#it's a news-ception

[marlynnofmany]

That bit in Doctor Who when he complains about trying to remember something specific when he has so many memories to sift through ("I need a bigger head!") -- that feels a lot like trying to find something on a writer laptop with folders and aliases that go back oh so many years.

Which of the folders of cover art ideas was the one with all the cat eyes? This alien one? Or that? Or the anthology with -- wait no, it was the magic book! Those were alien mouse eyes! Obviously!

[thewinedarksea]

the sith campaign ✦ act three - jedha

jedha sings. not one song, but many; all of them braiding together, bells and voices and drums and flutes, echoing off of the walls, rising into that sere white sky. it is a prayer, a praise, a plea. even as one song dies another picks up, adding a new beat to the melody. 

and below it all another note, slipping in and out of focus. something high and low, sweet and discordant, tempestuous and quiet. 

the force. it is the force, and it is singing, and the note of it is rising and rising and rising, until you can feel it in your teeth, in your bones, humming in your ribcage, flooding your ears with its sound. then it fades back to just one more note among many, nearly lost beneath the music of jedha.

[propertyofwicked]

FAKING AN INTEREST

f1 grid x platonic!reader (implied landoxreader) smau

based on this request! (this may need a pt 2 honestly)

warnings: none, just men having the audacity

masterlist the playlist

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

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yourusername made a new post!

liked by logansargeant, oscarpiastri, and 21,223 others

yourusername what the fuck is a DRS?

view all 9,211 comments

danielricciardo what he say fuck me for?

⤷ yourusername hi! im free may 28 if you want to hangout may 28 lmk im not doing anything may 28 please msg me if ur available may 28 so we could maybe hangout or do something may 28 !!

⤷ danielricciardo ill clear my schedule - what day did u say u were free?

⤷ username1 mad about being labelled as a fake f1 fan only to turn around and flirt with the drivers? is she fr?

⤷ yourusername get a job, touch grass?

username2 how does she know them im so confused

⤷ username3 she went to school with oscar i think?

logansargeant will you stop posting the worst pictures of me?

⤷ yourusername say please?

⤷ logansargeant please y/n im begging

⤷ yourusername start using the metric system and i'll consider it.

lilymhe come back to williams i miss u

⤷ yourusername can i bring lilyzneimer? 🥺

⤷ lilymhe omg yes!! lily-ception

⤷ oscarpiastri @/yourusername dont take my girlfriend to enemy territory tf?

⤷ logansargeant enemy? ☹️

yourusername made a new post!

liked by lilyzneimer, oscarpiastri, and 34,502 others

yourusername congrats on driving fast bestie

tagged: oscarpiastri, lilyzneimer, jensonbutton

view all 7,210 comments

username4 jenson button? what are you doing here?

⤷ yourusername forming a danica patrick hate club

⤷ yourusername we're discussing gentle parenting tactics for logan <3

⤷ logansargeant is this why jenson keeps telling me that sharing is caring??

⤷ jensonbutton in my defence i told her it wouldn't work 🤷

⤷ yourusername we'll see about that - alex_albon do you feel cared for?

⤷ alex_albon im staying out of this.

oscarpiastri thank you y/n!

⤷ yourusername so proud of u bestie

⤷ oscarpiastri i already paid for dinner you can stop pretending to be nice now

⤷ yourusername brb faking an interest in our friendship rn

⤷ username10 she's never letting that comment go fr

username7 their friendship confuses me but im so here for it

username8 oscar paid? who's shocked

⤷ username9 not me!

⤷ username10 not me!

⤷ yourusername me tbf he usually forgets his wallet

⤷ oscarpiastri i leave it on purpose, actually

⤷ yourusername gold digger 🫵

username8 she literally only goes to the races so that she can post about it on ig and pretend she knows what's going on

logansargeant you never congratulate me :(

⤷ yourusername tf u want me to congratulate u for? brushing your teeth?

⤷ logansargeant no one else will :(

username6 where did u find that picture of oscar?

⤷ yourusername wdym find? i took it loool

yourusername made a new post!

liked by logansargeant, lilymhe and 7,893 others

yourusername glorified uber drivers

tagged: logansargeant, alex_albon

view all 1,235 comments

logansargeant best biscuits ever

⤷ username5 biscuits?? that wasn't very wtf is a kilometer of you

⤷ yourusername one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧

⤷ landonorris one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧

⤷ alex_albon one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧 one of us! 🇬🇧

⤷ logansargeant oh! so this is hell!

landonorris cute! don't do it again!

⤷ yourusername i snapped the head off yours hoping it was a voodoo doll.

⤷ username3 do they hate each other or..?

⤷ yourusername yes.

⤷ landonorris cancelling our lunch plans

⤷ yourusername i was kidding pls dont im so hungry

⤷ username4 lunch plans? y'all seeing this???

username6 the picture of logan im dead

⤷ yourusername he was modelling for his cookie design

lilymhe i want the alex one

⤷ yourusername boxed it up just for u <3

⤷ yourusername alex said he'd give it to u later

⤷ alex_albon i lied. i ate it. no regrets.

yourusername made a new post!

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri and 24,789 others

yourusername lando norris fakes an interest in the menu

tagged: landonorris, oscarpiastri

view all 1,432 comments

username5 y/n out here living our dream </3

⤷ username6 god i have seen what you've done for others 🙏

⤷ yourusername lando eats chicken nuggets with a fork you can have him

⤷ landonorris this is defamation, my lawyers will be in contact.

landonorris in my defence, that place was FANCY and i wanted to pretend i wasn’t about to order chicken nuggets and chips

⤷ yourusername fancy?? oscar literally ordered a cheeseburger??

⤷ oscarpiastri dont expose me like that y/n

⤷ logansargeant one of us! 🇺🇸🦅 one of us! 🇺🇸🦅

⤷ yourusername it's not funny when u do it <3

logansargeant you never want to go to lunch with me :(

⤷ username7 logan try not to get jealous challenge - hard

⤷ yourusername i literally had brunch with you like yesterday?

⤷ logansargeant ok and?

username11 she is never gonna let that comment go is she. we get it, you know f1.

⤷ yourusername why should i?

⤷ username11 it wasnt that deep

⤷ yourusername why should i give david coulthard the platform to perpetuate negative commentary on women in motorsport?

⤷ yourusername why do we keep allowing men to talk down to women with genuine interests instead of providing them with opportunities to excel in the field?

⤷ username2 say it louder for the people in the back queen

username1 lando looks so fineeeee

⤷ yourusername too bad he sucks at chess

⤷ landonorris you cheated!

lilymhe u look so sexy let me take u out 🫢

⤷ yourusername only if ur paying 🫢

⤷ lilymhe we’ll put it on alex’s card

⤷ yourusername sounds good

⤷ alex_albon do i have a say in this?

⤷ lilymhe no.

⤷ yourusername no.

⤷ landonorris no.

⤷ oscarpiastri no.

yourusername made a new post!

liked by lilymhe, logansargeant and 31,245 others

yourusername y/n l/n fakes an interest in getting her degree 🍾🥂

tagged: ybfusername, youruniversity

view all 2,103 comments

landonorris that caption isn't even a lie 🤐

⤷ yourusername sorry cant hear you over the sound of me being a graduate

⤷ landonorris did you not literally spend the last year asking if you’d “finish this degree or if it would finish you” ??

⤷ yourusername i literally have a piece of paper that says i finished it

⤷ landonorris talk to me when you get a trophy

⤷ yourusername ok mr won one race now thinks hes the shit

⤷ username4 gagged.

landonorris but fr, congratulations y/n! proud of you always!

⤷ username4 always huh? im smelling soft launch

⤷ username9 go back to bed grandma

oscarpiastri congrats on reading and writing stuff bestie!

⤷ yourusername thanks king! <3

username6 intelligent queen we loveee

username6 suck on that david coulthard.

⤷ yourusername he better be sleeping with one eye open

⤷ username11 got a degree and now thinks she's better than a literal racing legend

⤷ yourusername dude do u like need a hug or something? if i didn't know any better id think you were in love with me

username2 shes so unserious i love her

lilyzneimer congratulations gorgeous!

⤷ yourusername congratulations to you too lil <3

⤷ username3 hot girls get degrees 🤷 i don't make the rules

⤷ lilyzneimer still cant believe the girl that used to sleep in biology graduated university

⤷ yourusername me neither tbf

⤷ oscarpiastri same.

⤷ yourusername no one asked u vroom vroom

username13 what was your dissertation on?

⤷ yourusername net-zero carbon development in race mechanisms and engineering !

⤷ username13 oh you SMART smart

⤷ landonorris debatable

logansargeant well done! does this mean no more highlighters abandoned on the floor of williams hospitality?

⤷ alex_albon please say yes 🙏

⤷ yourusername but watching you trip over them was so funny 😟

ybfusername those 3am library trips finally paid off! 🙏

⤷ yourusername jet lagged delirium and caffeine i will miss u

⤷ ybfusername im so proud of us

lilymhe graduate, baker, sexiest woman alive - is there anything you cant do?

⤷ yourusername have a genuine interest in motorsport 🤷

⤷ lilymhe wait till they find out you fake an interest in golf too 💀

⤷ yourusername im only there to see u bbygirl

yourusername made a new post!

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri and 24,789 others

yourusername here to watch my friends drive fast cars.

tagged: lilymhe, landonorris

view all 703 comments

landonorris well, some of us drive fast cars

⤷ alex_albon what are you trying to say?

⤷ landonorris speak up a bit i cant hear you from the podium

username8 lando? yn?

⤷ username8 i feel like im interupting something

⤷ username4 can we let them just be friends and not ruin this pls

lilymhe oh we are so back

⤷ yourusername and we’re never leaving! <3

⤷ alex_albon oh god

⤷ logansargeant please no

⤷ yourusername fine, ill leave 😟

mclaren hope to see you in our garage soon y/n!

⤷ yourusername i have always looked good in papaya

⤷ username8 admin how much did lando pay u to say that?

⤷ mclaren 🤫

oscarpiastri williams take her back she keeps slapping my hat across the room

logansargeant you literally told me you're only here to get max’s autograph and sell it on ebay?

⤷ yourusername ok and?

⤷ maxverstappen1 poster or hat?

⤷ yourusername both please 🫶

⤷ maxverstappen1 bring a pen

⤷ username7 what have i just read?

⤷ maxverstappen1 im supporting y/n's financial endeavours?

[melled42]

needed a cool down today. finally got a design i liked for a version of Ewen in @aychama royal au (au-ception!!!! lol) something i've been meaning to do for a while but idk it just clicked today. side npc i guess, no real plot. this is just for my own fun and to put Ewen in new outfits.

[jcollinswrites]

I wanna see Captain!MC in sexy see-through bath robe and lounge on their bed nonchalantly too! Damn you Ahmose — it shoulda been me, ME!!! RRRR (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

y must u make the captain so hot? (ಥ_ಥ)

Hahahaha I didn't make the captain hot, you imagined them like that 😛 Plot twist: the captain was you all along 🙂‍↕️

This is a new kind of love triangle. Reader falling in love with the character they play in a video game who falls in love with a different character in said video game. Romance-ception.

Sorry for waiting so long to answer this but I didn't want to give away the spoiler until the public update was up ✨

[the-amazing-animated-circus]

DTIYS Results!

Greetings, circus goers! After so many amazing submissions, it is now time to find out whom I most favoured!

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First off, Losers!

"What's that?" you say! "Is this not a friendly art competition?"

Well, kids, there are winners and losers in every game. You either die a winner or live long enough to see yourself become a loser. I hope you take that to heart and it affects you deeply for the rest of your adult life.

Anyway! Give a huge round of boos for our loser:

@sm-baby!

Booooooooo, boooooo you suck boooooooo- ahem. Let's not waste too much of our time on this... charlatan, children.

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

RUNNERS UP!

There were so many amazing pieces with their own unique strengths that I wanted to shine some light on!

So, my favourite artists aside from first place were...

(Drumroll)

@grimmtells, who not only made this wonderful putdown of our favourite jester, but also made a toon of their own!

You don't know how grateful I am that people love this au enough to make their own characters! Thank you for your little ego-tripping maniac into this jolly jack-in-the-box!

@mangotangerinepastry, for their lovely rendering and animation!

Trust me when I say it was a very difficult decision between you and our first place winner!

@dreamybasil, who made this adorable comic!

Poor Pomni, suffering from success.

And finally,

@notyesterdays-era with some Pomni-ception!

He's a little confused, but he's got spirit.

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

Alright, ladies and Gents! the moment you've been waiting for, our first place winner:

(more extravagant drumroll)

@cruising-cats with this amazing animation!

A fully coloured background, the spotlight fading in and out, the floating bubbles and of course, Pomni and our Plucky performer braving the tightrope, this was most certainly my favourite interpretation!

Be sure to message me with an image reference of what you'd like me to sketch!

Thank you all so much for participating! I honestly never expected this au to get as big as it has, so I hope this reboot will be worth the wait! (and hopefully draw in new fans!)

Ta Ta for now!

[hermitcraftheadcanons]

When Xisuma passed, he wasn’t exactly sure what he would see.

What he did not expect, in complete honesty, was to be selected for a job as a brand new ‘Spiritfarer.’ He didn’t even know what that was at first!

Though, now that it’s been quite a bit.. He wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else. Certainly not. He has met such amazing people, such fascinating spirits on his ship; and while it hurts to let some of them go, he knows it’s all a part of the job.

He just hopes he can make their last moments, yet again, the best moments they could possibly have.

(ouuu spiritfarer + hermitcraft.. my head is going to explode)

(hyperfixation-ception)

.

[kuromori4]

FIC-CEPTION!

I'm so pleased to finally tease this collaboration between @fandomofone and I for this year's @mlbigbang2024

Our collaborative fic (About a collaborative fic!) is jam-packed full of flirty late-night DMs between two anonymous penpals who get to know each other far more intimately than they ever expected! Miscommunications pave the way for delicious identity shenanigans that take you on a wild ride with two unwitting partnerships and three different reveals!

Rated: M (Mature)

Check out the summary and teaser for Marinette below! (And be sure to visit @fandomofone's profile for Adrien's!)

Summary:

When the Ladyblog debuts a new fanfiction feature, Marinette wants nothing to do with it… until an unlikely recommendation piques her curiosity. She discovers— much to her dismay— that fans are writing salacious, and frankly, quite shocking things about Ladybug and Chat Noir!  Scandalized, she’s ready to write fanfiction off for good, until she receives a link to a fic that’s too tempting to resist— leading her to #1LadyFan, a surprisingly good author that writes convincing romance, and seems to have an alarming amount of insight on the duo’s dynamic that isn’t public knowledge.  Flustered, irritated, and admittedly a little intrigued, Marinette creates the username PolkaDotPrincess and contacts the author to offer constructive criticism on what she considers to be glaring inaccuracies. Meanwhile, Adrien is thrilled to learn that his Ladynoir fanfiction is gaining popularity, and over the moon when a reader reaches out. After weeks of increasingly flirty late-night conversations with his mysterious online friend, Adrien notices that she seems to know an awful lot about Ladybug and Chat Noir. Eager to learn more about her, he puts her critique to the test and challenges her to join him in a collaborative effort to write a more ‘realistic’ romance featuring Paris’ favorite superheroes.

Teaser:

Marinette sat perched on the edge of her chaise in her pajamas, staring absently across the room at her computer as its Adrien-themed screensaver played across the screen. She squeezed the ends of her wet hair with the towel draped around her shoulders, soaking up the water that dripped down her neck.  She’d thought that maybe a nice hot shower would help take her mind off of the intrusive thoughts that had been plaguing her all day. Instead, all that the hot shower had done for her was to conjure up some equally hot images in her mind…  Adrien Agreste, casually lounging on his bed in only slippers and a bathrobe, wearing reading glasses (for some entirely inexplicable reason, as his vision was perfect, like him), with a laptop balanced on his lap. His vibrant green eyes were half-lidded as if in a trance, so deeply absorbed as he was in his reading…  Marinette stood up abruptly, her damp towel dropping to the chaise. Suddenly, it had become all too clear to her that— Adrien reads fanfiction. She stiffly marched the three paces toward her desk, her head swimming as she processed this morning’s shocking revelations. It's not that big of a deal, really. It’s just that— Adrien reads FANFICTION. And not just any fanfiction, but LadyNoir fanfiction! Okay, maybe it’s a bit of a big deal, because she couldn’t help but make the connection that— Adrien reads fanfiction about her! Marinette plopped into her desk chair, swiveling around to face her suddenly intimidating computer screen.  Sure, there was no way that Adrien could know he was reading about her, but the truth of the matter is that she is Ladybug! So if Adrien was spending his nights reading fanfiction, then that meant— Adrien reads fanfiction about her… being with another man!! She groaned loudly, her forehead falling onto the keyboard with a series of clacks.  Oh, this is just too cruel.

Neverending thanks to my co-author @fandomofone for putting up with me, and the artists on this project, @eclipsesmoonshine14 and @ayekasong And to everyone in the @mlbigbang2024 Discord server who have made this entire event a blast!

[petr1kov]

i was asking myself how many movies does disney even have left that can be turned into nostalgia bait live-action remakes, at this point. i think they have exhausted all of their biggest hits already. this trend as we know it now pretty much started with tim burton's alice in wonderland, then maleficent, cinderella, and the jungle book. they have also already done or are doing nearly all of their 90s renaissance era movies, arguably their most beloved, like the little mermaid, beauty and the beast, aladdin, the lion king, mulan, and the upcoming hercules movie. they have also made earlier classics like pinocchio, dumbo, lady and the tramp, peter pan, and the upcoming snow white, bambi, aristocats, and robin hood movies. they are even doing movies of this century now, with lilo & stitch and moana remakes being in the works.

they honestly don't even seem to care if the movie is a well-regarded classic or not, anymore. in one front, they are going from their a-list to their b-list and are now scraping the bottom of the c-list of their catalog to see if anything sticks, while on the other front they are trying to make us nostalgic for movies that are barely a decade old (and considering how scarce their recent offerings of new animated classics have been, this well will dry up even sooner). so considering all of this, here are the only movies they have left to work with:

the sword in the stone (kind of obscure but could pass as nostalgic)

complete cgi animal extravaganza: the rescuers & rescuers down under, the fox and the hound, the great mouse detective, oliver & company (considering how they're doing robin hood and the aristocats, very likely to happen)

the black cauldron (will they dare to touch this flop again?)

the hunchback of notre dame (bad idea)

pocahontas (TERRIBLE idea)

tarzan (no phil collins soundtrack)

the emperor's new groove (impossible)

atlantis & treasure planet (probably a last resort for them imo)

brother bear (no phil collins soundtrack)

home on the range (home on the range)

bolt (why)

the princess and the frog (old enough to be nostalgic)

tangled (of course)

frozen (can't believe they haven't done it yet)

then there's the maybe pile, which is:

101 dalmatians (they did the 90s glenn close movies already so it's hard to sell it again, AND they also recently made the cruella movie, but they might make a remake-ception if they feel it's worth it. who knows)

sleeping beauty (they did maleficent, but that wasn't a true adaptation, was it? they might pull this excuse to make another movie)

i don't believe they'll dare to make another chicken little. even as a joke.

zootopia (if things go well with the robin hood remake)

big hero 6 (unlikely)

encanto (if they're feeling particularly desperate)

[aspiringtrashpanda]

I acknowledge that I have fallen behind, but hey, at least I'm still trying to catch up? 😅 I also acknowledge that these all started short, and yet have slowly gotten longer. What can I say? I'm a wordy bitch.

Find the prompt list HERE.

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

DAY 11 Prompt: Beelzebub Ever wonder what's up with Beel's human world tattoo?

It happened the first week into devil-sitting in the human world. You were sitting at the kitchen island –a counter far fancier than you could ever afford– watching Satan attempt to use a food processor to crush graham crackers. You were looking forward to tasting his take on an apple crumble from your world. You had offered to supply him with a recipe, but after some slight consideration, he had opted to adjust his own recipe to the available ingredients.

You wanted to trust him. He was far from an inexperienced cook.

But, you also really wanted a good pie. 

So, there you were, Satan hissing unintelligibly under his breath, when Beel walked in with a shopping bag bouncing against his calf. Typically, that wouldn’t be anything bizarre. This was his temporary home too, after all. You expected him to rub his growling stomach, shoot that dazzling smile your way, and then attempt to steal a bite of the apples Satan was chopping at a frankly terrifying speed. 

However, when he shrugged off his rain-spotted windbreaker, you noticed something different, something new. A large gauze wrap cloaked the majority of Beel’s right bicep, stretching from elbow to shoulder. 

Satan’s knife stilled as Beel slid onto the free stool at your side. Emerald eyes wide in alarm, Satan asked, “What happened to your arm? 

“Hm?” Beel was already snacking on a stray apple. He had the audacity to survey his left forearm, brow creasing in genuine confusion. “Nothing?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Satan pointed the tip of the knife towards his brother, and though you knew he was simply waving the object because it was already in his hand, you really wished he wouldn’t brandish something so sharp so casually. “You’re all bandaged up.”

Before Beel could answer, Belphie was padding into the kitchen, Lucifer trailing behind him. Satan spun on his heel towards the sound, the knife switching targets to the brother that Satan was most likely to stab. The curious spark in Belphie’s sleep-dazed eyes, partnered with his absent itching of his right bicep, was clearly what had corralled Lucifer into checking on the twins. 

“I had the weirdest dream,” Belphie yawned, wandering over to take a seat next to Beel. “I was sleeping–”

“Sleep-ception,” Satan murmured, catching your eye when you snickered. You had caught him pouring through critically acclaimed human world movies of the last decade in the theater room at various times over the week. 

“Let him finish,” Lucifer gestured for Belphie to continue, his dark eyes fixed on Beel’s bandage with an unreadable stare. 

“I was asleep, but there was this loud buzzing noise,” Belphie cradled his cheek in his palm, his lashes fluttering dangerously low. “The longer it went on, the hungrier I felt. Then, I was full and I woke up.”

You had to bite your tongue to stop yourself from critiquing Belphie’s story-telling capabilities. Talk about anti-climatic. However, his words did resonate with Beel, comprehension finally dawning in a small, “Oh.”

Though you waited for him to elaborate, Lucifer beat you to the punch, his gaze narrowing as he deduced, “You got a tattoo.” 

Satan dropped the knife. “You did?!” 

Beel blinked, meeting both of their stares before scanning the kitchen island for any other ingredients Satan required less of. “Yeah.”

You felt the rage radiate from Lucifer, felt it smother the room and dampen Beel’s energy instantly. Everything went dark. Lucifer’s eyes, Belphie’s groan, Satan’s brown sugar burning in a pan on the stovetop. It was as if a solar eclipse had occurred just outside the kitchen window.

“Beelzebub,” Lucifer’s voice boomed with authority, “How could you do something so foolish?”

It was strange to see Beel curl in on himself. Big, tall Beel. Gentle giant Beel. He was always looming over everyone, untouchable, and yet there he was, cowering as his shoulders leapt to his ears. 

“Letting a human mark your skin? Allowing a human close enough to touch you, to attempt to pierce your flesh?” Lucifer hissed. You could tell he was holding back his wings from bursting out from under his jacket. It wasn’t until he continued that you then understood what he was getting at. “Did you think they wouldn’t notice? Human needles are no match for demon skin. You know that.”

Oh. It wasn’t a humans are inferior thing (you had been only mildly offended mere seconds earlier), but a we are undercover thing. Belphie and Satan, who had both decided that the marbling in the counter was simply mesmerizing, stiffened, awaiting Beel’s response. 

“I do,” Beel resigned, “I asked Solomon to cast a spell that would soften my skin beforehand. The artist didn’t notice anything different about me.” 

Lucifer’s dominating aura eased ever so slightly. You held your breath as he stood there, in the doorway of the kitchen, clenching and unclenching his fists. When he finally pinched the bridge of his nose, let out a heavy exhale typically reserved for Mammon and Mammon alone, you sighed in solidarity. Satan and Belphie followed your lead. 

“It was a reckless thing to do,” Lucifer crossed his arms, fixed Beel with a stern glare. “A terrible risk. You could have exposed all of us. You could have posed a threat to Diavolo’s relationship with the human world!”

“I’m sorry, Lucifer.” Beel ducked his head, and you couldn’t help but notice the way he placed his hands palm-up on the counter, a symbol of surrender. “I didn’t mean to put the family in danger of being discovered.” 

When his violet eyes returned from their favorite speck of graham cracker to the right of the food processor, he added, “I’ve been thinking about how our demon markings are similar to a tattoo, right? But we didn’t have any say in them.”

Belphie’s fingers flew to his right collarbone. Lucifer glanced upwards for a moment, eyes crossing slightly to Satan’s amusement, an unconscious nod to the diamond that was currently invisible upon his brow. 

Beel himself rolled his shoulders and explained, “I thought it would be nice to have a mark on my skin that I could choose. A tattoo that could represent something important to me.”

That hit Lucifer directly in the heart, appealed to the sentimentality he liked to hold close to his chest. Satan regarded Beel with searing intrigue, Belphie smiling softly as he relaxed against the counter.

The argument was dropped, and Beel nudged Belphie awake, excitedly explaining that the shopping bag at his feet contained a snack Beel had picked out specially for his twin. They ran off before anyone could question further, leaving a heavy tension in the room that you had come to expect when Lucifer and Satan had to fabricate conversation. 

“Hey Lucifer,” You threw out into the uncomfortable air, “You like apple pie a lot too, don’t you?”

And then you ran. 

The question of Beel’s tattoo was forgotten for the most part. He didn’t often bare his arms in the Devildom, his penchant for sweaters and jackets rendering the memory of the argument irrelevant 90% of the time. Still, you thought about it on occasion. When the bandage came off and the ink was revealed to be a seemingly random arrangement of swoops, you took it upon yourself to discover the meaning behind the body art. 

Was it some warped amalgamation of their sin sigils? Did it represent Lilith? Did the two arching lines have something to do with twins? It kept you up at night. Not often, but sometimes. Enough that you asked him about it more than once. 

He only ever shot you a sunny smile in response. 

It wasn’t until a year later, when Beel had contacted you while on an assignment from Diavolo in the human world, that the truth came out. 

Beel was accompanying you grocery shopping before you would cook dinner at your tiny apartment for the two of you when he paused. “Can we stop here?”

You glanced over your shoulder to see Beel drooling at the sign for a sushi restaurant. Big surprise. Stepping off the main path before a clueless pedestrian ran into your hulking companion, you peered at the notice in the door that had caught his eye. 

“Oh, they’re running the Shooting Dragon Meteor contest again,” Beel commented as your jaw went slack.

Hold on. 

You jabbed your index finger at the top left of the promotional flyer. “That logo looks like your tattoo!”

And despite your shock, he simply nodded, all smiles. “The restaurant partnered with a tattoo parlor nearby. If you get a tattoo of the logo, you get free Shooting Dragon Meteor rolls for life.”

The reality hit you like a freight train, those sleepless nights rearing their ugly heads with a vengeance. Your mouth flapped like a fish out of water, your tongue failing to wrap around vowels. Your mind was moving too fast to properly formulate a sentence. 

Beel was already muttering about what order he was going to place when you exploded, “You told Lucifer it represented something important to you!”

Though, a small, exasperated part of you asked, why are you surprised? 

“It does.” Beel frowned, confusion creasing his brow. “Shooting Dragon Meteor rolls use a very rare, high-quality tuna that can only be fished in this area once a year. I wanted Belphie to try them, since sushi is his favorite.”

Oh, and if the whiplash wasn’t a little hard to process, then neither was Solomon’s cooking. Of course, that was just Beel in a way, wasn’t it? Of course such a shallow gesture had a deeper meaning. Of course the tattoo still led back to family. 

Of course Beel would tattoo a restaurant logo on his skin to give his brother free sushi once a year. 

And Beel’s enthusiasm had you wondering why you doubted him for even a second. As he exited the restaurant, a veritable feast of sushi rolls stuffed into six plastic bags, he beamed, “I’m gonna visit you at this time every year, okay?” 

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

OBEY ME! MONTH MASTERLIST

[fanficmanic]

I just finished watching 8x08, and I have so many feelings.

So. Many. Mixed. Feelings!

Fair warning - long post ahead.

For one, I re-blogged a post sometime after 8x01 or 02 aired, I can't really remember, about the parallel's between Eddie's first season on the show and this one. With the insane amount of presence that Ryan has had so far in promoting the season so far, I've had this bad feeling at the pit of my stomach that this would be his last season. Now, hear me out, I don't think today's episode was his last (the masses would riot if it is), BUT, they have left the room wide open for it to happen fully by the end of the season.

Two, the level of act-ception this show is doing is hilarious! You have 3 of the most talented actors out there (I'm looking at you Oliver, Ryan, and Kenny) act so badly that if it wasn't so funny I'd die of second-hand embarrassment. Who ever said that this show was serious is sadly mistaken.

Three, Buck's reaction on the couch after finding out Eddie has a realtor interview for houses in El Paso. I've read so many comments and posts, and again, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I want this to be the start of Buck's realization of his feelings for Eddie, but on the other hand, if it is, it feels like almost anti-climatic! This was the fall finale (granted, I don't have much experience with those) but shouldn't it end with more of a cliffhanger? (Promo for March's 2-part return is not included in this rhetorical question)

Now, what do I want to see happen (I know the chances of it actually happening is slim-to-zero but I'm saying it anyway)?

For the Eddie-Chris story, I want Eddie to go to El Paso, scream at his parents and say something along the lines of "you feel so guilty about taking my childhood away that you're overcompensating with my son and giving him the childhood that I should've had". Moreover, I don't think Eddie ever badmouthed his parents in front of Chris because: 1. he's a great dad who would never jeopardize Chris's relationship with his grandparents (proven by the fact that Chris felt safe enough to call them when shit hit the fan), and 2. Eddie rarely (if ever) expresses his feelings to anyone (but Buck), so him showing his true feelings about his parents in front of Chris is virtually impossible. So, when Eddie shows up at El Paso and screams at his parents (I want it to happen in front of Chris but without Eddie knowing that Chris is there), Chris will feel like he's just his grandparent's second chance at being good parents and will want to have nothing to do with them. Also, I want Chris to freak out when he finds out that Eddie is looking to buy a house in El Paso because it was never his plan to stay there forever.

If Tim and Co. use this story line to have Eddie leave the 118 and LA, I want him and Chris to decide on a fresh start by going to Hawaii. Dum dum dum: Enter 9-1-1 Hawaii where they follow the lives of members of the 366 fire house who are having to cope with a new captain that just transferred over from LA.

For Buck, my beautiful beautiful Buck. First of all, I bow to the beautiful portrayal that Oliver Stark does with his face alone. He's so expressive when he wants to and being able to show such a wide range of emotion without saying a single word is otherworldly. (This is not saying that the others aren't great actors, I just have a stupid crush on Oliver Stark and I'm self-indulging here).

Anyway, back to what I was saying. The scene between Buck flipping over the tablet, Eddie explaining things, and Buck going to take a seat on the couch with the camera focusing on his face while Eddie wasn't looking wasn't longer than 2-3 minutes at best (could've been longer - seemed too short for my liking to be honest. These two haven't had enough screen time together this season IMHO). However, within just those few minutes, Buck went from panicking about wanting to call Tommy, to skeptical about why Eddie flipped the tablet, to playful about what Eddie must be hiding (like only a best friend would), to shock at hearing Eddie's explanation, to supportive of his best friend's decision (because he knows that Eddie must be dying on the inside at being so far away from Christopher), to panicking again at the possibility of losing his best friend. Buck spirals so easily on a good day. Today? It's a terrible, horrible, no good day and for Buck to be able to put a lid on his emotions so he can be fully supportive of Eddie says a lot! I also think that THIS is what will throw Buck back into his fuckboy phase, and NOT the breakup with Tommy.

Don't get me wrong, I hated how they ended things between Buck and Tommy (the struggles of being a multi-shipper), but in the grand scheme of things, who would have a more profound effect on Buck? Tommy leaving, or Eddie leaving? How about both of them leaving, making him spiral on his own?

Anyway, like I said in a previous post, this is my first time having to go through a fall/holidays hiatus. I don't celebrate Christmas - so I don't have that option to keep my minds off of things. This leaves my mind to wander on its own, which can be a very scary thing. I know that I already planning so many stories (as if I don't have enough ideas in my 9-1-1 folder), but I also know that I'll probably re-watch the show and dissect it with a fine-tooth comb, which will probably results in more story ideas.

I'm also really looking forward to all of the fanfiction that will come out during the coming 3 months.

Right now? This is exactly how I feel.

👇👇👇👇

[the12thnightproject]

My gift for @cheese-ception for the @flash-exchange

Title: Heart's Desire

Starring: Yves and Emma

Prompt: Magical Bakery

WC: 700 Words

CW: Might make you hungry

Yves can bake pastries that make dreams come true... for everyone but himself.

Legend whispers of a bakery...

The whispers aren’t about the food, although everyone agrees the baker’s offerings taste delicious:  cakes piped with lacey buttercream, tarts with crusts so flaky they melt in the mouth, and exotic and mysterious truffles.

Nor does the legend center on the delicate good looks of Yves the baker, his deep blue eyes, eyes that hint of hidden sadness. Many a young woman (and a few young men) sighed over him. But this too is not the Legend.

Legend has it that those who eat here are granted their hearts’ desire.

A widow reunited with her first love… a clerk received a promotion… a childless couple discovered they were to become parents. Even tiny wishes were granted, as when a child found her lost kitten.

The legend grew until Yves had too many customers to handle, though he couldn’t afford help. And so one afternoon, he faced the final customer, Akatsuki the bookseller, and apologized for the wait.

“Think nothing of it. I....” Akatsuki paused at the array of sweets. “One would think I had time to decide but…”

Used to customer indecision, Yves studied Akatsuki, then offered him matcha mille crepe cake.

Akatsuki took a bite. He closed his eyes, recalling his childhood in Kogyoku, when the Sakura bloomed and the air had the fresh scent of the sea. “I wanted a taste of home. You have a gift. What is your wish when you bake for yourself?”

“It doesn’t work on me.”

“Ah. That is a pity.” Akatsuki bowed to thank Yves and left.

Yves might have forgotten the encounter, but the next day, before the lunch rush, a pretty girl slipped inside. “What can I help you with, Miss?” Try as he might, Yves couldn’t determine her heart’s desire.

“I’m here to help you.” She grabbed an apron. “I’m Emma – my father sent me.” At Yves’s shocked expression, she continued. “We own the book store. We’re not busy this time of day, but you are.”

“I don’t need any help.” Yves eyed her with suspicion. Was she here to steal his recipes?

“Yes, you do.” She pointed to a line forming already. “I’ll package the items and ring up the sales.”

Too busy to protest, Yves did as he was told. If he were being honest, having Emma around did make things easier. He had more time to create. Even so, at the end of the day, he told her, “Thank you, but you don’t need to return.”

…She returned.

Every day. She never asked for money, or requested a magic pastry.

Soon, Yves was looking forward to the moment her smiling face appeared. For the first time, he regretted being unable partake in the magic himself, for his heart’s desire was, simply, Emma.

Still, at least he saw her two blissful hours every day when she worked cheerfully and competently by his side.

One day Yves noticed something different about her. A distracted look in her eyes. Pain twisted in the pit of his stomach. He knew that look. She was in love with someone and wanted a pastry.

When the crowd left, he turned to her. “Wait.” He would give her a pastry, but he couldn’t bear to hear her ask for it.

Yves decided he would bake her something new. Nothing but the best, even if he was breaking his own heart to provide it. When inspiration struck, he retreated to the kitchen to create.

Sometime later, he returned, half-hoping that she had given up and left. But… no, she was patiently reading.

With a flourish, he gave her one perfect pale pink macaron. “Raspberry macaron, with lavender ganache and raspberry curd.”

“It looks almost too pretty to eat.” Still, she lifted the confection to her lips, took a nibble, and sighed in bliss. “Mmmm.”

Yves waited, heart breaking. Any moment now, she would leave to find her heart’s desire. But she didn’t move. Finally, heart aching, he asked, “What was your heart’s desire?”

She took his hands. “I didn’t ask for my heart’s desire. I asked for yours.”

Then, with a hint of shyness, she kissed him.

Surprise gave way to joy, as he lost himself in magic’s kiss.

Thank you to @lorei-writes @cheese-ception and @nuttytani for organizing another great event. I always have such fun reading your prompt reveals and writing my gifts (even though the word limit breaks my soul sometimes).

[blooming-water-roses]

Uchihas and How They Experience Deep Love

Shameless headcanons bc we all know that no one loves like an Uchiha. (Exploration of how the deep, Uchiha-type love manifests for each individual).

(Read below cut)

Sasuke - Naruto

He begins to love him when they’re both children, when he senses that kinship between them that they’re both completely alone.

Naruto doesn’t see him pitifully like the rest of the village does. He just sees him as a rival, and Sasuke appreciates that. He gets to just be Sasuke, the talented, stuck-up genin with Naruto, not Sasuke, the lone survivor of the Uchiha Massacre.

Naruto pulls him out of his toxic need for vengeance from the time the Haku/Zabuza arc happens to when he sees Itachi again when he tries kidnapping Naruto. He works alongside Naruto as his comrade and friend, and believes that maybe he can be happy just like this in the village.

Then Itachi reminds him of his avenger goal and he’s fold he needs to kill Naruto to obtain new power, the way Itachi allegedly did to Shisui.

He leaves the village in search of new power because yes, he wants to beat Itachi but no, he doesn’t want to kill Naruto. He thinks he can get stronger another way.

This truly shows how deeply he loves Naruto—he’s willing to put him above his ultimate goal to kill Itachi by refusing to gain power by killing him.

And when he gets the opportunity to kill him, he doesn’t. Naruto is open and unconscious and he doesn’t kill him.

To Sasuke, Naruto is his biggest weakness, his Achilles heel, the one who he just can’t get rid of no matter how hard he tries.

Itachi - Sasuke & Sasuke - Itachi

Uchiha-love-ception

Because they’re both Uchiha & love each other insanely strongly I imagine their connection as an endless vortex of undying love

Itachi tried to die when he was around five years old because he couldn’t cope with the world’s darkness.

He didn’t understand what the point of anything was if one day everyone dies.

Until Sasuke was born.

Now, to Itachi, the world isn’t just death; it’s also birth.

Sasuke saved Itachi, and gave him something to fight for.

He wanted the world to be a better place so that Sasuke would never see what he had to see as a child of war.

And everything Itachi ever did (though many actions were questionable), was for Sasuke.

Sasuke was the only one he couldn’t kill on the night of the massacre, so he instead made his brother hate him to make him stronger.

He lived for eight years with declining health just so that Sasuke could get revenge and become a hero.

Even after death he tried protecting him from Madara/Tobi.

And Sasuke always held a degree of admiration for his brother, even if the memories were tainted.

He still loved Itachi to the very end, because killing him gave him the Mangekyō.

If he truly hated Itachi, killing him would have meant nothing.

He was just acting out of a broken heart, the pieces all still holding affection for his brother even despite himself.

The inner turmoil is what made him angrier. He hated Itachi but more than that, still loved him.

When he found out the truth, he made it his life’s mission to defend Itachi’s honor and protect the village as his dying wish.

He devotes his life to him even now.

Itachi - Shisui & Shisui - Itachi

Uchiha-love-ception pt 2

They are my Bonnie & Clyde

Itachi saved Shisui by giving him someone to care for and nurture

Shisui saved Itachi by showing him someone understands the complexity of his thoughts & feelings and shares them too

Itachi felt so alienated his whole life and then in comes Shisui who finally finally understands him just inherently

Idk about you but I long for someone to understand me that well, without ever needing to explain myself

I think Shisui understood Itachi better than Itachi understood himself

And for that, Shisui was Itachi’s home

Itachi looked up to him for all things; skills, technique, morals, and aspirations.

Whenever Shisui said anything, Itachi took it as the law.

There was no one he held as much respect for. Shisui made the impossible seem possible to Itachi. For him, he could do no wrong.

When he lost Shisui, he lost his North Star. This is evident in his awakening of the Mangekyō—there was no greater pain at that point in his life.

He made Shisui’s will his guiding force.

Shisui showed him that a true shinobi sacrifices, and he himself adopted that attitude.

“You must always remain calm. A worried expression just doesn’t suit you” — some of Shisui’s last words to Itachi, and from then on, Itachi hardly ever let his calm facade drop from his face. That was the law.

Itachi was just adorable to Shisui.

Everything he did, his thoughts, his determination, his will to get better—he admired it so much.

He wanted to keep Itachi away from the clan and village feud, which is why he tried using his powers without Itachi’s help.

He died with a smile on his face because he trusted Itachi implicitly, and knew he’d make the right choice.

He probably knew where things were headed, and was at peace with it.

Because he knew Itachi’s strength and will better than his own.

But it did break his heart to put Itachi through witnessing his death.

Obito - Kakashi & Rin

Loving Rin made Obito insane

Loving Kakashi made Obito hang onto his last shreds of sanity

Rin always believed in Obito when he himself didn’t. She was his pillar. For that he formed an unhealthy codependency on her.

So when he lost her, he lost his mind. He believed he couldn’t be anything worthwhile without her, and spiraled into something unrecognizable in her absence.

She became limerence to him, an unattainable dream.

Kakashi was the only one who remained constant in his life.

Kakashi brought out the last shreds of his former self.

Once Minato told Obito about Kakashi’s father, he understood immediately the cause of his actions.

He reached deep into Kakashi’s heart and told him what he needed to hear, that his father was truly a hero. Someone everyone else thought of as a disgrace, a sentiment Obito fearlessly challenged.

Because Obito never cared for his reputation. Sakumo cared too much. This difference is what drew Kakashi to Obito subconsciously.

While recuperating in Madara’s hideout, he thought equally of returning to Rin and Kakashi. Because, before they parted, he and Kakashi finally became friends.

Kakashi was in his dreams as well as Rin. They were both equally important to him.

Despite watching Rin die by Kakashi’s hand, when he went on his rampage, Obito didn’t lay a finger on Kakashi.

And he watched Kakashi live on by his grave all the time. He followed him around. He just couldn’t let go of him.

Because he wanted to be there for Kakashi through his suffering in some form.

And when they met again, Obito never ever days he hates Kakashi. He tries to entice him to support project Tsuki no Me, telling him that it’s okay, he doesn’t need to suffer anymore.

This shows Obito’s real motive for Infinite Tsukuyomi. Not to see Rin again, because the caster can’t be inside the jutsu.

But to give Kakashi an end to his suffering. To end all suffering, at his own expense.

He became Kakashi’s hero. Kakashi never gave up on him, and Obito never gave up on Kakashi either.

For him, love meant suffering greatly for the one he loves, going to great lengths to make them happy, even when the ends don’t justify the means.

He would happily become the villain in order to give his love peace.

Madara - Hashirama

Though he lost three brothers to war, when Madara met Hashirama he immediately trusted him, disregarding that he was a stranger.

They shared the same dream, just as Itachi and Shisui did. This brought them together, and this showed Madara that there was hope.

Turning his back on Hashirama awoke his Sharingan. He didn’t get them when any of his siblings died, but when he had to sever his friendship with the Senju. It put him through that much strife.

He never truly wanted to kill Hashirama. If he wanted to, he would have. Much like Sasuke couldn’t kill Naruto.

The peaceful time in the village together were his happiest days.

He named the Leaf village, and Hashirama kept the name despite its simplicity.

They would ignore responsibility to talk and be with each other. This annoyed Tobirama.

Madara’s heart broke when after being told he’d become Hokage, he overheard Hashirama accept a vote instead. He felt Hashirama hadn’t fought for his honor enough. He felt betrayed.

He showed Hashirama the stone tablet though no outsiders had ever seen it, and left because he wanted Hashirama to hurt as much as he did.

His love was so strong it turned into a deep hatred.

But not so deep that he could kill Hashirama.

Even when Hashirama killed him.

The only time he ever felt alive was when Hashirama was unleashing all of his fury onto him.

Because Madara equated love to hate, and feeling Hashirama’s animosity was the same as feeling his love.

Kagami - Tobirama

Admiration turned into unconditional love

Kagami being treated special by Tobirama probably went to his head a little

“I’m his favorite Uchiha and he makes exceptions for me what does that mean”

The second he got an inkling that Tobirama may feel some type of way for him he got tipped off the edge and fell hard

He awakened his Mangekyō when Tobirama sacrificed himself to the Kinkaku unit

Changed the way Tobirama thought about the Uchiha by proving not all fall victim to the Curse of Hatred (oh boy would I love to see how Tobirama acknowledges this play out)

I hc it as he probably was put in a situation between clan and village and chose the village in front of Tobirama (not as serious as Shisui & Itachi’s case but political of some sort maybe)

Tobirama then went “hmm this one is different”

Maybe Kagami saved Tobirama somehow?? And that’s what warranted his trust? Ugh I wanna know

Tobirama hand-picked Kagami and trusted him with his life, so it made Kagami feel important

Overwhelming protectiveness and responsibility constituted Kagami’s love for Tobirama

And since he had nothing left to protect after Tobirama (in his eyes), his spirit was broken, and a year later he succumbed to the war

Tobirama was his heart’s fire.

[spacexseven]

tuna tuna tuna I was suddenly struck with an idea: subordinate au au (au-ception, if you will) where subordinate turns out to be a government plant ala ango, and was much stronger than they let on. like imagine dazai and chuuya getting fucking WASHED by the nobody subordinate they got off on tormenting. sweet karmic justice. maybe they're also an extremely loyal and dutiful would-cut-off-own-arms-if-asked type subordinate to a higher government official as well, just to really add insult to injury.

I feel like chuuya would be more revenge-oriented to cover up the underlying hurt whereas dazai, depending on what level of delusion he has entered, will either 1) consider this a fun new challenge 2) be completely heartbroken or 3) convince himself that subordinate is being manipulated away from him (their one true love, obviously) and this is just all the more reason to ditch the mafia and drag them underground with him until things blow over.

- 🩹

huhuhu there's been a big demand for subordinate reader getting their revenge/becoming stronger in my inbox so i thought it'd be the right time to answer this as well :>

cw: yandere themes

dazai should have picked up on the signs earlier.

had he become too comfortable with the thought of you being under him? for someone so self-assured in his position, he had not even a hint of suspicion that you might be more than you were letting on. had he become too used to the sight of crushing people under his foot? he almost didn't want to believe that it was you standing in front of him, casually talking to ango like you hadn't just shattered his entire perception of you within moments.

it only took minutes for you to straighten up in the middle of what he thought was a perfectly regular mission, and then you ignored his questions, beginning to walk away right as the warehouse was filled with blinding lights and loud noises. when dazai reached out to grab your arm and demand an explanation, instead of the usual wide-eyed rush of words he was expecting, you glared at him, so coldly that he was left speechless. even the way you twisted his arm to get him off didn't hurt as much as your glare.

it seemed like a whole other person had taken over your body, using your face and your voice to report calmly to ango about the targets and infiltration. ango...dazai felt anger rising in his chest—he ruined everything. you don't even spare him a glance when you walk past him, and he's so crushed by the betrayal that he doesn't even try to get out of the situation.

it's chuuya who's sent to get him back.

and it's chuuya who, unlike dazai, is thirsting for blood. he's so furious, yet so silent—it would have scared dazai, if he wasn't so fixated on replaying your cold expression in his mind. chuuya's scowl seems like a permanent addition to his face, but dazai doesn't even have the energy to make conversation or ask him about you. how easily he had been fooled—and by the looks of everyone back in base, he wasn't the only one who had been cheated.

while chuuya is hunting down ango, you and everyone else in on the investigation so he can ignore the painful sting of betrayal, dazai spirals into his current state. he's convinced, at first, that you had been forced into it. that ango had threatened your life and that was why you showed up at the pm all those days ago, trembling in the rain. he couldn't believe that everything was a lie. all the times you cried, was all of that an act, too? nothing he ever did truly got to you, did it? and here he was, broken over an espionage attempt.

his denial then turns to something resembling anger, and then he's decided the only way to get the answers he wants is directly from you, and not the fake persona you've been hiding behind. he's sure he'll grow to love whoever it is you really are, but first, he's got to get you out of ango's hands and back with him. for that, he's ready to take you down with him—even if it means destroying the remaining traces of the pm, and his only chance at saving himself.

[flyawaymind]

Waiting on a Miracle

I’m sure someone has probably said this better, but I just re (re re re re re re re re re) watched Encanto and had an epiphany during the song, Waiting on a Miracle.

Everything that Mirabel lists in that song? All those things she “can’t do?”

She does them, one by one, over the course of the movie. Everything she lists, whether it’s some power she wishes she had or something in her life that she wants to change, it all happens. Check it out:

The most obvious part, and what I noticed first, is how she describes the Gifts.

-I can’t move the mountains

-I can’t make the flowers bloom

-I can’t heal what’s broken

-Can’t control the morning rain or a hurricane

The language here is deliberate, and although it’s easy to write it off as lyricism or poetic phrasing for the sake of the song, this is a list of things that are caused or influenced by Mirabel’s actions in the movie. The crack down the center of town causes the mountains to split in two, Isabela’s power reaches its full potential during What Else Can I Do, and at the end of the movie Mirabel plays a big part in healing the rifts in the family. The part about the weather is less obvious, but because Pepa’s mood is tied to her Gift, I’d argue that there were probably some weird weather fluctuations when Mirabel gets Pepa to finally talk about Bruno. Mira also expertly avoids a storm by rephrasing her question about Bruno’s Gift and causes Pepa to hit Camilo with lightning when she bumps into the wall, but those are more situational than results of deliberate actions.

In other parts of the song, Mirabel talks about the things in her life that she wishes would change and things she wants to change about herself.

-I can’t take another night up in my room, waiting on a miracle

-Can’t keep down the unspoken invisible pain

-Always walking alone, always wanting for more

-Like I’m still at that door longing to shine like all of you shine

-Show this family something new

-Who I am inside, so what do I do?

The night after Antonio’s party Mirabel is lying in her room, presumably alone for the first time since Antonio was old enough to be away from Pepa for the night. She can’t sleep, and it isn’t a huge leap to conclude that she’s waiting for something to happen, whether it’s for the cracks to appear again, or for someone in her family to come talk to her, or even for the candle to finally give her a Gift because Antonio got one and maybe the magic was just a little bit delayed. The movie could have ended right there, except then Mirabel gets up. She decides to take action and comes up with a plan, no longer content to just wait for a miracle to change her life.

Everything that happens after that is related to her and her family’s catharsis and self-actualization. She stops pretending she’s ok and indirectly tells her family how hard she’s been trying to earn Alma’s love when she realizes that they’ve all been doing the same thing, and that none of it will ever be enough. Mirabel cries and screams and yells at Alma, stomping her feet and making it very clear that she isn’t content with keeping her pain hidden away. By that point the audience knows that Mirabel isn’t the only one who feels this way. Almost everyone in the family feels like they’ve been walking alone, and everyone wants to shine as bright as they think the others do. This includes Agustin and Felix: “It was easy to feel… un-ceptional.”

When the movie concludes, Mirabel’s the one who brings them all together. She reunites Bruno with their family, shows Alma the effects of her actions, and then brings about changes. She teaches the family a new way to shine, and that they’re brighter when they work together. She’s the one who opens the door, both figuratively and literally, and as she walks up to put the doorknob in place her family tells her that they finally see her as she is.

Mirabel might not have the same kind of magic, but she’s able to do everything that her magical family members can do, and more. Everything she does is laid out in Waiting on a Miracle, presented in such a way that it seems like Mirabel is hoping for something impossible. That’s something the movie teaches us: that people are often more capable than they think they are, and when everyone comes together to work toward a goal, nothing’s actually impossible.

[machinelikesmachines]

Review of Under New Maintenance

Hi! This is my fic "Under New Maintenance"! I figured I would send it in cause I saw your post floating around about reading the first 3 chapters ^-^ As for the payment part: I know this is an odd thing to be proud of in specifically an xReader fic, but I'm really proud of my character's interactions with other characters like their coworkers and their little sister. To me it helps sell them as a person planted in this world (also I just think the interactions with Ina, the little sister, are very sweet).

Secondly, I like the little bits of storytelling within the story (story-ception)! Scenes of play, or coming up with a bedtime story off the top of their head - those little moments give me warm and fuzzy, comforting feelings and I'd like to think instances like that have the same effect for my readers!

Third, I just think it's a nice read! It has angst, but there's always feelings of hope and good people surrounding the reader. I also think the interactions with the DCA are cute/sweet! Even though I haven't updated the fic in a while due to just, in general life stuff, I'm really proud of what I have out so far and think it's worth a read for anyone looking for a DCA xReader with some angst and good feelings ^-^

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I was going to just read the three chapters, but the little story at the end of chapter 3 made me curious enough to keep going a bit further, so I must agree with your second point. Ina is a delight and a very good kid, and the contrast between Reader's adult responsibilities and Ina's childhood is interesting, though I wonder how Reader would react if she had a meltdown typical of kids her age.

The beginning respects my time and doesn't meander while still matching the sort of easy, low-stakes pace that the rest of the story is taking. I personally like a bit more action and conflict, but the characters are lively enough to keep my attention. Everything seems to be going a bit too well for them, though (power bill notwithstanding), so I would like to see if Reader is about to run into some arguments or, barring that, a peek into their backstory. I want to break their stiff upper lip, which seems to already be quaking.

The DCA know exactly what they want and they aim to get it! I found this interesting enough to replace their canon abrasiveness. I wonder if Ina tells them about Reader a lot. I wonder if she misrepresents them.

Overall, the craftsmanship of the writing makes me trust in wherever the story might go, even if there's less conflict than I'd like. If you're looking for some fluff, Under New Maintenance is a good choice.

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