#meanwhile river is having none of that shit

[casablancarossa]

Lipstick Smudge << a [fluffy] taemin x reader scenario>>

For the anon who asked:

hii ^^ could you possibly write something for taemin where you guys are doing that chapstick challenge where you put on different chapsticks and he has to kiss you to guess what flavor it is. Or even that one tiktok trend where you smudge your lipstick and then he goes to fix it and the camera turns and he has lipstick marks all over his face. 🙏🙏

Reposting this because it's a shame it didnt pop up in tags.

You re-align your camera, trying to get a perfect view of the corner of your room. It was the only place that wouldn't have any reflection of the rest of your space. It wasn't that the 70% was dirty or unseemly for an influencer, but most of the time it was to hide the man with the shit eating grin, trying to distract you from creating any good content while he was around.

"Jagiya, I feel offended, you really are trying to hide me huh?" Taemin whines as he catched his hoodie with his face.

It has been 20 minutes since you tried to make sure that you were trying to hide items that might relate to him. Chucking items left and right, out of sight.

"You know, none of my stuff will link back to me...", he lets out a sigh, pouting as he sits on the other side of the phone setup, fiddling with various cases of lipbalms, with the labels frayed and torn off. "Beside you want to live stream don't you?"

It's no secret to those who follow you, that you have a boyfriend and make the excuse that he was the one who isn't interested in being in front of the camera and would rather support you from the side, hidden. Taemin smiled as he picks up of the chapstick and quickly swips the bullet against his lips, before making kissing noises, his lips puckered and pointed at you with that stupid smile on his face. "You're an idiot if you just want a kiss, an plus that's for the challenge!", you cried out halfheartedly as you slide into the seat with a spare phone in hand, ready to post a story that you were about to go on live soon.

For weeks, Taemin was very into the idea of at least making sure that your viewers didn't think you were full of shit by saying you had a boyfriend and just didn't want to show him off. Haters often comment that you were lying and you were completely 'motae solo'. Soon it went viral that you were single and delusional when in fact you had purposedly shoved Taemin into the bushes during one of your walks when Dispactch caught you walking at night by the Han River.

You re-adjust yourself in your seat, counting the numbers of people who had viewed your story before turning on your Insta live and sat back, waiting for your viewers to come in. Your fortnight lives was something that you enjoyed doing, whether it was cooking challenges or just late night pillow talk, you were appreciative of the fans who had swarmed in from TikTok, to join you in your lives.

Soon, you were greeting your followers, conversing with them through the comments they have left and began to introduce the fact that your partner was behind the camera, really wanting to do the chapstick challenge with you. Taemin had caused a ruckus by trying to slide one your indoor clothes line into view, with a perfectly draped sheet on it, so he could hide behind it.

Meanwhile, the comments were in a frenzy, saying how they had never heard you sound so relaxed and giggly before. Some comments were even teasing you to pull down the sheets so they could see your boyfriend. It came to the time where Taemin had reapplied the lipbalm he kept on hand, yelling at you to taste him already.

At his comment, you snorted and laughed, deeming his words as inappropriate because people might take it the wrong way.

"Yeobo, fine, shut up!" You laughed as you wheeled your chair towards the curtain and dart your head to peck his lips before popping out so the viewers could see you smack your lips, hmm-ing and haa-ing about the flavour.

"Cherry?"

"Oh? Is it? I don't know.." Taemin teased.

"What do you mean?", you asked bewildered, reaching back behind the curtains to grab the component out of his hand and reading the underside of it where you had written the flavour. "Ya. Lee-ssi, you need to read the bottom! The fans will get angry at you!", you laughed in defeat as Taemin lets out a loud giggle, enough for the fans to comment about it. "It was cherry by the way.", you speak to the camera.

You reached forward to grab another two unlabelled chapsticks, throwing one towards the back of the curtain for Taemin to catch as you apply one on yourself, the distinct smell and flavour should be easy for him. "All right, I'm ready.", you grinned before moving your head.

An aggravated groan left your throat as you saw Taemin, sheepishly applying the new flavoured balm on his lips. "Yah..", you put out a struggled smile as you were fully slumped into your seat, one hand on your face, massaging your temples. "It's supposed to be my turn, for you to guess the flavour...", you whined as your eyes catch the over flowing number of laughing emojis dancing across the screen.

"Ah okay okay, I got too excited.", Taemin giggles, attempting to wipe his lips before puckering them again for you to kiss.

You lean in to peck his lips, hoping that he would get the right answer. "Ahh! Lemon!", his answer was too confident for your liking.

You had shifted back closer to the phone, to look at the comments with an unamused look on your face saying "No." to his guess, encouraging to try again. Taemin went suddenly quiet, and through the screen, behind the draped sheets, you could see two arms pop out holding a phone with your livestream playing. "Yah, you look shit, when you are pouting like that.", he laughs, teasing you like always.

"What?! You are such an idiot." you breathed out in defeat as the viewers teased that your boyfriend, is such a troublemaker and seems to get a kick out of annoying you.

"Yes, everyone, he has been the bane of my existence for a year now."

"A year?! I'm hurting..."

"Okay, two??? Three?"

"Probably halfway to three? Way before I joined the army."

"Almost three years, he has been a pain in my head" you smiled towards the camera before looking back at the sheets, now seeing the faint glow of a phone screen behind them.

"Was it orange?" He finally comments out.

"Yes... Your turn.", you let out a sigh before returning to look behind the improv-ed covers to see Taemin, smiling at you. He couldn't resist and held your seat by the armrest and pulled your seat towards him so he could plant a soft kiss on your lips before peppering small pecks around your face. Taemin lets out a small cackle before pushing your seat out, causing it to roll back to your desk.

The seat was still swiveled to face him and as you turned around you made your guess. "Was that strawberry? It tasted like strawberries." you muttered.

As you turn to face the camera, it took a while for you to process that the lighting in the room, made it hard for you to discern that your face was now covered in faint tints of pink kisses. While inspecting your face through the screen, you could see Taemin's hands slowly sliding out from the side with his thumbs up followed by an 'okay' sign followed by a series of breathless laughter. "You look like I just mawled you."

"Wow, y/n eonnie, he must really love you. Wah eonnie, you are so lucky.", you read out the comments out loud, snickering at each one, which made you blush.

"Why does he have such femenine lips?", Taemins voice erupted from behind the sheet. "Reported!"

"Imagine if that isn't her boyfriend... Reported." he continues on.

You placed your arm on the desk, propping your chin up as you converse through the comments asking that you should make a TikTok with him right now. You stated once more, you weren't sure what challenge you could do that wouldn't impede on his privacy and internally, it disheartened you that you couldn't scream to the world that you were in love with someone without saying his name, and Taemin couldn't think of ways to console you. He wasn't afraid to admit he was in a relationship with you and it wasn't the first time you two had been linked together anyway. But you kept rejecting the idea because you assumed, both of you may not have the mental constitution to keep fighting the haters.

A couple minutes went by and you resumed doing the chapstick challenge, commenting there was probably 4 more flavours to try. Each one turned more chaotic as Taemin had caused a scene because he was determined to shift the sheet screen closer so he could steal he muscat grape chapstick from your desk without being seen. Your spare phone lit up from under you with a message from Taemin with a link. You opened it up to see the new lipstick tiktok trend and underneath the link, he messages you once more. 'My love let's do this...'

Before you could even collect your thoughts, Taemin spoke out once more, now speaking towards your viewers. "Everyone! Be patient right now, we'll film something okay?"

"Really??", your eyes widened, unsure how to react.

Taemin stood up, his head was just fortunately cut off from view of the camera. He mouths a few words which you understood as, 'lower the camera so we can walk around comfortably'. You followed through, lowering the camera so it focused more on your desk, but still had enough view to see that you and your boyfriend can now be seen from the waist down and were now walking around and there were indeed two people in the room.

"We still have the stream running up and we are viewing it through another phone, so we can still read comments and respond to everyone" you called out cheerfully, hoping the numbers don't die down.

You quickly grab a dark lipstick and carefully applied while Taemin looked at you with such an endearing stare. "Please god tell me why I was gifted such a beautiful partner.", he gleefully jumps and down, barely controlling his excitement.

"Such a con-man, you are only doing this because you are on camera my love."

Effortlessly, your lips began to retaliate with kisses across Taemin's face, each time, he giggles. Every time he checks his reflection through his phone camera he would voice out his displeasement that some of the kiss marks were uneven and that you should either kiss his face harder, or top up your lipstick.

Y/N-nie, what was the most stupid thing he did?

"Oh...? There was that time he said he could walk across the frozen pond and if he got to the other side, I owed him a new kitten", you started much to Taemin's behest. "Well.. He fell halfway in and was super super grumpy but I got him a grey and white kitten a week later."

Once he was satisfied with his over all look, Taemin takes off the jacket he was wearing, boldly showcasing more of his figure, but in his head, no doubt people wouldn't confuse him with a look-a-like, people would know it was him. Lee Taemin.

How did you two meet?

"We met an an event. She was panicking so hard she skipped greeting me and shook hands with my friend instead." Taemin replied, causing you to smack his chest.

The lipsticks swipes across your lips for the final time to get it even before asking your boyfriend if he was ready to film. He passes a phone to you, with the front camera at the ready. You proceed to start recording with one hand while lipstick in the other, bumping your arm to cause a smudge at your lower lip.

As Taemin's hand reaches up to caress your cheek, he guides you by the chin to look at him as you pan the camera towards him, his side profile in sight, obviously covered with stamps of your painted lips, looking at you lovingly before casting a devilish grin from the corner of his lips. The camera pulls back slightly, so that both of you were in frame, smiling contently as you look at each other, before facing the camera with a cheeky smile as he pecks your cheeks, leaving another faint tint of the strawberry chapstick.

As far as content making goes, it was perfect and you felt like if you could, you would post it as is, one try, one take. But you saved it as draft after viewing it and placed the phone down. Commenting out loud, there was no need to redo it, it looked perfect enough, Taemin agreed with you before adding that he thinks it would go viral. Your head spins to throw him a frown and pout, objecting to the idea despite the fact he knows, how much you would love the thought of finally no longer keeping things a secret.

Will you be posting it?

Please post it. What did you film? Will it be uploaded soon?

Guys... They were suspiciously quiet... Guys.. It's okay to turn of the livestream now if you want.

You and Taemin giggle at the following comments before he lunges behind the camera as you tilt your phone upwards, letting it re-focus as you waited in front of it as you continue talking to Taemin. It was obvious to anyone who was watching you that you loved your boyfriend so much. Your eyes were so soft and endearing towards him and you looked at him as if it was he first time you saw him and Cupid had his arrow at the ready.

"Hmm, I'm not sure I'll post it, but it's on drafts so you never know", you sang in a sweet teasing tone. "But please ask questions.."

Y/N eonnie's boyfriend. Do you think, eonnie is the one?

"Do you think I'm the one?"

"Everyday.", Taemin replied eliciting causing a reaction on your face that could only be described as look of awe and constant realization how in love with you were.

An hour had somehow passed by and Taemin was more than happy to air out embarrassing stories, habits of yours that he found adorable and personal questions about his likes and dislikes. Everyone was ecstatic to know that he was more keen in being in lives if he was allowed to be more present.

"Everyone.. Once I finally reveal myself, hopefully you keep on supporting y/n and us." Taemin announced.

"Jagiya, you are giving them too much hope, we have to end the stream soon and get to our dinner with your...friends..", the last word caused you to stumble almost saying 'manager', which might imply that your boyfriend was somewhat more of a big-deal.

You were finally addressing your goodbyes reminding your viewers that you will be back on again and on your next post that they should comment what they would like to see next. However your attention was caught by the alarming statements that flooded your screen.

Wait is this real? Eonnie? You are a lucky bitch. How the heck did you catch a guy like him. Gosh you could see it his eyes, this isn't a joke. Y/N and Taemin look good together. Is 'dinner with friends', actually dinner with SHINee?

The last two comments had made you dizzy in your seat. What was going on? Your hands would instinctively fumble around your desk so you could find your phone to check what was going on. If it weren't for Taemin, clearing his throat you wouldn't have looked up at him. There he was leaning over he desk, resting on one hand while the other was waving his phone with the screen pointed out to you.

It had not occurred to you that it was your tiktok account that was logged in on his phone and while you were too distracted trying to read the comments, Taemin had handed his phone to you to film instead and while he was answering questions, he was oddly pre-occupied with his phone. From what you could see between his phone and how your spare phone is going insane with notifications. You quickly open your phone to check. It was official. Taemin had posted the video on your behalf and even linked it in Instgram, tagging his ID.

"I'm not scared to tell the world that I love you. So I posted it.", he smiled.

Taemin smirked as worry had set on your face, lips slightly gaped in shock as Taemin made the first move to publicize your relationship. Like he was the first one to say I love you almost three years ago. Like he was the first one to chase after you after a serious argument. Like he was the first one to do informal introductions with his family.

The woman was too stunned to speak kekekeke. Holy shit, she really didn't expect this. You guuuys, you are too cute. Please don't break each other's heart.

Taemin quickly rushed around the table and knelt down beside your seat, wrapping an arm around you. Your eyes followed his line of movement, never breaking away, so many questions in your head and so much more emotions. Primarily, you were ready to cry.

"Okay, while y/n recovers, see you in two weeks guys!", he waves towards the camera.

Your body slumps down onto the desk, struggling to let out a pained chuckle before sitting up slightly to cover your suddenly flushed face with your hands. You were so embarrassed that you continued to try hide your face with one hand as you waved at the camera.

"You are insane Lee Taemin. You idiot", you giggle, smacking his shoulders playfully in a repeated manner as he leans forward to end the livestream, flashing a playful grin and thumbs up as it cuts and the live has ended.

"Yeah, I'm insane about you, but now we don't have to hide it anymore. Plus, the old Dispatch articles didn't have a lot of hate comments on it...", he calmly stands up and leans on the edge of the desk,

"Yeah.. But your fans are going to rip me apart... I'm not really.. Conventional?"

"We'll figure it out okay?"

"Okay..."

"So... It was viral years ago. But do you think fans will realize you were the girl at the fan event and you struggled to shake hands with me and greeting Onew hyung instead?"

"Yes, because Onew laughed at you because you kept your hands out waiting and just shook your own hands when I didn't go back to you.."

Taemin rolls his eyes, remembering the video in question, reaching forward to pull the seat you were in, closer to him. He rests each hand on an arm rest and looks down at you with, kissing the crown of your head before catching your lips.

"Well now I got you back, and you are mine.."

[velvetvexations]

If you'd like to write more about Derleth I'd love to hear it (I already hate him, I just love listening to people ranting about him)

Man, this fucking guy got engaged to his wife when she was sixteen and he was forty-one. They married when she turned eighteen and then got divorced six years later.

Before that, when Lovecraft died, the rights to all his shit went to R. H. Barlow, but Derleth slandered Barlow to all of Lovecraft's friends so he could take the rights uncontested. This nearly resulted in Barlow committing suicide much earlier than he eventually did many years later. Derleth, meanwhile, managed to fuck up the rights so badly that it all became de facto public domain much sooner than it would have otherwise.

And what did he do with those rights? Well, a bunch of bullshit! Derleth was a dumb fucking idiot who did not understand anything Lovecraft wrote but was desperate to portray himself as the one true successor to the throne of weird fiction. He gave everything classifications, made links where between names and entities where there were none, and most tragically of all,

COMPLETELY FUCKED UP PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF THE KING IN YELLOW.

The King in Yellow is NOT named Hastur.

The King in Yellow is not an "Outer God."

The King in Yellow is NOT Cthulhu's twin fucking brother.

There are so many good stories that do The King in Yellow based on the original book and I encourage you to seek them out. The River of Nights Dreaming, Toward the Banner of the King, The King in Yella. Signalis and Who's Lila? are two video games that include references to TKiY totally in line with Chambers.

If you really want to know how bad Derleth's understanding of Lovecraft was, just look at how he thought it was essentially the Cthulhu Mythos was essentially the same as "the Christian mythos."

But he was the one that gave the Mythos it's name in the first place. Who knows where Lovecraft's name would be if Derleth didn't have a vested interest in being it's salesman for several decades after he died?

But he was still an asshole.

[pessimisticpigeonsworld]

A fantastic example of the TG hypocrisy and how they're "totally not sexist" is how Rhaenyra is criticized left and right for having a lover, meanwhile Harwin, Laenor, and even Daemon aren't criticized for their extramarital affairs (I'm including Harwin because he did still participate in an affair, he just wasn't the one married).

Greens have written fucking essays about why Rhaenyra is such an awful person for sleeping with Harwin and having and raising bastards. Harwin never catches the same shit, I mean he literally sired the Jace, Luke, and Joff (allegedly in the book). Yet, TG pretty much leaves him alone, focusing exclusively on Rhaenyra, despite the fact that Harwin chose to have an affair with the married heir to the throne. Isn't that just as immoral according to their precious Faith?

Then there's Laenor. Being gay is a sin in the eyes of the Faith, just as much as having an affair and having bastards. But I don't see any metas about how "in the culture this is perceived as wrong therefore..." No, instead they just focus on Rhaenyra. Again, there's no mention about how Laenor is a "whore" for having an affair with Qarl or for sleeping with Joffrey before marriage. Then there's the fact that Laenor is the accepted father of Alyn and Addam, meaning that, in the eyes of Westeros, he had bastards.

Daemon is hated by the Greens, which makes sense, he is their greatest opponent after Rhaenyra herself. However, for everything they hate Daemon for, none of them are about Mysaria, the fact that she was pregnant with his bastard in the book, or that he was speculated to have slept with Nettles and Mysaria after his marriage to Rhaenyra. Sure, they talk about his abuse and how badly he treated Rhea in the show, but they never bring up his many affairs. After all, Daemon frequented the KL brothels all through his marriage with Rhea, but apparently that's fine?

Then there's the fact that their favs have engaged in infidelity. Aegon constantly in the brothels and his habit of raping servant girls. Aemond, betrothed to Floris Baratheon, asleeping with (raping) Alys Rivers and getting her pregnant with a bastard as well as the Helaemond theories. And Alicent's "transactions" with Larys, began happening before Viserys died and still count as sexual infidelity.

I'm bringing all this up in order to highlight just how hypocritical TG is. They constantly berate and call Rhaenyra a whore because of Jace, Luke, and Joff. The only thing that separates Rhaenyra from Harwin, Laenor, and Daemon is that she is a woman. And the fact that TG excuses the horrible actions of Aegon and Aemond as well as Alicent's indiscretions, shows that they aren't interested in actual morality (wrong that would be). They also clearly aren't concerned with the Faith's morals, for the reasons stated. That leaves the true reason for their hatred of Rhaenyra and fixation on the Velaryon boys: misogyny. They hate the image of a woman with control over her body, power of her own, and who challenges patriarchal roles.

[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

Ya know. I'm sick of seeing the Palestinian flag everywhere.

No for real. I'm tired of it. I've said this a number of times but fascists, communists and socialist, as well as anarchists, hate jews. And all of them believe the Nazi propaganda about them.

What's even more sad is watching people call for the death of an entire country because they view them as "White" when MOST jews in Israel are arguably not remotely white. This includes Arab and African Jews. But it's funny watching the Rhetoric of the KKK and Neo Nazi's show itself in the group I will now refer to as the FCSA.

"Jews control the world", "Jews are making everyone gay", Jews control all the money", "Jews are all rich and white". Yeah yeah yeah we've seen the Hitler talk for years. We know the bullshit you stupid fucks believe. War is bad but what is going on now is retaliation for a MASSACRE. Hamas and even the people of Gaza, those you call "Palestinians" are VERY specific about who they point the finger at too. So I hear nonstop the idea of "Colonizer" meanwhile this is what the Arab conquest looked like:

Interestingly, before this happened, Judah was a place. Israel in fact was mentioned in the Koran a number of times. Meaning it predated even the Muslim faith. Muhammad, was the purveyor of this faith. So if anything, the progressive should be on the side of Israel. BUT do you know why they aren't? Because in their view? Jews are "White Oppressors".

Now is killing civilians bad? Yes. Is war bad? Also yes. But sadly when it comes to war, civilians die. Except in this case, it's because Hamas are willing to do whatever it needs to, to both protect themselves, (including human shields) which also helps them spread propaganda that the Israeli military are hunting the people of Gaza for sport. See.....fog of war is a shit thing and everyone is going to have their own side. Me? Hamas is a radical sect of Islam. We see them when they do videos in LAVISH places with trinkets that would make the Vatican blush. Why? By stopping aid into Gaza, taking money from Iran, and then selling the aid for a HUGE markup, to get more rich.

What happened to eat the rich? OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH RIGHT when they are brown or black it's fine if they are rich right? Because you arrogant fucks don't actually believe anything at all. And none of your views are consistent. Hamas admitted the "Death count" it was sending out was GROSSLY inflated and every single country took it at face value and has yet to correct it. And now, the leaders of Hamas are some of the single richest people on earth. What's more, they want more people from Gaza to die because it makes them (Hamas) look more oppressed. And makes Jews and Israel, look evil.

Then there are the anarchists who I love hearing from *Sarcasm* who want to abolish Israel, but will outright deny that Islam sees Judaism as a slight against their god. Believe me when I say that if Israel left the rest of the hostages to die or be tortured.....this conflict would not stop. Hamas would strike again and again, and anarchists would say, "Well that's just what Israel gets for existing. If they just gave it to the Arabs everything would be sunshine and rainbows". OH so Arabs get to own land and have a theocracy where they commit humans rights violations but Israel can't exist? Sounds to me that the issue you have is the Jewish homeland there sir. Oh and if you think the Jewish people would be safe? Nope. They'd have to escape to other places around the world, knowing it's only a matter of time before those other countries turn on them.

Like the Leftists in the West, who are hunting and harming/threatening Jews with ZERO ties to Israel over this conflict. Enough that a number of students got trapped in a library because a mob formed outside chanting "From the river to the sea". A phrase both created by Hamas and used as a genocidal chant.

Civilian deaths are bad. We get it. But why does NO ONE seem to give a fuck about the massacre? "Oh it was bad but~", No there is no BUT. IT WAS FUCKING AWFUL. And Hamas has stated it's goals over and over. Yet the cult of activists in the west will just dick suck actual terrorists so long as they aren't "White" or "White adjacent". It's even funnier when you consider shit like "Queers for Palestine". Bro they would stone you nearly to death, castrate you then throw you off a fucking building. The LAW in Gaza as enforced by Hamas, was 10 years MIN jail if you were caught being a homosexual. Assuming you lived to SEE jail.

And it actually gets more weird. Seeing the far right say, "Jews are helping create the gays" while the far left is saying "Jews HATE the gays and Islam actually loves them". Have you assholes READ the Koran? Or any related books of the faith? It expressly FORBIDS homosexuality if I recall, and sees it as a slight against Allah. And for slights against their god, they can and WILL kill you. (NOT ALL but enough of the countries that follow it that it's an issue).

My point is. I don't really have a dog in the fight of this conflict. It's just funny watching the FCSA all come together and pretend they don't hate Jews while TARGETING Jews. And I'm tired of influencers, Bands, Actors, and Activists pretending they know what's going on when all they are actually doing is swallowing Hamas propaganda whole. Again. A leader of Hamas has openly said they want more civilians to die because it makes them look more sympathetic. Many have tried to escape only to be blocked off by Hamas. And given their track record for propaganda I would not put it past them to kill an IDF member, take their uniform, and go execute some civilians and then use their Hamas journalists who were on GREAT terms with the UN to film it and create a fucking puff piece worshiping these terrorist fucks. Who DO NOT care about civility, rights, or peoples lives.

[jamiesfootball]

For the word thing: pain, run, hide and/or tell

I'd apologize for the late response, but I think you know I'm always good for a snippet for you <3

Pain

He watched in a haze as the team dispersed, shouting out plans for the long weekend as they mingled towards their cars. Meanwhile, Jamie lagged behind, his feet cemented in the doorway as he eyed the meters left between him and his car. Exhaustion dragged at his eyelids like bricks in a river; the last thing he wanted to do was navigate London traffic. He couldn’t take it anymore. All the extra training, the early mornings, none of it was getting him anywhere. He wasn't even one of eleven anymore- he was one of zero, because zero was how many goals he had to his name and what good was a number if he couldn't even put a ball in a net? His whole life had turned to shit, and all Jamie had to show for fighting the inevitable was a body made out of rubber and a deep, throbbing pain at the base of his skull from lack of sleep. Without fanfare or warning, a hand smacked into the back of his head and ruffled his hair. He didn't need to turn to know it was Zava. It was always Zava. It was only ever Zava.

Run

Jamie stayed quiet while Jan undid the laces on the other shoe. Not long ago, this would've been unusual. New, quiet Jamie had been the default for the past two weeks, and Jan found he didn't care for it. If he didn't start running his mouth again, he'd have to resort to drastic measures. They worked in tandem to peel his shirt and undershirt off. Too many slick tackles in the rain left behind a folded layer of mud like fingerprints from a giant. Jan tried to slide his fingers between skin and shirt to give some breathing room, but in the end the water-logged fabric won, and there was no helping how the material scratched its way off, Jamie hissing between his teeth. The fabric got stuck again, folded over itself and clinging tight around Jamie's arms, and together they pulled until it snapped off his hands.

Hide

“You gave him a chance.” “Nah, don’t give me credit for that. He was the one who came back asking for one. He put all the work in. He did it himself,” Ted admitted. "Me? I never knew what to do with that kid. Not sure I ever did him a favor the whole time I was there.” A sniffle. Then a louder one. Then- “Fuck.” If Roy’s eyebrows shot any higher, they’d be in the stars. “Did you just say ‘fuck?’” he asked, not bothering to hide his giddiness. Ted chuckled, wet and clogged and fond. “What can I say? Our Jamie brings out parts of me even I didn’t know I had. What about you- you gonna tell him you heard mom cursing on the phone?” “Fuck no,” Roy answered. “That one’s for me. My gift for cleaning up the mess you left over here.” “Well, Coach Kent, as much as I disagree with your asking price, I’m not one to turn away a bargain.”

Tell

I don’t want you, she wanted to reassure him. I love you, and I miss you so much all of the time, and I’m not fit to be anyone’s anything right now with all the baggage I’ve got strapped to me, but please, Jamie, please let me be there for you. Please tell me what’s going on. You’re scaring me.

[hualianff]

Bonding Trip

Post-canon Xianle trio take on kayaking: MQ in the front, XL in the middle (not paddling), and FX in the back. 

Except they keep going in circles. 

XL is supposed to be giving orders but fengqing keep clashing 😭

MQ: “Fengxin, I swear to god you better stop telling me what to do - I’m literally in the front and have the best view of where we’re going”

FX: “ok but just because you’re in the front doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t see, idiot. I’m doing my part so I don’t know why the fucking kayak isn’t turning LEFT for some goddamn reason-“

MQ: “oh, so we’re doing the blame game now?”

FX: “does blaming have to be inherently wrong? WE’RE NOT MOVING-“

Meanwhile, XL is staring down the stream and thinking to himself:  “hmm, the water is moving faster that way hmm”

It’s a waterfall.

Fengqing: [still arguing]

XL: “waiT gUYS”

Fengqing: [not even listening, not even rowing at this point]

XL whips out the backup paddle and accidentally thwacks both MQ and FX on the head.

XL: “GUYS WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND NOW”

MQ and FX finally seeing their impending doom: “…shit”

Fortunately, all three martial gods manage to row against the current and end back up on calm waters. That is when they finally capsize the kayak because MQ and FX try to take a swing at each other and XL ducks right in time to dodge-

SPLASH! They tip over in a fit of shouts, the last thing heard being: “I hate you SO MUCH!”

It was MQ.

MQ who pops up from the water like a wet cat - NOT a happy camper at all - glaring daggers at FX who bobs up and down a few feet away. 

XL is just chilling. At first, he made sure he still had on the necklace with HC’s ashes, but other than that, he didn’t particularly care about what state his clothes or appearance was in.  

In fact, as XL is treading the river, he thinks the water is actually kind of refreshing. 

MQ: *COMPLAINING AND SCREAMING IN THE BACKGROUND*

FX: *occasionally screaming something back when he’s mentioned*

XL, absentmindedly: “Honestly, the river is kinda refreshing.” 😇

Suddenly, the silence is deafening. 

MQ: “the fuck did you just say?”

XL: “I-i just said that it’s not so bad, isn’t it? It was too hot today-”

MQ, popping a vein: “YOU- YOU- Y-“ 

MQ can’t even collect himself enough to speak. He’s visibly trying not to choke on angry tears, just seriously regretting even agreeing to this so-called bonding activity. (Not really though.)

Minutes later, FX and MQ are still arguing - trying to strangle each other at this point - while XL is floating on his back behind them. 

None of them notice how far away their kayak is drifting.

Also, where did their paddles go?

When they finally agree to swim to the shore, MQ is left behind as he isn’t the best swimmer compared to FX and XL. 

It’s only after telling FX, “At least we’re still together, which equals good memories,” that XL looks back-

Right as MQ’s head goes underwater.

“Motherfuc-“

XL gasps in shock. 

“GAHH MU QING JUST DISAPPEARED-“ XL exclaims, doggy-paddling in place as he points to where MQ was just seconds ago.

FX also turns around.

“Let’s leave him.”

XL: 😠

FX: “oKAY oKAY LETS GET HIM”

***

So something dragged MQ under.

Merpeople? Water dragons ? Human-like sea creatures? Who knows. But there’s a whole underwater civilization that Xianle trio find themselves in. 

The creatures that pulled MQ under were just babies and thought he was pretty, so they kidnapped him. XL manages to communicate through body language and is welcomed enthusiastically - somehow he makes friends everywhere he goes!

And then one of the sea creatures tries to wife FX up. FX is hell-bent on swimming tf out of there, has wanted to leave the moment he was approached. 

World’s away, HX feels it in his bones that XL is getting into some shit: “Someone go collect this man.”

It’s him. HX is the one who ends up finding Xianle trio, tracking XL down to say, “Xie Lian, get your ass back to Hua Cheng, he’s worried about you.”

Because the spiritual energy doesn’t work in the underwater kingdom, XL couldn’t inform his husband of his whereabouts. The Xianle tiro + HX begin to leave, but the creatures apparently want them to stay and try trapping them.

HX is not having it.

HX: “not on my watch- or else that one-eyed freak will have my head”

HX effortlessly helps the Xianle trio escape. As they break the surface of the unsuspecting lake, HC is already waiting above shore as he had received a signal from HX hours earlier.

HC sweeps XL up from the water and immediately dries XL’s clothes and body. 

“Gege seems to have had quite the adventure today.”

XL smiles up at his husband, leaning in for a warm hug.

“A true bonding experience, haha.”

FX, MQ, and HX: 💀💀💀

HC pulls seaweed from XL’s hair: “I’m glad Gege had fun then.”

MQ pointing at XL: “I’m never letting you plan a trip again”

XL: “ok, then Fengxin can plan the next one! 🥰🥰”

MQ: “absolutely NOT”

FX: “HA, HE GOT YOU GOOOOOD”

HC to XL: “invite me next time too”

XL: “of course, my love” :) 

FX: …

MQ: “who’s laughing now”

[happytapirstudio]

Redwall Reread #1: Lord Brocktree

1st in chronological order, 13th in publication order (2001)

(major spoilers under the cut)

Summary: The Badger Lord, Brocktree of Brockhall, journeys to the legendary mountain of his ancestors, Salamandastron, to liberate it from the cruel wildcat tyrant Ungatt Trunn.

Framing Device: A Badger Lord many years after Brocktree's time is sharing this story with the greater Salamandastron community: his wife, two kids, the hares of the Long Patrol, and various seaside neighbors.

The Goodies: Primarily Brocktree (da badger on da quest) and Dotti (a young hare, headed to Salamandastron to visit her aunt.) Along the way they pick up Ruff the river otter, Gurth the mole, and a veritable shitton of other critters, including shrews, hedgehogs, and hares of the regular and mountain variety. Meanwhile, back at the mountain, we've got Brocktree's dad, the elderly Lord Stonepaw, and his host of similarly elderly warrior hares. One of these hares, Fleetscut, is sent on a quest to recruit younger warriors; he is saved and then joined by Jukka and her tribe of squirrels. In the last third of the book, a team of sea otters joins the fight.

The Baddies: Ungatt Trunn (wildcat), leading a horde of vermin (rats, weasels, foxes, etc.) all of which have dyed their fur blue. It is his Blue Horde, and there are a lot of them. There's a major nautical component to the army--they come in on ships, and a lot of their number are former pirates--but Trunn himself is a landlubber from the mountains. Truthfully I don't know where he got this incredibly massive army (arguably the largest in Redwall history), but I'm gonna say it was daddy's money. Notable underlings include the stunted fox magician, Groddil, a ferret called the Grand Fragorl, the rat captain Mirefleck, the stoat captain Fraul, the fox captain Karangool and the searat brothers Ripfang and Doomeye.

The Freakies: CRAB MOMENT 🦀🦀🦀!!! Additionally, a big pike.

The Birdies: A flightless, short-eared owl named Udara Groundslay and a (nonverbal) grey heron named Rulango.

Noteworthy Locations: Primarily Salamandastron and the surrounding coastal area. Also Mossflower Wood, pre-Redwall Abbey. Everything inbetween falls into the category of "somewhat arid open country", though I'd say King Bucko Bigbones' Clearing deserves a special mention as a sort of verdant oasis in all that sad scrubland.

Noteworthy Weapons: My main man Broccoli wields a double-hilted broadsword. With all due respect to the cover artists of both editions, I don't think that's what Mr. Jacques had in mind. I think it looked like a normal sword with a second cross guard on the blade itself. We've also got Tuna's weapon of choice, a three-pronged trident. Very nautical-core of him. Honorable mention to Dotti's carpet bag, swung about with wild abandon, as well as the hareccordion within.

Riddles: None!

Continuity Notes: Brocktree (+ Stonepaw) and Trunn are each part of their own extensive lineage of badgers and wildcats, featured in other books. We've also got a Martin the Warrior cameo (he shows up in one of Brocktree's visions.) Additionally, although Salamandastron and the Badger Lords have already been around for a long time, this book marks the beginning of I guess its "modern" age, with the founding of the Long Patrol.

Other Notes: This is perhaps the one and only Redwall book without a distinctive mouse character. Martin doesn't count, nor do the smattering of mice mentioned once in Bucko's court, as none of them have either a name or a speaking role. Squeaking role, excuse me.

Bonus Note - Homestuck: Trunn is, and I am not shitting you here, Vriska-core. He keeps his ship's stateroom full of spiders and spiderwebs, stocked with flies via the decaying bodies of people who pissed him off. Like the spider-pirate intersection is not one well-traversed in fiction, right? This is not a trope, right?? Also an uncanny coincidence that Trunn's sidekick, the crippled fox, is crippled because Trunn intentionally broke his back as a child. ?!? Alexa play X-files theme

Tapir Takes:

(1) I am a huge fan of the Brocktree-Dotti dynamic (big scary man burdened with the shadow of destiny + a sunny hyperactive little girl who seems apparently oblivious to life's darkness but can in fact dish out some serious ass-kicking.) Unfortunately, this relationship (and several others) are overshadowed by the exponentially increasing cast of characters and the forward momentum of the plot itself.

(2) Realizing for the first time that Redwall does a surprisingly good job at subverting gender roles. Not perfect, but still leagues above many movies and shows that are still coming out in this the year of our lord 2023. The girls can fight about as good as the boys, the boys can cook just like the girls, and nobody in-universe bats an eye. Some of y'all should be taking notes.

(3) Pulling out a quote in chapter 6: "If'n yore bound to take the life of a livin' thing for food, then take only wot you need. Life's too precious a thing t'be wasted." This is said by Ruff as he pulls fish out of the water for dinner. I've wondered about vegetarianism in Redwall before, and although I haven't got much to say on it now, I wanted to mark this passage for later. It's worth noting that fish are non-speaking animals in the Redwall universe.

(3.5) I'd also like to point out that the starving Horde plans to eat their captive hares once they've exhausted Salamandastron's food supply. Is this cannibalism, since the hares can talk and think same as the vermin? It's never explicitly stated in the series, but I think it's pretty clear that the differences between (talking) animals in-universe are more akin to race than species. Anyway, putting a pin in that for now.

(4) On a similar vein, I'm interested in the philosophy of Jukka and her tribe. She and her squirrels live in a patch of woods in the midst of the open grasslands, several days from the shore, but still close enough to consider themselves neighbors. In a world where nearly all non-vermin fight only to defend themselves or the weak, Jukka's squirrels are unusual, in that they fight "for profit". To them, war is a business, a means of acquiring weapons. They kill all and take no prisoners. This is all pretty similar to general vermin philosophy. Perhaps the two main differences here are attitude (vermin are cruel and disloyal even to one another, whereas the squirrels demonstrate compassion for one another and even sometimes strangers) and necessity (vermin tend to steal everything, and are unable to support themselves without exploiting others, while the squirrels really only steal for weapons, and can provide themselves with food, clothes, shelter, etc.) I'm putting a pin in this one too, because the good guy-bad guy dichotomy in Redwall deserves some major analysis, particularly once we get to Taggerung and Outcast of Redwall.

OVERALL: I enjoyed this book tremendously. Bar is high for the rest of the books, but I'm confident they'll measure up. Cheers everyone :D

[eclipsedrawsthings]

5 fandoms, 5 ships!

Thanks for the tag, @edwardslostalchemy!

1. BNHA—Fuyukoto

Look, Fran basically already covered Tddk, and while they’re my OTP, this is the kayak I have built with my own two hands and I WILL get more people on board it if it’s the last thing I do. Have they met in canon? No! Do I still have shit to talk about? YOU FUCKING BET.

First off, they have the same goals for a relationship—on Fuyumi’s end, I think it’s pretty clear that what she wants is domestic stability. Makoto, meanwhile, has explicitly stated that her ideal partner is someone “ordinary”—someone down-to-earth and steady to balance out the glitz, glamour, and chaos of her professional life.

She’s also extremely assertive in a way that I think Fuyumi needs in her life—someone like Makoto backing her up would probably do her wonders. Plus, giving Endeavor a daughter-in-law who has blackmailed a pro hero and gotten away with it would simply be excellent.

Speaking of in-laws, this ship would also make Naomasa and Touya in-laws. This is objectively funny.

Come. Join me. Let’s create a future where I am not the only author to have written in this Ao3 tag.

2. Free!—Reigisa

I have such a soft spot for these silly little guys. You know that one post about being a sitcom b-plot character? These two are the fun little b-plot romance to Makoharu’s pining and drama. I love how ridiculously persistent Nagisa was in getting Rei to join the swim club, and I love the scene where Rei scoffs at the idea of him being affected by “something as illogical as love” like it didn’t WORK.

They’re hilarious, they’re adorable, they’re opposites attract, they’re absolutely whipped for each other. I love them.

Also, the water gun fight. The fact that Nagisa successfully ambushed Rei, then proceeded to walk into the trap he’d set earlier, was comedy gold.

3. Lego Monkie Kid—Dragonfruit

I was on the fence about this one until the Samhedi Fire scene. Look, I’ve spent five years and counting in the Tddk community—you give me fire and an “It’s your power!” and I’m gone.

To be clear, when I say “on the fence” I mean I was deciding whether or not I shipped them—they were luring me in, that just sealed the deal. I love the scene were Red returns Mei’s dragon plushie, I love their dynamic in general, and the fact that they were cuddling after the battle got me in the heart.

I’m not as deep in this particular fandom, so I’ll leave it at that—they’re cute, they got me in my weak spot, I like them!

4. Fairy Tail—Nalu

Is it even really a meet-cute if you don’t end up running from the cops?

These two actually hold the honor of being my first anime ship—Fairy Tail was my gateway anime, and Nalu was my first ship from it (thanks, Faun on both counts!)

I like how there’s hints that they could be a couple right off the bat, like Natsu’s arrival snapping Lucy out of the love spell when none of the other girls under it were affected, but that it isn’t fully a romantic subplot immediately. The focus is more on developing their friendship, and even though they’re not together by the end of the original manga, there’s not any question of why they WOULD fall for each other at some point in the future. Time and time again, they’ve saved each other, been there for each other, and just enjoyed each other’s company. I like a good friends-to-lovers, what can I say.

Also: THE FUCKING TREE. NATSU UPROOTED A GIANT RAINBOW CHERRY TREE AND FLOATED IT DOWN THE RIVER JUST SO LUCY COULD SEE IT. THAT’S REALLY FUCKING CUTE OKAY. Especially because, for those unfamiliar, he did in fact put the tree back afterwards.

And finally:

5. Superwomen in Love—Honey Trap and Rapid Rabbit

This is mostly an excuse to talk about this manga, because it is a LESBIAN SUPERHERO ROMCOM and more people need to read it.

Honey Trap, a villain, defeats Rapid Rabit, the heroine, in battle, gleefully removes the helmet of her costume… and is immediately smitten. As a result, she lets her get away, gets kicked out of her villain org, and ends up as Rabbit’s roommate, because Rabbit is the sweetest person in existence.

Fun superhero battles ensue as they try to take down the villain organization Honey used to be part of, while meanwhile Honey tries her hardest to get Rabbit to fall for her, and there’s a healthy dose of “and they were ROOMMATES,” which is always a fun time! Plus, one thing I specifically like about this manga is that the fact that they’re gay is a complete non-issue—the only “how can two women—?” of any kind is when Rabbit is (understandably I think) baffled by a different lesbian couple in the story having what’s essentially a biological daughter.

Superwomen in Love!!! Go read it, it’s fun!!!

Tagging @helpilostmygender, @snazzy-hats-and-adhd, @unreemarkable, @r4inwing-pride-parade, and @idkwatthehec! No pressure though!!!

[stainedglasstruth]

TIMING: Current SUMMARY: Arden has a rough day and decides to go for a run, but she can't outrun her thoughts. CONTENT WARNINGS: Parental death and very brief description of a dead body

Arden threw the pen down and ran a hand through her hair for the nth time that day, glaring down at her desk as if it had personally offended her. 

It was one of those days; a restlessness had settled under her skin, a bone deep itch that she wouldn’t be able to scratch no matter what it is she did. Nothing she wrote felt right, none of her leads seemed to actually lead anywhere, and neither her body nor her mind seemed to want to stay still. So, instead of continuing to try and fail to work, she pulled on a hoodie and a pair of leggings, put on her running shoes, and headed out. 

She headed toward the river, music blaring in her ears as she tried to drown out the thoughts that seemed to bounce around her head like a screensaver. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she ran past storefronts and buildings that simultaneously looked so familiar and so foreign in a way that made her chest ache.

She had known– had thought she had known– what to expect coming back to Wicked’s Rest. She’d grown up here, had lost so much here, she knew what this town was like. But you can’t really know what is essentially a variable, and she sure as hell didn’t have ‘massive mining accident that floods the caves with some dark goop, makes crabs weird, and cracks the Flat’ on her return to town bingo. And, of course, no one seemed to have any idea what the fuck was happening. 

Even after the incident, the folks at Erebus remained as mysterious and elusive as they had always been, refusing to comment on anything. Meanwhile, the local government and authorities were spouting the same bullshit lines about how “unfortunate it is, but accidents happen, and we’re working diligently to ensure everyone’s safety.” Lines that she had to keep parroting to keep the general public from freaking out until she could find some actual information. And then figure out how to spin when it inevitably if it turned out to be something insane and supernatural was going on. 

She slowed as she neared the bridge that joined the two halves of the town, separated as they were by the river. If she squinted, she could see the border of the Pines peaking out from behind Oldtown. She ignored the way her heart dropped at the sight, instead turning her attention back to her pace, her form, her breath, as she pointedly made her way across the bridge and into Harborside. But still, she was acutely aware of the Pines at her back, as if the trees were watching her. 

Ugh, she shook her head, ponytail whipping behind her. It was that damned nightmare from the previous night throwing her off. She could still see it in her mind’s eye even as she ran along the picturesque riverside. They were there, haunting her dreams, just as they perpetually haunted her mind. She had been in the forest– the Pines, she knew immediately– in a sea of trees. Darkness, pressed in on the two of them as they led her through the trees, searching for something. Words had been exchanged, though she couldn’t remember them exactly, just the monumental feelings of guilt and sorrow and remorse. And, then–

In the dream, she had found her father– found his body. Her pulse raced as she remembered the blood soaked dirt, the torn limbs, the massive chunks- she paused mid-stride, closing her eyes in an attempt to make the images stop. 

She forced herself to take a deep breath. It was just a dream. It was just another nightmare, just another one of the– quickly becoming commonplace– nightmares that had been plaguing her since coming back to this fucking town. 

She made a mistake coming back here, didn’t she? She should probably pack up and go back to Boston and try her best to forget Wicked’s Rest and all the terrible shit that happened here. But, she’d tried that already, and she had been pulled right back because she needs to know what happened to them. Curiosity killed the cat… 

And, if she was being honest, she did still have love for the town. It’s where she grew up, and made so many memories. The weirdness of it all used to delight her before her father died, before she knew the of all the hidden dangers. Now that she knew, she could help, though. She had to keep the secret she had to she couldn’t let anyone else but, she could try to keep people as informed as possible, try to keep them safe. 

[asamiscuddlepillow]

you know it’s kind of wild how morrowind is, after a handful of hours, more fucking fulfilling to me than fifty hours in Skyrim.

Despite the UI (except for the like right-click inventory thing that’s kind of neat actually), controls, and combat being all a lot worse I am already invested in the world? Don’t ask me to name anyone though cause I can’t fucking remember anyones names for *shit* but like, I know where everything is in Balmora after like five minutes because the game forced me to engage with learning the directions and layout of its world, and didn’t just point me with an arrow. Me having to go around and talk to NPC’s going “hey do you know who this jerk is?” and they go “Oh yeah, he lives in a house on the west side of the river” and then going on the west side of the river, or “Oh yeah he runs this club that’s over there” and going over there and asking people inside where he is, and then finding him to ask HIM where this OTHER guy is was more engaging that literally any part of Skyrim I’ve done, ever.  Like I might not remember the name of that catgirl who gives me the scutwork quests for the mage guild in Balmora, but I would *die* for her after one of the quests was “Put this fake soulgem in this guys desk as a prank”.  I do not care about anyone in skyrim even remotely as much, including NPC’s I’ve had apparently deep and meaningful conversations with about becoming a werewolf or whatever. 

And like, I’ve bounced off of Morrowind *hard* before, then went into Skyrim and spent an ungodly amount of hours in Skyrim waiting for that moment where, as so many people told me, I would just Get It and Find my Own Fun. I tried to find my own fun in skyrim a whole lot, and never found it because none of it was fun. It was a bland world with a bunch of signposts on it going “HEY THERE’S SOMETHING HERE” and that something is the same thing as every other something. A shitty set of combat encounters that finish in a chest filled with shit I don’t care about. 

In Morrowind I broke into a guys house because he was murdered and my good friend Nine Toes was accused by some asshole and I’m like “Nine Toes is a Blade (spoiler warning I guess he’s a blade) he wouldn’t randomly murder some noble” so I find out “oh it wasn’t him good” and I also find the nobles corpse and I was excited to loot him because he was wearing expensive clothes I could sell. This isn’t a quest, even, as far as I could tell. It’s just A Thing That Happened which sort of ties into another quest but that you can go fuck around with. Meanwhile in Skyrim one of the quests was being a super secret secret spy and infiltrate a party to find something out I don’t even remember I was bored for the entire thing and I didn’t care. I didn’t care about this big political intrigue plot where I could be a snarky bitch, which is something I live for, and I hated every moment of it.

Anyway I’m probably going to start up a new Morrowind character because I may have made some mistakes in my character creation the first time. Or I might just keep going and try to get out fo the sort of rough patch my current character is in. 

[daysofourlivesrecaps]

Thursday, 13 July 2023

It’s a sad day in Salem — today is the funeral for Mayor Abraham Carver (who isn’t actually dead, as we the audience know, but none of these poor saps do.)

Paulina, having passed through the “sarcastic about cactuses” stage of grief, is doing her best under the circumstances. And Chanel, astoundingly, is still being a responsible adult and a supportive daughter!

Theo (Abe’s son) shows up…

…and then Paulina sends Chanel away… for some reason? They make kind of a big deal about how Paulina’s being so insistent about this, while also being quite vague about the reasons, but… it’s just so she can talk to Theo for a minute? So that was nothing. Well, Paulina’s out of her mind with grief, I guess. Not everything she does has to make sense.

Chanel, for her part, continues her supportive streak and leaves as instructed.

Then Theo goes over the eulogy he intends to deliver at the funeral. Which includes this amazing line calling out a dumb thing Paulina did.

Theo, incidentally, is autistic. I admit I don’t know as much about autism as I probably should and maybe (ironically) I’m missing some obvious signs that he’s putting off. But it often feels like the writers forget about this themselves, write him like they would any other character and occasionally throw in a line like “as you know, I’m autistic.” But this was an excellent way to remind us and give us a good laugh — not even at his expense, because that thing Paulina did WAS actually very dumb!

Meanwhile, Steve and John are going over the evidence in The Case of the Missing Mayor again. I suppose the best time to do this is “right before the funeral we’re having because we failed so hard that Abe has been presumed dead.”

Then Chanel stops by. I’m pretty sure I know the answer in this round of Do These Characters Even Know Each Other? (it’s no), but her mom did shoo her out of the house and this is as good a place as any to be, I suppose?

It does allow her to share some information about Nurse Whitley and Jerry (the guy who claimed he saw Abe fall into the river) that actually sheds new light on their case.

These guys are supposed to be seasoned private investigators, both with an extensive background in law enforcement. And this former party girl-turned-baker, who can’t be older than 25, may have just blown the case wide open for them.

Of course, Abe is still fine.

Well. Not fine. He’s still trapped in Nurse Whitley (who we’re now calling Nurse King, apparently?)’s apartment, and still receiving regular injections of heavy sedatives.

But he’s not dead.

Not for the first time, I find myself wondering exactly what Nurse Whitley Kim Coles King is playing at here. Does she want Abe to start believing that she’s actually his wife Paulina? Then what? Surely he’s going to continue to unravel this extremely shoddy tapestry of lies. If nothing else, someone is going to slip and reveal one of her many non-Paulina names to him. Does she really think he’s just going to give up on all of that and settle into a life he clearly hates with a woman he clearly also hates?

The only thing that really makes sense to me, given what we know about her character, is that she eventually wants to dress him up like a cat and then taxidermy him and keep the body on her couch for the rest of her life.

Oh, it turns out there is a next phase to this plan, and it’s not my cat-taxidermy-Abe scenario. It actually involves leaving town.

She advises Jerry to do the same, and offers him a wad of cash to do so.

And she gives us this line, which MUST be a reference to another show streaming on Peacock, right?

And — hey, look! Lani’s still in town! She stops at the DiMera mansion to chat with Kristen. These two are canonically best friends, and not in that “oh shit, Nicole and Chloe are best friends!” way. So it makes total sense that Lani would come over for a little hangout.

She also happens to bring up the fact that Rachel is missing and asks if Kristen kidnapped her. And almost immediately sees through the lie, because KRISTEN, THIS IS YOUR BEST FRIEND OF MANY YEARS WHO IS ALSO A DETECTIVE. DID YOU REALLY THINK YOU WERE GOING TO GET SOMETHING PAST HER?

Also concerned that Rachel has gone missing: her dad, Brady, who’s hanging up posters in the town square.

Then he has a chat with Marlena, who tells him not to worry.

And, look — I’ve made no secret of my love of Marlena. But HIS CHILD IS MISSING. I mean, yes, obviously Kristen has her. But the Salem PD (what’s left of it anyway) searched the DiMera mansion and Brady confronted her personally. So we have no evidence that she actually has Rachel. The kid might actually be in serious danger for all anyone knows! (In fairness, they haven’t read this recap so they don’t know about the conversation with Lani yet.)

Later, after Abe’s funeral, Brady meets his dad at the pub and he basically says what Marlena says: “Rachel’s fine, don’t sweat it.”

Sure.  We all just attended a funeral for the last person in this town who went missing. But I’m sure this will all turn out okay.

As promised, Marlena confronts Kristen.

She lays on some pretty thick mom-guilt about how she JUST gave Kristen free hypnosis EARLIER THIS VERY WEEK but Kristen continues to lie. Marlena’s also not buying it, but she’s not familiar enough with Kristen to lay the “bitch” line on her like Lani did.

So that confrontation doesn’t amount to a whole lot, but it does set off a series of other confrontations!

Like Steve, confronting Nurse Kidnapthemayor!

And Lani, confronting Jerry!

Damn it, Jerry!

We may finally be closing in on the actual whereabouts of Abe, who is actually drugged out of his goddamned gourd and watching more Body and Soul! 

I was initially a little disappointed in this installment because we’ve already seen these B&S versions of Kate and Jerry and I was hoping to see some performers we hadn’t seen on this show yet.

And so, as if answering this concern, Abe himself — the actual Abe, not a performer who resembles him — appears on the soap, at Lorna DeLorean’s door!

Man, if whatever’s in Nurse Kim-King’s syringe makes you think you live inside a soap, how can I get a prescription?

[ghostwritcr]

if it weren't for river already having his arms protectively around kennedy , he sure would already be beating the life out of vance for saying that . one of the rarest things to occur , river had his face red --- both from blood and bruises , and from his blood boiling --- , so the guys knew better than to let the other stay any second longer . ' oh , you're so fucking done ... ' river granted the other with a deadly stare , deciding right there his mission would not only be protecting ken , but also making vance pay for his tongue . beats of his heart felt like punches , but he grounded himself on kennedy : her petite body in his arms , her scent , and especially her words . ' no , no , no ... you don't have to be sorry about anything ! you did nothing wrong , babe --- that shithead ... fuck ! i shouldn't have let him come to the party , i shouldn't have left your side as he was around , i shouldn't --- fuck , baby , i'm the one who's sorry . so sorry ... ' he closed his eyes as his lips planted a kiss on the top of her head . his body hurt , but he shook his head ' no , you don't have to worry about me , alright ? i'm fine --- i'll be fine . ' wasn't one to get on fights either on or off rink , but being a hockey player , he was fine to deal with it . besides his black eye , what hurt the most was his hand --- but for a good damn reason . he felt a huge fear drop from his shoulders as she said he hadn't forced himself on her , hadn't physically hurt her . or else , river would probably have lost his head --- figuratively , but by physically beheading vance . he caressed her hairs , giving the other guys a look as they silently sorted it : the guys should keep an eye for vance , supervise the party , meanwhile river would take care of her . the crowd spread apart with people's buzz , but soon enough , it was only the two of them on the room --- him not letting go off her for any second . ' you don't listen to any of that shit he said , alright ? none . he's just a mindfucker son of a bitch who's been looking for trouble since the minute he got here ... ' he tried to calm her --- and also himself --- down , even though he knew kennedy well enough to know how her mind worked . ' let's get out of here , huh ? c'mon , i'll take you back to your dorm where we can chill ... fuck the party , i won't leave your side , babe . you're all that matters to me --- all i care about . '

kennedy was too much in her own head to see that isaak was being the one to cool down the situation — while it usually was river. other guys on the team had heard the ruckus and joined them in the room. even though it wasn't her fault, she felt shame by how she had caused yet another scene. and both river and isaak getting hurt in the process. why couldn't she handle her own shit? instead of needing help from other people all the time. vance got scooped up by two guys, but he wasn't out until he got the last word in. " i won't apologize for a hoe being a hoe. " ken swallowed down a sob, trying to not let him get to her more than he already had. she backed away so the guys could take him out the door. " i'm sorry ... " she apologized as his strong arms wrapped around her. " are you ... are you hurt? " fingers held onto his shirt to ground herself. " he didn't touch me ... i swear — i didn't know what he was doing ... "

[atalldrinkofcaprisun]

Don’t Wait For Me After I’m Gone (Pt. 6)

silco x gn!reader - he didn’t die AU - tw: canon compliant violence, drug use - 18+

sorry this took so fucking long, life has been a nightmare and i’m barely hanging on. Who cares tho! Here’s some fic! Enjoy! ps. i’m looking for a beta reader so send ur applications to my inbox

MASTERLIST

The bridge was uncrossable. That’s why they needed the distraction. Let the Enforcers think that Silco had the wrong information, or none at all. Jinx had been half way to her new home and would now be rerouted to the Council Tower. This detour would give the strike team enough time to pull any Enforcer attention over to the far side of the City. Meanwhile Silco, You, Waren, and Dustin began the slow journey up the River. Ran had offered to lead the rest of the crew. They were going to make a fantastic leader one day. Dustin and Warren were to get to the Council’s living quarters. Sevika was supposedly being held there. They were to spring her. Talis would be spared but only so he can remember exactly who he was dealing with. A martyr wouldn’t be beneficial at the moment. You and Silco were to take down the transport entourage. It would be Kiramman, Violet and three other enforcers. Jinx was being transported in a Hexlyft Carriage. Violet would take Kiramman out of the way, but Silco had decided to make that a certainty. Everything had been planned out meticulously considering the time crunch. Jinx would be freed after the Enforcers were taken care of. Your lockpicks hung on your belt, a skill you had learned a long time ago living in The Underground. If all went well you’d never hear from Violet again and Jinx could be protected, and safely by her parents' side.

The journey through the opposite side of the city was just as quick as expected. The ruckus that had been raised was enough to draw every bit of attention where you had wanted it to be, away from your group. The windows of the square and symmetrical Piltover houses and business made your skin crawl. There was very little in the way of true individuality in the architecture, and the endless streets continued in the same way. At least in Zaun you could usually find your way around by what was around you. There were no street lights perfectly placed along concrete and cobblestone lanes. No wrought iron fences curling around the planted trees or gutters for rain to run into and not flood the streets. Your hand hadn’t left Silco’s since you had helped him up from the boat. He was definitely still sore and worn from his recent brush with the beyond, but Silco on a mission was a force very few could interfere with, and if there was nothing you could do, there was nothing to be done.

Warren led the way through the streets, putting his talent of memorizing maps to excellent use. You kept your eyes on Silco’s back, his shoulders still hunching over ever so slightly. The rumbling in the distance marked phase three of the Stillwater attack. Silco’s forces would be pulling back and begin preparing to clear the bridge for the escape back soon. Another turn and Warren stopped. You had come to a plaza, the merchant shops put up for the night, a few people were peeking from the curtains, but one glance at your partner and they returned behind wood and fabric, safely away from The Eye, “We’ve been seen.” You whispered.

“Good. I want them to feel fear.” Silco replied, voice cutting the silence like a knife through butter, “I want them to know exactly who they are dealing with when their leaders decide to play games.” His hand fell from your own and he took a few steps forwards, into the square, arms outstretched and looking around, “Their precious council. They allow them to abuse their power simply to gain a few more loaves of bread. Leaving me and mine to wallow in their crumbs and shit. They have grown weak in their complacency. Happy to comply if it means a lesser sentence from the oppressors.” He snarled, “Pathetic.” His red eye gleamed in the darkness as he turned over his shoulder and met your gaze, “They won’t make any trouble for us. They don’t have the spirit. Forwards. We can’t keep Jinx waiting.” Without another word he whistled and gestured the group onwards with a wave of two fingers, and walked on.

You watched him for a moment, letting his words settle in your bones. This was a side of Silco you hadn’t seen first hand. The soldier. His mission was set before him and success was the only acceptable outcome. He was a force of nature breaking across a continent, ready to tear civilization to shreds with no remorse or care for whoever was caught in the torrent of wind and lightning he was prepared to unleash. You didn’t realize you hadn’t followed Silco until Dustin's hand touched your shoulder, “You okay, boss?”

The blonde’s features came into sharp focus as you came back to yourself. You quickly shook your head and reminded yourself that Silco wasn’t as ruthless as he always presented himself to be. He was your lover and a father who wanted his family to be safe first and foremost. He wanted his child back, and he wanted you home safe. You nodded at Dustin, “Of course, c’mon.” and the party of four split.

You arrived at the appointed interception spot without any more incidents. Silco whistled lowly, and waved his hand around. The signal to split and hide. You moved to the left of the street as Silco slipped across the right. His coat falling behind a stack of crates he used to leap onto a landing with an agility of a much younger man, shaded in the smoke hazed moon. You knew he was lean and limber, much less brittle than most assumed. Only his eye could be seen gleaming from the shadows. You felt a chill travel down your spine and falling in your gut. Silco had become the hunter, and celestials help anyone who he classified as his prey. You felt the hum along your spine, “Show off,” you muttered.

You found your own way into a shaded corner behind a stack of barrels placed in an ally behind the pub. The chomper bombs on your belt crackled slightly as you crouched. You slid your knife from the pack, holding it in the usual grip. The flat of the blade pressed against your arm to hide the shine until it would be too late.

An explosion in the distance. Your feet shifted and then the sound of a far away voice began singing. You knew who it was almost immediately, you’d heard that voice in the rafters of Silco’s office on lazy afternoons when business hadn’t been so demanding. You’d heard it giggle and rant about chemical reactions and bomb mechanics for hours. That was your daughter, alright.

The shade of Silco looked towards you. You could barely make him out but the glow of his eye gave him away. That shine of red that you felt comfort from, while others cowered in fear. That glow was a sign of home, protection, the gentle brush of breath against your throat and the press of long fingers against your hips as he purred your name into your ear. His gaze made you feel precious. Like something completely and utterly priceless, with the awe he could hold in the burning flame

You watched him raise his hand and wave it across his face twice before letting out another low whistle. Get ready. On your mark?

You heard the humming of the Hexlyft Engine now, they were around the corner. You could hear Kiramman’s voice beginning to echo within earshot, “I’m sure once we get to the council, this will all have been sorted. Silco can’t honestly think he can take on Piltover by himself, can he?” Jinx started giggling.

“He’s… powerful Cait. Not to be fucked with. The Undercity will side with him based on the fact that he wants to be separated, run things ourselves. Topside’s made things really shitty, and Silco promises something more. They’ll take it. I probably would have too at one time.”

“Yeah, till you sold out to Topside, Vi.” Jinx sneered. A blue glow began to grow on the stones and buildings as the party approached. A balloon of pride popped in your chest, at your daughter’s words, making you smile, “Kinda pathetic, honestly.”

Kiramman came into view first, looking around the square with cautious eyes, her enforcer armor glowing from the light behind her. Rifle drawn and at the ready.

Silco’s eye flashed once, Get Set. You let the small needle at the back of your blade spring free, gently pressing it against the tip of your middle finger. The Shimmer burned into your bloodstream with just enough fire to make you bite your lip, you couldn’t give yourself away now, and Silco wouldn’t be pleased if he figured out what you were doing to make sure Jinx was safe. Afterwards you could talk and he might even not care because they’d succeed. Jinx would be safe.

The pink haired girl came around the corner next, putting her gauntlet clad hand on Kiramman’s back, “Are you okay?” The shorter woman asked, scanning the square as well, but her gaze was more upwards, the lie of our entry point working perfectly. You felt your muscles seizing and beginning to shake with the rush of shimmer. Your vision became blurred as duplicates of the scene in alternating colors appeared, turning the one into three into many and back into one.

Kiramman didn’t move, “Something doesn’t feel right. This is too easy. We should have been…stopped somewhere. Unless he truly believes she’s in Stillwater already.”

“Let’s blow the city to ashes, and see what papa thinks,” Jinx sang the lyrics to her favorite song aloud as the Hexlyft came into the square. Her long blue braids were dangling between the bars, she was laying on the floor of the cage, her legs sticking straight up in the air, and her arms matching them as she sang, “It’s such pathetic neatness!”

Kiramman’s gaze finally landed on the barrels you were hidden behind. You tried to stiffen your muscles to stop the shaking the Shimmer was causing but it only made you lose your balance and nudge into the closest barrel. The swear died on your lips when you saw Kiramman’s eyes squint. Shit.

You felt your labored breath catch in your chest as your body froze. Kiramman raised her fist up in a halt gesture. The Hexlyft stopped and Violet pulled away from the Enforcer. You looked past them up to the red glow that had been hidden until then. You could feel the question and see the way his jaw would clench. His only tell that has remained. Just on the edge of his jaw where it joined with his neck. You had pressed soft kisses to that exact spot many times when he needed to be reminded about his poker face.

“Cupcake?”

“But not for long~”

Kiramman took two steps forward, you heard the clinking of metal as Jinx sat up and looked at what had caught the Enforcers attention, “Or… you’ll…”

Silco’s voice echoed around the stone walls, a poisonous hiss filtering around like the Fissure Fogs, “Get Jinxed.” The signal.

You launched forwards, gripping one of the barrels as energy surged you onwards. The barrel lifted as you rotated over it, and launched it towards Kiramman with as much strength as you possibly could, which was quite a lot thanks to the drug racing through your bloodstream.

The sound of your daughter excitedly shouting your name rang around the buildings, and many things happened all at once.

Violet pushed the slender Enforcer to the ground, launching her free gauntlet through the barrel you had hurled, shattering it into splinters and metal. The feral growl of Silco launching himself from his perch and landing directly on top of one of the enforcers who had just come into the square, knife slashing downwards into the chink between the shoulder pads and chest guard. The stabbed enforcer shouted in suprise, as did his companion before he found himself on the ground with The Eye of Zaun boring into his soul.

Jinx clapped and cheered, “Get his ASS, DAD!”

The slash of the knife rang again, and a strangled wet choke came from the enforcer before his hands flew to the gash in his throat, trying and failing to stop the blood flooding the cobblestones.

You rushed at Violet, knife brandished in a poised grip, you just needed to scare her. The pink tinted haze at the edges of your vision grew as you moved, “Hey-“ Violet started to shout before you were on her, arms flying to wrap around her middle and press the knife to her throat, “Hey! I was helping you! You promised-“ You pressed the knife harder against her throat.

“I would shut up if I were you,” your gaze snapped to Kiramman who had just started to get up, “And I wouldn’t move more than absolutely necessary, Pig.”

Another strangled gasp came from across the space, and you found your gaze drawn to the sight. Silco, his hair disheveled, and hands bloody, his back to you as his hand gripped the throat of the remaining Enforcer. Trapping his lungs and keeping them pinned to the stone wall. The crunching of broken bones echoed as Silco roared and slammed the man against the rock again, and again, and again. The body slid to the ground as his grip relaxed and he seemed to catch his breath for a moment. His shoulders still hunched and muscles obviously strained. He spat on the ground where the enforcers lay, bloody and broken.

You really shouldn’t have liked the way the red liquid sparkled on his thin, angular face. He turned now, mouth set in a frown until his eyes landed on you and your hostages. The smile was animalistic, pulled to wide, his eyes too excited. It made your body buzz with the praise you could see written there, “Well, Well, you seem to have everything handled.”

You smiled back, the heat burning in your belly and brushing across your cheeks, “I clean up my own messes.”

“And mine,” Jinx piped up, watching the dramatic scene before her with wide, glowing pink eyes, “They’re good at that.”

“Indeed,” his voice was low, and you knew exactly what that tone meant. You could hear your blood roaring through your veins, the Shimmer making you hyper aware of every signal your brain was sending, “Let the rabble go, they won’t disobey. Right, Violet?” Silco purred, his gaze falling on the girl trying very hard to not struggle.

You released Vi, and she stumbled to Kiramman’s side, the latter looking at her partner with wide eyes.

Silco purred your name, “Let Jinx out while I talk with them will you, darling?”

You walked to his side, nodding, but not getting past him before his hand slid around your upper arm, his voice was a whisper of cigar smoke and blood, “That is incredibly dangerous of you.”

“Trust me, I know that,” you replied, not wanting to meet his eye and twitching away from the hand that went to brush against your cheek before you realized what you were doing. His knuckles brushed against your forehead, coming away with something cool and matching what was already on his hands, “We’ll stitch that and talk about this when it’s over.” You knew that looking up at him was only going to make your knees weak and arouse you more than he already had, but you did it anyways. Needing to see the softness in his blood splattered gaze.

“Is flirting important right now? I feel like getting me out of this stupid cage would be higher on the list than that.” Jinx called, breaking the moment, you smiled at him, before slipping away and heading to your daughter. Her hands wrapped around the bars that functioned as the door, “You came for me.” She spoke with her more natural tone now, whispering, “Why did you do that? I- I killed-”

“You are our daughter, Jinx. We will always come for you.” You placed your hand over her own. She had been so warm last time you touched her, before the bridge, and her redirection and… the cannery. Now she felt just as warm as you did, Shimmer must make your body run hotter, you supposed, “We will never abandon you no matter what you’ve done, or where you are. I promise.”

She pushed her face against the bars, looking down at the chains wrapped around her arms and legs. You pressed a kiss to her forehead as best you could, “Now let’s have a look at these locks.”

You pulled your pick set out and began fiddling with the different tumblers to find the right match. Silco and Violet seemed to be having a very one sided threatening conversation behind you, and you heard him chuckle as metal scraped stone and with heavy grunts and whines from Kiramman, they fled up the street. Silco watched them go, unmoving.

You took the opertunity of stillness to take inventory of the girl who had been out of your sight for far too long. She looked thinner than before, as if she hadn’t been eating for a few days, and her eyes had even darker circles beneath them than normal. Her swooping bangs were messy and ruffled, unbrushed in her captivity. Her braids were messy and had darkened with dirt near where they had been dangling outside the cage. She’d been due for a rebraid since before The Bridge, she might need to have a few inches cut at this point with how matted they had become. She wasn’t going to like that at all, a chuckle built in your chest and escaped just as the lockpick clicked into place and the door’s lock released.

You withdrew and held the door open, “Arms?” your hand extending as Jinx met you halfway and you got to work on those locks, “You okay, kiddo?”

Jinx was quiet before sniffling, “I’m sorry.”

“No more of that,” you shook your head, “You were doing what you thought was best. But do anything like this again and you’ll be grounded for at least three years.” You smiled as the cuffs clicked open and fell to the cobblestones with a loud ‘clang’ and her arms were wrapped around your midsection before you could do anything else.

Jinx always hugged with her whole body, all wiry muscles and hidden depths of strength. She held on so tightly, as if she worried the person she was hugging would vanish in a puff of smoke if she didn’t hold you together. You hugged her back just as tightly. You needed the confirmation that your daughter was at least safely back under you and Silco’s care. The three of you would need to have some very serious conversations later, but until you were safely across the river Pilt and tucked away into a dim green lit office, this was enough. Jinx was back where she belonged.

Silco’s attention prickled the hairs on the back of your neck and you turned to look at him, not loosening your hold on the azure haired prodigy, “Well, the hard parts are over.”

“I don’t think so, darling,” his voice was soft, mask laid down in the presence of his family, “The hardest times are just before us. Freedom isn’t going to be easy. Especially when I cannot accept the treaty,” He was staring at Jinx now, who pulled away from your embrace to look at him with wide, vulnerable eyes, “Nations are born in blood and fury just like any other child.”

You moved to give her room, knowing her emotions could be volatile at the best of times. The last time she had seen Silco cognizant was before she shot him. You could sympathize with her hesitation.

She slowly got to her feet, boots thumping against the cobblestone as she walked forwards. You heard the sniffling start again before Jinx launched herself into Silco, arms wrapping around his neck and throwing her entire weight into his lean frame, he held her just as tightly in return. His blue eye closed and he wrapped around the blue-haired girl, her tearful apologies being accepted over and over again in a hushed hum.

You took the moment to go grab Silco’s fine coat, and pointedly avoided looking at the corpses lying nearby. You weren’t unfamiliar with death, but the sight was still unsettling. You twitched, still feeling the Shimmer overwhelming your blood, making your heart burn with its bolstered fury, slamming against your rib cage.

“Time to go to war,” you muttered, looking up at the smoke hazed night sky. It would be worth it, the death, the fear, everything you had done, everything you had watched Silco do, all of the plans and plots and shitty deals and shady working in back allies was going to mean something.

You just had to survive, and keep your family together at the same time. How hard could that possibly be?

——————

💕✨taglist: @anotherromanticpoet @supermegapauselouca @scarlettorch @waddles2020 @jennrosefx

[centrally-unplanned]

A Century+ of the Kurtzian Temptation

Partner and I rewatched (well, first time for her) Apocalypse Now this evening, and man does that hit hard after the debacle of Afghanistan had fully spun out its threads. Apocalypse Now always gained a lot of power from being an adaptation of a 19th century novel on colonialism, transplanted to the Vietnam War, and having to change almost none of its themes to still work. That act itself simply succeeding gave the film power outside of itself - the thematic universality was self evident. Adding another 50 years onto the pile and seeing a film that could take place in Helmud with nothing but a fresh coat of sandy paint is frightening - The Horror indeed.

I do think there is a deeper connection there, though. The surface reading of “war is bad and corrupting” of Apocalypse Now gives way to a more detailed understanding of the strategic contradictions of modern war, ones that relate to my own writings from before on the topic. The US military brass in the film have an understanding of their own war that is completely divorced from reality. They want to prop up the South Vietnamese government, they state their goal is to build an ally, but everything exists only on paper. Their allies are corrupt to the core; their own soldiers perpetually kill the people they aim to win over; the troops build a bridge every day that is blown up every night just to say progress is being made in the reports.

Colonel Kurtz has an “answer” to this dilemma - to go rogue, discard western morality, to *replace* the corrupt system they are propping up to one built by Men Like Him. In short, he wants to go Full Empire - a land run by a western elite built on superior force for the purpose of domination. And, critically for the film, this works to some degree - Kurtz gets results that other operations cannot, often with far less material*. The US has comically overpowered material capabilities in Vietnam, but it is all irrelevant as their goal is contradictory - to build a system that can survive without that military might, somehow achieved via that military might. Yet the US can of course never embrace the Kurtzian approach, as it clashes with the entire political and moral apparatus of our system - we prop up allies, we don’t Do Imperialism. And the genius insight of Apocalypse Now is that...the US system is right. Kurtz *cannot* Do Imperialism, his attempts to shed his morality and upbringing fail, it was a dream he could not live up to. And despite his material successes he finds himself asking for death when it comes knocking.

This is in fact a thematic change in relation to Heart of Darkness. The eponymous Kurtz of the Congo river is not Doing Imperialism for the mission - he is just a grandiloquent asshole. Which makes sense! Because in the Congo Free State of the 19th century, the West is very much Doing Imperialism. Like holy shit, the imperialism is off the charts, you have never seen this level of imperialism before. This was a system that was very much working, intensively effectively, the mission is not failing, and it needs no Kurtz to save it. Instead the contradiction Kurtz is exposing is the idea of the moralizing sheen Europe put on colonialism, the White Man’s Burden to civilize the world. The act of imperialism could never be ‘civilizing’, as the act itself was inherently de-civilizing. Imperial Europe could dominate, but it could never change the culture of its dominions (at least not in the way it intended; the unintended effects were legion), while it would itself be forever changed by own attempts. Meanwhile the US in the Vietnam of Apocalypse Now, as a culture that refused to explicitly dominate, found itself worse off in its ability to achieve victory while gaining nothing in its ability to achieve ‘civilization’, and degraded its own morality and soldiers in the process.

Afghanistan in so many ways is this ethos distilled. Nowhere has America tried to laser-focus more on the idea of the Civilizing Mission, called Nation-Building now. And nowhere have more well-intentioned men simply thrown their hands up in rage and disgust at the reality of that approach, like being told to stand back and do nothing as, say, the police force they were training for the Afghan government practiced institutionalized child sex slavery with no consequences. Every one of these people faced a Kurtzian moment of temptation, I have read too many accounts from veterans saying so implicitly, and some even explicitly, to just wipe the slate clean of the government we had built and forge something new, real, strong, and just. But of course the US system could not do that - instead we would drone strike Taliban fighters, and a few children on the side, and call it a day. Making friends with the horror of it all was the only way to survive such a civilizing mission, and how many Kurtz’s we made and broke along the way is surprising to no one who paid attention to how it went the last time.

(*I should note that Kurtz’s success is the least realistic part of the film; 1960′s Vietnam is not 19th century Annam or the Congo, while I do think there is some validity to his insight I do not think the US could have “won Vietnam” by going Kurtzian by any means. Its just not that important to the themes.)

[dragynkeep]

And just like that, JYRO/JORY(w/e) are better protags than RWB. They are neck deep in the thick of danger and Yang is the first member to score a hit on the big bad, ineffective as it was. Salem folded them in short order and soaked up their attacks because who needs aura when your can heal from anything but at least they tried.

I love that JYRO are being so pro-active this season. Even when they had to take a break, we saw that they only stayed in the shack for a couple of hours to recover their Aura, and then immediately set back out to return to Mantle and try to figure out a way to get Oscar back. 

Once the oozy river attacked Atlas, they immediately asked Winter to let them scout the whale ahead to save Oscar. While it a selfish decision, it made sense and one that I can relate to. Oscar is their friend, of course they want to go and save him, and Winter gave them the chance with restrictions. All throughout this season, Yang and her group have been doing whatever they can to deal with the situation they’re in. 

Meanwhile, RWB are busy sitting around a mansion, complaining while having the opportunities to at least be proactive in their own story, and only moved when the problem literally came to them. None of them thought of contacting Klein to come and help Nora, none of them decided to go out and try to find out about their friends like May did, none of them decided to go and put the generator on until Klein literally told them that he can’t work in the fucking dark. 

They have to have the solution handed to them. If it was Yang and her team, I have no doubt they’d go out and do it themselves, because they’ve already shown us that they can onscreen. They didn’t sit there and complain that Oscar was kidnapped, they didn’t sit there and have the Ace Ops tell them to go into the whale and save their friend, they went and did that shit themselves.

[honorable-wanderings]

Word of Honor - Episode 2 Part 1 - Stalking, but in like. A  sexy way

(Sorry! For some reason the “readmore” isn’t working right!)

WE JOIN OUR “HEROES”....

exactly where we left them.

ZZS looks confused, offended, and slightly intrigued by the new person added into Smash Bros.

Look at him. Tryin to be all cool. Make a good first impression.

----------

I’m not really sure what kind of a power move it is wrapping up her whip and pulling her closer in a chastising way in front of the man you have already decided to try to seduce but it is a power move none the less.

And it seems to be working! :o

----------

There’s more pouting in this show than I originally anticipated.

“A-Xiang, stop attacking random people on the street. At least wait until your martial arts don’t suck ass first.”

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And so the dance begins.

Look at that smirk. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

---------

Waste not your honored thanks on me, kind gentleman. I am but a lowly drunkard lying dirty and prone on the street. The error, therefore, must have been my own!

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

I got my eyes on you!!!!

To quote a kind young lady that I met quite recently. “I don’t give a FUCK”

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Oh wait, you’re still here?

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Best boy alert is going crazy!!!

We may have just met ChenLing, but I would die for him. That also seems to be the general consensus with the other characters as well.

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“It is dangerous outside the town walls, so I cannot allow a child like you to... ...A sword? My apologies, sir. It was wrong of me to treat you like a child. “

What? That’s not what he said?

----------

“Are you injured or ill?”

*looks into the camera like it’s the office*

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ZZS out here looking like a tragic renaissance painting.

“Young master can we go now? He smells D:”

“Sure just a sec! Let me just leave him my house keys!!”

“What??? Nooooo”

“What was that phrase I learned today? I don’t give a fuck?”

(On a side note I am trying to learn French atm and deadass almost wrote “fraise” instead of “phrase” even though it means “strawberry” and doesn’t have anything to do with the conversation at hand.)

----------

I came out here to enjoy the sun and some peace and quiet and some good alcohol. The peace and quiet is gone. And so is the sun. Now this dickwad’s saying I might be bad because I dress like shit? I was the nicest dressed royal assassin ever and now that I’m a hobo I’ve never been more upstanding! I haven’t even killed a single person in like a year and a half (other than myself).

At least I still have you, alcohol.

----------

Meanwhile back with these two,

A-Xiang is still mad that she lost a random fight she picked with someone who looked like a pushover.

More pouting ensues

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

“Get good”

Master KeXing reveals he knows more than he revealed to know previously when he was pretending not to know what he has now revealed he knows.

A-Xiang wants to know if he’s making shit up again.

-----------

The plot is driven forward by the playful rhyming chants of children. Honestly that’s top tier horror movie quality plot beat right there. Add a sense of foreboding to your story even though we’re still in ‘lighthearted silly time”

Good job!

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Zhou Zishu wonders, surely not for the last time, why everyone in the martial arts world can’t just calm the fuck down.

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ZZS then decides that after being accosted by random people on the street while he was snoozing and minding his own damn business that that seems like a lot of fun and decides to accost some random person on the street who was snoozing and minding their own business.

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Why doesn’t anyone ever believe that I’m fucking loaded? I’ve got like 2 years left and I’m gonna blow my life’s savings before I go muthafucka. You want 3 mace of silver for a half-mile boat ride? Done motherfucker did I stutter?

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“Hello. I’m totally not stalking you. :D”

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“You wanna ride my boat? ;)” he asks, shouting it across the river so that he could be heard. “What?” Zhou Zishu replies, not able to understand him over the babbling of the water.

“I said! Do! You! Want! To! Ride! My! Boat? Winky Face!”

“Did you just say “winky face??”

“Yeah I was worried you couldn’t see it from there!”

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Somehow today has turned out much more interesting than I had anticipatd

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“We’ll meet again if fated!”

“Challenge accepted”

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Yes I am only keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t fuck with my plans. And that is the only reason. Yes. that’s why I’m going to follow him. Just this. Only that. No other reason.

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This place is pretty! I think this would be a great place to die!

Hun, you still have a couple years. You can always come back to die here later but like chilling in a field of flowering trees for 2 years will kinda lose its novelty if you don’t do other things too.

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GIVE ME YO’ FUCKIN’ MONEY!!

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You said I’ve already ridden and dashed so what’s the point in my paying you now? Toodles!

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This place is pretty but I love how people never walk anywhere. Like the trees would look prettier if you were in them you know.

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HOly fuck! Being rude as shit is so fun! How have I never tried this before? 

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Uh.. question: How did this get here? It’s clearly dry docked but it’s no where near the water. Why is it here???

Ah well. It’s free real estate

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WHY IS THE RUM GONE?

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Do I have “attack me” written on my face or something? For the love of fuck! I’m not drunk enough for this!

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“Meh”

“Meh? I think not good sir.”

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Would you believe that this wasn’t even rehearsed?

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For someone who does not want people to see his chest, this is certainly a lot of chest exposed???

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Not sure that’s how fans work, but hell maybe I’ve just been using ‘em wrong all this time

Holy fuck is it heat seeking???

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Surprise!!!

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Pff. Okay. Like I will ALWAYS love it when some not sharp object flies into something and sticks like it’s made of razor sharp blades. And I know TECHNICALLY it’s possible - what with a tornado being able to slam a single piece of straw through cinder block. But it will always make me smile.

(And while that is a smile at how ridiculous it is, it is with 100% legit affection and charm. I legit love it)

Just. “Thunk”

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Who is attacking me? Were they sent by the prince? Do they know who I am? Do I need to get serious?

Oh... It’s just that random guy again.

Well that’s okay then.

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I apologize for once again attacking you randomly and completely unprovoked in the middle of nowhere. My bad.

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“My footwork has godlike elegance huh? You shoulda seen me when I wasn’t dying.”

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I came here to check out dat ass again and I was not disappointed. ;)

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Don’t stand so- Don’t stand so- Don’t stand so close to me ♪

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“Why don’t we drink on my boat?“ “I don’t want to sleep with you!“ “Yet ;)”

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Why the fuck are you following me? Just say what you want from me already!

Bitch you invited me

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“He’s so good at kissing ass”

Oh just you wait.

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Still gonna stalk you btw! ♥♥♥