#it's not fun watching the fighting scenes

[daisymbin]

too handsome! - kim mingyu

warnings: alcohol & a bantering boogyu

pairings: kim mingyu x reader

genre: silly drunk confessions? friends to lovers!

wc: 1.1k

a/n: i can't believe this is the end of the drunken confessions series. I hope you had as much fun reading the series as I did writing them!! 🤍

drunken confessions series

check out my masterlist!

you didn’t know what was more of a surprise: the sight of kim mingyu sprawled out on the living room floor, head resting against a pillow that had somehow found its way under him, or the fact that he was currently singing—if you could even call it that—an off-key rendition of a song you were pretty sure didn’t exist.

“mingyu?” you called out, stepping inside and carefully setting down the takeout bags you’d brought. “what... what happened here?”

seungkwan, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch with a resigned expression, gave you a look that screamed exasperation. “oh, thank god. finally. please come take care of your pouty big baby.”

you let out a laugh, glancing between him and mingyu. “what’s wrong with him?”

“what’s wrong with me?” mingyu repeated, his voice slurred but full of mock offense. he pushed himself up onto his elbows, glaring at you through half-lidded eyes. “you’re what’s wrong with me! you took forever! i almost died waiting.”

seungkwan let out an exaggerated groan. “he’s been whining for the past hour,” he said, waving a hand at mingyu. “going on and on about how you abandoned him and how the world is unfair and how he’s too handsome to suffer like this.”

“i am too handsome to suffer like this,” mingyu insisted, turning his pout on seungkwan. “look at me! i should be cherished, not left here to rot.”

joshua, who had been watching the whole scene unfold from the armchair, chuckled. “well, you know what a good bottle of whiskey does to him,” he said. “he doesn’t know how much he’s drinking until it’s too late.”

mingyu dramatically clutched his chest, letting out a loud, theatrical sigh. “betrayed by whiskey, yet again. the tragedy of my life.”

you couldn’t help but laugh, stepping closer to your overly dramatic best friend. “mingyu,” you said gently, kneeling beside him. “you’re not dying, okay? i’m here now.”

he looked up at you with wide, glassy eyes and a pout that would have melted even the coldest heart. “you’re finally here,” he whined, folding his arms. “but you were late! so late. and i was lonely.”

“i was gone for, like, an hour,” you pointed out, trying to keep your voice steady despite the giggles threatening to burst out.

“an hour is basically a lifetime,” mingyu shot back, flopping onto his back with another dramatic sigh. “you’re lucky i’m forgiving. but just so you know, i expect you to grovel.”

“grovel?” you repeated, an incredulous laugh escaping your lips. “for what?”

“for breaking my heart,” he declared, pointing a shaky finger at you. “and leaving me here with seungkwan and his terrible attitude.”

seungkwan gasped, placing a hand over his chest as if he’d been mortally wounded. “my terrible attitude? excuse me, i’m the only one keeping you from full-on sobbing and ruining the carpet. show some respect, kim mingyu!”

mingyu stuck out his tongue, earning a scandalized gasp from seungkwan. “you see this?” seungkwan turned to you, his expression as dramatic as ever. “this is what i have to deal with. he’s insufferable.”

“you’re insufferable,” mingyu shot back, though his words came out slightly slurred. “and mean. so mean. you should be nicer to me, seungkwan. i’m fragile.”

“fragile?” seungkwan repeated, looking like he might burst out laughing. “you’re built like a damn tank. the only thing fragile here is your ego.”

mingyu groaned, pressing his hands over his face, leaning closer to you. “ugh! see? he’s so mean. you should comfort me.”

“okay, okay,” you said, fighting back a smile as you knelt down beside mingyu. “i’m here to comfort you. no more bullying.”

mingyu peeked at you through his fingers, his lips forming a pout. “you always know how to make me feel better,” he mumbled, his voice soft. “even when i don’t deserve it.”

“what do you mean?” you asked, your smile fading slightly at the seriousness in his tone.

mingyu sighed, lowering his hands from his face. “you’re always there for me,” he said, his eyes growing glassy. “even when i’m annoying and whiny and... and so obviously in love with you.”

your breath caught in your throat. “what?”

his eyes widened in horror, and he immediately clamped a hand over his mouth. “what,” he mumbled through his fingers, panic flashing across his face. “uh-”

“mingyu,” you said, your heart pounding. “what did you just say?”

seungkwan’s jaw dropped, an "oh my god, he's stupid." slips out before he clapped a hand over his own mouth to keep from screaming. joshua leaned forward, eyes wide with disbelief.

mingyu, looking utterly betrayed by his own mouth, let out a strangled laugh. “um... surprise?”

you stared at him, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions flooding through you. “you... you’re in love with me?”

he groaned, dropping his head back onto the pillow. “i didn’t mean to say that,” he muttered, his voice muffled. “this is the worst. the absolute worst.”

“mingyu,” you said softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. “do you really mean it?”

he lifted his head just enough to look at you, his eyes filled with a mix of vulnerability and hope. “yeah,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “i really mean it. but if you don’t feel the same, please just pretend i never said anything. i can’t lose you.”

your heart swelled, and a smile slowly spread across your face. “you big, dramatic idiot,” you whispered. “how can i not?”

mingyu’s eyes lit up, and a slow, disbelieving grin spread across his face. “wait... really?”

“really,” you said, laughing as you cupped his face in your hands. “i like you, too.”

he let out a joyous, relieved laugh, grabbing your hands and pulling you into a tight hug. “this is the best day of my life,” he declared, his voice muffled against your shoulder.

“even though you embarrassed yourself in front of seungkwan and joshua?” you teased, pulling back to look at him.

he shrugged, a sassy grin spreading across his lips. “worth it,” he said, winking at you. “besides, i’m too handsome to be embarrassed for long.”

“oh my god, yeah and you're too handsome to be this oblivious yet here we are.” seungkwan groaned, throwing a pillow at mingyu. “get a room, you two! or better yet, get him to stop being so annoying & shut his mouth.”

mingyu caught the pillow and smirked, hugging it to his chest. “never,” he shot back, winking at you again. “being annoying is part of my charm, right?”

you laughed, feeling your heart swell with affection. “right,” you said softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

and as mingyu beamed at you, looking happier than you’d ever seen him. he's too handsome not to be loved, right?

[monophobix]

INITIAL THOUGHTS ON ARCANE SEASON 2 ACT 1 (EPISODES 1-3)

(i’m not good at putting my thoughts into words so feel free to give your own opinions, i rlly wanna hear them)

SPOILERS AHEAD///

ok so my biggest critique is the pacing. everything is very quick very fast and a lot is going on. i understand that this is immediately after a large event which of course caused a reaction however it was just very intense and a lot to keep up with especially considering the amount of new and confusing things introduced throughout the three episodes with minimal slow down. it was alittle difficult to keep up. the timeline of the show is confusing and i have no idea how long it has been between scenes. viktor was barely in that weird healing chamber for a few scenes before he was emerging as someone new. caitlyn and vi were going from loving to fighting to understanding to fighting again very quickly with little time to develop independently, their kiss and divorce weren’t even 30 minutes apart from each other. also, who the fuck is this kid hanging around with jinx?? why is she following her, why doesn’t she talk, what’s her name, how long has she been with her?? this lack of time to let things develop has caused these episodes to feel rushed.

with this introduction of many new things some have left me with a lot of questions. my biggest issue revolves around the arcane. i literally do not recall it being mentioned or being an important topic in s1 but all of a sudden jayce knows a fuck ton about it as well as heimerdinger? when did he learn this? i assume it’s from viktors notes and research but that still fails to cover the amount of knowledge jayce now possesses.

HOWEVER THE ARCANE IS VERY COOL AND IM VERY VERY INVESTED. i absolutely love the changes to viktor, his weird apathy and changes are definitely rushed but so interesting to see, his design and behaviour are so very compelling and im very excited to see the development. additionally, this group dynamic between jayce, ekko and heimerdinger is soooooo fun. it offers a break from the intensity with some silliness i think is desperately needed, plus it’s super satisfying to see the trio bounce off each other. that final scene of them in ep3 was visually incredible and i loved seeing the effects upon the hextech weapons during the jinx, sevika vs vi, caitlyn fight. the scene of viktor amongst the shimmer infected was very interesting and it was so cool to truly see the severe effects of shimmer and the inhumanity of viktor is making a clear route towards his glorious evolution which is am keen to watch.

that ambessa reveal at the end was INCREDIBLE. i genuinely didn’t see it coming and it made my jaw DROP. the quiet, smart suspicion from mel is always incredible to see, her political mind and morals conflicting is so very engaging and she’s really developing into herself in these episodes which was a joy to witness. the mystery of her brother is compelling and links well through s1 and s2 to make the storyline fun to follow. i also simply must compliment the designs revolving around the noxians and animal-esque (sorry idk what they’re called) people. the absolute variety and inspiration from real life cultures is beautiful to see. i am incredibly confused about the magic and that one lady (amara?) but i assume that’ll be answered in later episodes.

jinx is not looking good lmao. i love her design being so corpse-like and deathly, it really fits well and really embraces the differences between powder and jinx. but i do wish we saw more of her. i see her actions but i lack understanding for some of them, primarily revolving around the child (isha?) and why the kids even there but the newfound bond between sevika and jinx is refreshing to see. the scene of them in silcos old office brought a smile to my face and the design of that fucking arm is soooo cool i love the clownish purely jinx vibe to it.

caitlyn is probably the stand out character so far (plus maybe viktor). her absolute grief and seeing her facade break down throughout the episodes was heartbreaking, the tentative yet conflicting moments of softness with vi were beautiful yet had that perfect undercurrent of tragedy that arcane masters so well. her rage and break up with vi was easy to see coming yet so incredibly jarring to watch, that harsh and merciless behaviour is so different from s1, the development is well done and a morbid pleasure to see. and that final episode. oh my. the shock to acceptance of darkness was fantastic, ambessa truly is a master at manipulating weakness in even the strongest of people and seeing this duo is going to be so soul crushing that i’m itching for more.

vi felt very rushed to me and alittle dry? idk why tho i can’t really explain it. i understand her choices but it felt like something was missing until that final scene with cait. that was an absolute masterpiece. seeing her realising that the horrors of war is corrupting everyone around her and pleading for it to please not happen is so so SO fucking sad and my heart was breaking. i loved seeing her moral strength and solidity to her values which has always been a key part of her character so i appreciate the consistency. idk why something about her was just… different.

the opening scene was incredible. the absolute horror of it was so clear and i was literally shaking the entire time. 10/10 opening.

overall, i hope things slow down alittle but i greatly enjoyed season 2 and im very excited to see the characters develop and to see even more of this beautiful world.

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[Spoilers below cut]

save me SMG4 episode save me

(the following is my live reaction:)

moo-stache moo-stache moo-stache

why do I feel like Pedro's going to be here?

"bruh Pedro was just a one-time thing." they literally killed off Mickey, ANYTHING can happen

KAIZO YOU'RE BACK HI

OMG please tell me someone from the Team saw this fan animation and put it in the episode as a nod to the animator, that would be awesome!!!

btw great fan animation, go check it out if you haven't [link]

YAYYYY, c'mon Mario you gotta spend time with your brother :)

also I need to find a playthrough of this game while I work

whoops my hand slipped [*makes 4 say "I should've chosen the USB over you, 3"*] :)

Hey Shroomy :D ....oh *western spaghetti flashbacks*

like seriously, I can't hear that audio the same way again

helicopter helicopter (copter)

oh hey swag *he fades away* NOOOOOO

well, digging did (mostly, sorta) help the last episode

OMG HI HI HI MY SILLIES

Three, why are you here if you think it's stupid? unless... 🫵 🏳️‍🌈⁉️

it's giving "I'm only here to support my boyfriend's interests", like I'm starting to believe that they truly are dating behind the scenes

they're on a date, your honor 💙💜

and there they go bickering again smh /affectionate

I'd like to think that ever since Four drives a forklift, that's just his method of transportation. screw the car, we're taking this baby out for a spin :)

Mario, you need to be ✨forklift certified✨

sorry, just Three's gayass poses give me life

actually yeah why is the line not moving?

the boys :)

also that walk animation tho

HOW LONG IS THIS LINE?!

also c'mon Three, show us your dance moves :D

oooooh that editing i love that

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING

now that they've mentioned it, why are there so many conventions happening at the same time? hmmmmm *game theory theme starts playing*

SMG3: "Maybe they're lining up to go to your mom's house. That line's usually pretty long." DAYUM THREE

"the line doesn't end" ayo wtf????

shroomy, you've eaten mushrooms before and you had no problem with that

....it really is the end of the world huh

ONE WEEK LATER?!?!?!?

"there is no end" "the end will come" me, sitting in the corner: hmmmmmmmmm

whelp, it's confirmed, I kin Four now

Three's not going coo co crazy, he's just vibin' :)

THIS IS WARRRRRR

this whole fighting scene omg it's SO good!

....WOTFI? ok no :P

AWWW THAT WAS ACTUALLY SWEET DUDE

CAN WE PLEASE GET A HUG? FOR ME SPECIFICALLY?

.... yeah uh Boopkins, you're going to have to explain what the hell you mean by that

not that it's surprising, we've been through a lot. just another Tuesday (or Saturday in this case)

MY HEART CAN'T TAKE ALL THIS FLUFF

HUG HUG HUG

THAT'S MY BOYS

RAVE PARTY [*dances*]

....sonic, is that you? sorry, my mind is still in the sonadow generations phase so I can't unsee them

:O wait, Boopkins, what did you mean by that?

MARTY?!?!? WTF

SMG4: "Don't worry, Mario. There's one way we can fix this." Beat the shit out of him...? YEAH I KNEW IT HAHA

*explodes*

and congrats to samgagmincho for your art featured at the end credits 🎉

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

This was a fun episode, I loved it!! Seeing my boys is always a plus and I appreciate the return of some side characters. With how the world is right now, I really needed this episode. So, thanks Team, for keeping my spirits up.

I just enjoyed watching my silly little guys doing silly little adventures. Traffic is a nightmare so I don't blame Mario in the slightest. Anyway, 3 and 4, how was your date? /silly

Can we just talk about the animation? It was so good!!! You really see the quality they put in, especially in that fighting scene. I didn't expect MARTY of all people to be the cause of all this. I honestly thought it was going to be a gag of something harmless just being in the middle of the road for no reason (like a turtle or smth) and the Crew being like "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!" but NOPE, Marty was here and apparently A SORCERER?! I really shouldn't be surprised, what am I talking about here. And ofc the OG duo immediately beating the shit out of him is so fucking funny to me. He didn't die (I know that), but he's definitely going to be more relevant in the future.

...puzzlevision 2? ok I'm sorry

SMG4 show and jokes aside, I hope you all are ok. No matter what happens, we'll stick together. Don't give them the satisfaction that they want. You aren't alone, and we'll keep on fighting.

Going to be a Sonic fan here, Sonic 06 is famously known to be... augh. But there is a good moment with Shadow that I think is relevant now:

Mephiles (the villain of the game): "It's futile. The world will betray you. Why fight at all? Why risk your life for those who will persecute you later?" Shadow: "If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have."

Take care, my dear fellows, and I'll see you all in my next post!! Hmmm, there is "no end" [*game theory intro plays*]

[thanks-for-the-crabapples]

Initial thoughts while watching arcane s2 act 1, spoilers below

Ep 1:

Literally in disbelief that Mel ended up alive, surely thought they were going to kill her and thus spark off Ambessa's arc

Absolutely unhinged that Viktor's last wish was for Jayce to destroy the hexcore and he uses it to save his life. There will surely be no repercussions from this action

Caitlyn and Vi hugging stfuuuuuuu

I really wish we had gotten to see Caitlyn defending Vi to the Enforcers instead of just hearing about it. I think that would've been really helpful for Cait's arc as well as made their future rift more impactful :/

That chem baron attack had me on the edge of my seat !! If they actually killed Mel in that moment I would've been so mad that I wondered about her for three years then found out she was alive then saw her die.... not yet at least :|

Okay but was the chem baron lady always that fit? Like,,,,hello

Cait and Vi fighting together is *chef's kiss*

Made a joke that Ambessa was late to the party cause she was watching her own music video to hype herself up. If only :(

Caitlyn storming in and claiming herself as a decorated officer and leader of House Kiramman to get her way holyyyyyy shit girl get it

Ep 2

These little differently animated opens are so slay

Very fun to see behind the curtain of this power grab. Love Sevika saying they don't give up their own people. She has changed somehow??

Super fun watching Sevika and Jinx reminisce about being Silco's henchwomen. They say behind every strong man, lol

Viktor waking up?!?!? Hehe he's nakey. They made Jayce give him a blanket so we wouldn't know about his arcane pee pee, sad

Affection that held us together??? Yaoi

They just love throwing more and more irreparable moments at Vi and Jinx's relationship huh? Talking about the arcade and how sad Jinx was to see Vi as an Enforcer using the gas :((((

Caitlyn's rage??? Okay girl go off. Let us see your rage. I support women's wrongs

Jinx's line about taking out the only family she has left kill me

Viktor as Jesus is not what I was expecting but I'm here for it

Ep 3:

So fascinated by the Kiramman lore and The Gray

Also, just have to say that the intro is so good and I never would have expected comfortable clothes for everyone but it's giving. Whoever put Cait in a black turtle neck thank youuuu

*kinda blacked out and missed stuff in this episode cause* CAITVI KISS LETS GO HAJAFHSJSKFK

Scientist team up is delightful

Definitely thought the temple fight was gonna be ep 9, very interesting fight and dynamic, it makes me very sad :(

"You're not my sister" ahhhhhhhh

I've taken ventilation classes before and idk how Jinx made the air do that lol

Cait and Vi break up scene, hundreds dead thousands injured. It's me, I'm dead

I'm so ready to witness all of Caitlyn's wrongs

Def blacked out most of ep 3 and missed quite a bit of note taking cause so much was happening. Can't wait to go back and process it all again. Until then I'm going to keep wallowing

[birdies-blog1]

Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII

Issue #2 Review

This issue is a lot of fun. I highly recommend. It starts with Wolverine following a trail left for him by Deadpool, leading him to this place where rich people are paying for entertainment. We discover here that they’ve scrambled Wade’s brain even more, turning him into their personal fighting machine. After the two of them deck it out, they are banished to the tundra, where they’re still being watched by the rich people, as their personal entertainment. They are starving and cold and have to result to cannibalism to stay alive. The longer they’re there, the more Wade comes back to himself. Eventually the scientist who experimented on Wade shows up with another experiment to kill them, because the show is getting boring.

Rating: 7/10

+1 for awesome fight scenes

-1 for brainwashing

+1 for caring Wolverine

+1 for Deadpool looking up to Wolverine

+2 quotable moments

+2 cute Wolverine panels

+1 for cannibalism

[zeronetxt]

who is ur fav bsd character, and whats ur fav headcanon for them?

I have multiple, but I'll answer with the reason I started watching BSD

✨Chuuya Nakahara✨

I relate to him on a vertical level and that's why I kin him HA

He's probably queer (i say that as a queer person myself)

Not necessarily gay or trans, he might be somewhere on the aro/ace spectrum (I am)

He's a tough guy badass who is lowk a bit built, but he probably has a Hello Kitty collection

Or maybe a Pochacco or Pompompurin collection since he a dog lover

Speaking of dogs, he pets stray dogs

He didn't keep growing because he didn't have the genetic ability to (idk how to explain this one well, but in his backstory when he came from a void and he technically a god bod)

He actually respects the ADA (except for that one bandaged dude)

He would honestly fight Tetchou (Tecchou, however you spell it, Tetchō) for custody over Kenji (sibling fun time)

(i feel like i'm just gna base this off a kenji and chuuya bonding session) Chuuya would be scared of cows if they misbehave (but he doesn't want to look bad so he bottles it up and tries not to cry about it later)

PM redheads probably have a GC

not even a hc, i LOVE corruption chuuya he's just badass

probably learned how to ride a motorbike during his time in the sheep, but idk driving law in japan, so he probably never got to ride one until he joined the port mafia

And probably my fav headcanon would be Chuuya and Ranpo get along despite their time in Poe's novel (he also likes the nickname Ranpo gave him)

Like that one scene from Lilo and Stitch, "She thinks it's fancy?" would so apply (and just fyi, I think it's fancy too)

but yeah, i think those would be some of my fav hcs but then again, i just woke up and my brain is mush rn hehe i might do a ranpo one later l

[b1xi]

───𝘊𝘜𝘗𝘐𝘋───ハイキュー!!

Haikyuu(ハイキュー!!)x fem!reader

Word count: 4242

𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

"Hinata-san, slow down! You could fall," you warned, trying to keep up as you ran alongside him towards the gym. His speed was impressive, and you found yourself dodging other students in the crowded hallway, struggling not to lose sight of him.

"Then I'll get my revenge on that King!" Hinata shouted with determination, making an energetic leap just before reaching the gym entrance.

You watched the scene in disbelief. "Is he really having an internal monologue right now...?" you murmured to yourself, almost amused by his intensity. But before you could fully process it, Hinata came to a sudden stop at the entrance, and you found yourself halting abruptly beside him, trying to catch your breath.

"Now what...?" you muttered, frustrated, as you noticed the reason for his sudden stop. Inside the gym, a tall boy with black hair was looking at both of you with an expression that was somewhere between confusion and disapproval, as if he’d just found a pair of intruders in his territory. Catching his gaze, you quickly tried to fix your messy hair after the run, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Hinata, for his part, wore an expression that seemed like a strange mix of dread and restrained excitement. As if facing his greatest challenge, he stayed silent, his eyes locked on the tall boy in front of you, clearly caught up in some kind of internal conflict.

"What are you doing here?!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the empty gym. It seemed like he was facing some kind of nemesis.

You watched the scene with a mix of curiosity and discomfort, wondering what kind of relationship existed between them. "Do you know each other?" you asked, trying to understand the situation, but Hinata, absorbed in his standoff, seemed to ignore your question entirely.

The tall boy, who was looking at you both with a calm but cold expression, finally spoke, his words direct and emotionless. "I saw you last year," he said in a tone that showed disinterest, barely looking at Hinata. "I don’t remember your name."

Hinata, however, didn’t let the comment slide. "My name is Shoyo Hinata!" he retorted, indignant, raising his voice. "I doubt you remember the team you beat in the first match!"

You looked at Hinata, finally understanding the origin of his hostility. The rivalry between them didn’t seem recent; there was a history that still weighed on his mind. But the tall boy, unfazed, calmly interrupted him before Hinata could continue.

"Of course I remember you," he said in a quiet but firm voice.

"What?" Hinata clenched his fists, taking a fighting stance that was more clumsy than intimidating. "Do you want to fight?" he challenged, oblivious to the fact that the height and strength difference between them didn’t play in his favor. You could see that, even though he was angry, Hinata didn’t realize just how disadvantaged he was.

"Hinata-san!" you intervened, fearing more for him than for his opponent. You knew well that the tall boy had the ability to turn your friend into rubble if he decided to take the provocation seriously.

The tall boy observed him in silence for a moment, showing not the slightest emotion, before letting his words fall with unyielding harshness. "You were pathetic," he said bluntly, and although he said it with absolute calm, the comment seemed to hang in the air, freezing it.

Hinata, still frowning and with clenched fists, seemed torn between frustration and determination. His initial surprise had given way to a mix of disbelief and restrained anger. "D-don’t make fun of me!" he exclaimed, clearly upset. "Yeah, we got crushed last time, but I’m not going to lose again! It’s something I promised myself…" His words came out rushed, but the firmness in his voice was unmistakable. However, soon something else crossed his mind, and he added, with the tone of someone trying to understand the impossible, "But…what are you doing here? How am I supposed to beat you if we’re on the same team? You should be at a school with a good team!"

You were surprised by Hinata’s sincerity. The intensity of his frustration spoke of something deeper; it seemed like this boy meant much more to him than just a simple rival.

The tall boy let out a sigh filled with resignation and bitterness. "The best school in the prefecture rejected me," he confessed, not bothering to hide his disappointment.

The revelation left both of you speechless. Hinata and you exchanged a glance, trying to process what that implied. How was it possible that someone with such a commanding presence on the court hadn’t been accepted onto a major team?

"They…they didn’t accept you?" The question escaped your lips before you thought it through, while Hinata, even more perplexed, exclaimed in confusion, "Even though you’re the 'King of the Court'?"

"King of the Court." The nickname echoed in your mind, strange and a bit grandiose. But seeing the hardened expression on the tall boy’s face, you had no doubt that, to him, that title was both a distinction and a burden.

The mention of the "King of the Court" had clearly caused annoyance in the tall boy, who frowned angrily and shot you both a withering look. "Don’t ever call me that again!" he growled, leaving a palpable tension in the air that unsettled both Hinata and you.

Before you could respond, voices filtered in from the nearby hallway, approaching quickly.

"The Kitagawa’s first setter is on our team," said a deep voice, with a mocking tone, "but he’s arrogant."

"Don’t try to intimidate him, all right," another voice chimed in, softer but carrying a slight reprimand.

Hinata, always brimming with enthusiasm, looked toward the hallway, completely curious. "What’s going on?" he murmured to you, edging closer, but stopped when he saw that the conversation continued.

Soon, a group of boys appeared at the entrance to the gym, their silhouettes standing out in the dim light. One of them, tall, with a calm but firm expression, stepped forward. Beside him, a boy with ash-colored hair and another with a shaved head completed the trio.

"Well, well, well. So you guys are..." The shaved-head boy, with a defiant attitude, tried to approach you, but was stopped dead in his tracks by the brown-haired boy, who firmly grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.

"Are you Kageyama?" the brown-haired boy asked, his gaze fixed on the tall, black-haired boy, who, visibly tense, stared back at him.

The atmosphere became even denser with the arrival of the third-year senpais, whose presence and energy were hard to ignore. Everything seemed to pause for a moment as the tension between the volleyball players grew.

Hinata, seeing the opportunity to get noticed, started moving back and forth, eager to attract the attention of the third-years, gesturing exaggeratedly in an attempt to win their favor.

However, it wasn’t just Hinata acting. Determined to make your presence felt, you quickly approached him and, without warning, gave him a firm tap on the back of the neck. "That’s for ignoring me," you said, your tone playful but somewhat ironic, stepping back from him with a slight smile on your face.

The atmosphere in the gym grew even more tense as all eyes turned to you after your little tap on Hinata’s neck. Quickly, he stepped in front of you, protecting you without thinking, and while you were grateful, you couldn’t help but smile at his impulsive gesture.

"Ah, you, the number 1 shorty," said the shaved-head boy, pointing at Hinata. If you remembered correctly, his name was Tanaka.

"So the other candidate is Hinata... is it you?" they asked, their tone a mix of curiosity and a hint of disbelief. "What a surprise. I see, so you two came to Karasuno."

Once again, you felt left out of the conversation, watching as the focus shifted entirely to them. It seemed like Tanaka, Daichi, and Sugawara shared memories of their past encounter with Hinata and Kageyama. You stayed a step back as they began exchanging jokes and comments, as if you weren’t even there.

However, the situation tensed again when Kageyama, in his usual direct style, told Hinata he better have improved his techniques because if not, it would be a waste of time. The dry tone of his voice contrasted with Hinata's vibrant energy, who, though somewhat surprised by the remark, remained firm.

"Hey, you’re not enemies anymore, volleyball is a team sport," Daichi intervened with a calm voice, but his words were quickly drowned out by Hinata.

The tension in the air was palpable. Daichi tried, unsuccessfully, to calm things down, but Hinata’s words, filled with seriousness and indignation, cut off any attempt at mediation. "He challenged you!" he shouted, and his voice, full of determination and a touch of desperation, made the atmosphere even thicker. The desire to prove something was clear in his words.

Tanaka, seeing the growing tension, tried to divert the attention to Daichi’s attempt at reconciliation. "Hey, Daichi-san is talking!" he exclaimed, but the clamor between the two young players continued to grow.

Kageyama, as expected, didn’t hold back. "You’re challenging me to what?" he retorted, his voice relentless, responding to Hinata’s provocation with the same intensity. His expression remained cold, as if this were just a game.

"To volleyball, obviously!" Hinata didn’t hesitate, his challenge clear and direct. The atmosphere between them grew even tenser, and the situation was on the verge of exploding.

You felt uncomfortable seeing how Daichi’s interventions were completely ignored. You thought maybe it was better to step back before things got out of hand, but something kept you there. You couldn’t leave Hinata to deal with this alone, even though you had no interest in volleyball.

The rivalry became even more charged when Kageyama questioned how Hinata expected to challenge him in a one-on-one match. "How do you expect to challenge me one-on-one?" the question came out of his mouth in a challenging tone, which only fueled the flames of the confrontation.

At that moment, a figure appeared in the doorway. "Why is there so much noise?" The voice of the Deputy Director or teacher, you couldn't tell for sure, momentarily halted the verbal exchange. "I hope you're not fighting," they continued, their tone of authority ingraining each word as they approached with a firm step.

Instinctively, you hid behind Sugawara, trying to find a way to avoid being linked to the chaos unfolding. This was your first day at Karasuno, and the last thing you wanted was to get into trouble with one of the school’s authority figures. But, like you, Hinata and Kageyama seemed completely unaware of the Deputy Director's presence. Their rivalry was stronger than anything else at that moment.

"I'll prove I'm not the same as before," Hinata said, defiantly, without a hint of doubt in his voice. Kageyama accepted the challenge, ready to show that, despite the rivalry, there was something deeper behind their competitiveness. Both of them knew this wasn’t just a simple confrontation; it was a test of skill, of growth.

As the situation unfolded, you found yourself in an internal dilemma. Should you stay and support Hinata, or just leave? The truth was, you had no particular interest in volleyball, but the loyalty you felt toward your friend kept you there, watching in silence.

The battle between them continued, with neither yielding. Kageyama, with his precision, and Hinata, with his unstoppable energy, collided with each pass, with each attempt to block. The others watched in fascination, keeping their distance, not interfering in the direct clash between the two.

"Hinata-san!" you exclaimed, worried, as your friend fell to the ground after trying to dodge a powerful shot from Kageyama. The fall was hard, and your instinct was to run to him, but you stopped yourself when you saw him get up quickly, his determination as strong as ever.

"One more!" Hinata yelled, ignoring the pain and fatigue, getting back on his feet with an unwavering energy. Despite the hard impact, his spirit never wavered. His decision was clear: no matter how many times he fell, he would keep fighting.

Daichi tried once more to get Hinata and Kageyama’s attention, his tone both stern and patient. "Hey, that's enough!" he insisted, but his words seemed to fade into the air as the two players ignored any attempt to moderate the situation.

The Deputy Director, visibly upset, shot a disapproving look at Daichi. "They don't even listen to their captain? This is going to be a problem," he commented critically, causing Daichi to tense up under the scrutiny.

"So Daichi is the captain..." you thought, watching as he, despite his calm and kind nature, seemed to have a significant challenge dealing with such intense personalities. However, that same calmness made him a reliable presence, and for a moment, you wondered how far his patience would go with these energetic boys.

The practice continued when Kageyama, completely focused, prepared to make another pass. This time, the ball veered to the side of the court, an unexpected shot that, however, Hinata chased with determination. Hinata’s speed and reflexes almost made you cheer for him, but fate had other plans. Just at the last moment, the ball hit his face with such precision that it bounced directly into the Deputy Director's head, knocking off his toupee.

The gym went dead silent. Eyes froze in time, everyone holding their breath. Instinctively, you placed your hands over your mouth, trying to suppress a laugh that was threatening to burst out.

"He wears a toupee?" Kageyama murmured, approaching Hinata with disbelief.

Hinata, still stunned by the turn of events, whispered back, "Didn’t you notice? We all saw it at the entrance ceremony."

The situation became even more surreal when Tanaka, despite his efforts, let out a muffled laugh. "Guys... shut up..." he pleaded, trying to control his own laughter, though it was almost impossible.

"Tanaka, you shut up too!" Sugawara tried to bring order, though his tone betrayed that he too was struggling against laughter.

Everyone made visible efforts to contain themselves as the head Deputy Director straightened his jacket, trying to regain some dignity. Finally, his gaze landed on the captain. "Sawamura-kun, come here," he asked firmly before leaving the gym.

After a few minutes of waiting, Daichi returned and, without saying a word, lined up the team. You found yourself between Hinata and Kageyama, waiting with a mixture of anticipation and tension as Sawamura prepared to make the announcement.

With controlled calm, Daichi broke the silence. "Luckily, he won’t punish us, nor will he ask us to apologize," he informed, relaxing the tension in the room. Immediately, everyone exhaled in relief, until he added: "But we agreed we didn’t see anything."

Exchanges of glances passed between the team members. Keeping the secret didn’t seem like a problem for anyone; after all, it had been a pretty funny incident. However, as soon as Daichi spoke again, another small dispute broke out between Hinata and Kageyama.

"This is because you couldn’t receive a serve... you’re terrible!" Kageyama accused, turning to Hinata with a serious expression. "Didn’t you say you were different this time? I must have been a fool for believing it!"

Hinata, not missing a second, countered, looking for an ally. "You talk too much, right, Y/N?" he said, hoping for your support.

With a sigh and some irritation, you replied bluntly: "Hey, don’t drag me into this."

Just when the tension between the two seemed to rise again, Daichi raised his voice, causing both of them to fall silent immediately. "Listen well," he said in an authoritative tone, impossible to ignore. "I don’t know why you came to Karasuno, but I want to believe you have the desire to win." With his arms crossed and a serious look, he continued: "A few years ago, Karasuno was one of the best teams in the prefecture. We even made it to the national tournament. However, today we’re among the top eight, nothing special. Other schools call us 'the fallen giant' or 'the wingless crow.'"

Daichi continued explaining the history of the team, its decline, and its potential, in a passionate and motivational speech. Although the sincerity of his words was evident, you couldn’t help but let your mind wander a little; after all, Sawamura’s speech seemed directed at the players who shared his fervor for volleyball. However, you couldn’t ignore the determination you saw in Hinata and Kageyama’s eyes; for them, those words seemed to spark a flame.

Daichi continued his speech, finally approaching where you, Hinata, and Kageyama were standing. However, before you could fully understand the situation, you felt a slight tug on the sleeve of your sweater: Tanaka had discreetly pulled you aside, leaving you at a distance from the scene unfolding.

You watched as Daichi, with a serious and determined expression, focused his attention solely on Hinata and Kageyama. In a firm, unquestionable tone, he delivered his decision: "Until you two get along, we don’t need you on the team." And with that, he closed the door in their faces, leaving them outside the gym.

"Y/N-san!" you heard Hinata’s desperate call from the other side of the door, perhaps hoping you’d intervene for them. However, you remained where you were, aware that there was nothing you could do. Daichi had been clear, and he didn’t seem like the type of person who would change his mind easily.

You sighed, suddenly feeling in an uncomfortable position. Great, you thought, now I’m alone with three third-year students... Hinata, this is all because of your competitive spirit. You threw a frustrated glance at the door, silently wondering how everything had escalated to this point.

Tanaka and Sugawara offered friendly smiles, while Daichi watched the door, clearly waiting for his words to sink in with the two rookies on the other side. After a moment, Daichi seemed to notice your presence and turned to you with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry about all this," he said, looking down at a piece of paper in his hand, seemingly a list of club members. After scanning for your name without success, he looked back at you with a slight confusion. "I’m sorry, but… I don’t see your name on the list. Are you new?"

The question reminded you of why you were there in the first place. "Oh, right, sorry," you replied, feeling a faint blush on your cheeks. "I’m not signed up, I just came to see what the volleyball club was like." Nervously, you put a hand to the back of your neck and introduced yourself: "My name is Y/N Y/LN." You gave a small bow as a gesture of respect.

Daichi gave you a calm smile, perhaps noticing your nervousness. "Nice to meet you, Y/N. I’m Sawamura Daichi," he introduced himself formally. Then, he pointed to his companions.

"I’m Koshi Sugawara," the young man with ash-colored hair chimed in, offering you a kind and genuine smile. "Nice to meet you."

Finally, the guy with a shaved head took an exaggerated, proud stance, hands on his hips. "I’m Ryunosuke Tanaka!" he exclaimed loudly, his energy contagious. "But you can call me Tanaka-senpai."

Sugawara rolled his eyes with an amused smile. "Don’t mind him, Y/N," he joked, earning a mock disappointed look from Tanaka, whose shoulders dramatically dropped.

"So, Y/N, do you play volleyball?" Daichi brought your attention back to him, picking up a ball from the floor and looking at you with curiosity.

"Oh, no!" you responded quickly, shaking your hands in denial. "Well, I used to play occasionally at my old school, but honestly, I’m terrible." The last thing you wanted was for these three to see your mediocre skills at any sport.

Daichi nodded, a look of understanding on his face. "Well, maybe we could ask Kiyoko to show you the open spots on the team; maybe one of them will interest you." He suggested, passing the ball to Sugawara.

Before you could respond, you heard a shout from the other side of the door. "Please let me in! Let me play volleyball!" Hinata’s pleading voice was unmistakable. "I promise I’ll get along with Kageyama, please!"

Sugawara sighed and gave Daichi a knowing look. "Are you sure about this, Daichi? After all, they’re still part of the team," he suggested gently. "Teams bond over time, don’t they?"

Daichi nodded thoughtfully, though his expression remained firm. "I know… but..." His response was interrupted when a loud noise came from the other side of the door, followed by a groan from Hinata.

You frowned and raised your voice, shouting a warning through the door. "Hey, don’t hurt him, emo!" You hadn’t known Hinata for long, but that didn’t mean you’d let Kageyama take advantage of his height and skills.

"I’m sorry, I promise I’ll get along with him," Kageyama responded from the other side, though his tone didn’t sound entirely convincing. Sugawara tried to hide a smile at the dynamic between the two. "Let me join the club!"

Sawamura walked up to the door and opened it just enough to peek his face through. "Really?" He gave Kageyama a firm look, and Kageyama hesitated under the intensity of his gaze. It really didn’t seem easy to lie to Daichi’s face.

Kageyama sighed in resignation before muttering, "If I had to cooperate with him in a match, I’d prefer to receive, set, and spike all by myself." The confession made his pride clear, and you couldn’t help but think about how stubborn he was.

With a sigh, Daichi closed the door again. While you waited, you sat on the floor, trying to distract yourself from the boredom and took out your PSP from your bag, ready to pass the time until Shimizu arrived. You didn’t know anyone in the other clubs, except Nayuta, and the last thing you wanted was to spend your afternoons surrounded by outdated reading.

As the others continued their practice, you occasionally looked up from the screen and watched the game. The energy and coordination of the players were evident; every movement seemed carefully calculated, though some still showed the awkwardness typical of beginners. Daichi led with patience, offering corrections and encouraging his teammates, while Sugawara and Tanaka kept the atmosphere light with jokes and smiles.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Tanaka, full of energy, rushed toward the entrance and hastily opened it with contagious enthusiasm. When you looked up, you noticed a young woman had just entered. She had a calm elegance, and her beauty stood out even in the simplicity of her sports uniform. Her serene eyes and confident posture conveyed a calm and assured presence; it had to be Kiyoko Shimizu.

For a moment, the room seemed to fall silent, as if her arrival captured everyone’s attention. Tanaka, visibly impressed, tried not to let his enthusiasm spill over while welcoming her, but his expression betrayed him: admiration was evident in every word and gesture.

"Kiyoko-san," Daichi said, walking up to her with a smile, then, upon noticing you, gestured for you to join them. "This is Y/N, who’s interested in joining the club."

With a slight nod, you greeted her. "Hello," you said, feeling a faint warmth in your cheeks under the serene and deep gaze of her blue eyes.

Kiyoko returned your smile, her voice calm and professional. "Hello, Y/N. Here are some of the positions we have available. Take your time to choose the one that suits you best." She handed you a sheet with the names and descriptions of the open roles in the club.

You thanked her for the gesture and took the sheet, reading each position carefully. You quickly discarded any option that involved direct contact with the ball; the idea of playing intimidated you a little, and you preferred something less demanding in terms of sports skills. Finally, your gaze landed on an option that seemed manageable: assistant coach. It sounded reasonable: it involved observing the playing style of rival teams, organizing practices, and making strategic notes. Nothing too complex, and interesting enough to keep your attention.

After reflecting for a moment, you returned to Kiyoko. "I think I’ll go for this one," you said, pointing to the position on the sheet you were holding. Kiyoko examined your choice and nodded with approval.

"I think that’s a good option," she replied as she wrote your name on her clipboard, "though, as you may already know, we don’t currently have a coach, so there won’t be many specific tasks for you at first. But you can help with other organizational aspects in the meantime."

"That’s fine, I have no problem with that," you answered, not too concerned with the temporary void in activities. In fact, the idea of a quiet start allowed you to adapt at your own pace and still have time for other things if needed.

[tiredstarcat]

Currently rewatching Clone Wars... just about every episode is me screaming 'Anakin WTF' or 'GODDAMN IT PALPATINE'

The sheer amount of tragedy is kind of cathartic...

[sskk-manifesto]

Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple and how “ability users” (opposite to “normal people”) learning to accept themselves through the acceptance of their own abilities is a queer metaphor of acceptance of own's sexual orientation and gender: an essay by me

[hayaku14]

gymnast kaito x sharpshooter shinichi meet-cute in the olympics au

[courtesanofdeath]

Mito Yohei

happy birthday ~

[t-u-i-t-c]

“Then I guess starting today, I’ll be Kamen Rider Wizard.”

[shojoboy]

thinking about Princess Tutu again. 100% serious when I say that Ahiru's solo pas de deux scene was a level of badassery on par with Ashitaka pushing open that door in Princess Mononoke. absolutely hardcore

[goatsghost]

i was going to make a “blue beetle spoilers without context” post but it’s literally just spy kids. the whole movie is just spy kids

[mayhaps-a-blog]

Rewatching Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), I may have been too harsh on the ending - I definitely prefer Brotherhood, but the 2003 canon definitely has its charms. Definitely a mixed bag, as most shows are, really!

My pros and cons list got long, but here:

The good: Dante is a fascinating villain, and a neat character! Her attempts to vaguely justify her actions while clearly having completely lost touch with humanity were interesting to watch, and her interactions with the homunculi were great!

I also liked the homunculi - I think I prefer Envy from Brotherhood, but Lust and Sloth's struggle with their memories and yearning for a life that was never theirs added an interesting dimension to their characters. Wrath is an incredibly tragic character and watching him scream for his mother, any mother, only to be faced with abuse is heartbreaking.

Rose's story is likewise more extensive and tragic than in Brotherhood. "More extensively tragic" is true of a lot of 2003.

The themes of the cost of human transmutation are much more focused - human transmutation, its causes and its consequences, are the main theme of the story rather than a means to a different end (I could go on... but I already made a post about that). The show also deals a lot with child abandonment, and abuse - with Wrath as the scared, angry child who is drawn into a dangerous group through his desire for a mother, Envy as wrathful to the point of hating everyone, and Ed starting down Envy's path, but veering into something closer to acceptance, if not forgiveness. Al is the one with forgiveness. We see the why, we see the how - and for Nina of course, and Selim too. And that lends some interesting depth to the story.

The actual ending isn't as terrible as I remember thinking it - I liked Mustang's epilogue, but I wish they'd left Ed's ending ambiguous. But I like it when shows leave the future somewhat mysterious :)

The bad: I am still not a fan of the WW1 plot. It feels unnecessary, and I can think of a lot more interesting answers for "what's behind the gate" than a sudden surprise isekai story. Frankly, I don't even want an answer to what's beyond the gate; like God, death, and souls, that's the big mystery none of us should or could ever know, and any attempted answer in media ends up mundane and boring compared to the grand mystery. And the excuse of the deaths in our world somehow echoing back through time to fuel alchemy just raises more questions than it answers. The whole idea raises more questions than it answers, which is not what I look for in a show finale! Speculating over what comes next is one thing, having to scratch your head to figure out how the universe works when it's stated and supposed to follow clearly defined rules is just annoying.

Another answer that brings up more questions is Hohenheim. His backstory with Dante is fascinating - and almost completely unexplored. The fact that he is a mass-murderer, multiple times over (he changes bodies at least twice, the original switch and into his current body, and given Dante's original appearance the bodies do still age - he'd need a few to manage 400 years!) is never fully addressed other than "well he's not doing it again so it's fine I guess." But really, when exactly did he realize murder is bad, actually? (Yes, even if it's "witches and plague victims", like, seriously?) It apparently took 400 years - was it meeting Trisha, or something before then? Did he wake up one day and realize his marriage sucked and decide to hit the bricks? Was it some kind of immortal's mid-fourth-life crisis? Can we really ignore all the murder just because he's nice now??

Finally, the ending does feel a little rushed compared to Brotherhood, probably because of the fewer episodes (while close in overall length, 2003 spends 25 episodes on the content that Brotherhood covers in 10). A few plot points feel forced or unrealistically rushed - why would Russell and Fletcher's father have been shown the underground city? Dante has her own house to teach alchemy in! And Mustang's rebellion felt like it was really forced through for the plot - he could at least have leveraged the soldiers' experiences in Ishbal, etc. instead of demanding they commit mutiny with no evidence. I'd expect them to mutiny against him! But that's stuff a few more episodes may have fixed.

In summary...

FMA (2003): Excellent characters, excellent characterization, I wholeheartedly love episodes 1-25 (except maybe Barry's introduction, that aged horribly if it was ever decent at all), the time we get to spend with Hughes and Mustang's team and all the little mini arcs is great! I like that they brought in some of the earlier characters to work with, I like the way they took their themes and (most) story arcs. Would recommend watching, preferably before Brotherhood.

Brotherhood: Definitely the stronger plot to me. I like Father as a villain and prefer Hohenheim's backstory here; I definitely prefer the whole deal and ambiguity with Truth and the gate to the surprise!isekai in 2003. Brings in some absolutely fantastic characters and the buildup to the finale feels less rushed - more things feel realistic and well-thought out, like Mustang's rebellion, with the extra time to let characters get their chess pieces into place.

Overall, I still prefer Brotherhood - but 2003 has grown on me with this rewatch! I'd definitely still suggest watching it before Brotherhood, and will add at least episodes 1-25 to my regular rewatch list. If I can still find them. Plus Mustang's team's episodes. As far as I'm concerned, those are all totally canon to all versions of the story!

[lavenderjewels]

love to see it