#if there wasn't a definitive gap between season two and three i would say the entire show took place within a single month lol

[projectcatzo]

Would that everything happened as instantaneously as it does in the fugue state Barry takes place in

[mickyschumacher]

𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐒  .ೃ࿐

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: you were in love with f1's beloved honey badger and you had been for almost year. but why in the world had you instead fallen for his teammate? or in which infidelity has laid it's sticky little hands on you.

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: slight angst, infidelity naturally, falling out of love, steamy makeout sesh, suggestive content, pining, sad boy hours for daniel, lando being kind of a sneaky bastard, age-gap between reader and boys (8 years for dan and 2 years for lan), reader born in australia, set in 2020/2021, false or incorrect marine biology lingo and protocols lol, mention of crossiant horner, poor explanation of f1, mentions of insecurity, proof-read...ish

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: daniel ricciardo x marine biologist!female reader, lando norris x marine biologist!female reader

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 4k+

𝐀/𝐍: i felt bad for not posting so here's me digging into my reserves! written when i did more song-based fics!! i wish life wasn't so busy 🤧 i have started a few thingsssssss but it's definitely going to be a while before i post them sorry 😣

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

⋆  •°.  。  .°•  ⋆

You, honestly, were a normal girl. Mundane as mundane gets. Never once had you imagined of cameras, headlines and the need for a PR specialist in your life.

But it's what you had gotten. That's what Daniel Ricciardo came with.

You had met the Australian on pure accident. It was late 2020 and the season had just come an end. Hamilton was a six-times World Champion and Daniel had his last season with Renault. He hadn't got the result he wanted but he was optimistic about his future with McLaren. So eventually, he headed home to Australia for the Christmas holidays.

Now you would like to consider yourself a well-versed Australian. Especially considering you were born there. Robert Irwin was the most beloved Australian for years to come and Margot Robbie and Chris Hemsworth were your Aussie reps in America.

Somehow, however, you had never really got F1 or Formula One. That's not to say you hadn't heard of it. Honestly, for the past few years it was difficult to pass Albert Park in the summer of March without it flashing in front of your eyes. But if someone were to ask you anything about it, you would blink blankly and apologise.

Which is exactly what you did in early December. You were out having lunch with your closest friends at a local cafe, catching up on the year in the fresh yet skin-damaging Aussie sun.

You were in midst conversation when a brunette girl politely interrupted you. "Hi, sorry. This is going to sound really weird. I'm doing this on a bet. But do all three of you know that man over there? In the hat?”

You looked over to her table full of people. It seemed like she was with her family and friends. You and your friends zoned on the man in the hat, a guy who was trying to not make it obvious that he was aware of what was going on.

You scrutinised him carefully and unsurprisingly, you didn’t know him. Surprisingly, you did find that he was attractive. The curly hair, the scruff… you wondered whether he was actually Australian because no men in Australia looked like that.

Your two friends nodded while confirming with one another. “It’s Daniel, right? The driver?” One of them asked.

Your other friend hummed in agreement.

The brunette looked over at you. You blinked at her as your face slowly morphed into an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

The brunette, which you expected to be somewhat sad about it, ended up smiling while your friends’ faces dropped.

“Thank you! Oh my god. You have no idea what you’ve just done!” The brunette laughed loudly, capturing the attention of her table. She pointed at the man in the hat, clutching her stomach. “She doesn’t know who you are, Danny. Take that!”

Similarly to your friends, the male’s face dropped. He looked at you and tilted his head.

When Daniel actually saw you for the first time, he was in shock. Not the type of shock of an Aussie not knowing who he was. But rather the shock of being in the presence as someone as beautiful as you.

Your eyes were tantalising and your apologetic expression was cute.

He waved a hand in dismissal. “It’s okay. I’m just an F1 driver.”

You nodded in slow understanding. Maybe you had in fact seen his posters in Albert Park. Honestly, you couldn’t be sure. Life as a marine biologist was busy and all over the place. Recognising celebrities or athletes was kind of the last thing on your mind.

━━━━━━━━━━━

That day you went home with the expectation of a normal tomorrow. One where you were out at the ocean and exploring the waters you had loved so much.

You wish you could say it came as a shock to see that same curly haired man on the wharf, but given the current temperatures that heavily contrasted your winter, it was reasonable as any other Aussie here.

What you didn’t expect was you passing him to get to your boat and then hearing a voice enter the air. “Hey! Excuse me. Sorry. You’re the girl from yesterday, right?”

You turned to the man, hand over your eyes to protect yourself from the harsh rays and take a closer look at him. Just in case it wasn’t him.

“Uh, yeah? You’re the driver, right?”

Daniel gave a wide smile, extending out his hand. “I’m Daniel. Daniel Ricciardo.”

Oh my. What a smile he had. The type to make you feel happy just by looking at it. You couldn’t even help but smile in response. You reached out to shake his hand, not ready to feel a weird sort of spark between the two of you.

“I... I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”

Daniel slowly removed his hand from yours, grabbing any last second he could. He eyed the briefcase and scuba gear in your hands. “You diving?”

You looked at your equipment. “Well, testing. I’m a marine biologist. Although, I guess I’m still diving.”

Daniel pursed his lips. Now he had to get to know you. You were beautiful and a marine biologist. An Aussie dream.

“Oh yeah? What are you testing?” He queried with a raised brow,

“Oh! Uh, currently things like the local fish populations in decline. Their habitat. Whether they’re safe or not. Algae growth. Predators. pH levels. All the fun stuff...” You sheepishly trailed off once you realised you began rambling.

You didn’t know but in that moment Daniel was in awe of you. The twinkle in your eyes that rose once you talked about your work. Like your work was your passion. That’s how he felt about F1.

You watched Daniel nod as if he were actually interested. “Do you mind if I come with? I won’t contaminate anything. Promise.”

You mended your brows together. It wasn’t uncommon for people to ask to join. But the way Daniel said it… like it was something he had to do or he would regret it for the rest of his life, you couldn’t help feel compelled. “Um, yeah. Do you not have to be on the road or something though? ‘Cause your a driver?”

“Oh F1 only goes between March and November. We’re on holiday at the moment. Well sort of.”

“Oh,” you mumbled out cluelessly. Your cheeks burned with a tinge of embarrassment. How had you managed to get through all these years of living and not known about this?

Daniel laughed lightly at the reddening of your cheeks. Just when he though he could find you any cuter. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you F1. And you can teach me the ocean.”

So the two of you went into your boat. The sun beat down onto you so harshly that for most of it, you had retreated to driving the vessel in the shade as Daniel sat next to you.

It had gone so well that this, whatever it was, became a regular occurrence after you exchanged numbers that day.

You were learning a lot about him and his job. He was actually Italian-Australian. He started this passion with go-karting. You found out F1 wasn’t just racing but it was racing to another extreme. 300 kph. God, getting your car to 100 kph for the open road was thrill enough for you.

That made Daniel wheeze with laughter and promise he would take you for a drive in a sports car to get a taste of the speed he craved for.

Apparently F1 had 10 teams, each with 2 drivers. In each of the teams, the drivers had the same car to drive, cars that were constructed originally by each team. The point of the races were for two championships. The Driver’s World Championship, the title the driver wanted to win, and the Constructors’ Championship, the title everyone from the driver to the team strategist wanted to win. They were calculated by the amount of points received by the drivers in the races.

All the races were settled through a long weekend of sorts. Fridays were for practices to see how the car was on the track as they had different conditions per track. Saturdays were for qualifying. Here, Daniel would push the car to its limits to get the fastest lap time as the drivers were ranked to then get a position for the actual race tomorrow. Sundays were where they raced for points.

All of it was slightly complex, especially with the penalties and rules that they followed. Buy you seemed to get the gist of it.

Daniel had learnt that you had grown up in Australia and like him had to travel a lot for your work. Weirdly, some times his race dates would match up with your travelling. Daniel chose to take that as a sign. You were 8 years younger than him, taking him by a slight surprise. You were 23 and he was 31. But it didn’t seem like it mattered to you. Communication between the two of you was a smooth sail.

Daniel even opened up about his time with Red Bull. A whirl of bad and annoying memories. But when you had said that you would like to see Christian Horner step on to your boat and throw him overboard into a tank of piranhas, only for thirty seconds of course, Daniel had never laughed harder.

━━━━━━━━━━━

By the billionth time you had hung out, the sun was setting in the evening, providing a refreshing cold breeze to match the heat. Christmas was close soon. And Daniel was aching to ask you out.

He had to go into this next season of driving knowing he had you by his side. Even his own family was pushing him to ask. Especially his sister, Michelle, who had dubbed herself the cupid as she was the very brunette who had technically introduced you two, or so she claimed.

The both of you had finished a dive and were heading to Daniel's car. You were supposed to have dinner with his family on this fine evening.

"You good, Danny?" You looked over to the man. Daniel, for the loud and outgoing person he was, was being rather quiet today. You couldn't really put your finger on why either. You took pride in being able to read people. But it looked like his mind was at some sort of battle.

He gave an idle hum, getting into the driver's seat.

You raised a brow, closing the door on the passenger side shut. Your hand reached out to his thigh, making him break his trance and flicker his eyes towards you.

"Listen, I don't know what it is or what's going on. But I'm all ears if you want," You smiled, patting his thigh. You went to remove your hand but Daniel placed his hand over yours, keeping you there.

Daniel's heart was in his throat. He was not normally a nervous man. He was the epitome of confidence. But you seemed to tear that down, in the nicest way, quite easily.

Daniel absorbed your curious eyes before releasing a shaky breath. "Uh," he awkwardly chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I'm not normally like this. I can't really explain it... but these past few weeks, I... I haven't felt like this in a really long time. With you I feel free... happy... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really like you. And even if I'm ancient, I would really like to be with you. You know. Together. If that wasn't clear."

The smile on your face the moment you realised what was going on hadn't stopped growing. You watches his eyes dart around, looking for a signal of anything. A yes. A no.

You looked down at your hands. The warmth of his spread among your one. You turned your hand to intertwine them with his and squeezed his hand, looking back up at him. "I think you took the words right out my mouth. I like you too, Danny. A lot. Even as an 'old ass man.'"

An odd silence settled within the car as Daniel simply stared at you, honey brown eyes hold your own.

"Danny? Are you okay?"

Daniel's eyes turned into crescents while his infamous wide smile sprawled onto your face. "Can I kiss you?"

You stilled in the passenger seat. Your eyes flickered to his lips before meeting his eyes once again. You weren't sure if you could trust your voice at the moment so you gave a curt nod.

Daniel smiled softly at the flustered expression you sported. Instead of leaning his head in like you expected to, he reached over to your seat and lifted you out of it. You released a small yelp before landing onto his lap, straddling his crotch as you faced towards him.

Daniel's fingers played with the slightly dampened tresses that had fallen around your face and pushed them behind your ears. His fingers trailed down to your heated cheeks and to your jaw. Bringing you closer to him, he leaned his head towards you.

Daniel's lips fell into yours. His hands soon fell to your back as your arms snaked his neck. The world... your surroundings were all gone. All you could feel was each other. His fingers sneaking past the hem of your shirt and grazing your bare skin. The action sent a wave of heat within you.

You let out a small muffled moan causing Daniel to adjust himself in his seat. A bulge had formed in his pants, aching at your touch. You released yourself from him for a gasp of air, which fell into further pleasurable gasps as Daniel's swollen lips had found your neck, leaving a trail of small sloppy kisses.

Daniel rested his chin onto your shoulder before pulling back to look at you. He grinned at your dazed expression. "As much as I would like to continue this in such a fitting setting like a car, I would rather our first time in an actual bed."

You let out a small laugh, feeling yourself fluster even further while you gave him a tight hug.

And that's how your relationship had started. Since then, it had been almost a year. In that year, you had gotten impossibly closer. You had visited his races without telling him because you were scared. You were scared of distracting him and scared for him. The first F1 race you went to matched up to your meetings with other marine biologists and techs in Spain. God, you didn't know cars could even go that fast. The occasional toss of a car to the side sent fear coursing through you.

Eventually, Daniel had found out and reassured you that you being there wouldn't harm anything. In fact, the thought of it calmed him down and encouraged him. He had even introduced you to some of the team and whispered in your ear when he pointed to Red Bull's team principal.

"Oh... so that's the man going overboard. That's a shame. You didn't tell me he look like a sea otter. Sea otters are supposed look cute. I'll just pretend he's plant plankton."

Daniel had never laughed harder at something. Just when he thought he couldn't love you more. God, you were a sight to behold. He would never understand how you managed to be who you were.

You had felt the same.

Well, at least that was until when you met his new teammate in McLaren, Lando Norris.

Lando was two years younger than you and what some people called the British Ricciardo. He was constantly smiling and cracking jokes. He was the moodmaker.

The vibe he had was like an annoying little brother of a sort.

But people obviously didn't feel attracted to someone if they truly thought of them like that.

You shouldn't feel this way. It was wrong. You had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who adored you. You had tried to keep yourself occupied with your job to avoid having to attend too many races and meet the McLaren team, in fear of meeting Lando.

But of course, how were you going to refuse to celebrate Lando's 2nd podium of the year in Monaco when Daniel asked?

So here you were. In a club dressed in a cream coloured set: a long sleeved bralette and a long skirt starting from your waist, ending just before your heels with a slit in the middle.

The compliment you had received in your ear from Daniel made you wish you could say you were dressed for him in the first place. But it would be a lie to say that.

You had navigated yourself around the club to drown yourself in some alcohol. You needed a distraction and you felt that being some what drunk and out of it would've helped.

you should take it as a compliment that i got drunk and made fun of the way you talk. you should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong. and i got a boyfriend, he's older than us he's in the club doing, i don't know what you're so cool, it makes me hate you so much.

You were out of it for sure. Because sober you did not have the guts you had right now. The guts to not only sit at the same table as Lando but next to him and make fun of his British accent with Carlos.

"No, Carlos. I'm pretty sure he sounded like 'No no no... you ruined my ice cream,'" You laughed lightly as the Spaniard refused to agree with you.

"No he has bit of a weird sound at the 'ruined' part. He sound like those kids in the UK... on the road? What are they again..."

Lando's face burst with amusement. He laughed so hard, he had to prevent his cup from falling out of his hand. "Do you mean..." He gasped for air, "Roadmen?"

Jesus. Carlos Sainz discussing roadmen was the funniest thing that had happened so far.

You weren't sure where Daniel was even. All you knew he was probably talking to some other team member of McLaren. You were rather preoccupied and entranced by the British male next to you.

You couldn't explain it but it was as if there was a magnetic field around him and you, like an element, were simply attracted to him. As if there was no other path to go. He made you laugh differently. Feel differently. He was also a looker. That boyish charm that simply pulled you in. It made you wonder how strong his magnetic field was.

The science of it was simple. You may be a marine biologist but you hadn't flunked physics. The stronger the intensity of a field, the further the magnet, Lando, will be able to attract elements, like you. All you knew was that he was strong enough to inexplicably take you attention away from your own boyfriend.

you're so gorgeous i can't say anything to your face 'cause look at your face. and i'm so furious at you for making me feel this way but what can i say? you're gorgeous.

This attraction you felt to Lando what ridiculous in itself. But you had felt it from when you first met him and you felt it now. Lando was simply gorgeous. His smile was breathtaking. His laugh felt pretty.

And it infuriated you. You wanted to yell at him, tell him to stop. These feelings, this flutter, this tingle... make it all stop, you wanted to say.

But you could never say that to his face. How could you? Those same things came back every time you looked at him.

The smile. The flutter. The tingle.

You wondered whether he had even looked at himself in the mirror. You wondered whether ever had felt insecure about the way he looked and that if he did, you wished he hadn't.

Everything thing about him was simply enticing. A delightful view... from the arms of Daniel.

you should take it as a compliment that i'm talking to everyone here but you. and you should think about the consequence of you touching my hand in a darkened room. if you've got a girlfriend, i'm jealous of her. but if you're single that's honestly worse. 'cause you're so gorgeous it actually hurts.

This feeling... this infatuation was overwhelming for you. You were a taken girl. You had even made it was to the multiple Instagram F1 'WAGs' accounts and were met with the most glorious welcomes by fans.

You needed to get a grip on yourself for Christ's sake. Lando was also taken. Even if he was single, which if you were being honest was an insult to romance itself, you didn't have a chance let alone now. No matter how jealous you were, you had to be realistic. You paled in comparison to the fame Portuguese models that F1 drivers often found themselves with.

Of course, you had to admit they were beautiful. You had no conflict with them. They weren't your classic mean girls. They were impossibly nice and you even found yourself in some interesting conversations. But at the end of the day, you were simply a marine biologist.

So in the darkness of the club, you had managed to isolate yourself from Lando, who had gone with Pierre somewhere, and made the struggling and gruelling effort to talk to anyone else but him. You had conversed with Carlos before he had gone somewhere with his girlfriend. You had settle for Charles as a distraction.

Charles was a pleasure to talk to. As always, he was also so kind and sweet with his words. The type you were sure that when you looked at the, you knew that their mother raised them right.

Daniel had finally found his way to you, mentioning that Zak Brown had just pulled him aside for a talking to. You asked if he was okay, in which he responded with a smile and said: "Now that I'm with you, yes."

You managed to give him a soft and believable smile. Daniel was standing behind you, joining in your conversation with Charles. It wasn't until you were in the midst of a conversation about life in Monaco that you felt a hand on yours.

You smiled gently, expecting it to be Daniel's but instead it was Lando's.

ocean blue eyes looking in mine. i feel like i might sink and drown and die.

Your eyes snapped up to meet Lando's face. His blue eyes bore into yours.

Those goddamn eyes of his would be the end of you. The similarity of them to the oceans you had travelled and the beautiful creatures you had seen was uncanny.

Your heart paced furiously against your chest. He must've been drunk or tipsy to the very least to stumble onto you. There was no way he had purposely wanted you to drown in his eyes.

You sucked in a quiet sharp breath and edged to removed your hand. But as quickly as you had made that decision, the gnawing feeling at your heart had grown more intense and taunted you. Lando's hand hurried to grab yours and place it back where it was.

Your eyes shook with awe and lingered with a dangerous thrill. You could feel his fingers rub the back of your hand gently before intertwining them.

You looked blankly at the table in front of you while Lando had joined in the conversation so casually, like nothing was even going on. You had to thank your stars that the club was able to be as dark as it was.

A lot of the noise around you had turned into white noise and blurs of sound. Charles must've complimented you as you had managed to capture some mention of fish and coral reefs from your boyfriend.

you make me so happy it turns back to sad. there's nothing i hate more than what i can't have and you are so gorgeous, it makes me so mad. you make me so happy it turns back to sad. there's nothing i hate more than what i can't have and guess i'll just stumble on home to my cats alone unless, you wanna come along?

It was Daniel kissing your cheek fondly and Lando's hand grazing your knee under the table that had brought you back to reality.

The happiness and adrenaline you felt was wrong. You knew with every crevice and fibre of your body that this had to stop. This attraction and sickly sweet infatuation with Lando. God, he just made you so fuzzy. You could barely think straight.

You were stuck in between two men who had their touch on you. It wasn't right. As much as you liked Lando, he angered your entire being. He had simply waltzed into your life. He was playing along with your feelings.

Lando's damning eyes averted to you when he felt your hand slip away from him forcefully.

You hoped the guilt in your eyes shone as much as they could in this darkness.

You were going to have to break up with a man who would give you everything. You would have to leave all of... this... and get away from here.

You needed everything to return to normal. You had no idea how exactly you were going to explain a sudden return home without inflicting any suspicion.

All you knew now was that you had to make a lengthy apology to a man you had not realised you had fallen out of love with.

You supposed that was love.

Love was a bittersweet feeling. It was beautiful and fluttering but brought a lot of tragedy and strife along with it.

That was love: simply gorgeous.

© 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑

[mjoffic]

last minute shopping - eddie munson holiday blurb

I work retail and this popped in my head while refolding a graphic tee table and it's truly just a bunch of fluf and eddie being a cute boi

~ enjoy and happy holidays ~

word count: 1.2k

The holidays. A time focused around family, the reason for the season, cozy sweaters and hot cocoa. Twinkling lights couldn't be missed for miles as every house had some sort of big bulk convenience store decoration. No need for 'frosted windows in a can', oh no, Hawkins was seeing a very white Christmas with snow fall never ending and the chill of the wind cutting through every jacket and parka leaving no survivors behind. The joy was like an electric buzz in the air, only one thing could diminish the feeling.

The Starcourt Mall.

Eddie wasn't the best planner, never had been. Despite this year trying his best to be on top of the holidays he still had yet to get something for Uncle Wayne. With Christmas Day only two days away, it was a scramble for the perfect gift and it was absolute hell trying to get anywhere in the mall.

He could try The Gap? Nah, too pricey.

Maybe a gift certificate to Scoops Ahoy? But when would Wayne ever find the time to use it? He's always working.

Eddie sighed in frustration, running a hand through his mop of curls. He took a moment to look around the area, peeking over the heads of bustling mothers herding their kids to meet Santa, dads sitting on benches with shopping bags galore, teenagers running around the food court with their Orange Julius's sloshing all over the place. This was a nightmare. Slim pickings. Would Wayne be upset over a hand drawn card?

He was near giving up when he spotted Macy's on the far end. It was a department store, and while it seemed busy, it wasn't as congested as the inner workings of the mall. He squeezed his way through and slid through a sliver of space in between two groups of families; one included a mother scolding her husband for losing their credit card, the other group had a child crying over not getting the remote control car on the front table. Eddie pursed his lips, so glad he wasn't in that stage of life just yet.

There seemed to be never ending options for Eddie to look through, he wondered why he hadn't stopped in in the first place. It also made this decision much more difficult. He knew that he would definitely be walking out with something, no doubt, but genuinely the starting point slowly began to stump him and he felt his once eager energy depleting. A three pack of ties? When did Wayne dress up? A mug? Sure, lets add to the hundreds of them adorning the trailer wall. Maybe a fancy glass set? Even if the glasses were on sale, it was definitely out of Eddie's comfort range of spending.

"Well the sign says fifty percent off!"

A screech from an older woman pulled Eddie out of his daze and his attention turned to the scene on his right.

"Ma'am, I understand your frustration, however the sign details specifically to the gift sets. This sweater is on the table, but is signed for thirty percent off."

Eddie shifted his gaze from the woman, red in the face, almost matching her Christmas red sweater, to you. You stood behind a counter, not currently in use to ring up customers, but he noticed a stack of scarves next to you. He assumed you'd been cleaning up. You wore emerald green, very festive, and an elf hat to match. Despite your professional aura, the bell on the end of hat could almost send him into a fit of giggles every time your head even moved an inch.

"I'd be more than happy to show you-" you started, before being interrupted.

"You can show me to your manager! This is false advertising!" the women shouted, drawing a few more eyes into encounter.

"Ma'am, I'll have to ask you to keep from yelling in the store," you responded, face void of emotion. "If you would let me-"

"I'll yell if I want to! This is a free country!"

Eddie watched you take a deep breath, before picking a landline off the counter. You typed quietly while the woman continued her banter. You faked a smile to her before speaking again. "Hi, hey Ron, it's Y/n! Yeah, yeah, doing good, hey listen, would you mind sending security down to gifts? I have a disgruntled customer who refuses to listen. Awesome, thanks so much!"

The womens jaw dropped as you placed the phone back to the receiver, Eddie snickering quietly at this interaction.

"Who do you think you are!" the woman shouted, feigning a hand to her chest dramatically. "Do you know who I am?"

You smiled and shook your head, folding your hands on the counter. "No, ma'am, I don't! However I am the manager of this department and am asking you to remove yourself before security gets here."

The woman stared dumbfounded, slowly backing up from your bubble. Eddie stared in wonder at the interaction, and if he was honestly, completed turned on by your dominance.

"Merry Christmas!" you smiled, waving as the woman moved away from the scene.

Eddie noticed security at the end of the walkway and he shook his head, laughing slightly. Finding the nerve to walk up to you, he leaned softly against the counter and looked to the way in which the Grinch had left. "I think that was better than any of those movies playing in the theater right now."

You looked to him when he had approached, and smirked a bit at his words. "I try. Gotta keep some sort of sanity in this place."

"I get it, it's a madhouse in here," Eddie nodded, giving his best smile before extending his hand. "Eddie."

Your smirk simmered into a smile and you shook his hand back, nodding. "Y/n."

"Well, Y/n, I'm wondering if you might be of some use to me," he said, straightening back up.

"Oh?" you questioned, crossing your arms.

"Yeah, I mean, you are the manager of this department," Eddie said. "I'm in the works for the perfect gift."

"Ah," you nodded, stepping out from around the counter and glancing around your section. "Mom? Sibling? Girlfriend?"

Eddie stifled a laugh and he slowly followed beside you. "Uh, no mom. No siblings. And no girlfriend."

Your face erupted in pink and you stumbled over your words. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, I just assumed-"

"Hey, hey," Eddie grinned. "All good here. I'm shopping for my uncle, wanna try to find him something nice. Not much of a budget but I figured I'd find something on sale."

You felt your panic subside and sat a cool hand against your cheek, the heat subsiding. "Well, I'm sure we can find something perfect for him! Maybe something for you? Doesn't hurt to treat yourself sometimes."

Eddie pursed his lips a little bit and dug his hands in his pockets, following slightly behind you. He watched the way the bell of your hat jingled with every step you took. You arms slightly swayed when you walked, and you barely made a sound when taking a step. He began to notice the little things, and started to quietly thank the stars he'd came into the mall after all.

"I think I already have."

[irlbkgs]

✍️🛌💘🎞️💌 for the ask game! i know it’s a lot so feel free to skip any you want :]

✍️: Overall, how does the fandom treat you? Are you a beloved character, or hated? Are you popular, or a minor side character? Anything in between?

for nicky, he'd probably be polarizing. people would either love him or hate him. he's very loud, he talks a lot, he's a sarcastic prick and quite frankly he's not really good at anything survival wise. he was born into a rich family in vermont, he maybe went fishing once or twice as a child and he knew how to cook bc he moved out at 18 and lived the college dorm life for a couple years, but he's no good at fishing regardless and his cooking was mostly ready made meals or pantry staples. eventually (probably around prison era) he'd get more useful but at first people would probably find his constant talking and his all bark no bite (bc even if he will throw the first punch he cannot fight for shit) attitude annoying. he'd probably have a small subset of people who really relate to him tho cause even if he was rich he basically never saw his parents, he was verbally abused whenever they were around and he has the most obvious audhd and bpd known to man. his fans would be diehard for him until he eventually became more useful and people stopped hating him so much.

for kennie, it really depends. if emma was still in gen v and still played the role of like. finding sam and taking care of him, people would not like kennie, she'd def come out of left field and ruin that ship. if emma wasn't there or played a different/more minor role and was just like sam's best friend, then people might still prefer that ship, or maybe even ship all three of them, but kennie would be liked as a character even without the two. she's very hard headed and argumentative which would cause people to like her less, but she can be very doting when she wants to be. she's a bit of a control freak and she definitely mother hens those she cares about but it all comes from a place of love.

🛌: What tropes show up in fics involving your ship?

for irvixon it'd be hurt/comfort, domestic fluff and miscommunication. nicky can't communicate for shit and daryl cannot fucking stand it even if he's also not the best at communication.

for samken it'd be hurt/comfort (again), sick fic, fix-it fic and fluff. everyone loves seeing sam get hurt what can i say?

💘: Why would people love your ship? Why would people dislike your ship? How might it start debates?

irvixon is def controversial for the age gap its like 20 years give or take depending on what age people see daryl as since he doesn't have a canon one but is at least 40 in the early seasons and 50 in the later with nicky being 24 at oldest in s1. besides that there's the obvious issue of caryl which is understandly popular and connie/daryl in the later seasons which has its appeal. and besides that nicky and daryl just have very different personalities, ways of acting and communicating, they have very different motivations, etc, etc. it's very much opposites attract but that doesn't appeal to everyone 🤷‍♀️ the people who get it GET IT tho. nicky has wanted to jump that man's bones since the cdc and then developed a crush during the farm era and he does not give up on flirting with him even when he starts to think daryl will never reciprocate. he's like so obsessively in love it's sickening, he follows him around like a lost puppy and listens to his every word when he won't listen to anyone else. and daryl has always had an obvious soft spot for nicky, he's like if a baby deer was also 6'3" and had no volume control or brain to mouth filter. daryl's always gone out of his way to protect him, at first just bc he knew he was weak but eventually it was just instinct and he didn't know why but he needed to keep him safe. at some point he realizes it's because he sees nicky as a safe, constant presence in his life, somebody who won't take bullshit from anyone and will tell him when he's fucking up, but will also let him fuck up without abandoning him.

samken might be a little controversial just bc it's sort of the born sexy yesterday trope (and thats on the show not me!!!) and kennie is like, obviously the dominant one in their relationship so people might take that as her taking advantage of his nïavity but it's like. literally not that deep like he's an adult who knows what he wants and she's literally just helping him have a normal life for the first time since he was a child. all she wants is for him to be safe and to see a therapist and get some meds but she also really loves and cares for him regardless. she really just wants him to be happy and healthy, god forbid.

🎞️: What ‘canon’ scenes would the fandom point to as evidence for the validity of your ship?

irvixon would have a plethora bc nicky really is like a puppy just helplessly following daryl and trying to get with him. i think ones that would stand out would be nicky staying with daryl after andrea shoots him and just playing nurse, daryl carrying nicky over his shoulder on multiple occasions when nicky gets too close to getting bit (man's just runs in and scoops him up like it's no big deal even tho nicky is so much taller), nicky getting the flu and daryl going crazy over it or them moving in together as soon as they get to alexandria.

samken would have a lot less moments given the fact that there's only 1 season out of gen v at the moment but they'd still have some small ones. kennie would cook for sam and then try to teach him as she weant, sam would sleep like a baby with his head in her lap like halfway through watching movies together on his first or second night hiding in the dorms, they'd go shopping together once or twice and she'd give him the most ridiculous disguise. stupid shit like that.

💌: How would your dynamic be portrayed? What might people focus on most? Any misconceptions?

irvixon in the early seasons is definitely giving damsel and prince but in later seasons is just. kill for each other. the dynamic would def shift from silly and simple, something born from nicky's desires but also lack of abilities, to more deep and founded on trust and bloodshed. people probably focus way too much on nicky being really forward with daryl and how he seems desperate at times and not enough on how daryl thinks its funny and endearing before he starts to reciprocate and then he just gets really blushy and embarrassed about it. he doesn't know how to respond to genuine flirting when it's someone he actually wants to be with.

samken is portrayed a lot like hmm...wife guy meets girl who gets what she wants, when she wants it. sam is head over heels for this kind of bitchy, demanding girl who's half his size but could still rip off his head if she really wanted. he's not used to being around people who can both match him ability wise and can tell him what to do without triggering him but she does it in just the right way to where he feels safe and protected. i think people would focus on how she tells him what to do frequently and just completely ignore the fact that a lot of the time he needs that structure. sure, she can be bossy, but if he told her to stop she would stop. he likes being told what to do tho, at least when it's simple things that just help him with routine and stability which is what he really needs. kennie helps him remember to take care of himself, helps him get to bed on time, helps him remember to shower and brush his teeth, get dressed in the morning, eat regularly. sure, a schedule can't fix all his problems, but it can at least help him feel more put together and lessen some of his symptoms while he's unmedicated (cause imo he probably has a lot of comorbidities that would get worse if he just didn't do the basics)

[arlathen]

personally i'm trying not to be a hater and definitely not trying to dunk on others opinions of the game so far, but I'm just having a really hard time looking forward to anything bioware is putting out rpg wise because it already feels so hollow of what the other dragon age games did in terms of story/characters/companions as well as the personalization of the story our characters are in. I wish I was better with words because it's not that I'm not excited, I just love these games and the world of dragon age so much and im tired of that not being reflected by those actually making the game, it's like they just ignore giant parts of it. I'm not sure if nostalgia for the first three games is just keeping me from being excited about veilguard, but idk I just wanted to get my thoughts out sorry for the word block

aw that's okay! everyone is entitled to feel a certain way. my relationship with dragon age is a little different than a lot of peoples' because i played them all at once right in a row -- so it all feels like a natural evolution. origins mechanics evolve into 2's mechanics evolve into inquisition's mechanics. and personally, i DO feel like veilguard's mechanics look like an evolution of inquisition's mechanics.

so. way back in my day (2012-2014) i was a somewhat popular gifmaker in the sherlock fandom and i *joined* that fandom right after the second season aired. the sherlock fandom was in its heyday during the gap between the second and third season and were notorious for being wacky and zany and writing a lot of in-depth meta about how the cliffhanger from the end of season 2 would be resolved. and when it was resolved, it sucked. they did it way worse than fans had imagined.

so i also have that instinct. all these very smart fans of the game have spent ten years imagining how they're going to resolve this. i've imagined hours of what my perfect resolution would look like. veilguard is inherently going to be less tailored to my tastes than what i imagined, and so i might perceive it as worse than what i was promised and feel let down. i have a strong opinion that this is what happened to cyberpunk 2077 on release -- it was so hyped for so long that everyone imagined their perfect game, and when it wasn't exactly what they imagined, that made it worse in comparison.

but then there are parts of it that are cooler than i imagined, too. even from just what we've seen.

the two games bioware has put out since inquisition are mass effect andromeda and anthem. and both of these games are, imo, special cases for different reasons. andromeda was primarily made by bioware montreal, not bioware edmonton -- different, inexperienced team. and anthem was.... i mean, it was anthem -- bioware is good at story driven single player action rpgs. anthem was a destiny clone. from what i've heard (i did not play it) the mechanics of it were fun-ish (like, flying the actual mech suits) and i've seen that the game looked beautiful. it was just tedious and repetitive and was designed to fuel microtransactions.

so the key failings in the games that have come since -- multiplayer game not in their wheelhouse and not being built by the main bioware team -- are both being averted in veilguard. it's an entirely offline experience made by the devs we know. many of the most hated parts of inquisition, in fact, they have said they cut out (big empty open worlds where you need to collect 100 silverite). i've said before and i'll say again that it really, really feels like bioware have looked at the criticism they have received and tried to course correct as best they could.

and that does inspire confidence and optimism in me, personally. it isn't going to be exactly like how you're imagining -- for good or for bad. i'm tempering my expectations in line with that, myself. i know that no matter what we're going to meet new cool companions and get to kiss 'em (this is important to me). we're gonna get a whole bunch of new lore (this is also important to me). and we're gonna put an end to my egg boyfriend's misery one way or another (this is most important to me).

[romancomicsnews]

Who should play Lex Luthor in the DCU?

With the DCU casting its red caped hero last month as David Corenswet in Superman Legacy, the Man of Steel's archenemy feels just around the corner.

While nothing is confirmed, names like Nicholas Hoult, Alexander Skarsgard, and Bill Skarsgard have been rumored for the role.

While I have no problem with any of these actors or these Luthors, I feel we can do better.

So before James Gunn throws out a name that will likely break the internet, I thought I'd pitch my three ideas for The DCU's Lex Luthor. Unlike my last fancast (shameless plug for My Flash Fancast Article), I have one actor who I think truly stands beyond the rest.

But first, as always, let's answer a few questions:

What performances are we looking to emulate?

Much like the Man of Steel himself, Luthor has a number of appearances across DC media, including animation, film, and live action television. So unlike my Flash article, I will not be going through all of them, even the main ones.

While I don't think any performance has been perfect, I think there are several we can draw from to create a better Lex.

I'm going to try to remain positive and only look at performances I appreciate, so instead of dunking on Jesse Eisenberg for 45 minutes, I'll just say quickly: He's doing a real good Mad Hatter in Batman vs Superman.

1. Michael Rosenbaum - Smallville

There's a lot to love from this one.

Unlike most iterations of Luthor in media, Rosenbaum begins the series an ally to Clark, even a friend. Luthor is confident, smart, but has a likeability to him I think we have lost in more recent interpretations. All those aspects should be brought over to the DCU.

We need someone who you could believe the city loves almost as much as Superman.

Rosenbaum also had a physical presence and voice to beat. He projected strength, and felt like someone who could throw hands if he needed to.

Finally, his anger and rage were bubbling just beneath all that. He could snap at a moment's notice, and in those moments is where you see the villain. That's what I want from my Lex, someone who mastered masking his demons.

2. Clancy Brown - Superman the Animated Series, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited

If it wasn't for Rosenbaum, this would be my definitive Lex Luthor.

Clancy Brown has never misunderstood the assignment, as he plays a much more aggressive and fiercer Luthor in the DCAU.

What I love about this Luthor is his ability to become a bigger threat from season to season. Making deals with Darkseid, giving speeches to Amazo, and even fusing with Brainiac, this Luthor could hang and outsmart the best of them.

While he was a little quick to anger in my opinion, this Luthor had that same strength and confidence I absolutely love in Rosenbaum.

Something inbetween these two may make the perfect Luthor.

3. Jon Cryer - Arrowverse

While there is a huge gap between two and three, I think there is a lot to love about Cryer.

While he is harder to take seriously than the other two, he does show off one thing the others don't, the fun of being the richest, smartest person in the room.

Cryer always felt like Luthor was having fun toying with heroes. Only when he dealt with the Girl of Steel did he really go off the rails.

Do I want a performance as hammy or out there as Cryer? Not necessarily, but someone who can do a little comedy may be fun here.

What ethnicity is Lex Luthor?

This one doesn't have a definitive answer.

While in most iterations of the character he appears to be white, in Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, some fans speculate he is a person of color, specifically black.

I have mixed feelings on changing a villain into a person of color, as that can have its own implications, especially when their hero wears Red and Blue.

I do think leaving Lex Luthor as an only white character can take away from the depiction. Luthor sometimes is a self made man, and making him a person of color who clawed his way through oppression only to be seconded by another white man could be an interesting take.

Again my feelings are mixed, but for now I'm going to say either way works.

Any other stipulations?

Yes, a few.

For one, I will not bring back an actor who played him before, so I'm sorry Rosenbaum fans, maybe next time.

My Luthor will be either A) a friend to Superman of the same age or B) a mentor like figure, still a friend though, at least for the first movie. So age range is anywhere between 30-50.

Unlike Superman, Luthor's are usually played by actors with a name. Jesse Eisenberg and Gene Hackman both are heavy hitters, so I will be looking for actors of similar caliber.

I also don't want to go with actors who have been or are known for different superhero roles. That doesn't mean they can't have ever been in a superhero movie (hint hint) but we're not getting Downey Jr.

If they are bald that is a plus, but not necessary.

Again I think these picks all can do it, but I really love my number 1 pick.

3. Jason Bateman

This one will probably take the most convincing but think about it.

Known for his wide ranging work such as Ozark, Arrested Development, Game Night & Air, Bateman is a comedic and dramatic force.

At 54, Bateman is my oldest Luthor, but I think he can emulate better than anyone else on this list the fun of Cryer.

I have a few problems with this casting. While he has a great calming voice, I don't know if it's Luthor. It can be sinister, and it can be friendly, but I don't know how confident it can be.

My other main problem is this Luthor doesn't seem like he can fight. I think this Luthor would feel more like someone who needs the mech suit.

Overall I think this is a fun cast and would be a little unexpected, and a challenge for Bateman. But one I think he could nail.

2. John David Washington

If we want a cool, strong, and same age Luthor to befriend Superman, I think John David Washington slides into this very well. At 38, Washington still looks like a passable 30.

Known for his roles in Tenet and Malcolm and Marie, Washington I think is our best bet at emulating Rosenbaum. The swagger, the look, and the dangerous presence bubbling beneath the surface.

My main problem with casting Washington is always the same, does he fit better elsewhere?

Washington is such a versatile actor, he sometimes feels like a blank slate. Would he better suited for Cyclops? Green Lantern? An older Firestorm? Who is to say.

In any case, I'm sure he'll be casted in one of these sooner or later, but Luthor may be an example of right place, right time for Washington.

1. Sterling K. Brown

Several years ago, I saw an episode of Brooklyn 99, which to this day is my favorite episode, where Jake Peralta and Captain Holt try their absolute best to get this killer to admit his crime or slip up.

He is so intelligent, suave, and calm, that they are unable to break him, until they hit the right nerve, and the bubbling anger boils so hot, he admits everything.

That is Lex Luthor.

And that is Sterling K Brown.

Known for hit shows like This is Us, The People vs OJ Simpson, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and movies like Black Panther and Waves, Sterling K Brown may be the most underrated actor working today.

Brown has an intensity about him that screams Luthor. He can play likeable and caring like Rosenbaum, he can reach that rage and intensity that Clancy Brown nailed, and have the fun of Jon Cryer.

Brown also has a kindness that reads extremely genuine. You'd get the sense in another world, this Luthor would be a hero.

At 47, he's old enough to be a mentor to Clark, but still feel formidable, especially with his current physical build.

Brown's Luthor I can see as a staple character for the DCU, appearing as an overarching puppet master, leader of villainous teams, tormentor of many heroes, or even uneasy ally when greater threats emerge.

No matter where they take Luthor as a character, Sterling K. Brown is the right pick to menace the DC Universe for years to come.

Thank you for reading! Let me know who you'd like me to fancast next for Marvel or DC!

If you'd like to support me you can:

Follow me at www.facebook.com/romancomicsnews

Follow me on Twitter @diegoleonroman

Follow me on Threads @romanleondiego

Help me pay my student loans by donating!

[fantisci]

Welp. That was...something.

Obviously, major spoilers for the Good Omens Season 2 finale under the cut.

I'm disappointed and a bit depressed by the ending, but I have to admit that I'm not really surprised. Something about this season just felt...sad. i know a lot of people spent 5 episodes happily squeeing and then got gut-punched by the ending, but, to me at least, there wasn't the playfulness and levity of season 1 - not even in the happier/more comedic scenes. There was always a melancholy undercurrent: Nina's relationship isn't healthy, Maggie's interested in Nina but the timing is off, the flashbacks focus on the intense loneliness of Crowley and Aziraphale's existence throughout history, Aziraphale's terrified he's a bad angel and he's going to Fall, Crowley doesn't seem to have a clue what he's doing half of the time...Lots of focus on insecurity, unhealthy codependence, bad timing and sheer miscommunication.

That said, I got unpleasant "gotcha!" elements from the way thinga played out, and I hate it when the writers prioritise wrong-footing their audience over story flow - hated it in Voltron, hated it in Sherlock, hated it in the umpteen webcomics I used to read in the 2000s. I'm not going to call it baiting yet - this season was clearly made with one eye firmly on a potential S3 - but with all the publicity, the impression we're left with is "This is a love story! Look, see these two protagonists who adore each other and who you're so invested in? Surely it's time for them to move their relationship forward?PSYCHE! - they're separated, miserable and everything is terrible! See these cute new characters who are clearly a parallel to our heroes, the ones we've focused a lot on in the publicity? PSYCHE! - they were never going to happen, becaise we wanted to make a point about meddling in relationships and sensible time frames after a break up!" (Admittedly, while anvilicious, the moral here was definitely sensible). "Oh but the antagonists, the ones who tried to wipe our heroes from existence last season? THEY get the cute love story and happy ending!"

I admit, plenty of fans saw the Ineffable Bureaucracy coming a mile off. And many point out - quite correctly - that if GO is a three season show following the beats of a love story, this is the second act break-up. I also suspect that, with the signiicant overlap between GO and Our Flag Means Death, the fandom's rabid reaction to OMFD's romantic cliffhanger may have inspired the GO team to bank on a similar reaction to secure season 3...but OFMD is aiming to put its fandom out of its misery in about a year and a half from its angsty ending. Good Omens had a four year gap between S1 and S2. If it sticks with that, I suspect viewer apathy and/or disillusionment may set in before S3.

All in all, I personally feel like I'll be able to enjoy S2 fully only after S3 arrives (and provided it's not equally/more miserable). Which smarts a bit after being so delighted and wound up about Crowley and Aziraphale's return. A waste of anticipation, if you will.

One thing I will say though, is that I believe the kiss was deliberately bad. (If you want to see a kiss where the actors REALLY look like they're being held at gunpoint, have a look at Red Dwarf's Season 7 episode "Blue"). Crowley's furious and desperate and heartbroken - his kiss is aggressive and unforgiving. Aziraphale is miserable and guilty and totally blindsided - he has no clue what to do, alternating between wincing away and pulling Crowley close. I don't think this is an "the actors are finding this tremendously awkward" kiss - it's an "these two characters are in a terrible headspace and between them, have all the romantic experience of a particularly naive potato" kiss. If Season 3 turns things around, I would expect Kiss Number 2 to be even more epic and heartwarming as a result of contrasting iuth this car-crash lip-lock...as long as not too much time has passed between seasons.

[renjibozo]

episode 8 has finally dropped (1/3)

its time !!!! ill be referencing this post quite a lot since it's my prediction post

(part 2 for things that weren't mentioned here) (part 3 for more things that weren't mentioned)

everything under the cut for spoiler avoiders!

THE TIME HAS COME. and i'm extremely giddy despite sobbing my eyes out for today's episode

let's debunk or confirm the things that i said/predicted when the trailer dropped

kazuki and miri are preparing but i'm still not sure if they're preparing for rei's birthday because putting kazurei's conversation aside, it should be related to the episode still like the previous trailer for episode 7

since miri's zoo trip is over and the rainy season was shown in episode 7, and kazurei talked about the summer weather, i can only guess that it really is gonna be a rei birthday thing because no way is it miri's birthday bc hers is in november, and her acquisition was in christmas eve

rei bday might be somewhere between june to september

i will cry if i get this correct

I WAS CORRECT. I CALLED IT!!!! the episode is set in the summer, august (specific date is august 10th)

you can hear extremely loud cicadas, and this ties in pretty well with kazurei's conversation about summer during the trailer!

not only that, today (in the anime) is rei's birthday and that IS what miri and kazuki are preparing for

now we have all of their birthdays........... wow

the suwa manor i assume??

yes it's the suwa manor. we could see similar architecture on the outside compared to episode 3's flashback scene

a little bit of benefit of the doubt for those windows because it has been some time since episode 3's flashback to current timeline

this implies that despite kyutaro once looking at rei saying he knows the consequences of betraying the organization the most, he is in contact with his boss (father)

unfortunately, despite that line, he didn't betray the organization. he also wasn't in contact with his boss the entire time he was gone

did he have an escape attempt once? is this episode going to elaborate on that? this seems more of a rei backstory episode after kazuki's backstory episode

the episode does end up elaborating! though he never had an escape attempt. his boss was fully aware of him leaving the manor for elsewhere and made an oath to return

if kazuki's wife died five years ago and rei left the suwa manor (and by extension, the organization) three years ago, that means there's a two year gap between them meeting... curious as to what happened during then

im willing to bet kazuki's the one who did her hairstyle because i feel like rei would just accidentally tug on her hair every few seconds but i might be proven wrong or they never show us

THEY DIDNT SHOW !!! but it's definitely kazuki because rei's outside of the house, small win

favorite child and unfavorite child face off? they have similar facial structures and hair strand placement the color contrasts is screeching into my face as well

absolutely nothing like that !!!! a little sad to report that,

this man wasn't rei's sibling, but rather, rei's mentor who taught him how to use weaponry for assassination

now why is this man here

he's here as rei's uber driver and someone who shares things without being asked for it /LH

he also asked for kaji's last words but we'll get into that a bit later or maybe in a part 2

i really do wonder what sort of conversation they're having in the midst of a gunfight inside a ship maybe the organization found out about miri and them taking in miri?

they were talking about rei leaving the organization, a little bit of their history, complete with a debate between someone who follows the organization's rules to the letter and someone who strayed from the path for something they wanted to protect

this definitely resonates with rei because

he never tells ogino the last words he saw kaji mouthing while he fell to his death despite knowing what they are

he also found two someones to protect (i'll never forget this scene where his voice sounded really panicked)

NOW WHAT IS THIS !!!! HELLO !!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED LITTLE CRINGEMAN he's showing too much emotion so i'm convinced that there was a threat made to miri and kazuki by favorite poster suwa child

WE FINALLY GET CONFIRMATION! this face was due to this scene right here

he seemed startled at how accepting his mentor was at dying when his wife? girlfriend? fiance? died

it didn't even look like he wanted to drop the guy off the balcony on purpose because why would he run over to try and catch him somehow

and for the last part of the prediction post that i want to tackle,

hopefully rei does get back home safe and sound even if he gets a wound or two, manifesting!!

he does come back home! thankfully.

he only has one wound on his arm that he hopefully did take care of when he finished eating some of the birthday food laid out on the table for him

now onto things that weren't tackled on my prediction post, but in a part 2 to have some form of organization :DD

[ae0nx]

FRUITS BASKET S3 EPISODE 8 RECAP AKA THE KYORU CHRONICLES PART 2 (plus a quick recap of eps 3-7)

aaaaaaAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!! I gotta get it out of me otherwise I won't be able to concentrate on work and I will be scrolling through the tag till the day I die. Everything from episode 3 of Season 3 literally hit me like an avalanche - literally cos I marathoned 3-7 over the weekend which I wouldn't advise unless you want an accelerated heartbeat - and I'm starting to realise... maybe I just wasn't ready for season 3. Despite asking for it, haha. Not gonna put as many screencaps for this one cos tumblr editing bay be trippin and I just don't have time nor emotional energy to be fighting with the picture uploads, sorry lol

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Episodes 3 - 7

I spoke before about how (despite my feelings about the characters) the English dub VAs for Akito and Shigure pair up really well audibly. And I think I feel the same way about both Yuki and Machi's English VAs! They both have the same soft spoken yet scratchy element to their voices almost like they are holding slightly back. Although, I'd argue that Yuki has been losing the element of slightly holding back as the anime has gone on which I wonder if the same would be included for Machi's performance?

I really like the presentation of Machi's trauma through her family's expectations to be perfect and how physical it is? How Yuki kind of encourages her to let it out in a healthy way? (Btw the whole chalk breaking scene in the meeting was SO FUCKING SMOOTH. YUKI IS A NERD BUT HE IS SO EFFORTLESSLY COOL A LOT OF THE TIME)

The age gap between Isuzu and Haru for sure isn't the worst age gap in this anime/manga but it's still a bit... hmm...

Episode 4:

In all seriousness, I know Akito deserves some sympathy but it doesn't change the fact that I still see her as a villain. Hurt people hurt people but it doesn't mean they should get away with it, I was honestly pleased Haru got that big confrontation with Akito to tell her WHAT'S WHAT but it was also somewhat... merciful?

Hiro's growth has been so beautiful to see, him realising there are bigger things than him from the event with Rin to his relationship with Kisa to then the birth of his little sister.

Kureno choosing to get his hands a little dirtier and paying the ultimate price for it (as far as we know so far in the anime lol) was great, he is the moon side of Tohru's sunshine.

Shigure... I still don't really get him and Akito's relationship. It's clear he's waiting for Akito to grow the fuck up but at the same time he's not creating an environment for her to grow and develop. He's decided to go with the 'tough love' route which I'm still deciding whether I like it or not tbh. Sometimes it feels necessary, at other times it feels shitty. I respect that he knows he's a scumbag and I don't deny that there are people out there who take revelry in the fact that they are awful but at the same time, him remaining unchanging despite everything feels... unrealistic. But considering throughout this story he doesn't seem affected by trauma, it's understandable, I guess?

Also... that scene where Shigure ponders about whether he should've been with Tohru is THE creepiest creeper shit he's EVER done in this series. No. 🙅🏾‍♀️

Momiji is best bunny boi regardless of how tall and 'manly' he becomes. 🐰His scene with Akito was so authentically him and he really did that shit. We love him. <3

I love the way that the curse breaking should (on surface) be a happy event considering all the trauma the zodiac went through because of it but it's presented mostly as loss as well as happiness. It's the realness of getting out of a bad relationship

Shigure basically laying it out to Tohru how Kyo means nothing in a very taunting way was an excellently painful scene and I choose violence. It was heartbreaking seeing how worthless they all saw Kyo compared to how Tohru saw him but... by this point I was just living in the pain so 🤷🏾‍♀️

The story visually showing how Isuzu is more willing to be soft after her whole ordeal through her fashion choices (e.g. the pastels, the cardigans) was really nice. And Haru being happy about Isuzu making friends with Tohru was cute!

It was nice we saw that Kazuma was still wary about whether Tohru loved Kyo for the right reasons, you'd assume after everything Kazuma would love Tohru as a match for Kyo but he's so emotionally intelligent and also just a protective Dad! Yay, good parenting!

Tohru's confession to loving Kyo was amazing however I still adore Kyo's confession a little bit more. Just a bit. Lol. However, if you add the moment later in episode 8 it trumps it completely. Ethereal goddess.

Kyo and Tohru's grandfather having a scene together was great and nice

Now that I think about it, I wish there was more a visual link in the story between Tohru adapting her speech to imitate her Dad and Momiji adopting his Mum's German accent. Albeit for slightly different reasons, it just adds to the unique connection Tohru and Momiji have. In short, I'm seeing this ship with my third eye now. I get it lol

I don't wanna screencap the scene where Kyo is haunted by both his deceased mother and deceased Kyoko and potentially deceased Tohru because it's the stuff of nightmares. But, it was a wonderfully done scene. You definitely understand fully and clearly why Kyo buried all of that trauma under his hatred for Yuki (I CAN'T WAIT FOR EPISODE 9, YOU GUISE!)

If Akito is a villain, Ren is the final boss. Although, with her type of villainy... I feel like I can kind of enjoy a bit more. She reminds me of a Greek God in the ways she master manipulates people and her desperation for control and power (I just read 'Mythos' by Stephen Fry, it's a great read lol)

It lowkey feels like every female character who's comfortable in expressing their sexuality in this story is punished in some way for it... this is an incomplete thought

Shigure as a child feeling like they should all be pitied is so... mature... I feel like I need more of an explanation for why Shigure is the way he is

Akito's ego death with Kureno? Amazing. I loved that she was at least aware enough to realise how Kureno had been coddling her all this time but again... doesn't excuse her crimes

But anyways...

EPISODE 8

Honestly? I really don't have much to say about this episode besides 3-5 points I wanna get out of my head. It's not a bad thing at all, it's just that there's still a lot left to play out from this 'arc' and this season in general that I wanna complete my thoughts on.

But I'll start with this:

Lol, isn't it funny?! Isn't it heart-wrenchingly funny how the relationship between Kyo and Tohru has kinda reverted back to how they were at the start of the series? The coldness of Kyo at the beginning of this episode (and throughout) was a bit of a gut punch considering all the light and fluffy moments that we've gotten between the two since the True Form arc.

Talking about the True Form arc, I feel like this episode is somewhat a repeat of the same emotions, same trials of the True Form arc. Kyo still 'runs away like he always has' but this time we get him being the most honest and confrontational with his own emotions and trauma than he ever has been during the course of this whole story. While trusting someone (Tohru specifically) for the first time with the whole truth of his story! He always seems to move one step forward and then three steps backwards and while it's a tad bit frustrating, it feels very... real. I'll probably complete my feelings how this arc reflects the True Form arc when we finish this section of the story in future episode(s).

Considering the fact that 80% of this episode is Jerry Jewell monologuing as Kyo and I never got bored really just sells his performance. Kyo was being incredibly cold this episode and yet the range of emotions through his performance made it feel understandable enough for you to empathise with it.

BrattyKid!Kyo to lighten the mood 😹I still wish he and Hiro had more of a relationship, I feel like they could have taught each other a lot. Well... mostly Kyo teaching Hiro tbh

Kyo rejecting Kyoka for her honesty and kindness and then later rejecting Tohru? Oh... kid...

Wow, I felt so good about that whole episode of Kid!Yuki helping Kid!Tohru get home and then it's slightly soured knowing KID!KYO was running about the streets alllll night into the morning?!?! I really did feel Kyo's frustration at not getting that win to actually do something right. And the irony of that being linked to him being unable to save Kyoka from the oncoming car?

Honestly, I don't know what my feelings are on Kyo being unable to save Kyoka. I don't even know what my feelings are on Tohru pretty much pushing that aside in favour of her feelings for Kyo. It's... complicated and I've been mulling it over in my head for the last 10+ years hahah However, if I was in Tohru's position I think I'd eventually come to a point where it feels like it's too late to really do anything about how bad I'd feel about it. Kyo's intentions weren't horrid, if anything he was just being a scared kid and he's allowed to be that. I just wish Tohru had a bit more time to evaluate it but considering she knew her mother well and assumes that wouldn't have been the full scope of what she had said, I don't have much of a problem with it in general

Lol, I love when Tohru gets a 'FUCK YOU, I LOVE YOU' moment with Kyo. 😂Another reflected scene from the True Form arc... only thing is that this time... it doesn't quite work. 😕

(Again, I love how all of these reflections are resolved in later occurences in response to the duality but I'll get to it next week when it shows hopefully)

Laura Bailey only had a few sentences in this episode but she killed it as always. Comparing her performance in 2001 to now is just... growth!

Ok, so Yuki automatically gets Best Boi in this episode for meddling and chasing after KYO of all people. Showing how he's personally done with hating Kyo. Realising Kyo is pretty much the only person who'll make his mother happy. I think he also lowkey wants to understand Kyo? But, we'll get to that next week.

....Oh yeah, Akito is there.

--------------------------------------------------------------

In total, I liked this episode even though it has me anxious for the next one. We finally get the full picture of why Kyo is the way he is! Ahhhh - a weight off all our chests, I'm sure. I kinda don't like that they put the ending theme at the end of these episodes - the joyfulness doesn't really match up with the intense theme? But, that's just a minor gripe. And hey, maybe they just want the audience to know... it's all gonna be okay :)

See you next week!!!

[freerebelmentality]

No more room service

Ok this is my very first hockey fic of Mike Condon. Be nice. After reading an article on the NHL website and reading the quotes he gave is when it just tugged my heart. Well whatever I have left of it anyway. Plus MIKE CONDON DESERVES ALL THE LOVE!!! He’s a precious cinnamon roll.

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

Word Count: 1,947

"I lived in three different hotels [in 2014-15]," Condon said. "I lived in the hotel when I was up and down between Wheeling and Hamilton. I'm just used to hotel life."

The Penguins claimed Condon from the Canadiens to be Marc-Andre Fleury's backup while Matt Murray is recovering from a broken hand. After falling to No.

3 on the Canadiens depth chart, Condon welcomed the opportunity.

He isn't married and doesn't have children, so moving a family wasn't a concern.

"I'm single as can be," Condon said. "I've been moving in and out of hotels for the past five years. No one's been able to stick with me. No one wants to stick around for the ride. I don't blame them either. It's a tough ride. It takes a toll."

Last season was an anomaly for Condon because he spent all of it with the Canadiens, who gave him the green light to get an apartment on Nov. 1.

"It was weird for me to have my own place, not sharing with roommates or anything like that," Condon said. "I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself, but one day, hopefully, I can get another one. A guy can dream, right?"

You remember the quote to all those years ago and finally looking to today on how everything came to be for Mike.

It was a year ago when you first moved to Ottawa and he recently got picked up by the Senators hockey team. You two met at a charity event the Sens team always had for whatever fundraiser.

You’re a freelance photographer and your friend who worked for the organization that the Sens are fundraising for. She has hired you to take photos throughout the event for the website.

You couldn’t refuse the job because it’s a paying job, free drinks throughout the night and most of all there were going to be hockey players.

Throughout the night you have been taking pictures. Asking the players and their significant others for pictures as well and they happily accepted with wide smiles. Some you noticed were beginning to get quite tipsy, which was completely hilarious and happy you agreed to take the job.

With one quick swing around to walk back to the office your friend has placed you in. You wanted to switch cameras along with getting a new SD card, the one in you camera is getting quite full and fast.

You bumped into someone who was tall, you felt toned muscles as your face met his chest and you fell backwards as your bottom hit the floor. Your camera took a bad fall as well, the lens cracked as you took a better look at it.

Everyone stops what they were doing, gaps throughout the building while the person you bumped into kneels beside you and your friend rushes to your side.

“Y/n are you ok? What happened? Oh no your camera” she says while helping you to your feet

Others ask if you were alright, you nodded as you smiled and looked to your friend.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. Are you alright?” The man asks looking to you all worried he hurt you.

“I’m fine really. Thank you for asking. Only bad fall was my camera lens” you wave him off and look to your camera.

“I can replace that for you” your friend says while looking between you and the man

“No, please don’t bother. It’s a quick fix and I have extras. Don’t go through the trouble and spending a lot of money on a lens when I have a few at home” you tell her while walking slowly back to the office.

Your friend and the man who wasn’t bad looking. A ginger with adorable blue eyes. Such beautiful blue eyes that you can swim in them forever.

If he looked any deeper into your eyes, you’d allow him to look through your soul and let him have it.

“I’m Mike by the way. I feel bad for your fall and your lens breaking. Let me do something for you” he is basically pleading now.

He looked like a hurt puppy who played too rough and hurt the person he loved so much and trying to make things better by doing anything.

You knew who he was, you followed his playing career since he got signed by the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are your most favourite team, second is the Sens. You are a third generation Habs fan and knew the rich history behind the team.

“Y/n. Since I’m not going to get rid of you that easily. You can take the rest of the pictures” you tell him as you wave him to follow you.

He followed while your friend remained where she was and continued doing her rounds.

Since then the both of you kept hanging out when he could. When the summer came is when the both of you got more acquainted and had fun.

While it lasted and it was the new hockey season all over again. You were worried he was going to get placed on waivers again and having another team pick him up.

That didn’t happen, the Sens offered Mike an extension on his contract and told him to find an apartment. Which he did and asked you to move in with him right away.

You didn’t want to be apart from him anymore and you graciously accepted. The both of you couldn’t be more happier.

“Hey what are you so deep into thought for?” Mike asks as he enters the office the both of you share

You exit out of the article quickly and making it look like you were working on editing pictures. You pulled up the software you always worked on and luckily a picture is still on there.

A picture you completely forgot to finish but got sidetracked by something else.

“I’m just debating if I should get a Leica Camera or not. Why I’m so deep into thought” you tell him while he sits in the chair that’s in front of the desk and where you are sitting.

“Wow, why don’t you just get it? Plus I think it’s time for you to upgrade anyway. You take amazing pictures and you deserve the very best to work with” Mike says while leaning in closer and in hopes he’s changed your mind and purchase the damn camera.

“You are so sweet you know. Too sweet for me. It makes me puke” you say while you look to him and back to the computer screen

“And you are disgustingly charming” he retorts as he gets up from the chair and walks out of the office

“Wait, I was looking at an old article you were in a few years ago” you finally tell him before he is an ear shot away.

He stops at the doorway and turns around slowly. He leans against the doorframe as he crosses his arms across his chest.

“Which article?” He asks keeping his gaze on you

“The one about constantly living in hotels and how you mentioned no one has ever stuck around because it takes a toll and you as single as can be” you recite the quotes he said a few years ago.

By reciting the very quote causes you such grief because the thought of him being lonely like that is hurtful.

After getting to know Mike, you didn’t like the idea of him being lonely or didn’t like the thought of anything so enduring such as loneliness. You loved Mike way too much for him to go through that. Loved him way too much.

“Ooh that interview. Why would you be deep into that thought?” He asks as he enters back into the office and this time he gets the chair and places it right in front of you.

“Because the very thought of you being incredibly lonely, in between towns/cities, in and out of hotels. It hurts me to even think of the things that you were going through. I mean your mental well being and so forth” you exhale while placing your hands over his and look to him

As you tell him that is when he forms a smile on his face.

“I appreciate you for that. I really do” he replies as he kisses the top of your hand

“It was lonely, especially at night and no one to ask how my day was in general and just talking about it. But I knew what I got myself into and I knew I needed to focus on going into pro hockey. I thought of it more as no distractions to keep me from getting the one thing I really wanted and that got me more motivated to get to where i am” he continues while talking about his journey into the NHL.

You loved how he talked about the hard work he has put into getting that contract. Loved how he talked about the trial and tribulations he endured just to get to where he is at today. Oh you loved this man right in front of you, you loved how he is so devoted to his career, devoted to his family and how much he has devoted himself to you.

“I love how you talk about your trials into getting a pro NHL contract and love how you stuck on being focused on that” you tell him as you get up from your chair and sit in his lap.

You wrap your arms around his neck and begin to kiss him. The way your lips molded together couldn’t be anymore fitting and perfect. It was as if you two are meant for each other. Like what the stories were told in books, how they were brought together by scent or how they imprinted and so forth. It’s how you like to think about it.

“Mmm, what else do you love?” Mike asks as he pulls away from the kiss and looks deep into your eyes

There he goes soul searching once more with his beautiful big blue eyes. You definitely can swim and get lost in them forever.

“You. I love you” you reply while look deep into his eyes as well.

“I love you too. You know, after that interview and just a short couple years. I have found the most incredible, understanding, accepting, loving, beautiful, caring person. Who is willing to join me on whatever path this crazy career of mine will take me” he says with an adoring smile as he closes the gap between the both of you.

“Really? Who is that? I’d like to meet this person” you jokingly reply while he looks to you all surprised and begins to tickle you.

You laugh while trying to move away from his sudden movements as he reaches the ticklish spots you have.

In all seriousness Mike is happy he has found someone like you and at times he felt he didn’t deserve you because of how long he’s gone all the time.

He was happy enough to find you still at the apartment the both of you shared. He thought at times that you have left him because you couldn’t handle things anymore. But no.

You were always right there, patiently waiting for him to come home. You were waiting right there at the airport when he called for pick up. He loved how your face lit up every time he came home. He loved everything about you and didn’t want to lose you over anything. He loved you too much to endure loneliness again. Never again.

No more room service for him.

[hanorganaas]

I wonder if besides cutting out the part of the first kiss scene which makes it clear Leia was into it, people also think he forced Leia into it because she acted so uninterested up to that point. She acted angry all the time and insulted him, even kissed Luke passionately to prove she wasn't into him. I knew the narrative is that she was into him the whole time and didn't want to admit it but I think the writers could have done a better job conveying that. All we got was her brief expression (1

(2 Of wow when he was leaving, and she chalks that down to his being a good leader ( i think we were supposed to think she was lying but it doesn’t come off that way to everyone). I think there was a subtext of them having developed feelings that Leia wasn’t confronting the past year or so but it could have been conveyed better imo. Maybe a brief moment of flirtation or something, even a warm glance at him. So that lack of context and the cutting out of the clear consent she gives in the scene.

You make a great point here anon. Despite again we knew there was chemistry between Carrie and Harrison thanks to their rather let’s say intimate relationship, you don’t know how Leia came to the conclusion of those eventual feelings she had for Han. You don’t see any of examples in the three year gap of proof that Leia had a crush on Han, and while again Han and Leia serve as the model for some of the most well written ships like Philinda and Bellarke and I definitely agree, the backstory is real sloppy because we had little idea of the incidents that caused them to like each other until the 2000s

If you compare Han and Leia to another couple that follows the Model, let’s say Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine Nine, while Han and Leia may have inspired the ship, if you think about it, Jake and Amy are written much better as a slow burn romance.

Jake and Amy just like Han and Leia butted heads alot, teased and bickered at times thought they were better than the other. However in the two seasons until Jake and Amy finally hooked up, you had hints Jake and Amy really liked each other. From moments of concern, to almost flirty and fun conversations so like by the time they kissed you are very sure they were certain this is what they wanted.

Unfortunately as great as innovative as Han and Leia were they still have their flaws, and the lack of back story is definitely one of them. If Star Wars were like a TV show like B99 or the first triology had four movies instead of three and we saw something in between where Han and Leia began to develop their feelings, maybe people who didn’t see it through the lens like we Hanleia shippers do would see the kiss in a romantic type of form.

So totally, the kiss was hot, but still they could have done the build up better.

[miss-musings]

Comparisons between TBL’s Lizzington and The Bride and Bill from “Kill Bill”

How have we never talked about the similarities between these two before? I did a quick Google search, and I found a gifset comparing the "don't marry that guy" scene from the respective shows, but that was about it.

There are soooooo many similarities, it physically hurts my soul.

Guy/gal couple have a very meaningful, trusting relationship (which is explicitly romantic and sexual in Kill Bill; the jury is still on out The Blacklist)

There is a significant age gap between the guy and gal; in some ways, he is her mentor as well as her love interest

Both of them live in a violent world and/or take part in a violent profession that involves tracking down and (sometimes) killing people

Gal finds out she's pregnant, distances her self from guy in an effort to keep her baby safe

In her efforts, gal fakes her death

Guy is absolutely devastated to lose her

Guy tracks down gal inadvertently while looking for the people supposedly responsible for her death

At some point, gal intends to marry a second dude, and first guy objects to this marriage; and because of some violent circumstances, gal never marries the second dude

Gal gives birth to a baby girl

Guy helps to raise the gal's daughter while she is ~gone~ (in Kill Bill, Bill raises his daughter B.B. while the Bride is in a coma; in TBL, Liz fakes her death)

Guy and gal have a confrontation where each of them is angry at what the other did; yet deep down, it's evident they both still care about each other

Guy at one point is accused of/says he's the gal's father

There are plenty of differences too, don't get me wrong.

But, while the whole "Red is Liz's dad-CONFIRMED" thing from the S4a finale frustrated me to no end, it's good to keep in mind that there was a scene where the Bride pretended that Bill was her dad, even though the two had been in a relationship and she was pregnant with their child.

I think this also gives some perspective on why Liz has seemed so mean and vicious toward Red. Even if the "Agnes Reddington" theory turns out to be false -- and, as awesome as it would be, I highly doubt the writers would go there -- Liz would still feel incredibly protective of Agnes from Red.

Liz and Red had been in a relatively good place in their relationship. They built up a great level of trust, understanding and affection while she was on the run in Season 3a. Then, in Gregory Devry, she's clearly frustrated that he isn't going to take a break and that the fight against the Cabal must continue. But, it's only after she finds out she's pregnant that her frustration and venom against him REALLY escalates.

***

Before that strip turned blue ...I was a woman, I was your woman.

I was a killer who killed for you.

Before that strip turned blue, I would've jumped a motorcycle onto a speeding train.

For you.

But once that strip turned blue ...I could no longer do any of those things.

Not anymore.

Because I was gonna be a mother.

But why didn't you tell me then, instead of now?

Once you knew, you'd claim her. And I didn't want that.

Not your decision to make.

But it's the right decision, and I made it for my daughter.

She deserved to be born with a clean slate.

But with you, she would've been born into a world she shouldn't have.

I had to choose.

I chose her.

***

That, ladies and gentleman, is the dialogue -- as best I can tell -- from the confrontation between The Bride and Bill once she finds out that B.B. lived and that Bill raised her, and as Bill is finding out why The Bride faked her death to begin with.

Even operating under the assumption that Agnes IS Tom's daughter, the conversation still applies quite well to the Lizzington relationship. While she definitely disagreed on his methods and decisions, Liz showed time and time again that she was loyal to Red and cared about him and his well being. Granted, not to the same level that the Bride did with Bill, but still... it works.

In Lizzington's case, Liz's affection for / loyalty to Red seems to have gone out the door the minute she found out she was pregnant.

Red, well-meaning as he was, did try to "claim" Liz and her child, in a certain way. He definitely tried to insert himself into her life. He offered to give her money for her child; he put a security team across the hall; booked pregnancy massages, bought her a couch, etc. So long as Liz was in Red's life, that meant that Agnes was in his life as well. Liz knew first-hand that people had used her to get to Red; who's to say they wouldn't use Agnes to get to her and/or Red?

She rejected Red's "dirty / blood money." She wanted Agnes to have a relatively normal life. Fair enough. As venomous and hateful as she's been toward Red since Season 3b, I can't fault her for that much.

In the end, Liz chose her daughter over Red.

And, now, Bill gets to tell the Bride "the truth."

***

And for the record, letting somebody think somebody they love is dead when they're not is quite cruel.

I mourned you for three months.

And in the third month of mourning you... I tracked you down. I wasn't tryin' to track you down. I was tryin' to track down the fucking assholes I thought killed you.

So I find you...and what do I find?

Not only are you not dead...you're getting married to some fucking jerk.

And you're pregnant.

I overreacted.

You overreacted?

Is that your explanation?

I didn't say I was gonna explain myself. I said I was gonna tell you the truth.

But if that's too cryptic, let's get literal.

I'm a killer. I'm a murdering bastard. You know that.

And there are consequences...to breaking the heart of a murdering bastard.

You experienced some of them.

Was my reaction really that surprising?

***

Gah, if this isn't Red, you guys, I don't know what is.

Granted, in TBL, Liz and Tom decide to get married while Liz is pregnant and THEN she fakes her death. (Whereas in Kill Bill, it's the other way around.) Either way, Red was devastated and hurt by both decisions. He warned Liz not to marry Tom -- begged her, even. Said it wasn't in her best interests, that he wouldn't change. Now, it's been a while since I watched Kill Bill Vol. 1, but I feel like Bill told The Bride that she shouldn't marry the other dude because she was a killer and she would always wake up and be a killer. It would be hard for, if not impossible, for The Bride to be satisfied with a "normal life."

(In some respects, I would argue the same thing for Liz. We saw in the pilot that she's drawn to the criminal mind. Not saying she couldn't also be a stay-at-home mother, but would she really be happy with that life, long-term? I feel like she would miss the action, drama, and psychology of her time on the FBI Task Force. Anyway...)

Now, as for the fake death, Red is completely distraught -- a man without purpose -- after Liz's death. His saving grace, he'd hoped, was to be a part of Agnes' life, but Tom seemingly puts the kibosh on that. So, he goes to Cape May and then he sulks at Dom's house. It's not until Aram says they need help tracking down Liz's killers that he decides to come back.

Additionally, Red has told Liz (and others) time and time again that he is a killer. He's a monster -- someone who does bad things; even if he has the best of intentions, he still kills people.

After Liz died, what was the first thing we saw in the Cape May episode? Red presumably killed Nick, her doctor guy. He also went on quite the killing spree to find Susan Hargrave and then Kirk, all in an effort to get revenge for Liz's supposed death.

But, after he reunited with Liz, what did he do? He kept his distance. Yes, he offered her help and protection, and so on, but he isn't nearly as close or as unguarded with her as he had been previously. Even now... he gets Liz her much-desired pardon, and what does he do? He lets her find out on the TV and hangs out in his car. Doesn’t even give her so much as a phone call. This was a man who was thrilled to buy her an apartment and called her seemingly every half-hour she was waiting for her trial in 3x10.

All in all, I just wanted to point out the similarities between these two shows, and wonder at whether this means The Blacklist will follow in the shoes of Kill Bill, or if it's going to do its own thing. (It's going to be the latter, let me tell you right now.) Still, it's fun to speculate.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Wanted to add to this meta?