#it makes a hilarious and incredibly distinctive sound

[mademoisellesarcasme]

truly there are few sounds more comical than that of a toddler walking in rain boots

[blocksgame]

Tips on character voices when writing fic

This is written in mind for people writing fic in MCYT/QSMP/DSMP/Life series/etc kind of fandoms. But if anyone finds it useful for anything else, well then, hell yeah.

Character voice is big in all, uh, fiction, and mimicking it in any fanwork is big. But I think it’s especially big in these fandoms where the voices are so distinct – it’s usually how a Real Person Somewhere (the streamer) talks, versus something very scripted that you’d see in a TV show or novel. And it can be a big difference in your character sounding generic versus really feeling true to the original.

Listen to a bunch of your subject talking. If you want to write a character well, watch vods from their point of view, or episodes where they show up a bunch. Take note of what they say and how.

2. If you don’t know how to start doing that: try literally writing down what they say. Transcribe an actual exchange in fic-format. You probably won’t want to publish a literal exchange from canon, but it will give you a sense of how to physically write what they say.

3. If you do this (or just pay attention to how they talk), you will get a lot of: Stumbling, pauses, repeating words, filler words, weird sentence constructions, fragments, etc. I love em! Here’s something that comes through in improv much more than in novels or movies: Most people, even very charismatic people, are not very eloquent when they speak. Writing out conversations or sentences will give you a sense of the unique and delightful way in which your subject is not eloquent. vvvvv way more under cut vvvvv

(People use a LOT of filler/etc when they speak. It’s reasonable to cut back on this if it’s interfering with a nice-looking or readable result. I believe this is the eternal struggle of people who write transcripts – you want the transcript to be accurate, but there are also a lot of things you can obviously simplify and not lose the meaning. So you’ll end up falling somewhere on this spectrum either way. But I do think a lot of mediocre/generic fic dialogue is very stylized – it doesn’t sound like your guy because your guy literally wouldn’t say that. They would say it worse and more confusingly.)

(I’m serious, if you’ve never sat down with a short non-completely-scripted clip or real conversation or whatever and just written out exactly what was said, do it. It will make you better at writing.)

4. Wonda-cat made a really incredible list [link] of characterizing speech patterns for the Dream SMP members. But you can also do your own reconnaissance and come up with your own patterns, common phrases, etc.

5. You do not have to get EVERYTHING right. You’re not going to, like, get so deep into the speaker’s brain that you can produce “exactly what they would have said if they were somehow in your fic.” That is impossible. You’re just trying to evoke a character, and if you get a few turns of phrase to ring true, you’re doing great.

6. A lot of these people are popular because they are hilarious. Include jokes. Yes, even if your thing is angsty or serious. A lot of the most serious lore I can think of from, e.g., the Dream SMP or 3rd Life or the QSMP - the really story-defining, life-and-death moments - were absolutely hysterical. If you’re writing characters who are usually funny, then add some humor. It can heighten angst via contrast and a sense of realism. Ask yourself what a funny streamer would make jokes about if they were possessing a character in this situation.

7. Some people have the mystical ability to “hear” character voices in their head, and read things in their voice. If you can, do this with all of your dialogue during the editing process. This won’t always get you there, but sometimes it can catch things that sound wrong by invoking "that's really hard to imagine them saying". If you don’t have this power, try recruiting a friend who does.

8. So there’s dialogue and then there’s narration that’s still from a character’s point of view. I’ve mostly given you tips about dialogue, but a lot of this is also true for narration. IMO, narration is less about phrasing things the way the subject would, and more about recreating the way they think. I don’t have concrete rules on how to do this, but here is my wisdom:

You can get eloquent again - narration is more of an abstract and artistic process than dialogue.

Spend time with your subject’s source material.

Pay attention to what they notice and care about. How do you think they think?

Don’t be afraid to get weird with it.

That last one also applies to all art ever.

9. MCYT tends to give you a great boon you don’t see in other media: what the speaker says to their chat/audience when nobody else is listening. This can be incredibly characterizing even if you’re writing a story where people don’t have chats. It’s your person talking about their thought processes and feelings! Mine that shit.

10. Some questions that might help guide both characterizing narration and dialogue (that you’d get from dialogue):

How open are they about their feelings?

How often do they lie? What do they lie about?

What kind of metaphors do they use, if any?

How quickly does their mood change?

How can you tell when they’re in different moods?

What kind of things do they pay attention to?

How formal is their speech?

11. Finally, this is a little odd, but I find it’s much, much easier to write a character that sounds good if I, the author, like them and am rooting for them at least a little bit. If a character needs to be there who you don’t love, try to love them. Or at least get a sense of what other people love about them. It just makes everything else easier. I swear to god.

Happy writing out there!

[farfromstrange]

Tupperware | Matt Murdock x Reader

Masterlist

Pairing: Matt Murdock x F!Reader

Summary: A conversation about kitchen supplies leads to something more...

Warnings: SMUT 18+ MINORS DNI, oral m!receiving, unprotected p in v (wrap it b4 you tap it), multiple orgasms, aftercare

Word Count: 6.7k (This is a literal Smut Beast)

A/n: Yeah, whatever you think the title means in context, I guarantee you, this is different. But also, maybe not. I found this in my drafts because it was originally planned as an FG One Shot, but I decided to just throw my plans off the board and turn it into a reader insert (I've written this a while back, but I reread and edited it). Funny story: I found this writing prompt and it reminded me of the accent I have and how I say Tupperware (and how everyone in my State says Tupperware, the German version ofc), and I found it funny because that is definitely something I did when I said it in English for the first time. Anyway, enjoy!

The couple sat on his couch, the lights of the Billboard growing more distinctive as the sun started to set. He was working on the paperwork that had piled up over the days while she was reading something on her laptop. The steady typing of her fingers synchronized with her steady breathing. He didn’t mind the sound of her working. He enjoyed the carelessness of it all. Just two people seeking the comfort of each other’s presence while doing two completely different things. It wasn’t weird, it was productive.

At some point, he reached for her leg that was poking his side and placed it in his lap. She smiled at the casual, domestic action. His fingers stroked her calves absentmindedly while his mind continued to occupy itself with the information on the case that reached in through his headphones.

He heard her laugh at something. He smiled as he asked, “What?��

“I was looking for some accessories for our kitchen,“ – his heart bloomed at the pronoun, – “And now Google is trying to sell me  Tubberware,” she stated. “I don’t even use Tubberware anymore.”

The headphone fell from his ear.

“What are you saying?” Matt asked.

His lip twitched, more in disbelief than amusement, but it was also weirdly adorable, the way the ‘b’s’ rolled from her tongue.

“Say it again,” he told her.

Her eyebrows crinkled. “Tubberware,” she said, remaining serious and clueless throughout.

“Say it again. Slow.”

“Tubberware.”

“Slow, very slow– actually, say the first syllable.”

Her frown deepened. “Tub,” she said confidently.

Matt bit his cheek. “Wrong.”

“What do you mean, wrong?”

“I thought I caught that. You’re saying tub. It’s P.”

He had to keep telling himself not to laugh, but it was so incredibly hard with the pout on her lips growing by the second.

She removed her leg from his lap and sat upright, laptop moving dangerously close to the edge of her thighs. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Tupperware,” he stated. “Tupper.”

Blood rushed to her cheeks. “It’s Tupperware?!”

He couldn’t hold it any longer. The laugh rolled off his lips like a serenading song. “It’s Tupperware, always has been, always will be,” he choked out.

The pout came back, stronger than before. A frustrated pout. This was entirely different from the confused and irritated one. “I thought it was tubberware because it kind of looks like a tub,” she muttered.

“Oh, baby,” he laughed.

“It looks like a tub,” she said.

“I know it does. I’m sorry.”

“Stop laughing at me, you dick!”

“I’m really sorry, sweetheart. It’s just… say it again. Please. For me.”

“So that you can make more fun of me?” she asked. “No thank you.”

“I’m not making fun of you, I promise. It just sounds so cute when you say it. Do it for me, please. I want to hear it again.”

She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of laughing too. She was supposed to be mad at him, but she somehow couldn’t because looking at it from this angle, she realized how stupid it was. Tubberware. It was hilarious, even.

“Tubberware,” she said again, trying to breathe through the fit of laughter bubbling in her throat.

Matt laughed. “Again,” he begged.

“Tubberware.”

“It’s so cute, I can’t-“ his voice cracked.

“I hate you!”

“I know you want to laugh,” he titled his head knowingly, “so laugh.”

“No,” she said.

“Please."

“Don’t tell me what to do,” but at this point, she was already laughing. The sound he loved so much grew louder by the second.

Her stomach hurt. His did, too.

“I’ve been saying it for years,” she said between breaths. “And no one’s ever told me. Oh, God!”

“I’m sorry,” said Matt. “I didn’t mean to… Tubberware.” He giggled. “It’s adorable.”

“Shut up!"

"I'm sorry, I'll stop." He wiped some more of his laughing tears.

Grateful for his attempt to compose himself, she nodded. "Okay,” she turned back toward her laptop, “While we’re already on the issue, do we need anything else?"

He threw his head back, thinking. “We could use some new spatulas,” he said. "And lunchboxes. Tupperware has some great choices, you should take a look."

Her laugh died into a smile. “You know I love you, right?”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“What I’m saying is, we’re not getting Tubberware.”

“Why not?” He cocked an eyebrow. “They’ve got great kitchen stuff and it’s easy to use. You know, for me as a blind man…”

“Matt Murdock, are you one of those Tubberware grandmas?” It was her turn to laugh.

He pouted. “Shut up.”

“Oh no, we need to talk about this.”

“No, I’ve got work to do. You should buy what I just said. We definitely need that.”

“Alright, let me see what Amazon has," she said.

“No, we'll get it from Tupperware," he retorted. "I've been using nothing else for years."

“That's not my problem. There are cheaper options. Amazon, same-day delivery.  Why do we have Prime if we don't use it? And don't say because of the Podcasts, we have Spotify, which is ten times better."

“Tupperware has better quality.”

“I'm buying the spatula and the lunchboxes from Amazon, end of discussion.”

There was a playful smile on his lips, already telling her what he was about to say next was merely a joke. “You’re not the man of the house,” Matt argued. “As the man of the house, I dictate where we buy our kitchen supplies.”

She gasped, her mouth hanging wide open as she processed his words. Even though it was a joke, she couldn't help but feel slightly offended at even the prospect. Shaking her head, she cocked her eyebrows at him and said, “And as the woman you depend on to suck your dick, I strongly suggest you think about what you just said.”

He bit his cheek. “Oh, so we’re going there?”

She smirked. “I thought you could handle it, tough guy.”

“Okay, that’s it!” He tossed the case file aside, tore the laptop from her hands, and pulled her into his lap in one swift motion.

Matt was always the first to suggest a gentle game of teasing, but he barely had any tolerance for it. He was always the first to get riled up, no matter what. Perhaps she should have thought twice about her words, but it was so much more fun to see him like this than give in too soon.

He rolled her hips down into his, his fingers sure to leave bruises as he guided her along his slacks. The moan she let out was guttural.

Matt bit down on her earlobe. “Mouth off on me again and this is all you’re gonna get for the next week,” he said.

Her thighs fluttered around his own. The heartbeat between her legs bounced off his muscles. The room suddenly grew too hot to breathe the toxic air in.

“On second thought,” she began, though when Matt’s lips wandered from her ear to her neck and down to her cleavage, the words got caught in her throat.

He ran his hands under her shirt. Her skin was hot. The rough callouses of his fingers pulled the fabric aside until it slipped off her shoulders.

“No bra,” he smirked. “Nice.”

She whined. “I really need to buy kitchen supplies now, Matt,” she tried again.

He sucked one of her nipples into his hot mouth. If they were hard due to the cold air in the apartment or because his touch sent her into overdrive she wasn’t sure, but once he was on her all she could think about was his stupid mouth on her tits.

Her nipple slipped off his tongue with a pornographic plop. “I want you to do as I say,” he said.

“You can't use your bedroom voice when we're talking about the apartment. Oh, fuck!”

He slapped his hand flat on her ass.

“You were saying?”

She wanted to wipe that shit-eating grin off his perfectly wet lips.

“Stop teasing me.”

Matt leaned back from the mess he made on her chest, eyelids fluttering innocently, hands rested on her hips again. “You said you needed to buy kitchen supplies,” he said.

And he was instantly back in his teasing mood, believing he finally got the upper hand.

“I lied,” she said.

“No, you didn’t. You really need to buy kitchen supplies.”

She huffed. “Fine, guess I’ll do it myself.”

He wanted to laugh.

Her shorts accompanied her shirt on the floor. Half naked, she plopped down next to him on the couch again.

Matt choked on nothing at all, her scent thick in the air. When her thighs moved, the sound it made was wet, hot, and sticky. He loved that sound. He loved it most when it was as close to his ears as possible, squished between those perfect thighs that made the sound unbearable.

She threw her head back, throat exposed. She sighed. Her fingers ran over her body, barely touching, only testing the waters. All hairs on her body stood at full attention, the ache between her thighs thudding so hard to the point where she could hear nothing but blood in her ears. Her heart sped up, half because of embarrassment, the other half because of excitement. She wasn’t sure what was stronger. They’d never done anything like this before and she doubted he’d even let her. Up until this point he hadn’t done anything but listen closely though, fists clenched around the soft fabric of his slacks close to his crotch.

Her fingers ghosted over the waistband of her panties. Black silk. He liked the feeling of lace on her, but after some time it began to tickle and he hated the way it itched at his skin, so she barely wore lace anymore. He had his hands on her at all times, she had to adapt.

Matt’s hand shot out instantly. Her fingers barely breached her panties and he already had enough. “Don’t you dare,” he said.

“Why?” she challenged. Her voice was nothing but a series of breaths.

“Because it’s mine.”

“If you won’t touch me-“

He shoved his fingers down her underwear.

“Fuck!” Her head fell even further down the armrest.

“You were saying?”

“I’m sorry. Keep going.”

“Why?” his thumb stopped over her clit. “Why should I give you anything?”

“Because I will buy or- or do anything you want from now on, I promise!”

“Watch your tone, sweetheart,” he bellowed.

“Please,” she squirmed, searching for any kind of friction. His hand kept her hips restrained without even trying, any move grazing her just enough to make her body jolt, but not nearly enough to be pleasurable.

“Hm,” he hummed.

“Please?”

“Okay,” and he pressed his thumb down so hard, she swore she saw stars dance around her clouded vision.

She moaned just the way he liked it. “Fuck.”

“Will you keep quiet?” Matt resumed his work. Even though his pants were painfully tight, he acted like nothing had happened. “I need to finish this paperwork,” he told her. “I won’t ignore my responsibilities just because someone decided to be a needy whore today. So if you want to cum, you better stay quiet so I can concentrate.”

His thumb worked its way up and down her clit, circled, and drew patterns she’d never seen before. She bit into her bottom lip until it drew blood.

He knew her body better than anyone else, better than herself even. He knew what she liked, what made her squirm, what she didn’t like, and what could make her body shake instantly.

Her body was an altar. He had every last inch mapped out to perfection. Her skin was soft like a sunny day in spring and it smelled salty like the sea, sweet like the field of flowers in Central Park, and distinctive like summer rain. Every time he touched her, he was on fire. The temperature in her body changed with every flick of his fingers. Every hitch of her breath he caught onto. She didn’t even have to tell him to keep going, he simply knew.

Matt worshipped her body like he would kneel on the bench at church. She was a row of burning candles before the cross and he knelt before her like a pathetic disciple willing to do anything to please the divine being.

Her stifled moans through the palm of her hand drove him crazy. Usually, he was a lot more composed than that, but it was late, he was overworked and he was horny, and he couldn’t concentrate with the wetness of her arousal lying thick in the air. He licked his lips to taste it. He tasted the air like a starved man.

Matt growled. “Fuck this,” he said.

She protested silently when he retreated his thumb. She sat up against the armrest, staring at him. His hair stood in all directions from the hand he ran through it, his lips plump, seeking friction.

“Come here.” He grabbed her hips and placed her back on his lap, legs on either side of his thigh. “I need you close to me,” he breathed into her mouth as they met halfway. “Ride my thigh.”

She swallowed. “What?”

“Ride my thigh. Be a good girl and ride my thigh. You want to make yourself cum, hm? I’m giving you an opportunity here, unless, of course, you’re too pathetic to do it yourself. Do you need me to help you, hm?”

She swallowed again. “Please,” she said.

His hands gently began to roll her hips against him. “Like that?” he asked.

The moan she let out was answer enough.

“Feel good?”

She bit into her lip, nodding wildly.

“Use your words,” he said. “Don’t hold back.”

Her head fell on his shoulder, hand seeking something to hold onto behind him at the back of the couch.

The silence earned her another hard slap on her ass.

“Answer me.”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Feels good. Keep going, please.”

Matt smirked. “Good girl.”

The leather was dented under her fingers. She held onto the couch for dear life. His hands guided her hips deliciously over his thigh, the fabric of his slacks mixed with the silk of her underwear sliding against her sensitive clit over and over again driving her closer and closer to the end.

She saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Her eyes rolled back. The pressure in her lower abdomen began to build slowly but steadily. She involuntarily sped up, sloppily fighting against the slow pace he’d set. He would’ve stopped her if he hadn’t been so riled up already, so he let her. He let her chase for the sweet relief the knot in her stomach prepared her for.

“Matt,” she whined his name.

One of his hands began to stroke her back. “I know,” he said. “I know, baby.”

Her thighs twitched around his, her entire body shaking underneath his touch. It was all too much. His rough hands on her hot skin, his fingers digging in sure to leave bruises, and the gentle coax of his hand on her back, stroking innocently to help her through it. His touch was too much to bear.

Matt instantly reached out when she threw her head back. The moan sounded delicious in his ears. He caught her head with his hand around the back of her neck, making sure she wouldn’t fall over and hurt herself. She clenched around nothing, thighs threatening to close but his own kept them open.

A tear slipped down her cheek. She wasn’t crying, not at all. The tear came from a place of pure pleasure. Her body couldn’t handle it. The sensations he put her through left her speechless every time he touched her. She couldn’t breathe. Her throat was dry.

His thumb drew circles on the back of her neck. He brought her back to earth after it just shattered before her very eyes.

“Fuck,” she choked out.

Matt guided her back into his chest and she took the support gladly. His heart beat against her bare breasts. The bulge in his pants became painfully clear once she regained feeling in her limbs. It brushed her thighs where it lay between his own.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded, playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck.

“That was…” she couldn’t find the right words.

“I know.”

She didn’t quite trust her legs when she twisted to swing the one between his thighs over the other one. She kept her hands on his shoulders to straddle him without falling over.

Matt tilted his head, eyes searching for hers. “What’re you doing?” he asked hoarsely.

“Looks like you need some help,” she stated. She played with his belt buckle.

“It’s fine. You know I don’t need anything in return for making you feel good.”

“I know, but I want to. That looks painful.”

In one swift motion, she pulled the belt out of his slacks and tossed it aside.

Matt chuckled at her eagerness. “You are insatiable, you know that?” he dove in to kiss whatever bare skin he could reach.

His lips sloppily kissed down her neck and up again, chasing her lips. She kissed him back as hard as she could. Their teeth clashed, tongues fighting each other for dominance, knowing he’d win anyway. He swallowed every breath she took, sucking her dry and breathing new life back into her mouth.

She opened the button on his pants, trying hard to pull it down enough to get his aching cock out of them.

He caught onto her plan. Shifting his hips, she managed to reach into his boxers.

“Wait,” he said.

“What?” she blinked at him.

Matt reached for the hem of her panties. His fingers flexed.

Rip.

She gasped. The silk fell to the floor in nothing but flaps of fabric.

“I’ll buy you new ones.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.

“Fine.” In response, the buttons of his dress shirt flew in all directions. She ran her hands down his chest, satisfied with the ripped front of the shirt hanging loosely off his shoulders.

He chuckled. “That’s fair.”

She kissed down every exposed sliver of skin on his torso. Her tongue ran over the jagged scars, the freshly healed bruises from a couple of nights ago. He was beautiful. With the billboard casting a pornographic red light on them, eyes closed, he looked like the child of an angel and a demon. His entire existence was ephemeral, his body a wonderland.

She sucked one of his perky nipples into her mouth. He arched almost entirely off the couch.

“I love you,” she breathed against him.

She liked the way the words sounded. For someone so afraid of admitting her feelings not so long ago, she’d come quite far. It had become her new favorite thing to say. Though the true weight of the statement came in the moments they were intimate. She could chant the same three words to him all day, but the second they were close to each other, touching where only they could touch, those three words regained their true meaning. It was sweet, almost innocent. The kind of love everyone wished for. An endless spiral of butterflies danced around in their stomachs.

Matt chuckled. The very same sound turned into a moan once her teeth dug into the flesh around his nipples.

“I’m worshipping you now,” she told him. Her kisses traveled down his body.

Her warmth on his chest disappeared. Instead, the hot trail of kissed lead to the opened button of his slacks. Her tongue played with his belly button, the happy trail leading into Neverland.

She kissed each scar on either side. “Perfect,” she hummed. “I don’t deserve you and yet you’re mine. This is mine. Only mine. No one else’s.”

“I’m yours.”

“Mine,” she kissed the lower part of his stomach. “Mine,” her lips landed on the hem of his boxers. “Mine,” it was an animalistic growl. She pulled down his underwear swiftly.

Matt didn’t have time to comprehend what was happening. He was so in awe of the way she touched and spoke of his body, he listened to her for the sake of having her praise him over and over again. The words carried innocence in their sinful ways.

He choked on air. His scars long forgotten, her mouth opened around its original destination.

“Lord have mercy!” he grabbed a fistful of hair.

Her tongue licked a thick stripe down his shaft.

Matt was a religious man. He prayed regularly and went to church and Sunday Mass. He swore never to take God anywhere other than he needed to be, but that woman and her cursed mouth made him see God in the fiery land of his unseeing vision. What they were doing was outright sinful. He knew he’d go to hell for saying the lord’s name in vain. He’d go to hell for everything he’d ever done and yet, while that was the truth, he didn’t care because, at that moment, he was living. He was alive. He’d gotten used to the thought of going to hell, seeking penance almost every day since. With her though, something had awakened inside of him. He couldn’t let it go. The Devil inside of him wanted to play.

Her mouth danced perfectly to the gospel of his moans, he forgot who he was. He tried hard not to push her head further down his cock, although the warmth of her throat sent him into pleasurable overdrive.

The cold air hit the head, falling from her lips like a wet towel. “It’s okay,” she said. “Take what you need.”

It was all the confirmation he needed.

His hips bucked up into her throat. She had laid off the gag reflex the first time she had his cock in her mouth, knowing the act alone could turn her on for more than one day. She could cum from simply touching him, hearing the dirty sounds slip past his swollen lips, and she’d be more than okay with it. The sounds he made were heaven’s gift to her, she was sure.

His cock twitched against her throat. She braced herself, eyes already closed. 

“Stop,” he choked out.

She instantly sat back on her heels, naked and worked up.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

“No, not at all.  I just… I need you.”

His chest heaved with the denied orgasm. The one he had denied himself. Anticipation rutted through his veins.

She swallowed the precum mixed with spit inside her hollowed-out mouth. The skin tingled. “You want me to-“ she pointed to his lap.

Matt sensed the motion. “If you want to,” he said. “But you can lay back and let me do all the work if that’s what you want. Just tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.”

Her thighs trapped his. She’d never been so comfortable doing that before. She was completely naked on top of him while he sat there, half-dressed, eyes searching for what he couldn’t see. Blood rushed to her cheeks. The position was compromising.

He pulled the hair from her face. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“Yes,” she nodded. “I don’t know what I’m doing but yeah, I’m sure.”

“You don’t have to. I’ve got you.” He pressed his lips to her collarbone. “Mine,” he licked a stripe up her pulse point. “Mine,” the spank landed right on her ass. The next touch of his fingers made her shudder. Her cheeks flooded red with blood. “And mine,” he parted his fingers between her thighs to spread the lips of her pussy wide open.

Part of her wanted to scramble away. He couldn’t see but he could feel everything. It was just about the same as having him watch every inch of her body closely. Every last crevice he wanted to memorize. She wasn’t sure what to think. Her brain refused to function. She was entirely bare to him.

“Matt,” she said his name.

“You’re beautiful. Nothing to be ashamed of.” He kissed her again. Passionate, loving. “Remember our safe word?”

“Hmm.”

“Tell me.”

“Red.”

He flicked the switch. “Okay, good girl,” the dark sound of his voice made all the embarrassment vanish. Instead, heat shot through her core. “Good girl, having your good little cunt spread for me. Just want to look at you the way I can. Want to see what’s mine. Want to feel how wet you are from riding my thigh. Oh, look at you!” he smirked. “This is turning you on, isn’t it? Your heart’s going crazy and you’re literally dripping.  You’re making such a mess on my good pants. You want to make a mess on my cock now too, don’t you? You want to be my good little slut and ride my cock?”

She only whined.

His hand slapped across her ass harder this time. The collision stung. “Use your words,” he demanded. “Use your words or I’m leaving you like this.”

“I’m sorry,” her voice came out sobbing. “I’m sorry. I want you inside of me. I want to be your good girl, I promise.”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Yes, please! Please fuck me, Matthew. I’ll do anything. Please!”

“Don’t cry.” He wiped her cheeks. “I know I’m good, but no need to cry. You’ll get what you want. Want to make you feel good, hm. You deserve it for always being so patient.”

“Yes, I’ve been patient. I’ve been good. So good.”

He laughed. “You’re already so dumb for me, baby. You sure you can take this?”

“Yes!”

“What’s your color?” The always caring Matt Murdock peaked out from under the dark, sex-crazed facade only she got to see.

She shuddered. “I-“ words came harder than they should have.

His head titled. Worry spread across his face, ready to take back whatever he said.

“Green,” she eventually managed to say.

She only wanted the ache between her thighs to be numbed. She wanted him so incredibly deep inside of her, she could feel him bulge her stomach, everywhere he could be inside of her.

Matt smirked, and it only grew darker from there.

“Good girl,” he praised again.

She slapped her hand on her mouth. He bottomed out quickly, without warning. He penetrated her without thinking twice about it, burying himself so deep inside of her, he could feel her walls contracting around him with every inch. She sucked him in and she screamed. She was sure she screamed. Her hand was the only thing keeping the neighbors from knocking on their door. His name slipped from her lips like a prayer, like she was singing his name in church and the word echoed off the walls for everyone to hear. Except no one was supposed to hear this. It was just them. This was their safe space. They could be however they wanted to be like this, and only then they could touch each other so sweetly when the world wasn’t watching them and they didn’t have to worry about anything other than themselves.

The sound was new, even for Matt. He too was sure he let out the nastiest sound known to man, but unlike her, he had no intention of masking it. He bottomed out and he chose to stay like this for just a little while longer, waiting for her muscles to relax, waiting for her to enjoy this.

The impatient roll of her hips eased his worries.

“Okay?” he asked quietly.

She breathed through her nose, “Okay.”

“Then ride me.”

And she did.

She started with a slow pace, taking her time to adjust to his size. Every inch of her felt perfectly filled out. He managed to reach parts of her she never could’ve found on her own. He had this way with her body, it was like a high that never ended, the endless train on the river of sugar rush.

Her eyes trailed up his body. Head tilted back, his eyes fluttered with every thrust of her hips. One arm flexed with the pressure he applied to the leather seat, the other was placed softly against the flesh of her hips. He made sure she knew he was there if she needed him to take control, though, at the same time, the move seemed almost domineering, leaving her no choice but to do as he wanted. She was completely at his mercy. Even the slightest touch made her cave. He knew it and she knew it.

If he’d told her to drive to hell with him, she would have.

The slow and steady pace felt like heaven to him. Her hips drew patterns to chase that spot so very deep inside of her, only he could reach it. The swirl was delicious around his cock, the hot, soft flesh of her insides rolling against him, up and down and up and down. He listened to her heartbeat, strangled breathing, and the goosebumps on her skin. Moan after moan escaped her lips, growing louder and louder until she couldn’t hold it anymore. He filtered out every hint of discomfort or frustration. What she liked, what she continued doing, and what just didn’t seem to work. She explored herself without even realizing and it turned him on even more. He could’ve sworn he felt himself getting harder inside of her if that was humanly possible.

His ears only picked up on rushing blood and labored breaths. There was nothing else but the feeling of her body, the scent of sweat, and bittersweet arousal on his lips and tongue. He was entirely enveloped in her. Everything was about her. Her body, her wetness, her heart. The heart between her legs, loud and dominant.

She whimpered at the sight before her. Matt Murdock in all his glory, half naked with his shirt ripped at her fingers, fabric, and skin clutched between her nails. Sweat coated his forehead, mouth slightly agape. His lashes fluttered around his unseeing eyes. She didn’t even have to move. If she wanted to, the sight would’ve been enough to make her come undone in a matter of seconds. He was so comfortable in her presence, his shoulders slouched in absolute relaxation as her movement urged him closer to his own release.

The next time her hips rolled down into his, he met her movements. His hips jerked up with a purpose. That purpose lay deep inside of her and he knew where it was. The thrust from underneath made her cry out. The spongy spot inside of her danced with euphoria as the head of his cock brushed against it.

He chuckled breathlessly. “There it is,” his head stayed hung over the back of the couch.

She braced herself. The new wave of pleasure only spurred her on. The way he dove impossibly deeper into her with every brush against that sweet spot had him reeling, gripping the leather for any kind of support. She followed close behind, her hips beginning to move as if her life depended on it. With every thrust, she sped up. Although her legs slowly grew tired, all she could feel was the tingling knot deep in her stomach blossoming into a beautiful flower and waiting to blow.

The hand that had once laid around her waist landed around her throat instead. The leather wasn’t nearly enough to keep him composed if that was even possible.

Hell’s Kitchen always haunted him. Noise and smell followed him home, and the sound of innocent people getting hurt kept him from falling asleep most of the time. He couldn’t tune it out. The city was a part of him. Even asleep, he dreamed of all the bad that was out there and all the things he’d done in his life, the things that lead him there, the people he’d hurt. The city never slept and neither did he, not really.

Though with her, for the first time, he was able to breathe. She overwhelmed his senses to the point it almost became unbearable. Her touch singed his skin yet calmed his mind down to the point he could tune out everything else and just focus entirely on the woman atop him. Sight was overrated. He didn’t need to see to know the way she moved was graceful in itself. Everything she did, she did with passion. The rolls of her hips were angelic. With her head thrown back, sweat and tear all over her face, she was the most beautiful person he’d ever come across. He could feel every inch of her, smell her, taste her. The whole wide city disappeared in the wake of her existence.

She was his salvation. He was drowning.

“Matt,” she sighed. His name rolled sweetly over her lips like she was singing him to sleep.

He squeezed his fingers around her pulse point. The pressure caged her in, sending moons across the stars in her galaxy. She reached for his wrist, not sure if she wanted to keep him or push him away. The tingling traveled from her stomach into every last crevice of her being.

He twitched inside of her. His muscles tensed. She rolled against him again, chest to chest. Hard nipples brushed against each other.

She dove in for a taste. Sweat had nestled into his stubble. Air was overrated. She kissed him until her lungs had nothing left to give. Until there was no other way but to swim back to shore to take a deep breath.

They’d fucked before. They had sex before. They’d done a lot of things. Whatever this was though, it counted as neither. Time was of the essence. Not too little, not too much. Just the right amount of time, simply savoring each other, getting to know each other as much as humanly possible in the most intimate sense. Subconsciously, they’d both been carrying way too much pressure. It showed in the way they craved each other. Starving animals in the middle of the desert preying for sustenance.

She scratched her nails through the hairs on his chin, leaving red marks down his throat. He groaned ever so softly into the depths of her mouth.

“I love you,” she said. His name came in serial moans. She breathed hard, heavy. Lost all sense of space and time, as if she couldn’t even believe it herself.

Matt tasted the salt on his tongue, wet strains of tears carried from her drenched cheeks to his. She was crying, whining, begging, and as lovely as it was to hold her like this, the words were the last straw to destroy his composure completely.

“I love you.”

He flipped her over like she was a doll, easily handled, thighs opened to grant him the space he needed to get between them. All the while his hand remained on its throne around her throat.

She moaned. The red lights of the billboard shone at him from behind, fading into hues of purple and blue with each thrust. His hips brushed against her clit every time he dove forward, hard and relentless, deeper and deeper. She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe. The lights became a distant memory. Nothing mattered but the hot pressure inside her lower abdomen, his weight on her, the twitch of his cock against the spot inside of her at the same time he brushed the spot outside of her and all eventually just became too much.

“Sweetheart, look at me,” he demanded. “Look at me!”

She forced her eyes open. He loved it when she looked at him, vulnerable, exposed. And though she tried hard to obey, his pace made it almost impossible to keep her eyes open long enough. Not much longer and the only was about to snap.

“Who do you belong to? Who’s making you feel good?”

“You,” she gave him the answer he wanted. “Always you.”

“That’s right, sweetheart. Me, only me. You’re-“ he thrust his hips forward, “Mine. Mine.” he dug his teeth into her shoulder.

She sobbed. It was too much. Too good, too much. Her entire body was on fire.

“Matt, please.”

Waiting for permission, anything.

Fingers intertwined above her head on the armrest. She clawed onto him. His hand traveled down between their bodies, catching her clit just right between his fingers. Just a little more. Circles and triangles and more circles.

“All of this is mine, understood?” his face buried in the valve of her breasts. “I’m so in love with you,” he said. “So fucking in love with you.”

The Billboard outside exploded in fits of color. The coil snapped. She gave up the little control she had left, clinging onto him, shocks of pleasure wreaking havoc. Her pussy clenched around him. It was tight, so tight, and she kept him there until she could milk all he had to give her.

Matt stiffened. His mouth stayed open in a silent moan. Sound only came back to him once he came, hard. All the pressure from the week before unloaded and he fell on top of her, moaning, panting. His body vibrated with the aftershocks. The heat inside of her walls sucked him in until every last drop was spent, dripping along his softening shaft, out of her. 

The world stood still.

“I love you,” the admission blew hot against her sternum. Her hands raked through his hair, holding him.

She sighed blissfully. “I know.”

“I love you.”

“I know.”

Matt was a sensitive person after sex. During, he took control. He hardly left her any time to breathe or think. After though, the world came crashing back in, his senses so overwhelmed by everything, he just needed someone to ground him. His mind wasn’t back yet, ears rushing with blood and every nerve in his body straining. The only thing keeping him sane was the beating of her heart against his ear.

Not sure if she could trust her legs just yet, she gently rolled them over. “Come on,” she whispered. “I’ll clean us up.”

He lay there, eyes directed at the ceiling. Her warmth disappeared only to be replaced by a lukewarm washcloth on his stomach.

She helped him out of his pants. The cold air of the apartment eased the burning.

He had regained most of his consciousness by the time she laid back on top of him. The sofa wasn’t spacious and for the first time, he was glad there was no space for her to move anywhere but his bare chest. The skin-to-skin contact made the sudden awareness less unbearable. He needed to focus on the feeling of her. He needed to remember what it felt like to breathe.

She traced patterns on his skin. Eventually, she asked, “You okay?”

“Thank you,” he said.

“You know, I love you too. More than anything.”

“I know.”

“I’m in love with you,” she looked up at him. “I don’t just love you, I’m in it. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He couldn’t help it. “Oh,” the tears flowed freely.

“Hey-“

Matt choked out a laugh. “You’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said. "And I don't even know why I'm crying because I'm not sad, I'm happy."

Her eyes softened. She touched his cheek gently. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, kissing her palm, down to her wrist, and back up.

“I was thinking,” she broke the silence.

“Dangerous,” he muttered.

“Hey!” she slapped him only slightly, but it was enough to make him groan.

“I was thinking,” she began again. “How about, you and I,” her fingers traveled down his exposed chest, “take the day off tomorrow, stay in,” she kissed his throat, “and have absolutely filthy sex everywhere in this apartment until I can’t walk anymore.”

He moaned. “That won’t be so hard,” he said.

Needless to say, he didn’t buy any kitchen supplies that day, the day after that, or the day after that. Truth be told, she never got the chance to buy them.

“We can start today.”

The second they stepped into the shower, her chest was pressed to the cold tiles as he took her from behind.

Even if she’d wanted to, the throbbing between her legs the next morning made shopping for something as useless as kitchen supplies an impossibility. And as she sat on the kitchen counter in the morning, back arched with his head buried deep between her thighs, she realized she wouldn’t regain feeling in her limbs anytime soon.

[nahoney22]

hey, honey! congratulations on 3000! you deserve it and so much more for your incredible work. could i possibly request fox with gn!reader and the prompt “why are you really here? to mock me? to... make me hate you more?” “no. none of that. i came to be a friend, because it really looks like you need one right now.” ? thank you, and i love you 3000 (lmao i think i'm hilarious)

3000 Prompt List Celebration

Commander Fox X GN!Reader

word count: 1.8k

SFW

Prompt:

“Why are you really here? To mock me? To make me hate you more?” • “No, none of that I came to be a friend, because it really looks like you need one right now.”

warnings: Gender Neutral reader, platonic or romantic relationship reader can decide. Slight angst. Reader stressed with Job and Fox being a difficult man but redeems himself.

authors note: so sorry for the wait. Enjoy. Love you 3000 💕

Working for the Coruscant Guard had been a dream come true for you personally, but the reality of the job proved far more grueling than expected. The constant barrage of files and responsibilities heaped upon your shoulders was enough to exhaust even the most resilient individuals.

Though despite the demanding workload, there were silver linings.

You managed to form friendships with some of the Corrie guards during your shifts. Surprisingly to you, they managed to keep their tempers in check, resisting the urge to smack a certain Supreme Chancellor who often pushed their limits.

And during the rare moments of respite when the workload lightened, you quite enjoyed your time being stuck in an office with a bunch of rowdy clones. Which is quite funny seeing as they’re meant to be the strictest of the lot.

However, such peaceful and carefree moments were interrupted by a certain Commander. When he entered the room it felt like life was sucked out of it.

For reasons unbeknownst to you, Commander Fox seemed determined to keep a watchful eye on your every move. He persisted in requesting double-checks of your work, even when you were confident of its accuracy. It felt as though he was intentionally trying to catch you off guard and embarrass you.

Nonetheless, you refused to fall to his tactics.

Inevitably, a day arrived when the mounting pressure became too much, and Commander Fox seemed to have the upper hand. Weariness weighed heavily upon you as you mustered the energy to address him once more. "Commander, I assure you, everything has been thoroughly checked and is accurate," you stated with a hint of frustration and a suppressed yawn. The lack of sleep over the past week was taking its toll on you.

Fox's piercing gaze intensified behind his visor as he swiped his finger slowly through the files, creating an almost agonising atmosphere. A nervous knot now formed in your stomach, sensing that something was wrong with doubt beginning to gnaw at you.

"I... I believe so," you replied, attempting to sound confident, but your wavering voice betrayed your uncertainty. The room that was once filled with silent chatter fell into a now hushed silence as the clones you worked alongside subtly tuned in.

Fox's chuckle, laced with a hint of mockery, only added to your growing unease. He seemed to relish the moment as he posed the pivotal question, "Then please tell me the date you had added to all these files?"

You took a steadying breath, trying to maintain composure. "Today's date," you answered firmly, as it was the truth.

Though you couldn't see his expression hidden behind the distinctive red helmet, you had a gut feeling that he was smirking. He handed the files back to you, and for a moment, he said nothing. The silence in the room was palpable, and everyone's attention was fixated on the exchange.

Then, in a commanding voice that reverberated through the room, Fox broke the silence. "Perhaps you should now triple-check the work you submit."

The weight of his words hung heavily in the air. You fought to remain composed, but beneath the façade, your nerves were fraying. Fox walked away, hands clasped behind his back and you could sense the watchful eyes of your fellow clones.

As soon as you realised your mistake, a sinking feeling washed over you, and frustration mixed with embarrassment began to build inside. All those files, painstakingly worked on, were now marred by a glaring error of you signing the wrong date. You couldn’t help but feel defeated.

The mounting tension in the room weighed heavily on everyone present as you finally snapped, unable to hold back your emotions any longer. "Do you have a problem with me?"

Gasps and sputtering sounds of someone spitting their caf everywhere echoed throughout the room as the unexpected outburst startled your colleagues. Their eyes darted between you and Commander Fox, unsure of how the situation would unfold. Fox, though surprised by the confrontation, halted in his tracks.

He turned around to face you, and you met his gaze through his visor with a glare that could pierce beskar. The tension grew even thicker, but to your surprise, Fox's response was not the belittling or combative reaction you had anticipated.

"Do your job properly, and then we won't have a problem," he retorted sternly, maintaining his composure. His words cut deep, but they were not entirely unjustified. You knew that he had high expectations for the members of the Coruscant Guard, and your error had obviously fallen short of those standards.

His next words, however, were what stung the most. "I expect you to stay here after your shift and correct all 700 reports you did wrong." And with that, he left.

You were in for a long night.

As your weary eyes struggled to remain open, you lost count of the files and reports you corrected during the hours that stretched far beyond the end of your shift. The weight of exhaustion bore down on you, and despite your best efforts to stay awake, sleep finally overpowered you. Your head fell onto your arms, the makeshift pillow offering a moment of rest.

You had no idea how long you had dozed off but the rustling sound nearby gradually pulled you back to consciousness.

Blinking your eyes open, you were met with the sight of a pair of gloved hands adorned with red armor along the arm. A very familiar colour. It took a moment for your drowsy mind to register who was sitting beside you, but when recognition struck, it felt like someone shot a cannonball to your head.

"W-what are you doing here?" you stammered, quickly sitting up and attempting to arrange the scattered files neatly, hoping to convey that you had not just been sleeping on the job. Yet, glancing at the time on one of the control panels, you realised with a sinking feeling that you had managed to nap for at least an hour.

The figure beside you, none other than Fox himself, remained impassive behind his helmet, his expression unreadable to you. He had caught you at a vulnerable moment, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of embarrassment.

Before you could utter any further explanation or apologise for your unintentional nap, Fox finally spoke in his usual stern tone. "I came to see your progress," he said simply, giving no indication of whether he was displeased or approving of what he had observed.

You straighten your posture, trying to shake off the residual fatigue and regain your composure. "I've been working to correct the mistakes.” You attempt to inform him but he says nothing.

As you both continued working in an oddly comfortable silence, the initial shock of finding Commander Fox assisting you in correcting the files lingered in the back of your mind. He seemed entirely engrossed in the task at hand, efficiently working through the documents you had messed up, and you couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't woken you. Moreover, the sight of the multiple cups of caf nearby suggested that he had been there for quite some time.

After a few minutes passed, your curiosity got the better of you, and you mustered the courage to break the silence. "Why are you really here? To mock me? To make me… hate you more?"

Fox paused momentarily, sitting up straight and finally turning his head to look at you. The visor of his helmet was still impassive, but there was a sense of sincerity in his response that caught you off guard. "I'm here because I really enjoy filling out files," he said flatly.

Though, he actually was offering a hint of humor, it didn't seem to elicit the response he might have hoped for.

He sighed, and for a brief moment, you wished you could see his face to gauge his expression better. "No, none of that. I came to be a friend, because it really looks like you need one right now," he admitted candidly.

The unexpected exchange between you and Commander Fox revealed a side of him that you hadn't anticipated. While you initially wanted to dismiss his offer of friendship, you couldn't deny that his actions spoke louder than his strict demeanor. He had shown a level of kindness and consideration you hadn't seen before, and it made you reassess your perceptions of him.

"I was not aware that you hated me. This kind of information should be passed on so we can move you to an environment you are more comfortable in," he mentioned, sounding genuinely surprised. You realized that perhaps you had been too quick to assume hostility in his actions without fully understanding his intentions.

"Okay, maybe hate wasn't the right word to use, Commander, but I just always feel like you're harder on me than others," you admitted, acknowledging that your feelings might have influenced your perception of him.

Fox turned to face you fully, and the swiveling chair made a soft sound as he did so. "Naturally, I have to be strict with beginners. It’s how I was treated when I first started out. However, I can now see that the workload has had an impact on your sleep," he explained, offering an understanding perspective.

You felt a bit embarrassed by your moment of vulnerability but appreciated his attempt at openness. "I'm so sorry for falling asleep," you apologised, still feeling a sense of responsibility for your earlier mistake.

He waved away your apology, putting you at ease. "No need. I would have woken you if someone of high importance was to enter. Also, don't think I haven't nodded off once or twice while working," he admitted with a hint of humor, surprising you with his forthrightness.

Your smile grew, and you felt an actual change between you both. "Really? Ever got caught?" you inquired.

"Of course not," he chuckled, his amusement infectious. He then tapped his helmet lightly, explaining, "That's why I wear this. It scares some of the shinies when they show up here, though. They just think I'm glaring at them nonstop when I'm actually catching up on some lost sleep."

You chuckled at the image, realising that even the seemingly unyielding Commander Fox had his moments of vulnerability. "You don't sleep much?" you asked, looking back at the multiple cups of caf by his side.

"Can't you tell?"

The two of you continued with this surprisingly good small talk and it comes to no surprise to you that some of his brothers had offloaded their work unbeknownst to you onto you.

You could definitely feel the tension between you both fade as you continued in through the night and you couldn’t help but feel like a bond was formed when he gently pushed a cup of caf in your direction.

Masterlist

Prompt Works

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[ordinaryschmuck]

So, I finally watched Hazbin Hotel...

Weird, given how I talked about it a bunch. Heck, one of my top rated posts at the moment is my interpretation regarding the fear in Alastor's eyes during his breakdown. But despite having opinions on Hazbin Hotel, I've never really checked the show out, especially as it was coming out. I was kind of waiting for all episodes to get released so I could binge it all in one sitting, but I kept pushing that off until TODAY, and...I have thoughts.

Pros:

Love the animation of the show. Every praise I could give animation is present, with each character being incredibly expressive, their movements fluid, and the animators know when to be stiff for comedic scenes and giving their all for the big musical numbers or action.

I also love the way these characters look. I hear people complain about how overdesigned everything is, and that's valid. I would NOT want to animate this show due to every detail that I'd have to keep track of. But...if we can still praise Spider-Verse despite the animators being under torturous conditions as they make every frame a work of art, we can give the animators the same pat on the back here for making this show look as good as it is. Besides, a few years ago we had people complaining how every western cartoon looks the same. Now we have a show that's the most visually distinct than a lot of animated series coming out today and now we're complaining about that? I'm a man who admires effort more than anything, and while I agree that simpler is better with televised animation, I'm still proud that the animators pulled through in this.

The songs are all great, with personal favorites being "Loser, Baby," "Hell's Greatest Dad," "Stayed Gone," "Hell is Forever," and "You Didn't Know." The weakest one is probably "Whatever it Takes," but it's not really BAD, not me. Just not as strong as the others. I dug this soundtrack and it was the main thing that suck me into this show.

Charlie, as a protagonist, is pretty strong. I love the irony of the daughter of Hell is the nicest person in existence and her frustrations in making the Hazbin Hotel a success a delight because you WANT her to succeed as much as everyone else does. Plus, where most adult comedies make their protagonists cynical a-holes, it's a nice change of pace to have a hopeful one that apologizes as she's fighting people. Love it.

Angel Dust is easy to root for. What he goes through with Valentino is...something that someone like me can't fully grasp and understand, let alone judge. But I personally feel like it does the job to show the tragedy that this character goes through and allows you to root for him to get better.

And I like that Husk is right there to support Angel Dust, being a sort of conscience to protect him despite how much Angel gets on Husk's nerves. I also dig that they grow closer together, treating each other with mutual respect and admiration. It's sweet and I hope things turn out well for these two. Plus, he's voiced by Kieth David. The man can't do wrong.

Nifty is the funniest character in the show, and I will hear no disagreements about it.

Sir Pentious is a lovable loser who's the second funniest character. He reminds me of Papyrus from Undertale, trying so hard to prove that he's strong and powerful only to hilariously fail at every turn. You really root for the guy to get better and feel grateful that he finds happiness in a way I'm not sure anyone could have expected.

Rosie only appeared in one episode, and she's already my favorite. The gal's chipper and supportive towards Charlie, to the point where I completely forgot that she was a cannibal overlord who killed her partner to take full control of the business. Again, I love the irony of characters like this.

Lucifer was more fun than expected. I thought he'd be Mr. Serious, but he's just as bombastic and fun-loving as Charlie and Jeremy Jordan sounds like he's having the time of his life being this character to the point where it's addicting.

Vox has the potential to be a great antagonist and it's a crime that he only has ONE episode with relevance. Hoping he gets more in the future.

And Alastor. I love the concept of a character always smiling with the only thing betraying him are his eyes. As someone who takes joy in facial expressions, I always have a great time trying to analyze a character's restrictions and seeing how they emote, especially when animators and artists utilize a character's eyes to do most of the talking. That's done here in spades, making Alastor more interesting of an evil character as he keeps people guessing with his devious smile, not even dropping it when he's having a mental breakdown.

All and all, I can see how this show can draw in an audience...BUT...

Cons:

The comedy misses more than it hits. The funniest stuff comes from Nifty and Sir Pentious, but other than that, I don't really laugh much with this show. The dramatic moments work decently enough, so that's a pro, but when it's trying to make you laugh, it crumbles for the most part.

The constant swearing does get on one's nerves a bit. Dialogue, more than anything, depends on character. And to have EVERYONE swear almost consistently feels like a misstep. Because if everyone shares a similar level of lingo, then how can you differentiate a character's line on paper. Plus, I feel like it cheapens certain character. Saint Peter, the man who greets you at the pearly gates, shouldn't be another character that goes, "Oh, shit" when him going "Oh, shucks" speaks more about who is compared to everyone else and gives a glimpse into how different Heaven is from Hell.

The dialogue also hurts a character like Adam too. I want to buy that he's Earth's first man, but having him talk like a douchebag rockstar kind of takes me out of it a bit. Like, the way he talks doesn't sound like how the first human being should sound. He sounds like a guy who died in the late eighties, which SHOULD be funny but it's too distracting too much of the time when a character who talks like an old man who's ignorant to modern thinking could have had so much to say about what Heaven deems as worthy to be up above. They nailed the ignorance, but had him speak it in a way that doesn't fit humanity's first man. Maybe less "Call me Dickmaster" and more more "Call me Sir."

Vaggie...is FINE, I guess? But her character faces the same problems as Millie in Helluva Boss, where most of her personality and character is dependent on the relationship she has with another.

I'm also not a fan of Chaggie. I'm sorry. I'm in love with the ship dynamic of the stern, responsible one paired with the bubbly optimist. Heck, I'm a Lumity shipper because of it. But Chaggie just...WHELMS me. I don't hate them together but I'm not foaming at the mouth with each cute scene they share either. Honestly, I ship Charlie more with Emily than I do Vaggie, which...sucks for Vaggie, I guess. But Emily deserves love in her life too, dammit.

And the pacing for this season really is bad. I don't think the problem with this show is that it had eight episodes. Less is more is a phrase for a reason and we don't need twenty episode long seasons for EVERY show. I prefer it, don't get me wrong. Allows characters the a chance to breath and allows the story to take its time more. But what kills Hazbin Hotel's first season is that it feels like a three-season long story just got wrapped up into ONE. I'm sure there's more plans with Heaven, the Vees, and especially Lilith, but to have the season end with the next extermination feels like Avatar ending its first season with Souzin's Comet. There's so much the characters need to do and prepare for in so little time, ending a status quo shaking event, that I feel like a smarter idea would have been splitting this season's story line up into three parts. I mean, unless the cast and crew didn't know ahead of time that they'd only get eight episodes a season, why not have a little faith that they could have split the story up better? Because otherwise, it makes the show feel like it went by way too quickly. Eight episodes isn't a problem, but how they use those eight episodes DO.

So, while I can absolutely see why Hazbin Hotel could have its fans, I can also see how it can put people off. The style and characters work well enough, but the dialogue, jokes, and story need much more polish. It's not the worst, but not the best either. I hope things improve in Season Two and that the show itself can redeem ITSELF in the future.

[nitrateglow]

RIP Alan Arkin

I just learned Alan Arkin passed away yesterday. He lived a long life (89 years) and had a fantastic career, remaining pretty busy until the end. He is one of few actors I would watch in absolutely anything because he had a tendency to elevate any material he was in. A film could be mediocre, but Arkin certainly never was.

What endears Arkin so much to me? Two things come to mind.

First, he was incredibly versatile. I know that is a common platitude to give an actor, but Arkin truly disappeared into his roles in the way few actors actually do. It’s hard to believe the panicked, uptight Sheldon Kornplett is played by the same actor as the borderline insane but affectionate Abraham Rodrieguez, or that the delusional intellectual Simon Mendelssohn is the same guy as the lonely and sensitive but guarded John Singer. He did everything to make each character distinct and he succeeded.

Second, there’s the way Arkin never approached roles the way you would expect. My favorite example of this is in how he played the murderous Harry Roat Jr. in Wait Until Dark. The director and crew expected a typical growling heavy performance (physically sturdier actors George C. Scott and Rod Steiger were originally offered the part), so they were baffled by Arkin’s choice to make the character seem laidback and even goofy at times. But these qualities only serve as a great contrast to the character’s true sadism and aggression. When he unexpectedly pulls a knife on his underlings or shouts at a defiant Audrey Hepburn in rage, you realize all those beatnik vibes were a facade. Arkin’s risktaking resulted in a movie villain for the ages.

The same applies to The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: most actors might have drenched John Singer in sentimental yearning, but Arkin makes him a bit cold, even with the people he befriends. This doesn’t take away from the character’s compassion for others or his love for his fellow deaf-mute friend-- it only makes him more complicated and his ultimate fate all the more tragic. He’s not a “saintly disabled person” stereotype. He has flaws and the fatal one comes from all the walls he puts up around himself. If Harry Roat Jr. scares the shit out of me, Singer breaks my damn heart.

I even admire Arkin in movies that were not as wholly successful, or at least are not seen as such. Deadhead Miles is a big favorite of mine, where he plays a mischievous, hilarious criminal who sounds like a Texan Kermit the Frog and steals a big rig. Inspector Clouseau might not be as fabulous as the Pink Panther films with Peter Sellers, but Arkin brought his own unique touches to the character and was not satisfied to simply ape his predecessor in the same role. The Magician of Lublin is a bit of an Oscar-baity drag, but Arkin’s performance as the arrogant but existentially unfulfilled Yasha was great-- he’s unlikable and at times awful, but very, very human. And then there’s that masterclass in bad taste and car crashes, Freebie and the Bean, where Arkin and James Caan were one of the most iconic comedy duos of all time.

Oh, and how could I forget Bud in The Santa Clause 3? That movie sucks but Arkin’s deadpan “WOWs” when he learns Tim Allen is Santa is so fucking bizarre that I have to at least watch that scene come Christmas time.

I could go on forever (I somehow did not mention Catch-22 and should be ashamed of myself for that-- such an underrated movie and Arkin is the best thing in it), and not just about movies. Arkin was also a singer, musician, children’s book author, theater and film director, memoirist, and teacher. Any biography of the man would be bursting with his creative endeavors. From the interviews I’ve perused, Arkin was truly passionate about his projects and always wanted to push himself.

Dammit, I just love this guy. He was and is a true treasure, and I’m grateful he got to live a long, active life.

Rest in peace and thank you for everything.

[chaotic-super]

Live With Me - Chapter 9

Read Live With Me on AO3 here!

Kate Kane is getting just as good as she was giving.

Kara has been progressively ramping up her flirting throughout the night and it’s getting difficult for Lena to hold back her laughter every time she watches Kara wiggle her eyebrows or send a cheesy smile over at Kate just for her to them look back at her and wink in the dorkiest way possible.

It’s hilarious to see Kate’s horrified expression every time Kara flirts with her without an ounce of subtlety, and the way her mouth keeps dropping open and her eyebrows shoot up makes Lena’s wicked little inner goblin cackle in delight at Kara’s master plan coming into fruition.

Lena can’t keep the tiny smirk off her face which means that she has to look away and pretend to be admiring something else whenever Kate looks over at her, her eyebrows pinched in worry and her hands clenched into nervous fists.

“I think it’s working,” Kara whispers excitedly to her when Kate starts leaving to go and grab them some drinks.

Lena watches Kate’s retreating form, waiting for the moment when she has actually left to respond. “That was incredible, darling! It’s definitely working.” Kara’s smile falters a tiny bit, just enough for Lena to take notice despite Kara hiding it well. “Ok, what’s wrong?”

“I feel like I’m being mean.”

Lena ducks her head, chuckling. “You are too nice for your own good, you know that?”

Kara sighs gently. “It’s fine but I think I should stop, I don’t want to go too far and upset her, I think she’s learned her lesson.”

Looking into Kara’s eyes, Lena is enamoured with the kindness and mischief that manages to swirl together, the two conflicting components twisting and flurrying inside those blue-beaming orbs. “I think we should do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“We’ll stop then.” Kara leans in to press a soft peck to her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Lena’s hands move up to cup Kara’s cheeks, not letting her move far away at all, pulling her back in when she tries to move away, not that Kara is trying very hard to move away.

Kara hooks her arms over Lena’s shoulders, resting her forehead against Lena’s, content to simply be.

They sway softly to the sound of their own hearts, eyes closed and embracing each other softly, trusting the other to stay.

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, I got us drinks,” Kate announces her presence as she re-enters the library. “I was thinking that maybe you’d like to watch a movie. I have a sheet and a projector set up in one of the rooms down the hall.”

Kara smiles at her softly. “Thanks, Kate. That sounds great.”

Lena hooks her arm around Kara’s waist and they make their way over to the doorway where Kate is waiting, taking their drinks from her when they get there and letting her lead them to the other room, now in agreement that they have a nice time now that they’ve gotten their revenge.

-

Lena wakes up bright and early the next day and in a wonderful mood to boot. She tiptoes out of bed to shower and get dressed before heading out of their room to go and find the kitchen for coffee and maybe a bite to eat.

It’s not a massive surprise that it’s easier to navigate around the building when Kara isn’t the one leading the way but Lena’s not mad about it, she’s the one who confidently followed a woman with a distinct lack of sense of direction.

Kate is already sitting in the kitchen, perched on a chair at the kitchen table with a newspaper spread out in front of her.

“Good morning, Kate.” Lena’s voice is light but quiet, trying not to startle the other woman.

Kate simply stops reading and looks up at her with a smile. “Good morning, did you sleep well?”

“Like a baby and apparently so did Kara, she’s still fast asleep.” Lena can’t help the smile that spreads across her face at the memory of her girlfriend spread across the bed, the morning light shining in through the curtains and illuminating the perfect skin of her face as her hair was spread out around her head like a golden halo.

Kate clears her throat slightly at the mention of Kara. “Um, yeah, speaking of Kara…I’m sorry about trying to get under your skin yesterday.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lena helps herself to the coffee in the pot, pouring out two mugs so she can take one back to Kara. “I like to think you got a reasonable punishment for that already.”

Kate’s mouth drops open, the pieces clicking into place in her mind. “You knew!”

Lena grins. “I did.”

“I thought I was going to have to be the bearer of bad news and tell you or worse, have to fight off the advances of your very hot girlfriend. You guys are assholes.” Kate can’t do anything but laugh, her relief palpable but it’s obvious that she can see the humour in it still.

“I’m the asshole, she isn’t. She called it part way through because she felt bad. I would have let her keep going. I do appreciate that you weren’t planning on sleeping with Kara though, that makes me feel marginally better.”

Kate huffs and leans back in her chair. “If only she was single, I would totally jump on that train. I actually tried flirting with her when we first met and I think it went over her head.”

“Kara and I have sort of been in the works for years, even if we have only been together for only a few months. She’s not dumb, she probably knew. She told me all about your tattoos actually.” Lena takes the seat opposite Kate. She can spare a few minutes before heading back to Kara.

Kate shakes her head. “She definitely is not dumb, I thought that she might have just been oblivious but looking back, she did speak a lot about you so it’s not all that surprising.”

“Well, she has her moments but it’s just one of the many reasons she’s managed to thaw the heart of an ice queen.”

“Please, you’re nowhere near icy, you’re practically a puddle on the floor whenever that woman looks at you.” Kate laughs, sipping her own coffee.

Lena frowns. “I was just starting to like you, too. Shame you had to ruin it.”

Kate laughs and the volume of it shocks Lena for a second. “Lena Luthor, you’re whipped. You actually asked me for an iron last night so you can iron Kara’s pants for her. You’re so whipped you’re practically cream.”

“I have to agree.”

Both Kate and Lena look up to see a bleary-eyed Kara wandering through the door, still in her cute button-up pyjamas.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Kate says. “There’s a mug of coffee on the counter for you, courtesy of your very whipped girlfriend.”

“Thank you, baby.” Kara smiles at them tiredly, her sock-clad feet pattering against the floor as she wanders over and takes the seat beside Lena, leaning into her side and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Lena wraps her arm around the back of Kara’s chair. “No problem.”

“Hey, I made the coffee, she just poured it,” Kate complains.

Kara just shrugs. “Yeah but she’s my girlfriend so it’s basically a written rule that I have to appreciate her more.”

Rolling her eyes, Kate changes the subject, “so, what are you up to today, Lena?”

“I have some work to do. There’s a storage locker that I now own because L-Corp has absorbed Lord Industries so I have to go find out what’s in it. I have no idea why it’s all the way out here though, there wasn’t even a branch of Lord Industries out here.”

“I have nothing to do today, mind if I join? I’ve been working from here for the past two weeks and the lack of fresh air is depleting my brain cells.”

“I can tell.” Lena quips and then feels the jabbing of Kara’s elbow a second later. “Ow, yeah you can come.”

Kate doesn’t hold back her snicker. “Whipped.”

“You know what, Kara, how about we take our coffee back to our room and hang out there for a bit?” Lena pouts.

“There’s bagels if you want to take those too,” Kate adds, thoroughly amused.

Kara just sighs, getting up. “Thanks, Kate. We’ll see you in a bit.”

“See you later.”

Kara just shakes her head at the pair of them, grabbing the bagels in one hand and her coffee in the other, overtaking Lena just to have to wait for her once she exits the kitchen.

“Which way is it again?”

“Left.” Lena places a hand on her back, guiding her the right way with a fond smile. “I actually think Kate is kind of alright.”

“You guys are worse than you and Alex and that’s saying something.”

“It’s funny though so it’s ok.” Lena chuckles as Kara drops her head back and groans. “Still love me?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Hey!”

-

Lena had never realized how dirty and unkempt Gotham is until now. She knew that it was unsafe and generally not the best place to live or just be but now that she’s looking out of the car window while Kate drives them to the storage unit after dropping Kara off at her convention, she can actually see how bad the city has gotten.

“I know it’s not a pretty sight out there.”

“I can see that this city needs some major help, I remember when I was little, my father used to love coming to Gotham for business, he said it was one of his favourite places to visit, I don’t think he’d have the same opinion if he was to come and visit now.” Lena reminisces.

It’s not often that Lena thinks about her father. It’s been years since he passed but she’ll always have fond memories of the old man, even if she does have just as many bad ones too.

Kate shrugs. “Yeah, it used to be a really nice place. Not so much anymore.”

“Maybe I’ll see if I can get L-Corp into some more community support.” Lena tosses out carelessly.

“Maybe you’re not so bad after all.” Kate tilts her head in positive appraisal.

They pull up to a yard full of storage lockers of various sizes and Lena has to take a moment to dig out her phone from her bag so she can see what number locker she needs to check. While she’s doing that, Kate grabs some bolt cutters from the trunk, already prepared.

It takes a while to find it and Lena is regretting the fact that she only brought heels with her because she’s now got to sort through this locker, whenever she finds it, with her feet aching like nothing else.

When they manage to get to lucky locker number one-one-five, Kate gets to work on the four locks sat upon it, all the heavy-duty kind that are going to be a pain to get rid of.

“I got it, don’t worry.” Kate squints at the locks, always up for a challenge.

The first two come off easily but the next one puts up a fight. It does break after a good amount of heaving but Kate is definitely sweating by the time she’s got through it.

“Just one more.”

She sets the bolt cutters around it and puts all of her strength into snapping the lock, breathing out a sigh of relief when it comes away easily.

Lena steps forward from where she was watching from the shade, content to let Kate do the hard work since she so readily offered and it didn’t look like a fun job.

She grabs the handle to the locker and slides the door up, letting it roll up to the ceiling so the daylight can stream in and show them exactly what is hiding inside of it.

Kate doesn’t know what she’s looking at but Lena does.

“Holy shit, this is all Kara’s stuff that went missing from her apartment. I was never able to trace where it went and it’s all here.”

Kate’s eyes widen as she looks over all of the water-damaged furniture and plastic storage bins filled with all sorts of things.

Lena finds a little pull cord for the light on the left-hand side of the locker and despite not needing the added confirmation, it tells her that she’s definitely right, this is all of Kara’s stuff.

“I need to make a phone call.” Lena doesn’t spare Kate a glance, making hurried steps away from the locker and stopping when she’s about halfway to the car.

She swipes through her phone and finds Jess’ number as fast as she can, then presses the phone to her ear, heart pounding.

“Hello?”

“Jess, it’s me. I’m at the storage locker, I’ve opened it and you won’t believe what’s inside.”

There’s a brief silence from the other end and for a second, Lena thinks that the call has cut off. “Oh, am I meant to guess?”

“No, it’s all Kara’s stuff that went missing from her place, all of her furniture and the stuff we didn’t manage to get out when the pipe burst. It all got cleared out and we had no clue where it all went but it’s here, in Gotham.”

“Do you want me to get movers to get it all back here?”

“Yes, please. Can you have it sent to one of our empty office spaces so we can get it all laid out so we can go through it in case there’s anything else mixed in there that isn’t to do with Kara?”

“Of course, I’ll text you the details once I have the confirmation,” Jess answers, sounding a little overwhelmed by the unexpected finding of Kara’s things that pretty much everyone had forgotten about.

The phone call ends and Lena wanders back over to Kate, who is still staring at the mass of furniture, awkwardly standing beside it because she doesn’t want to cross any boundaries by looking through it.

“Were you calling Kara?”

Lena shakes her head. “No, my assistant. She’s booking movers for it all to be taken back to National City with us. This is actually giving me a lot of questions that I don’t know the answer to and I hate not knowing things.”

“I never would have guessed.” Kate snorts. “Are you going to call her?”

Checking her watch, Lena shakes her head again. “No, it’s too late now, she’ll be rushed off her feet, I’ll tell her once the convention is over.”

Kate nods. “Want to close this baby back up?”

“Sure.”

Kate grabs the pull cord and is about to pull it when her eyes are drawn to something over in the corner of the room, winging down out of place by a few wires. “There’s a camera.”

“What? Where?”

“Right corner.”

Lena sees it and internally panics, searching around the rest of the locker to survey whether or not there are any more of them around. It doesn’t appear so but the panic doesn’t subside. She really doesn’t want to go through the entire Lord situation again. Even with him out of the picture, there are a lot of high-up people on his side that aren’t too happy with Kara and seeing people with connections to her at this locker isn’t a good sign for them.

She really needs to know if the camera is active. She begins shuffling boxes out of the way and trying to drag some of the other stuff out of her path. Kate helps where she can, not entirely sure what Lena is trying to do until she’s standing on top of Kara’s old couch and reaching up for the camera so she can see if it’s active.

Gripping the entire thing, she turns it over in her hands and stares directly into the lens, scowling until she’s sure that there is no little red light signalling that it’s on and when she tugs at it, it comes clattering down, the wires not actually connected.

“Someone disabled it, probably after Lord was exposed. Who would do that though? What would be the point of that?” Lena asks, more to herself than to Kate.

Kate answers her anyway. “Someone working with him who doesn’t want to be caught out too, they want it all pinned on him so they don’t want any evidence of their participation.”

“It’s very creepy.”

“I agree. Want to lock this bitch up and go get lunch? It won’t do us any favours to stay here now, you can see everything once the movers come.”

Lena climbs down and turns off the light, moving aside so Kate can close and lock the door behind them.

The chapter of their lives with Maxwell Lord in it should be over so why does it feel like an ongoing saga that they can’t escape?

-

As it turns out, telling Kara about the storage locker filled with all of her old furniture after her convention can easily turn into telling her once they are safely back in National City and it has already been moved back here by Jess and her magic skill of booking movers.

When Lena and Kate went to go and pick Kara up from her convention that evening, they had the full intention of telling her once they got back to Kate’s place, but that quickly devolved into telling her once they have eaten dinner and then when they still hadn’t broken the news by the time Kara and Lena were packing up to leave, it was decided by Lena and Kate that it was better to just wait until they were back home for Kara to find out the truth.

Now they’ve been home, showered, and had a good night’s rest and kara still doesn’t know, Lena just doesn’t know how to bring it up when it links back to something they had both wished to be over. She doesn’t want to bring it back up in case they can still leave what happened in the past, she just can’t lie to Kara though, not for long, it claws at her heart as the guilt of holding back eats her up from the inside out.

Kara is sat on their couch in the living room, sock-clad feet curled up beneath her as she has her favourite blanket spread out over her lap, her cup of overly sweet coffee in one hand as she scrolls absentmindedly through her social media with the other.

Lena can’t take it, her girlfriend so at ease and comfortable in the house they share, on furniture that they picked together when the furniture that was forcefully taken from her is sat in an empty office space in one of her buildings across town that she’s never gotten around to finding a use for other than occasionally renting it out.

“Darling?” Lena calls Kara’s attention to her as she shuffles onto the couch beside her, lifting up the blanket for a moment as she does so she can drop it back down onto her lap too.

“Yeah, babe?” Kara drops her phone into her lap, her spare hand now coming up to clasp her coffee mug with her other one, a little smile on her face as she faces Lena, taking in the pretty way she looks this morning with her hair still a mess and her face free of makeup.

Lena picks at the edge of the blanket, fingers finding the tasselled edges of it and looping the threads around each of her fingertips in turn. “Well, um, something actually happened in Gotham that you need to know about and I wasn’t sure how to tell you when we were there so I waited until we were back and now, we’re here I guess.”

Kara’s head tilts in a way that Lena is sure Kara doesn’t even realize she’s doing it, looking a lot like a confused little puppy. “Ok…what is it?”

“You know how I told you about the storage locker I wanted to go and see since I technically own it because I bought out Lord Industries?”

“Yeah.”

“It was filled with the furniture from your old apartment, the stuff that was gone when you went back to your place with Alex. I’ve had Jess organize movers to have it brought down from Gotham and it’s being delivered to an empty office I have across town later this afternoon. I didn’t want to mess up your time with Kate or make you stressed out by telling you before, well that and I chickened out.” Lena rambles out in a fashion that is usually more befitting of Kara.

As for Kara, her face is currently the epitome of dumbfounded.

Lena’s eyes are pinned on Kara’s face, her brain trying to make sense of her facial expressions, tracking the waves of emotions as Kara goes through the rollercoaster of them.

“Are you ok?” Lena tries a minute later, not sure whether or not Kara is angry because all she can truly read from Kara is her ongoing confusion. There’s anger and joy and pain and annoyance mixed in but it’s mostly just confusion and Lena’s not sure what to do with that now.

Kara clears her throat, ducking her head for a moment before looking up into Lena’s eyes. “Yes, yeah, I think I am.”

“Are you sure?” Lena asks, her hand reaching out towards Kara’s, wrapping her fingers around her palm and giving it a squeeze. “I know this is a lot.”

“I guess.” Kara’s voice gives away her uncertainty. She’s not quite as ok with it all as she says. “I just…why would…it could just be there from right after Lord took it, right? It doesn’t really mean anything new is happening, does it?”

Lena squeezes her hand a second time. “I hope not and I want to be able to tell you that it is all absolutely over and we can keep moving on with our lives but we can’t guarantee it, Lord never got sentenced and a man like him will have money squirrelled away in offshore accounts. There’s a chance he’s still seething and wants revenge. Saying that though, I think that your stuff was probably put right into that locker when it got taken from your place, they probably searched it and destroyed it, it doesn’t indicate a resurge in activity.”

“But it could mean something?”

“There’s a chance,” Lena admits, albeit reluctantly, especially after Kara’s thinly veiled devastation crosses her face. “There’s a way for me to find out though.”

Kara squeezes Lena’s hand right back, squirming their hands even closer together until their fingers can intertwine. “How? It’s nothing dangerous right? I don’t want you to get hurt just to try and ease my mind.”

Lena is quick to reassure her, pulling her closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulders so that Kara’s head falls onto her shoulder. “Nothing like that, darling. There was a camera in the locker, it wasn’t connected to anything but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t at some point, the movers will just bring everything out of the locker so if it’s with your stuff, we might be able to get the data from it and it could tell us who put your stuff there and when they did it.”

“Oh,” Kara says, eyebrows furrowed, frown lines forming. “That’s a good idea.”

“Then why the frowny look?”

“It’s just going to be strange, seeing all of the things that I had already written off. I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep it. The thought of strangers having their hands all over it and looking through it all is just weird, it feels…I don’t know.”

“Like your privacy has been defiled and those things are a physical representation of that?” Lena offers.

“Exactly.” Kara sags against Lena, exhausted from the brainpower it’s taken to regulate her emotions during this conversation, not as happy as she thought she’d be at finding her missing belongings.

Lena waits a moment, giving Kara a couple of minutes to think about everything before she asks her question. “Do you want to come with me to check the camera and sort your old things? If you don’t feel up to it then I can do it on my own, or if you really want, I can just get it all disposed of, no hassle.”

Kara shakes her head against Lena’s neck. “No, I’ll come. You said it won’t be delivered until this afternoon, right?”

“Right, we have some time.”

“Ok, we’ll go later then.”

“I’ll be right beside you the whole time.” Lena holds her tighter.

Kara snuggles into Lena’s grip, taking little sips of her lukewarm coffee. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

-

So…Kara regrets coming along.

There’s just something so deeply unsettling about seeing all of her old possessions being stacked in a messy pile in the middle of a random room, most of it thoroughly water damaged and the rest of it either mouldy or dusty. It’s just strange and it hurts her heart a little bit.

“Are we meant to just start digging through?” Kara’s hands are stuffed deep into her pockets, the warmth comforting as she lingers awkwardly just inside the doorway.

Lena’s hand comes forward to wrap loosely around her waist, “we do this however you want us to, Kara. If you want to just dig in then that’s what we do, if you want to take a few minutes or just turn and go home, we can do that too.”

With a quick movement, Kara’s tongue darts out to lick at her dry lips, before she nods, just once, and marches further inside until she’s right in front of the pile, her old couch within reaching distance of her.

Her fingers itch to touch it and her feet long to make her run away from it even though she knows it’s just stuff. It can’t hurt her but the implication of it can.

“Let’s just find that camera and deal with the rest as it comes,” Kara says, rounding the couch and taking down the boxes stacked on top of other things, separating things out so they can see everything better. Luckily, they are in a decent-sized room so there’s plenty of space for them to do so.

“Good idea,” Lena affirms, joining her in moving everything around and pushing things aside, pausing briefly whenever her hands touch something particularly familiar that she recognizes from Kara’s old place, her heart aching for Kara because she knows that while it is just mostly replaceable objects, they were Kara’s and there’s a lot of sentimentality in the things people keep in their homes.

That’s something that Lena never really understood until recently when she and Kara were going from store to store grabbing bits and bobs and furniture to decorate their house with.

Lena tries to keep a little distance between her and Kara, not wanting to crowd her when she’s digging through the aftermath of having her old life torn apart by a lowlife scumbag with no morals and a lot of money.

Together they sort through a lot of the stuff and beneath a pile of soggy sheets they find the camera, a little damp but overall, not in bad condition. Lena takes it across the room where she makes herself comfortable on the floor, back against a wall, so she can get her laptop out and plug the camera into it.

She’s already secured the laptop in case there are any kind of viruses attached to the software of the camera and is ready to see if there’s any information on it.

Kara doesn’t move away from the piles of her things though like Lena was expecting her to, instead she keeps on sorting through it, organizing it in a way that Lena is not privy to. She’s not about to interrupt her though so she leaves her to it so she can focus on scrubbing the camera for old footage.

She’s in luck too, a few snippets of footage are still available on the device for her to indulge in. The first clip is some random guy in what appears to be an office, maybe it’s some kind of IT person from Lord Industries, she’ll have to look into it. The clip only lasts a minute before it cuts off.

She clicks onto the next clip, this one of the locker before any of Kara’s things were shoved in there and the main picture coming through is of a random guy’s face as he fiddles with the camera, securing it into place before climbing down the ladder he’s balanced on, taking it out of the locker and then returning over an hour later with two other men, neither of them anyone Lena recognizes either.

The three of them work fairly efficiently, moving in the larger items first, throwing everything else on top of them, and finishing up in a little over forty minutes. After that it just shows them turning off the light, triggering the night vision mode of the camera, and then them shutting the door and presumably, locking it too.

After that, there’s just a whole lot of nothingness for Lena to fast forward through, watching the inside of the locker as nothing happens for days on end. Her butt is going numb and she’s extraordinarily bored because the picture isn’t changing because nothing is happening, that is until she has the bright idea to fast forward to the day that the article was published. Bingo.

She still has to fast forward through a few hours’ worth of the same old nothingness that she’d already been watching but as she nears ten in the morning the day of the article, there’s movement.

The shutter is slid up and the light switch pulled before the person walks into the locker fully with a confident swagger in their walk. Lena knows who this is, it’s someone dressed in full military regalia and it’s proof that the government were involved and wanted it all pinned onto Maxwell Lord and moved away from themselves.

General Lane casually browses the locker, picking at the items closest to him, the ones that don’t require any kind of physical effort for him to get at before he drops it onto the ground and signals out of the door.

Only a few short seconds later, there are two guys, also in military gear, marching inside with crowbars. General Lane looks right up into the camera before pointing at it, sending the two guys up to attack it with the crowbars.

They mostly just manage to knock the wires loose and break the frame holding it up, making it dangle down loosely into the position it was in when Lena and Kate found it. Lena can see as some of the wires fall into view just before the frame gives way.

Just a couple of swings after it falls down, Lena sees one good swing of a crowbar come up and then the screen cuts off with the video, that was the one that did the camera in, but not good enough for it to corrupt all of the footage but plenty enough for it to break and be unable to keep recording.

Lena goes back over the footage, thankful that she thought to mark down the times of the videos where she saw things occurring. She takes screenshots of the faces of all of the people and saves the footage onto her laptop so she can pass it on to someone she trusts.

The pictures of the people are the things that interest her the most though, she’s desperate to figure out who they are. She double-checks that she has them saved before sending a copy of the pictures over to Jess, asking her to hire the usual private investigator that they have worked with for years and send her the pictures to try and figure out who they are.

She’ll have some of her most trusted security guys go over the footage she skipped through and have them watch it all from start to finish. It will be a long and tedious job but she knows how to incentivize people and she’s got a lot of money at her disposal so it will get done.

“I managed to get some decent footage from the camera,” Lena says as she packs her laptop up into her laptop bag and sets the camera aside to be taken with them when they leave. “Do you need a hand?”

Kara glances over at her, forcing her lips to quirk up into a rather unenthusiastic-looking smile. “That’s good news, baby, I wouldn’t mind some help.”

“It is. I managed to get some good images of the faces of the guys who moved your stuff into the locker. They’re probably just movers though.”

Kara looks at her with a thoughtful expression for a moment, her gaze burrowing into Lena’s skull. “Your jaw is clenched really tight, is there something else?”

Lena is instantly aware of how tight she’s clenching her jaw and instantly drops her mouth open. “Um, yeah. General Lane went to the locker the morning of the article being released. He was the one working with Lord. He had the camera smashed so he was trying to cover up his involvement.”

Kara’s shoulders slouch as she breathes out a sigh, the corners of her mouth pressing down as the muscles in her face relax. “I wish I could say that I’m surprised, and here I thought that that man would only make my cousin’s life miserable, being his father-in-law and all.”

“Your cousin might have a great wife but her father certainly leaves much to be desired,” Lena says before getting back on topic. “I’m going to have my usual PI look into the guys that were picked up on the camera to see what connections they have to Lord but I don’t think that there’s any immediate danger of him being back, I think we might have just stumbled upon this stuff accidentally.”

“That’s one good thing, I guess.” Kara keeps sorting through the things, beckoning Lena closer. “I’ve made a system.”

Lena wanders over a little closer. “What’s your system then, darling?”

Kara smiles briefly, happy that Lena is with her and being so kind about giving her some space. She doesn’t want space now though, she wants her girlfriend at her side. “I’ve been sorting the things that are utterly destroyed over into a pile with the rotten furniture, like the couch and the coffee table. The furniture that is still kind of good is over on the left, which can be donated, and any kind of knickknacks or small items I’m putting aside for me to go through after. I think I might keep some, it is weird that it’s all been rifled through but they still have a lot of good memories attached to them too.”

“I think that’s a great system, let me get started on this side, you keep going from that side and then we can meet in the middle.” Lena points at opposite sides of a little pile, starting out small so they don’t get overwhelmed.

Kara nods, getting right back into it. “Do you think it’s weird that I want to keep some of this after everything? I didn’t think I could but seeing some of it now, it’s made me change my mind about it.” Kara is determined to get an answer.

“I don’t think it’s weird at all, this was all part of your life for years. It was part of my life too, this stuff was always there when I was over at your place pining after my best friend that I thought didn’t like me back, there are a lot of emotions in the things we’re surrounded by. Keep what you want and toss what you don’t, either way, I’m going to be with you each step of the way.”

“How did I get so lucky as to find you?”

“I think I’m the lucky one.” Lena grins. “I get to wake up to the woman who could win awards with her bedhead every day, it’s a joy.”

“Hey!” Kara yells out, tossing a random cushion she finds over at Lena, grinning when it smacks her on the back with a thump.

Normally Lena would fight back but for now, this is all they need. “I guess I deserved that.”

Kara just giggles to herself, hip-bumping Lena as she passes to put a few things onto the donation pile. “Just for the record, the hair you had this morning could very easily have been mistaken for a bird’s nest so you can’t talk.”

Lena just smiles. “I know. I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get all soft on me.”

“That’s your job, right?”

“Hell yeah, it is.”

For early access to chapters of this fic and all of my other fics, check out my Patreon here!

[jacquelinemerritt]

Dragon Ball Z: Abridged Episode 16 Review

Originally posted on September 18th, 2015

Entertaining narcissistic assholes abound.

Super Kami Guru. Up until now, we’ve only seen a brief glimpse of him, during a cutaway gag wherein Nail foreshadowed the coming invasion of Namek. And that cutaway gag has already established his character: he’s a self-serving, manipulative asshole who has no regard for the needs and desires of those around him. And because of this, he is arguably the best written character in Dragonball Z: Abridged.

Now, that argument could be made in two ways, and one of them is incredibly obvious, since Super Kami Guru is clearly one of the funniest characters on this show. But that argument could just as easily be made about Vegeta, Krillin, Goku, and just about every character in this show. What can’t be argued for them, however, is that their characterizations work to subvert and deconstruct the tropes surrounding wise old men/masters.

See, Lord Guru (referring to the character as portrayed in the original show) is a fundamentally uninteresting character. He’s a nice, wise old man, who is revered by his people and does everything he can to help them and serve as a good leader.

And yeah, that’s useful for letting Gohan and Krillin get a power-up that prevents them from being useless, but it’s not exactly the basis for a complex character, especially given that Lord Guru doesn’t seem to be suffering all that much from the tragedy that has befallen his people. He has no story of his own, and exists solely to assist the protagonists in their journey.

Super Kami Guru, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of this. He’s loud, he’s rude, he’s obnoxious, and he has absolutely no respect for others while demanding reverence for himself. He cares about protecting his people and keeping them safe, but only so long as protecting them doesn’t cost him (hence why Nail hasn’t been sent to fight any of the invaders: Super Kami Guru would lose his only servant).

He also wishes to use the Dragonballs irreverently, just so he can get a plasma TV, and it’s even implied that he was responsible for the genocide of the “Albino Namekians” during a major drought, pushing past being a “dickish old man” and into being a genuinely terrifying world leader. He’s a character of his own right, with his sole motivations being his own selfishness, and it’s a step up from the non-character of the original show.

The rest of “Vam qan Namek,” pulls a neat trick by creating a subtle distinction between Super Kami Guru and Freeza. Freeza has already been established as a narcissistic and genocidal maniac, whose only distinguishing trait from Super Kami Guru is his youth, health, and vigor.

In order to maintain Freeza as a threat, Team Four Star ratchets up Freeza’s narcissism and manipulative tendencies, showing us just how depraved Freeza really is when he kills one of his own men in front of Zarbon in order to make a point. Through this, Freeza is established as even more maniacal than the man who killed off half of his own race, and Super Kami Guru’s evil traits seem less significant by comparison.

Rating: 4.5/5

If you liked this review, please consider supporting me on Patreon.

Stray Observations

Vegeta’s smirk is perfect visual storytelling, telling us exactly what he’s going to do to these villagers.

Freeza: “I’m starting to think my people don’t understand what I pay them for.” Henchman: “You don’t pay us.” Freeza: “Allow them to live for.”

Dende: “So, if I am good enough, I can have my family back?” Krillin: “Are you still on about that?”

Dende: “(In Namekian) Personally, I think we’re boned.” Krillin: “You have such a beautiful language.”

Super Kami Guru: “I do not know what this Yamcha is. But it sounds disappointing.” (Yes, just about everything Super Kami Guru says is hilarious, and so I don’t have room to put all the quotes I loved from him here).

King Kai: “That’s it, none of you are learning any of my techniques. Neither the Kaio-ken, or the Genki Dama!” Tien: “Freaking weaboo.”

[fzzr]

Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman is Not (Just) Toradora!

This is not the greatest romcom of all time. This is just a tribute.

In Toradora!, Taiga and Ryuuji agree to help each other get with their respective crushes, who happen to be the others' best friends. This leads them through a winding road of romantic comedy until they end up together themselves.

Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman (Fuukoi) is not Toradora! In this show, our protagonists attend a high school which honors Shinzo Abe's memory by requiring students to take part in a "marriage practical," in which they are randomly assigned to live together as "husband and wife" and be graded on how well they work as a couple. At the end of the term, the highest scorers are allowed to trade partners. Our protagonists, nerdy Jirou and gyaru Akari, are paired together with no regard for their wildly different social circles. At the same time, their respective crushes, Jirou's childhood friend Shiori and high school pretty boy Tenjin, are also paired. The two protagonists agree to do their absolute best on the marriage practical so that at the end of the term, they can make the trade they both desperately want.

Their partner swapping goal comes under increasing strain as they see Shiori and Tenjin apparently getting on very well indeed. This comes with the dual pressure of increasing their likelihood of a successful trade (after all, both pairs must receive top marks) but also the anxiety that come end of term, their respective crushes will end up more interested in each other than in the protagonists. As you would expect from bottling up two teenagers like that, they should also have been concerned about that happening between each other.

With this incredibly convoluted premise out of the way, it's time for 12 episodes of extreme closeups of the breasts and other "assets" of improbably endowed high schoolers as they end up in increasingly compromising positions. This show is shlock. It's garbage. It's an anime tiddy delivery service.

It's hilarious. It has a distinct art style that it maintains with well above average consistency. It has emotionally intelligent characters who only make the same mistake twice when it's specifically in character for them to do so. It largely avoids romcom contrivances to make things worse for no reason, and when it uses them they're understated and flow well with the plot. It treats all of its principals and some of the supporting characters with empathy and a surprising amount of depth.

Wait a second, that last paragraph sounds like I'm just describing Toradora! again. What's going on here? Is Fuukoi... good actually?

Yes, this show is good. It hooks you with giant anime tiddy and then holds you with a distinct and fundamentally strong execution of an well-worn fictional premise. 

9/10. If you don't mind (and maybe even like) giant anime tiddy, you should watch Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman.

Comparisons

Saekano, as it happens, *also* uses anime tiddy to get the attention of a certain demographic. The point of comparison is "how necessary is the anime tiddy to the actual show?" In the case of Saekano, I find it gratuitous. Once the show is going the lewd stuff mostly drops away and it becomes a deeply affecting drama about art and relationships and more. In Fuukoi, the anime tiddy is inseparable from the appeal. The moments of "what if you saw... this much tiddy" and "what is that pressing against me" are essential to both the comedy and the way it forces the protagonists to reckon with their growing feelings for one another. Fuukoi does it better.

[josepheconnell]

#minecraft #minecraftshorts Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison!

Dive into the fascinating world of Minecraft and real-life frogs! Join us as we explore their similarities, differences, and the incredible adaptations that make these creatures so unique. Don’t forget to leave a comment below with your favorite frog fact! #Minecraft #Frogs #Nature #minecraft #minecraftshorts Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison! Welcome to our latest video where we dive deep into the enchanting world of Minecraft and compare it to the fascinating realm of real-life frogs! Have you ever wondered how the adorable Minecraft frog stacks up against its real-world counterpart? Join us on this exciting journey as we explore their unique features, behaviors, and habitats! In this video, we’ll take you through a side-by-side comparison that highlights the quirky charm of Minecraft frogs alongside the incredible diversity of real-life amphibians. From their vibrant colors to their distinctive sounds, you’ll discover what makes each frog special in its own right. What You’ll Learn: – The differences in appearance and abilities between Minecraft frogs and real-life frogs. – Fascinating facts about various frog species found around the globe. – How Minecraft creatively interprets real-world animals and their behaviors. – Fun gameplay tips for interacting with frogs in Minecraft! Whether you’re a seasoned Minecrafter or a nature enthusiast, this video is packed with engaging content that will entertain and educate you! Plus, we’ve sprinkled in some hilarious moments that you won’t want to miss! Don’t forget to hit that LIKE button if you enjoy the video and SHARE it with your friends who love both Minecraft and nature! Subscribe for more amazing content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCde68JxF6O9SG00Ll3IE6vg?sub_confirmation=1 Join our community of gamers and nature lovers as we continue to explore the wonders of both virtual worlds and the natural environment. Your support means everything to us, and we can’t wait to bring you more exciting comparisons, gameplay tips, and fun facts! Stay tuned for more videos where we bridge the gap between gaming and reality! #Minecraft #MinecraftShorts #FrogComparison #GamingVsReality #NatureLovers #MinecraftCommunity #abc123 https://gabbyandmercy.wordpress.com/2024/10/13/minecraft-minecraftshorts-%f0%9f%90%b8-minecraft-frog-vs-real-life-frog-the-ultimate-comparison-%f0%9f%90%b8/

[gabbyandmercy]

#minecraft #minecraftshorts Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison!

Dive into the fascinating world of Minecraft and real-life frogs! Join us as we explore their similarities, differences, and the incredible adaptations that make these creatures so unique. Don't forget to leave a comment below with your favorite frog fact! #Minecraft #Frogs #Nature #minecraft #minecraftshorts 🐸 Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison! 🐸 Welcome to our latest video where we dive deep into the enchanting world of Minecraft and compare it to the fascinating realm of real-life frogs! 🌍✨ Have you ever wondered how the adorable Minecraft frog stacks up against its real-world counterpart? Join us on this exciting journey as we explore their unique features, behaviors, and habitats! In this video, we’ll take you through a side-by-side comparison that highlights the quirky charm of Minecraft frogs alongside the incredible diversity of real-life amphibians. From their vibrant colors to their distinctive sounds, you’ll discover what makes each frog special in its own right. 🐸💚 🔍 What You’ll Learn: - The differences in appearance and abilities between Minecraft frogs and real-life frogs. - Fascinating facts about various frog species found around the globe. - How Minecraft creatively interprets real-world animals and their behaviors. - Fun gameplay tips for interacting with frogs in Minecraft! Whether you're a seasoned Minecrafter or a nature enthusiast, this video is packed with engaging content that will entertain and educate you! Plus, we’ve sprinkled in some hilarious moments that you won’t want to miss! 😂🎮 👉 Don’t forget to hit that LIKE button if you enjoy the video and SHARE it with your friends who love both Minecraft and nature! 🔔 Subscribe for more amazing content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCde68JxF6O9SG00Ll3IE6vg?sub_confirmation=1 Join our community of gamers and nature lovers as we continue to explore the wonders of both virtual worlds and the natural environment. Your support means everything to us, and we can’t wait to bring you more exciting comparisons, gameplay tips, and fun facts! 🌟 Stay tuned for more videos where we bridge the gap between gaming and reality! 🌟 #Minecraft #MinecraftShorts #FrogComparison #GamingVsReality #NatureLovers #MinecraftCommunity #abc123

[loriostansell]

#minecraft #minecraftshorts Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison!

Dive into the fascinating world of Minecraft and real-life frogs! Join us as we explore their similarities, differences, and the incredible adaptations that make these creatures so unique. Don’t forget to leave a comment below with your favorite frog fact! #Minecraft #Frogs #Nature #minecraft #minecraftshorts Minecraft Frog vs. Real-Life Frog: The Ultimate Comparison! Welcome to our latest video where we dive deep into the enchanting world of Minecraft and compare it to the fascinating realm of real-life frogs! Have you ever wondered how the adorable Minecraft frog stacks up against its real-world counterpart? Join us on this exciting journey as we explore their unique features, behaviors, and habitats! In this video, we’ll take you through a side-by-side comparison that highlights the quirky charm of Minecraft frogs alongside the incredible diversity of real-life amphibians. From their vibrant colors to their distinctive sounds, you’ll discover what makes each frog special in its own right. What You’ll Learn: – The differences in appearance and abilities between Minecraft frogs and real-life frogs. – Fascinating facts about various frog species found around the globe. – How Minecraft creatively interprets real-world animals and their behaviors. – Fun gameplay tips for interacting with frogs in Minecraft! Whether you’re a seasoned Minecrafter or a nature enthusiast, this video is packed with engaging content that will entertain and educate you! Plus, we’ve sprinkled in some hilarious moments that you won’t want to miss! Don’t forget to hit that LIKE button if you enjoy the video and SHARE it with your friends who love both Minecraft and nature! Subscribe for more amazing content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCde68JxF6O9SG00Ll3IE6vg?sub_confirmation=1 Join our community of gamers and nature lovers as we continue to explore the wonders of both virtual worlds and the natural environment. Your support means everything to us, and we can’t wait to bring you more exciting comparisons, gameplay tips, and fun facts! Stay tuned for more videos where we bridge the gap between gaming and reality! #Minecraft #MinecraftShorts #FrogComparison #GamingVsReality #NatureLovers #MinecraftCommunity #abc123 https://gabbyandmercy.wordpress.com/2024/10/13/minecraft-minecraftshorts-%f0%9f%90%b8-minecraft-frog-vs-real-life-frog-the-ultimate-comparison-%f0%9f%90%b8/

[dryingpanzer]

TIME FOR SOME MORE MEDIA LOGS! 🪵

TL;DR:

- Mumford & Sons “Wilder Mind:” 6/10

- Lilo & Stitch: 7/10

- Nightmare Kart: 9/10

NOW ON TO THE ACTUAL REVIEWS

Wilder Minds by Mumford & Sons

Much like how “In Case I Make It” by Will Wood and DEATH OF PEACE AND MIND by Bad Omens, Wilder Mind takes a big jump from Mumford & Sons usual style of country/folk rock for more electronic pop rock. Where Will Wood and Bad Omens excel with the style change, Mumford & Sons doesn’t quite nail it. The songs sound good, yes, but they don’t quite have the same emotional impact as their previous albums. It may have to be another one of those albums I have to listen to again to give it another chance. 6/10

(Also retconning and making “Lies for the Liars” by The Used a 4/10, I liked like 4 songs from that album)

Lilo & Stitch

After not having watched it for so long I finally decided to actually watch this movie from the forgotten era. The movie was cute to say the least! Some parts were charming and hilarious (I think Jumba, Pleakly, and Bubbles had the best writing in the whole movie). What kinda irked me about it though was the tonal whiplash. There were parts that would be heavily comedic slapstick and followed up with very depressing moments (not the extreme degree of tonal whiplash that Hunchback of Notre Dame had). Still, it’s a cute movie with a good message about sticking together as a family. 7/10, have mercy on my soul

(Also Steve Blum was in this movie???)

Nightmare Kart

To preface this: I have not played Bloodborne ever, I caught glimpses of this game after seeing the reveal trailer of Micolash, seeing some wild idiot with a caged head running, and thought “Oh this is a FUNNY game”

Well fast forward and (after legal issues with Sony from what it seems), I have finally played the now Nightmare Kart, and I must say it is a delight!

The story is very befitting for a gothic horror kart race that takes place in a nightmare. The change in designs to be legally distinct from Bloodborne (Nicholas having a little bird in his bird cage is incredible). Gameplay is very solid and fun, using the echos(?) system from Bloodborne as a way to increase max speed. The campaign is also quite fun (apart from the capture the insight mission but I think that’s just me being mad cuz bad). The music is also incredible with my fave song being either Angel Graveyard or Miralodia College.

9/10 game, fave new game I played this year so far!

[rosemarytales]

thoughts on my ttpd first listen

Fortnight (feat. Post Malone): I've been saying her relationship with alcohol was not healthy bruuuh. I love how she takes her life, which the vast majority of her listeners would not be able to relate to, and makes an "understandable" metaphor out of it. But it must break her to do so. Love Post Malone's voice here, he really compliments her well. THE MV THO with the dead poets <3<3<3<3<3

TTPD: girl go get your lover tf 😭😭😭 whole era dedicated to this muse, incredible.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys: getting mad MATHP vibes from the storytelling here.

Down Bad: now I'm starting to really get dragged in the album. The first verse rewired something in me, Idk. also if I speak about the muse... The New Romantics mention, I died dead. Also someone needs to edit kenstewy to the "hostile takeover" bit.

So Long, London: my favourite so far, I am in love with this vibe. It's giving YLM. Also I love the style of the intro, it's channeling the waves in a way, up until this point the album has a very distinct "look" and I can see it so clearly. My real question atp is how are we supposed to just, go on as normal after this album. She is baring her soul in a way she's never done before and it's not a happy soul, so how is just going to go on keeping her happy persona at Eras and how are we going to let her. I think the management is probably gonna make the last songs be happier ones to get back a bit of the persona. Like atp I'm not convinced the 5 stages of grief was her idea and I don't think this mental state is related to a specific breakup or a specific event, this is a cluster of stuff she's been carrying.

But Daddy I Love Him: "growin' up precocious sometimes means not growin' up at all" holy fuck, mood. My heart aches for her, this anger and resentment must have been burning holes through her and people are still probably not gonna see her as she wants to be seen even after this. She couldn't make this pain any clearer and tomorrow she is still gonna have to play pretend.

Fresh Out The Slammer: still breaking these chains!! If anyone at all is listening, there is a Taylor before this album and a Taylor after. Full stop, no going back.

Florida!!!: I LOVE THIS COLLAB I NEED A FULL ALBUM.

Guilty as Sin?: looove the beats on this one.

Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me: "don't you worry folks we took out all her teeth" and the circus life, I am broken. This album is supposed to be her breaking her chains and the general reaction is "what ex caused this". I wouldn't be surprised if she committed mass murder.

I Can Fix Him (No, Really I Can): this song is giving cowboy - Lana Del Rey - old americana vibe and I'm into it. It's a new thing for Taylor but it suits her well, especially with her country past.

loml: feeling the "All Things End" by Hozier vibes. Now that I think about it the whole album is kinda Hozier-y, like very heavy on lyricism, dark storytelling and kinda giving whiskey/soil/heavy clouds. I am obsessed.

I Can Do It With A Broken Heart: girl go to therapy I am begging you.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived: THE SOUND!! THE WORDS!! THE TRUST ISSUES!! I love this song.

The Alchemy: psych ward mention in the obligatory football song, I see you, Miss Swift, trying to see who's actually listening. Well, I am.

Clara Bow: Nothing New bridge meets The Lucky One. I don't think anyone wants to be part of the industry after listening to this album, Tay, but we appreciate the sentiment.

The Black Dog: okay MsKingBean89. Also the location, she is hilarious.

imgonnagetyouback: bpdlor shining through, love you queen.

The Albatross: she hates her fans, and she is right. The Matty thing was heinous.

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus: beautiful song. I don't have many thoughts about it, it's deeply personal for the people involved (like much of the album), and since I'm not one of them I can just say she evokes images so beautifully with her words. She is extremely skilled and talented.

How Did It End?: the sound really captures the image of someone lost in thought at the grocery store, idk what else to say.

So High School: was she sick while recording this?

I Hate It Here: my anthem. me. myself. I.

thanK you aIMee: cute metaphors

I Look In People's Windows: Ebenezer Scrooge-ass anthem (I am crying does anyone remember my "on the glass wall" post, I'm adding this song). I know it doesn't make sense, but to me it sounds like she hadn't been singing for a while and she is incorporating vocal exercises in her songs, Idk why. (like "oh this exercise sounds fun, should insert it in a song").

The Prophecy: oh boy, oh boy, this one hit hard. Like really hard. "Shades of greige" is the perfect way to describe this album, it's rather monochrome and monothonous like sadness often is.

Cassandra: I love me a good Greek mythology reference. Incredible imagery. Bruno Madrigal's anthem.

Peter: yes. yes. this. Peter Pan imagery + Daisy Buchanan vibes, I died dead.

The Bolter: called me tf out. The leaks in the rowboat, my God...

Robin: not crying, you are.

The Manuscript: that's the ending I was talking about. There is no real happy closure, she had to go back 15 years to find a past that doesn't haunt her anymore, that's disheartening. I guess we'll see how this plays out, but I'm afraid she's not all that better. Hope she can take a break and get better soon.

Overall, I loved this album so much. It's everything I hoped Midnights would be and Midnights is in my top 3, so that's saying something. Considering how wordy it is, I think most songs will grow on me even more, looking forward to that.

[all-pacas]

other great things about dragon quest:

so many puns. if you do not like bad puns this is not a game for you. IF YOU DO. also has a very 12 year old boy sense of humor. like can you even call it fanservice when the tone is more "hehe boobs." not as unbearable as it sounds. there's a running joke where every town has a person who talks like she's gonna Do Stuff to the hero, and every single time it turns out to be something else. one time she puts eyeliner on you and it raises your charm stat

if you have a high charm stat enemies will forget to attack you because you're so sexy. there's an enemy attack that makes everyone dance and skip turns; every character has an elaborate and unique dance animation

truly jrpg Weird Parties. dq11 features you, your actual grandpa, a five year old girl, a jester who is just The Most, a couple others

akira toriyama character designs. character design peaked with the dq3 classes.

CHARACTER CLASSES idk i love a game with just good solid Character Classes. everyone has their own skill trees. everyone is unique.

in older games when a character is knocked out in battle, the game is like "lol they're dead" and they get replaced by a sprite of a coffin. incredible. the fact that the save system is a badly painted over version of the catholic church. hilarious.

CHARACTER DESIGN i know toriyama's style isn't for anyone but look at them. everyone is so distinct and PERSONALITY and WEIRD

i love dragon quest

i have such a soft spot for the dragon quest games, but also, they have some of the best english adaptation work? like at some point they just decided to have fun with it and now every town gets its own weird and highly specific regional accent. there's a village where everyone speaks exclusively in haiku. there's a town where everyone rhymes. the japanese version doesn't have voice acting? TOO BAD, in this version the hero is from cornwall. it's so fun

[naughtygirl286]

So yes we went to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie this week! Now I can say this is not the first Super Mario movie I seen in theaters. I remember going to see the original Live-action one on opening weekend in the 90s!! I remember we had to go and stand in line for like an hour or so..? We were going to see it as part of someones birthday party we were watching the movie first then going to the actual birthday party afterwards lol

but with this there was no line to wait in and no birthday party afterwards but still going with a bunch of friends so that part didn't change lol and yes there was tons of collectable goodies for this one and you can see more about that here!

As for the movie itself I absolutely loved it!! like every aspect of it this movie in my opinion was absolutely perfect! I couldn't think of any flaw in it. If you are going to do a Mario movie this is how you do a Mario movie!! I was just in total awe of this movie. If I was laughing or giggling then I was in absolute awe!

It is pretty much kind of a Origin story it shows the Mario Bros. trying to start up their very own pluming business and during a pluming emergency that they try to help with they find their way to the Mushroom Kingdom and while on the way there they get separated and Luigi ends up getting captured by Bowser and Mario makes his way to Princess Peach with the help of Toad and Mario agrees to help Peach stop Bowser in exchange for her help with the rescue of his brother.

but like I said this movie is amazing the attention to detail is seriously off the charts! the environments and the characters and the animation alone is all incredibly impressive and the amount of references/Easter Eggs/nods and winks to the entire world of Mario Bros. and its history and not only that but even the world and history of Nintendo itself is mind blowing!! you would probably have to watch this movie multiple times to get and see everything they stuck in there.

The voice acting is amazing too. I know lots of people were mad that Chris Pratt doing the voice of Mario but I'd say he did an excellent job you don't even think of Chris Pratt when you are watching the movie at lease I didn't. If I didn't know that was him going in I probably wouldn't think it was him. Also Jack Black was excellent as Bowser and the way they did the character was awesome he was menacing and threatening one minute and he had you laughing the next it was a good balance but also Anya Taylor-Joy was excellent as Peach and Charlie Day as Luigi and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad the main one that you will know right off the bat is of course is Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong being that he does have a very distinct voice. but everyone was perfect and did an amazing job especially Juliet Jelenic and the character Lumalee they were hilarious!!

and that is what a good part of this movie is hilarious! its extremely funny at parts I found that all the jokes and gags landed and alot of humor like I said comes from Jack Black as Bowser he is prefect as that character and totally eats it up!

Even the music and the score for this movie is pure Mario! they brought all the sounds and background music from many games and wove it right into this and it feels like you are in that game world.

But yeah in the end I can't say enough good things about this movie and if this is the way they are going to go and try to build a Nintendo "Cinematic Universe" then this is the way they should go becasue this is a perfectly amazing fist chapter. If you are a Nintendo/Mario fan you should go and see this! if you love Nintendo or are just looking for something exciting and fun to see then go see this! no matter the reason you should just go see this! lol Also don't forget there are a couple of credit scenes one mid and one end credits. and with that I'll leave you with this