#if this was a considered criticism of the work. absolutely fair play. but it’s just? not?

[historyartthings]

Absolutely loving, adoring, Le*nda de L*sle’s review of MacCulloch’s work...

My thoughts, feelings, opinions I’ve put below. It gets very long because I cannae haud me wheesht

I don’t know why she’s obsessed with the idea that he mustn’t have loved his wife. ‘the supposedly grieving widower’? I don’t think the arrangement of a marriage for a king - which Henry obviously agreed to - is a sufficient way to judge what Thomas’s relationship with his wife was like. The (foreign and domestic) political, religious and dynastic factors at play there can’t be ignored in favour of extrapolating that he didn’t understand marrying for love. The “happy marriage” in quotation marks😭 have got to laugh. her condescending cynicism is based on nothing tangible, as far as I can work out. She shades MacCulloch as well through the, ‘he believes that although the evidence is sparse, Cromwell was indeed a grieving widower'…. Ngl I would argue it’s not a particularly strained logical leap to assume he might’ve been upset.

We know barely anything about their relationship. Mostly what can be concretely said is he, unusually, never remarried - we’ll obviously never know the reason(s) for that, but still. There was seemingly one notable relationship outside of it, which we only know of because it resulted in an illegitimate daughter, a wee while after his wife passed away. But even that isn’t for 100% certain. He also atypically didn’t have a mistress. There’s also exactly one (1) extant letter from him to his wife, which is pleasant enough, but not much revealing - he asks her for news of home and sends her a deer. she didnt live long enough so as to have any external remarks on their marriage once he entered court spheres. Essentially it’s impossible to draw anything more than speculative conclusions, but based on what can be tentatively extrapolated from his actions, it seems more likely he grieved for his wife than didn’t imo. And also just considering natural, human emotion??

(Even if you want to suggest they didn’t marry for love in the beginning - and/or weren’t in love by the end - they were married for what? Roughly a decade and a half? With no signs of estrangement, and friendly correspondence in letters to Cromwell asking him to pass on their regards to his wife. So even if it was simply an amicable relationship, on a basic level being with someone in such close proximity, for that long, and losing them is probably going to be upsetting?)

On a tangential note, as MacCulloch does point out, the valentine to Mary mentioned here wasn’t at all romantic - it’s misleading to present that, as she does, as an attempt for he himself to marry into royalty. Or more charitably, I think she misremembered the context for it from the book

I’d also question de Lisle’s point about the executions. Personally I don’t think it suggests a greater misogyny than any of his contemporaries? Imo it’s indicative of the broader pattern of a brutal, violent ruthlessness towards those he saw as any enemy, in his way, and/or as going against the crown/policy etc. As opposed to any particular or especial hatred towards women. This isn't meant as an excuse for those actions in any way, because they're - quite obviously - horrific. I just question the rationale behind such a judgement of even-worse-than-usual-for-the-time-misogyny based upon it. Such brutality wasn't isolated to women, men were treated just as abominably. She talks of their humiliation to evidence her point, but again, men were faced with the same. (Ask Richard Whiting who got dragged up Glastonbury Tor at nearly 80, whose case involved, 'to be tryed [presumably for treason] at Glaston and also executyd there' from cromwell's remembrances; or John Forrest, who was strung up in chains, which is a humiliating - to use her term - prolonged death in itself, but was also supposedly burnt using kindling made from a statue of a saint - oh how clever of you!). We don’t (afaik) have letters or remarks which reflect cromwell’s views on women in the same way as for Norfolk, for example. it's just a bizarre extrapolation to me. again, imo it's an incredibly dark, ruthless streak through his personality. it seems to have been his standard handling of any major execution. Also, to be clear, I’m not suggesting he wasn’t sexist/misogynistic, because ofc he was. All men back then were, as a symptom of living and socilisation in such a patriarchal society.

(also interesting for her to pair this suggestion w/ her thoughts about his marriage come to think of it. she seems to be linking the two in a broader picture, I assume wherein this should be added to the ‘evidence’ he didn’t/couldnt have loved his wife)

also the contrast of his physical looks in the Holbein, against his 'becoming' a 'convivial figure' in MacCulloch's work, is disappointing. not reading personalities from portraits, nor ascribing negative character traits to appearances and/or weight (implicitly or otherwise) shouldn't be a big ask, but apparently is. It'd be a wee bit different if she’d pointed to his expression - I still think that’s an unsound way to go about things fwiw - which at least isn’t intrinsically linked to his features, but alas no.

Lastly, re: MacCulloch’s arguments, i would say he’s more impartial than she implies. He might be Anglican, but I wouldn’t say he’s ‘on the Protestant side’ particularly. I struggle to see how his presentation of Catholics - from what i remember, altho it’s been a while since i've read it - is less than fair? He directly praises more and fisher iirc. but someone with a better knowledge of the book could correct me on this point.

also, positioning that he's on the 'protestant side', alongside the next line being about his argument that cromwell was grieving, is an interesting choice. is the suggestion that if you agree with the latter your sympathies must lie with "protestantism"? that it's only through a biased lens you could reach that conclusion? sksjksjk diabolical suggestion that that's the only reason anyone might consider he mourned his wife. like am i going insane or is it genuinely what she's saying??… i cant see why she'd juxtapose those specific points otherwise. Like critiquing mantel's comments about catholics and their presentation in wolf hall is fair enough, but connecting that with the fact she wrote cromwell as 'heartbroken' and that he loved his wife, comes across to me as though she's suggesting the former should invalidate mantel's interpretation of the latter. which again i dont think is fair based on the evidence we do have..

I would also question (because it is confusing to me) despite the fact that MacCulloch and Mantel were friends, why the “”””””happy marriage”””””” across both works is the way in here??? like why are you so bothered as to both lead and finish the article with that?

(And, frankly, MacCulloch paints a picture of a happier marriage - he writes that the simplest explanation is, ‘he couldn’t bear to marry anyone else’ - than Mantel does. Who presents their relationship as literally (as in, textually), ‘loves’ but not ‘in love’. and has him actively wanting to remarry. she had a line in TMATL that goes he was ‘mostly faithful’ which? I’m not sure if she meant to imply infidelity but… altho she did present a picture of him missing her i guess)

[writingbuckets]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞: 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐢𝐢

paige bueckers x influencer!reader

wc: 2.8k

synopsis: Y/N and Paige’s relationship evolves from a slow burn to a deep, committed love as they navigate the complexities of their careers and dreams.

warnings: emotional tension, angst, jealousy, explicit sexual content, fluff, relationship growth

a/n: the only thing i have to say is that i shocked myself with my flirting... enjoy!

After your night at the game, it feels like the internet has exploded. Your mentions are on fire with fans on both sides—some praising your brutal honesty about Paige, others calling you out for downplaying her talent. It’s only natural that you decide to dedicate an entire podcast episode to the experience.

You settle into your recording setup, feeling a mix of anticipation and nerves—after all, tonight is a first. Across the table sits Paige Bueckers, cool and composed, though you catch a hint of mischief in her eyes as she adjusts her mic. You take a deep breath and lean in, grinning at your co-host before addressing the audience.

“Welcome back to The Hot Take! And tonight, we’re in for a treat. As you’ve probably guessed, we’ve got a special guest in the studio… the one, the only, Paige Bueckers!” You gesture toward her dramatically, and your co-host plays a quick soundbite of applause and crowd cheers, adding to the show’s theatrics.

Paige laughs, crossing her arms as she glances at you. “The crowd goes wild. I didn’t think you’d actually let me come on here, considering all the things you’ve said about me.”

You shoot her a mock-offended look. “What things? I’m nothing if not fair and unbiased.”

She raises an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eye. “Oh, totally. Because your comment was so fair and unbiased.”

Your co-host snickers. “Well, Paige, you’re in the right place if you want to get your revenge. Y/N here is known for her ‘brutal honesty.’ But hey, tonight might be a chance for you to change her mind.”

“Is that a challenge?” Paige asks, leaning forward, her gaze never leaving yours.

“Depends. You think you’re up for it?” you reply, meeting her eyes head-on, enjoying the charge of the challenge between you two.

“Oh, I’m always up for a challenge,” she responds smoothly, flashing a grin that has you momentarily caught off guard.

Your co-host breaks the tension with a laugh. “Alright, alright, let’s jump right in. Y/N, you’ve had plenty to say about Paige in the past. Care to share some of those hot takes now that she’s here to defend herself?”

You clear your throat, trying to hide your smirk. “Alright, let’s get one thing straight,” you say, addressing both the mic and Paige. “As much as it pains me to admit this…” You pause dramatically, shooting a look her way. “Bueckers actually impressed me the other night.”

Paige raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Really? I didn’t think you’d ever admit that.”

“I know, it’s shocking, but credit where credit’s due,” you continue. “I mean, you’re quick on the court, you know your angles, and—dare I say it—you know how to work a crowd.”

Paige laughs, eyes dancing with mischief. “Oh, so you were paying attention. Here I was, thinking you came just to judge.”

“Oh, I absolutely came to judge,” you reply, grinning. “But I also got to see you actually back it up with skill. It was… not as overrated as I’d assumed.” You shoot her a wink, and she laughs, shaking her head.

“High praise,” she replies, feigning a look of being overwhelmed. “I didn’t realize tonight was all about showering me with compliments.”

Your co-host jumps in, clearly amused by the dynamic. “Wait, Y/N, are you actually going soft? Compliments? Feeling a little flustered, maybe?”

You shake your head, grinning. “Don’t get it twisted. I’m just saying, maybe I underestimated you.” You turn to Paige. “Don’t let it go to your head, though. I’m not here to just hype you up.”

Paige leans back in her chair, looking entirely at ease. “Don’t worry. I can handle a little constructive criticism. Hit me with your best shot.”

You take the opportunity, leaning forward with a smirk. “Alright, if you insist. Here’s my take: For all that talent, you could be a bit more creative with your moves. Sometimes it feels like you rely on what’s tried and true instead of taking risks.”

She smirks back. “And sometimes critics don’t realize the importance of consistency,” she counters smoothly. “Winning isn’t about impressing people—it’s about doing what works.”

“Touché,” you reply, though you’re secretly impressed by her response. You decide to press a little further. “Alright, so if it’s all about winning, how do you handle the pressure that comes with it? Isn’t there a part of you that wants to switch things up now and then?”

Paige leans forward, crossing her arms on the table. “I get that all the time. But you know, winning takes priority. Switching things up? That’s for off the court.” Her gaze holds yours, and for a second, you wonder if she’s talking about more than just basketball.

Your co-host notices the silent exchange and interrupts with a grin. “Okay, okay, I feel like there’s a whole vibe happening here that I did not sign up for!”

The comment pulls you back, and you laugh, brushing it off. “Nothing happening here,” you insist, stealing a quick glance at Paige.

Paige holds back a smirk, shrugging. “Sure, whatever you say.” But the gleam in her eye says otherwise.

Trying to keep things on track, you steer the conversation back to basketball, although the flirtatious edge remains. “Alright, Bueckers, one more thing. I’ll admit, you’ve got talent. But do you ever worry about being put in a box? People see you a certain way, and that’s how they’ll always see you.”

Paige pauses, and for a moment, the playful banter takes on a serious note. “Yeah, I get that. People think they know you, based on what they see online or on the court. But the truth is, they’re only seeing one side.”

It’s unexpectedly candid, and you nod, finding a bit of yourself in her answer. “Yeah. I get that. People always think they know everything from what they see online, but there’s always more, right?”

Paige’s gaze softens just slightly, and she nods. “Exactly. Sometimes I think it would be nice if people saw more than the ‘player’ version of me.”

You raise an eyebrow, catching the hint in her tone. “So… what would that look like, Bueckers?”

She gives you a playful smirk, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe you’ll find out if you’re lucky.”

Your co-host interjects, clearly amused. “Did I miss something here, or is this turning into a date?”

Both you and Paige laugh, shaking your heads in sync. “Not quite,” you say quickly, though your heart skips a beat.

Before wrapping up, you give Paige the last word. “Alright, Bueckers, we’ve had our fun. Any final words for our listeners?”

She leans toward the mic, glancing at you with a grin. “Only that this isn’t the last time you’ll hear from me, Y/N. I’m sticking around to make sure you don’t underestimate me again.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Well, bring your best game, then. I’ll be ready.”

The episode wraps up with lingering tension and the audience buzzing with intrigue, speculating wildly in the comments and social media. As you both step away from the mics, Paige meets your gaze with a small smile.

“Nice job,” she says, extending a hand.

You shake it, feeling the warmth of her grip, the playful energy still sparking between you. “Likewise, Bueckers. Just don’t expect me to go easy on you next time.”

She gives you a wink. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

**********

Not even an hour after the episode goes live, the reactions flood in. Your notifications blow up with fire emojis, heart-eyes, and endless comments as fans dissect every word, every sly look you exchanged with Paige, and every playful jab you threw her way. People seem to be either thrilled by your shift in tone or mourning the sharper edge of your usual critique. But there’s one thing they all seem to agree on—your chemistry with Paige was undeniable, and they’re dying to see where this dynamic goes next.

Then come the memes: screenshots of you glancing at Paige with a mix of disbelief and amusement, clips from older episodes where you roasted her, and side-by-sides comparing your expressions with Paige’s iconic moments on the court. One of your favorites is a split image of you with an exaggerated, eye-rolling expression, paired with Paige’s confident smirk from one of her highlight games. People are clearly having a field day, and you find yourself chuckling at the creativity as you scroll through the tag.

But just as you’re considering logging off for the night, a notification grabs your attention. It’s a comment from none other than Paige herself.

@PaigeBueckers: “Glad to see you’re finally catching on, Y/N. Game recognizes game, right? 😏”

You smirk, typing back a quick reply.

@notY/N: “Don’t get too comfortable, Bueckers. I’m just warming up. 😏”

Paige responds almost instantly, and suddenly, it’s a back-and-forth on full display for everyone to see.

@PaigeBueckers: “Comfortable? Nah. Just giving you something to talk about on that next episode of yours.”

@notY/N: “Who says you’re interesting enough for a second episode?”

@PaigeBueckers: “Guess I’ll just have to prove you wrong, then. Challenge accepted?”

The thread quickly spirals as fans jump in, hyping up every comment exchange, adding their own captions, and stirring up theories about your “rivalry.” By the time you close the app, #YNPBChallenge is trending, with people eagerly waiting for your next move. And though you won’t admit it, you’re already curious about hers.

Within hours, sports outlets start covering the “feud.” Clips of your episode circulate, paired with screenshots of Paige’s comments. Twitter is filled with fans trying to decode every little interaction, with hashtags like #PaigeAndY/N and #RivalryGoals popping up as the top trends. Some fans eagerly ship you and Paige, while others are taking sides, wanting to see if your critique holds up in future episodes.

Some of Paige’s teammates even get in on the fun, teasing her about the exchanges. Azzi Fudd, in particular, tweets, “So… when’s the first date, @paigebueckers? 👀”

You laugh when you see it, because of course Paige’s friends would be watching the whole thing unfold. You decide to add your own little stir to the pot.

Replying to Azzi’s tweet, you type, “First date? I think she’d need to step up her game a bit first.”

Not even a minute later, Paige replies to you directly: “Challenge accepted.”

The thread is flooded with reactions, and for a moment, it’s as if the entire internet is watching you two flirt in real time. You know it’s all in good fun, but there’s an undeniable thrill to it.

After the whirlwind of social media reactions, you finally step away from your phone, still replaying the day’s events. There’s an undeniable energy to this back-and-forth with Paige. Even through playful jabs and witty comebacks, there’s something deeper simmering—something that leaves you more curious than you’d like to admit.

Just as you’re about to call it a night, a new notification lights up your screen: a direct message from Paige herself. You hesitate for a moment, feeling an odd mix of excitement and nerves, and then finally open it.

Paige: “So… I’m dying to know—did you expect all of this to blow up the way it did?”

Her message catches you off guard. You’d expected something more competitive, maybe another cheeky comment. But this question feels more open, almost as if she’s genuinely curious about your perspective on all this unexpected attention.

Y/N: “Honestly? Not at all. I mean, I’m used to a little backlash, but this? Everyone’s treating it like it’s the story of the year.”

Paige: “Right? It’s kind of insane, but I have to say, you seem to handle it like a pro.”

A smile tugs at your lips. The words are simple enough, but there’s a warmth there, a hint of respect that takes you by surprise. You hadn’t expected Paige to be this down-to-earth.

Y/N: “I guess that’s part of the job, right? You get used to it, even when it’s… unexpected.”

Paige: “Guess we both know what that’s like. I mean, people see us a certain way, but they don’t really get the whole picture.”

Her message resonates with you in a way you hadn’t anticipated. It’s something you’ve thought about often—the assumptions people make, the way fans and critics alike paint you in broad strokes, not really seeing the person underneath. The more you think about it, the more you realize that Paige might understand that better than most.

Y/N: “True. Everyone thinks they know us based on what they see online, but there’s a lot that doesn’t make the highlight reel, right?”

Paige: “Exactly. It’s easy to play a role, keep it simple. But sometimes, it’s nice to just be real with someone who gets it.”

There’s a pause, a subtle weight to her words that makes you wonder if this is just harmless banter, or something more.

Y/N: “So, you’re saying I’m good enough to get the ‘real’ Paige Bueckers?”

Paige: “I’m saying maybe you’re not as overrated as you think you are, Y/N.”

You can’t help but laugh, the slight warmth of her compliment balanced by her usual dose of teasing. But even as the conversation winds down, a part of you can’t shake the feeling that this might be the start of something… different. The back-and-forth, the playful ribbing—it’s beginning to feel like more than just banter.

You let out a soft laugh, staring at the screen a little longer than you meant to, absorbing Paige’s last message. You’d expected a snarky retort, maybe a playful jab, but this? This is something else, something that has you wondering if she’s just as curious as you are. Before you can overthink it, you decide to keep the conversation going.

Y/N: “Alright, I’ll take that as a compliment—coming from someone who’s probably had a lifetime supply of them.”

Paige: “You’d think so, but it’s funny how most of them don’t mean much. I think I’ve just gotten good at smiling and nodding.”

Her honesty catches you off guard. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability, one that’s different from the playful façade you’d seen at the game and in her comments. You find yourself softening, recognizing a piece of yourself in her words.

Y/N: “I get it. People are quick to build you up, but they don’t always see the work behind it. Or the stuff you keep off-camera.”

Paige: “Exactly. Sometimes it feels like it’s just about meeting everyone’s expectations.”

You feel a pang of understanding. Despite the banter, the jabs, you realize there’s a part of her that just wants to be seen for more than the hype, more than the image fans have painted of her. And, you realize, maybe that’s why this little rivalry-turned-conversation feels different than anything you’ve experienced before.

Y/N: “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m here for the real version of you—whatever that looks like.”

She doesn’t respond immediately, and you wonder if you’d gone too far. But just as you’re about to backpedal, her response pops up.

Paige: “Same goes for you, Y/N. Guess that means we’ll have to see what that actually looks like, right?”

Her words make your stomach do an unexpected flip. It’s an invitation, subtle but clear, to get to know her beyond the rivalry, beyond the image. And suddenly, it feels like this whole thing—the online banter, the “feud,” the unexpected DM—has been leading up to this moment.

Y/N: “Guess so. So, next time we bump into each other… coffee? Or are you more of a smoothie person?”

She replies almost instantly.

Paige: "Coffee works, as long as you promise not to trash-talk me in front of the barista."

You laugh, feeling a warmth that has nothing to do with the banter and everything to do with her openness.

Y/N: “Fine, I’ll tone it down. But don’t get too comfortable—I’m not going easy on you.”

Paige: “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

There’s a pause after that, a comfortable silence that feels like both a beginning and a challenge. As you put your phone down, a smile still on your face, you realize you’re genuinely excited to see where this goes.

[enemiestolovershoe]

Heyy. First off all I love your blog :). Second can you maybe write something where readers is best friends with sam and colby and they celebrate christmas together. maybe do something with presents etc and then they decided to play a drinking game and they get absolutely wasted. sam whispers something to reader and she eagerly nods and just says „lets fucking do this“ so sam takes her hand and leads reader to his bedroom and colby is just „have fun guys but remember wrap the present“

thank you :)

Not such a silent night

Sam Golbach x bsf!reader

Summary: Sam gives Y/N a different kind of Christmas present this year.

Words: 8k

Warnings: SMUT 18+, Alcohol use, drunk people, swearing, use of petnames

A/N: Like I said in my previous post this got deleted half way through so please ignore mistakes and maybe show it some love. Thank you and Sorry :)

The soft hum of Christmas music filled your bedroom as you stood in front of your mirror, biting your lip in thought. Clothes were scattered across your room—a clear sign of indecision. Tonight was Sam and Colby’s annual Christmas party, and you wanted to strike the perfect balance between festive and comfortable.

You held up a pair of black tights in one hand and a black skirt in the other, tilting your head as you considered your options. “This should work, right?” you murmured to yourself, eyeing the combination critically.

The tights slid on effortlessly, their sleek material hugging your legs. You paired them with the skirt, zipping it up and smoothing the fabric. Then came the pièce de résistance: a red Christmas sweatshirt adorned with a goofy reindeer face and the words Oh, Deer! printed across the chest. You chuckled at your reflection, the bright red contrasting perfectly with the darker tones of your outfit.

“Festive, but not trying too hard,” you muttered, grabbing your black boots to complete the look. You pulled your hair into a loose half-up, half-down style and dabbed on a touch of makeup—just enough to make you feel like you’d made an effort.

Satisfied, you grabbed your coat and phone, double-checking your gift bag containing presents for Sam and Colby. Before heading out, you shot a quick text in the group chat:

You: On my way! Should be there in 15.

Sam: We’re ready for you!

Colby: Hurry up, you’re missing all the fun.

You: Colby, the party hasn’t even started yet.

A laugh escaped your lips as you ordered the Uber. Minutes later, a car pulled up outside, and you slid into the backseat, the faint scent of peppermint in the air reminding you of the season.

The ride to the boys’ house was uneventful, with the city twinkling in Christmas lights. You couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement as you neared their place. Every gathering at Sam and Colby’s always promised unforgettable memories—and likely some chaos.

When the car rolled to a stop, you stepped out, clutching the gift bag. Their house was already glowing with fairy lights strung along the roof, and you could hear faint music from inside. You barely made it to the front door before it swung open, revealing Sam with his signature grin.

“About time!” he exclaimed, pulling you into a warm hug.

“Hey, it’s not like I was late,” you teased, laughing as you hugged him back. His arms lingered around you for a beat longer than usual, but you brushed it off, assuming he was just in a festive mood.

“Don’t crush her, dude,” Colby interrupted, appearing in the doorway and pulling you into a more casual, one-armed hug. “You brought wine, right?”

“what even is this question,” you shot back with a grin, holding up the bag. “Fair enough,” Colby said, stepping aside to let you in.

The familiar warmth of their house enveloped you as you stepped inside, the scent of pine and cinnamon wafting through the air. Their living room was decked out with Christmas decorations: a tree bursting with ornaments, garlands draped over every surface, and even a Santa hat perched on the corner of the TV.

“Let’s get you a drink,” Sam said, leading the way into the kitchen.

The three of you crowded around the counter, where an array of bottles was already on display. Colby grabbed a bottle of wine and waggled it in your direction. “Red or white?”

“Red,” you answered immediately.

“Bold choice,” Colby said as he uncorked the bottle and poured three glasses.

Sam handed you one, his fingers brushing against yours briefly. “Cheers,” he said, raising his glass.

“To another chaotic Christmas party,” Colby added with a grin.

“To not be hungover tomorrow,” you chimed in, clinking your glass against theirs.

Sam chuckled. “You’re too optimistic for your own good.”

The doorbell chimed, and the three of you exchanged glances before Colby dramatically sighed. “Guess we have to be good hosts now.”

He pushed off the counter, but you followed behind him with Sam right on your heels. As Colby swung open the door, Jake, Johnnie, Tara, and the Sturniolo triplets filed in, bundled up in scarves and jackets, cheeks pink from the cold.

“Merry Christmas!” Jake announced, stepping forward to pull you into a quick hug.

“Merry Christmas!” you replied, squeezing him tightly.

Johnnie was next, offering his usual goofy grin as he hugged you. “Nice sweater,” he teased, tugging at the hem of your sweatshirt. “Very on brand.”

“Better than your sweater,” you shot back, eyeing his plain green pullover.

“I’m minimalistic,” he argued with mock indignation.

Tara pulled you into a warm hug, planting a kiss on each of your cheeks. “You look so cute, babe,” she said, her tone genuinely affectionate.

“You’re one to talk,” you said, admiring her glittery gold dress. “You look like a Christmas goddess.”

“Stop, you’ll make me cry before dinner,” she joked, wiping away fake tears as Matt, Chris, and Nick approached.

Nick greeted you with a bear hug, lifting you off the ground slightly. “Hey, superstar,” he said, setting you back down.

Matt waved before giving you a casual side hug. “Nice to see you not in sweats for once.”

“Wow, thanks for that,” you deadpanned, though you couldn’t help but laugh.

Chris was the last to step forward, his shy smile immediately softening you. “Hey,” he said simply, pulling you into a brief but firm hug.

“Hey,” you replied, giving him an extra squeeze before stepping back.

Once everyone had their coats hung up and glasses of wine in hand, you all moved to the dining table. The feast was already spread out: turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and enough side dishes to feed a small army.

“Damn, you guys went all out,” Jake said, eyeing the spread appreciatively as he took a seat.

“Colby was in charge of the decorations,” Sam said, pulling out a chair for you before sitting down beside you.

“And the food?” Tara asked.

Sam raised a hand. “That was all me.”

“I helped,” Colby interjected, pointing a fork in Sam’s direction.

“Boiling water doesn’t count,” Sam shot back with a grin, earning a round of laughter from the table.

The conversation flowed as everyone dug into their plates.

“This turkey is insane,” Matt said, his mouth half-full. “What’s the secret?”

“Hours of YouTube tutorials and one minor kitchen fire,” Sam admitted, making everyone laugh.

“Remember when he almost set the microwave on fire last year?” Johnnie chimed in, earning groans and giggles from the group.

“I was reheating gravy!” Sam defended himself, though even he was laughing now.

As plates were cleared and the last bits of dessert disappeared, everyone leaned back in their chairs, visibly satisfied.

“I think I’m gonna explode,” Nick groaned, patting his stomach.

“You say that every year,” Chris said, shaking his head.

“Because it’s true every year,” Nick retorted.

“Alright, living room,” Tara declared, standing up and clapping her hands. “I need to lie down before I go into a food coma, and we still have presents to open!”

You followed the group into the living room, wine glasses refilled and spirits high. The Christmas tree sparkled in the corner, and the stack of gifts beneath it looked almost too good to disturb. Almost.

“Who’s going first?” Colby asked, plopping onto the couch and stretching his legs out.

“I think we should make Nick go last,” Matt said, smirking. “Make him suffer a little.”

“Why me?” Nick demanded, throwing a pillow at Matt, who easily dodged it.

“Because you’re the most dramatic,” Chris said, shrugging.

The bickering continued as you settled onto the floor near Sam, your gift bag resting beside you. You sipped your wine, a warm buzz settling over you as laughter filled the room.

“Alright, let’s start this,” Tara said, grabbing a gift from under the tree. “Otherwise, we’ll be here until New Year’s.”

The first exchange began, and you watched as everyone’s faces lit up with excitement, their laughter and gratitude filling the room. The warmth of the night, the company, and the holiday cheer wrapped around you like a cozy blanket.

The group gathered around the large U-shaped couch, everyone settling into their spots with wine glasses in hand and cheeks flushed from the meal. Sam sat beside you, close enough that his knee brushed against yours every so often. You noticed how he leaned slightly toward you, his shoulder just barely grazing yours as he laughed at Colby’s commentary about Nick’s dessert plate still sitting abandoned on the table.

“Nick, are you seriously going to let that ice cream melt?” Colby teased.

“Maybe I’m saving it for later,” Nick shot back, slumping into his seat at the corner of the couch.

“You’re saving a puddle,” Chris said, smirking.

“Guys, focus,” Tara interrupted, tapping her wine glass with her nails. “It’s time for presents.”

Sam reached for his wine glass but kept his body angled toward you. “Excited for this?” he asked, his voice low.

“Always,” you replied, ignoring the way your heart fluttered when his smile lingered a bit too long.

Chris cleared his throat, standing up with a sheepish smile. “I guess I’ll go first.”

He reached under the tree, pulling out a small stack of neatly wrapped gifts.

“Chris, you wrapped these?” Tara asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Of course I did,” he said, handing her a gift bag. “I’m a man of many talents.”

“Or a man of many YouTube tutorials,” Matt quipped, earning a laugh from everyone.

Chris worked his way around the room, handing out gifts until he reached you. He gave you a small rectangular box, wrapped in silver paper.

“Open it,” Chris urged, sitting back down as everyone tore into their gifts.

Inside the box was a delicate bracelet with a tiny charm shaped like a star.

“Oh my God, Chris,” you said, holding it up to the light. “This is beautiful.”

“I figured you could wear it for good luck,” he said, smiling shyly.

“You’re the best,” you said, leaning over to give him a quick hug.

Chris had given Colby a new pair of wireless headphones. “Because you always steal mine,” Chris added, Matt a sleek black beanie that immediately went on his head, Jake a pair of ugly pajama pants, Johnnie a pack of rare trading cards, and Nick a hardcover book on photography.

Matt went next, handing out his gifts, which ranged from a bottle of whiskey for Colby “It’s your type of sophistication,” Matt had joked. A custom framed photo collage for Tara of their favorite group memories. For you, he’d picked out a soft plaid scarf in your favorite color.

“This is perfect, Matt,” you said, wrapping it around your shoulders.

Jake’s turn brought practical but thoughtful gifts: A giant gummy bear dick for Johnnie, and a handmade scented candle for Tara. “I made this myself, okay?” he added, and for you, a new journal for your junk journal addiction.

“I thought you might like something personal,” Jake said as you opened it.

“Jake, this is so sweet,” you said.

Johnnie was next, handing out quirky, personalized gifts like a t-shirt for Sam and Colby that read Professional Ghost Hunter and a glittery phone case for Tara. When he handed you your gift, you opened it to find a small framed picture of you, him, and the rest of the group from last year’s Christmas party.

“I figured you’d want to remember how great we look,” Johnnie said, making you laugh.

“Thanks, Johnnie. It’s perfect.”

Tara’s gifts were chic and thoughtful. She gave you a makeup set you’d been eyeing for months. “I knew you wanted it but wouldn’t buy it for yourself,” Tara said, grinning.

“I love you,” you said dramatically, throwing your arms around her.

Finally, it was Sam’s turn. He picked up a neatly wrapped box and handed it to you first.

“For you,” he said, his voice a little softer than usual.

Inside was a soft, oversized hoodie you had been eyeing for months now.

“You’re always saying you want that hoodie so I got it for you,” Sam said, scratching the back of his neck. “And it’s your favorite color.”

“Sam, this is perfect,” you said, your heartwarming at how thoughtful he’d been.

“I knew I was winning gift-giving this year,” he said with a wink.

Colby’s turn was filled with playful energy, gifting you a pair of fuzzy socks with little snowflakes on them and a mug that read This is probably wine.

“Because you can never have enough fuzzy socks,” Colby said, grinning as you laughed.

When it was your turn, you handed out your gifts: a pair of engraved keychains for Jake, Johnnie, Sam, and Colby with little inside jokes on them, a signed copy of a book for Tara, a box full of different Pepsi flavors for Chris, a Necklace for Matt and hoodie for Nick.

Finally, Nick’s turn arrived, and he gave everyone hilarious gag gifts—a banana costume for Colby, a potato-shaped stress ball for Matt, and a shirt for you that said Holiday Chaos Coordinator.

“Very fitting,” Nick said with a smirk as everyone roared with laughter.

The room was filled with thank-yous, laughter, and a sense of togetherness that made you feel like you were exactly where you were meant to be. Sam nudged your arm gently, and you looked over at him, his gaze warm.

“Pretty good haul tonight,” he said softly, his smile making your heart flutter again.

“Yeah,” you replied, smiling back. “Best Christmas yet.”

The room buzzed with the lingering excitement of gifts as everyone settled back into their spots on the U-shaped couch, laughter and casual chatter filling the space. Colby was holding up the banana costume Nick had given him, inspecting it with an exaggeratedly serious expression.

“I’m just saying,” Colby began, “this might be the best gift I’ve ever received. You’re never going to top this, Nick.”

“You’re welcome,” Nick said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

Tara sipped her wine, her legs curled up beneath her as she glanced at the potato-shaped stress ball in Matt’s hand. “What’s the story behind that?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Matt gave a dramatic sigh. “Nick thinks I’m stressed all the time, so naturally, his solution is a potato.”

“It’s a multi-functional potato,” Nick retorted. “You can squeeze it and pretend it’s your dinner companion.”

Jake burst out laughing. “Matt and his emotional support potato. Coming to a theater near you.”

��Don’t give him ideas,” Matt groaned, tossing the stress ball at Jake, who dodged it easily.

Meanwhile, Jake was fiddling with the engraved keychain you’d given him, turning it over in his hands with a small smile. “This was a really thoughtful gift,” he said quietly, nudging you with his elbow.

“I’m glad you like it,” you replied, smiling back.

Sam, sitting close enough that his arm brushed yours, leaned in slightly. “I can’t believe you actually found a signed copy of that book for Tara,” he said.

“Let’s just say I had to pull some strings,” you said with a wink.

“Impressive,” Sam said, his grin lingering a little too long before Tara interrupted.

“So,” Tara said, gesturing to the now-empty wine glasses scattered across the coffee table. “What’s next? We need to keep this party going.”

As if on cue, Colby suddenly stood up, stretching his arms overhead. “Don’t move,” he said, already heading toward the kitchen.

“What’s he up to?” Jake asked, leaning back against the couch.

“Knowing Colby?” Johnnie said, smirking. “Something ridiculous.”

You all continued chatting, speculating about Colby’s plans as you sipped your wine and lounged around. A few moments later, he reappeared in the doorway, grinning mischievously and holding up two bottles of Christmas-flavored vodka.

“Time for the real Christmas spirit?” he announced, waggling the bottles in the air.

The room erupted in cheers, everyone raising their glasses or fists in agreement.

“Hell yeah!” Jake exclaimed, already sliding off the couch to sit on the floor.

Colby sauntered into the room, setting the bottles on the coffee table with a flourish. “Let’s gather around, my festive degenerates.”

Everyone scrambled to sit on the floor, forming a loose circle around the coffee table. You found yourself between Sam and Tara, the former sliding closer as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

“What are we playing?” Matt asked, already grabbing a shot glass.

Colby sat cross-legged at the head of the circle, uncapping one of the vodka bottles. “I was thinking we’d start with a classic. Truth or Drink.”

“Dangerous,” Tara said, grinning as she poured herself a small shot.

“Dangerously fun,” Colby corrected.

“Just don’t ask me anything too crazy,” Chris said, shaking his head.

“That’s not how this works,” Jake said with a laugh.

As everyone poured their drinks and settled in, the excitement in the room buzzed with anticipation. The vodka smelled faintly of cinnamon and nutmeg, filling the air with a festive warmth as the first round began.

The game started innocently enough. Everyone poured their first shots, laughter already bubbling in the air as Colby rubbed his hands together with a mischievous grin.

“Alright,” Colby began, looking around the circle. “Let’s ease into this. Jake, truth or drink?”

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. “Truth.”

Colby smirked. “What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done this year?”

Jake leaned back, thinking for a moment. “Easy,” he said. “Remember that hike where I tripped over my own feet and slid down the trail on my ass? In front of that group of strangers?”

“Oh my God, that was amazing,” Tara said, laughing so hard she had to clutch her side. “You looked like a cartoon character.”

“You’re welcome for the entertainment,” Jake said, holding up his shot glass in mock pride.

The circle moved on, with everyone taking turns answering light-hearted questions or taking small sips of vodka. The cinnamon burn warmed your throat and stomach, the buzz creeping in slowly.

When it was your turn, Johnnie grinned devilishly. “Alright, truth or drink?”

“Truth,” you said confidently, leaning forward.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. “If you had to swap lives with one person here for a week, who would it be?”

You laughed, glancing around the circle. “Easy—Tara. She’s got her life so put together, and I’d probably spend a week just trying on all her clothes.”

“Excellent choice,” Tara said, flipping her hair playfully.

As the rounds went on, the questions began to take on a more daring edge, fueled by the increasing buzz from the vodka.

“Sam,” Matt said, pointing at him. “Truth or drink?”

Sam hesitated before saying, “Truth.”

Matt smirked. “Have you ever had a crush on anyone in this room?”

The group collectively “oooh” -ed, leaning in eagerly. Sam flushed bright red and quickly reached for his shot glass, downing it in one go.

“Oh, come on!” Nick said, groaning. “You can’t leave us hanging like that.”

Sam just shook his head, his cheeks still pink. “Next question,” he muttered, earning a round of laughter.

The bottle made its way back to you, and this time, Colby’s gaze landed on you with a smirk.

“Your turn, Y/N,” he said. “Truth or drink?”

“Truth,” you said, feeling a little braver now.

Colby leaned forward, his grin widening. “What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?”

You rolled your eyes, laughing. “Oh, that’s easy. This guy once took me to a drive-thru, ordered himself a meal, and then told me he ‘forgot his wallet.’ I ended up paying for his food and leaving before he finished his fries.”

The group erupted in laughter, with Nick practically wheezing. “No way that actually happened.”

“It did,” you said, shaking your head. “And I blocked his number before I even got home.”

“Legendary,” Sam said, clinking his glass against yours.

The game continued, the questions gradually becoming bolder.

“Matt,” Tara said, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Truth or drink?”

Matt leaned back, a cocky smile on his face. “Truth.”

She tapped her chin dramatically. “What’s your biggest turn-on?”

The group erupted into laughter and whistles, and Matt raised his hands in mock surrender. “You’re evil for that,” he said, laughing.

“You answered truth!” Tara shot back, raising her glass. His grin faltered slightly as his gaze flicked around the room. “Uh...confidence, I guess?”

“Lame answer,” Nick said, shaking his head.

“I’m not gonna give you a whole list!” Matt retorted.

As the game progressed, your buzz deepened, the warmth of the vodka and the closeness of your friends making everything feel a little brighter, a little louder. You couldn’t help but notice how Sam’s arm rested against yours more often now, his laughter always seeming to linger just a bit longer when he looked your way.

When the bottle circled back to Colby, he leaned forward, holding the vodka in one hand and his shot glass in the other.

“Alright, group question,” he said, smirking. “What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done? If you don’t answer, you drink.”

The room burst into chaos, everyone groaning and laughing at once.

“No way,” Matt said, immediately reaching for his shot glass.

“You’re all cowards,” Tara said, though she quickly poured herself a shot as well.

Chris buried his face in his hands. “This game is getting dangerous.”

You exchanged a glance with Sam, who raised an eyebrow at you as if to say, Are you really going to answer that?

You laughed, the vodka making you bolder than usual. “I’m drinking,” you said, lifting your glass.

“Smart move,” Sam said, clinking his glass against yours again.

As the game continued, the questions got riskier, the laughter louder, and the group more uninhibited, the holiday cheer blending with the undeniable buzz of the vodka.

The circle had dissolved into a chaotic mess of laughter, slurred words, and increasingly questionable decisions as the vodka bottles emptied. The once-civilized drinking game had spiraled into a parade of the most shameless questions imaginable, fueled by the holiday spirit and far too much alcohol.

Nick was sprawled on the floor near the couch, snoring softly, one arm flung over his face like he’d given up on keeping up with the group.

“Nick’s down for the count,” Chris said, waving his hand in front of Nick’s face. “I give him an hour before he’s asking for pizza.”

Tara was doubled over, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her stomach. “You guys,” she wheezed, struggling to catch her breath. “I can’t—it‘s so funny—oh my God!”

Jake, meanwhile, was leaning back against the couch, mumbling something incomprehensible. “Shss... s’like, ya know?” he slurred, gesturing vaguely with his hands.

“Exactly, Jake,” Matt said with mock seriousness. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Colby was leaning back on his elbows, his cheeks flushed from both alcohol and laughter. “This game’s officially off the rails,” he said, shaking his head. “And I love it.”

You sat cross-legged on the floor, your back resting lightly against Sam’s chest. At some point, he’d shifted closer and closer, his thigh pressed against yours, his arm draped casually behind you. You were both laughing at something Matt had said, but your brain was starting to feel foggy from the vodka.

Sam leaned down, his voice low and close to your ear. “You’re way too good at this game, you know that?”

You turned your head slightly, meeting his gaze, which was laced with mischief. “Or maybe you’re just bad at it,” you teased, your words a little slower than usual.

He grinned, his face so close you could feel the warmth radiating off him. “Nah, I think you’re just trying to distract me.”

“Distract you from what?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“From how ridiculously pretty you look right now,” he said, his tone playful but with a hint of sincerity that made your stomach flip.

You laughed, shaking your head. “Sam, you’re drunk.”

“Maybe,” he said, shrugging. “But I’m not lying.”

Tara, still cackling, pointed at the two of you. “Oh my God, Sam’s flirting, everyone. Someone write this down.”

“Shut up, Tara,” Sam said, but he was smiling, not even trying to deny it.

Chris groaned, throwing a pillow at Tara. “You’re gonna embarrass them.”

“Oh, please,” Colby chimed in, smirking. “I think Sam’s doing a good enough job on his own.”

Jake tried to say something, but it came out as an incomprehensible mumble, which only made Tara laugh harder.

“Jake, are you even speaking English anymore?” Matt asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Jake waved him off, his words slurred but his grin unbothered. “ M fine... jus’ talkin’... ‘bout... stuff.”

Sam ignored the chaos around you, his attention focused solely on you. “I’m just saying,” he continued, his voice softer now, “you’ve been looking at me like that all night.”

“Like what?” you asked, your heart racing despite your alcohol-fueled haze.

“Like I’m the only guy in this room,” he said, his voice teasing but his eyes serious.

You felt your face heat up, though you weren’t sure if it was from the vodka or the way Sam was looking at you. “Maybe you’re imagining things,” you said, trying to sound nonchalant.

He chuckled, leaning even closer. “Or maybe I’m not.”

Colby clapped his hands together suddenly, breaking the moment. “Alright, who’s next? Someone’s gotta keep this circus going.”

“I’ll go,” Tara said, still giggling as she picked up a bottle and pointed it at Matt. “Truth or drink?”

As Tara launched into her question, Sam didn’t move away, his shoulder brushing yours as he stayed close. His hand rested on the floor behind you, but his fingers toyed lightly with the edge of your skirt as if he couldn’t help himself.

“You’re trouble,” you murmured, glancing at him out of the corner of your eye.

He smirked, his gaze dropping briefly to your lips. “You have no idea.”

The group around you continued to spiral into drunken hilarity, but you could barely focus. The warmth of Sam’s closeness and his bold flirting had your heart pounding in a way that even the vodka couldn’t numb.

The game continued in the background, but you and Sam had completely checked out. The vodka had dulled the edges of your thoughts, and the warmth of his body so close to yours was all-consuming. Every little move he made seemed intentional—the way his fingers brushed against your knee, the way his voice dropped just a little lower when he leaned in to speak to you.

“You know,” Sam murmured, his lips barely an inch from your ear, “I can’t decide if you’re ignoring me on purpose or if you’re just trying to drive me insane.”

You turned your head slightly to meet his eyes, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “Why not both?”

He chuckled, his gaze dropping to your lips briefly before snapping back up to your eyes. “You’re trouble,” he quoted you, his voice thick with something that made your stomach flip.

“And you’re repeating yourself,” you teased, leaning just a little closer, your noses almost touching now.

Meanwhile, the game carried on without you, though Tara seemed to notice your zoning out. “Uh, Y/N,” she called, laughing as she nudged a shot glass in your direction. “It’s your turn, by the way.”

You blinked, glancing around the circle, but Sam’s hand rested lightly on your thigh, and your focus immediately snapped back to him. The room around you blurred into irrelevance as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against yours in the lightest, most teasing of kisses.

You froze for half a second before leaning into him, and suddenly, the light teasing kiss turned into something deeper, hotter. His hand slid up to cup the back of your head, his fingers tangling in your hair as he pulled you closer. You barely registered the collective gasp from the room or the way the laughter faltered, giving way to a chorus of catcalls and cheers.

“Holy shit,” Matt finally said, breaking the spell as he waved a hand in front of him. “Get a room, OMG!”

The group burst into laughter, Tara clapping her hands together. “You go, girl!” she shouted, raising her glass in a mock toast.

Jake, still slumped against the couch, squinted at the two of you. “’M I seein’ things? Or are they…?”

“Nope, you’re seeing it,” Colby said, smirking. “It’s happening.”

You pulled back just slightly, your breath mingling with Sam’s as you both grinned at each other. His eyes were dark, full of heat and mischief, and he didn’t seem remotely fazed by the group’s reactions.

“You’re terrible,” you whispered, though the smile on your face betrayed your words.

“And you love it,” he shot back, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

Without saying another word, you stood up, grabbing his hand and tugging him to his feet. He followed you willingly, his grin wide and boyish as you led him toward the hallway.

“Where are they going?” Chris asked, though his voice was more amused than surprised.

“Where do you think?” Matt said, laughing as he leaned back on his hands.

Tara cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. “Have fun, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“Oh, please,” Colby said, shaking his head with a grin. “Remember to wrap the present!”

The room erupted into more laughter, and you turned back just long enough to shoot them a playful glare. Sam, however, just smirked, giving a little salute before following you down the hall.

You barely made it into Sam’s bedroom before his lips crashed against yours again, this time with even more urgency. He pushed the door shut behind him without breaking the kiss, his hands gripping your waist as if he were afraid you might slip away.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he murmured against your lips, his voice breathless and husky.

“Then stop wasting time,” you teased, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

He groaned softly, his hands sliding down to your thighs. Before you could react, he lifted you effortlessly, pressing you firmly against the wall. The cool surface contrasted with the heat radiating from his body as he pressed his hips against yours, the growing hardness between his legs impossible to ignore.

You gasped at the sensation, your head tilting back slightly, giving him access to trail kisses along your jaw and down your neck. Each touch of his lips sent sparks through you, and you couldn’t hold back the soft moan that escaped your lips.

“Fuck,” Sam whispered, pulling back just enough to look at you, his pupils blown wide. “You sound so beautiful.”

His words made your cheeks flush, but you didn’t have time to respond before his lips were on yours again, more demanding this time. His hands roamed over your body, exploring, while his hips rocked gently against yours, teasing you with just enough friction to make you want more.

“Sam,” you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.

He pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against yours as he caught his breath. “You’re driving me crazy,” he admitted, his voice low and rough.

“Good,” you said with a smirk, your fingers threading through his hair.

He let out a soft laugh before stepping back from the wall, still holding you securely. He carried you over to the bed, laying you down gently as his hands brushed over your sides. The weight of his body over yours made your heart race, the heat between you nearly overwhelming.

Sam propped himself up on one arm, his free hand trailing along your side as his eyes raked over you. “You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he said, his voice filled with awe.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” you replied, your hands tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Now, are you going to let me see more or just keep talking?”

He chuckled, sitting up just enough to yank his shirt over his head before tossing it to the floor. “Better?” he asked, grinning.

You reached up, your fingers skimming over his chest. “Much.”

He leaned down again, his lips capturing yours as his hands began to explore more boldly. Your hands moved to the hem of your sweater, but before you could pull it off, Sam stopped you.

“Let me,” he said, his voice a mix of command and plea.

You nodded, lifting your arms as he slowly pulled the sweater over your head, his eyes darkening as he took in the sight of you. He trailed kisses down your neck, his hands working their way to the waistband of your skirt.

“Tell me if you want to stop,” he said softly, his voice sincere even as his desire was clear.

“I won’t,” you assured him, your fingers already tugging at the button of his jeans.

He groaned softly, helping you push them down as his lips found yours again. The rest of your clothes quickly followed, each piece discarded in a growing pile on the floor. The air between you was electric, every touch, every kiss stoking the fire building between you.

The room was dimly lit, bathed in a soft, golden hue from a nearby lamp. You could hear faint chatter and laughter from your friends in the living room, but here, in this quiet moment, it felt like the world had shrunk to just the two of you. Sam’s gaze held yours, warm and intent, his lips curved into a mischievous smile.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he murmured, his voice low and steady. The sincerity in his tone made your cheeks flush, and you found yourself shyly looking away, though the fluttering in your chest told you how much you appreciated it.

“Sam you‘re...” you started, your voice trailing off, but he gently tipped your chin back to meet his eyes.

“I mean it,” he insisted, his thumb brushing softly over your cheek. “Every bit of you. Everything.”

Your heart swelled at his words, and before you could respond, he leaned in, capturing your lips in a kiss so tender it left you breathless. The room seemed to tilt as his warmth enveloped you, the closeness of him erasing every stray thought. His hands slid to your waist, grounding you as his lips began a gentle exploration, tracing from the corner of your mouth to the sensitive spot just below your ear.

“Sam,” you whimpered, a mixture of anticipation and disbelief in your voice.

He hummed softly in response, his breath hot against your skin as he pressed a kiss just beneath your jawline. His touch was slow, deliberate, as though he was savoring every second. His lips moved lower, tracing a path down your neck, pausing every so often to leave the softest kisses that sent shivers racing along your spine.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice cutting through the haze. He pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, his brow furrowed in concern. “Tell me if this is too much.”

The tenderness in his expression nearly undid you. You nodded, your breath hitching. “I’m more than okay,” you managed, your voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled at your reassurance, his confidence returning as he resumed his journey. Each kiss felt like a silent conversation, his care evident in every touch. When he reached the edge of your collarbone, he paused to look up at you again, as if seeking permission.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, his voice laced with an earnest vulnerability that made your chest tighten.

You didn’t hesitate. “Always.”

That one word seemed to light something in him. He pressed his lips to your shoulder, then continued downward, his hands steadying you as you leaned back against the cushions. Time felt suspended as he traced the curve of your arms and sides with the same careful attention, his gaze flicking up to meet yours now and then, as if to ensure you were still with him.

The warmth of his presence, and the way he handled you with reverence, made it impossible to focus on anything but the moment. You couldn’t hold back the soft moans that escaped your lips, each one making his smile grow.

“I think I like this,” he teased lightly, his voice breaking the stillness. “Hearing you like this.”

You laughed softly, though the sound was shaky. “Don’t get too cocky.”

He chuckled, the vibration of it resonating against your skin as he placed another kiss over your sternum. “Too late.”

The sound of your friends’ laughter drifted through the door again, and you froze for a moment, suddenly aware of how thin the walls were. Sam noticed immediately, his lips pausing as he looked up with a grin.

“Worried they’ll hear?” he asked, his tone teasing but kind.

You shrugged, feeling self-conscious, your drunkness wore off as soon as Sam kissed you. “Maybe…”

He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Let them. They’ll just be jealous.”

You swatted his arm, laughing, and he grinned, the playful glint in his eyes making your heart race.

His breath was warm against your skin, and when he chuckled softly, it was as though the sound itself ignited something deep within you.

“You’re so sensitive here, Y/N,” he teased, his voice low and filled with affection. His lips pressed against the delicate curve of your neck again, and this time you couldn’t hold back the soft sigh that escaped your lips.

His hands traced down your arms before resting at your waist, grounding you as he continued his slow exploration. He didn’t rush, letting each kiss speak volumes as he moved lower, his lips brushing over the line of your collarbone.

“Sam...” you whimpered, unsure if it was a plea for him to slow down or to never stop.

He looked up at you, his eyes dark with a mix of playfulness and intent. “What’s that, sweetheart?”

The nickname sent a rush of warmth through you, pooling low in your core. You shook your head, unable to form coherent words, and he grinned as if he knew exactly what you were feeling.

“Nothing? Alright,” he teased, his lips curling into a smirk. “I’ll just keep going, then.”

He shifted slightly, his hands moving up to your sides as his lips made their way to your chest. The first kiss he placed there was slow and deliberate, his lips soft against your skin. He took his time, letting his hands trace gentle patterns over your back as he moved lower. Your breath hitched as he kissed along the curve of your tits and sucked on your nipples, each touch deliberate, like he was savoring every moment. His hands joined in, brushing over your sides before settling, strong and steady, as he leaned in closer.

“Sam...” you moaned again, your voice trembling.

“Still with me?” he asked, pausing to meet your gaze. His expression was soft, full of affection and care.

You nodded, unable to do much else. “Always.”

That was all he needed. He leaned back down, letting his lips travel further, pressing kisses along your stomach. Every touch sent shivers through you, each kiss slower than the last as if he was committing every inch of you to memory.

When he reached your thighs, he paused, his hands steadying you as he looked up once more. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice thick with sincerity.

And then he continued, his lips tracing down the length of your thigh before moving to the other. You felt your breath falter, your heart racing as he inched closer, his movements purposeful but never rushed.

“Sam...” you whimpered, your voice barely audible over the sound of your own heartbeat.

“Hmm?” He glanced up at you with a grin, his lips brushing over the sensitive skin of your inner thigh.

“That feels... so good,” you admitted, your words tumbling out unguarded.

“Good,” he said, his grin widening.

When he finally closed the distance, his touch was like nothing you’d ever felt before. Every movement was deliberate, every moment focused entirely on you. You couldn’t hold back the soft moans that escaped you as he sucked and licked on your clit. You were sure he spelled the lyrics of jingle bells with his tongue.

“You sound so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice full of admiration.

His words made your chest tighten with emotion, and you reached down, your fingers brushing against his hair as if to anchor yourself. He worked with a focus that left you breathless, his touch and his presence leaving you completely undone.

Your mind was a haze of warmth and light, and you could feel that familiar pressure building in your core, coiling tighter with each passing second.

“Sam,” you gasped, your voice trembling. “I’m so close... don’t stop.”

He didn’t. He gave his best performance, his movements unrelenting yet tender, and when the knot finally unraveled, the wave of release left you trembling beneath him, your breath coming in loud moans.

As you came down from your high, your breathing still uneven, you reached for Sam, pulling him up to meet you. His lips found yours instantly, soft and warm, grounding you as the aftershocks still coursed through your body.

“You’re the best,” he whispered between kisses, his voice thick with awe.

A playful grin tugged at your lips as you broke the kiss, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Now,” you said, your voice teasing, “let’s wrap this present, shall we?”

Sam froze for a moment, then let out a laugh that rumbled through his chest. “Quoting Colby? Now? Really?”

You smirked. “Seemed fitting.”

His laughter softened into a grin, but there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze as his hand trailed over your side. “Alright then.”

Without wasting a second, he leaned over to the nightstand, pulling it open to retrieve a condom. He glanced at you as if asking for silent permission, holding it up with a raised brow. You took it from him with a confidence that surprised even you, tearing the foil carefully. Sam’s breath hitched as your hands brushed against his cock, his lips parting slightly when you began to roll it down his length.

“You’re going to kill me,” he murmured, his voice unsteady, a low groan escaping his lips as your touch lingered.

You smiled, leaning forward to kiss him again, slow and deliberate. “You’re being dramatic,” you teased, though your own heart was racing at the intensity of the moment.

When you pulled back, Sam cupped your face, his expression softening. “You sure about this?” he asked, his voice quiet but steady. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked tonight, but you could see how much it mattered to him to hear your answer again.

“Yeah,” you said, your voice steady and clear. “Absolutely.”

His smile was gentle, almost reverent, as he kissed you again, his hands steadying you as he moved closer. The anticipation was electric, every touch heightened as you felt him align himself with you.

And then, with infinite care, he pressed forward, his eyes never leaving yours as he slid his cock in, his movements slow and deliberate. The tension between you and Sam was electric, both of you moving in sync, the shared rhythm of your body a language of its own. Each thrust, each moan seemed to draw you closer, until you could feel the heat of his skin, the weight of his presence in ways that made everything else fade into the background. Sam moaned softly, his grip on you tightening, his movements slow but intense. “You feel so good,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.

You gasped, your own body responding with a heat that only deepened with every touch. “Sam, you fill me up so well,” you whispered, your words breathless but filled with awe.

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through your chest. “You’re killing me, Y/N,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving yours. “You’re so perfect.”

The connection between you both felt like it was building to something beyond words. You felt it in every kiss, every touch, and every movement that seemed to echo the urgency and intensity of the moment. Without any warning, something in you shifted. A quiet challenge passed between your eyes as you changed positions, now hovering above him. The change in power felt electric, and you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the shift in dynamics.

Sam’s hands gripped your hips, his eyes dark with admiration and something deeper. “Fuck Y/N,” he groaned, his voice thick with need. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

You smiled down at him, your breath coming in shallow gasps. “Not yet,” you teased, your own heart racing as you took control, moving with a rhythm that made everything else blur.

The room was filled with the sounds of both your breaths—labored and urgent—and the shared moments of quiet connection, where every glance and every touch said more than words could express. As the two of you moved together, the world outside seemed to fade away. The room was filled only with the sounds of your breaths and moans. Your heartbeats echo in time with each movement. The tension between you both was palpable, a steady rhythm that drew you closer with every touch.

You leaned down, pressing your lips to Sam’s. The kiss was slow and deep, a reflection of everything you felt in that moment. Your body trembled, the connection between you both growing stronger with every passing second.

“I’m so fucking close, Sam,” you whispered, your voice breathless, the words escaping without thought.

Sam’s eyes locked with yours, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “Me too, baby. Cum for me” he groaned, his voice thick with desire. You let yourself go with loud moans

Sam groaned beneath you, his grip tightening slightly as he followed you with his release. You collapsed against his chest, your body still shaking with the remnants of your shared moment.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but the steady beat of your heart and the sound of your heavy breath filling the quiet room. You rested there, feeling the weight of the moment settle between you, a peaceful warmth wrapping around you both.

“That was…” you started, your voice trailing off as you tried to find the words.

“Incredible,” Sam finished for you, his voice warm, full of sincerity. He gently stroked your hair, the movement tender as he held you close.

You could hear the laughter from your friends in the other room, a soft reminder that life continued outside this moment.

But then, unexpectedly, a loud voice cut through the air.

“OMG, finally! I can enjoy my pizza! Well, that wasn’t such a silent night for you two!” Nick’s voice boomed from the living room, his words a little slurred, but unmistakable.

You and Sam both froze for a moment, exchanging a glance before you both bursted out in laughs “Seems like we woke Nick up from his drunk slumber,” you said, still laughing.

Sam grinned, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair. “Looks like it,” he chuckled. “At least he’s got his priorities straight.”

The two of you laughed together, the awkwardness fading into something lighthearted, a shared moment that somehow made everything feel more real.

As the sounds of your friends’ laughter mixed with the muffled sounds of Nick's pizza indulgence from the living room, you settled into the quiet, peaceful feeling of the moment, knowing that things had shifted, but in the best way.

[jemgirl86]

Maybe it’s because I have had longstanding and transparent disdain for TFATWS, but I don’t get a lot of the criticisms for BNW. Shoot, maybe I really am grading on a curve, but imo BNW is a solid B if we’re grading against all MCU products.

Listen…

Would I have liked Cap villains? Yes. Would it have been awesome to get a Riley flashback and a little discussion of the parallels of Sam & Riley and Sam & Joaquin? Absolutely. Would I have loved to see some more of Sarah and the boys and maybe even get an in depth Gideon shoutout? Of course.

But, look, I followed enough of the production and saw enough rumors that I had already assumed that wasn’t happening. And, since I am not only a member of, but am also the President of The Malcolm Spellman Haters Club, I was holding my breath and expecting the worst when I first sat down in my theater, but guess what?

The movie was not the worst. As a matter of fact, it was good. It was a good action movie in general, and a good Captain America movie, specifically. And, most important of all, it consistently respected Sam, something TFATWS failed to do on numerous occasions.

Do you know how many times I’ve rewatched TFATWS? ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. I only pull up specific scenes when I need to reference something, but I cannot sit through the entirety of that thing again when most of it plays like a humiliation ritual for my favorite character.

Now, by comparison, I’ve already seen BNW twice.

Sam was respected in BNW. He was a skilled fighter, a skilled negotiator, a great leader. He was clever, and badass, and compassionate. He was awesome.

He was everything a hero should be. He was everything Sam Wilson has always been.

Look, put your beef with the plot of the film aside. We all already knew going into it that it wasn’t going to be the plot Sam or his fans would get in a perfect world. We’re probably never going to have social worker Sam, living in Harlem, fighting Cap specific villains. And we all know it, so is it really fair to judge the movie over things we knew from jump were not going to be in the movie? IMO it isn’t.

I have to look at the final product and judge it that way - how the Sam Wilson character was treated and handled within the setting TPTB dropped him in.

And when I do that, I’m satisfied.

He wasn’t a “magical negro,” he was a hero trying to save his friend and a lot of other people. He wasn’t constantly being bullied and disrespected by his co-worker, his wannabe co-worker, and damn near every other character around him. Instead, he was loved and respected by his inner circle, and respected by practically everyone he encountered. He wasn’t written as incompetent, his phone wasn’t going off in the middle of missions 🙄. No, he was an excellent strategist, incredibly clever, and a great fighter. He was compassionate, even to his enemies.

I’m rambling now, and I don’t even know quite how to phrase it, but…

The MCU was never going to give us comic accurate Sam Wilson, but they did give us comic Sam’s essence. They gave us his personality and skills. They gave us a good man, and it was a good movie with great acting, and it really just feels like a lot of these complaints I’m seeing are a reach, especially considering that we all know how the MCU works and we all knew what this movie was going to entail before it was even released.

You didn’t like it? That’s your prerogative. But when you’re criticizing it, at least make sure your criticisms make sense within the context of the MCU and how Sam has previously been written.

[invisiblegarters]

(Absolutely Not) Mircro (Mostly) BL Reviews

I really should find a new title for this. So often none of these are micro nor are they all BL. But I am lazy and bad at titles in general, so it will stay this way forevermore.

With that riveting introduction out of the way, let's just get started, yes?

In no particular order.

Completed

The Loyal Pin (Thai, GL): Enjoyed this one a lot for most of it. I had a great time just looking at it, everyone and everything was so pretty. I swear the show lingered on Freen and Becky's gorgeous faces abnormally long always just to highlight how gorgeous they both are. This is not a not a complaint. The acting was on point, as always, especially Freen who I just loved as Pin. And I loved seeing Becky playing the pursuer and the one who was a bit of a spoiled brat. The plot did get a little meandering here and there - I am not complaining about the length because I would have watched 80 more episodes but it did drag on occasion, and some of the cuts were a little odd. Anin especially seemed to have teleporting powers on occasion. One thing I really did like although it made me furious was how it mostly realistically engaged with the real struggles that Anin and Pin would have to go through to be together. I was furious at Pat more than once for ignoring things that were right in front of her face that spelled out what a shit Kuea actually was and just ignoring it, but the reality of Pin having to marry a man she did not love felt very realistic, especially considering her station relative to Anin's. Not sorry that they went the happy route in the end but I did like that Pin's struggles were real. Kuea was an impressive dick. That guy is really good at sucking, kudos to him. My one real quibble (and what dragged this down an entire point in the end) is the "joke" the king played on Pin when she was removed to her forever house with Anin. I'm not against messing with people but they literally ripped her out of a sobbing Pat's arms, blindfolded and driven off to who knows where. The poor girl was terrified and call me humourless but I didn't find it funny in the least. Not with everything else she'd been through. So final verdict is 8/10.

Kidnap (Thai, BL): This one I actually stopped watching about halfway through and then just binged when it was over. It was okay. I didn't have the ton of criticisms others had, but it also really wasn't my favorite, either. It was a turn your brain off and watch the pretty kind of show, I genuinely do not believe that it ever aspired to much higher than that, and I think that as a show like that it served its purpose. To be honest, unless the show was completely unwatchable I'd have finished it simply because the people losing their tiny minds over the fact that Ohm was paired with someone other than Nanon annoyed the everloving fuck out of me. I am not one who is hugely bothered by branded pairs working together over and over but if I was, the reaction to this would have been a great point in its favor (another is the way far too many "fans" of branded fairs treat the less popular or less liked one, but that's also just people being dicks and would probably happen anyway - it's just having to see the same person get it over and over that is rough). Aside over, the show was fine. It didn't do anything revolutionary but I don't really think it was trying to. Ohm was great as always, other Ohm was a great as the little bro, Leng was fine (he's green and it shows, especially when he has to do some of the more emotional scenes, but he's not bad. And I think he did Q's panic attacks and PTSD related trauma very well indeed). All in all, it was your standard romcom fare. Easy to watch, and easy to forget when it was over. 7/10.

Unknown (Taiwan, BL): Adopted brother trop baby. Don't look at me I don't care I eat it up. I love me a good stepbrothers / adopted brothers who fall in love tale, and so does Taiwan. I had a good time with this one. All episodes were out so I binged it all via Viki which is honestly how I like to do it with shows like this - I just don't have the energy or the mental strength to wait on tenterhooks for another episode when I get super invested and things aren't going well (Jack & Joker nearly broke me and THK kind of puts me in a frothing rage - more on this later maybe), plus it helps when I can consume this type of stuff all on my own. Stuff that I imagine people have Opinions about. Opinions that will probably annoy me. It's why to this day I'm still glad I watched most of MLC in a vacuum and wasn't watching live until the final eps. I just know the opinions on that one would have send me 'round the bend. But this isn't about those shows, it's about Unkwon. I quite enjoyed it! I liked that everyone was kind of a mess, pretty much exactly as you would expect them to be, considering. No one here has their shit together, especially not the one who seems to have it the most handled. I also really liked all the pining and yearning. If you know me at all you know that I am the biggest fan of reverse pining and this show delivered that to me in spades. I could have watched thirteen episodes of Wei Qian missing Xiao Yuan so badly he could taste it. Chemistry was also on point, but honestly Taiwan almost always delivers there, I might worry about the story but I never worry about the chemistry. 8/10.

Night Has Come (Korea, gen): This one absolutely had me hooked pretty much from the beginning, and I loved it so much for pretty much the entirety of the drama. The cast is excellent, I was infuriated, I cried, I sat on the edge of my seat wondering what was coming next...and then the end kind of annoyed me and made the story fall apart just a little. Not enough to kill my enjoyment, but enough to drag my overall score down to 7/10. Would still recommend it though, if only for the ride. But man, one thing Kdramas are very good at it making me furious at the characters. Weak Hero Class 1, The Glory, All of Us Are Dead, Squid Game...just to name a few. All of these had me incandescent with rage at some point or another. Kudos?

Peaceful Property (Thai, gen or "bromance"): Oh my gosh this show. I knew I'd like it, but I did not expect to love it quite as much as I did. Home was such a delightful character. Peach, Pang, and Kan (my girl!) were great too, but for me Home is what made the show. He was a little naive and far too unaware of his own privilege, but one thing I loved about him is that he was never cruel or even that greedy. He was a little (a lot) useless in the beginning, but through meeting Peach and Pang and Kan he learned to be less so, and also finally found a place where he could belong - something he was looking for for the entirety of the show. Family. This show did the found family thing so well without making it too treacly, which I loved. These four people needed came into each other's lives, each of them having what the others desperately needed, and I love that for them. This show just had so much heart. I don't know how else to say it. I loved it so much. 9/10

Jack & Joker: U Steal My Heart IThai, BL): Oh, this show. So I only recently watched Love Mechanics for the first time this year, and I had no clue about YinWar until then. I know, right? But hey, I watched it right in time to actually get jazzed for this show. I love that we had two different shows airing about mafia-esque at the same time that took very different tracks. While Kidnap went the more romcom slapstick route, Jack & Joker did engage a bit with the darker side of it. Literally everyone at the top sucked, but Boss was the worst of them all. And the worst part about him was that he convinced himself that he was doing it for great justice. I was amused, though, because Mark was my darling baby who could do no wrong in Love Mechanics but in J & J it was absolutely Jack. I loved Joke too but Jack was my darling boy who was so sweet and hopeful and that just kept getting kicked down by life every time he came close to finding a way out. I felt for that man so much. My one criticism is that I didn't love the end. Everything felt a little too pat and perfect after what had happened. But it's not that big of a complaint. I don't think I would have loved a bleak ending either. So many of the side characters helped make this one - I loved Tattoo, Aran and Hoy, Hope and Save grew on me, and Nang was gorgeous even if sometimes the things she did made me want to scream. Grandma was the best and Toi Ting was a delight and stole nearly every scene she was in. Love that little girl. So often with shows I find myself just wanting the main characters to get back on screen but with J&J I felt like that way less. Also, I didn't even mind the long run time of the eps. One last thing I will say is that I really did wind up enjoying the character of Rose. I know that she was rough for some people - it can be very hard to like someone that has no clue about their own privilege or how their wealth has opened doors for them that are impossible for other people to open, or how the people around her played with the lives of others like it was no big deal - but I do think that her slow realization about it was pretty well done. She may have started out extremely naive but by the end her eyes have been opened and she's committed to making some real changes. I like to think she succeeds - girl's tenacious. Also, even if I hadn't liked her already, the way she reacted to being rejected by Jack would have made me like her. It was classy. 8/10

I went on for so long about High School Frenemy that I eventually gave up and gave it it's own post. Do what you will that that one.

Currently Watching

The Heart Killers (Thai, BL): Came mostly for FK, am staying entirely for JD. This is absolutely going to be one of the shows where it's best if I just watch in a vacuum, I think. Especially because I'm more than a little bitter and it's going to get worse rather than better, if I'm right (and I almost always am It's a curse). I do think that we can all agree that Fadel deserves the world, though.

Spare Me Your Mercy (Thai, BL): I am in love with this show. There is so much going on here and every week I'm excited to watch but also not wanting it to be over. Tor and JJ are doing so well and I like that it's making me think. Dr. Kan has never done a thing wrong in his life and I will fight people for him. I also kind of love that neither he nor Wasan are both playing a game and are still managing to fall into the trap anyway, both their own and each other's. Just a great show. Also has me wanting to watch Manner of Death so I will be starting that shortly.

Petrichor (Thai, GL): it's a procedural but everyone's a lesbian. I love it. And everyone is so hot. Like I can barely focus on what they're saying half the time my god. I'm really having a good time with this one.

Pluto (Thai, GL): This show is so fucking good. Namtan is so amazing - I love how different Oom and Ai are, even when they are making the same expressions the way they carry themselves is so opposite you always know who you're dealing with. Film is also doing great as May - a delicious mix of vulnerability and strength, uprightness and manipulation. Also my gosh I keep getting slapped in the face with how ridiculously pretty she is like very five seconds. Did NOT expect the memory loss curveball but I am here for it. Also if the PimJanPang triangle doesn't end in a throuple I might actually cry, but if they all make out with each other a little I will forgive the show if it doesn't end with them all together.

ThamePo (Thai, BL): still not committed but I enjoyed the first episode. Someone should have told me Ciize was in it and I'd have been there with bells on anyway. I love her. So far though it's not like what I thought based on the mock trailer, so I'm cautiously into it.

Looking Forward To

Ossan's Love Thailand: we'll see on the comedy. Sometimes it hits. Sometimes it does not. The more slapstick stuff is iffy for me but I do love EM so.

The Boy Next World: oh my god this looks like exactly my thing. I can't wait.

My Golden Blood: No trailer but I don't even care. GIMME already it's been 84 years.

[struggling-jpg]

2.7 Quest Thoughts

Spoilers Under Cut, it's a long one and is kinda incoherent and definitely doesn't cover everything I would've talked about in proper detail v-v

I felt heavily moved by the themes of this quest. Both Sunday and Tingyun (Fugue) are characters met with a huge shift in their worldview due to near-death experiences (especially on Tingyun's part with death), so I just wanted to word-vomit about it.

Tingyun first since her section in the quest was shorter, but the fact that they brought up the whole thing where she technically never met the Astral Express and how having Phantylia copy her so closely felt tickled the part of my brain that loves when media explores these topics and scenarios. The confusion and heartbreak that comes with having most of your existence taken and used, people experiencing "you" without it actually being you but being so close to you that you can't even find much comfort in the fact that it wasn't you (say that sentence twice ToT). Also how the trauma comes in the form of "Destruction" creating scars in her that won't ever leave, and while she's troubled by it, and will continue to be troubled by it, she chooses to take a step forward and take action, which is really cool for her in long term storytelling! I just hope we get more time with her grappling with these changes while she makes these strides, because of course, as established, those scars won't heal (at least not so easily). I have more thoughts but I don't think I can put them into coherent words at the moment.

Now, onto Sunday, he's always been an interesting figure in this game, especially his place among the player base and fandom. Genuinely, I think he's one of the most easily misread/misunderstood characters in HSR through a matter of media literacy, which is a mix of many things, and a slight failure of Penacony's long-winded writing, but that's a discussion many people have already brought up (plus a very fair criticism). Despite that, I think Sunday's intentions were pretty straightforward in the end, but for the sake of memes or something else, I've noticed that quite a bit of players twist him into something more malicious than he actually was (which tbh, he wasn't malicious at all).

(Part of me wonders if, in terms of players that also play Genshin, stemmed from the comparisons with Wanderer/Scaramouche, which that in itself is a can of worms I might make another post on.)

He's a lot of things. Very empathetic to the plights of those who can't fight for themselves, very meticulous and orderly (to the point disorder makes him feel uneasy), very sacrificial (self-sacrificial specifically, which I think players have confused with him having a "god complex" when it's more of a "savior complex"). Considering his background, he identified and related with the "weak" even if he wasn't fully aware of that before. All these traits that were shaped by his upbringing come to light in this quest.

Learning that Wonweek was a fragment of Sunday was really interesting, and what made things better was how their interactions near the end were handled. It could've been easy to do the merge and have Sunday "change" in ways that would have felt cheap or a speedrun of sorts to "redemption." But the thing about this quest is that this is just the starting point, so having Sunday express dislike for Wonweek, and while admiring certain traits, decide to maintain himself as he is now was great, in my opinion. It gives Sunday things to work towards at his own pace but also doesn't invalidate the intentions he came in with, which is the point Hoyo seems to be taking his journey with. Sunday's perspective wasn't entirely invalid like some players have made it seem to come across, it's just that his approach ended up being extreme/wrong. I appreciate that HSR didn't do a "we're absolutely right, you're completely wrong" approach with Sunday. I think it makes this new chapter in his journey feel more like a first step instead of a one-and-done "redemption quest."

Now we get to directly see Sunday trailblaze, learn, be challenged, grow, and have a potentially satisfying arc that spans over a longer time, which fits HSR's long-term storytelling. I, for one, welcome Sunday onto the Express.

I don't think I've been able to express my thoughts that well, but I wanted to do this while my emotions and memories were still fresh.

On another note, I found myself tearing up at the interactions between Tingyun and Yukong + Sunday and Robin. When you're aware of the contexts and backgrounds of these characters, it just makes the moments hurt more. There's so many things I could say from each conversation but I'm sorely lacking in the elegance to express them all. Different forms of support and parting, it's so bittersweet. (Yukong, my girl, I know you are suffering frfr)

Robin talking about Sunday and saying that he's stronger than most people but as a result, people expect him to get up faster when that isn't the case just got me, especially since he was actually agonizing over things in real time. The siblings make me sad, and I love their love for each other. The whole, we don't have to fly out together because we'll meet up in the sky stuff has me being a mess out in these parts. Maybe in a later post, I'll be able to talk about these parts with better articulation.

But for now, cheers to taking that first step forward!

[pallisia]

various asks

my inbox is full of nice messages and i don't want to flood the tl so i'm going to answer a big batch of 'em! warning for spoilers:

thank you! this is great to hear. i've always loved the modern touches in ffs like 8, 13, etc., and it was a flavor i'd wanted to incorporate into a fantasy setting of my own. i still think about the part in ff8 where the president gets assassinated by a witch on live television.

even if their circumstances aren't realistic at all, i wanted the characters to feel down-to-earth, so i'm glad they came off that way. i only realized this after hearing from others, but "desperation" is a major theme throughout the story. she's gotta have "it"

thank you so much! to be fair, i was never planning to do fully rendered 3d backgrounds, only to use them as a foundation to draw over. it's something a lot of comic artists do these days, which i respect, but...i think it's not for me. i just don't like thinking about perspective unless it has an "atmospheric" in front of it. but i'm glad the approach i went with was a success! i also love "i felt like i was really getting mugged"

i'm not a musician in any capacity, and i'd never considered releasing any of my piddly little compositions until this. i'm lucky to have worked with such an encouraging friend.

i gotta look out for my clowngirls. thank you.

these two messages came one after another for a critical hit combo... thank you so much for letting my little freaks into your heart.

this is another thing i was hoping would happen! thank you.

ysme uses artisanry to augment her body. we'll get more into how that magic system works later!

thanks so much! i've never played any of the pmd games, but that's very high praise. and i'm honored to hear that i inspired you to make a vn of your own! it really is such a flexible and fun medium, so i hope you enjoy the process.

thanks! that was absolutely an inspiration. when i was outlining the script, i had the vague idea that i wanted ysme to coerce loic in a way that would make sense considering the magic at his disposal. personally if i were mugging a wizard i would simply not give him the chance to think about it .

thank you. i don't have the mental bandwidth to make an rpg, but i still wanted to make something that evoked the same feelings, so that's fantastic to hear.

thank you so much! i can only be myself, and thus there will be more titty.

[daynascullys]

the tortured poets department

i have thoughts!! surprising, right?? this is for anyone who cares to read them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Before you read, note that this is going to be critical of things, so let me just start by saying I have loved and listened to Taylor since I was 8, so none of it is said lightly or without careful thought (in fact, this took me absurdly long to write). Most of the issues I have are very near to my heart, actually, so I've spent a lot of time thinking about it. If you don't want to read criticism, then just don't read more. DISCLAIMER that I did my best, but not even this fully captures the nuance I feel able my own opinions lol I recognize the other sides and points, I really do. I hold many conflicting opinions.

The short version is I will always love her music and her voice and she is capable of writing absolutely gorgeous lyrics (dare I say poetry?). I don't tend to think too much about the sound of it because if I like the sound, it's all I really care about—maybe it sounds the same as other stuff, but if I like that other stuff, I don't really care about whether she branches out or not. I think it's great and interesting when she (or anyone) does, but I also don't like change so it doesn't matter to me the way I know it matters to some people. That's just me!

What gets more complicated for me is the narrative, themes, and general trends that have been more prominent the last year or so, and that's what the rest of my thoughts are. It's me enjoying the music while also being acutely aware of all the grief tangled up in it because of how much less connected I feel in many ways.

Side note: this got soooo much longer than even I expected and it still just scratches the surface! so if you decide to read, 1. thank you, and 2. I'd love to keep talking to you. 🤍

———————————————————— 💭

I am an overthinker (shocking!) and will for sure be annoyed that I can't think of each and every thing I think about this album, but this is what comes to mind right now. Some things that have stood out to me more and more with each release:

a tendency to write self-aware lyrics that, in trying to be self-aware, betray somewhat of a lack of self-awareness

a frustration with never growing up that she expresses while also not realizing the way she is complicit in that and her own refusal to grow up

considering herself the victim, particularly after "overcoming" the accusations that she always plays the victim

venturing more boldly into the territory of serious mental illness/suicidal ideation/mental health treatment despite demonstrating a fair amount of ignorance regarding those things in the past

fame going to her head (in the sense of her becoming further and further out of touch) and the entitlement in a lot of the more immature attitudes that come across in these songs

self-awareness: for me, the first example that comes to mind is Anti-Hero: "it's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me." It's a claim at self-awareness because she's poking fun at the fact that she knows people always say "maybe she's the problem." The reason why it feels to me like it exposes a lack of self-awareness is because she explores it mostly as a criticism to overcome and not a valid point of self-reflection. @jakeperalta's tags on her post explain it better than I do. Yes, there's an issue when you reduce every feeling to "well maybe she's the problem," but part of growth is admitting that maybe you are part of the problem and coming to terms with the fact that there is often some inevitable truth to that statement—and being willing to work on it. This example is from Midnights, but I think it ties into the next point.

immaturity/never growing up: I actually think these first two sections are just two parts of one section, but it's easier to read this way anyway. There are lots of references to not growing up on this album, the first that come to mind being "So High School" and "teenage petulance." Maybe it's just me, but as a 34-year-old woman, I wouldn't want to be feeling "so high school." I mean, as a 25-year-old, when I talk about feeling like my high school self, it's usually because I'm recognizing how limited my judgment and self-awareness was in high school (despite all the therapy and my efforts to be self-aware in high school). And I am aware of my own bias here—I absolutely hate the football game days because I didn't even like watching people act like that in high school, but at least they were high schoolers—but I do think part of what we've seen is Travis allowing her to be more immature and take less responsibility because that's also where he is at. Obviously I don’t speak to it with any authority since I don't know what happened in the relationship, but based on her behaviors and what I know about Joe (which is VERY little), I kind of get the feeling that part of what she didn't like about being with Joe is that he pushed her to grow. "Your integrity makes me seem small," etc. etc., but not in an “I want to grow” way, but not liking that feeling because she shouldn't have to feel small just because she wants to be able to only do what makes her happy. Just looking at the difference in her behavior and the fact that it seems like she's stopped trying to learn (Miss Americana-ish), it seems like she very much resents the responsibility that comes with being such a famous person and mainly considers herself a victim of her fame.

victimhood: to an extent, yes, she is a victim of her fame. No one should have that much fame and power, and of course she didn't sign up for it in this way. But wanting to have the kind of influence and reach that most artists desire is intertwined with fame. There isn't a way to separate it (in an ideal world, maybe, but that isn't what we're dealing with) and it's something that, to some degree, artists do sign up for. And I think she resents that she's expected to take any sort of responsibility for anything that she doesn't want to do, in a very, "but that's not fair!," teenage petulance kind of way. She even says in Sweet Nothing that "I'm just too soft for all of it." We're all too soft for all of it, but that doesn't mean we get to ignore it. It bothers me that she doesn't seem to feel any sort of responsibility to use this giant platform to do better. Everyone is aware of her influence, including her. I think that's part of the grief. No, it is not her job to use her platform for good, but I thought that it was something she valued and something she wanted. The other line that really stuck out to me was from Cassandra: "They say what doesn't kill you makes you aware, what happens if it becomes who you are?" You may be a victim of what doesn't kill you, but if it becomes who you are, that's not their fault. It reminds me a bit of the exhaustion of living with mental illness. For me in particular, it affects my relationships in a very fundamental way, and there are days that I sob because I am exhausted of things that are so normal being so, so difficult for me... but even though I didn't ask for it and it's not fair that this happened to me, it's still my responsibility to understand how my issues affect how I show up in relationships. It's still my problem, even though it isn't my fault that it's my problem. And if you're lucky, you find really beautiful people who are willing to help you and see that it's not their responsibility, but they want to make it easier for you—I recognize how lucky I am to have some people like that, but it never makes it anyone else's problem. If they decide one day it's not their problem, the truth is that it isn't (and then there's a more complex conversation about what you want to do to preserve a relationship). This is also very connected to something about Kate Beckett/why I identify with that character, and I can touch on that if anyone wants to know, but I don't really have cohesive thoughts about that prepared (it makes more sense if you already know the character). This also goes to other things, like her being upset that people always focus on who songs are about while ignoring the part she played in feeding that culture (like with secret messages).

mental health: this goes to a bigger discussion of how we turn to celebrities who are HIGHLY unqualified to have opinions on things for guidance (the nuance of the above discussion about using your platform), but the more she ventures into the discussion of mental illness, the more upset I get by some remarks she has made in the past. And yes, people grow, she may not feel this way anymore, but nothing in her behavior gives me any reason to believe that she doesn't still have this attitude. This is one that I know I have to be careful of because of how personal it is for me (I've been placed on a 5150 "danger to self" hold and I am a therapist), but one interview that has always made me so upset is that one where she talks about how she's never been to therapy, then ends it by saying "I feel like we just had a therapy session." She has said multiple times how she has never wanted to go to therapy when she has her mom, who already knows everything about her. And that is highly irritating to me because 1. that's why she's your MOM, not your THERAPIST, and 2. there's already so much stigma and apprehension around therapy and many people feel this way, so to have someone like Taylor Swift validate all the people who say "I'd rather talk to someone who already knows me" or "so and so is my therapist" is unbelievably frustrating. There's a reason it's unethical to treat people you know—that isn't therapy. And I think I wouldn't be so bothered by it if she didn't speak about it with such authority, like she knows what she's talking about when what she's saying shows that she doesn't (edit: this is specifically in regard to therapy, not mental illness. I am highly aware that anyone can be mentally ill). The other thing about this album is that it does seem to be an album about loving people with mental illness, and I've already seen a lot of interpretations that simply feed the narrative that people with mental illness are unlovable and mental illness is the reason people mistreat you (particularly the discussion about her lovers being blue all the time). And the issue with that is it's already a common misconception among people with mental illness, that their mental illness is an excuse or reason why they don't treat people right. It's disrespectful to the people who recognize that they have a mental illness that affects how they interact with others and choose to try to overcome it. I'm all for honest discussions about mental illness, but it's so disheartening when it happens on such a large scale and some of the loudest voices are people who don't know enough to know how to (at least try to) do no harm.

fame: I'm not really going to go into it because this has already turned out way longer than I meant for it to, but also because I feel like it's already been touched on. For me, it's the conversation about her feeling she should be able to just do what she wants. I think we all feel that way, but because of her fame and the fact that she's just about untouchable (as shown in how she came back from being cancelled), she can just tune everyone out. But one example was how uneasy I felt about this album being announced at the grammys. For one thing, it's not a fan-voted award, so even if it should, it doesn't feel the same. And regardless of your take on award shows, I do think it showed a level of insensitivity to the other artists who haven't won a bunch of grammys to decide that she would announce a new album at the grammys. Because even if she had a backup plan and said she didn't plan on it, the truth is that, to decide to have a backup plan, you did have to count on it happening, at least to an extent. You had to feel it was likely enough that you wanted to have a back up plan just in case, but it probably would go the way you wanted. To me, it just felt so... disrespectful. Because for many other artists, it doesn't happen more than once. (not to mention the many other things happening that got completely overshadowed, like Annie Lennox calling for a ceasefire)

So if you read all that... I don't even know what the point is at this point. These are just thoughts that, to me, don't feel right to simply ignore. I know there's an argument that you can enjoy music without enjoying where it came from, and it's true to an extent, but I also think part of the music is where it comes from. So... I don't know. Do with that what you will. And if you are reading this, I love you (I can't believe you're reading this).

[rivilu]

You know. Now that I've finished it I can say with some confidence that about 90% of the criticism this game faces that I have seen (not counting the anti-woke crybabies- those will die out in time. as they have with every installment of this series.) is sort of. Not missing the point, but missing the reasoning as to why some choices were made?

Heavy spoilers ahead for everything pretty much.

[And also I mean I'm going to speak as an inquisition hater here so in case this breeches my tiny bubble on this site you can stop reading if you enjoy any tiny aspect of that game at all. I am not kind.]

Yes. This game is not Origins or 2. This Thedas is very wishy washy about the core topics they tackled. Some things are straight up not mentioned at all when they REALLY SHOULD BE. Being an elf has you facing 0 negative interactions in TEVINTER for example. But. A lot of these choices were clearly made as a patchwork. Because of how much inquisition shat the bed. Yeah you can't easily bring back the chantry in a critical way when the last game spent 100+ hours bootlicking it against your will. There is a tiny nod to the mage- templar conflict being one sided and cruel in a side quest? But you can't elaborate and examine mages and how they're treated when the last game had a very clear bias and set them up as unreasonable/ pathetic/ willing to shell out to slavers etc. Similarly with elves how the fuck are you meant to move on from. Anything at all inq set up. Without wiping the board on a few to many places.

I'm looking at you, "the Dalish abandon mage kids above a specific count" NPC.

And the gods themselves. Solas himself. I still consider the most absolute dogshit, stupid, horrible, downright deplorable on a coding aspect writing decision in the series. One that I thought was impossible to create ANYTHING of value around before I got to this game. And. Let me tell you. For once the retconning is the glue that holds this thing together instead of being the thing tearing it apart. - Because it leads the game to feel like an au- in a decently good way. It's not recognizable as the Thedas we know - but it's close enough if you squint, and LEAGUES above the inquisition, which also felt like au fanfiction but in the "religious imperialist 100k essay on why minorities are suckers and the status quo rules actually" sense

Yes. We sort of elaborate on the nature of the blight here and the arch demons being?? Essentially lich phylacteries for these blighted gods. Which directly contradicts established information from awakening of the archdemons not being blighted by default. But I played through that and didn't blink because frankly none of this world feels anything like the one awakening takes place in. And the plot point works for the purpose it serves so really? It's fine. Or something like Bellara being able to do what Merrill spent 7 years attempting in a day or so. It works in a self contained way, but if you're trying to view this as a whole- it creates a dissonance.

An that's the thing. It's not a whole. Trying to view it as such is setting yourself up for failure. The devs said that this would be sort of a blank slate- a reset installment. But it isn't.. quite? Inq was. Inq was the one that decided to change the entire genre from dark to high fantasy, botched the transition, and watered everything down until it was an unrecognizable centrist pile of slop (at best). This is working with the horrible decisions made there- and trying to make something good out of them. It is a VALIANT effort. And I do think they mostly succeed. For what it is- it's good. I don't think it's fair to this game that's been in development hell for 10 years to blame it for not keeping things that its predecessor ruined just because they were handled better in origins or two or whatever. Trust me. Origins is still my favorite and always will be. But if you want origins, give bioware- which is currently half laid off- a break, and start barraging EA with interest for a faithful remaster/remake (i'll gladly join). Or do literally anything other than complaining about this not being that. It helps no one.

[twistedtummies2]

Top 6 Portrayals of the Grinch

“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel…!”

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the works of Dr. Seuss: I am very passionate about and very protective of them, and very critical of many adaptations/reimaginings of the same. Tied to this, most of you probably know that while my favorite Seuss CHARACTER is the Cat in the Hat…my favorite Seuss STORY, and by extension my second favorite Seuss character, is that of the Grinch. Fun fact: the Grinch originally appeared in a very early Seuss story he wrote for a magazine, called “The Grinch and the Hoobub,” where he was depicted as a diminutive con artist. This Grinch scammed a gullible and lazy creature called a Hoobub into buying a simple piece of green string for a ridiculous fee. Eventually, Seuss revisited the idea of the Grinch: frustrated with his own feelings of bitterness, isolation, and general annoyance with the holidays, Seuss decided to essentially vent his feelings, and thus created the story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” This was arguably the character closest to his heart: Seuss himself often said that he felt his own personality was “part Cat in the Hat, part Grinch,” and he even once drew a self-portrait of himself looking in the mirror and seeing the Grinch’s face staring back at him. The Grinch was an outlet for all of his inner irritations: a grouchy, nasty, reclusive character who took delight in taking folks down a peg when he felt needed. Since then, the Grinch has become one of the most iconic villains of children’s literature, and while he’s especially prominent during the Christmas season, he’s managed to wiggle his grubby, fuzzy green fingers into all sorts of other places. Now, contrary to popular belief, I actually have NOT seen EVERY version of the Grinch there is to see: for example, I have not seen the recent horror film parody “The Mean One” (and I have absolutely zero intention of seeing it EVER, thank you very much), and I also missed the telecast production of the stage musical, which starred Matthew Morrison. (I actually wanted to see it for the sake of this countdown, but couldn’t find the full show anywhere in time.) Still, I’ve seen more than my fair share of screen takes on the Grinch, so - this Christmas Eve - I decided to give the King of Sinful Sots a spot in the limelight. Therefore, I present to you all my Top 6 Favorite Versions of The Grinch!

6. Walter Matthau.

This is by far the most obscure Grinch on the list; out of all the people who might be reading this, my guess is that only…five of you, at best, have heard of this hidden gem. In the early 90s, Random House - the company that still publishes many of Dr. Seuss’ stories - began releasing a series of direct-to-video adaptations of some of the books. The series was originally planned for TV, but when that scheme fell through, it instead became “Dr. Seuss Video Classics.” The productions were very similar to the earlier work of another publishing company, Rabbit Ears: creating what were essentially motion comic versions of the stories, with minimal animation, some music and a small number of sound effects added in, and with celebrity voice actors telling the stories and playing the character. In 1992, they released their own take on “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” (paired up with the totally unrelated “If I Ran the Zoo”), and called on Walter Matthau to handle the vocal chops. Considering Matthau had played Ebenezer Scrooge decades before, and was also a major character in the film “Grumpy Old Men” a year later, I’d say this casting makes perfect sense. This is basically just the book brought to life in the most bare bones sense of things, but it’s not necessarily done badly; as a kid, before the advent of the Jim Carrey version, I used to watch this take on the Grinch almost as often as the more fondly-remembered Chuck Jones cartoon. It had, and still has, a unique charm on its own.

5. Hans Conried.

In 1977, eleven years after his first animated outing, the Grinch returned to television not for Christmas, but for Halloween. The resulting special, “Halloween is Grinch Night,” has gained a cult following all its own: it’s not as well known or popular as the original story, but it’s certainly interesting in its own right. While ostensibly billed as a prequel, the special seems to take place in its own continuity separate from the book or the original cartoon, and features arguably the most evil version of the Grinch created within Seuss’ own lifetime. Keeping with the tradition established by the earlier cartoon, the Grinch and the Narrator of the special are played by Hans Conried: a lifelong friend of Dr. Seuss, now most well-known as the voice actor for Captain Hook in Disney’s Peter Pan. Conried was famous for playing villainous characters with a melodramatic, often comedic side to them, and his work as the Grinch is no exception. He’s clearly having a blast in the role, and from getting brickles in his britches to doing a funny little dance routine, there’s a lot of typically Seussian humor to the character…but in the scenes where the Grinch shows his teeth (both literally and figuratively), Conried actually does succeed in making him effectively creepy. As much as I love him and the special, however, I think I just prefer other portrayals that are a little more complex, like the character from the original story; the original Grinch wasn’t just a monster, he could change and ultimately did. This Grinch doesn’t seem capable of that, but he’s certainly a lot of fun.

4. Anthony Asbury.

This version of the character hails from the now-often-forgotten TV series “The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss.” Made by the Jim Henson company, the show was an attempt to bring the style and sensibilities of Seuss’ timeless works to TV, but with all new, original content. It’s big gimmick was that most of the backgrounds and various other elements were made with CGI, while the characters, props, and small bits of the sets were accomplished with physical constructs and puppetry. The show was a mixed bag, but it gained a decent following in its time, and is still home to a small but loyal fanbase…and I suppose I’m among those fans. I loved this show as a kid, and I even still have merchandise related to it, including two Christmas ornaments and a Grinch puppet. On that note…the Grinch was a recurring antagonist who popped up throughout the show. Among his many dastardly deeds, he pilfered a rare bird’s egg, went on a rampage of destruction at a popular theme park and resort, and tried to steal spring itself (I guess he figured “been there, done that” with winter), just to name a few. We also got a story introducing us to how the Grinch and Max met up, and to this day it’s still my personal favorite way to imagine how they became partners-in-crime. (Reluctantly, on the doggy’s side.) In typical fashion, the Grinch would frequently be defeated either by someone worming their way into his two-sizes-too-small heart, or just being beaten with some form of karmic punishment. Like the show, this Grinch is often forgotten nowadays, but is definitely worthy of a look if you ever get the chance.

3. Bob Holt.

Long before the days of the MCU and “Puny God” (though NOT before the publication of the original Avengers comics), Marvel helped to produce THE GREATEST CROSSOVER EVER KNOWN TO MAN…the Grinch vs. the Cat in the Hat. (Yes, I’m being sarcastic, but admit it: you weren’t sure.) In the cartoon “The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat,” the Mean Green One starts off actually apparently redeemed. He’s happy, he’s cheerful, and all seems well…but then, haunted by a split-personality he sees in the mirror…(looks towards Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin)...proof that this is DEFINITELY a Marvel movie, he quickly goes back to his fiendish ways. A chance run-in with the Cat in the Hat gives the Grinch inspiration, and he proceeds to devote all his time and resources into trying to ruin the Cat’s mood and make his life a living Seuss-Hell just for the sheer fun of it. The cartoon actually takes a very odd direction, as it depicts the Grinch as…well…frankly insane. It’s hinted that something in his childhood is to blame, as he seems to deeply care for his late mother, and his reflection actually addresses him with the same tone you’d expect a scornful father to speak to his disappointing son. (I MIGHT be reading too deeply into things, but the Cat LITERALLY imagines putting the Grinch on the psychiatry couch at one point, so take of that what you will.) As usual, by the end of the special, he sees the error of his ways, and this time he change seems to be for good in more ways than one. Holt was a wonderful Grinch, bringing of sophistication to the part that called back to Boris Karloff’s portrayal, and gave the Grinch a sort of old-timey villain vibe in his evil antics. I’m honestly sad we never got to see him play the character again, but que sera sera.

2. Jim Carrey.

Yeah, I bet a lot of you thought this would make number one, didn’tcha? While the Jim Carrey movie has its fair share of detractors, the majority of people around my age, and a bit younger, seem to enjoy it. I am no exception, BUT…the older I get, the more I DO see flaws in the picture. It actually reminds me a lot of another movie, “Hocus Pocus”: I feel the 2000 Grinch is to Christmas what that film is to Halloween. They have a lot of the same faults…but I also think they have a lot of the same values. The biggest value of all being the insanely quotable, delightfully over-the-top, but still incredibly powerful performances of the lead actors. Carrey’s Grinch might be annoying to some, and I guess I can understand why (especially for people who were longtime fans of earlier Grinches well before the film came out), but for me, he’s still hilarious, and you have to admire the sheer amount of dedication, determination, and outright bravery it took to do everything he did while forced to wear some of the most intense and all-encompassing costume and makeup options of any film to come out within the past couple decades. It’s telling that, ever since this film, most versions of the Grinch - onstage, at theme parks, in cosplays, and so on - all seem to take their cues primarily from the Carrey version beyond all else, in terms of how the character looks, sounds, and generally behaves. I actually debated for a bit whether I would put Carrey at first or second, and while I’m 99% sure most people who read this would have made the opposite choice I did…hey. Second place still ain’t bad, right?

1. Boris Karloff.

As much as I do enjoy the Jim Carrey movie, and for all the soft spots I have for other Grinches…in my opinion, the original cartoon from 1966 is still the best interpretation of the story, even better than the original book that inspired it. It takes all the stuff that made the Dr. Seuss story great and pluses it, but doesn’t really go too far beyond the call of the source; it sticks true to the ideals Seuss had in mind, and simply makes them even better. It’s proof that sometimes less is more, when compared to the mad spectacle of the Carrey version, but it’s also proof that you can take what was not broken and still make it better, when compared to the later Matthau version that is comparatively drier in tone. Karloff’s voice, both as the Narrator and the Grinch, set the standard for basically every person who would play either role in later endeavors. He actually can be legitimately menacing and unsettling at times (heck, it IS Boris Karloff), but he can also be funny, and at times very heartwarming, in both roles involved. Chuck Jones’ animation of the Grinch helps out a lot, giving the character a ton of personality and impact. As much as the Jim Carrey rendition has influenced popular culture, that movie - and likely all other versions of the character - probably wouldn’t EXIST if it hadn’t been for the success of the original cartoon. Heck, a lot of things we now recognize about the Grinch - the color of his fur, the songs that accompany him, the style of his world, etc. - really start with the cartoon more than the book. For all these reasons and more, Karloff’s Grinch and the cartoon he hails from take my top spot. "Welcome Christmas," everybody.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Benedict Cumberbatch.

I’m not really a fan of Illumination’s Grinch from 2018, nor of Cumberbatch’s work with the character, but a.) I don’t think the latter is the actor’s fault, and b.) the movie isn’t ENTIRELY without merit. I basically just prefer the earlier Grinches more. I include him primarily because I feel somebody would complain if I did not.

Patrick Page.

Page was the original Broadway Grinch for the stage musical - the same one that would later be telecasted with Matthew Morrison in the role - and this was my introduction to the actor. Unfortunately, while I’ve heard the soundtrack with Page, and watched a few clips, I’ve never actually seen the show proper, with him or any other performer, so I didn’t think it was fair to include him in the countdown.

[persephoneprice]

hey lily!! i saw the ask that u sent to @tumblingghosts and i was rlly intrigued as an ex-hp/marauders hyperfixator myself. do u have anymore hcs for specific tributes/mentors (iphigenia and dennis and panlo and sheaf mayhaps..) or just any hp!au shenanigans that you'd like to share??

oh my gosh i am SO EXCITED to talk about this. new hyperfixation combined with past hyperfixation lets gooo

iphigenia- ravenclaw. almost luna lovegood-esque in a way? like, i could absolutely see her believing in a bunch of odd things and everyone else (aside from dennis) just rolling their eyes at her. she’s extremely creative and witty and i can’t help but think she would excel in charms and divination.

dennis- ravenclaw. (i considered hufflepuff- but i just couldn’t bring myself to separate my weirdos!) dennis is no doubt very intelligent and creative. he doesn’t also believe in whatever genie is talking about- but he’s happy to support her. i think genie once wrote about all the creatures and things she believes in and then dennis illustrated some pictures based off her descriptions. i think in this world too, dennis tries really hard to get on the quidditch team but just never makes it. he excels in herbology and transfiguration.

panlo- hufflepuff. case closed. no questions asked. won’t take criticism. that man embodies the hufflepuff traits. he’s patient, kind, hard-working, and absolutely values fair-play. i could see him becoming a prefect and really becoming a role-model and go-to confident for the 1st years. eventually, he goes on to be head-boy and despite the connections he made, he can’t bring himself to work for the ministry of magic. i think he goes off independently to study transfiguration and eventually finds his way back to hogwarts as a professor.

sheaf- slytherin. i really went back and forth on this and i’m still not completely convinced. i absolutely can see her as very resourceful and determined but i think she has traits of other houses too. i think she was disappointed because she wanted to be a hufflepuff like panlo but he reassured her that slytherin is an absolutely fantastic house to be in. she definitely resents the pure-blood bullshit of her peers and tends to hang out with people from other houses. she’s a chaser on the quidditch team and excels at potions.

i would absolutely love to hear your input! especially as the sheaf expert- where would you put her and what do you think he life at hogwarts would be like?

[zememerrramble]

The Ultimate Tumblr Sexyman

Hear me out for a second.

Now, you may be saying, that's a fucking Purple Coin from Super Mario Galaxy, what do you mean it's a Tumblr Sexyman?

A quick clarifier here. I'll be using "Tumblr Sexyman" as a blanket term. Coins of course, do not possess a boring binary gender. You can consider Purple Coin a Tumblr Sexyagender/Sexyenby/Sexyperson what have you instead.

Let's analyze Purple Coin in terms of some sexypedia terms, tropes, archetypes, all that jazz. I will also draw connections to some famous sexymen* to further Purple Coin's case.

Archetypes/Tropes

Androgyny

Doesn't get more androgynous than being perfectly round. Paired with the enticing neutrality of being a space object, Purple Coin is peak androgyny.

Blank Slate

A perfect canvas for one's desires, your only guide is the Purple Coin's iconic purple and an alluring star.

Capitalist

coin.

Chaoslord

The Purple Coin is a rather mysterious entity, only appearing in the inherently gimmicky Prankster Comets in the Mario Galaxy games. Where did they come from? What do they want? Why are they connected to 99 other Purple Coins (sometimes more?)

Chronokinesis

Mario Galaxy 1 Purple Comets are often timed; every Mario Galaxy 2 Purple Coment is timed. Once that timer reaches zero, Mario/Luigi succumb to the overwhelming power of the Purple Coins, having failed to collect them in their designated timely contract. That's textbook time control if you ask me.

Cosmic

Once again, you'll find these purple fellows exclusively in the Mario Galaxy duology. Their home turf is the distant stars.

Controversial

The Prankster Comics in general have been criticized as being content bloat for the Mario Galaxy games. In Mario Galaxy 1, timeless Purple Coin Stars such as the Beach Bowl Galaxy one have been criticized for being incredibly long stars; if you die in these, it's back to square one. If you want to 100% the Galaxy games, you'll have to do your fair share of Purple Coin collectathoning, which many don't find thrilling. What's a purple morally sound sexyperson, though? Wasting your time plays into the Purple Coin's mischief.

Dissonance

If an ancient triangle yearning for some old guy with six fingers and the number 4 can be a sexyman, so can a Purple Coin. Plenty of room for anthropomorphism and gjinkas too, too bad I've never seen one...

Distinctive Voice

This one is a bit of a stretch, but the Purple Coins are audibly characterized with one simple sound effect - a distortion of the usual coin sound effect. Again, distorted voices are peak sexyman material, your Bill Ciphers, your Alastors, what have you.

Fanon Splintering

Untapped potential here. There's no Fanon Splintering yet, but Purple Coin has some built-in AUs to play around with.

Absolute goldmine of possibilities with the Mario Odyssey Purple Coins. I mean, there's even a top hat one, it writes itself.

Intelligence

The Purple Coins are real sneaskters, you got to have some brain to work in a group of 100+ like that.

Mysterious

Purple postgame whimsical trinkets with distorted sound effects and a strange use of the Gusty Garden motif, that's a mystery waiting to happen. Lots of potential for an Ensemble Darkhorse with gjinkas and all that.

Nonspeaking

Again, only one sound effect, just an audio cue for when you collect them. For all intents and purposes, Purple Coins don't traditionally speak.

Nonstandard Character Design

One could argue Purple Coins are not a "character" but rather an object. To that I say, be the change I want you want to see. Blank Slate from earlier allows a lot of creative liberty with Purple Coin.

Obsessive

While underwater, in Flying Mario form, or in Bee Mario form, Mario can spin next to Purple Coins to attract them to him and automatically collect them.

Gee Purple Coins, you sure are excited to magnetize onto Mario whenever he spins. A bit clingy, wouldn't you say?

Power

Again, Purple Coins have implied time control powers, so they fit the bill of being powerful.

Royalty

Purple Coins are debatably royal. They're both purple and, in Galaxy 1, tied to Bowser, the infamous king of koopas, since you only unlock the Purple Comets after beating the game.

Theme Song

A classic, with that ever so mystifying touch of Gusty Garden's motif to top it all off.

Upper-Class

Shiny, rich purple, dapper.

Villain (Morally Grey/Technically Antagonists)

As previously mentioned, the Purple Comets in Mario Galaxy 1 are only unlocked after defeating the final Bowser battle, so they have some intrinsic tie to the big bad. Are they inherently evil? Maybe not, but the Purple Coins certainly have a sinister vibe to them.

Unofficial Archetypes/Tropes

The following are not official tropes per the Sexypedia, but I would like to mention two self-defined tropes as well.

Cloning/Duplication Powers

The Purple Coins always show up in packs of 100... or more. Could the extraneous Purple Coins perhaps be clones of the original 100? Or, all the the Purple Coins a projection of one supreme host Purple Coin?

Epilogue

Purple Coins are exclusive to the postgame of Mario Galaxy 1, since you need to complete Bowser's Galaxy Reactor to unlock Purple Comets (They're available for most of Galaxy 2.) Purple Coins being past the end of your adventure helps add to the allure of their mysteriousness.

Categories

Fine Wine

Again, let's be the change we want to see. Purple Coin debuted in 2007, well before the initial wave of sexymen, never too late. Potential NBPILF status?

Purple

Purple sexyman are a staple of the medium. Alador Blight, Antasma, Daddy Dearest, Dick Dastardly, TADC Jax, Jevil, King Dice, Professor Venomous, Purple Guy, etc. Purple Coin fits right in.

I rest my case. Purple Coin is the magnum opus of Tumblr Sexymen.

[aliteralsemicolon]

Hey there,

I totally get where you're coming from about Spencer being a fictional character open to interpretation. Fiction gives us the freedom to explore characters in new and unique ways, and it's part of what makes writing fanfiction so fun and fulfilling.

The beauty of fanfiction is that it allows us to explore different facets of a character that we don't always get to see on screen. That said, I do believe there’s a line between creative interpretation and taking a character so far from their established traits that they become unrecognizable.

Yes, the show has inconsistencies, and no character is written perfectly at all times, but there’s a difference between exploring new dimensions of a character and ignoring their fundamental nature. Just like any well-crafted character, Spencer has a set of core traits that make him who he is, and deviating too far from those can sometimes feel off-putting for readers who love him for those exact reasons.

Writers should absolutely have the freedom to explore and reinterpret characters, but it’s also fair for readers to expect some level of consistency with the established canon, especially with such a well-defined character like Spencer Reid.

Hi lovely, while I agree with you to a certain extent I think you also have to keep in mind and be honest to yourself about what those traits are. Here are Reid's canon established traits that don't change throughout the show and a long ramble (let me know if I missed anything):

IQ of 187

eidetic memory

can read 20 000 words per minute

carries a brown satchel everywhere

loves: reading, play chess, excessive sugar in coffee

can count cards (banned from ever casino in Vegas)

tendency to ramble / go on tangents

socially awkward (this decreases as the show progresses, also circumstantial to the situation he's in)

technophobe

germaphobe (inconsistent, Mathew shakes hands on camera when Reid normally wouldn't. also changes slightly after the prison arc)

Fear of being perceived as mentally ill, having schizophrenia especially.

Those are the one's I can think of right now, but the list for established (as in set in stone, these traits don't change at all throughout the show) traits is pretty short. Anything else you associate to him changes throughout the show and depends on the season.

They're not very defining in terms of Reid as a whole human being, because like I said, people are complex. The traits above do not explain how he would behave in every aspect of his life.

For example: I get anxious in social settings with large groups even when everybody in that group is my friend but I'm very confident when the friend groups become smaller. And I don't behave the same way with any partner I have as I do with my friends. A lot of the traits my friends associate with me aren't there when I'm with my partner.

Anything traits outside of those mentioned traits (minus a couple I may have missed) can't be counted as "established" traits because they're either fan associated or change with the season of Reid (S2 and S5 Reid are not the same). Expect consistency, by all means, but also be realistic about your expectations for that character.

The conversation here is about the random hate and unhelpful criticism towards fanfic writers because certain readers don't agree with the writer's portrayal. It's unnecessary and a waste of everyone's time when they could just not read that writers work. And really entitled behaviour considering this is content they're getting for free.

Now I'm not going to go and reply to every single reblog on the original post I made (every single one had such a valid point and I agree with them all), but I will quote the genius @/lavenderspence (she takes after our husband Reid, look at those stats)

"As of today, there are 4497 fics under the Spencer Reid/Reader tag on AO3, 1509 fics under the Aaron Hotchner/Reader tag, and ONLY 236 fics under the Derek Morgan/Reader tag. There's more than enough fanfics out there for you all to find the right one FOR YOU, without BASHING SOMEONE ELSE'S representation of the character."

That's it from me about this topic, I think I've said everything I've needed to.

[starsthoughtsonthings]

[[Tiny little dialogue piece to write out how I mentally played out that I'm now using those earrings on him and a little bit of, I think eyeliner is the word. Purple is Ari, red is Astarion. Happens after the reveal that he's a vampire, and after their first night together.]]

"Now that we've gotten closer... let me suggest some improvements."

"Improvements?" Astarion looked up to Ari when she walked up to him with these words, repeating the word with a gasp of offense. "My dear, are you planning to critique the centuries of experience I've honed the art of companionship?"

"Oh no, nothing like that - I'm not out for hurting your self-esteem." Which isn't to say she wouldn't have suggestions, like how she could feel that he wasn't fully into it which only further confirmed her suspicions that he was putting up an act at the very least to a degree, if not completely; or how on the ground somewhere within the forest wasn't exactly a spot she'd choose - but that wouldn't do anyone any use to bring up. Walking up close, she leaned in to put one hand on the side of his face. "I meant, more like... appearances."

"Excuse me?" For just a moment, Ari could see in his eyes and expression that speaking like she was going to criticize his looks hit a bit deeper perhaps still than if she would be speaking about their night in the woods. His hand took hers away from his face, and instead holds on to it. "If you're trying to insinuate that I am not beautiful, I'll have you know I have been told too many times that I am to believe your words."

She chuckled. "You certainly are beautiful. You don't really think I'd have agreed to anything with you otherwise, do you?" Maybe she would have - he was fascinating in more than just his looks, but that wasn't the point here. "No, all I mean to suggest is... you could do more." And since he was going to ask what exactly she meant next, Ari decided to elaborate already. "Take your ears for example. They're pretty, and these little rings are a nice addition, but... I've seen those clamps you stashed a little ago. I'd have taken them for myself, but, gold really isn't my color. I don't think we should sell those, though, they would look great on you."

"I'll choose what I accessorize with myself, thank you very much," he waved dismissively and let go of her hand. It seemed he didn't much enjoy her suggestion, but regardless, Ari wasn't done yet.

"And... your eyes. Those wonderful, alluring, dark and enticing eyes." Those compliments clearly eased his mood a bit again, and Ari grinned. "They would work even more on, well, everyone, with just a little bit of accentuating." She gestured to her own makeup, more specifically to the accents of black around her eyes. "I assume you can't really do that yourself, because mirrors, but... I'd be happy to help."

He gave her another little grimace, though Ari simply kept smiling. "Thank you, darling, but I don't see need for that."

"Of course," she nodded. "Just let me know once you decide you want to look your absolute best." She knew it had to be on his own accord, so that he didn't directly agree was no surprise. Ari was rather sure he'd consider her suggestions though, and soon he would try both of these things.

[[Some more author's blabber below the cut]]

Wow. Okay. I just wanted to write a "flirty little snippet" of dialogue between the two where she convinces him to try those earrings and the makeup, and then Ari just kept pressing kinda the wrong buttons and it turned out like this instead. Now I'm honestly not quite sure anymore if I'd consider this a canon dialogue for them, maybe it would have gone smoother and I simply failed to do it properly - but I'll post this anyway.

Parts of her dialogue hurt me to write because how dare she imply things like that to him, but uh, yeah. To be fair, at this point, she doesn't know many details about his past yet. But still, ouch.

[fernlessbastard]

Oh man, I'm excited! Writing is definitely a pain in the ass (I've taken many years of novels, creative writing, debate, etcetera). Your story is incredibly enthralling and so accurate in regards to characters, I'm surprised anyone would find anything (such as repetition of certain words) bothersome.

Nonetheless, I do understand wanting it to be perfect and I hope reading/proofing over it goes well for you two. ❤️

-🎲 anon

Thank you so muchh

And don't worry, it's not that my boyfriend finds it bothersome and such - it just knows that I'm an insane perfectionist about my writing, and if I later find some repetition or a wonky sentence I will proclaim that I've brought dishonour to writing as an art form and I'll never write again (I'm a little bit dramatic like that UwU--) (also I'd definitely end up writing again, it'd just take like a long time and I'd rather finish IUTMTM before the death of the universe/lh)

To be fair it is in a decent part that perfectionism that lets me write the way I do. Like, yes, writing badly is much better than not writing, and I do my best to live by that, but editing is a different issue - I've had at least 7 drafts of chapter 2 as of now (and I only change the draft when I decide there's a big part I want to rewrite from scratch)(I actually could post like the first draft here - that could be interesting, idk, I'll maybe consider it)

But yeah, I will slave over a draft until I've squeezed everything I humanly could out of it, in which case either I think it's actually genuinely good and I enjoy reading it (and I'm very critical of my work), or until I decide it's hopeless, and just simply rewrite it completely from scratch, either keeping only specific passages, the general idea, or sometimes nothing at all

Tbh I think it's got to do with the fact that it's not a medium that's "native" to me, so to speak. Losing Face was my first actual piece of writing, with my previous "attempts" (mostly stories for school) consisting of like, much less than a thousand word each. I started writing a dnf/xdnf smut after my bf dared me to, which got abandoned at 2k words (I low-key wanna post that at some point too as a little crack one-shot, but i'd have to decide if I want it to be an actual piece of writing, in which case I'd have to finish it, or if I just want it to be a "look, this is where I started" kind of thing). I was praised for my art, so I gravitated towards that, and the more I did, the more embarrassed and ashamed I felt of my unrealised "affair" with writing. I'd write elaborate descriptions of headcanons and scenarios, fishing for compliments to have an excuse to actually write something. I don't remember how I started truly writing, but it absolutely had to do with the support I always get from my partner. And oh god, how I adore writing. I've always loved telling a story, but what truly makes me obsessed with it is playing with language itself. I love painting mental pictures. I love elaborate metaphors. I love portraying ugliness in a raw way that paradoxically makes it strangely beautiful. I love the words that don't just express their message through literal meaning, but also through how they visually look, how they sound, what core and pre-/inter-/suffix they have, how many syllables they have (my favourite go-to example is in Will Wood's "Front Street" - "the gnashing teeth will masticate the bones from the flesh"); I love using those words to juxtapose feelings (such as describing something as both raw and ugly, and yet beautiful exactly because of that). I love portraying ugliness in a raw way that paradoxically makes it strangely beautiful. I love playing with rhythm and momentum and run-on sentences, I love playing with formatting, to make the text flow on the page, I love using subtle sarcasm and making fun of the characters and their flawed logic through a flat narrating tone, and I love sprinkling characters' unreliable, subjective thoughts with nothing to distinct them from the rest of the text aside italics (I think it's much more immersive, adds to a "pov" lets the narrative evolve with the way characters think, and allows for a better flow of the text that ""(...)" he thought"). I love having a narrator with that subtle sass where the "insults" are indirect. When I write, I have several tabs open with thesauruses and dictionaries, not because I don't know the words I use (I make sure to keep my language authentic and to not overuse complex words just because - they all have a purpose, and 99,99% of the words I look up I already know), but because if I look up synonyms/translations then I have all the possible words in front of me and I can compare exactly how they look and sound (I'm heavily visual, ironically enough). I love pulling from more common Polish metaphors/sayings to form a more elaborate, non-obvious sentence/metaphor in English, and I love using translating as a tool to look for synonyms/replacements that maybe aren't an obvious alternative. I love writing scenes that feel genuine and real, and including the "ugly", human parts. I love writing flawed characters, I love describing their inner worlds, I love writing their streams of consciousness - I love turning them into real people (to the best of my abilities).

I love writing for the process. And it's funny, cause I don't exactly have that with art always. I'll be honest - I don't always love sketching and doodling. I do love watercolours. I'm sure it's honestly visible in how I paint, but playing with colours, layering, shading, shapes, undertones, etc is just my favourite thing in the world. But doodling by itself? Heavily depends, and a good portion of the time I just want to see the doodle ready, or to skip to watercolours, if I'm painting (although recently I've been getting better at just enjoying the process). But writing? Sure, sometimes I just want it over with, but the only reason why I'm able to go through all the drafts and countless edits is because just like with watercolours, I simply love the process of perfecting it, even if it gets frustrating.

TLDR I absolutely adore writing as an art form, holy shit it's literally so cool and language is even cooler and just

Writing<333

OH also btw I have since checked my document, and I misremembered - chapter 2 is 8k words--

[flabotanum]

Critical Role - Live Show - 25/10/2023

I wasn’t sure if I was going to make a post about this but here we are.

I still can’t really believe that I went to the CR live show.

(Somewhat personal) ramble under the cut:

I started watching Critical Role after the first season of the legend of vox machina came out.

I didn’t actually get that far into campaign one before tapping out, but then season 2 of tlovm was released and, after watching and loving it, I decided to give the campaign(s) another go.

This was earlier this year (around Jan/Feb - which is insane because it feels like CR has been a part of my life for so much longer than that), so it’s fair to say I’m a fairly new fan (at least in comparison to a lot of others).

But despite the daunting amount of content, I binged and managed to catch up (I watched all three campaigns as well as most of their other content in time to watch C3E64 live) and the show has become one of the greatest and most reliable sources of joy in my life (which I honestly did not expect but I am so thankful for).

I love this show. I love all three campaigns; all the different characters, the stories they’ve told, the journeys they’ve taken us on. I love this group of people, both on camera and off, who have done such an incredible thing with this show, that I truly did not understand the appeal of or effect of until I gave it a real chance.

Which brings me to the 25th of October. Just over a week before the date, I bought a resale ticket to the CR live show in wembley (for probably far too much money - but no regrets) on a bit of a whim.

It was in a location that worked for me, it was their first international live show, their first live show in so long, and it was at such an interesting and important time in the story for this whole main campaign universe. So everything was telling me to go for it despite never having done anything like this before (which is why I hadn’t even considered it when the tickets first came out).

And it was genuinely one of the best nights of my life. It still feels so surreal that I was there, and got to see them play live, and I got to feel the energy in that arena, because it was all absolutely incredible.

I don’t really know what the point of this post is; I just kinda wanted to get these thoughts and emotions out a little because I’m still thinking about it almost a week later. I am so grateful for this show, these people, these stories, these characters, everything. And I’m so glad I got to experience this at a point in my life when it really does mean so much to me.