase abusive parenting knowing that a huge porcentage of his readers are minors, helping many realize that they could be in abusive households, and giving them a tool to reach out for help

apollo defeating nero was so satisfactory, because you realize in the end, that nero wasn't really a monster, he was monstrous, but still very much human (if only with some godly power), and pretty useless once he couldn't hide behind props and weapons, his being wasn't powerful, he was just under layers of protection

the jackson/blofis scene was so warm and loving, they really are willing to put their family in danger, baby estelle in danger, to help 'percy's friends' even tho she knew percy didn't like apollo, but she still takes in everyone who needs help, and paul being a loving and accepting husband

sally working on her SECOND novel, she really is having her best life

none of the big heroes from other series having protagonism, besides nico and will, instead giving the other kids from camp halfblood their chance to show they're just as worthy as the "heroes of olympus"

(still I would have loved to see a scene with everyone else, like the heroes of olympus guys, fighting together one last time, just for nostalgia's sake - I legit hoped to see percy and annabeth arriving with chiron in triumvirate tower, but yeah)

the arrow of dodona may have been a dumb, cringey, and slightly ridiculous thing at first, and I personally rolled my eyes everytime it said anything, but it knew what would happen from the start, and without its sacrifice, apollo would have achieved nothing. we stan one arrow

nico wearing a white cowboy hat. idky but it makes my heart swell with joy. he a gay cowboy

y'all know I love Apollo's arch, and I just gotta point this out. his trials, his time as lester, started with him falling to earth, and ended with him getting up after purposely throwing himself off the earth, towards tartarus, almost falling to chaos. that's really clever writing.

the olympians watching over him, and some actually being concerned for him rather than his progress.

poseidon not really giving a fuck about the world or council meetings anymore because percy's not there anymore

athena being the only one apart from artemis who trusted apollo could do it makes me warm fsr

lester deciding that the best way to retell his adventures is by singing is hilarious to me, he really thinks it'll solve everything

Grover not telling percy and annabeth jason died seems so funny to me, he really said "nah it doesn't matter much, field trip, yes"

"hey man" my heart broke in twenty million pieces. like I don't know where I expected to see jason. but that wasn't it. and it hurt me as much as it hurt apollo man.

(also I kinda hoped we would see nico summon his spirit or smth, but I'm actually happy nico realized that jason went by his own choice, and he was in peace, so he decided not to summon him, because it was alright. that hurt too)

kinda love how lester passes out after literally every battle. it reminds you that even tho he's apollo, his body isn't. I'm sure we all would pass out too if we did a quarter of what lester did in the span of 4 days. his body isn't made to endure that, it doesn't even have a halfblood endurance, it's a weak mortal body

the trogs were fucking hilarious. their screeches and grrs, idk there's something ridiculous and so childish about them, it's so fun

really happy that apollo never had a /real/ love interest (reyna doesn't count), cause that wasn't what his story was about. instead he got to make so many friends, and have quality time with them and his children, it's amazing

apollo being thankful people were telling him he'd grown, and was more human, because he realized that was the best thing he could have learned from his time as a mortal

also him saying fuck you man to zeus and his speech, like "no asshole dad, I did learn, I'm not going to see this as punishment, it was a great time in which bad things happened but I enjoyed it." yes, we love apollo not letting zeus win

getting to see what everyone will do now. nico and will figuring out rachel's prophecy, probs saving bob. rachel living her best life away from her parents. leo doing what leo does, always helping those who have no one else. the hunters' open storyline about this fox, possibly hinting at content? piper settling down in a quiet life is what she deserves tbh, she's earned quiet life with a cute gf, wish her the best. Frank and hazel being the best praetors, and I bet they will continue to be so. And annabeth and percy, who chose their happiness over all, at last

kinda wish we got to see someone still really miss jason after apollo becomes god again tho lmao like apollo missed jason more than the others, nico and piper being the exception. I mean, leo is fine and dandy, hazel and frank are okay, percy and annabeth are done mourning... I just we got to see any of them really mourning, rather than reading they mourned. it would have made it feel more emotional

the last conversation and the last words in general. "the sun always comes back" and "we're friends now. call on me. I'll be there for you" that shit got me sobbing my heart out. rick really managed to do right by the books and end it like he should have, unlike BOO. he took what made TLO good and used a similar formula. it's very different from "and for once I didn't look back", but it still fills you with warmth and the feeling that even though it's over, it's okay.

I'm just really emotional, this is all I can think about, but you bet I'm gonna add more when I remember

[ackerpreach]

This ending .... I can name 500 reasons and I will name them right now, because I don’t think I’m the only one who is upset with how things turned out. (Also, A positive message for all of you at the end)

MAJOR LEAKS SPOILERS/ READ WITH CAUTION

Update: after reading more theories from fellow RM bloggers, and sleeping over it one day, this entire chapter might be an april fools... Don't fully lose hope yet beautiful people. It's me just giving a review on a possible fake April fools chapter

After following this franchise since 2013, so nearly a DECADE. this ending is a pure disserve to the entire fandom. I feel like Yams has rushed it just for the sake of being done with the entire manga. So many things are left open, characters and their developemt are reverted back all the way to chapter 1 or are left even worse than that...

Mikasa’s worthless character development/ Aaronmika’s horrible toxic codependent relationship 

Oh honey... Let’s start with how horrible Isayama has treated her. We were all rooting for her, because we all felt like she was so misunderstood. She had a horrible childhood and imprinted on a guy who treated her like trash 99 percent of the story. And then, slowly but surely, she starts to realize she has to stop obsessing over him in the uprising arc with the help of a real man who treats her like a queen, more importantly, he treats her like a real human being. This man sees her for her abilities and that she has the power to be self dependent. She learned parts of herself, that she was able to work together with him like no one else could.  She learned parts of herself she was unable to do so if she kept obsessing about Aaron. All this love, care, mutual understanding and RESPECT these two shared. 

but...NAH FUCK THAT, right Yams?? Throw all this development away, all this bonding. Let’s make the main female lead even more yandere than she already was in the first season. Let her make out with his decapacitated head (like dude, this is also pure disrespect to Aaron’s dead body btw) and let her obsess even more about the guy who has treated her no better than a piece of toilet cloth 99 percent of the time. The guy who was never really appreciative in front of her for saving his ass billions of times, who always pushed her away, who yells at her and snaps at her whenever he can instead of reasoning and talking calmly with her in mature way. (EVEN PARODY YOUTUBE CHANNELS WHO DONT SHIP ANYTHING MAKE IT A TROPE WHERE AARON TELLS MIKASA HE HATES HER GUTS WHENEVER HE CAN) 

Then after all that, suddenly Yams tries to last minute persuade us Aaron’s always been head over heels for her???  He should have build their relationship better which he hasn’t even tried to do so... He must be thinking his fans are stupid for eating this from his hands.    

Like seriously??? What is this??? 

Isayama is just fully contradicting himself. It’s like someone tipped him off with a buttload of money for him to write Aaron like this to satisfy shipping needs and to cash in those extra money’s from it. Even if he tried to cater to Erem*ika, this is not how you write a loving and caring couple which people will root for. 

This next two panels just freaking infuriates me to the core of my soul. I can’t even describe how dissapointed I am with Mikasa. 

Why is she clutching that head so obsessively like that?  Why is she walking and turning her back away from her comrades? After everything they have done for her, after all they’ve been through?! After everything Armin has done? Standing up for Mikasa, beating up Aaron for hurting her. I feel like even Jean, Connie and Sasha have cared more for her in a healthy way.  Sure, Aaron cares for her romantically too apparently (What a twist Yams :)), but has he aided her to becoming a mentally healthier individual? Has he aided in her mental stability? The answer is a big fat NO!  All I see between these two after today’s raw Chapter’s are too Yandere obsessed individuals who have no clue on how to maintain a healthy relationship. 

Love should only go as far as the heart can endure and it seems like her character is not willing to be aware of that. Even Armin was able to let go of Aaron in those latest panels. Why does her entire character resolve around this guy??? I really do not understand. Her Ackerbond and her age is not an excuse for her to throw her life away like this. 

Shonen’s disgusting portrayal of women 

I’ve seen this countless of times in the many years I’ve watched anime. SasuS*ku from Naruto, Ichih*me from Bleach, Shinji and that oranged hair girl from Neon Evangelion.. Why do these women get decreased to simpletons with one single goal? And that is to obsess over a bland male lead who either treats them like trash or doesn’t notice them up until the last last chapter (LITERALLY WHAT YAMS HAS DONE). Some go even as far as the male leading wanting the kill the female love interest and yet the female lead is still in love with them???. It’s disgusting for him to write the MAIN female character this way. 

It’s dissapointing we believed in Isayama doing Mikasa’s character right. That she’s finally being able to let go of her codependency and to live for herself maybe live in Hizuru and find more about her roots???, but every single time she shows some improvement, it’s burried deep in the ground again by the Author. It almost seems like a lowkey kink of some of the male Mangaka’s to write about a girl obsessing over them no matter what. I see this so many times to the point that I truly stand behind it that some of them might have this fantasy. 

I wished he didn’t portray her last panels like this. Everyone else is living their lives while Mikasa is still grieving about him. I’m not saying she’s not allowed to grieve and everyone takes it at their own pace, but cmon... Show her living her life too. This is too much. Her being next to his grave and grieving him as her last panels just shoves it in our faces that YET AGAIN, BEING OBSESSED WITH AARON IS ALL HER CHARACTER STANDS FOR. 

I truly despise how Isayama handles her grieving, kissing his decapacitated head, carrying it around like some handbag, and her last panels being thissss.

The world leaving Paradis alone miraciously after all that??? 

It’s so weird and out of place with so many political feuds and disagreements between the world and Paradis, the entire Rumbling happening and we can see Mikasa just chilling outside in Paradis with no one bothering them. You can see the rings of the walls in the picture below.  I don’t know the exact reason behind as the manga is still in Korean, but from what I see, the story went the route of: throwing a happy ending without enough proper reason and  it was all fixed just like that in a snap! It doesn’t fit the entire narrative of attack on titan for things to be so peacful out of nowhere. When it comes to the narrative, how things work in that world, how hard it is to achieve peace, everything made somewhat sense up until chapter 138. 139 seems so so out of place...  It’s like I’m reading a chapter from a totally different manga. 

Aaron Yoghurt got defeated so easily/ Aaron’s character assassination

The build up on the first part of the rumbling was great, those kids carrying coins. You could feel humanity’s fear and Aaron’s hatred in those pages. As if he truly had a goal and he has turned away completely from his comrades and his closest friends with no return. The world seemed truly doomed, but he  got defeated just like that. He was in the nape all this time (because screw the warhammer power of hiding yourself elsewhere in his ginormous titan body). There is no master plan as we all expected, and in the end he just acts all yandere in the paths with Armin and that’s it... They massacared his entire character as well. Many fan theories created a better ending with his character. Him being reincarnated as Historia’s baby would be so much better. For him to still keep on seeking and to strive for power. It has always been his motive. It’s his personality from the start until chapter 138. Even if things are okay, to keep on going and to seek that adventure, but then.. He’s so weak and directionless suddenly.. It’s so weird... This is not Aaron at all???

Using Aaron for him this entire post, because I don’t want others to invade our tags... :)))

Historia’s baby 

The only panel we got from Historia’s child was this. Just a normal kid, normal life... Why did Isayama put so much effort in highlighting Historia’s pregnancy if it was nothing too spectacular anyway? It seemed he had major plans for this kid and for their development too??? It’s again, big plans, big developments, big relationship dynamic, but all  got thrown out of the window... 

Don’t read the next sentence if you are a minor :’) 

It’s like almost ejaculating, but stopping right before it and repeating that every single Arc.

My energy when writing about this chapter is the same as Nostalgia Critic and his hatred for atla the live action

In Conclusion...

I know us fans should not be deciding on how this story should end, because this is Isayama’s story after all, but I truly wished for him to wrap up things much more rounded. There are so many unanswered questions... Again, I think for the sake of being done with this manga, he rushed all of it. He’s become a millionaire from this story and now his pockets are jammed full, I guess he doesn’t need to put in any effort anymore, right? Perhaps a controversial opinion, but I really wished he cared for his fans a little bit more with this last chapter by giving some answers that make sense at least. It’s his fans who gave him this platform and the opportunity to tell his story and for him to at least give in a bit of effort especially in the last chapter is the least he can do. Rivamika being canon or not, he truly rushed it without thinking much about the entire story line. He expanded it so much, he didn’t know how to bind it all together.

Even after all this, I’ll still ship them in the headcanon type of way. I do give credit to Isayama for giving us a template for such a beautiful dynamic between Levi and Mikasa. He decides to waste it, but that doesn’t mean we have to.  I want to thank all the people with amazing writing skills, the ones who give us beautiful art like @carmenlee @phit chan @vialesana​ and many more. I want to remind all of you that we can create something beautiful of our own and we don’t neccesarily need canon lore for that. The art I’ve seen, the fanfictions I’ve read have touched me deeper than Isayama ever could at times.The Mikasa in our mind is appreciate of Levi, is mature, classy and has a strong will for herself. They spend their remaining days together peacefully. Keep writing, keep drawing, stay creative. 

I love you all so so much, I’ve only been publicly active since March, but thank you Rivamika fandom for giving me so much joy as a lurker these past 7 years <3

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 25, part one

(Masterpost) (Other Canary Stuff)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Holy crap, Episode 25! We’re halfway through! *Cue Bon Jovi*

Hunt Invitation

After taking a nice long break to watch Word of Honor pick lotus pods, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli return to stressing over the shitshow that is the post-Sunshot cultivation world. Jin Zixuan has come to invite them to the Phoenix Mountain Hunt, with a special invitation from his mother to Jiang Yanli. Jiang Cheng reacts to this in a mature and reasonable manner, while Wei Wuxian...doesn't.

On the surface, Jiang Cheng has matured in recent months; much more than Wei Wuxian, with his secret burdens, has. But it's only on the surface, as we'll see later in the episode, when Jiang Cheng's insecurity will take the reins.

Jin Zixuan is adorably pleased by Jiang Yanli's acceptance of the invitation. Wei Wuxian is less pleased, but sort of tries to suck it up. 

Jin Zixuan kind of undercuts the romance of his errand by asking Wei Wuxian for the Yin tiger amulet as soon as Jiang Yanli is out of earshot. 

As always, Jin Zixuan makes an impression by being the best Jin currently in existence, but the Jins are terrible. JZX is working to advance his dad's ambitions, and as such he is currently Wei Wuxian's enemy.  

(more after the cut)

Opening Ceremonies

There's a bunch of cultivators arranged for the opening ceremony. Later someone will say that this is more than 5 thousand people. Ok, sure.

As I've said before, it's best to think of it like a theatre production and assume the other 4,900 people are offstage or, you know, painted on the backdrop.  

The young lead cultivators from the four main clans are standing together. Nie Huaisang is trying out some new body armor.

The clan leaders are seated up on the stage, along with Jin Furen and Jiang Yanli. Unfortunately Jin Furen doesn't seem to have a personal name that I can discover. Her title Fūrén ( 夫人)  means she's the primary wife of the head of the family, according to this excellent meta. 

So “Madame Jin” is a decent translation...if you're French?  I feel like instead of English subtitles including borrowed words from French (”Marquis” in NIH), Greek (”Water of Lethe” in WOH), and other European languages, we could try borrowing Chinese words instead. Jin Zixuan's mom is titled, not named, Jin Furen. Since we don’t know her actual name, I'll call her that and abbreviate it JFR.

Wei Wuxian's childishness continues at the opening of the hunt, as does Jiang Yanli's encouragement of his childishness. I know she's had a rough couple of years, and it's understandable to want to baby her little brother out of a sense of nostalgia. But it's not good for him, and she shouldn't do it; she should encourage him to be more mature, just as she does with Jiang Cheng.

War Crimes Contest

Jin Guangyao says they're going to have an archery competition, and they're going to liven it up by endangering some prisoners. These prisoners are Wens in Wen cultivator uniforms, meaning they're not the noncombatants that were being hunted down earlier. But they’re still helpless people in chains. 

There are three different reactions when the Wen prisoners are brought out.  All the Jins are pleased, or neutral. All of the Jiangs, including Wei Wuxian, are upset.

The Nies and the Lans, what we see of them, are a little shocked, but not obviously upset. Based on those reactions, it seems like this is a maneuver that in-world is considered shocking and cruel, but not necessarily unethical or immoral.  Shocking, cruel displays of power are pretty normal in this world; remember when Wen Chao lit a Lan cultivator on fire just to say hello, and nobody complained? 

This whole scenario, of course, has been designed to provoke Wei Wuxian. One major goal of this event, and the whole reason for wanting Wei Wuxian to come,  is to get the Yin Tiger amulet.  Making him lose his shit in front of 100 5000 cultivators is a good step toward compelling him to hand the amulet over.  

We see Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli both signaling Wei Wuxian to keep it together, and he takes a step back and tries to chill.  

Meanwhile, Jin Zixuan seems annoyed by all this, and goes to take a shot at it, making it clear from his demeanor that this is easy and JGY is making a show of nothing. 

He hovers in the air and makes a perfect shot, pleasing most of the crowd and impressing Jiang Yanli. 

Then his cousin Jin Zixun taunts the crowd, challenging anyone to do better.  This presents a bit of a problem for Wei Wuxian. For the sake of the Wen prisoners, Wei Wuxian should just take this taunting and let the contest end, if no-one else is willing to take a shot. But for the sake of the Jiang Clan’s status, and his continued control of the Yin Tiger amulet, he needs to put the Jins in their place.  

Every Day is Blindfold Day

This moral dilemma is resolved with an abrupt tonal shift, where the humanitarian concerns of all parties seem to vanish. Wei Wuxian flirts embarrassingly with Lan Wangji and then goes as far over the top in besting Jin Zixuan as it's possible to go.

The flirting hits differently, incidentally, when you edit Jiang Cheng's annoyed reaction out of it: 

Lan Wangji doesn't seem embarrassed by Wei Wuxian's request, despite it happening in front of 100 5000 of their fellow cultivators. He looks Wei Wuxian straight in the eye for longer than necessary before turning away; it’s not exactly stern disapproval. We’ll get very used to this look, in Wei Wuxian’s second life. 

Fortunately, Wei Wuxian carries a blindfold with him wherever he goes, (gifset here), and he is such a good cultivator he can hit 5 parallel targets simultaneously without even holding his bow straight or tightening the string.

(OP fixed the angle of the bow for this gif, which is why everyone is standing on a hill in the background).

Everyone is pleased by this shot except Jins Guangyao and Zixun; even the Jin cultivators are clapping, and Madame Jin is presumably this happy any time Jin Guangyao’s plans go wrong.

With that they start the hunt. Jin Zixun challenges Wei Wuxian to do the whole hunt blindfolded. Wei Wuxian agrees, but the censorship committee said no, apparently, so we don’t get to see that.

Flute Hunting

We do get to see Wei Wuxian luring monsters into his nets by being too sexy for his robe, too sexy for his robe, and playing the flute.  

We also get to see Jiang cultivators looking puzzled while random monster roars happen in the woods around them. We do not get to see any monsters, which is probably just as well.

Jiang Cheng is annoyed and concerned, muttering "I told you not to overdo it" which means he didn't, you know, tell Wei Wuxian NOT to do this, just not to do it quite so well. Jiang Cheng knows what Wei Wuxian’s abilities are and he is making use of him, as he should, but he doesn’t have the courage of his convictions. 

Tree Confession

Wei Wuxian sees Lan Wangji and starts to say hi, but then he has a desaturated flashback to Lan Xichen telling him to back off, so he stops himself.  But then Lan Wangji comes over to talk to him.

Lan Wangji starts off talking to him about his latest anti-resentment musical discoveries, and Wei Wuxian pushes back, even calling him Lan Wangji, but gently.  Wei Wuxian asks "who am I to you?" and Lan Wangji turns the question right back at him, then waits a looooooong time, eyes downcast, while Wei Wuxian thinks of a serious answer.

Wei Wuxian says "I used to treat you as my zhījǐ" --which, as we’ve discussed before, is variously translated soulmate, confidant, intimate friend--with a strong meaning of "the person who truly knows me." Lan Wangji says "I still am." Coming from Lan Wangji, who NEVER says how he feels about Wei Wuxian or about anything, really, this sounds a lot like a confession of love. 

It definitely takes the form, visually, of a love confession, as Lan Wangji speaks, then gazes at Wei Wuxian while he waits for a reply.  Wei Wuxian's reply is this:

I don't think Wei Wuxian is oblivious (I'm speaking strictly of CQL, not MZDS, as always with these posts; they are different works). I think he loves Lan Wangji back, and knows it. But Chenqing and everything it represents are between them.

Lan Wangji is quite literally NOT his zhījǐ any more, because he doesn't truly know Wei Wuxian right now. He loves him desperately, but he doesn't know about his core, and hasn't accepted his cultivation method.  So Wei Wuxian answers his confession by showing him Chenqing, effectively declining to accept his still-conditional love.

Snake Measuring

Next we get terrible hetero courtship in the form of Jin Zixuan finding snake discharge on the ground and talking to Jiang Yanli about comparative snake measuring. Seriously: that is the actual conversation that they are having.

Jin Zixuan boasts for a bit, and then awkwardly tries to ask Jiang Yanli on a date. When she turns him down he gets mad, because he's a typical heterosexual dude even though he's secretly a delightful person...very, very secretly. Jiang Yanli, for her part, can't string a fucking sentence together to save her life whenever he's around, so she's not helping their mutual understanding. 

Lan Wangji attempts to hold Wei Wuxian back from beating Jin Zixuan’s ass yet again, but eventually JYL wants to leave, JZX tells her to wait, and WWX intervenes. Why doesn't Jiang Yanli have a maid or Jiang cultivator with her while she's on a date, incidentally? These kids are confused about whether they're doing feudal patriarchy or whether they're doing modern social life.

Jin vs. Jiang

Wei Wuxian jumps in between Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan, which JZX objects to. Jin Zixuan has no fucking business objecting and Wei Wuxian is 100% right, at this point. As soon as WWX shows up JZX should hand her off to her Shidi, bow, and leave her the fuck alone. Instead, he draws his sword on Wei Wuxian, and kind of on Jiang Yanli since she's right behind Wei Wuxian.  Fortunately, Lan Wangji blocks him. 

This instantly blows up into a Jiang-Jin Clan conflict, with Jiang Cheng unfortunately absent since he let his unmarried sister go off in the woods alone with the son of the Cultivaton world's most famous lecher. It looks like it’s a personal conflict, but since Jin Zixuan already told Wei Wuxian directly that Jin Guangshan wants his amulet, any arguments between them are part of a larger power struggle. 

Cousin Jin Zixun comes running up to start shit. Wei Wuxian pretends--I am SURE he's pretending--not to know who he is. The dude hassles Wei Wuxian every time he sees him; Wei Wuxian is a troll, and right now CJXZ is butting in to something that doesn't concern him. Rather than argue, Wei Wuxian insults him by telling him he’s not memorable.

Jin Furen shows up with several maids and cultivator dudes in tow, which is the proper way for a highborn woman to wander around in the woods. She also brings Clan Leader Yao, because if it's Wei Wuxian Blaming Hours, Yao is going to be there.  

I initially found the deep friendship between superhot Yi Zuyuan and dumpy Jin Furen implausible, but then I remembered that my lifelong bestie is a smokin' hot redhead with impeccable fashion sense, while I am a roly-poly nerd.  Friends don’t always match. Also, Jin Furen's actress, Hu Xiaoting, looks like this: 

...so she is actually hot in real life. Not as hot as Zhang Jingtong (who plays Yu Ziyuan) but literally nobody is as hot as Zhang Jingtong. Don't @ me, you know I'm right.

This is a heck of a long scene, so we’ll pick it up in part two! 

Soundtrack: Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Writing prompt: Newly-divorced, cold-hearted CEO Yu Ziyuan buys an apartment next door to newly-divorced, warm-hearted pastry chef ...uhh let's call her Jin Dàngāo (蛋糕), sure. She can name her business after herself. 

They discover their daughter & son are in the same college class, and so they meet up over coffee....several times...trying to matchmake their hopeless, hapless kids, while bonding over their own terrible (former) taste in husbands. Who will Cupid strike first, the kids or the moms?

[purposelynana]

What Did I Watch: #22

Nothing.

Kidding.

I watched too many western series. Thanks to Skam and all of its remakes. I decided to just not caring about kdramas, cdramas and thai dramas. New challenge and new territory, that's all I need. But obviously we can't just go away from the things that shaped us. Below I've listed all the series that I watched on the past weeks.

Skam France

wtFock

I kinda wish to watch all of the Skam's remakes that is out there but it was hard. Like I struggled a lot with using google drive and so on just to download the episode. I had to save it in my cloud drive for re-watch purpose. But still, it was too damn inconvenient for someone that used to this kind of stuff back when I was a little bit younger. Right now, I just hope the show that I want to watch available in any streaming services.

Yet, there's a reward for every effort that we put. Those shows are freaking good. I could biased because I love the original one. But nope. I legit thinking Skam France shot in film camera because it was flawless. And the acting in wtFock made me in awe. These kids were first-timers and still they even better than any teenager actors that I came across before this. Gosh. What a joy just to find a show which trigger you in a good way and taught me in life better than a freaking preacher.

God, I miss Axel.

Eyewitness

I was bored okay. And tumblr gives me this weird algorithm and then I found this little gem. The perfect epitome of 'be gay, do crime'. I feel inclined to have the show more into noir-ish vibe but then, it didn't go there. I want to like it so bad but the camera language was terrible at times. When I look at on who's the director, well it's the least surprising name out there. Ha.

9-1-1: Lone Star

Because it was on a freaking trending topic for days.

Abbott Elementary

Actually this is the first time I finished a whole season of sitcom. And thank god, it was funny enough for me to continue.

Meng Hua Lu

On hold indefinitely. Its feminism point of view felt too unrealistic. Plus, they weren't willingly to go there for the sake of censorship. Fortunately the romance, for the first time, was actually make sense and look at that shot. Beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Team Connie all the way. We all should just make older siblings union. He deserves all the hugs in the world. I relate to him, me, a 27 years old spinster, relate to a freaking teenage angsty boy. He had a lot of baggage and I couldn't imagine when Susannah really really [redacted] how bad he can be.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

WHAT A FINALE.

Thank God I could live long enough to see this. To see Deborah Chow performed magic on my screen. To look at Hayden Christensen back as Vader, my fucking role model. Yes you read it right. Darth Vader is someone I'm aspire to be. And Ewan McGregor, hands down this is Emmy-nominated performance yall. Come on. COME. ON.

Maybe it was nostalgia or whatever. It was clearly a nostalgia that brought us to our screen, to increase our expectations, and to connect with a certain joy which probably last appeared more than decades ago. It was nostalgia and legacy, whichever it is, evidently set me up into this journey that led to Star Wars. A great reminder I was build like this because of Star Wars. The interest which initiated early by my father. The very first movie that I watched before I knew anything else is A New Hope and that memories engraved deeply in my heart. So, by watching Obi-Wan and absorbed any kind of life values contained in it, felt like a full circle to me. Everything is finally coming back to its own place.

And let's remind people, you can't create someone more tragic than the life of Anakin Skywalker. No one could ever come close to him.

[dimitrescus-bitch]

New York City Standard (Veronica Lodge x Reader)

“Hermione, thank you so much for inviting to come and stay with you. Riverdale is an absolutely charming little town,” you thanked your exgirlfriend’s mother. Technically, you and Veronica had never broken up when she left New York, but she had essentially stopped talking to you. You understand that it was hard for her, but now that her father was out of the picture once again, things should have been easier for the two of you to rekindle what you had before. 

“The pleasure is mine. It’s been far too long dear. How have you been?” Hermione asked you. She had always liked you. Hiram, on the other hand, hated you and the fact that your ambitions didn’t necessarily benefit your family’s business. You were your own person and you’d definitely influenced Veronica a bit to seek out her own path, which he hated. 

“Very well. I’ve been accepted into Columbia for a pre-law program and if all goes well with that, I’ll have my choice at a number of ivy leagues for an official law program,” you told her. “Has Veronica mentioned college?” 

“She has been a bit reluctant to speak with me lately. I’m hoping that you will remind her of a better time.” Hermione led you through their home and knocked on a door. “Mija, you have a visitor.” 

“Okay, just a second!” Veronica called back. Your heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice, a sense of nostalgia taking over. You smiled a little as Hermione walked away and you were left standing in front of Veronica’s door. She opened it up and paused for a moment, almost as if she couldn’t believe that you were standing in front of her. “Y/n?” 

“Hello Veronica, may I come in?” you asked and Veronica stepped aside. You noticed two people sitting in her bed, a boy on her bed and a girl sitting hunched over a book. 

“Um, guys this is Y/n Y/l/n, she was my best friend in New York. Y/n, this is Betty and my boyfriend, Archie,” Veronica introduced you. You offered both of them smiles, even as they both eyed you suspiciously. “She’s nothing like Nick. In fact, she probably hates him more than anyone else.” 

“Veronica, I see that you’re busy, but when you’re free, I’d love to go to dinner. It’s been far too long since we’ve had quality time, lovely.” You leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of Veronica’s mouth. “It was nice to meet the two of you. Hopefully, we will become better acquainted during my visit.” 

“How long are you staying?” Veronica asked you and you shrugged. 

“I don’t really know yet, but hopefully by the time I leave, we’ll have arrangements for you to come into the city with me. It’s been horribly boring without you.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“You know, Archie is suspicious of your intentions being here,” Veronica said as the two of you sat in her living room having some drinks. “He thinks you’re here to steal me away from him.” 

“Technically, he’s the thief. We never really broke up, you just stopped answering,” you pointed out. Veronica looked down, guilt evident on her face. “I’m not mad though, that was a whole shit show of a situation. I also didn’t really expect for you to be that into me.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“I was always like your little show pony. The progressive streak to distract from the fact that everybody assumed your family was corrupt. They don’t care about embezzling whenever the golden daughter is dating the troubled black sheep from the business rival family. It’s a miracle that your dad didn’t try to have me whacked or something after he caught us kissing.” 

“Too obvious, and he wasn’t the only one who saw that,” Veronica told you. You sighed as you took a sip of your drink before setting it down on the table. “Besides, where is your evidence I didn’t beg him not to kill you? I meant it when I told you that I love you Y/n.” 

“Yeah, but if you said it again, would you still mean it?” you asked her. Veronica sighed and you laughed at her. 

“What’s funny?” Veronica asked you. 

“The golden boy found the golden girl. You’re just golden by New York City Standards. He’d crumble against the concrete if you weren’t behind him.” 

“And let me guess, you’d soar from building top to building top?” 

“Damn right Lodge.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“Why is she still here?” Archie asked as you walked into Pop’s. “Veronica, you said she went back to the city Friday.” 

“She did, I watched her plane take off,” Veronica promised him. She was puzzled as to why you were there, but the second she saw the familiar mauve box in your hands, she knew what was going on. “You’re a character, you know.” 

“I’ve been told, but you wouldn’t refuse the best pastry in New York City, would you?” You held the box out towards Veronica. She took it from you and nodded at the empty spot in the booth across from her and Archie. “Afternoon Andrews.” 

“We’re sort of on a date here, if you don’t mind,” Archie said, his voice sounding agitated. 

“Oh no, I don’t mind one bit,” you laughed melodically. Archie muttered something under his breath and Veronica smiled as she saw the heart shaped scone. “I would have brought you coffee, but it would have gone cold. I dropped grounds off at your house though on my way here.” 

“Of course you did,” Archie scoffed. “You know that you can’t win her by buying her love. Maybe you could have before, but not anymore.” 

“I am not trying to buy her love Andrews. I’m giving a gift to my best friend. She doesn’t get to the city very often and I know that this place is her favorite. I’m sure if you were moved away from your home, you’d want someone to bring you Pop’s?” 

“Let’s go Veronica.” Archie got out of the booth and you set the money for his order on the table. 

“It’s on me, sorry for ruining your meal. Veronica, I assure you it’s not what I mean to do,” you promised her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“You really are an asshole,” Veronica said as she caught you coming out of your hotel. “Archie is nice and I was happy before you showed up.” 

“Veronica, I’m sorry. I really am,” you told her. She grabbed your arm and tugged you away from your cab. “I’ve got a plane to catch.” 

“Is there room for one more?” Veronica asked you. “I want to go with you to the city. Even if it’s just for a little bit, I miss it. This place has made me soft. I’m not up to standard.” 

“Maybe you were always a bit soft and that’s why I liked you,” you suggested. “Maybe you could make me soft and that’s why I fell in love with you.” 

“Then, let me come with you for your sake,” Veronica offered. You nodded and opened the car door for her. 

“About your boyfriend?” you asked Veronica as you turned your head to look at her. 

“He hasn’t been my boyfriend since you crashed our date. Jughead is dealing with that aftermath and Betty’s just telling me not to screw this up too badly a second time,” Veronica said and you smiled a little. “I think she liked you too.” 

“So, when you find yourself coming back here, I’m allowed to call and visit you?” you asked and Veronica nodded. “Good.” 

Taglist: @storiesofsvu​ @xixxiixx​

[thankskenpenders]

And so that’s it... nearly 200 issues deep, we’re done with the contributions of original writer Michael Gallagher. I’ve been asked in the past about the possibility of writing an article going over Gallagher’s run, like what I did with Penders. And I might still do that. But for now, here’s a shorter postmortem summarizing my feelings on the work of the original writer for history’s longest-running video game comic

I think it’s easy to look back on Gallagher’s silly old stories with a lot of nostalgia, especially after seeing what the series would become in its Dark Age. I can’t blame anyone who feels this way. I feel that way sometimes, too. It was a simpler time, with short, self-contained stories and a ton of puns, and it was a lot more easily digestible than a lot of the teen melodrama and half-baked sci-fi that followed. But the thing is... that doesn’t mean that Gallagher’s writing was good

Gallagher was always an odd fit for Sonic. I can’t really blame the man for introducing lame concepts like Cal and Al that didn’t fit in with Sonic early on because it’s not like he had much to work with in the early days. The guy was expected to write a monthly comic series based on a couple 16-bit platformers with very little story and some snippets from a cartoon that wasn’t out yet. He also had no way of knowing that his work here would lay the foundation for the longest video game comic ever made. I don’t envy his job. Of course he’d do a goofball story where Sonic travels back to caveman times. It’s not like he had much else to do

But as the series progressed and the cartoons and games gave the comic writers more material to work with, Gallagher didn’t really play along. He gave us a few solid, fun stories like Mecha Madness, but for the most part he was off in his own world, trying to sell us on shoehorned characters like the Forty Fathom Freedom Fighters or the Downunda Freedom Fighters who existed almost exclusively to deliver new flavors of lame pun. One time he even worked with Jim Valentino to make a naval-gazing parody of classic Guardians of the Galaxy so they could make lame puns about a comic they used to write (that very few children in 2001 reading Archie Sonic would be familiar with)

People generally pinpoint Penders as the guy who became obsessed with his own pet characters over the main cast as time went on, but really, Gallagher was just as guilty. And honestly, sometimes Gallagher doing it bugged me more. At least Penders had some prominent characters people actually liked, like Elias, Lara-Su, and Julie-Su, as well as some semblance of an overarching plot to work with. Meanwhile Gallagher was over here trying desperately to get people to care about a group of characters he had created exclusively as a vehicle for trite Australia jokes

Gallagher did introduce a few characters who stuck around, but he doesn’t really deserve much of the credit for that. Most notable would probably be Fiona Fox, who would become a major recurring character under later writers... except Gallagher only really invented her robotic doppelganger that Robotnik tricked Tails into falling in love with that one time. He created Knuckles’ grandfather Athair, the one comic character to somehow make it into a cartoon, but Penders helped out with that lore and did more with the character, meaning most people just assume he’s another Penders echidna. He created Tails’ parents, but Karl and Ian were the ones who actually did stuff with them. And he created the Ancient Walkers, who were kind of neat at first but quickly devolved into a tired plot device, only to be killed off by Ian almost immediately to cut down on the deus ex machinas. If you look at the list of characters Gallagher created, it’s mostly just randos he created for the sake of puns

And that’s really what most of it comes down to. Lame puns. I’m totally down for Sonic stories that go for a silly tone. I love Sonic Boom as much as the next fan, and I’ve been having a blast with the extremely goofy Sonic X comics. I’m not a cartoon snob who won’t watch a show that doesn’t have action and drama and lore, I’m out here watching shows like Apple & Onion. But while Gallagher could write good jokes sometimes, he mostly relied on groanworthy newspaper strip-level puns. (I guess it’s fitting, considering he’s related to both the guy who created Heathcliff AND his successor who makes those comics about the Garbage Ape.) I love me a good pun from time to time, and a lot of Gallagher’s are funnier when shared out of context, but when a story is just wall to wall puns it becomes agonizing. Puns should be a spice, not a main ingredient. And when Gallagher got a chance to follow an ACTUAL newspaper comic strip format in the Off Panel, he fared even worse. It was so rare for the Off Panels he wrote to actually be any funny

He WAS genuinely funny at times, though. I’ll give him credit for that. I don’t want it to seem like I hated ALL of his stories. (He did impress me with at least one political joke that’s sadly still relevant today, and in hindsight there’s something really funny on a meta level about the dark and gritty return of Cal and Al.) I think his best work came when he was paired with better artists. Scott Shaw’s more energetic Sonics really helped sell the cartoony comedy in the original miniseries, and obviously Spaziante’s work on Mecha Madness made that story legendary. When he was stuck with the less exciting Manak or Mawhinney, though, not so much

Beyond the puns, there was also this undercurrent of nastiness, meanness, and general grossness in his stories that I don’t see as many fans pick up on. This was mainly evident in the many odd decisions he made with the female cast

We had his take on Sally, who was treated as little more than Sonic’s annoying, moody, bossy girlfriend who bickered with him, sat on a big throne, and occasionally got to be a damsel in distress. He added Bunnie to the cast early on, but it felt like he didn’t have many ideas for what to do with her except make her the butt of jokes about her being a southern belle, including literally making her say “the South shall rise again!” We had Barby Koala’s extremely creepy flirting with Tails, who was half her age. We had that tone deaf Off-Panel joke about turning the special dedicated to the female readers into a swimsuit special (which isn’t far off from what everyone else actually did). And we also had that baffling story where Dulcy killed her mother. I have NO idea what the fuck he thought he was going for with that one.

It wasn’t just the girls, though--Antoine was somehow even more of a punching bag in Gallagher’s early stories than he was on SatAM. At least in the cartoon Sonic was responding to Antoine’s’ massive ego when he poked fun at him. In the early comics, Sonic would constantly rag on Antoine at any opportunity he got. It was VERY distracting in the early issues, and it made his Sonic come off as way more of a jerk

Later writers would often talk about needing to fix certain characters. Penders, for all his countless insufferable faults, used his early stories to steer Sally towards the version of the character fans knew from SatAM. (He then ruined Sally in his own special way, but, you know.) Just about every writer who touched him spent years and years trying to fix Antoine and make readers stop hating him. The unspoken part here is that the original incarnations of these characters that everyone had to work so hard to fix... were Gallagher’s

Again, Gallagher didn’t have an easy job as the first writer on this series, and most of his stories were... fine. Nothing I’d recommend to non-fans, but they had their moments. They make for an amusing read for their sheer absurdity. But a lot of it ranged from not very good to outright bad. We’ll always cut him some slack for having so little to work off of when he started and for writing stories that were, in hindsight, better (or at least less grating) than a lot of the melodramatic schlock that came later. I’ll always have some nostalgia for those simpler times. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that Gallagher’s stuff was ever all that good

But I can’t hate the guy too much, because he gave me the greatest Sonic character of all time

[vegalocity]

Kiss 9- first kiss for Amnesia Spicynoodles? (Whether as Red Boy and Xiaotian or Red Son and MK, your choice).

Affection meme

9. first kiss

Goddamn i gotta get back on that AU

That's actually a very clever shorthand for the difference between 'the Son of the Monkey King' and 'The Monkie Kid' Anon hope you don't mind me using it!

Also since this is technically the first real THING i'm writing for this Au it got a lil crazy

--

It was.... weird... falling into this rhythm with Red Son.

Even he'd seemed surprised at how quickly he'd agreed to join their team while they were hunting down the weapon that could finally end the Lady Bone Demon. Sure he'd reasoned that he was doing it for the sake of his father, that their family had been taken advantage of by that demon, and this was little more than 'enemy of my enemy' but barely time at all had passed before he may as well have joined simply because he wanted to.

There weren't a lot of bunks on Sandy's Hovership, and at the start of all of this, everyone was so on edge (and in Monkey King's case injured) that it just made more sense to sleep whenever it struck rather than sort out bedroom options and who bunked with whom.

Which had lead to some interesting things so far, such as Monkey King tending to curl up against Tang as he was reading or something and taking a nap right there and how Tang seemed like... wayyy too comfortable with it despite how he'd first reacted to seeing him on New Years.

Pigsy was ALWAYS crabby in the mornings, but he was getting exponentially more frustrated after waking up for something or another he never seemed to be able to relay when he woke (probably some frustrating reoccurring dream that keeps blotting out when he wakes up, MK didn't remember his dreams much either so he could relate)

And about thee days in of Red Son working with them, he'd knocked out during some down time, and while he was sitting near him. The ship rumbled, Red Son hadn't woken, but he slid to the side until he was leaned against MK's shoulder. and... It was comfy. Red Son was warm, and soft.

And before he'd known it he was being startled awake by Xiaojiao making delighted cooing noises and the flash of her camera. And when he jostled Red Son woke up as well. He'd met his gaze for a second and his artist brain noted that his eyes were a rather lovely shade of amber, not even fiery orange or honey brown, but pure, precious stone amber.

and for a moment it had felt... nostalgic... in a way he couldn't place. and the puzzled look on Red Son's face mirrored his confusion at the sudden thought, before the demon slammed up the walls again and pushed MK away, face burning bright red.

But from there it had spiraled.

It was just so... easy? he supposed would be the word. It was almost startling how easy it was to fall into this rhythm with Red Son. Not a few months ago he was a nominal enemy, yet here they were finding themselves sitting next to eachother more often than not, sometimes close enough for shoulders to brush, their unconscious bodies rolling over at once to tangle together like it was the most natural thing in the world.

At one point they were facing a demon that had cast one of those 'greatest fear' spells over the lot of them, and before it had hit he'd felt Red Son slip his hand into his own with a small startled gasp. And before the world went black and he was covered by spiders and the looming specter of his own failures he'd squeezed back.

That had actually happened just hours ago, and MK's hand was still tingly. Everyone was a little shaken up from that one. (Monkey King had holed himself away in one of the few bedrooms there were and he sounded physically pained when MK had tried to check in on him and he'd answered that he'd rather be alone. he was pretty sure Tang was allowed in, and he tried not to take that personally. It was probably a whole 'Mentor doesn't want his student to see him freaked out' thing. If he didn't stop taking everything so damn personally he'd be a sucker for the next fear spell or whatever.) And unlike the others, Red Son didn't have any loved ones on this ship to help reassure him.

So... if their... something or another... that had been developing was gonna mean anything, that probably meant it should fall on him.

Red Son was where he'd expected him to be, half buried in engine guts in Sandy's work area, his hands were shaking and there was a far off look in his eye.

MK had to physically lift him and drag him away, and it was a lot harder without the Mystic Monkie Strength, but he managed.

in fact he'd gotten all the way to the kitchen area and Red Son had stopped struggling in his arms screeching to be let go (yet never trying to flare his fire and forcing MK to drop him) before his stamina gave out and he had to deposit Red Son in one of the chairs.

"Noodle boy i swear this truce will end in an INSTANT if you do not explain yourself-"

"You're freaking out."

"YES I AM! You would be too if your current ally just lifted you up from what you were doing and carried you to the deserted part of the ship because even the Pig is too on edge to be in here!"

"I mean from this afternoon. Red son, you've been pale as a sheet since we got out of there and your hands are STILL shaking." He watched as he hurriedly hid them in his pockets. "You need to talk to someone. And it may as well be me."

"I- I don't need to talk about ANYTHING! Presumptuous Noodle Boy... Bold of you to assume I'd just pour my heart out at some perceived internal detriment which you have no proof even exists!" The bluster and casual insults were considerably less convincing than they were when they were enemies...

...maybe he was just starting to see through them better.

Red Son pulled his hands back onto the table, as a sort of subtle show of how fine he totally was, and clenched his fists to keep them from continuing to shake.

"Red..." The nickname felt... natural. He couldn't quite explain why, but he supposed they'd been Something-or-Another-ing long enough to make it reasonable. Red Son's glare abated and was replaced quickly with a shocked expression. But he didn't shout to not be called something so short, so MK considered that a signal to continue. So he continued with what felt natural and placed a hand over his clenched fist.

The defensive anger was all but gone. And that puzzled, yet slightly awed look he kept sharing with Red Son during moments like these replaced it and those amber eyes darted down to their linked hands, as if he didn't quite know what to do next.

Eventually Red Son came to a decision, and MK let him fiddle around with his grip until their hands were linked properly. And it felt... it was that weird sense of nostalgia again. And as everything else neither of them could quite explain it felt right. familiar. Natural.

"It's not really worth talking about." Red Son responded after the moment passed. yet he didn't pull his hand away. "I know better than to believe what it had showed me."

"Red-"

"I mean, I SHOULD know better, right?" He looked away from MK then, but squeezed his hand a little tighter. "I mean- they're my parents. and they agreed me coming along with you all to take down the Lady Bone Demon was the best course of action. I know they wouldn't disown me because they believed I was becoming more aligned with you all than with the family. That just because we're friends doesn't mean I'm somehow betraying them!" Red Son was working through it in his head, and he didn't seem to really realize that he'd admitted to seeing MK as a friend, so he just squeezed his hand a little tighter and filed that away to celebrate later.

"It's irrational, and it's ridiculous that I actually feared the idea."

"It's not ridiculous, If you think it's irrational then it probably is, but it's not ridiculous. " Red Son looked back at him then and raised a brow. "I mean, who isn't afraid that they're letting their parents down in some way?" He remembered how nervous Xiaojiao was about the idea of disappointing her family, and he was always worried that he'd disappointed his fath-....

What was he thinking about again?.... right, Xiaojiao and her parents.

Red Son took his attention again and the confusion zipped right out of his mind. he gently detangled his hand from MK's and was moving to stand.

"I suppose you're right. And... In that regard I should probably thank you for allowing me the chance to properly process."

"Anytime, Red."

He stood as well, with nowhere else to go, he supposed he'd probably just go out onto the deck and do a little one-man training, heavens knew he needed it.

Red Son put a hand on his shoulder before either of them could pull away and when he turned back to face the demon-

Red Son was looking at him with intent. determination. And it was only then that MK realized that maybe holding someone's hand while they talked about some Real Shit with you, constantly sitting next to each other so as to be closer, falling asleep on each other, and sometimes when you wake up you glance at their mouth wondering how easy it would be to just...

Maybe that wasn't just all friendship overtures.

And maybe they'd had a name for their little something-or-another already.

Neither of them were ever very good at this whole 'self control' thing anyway.

Red Son was just as warm as he'd anticipated. His calloused fingers hooking under his chin as if to keep MK in place. And it was... chaste. Nothing like the fierce passionate devouring of another's mouth that he'd anticipated a demon to go for (that he'd daydreamed about) Almost... child-like. As if Red Son hadn't kissed anyone since before he hit Demon Puberty and didn't know how to do it right. And the action alone made MK feel very much like a child as well. Which was ridiculous he was a grownass man and Red Son was a fully matured demon, and the shortest most chaste little peck made him feel like a squeaky voiced kid.

When they parted he peeked his eyes open just a bit, and it seemed like Red Son had realized the same thing, the two of them shared a soft chuckle.

But then Red Son started to pull away, and that wouldn't do. MK wrapped his arms around the demon's shoulders and properly kissed him this time.

And it didn't feel quite as natural, but it did feel right.

So that was what mattered.

--

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