#it’s just so cool seeing things people have created.

[mggslover]

‘spencer’s “first” time showing you his jealous/possessive side’. bau reader and spencer just started dating and are a bit reserved when it comes to showing affection in the office. a new agent starts flirting/trying to get readers attention and for the first time spencer make sure everyone knows who his girl friend is <3 thank you !!!

the first time spencer gets jealous genre: fluff word count: 965 a/n: oh how i love this prompt!! thanks for the request

Spencer Reid wasn’t big on PDA, so it didn’t surprise you when he suggested keeping your relationship under wraps once it became official. You didn’t mind much—sure, it was a little frustrating when he’d pat your hand away at the round table or create distance the morning after a particularly fun night, knowing he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of you—but in general, you were glad to keep things private. You had no problem avoiding the “no dating between coworkers” policy drama, and it gave you the opportunity to focus on the cases and enjoy Spencer’s company even more when you’d sneak off home together at the end of the day. 

So, when you found yourself chatting with the new addition to the team—Agent Owen Rogers—you didn’t expect the effect it would have on your boyfriend.

“Of course he’s taken an interest in her. That woman makes everyone fall head over heels,” Penelope half-sighed, her voice a mix of awe and envy as she watched you talk to Owen from the office window. Her words caught Spencer’s attention, and he turned to the scene, spotting you mid-conversation. He recognized the looks his colleagues were giving Owen—those same dreamy, admiring glances they'd had for Hotch’s brother whenever he visited the office.

Spencer’s posture stiffened as the understanding sank in. If he were being honest, he’d liked the new agent when they first met, but now, seeing the way Owen was smirking at you as he moved closer, that initial fondness had quickly morphed into distaste. He could still hear his colleagues gushing over the agent as he quickly got up and headed down the stairs toward you.

“So, I was thinking Italian? Do you like Italian?” Owen asked, his voice upbeat.

Before you could even open your mouth to turn him down, you felt the familiar warmth of your boyfriend’s arms wrapping around your waist, his head resting on your shoulder.

“We love Italian.”.

You stood there, completely bewildered, as your boyfriend not only inserted himself into the conversation but also made the boldest display of possessiveness, wrapping his arms around you without a second thought. It was so un-Spencer-like—especially in the office—but you weren’t about to complain, your hands instinctively resting over his arms.

“Actually, Owen—I can call you Owen, right?” He doesn’t wait for confirmation before continuing. “You know, it’s fascinating how often people pick Italian food for a first date. Objectively, it’s a terrible choice. Think about it: you’ve got these long, slippery noodles—spaghetti, for instance—that are practically designed to humiliate you. The odds of splattering marinara sauce all over yourself—or worse, your date—are alarmingly high. And then there’s the garlic. People convince themselves that a mint will magically erase it, but we both know that’s just a delusion. Why anyone still thinks it’s a good idea is beyond me. Kind of stupid, don’t you think?”

You bit your lip, struggling to suppress your laughter as Owen’s face crumpled. You truly felt sorry for the poor thing—he really was a nice guy—but seeing Spencer get this sassy, especially when it was all because of you, was strangely entertaining.

“I—uh, yeah.” Owen gives a nervous laugh, his fingers awkwardly brushing the back of his neck. “Pretty stupid.”

“But we’d love to have Italian food with you! Right, baby?” Spencer gives your waist a subtle squeeze, his silent cue for you to play along.

You cough slightly, trying to cover your laugh. “Right! Yes, totally—Italian sounds great.”

“Yeah, that’s cool, guys. But, uh, now that I think about it, I’m swamped. You know, being a new agent and everything.” Roger’s voice wavers just enough to betray his weak excuse.

“So unfortunate. Maybe another time,” Spencer replied smoothly. Owen nodded stiffly, forcing a tight smile before quickly walking off.

You scoffed a laugh as Owen disappeared down the bullpen, the shock still lingering. You turned to Spencer, your eyes wide in disbelief.

“What in the world has gotten into that pretty head of yours?”

Spencer’s cheeks flushed a little, suddenly aware of how much of a spectacle he had just made in the middle of the office.

“He was asking you out,” he said quietly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

You chuckled, reaching up to adjust his collar. “And I was just about to say no.”

His arms found their way back around your waist, leaning into your touch as if he’d forgotten where he was. His eyes flickered from your hands to your face, his expression softening. “I know you were. But he should know not to ask you.”

You smiled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear, amused by how the man who’s so intent on keeping your relationship discreet in public is now letting his clingy nature shine through.

“You know he can’t smell that I’m taken, right?” you teased, a playful glint in your eyes.

“Well, maybe we should change that,” Spencer whispered, his voice low as he leaned in, his face brushing against your neck, causing you to giggle.

Unbeknownst to you, the whole team had quietly tiptoed their way down the stairs, and gathered around on the other side of the bullpen. They stood there, wide-eyed, like they were watching an episode of their favorite drama.

“Derek… Am I seeing this right?” Garcia whispered, voice dripping with curiosity as she watched Spencer's face disappear into your neck.

Morgan’s chuckle echoed through the bullpen. “Oh yes, babygirl. You’re seeing it just right.”

Spencer’s grip on you tightened as he sensed the peering eyes, but instead of discomfort, he radiated a quiet pride. He wasn’t hiding anymore—he was proud of what you shared, proud to be yours, and for you to be his, and he wanted the world to know it.

[ghouly-boiiiii]

Coming back to Ghoulcy after a long break. Upon rewatching the show again, I honestly feel more strongly than ever that there's gonna be some canon Ghoulcy in the show at some point...

But I wanna clarify what I mean by that...

If that happens, obviously that's gonna create a bit of a love triangle between Lucy, Max and The Ghoul. And honestly, the triangle's probably gonna end up being pretty one-sided. Like I can't say whether I think Lucy will develop feelings for Cooper. But I definitely think its setting it up for Cooper to start having feelings for Lucy. And I think Lucy and Cooper might bang, just because Lucy is one horny lady with not a squeamish bone in her body lol.

Of course, that would definitely complicate things between her and Max even more than they already are. (You know, her dad being the one who blew up Max's home, the fact she offered to have him live in the vault with her but probably won't want to return after what she's learned, Max now being a knight, etc.) And who knows whether they will find each other and end up being together in the end, but...

Whatever the case, I don't think there's going to be a happily ever after for anybody. Not for Lucy and Max and definitely not for Lucy and Cooper. But it's certainly an opportunity for a lot of interesting drama and frankly, as someone who's been playing the Fallout games for 10+ years, I'd honestly be kinda disappointed if there wasn't some kind of human/ghoul relations going on. I mean, it's no more weird or ridiculous than any other absurd piece of lore in the Fallout universe. It's absolutely on brand 100%.

And if you think they won't do it just because they're worried about what people think... I would argue, they incinerated puppies in the beginning of the second episode... I don't think the show gives a shit about how anybody feels lol. The people making it are obviously passionate about the games and being true to the universe they're expanding upon. They've already fully embraced the dark and quirky elements and tone of the games. And they seem pretty cool with the Ghoulcy shippers too haha. So no, I don't think it's delulu to think there might be at least a little somethin' somethin' happening between Lucy and Cooper. Even if it's Cooper just pining hopelessly over her. Obviously, I could be very wrong. But I don't think I am. We'll see what happens, though. I'm sure I will still love the show even if it doesn't, but damn it would be fucking rad if it did lol.

[retellingthehobbit]

….I’m suddenly realizing that I posted chapter 17 of The Hobbit comic on January 13th of 2024, so it’s been almost exactly one year since I last posted a chapter XD.

Really though, Ive realized my new Webcomic Goal is to be more like my favorite YouTube video essayists — who post one excellent high-effort video a year, and then vanish to work on their next video privately for another year (only giving rough draft updates to their Patreon members.)

I think a lot about Hbomberguy’s video essay on the widespread problem of plagiarism on YouTube, where he talks about how the incentive to Post More Content All The Time leads to creators producing plagiarized poorly-researched insincere videos about topics they don’t know/care about, videos that are horribly constructed and riddled with severe mistakes— and how the rise of AI is only going to make that kind of insidious plagiarism much easier to get away with. I also think about how I’ve seen webcomics I used to like start using AI-generated imagery for backgrounds in order to keep up with their rigid update schedule, assuming their readers won’t care as long as they get New #Content.

But people actually do care about quality and sincerity, is the thing! People like having things that are created with love, that they can slow down and revisit multiple times and appreciate more each time. People like things that aren’t shallow, and that the creator put their heart into making. I know that I value that, and I think most people actually do! Social media algorithms want us to prioritize frequency and regularity, and shove that data-driven content in our faces all day, but people actually do value things that are made with love and care even if they take a long time!

I know that I would rather wait an entire year for each video from Defunctland or Folding Ideas or Lindsay Ellis, than follow a thousand YouTube channels that keep to a rigid update schedule via lazy shallow poorly constructed plagiarized content. XD

Similarly, I’m always surprised every time I update that people are still Around and check on this goofy little fanfic comic project regularly? ;_; It’s still ultimately just a small fan-project, but it’s cool that people are still following it after all these years.

And I hope people can sorta view this comic that way— something that takes a long time to update, but only because anything worth reading takes a long time to create.

Anyway, I need to prepare some stuff so I’ll probably post the next chapter in the next couple weeks— I’ve been considering February 1st?— but in the meantime the full 30-page draft of the next chapter is on my art patreon, and you can see the full archive of the entire comic on my website RetellingTheHobbit.com :3.

Thank you again for continuing to follow me even during the Long Hiatuses! I really do appreciate having a small group of readers still sticking around in this fandom!! <333

[gatheredfates]

Yes, you've hit the nail on the head for me! It's why I wanted to preface that the utilisation of mods for personal joy/accessibility is not my issue with them, and I think that people should be able to expand on character customisation—especially while SE continues to struggle with afro-textured hair (as just one example). It's the elitism around mods and the belief that if you don't have mods or don't agree with them that you're somehow 'lesser' and not worth the same amount of time as someone who sinks that level of commitment into their characters.

Let's be honest? It is a commitment, but that isn't necessarily a good thing.

When a (former) friend got hers, she got mad at me and said "I didn't know you had a photographer, I didn't give them my code" then left.

And

Another former friend said if a place has no public synchshells, she leaves.

Are endemic of a community that values aesthetic over substance; who cannot bear to have their character perceived in any way other than what they have meticulously crafted using third party tools to the detriment and exclusion of people who cannot or will not access them. Maybe it's that I'm just old(er) now? But, at least back when I wrote in WoW and text-based RP, you could slap a picture of an anime character/actor down and be like 'they look like this but with black hair and green eyes' and it was fine. You didn't need a picture at all, really, and it was STILL fine! Because it was the content of their writing, their personal character and their drive for inclusion that meant something. You could use your ~imagination~ to envision the gaps in the game engine or picture(s).

It's incredibly sad that I can walk into a room on Sarrai, someone who is very extroverted and loves to chat and include people, and be outrightly ignored and/or made to feel like I'm 'intruding' on a space because I've not been there previously (and am unknown to the group at large) or that my clothes/hair/etc. might still be vanilla. There's an irony when I'm included once people work out I run the Compendium, but it's not nice.

It's a double-edged sword for me when people tell Pepper and I they feel safe at the Fireside because we interact with people no matter their skill/mods, because it's the highest praise to know we have created a venue that is safe, but that's in direct competition to places that aren't. I don't care if you use mods or not! I have highly modded characters (El) and characters that don't have mods at all (Kor) because I'm happy with how she looks. Why should I modify her just so she fits with the crowd? It's ridiculous and needlessly gatekeep-y when roleplay is already a weird hobby to begin with. None of us are cool, guys! I promise! You're weird and it's fine actually!

The answer is there: You have to work on making spaces that are welcoming to everyone. But it also means a lot of the community has to do some introspection on why their mods matter so much within their place in the community and why everything has to be meticulously crafted and squeaky clean, otherwise people will have an aversion to you. We're roleplayers/gposers/etc. We're not companies!

I'm begging people to be more earnest and vulnerable. Anyone with half a brain will see it. You don't need to adhere to the aesthetic unless it makes you happy. We need to do more to be open, accommodating and kind to people; especially those who are limited to vanilla, writing, etc. I'm tired of writing, the tool we all use to expand on our character(s) place in the world, being undervalued.

Playerscope, modding and the hunt for aesthetic: why you should be more upset about mods and community expectations than you already are.

I love that this sounds like an academic paper but HONESTLYYYY. I need to put my thoughts to paper in regards to my burnout with xiv, otherwise I think I'll go insane. This is a controversial yet brave post. I am well aware that I partake in some of the things I'm going to be critiquing; aka, "thank you, dinklebottom, we live in a society." I'm also not critiquing mods from a space of offering more accessibility to people and/or facilitating representation not currently offered within the context of the game. There is nuance to every discussion and I'm coming at this from an overarching view around mods and community expectations/standards rather than player joy. I hope this makes sense. I'm also predominately writing from a roleplay perspective, though I'm sure a lot of what I end up saying can reflect in the art party/social space. Just know if I haven't mentioned the latter it's because that's not my scene and I don't pretend to know otherwise.

Anyway. For those who don't know, there's a new mod that's causing some strife in the xiv community called Playerscope. Here is the reddit thread about it. I'm not going to be talking too much about the mod in general because that's not the point of this post, but seeing discussion around it today just made me feel more exhausted than I already am when it comes to modding and the xiv community around it. It made me realise... I'm actually really sick to death of mods. I'm sick to death of what they're doing to the community when it comes to gatekeeping, policing and in general the interactions we have with each other in the community.

Let me explain: I wrote a post about the roleplay mod on bsky that kind of articulates at a surface level what I mean.

I think what makes me sad, which I'm sure is echoed by a lot of people, is that mods feel like the standard now rather than an option and that there's a certain expectation for people to have them if they want to engage with facets of the community—whether intentional or not.

Unlike XIV, WoW has a supported mod scene (within reason) and TRP 2 and the like have been accepted for years now. In a space where people can't slap on an RP tag, having that tool readily identifies you as a writer/roleplayer and you can include as much or as little of your character as you like. The general idea is if you have one of these tools enabled, you're a roleplayer to some capacity. You can dress up the profile to a certain degree, you can add links and supported pictures, but you're mostly reliant on what you put to paper in regards to your character. Even then, I find filling out what my character is doing currently and marking the rest as a WIP doesn't necessarily exclude me from roleplay if I want to find it. A lot of people will do that and a super simple description to incite interest around their oc.

These days in XIV... I don't know. I do think communities have gotten more insular—it's why I'm so pedantic about trying to find them for the Compendium—but I also think mods and, to a certain extent, the 'nightclub' scene have gotten in the way of it as well. My argument is such.

I want to go to an event (for example sake, I'll call it Seascape). In order to fully participate, I may need:

Their discord.

A roleplay addon.

A carrd/google site/etc.

Their synchshell (including mods, mare and everything else)

Potentially a mod of some description so people know I can see theirs (and vice versa).

Also that your mod isn't made by a shitty person.

Appropriate understanding of the scene/social space.

Some luck and a prayer that it's an inclusive space and not a closed rp group advertising as being open and/or a mod showcase advertising itself as something different.

Like??? Holy shit you guys. If you are someone who doesn't want to mod because you're worried about repercussions it really just feels like a big 'fuck you, good luck'.

And let me be clear, not every community is like this. I'm incredibly lucky to have found fantastic roleplay within my own rp event/community, I have great friends who run awesome, inclusive events for people of any skill (writing or otherwise) and I do fully believe you can just enable the rp tag and find fun, fulfilling roleplay. But I've also found the above a lot of times, too. I've had people point-blank get mad at my partner because he won't install mods and try to exclude and/or circumvent him in spaces. It's weird. I've been to events where the only time I felt like I got proper interaction(s) was when I joined the aforementioned, even if I have my character's profile linked in my about. It's weird.

Honestly, no wonder new roleplayers feel overwhelmed. Not only do they have to learn roleplay etiquette, they have to be a mod expert overnight? It feels less about what someone can bring to the table as far as a story but what mods they can install to either look cool or pass an unspoken social barrier. As much as I'm down bad for aesthetic and looking the part, I hate it being at the cost of accessibility and fun for someone else.

Arguably it's the same for gposing and the like as well, which contributes to my exhaustion alongside all the graphical changes and I just. I'm gnawing at the bars of my cage.

I don't think it's going to change and arguably it's more of a Twitter/X issue than a Tumblr, one but Tumblr lets me write mini essays and Twitter will tell me to kms.

Ergo, I'll go with the essay-writing platform.

Anyway, I guess this is just a reminder that you don't need 4596419651 mods to be in the community and that people should be more vigilant on including people who don't have them for whatever reason, provided they operate in good-faith and want to contribute. I think we're careening to a slippery slope of expectation for something unsupported and I don't like it.

[multifictional]

Following there's a kind of plot and a blurb for the acotar story I mentioned. The idea has been in mind for so long and I finally wanted to give it a try!

In the long run it will have anti-feysand hints, and it’s an Eris and Lucien centred fic, so be aware. I am still debating if making the reader an oc.

Here we go..

[Y/N] Archeron always felt the pull of autumn, even as a human. The fallen leaves, the warm colours, the spicy sweets, even her birthday. For Elain, her sister, it was the sun and the way of feeding her gardens and flowers with its light.

Together in the Night Court after being thrown into the Cauldron, they both feel out of place. But while Elain has her growing bond with Lucien, [y/n] remains an outsider. With her powers still silents even after years, she feels a longing in herself she can’t quite place.

A mating bond with Eris, heir of the Autumn Court, is the last thing she expects at this point and also what she needed the most without even realising.

This is Prythian though and, even without a new villain after their heads, nothing is never easy as it seems. Especially not in a life where court rivalries seem to have their way of creating complications.

Yes, it will focused on both relationship (Eris with the reader and Elain with Lucien). It would also be set after ACOWAR with some elements of ACOSF implied (just Nesta giving up her powers to save Feyre’s family and accepting the mating bond).

As the plot says, there’s no new villain. I suck at writing all fantasy war storylines so I leave this to people who actually can write them better than me. This doesn’t mean this story won’t have plot twists or… other things. The focus will be mostly on relationships between characters, their inner turmoils and courts rivalry.

And a lot of spice, sorry not sorry. Not right away though, especially for Eris and the reader.

Keep reading if you are curious about the blurb!

Eris looked at the food you placed in front of him with a strange look on his face. It seemed as if you just slapped him, a mixture of confusion and wariness. It was as if the heir of the Autumn Court was surprised for once.

But then his mask came back.

You looked at him expectantly, heart beating fast. This was the moment of the truth, the moment where your wish could become a reality: that your new life as a Fae wasn't completely worth nothing. That, after all, you had finally found your ground. Your place in a world that was so foreign and so meant for you at the same time.

But then your expectation fell on you like a lighting strike, sending your heart from the top of your throat to the bottom of your feet. He pushed the plate towards you, refusing your offering.

“I can’t accept the bond,” he said calmly, with a coldness that was opposite to the fire running inside his veins. He was used to that. “I won’t.”

The hurt you felt in that moment was new for you. You felt the bond tugging at you in a painful way, a string threatening to broke. He felt it too, but he masked that feeling instantly, burying the need for you and cursing the timing in his mind. You blinked, refusing to let him see a single tear coming from you.

“W-what? W-why?” you stuttered. You had thought that someone like Eris wouldn’t wait a second too much to claim what was rightfully his, and yet, here you were, in front of his rejection. “I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” he bit out. “I can’t accept the food, not right now. Not until the throne is mine.”

So that was the problem? Becoming High Lord? You couldn’t quite believe that.

Eris saw the uncertainty and doubt in your eyes. Despite all his instincts were screaming at him to calm you down, he didn't do any of that. His cool demeanour usually wouldn't have fooled you so easily, but you were too taken aback to see the truth masked beneath his actions.

It was better this way.

Quite voices reached both of you. You turned to see Lucien and Elain approaching from the nearly forest, talking quietly. Eris, though, didn’t stop watching you.

He saw the flickering of longing as you watched his half-brother with your sister. That look almost crushed his usually so composed self control. So, with a single thought, he winnowed away, leaving behind the wind of autumn that always called out for you.

“Was Eris here?” Lucien asked, meeting your eyes. Elain approached you, already sensing something was off.

You were far too quick to put on a mask of your own, offering them a hint of smile. “Why would he? He’s too busy planning his head out to his next move to pass by.”

The bitterness in your tone was unmistakable.

“Want to train your power?” Lucien offered, thankfully changing subject.

You looked at you hands with a scowl then looked back at him. The thought of your power was unwelcome in your mind, especially after what happened.

“Another time,” without another word, you walked away, not giving them a second glance.

Lucien and Elain gave each other a knowing look, but didn’t press further. You heard their soft whispering, and even if envy was’t an emotion you ever allowed yourself to feel, with the sting of your mate’s rejection still clear in your soul, you couldn’t help but long for what they had.

With all of that being said, would anyone be interested in it? Should I continue??

[ikkyfics]

In the Rain

Dave Lizewski x f!reader

Summary: "Wait," Dave called, his voice sounding as hesitant as the touch on your shoulder had been. You stopped and turned to face him, feeling the cold rain begin to soak through your shirt. He looked a bit nervous, as if he were gathering the courage to continue. "I… can walk you home? I mean, with this." He lifted the umbrella in his hand, its tip tilting slightly to the side, almost as if reflecting the shyness of its owner.

Warnings: none

request from my dear @lilyypotter1234, i hope you like it <333

Masterlist

The sky was overcast, completely clouded, and the raindrops seemed as big as golf balls. You groaned, there was no chance of getting home dry, all you could hope for was not catching a damn cold.

You took a deep breath, mentally preparing to face the rain – maybe run a little, but before you could take the first step, you felt a hand rest on your shoulder. The touch was warm and firm. Your head spun immediately, meeting Dave's blue eyes. He was looking at you hesitantly.

It was cute. You liked him, to be honest, the way he seemed so adorable.

"Hey, Dave," you smiled, momentarily forgetting about the rain falling nonstop. "Perfect day to watch Twilight, huh?"

"Sparkly vampires?" He flashed one of those crooked smiles you loved. "No thanks."

You pressed your lips together to stop yourself from smiling. "Don't be smug, sparkly vampires were a milestone in film history."

Dave snorted. Although you could see how his eyes were sparkling with amusement. Damn, why did he have to be so handsome? You turned your gaze away, letting out a soft sigh as you realized there was no way to escape a rainstorm. "See you tomorrow? I’ve got to face this dreadful rain."

"Wait," Dave called, his voice sounding as hesitant as the touch on your shoulder had been. You stopped and turned to face him, feeling the cold rain begin to soak through your shirt. He looked a bit nervous, as if he were gathering the courage to continue. "I… can walk you home? I mean, with this." He lifted the umbrella in his hand, its tip tilting slightly to the side, almost as if reflecting the shyness of its owner.

You blinked, surprised. "Really? You don't have to, Dave, I can run home."

"I know," he replied, his blue eyes gleaming with a kind of determination that seemed rare in him. "But… it’s raining a lot. And… I don’t mind."

That was ridiculously sweet. A soft smile formed on your lips before you even realized it. "Okay, fine. Thanks."

Dave opened the umbrella with a click and stepped closer, holding it above both of you. It was small – or maybe it was the closeness that made it feel even smaller. As you started walking, the sound of the rain hitting the fabric created a comforting rhythm, almost like a romantic movie soundtrack you never thought you’d experience.

"So, if sparkly vampires aren’t your thing," you started, trying to break the silence that seemed warmer than uncomfortable, "what’s your type of movie?"

"Superheroes, probably," he replied, half-hunched, as if expecting you to tease him. "But the good ones, you know? Not the ones that are just explosions with no sense."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Of course, what else would I expect from you?"

"And what does that mean?" Dave asked, turning his face towards you, the smile playing on his lips.

"Just that… it suits you. Superheroes have that thing about protecting people, and you’re…" You hesitated, realizing what you were about to say. "You’re cool like that."

For a moment, he seemed speechless. "You think that about me?"

"Maybe," you murmured, the warmth rising to your face, but too shy to look him directly in the eyes.

As you walked, you started to notice something: the edge of the umbrella was tilted more toward your side. Your shoulders were dry, but the sleeve of Dave’s jacket was starting to get soaked, and the hair at the back of his head seemed wet.

"Dave," you called, stopping abruptly. He turned his face toward you, confused. You raised an eyebrow, pointing to the umbrella. "You’re practically sacrificing yourself to keep me dry."

"Oh, it’s nothing," he quickly replied, looking away and scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. "You’ll get sick if you get too wet."

Your heart melted a little – maybe more than just a little. Before you could think too much, you took a step closer to him, gently holding the edge of his jacket and pulling him under the umbrella. "This is better. You don’t have to get wet to be a superhero, you know?"

The closeness was palpable. You felt the heat of his arm brushing against yours, and when you looked up, you saw he was already looking at you, his blue eyes intense in a way that made you swallow hard. Dave quickly turned his gaze away, but not before you saw his cheeks take on a rosy hue.

"Thanks," he murmured, almost in a whisper, as you both kept walking, now closer. The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, but comfortable – filled with something sweet and undefined that made your heart race.

But then, the wind started. First, it was a persistent breeze shaking the trees around you, but soon it became a strong gust, enough to make the small umbrella tremble in Dave’s hands. He tried to hold it, adjusting the position, but the wind seemed determined to make it useless.

"Oh, crap!" he exclaimed when, in one final blow, the wind tore the umbrella from his hands and sent it flying through the air like a clumsy bird. You barely had time to track it with your eyes before you realized that the rain was now falling freely on both of you, soaking everything in seconds.

You let out a surprised scream, already feeling the cold drops running down your face. "Great! There goes the plan to stay dry!"

Dave let out a laugh – a genuine, warm sound that made you forget for a moment how soaked you were getting. "Okay, new mission: shelter! Come with me!"

Before you could react, he grabbed your hand, his fingers warm and firm against yours, and started running, pulling you with him. The sensation was almost electrifying, and even with the rain pouring down heavily, you couldn’t stop smiling.

Both of you ran through the wet pavement, jumping over puddles and laughing as if it were the most fun thing in the world. It was impossible not to feel lighthearted, even with the water running down your face and clothes sticking to your body. Finally, you spotted an awning from a closed store, and Dave led you under it, out of breath and laughing as if it were hard to control.

"Ugh... I said I’d keep you dry," he said between laughs, trying to catch his breath.

You laughed, lightly pushing his shoulder. "Dry? That was a complete disaster!"

He straightened up, still smiling, then looked at you. Something in his eyes seemed to shift – a softness, an intensity that made the air around you feel different, thicker. He wasn’t laughing anymore.

"You’re..." Dave started, his voice lowering. His hand slowly rose, hesitating as he moved a wet strand of hair from your forehead. The touch was gentle, almost reverent, and you held your breath.

"A mess?" you tried to joke, but your voice came out softer than you intended. The closeness between you made each beat of your heart feel too loud.

Dave smiled, but it was small, shy, almost nervous. "No... beautiful," he said, his tone so soft you thought, for a moment, that you might have imagined it.

Your heart raced, and you couldn’t tear your gaze away. He was so close you could see every drop of rain stuck to his lashes, every feature of his face. And he didn’t seem like he wanted to pull away.

The rain kept pouring down around you, but under the awning, the world seemed to have stopped. The only sound was the breath between you, catching in your throats, and the distance separating you was so small it felt palpable.

"Dave..." you murmured, not knowing exactly what you wanted to say. But he didn’t respond. His blue eyes were locked on yours, as if trying to decipher something – or maybe deciding what to do.

You didn’t move. Not because you didn’t want to, but because you couldn’t. And then he tilted his head slightly, as if testing the boundaries of this closeness, his gaze flickering between your eyes and your lips.

Everything felt so absurdly sweet, so ridiculously romantic, that you had to remind yourself to breathe.

The distance between you seemed to vanish slowly, not just physically, but everything around you. The rain hammering the ground, the wind still howling between the trees – none of it mattered. The whole world seemed to shrink down to him. The way Dave was so close, so hesitant yet so sure, made your heart stumble with each beat.

He didn’t move suddenly, nor thoughtlessly. Every little gesture felt charged with meaning. His fingers, still holding the strand of hair he had moved from your face, were almost still now, but the feeling of his touch lingered, warm and comforting.

Dave’s eyes were still fixed on yours, and you could see the hesitation there – an internal battle between doing what he wanted and respecting the space he might think should exist. He took a deep breath, his shoulders visibly rising and falling, before murmuring something almost inaudible.

"Sorry... it’s just..."

You tilted your head slightly, as if encouraging, but he didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, you saw the courage emerge in him like a small ray of sunshine amidst the storm. Dave leaned in just a little more, and the space between you was so small now you could hear your heart beating like it could be heard.

It was you now, who found yourself without reaction, but not because you didn’t want to – oh, you wanted to – but because it seemed impossible to interrupt that moment. Each second was filled with something sweet and overwhelming. His breath brushed your skin, and you almost closed your eyes, waiting, hoping.

But Dave stopped, the mere fraction of a second before his lips touched yours. He was so close, so palpably nervous, you could feel his hands trembling slightly. His gaze met yours once more, as if silently asking if this was what you wanted.

And the answer was clear. You didn’t know how or why, but it was you who closed the small space that remained. Your hand moved almost without thinking, gently touching his arm, as your lips finally met his.

The kiss was as sweet as you imagined. No rush, no excess, just a soft touch that made time stand still. The rain continued to fall, but under the awning, the only thing that mattered was him – Dave, with that clumsy, adorable way of his that always seemed to know how to make your heart lighter.

When you finally pulled away, just enough to breathe, you saw he was smiling. A small, shy smile, but so genuine you couldn’t help but smile back. Dave seemed surprised and enchanted at the same time, as if he couldn’t believe it really happened.

"Wow," he murmured, still looking at you with those blue eyes that now shone like the clear sky you hadn’t seen all day. "I... didn’t think... I mean..."

You laughed softly, cutting off his stammer with a fond look. "Dave, can you stop trying to explain it? It was perfect."

He blinked, a little flustered, but then smiled again, this time wider. "Okay, then... I’ll just say... you’re amazing."

"And I’ll say you’re terrible with umbrellas," you replied, the teasing light, but full of affection.

He laughed, a warm, sincere sound that seemed to chase away any lingering cold. "Okay, fair. But at least I kept you dry for a while, right?"

You smiled, shaking your head as you looked at him – still a little wet, but with that sparkle in his eyes that made everything seem worth it. "You did much more than that."

And as you stood there, under that awning, the sound of the rain making the moment even more intimate, you knew this day, despite all the gusts of wind and torrential rain, was one you’d never forget.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

My DC Cinematic Universe - Creature Commandos: Part I - Introduction

In every comic book fanatic...there are two wolves.

There's the first wolf, the purist wolf, who has read all the canon, loves the comic book lore as it stands (no matter how ridiculous it is), and can tell you the unnecessarily complex backstory of that one character that no fully same person knows the backstory of (the Hawks for DC nerds, and any member of the Summers-Grey family for Marvel, for example). But the second wolf, the fan wolf, actively shares those characters and stories they love with other people, and thinks about those characters with its own headcanons and opinions.

Now, unlike the metaphorical inner wolves of normal people, these wolves are fed by external media. And when a comic book fan looks at a character or story they live, especially when its adapted, their wolves feast. The purist wolf feeds on accurately adapted characters, faithful to the page and to what they love to see. Meanwhile, the fan wolf just wants to see the adaptation, regardless of the changes, and loves to talk about it with other people who see it. Now, ideally, every comic book nerd has wolves that they feed in equal measure with books and media, especially if that media adapts comics well.

So, how are my wolves doing?

...Jesus Christ, when did the fan wolf learn how to walk on two legs? And use weaponry? And develop thumbs? And learn Spanish? And speak with the voice of acclaimed character actor Wagnar Moura? Well, shit, he's feeding pretty well as of late. Makes sense, there are a lot of adaptations nowadays, and comic books and associated media are considered mainstream! That means the purist wolf must be

Ah. It's dead.

Well, goddamn it, what the hell? Comic book purists have never really fed well, but it's not like they've been completely starved. As somebody who considers myself pretty flexible in my tolerance of character and story changes between media (different media means different narrative need and format), I often like the changes in adaptations. Plus, there have been plenty of changes that are at least faithful to the original spirit of the characters.

In Marvel, for example, every version of Spider-Man that we've seen in film has at least been faithful to the spirit of the character. Sure, Tobey's version wasn't very funny and created natural webbing, Garfield's version was arguably too cool for school and never said the whole responsibility thing, and Holland's version is way too reliant on other superheroes in his films, but ALL of them are still solid version of the webhead, in my opinion. Plus, hell, Into and Across the Spider-Verse are both more than enough fuel for a comic book purist, even with Shameik Moore's stupid-ass Tweets as of late.

And that's not even counting the Playstation Spider-Man, who's goddamn fantastic (BOTH of them in BOTH games), some of the animated Spider-Men (looking at you, *Spectacular Spider-Man*, unsurprisingly), and even fan-made versions of the character that have made the circulations as of late. Hell, adaptations have been doing better than the FUCKING COMIC BOOKS as of late when it comes to Spider-Man. But, OK, enough about Marvel. Not why I'm here. Just...bear with me, I'll get to the point.

DC has had plenty of faithful adaptations over the years, if not actual straight adaptations that also work all right. Young Justice, of course, is the most recently lauded animated adaptation, while older shows like Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the various shows of the DC Animated Universe (AKA the DCAU or Timmverse), and even more recent fare such as Harley Quinn shows at least an appreciation and familiarity with source material. That last one, admittedly, is a stretch, but Harley Quinn has genuinely surprised me with its attention to faithfulness, and its willingness to be more creative and funny with its alternate versions of classic characters. It was better in earlier seasons, though, just to be clear. But even then...passable.

There's also the animated film adaptations, which haven't been as good as they were in the late 200s and early 2010s, but still have some solid entries. The Crisis on Infinite Earths adaptations weren't perfect, but had their...sparse moments. The Long Halloween was actually quite a good adaptation of the difficult-to-adapt source material, as was Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (even if the TV series did it a little better, although much less accurate). Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is a recent adaptation that's actually VERY good, especially to those who love WW rogues. And if you haven't seen some of the older films, like Justice League: Doom, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Justice League: The New Frontier, Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Superman vs. the Elite, All-Star Superman, and Superman: Red Son...uh, yeah, please do, they're all excellent.

But, OK, with all of those adaptations, some as recent as last year, why is the purist feeling so deprived? Well...because the bad FAR outweighs the good, especially as of late. Just talking about DC (because Marvel is a bag of angry, screaming Flerkens), the movies have only given us THREE decent adaptations in the last 5 years: the underrated Blue Beetle, which is a quite accurate iteration of the character; Matt Reeves' The Batman, and the associated The Penguin (which was so afraid of comic books that they changed the main character's name to be "more grounded"), and The Suicide Squad, which is...a fitting film to bring up. Oh, and Birds of Prey doesn't count because it fucked over A LOT of characters, especially Cassandra Cain. Just sayin'.

In terms of TV series, well...Young Justice returned, but kinda fell off in the process for a lot of fans. The CW series, with the exception of the excellent Superman and Lois, are...something for another post. And there is Peacemaker, which is...again, fitting to bring up, but also incredibly complicated, and not beholden to accuracy for various reasons. And anything else...doesn't really rate discussion. Yeah, it hasn't been amazing for DC fans, while Marvel fans were eating pretty well in the last decade-and-a-half. So, imagine our delight and joy upon hearing that the DC cinematic universe would be remade by a bonafide comic book fan who was unafraid of the source material: James Gunn.

With Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn had already proven he was able to swing and swing BIG when it came to comic book characters, having successfully adapted the titular Guardians, and Ego the Living Planet, of all characters. Yes, he severely fucked up Ronan the Accuser and Adam Warlock (like...REALLY badly), and also kinda Drax, but he also adapted Mantis successfully. FUCKING MANTIS. At the very least, he showed that he was willing to go for it. And then, after the firing-and-rehiring from Disney and being brought onto DC as a result, he made The Suicide Squad.

Understand what a miracle this film is, OK? Gunn makes GotG, it's a massive success, and Warner Bros. and DC notices that. So, they make their own GotG with blackjack and hookers in the form of David Ayers' Suicide Squad, which is TERRIBLE, and seen for the rip-off it was. Then, Gunn's old tweets pop up and he gets fired by Disney, and JUST before he gets rehired, WB swoops in and snags Gunn to revitalize the film series that ripped off HIS film series IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND IT FUCKING WORKS. Not only does Gunn make a GOOD Suicide Squad movie that people actually LIKE, but he also adapts King Shark, Starro the Conqueror, and fucking POLKA-DOT MAN!!! And he gets Jon Cena to play Peacemaker, WHICH LAUNCHES ITS OWN FRANCHISE BY ITSELF!!! And with that, Gunn gets brought on to run the DC cinematic universe as their own Kevin Fiege. FUCKING POLKA DOT MAN??? It's incredible!

...Right?

Like I said, Gunn's The Suicide Squad seems like a miracle. Excellent performance, a lot of cool characters to introduce from the DC Universe, and a crazy-ass showdown that does DC Comics some justice. But, uh...hold on a second. The wolf is still starving over here. Because this film cleverly seems like a miracle. In reality, while Gunn made a fun film to watch, he also severely fucked over comic book nerds in a myriad of different ways with this film, because he set a dangerous precedent, while also continuing an irritating trend that he'd previously helped to promote. That trend? In-name only characters, AKA references for the sake of references.

...Fan-service. Gunn is a master of good-looking fan service.

Look, creative license is great, honestly. It's also incredibly necessary. But Gunn has found a way to put in superficial references that draw in comic book nerds, or the comic-book knowledgeable, while also not really even caring about the source material. Sometimes, it doesn't matter. Polka-Dot Man, AKA Abner Krill, is essentially a joke character that Gunn took and made into an actual character. No comic book nerd gives a SHIT that Polka-Dot Man was a Batman villain from the '60s who committed dot-based crimes, using various special devices and gadgets that he turned into dots that he wore. He's essentially a blank-slate of a character, and Gunn took that and changed it completely, but also made the character memorable and interesting (as did actor David Dastmalchian, of course).

In fact, Gunn did the exact same thing with a whole slew of bit characters in the beginning of the movie. Lemme give you a shortlist of the comic book characters that appear in The Suicide Squad, outside of the main cast of character.

Javelin*,Savant*, Blackguard*, Mongal*, Captain Boomerang*, Weasel**, Thinker*, Kaleidoscope**, Double Down**, Calendar Man**, Ratcatcher*, Starro the Conqueror**, and technically Arm-Fall-Off...Man*. Holy shit, that's a lot of characters! What's that you ask? What do the asterisks mean? Ah, right, sorry, I should explain. Characters with two asterisks have little more than a single brief appearance, just for a quick joke or a "hey look, they're here" appearance. And the single asterisks? Those characters die.

And yeah, OK, it's a "Suicide Squad" movie, death is part of the equation. But look at some of those characters again. Mongal? She's an extraterrestrial conqueror, and the daughter of a major Superman and Green Lantern villain. Definitely could be used better than dying LIKE A PUNK. And why is that character even in Task Force X? Starro the Conqueror? I mean, maybe they pull something off and bring him back for a later film, but that's a WORLD-ENDING THREAT, and a fucking JUSTICE LEAGUE villain! And...wait a second, did Gunn kill CAPTAIN FUCKING BOOMERANG???

One of the most iconic members of EVERY comic book iteration of the Suicide Squad (and therefore a survivor), one of the most iconic members of Flash's Rogues, and one of the only semi-decent things about Ayers' Suicide Squad? You gave Weasel, fucking Weasel, a post-credit scene where he survives the beach massacre, and Boomer is just fucking SHAFTED??? For what can only be assumed is a shitty SHOCK-DEATH? WHAT THE HELL KIND OF DECISION IS THAT???

Look...I actually like The Suicide Squad, I swear. It's a fun film, it is a Suicide Squad movie, and it does a good job with character development and the story of the team. Bloodsport and Peacemaker are great rivals and fun-as-hell characters, Margot Robbie gets a chance to actually shine as Harley Quinn, Ratcatcher and King Shark are great, and the fact that Flag and Polka-Dot Man die is actually genuinely affecting. Plus, shit, they made Starro the Conqueror FUCKING TERRIFYING, especially because he's a big dumpy STARFISH!!! I do like it! But...man, these are some controversial fucking choices, and I've never liked them.

And the big problem now? Gunn is running the DCU.

And again, I don't think that's inherently a bad thing, but...man, it has me worried. Hell, look at Peacemaker. While it was a great showcase for its eponymous character (and Jon Cena is stellar in the role), it introduces two characters that get kinda screwed, while also giving a kind of nothing-burger of a villain. I mean, I love Vigilante in the show, but Adrian was a fucking judge in the comics, not a complete sociopathic moron. Funny, yeah, but not the character. And Judomaster? Damn, did that character get completely shafted. Another in-name-only character, even though he's not a character I've ever been super-devoted to.

My problem is this: if Gunn approaches all of his projects, and the DCU at large, the same way he approached The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy, this isn't gonna work. And that's not just in terms of how the characters are written or treated, it's his practices of pumping characters into his films, only to dump them and ruining them for the future of the universe as a whole. I mean, hell, he even did it to Marvel. Ronan the Accuser, Ego, and the High Evolutionary are gone from the MCU, despite being characters of enormous potential. But hey, is this a rational fear, or am I worrying for no reason? Well...cue the trumpets.

Earlier today, I finished watching Gunn's Creature Commandos, having kept up with it throughout the season. And understand, when this film was announced, I was super excited about it! I love the Creature Commandos in concept, and they've had a few incarnations throughout the years. It's a fascinatingly fun idea, and I was looking forward to seeing how the characters were adapted. I had my questions and concerns, especially about the roster, but I was intrigued. And what we got was...well, second after I finished it, I wrote this post. And that has sponsored what you're currently reading. So, uh...I have some notes.

Yeah, this is one of those rare occasions where something has made me SO irrationally frustrated, so very and incredibly irritated, I had to write a goddamn essay series about it. And yeah, this is only the first one of these. Can't help it. I'm kinda pissed off. Because Gunn wasted this team, ruined a fair number of characters for the DCU going forward, eradicated a pile of possibilities, and STILL GOT A SEASON 2 APPROVED FOR THIS SHOW. God, I'm worried. And I gotta tell somebody about it.

So, to the...I dunno, 1 to 5 people who actually read this essay, inclduing those whom I know personally (you know who you are, how ya doin'), thanks for reading and, if you're interested, stay tuned. A lot of unnecessary nerd-whining to come, believe you me. And more than a few headcanons, because I'm giving this the same treatment as my Superman essays. So, yeah, buckle in. It's gonna be a ride.

Part One: Introduction and Adaptation Part Two: The Original Creature Commandos

[fiyrball6063]

3 and 7 for the ask game?

3. Least favourite things to draw?

I don’t really have one, I like being able to draw new things and seeing how I could stylise it

7. Favourite works of all time excluding your own?

Ooo this one’s a fun one… that’s hard to discern because I like so many things… hmmm. I love Dante and Virgil, which is admittedly basic especially with my love for art history but that painting always kinda stuck with me. I also just love abstract art pieces !! I just like everything I see in art shows and galleries I guess haha

[waywardsalt]

the only minecraft movie i want to see is the one i found on yt several years ago and have been trying to track down again ever since

edit: i think i finally found the video i was looking for. win

[applebees4prez]

when i say that this was my 9/11 i fully mean it. i would pull out my computer and write it myself if it weren’t so personal to dan. i will go into debt to make this happen. @danielhowell if there is anything i can personally to get dan is not okay out into the world i will do it i don’t care if i’m a freshman in college i would die for this.

[fabdante]

this has been on my mind for A While as like...certified big reboot fan and i've debated saying something for like Years

but like, genuinely, i think a lot of people in the dmc fandom, both sides, would be a lot happier if everyone could understand and respect that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and take aways from both the reboot and the preboot and not harass each other about it?

like that's allowed. people are allowed to dislike a game for whatever reason they want and they are allowed to state that reason.

you don't need to argue with everyone for having an opinion on the demon fighting game that doesn't line up with your opinion just because they wanted to share that opinion in a public place. like sure, sharing to a public place means that anyone can see it and respond but like consider what your goal is here and if it's worth the time and energy? honestly? because if it's to convince people that you're right it's like...seldom going to work out by confronting random people on their posts

i see a lot of opinions i don't agree with like all the time about both preboot and reboot but like arguing with people about it really gets nothing done because 1) it won't convince anyone of your view point it just makes people defensive and also more likely to like double down and like 2) again, they're allowed to feel however they want like genuinely like if i wouldn't confront a random stranger on the street for saying it, why would i do it to some random online stranger trying to express their thoughts

that's the cool thing about media right like we all take away something different and we shouldn't invalidate someone's opinion when it differs from ours because we want to be right or defend our own opinions when they're not even being directly challenged

like i see this a lot in the reboot fandom where someone will express a reboot opinion that someone else might not agree with and they go out of their way to argue and i just...i don't see the point. it will seldom, if ever, convince anyone to like the game more. if anything it will make them like the game, and our small part of the fandom that already gets harassed enough, less.

this is why i focus on why i like the game and things i like about it and writing meta posts about why i think is worth while and interesting and make content about this because, in my experience, it's a lot more worthwhile to the fandom that's already here and also perhaps might get a couple people to be like 'ok, i never thought of it that way'. it might not change their minds, it probably won't, but a 'ok, i haven't thought of it like that, i'll consider your thoughts even if i still don't agree' is really all anyone can want, right? when we're discussing things like this?

im focusing on what i find fun. when questioned, sure, i'll talk about my critiques on both series. possibly, if directly harassed, maybe i'll respond if i feel it worth while but also like again im not particularly interested in fueling fires. but going out of my way to go after someone else for their opinion about some video games if they don't line up with mine? not exactly a worth while exercise, if you ask me

[icharchivist]

was refreshing myself on some old myth for a bit and i read the french and english wiki page for the Charybdis' mythos, and i'm noticing something that i don't know if it's just the wiki being inaccurate or an actual difference (from the linguistic page it seems to be an actual difference) but

In English there's this expression about choosing between two equally bad horrible situations by saying "choosing between Scylla and Charybdis"

But in French the expression is "to fall from Charybdis to Scylla" and instead of a choice it's about managing to get out of a horrible situation only to get thrown into an even worse situation (the equivalent of the English's expression ""falling out of the frying pan into the fire")

if i believe the linguistic page there was a bit of borrowing around and technically both expressions are used in both language, but you're more likely to find the first one in English and the second one in French (very likely because Victor Hugo popularized "to fall from Charybdis to Scylla" with Les Misérables) (does not mean it started in French the origin of the expression is still Greek anyway, just talking about why the saying is more popular in French with weirdos like me)

idk i think it's cool on a sort of metatextual perspective that English People saw this myth and when "oof imagine picking between those two" while French people just chugged a bottle of wine and went "And it's a BINGO and LIFE SUCKS and it NEVER GETS EASIER you get BOTH OF THEM BABEYYY"

[theghostofwilburtheworm]

im going insane i need to re write splatoon 3's story right now

[ginkovskij]

gin, we need your critical opinion about megalopolis. was it really that bad?

i mean.

is it unwatchable? no. but also it is not good for sure. would love for it to be a case of "so bad it circles back being somehow good", but unfortunately no, becasue in order to achieve such a thing coppola should have gone camp and embraced the style instead of taking himself too seriously.

there are. ideas. that considered by themselves sort of make sense if you are desperate to find sense in this insanity of a movie, but whether within or without context for the large part they remain disjointed. and are anyway very cringe at core. i don't know how to put it kindly but the script just sucks. and choices were made.

[gothambelfry]

no one is obligated to like characters but lying & pretending abt importance to a story is just silly

[daisybell-on-a-carousel]

Theyre going to think I like canon and purely canon if I keep going on like this