#new years sendoff

[asktheisle]

No idea why but 💞💖 Goodra or Noivern, Who doesn't love pretty purple Pokemon with hints of green? One's super baby and the other might commit crimes, just look at the gooey baby and try to say No, truly an impossible task 😭 /lh

The dragons EVER!!! NOIVERN, BAYBEEEEE! Goodra is also so so sweet, I should've seen my own Goodra to Dragonite fan pipeline a mile away gsjgsj

Goodness Fern anytime I see you on my dash I just get excited. I just [points at North] Adopted Child, Would Tear the World Asunder. Seeing you juggle several blogs over the year and just go on such a lore dump with your current one is so damn NICE to see. Your mind, literally. I absolutely cannot WAIT to see what you come up with this coming year, I know I got a lot of reading to do to be caught up but it's gonna be so worth it 💖

[jontheredrc]

Well, it's about that time again...in a brand new year! Happy 2024! I, uh, didn't really do anything for the occasion. See, I had those few days off in a row, so my ex-roommate invited me over for a spell. Between socializing with them, their husband, and their two dogs, I was spent. And I knew I had work early this morning, so I couldn't party too hard anyway. Plus I got Dragon's Dogma for sale, and I, uh, have no self-control when it comes to these open-world games, so I played a lot of that. (Plus I get to have my OC OTP go on travels together. How could I resist?) Things...didn't really go to plan as it was, so no, no party time. But I did the same with Christmas, just sorta ignored it, partly because I was so spent. (Except that one was about weathering an actual storm. This was tiring too, but fun...!)

Have a great day, everyone! Love you! I hope this is a good year for us all! 👋💕

[tonynottoes]

year of the cat!!

[twig-tea]

Love in the Big City Timeline in the Series

Here are the facts I've put together about the timeline in the series (which feels, unlike the book, a little more linear and so actually possible to do this with):

[indeterminate, elementary school, est. early 2000s] Yeong's mom finds out about Yeong's father's second family and divorces him

[indeterminate, high school, est. late 2000s] Yeong is caught kissing another boy on the playground and institutionalized by his mother

2012: The year that T-ara's song Sexy Love comes out (at this point I've just kept this on here for reference)

2014: As per his own narration in ep5, this is the year Yeong contracts HIV (in Feb) and is diagnosed by the military (and he only spends 1 month in the military before getting a medical discharge). He meets with the T-aras a few months later and says they're next for the military (shoutout to @impala124); he meets Nam Gyu and Mi Ae in late 2014, and Mi Ae tries to bum a cigarette from him in Dec 2014 (shout-out to @my-rose-tinted-glasses); Yeong moves in with Mi Ae in either late 2014 or early 2015, and soon after that is the T-ara karaoke sendoff after which he breaks up with Nam Gyu.

2015: Mi Ae's application to her job had 2015 on it; Mi Ae goes to the job retreat for a month, meets Jun Ho, and then several months after that, Yeong stops talking to Mi Ae for 10 months after she outs him. Some time in late 2015/early 2016, Yeong breaks things off with Nam Gyu again.

2016: We know Yeong won the contest in 2016 as per the book we see on Yeong Su's nightstand, and since Yeong called Mi Ae after that, we know they reconciled in 2016. Also, as per the last text message from him, Nam Gyu dies in 2016. After his funeral, Yeong takes over Mi Ae's apartment and Mi Ae gets married. Also, Yeong's mother gets diagnosed with cancer 3 years before she dies, which would be 3 years before Yeong tells Gyu Ho about Kylie, so that means her cancer diagnosis was also in 2016.

2017: Yeong Su tells Yeong he's moving to America [guessing based on how much time seemed to pass in their relationship]; Yeong attempts suicide

2018: Yeong Su sends Yeong the manuscript (which he throws out) [we know this was a year after Yeong Su leaves, but before Yeong's mother dies]

2019: Yeong's mother dies [I'm inferring because we know Yeong tells Gyu-Ho about Kylie in Jan 2020 after his mother's death and after they'd been seeing each other for a little while, so that puts Yeong's mother's death in 2019]

2020: We see Yeong's phone date the day he tells Gyu-Ho about Kylie as Saturday, Jan 25, which was a date in 2020 (but not 2019) [shoutout to @my-rose-tinted-glasses for pointing this out]; Yeong also has an article in his office with 2020 on it, so he was definitely dating Gyu-Ho and had moved from his job at the musical theatre to the company by 2020.

2021: [This is a guess, but we know Yeong's been together with Gyu-Ho for a year when he complains to the T-aras about their relationship and they suggest a trip, so I'm guessing the trip to Bangkok took place in Feb 2021 (around Chinese new year)--my best attempt to date this was the reference to the construction of the Pearl Building in Bangkok but that was constructed 2015-2017]

2022: Shoutout to @my-rose-tinted-glasses for catching the label on the package of his suitcase that Gyu-Ho buys for Shanghai, which says Jan 2022. We know Gyu-Ho leaves for Shanghai soon after that because in Feb 2023 the T-aras check in with Yeong saying it's 'that time of year'.

2023: In Feb 2023 we see Yeong quits his company to be a full-time writer; he writes the date on the book he signs for his former colleague and on his phone screen we can see Feb 2023 as well. We also got some confirmations of the timeline above, since he says in his voiceovers in eps 7&8 that it's been a year since Gyu-Ho left and he's been living with Kylie 9 years. [Note: there were subs in ep7 that said 2022, but they don't align with what's actually on screen]. In March, Yeong goes to Bangkok with Q/Habibi (Habibi's phone screen says it's March 8 when Yeong looks at it in the shower).

Feel free to correct me or add any concrete dates that I missed! I've now updated this with details from the last 2 episodes on Nov 12.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

🎂 twst 4th year anni rhythmic/twistune 🎂

***As the title says, spoilers for the new rhythmic/twistune under the cut!***

AAAAAAAAAH, THEY'RE ALL GATHERED WITH THEIR FOOD AND DRINKS and cats😭 🍷🍸🍹🥂 (Quite honestly, the NRC staff NEED those drinks after dealing with all the troublemakers they teach/j)

I like that Vargas has a whole plate of eggs, it's very Gaston of him. Trein, meanwhile, is abstaining, which suits his personality as he's consistently the most disciplined and responsible of the teachers.

asdbihlavslfiaafdavi CREWEL BEING SO ???? AT VARGAS FLEXING AT HIM... This makes total sense, they really come off like they clash (just like their tastes in fashion, as seen in Vargas Camp events)!

Aw, they're toasting with each other 🥺

About halfway through, Crowley and Grim have a little dance in the center of the screen. Then the scene gets all these new glowy lights!

Sam tosses up a handful of confetti from his apron? And Grim is then so surprised he belches out some fire!! It's a very cute animation~

THIS LAST PART FUCKING KILLS ME So Crowley leaves the screen and wheels back this HUMONGOUS cake, right??? But then he and the other staff seem to use their magic to make the cake even bigger and fancier!

asfkhbwoifbiyoqpeof It makes me giggle because I'm thinking "damn, all Crowley is ever shown using his magic for is that ONE time he made a barrier in book 1 and then this cake magic" 😭 ALL THE POWER YOU SUPPOSEDLY HAVE AND YOU USE IT... FOR THIS... What a mood

An excellent sendoff to the 4th anniversary~

[crimsinsky]

I am a total nerd girl and I've been watching most if not all that came out since I was 5 until MCU went nuts with releases. Then I got burnt out on the DCU/MCU war Snidercuts, Whedon destroying my appreciation of him, SO many MCU projects, MCU destroying all my favorites. I haven't kept up the last few years but Deadpool...

I was seeing this no matter what because I wanted SO badly for years to see a proper Deadpool and Wolverine tie in, even a crappy cameo would have been good enough. Then we got Logan and an amazing sendoff and he won't be back. But now he's back. I hoped to like the movie and that was enough because I honestly haven't liked most of the MCU's new stuff.

Deadpool 3 had me from the word go. It was SO SO good. I had such a good time, I nearly cried because I was so excited at different points. I need to watch it alone so I can appropriately freak out without concern for my sanity by strangers. I just got home and I'd seriously go watch it again right now. I was joking with my friends that it's the Perfect nerdy millennial girl movie.

quick note- It's R rated and it fully deserves that rating. It is seriously violent, and it swears about every 3-4 words. I am cool with this others may not be.

[part5of4podcast]

Ok so you’re looking for a BL but with a specific flavor, like all you’re seeing at the cookout is potato salad but what you’re craving is some mac ‘n cheese, or maybe some tostones, or maybe a fresh off the grill burger? But the only thing people keep offering you is different styles of potato salad when damnit you asked for a burger! Don't bamboozle us here!

Well, luckily BL is a pretty vast genre, with a lot to offer in terms of substance and variety. If you’re up to expanding what stories you engage in, we’re up to both share and listen! Feel free to share any BL or GL that fall under today's genre highlight from tv shows, to comics, to novels, to film; we love and eat it all up, baby. 

Today’s recs are for all things horror! Happy Halloween send your love to Ghostface, Chuckie and the Babadook. 

Dead Friend Forever 

What is it? 

A Thai horror bl tv show that ran for 12 episodes each at 45mins of length. Available to watch on iQiyi. 

Ok but what IS it?

A show about the horror of friendship that has a literal body count, but you can read the official summary here: 

"Eight school friends take a trip to a vacation house in the mountains. It's supposed to be a last sendoff to a friend who's going to study abroad. The farewell has them revisiting old memories and they discover hints there's a ninth person hidden somewhere in the house. Soon, they're contending with life-threatening incidents and realize this is no ordinary farewell; a dreadful party of disaster awaits them."

Shadow

What is it? 

A Thai tv show that ran for 14 episodes at 45mins of length. Available to watch on VIU and Gaga.

Ok but what IS it?

Nobody does horror like an oppressive Catholic school OR the full summary below: 

"After his father's cancer diagnosis, Dan transferred to an all-boys boarding school. While navigating a new school, he learns about a mysterious student who disappeared last year, all while dealing with his own Shadow that shows up every night during his dreams..."

The Summer Hikaru Died 

What is it? 

An on-going seinen horror/slice of life manga series available via Yen Press. 

Ok but what IS it?

Small town boy's bestie dies in a hiking accident and an eldritch being walking by says "hey, neat body sir mind if I steal it?" 

Or: 

"It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy...but when it looks so very like Hikaru...and acts so very like Hikaru..."

After Sundown 

What is it? 

A Thai supernatural horror film running at 1hr and 45mins and not currently legally available online. 

Ok but what IS it?

Know those two dudes from Cutie Pie? Zee and NuNew? Of course you do, well they did a ghost horror movie where they fall in love in between being haunted, good for them. 

Or: 

"Set in 1961, Saengrawi Raemsawang lived with Luang Lung Janthakorn until he turns twenty-one and is sent to live at Sitthikornkan Castle in Phra Nakhon. The castle is owned by Phraphloeng, currently living abroad. Heading the words of a sage, Phloeng's parents urge him back to Thailand. About to turn twenty-five, a prophecy requires him to soon find his soulmate to secure his safety; they may not be a woman, nor born in Phra Nakhon. Throughout his stay with Phloeng's family, Rawi is plagued by nightmares and haunted by a spirit. When he begins staying close to Phloeng, however, the spirit is quiet. It soon becomes clear that whatever is haunting the house is focused entirely on Rawi."

Kaleidoscope of Death 

What is it?

A Chinese horror supernatural web novel, 139 chapters in length with 10 bonus chapters, unofficially translated. 

Ok but what IS it?

Do you know how much it would suck to be stuck in a horror video game? 

Or: 

"It started off peculiarly; first, his domestic cat refused to let him cuddle it.

Lin Qiushi soon found that a sense of disharmony and incongruity began to pervade everything around him.

Then, one odd day, he pushed open a door, and he discovered that the hallway he was familiar with turned into a boundless corridor.

At both ends of this corridor were twelve, identical iron gates.

Thus, the story began.

Ruan Nanzhu said to Lin Qiushi, “When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiushi sank into deep contemplation. He then pulled down the zipper of his trousers and aimed at the abyss…

Ruan Nanzhu: “…Put your pants on properly!”

Super shameless, ill, pampered gong X Shameless, calm shou; a combination of double [or extreme] shamelessness."

The Spirealm 

What is it?

A Chinese horror mystery show based on Kaleidoscope of Death, 78 episodes at 20mins of length. Available on iQiyi and VIU. 

Ok but what IS it?

Once again, do you know how much it would suck to be stuck inside a horror video game? 

Or:

"Ling Jiu Shi finds himself inexplicably thrust inside a mind-bending reality dictated by an enigmatic Virtual Reality game where he must pass twelve doors to escape. The catch? Each door initiates new mysteries to solve and conditions to abide by."

Goddess Bless You from Death 

What is it?

An upcoming Thai tv show from the same studio that brought you Pit Babe, starring the leads of Pit Babe. No official release date yet. 

Ok but what IS it?

No clue yet, but the vibes are immaculate. 

If you have recommendations drop them below.

You can also listen to our podcast episode on Dead Friend Forever as well! 

[lostshots]

I watched the new venom movie

The ending made me sad until I realized i missed the 2nd credits scene

Then I was just annoyed I left during the song credits

At least Mrs Chen is still alive

There's one point where I was like venom why did you do that

I don't like the 2018 comic run so I wasn't happy the shitty symbiote 'god' was in it when I heard he was in it

At least he was shafted in this film, still don't like how he's in it since he was introduced the same year as the first movie

Thought this was the last movie tom hardy would be in, but apparently he's game to continue playing venom?

I thought it was decent, but it didn't feel like a sendoff to the end of the venom and Eddie story

Even though venom sacrificed himself again

Why are they suddenly out of synch when they figured it out in the first movie

I liked the body horror and gore

Thought agony was scorn for a bit

Rip lasher, riot 2, and mercury virus knockoff

I like how they made a highlight reel of their best moments together at the end

And Eddie went to see the statue of liberty

I thought the son of the hippie family would be the only survivor and Eddie would raise him

Really thought we would see sleeper

They made Flash Thompson canon

I'll probably make another post when I sleep on it

[emmaitoshi]

SEASONAL SENDOFFS - WINTER I

To Sae,

Happy New Year! I hope the first part of your season with Re Al has gone well. I was watching your last game before the winter break, you're playing really well in the midfield, considering you've always been a striker. It’s super cool that they upload all of the academy games on their website, so I don't have to spend all my savings trying to get a flight to Spain!!

Rin was upset this Christmas, he really wished you were at home, but maybe next year! Did you get any gifts? Did you and some of your teammates do secret Santa? I did it with our friends back here and I got a Re Al jersey with your name and number on the back. It's super cool and I put a picture of it in this envelope.

School is going okay, I’ve started my studies for entrance exams, but according to my teachers I could get into any school so hopefully they go well! Are you studying over in Spain? If so, are there any differences between schooling there versus in Japan? Are you learning Spanish? Is it an easy language or are you finding it hard?

Relating to school, the end of Junior High School dance is coming up in February. I’m going with one of the guys in class 3-C, he seems nice and he and his friends have started sitting with a few of us girls at lunch. He’s really good at football too, but never as good as you, he only plays at provincial level. But anyway, I thought it’d be fun to go, even though it feels a little weird going to something like this without you with a guy. I’ll definitely send you pictures so you can judge my outfit. Or maybe, if you’re feeling brave, you can send me a pic in some non soccer clothes for once!

Oh, also, seeing as you probably got a new phone number due to changing countries and all, I have an instagram account now. You can follow me there and we can text so it doesn't cost us any charge, my user name is @yn.ln !!

Everyone back home is really proud of you Sae, especially the school football coach. It’s funny, at the guys’ training he’s always telling the forwards to “play like Sae,” which honestly puts them under pressure because not everyone has that talent. But someone who does is Rin, he’s a first year but is starting as one of two strikers for the team. He really does wish he was just like you, and he still tells me of his dreams to win the World Cup for Japan with you.

By the way, have you found any cool places to hang out in Spain? Tried any new foods? I know you’re usually super focused on training, but I hope you’re taking some time to enjoy everything there too. I read in one of the magazines I picked up that Spanish food is amazing, like churros and paella! If you’ve tried any, let me know if they live up to the hype.

Well, I better wrap this up since I still need to finish some homework before tomorrow, this was included! Apparently to raise English standards in the country every student needs to write four letters, in English, every year. So start expecting to receive these every once in a while.

But I wanted to say keep going, Sae. Everyone here misses you, and we’re all rooting for you! Take care of yourself, and I hope we can catch up in person soon. Who knows? Maybe I’ll save enough for that ticket to Spain by the end of the year!

Write back to me if you have time! And send lots of pictures if you can.

Happy New Year again, and good luck with the rest of the season. You’ve got this!

Best wishes, Y/N L/N

[ncisfranchise-source]

It came down to the wire, but NCIS: Hawai’i ultimately didn’t make the cut for next season at CBS. The news comes days before the network is set to announce its fall schedule on May 2 and before the Season 3 finale of Hawai’i is scheduled to air on May 6. According to sources, the episode was not meant to be a series finale and includes a tease for what was to come but fans won’t be left reeling by a major cliffhanger.

The cancellation is not a complete shocker since, as Deadline has been reporting, NCIS: Hawai’i was on the bubble. Still, the outcome is surprising since I hear an effort was made to extend the drama’s run for at least an abbreviated fourth and final season, with producers agreeing to a massive budget cut and open to other concessions in order to keep the show going.

Hawai’i, the first series in the NCIS franchise with a female lead, Vanessa Lachey, is now the first series in the franchise not to get a proper sendoff after a brief run compared to its predecessors NCIS, renewed for a 22nd season, NCIS: Los Angeles (14 seasons) and NCIS: New Orleans (7). It is unclear whether series producer CBS Studios would shop the drama but there are no obvious buyers, with Paramount+ already stocked up with two NCIS original series, Sydney and the Tony and Ziva spinoff.

Attracting sizable viewership on a linear network is quite a challenge, so it is not common these days for a network to let go of the #12 most watched non-sports program on broadcast that averages 7.8 million linear viewers (most current) and 10M in Live+35 multi-platform viewing.

That is what CBS is doing with the cancellation of NCIS: Hawai’i, which added some star power and NCIS continuity this season with NCIS: Los Angeles‘ LL Cool J who has been in every episode.

It comes on the heels of Top 25 series So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas getting the axe last Friday. As I noted in the CBS Renewal Status Report earlier this month, the network was going to have to make some painful cancellation decisions, getting rid of shows other networks would’ve been happy to renew.

The series, as well as So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas, ultimately became a casualty of a strong schedule, a cost-management drive and overall uncertainty at the parent company Paramount Global, which is in the process of being sold.

Even before CBS’ lineup, delayed by the strikes, launched with the Super Bowl, the network already had committed to five new scripted series for next season, dramas Matlock, Watson and NCIS: Origins and comedies Poppa’s House and a Young Sheldon spinoff, with renewal conversations on NCIS: Sydney also well underway.

Then CBS’ originals returned, exceeding expectations, with the network claiming the top 16 most watched shows of its premiere week and 14 of the top 20 non-sports programs overall this midseason in Nielsen most current linear viewership.

With no obvious weaklings, Blue Bloods getting a final run next season and S.W.A.T. surprisingly uncanceled, the network had to cut deep in purging its slate to make room for the additions.

Just a year ago, a renewal for Hawai’i would’ve been a no-brainer: it’s part of a storied franchise with solid rating and crossover potential with the mothership series that yielded big ratings in January 2023. But now, CBS already has three other NCIS series already locked for next season: the original series, renewed for Season 22, Sydney, returning for a second season, and the upcoming Young Gibbs prequel NCIS: Origins. There is also the Tony & Ziva NCIS spinoff series greenlighted by Paramount+, making for a crowded NCIS field.

With strong multi-platform performance, as NCIS: Hawai’i ranked above several CBS dramas that have been renewed, including FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International and S.W.A.T., it probably came down to money.

Even with the proposed budget cuts, NCIS: Hawai’i was still going to be expensive. Its long-term prospects were unclear — whether it would become a big global hit and moneymaker like its franchise predecessors. With CBS’ parent company focused on its short-term balance sheet as it prepares to sell, a corporate decision was made not to take a chance and find out.

In NCIS: Hawai’i, Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor Jane Tennant (Lachey) and her team balance duty to family and country, investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security and the mysteries of the island itself.

Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Jason Antoon, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Tori Anderson and Kian Talan also star. Matt Bosack, Jan Nash, Christopher Silber and Larry Teng served as executive producers.

In a recent Deadline interview, CBS Studios President David Stapf spoke about how “wholly unique” Hawai’i is while also being part of the franchise as the first NCIS series with a female lead, Lachey, and with its Hawai’i locale. “We were just coming off Hawaii Five-0, a very successful show,” he said of the spinoff’s origins. “People love that setting, it plays well over the globe.”

[asktheisle]

I've got a ton of favourite dragon type pokemon, but my current fav is Tatsugiri! It's got a fun gimmick with Dondozo, and together they pack a real punch. I love my little sushi dragon <3

THE SUSHI DRAGON OF ALL TIME, I almost went ahead and made a daily Tatsugiri blog earlier in the year before I realized I actually didn't have the energy to commit to it long term gfdjh it's such a clever lil design and I love it to pieces

Morva it makes me so happy to see someone else around here who puts as much emphasis into space in their art as I do gjdfh I feel like I've said this before, I love me some cosmic themes and how those revolve around characters, and that said I love seeing when YOU do it too. I need to remember to throw Quetzal to your new blog, I've been meaning to but for one reason or another I end up forgetting until I see a new post on my dash. Hope this coming year brings you much joy and more creativity, because I know I for one am excited to see what comes from you next 💖

[oskea93]

✦ It Had to be You: One ✦

John "Bucky" Egan x OC Gale "Buck Cleven x OC

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and not associated with the real people mentioned from the show. This is simply based on the portrayals of the actors playing these characters. Warning for this chapter: Cursing, mentions of sex, depression, rage anger.

● If you would like to be tagged, just comment below ●

⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆⍆

Black had become a staple in my wardrobe.

I used to despise the dark color – opting for more cheerful tones or floral patterns. I didn’t want to walk around looking like a depressive cloud – someone in constant mourning. I didn’t even own a black dress until I got the news – my mother making the journey to the store to buy one. I couldn’t bear to leave the house – not wanting the sympathetic glances of those in town that had learned the news. I can’t even begin to tell you how many letters I had received, those that knew Gale and even from those that didn’t. Each letter praised his heroic actions – thanking him in black ink for his level of service and dedication to the United States. Even received one from President Truman and the men of Washington D.C.

I used to look at women who had received the devastating news with such sorrow and sadness. Wonder how they would survive without their men - their source of comfort and love. I was certain that it would be very difficult to do so – have to learn to fend for yourself and go on without the man you loved. I didn’t realize that I would be in the same boat years later. I was a simple housewife – barely of age when we married. Gale and I were just two kids – two kids that were madly and deeply in love with each other. I had grown up more privileged than Gale or those that we knew. I didn’t know how to clean a house properly or cook a hearty meal that would fill the bellies of my husband and future children. I’ve always had someone do those things for me – my mother more focused on raising a proper lady. If you needed to know which fork went where, I was the girl to ask, but I couldn’t tell you anything domestic. I wanted to be able to learn all those things while he was away – making sure that when he returned home for good, I would be able to care for him like a wife should.

I had met Gale at a dance the local hall was putting on – a sendoff to some of the troops that lived in the area. He had just enlisted– saying that he was a week away from going to boot camp. He was cool as a cucumber – no evidence of fear etched on his beautiful face. He spoke of wanting to fight the good fight – getting up in the air and showing Germany the trouble they were in for. He was a born fighter – a genius when it came to life. We spent most of the night as close as two people could be while sitting upright- both speaking of our life and our dreams. Not to sound cliché but I was smitten as soon as I saw him. His blonde hair was slightly disheveled – his wool trousers fitting his frame nicely. His smile could light up a room – that deep voice causing my insides to quiver with a need that only he could give me.

I longed for him during those weeks he was away – smiling as I read his letters that would come bi-weekly. I could hear his voice as I read the words on paper – the excitement of finally flying and the annoyance he felt towards his roommate. The one true constant that popped up on each letter was the mention of his co-captain. His name was John Egan – Bucky – the nickname he had been given. Gale spoke highly of the man – praising him and saying that he couldn’t wait for us to meet. Gale was soft spoken – a bit reserved – he wasn’t into sports or gambling. He liked to sit outside the house and just listen to the sounds of nature. John Egan was the opposite that Gale needed in his life. He helped Gale open up and Gale helped John stay out of trouble...

Gale finally returned to me after weeks away – our reunion being one spent giving ourselves to one another. We were both virgins but the time away from one another ignited a feeling in both of us that we couldn’t suppress. He asked me to marry him a month after his return – wanting to get married sooner rather than later seeing as the war was ramping up. John Egan stood by Gale’s side as we exchanged vowels – his blue eyes shining bright as he watched us become husband and wife. He was the life of the party at our reception – singing along with the band as those around us danced to the music. I could see why Gale adored him so, but I was still weary.

That feeling came to a head when John convinced Gale that it was time for him to head over to England and join the ranks. He wrote to him about the fun he was having and all the missions they were accomplishing. He made it sound like a thrill ride – something that didn’t involve the chance of dying at any moment. Gale and I spent our last night together – wrapped up in each other – exploring and branding kisses into skin – almost as if we were creating a permanent road map to remember one another. It was the most sensual night we’ve had – that we would ever have.

The movie reel played on repeat in my head as I could still feel his lips on mine as he kissed me goodbye. Tears in both of our eyes as the sound of the car’s engine faded into the distance.

“I’m coming back to you – hell or high water – I will be back.”

He kept waving until his car was out of sight – my knees buckling – my body falling into grass below. A part of my heart left that Spring Day…  

I received his first official letter a couple weeks later – screaming out in joy as I read his chicken scratch penmanship. He spoke of the area they were located – how it felt flying in – the fresh air that surrounded the base. He gushed about the new friends he had made –describing them as if he had known them for years. The most important was how much he missed and loved me – repeating the same words as above – hell or high water.

No letter from Gale would be complete without a mention of John Egan. Gale wrote of how John had taken him under his wing, but also being John’s protector. He wrote of how he’s stopped him from getting into several scuffles with the British soldiers or the townspeople. His writings detailing how much they truly cared for one another – they were like brothers.

As time progressed, his writings became darker – tragic even. He detailed his first mission in graphic detail – expressing his feelings and the slight betrayal that he felt towards Egan. He watched men he had befriended either die in the air in a fiery explosion or pass as they laid on the stretcher in the makeshift hospital on the base. He never wrote of his fear that I’m sure he had – choosing to stay strong and do everything he could for his squadron. He was the main pilot – he had the lives of nine other men to think about – he wanted them to be able to return home safely even if that meant he was the sacrificial lamb...

The last letter that would arrive on time came through the mail on October 10th, 1943. It was shorter than normal, Gale explaining that he was moments away from an important mission. He must’ve written “I love you” about a dozen times before signing off – xo following his name. I had learned about a week later that his plane had went down somewhere outside of Germany. The news articles praised their efforts – telling of how they put a damper into the German’s artillery. That was all well and good, but my husband was missing – the base having no record of his whereabouts or if he was still alive.

Months passed before a battered letter was placed inside the mail slot. The enveloped looked as if it had gone through hell, but Gale’s handwriting could be seen through the grime. He had been placed in a camp for captured soldiers. Many of the men that he had met at the base were there as well. He hadn’t been injured – keeping quiet and under the radar of the German soldiers. I fell to the floor after reading that letter – my heart shattering at the thoughts of what might happen. Tears fell on the paper as I replied – simply begging him to come back to me…

“Sweetheart?” I looked up from the mattress as my mother entered the room. “It’s nearing one in the afternoon, darling.” She threw open the curtains – the bright sunlight beaming into the once darkened room. “You need to get yourself together and get dressed.”

My mother had never seen me in such a state – not even recognizing the person I had become. Long gone was the smile and laughter – replaced by tears and screams of anger. I was angry at everyone – my parents, my friends, God.

Oh, I was especially mad at God.

Countless times I would ask why Gale – why was it his turn to be taken? Was he needed for greater things? Why wasn’t I granted more time with him? Just why?

Growing up in the church, it was frowned upon to ask why for anything, more so for why God chose those that he did.  You never asked why – you just learned to accept the outcome. I was long past that – I wanted an answer – I demanded a Goddamn answer.

Sighing, I slowly moved to a sitting position as she laid the black dress and heels next to me. My eyes boring holes into the clothing – hoping that with another energy they would magically combust into flames, burning me alive with them. “I’ll do your hair when you get out of the bath.”

Our eyes connected, “I’m not taking a bath.”

Mother let out an exhausted sigh as her heels clicked on the hardwood floor. I watched as she walked to the window, her upper body jerking slightly as she wiped away the tears that started to fall. She never liked anyone to see her cry.

I started to speak, stopping before the first syllable could come out. I wanted to tell her not to cry but I didn’t have that right. She loved Gale too – she had been smitten by him from the get-go. We all held out hope that he would return to us – just not in a flag draped pine box.

A soft knock on the bedroom door caught both of our attention as my dad entered the room. His once bright face was downcast as he took in my appearance. “The car will be here soon, darling.” His voice soft as he exchanged glances with my mother.

The reality that I was an hour away from burying my only love hadn’t set in yet – just fog – fog that felt like it would never lift to clear skies. I fisted the black material, stepping over the kitten heels as I trudged towards the bathroom. The figure in the mirror was a stranger – someone who’s been through more things than a human is supposed to. Dark circles and pale skin stared back at me – my hair in a tangled mess – not even a comb could get through at this point. Gaunt would be the best word to describe this version of Carolina. I hadn’t bathed in several days – to numb to even remove myself from the bed at times. I barely made it to the bathroom to relieve myself, almost just wanting to go on myself so I wouldn’t have to get up.

Looking around, I noticed everything laid out by my mother. Toothbrush, toothpaste, the expensive makeup that I had collected over the years sitting on the vanity. I was supposed to look put together – still grieving – but have the attributes of a Hollywood starlet.

A guttural scream roared through my body as the vanity contents crashed to the floor – the glass bottles of perfume shattering as the liquid splashed in the air. I could feel the glass stabbing into my bare feet, the blood mixing with the perfume on the floor. I didn’t even register that my father had burst into the room until his arm wrapped around my waist, my back hitting his tailored chest. I thrashed against his hold like a wild animal trapped in a cage.

“Carolina, please!” My mother bawled as she took in my state. “Please, darling calm down before you hurt yourself!”

Another voice was added to the chaos �� a deeper voice than that of my father. He was dressed in a black suit – his tall figure looming over my parents. His hands replaced my father’s – his grip on my waist tight and firm. “Calm down, Lina.” His hot breath hitting my ear as the world started to spin around me. My body was running on fumes – the last of those turning into smoke as my brain finally had enough, shutting down before any more damage could be done.

[captain-hawks]

shinichiro sano + books + purple

(congratulations on 1k! 💖)

(thank you so much<3!!!!)

shinichiro sano x reader

c: fluff, book store meet cute

“Got any books on bikes?”

Attention pulled away from the book propped open beneath your hand, you slip a bookmark between the pages and glance up. The man standing across from you on the other side of the counter sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the bookshop’s overflowing shelves and kitschy armchairs, the large, lazy feline lounging beside the register lifting her head to appraise his appearance.

Messy black hair flops over his forehead, despite his futile attempt at carding a hand through it as he offers you a lopsided grin, the thumb of his other hand hooked in one of the belt loops of his jeans with a lighter lodged between his fingers. A leather jacket is thrown over one of his shoulders, a few dark smudges breaking up the stark white cotton of his t-shirt and lingering across his knuckles as well. And with that, you’re certain he doesn’t mean bicycles. 

The cat hisses.

He laughs, and he reaches out to pet her, despite the menacing swat of one of her furry, orange paws.

Shinichiro Sano is far softer than he looks.

And he makes a habit of it—coming into the bookshop.

Coming into the bookshop and disrupting all flow of rational thought from your brain, your mind losing focus the moment you hear the now-familiar sound of his bike coming down the busy street, heart fumbling in your chest without fail the moment the rumble of the engine cuts out. 

Shinichiro has to know—that you haven’t the slightest damn clue which of the various books on motorcycles and auto mechanics nestled away in the reference section are the best reads. They’re topics that are entirely out of your depth, those shelves an entire universe away from your favorite well-worn paths in the romance and fantasy aisles. 

But you do the same dance every time—

He smiles, he waves.

He ambles up to the register, busying himself with haplessly trying to win over the cat if you’re occupied with another customer.

(Several cat toys have mysteriously appeared over the past few months.)

And then he vaguely rattles off the name of some book he’s looking for, shooting a boyish grin over his shoulder as he waits for you to come and guide the way like he has no idea where he’s going. Like he doesn’t end up in the same exact aisle every single time he comes in. 

Shinichiro Sano is far softer than he looks, because despite the loud bike he parks out front and the bold tattoos that wind up and down his arms—

—despite the way his heavy black boots scuff against the carpet—

—despite the fact that he disrupts the shop’s pleasant scent of books with the distinct, heavy smell of motor oil—

—despite the fact that you’re more than a little certain at this point that he’s got history with Tokyo’s motorcycle gang scene—

—he opens each book like it’s a precious artifact.

(You’ve found yourself distracted by the sight of his long fingers carefully turning pages more than a few times.)

He wipes his shoes on the little welcome mat at the door.

He pets the cat.

He brings you tea from your favorite café two streets over.

And maybe it’s ridiculous, how you think perhaps you’re a little bit in love with this man already.

—

It’s that goddamn purple book that does it, in the end.

The book’s an eyesore—a thick tome bound in a gaudy shade of purple, the spine embellished with an equally offensive sprawl of lime green text. 

It’s some odd collection of new age poetry, one that you’ve contemplated tossing in the garbage bin time and time again in the five years that you’ve worked at the shop, given that it’s clearly destined to live a life in shelved purgatory. (It would be a merciful sendoff.)

It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon when you spy the book nestled away in the wrong aisle on the wrong shelf, staring at you tauntingly beside an otherwise aesthetically-pleasing row of classics. 

A very high row of classics. 

And naturally, rather than taking the time to fetch a stool, you opt for your tiptoes and outstretched fingers instead, hand coming up empty as you predictably lose your balance and stumble backward—right into something solid.

Someone.

Shinichiro’s far warmer than you expected.

It’s all you can think about as you hear the familiar sound of his hushed laughter behind you, the sound reverberating through his chest.

“And yet you always yell at me for doing the same thing,” he huffs in amusement, sending a shiver jolting down your spine at the intimate feeling of his breath hitting the shell of your ear. 

“The stool is across the store,” you protest, trying and failing to keep your voice steady despite the onslaught of emotion frying the circuit board of your brain at the feeling of his arms wrapping around you.

He’s—

He’s reaching for the book.

One hand outstretched, he asks, “Which one?”

His fingers flutter lazily in the air, like he has all the time in the world.

Like he’s not pressed up against you in an empty aisle, his hair tickling the side of your face as he leans forward. And for once, it’s not the scent of books that pervades your senses as you stand before the shelves, nor is it the whiff motor oil that incessantly clings to him.

It’s the light, pleasant fragrance of detergent that envelopes you, the smell gentle and calm like an early summer breeze. 

(Softer than he looks.)

There’s no use in hiding the hitch in your breath.

“The purple one,” you whisper.

“That’s the ugliest book I’ve ever seen.”

And then you’re laughing.

You’re laughing and his hands are on your shoulders and he’s spinning you around to face him and his smile is so soft and he’s looking at you so intently your heart might just burst and—

“I love it when you laugh.”

And he’s kissing you.

An ugly purple book lies forgotten on the shelf and Shinichiro tenderly takes your face in his hands and kisses you. Again. And again.

And again.

[splatsvilles-fashionista]

The Splatfest is over! Hope y'all had fun. I got into a 100x Splatfest for the first time in... almost a year, I think.

And I won it, too!

Now, the question is. Next week will fall within the timeframe in which Nintendo announces the next Season, but as far as we know there's no more Seasons to announce, and Grand Festival is looking an awful lot like it's going to be the big sendoff Splatfest of Splatoon 3, especially with a new Nintendo console on the horizon. Is that going to be the case? Will we get any news this week? We'll just have to wait and see.

[objectsarebestest]

I’ve been struggling with this for a couple days now. I haven’t been ready to discuss it. But after a session with my therapist, I decided I think it would help to be open about what happened. To maybe seek support. Tw for object death

My bike is dead. I was riding it up a hill and the mechanism broke. I nearly fell off. I walked the bike back home. My dad took it to the bike repair shop. I didn’t come. I thought it would be an easy fix. My dad came back with no bike. He said the repair workers said it was unfixable. It had been thrown away. I wasn’t even there. In its final moments. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.

We had such a close bond. Years of going on adventures together. But we weren’t close enough. Heck, I never even learned its name. I just referred to it as “the bike” or “my bike”. I never asked its name or helped it pick one out. I wish we could have been closer. Maybe we could have kissed. Yes, I didn’t even learn that I was attracted to it until it was far too late.

When the news broke, I tried to hurt myself. Banged my head against the bed frame. All I wanted to do was lie in bed. But I couldn’t. I had to pretend this was no big deal. If my family knew of the extent my POSIC+ experiences go to, I’m scared of how they would react. Tomorrow I have to go shopping for a new bike. I have to buy a replacement. And I have to pretend doing so doesn’t feel like getting stabbed.

I want to hold a vigil. I already prayed for my bike’s soul. But I want to give it a proper sendoff to whatever the object afterlife is. Whatever maze of sidewalks and forest trails and dirt roads lie beyond for it. I don’t know how to hold a vigil. I’ve done it before when my humidifier broke. And when my sandals got holes in them. I have experience. But I still never know what to do or what to say.

I feel ashamed to ask strangers on the internet for tips. It was my object companion. I should know how to honor it best. But I don’t want to bungle this. I want to do this properly. So please help. I need ideas to do this. Maybe it will bring me closure. Maybe I’ll feel happier. I just hope my bike will be happy.

[insanityclause]

It was the end of production on the first season of “Loki” in Atlanta. Writer Eric Martin and producer Kevin R. Wright walked up to Tom Hiddleston, who was standing outside of the soundstage on a tea break. “This is the last day of Season 1. What are we doing for Season 2?” Martin asked.

Hiddleston responded by quoting from “Four Quartets” by T.S. Eliot: “We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.” Wright and Martin paused and asked him what he meant by that, and Hiddleston replied, “I don’t know. I think we just have to bring it full circle. There has to be some sort of poetic catharsis and redemption to this long journey of struggle and pain and self-discovery. Let’s aim for that.”

And that’s what they did.

This season, he travels to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 and teams up with a benevolent variant of He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), the timekeeper who Loki bested at the end of Season 1. He makes friends, loses them and hops around timelines and multiverses. At the end, he takes responsibility for himself and the timelines he was so desperate to save to ensure the safety of his friends.

This is the most layered version of Loki, whom Hiddleston has been playing since “Thor” in 2011, and the perfect sendoff for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most beloved bad guy. It’s playful and poetic, moving and eye-popping. And it could also earn Hiddleston his first Emmy nomination since “The Night Manager” back in 2016.

Hiddleston calls playing Loki “the great surprise and delight of my whole life.” He was first cast in 2009, when he was 28 years old. “I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to play this complex, deep, ancient, elevated character that represents playfulness, spontaneity, unpredictability,” Hiddleston said. “What a sandbox to play in.” But he didn’t think he’d be playing the character 15 years later. 

“The great surprise for me is that it’s been a joy every time,” he said. “It’s never felt like the same job. It’s always felt new. It’s always felt inspiring for different reasons — different actors, different stories, different themes. And yet all the way through a depth and a range of feeling.”

When the team was working on season 2, Hiddleston wrote “glorious purpose” on a whiteboard in the writers room. It was a callback to the first Avengers movie, when Loki tells Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) that he is “burdened with glorious purpose.” 

“The glorious purpose he always wanted has no glory in it. It has only burden,” Hiddleston said. “He would finally end up in a position of responsibility and in a position of belonging. But he would be alone in his belonging.” That, Hiddleston said, was a jumping-off point and would guide the show to its conclusion. Martin told him, “The first season is Loki learning how to love and the second season should be Loki learning how to lead.”

“We’re given this extraordinary privilege and opportunity to create fiction,” the actor said. “But you want the fiction to resonate for people in their souls and in their lives.” In other words: glorious purpose, fulfilled.

This story first ran in the Drama Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. Read more from the issue here.