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agreeeeeeeeeee · 2 days ago

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Magic Lessons p.2 | B.W.

feat. Bill Weasley x intern!reader

SUMMARY: Things escalate with your boss, Bill Weasley, at the twins birthday party when you plot to make him jealous. But he gets his revenge back at the office.

CW: MDNI 18+, smut, jealous!Bill, reader gets a lil toxic, oral (f receiving), age gap, bill is a pleasure dom I don't make the rules, mentions of alcohol and smoking, strong language

>Part One

Things shifted between you and Bill after that night. You were more than just coworkers, mentor and apprentice, you developed a mutual understanding.

And what started as a little crush has grown into a beast with teeth, eating you alive, consuming every spare moment of your life. You had never felt so connected to someone before, so attuned to their feelings and desires, like your souls were tied together.

You couldn't be sure how he felt about you, but he seemed to read your mind as well as you did his. He somehow could anticipate your needs, no matter how trivial, and would go well out of his way to ensure those needs were met.

He was also fiercely protective, a trait of his that claimed several more victims than Waylan as the weeks progressed. But for you, Bill seemed to have a never ending well of patience. You couldn't ignore the amount of times you caught his gaze lingering on you, or the frequency he went out of his way to touch you, to help you, to serve you.

But you just couldn't believe that Bill Weasley would be even remotely interested in someone like you. Not to mention, the professional boundaries of your relationship were still intact.

It had been three months since the incident with the cursed axe, and it was the twins birthday. You hadn't spoken about the fact that you would both be attending the same party outside of work, but the thought made your nerves tingle with adrenaline.

You and Bill had only seen each other at work or during work-related functions. But this, attending a family party, felt like uncharted territory.

Would he be willing to cross the lines of professionalism? You weren't sure. Would you be willing to risk a career at Gringotts? Again, you weren't sure. But every day, it became harder and harder to ignore the burgeoning heat between you, that soul tie winding tighter and tighter.

You were at a standstill, paralyzed by indecision, and it was driving you mad.

The two of you were the last in the office, and you slipped away to get ready in the bathroom while he finished things up. You changed into your outfit, a maxi dress in your favorite color with a pair of heeled boots, and refreshed your makeup.

You did a small turn in the mirror, a wave of insecurity making you doubt your selection. Was it too tight for a birthday party? Too formal? Not formal enough?

Well, it was the only one you brought, so it would have to do. You collected your things a returned to Bill's office.

When you pushed open the door, you found him mid-change, wearing a white sleeveless undershirt and fastening a black belt around his waist, his shirt folded neatly on the desk.

You knew he was strong from years of hard travel, but this. He was lean and toned, broad shoulders with a narrow waist, and even littered with scars from Fenrir’s attack, he was gorgeous.

“Oh! Bill, sorry. I didn't—” You managed to tear your gaze from his body up to his face, finding his eyes glued to you, jaw a little slack, and the apology died in your throat.

He lowered his hands to his sides, belt still undone. The simmering heat between you bloomed to an inferno at your open perusal of one another, and you found yourself taking a step towards him, brainless as a moth.

His hands flexed, then balled into fists, and you paused, a flicker of reality passing through the haze of desire.

“We need to go,” he said, clearing his throat and grabbing his shirt.

You nodded, disappointment setting like a stone in your stomach.

You took the Floo System to the Burrow, managing to arrive only five minutes late.

“Bill!” His family cried, swarming him. But the twins went straight for you.

“Y/n! Look at you!” George gushed, pulling you in for a hug.

“Happy birthday to us,” Fred smirked, and you swatted his arm before pulling him in for a hug. Over Fred's shoulder, you caught Bill glaring daggers at his younger brother, but he quickly schooled his expression and turned his attention back to his father.

The twins introduced you to the few family members you hadn't met, and you answered the dozens of questions they threw your way while dinner was served. Bill was ignoring you almost entirely, caught up in conversation with his father and Percy. You knew you shouldn't take it personally, you were just colleagues after all, but it still rankled, and you could feel an attitude brewing.

Then, a wicked idea wormed it's way into your mind.

You laughed loudly at one of George's jokes, leaning into his side while he gestured in the air. He draped his arm over you, the type of platonic physical contact the two of you did all the time, but Bill didn't know that.

You saw Bill’s sharp eye snag on the movement, and bit your lips to keep from smiling at your small victory.

A few moments later, you reached over to take a sip of Fred's beer, making a show of wrapping your lips around the mouth of the bottle, your fingers delicate on the glass. You set the bottle down, then shifted to whisper something in Fred’s ear, your hand resting on his. You didn't say anything of real interest, just a little inside joke between the two of you. Fred chuckled, turning to whisper something back to you, and you grinned, winking at him.

You risked a glance at Bill and saw him white knuckling his empty whiskey glass, eyes trained on the birthday cake at the center of the table, and your confidence swelled.

“Mrs. Weasley, would you like some help clearing up for dessert?” You asked, batting your lashes.

“Oh, thank you, dearie!” She chirped, grinning at you.

You jumped up and started to collect the plates, using your wand to clear away the food. Moving around the table, you reached Bill, who was chatting with Ron about Ministry things. You leaned over Bill's shoulder, brushing against his arm to retrieve his plate, but he didn't react. Didn't even look up at you.

You huffed internally and brought the dishes to the kitchen, casing a spell so they'd wash themselves. You went to the fridge, retrieving a fresh beer for Fred and grabbed the bottle of fire whiskey from the counter.

You returned to the dining room and set the beer in front of Fred, who accepted with a smile.

“Thanks, love,” he cooed, taking a sip.

Then, you filled George's whiskey, careful to pour the correct amount. You could feel Bill’s eyes burning into you, his jaw clenched, and a giddy excitement flared in your lower belly. You capped the whiskey, licking a stray drop from your thumb, and returned it to the kitchen, leaving Bill’s glass dry.

Cake was served, and you let George feed you a few forkfuls while you and Fred told a few of your favorite stories from your time together at Hogwarts.

You knew you'd done it when Bill excused himself to smoke, a habit he never indulged in at work.

You knew it was wrong to push him, to strain whatever tenuous balance the two of you held, but you just couldn't help yourself. He was driving you insane.

After dessert, everyone ventured back into the living room for games and more drinks, and you slipped outside to find Bill.

He found you first.

An arm snaked out of the shadows and tugged you into the dark, directly into a hard chest.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Bill growled against your ear, the smell of smoke and whiskey clouding the air around him.

“I don't know what you mean,” you replied, tilting your head.

His took a drag off of his cigarette, glaring at you through the smoke. “You know better than to lie to me,” he warned.

“I didn't peg you for the jealous type, Mr. Weasley,” you teased, desire spilling through your body and making your thighs clench.

His free hand lifted, skimming your throat before moving around the nape of your neck. “It already kills me that they met you first, that they know you so well.” His grip tightened, scruffing you, and you gasped. “Is this what you wanted?” He rasped, his eyes locked onto yours.

“Yes, Bill,” you whimpered, pressing your body against his. “Please.”

He smiled, a wolfish, sharp thing, and dragged you the last few inches to his mouth. It was a rough kiss, a culmination of weeks of longing, his teeth nipping at your lower lip, prying your mouth open so he could taste you. His tongue tangled with yours and you moaned, getting drunk off of his lust, his dominance.

It was so different than his usual professional, collected demeanor. You knew he had an edge to him, an undercurrent of darkness that made him so adept at handling curses, but you never expected this. Having him be so rough, so needy, it made you want to climb him like a tree.

He flipped the two of you around, pressing you into the wall, his free hand splaying across your lower back to keep your hips anchored to his as he leaned into you. He felt so different than the other boys you'd been with, so confident and commanding, knowing exactly how to handle you and your desperation.

“Bill,” you gasped, head falling back as he kissed and licked down your throat, his teeth grazing your fluttering pulse. It felt like he was devouring you, biting off chunks of your rationality, your resolve, until you were nothing but a writhing, moaning mess in his arms.

His hand released your neck, sliding down to grab your waist. “But now I know you better, and I. Don't. Share.” Each snarled word was like shot of adrenaline to your heart, forcing your already dizzy self to clutch his shoulders to stay upright.

You nodded, desperate to be closer to him, to have him touch you. His possessiveness drove you crazy, had you practically foaming at the mouth for him, but he wasn't having it.

He grabbed your hands and removed them from his body, and you whined in protest. “Behave, and go back inside before you smell like smoke,” he ordered, though his voice was decidedly softer than before, almost breathless. He nudged you away from him and took another draw of his cigarette, the sharp planes of his face illuminated by the glowing tip.

Reluctantly, you ventured back inside, your thighs sticky with slick and knees weak. You were so focused on what you could do to drive him mad, you forgot entirely about what he could do to you.

So, you were in your best behavior the rest of the night. Charming the parents, befriending the other siblings, being as fun and social as you could manage. By the end of the night, you were buzzed, socially drained, and unbelievably horny, ready to pounce on Bill every time you caught his eye.

“Alright, we have to get to the bank early tomorrow. Y/n, I'll take you home.” He gave you a pointed look and you nodded. “Goodnight, family!” Bill called, hugging his siblings before ushering you towards the Floo Station.

“Happy birthday!” You hugged Fred and George on your way past, and half-stumbled into the Floo Station from exhaustion.

Bill caught you with a strong arm around your waist and held you up, casting the spell before his family could see how close your bodies were.

The next moment, you were back in the office, head spinning from the booze and the magic.

“Alright, love?” He asked, tightening his grip on you when you swayed on your feet.

You nodded and he released you, leaving you cold and unsteady. You walked in silence back to his office to get your things.

When you arrived, you stopped in the doorway. “M’sorry about earlier,” you mumbled, wrapping your arms around yourself.

“So am I,” he replied, walking towards his desk and loosening his tie. Your stomach dropped.

“Why are you sorry?” You asked, bracing yourself for rejection. “I was the one that acted like an idiot.”

He looked up at you, a sharpness in his eyes. “Don't speak about yourself like that,” he snapped, and you nodded, looking at the floor.

You heard the tread of footsteps, then his hand reached out to hold your chin, tilting your head up to meet his eyes. They were stormier than you'd ever seen them, the sky before a shipwreck.

“I'm sorry for being so rough with you, I can be—” his eyes flicked away, brow pinching in consternation. “After the attack, and the war, and the divorce…I can be cruel, angry. It's a part of me I don't like to show,” he admitted. “So I'm sorry if I frightened you, or overstepped.”

“You didn't frighten me,” you said, placing a tentative hand on his sternum, wanting to comfort him. “Far from it.”

He searched your face as you gazed up at him, starry eyed, and the silence stretched for a few moments.

“This is what I saw,” he murmured.

“What do you mean?” You asked, practically trembling with anticipation.

“When you wore the Chameleon necklace,” he replied, his eyes tracing the hollow of your throat before lifting back up to your face. “I saw you like this.”

“You wanted to see me like…this?” You asked, looking down at your dress, confused.

He shook his head, his hand moving up to caress your cheek. “No, not the dress,” he said, so close you could smell the whiskey on his breath. “That right there,” he hummed with a soft, satisfied smile, his thumb smoothing just underneath your lower lashline. “The desire in your eyes.”

Heat scorched your skin and your tried to pull away out of embarrassment, but he held you firm.

“No, darling. You're done hiding from me,” he said, the petname making your pussy thrum, slick collecting on the inside of your thighs. “I've been waiting to see that look in your eye. To see you need me as badly as I've needed you.”

Your heart stalled, your thoughts turning to static.

Needed me?

“I had to be sure this was what you really wanted, that I wasn't just seeing what I wanted to see…” he trailed off, expression softening as he continued to look into your eyes.

“I didn't think you wanted me,” you whispered, in complete disbelief. “I thought I was going crazy.”

“Perhaps we both have.” He bumped his nose against yours, warm breath fanning against your skin. “You've ruined me. My entire life I've been the epitome of restraint. But with you—” His thumb tugged at your lower lip, sending a tendril of arousal curling down your spine. “I can't seem to help myself.”

“Then don’t hold back,” you said, wrapping your arms around his neck and running your fingers through his hair. “I want you to ruin me too.”

“Sweet girl,” he cooed, feeding his thumb into your mouth. You flicked your tongue over it, tasting the salt of his skin before sucking lightly. “I intend to.”

He surged forward, capturing your lips in a breathtaking, soul-deep kiss that you felt through every nerve ending. You kissed him back eagerly, tugging his hair as he hauled you closer, lifting you into the air so you wrapped your legs around his waist.

Without breaking the kiss, he carried you across the office and set you down onto one of the overstuffed leather armchairs, the same one he conducted your interview in. He kissed you a moment longer, his tongue delving in to taste you before he withdrew and lowered himself to his knees in front of you.

“I'm going eat my fill of you, and you’re going to take it all,” he ordered, his voice rough and breathy, chest rising and falling quickly. “Okay?”

“More than okay,” you answered, nodding like an overeager bobble-head.

He chuckled, his eyes holding yours as he gathered up the fabric of your dress and pushed it up your legs, kissing your knees, and up your inner thighs, his long hair tickling the sensitive skin until he reached your clothed cunt, your white panties betraying how aroused you were.

“Look how pretty you are,” he exhaled, breath warm against your skin. “All this for me, baby?”

You nodded, combing your fingers through his red hair so you could see the lovesick look on his handsome face, his eyes soft and mouth upturned at the corners. It was all in such stark contrast to the brutal scars on his face, silvery in the waning candlelight.

You couldn't imagine someone being more beautiful than Bill was in this moment.

He hummed low in his throat, his tongue licking a stripe over your sodden panties and making you whine, desperate for him to touch you.

“How many times have you orgasmed in a row?” He asked, pulling your panties to the side with his middle finger.

“Oh, uh—” your cheeks warmed, caught off guard by the question. “Only once with a partner. Twice on my own. Why?”

You felt him smirk as he leaned closer, pressing a kiss to your swollen clit. “Three, then.”

“Three—oh god,” you moaned, grip tightening on his hair as he laved his tongue through your slit, flicking against your bud before repeating the motion, two, three, five times.

He nursed your clit between his teeth, lashing it with his tongue and making you buck your hips up, the pleasure too intense to hold still. He dropped a forearm over your lower stomach to keep you from moving away, your nails dragging across his skin as you cried out.

He moved down to your entrance, lapping at the pool of slick there before thrusting his tongue inside. With his other hand, he began to massage your clit with his thumb, the rough pad creating delicious friction over your sensitive skin.

Fuck, you could feel your orgasm building already, a coil of heat making your whole body tense and shake, unable to escape his pleasurable assault with his heavy arm holding you down.

“Taste so sweet,” he murmured against you, kitten licking your clit to make you twitch and gasp. He pulled back and spit on your pussy, gliding two fingers through your lips before easing one inside your drooling entrance. “Good girl, can you take another? I know you can—thaaaat’s it, love. Little pussy sucking me right in, so perfect for me.” He was speaking directly against your clit, the movement of his lips and flick of his tongue making your mind go fuzzy, your body ratcheting closer to release by the second.

He curled his fingers inside you, his lips finally sealing to your clit again, and you keened. Sensing you were close, he increased his pace, ruthlessly dragging you to the very edge.

“God, Bill—shit, I'm gonna come!” You cried, your fingers threading through his in an attempt to hang on while he sent you to orbit.

With a final flutter of his fingers against that spongy spot inside of you, you broke, a burst of dizzying pleasure making your eyes roll back, your body convulse in his hold as your orgasm tore through you.

“That's one,” he purred, only slowing for a moment so you could take a full breath before he ramped up his movements again, adding a third finger to your sloppy channel.

“Fuck, I can't—” you whined, tears squeezing from the corners of your eyes as your body was wound tight once again, helpless as a ballerina in a music box.

“You can. You will,” he ordered, his tone making your pussy clench around his fingers. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? You've got me now, darling."

“Bill, I—” you screamed as he bit down on your clit, sending you directly back over the edge again, your first orgasm not even fully dissipated before the second one slammed into you, faster and stronger, white hot. Like he'd forced it out of you with his expert touch and tongue.

“That's two. Well done, my love,” he cooed, soothing the bite with his tongue and gently removing his fingers.

You were in a daze, trembling and liquified, practically boneless in the chair. You'd never come so hard on your life.

“Ah-ah,” he chastised, reaching up to pat your cheek with his wet fingers before feeding them into your open mouth. “Not done yet, love.”

You sucked your release off his digits, mindless and happy to do whatever he wanted, so long as he keeps touching you like that.

He withdrew his fingers and lowered his head between your legs again, dragging his tongue through your sensitive folds, smiling when you shivered. With slow, unhurried strokes, he cleaned up the mess he'd made of you, making wide circles around your clit to apply less direct pressure and avoid overstimulating you.

“I could stay here forever,” he groaned, the vibration making you gasp. “Give me one more, yeah? Please? Let me be the one that takes you there.”

It was surreal, being completely at his mercy, yet he's the one begging you to let him make you come again. He'd rendered you completely brainless, and still wanted to give you more.

And you still had barely gotten to touch him.

It was the most delicious torture, the most exquisite suffering, and you knew you were so royally fucked.

There was no going back from this.

“Wanna touch you,” you whimpered, too far gone to do anything but squirm.

“Not yet, I told you how this was going to go. One more, then you’re getting some rest.” He hiked your leg over his shoulder, nuzzling against your pussy. “You don't want to be exhausted at work tomorrow, do you?”

You shook your head, having forgotten completely about anything that wasn't Bill Weasley and his magic fucking tongue.

“Good girl. Now relax and let me work.” He lifted you up slightly, angling you directly towards his mouth, and he resumed feasting, taking big, messy licks and sucks of your cunt, the sounds lewd and unabashed, and you fucking loved it.

You did as your were told and relaxed your muscles, sinking deeper into the chair with your legs in the air. You'd submitted to him already, but this was a a true surrender, passing your entire self, body and soul into his hands. Trusting that he would take care of every part of you.

“That's it, baby,” he praised, kissing your sticky thighs before returning to suckle your clit, making your body hum back to life, pleasure beginning to mount once more.

You moaned his name, nails biting into the leather as he brought you higher and higher, his languid, self-indulgent movements making your head spin.

Feeling your body start to tremble, he flicked his tongue out, just the tip tickling against your hyper-sensitive bud, and you rolled over the edge, simmering, honeyed pleasure spilling through you as you came a third time. It wasn't a harsh, debilitating orgasm, but a blissful release of endorphins that brought tears to your eyes, your muscles and bones unraveling down to the cellular level.

“And there's three,” he said, placing a final, tender kiss to your clit before righting your panties and pulling your dress down.

You were completely blissed out, in your own world as he tugged you off of the chair and into his lap, pressing feather-light kisses up your neck and jaw.

“Come back to me, love. Let me see those pretty eyes so I know you're alright,” he murmured against your cheek, his hands absently massaging your thighs and hips to guide you back into your body.

You blinked your eyes open, turning to press a kiss to his scarred cheek, your chest warm with affection.

“There she is.” He smiled, catching your lips in a soft, sipping kiss. “Okay, love?” He asked, leaning his forehead against yours.

“Yeah,” you said, breathless. “That was—I’ve never—”

“You were amazing. And if you didn’t look ready to pass out, I would be taking number four and five.” He helped you sit up, fixing your hair and wiping away a streak of mascara with his thumb.

“Not possible,” you giggled, reaching up to brush the hair from his eyes, your hand moving down to cup his scarred cheek. “As talented as you are, there's no way I could come again.”

He smirked, leaning into your palm. “I guess we'll have to find out. C’mon, let’s get you home.” He helped you to your feet, your knees a little wobbly, collected your things, and led you back out to the Floo Station.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” You asked, taking your things from his arms.

“For a bit, but I leave tomorrow afternoon for Cairo, remember?” He looked genuinely apologetic for having to leave, and your heart deflated a bit, disappointed that you wouldn’t see him for a week, maybe more.

“Right, Cairo,” you said, trying to hide how you felt.

“Hey.” He reached out to wrap an arm around your waist, pulling you back into his chest. “If it wasn’t so dangerous, I’d take you with me. But I can’t risk something happening to you,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of your head. “Plus I need a capable curse-breaker to manage things here.”

“I know, I know,” you sighed, nosing into his neck and breathing him in.

He held you quietly for another moment, his hand trailing up and down your spine before you finally pulled back, yawning.

“Go on, I’ll see you in the morning.” He caught your hand and pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “Goodnight, love.”

You stepped into the station and grabbed a handful of the floo powder. “G’night,” you said with a sleepy smile, and cast the spell to transport you home.

Though, you realized with a nervous pang, it felt like you were doing the opposite.

Thank you so much for reading!

Comment if you'd like to be included in the taglist for the next part <3

taglist: @itisjustwhatitis, @carmenschemtrails, @karina-v20, @acourtofexiles, @meteora-fc, @l1nd3n, @just-some-random-blogger

#bill weasley #harry potter fanfiction #bill weasley x reader #bill weasley x you #bill weasley fanfiction #bill weasley imagine #harry potter #the weasley family #the weasleys #gringotts #harry potter x reader #harry potter fandom #weasley boys #weasley family #weasley twins fanfiction #the weasley twins #hp fanfic #hp fandom #harry potter smut

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cheetabites · 3 days ago

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☆彡 peppers pt 2 ˳༄꠶

character: hwang in ho / 001 / the frontman

˳༄꠶ summary: five sfw and nsfw general headcannons for the frontman

sfw headcannons

★ as he proceeded as the front man, he acquired a fascination with betrayal within the games. it basically reinforced the belief that humanity would always choose the best for themselves despite the sacrifice of others, and deep down i think he gets off by watching the players kill each other

★ in some way he feels a bit bad for the players who vote to go home. he’s seen the process over and over again and knows that greed outweighs self-sufficiency and compassion for others; for him, these deaths aren’t as enjoyable to watch

★ he hates others that victimize themselves. it leaves him both simultaneously angry and stressed, because what do you mean you’re upset with the situation you got yourself into?

★ when he’s not in the games (as a player), the hierarchy and rules that he has for the staff is much stricter. he doesn’t allow barbarity; like guards threatening each other, fighting, or attempting to take advantage of another person. while he chooses to take players in and make them fight to win, he still has a moral compass

★ he HATES the vips. for him, sure he gets enjoyment of watching the games but he’s never found the need to bet on the players; if anything this further pushes the idea that humanity has lost it. because while others may view him continuing the game as psychopathic, he views it as demonstration to people

nsfw headcannons

★ as the frontman, he doesn’t really have someone that can please him. most of the time when he’s pent up, he’ll just use his hand and his imagination to get off

★ as the frontman, he likes to keep his sexual activities in private. but as a player, since he believes he has some sort of superiority over the others he wouldn’t mind fucking in public; not obnoxiously of course, but with the confidence, courage and no shame. late night sex with him would be so good, but since gi-hun suggests watch shifts it would be harder to actually participate in it (season 2 bathroom scene w/ the frontman when?!)

★ he doesn’t really like watching you ride him. he believes it gives you too much control. he wants to have all control over your pleasure; like whether or not you cum, how many times you cum, ect

★ he’d definitely make a sex tape with you if you were okay with it - but only when he’s not playing the games, so either after the revolt or if he’d never entered the games altogether. he’s the type to burn your sex tape on dvd’s. watching them on a video recorder or a mobile device is too tacky for him

★ he likes it when you whine for him; especially if you’re shy in bed. he’d go all gentle in the beginning, saying stuff like “come on sweetheart, you gotta tell me what you want” and “look at my beautiful sweetheart, so needy for me.” and when he’s finally inside you, he does degrade you, but it’s usually a mix of both praise and degradation

the end! i hope you enjoyed <3!

#★; ayuri’s sg headcannons #squid game #squid game 2 #squid game season 2 #the frontman #001 #player 001 #young il #hwang in ho #player 001 x reader #hwang in ho x reader #the frontman x reader #001 x reader #squid game x reader #squid game x you #squid game fanfiction #squid game fanfic #squid game imagine #squid game headcanons

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just-a-ghost00 · 3 days ago

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Connection check in part (2)

To check part 1, click here.

Your current energy

A. B. C.

Their current energy

1 2 3

Their current energy - Group 1

I get a very calm and steady vibe from this person regarding you and the connection. I feel like their expectations, intentions and feelings towards you are very clear in their mind and heart. The energy feels very balanced and mature. I get the impression that they feel very good in your presence and treasure the bond you share. When it comes to you, they are very open minded and have a "go with the flow" attitude. They do not overthink your intentions or feelings because I feel like they are pretty confident about their own and they have a lot of trust and faith in the Universe. This person has a very spiritual vibe. They cannot focus on their daily tasks because you are constantly on their mind. This person spends a lot of time day dreaming about you, visualizing how being with you would feel like. I get the impression that they would be okay with taking things further if you verbalized it. However, I get a frustration feeling coming from this person with that "turn your tongue 7 times in your mouth before speaking". I feel like this person is upset that you do not trust them. I'm getting the message that any fear you may have about this person is not true. For instance, if you're thinking "they must not like me because I'm too this or not enough that", spirit wants you to know that you're wrong. What you dislike about yourself may very well be what they love about you. This person would like to communicate with you more. They have a lot on their plate that they want to share but I get the feeling you're not letting them in. However this person knows that they cannot force you so they are chosing to surrender and let you see for yourself how serious they can be. They want to give you the time and space to figure out on your own how they really feel and think about you. They do not intend to run away. It's like they're saying "I'm here and I will not move, if you want me I'm okay with it and if you don't that's also cool". This person is ready for any outcome within this connection because they've made their peace with the fact that they cannot control everything and that you have free will. Though, they have a very precise vision of where they want this to go and I feel like they will do everything in their power to get there. This person is determined and rather than feeling defeated by your resistance, it actually motivates them to try harder. They have their eyes set on you and they do not intend to give up any time soon.

Their current energy - Group 2

The person that's on your mind is chosing to set their fears and doubts aside, to ignore people's opinion and give your connection a chance. I feel like they are slowly but surely opening their heart and trying to come to terms with the idea that love doesn't have to be a struggle all the time. That not everyone in this world is trying to harm them and that there is good both in and around them. I am mostly getting air sign energy from this spread but I also pick up on Pisces and Taurus. I get the energy of someone finally accepting their dreams and letting themselves experience everything they didn't dare to do before. They're finally embracing themselves and letting themselves be seen for who they are. They are done fighting, resisting love and finally letting themselves receive. I feel like this person struggled with their self worth and they are healing that part of them through this connection. By chosing to love you and giving this connection a chance, they are also chosing themselves. They are turning the tables over and doing what feels right to them for once, instead of following others' unsollicited advice. I feel like this person never once did something for themselves and now they are finally making their own well being a priority. They are finally daring to dream and imagine what this connection could become but also what they could become. They are cutting ties with toxic patterns and people that did not serve their highest good. This person is also realizing that whenever they were acting off within this connection, it was because they were projecting their own fears onto you. They understand that though they may be different from your past connections or from what you are used to, it does not make them any less worthy of your affection. They are finally seeing their own beauty and chosing to let that beauty be shown. They are healing their heart at their own pace. For some of you, your person may be taking their distances with you to further connect with their own truth. They need time and space to see the good in them if they wish to let you in. I sense a desire to start anew and take back one's power. The energy feels very peaceful here. Almost dreamy. I feel like this connection is taking a new turn now that they have gained clarity and done some shadow work. They have a lot of affection for you but they may have realized that what they loved in you was also within themselves and that they should honor that as well.

Their current energy - Group 3

Blue could be your person's favorite color. In terms of zodiac signs, I'm getting Gemini and Taurus mainly, also Leo was mentioned on the Azurite card. There's a lot of throat chakra activity going on here. There may have been communication blockages within this connection in the past. Your person has realized that they treated you poorly in the past. That their fears played a huge role in the connection's imbalance and communication issues you were facing. Through your interactions and the effect of this connection on them, they have been faced with a lot of their shadows. They needed a lot of courage to be able to overcome their fears around intimacy, being vulnerable and truthful around you. This person may have told you harsh truths or spoken badly of you behind your back and they regret their actions. This person understands that their judgment of you was false and when they were being judgmental towards you was because what they saw was a reflection of a part of themselves they couldn't embrace. This person was afraid of the depth of this connection and the depth of their own feelings in your presence. They were not capable of embracing the light that was shining on them thanks to this connection you shared. They were just not ready for it. With that understanding of the dynamics of your bond, this person is now choosing to be mindful and to see the truth. They are chosing to leave the past behind and move forward, renewed and rejuvenated, ridden of all their fears and judgments. Whether they choose to give you a chance or to go their own way, this person is not the same anymore. They are letting in more love into their life and softness that they didn't allow themselves to feel nor express. They may want to communicate with you about their awakening. I also get the feeling that spirit has been working behind the scenes to help this person get out of their state of confusion and see the connection clearly. Illusions were destroyed, their ego was quieted down for their heart to be allowed to shine through. When you met them, this person may have been struggling with depression, which you could have been aware of or not. I feel, thought, that your person did not want to admit that they were not okay. But interacting with you, they came to see that some things in their life needed to change. Some cleansing was needed. Most of it was in their mind I feel. It's like they failed to perceive you or themselves in a good way because their mind was clouded with negative self talk and false perceptions of love and relationships. Maybe they rejected you because of cultural differences or other factors. I'm specifically picking up on differences in communication styles or language barrier. Also, I'm getting a strong feeling that this person's friends played a huge role in them rejecting you. There were people around them that did not see your closeness in a good light and they attempted to get your person to hate you. Like spreading false rumors about you dating other people or saying stuff like "I heard group 3 doesn't like you, they spoke badly of you to their friends". But somehow your person came to understand that this wasn't true. I'm not sure what got them to change their mind about you but I really get this strong impression that they see you in a different light and have taken a new found interest in you.

Decks used : Crystals oracle, Threads of fate shadow edition, I don't care oracle deck, Soul truth oracle deck, Enchanted forest oracle cards, Beast Soul oracle cards, White Numen Tarot light edition, Spirit Junkie Oracle, Des potes en ciel Oracle

#just-a-ghost #pick a card #pac reading #tarot reading #love pac #oracle cards

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fancyperfectionsweets · 2 days ago

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Ketu (South Node) in synastry 🏚️

The last time I did an astrology observation, a lot of people were curious about South Node synastry. I'm making a seperate post about it. Please keep in mind that the house themes also play a role here so check them too.

☀️ Ketu-Sun synastry: This synastry is where the Ketu person reprsents a darker emotional side of the sun. They do and speak what the sun wants to say. The sun person usually holds back on these words because it'll be "socially unacceptable". The non-chalance of ketu attracts sun. Very similar to sun-ascendant aspect. The connection feels fated. However, the sun is the one creating this effect on the ketu person. The ketu person can feel truly understood.

🌜Ketu-moon aspects: you know the on and off couple? The one that dates around but ends up together after all? Or where they say that the other one is never off their mind because the person feels like "home"? Yep, that's what this synastry is. The ketu person just unlocks a portion of "home" and "comfort" in moon's head and it's absolutely bonkers from there. This synastry can also prove painful if the ketu person doesn't reciprocate because why are you making the moon feel things when you don't want to keep her??

🗣️ Mercury-ketu in synastry: this is more tricky but if "you just always know how to say the right words" was a synastry, this would be it. I have this with my boyfriend and he's literally the most comforting person ever 🥺. He knows what to say at the right time even though he's super blunt. For some reason, I just cannot find fault in his words. Also, a good placement if your turn on is dirty talk.

🧨 Mars-Ketu synastry: how do I explain this synastry when the only thing i can think of is "I'll beat the crap out of you". And no, ketu isn't feeling this way here. Mars is. Even in harmonious relationships, the Mars person can feel this urge to tussle with ketu. Rile ketu up for a reaction. The ketu person could be just minding their business while the mars person is sitting there thinking "hmm, can I get a rise out of this mf?" 😂😂.

Now this synastry can go either way. It can be 1) I'm going to make him/her so mad, they'd wanna spank me harder today 😈 or 2) yeah, I WANT to pick up a fight just cause 🙂🔪. Be careful. The second one can get toxic pretty soon.

💅 Venus-ketu synastry: this one I talked about previously. Venus-ketu is the most "I was fated to meet this person" placement ever. Ketu activates venus like nothing. House themes matter here a lot, btw. Because venus will activate according to the house theme. I had a ketu-venus synastry with a friend and she used to just pop up in my dreams randomly. I have a 12th house Venus. 12th house is the house of the hidden: dreams, alternate reality, spirituality. It was annoying because why you hijacking my dreams to love you harder?? 🤨

🔮 Jupiter-ketu synastry: has anyone told you that you're lucky for them? You probably had this conjunction with them. The ketu person not only feels fated but feels "lucky" to jupiter. Jupiter wants to keep ketu in their life because they just make things feel mystical and magical (for the better, of course). This placement can breed obsession from jupiter's end if they aren't careful.

🪐 Saturn-ketu: unpopular opinion but to me, this spells as a long term connection indicator. And no, I don't mean positive. Since Saturn is a "slow" planet, it takes a bit of time for it to get activated in any dynamic. However, once it does, it can sort of create a push and pull. The saturn might look to "dominate" ketu in this aspect. For example, if you have this conjunction in the 2nd house, Saturn person may think that you're too idealistic and don't care about your savings and then try to "guide" you. The ketu person though, might see saturn as too intense and want to show saturn how being anxious about savings has it's downsides. This relationship does have the potential to grow but in my personal opinion, this placement should be aspected with other positive synastries because it can effect long term themes of the relationship.

👹 Ketu-ketu synastry: This is the "I get why you're like this" synastry. I have this with my best friend and her habits make sense to me somehow? Even her "I just did it cause" things make sense to me. This is a very ride or die placement. I love this more with friends though cause you can go through periods of detachment and still fall back to the same place like nothing changed.

🌀 Pluto-ketu: the pluto person is left thinking"why did I like you almost instantly? What is this magic?". The ketu person could be openly intimidated and interested in pluto. However, pluto's first instinct is to be attracted and then left questioning as to why. Ketu isn't their type exactly so why do I feel this way? Could be so cute if they take time to get to know each other and then start the relationship.

👯 Ketu-Rahu synastry: "why are you so obsessed with me?" Placement. Lol. This is like meeting one of those people who you don't understand why they like you? You just don't get it as the ketu person. Rahu has their set of reasons. But the ketu person is always secretly thinking. I mean.. I don't see your point? Ketu can also feel bad about this at times. However, once you push through, ketu can actually have aspects it likes about Rahu and keep it around for the "vibes".

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brucebocchi · 2 days ago

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Ranking 2024 anime, Pt. 4: #20-11

hey, this post is also available on my ko-fi, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i do this for free and am currently between jobs. you can find part 1 of the list here, part 2 here, and part 3 here. thanks!

You know, I'd really planned to keep my re-reviews much shorter but I'm finding it harder to do so when I get into the anime I actually liked. Maybe that's a good thing.

And away we go.

20. Solo Leveling

Portal isekai, sad loser secretly gains crazy powers and instantly becomes a stoic gigachad, menu screens everywhere, entry-level power fantasy. You’ve seen it before. Honestly, Solo Leveling is total slop. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you’ve watched a couple isekai, like, ever, you’re not going to find much new here. There’s some interesting enough worldbuilding outside of the dungeon stuff; I did find myself intrigued by the level consideration given to how much this preponderance of portals would influence Korean economics and politics, and even moreso that much of the story so far revolves around how those corrupting powers can lead to hunters using dungeons as their own playgrounds for personal gain at others’ expense. There also seems to be a larger malefactor behind all of the menu screens driving protagonist Sung Jinwoo’s growth and titular leveling, so there’s the hook.

Even putting aside the few interesting parts of the otherwise boilerplate story, Solo Leveling both looks and sounds pretty darn good. The soundtrack is laden with Hiroyuki Sawano’s trademark build-ups and drops, and though the character art and dungeon designs aren’t always the most eye-catching (early on it did look like A-1 Pictures was going to default to “fuck it, we’re making money anyway” mode), the action animation goes absolutely bonkers in its best moments.

The second season is already up and running, and although I can barely remember anyone’s name outside of the protagonist (maybe that’s on me, I consume very little Korean media and am not great at retaining Korean names), I’m in this for the long haul. Great turn-your-brain-off action schlock.

19. Wind Breaker

At this point you could put a sign that says “DELINQUENT WITH A HEART OF GOLD” underneath a box-and-stick trap and I’d walk right in. I am not immune to your Josukes Higashikata, your Ryujis Sakamoto, what have you. The angry and violent type who will nevertheless stick up for what’s right and remain fiercely loyal to those they care about. Wind Breaker is rife with characters who fit that archetype, but it’s not exactly a delinquent anime so much as it’s a Dudes anime. More specifically, a Dudes Rock anime.

Yes, Wind Breaker’s ensemble cast is almost entirely Dudes, and they do indeed Rock. Protagonist Haruka is a self-inflicted outcast, and his tsundere ass does not appreciate all the positive attention he’s receiving after proving himself in street combat prior to his transfer to an all-delinquents high school. Nevertheless, he wants to fight his way to the top of his new environment, and if that means sticking up for the little guy along the way, all the better.

I love that Wind Breaker’s overarching messages of self-improvement and helping the weak without expecting a reward are basically anathema for the base power fantasies that largely come from light novels over the past decade and change, but even moreso that Haruka, loner that he is, keeps having to learn that he’s not going to get anywhere without surrounding himself with the right people and relying on their support. Battle shonen are usually pretty blatant with this stuff, but to see it spelled out so clearly in a series like this just hits right.

Wind Breaker looks terrific at just about every step, too. Every single thing I’ve seen from CloverWorks from the past few years has been a bop, which makes it that much more maddening that this is the studio that bungled the Persona 5 anime and supposedly botched The Promised Neverland in its second season. I get that not everything works out as planned sometimes but I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop sometimes. I’m glad it’s been smooth so far, at least. Some pacing issues and a weird place to end the show, but I know for a fact I'll be there when this comes back in spring.

18. Laid-Back Camp, season 3

I am not immune to the Cute Girls Doing Cute Things genre, and when all is said and done I think Yuru Camp could very well stand alone at the top. A show this directly responsible for the uptick in camping culture and countryside tourism in Japan clearly holds some sway over pop culture, and it’s clearly deserved.

Returning to the present day after the 2022 film gave us a look at the Outdoor Club in adulthood, Yuru Camp’s third season gives us exactly what we wanted: More of the same. We largely focus on the solo expeditions of Rin, Nadeshiko, and the latter’s hometown friend Ayano as they trek to their collective meetup spot, and as the seasons change we get the entire gang together for some springtime hanami. It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s whimsical, it’s Yuru Camp. You know what you’re getting into at this point.

With studio Eightbit taking over the series in its third season, Yuru Camp still largely looks the same, and wonderfully so, but it can be a bit off at times: CGI vehicles look far more distractingly out-of-place, and for as gorgeous as the background art was in the first two seasons and movie, it can come across as a bit more uncanny this time out. I don’t know whether some of the shots of sakura branches were traced or run through some kind of AI post-processing from archival photos, and I hate to speculate on that, but given that this is the same studio that bafflingly under-animates the money printer that is Blue Lock, I can’t exactly put it past them.

Production quibbles aside, I can’t really complain about more Yuru Camp. It’s a bit lighter on plot than previous seasons, but this is a series that was light on plot to begin with. We get to spend time with these goofs, learn about camping and the Japanese countryside, and then maybe go touch grass ourselves. That’s a good message for a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things series to have: Go do your own cute things.

17. NieR: Automata Ver. 1.1a, part 2

The second half of this adaptation was going to be the metric by which fans of the 2017 action-RPG judged the whole work. The first half in 2023, covering the game’s A and B routes, was a solid if troubled production that did a good job of covering the narrative and action, even implementing surprising easter eggs from NieR Replicant along the way. Sloppy CGI integration in early episodes and a COVID-induced delay hampered things, though, so there were some nerves about the show’s return.

Any fears were quickly allayed once the second half of the series began, covering the real meat of the story in routes C-E. Ver. 1.1a immediately looked exceptional, with expressive character animation and fluid action sequences. Real pathos was instilled into the route’s early tragedies. Most welcome of all was the serious work put into expanding A2’s character and role in the story (as well as her backside). It felt like she’d gotten the short end of the stick narratively in the game, so it felt right to spend more time with her, tie her story in the present back to the past that was hinted at in the Resistance flashbacks, and just get to see her be a tsundere a couple times. I’m gonna have to go back and rewatch the whole series dubbed because I just know Cherami Leigh crushed it.

I’m of two minds about Ver. 1.1a as a whole: On one hand, this is just about as good an adaptation of the game as we probably could have gotten. On the other, a big part of what makes the NieR games’ narratives work so well comes from the fact that they could pretty much only be told through the framework of a video game. While Ver. 1.1a does a perfectly fine job of delivering the game’s narrative and providing its own take on the game’s extremely video-game-y ending, much of what makes NieR’s tragedies so impactful is the player’s agency (and occasional lack thereof) in these matters.

Nothing can replace actually playing NieR: Automata as a means of experiencing its story, but Ver. 1.1a is a darn good companion piece, and one that may even hint at the future of the Drakengard/NieR franchise. Now if only Yoko Taro would focus on something other than gacha games and death game anime for two seconds…

16. Train to the End of the World

The writer/director duo behind Squid Girl came back to give us one of the best and most bizarre original anime this year. Train to the End of the World is overtly and unapologetically weird, and that’s the way I like ‘em.

This weird and wonderful trek across a warped and wildly varied landscape dazzles the eyes and rots the brain in unexpected ways, but it’s a stellar character comedy through and through. Shuumatsu Train’s oddball protagonists are goofy, galaxy-brained, and sometimes flat-out mean in ways that only teenage girls can be. The dialogue is expertly written and some of the punchiest I’ve ever seen in anime. The girls bicker, mess with strangers, and engage in the kinds of inane conversations you only have when you’re the most bored you’ve ever been in your life.

While rarely laugh-out-loud funny, Train to the End of the World is intrinsically hilarious. The sheer absurdity on display is the kind that leaves you just shaking your head in disbelief. One episode they’re playing House of the Dead to get out of a real-life zombie situation, and in another they’re acting out their favorite fictional anime that you, the viewer, are just expected to know about already. It’s a stupid show in the smartest ways; a classical Homerian epic with ruminations on the future, but also one where the girls threaten to wipe out a Lilliputian colony by peeing on it. It’s both eschatological and scatological. With the recent discourse over modern adaptations and interpretations of The Odyssey, this anime might as well be the nuclear option.

Train to the End of the World was a standout in a strong spring season, but it didn’t shake out super high in a long and darn good year of anime. That’s fine and all, but I really hope it ends up attaining the cult hit status it seemed destined for.

15. Mayonaka Punch

This one had been distant on my radar for a couple of weeks after it premiered, but as soon as I found out it was a P.A. Works original, I picked it up immediately. Any original series by the studio that gave us Akiba Maid War’s glorious gut-wrenching insanity (as well as last year’s exceptional Skip and Loafer adaptation) is going to get my attention, and although Mayonaka Punch doesn’t quite reach the same highs as Akiba Maid War, it does try to match the latter’s most madcap moments.

I don’t have a better pitch than “Canceled YouTuber starts up a new channel with a house full of lesbian vampires,” nor do I really need one. Mayonaka Punch’s comedy largely revolves around the personality clash between the disaffected, avoidant Masaki and the pushy, hyperactive Live (who definitely wants Masaki for more than just her blood), but the whole cast is a riot. Throwing in a baby day trader, a taciturn fujoshi, and a big-titty pachinko fiend are just the right spices to make this a particularly tasty stew.

Chaos naturally ensues, and watching these women try to channel it into a successful YouTube channel is an easy recipe for comedy. Everyone has terrific chemistry and I was rapt with attention every time we got to learn more about each of these vampire girls’ history. What came as a huge surprise, though, was how potent some of the emotional hits ended up, even when it involved characters outside of the main pairing. The fact that the biggest one came in just the fourth episode was a masterstroke; I was already on board for the comedy but just like that I was fully invested in a character other than the one who wants to suck the protagonist dry. I’m not rephrasing that.

This one absolutely deserves to be a cult classic, and the door is left open just maddeningly enough at the end that I can only pray for more. Mayonaka Punch is a boatload of fun and deserves way more attention than it’s gotten. You can change that. Right now. Watch this show.

Prior to writing this, Fairouz Ai (Live’s voice actress and a huge presence in a handful of the shows I’ve already discussed) announced that she would be taking a hiatus from VA work following a PTSD diagnosis. I wish her all of the time, recovery, and support she needs.

14. Urusei Yatsura (2022), season 2

The opening salvo in the ongoing Rumiko Takahashi revival (weird thing to say about a mangaka who’s still alive and working, I know) returned this year for the second half of its “all-stars” run, marathoning us through retellings of the classic manga’s greatest hits, the oddest of its many oddballs, and its spectacular, heartfelt conclusion. More Lum is always a good thing.

I’ve written plenty about Urusei Yatsura’s remake following each cour except the first, and I don’t have much more to add at this point. It’s a classic for a reason and it laid the foundations for dozens of jokes, tropes, and standards that are fundamental to comedy in anime to this day. Even when some of the jokes may come off as trite or tropey, it’s easy to see just how and why it made Takahashi so successful. The exaggerated slice-of-life hijinks, outsized slapstick, and time-and-space surrealness are just as much of a treat as the deep, eclectic cast. And to top it all off, here’s Ataru and Lum being a couple of freaks who deserve each other.

Even though the 46-episode run certainly feels truncated compared to the 191 episodes, six films, and ten OVAs that came before it, David Production did a fine job of putting a modern touch on such a classic work and highlighting its strengths. And even though most of the run was an abridged run through the greatest hits, I’m really glad the studio made sure to dedicate the last few episodes to the manga’s final arc, bringing Lum and Ataru together in a beautiful and (briefly) satisfying climax.

And even for as satisfying as that ending was, it was nearly overshadowed by…

13. Ranma ½ (2024)

…the revival of Takahashi’s biggest hit.

Yes, right on the heels of the ending of the remake of her landmark romcom classic, came the announcement that her even BIGGER landmark romcom classic was also getting a remake. Ranma ½ is one of the hallmarks of 90s anime writ large, working late-80s Japan’s fascination with Chinese martial arts (partially due to Dragon Ball’s success) into a romantic-comedy framework that also accidentally served as the genesis of the harem genre. I’d somehow never actually engaged with Ranma prior to the remake, so I was happy to get in on a new ground floor and I was immediately sold.

As the youngest daughter of the Tendo Dojo, Akane Tendo is put in a predicament when her father betrothes her (at her sisters’ urging) to his friend’s son, Ranma Saotome. Though both are skilled fighters and a good match in that regard, Akane is a bit of a hothead and doesn’t much care for boys, so she’s not a fan of this arrangement, but it’s made all the more bizarre by the fact that Ranma is also a girl sometimes. Thanks to a bizarre accident in China, Ranma turns into a girl when soaked with cold water and back into a boy when hit with hot water. Shenanigans ensue as Ranma and Akane’s contentious relationship hits innumerable peaks and valleys, all the while fighting off an ever-growing menagerie of powerful, fight-happy suitors gunning for the hands and lips of Akane and both versions of Ranma.

MAPPA of all studios being the one to re-adapt Ranma came as a surprise, and you probably could’ve convinced me David Production took over this Takahashi adaptation as well. Ranma’s remake adopts several of the same visual flairs you’d see in Urusei Yatsura, including the Ben Day dots, color inversions, and manga-style onscreen onomatopoeias. On the other hand, while most of the moment-to-moment character animation is pretty much what you’d expect from any given anime, several of the action sequences are very well-animated to MAPPA’s typically high standard. I just hope the animators weren’t getting the Chainsaw Man or Jujutsu Kaisen treatment.

Ranma ½ is as hilarious as ever, but it can get a little wonky thematically when it comes to gender politics, boundaries, and expectations, as I’d been made aware before ever engaging with the work. I also knew from the Urusei Yatsura remake that this was basically Takahashi’s wheelhouse, as there are a couple of pretty genderbendy characters in there as well. Several of the male antagonists in Ranma are more than a little pushy when it comes to women who catch their eye, and a lot of the humor around Ranma’s gender swaps revolves around how their male socialization affects the lack of modesty with which they present their female form (more on that later). People who are much better versed in gender matters than myself, both academically and personally, can speak on the positives and negatives of these things much better than I can, and it’s too early in the series for me to really make a judgment call. I do think it’s odd, though, that even with the central romance, Akane doesn’t seem to remotely entertain the thought of getting involved with Ranma’s female side, and unfortunately I don’t really see that ever happening. So far, all of these things just come across as flat-out silly and more of a product of its time than anything nefarious.

The original Ranma ½ adaptation remains a seminal work for a solid generation and a half of anime fans, so of course a remake was going to be met with some criticism. Some didn’t appreciate the more muted color palette compared to the late 80s/early 90s Studio Deen version, and while it’s certainly missing some of the flair of the hand-painted backgrounds and saturated lighting effects the medium has missed since that era, I personally like the softer hues; I find them a lot more reminiscent of Rumiko Takahashi’s own colorations for her art outside of the manga. It’s not as technicolor as the Urusei Yatsura remake, but I think that actually helps set the new Ranma apart rather than riding the former’s coattails.

The main difference people seem to be complaining about, however, has more to do with boobs. Takahashi has never been shy about including nudity in her manga, and in an era where uncensored bazongas were perfectly fine to publish in boys’ manga magazines, she was typically more matter-of-fact about the female form instead of pursuing titillation. As such, a story like Ranma’s, in which its title character is typically blase about presenting their female incarnation modestly, had a lot to work with on that front, and the original anime played along.

Not so with the MAPPA version. Nipples are conspicuously missing in scenes that legitimately do call for nudity, and an ass crack appears to be missing from an early scene as well. Personally, I don’t mind the Barbie doll treatment, and as I’d been reading the manga as the anime’s story progressed, I didn't find all that much missing in the transition from page to screen. Weebs tend to convince themselves they’re the most oppressed people on earth, so of course there were cries of censorship, which is a claim I don’t really care to entertain. These are different times, broadcast regulations in Japan are almost certainly different from what they were 35 years ago, and Netflix and/or MAPPA likely didn’t see the need for it. Could be any of those things. I’m not losing sleep over it.

And with that, I’m done talking about Rumiko Takahashi (for now). I’m grateful for everything related to her work, even tangentially, that came out this year, and my life is richer for it. I’m glad to have gotten into her work in earnest this year, and I can say with all conviction (hot take incoming) that she’s one of the greatest mangaka ever. I look forward to diving further into even more of her work.

12. The Elusive Samurai

I’d have been perfectly happy if Wind Breaker had been CloverWorks’ only beautifully-animated oddball shonen hit this year, and then they went and outdid themselves the very next season with this one.

The Elusive Samurai is a gorgeous, timeless-looking piece of historical fiction beginning at the very end of the Kamakura period, following the last survivor of the Hojo clan, the young Tokiyuki, as he’s urged by an eccentric priest to lead a pack of freedom fighters and take revenge. Despite coming from a prominent family within the shogunate, Tokiyuki was an impertinent kid and preferred to play hide-and-seek instead of attending any combat training. The priest, Yorishige, receives a vision of the future that predicts that Tokiyuki will fell his family’s usurper not by becoming a powerful warrior, but by doing what he’s already best at: Being a squirrelly little shit.

I just gushed about how good this show looks three months ago, and even now I’m thinking back fondly on how well it blends whimsy with brutality. You can have Yorishige and the kids goofing off and cracking jokes one minute and vibrant crimson beheadings the next. Even little Tokiyuki makes a joyful game out of slicing a bandit’s veins to ribbons later in the season. It feels like a callback to anime films and OVAs of the 80s, with the film grain effect to match. Almost every single thing about this show looks and sounds incredible.

Of course, there’s the CGI. I really don’t like complaining about that sort of thing, but it was such a blatant and unnecessary cost-cutting move that it almost cheapens the rest of the show. Look, I get that horses can be a pain to hand-animate after a while, but having characters’s CGI models speaking while riding on horseback is just enough to take me out of the show, especially when they already look as bizarre as, say, Sadamune. How that passed muster with the rest of the show’s standard is beyond me.

So, maybe I did dock it a spot or two for that, but I see that as a wrinkle that can be ironed out. The Elusive Samurai is absurdly promising, and its debut season is a tremendous statement. Can’t wait for more.

11. Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!

As I made clear last year by putting 100 Girlfriends’ debut season in my top ten for 2023, for as much as I love a good straight-up romance story, I have ample room in my heart for trashy dipshit romcoms as well. Makeine shares that affection and forges its own identity from it, establishing its own throne atop a hill of garbage.

This is not a “yeah it’s good if you can look past the tropes” show. Makeine is firmly on its bullshit, and it is firmly about its bullshit. It’s not nearly as off-the-wall as 100 Girlfriends, few shows are, but it’s well aware of your expectations and leaves you guessing whether you’ll have them expertly subverted or just thrown right back in your face. Even the protagonist, the light novel fanatic Nukumizu, is calling out the tropes as they happen, but it’s been a fun time watching him learn that he’s more than just a wet-blanket LN protagonist. He thinks he’s just along for the ride like any other blank-faced self-insert in these stories, as gets roped into the personal lives of these poor girls and learns that, yes, they are real people and that, yes, he is too.

I could go on and on about Too Many Losing Heroines’ idiosyncrasies and offbeat characters and punchy dialogue, but I did that plenty just a few months ago. Instead, I want to call attention once more to just how freakishly well-made this show is. A-1 Pictures had zero reason to go this hard on a goofy, trashy light novel romcom adaptation, and yet here they were, throwing their A-team at the whole project. Character animations are intricate, background art is sumptuous, lighting effects immaculate, and music on point at all times. The OP is an earworm (and one of a surprising number of ska intros and outros I’ve taken in this year), and having each of the main titular heroines perform her own story-appropriate ED was a masterstroke. Even the visual gags are perfect and allowed to land on their own.

I already cannot wait for more of this. If A-1 has given us all we’re going to get of the Kaguya-sama anime, then I’m as all-in on Makeine as they are. Not the best romcom out there, but easily one of the best-made out there.

#anime reviews #solo leveling #wind breaker #yuru camp #train to the end of the world #mayonaka punch #urusei yatsura #ranma 1/2 #the elusive samurai #makeine

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shinischis · 2 days ago

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Was thinking about a lil kaishin hc again, as I always do, but then again, I'm me, ans I thrive for side effects of the aptx antidote

Post Conan, I think shinichi would have a lot and I mean ALOT of side effects. Having grown in the body of a child for... let's say 2 years maybe? (I think it'd take a while to finally take down the Black org and when they actually do, the antidote isn't there and they have to end up taking down other branches of the organisation for anything about the poison and then they cheer).

First of all, My favourite one, he has chronic pain. It's mostly from the amount of temporary antidotes he's taken, so the size of bones and muscles changing so many times, yea, that kinda develops it.

He'd have that on and off pain where when it'd come to a random time, he'd just feel ache and stinging everywhere. The first time it happens, he thinks it's the antidote not working and that he's gonna turn back to Conan, but it happens MULTIPLE times for weeks, so he ends up building up a fake name and identity with his mother's help and gets it checked out.

I like to think that shinichi would hide it from kaito during their getting together days. He doesn't wanna worry people anymore, so he ends up unintentionally hiding it, the only people who know are haibara, since she's his kind of doctor, then there's the professor for obvious reasons cuz shinichi just tells him everything, and then Ran. He doesn't directly tell her, she just witness it .

Kaito only finds out when he's coming back from a heist where he noticed that shinichi wasn't there. So he kinda doesn't care to change put of his KID uniform and just barges into the house through the window, and there it is, Shinichi sitting on the bed with a heating bad on his lap and painkillers in hand.

It's hard for shinichi to explain it, so haibara is there instead, and kaito doesn't get it at first and doesn't know what to do, shinichi is fine with that, ye never intended to have kaito deal with it, but then is later surprised when the pain comes back again and suddenly kaito is the most professional care taker put there, (he totally didn't spent the next hours after finding out about it just doing research and going around as an intern or student in hospitals to see how professionals deal with it).

Shinichi doesn't think he's ever fallen for a man harder, he's squealing and kicking his feet at the next moment he can.

Another one I really like to write is the him not realizing hes not conan anymore, and so is his body (and we actually wintesses that in an ep and i found that really funny).

I feel like from changing between the body of a 7yr old to an adult so many times, it's just cause an alternation in everything in his body. I think he'd forget that he should eat in amount that an adult should, and ends up with a kids serving , or even when he's eating out with anymore, like kaito or heiji, one of them just goes "You're not Conan anymore yknow?" And then he just mentally slaps himself and orders something else.

Other than that there's the childishness, shinichi, as shinichi, not Conan, saying alele KILLED me, and he might definitely keep going with that or other terms he's used to. I feel like whoever someone's amazed at how quick he works , he'll just send them that childish grin all happy and stuff. The person who'd catch onto it most is Takagi, he's all like. "Conan used to do this too... hmmm.. what if- no- but- no"

In kaishins pov, I think shinichi would mostly act normal, he's used to being himself around kaito, so it's easy to adjust to him being back again, but maybe he'd make the voice or say something when hanging around with someone who knew him purely as Conan. And kaito would tease him about it for the rest of that night.

The part where his body has alternated is in like. His immunity, which would make him sick a lot more, or blood issues. That guy would 101% get anaemia from that kids serving he eats throughout the day (he definitely forgets to eat) , so you just find the guy all pale and zoning our more often and always tired. It gets to a point where he passes out when out of a trip with kaito, and kaito being himself, DRAGS shinichi to a near by medical center or doctor them finds out shinichis iron or haemoglobin level is like, 4 when the normal is 12, and kaito is struck harder when he finds out it takes A LONG time to get it back up to normal again.

Not to mention he always has some cold or fever, hes basically making kaito his personal 24/7 illness caretaker, and at first it's sweet, kaito being careful and stuff ti starting to think shinichis faking it (he's going through his denial era, don't mind him) and he's all huffy and just forces shinichi to stay in bed all day, then realizes it's real and goes all sweet again.

Shinichis reaction to all this? Tired, he just wants to go on cases and heists but he's always watched by kaitos doves to do that.

Umm that's all for today, thanks for coming to my kaishin rant

#dcmk #kudo shinichi #kuroba kaito #shinichi kudo #kaishin #kaito kid #kaito kuroba #快新 #ree talks dcmk #im insane #i love them

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darkness-falls-tarot · 2 days ago

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What type of person is Joseph Quinn attracted to? What type of people does he attract? Does he ever want to settle down and what is his love language?

All readings are alleged and for entertainment purposes only; please take each reading with a grain of salt.

What type of personality is Joe drawn to: king of pentacles, 4 of swords reversed, 2 of cups - Joe seems to be drawn towards older people who can be a bit more authoritative in a way. He seems to like those who know what they want and don’t let anything stand between them. But he’s also one to like those who know their limitations and what they are capable of; never ones to push themselves too far to get something they know their worth but won’t sacrifice themselves to get anything. And lastly Joe is drawn to a loving person; someone that he feels this soul connection to. He craves to be loved and cared for by his partner; they show him that they are happy to have him as theirs and he wants to know he can be loved.

Oracle card: not enough - I’ve drawn this card a dozen times for Joe and I feel it’s most representative of how he feels with himself and who he wants; he’s not good enough for them. The type of person Joe would love to be with is so intimidating to Joe that he’s feeling insecure and like he is wasting his time pursuing it. So he just doesn’t try; he will either settle for less than what he wants or deserves or just doesn’t date period.

What type of person is drawn towards Joe: ace of swords pentacles, 9 of pentacles reversed, queen of swords reversed - Joe seems to get the type of people who are like “yeah sure whatever” without caring who they have or they’re using him for their own personal gain. This could be for attention now that he’s in the spotlight or it could be to make someone else jealous. With that Queen of swords in reverse I get the sense he always gets some toxic person who makes those views he has of himself even harder to shake. These people will date him but they don’t really love him.

Oracle card: blowing kiss, camera - with these two and the above cards as they are placed I feel like Joe wants that love and affection he had from a previous relationship he had with someone but now it’s all just in his mind. He’s thinking of that and maybe he’s drawing people who pick up on that and he sees something that his former partner had in this new potential relationship. It starts off like they’re obsessed and drawn to him but then it’s a distant memory and he’s lost again.

What is Joe looking for in a relationship: 6 of pentacles, 2 of swords reversed, the moon - I think Joe wants to just have someone who can give him the love or attention he’s looking for and that’s caused some confusion within him about what a relationship should be. These confusing ideas may also mean Joe is not really wanting anything serious in a relationship right now because he doesn’t feel sure of himself and isn’t ready to be in a relationship that will lead to something more than just a couple dates or something.

Oracle card: teddy bear - Joe wants to be loved; like a bear Joe wants someone to hug him and be there when he needs them. I’m getting a feeling that Joe can be quite clingy when he’s in love with someone and loves to snuggle or just wrap up in them because they make him feel safe. That’s what a teddy bear does for a child and that’s what Joe wants; to feel safe in love again.

Does Joe have any plans to settle down one day: 3 of cups, the hanged man reversed, the sun, no - Joe definitely wants his own family. He’s loves the idea of that and it’s something he’s always wanted but right now he’s not feeling like he can do that or that he will be able to have a family; but with that no card it says this blew up in his face. I’m feeling Joe may have wanted a family with someone very specific and things didn’t work out; he still loves the idea but he thinks he’s too messed up and no one wants a family with him.

Oracle card: coffee cup - for having a family Joe is thinking about it but right now he’s just trying to enjoy his life he has and do things he can before trying that again. He’s a 30 year old guy who is new to the fame and is getting his feet wet.

What is Joe’s love language: gift giving, quality time, physical touch - Joe will spoil whoever he loves by making sure they have all they need and he can be there with them whenever he is able to. He doesn’t like to be away from those he loves and craves their presence with him as much as he can have it. He also is a very physical guy; like holding hands with them, hugging them, kisses and cuddling. (Personally the 5 love languages all seem to suit him in some way so it’s up for grabs what his primary one is)

#tarot reading #celebrity tarot #tarot #joe quinn #joseph quinn #eddie munson #eric a quiet place day one #emperor geta #johnny storm #human torch #stranger things #a quiet place day one #gladiator 2 #fantastic four first steps

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5ummit · 3 days ago

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Thank you.

The data collection method is not simply a minor difference of opinion. It's not just that I personally would have done it a little differently. Their data straight up does NOT represent what it claims to represent (in their own words: "the most popular relationship tags on AO3 in the period Jan-Dec 2024"). More importantly and why I've been so "mean" about it, centreoftheselights knows this and continually chooses to obscure that fact because they know that what it does represent is (1) much harder to explain, (2) of limited interest and use, and (3) wouldn't get them as much attention and praise.

When your data is being seen and used by millions of people to do analysis and draw conclusions about the current state of fandom (there are people loudly and publicly celebrating "the death of destiel" because it's not on The List despite it still being the 11th most written ship in 2024), it's no longer just a fun personal project where you get a pass to do whatever you want, misinformation and lies be damned. As OTNF said, someone in that position has an ethical duty to present their data as clearly as possible and help their audience understand what it actually says, not what they want it to say.

If I've got to be a little over-the-top and "mean" to get people to pay attention and prevent the further spread of misinformation, so be it.

And while we're responding to accusations of unnecessary meanness in the tags, I want to address this one too since I've seen multiple people, including centreoftheselights, argue these points and it drives me insane:

Sticking to the same erroneous and misleading methodology year after year for the sake of consistency is not a virtue. Will people always find a way to misuse stats? Of course. That's why it's the duty of the person presenting the data to do everything in their power to prevent that misuse and misinterpretation upfront and centreoftheselights has failed in that duty miserably. It's abundantly clear that 99% of people who see these stats do not understand what they actually mean (and why would they when the author is obscuring the truth at best and lying at worst). Any sane and decent person who saw this much confusion and misinterpretation would be apologetic and change their behavior. Instead, they brush off people's valid concerns and double down.

I absolutely do not condone harassment. Nobody should verbally assault, or god forbid, dox anyone over fucking fandom statistics. But questioning an extremely influential "statistician" and holding them publicly accountable for spreading misinformation, especially when they continually refuse to take accountability and show zero remorse for their actions, is not harassment.

Not really.

Part of being ethical in presenting data is helping your audience understand what the data actually say. It is blindingly obvious that the audience of the annual ship stats thinks they represent what fics got written that year. Since that's not the data being pursued, it ought to be in bold text at the top of every chart, not in an FAQ.

If the point is that net gain/loss is interesting, that should be telegraphed much more clearly.

Doing otherwise is tantamount to intentionally misleading the audience.

It is not mean to say so.

#drama in the statistics fandom #ao3 #ao3 stats #fandom #my words

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liaragaming · 2 days ago

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I've seen so many posts about how Varric's death is cheap, a poor twist, disrespectful to his character, etc. But I can't disagree harder.

First off, there seems to be an idea in Fandom that characters can only die in ways that matter or are effective in order for a death to be "respectful." And it's such a shallow way of looking at death. I get the idea of Varric dying for "nothing" being upsetting. But that doesn't make the manner of his death "disrespectful" to who he is.

Varric 100% walks into the situation with Solas knowing he could die and deciding that the risk is worth it. He cares about Solas. He has to try to help him. And if he plays with his life, then he's willing to do that. Varric would happily pay that cost for the sake of a friend.

The fact that his death happens in a manner that he chooses and is 100% in line with his character... I don't know how you get more respectful than that. Varric has always been willing to bend over backwards for his friends - secretly paying off the Carta to keep Anders and Merrill safe during DA2, admitting to Inky in DAI that he's a terrible spy master because he has to make sure everyone's families are okay. Varric cares SO MUCH. Of course, he'd willingly give his life trying to sway Solas. It doesn't matter that he wasn't successful in that attempt. What matters is that he tried. He's willing to risk it all and pays the price, and he still tells Rook to try to talk Solas down. Because that's who Varric is.

Varric's death is fucking perfect. I'm sorry.

As far as the "twist" of Varric's death, I agree the twist of "he's been dead the whole time" in and of itself rings hollow. But I don't believe that's why the devs wanted Rook believing Varric is still alive.

The point is that Rook needs Varric. There's so many times that they go to him for advice and support. And there's dialogue options between them that show Rook wasn't ready for the responsibility of leading the team. In the Fade, they tell him they couldn't have done all this without him (to which Varric replies they already did). Even when they believe Varric is in the infirmary, they tell Varric they're only taking over until he gets better. At other talks, they'll mention needing him out in the field. The point of Varric being secretly dead the whole time allows Rook an outlet for voicing their insecurities.

Rook believing Varric is alive also enables them to push forward and lead the team because they believe they're only doing so temporarily. And they aren't dealing with the grief of Varric's passing like Harding is. They think Varric will get back up and take over soon, and that enables them to step up in a way that no one else could have.

Varric's death is 100% true to character

Rook thinking Varric is alive allows them to (1) go to him with their doubts; (2) tackle their fear of being in charge, believing it will only be temporary; and (3) be on task without needing to grieve first.

Rook believing Varric is alive allows a first-time player of Dragon Age to connect with Varric rather than having someone they don't know die at the beginning with no emotional pay out.

I personally think the way Varric's death is handled is hecking brilliant.

#varric thetras #veilguard thoughts #varric's death #dragon age the veilguard spoilers

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aaakikoo · 2 days ago

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AOT MEN,

what do they get jealous of?

summary -> what makes them jealous basically

paring(s) -> levi, eren (1) , armin, jean, connie (2) x f!reader

an -> levi is the only one with the normal verse, sorry! also haven’t posted in a while so enjoy this while i make pt 2 RQ

warnings -> pet names?, cursing, jealousy obv, tell me if i missed any lol

this is part 2, jean, armin and connie. here is part one.

JEAN KIRSCHTEIN: modern AU

jean doesnt like when another guy makes you laugh, he thinks its his job to put a smile on your face.

it was a saturday early afternoon, around 1pm. you and jean planned a park date, only little issue is that you were called in to your part time at a coffee shop very early in the morning. luckily, it was only a 6 hour shift, from 7am-1pm. jean was driving his car to pick you up.

he parked carefully in front of the shop, got out locking his car. hands in his black sweats, wearing a comfy pair of NewBalance sneakers. he opened the door gently and got in, scanning the place for you.

he didnt quite see you, but your laughter triggered his ears, he turned towards the sound, you were standing behind a little wall, wiping a table. you werent alone, along another co-worker, he was wiping the floor.

"no fucking way" you said laughing so hard tears began forming your eyes, the guy was adding on the joke, making you laugh harder, at one point you had to take a seat. as you sat continuing to laugh, jean walked up from behind, almost surprising you.

"hi baby" you said, getting up to hug him tightly, "hey, is your shift over?" he asked as he held your shoulder, "yep, ill just finish wiping, change and ill be out"

he hummed, but it got a little quiet. so you introduced your co-worker to jean, "oh jean this is one of my work buddies, his name is kai, hes around our age, and loves pottery."

"alright, y/n" kai said chuckling a little bit, "no need to tell my entire life story" he said, it was pretty quiet as jean didnt say much, "nice to meet you, man. y/n has told me a little about you," the situation was tense, kai looked at you to try ease the situation, "oh yeah, baby i forgot to mention, hes also very gay." jean visibly relaxed at that, even though he tried to play cool.

kai stretched his hand to greet jean, jean took his hand and introduced himself. "my name is jean, nice to meet you too."

"alright ill go inside" you said leaving the two guys standing alone, you hoped they will at least exchange a couple sentences and initiate some small talk. you changed from your uniform into a black skirt, and knee-high boots, you grabbed your shoulder bag and exited.

you walked towards jean, kai was standing by the cashing machine. "im done" you said looking up at him rubbing his back gently, he took your hand in his and walked towards the door, you both walked towards the car, he opened the passenger seat for you as you got in.

"did you get all the stuff?" you asked as he got in the driver seat, "yep i did" he said, closing his door, grabbing your thigh, "are you okay?" you asked him, while stroking his cheek with your index finger, he grabbed your hand and kissing it, "im perfectly fine, baby" he said, smiling at you, you returned the smile as he bagan driving.

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ARMIN ARLERT: modern AU

what gets on armins nerves is when someone tries to teach you something that he is perfectly capable of doing so himself, especially academically.

you were sitting in class next to reiner, as the professor levi was explaining todays lecture on the smart board. your best friend sasha was sitting a couple seats away with her friend connie. while your boyfriend armin was a few seats ahead with eren.

after professor levi had finished explaning he gave the students a 10 minute break. you were pretty confused about something he had explained. you turned to your sitting mate, reiner.

"hey reiner, do you know how to do task 5B, it says to find the shortest distance between a point and a line in 3D space. " you asked as his attention shifted to you, "oh yeah, they kinda work in a special way, you have to position the point, lets call it P, as (x1, y1, z1) because its a 3D space, the formula is this-"

"hey, whats going on here?" a voice interrupted reiner, "yo armin, just explaining something y/n didnt get during the lecture"

"what does y/n not understand?" he had the sickening sweet voice that he uses when he tries hard to fake something, you looked at him, and said "well this task," he snatched the pencil from reiner and the paper from your desk, he began explaining it to you instead, completely forgetting about reiner, you looked at reiner yourself with an awkward smile.

luckily he fully understood you and his attention shifted when annie called his name from behind.

while you were distracted, armin was explaining the task to you, "so baby, do you get it now?" he asked as he looked up at you, "huh? oh, armin, thank you, baby" you said grabbing the pencil from him.

"is everything okay?" you said lowering your voice so only he could hear it. "yes why wouldnt everything be?" he said trying to cover up for himself. "armin, dont even try to play with me right now." he looked at you defeated, "look i know i shouldnt look to deep into it, but its oddly uncomfortable when someone else other than me, helps you with school and stuff like that...." he said also lowering his voice, "sorry y/n. what i did was very passive aggressive, and very rude to reiner."

"armin, its okay. reiner understands, and you can relax your shoulders, reiner isnt interested in me and im not either, he was simply helping me and you shouldnt look to deep into it." you said smiling at him fixing his messy hair.

"alright then, come to my dorm later and i can explain vectors properly to you." he suggested as he leaned in and kissed your cheek, "sure thing, baby" he said grabbing your hand, guiding your to eren and mikasa to spend the remaining of the break with you.

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CONNIE SPRINGER: modern AU

connie doesnt like when you play video games alone with other guys. he would want to play with him, or with you and your other friends.

you and him were on a date today, he dropped you at your apartment and drove to his. when he came back, showered, and ate an energy bar as a snack, he wanted to get on the game with his friends.

he opened his discord to see that both you and jean were online, he texted jean a: "wanna hop on?" message. jean responded almost immediately. "me and your girl happened to be playing at the same time, ill add you to the VC"

once connie was added he heard your sweet voice greet him, "hey fine man" you said and him returning it.

"do you guys wanna play COD?" connie asked, both you and jean agreeing.

after a couple hours of gaming and having fun jean had to excuse himself. "ait, ill catch ya later costantine constance connie" jean said clearly poking fun at his friend, "yo drop that shit, man. ima pull up and we gon fight" connie responded sarcastically. "shiver me timbers. bye y/n" jean said leaving the call.

"connieeee" you said as the call got quiet. "whats up baby?" he responded, "come over, i miss you"

"we were just together the entire day," he said chuckling, leaving the game. "not enough, take me to pound town tonight pretty please." you said pleaing him, knowing that you dont have to ask twice before he shows up at your apartment.

"bet, only if you play games with me more often"

"BET, now come over fine man, lemme eat you up."

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