#ok i think this is the final bit of the episode where i've been like MUST GIF THIS

[expelliarmus]

[pali-and-proud]

ok, I am relatively new to this little fandom but I binged Cinderella boy and I'm just wondering... did everyone forget about that one part where buddy has this dream and he's in ragged clothes in a fancy manor house? Like, no wonder the man likes looking fancy. if that's Ex Libris and that's how they keep him, of course he likes looking good. maybe it's because he doesn't have the chance to otherwise?

also did everyone just forget that bit existed because I'm scrolling through and I'm seeing nothing on buddy seeing chase in the mirror, shattering the mirror, and jumping through. That was deeply impactful and yet I can't figure out what and i've been hyperfixtaing on that for a while now. Can you give me a rant about that bit because I know there's something up there I just cant figure out what, am I the only one who read that part?

This is so funny to me. I'm so happy you got into CB! And I'm so happy you enjoy it! But LMAO I think the Dreams episode broke tumblr--there were so many speculations and it's the basis for like 80% of our Buddy theories! (People analyzing the episode is what caused me to make a tumblr account in the first place, actually!)

(Which! Since you're new to the fandom, I can understand how it might look like we missed it, but I promise--this fandom soaks up Buddy content like it's water and we're in the Sahara)

So since it's a dream, we have to assume a lot of symbolism--we know the outfit Chase wore in his dream was a representation of himself (likely a nod to his repeated selfless, angellic actions, like trying to save Buddy or trying to save his mom), so we can assume the same for Buddy.

He's likely not actually dressed in rags--although we don't have that confirmed, but based off of Chase's fit--but it's possible that he ISNT dressed in the fancier outfit we saw him wear earlier. It's really likely, actually, although we shouldn't discount the possibility that Punko wanted him dressed so simply to reflect how dim/bare his situation is.

Someone (I cant remember who, but if anyone does know, PLEASE @ them bc this was life-changing) pointed out that if that's the case, then Violet would have been making outfits for Buddy the whole time, which would cement Buddy having a good relationship with his key well before Chase. We can assume Buddy has a good relationship with Violet anyway, since she makes him outfits he likes, but still.

The rags also serve another purpose: it reminds us that Buddy is ALSO a protag. That's what Chase realizes, in his dream, and it's what we have to keep in mind when we read the chapters. Buddy's not a side character, nor an antagonist. This is his story, too, and he's trying to secure his own happy ending, just like Chase.

(The title of the Webtoons is Cinderella Boy--and in that episode, between Chase and Buddy, only Buddy looks like Cinderella. Another nod to his true role as a protag, and another reason why we need to treat his attire with caution.)

What the dream DEFINITELY confirms is that Buddy has a bad relationship with Ex Libris. There's really no plausible alternative--from how frantic he is to escape, and how afraid he is of being caught. Beach Boys set the question of whether or not Buddy's in a bad spot with Ex Libris, but we didn't know how truthful he was.

We still don't, really, since he still hasn't told us, 'cause he's a paranoid asshole that we tragically love. But this episode laid some facts: Buddy is definitely in a bad situation, regardless of the specifics.

Plus, the final scene of him throwing the clock at the mirror, effectively destroying the reflection of Chase--clocks are often a representation of time. He's running out of time. There's a time limit, somewhere, but we don't know anything except that the clock's ticking.

(Someone else pointed out the clocks/time thing before me. I swear, I will hunt these @s and give proper citations.)

His escape via the mirror likely refers to his real motive: Buddy wants to escape, and he's aware his escape is going to involve, to some extent, harming Chase. From here, it's pure speculation: does Buddy need the keys to escape, thus betraying Chase? Does Buddy know something important? Is the mirror, or Buddy's escape, in any way tied to how he finds Chase in the books?

It's VERY likely that the keys are critical to Buddy's escape, due to the lock with 12 keyholes. This would also ensure the plotline of Buddy's strive for the keys remains intact, and would give us another reason for why Buddy was so desperate for Chase's key. HOWEVER, this isn't the only theory, and we know Punko's always two steps ahead.

The episode feels symbolic and important because it IS, but until we know more about Buddy's actual situation, it's hard to really break down what the episode means. I promise, though: the more we learn about Buddy's backstory, the more people (including myself, because i cannot shut up) will refer to that episode to swoon over the foreshadowing Punko brilliantly laid out.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - All's Quiet on the BL Front

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

May 2024 Wk 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Godday (Sat YT) ep 3 of 12 - I love how were getting a solid depiction of two queers just genuinely enjoying sex with each other. That’s actually rare in BL. In this case, it manages to also be weirdly adorable and cute.

Dee is such a tease. I guess Y likes a brat? 

LOOK at those bedroom eyes!

Linguistics corner: when these two are being serious, sweet, or flirty with each other they use rao/nai which is kind of old fashioned and charming and not common in BL. They move pretty seamlessly into gu/mueng and back depending on the style of convo, tho. It's FUN to hear them talk.

Let the fake relationship commence!

My Stand-In (Thai Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 eps - I HAVE THOUGHTS. I'm really enjoying the sinister backbone of this show. I hope they have the courage of their convictions in that regard and lean into a kind of sexy evil revenge narrative. It was a pleasure to watch the break up and I do not want a redemption arc for Ming or a romance for us. Fuck 'em, let’s just ride a revenge train, okay Joe baby?

That’s said, I totally sniffled at the ending scene where Ming (for two years!) has been paying penance cooking for two and waiting alone. Excellent pathos. Now, I understand how they're gonna make this a full 12 eps. And I’m excited about it. Carry on!

We Are (Weds iQIYI) ep 7 of 16 - I wasn't a fan of Winny & Satang in My School President but I'm loving them in this. The thing with Q, Toey, and Chain had me hooting with laughter. I think I’m finally just easing into the relaxed absurdity of this show. The key is not to expect anything from it. Just them being tiny gay idiots.

Two Worlds (iQIYI) ep 10 fin - Someday I’d like to really enjoy a MaxNat show, but today was not that day. (I feel like ever since Between Us I’ve been generally disenchanted with established OG pairs and what they’re bringing to the table. Perhaps that’s a discussion for another day. Cherry Magic excepted, of course.) 

OK, so this final episode, they sure tried to fit a lot in. But that made the pacing better for me. So I kinda liked this weird cliff notes resolution to the story.

In conclusion:

MaxNat do a credible job with a messy script about parallel worlds, gangsters, and strange diseases cured by forest fruits. It sounds confusing because it is. The chemistry is excellent the side pair is entirely forgotten about, and one could drive a Tardis through the plot holes. Still, I found it modestly enjoyable if not at all rewatchable. 7/10 

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 6 of 12 - I do love how bold and brash Moo is. He’s truly a great character, such an utter outgoing sunshine puppy focused on his pursuit of his older boy. I'm charmed by his utter harmlessness. They gave us a sweet coming out scene, and an awesome supportive mom. Frankly GMMTV has a good track record with moms. (With a few noted exceptions, of course.)

That said, I do keep forgetting this is a GMMTV offering. It just doesn't FEEL GMMTV. Just me?

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ????) ep 1 of 10 - Starts tomorrow, will report on sitch next week. LeeFrank are back - not unlike the undead. But how do we feel about it? Unsure given their track record.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

At 25:00 in Akasaka AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - I like it. I like our sulky 2nd lead. He’s pouty, adorable, brash, and adding some much-needed tension to this narrative. The blurring lines between show within a show is a lot of fun. Probably the best I've seen done in BL so far.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I like that we got backstory, but we also sort of already knew it. So this ep felt a bit like filler. They are wonderful when they’re on screen together but when they aren't it's a bit dull. I hope we just get them together for the next 4 eps. But this is Japan, so I doubt it.

Blossom Campus (Korea Thurs Gaga & iQIYI) ep 1 of 6 - The image resolution on this show (via Iqiyi ) is terrible. Meanwhile, awkward crush. Jock nerd pairing. Dorky. Maybe a bit too much awkward/dorky for me? I'm not sold on this one.

Meanwhile the ordering then not eating or drinking of food continues. Very upsetting.

Boys Be Brave (Korea Viki) eps 5-8fin - This show was just never sure what it wanted to be. Slacker sunshine KiSub moves in with nerd JinWoo, mostly because he knows JinWoo likes him but won't confess and that's never happened to him before. It reminded me of some earlier KBLs like Behind Cut, yes is had bones but not much flesh, so it only just hung together and progressed through not very much plot in a jerking rattling fashion like an animated skeleton. All the story and chemistry was with the side couple and none of the screen time. That just annoyed me. What did this BL want to BE? Who tf knows. I, for one, don’t care, and resolve to think no more on it. 6/10 

Blue Boys (Korea Sat YouTube) - This ended at 4 eps on a cliffhanger. Since this is a very small studio I don’t have a lot of faith in there being a part two. But they have bundled both this BL, and the GL, bingable chunks on YT. So if you want to binge it, it’s there. Just be aware that it ends on a cliffhanger.

My thoughts?

Promising reunion romances full of class and coming out struggles but I grade with what we got, not on expectations, and you know I HATE a cliffhanger. So yeah, it HAD promise but as of now it gets a 4/10 - fatally flawed. I reserve the right to change my mind if they amend for damages.

It's airing but...

You Made My Day (Thai YT) ep 1 of 5 - mini series staring the I Will Knock You couple Tar & Bom, started but I couldn't find it. I also didn't try very hard.

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.

A Balloon's Landing (Taiwan movie) trailer - A frustrated Hong Kong writer, Tian Yu, meets a Taipei street gangster, Xiang (Fandy Fan from HIStory2: Crossing the Line), and the two of them embark on a journey to find the Bay of Vanishing Whales. Along the way, they discover unexpected twists and turns and close bonds, which brings out the message that "there is always someone like you in this world who is waiting for you. This released to cinemas in Taiwan, no word on international release.

In case you missed it

A really really thorough and fascinating article on 2 Moons 2 and what happened.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

May Releases

VBL (Taiwan) is releasing 4 'Special Episode' epilogues to their 4 2023 shows every Friday this month on Gagaoolala, Viki & Viu. Not sure on search terms or how to find these. (Or, frankly, if we need them.)

5/10 – You Are Mine

5/17 – VIP Only

5/24 – Stay By My Side

5/31 – Anti Reset

5/25 The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer - HoTae & DongHee are back but unfortunately not in a cinema near me. Side couple from Unintentional Love Story, same actors, same character names. I love them. I NEED TO SEE THIS.

5/28 My Biker 2 (Thai movie YT?) - trailer

5/30 Knock Knock Boys (Thai Thurs WeTV) - I'm hoping I can get it elsewhere since my WeTV account is inactive, but I do love Best and I'm interested in seeing him in a new pairing. That said, I'm not wild about Seng... so I won't be too cut up if I can't get hold of this. More here.

5/31 The Time of Huannan (Taiwan movie) - May not be BL

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I'm a sucker for this king of casual claiming. (Only Boo)

It me! (Wandee Goodday)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @sunflower-positiiivity @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.

[somuchwatersoclosetohome]

ok so in another departure from scheduled programming, i'm going to do my big sappy post first before recounting yesterday's 2 final london shows!! and also have a soundtrack to this post bc as i said i was hURT by thinking about plodding on and now you all have to hurt with me

also HAHA you thought my last posts were long posts well you thought WRONG

✨ firstly, thank you 😊 i know i arrived out of nowhere on this fandom scene like, what... 6 weeks ago?! despite having been a fan of R&S for ages, i've only ever appreciated on my own and not been in 'fandom'... so although i have way fewer stories of interactions and i've never been to the BFI 😭, i've never been made to feel like a lesser fan or unworthy somehow, and it's not felt like anything is gatekept. it's only been finding lovely people who appreciate other lovely people making lovely things and everyone has been immediately so open and welcoming 🤗

🚪 when we were stood outside the number 9 door last night just feeling the weight of the last few months now being over, it really was like finding your people 🌟

🙏 i'm scared i'll miss people but i'll try - @vagueeyes for spending the best part of 24h with me and traipsing around covent garden before the show where we discussed CAT bag discourse at length, @donotbelasagne for being a viewing partner technically twice now, @silverview for bringing us all together as our stage door lucky charm, @spcvarney and @varneysfangs for letting me live your previous r experiences vicariously and for being generally lovely , @misskite for sharing your unfathomable amount of R&S content, and @wintersoulwitch for inspiring me to write anything on tumblr at all without immediately dismissing it in my head as garbage. i hope i made up for the Great Twickets War of 2025 through my official ticket dealership 🙇‍♀️

but also EVERYONE that has ever interacted with any of my posts and made me feel less insane and more understood... this goes for you all as well ❤️

🌸 i actually wrote R&S an enormously soppy letter earlier in the run which i gave to them on my second viewing (and yep you guessed it, it was steve that took my gift bag)... who knows if they actually read it, but in any case it was very cathartic to write!!

i included a quote from a raymond carver short story in it (i know at least steve knows carver, because he mentions So Much Water So Close To Home (oh wow, where else have i heard that.....) in the commentary for la couchette). i included it only because i thought it captured the experience of stage/fright, and so much else of what they've created, much better than i could - the suspension of everyone in the worlds that they've created, and especially for stage/fright, the magic of live theatre...

I could hear my heart beating. I could hear everyone's heart. I could hear the human noise we sat there making, not one of us moving, not even when the room went dark. - What We Talk about When We Talk about Love

(it also gave me a thrill that about five lines before this, there's a line of dialogue in the story that is word for word - "I'll put out some cheese and crackers". 🤯)

💖 all to say that everything that we love or appreciate is often the passion project of a single person or couple of people. i am genuinely feeling a bit sad today but there is the tour to look forward to even though it feels AGES away..., but i've got a play/episode/screenplay that's sat in my writer's bottom drawer for nearly 10 years that maybe i can use the next 5 months to do something with. there's also a ton more posts i want to make about in9 and stage/fright and the experience of live theatre and fandom in general so hopefully they'll get written at some point too!! so thank you to R&S for getting me to the point of picking up a pen again 💜

9️⃣ what an era!! i feel so happy and lucky and privileged to have been a part of it 💕

[sometimesoliloquy]

The Handmaid's Tale 6x04 - "Promotion" (or IDK, how about just “STFU Luke?”)👀

Look, this was a hard episode to write about. I was so triggered by the immature acting out throughout the most part that the first draft of this was pretty much just "ahHfUUUuuuckyouuUUUuLuuuke”. So yeah, I really just want to get the thoughts out of my brain so I can finally stop thinking about this episode (before my blood pressure gets too high) and focus on the new one dropping today.

(Just me or does it look like June has a weird crooked halo?)

We open with June back in the Mayday camp at the grand old resort-thing place, watching a mad scientist dude welding shit together to (ostensibly) make bombs, as we soon find out will become a major plot point--and point of contention. It would be cool except June looks like she wished she'd skipped class pretty bored, and what we are actually hearing is Luke pedantically droning on in the background from the other room and this is where my teeth set to gnashing because we're less than a minute in and already I just know he is going to be completely insufferable for the rest of the episode. June pops up to go talk to him and yep, he's completely condescending, holding up a finger for her to wait sorry the middle of things, k sweet thing? come back later, You understand. You know what I ALMOST feel bad for him here because he's so cocky and expecting June to be SO impressed but she just looks at him skeptically like ok, that's cute. Oh dear.

When Tuello delivers the incredible news that Luke's case has been dismissed (because of the intel he and Moira brought back, thanks Nick!) and can go ahead and hop on a flight to Alaska, Luke is clearly not happy. It seems he's been super busy becoming the big man on campus developing plans for bombing commanders and now has much better things to do than go be a family with June and Holly like he's been cajoling her to do since the day she arrived on Canadian soil. After getting pulled away again for more planning, he tracks her down to give the most half-hearted apology I've ever seen (about not telling her he was going on the Mayday mission): "You know, I was thinking I should have told you what I was doing" YA THINK? June brushes it off, but a bit passive aggressively so yeh, this tension is going no where (yeah, something's about to blow up, Luke, you got that right anyway!). It's also of note that June's somewhat frantic "we..we have to go back and we have to build a life together!" is very much giving are you trying to convince me or are you trying to convince yourself vibes and we will see more on this later...

The Mayday folks hold assembly a meeting to debrief on Luke and Moira's (ultimately) successful (again, thanks Nick!) mission, and the next step which is apparently going to be killing the commanders at Jezebels. June immediately points out the danger to the woman trapped there (you know, as traumatized sex slaves), becoming a bit of a thorn in the leader, Ellen’s, side. It seems they are largely ok with some collateral damage as long as they get to hit their targets (paralleling Luke's new trajectory, apparently) but June at least gets them to agree to send someone in to warn the Jezebels and get them out before they get caught in the crossfire. Of course it's Moira who volunteers--she looks terrified but says it's her who has to go, as she astutely points out she knows that place (and its residents) far better than anyone else here.

I have to say, although June IS being a bit of a smug know-it-all here, she's mostly not wrong and I did feel a tiny bit bad for her that in this environment she seems to have been demoted in status from "June Fucking Osborne" who did Angels' Flight and poisoned a country club full of commanders, to apparently "just June", who is just kind of hanging out and getting in the way, interrupting your v important bomb talk, etc. Apparently she's a bit old news—yeah but what have you done lately? I mean except fly in and link up w/your secret spy commander boyfriend to pull the last mission out of the gutter. Ok she does get a quick shout out for that, not Nick though, we're not talking about that here, either because Gilead commanders are a volatile subject or because we don't want to hurt Luke's fee fees.

It seems an interesting contrast to when June and Moira visited Lily's Mayday camp in s5 and June was praised as a hero. Overall this season, there seems to be a bit of tonal shift as it comes to Mayday. Last season when we learned that yes, Mayday was an actual thing that's been there all along, helping, it was such a beautifully hopeful moment--that there has been after all this network of just regular people doing what they can to help, to fight, to do the right thing. Now as we're actually seeing them more in action and the fight is becoming a more tangible thing enfolding in front of June's--and the viewers'--eyes, the fact that these are just ordinary people, civilians mostly with no military training, no insurgence experience or for the large part having even been to Gilead, shifts the overall feeling a bit from inspiring to slightly worrisome, as we have to wonder if they really can pull this off without creating more of a mess. Of course it's still fantastic to see people fighting back, but there's an underlying sense of unease that it's just not enough, especially going up against the Goliath of Gilead, and with it having somehow become Tuello's first line of defense.

June goes to find Moira as she is prepping for the Jezebels mission (apparently to try and talk her out of it). They start to argue when a print out of Janine comes through their fax machine, they're both stunned and June says "oh no, no not her". She'd thought Janine was at least as safe as a handmaid could be (not saying much, I know) at the red center with Aunt Lydia who she knows has a giant soft spot for her. The amount of guilt that hits her here must be tremendous (although now that I'm thinking of it, it is a bit annoying we really don't see her think of Janine til now, wtf!) which gives her the perfect excuse to try and grabby hands this mission away from Moira, so off to the leader she runs, eventually getting the OK once she reminds Ellen of her secret weapon, her secret commander boyfriend on the inside.

This of course all comes to a head with the ultimate three way blow up fight outside. Look, it’s just incredibly ironic, right? Luke and Moira have both essentially been treating June like a pariah, a damaged crazy person for nearly two whole seasons now. Like there was something inherently wrong and broken in her that she couldn’t just “let things go” and just be happy to be free and have Nichole and be a family again. Now there is a sudden (somewhat seemingly unearned) turning of the tables, and it's understandably leaving June feeling somewhat unmoored and off balance.

And here’s the thing: they’re not wrong in this new motivation, not at all. It’s good that they finally want to fight, and have found an avenue to do so. Moira always had such a fighting spirit when he saw her in the red center and on the before flashbacks, and it’s so good to see that spark reignited, to see her finally set out of the shell she seemed to find herself in in Canada, trying to make herself continually smaller and quieter to appease anti-refugee rhetoric and even society at large. And while I don’t think she is really being fair here—June never asked her to “live June’s life”—I am glad she’s finally got that off her chest and is ready to live her life how she wants to.

Don't even get me started on Luke. Ok, I guess I'm already started. Look, I absolutely cannot blame him for enjoying finally feeling useful but honestly alI can see in this scene is a big man-baby toddler throwing a tantrum, stomping his foot and yelling about "MY BOMBS, MY TURN, it's not FAIR". Come on, man, if you don't want to be infantilized, if you want to be treated like an adult who can make his own choices... maybe just rethink this behavior, that's all I'm saying. Aside from the totally immature attitude and the hypocrisy, I'm confused and bothered by the implication that he was somehow "prevented" from fighting Gilead until now. Look, the fact is Luke is a smart guy; he seems to have a really intelligent analytical brain and city planning/engineering/construction experience that can come in very useful (I mean, ok, his whole “building codes” thing in s5 actually did end up helping). That is his strength and what’s frustrating is that it DOES seem like he could have been actual help to the resistance--sticking to his behind the scenes analytical strengths and not letting ego take the wheel thinking he knows all about stealth ops or going in guns blazing. But it really seems like his own fault that he hasn’t. Is his inability to think outside the box, that has kept him sitting on his hands for years, feeling useless, really anyone else's fault? Is he trying to blame it on June by saying he was "too busy" waiting and worrying for her, and then looking after Holly/Nichole, to find another way to fight? Ok, maybe he's got a point about the kid, but come on, that's not really the reason. He was just unable to conceive of a different way to fight until he was shown this. And that's ok, but he just needs to admit it and move on.

Ok, let's face it (as she finally admits out loud at the end), June was never really going to be satisfied to skip off to Alaska with Luke and just leave Hannah to whatever fate, no matter how much she loves both Holly's, or how much she may crave some peace and normalcy. But hey, it seems like she had been willing to try and FFS I think it would have been nice if Luke (and Moira) could have some goddamn self-awareness and acknowledgment of this. But whatever, I guess we can't have nice things!

And so finally, we have somewhat of a resolution: Luke finds June looking out towards the mountains and joins her for (finally) the most honest (without insults anyway) conversation we've seen them have since she got free to Canada... or you know what, maybe ever?? Luke finally admits "I get it" (ok THANKYOU maybe we can have some kind of OK things eventually). Now that he's had a tiny taste, he finally gets her need to fight, and he wants to as well. We get the much-contested "If you want to fight, let's fight together" line, and ok, it's better than him being a condescending a-hole so I guess I'll take it. June cautions him about how intensely hard it is to fight and feel like you're getting so close to Hannah, only to keep coming up empty-handed, but they agree they still have to try. Finally, June admits "I had this idea that we could be a family again", at last realizing (and saying out loud), that this was merely an illusion, a distraction. But they just can't be that family again, they're broken. They recommit to fighting for Hannah and say mutual "you know I love you('s), right?" but it feels like there’s a "BUT" implicit here: we'll always have love for each other, but we're not in love with each other. We'll always be family but we're not A Family anymore.

In New Bethlehem, Rita is arrives to town on the official NB bus, looking quite nervous (I can't blame her) and is greeted by Serena the ambassador of NB Queen of Gilead herself (she's definitely got the queen wave down, I wonder if she was a pageant-queen-for-Jesus when she was younger). Serena soon gets ditched though and watches on a bit sadly as Rita spies her long-lost sister in the crowd: this is why she came, to reunite with the only family she has left, and it's a truly emotional reunion. We see people embracing all around them as well, more tragically separated loved-ones now brought back together in this supposed paradise... but will it end up as a nightmare?? I have a bad feeling. Not according to Nick, it seems like he really believes this new haven is about as safe as you can get (this close to Gilead anyway) and he is definitely an expert on safety having helped keep June alive for this long with all her crazy hijinks(!!). It was nice seeing Rita and Nick reunite and chat; there is a well-acquainted sort of warmth and familiarity there, and Nick says he will try and help her and her family get out, though it "could take a while, a year or two". But we clearly see how much family means to Rita: "For my family? Anything". Nick just nods knowingly, he can relate.

Of course we can't forget about Lawrence’s Big Day: his promotion to Grand Poobah High Commander, which gives Naomi a chance to awkwardly hit on her husband, only to be summarily rejected (this “poor” woman just keeps striking out, at least has her Parisian jewelry to keep her warm). And of course it gives the menfolk an opportunity for bizarre dress-up rituals followed by some good old fashioned fun at Jezebels. Unfortunately for Lawrence, his appeal to his old buddy s4/5 wingman is overruled by new daddy in law’s edict: “Rose is waiting for us”, and Nick’s relief is palpable. Lawrence looks sad that he's lost his puppy commander pet like he wishes he could get out of it also, but it seems perhaps Naomi’s words about what these commanders value are running through his head (omg someone listened to her for once?) and so off they and their gold watches go for some shitbag commander highjinks.

And who is there to “entertain” them but poor Janine, who is seems the slimy new Commander Bell Jr. has decided is his new “pet” (gag). By which I mean he is the kind of small-dicked douchbag who gets off on shitty power plays and humiliating women. Not one to pass up the chance to make as many decent people as possible miserable, he clocks Lawrence’s discomfort and says “oh that’s right, she was yours”, egging him on to “have a round” with Janine.

We of course know he’s not going to do anything, and are flashed painfully back to Lawrence trying to reassure Eleanor “we’re all just going to sit here” before June drops the terrible truth bomb that they are going to have to follow through with the “ceremony”. Of course, thankfully, there is no creepy “checking” afterwards here, so they can in fact just talk (and Janine can call him “scary” lol). And then, a small gift, an offering: Lawrence reveals the drawing little Charlotte/Angela (sorry, I have to honor her given name!) gave him earlier in the episode. Though he can’t resist just a bit of snark, he ultimately makes the genuine promise to look out for her. It reminds me in a way, heartbreakingly, of June desperately trying to find her unborn baby a godmother before Serena banishes her from the house “I want my baby to know kindness”.

And that he delivers on, as we next see him at home with little Angela (Charlotte) on his knee, the very picture of fatherly/grandfatherly kindness. He is reading to her from "A Little Princess", which he tells her she will hopefully read herself someday (I'm tearing up). "My Eleanor's favorite book as a little girl" he says (and I'm now crying that he knows and remembers this sweet, intimate little fact about his late wife, their love story really is so tragic). I'm sure there's a ton of symbolism in this choice... from what I can recall (spoiler alert for "A Little Princess!" lol), it's revealed at the end that Sara's father is not actually dead and she is reunited with him. Could this possibly be foreshadowing that Janine may be end up reuniting with her beloved Charlotte? If this could be the case, I also have to wonder if Lawrence's redemption ultimately will be not some grand re-imagining of society as he's planned, but perhaps instead a key role in a much smaller but more personal and incredibly meaningful act of good (I have to think Eleanor would be pleased). The site of Lawrence and Angela, heads bent over the book, also brings to mind a bittersweet sort of alternate-life image of the child/grandchild Joseph and Eleanor never had, and we have to wonder if Lawrence is thinking of this as well as he pauses and starts choking up a little. just between the words "a little girl" and "sat in a cab with her father". The scene fades out as the sound of him reading plays over That's all I have to say about this scene for now, except that I now NEED Bradley Whitford to record a series of audio books narrating children's classics (preferably over a background of soothing nature sounds). This would absolutely cure insomnia worldwide, CONSIDER IT A SERVICE TO HUMANITY, BRAD.

Meanwhile that night, Serena and Wharton are cosplaying early 1940's part of The Notebook (wait, seriously though, where did that music even come from??) as he walks her home after their store-bought pie date, when Aunt Lydia suddenly pops up out of freaking nowhere (she really has a special talent for ruining the moment, don't you think?). Blessed EVEning! (I wonder whatever could she want!)

***

Ok, yada yada, Promotion (did I mention I'm over this episode?). Obviously we have Lawrence's big promotion to High Commander, which brings both greater power and greater scrutiny. Hopefully he can dodge the latter while putting the former to good use (even if it may end up being a different use than he thinks now). In a way I suppose Angela/Charlotte fully gets "promoted" to cared after step-daughter status. Moira's (re)promoted to her previous fierce fighter status. And I guess Luke has also been promoted to Mr. Know-it-all Big Man on Campus Mansplainer "an effective leader".

As annoyed as I was for most of the episode, I was so very glad June and Luke had that little chat at the end. And visually it was a really gorgeous scene: the picturesque setting, the music, and the way it fades out to the sounds of Lawrence reading mixed with soft rain and distant thunder (again, I'm gonna need that audio book, Bradley). I can't help feeling like there's still something missing to the conversation. Maybe it's the elephant (let's face it, a stegosaurus at this point) in their relationship that is NICK. It’s insane to me that they still haven't had that conversation when it's so clear how much that particular insecurity (how emasculated he feels from having to be rescued by June and her boyfriend, and how much he wants to be a "man of action" like Nick) is driving Luke and his attitude earlier in the episode. Maybe it's also the (spoiler alert if you haven't watched the trailer! And if you haven't I want to have a talk with you about willpower and how I can get some of it!) kiss we know is coming (which at this point I have to think/hope is like a final "we're going into a dangerous mission so goodbye in case I never see you again" kiss(??). Hm.

But yeah. At least they finally said some important things to each other, both with words and subtext, and from their final facial expressions in the scene it seems pretty plain that they know, in one way at least, they're coming to the end of the road. And it's a great final image: the two of them against this grand backdrop, together here but clearly on the precipice of an inevitable divergence, where they will be united in the cause of fighting for their daughter, but not as as a couple. They're nearly there. They're so close, they just need that final push to finally free themselves both of the shared shackles of painful history and obligation, and each set off on the path they need to walk, to be true to the people they've become and will continue to evolve into.

*screencaps & captions sourced by me*

[sixpennydame]

Make. Believe. ❖ Act 3

Actor!Levi x Fem!Reader

The AoT Premiere approaches, but all Levi can think about is you.

Warnings/Content: NSFW, Minors do not interact, fingering, unprotected vaginal sex, creampie, infidelity (Reader has a boyfriend as first), mentions of AoT final season episodes

A/N: There will be a final drabble that highlights more of the AoT episode premiere event; I wanted this part to focus more on our two main characters, but I've been having so much fun with the extra details in the drabbles. I hope you've enjoyed my take on AoT Actor AU!!

Act 1 | Act 2

Levi can’t keep track of what country he’s in, what time zone or even what day it is.

But he knows it’s been 186 days since he’s seen you.

Japan had been a whirlwind of promotions for the last two parts of the Attack on Titan final season, with meet-and-greets, commercial shoots, and talk show appearances. Europe had been much the same, and although it was exhausting, it was also fulfilling, being back with the cast, traveling with his old friends. He was sad to see it end, but he was also excited about other projects that were coming up. And next month, he’ll be going to the Cannes Film Festival, where the movie you and he shot together will finally premiere. After eight months, he’ll see you again.

But before that, he’s returned to Japan for the premiere of the final two episodes of Attack on Titan. Jet lag is still hitting him hard, and he sighs when he looks over at the clock and sees that it’s only two o’clock in the morning. Another sigh escapes his lips when he looks over at the naked body beside him in the bed. He can barely remember her name - was it Jessica? Jessie? All he really knows is that she was sitting next to him in the bar of the Tokyo Grand Hotel and that she looked as lonely as he was. He feels guilty - he’s never been one for one night stands - but he was yearning to feel your body again; and if he couldn’t have you, then this was good enough.

These days, your face is everywhere. You’d recently contracted with Christian Dior and were now the model for Miss Dior cologne. As Levi had arrived at Haneda airport, there was a giant poster of you tangled up in silk sheets with your hair cascading down one bare shoulder. “What Would You Do For Love?” the poster asked.

When he walked in a posh area of Shibuya, there was another advertisement of you; this time you’re lying across a sofa in a black silk dress, the pink bottle of cologne pressed against your chest. Your eyes are half-lidded and sultry - the same kind of look you’d give him when you’d make love, all those months ago.

He reaches over and grabs his phone, the light from the screen illuminating his face in the darkness as he scrolls mindlessly through Instagram. He stops when he sees that you’ve posted a picture.

“Just finished filming season one! Now for a much needed break.”

You’re surrounded by your other cast members, all of you smiling. A man has his arm around you and Levi squints to look closer at the picture. He wonders if he’s just a friend, or if it’s something more, then he laughs at himself.

What is he doing? Why can’t he forget you?

He’s the one that made this choice, and he’s the one that pushed you away. You’re smart, ambitious, and beautiful - of course you’d find someone else to be with. But he can't help but wonder what it’ll be like to see you in person again, and with you on his mind, he eventually falls asleep.

Hours later, Levi’s phone is buzzing and chiming erratically and it jolts him awake. He turns off the alarm, then checks the time. “Shit, I gotta get up.”

He’d promised Erwin that they’d do a run this morning around the Imperial Palace Gardens. As he gets out of bed and grabs a t-shirt, an arm from the woman next to him reaches over.

“Hey,” she says softly.

“Hey.” Awkwardness and regret drip from his voice. “This was fun but you’ve gotta go - I mean I - I’ve gotta go. I have somewhere to be.”

“Ok…let me just go clean up a bit,” she replies as she picks her clothes up off the floor and makes her way to the bathroom.

Putting on his running clothes, Levi shakes his head. They’re two consenting adults, but he can’t help but feel embarrassed about it all. He hates these kinds of awkward moments, especially when he knows he has no feelings for the woman.

He grabs his phone from the nightstand and notices there’s an unread message. When he unlocks his phone, he sees that it’s from you and his heart starts to beat fast.

“Hi. Have fun at the premiere tonight.”

That was it, but Levi reads it a few times. He types out a simple, “Thanks,” not wanting to be rude, but also not wanting to seem too eager.

He puts the phone down but after a few seconds, picks it back up again and types another message.

“How are you?”

He doesn’t realize that he’s grinning from ear to ear.

“Got some good news?” The woman is out of the bathroom and dressed.

Levi looks up from the screen then puts the phone down quickly. “Yeah. Maybe.” He walks over to her and kisses her tentatively on the cheek. “I’ll text you later.”

“You don’t have my number.” She’s seen right through his lie.

“Look I’m sorry, it’s just that I -“

“It’s fine, I wasn’t expecting more out of this anyway.” Before she opens the door to leave, she stops to look at him. “You’re a good man, Levi. I hope you find someone who makes you happy.”

—-

Erwin stands at the entrance of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, looking at his watch. “You’re late.”

“I know, I know, I got held up. Sorry about that.”

“Still jet lagged?”

“A bit,” Levi answers as he messes with his smart watch. “You?”

“Not really. Cold showers in the morning really help me to adjust.”

Levi laughs. “Of course. I forgot you did that.”

“Every morning. Let’s go.” Erwin and Levi start jogging down the path that leads through the East Gardens. It’s early spring and the cherry blossoms are at their peak in Tokyo, pink petals falling down around them.

When Erwin and Levi were on set for Attack on Titan, they would jog together every morning. It was something that Levi had always done alone, but found having a running partner comforting, even if they barely talked to each other. Erwin had a perpetual aura of calm around him, which was difficult to find amongst other actors. Levi hadn’t seen much of him since his character died, and both had been busy doing other projects; these past weeks doing promos for AoT made him feel like it was old times.

They finish an hour later back where they started, sunglasses on with the hope that no one will recognize them. “You ready for tonight?” Erwin asks as he walks up to a vending machine to buy a bottle of water.

“Yes and no. It’s bittersweet, to see something you worked on for so long finally end. But I’m proud of the work we’ve done on it, and I’m excited to see how the final episodes turned out.”

“Me too. It was good to be on set with you again, even for just a short moment.”

“Yeah, those were not fake tears coming down my face, let me tell you,” Levi admitted with a laugh.

As both men walked through the park, Levi reached into his pocket to check his phone and sure enough, there was another text from you:

“I’m doing good. :-)”

It elicits a smile from Levi and Erwin laughs. “What?” Levi asks defensively.

“Oh nothing,” Erwin replies, “that’s just an awful big smile. Must be someone special.”

“Someone I was trying to forget, actually.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Because I’m an idiot and I thought it’d be better that way for her.”

“Ah, I see.” Erwin sits down on a bench under a sweeping sakura tree and Levi follows. “Levi, in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve always put others ahead of yourself. It’s one of the things I admire most about you. But sometimes, you should be a little selfish.” He puts a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “And it’s ok to go after the things that you want. When you do that, life finds a way of working itself out.”

Levi smiles. Even off-screen, Erwin had a way of saying the wisest thing, right when he needed it most. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”

“‘Course I’m right,” Erwin grins. “And as your commander, my final order is for you to go after this woman with your whole heart.”

They both laugh and talk as they make their way out of the park and to the busy streets of Tokyo. When Levi returns to his hotel and enters the elevator, he feels his phone buzz. It’s another message from you, and Levi’s eyes go wide when he reads it:

“I’m in Tokyo to attend the AoT premiere. I hope you don’t mind.”

——

Iceland was cold. And lonely.

The last six months shooting the series had been an incredible experience. The cast was a mix of seasoned actors and newbies just starting out, and with a young, emerging director looking to prove himself, you knew that you were a part of something great. The days were long and sometimes exhausting, and often ended up with you collapsed on your bed looking over lines into the wee hours of the morning. For the most part, you were happy.

But god, you missed Levi.

That last night you saw him, you couldn’t understand why he thought it would be better for you two to be apart, but you pretended to be ok with it. And it had taken everything in you not to knock on his door the next morning when you were leaving. You’d seen the jealousy on his face that night - you knew he still cared for you. But your pride had you walk away without so much as a goodbye. It’s what he wanted, right?

So you tried to move on and forget him. You’d even started dating someone on set; a feeble attempt to prove to yourself (and to Levi, in a way) that you could be a working actor and keep up a relationship. He was nice enough and the sex was good, but it just wasn’t the same. Something was missing.

You knew Levi hated social media and never updated his Instagram account, so you started following his AoT co-stars, hoping to get just a glimpse of him. Every once in a while, a video would come out on YouTube of him in an interview with other cast members, and you’d smile at how awkward he was at being himself in front of a camera.

When the date of the AoT premiere was announced, you immediately contacted your agent to get you on the guest list. You’d loved Attack on Titan for years - you had to be there. And to be honest, you wanted to see that dark-haired, brooding man again, even if from a distance.

Filming was wrapped for the next several months, to give you all some much needed rest, but you only had one day at home before you were back on a plane and headed to Japan. As you arrived at your hotel in the darkness of the early morning, you got your phone out of your bag. Somewhere, in this sprawling city, Levi was sleeping. You wonder, does he ever dream of you?

You find his name in your contacts and send him a quick text. He probably won’t respond, you think to yourself.

When you wake up late that morning and see that he has, your heart skips a beat.

You can’t help but smile as you send him a reply. Then another. You fall asleep for an hour or so and when you wake up, he’s answered you:

“Of course not. I hope I’ll see you there.”

——

The area around the Toho Cinema Roppongi Hills is starting to fill with people as the time for the Attack on Titan, Final Parts 1 and 2 premiere approaches. A red carpet has been rolled out and barriers put up; press and media have started to set up in their usual places, in preparation for pictures and interviews with the cast. Premieres are a huge event, and something that Levi has been involved in more times than he can count, but this one - the final AoT episodes - makes him feel emotional.

Now that he knows you’ll be here, he’s glad he didn’t bring a date - not that he was looking for one. He, Erwin, and Hange had decided to be each other’s dates months ago and frankly, he wouldn’t have it any other way. The three of them ride in a limo to the cinema, along with their publicists and agents. All of them are silent, feeling the weight of this moment, until Hange breaks the silence as they pull up to the entrance.

“Ok, boys…the last ride of the three amigos..”

The three get out of the car and the cameras instantly start flashing. Hange gets between both Levi and Erwin and takes either arm in theirs, walking the red carpet and taking pictures before they separate for individual photos and interviews.

Levi usually likes picking his own clothes out for premiers, but he let a stylist do it this time. He walks down the red carpet in black pants and jacket, with a black mesh collared shirt underneath, which gives just the faintest view of his toned chest. Silver rings adorn his fingers, and he’s slicked back his hair, which he’s been growing out the past few months, just for fun. Photographers are yelling at him from every direction, asking him to look their way, or to take a picture with Hange, Zeke, or Erwin. All around him are the smiling faces of people he’s known for over 10 years, and soon, other celebrities and guests attending the event follow behind them. He looks through the crowd and sees you having your picture taken. You catch his eye and smile; he tries to make his way toward you but he’s whisked away by his publicist.

There are seats reserved in the front of the theater for the cast, with guests sitting in the rows behind them. He takes out his phone and texts you almost immediately upon sitting:

“Come to the after party? It’d be good to catch up.”

He sends you the address and a few moments later, receives your reply:

“I’ll see you there. :-)”

As he puts his phone in the breast pocket of his jacket, Hange reaches for his hand. “Are you ready for this?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replies with a sigh, squeezing their hand tightly.

The lights lower and the screen lights up to cheers from the crowd.

��-

Watching the final episodes was emotional, to say the least, but the mood at the after party is joyful and energetic. Everyone is drinking, eating, laughing, and reminiscing. Levi is sitting at a table with Petra, Ulou, and Eld when Zeke runs up.

“Levi, Levi, Levi, I just heard the greatest idea!” He forces his way between him and Petra. “Cast tattoos!”

“What?” Levi laughs.

“Yeah! Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the others are doing it - we gotta do it too. They’re leaving soon, so let’s go!”

“No, no, there’s no we in this,” Levi protests as he resists Zeke pulling him away from the table. “Besides, I’m waiting for someone.”

“Oh?” That stops Zeke immediately. “And who would that be?”

You thank your driver in your limited Japanese as you leave the car and enter the stylish restaurant. Walking through the crowded space, you see Eren and Mikasa laughing and drinking with a group of other young actors. As a fan of the show since its beginning, you are feeling like a total fangirl as there are cast members from every season around you. But as you walk around the room looking for Levi, you suddenly get nervous, thinking that maybe this was a bad idea; you’re not even sure what you’re expecting from this night.

Just as you think about leaving, you see him sitting at a table with the Levi Squad cast and Zeke, who has an arm around him. He looks up, sees you, and smiles, throwing Zeke’s arm off of him.

As he walks towards you, you admire how good he looks. He’s so sexy, you can feel yourself blushing.

“Glad you could make it” he says, pulling you in to kiss you on the cheek. His lips are soft, just like you remember them.

“I wouldn’t miss it. Attack on Titan has been my favorite series since forever. To be honest, I am so excited to be surrounded by the cast.”

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to some of them.” He places his hand on the small of your back as he leads you through the crowd. Your hunter green silk dress swoops down low in the back, so when his hand touches your bare skin it gives you goosebumps.

He takes you from group to group, introducing you to people you’ve only known through a screen. You laugh with Jean and Connie as they talk about the practical jokes they used to pull on Levi off-set; you sing Red Swan (your favorite opening song) with Armin and Sasha, Levi refusing to join in no matter how hard you all try; you take shots with Hange and gush about how much you loved their character.

Levi watches you and can’t stop smiling. He’d forgotten how good it feels to be around you, to talk and flirt with you. Your hand grazes his and when he weaves his fingers through yours, you don’t resist. Your eyes shine as you look at him; you don’t have to say a word but he knows you’re feeling it too.

The two of you eventually make it over to Erwin and you blush when Levi brags about the film you made together and your acting skills.

“No, no,” you interject, “Levi is the real talent. His acting on set was some of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Erwin smiles. “I’m sure you both complement each other well and that the movie will be spectacular. I’m looking forward to seeing it.” He gives Levi a knowing smile and lifts up his champagne glass.

“Levi! My buddy!” Zeke comes crashing through the group, clearly inebriated. “And who is this? It’s Miss Dior herself.”

“Oh you’ve seen those?” The way he says it brings a blush to your cheeks.

“Of course I have. You look absolutely mesmerizing in those ads,” he moves closer to you, “just like you do tonight.”

Zeke leans on a nearby table and gives a playful smirk. “How long are you staying in Tokyo? I could show you around, if you’d like.”

“She doesn’t need you showing her around anywhere.” Levi’s voice is forceful for the first time that night. You put a reassuring hand on his arm - you have to admit, you like seeing him a little jealous.

“Thanks for the offer, Zeke, but I already have extensive plans in Tokyo.” You give Levi a smile that lets him know that ‘he’ is the plan.

Erwin comes to the rescue of both of you. “Zeke, what’s this I hear about tattoos? Are we doing this tonight?” He puts an arm around Zeke and leads him away, giving you both a wink.

The restaurant is large and sprawling, built in the old Japanese style, but is an interesting mix of East and West, old and new. There’s a garden in the center with the main area and smaller, more private rooms surrounding it. Wanting to escape the noise and commotion, you lead Levi outside, “It’s a bit quieter out here.”

“And more beautiful,” Levi replies, as you walk across a small bridge crossing a koi pond.

“It really is beautiful out here. I’ve always loved Japanese gardens.”

“I wasn’t talking about the garden.” He moves closer to you as you lean against the banister of the bridge. “You look stunning.”

“You know why I chose hunter green, don’t you?” He shakes his head. “Because it’s Levi’s color.”

“Oh really?” He is in front of you now, his hand grazing your arm ever so slightly as he looks you up and down.

“Mmmhmm, he’s always been my favorite character.”

“Nice to know I have a fan.”

“I’m just one of many.”

“But you’re the only one that matters.”

That makes you giggle. “So flirty. Is that how you get the ladies these days?”

“I don’t want anyone else. I just want you.” He looks at you with his piercing eyes. “It’s always been you.”

His words are like music to your ears, but you’re determined to stand firm. You can’t let him off so easily. “That didn’t seem to be the case six months ago.”

“Because I thought it was for the best, but I was wrong. So wrong. And I’ve regretted it every day since.”

His hand moves around your waist and he pulls you close. The lights of the garden shine in his dark grey eyes as his lips softly press against yours. You can’t help but return the kiss, your mouth opening slightly, inviting his tongue inside. When he moves away slightly, you realize you’d been holding your breath.

“I never should have let you go.”

“Levi, I..”

A few noisy and slightly drunk guests amble outside, ruining the moment. Without a word, Levi takes your hand and pulls you to a far corner of the garden, toward the private rooms. He pulls back the heavy, velvet curtains separating the room from the garden and gestures for you to enter. The room is small and intimate, decorated in a western style with a large, ornate mirror. You walk around, admiring the wingback chairs and gilded furniture, and then you feel Levi’s presence behind you.

His fingers lightly skim your bare arms, leaving a trail of heat coursing through your body. You close your eyes when you feel his warm breath against your neck, followed by soft kisses.

“Levi..I’m seeing someone..” you manage to say.

“Oh yeah?” He responds gently in your ear before kissing your earlobe. “You sure about that?”

When you open your eyes, you notice that you’re in front of the mirror and can see Levi kissing along your neck and shoulders. He looks up and grins.

“Right now I only see you and me.”

He continues kissing along your shoulder until the thin strap of your dress falls down your arm. You can’t resist him, you never could, and so you give in to your desires. You lean your body until your back is pressing against his chest. One of his hands is holding yours while the other is moving the fallen strap down lower, exposing your breast.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” he says as he looks at you in the mirror, his hand moving to cup your breast. “I’ve wanted to touch you like this all night.”

You guide his other hand lower, to the high slit of your dress, urging him to touch your thigh. “I missed you, Levi. So much.”

For you, it’s always been him as well. As much as you’ve tried to deny your feelings for him these past six months, all it took was one touch from him for it to all come back. And now you want more.

His hand finds its way between your thighs as his other hand massages your breast. “You’re already so wet for me,” he notices, as his fingers begin to rub your clit.

“You’re the only one who knows how to make me feel good,” you reply, then your breath catches as he pushes your panties to the side and sides a finger inside you.

It’s a beautifully erotic sight, watching yourself in the mirror as Levi pinches your nipple and pumps his finger in and out of you. You can’t help but let out a moan.

“‘Shhh, you don’t want someone to hear, do you?”

“I don’t care. Levi, I need you so badly.”

You turn around to kiss him, taking his jacket off and throwing it on the floor. Almost immediately, he has you pressed against the wall and is lifting your dress up to your waist. He’s unbuttoning his pants as you slide your panties down, but only get so far as taking them off one leg before he lifts that leg up and rubs his cock against you.

Levi has tunnel vision right now; all he can see is your perfect body, all he wants to hear are the moans of his name from your pretty mouth. And that’s exactly what he gets when he thrusts inside you. You bite your bottom lip as he pounds into you again and again. “I thought you didn’t care if someone heard us?”

“I’m trying to be good,” you reply breathlessly.

“Oh I think we’re well past being good.”

He pins your arm over your head as his other hand is still lifting your leg, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of your inner thigh. You kiss and suck on his neck, leaving a small mark.

“Careful there..”

“What? Makeup can cover it up,” you tease seductively, referring to the first time you and Levi made love.

He lets out a soft growl. “Then I suppose now we’re even.” He picks up the pace, watching as your breasts bounce up and down with each hard thrust. You’re driving him wild; every nerve in his body feels completely alive.

“Levi, I’m…”

He knows. He’s feeling it too. He kisses you long and hard, then feels your walls spasm around him. It’s just what he needs to push him over the edge, and as he cums inside you, it’s as if the whole world has stopped; only your uneven breaths mark the time passing.

You continue to spasm around his cock as your mind goes completely blank. You can’t explain it, but Levi elicits the longest, most intense orgasms from you. It’s just how your body reacts to him - you can’t explain it.

He says your name in your ear, his voice deep and raspy. “Will you forgive me? For all the time we wasted apart. I don’t want to do any of this without you.”

“Yes. Yes, I forgive you.” You run your fingers through his silky hair. “I know we can make this work.”

Of course you forgive him. You’d forgiven him the moment you laid eyes on him tonight; maybe even before that.

The bottom of your dress falls back over your legs and Levi gently pulls the straps back up on your shoulders. You are his, and he is yours - it’s always been this way, and now both of you know it. As you fix your hair and touch up your lipstick in the mirror, there’s a commotion in the garden.

“Leeeeeviiiiiiiii! Where are you? We’re getting tattoos!”

He’d know that yell anywhere: it’s Hange.

“Yeah, come on, Levi! We’re all getting tattoos!”

And Zeke is with them.

“Goddammit. Let’s stay here a little longer.”

You laugh. “You should do it…for memories.” You cup his cheek and give him a kiss. “Get it on your ass, so then only I can see it.”

At that, Levi rolls his eyes. “Don’t make this weirder than it already is.”

He takes your hand in his, then meets the screaming duo in the garden. “Ok, fine, let’s do this,” he resigns, as he leads you along to join the group.

“You want me to come too?”

“Of course.” His face is serious, but there’s a joy in his eyes. “I don’t intend on letting you out of my sight.”

“Yes!” Zeke exclaims. “Eren, Levi is in! Let’s go!!”

And so you walk, hand in hand, out of the restaurant to find the others.

——

“There’s no denying that the two of you have an incredible chemistry in the film. Did that come naturally?” the interviewer asks.

“I think I felt that spark between us almost immediately. Wouldn’t you say?” Levi answers.

“Oh yes, absolutely,” you reply fondly.

It’s the week of the Cannes Film Festival and you and Levi are on the interview circuit. After the AoT premiere, you broke up with your boyfriend and stayed with Levi in Tokyo, then went with him to Singapore and Seoul as the cast traveled from city to city. The month flew by and the next thing you knew, you were both traveling to France.

You’re together everywhere, and the paparazzi have quickly deduced that you're an item. It’s been a hot topic of all the celebrity and gossip sites, but neither of you care - a rare occurrence, for Levi especially, who has always valued his privacy intensely.

“And you’re actually a couple in real life, correct?”

“We are.” You answer tentatively. “He tolerates me, anyway.” You make light of it, but answering this question always makes you nervous, since you’re not quite sure how much Levi wants to share.

“More than tolerate,” Levi squeezes your hand, “she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my life.”

He knew this question would come up, because it always does these days. But he’s realized, he’s not concerned with the gossip or the naysayers; he knows that whatever challenges come your way, the two of you can ride it out.

He believes this will work, because he’s in love with you. And after this interview is over, he’s going to tell you exactly that.

Join my taglist!

@thevelria @lunaheroine18 @meltingforthatackerman @adanfore @blondebebop @levisfavoriteacup @dont-f-with-moogles @itty-bitty-baby-face @ricecrispiebirb @whorenamedbee @rec-a-fic @leviismybby @littlerequiem @satorizz @lost-in-the-daylight @nube55 @kingkonoha @youre-ackermine @saenora @wanderlustqueen-writes @mrsackermannx @honestlywtfisgoingon @bejewelledd @cometlevi @sea-after-a-storm @notgoodforlife @belovedackerman @y44sherlock @xyumemi @armani78 @humanitys-strongest-bamf @thalia-prior-of-ravenclaw @woozzz @imlevisoneandonlywife @notsaelty @zasialovee @heartsforlevi @pieckes @aomi04 @ackermendick @sun-drak @crazychaoticizzy @mintandgingertea @socio-kai-path 1972 @xuanzhe @hvziers @hollistichood @highgoon69 @Vxlentine888 @luasxsx @thebobaprincess @fadingpalacebonkpsychic @worldseer @xuanzhe

[goodhunterwill]

Ok so, The Magnus Archives season 1 is complete and that final episode is brilliant, so much good stuff. Also poor john I take back what I said, man is just scared shitless and pretending to not believe and honestly I get it.

Started out on season 2 now and John is already getting paranoid so I'm very intrigued to see where this all goes.

Running Theories:

• Sasha has absolutely been replaced by whatever creature is in the coffee table that replaced the previous owner from MAG 3 (I think?), seems all but confirmed from the last episode of season 1. She even talks a bit differently from when we've heard her before, different inflections in her voice. Elias seems to be already suspicious, and John has picked up on it too when he took her statement.

• Gertrude absolutely was up to some weird shit whether she was involved with it or trying to stop it I'm not sure but I think it's the reason the Archives are as messed up as they are, she had it that way for a reason I wanna say. Like all the weird stuff with the ritual circle in Scotland with her pictures or the guy who dreamt of her dying. She knew way more I'm sure.

• In the same vein, Elias is very suspicious right now, you're telling me your head archivist goes missing one day and despite knowing there are tunnels under the Archives (surely they had to know, they mention already knowing about the prison tunnels before I believe) you don't go check? Or get a team to do it? Unless I'm misremembering details he has to have been involved in this in some way shape or form.

----

Things I'm excited to see more of:

• Gerard Keay just seems like a very mysterious character who clearly knows a lot about this stuff, specifically Jurgen Leitner, and I would love to see more. something tells me he isn't dead as it's stated he is.

• Similarly, I'm very interested in finding out more about Micheal, and why he helped Sasha and the Institute out before. A walking talking Uncanny Valley thing from what I've gathered and I'm very intrigued

• John's gonna go a bit loopy and do something dangerous or a bit mad, thinking people are after him and I don't know if I'm excited or dreading what he's gonna do haha. And just figuring out what's going on under the Archives with the mystery person down there and the stairs with the arrows.

----

Oh also, I adore Martin and John's relationship right now. I know it was tense but their heart to heart in the sealed room was very nice, hearing john open up like that and Martin explain why he's stayed. Oh and Martin giving John the ashes to help calm him down a bit and it working, and John telling himself off for thinking maybe Martin has an ulterior motive by asking that and just accepting he's actually looking out for him? I don't know where this goes with these two but I love that it seems love John is actually coming around to Martin now. I could be reading too much into it and I probably am haha but it's nice to hear them get on and not have John be mean to him all the time lol.

But yeah, just loving this, I literally haven't stopped listening and I'm hooked. I'm so glad I found this!!

[slutdilf]

A Quick Break

Paring: pedro pascal X male reader

Warnings: Smut, blowjob, dirty talk (a little?), established relationship

Note: I put them in a established relationship just to make it a little easier to write. Also had pedro speak Spanish a little because I’d be a puddle on the floor if he spoke to me in Spanish

Request by: @pedropascal111 : here’s an idea I’d say during the process of filming their was a kiss scene with him and someone else but he’d always make eye contact with you every time, then they have like a little break from filming say 10 minutes or sum and yknow stuff goes down but you gotta keep quiet then go back to filming like nothing happend 🧍‍♂️😭

“Ok and action!”

The director's call snaps you to attention. The scene has started. Pedro and the costar you've been trying hard not to compare yourself with move into position. They start talking, and even through their character's bickering the connection between them is apparent.

You catch Pedro glancing over at you- was that on purpose? Did he mean for you to see the smile in his eyes? You're not sure.

A few minutes pass. The scene is ramping up. They're moving closer together...

They're practically chest to chest now, the tension in the air as thick as smoke. You bite your lip, watching anxiously. Pedro is looking straight into the costar's eyes, but even as the other actor returns Pedro's gaze, you notice your boyfriend's eyes flick in your direction again.

The scene reaches its climax. They're nearly forehead to forehead, and it's almost as if the pair don't remember that the camera is there, that other people even exist. As their lips touch and the kiss begins. You feel the jealousy in your veins building up each time you see the their lips interlocking. Thinking of you wanted to just walk onto set, grab pedro and slam your lips into his to make sure the entire crew knows that he’s your boyfriend.

The director calls, "Cut, perfect, let’s take 10 and we can rendezvous for the final take of the episode. " The costars disengages fading into her dressing room as Pedro almost instinctively makes his way over towards you.

"Hey," he grins as he reaches you. "You alright?"

You nod, but you don't really know how to put into words the mix of emotions you're feeling.

Sensing your unease, Pedro takes your hand in his own and raises it to his lips, kissing it softly. "Come on. I've got a little break before the next scene. Let's go somewhere private."

He leads you over to a small room and closes the door behind you. The room contains little more than a couch, small table, and a mirror set up for makeup.

Pedro takes a seat next to you on the couch and tugs you into his lap. Pressing a kiss into your shoulder, he murmurs, "You looked so unhappy watching that scene. Jealous, perhaps?"

You freeze, not quite knowing how to respond. Pedro chuckles, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer against him.

"Don't be mad, cariño. Acting isn't real. I love *you*."

He nuzzles your neck softly, his lips caressing your sensitive skin.

Despite his reassurances, a little ember of jealousy still smolders in your chest. As Pedro continues to kiss along the column of your throat, his lips finding the spot just behind your ear that he knows you’re sensitive to, you pout a bit.

"It looked real," you mutter petulantly.

"Yeah, like I said, I'm an actor," he replies, nipping gently at your earlobe. "But it's all fake, I promise. I don't feel this way about anyone but you."

With a light movement, he rolls the two of you so that you're lying lengthwise on the couch, your head resting back on the arm rest as he cages you beneath his body.

He lowers his mouth to your neck once more, this time focusing on the junction where it meets your shoulder. You let out a soft gasp as he mouths the sensitive skin, his lips leaving a trail of heat as they move down towards the collar of your shirt.

Between kisses, he asks, "Am I going to have to prove myself to you?"

His lips have found the hollow of your collarbone, and he begins biting and sucking in a way that you know is going to leave a mark. You moan, the sound escaping from your lips before you can control it.

"*Yes,*" you reply in a strangled whisper.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

Pedro lifts his head just long enough to flash you a cocky grin before he dives right back into his work, his mouth closing over yours. The kiss is hot and hungry, his tongue pushing impatiently between your lips. He slides his hips forward, pressing his body down against yours.

The weight of his body on top of you, the pressure of his hips against your thighs- something about it is making it hard for you to think straight. You feel your hands slide up into his hair, your fingers wrapping around the dark strands and pulling him closer.

Pedro groans into your mouth, the sound more growl than anything else. He pulls his mouth away from yours just long enough to pant out, “can’t wait to get you home tonight”

His face lowers again, this time finding its target further down on your body. He mouths down your neck, across your chest, and when he reaches the V of exposed skin above your collarbone a shiver runs through you.

He tugs at the hem of your shirt. "But right now I’ve got 10 minutes so let’s make this quick."

The word comes out as a command, and the authority in his voice has you complying almost before you know what you're doing.

Your shirt hits the floor, and then his mouth is back on you again, teeth and lips teasing your skin. He drags his tongue along each rib, leaving a burning stripe in its wake. When he reaches your stomach he pauses, glancing up at you through his eyelashes.

"You still mad at me, mi amor?" he asks, his tone slightly mocking.

You open your mouth to protest, but can't manage to form any words when his tongue traces a slow line just above the waistband of your pants. The only thing that comes out is a breathless moan.

Pedro's eyes flash with satisfaction at the sound. "Thought so."

With a lazy smirk he sinks to his knees between your legs. His hands slide along your thighs, pushing your legs apart.

You gasp as he tugs you forward as much as the edge of the couch will allow, settling himself between your legs. Your hands tighten into fists around the material of the couch cushion as his fingers make quick work of the button of your pants.

He starts to ease the material down over your hips, and you lift them to help him. Soon your pants fall to the floor, and you're left in only your underwear and whatever will be left of your dignity.

Pedro grins as he takes in the sight of you. "Mi Carinõ," he exclaims, his Spanish voice melting you. He knew how much you melted into a puddle when he spoke in his native tongue. You didn’t know what about it made you so turned on, but Pedro knew it did and used to his advantage at any given moment.

Still keeping eye contact with you, he leans forward, his breath hot on your stomach. He places a small kiss on your abdomen, just below your belly button. And then another just below that. And another.

He continues the slow line of kisses all the way down to the edge of your underwear.

Pedro's hands are moving up and down your legs, caressing your skin like it's the most precious thing in the world. Every touch is sending sparks through your body, and you can feel the heat building between your legs.

"Pedro," you gasp, "please-"

He looks up at you again, one eyebrow raised. "Please? Please what, love?"

His tone is innocent, as if he's trying not to laugh, and you want to strangle him for acting like you weren’t completely at his mercy right now you wanted to strangle that teasing smirk and then kiss his stupid face so badly.

"You know what I mean," you whine, and immediately curse yourself for how pathetic it makes you sound.

Pedro chuckles darkly, his hands still roaming up and down your thighs. "Do I?" he teases. "I need you to use your words, cariño."

In response, you grind your hips up against him, desperate for any friction. A groan falls from his lips as the movement pushes your aching need against the line of his jaw, and you can practically feel his smirk on your skin as he nuzzles your bulge

He begins mouthing at the shape of you through your underwear, applying just the *perfect* amount of pressure. You let out a moan, unable to keep quiet anymore, and instantly one of Pedro's hands is over your mouth.

"Shhh," he hisses into your skin. "We're supposed to be being quick, remember? You don't want the whole crew to hear you, do you?"

You bite down on your lip, determined not to let any more sounds escape. Pedro grins. "That's a good boy."

With those words he hooks his fingers over the top of your underwear, and slowly, slowly begins working them down over your thighs.

“Mmm…” pedro hums burying his face into your groin and taking a deep breath as he looks at you with almost puppy dog eyes as if he’s just completely enamoured by your presence. You run your hand through his fluffy hair his brownish black locks tangling in your fingers.

Pedro moves his mouth down to your length taking you in his nose touching your abdomen as he takes you in whole. His tongue swirling around the head of your cock.

You were biting your lip hard you were sure you could taste a small amount of blood from just how much. But that was the least of your concerns right now. Soft small muffled quiet whimpers escaping your mouth as you try to keep quiet while Pedro works his mouth on your dick.

You wanted to scream in pure ecstasy and pleasure but you couldn’t you were doing everything you could to muffle those moans biting your lip, burying your head into the cushions of the sofa, biting the edge of the cushion. But nothing could stop the small little whimpers. As pedro bobs his head up and down pumping your hard length with his mouth. Your hand gripping his hair tightly tugging at him more and more as you could feel the pressure of your release

With almost every nerve your body has to stop the sounds from leaving your mouth. You let out a whimper that echos the room. As you cum. Followed by a deep groan from Pedro and then a small little gulp.

Pedro extracts his mouth from you and looks at you with those enamoured puppy dog eyes again. The remnants of your release on his lips.

So lost in the moment of both of your pure joyful and blissful thoughts you snap your head to the door as it knocks and the voice of a set boy is heard “Mr pascal we start in 30 seconds.”

“Be right there.” Pedro says back in a voice so nonchalant like he wasn’t just giving you the most wild blowjob you’ve gotten.

At that moment Pedro stands up and wipes his mouth and looks in the mirror “you ruined my hair.” He grumbles in a slight teasing tone. You got up and raised your hand into his hair ruffling it messing it more than it already was.

“You cheeky little-“ Pedro says in a laugh as he tries to comb it back to how it was prior to the break. With what little seconds you had to spare you both quickly got yourself into a normal looking state to head out.

Pedro heads out his hand intertwined in your hand as he walks to the set he looks at you as he raises your hand to his lips “be right back.” He whispers as he lets your hand go.

You saw his facial expression almost immediately change into his acting face as the director yelled “Action.”

You watched the rest of the filming process with less jealousy this time around knowing that pedro did indeed love you and that the work on set was just a fake experience.

[funnypages]

Wheel of Time 3x08 - He Who Comes With The Dawn

A bit late due to the holidays but, here are my notes on this completely uncontroversial finale

We see Siuan's election to the Amyrlin Seat. The books also go more into her election, and she was actually a compromise candidate picked cause A) they were deadlocked amongst 4 other candidates, and B) they though she was so young they could just tell her what to do

We get a bit of backstory on Sammael, his scar, and his role in the age of legends. If him dying seems a bit anticlimactic, it is the the books to where to quote Jordan "Samuel is a louse, and he dies like one"

We see one of the objects stolen by the black Adjah in action: the Balefire rod! To clarify what balefire does, when something is it by it its thread in the Pattern is destroyed, in an amount proportional to the power of the balefire strike. So when Jeaine is hit with it, it destroys her a few minutes in the past preventing the ceiling from being damaged. Balefire is dangerous cause the more it is used, and the more powerful blasts of it used (i.e erasing something hours or even days back in time), it starts to cause reality to crack

Melindra, the Malkiri maiden, is a dark friend! This is in the books, although they are merging her a bit with a Borderlanders dark friend who regrets what they did and turns back to the light. I also like the small detail of when she confronts Lan, she was a red dot on her forehead, a Ki'sain, which all Malkiri women wore as a symbol of their nation's fight against the shadow.

Loved all the moments with Thom and Elayne, a lot of people called he would be the one to know Rahvin is a fraud. Also saw a few people questioning "Wait...is he Elayne's dad?" The answer is no, in the books he is not, but that question has been asked by many first time readers (including myself). Regardless of if they will make him in the show, Thom and Morgase had a close relationship

Matt meets the Finn! A storyline and race that honestly it wouldn't have shocked me if they cut out, cause it is so weird! The Finn are basically this world's version of the Fae (mixed a bit with aliens and extra dimensional beings), who grant wishes or information. Here the Finn granted Mat 3 requests: "to stop being yanked around by every magical force", "the quit the voices in his head", and "to get him out of here"

Nynaeve overcomes her block earlier than in the books! Thank god!

Love all of the final confrontation with Rand declaring himself the Caracaran, and refusing to let go of the power, even when Egwaine begs him not to. We are starting to get the hints of who book fans call "Darth Rand", the Rand who starts loosing it a bit.

Siuan

Making this its own section as this has been the most controversial part of the episode (mostly but not entirely from show onlies, book fans I would say have been largely more ok with it at least from what I've seen). Although as I say all of this in the several days since the ep has aired people do seem to have calmed down a bit? Or at least im seeing less "fuck the show" takes

Now big fans have known there was going to be a big death at the end of the season that might piss off show onlies, we just all expected it to be Moraine's. Siuan does die in the books as well, it is just much later. In the books she dies in the last book at the Last Battle, going down fighting alongside her husband. Yes, her husband. Cause while Morraine/Suian is hinted at in the books it is A) a relationship what has ended years before the events of the series and B) is not a major focus. Outside the prequel novel, I think Morraine and Siuan meet up once in Bk 2 and never meet up again. I love their relationship in the show, and we have gotten 10x of them in the books. But their relationship was never going to be the main focus of the series

There have been a lot of discussion of "bury your gays" or colorism, and im not saying this is invalid, but I also recommend you read some comments by the showrunner on the decision or a few posts by books fans on their takes on the descision as it applies to the whole story (warning for book spoilers with the second post)

I really enjoyed this season and cant wait for S4, please feel free to message me if you have any book/show questions!

[not-xpr-art]

Curled tight as a question mark...

(01/2025)

Ok so I've been super obsessed with the AMAZING Trolley Problem AU fics by @silverview & @unreesonable (where Drew is the 22 year old Blake abuses instead of Ellie) for literally ages so it was only a matter of time before I'd end up doing some art based on it pfft...

Links to the fics below btw (also gonna ramble about this piece a bit since, as usual, I put way too much thought into it pfft)!!!

a better son / daughter

special arrangements

and all I'll do is kiss him (btw title of this piece actually taken from a line in this one which I really loved!!!)

spaces between

Highly recommend all of them btw, they're so GOOD!!!!!

~~~

Ok, so I immediately wanted to do a sorta twisted version of Klimt's 'The Kiss' but the concept kinda got away from me as I was painting it... Plus I couldn't get the vibrant gold colour to work with the general colouring of the figures so the background became like vaguely vaginal curtains that I could probably spin some kinda symbolic link to Drew's mother if I wanted to lol...

(think I made a joke on bsky that I'm in my Georgia O'Keeffe era and NO one laughed smhsmh...)

I've also been wanting to do something based on the iconic The Fallen Angel painting by Alexandre Cabanel but never really had a particular subject in mind... until NOW! (ofc the emotion is different but idk I think the reference still works... Drew's tears are more desperate, hopeless, resigned, and perhaps less angry than Lucifer's?)

I wanted the piece to feel like Drew is trapped. Trapped by his turbulent relationship with his mother and father, trapped by his status and position in life, trapped by his sexuality, trapped by the drugs... And ultimately trapped by Blake, who was supposed to offer him a paternal embrace, a comforting hand on his shoulder, to properly help guide him out of the hole he's stuck in but all he did was take advantage of his vulnerability and drag him further into that pit...

Also, kinda funny story, but I tried doing a cute romantic in9 art before I started this but my brain and hand were having none of it lol... NO adorable yaoi for you manipulative toxic yaoi ONLY !!!!!!!

Stylistically I wanted to try and make this look sorta traditionally painted, which involved me using a combo of my regular program alongside ms paint since I like the texture of some of the brushes on there tbh (plus those brushes are really great for painting body hair which I had so much fun drawing a lot of here lol)! Overlaid with a vaguely canvas-y texture lol

Oh, and also I put the diamond pattern of the jumper Drew wears in the episode on his underwear here both because it was going to get covered if I put it on his t-shirt and because it's sorta a fun way to reflect how this is an AU lol

Also have some close ups since tumblr has completely destroyed the quality of this lol:

(final close up is actually of a version of the painting without the texture overlay btw which is why the colours are slightly different, but I thought it might be interesting to share so u can see the brushwork texture a little better??)

uh anyway... that's all folks lol!

[sankta-wraith]

Daemyra and terms of endearment

I was rewatching 1x07 and realized that Rhaenyra calls Daemon “my love” in front of Alicent and it sent me down a rabbit hole. Long story short I know have a list of all the terms of endearment (in High Valyrian and Common) I think they use for each other. It goes in order of the ones I think are most frequently used starting at the top.

My love (ñuha jorrāelagon) and My heart (ñuha prūmia) I think they like these two the most because of the possessive particle. After spending so many year apart I think both of them really enjoy being able remind people of their claim on each other. When it comes to High Valyrian vs Common I think both are used pretty interchangeably, although High Valyrian is probably a bit more intimate. From a more political standpoint, using High Valyrian could also be a way of alienating anyone who doesn’t speak it (so most non-Targaryens) and a subtle reminder that they are blood of the dragon and whatnot. On the other hand, using Common could also be a somewhat political move, because it would ensure that everyone understands them. For Daemon it would probably be a way of saying “she’s mine don’t fucking touch her or I’ll feed you to Caraxes,” whereas for Rhaenyra it would be more like “yeah I just called the Rogue Prince my love, what of it,” because remember most people are still terrified of Daemon.

Husband/Wife (Valzȳrys/Ābrazȳrys) Their reasons for liking this one are probably similar to their reasons for liking my love/heart. I could totally picture them going through a phase at the beginning of their marriage where they almost exclusively refer to each other as husband and wife, because they're just so happy to finally be together and married. I think eventually they do start using my love/heart more because it's slightly more personal than just husband or wife, but they do still use it from time to time. As for the language, I think this is also pretty interchangeable.

My Queen (Ñuha Dāria) Before Viserys's death, he probably never called her this except in private since it would be ever so slightly treasonous, but I feel like he would definatly use it in the bedroom. After Rhaenyra actually becomes Queen he probably starts to use it in a more official capacity. Language wise I'd say High Valyrian in the bedroom and Common in public.

Princess In the first few episodes of season one, Daemon calls her princess quite often, but it seems to fall out of use after their ten year seperation. He might use it a little bit, but it's mostly been replaced. The High Valyrian word for prince/princess/heir is dārlilaros, but from what I can tell, Daemon never uses this. As for Rhaenyra, I can't really picture her calling Daemon by his title in a non formal setting. I can however picture her teasing him about his "Rogue Prince" moniker.

Zaldrītsos (little dragon) Personally I think Daemon only ever called her this when she was much younger (like 5 or 6) but I've seen lots of people talk about it so it's on this list. Even if he did keep using it as she got older, I think he definately stopped after they got married, because I can't imagine that he would call his wife "little dragon." They could use it for their children though.

Ok, well that's my list of Daemyra terms of endearment. Let me know what you guys imagine them using.

[utilitycaster]

How likely is it that Bells Hells will actually show up to the Stone Lavorre wedding you think? I have tickets to that, but I never want to experience Bells Hells in any AP setting or context again. I don't want to be upset after spending all that money. Its to the point that if Jester invited The Martinet I would be more ok watching that. I never thought this was going to be a problem when I bought my tickets.

Hi anon,

In terms of actual likelihood? Hard to say but my guess is small but nonzero. However, as someone who also has tickets, might I provide two thoughts that may be helpful?

The first, and more positive one, is that I've been going through the transcript of the finale and while I want to be clear, I still have a multitude of problems with it, I actually like where most, though not all, of Bells Hells end up even if I think the path to get there was poorly done. And as it's very much billed as the Stone-Lavorre wedding, I think we would at most be getting a brief cameo that would not be something I needed or wanted or cared about, but would not be unwelcome.

The second is the spiteful version of that, which is less positive but far more funny. Think about all the Bells Hells fans who are clamoring for this. I don't remember feeling that way about the Mighty Nein - like, if there'd been a Vox Machina one-shot 8 months later, I wouldn't have been been like THE MIGHTY NEIN BETTER SHOW UP. I wasn't asking for the Mighty Nein to show up in Campaign 3 (indeed, I was less than thrilled at the VM connections from the beginning and unlike how many c3 fans are with c2, I do love c1 despite preferring c2). Think about how wretchedly unhappy someone has to be with Campaign 3 and how desperately jealous of Campaign 2 someone has to be to be saying "well I'll maybe see some of Bells Hells in a one-shot in April, and I'll almost certainly see some of them in a one-shot in June [neither VM nor the Nein showed up in anything other than a Battle Royale-style one-shot until about 15 months about their finales] but that won't fill the void in my soul so maybe they'll have a bit part in a one-shot mostly about the Mighty Nein, in a theater where probably over half the people present will either be some form of irritated, some form of bored, or some form of confused to see them." And then they'll either have paid a huge amount of money to see their blorbos for like 10 minutes, or have to fast forward through like, a 4.5 hour one-shot for the barest scraps of Blorbo Content. Like, you can tell how rough this campaign was by how even its advocates seem completely starved for Bells Hells not two weeks after the end of a 121 episode campaign. There's nothing to sustain them.

So anyway either Bells Hells don't show up and it's fine; or they show up and it's honestly probably brief and unmemorable and we get back to the good stuff; and either way we know that Mighty Nein fans have what Bells Hells fans never did: a campaign that centered and prioritized PC relationships, development, and story.

[lewis-winters]

Hey you possibly have answered this already, but what’s your take on why Nix jumped in the lake, and the symbolism/meaning therein?

So sorry I didn't see this earlier! Here's some new bob meta for you!!

What's important here is this: the water (and to some extent, the act of swimming), is a symbol for Dick's acceptance of the end of the war, his life now that the war is over, and the acceptance of a future he can finally allow himself to dream of having.

I mean, water in and of itself is already a regular symbol or allegory for the passage of time, change, and acceptance anyway. River water eroding a boulder into a pebble. The way water carves out new paths for itself, even with obstacles in the way.

Or the ritual of baptism and how it symbolizes rebirth into a new faith/perspective, and therefore a new life.

Austria's mountain water is no different. And it's no mistake that the narrative of episode 10 has Dick swimming in the lake basically bookending the whole episode. The episode is a bit like episode 1, in that you have present day, and then flashbacks to scenes that took place a few months prior, before cutting back to the present day again, where now we the viewers, have better context for the opening scene and the character motivations of those within it.

Which, on a larger scale, also works for the whole series, ya know? It's bookended by episodes similar to each other in narrative structure, which I find to be very clever!

It is also bookended by Winnix!

Which is. Very important. To me, personally, and to the analysis of Lew's actions later on.

Anyway. I digress. Dick swimming in the lake in Austria is his baptism and rebirth.

First, the episode opens on him standing at the beach of the lake with the intention to swim, before he's approached by Nix, and they share that moment together before Dick gets in and, literally, swims into his flashbacks-- no. I'm serious. He's swimming, and then we fade into his narrative of the events leading up to Germany's surrender and the end of the war in Europe (and maybe the beginning of their war in the Pacific).

And then, when that narrative ends, Dick emerges on the otherside to Lew waiting for him at the dock. And then it gets really on the nose, when Lew shows him a photo of them together at the very beginning!

Like. Alright. Another water symbolism: Water and moving through water as a stand-in for the passage of time. Got it.

And then the Water as a tool for Rebirth Into New Life part of the symbol is further emphasized by Dick going "oh, New Jersey huh?" "yeah think about it" "I am" when just a flashback ago, he was planning on jumping into Japan. Which tells us, the audience, in so few words, that Dick is now letting the war go, and is finally allowing himself to dream of a future.

And Lew throwing himself into the water is him following Dick into that future.

Like. Think about it. Lew asks Dick for his plans for after the war on the banks of this lake, then offers him a place with him in New Jersey. Just for them to be together. Then tells Dick to think about it before answering, and literally waits for Dick's answer at the dock of this lake. Almost like he was waiting for Dick to be ready to be rebirthed into this new lease on life.

But while we, the audience and Lewis both, await Dick's answer, we're treated to flashbacks where Lew, repeatedly, says: if you jump into Japan, I jump into Japan. I'll follow you. Even if it means possible death again and again, it doesn't matter to me, so long as we are together. Ok. That's his perogative. That's what he plans on doing, and Dick isn't going to stop him. In fact, he's delighted.

But then, this is where that flashback helps supplement the scene we got at the very beginning (again, much like the narrative structure of episode 1), because then we get a moment, where Lew goes. Actually. Maybe our life doesn't have to be about war anymore. In fact, I think you and I can go home, Dick. We can go home together. I've been thinking about it. Will you?

And Dick DOES!! He doesn't just brush it off. He thinks about it so hard, in fact, that he goes through this whole journey of a baptism, to emerge on the otherside to go: Hey. You're right. And it's my turn now. This time, I'm going to be the one to follow you back home.

And Lew goes, yeah. Ok. Great. I was waiting for you, metaphorically, to come to that conclusion and choose me, just as I was literally waiting for you to come join me at this dock. Cool.

Let me throw myself into this symbol of Rebirth so I, too, might be baptised into this new life with you. We'll go together, like we always have, from the very beginning.

And that's why I think Lewis throws himself into the lake.

[the-sinister-story-teller]

Can i request some more angel dust x !male reader? Perhaps during the later part of the final battle in episode 8, readed is severely injured but still alive, angel isn't present as he and reader got separated during the chaos, angel only finds him AFTER adam and the rest are defeated and angel runs to get aid (i was thinking lucifer, i bet he can heal somebody), then later when reader is in bed resting/sort-of-coma angel comes into his room to tell him how much he loves him? And reader hears all of that so after he gets better they have a party at the hotel to celebrate, and later that night reader confesses to angel that he heard him? Yeah that would be cathartic

A/n: OMGGG YESSS! I haven't really gotten a request like that yet and I'm SO excited to do it!! It's gonna be so cute oml🥺

Angel Dust x M!Reader ~ I've Got You Now

Topic: request above ^^^^^

Mentions: Male reader, angst, violence, fluff, switching between using 'Y/n' and 'your/you're'

Angel let out a sigh, hugging Fat Nuggets close before straightening up, looking around. Charlie went to his aid in a worry.

"Angel...? You ok? There aren't any angels-" She said, reaching to him, before he cut her off.

"I know THAT but where th' hell is y/n!? H-He isn't anywhere! FUCK!!" He hisses. The angels had been slaughtered, and so was Adam (via nifty), and despite the hotel being nothing but rubble, everything turned out relatively ok...except for...Y/n that is. Angel and Charlie both scoured the debris, huffing and puffing. Mainly Angel however as he was terrified something bad had happened. The two had gotten separated and Angel at first thought Y/n could handle himself but now, he was paranoid that something happened. "Sh-Shit I can't find 'im!! Charlie anything!?" He called out the the princess, as she lifted yet another piece of rubble.

"No Angel!" She called back as Angel was on the brink of tears, on the near edge of a panic attack. That was until he saw something in the corner of his eye. Turning that direction, he gasped.

"Y/N!!!" He shouted, running to Y/n's body, tearing up from joy, going to his side, realizing you were unconscious. Panicked, he set you down gently. "Don't worry, I'll be back ok..? Just...Just stay with me." He spoke, before running off to Charlie. "Where the FUCK is Lucifer!?" He snapped and Charlie stammered before noticing her father, simply pointing before Angel ran off to him, desperately explaining the situation to him, rambling and stammering constantly along the way. Lucifer understood and rushed to Y/n's unconscious body, and taking him into care.

"Until the hotel is rebuilt I'll keep him at my living space...Don't worry, I'll keep care of him." Lucifer assured and Angel HATED the idea of him not being able to check up on you, but reluctantly agreed. It took a bit, but the moment the hotel was rebuilt, Y/n was moved into his new room, now healing there. Angel sat by your bed with nuggets, sighing softly. A knocking erupted from the door, and he lifted his head to look at it.

"Come in.." Angel muttered, seeing Charlie and Lucifer walk in. Lucifer went to Angel, patting his head.

"You don't need to worry for him Angel. He's healed, just unconscious at the moment. He'll wake up soon, I know he will." Lucifer assured and Angel sighed, fixing the sheets that were held around your body.

"I know it's just...I hate seein' him hurt.." Angel murmured and Charlie hummed.

"We get it Angel...But hey! He'll wake up in no time! Ok? Just have some hope.." She muttered, taking Angel's hands as he sighed with a light smile.

"Thanks princess...It...Means a lot.." Angel said. The three conversed a bit, before Lucifer and Charlie exited, leaving the two of you alone. Truth was, you weren't unconscious anymore. Actually, you had just stirred awake from it all. Though, you wanted to stay at rest, because the lights hurt your eyes.

Angel sighed, sitting back down, brushing hair out your face. "I...I need to get this off my chest...I know you're unconscious, but I can't continue keeping this a secret...I love you Y/n. I love you a lot...Flaws n all. I should've told you sooner...In case you don't...make it.." Angel muttered, his voice cracking from the tears he held back. "I just wanted you to know that I love you so fucking much...I don't know if you feel the same, I don't know if you will tell me when you wake up, but...Even if you can't here me, I still want to tell you that I adore you.." He confessed. Your heart was racing. You weren't expecting this. He...confessed his love to you!! God you were thrilled to have known that.

About a day later, not even, you stumbled out your room, going to the lobby. Everyone was sitting down, either drinking coffee or eating, that was until you spoke.

"So...what's for breakfast guys?" You asked with a lighthearted chuckle. You could hear your name from every person in the room, except for one. "Angie? Ya missed me?" You joked, as Angel welled up with tears, rushing to you and hugging you, before lightly punching you.

"Don't scare me like that again ya fuckin' asshole!! I thought you DIED!!" He scolded with a laugh wiping his tears softly, hugging you again.

"Nah. You'd beat my ass if I died." You sarcastically joked, hugging him back.

"We have to celebrate this!!" Charlie exclaimed as Vaggie smiled from her girlfriends enthusiasm. So, as per the princesses request, a celebratory party was indeed thrown. Husk handled everybody's drinks, actually enjoying his job like this. Alastor, Charlie, and Lucifer were all handling food. You, Angel, and Nifty set up decorations. Once everything was done, it was lively in the hotel, despite the lack of recipients residing there. But that was just fine by you. You laughed with Charlie, before venturing off to find Angel.

"Aaaangie! I got cha' a pastry! Alastor made it. I'm honestly shocked he could bake." You joked, going onto the balcony with Angel, handing him the baked good.

"Thanks tootz." Angel hummed with a laugh, leaning on the railing while eating, as you reciprocating his actions.

"Hey Angel...You ever consider dating?" You asked. You weren't curious. You were starting a way to also confess to him like he did to you.

"Huh? I mean...I guess. A couple times, why?" Angel perked, blushing a bit. You simply shrugged.

"I guess I just need help, that's all."

"With?" He raised a brow, looking at you. He was losing hope, that maybe you liked someone else.

"With confessing to my crush. He's super fucking pretty, and out my league." You said with a soft chuckle, blushing. Angel felt a bit hurt, overthinking this all.

"Ok well...Tell me 'bout him! Knowing a person you love makes it easier to confess ya'know!" He laughed.

"Alright well...He lives here, uh...again, he's so fucking pretty; not even pretty, GORGEOUS. Great taste in clothing, he's the best pet dad ever, and let's see..." you thought. Angel sat there, bright red. Nobody else fit those things besides him...He was really curious on what the next thing would be.

"...oh, and I think he confessed to me the other night." You said softly, coy. Angel went wide eyed.

"Wh-Wha?" He nervously chuckled, tapping the railing sheepishly. You turned to him, holding on of his hands in yours.

"Angie...I heard you...and-" Angel was quick to cut you off.

"Oh shit I'm so sorry if I sounded creepy I didn't know you were awake and I just wanted to tell you but-" he stammered, before you laughed, shushing him.

"Dude, relax...I was going to say, that I feel the same...I love you to, Anthony." You muttered and he teared up before pulling you into a tight hug. You returned it, as you both shared a quick, loving kiss.

"I thought you were gonna reject me!" Angel laughed, as you snickered, resting your head right above his chest, gazing up at him.

"I could never...I'd never forgive myself if I did!" You joked back as the two of you shared a sweet chuckle, before Angel sighed.

"I'm so fucking glad I went to hell and got you...It makes everything so much more worth it.." He muttered, "I love ya Y/n.."

"I love you too, Angel."

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

A/n: I hope you enjoy!!

[littlegaybean1]

HOLY HGCTSHFJCGS

OK

OK

OK

I AM NOT OKAY.

So I'm watching 9-1-1. The wonderful, silly, light-hearted gay firefighter show. So silly. So light-hearted.

I just watched Season 6, Episode 10: In A Flash.

HOLY FREAKING GOD. WHY MUST THEY DO THIS TO ME.

THERE'S SO MUCH TO SAY

IT WAS SO FREAKING GOOD OMG

I'M GOING MAD SO I'M GOING TO RANT ABOUT ALL THE COOL THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE FINAL SCENE.

First things first, you should know that my favourite character is one Mr Evan Buck Buckley. So naturally this is the most invested I've been in an episode since Survivors.

I love the decision to make Buck take Chimney's place so much. The idea that Buck wasn't originally going to be there, but ended up in harm's way in another's place just makes so much sense. Plus, I'm really excited to see what this means for Chimney and any potential survivor's guilt he might face because of it.

I love how it had such a short build up directly before the incident, but still felt like it had been perfectly foreshadowed. It reminded me a little of Suspicion, but that could easily be because I love that episode so much. The space between Buck getting on the ladder and actually getting struck is quite short, but also gives you just enough warning that something is Very Wrong. It focuses on the banter between Buck and Chim, it gives shots of the sky and then the final indicator - Buck himself tells you that things are going south quickly.

Then there's the actual strike. It's so beautiful. It's over and done so quickly, which makes everything much more realistic. There's nothing that anyone could have done, no way for anyone to predict it or prevent it. It just comes all of a sudden, striking quickly then disappearing but leaving behind so much damage. I love that you see it from below, as if you're actually on the ground watching it happen. It's so shocking and you think "Oh my god - did that actually just happen!?" because it was over in the blink of an eye.

A really amazing cinematic moment is the mirroring. Two falls, both falling a similar distance. Buck and Eddie. Best friends. Two sides of the same coin. Two people that would absolutely fall apart without the other. Again, I am reminded of the ending of Suspicion, where Eddie gets shot and falls to the ground then Buck is shot at and saved by being thrown to the floor. Except this time the roles are reversed. Eddie is the one who is fine after the fall and Buck is the one whose life is in danger. Eddie is the one screaming his name and Buck is the one who cannot answer.

This might be my favourite bit of the entire scene: the hanging. Lightning cannot be seen for more than a second, but its aftereffects are so much longer. He's just hanging there. It was almost reminiscent of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spiderman 2 (sorry if you haven't seen it, but it is a very old movie and a common pop culture reference), although the spinal curve was obviously less unnatural. It was so sickening and impactful, him not moving at all but his body still swaying slightly. It's a little bit gruesome, not because there's anything graphic shown, but because of the implications and where the mind goes.

Eddie's screaming there was freaking guttural. I have to give a massive amount of applause to Ryan Guzman because the acting there was phenomenal. You couldn't see his expression clearly because of the angles and lighting, but the emotion was still perfectly conveyed. I also have to mention Aisha Hinds, because even though most of the focus was on Eddie, her line and the tone in which she delivered it really set the scene and the panic that everyone was feeling. I also loved the different reactions - Eddie ran straight to Buck's side (or as close as he could get), which would tell anyone, even a first time viewer, that he is Buck's closest friend; Hen keeps the people moving, clears the scene and lets everyone work and removes all the potential obstacles she can; Chimney goes straight to work and lets Buck down, being the calm one because he knows that Eddie can't be and that he needs someone else to take on some responsibility; and finally Bobby, completely professional, calling ahead, doing his job first and organising everything possible but also showing how afraid he is and the care he has when he holds Buck as he reaches the ground, saying "Come here kid, I've got you". It's all beautifully written and acted, such an emotionally charged scene.

Another thing that I'm going crazy about is Eddie trying to physically pull Buck up with his bare hands. When he reaches the top of the ladder, he tries to pull Buck up by the rope himself, before telling Chimney to lower it. It's impossible, it's irrational and it's desperate. It wasn't something that anyone thinking logically would even bother to try. Eddie tends to be a clear headed character during emergencies, with Buck generally being the more reckless of the two. But this situation is so horrible panic-inducing that he forgets logic and acts completely on instinct - to get Buck close to him, to help him, to keep him safe. Their relationship is one of my favourite elements of the show, they have so much chemistry and I have been waiting for them to get together since the moment they laid eyes on each other (I'm being genuine here, I shipped it the second the jealousy hit).

And Oh. My. Goodness. Buck is actually dead. His heart literally stopped beating. I know he's not going to stay that way, but for now, as of the end of this episode, Buck is dead. He's in the back of the vehicle, surrounded by firefighters, with a stopped heart. It's madness. I cannot imagine how people watching it live must have felt, to have to wait an entire week before finding out what happened. Luckily for me, I will be watching the conclusion as soon as I post this, but it's such an evil, insane decision to make - and it's perfect.

The final, final thing I want to talk about is the very last image. The helmet. They decided to reveal that Buck's heart had stopped, drive away and then leave you with nothing but his fallen helmet, lying in the rain, with a flash of lightning illuminating the scene. Cinematically alone, it's an incredible shot. But speaking purely about its emotional impact on the viewer, it's such a powerful decision. It really drives the stake deeper into the heart. The person who directed and planned that shot is an evil genius and should be recognised as such.

This ended up being much longer than I intended, but I want to add on my final thoughts, even though I doubt anyone will read them.

I absolutely loved this. The episode before the ending had been good, but nothing special and I didn't exactly love the attempted redemption of the Han and Buckley parents (I despise them both for what they did to my beloved characters). But the ending sequence immediately shot it from a 7/10 episode to a 9/10. I enjoyed it so much, both as a fan of the show and as a fan of cinematography in general. I also mentioned before that Buck is my favourite character. Whenever Buck is in pain - whether physical, mental or emotional - it always has the greatest impact on me. So of course, the scenes where he is in pain are my favourites! That might be why I love Survivors so much, because it goes really in depth into his self worth issues and self sacrificial tendencies. So I will be needing many more episodes with scenes like this, please and thank you. Happening to literally any character.

[dalniente]

Is it worth watching Megamind rules? I know I’m not the target, but I’m curious yet also really really nervous. I know it’s for a younger audience but I’m still very on the fence and nervous. Also, love your writing

Omg, thank you, and thank you also for asking and yes yes yes 100% it's worth watching! It got crapped on by a bunch of people who decided based on the trailer alone that it was going to suck (how fun, a movie about a guy who everyone decided would be bad despite not knowing him got a spinoff show that...everyone decided would be bad despite not watching it, lol), so there's a lot of hate out there for it. I'm assuming you've caught wind of some of that, and that's why you're nervous? But for what it's worth, I was staring at the screen like :D basically the whole time.

Some more specific notes below the cut, but the tl;dr is please do give it a chance, if you can find the time. A G-rated direct-to-stream spinoff show wasn't what a lot of people were hoping for, and there were some folks who watched it and didn't care for it. But from a writing and storytelling standpoint, I think it is genuinely good! If you go in expecting a cute kids' show with some silly jokes and social misfits finding their way forward together, and keep an open mind, I don't think you'll be disappointed-- in fact I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

Just a gentle heads-up on some stuff because I'm not sure what you've heard about the show yet, and I'm also not sure what your existing expectations are!

The show was given a shoestring budget and not a lot of time to go from writers' room to final product, and yes, there are places where you can tell. But that was always going to be the case-- Dreamworks was absolutely not going to be spending big bucks on a franchise they've barely even acknowledged in more than a decade-- and it wasn't the fault of the people making the show. And even with the low budget, I think the animation is still genuinely solid, especially in later episodes! The people who worked on it really did a great job with what they were given.

And the writing!!! Holy shit!!! My skin is clear my crops are watered etc. The original writers handled this project and they absolutely delivered. Megamind & Roxanne's whole Thing progresses and grows and blooms in a really sweet and realistic way. Roxanne & Chum have a great dynamic. (Minion's name needed to be changed for legal reasons, but the writers worked that into the show and I gotta say, as a trans person, it was really lovely to see everyone else respond to "actually, because of [spoiler], my name is Chum now" with "oh! cool okay" and just keep rolling. I love that that was modeled for kids.) The character development is tangible; we get to watch Megamind really grow as a person and come into his own over the course of the series. And the new characters are really fun-- I genuinely enjoyed Keiko and everyone else.

Even if you never watch it (it's OK if you don't!) please just know: this was not a cash grab; Megamind Rules was made by people who truly cared about this world and these characters.

It's also worth noting that Megamind Versus the Doom Syndicate (the extended pilot) recaps a bunch of the same lessons as the original movie, so it can feel a little bit "...didn't we JUST do this??" but I'm pretty sure that was because Dreamworks didn't want to rely on kids to watch a 13 year old movie rated PG instead of G in order to get context. So like, I get it. And it's still cute! But it did mean I was nervous about what the rest of the series would be like until I was laughing my ass off halfway through Episode 2. If you're nervous, you can probably skip MMVtDS.

But yeah. I truly do think Megamind Rules is worth watching, and I've been so sad about the reception it received. Thank you so much for asking about it, and not just deciding it sucks and moving on. I appreciate you.