#nia loves her big heroes

[bedtimegiraffe]

Nia has always been a badass- it just takes her a while to put it to use for her own sake

When you first meet Nia, she's running into town asking for help in her pretty, sparkly dress that looks like it would catch on every branch in the world. And she has a pretty low opinion of her fighting skills. Everything about the setup seems to suggest she's going to be a healer you have to focus on protecting.

And Nia's right, she isn't great at taking care of herself. But not for the reason she thinks! It's not that she's at all weak, physically, mentally, or magically.

I think it's because of her assumption that she can't fight. That she's fragile. And because she initially thinks she's no use in combat, the second Nia's in danger she just gives up and calls for help.

But the second someone else is in danger? Well, Nia doesn't hesitate. She starts destroying necromantic skeletons, because she's certainly not going to just stand by and let someone get hurt.

She'll do this as soon as the Temple of Ellara if you screw up. No hesitation, just smashing shadow hounds. Then she's shocked that it worked! Because it didn't occur to her she could help until she did it out of protective instinct.

It's devastating to Nia when Scholar Vash dies to the Shadow Court. She mourns him. She has a big, well deserved cry about it. But she doesn't stop there. Because other people are in trouble. She immediately goes, "No one else dies. I'm going to kick the Shadow Court's ass. You coming?"

The team's encouragement, especially MC's, slowly helps Nia see that she can be badass. That she is badass.

And that is how she saves the world. By becoming aware of what she was always capable of. MC has to remind Nia of all she loves and wants to protect in the world to help her resist the Dreadlord. Because that's easier for Nia than fighting for herself.

But it's Nia finding confidence and strength in who she is, separate from her commitment to others, that ultimately lets her save the day.

Basically, I love the story of this sweet priestess who thinks she's fragile, only to realize she's so powerful and determined she's disrupted the plans of a guy called the Dreadlord.

Screenshots from my hero, Neckrone Shen on youtube whose 4 playthroughs of Blades have saved me hours of replaying.

[auberge13]

Since the Jon and Nia friendship is shaping up to be an important aspect of Absolute Power and especially Absolute Power: Super Son (based on some comments by the writers and preliminary sketches from the artist), I wanted to explain why I think the friendship is so strong, despite its minimal appearances. Overall there are 4 major issues for this friendship: Son of Kal-El issue #13 (she's in a few issues after this but this is the big one), Beast World Tour: Metropolis, the backup in Action Comics issue #1060, and the mini story at the beginning of the Pride Uncovered Issue. This post is gonna break down how those issues establish this friendship and how they do so really well.

Starting from their meeting, Nia lets herself into the Fortress of Solitude via dream travel because she had a future vision of Jon and every other superhero being taken down by the big bad of this book Henry Bendix. After warning him about this and therefore preventing it from happening, we get a few moments that show why Jon and Nia hit it off so quickly. For one they are very similar people!

As Dreamer (and soon Super Son) writer Nicole Maines has pointed out, they are both small town farm kids with really big powers and legacies to live up to. I would also add that they both had to figure out those powers and legacies largely without the help of the hero they're trying to emulate, Jon because of his time spent on Earth-3 and the lack of time he's gotten to spend with his dad since returning, and Nia because she wasn't given any of the training she was supposed to get before unlocking her powers because her family didn't think she'd get them, and then her mother died. They are in very similar places in their lives and can relate to each other in different ways than they can with anyone else.

Nia also gives Jon something he really needed at this time in his life- certainty

Some of Jon's big feelings in SoKE and leading up to SoKE had to do with his fear that his father was leaving earth never to return. The records from his time in the future said that Clark would never make it back from Warworld, and, as we see in that first screenshot and also a dozen other places, Jon was not ready to be Superman OR to say goodbye to his dad. This is a huge moment for him.

In return, Jon gives her a confidence boost in the form of 31st century admiration and some help with controlling her powers. In this scene, Jon and Nia give each other the things they look for in their close relationships: tangible, provable support (as tangible and provable as things can be in a world with time travel and future visions).

This transitions smoothly into the next major appearance, Beast World Tour! In this story, Nia has a vision of the future that shows Metropolis' destruction, and therefore needs to evacuate the city. However, no one listens to her because she's a new and unknown hero. So she calls Jon, Superman, for backup. This works, but they still need to deal with Livewire, who Nia foresaw causing all the damage. They have this exchange.

I love this moment in their friendship. I think it's worth noting that Jon just got back from the Injustice universe- his major reckoning with what it means to be Superman and the many ways Superman can be bad. He's once again insecure about how to be Superman in any way that differs from the way his father does it, and therefore resorts to trying to emulate his dad as much as possible. Here, Jon is behaving at his most Superman, but his least Jon. As I mentioned previously, Jon really cares about the provable and the tangible (I could write a whole post about that but to put it briefly it's the whole reason he goes with Jor-El as a kid). His platitudes here are very Superman, but they don't do or mean anything. He's ignoring what Nia is actually saying. Then, Nia does something that really solidifies their friendship- she doesn't treat him like Superman. Nia doesn't put up with his finger waving or cave to his certainty that Superman can handle everything. She treats him like any teammate. She knows this is best and she doesn't care that Jon is Superman, just about how to do the right thing. Tangible and provable. And in response to this-

I love it when the friends respect each other.

This leads directly into the AC backup, which takes place soon after this. The two have succeeded and taken a break in Nia's hometown, Parthas.

If we can take one thing from SoKE, it's that Jon has an immense fondness for anyone who lets him nap on their couch. I joke, but there are actually a lot of parallels between how Jon draws close to Jay and how he draws close to Nia. In both cases it is because they could relate to Jon in ways others couldn't, they could provide Jon with real tangible solutions to his problems (headphones, future vision), and they allow Jon to rest and be just a normal guy. We saw how these aspects led to a close and lasting relationship between Jon and Jay, and because of that we can see how they would create a close and lasting relationship with Nia.

And finally, we have this adorable little moment from the beginning of the Pride Uncovered Issue.

The chemistry here is just so strong. This is a friend group! I believe it! But to go beyond that, Jon hasn't really gotten a chance to like. Chill. Kid can't catch a break. The fact that this nice little hangout exists really does a lot to sell this friendship, at least for me. When a character is constantly embroiled in The Horrors, these little fluffy moments stand out! They matter!

And now, we get to watch this all fall apart! Nia has helped Waller take over Gamorra, the country she helped Jon and Jay liberate in the first place. She has captured and imprisoned Jay for Waller, and is complicit in Jon's kidnapping and Cyborgification. We don't know the role she has to play in Absolute Power: Super Son just yet, but it's sure to be a major one, and no matter what, this friendship is about to get a whole lot more complicated.

[luxqaer]

Hello everyone! Happy late Melly Monday!

Time for another commission blog. And it is from @criticalspell with Hero Melia blushing after a special kiss.

Funny thing is though, Ceru (who the artist also goes by) didn't actually know what the truth of the blushing was until after the commission was done. I wanted to save that as a surprise 😊

So why did I go for this? It just so happens that Ceru drew this a few days earlier...

Yeah. I am a big fan of this ship. 😁

Which doesn't seem to be an unpopular opinion because many artists where creating Melia and Nia ship art. There is even a hashtag that got used pretty often earlier this year (#Melinia). This trend only really started happening a few months after Xenoblade 3's release and when the floodgates started opening up.

Regardless, the artist who mainly drew them together at the time was Ceru, the self-proclaimed "CEO of MeliNia". And I wanted her to draw Melia after she kissed Melia. A sweet blush with some awesome Ceru-styled chibis. Which, when her commissions were open at the time, she added free chibis to go with characters she liked. I thought it was an awesome deal!

Here is the sketch. You can tell Ceru was trying to test some things out for how she wanted Melia to be posed. Because the final version of the main piece and the chibi on the top right were flipped in the final version. Not really super interesting. Also, I like how Ceru does her sketches as well.

In general, the Melia art I commissioned from Ceru was a really sweet piece. I like how she gave Melia warmer skin color and the way she colors Melia's hair is so glorious. I love the chibis as well. The one on the top right is majestic and amazing, while the bottom right one looks doppy with the stars surround her. They're just so nice. Ceru just has such a timeless artstyle, and I adore it so much!

Ceru currently posts art on this account on Twitter (her previous account was suspended for some strange reason) , and she still does Ko-Fi commissions even though she doesn't advertise them as much. You'll just have to DM her for prices and a TOS. I recommend commissioning Ceru because her art just feels so authentic.

Anyways everyone, thanks again again for reading this all the way to the end. Tune in next Monday where I am going to share two pieces of Melia art I commissioned for Christmas last year. I'm just going off the chronology just for the holidays. Until then, good night and a Melly Christmas!

[youjustfeelthemforever]

ALRight bestie, can i get uhhh context??? i only know like 2 guys from the incorrect quotes yall are messing around with, who are these guys???? <- wants to know how to picture em lol

also been so fun readiing the shenanigans hahaha

OKAY SO

Uhhh Chrumblr server RP got kinda out of hand haha and now we've got this whole plot and an ever-growing cast of characters that currently consists of

Nia Rosewood - Chaos's oc, everyone's little sister (one is younger than her and that's irrelevant haha)

Venatrix - Vixen and Chaos's shared oc, angry murder girl.

Nightwing, aka Dick Grayson - The big brother, nobody knows his true identity but they get why he's hiding it.

Grillface and Sploto - Kirbe's ocs. Creachers. Sploto is a very cat-like in manner kirbe and Grillface is a thief of a waddle dee.

Arrio McKay, aka Spellblazer - You know the Best Boy (>:D). Did his best to avoid letting people know he was a superhero but ultimately failed when he set his hands ablaze and threatened to light Peter on fire (they don't get along).

Peter Parker, aka Spiderman - Classic Gen-Z, opposes murder (as do a few others), a certified little shit. Doing his best to hide his superhero identity. Hates Arrio as much as Arrio hates him (LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT PETER CAUSED THE INCITING INCIDENTS OF THEIR INITIAL CONFRONTATION).

Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil - Might as well be Peter's dad. Blind but has heightened senses. Helping Peter keep their cover as heroes.

Lieutenant Strike - Moob's Star Wars oc. No-nonsense clone, extremely confused with all these Earthlings. (Why don't they know what a holo-map is??? Are they stupid???) Perhaps not as perpetually angry as she seems to be.

Raoul de Chagny - Terrified sobbing French man who loves his wife.

Christine Daaé - Terrified-but-better-at-hiding-it French (actually Swedish tho) woman who loves her husband. Often tries to stop fights between Peter and Arrio, usually fails (by no fault of her own - those two are wild).

(Note from blog author: Raoul and Christine are under the protection of the entire group. Hurt them and suffer the consequences.)

Maddox Darling - Christi's Star Wars oc. Due to time shenanigans I don't understand (lmao), is friends with Strike in the future. Strike is extremely confused.

Basically the plot is these characters all showed up in a small town in the middle of nowhere with no memory of how they got there, and now they're trying to figure out where they are and how to get back to their respective universes without killing each other (looking at Peter and Arrio). Also some of them are starting to realizing that they may or may not be fictional, but those who were elsewhere at the time of the discovery still have no idea.

So uh that's basically it I think? It's kind of a lot but we're having a blast lmao. People keep joining and adding characters and it's really chaotic and fun haha.

Also, completely unrelated but WE GOT ANOTHER ONE BOYS (you know what I'm talking about heheh)

[punk-o-ween]

bad blood predictions!! 🧌🔥 10.5.24

this is an insane yap fest once again just like how it was w my summerslam predictions so BEWARB ‼️ /ref

🦇 - liv morgan (c) vs rhea ripley

winner? probably rhea ripley

why? I feel like this would only be this way because usually when they fight, dom is always out there, and he usually costs the match for rhea which allows liv to win. if hes in a fucking shark cage above the ring then i think livs lowkey cooked 😭😭 the only way liv would win is if dom threw up on rhea bc of him being claustrophobic LMFAO...plus im rlly tired of liv with the belt like girl i love liv just as the next person but rhea didnt LOSE her title?! she gave it up bc of injury and seeing liv flaunt this belt around irks me so uhm !! rhea better win lowkey (but i still have a feeling livs gonna win im just biased as hell😽😽)

🦇 - damian priest vs finn bálor: 

winner? finn's winning this shit im not gonna lie

why? bc its finn fucking balor ?? im sorry but damian has been getting his ASS BEAT lately and while yeah duh its a 4 on 1, even when it isnt his ass is getting beat 🤧 id still be happy if he wins dont get me wrong but i have a feeling finn is gonna annihilate him fr fr...plus finn is still extremely angry with damian and how he still has this grudge against him so hes gonna fight harder to win bc of how hurt he is.

🦇 - nia jax (c) vs bayley

winner? nia jax 

why? bc once again hello its nia jax ?? have yall SEEN the way she literally kills these mfs and runs thru them like theyre absolutely nothing it's hilarious 😭😭😭 i love them both but nia jax has had a fantasic ass title run and i still wanna see what she will do more of if she retains. bailey as champ was lowkey boring anyway so im rooting for my girl jax on this one...plus, even tho it's cliché, i kind if hope tiffany does cash in on her so that there can be more of a storyline to continue on :-)

🦇 - cody rhodes/roman reigns vs the bloodline

winner? cody and roman lol

why? i feel like wwe would of course let cody snd roman beat the ever living shit out the bloodline bc this fake bloodline bs has been going on for such a long time yk and with roman being back, hes gonna try and get that ula fala back so that he can once again be considered the tribal chief! itll make him more of a face imo which i think is what wwe is trying to do and uhm cody is already the face of wwe atp so u already know they have to make it like...a hero complex ☠️ i also wanna see how theyll continue this storyline if cody and roman win too bc what would be next?? so exciting!! i also hope either paul heyman, jimmy uso, or the rock returns on this since cody rhodes teased that a "big man" is coming back on the pat mcafee show

🦇 - CM PUNK VS DREW MCINTYRE GIGGLES SQUEALS KICKS MY FEET BLUSHES my bad

winner? uhm..well..fuck...

why? for some reason with cm punk and drew matches, its always hard to just think about a clear winner bc for one, they r both going to (AND PROMISED BTW) to fucking DESTROY eachother, so if theyre both promising the same shit, its harder to like pick n choose bc i could see either of them winning. i feel like for me, i think drew will win just so that he can flaunt and say he beat cm punk for the last time and then the feud will (FUCKING SADLY) be over bc if punk wins, drews gonna start crying n shit again yk LMAOOO so i think drew will have his last win against cm punk so that they can move on and make more feuds 🙏 they r abt to kiss in ring tho mark my words, they finna pull a hangman/swerve BAHAH

[sunshineandviolets]

The Heroes of Morella for @bladesrc's mc redesign challenge <3

Kali'ndra "Kali" O'kavvar (she/her) She is very active and enthusiastic about adventures, so a dress wouldn't be the most ideal. She's most comfortable in loose fitted trousers and big believer in no sleeves. Gained quite a bit of scars throughout book 1, and loves to show them off. May exaggerate the stories here and there. Even if her main fighting style is with her fists, has a talent for alchemy and loves to experiment. Also the flowers was Nia's doing, but Kali ain't complaining. Lastly i know f!orc mcs already had muscle but i wanted her to be more beefy!! big arms to crush her enemies and to scoop her girlfriend(s) up at any chance she can get.

Ashryn Nightbloom (he/him) He also gained some scars from book 1 adventures, but caused him to be partially blind in one eye. Gave him some facial markings, no reason - simply because it looked cool. He tends to be rather gender non confirming, enjoying wearing long skirts and dresses. He is not as interested in adventuring unlike Kali, but only went along to save his brother - hence his attire may not be someone's first choice to fight in. but he wanna look cute and on point no matter the situation. The necklace is the last and only thing he has of his parents, not that he really knows anything about.

[ultfreakme]

Clark "I got you" Kent and Lois "You got me, but who will got you?" Lane

and their reflection

John "I got everyone" Kent and Jay "You got everyone and I got you" Nakamura

Sorry, but I had to throw that in. Like, this parallel with Clois makes me smile all day.They're just to perfect. No judgment.

Oh, by the way, I read your post a long time ago about how John gave Jay some important ring. It was made of a very rare material, as you put it. Could you tell me a little more about this? Otherwise I’m not quite I realized what kind of ring this is, or more precisely, why it is so important (or maybe I just need to re-read the comic, I don’t know)

Have a nice day! 🌹💕

That's the parallel that made me start shipping JayJon. I love it so much. Lois's question is of awe and wonder at Clark's abilities, they don't know each other yet. With Jay & Jon, it's the exact opposite, Jay is seeing Jon at his worst, weakest and is saying "I don't care if you're Superman, you can rest and be vulnerable." Like the way they are on such opposite ends as situations ;_;

And the ring!! At the end of SOKE Jon gives Jay a ring right? It's the Legion of Super-heroes(LOSH) flight ring. It's made of Nth Metal, which is a pretty rare material and given only to Legion members, very exclusive in the 21st century and only three non-legionnaires have it; Booster Gold, Clark, and Jon (afaik). Jon got one because he was a member of LOSH for a brief time.

There are two options:

Jay's supersuit is from the future, made by the legionnaires presumably, and so they put in the ring along with the costume

Jon gave Jay his own ring. Both are wild because the first implies that Jon was meant to meet Jay, the legionnaires knew this and made him a costume. If they knew a 1000 years into the future, Jay was probably a very very big part of Jon's life (Nia got gauntlets from the legionnaires, given to her by her great-great-great granddaughter). The second implies that Jon's saying a fuck you to legionnaire rules and giving a very powerful and kinda personal gift to Jay(a ring???? COME ON, Jay even jokes about it lol).

Thanks for the ask Anon~~ this was really fun and my JayJon love just crushed me like a wave.

[hersaladdeer]

Dress Code

A oneshot Best Jeanist x f! OC fic.

Just say no? I don't understand what the problem here is?

Nia glared at the phone screen before typing her response. Her friend wasn't wrong, but was missing the nuances of her current predicament.

Because I don't want to hurt his feelings?

Bubbles popped up almost instantly from Aya, indicating that the woman was typing a response.

Well do you want to fluff your "no" to be nicer, or do you want to wear jeans all day in a hot, stuffy room?

Nia threw her phone on the bed, the device landing facedown on her duvet. The sun wasn't up yet, and the city below remainder muted. The city was never really quiet, but it could whisper. Her bedside lamp light casted her shadow against the wall as she pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to prepare herself for what she expected was coming.

The day was guaranteed to be a long one which would require her attention late into the evening. She was a journalist covering the Hero Billboard Chart event. Luckily journalism was a written media which permitted her comforts that TV reporters did not have. Such as wearing comfortable, cozy clothing to the event. Jeans did not sound comfortable today.

The forecast said it would be a hot day, and the event would be packed like it was every year. Jeans felt too stuffy for the fat ahead. Her boyfriend would also be in attendance but at her insistence would not be seated near her. She had to focus on work, his presence had a history of making that difficult. Reporters were always looking for his comment on the yearly rankings. Being the former #3 hero had a way of getting noticed, moreso at hero events.

"My darling denim?" Her boyfriend appeared in the doorframe, sporting a familiar outfit of denim. "Breaking out the coat, I see." Nia smirked at the blonde who leaned casually in the doorframe. "It seems I'll be wearing sufficient denim for us both." He remarked, looking at the tights that clung to her body.

"Well, it's going to be a long day. Thought I'd wear something stretchy." Tsunagu furrowed their brow at the comment, pushing off from the doorframe to stand tall. "Denim may start stiff but quickly gets soft and pliable. Like those tights, but better." Nia continued grabbing the items she'd need to record her observations and thoughts. Voice recorded, pens, journal, tablet. Sometimes taking physical notes just made sense, other times it proved impossible. She was going to be prepared however the day turned out and write a great article about it.

"Darling," Tsunagu's voice brought Nia back to their conversation. "I can help soften the fabric for you, if you-"

"Why are you doing this?" Nia turned, annoyance prominent in her voice. "Why do you always do this when I'm covering a major story?" Tsunagu looked taken aback at her question. "Do what?" He wasn't sure what she was referring to. The offer to soften her clothing was one he gave freely - or to mend or alter any garment she desired. His quirk had made him a great hero but he took a special joy from the glee on his girlfriends face when he made something fit her just right.

"I'm always happy to change your clothing for you. Your body is the most beautiful thing to display any textile on." Nia turned her attention back to her bag, tossing another pen into it's hazardous pocket. "No, the wearing jeans thing." She opened the drawer to her beside table and tossed a pocket container of kleenex and a flashlight in, just in case. Better to be prepared.

"What wearing jeans thing?"

"You always want me to wear jeans when I'm working a big story. I like denim. I just don't love it the way you do." Tsunagu reflected on the past few stories she'd been tasked with covering. "Before I left for the opening of the new mall, you asked if I wanted to trial a pair of jeans you'd just made. The time before that you insisted I needed a jean jacket."

"It was a fall day, and denim is part of the motif."

"Why?" Nia asked, finally satisfied with her preparation for the day. She managed to get the purses' zipper closed, although she was no longer as confident in the inseam integrity. She watched as her boyfriend looked at the bulging accessory before raising a hand to it. "Why does it matter so much to you? You never care what I wear except when I'm working."

"I want to make sure I can help you quickly, if needed. I want to believe the places you're working are safe, but-" Tsunagu quickly reinforced the seam of her purse, the fabric suddenly clinging tightly shut.

"But sometimes things don't go as planned." She finished the statement for him in a sigh. Nia had never been hurt in her time as a journalist. She had, unfortunately, been in the vicinity of some villain events. With the state of the world and her job involving observing and reporting on larger events it seemed unavoidable. Villains would always try and capitalize on the media coverage that these events would naturally garnered. "I guess it was good I didn't end up covering that concert." Nia conceded, remembering how the venue had been bombed. It was an assignment initially given to her, but had been reassigned at the last minute.

Thinking about Tsunagu's frantic voicemail still made her feel terrible. She hadn't informed him of the last minute reassignment and the man had been understandably panicked when he heard the news of the explosion, unaware that she was in a different area of the city entirely.

"Denim is the fabric I'm best at working with. If something were to happen, I could help you more efficiently."

"Nothing is going to happen, Tsunagu. Who would attack a building full of heroes? There are going to be both active and retired heroes in attendance. They'd have to be crazy." Nia grabbed his hand, smiling at the blonde, jean clad man who towered over her. "You don't need to worry about helping me."

"The need to ensure your safety is sewn into my core." Tsunagu brushed a strand of stray white hair from Nia's face before pulling her into a hug. "And since I can't ensure it there, I will ensure I can assist you if something were to fray."

Nia smiled at the mans words. She hadn't expected that answer, but was warmed at the amount of care it showed. "How about this- Could you cover my bracelet in denim?" Tsunagu gently released Nia from his embrace to get a closer look at the broad band that adored her wrist. The golden color was quickly enrobed in dark blue, the fabric soft against her wrist.

"Where did you even get the fabric from?" She questioned, looking over his outfit for any missing pieces. The high collar of his coat covered his mouth, but the twinkle in his eye let her know Tsunagu was smiling. He opened his coat enough to display a missing piece of denim from over his heart.

"While I appreciate your comprimise, you're neglecting to consider one key feature, my darling denim."

"Oh? Nia questioned as she ran her finger over the soft fabric that was freshly stitched to her accessory, entranced by the feeling. Tsunagu had been right - the fabric definitely got softer over time.

"Pockets."

The idea popped into my head and would not give me peace until I wrote it down. If you enjoyed it, take a gander at my other works.

[agattthaa]

Not pretty, beautiful

Pairing:Tyril Starfury x f!HumanMC

Word count: 1.283

Warnings: happy (if you don't look too deep into it) very different from my last one, if you read it, there's drinking ale with friends in a bar and it's very clear the author never got wasted

Tags: @lawrencebarkley @secret-fungi

She should have known better than to just let the boys be boys, but the night was simply too fun to act like the big sister she always had to.

So when Mal took both Tyril and Kade to a drinking game, she just let him, focusing on drinking ale and gossiping with the girls about the people of the bar, their companions and about people from their homeland, who the other two didn’t know, but that never stopped them. 

A couple of days before, she, in the deepness of her heart, feared that a day like this one could never happen. But her wildest dreams came true. 

Kade was safe. She was safe. All her friends were safe. And together, they defeated the Shadow Court and together they stayed. 

So if even the priestess woke up with a headache, everything would be alright. 

Or so she thought. 

Kade was the first to, quite literally, hit his head on the table. Both the rogue and the mage clearly outdrinking the youngest. The human quickly got up, in the intention of aiding her brother, but Nia placed a hand on her shoulder. 

-Don’t worry, Raine. I can take Kade to his room. Besides, I think you and Imtura will have a much harder time. -She pointed with her nose to the other two members of their group, and quickly lifted Kade, passing the boys hand through her shoulder and getting up the stairs that connected the bar to the inn. 

-I'll take the theft and you the elf? 

Imtura looked at them, both already too intoxicated to want to drink more and both too stubborn to accept a defeat. Raine simply nodded, walking towards both of them. 

-Okay boys, you're both pretty, but now is time to sleep. -She took the half-filled mugs from their hands, looking at them with her must disproving look. 

-You are even prettier, Rain. But if you could please give me back my mug, I'm about to beat elf boy in this drinking game. -The rogue tried to get the mug back, but the girl, who was considerably less drunk and a lot faster, got out of the way, making him fall on the ground. 

While the rogue complained that it was unfair, that he would have won if nobody got in the middle of it, while Tyril saw the hand extended and instead of getting up from the bench, he rested his face on it, closing his eyes.

-I won.

-Indeed. And what do you plan to do now that you won this very serious competition, my lord?

His indigo eyes opened only to look at her. And look at her he did. 

-You are beautiful. -He contacted after a couple seconds in silence, winning a smirk from her.

-Why, thank you very much kind sir. 

He pulled her closer, hugging her hips and looking deeply into her eyes. 

-Not pretty, beautiful. Just like the dawn. And also the stars. And also the moon. And...

-Okay, lover boy, let's get you to bed.

The bar was almost full and people were starting to look at the odd couple and to pay too much attention to the declarations of the elf, making the girl's ears just a little bit red. 

-I do think you are the most beautiful woman that has ever walked into any of the realms. -He got up from the bench and walked willingly to any direction that she pulled him, but too slowly and never stopped talking. 

-In fact, I believe you are the most beautiful creature that has ever existed in any of the realms.

If the almighty hero of the realm was red before, she was now scarlet. 

-Look at them. Why do you never scream how beautiful I am in a bar full of people? -A woman, who Raine pointed out earlier to Nia and Imtura that was getting very chummy with her lover, asked her partner, who simply answered. 

-Look at them, they are young and in love. When we were that age we did way worse. 

And if she was scarlet before, now she was almost purple, so she tugged the elf, trying to make him walk faster. 

When they finally walked into Tyril's room, he simply dropped himself on the bed. 

-C'mon Tyril, you have to take the armor off. You'll be uncomfortable otherwise. 

She closed the door and walked towards him, but as soon as her hand touched the armor, he pulled away from her, and with his eyes still closed, turned around, away from her. 

-What now?

-My girlfriend, she'll get upset if you try to undress me. Very upset. Murdering upset, you should leave.

To  that, the human had to bite the inside of both her cheeks so she wouldn't laugh too much.

-I am your girlfriend. 

To that, the elf turned around quickly, opening his eyes and giving the most lovestruck smile Raine has ever seen. 

-My love, you are here. You have been gone for far too long. -He got up, hugged her close, making the girl let go a small giggle. -While you were away, a woman tried to undress me, but I made her go away, do not worry. 

Raine did her very best to keep her expression as plain as she could. 

-C'mon Tyril, let's take this armor off. 

To that he let go of her, turning to his side and letting her undo the clasps that held the armor together, pulling her towards the bed when the metal and the ground met. 

-You have no reason to worry, beloved, I never touched her nor let her touch me. -The girl only laughed at it.

-Tomorrow morning will be a lot of fun, that's for sure. 

-Raine. -He stopped smiling, looking deeply into her eyes.

-Tyril?

-Are you aware of how much I love you? 

Her heart stopped. 

-No, how could I be if you never said it? 

The elf suddenly sat up, looking at her lover in complete despair.

-But you must know, right? Now I'll tell you everyday, so don't stray away because someone called you pretty. -To that, she pulled him into her arms, feeling him relax instantly. -For you are more... you are beautiful.... like the dawn..... and the…… stars.

She could feel him starting to fall asleep, so she started to caress his hair, smiling to herself.

The morning would be fun indeed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-How are we feeling this morning, champion? -She handed him a mixture of herbs that should make him feel better, eventually.

-Never let Mal talk to me again. -His hands were both holding his head, she could almost feel his hangover in the air. 

-But you were so proud of yourself. The complete champion of the longest drinking game we ever did.

-And I made a complete full out of myself and embarrassed you and myself in front of a lot of strangers, for that I apologize, my love. 

-You have no reason to do that. It was funny. -She took the empty cup off his hands. -Besides, you have no reason to worry, I won't go anywhere, never. Because you aren't just pretty, you are beautiful, like the dawn, like the stars…. 

She poked his side, making him go purple, hiding his face on his hands. 

-I shall never drink again. 

-And, of course. -She took his hands away from his face, kissing each before placing her lips on his. -Because I love you, very much so. 

He smiled, even more lovestruck than before. 

-And I love you even more, my heart. 

He closed his eyes, meeting her lips again and praying to every god that she would never leave his side.

[facepalming-since-chernobyl]

A summary of why CW Supergirl sucks, born from a year of a growing frustration.

A summary of why CW Supergirl sucks, born from a year of growing frustration.

1.Inabilty to take a risk.

The only one they took was making Alex lesbian and Nia the first trans hero story. Then – fucking nothing. Good characters going dark? Not even Kara’s clone aka RedDaughter. Lobotomizer, who you know, murdered Adam, Lex and wanted to lobotomize entire humanity and hurt Kara “every way imaginable”, all of it was portrayed as “not her fault, blinded by feelings, dark place blah blah”, basically it was all Lex and Kara’s fault, no consequences for her character or arc.

There was nothing controversial, or when it was something like that (aka Lena murdering and lobotomizing people) it showed as something not that important, normal stuff, solved in one ep, no biggie, she was sad, ok???

I was also not even ONCE afraid for the main bunch of the characters. I was fucking SURE no one was going to die and yes, only addictions, villains, one ep randoms or secondary characters I didn’t give a shit about, died. That means there was basically no feelings, even during emotional scenes, what made this show super bland and in the end, forgettable.

-Plus, they knew they got the final season, they knew they could have done anything they wanted. And what they did was making Kara taking her glasses off. If this doesn’t fully describe what kind of shit this show was, then I’m Santa.

Basically WASTED POTENTIAL.

2.Degenaration of the main character.

Yep, sorry not sorry, as much as I love Kara and Melissa, who was born to play Supergirl and did everything even with the crappiest of lines, her character, looking at it from the perspective of 6 seasons, SUCKS for a few reasons:

-What made her unique in the comics, was ignored and forgotten in the show. She was made a female clone of Superman, that was treated badly by the writers. She got similar job, attitude, love interests, his villains.

What she didn’t get was satisfying conclusion (sarcasm).

In comics she was the outsider, the person torn between two places, an immigrant remembering her old life and forced to assimilate in a society of some C class planet, a girl with anger issues, bias, the guilt of being a lone survivor, a traumatized young alien. Something she couldn’t share even with her last living relative aka Clark. It all made her fleshed and complex.

But show ignored it, and made her a happy go lucky, fully assimilated perfect usamerican girl in love with humanity, uwu. What is disappointing, even if this Kara still has charm, innocence and potential - it all makes her boring in the end.

-There is no real character development for her after s1 and 2. She started as fresh hero who tried to manage her superhero, private and work life, while working on her biases. And then, dunno, we got Kara dealing with an every ep villain/issue and some other big season bad. How Kara’s as a character changed? She got more confident in her professional life as a reporter (still, a shitty one) and that’s it. All the traumas, bad shit that happened, deaths, problems, issues, lost love etc. I don’t really feel it all has changed her. I don’t even feel she is more mature in s6 than she was at the end of s2. I don’t feel anything that has happened during the whole series, changed her views, opinions, way of life. When her past experiences helped her later? She stays almost the same for the whole fucking SIX YEARS.

-It happened, because there is no real character arcs for her after s2.

In s3 there was the whole Reign aka her nemesis storyline and finding Argo and her mom, but what was the POINT of it? Beside that Kara realized she didn’t want to be krypotnian and didn’t really give a fuck about her mother, friends and people anymore…? And I still didn’t really grasp it, because the show made a shit way to explain why she didn’t feel at Argo as at in home anymore (because Earth was in danger and needed help? Because she couldn’t be Supergirl at Argo? Because…? Uhm?).

The same goes for s4, 5 and 6. What was the reason of Lobotomizer torturing and hurting Kara every way imaginable and Kara calling her a villain, if a few eps later Kara ended on the same place aka being Lena’s bestie without hard feelings, any consequences or fucking anything? What kind of impact Kara being in Phantom Zone made on her?  Fucking one ep, where she can cry in Alex’s arms and then, once again, NOTHING.

-The lack of satisfying conclusion (sarcasm again) for Kara. At the end, I have no idea what did she want, what did she dream on, what was her goal, why she couldn’t have it all, while she wanted it years ago and ALL OTHER CHARACTERS GOT IT. Basically, I don’t know why I should be happy for her, why should I root for her, in the end, I feel like I don’t even know her after six years. What is… fucking sad.

3.Heart and soul of the show. My ASS.

There is no Supergirl without Kara. It can survive without any other character, but NOT without her. And because, as I said, her character development/arc SUCK, we have a sucking show. And sorry not sorry if I upset people, but it happened because the show focused too much on other SuperFriends and other characters. Yes, Alex included. Because no, Kara and Alex are not the heart and soul of the show. Kara should have been. And I don’t get the blind, sometimes fanatical love for this relationship. It’s quite obvious it’s one of the most important relationships in the show. Still, a shocker, show would survive without it. Plus, it’s quite funny, how some people ignore the fact (confirmed by canon TWO TIMES) that for Alex more important than Kara was ALWAYS Jeremiah. Even when he was already dead. Fucking hilarious.

Anyway, my point is that even J’onn and his father got more compelling and emotional arc than Kara ever got and friendly reminder SHE GOT HER FUCKING PARENTS BACK. The same goes for Alex and Esme and Kelly. Damned Agent Liberty had a better written arc than Kara. Damn, Nxy had more compelling story arc and character development than Kara in s6. And it’s tragic.

Remind yourself when was the last time you were really invested in Kara’s story?

4.Fuck you, comic books.

I have no idea how people who actually read Supergirl’s comic books and others issues felt while watching. Kara being dumbed down (plus all the shit I have talked about). J’onn depowered. Brainiac being DUMBED DOWN and parody of himself. Mon-El depowered and in s3 cured from his allergy, zombied, bearded and forced into marriage with fucking Imra. Imra with weird powers. Garth who??? Death of Nura Nal (off screen), murdered by Brainiac. Manchester United and Agent Liberty wasted and turned into well, not anything too complex. Maggie – what? Lex – no comments, especially after how he ended.

And unfortunately, I feel that all of the original comic book characters suffered for the additions created by the show, aka Alex, Lena, Nia, Kelly. Like, you can feel they were the producers and writers “babies” and they did everything to made them cool and interesting (what ended with some weird stuff like Lobotomizer being a magical unicorn and Nia got some… weird powers. Whatever).

5.Creators hated this show, you can’t change my mind.

The fact Jessica Gossip Girl and Robert had NO FUCKING idea what to do with Kara or this show after s3 and the AK drama, is obvious. The sad fact is that the writers didn’t know what to do either. I feel like after AK, no one wanted to be associated with this show, the old writers left the show and we got bunch of new-in-the-business-folks who didn’t even care to watch past seasons.

In the end, it was quite obvious that all people involved were done with this show and just wanted out, cast included. And remembering what also the supercorp shippers have done, I can’t really blame them. Still, there was no love for this show in the creators room and it’s sad when you compare it to the shows that was leaded by producers/writers/actors who were fans themselves.

6.The show is already outdated. Focusing on so called modern problems made it forgettable and bland, when you compare it to other shows.

Yes, I talk about the Trump presidential plot in s4. Also, the whole immigration plot were so heavily, cheesy and dumbly handled, made no sense and was something we saw hundreds of times in other fiction (and it was handled 100 times better). Andrea’s alternative reality device that sucked people in it? Any Black Mirror ep about stuff like that was better and more memorable. I already don’t even remember why the device was so deadly. Technology bad? Oh, boy.

Also, I KNOW comic books were always connected to the political stuff, but you can handle it in a good and bad way. Supergirl made it usually cringy.

See how stereotypically they portrayed the president in s4. It was not even bad enough to become funny. The whole Kaznia part was nothing more than a xenophobic, stereotypical approach to Eastern Europe. Remember when J’onn said he keeps his black man appearance because he wanted to be… minority or something? Guess what? He became a black man because HANK HANSHAW WAS A BLACK MAN. There was nothing DEEP in it for fuck’s sake! M’gann? So, a white Martian who… pretends to be a green one and then keeps that, because… you know… there are better and worse Martians. Or something. You know, greens good, white bad and ugly.

Then, they did a good job with Nia’s trans-superhero story. And then, with Kelly, I see what they wanted to show, but it was a bad timing and well, all what she wanted to express was overshadowed by that one, line about Kara not getting what trauma is. The list goes on.

7. Luthors.

Cancer of the show. Sue me.

8.It’s so fucking dumb.

We all know that this show is about an alien who because of fucking sun became superpowered, can fly, wears idiotic suit and can’t be recognized because of glasses. We all get the conception. We get it. We know it’s for kids…

But there is a difference between following the worldbuilding and making shit so fucking dumb you roll your eyes so hard that you see the insides of your skull. The show treats the viewers like IDIOTS who don’t remember a shit that happened previous ep.

The… jewels or whatever it was called, that they tried to gather in s6. Not getting the idea of time travel. J’onn erasing the knowledge of Kara being Supergirl from Alex and like 10 max DEO agents, while all fucking DEO knew that, because Kara was constantly walking around as Kara Danvers in s2 and 3. And J’onn suddenly, out of nowhere refusing to read people’s minds, but being ok with changing people’s minds, but not informing that oopsie doopsie, he can’t change them back? And what was the fucking reason in the end? Writers want to tell me, that’s it more logical to change memories of Alex and TEN other people, than brainwashing ONE colonel??? Like? And the scene when Alex finally remembers, while Kara is dying after the fight with RedDaughter and her way to save her is… putting grass on her? I’m sorry? It was supposed to be emotional but I died from laughter? It was so fucking dumb that it erased cells from my brain??

And  don’t even let me start about Kara absorbing WHOLE SUN in 10 minutes because Jesus Fucking Christ people actually died watching this scene. Like, yeah, erasing sun, what bad could happen to Earth without it even for a few days. Like yeah, Kara, a living being ABSORBING FUCKING SUN. In like a few minutes. Do you know how fast the sun rays come from Sun to Earth? Probably you do, SG writers don’t. And then, she just what, farted?  And all what she absorbed came back to sun in a second? Uhmmmmmmmmmmmm…

And let’s ignore, like we ignored so many other shit, how many times Kara and other super beings totally forgot they had, ya know, superpowers, because plot needed it.

It’s all so goddamned dumb that is not even funny. And what’s worse, the show is not funny, the jokes are pathetic, it’s like watching your drunken uncle on a family gathering.

9.Contradictions, hypocrisy, blah blah blah

Do you remember how everybody was moaning how Kara is the strongest, the best, the strongest, the most unique, the strongest, the most amazing unicorn in Earth’s history? You could create a drinking game in s2 finale aka taking a shot when you heard something like that, hangover guaranteed.

It’s the whole show’s problem. Exposition and explaining instead of actually showing it in the show. They talk. All the time. Explaining everything. And then you get something contradicting.

Like how Danvers sisters are the best sisters, buddies, blah blah blah. And then we get aggressive Alex pouring her life frustrations on Kara (job, Jeremiah, Esme). And what is funny, we never really did them sitting down and really discussing it, and it’s a show about talking. I mean, of course, they would die for each other without a second of hesitation, but all people talk about are the couch scenes sniff! Sniff!, while happily ignoring the co-dependency problem.

10.Fucking fandom

Let me just say that I have a theory that says if the show is shitty and there is nothing beside the ships you can be excited about, the fandom turns into an utter ocean of crap. And maybe it would have  been not that bad, if the fandom hadn’t changed my perspective on some actress and basically made my SG experience a living hell.

If you have anything to add – be my guest ==’

[bedtimegiraffe]

Mal is Wrong About What Motivates Him

For someone so squirrely about his past, Mal opens up to MC about his motivations very early on. Because as far as he's concerned, it's simple; he's just here for a paycheck.

Mal is very overtly motivated by money from the first time you meet him. He's in town because he heard there's an artifact nearby that will make him rich. And after Kade disappears, it takes Nia basically bribing Mal to stop him from just selling the Onyx Shard to the highest bidder. Because it's all about money with him.

Not too much later, he tells you about the dreams he's had for his life since he was a kid. He wants a life of adventuring so he can be rich. After a life of poverty, Mal says he wants, more than anything, the wealth of a noble. Simple.

And after Mal tells you what's working toward, and he's started to trust you, he tells you the fear he's always running from.

Mal hates the idea of ending up back in the Nooks and Crannies. Of losing his grip on the life he's built and finding himself improvised again.

According to Mal, he wants to get rich and make sure he stays well away from the Nooks and Crannies.

So at the end of Book 1, you'd expect him to finally make good on his dreams of being a rich guy on adventures, right? Mal is a Hero of Morella. He gets a sizeable cash reward and a full pardon. I have no doubt he could have schmoozed (and stolen) his way into a life of wealth and luxury from there. Maybe even worked out a deal with the Thieves' Guild so he could stop running from them too.

But instead, with the whole world available to him, he chooses to go back. To the Nook and Crannies, the slum that was his own personal boogeyman for most of his life.

Because what Mal really wants isn't enough money to live in luxury. And it isn't to make sure he never has to physically set foot in the slums of Whitetower again.

What Mal wants, more than anything, is to have the choice.

So much of his life was out of his hands. His mother dying, leaving Mal to look out for himself and his sister from a very young age. Joining the Thieves' Guild, then not being allowed to leave the Thieves' Guild. MC can recognize this after the talk about the Temple teaching Nia to use magic that burns up her lifeforce.

So how does Mal realize it was never really about the money, or the escape? I think that once he's settled into the group, Mal finally feels a little safe. Like he's not always on the knife's edge of losing it all. And that gives him the chance to get out of survival mode and realize that if he relaxes a little, if he stops striving for a life of luxury as far from where he grew up as possible, he'll still be okay. The direction of his life won't be taken fully out of his hands again.

Mal can finally hope for more.

Screenshots from Neckrone Shen's playthroughs on YouTube.

*PS that didn't flow with my main argument- In book 2, Mal's sense of safety and choice is really shaken by the loss of MC. I think that's a big factor in the bad state he's in. Mal even describes opening the orphanage as something he does out of guilt. But I think that's the depression/sense of helplessness talking. He's planning to open an orphanage, and proud of it, at the end of book 1 if you take his romance scene. Mal just feels so guilty about being unable to rescue MC that he can't let himself feel good about anything he's done. Like protecting his friends. Or building a loving, comfortable home for all of his kids.

[cerenemuxse]

So i finally watched BWBA (Season 24)

My very useless review of BWBA Season 24

Please make your own opinions. Don't be like me (way before this) and base yours off of everyone's else. That's why I put useless, because it is if you hadn't made your own.

Surprisingly, this season was in plain sight, as well as other T&F seasons.

Emily's Best Friend

I hated it. I still hate. Sorry, but the 2-12 interaction could not save it. I still love that moment though. To me, Emily is OOC.

Thomas' Fuzzy Friend

Wholesome filler episode with a ref to Thomas the Babysitter, which is one of my all-time favorites. I love it.

The Great Little Engine Show

Eh- i like the mention of the model engines. Don't have anything against it but it doesn't stick out. .3.

Thomas and the Forest Engines

I like it. :D I like the storyline about why certain engines are allocated to certain places.

Emily to the Rescue

Peak Emily moment. I love it but why did it take so long for her to get her number??? 😭 Oh, well. I still love it.

I love that bring out her caring aspect. It's like her intro episode. (I finally watched it and MAN, i wish I got that Emily growing up 😭 she just came off as a bossy big sister /neg)

Shankar's Makeover

Shankar's like me. /srs I like this episode for addressing situations like this. Stage fright, not wanting attention, and being someone who keeps to themself. Nice episode.

Nia and the Unfriendly Elephant

The references are nice. I love Nia's love for animals and her assignment to the park. Before, her job wasn't permanent. Also, Belle is here. I love her. I love them. I like it. :]

Until I watch all of Nia's episodes, I won't be commenting on how she supposedly repeats learning things from Kenya all the damn time.

However, I do have a problem with the argument being made. It feels like it dimisses that different cultures interact like this most of the time, bringing up the ways they handle certain situations. From my expierence, i hear where these differences come from all the time, even if I know the person well enough.

I just don't see the problem with Nia bringing up how things different are between her old home and Sodor. It feels relatable, despite the fact that I'm Hispanic (Mexican), and it makes sense.

James the Super Engine

I ADORE THIS EPISODE. I've talked about it before but in short, I love how James is portrayed. Could've EASILY written him as a hero who gave up and didn't bother checking up on Rebecca when she yelled for help. But no, they went the right way. James IS caring but considering the environment he's had to work in for so many years, you can see why he doesn't show it. But here, HE DOES.

And when he realizes that Rebecca is in trouble? Its his normal voice, whereas before, it was his superhero voice.

My honest reaction whenever i watch it:

Thomas' Not-So-Lucky Day

Eh- I think the lesson is pretty good about getting those good things by thinking positively and working towards them instead of letting luck be the decision maker.

Ace's Brave Jump

I dont care.

Nia's Bright Idea

W Nia for being resourceful and bringing things together. I like it.

Cleo's First Snow

I like it.

Sonny's Second Chance

I like it.

Thomas and the Inventor's Workshop

I dont care for Ruth but I like it. Its decent.

The Inventor's Bridge

That bridge is going to fall over but there's probably physics that I don't understand that makes it make sense. At the end though, i could care less.

Yong Bao and the Tiger

I've seen it before.

I initially didn't like it due to the dynamics of the story. Like why is a massive engine like Yong Bao shunting in the yard?

However, i like it more now. I can dismiss the dynamic.

Gordon and Rebecca, Coming Through!

I've talked about it before. Its confusing, especially with its placement. Would've worked better as the episode following 'Confusion Without Delay".

Despite this, i like their dynamic.

Gordon's behavior is tiresome. I usually ignore it but i've seen enough of CGI TTTE that im getting sick and tired out of it. I've heard that his character growth was forgotten but i havent seen enough to have a say.

Kenji on the Rails

Mixed feelings on this one because Hiro's leaving. :( Stop writing off my favorite characters.

In my second, I noticed Hiro's "konnichiwa" and got thrown off completely. Odd how they're JUST now bringing out Hiro's first language. I don't remember seeing this brought out before BWBA.

Not really a review because of that. I'm sour about it.

Cleo the Road Engine

Ah, the intro episode. I thought it was in season 23. Its just Thomas and Bertie rewritten but Cleo is avoiding her jobs. No, it somehow didn't destroy my liking to her.

Thomas' Animal Friends

I think its cute but Thomas would've straight up ignored Gordon.

Overall impression: Not as shitty as its made to be. It has its good moments and bad moments.

I'm so glad that I wasn't bombarded with fantasy sequences with this one. Those are just plain ridiculous, for the most part. In some episodes, it fits like James the Super Engine and Thomas' Animal Friends. The one in Emily's Best Friend made me cringe but I enjoyed it because its Edwad and Emily.

Listen, I'm desperate for 2-12 content, man, and I've been ignoring model era for a good while because I just dont want to.

Uh, that's it.

[bardic-tales]

Hey, NL! I've got some awesome questions about Niamh and Nate. Let's dive into the fun stuff!

Do they have any cute nicknames for each other?

Do they have a song that they consider 'their song'?

Who is the big spoon and who is the little spoon when they cuddle?

What's the most heartwarming moment they've had together in Uncharted: The Lost Journal?

How do they show affection for each other when they're in public?

Hi, Prehistoric. How have you been? Sorry I haven't really been active on Discord or anywhere else as I been exhausted all the time.

I love to talk fluffy stuff about Niamh and Nate, my two favorite dorks. I still don't have a fancy graphic for them. I need to create one.

Do they have any cute nicknames for each other?

They rarely use nicknames for each other outside of 'Nia' and 'Nate'. He does call her 'pineapple' sometimes. This is because I have a head canon where Nate hates pineapple pizza, and Niamh teases him about it.

There are times when she will call Nate a 'dork' to tease him, but in the times that she is honest with him and is not bantering, she admits that she loves his cheesy and corny ways.

Do they have a song that they consider 'their song'?

This was harder than it should have been. For Nate and Niamh, the song that they would choose themselves would change depending on where they are at in the relationship.

At this moment, Bonnie Tyler's Holding out for a Hero is the current one. The only one who could even make Niamh fall is Nathan Drake, and while she did have flings, Nate is the only man she has ever loved.

Who is the big spoon and who is the little spoon when they cuddle?

Nate is 6'2" and Niamh is 5'3". They have about a foot height difference. When they cuddle, Nathan often likes to be the big spoon; Niamh, the little spoon. Because she is so much smaller than him, she is automatically the little spoon. She does like being held by him as it makes her feel protected.

He also gets really hot at night, and she gets really cold. Niamh likes to snuggle into him for the body heat.

What's the most heartwarming moment they've had together in Uncharted: The Lost Journal?

This is a wonderful question. Seeing as The Lost Journal is where Nathan and Niamh met and their romance is a very slow burn, it was hard to find a heart-felt moment.

After Nate and Niamh emerge from the depths of Uluwatu Temple and figured out the location for the next journal page is Tirta Empul Temple, they need to walk there because they were driven deeper into Uluwatu Temple by Kira's men and had to leave her mustang behind.

Nate was the first one to hear a car filled with people who he thought was Kira's men. He pushed Niamh into the undergrowth and covered her small body with his as he peaked out of the ferns with his beretta drawn. The car ended up driving past them and was just tourists. He got off of her and apologized, explaining that 'old habits' die hard as he alluded to a similar circumstance when he first met Elena.

How do they show affection for each other when they're in public?

They don't make a big deal out of their relationship in public. They won't make out or anything. They tend to hold hands. He also puts his arm around her shoulder, and she leans into him. There are times when they will give each other little kisses, and then, there are times when they will kiss.

Thanks again for the questions.

[nianderful]

big hero 6 🤝🏿 kid cosmic

“okay we reeled them in with fun superhero times, time to bring on the GRIEF AND LOSS”

[justzawe]

Zawe Ashton Isn’t Here to Be a Victim of Your Projections

The actress was never offered a period piece until “Mr. Malcolm’s List.” She was given 24 hours to decide whether to do it. Now she’s earning raves.

“I haven’t necessarily had the privilege of being cast as the hero,” Zawe Ashton said. “And that’s OK.”

This was on a recent steamy afternoon, and Ashton, 37, a star of the Regency-era romantic comedy “Mr. Malcolm’s List,” had cast herself in the role of a woman eating a hurried lunch at the New York office of a film company before heading to the airport. Low-key glamorous in bare feet, a black slip dress and a sweatshirt that read, “There Are Artists Among Us,” she radiated a particular mix of seriousness, playfulness and a questing intelligence.

While the more gossipy corners of the internet know the London-born Ashton as the fiancée of the actor Tom Hiddleston — they met during a benefit reading of Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal,” which they later performed on Broadway — she has been a professional actor since elementary school and a playwright since her 20s. She has devoted most of her career to playing and writing about outsiders. Julia, a Regency belle, wouldn’t seem to be one of them. Ashton disagrees.

“I think she is,” she said. “There’s something she’s not settling for.”

This probably explains why Ashton infuses Julia with a kind of wildness, a hint of waywardness under and around the sparkle. While the reviews for “Mr. Malcolm’s List” have been mixed, Ashton has earned raves. She dominates, a critic for The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “with her razor-sharp comedic timing ensuring thrilling delivery of her tart lines.”

Next summer she will appear in the Nia DaCosta-directed “The Marvels,” the follow-up to “Captain Marvel.” Reportedly, she will play the villain. And — after Ashton revealed her pregnancy during a recent screening of “Mr. Malcolm’s List” — at least one more debut is anticipated. Sensibly, she does not talk much about her personal life.

Over salad, she discussed period dramas, playing women on the edge and finding truth underneath the corsetry. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

You look like you’re having so much fun in this movie. Are you?

I really am. We all really are. We filmed it in a very intense wave of lockdown in Dublin. Our only bonding time was on site, doing the work. We weren’t even allowed to go to a pub. So there was this really rewarding element of coming together in group scenes and working off each other and understanding each person’s unique rhythm. That’s where some of the comedy is coming from, certainly where a lot of the flirtatious energy is coming from.

You haven’t done many period pieces. Why this one?

The big conversation that’s happening now around representation in period drama is very, very real. The reality is you can be acting for a long time and not be called to that table. There’s a sort of indifference that turns into mystification that turns into sadness around that. This was the first period piece I’ve ever been offered. I had 24 hours to decide, and then it was sweatpants to corsets.

What can you tell me about Julia?

What I really loved straight off the bat is where we find her, which is coming out into her fifth season in society without having made a match. It has a little tinge of a woman on the edge. She doesn’t want to be a victim of that society, so she rages against the machine. She does some questionable things. But I hope by the end, she has this humbling redemptive moment where she does find a love match with someone who loves her for her flaws, rather than despite her flaws.

What unlocked her character?

One of the first things I had to do was tap into something very truthful and authentic. Freida [Pinto, her co-star] and I had conversations about picking up something that felt more culturally specific to us. That was a real breakthrough. That you can leave the Austenification behind and find something that chimes with your experience. Then we had an amazing historian. She was really helpful with stuff like how you would drink tea, how you would walk through the streets of London with a man that you’re related to or not related to. That led to the physical life and then costume, hair and makeup, stepping into a corset, stuffing into a bonnet.

Over the last decade you haven’t done many comedies. Why do a comedy now?

I joined a very intense movie club during the lockdown. We watched a movie every night and fed back to each other at the end of every Saturday with Sundays off. We went really high and deliberately quite obnoxious — Bergman, Tarkovsky, Rohmer, Bresson. There was a catharsis there, but I definitely have been looking to escape much more through the work I’ve been doing, the people I want to inhabit.

Your next project is “The Marvels.” Was a superhero project another escape?

I was moving away from acting for a lot of the past five years or so. I did “Betrayal” here in New York without representation [an agent], and, at the end of that, I signed up with some people and I said, I don’t necessarily want to start feeding the machine. I would like to just meet with first-time female directors, or fledgling female directors, specifically directors who are coming from underrepresented backgrounds in our industry. Emma Holly Jones, who directed “Mr. Malcolm’s List,” being one of them. I got set up on a call with Nia DaCosta where we really connected. It was just a seeing of souls. And on the other side of it was a phone call asking me to be part of her new job.

Rumor has it you’re playing a villain in that film. Or maybe you’ve complicated the idea of a villain?

I don’t really know any other way of going about it, to be honest. I have to start with something real and emotional and authentic and build out from there. I have to understand the deeper meaning in my head.

I read about your engagement to Tom Hiddleston. Is it true you met doing “Betrayal”? Because the marriage in that play is not a good marriage!

Oftentimes, the most distressing, deep work has the happiest companies. The play was called “Betrayal.” But the play behind the scenes was absolute trust.

Well, I’m still hoping that your marriage works out better. It’s funny, you’ve been in this business for nearly 30 years, but when I Googled you, the top results all had to do with your personal life. What’s it like to experience this kind of scrutiny?

As a woman in this industry, you become quite attuned to your identity as an artist shifting in proximity to different people. That’s not specific to dating someone. If there’s a conversation I would have off the back of this question, it’s really about letting women in this industry know that whatever point of career that you’re in, shore up your identity and reason for being, because people will project onto you in the most intense way. When that happens, you have to have an internal anchor. You have to be delighted and joyful in the work that you do. I’m not here to be a victim of projection. I’m here to continually grow as an artist. (x)

[from-a-reckless-writer]

ii. secret.

read on ao3

Lena Luthor dies a villain.

Her death took out half the population in the vicinity. A blinding white light piercing through the National City skyline. A deafening boom heard 5 cities over. An explosion so great, even Supergirl was knocked dead.

And so, Lena Luthor dies a villain.

Alone and young. And so, so bitter. An accomplice and ally to Lex Luthor.

Some would even say she was a greater, far more cunning, far more terrifying force than Lex.

There were rumors that the woman had magic at the end of it all. That no one person could be capable of that much destruction without the help of something inhuman.

But well, rumors were all it can be, especially when all possible witnesses perished along with the Luthors.

******

Weeks later, Andrea Rojas holds a memorial event for Lena Luthor; protesters burn the venue to the ground.

Months later, Supergirl returns to the world. More radiant than ever. More alive than ever. Stronger. Better.

Years later, National City recovers fully from the whole catastrophe.

Supergirl is reported to most frequently be seen in the memorial square for the fallen victims. A dozen paparazzi pictures of the caped heroine quietly walking, sometimes whispering under breath.

Praying, somebody on a CatCo article comments. She’s always praying whenever we see her there.

****** The closet doors burst open and out steps Alex Danvers.

A colorful stream of expletives coming right along with her, “Fuckin’ fur coats, goddamn hangers, fucking hitting me in the face—”

“Took you long enough,” a familiar voice greets her, “where the hell have you been? And why are you so...dirty? If you track mud on my carpet I swear to God, Alex—”

“I was cleaning your grave, okay?” she snaps, setting down a bucket filled with various cleaning supplies, that Lena’s just now noticing, on said carpet.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex huffs about, crossing her arms, “You don’t have to make a big deal about it. I don’t want to do it again, it’s a bitch for my back pain. I was just pissed about the graffiti. You’d think people would have better manners than defacing the grave of a dead woman. If only they—”

“Thank you, Alex,” she cuts her off, a shy smile gracing her face. She really doesn’t want to hear about the rest of it. And if Alex doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it, then no big deal shall be made.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen,” she says then, and Alex just nods, grabs her bucket of supplies again and turns to leave.

Although not before saying, “Remind me again why you let Kara win? With the portal?”

Lena just shrugs, dark hair escaping out of her messy bun at the movement.

“She said she’s always wanted to go to Narnia.”

Alex shakes her head, rolls her eyes, “Whipped.”

And well, that sounds about right.

******

There’s a documentary on Netflix about the Luthors. Lena’s face in black and white, on the preview banner, a big red X drawn over it.

Kara snaps the remote in half.

Lena reaches over the blanket, grabs her hand, flicks the TV off with only a swish of her fingers and a glitter of sparks.

“C’mere,” she says, tugging gently, till she has a lapful of Krytonian draped over her. Lena traces her fingers over the crinkle between Kara’s brow, smooths them out, thumb dragging across lips till it pulls to a soft smile.

“We know the truth,” she tells her, “and that’s enough.”

“It’s not fair.”

Nothing ever is.

******

“How’re the kids?” She asks, one hand whisking eggs, the other holding the bowl steady.

“Oh, you know, asking me a thousand silly questions a day. Driving Alex crazy. Never letting me sleep. They’re perfect, really,” Kelly says, and Lena hums in response. Before she catches Kelly popping a blueberry in her mouth, a crime punishable by Lena Luthor’s death stare.

“Those are for the muffins.” A foam covered whisk points dangerously to Kelly’s chest.

She raises both arms in surrender, palms opening, dropping the remaining three blueberries onto the counter.

“You know, I’ve seen you do it a thousand times, yet it still doesn’t fail to surprise me.”

Lena concludes she’s talking about the baking tray hovering in the air, a feet away from them, greasing itself. Or maybe it’s the soup at the stove with a ladle stirring itself.

“What can I say,” Lena quips, smirking, “I’m magical like that.”

******

Andrea finds her on a Tuesday.

One minute Lena is reading quietly on her front porch, the next, there is an explosion of sound in her living room. She throws open her door, magical energy sizzling at her fingertips.

The sight that greets her stops her in her tracks. Acrata pinning Supergirl down, their coffee table destroyed. She sighs internally, she loved that coffee table. It was a wedding gift from Nia and Brainy.

“I knew it,” Andrea whispers, her grip slackens around the hero's throat. She stands up slowly, as if afraid that if she moved too fast Lena would disappear. She leaves Supergirl gasping on the floor; materializes in front of Lena in a cloud of black smoke.

“I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.” She sobs into Lena’s blouse, arms wrapped tightly around her. Lena embraces her on instinct, her eyes closing briefly, before opening up again to check on Kara dusting herself off.

“Andrea,” Lena croaks, “you can’t tell anyone.”

You can’t tell anyone I’m alive. You can’t tell anyone how I tricked Lex, how I saved Supergirl, how I saved National City.

“Nobody will know,” Andrea promises her.

******

There is a cottage by the woods that nobody else sees, where every Sunday a blonde woman rips apart pieces of wood with her bare hands, where a pale woman with even paler hands grows crops from the barren earth within seconds, where the closet hides cities instead of clothes, where a dead woman and a hero spend their lives in bliss.

******

It has been ten years, her hair is more gray than blonde now, her skin more wrinkled than smooth, her hearing though? Her hearing is still better than ever. And it has been ten years since she’s heard that tell-tale whoosh of a cape, it’s been a decade and still, the sound brings her the same thrill, the same adrenaline.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Supergirl? Or should I say, Superwoman, now?”

And oh-

She did not come alone.

Lena Luthor is set gently down on the balcony.

If Cat Grant wasn’t Cat Grant, she’s sure she would’ve already suffered a heart attack from the mere sight of a woman long dead standing breathing and alive in her home. She would’ve shrieked and demanded answers.

“I need a favor,” Kara tells her, stalking closer, hand on her hip. Cat would’ve laughed at that if this were some other time. No need to play the intimidating game with me, Kiera, she would’ve said.

“What is it?”

“I need you to break a story,” she tells her. “You, Cat. I want you, and nobody else to cover this.”

Cat raises her brow at that, she already has an inkling as to what the story might be about.

“A story hmm? This better be good, if I’m to come out of retirement for it.”

This time it’s Lena Luthor who speaks. Cat has been dying to hear what she has to say.

“It’ll be good," she promises her, "It’ll be better than good."

Kara crowds closer to Lena, then; wraps a protective arm on her waist. Cat watches frozen as Lena's index finger lights in flame. What a sight they make.

"You’ll be telling the entire world the last Luthor’s secret.”