#like girl he very clearly lost the capacity to care you think he's gonna fight back?

[psychologicalwarclaire]

I keep seeing people looking forward to an emotionally charged jayvik fight as if Viktor won't just whack Jayce with his stick and call it good

[one-boring-person]

@jawline-of-steel I hope, as my new best friend (hehe), that you like this!😁💛💛👍 (I also hope that it's the right context and that😅💛)

You've Got The Wrong Girl.

David (The Lost Boys) x reader

Warnings: bad language, implied sexual themes, very vague mentions of death and blood (but only if you look closely)

Masterlist

Somehow, David manages to exhale his next breath of smoke in an aggressive manner as he leans back against his motorcyle, muscles tense and stance almost uncomfortable, drawing the other's attention to him instantly.

"Where's (Y/n)?" Is Paul's first question, the tall blonde moving forwards slightly, craning his head around to look for his leader's significant other.

"I don't care." He huffs angrily, lips closing around the butt of his cigarette once more, blue eyes iced over.

"Ooh, what happened? Did she shove a pole up your arse?" Marko quips, smirking to Paul suggestively, only to yelp when David's hand snaps round to clip him round the ear, the platinum blonde's venomous scowl fixed on him briefly.

"You'd better keep your mouth shut, or I'll take great pleasure in doing it for you." He snarls at him, voice deceivingly quiet and threatening.

None of them speak for a few minutes, David's anger almost rippling off of him in static waves, keeping the air around them charged and tense, the four of them eyeing the area around them as a way to ignore this. Eventually, Marko and Paul wander off, bored as hell and feeling incredibly awkward, not quite noticing their leader's dirty look as they walk away, leaving Dwayne and David behind to brood in silence. Once again, neither of them say anything, until the dark haired vampire finally has enough of the tension, standing from his motorcycle and going to stand before David with a curious look on his face.

"What happened between you and (Y/n)?" He questions, blunt and to the point as always.

"What do you mean?" David's voice is monotone, blue eyes boring into Dwayne's pointedly.

"Don't pull that bullshit with me, you've been acting cold since you got here. The only time you ever get this annoyed is when (Y/n)'s said or done something you don't agree with." The tanned vampire points out, crossing his arms over his bare chest with a frown.

"I don't have to tell you anything." His leader responds, ees narrowing as he throws his cigarette butt to the floor, where he uses his foot to crush out the embers.

"No, but then at least act better towards the rest of us. You're not being fair on us." Dwayne snaps in reply, before he turns and walks off in a different direction, ignoring David as he let's out a low growl.

Sulking, David kicks at the tyre of his motorcycle, scowling at a surfer as they pass by, only to sigh in frustration and go looking for the object of his frustration: (Y/n), the girl who he somehow cares for, yet has the capacity to royally piss him off at any given time. It was, ironically, what drew him to her in the first place, her ability to completely go against what he asks without thinking twice about it, finding her personality a near perfect match to his. It's this thought that prompts him to go looking for her now.

He looks high and low, not entirely sure where she'd go without the boys, only to have an epiphany when he steps into the part that is lined with food stalls, figuring out exactly where she is in seconds. His icy eyes immediately find the back of her head amongst the sea of others, his legs instinctively taking him over to her, a habit he'll probably never kick, even in his long years of living. As he reaches her, David takes a hold of her wrist and goes to pull her into the nearest alley with the intention of talking to her, only to feel a little surprised when she digs her heels into the floor and stops still, her eyes meeting his challengingly.

"I'm busy at the moment, David. Would you mind coming back later?" She inquires with a false smile, pulling her arm from his grip.

"I would not. Come with me." He responds, drily, glaring at her as she cocks her head and looks at him.

"I'm busy, David. I'd rather stay here." She presses, shrugging as she goes to walk away, only to squeak suddenly when the vampire grabs her around the waist and carries her over his shoulder into the alley, ignoring the looks people are giving him as she hits him on the back, demanding that he let her go. Once out of sight, he puts her down, standing uncomfortably close to her to make his point, body outsizing her's with ease, though she doesn't back down, even as he places one hand on the wall behind her to stop her from trying to get away again.

"Well now that you've manhandled me in here, what do you want?" She sighs out, exasperated at the vampire's tactics, her eyes remaining fixed on his in defiance.

"I want you to stop behaving like a brat all the time, (Y/n). You've been testing my patience for weeks now, and I've had enough of it. Stop it before I make you." He threatens her, flashing his eyes slightly to make his point more obvious.

"Hold on, you want me to stop being who I am? And what in the hell are you going to do to enforce that, David? You know you don't scare me, even if you are a murderous person. You've got the wrong girl to be ordering around like that, something which you signed up for the moment you asked me out." She informs him, stepping forwards slightly, poking his chest to enunciate her words properly, unaffected by his tough guy act.

"I am well aware that you aren't a pushover, (Y/n). All I'm asking is that you don't put up such a fight all the time. Your sarcasm I can live with, because you put up with mine, but your attitude at times is something that has to stop. And as for what I'll do to you, you know full well what I mean." David growls quietly to her, leaning in close towards her neck, where he snaps his teeth, his canines pushing out long enough to lightly graze over her skin, images of him tearing into my skin flashing into her head, put there by the platinum blonde backing her into the wall.

"Controlling much, huh? Don't you realise that you can't make my decisions for me and control how I'm supposed to act? You shouldn't be asking me to adjust my entire personality to suit yours, David. If we're not getting along, we both need to change something. I'm happy to tone it down a bit, but only if you stop being so damn dominant all the time. I get that you're into that and all, but it doesn't always make for an easy relationship, so that's something you need to think through before coming here with your high-and-mighty orders for me." She explains to him, standing up straight as he leans over her, his eyes blazing with frustration.

For a minute, he says nothing, regarding her with an expression half-caught in anger, half in contemplation, a look of realisation seeming to creep into the hard lines of his handsome features, eyes softening slightly.

"Fine, I'm sorry that I'm controlling all the time, and I'm willing to stop being like that so much with you, but only if you do the same. We just keep clashing, and it isn't going to end well. I want to make this work, so I'll change for you if you change for me." He finally says, not quite backing up yet, clearly waiting for her to say something, too.

"Good. I'm glad we were able to work this out. I'll be less of a "brat" as you put it, but if I hear you trying to control the way I act again, I'll go right back to being the little bitch you know and hate." She promises him, smirking at her expression as his eyes darken.

Pressing himself against her, David grins to himself as he regards her face, enjoying the sensation of her body underneath his, even if it is obscured by the layers of clothing between them. Leaning in close, he uses his hands to pin her's to the wall behind them, their faces a centimetre or so apart, breath mingling, lips grazing one another as he speaks again.

"You'll still be my little bitch though, kitten. I'm not gonna let you go that easily. I'll change for you outside the sheets, but under them, well then you belong to me."

It's all she has in her to respond with a smile and a nod, going to reply before being cut off by his hungry lips on her's, his tongue easily slipping into her mouth as she gasps in surprise, a battle of tongues starting instantly. Her hands try to pry themselves from his vice-like grip, only to find themselves taken in one of his and held easily above her head, his other hand slipping down their bodies until he reaches the hem of her shirt, pushing underneath and onto her skin, caressing it smoothly as he swallows her moans and sighs. Grinding his hips into her's, he moves his lips from here and trails kisses down her neck and jaw, leaving purple marks in his wake, the wet track of his lips chilling in the cool air around them, but she only groans in response, wishing she could wrap her arms around him, though a small part of her is enjoying being restricted. Pulling away, he moves back up to her ear, where he breathes over it hotly before speaking again, voice husky and at a lower tone than usual.

"I'm sorry, (Y/n), I can be less dominant, if that's what you want." He purrs, sounding genuine as his darkened eyes bore into her's.

"It is, but I can be less rebellious, too. If that's what you want." She chuckles, breath hitching slightly from the arousal.

"We'll see." He says ominously, before his lips have collided with mine again.

[slashingdisneypasta]

Horror Villains: (Top) Most Delusional Yandere’s to Least (Bottom)

Note:

Delusional, meaning they think you’re in love with them too.

Most: They’re convinced you’re a happy couple

Least: They know that they’re keeping you captive and are not willing in this.

Warnings: OBVIOUSLY, this includes some bad stuff. Its yandere, and I’m not gonna hold back. Includes suggested/hinted/out right stated rape and kidnapping. 

~~~

Jill Roberts: Oh god, if anyone on this list is delusional, for any reason, its Jill. She just plain thinks you two are in love, simple.

Chop Top: Chop honestly thinks you’re playing a game with him when you scream or try to run away or anything like that. And he l o v e s playing it with you.

Patrick Bateman: Okay, there’s a lot going on here in his head, but we’ll focus on the two main points. First of all, obviously he’s forceful and violent on a normal day. Even if he wasn’t yandere for you, so there’s that. Secondly, he is so shocked that he feels love and care for you, and that makes him so determined to have you, and he wants you utterly, and entirely- your affections included. // And he is in a confused overly emotive state! He’s never felt this much before! So that all contributes to him being convinced you love him back and you’re head over heels for each other.

Pamela Voorhees: You are the… well, I’m hesitant to say ‘Other mother’, because that makes you think of Coraline, but you are. To her, you are the other mother / father, to Jason. You are a happy family. She cannot let you go. Stop fighting it, you know you want to be apart of the family.

Sheriff Hoyt / Charlie Hewitt: Okay, he is aware that you aren’t in this yet, but he’s sure, like Jed, that you care for him at some level (Because to him you fuck only when you’re in love and he’s fucked you. Don’t ask me how he thinks this even though he raped you, because I can’t explain it. He’d utterly delusional) and you will eventually fall in love with him. And he’s in it for the long game.

Jedidiah Sawyer: He doesn’t think you quite ‘love’ him, but he definitely thinks you have the capacity to, and that you care for him. I mean, for so long he thought he was going to be alone except for his grandmother. And then Heather came along, and she started to love him, shocking him. So why shouldn’t you?

Mayor Buckman: Very similar to Luda Mae, in that he does think you love him back but theirs this nagging thought in the back of his brain at all times saying ‘Maybe. Maybe, you really are terrified.’. But, generally he does think you love him. I think, in his little town, Buckman has always been like, you know the prime suitor amongst the ladies, okay? He’s got that old-fashioned charm to him (I mean, they voted him mayor for a reason, he’s cheerful and kind to them) and he’s handsome- so why wouldn’t you feel that way about him, too? This is getting long, but also the final important point: He’s from a time where ‘no’ from a lady really didn’t mean ‘no’. Men were very easily able to convince themselves that you were playing hard to get.

Luda Mae Hewitt: I mean, did you not see the scene where she was cleaning off Bailey and acting all sweet like ‘I never had me a little girl,’? She’s totally able to convince herself you love her back to some degree, on the inside. But there will always be a nagging, sane voice in the back of her head saying that this is a lie. Much like her son’s sanity and her family’s general stability.

Debbie Loomis: She’s aware at first that you don’t love her back (The same as her son), she just doesn’t care. But, as time goes on, she’s so desperate to be loved by you like her husband didn’t love her, that she convinces herself that at this point you and her have developed a connection.

Bubba Sawyer: His brothers tell him you’re perfect for him and he translates that as ‘You are a perfect couple’, which includes you being in love with him as well, not ‘You would be perfect for him if you liked him back,’. But he can see the way you jump back from him when he tries to touch you or really, do anything with you. Even smile. It hurts him in his heart and he knows you don’t feel the same for him. But, he’ll just have to keep trying. One day, you will. He’s desperate. Bubba thinks at some secret, tiny level you are falling for him. He can’t think any other way.

Jennifer Check: She is in the same boat as Inkubus. Except she is even more pissed, because a. She is used to people just loving her, or wanting her. For her beauty or because of her powers- whatever. They just do- why the fuck don’t you?! And 2. She’s unbelievably hormonal. // She takes to being sweet with you, and thinks you definitely like her now.

Inkubus: If it weren’t for his powers he would be at the bottom with Freddy. But, he is incubi, which means he has certain powers like Jennifer and he’s sure that you will fall for him- everyone else has. If you don’t, he will just be mystified and probably convince himself out of anger that you’re just playing hard to get or your dignity is keeping you from admitting to him your feelings.

Stu Macher: “You’ll fall for me baby, just you wait.” He also thinks this is ‘kinky’, not ‘illegal and disgusting’. I mean, he does think the second one. But as well as the first one.

Chucky / Charles Lee Ray: Similar to Bubba, he knows you don’t love him right now. But, he thinks you’ll grow to. There hasn’t been a girl he hasn’t managed to wear down (; (Wink is from Chucky, not me. So we’re clear) With lots of time together and bonding exercises, you’ll get there. But he isn’t deluded into thinking you’ve started yet, so his mind is clear as to where he stands.

Roman Bridger: He knows you don’t want him or love him back but that doesn’t really matter- he’s used to it. He’s also exhausted with you resisting him. Like, just, he’s gonna act like you’re such a strain on him even though he has kidnaped you and is keeping you in a basement.

Drayton Sawyer: He’s quite aware that you don’t love him back, and he apologises for being this way with you, but you’re his. Side note, Drayton’s a pretty polite yandere. He knows you won’t get away from them (Uh, that amusement park they lived in during the second movie was a fricken maze, and Bubba is terrifying. You aren’t escaping on your own.), so he sees no reason to be rough with you. And he also just likes to be nice to you.

Billy Loomis: Think about it like this, if it was Billy and Stu who were keeping you somewhere as a hostage, he would be the one convincing Stu that you actually want this. This is a game- you’re a bit kinky. Really, Billy is the kinky, obsessed one.

Mickey Altieri: He half loves that you don’t love him back, that this is such a captive situation. Its fun for him, and hot.

Thomas Hewitt: Isn’t absolutely bonkers like his mother and his brother. He just loves you, plain and simple. He does hold out on a tiny little, weeny baby hope that you will one day love him even a little bit back. But only quietly. Only secretly.

Jason Voorhees: Jason can see clearly how you shake when he gets near you or automatically jump away when he comes to touch you. He clearly hears the words you spit at him. He knows you aren’t in love with him back, because he would never do these things to you. But he’s lost too much that he loves in his life and he isn’t about to lose you.

Michael Myers: Like Jason he can see and hear and feel your rejection (Its more physically for him though, as you futilely kick him and punch him to get him away while Jason will mostly respect your boundaries.), he just doesn’t care. He picked you, you are his. Michael doesn’t do well with ‘no’, or ‘stop’.

The Man: On the exact same level as Michael, I just didn’t want to put him between Michael and Jason because he is nothing like Jason. He doesn’t think you love him, he just doesn’t care. Also, he’s a damn psychopath so he probably finds some enjoyment seeing your pain, fear, and suffering.

Freddy Krueger: Read this slowly. He, is, quite, aware that you are not in this with him. He’s only above Carrie (Among the mentally human horror villains) because she is in pain over it at least- he probably prefers it this way.

The Midnight Man: You’re a lowly human to him, you have no free will when he decides you don’t. He doesn’t get off on it like it’s a kink or anything like some of the others, its just a fact for him.

The Pennywise’: Just like Freddy is below Michael despite them both knowing exactly that you are not interested in this, that is the reason Penny is above the Midnight Man. They all three think of you as just a human and since, now he (They?) want you, you now live for him. Difference is though (Again, just like Freddy and Michael), the Pennywise’ enjoy the fact that you’re resisting.

Carrie White: She won’t think you love her back even if you actually do, and that will hurt her. She is hyperaware of it. But it’s not enough of a reason to let you go.

[mollyellee]

beneficial {seblaine week sneak peek}

Hi everyone!  I can’t WAIT for Seblaine Week this year. I’ve actually been working on my longest fic yet, and it’s going to fulfill both the College and the Friends With Benefits prompts (and probably Free Day, tbh).  It’s ~27,000 words and basically done except for final edits, and I’m too anxious to wait any longer to share, so I figured I would post a little sneak peek to get everyone excited!

More details to come when the full fic is posted, but it’s a NYADA AU where most of our McKinley friends are in attendance and living in the same apartment building. Blaine was never a Warbler, he attended all 4 years of high school at McKinley and dated Kurt the whole time, but they broke up Senior Year.  He and Sebastian are friends, but very casually.  Blaine and Santana live together and get along famously (I have a thing for this friendship apparently). And The Nest is the Warblers’ apartment, where Nick, Jeff and Sebastian live; the rest you’ll just have to wait to find out!  See you on July 12! 

When Saturday night comes around, everyone starts pouring into The Nest: Rachel and Kurt are begging Nick, the de facto DJ, to play at least one show tune (he refuses), Mercedes is belting out a song on the cheap karaoke machine and Sam and Blaine are playing beer pong.

Well, Sam is playing; Blaine is getting his ass kicked.

He’s downing what feels like his thousandth beer of the night when he feels someone give him a small hip bump. He shows Sam the empty cup and looks up to see Sebastian standing at his side.

“Not to insult you, but you know you absolutely suck at this, right?”

Blaine laughs a little too loudly, “I’m sorry, but which part of that wasn’t supposed to be insulting?”

Sebastian always has a quick response. “That you’re smart enough to know it. Plus, if memory serves, you weren’t always this bad.”

A memory flashes through Blaine’s mind, one he had almost forgotten.

This isn’t something he and Kurt would ever normally do, but he and Kurt aren’t exactly normal these days. Santana had come into Glee Club earlier in the week, saying that the Warblers were throwing a party at one of their member’s houses this weekend and they should all go in the spirit of healthy competition.

And if she could get drunk and make out with one of the girls from the other schools, so she wouldn’t have to have that awkward “what are we” conversation the next day, well, that was a pretty nice bonus too.

“This will be fun, right?” Kurt is speaking just to interrupt the silence as Blaine drives, and Blaine smiles politely.

“Yeah, it’ll be good to get to know some of the Warblers a little better.”

“Well, you’re already friends with a couple of them, aren’t you?” The question isn’t meant to sound accusatory, but Blaine can’t help but wonder if Kurt is trying to figure out if something is going on behind his back.

It’s not. Blaine is too heartbroken about what’s happened with his first love to even think about being with anyone else.

“Not really,” Blaine says quietly, and that effectively ends the conversation. They’ve been fighting a lot lately, and neither of them want to say anything that will push the other too far. When they arrive at Nick’s house, the party is already in full swing and Blaine hears Rachel shout “Kurt!” almost as soon as they walk in the door. Kurt gives him a half smile and goes to join her and Mercedes. Blaine hates that his boyfriend leaving his side relieves some of the tension, but it does, and he instantly spots Sam over by the kitchen counter, mixing drinks and laughing with some of the Warblers.

“Hey, what’s up bro? Want a drink?”

“Please!” Blaine knows Kurt hates it when he drinks too much, but Kurt is already out of sight and he needs something to calm him down. Sam pours him a fruity concoction that barely tastes like alcohol and has the capacity to be very dangerous. He takes a sip and gives Sam a thumbs up signaling his approval when a figure jogs up beside him.

“All right listen up, I’m putting together a team to destroy Trent and Jeff, who’s in?”

Blaine turns to his left and there is Sebastian Smythe, another Warbler he has met in person only briefly, but they did exchange numbers at that meeting. So, if they’ve texted a little since then, it’s harmless, right? He’s felt lonely lately, he’s just looking for a friend.

It’s just a coincidence that Sebastian also happens to be incredibly good looking.

“Anderson, looks like you’ve got a fresh drink. Care to join me?”

“What am I agreeing to?”

“Smart question to ask,” Nick says with a laugh and Sebastian gives him the finger before explaining, “Beer pong. But we play with water, so you can bring your shockingly red drink too.”

“It’s party punch!” Sam yells as Sebastian leads Blaine away from the kitchen island to a table set up outside in the backyard. He doesn’t notice Sebastian’s hand on his lower back until it’s gone, but when it’s no longer there, the feeling lingers.

Sebastian reaches for his drink on the table and Blaine notices the cups have already been arranged. He’s seen enough movies, he knows what beer pong looks like, but he’s never actually played. Hell, he’s never really even been to a party except that one night at Rachel’s, but they don’t talk about that.

“Okay, you’re gonna think I’m totally lame, but I have absolutely no clue how to play,” Blaine admits, but Sebastian just smiles, and god, this punch must be strong because his stomach is doing somersaults.

“It’s okay, Trent knows how to play and he sucks ass at it, so you’ll be fine.”

Trent scoffs from the other side of the table and Blaine laughs, relieved, as Sebastian explains the rules to him.

And then the game begins, and he is shockingly good. Almost every ball he throws goes in and Sebastian cheers every time he makes a shot, which feels warm in his chest for some inexplicable reason. And then he realizes, he’s happy to be appreciated.

“You undersold yourself, Anderson. Sure you’re not hustling us?”

“Well, it would be pretty pointless to hustle my own teammate, wouldn’t it?” Blaine takes the last sip of his drink, batting his eyelashes just a little, and is he...flirting?

Sadly, (or thankfully?), he doesn’t get to find out the answer as he’s brought out of his trance by someone shouting “Blaine!” He turns his head and there is Kurt, walking toward him, clearly irritated. Fuck, had he seen him flirting with Sebastian?

He starts, “Kurt, it was nothing, we were just…” but Kurt is already on his own train of thought.

“Can we go? Rachel has had way too much of whatever that party punch is, and she’s making a big scene with Santana, and I’m just over it.”

“I…” He looks back to Sebastian who is standing at the table with his hands up in a “don’t get me involved” gesture and sighs, turning back to his boyfriend.

Guess the clock has struck midnight.

“Okay, sure.” Kurt looks relieved and is already heading for the door. Blaine smiles politely, “It was a pleasure being your partner, Sebastian.”

“Hey, maybe we can do it again sometime,” the Warbler says with a smirk, and all Blaine wants to do is stay.

But all he can do right now is go.

“So then I guess I should be smart enough to ask you to be my partner...again?” Blaine smiles and throws the ball back.

And for what feels like the first time all night, it goes in.

“Definitely,” Sebastian grins, “Evans! Grab a partner, Anderson’s called in the cavalry.”

“Brittany!” Sam calls and the girl peeks her head out from the kitchen where she and Santana have been adding more vodka to the jungle juice. He motions her over and she nods, rushing over, drink in hand. She points across the table, “Wait, is this our competition?”

Blaine feigns like he’s just been shot in the chest, and Sebastian stands up straighter, motioning between himself and Blaine. “Listen, this team may have been lacking in talent before, but I’m on board now. Let’s rack 'em up.”

“You can’t talk this way about your own teammate!” Blaine playfully slaps Sebastian on the arm and Sebastian leans over to murmur conspiratorially, “All part of the strategy” and his breath feels warm in their close proximity. Blaine thinks he’s clearly had too much to drink, but hey, he only lives down the hall.

Sam and Sebastian set up the cups, and the game begins. Sebastian must be a good luck charm because every ball Blaine sends flying is managing to hit its intended target.  At one point, they’re doing so well that Blaine whispers something in Sebastian’s ear which causes both Brittany and Sam to quirk an eyebrow. The next time Blaine makes a shot, he and Sebastian perform an elaborate handshake and Sam’s mouth falls open in shock. He certainly did not expect his and Blaine’s secret handshake from when they ran for Student Council to be used against him.

“Dude, not cool!”

“All part of the strategy,” Blaine says with a shrug and a smirk, and Sam turns to Brittany and says, “Okay, handshake meeting after this game.”

They all laugh and finish the game, which Blaine and Sebastian win easily, and that’s when Blaine realizes that most everybody has already taken off. Nick and Jeff are on the couch playing video games and Santana is sitting on a barstool next to their game, chatting with Brittany, but everyone else seems to have left while they were wrapped up in their tournament. Even Sam looks around and finds himself dateless.

“Damn, lost the game and lost my girl too,” he says with (mostly) fake resignation and Blaine laughs from the other side of the table. Santana hums and clarifies, “Nah, she just said she’d rather go to sleep than continue to watch you get humiliated.”

“See, aren’t you glad you don’t have someone to talk about you like that?” Sebastian murmurs low to Blaine, but clearly not low enough as he’s soon on the receiving end of a glare from Sam. Sebastian shrugs unapologetically in response.

Santana hops off her stool and holds out her hand to Blaine, “Come on, Anderson, I need my beauty rest.”

“Psst lies,” he responds dramatically, and they both giggle, and okay, he’s definitely had too many. He turns back to Sebastian and smiles, “Thanks for being a great partner.”

Sebastian smirks back and Blaine definitely doesn’t feel his insides melting at his response. “Maybe we can do it again sometime.”

He and Santana leave and walk the short distance to their apartment, arms around each other’s waists. She reaches over and boops his nose. “Well, you are very good at that game, aren’t you?”

“Shut up, you’re drunk,” he responds, but can’t manage to wipe the smile off of his face.

[neshabeingchildish]

Soul Mates * Chensper Oneshot

If you’ve never watched Shadowhunters, I have some references to the end of the show. This is me hella projecting my Black girl issues on Char + my concerns about her character in the show too. 

Charlotte hardly ever got a chance to catch up on the shows that she loved, and she was FINALLY finishing Shadowhunters. She’d initially taken a break whenever the outpour to have it renewed or picked up elsewhere led to nothing. It was ended, and she wanted to draw it out as long as she could. Now, she was at home, alone, catching up, with a matcha tea smoothie, a sheet mask on her face, and a plastic cap on her head for deep conditioning. Charlotte’s time… Until she heard the pebbles on the window. Henry! 

She jumped up, forgetting the condition she was in and opened the window to look out. “Whoa!” He said, with a start. “Charlotte? Is that you under…” He waved a hand to indicate her, “All that…?” She gasped, but then realized, it’s just Henry. 

“I hope this is an emergency, because it’s Charlotte Time, and I’m watching Shadowhunters.”

Jasper appeared, running up as he said, “I love the SWEET Malec wedding in the end!” She groaned. She had purposefully avoided checking anything that might tell her anything this whole time. 

“Open up. We’re comin’ in,” Henry said.

“Okay,” She groaned again and went to let them inside. 

They were watching with her, commenting on things about the show, which Henry wasn’t nearly as familiar with, but wanted to chill with his two best friends after a hard night of work that he didn’t really want to talk about. They got to the end, despite Charlotte having to pause it a few times to take off her sheet mask and rinse her hair. She let the boys each braid half for her to set it for the night. 

Whenever they got to the end, she was trying not to cry. “That was beautiful,” Henry said. I almost wanna go watch the rest.” Charlotte scoffed. “Yeah, you’re right, I’m definitely not gonna commit to it.” She just shook her head, clearly flustered. “Or… I will? What’s wrong with you? Let me know something. You look…” He stared at her for a moment… “Well, you look beautiful, I mean, the mask thingy works wonders, but I mean, you look like you don’t feel okay.”

She shook her head and said, “I just get tired of never seeing a full happy ending for the Black girl characters.” Jasper and Henry both shifted uncomfortably. They’d had discussions about this before and previously, realized that they apparently didn’t know wtf they were talking about. They didn’t like for the conversation to come up, but SHE didn’t always like to see what she saw. “It;s like on the one hand, her character gets to start fresh and be a leader, but we already know that being a packmaster is hard work and that she’ll be doing it alone, because of ALL the major characters in this show, the ONLY one that had to lose her love by the end was her. Everyone else is booed up, and happy together, even in the very end, we see that the two main characters will most likely get back to their love. But, her story ends in deciding how to best bring people into her restaurant. They literally took away her lover and put her in a service capacity as her happy ending. Why couldn’t she have love too? Why can’t we ever have love? We’re always depicted as an odd numbered wheel, or the savior without a story, or the servant without a love. Sure, we’re strong and independent and don’t need anybody, but it’d be nice to see it happen sometimes, especially in the end of a show. What would they have lost by letting her be happy WITH someone?” She got up and left the room. 

Jasper and Henry looked at each other and began to play rock, paper, scissors to see who was gonna go check on her, but she came back quick, with a satin headwrap that she started tying on. “And like… if it happened every now and then, I’d be fine right now. But, I invest years of my life to shows that don’t care if my representation gets to have proper treatment. Then, I have to live in the real world, where I’m ignored and unappreciated just as much. I’m tired of it. I’m not watching anything else. I’m going on a fast from shows and stuff.”

“The real world you’re ignored and unappreciated? We literally just braided your hair for you,” Jasper pointed out.

“Yeah. You and your soul mate,” she rolled her eyes and sat on the bed. “Me and Hen used to be super close, and as soon as he had another friend in the Man Cave, I got placed on the backburner. However your stories eventually play out, I already know, IF I’m in it, it’ll be in the background, somewhere.” She shrugged her shoulders, “And I can’t even escape into fantasy where I get to imagine that things aren’t like that, because even if there are fairies, vampires and werewolves… Black girls still need to know their place in that probably happy, but not like the others level.” She felt that weird feeling again, like she might cry. It passed. She wasn’t a huge cryer, ad certainly wasn’t trying to do so in front of the boys.

“You feel left out???” Henry asked, shocked. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in. “That’s… I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like you’re ever left out. I think about things all the time from a very Charlotte standpoint. I still do the opposite, most of the time, but I honestly can’t imagine my story without you being a huge part of it. I thought that you and Jasper got closer since he came in. You two are always in the Man Cave together. You’ve got routines and habits that are specific to your friendship. You’re kinda his mom a lot.”

“I don’t want to be anybody’s mom. I don’t want to be anybody’s angel on the shoulder that they ignore. I want to be a best friend and a lover and a human with importance.”

“A lover?” Jasper repeated.

“No… I meant…” She shook her head.

“Jasper, lets just hug her. That should work.”

“That won’t…” Jasper came around to the other side of Charlotte and the boys locked her into a hug. It did help. “You two are gonna either be best friends forever, or get married or something, and I’m gonna maybe be in the wedding, but probably not even really ever see you again. We graduate soon and I don’t know. The soul mates thing really shook me.”

“I never agreed to any of this,” Henry said.

Jasper scoffed. “It’s fate. You don’t have to agree. But, Char… It’s like… Even if those things DID happen. If me and Henry are best friends and lovers or anything else.”

“Anything else,” Henry slyly commented.

Jasper didn’t miss a beat, ignoring him, “Our relationship won’t end your relationship. Even if he turned out to be the love of my life.”

“You’re really running with it,” Henry said, to be ignored again.

“You’re his parabatai.” Charlotte’s eyes glazed over and she started finally crying, leaning more into Jasper’s side of the hug. 

“I don’t know what that means,” Henry said, looking it up on his phone. “A parabatai is a pair of Nephilim warriors who fight together as lifelong partners, bound together by oath, regardless of their gender. Their bond is not reflected only in their closeness and willingness to lay down their lives for one another, but also in oath—one sworn in front of the Council… Facts.”

“Do you guys want to stay over? It’s October. We can watch Crazyhead?”

“We came over to stay over. Crazyhead. Is that the one with the zombies?” Henry asked.

“Demons,” Jasper and Charlotte answered.

Jasper added, “Keep up, Soul Mate,” and winked at him.

[meggannn]

anyway here’s where i stand on the whole ‘peter b as miles’s father figure’ thing. behind a cut cause this got long and spoilers for spiderverse obviously

there’s a very accurate post going around that says ‘miles didnt need a father figure, peter needed a son figure’ and i think that's pithy enough to sum it up, but i had more thoughts about their dynamic as i rewatch it. in another universe (hah) i might say ‘a kid can have two father figures’ and miles clearly has a big enough heart to love jefferson, aaron, and peter all as positive male figures in his life, but the underlying theme that people much smarter than me have rightfully pointed out is that replacing, or even adding, peter to miles’s list of father figures reduces the importance of a black father already in miles’s life and quite frankly, they make it clear that miles isn’t looking to view peter b as a dad figure anyway. honestly i’d even argue that peter doesn’t really view miles as a son even by the end, but more like a favorite protégé and close friend

we can presume miles goes to aaron so much (“has a soft spot” for aaron, as his dad says) because he feels disconnected from his dad. they quickly establish aaron is his go-to adult figure for whenever he’s feeling lost or confused or stressed or just needs someone to listen and not judge, because uncle aaron, with no spouse or kids, has the freedom to be the cool uncle miles gets to do fun things with. graffiti is illegal, yes, but aaron is a master at supporting his nephew in a way miles wants to be supported: uncle aaron looks at and compliments and supports his art, uncle aaron teaches him how to talk to girls, we can probably presume uncle aaron is also where miles got his love of music and his punching bag is probably where miles learned the boxing stance he takes up when noir challenges him later on

i believe that miles WANTS to go to his dad with all of the things he goes to aaron with -- i think he almost calls his dad after leaving may’s house before getting discouraged by his stern voicemail -- but scenes like the car drive to school show miles that his dad won’t listen when he voices his insecurities and worries. it’s not for lack of love there, but he’s terrified of his dad’s disapproval and restrictions of the life he chooses to live. by the end of the end of the film this fear is, if not completely alleviated, definitely rectified a little -- miles knows his dad supports his art, and that officer jefferson davis supports spiderman even if he doesn’t approve of his methods, and that’s enough for him

peter b also won’t -- and can’t -- replace aaron. peter b only really becomes a solidified mentor figure for miles in the forest escape. that’s not to say miles didn’t like peter b, he still clearly thought highly of him and was desperate/excited to learn from a spiderman, but only does he really see what peter b can offer him when peter teaches him how to swing through positive reinforcement (peter telling miles to stay behind, getting upset he followed him into the vent, hissing at him to “just unstick!! they’re gonna see you!!” just frustrates and stresses miles out. miles wants to feel useful and included and supported, like aaron makes him feel).

miles is impressionable: he copies RIPeter’s move in the final battle to get up to the ceiling panel. he copies aaron when aaron climbs the fence and during the infamous shoulder-touch with gwen, and he copies peter b during the alchemex heist several times: mimics that cute chin-grab scene as they scout alchemex, (tries to) copy the elegant swing as peter climbs down from the ceiling, notably uses peter’s thwips, and finally he copies peter VERY fast on positional movement as they fly through the forest: miles’s legs swing wildly at first but within seconds he’s mimicking peter’s flying crouch-bounce. only after seeing how well peter b works in demonstration does he say “you’re amazing man!”

there’s not too much he copies his dad about though, because he thinks he and his dad have nothing in common. by the end of the movie it’s clear to him that even though they don’t share hobbies or interests or even have the same outlook on the world, his dad still loves him very much, and is willing to bend to meet his son halfway, which is all miles wanted him to do from the beginning. miles now has what he wants from his father; he doesn’t need peter to fill that role for him, or even be another father for him. something tells me miles would laugh peter back into his dimension if peter ever tried to father him

of course the biggest thing that convinced me is that peter b stopped believing in miles, right when miles needed support the most. he’d just lost his uncle, the best male role model in his life, and loses another one soon after when peter b ties him up and leaves him in his dorm. it’s jefferson’s unconditional love and support (and miles knows jeff believes miles doesn’t reciprocate) that gives miles the strength he needs to come into his own.

(tangent: for the record, i don’t blame peter b really -- or the rest of the spidergang -- because the stakes were high and miles clearly WASN’T ready to face kingpin after losing his uncle. i see it as the spidergang trying to protect miles from not getting killed, yes, but also from not having to fight so soon after losing his uncle. it wasn’t miles’s fault he wasn’t ready, and it was the responsible thing for peter b to do to sacrifice himself to save the others as the oldest of the crew (even if he was using it as an excuse to avoid going back home) but still, not what miles needed at that moment in time. miles needed to feel useful and that he could still help fulfill the promise he gave to RIPeter, even if he wasn’t the one to put the goober in. peter b kind of took the choice from him, said it was for his own good, and left miles lonelier than he’s ever been -- and just when he though he’d lost the support of every adult figure in his life, his father comes back into the picture. miles realizes he always had that support, but he needs to stop wavering on the fence and face his fears: will he move backwards or forwards? will he commit to this school or self-sabotage by flunking and skipping just to go back where he’s more comfortable? will he accept his role as a superhero or live a normal life? will he stay in his bedroom while his friends are in danger or stand up so someone doesn’t have to die?)

tbh the kicker for me is that even in the end, well after miles sees peter b as someone to look up to instead of just tolerate, it’s pretty clear from their interactions that miles sees peter like a friend/spidermentor/occasional life coach, and peter treats miles like a close mentee and dear friend. that’s different from the relationship miles wants from his dad, and still different from the relationship miles had with aaron (though close enough that you might be able to argue peter b steps up to fill another uncle role in miles’s life post-canon; aaron and peter b have similar traits in how they’re single adult men who can get away with being reckless and a little lawless because they have no one to hurt but themselves)

each of miles’s relationships with the men in his life are unique and none of them really replace or are in jeopardy of overlapping with each other. he has the capacity to love all of them in his own way, and does. and anyway that’s where i stand on that.

i feel like i could write another post entirely on why peter b isnt a father figure because he hasn’t really (yet) done the growth necessary to be one (he’s depressed, stuck in a mid-life crisis, and has begun to hate his dangerous, unpredictable, unquittable job that compromises every relationship in his life -- he can’t be a father! he’s barely taking care of himself!), which is why stepping into this role as miles’s mentor/uncle-ish figure is the best thing that could’ve happened to him if he wants to fully realize his potential in this next chapter of his life. but i digress.

[firebirdsdaughter]

Woooo…

… And other aimless noises!

Time for Ryusoulger episode 5! Subbed! Bc I didn’t have time to watch a raw. ^^;

In no order:

Life is hard when you have to pause every few moments to think about how beautiful Banba is. DX

Aw, Ui’s so anxious. I’d give you a hug if I could, honey!

I am never gonna get used to this goo in the mouth thing. They literally couldn’t have done that any other way?

How long has Touwa known this girl? Like… How did they meet? Banba seemed at least passingly acquainted w/ her, so… Hm.

I know it’s not important that they the specify that the animals being abandoned are black ones, but I’m gonna pretend it’s more foreshadowing bc I’m unstoppable.

Actually, that’s only true in certain capacities.

But seriously, the camera cuts to Banba when she says that. I have these straws and I’m clinging to them. XD

Like, I do understand ‘needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one’ thing, I do. I do also think we’re jumping to it a little quick, which makes me suspect we had a bad experience where a lot of people died bc of something, or something along those lines, and now we’re a little traumatised. And I think we blame ourselves for whatever it was that happened.

Still don’t think they’ve killed anyone. At least, not directly. I’m thinking there might be deaths Banba blames himself for, but that’s a whole other thing.

Crayon just running around downtown is just so hilarious. XD I don’t know why this scene is so funny to me, but it is. ^^

Banba is like ‘no friends! We have dark and troubled pasts!’ Or something or other. That joke kinda fell through.

God, he’s pretty, though. DX

Touwa, using his bratty little sibling powers for good. XD

Oh, yeah. This direct, ‘deal w/ what creates the monsters’ thing hasn’t happened in Sentai in a while, I think?

Touwa joins in the posing, but Banba just stands there like ‘oh, great, dork patrol is here’ for a moment. ^^

Banba wins for least effected by the earthquake, Melto is a close second, w/ Asuna an even closer third.

I really do like how Crayon acts like a bloody cheerleader there. XD

They all get sent flying, and Banba rolls an extra time, just bc he’s so beautiful he can do that.

Oh, Kou. Honey. Honey.

I do note, Banba didn’t argue w/ Touwa phrasing it as ‘help him.’ Though… He may have been thinking of other things at the time.

Well, it cuts away from Banba too quick to see his reaction, but I’m willing to bet he was reaching for Touwa.

Also, Touwa! No, my baby gremlin boy! DX

Banba doesn’t even take the time to finish his transformation, just goes right into ‘get the fuck away from my brother’ mode.

Crayon does the one thing he can do. Gets scolded. Such is life. ^^;

I’m never gonna get over this moment, though. Banba is clearly absolutely frantic, to the degree that we can actually see it on his face, even a bit. For him, that’s gotta be practically a full-fledged panic attack. He puts a lot into hiding his emotions. The fact that this fear is showing means he’s thoroughly terrified.

Also, Touwa giving him an awkward, reassuring little smile there. There might be slight dissension between them in this ep, but he definitely knows Banba cares for and is worried about him, and he’s actively trying to reassure him.

Does kind of make me wonder if there was a moment where Touwa was hurt and Banba freaked out or something…

Okay. Banba’s reaction to Kou saying Tankjoh killed his Master––esp the way it focuses on him off of Kou’s clenched fist… I wanna know my boys’ lore so badly. Touwa seems to be rather regularly shocked (like, the way most people might react to that sort of revelation). But Banba… I dunno, it feels like there’s something more to Banba’s reaction. Like… He looks sad. And even… Sympathetic? Like he’s… Remembering something and/or identifying? Bc Kou goes on a little on how Master Red died protecting him bc he was ‘too weak.’ And his whole break down seemed to be resonating w/ Banba. I’m really curious about the brothers and specifically Banba’s backstory. Bc it’s seeming more and more like something happened that Touwa may not know about that explicitly made Banba see things the way he does. But I’ll ramble more about that later. XD

And when Kou specifically says Red died protecting him, he looks away like that meant something… AUGH. I WANNA KNOW SO BAD! DX

I should also note that he looks absolutely beautiful the whole time, too. <3

How did you see, Tankjoh, he just giggled? I mean, I know what he’s saying, but that’s just bc I have the power of SPOILERS. And also other people doing translations. But mainly, SPOILERS. XD

I appreciate seeing some of what the villains are doing when not fighting the team, and I find it utterly hilarious that they are just chilling in this one random clearing. Is this a special forest/clearing? Are we even gonna have a base? Or is everyone gonna just chill in the clearing?

Maybe they’ll move into a cave at some point.

Yes, I’m very concerned about the nice animal lady being a Minusaur host, but can someone please take that puppy before she drops it?

Banba’s extra intense bc the Minusaur bit Touwa and they don’t know if the bite is gonna do something (it will). Touwa’s safety is one thing he’s not even willing to slightly risk.

So of course Touwa is the only one who can stop him. Definitely at least shades of living emotional crutch, here.

Soon it will start expanding to the rest of the team to and I will LOVE IT.

THE PUPPY!

No, seriously. What did they do w/ the puppy?

I was under the impression that there were multiple animals? Definitely seems like Banba has at least a passing knowledge of her, so they’ve known her for a bit, at least.

Everyone looks very pretty here. ^^

Speaking of pretty… There are still some shots of the brothers from the trailer that are missing… Were they cut? No! Show me smiley Banba in the Tatsui house! DX And also that one where he was sexily leaning on a wall! :(

If you watch Banba, you can totally see the panic steadily rising over the course of the ep. Like he’s managed to get a lid back on it, but he looks concerned when the bite starts glowing, and when Melto remarks about poison, his head snaps around sharply.

I really like the way Touwa sort of… For lack of a better word ‘argues’ w/ Banba here? Bc he notably leads w/ repeated reassurances that he’s fine, so there’s no need to rush things. Like he clearly knows that’s the driving motivation behind his brother’s behaviour right now. He knows his brother cares about him, and that his safety is important to him, so it’s more likely he’ll have better luck dissuading him if he can convince him he’ll be okay. Also, he plays the family angle, bc he presumably knows how much that means to Banba, too. It’s a little low, maybe, but it gets the point across, I think. For whatever reason, Banba’s put on blinders and tunnel visioned himself to the mission. Touwa adores him and follows him, but he doesn’t have the same level of… Well, what I assume is trauma, to have that level of obsessive focus. The best way to pull him out of that is using someone/something else he can focus on––in this case, Touwa, who uses things he knows are important to Banba (himself, aka, family) to try and, basically, again for lack of a better word, empathise again.

I’m very tired, I’m not sure that made sense.

I know I keep saying it, but it definitely seems to be that Banba just had the opposite reaction to trauma than the trio did. They stayed optimistic and sought happiness and new friendships to help deal w/ the pain. He just closed himself off from the world to avoid getting hurt again, and lost faith in others. Touwa was the only person he couldn’t let go off. Literally, living emotional crutch. Touwa is probably the reason Banba never went completely stone cold as a result of whatever happened––he was trying to emulate Banba’s more serious nature, but he’s more social and cheerful.

Might be cool/sweet if there’s an arc/ep where they meet someone (whether related to someone’s past or not) that is a completely stone cold, ruthless monster, and Banba has a ‘I could have turned into that if it hadn’t been for Touwa and you guys’ sort of thing.

In other news, Banba is still so beautiful I still have to pause every few moments just to stare at him. <3

Literally, if I were in this world, and something happened, and Banba––or even just Kishida Tatsuya himself were standing near me? I’d just be throwing myself into his arms. No questions.

Banba is allergic to emotions and proper communication, so he just runs out of the room to obsessively hunt the Minusaur.

But… Even though he’s not very communicative, he takes the time to akd Kou about Master Red. What is the lore here, Toei? GIVE ME THE LORE.

I don’t think he’s really trying to be mean to Kou? Actually, in a weird way, I think this is kind of a sign he respects him a little? I wouldn’t go as far to say ‘fond of’ and maybe ‘respect’ isn’t the right word, either? But it kinda seemed like he was trying to… I dunno, share what he perceives as a hard truth he learned the hard way? And being like, ‘this sucks, but you need to understand it?’ Only he’s Banba and emotions and gentleness are a little hard for him so it comes out really blunt and cruel? But he seems like he’s speaking from some sort of experience?

Also, this is the scene that makes me think that he blames himself for something that happened. Most likely, in the past, he perceives his own (maybe someone else’s, but most likely his) kindness to have caused some sort of traumatising event, which may have involved the deaths of people he cared about (possibly for similar reasons to why the others’ Master’s died––protecting something, be it him and his brother, or something else). Additionally, maybe someone somehow reenforced to him it was his fault, and specifically put it in his head that kindness had caused it?

On another hand, Kou doesn’t seem to be particularly hurt by the words, exactly? Or insulted? Like I feel like in some situations, a character in his place would be loudly arguing that it’s not weakness––something that wouldn’t have been out of place for Kou’s characterisation. Like, he’s upset a bit, you can see that, but… But if anything, to me, at least, he looks actually kind of… Concerned about Banba instead? Maybe he’s squinting in the light/the wind, but… I dunno, I somehow ended up w/ the interpretation that he was worried about why Banba thought that way or something.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled rambling to inform you that Banba is still gorgeous. Please carry on.

Tankjoh be firing his lasers!

Aw, the RyuSouls just want hugs!

I doubt there’s only one of those in the whole city…

I love how Banba just freaking trips the thing. Like, it’s so simple. XD

Melto the mom friend clinches it w/ the important flashback line!

Also, hi AU Hongo! Figured we’d see you again in some way!

PROTECTING IS MY JAM. Please tell me this is gonna be a theme. Bc I need Banba being protective of all his younger sibs in my life. I NEED IT.

I think Banba is the second one to use a personal finishing move? I seem to recall Kou doing it first ep, but none of the others have do it since––yet, at least.

‘You can’t beat me! I can juggle!’

No, wait, that’s not how you juggle.

I LOVE MIRNEEDLE AND HIS HONK.

Also, I see you, cgi car! And tree. And building. And… Oh, forget it. XD

Congrats Kou! You’ve promoted to actually being directly addressed! I’m so proud. ^^

Seriously, though, Banba hasn’t used nary a name nor a colour, nor any label for any of them. Wonder if he’ll give them grumpy nicknames like ‘fool’ or something after this, or if he’ll stick w/ names?

Was… Not expecting sumo.

Does one ever expect sumo, though? … I guess when you go to see sumo.

Banba just one hundred percent takes over the whole fight. XD Boy still needs to figure out how to be a team player.

I find it hilarious how none of the others even tried to join in on announcing the final attack…

Were Tankjoh’s eyes furrowed like that before, or did they make the suit character look angry?

The poison in presumably in his bloodstream why do you need… Never mind. I guess that answers whether we’re taking people to the hospital. Well, taking Rangers.

Naohisa’s doctor friend is now suspicious to me simply by being a mysterious, anonymous ‘doctor friend.’

Apparently, Naohisa has connections, too, which––I don’t know why––is somehow funny to me.

I’m gonna finish this post and realise I’m spelling his name wrong, aren’t I?

Have nay of you ever considered standing in a different spot in the room?

So it sure looked like the Minusaur exploded? Either is just plain jumped into the water, or the poison itself is the Minusaur? *insert shrug emoji*

 Banba is just so worried about Touwa here… Like I feel normally he might be a little annoyed at someone apparently questioning his ability (that’s not at all what she was doing, of course, and he did know that, but I feel like he might, under normal circumstances, have been a little ruffled and maybe glared), but here he’s staring down at his brother w/ a little worried frown. Merely affirms that he did destroy it w/out even looking away.

And the fact that a) Touwa’s now showing visible signs of pain and distress, and b) this shouldn’t be happening bc he should have beaten the Minusaur already is what really starts cracking Banba. Right now, Touwa is the most important person to him in the entire world. The possibility of being unable to save him is probably the single most terrifying concept in the whole universe to Banba.

Well, Touwa’s dead. But let’s dance!

Okay, so we know he’s fine.

THERE WILL BE TEARS NEXT WEEKEND. THEY’RE GONNA DO IT.

So, looks like Tankjoh will be exiting, possibly temporarily? And we have the debut of 5 Knights! But before that, everyone gets poisoned and Banba has to learn to play w/ others. Seems Banba and Asuna get effected by the contagious poison first, as they’re listed first in the summary, and a lot of the preview images show Melto and Kou running around together. Looks like Touwa and Banba are having a heart to heart, while dying of poison, probably during the scene the ‘I won’t let you die’ line is from. Bc Banba would possibly be willing to sacrifice himself, but he’d have to die, be incinerated, and then exorcised multiple times before he stopped trying to save Touwa by any means possible. There’s also a preview image that’s either Banba being dumb and trying to fight despite dying of poison, or have been fighting and then just starting to die of poison. I kinda prefer the first, but both are good. And Kou seems to be filling in as concerned little brother. Very excited, and I have a countdown timer on my phone again. XD

That’s all folks! Virtual mango sorbet for anyone who read all that! Or, just, any kind of flavour you want. I might have some digital gelato around here somewhere…

I’m enjoying this series very much. I love the brothers and I really want more lore on them, but I think everyone already knew that. I still hope that it turns out the person who betrayed Banba is now Gaisorg’s user. That would be great drama. ^^ It’s not completely out the window that it was his Master or one of their parents (or maybe those were one and the same), either.

Now I just have to get through the week…

[elizabethrobertajones]

How do you feel about Reylo?

Based off of TFA? I was indifferent because I didn’t really think it was a particularly textual ship and that Rey’s disgust and fear were pretty obvious, given that he abducted and tortured her, and then killed the father figure she’d never had. He offers to teach her to use the force but within 10 minutes movie time she’s found herself a Luke Skywalker to do it instead. There’s plenty of talk out there about how people want Kylo to have the choice to throw off an evil upbringing via brainwashing and be redeemed while blatantly missing that Finn’s entire first movie from his POV is about doing exactly this and proving he was good all along despite having been a wee tiny child when he was taken by the First Order. I suppose some of the appeal of the ship if you want it to be a corny romance is Rey redeeming Kylo while Finn did all the work himself by being like “wait no I don’t wanna slaughter innocents” at the first available opportunity… I find it extremely hard to see Finn and Kylo as having equal but opposite pulls on Rey’s heart, is what I’m saying :P Dark shipping is another matter but it’s a major movie franchise and Rey’s one of our main POV characters and the message isn’t subtle about Space Fascism in the broad strokes so I had low concern about Rey going dark or them having a forbidden romance across sides or something.

TLJ - 

I think the new movie played a LOT into the initial buzz from TFA, including masses of fan theory. Which, of course, you can best summarise by taking that huge build up for Rey to get to Luke and be taught by him, and him just chucking the lightsaber over his shoulder and walking off. If you bring expectations into this movie, you’re gonna have them shaken. 

(My only equivalent movie experience, incidentally, is seeing Up followed by Toy Story 3 and becoming convinced that Up proved that Pixar was so merciless that they may just incinerate the entire main cast of Toy Story and legitimately fearing for those little lives, so kudos to that moment for setting me so on edge I need to go see the movie again just to *enjoy* it when it comes to Rey’s arc :P)

(Of course, the toys were not incinerated, and Rey didn’t get ~seduced by the dark side~ but they had me on uncertain ground, which is not easy for film makers to do when you’re an annoyingly genre savvy asshole like me :P)

When it comes to Reylo they played right into the mystical force bond, Rey wanting to redeem him, Kylo being conflicted because of her, and a whole bunch of tropes. Within the story without Rian cackling while setting this all up (I don’t know him but he seems like a cackler, based on this movie) they used the uncertainty about what Luke had done to Kylo to make Rey question him (after all she doesn’t know him except in legends and he’s not living up to them in person) and to worry Kylo might be right and it’s not as simple as it seems. At least to the point of hearing him out, and feeling his conflict and deciding that he can be saved or that she must try.

The stuff where they’re communicating over the force is fairly straightforward that it builds up Rey’s conflict and gives her a chance to see Kylo exposed - emotionally and I guess physically because joke about Kylo Ren being shredded aside (that sketch is canon and again I swear he was only shirtless to make nerds laugh >.>) in TFA she sees him as a masked monster and he takes the helmet off to prove he’s human, but he’s being *exposed* to her now and it’s important there’s the later twist about all this because they’re both being shown each other’s vulnerabilities right now while thinking the other is tormenting them because of some bond they managed to make while beating the shit out of each other on Starkiller Base.

I remember starting to feel like this is REALLY not going to go how we expect when Rey sent herself off to meet Kylo because they mirror the elevator scene with Luke and Darth Vader from RotJ, which obviously is the 3rd in the trilogy, and you *can’t* do this same surrender yourself to the enemy to redeem him and take down the bigger evil from within thing here in the 2nd film without just causing more problems from somewhere else. In this case each thinks the other has a chance to come to their side and the bond is a mutual fascination and there’s a sense of attraction and being drawn together by it. 

But then a few minutes later they discover that Snoke set the entire thing up - has been messing with their minds, connecting them and showing them each other’s weaknesses, preying on their unresolved business with each other to make them want to turn the other to their side; neither of them are completely evil or completely good - the force is re-defined as neutral rather than having a light side and a dark side, and I think the spec that grey jedi will be an endgame for the force, is a good one (rather than restoring the Jedi Council etc which, after all, was responsible for turning Anakin to the dark out of desperation and neglect in the first place >.>)… 

In this capacity I think Rey and Kylo are actually really well balanced? It might not make a good love story but they are due another reckoning and their powers are clearly matched. They have a good literally and metaphorically back-to-back fight scene with the guard and their powers are shown to be in balance when they try grabbing the lightsaber again. It comes down to the personal side - Kylo loses because he just wants to repeat the same patterns but leave behind the First Order, not because it’s bad but because he wants to rule and destroy on his own terms, a little nihilistic baby bird flying the nest and wanting to start his own empire to dominate the galaxy. Rey fails, because everyone’s failing on the good guy’s side because you don’t win in the 2nd movie, because she thought she might have a shot to take Kylo’s uncertainty, but in the end it was because he was being controlled and wanted to be free that he struck out at Snoke, and he had already been shaped to a point of no return. Rey rightly sees a lost cause and flees, though she doesn’t kill him while he’s unconscious because she’s not heartless.

The rest of Kylo’s movie is not being killed in time by Hux either, and going fully unhinged supreme leader and fruitlessly venting his frustration on the teacher who failed him as well as continuing to try and kill what is left of his family without caring any more that Leia is in there like he hesitated at the start of the movie (and she still got hurt anyways in that first battle because of his orders to destroy her ship - given knowing she’s in it as well as the fact even after this hesitation he doesn’t do anything to stop them taking out the rest of the rebel ships in the LONG chase sequence he had to reconsider before Rey showed up, while he was just chilling brushing his hair or whatever). I mean at this point he’s better developed than Joffrey but he’s in a similar place. We already know he’s full of rage from TFA and we have a reminder how he smashes things up around him when he’s frustrated and angry with a necessary repeat of the joke about First Order personnel staying the hell away from rooms with angry Kylo noises and smashing sounds coming from them. The stuff with Luke killing or not killing Kylo and setting him on his path - either from Kylo’s victimised POV about it or Luke’s horror about the darkness he - rightfully - sees in him, that Snoke had *already* got to Kylo and he’d *already* recruited the Knights of Ren from within Luke’s attempt to start the Jedi Order up again… the darkness had got too far and Kylo was an unfortunate temperament exacerbated by the bad teaching/manipulation and I feel like there’ll always be room to try again or argue he isn’t a lost cause LATER if that’s what they want to do, but in this movie it was very MUCH about him being a lot cause, and Rey sees that in person when after her efforts to help, to go to him and all, it turns out the only reason she was connected to him was a manipulation, and the only reason he turned on Snoke was his own ambitions, and he’s twisted and runs at a baseline level of megalomaniac desire to oppress that frankly a girl should not be expected to fix through the power of true love or whatever and she gets the heck out instead of dragging his prone form to a shuttle, Luke Skywalker style. :P I’m a bit blurry about when it happens now (RIGHT at the end?) but there is definitely another final moment of her shutting the door on him in a vision which felt like a conclusive comment on her emotional energy being spent on him now. 

I sort of feel like as long as you don’t woobify Kylo too much and try to understand without getting too worked up about redeeming him, but seeing his actions as they’re presented in the film (he is a “cool motive, still murder” character now which is an upgrade from TFA because he was just Whiny Toxic Masculinity White Guy Who Could ‘Take What He Wanted’ back then) then I just don’t really see how this character could have a romance arc with Rey, given that she managed to overcome her fear and disgust of him to pity and wanting to help, only to have it literally explode in her face *when she thought she’d won so now he’s something she failed just like Luke failed him* and she legged it and fought against his side to save the Resistance without any more angst about Kylo whatsisname again for the rest of the movie. 

Also the Resistance is shown variously carrying around the Rey Homing Beacon and being her true family who cares about her but Finn full on pined and wanted to get to her and though he didn’t have a force bond it was important in a way it wasn’t when Poe or Leia had the beacon, that it was his parallel in a pure-hearted way to the link Kylo had with her, and whatever’s going to happen with Rose, it’s *definitely* a love triangle between her and Rey, because she and Finn have a pre-existing and powerful connection after TFA… I mostly just want Finn to be happy, so I’m just going to ship him with those two and Poe until something sticks, but of all the characters in the movies, Rey and then Rose both have the most actual romantic tropes with Finn, with Rey collecting a sizeable chunk of them with Kylo in the first part of the movie, only for the subversion and reveal to flip *all* of them on their head and therefore dunk the whole lot out of contention as far as I’m concerned. And I think when it comes to flipping tropes and expectations, we have to stop being short sighted about the build up before the flip as meaning the entire fullness of what’s going on here, when the entire last act of a movie may exist to expressly tell you that what it made you think in the first parts was all wrong. 

I’d love to watch again knowing the twist, and I think we’re going to go when my brother comes back for Christmas, so it might be another week at this point before I can put my eyes on this film again, but I think I’m remembering this all right and that my impression was right/I knew the impression they were giving was wrong and that I identified when they flipped things all through the movie, as it was all very loudly broadcast for a blockbuster audience. I haven’t really seen people reacting to Reylo much but I don’t ship it and I think it went from generically unshippable to utterly sunk, but only from my outside POV where obviously I have never really been interested in the ship. So when I see all this I’m making assumptions that I’m seeing them treat it the way I expect if they were writing it as a fake out on teasing that they may get together before crushing that, because I’m not really invested in them getting together. 

And I’m assuming in the surface text of the story it just wouldn’t make sense to show Kylo being unredeemable now and seeming to make his choice and sink even deeper into unhinged darkness. It’s not like Vader offering Luke to rule at his side after revealing he’s his father in the equivalent place in ESB, because at that point Vader had made no moves to show he may be redeemable or have doubts, while after that reveal Luke sees Vader as human, and has to begin hoping there’s some Anakin left in him from before he was corrupted to the dark. Kylo knows full well he’s Ben Solo and has been trying to shed that identity to the point of killing Han, has been trying to push himself into darkness, dreading he WON’T be evil enough, and when he makes Rey the offer, she’s already tried to skip ahead to the RotJ Luke and Vader stuff based on what she felt and saw - which was all a manipulation. Yes he’s conflicted, but it’s the same trap Han fell in - he thinks “Ben” is saying he’s conflicted and he wants to be good and Han has to help him - offers him the lightsaber like he can take away the symbol of what’s making Ben dark, but it turns out he was going to kill him all along and Kylo wanted help to be strong enough to do that to Han and THAT is what he was referring to. It was an act of being conflicted to want to be good, while it’s always been more to be nihilistically destructive and FREE. And in that sense, Supreme Leader Kylo’s actually doing pretty well for the first time in his life >.>

So for Reylo the only option I see left if you care about it, is darkshipping it without much expectation that Rey is due to become a world-destroying megalomaniac in the next movie :P