#only hsi family can bring that out in him now

[selfshippinglover]

Afterglow and ME! with Rick?

Wahh more anons attack! Yeahh let's keep this train going baybeee <3 Thank yoou :)

Afterglow:Do you and your f/o fight often? How do you and your f/o apologize to each other? Who apologizes first?

Rick is uhhh, an emotionally volatile person so fighting is inevitable unfortunately. Though it's something I accepted as a part of the Rick package deal, it's still quite rough and I end up hurt and worried most of the time. That said, I'm first to apologize 3/4ths of the time because of this. He's really petty about shit and can hold a grudge eternally so he only really steps up when drunk or very emotional.(which usually happen to be at the same time ,dsgkjbgbkjds)

I apologize in words and actions if he'll accept them while he mostly apologizes with actions. Letting me lead an adventure, picking up merchandise I've really wanted, books, a day at blitz and chips, whatever he can at three time. (so like, three days at earliest afterwards)

ME!:What do you love the most about your f/o? What do they love the most about you?

Wow, the most? And only one thing? If it's really only down to that then I gotta go with his commitment to fixing shit and/or doing the right thing when it's actually there. Like, if Rick wants something to happen it will no matter what the cost. I admire the lengths he'll go to make people like Morty and Summer happy :)

Rick would never admit to this but he's actually really happy with and even jealous of my commitment to the world and putting good into it. Like, he grew out of his "hero phase" as he calls it years ago, gets shit on for doing the right thing constantly, and struggles with finding anything to feel good about in the universe in general. But then here I am still doing as much good as I can no matter what the universe and its beings may retaliate with. He wishes he could feel that hopeful again. (second would be emotional openess which he's also jealous of lowkey)

[quitealotofsodapop]

So in DMs for my pilgrim time warp I we discussed courtnapping and I had an idea that in aus where Wukong isn't on good terms with Macaque and not currently pregnant (probably soft (not slow) boiled, drafted fates, etc.) by the end of s3, he and Macaque don't get together easily. In fact their courtship is quite tumultuous.

After the battle with Lady Bone Demon, Wukong is utterly exhausted and hurt and filthy! He wants nothing more than to jsut sleep the next two weeks away and not worry about anything. So he does exactly that! He calls off training to give MK time to recuperate and just let everyone get their lives back in order, and makes plans to just relax and sleep. He'd been holding on through sheer determination and adrenaline to prevent MK from noticing just how badly hurt he still was and how badly his possession by LBD had effected him. So he basically crashed out the moment everyone left his island and he finally got to sit on his couch. Only problem is, when MK comes by after hsi two week break, Wukong isn't there.

Because he's been courtnapped.

When Wukong wakes up, freshly bathed and injuries tended to, it's to fresh, clean silken sheets in a bed he hasn't been slept in for over a thousand years. His bedroom in the now abandoned and forgotten Stone Palace, the original one from the book. After Macaque's first death he couldn't bring himself to live in the same palace and sleep in same marital nest he once shared with his beloved anymore, so he'd had his subjects build him a smaller hut on a cliffside to live in. The house he now lives in.

And while he's groggily trying to figure iut exactly how an why he is there, sthis bedside was Macaque, resting a hand against his cheek as he leaned over him, looking entirely too pleased with himself. Apparently a good chunk of his previous fights with Wukong had been half out of revenge and half courtnapping attempt, he'd finally gotten an opening to catch his snatched bride by simply waiting for Wukong to finally pass out from his ordeal with LBD. This was actually something that had been a thing all the way back to his debut episode, the seal he had placed in MK's jacket hadn't just been to siphon MK's powers. It was a tracker, because when Macaque was first revived the first place he looked had been the Stone Palace he and Wukong had once lived in only to be unable to find him there. The barrier in the waterfall curtain would block his hearing whenever he tried to use his ears to find him. So he was left with the only known connection Wukong had left in the modern day. A fresh, naive young student desperate to prove himself.

At the time he hadn't known WHAT he wanted with Wukong, whether it be to kill him (which he knows is impossible) or to take him back. He gets his answer when he sees Wukong again in person for the first time. Both. He wants both to kick Wukong's ass for killing him and to get his mate and husband back. And he almost did then too, but he'd gotten distracted by MK. And he'd inadvertently activated Wukong's parental instinct by threatening MK.

The fight on the airship was something similar, except MK and Mei had both intervened, and LBD was a threat. Same as the fight in the desert, where Wukong was unresponsive due to deep meditation only to be separated, and Macaque had found MK before he found Wukong. After that point fear fir LBD had overwritten the courtnapping attempts.

But now that the main threat is over and Macaque is finally free, he's able to focus entirely on his scheming and getting his husband back.

With courtnappings, there is traditionally a trial period before it's considered official in any capacity. After all, no matter who you are, being randomly stolen away from your friends and family can be frightening. So a month or two is generally set aside for the potential bride to get to know their new groom, this is also a very chaotic time in the courting because this is the time for the demon who stole their bride to then prove their strength to them by not only protecting them, but to be able to hold on to them and prevent them from being either stolen but rival suitors or being able to escape themselves. So a lot of fighting is expected among demon couples. If the match just simply doesn't work out after the trial period, the bride is free to call it off at any moment and the demon would be duty bound to obey their request, failure to do so is to lose honor and respect from all their kind.

So needless to say Macaque is fully prepared for Wukong to spend the first week fighting with him over every little thing and constantly making escape attempts. After that he begins to begrudgingly settle down because he, unfortunately, is still too weak from the LBD to be able to properly fight back. It's about then Macaque is also able to properly make his intentions known, which passes Wukong off to no end, an expected thing when a powerful demon ends up courtnapped as it can sting their pride to be considered the 'wife' of a suitor. Macaque takes great advantage to Wukong being touch starved and jsut overall weak to affection to spoil and groom him over the next few weeks in an attempt to woo him. Wukong is embarrassed to admit that he only needed approximately a month and a half to accept his former mate back into his life, and begrudgingly accepts his courtship. When they finally return to the hut, it's to a worried MK, an angry Pigsy, and a lot of people thinking Wukong broke his promise again only for Pigsy to notice that A) Wukong looked a lot healthier than he'd ever seen him and B) Macaque was smugly hovering near him and Wukong wasn't pushing him away. He quickly puts two and two together.

Pigsy: Courtnapping?

Wukong, grumbling: I'm embarrassed to admit it.

That feel when Demons are a whole race of tsunderes XD

Post-S3 Macaque realising that LBD's defeat is the perfect opportunity to re-courtnap his mate and reinstate his place as Wukong's doting spouse;

Wukong: "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Macaque: "Don't know. Somewhere where I can do a bit of scheming, probably."

It sort of becomes a Beauty and the Beast situation at the Stone Palace, even tho it's Wukong's own darn palace that he hasn't cleaned in ages.

I just love the idea of Macaque deciding that the best revenge is making Wukong remember why he missed him all those centuries.

And also have it be publically known that the feared Sun Wukong is the one being courted/wooed. Some demons (especially former humans) find it near scandalous that the Six Eared Macaque is the one "wearing the pants" in the courtship! XD

Also come S4; you now have a furious husband monkey chasing down the Brotherhood for stealing his mate from their nest!

I adore this concept. It has so much room for some tasty scenarios and standalone fics X3

[b0y-wh0r3]

welcome to my yapping sesh, i’m just a guy in the internet snd i’m making shit up so don’t take anything i say too seriously

‼️SPOILERS OF WIEGE‼️

it’s not much but i’ll keep updating during the day!! This is just 2 minutes of the four❗️SORRY 4 THE QUALITY TOO, TUMBLR IS FUCKING ME UP (didn’t proofread it either srry)

CAN I START BY SAYING MIZI HASN’T EVEN FINISHES PROCESSING TILL’S DEATH AND HYUNA DIES BEHIND HER?? SHE’S GONNA TURN AROUND AND HYUNA WILL BE BLEEDING OUT AND IN THE ARMS OF THAT FUCKING TWINK (i love luka)

ALRIGHT, at the very beginning we hear Luka panting, which is something that really hits when you remember he has been taught to control his breathing snd heartbeat since he was a child, and seeing Hyuna makes him loose control of his breathing because of his excitement. To this, we can add the fact that the cheering of the crowd goes away pretty quickly snd all we can hear is his breathing as we are shown Hyuna being covered.

To me, this shows that Luka doesn’t care about the crowd or about discipline more than he cares about Hyuna.

(btw this is one of the very few times we see Luka with wide open eyes i think(WHICH MAKES HIM LOOK INNOCENT AND CHILDISH)) i’m resching w this srry

this mf too happy pmo/hj

next scene, we see Luka in the lab (? where him and hsi clones were created, his instincts seem to have kicked in after realizing the only way of being the one getting out alive is being the only one left. He also damaged the cryopods.

ALSO i think he knew he if he didn't do this he wouldn't be picked as the one to get out, i mean, would you choose the clone that has asthma and a congenital heart disease or would you try to keep perfectioning the clones? He had no chance if it wasn't for what he did.

The scene where Mizi and Hyuna are talking it's most likely hyuna trying to comfort Mizi, who yells at her and tells her she lost her everything, her god, her universe (MY SHAYLAAAAAAAAA😭😭😭 bring sua back i'm begging).

Before we see Mizi we see Hyun-woo, him smiling while blood drips down his face, i think it's obvious the fact that seeing someone grieve for a loved one brings back the memories and feelings she has of her own loss, of how she lost her brother, her universe. Hyun-woo was her closest friend and the only family she had, in most clips we see of her as a kid, her brother is by her side.

It's interesting seeing the different types of love ALSNT shows and how they represent them with each duo/group, we can see two forms of honest love directed to Hyuna: a chlidish siblings bond and an obsessed primal love coming from trauma and genuine love.

now,,,, this right here

THIS

that destroyed me, do you wanna know what a white butterfly means in korea?

get me out bro

now, Luka during his training needs to regulate both his heartrate, him looking to the side before it cuts to a scene in which he's admiring Hyuna's poster comfirms the fact that Luka thinks of Hyuna and their memories during his trainings to help his heart rate, that along with the training that Heperu put him through to overcome his fear.

NOW TO THE SCENE WITH MY DARLINGS

i'm crying look at them,,,,,,, i don't really have much to add since everything has already been said and explained a thousand times better than i ever could explain it on twt therads or other tumblr posts, so just look at the dead gang <3

tumblr is turning the screen into dust what is that quality</3

there are two main points I wanna talk about in this scene.

Everytime we see Anakt Garden from Luka's perpesctive th ecorners enhance, we can distinctively see the fake walls and prominent shadows, that along with more muted colors than what the other kids see (from what i can see from their povs, thr other sometimes show corners but they are not as noticeable as they are in Luka's pov)

Luka isn't trying to comfort Hyuna, he's like dog looking for it's owner ttention. He leans againts her, nuzzling against her back with a calm expression and smile, he isn't under distress nor guilt nor any other intense emotion, since his collar is green while Hyuna's is red. He sees Hyunwoo's death as win since killing has got him the "privilage" of living, so why would it be different when it comes to Hyuna's attention, no?

I think it's worth reminding that Luka's fingers turned purple after killing Hyunwoo, which makes sense when we take into account that one of the causes of Raynaud's syndrome is emotional distress.

[q-ueen-potato]

Fidds: Hey, darlin'...

Stan: *teeth clicking*

Fidds: That bruise looks a bit bad, would you let me treat it, Stanley?

Stan:

Fidds: Okay - can I take these off? I can't get at your cheek with your hands over your head

Stan:

Fidds: Thank you, darlin'. Now lemme just--

Ford: *bursts in* Fiddleford, you're way too close--!

Stan: *snarls and starts lashing out*

Fidds: He was fine!

Ford: I don't know what you think Stanley is but he's not coherent enough for you to - you took his wrist restraints off??? Do you want to be scratched???

Fidds: He was fine, Ford! Until you came in loud enough to wake the dead.

Ford: Fiddleford I don't know what happened between you and my brother but that creature is not him.

Fidds: it is! Just because saying he's not will help you sleep at night--

Ford: No! Stanley isn't in control of his actions and cannot communicate, he is not the person you knew and treating that thing as if it wouldn't eat you if it was hungry and able will only get you hurt, Fiddleford.

Fidds: a thing? That's what you ....he id your brother, your brother that is sick...that sacrificed hsi own sanity in the hopes to bring you back. He left his pod just with the hopes he could get you back and then here are you...not wanting to do the same for him...no...you want study him

Ford: his...pod

Fidds: yes...his family

[armaans]

꙰

armaan yronwood caught her shove with all the force of his own fury, his hands locking around her wrists in a crushing grip. he yanked her closer, the space between them vanishing as he shook her hard, his strength undeniable and deliberate. his voice came like the lash of a whip, cutting and venomous. “what the fuck do you think you are doing?” his fingers dug into her flesh, his breath hot with rage. “all this talk of what you’ll do, how you’ll fix it. but what do you do? scream, shove, and think that makes you my equal?” it had started as a jest, as a method of trying to further light the splint that was halima.

and yet, here they were. screaming at one another, entangled in this web of toxicity and permanent dependence; all because in her anger, his pride had been wounded by her words. it was always enough to make him see red, and now a taunt had suddenly become all too serious...too suddenly. too quickly. out of control. both of their tempers, the result of being unchecked without a trusted adult in their early lives, had resulted in this volcano. two pools of lava forever joined.

his dark eyes burned with an obsessive heat, his face inches from hers, his voice softer but no less dangerous. he laughed as he looked at her, knowing it would only make her angrier. no doubt she would bring her hands upon him with full force, screaming; blood could be spilled. there was a time she even broke hsi nose. “you think you can fix this your way? don’t make me laugh. you’re here to hold the pieces together because i allow it. because i trust you more than the rest of these snakes. but don’t mistake trust for indulgence. you’re not irreplaceable.”

“i speak as your better. i speak about yronwood, about my fucking son who you too will one day lower you gaze before. about the legacy you swore to protect when i put you in that seat.” his grip tightened, his words coming in a low growl. “you’ll marry who i say, when i say, and you’ll do it with your head held high, or i’ll drag you to the altar myself.”

he released her wrists with a shove, stepping back just enough to tower over her, his voice still dripping with scorn. “fix your attitude before i return and don’t forget who keeps you in that chair. remember why i let you live. why i chose you.” why you picked me. why you pointed me toward the others in our family the night that seemed to never end. the night i came back to collect you, once the blood had been washed from our hands and our cousins were dead in the courtyard. all the things that did not need to be said, for they swam and sunk and haunted them every moment it could. it made them who they were.

he was calm, measured as he stepped around the table and dared her with a look to escalate this, to hit him, to claw at his skin until she drew blood. she entertained those thoughts for a minute, nails biting half-moons into the flesh of her own palms. her own demeanour was the near opposite, her anger an exposed nerve that for some reason begged to be pressed upon. to hurt, and know why it was it hurt. when it came to him, she was always poised upon the brink, and every time, she would take that leap, knowing that if she did not, he would push her anyway.

"wealth and no spine," she echoed, and it was all she could do not to spit on the floor. "use your brain. what good is their wealth to me, armaan? what use is their name?" and she stepped closer, closing the space he seemed so eager to command. "and if i die split open on the birthing bed, who would own them then? do not delude yourself into thinking they'd raise my children to be loyal to yronwood, rather than heirs to challenge yours, unless you dashed their brains across the kingsgrave courtyard."

she was shouting no more, her voice dropping to a near whisper, but they were no softer, still hard enough to cut like steel, but under them was something else, a meaning she knew he would catch, and a wound she would never fully expose. "that you would take that risk for a bit of coin that you'd have anyway is not strength. it's desperation."

her gaze lingered on him for a second, and then she placed hands upon his chest, shoving him with all the strength she could muster. she hated him in that moment, and she hated herself more. she would mould herself into any shape he needed her to be, but not that. halima knew what she was, and it was not someone's wife.

"do you think i want to burn it all? that i'd take joy in it? no. i do what needs to be done, because somebody has to." in truth, she did not know what would bring her joy, anymore. that was a feeling she had bid goodbye to a long time ago. how much of halima was left, and how much had been blighted beyond recognition by the rage that she nursed inside her, she couldn't truly say.

"then i'll fix it my way." no matter how hard he pushed her, how he toyed with her, she would not break. he may have found satisfaction in that, too, in watching her crack, splinter at the seams, go out in a blaze of glory, and that, she would stubbornly deny him. "it will not be an issue by the time you return. but, if the gods are merciful, the dragons will do my job for me." the look she gave him was pointed. whether by valyrian steel or dornish blade, who would question a casualty of war.

"go to your front lines." the faintest flicker of a smile crossed her lips, a bitter thing. "do what you must. but don't forget who it is you're leaving behind to hold the rest of it together."

[stray-kids-react]

Shy s/o doesn't think they deserve them

Masterlist

...

Bang Chan

° He loved your shy personality, he just wanted to cuddle and praise you all day long. Even though you are a naturally soft person, that also comes with a lot of insecurities.

° Your boyfriend is a hot aussie leader with a heart of gold who fans call daddy, you can't but feel that you don't deserve such a God like boyfriend. And he can see it bothers you.

° Chan is a sweet heart who will check in on you as often as he can even with his busy schedule, he knows having an idol boyfriend can be stressful and he wants to comfort you.

° Felix was baking brownies, which you usually helped him out with even if it is just to cheer him on as he does his thing. But both of the aussies noticed your missing presence.

° Chan waltzed up to his studio, where you often hung around when you were at the dorms. Once he walked inside he noticed your figure curled up in a chair.

° You were scrolling through some messages that were sent to you via Instagram. None of the messages were pleasant, and Chan's heart broke as he read the truly gruesome ones.

"Maybe they are right. Maybe I don't deserve you." you sighed, slumping back.

"Don't say that, you are a beautiful person inside and out who I couldn't survive without." He reassured, taking your phone away as he cuddled into you.

Lee Know

° Minho always liked you since you first met during the shoot of hellevator. He was pretty obvious with his fondness of you, but you never believed that he could like you.

° Later on once you began dating, he soon realized how low your self confidence truly was. So he made a promise to himself to try and increase it as much as he can.

° Many fans would threaten you for 'taking Minho away', but Minho would shred the letters before you could see how many there truly were. He knew it would hurt you.

° Minho is very affectionate towards you and likes to show you his love through touch. Whenever you seem down, he will cover your face in small pecks until you begin to smile.

° Has seen how come fans and staff treat you, pushing you around and telling you that you aren't worth his time. Minho took it into his own hands and protected you from them.

° He doesn't like seeing you upset or feel like a burden to him, especially since you are so special to him. Minho asked Chan and JYP if he could take at least a week off, they said yes.

"You didn't have to take a week off just for me, I am okay with your schedule." You explained, ruffling his hair.

"I know you're okay with it, but I needed to get away just for a while. And I miss you everytime you're not with me." He replied, gently placing a kiss to your head.

Changbin

° Will do anything to make you see for at least a second how important you truly are to him, he usually sends you hearts and does an adorable aegyo voice when talking to you.

° When you first began to hang out, you were very distant and almost never said a word. Changbin wanted to get to know you, so he constantly made efforts to befriend you.

° Once you opened up you Changbin, he noticed how self conscious and self critical you were of yourself. His confusion as to why you hate yourself only grew stronger.

° Every morning when you both get out of the shower, he will stand you in front of the mirror and poke every feature on your body saying that it is gorgeous and perfect.

° Likes knowing that you feel comfortable around him and that you have him to go to when you are feeling down. He wants to always be there for you and support you.

° Won't admit it to you, but he once teared up while you were asleep because he picked up a hate letter that was directed at you and he was worried that you read it.

"Your eyes, stunning. Your tummy, adorable. Your ears, cute. Your lips, kiss able. Your butt, squishy. Your shoulders, gorgeous..."

"Binnie you have five minutes before dance practice, you should really get going now."

Hyunjin

° Hyunjin is known to be a visual God in all of kpop, even though he is also VERY talented. Many people have a crush on Hyunjin, and you happened to be one of the many.

° His personality was addictive to be around, his looks were God like, and his talent was insane. Thus making it harder and harder for you to see how much he truly adored you.

° You saw yourself on totally different levels, you alwere at a ten while he was in the thousands. Your thoughts always doubting a scenario where you two would date.

° Assuming Hyunjin was just being nice to you, it became very hard for Hyunjin to clue you into that fact that he liked you. Everyone knew this except for you it seemed.

° Jisung, being a close friend to both Hyunjin and yourself. Took it upon himself to try and arrange a way for you to not be so self critical and completely oblivious.

° The next afternoon, you walked into the dance practice room which was now turned into a full on romantic dining area. Shocked as you saw Hyunjin with a rose in his hand.

"Is this for me? It can't be... There must be some sort of mistake or-"

"No mistakes, I've liked you for a while and thought I was being obvious enough. But Jisung told me that I should simply confess."

Han

° You and Jisung have been dating for a while, and you watched proudly as Stray Kids gained more and more popularity as they deserved, since they are talented kings.

° The hate comments sent towards you, and the jealous fans or occasionally staff members and idols. Those never used to bother you, but they became more frequent.

° This slowly picked away at your already small amount of confidence, over thinking everything you do or ever did. And Jisung began to notice your distressed state.

° After a performance he went up to you back stage and leaned in for a kiss, when you barely responded to it and looked around the room nervously, his heart twisted sadly.

° Jisung took you to an unoccupied dressing room, and locked the door behind you. He cupped your cheeks gently as he rested his head against yours. A small sigh escaping him.

° You felt all of the built up sadness and anger rise out of you, as tears slowly sprinkled down your cheeks. Your hands clinging onto his back as he embraced you.

"Shh shh shh, it's okay. Just let it all out, it'll be okay. I'm here for you, you know that."

"I'm sorry, I just felt like I don't deserve you and I shouldn't have been so distant, their words just really hurt."

Felix

° Felix knew it was going to be a bumpy ride seeing as he is under a huge company and his band is very popular, but he was willing to go through all of that with you.

° You and Felix were best friends before you started dating, he knew you were shy and quite distant when it came to people. He started to find it cute after a couple years.

° JYP himself has criticised you for interfering with his idols's lives. Even though you didn't interfere and honestly helped Felix calm down throughout the schedules.

° Felix was disappointed by some fo the fan's toxic behavior towards you, knowing that those types of comments will stick with you for quite sometime. You made him happy and he wished others would see that.

° The other members and artists under JYP saw you as part of the big jyp family, but even their support couldn't stop the sadness that brewed as more hate letters were sent.

° You didn't want to stress your already overworked boyfriend, so you tried to find a quiet spot to cry in. But Felix knew you too well, and knew where you would hide.

"I'm okay Lix, I don't want to stress you out since your already on a hectic schedule today. I'll be fine I swear."

"I won't leave until I know for a fact that you are okay, the practice can wait. You need me right now and I'm going to be here for you."

Seungmin

(He looks so cute! I couldn't help myself lol)

° You were also a beloved idol, and many eoopel actually found your relationship with Seungmin quite adorable. You felt lucky that there wasn't so much hate directed at you.

° Even though you both seemed to have it easy compared to other idol couples, you couldn't help but feel insecure when Seungmin treated you like a queen/king.

° Many fans of yours knew that off stage you are an adorable shy bean, but no one except for Seungmin knew why you would become so shy and distant towards others.

° Your shyness came from extreme anxiety and self image issues. You never had much confidence, and Seungmin made many goals to try and bring your confidence up.

° One day after a hard performance, you sat in front of your dressing room mirror and let your tears slide down your cheeks silently. Letting your anxiety take over everything.

° Seungmin walked in with a box of celebration cupcakes, only to have hsi smile fade once he saw the tears rushing down your features. He felt his heart sink.

"I'm sorry Seungmin. It's stupid really, but I just don't feel like I deserve you."

"Y/n, we are perfect for each other. I spoil you with love and affection because you always make me feel special and loved."

Jeongin

° You knew how beloved Jeongin was, by fans, members, idols, netizens, family... Everyone. This sent a large amount of pressure towards you once you began dating.

°Jeongin loved your quiet and calm personality, it was a nice break from the loud JYP building and Stray Kids dorms. Your shyness is what attracted him to you.

° He liked cuddling with you in your apartment, talking about nothing and everything as a random movie played in the background. It was his favorite place to be.

° You both were open with anything that was bothering you and never let something stir inside of you for too long. He wanted to be your safe haven for when you need one.

° One weekend when he was staying at your place, he noticed you seemed more quiet than usual and asked you what was bothering you. Since something clearly was.

° You snuggled into his chest as you clung onto him tighter, sighing in defeat knowing you will have to admit your feelings even though you think they seem silly.

" I feel like I don't deserve you. I mean, you are Yang Jeongin a literal angel."

"You deserve the universe and everything in it, I love you and only you. Don't put yourself down, remember how much I care about you."

[zuffer-weird-girl]

Dabi is a todoroki theory btw!

Dabi when he cant dye his hair in quarantine and his roots start to come out? And his s/o who didnt know he dyed his hair seeing it?

7 months since the lockdown was established. 7 months of being carefull with your own health. 7 months since your boyfriend had just decided to proclaim your apartment as his own.

You knew about Dabi's life style and "job". After all, is all plastered on the news, journals and internet about the rank B villain. Yet you didn't care. You loved him ... even despite him being a ass.

"Dabi!" You moaned, slamming the fridge closed "Dont leave just a freacking bit of milk on the carton!" You shouted, prefering to not hear the laugh coming from the bathroom of your apartment.

"Asshole..." you mumbled while sitting on the couch as your boyfriend got out of the shower, shaking his head similiar to a dog with only a towel covering his waist... You couldn't help but look.

Turquoise eyes suddenly locked with yours and you felt yourself grow hot immediately in embarrassment at being caught staring at him. He smirked devilish at your flustered persona.

"Like what ya see dollface?" For good measure he opened one of his arms, drops of water clinging on his scarred and healthy skin; one hand still holding onto the towel to not reveal his package.

This could wait until a bit.

"Nothing that I never saw before." You snorted as you heard Dabi's laugh, entering on the bedroom.

"Yet you're still anxious about sucking and grabbing onto it."

"DABI!" you yelled, his laughter echoing in the apartment as you groaned in your hands. Feeling the couch shift and him supporting his chin on your shoulder.

He had the same smirk as always when you poked your eyes out, rolling your eyes at him.

"You're a jerk." He snorted before kissing your temple.

"You paid for this when you accepted dating this jerk." He trailed his kisses down to you ear, his wet and indigo hair brushing on your skin as your lips broke on a smile at the treatment he was giving to you.

Tsking, you picked the remote and shoved his face away playfully as he grumbled.

"What do you want to watch? Maybe I can do some popcorn for us as well." You mused as he let out a shrug and laid his head on your lap.

"Anything is good doll. Your choice." He said nonchantly, dropping his head on your lap, crossing his arms behind his head you scoffed playfully.

"So now my thighs are pillows for your lazy ass?" You arched one eyebrow up but with a smile present as he opened one of his eyes. Stoic face present.

"I rather be between them rather them on top but hey, they are good pillows though." He let out a monotomous "ouch" when you flipped his head before chuckling lowly, grabbing your hand on his to bring to his half scarred and health lips to give a kiss on your knuckle.

"Flirting to get yourself out huh?" You smiled, bringing his hand to your cheek as he carresed it with his thumb.

"It works, doesn't it?"

He turned his head on your lap as soon as he heard some documentary about Stain's on. You only chuckled at how interested he was towards the ex vigilante and villain, combing your finger through his semi wet indigo hair.

You didn't payed much attention to the T.v as you untangled some knots on his hair... he hummed in silent apreciation at your attics, closing his eyes just for a bit before he opened them again, sorta, to get back to watching.

While traveling your fingers through his indigo hair, you furrowed your eyebrows at seing some... red (or white I dunno your choice) roots. You let out a confused sound as you started to notice more roots that differ from the pitch black color of his hair.

"You're acting like a monkey doll." His gruff and scratchy voice grumbled, just sounding like he was on the verge of sleep.

"Is just... Dabs?" You poked his shoulder before he grumpily turned his body to look up at you.

"Eh..?"

"You... have red(white) hair naturally?" You pulled gently as he widened his eyes, his staples tugging at his skin "You dye your hair since when?" You giggled at him as his adam apple trembled yet body never moving from his tense state.

"Dabi?" You asked, playfull side gone as you saw his distress state as he rubbed the back of his head while getting up to go to see himself on the mirror.

"Dabi!" You got up and followed him to see him tugging on his hair, hateful glare towards the roots on his hair and with his free hand started to search for something.

"Hey!" You grabbed his wrist and he snarled at you before he relaxed just a bit at seing your worried state "Dabi... What's wrong?"

An uncomfortable silence got on the bathroom as he looked away from your face, stoic as usual... You sighed, letting go of his wrist to cup his damaged cheek.

"You know what? Never mind." You spoke gently, making his blue eyes go back to yours in doubt "You dont need to talk about it if you don't want to."

His fingers clenched on yours as he let out a heavy sigh. Looking at you with sorrow.

"... I cant hide this from you forever..." you furrowed your eyebrows as he lead you to your guys bedroom... talking about the whole thing.

To say you were horrified was a understatement. When he finished he had his arms crossed while leaning on the doorframe as you stood sitted on the end of the bed with your jaw open.

"... so?" He suddenly spoke "Say something... anything. Hell yell and get out even."

You got up and his muscles tensed... yet he wasn't prepared for the impact he was hit with as his met the floor. His torso being wrapped up in your arms as your face burried in his neck.

"How could he..?" Was your broken whisper as the embrace you had on him tighten.

His eyes were wide as his lips were parted in shock. His arms stood awkwardly in the air before lowering them and putting his chin on your shoulder, still in shock.

Despite him being a villain, having a even darker past than you imagined and with a fucked up family... you were still embracing him tightly.

"I could handle on my own at least..." came his hoarse and forced chuckled before he felt you shift to look up at him.

"Dabi you handled this in the past but not anymore okay? You may be an asshole-" he grumbled before you cupped hsi cheek to make him look properly at you "But you're the asshole I fell in love with. You're my boyfriend. And for me, you dont need to be perfect... because you are already for me. With all the flaws, destructive quirk... who cares? You're Dabi... My Dabi."

My... that word ringed on his head as he stared in awe down at you before tilting his head down at you with a serene smile.

"Which stupid movie you got that from (Y/n)?"

"You.. YOU JERK!" You shoved his face as he let out a laugh "EVEN AFTER ALL OF THIS YOU STILL ACT LIKE A DAMN JERK!" you shouted even more as his arms wrapped around you even as you squirmed on him, the bastard still laughing.

"Cmon doll~" he manage between chuckles as you tried to push him away.

"Oh no no no! Get off of me bastard! You ruined the mood!" A smile started to creep on your lips since Dabi's laughter always made sure you at least giggled along with him, didn't matter what.

He rested his forehead on your shoulders, still letting out a few chuckles as his arms holded you close by the waist, bodies almost glued to each other.

"I love you dammit." He chuckled as you froze, eyes widening as he still chuckled and embrace never broken.

You looked at his indigo hair, roots present as always as you softened your gaze at your boyfriend. Arms coming up to hug him finally back.

"I love you more..."

Toya.

[scvrllet]

hi, can i request a headcanon for dating five from tua? ty <3

warning(a): fighting, mentions of alcohol

The biggest little shit ever

Snarky remarks and sarcasm are just how he talks after growing up with his siblings and old habits die hard so good luck

But on a real note, he can be sweet and a big softie when he wants be 

I mean c’mon, he was stuck in the apocalyptic future for years before getting recruited by the Commission. He had to build up that cold demeanor so something its hard to let hsi guard down and allow himself to be vulnerable 

It takes some time for him to fully open up to you at first and you can’t really blame him to be honest

But if you’re persistent and patient, he will allow himself to be vulnerable whenever he’s around you. It just takes some time

This doesn’t mean he’s can’t be an ass at times. Oh my god I wouldn’t be surprised if you hit him (playfully of course)

Despite being an old little shit, he’s still very fun to be around when he isn’t so focused on saving you and his family or getting hunted down by the Commission

Speaking of which, he had insisted on getting the relationship as private as possible. This extended to his siblings though he wasn’t as he good as hiding it. Thankfully, they never mentioned it and knew that he would tell them when they were ready

You didn’t understand why until you followed him one night, walking close behind him as he entered an abandoned warehouse with a women with silver hair. She closed the door behind her and you were going to step further until you felt a cool blade pressed up agaisnt your neck

“Take one more step and your blood will be on the ground.” The person whispered dangerously close to your ear. 

You closed your eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Your body relaxed and the person lowered the blade giving you enough time to grab hold of their arm and flip them onto their back. Caught off guard with the wind knocked out of them, you were able to see who your attacker was. Tanned skin, short hair cut just before her shoulders with bangs framing her face. ‘A good enough description to report to the police later on.’ You thought to yourself before pulling up your sleeves seeing as she was getting ready to fight back

Before you could take another step forward, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around you from behind and the women with silver hair form before came to aid your attacker 

“You’ve got yourself a fighter Five.” The silver haired women said as you struggled in Five’s hold

“Who the hell are you?” You asked harshly, your anger only increasing when she chuckled and ignored your question

“Feisty as well. You’d do well in the Commission, I wonder why your boyfriend never seemed to introduced me to you.” The women said and looked at Five amusingly before turning to your attacker and leaving

“Five let me go!” 

Instead of listening to you, he used his power to bring you somewhere else before finally letting go. He mirrored your glare and the two of you continued doing so until he decided to speak

“What the hell was that for? You could’ve been killed but now thinking about it, that would’ve been much better than the mess you just got us into!” His words made you confused but not enough for you to stop be mad at him

“I wanted to know where you’ve been going lately, is that so bad? You were becoming distant again and I was scared. I never know what's going to happen whenever I’m with you Five, I just needed to confirm that my thoughts weren’t right.” Your voice became softer and softer until it was barely a whisper

The tension in the air loosened as the two of you stood before each other. Neither not knowing what to say and hoping that the other would talk

“I’ve told you everything already. From the Apocalypses to where we are know but what I didn’t was that I was hired as an assassins for a few years.” He said, avoiding your gaze as he looked down at the ground. “That women you spoke to back there, was my boss. She made me a killer.” 

“And the girl who held a knife to my throat?” 

“Her daughter, Adoptive daughter.” 

Silence followed after as the two of you tried to figure out what to say. It felt like hours before you decided to ask. “So what’s the plan?”

Five looked at you, tilting his head to the side wondering you had meant by ‘plan’

“Well she now knows about me, and my skills I guess. What’s the plan going to be? Surely you’re not just going to let it slide.” You continued and Five smiled at how well you knew him

“Let’s get some drinks first, then we can discuss this.”

“You always want drinks.”

“I’m sorry who always ends up drunk by the time 1 am rolls around?”

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[usopp-writes]

This is the true family

This is inspired from this prompt by @writing-prompt-s

It had been years since he left his home village and build himself a home deep in the forest, living of said forest. The first few years he'd been content and lived peacefully. Then one day, when he was on a hunt, he spotted a kid walking aimless around, crying. Putting his riffel away - there was no point in keeping it off safety, since the kid had probably scared off all animals - he approached the child.

At first the kid froze and the ran away, but stumbled over his feet and fell, makign him cry even more. The man calmly followed the boy and crouched down on one knee, as to appear less intimidating. "Now, now, don't be scared. Let me patch you up and help you back home." He spoke softly and pulled out a handkerchief, before gently and very careful dusting off the dirt of the boy's knees.

"I'm Edward, Newgate Edward." He formally introduced himself, as he vaguely remebered that a kid shouldn't talk to strangers. And to somehow break the ice. It'd been a long time since he had last talked to a human being, though he often had spoken to the birds and animals around his house.

The boy sniffed and flinched, when Edward dusted of most of the dirt from his knees. "I'm ... Fossa and ... I have no home. Mom and dad said it is my duty to be in this forest." The words made Edward stop and look confused, but the boy looked just as lost about this, as Edward did. The older man wondered what kind of parents would kick their own child out, especially at this age.

"How old are you?" Edward asked softly, as he put the handkerchief back into his pocket. Stuttering, sniffing and crying, Fossa managed to tell him that he was 7 years old. He was younger than Edward had first thought, which only made him angry at the parents and feel heartbroken for the child.

"Do you want to learn how to hunt and live in a forest? I can teach you and I can also teach you to fight." Edward felt a little lost on how to talk to a child - he'd never been good at communication, but he had a big heart and couldn't turn his back on a child. His first thought was to bring the child back to his parents, but since the parents had dropped him here, then he knew that the parents would just drop him off again. So there was no other option than to take him in and try his best to raise him into a strong adult, so he could go his own way.

Fossa nodded and grabbed the hand of the man, who was so kind to him. Smiling, Edward picked up the boy and let him sit on his shoulders. Then he started to tell the boy all he know about hunting. He took Fossa to the lake near his housee to hunt some ducks. Little did Edward know that this was the beginning of a whole new life style.

Every year - on the some date - Edward came across another child, kicked out from home. One year, however, he learned the harsh true. The children were an offering to the God for divine protection of the village. Edward didn't even want to think about how many children he hadn't been able to safe and take in.

With time - it was the third year after Edward found Fossa - some bandits had decided that the lake was now their territory and tried to force Edward and his now four sons out, to little success, as Edward wasn't one you could easily defeat. He'd lived at the lake for many years, so he knew where to hide and take out any bandits trying to get to him. He'd built the house and extended it on his own, so he was physically stronger than the bandits. He was alaso a skilled shooter, so he could easily take them out without much effort.

He taught his sons to protect themselves and their home. The bandits still keeps trying to take the Newgates down and cuht up on the abandoned children. They managed to 'rescue' a few themselves and so both side were in constantly conflict, though Edward never initiate a fight. He just stopped them.

--- Several years later ---

"How is it gong, Marco?" Fossa asked the yong boy, who'd come to live with them the year prior. Marco was only 7 years old, but already a promising fighter and hunter. He'd been the youngest of them all, when he was abandoned, but he had wuickly adapted to the new way of living and was adored by his brothers.

The blond looked up and pointed at the trap he'd just finished. It wasn't perfect, but definitely better than the day before. A pleased hum left Fossa. Marco wasn't mute, but he had a sore throat and had been told not to speak to much, which the boy had taken to heart.

"That's really ..." Fossa was interrupted, when he could hear the crying of children. Marco too turned his head where the sound came from and was about to move, when Fossa took his hand. "Stay with me." Then he started to move towards the sound, having an idea what it could be, but confused to why there were two children. It could be they were just lost.

After a few minutes, the two spotted two children, one around Marco's age, the other barely 4 years old. They didn't see the two others approaching them. the older was holding the younger, trying hard not to cry, but was clearly unable to.

"Are you lost?" Fossa spoke softly, knowing that he would startle them, no matter what. The older stopped crying, tightening his grib on - what Fossa assumed to be little brother - and amde a face as if he wanted to glare at them, but it didn't come off as intimidating, as fear was clear in those brown hues, as was the sadness.

Marco tilted hsi head and blinked confused, then tugged on Fossa's arm and pointed at himself, the boys and then at some random direction. Fossa had n idea what Marco was tryin to say, but then the little boy spoke up, sniffing. "You're ... the boy ... from last year?" At this Marco nodded and Fossa understood that the two boys were from the village that Marco and he were from too. That meant they were also an offereing for the God. It was the first time there had been two boys, as far as he knew.

"I'm Fossa and this is Marco. Do you want to live with us? We are a few more and Oyaji. He's the man adopting us, after we were dropped off like you." He smiled freindly and extended his hand towards them. It was then a bullet passed his face and he spotted some bandits rushing forwards them.

Letting og of Marco's hand, he stormed towards the two boys to be between them and the bandits. "Marco get them home. I'll take care of these morons." He commanded. Nodding, Marco grabbed the hand of the older and started to run, forcing the two boys with him. The younger started to cry in fear and ran with the blond.

Fossa knew the bandits wouldn't harm the children, they were here to recruit them after all. So all he needed to focus on was taking them out and get back home. Taking out his knife, he skillfully took out the bandits, though did get wounded and humped back home after an intense fight.

When Marco stopped, they were in a nice backyard, where some of his brothers were gardening and chilling. He got the attention of one and he came rushing to the young blond. "Marco, what happened? Where's Fossa?"

Panting, he pointed first at the two boys. "Abadoned like me, yoi." He huffed out, trying to catch his breath, his throat hurting more. "Bandits. Fossa fighting them, yoi." He didn't need to say more, before his brother rushed into the forest, while another approached the three children.

"Let's get you something to drink and eat. I'm Blenheim." The teen intorduced himself to the two newcomers and pointed at the large man now coming out of the house. "That's Oyaji. He looks scary, but he's a great father." Without further words, Blenheim nudged them all towards the house, Marco keep looking back at the forest with a worried gazed, though happy that one brother had run to help Fossa.

Edward smiled softly and went to make some pancakes for the boys. The two necomers stared confused, though also fearfully at everone and everything, though stayed closer to Marco.

"Do you know Marco?" Blenheim asked, as he placed some hot chocolate in front of all three of them. The older boy shook his head, but then also nodded it and looked uttely lost on what to say. It was the younger that spoke.

"Not really. Saw him getting taken into the forest last year. I'm Haruta, this is big bro Thatch." He was still clinging to Thatch, but at least not scared enough to speaks. Probably due to his young age and the kindness of the strangers.

Marco took a sip of the hot chocolate and love dhow his throat was feeling a little better. He listened to Haruta and then petted the young boy's head and held up his hands, showing 7 finger, then pointing at himselft, as to say he was 7 years old.

Thatch finally got his voice back. I'm 8 and Haruta is 4. They chose Haruta, thiking he would be far more innocent and pleasing to the God. I snuck after them and stayed with him when they left. I can't let them hurt my little brother." He was also holding Haruta on one arm.

"I'm sorry you had to experience that, son. Family should never abandon each other. You are free to stay here or I will help you get ot another village and help find you someone who will take you in." Edward placed a plate filled with pancakes in front of them and plates too. He'd given each of his sons the same option and they had stayed.

Haruta looked at Thatch, who shrugged and took a sip from the hot chocolate, before gazing at Marco, who already had started to eat. "I guess we can stay for a little while..?" Thatch was uncertain. All he wanted was to keep his brother safe and right now, this was here. Nt with those who'd shot at them. Speaking off that. "I want to see if Fossa will be back." He added after a few moments.

Edward nodded and urged the two to eat. Not long after did Fossa come back, helped by the brother who'd run to help him - who introduced himself as Speed Jiru. Thatch and Haruta was happy that the older man got home, though also worried about him, seeing his wounds. They were assured that it would be okay and they weren't at fault. However, it would take some time before Thatch got over it and felt like he truly deserved being part of the family, unlike Haruta, who only took a few weeks.

In the end, Edward ended up 'adopting' 14 kids, became a brother to a man, Oden, who also had adopted a few abandoned kids and had his own two children with his wife Toki. He also befriended Roger and his wife Rouge and became an uncle to Ace, who called him Oyaji like all other 'kids' did.

Thanks to Roger, Oden and Whitebeard, the village stopped offereing children for divine protection and no other child had to suffer. They still had trouble with the bandits, who kept growing, but it wasn't something the three men and their kids couldn't handle.

[xmalereader]

Thomas Shelby X Son! Male Reader

Part One | Part Two

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|| Masterlist ||

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You children asked for a second part so here you go! I hope you enjoy it because I really tried to make it good, I guess??

Summary: Reader has been living in London for two years now, so what happens when he bumps into his father, Thomas Shelby, while he is working for one of the most dangerous men?

Warnings: Angst, slight fluff, AlfiexReader, Thomas still being an ass, gangster reader, Langauge.

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“Just do what I say and get out of my fucking sight, god you all act like children! Who can’t do a fucking thing!”

“Now, now, darling. Take it easy on the boys their still new, don’t want to frighten them in there first day.” Said Alfie who sat behind his desk, reading through some documents and wearing his glasses.

It’s been three years since y/n had moved out of the Shelby family and into London. He remembers the night he was looking for a job only to bump into Alfie Solomon’s. The only thing is that he never knew that Alfie was a gangster as well, he simply acted like a normal man and showed no signs of being dangerous.

Y/n was cautious at first, feel unsafe for awhile but once he got to know Alfie a bit more he trusted him. The two got along very well, a little too well to the point where they would end up in each other’s beds.

The two weren’t exaclty together, they only slept with each other when they were stressed out or angry about a situation that had occurred during work or when a delivery went wrong and they had lost a lot of money for it which would cause them to lose there minds.

He’s been working with Alfie for such a longtime that he’s beginning to pick up a habit. He’s been yelling a lot to his new workers who are slow learners and have a hard time trying to keep up, it only frustrated y/n but Alfie is able to keep him from lashing out.

“Alfie they’ve been here for two weeks now, they should know how we work around here.” He grumbled out in anger as he sits on the chair that was across from the desk. Burying his face in his hands as he groans deeply.

“You’ve been giving yourself trouble, mate.” Alfie removes his glasses and sets them down. “Get some rest y/n, take a day off.”

“I am not resting until I know that our delivery has arrived on schedule.” He muffles out as he removed his hands from his face. Alfie was the man of alcohol and knew his ways to sell them while y/n used his free time to get connections on people for transporting goods.

Y/n was good with words while Alfie was good with business. The two worked together very well and are able to sell enough of there own product without causing any trouble or starting any wars with anyone else they knew.

“Since you won’t be resting then I think you should help me with this next customer or ours.” Said Alfie as he tosses the letters into his drawer, removing his glasses and looking up to stare at y/n who stood apposite of him. “Who?’ He suddenly asks, raising a brow in curiosity as too wondering on who this ‘special’ customer is. “Just someone who can help us with business so you’ll be there to listen and be a witness.”

“What about Ollie? He’s your assiasnte and probably the best one, he can stay here and be a witness.”

“Ollie will be here in case anything starts up but you will be making sure that the deal goes through with no problem.” Said Alfie.

Y/n could only roll his eyes, he hates being here during Alfies business. He always has to listen to the customer complain about their shipping and about what they sell and sometimes he just wants to smash their little heads against the desk for being so annoying. “Fine, ill help but if this customer gets annoying then I won’t hesitate to smash there head against this desk.” He warns him, walking over to grab his booklet that contained every information about the customers and about their deals and contracts.

“Great! Ollie, bring him in!” Alfie waves his hand towards Ollie who simply nods and heads out the double doors to get him. Y/n looks over his shoulder and rolls his eyes, grabbing some pens and more paper as he prepares himself. Once he has everything he doubles checks to make sure that he has enough paper to write down any notes that need to be written down.

“Mr. Shelby! Good to see you again.”

Y/n’s whole body froze in place once he hears that name. No, it can’t be, please not him out of all the people! “Sit, my partner here will be sitting with us and making sure that everything we talk about is written down.” He hears Alfie say, hearing the sound of chairs being pulled out and Mr. Shelby taking a seat. Y/n lets out a deep breath, gripping the booklet close as he straightened himself out.

He slowly turns around and gives Thomas a glance, his father was sitting in the same room as him.

“Thomas this is—“

“Y/n.” Thomas breaths out, eyeing his own son as he tries to read him but of course y/n wasn’t the same y/n that Thomas once knew. He was different, he changed throughout the years. “Mr. Shelby.” Y/n’s says back with a small frown on his face as he walks around the desk and pulls out a chair for hismelf, sitting next to Alfie as he opens the book and ignores his fathers stare. “Alright then, as we can see both Mr. Shelby and Mr. Solomons are here to today to form a contract between both business. Mr Solomons here owns a factory where he brews his own alcohol which would result a large percentage of the company while Mr. Shelby does horse raising and weapons as business. In order to work together Mr. Shelby would have to give us fifty percent of the company—“

“Twenty-five.”

Y/n looks up from his writing and raised a brow. “I’m sorry?”

“Twnety-five.” Thomas repeats himself as the two make eye contact.

Y/n gives him a small glare and sighs through his nose. “Mr. Shelby, if you want our help then you’ll have to negotiate.”

The room is silent as the two stare each other down. Alfie is able to break the silence by clearing his throat, “Listen mate, we said fucking fifty and if you don’t agree then I’ll put a bullet through your fucking head.” Y/n’s lips form a small smirk as he listens to Alfie, leaning back in his seat as he crosses his arms and raises a brow, “So, what’s it going to be Mr. Shelby? The fifty percent or the bullet?” Said y/n with an amused tone in his voice.

Thomas glanced over to Y/n before turning back to look at Alfie. “I’ll give you the fifty percent—“ Y/n smiles in victory as he sits up and grabs his pen again. “But your coppers will work for me.” He stops himself from writing anything down and scoffs. “Really?! You think you can take our own little army? Please, the coppers stay because the only thing you’ll be getting is alcohol shipped around the country with our name on it while half of the pay goes to you!” He exclaims, slamming his hands on the desk.

“Y/n, calm down.” He hears Alfie tell him which only angered him even more. “Alfie I warned you, the next time someone walked through those damn doors who I find very annoying would receive a slam on the face!” He slams his book shut and leaves the room, slamming the doors behind him as he walks to the back of the bakery where he could blow off some steam.

He glared at everyone that got in his way, shouting at them to get back to work as he makes his way to the back where fewer people were working and possibly filled with people that he actually liked. “Tough day Mr. Fox?” Y/n turns to his left to see one of the younger employees giving him a small smile and holding up a cup full of whiskey for him.

Y/n’s body relaxes and takes the drink from the young boy, “Like always.” He mumbles out and takes sip of the drink. “I heard the shouting, probably the loudest one anyone has heard from you.” He teases out, causing y/n to laugh a little as he shakes his head. Y/n has always had a soft spot for the kid, he was the only young one here and was desperate for work. He had a sick mother and two sisters to take care of, at first Alfie wasn’t very kind until y/n had to step in to convince Alfie to hire the boy and that he would be an excellent worker here. So, Alfie ends up agreeing once Y/n convinces him, since that day he’s been keeping a close eye on the kid.

The damn kid worked harder than anyone else in this factory, staying up hours as he brewed and making sure that everything come out well before showing Alfie his progress.,The kid was able to impress Alfie in less than a couple of days.

“You should give yourself a break, you’ve been working none stop.” He tells him as he watches the kid mop out the mess that he had made, shaking his head he hears him chuckle. “If I give myself a break then I’m losing hours,” he says. “My mothers blood cells aren’t going to take a break from rapidly growing and my sisters won’t stop eating.” He grips the mop in his hand and looks down shyly. “I need to keep working.”

Y/n gives him a small weak smile. “I understand.” He holds the empty cup in his hand and sets it down on one of the tables. “It wouldn’t hurt to give yourself a break, kid. You’ll need one eventually.” He reminds him, patting his shoulder as the kid nods in understandment.

“Y/n.”

He flinched from the sudden voice, removing his hand from the kids shoulder he straightens up to see Thomas standing by the entrance of the back part of the factory. “Uh—“

“Go see if you can find somthing to do in the front.” He suddenly says as he watches the kid nod, leaving the area in a hurry as he passes by Thomas.

Y/n crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. “What do you want?”

Thomas turns to look at his son, he can’t help but take him in. The last time he saw him was the night he was leaving to London, he still remembers that night clearly and he’ll never forget it. Thomas has actually tried to send out hsi own men to keep a close eye on y/n but once he stepped foot into London he disappeared forever. He never of him ever again and he’s tired to find ways to see him again but nothing would show up in the records.

“You’ve grown.”

“Your still old.” Y/n shot back.

Thomas chuckles to himself which surpises y/n since he’s never heard his own father laugh before. “What are you doing here?”

“I can ask you the same thing, why are you working for Solomons?”

Y/n shakes his head. “You heard what Alfie said, we’re partners we work together.”

“For how long?”

“Why does it matter?”

“Y/n.” Thomas’s voice goes stern, he wanted answers and he was going to get them wether y/n liked it or not. He watches y/n’s face shift as he glares at him. “Three years.” He whispers out.

Thomas looks away, has it really been three years? He’s been working with Solomons for three years and he never noticed, this whole time he was working for Alfie and he never knew. Maybe he was a horrible father, he never noticed y/n as a kid that he didn’t notice him working here. It wasn’t the first time that he’s stopped by too speaks to alife, maybe he was too caught up in the business talk that he never thought about Alfies people and how y/n was working amongst them.

“How much longer will you be staying in London?”

Y/n’s brows rose in surpise as he laughs. “DO you really think ill be coming back? You’re kidding right?” He continues to laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. “Thomas, I’m never returning to Birmingham and I will never step foot into the fucking town again.” He growls out this time in anger. Did his father really expect him to return, after everything he’s been through? He’s really trying to bring him back.

“Finn misses you.”

“You think that’ll convince me to come back?”

Thomas slowly shakes his head. “No.” He sighs deeply and reaches inside his coat pocket, taking out a cigar and placing it between his lips, lighting it up as he takes in a large inhale of the smoke. Y/n can only stare in disgust, he wasn’t one for smoking and besides it reminded him too much of his father. “The others don’t need me Thomas, I’ve been through enough hell just being under the same roof as you. So, go back to your family and tell them that Y/n Shelby died and will never be coming back.” With that he heads towards the exit, heading back to the main room.

“I’m getting married.”

Y/n froze, his back facing Thomas.

“I want you to be there, I want you to meet Grace and your brother.”

Y/n glanced over his shoulder to give Thomas a deadly look. “I have no brother and I hope your wedding goes well but my answer is no, I won’t be attending it beaucse your son is dead. I hope you can fix your mistakes and give this boy of yours a childhood that he deserves...” he sighs and turns back to look ahead. “Think about what your doing Thomas, are you really ready to become a father or are you only doing this to show your people how ‘good’ of a man you really are?” He doesn’t give Thomas a second glance as he continues forward, heading towards Alfies office to grab his things and to continue on with his own life, pretending that the Shelby family never existed to him and that he’s just a simple man who works for another powerful man that actually understands him.

[popculturebuffet]

Top 12 Christmas Episodes!

Merry Christmas Eve Everybody! We’ve reached the end of my christmas reivews and what not on this blog. 

But as a wise barrel chested canadian man once said, I fucking love christmas, So if i’m finishing up the holiday on my blog I want to go big and stay home. So in honor of the holiday, my memories of it and just how GREAT it makes me feel i’m counting down my top 12 christmas specials! After last year’s worst of list I really wanted to do the oppsiite.. but it was naturally a lot harder. Shows usually put a LOT of effort into their christmas outings, even the ones who do so once a year, so the good FAR FAR OUTWEIGHS THE BAD. To show the contrast I could only find like.. 8 I was comfortable with putting on the worst list and even some of them aren’t that bad just not good. With the best of list? I had over 60 considered and even once I started narrowing down.. it was still around 30 or 40 REALLY GOOD specials I had to work down into this list. It took a lot of work and up to the last one it was really HARD to cut it down this far. But this is the best of the best of the best of the best of the.. you get the bit. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and this review was already supposed to come out on christmas eve, so, since I won’t be able to use this for another year...

Er. Top 12 Christmas Specials.

12. Merry Christmas Johnny Rose (Schitt’s Creek) So I finally watched all of Schitt’s Creek this year.. and i’m kicking myself for not powering through it’s terrible starting decent ending first season earlier because the show is easly one of the best comedies of the last decade and rightly earned it’s emmy sweep this year. Heartfelt, hilarious, and starring some of the best names old and new in comedy, the show is really great and I recommend checking it out.. just again be aware the first few episodes are not very good and if it wasn’t vital to the rest of the show story wise, i’d just recommend skippping season 1. While the characters minus patriach Johnny are insuferable at first... it’s their growing from self absorbed assholes to still self abosrbed but really good and decent people that is the beating heart of the show. And no where more is this heart on the show’s sleve than at christmas time as this episode is baked in just how far our cast have come.

The episode centers on Johnny Rose, played by Eugene Freaking Levy who co created the show with his equally talented son Dan who desrves the lion’s share of the credit for the show’s upturn in quality. Since the Roses used to have big lavish christmas parties once a year, Johnny decides to throw the equilvent of what they can do on a budget at the Motel they all live in. But his family all has other plans with daughter Alexis, now happily with Ted again, meeting his friends for the first time, son David, played by Dan Levy, busy at his store with his partner, in both senses, patrick and his wife Moira having a performance with her acapella group. At first it just comes off as something typical of johnny: Something well meaning and what not but ultimatley just not something his family is into or that he planend well for.

It’s only when Johnny finds himself alone at the local diner with Moira coming to see him we find out why he’s REALLY doing this: the old lavish parties, which we see one of at the start.. ultimately ended up with him alone, sad and everyone off to their own corners. WIth the family having actually come together over the past 4 seasons, Johny simply wanted to celebrate that and says such in one of the best moments in the entire show and with one hell of a line.

"I just thought, in spite of all the hardship, we found ourselves coming together, the kids, you and me, as a family. And it just seemed like the perfect day to celebrate that. The perfect day for a Rose Family Christmas Party." But Moira has already taken care of it and thus takes JOhnny home to find all their friends and the rest of the family gathered, wtih the Jazzagals serandading eveyrone with a beautiful rendition of silent night. It’s just a warm, well done character piece that really fits the holiday while also really cementing what the show had become: a show not afraid to make dirty jokes or humilatie it’s cast but one that has a true sweetness to it. It’s only that the first half’s jokes don’t quite pop all that well and feel a bit at johnny’s expense that holds it back. Otherwise this is one i’ll be coming back to every year.

11. Father of the Bob (Bob’s Burgers) Bob’s Burgers is a damn great show i’m season’s behind on. Warm, charming, weird and with an expansive side cast played by a whos who of whose in comedy today. It’s a damn fine show and i’m happy it seems to have manatained it’s quality long after the simpsons and family guy lost theirs. And the show really loves christmas.. and halloween.. and valentine’s day.. and thanksgiving. Oh god does it love thanksgiving. Point is, the shows good at holiday episodes and loves doin em and has produced some stellar ones and I had a lot to pick from here.. but I ended up going with my gut and my personal faviorite. It’s not the most christmasy despite the trappings, but the character work is just too good to leave it out in the cold.  It’s Christmas Eve and the Belcher’s are visiting Bob’s Dad. As you can tell by the fact the most we’ve seen of him is a picture of his restraunt, big bob’s diner in the belcher’s living room and a flashback where he told bob to work instead of play as a kid that set off an episode’s plot, they don’t have the best relationship. Bob has a firm rule about not spending more than 15 minutes with his dad, as that’s the point they run out of things to talk about and his dad starts getting overcrytical and making jabs at bob’s life and restraunt. Linda, being Linda, decides to meddle and when she finds out Big Bob’s short order cook is missing, has our Bob fill in.  But as we see in flash backs it’s not THAT easy to repair things, as there’s a long, bitter history between the two: When a youngbob made his first unique burger and served it to a customer, his dad threw it out without even letting anyone taste it. He then offered bob a partnership when bob was a young man but Bob snapped at Big Bob in front of his friends and left to make burgers his own way, leading to where we are now. And honestly i’ts the perfect origin story for Bob and adds a lot of shades to his character. He’s obessed with the restraunt not just because he genuinely loves cooking but because it’s HIS. His place, to create creative burgers, his family and his regulars. It’s his corner of the sky. It makes the restraunt’s existance and surivvial that much more heartwarming to know the meaning behind it.

Naturally things end up blowing up with Bob pointedly serving the burger to make a point and Big bob walking out angrily and sadly. It takes bob’s gift from the kids, who had their own neat subplot of making gifts for bob in the basement, a snowglobe wrapped in newspaper.. to find out hsi dad kept the newspaper with the review of his first restraunt and kept ALL reviews of Bob’s Burgers. Despite being a stone faced critical ass on the outside, Big BOb STILl cared.. and bob relizes he needs to make amends and actually make an effort instead of just avoiding his dad or gettin gback at him. And through the power of gay club next door line dancing, and nick offerman whose a wonderful guest star here, the two reconcile with Bob admitting he shouldn’t of humilatied his dad even if he had to go his own way, and Big Bob admitting he’s hard to work with, the loss of his wife hit him hard, and he was a bit too much. The two hug, and it’s genuinely just a good, well done story of father and son that somehow gives even more dimension to Bob, an already pretty damn fleshed out character. Just a really great episode whose holiday timing makes it better.. though not being AS much a holiday episode as a really good bob’s burgers that’s enhanced by it is why this one’s so low. Next!

10. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (MST3K) I”m honestly surpised i’ts taken me THIS long to get to something MST3K related. I’ve loved the show since high school, first exposed to it thanks to a dvd from the library and continuing from there to present day. I love the show’s combination of riff’s on perfectly cheesy movie and fun skits with really good puppets especially for the budget. It’s just good comfort food in show form and no where is comfort food more welcome than christmas, and each era of MST3K, so far hopefully the show will come back again eventually, has had i’ts own damn good christmas special, with this being my faviorite out of the three. 

The other two are good: ironically I have a poster for the santa claus over my computer, or rather crow and tom as santa and pitch aka satan respectively. Yes really, that’s the premise. IT is as awesome and batshit insane as it sounds. Point is I like that one and year without a santa claus, this one just has more personal warmth to me. I jus tlove the holiday feeling of joel and the bots readying for christmas in the host segments. It just feels like christmas and it’s wonderful to see the bots act like kids.  That being said.. it’s still also fucking hilaroius, with the mad’s hilariously petty wish squisher, a device that turns good gifts into socks and other unwanted presents, the best Crow T Robot quote of all time as he gives joel his santa wish

And of course, one of the best and most patently insane christmas songs ever: Have Yourself a Patrick Swayze christmas, which has become oddly sweet after his death and got me to watch road house for the first time last year... and it’s as awesome and wonderfully rediclous as this song inspiried by it and even better once you get the refrences

But while the host segments are what push this film into the list, the movie is still a delightful bit of 60′s cheese as, to restore their children to being children, a couple of martians kidnap santa to bring christmas to mars. Fights iwth robots, an asshole martian and an obnoxious sidekick named droppo, yes really, insue. IT’s just some fun cheese for the holiday and a staple of my holidays. 

9. The Three Wise Men (Letterkenny)  It’s no secret Letterkenny has quickly become one of my faviorite shows. After watching it last January, it’s become part of my being and one of my go too feel good shows, a funny as hell, uniquely weird slice of life show set in rural canada. While like it’s fellow recent legend of canadian television Schitt’s creek it’s first season CAN be a bit rough.. but it’s not as rough and getting through it is worht it as the show immiedatly picked up and became one of the funniest things to ever exist. It’s also uniquely tied to christmas as every year a season of the show has dropped on that day on it’s home streamer Crave TV in canada, and on boxing day here in the us. So it’s only fitting the show also has a REALLY great christmas special. 

It’s Christmas eve and our heroes the hicks, are having a christmas party. For the uniniated the hick’s aren’t really all that “hick” ish just hardworking farmers who still accept everybody and work damn hard. Leading man, terse talker and certified badass Wayne is suprisingly really into christmas, as he spent pretty much every holiday spouting out inacuracies about it but this day? He genuienly enjoys, even insiting on awful holiday drinks only and a midnight toast, the titular three wiseman (Canadian, irish and American Whiskeys, one shot of each). “It’s tradition”.  And thanks to tradition we get the main gag of the episode: most of the episode is wayne calling in various members of the town, most of whom he dosen’t like very much and some who deeply annoy him, to give them presents. And  while i’ve admitted to being a guy who dosen’t like a plot that basically repeats itslef.. it works here.. mostly because while the setup is the same, each member provides something new and hilarious: while it starts innocently enough with Bonnie Mcmurray, local fanservice, nice lady and fangirl of wayne, getting a camera and offering to be an elf, an offer wayne is forced to take up, it soon becomes a parade of weirdness and bullshit Wayne really dosen’t want to put up with and that really makes me laugh hard: Local loveable sex maniac and bar owner Gail goes on for a good minute about her sexual antics with Wayne’s beloved departed uncle eddie after Wayne gives him a picture of the guy, Glenn, another of wayn’es unwanted admirers and local pastor, obsesses over a christmas themed digeredoo, local druggies and emos the skids intitally refuse to open their gift out of prinicpal until wayne simply asks “What if theres drugs in it” (It’s insted vitamin d), the local hockey coach sings a hilarious and gloriously cringe song about having sex with his wife when they were alive and the hockey players make wayne uncomfortable both by crying a bit. Also tanis gets an apron. 

But even if the reactions horrify or piss off our hero into needing his elf’s help, the heart is in the fact that despite hating most of these people, he still got them a gift and one that’s hearfelt and well meaning. And naturally the sweetest is saved for his family of choice with the hicks: Squirrely Dan gets a pencil case for his oft talked about women’s studies class, Dary gets some clonge since he wears his barn clothes everywhere, and Katy gets an obscure korean christmas movie since her subplot that episode had been spent trying to get a christmas movie going, only for everyone to pick it apart: from the racisim of santa and co towards rudolph to pointing out how profoundly fucked up the premise of the santa claus is (including the fact various serial killers could’ve gotten the suit), which I agree with, it’s just a sweet gesture that shows how well he knows his friend. Overall it’s just a fun hangout of an episode that feels like a real christmas party and in these troubling times we could all use that. Now let’s all have a spit.

8. The Feast of Alvis (Sealab 2021) Another Christmas staple for me.. and a gloriously strange one at that. This time we’re checking under the sea with Sealab 2021, one of the earliest adult swim shows and the blueprint for the abriged series format, it took a dry hannah barbara show about an underwater research station and remixed it into the antics of a bunch of idiots and lunatatics throughuly unequipped for the task. Except Dr. Quinn, the only sane person aboard.. most of the time. It was comedy gold courtsey of Adam Reed, creator of the later Frisky Dingo, a throughly underated show, and Archer, which is like Frisky Dingo but refined into it’s truest and most sucessful form. It was magical and just talking about it makes me want to talk about it again at some point, probably in a best of list.  So naturally this madcap energy was perfect for the holidays. Originally the crew planned to use ACTUAL religions for this, but were forced by network to change it.. which ended up being one of those cases where the network ended up actually making the right call as the creators instead created thinly veiled substute for the various religions... and centered it around Alavanism, which is christianity.. but if christ was instead born in the us at some point, and instead of being a pacifist, was a drunken beligernt gun loving redneck who shot a guy in the face, has “vengance is mine” as one of his quotes (from said face shooting) and still had pomp and circumstance as part of his holiday.  Helping this though is our Alvian for the evening is Captain Murphy, the series best character and often the center of it’s best moments, played by the wonderful and sadly late Harry Goz, a half crazed half chidlish cloud cuckoolander who often comes off like a demanding child in an old man’s body. So naturally this holiday is for him and even more naturally he’s holding a massive alvis day cermeony that’s as batshit as he and his religion are in the main deck: he’s got buffalo, a buffet that’s deeply unsanitary, and a hallogen light mimickign the alvistide star that he wants to plop a baby under.  Naturally no one else is happy about this. Well Stormy, local hilarious dumbass, is as the only other alvian on board for this, and a general sucker for dumb shenanigans but he’s so plastared he’s even less coherent than usual and can mostly muster the desire to kick something’s ass or a weak “shut up” Most of all Quinn and his girlfriend debbie, who point out religious tolerance is a part of the sealab charter and that this kind of grotesuqe celebration really isn’t in season. I’ts also a nice dig at “War on Christmas Assholes”, long before that was as big a problem with Muprhy very much being the asshole and his cleebration rapidly crumbling. He also attempts to fire Sparks for being a wiccan stand in so yeah he deserves it. It’s all capped in Muprhy getting visted by a drunken halucination of his lord. All in all easily one of the best and most insane christmas specials ever put to film. If you have HBO Max watch it today or tommorow you will NOT regret it. 

7. Arnold’s Christmas (Hey Arnold)  A classic of my childhood, Hey Arnold is one of the best animated shows period. It’s something i’m not shy about saying, I bleivie I said it in my thanksgiving list and i’ll say it quite a bit. It’s not PERFECT, it has it’s flaws.. but it’s still damn good and the golden standard for slice of life shows. 

This episode naturally is one of it’s best and, while I didn’t catch as a kid the signifigance or what this was about, touches on of all things the vietnam war and the children who were helicoptered out. In a heart destroying story, Mr. Winn, one of Arnold’s boardinghousemates, reveals he has a daughter he has no idea where she is as to give her a better life, he made sure she got on one of those helicopters as an infant. While he was able to immigrate later, he never found her. Arnold being our own personal jesus, refuses to let this stand and goes out of his way to figure it out and goes on a quest that seemingly ends in failure. It falls on Helga to save the day as Helga actually gets what she wanted from her parents, a pair of nice boots, and gets the rare moment where they actually acknoledge her.. but loving arnold and seeing the noblility in his quest.. she gives it up. Just to make someone elses’ dream come true. He may never know who did it and tha’ts okay. An utterly heartwarming and heartbreaking episode. Nuff said. 

6. Santa Claus is Comin To Town  Speaking of classics this is how you do a santa origin story. Not the first or last i’d see, and we’ll get to one of those in a moment. While i’m not a huge fan of Rankin Bass’ other big hit with Rudolph, this one really hits the spot for me and is only this low because it’s pacing is really slow at points. Otherwise this special is near flawless, looks good and holds up today.  As I said this is a good Year One for santa establishing how he became immortal, how he met the elves, he was raised by them, how he started giving out toys, how he met mrs claus you know all the stuff you’d ask about.  To me what really sells it the best though is Mickey Rooney as Santa. While I had no idea who played him till literally writing this article in my mind his earnesness, kindness and genuine nature just.. fit the old elf to me even as a young man and everything from his humble beginings to his wanting to help children just out of kindness to his teaching an old man to dance to his romance just feels.. genuine and warm like christmas should. It just makes me feel good and like others on this list.. FEELS like christmas if that makes any sense. Not a lot else to say. Burger Meister Meisterburger isn’t the best vilian, but it was the early 70′s and we weren’t quite to diamond levels of complex interesting villians just yet so fair enough. Baiscally I don’t have a TON to say about this special in short, I may review it next year, we’ll see, but  it’s really good, really fun and sometimes simple just works I guess? Speaking of stop motion..

5. Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas (Community) I love a good sitcom. I haven’t shared that love enough on here, I should try and change that at some point, but I do, as a fourth of this list should make crystal clear. So while sadly some of my faviorites like Brooklyn Nine Nine, Parks and Rec and Roseanne didn’t make the cut, Community thankfully did. Community is a show that’s really damn good and had THREE awesome Christmas episodes. All three, all winners and all in contention for some time. Regional Holiday music just barely didn’t make the cut. But ultimately I went with the best of the best, the most creative, most character driven, and most intresting. And the one that in Community’s traditional style, decided to take a spin on an old genre.  In this case Abed, the study groups resident pop culture junkie, guy who thinks in tropes and future Huey Duck, is seeing everything in stop motion and may get thrown out of school as a result. With his friends deeply worried, they turn to Greendale’s local psychologist and british areshole Professor Duncan, played by my spirtual father John Oliver. ALL HAIL THIS MAN

Duncan takes the two into Abed’s fantasy and thus into a rankin bass special where Abed slowly weeds out his friends and tries to get rid of Duncan, whose naturally only intrested in proving a case. It’s a fun, chaotic ride including christmas pterodactyls, and the cast all in bizzare forms based on what Abed thinks of htem. it’s really damn creative and beauitfully animated at that.  Naturally like most of these what clinches it is the heart and soul. We find out towards the end WHy this happened: Abed’s mom is spending christmas with her new family instead of him and it’s broken him to not be able to watch specials like they do> Thus the group rally behind their friend, beat duncan in a wonderful christmas number and watch specials with their buddy, as the weird ass family some of whom have or will make out, they are. 

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas With my love of comic strips and sentiment, it should suprise absolutely no one this is on here. I love peanuts and have only grown to love it more over hte years for it’s mealancholy, finely constructed cast and weird bits people forget about like Snoopy’s disco phase, that really damn good arc where his house burned down, his brother stealing his fiance only to have her stolen from him, the fact Lucy threw Linus out once, that peppermint patty was once held back a grade and her snores took her place at her desk, the fact there was a character named 5, Charlie Brown and Linus’ friend roy who introduced peppermint patty to the cast, the fact a character named crybaby boobie exists, the fact there are specials devoted to a pastiche of call of the wild, a friend of linus’ getting cancer, and Flashbeagle. Just flashbeagle. 

It is glorious. And I really need to add that to my review queue.. maybe for late january. Seriously, tis glorious. And I OWN this one. So yeah. What were we talking about? Oh yes the special that made all the specials, especially flashbeagle, possible: A Charlie Brown Christmas This one has always been part of my life, but even beyond it’s signifigance to me, having grown up with it and grafted it to my soul, it’s just .. good. It has some good commentary on the consumrisim of the holiday with Charlie Brown rightly a bit upset about it and ending up roped into directing a christmas play. Great gags, and charlie brown trying to stick up for a scragly tree no one enlse likes insue. Oh and scripture as this is probably the only overtly religious special on the list. Not that ther’es anything wrong with not being religious and celebrating christmas: i’m not anymore but I still do and while I respect people who celebrate the holiday int he spirit of christ I have none for people who bash anyone who dosen’t just see it religiously and whose over zealous about it. Your just as bad as war on christmas people and you should feel bad.  But yeah overal it’s just an inconic special whose clunkyness in production and audio just adds some charm to it. It shows it’s age.. but only in the animation and production values, which is just.. charming. It’s message is timeless, it’s characterization is perfect as you’d expect from peanuts in it’s prime, and i’ts ending is truly heartmelting. If you’ve never seen this one.. just go do that. I can wait. 

3. How Santa Stole Christmas! (Ducktales)  I”ll be brief on this one as, since it only aired a few weeks ago, i’ve already done a full review on it. But I will justify why such a recent special is this high up: because it’s just that good. It may of JUST been aired, but it’s as good as anything else here and age dosen’t matter. Quality does. There will likely be future specials worth this list i’m sure but for this moment in time this one earns it. It has Santa perfectly charactrized and tells an utterly heartrending story of friendship that ends up ending simply because the two are moving in opposite directions and of Scrooge learning the meaning of christmas. Not thorugh the ghosts, they already brilliantly messed with that one. It’s just really fantastic, gets the christmas spriit perfectly and uses the characters just as flawlessly. I will defintely be watching this one every year. Just a warm, creative, funny as hell special. 

2. Comfort and Joy (Justice League) Speaking of reviews I held off reviews of my final two so I could save more thoughts here. I probably still will review them eventually, especially this one, I just felt i’d be repeating myself or have to be brief like the last one. But yeah this one slaps. The Justice League cartoon is easily one of the best superhero cartoons, if not superhero properties, period. Taking the base already built in from the previous three dcau cartoons, this one builds out the world and expands it , and introduced a young me to my lifelong loves of Martian Manhunter, The Flash and especailly the green lanterns with John Stewarts badass reciting of the oath easily etched in my brain. The only reason he isn’t my faviorite lantern is because mogo exists.. aka the lantern that is a living planet. 

You can see why. But yeah Jon stuck in my mind. So it’s probably no suprise that the christmas special heavily featuring all three. It’s Christmas Time and after the league stops it’s usual disaster, they head off for their usual holiday activities. Batman and Wonder Woman are missing, but it’s fine. While I love both, especailly DCAU Batman, the episode is probably better off not trying to shove them in there just for the sake of it. One of the show’s greatest strength’s was character ballance, not forcing EVERY member of the big 7 into every episode and just using whose needed and shuffling them in and out FAR BETTER than say, Ducktales. Point is this, much like being loved by anyone, was not unusual and it makes the episode tighter. Even more so since this is the ONLY half hour episode in the first two seasons, the rest are basically hour long episodes split into two parters, though still paced for being two episodes so it’s good.. and three movie length three parters for the premire, and the season finales. Fun Fact: As a kid I missed starcrossed and thus had to find out second hand, and barely at that, why hawkgirl was gone at the start of unlimited. I still have not seen it. I will correct this eventually. It was a diffrent time. 

So yeah this episode not only has a main character cast of 6, with 3 other major supporting characters, but is handily split into three amazing plot lines. The first has Green Lantern try to teach Hawkgirl how to have christmas fun by playing on a snowy world, while Hawkgirl takes him to a bar to show how she celebrates.. i.e. getting hammered and starting a fight. Nanananana, she’s gonna start a fight. It’s a fun really sweet segment, and some nice ship tease between the two.  The other two though are what make this special.. not that the first one is bad these two are just really inspiried for the characters involved: For the Flash, who in this series is both Wally and a bit of a smug quipster.. we see beneath the ego and flirting he’s really a sweet, caring guy and spends his christmas finding a toy for the orphans in this case a rapping duck. 

Not QUITE as embarassing btu close. He runs into the Ultra Humanite whose destroying the toys because he hates the comercialism and how it dumbs things down for the kids. Have I mentioned that I love the Ultra Humanite? Because I do.. the animated version. The comics version is REALLY fucking creepy but this version? He’s fucking great, an intellectual whose a formidable threat.. and honestly sympathetic. His motive here, while misguided, is well meaning and his price for selling out the injustice gang and going back to jail quitely? one of the best gags in human history. Getting PBS to say “This program was supported by viewers like you.. and the ultra humanite” He’s just awesome and i’ts a shame he never returned for unlimited. His comic version, while not BAD is just.. not NEARLY as intresting or deep and I wish the comics would have him take after this version.  And that depth shows as once he learns what was going on, he willingly helps flash and simply reprograms the duck to recite the nutcracker. It’s a really nice gesture, that flash returns by giving his foe a christmas tree. Really good stuff.  And I saved the best for last. Heading home for the holidays, Clark takes Jonn with him since otherwise he’d be stuck at the watchtower and batman was apparnetly “Begging” for duty. Granted one wonders what his surrogate dad and adopted sons think but odds are alfred would just drag them up there anyway no mater how much Dick protested. And of course Alfred has watchtower clearance, he’s alfred: he’s the only one besides Diana looking out for bruce.. and no I don’t buy the bullshit from the batman beyond comics that never happened. And Clark too, this is true... but it takes a village to get bruce to go the fuck to sleep and most of that villiage is alfred. And if your wondering “wait won’t he be in danger”... the only thing that can kill this man is apparently bane. He’s survivied earthquakes, poisonings, turning into a supervillian via radaition induced crazies, yes really, apparently dying leading to the supervillian thing, being stabbed, being shot at, having to help raise damien... my point is the guy’s been through a lot in comics, I doubt the dcau version is any less resilent and god damn I miss this old man. Salute alfred, salute.  Where was I oh yeah, Clark insists on taking John home. And it’s stuff like this why I freaking love superman. Many dismiss him as corny, unrelaistic or boring.. all untrue. Sure he’s a boyscout, but he’s meant ot resprsent the best in mankind, what we can truly be powers or no, what we can achieve and the kind of moral, kind person we can be. He’s an inspiration for us all. And this kind of act is what shows that: his response to one of his friends having nowhere to go on christmas and not having been around the holiday? Take him to his house to share in the warmth and love.  And Clark’s parents here show WHY he’s the hero he is and why I freaking love them in all flavors.. except Zack Snyder flavor and even then tha’ts only for Pa “Letting people die is the right thing to do now i’m going to throw myself into a tornado to prove that” kent. But it’s christmas so i’m not here to bitch about zack snyder and if you want that in full, you can pay for it.  My point is they show, as they should how he became the moral paragon he is: they meet a man from mars, who they’ve never met and their son just invited.. and welcmoe him without a thought. While this isnt’ their first alien obviously, and they say so, it’s still really sweet they just warmly welcome the man in and give him their surrogate daughter/their sons’ biological cousin’s room while sh’es away. Oh Kara’s away conveniently skiing with barbra. Also she lives with them in this continuity. Also maybe that’s where dick is. I dunno, but I hope so. Dickbabs for life.. depending on the continuity. I”m still dick and star for life in the titans cartoon.  Point is we get nice of sweet, and hilaroius, holiday stuff: Jonn is suprised to see this side of clark: while he’s always warm and inviting as Clark.. he can also be relaxed, enjoy the holiday and get real spirited. For one day he dosen’t have to be superman. He can just be clark. Evne superman can take a day off.. and he’s superman, he desrves one. Let Bruce and Diana take care of it after they finish marathon sex and Diana finshes with Cheetaah and Maxwell lord.  But yeah as I was saying hilarious as we find out clark used to peak and they had to, and still do, line it with lead foil to make sure he can’t peak, and Martha gives John a sweater, saying his company is all they need for a gift and when it’s a bit big he charmingly grows into it. Jonn also walks among the humans a bit and we get a great little bit of him sneaking down a chimney after hearing the thorughts of a girl whose worried santa isn’t real. It’s just all great stuff that cumilates in Jonn joyfully singing a song in his native tounge while stroking Kara’s cat Streaky.. who sadly does not have a cape or super powers in this universe. Yet. Just a really good superhero story, a damn fine christmas story and one of the best episodes of a stellar show that thankfully is still remembered in this new age of heroes. 

1. It’s Christmas You Dorks (Harvey Beaks) Yup not probably a lot of people’s first choice but fuck it. I’ve loved this one since i saw it a few years ago shorlty after the series ended, having grown far behind and caught up just as it was ending... and regretted it as Harvey Beaks is easily one of my faviorite shows from the wall to wall hit parade that was the 2010′s. It’s charming, hilaroius, heartfelt, and creative.. and really weird if not as weird as CH Greenblaht’s previous show chowder.. but still weird enough.Thankfully Big City Greens is carying the banner for this kind of show, as is Craig of the Creek, so the kind of gentle, slice of life stuff hasn’t gone away, but this show was still it’s own thing and i’m sad it’s gone.  But while it was here it was spectacular and this is one of the best of em if not the best. And naturally for a show like this it has a neat approach: The episode is dialouge free, only having some singing in the last act and that’s diagetic, the characters singing a christmas song. We’ll get to that. This isn’t the FIRST silent christmas special i’ve seen, Courage the Cowardly dog did it’s own take on the nutcracker, but it’s still the best. And given Courage the Cowardly Dog is one of my faviorite shows, that’s high praise. Each segment is charming, unique, and well done. 

As for what each are: The wraparound is a gorgeously animated bit of stop motion or something like it where the spirit of winter goes around and turns fall to winter or helps the kid with winter fun. It’s a bunch of really adorable stuff. The first proper one is the kids having a snowball fight when a bunch of asshole adults interupt, and hte kids end up getting even by hiding in some snowmen. Again just some really fun, really well done stuff.  But the first one that really makes it follows Technobear, local wannabe ladies man in training who has a crush on Harvey’s mom and fantasies about giving her some lovely read shoes and skating with her. His hopes are dashed when instead her daughter michelle, the horrifing baby child pictured above, takes them instead. But not only is it heartwarming to see the stone faced future rule of the world crack a smile, Techno instnatly realizes whats’ improtant and takes the bby ice skating.  The next segment is just some goofy googus with the squirrels, the local crooks who are also squirreels, but it’s still pretty good. We then get Jeremy trying to be santa which is both funny but genuinely heartwarming and finally the best bit as Dade, local killjoy, gets annoyed at everyone singing a popular new christmas song instead of the old standard he likes and being a dick about it before softening a bit when Harvey genuinely offers him camradere. It’s just.. good stuff that’s hard to put into words, and given putting it into words is my thing, it really speaks to just hwo good this special is. it just, makes me feel nice, and really gets the spirit of the holiday in all it’s forms. It’s gorgeously aniamted, well paced, and never stops being entertaining and that’s why it’s both my faviorite and why every year.. i’ll be coming back to little bark. And if nothing else.. it’ll keep this warm, great show alive in my heart.  So with that I end this list. If you didn’t like it tha’ts fine, this is my opinon. But I wanted to share my faviorites with you and hope you’ll check them out this or next chirstmas. Until we meet again... Merry Christmas to all,and to all a good night. 

[ladythatsmyskull]

I just realized that you now have to be interested in your coworker's lives (follow them on FB, Insta, etc.) so you can be aware of the poor behaviors that will potentially get you ill or dead from Covid if their trips or partying or hanging out brings it into the workplace.

In my small-ish work department there were four people (we know of) that were diagnosed with Covid.

They were all publicly and socially careless and lazy or hostile to PPE. This is something that was commented on for these specific individuals since the pandemic started elsewhere. I figured it was only a matter of time before they got it.

Of the four:

Two are vaccinated breakthrough cases. They admitted being careless about PPE and distancing. Presumably they contracted Covid by immune systems overwhelmed from being exposed to crowds or gatherings.

One was an anti-vaxxer Trumper. The stereotypical Angry Thumb with Sunglasses. He never wore PPE, worked several public-facing jobs where he didn’t and when required by employer kept it under his chin. Weeks after recovering he still won’t wear the mask but said he will probably get vaccinated because hsi family is upset about him being ill. 

The fourth is vaccine-reluctant because he is “young and healthy and never gets sick”. He is careless at work about PPE and doesn’t wear at all outside of mandated places. He takes day trips and just got back from a short vacation out of state. He was back to work for one day and commented he felt terrible and apparently worsened.

All cases of FAFO. Hopefully he’ll also recover and unlike Number 3 will learn a lesson from his ordeal.

Not at all calm and reasonable about how they all risked the health and lives of their coworkers. 

And now a fifth person in the department felt sick all day and scheduled a test...

[praisethepizzagods]

WandaVision Theory

Okay so this contains some spoilers (mostly specculation really) from wanda vision so... spoilers below cut.

We have all seen the casting for Spiderman 3 & Doctor strange 2.... It includes people like: Andrew Garfield (spiderman) Tobey Maguire (Spiderman) Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez) Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) Tom Hiddleston (Loki) Among others.... lots of universes being mixed here guys. So I have a theory... Blame my friend for this thing being birthed she had to listen to this as it came out. Peter/Pietro (since xmen pietro is called peter, but wanda knows his as pietro) maximoff is Loki, last we saw loki he had the tesseract and was fleeing, loki is trying to find out the state of the awvengers post end game, and yeah loki likes to fuck with thor & in the comics he lovveeesss just winding people up (God of mischief ffs), so he is trying to find out what the fuck is going on, he is curious about wanda's level of powers (like she is one of the most powerful mcu characters, hes gunna be curious), wanda as we know has a town hostage and is controlling everything, this is similar to avenegrs where loki wanted to rule earth, so hes seeing if she could be of use to him/try figure out a way to get his end goal. End of wanda vision season 1 - wanda looses complete control, she snaps. She breaks the multi verse because she has been believing this pietro is her pietro but with a different face... she finds out it is loki in pietros body which causes her to loose total control and snap a rift in the multi verse OR sword cause her so much stress, vision is questionign everything/realises what wanda did (Sees the footage maybe?) or she has to watch him die again and wanda is so torn over by emotion that she looses control, pietro/loki then realises that oh fuck this is about to go down and wanda uses her powers to try control more and either knocks pietro loki back into loki for or loki shifts just before to do a reveal, he may even try and fix this and help wanda because he knows intense powers and notice she is going insane????? But this ends in her bringing in all the spidermen into the MCU. Bringing deadpool with em. Bringing america chavez with them (She lives in a paralel universe and thats where she got her powers so wanda drags her into MCU because hey, she snapped). Doc strange 2 happens which is about the multi verse. Strange appears at end of wanda vision kinda like "Oh no...." like he's seeing what is about to happen and sees wanda is about to cause he doesnt see this coming,  So doc strange 2 is now begining wanda has lost control and merged all theses universes into one - sony,fox,the new characters universe etc etc etc are now all in the MCU universe there is many spider men now (Like into the spider verse) kidna like that level of how it happens they just got ripped into this reality. In spider man 3 this is also playing a part because all the spidermen are still here (Showing this could be a long winded issue/they cant get back to their universe because wanda doesnt know how she did it, doesnt want to do it/cant do it again) Back to doc strange 3 - this movie will be directly dealing with the immediate backlash of this, the many spidermen, deadpool, america chavez all appearing, strange realising what has happened, trying to fix this, loki also there because he doesnt even know whats happened but DAMN is he interested because THIS level of power.... thats interesting to him. Loki's disney+ series happens after the multi verse of madness/during it (like loki's show is bought up in it like "lokis fucking president?!?!?!" like thats another thing thats gone wrong from wanda's melt down and destroying the multi verse, and another thing for strange to to and do damage control on. wanda cant fix this, shes now gone fully off rails, if she watches vision die twice she wont be coming back from that we know. so strange is also trying to help her on how to use her powers as she never reallllly has had training, strange might know people who can help her deal with this insane amount of power. Strange cant fix this alone he needs wanda to try and fix this, and the issue could be a permenant one ( i recon it will be permenant and all wwhat phase 4 & 5 will be about) Doctor strange 2 sees them going between thesee multi verse's they have discovered (maybe strqange & wanda, maybe strange & wong, maybe wanda and someone else who knows... but they are trying to find out how far this damage has gone End of doctor strange is them realising this isnt a quick fix, the world has gone insane as there is all these new ones, ("WHY ARE THERE 3 SPIDER MEN!" - JJJ shouts (cause hey he was in the tobey mcguire spidermen ffs we get him with this package too) spider man 3 then happens & tom holland (The spider men will be refered to by their actors names) see's that um theres another spider man??? what the??? he finds him and they all find out they are the same spider man. This movie plays out similary to into the spiderverse but they dont all go at the end of it because this is a long winded issue. But... now we have america chavez, shes just been bumbling round the MCU being a hero cause she's here.... Monica as you rememebr from wanda vision has her internal sequencing rewritten each time she goes through the hex, this gives her powers cause she has gone through the hex so much at this stage in wanda vision.... So Monica = Photon America Chavez Cassie = Stature Kate bishop = Hawkeye Tom holland = Spiderman How did kate get here and Cassie? KATE So clint stepped down, hawkeye disney+ seems to be like fractions, clints training kate (maybe his family left after end game because jfc clint is probs a wreck, or clint didnt stop so hsi wife left.... maybe they live in iowa happily who knows) Clint was going solo for a while in newyork, when he met this other hawkeye (Hey maybe kate got dragged through the multi verse or maybe she was just a great archer rich kid in newyork who saw hawkeye had fucked off after the blip (maybe she was working during the blip, but towards the end? in comics she took hawkeye mantle while clint was off beign a depressed noodle and he then found out there was 2 hawkeyes and confronted ehr and agreed to train her so maybe somehting simialr to this is what happens in hawkeye) But anyway Clints training kate in new york and yeah shes good. CASSIE Scott after end game & Hope continue being antman and the wasp, but cassie eventually takes over the suit from them (Maybe something happens in antman 3 quantamania that means neither scott or hope can use the suits any more because it will tear them apart, like hank cant use the suits because it takes too much of a toll on his body now and he wouldnt surive it really...) so cassie has taken over the suits and is now operating under the code name stature. This then begins the next arc for the avengers now they have got people powered up, and atleast 1 person from this destruction of the multi verse (America chavez) but we may have more that are discovered over the course of phase 4 that were bought through with the multi verse. So, where does this go??? The young avengers is the next big arc.... Maybe wanda (&peter maximoff? not sure how that would work as young piettro (evan peters one) was from the 80s or something in xmen so is an adult not a kid like he is in wanda vision, which adds to my this isnt pietro but loki thing) But maybe wanda is leading them, maybe not. But the multi verse cant be fixed so they have these heroes now and the avengers kinda died after end game cause tony died and steve fucked off. Sam helps train but hes off with bucky alot too doing a buddy up thing together, but as sam is the new cap he also heads up this young avengers kinda as a mentor for them. Now... right now your pronbs thinking "Morgan stark though" Morgan has a suit... but morgan is still even in 2030 (hawkeye is 2025...) morgan would only be 7..... so she isnt really old enough.... But who else had an iron man suit in the comics? who may of got dragged through the multi verse? Enter riri williams aka iron heart. That takes us up to about end of phase 5 with the rise of the young avengers & champions maybe??? Hi and thanks for coming to my ted talk

[vroomian]

(headdesk slam) Yes, that was 2/2 percent didn’t even realize I forgot to add it in the message until after I sent it and spent like 5 mins internally screaming at myself. I’m a mess of a human being tbh. Really? I’m surprised because it feels like Xi fits perfectly in this AU. Xi as accidental cryptid is the best thing, in both worlds. That’s a relief to hear. My anxiety and I don’t get along so I tend to go to worst possible scenario. You’ll probably regret that soon enough. 1/2

I’m like a magpie if something catches my interest and I’ll fuss over it and go all crazy. Especially now, seeing that you did that hob oneshot and mdzs that is two of the main three bl web novels that I now of. Like, of the three I’ve only fully read svsss and my mind immediately went to wonder where Xi would fit in that verse and at this point he’d totally be where the biggest amount of knowledge is and that my mind went ‘what if Xi was head disciple of Qing Jing Peak?’ 2/?

But that’s pretty unlikely given Xi’s desperate avoidance of feelings, plot, and responsibility. Though I could totally see him as a reluctant head disciple and desperately trying to avoid plot. Plus, definitely the first to notice that something would be off with this new Qingqiu. That said, bullying in his peak would not fly with him so I could see Binghe crushing on this unknown elder disciple.

3/3 I’m sorry I don’t want to make it seem like I want to push you to write another AU when you’ve got enough on your hands. My mind just just went ‘ooh what if this happened?’ And I wanted to share my thoughts with you because I think it’s interesting. So yeah, again feel free to ignore this. I’m like that guy from the meme with the pictures on the wall and red thread when my brain goes nuts lol.

long ask so this goes under the cut

okay there are a million different ways this question could go, because like. is yrz female in this universe? is he male? is he older than the main characters? is he younger? which sect is he living near? is his family nice or assholes? which version of the story is he in? the sssvs version or the actual original demon path novel (or whatever it’s been a while since i read the novel)??? does yrz get a system??? 

because the answers to those questions change the story drastically 

okay so lets do two versions 

one: it’s sssvs. yrz has a ‘background character system’ or something.  he’s gotta have a system otherwise he wouldn't get without a thousand li of cang qiang sect. so this systems chooses him (lets say he’s a guy in this universe) because its low key and yrz is low key and it was like hey lets be low key together!

lol system. 

lol. 

but the system and yrz get along pretty well, and they get into the peak they want -- which is Wan Jian peak, because if yrz can’t join the library peak because of Plot reasons, he’s going with hsi second love. Swords! plus i don’t think there are literally any named characters from the story, except the peak lord. 

so. timeline wise, i think that none of the peak-lords have ascended yet, so yrz does his natural thing --- he over performs and becomes the head disciple for wan jian peak  as consequence and it’s literally just in time for the former peak lords to ascend, so yrz is like. stuck. as a peak lord. 

both the system and yrz are horrified and confused as to how this happened. or, no, by then the system understands the Mistake it made in choosing yrz. on paper yrz is very unassuming! but in reality yrz has no chill. he’s never even heard of the concept of chill. he does everything at 110%.

I think that the bulk of this story takes place waaaay before the sssvs cannon, and lbh is sir not appearing in this fic. instead its -- liu qingge! and mu qingfang! both??? both is good! i think he meets lqg first, when he challenges yrz to a spar in the middle of a high stakes missing because lqg is a meathead jock at that age, and yrz is like. no? do your job? dumbass. (yrz has no idea who this shouty brat is, because the system is taking a nap. it wakes up and kicks itself for leaving yrz alone to do stuff.) yrz is older than lqg and kicks his ass because... well. because it’s hilarious really. so he gains a lqg shaped stalker. 

yrz has a lot of interest in both sparring and healing, and with lqg following him around, yrz spends a lot of time at the healing peak and meets mqf there. mqf gets a huge crush almost immediately but never said anything. it’s not surprising that yrz quickly bonds with these totally cool new disciples -- and then learns that both of the are the succeeding disciples for their peaks. oops. 

system gives up. 

version two: bing-ge edition! 

no system this time around and yrz stays far far away from the cang qiong. he joins a small sect to learn than fucks off to have adventures by himself as a rouge cultivator. so, male version again BUT yrz gets cursed or something and gets the ability to change gender at will because that’s funny and useful. also you know. porn world written by a “straight” guy. there are reasons for that kind of curse imma just gloss over. 

then the plot happens. all of immortal demon path’s many, many chapters are playing around in the background of yrz’s life, but she manages to stay out of it -- until one night yrz gets accidentally recruited by a cult dedicated to bringing down the evil demon lord lbh, because this cult has a book yrz is after. she ends up being used as bait for lbh (because he eats virgins now according to rumors. he’s up to wife number 249 by now so it’s not wrong !) 

yrz gets ‘saved’ by lbh, who’s kind of smirking and going ‘oh, no need to thank me, it was what anyone would have done,’ while totally expecting sex. yrz is like ‘oh, cool. bye then.’ and just. takes the book and leaves. 

lbh: *surprised pikachu face*

and by the time he registers no sex is going to be happening, yrz is long gone and enjoying her brand new book. 

after that, lbh and yrz end up seeing each other (mostly because lbh is trying to impress this woman and nothing is working) and yrz is like stop being a creep, i’m not interested in you. lbh needs to drink his respect woman juice and downsize on his harem a bit. yrz wouldn’t touch that with a twenty foot pool. 

anyway i think it comes to a head when they both get doused in pa pa pa juice and lbh is like oh this is more familiar, shall we? and yrz is like bitch. and goes to a brothel in the city instead. at this point yrz and lbh are more like antagonistic buddies than anything else. lbh has too many wives and zero friends. 

lbh starts developing some squishy feelings and is like what the fuck is this?? gross?? but he says nothing because he doesn’t get it. 

then the cross over happens, bing-ge vs bing-mei!!! and after than happens, yrz is just chilling at home and lbh shows up at her place like really fucked up and subdued. he’s like ‘why him? why did he get the good teacher? what did he do right?’ 

yrz is like... hm. emotions. ew. she trys anyway because she’s finally ready to admit that she does like this trash goblin at least a little. so she takes care of him while he’s being depressed. lbh cooks for her and she’s like. this is so fucking good. thank you. 

and lbh is just in love now. it’s nothing like he feels for his wives, but yrz makes lbh feels safe and accepted. it’s a comforting and comfortable love. yrz’s stupid little house is more of a home than lbh’s stupid palaces. 

look. i stand by the head cannon that all lbh wants is to be a househusband, no matter what version im talking about. 

lbh vanishes for a whole night. yrz is like hm, my house feels empty now. weird! and then lbh comes back and announces that he just divorced all his wives. he doesn’t want to be powerful anymore so can i stay herer with you. 

yrz is like... sure. 

and then there’s a long, long courtship and lbh marries yrz and archives his dream of just being fucking happy. the end!

[zuffer-weird-girl]

Imagine the chisaki kids yanking there mother in there room and when kai trying to follow and find out what’s wrong but they throw there toys and stuffed animals at him screaming you hurt mama because they heard them doing it last night doing the nasty stuff and sees the after math of hickey and bruises

Lol

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

Did his son really just threw a cushion on him? Right on his face?

He was just chilling with a book on his lap as you sitted by his side, peaceful moment until both of his brats entered the room and stared at you both dead in the eye. For some reason, Kaito had a frow on his face even of he was hesitant to come as Kin clinged to her toy like a life safer.

Just when you were going to ask what was wrong Kaito had picked the cushion and threw at his face with a shout for Kin to grab you and ran as fast as she could.

What the actual fuck was happening?

He got up but Kaito immediate shriek in fear or rage, he couldn't tell, and threw one more right on his face again before storming out and dragging you along with Kin.

Kaito grabbed the cushions and growled before shouting after his kids and storming out of the room, even leaving his book fall behind.

He cringed at remembering he hadn't marched the page he was though...

"Kin! Kaito what is all this-?!" You asked worriedly as Kin only grunted and whined while trying to push you into her room along with her plushie.

"Get in the room mommy he wont fund you here!" Kaito pushed you along but you holded onto the door frame as you stared your kids in confusion.

"He? Who?"

"Dad!" Kaito exclaimed almost in disbelief as Kai himself reached the place with a frown.

"What type of attitude is that Kaito and Kin?" He growled as both of his kids shriek in fear and pushed you even harder, this time you almost even tripped by their brute force.

"Stay back!" Kaito lifted hsi hand up at Kai while he arched his eyebrow.

"What on earth is going o-" Kin threw her plushie that hitted right on his covered cheek as he deadpanned.

Really? No, really?

"You hurt mom! We wont let you do it ever again!" Kaito shouted, catching the attention of some precepts making Chisaki sigh heavily on his hands as you tried to calm your childs down.

"Since when did I ever lay a hand on your mother?" He asked in bitterness as Kaito frowned and Kin tgrew another plushie of he Ron her daddy face.

Thsi time Kai manage to grab the childish toy with a harsh glare at both kids with a dark 'enough'.

"There!" Kaito pointed at his father but still shivered at his father's look "This is one proof we have!"

"This look is for only you two pests that manage to bring hell to me and your mother."

"Why did you even did that with mama papa?! Why?!" Kin clinged into your leg as she patted your back in some sorta of comfort as she whimpered at her dad on the other side of the room.

"What is even going on?" You muttered and Kaito looked at you immediately.

"Don't try to cover him mom!"

"Cover me of what for crying out loud?!" He lost his pacience but still didn't shouted, opposed to what he was feeling to.

"You know what you did dad!"

The discussion was a bit and even Pops was called to come to the family to sorta the things out. He cane by and found the miniature of his sucessor, his grandson, discussing with Chisaki who only got more irritated at the boy's words.

"I can hear all of you from teh other side of the house." He chuckled while getting near, catching Kai's attention.

"Pardon us if we-" pops widened his eyes at a lion being threw right on Chisaki's face just when he turned his head to talk with as he grabbed the poor toy and almost overhaul it "Chisaki Kin stop with that immediately!"

"You hurt mama!"

"Pardon?" Pops widened hsi eyes at the accusation and Chisaki sighed heavily again, finger immediately on his scall to contain his anger as some hives started to make notice.

"He hurt mom Grandpop!" Kaito pointed a finger at his father and the old man furrowed his eyebrows even more.

"Chisaki." He said more in warning than aprehensive his sucessor name as Kai glared at him with a 'seriously?' Expression.

"He did not! Kaito, Kin what are you two talking about?!" You exclaimed and the kids immediately pointed at you.

"We heard last night your voice and you sounded like you were in pain mom!"

"Yeah! And today we saw the bruises! Look! Dont hide it, they are all over your neck!" Kin pointed and yours and Chisaki face almost exploded at catching what exactly they were talking about.

You send a desperate look at Chisaki who only seemed more at loss of words than yourself as you sluttered looking for some response.

Well, until Pops barked out a laughter that catched all of you guys attention.

"T-That was about-?!" The man clenched his abdomen with one hand as he steady himself on the door frame "Oh lord!"

Kai glared daggers at the old man while now the kids seemed more confused than ever.

"Oh dear, you two really need to be more careful." The old man wiped one tear away as he gave one last chuckle "Imagine if I didn't got you two the sound a proof system on your room, god what a nightmare."

"Pops." Yoir husband growled threateningly yet with some pleading on it, pointing at the kids watching them with his golden orbs.

"Right. Forgot about it." He elder smiled before looking at the kids "Those aren't marks that your dad hurted her. Geez."

Kin made a understatement sound and went to hug her father's legs, even if he tensed at that, mumbling a apology. Chisaki only deadpanned at his daughter as he looked around the mess she made.

"So what are those even? Mom cant have hitted herself!" Kaito exclaimed and you changed looks with your husband.

"Love bites." Pops muttered with a chuckle as your face went beef red, Kai shouted after Pops as Kaito made a disgusted sound.

"Gross. Blergh."

[thesisworkblog-blog]

Commentary on the political ideas discussed in the Analects (part 1)

I am starting a commentary on the Analects (Aphorisms of Confucius). I am focusing on and only excerpting the moral maxims that speak about the idea of authority and the state. In this post I cover a little more than half of the Analects. I will continue adding to the commentary and cover the rest of the texts, along with the other Confucian texts as well. There is a whole lot more to be discussed about this idea, and the Confucian texts go into much greater depth than what is provided here. However I think this is a fine starting point for the discussion.

The book is The Wisdom of Confucius, (1938) by Lin Yutang. In the book he provides some commentary and a complete translation of all the Confucian texts. 

The Analects is often referred to as the “Confucian Bible”. It is this text in which Confucianism is known for. It is a collection of quotes by Confucius, (usually with no context at all, so it is important to study the rest of the texts along with the other ancient Chinese texts (the I Ching, for example) to get a fuller understanding of the individual Aphorisms quoted here).

I believe by looking at these quotes, one can start understanding the Confucian view on authority and the state. Lin Yutang, the translator, says this in the introduction of his book. “... Confucianism stood for a rationalized social order through the ethical approach, based on personal cultivation. It aimed at political order by laying the basis for it in a moral order, and it sought political harmony by trying to achieve the moral harmony in man himself…. Abolition of the distinction between politics and ethics… Fundamentally, it was a humanist attitude, brushing aside all futile metaphysics and mysticism, interested chiefly in the essential human relationships, and not in the world of spirits or in immortality… To be more specific, Confucianism was definitely aiming at the restoration of a rationalized feudal order.. At a time when the feudal system of the Chou Dynasty was breaking down… Confucius was aiming at the moral basis for peace in society, out of which political peace should naturally ensue… Confucius was almost an anarchist, believing as his highest political ideal in a society of people living in moral harmony which should make government itself unnecessary.”

Without further ado, let’s get into the Analects!

Weisheng Mous said to Confucius, “Why are you so self-important and constantly rushing about? Don’t you talk a little bit too much?” “It isn’t that I want to talk. It’s because I hate (the present moral chaos).”

Confucius in his early life tried to fix the present moral chaos by trying to get into a high position of authority. He was never able to achieve this. Later on in his life he retired from this pursuit. I believe he regretted his endeavor and ultimately learned it was a waste of time. He came to the realization that in order to have a positive influence on this world it was better to learn and educate rather than seek positions of authorities. He expresses regret at the time wasted on his pursuit, as it ultimately took time away from his studies.

A great official asked Tsekung, “Is the Master a Sage? Why is it that he is so many-sided?” Tsekung replied, “Heaven has sent him to become a Sage, and he is many-sided, to boot.” When Confucius heard this he said, “Perhaps this great official knows me well. I was a poor man’s son and can therefore do many things that belong to a common man. Does a superior man have to learn all these things? No, he doesn’t.” Tsechang said, “I did not enter the government, that was how I had time for learning the arts.’”

Again, the idea that entering government was a distraction from personal cultivation and education. Confucius (in his early life) and many of his disciples held lesser positions of authority. It is recorded that with their implementation of Confucian ideology whilst in positions of government, they were able to bring moral order to their jurisdiction. 

Yen Huei asked about running a government. Confucius replied, “Use the calendar of Hsia Dynasty (the Hsia year begins with “January,” or about February in the solar calendar, while the Chou year begins with “Novcmber”), adopt the (heavy and strong and comparatively unadorned wooden) carriages of the Shang Dynasty, and use the imperial crown of the Chou Dynasty. For music, adopt the dance of Hsiao. Suppress the music of Cheng and keep away the petty flatterers. The music of Cheng is lascivious, and the petty flatterers are dangerous.”

Confucius often said that he was not trying to create a new moral order, rather he was trying to restore the past moral order (he used the Western Chou Dynasty (1122-771 BC) as the ideal example of government). He studied the ancient traditions and texts from these times during his search and endeavor to implement moral social order through governmental means.

Tsclu, Tseng Hsi, Jan Ch’iu and Kunghsi Hua were sitting together one day and Confucius said, “Do not think that I am a little bit older than you and therefore am assuming airs. You often say among yourselves that people don’t know you. Suppose someone should know you, I should like to know how you would appear to that person.” Tselu immediately replied, “I like to rule over a country with a thousand carriages, situated between two powerful neighbors, involved in war and suffering from famine. I like to take charge of such a country and in three years, the nation will become strong and orderly.” Confucius smiled at this remark and said, “How about you. Ah Ch’iu.?” Jan Ch’iu replied, “Let me have a country sixty or seventy li square or perhaps only fifty or sixty It square. Put it in my charge, and in three years, the people will have enough to eat, but as for teaching them moral order and music, I shall leave it to the superior man.” (Turning to Kunghsi Hua) Confucius said, “How about you, Ah Ch’ih?” Kunghsi Hua replied, “Not that I say I can do it, but Fm willing to learn this. At the ceremonies of religious worship and at the conference of the princes, I should like to wear the ceremonial cap and gown and be a minor official assisting at the ceremony.” “How about you. Ah Tien?” The latter (Tseng Hsi) was just playing on the seh, and with a bang he left the instrument and arose to speak. “You know my ambition is different from theirs.” “It doesn’t matter,” said Confucius, “we are just trying to find out what each would like to do.” Then he replied, “In late spring, when the new spring dress is made, I would like to go with five or six grown-ups and six or seven children to bathe in the River Ch’i, and after the bath go to enjoy the breeze in the Wuyi woods, and then sing on our way home.” Confucius heaved a deep sigh and said, “You are the man after my own heart.”

Here, we see Confucius in his later life. I say this because he no longer is seeking what the first three disciples were. Again, in his early life, he was actively seeking to achieve what the first three disciples were wanting to achieve. I believe the implication of this is again this: To bring about moral social order, it is more efficient to focus on (God), personal cultivation and learning rather than trying to positively influence society through positions of authority.

Confucius went to the city of Wu (where his disciple Tseyu had been made the magistrate), and heard the people singing to the accompaniment of string instruments. Confucius grinned and said to Tseyu, “You are trying to kill a chicken with a big cleaver for killing a cow.” “But I heard from you,” replied Tseyu, “that when the superior man had learned culture, he became kind to people, and when the common people learned culture, they would become well-disciplined.” Confucius (turned to the Other disciples and) said, “You fellows, what he says is right. I was only pulling his leg.”

Here we see a positve example of Confucius’s disciple being in a position of authority. I understand his initial comment to Tseyu like this; Tseyu overwhelmingly helped bring about a moral social order in his jurisdiction. The superior man, I’m assuming, is here referencing a man in authority. One of the core teachings of Confucian philosophy is that individual cultivation can help cultivate society as a collective. This holds true in regards to the individuals in authority. This quote is an example of this.

The Secretary of Justice of Ch en asked Confucius if Duke Chao of Lu understood propriety (or li) and Confucius replied that he did. After Confucius had left, the Secretary asked Wuma Ch’i to come in and said to him, “Is a superior man partial to his own country? I heard that a superior man should not be partial. Duke Chao married a princess of Wu, who was of the same family name, and called her Mengtse of Wu. Now if that man understands propriety, who doesn’t?” Later on Wuma Ch’i told this to Confucius, and Confucius said, “How lucky I am! Whenever I make a mistake, people are sure to discover it.”

I included this to give an example of how many people in authority during the time of Confucius consulted him often in matters about the government.

Someone asked about Tsech’an (a good minister of Cheng) and Confucius said, “He is a kind man.” The man then asked about Prince Tsehsi (of Ch’u), and Confucius said, “Oh, that fellow! oh, that fellow!”

I assume that the “Oh, that fellow” has a negative connotation to it. 

Yang Ho wanted to see Confucius, and Confucius would not see him. Yang then presented Confucius with a leg of pork, and Confucius took care to find out when he would not be at home and then went to pay his return call, but met him on the way."*^ Yang Ho said to Confucius, *‘Come, I want to talk to you!” And he said, “Can you call a man kind who possesses the knowledge to put the country in order, but allows it to go to the dogs?” “Of course not,” said Confucius. “Can you call a man wise who loves to get into power and yet lets an opportunity pass by when it comes?” “Of course not,” said Confucius. “But the time is passing swiftly by,” said Yang Ho. Confucius replied (sarcastically), “Yes, sir, I’m going to be an official.” (Yang Ho was a powerful but corrupt official in Lu, and Confucius refused to serve under him.)

Most of the officials in the time of Confucius were immoral and corrupt (I believe this still holds true in the present day). Again, Confucius came to the realization that the best way to put a country in order was not to serve in the government, but rather learn and educate.

Baron Ch’eng Ch’en assassinated Duke Chien (in Ch’i), and Confucius took a ceremonial bath and went to see the Duke of Lu and said, “Ch’en Heng has assassinated the Duke, his superior. We must send a punitive expedition.” “You speak to the three Barons (of Lu).” Confucius replied, “You know in my capacity as an official, I have to inform you formally of this matter.” “You speak to the three Barons,” said the Duke again. Confucius then went to speak to the three Barons who disapproved, and Confucius said to them, “You know in the capacity of an official I have to inform you formally of this matter.”

Here, we see that Confucius did not treat his own governmental authority lightly. I believe he was initially trying to refuse the Duke of Lu’s request to inform the Barons (of Lu) as that was not in his official capacity. However, informing the Duke was. A lot of the moral chaos that originated from the government was due to individuals in a position of authority not fulfilling their official capacities, but rather selfishly enriching themselves. 

Baron K’ang Chi was worried about thieves and burglars in the country and consulted Confucius about it. Confucius replied, “If you yourself don’t love money you can give it to the thieves and they won’t take it.”

I believe what Confucius meant was this; if the superior man (in this case, the Baron) was to achieve “true manhood” or “li” (I say this as not loving money is a sign of this), then naturally all the individuals under him would follow suit.

Baron K’ang Chi was richer than Duke Chou and Jan Ch’iu (Confucius’ disciple who was his secretary) continued to tax the people in order to enrich the Baron. Confucius said (to his disciples), “He is not my disciple. You fellows may strike the drum and denounce him. You have my permission.”

Here we see another example of one of Confucius’s disciples being in a position of authority, albeit a negative example. Abusing the position of authority was enough for Confucius to denounce his disciple.

Baron K’ang Chi was going to attack Ch’uanyu and Jan Ch’iu and Tselu came to see Confucius and said, “The Baron is going to send an expedition against Ch’uanyu.” Confucius said, “Ah Ch’iu, isn’t this your fault? The town of Ch’uanyu was originally designated by the ancient emperors as a fief to maintain the worship of the Tungmeng Hill, and besides it is situated within the boundaries of Lu, and the ruler was directly appointed by the founder of the Dynasty. How can you ever think of sending an expedition to take it over (to enlarge the territory of the Baron) ?” “The Baron wants it. We don’t,” replied Jan Ch’iu. “Ah Ch’iu,” said Confucius, “the ancient historian Chou Jen said, ‘Do your best according to your official capacity, and if you can’t stop it, then you quit.’ If a person is approaching danger and you do not assist him, or if a person is falling down and you do not support him, then what is the use of being an assistant or guide? What you have just said is wrong. When a tiger or a buffalo escapes from the fenced enclosure or when a piece of sacred jade is found broken in its casket, whose fault is it (but that of the keeper) ?” “But this Ch’uanyu lies right next to Pi (city of the Baron),” said Jan Ch’iu, “and if we don’t take it now, it will remain a constant threat to our defense in the future.” Confucius replied, “Ah Ch’iu, a gentleman hates the person who is embarked upon a course for selfish gains and then tries to create all sorts of pretexts. I have heard that a man in charge of a state or a family doesn’t worry about there being too few people in it, but about the unequal distribution of wealth, nor does he worry about poverty, but about general dissatisfaction. For when wealth is equally distributed, there is no poverty; when the people are united, you cannot call it a small nation, and when there is no dissatisfaction (or when people have a sense of security), the country is secure. Accordingly, if people in the neighboring cities do not pay homage to you, you attend to the civil development in your own country to attract them, and when they come, you make it so that they would like to settle down and live in peace. Now you two as secretaries assisting your chief, have not been able to induce people in the neighboring cities to pay homage and come to you. You see the country of Lu divided against itself without being able to do anything about it, and then you set about thinking of starting wars right inside the country. I’m afraid that what the Baron will have to worry about will not be the city of Ch’uanyu, but right within your own household.”

I believe this conversation gives a pretty complete outline on Confucius’s view on serving in a position of authority.

                 1.The Baron of Chi was not respecting the ancient rites and ceremonies put in place by the previous moral authority. Confucius believed that the feudal states of China had to adhere to the principles set by the Chou dynasty if they were to achieve a moral social order.

                 2.Confucius adhered to the advice of the ancient historian. He spent much of his youth doing his best in various positions of authorities, and in the end he ultimately quit.

                 3.“Equal distribution of wealth” I believe (from a Confucian perspective) that this happens when the government does not tax i.e. rob the people. Equal distribution of wealth comes naturally, however, immoral government and authorities disrupt the equal distribution by selfishly enriching themselves with the common man’s money.

                4.There is no need for imperialistic expansion. All a state has to do is achieve moral social order in their own land, and foreign individuals would willingly join them. This goes back to the individual authorities being moral themselves, which would bring moral order to their nation, which in turn would bring moral order to the world. Elsewhere in the book, before the Aphorisms of Confucius this is stated (which elaborates in detail much better than I can.) The principles of the higher education consist in preserving man’s clear character, in giving new life to the people, and in dwelling (or resting) in perfection, or the ultimate good. Only after knowing the goal of perfection where one should dwell, can one have a definite purpose in life. Only after having a definite purpose in life can one achieve calmness of mind. Only after having achieved calmness of mind, can one have peaceful repose. Only after having peaceful repose can one begin to think. Only after one has learned to think, can one achieve knowledge. There are a foundation and a superstructure in the constitution of things, and a beginning and an end in the course of events. Therefore to know the proper sequence or relative order of things is the beginning of wisdom. The ancients who wished to preserve the fresh or clear character of the people of the world, would first set about ordering their national life. Those who wished to order their national life, would first set about regulating their family life. Those who wished to regulate their family life would set about cultivating their personal life. Those who wished to cultivate their personal lives, would first set about setting their hearts rights. Those who wished to set their hearts right would first set about making their wills sincere. Those who wished to make their wills sincere would first set about achieving true knowledge. The achieving of true knowledge depended upon the investigation of things. When things are investigated, then true knowledge is achieved; when true knowledge is achieved, then the will becomes sincere; when the will is sincere, then the heart is set right (or then the mind sees right) ;when the heart is set right, then the personal hfe is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated, then the family life is regulated; when the family life is regulated, then the national life is orderly; and when the national life is orderly, then there is peace in this world. From the emperor down to the common men, all must regard the cultivation of the personal life as the root or foundation. There is never an orderly upshoot or superstructure when the root or foundation is disorderly. There is never yet a tree whose trunk is slim and slender and whose top branches arc thick and heavy. This is called “to know the root or foundation of things.’ Each one of these “steps” are much further elaborated in the book. 

Confucius said, “When a country is in order, it is a shame to be a poor and common man. When a country is in chaos, it is a shame to be rich and an official.”

Again, this here implies that when a country is in chaos, the rich and officials were corrupt and abused the common man. 

Confucius said, “Can you ever imagine a petty soul serving as a minister of the state? Before he gets his post, he is anxious to get it, and after he has got it, he is anxious about losing it, and if he begins to be anxious about losing it, then there is nothing that he will not do”

Here I think the idea that the State is inherently dangerous is touched upon. The existence of the state allows “petty souls” to achieve positions of power, which they ultimately abuse and bring about moral chaos.

Again, there is much more to be covered on this topic; in both the Analects and the other Confucian texts.