#it was fun editing this and seeing parts where we both panned to the opposite brothers

[starchaserr]

Multicam of Ylvis at Spydeberg Rock 🥸

Also added English subs for the talking parts!

[qwirk]

*vigilantes ch. ~64 and main manga ch. ~255 spoilers*

although idk if these are really spoilers if these chapters came out a couple years ago! anime-only fans beware. anyway here’s my extremely long rant about the obvious, not trying to explain anything- i gotta yell!

so that vigilantes arc destroyed me! i’m not good at immediately putting thoughts about media into coherent points but i’m just so sad :( first of all after catching up with the main manga, shirakumo, despite being technically dead during his introduction, rocketed up to one of my favorite if not my favorite character. aizawa is also up there for me- he was first introduced as this strict teacher who seemed to psychologically torment his students for the fun of it, or at least for some yet unknown ulterior motive. but we now know that, while still kinda harsh, he does this to give his students that lead-dropping-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach rush in order to push them to succeed (or something like that?). he truly cares about his students and their growth which has been demonstrated multiple clear times. but what drives him to be like this??

shirakumo!! his actions today are a clear answer to the pushes shirakumo gave him back when they were students. they’re so obviously influenced by shirakumo that they’re almost literally answers. the main chapters are a little foggy because i speedread them at 3 am, but i just caught up with vigilantes. 

at the start, aizawa sees himself as someone who’s constantly just behind and will stay there as everyone moves on. he trudges into class drenched after leaving the kitten behind and he’s super emo about it. meanwhile, shirakumo literally flies through the window, also drenched, saved not only the kitten but aizawa’s umbrella, and manages to put on this cheery (albeit borderline explicit) show about it. it’s a CLEAR contrast between the two and aizawa goes as far to say that he hasn’t reached his “true self yet” while he looks at shirakumo and then says that he starts to change. 

as if it’s not enough for aizawa to beat himself up mentally, his classmates bring him down for not having a “heroic” enough quirk. shirakumo is constantly stepping in to bring him back up, even during real work study stuff, and goes as far to lend him a pair of his goggles so that his eyes become more useful. this becomes a stronger bonding point between aizawa, shirakumo, and hizaishi for them to start looking to the future together. while wearing those goggles, which are protecting his sight from the strong winds on the roof, he stares into the sky, feeling like he’s getting swept into the future like the clouds in the wind. (also the clouds as a metaphor. damn)

and then we come to the last fight. everyone that aizawa looks up to is crushed in the wake of the villain, and he’s the last one standing. there’s a group of children to protect, and he’s panicking and drowning in his overthinking. the way he’s given a huge panel to himself only to be visually overwhelmed by his thought bubbles stood out to me. and then the thing that snaps him out is shirakumo’s voice cheering him on. it’s a bunch of simple praise, but it means everything in the situation. the friend who’s been pulling him up no matter how hopeless or apathetic aizawa feels is of course the one to spur him into action in a life-or-death situation. aizawa realizes he’s gotta fight immediately, and even reminds himself of exactly what shirakumo told him- that his quirk IS useful and levels the playing field. 

i was already kinda spoiled for this part since i read the main manga first, but hearing shirakumo’s cheering the entire time while aizawa is absolutely toiling to defeat this huge villain would have been touching regardless. and when he lands in triumph, hurting but victorious, he screams for his friend to hear that he did it!! but then you see this joy start to like. rot away as soon as it pans to kayama and hizaishi. it’s raining again (THE CLOUDS AS A METAPHOR! DAMN!). shirakumo’s corpse is lying feet away from him, staining the medics’ sheet with blood. i don’t have much to say about this part, it was just a lot for me to process!! also i’m still not entirely sure about the way his speaker works so i might be wrong here, but did he really spend his dying moments with a traumatic head injury cheering on his friend to not only beat the immediate danger, but to self-realization?? or maybe it was prerecorded? idk but either way, truly a hero. 

aizawa and hizaishi are left standing in the rain because once again, “it fits the mood.” so obviously there’s the callback to when aizawa first said that when he comes to class after leaving the kitten and i have yet to fully comprehend it because i have no braincells for interpreting media. i guess maybe it’s like- aizawa at first felt terrible for not being able to save even a kitten while being enrolled in the most prestigious hero course in the country. getting drenched while settling with (what he considers to be) a cowardly measure is the icing to the cake for his self-hatred. it’s the classic “this might as well happen” scenario to get soaked by random rain or a car splashing you with a puddle on a bad morning. rain is sad. but in comes shirakumo, equally drenched but still the bright light that he is. he’s also done everything aizawa couldn’t but wanted to and more in this situation. he could do it not just because of his storing quirk, but because he held the life of someone who needed saving more important than the school rules. this decorum lets the kitten slide as it makes itself at home in the classroom. the rain stops soon after. but then you have shirakumo’s death. once again, aizawa, and even hizaishi, who’s usually always upbeat (almost every panel of him was just him screaming YEAHHHHH. plz give him more dialogue) both agree that the pouring rain fits the mood. this also brings us back to the present that preceded the flashback- koichi just rescued a cat and a child from a villain with aizawa’s help, and now they’re standing under an awning to escape the rain. this situation is literally almost exactly what happened at the beginning of the flashback which is why i guess it brought it on, but it’s interesting to see what changed- aizawa is the one who’s learned from this situation and teaching the student the meaning of responsibility (using an abandoned cat as an example, no less), and they’re all properly shielded from the elements this time. i guess the conclusion (that could be totally wrong) i’m coming to is that the rain sort of represents the adversaries aizawa faces in life- his self-deprecation, those that don’t believe in him, his personal failures that he has been facing lately. shirakumo has always been there to guide him past it, and once he lifts up aizawa nothing can shake him again. but now that he’s definitively gone, it’s back to haunt him for this one last moment of sheer grief. it’s only this one moment though, as aizawa clearly uses this moment to move on and better himself not just for his sake, but for everyone counting on him. he’s escaped the rain.

it’s so clear how this manifests in the main manga and i’m so happy vigilantes was able to spin out such a good backstory and explanation for his actions!! one of the most immediate ways we see his ideals stand out is his taking in of shinsou as his apprentice from general studies. it’s absolutely because he sees himself in this boy. he has a quirk that’s seemingly useless once you get into combat and everyone thinks he’s a creep for it. more people might even wary around shinsou than aizawa’s case. during the a vs. b practice fights, shinsou explains what he did wrong, clearly upset at himself for not doing enough. aizawa immediately pulls himself up, reminding him that in order to achieve what he just said, he’d have to be a pro, and that what he managed was more than enough. these parallels between aizawa and shinsou are definitely hinted at in the main story, like when midoriya underestimate’s his prowess in combat at usj, but with the vigilantes arc everything is so much clearer. in the main manga, we get a direct reference of aizawa’s expulsion rate in relation to how it helps students grow when they face “’death’” as he’s interrogating kurogiri. though dramatic, i feel like it has to be linked to the dire situation aizawa faced when the pro heros and shirakumo got knocked out during that one fight because of its placement in the chapter. he understands better than most in the story that a lot of times pushes, whether big or small, are needed to grow. he wants to be to his students what shirakumo was to him.

OK EDIT because i didn’t realize there was more to the arc after 64 lol. so obviously after shirakumo dies aizawa’s and hizaishi’s dreams of starting a triple hero agency have been dashed. aizawa seems to distance himself from hizaishi, or at least they’re on uneasy speaking terms. he’s coping by training super hard and is bent on going solo after graduation, the opposite of what they had all planned. but this time, he has conviction on what he’s going to do with himself, and that’s great! he learns that you have to be there for yourself in life. there’s a small montage leading from graduation to where is now in vigilantes and it’s been hard, but he’s been making it. still a lone wolf as ever, aside from the pushes from kayama to become teachers with her and hizaishi at ua. he thinks doing that would be a stupid choice for him, he’s been alone this whole time and doesn’t work well with others (anymore, he thinks). but now that he’s in the cafe with everyone, he changes seeing everyone fawn over the cat but their new dreams of being a popular cat cafe. 

the impact of seeing their newfound hope brings him back to another flashback of the rooftop trio, and THE PARALLELS!!! of them also dreaming to start their hero agency based on their first rescue of sushi the cat. back in the present, aizawa, who’s been spacing off, suddenly realizes the sky and his mind have cleared (THE CLOUDS KEEP COMING BACK AS A METAPHOR!!! if this happens in the main story i’ll cry). i’m still not 100% sure of what exactly makes the dots connect for him, but it’s been hinted through the flashbacks and his reactions to the rescued cat that he’s actually a good teacher himself, though he had been mainly shown to have learned from others around him. he drilled husbandry requirements into shirakumo and interrogated koichi about responsibility as if they were second nature. i think aizawa realized that he’s actually always had a soft spot for watching people grow and do good things and wants to be a part of facilitating that. or at least because he wasn’t able to accomplish doing good with his friends originally, he wants to help other accomplish the goal he couldn’t. also the fact that kayama still sends him updates on sushi isn’t just really nice of her, but it’s also another representation of how aizawa’s convictions he developed as a student still drive him to do what he does today.

MY MAIN POINT IS: aizawa really loves shirakumo. to have so much of his character based in the lessons he purposefully or inadvertently taught him is an amazing testament to that appreciation. aizawa never emotes except for the occasional creepy smile when he psychologically toys with 1a, but the emotion he displayed during the interrogation really caught me by surprise. the apathetic emo character suddenly being truly happy or sad is a cliche but this panel right fucking here was so powerful to me:

yeah his eyes are always bloodshot as a trademark to his quirk, but the emotional EXHAUSTION written on his face is so starkly different than his usual boredom. this feeling that horikoshi illustrates in two small panels is so human that it’s instantly recognizable deep in our hearts. we’ve all been in those heavy and direly serious moments that wrack our mental and emotional fortitudes, where the only response manageable without hideously breaking down is some subtle motion of the hand or crinkle of the face. we all know what this means without understanding the japanese onomatopoeia or needing additional dialogue. before i read vigilantes, i still immediately understood what this man meant to aizawa. and that’s why i love shirakumo so much!! we all know at least a little how aizawa used to feel as a student, and to have someone constantly pushing you and acting as such a light in your moments of darkness is something so incredibly special. i really hope they’re able to get him out of his nomu state so those three can finally become heros together :’)

god!!!!!!!!!!

[badatusernames]

CHOJI, SHIKAMARU, LEE, GAARA & HINATA!! ITS A LOT IM SORRY

THANK U FOR THIS...admittedly some answers may be a lil short just so i can like. Get to them all.

EDIT: IDK WHY IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. IM SO TIRED. IM SORRY ITS JUST A LONGASS NARUTO POST ON YOUR DASH I TRIED MY FUCKIN BEST YALL

SEND ME A CHARACTER AND I’LL DO THIS;

Chouji (man i’ve seen it spelled both ways and i’m just used to typing Chouji at this point sorry)

Sexuality Headcanon: Pansexual!!  Gender Headcanon: Cis male A ship I have with said character: SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARU. SHIKAMARUUUU, my god...just, everything about their dynamic makes my heart melt, the way they’re both people who are easily dismissed by others and how they have such UNFALTERING FAITH in each other. chouji knows how much of a genius shikamaru is, knows very well the fact that despite his laziness, once he commits to something he’s in it for the LONG HAUL, the way shikamaru just believes so steadfastly in chouji, considering him stronger than NEJI FOR FUCKS SAKE...they like. get one another, the kind of relationship where you can be yakking away one minute and then just sitting in contented silence the next. they can just laze around. maybe play video games and snack. and sometimes...kiss. and it’s so chill even with that latent tenderness their later relationship develops and they both just feel so safe and KNOWN and familiar like. love your best friend. anyway everyone slept on shikacho and y’all should be ashamed the naruto fandom is enormous and finding pretty much ANY content for it is almost impossible aside from the small (if lovely and amazing) tag and i’m pretty hyperfixated on it if you couldn’t tell holy SHIT.  A BROTP I have with said character: i’m really not a fan of ino taking potshots at him for his weight and outright shaming him, but once she grows out of that i absolutely love their friendship. listen, you know that post thats like--hold on

thats just them, thanks. A NOTP I have with said character: i have nothing against karui but canon is fucking dead to me and my opinions on p much all the “endgame” ships range from utterly neutral to absolute loathing. their relationship is on neither end of the spectrum, but. eh. definitely not into it. A random headcanon: he keeps nursing injured animals back to health because he’s just that fucking sweet and bringing them back to his house to keep them warm and safe while they recover and his team knows vaguely about this and ino and shikamaru like to poke fun at him for it but since they don’t tend to encounter said animals, it’s not really a huge deal.

of course they stop by his house one day bc he hadn’t shown up for training which is annoying and frankly a little concerning and finding the house mostly empty ino just bursts on into chouji’s room only to immediately have the opossum he’s been caring for latch its little paws on her face and cling.

it’s a bad morning. General Opinion over said character: literally one of my absolute favorites of all time and it really breaks my heart how overlooked he is in the fandom (seriously y’all...). i think kishimoto is kind of a stupid hack and the Fat Jokes are really grating and it sucks to see that so intrinsically tied to his character (like. just let him be fat. jesus christ) but his kindness and overall relaxed, loyal and lovable nature has me just melting. i adore him. 

Shikamaru

Sexuality Headcanon: He’s gay, scoob. (I could also talk a lot about how his earlier misogyny is both a product of being a whiny tween and also some internalized frustration of like WHATS SO GREAT ABOUT GIRLS. UGH. I DONT. STOP TELLING ME IM GONNA FALL IN LOVE WITH ONE ONE DAY DAD JESUS. and let’s be real, thats frustrating, even if it aint an excuse)  Gender Headcanon: he uses he/him pronouns because it’s just what he’s used to and comfortable with but man gender is such a drag... A ship I have with said character: SEE ABOVE SHIKACHO RANT A BROTP I have with said character: naruto! he and naruto have a really adorable friendship and i love love LOVE that he and chouji were shown to be kind and accepting of him even when most people were shunning him. also he’s so fucking dumb i love seeing shikamaru meticulously plan out something only to have naruto shriek into battle and ruin all of it. love those guys. stupid bros.  A NOTP I have with said character: ok. im sorry i just. loathe sh*katema i really do. i haaaate the way kishimoto writes this whole “ew a GIRL” “ew a MAN” vibe with the like OOOH BUT THEYRE GONNA LIKE EACH OTHER vibe like. 

don’t get me wrong i adore them as friends, i think they’re fantastic scathing and witty pals who bitch about anything and everything including each other

but they’re also both gay and kishimoto can suck my nuts byeeee A random headcanon: sometimes pakkun just fucking Shows up and chills with him. shikamaru wants absolutely no part of this but is way too lazy to like. do anything about it so it’s just this guy and a dog sitting in a field chillin and occasionally him piping up like ‘hey kid. remember when i bit your hand? yeah? haha, man time sure does fly.” while shikamaru is just. go aWAY.   General Opinion over said character: if you told 9 year old me watching naruto for the first time my favs were gonna be a three way tie of lee, shikamaru and chouji i never would have fucking believed you but here we are. i love him. i absolutely love him. he’s such a whiny bastard and a really good depiction of burnout genius who doesnt want to do ANYTHING, but his intellect is an absolute DELIGHT to watch. i love him very much. 

Lee

Sexuality Headcanon: he’s pan!! this is a boy that crushes easily and crushes hard on just about anyone!!!! Gender Headcanon: cis male A ship I have with said character: ok i ship him a lot with neji actually? what with how neji grows during the course of the series to regard lee with the respect he deserves is really sweet and there’s just something so infinitely adorable about him going around being the hammiest, most ridiculously earnest, kind and enthusiastic person and neji, now that he isn’t constantly bitter and angry at the world can finally really see that? lee is always happily dropkicking his way into his life, like he wouldn’t have it any other way, and i think that’s just...so sweet A BROTP I have with said character: SAKURAAAAA. oh my GOD do i adore their relationship. ever since lee saved her and basically just gave her a glimpse of his...lee-ness, the fact her negative opinion of him IMMEDIATELY flipped and gave her such a strong admiration and fondness for him kills me DEAD. she always treats him with so much respect and the fact she’s quick to rag on anyone making fun of him melts my HEART!! and on lee’s side, his little crush on her is adorable of course, but the sheer strength of the friendship that comes from it is more than infatuation could ever offer him. i want them to hang out together and talk about their troubles...i want them to make each other laugh and be so very kind to each other...i want sakura to storm over and throw him over her shoulder to TAKE A BREAK ALREADY when he’s been training too hard for too long. god. A NOTP I have with said character: honestly i’m pretty happy with a lot of lee ships! the only ones i view with obvious disdain are the ones with creepy age gaps honestly. A random headcanon: out of everyone in the leaf genin, he’s probably the closest anyone’s ever come to someone who EVERYONE is at least distantly friendly towards. like god have you SEEN how warm and inviting and concerned he is the SECOND he sees that naruto is feeling down? i get the sense he’s immediately inclined to provide that kind of support to any of his comrades, even the ones that Resist it.

you think sasuke is the most popular among the leaf genin? puh-LEASE. everyone looks on rock lee with at least a LITTLE bit of warmth. thats just fact. General Opinion over said character: since my first viewing of naruto he has been my Absolute fav, and while chouji and shikamaru are veeery close to stealing that spot, one look at him and i feel he’s gonna be on top forever. probably the best written character kishimoto’s ever produced that’s remained in  the main cast (tho i dont speak for shipudden onwards who fucking knows, but the truth of it is is i adore rock lee)

Gaara

Sexuality Headcanon: Panromantic Asexual Gender Headcanon: kind of like shikamaru, i feel like he uses he/him pronouns but also doesn’t particularly....Care? A ship I have with said character: ok so it wasnt until my naruto rewatch that i really started falling into this but i think him and naruto are super cute? while i loathe kishimoto for ruining so much abt this show he really is good at creating good foils to naruto, and gaara is no exception--and the way naruto changes his life by just kicking his ass (and proving he’s not just a Simp or smth) and then just, extending genuine empathy and a REAL sense of truly relating to where he’s coming from re:his upbringing? the EFFECT it has on him, bro!!!! my god!!! i feel like they’re that opposites attract ship that don’t clash constantly but instead fall into this adorable synergy and understanding? and i think thats so sweet A BROTP I have with said character: ...is it cheating to just put temari and kankuro here? bc they are literally his siblings but my GOD do i love their relationship. there’s something so deeply sad about their initial situation??? like having siblings that either are deeply fucking afraid of you or clearly don’t care for your well being whatsoever, it’s such a tragic scenario, and the times where they really do show legitimate care for gaara just breaks my heart...but the GROWTH. THE DEVELOPMENT. THE HEALING. i love the sand siblings so much, i am a STRONG advocate of seeing the development from estranged family to loving, occasionally bickering siblings who absolutely Love Each Other A NOTP I have with said character: uhhhh same with lee in that i don’t really mind most of the ships i’ve seen him in? while i don’t particularly ship gaalee i think its also Very Cute, and really it all just seems pretty valid as long as people aren’t being creepy? A random headcanon: i’ve been wracking my brain for one for a good 20 minutes and i just don’t have one he’s such a mystery to me/????? i love him but he is an enigma?? General Opinion over said character: oh my god he’s such an edgelord in the beginning. i’ve been doing a lot of this naruto rewatch with my friend @drashseed (a simply phenomenal fella 10/10 follow him) and every single time he talked the only valid response just became “ok gaara”

but his backstory? utterly HEARTWRENCHING. and his growth is just. absolutely divine, i adore him. thank you mister sandman for doing so much for us all.

Hinata

Sexuality Headcanon: Bisexual Gender Headcanon: cis woman A ship I have with said character: listen. i think kibahina is........Really Really cute. he cares about her so MUCH??? and there’s a certain tenderness to his interactions with her that’s just really evident whenever you see em together? i really love that you get the sense hinata is COMFORTABLE around him!!! like! i feel like hinata really deserves to have a partner who sees her when she ISN’T blushing and stammering? when she’s like? legitimately comfortable and being HERSELF? (dgmw the blushing is adorable i fucking love her but its one of the gripes i have with naruhina that so much of it is just naruto being oblivious and her having a small panic attack) the comfort she and kiba have make for a chill, adorable relationship i just cry over constantly A BROTP I have with said character: so i was GONNA put naruto here, but technically i already put him there for shikamaru’s so i’m gonna say neji!!! uhhh OBVIOUSLY they got off to a. very rough start but the way their dynamic changed (or perhaps in a way reverted back to the times they interacted before neji’s father died and temporarily killed his Human Decency) into this respect and fondness that’s just...such a delight to watch? i’m a SUCKER for slow and mutual reconciliation and there are just so many sweet moments between them. they are FAMILY, BRO!!! THEY CARE FOR EACH OTHER, BRO!!!!!!!!!! A NOTP I have with said character: ...at the risk of sounding like a broken record, i think a lot of hinata ships are quite cute? i guess i’m gonna have to say sasuke. because like.

has. he ever even looked at her. please. jesus christ. she deserves so much better. A random headcanon: she is a LOT physically stronger than she looks!! a lot of her combat techniques rely on taijustu after all so it’d make sense that she puts a lot of effort into physical training alongside chakra control.

i’m trying to say she’s strong. not as strong as sakura but. she can lift her bf up over her head (he’s dying hes dying he’s dYING he lOVES HER SO MUCH). it’s pretty fuckign badass

General Opinion over said character: i LOVE her??? honest to god i really really do--honestly while i dislike the direction they went in canon with her, i really loved seeing her be motivated to grow and change the parts of herself she hated to become a stronger person.

that and she’s so fucking cute and sweet and i just??????? bless her honestly.

[shesawriter39049]

CV SQUAD PT.1 (M)

Podcast host/Youtuber/Influencer BTS & OC

CV SQUAD TAKE: MIAMI,NEW YORK, LONDON, LA

CV SQUAD TAKE MIAMI- PART 1 OF 2

WARNINGS:(There’s both some M/F & M/M smuttyness in here so I’ll let you find out which warnings apply to who) Some hand fun,Hella dirty talk, cum play, spit play, light choking, public sex, light mirror kink ,a ton of teasing between all 8 “Characters” All the boy’s are Bi in this BTW . Tatted and Pierced BTS (Not all but most)

JIMIN/OC MAIN FOCUS OT7 SUBFOCUS (MXM/MXF) 

In this part Hoseok/Yoongi have a bigger roll in my opinion but again there all in it a ton 

There is a lot of dialog in this one but it’s needed…I’m introducing 8 people sooooo lol

9.7 K

AU SUMMARY : The “CV SQUAD” is made up of Jimin,YN, Namjoon, Yoongi, and Kookie a group of friends who run a podcast called “Candid Vibes” . That was created initially for a media arts project,in college which is actually how they all met! Now fast forward a good 4 years, a YT channel and millions of listeners later..and we have the CVSQUADTOUR.  A four city tour spanning over 16 days, with guest appearances from some of their good friends over at “TEAMJTH” AKA Jin, Taehyung,and Hoseok. Follow along to get the full candid behind the scenes access to everything that takes place over the next 2 weeks, including the moments there definitely going to edit out of the tour vlogs!!!  P.S the full backstory will be linked at the end!

***This is happening in real time, so in some scenes if there’s a [C] in front of the person dialog that means there talking into the camera. Or if it says [FILMING] that means there in shot but not talking directly to the camera***

****Wednesday July 4th, 5:45 AM,Valencia, CA -CV SQUAD HOUSE (Tour starts on the 5th in Miami) ***

“Ah fuck!!” A loud grumbled leaves Yoongi's chest as he sets the camera on the kitchen counter, ruffling his hands through his faded ice blue locks, readjusting his oversized cat eye glasses on his face before pushing the record button.

[C] “Aye, goodmorning guys, it’s ughhh fuck, 5:45 which is why the lighting probaly sucks in addition to the fact that I’m not Jungkook! Sooo as you guys know we all went out last night with the guys over at TEAMJTH, for a pre-tour dinner thing, which started at 7:30 but Y/N and Jimin didint get there till like 8 which, what the fuck else is new.” Letting out a slow exhale as his body just slouched along the back counter, taking a sip of coffee before continuing his thought.

[C] “ Well, Jin and I were the first to leave around, like 11:30 ish and I had the displeasure of spending the night here, because that’s the only way I’d ensure these asshats woke up on time. And  when I got up this morning my phone said the last time the alarm went off was a little after 3AM..and again it’s 5:45 and I’m about to go wake them up because come look at this shit!“  Turning the camera away from his face to let it lead the way down the hallway and into the PR room, or “Hell” as Yoongi called it .

There was a room on the first floor that was originally meant to be a “parlor” but obviously that's not anything the 4 of you would need or want! So it was turned into the PR closet, as you guys were always being sent items to review, or even paid to post about it. It only took one of you missing an ad that couldve made you an easy 3k to realize this shit needed to be kept out of your bedrooms until the job was done. So inteased you have a room filled with numerous clothing racks and boxes, separated by CV member!  But it was also where all of your luggage was sitting and it barely looked liked you guys were packed, or at least not 16 days worth!

Letting the camera pan the room as he let out an exasperated sigh, even in the dim lighting only fueled by the numerous neon signs along the walls it was still clear this room was a hot ass mess.

[C] “Can we all take a moment to appreciate the site in front of us, that is without a doubt bullshit!” Panning the camera over to the right, zooming in slightly, on all of your half-assed excuse for packing. “Yeah, so on that note, were gonna walk down the hall and wake up Jimin first, and then make our way upstairs to get everyone else.”

Making his way down a long dark hallway before making a right to head to Jimin’s room, until he hears an almost animalistic noise coming from the opposite direction. Heading to the laundry room instead only to find Jungkook, snoring,with his mouth open, on a bean bag chair..with a bag of chocolate covered lays to his right.

There was a very long pause, as the camera pans between Kookie and Yoongi, before his eyes flutter shut, holding the bridge of his nose between his index and thumb.

[C] “Ya know, sometimes...I just really don’t know what my life is….I really, really don't….” reaching down to shake Jungkook “Hey, hey,HEY! Kookie! Dude whyyyyyyy !? What are you doin on the floor in here of all places?” Pausing momentarily honestly hoping for an answer than even made a fragment of sense.  Instead he was greeted with a displeased grumble as kookie attempted to readjust on the oversized bean bag chair .

[C] “Nooo no, no up! Get up, go shower, and finish packing NOW! You got like an hour and 7 minutes. And then your taking this damn camera back because I hate this thing! ”

The tone alone has the younger abiding Yoongi’s orders, far too tired to argue anyway slowly rolling off the floor, grabbing his chips in the process. Managing to get chocolate all over the collar of the white “OFF white” Jacket he slept in. While Kookie slugged his way out of the laundry room, still whining like a bart in the process.

Quickly whipping out his phone to check Jungkooks IG, letting out a relieved sigh at his last 3 posts which all had well over 600k likes. But more importantly Jungkook posted the sponsored post, prior to ruining the jacket...and that’s all that mattered!

[C] “One down..two to go….”

What he actually meant was Yoongi didn't need to wake up was Namjoon, well aware that he was already up and well…..that’s because that's whose room he started and woke up in himself….

Finally heading back to his initial mission, Jimin, turning in the opposite direction, making a right, then walking down four very random stairs that lead to his bedroom . Two black framed french doors sat cracked, the room initially was a sunroom converted to a bedroom because Jimin wanted to be on the first floor and the guest room “wouldn’t even hold my shoes “. So this was the alternative...

Upon opening it he finds the both of you in bed together, but there's nothing even remotely sexual about this if anything it’s comical. Both fully dressed, like shoes and all, how you managed to sleep in that skin tight hot pink body con dress, that barely looked like you had room to breathe is besides me. The upper half of your body was almost hanging half off his california king while Jimin’s foot was damn near in a ballerina point. Evident even through his leather dress boots, neck stretched so far to the side it was almost on his night stand. One hand draped over your hip while the other hung off the bed.

[C] “Why am I not even remotely surprised at this point!?.” A combination of frustration and amusement laced within his voice as he slumped to the ground. Letting a low cackle rupture through his throat, as he still tried to keep his voice at a whisper. Only standing in the door frame at this point. “ I swear I don’t get paid enough for this…..” Walking over to turn on the lights, but unfortunately Jimin only had mood lighting so the dim aesthetic really did nothing to stir the two of you.

Flipping the angle so the camera was facing him again before speaking into it at a hushed tone [C]“Offf course this boy has strip club hoe lighting to go with his damn silk curtains because why wouldn't he! Alright guys’ Imma set this camera on the nightstand, because these two are damn near comatose, and I need two hands for this!  I’m not sure how much footage you will or won't get but I really need to get them up so blame Kookie for also being hungover if this parts shitty!”

At this point because of where the camera was sitting you could only see the bottom of the bed , but it was picking up the conversation taking place above it.

Yoongi reached over readjusting your body on the bed only causing you drape your arms around him in attempts to pull him in “No, no, no..Y/n get up..” Shaking your body until your eyes fluttered, making your roll over closer to Jimin, who welcomed you with no hesitation even in his sleep, always a cuddler even in the platonic sense.

“Alright fuck this..” Hopping on the bed between the two of you, shaking you both until your eyes fluttered open. Jimin’s even puffer than usual from lack of sleep, slipping into complete slits in his face. You weren't doing any better, suddenly your lash extensions felt like bricks hanging on your lids, as you struggled to keep your eyes ajar.  A loud screech comparable to banche left your throat as you stretched,managing to crack a few bones in the process… “Yo, it’s like 5 to 6...you two need to shower and finish packing,private or not we still gotta go through TSA, and you know how LAX is...we need to be outta here by 8! Let’s get movin!!” He was far from yelling but there was no room for debate within the leverage he held as he spoke.

Rolling over to your side, resting your hand on your temple, eyes zoning in on a very faint mark behind Yoongi’s ear making your smirk slightly. “Where did you sleep last night?” Brow quirked at the sudden implied question, the devilish grin on your face transferring to jimins as he ruffled his fingers through his long dark locks. Currently almost jet black, parted messily down the middle with a couple pieces falling in his face framing that lethal jawline of his! Kicking off his shoes and unbuttoning his white dress shirt, leaving his toned caramelized abdomen on display. Giving you a sneak peek at the roses that danced along his ribcage, as he readjusted next to you on the bed.

“Yeah Yoongi where did you sleep last night hmm? Needed a little stress reliever before tour even starts aye?” The playful yet taunting tenor in Jimin's voice eared an eye roll and middle finger from Yoongi.

“Fuck you both, I slept in the guest room thank you very much!” Snapping back with a snarl, while the two of you instantly exchanged glances, eyes meeting and rolling in the same direction simultaneously.

“Really!?” The word left both of your lips in unison, dry as all hell, as you tried to ease off the bed, your hangover knocking you right on your ass. Literally, plopping  back down next to jimin, causing him to smile over at you fondly, stroking the side of your jaw. The contrast of the metal from his rings soothing your skin, nuzzling your face slightly into his palm.

The tone in both of your voices screamed “BULLSHIT”! There were things that happened every once in a while that were kept on the DL, even within the squad ,typically never confirmed or denied, just forever the butt of every, inside joke.

“How the fuck would either of you know different? Your drunk ass couldn't even make it upstairs!” The words slipped from his lips so effortlessly it was like he was already prepared for the two of you to give him that reaction.

“Bitch” Bringing your hand down to meet his ass, as he rolled off the bed smaking it so hard your palm burned from the impact. Earning a low hiss to leave his throat, a noise that was secretly pleasing to both Jimin and yourself if were being honest.

“No, but  I’m serious, you two up! Up!” Shoeing his hands in your direction .

Jimin hopped off the bed first, throwing his shirt on the floor “For once, the little grimiln over there actually has a method to his madness, we need to get moving princess..” Abruptly grabbing you off the bed and throwing you over his shoulder before walking towards the door.

“Hey I heard that! You little shit!” Yoongi aimed a pillow at Jimin but considering he’s not even remotely athletic it landed on your ass instead! Earning a loud squeal from the sudden change of, well shit everything as now you're literally staring at the ground and his ass, in these skin tight leather pants.

The minute the two of you made it into the hallway and he walked up those 4 steps it was game over. All Yoongi could hear from inside Jimin’s bedroom was you literally screaming “Park, down,now put me down I’m literally going to throw up put me down!!”

Picking the camera off the nightstand as he plopped back down on Jimin’s bed , head jerking suddenly from the feeling of something rolling out of the pillowcase. Only to find it’s a bottle of lube, quickly looking at the brand before giving what appeared to be an approving nod, throwing it to the side before bringing the camera up to his face.

[C] “Well ladies and gentlemen..this is gonna be...interesting..to say the least..I’mma go make my rounds, make sure everyone is actually up. Make sure Y/N didn't puke in the damn hallway, I also need to check in with our boys over at TEAMJTH. I’m sure Jin’s the only coherent one, I know they were all over here at some point and I have no idea what time they left!” Pausing to pull his phone out of his pocket, letting his thumb hover over Jin’s contact.

[C] “ Maybe I’ll be somewhat nice and make a starbucks run….meh will see how I feel.But yeah, will check in once Kook’s sober so he can film because I’m sure this was a shit show! So on that note..I’m out! Peace!!”

~~~~~~

“How you wanna do this ?” Voice sitting barley above a whisper as he stroked your cheek, while you sat on the ground of the 1st floor guest bathroom. Hair all tousled to the right as your head rested on your arm, which was still braced along the toilet seat. A warm rag coming up to grace the back of your neck “You wanna shower here or go upstair-” cutting him off with a nod before he could even finish his thought. Needing to sit in the humidity before you even tried to walk upstairs. Nodding quickly before walking behind you to turn the shower up,  stepping out into the hallway to grab a towel.

“Someone slept in her makeup…” Tisking lowly as he placed the towel on the counter, before walking back out into the wall.

“Fuck, yeah I know thank god my skin is damn near bullet proof or else I’d be fucked, remind me to never drink on a stomach fuled by soley the dessert menu! “ Rolling your eyes in frustration at no one but yourself as you slowly got off the ground.Feeling slightly light headed in the process, pulling  your dress over your head. Only revealing a nude g-string, the dress was so tight you almost considered not wearing panties at all. As you stepped into the shower you heard the door open again, apparently he went to also grab you makeup wipes, only catching the tail end of your naked body as you disappeared behind the steamed glass.

Not even bothering to apologize because it wasn't the first time he’d seen you like that, sticking your head out the glass, extending your arms for the wipes, as you smiled over in his direction. “Thank you for taking care of my hungover ass…” Shooting him a lazy smile as you rested your head against the tile.

Returning the gesture with a slight bow of the head as he edged towards the door, “No need to thank me, I’mma go hop in the shower myself, I also sat some tylenol on the counter, but come find me if you need me okay?” The genuine care and concern in his voice forced you to give him a legit smile no matter how dead your body felt, Jimin was good people, you don’t meet a lot of them in this industry that’s for damn sure! Nodding in response, another thank you left your lips lightly before letting your body reunite with the steam.

“How’s she feelin?” Jimin heard Namjoon’s voice echo throughout the empty hallway , changing his direction from his bedroom over to the kitchen. Joon was standing behind the island shirtless, mixing together a protein drink, Jimin noticed the tripbod to his right that was holding his phone. Figuring he probably just filmed something, more than likely an instagram video. Shamelessly taking in Namajon’s honey dipped complexion, offset by his dark brows and ice blonde hair.

Joon went through phases were he choose to tone his body, always someone with a strong build so it didn't take much for him to build up muscle mass. In Jimin eyes he was the perfect combination of muscular yet soft all at the same time! A couple small tattoo’s dancing along his body, all quotes written in an old fashioned script. From various books, or artist that caught his attention, not one for random spur or the moment pieces they all held a lot of meaning!

A dimply smile pulled on Joon’s face as he observed the way the younger was damn near drooling “Thanks Chim, I’m glad your enjoying the progress I’m making at the gym” The smile quickly turned into a full blown smirk once he took in how red Jimin got, even though his tanned complexion.

Shaking his head lightly as he chuckled, slightly embarrassed, letting his eyes meet their freshly polished hardwood floors, before brining his gaze back to his elder. Raking his fingers through his hair before slowly letting them slide down his neck “What can I say, I appreciate the hard work that’s all...I know it’s not easy to stay committed!”Ending with a slight nod , that held equal amounts of sass and arrogance.

Strutting over to grab a seat in front of Namjoon “Are these any good, or are they just payin you well?”

A playful tenor rang through his voice as he recognized the very popular protein brand to his right. Finally putting two and two together, as far as his appearance and the tripod, he was clearly filming an AD for the company. Namjoon quirked his brow clearly not as amused as Jimin, while taking a sip, “Don”t try me, last I checked none of us were hungry enough to take a deal just because. We either actually like it or we don’t post about it..or did I miss something?”

Dropping his posture slightly, resting his chin on his knuckles as he locked his eyes with the younger Namjoon’s rebuttal had jimin throwing his hands up, waving his white flag immediately. “Touche, your right, your right! Lemme taste it..” He actually wasn’t asking more so demanding as he grabbed the cup, lacing his tongue around the straw before wrapping his lips around it.

Namjoon’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits at the sight, well aware of what this little shit was doing, making sure the diamond , from his piercing caught the end of the straw “Really? Is that what it is Park?”  Cocking his head to the side slightly, there was an air of amusement that danced along his face while Jimin faked innocence, earning an eye roll from namjoon while he stepped back relaxing against counter. Putting his full abdomen, V line and all on display, while his joggers sat dangerously low...I swear the two of them secretly got off on constantly tempting each other! Though in all honesty it was USUALLY always harmless and just playful, the four of you flirts by nature.

“So what time did you go to bed last night?” Jimin tried to play it cool but Namjon knew he was digging..trying to see if anything happened between him and Yoongi.

“Ugh, around 1, a little after Hoe-seok made an apperance….fuck, you two missed A LOT!”

“What? OH the lapdance!? Fuckkkk I know! That’s the last thing I remember looking at one my phone, just wait until drama channels get a hold of it, Next thing you know there engaged to be married! “ Jimin rolled his eyes annoyed at just the thought of how everything suddenly became an internet headline.Not that it’s ever stopped any of them from doing whatever they want, when they want!

There was suddenly a mischievous glint in Namjoon’s eyes before he shook his head “Nah, there was another lap dance, that hopefully isn't on anybody's snap chat…” .

Jimin’s brows furrowed in slight confusion, and annoyance at the way Namjoon was dragging this out “Just fuckin send it Joonie I don’t have all damn day!”

A snort left namjoon’s body as he dropped his head on the island before continuing “ Alright ,alright, so when  I got home, Kookie, Tae, Ryland, And morgan were chillin’ listening to The Weeknd doing jell-o shots. He was originally giving Morgan a lap dance,and like stripping and shit. Then I come in, we all know Hoseok can’t hold his liquor, I make a comment about his ass in those jeans he was wearing and the next thing I know he’s on my lap…and ugh, yeah...”

The hesitation as his jaw closed, let Jimin known there was more he wanted to say he just choose not too, now how much more is the question.

Jimin gazed back at him completely wide eyed, jaw damn near hanging to the floor, fuck what he would’ve given to be there for that!  “Careful you might catch something…” Joon teased as he took his phone off the tripod…”Fuck, it’s almsot 6:30 you need to get your ass in the shower before Yoongi cut’s your balls off , he just left, and he spent all morning bitching!”

“Ughhh, fine but were texting about this whole ..”dance” situation later because I got questions! Also when is Yoongi NOT bitching, you just love being his little helper huh? Such a good little boy for him aren't you Joonie!!” The taunting almost demeaning tone in Jimin’s voice had his blood boiling, brow quirked, jaw extremely tight. His lethal gaze was daring the younger to even think about saying another word!

Jimin was well aware if they did have sex theres no way in hell Namjoon was bottoming. So he was hoping if he struck a nerve Joon would correct him which would at least confirm if his suspicion of them hooking up in the past was right. But clearly Namjoon was a little too smart for that one…

“Nah, more like I just know how to keep my shit together so I don’t get bitched out, now how about you be a good little boy for your hyung and go take a shower yeah!?” Now it was Joon’s turn to taunt Jimin , his tone alone had jimin shifting in his seat, low, calm yet authoritative all at the same time. All of the boys were Korean-American, so there were obviously some cultural things that just weren’t done as often in america, and referring to your male elder as “Hyung” constantly was one of them. But considering Jimin can find a way to turn anything into a kink he already knew Jimin’s underwear we soaked on command!

Jimin exhaled deeply it was clear as day he was soooo damn annoyed “Sure, anything for you hyung…” Tone dry and snarky as all hell, adding a very condescending enfaces on the honorary as he hopped out the chair, making sure to sway in his skin tight leather pants as he exited the kitchen.

“That’s it, such a good boy for me Jiminie, such a good boy..” Namjoon coaxed with almost cynical smile, earning a very deserved dual middle finger from the younger as he fully exited the space.

~~~~~~

“Can you arch for me a little, a little more, a little..yesss just like that...just lean into it a little...perfect now stay like that for me…” If Yoongi didn't know any, he’d probably second guess himself before walking into this room. Actually he’s still second guessing himself, but to his pleasant surprise, it’s a photoshoot not an orgy! . As Jimin, Namjoon, and yourself, laid across your fluffy white couch in an obscene amount of Clavin Klein while Jungkook took pics for an IG post. With all the traveling you guys were about to be doing you just didn't trust yourself to get some of these AD’s up on time so you were trying to cram as much as you could! Forcing yourself to do your infamous “5 minute beat” but begging Kookie to edit the fuck outta these pic’s because you still felt like literal death!

Jimin, opting to go shirtless with the briefs peeked out from under the joggers, namjoon kept on a hoodie  leaving it completely unzipped, while you went for the short’s teasing a red and white thong above the waist band along with the matching bra. All of you going for variations of red, white, and blue due to the day at hand.

Rolling his eyes instantly at the sight in front of him “For your safety I really hope this means your all done packing and when the uber comes in 15 minues you’ll be ready to go!”  Setting down a tray of drinks and bagels, face hidden behind a pair of oversized designer shades. The low rasp in his voice let you know he was just exhausted as the rest of you, but you still had shit to do regardless!

“You reallllly have no faith in us!” You could literally hear the pout in Jimin’s voice without even looking.

“The outfits were sorted on racks, when our stylist and Sara were here yesterday we just ran out of time between that conference call and getting ready for dinner to pack it all. There really wasn't shit to do!” You perked up, with a shrug reaching up to grab the Lavender tea, typically a coffee person but you knew since you were sick this morning, and still felt a little off this one was for you! Reclining your  back into Namjoon’s chest slightly, while to stole your drink out of your hand, inviting himself to taste it.  Brining one hand over to soothe up and down your arm before having the nerve to pass your drink over to Jimin instead of returning it to you.

“Alright, and were sure?! Kookie, all your equipment, is packed, labeled, secured!?” Raising his glasses up to look the youngest in the eyes, that infamous chipmunk smile, meeting Yoongi’s glare.

“Yesss Yoongi, that stuff’s been backed, and double checked, it’s good, were good!!”

Stepping back slowly with a nod of approval, clearing his throat before speaking “Even though the four of you are going to be the cause of my premature aging, wrinkles and receding hairline...I just ugh, want you to know I’m honestly really proud of you guys!This was just some little bullshit project we did to pass trade school, in hopes of one day working in our field. And you guys managed to turn it into a career, we were just hoping to be able to do what we love without struggling now look  …” Pausing suddenly, you could hear his voice wavering, making you all equally teary eyed as this was NOT like Min Yoongi at all.

“For the record it’s the five of us, always has been, always will be, we wouldn’t have made it this far without you, hell we wouldn't have graduated without you honestly!” Jimin pipped in first, feeling the need to stroke his ego a little, even though he was speaking straight facts.

Yoongi was technically the eldest, and was wayyy better at managing the combination of partying and studying while living in LA! When you guys met originally 4 years ago , Yoongi was 21, Joon was turning 21, you were 20, Jimin was 19, and Kookie just turned 18. All at different walks in life, as you enrolled in this program for media arts just trying to turn your hopes into something feasible.

“Don’t ever forget that, Candid Vibes wouldn’t be what it is without you, and we love you too by the way, I think you were dancing around that phrase!” Smiling over fondly in Yoongi’s direction, as he tried to hide the smile moving up his face.

The three of you shared a quick glance before getting up to tackle Yoongi who gave a displeased grumped but you all knew he secretly loved it! Squeezing until his legs gave out and he was rolling around on the floor trying to break free.

“Alrigh, alright get the fuck off me!!!” Swatting in your direction. Face contorted in aggravation while the three of you cackled aimlessly honestly not even phased by him anymore. This was just the way he showed his love and you wouldn’t want it any other way!

“ While I go double check on the Ubers, quickly film your update for the CVSQUADTOUR IG account, and please just do another one over on your bags!”  There was a plea to his tone this time  as opposed to the normal hints of anger!

Jungkook mounted his phone on the tripod so you guys could film and the video could be uploaded directly after. Just a standard update, wishing them a happy and safe 4th of July,letting them know how excited you all were, and to keep following all of your socials for updates, and pop-up events blah blah blah!

2 UberXL pulled up, one solely for your luggage alone, the cars were also sponsored, the four of you used Uber on a weekly basis! The drive to the airport was damn near 40 minutes in traffic thank god you were flying private and the plane wasn't leaving until you got there. The 3 of you almost falling asleep the minute your bodies hit the seats, last night's festivities hitting all at once. While Yoongi made business calls making sure your house and other things were looked over while the four of you traveled. The only other girl on the team was Sara, who had the toughest job in your opinion, being your shared assistant. She left for Miami yesterday,since that’s where her girlfriend is for college, wanting a little personal time before you guys ran her ragged!

Amongst arriving at LAX a couple fans noticed you guys and of course you stopped taking pics outside and in the meantime the guys over at TEAMJTH pulled up!

[FILMING-THIS ENTIRE SECTION IS BEING FILMED CASUALLY PANNING BETWEEN ALL 10 MEMBERS WITH NO MAIN FOCUS]

Clearly they had a brand deal of their own, all of them in Tommy Hilfiger loungewear from head to toe, and they all looked damn good! Hoseok’s long burgundy locs messy pushed out of his face, while pitch black ray bans covered his eyes. His joggers were so damn tight you could damn near see the muscles flex as he walked. If you didn't know any better you’d think you were drooling, his toned arms fully exposed in his loose fitting white tank top, making his tan look even stronger.

“Jung fucking -Hoseok…” A low growl left Jimin’s throat he was standing right next to you as he said it, not even bothering to whisper, the two of you sharing a glance that read the same damn thing..this man  was fine as all hell!

While Taehyung trugged behind him, pulling a Jimin, as his hoodie sat slightly unzipped exposing his chiseled chest and the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt, a couple thin chains dancing along his collarbone. His dark locks falling in his face from under his hood, this man had on looser fitting sweats, they were gray and he had on, no TYPE of underwear..none in site. Everything just slinging around as you walked.

“Oh fuck off…” You heard Junkgook whisper out to himself from behind the camera in a low almost aggravated tone at the site of Taehyung and you couldn't even blame him!

Last you had Jin in all black, fitted joggers and a pretty tight black tank top, and for the first time you realized how broad Jins shoulders were, and how nice this man’s arms were. His freshly touched up lavender locks bounced in the wind, offsetting the all balck outfit.

“Fuck..” left Nmajoon’s lips almost as if he was winded, at the sight of TEAMJTH approaching...yeah this was gonna ugh, be a fun little trip!!

All of the boys were openly Bi,as were you, there was no preference for any of you, you just liked who you liked. But something you‘ve noticed over the years is the 7 of them were a lot picker when it comes to their male counterparts.  Yet they seemed to fit each others criteria effortlessly

Hug’s and hello’s were exchanged, but it was clear all of you needed a damn nap, the energy level was at a negative 2 right now!

Hoseok draped his arm around your shoulder as you guys made your way through the airport, keeping your body close to his as he made casual conversation. Voice sitting exceptionally husky due to lack of sleep but fuck if it didint sound good.

[JK IS STILL FILMING JUST NOT THE TWO OF THEM]

The two of you waited while the others went into the gift shop for snacks neither of you could be bothered to move. Leisurely laying his arm around your waist pulling you in to snuggle into his chest amongst hearing you yawn, repeatedly. As they say yawns are contagious, the moment his neck reclined, and that sinfully chiseled jawline went ajar, the light reflected on a piece of metal that you‘ve never seen before.

“Holy shit….” Glancing up at him, almost wanting to die as those words physically left your throat instead of staying in your head! Bringing his gaze down to meet yours, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Oh I ugh-I just noticed your tong-” A smirk moved up his face cutting you off mid sentence as he licked his lips before slowly letting the long wet muscle fall from his lips, letting you get a full view. But you couldn’t help notice the shape of it seemed a little..different.

“I got it done almost 3 weeks ago, we've just been video conferencing for all these meetings so you haven’t noticed. This one vibrates when you push it..that’s why it’s a little bigger…” His voice dropped to an octave that made your pussy do the tightest kegal imaginable. The look on his face proved that was kinda what he was aiming for, loving the way your body shuddered against his own.

Your throat felt uncomfortably dry as you gazed up at him, his eyes were locked on yours...dead set on making you fall apart in his arms and it wasn’t taking much. Clearly the universe decide to help you out, as the rest of the group slowly trampled out of the store.  Jungkook leading the way from behind the lense. An almost arrogant smile curled up his face as he pulled back from you, easing back into casual conversation with the rest of the group.

~~~

[C] “Were walking through the airport….well fuck clearly you can see that, but were heading twoards the termal and I’m reallyyyy exicted!!” A squeak ruptured through your throat as you smiled over in Jungkook's direction. Jimin and Hoseok walking by in unison, fosseying there way towards the terminal Jazz hands, goofy ass expressions and all!

[C] “Kookie make sure you edit in some really dope Casey Neistat , type music, and editing on this part like I wanna look badd assss, slow - mos and all!” Namjoon hopped into frame out of nowhere earning a snort from kookie.

[C] “All right, let's go give it to me...I'll run ahead, and all of you give me your most badass strut and I’ll slow mo and edit that shit to the gods!!!” Kookie did as he said. Running to the end of the termal, counting down from 5 giving you all the signal to walk, and to be honest it was looking great. Until jimin had to end it with a casual almost  “modest” if you will...slut drop upon reaching the end, and of course you couldn't be out done so you joined. Jimin just stayed in the position for a moment almost as if he were gracing the world with the view of his ass, before sticking out his tongue playfully at the camera to his right!

“Buss it down thotiana buss it downnnn” Hoseok cheered from the side at the site of the two of you, forever the hype man, encouraging you to live you best life. An obnoxiously loud cackle left both him and jin’s throat as they no doubt had that on their snap within seconds!

You can hear Jin and Hoseok in the background jokingly making comments about making it rain on both of you asses or something along those lines as you two strutted down the hall.

[C] I’ve never in my life seen Casey do anything like that…EVER” Yoongi’s tone came through the side stale as hell!!

“I mean, I support it, both the left and the right side of it…” Namjoon smirked back in Yoongi’s direction taking in the site of both asses swaying in front of him!

~~~

Jungkook, and Brendan TEAMJTH’s videographer lead the way into the plane first, and it was gorgeous, seating 14 comfortably had a mixture of chairs, couches, and a work space, one bedroom, and bath. In addition to an array of food, drinks and desserts, a special card sitting on the table next to an edible arrangement. Taking a couple pics to quickly upload to your IG account before getting settled .

There was someone from JETTLY waiting as you guys bored, showing you the amenities, introducing you to the pilot and such but there wasn’t a flight attendant present for the trip which was probably in their best interest!

“Strawberry or pineapple?” Taehyung brought his gaze over to Jungkook as he sat the camera on the table..shrugging nonchalantly, trying to hide the smile moving up his face.

“I don’t know surprise me..”

A smirk moving up Tae’s face at that “Close your eyes..” Dropping his voice slightly, as if it didn't already set at a sinful tenor naturally. Walking over to grab a piece of pineapple, biting into it partially to make sure it’s sweet. Flicking his index finger at the youngers bottom lip letting him know to open up, sliding the fruit into his mouth, while letting his finger lingers over his tongue.  Making the younger smile slightly taking the hint, and lapping his tongue gently, fluttering his eyes open with a meek smile.

“You said surprise you…” Taehyung countered letting his lips hover over Jungkook’s before pulling back smugly making his way back over to the edible arrangement. Leaving the younger more than flustered….

“Alright guys, it’s gonna be a minute before we take off, since you're all finally in one place I need you guys to do one more update about tomorrow’s popup shop. Oh and we were able to get some of your merch there as well!! guys” Jackson, TEAMJTH’S manager spoke up, technically Jin,Hoseok, and Tae were just coming for shits and giggles. The plan originally wasn't a shared tour that’s why there only doing two shows.

But since it’s typical for you guys to have an alternating guest host at least once a month  and your audience loves the threesum it just made sense. Of course since they were coming , pay was worked out, they will be compensated accordingly for the New York and LA shows as well as any of there merch that’s sold. Besides them being your friend’s the five of you just didn't do shady business!

The popup shop would be from 5-10 on the 5th, selling merch and a limited supply of brand collabs the 8 of you have done over the years!

~~~~~~

It was a little after 10 once the jet actually took off, the video was uploaded and your lives got to go on airplane mode! All of you forever grateful for the extremely dim lighting and the fact there were blinds draping the windows. The flight to Miami was about 5 hours and with the time difference by the time you landed it would be rolling on 8pm, you all had a 9:30 dinner meeting with your sponsors so sleeping was crucial.

All of you bundled up in different areas of the plane, the hum of music buzzed through the speakers, while your head laid alone on the couch kiddie-corner at the very back of the room. To be honest it seemed like you were the only one up, the light from your phone catching Jimin’s attention as he invited himself to snuggle up behind you. Sliding your phone out of your hand , placing it on the floor “You need to get some sleep…” the whisper hummed though your ear, as his hand found its home draping over your hip you knew he was right. Eyes burning like hell yet you couldn’t fall asleep…

Head covered under an oversized Calvin Klein hoodie, hiding his face in the crook of your neck, while his palm massaged your hip. A slow exhale left your body as you relaxed into his touch, “Fuck, I know..I just hate sleeping on flights!” A humm left his lips at that and you swore you could feel him smirking into your skin, as his hand slipped under the blanket, past the band of your shorts, toying with the hem of your calvins...A low chuckle left your throat, already well aware of were this was going, you kinda expected it just not this soon.

It’s been 4 months since anything sexually has happened between the two of you, and for some reason it only happens when your traveling. Maybe there’s just something in the air , it was in the bathroom at a brand event, in Bora Bora you found yourself on your knees in Moschino and he found himself shamelessly on his in Gucci. It was a great night, needless to say, the two of you ended up buying the outfits afterwards because there was no way in hell they could be returned!

“I’m surprised your over here with me actually…” Your words coming out slightly muffled as you tried to be respectful of the current atmosphere around you.

“And why’s that..” Bringing his hand down to soothe under your ass, while his lips left faint airy kisses down the side of your neck. Teeth grazing the thin chain around your neck, toying it between his teeth.

“Well, with the way you've been eyeing Hoseok the past two days I figured you’d jump on the opportunity to cuddle up under him...”. Turning your head slightly with a playful smirk waiting for him to bring his lips up to meet yours.

“Coming from the woman who almost creamed her panties when she realized he had his tongue pierced today?” Even though he phrased it as a question his tone came off very “matter of factly” leaving no room for debate. Tugging your bottom lip between his teeth, before lapping over it with his tongue,letting the tiny diamond ball of his own dance along your flesh.  “How didn't you notice that last night?” Sucking your lip between his teeth, not even really expecting a response as he dug his nails into your ass, rolling his hips into you until your knead out slightly. Eyes fluttering shut, as you arched back into his touch, grinds your ass into him until you ripped a stifled moan from his throat!

 Sinking his teeth into the side of your neck in response until you dug your nails in his thigh “We have a meeting behave….”  A deep sigh left his lips but he abided anyway, using his tongue to assault your neck instead.

“I saw the way you were looking at him all night,I don't blame you, I was starting just as hard as you were baby.”  Bringing his hand up to grab your neck, applying  just the right amount of pressure, as his lips teased up your ear. Tugging your hoops between his teeth before sucking a nice little reminder right beneath your ear.

Sliding his hands past your panties to swipe of your clit, a low moan leaving both of your lips “Fuck, Hobi really did get your little pussy wet didint he? Can you imagine how good it would feel to have both of us smothered between your thighs? Telling you how sweet you taste and how good you look while you come.” His lips were literally buried into your ear as he spoke, trying to keep is voice as low as possible, the feeling of his breathe teasing your skin alone had your body shuddering. “God your always so sweet too, you know Hoseok has his cock pierced in 2 places right?”

That alone ripped another moan from your throat as he eased to two fingers in until the rings on his fingers were submerged with you heat. Walls flexing on command as he molded himself around you, curling his fingers upwards to tease at the roof of your pussy. Biting down on your lip so hard you thought you’d draw blood. Thrusting his fingers in and out at an agonizing pace, the girth between the two of them had you arching within seconds , sliding a third finger in and your walls welcomed the stretch effortlessly, as you coated him in your juices. “God your so fuckin’ tight, I bet I got you thinkin about him bending you over -”

“While I have your dick in my mouth? yeah that’s exactly what I’m thinking about. Me wrapping my lips around you until you come down my throat.” The words hissed from your throat as your heat pulsed around him you could almost hear your juices slushing around as he pumped his fingers in and out. “You always look so good when your begging, you turn into such a little slut it’s so sexy.” Now it’s your turn to tease, grabbing his face in your hands pulling his lips down to meet yours. Sliding your tongue into his mouth when you hear him let out an involuntary cry as you start grinding your hips back even harder. Allowing his tongue to map every area in your mouth, the cool sensation from the diamond ball in contrast to the warmth of his tongue has your biting back moans every second. Both of you kissing each other with the same amount of fever , tongues melding against each other, as he exchanged your hole for your clit. Placing the pad of his  fingers  against it before adding steady pressure, as he moved in swift circles.

“Or how about you fucking me, while Hoseok works you open with his fingers, god his hands are so sexy.Until your just begging for him to fuck you, you know how much you love to beg.” A low whine left his throat as he pulled back to lay his tongue flat against your neck, licking a long slow stride before sucking down lightly beneath your chin. Just enough to make you want more, even though you knew he couldn’t...

“Jiminnnn...” You whined slightly reclining your neck even more humming out against your skin in response, lips vibrating against your pulse as if he was actually curious as to why you were calling his name.

“god yes, making you fall apart up under him while you make me cum for you...making a mess all over you cock before he fucks you open with his.” Bringing his lips back over to yours with a slight growl, panting out against his tongue, not allowing yourself to pull away because your afraid of how loud you’ll become, needing his lips and tongue to muffle your cries, as you feel the heat growing in your stomach.

Sliding his oppiste had into your panites, gliding three fingers in knuckle deep, just keeping them stationary, only adding to the immense pressure building in your stomach.

“Your soo good, your fingers are soo good..” Moaning out against his tongue, as low as possible before sucking it into your mouth, his fingers always filled you perfectly, it never took much for him to get you off. Hoping the fact that his hoodie was draping over both of your faces muted out some of the noise.

The neediness dripping from his tongue aren't helping either as you grind your hips into his hand, helping chase your own orgasm. “Fuck I forget much of a promblem this mouth of yours is, your gonna fuck around and make me come from that alone, god your so fuckin sexy…” You could feel him start to build up momentum his fingers started working even faster, needing to feel you come just as bad as you “Your dripping down my hand right now, fuck I just wanna taste you, make you come all over my face.”

Burying your face in the crook of his neck, sinking your teeth into the base merissily, edging you towards your release. “That’s it, fuck yourself on my fingers baby, I can feel how tight your clit is, come for me, come nice and hard for me….” Panting out gainst his your hair as your muscles started to seeze biting down on his neck disgustly hard as you came…�� body shuddaring in his embrase as he contiuned working your clit, easing you through your orgasm “Fuck yes, just like that...keep comming for me baby” No matter how sensetive you were you still kept rocking abck agaisnt him, his dick impposibly hard in his pants until you heard a low growl leave his chest. You knew Jimin well enough to know there was a 99% chance he just came….

A low chuckle left your throat at that ...reaching down in his pants as he swirled his fingers in yours. It was like the two of you worked off of one brain cell, brinings your fingers up to each others mouths, lapping your tongues around the digits effortlessly before bringing your lips together. Moaning out simultaneously the two of you tasted each other, the kiss was slow and lazy, letting his tongue have it’s way you as you were spent at this point. Eyes so heavy you almost couldn't open them once he pulled away “Get some sleep…” the words brushed against your lips with a lazy smile before kissing the tip of your nose. The scent of you rolling off his tongue as he spoke. “My entire bodies pliant right now...I don't have a choice, I’m not moving and neither are you!”

Placing one more kiss along your lips before readjusting the two of you under the blankets, before well needed sleep effortlessly washed over your bodies.

~~~~~

The feeling of someone’s hand roaming through your hair is what had your eyes breaking apart. It wasn’t Jimin though you knew what he felt like. These hands were longer, but equally delicate, eyes flutter up to see it was Taehyung. With a camera. Dead in your face.

[C] “Were hereeeee..” The words left his lips sing song like, back to his normal playful self, clearly sleep did him well. Soothing his palm over you back as you grumbled in dismay burying your face back in the blanket...until you remember the discomfort sitting in your panties from earlier, and you instantly felt the desire to hop up and run to the bathroom!

Stepping into the bathroom too quickly wipe down with a towel swamping out your underwear, putting a soiled ones in a bag and sliding them in your cosmetic bag. Upon walking out of course Hoseok would be the one waiting to use the bathroom.

Resting against the wall, shirt long gone, as his hands sat casually in his pockets, the look on his face just felt like he knew something. Or maybe you just felt awkward because you and Jimin got off to the idea of having a threesom with the man in front of you!

“Did you sleep well?”

“I ugh, yeah, yeah I did ..you?” Hoping to god your voice didn't come out as shaky as it felt.

Another all knowing smirk moved up his face, with a slight shrug “Meh, I mean...it couldve been better….” Easing his back off the wall to talk past you, body dusting against yours slightly as he entered the bathroom.  Allowing you to get a full view of beautifully done back piece, Hosoek had one tattoo, and the thing was HUGE...taking up a good 70 percent of his extremely muscular back. It was an extremely detailed leopard, with a tone of tropical themed flowers around it. He got it done in Thailand..about 2 years ago over the span of 3 day!

The minute you returned to the main area Jimin’s eyes met yours exchanging the same look before randomly bursting out into a fit of laughter causing everyone else to glare in your direction. THIS is why the two of you were able to have sex every once on and while, because once it was over..it was over, the two of you were able to just revert back as if nothing ever happened! Walking over to investigate your damage,  yanking his hoodie to the side, thankfully the brutal mark was low enough on his shoulder that any shirt with sleeves would cover it! But fuck if it wasn;t the deepest shade of purple imagiabele, a hiss left your lips at the site of it.

“Don’t worry about it, you know how much I get off on pain..” The words were barely audible as whispered out into your hair. Pulling back from you with a smirk, walking over to pack his blankets and such back in his luggage.

~~~

Once the plane officially settled and the 10 of you made your way to the airbnb it was pushing 8:30, and luckily the sponsors had a feeling this would happen and pushed dinner back to 10. But that still didn't leave MUCH time for getting ready.

Upon pulling up you all recognized the house, it was the “Santorini” very popular amongst influencers as it had 5 bedoroms 4 baths, nine bed all together, a hot tub, pool the full nine. Unfortunately you lot were far too rushed to explore or even pick out rooms, recognizing the car that was waiting outside thankful it was the hair and makeup duo you reached out to weeks ago through IG to do your glam while in Miami.

The house was a mess within seconds, all of you running around throwing clothes everywhere trying to find what you needed, the ten of you had never gotten ready so fast in your lives.

Jungkook and Brenden were ready first, within 20 minutes tops, the least high maintenance of the group, whipping out there cameras as they watched all the casos unfold. Even Though 80% would have to be cut as there were a lot of naked and or half naked bodies running through this house!

It was only a matter of time before Jackson and Yoongi were screaming that the car was outside and you all needed to leave ..NOW!

[FILMING]

“Fuck where are my shoes!?

“Who has hairspray, that won’t make my hair look flakey on my hair!?”

“Kim-Tae-fucking-hyung are you wearing my Saint Laurent boots!?”

“NO! My feet are bigger than yours ya dick!”

Everything and everyone was a damn mess, yelling from all ends of the house, no one really sure who the other was actually speaking too!

“Ahhh shit I gotta go I gotta gooo..” You found yourself running away from your glam team as they chased behind you with hairspray and fix plus,trying to spray you down in the process “Someone zip this pleaseee…” The first person you ran by was Namjoon, his silk paisley shirt sitting slightly unbuttoned giving you a sneak peek at his toned chest while reaching behind to zip up your dress.

[FILMING] ‘Shit I don't know if I like thissss..” You knew that whine anywhere it was Jimin giving himself a one over in the mirror.

[FILMING] “Your ass looks delectable Jiminie we gotta gooooo!!!” The praise came from Namjoon making the younger blush slightly as he licked his cherry stained lips, not hesitating to look at his ass in the frame one more time before abiding. Confidence instantly back on a hundred as he smirked, swaying away from the mirror while running his fingers through his hair.

~~~~

The 10 of you pilled into 3 luxury Ubers arriving to the “Lobster Bar Sea Grille” About 10 minutes late but hey, you tried, Jimin and yourself strutted together, the last two to hop out of the car. Hoseok came over casually draping his hand over Jimin’s shoulder. “I like these pants on you Jimine…” tone calm as ever as his hand gently brushed up Jimin’s thigh, making the older chuckle upon feeling his muscles tense under his hold.

Turning his head upwards slightly to meet Hoseok’s gaze, letting his tongue play at the corner of his mouth “Yea, I can say the same about you,they make your thighs look really good” Jimin’s voice dropped a little, adding that slightly whiny twang that never failed to get him his way! Eye’s shamelessly  trailing up Hoseok’s body

A humm leaving Hosoek’s lips in response as his hand coily trailed down Jimin’s back, the slight whimper that left Jimin’s throat the lower he got didn't go unnoticed. Once Hoseok's hand reached his ass he didn't hesitate to squeeze it firmly in his palm until the younger knead out slightly.  Pulling back with a smirk “Let’s ugh..go knock this meeting out so yeah?” Lips hovering over Jimin’s ear as he whispered into his skin. A low rumble ruptured through his chest at the way the younger was just putty in his hands. Typically Jimin had this effect on everyone else, he’s not used to being knocked on his ass, Hoseok’s a completely different type of creature that’s for damn sure. This time giving his ass a couple playful smacks before jogging over to Jin and Taehyung as the walked through the restaurant's doors.

“What. The. Fuck. Was. That.” Glancing over at Jimin with a smile, honestly you were kinda rooting for this, lord knowns he’s wanted to fuck Hoseok since they met.

“I have no idea, but if that mans dick isn't in my mouth by the end of the night..I’mma lose my shitt!!”

Upon walking in and exchanging hugs there appeared to only be seating left on either side of Hoseok..Jimin and yourself couldn't help but laugh as you took your seats, something tells me this was not a quisedence.

While Tae was next to jungkook Yoongi was sandwiched between Jin and Namjoon, and Jackson, and brenden were sitting in between the two Mike, and Jordan. They were behind the company sponsoring the actual aesthetic of the tour. Meaning they were the ones transforming these venues into the atmosphere all of your fans were walking into. Everything from lighting,seating, the podcast “set” the full nine. Each city was set to have it’s on vibe so none of the ‘set’s would look the same!

The night went well, not that you were surprised, you all knew time and place, and sitting in front of two men who were putting a shit ton of money into your tour was a place to act like professionals. But then midnight rolled around, and that’s when everyone started to get a little laxed Jimin and yourself were one in the same. The familiar smirk that tugged on his pouty lips as he sat in deep conversation with Hoseok told you to look under the table.

Only to find his fingers gently teasing over Hoseok’s cock through his pants, trickling up and down his zipper. Casually bringing his hand down to soothe up his inner thigh, fingers getting dangerously close to his length. Admiring the way Jimin kept gazing at him, the glint in his eyes were the perfect combination of innocent and sin all at the same time. You couldn't even help the smirk that tugged on your cheeks, feeling somewhat proud of you friend for finally going after what he’s wanted.

The sponsors left and graciously covering the bill, while the rest of you shifted outside towards the bar which set right off the water. But you couldn't help but notice Jimin get up to go to the bathroom, only for Hosoek to follow seconds later.

~~~~~~~

Walking in to find the younger pressed against the counter raking his fingers through his hair, not forgetting to arch slightly with a cheeky grin once his eyes zooned in on Hoseok.

Tsking lowly as he shook his head, one hand in his pocket as he strolled over causally “Such a little cock tease huh?” Smacking his ass so hard, even Hoseok moaned out at the sting, pulling a sharp gasp from Jimin’s body.  Making him fall forward chuckling lightly as he braced his weight on his elbows, grinding back into Hoseok. Turning his head slightly as his tongue flicked the roof of his mouth, locking his eyes with the elder as he felt him, digg his thumbs into his hips before grinding his clothed cock into Jimin ass.

Making Jimin moan out shamelessly sucking his plum bottom lip into his mouth as he zoned in on his own reflection.

“Ohhh, you like watching yourself get fucked? You like seeing how pretty you look while your bent over like a little slut getting fucked into the counter?” Rolling his hips a little deeper with a growl, bringing his hand up to take a firm hold on Jimin’s sinfully thick neck.

Brining Jimin’s body flesh to his, Hoseok’s blunt teeth sunk deep into a pulse point, making the younger strangle out a high breathy moan that bounced off every surface of marble in this bathroom.

“Fuck”. Hosek bit his lip, snaking his tongue down the side of Jimin’s neck to ease the sting, his body shuddering at the feeling of the metal brushing against his skin. “You sound so fuckin good and I haven’t even touched you yet…I wonder what you’ll sound like if IIII…..”

Finally bringing his hand down to cup Jimin’s throbbing cock as he rolled his hips into him electing another needy whine from his throat bringing something almost primal out of Hoseok’s body! “Jiminnnn, baby fuck...” The tone in his voice reflected as if he was in pain, which he was, his dick was ready to fucking explode.

The pet name and sudden hint of neediness in Hoseok’s voice had Jimin turning into complete mush in his hold.

Taking Jimin’s hand in his own, pulling back just enough to let Jimin squeeze his cock in his hands through the almost painfully tight fabric, making it twitch a couple times, and he swore Jimin’s knees went limp.

“You want it…” Phrasing the question more as a statement , as he turned Jimin’s head waving his tongue into his mouth, making the younger respond instantly swirling it around the muscle. Hoseok’s hand made its way back to the front of Jimin’s body , soothing it down his chest,before palming his length again. “Soo sexy…” slurred out against Jimin’s mouth, as he sucked his plum bottom lip between his teeth.

Jimin was the one to break away from the kiss “I’m over having your tongue in my mouth , I need your cock” Tone exceptionally bratty, nipping at the elders chiseled jawline,rolling his hips back even deeper “You want me on my knees here or at home?”

THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE FOR NOW! LOL

(Since this is the first chapter I kinda forgot that this one would be the longest for obvious reasons! So I decided I didn't wanna make this like 16 k...cut it off at 9.5 and if this is received well, Miami will be done in 2 parts. So if you enjoyed this and want more...show some love and hit up my ask.

BACKSTORY

[somekindofseizure]

When the Ink Dries Part IX

This is not the end of the story, still working on the last few chapters but I felt these were ready to see the world and you all have been so patient. Thank you all for that and thank you @icedteainthebag​ for editing brilliance.

This is, as the previous 22 chapters were, adult-rated material.

* * *

Chapter 23

The vinyl upholstery crackled as Mulder shifted his weight and looked out the diner window onto the expanse of knotted beltway.  FM radio scattered particles of music around him like dust that moved with the swoosh and capture of twin glass doors.  It was a busy morning in the restaurant, but for Mulder, there was only unleased space and silence, the room Scully’s voice and body would soon take up across from him, where her new reality would be borne, where time would reset itself for them as it had so many times already. 

The waitress dropped menus and clicked her gum, winked as though she knew what he was about to do.  New realities, a zero on the stopwatch - these were things of science fiction, sexy from afar, terrifying up close.  He turned down the coffee, he was jumpy enough.

He had run his finger up and down the coiled spine of the menu for the fortieth time when she finally slid into the booth, brushed back a front-leaning strand of hair from root to end, an impractical gesture that had never really seemed to serve any purpose except to distract him.  Saturday brunch sunlight pierced the window like a bullet and Scully chose her spot carefully, taking redheaded cover in a shadow.  He fidgeted in parallel, wanting to be directly opposite her when he said what he had to say.  She laughed, as though he was making fun of her, and reached across for a quick squeeze of his hand.  He fumbled the gesture, his grip still favoring the safety of carefully-named omelets over human women.  She didn’t seem to notice his worriedness.  Maybe in her mind worriedness had become his natural state.

“How was London?” he asked because he didn’t want to say you look so good, I missed you, please come sit next to me, and these exclusions limited small talk.  And yes, because he wondered if she would tell him what happened with Stella.

“Nice,” she evaded, scanning the menu.  They both knew she would get two eggs scrambled with an avocado instead of bacon, tell them to hold the home fries but on-purpose-forget to tell them to hold the buttered toast.  Looking at the menu was mere formality. “How are you, Mulder?” 

And now she flicked her eyes up to note the quality and integrity of his answer, a doctor assessing a patient, if the doctor and patient had spent many years being in love.  And so he could assess back, could see now as she studied him was that though she was happy to see him, there was sadness too.  No doubt this sadness had something to do with Stella’s phone call from the bathroom floor. The realization was bittersweet - a poignant comfort on Stella’s behalf that the heartbreak she’d nursed was shared by the silent party, the dizzying disappointment that that other party was the person he himself was still heartbroken over.

“I’m good, Scully.  You were right about the therapist.”

“Well--”

Normally, she was happy as anybody to accept an I-told-you-so, but she demurred here, waving him off.  He persisted.

“I should’ve gotten help much sooner.  You were right.”

“Okay.  Good.  You look well.”

She turned the menu over, pretended to consider a milkshake.  He’d only seen her actually order one once.  It was as memorable a diner moment as they came - glow-cheeked and kohl-smeared, she’d asked for it with a sigh of relief, as though the night they’d just spent together had earned her some sort of bonus.  Relief.

It had been like making love to her all over again, watching her gaze into the frothy glass, the Redi-Whip level and locking like a canal as she sucked her cheeks in making pinwheels of her cheek and jaw bones.  He had reached over to take it, slurp the remains from the bottom of the straw and she’d slapped his hand away.  When she finally chose something, she possessed it, devoted herself to it. What happened when there were two competing items on the table?

“Any good cases lately?” she asked.  

Strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, her finger physically skimming the plastic cover over these joyful words.

“No… well, some,” he said.  “Hospital good?”

“They’re still a little sore over my long leave, but they’ll get over it.  I’m starting to think about retirement.  I think I could do more good that way, volunteering on my own terms… It’s not like I’d do nothing, but...”

Myriad were the hypothetical topics Mulder loved and Scully hated, but this was one of a few that went the other way around.  She could pass hours daydreaming aloud about what she’d do with free time.  It incited a sense of panic in Mulder, made some voice inside him start chanting, I will work until I die.  He muffled a sigh by coughing into his elbow, trying not to sound annoyed, and waited for her to take a short pause before interrupting her.

“I actually brought you here to tell you something,” he blurted.

She looked up, eyebrows at a two percent incline that indicated she was in no way prepared for this moment.  He picked up the file folder on the seat beside him, but the waitress came by with her pad.  Scully made Mulder go first, buying time she didn’t need, and then ordered her usual.

“And a black and white with whipped cream,” Mulder tacked on at the end.

“No, I’m on a cleanse.  London was all red meat and chocolate and alcohol.”

London, not Stella. As though she’d been in a hotel somewhere alone.

“I’ll have it, then,” he said.  

The waitress nodded as she jotted and Mulder wondered how many people used places to set a scene.  Should he have done it in private, where she could cry or scream or do something else (he didn’t know what)?  It was true, he’d been counting on the fake-leather booth and egg-pan breeze to undercut the drama, but now that he was here with her it seemed more likely to exacerbate the situation.

“Sounds like big news,” she said but lightly, a benign reduction - you, the boy who cried aliens.  She folded her elbows on the table and leaned forward.  “Come on, you’re killing me.”

No sooner did the sarcasm settle than she spotted the mustard yellow folder under his hand and her technicolor complexion went grey.  This news was not we’re going to a basketball game, I’m getting a dog, or I found your favorite sweater, here ya go.  This news required a folder with a standard bureau label on it.

He placed it in front of her on the table, laid his hand flat on top of it so that she’d have to look at him before she opened it.  She knew the moment their eyes met.

“How?” she demanded immediately.  She regarded the folder itself like a bomb, waiting for him to tell her which wire was which.  His heart raced and he tried to remember his patience, tried to quell the urge to rush her into feeling any one specific thing. 

“I wasn’t sure we’d be able to find him at all.  That’s not how we set it up,” he said to stall, and to explain why he hadn’t told her he was looking into it in the first place.  He hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up.  

“And… how?”  she repeated, now sounding light headed, shallow-breathed.

“Working for the FBI for a hundred years has to come in handy at some point, right?”

“Is he…?”  

He reached for her hands, bending forward like a branch, an unexpected gale of guilt curling his back.  Generally file folders appeared when a body turned up.  Of course he should have led with this:

“He’s fine, honey.  Just fine.  Sorry.  I should have...”

She nodded quickly, let out a breath.  

The waitress arrived with the milkshake in a deep old-fashioned glass, a spoon, two straws and the stem of a cherry sticking up out the top. For the first time, he understood Scully’s gravitas around ordering these things.  There was a time and place.  Celebration could turn to sorrowfulness, expectation to terror quickly.  Sometimes you’d be sorry or embarrassed you had a milkshake in front of you. Neither of them touched it.

“There’s a picture,” he said.  “Pictures.”

In slow motion, she registered this development, licked her lips, straightened up as gradually as a puppet, pulled her hand from under his and placed it on her stomach.  Air shifted visibly within her ribcage, rippling her fingers as she tried to support her diaphragm externally.�� Condensation began to encircle the base of the glass.

“I know, it’s a shock.  I’d half been hoping Stella told you, even though I asked her not to.”

Her face twitched in confusion.  

“Stella knew?”

He shook his head quickly.  

“Just for a couple days before you came back.  It came up.”

Color reappeared in her cheeks and her fingers went to her temples.  The kind of face she normally made when she found herself in the middle of a desert in a suit in hundred-degree heat, chasing down one of Mulder’s hunches, her how the fuck did we get here again face.

“Sorry -I -?  When did it come up?  How?” she stammered.

“She probably didn’t think it was her place.”

“Why do you talk to each other behind my back?”

“We weren’t talking behind your back, we were talking and it came out, Scully.”  

This was a coping mechanism of hers, to bicker through a loss of control, but sometimes mechanisms malfunctioned, caused damage.  He knew that ‘cause he went to therapy now.  Sometime - definitely not now - he would tell her she should go too.  

“I hate feeling like I’m the last one to know things,” she said.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice.

“I hate that there’s someone who can make you come faster than I can.”

She startled, almost laughed, but couldn’t - that folder was still here, in the room, staring her down, just like the milkshake.  

Her eyes moved over the edge of the piece of cardboard, as though it required planning - how does one open a file folder that contains the son you gave away? He tore it open for her, a Bandaid off a scab.

Mulder wasn’t there the first time Scully laid eyes on their son.  He’d had to guess at the way she must have marvelled, the beauty, the awesomeness of it.  No telling how he might have held up then, how that experience might have toughened his tolerance so that now thirteen years later he might not fall apart watching this second first-time.

His chest tightened, tears freezing somewhere between his eyebrows to avoid falling.  Across from him, Scully shed them with sensible abandon, weeping as science intended, peeling the surfaces of her eyes away like dead skin, leaving behind something new and unprotected, something healthier but easier to wound.

There was a school photo of William, a close-up, and then a few surveillance photos that had been taken at a distance.  Mulder had insisted they take no chances disturbing the boy, so these were a little blurry, taken at odd angles, slightly refractory images.  You had to use your imagination in order to piece him together.  But Scully stared, tracing a finger over his profile like he might pop up from the paper and sit with them.  What would he order if he could join them, Mulder wondered?  

He was tall for his age and pouty-lipped, possessed of the pronounced Mulder brow.  But he had Scully’s eyes and his skin was so fair he looked like he’d get a burn just turning the lights on.  And there was one odd thing -

“He’s blonde,” she said finally, mystified.  

“Yeah. Tell Stella I want a paternity test.”

She smiled and laughed, held a napkin to her upper lip to blot the snot.  

“There’s some information, too,” he said.  “It’s mostly, well, you’ll see.”

She flipped nimbly through, taking it all in like one of the old casefiles she’d had to cram before she got out of the car.  As in those cases, there was little to go on.  A tonsillectomy.  One school change to enter a gifted children’s program, a broken arm when he was ten from falling off the edge of a staircase, climbing up the wrong side of the rail, an activity which had almost gotten him kicked out of the fancy school.

She looked up, topmost edges of the papers trembling over her knuckles.  Her fingers were ripply at the knuckle, but her hands were still lovely, expensive looking - little blown-glass figurines that would outlast every piece of furniture in the house.

“He’s fine?” 

“Yeah.  He’s fine.”

William’s life was average in the extreme.  It was regular.  It was everything they could have hoped for.

She put the photos down in a neat pile, straightened her shirt, her lipstick, her hair, pushed the file folder closer to the center of the table beside a ceramic bed of sugar packets.  In a moment, food would arrive and they’d have to pack everything up, put it on a seat to her left or to his right, but for now it sat evenly between them.  Just as much his as it was hers.  

She scratched her lips thoughtfully, tapped the other set of fingernails on the table.  

“He’s fine,” she said, this time quietly, talking to herself, or to the folder, or maybe to God.

And then her gaze settled on Mulder.  It lingered there as the waitress balanced their food on her shoulder, placed down little dishes of overly cold butter and plasticky jam.  A few feet away, a newly minted middle-aged couple joined hands for the first time ever beside their forks.  Behind Scully, an aide helped an old woman into the booth.  Two college girls cooed at the counter, full up with things to tell each other.  Time moving forward and backwards, borrowed and stolen and still and running in circles at every table.

“Fine,” Scully repeated and tugged the cuff of his sleeve.  She mouthed the words thank you, bottom lip grazing her teeth.  She did it again, this time forehead collapsing into the center of her face to make that vertical wrinkle she’d had above her nose since she was twenty seven.  

He nodded, reached his foot under the table so that it rested against hers, his rubbery arch warming the sharp edge of her shoe and he pushed the milkshake across the table.  

She laughed and then took a sip.  Relief.

Chapter 24

As a biology major, Scully had sometimes been warned she was signing up for a life of disappointment.  Satisfaction would be fleeting.  Few of them, if any, would make grand discoveries in their careers.  The earth was already round.  The miracle of penicillin had already been witnessed, sprouted hundreds of other little miracles that bore an ever-less-impressive resemblance. A scientist, Scully was told, must learn to love the question, not live for an answer.

William had been a hypothesis for most of these past thirteen years, and though that was sometimes painful, it was familiar.  It was a circumstance Scully had come to accept.  She’d given him up because she’d firmly believed it was better for him.  Conclusions: none.  Control: none.  It was how she’d assumed things would always be.  But now there was an answer. William existed once again. He looked a certain way and sounded a certain way and lived a very certain life and she would always miss him.  This was harder than she’d ever expected or allowed herself to imagine.  The earth is round - think what that had taken for people to get used to it.  

She rationalized things like the thing she was doing by going over this, comparing the unfamiliar emotions associated with her son to the familiar territory of science.  But Stella was no scientist, and she was no poet like Mulder. She was an answers person. And now she was here, involved in Scully’s experiments, and was not particularly happy about it.

They were seated on a cool-slatted autumn park bench, Stella draped in cashmere and reluctance, the chilly peach East Coast air settling on her cheekbones like stains of faint embarrassment.  It had been eight months since their parting ways - eight months of silence. Stella had granted Scully’s request for a visit without knowing specifically what it would entail.  Now she clasped her brown butter leather gloves over a tightly crossed thigh, pulled the cuffs of her sweater down closer to the edge of her gloves to warm her wrists.

Had this once come easier?  The restraint it took to refrain from touch and mentioning the effect of light on the color of her eyes?  An evening they’d spent in a hotel as just-friends came to mind.

“Did you color?” Scully asks, her surgeon-steady hand poised over Stella’s, light pink bottle of Chanel nail polish in place of a scalpel.

“Color… my nails?” Stella asks and blows a stream of air across her other hand.

“No, you know, like, crayons.”

“Oh.  No, not that I remember.”

Scully glances up quickly to make sure of two things – first, that Stella’s not touching her hair, her spaghetti straps, her Scotch, anything that would smudge the half-finished work, and secondly, that she hasn’t overstepped Stella’s bounds by asking questions.

Stella smiles, quick, casual, disappearing.  It’s hard to tell if it ends quickly because there is no reason to force it longer or because some shadow of the past has swallowed it.

“Isn’t that the sweater you let me keep?” Scully asked, eyeing the grey marled drawstrings on the hood.

“Bought myself another one.”

“And here I thought you’d made an ultimate sacrifice.”

“That would be unnecessary when I could just re-purchase it.”

“You could have just asked for it back, it was expensive,” Scully says, feeling the sting.

“And now it has dog hair on it,” Stella continued.

A stranger’s Golden Retriever had brushed up against Scully’s leg and she’d kept him there for a matter of seconds

“It’s barely noticeable.  You and the dog have the same color hair,” Scully said.

“I don’t shed.”

“We all shed.”

“I don’t like dogs.”

“You just pretend not to like them.”

Perhaps this had been a terrible idea.  Perhaps she should have waited for Stella to call first.

“Are you certain he’s coming today?” 

“No, not certain.  I haven’t really established a pattern.”

“That’s good to hear.  Aren’t you freezing in that denim jacket?  What have you got under it?”

“A t-shirt.  I’m fine.”  

“I’m not pretending, I truly dislike dogs.  They’re jumpy and they stink.”

Suddenly, Scully thought of some version of her life not lived, pictured Stella in their home, going stone cold as she brought in this or that mutt home from the pound.

“You’re a cat person, is that what you’re telling me?” she asked.

“I’m not an animal person, I’m a people-person.”

Scully double licked her lips as she waited for a punchline that never came.

“What?” Stella pushed back.  “I’m good with people.”

“You’re good at making people do what you want, that’s not the same thing.”

“You should know.”

Scully looked away, scanned a group of children without guardians - not the right group of children.

“I should have told you this was where we were going, but I thought you’d say no.”

Stella looked at her hard - her hardest countenances were reserved for her kindness.

“I think you know me better than that,” she chided softly.

“Did you swim?”  Scully asks with eager intrigue, that new friendship glee still fresh even after a few years of knowing one another.

“No.  I learned when I was older,” Stella says.

Scully nodded, dug the heels of her hands into the bench as she shuffled her feet - uncrossed and then recrossed.  She tossed her hair to the other shoulder so the wind wouldn’t pin it to her lip balm.  Maybe it would be better if he didn’t show up.

“How many times have you done this?” Stella asked.

“Five or six times.  Seven.”  Eight, nine, if she counted the times he hadn’t showed.

“Long drive coming from your place, isn’t it,” Stella murmured.  

Scully said nothing.  She had never even noticed how long.  She had spent exactly none of those hours considering the moral quandaries involved.  It was only talking to other people about it that even made her aware of them.  Alone, driving here, she wondered about his favorite color, his favorite food, if he could play any instruments.  

“Mulder go with you?”

“Just once.”  

He’d thought it was weird, said it felt wrong.  She’d pretended to agree. 

“What did you do then?” Scully presses.

“Horses.  Everything was my horse.  Riding, being with him, sitting there staring at him leaning on a fence, anything.”

Scully laughs and mumbles something about how very English this is and still Stella’s cuticles stay clean, not a stray stripe. Steady fingers, doctor’s fingers.

“Look at that,” Stella says in a soft, appreciative voice, eyes hot and hard where their hands are occupationally joined. “Even better with your hands than I remember.”

The flirtation is a change of subject, a subtle warning, and Scully licks her lips, doubles back for a second coat of the other hand, prepared to drop the topic of the horse.   But Stella keeps talking.

“My father would take me.”

The father, yes. Somehow always comes back to him, somehow always seems like the best and worst of what Stella remembers.  Scully paints, carefully considering her next question.  The color on Stella’s nails thickens so that it goes from a translucent skin color to a ballet pink that matches Stella’s satin slip camisole top.

Stella had turned slightly to watch a crowd of nearby teenagers approaching the skate park.  She slipped off a glove to scratch her lip with her nail.  This was the kind of thing Stella remembered to do that Scully wouldn’t have - all her leather gloves were marked with pink, red, mauve colored wax.

“How did you and I wind up friends?” Scully asked, eyes on her son, voice going wistful against her better judgment  Sometimes she wondered why they’d had to break up (was that what it was?).  Other times, she wondered how they’d started in the first place.   She caught Stella’s profile for a moment at such a perfect angle that she had to look the opposite direction to catch her breath.  Perhaps eight months had not been enough.  “Two not-people-people from separate parts of the world sitting on a bench together.”

“We almost didn’t.”

“And?”

“And I have irrepressible impulses to fuck beautiful people I know for certain I’ll never see again,” Stella said, pronouncing the F so hard it produced pulp in the air.  The playground moms turned to look.

“Blonde, you said? How’s he blonde?”

“Mulder said to ask you.”

“Idiot,” Stella murmured absently, busy separating the boy out from a crowd, putting him at the crosshairs of her attention. Scully found him at once. She knew his walk by now.  His carriage.  She could spot him a mile away.  She didn’t worry when he didn’t come.  She didn’t think about talking to him or touching him.  It was just this, watching, at a distance, periodically.  Still there.  Still there, watching him like he was an infant sleeping in a cradle rather than an almost adult riding a skateboard.

“There, yes?” Stella said, a voice like a long hooked finger, the drawl so sustained the word could have reached across the Atlantic Ocean.  “That’s him, isn’t it?”  

“Yes,” she hissed to herself without Scully saying anything at all.

He was wearing a hat today, a striped beanie and a pair of Ray-Bans, trying to look cool, Scully thought, but the rest of him was still sloppy and silly, lecturing at his friends about something.  Like his father, she thought, and still she felt no angst, no sadness, only peace.  It was like bird-watching, only it was her son out there in the wild.  And this lanky creature here is known as a young human.

“Not what I expected,” Stella murmured, as though a voice any louder might make him flit away, all the way across the park.  Stella said.  “All you.”

“Why is that unexpected?”

“They say the first child always resembles the father, to keep him from wanting to kill it, eat it or abandon it.”

Scully looked at her knees. 

“That’s not what I meant,” Stella said quickly.

“I know.”

Ten, it had been ten times.

“Were you pretty?  You must have been very pretty.”  Scully is flirting and she knows it but it seems harmless enough.  

“I don’t know.”

Scully gives one of Stella’s fingers a little tug, bats her eyelashes to let Stella know she’s teasing, overdoing it.  She doesn’t know how to pay compliments without turning them into jokes.

“Did people tell you you were pretty, fawn over your golden hair while you relentlessly questioned them?”

It’s Stella’s turn to laugh.

The kids were moving closer, William looking at his phone as he smoldered leaves underfoot, swiveling on the balls of his feet with each step to make the crunch and sizzle.  Who was he texting with?  His mom?  Maybe a girl.  Or boy.  She lost herself in the last of the questions she could dredge up - imagining his turns of phrase, his favorite emoji and soon he was closer than he had ever been, just a few feet away, kicking a ball as he walked.  Scully felt her breath quicken as one of the boys got William’s attention, asked him something.  She had heard his voice only a couple of times, from much further away.

Stella nudged her in the side, drew her attention to the map on her phone.

“Here look,” Stella said.  “Says they’ve a good Caesar salad.  I’m in the mood for that.”

Scully nodded, her ankles brittle as weak stemmed flowers succumbing to first frost. Stella tugged her up from the bench.  She suddenly was very cold and shivered as she wrapped her denim jacket tighter.  She knew Stella’s instincts were right, that it was too strange, too risky for them to just sit there, so close to him.  Don’t turn back, she told herself.  And:

“Don’t turn back,” Stella echoed aloud.

Stella’s hands were in her pockets as they walked, eyes sympathetic but stern. Scully imagined it was how she looked when she brought someone in to identify a body, tell someone their sister had been strangled.

“Mulder’s right about this, you know that.”

Stella’s mention of his name, even in this context of William, or maybe because of it, angered her.  Stella pulled the scarf from her neck and forced it around Scully’s neck.  Loving Stella was no more or less painful than loving someone else, but it was more embarrassing, like loving a ghost or a phantom limb.

“How did you know I asked lots of questions?” 

“Most children do.  And you’re a detective.”

“So are you.”

“Not like you, not a born one.”

“Well you do have a second profession to fall back on.”

“A doctor?”

“A manicurist.”

Scully fake-raps Stella on the wrist and a bit of paint splatters on the crests of her knuckles.

She was grateful that she was not alone, that Stella’s footsteps were falling right beside her own, Stella’s musk-heavy floral scent bedded in the fabric beneath her own chin.  

“I’m glad I got to see him this once,” Stella said. That’s it, William was in the past again, at least for today.

Would she have disliked him as she disliked other children (and dogs?)  She would have been good to him, spoiled him, refused to stop cursing in front of him, probably?

“You and Mulder doing all right?”

“I don’t really want to talk about that.”

“You’ll have to get used to it again at some point.”

“So you’re not going to fight for me,” Scully said, meaning it as a joke, but her voice cracked.

“Fight for you,” Stella repeated dubiously, deciding whether to enter a game or a boxing ring.

Scully was glad they weren’t facing each other now.  She had things she wanted to say.  A fireplace burned somewhere in the neighborhood, the smell of a family gathering around it.

“You sent me back home because of William, didn’t you?  Mulder told you.  That’s why you made me leave you and now I’m home and you don’t think I should see William but you’re not going to try to get me back either. It doesn’t quite track for me.”

She stopped only because her breath ran out.  Stella was silent a moment. Walk, keep walking.  

“I don’t fight for people.”

If not people, then what, Scully wanted to say.  But she bit her lip instead, trying to keep it from trembling as she faced the chill, keeping time as though accidentally, side by side like strangers just off the same bus.  

“You can’t keep doing it.  This was the last time.  All right?”

Scully pursed her lips, shook her head, looked at the sky.  Stella was not going to use her son to change the subject.  

Or were they the same subject?

“You could do worse than Mulder,” Stella said, sharpening the edge on her voice, her weapon of choice, that vicious casualness.  “You love him.  He loves you.  You’re best friends.  He’s very well-endowed, from what I remember.  He can reach things.  Kill bugs.  He found your son for you despite absolute impropriety and deep ethical and legal breaches.”

“Stop,” Scully said, looking away over her other shoulder just to keep from crying.  A cadre of barren trees was ready to march off into winter, leave their dead, once-treasured leaves at their feet.  “Please stop.”

“Fine.”

This was how Stella faced her fears, she knew.  Laughed in the face of murderers, memorized her nightmares, re-read them like fairytales, salivated at the sight of blood, sneered at a plane nose-diving with a slug of Scotch.  

“You aren’t supposed to tell little girls they’re pretty too often,” Stella says with slow, deliberate breaths placed mid-phrase, as though she regrets having to tell anyone this, having to spoil an innocent, unruined worldview where a compliment to a child is merely a compliment, where little girls can be pretty and not suffer for it.

“Why not?”

“Because it makes them think they’re nothing else.”

“Mm,” Scully says and caps the polish.  Stella sits still as stone, hands out in front of her on the magazine, watching the polish dry with more patience than Scully has ever seen her muster.

“Sometimes you just have to let a person go,” Stella said as a boy - not her boy - on a skateboard sailed by.

“Which of you are you talking about now?”

Yes, the same subject.

Stella stopped abruptly, took Scully’s chin in one hand.  Rough enough that Scully might have objected except that it was stopping the incessant spinning she’d felt since they got up from the bench.

“I can’t do what Mulder can do, Dana.  And Mulder can’t do what I’m doing right now, and I don’t live here, so you need to let me say this right fucking now and tell me you hear me.”

Scully tightened her jaw stubbornly.  She felt small but safe here in Stella’s one hand.

“This is the last time you see him until he’s eighteen and you can ask.  Or you’ll regret it.”

Scully nodded, gulped away the tears in her throat, but they were tears of embarrassment, not sadness.  Stella’s grip loosened but did not release her.

“Tell me you hear me.”

Stella finally dropped her hand and held Scully’s.  The skin was bare.  Where was her glove?

“I wish I could have known you then,” Scully says, replacing the fancy second square cap over the little ridged round one.

“Take this,” Stella said and handed her one glove.

“Why?”

Scully heard the footsteps before she saw him and she saw the slightly sad, slightly satisfied smile in Stella’s eyes.  It could be any of them, Scully told herself, any of those kids.

“Excuse me!  Lady!”  

But it was him.  Stella nodded for her to turn.

“This yours?” he asked.

He held the abandoned glove out at arm’s length and Scully choked the sob in her throat.  Despite Stella’s impression, he looked just like Mulder the first day she met him.  First day of school science lab boy, nerdy and needy, sanguine and sweet and unaware of his charms, willing to cut open anything you didn’t want to touch even if he had to hold his breath to do it himself.

“Yes, yeah that’s mine,” she forced herself to say finally, knowing that once she did it would be over.  Her pause made him laugh for some reason.  When she stuck her hand out to take the glove, she must have still looked dazed, lame, because he frowned at her as though she’d made a silly mistake, then stuck his tongue between his molars and held her wrist with one hand, pretending to struggle to put it on her like a toddler.  She laughed, counting the seconds until she could collapse.  She’d have to make it out of the park, clear the area, she knew.

“Thanks,” she said and he nodded, licked his lips, and yes that was all her, turning them chapped to the wind and jogging off to meet his friends, a thirteen year old interrupting his afternoon to return a single glove to two middle aged women he’d never seen before.

Stella immediately took her arm, keeping the pace steady but consistent.  Scully kept up but would not stop looking until Stella looked back.

“What if he didn’t return it?” Scully managed to whisper.

“Why?” Stella asks.

As in why would anyone want to have known a four- and six- and eight-year-old girl like her, freckle faced and quiet eyed, brushing a horse’s back as she stands on a stool, proud and kind and a little strange, inconceivably wise beyond her years.

“Because,” Scully says and picks up Stella’s hands, squeezes her palms between thumb and middle fingers. “Then I could have told you you were everything.”

“I was willing to lose a glove today.”

Chapter 25

He realized he’d left the door unlocked by the way the early November candy corn breeze whistled through the first grade teeth of the patched screen door, winter dragging autumn out by its ankles.  The kitchen was as clean as it had been when Scully lived there, back when she’d tidy it every night before bed, caring for it like she cared for her teeth or her skin.  

It had taken him some time to figure out how to do this.  Time plus a therapist, two bottles of pills on the bathroom counter, and experiments with various citrusy smelling liquids in spray bottles.  Toxic, non-toxic, lemon-mint, gingerberry, when to hit the hard stuff - bleach, served neat.  Certain things like mental health and spotless surfaces had always been Scully’s area of expertise, but in her absence, he’d learned about both.

He’d done this often over the years, sat with William’s baby picture, forearms resting on the kitchen table, staring at it the way most people had learned during those years to stare at their tablets and phones.  He only ever did it alone - waited for Scully to leave and go home, which she always did.  When she lived here, he’d had to wait for her to go to sleep.  He had never told her it wasn’t all research and computer screens wrestling him from their bed.  

The photo paper was pliant from age and attention and it took only ten minutes or so for it to warm between his fingertips so thoroughly that he worried the colors would come off on his fingers, that baby William would disappear from prosperity into the temporariness of his skin.  He used to think of old world boy-things - model rockets and baseball caps, the stuff of fifties sitcoms and Norman Rockwell.  He used to think you belong here.

He used to wonder if William would look at him the same way Scully did when she was thinking aloud, the little line forming between her eyebrows, the squint, the lips tightening in distaste and restraint, or if William was more like him, a dreamer and a rambler.  He knew himself.  He knew Scully.  That William possible, knowable. But now he was a third thing - himself.

The screen door hinge cracked and smacked behind him.  He’d recently tightened the screws and she wasn’t used to its newfound snap.  Stella must have gone back to London.  He had not asked for dates and times - had never done that, not even when they were together.  He’d always had plenty to keep himself busy while Stella was in town.  He more often had trouble stopping that busyness when Stella had gone.  He always made Scully re-announce her presence. “Just me, Mulder.” “I know.”  I can tell by the way the gravel crunches under your tires, can tell by the tone of the wooden moan in the porch floorboards, by the way you breathe on the other side of a weight-bearing wall.  You belong here. “So clean,” she marvelled quietly, as she often did when she stopped by these days to say hello or drop off some pizza or check on him, he knew that’s what it was.  He wondered if someday it would sound like superiority.  He wondered if he’d ever learn to take her for granted again, just a little bit, just enough to relax.

“How’s Stella?” he asked, and considered shuffling the photo out of view as he normally would, but for some reason, this time, he did not.

“She’s good, I think.  You know, Stella doesn’t say much.”  

She dropped William’s folder on the table. She’d had possession of it since the diner. Now she leaned on the back of the chair over him, her fingers snuggling between the wood and his back as she saw the baby picture.  She petted his hair from behind, rested her chin on his head so that her voice came out funny.  He wondered how long she’d been watching from the door.

“I didn’t know you still had that,” she said and her voice sounded strangled by the lump in her throat.

Someday something like that might feel like a vote of underconfidence, a dig… he wished for that someday to come.

“I don’t know what’s harder, having information about him, or when we had nothing,” she said.

“I was just thinking that.”

“Were you?”  

For years, they’d resisted this.  Done everything else together while they mourned the loss of their family in private.  Like they’d had separate roles in that crime.  Like they weren’t serving the same sentence.  Just minutes ago, he’d been making plans to keep doing it forever.  Why?

“I spoke to him,” she said.  “Heard his voice.”

He tried not to look alarmed.

“No, not like that, not about anything.  Just accidentally left something behind and he… he was… good, he’s good.”

“Of course he is, Scully.  He’s yours.”

She came around the chair and leaned her behind against the edge of the table, half-smiled.

“Maybe it’ll be better if we put them away,” she said.  “For us.  And for him.”

Someday this might sound like she was couching her own self-correction in a criticism but tonight it sounded like thank Christ, Stella had talked sense into her.

“I think you’re right.”

“Regular people with normal jobs wouldn’t have even gotten this much.”

“No.”

“But I’m glad you did, Mulder,” she said and this would always mean what it meant tonight.

She picked up the photos - the baby one and the new ones, stared at them as she shuffled to the drawer next to the fridge and laid them in there with their love notes, blank birthday cards, Scotch tape.  Sometimes junk drawers weren’t for junk, they were just for the things you didn’t know what to do with.

She hesitated, then pushed it shut, and then, leaning back against it, hands still behind her on the pull, she looked at him, really looked at him.  Sweet and sexy and yes, a little sad.  Her lips shined, caught the glow of the single source of light in the room over his head.  He held his breath.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me,” she demanded softly.  “That you were sad about it?”

“I didn’t think I had to.”

He waved her over and she came, held his hands like the holster of a carousel horse.  In her eyes, shades of blue spun as she tried not to cry.

“Hard to say goodbye to him all over again.”

He nodded, swallowed, and put one arm around her hips.

“But this time I’m here.”

Her belly shook at his ear, though he heard nothing.  He kissed the hem of her sweater, leaned his chin into the dip of her navel.  She wiped her cheeks dry and then took his face in one wet salted palm, bent to kiss him on the mouth.

Her hands crept around his throat, thumbs at his Adam’s apple.  The room stopped smelling “clean” and smelled instead like her, like the perfume she’d been wearing since the day she first walked into his office, something he had never heard the name of, never heard her mention having to replace.   She was only good at keeping the silliest secrets. He put his hands around the trunk of her right thigh and tugged her towards him.  More need than want is what it was up until then. 

But now her body swayed toward him and she climbed into his lap in her sweatpants.  It had been years and her lips dripped with salt.  She tasted like love and sadness and the future.  He was hard for her, hell, hard for all of it.

“I’m here this time,” he said, pulling his mouth just far enough from hers to speak, letting her tongue catch the chap of his lips.  “I’ll always be here.”

She stopped then and something passed behind her eyes, a shift of color behind blue-tinted glass, a sheet in the wind, a wave of blonde hair, a silk shirt.  Would she think of Stella whenever they kissed, when he made love to her on this table?  Would he ever not wonder?  

“Always is a long time,” she said without hiding the hint of mournfulness, of missing something, and he nodded.

“I didn’t say she’d be gone.  I just said I’ll be here.”

She frowned, breath quickening even as her mind slowed.

“Mulder?”

“We’re too old to give up things we love,” he said and meant it. Who cared what she thought of when he kissed her?

She unzipped her sweatshirt, pushed it back off her shoulders.

He placed a kiss on her neck, stripped her naked from the waist up.  She moved his lips back to her own and dropped her weight deeper into the cusp of his pelvis.  With their noses pushed together and her shoulder blades clipped toward one another over the table, she breathed into his mouth.

“God, I missed you,” he said.

“Fuck me, Mulder.”  

Her hair frizzed in his fist as she pulled her hamstrings tight atop his quadriceps.  The grace of youth was gone but it was replaced with something better.  This is what age looked like.  This is what fixed mistakes looked like.

One hand on her lower back, hooked into the back of her pants, the tag silky between his thumb and her skin, he pulled her closer and tighter, sucking her into his mouth, savoring her like a sublingual pill, like he was waiting for her to melt under his tongue and be absorbed into his blood.  

She arched and stretched, placing herself over him with such anatomical precision that he might as well be inside her rather than on either side of four layers of clothes.  Her body was hot and impatient against his belly as his fingers slipped into her pants and under her thigh, past the cotton seam of her underwear.  She hummed in his ear, fit her body more closely over his hand.  

He lifted her at the waist, laid her back on the table, pulled her bottoms off in a swift but clumsy motion.  He leaned over to kiss her cheeks, her neck, her chest. She bent a knee and brought the top of her foot to brush his cock through his pants, rubbed the sharp crest of her instep against him until it hurt.

“Fuck me, Mulder,” she said again, the solid edges of her voice absorbed by the wood at her back.  She squeezed his arms. “Easy, baby,” he said and as he entered her, her eyes watered and a tear rolled out onto the table, crystal clear.  She’d come over for dinner and television, sweatpants and chopsticks, but he had trapped her with his clean surfaces and exposed wounds.   Her body shuddered, shoulders convulsing, shrugging off the past, making herself new for him.  “So tight.  How are you still so tight for me?”

She grinned wickedly.

“She only has so many fingers.”

And he laughed, bit her neck as he fucked her slowly.

They’d made their baby just like this, in a bed rather than on a table, but just like this, with this much love and intent.  He’d known right away that it had worked, known just looking at her collapsed on his torso. “Oh my God,” she whispered as the edge of the table met the back of her knees.  She pinched his t-shirt to her in both fists, then slammed one hand down hard next to her hip.  He moved his hands from table to body, alternatingly bracing his weight and cupping her breasts, aligning her hips and brushing her lips, fucking her until she white knuckled the slab he used to eat his depressed dinners on.

She pulled herself up against him, gripped his neck and pushed her feet against the seat of the chair behind him for leverage.  Sometimes it upset him how little he had to do to make her come.  Sometimes but not now.

“Look at me like you used to,” she said and he spun around to sit on the table, let her put her knees down on either side of him.   “Look at me so I can make you come.”

They did it together, like they did most things, their work and their driving and their arguing and their meals and now their goodbyes to their son.  Soft staccatoed moans and her pelvic muscles squeezed and tugged him and he peeled the cheeks of her ass so that she’d take him deeper and then the rhythm of their bodies broke like a fever, madness taking over, breath tangling, toxic and medicinal at once, words all nonsense and undictionaried.   If she was thinking of Stella too, that didn’t matter, that was not a bad thing, because nothing associated with this could be bad.

He held her until he went soft inside her, and she smiled - her favorite magic trick, his dick going from hard to soft and back again, biology and anatomy in motion at her whim. When they got up, she picked up her clothes, tucked them under one arm, and led him up the staircase naked, her rear silhouette incarnadine with freckles and friction.  He followed her three steps behind, watching each calf raise each heel carefully on the edge of each plank, soles searching the wood grains for the stamps that showed where her footsteps belonged.

[bruhhemianrhapsody]

jasper’s ultimate mcu fic rec! (pt.2)

shuri’s harem:

★ undertow *incomplete by lilithenaltum

Words: 44,454, Rating: Explicit

I've been baptized by your voice that screams

From deep beneath the cold black water that's

Half as high as heaven

Half as clear as reason

part I: riptide (Chapters 1-5)

On the long list of bad decisions that Tony has made in his life, seducing the young queen of Wakanda might very well be the worst. It takes two to tango, though, and the rules never did apply to Shuri.

part II: hightide (Chapters 6-10)

Tony and Shuri live with the consequences of their actions and try to carve out some sort of happiness even in spite of the hell that they’ve made. Somehow, they manage to make do with the cards they’ve been dealt.

Set post Infinity War.

-

serendipity by lilthenaltum

Words: 5,589, Rating: T

Loki recovers from his fight with Thanos in Wakanda and finds love with not one, but two, beautiful people.

-

family portrait *incomplete by oopswakanda

Words: 10,441, Rating: T

Bucky remembers one rugby training weeks ago when he nearly went out of his mind because his teammates kept thirsting after his foster sister, including the team captain Steve Rogers. Pietro wondered how it would feel to spin Shuri in the air since she's so lithe. Bucky is also reminded of Sam's comment about Shuri being marriage material. Or Thor praising the way she radiates love and light and fun. To this day, this is the most dangerous comment to him because the blonde hearthrob said it with a longing that mirrored his own.

-

darling, i died for the sun rays *incomplete by rxinventlove (disclaimer! this one of my fics, and the only one that will ever be on this list.)

Words: 2,395, Rating: M

Natasha’s got nothing left, both SHIELD and the Red Room have long since fallen, and James is nothing but dust at her feet. What’s left of the Avengers are trying to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of Thanos’ destruction. Taking refuge in Wakanda, Natasha agrees to help in whatever way she can, but falling in love with the newly crowned Queen doesn’t seem to be helping anyone; least of all Natasha herself.

While Shuri struggles to balance an entire kingdom on her shoulders and desperately tries to bring her brother back, she finds safety in the arms of the infamous Black Widow. Secret meetings and stolen moments in quiet corners slowly become more than just a coping mechanism, but when Shuri’s sure the final tendrils of grief are fading Natasha starts to pull away from her. As the last of Earth’s mightiest heroes finally start making headway in reversing the snap, Shuri must deal with the return of Bucky Barnes—both of the girls former lover—and a steadily retreating Natasha.

—

winterhawk (clint/bucky):

★ lost and found by mariana_oconner

Words: 89,972, Rating: M

Clint Barton’s got a bag full of stolen money and a burning desire to stay under the radar. His old friends in the Carnival will be looking for him and they sure as hell won’t be happy. In a desperate attempt to stay off their radar, he ends up in Timely, a small town so far off the beaten track he’s surprised he even found it, and waits for Barney to comes and get him. Because Barney will be coming. Clint knows he will.

But there’s something about the town. Maybe it’s the strange wolf that watches him from the trees, and the way people finish conversations when he enters a room. Or it could be the bartender, Bucky, who decided to hate him on sight. Something’s going on in this small town, and Clint’s not sure if he’s jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

-

love pitch by bookdancer

Words: 21,980, Rating: T

Clint is a starting pitcher for the Manhattan Avengers, Bucky Barnes is a rival pitching for the St. Petersburg Hydras. Any sort of relationship should be impossible… too bad nobody told them that. Winterhawk MLB AU.

-

★ historic features by flawedamythyst

Words: 19,254, Rating: T

“Electrical surges with no source, and music coming from the air, and that damn baseball game no one was watching, and I swear I sometimes hear voices right on the edge of hearing when I should be alone,” said Tony. “What does that sound like to you?”

“Sounds like-” said Steve, then hesitated. Tony gave him a pointed look. “Sounds like a haunting,” he finished, reluctantly.

“Oh no,” said Clint, in tones of mock-horror. “Ghosts!”

Bucky laughed and kissed him. “Man, I hope they’re friendly.”

Clint and Bucky are haunting the new apartment that Tony bought in Brooklyn to try and impress Steve.

—

★ nobody lost, nobody found *incomplete by claraxbarton

Words: 73,342, Rating: E

“Look, dude, I get it. You’re fucked-up. HYDRA fucked you up. I’ve been there. But you’re my fucking Soul Mate!”

“I can kill you. I could kill you without even realizing what I was doing. I’m not fucked-up, I’m a monster. I’m a nightmare. You can’t be here. You can’t- All the people I’ve killed- I will not murder my Soul Mate too. Not after everything else I’ve-”

Clint worked his left hand between their bodies and managed to land a punch to the man’s right side, forcing him to shift his weight, and Clint brought his right hand down on the place where the man’s metal arm met his torso - hidden by the shirt he wore, but on full display in the video Clint had watched.

The man released Clint with a grunt of pain, and Clint pressed his advantage, landing another punch to his abdomen, backing him up against the opposite side of the RV and then pressing the kitchen knife he had pocketed while cleaning up earlier to the man’s throat.

“Like I said, I’m not a Boy Scout. I’m plenty dangerous myself. We clear on that?”

OR:

This looks bad, because it is.

OR:

How Clint Barton met his Soul Mate

—

miscellaneous:

★ loki is sorry cakes by anno_hreog (gen)

Words: 3,427, Rating: T

Years later, as penance for leading the Chitauri to attack New York City, Loki bakes cupcakes. Coffeeshop/bakery AU, without the AU, and mostly an excuse for fluffy crack.

-

★ the lewis rule (MARRY, FUCK, KILL) *series by sevenfoxes (darcy lewis/steve rogers, darcy lewis/steve rogers/bucky barnes)

Words: 15,374, Works: 2, Complete: Yes, Rating: M

The ladies of SHIELD play a mass game of MARRY FUCK KILL, Avengers edition.

Wherein everyone marries Steve, kills Tony, Jane betrays science and Darcy hypothetically turns Thor into a llama.

-

on each other’s team by audreyii_fic (jane foster/loki)

Words: 27,110, Rating: E

Jane Foster, college student on a semester abroad in London, fights her way through Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, dates a golden boy, and gets tutored by a compulsive liar. Which situation is most unsustainable is a matter of opinion. (College!AU. The author regrets everything.)

-

is that what they listen to in missouri? by poorwendy (peter quill/thor)

Words: 12,017, Rating: E

The thing is, Peter always kind of thought he'd visit Terra again to find his family, retrace his lineage. Something like that.

But here he is, in a dirty, smelly basement, nowhere near Missouri, watching a three-piece rock band play way too loud. Even if they are kind of awesome.

-

of blood and kisses by celyan (chris hemsworth/tom hiddleston)

Words: 4,134, Rating: T

Tom does not believe in vampires.

—— The vampire walks towards him, slow and purposeful, and Tom backs away against a conveniently located wall of a building that has spat out its diligent workers hours ago, only to be left cold and dark and empty just for them. He keeps his eyes trained on the vampire even when one of his hands comes up to touch the side of his neck, finding the two tiny puncture marks that are his souvenirs from that fateful evening two weeks ago.

-

how we swallow the sun by voices_in_my_head (loki/stephen strange)

Words: 25,558, Rating: T

“I was hoping I wouldn’t see you back so soon,” Strange said just as Loki had crossed the threshold. He was standing in the middle of the entrance and Loki could feel power in him, but it was different from that which he was used to. More… raw, perhaps.

“I do live to disappoint,” Loki said with a smile.

Or: After deciding to stay on Earth, Loki is forced to come to terms with his actions while trying to deal with the people in his life, old and new.

-

★ oral sorcery by inetrabang (peter quil/gamora)

Words: 3,900, Rating: E

During a mission for Nova Corps, Peter starts whispering naughty things to Gamora, only to act like nothing happened. Fortunately for him, she likes it.

-

takes from a supply closet *series by catrinasl (bucky barnes/darcy lewis/loki)

Words: 7,049, Works: 4, Complete: No, Rating: E

A collection of Darcy/Bucky/Loki fics set in the same universe. Not necessarily in chronological order.

-

★ mokusatsu by shadesfalcon (clint barton/bucky barnes/steve rogers)

Words: 125,474, Rating: E

Clint Barton has been strung along from abusive relationship to abusive relationship all his life. Not that he would use the word “abusive”. He would argue that, as a sub, he was born to take whatever it is his dom feels like throwing at him.

But even with that attitude, he’s nervous about his current situation. Trapped in a bureaucratically mandated relationship with not one but two doms is going to be difficult and dangerous. Especially since these two doms are both members of the Avengers themselves.

He hopes that whenever he disappoints them, they’ll have at least a little pity on him, even though he knows he won’t deserve it.

[captainvictoryboat]

Behind The Scenes 3 (18/21)

Author’s note: Okay, guys I actually finished my BTS 3 rough draft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY! I have been working on this for months, like since I started posting BTS2, I have been writing BTS 3 (yes, that long). Now I just have alot of editing to do, so I still have alot to do. Sorry for any errors and sorry for any cultural and environmental inaccuracies. (if I was inaccurate about anything please correct me, I did my best to try and research some stuff and all, but there is only so much I can grasp)

Genre: Fluff (Jungkook)

Word count: 3934

City: Kuala Lumpar (3rd day)

Summary: Despite y/n’s current mood, she and Jungkook still go out on their “two year anniversary” date. 

Other parts: HERE

This is my GIF. I made it based off of this scenario series.

You lay in bed staring up at the ceiling just listening to the rain hit the large window besides you. The weather in Malaysia seemed to represent how you felt at the moment. Somehow you knew that it was the third day you all were in Kuala Lumpar even though you couldn’t recall anything of the last few days. Ever since Singapore, all you could remember was the feeling of being empty.

In actuality a few things did occur over the past days. You didn’t at all eat, drink or even speak and it terrified the maknaes. The three of them even turned to Jin to try and get some advice from him. Your days had been filled with V, Jimin, and Jungkook taking turns trying to get you to react to something. At night, Jungkook stuck by your side reassuring you that nothing was your fault when it came to the girls, telling you how much he cared for you and how much you meant to everyone. The only times you weren’t in his sight was when he would have to shoo away a drunk Suga that kept coming to your room to try and talk to you. When it came to Suga and Jhope, they were almost as bad as you. Suga wasn’t eating, even in public. He drank at all hours of the day making good use of the flask Jackson got him. He even drank during the concert. He was so drunk during the second Malaysian concert that he almost passed out and he was taken off stage. As a way to not make the fans feel too bad and to not schedule another concert for the next night, V took over Suga’s parts. It was fun for ARMY and things just barely went by smoothly. Jhope was opposite of Suga in terms of energy. He took too many pills and he was starting to go crazy. He was starting to say thing that weren’t making sense. During the performance, he was constantly off beat and slurring his lines and replacing them with random lines and phrases. Rap monster made the decision to have his mike turned off and Jhope was forced to lip sync through most of the concert. Despite all the dancing and running around on the stage he did, he never ran out of energy. After the concert, Rap monster had noticed he was trying to take more pill, pills Jhope nicknamed “happy pills”. Rap monster had to stop him in front of everyone backstage and you all rushed to the hotel so that Rap monster could force him to take some downers and try to even things out. Both Jhope and Suga were put in Minho’s room so that Minho could look after them and Jin had offered to help look after them if they got out of hand.

However, for you this was the first moment in days where you actually felt like you were “coming to”. You continued to watch the heavy rain. After about half an hour, the sun started to break from the clouds and the rain started to lighten up a bit and you yourself couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit better for some reason.

You could feel Jungkook rustling next to you. It took a while but eventually he was “awake”. You could feel his eyes on you, but you tried to block him out and kept looking out the window.

Jungkook got up and propped himself over you, examining you much closer now. “Morning Jagi.” He smiled sweetly in his soft but low morning voice. His fingers gently moved your strands of hair out of your face.

You looked up at him. His hair was sticking up at all angles and you saw a smile grow on his face. He surprised you and he dropped down on you giving you a tight hug. “Finally you look at me.” His voice vibrated into your neck. “Please don’t be sad anymore baby.” He whimpered.

His reaction threw you off. His use of the word “sad” was rather odd when you couldn’t even say “sad” was the correct word to what you were currently feeling. Maybe you were sad and you just didn’t even know because in the moment you were in more so in a daze. But then again, now that it was brought up, “sad” wasn’t exactly the worst word to use. As you filtered your emotions, you lifted your hand up and lazily patted his back. “Jungkook... you’re heavy.” Was all you managed to say.

You knew he was smiling without even having to look at him. “Finally you said something!” he slid his hands under your back and kissed the side of your head. Again, he did something that took you by surprise. He flipped onto his back, bringing you along with him. He kept his hands on your sides to keep you on top of him.

“Is this better?” he asked.

You gave a tiny nod, curling up in his arms, appreciating the effort he was putting in.

For a long moment, he stayed quiet and you were glad he was. You could feel bits and pieces of the last few days rushing through your mind and it was a lot to take in.

You only still lay on his chest hearing his heartbeat while his fingers lightly traced figures on your back. For the first time you felt like you were having a genuine moment with Jungkook, a moment where you were glad you decided to be with him.

“Jagi?” his voice was soft

“Huh?” you grunted.

“Do you feel any better?”

You just shrugged at him.

“Do you want to talk about it? What was it that made you so upset?”

You let out a heavy sigh and sat up, still staying on top of him. “I’m just… I don’t know.” Your voice was weaker than you anticipated now that you actually tried to speak. “Nothing makes sense…” You didn’t realize how hard it was for you to talk.

Jungkook sat up also “How so?”

“These last few days, I think I have just been replaying everything in my head. like trying to see where I went wrong. And I just- I don’t get it. I don’t grasp how anything is really happening, how any of this is actually real… I look back at everything and nothing seems possible… Like Jin, he was so – sweet. Like he was like so chill and understanding and well, like, he’s actually not! He’s like not! He’s a fucking asshole! And he has a kid no less, like how does he even get away with that?!? How does no one know?!? And like what life does that make for Jinjin, you know? And just, ugh, like I just I hate Jin. And then Namjoon... In the beginning, I thought he was the most normal person, but… I don’t know how he is even real! Like how the fuck is he an actual human being?!? Like he is a crazy ass mother fucker and I despise him! I hate him with every ounce of my soul because I am so scared of him… I hate him! I fucking hate him! Absolutely fucking hat-te h-him!” your voice cracked. Jungkook grabbed your hands and pulled you closer. “And then there is you. When you and I first started talking you were cool, but then I really got to know you and you were such a piece of shit!” you said poking his chest aggressively, tears already forming in your eyes. “You were so cold and manipulative and I hated you just as much as I did Jin and Namjoon…”

Jungkook grabbed your hands and brought them to his lips giving them kisses. “Y/n I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

You pulled your hands away and wiped your eyes. But then you grabbed his hands again and traced the veins on his arms as if to comfort him from your harsh words. “But knowing you more… you aren’t that bad. Not perfect obviously… but I like you. I actually really like you. You have your good sides… And Jimin, he was an ass with me since the moment he laid his eyes on me, but he goes through s-so much.” Again your weak voice cracked just thinking about Hiro and what he does to Jimin, and how now you were betraying Jimin after what he’s done for you. You still felt horrible. “I really hated the four of you all for a long time. Tae was okay I guess. He’s been nice, but I hated that he always sided with you guys, even when he didn’t want to…” you let out another sigh, letting all the built up anxiety out of you.

Jungkook tried to pull you closer, but you still had more to say. “A-and for the longest time Yoongi and Hoseok were my go to guys. They were the only ones that ever cared about me… They were the only ones th-that made things bearable. I-I thought I knew them, but I don’t! Like how could they do what they did to Aiko and Meihui?!? And, like don’t they care about me? Why do they never have time for me? Don’t I mean something to them? Even now, should they be the ones here with me instead of you? Shouldn’t they be the ones that were happy that I “finally looked at them”? Huh?” As if you were back in Singapore, you began to cry hard. “I don’t know anything anymore! It just doesn’t make sense! Nothing makes sense!”

Jungkook comforted you though your “little” breakdown. He held you tight as he said, “Don’t worry Y/n, I care about you. I care about you so much. You can always come to me.”

You wiped your eyes feeling as though a weight was taken off your shoulders. Again you stayed in his arms and it was the first time in a long while that you felt safe with him. That’s when it hit you. As of right now, Jungkook was the only good thing in your life. And you even had Jimin that you felt you can turn to. Even if it hurt you to hurt Jimin, Jungkook was your only real emotional escape at this point. Maybe if you balanced things out well, you could find a right way to tell Jimin everything one day.

“Y/n, I hate to say this, but I never cancelled the pans I made for the date…”

“You didn’t?”

“No, but don’t worry, we don’t have to go. I don’t give a fuck what Namjoon says.”

“… No, we should go…” you really didn’t want to go, but the last thing you wanted was for Rap monster to get mad.

“No, it’s okay. We can do something else and just say it’s for our “anniversary”.”

“…No… you planned it, we should go…”

Jungkook looked down at you. “Baby, are you sure? You’ve barely been out of the room in days. We really don’t have to do this.”

You grabbed his hand, your thumb gliding over his fingers. “Let’s just go with it. I don’t want to be in any more trouble.”

-

Not even two hours had passed and the intense rains returned and along with it came two stylists. Jungkook had informed you that they were going to help you both get ready for your “anniversary” date.

“Is this really necessary?” you asked nervously.

“Not really, but I had wanted you to feel like a princess today!” He smiled. He went ahead and opened the door for them.

In came the two stylists that had worked on Jungkook and Jimin the last few nights for the concerts. They both held their rain coats and were followed by a bellboy who rolled in a rack of clothes protected by a plastic sheet cover. “Hello!” they both cheered as they made their way into the room.

Jungkook greeted them first. “Hello! Thank you so much for doing this on such short notice. We really appreciate this!”

You came up after him, attempting to hide the depressed feelings that still consumed you. “Hello! Yes, thank you so much!”

The stylist that did Jimin’s makeup was the one to quickly take charge. She removed the plastic covering from the rack to expose about fifteen different dresses, one black suit, and many bags and boxes that were organized under them.

“Ok Damia, what is the game plan?” The second stylist asked.

Damia thought for a moment as she looked between the three of you and the rack of dresses. “Ok first, Jungkook, you go with Zara so she can do your makeup and help up fix your suit. I’ll get started on Y/n and Zara when you are done with him, you can help me with Y/n’s hair.” She said with much determination.

Jungkook walked off with Zara to the bathroom while the bedroom was where you got ready. Damia came up to you and pulled you closer to the rack of dresses. “Ok, so before we do your makeup, you pick out your dress for the night!”

You looked at her a bit in shock. “I-I can choose whichever I want?”

“Yes! Then we can pick out the shoes that match the dress!” she smiled.

You looked through all the dresses, only barely touching a few because they were too precious to be ruined by your hands. You noticed that all dresses were short cut, only barely reaching the knee. It made you a bit upset because you had basically sworn off dresses and skirts ever since Osaka, but the last thing you wanted to do was have a tantrum on Damia, who was being so generous with you, and ruin a night that Jungkook had planned for two of you. You looked at all the dresses and you were mesmerized by their different colors and fabrics and styles. Of all of them, there was one that stood out to you. Your heart was stuck on a cute red dress with thin straps. Compared to the other tight-fit dresses this one looked the most comfortable but just as elegant as the others. “…I like this one…” you said softly, pointing to the dress.

“Oh, that would look so great on you! I know exactly what shoes you can wear to go with it!” From under the dresses Damia rummaged through various shoe boxes before she pulled out a pair. “These would be perfect!” she exclaimed as she pulled out a pair of black heels. “And I know just the earring to go with this too!” Next she pulled out a pair of gold earrings. “Oh, Oh! I just thought of the perfect make up for you! Let’s get started!”

Damia pulled out large boxes from under the clothes and pulled out a portable mirror with lights within the frame and a huge case of makeup. “Don’t worry y/n, I’ll take good care of you!” she said cheerfully.

Damia, in comparison to the other stylist who did your makeup those many months ago, was so gentle and the conversation between the two of you was so pleasant.

Since Jungkook only had one suit to choose from and Zara already knew how to do his makeup, he was done in a flash. He came and sat on the bed and watched as Damia continued with your makeup and Zara began working on your hair.

As Damia worked on your eyes, Jungkook couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer. “Jagi you look so amazing already!”

“Aw, miss y/n has such a cute boyfriend!” Zara grinned.

“Ha, I know!” you smiled warmly.

After finally being done with your makeup, Damia and Zara let you go off and change into your dress. When you stepped inside and got a full look at your face you almost wanted to cry. Damia had done such an amazing job on your makeup and Zara had given you a beautiful updo, even accenting it with a thin gold headband. You couldn’t stop staring at yourself, you felt like a walking art piece.

You carefully put your dress on and once again stood in amazement. Your faded collarbone scar was not enough to break your spirits. You felt more overwhelmed as you slid your heels on. You hadn’t seen yourself look so good in such a long time. There was not a visible bruise on you, your makeup was on point, and magically the dress faltered your body so well.

As you stepped out, Damia and Zara were all giggles over the great work they did and Jungkook was in awe over you.

You deeply thanked both of them, bowing to them and giving them hugs before they started setting up to leave.

You made your way to Jungkook who sat still on the bed. “So, what do you think?” you asked shyly.

“You look… beautiful.” Jungkook finally said. “No! You look more than beautiful. You look stunning… gorgeous… breath taking!”

Your face got hot as Jungkook jumped up from the bed and pulled you close as he continued to throw compliment after sweet compliment at you. “Jungkook stop.” You giggled. “You’re making me so shy right now.”

“Jagi, I can’t help it, you look so amazing.” He whispered.

Before leaving, Damia and Zara walked up to you for one more thing. From behind her back, Zara pulled out a little white box that housed a thin gold chained necklace with a small and simple gold heart pendent. “Don’t worry about returning this little thing, consider it an anniversary present gift from us to you!” Damia smiled.

-

A very nervous Minho navigated the rainy streets of Kuala Lumpar to reach the restaurant. With the help of Jungkook and Google maps, he brought the two of you to the restaurant just in time.

You were about to make a run to the entrance to avoid the rain, when Jungkook pulled you back into the van. It was only after doing a video update and, in a not-so-subtle fashion, giving the restaurant a shout out, did you and Jungkook make a run for the restaurant.

“So that’s how you got us a reservation on such short notice, isn’t it?” you asked as he handed the umbrella to the doorman.

“Well it was either shameless advertising or we were gonna be having this date at a McDonalds!” He laughed.

Reaching the highest floor and opening the door to the restaurant was like walking into a different world, a very elegant world. Even the hostess was dressed so beautifully. Her black dress made her gold hijab and gold jewelry pop out and gave her a simple yet sophisticated look, matching the rest of the restaurant.

Looking past the hostess, you could see the other patrons. They were all gorgeous and their attires equally so. You couldn’t help but immediately feel so underdressed in comparison to the other women who were practically wearing red carpet gowns. Your simple necklace did not compare to the precious metals and rocks the other men and women wore.

Jungkook pulled you close and whispered, “Let’s go to our table.”

You two followed the hostess to a table by the surrounding window that allowed for total view of the city.

You were suddenly self-conscious of your scar and possibly bruises on your back as you felt judging eyes follow you. Still after the hostess left and the waiter took your order, the anxiety didn’t leave you.

“So, what do you think of the place?” Jungkook’s question broke you out of your thoughts.

The waiter returned with the bottle of white wine that Jungkook ordered and your glasses were poured.

“Huh?” you looked about the restaurant again, still feeling eyes on you. “Um, yeah, beautiful, so beautiful...” you trailed off with a slight frown.

“Well I could say the same about you.” he said reaching for your hand across the small table.

You gave him a fake smile.

“What’s wrong?”

You hated that you couldn’t be believable. “… I don’t think I’m dressed right… I feel people staring…” you whispered.

“Well good! People need to see us!”

“But a bad staring!”

Jungkook looked about the restaurant to the people who couldn’t care less about the two of you. “Of course they are staring at you. Look at you! You look… stunning!” He said lovingly.

You could feel your face heat up again and you took a sip of wine to hide your smile. You took a look out the window. The city lights were so beautiful. It all felt like a dream. Jungkook being so sweet, the two of you in such a fancy restaurant, and just being in such a city. “This must be a dream. Hell, I even feel like we are moving right now.” you said softly.

“Baby, we are moving!” He laughed. “That’s the whole sky dining experience! We are slowly rotating to get a 360 view of the city.”

“Oh shit!” you said in wonder.

When the food came out you were amazed by the presentation and every single bite was to die for. Course after course was better than the last.

Over the course of the dinner, you and Jungkook had a bit too much wine, because the two of you were in a buzz by the time you finished dessert. By now he had moved to your side of the table so that both of you could have the same view of the city.

“Hahaha, I don’t know… but this dinner was fantastic! I’m so glad you brought me here.” You said giving his upper arm a hug.

Jungkook gave your hand a squeeze. “And I’m glad you’re having fun.”

Suddenly, the sounds of two cellos filled the dining room and your attention was drawn to the center of the floor. A cello duet began to play Canon and the sounds filled the room ending all conversation and stealing everyone’s attention.

“I love this song.” You mumbled as you swayed along with the movement of the bows.

“Let’s dance then!” Jungkook suggested.

“What?!? No!”

“Yeah, why not? What is music if you can’t dance?”

You laughed “Baby, this is not music you dance to.” You caught yourself by surprise. This was the first time you genuinely call Jungkook by a pet name.

The celloists continued their lovely performance for a few more songs, but sadly they were gone from the room too soon.

“So, what else do you have planned for us tonight?” you asked.

Jungkook frowned and lean in close to you. “Well, unfortunately, I didn’t get to plan anything else because the evil dickhead made me pay for the damages and I didn’t have enough to pay for anything as great as this…”

“Ah ok.”

“But I did tell Minho to drive us around the city. So if there is anywhere you want to stop and visit, we can check it out. Like I said, tonight is just you and me… and a little bit of Minho.” He laughed.

“That sounds fun, but will Minho really do it? He seemed so nervous driving us around… or driving in general… Actually, he’s nervous almost every time I see him. Why is that? Shouldn’t he be used to all this?”

“Eh, Minho is a bit… different. According to Tae, Minho’s got some anxiety issues or something like that and that’s why he didn’t make it as a real nurse.” Jungkook explained.

“Ooh!”

Suddenly, you heard a ring of Jungkook’s phone. “Oh he’s here! Now let’s go take a look around the city!”

Okay, so what do you guys thinks of this whole Y/n and Jungkook and Suga thing so far? Have any of you changed your minds of who she should be with? Do you guys think Suga even actually has any real romantic feelings towards y/n?

[frank-gould]

This blog is about my technological venture into hardware configuration that I hope will result in a working prototype. This is a hobby to experiment for what a final product could possibly be based on this design. The first concept piece I created can be seen at the following link: Rover Initial Concept Prototype Draft.

Many of the tests turned out to be unnecessary because there was a faster, already implemented solution that only required code to implement. An example of this is the fan-cooling temperature gauge and circuit board. Once I learned RPi reports this with a query, I could turn on the DC power to those fans, at any value up to 255 to start cooling the CPU. Below is the beginning of my journal that started in July after two months of learning curve experiments.

Pan/Tilt Initial Build Results

After soldering the Adafruit 16 Channel PWM/Servo Motors HAT 40 GPIO pins and 8 of the 16 channel three pin connectors (for a total of 64 pins on one board), the pan/tilt worked marginally and inconsistently. Below is a picture of the first successful test.

Thermometer and Cooling Fan Results

To be configured for outdoor use, a fan is an important addition that will at least move cooler air across the circuits once the temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit inside the unit. To create the circuitry for this feature, I consulted DigiKey who offers an online recipe and schematic editor for creating a thermometer and cooling fan. Below is the schematic I followed to create this feature.

This is the schematic I edited for my final design:

  Once I created the breadboard version and it worked, by removing the resistor to the transistor, I created a soldered board that ended up like the picture left.

Fried RPi 3B+ and 16 Channel PWM/Servo HAT

Following the Adafruit 16 Channel PWM/Servo HAT and DRV8871 DC Servo Motor Driver Board installation instructions, I ended up shorting out one of the driver boards that scorched the breadboard, as illustrations follow.

Over time, it appears the 16 Channel HAT shorted out the RPi 3B+ board because it eventually stopped booting and only one LED light lit up and nothing else. These failures caused a redesign and delay for shipping and receiving new parts.

I continued to use these dead RPi and Adafruit boards so I could build rig pieces without stressing the prototype PCBs (Printed Circuit Board). This is where we waited for the RPi3B, RasPiRobot, and PWM boards to arrive on 20 July 2018, which they did, and Phase 1 restarted.

Built Devastator Tank Wheel Base

On 18 July, while waiting for replacement parts, I decided to build the tank wheel base as shown in pictures below. To view the build instructions Click Here.

Below are the wheels with spring shock absorbers mounts.

Below is the rear end where the components will be installed as modules.

Rover Redesign Phase 1 – Version #2

Because I fried a few boards, it became apparent an alternative configuration and boards were needed. Adafruit failed to deliver operable boards and refunded my investment in their products.

Below is a picture of the tested redesign configuration of the DC and PWM servo motors driver boards with Raspberry Pi 3B (not plus).

Note: this is the same SunFounder board was used after the level separators blew the Geekworm PWM/DC Motor board later. Also note that the breadboard contains the 360 PWM calibration circuits that are not connected in this picture to the motor.

23 July – The above configuration failed due to excess power noise caused by the RasPiRobot board that caused video disturbance and ejected the USB drive when attempting to use the PWM channels that resulted in the following message.

After removing the RasPiRobot board, PWM started working consistently for all servo motors, even one marked NFG worked that had failed using the original Adafruit 16 Channel PWM/Servo board.

This same day, I was able to build the new rig, as pictured below.

Then after installing and testing the Geekworm PWM/DC Motor board, the boards sagged (not shown in the picture above) because the lack of support on the top UPS board using only 10 pins for support and without the spacers, one can imagine how the boards will sag when the rover bounces on uneven surfaces.

Then I installed leveling separators between the boards and the Geekworm PWM/DC Motor board began to fail. Here is my report to the manufacturer who had no solution other than work around with a replacement board.

That’s when I decided to modify the M-F jumper wires by bending the Female connector to a 90 degree right angle. To intercept the GPIO pins, because the MoPower UPS does not have GPIO extension pins like the Geekworm HAT (and other similar HATs), these same right angle connectors are installed below the HAT, as shown in the picture below, following the intro paragraph.

Rover Redesign Phase 1 – Version #3

This design is essentially the same Geekworm PWM/DC Motor HAT, however replaced, but now has the 90 degree connectors to reduce the wasted space above the HAT (shown in the picture below).

This new design was made to confirm RPi 3B and 3B+ compatibility and to test the Geekworm HAT without metal separators. I finally found a nylon separator kit, although I only need a few pieces and will have a huge batch left over. These kinds of overages can be used on a second prototype build.

Today, 10 August 2018, we await the arrival of the RPi 3B+ board and Geekworm HAT. During this time, I created a duplicate base plate (plywood sheet) and installed the metal separators using the dead RPi and Adafruit HAT. Once the RPi 3B+ board and Geekworm HAT arrived, I installed the two boards ready to begin testing the new boards.

Remote Control Tablet

As mentioned above regarding the orders placed on 10 August, the Remote Control consists of a RPi 2 designed tablet with touchscreen and battery charging. Below is a link to their tutorial I followed.

Adafruit RPi 2 7″ Touchscreen Tablet Tutorial

These are the Remote Control parts (Flex Cable and SPDT Slide Switch excluded):

Raspberry Pi 27″ TouchscreenLithium Ion Polymer BatteryPowerBoost 1000 ChargerRPi Touchscreen Case (See Below)Wi-Fi Dongle

RPi Touchscreen Case

For the remote control, I finally found that Adafruit tutorial with the recipe of parts needed to make it battery operated. What was unique about this project was the use of a 3D printed case. All I had to do was download the STL files from Adafruit’s website, upload them to the 3DHub.com site, and pay for shipping (total less than $30). Below is the original image of the printed parts (I chose red for fun!).

This turned out to be another variation on hardware integration where finding the right screws makes a whole lot of difference. The variances also require testing a screw to confirm it’s the right head shape: Flat or Round. Because the boards are stacked on the printed tray insert, a Round head can extend up into the back of a stacked board and short out the circuitry. They don’t mention this in the Adafruit tutorial.

So, what I finished the prototype design with regarding screws, I’ve listed below.

TutorialActualM3 x .5 x 6MM3 x .5 x 6M#2-56 3/8″#4-40 1/4″

The problem with the first Metric screws (M3) was that Skycraft carried many varieties of this screw and the first I found had a washer fixed beneath the head that caused the head to rise even higher under the stacked boards. Upon further investigation, I found the same size without the washer and ended up with a more tight fit without possible shorting.

Once I got everything working, I learned I had soldered two wires wrong off the Power Boost Charger 1000. I made this mistake because I didn’t see the – and + signs behind a USB connector that was just setting in sockets and not soldered to the board. The green arrow in the illustration below is what I missed and fried the $20 board by soldering it to the 5V and GND pins next to where the switch is soldered. I took this expense on because I failed to confirm my solder points before I commit, like “measure twice before cutting.”

After I removed the extra piece and saw the electrical schematics, I re-soldering it in the right place, the battery never charged. So, I’m heading back to Adafruit to ask if I’ve burned another board and maybe a battery. Turns out I had fried the LiPO battery charger on the board, so I ordered a replacement. This was when support failed and could not offer an explanation why the battery was not charging. They refunded both of my last purchases and banned me from their site, indefinitely.

Rover Redesign Phase 2 – Version #4

This version change was forced by the RPi3B+ failure and the integration of the RPi3B, Geekworm HAT, and MoPower UPS. During this phase, I redesigned the 90 degree female pin connectors so that there was no black shield included with the contacts and only heat shrink shielded the contacts so less room was consumed by the black shields. This also reduced the labor and glue to hold the black shield, plus the installation was significantly easier.

Also during this phase, I migrated the 360 pan gimbal calibration circuitry to the soldered board along with the temperature switch for the fans. After deciding to migrate the fans from 5VDC to 12VDC, I migrated the fan power to the Geekworm HAT and removed the temperature switch. That way, once the thermometer read above the threshold, the code simply turns the fans on full blast. That’s when we learned one of the 12VDC fans had shorted out and no longer worked (nor could be repaired due to contact location beneath plastic shield).

While testing the PWM for the 360 calibration circuitry, I learned that my solder job had failed and decided it was time to delay the development of the 360 pan feature. Instead, for the prototype, once the 180 pan hits its left or right max radius, the code will instruct the wheels to turn opposite directions to continue the camera pan. This does not remove the requirement for the gimbal 360 pan because the camera should be able to provide 360 views for location and damage mitigation. Below are pictures of the rig with semi-operational features before implementing version #5.

Top of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

Front of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

Right side of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

Left side of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

After migrating to the 12VDC fans and delaying the 360 pan feature, sufficient pins and circuit board became irrelevant and were outside the MoPower UPS 10 GPIO pins requirement. This meant a GPIO 40 pin extension header could be removed and rewired to the Geekworm HAT extension header only (which is why their design failure requires any spacers for this development design).

Right side of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

Left side of Semi-operational version #4 prototype

Rover Redesign Phase 2 – Version #5

After removing the circuit board for 360 gimbal and cooling fans along with their wires, the content of the rover changed considerably, as shown in the pictures below.

During this phase of version #5, I wrote code to use the keyboard to drive the wheels and turn forward and reverse. What’s nice about these motors is when something is going in the wrong direction, like forward and reverse, it’s a simple reverse polarity on the power to fix the direction problem. I had to do that to the power supply wires to the motor connected to the HAT. Once I did that, my code turned the correct wheels (left versus right) and forward/reverse worked successfully. Next to version #6, batteries and secured rig to chassis.

Rover Redesign Phase 2 – Version #6

After creating the rig lock mechanism with Velcro, acrylic side slides, and front key-lock latch, I tried the battery driven vehicle but encountered a failure with the Geekworm HAT. Although it appeared like the previous board I fried, this time it recovered and operated accurately with shore power. I have sent a question to the manufacturer asking how to connect a battery to their board; it may need some kind of regulator. After searching the web for an answer, determined a UBEC needed to be added to regulate the power and it worked. Below is a picture of version 6.

Pan and Tilt Gimbal

Because of the 360 degree pan feature delay, I decided to search again for a python gimbal and found a 3D printer opportunity for a less-flimsy Adafruit gimbal. Below is their glamour shot picture of the parts that are max 4″x4″ and encloses the wiring.

I have sent email to a local 3D printer engineer asking if he can help with plastic residue refinement and tests, as well as contacting the designer of this gimbal via email to ask some specific questions. One question is where to find a switch that is listed in the parts list that I cannot find and how does the camera ribbon cable enter the mounting head’s electronics.

Rover Redesign Phase 4 – Version #7

This section skips a phase because of the many redesigns overlapping each other. This phase is an operational battery-powered prototype with full 360 degree pan and 180 degree tilt gimbal. This required building a wooden rim to hold the gimbal under the glass dome. The full rig design can be seen here. The camera dome design is illustrated below.

Based upon my design RFC (request for change), Ben Holler sent back the gimbal base that 1) fit under the dome (this I learned was serendipitous because I was removing unnecessary legs which would be more for a DSLR camera than the rover) and 2) rotated the screw holes to accommodate the camera ribbon cable. The ribbon cable issue is still under research once the rig dome has been built.

Here’s the current operational version of the rover, without and with the gimbal.

Dome Base Plate – Rig 3D Print Part – Version #8

Because the wood used for the Dome Base Plate cracked the dome due to difficult curves through hard grain, it made more sense to 3D print the part so that the dimensions and fittings are more precise. To do this, I used AutoDesk 123D Design app and built the dome structure plate with the original gimbal base plate.

Original Full Diameter and Depth: 166mm x 20mm, Radius: 83

Changed Full Diameter and Depth: 177mm x 20mm, Radius: 88.5

Dome radius channel to external base top: 70.5 x 15mm (used 71mm radius)

Camera base extrusion channel to dome radius and depth: 67.5mm x 15mm (used 67mm width)

Inner full opening: 22.5mm x 25mm (20mm exceeded to cutout hole)

Bolt holes 5mm and ribbon cable opening 18mm x 2mm

Here’s how it looked close to ready for print:

Next 3D Print Job September 2018

This section is to list the parts that need to be printed again and why.

Rover Dome Base Plate – Picture above was correct but not submitted for print because of errors with the edits. What was printed the center axis of the base is rotated incorrectly as well as the mounting bolt holes in the front and back are way too big.

Rover Acrylic Motor Driver Board – The holes for the micro PCBs are too close to each other and cause the bolts to jut out at angles. Needed to lengthen the main board and separate the left board’s right side from the right board’s left side.

Tablet RPi Holder – This is a design change from the original printed part that separates the RPi mount from the main mount that holds the display board and battery (see picture below).

Tablet Main Mount – This is a design change from the original printed part that remains after separating the RPi Holder.

Rover Gear 14 – Needed to reduce the motor axis shaft opening that allows slippage. Also needed to sand gear burrs on smaller flat side to prevent contacting other parts when moving.

Rover Gear 9 – Needed to edit the gear by flipping the treads or internal slot and to reduce the motor axis shaft opening that allows slippage.

——-

Gimbal Gears Analysis

After spending all day 21 September building the motor driver board test system and rebuilding the gimbal, testing it all and worked closer to expectation than before. Tested it again, this morning, to try calibrating the head to exact coordinates but it eventually failed and locked up, again. After examining the motor-free housing case, the problem appears to be caused by stepper motor gears problem, listed below.

Gear 9 – The gear extends too far over Gear 15 and thus out-of-alignment. Needed to edit the gear to tighten gear shaft opening, like Gear 14. Determined Nylon was best for this and Gear 14 due to heat from motor per Kyle’s recommendation. He said they were better for the heat and being more pliable.

Gear 15 Opening – Needed to be sanded to allow free-spin where it was jamming slightly when spinning. Could be both the gear and the opening.

Gear 14 – Needed sanding of burrs along the short diameter side to prevent catching opening when moving. Also needed tighter gear shaft opening, like Gear 9. Determined Nylon was best for this Gear.

Tablet Redesign – Revision #1

Because Adafruit was unable to support their products, I researched online for other UPS boards that would accomplish the same battery operations without their products. This created the opportunity to improve the original design and upgrade the motherboard to RPi model 3B which includes integrated Wi-Fi support that RPi 2 does not. The RPi 3B version will be the main upgrade for the Tablet Redesign Revision #2.

Below is the list of Revision #1 changes:

Lower the motherboard mount beneath the main mount structure. This helps provide more space for the new battery HAT to be installed on the top of the RPi. Add same screw holes to motherboard mount and add two new screw holes to attach the RPi mounting structure to the main mount.

Remove the PowerBoost mount from the main mounting board.

Add two screw holes to the middle of the case back and lid.

Close case side opening near PowerBoost mount, case over Ethernet connector, and remove switch.

Add bottom case opening to access the new battery board power switch.

Use #4-40×1/4″ screws for the main mount structure and back lid.

Pictures of remote control tablet:

7″ Touchscreen Display and Driver Board with Component Mounting Bracket

Remote Control User Interface with picture insert of future video feature

First Outdoor Field Test

Version 8 – Integrated System Complete

23 October 2018 is the date I finally integrated a majority of the parts that all successfully operate. Because the rover needs to be tested in a rough environment, I am holding off testing the larger camera. As a result of the Gimbal pan cable being too short to reach the bottom of the stacked boards, will have to move the DC Stepper Board to the top of the stack, directly beneath the Gimbal base. Currently, the Gimbal cannot go beyond 90 degrees right or it will rip the cable. Also, determined M5 bolts are too large to fit inside the 5mm hole in the Gimbal base (see missing in picture) and replaced that bolt with a M4 bolt.

Picture Above is Right Side of Rig

Picture Above is Left Side of Rig

Version 9 – Integrated System Redesign Complete

The redesign consisted of the following changes that were described in the journal section at the top of this blog. Recap, all worked with the exception of the streaming camera video boot and gimbal with python3, works with python2. Also, remote control tablet is functional with kivy UI. Full System backup of both devices today 12 November 2018.

Replaced wheels and fans connectors with JST 2.0 mini connectors.

Flipped and moved the gimbal stepper motor board to the top of the stack closest to camera. This was to solve the camera pan right that was stretching the cable too far.

Heatshrinked fans and wheels cables.

Version 10 – Integrated System Redesign Initiated

This R/RC redesign consisted of new tablet case (see below), additional board to remove the flipped ribbon cable to run flatly between boards, and upgrading the RPi from 3B to 3A+, thus removing the RJ45 connector and four USB slots. This version also includes three buttons on the base of the video window that allows the user to take a snapshot of the video image and the tablet screen (see RC image below) as well as recording video for a max of one minute, user controlled button.

New Remote Control Case – Version #2

Below are shots of the new tablet case that has been submitted to 3DHubs.com and FluxDesign, the latter redirected my order to a different provider, Walter’s World, on 16 December.

Remote Control User Interface Enhancement

Below is the tablet’s screen capture and still video capture generated pictures. The three new buttons under the video will be enhanced to look like the other buttons on the right, in the picture below.

Then after enhancing the User Interface with icons, the screen appears as illustrated below:

In this screen capture taken with the bottom right Shot button under the video, it displays the new icons on the top left and the three new capture buttons on the bottom center beneath the video display. There are two battery icons on the top left, R = Rover and RC = Remote Control that shows the rough amount left in battery capacity. The Rover battery icon is showing the alert battery icon indicating less than 20% capacity. The Remote Control battery icon is showing less than 80% remaining battery capacity. Note that for the Remote Control, this is only a rough indicator where you can see the actual amount above the Wheel Motors control to turn left. In this capture, the battery is actually 50% and should the go lower, the battery capacity icon will change to 50%.

The Wi-Fi indicator is also a rough indicator based upon the signal strength provided by the RPi and OS. The next icon to the right is the Rover communications indicator showing a green background when connected successfully or red background when there is no connection.

Then below the video display window, the three buttons are the Record the video stream for up to a minute on the Rover, but the user can stop the recording before that minute has recorded to Stop the recording. The middle button captures the video window, today, and plans are to enhance that to shoot the full resolution still video shot using picam and saved on the Rover.

Version 10 Rig Rebuild

Took the following photos when rebuilding the rig PCB configuration with the following changes:

Replace RPi3B with RPi3A+ – not visible in picture below.

Add new ribbon cable board to prevent curling cables sideways – see ribbon cable on center of left picture below.

Lengthen the 12V power cable so connector accessible from outside – see connector on left side of rig (next to ribbon cable), in left picture.

The Reconfiguration Bay is an old pool water hose vacuum with the wheels removed so it stands flat to flip the rig over for easy access to the electronic components. The boards in order from the top to the bottom in the left picture are:

NEW NOT SHOWN (this is a before shot of the rig) Camera Ribbon Cable Board

UPS and Battery Board (shown as top in this picture)

SB Component DC Motor Board for Fans and Wheels

Raspberry Pi 3A+

KOOKYE Stepper Motor Driver Board – for Gimbal

Home Built Fans/Wheels Power Connectors Board

Lengthening the 12V Power Input Cable to be accessible from the rear allows easier connection with the Battery Cable shown in the bottom left of the picture below. This picture also show the Fans and Wheels 4-pin connectors.

——-

Remote Control Internal Components – Version 10

While restoring the operating system and apps on the tablet that stopped communicating due to my attempts to connect it to the hotspot, I was able to take a few photos of the inside of the Remote Control and post them below. I also removed a portion of the RPi mounting plate so that the microSD card is accessible without disassembly. There are several minor modifications to the 3D print file that need to be made to loosen up and relocate some of the screw holes so the back panels fit more accurately. This can be seen in the first picture of the back panels and how they are slightly askew.

——-

Migrating Wi-Fi LAN to R/RC Subnet

This section gives an overview of the hardware, research, and tests that were necessary to migrate to a R/RC Wi-Fi Access Point (AP) subnet. First, the hardware needed a wired Ethernet connection so that when I switched from the Goddard Wi-Fi Network to the Remote Control AP, I could still operate on the RPi through ssh (PuTTY) terminal, since the home Wi-Fi AP would no longer appear on the R/RC network. So for testing, I used two RPi 3B units, two RJ45 Ethernet cables, the HDMI monitor that normally runs the SlideShow all day, and the HDMI TV.

Once I got the dev units to startup with the Ethernet cables, I then went through online pages to figure out how to setup the Remote Control with hostapd on Arch Linux ARM. As mentioned in my journal, This research took many trials and reverting back to previous versions of OS builds on chips. Today is the first day to test the configuration that has worked when the Goddard Wi-Fi Network access point (Apple Wi-Fi router) rebooted and the R/RC continued to ping each other during the boot process.

At this point is where I needed to start switching networks using software instead of CLI (terminal) commands, I used the two dev units to simulate the switching before attempting to migrate to the operational Rover, in the first operational tests. Because the ping worked, I’m hopeful the Rover will be able to switch between the two networks. That’s why I created the network_switch.py service app to test on the dev Rover.

Rover GPS Time Sync Function

Because the Raspberry Pi does not include a realtime hardware clock and the Rover needs to boot in the field without Wi-Fi or any Internet connections, I had to integrate a GPS (Global Position System) to obtain the UTC time from satellites. I learned this from my initial field tests where the apps sat waiting for the system time to be set but there was no Internet access to obtain the NTP (Network Time Protocol) to sync the computer date and time. Although this took many hours testing different configurations, suggested solutions on other linux distributions, outdated information and a couple chatrooms, I was able to hack together an Arch Linux solution that follows integration standards.

Months before this need, I had ordered a GPS Module with TTL Ceramic Passive Antenna (shown above) knowing I would need it one day for R&D. Because I had kept copious notes on the Rover GPIO pins, I had four pins in a row reserved for power, ground, transmit, and receive signals from the satellites. Using a spare RPi 3B, I was able to cable and connect to the GPS with up to 7 satellites fixing inside our home. The next few weeks were spent configuring and testing until it was ready to install in the Rover. This required a wiring harness so that the unit was detachable and could be removed when working on the rig.

Rover Right Side Motor Rig

Rover Left Side Motor Rig

One important thing I learned in this research process is that PPS is not needed for the NTP timesync and GPS connection. Older online documentation suggests using that for the time pulse to the GPS that is no longer necessary with the later releases of gpsd, ntp, and systemd-timesyncd.

References – Tools and Workshop

Here’s our workshop for making wood and acrylic parts:

The above picture inspired the creation of the following list of tools needed to build this rover:

POWER TOOLS

Drills* – small Dremmel® drill for sanding and large drill for holes

Saws – table saw for large wood pieces, scroll saw* for round cuts (seen in photo that were replaced with 3D printed part) and acrylic pieces

Electric Sander* – to smooth rough wood saw cuts

HAND TOOLS

Screw Drivers* – extremely small and adjustable for flat and Phillips head screws

Compass* – for drawing circles on wood to cut

Soldering Iron – to solder wires to circuitry

Heat Gun – to heat shrink over solder joints

Tape Measure* – Inches one side, Metrics other side

Fine Files* – to sand 3D printer edges and openings, Husky® offers a great set

Needle Nose Pliers* – to pickup parts and tighten nuts and bolts

Hands-Free Stand with Magnifying Glass* – to hold things and allow two hands to operate on held item

Super Glue* – to lock the switches and nuts inside to Gimbal

Standard Pliers* – to unlock the main axis bolt

* Pictured above or below.

Attributions

This section contains items and help with this project. Most have been collected through the years as gifts or purchased for Valencia College classroom exercises. The human-looking mechanical device with magnifying glass is used extensively for seeing microscopic parts and holding pieces to be soldered to add an extra “hand” to allow for other tools to be used.

Goddard Surveillance Rover Prototype 1 Development 2018-19 This blog is about my technological venture into hardware configuration that I hope will result in a working prototype.

[chordiacarrest]

One Big Band Process

Last Friday, at our Presentation of Learning, I detailed some of the process of creating this project. I couldn’t get in all the details, however, so I wanted to make this post as both, somewhat of a guide for anyone thinking of taking on this sort of task, as well as just a general routine of my process for anyone interested! Be warned, long post ahead!

Choosing this task:

I chose to do this as my project, partly because it was a community I wanted to engage with anyway, and partly because I personally have been struggling with the whole “virtual choir” thing over this strange semester.

The song, One Big Bed, was originally written for the podcast Not Another D&D Podcast, and played in the show’s finale, featuring a chorus of the show’s performers all joining in in the chorus. I was immediately struck with the desire to make a community cover happened, found someone else in the Discord chat to work with (Sarah, who helped me with a lot of the organisation of the piece, organising Google Sheets and boosting the message more), and set to work.

For those interested, Sarah’s role in this was incredibly useful, both helping with google sheets, contacting folks who hadn’t sent in their videos, and helping to boost the promotion of the project in general, as a moderator for the unofficial NADDPod discord server, and helping keep me accountable for my use of EDT/PDT when I forgot how time zones worked. However, I edited together the audio and video of the project, and all of the things I’ve going to detail in this post, so my work was still cut out for me, despite Sarah’s help!

Arrangement:

The song was originally recorded with voice, harmony, double bass and ukulele, as well as the additional voices in the final chorus. Within roughly 3 hours of searching for musicians, we already had a couple clarinetists, flautists, saxophonists, guitarists, and a whole lot more instruments. I briefly pondered the logistical nightmare of saying “play what you want :)” and sending them off to record, and decided I’d make a simple arrangement with broad parts, being, voice, 2 harmonies, ukulele, bass, percussion, flute, clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophone, and piano. Ultimately, we got a trumpeter and a violinist as well, who were happy to play the clarinet and flute parts respectively, and the other assorted instruments we got were able to roughly improvise their parts without being too overpowering!

Making this part of the project accessible for musicians of all levels was important to me, so I recorded teaching tracks for the harmony parts, as well as presenting the parts in both sheet music, tabs (where appropriate)/chord sheets for all sorts of learners. All the sheet music, tabs and teaching tracks can be seen here!

Furthermore, in this process, I created “Play Along Tracks” for musicians to record with. I created one with ukulele and voice, one with just ukulele, and one metronome tracks, so that musicians with a wide variety of needs could use them (for example, ukulele and voice to help with structure for musicians playing in certain sections, or ukulele only for singers who don’t want to hear someone else singing their part while recording, or metronome only for people with very short individual parts who feel confident just playing to a metronome track). These tracks were made available in the same Google Drive folder as above.

Editing Process: Planning

There were a few things I knew I wanted going into the process of actually collating the audio and visual together in a cohesive piece. Notably, I wanted the piece to constantly build with more people entering, and I wanted the video to resemble some of the online choirs I’d seen online - the Broadway ones or the Con choir! I also knew I wanted the final a cappella chorus to be as big as possible.  For that final chorus, we extended our search from “musicians” to “anybody who has a voice and wants to participate”. At no point was the specific musicality of the performers a major concern of ours, but especially in this fine chorus, the aim was the feeling of Mass over and particular detail.

One thing I’d recommend doing here, which I ultimately didn’t, is to keep a better track of who’s recording what, and lay out your format overall. If you know you’ll have three guitarists in the final project, plan out who plays where. I didn’t do this, and in fact didn’t even keep track of who was playing what instrument until I had all recordings. But in any situation where you have the means to plan all of this out beforehand, I’d absolutely recommend it. Not only does it save you grief about forgetting who plays when, but it allows you to plan out the layout of sections of your video beforehand, allowing for smoother transitions in general.

Editing Process: Audio

I chose to edit the audio in Logic separately to the video, which was an interesting choice on my part, but I stand by it. I don’t necessarily know all about Final Cut Pro’s audio editing software, but sticking with a more familiar program that seemed to give me more freedom for audio was definitely the right move on this scale (that said, if anyone has anything to say to Final Cut Pro’s merit, absolutely let me know!).

I also chose to edit the audio of the final chorus separately to the rest of the audio, both freeing myself from clogging up one logic track, and making it easier to fine tune the volume of the final chorus when I inserted the file into my main project!

The main concern I had from this process were points, such as the second verse for example, where vocalists had very different vocal tones. Without cutting too much volume from stronger voice types, I needed to sort out a balance that allowed everyone to be heard. I eventually solved this with a lot of fine tweaking and panning parts to different areas so you can train your ear on one voice in particular!

Some of the other issues I encountered in the realm of Audio Mixing for this project were the issue of background noise, and the issue of tempo.

Background noise was an issue I knew would come up. With such a heavy focus on making the project accessible to all manner of musicians, it simply wasn’t possible to have people use semi-professional recording equipment. There were some tracks, ultimately, where the background noise nearly surpassed the instruments themselves. I did eat I could with EQing and the Noise Gate tool, but ultimately had to make the decision that as long as background noise wasn’t overpowering, it could find its place in the mix. With so many individual tracks to take care of, it would have been maddening to specifically cut out all the background noise.

Finally, the tempo concern. This was less of an issue than I had initially imagined. The use of “play along tracks” meant that people stayed generally in time. Ultimately, there were only one or two tracks that this proved a legitimate issue with - one was a saxophone track, which was submitted far too fast, and I needed to work out how to use the Time Flex tool to slow down the audio (which, was tricky to get the hang of for ten minutes or so, but once I got the idea, it was easy enough), and the other was a vocal track, which just seemed to wax and wane in tempo, so I added Time Flex to keep it a little more geared with the others.

There was one day where I spent maybe five hours zoomed way in on my vocal tracks, lining each one up so that they start their phrases at exactly the same time. That was maybe the closest I’ve ever felt to madness, but in the end it was worth it, with the tracks sounding far neater by the end (a tip for this is pan each two tracks you’re comparing to opposite sides, so you can specifically hear it when one comes in earlier and which one it is!).

Editing Process: Video

The editing process itself, once all of this was done, was much more of a matter of logistics and keeping track of things than I had initially imagined. My main few takeaways from this are 1. write things down before you start, and not halfway through when you realise you don’t know what you’re doing, and 2. maybe my five year old, not super well taken care of, storage space-almost-full laptop wasn’t the best machine for the task. But we powered few, taking copious breaks with my laptop chilling upside down while it cooled down from trying to process the forty odd videos at once. Fair enough, I feel.

My process for this was to line everyone’s track up with my Play-Alone track, and then mute them, and place them as needed. By lining up both the audio and video with the same track, it meant that as far as my judgment could call both of them ‘in time’, they would be aligned when the final track was pasted in.

One thing I’ve learned since finishing is about viewing playback in Final Cut Pro by proxy media, which makes it perform better. I’d recommend doing this as opposed to what I did, which was create a new file every time I wanted to view something back. However, creating a ton of drafts was not a bad call, as it allowed me to see in full detail what things needed to change.

In the end, I added in some keyframes and animations to make it look a little more alive, and posted the final video on YouTube, which, as you can see here, has been a resounding success!

Final Thoughts:

This was a huge project, but it was ultimately really fun. Being able to work with so many awesome musicians and get to know them on a level I didn’t expect was really rewarding, and the response to the video has been awesome. The creators of the show have all shown their appreciation for this cover, and so many of the musicians have posted about how much they enjoyed being a part of it and how pleased they were with how it came together. I was really pleasantly surprised at how nice it was, through this process, learning all of the performers’ names and voices and what they looked like. There were some friends in there, but also some people I otherwise wouldn’t know, and whenever I see their names around, I get excited because I know them now! That’s definitely been a really unexpected by joyful thing to take away from this process.

I’ve definitely come out of it keen to do more digital ensembles and curious how much I could push it, but for now, its time to take a small break from all the editing until I need it again!

[placetobenation]

Hey everyone, and welcome to the second edition of Jason’s DVD Deep Dive! What we are doing here is going through my incredibly massive blu ray and DVD collection and simply reviewing the films. One by one in alphabetical order, starting with the blu rays.

The movie we will be talking about today is the 2012 action/comedy directed by Christopher Miller and Peter Lord, based on the hit TV show from the 80’s, 21 Jump Street. It stars Jonah Hill (Superbad), Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) and Brie Larson (Captain Marvel). 

The Plot: The film starts in a flashback in 2005 showing the “nerd” Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and the popular jock, Jenko (Channing Tatum). Schmidt gets rejected asking a popular pretty girl and made fun of by Jenko, while Jenko then gets called to the office to be told his bad grades will keep him out of prom and he will barely graduate high school. They have a bit of a moment crying on opposite benches hinting that maybe these two are a lot more alike than previously thought. Flash forward seven years and these two meet again at the police academy. Jenko is good at the physical stuff and Schmidt is better with the written stuff. They decide to help each other out. They develop a bond, become best friends and graduate the academy together.

Their dreams of being “bad ass” cops aren’t brought to fruition as we see them as bike cops covering a public park. After we see them with their rudimentary nonsense they deal with on a daily basis, Jenko spots members of the 1%ers, a known motorcycle gang. He sees them smoking pot so they approach them and search their bikes and find cocaine. A chase ensues. Schmidt is not able to apprehend his suspect and it is shown that he is very hesitant about general police activity. Jenko catches the leader, Domingo (DeRay Davis). It’s the guys first major bust. 

They show up to the station, acting like they made the biggest arrest in history, only to find out from Deputy Chief Hardy (Nick Offerman) that they had to release Domingo as Jenko didn’t properly read him the Miranda rights. That’s where they are informed they are being transferred to a rebooted police program from the 80’s for “younger” looking police officers called 21 Jump Street. They show up there greeted by their new captain, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube). They then get informed of their first mission as part of Jump Street. Billiam Willingham (Johnny Simmons), a student of Sagan High School, dies after OD’ing on a drug called HFS (Holy Fucking Shit). They are given identities as as Brad (Hill) and Doug (Tatum) McQuaid. While at the school, it is learned that high school isn’t exactly what it used to be in 2005. Schmidt becomes popular as he befriend popular kid and HFS dealer Eric (Dave Franco) and pretty girl Molly (Bree Larson). Jenko becomes friend with a group of science nerds in his chemistry class as they start to find the source and supplier of HFS. Jenko and Schmidt also buy and are forced to take HFS as we see the affects on them and are also approached by coach Walters (Rob Riggle). 

Schmidt and Jenko decide to throw a party at Schmidt’s parents house to become closer to the students and to gain their trust. During the party a fight breaks out between Schmidt, Jenko and people from a rival high school. Schmidt wins the fight and gains the trust of the popular kids. While that was happening, the science kids hacked Eric’s phone so they can listen in on conversations. 

A few days later, at a party at Eric’s, Jenko is listening in and hears of a meetup between Eric and the supplier, but also overhear Schmidt talking shit about Jenko. The rift between the two grows deeper as they follow Eric to a meetup with what turns out to be the 1%ers. Jenko and Schmidt follow them and their in-fighting causes a problem in pursuit and they have to evade the gang and they do so, successfully. The police chase causes Schmidt to miss a play he was cast in with Molly and is slipping deeper and deeper into this undercover persona. As he takes the stage as Peter Pan, an angry Jenko attacks him and they fight, which in turn causes them to get expelled. They also get fired from Jump Street.

Eric, being stressed out and nervous, decides to reach out to Schmidt and Jenko to use them as extra muscle for the major upcoming deal at prom. As the two get dressed, they rekindle their friendship. While at the prom, Schmidt meets up with Molly and learns she has taken HFS as Schmidt admits to her that he is a cop. Jenko has his science friends listen in on everything. They join Eric to head up to a room where they finally meet the supplier, Coach Walters. While there, the 1%ers show up as Jenko and Schmidt try to hide their identities as cops. Molly shows up at the door and exposes Schmidt as a cop. At that point the 1%ers recognize Schmidt and Jenko and a major gunfight ensues as Walters takes Molly hostage and two of the gang members reveal themselves to be undercover DEA agents Tom Hanson (Johnny Depp) and Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise), former members of the Jump Street division from the 80’s. A major gunfight ensues and many people get shot and murdered…including Hanson and Penhall.

Walters and Eric take off while still holding Molly hostage in one limo, as the 1%ers are in another followed by Jenko and Schmidt. While in pursuit, Jenko makes a bomb using a bottle of liquor that he learned from his science friends in AP Bio and blows up the limo carrying the gang. Final confrontation comes as Walters is there with Molly opposite Jenko and Schmidt. It is learned that Jenko is out of ammo. Walters goes to shoot Schmidt but Jenko takes the bullet for him. He encourages Schmidt that he can do it as Schmidt successfully shoots Walters, as he literally shoots his dick off.

The cops show up. Walters and Eric are arrested and Schmidt confronts Molly and apologizes for everything, they then kiss. They show back up to Jump Street and they are greeted with a hero’s welcome. Chief Dickson then informs them that they are going to college, much to Schmidt’s delight and Jenko’s dismay.

The Acting: The Good: Everyone is very good in this movie. It is very funny and everyone hits their beats perfectly. Tatum and Hill are brilliant together. This is the first time I was introduced to Franco and Larson and they were both great. Small roles from Elle Kemper (The Office), Jake Johnson (New Girl) and Chris Parnell (30 Rock) really enhanced this movie. Especially the appearances from 21 Jump Street alumni Holly Robinson-Peete, Peter DeLuise and Johnny Depp. Depp and DeLuise especially as they were unrecognizable throughout the entire film until the reveal at the end.

The Bad: if I had one complaint, it would be Rob Riggle. While he was ok…his over the top nature was somewhat irritating at times. 

Best Performance: I cannot sing the praises of Channing Tatum enough. I would’ve never known that he would’ve had such amazing comedic timing. Made me a big fan of his.

The Review: This movie is easily one of my favorite comedies of all time. I cannot sing the praises of this film enough. It still holds up as a great comedy and is extremely well written and acted. Very highly recommend this movie. 

The Overall Score: 9/10

[furederiko]

The good'ol 69... I mean, June 9th. Not that it has any special nor personal meaning though, except for the fact that I'm posting a Random-News-Digest!...

Resident Evil

It's not a secret that I have always favored the CG movies of this franchise, way better than Milla Jovovich's live action series. Those Hollywood movies were okay to good, mind you, but honestly, have they ever got it... right? Not saying that the Japanese CG ones have greater quality, but it just feels more faithful to the source material somehow. That's why when "Resident Evil: Vendetta" was first announced April last year, I know I'm totally going to see it. And yes, that opportunity is slowly approaching, as the Spring movie had officially opened in Japan on May 27th, and will be hitting the international region this month. In home video format, that is. Digital download will be available on June 20th, while the Bluray edition will be on the market on July 18th. There's an exclusive one night event in selected theatres on June 19th too, but I'm guessing that only takes place in the US.

Several character-specific trailers were released to commemorate the Japanese release last month. There was one for Chris Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy, Rebecca Chambers, and also the main antagonist Glenn Arias. It's worth noted that the three first names are characters from the first game, and don't take my word on this, but there's a likelihood that this movie is related to that title. It's a good thing though, considering the latest game of the franchise opted to go with a completely new protagonist. Anyways, fans of Chris and Leon can only wait a little longer to see their next adventure. And we should enjoy it as much as we can, because there are signs that Hollywood is already thinking of rebooting the live action movie-series... Oh boy! *sigh*

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Second movie of the franchise, the tentatively titled "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2" has a finished script, and is currently doing an interesting casting process. Namely, they are looking for teen versions of the main characters. When I first read the headline to this news, I was quite... surprised, because my head was literally thinking about Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione. Which of course, is completely incorrect! Ignoring the glaring irony that the "Harry Potter" franchise is still looming large on my head, completely overshadowing this new prequel series, the younger cast they are talking about is for Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald, Leta Lestrange, and... possibly Newt Scamander. After all, as far as I recall, Newst IS supposed to be the central character, right? Hmmm...

And this could be big. We know that Johnny Depp is portraying the adult (or... old?) Grindelwald, and Jude Law has been entrusted to portray the younger (but also... old?) Dumbledore. Since Grindelwald was already terrorizing Europe in the first movie, it seems unlikely that they are still in good terms, right? So the casting of actors between the age of 16 to 18 means writer J.K. Rowling is finally giving fans what they've always wanted: more historical moment between the two. As in, regarding their so-called intimate friendship that led towards a disastrous outcome. Perhaps what ever happened to the Dumbledore household (his mother Kendra, brother Aberforth, and sister Ariana), the mystery that was briefly talked about late in the "Harry Potter" series, is making their way into this movie? A backstory for Dumbledore, to put it simple.

For now, it's still nothing more than random speculation. But hopefully we'll get a clearer understanding of the plot, when the movie officially begins production. Which should take place, sometime later this year, to make it for a November 16th, 2018 release. I can only hope, the whole Dumbledore and Grindelwald story is still connected to Newt somehow. I don't know, perhaps through Leta? Otherwise, having a main character alienated in his own movie, would be a fatal mistake. Not that it's anything new for Warner Bros though...

Dark Universe

Universal is pretty serious about their shared Monsters universe. While they only have one movie, "The Mummy" on the horizon so far, the plan has already begun including a second title in Bill Condon's "The Bride of the Frankenstein", as well as developing some others. We can now add three more possible titles, in the list of projects currently in development, or planned. Director and also producer Alex Kurtzman, recently revealed that the lineup will also consist of... Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The first was a no-brainer, since the 2013 critically-panned "Dracula Untold" was initially meant to kickstart this universe. But of course, everyone is talking about the other two on that list. Why? Because nobody suspected both would even be considered. I found those titles to be... intriguing, to say the least. Thematically, they fit this universe like a bill, but the genre of both movies would also add additional colors to this universe. And that's not all, because Kurtzman is also thinking of spinoff-ing other characters from within the lineup. "I think that digging into deep mythologies about monsters around the world is fair game for us, as well and connecting the monsters that we know to some surprising monsters could also be really interesting.", he said, which honestly made me speechless because I'm having trouble to describe my response to that bit. He's also aiming big, by desiring big actors like Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, and Angelina Jolie to be part of this ensemble. You can check out exclusive interview with Kurtzman on Joblo Trailer's Youtube channel about this Dark Universe project.

Problem is, early tracking for "The Mummy" alone, isn't showing a good sign. Especially, in the shadow of WB's "Wonder Woman" that seems to be still doing good. And we must remember, that the Tom Cruise vehicle is being marketed as the brave first step of this universe. What if, pessimistically speaking, the movie fails to resonate with audience. Are we going to have another case of "Dracula Untold", or will Universal simply ignore the outcome (critically or financially) this time, and proceed with their plan anyway? I don't know, perhaps singing the tune of WB's DC Films?

And indeed, that's where the big question mark lies. Hot on the heels of a very promising news, that the movie is breaking opening day record in South Korea, critics have also begun publishing their thoughts. And it was simply... mixed at best. Some folks (like Ain't It Cool, and Collider) sounded like they actually had fun with it, but others (like Polygon, and IndieWire) are being the complete opposite. The Hollywood Reporter even called it "An inauspicious beginning to a would-be franchise.". Yes, go ahead and look that word up in the dictionary! So is this an apple and orange situation? Case of an acquired taste? I can't really tell. But the general consensus seems to lean towards the irony, that the movie is burdened to kickstart a new cinematic universe. Thus unable to be 'its own thing'.

The logic however, is that eventhough it will probably NOT do so well in the US, Universal is counting on international market to give it a financial push. As proven by Paramount's "Transformers" (particularly that Chinese-heavy 4th movie) or Disney's "Pirates of the Carribbean" franchise, international audience usually couldn't care less about what US critics are saying. LOL. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the response to this movie affects the entire Dark Universe then. And I'm strangely rooting for it, because as I've repeatedly said, I really want to see more of Russell Crowe's Dr. Jekyll in the future. "The Mummy", opens on June 9th, 2017... which is TODAY in my time region.

X-Men Universe

If anyone asks me why I'm NOT (or no longer) a fan of FOX's Marvel Universe, the answer would be VERY simple. Because I despise inconsistencies. Continuity issues and inconsistent writing, disregarding source materials, with characters being robbed of their full potential and shoehorned for the sake of... nothing important... are glaring elements that have been plaguing the X-Men movies for such a long time. These are easy proofs that the people behind this so-called universe, are NOT doing a good job. And yes, I'm talking about Bryan Singer, and especially producer Simon Kinberg. Ironically, this was also the reason why "Deadpool" worked. Because that movie fearlessly pointed out what really is WRONG about this whole universe, while adding more questions. Case point, the existence of two Professor Xs, two Collosuses, and many more. Even the critically acclaimed "Logan", couldn't escape this blatant continuity trapping, further showing the flaw in design.

Now we can add another one to the list. As Josh Boone's "The New Mutants" (or "X-Men: The New Mutants"... because seriously, even I'm not really sure about the movie's official title) has recently cast a second actor to portray the mutant Sunspot. While confirming that Charlie Heaton is indeed in talks to portray Cannonball, Variety revealed that actor Henry Zaga of "13 Reasons Why" has been cast as the solar-powered mutant. Why is he the 2nd you ask? Because Adan Canto (as pictured above) has already portrayed the criminally-underused character in the logically-flawed "X-Men: Days of Future Past". Does this mean, FOX is expecting Zaga to grow up into Canto (to be fair, they ARE at around the same... height)? As in, "The New Mutants" is happening years prior to "Days of Future Past"? Unless... this will be an entirely different character, which once again, points out the exact issue.

There's more than just Sunspot. Variety also ridiculously over-praised "The New Mutants", when revealing the movie's premise, "Fox/Marvel redefines the superhero genre once again with the horror thriller, The New Mutants. Mutants are at their most dangerous, both to themselves and others, when their powers are new, especially because mutation reveals itself during the teenage years. Held in a secret facility against their will, five new mutants have to battle the dangers of their powers, as well as the sins of their pasts. They aren’t out to save the world – they’re just trying to stay alive.". Though it's likely that the media merely used it to boost visitors, I'm not sure I can easily ignore the exaggerating word of 'redefines' here. HOW... is making this into a horror/thriller 'redefines' the genre, when the likes of "Lucifer", "Preacher", the Ghost Rider arc on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and even FOX and FX's very own "LEGION" has already done the same? Didn't they have already attempted this whole storyline with the craptastic "Fant4stic Four" back in 2015? The more pressing matter however, is once again about WHAT TIMELINE will this movie take place. Will this occur after "X-Men: Apocalypse"? Or, in the same era to "Deadpool", considering Collosus' younger sister is in this? I can't even imagine how "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" will continue to add to this... messy affair.

Putting that issue aside, "The New Mutants" has found its Danielle Moonstar as well. Actress Blu Hunt will be portraying the character, who is a Native American with the power to generate illusion from other person's fears and desires. I myself have never heard of the actress, but it seems she's got the talent, if not simply racially appropriate for the character (like Booboo Stewart's Warpath, hence the reason I used that exact picture). This means, the team is almost complete with Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik, Maisie Williams as Wolfsbane, along with the two guys I mentioned above. FOX only needs to find an actor to voice Warlock as the remaining team member, considering the alien will likely be a CG character. With production set to commence next month, looks like we're going to hear an official cast announcement really soon. I can't seem to get excited about this no matter how I tried, but perhaps the opposite is happening with you. Good for you then!

Marvel Studios

Things have been pretty quite from the movie front, which might be caused due to the studio taking a back seat while WB and their DC Films are taking the headlines. But that should be over pretty soon. This weekend alone, Universal has begun taking all the headlines with their Dark Universe. Also, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is arriving in less than a month, so of course its marketing will start to ramp up. And that's probably the case... as proven by the various TV Spots and Clips from the movie arriving online. Like the ones about Marisa Tomei's May Parker, Zendaya's Michele, or Michael Keaton's Vulture.

As far as I know, none of those are as official as the new one recently released on Marvel's channel (with new footage too! Yikes!). But you can visit Joblo Trailers on Youtube to see them if you like. I personally haven't seen any that focuses on Bokeem Woodbine/Logan Marshall-Green's Shocker, but perhaps that's because they are merely secondary villains. One thing for sure, I can't wait to see this movie. Although I'm not even sure I can, due to an unexpected financial urgency happening late last month... *sigh*. Anyway, "Homecoming" arrives on July 7th, 2017 in the US (pre-order is already available), and is expected to premiere earlier in international regions.

Meanwhile, "Avengers: Infinity War" continues production, and if the entry on IMDb can be trusted, looks like Winston Duke will be reprising his role as M'Baku or the Man-Ape from "Black Panther". This means we might be seeing more of Wakanda in the movie as well. Some people are already calling "Infinity War" to be overstuffed, a statement that's in a way seems accurate judging from that line of actor trailers (courtesy of the Russo Brothers). But this IS a movie that's supposed to be the culmination (first part of two, at least) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008, so... it does make a lot of sense to have so many characters in it. Heck, I think "Captain America: Civil War" alone has already broke the record of the biggest ensemble yet for comic book adaptation.

Speaking of Panther, expect to hear details of the movie alongside November 3rd's "Thor: Ragnarok" on this year's Disney D23 expo. Perhaps, the first official trailer will be unveiled there? To be held from July 14th-16th, there will be props, costumes, and exclusive set pieces from both movies, as well as others. Fans will have the chance to see the filmmakers, development team, and also actors in this event. If you happen to be luckily in the area and are interested to visit this event, you can visit the official site D23Expo.com, or get details via D23 app.

Marvel TV

I've seen the sneak-peak to the upcoming new series "Marvel's Spider-Man", and my oh my, the animation quality looks surprisingly... WEAK. It felt... underwhelming, and it has been bugging me ever since, because it didn't feel any different to the recently concluded "Ultimate Spider-Man" series. Also, and I'm being nitpicky, it's banking on "Homecoming" a little TOO MUCH, and I don't like that. When a show is taking cue to a particular movie, it's a make-or-break situation, especially because we know both will NOT be related in any way. Marvel Animation's very own "Guardians of the Galaxy" series is a good example of this problem. A series that felt like it was aimed to explore the 2014 movie in a detailed manner, before completely going overboard and... Well, let's just say I lost interest for it halfway through, and has never even bothered to check out the 2nd season.

The same personal response goes to the 4th season of "Avengers Assemble", officially subtitled "Avengers: Secret Wars". Judging from the 6 character-intro webisodes that I've watched last week, I can only say that the quality of this series is... pretty much the same. For the record, the first three seasons were never THAT good in the first place, so its not a good sign. But this new season seems to dip even lower in the story department, and that raised a dangerous flag for me. Can't believe I'm saying this (not because I'm a fan, but because I've actually been anticipating these new titles for quite a while), but I'm already thinking of giving it a huge pass. And I'm not just talking about "Secret Wars", but "Spider-Man" as well. I can only hope Marvel Animation is preparing something BIG to make up for this. Perhaps that announcement they will reveal on the D23 Expo 2017? We'll see...

From the live action side, Marvel's "New Warriors" is expected to film in Atlanta. This shouldn't be a surprise, because the city has become a regular spot for Marvel Studios to film their projects. Movies like "Civil War", "Homecoming", "Infinity War", and many others sets up their massive sound stage and goes into production there. This particular location offers up interesting questions: Does this mean the casting process has been concluded and is going to be announced soon? Will the setting of this Freeform series take place in Atlanta as well, as opposed to New York? Will we actually get the long awaited crossover between TV series and movies, considering they will be filmed in the same location? "New Warriors" is expected to premiere in 2018.

Netflix

With Marvel's "The Defenders" confirmed for an August 18th release, the one big question looming on every Marvel-Netflix fans' mind has been: so when will Jon Bernthal's Marvel's "The Punisher" arrive? Both Marvel TV and Netflix have only revealed that it will be released this year, but without any specific details. And the cast has wrapped production some time ago. Will it arrive on Winter then? The answer is... in a way, yes.

Dearbhla Walsh, who directed and edited an episode might have unintentionally spilled the bean regarding the show's release month. Talking to The Hollywood Reporter about her experience behind the camera, Walsh said that "One other time that hasn't been aired yet, which was an episode for the new Marvel series The Punisher, which I did just before Christmas, but it's not airing until November. I directed that in New York and edited in L.A.". So yeah, surprising as it might be considering "Ragnarok" is debuting that very same month, looks like Frank Castle will be rampaging the small screen as well. Hold on... it just occured to me: Is this series trying to steal attention and likely audience from WB's "The Justice League" then? WOW, that might be interesting. Let's just wait for the official confirmation from Netflix then...

Possible release window has also been partially confirmed for the three titles currently in production. Yes, I'm talking about the 2nd seasons for Marvel's "Jessica Jones", and Marvel's "Luke Cage" (which will explore his public identity issue), and also the 3rd season of "Marvel's Daredevil". While there are no fixed release date yet, highly likely all three will be released next year. And if Netflix follows this year's pattern, then we can expect these shows to be out on March, August, and November.

The only show that hasn't been officially 'renewed' is Marvel's "Iron Fist", and I'm not too surprised about it. In fact, I won't even be shocked if it ends up getting cancelled, thus Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick will be transferred to other shows instead. Netflix fairly recently did a string of cancellations to its original series, and the latest victim was the critically-mixed "Sense8". The fact that "Sense8" was better received in terms of storyline and particularly diversity than "Iron Fist", is already a negative indication. Don't forget, "Iron Fist" was simply made because it was part of the 'Defenders Package' that Netflix signed with Marvel TV, and that obligation has been fulfilled with that disappointing first season. So as much as I'm a fan of the character in the comics, I say good riddance. Time to bring the "Moon Knight" to take its place!

Valiant Entertainment

Talk about another universe I've never heard of! And not to mention, coming from a US comic publisher I'm also not familiar of. Comic book adaptation seems to be all the rage nowadays, we've got movies every other month, and also various kinds of TV series in various networks/platforms. Of course Valiant Comics would want to join such promising market, and their approach is going through the digital segment.

The best way to promote their new series? By debuting their live action characters as cover models for their upcoming comics. Yes, that means the cast of "Ninjak VS. The Valiant Universe" in full costume. Derek Theler, and the one and only Jason David Frank (yes, that super popular Power Rangers actor) are joining lead actor Michael Rowe on the second issue of "Rapture". They are respectively playing X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, and duh, of course Colin King a.k.a Ninjak. Ciera Foster's Livewire is on the cover of "Divinity" #0, and Alex Meglei is pairing up with Kevin Porter as Archer & Armstrong on "Rai: The History of the Valiant Universe" #1. If you ask me, I LITERALLY have no idea about ANY of these characters and most of the actors (Tommy's the sole exception). I'm not even sure how I should react!

Dinesh Shamdasani, Valiant Entertainment's CEO and CCO talked to ComicBook.com (that helped debuted these images and also a TRAILER, seriously!), and well... fearlessly made a direct comparison to Marvel and DC. Here's what he said, "Valiant is very different. It's character-centered. It's grounded. It's subversive. It's left of center. It's quirky. We wanted to include the characters that showcased to a new audience how different and exciting Valiant is and why it's something equal to Marvel and DC and so these are the characters, our biggest characters and our most exciting characters to showcase the Valiant tonality.". Pretty confident, huh? The site also wrote a synopsis for the series, and what... we can expect from it. I honestly scratched my head after reading it, but likely because I'm practically clueless about the... whole thing. "Ninjak VS. The Valiant Universe" is set to debut online later this year. Valiant fans might want to watch out for it...

Kamen Rider

On contrary to that delicious Sushi-themed rumor, the title for the 19th "Kamen Rider" series has been trademarked. And the title is... "Kamen Rider Build"! Or at least, that's the common sense, because the katakana 'BIRUDO' is usually romanized as BUILD. Remember, it can always refer to BILD, BEALD, BEARD, and the likes that sounds... similar. A possible first toy catalogue has also made its rounds in the internet. If this year's "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid" has game cartridge as the collectible, this one seems to be based on... bottles. Interesting, huh?

Of course, we can't immediately rule out the Sushi one either. If I recall correctly, there was a fashion theme on the rumor board before it was revealed to be Kamen Rider Ghost. And turns out, Ghost did use the fashion gimmick! So who knows, it's always possible that "Kamen Rider Build" is a food and beverages theme after all, with Build being a sports drink, while the second Rider could be sushi. Hey, this IS Japanese Tokusatsu we're talking about! The franchise that combined gamers with doctor, and fruits with samurai. We'll be hearing more about this new Rider very soon. Because it has been an annual custom now, to debut the new series' lead on the currently running one. Expect Build, or whatever he is officially called, to appear on "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid the Movie: True Ending" that premieres this August.

Cowboy Beebop

When Hollywood is running out of new idea, they tend to go over and scrape old titles from the vast library (and sometimes barrels) of Japanese entertainment fault. That's how Super Sentai became "Power Rangers", "Dragon Ball: Evolution" got made. "Ghost in the Shell" and "Death Note" got whitewashed, adaptation to "Akira" is still being pursued by many studios and directors, and many more.

The next victi... I mean, target is none other than "Cowboy Beebop". This might sound strange, but I've never fully seen the 1998 series and the 2001 movie, nor even interested to check it out. I don't know, perhaps because it's just... not for me? Because I prefer modern ones, nowadays? Or because I wasn't into jazz as much that time... because I was still... young? LOL. I'm also aware however, that it has (present tense) so many fans, especially in the western hemisphere. Due to that exact reason, back in 2009, there was a plan to create a live action movie based on this series. It even had actor Keanu Reeves attached to star as Spike Spiegel. Suffice to say, the project faded to obscurity. But now it's being revived again, but as a TV series. And I'm not kidding!

Tomorrow Studios and ITV Studios are set to produce this adaptation, alongside Sunrise Studios as the executive producer. Chris Yost, who wrote "Thor: The Dark World" and sequel "Ragnarok" (as well as that amazing series "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes"), has been signed to write this series. Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Midnight Radio (Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg), and Matthew Weinberg are producing. It's unclear is this project was an evolution to that movie one, but Adelstein certainly showed his excitement to work on it, and said believed that "a live action version will have an incredible impact today". I'm personally unsure if a TV budget would be able to deal with the series' setting, but who am I to argue. Let's just hope that it'll work out time around then...

Marvel vs Capcom

An interesting rumor concerning the upcoming "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" sparked throughout the internet last month. A NeoGAF user claimed to have discovered the full roster of the game, and well, it was rather... underwhelming.

As of April, we've known that the roster consists of Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, Rocket Raccoon, and Ultron from the Marvel side, and Ryu, Rockman X, Morrigan, Chun-Li, Strider Hiryu, Chris Redfield, and Sigma from the CAPCOM side. That makes for 13 characters so far, considering both Ultron and Sigma (who can combine into... duh, big bad boss Ultron Sigma) are likely DLC characters. According to this rumor, the Marvel side will be extended with Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Nova, Groot, Spider-Man, and Thanos, while CAPCOM adds Arthur, Dante, Firebrand, Jedah, Monster Hunter, Nemesis, Spencer, and one unknown character that might be Frank West. There will be six additional DLC characters for the first season, including the two names I've mentioned before. The big surprise here, is that most of these names are familiar ones who have appeared in previous installments. The only new characters are Ant-Man, Gamora, Nova, Thanos, Jedah, and Monster Hunter, and this has certainly disappointed a lot of fans.

I'm personally indifferent to this situation, but the complaints from fans certainly... make a lot of sense. CAPCOM side is definitely lacking fresh characters from their latest titles. I've said before, they could've added some new characters like Rashid, or Karin from "Street Fighter V" to give it... a current feel. Things are slightly better on Marvel side with the inclusion of Ant-Man, but fans easily questions why lesser popular character like Gamora is taking over the spot that would've been better occupied by Star-Lord or at least Black Widow. And how about Black Panther, or Vision, to replace the missing X-Men characters? Now, this is still a rumor for now, so we need to take it with a huge grain of salt. It's not yet clear if it's true or not anyway. However, the user who posted this news was the one who leaked the existence of the game before it was announced last November, and has been on point with his next scoops. So does this mean, it's the real deal? Here's hoping the D23 Expo 2017 will help clear this out, while hopefully pleasing its disappointed fans along the way. "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" will arrive on September 19th, 2017.

Pocket Monsters

The Pokemon Company held a highly anticipated Pokemon Direct a few days ago on June 6th through various means, and naturally, fans were eagerly looking forward to hear confirmation about the long-rumored "Pokemon Stars". But against all odds, the company delivered a massive surprise instead, and announced... "Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon"!

Yep, this was... UNEXPECTED. I mean, who would've thought that the VII generation will be following the "Pokemon Black & White" route? But the biggest surprise here, rather than utilizing the new Nintendo Switch hybrid console, these two new titles will be exclusively released for the... Nintendo 3DS. Yes, exactly like "Pokemon Black 2 & White 2" that opted to avoid 3DS at the time. The premise of "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" is sure to make fans scratching their heads too. Apparently, these two new titles will offer an alternate story taking place in the world of "Pokemon Sun & Moon", which might explain why both Solgaleo and Lunala look... possessed by Necrozma in the covers. Once again, this brings to mind "Black 2 & White 2" that had Kyuren taking the power and form of Zekrom and Reshiram. The good side of this, along with new features, it is said to feature Pokemon that did not appear in the original. That means, we might be getting that rumored snowman and dolphin Pokemon after all! However wishful thinking that might be... LOL. The bad side however? It seems, some fans are/were NOT pleased with this outcome. Likely because many expected this new title to appear on Nintendo Switch. IMO, that would've been a wise choice as well, particularly following the mixed response to its paid online feature. The hybrid console is definitely in need of a fan favorite franchise like Pokemon to attract more players. And about that... well, on to the next paragraph.

Further adding flame to the disappointment news, the reveal of "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" arrived at the very end of an extensive live action trailer that focused on "Pokken Tournament DX". Which is indeed, the FIRST official Pokemon title for Switch! So in a sense, The Pokemon Company DID give what fans wanted, but NOT exactly what they hoped. "Pokken Tournament DX" is basically another port of the "Pokken" series, that combined the content of Wii U and Arcade version. This means all 16 characters from Wii U and the new ones on Arcade are playable from the get-go, with the exclusive addition of Decidueye from "Sun & Moon". Both Litten and Popplio also available as new support Pokemon. There are several new features as well, to enhance the game's replayability. And to celebrate this game, Nintendo will be hosting a tournament on June 14th, 2017 at the E3 2017 Expo.

To be fair, being a fighting game,"Pokken" does feel more at home with Switch's multiplayer capability. As that trailer suggests, this works as a fun party game as well, a game that people can enjoy in the company of friends and family. So it makes sense that Nintendo opts to push this title instead of a stand alone single-player Pokemon title. After all, Nintendo already had a critically-acclaimed open world RPG on Switch, in form of "Zelda: Breath of the Wild". They need a good fighting game title, that will be specifically exclusive to the console. But will we get an actual core Pokemon title for Switch, or will that honor be given to the successor of 3DS instead? That exact same question still remains. "Pokken Tournament DX" is released worldwide for Switch on September 22nd, alongside "Pokemon Gold & Silver" on the 3DS Virtual Console. "Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" will then follow exclusively for 3DS on November 17th.

On the smartphone App corner, while the utterly silly but surprisingly addictive "Magikarp, Jump!" is taking the world by stor... I mean splash, and "PokeLand" is released to let players interact with... Pokemon toys, "Pokemon GO" is about to have its 1-Year Anniversary in just a month from now. And to celebrate that occasion, Niantic has been amping up on events, both in the game and real world. The next in-game one, is the "Solstice Event", that will bring out a horde of Fire and Ice-Types Pokemon. This is inline with the recent leak, and will take place beginning on June 13th until presumably June 20th if not 21st. It will also pave way, to that major multiplayer update that was reported before. And as such, Gyms system is going to be closed for an unknown period of time.

The real world one, will then take place on July 22nd, 2017 in Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA. "Pokemon GO Fest Chicago", which is the game's first ever event, will have various festivities. There was a hot speculation that the game will be releasing its first Legendaries, so might this be the time and place to deliver that? It'll be unfair for the rest of the world though, am I right? Tickets for this event can be obtained on PokemonGoLive.com/Fest starting on June 18th. Various other events will also be held in Europe, and Japan, through various partner companies. I kind of wish that these official social event is going to take place in my country. Then again, the government didn't respond to the app nicely anyway, so I doubt we'll ever have one... *sigh*

By the way, how on Earth did some sites get that catchy image for the Solstice Event anyway? Is it fanmade? Sure looks official. It's certainly way better than the one Niantic posted on their official update...

Nintendo

This last bit isn't about game, eventhough it is under a video game developer category. At least, not a software one. Yes, collaborating with Universal Studios Japan, Nintendo is going to have their first major amusement park attraction, which will be called Super Nintendo World. At least, that's the plan, because only the groundwork has been done so far (Famitsu provided footages from the event). But there's a Concept Trailer to give us a hint of what it will look, and it looks nostalgically amazing! This park is clearly Mario Bros oriented, but since the title carries the Nintendo name, I think we can expect other exclusive franchises of the company like Kirby, Pokemon, and others to be included in the future. The park will have rides, interactive areas, shops, and restaurants, and it is planned to officially opens in Summer 2020 in Universal Studios Osaka, just in time for the Olympic Games. It will then be followed by Florida and California resorts in the following years. I wonder when it will arrive on Universal Studios Singapore then? Because that's the closest one I could visit for now... *sigh*