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sciapod · 4 years ago

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Bathtub Photoshoot 💦

Pairing: Henry Cavill x First Person-POV (Female, or at least X wears a bra and has breasts)

Summary: Little private photosesh' with Henners and then some.

Warnings: Dry humping but let's just call it grinding. Edging. 18+ to be safe!! Contains smut. You might be able to find the tiniest bit of angst. And bit of fluff.

Word count: 2.5K

Not beta’ed! I take full responsibility for this fuckup.

Inspired/prompted by this post by @cavillfics

Masterlist

I obviously don't own Henry Cavill, nor do I know him IRL, so it goes without saying that this is a figment of my imagination.

(I took the liberty to edit the photo just a bit and don’t know who to credit for the original edit. Let me know if you know, so I can give credit where it's due.)

Happy reading 💦

---

“Babe, I've got an idea! Can you do something for me, please?”

When I heard you coming through the front door, I rushed to meet you there. You were finally home again and was hanging your jacket on the coat rack when I found you.

“Oh, well,” you reply, “I really want to just lean back, maybe take a shower or something. It’s been a long week, babe. And hello, by the way.”

You step over to me, reach around my waist and pull me against your firm body.

“Mhm, you smell lovely,” you whisper in my hair. I sigh, then wiggle myself free of your embrace.

“Henry, listen,” I look up at you with my best attempt at puppy eyes. You breathe deeply and turn your face, scratching mine with your stubble. It sends shivers through my body.

“Okay,” you hum as your hands roam my body, finding their way to my bare thighs then sneaking up beneath my robe, “tell me.”

I grab your hips and press my core against your thigh as I lean backwards, looking up at you, “I want to take some pictures … of you.”

Your face goes through a range of emotions; surprised, suspicious, smirking, friendly and finally incredibly charismatic: Front-page-style smile.

“That’s the one!” I say with excitement.

“Which one?” you tease, furrowing your brow and looking all suspicious again.

“You know perfectly well, you buffoon!” I say, as I slap your chest playfully.

My entire body lifts when you laugh. You kiss my forehead and twirl some of my hair between a few fingers. Your eyes shift, gazing at various areas of my face. I sigh, then reach for your hands, the one playing with my hair and the other, which I find gently caressing the lace of my panties.

I hold your hands between us and look up at my man.

“You do realize, of course, that you are basically a Greek god carved out of stone.”

“I have been told so, yes.”

“And you do realize that every artist needs a muse, a model, to create from.”

“I have a faint idea of that, yes,” you say, smirking down at me.

“And I happen to be short of a project, and subject, for my portfolio.”

“I see,” your smile broadens, “but what does that have to do with me?”

“Henry!”

My declining patience must have been obvious somewhere in my face or perhaps my exclamation, because you burst out laughing, throwing your head back as you do so. I can’t help but melt a little.

“Tell me what you need me to do, darling,” you say, stroking my hands with your thumbs. I feel warmth spread through my chest. Your face softens and I feel the warmth spread further down.

“Fuck,” I breathe, casting my eyes to the floor. I’m suddenly filled with all kinds of insecurities, imposter syndrome and such, but there’s a reason why you’re my man. You sense it immediately and lift my hands to your lips, kissing them sincerely.

“You’ve got this, babe.”

I sigh, “I know, sweetheart. It's just… Urgh.”

You kiss my forehead.

“Tell me your idea.”

“I…” My voice breaks. You lift my chin up with a single finger, as if it were suddenly light as a feather, forcing me to look into your striking blue eyes.

“I don’t know,” I finally exclaim. “I didn’t have a concrete idea. I just knew that I wanted you to be in the photos.”

You smile, almost apologetically, “Okay, look. I really want to help. But I’m so damn tired. I’ve got an idea, though, of how we may be able to hit two birds with one stone.”

“Okaay?” I say, a slight tinge of hope seeping into my core again.

“I need a bath–”

“–I can’t take a nude picture of you!”

You laugh again, but shake your head, “No, silly. Let me finish.”

My cheeks flush scarlet.

“I need a bath, but instead of taking a shower, I’ll jump in the tub. Once in there, you can have me do whatever you want.”

I squint my eyes, then see a lightbulb flash on.

“YES!” I almost yell, running my hands up your torso and leaning in for a kiss.

“Yes,” I repeat, then press my lips against your sculpted ones. It is as if your lips curl to a smile amidst the kiss.

“Yes,” I say one last time, meeting your eyes, “If you get the water running, I’ll collect my gear.”

Your hands go wandering about on my hips again, dragging my robe up and making my hairs stand on end. You look down at me with a confident smile, saying, “great minds think alike.”

I fight off the urge to kiss you again and instead draw away from you. You catch the waistband of my robe and it slides off as I step away, revealing the new set of lingerie I’m wearing underneath. I stand, looking at you with what I imagine is the expression of a suspicious feline. You, on the other hand, make a low whistle and shake your head in slow motion, clearly surprised and pleased to see what I was hiding beneath. Then you nod toward the living room, signalling I get on with finding my camera.

It takes me a few minutes to find the right lens. When I enter the bathroom, you’re in the process of unbuckling your belt. The tap is running and there’s already a bit of water in the tub.

“Wait,” I say, stopping you just as you’re about to pull your jeans down, “I think I want you in the water dressed.”

You stare for a moment, shrug, say “sure,” then proceed to tug your jeans over your perky bum again.

“Right, erm,” I think for a moment, “No, you know what? Lose the pants, but keep the t-shirt on.”

“Lose the pants,” you repeat and let your jeans fall to the floor. As you stand back up, I realize something.

“We might have a problem,” I say, eyeing the hefty bulge in your boxers.

You follow my gaze, noticing the same problem, then nod in agreement.

“But then again,” you say, “what did you expect, looking like that?” you hint at my open robe and lingerie.

We both shrug, then burst laughing.

“I guess we’ll just have to make it work!” I say, “Now, in the tub with you, buddy.”

You feel the temperature of the water and deciding that it’s decent, turn off the tap, step in and lie down. There’s not a lot of water in there, but I’m assuming it will do. You look up at me with anticipation, “Now what?”

I squint at you, finding the bulge slightly distracting, basically towering above the waterline like another Burj Khalifa. Obviously, you notice my lack of response.

“Hey, babe!” you say, snapping me out of it. I feel my nether region clench.

“Okay, okay!” I shake my head to wake up. You shake yours too, smirking at me.

“We need to do something about that,” I say.

“I can try to hide it?” you suggest.

“How?” I squint. It’s a mastodon of a package you has stored down there, I think to myself.

“Anyway, I need to find a position to photograph you from.”

I begin taking random photos of you from various angles and perspectives, simultaneously adjusting the settings on the camera as I do so. Meanwhile, you roll around to one side, then the other, then back again. The squeaking sounds of your body rubbing against the sides of the tub while you change poses makes the whole situation rather comedic, and I'm convinced you're doing it even worse on purpose. Determined to be somewhat professional, I try to ignore your distractions.

“It’s a good thing we have such good lighting in here,” I say, gazing around the small room, pretending to be focused and ignorant of your attempts at sabotage.

“How do you want me, babe? I feel like… I don’t even know? A fish out of water,” you say, doubting your own wording, “or something like that.”

I sigh, “I know, I get it. I need to think. We’ve also still got that… situation… going on.” I gesture at the, no less apparent, tent between your legs.

“Okay,” you say calmly, “I’ll just lie back and relax, while you think of something.”

“Good.”

As you settle into a comfortable position, I mentally run through the various “golden rules” of photography that I can remember.

Then it’s as if I notice the obvious. The absolute god-like adonis carved in marble in front of me: My initial inspiration. Your white t-shirt, soaked from all the turning and splashing around you did, is sticking to your chest and abs, enhancing the lines of your muscular torso, yet still in a perfectly suggestive fashion; somewhat similar to the drapery you see on these same sculptures. In a fit of impulse, I crawl up to stand on the edges of the tub.

You open your eyes –awoken by my scramblings– fear in your eyes as you reach for me, “be careful, babe!”

“No no, darling! Stay put!” I say, “I’m perfectly safe. It’s dry. My feet are dry. I’m stable, but thank you.” I smile, reassuringly. Suspicious yet accepting, you lower your arms and lie back down. I notice your eyes trail down my exposed body. Lust now clear as daylight in your gaze.

“I think I’ve got the photo soon, babe, then we’re done,” I explain. “Just close your eyes for me.”

You shake your head and smile, then do as I said.

Your head rests on the back of the tub, but your fingers begin fidgeting … around your nether region.

“Are you uncomfortable?” I ask between photos.

“No…” you smirk, eyes still closed, but you shift and rest your hands awkwardly on your stomach instead.

“We can’t have that,” I say, “you’re covering the main part of the photo,” I tease.

You open your eyes, still smirking but not saying a word.

“And you’re revealing, exposing, what we need to hide,” I try to hold back my laugh.

“Okay,” I continue, “what about… what if you hold your t-shirt at the hem and stretch it down to cover your crotch. Place your other hand casually beside it. Yeah, like that! Exactly, babe. Beautiful.”

I take a couple of photos and look at them on the tiny screen.

“Right, hold that pose, but just… kinda relax, if you can. I’ll take a few shots more and then you’re done!”

You close your eyes again and begin taking deep breaths, lessening the tension that must have been building in your shoulders over the last few days. As peace falls upon your face and body, I take the last photos. After quickly reviewing them on the tiny screen, I decide that I’m done. I turn off my camera and place it on the shelf above the tub before crawling down to sit on the edge of the tub, my feet in the water between your legs.

“Okay, it’s a wrap!”

Your eyes flash open and you let go of your t-shirt. The fabric bounces back, revealing your hairy tummy, teasing me. You look up at me with mischief, then give your member a squeeze.

“Get down here,” you say, almost ferocious in your voice.

I feel myself get all giddy with sudden anticipation as you rise like Poseidon from the water. Before I can do anything other than yelp, you pull me down onto you and with a splash and a thud I land against your rock-hard body. I'm instantly soaked.

“Finally,” you mutter, drenching my face and neck with hungry kisses. Your hands tease the collar of my robe before sliding it over my shoulders. Your eyes explore the curves of my upper body, then you adjust me so that I sit straddled upon you. You don’t speak a word, but your eyes and body say everything I need to know.

I feel your girth throbbing against me. You slide my robe all the way off and without taking your eyes off me, you cast it aside. Then your hands slide up my body. You cup my breasts tenderly, admiring the lace and how the new style of bra suits my breasts. You lick your lips as your thumbs begin stroking my hardening nipples. I sigh and begin grinding against the tip of your member.

You sit up and proceed to kiss and bite the flesh of my breasts. Gently holding the lace aside with your fingers, you capture my nipples between your teeth, ever so gently, before circling your tongue around them with exquisite attention. While squeezing my breasts together, you kiss them one after the other, back and forth, before venturing up to my collarbone and neck. All I can do is whimper and moan.

Then you grasp my hair, pulling my head back. Between kisses and bites on my exposed neck, you breathe damp, sultry words onto my skin. Expressions of how I’ve been a tease, how patient you’ve been and how much you want me now. I want to answer, but I can’t do anything but mutter incoherencies; your throbbing cock eagerly pressing against my core and thus stealing all of my vocabulary.

My breath quickens as I grind harder, cursing the fabrics that keep our cores from meeting, merging. Then you push me towards you, allowing our lips to meet in hungry kisses. My bra loosens. You must have managed to open and take it off me with your other hand, before also casting it aside. You grab at my liberated breasts, then sit up and pull your drenched t-shirt over your head. It lands on the bathroom floor with a splash. My hands instinctively seek the wet fur of your stomach and chest, momentarily squeezing your pecs, then wander south again.

Your eyes read pure hunger and you buck your hips. As I fall back down from the jump, my core meets the powerful strength of your pelvis, bucking yet again. I gasp, overcome by a mixture of arousal and humor. You buck again, a laugh escapes me and somehow, after a few times of this, you’ve managed to free your erection from your boxers. I didn’t notice, but at some point you must have turned on the tap again, because I see you turn it back off. I guess this increased level of water also explains the more slow-motion-like sensation I experience as I land back down on your pelvis; a somewhat softer landing than before. In my own defence, I was entranced and my mind was not functioning at 100%, hence the questionable description. Anyway, both our hips are now submerged under water and I simply shake my head at your mischievous ways. You smirk and pull me down to a deep kiss, slapping my ass through the water, making more water splash all over the place. Everything in the room is certainly wet by now.

I grind against your exposed and infinitely hard cock as your fingers slider under the lace. Your hands grab my cheeks with determination, enhancing the force and enabling you to better thrust against my grinding motion. The friction is causing short-circuits in my brain, making me see colours that aren’t there. My first climax is staggeringly near, but just before I get to release, you buck your hips again, making me scoot off your cock. A devious grin is smeared across your chiseled face.

“You had me waiting, sweetheart. Now it’s my turn to tease.”

---

Thanks for reading my shitpost! Please leave a comment of your thoughts, however nonsensical they may be 💜🙏

Tags in the reblog 🖤Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the list.

#henry cavill #henry daddy #henry cavill is daddy #henry cavill x ofc #henry cavill smut #henry #henry cavill x first person pov #henry cavill x poc reader #henry cavill x any colour reader #real person fic #real person fiction #henry cavill rpf #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill bathtub scene #sciapod writes smut

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1ddiscourseoftheday · 4 years ago

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Mon 7 June ‘21

Liam’s podcast with Steve Bartlett is out and while I still don’t care about that guy I’ll give him this-- he does great at getting out of the way and letting Liam talk. And boy does Liam talk! Liam says A LOT and let’s all just pause to send him some big hugs before we get into right? And then look to the future- Liam’s routine is to say ‘things have been terrible but it’s fine, it’s fine NOW’, always, even when that is absolutely obviously not true, and today is no different but for once I actually believe some of his hopeful bits too which is so great! I hope things really are shifting for him and I can’t wait to hear this new song of his. But there’s a lot that’s hard to hear too, oh Liam. He said that he and Maya have broken up (so yes, presumably why he just moved again such a short time after they moved into their haunted house), talked about his struggles with his alcoholism (and said he’s been sober for a month right now, go babe!), shared the usual distressing stories about his time in the band and what that was like for him (and how it still impacts him), and he talked about his new song and how it feels different for him than his past solo music. Truly though there is SO MUCH more than I can get into here or then you can get from the UA highlights- I HIGHLY recommend actually watching at least parts of the video, also because the attempt to summarize so much erases all the charm and humor, of which there is much. If you don’t think you want to watch Liam’s interviews, it has to be because you aren’t watching Liam’s interviews, they’re delightful! Plus really if you care about 1D and want information about what it was like for any of them, listen to Liam, he’s the one who’s out there talking about it.

About Maya he said, that yes, he is now single, and “I’ve just been not been very good at relationships,” and “I’m a proper perfectionist… at the start of the relationship you put out this complete false character like I might as well go in in costume, I’m like putting out something that is not there... kind of like encompassing someone else’s life with your crap rather than just doing your thing and laying out your store from day one. That’s my biggest problem is that I feel like I don’t lay out my store... and then I’m annoyed when they don’t like what I like,” and “I think my problem is I struggle to be on my own sometimes... I dive in and out of relationships too quickly. I’ve not spent enough time on my own to relearn about myself.”

He laughs about his tendency to ask his manager things during interviews; “My fans think that Steve is doing something to me, they’re like liberty for Liam because he always looks to Steve, but that’s because I like him. It’s not because he’s harming me as a person. There’s like a hashtag Liberty for Liam because they think I’m some like prison child,” and he also said “my manager’s my best friend,” (and he’s said in the past he is a big support for him) and mentioned stuff they’d talked about recently around his therapeutic awakenings.

He talked about therapy being something you have to want to do and be ready to do rather than being pushed into, like getting sober, and says that this time around with his own therapy work he’s really felt that and thrown himself into it and he talked a lot about his relationship to therapy in connection with band days. “I mean one of our old managers went to therapy from being a manager of One Direction. So if you can imagine how that feels like the rest of us definitely need some.”

“We were young,” he said, “What I found was I didn’t know I was the boss until like a few months ago, I still don’t even feel like I am now, like I’m such a child. And everyone I work with now is older than me and wiser than me and I’m like what the hell am I doing here with these people. When we were 17 I thought the security guard was like in charge of me so I was like Can we leave the room? No? Oh ok then,” and “when we were in the band, the best way to secure us was just lock us in our rooms. And of course what’s in the room? Minibar. So at a certain point, I thought Well I’m gonna have a party for one and that just seemed to carry on throughout many years of my life... You know I spoke to somebody about this in child development as a teen, the one thing you need is freedom to make choices. That we could do anything we wanted it seemed from the outside but we were always locked in a room at night and then it would be car, hotel room, stage, sing, locked. So it’s like they pulled the dust cloth off, let us out for a minute, but then it’s back underneath again,” and “the day the band ended I was like thank the lord for that. And I know a lot of people are going to be mad with me for saying that, but I needed it to stop. It would kill me.” Anyway, he said, because it wouldn’t be Liam without an upbeat coda, “I don’t want any of this to get lost in translation. I’m not 100% moaning about my life... it’s had its ups and its downs, but I would rather talk about it and it’s therapeutic for me.”

And what about that exciting new song? Liam said, “We have a really cool song in the pipeline... one of the first ones I’ve actually written myself- with some other people, I didn’t write it by myself, but it’s the first one I’ve really liked. And I think I got so used used carting around other peoples songs and not embedding myself creatively in what I do because I was so scared to find out who I was,” and “I don’t really know how I would tour again. I really want to” [on discord today he said he would be touring next year] “I always said throughout my solo career I’d let my song book speak to me. And I don’t think my song book spoke to me to get off my ass. I only became a solo artist because I had Strip That Down. I wasn’t gonna do it, I was gonna leave it alone. I was like, I survived it once thank you very much- but I’m back in now. Because the song, I knew it was right. It felt right with that song, I hadn’t had that. This year, the song we have I feel really really great about. So I’d rather let the music do the talking than me come out and force it. We don’t need any more useless music in the world, it needs to mean something,” and he mentioned the new song on the discord a lot too, most notably picking out a long comment that thanked him for making the fan feel supported and safe and for “putting your heart in everything you do” and for his support of the LGBTQ community to respond to with, “I think you will really like the new song.”

A few other random bits, he said that he thinks there should be a system to make therapy available to musicians in the industry, “I think I’m definitely gonna get a dog because I need routine,” and “I recently started jujitsu,” yeah you and everyone else huh, so do him and Louis and Oli go to the same gym or ???, and he acknowledged that as an addict he may have just transferred that to working out “but there’s a lot worse things to be addicted to then looking after yourself” hmm but he does seem to say that he’s doing better around body image stuff; he talks about having put on weight during lockdown and seeing himself in the BAFTAS performance- “I saw myself... and I was like ‘oh my god I’ve completely let myself go in this’. And it was fine...I feel so much more secure in myself now.” Oh and that he’s written a comedic movie script “based around AA” and his experiences there, such as how “I had a really weird AA experience the first time that I went. My first experience was with Russell Brand.” LMAO yes! Cannot wait, bring on auteur Liam please! Anyway as if ALL THAT wasn’t enough he’s also dove into the lead up to his NFT release; he said “I'm almost ready to share my NFTs with you guys... Who wants to see them?” and posted a tiny preview that tells us its (their?) title for the first time- Lonely Bug.

Niall and Anne Marie perform on Jimmy Fallon tonight, and the hype is already a go! I guess it’s prerecorded, as we’re already seeing pictures from it; they’re singing to each other with the cute car from the video in the background. Niall signed on to a letter to Boris Johnson asking for changes to music streaming revenue rules and signed by 232 artists (including all the artists Johnson recently named as his favorites, haha). Zayn signed on to a Billboard petition to the US senate calling for gun safety laws. The bar Zayn got into the fight in front of posted “Zayn's a regular at Amsterdam Billiards and he is a true gentleman. On Thursday night he was confronted by an inebriated passer-by outside on the street and was called a homophobic slur. We support Zayn & condemn homophobia in the strongest terms!” And also PS omg again because it just isn’t going away: Harry’s beauty company is called Pleased As, his name is Harry Edward Styles so yes when listed last name first, as legal documents do, it spells SHE but it is not a “feminist abbreviation” (WHAT? even??) nor the name of the business.

#liam payne #long post #so long #the longest #ugh #yeah I think he’s mentioned the movie before but it’s amazing every time #Liam also talked about the concept of toxic productivity and feeling like you have to be doing things always to be valid #OMG YES PLEASE I want all of them to be talking about that #I notice no one’s circulating that bit where he calls out the fans’ idea that he’s a victim of his manager #I... won’t say it I guess but like… do consider listening to what they actually tell us about themselves occasionally though #rather than just fans online #the industry is fucked but also they're not children #anymore #and have all at this point managed to find people they trust as their closest associates #anyway did I or did I not just say that Liam and Maya had broken up I DID so why was she on insta saying they were still together hmmm? Lies #but the real point is that I was right lol #if you messaged me to ask about the SHE thing it’s not that I’m targeting you it’s that you were one of MANY #it’s really true debunk info just doesn’t get the traction that nonsense posts do #pleased as #should have made that a tag already oops #7 jun 21 #I hope you guys are grateful I have so much time on my hands this took forever #tw alcohol #tw substance abuse #tw alcoholism #maya henry #laya

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luvteez · 5 years ago

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tutor lessons

pairing: hongjoong x fem!reader genre + tags: smut | corruption kink, guided masturbation, degradation wc: 1.6k

Something wicked flashes in Hongjoong’s eyes that makes your stomach churn. He has you pinned underneath him on your own bed, both of you still panting from the heated kiss you shared. He looks at you smugly, strands of blond hair falling above his eyes. It’s a pretty color — not the brassy yellow tone that every stereotypical delinquent in every stereotypical high school anime wears — but a soft shade that makes him look like an angel.

“You’re gravely mistaken if you think I didn’t know what your ulterior motives are,” he seethes, a complete 180 turn from the usually soft-spoken person he’s known for. You swallow heavily, blood running cold at the shift of his personality.

“H-hongjoong?” you stammer, because that’s the only thing you can bring past your lips. The way he looks down on you in a patronizing manner and the sharp edge in his voice give you whiplash, and it’s as clear as day that he knows so too.

“Oh my god, you’re so much better than the last person i was with,” he whispers, eyes beaming as if he just won the lottery. “I can tell you’re so much more fun already.” A shiver runs down your spine when he starts popping the buttons of your shirt open in an agonizing pace, his gaze wandering all over your trembling body. Once the last button is undone, he hums appreciatively before leaning down, his hot breath fanning your ear. “So much more fun to break.”

The strangled moan that leaves you has you burning in shame. “W-what do you mean—“ you start, but he cuts you off in an instant.

“Delinquents like you enjoy corrupting good boys like me. But personally, it’s more thrilling when the tables are turned when you least expect it and the innocent one ruins you. Don’t you think so too?” Malice glints in his eyes as he waits for a reaction. You try to seem unaffected by it, but that goes down the drain when he yanks your shorts in one movement, letting them pool at your ankles.

Once he realizes he won’t get an answer anytime soon, he continues. “I know you’re good at chemistry. I know you deliberately aimed for bad grades. I know you’ve been trying to get into my pants ever since I’ve been tutoring you. I may seem innocent, but you chose the wrong person, baby.”

The pet name has you choking on a breath you didn’t know you were holding. This can’t be Hongjoong, not the goody shoes and straight A student Hongjoong you know him as. This can’t be the blushing mess Hongjoong is reduced into whenever he hears someone make a sexual innuendo.

You’re pulled out of your state of shock when he forcefully spreads your legs apart. A whimper leaves you when the cool air comes in contact with your heat, and it’s then and there when you realize in horror that he can see how drenched your panties are.

“All I did was kiss you and you’re this wet? Kinda pathetic, don’t you think?” He giggles, and even takes the liberty to trace the outlines of your folds over the material, which has you whimpering for more. “You haven’t said anything yet. Is it because you forgot how to speak? Is there even something you can do? Or do I need to teach you everything?”

You keep your mouth shut. Not that Hongjoong minds though, since your hips are betraying you anyway, thrusting into his touch.

“So receptive. You want me to touch you so bad...” He stops right above the dampest patch on your panties and sends you a look. “Why? Because it’s me? Or is it because you don’t know how to touch yourself?”

Your eyes grow wide when he says that. As if something flipped a switch in you, you suddenly grow hotter in arousal. Taking your silence as a yes, Hongjoong smiles. “It’s alright, baby. I’ll teach you. That’s what a tutor is there for, hm?”

He tugs your underwear down so it dangles at your feet along with your shorts. The direct contact with the air and his eyes trained on you have you leaking more, and if you concentrate, you can practically picture your slick dripping onto the bed. Hongjoong spreads your thighs apart as much as possible, keeping them in place with his knees before he guides your hand downwards.

You hold your breath when he pushes one of your fingers into your cunt, motioning you to move on your own. Whimpering, you do as told while Hongjoong just grins, watching you fall apart from your own hand. “Perfect, baby. Just like that.”

He doesn’t give out any more orders after that. Eventually, one finger isn’t satisfactory enough and you insert a second finger to add to the stretch. There’s only one thing racing in your mind, and you speed up the pace, pressing your thumb against your clit for more.

“Slow down,” Hongjoong starts, but you don’t catch his mild warning over the rush in your ears. Sensing that words won’t get to you, he roughly wrenches your hand away. “I said, slow down.”

Frustration washes over you at the loss of friction, but Hongjoong stands by his point and simply scowls. “My job here is to make you understand, and if you’re too dumb to ignore what I say, you don’t deserve to cum.” Your body jerks up at the mention of it, and you feel your walls clenching around nothing. Hongjoong stares at you with wide eyes before it dawns on him. “You like it when I call you dumb? That’s funny, considering you initially wanted to turn me into your begging bitch. Dumb baby, I can’t believe you really thought so highly of yourself.”

Just when you thought you couldn’t be more of a goner, he had to prove you wrong again. You don’t know if it’s because he spat out the word bitch as if he degraded someone every friday, or if it’s because of the whiplash caused by his new behavior. Whatever it is, it breaks you.

“Hongjoong, please—” your voice cracks, pussy aching from the lack of contact, “—I wanna cum so bad.”

The grin on his face widens. “Look who’s finally talking. Good job, so you do amount to something. Will you listen to me, then?”

It doesn’t take a split second for you to babble “yes yes yes—!” with such desperation that it’s nearly comedic. Pleased with your reaction, Hongjoong lets go of you before he places both of his hands on your hips.

“Go ahead, baby. Nice and slow,” he murmurs. You don’t want to risk anything, so you start anew with only one finger filling you up. As much as it frustrates you with keeping the snail pace, it’s at least better than nothing. Hongjoong lets his tongue dart out to lick his lips, eyes glued to your finger pushing in and out of your throbbing cunt. After what feels like an hour later, he allows you to add two more fingers and you let out a relieved sigh.

A whine leaves you at the new stretch, but frustration still lingers in the pit of your stomach even as he gives you the green light to speed up. By now, your thighs are trembling and the only thing you seek is your orgasm, but your fingers just aren’t enough.

It’s silent, save for the indecent squelch coming from your cunt and the occasional hum from Hongjoong. You consider begging him to make you do something other than this torture, but that thought leaves you when he suddenly presses his thumb against your clit. You moan, start thrashing around from the sudden surge of stimulation, but he keeps your hips planted to the mattress and stops your hips from bucking up.

“That’s it. I wanna hear my dumb baby’s voice.” His tone is sickeningly sweet, but the slight edge to it is hard to miss. It’s almost in a pitiful manner, but it has you going feral either way. “Don’t forget to move your fingers,” he reminds you as he delivers calculated flicks to your clit, observing the way you squirm and pant. “I wanna hear the filthy sounds my dumb baby and her pussy are making.”

Hongjoong is relentless with his ministrations as you cum, though he does let go of your hips so you can move freely. Bucking your hips into his touch and your own movements, you spread your legs even further. Your gasps are ragged as you fuck yourself through your high, hips stuttering whenever Hongjoong applies more pressure on your bundle of nerves.

As you come down from your orgasmic bliss, you pull your fingers out which are completely soaked in your cum. Hongjoong stops his abuse on your clit too but slides his finger downwards to gather some of your juices, completely ignoring your shaking body and whimpers from the overstimulation. Once his digits are glistening, he brings them up to your lips. Too tired to move your body, you just lie still and look at him dazedly as he smears your cum on your bottom lip.

“You look so cute when you cum,” he remarks with an angelic smile. For a few more seconds, he lingers on your lips, admiring how red and glossy they are, and then proceeds to smudge the rest of your juices on your cheeks. His touch is soft and gentle, but the next few words have you growing wet again.

“I bet you look better when you cry.”

#perhaps i got carried away... oops?#ateez smut #atz smut #hongjoong smut #kim hongjoong smut #luvsmut

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fanfictiondreamscape · 4 years ago

Text

The Ouran Academy Deviant

Request: if not already requested...May I request Bad Reputation for Haruhi from Ohshc x Female reader?

Title: The Ouran Academy Deviant

Genre: songfic~, a lil comedic (just a little bit - if you squint you might see it), and slightly romantic. still very floofy tho, WOO.

Pairing: Haruhi Fujioka x Fem! Reader

Notes: The influx of Ouran requests that have flown in is making me melt, seriously. Dead fandoms are really becoming my primary writing topics now, aren’t they? Either way, I love this request and feel like this could go in so many new directions that mimic total bbe - and the pairing just makes everything feel so much more powerful. Like, Haruhi and a total troublemaker? YES.

This is extremely long, as well, so prepare to read something that is (arguably) longer than anything else in this vein that I have written.

Also, I felt like this would work amazingly in one-shot form, and I took some slight liberties. That being said, proceed with caution. The only thing I would warn you about is vulgar language!

Below the cut!

Haruhi Fujioka and (L/n) (Y/n), the odd couple of Ouran Academy. One is a scholarship student, in a club, with a clean track record. She comes off as kind, intelligent, respectable to the utmost level - especially so for dealing with things in the particular way that she does.

(Y/n), on the other hand? She skips school, could care less about her grades, and decides to forego the uniform whenever she does go to school. She sneaks off to do very unladylike things, comes off as incredibly intimidating, and appears to be someone rewarded by fear rather than respect.

The two could not be more different, but the one thing that drove them together was simple: Tamaki.

(Y/n)’s older cousin was the one that dragged her to school that day, he was the one that introduced her to the club after a tiring day at school that consisted of her slacking off in class and skipping in the academy bathrooms, he was the one that provided an easy form of detention for her when she got penalized by the staff.

During the time that she was cleaning and helping in club duties, she had run into Haruhi in her work, and despite what she had said, Haruhi still helped her. “I don’t give a damn, you’re a host aren’t you? Go woo some chicks over on those couches.”

Normally, that would’ve been the end of things. Which makes the next events more shocking.

...

Tamaki had noticed his cousin and his newly-appointed apprentice working together, and in their battle of wits and capabilities, he also picked up on their chemistry. From then on, he was driven to make the two a couple. Though, his methods are extremely unconventional.

One random day, he had invited (Y/n) to his mansion, dragged her to his bedroom and shared a talk with her. She had initially come off as disinterested, but his attitude made her open a bit more.

“Sooo, my dearest cousin, I have a proposition for you!” he had declared. (Y/n)’s interest was peaked, but a part of her advised her to avoid asking. That side lost to her curiousity.

“And what may that be, because if it so happens to be one of your over-the-top plans to try and get me to drag my ass to school I’m leaving.” Tamaki played the dramatics before getting to the point.

“Oh, dear (Y/n), it is nothing of the sort. It is a resolution to a problem of yours, though.”

The (h/c) raised an eyebrow, leaning in and nodding. “Go on.”

The blonde let a small smirk settle on his face, and when he had announced his idea to her, she jumped up and was already on her way to leave the room.

“Wait, wait, wait! Hear me out, please!” She paused, took in a deep breath and rolled her eyes before allowing herself to continue speaking. (Y/n) didn’t need this amount of annoyance before she left to wreak more havoc, but she also didn’t want to send the only person that cared enough to help her to his emo corner.

“What if I say yes to this? What’s the catch gonna be? I’m not jumping from Class-C to Class-A just so you can play the part of the savior.”

“Well, first of all: you wouldn’t be bored. You have already shown that you are highly intelligent, you just need the proper amount of stimulation. You can get there!” She paused, then nodded, and gestured for Tamaki to continue. “Second of all: you need something to do during school other than vandalize the alley walls and bathroom stalls. You’re extremely pretty, and-”

“And I’m going.”

“Wait! Let me finish, I promise that you won’t absolutely hate it,” he pleaded. (Y/n) was still hesitant to go along with his plan, but again - don’t want to send the only person that cared enough to help her to his emo corner.

“Fine, but make it quick.”

Cue the sparkling eyes.

“Thank you! Anyway, I think you should join the Host Club. We can open it up to girls that want to appeal, and this would make your record look better for the future! After all, you want to succeed, right?”

With a sigh, (Y/n) walked back to the bed and sat down. She had to debate the idea - she did want to do well following high school, and she did know that the way she was going halfway through the year wouldn’t be good for doing just that. Tamaki was right to advise her of this, but she didn’t want any obligations tying her down for the rest of her high school career.

Tamaki was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he watched his rough-and-tumble cousin run the benefits and drawbacks in her head. His lips were pursed and his hands were drawn to his chest tightly, gripped with anticipation.

“I’ll think about it. You are right, I’ll give you that, but the likelihood that things would be that easy right now is low,” she answered calmly. She had a tone of seriousness as she spoke, and it was laced with fear.

He had heard the way that she went about her response, and while he was admittedly a little disappointed that she wasn’t jumping for joy at his idea, he also knew that she didn’t work like that and didn’t intend to work like that. This was the best possible scenario for an answer that he could get, and that thought excited him.

“You won’t regret it, I promise! Let me know after you think it through, I can get you prepared and set quickly!” (Y/n) nodded hesitantly, and then got up to leave.

“I’m gonna leave, but I have a lot to think about, now...” she paused, a small flurry of red crossing over her face at the thought of what she was about to say next. ‘Thanks’ wasn’t a word in her dictionary, but now? It may have to be.

“...Thanks, Tamaki.”

His head darted up at her figure as he leapt up with joy and hugged her tightly. He had also lifted her up and managed to spin her around before she kicked him in the shin and got dropped. When Tamaki hit the floor gripping his leg, she was already walking down the hall and alerting the maids of her departure.

...

Now, she sat in Class-A in her second year. The twins were sat behind her and didn’t bother trying to prank her, no one in class was brave enough to stand up to her or correct her when she exhibited some unladylike behavior in class, and some guys that were deemed crazy by the school populace attended the host club to chat with the new ‘Wild’ type. (Following Mori and Honey-senpai’s graduation, of course)

(Sad boi hours-)

She was surprisingly popular according to the polls that Kyoya had taken, and when taking this into consideration, she became the go-to for information from the club’s king himself.

Despite Tamaki’s initial intentions, though, she had only become more quiet and focused on causing more harm outside of school hours.

On multiple occasions, she had gone to the bathrooms and decided to tag the windows with an ‘X’ after covering them in black paint. She had also gone outside to rearrange what she could in the garden after blocking any cameras that would pick up her actions.

Safe to say, she still maintained the reputation that she had achieved in her first year attending.

Her antics were also upped by a new friendship with the twins. She had begun to teach them ways around the school and new ideas for pranks, some that would push the school regulations harshly, and joined them in their endeavors to terrorize certain students that would do certain things to them or someone they cared about.

Otherwise, Tamaki was happy to see another facet of his plan come alive - Haruhi and (Y/n). The two were beginning to get along very well, very quick. It seemed as if the new year and new experiences lit a fire under the (h/c)’s ass, and she had begun to talk more. At least, to people she knew wouldn’t wimp out due to her words and actions.

The change had made the blonde leap out of happiness, the observation that his most treasured cousin was beginning to grow up and become a better person - at a slow pace, but still, there’s improvement.

“(Y/n), you’ve got some customers waiting for you,” Kyoya informed her, making said female groan in frustration.

“They only come here to try and get into my pants, and they still think I’m gonna give those sleaze-bags a chance after the fuck-ton amount of times I’ve told them off.” She stood up despite her statement, brushing off her black skirt and pulling her tie down just the slightest to make herself presentable. “Whatever, I know you’re gonna crucify me if I don’t do it - money, after all.”

A smirk settled on Kyoya’s face as he watched her reluctance. “Of course, dear. Don’t want to keep those undergarment-chasers waiting, do we?” (Y/n) rolled her eyes. “If they try anything, leave and let someone know, of course.”

She chuckled at the taller male, “Of course, Ootori. I’m not dumb, I could easily put them in their place.”

The two shared a look before the female seated herself on the assigned couch.

...

The year was passing by quickly, and as her popularity rose, Haruhi’s attention to her became more evident. (Y/n), admittedly wasn’t oblivious to the attention that she was being provided, but she was oblivious to the attention she was providing.

Now, the two sat next to each other in the cafeteria and talked about whatever was on their mind (at least, they did this when (Y/n) decided to show up to eat there instead of setting up pranks for the staff members). The two were showing an immense amount of attraction to the other, yet they wouldn’t come to the realization that they were crushing on each other.

Even the Ouran Host Club graduates could pick up on the two’s liking to the other, despite not seeing them as often as they may have liked. When they did pop in, they tried to push the two together more often with the help of Tamaki himself and the twins. The whole of the club was in on a plan to get them together, sooner or later.

Sadly, that would have to wait for the group as (Y/n) had started to revert back into skipping habits not long after her and Haruhi had developed a close bond.

Though the school had pressed for the person that decided to skip school at least once a week (which was still an improvement from the three days minimum that she’d jump for previously), they still failed to punish her severely due to Tamaki’s pleading and cover-ups.

She was running thin, and frankly, her snark to other students was becoming more apparent. She had begun to let off more expletives than usual at anyone that pissed her off in the hallways, and would run to the bathrooms with no real explanation before planting herself in the nearest stall for the next class period.

This was starting to annoy staff, and Tamaki was walking an extremely tight rope due to it, but he was determined to help his cousin. He would stop at nothing to get her back to the person she was growing to be.

One day, a Thursday, (Y/n) had run off to the bathrooms yet again. This time, school had ended, and while he knew that this would be a brash decision for someone so self-proclaimed gentlemanly, he ran into the girl’s bathroom to tlak to her.

His footsteps weren’t the most silent, but he doubted she could hear him over the amount of mumbling she doing in the first stall.

“This isn’t really happening, you’re just imagining this. You just like them as a friend.”

Bingo.

“(Y/n)-chan?”

“The fuck- Tamaki? What the hell are you doing in the women’s restroom?”

The two left the area after letting Kyoya know that he and (Y/n) wouldn’t be attending to the club for a while. Despite his initial annoyance, Tamaki reassured him that it was something extremely important.

They had decided to walk around campus for a while, mostly in silence as he waited for her to talk. He knew better than to press her on topics such as this, especially at times like these.

“I’m worried.”

Tamaki’s violet eyes reflected worry, his brows furrowed in concern for (Y/n). “About what? You’ve gotten so much better, and you’ve told me that you like it. So, what’s worrying you?”

She sighed and gestured to the garden nearby with her head. Her eyes were silently pleading, acting as a way to indicate that she wanted to sit down. Whether that was out of fear for her emotions or Tamaki’s he was unaware, but he followed her outside and seated himself on the bench that had been laid before the lavender plants and roses.

“It’s...it’s Haruhi.” The girl paused, took a breath, and continued yet again. “I don’t know what...what I’m feeling for her..”

With a comforting hand resting on her shoulder, he spoke quietly. “What do you mean by that? You both enjoy each other’s company, from what she had said and you have shown. It isn’t contempt, is it?”

“No! No, it’s not that, it’s just...I think...I think I like her.”

Tamaki practically lit up at the statement. “You do? I swear, she does too, she’s just really oblivious. I can get you two together, but-”

“Tamaki, I appreciate the offer, but I know she doesn’t like people like me. Haruhi doesn’t like people that can’t keep the word ‘fuck’ out of their vocabulary for five seconds. She doesn’t like people that refuse to maintain a reputation that’s squeaky clean and extremely fucking poised. Worse yet, I know that even if she does like me, her reputation would be ruined by my shitty one - and that’s simply by default!”

Tamaki remained silent as she continued, his hand still resting on her shoulder as his raised arm fell to his side slowly. He leaned in to listen to what she had to say closer. “I don’t want to drag her into my bullshit, otherwise I would’ve said something already! She just - ugh - she deserves someone that isn’t so nasty.”

As she let her face settle into her cupped hands, he sighed. Some thinking had to do the job, because she had been making such good progress and she was gaining more proper respect because of it.

He knew she wouldn’t care otherwise, as she liked getting into trouble and basking in the adrenaline rush that came with the things that she did, but Haruhi had to remain well-mannered or else she’d be gone from the academy.

Then it hit him.

“How about this? You go home and think over this for the day, take a few days off from the club, and get some rest.” (Y/n) was listening attentively, wishing for something good to come from her cousin’s words. “Of course, you’d still have to attend school, but you could sneak some stuff in during break - you didn’t hear that from me.”

The female chuckled a little at his words, but she gestured for him to continue. “We were planning to have a ball soon, and Mori and Honey-senpai will be attending as prized guests. You can join us in hosting, but if you want to to, you can leave early.

“We want you to be as comfortable as you possibly can, after all - that, and.... Well, I know you and Haruhi like each other. I’m going to do whatever I can to make this happen.”

(Y/n) paused, seemingly frozen for a good second, before she leaped out of her seat and started smacking his shoulder. “What the fuck, Tamaki? You know that I don’t want that, she’ll be ruined! Anyway, she doesn’t like me! Seriously, how the hell do I handle you sometimes?”

Laughter left the male’s mouth as she slowed down, eventually letting her screaming cease in favor of a similar giggle. A gleeful smile gradually formed on her face, and the two finished their small sessions of laughter with panting.

“My god, Tamaki, you are one crazy asshole, aren’t you?” she inquired playfully, breaths peeking between the words as she regained her breath from her sudden actions.

In an abrupt action, Tamaki’s dramatic abilities came into play, feigning a face of horror as he uttered loudly. “That was extremely unladylike - you’re lucky I haven’t called for daddy!”

The (h/c) gagged before grabbing what she had of her things and flicking him. “Let’s go; I need to go home, and you need to go back to the host club.” The taller blonde dropped his act and followed suit.

As they left, a shorter figure stood by for a while after. A small brunette stood huddled tightly in formation to hide behind a pillar, having listened to the conversation that the two had shared.

The amount of vulgarities that lined (Y/n)’s speech was a little shocking, but that didn’t phase Haruhi as much as what the content of it did. ‘She...likes me? I never noticed, I just...wow.... Is this why she’s been going through my head so much?’

She smiled hopefully, making sure to run back to the host club before Kyoya had added anything more to her already over-the-top debts.

...

A few weeks had passed by now. More havoc was seen around the school from a week prior, all by (Y/n)’s doing, and the host club was back and full for the first time in a while.

The week was prefaced with the aforementioned female sitting behind a curtain doing whatever she needed to do while listening in on any and all meetings that the group shared. Her grades were the highest they’d ever been - something that both scared and calmed the teachers - and she had been saving time for after school to do anything that was particularly crazy. The best part of all of this was that she had not only been able to begin attending classes again, but that she had also begun to think.

Thinking about things helped her out now, and she managed to get away with many more annoying things before jumping the stealthy gun and going absolutely crazy with her pranks. It also helped her out with her emotions, and she had realized something very important.

Especially so since the ball that Tamaki had proposed they held was to be this weekend.

(Y/n) had been debating on what to do for the coming event, but eventually settled for her tendency to wing it for stuff like this. She had an idea of what she wanted to do, but things change and she wasn’t down to make any specific plans for the day.

Otherwise, there was something that she was heavily torn on. Her feelings towards the androgynous brunette host were getting harder to contain, the twins were starting to see the effects that had come with it, and they were holding a prank over her head if she were to avoid telling her soon. (Granted, they weren’t aware that she knew, but she had ways of getting information out of people - intimidation tactics definitely work.)

She wanted to yell them to Haruhi if that’s the last thing she did, but two turnouts hit her square in the face. What if she said no? Well, then she would be devastated, and considering that this is the first person that she has actually cared as much about (romantically, of course), she’d be worried. If that were to happen, would she push herself further into herself? Would she lose the progress she’d be getting? Maybe she’d permanently jeopardize her chances at a future?

On the other hand, what would happen if Haruhi said yes? Would she run away and claim that is was false, or would she stand by and be at a loss for words? What about Haruhi’s reputation? Normally, (Y/n) would be preaching and standing by her status as a deviant at the high end establishment, but this? This was different, and she knew this - it was inevitable that her reputation would follow Haruhi and ruin the already somewhat tainted one that she already had. Privileged prissy students were already something to tip-toe around for the beautiful and wealthy, but a poor scholarship student was bound to face more detrimental consequences by the student body.

The whole scenario was leaving the collected girl in an extremely confused mindset, and it was starting to peek out to anyone that was able to see that her notes had little doodles hidden in the lines of the topic notes. She knew how to hide it, but Tamaki - the normally oblivious prince - had been the person to see the coded messages in her notes when he was helping her with her work for a project.

The fear that was hitting her due to this was harsh, much more so than normal. For once, she was truthfully scared - she didn’t like it.

Haruhi, on the other hand, noticed her improving after the chat she had eavesdropped on a bit ago. She also, for once, noticed that (Y/n) had become a bit more interested in what she was doing, sometimes even trying things that she normally wouldn’t try.

From time to time, Haruhi would throw out a random idea for a prank that she had wanted to see as a joke, and it would have come up on the campus courtyard within the week. It flattered her, and seeing as she knew that (Y/n) was one to prank and cause trouble wherever, whenever, and for whatever? It made her flustered, frankly.

With the ball coming up soon, too, she was determined to relax for the night, hopefully with the (h/c) beside her. No fear, nothing, just an image of her and her continually-developing crush standing beside each other under the stars - cheesy imaging, sure, but she enjoyed the thought.

They both had opposing stances on the event, though, and that was what Tamaki had caught onto first. He had seen the glances that had seemingly become more representative of longing, and he wasn’t going to do it. He had a plan, and he’d be damned if it didn’t work.

...

“Ready, men?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Are the decorations in the room prepped?”

“Yes, sir!”

“How about the music?”

“Ready!”

“Great, now the scenery. Balcony completed?”

“You got it, boss!”

“Amazing! Now, boys, let’s go cater to some girls, hmm?”

The gaggle of hosts had gather together earlier than others, already coming prepared and dressed, excited for the formal evening. A plan was looming over their heads as well, and they were driven to get it completed to perfection.

The subjects? Haruhi and (Y/n), of course!

The two were unaware, courtesy of strict regulations regarding the scheme, and a new relationship was most definitely going to be formed later in the night. For benefit of both, privately, but they had to get the ship to sail.

While the boys were meeting, (Y/n) was at home going through her closet. Big fancy ballgowns were never up her alley despite the many times that her parents had tried to force her to wear them, but they had given up after she would wear them with some ‘improper’ shoes or switch the dress out for a button-down and formal pants.

She had run through all of the gowns in the front of the closet before reaching the back, finding where she hid all of her favorite formal clothing. It mainly consisted of options that people around her would normally trash her for, but she had persisted in her action to wear it.

There was a plethora of short dresses that she found comfortable, even some lighter colored ones that she would typically gag at and hide away from. There was a section strictly reserved for dress pants and shirts, and some ties were set up beside them on a shelf. There was even some shoes that she would wear for formality purposes if they were absolutely necessary (read: for future privilege purposes).

What stood out to her in her search of what to wear, though, was a silky (f/c) dress, complete with a small back lacing detail and a low-cut neckline. A pair of tights with a lacey pattern in black, a simple choker, and some sensible combat boots would tie the whole look together - might as well dress up to dress up and dress to impress while she’s at it.

She reached the garments, grabbing what she could fit in her hands and leaving said closet in choice of getting dressed.

Haruhi was being cornered by the twins and dragged to a room near the club room where there was a wide collection of clothing to choose from while (Y/n) had the benefit of taking her sweet time.

Hikaru had tossed a dress that he had presented to her on a mannequin (which proved that the garment would be extremely skimpy), as did Kaoru, but Mori and Tamaki were quick to jump in and remove her from the dresses and to a changing room. She was promptly handed a dapper suit and told to get ready.

(Y/n) had slipped the (somewhat) formal wear on, making sure that everything fell just right. It didn’t take long until she had called for someone to help her with her hair as she had little intention to wear makeup, and if she were to, it’d be very little.

A servant of the family had slipped into the room and started to brush through her hair, and decided to curl it just the slightest. It fell to frame her features perfectly, and as the servant left and she did some light makeup, a smile started to spread across her face.

For once, a formal event left her excited. Whether that was her suppression of the fear from the day before or a weird way to redirect it, she didn’t know, but she enjoyed the feeling. The fact that the thought was leaving her excited also drove her to fluff her hair a little bit before grabbing her cell phone and her bag.

As she was on her way out of her room, she stopped and looked in the mirror. With her hair done, some makeup on, and a dress that usually would skip over unless she had a good reason - she paused. She stood stock-still and looked over herself in the mirror, seemingly glancing over a girl who she didn’t recognize.

It was so different than her typical baggy t-shirt and torn jeans, so much so that she couldn’t believe that it was actually her reflection. She looked...pretty, for once, not grunge-y and dark. It brought more confidence to her as she texted Tamaki that she was on her way to the school.

She got into the limo that he had sent for her, and she was on track for the academy.

Haruhi had been getting prepped at the academy, courtesy of the host club. Kyoya and Tamaki were making sure that the decor of the ballroom was up to par, the twins were waiting beside the hairstylist and makeup artist they had hired for her, and Mori and Honey were greeting and making conversation with the females that had decided to attend the event.

Annoyance was a familiar expression on her face as she had tools prodding at it and people pulling her hair in what was supposedly called ‘styling’. She was willing to put up with it for the night, though, if it meant that (Y/n) would be able to see her.

She didn’t know how this would have hit her, but she was finished not long after a knock was heard on the door. She was already full with an odd mixture of fear and excitement, but when she saw the (h/c) female walk in, her jaw almost refused to leave the floor. If it weren’t for Hikaru, it most certainly would have stayed there.

Tamaki had rushed into the room, got a view of his little cousin all dolled up, and ran to hug her tightly. The air left her lungs for a second, but that was prevented due to Mori pulling him off her. A small ‘thanks’ was uttered before she was pushed towards Haruhi.

The image in front of her held the same power that she had to Haruhi. She, the troublemaker who refused to keep her mouth shut, was left speechless. Her hair was done in a refined manner, her face held some light touch-ups, and the suit that she donned was making her features appear more clean and sharp.

“Wow, you look...you look gorgeous, (Y/n).”

“I could say the same to you, Haruhi.”

The whole of the hosts watched on in intrigue, waiting for someone to say something more, but that was interrupted in favor of discussion. After all, each of them had to uphold a specific image for the night, and if that was a failure to up hold, well...beware the wrath of an annoyed Kyoya and an angered Tamaki.

It took around fifteen minutes to make sure everything was covered accurately and thoroughly, and the club was left to the night.

They made an announcement, presenting the festivities of the night and the reward for the best dancer. Similarly to the previous year, the winner would receive a kiss from Tamaki, and the night would go on.

Everything had begun with extravagance, catering was going on and handling the plethora of attendees with quick succession. (Y/n) had the pleasure of witnessing Haruhi go googly-eyed at the mention of fancy tuna for the umpteenth time, busting out laughing at the image of her holding a plate in one hand and a fork in the other, stuffing the food in gleefully.

In contrast to Haruhi, (Y/n)’s interest was peaked by the amount of shenanigans that she could pull overnight. The doors were open to the club, and if there were rooms left out and were lacking anyone inside them, that meant that those were primary times to pull pranks. She had already snuck out of the ballroom to a supply closet to create chaos in a staff room nearby. Haruhi had watched her run off and enact her plan, refusing to stop her in favor of watching the glowing glee that radiated from her as she did so.

Everything that had been happening was being monitored by Tamaki, and alongside Kyoya, the twins, Mori, and Honey-senpai; they were almost ready to push the big plan into action.

Operation (Ship/name) was to be put into action in T-minus ten minutes.

The night had continued to pass by happily, and around the start of the competition, Hikaru and Kaoru had dragged (Y/n) and Haruhi off (respectively) into different hallways. They had to interrupt their conversations, but everything was just starting.

While Kyoya had been initially keeping an eye of the plan, he had requested that Mori and Honey stand by the twins while the competition was being done. Tamaki was stood beside him and had provided specific action for the duo as before they took their leave. Thankfully, a majority of the attendees were caught up in the night, and failed to notice the group of hosts leaving.

As the twins had brought the respective person to an assigned room, they had made sure that the lights were kept off for a bit longer. The subjects of the plan were left to wander around the room in the dark, eventually finding themselves by bumping into the other.

When the quartet had heard the sound, they had made a quick job in turning the ceiling-rigged lights on. This left the two under an indoor view of sparkling lights that mimicked that of stars, making the two realize that something had been planned. (Y/n) had remained staring at the ceiling lights while Haruhi was left staring at the floor, only then letting the situation hit her.

The two of them had remained in their own little worlds as Mori had let the curtain blocking balcony open, leaving moonlight to creep into the impeccably decorated interior and allow it to glow under the night sky. Everything seemed too surreal to be generally close to reality, but the setting provided a sense of pride and comfort for the (h/c) female, which then led her to make a brash decision.

“Hey, uh, Haruhi?”

The said brunette lifted her head from the tiled floor to make eye contact with her, and the view that met her sight left her breathless for the hundredth time that night. The glow from the moon let her features pop, almost made her appear to be glittering, and she couldn’t form any coherent thought for a second.

Eventually, something did come to her head, but it took an extra prod from aforementioned female to do so. “Uh, yeah? What is it?”

“Well, I...”

The hidden group had stood behind in a dark corner, watching the scene before them unfold. Honey-senpai had a hand pressed against his mouth as he gripped Usa-chan tightly, Mori maintaining his stoic face despite his eyes, and the twins gracing michevious grins. Tamaki and Kyoya had left to ‘deliberate’ on the winner, but they were watching with interest from a corner opposite to that of the other four - Tamaki had his own han dclosed around his mouth so no squeals of joy could be heard in the quiet room.

“I, uh...I like...you.”

Haruhi’s eyes widened at her shy declaration. She had known the girl for a while, but she had never expected this to be how she handled something like this. Normally, she’d jump right in and shout the claim, not beat around it and stutter. This shocked her, and before she could utter a response, (Y/n) had spoken again.

“Listen, I know you may not like me, or you do - whatever. I just needed to get this off my chest, and if your answer is no, don’t be afraid to tell me.” She came off as bold, but one look in her eyes would tell even the most unaware being on planet Earth that she was truly terrified of the answer.

“(Y/n), I like you, too.”

It took everything in the viewing crowd’s power to keep themselves from shouting praises and congratulations at the two females.

(Y/n) lips twitched upwards, forming the largest smile anyone of the group had seen on her face. It didn’t match the usual mischief that it normally did, nor did it seem like she was hiding something; for once, it looked like a real smile from a place of happiness rather than benefit. “Really? Great, I just feel the need to warn you of something before you say anything else, if you even decide to do so.”

Haruhi’s interest in the statement was brought to the speaker’s attention as she continued, “I get that I have a bad rep, and that what comes out of my mouth could rival that of a sailor. And, despite that, I’d normally jump at the chance to ask you out, but...”

The crowd of hosts watched on in anticipation, both worried and hopeful that thei rnew declared OTP would hop onboard the ship and allow it to sail.

“I just want you to have a good time here, and I don’t want any of my fuck-ups to reflect on you. People here are vicious, and you’re already in the vein of students that get shit on. I should be the only one to deal with any stupid fucking repercussions from my own bullshit, and I don’t want to pull you into it. Now that I’ve told you that, you can tell me if you’d-”

The interruption was very sudden, and the way that it was done left even the hosts shocked. Haruhi had pulled (Y/n) to her and kissed her, preventing her from continuing her worried rant. A few seconds had passed before the magical moment ended.

The both of them were left breathless following the contact, and Haruhi’s next words brought joy to the (h/c)’s face. “I don’t give a damn about your reputation, all I know is that I like you and would like to date you.”

Tamaki had watched on in calm glee, the scene giving him a sense of joy that he hasn’t felt in a while. Seeing his troubled sister come out of her previous stump so strong made him so proud, and brought a new sense of pride to him along with it. She has truly shown that she has changed for the better while maintaining her typical attitude towards that world.

“Thank fuck! Okay, now that that’s done, you wanna dance with me, your newfound girlfriend?”

“But there’s no music, (Y/n),” Haruhi chuckled out. A gentle smile sat on her lips as she spoke.

“You think I give a damn? We don’t need any music to dance, y’know.”

Music had started to play from the background, cued by Tamaki pressing play on the radio remote. Speakers blasted a gentle slow song, and though the girls were now made freshly aware of the said blonde’s actions, they decided to forego any ounce of annoyance in favor of each other’s arms around the other’s waist.

The slight squeak of (Y/n)’s boots and the slight shuffle of Haruhi’s suit was comforting the to whole of the club.

Before long, the two had ended their short dance, allowing the six men that stood watching from the corners to reveal their presence. They had made it clear that they were only doing this to make sure everything went smoothly for the both of them, but before their short spiel could be completed, (Y/n) ran and jumped onto her cousin’s torso. If Tamaki’s hug left her breathless, her hug left him completely dead.

The group had left the girls together in the room while they had decided on the winner in another room, and when they were done, they had gone to gather the girls for the announcement.

Once the winner was crowned and the night had regained any sense of energy that it had lost, the new couple had made their way to the dance floor. The spectacle of two members of the club dancing together had left some of the attending students speechless, but the two remained unbothered as they had waltzed around the floor gracefully.

Some people had watched on in awe at the two, never stepping in to stop them. Some of the viewers also gushed at the image, presumably falling victim to the ship that they had shown over the span of the year to this point.

Once the end of the song was coming to the climax, (Y/n) had returned the kiss that was given to her by Haruhi earlier in the middle of the floor. The onlookers’ jaws had hit the floor as they continued to get into the action, the twins watching the scene while trying to suppress their laughter at the expressions of the people around them.

When (Y/n) pulled away from the lip-lock, she laughed at the incredulous expression that rested on Haruhi’s face before flicking her shoulder. “You little-”

“Oh, trust me, baby - I already know.”

The crowd had let the moment pass somewhat, and the night continued along well. As the night was ending, though, some people had shot dirty looks at the two. This, of course, prompted (Y/n) to flip them the bird and a formal ‘Fuck you’ as they exited the building.

“Was that really called for (Y/n)?” Haruhi asked in amusement, watching as she shrugged her shoulders.

“A girl can do what she wants to do, and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

The remainder of the night was left to the club, Kyoya directing the staff to clean whatever mess there was the other five males were left to their own devices. The girls had left the commotion in favor of the starlit room, leaning against the balcony and watching the clouds in the slightly-chilly night sky move in formation.

As they had been throwing out suggestinos as to what shape they were forming as they moved, Haruhi proposed another question for the (h/c) beside her. “What about your reputation? Wouldn’t dating a scholarship student ruin that for you?”

(Y/n) paused, did a double-take to her and the ledge she was leaning on, and spoke up. “Please don’t tell me that you’re asking the same damn thing I did earlier? I already have a bad rep, and I frankly don’t care about it.”

“But, it might make it worse-”

“I don’t give a damn ‘bout my bad reputation, and I would highly appreciate it if you would refrain from claiming that you would be detrimental to it. I taint my reputation, nobody else.”

“Fine, fine....”

#ohshcxreader #ohshc x reader #ouranhighschoolhostclub #ouran high school host club #ouran high school host club x reader #ouranhighschoolhostclubxreader #haruhifujioka #haruhi fujioka #haruhixreader #haruhi x reader #haruhi fujioka x reader #haruhifujiokaxreader #haruhixfemreader #haruhi x femreader #ohshc haruhi #ohshcharuhi #ohshcharuhifujioka #ohshc haruhi fujioka

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ranma-rewatch · 4 years ago

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Episode 20: You Really Do Hate Cats!

(CONTENT WARNING: This blog post contains discussion of phobias, child abuse, and people doing the worst thing to intensify those problems. Those things are in the show, I didn’t just bring them up out of nowhere.)

Well, it’s that time again. Time to grab a balloon and tell my friends what I think of an episode of Ranma 1/2. We’re starting the first arc of season two with this episode, though oddly enough I feel like I mostly remember what stuff is going to happen in it. But maybe I don’t remember right? I’d love it if that is the case. Though...speaking of that...there is a certain character I have dreaded appearing in this series, and I’d hoped he wouldn’t appear for a while, but I checked and he appears this season. I...I thought I had more time. Oh well, let’s do this episode and I’ll worry about him when he gets here.

Okay, well, for the most part, this episode is actually a lot better than I remember it being. As it turns out, some of the details mutated in my head in the decade since I last saw it, and I actually thought things were worse than they were.

The episode starts in the Kuno manor, where our favorite swordsman is practicing to once again fight Ranma Saotome. But he’s not alone, because for the first time we meet Kuno’s henchman, Sasuke. He’s a ninja, and he’ll do whatever Kuno tells him to do, but he probably won’t do it very well.

From there, we see Ranma’s dad is training him in stupid ways again, and they get back to the house to find Shampoo has mailed Ranma something from China: a pink cat. That’s a problem, because Ranma has a severe cat phobia. It’s not random, either, Genma directly created it. See, when Ranma was 6, Genma thought he should teach his son Cat Fu, which he heard about from an ancient martial arts manuscript. The way to teach it is to cover the disciple in fish sausage and through them into a room with starving cats.

Obviously, that just ended up traumatizing Ranma, and the very next page of the book would have told Genma that training someone that way is very stupid. Kasumi, drawing on the common misunderstandings people have about exposure therapy, thinks that just inviting a ton of cats to be around will help, but of course it doesn’t, it makes Ranma even more distressed. Sasuke is hiding under the floorboards though, and he runs off to tell Kuno about Ranma’s weakness.

At first, Kuno says something about how he could never cowardly use an opponent’s weakness to unfairly win, but then he still makes Sasuke tell him about it, because he can still use it to win in an honorable way. The plan they go for is pretty ridiculous: they leave a note in Ranma’s locker that Akane’s been kidnapped, and he has to go to the gym to save her. But Akane is standing next to Ranma as he reads the note, so he knows that’s not true.

He goes anyway out of curiosity, only to find Sasuke there dressed up as Akane. With the wrong color wig. Even though the trap keeps failing, Ranma walks into it anyway because he has nothing better to do, until he realizes what is going on: cats. But Ranma manages to fight the fear and pretend he’s okay, hoping to just take Akane out of there, but then it becomes clear Sasuke took the extra step of also bringing an enormous tiger.

That’s when we cut back to Genma and Kasumi, and the old man explains that he tried curing Ranma of his phobia, but his way of doing so was to just keep throwing him at hungry cats, only changing the type of food attached to his body. All of it just made the problem worse, but it also actually led to Ranma developing Cat Fu. When Ranma gets scared enough, his mind just let’s go and he mentally becomes a cat.

That happens in the basement of the school, making it easy for him to beat the tiger and escape, just in time to kick Kuno’s butt without even trying. But he doesn’t stop there, and starts running around the school still acting like a cat. Akane follows him just as the dads show up. Genma says the only way to break Ranma out of it when he was a kid was with the help of a kindly old lady, but she’s dead. So, Genma tries dressing up and doing it himself. That fails, so they try catnip, forgetting that Ranma just thinks he’s a cat, so the stuff doesn’t really affect him.

The situation does kind of solve itself, as Ranma doesn’t attack Akane, as she’s afraid of, but instead curls up in her lap to purr. The whole school is watching, so that’s embarrassing for her, but then he kisses her and she freezes for a second before throwing Ranma into the school pool. Oh, and the pink cat is watching and didn’t like that. The curse activating returns his brain to normal, and Ranma has no clue why he was thrown in a pool. Akane walks home, cursing Ranma for doing that, but sounding conflicted.

So, the big thing I misremembered about this episode was I thought Genma did all the cat stuff with 0 thoughts about how it would affect Ranma and not giving a crap how it affected his son. That is actually not the case, he’s clearly really torn up about the phobia, though he still says some bad stuff about Ranma being ‘unmanly’ for having a phobia. He even tried to cure Ranma, a few times. It’s just that, well, his actions still traumatized Ranma. Sufficient ignorance is indistinguishable from malice, as they say. Genma is still, on the whole, abusive to Ranma in my opinion, but he’s not as bad as he could have been, I have to admit.

This was also just a funny episode. The comedy largely worked, even if some of the jokes didn’t quite land. Kuno and Sasuke were especially good, and I found Ranma fighting his fear both humorous and kind of inspiring. The man has a hell of a willpower. Not going to lie, the Cat-Ranma just immediately going for Akane’s lap and then kissing her was cute, I really liked that. Of course, I’m a sucker for anything with them, so I’m an easy mark there.

It’s also interesting how this works as the first part of a large arc, because if you didn’t know that was the case I can imagine thinking this was just a standalone episode. The pink cat was the impetus for the plot, but it’s what will drive the coming episodes forward.

One thing I found annoying was how different the dub and sub were this time around, in terms of script. The dub had a lot more bashing of Ranma for being scared of cats, including from Akane. That isn’t in the subtitled version at all, and I thought the episode worked a lot better there. I’m always a fan of taking liberties with a localization in order to make the story work better in the new country, but I don’t think we needed Akane insulting Ranma for his trauma.

Hey, a Character Spotlight again! Haven’t had one of these in a bit, and this one is for Sasuke Sarugakure. Let’s start with his voice actors. In the English dub, he’s voiced by Robert O. Smith. Does that name sound familiar? It should, I talked about him recently, since he’s the one who voiced Genma Saotome in the dub as well. His voice for Sasuke is extremely comedic, going for an over-the-top pathetic voice. He makes Sasuke just sound like comic relief, which he is. What’s interesting is what the other actor does with him.

In Japanese, he’s played by Shigeru Chiba, another voice actor from this show in Japan who is just known for a billion things. Standouts include Buggy the Clown in One Piece, Emperor Pilaf and Raditz in the Dragon Ball franchise, and dubbing over John de Lancie as Discord in the Japanese dub of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I was completely shocked to hear him play Sasuke with more gravitas, using a very serious voice that one would expect from a ninja, which clashed perfectly with the situations and his character design to make the comedy far better than in the dub. One of those rare times I’m actually preferring the Japanese version!

As a character, Sasuke is interesting because he’s not in the manga at all. For reasons none seem to know, the creative team for the anime decided to delay introducing minor character Hikaru Gosenkugi, and replaced him with Sasuke. We’ll get to Hikaru when he appears, but I don’t really mind Sasuke’s addition to the show. Giving Kuno a henchman just makes his dynamic even better, and there’s something I just really like to Sasuke’s almost naive way of trying to plot and scheme. I don’t actually have any deep analysis, at least not as of yet, just wanted to give him a moment in the Spotlight for being something interesting.

I didn’t expect to like this episode so much! It wasn’t great, there were parts I didn’t care for, but on the whole I’m happy to see my expectations overcome. I’m putting this episode in the middle of the pack, at the #10 slot. It was fun, but it has a lot of better episodes when it comes to making me smile. (Or cry.)

Episode 7: Enter Ryoga, the Eternal ‘Lost Boy’

Episode 12: A Woman's Love is War! The Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!

Episode 15: Enter Shampoo, the Gung-Ho Girl! I Put My Life in Your Hands

Episode 9: True Confessions! A Girl's Hair is Her Life!

Episode 2: School is No Place for Horsing Around

Episode 19: Clash of the Delivery Girls! The Martial Arts Takeout Race

Episode 6: Akane's Lost Love... These Things Happen, You Know

Episode 13: A Tear in a Girl-Delinquent's Eye? The End of the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge!

Episode 17: I Love You, Ranma! Please Don’t Say Goodbye

Episode 20: You Really Do Hate Cats!

Episode 16: Shampoo's Revenge! The Shiatsu Technique That Steals Heart and Soul

Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga

Episode 11: Ranma Meets Love Head-On! Enter the Delinquent Juvenile Gymnast!

Episode 4: Ranma and...Ranma? If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Another

Episode 5: Love Me to the Bone! The Compound Fracture of Akane's Heart

Episode 1: Here’s Ranma

Episode 3: A Sudden Storm of Love

Episode 10: P-P-P-Chan! He's Good For Nothin'

Episode 14: Pelvic Fortune-Telling? Ranma is the No. One Bride in Japan

Episode 18: I Am a Man! Ranma's Going Back to China!?

Next time we’ll continue this tale with "This Ol' Gal's the Leader of the Amazon Tribe!" which, as you might guess from the title, will introduce a new character. This one’s actually from the manga! See you then, y’all.

#episode 20 #You Really Do Hate Cats!#ranma 1/2 #ranma saotome #genma saotome #akane tendo #tatewaki kuno #sasuke sarugakure #anime rewatch #anime analysis #cw: phobia #cw: childhood trauma

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harringtonheartache · 5 years ago

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Daybreak | Part Four

Part Five

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Lab Escapee! Reader?

Summary: Part four of this fic. 009 meets someone new.

Word Count: 3,800+

Warning(s): Mild cussing

A/N: I am so sorry for the wait, I hate not posting! Things have been very hectic. I hope you enjoy nonetheless. This chapter is a bit longer than the others (0:

Gone off to dinner most likely, Steve’s parents were not home when the two arrived. Unbeknownst to this detail, Steve entered the house alone while Nine waited on the porch until she was told the coast was clear. His feet were only two steps inside, and his hand had not left the door handle when he called out for his mother. No answer. He tried his dad. No answer. “They’re not home,” he told the girl outside. She followed him in, hesitant and with a handful of bags. “They probably went out to dinner, they are always going places without me.” Steve explained his parent’s absence to someone without concept of what parents truly were or when they were supposed to be home. They placed their bags on the counter top, enjoying the liberty of being downstairs. Steve leaned his newly free hands against the island, looking to his visitor who stood before him. “Are you okay from earlier? I mean I don’t know how this power stuff works, but, ya’know.” He removed one hand from the counter to gesture with it when he got to the last part of his sentence, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah,” she told him. “Are you?” She asked, eyebrows raised and a half-smile sneaking onto her face with a teasing attitude. She moved to sit at the island, getting on her toes to land herself on the chair that stood at bar stool height. “Yeah! Yeah I’m good, I just wanted to make sure you were. I mean I-”, his hand was now motioning to himself with comedic nature. “I can’t throw three men through the air and only suffer a nose bleed,” he was quick to answer, giving her a look that hinted of his playful demeanor. They laughed together, but she felt not that she necessarily owed him an explanation, just that she wanted to give him one. “Using my power drains me. The more I exert, the weaker I get. Just like normal people, right?” She said, a lightness to her tone. He watched as she swiveled slightly in the chair. “Yeah,” he told her. “Just like normal people”.

The doorbell brought an end to their conversation, but it spiked her alarm. Steve, confused himself, looked in the direction of the door. He looked back to her. “It’s okay, my parents wouldn’t ring the doorbell so it’s not them. I’ll just tell whoever it is to leave.” She watched him carefully, wishing him not to even answer the door. She removed herself from her seat and chose a more concealed position, one completely out of view from the doorway. He approached the door, turning around to take note of where Nine was hiding before opening it. She listened to the door open and a small voice she had not heard before invited itself into the room. “What the hell?” it piped up. “Woah! Woah! What the hell yourself? What are you doing here, Dustin?” Steve said a little frantically, unhappy with the boy’s sudden entrance. “You were supposed to pick me up and take me to the arcade to meet the party! You said you would, remember?” Dustin spoke with an accusatory tone, clearly not happy with Steve either. “Uh, ye- yeah?” Steve responded. He didn’t remember. “Listen, change of plans. I can’t do it.” he told the kid.

“What? Why not?”

“Things came up.” A small head shake accompanied by half of a shoulder shrug. He said it simply, as if Dustin were really going to take this as an answer. Steve’s hand still sat on the doorknob as the door remained open. He was hoping that if he kept it this way, Dustin would recognize that he was being invited to make an exit.

“What ‘things’? You’re not doing anything right now.” he responded questioningly, with a hint of attitude for good measure.

“Uh,” Steve’s placeholder for words wavered in the air. Improvisation was not a specialty of his.

“I have groceries to put away.”

“Since when do you go grocery shopping?”

Steve gestured to the bags that had been thrown on the counter, their presence now complementing his weak excuse. “Since today.” Dustin followed Steve’s hand, his eyes landing on the pile of groceries he was surprised to see was not fictional. “Okay fine, I’ll help, but please tell me you at least got some good snacks.” He began walking towards the kitchen before his response even concluded. Unknown to him, he was about to invade someone’s hiding spot.

“No, Dustin-” Steve moved to grab after Dustin’s shoulder, but the kid had already rounded the corner, meeting the girl face-to-face. Caught off-guard, he shrieked, reaching a pitch neither Steve nor Nine expected. She flinched, scrunching her face and bringing her eyes to a tight close. Steve had flinched too, his hand hanging in the air from his vain attempt to grab Dustin.

“Shit! Who are you?” he questioned the girl who had been without a proper introduction. She opened her mouth. Improvisation was not her specialty either. “I-” her attempt to speak matched Steve’s attempt to stop Dustin in falling short of success. The child interrupted before he even got her name. “Really Steve, you’re trying to blow me off for some girl?” Nine welcomed this shift in conversation that momentarily drew Dustin’s attention away from her.

“No! No, I really need to put away these groceries. She, uh, she was helping me,” Steve started. “It doesn’t matter, I can’t take you. I need to be here and so does she.” He barked out the rest of his answer with authority, his tone mimicking that of a parent speaking adamantly to their child. Dustin dropped his sass temporarily, hopeful that his forthcoming proposal would score him his forgotten promise of a ride.

“She can come too!” He inhaled before his next sentence. “As long as you promise not to suck face.”

Nine’s expression sprung into one of wild confusion and alarm. She was perhaps even more alarmed than she had been when the doorbell rang. What the hell was sucking face?

“No, no it’s not- no, okay? We don’t suck face, and she is not coming with us.” Steve spoke with a firm tone and a quick pace, wishing for Dustin to accept his fourth decline since his lack of compliance with the other three.

“So that means you’re taking me?” He said, his voice picking up at the tail end of his sentence. His eyebrows raised and a goofy look of sincere optimism flashed across his face.

“No! Her and I are both staying here.” Refusal number five. Dustin’s smile faded. He sighed again.

“Okay fine, you can make out but just try to do it when we’re not looking.” Dustin said, his voice falling in distaste.

“I-” Steve cut himself off, his head tilting slightly and his eyes closing in frustration. He sighed, his left hand balling into a fist midair. The kid’s lack of understanding was wearing on him. “We aren’t dating. And she has to stay here because-”

“I can go”. She spoke her first sentence to Dustin. Now facing a battle of two against one, Steve looked to her, dismayed.

“No you can’t. What if you get caught by-” he stopped himself. If Dustin couldn’t understand that Steve wasn’t taking him to the arcade there was no way he would grasp the reality of having to hide from the men of Hawkins’ lab. “Uh, your- your parents?”

“Her parents are going to be at the arcade?” Dustin chimed in sarcastically, still fighting for his chance to secure a chauffeur.

“Ah-” Steve’s words fell short but his mouth stayed open. He paused. “Maybe!” Steve said, defending his foolish statement with a shake of his head and wide eyes.

“I’ll be okay. I can go.” She spoke up for the second time, and Steve almost immediately fired back. “No! How many times do I have to say it? Dustin, we are staying here, and I am not taking you to the arcade.”

---

“She is riding shotgun, shithead,” Steve told Dustin, his index finger being used to point at the kid and the rest of his hand clutching onto his car keys. Indifferent to the insult, Dustin was smiling as the three walked to the car. As she had been indirectly instructed to do, Nine took to the passenger's seat. In her lap was the hat she had worn to the store. Her thumb played with it’s brim before she placed it on her head.

“Why the hat?” Dustin broke the silence between the three from his place in the back of the car. Steve started the engine. Nine turned to look back at Dustin and offered a shrug. “You’re wearing one too,” she said. This was true, a hat colored red, white, and blue sitting atop the unruly curls of his hair. He wore it regularly, and now noticed that she had been the first one to question him about it. “Fair enough..” he shrugged back at her. “Isn’t that Steve’s though?” He was full of questions, and no one seemed to be offering satisfactory answers. For the first time since meeting her, he considered her appearance. His eyes took a modest roam over her body, contemplating her choice in noticeably over-sized, boyish clothing. He turned to Steve next.

“Is she wearing your clothes?” This was only a question, but it felt like an accusation to both of them. A moment of silence without a response prompted Dustin to continue. “You guys are totally dating!” Dustin’s head grew larger in the rear-view mirror as he sat forward, and Steve watched him in the reflection rather than turning around. Somehow, turning to face the kid in the backseat seemed like it would grant him too much of Steve’s attention and validate his allegation.

“No we are not! She just had to borrow my clothes. This is completely platonic. Can’t I have friends my own age?” Steve responded after a small sigh, raising his eyebrows to reinforce his questioning tone.

“No, you can’t” Dustin said easily, a smile establishing his jaunty attitude. Steve gave him a look through the mirror.

---

Dustin trotted up to the arcade’s door ahead of the two who accompanied him. A car ride of trying to spark conversation that never seemed to get picked up had met it’s end. He had tried to get to know the girl who sat shotgun, assuming that he would see her quite often considering his own relationship with Steve. Almost every question he threw was dodged in between “uhh’s” and “um’s”. Steve engaged himself a fair amount in Nine’s Q&A, even without invitation. “Do you go to Hawkins High? How come I’ve never seen you around?” Steve told him that she was new. “How long have you known Steve?” Steve told him a while, avoiding any and all specifics. “Where do you live?” This one was met with a “you don’t ask people that, dipshit”.

“I never got your name.” An implied question that Nine could surely answer without assistance, if she had a real name that is. Forgetting her personal obscurity, she started to respond. “Ni-”

“-na!” Steve threw an unnerved glance her way, renaming the girl in one panicked shout. “Nina! That’s her name. I’m sorry, I- hah” Steve decorated his sentence with a chuckle that was supposed to relieve the awkward atmosphere. It wasn’t much of a help. “I forgot to introduce her,” he said. Nine sent Steve a confused look, subtle but present, and he was grateful that Dustin couldn’t see her do this. Nina was not her name, and she had to recall her conversation with Steve the first night she had spent at his house to rationalize why it was he had just called her this. “Nine? The number nine? What, is that supposed to be your name? That’s a number.”

---

“Who’s she?” Dustin was asked the question he had wondered himself all of 15 minutes ago. A taller kid - a member of “the party” Steve would later disclose to Nine was called Mike - gestured lightly to the girl, her and Steve walking a few paces behind Dustin.

“I dunno, some girl who was at Steve’s house,” he answered with a simple shrug. Two more boys caught up with Mike to greet the new arrival.

“Is she wearing his clothes?” Mike continued to voice his confusion.

“Yeah, don’t question it. He has a bug up his ass.” The four boys dropped it, leading the member of their group last to arrive to the game they had been huddled around a few minutes ago.

“Tallest is Mike, that one’s Lucas, and the smallest is Will,” Steve explained to Nine. Pointing to each kid as he spoke, he was less subtle than Mike had been in motioning to Nine. She nodded as she followed Steve blindly. He walked slowly, watching the kids run off into the maze of gaming machines. “And I’m Nina?” she asked, looking to him with both confusion and an unexplained dissatisfaction on her face. “Oh, um-” Steve looked down a little to meet her eye. His arms were crossed in a casual manner now. “Sorry about that. It was the first name I thought of. Calling you ‘Nine’ would have made him ask more questions.” She nodded again. She had not wanted more questions. “We only have to call you that in front of them, is that okay?” He asked her for permission, although knowing that there wasn’t really an option for backpedaling if she said no. “Yeah, I get it,” she told him. She smiled gently to reassure Steve, something she noticed herself doing often.

Deciding that it was his duty to wait around for Dustin - sure of the fact that he would be asked for a ride home - Steve found a table in the “dining” area of the arcade. He wasn’t too sure of the food they served here, but he was thankful for a place to sit nonetheless. Nine sat across from him, a look of expectancy on her face. She wasn’t completely sure of her place here, but just as it had been in the store, other people occupying the establishment seemed unconcerned with her presence. “Why did you want to come here?” Steve asked her. It was a question she had little confidence in answering, as she really didn’t know herself. “I guess I just wanted to see more of the town.” she said. Her voice was quiet, almost easy to lose in the shouts of children battling one another’s high scores. Steve’s hands rested on the table, and he leaned forward a little. Nine’s laid in her lap. “I don’t know how interesting the arcade is,” he said to her with a mellow shrug.

She looked around, letting herself truly consider the location. The main light sources in the room were those coming from the game screens. Colored fluorescent lights also lined the walls, but the building was dim for the most part. This was her favorite detail. It was more crowded than the store had been, but it was full of kids rather than adults. She tried for a moment to find the four Steve had named for her, but they were gone from sight. It was loud; kids were hollering and arcade games overlapped one another with energetic music and sound effects. This was her least favorite detail.

“They seem to be having fun,” she responded after her look around the room, finally finding the party who were adding to the noisy environment with their own shouts of frustration. She nodded in their direction to indicate who she was referring to. “Yeah,” Steve said. “They can be shitheads sometimes, but they’re good kids.”

As if they knew they were being discussed (which they most certainly couldn’t considering the volume of the room), the four abandoned their game and found the two at the table. “Hey Steve, do you have any money? We’re out.” Dustin lead the conversation for the group. Steve, who had been looking at the kids questioningly, turned to give Nine a knowing look. “See? Shitheads.”

“Hey! They spent all of the money waiting for me to show up! Technically this is on you,” Dustin spoke.

“And you came to the arcade without any money?” Steve rightfully accused. Dustin stood there for a moment, eyes breaking away from Steve’s in a defeated silence. It was slightly humorous, and Nine smiled at the dynamic she had picked up on between the two. “Fine,” Steve said, digging into his pocket for some money to gift the kids.

“I’m Lucas,” the one dressed in a green shirt politely introduced himself to the unfamiliar girl who had tagged along. Not expecting any conversation to be directed towards her, Nine was caught off-guard and made a little nervous by the boy’s words. She looked to him, and then glanced once more at Steve before speaking. He wasn’t listening, instead fully engaged in his bickering with Dustin. She wished he had been paying attention. “Nia,” she told Lucas. He smiled at her kindly, but she felt panicked once she realized her incorrect reciting of the name Steve had given her. “Uhm, Nina.” She corrected herself quickly, and Lucas’s smile twitched, but he tried not to let his puzzlement show. “I’m Will,” another boy joined in. “Mike,” said the last. “And I’m sure you’ve got Dustin down,” he added with a hint of sarcasm to his speech, gesturing to the boy she had met earlier with a head nod. She smiled at the three. While she hadn’t much to compare them to, she decided that Steve was right: they were good kids.

“That’s all you’re getting, Henderson”. She tuned back into Steve’s squabble with Dustin, which seemed to be reaching its end. “You’re the best,” Dustin said with gratitude, swiping the money off of the table. “Yeah, yeah. I know,” Steve responded. There was an indisputable attitude to his words (and the additional eye-roll), but it was easy to detect the fondness behind them. The party departed, “thank-you’s” tossed behind them as they ran off to resume their gaming tournament. Steve turned back to face Nine again, his hands folding together and settling on the tabletop once more. “It’s like I’m their mom, I swear.” He said. Nine laughed at this, although not completely understanding of the family reference.

Light-hearted conversation drifted between the two for a few minutes; these few minutes were all they were allowed before disruption ensued again. Nine’s hands that had been placed in her lap broke away from one another with her startled jump. An argument between kids in the arcade was ensuing, and somehow their yelling managed to top the hollers coming from just about everywhere else in the room. Following the sound, Nine barely managed to find it’s origin before Steve had already taken off in it’s direction. A child unfamiliar to her was now advancing on the four she knew, a fight about to become physical. “Hey hey hey!” Steve tried to break it up with his voice, as his feet were a few paces too far behind to allow him to intervene with his body. Will (that one was Will, right? Nine wasn’t too good with names) was shoved backwards, two hands to his chest, as so aggressively inflicted upon him by the instigator. It was after this that Steve was able to step in, using one of his own two hands to hold the quarrelsome child back with a strong restrainment.

“What the hell is going on here?” Steve asked sharply. “Are you okay?” He asked Will, looking to him first before redirecting his eyes to the kid he held back. Will gave a nod, preferring this over speech. The four stood around one another, Mike throwing an arm over Will’s shoulder as an act of reassurance.

“These freaks are taking up too much room,” the aggressor spat, only glancing at Steve, making sure to spend his showtime glaring at the party instead. He wasn't too forceful against the prohibiting hand, understanding that he would not win against the teenager who towered over him. Maybe he could take on little Will, but when it came to Steve, he’d rather not push it. “They’re allowed to be here, okay? Why don’t you just leave.” Steve was composed. This was not to overlook his anger - he was very much angry - but he remained composed. He was handling a thirteen year old kid, as he had to remember. “No way! I’m going to play Dragon’s Lair.” The kid was considerably more contentious than Steve. “Well they were playing, so you’re going to have to w-” Steve was interrupted by Mike. He removed his arm from around Will and stood up with slightly better posture than before. “Steve, it’s fine. Let’s just go.” He didn’t want any more confrontation, and he certainly didn’t want to watch Steve beat the shit out of a kid half his size. Maybe then he’d walk from a fight without a black eye and a bloody lip.

“No-” Steve started, but the child had moved from his place against his hand, turning around to do exactly what he had said he was going to do. Sound effects resumed from the arcade game that had been the subject of the turf war. He was no longer concerned with the party - or with Steve - and instead became concerned with beating the high-score of whomever resided at the top of the list. “It’s fine,” Mike reminded Steve again, his voice glum. Nine decided that it wasn’t fine. Having watched the interaction as it played out in a mere minute or so, she decided that this unnamed irritant was not one of the good kids.

In just one second, all of the cheery arcade music came to a mild humming silence. All of the machines powered down, and even the lights faded out, no longer illuminating the room with fluorescent purples and greens. The sound of the music was replaced quickly with the sound of booing children, a noise perhaps louder than what came before it. Shouts of “come on!” and “hey!” could be heard, the loudest of which coming from the kid who had been standing at Dragon’s Lair. “No! Come on!” he yelled. The four kids that Steve had been fighting for were just as confused as everyone else, and for a moment Steve was too. He looked to Nine, an innocent action taken to ensure that she was okay. When he did this however, he noticed a little trail of blood beginning from her nose, and he couldn’t stop a smile at the realization of what she had done.

Considering the games were no longer worth fighting for, the gang of two teens and four kids decided to leave the arcade. “Woah,” said Dustin as they walked through the parking lot. “Even the big sign lost power.”

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Tag list: @ggclarissa @hyp-oh-critical @notvvarriors

#steve harrington #steve harrington reader insert #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fluff #steve x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things #steve harrington series #ST fic #stranger things 3 #joe keery #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #will byers

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wincestisasincest · 6 years ago

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Murder in the Blue Morgue -- Part 7

Y’know, every three months is still a technically consistent update schedule.

Also, this chapter is super long, and was an absolute doozy to write, so enjoy. Be on the lookout for poorly written character development, that’s kind of my specialty.

Also, it’s summer, so maybe I can actually write more of these now.

Tag: @saturnsocoolioyep

If y’all wanna be tagged(I still think the above is how you do it, so do correct me if I’m wrong) just ask.

Also, here’s the masterlist, for 1-5: https://twincestforthewincest.tumblr.com/post/181757211705/murder-in-the-blue-morgue-masterlist

I’m updating Tumblr first, but shortly after this goes live, the whole thing is also on my Wattpad and Archive. God I hope this happens quickly because I am so tired.

Here she goes.

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Josephine's breath shifted the dust particles around the dank hallway. Well, they couldn't exactly be called dust, but whatever particles had popped into existence due to all of the drama that had happened in the hallway, and had decided to remain there afterwards to haunt the building and the conscience of anyway who had passed through it.

Inviting.

The light blinked ominously. No person in their right mind would've stayed to sleep in this hallway after someone had been murdered in one of the neighboring apartments, which made it perfect for late night revisiting.

The thought had occurred to her that if they noticed that she was missing from the police station this would definitely be the first place that they looked, but the officers on duty seemed to have a "give her space" attitude, which was perfect for scheming. The cameras would catch her, of course, but only as an afterthought. All she needed now was to see the scene. Perhaps for her own closure.

The door was already open, the shadowy interior flooding into the hallway. Of course, it was blocked to hell with police tape, like everything else in this damn building, but the easy part about that is that you can always just bend under it.

Jo shoved her hands in her pockets, entering the apartment as though she had just gotten off of school.

The dead body of her mother was sprawled across the floor, with very obvious stab wounds sprinkled all over her body. Blood had pooled into the cheap carpet, as well as the cheap t-shirt and under the tacky nails of her mother. The light from the hallway crept around the nooks and crannies of the corpse, casting angular shadows that made her look like a character from a comic book.

Jo fished the lighter out of one of her pockets and flipped it open, flicking the light with the calloused tip of her thumb. The last thing she'd need was someone calling the cops because she'd idiotically turned the lights on.

The tiny flame danced about the remains of the apartment, everything either wrapped in some sort of crime-scene plastic, or taken and placed god knows where as if her goddamn used, unwashed fork in the sink was important evidence.

Jo held the light above her in a mock statue of liberty, and observed the ceiling, the only thing that seemed to have remained untouched. Her reflection in the lightbulb was like that of a bathroom mirror, with every one of her grizzled and tired features coming to center stage. The reflection of the light was interrupted by a small, spiraling shadow.

Jo put out the lighter and pulled her jacket sleeves over her hands, navigating by touch and instinct to the bathroom, where she retrieved the footstool and returned to the base of the lamp, reigniting the lighter.

Her fingers reached out and plucked the obtrusion off the lightbulb, returning her complete reflection. It was a spiral of red hair that did flips around her index finger and pinkie.

"Figured you'd be here." A husky voice sliced through as Jo shut off her lighter. A corpse-like silhouette occupied the door frame.

"Figured you wouldn't. They're looking for ya, y'know."

"Love, if you think this is my first time evading the law, you'd be sorely mistaken."

"Thought as much. But your friend might not be as experienced."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Again, though, he was deft enough to kill a person, so maybe I've underestimated him."

"You seem like a smart girl. Smart enough to know what you're saying is bullshit."

"Well call me a Devil's Advocate, but I'd challenge you to look at the evidence."

"Hm. Challenge not accepted. It's not him."

"I'm not the one you need to tell. You'll probably be confronting the judge in a few months."

"Maybe, but that'll be separate from Dents."

"You seem like a smart girl. Smart enough to know what you're saying is bullshit."

"Well, this isn't going anywhere." The figure shifted forward in the door frame before it was consumed in the darkness of the apartment.

"Nope, but I am." Jo shoved the hair into her pocket before darting to the backroom, throwing open the window, and flinging herself onto the fire escape.

Worming her way around the stairs, she dropped to the lower level, before determining herself close enough to the ground to jump off. She crash landed before bending her knees to make her landing somewhat more graceful, just like she was 10 again and wanted to fulfill an in-poor-taste dare. She pulled herself up and began to sprint around the corner, not stopping to look behind her.

The block passed in a blur, and the corner store's neon lights came into full view. The small mom-and-pop shop was not only a keystone of the street, but also her ticket to possibly escaping the madman that had advanced at her a few seconds ago.

She pushed the door open and the bell flipped over itself, its ring sailing through a vacant store. Caleb, the bored college dropout tasked with watching the place in the evenings, took a rather large hit, fresh from his personal stash, before facing her.

"Hey, man. Can I use the back door?"

"Whatever you say, just do it quick before that other customer comes in."

She whipped her head around, still on high alert. The street was bathed in a large shadow overcast by an even larger man across the street. And to think. She'd taken them to the diner earlier.

The man began to approach the stop in a way reminiscent of the Hash Slinging Slasher, though she got the sense that there would be no comedic conclusion to follow. Not pausing to test her theory, she crawled under the counter, ripped open the door to the slightly stalling door to where they kept all of their supplies, and pushed herself through the large, unlocked, double doors that they would use to unload trucks.

The night was crawling on her again, and the alleyway let some bare moonlight flow through the clothes lines coming out of the windows to spill on her face. She continued to sprint under the clotheslines before taking a brief excursion on another alleyway, this time undercut by the steps up to a makeshift rooftop garden.

The world around her had gone quiet. Like it was a point in a movie where she would meet her old nemesis, hiding in the corner, waiting to let go of their blanket of shadows and shoot her down. But instead it was just her.

You can't really see the stars on any given night in New Jersey, even in the South, but occasionally, on a super clear night, some divine force's toothpick pokes through the sky and you can see the stars glaring down at you. Of all nights that this were to happen on, it had to be this one.

She continued her gait, though it had somewhat slowed. She doubted that she had actually successfully eluded them, but perhaps they would find her more out of their persistence and not their own skill in tracking. That gave her time for the moment.

The next stop would, of course, be the police station. Maybe she could even act like she never left, if no one had noticed her or bothered to check the footage. She'd gotten her closure, and perhaps the rest of the night could fall into place like that had.

That being said, the police station would be where she was expected to go. There wouldn't be any harm in waiting everything out in an equally safe place, where perhaps the location and the night could play equal parts in hiding her. No harm at all. This is her city, with her people, and the safest place that she could've been at the moment.

She hadn't stopped to notice that her feet had stopped carrying forward as she had become lost in her thoughts. The city was all hers, and yet there was nowhere that could guarantee her safety.

Noodle darted off the roof of a building and grabbed her. Her hand stifled a scream.

"Look, look, I know this is sudden and everything, but we need your help. I promise we're not gonna hurt you or anything, but you are coming with us."

A white van, like the kind that children disappear into, pulled up from behind the corner. Before Jo could even attempt to bite her attacker's hand, she was flung into the back of the shady van. Just another great way to keep the chase moving forward.

Okay okay okay. Calm calm calm. You're so goddamn fine. Everything is peachy. Don't look worried. Don't look worried. Don't look worried.

Her vision had gone slightly blurry due to the force of the impact, but nothing that a few quick blinks couldn't handle. Slowly, the image of the lanky, blue haired guy that had haunted her thoughts for the last few hours focused into view. Never in her life did she think that he would look menacing.

"Okay, I know this looks bad," Normally, it was easy for her to take his voice seriously, but with all the bitter resent seeping in, it sounded so much more annoying, "But you need to help me find out who killed your mum."

He was smoking a cigarette, which, if Jo wasn't already intensely used to the smell, she wouldn't assumed to be weed instead. But nope, just more classic stuff they tell you not to do in school.

"Um, no, I don't think I will actually."

"Please."

"Nope."

"Noodle, it's not working."

"'D, you gotta try a little harder than that. I'll go find Mudz and Russ."

"Wait, Noodle-"

The van shook slightly as she hopped out the back. Very stable. The smoke lingered longer than the eyes of the pair in the van, both refusing to look directly at each other.

"I'm really sorry about all this, okay? But, I'm innocent, I swear, and I need to find out who it was."

"This ain't a goddamn movie. You're rich. You can hire a lawyer and pay off the jury. You'll get out unscathed, and maybe with a little bit of Chicago and a little less of OJ, it might even work out for ya. AND, I don't need to be involved with any of this."

"You knew your mum better than anyone else."

"Yeah, and I think you did it, so I suggest you find someone else."

"I didn't fucking kill your mum!" Jo didn't think that he had it in him to raise his voice. Though, she also didn't think that he was capable of murder. The scratchiness of his throat was really brought out in the yell, and she could tell that it still wasn't something that he did too often. He could tell too. It was quickly replaced by even more silence, this time with the two making perfect eye contact.

"I thought I told you that I didn't want to be involved in any more shit. I don't know anything. I won't tell anyone. I just wanna fucking go home." Her voice was also a lot smaller than she was used to.

"I- look, sorry I yelled, you're clearly freaked out, I-"

"I'm fine, but I'd be even better if I were out of this van right now."

"I don't," he sighed, "I can't do that."

"You mean you don't want to."

"I just, I didn't do it. I really didn't."

"If it makes you feel any better, that's what I told the police."

"Really?"

"Yeah, before they convinced me otherwise," his face dropped, and she knew she shouldn't be feeling bad for him, but she recoiled, somehow feeling like she had gone too far, "But, what I believe wouldn't have changed what I told them. They, uh, already knew most of it anyway."

She was sitting face up, with her legs stretched apart in a mock half-straddle, her hands resting in the middle. 2D rubbed his eyes with one of his hands in contemplation.

"Well, I guess-"

"STRAP YOURSELVES IN KIDDIES, WE'RE HITTIN' THE ROAD!" Murdoc and Russel swooped into the front of the van while Noodle hopped in through the back slamming the doors shut. Murdoc man-handled the car into starting before either 2D or Jo could sling out a retort or question. The van lurched forward and 2D topped to the ground, joining Jo, while Noodle remained, standing tall.

"Russ, can we have the live feed." Noodle politely looked over the seats in the front.

"Sure thing, catch." Russel flung a clunky, 90s looking TV from the front seat over the heads of the pair on the floor, which Noodle caught gracefully and plugged into one of the outlets that was, for some reason, in the back of the van. The television whizzed to life and filled the car with static.

"Where's the remote?" Noodle announced to the van as she took her place on the floor in front of the TV.

"Oh, I fink I'm sittin on it, hold on..." 2D searched under his ass for the remote, while Jo was still struggling to comprehend the spectacle.

"Okay, it's definitely local news..." Noodle flipped through the channels on the television while both 2D and Jo crawled up next to her.

The camera zoomed in on a shot of the van, the camera courteously going a few blocks up as well to show the cops on their tail.

"-popular band Gorillaz is currently on the run from the police, as their lead singer 2D is suspected of murder. The band currently-" the voice of the newscaster cut swayed in and out, in time with Jo's consciousness, as she dared to not be too light headed.

"-on the lookout for Josephine Powell, daughter of the deceased, snuck out of the police station this morning, and will be charged as an accessory to the murder as new evidence comes to-"

"Wait, what?!" Jo leaned in to the TV, the images of her face that had been taken when she arrived at the station flashing clearly and proudly on the screen.

"You're a part of this, now, kid! Keep up!" Murdoc shouted from the front, his tongue sticking directly out of his mouth and curling upward as he swerved, half focused on the drive and half focused on the escape.

"No, no, oh my god, I'm an accessory?!" Jo pushed herself into the back of the van.

"Yeah, you have to help now!" 2D did a joyous fist-bump to the air, though it didn't match his slightly accusatory tone.

"I still think you did it, asshole."

"Aww, really?"

"Really really."

"Well, you can believe that as long as you like," Russ cut in, "Your name is another that's gotta be cleared though. And that ain't gonna happen if you go back to them cops. So help us in the meantime."

"I don't even know where to start with that. Like, help with what?"

"Help us find out who did it. If we have definitive proof that it was someone else, which it was," 2D added slightly resentfully, "then we can prove that I'm not guilty."

"No, I got that part, but what could I possibly tell you that would help with that. Everyone's either fucked my mom, had it out for her, or both."

"Not a soul you can fink of?" She found herself not being able to look him in the eye again.

"Well, the only people that she liked slightly were the other moms. Like, y'know, with your kids. And I'm pretty tight with their kids as well."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we have a group chat."

"Well-"

"I don't know if it's a good idea to show up with the guy who murdered one of their friends asking for help. They might even be expecting you."

"Nah, they wouldn't think we're that stupid." Murdoc interjected from the front, lingering on the first syllable of the word 'stupid'.

"Yeah, and we're good at getting away with stuff. We'll figure something out." Noodle didn't even look away from the TV.

"Well, okay I guess. The closest one is in Minneapolis. So, we can go there, I guess."

"Don't count on it being too soon. I'll need at least a few hours to loose these cops." Murdoc's tongue had retreated into this mouth.

"Ah, see, everyfin is gonna work out." 2D took another hit and leaned all the way back, forgetting that Jo was there completely.

Jo scooted herself all the way into a corner and went back to focusing on her consciousness. Not only had it been one of the most trying days of her life, but the hour was transitioning into four in the morning, and she had been up since five. She wasn't one to get sick on car rides, but the sway of the van made her very nauseous. Her eyelids seemed heavier with each creak that the van gave.

But she couldn't sleep. Wouldn't sleep. As uncomfortable as her house was, that place was still where she made her bed. And this wasn't.

Murdoc had managed to pull some smokebombs and real bombs out of god knows where, and, with the help of Russel, had a clearly laid out strategy for launching them in the air at their attackers. His gangly fingers had chucked one of them out of the now open left window of the car.

The van swayed a final time before everyone was plunged into complete, smoky, darkness.

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Another fun fact, I’m also thinking about releasing another 2D series, so I can keep myself motivated and work on both at the same time. This one might be actual 2D x reader though. Don’t worry, same style, just different ship, and less road trip murder adventure. But yeah, that’s all for now.

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ask-anyone-from-the-tick · 6 years ago

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Bellow the cut are my spoilery thoughts after watching season 2 of the Tick

I’m kind of glad Dot turned out to have a super power because being the only hero with no powers is sort of Arthur’s whole thing. I also like that she didn’t outshine Overkill and just step over him, but still looks up to him a bit and appreciates his approval. They feel like equals, and he’s still an awkward turtle socially.

THEY WERE SO CUDDLY AND AWKWARD ON THE COUCH, Overkill is def the kind of guy who can’t move if there’s a pet on his lap. He’s so soft I can’t...

I LOVE that we get to see more of Joan and her relationship to her family, she’s awesome and I love and support her. She’s just doing her best, and I hope those lobster babies come to visit.

Superian and Larry’s relationship continues to baffle me just a bit. Larry seems to just be a willing servant to cater to his whims I guess. I kinda hoped they were more buddy buddy than that. Apparently it makes Superian feel better to toss him way up and catch him lawl

The way Hobbs reacted when Tick broke the arm wrestling machine thing makes me wonder if Tick is actually the strongest superhero in the world, maybe second only to Superian ??? Or at least the strongest ever registered with AEGIS.

I really, REALLY like Sage. He’s fantastic. He’s also really attractive, is it just me? DAT VOICE THO. [take me on a wild nipple ride! jk omg I’m sorry]

That twin woman who was impressed with Arthur’s nerdy organization came off as REALLY OBVIOUSLY flirting with him, and his reaction was to just shrug it off like he wasn’t in to her, even though she was gorgeous, and Tick immediately picked up on it that she was flirting and got DEFENSIVE AS HELL like she was taking Arthur away and I just-- that’s pretty gay guys. That’s really... wow. And then she comes back and continues to hit on Arthur and he never once acts like he’s in to her, I don’t... I don’t know what to say but if Arthur suddenly starts pining over her in season 3 out of no where I’m gonna kms [not because he’s not gay but because it’s pretty clear he’s not interested in this woman. Don’t establish this and then force romance after we’ve seen there’s none.] Also when Arthur was picking out fancy clothes Tick had REALLY specific fashion descriptions and opinions on what looked good on him. He was like enjoying Arthur modeling clothes ajdlfdjas

Someone needs to draw Overkill being lovingly rescued by dolphins STAT

I honestly, unironically, think Edgelord’s entire look is cool and he’s very handsome. I think he looks like if Johnny Depp and Adam Driver had a baby.

SUPERIAN FEARS THE TUMBLRS. We’re his kryptonite.

Dangerboat... plane... whatever he is, kinda deserved a little more attention toward the last half of the season. The episode centered around him was the most emotional and it brought everyone together more, I really dug that. It made me cry. ALSO WE STAN MICHAEL, HE WAS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD. I’m so proud of Arthur for seeing Dangerboat more as a person and making an effort to connect to him as a friend. <3 good job Arthur-- at the same time--

I HATE they way Arthur acted like Dot has a specific thing she should or shouldn’t be that was out of character. It’s like the writers wanted the female character to undergo some sort of oppression to rise up against, some form of misogyny from her male family member that she had to point out. You shouldn’t have to tear down a good character because he’s male, to make the female look good. If misogyny was gonna come out of Arthur, let it come out another way other than “this isn’t want you’re supposed to do” like mother fucker, she’s been taking care of you your whole life, she’s done martial arts training, she’s a paramedic, she is way more qualified than you. He’s the last person to talk that way to anyone and it’s pissing me the fuck off. He’s the one struggling with mental illness and no phyical ability to fight anyone, it makes no sense.

Arthur’s actor Griffin Newman, he just does such a fantastic job. The whole undercover scene was so perfectly on pitch, like... just the right level of second hand embarrassment and pride came outta me. He was so close to blowing it because he’s an anxious person by nature, but he pulled it off and came off more as just an awkward criminal with tons of money that was just believably nerdy. I loved it, it was so funny. Please give him all the awards. And that scene where Tick is on one side of Lint, way too close to her, and Arthur is on the other, and they just work her forking nerves was so hysterical. I died. I think they need to play up that comedic chemistry more often because Tick and Arthur bounce off each other really well when they’re not busy trying to solve serious problems.

Ok so the whole human furniture thing caught my eye immediately. The pose we are first introduced to is an infamaously disturbing pose by a real life serial killer who ate people and posed their bodies in weird positions and used them for sex and I forget what else. Anyway I tried to brush that off as coincidence, but then later on Dot and Overkill go to where they think this Duke guy’s lair is, and his house looks exactly like John Podesta’s house that had a statue of that EXACT same serial killer’s victim in that pose, and podesta’s walls were covered in creepy pedo art of little girls and drowning women. And the walls of Duke’s lair were covered in creepy human furniture art. I mean there are all kinds of parodies this season that are in your face, but I don’t think anyone who didn’t follow pizzagate carefully would catch this one.

Speaking of parodies OMFG I lost it when Superian reenacted that Superman scene where he’s like “Can you read my mind?” as he’s dragging the screaming guy across the night sky.

Ugh, I’m so sad that Tick and Arthur don’t get to keep those precious baby lobsters, and where did they get all the cute toys?? I wanna think Joan picked those up for them. Kawaii lobster voice: “Joaaan!” Tick is such a good dad... A family can be a giant Tick man, a moth boy, a hobo, a mimaw, and a bunch of singing lobsters. "SHE'S THE MOTHER OF OUR CHILDREN!" Tick drinks respect woman lobster mom juice.

I think I don’t know what to make of the reverse Green Goblin twist going on with Ms. Lint. The creepy voice is telling her to become a hero I guess, but not really? I think the joke is we think it’s telling her to be a hero, but really it’s teaching her to be a better villain LMAO

I’m glad kevin has a power and he was welcomed to come help even before said power was revealed.-- woah wait where tf is Karamozov?? I gotta tweet his actor he loves this show and he wasn’t in this season ???

I don’t blame Dot for being upset they want to defrost The Terror, but at the same time due process is a thing. I don’t know how that would work in a society full of super powers though. Because the moment you defrost him he’s going to find a way to escape. He’s the oldest, and the worst super villain of all time. This is why I’m ok with the death penalty and killing villains lol

I was expecting Walter to be some sort of MK Ultra sleeper agent, but the plot twist was, that’s what Overkill would become I guess. And Lobstercules. OH BTW I think she’s voiced by the same actress who played Captain Liberty in the old Tick sitcom! “Walter isn’t Walter? My feet don’t feel so good.” Aw Tick

Ty Rathbone drinks respect mothers juice.

Acting agent commander doctor agent Hobbs, honestly I suspected he was the main villain like the moment he was headed toward Lobstercules because something about the lighting and the camera work seemed to telegraph that.

I bet the reason Ty Rathbone feeds his black hole heart monster mice, is because it requires frequent blood sacrifice and that's the smallest sacrifice he can think of that he can quickly just put in there and placate it and go on with his day. I don’t know if he’ll be season 3′s villain or if it’s the aliens that just came back to reclaim Superian.

Which btw, I called that shit from season 1 episode 1. Superian showed up crash landing inside Big Bismuth which is the only thing that could trap him. He was a prisoner, probably because he did some bad shit, and he told Arthur he helps humanity because he just wants to be a good person. Like he wasn’t one before and now he wants to try to be one.

I want to talk about these, nearly involuntary dance parties Overkill rewards himself with... but I uh... I still can’t compute that that’s actual canon. That that’s a thing Overkill and Dangerboat enjoy together and he... he can’t seem to control himself when the music plays... And also that Dot AND Overkill both know how to floss dance... I just... wow...

Oh and that hug with Overkill made me an emotional mess, he just... he really needed that, thank you Dot.

This concludes my rant and ramble.

#the tick #the tick s2 spoilers #the tick 2017 #season 2 #ooc #thoughts

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seriestrash · 7 years ago

Text

Girl Meets World - Season 5

[Season 4] *Previously whenrileymetlucas*

As promised! Here is my season 5 of Girl Meets World.

Word Count: 8692

5.01 Girl Meets the New New World

Another summer has come and past and the clique six prepare themselves for junior year. The episode opens with a parallel scene to S2E2 (GW The New World) where Riley and Maya sit in the bay window and discuss Riley’s kiss with Lucas (but in this episode they are referring to the Rucas dance at the end of my S4)

M: How long are we going to avoid this? R: Not avoiding nothing, just life moving on beyond that thing that happened between me and Lucas. M: So you admit that something happened? R: No! M: You danced with him at the end of year dance. R: You danced with Zay! When are we going to talk about that? M: It was just a dance! R: So was that thing with me and Lucas. M: So we’re all just friends? R: “Sure...” She says and they both look away unconvinced.

During the episode you casually meet Maya’s new baby brother, (whom was born off screen during the break) Chet Alan Hunter - after the father Shawn lost and the man who treated him like a son his entire life (Cory’s dad).

The episode primarily focuses on everyones interest in Riley and Lucas and what they are to each other now (again much like S2E2) but some similar questions are also thrown at Maya and Zay (referring to their shared dance in my s4e15)

A scene with Riley off to one side and Lucas off to the other plays.

It flicks to Riley - surrounded by her nosey female peers - and she comments how she feels like she’s lived this all before.

Then it flicks to Lucas - surrounded by his nosey male peers - and he says the same thing.

Then back to Riley where she says she's learnt from her mistakes in middle school and won't fall victim to peer pressure again. She’s in control of her own feelings and what she’s ready for with her relationship to Lucas. She comments how Lucas and her have been in a wonderful place all summer.

Then it flashes to Lucas, he says a very similar thing about not listening to everyone and being pressured into a relationship with Riley and how he knows himself enough to be comfortable with what comes next.

It zooms up to a side by side shot of Riley and Lucas (whom are still opposite sides of the hall) at the peak of their speeches they both take a deep breath and simultaneously they say:

*CUTS TO BREAK LEAVING U ALL GASPING*

*CUTS BACK IN WE STILL GASPING*

Back to Riley;

R: We tried the brother/sister thing. Didn’t work. Tried the boyfriend/girlfriend thing.. Didn’t work. All summer we’ve done the bes- *Actually stops herself from saying best* Friend thing and it’s been just right. M: *Staring at Riley like she’s speaking a foreign language* Alright Goldilocks, explain to me again why the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing didn’t work? R: Riley just lets out a sigh.

Back to Lucas;

Zay’s standing there with an almost surprised but impressed look on his face whilst Farkle looks completely unsurprised by this ‘revelation’. Lucas explains how he wasted so much time in the triangle confusing his feelings because he was scared of hurting someone and how he’s finally determined to own his own feelings from the start and he’s not going to wait for months this time and get lost in the whole process again.

At the end of the episode Maya and Zay meet up after breaking away from the boys and girls.

Z: “What were you all talking about?” Zay is smirking as he finds the potential Riley and Lucas reunion exciting. M: As Riley’s best friend I’m not at liberty to share. Z: As Lucas’ best friend I extend the same courtesy.....

5.02 Girl Meets Fight

The episode opens with Riley and Maya walking down the halls at school. Maya seems frazzled and Riley seems confused.

M: Are you going to tell Lucas you just want to be friends? R: Why would I tell him that when we are already friends? M: I don’t know. I just think it might be nice if you told Huckleberry you’re friends. R: But he knows that already...

(Maya clearly is concerned about their friendship dynamics changing since Riley wants to be friends with Lucas but Zay told her that Lucas wants to be more than that).

M: “Look there he is now, go talk to him.” Maya shoves Riley towards Lucas whom is alone at his locker.

Riley staggers towards Lucas and he closes the locker revealing his previously covered face, a bruise on his cheek.

R: “What happened to your face?” Riley asks concerned and reaches for his cheek. L: “It was nothing.” Lucas swats her hand away and Riley notices his wrist is bandaged. R: “What happened to you wrist?” Riley’s concern is clearly going. L: I hurt myself at the batting cage yesterday with Zay. I’m fine, don’t worry about it.

Lucas scurries off before Riley can press further.

Later, Riley hears Zay talking to Farkle about their science project they were working on the previous night.

R: Wait, weren’t you with Lucas at the batting cages yesterday? Z: No- I mean, yes? After Zay was clearly lying for Lucas Riley then confronts Maya about Lucas’ injuries and obvious lie and asks if they should be worried about him. Maya convinces Riley to spy on Lucas after school and they find him entering a gym. The two peer through an open window to get a look inside.

Lucas reveals to Riley that he does kick boxing as a way to relieve stress as his anger has been a challenge in the past. Thus injuring himself there. Riley questions why he kept it from her in the first place and he says he didn’t want her to think any differently of him.

The next day at school Lucas mentioned kick boxing in front of Riley and Maya and Zay gives Lucas a questioning look.

L: They know about my training. Z: Thank goodness for that. I’m terrible at keeping secrets. So you two will be at the fight this weekend? R: Fight? What fight? Lucas turns to Zay with an annoyed look. Z: So they don't know everything. Okay. R: Lucas, what is he talking about? What fight? Isn’t the point of kick boxing to relieve your anger, why would they get you to fight?

After some pressing, Riley learns Lucas is scheduled to fight another guy from his gym that weekend and it wasn’t organised by the trainers. This boy had been antagonising Lucas about his past and Lucas got it in his head that he needed to fight it out with a set of rules at play.

After Riley ignores Lucas for the remainder of the day he barrels through her bay window, all huffy and ready to defend his choices.

L: I don’t want you to be there but I would like your support. R: You can’t have it. Lucas, I don’t want to see you get hurt. L: You let me get on the bull, why is this any different? R: I didn’t let you do anything. You were doing it with or without my support. I could see you needed to ride Tombstone so I did my best to stand by and watch. L: And I need to do this too. I know you don’t like ‘Texas Lucas’ and I’m trying to prove that I’m better  than I was before. How can you not understand that? R: What I don’t understand is why you have to prove anything at all. L: Failure is a weak mans game. [Riley wears a very upset expression after Lucas’ last statement] R: I hoped you riding Tombstone would be enough. I hoped that it would make you see yourself the way I always have. L: Like a hero? [Lucas almost scoffs (only because he doesn’t believe it not because he thinks it’s stupid) and Riley’s expression drops even more]

Lucas gets up and walks towards the window like he’s about to leave. Riley remains at the edge of her bed looking disappointed but Lucas turns around and agrees to not go through with the fight.

R: You can’t not do it for me. L: I’m not. I’m not doing it for princess dancing sunshine. [reference to girl meets rules; an early instance where Riley proved to be Lucas’ calming influence/ have the ability to pull him back] [Riley coaxes her head with a small smile mirroring Lucas’ own small grin] L: But I’m going to work towards not doing it for me too. [Riley stops Lucas just as he’s about to exit]

R: And for the record, I don’t dislike any part of you. I don’t believe in ‘Texas Lucas’ [she uses air quotes] I never have. I believe in a lifetime of past moments that have shaped you into the person you are at this exact point in time. You’re just Lucas, you’ve always been just Lucas to me.

[another sweet smile exchange before Lucas exits the window and the episode ends]

5.03 Girl Meets Kissing Booth

In history class, Cory tells his students that they each have to sign up for a booth at the upcoming fundraiser for their end of year school trip. Cory announces that there are only two booths left to choose from; the kissing booth or the dunk tank.

Sara proclaims that that makes the decision easy then; boys would of course do the dunk tank and girls would run the kissing booth. Riley expresses how she’s not comfortable with the idea of a kissing booth and questions why ‘of course’ would the boys and girls be divided in such a way.

Sara: I don’t care, I’m just trying to make the decision quick. I’m failing history because of all these life lessons getting in the way. Boys can do the kissing booth and girls can do the dunk tank instead. Ya happy? R: Why split boys and girls at all? Sara: I regret talking. Z: I’m happy to work the kissing booth *he shrugs* Sara: Do whatever you want then, it’s not like my opinion matters in this classroom. [Knowing looks from non clique six classmates]

[This is meant to be a comedic exchange, some light forth wall breaking if you please]

Cory: Class, there are two sign up sheets, you may choose whichever one you please but you do have to sign up for one [he wears a hopeful look that this will end the conflict]

As the bell rings Riley, Lucas and Farkle sign up for the dunk tank whilst Maya, Zay and Smackle sign up for the kissing booth.

Riley is surprised by her best friends choice and questions her on it. Maya says she respects Riley’s choice to work for the dunk tank instead but insists that she herself doesn’t find the kissing booth to be that big of a deal.

Later Riley talks to Farkle about her concerns.

F: I hear what you’re saying but Maya has a point, it is her choice, whether we agree with it or not. R: But what if this is like her first date with Ethan again and she’s doing it for the wrong reasons? F: It’s still her choice [Farkle wears a somewhat sympathetic smile] R: And I suppose you’re fine with Isadora working the booth then? F: Yes. I trust Isadora completely. [Riley coaxes her head with a challenging look] F: And I’m rich [he wears a devious smirk]

Later at the fundraiser Riley is working the dunk tank with Lucas [and a few of the background classmates] and Farkle is nowhere to be found. Whilst Lucas sits in the dunk tank - dry at this point - Riley stands and gives people the balls for their throw. Clearly distracted, Riley keeps trying to look over at the kissing booth in the distance.

R: Do you think she’s done it yet? L: I don’t know. Where’s Farkle? R: He said something about getting change for a hundred... [If you’re not understanding the joke, Farkle is buying all of Isadora’s kisses for the day] R: ... I hope she hasn’t done it yet... L: You have to trust that Maya will make the decision that’s right for herself. [Riley steps closer to the dunk tank, she loops her fingers around the bars and presses her pouty face to the metal] L: It’s really bothering you isn’t it? R: Yes... L: Is there anything I can do? R: No, I don’t think so. Not unless you wanted to- [a realisation crosses Riley’s face] You could kiss Maya? L: What?! [As the poor puppy has shock written all over his face, someone finally dunks him and Lucas is sent into the water bellow]

After an ad break it returns with Lucas outside of the tank, a towel wrapped around his shoulders and his shocked expression remaining.

L: You’re not being serious are you? R: Of course I am. You care about Maya. It’s perfect. Come on Lucas, you almost kissed her in Texas- L: But I didn’t because of- R: Because why? [her expression is soft and curious and Lucas frowns a little] L: You really want me to do this? Riley just nods with a soft smile. L: Okay. Fine. [Picture upset puppy walking away like Lucas’ “You can talk to whoever you want Riley” face in Ski lodge 2]

Lucas approaches the kissing booth which is deserted. Behind it, Lucas finds Maya sitting on the floor.

L: Where is everyone? M: Farkle bought the entire booth so the principal sent everyone to work at other stalls. L: Not you? [Lucas takes a seat beside her on the ground] M: I was supposed to go help you with the dunk tank but I'm avoiding Riley. Is she the one who sent you to me? Did she want you to try and talk me out of it? L: No actually, she sent me here to kiss you. M: She what?! You’re not going to, are you? [Maya throws her hands out defensively] L: No, no! [He chuckles nervously] M: Good. L: I take it you didn’t get your kiss before the principal shut the booth down? M: Farkle got here first. Nobody got one. L: Would you have gone through with it if he didn’t? M: Yes.... I don't know, maybe? L: Why was it so important you get it over and done with? M: Felt like time. I’m a junior... You had your first kiss in middle school- L: You know there is no set time for things like this? They happen when you’re ready for them to happen. [It’s quiet for a moment] M: So when are you going to tell Riley she still makes your heart go clippity clop?   L: Zay told you?  M: Yes, but I’m also not blind. Are you going to tell her? L: I thought I would but she sent me over here to kiss you… That’s gotta mean something, right? M: Ever since I’ve known Riley she’s tried to give me everything she’s ever had, that includes a first kiss experience that compares to hers. L: Do you think I should be worried that telling her might ruin the friendship we’ve built the past year? M: Surely you believe you’re stronger than that? In the last scene, Riley’s sitting dry in the dunk tank seat when Maya approaches. R: Peaches! I’ve been thinking about you all day, I’m sorry I- Maya pushes the button with her hand and it sends Riley into the water below. The brunette springs up from the water coughing.

[Riley still in the water clings to the bars to talk to Maya] R: Did Lucas find you? [she smiles innocently] M: You can’t give away my first kiss. R: I’m sorry- M: You can’t give it away and neither can I. R: So you didn’t kiss Lucas? Or anyone? M: No but the thought that Huckleberry might actually kiss me made me realise that maybe I don’t want just anyone to be my first kiss. [Riley’s face lights up like she’s on the verge of a happy ‘yay’ but Maya stops her] M: I’m not saying it will be like when everything glows and there’s a rainbow but it will be when I’m ready and with someone I want.

Then there is a cute last scene of Smarkle together. Isadora smugly says her hypothesis was correct and Farkle acted just as she predicted.

5.04 Girl Meets Homecoming

Homecoming is approaching and Lucas is planning on making a big deal about asking Riley to the dance where he has full intentions of revealing his feelings to her. Whilst Lucas is hyped up about this, Zay however keeps questioning if this is the right move. (Hinting that Maya shared Riley’s ‘I just want to be friends speech with Zay back in 5.01)

Z: Lets just hypothetically say Riley only wants to be friends... Wont telling her how you feel make things weird? L: I told you Zay, I’m tired of ignoring how I feel because I’m scared it won't work out the way I want it to. I have to own my feelings for once, so I’m going to tell Riley that I never stopped liking her. Z: But you’ve been friends for so long, so what if that changes everything? L: Are we talking about me and Riley still or you and Maya? Z: I have no idea what you are talking about.. So how are you going to ask her? L: No flowers, no balloons, no Yogi on roller-skates. *Yogi pops up out of nowhere looking disappointed* Y: Awww L: Sorry Yogi, I have to go bigger than that.

As Lucas and Zay enter the history class they overhear Riley politely rejecting a boys invitation to the dance as she was already going with someone. Lucas gives Zay a confused and slightly panicked look about Riley already having a date to the dance. -

Later at the dance Riley finds Lucas and questions if she’s done something wrong since he’s been weird for a few days now.

Lucas stops dancing too and gives a big speech about how he’s owning his own feelings and he’s done waiting.

L: I held onto how I felt during the whole triangle because I didn’t want to hurt anyone. It’s my turn to say how I feel. I really like you, Riley, I always have. R: But we broke up? L: And I’ve been asking myself why everyday since. R: But we’re friends? L: And I truly hope we always are but like I said, I’m owning my feelings. If you don’t feel the same way I’ll understand.

Lucas leaves a stunned Riley alone to process her feelings. Farkle approaches Riley who’s left standing in the same spot she was with Lucas.

F: He told you? R: You knew? F: Everyone knew. R: I didn’t! F: *Gives her an unconvinced look* R: Maybe I knew... I don’t know. F: The real question is do you feel the same towards him? R: I don’t know. F: I don’t believe you. You know. R: No I don’t! For the first time in forever I thought I did know. I thought Lucas and I could be friends... F: I can’t believe I’m the one saying this but you need to stop using your brain so much and listen to your heart... How do you feel about Lucas?

With an unwavering smile and her eyes still locked on Lucas, Riley walks across the room. Lucas meets Riley in the middle of the dance floor and before any words could be exchanged Riley meets his lips with a kiss.

When the pair seperate they’re both wearing blissful smiles.

L: Hi R: Hey L: Hi

[GiGgLeS!!!!!!!!!!!]

Off to the side the rest of the clique six watch the reconnecting of their friends. Zay looks at the couple and then to Maya with a almost sheepish smile. [I’d like to think his look communicates that Zay thinks if Lucas can go after what he wants and it works out okay maybe he can too].

5.05 The Lawrences

With thanksgiving approaching and a big extended Matthews family festivity planned, Riley questions why they’re so distant from the Lawrence side of the family. A parent trap style plan to get Topanga to reconnect with her estranged parents backfires and sees Riley in her mothers bad books.

Riley learns of the messiness with her grandparents divorce and how them falling out of love effected Topanga. She also learns that Topanga choosing to live close to Cory as a teenager rather than move away with her parents is something that deeply hurt Jed and Rhiannon.

With all the tense moments there are some quirky past Topanga moments shared too. Eventually, the tension is somewhat resolved and Topanga is open to letting both her parents back into her life again.

5.06 Girl Meets World of Terror 5

On the subway Riley and Maya meet a woman who claims to know the future and makes a series of predictions. She shares minor things like seeing certain colours and numbers but also makes a more troubling prediction for halloween night. Everyone thinks Riley is crazy for believing the woman but when her predictions start to come true the group is left shaken and weary of what was to come.

The end of the episode reveals Riley had enlisted the help of her father and neighbour (the psychic on the subway) to pull off this elaborate prank on her friends to give them a most frightful halloween.

5.07 Girl Meets Cousin

Eric comes to town and announces to his family he is fostering an eight year old boy, Tyler. When Riley meets Tyler, he appears to be very sweet but when the adults leave for dinner and Riley is left home to babysit, it becomes evident the the boy is an absolute terror with the way he behaves for her and Auggie.

At dinner Eric reveals to Cory and Topanga he wants to adopt the young boy. Meanwhile, Riley calls for backup and Maya comes over to try help wrangle the mischievous kid. They then learn that Tyler doesn’t want to be adopted. After some light pushing the girls discover that Tyler’s reluctancy spurs from him missing his mom and dad [whom has both passed away a year prior].

The girls then sit down with him and have a meaningful chat about how being a part of a new family doesn’t erase his old one.

The episode ends with the previously trashed house [from Tyler] now in perfect condition. Eric asks if they had fun and Riley laughs nervously. “So much.” Tyler then runs up to Eric and gives him a hug. The last scene is them walking out of the Matthews apartment together.

5.08 Girl Meets Talent

Abigail Adams High is hosting it’s annual talent show and Riley begins to question what she’s good at. Maya has art, Isadora and Farkle have their brains and passion for science, Lucas has his sports excellence and Zay - whilst also good at sports - has his love for dance too. As the episode unfolds Riley tries - and fails - at each of her friends talents whilst also trying out the background classmates talents. Funny things scenes of Riley failing at everything like plate spinning, violin, ballon animals etc. all attempts ended in something breaking and a shriek-y/frown-y face from Riley.

At the end of the episode Riley is in her room with her friends and she’s very dramatically ranting about being celery. They each try to offer up a nicety and Riley shuts them down.

R: Being a good person isn’t a talent, it should be the basic human default! - R: It’s easy for you all to say having a talent doesn’t matter! Look at you all- *Riley unlocks her phone and scrolls through her photos, showing pictures of Lucas and Zay playing baseball, Zay dancing, Maya painting etc. Really artsy and good photo captures* M: Riles... *Maya looks to her with a knowing smile* R: What? M: I think you found your talent. R: I just took these for fun... L: I don’t play sports because I’m good at them. I do it because I have fun. *Everyone backs up Lucas’ statement* R: So I don’t have to be talented at something to enjoy it? M: Do you enjoy painting purple cats? R: Very much so. M: Then paint purple cats and dance - maybe not so close to other people - [referring to a scene earlier in the episode when Riley knocked over Zay’s entire dance class with one pirouette] take photos and not because you’re good at it - which you are - but because you enjoy doing it.

In the last scene Riley is now alone in her room, she walks over to her desk and picks up the camera Shawn gave her back in season one and turns it over in her hands, a sweet look rests on her face as she presses her eye to the view finder.

5.09 Girl Meets Tradition

Christmas Time yet again! This year the clique six along with Cory, Topanga, Auggie and Ava are all snowed in at the bakery on Christmas Eve! At first the children (excluding Riley) are all complaining about being trapped there. Riley looks at things positively and says they have a warm place to stay, food to eat and they have each other for company.

Everyone is upset about missing the holidays with their own families so they lash out at Riley for being happy about it. Something along the lines of, “Easy for you to say, Riley your family is in here with us.” Riley chooses not to be hurt over this. Instead she takes a seat and explains one of her favourite Christmas traditions. Something that she’s missing out on because they’re stuck inside the bakery. Everyone feels guilty for being so snappy so they all gather together and share a Christmas tradition from their own family told in snippets using the characters child doubles.

They ask Cory and Topanga about their traditions. They share a cute retelling of their first christmas spent together as a couple and how they clashed with everything and then when the evening winds down Cory takes a book from the shelf and reads everyone 'A Christmas Carol’. Not far into it the story everyone is asleep including Topanga with her head on her husbands shoulder - this mirrors how the Matthews family (of boy meets world) and Topanga and Shawn would fall asleep as soon as Mr. Feeny began reading.

“Just like when we were kids.” Cory says with a grin as he closes the book and smiles at the sleepy group.

Flash to the next morning and the blizzard has cleared. The sun beams through the bakery windows and wakes the stranded group. Cory announces that the blizzard has cleared and everyone will make it home for Christmas morning with their family.

5.10 Girl Meets Return of the Games Night

It’s return of the games night but instead of friends vs. family it’s boyfriend vs. best friend as Lucas and Maya fight for Riley’s time. Similarly structured to the first games night episode, you see scenes from the present games night underway where there is an evident tension between Lucas, Maya and Riley and then flashbacks to earlier in the day at school where a fight was unfolding about how Riley would spend her Friday night. Lucas wanted to go to the movies with Riley but Maya wanted Riley to sleep over at her house.

At the beginning of the games night Maya and Lucas fight over who gets to be Riley’s partner before Topanga says she’s being Riley’s partner and no one argues with Topy. Cory and Auggie pair off and Ava declared herself hostess with the mostest so that leaves Maya and Lucas with no other choice than to be partners.

As the game progresses certain questions prove as argument starters for Maya and Lucas as they both continue to argue why each of them is more entitled to Riley’s time.

M: I’m her best friend, what kind of a friend would she be if she ditched me for a Huckleberry? L: But I’m her boyfriend, how long do I have to be a background character before I’m allowed to be important to her?

Finally Riley reaches her boiling point and shoots up with a frustrated groan. R: Can you both just stop? Please?

Everyone looks at her with stunned faces for her outburst. Cory, Topanga, Auggie and Ava leave the room and quickly.

R: Maya I love you, you’re my best friend and I would never ever forget you because of a boy. Maya turns to Lucas with taunting smirk and the Texan’s face drops.

R: But last year we also talked about letting other people into our little bubble, you have to understand that I’m going to start prioritising other people too. Especially Lucas.

Maya’s gloaty behaviour softens to a more sheepish one. R: And Lucas you are important to me already, you’ve always been important to me, it honestly hurts me to think that you question that.

Maya and Lucas both mumble quiet ‘I’m sorries’.

M: I guess we can learn to share you.

R: You’re not understanding the point. I’m not a toy, you can’t share my time out amongst yourselves, it’s my time, to be spent however I choose. I feel like I’m in a whole new triangle and honestly I don’t know which one is worse. If you think I’m going to choose between my best friend and my boyfriend then you’re going to be waiting forever. I won’t choose between you two.

L: You’re completely right. It’s just hard because we both want to spend time with you.

R: Hello? We’ve been together all day but we’ve hardly spoken because you’ve been too busy fighting each other. Look guys, sometimes we’re going to go on dates and sometimes we’re going have sleepovers and sometimes we’re going to hang out in a group.

Once the present tension in settled with a group hug the last scene is a flashback to how the games night came about (Much like the first games night episode). Riley is in the hall as Lucas and Maya childishly bicker about Riley’s plans when she finally blurts out that she can’t do what either of them want because it’s family games night. The two invite themselves and walk off in opposite directions.

Riley - now standing alone - calls out after them

5.11 Girl Meets Dear Jexica

Riley discovers that her old profile for Jexica has been hacked and turned into a gossip page for AA high, with many hateful and nasty posts about other students all beginning with ‘Dear Jexica’. Not wanting her braver alter ego to be used for such negativity, Riley and Maya set on a mission to claim Jexica back.

Riley goes to school in her full Jexica get up and stands on a table in the cafeteria and declares ‘I am Jexica’. Riley then takes her wig off and gives a speech about why she created Jexica in the first place, she was a beacon of love and positivity, she was not meant to be hateful.

[This speech reveals to the audience that Riley has grown a great deal since her insecure days in the previous seasons and that her self-love message (along with all round love and kindness) was one she extended to herself first]

Later...

R: Look Maya, they listened to Jexica. M: No Riles, they listened to you.

5.12 Girl Meets Sir

The episode opens with the very happy clique six joking around at Topanga’s. Everyone is making plans for the upcoming weekend and Lucas says he can’t because his father will be coming home from his business trip.

Maya begins to playfully press for details about the elusive Mr. Friar as none of the friends apart from Zay have met him. Lucas brushes it off like it’s no big deal and gets up to get another juice. Maya turns to Riley and directs her playful questioning to the brunette.

M: Don’t you think it’s weird that we know so little about Lucas’ family? R: We know plenty about Lucas’ family. His mom the nurse, her twin brother - Lucas’ uncle - his aunt and twin cousins on that side, Pappy Joe- [Riley showing how well she knows Lucas/ how much they talk but also a way to give the audience some long overdue insight into Lucas’ backstory] M: Fine, you know a lot about Lucas’ family but what about Mr. Friar? R: He used to be in the military and now he travels a lot for work. M: What kind of work? [Maya playfully raises a brow] R: Marketing [Riley laughs because this is a playful exchange not a serious inquisition] M: Maybe Mr. Friar is a secret agent and he’s always out of town on missions. Z: He’s a marketing manager [Zay gives her a funny look] he works with my dad [his tone is almost defensive and ultimately amusing to listen to] M: Sounds like the perfect cover for a couple of secret agents. [Maya gives him a playful eyebrow wriggle] They’re all lightly laughing when Lucas’ mother enters the bakery in her nurse uniform. [This would be the first time we’ve ever seen her on screen] Riley greets the woman as Mrs. Friar [indicating to the audience that they’ve met before]. Cassidy - Lucas’ mom - gives Riley a warm smile and Zay a loving shoulder squeeze [to show the audience that they have a family like bond]

Lucas returns to the group and is surprised to see his mom. Cassidy explains that Lucas’ father is home early from his work trip and Lucas has to come home for dinner.

M: They have to debrief about the secret mission [Maya taps her nose after Lucas leaves with his mom and the group of friends just laugh and roll their eyes]

The next morning at school, Riley asks Lucas how dinner with his dad was and Lucas is upbeat as ever. Riley starts to sway sheepishly and she wears a goofy smile. As per usual her smile proves to be contagious when it comes to Lucas. L: Something on your mind? R: Is your dad a secret agent? L: [chokes on a laugh] what? R: Is that why I haven’t met him? L: You want to meet my dad? R: Yes [Riley shrugs lightly] You’ve quite literally met my entire family and I’ve only met your mom. [Lucas frowns] R: Do you think your dad won't like me or something? L: No that’s impossible, everybody loves you. R: Then what is it? [Riley isn’t pushy, she’s soft and gentle with her approach] L: Honestly...[Looks like he’s been backed into a corner] I don’t think you’d like my father very much. R: Now that’s impossible, I like everybody! L: He’s a very tough love kind of father. R: [Tries to make a serious face but just looks adorable] You don't think I can handle tough love? L: [Trying not to laugh at her serious face but then he drops to an actual serious face of his own] Do you really want to meet him? R: I want to know everything about you [Riley smiles so sweetly] L: [Lucas’ almost worried expression curls into a soft smile and he nods] Come over for dinner tonight? R: Are you sure? L: Yeah, I am.

That evening Riley joins the Friar’s for an awkward family dinner. Riley sees first hand what Lucas meant when he said his father is a tough love kind of man. The very nervous brunette tries to make conversation but each time she rambled on about something, Lucas’ father would turn it into a ‘teachable moment for Lucas’. When Riley makes small talk about their history project, James Friar near berates Lucas over his last report card - which he scored no lower than a B+ on - And when Cassidy tries to lighten the mood by saying Riley is Lucas’ biggest cheerleader at his baseball games, Riley rambles how she’s figuratively a cheerleader and not literally because they banned her from tryouts after she caused six injuries her freshman year, James rather harshly critiques Lucas’ form in baseball practice from earlier that afternoon.

[Lucas’s father is very sharp and firm with his demeanour. It’s also evident that Lucas mostly resembles his mother with the blonde hair and green eyes]

Towards the end of the meal, James makes a comment that clearly hurts Riley’s feelings. Lucas sticks up for her and a small argument unfolds. Riley tries to say she’s fine and not to worry about it.

James: I think you best be going, Riley. L: Yeah, I’ll walk you home [Lucas is clearly annoyed at his father] James: No Lucas I think we need to have a chat. R: I can go by myself it’s fine. Cassidy offers to take Riley home instead and Lucas has to stay home as his father ordered. A bigger argument unfolds.

James: I’ve been wondering why your grades have dropped and I think I have my answer. L: Riley has nothing to do with my grades, if anything she’s the only reason I’m actually passing. James: Once you secure yourself a college scholarship there will be plenty of time for girlfriends. L: What are you talking about? [Lucas looks disgusted] You want me to break up with Riley? James: She’s a sweet girl, Lucas but she's a distraction. The world is full of sweet girls and there will be time for them later. L: Riley isn’t just a sweet girl, she’s the best person I’ve ever met. She’s dramatic and over the top and amazing and I’m not going to break up with her. James: It’s just a teenage crush, you’ll be over her in a few weeks. L: It’s not just a crush [Lucas pauses] I love Riley. [at this point I imagine the whole audience either AWWW’d or choked on their giddiness at the first confirmation of LoVe for rucas] L: I’ve spent so long trying to prove to you that I’m a good person, that I can be the perfect son and then I met Riley and she’s spent years showing me that I already was a good person the whole time. She makes me better and if you can’t see that Sir. then I’m sorry.

After an ad break we return to see Riley sitting in her room with a troubled expression. Lucas then climbs through the bay window. The two sit together.

R: I’m sorry I caused a fight between you and your dad. L: You have nothing to apologise for. I’m the one that’s sorry. R: Your dad doesn't like me very much, does he? L: I don’t care for Sir’s opinion much anymore. R: But he’s your dad... L: Do you know he was the first person to call me a failure after I fell of Judy the sheep? R: You were only six [Riley’s frown deepens] L: I spent years misbehaving after that just to get back at him. Then I got kicked out of school, started a new one and then decided I wanted to be a veterinarian. Do you know what he said when I told him? R: I’m proud of you son? [Riley looks hopeful] L: No he said, ‘Not with an attitude like yours’. R: ‘Failure is a weak mans game...’ [Riley frowns as she quotes something Lucas said to her back in 5.03] Those are his words not yours... You don’t see yourself the way I do because of your dad? L: [Lucas shrugs weakly] He’s not a bad father he’s just not the kind of dad to hug you if you’re having a bad day... He’s the kind of dad that tells you to make tomorrow better. R: [Riley wraps her arms around Lucas’ shoulders to hug him] You having a bad day? L: [Smiles sweetly] I’m actually not doing too bad right now. Both their gazes lift when Riley’s door opens. Cory is standing behind James. L: Sir. I know you told me to stay home- James stops Lucas and apologises for being so hard on him. James explains that all he wants for Lucas is the best and maybe he went about ‘supporting’ him in the wrong way. James: I am proud of you Lucas, I just want you to be happy son and if I’ve ever made you doubt that then I sincerely apologise. L: Thanks Sir. James: It’s dad, call me dad. L: Okay dad. R: [Riley whom had been off to the side with her own father watching on with a smile raises her hand] Can we all hug now? Lucas looks to his dad and gives him quizzical look. James: Okay, I’ll allow. R: Yay! [She joins a group hug between father and son] James: You picked a good one, Lucas. L: I know.

5.13 Girl Meets Greatest Hits

The 100th episode of Girl Meets World is a special one. Topanga is devastated after a box of old home movies is destroyed by a burst water pipe. Cory enlists the help of his best friend, brother [Eric] and two children to help recreate and refilm some of the lost tapes, making for some comedic scenes as the grown people are acting some of their childhood memories. For fun Riley extends the idea to her friend circle and the clique six recreate some of their greatest hits and in the process they each realise they might have remembered certain things differently. [Not a flashback episode but a recreation episode]

Whilst recreating Riley and Lucas’ first date a strange twist of fate sees Maya receiving her first kiss with Zay.

5.14 Girl Meets Crushed

The three girls of the clique six are at the bakery trying to get to the bottom of Maya’s feelings towards Zay when Auggie begins choking. Smackle jumps in to save the day and then finds herself as the object of Auggie’s new crush and he goes on to shower her with gifts and attention. Unsure how to handle such a situation, Isadora looks to Riley, Maya and Farkle for help.

Present in this episode is Josh Matthews [he was at the bakery when Smackle saved Auggie].

Comedic scenes throughout the episode include Auggie being rude-ish to Farkle as he pursues Isadora and Farkle being defensive over his relationship with Smackle. Also scenes of a Ava trying to flirt with Farkle in an attempt to make Auggie jealous play out.

At the end of the episode Auggie’s feelings are hurt when Smackle kindly but bluntly has to reject Auggie’s advances once and for all. It’s then Maya who gives him comfort. She explains that she knows what it’s like to crush on someone that’s older than you and doesn’t feel the same way. Josh of course is present and hears this.

After Maya’s chat with Auggie, Josh approaches the blonde for a chat of his own.

[We’re left wondering... Is that a sad smile Joshua?? Are you sad because you’ve hurt Maya the way Auggie was hurt, or because she’s ‘over’ you???]

5.15 Girl Meets Love

This episode is a story... or two or three or four, about love.

It begins when Riley comes downstairs for school and she’s wearing Lucas’ jean jacket [which he gave to her off camera the day before] Cory reacts in a very dramatic way thus sparking a very dramatic reaction from Riley.

R: I’ve heard the story of the jean jacket a hundred times but how did you know you loved mom at fourteen? I’m seventeen and I’m not even sure I’m ready... C: I didn’t love your mom until our wedding night and then we got arrested so let that be a lesson to you! R: Dad, please? C: [Still looks like this is the most painful conversation of his life but he softens and answers his worried looking daughter] I loved your mother before I even knew what love was... R: That helps me... with nothing at all, thanks a lot. [Riley exits the apartment with a dramatic huff]

[Next scene, Riley has gone to Maya’s before school]

M: Let’s say the cowboy loves you, do you love him too? R: I think so. M: You think? R: I mean, I’ve always loved Lucas but how do I know that I love him more than the friend kind of love him that I have this whole time? How do I know I’m in love? M: How am I supposed to know? R: You’re world smart. M: I’ve never been in love [Maya frowns, her expression is important since we know she’s been struggling to understand her feelings for Zay] R: Please help. M: Fine... Are your feelings different for Lucas than they are for say, Farkle? R: Yes. M: Different how? R: Different like I want to hold Lucas’ hand. M: Yeah we’re going to need a little more than my help...

The episode then consists of Riley - accompanied by Maya - going around and asking everyone she knows about love. Some from whilst she’s at school, others from after school but everyones stories are all layered on top of each other in fragments as they each describe what love is to them. Riley listens to Shawn talk about falling in love with Angela and falling in love with Katy. Riley listens to Katy talk about falling in love with Maya’s father and falling in love with Shawn - giving a little more insight into her past with Kermit. Riley listens to Isadora and Farkle explain their version of a love story [although you heard most of their struggles to comprehend love in my 4.09 episode]. Riley also speaks to Eric and he talks about his unrequited love with Rachel. Riley talks to Josh and he looks uncomfortable as he tells Riley [and Maya] what falling in love with his girlfriend was like. Riley even asks Zay if he loved Vanessa and he also awkwardly explains in front of Maya his idea of love and what he felt for Vanessa.

After Zay is finished explaining love to Riley, she huffs and says she’s going to go home. Maya hangs back to chat with Zay. Finally they talk about their kiss and what it meant to them. The two very nervous looking teens seem to both be relieved when they finally admit they felt nothing more for each other than a friendship.

M: I’m still really glad you were my first kiss. You’ve been a really great friend to me the past two years and I love you. Z: Aww, all this talk of love has made you mushy. M: Call me mushy again and I’ll pour a smoothie on your head! Z: Pretty, funny and kind of mean... You’re exactly my type, why is it I only like you as a friend? [Joking smile] M: [Maya rolls her eyes with a smile]

Riley returns home late to find her mother on the sofa reading a magazine. With a sigh of relief Riley goes over to her.

T: Hey honey, [Topanga opens her arms up for a hug and Riley crawls in at her mothers side] your father told me about the jean jacket this morning. Katy and Shawn said you’ve been asking everyone about love. Did you find the answer you were looking for? R: No.Everyone gave me a different definition of love and I think I’m more confused than ever. T: [Topanga rubs Riley’s arm] Honey, everyone gave you a different answer because love is different for everyone. R: But daddy explained what love was to you and that helped you understand. Why didn’t it work for me? T: I already knew I loved your father I was just afraid to admit it at the time. R: What changed your mind? What made you not be afraid anymore? T: I realised that part of being in love was being scared, scared of losing something so important to me. R: So being in love is supposed to be scary all the time? T: Not exactly... R: Then what is it, mom? T: Honey, I promise you that you’ll work that out for yourself. When you know, you know.

[Up in Riley’s room Lucas sits patiently in the bay window]

R: Hi... [Riley says nervously from the doorway] L: Hey [Lucas nudges his head towards the seat and Riley sits by him] You were a little weird at school today, it felt like you were avoiding me... R: [She over dramatises acting ‘cool’] I wasn’t weird today!

[Flashback to class]

[back to Riley and Lucas in the bay window]

R: Okay maybe I was a little weird but I’m always a little weird. If I’m ever normal then you should worry. L: Is this because I gave you jacket? R: Maybe a little. I didn’t think it was a big deal until I spoke to my dad. You know the story right? L: Yes. R: And you gave me your jacket? L: Yes. R: And you know the jacket is a symbol of the first time my parents said [Riley nudges her head and avoids saying the words] L: I know but that’s not why I gave you my jacket. R: It’s not? L: No. I mean I do love you, Riley... [he pauses for a second to smile and let that sink in] ...but I wasn’t trying to recreate your parents moment, I was trying to give you a heads up before I made my own. R: [Riley still reeling from Lucas actually saying it] A heads up? L: I’ve been dropping hints all week. R: You have? [Riley looks confused] L: Yes, on Tuesday you asked me if I wanted to come over for dinner and I said, ‘Yes I would love to.’ [Lucas wears a proud grin] R: [Riley can't help but laugh at the dork] Of course, it was right in front of me this whole time. L: The hints were obviously a little too subtle [Lucas chuckles] that’s why I pushed it with the jacket, I’m sorry if I freaked you out, that was exactly what I was trying to avoid. R: You were trying to give me a warning before you said... that? L: I know sometimes you’re afraid of your feelings... now I feel like I should have just come and talk to you in the first place... R: [Riley gets up and nervously paces, she stops in the middle of the room] I don’t know if I’m ready to say it back. L: That’s absolutely fine, I told you at homecoming I was okay if you didn’t feel the same back. R: I’m not saying I don’t want to say it. I’m just saying I’m not sure I’m ready. L: I can wait. [Lucas smiles and gets up to leave but stops before exiting the window] Oh, did you get the surprise I left you in the pocket of my jacket? R: [Gives him a confused look and reaches into the pocket of the jacket and pulls out a handful of silver confetti] Was this supposed to be another hint? L: No, that was just cause I know you like to carry around glitter in your pockets. R: [Riley smiles at the confetti in her hand before looking up to her boyfriend] Lucas? L: Yeah? R: I love you too. L: [wears his Riley smile!! You all know the one!!] I was always hoping you did.

After Lucas exits, Riley throws the confetti in the air and twirls around under it as it falls. She hugs his jacket to her chest with a smile. Much like Topanga did after her first I love you with Cory.

E N D O F S E A S O N 5

End Notes: Firstly another 15 episode season because 22 is way too long for me to write. This took me HOURS AND HOURS OVER 3 WEEKS!!

Secondly, love is in the air this season and that powerful four letter word is exactly the theme. There were lessons about all kinds of love, romantic, platonic, unrequited, self-love, tough love and more.

You see Riley and Lucas fall back together and come out stronger than ever. You see Maya and Zay struggling to work out what exactly it was they felt for each other... And in the end they knew it’s love just of a different kind. You see how Topanga’s parents falling out of love effected her. You see Auggie’s lovey dovey crush be one sided. You see Tyler [Riley’s new cousin] learning about loving new family. You see Riley preach a love and positivity message through her Jexica profile. You see a tough love household and very importantly you see Lucas learning to love himself. And then of course there is the girl of girl meets world and this season showed her growth and journey of platonic love, self-love and dare I say true love.

I know a lot of these episodes were Rucas centric and that’s off brand for GMW but I truly think a season of love was coming. In girl meets sweet sixteen you literally see Riley question how she prioritises her relationships and it was only a matter of time before hers with Lucas strengthened.

In my sixth and final season for Girl Meets World, the clique six embark on their senior year where - whether they like it or not - change is upon them.

Stay tuned x

#girl meets world #gmw #rucas #zaya #joshaya

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whisperoftheheart1995 · 6 years ago

Text

An Unexpected Moment- Chapter 3

(Also posted here)

Weeks pass and Peter can’t seem to avoid Johnny Storm. Suddenly, he’s everywhere Spider-Man is, and Peter stops being surprised when he shows up at a crime scene to find the Fantastic Four already there.

Each time, a new headline appears about how the Fantastic Four are making New York a better place to live. And each time, a new headline accuses him of being a part of the problem.

He and Johnny argue. A lot. It doesn’t seem to matter what about, but every time they see each other, they bicker constantly. The Thing jokes that they sound like an old married couple, but neither of them find it amusing. Johnny threatens to set him on fire. Peter webs his mouth shut, then high fives Johnny. And then they go right back to yelling at each other.

“How’s it going out there, Spider-Man?” Ned’s voice says in his ear.

“So far, so good. Pretty quiet night so far. Thanks for helping me out.”

“Are you kidding me? This is still, like, the coolest thing ever. I should be thanking you for letting me be a part of it.”

Peter grins, even though he knows Ned can’t see him. “You’re the best, Ned.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“I’m gonna keep looking,” he says as he takes off swinging. “Any signs of he who must not be named?”

“Ugh, that was lame, Peter. But no, the Fantastic Four were spotted in Manhattan so the coast is clear.”

“What would I do without my guy in the chair?”

“Shut up,” Ned laughs. “Shit, I’m supposed to meet Abe in, like, ten minutes. Can you take it from here?”

“I think I can handle it,” Peter says lightly. “Have fun on your date.”

“Thanks, man. See you tomorrow?”

“Definitely.”

The rest of the evening goes uneventfully. He saves a cat stuck in a tree, assists a few old ladies crossing the street, and helps a kid from the nearby middle school finish his math homework. It’s a nice change of pace from the life or death situations he’s been dealing with lately.

It’s dark by the time he gets home. Aunt May greets him with a kiss on the top of his head when he walks through the front door. “Hey, kiddo. How was studying?”

That’s right. He’d told her he and Ned were going to study at the coffee shop. He needs to get better at remembering his own cover ups.

“Good,” he lies, feeling the same twinge of guilt he always does.

She ruffles his hair lovingly. “Glad to hear. You should have called me, I would have picked you boys up so you didn't have to walk all the way home.”

Peter shrugs. “It wasn't a big deal.”

“It is a big deal, Peter,” she sighs. “It's not safe out there. I mean, just yesterday I read Spider-Man has been attacking people out on the streets.”

Hearing those words coming from her hurts more than he thought possible. His gaze falls to the floor, the corner of his eyes stinging a bit.

She continues. “I mean, you think you can trust someone and then… Peter, honey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I‘m fine. Just… tired.”

“Are you sure? You can always talk to me if something’s bothering you.”

Oh how he wishes that were true.

She places a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugs it off. “No. it’s okay.” He says, giving her a weak smile, but he can tell she isn’t buying it. “I should get to bed. Goodnight.”

“Love you, kid.”

“Love you, too,” he calls as he walks toward his bedroom. He waits until the door shuts behind him before the tears come.

Peter waits until he thinks Aunt May is asleep before sneaking out the window. He couldn't sleep, her words repeating in his head, a constant reminder that the person he wanted to protect most of all doesn't trust him. No one trusts him, not anymore.

Maybe he should just give up, he wonders. After all, why does anyone need him anyway when the Fantastic Four and the Avengers are out there doing so much more than he ever could?

He swings across town until he finds a quiet spot where he can sit and watch the city beneath him. He needs to clear his head, to get away from it all. From where he’s perched on the edge of a roof, he can see all the bright city lights, hear the voices of happy people and their laughter as they go about their evenings.

His phone buzzes with a text from Aunt May. Where are u?, he reads, then shuts his phone off, ignoring the stab of guilt in his chest. Ned will cover for him anyway. He turns his attention back to the city beneath him.

Sometimes he forgets how beautiful his city is at night. He stares back down at the street below him and pulls his knees to his chest, letting out a long, relieved sigh. From up here, everything is so small. From up here, everything feels so much simpler.

At least, it does until he hears the sound of footsteps behind him.

Peter spins around quickly, readying himself to jump into action if necessary. Johnny Storm holds up his hands. “Easy, there. Just me.”

Peter thinks he would have preferred a supervillain.

“Oh, great.”

“What, not happy to see me?”

It's an easy bait for one of their usual arguments, but Peter is so not in the mood. He doesn't have the energy for their normal back-and-forth right now.

“Ugh,” he groans, sitting back down. Johnny follows, taking a seat next to him, so close their legs brush against one another. Peter ignores the way his heart starts to beat faster. “What do you want, Johnny?”

Johnny leans back and puts a hand to his chest in mock offense. “What makes you think I want something?”

“Johnny, please. Just leave me alone.” His voice gets a little quieter, and Johnny’s expression softens. He doesn’t know if it’s the way his voice breaks, or the simple fact that he didn’t argue back, but whatever biting retort Johnny had at the ready dies on his tongue, and he sits there, just staring at Peter for a moment.

“Alright, get up. You're coming with me.”

“Did you not hear what I just said-”

“I know, but I don’t think being alone is a good idea for you right now. So, come on,” Johnny says, holding out his hand.

Peter doesn’t know what makes him take the other boy’s hand. Maybe it’s the sincerity in his eyes. Maybe he’s taken one too many hits to the head. But he stands up and asks, “Where to?”

Johnny grins at him. “I know just the place.”

“The Statue of Liberty? Really ? Could you have picked somewhere lamer?”

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun! Alright, last one up there buys ice cream!”

“What? We’re going up there?” But Johnny has already taken off, all bright flames and even brighter laughter.

Peter tries not to think about the inevitable headlines he’ll read tomorrow (SPIDER-MAN DEFACES AMERICAN SYMBOL OF FREEDOM, KIDNAPS THE HUMAN TORCH?) as he webs after the other boy, pulling himself on top of a ferry heading toward the statue. When they get close, he shoots another web to the top, where Johnny is already waiting for him.

“No fair, you can literally fly.”

“All’s fair in love and war,” Johnny shrugs. “You still owe me ice cream.”

“Aw, come on! I have, like, thirty cents on me.” Peter pauses, feeling his suit. “Oh, wait. It’s gone.”

“Fine, I’ll pay for the ice cream.” He lets out a sigh. “It’s beautiful up here, isn’t it?”

Peter stares at Johnny, who’s looking out at the city with a small smile. His hair is messier than usual, windblown with pieces of it fallen on his forehead. Peter wants to reach out and touch it.

“Yeah, you are.” His eyes widen. “I mean- shit. I really need to, like, think before I say things out loud.”

Johnny laughs a little. “I guess The Daily Bugle was right about you trying to ‘seduce me to the dark side.’”

“I'm not-” Peter starts to argue but Johnny cuts him off.

“Kidding. I know you’re not trying to seduce me. And I know The Daily Bugle is full of shit. You’re not dark. Not even a little bit.”

The other boy rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “You know, I always thought it was kind of cool how you never let any of that stuff get to you. How you still help people even though half of them talk shit about you.”

“Oh, um- thanks,” Peter says, for lack of better words. He doesn't know if he deserves this praise, considering how close he had been to giving it all up just a few hours ago.

Johnny bites his lip, as though he's contemplating what to say. “How old are you, Spider-Man?”

“I’m sixteen,” Peter admits quietly, staring down at his feet.

“Me too. It's hard, isn't it? Being a superhero and still having to find time to finish your homework? Not to mention having a social life. Sue and Reed and Ben, they try to understand, but they just don’t get it.” He sighs. “Sometimes, I think no one does.”

Peter knows exactly what he means. Sure, his social life mainly consists of building Legos with Ned and the occasional movie night with MJ, but balancing things in his life is still a constant struggle. And even though he has his friends, there are just some things they can’t possibly understand. Mr. Stark never quite understands either, he was already an adult when he became a hero.

But Johnny-

He gets it better than anyone. Peter had always thought they were so different from each other- their backgrounds, their personalities- but in that moment, he sees how alike they truly are.

“Yeah, I- I feel like that all the time.”

“Really?”

Peter nods.

Johnny smiles at him. “Come on. Let's go get some ice cream.”

The lone employee behind the counter’s eyes widen comedically when she sees Spider-Man and the Human Torch walk through the front door of the ice cream shop.

They both order, and Johnny hands the cashier a shiny credit card.

Peter can't resist. “You know, just because you're paying for my food doesn't mean I'm taking my clothes off. I'm not like the rest of your dates.”

Johnny looks amused. “Oh, you think this is a date?”

“What? No. T-that was a joke.” Peter feels his cheeks redden anyway.

“Relax, Webhead, I’m just messing with you.” He hands Peter one of the ice cream cones, then smiles at the cashier, who did her best to pretend to not be listening in on their conversation.

They sit outside, talking and eating until an ungodly hour.

And Peter actually has fun. The most fun he’s had in a while, if he’s honest with himself. It’s almost 3AM when Peter crawls into bed, a content smile on his face.

#spideytorch #my writing #before i forget again sdhfks

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sleepymarmot · 6 years ago

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COUNTER/Weight liveblog, part 3

Finale +post-mortem

Am I glad to return to the political big picture! It's such a relief that the finale is in this format! Hopefully it won't devolve into another “fighting a giant robot” scene.

Oh, so the Chime are leading the faction game now! Somehow I completely missed the point of the two previous scenes that indicated Aria becoming the new leader of the Righteous Vanguard – I was very surprised and then 10 minutes later went “Oh that's what it was, time to go back and relisten”

Pronoun update: Austin consistently uses “they”, Art consistently uses “he”. End my suffering…

The sheer comedic impact of seven Makos, Larry and Lazer Ted all in a room together has healed my soul immediately. Can we end on this image so nothing bad happens

I'm so proud of Orth!! “I'm sorry, which one are you?” lmao

Oooh the relationship drama~ But how come Jacqui didn't know Jill was alive? Actually, now that I think of it, back then it was clearly said that Jacqui knows Jillian is back and is sad because Jillian doesn't remember her. This show's retcons…

Look I know shit must hit the fan pretty soon but for now this finale is just. So relaxing. I'm having a lot of fun listening to these squabbles. (The only exception were Mako and Orth – boys, stop fighting, why!)

That Cass & Aria scene was cool but please don't give me world leader old friends sneaking away for secret stress relief sparring sessions when I'm not supposed to start shipping them

Oh hell yeah, I was hoping that since Jacqui went with Jillian, Aria would go with Ibex. (Not very relevant here, but Ibex is from Kesh like Maryland, right? If so, there must be fanart of young Ibex and Maryland in 19th century outfits?)

Stop cryptically saying oh Sokrates isn't here, oh they aren't using their candidate name, like what's up with them?! Are they doing well? I'm worried!

Oh Orth wants to dance with Ibex huh *eyes emoji* Rematch! Rematch!

“I'll take anything” “Anything?” My mind, of course, autocompletes “Then perish”

THIS WAS A LOT and I need to take a couple of minutes to start breathing normally again. Also there just has to be a lovingly drawn fanart adaptation of this entire scene (in, like, fukcing Leyendecker style), come on fandom please say someone has done it

Jacq/Jill continuing with the heartbreaking scenes, I see

Mako doesn't like dancing now…… holy shit this is the most upsetting ball ever… (The cynical part of me must say that it's only Austin who talks about this connection, Keith doesn't and still sounds way less emotional about the whole thing than the others assume Mako to be)

I amend my previous statement, I also need fanart with snapshots of every dance: Orth firmly taking Ibex's hand and receiving a surprised but approving look, Jillian throwing her head back in laughter and Jacqui watching with a pained smile, sullen Mako leaning on a wall cross-armed and looking for an opportunity to slip away, Cass dropping his one-liner with a completely dispassionate face.

Wow Ibex is really getting ready for death. Sounds as if he knows the exact date.

HOLY SHIT THE DIVINES' ORIGIN STORY!!! FINALLY!!! I'm surprised they were all created by the same person…

I'm relieved Mako and Orth are on good terms again!

I love the new Aria as this competent politician who does a lot of swordfighting and dealing with old flames

Have I mentioned I really love the game they're playing? It almost synthesizes the best parts of the game they played previously – as if it was written just for this finale. It's so great how this show and specifically this campaign go through so many games, showing the universe and the characters from different angles, instead of having them be defined by only one game system and its limitations and quirks.

That's some real good mech if it can function for 80,000 years, Divines' body or not!

Okay, I fucking knew Liberty and Discovery would split up at some point (which is what I meant above by my expectations for AuDy's fate), but why is Liberty attacking Ibex?

Mako's robots!!! :DDD Now that's the real finale shit!

I CAN'T BELIEVE Keith missed Tower's brief appearance of all things. It's like a fucking scene from the show on the level of dramatic irony. They were truly not meant to be, even the universe in real life is saying that. Do you ever get rejected so badly that the guy you like runs away from you at the prom, and then lets you fall into a deadly portal with the rest of your planet, and then you get brainwashed, and then you are killed by an ally of that guy, and the person playing him doesn't even witness that?!

I thought Orth was going to challenge Kobus about Liberty…

“I have Liberty contained” *winces*

Every time it is asked what is Mako wearing I just mentally pull out the popcorn

“I welcome anyone to tell Cass that AuDy is a non-person”

Let me restate how much I'm loving how the scenes that in any other show would be minor fluff or short summaries in an epilogue are a legit fully rendered part of the finale

Sokrates & Orth reunion please!!

Aw Ted! It never occured to me that this comic relief character has, in fact, lost his entire planet and almost everyone he knows.

…I think I like Apokine Cass more than Chime Cass

That's a big lore dump holy cow! I'm glad Apostolosians are ex-humans after all, but I wonder how they turned into fish people

So what happened to the idea of Mako hacking Grace?

They just… went and straight up murdered two Divines… If it had happened early in the show I'd probably cheer, and no tears were shed for Grace, but Liberty… Just take a third of another player character and drive it into a sun…

Of course. I knew Sokrates is the kind of character who dies nobly in a grand finale.

I've spent all this time wondering how the piece of Voice in Mako doesn't get infected by Rigor, and it seems to finally happen and Larry seems to die repairing it, but what about all other Makos, aren't they in danger too?

This is way too easy so far, just sacrifice NPCs one by one to win.

This whole time I was assuming Mako saved as many clones as he could, not just his own… If he gets another turn I bet it's submit or die :/

Hello I'm crying over Lazer Ted! Choices in the campaign sound futile now: who cares which guy Mako saved – they both died anyway! All named NPCs did!

Except for Jacqui. Congratulations, the NPC Who Lived! (I mistyped “loved” at first, which is also relevant. And yes, I cried here too.)

How the hell would falling into a sun kill Rigor if it was previously not killed by a bomb that destroys hundreds of suns?

Poor Cass… Not only sacrificing yourself in such a difficult way, but to have a final conversation only just to learn that your friend, a passionate revolutionary further empowered by Righteousness, has deserted… The sheer contempt and disappointment he pours in just three words “Ibex told you”...

Welp. Mako's fate was not tragic like I feared! Good news I guess, but it's still kind of sad. And I think the saddest part is that Mako himself doesn't realize. Because it can just sound like the natural continuation of his character growth – after he had to learn to be the responsible one first in contrast to Larry and then to the other Makos. But it's not that, or not just that, and it's kind of chilling to hear that he never knows it, and never knows peace.

Executive Joie, oh my… It's so strange and cool how Aria somehow continues the legacy of Jace and Ibex at once.

The race is over. It's so strange that now there are no consequences to fear or spoilers to avoid.

I didn't like the final battle as much as the rest of the finale – I hoped for a more clever solution than just throwing bodies at the enemy (but I guess the intro warned me lol…). Especially since these bodies had very unequal impact – I'm not going to care about Diego Rose or Chet Wise or Orth's newly-created lieutenants or as much as I care about Jacqui -- so it felt unfair towards players/characters who had more important or likeable chracters in their faction. I'm opposed on principle to making the big confrontation feel important and emotional just by killing off characters (hi, J. K. Rowling and Russo brothers), I think it's cheap and emotionally manipulative, but in this case the emotional manipulation doesn't even work so it’s doubly disappointing.

If someone's reading this, you can see that what I expected or wanted from the story was not what it gave me, and that was frustrating or disappointing at times. But nevertheless, it was a wild ride.

I've slept on it and it still fucks me up that out of the Chime only Aria gets a genuinely happy ending! Cass is fucking dead, Liberty is dead while AuDy becomes a ghost, and Mako loses everyone and is lonely for the rest of his life!

It's so strange to listen to the opening theme in the post-mortem and think that this is the second-to-last time. (Relistens don't count, it's not the same thing.) By the way, I love that theme – it sounds like a half song with the words on the tip of my tongue, like space, or like city at night. Really atmospheric.

I love how everyone continues to be into that moment where Aria has the opportunity to kill Cass lol (I am too)

Yeah, thanks for reminding me about that coin toss moment for Kobus in the finale, that was so sudden and shocking I was completely losing it for the long few seconds it lasted

I'm glad someone asked whether Jack knew the Big Spoiler in advance – he was so calm about it in the following episodes that I started wondering

Oh so it wasn't my imagination that the players needed the comic relief of the Lazer Ted episode no less than the characters

After a sad talk about Mako's dead friends, Andi, cheerfully: “I love to kill and I love to hurt and I never regretted anything I ever did! :D” which won the least surprising comment of the hour award lol. Honestly, after that one scene with Diego I started to get a bit nervous whenever Andi announced they had an idea… C/w was fun because I now realize the cinnamon roll Aubrey was actually them playing against type.

I love that someone asked about Mako's first kiss and/or Orth's fandom life!!

Keith's answer is sad, though… He “had literally never considered Mako even being capable of kissing someone, like it wasn't something on the table” and that was unexpected to me. I'd mentioned several times that he sounded reluctant to play up the romance, but I was assuming it was the player's preference, not an innate trait of the character whose attraction to someone was a part of his character creation. How do I interpret it? Mako is aro? Mako never had a chance to properly grow emotionally because his youth was fake and for the rest of his life, all emotional connections were sabotaged by Rigour's shadow, and also literally all his potential love interests died? Ugh, I just keep making myself more and more upset.

Holy shit I forgot about Art asking if there's an old Apostolosian mech on September by any chance lmao

Cene always knew?! Holy shit w h a t

It's nice to hear Ali talk about her growth in confidence as a player because she's definitely kind of an inspiration – for years I've thought tabletop roleplaying is too intense and I'll never do it, but when I finally tried out it was not so scary, so maybe there's hope for me too!

The concept that the real challenge of the final battle was that the easier it would be to defeat Rigor, the worse shape would the world be afterwards sounds much better than what that battle actually felt like to me. Instead of paying for victory with the health of society and their faction's political power, in the actual gameplay they paid with NPCs from their circle and that was it; the political consequences came later and sounded entirely unrelated. Maybe if they had to go against their faction's goals or sacrifice its assets – e.g. “use Minerva's Rigor-tech mechs in exchange for the promise to leave them alone afterwards” instead of “sacrifice all Mako clones”… Aria had something similar with Weight, but it was the price of Jacqui's life, not the price of a victorious battle against Rigour.

It's very cool to learn where the sound effects in the theme come from! And god, every line as its own take? My head hurts just imagining that…

Austin getting distracted by the idea of fucking Rigor was hilarious, but I never, ever want to hear the word “daddy” in this context! What's with these jokes this season, ew, please stop.

Excuse me, Ali wanted to kiss Ibex as who exactly, Jace or Aria? Both options are equally crazy!

See, “You wanna say ‘Oh he was just doing what was necessary, he was just doing the thing that's good in the end’, and yeah that's him working on you” is exactly why he reminds me of Dukat! Literally the same mind game on the viewers/listeners!

Why is the link broken, I want to see AuDy in Titanfall!

Listening to team “Fuck Ibex!” and team “Fuck Ibex ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)” yell at each other is very entertaining

“Nobody on the Kingdom Come is cishet” is a nice sentiment but I'm kind of confused by which definition of cis Cass is not. Have I missed something about them changing pronouns in-universe? Just because English doesn't have exact analogies for the Apostolosian pronouns doesn't mean everyone who uses them isn't following their own society's conventions. And now Austin also's saying “We never wanted to say these pronouns are equivalent to gender” which is, a, not true, and b, sends the whole problem back to square one – because if that's not the Apostolosian gender then what is? This! Is! A! Mess!

#friends at the table #blah blah blah

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kelleyschorn · 6 years ago

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Kelley Reviews: Tag (Spoiler Edition)

*If you’ve already read my non spoiler review of this movie, skip to after the SPOILERS sign!

Quick word about the movie poster I chose for this review: It’s not my favorite one because this one kind of makes the movie look stupid but I went with image resolution over image content.

That being said, I was hooked on this movie since I first saw the trailer. The concept was original and it even had the added interest of it being based on a true story, “we’re not kidding”. So many things drew me to this movie from the plot to the fantastic trailer and then there’s the amazing cast. Tag is a comedy inspired by a real group of ten friends who have been playing the game of tag since high school. There is a great video on youtube that gives a more in depth look at the real story that you can find right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8C-VFbP-JQ

Because this reality acts as more of a writing prompt than a fully realized story, the writers for Tag exercised their own creative liberties when telling the story inspired by this amazing group of friends. There are hundreds of potential stories that could come from this prompt and I think the writers were smart to pare down the cast from ten to five so as to make a story that was more easily grasped. The movie centers on Ed Helms’ character, Hoagie, and his goal of finally tagging their impossible-to-catch friend Jerry, appropriately played by Hawkeye—I mean Jeremy Renner. Lately I’ve been a bit put off by comedies that rely heavily on jokes centering on sex and hoping that this will convince the audience that the crappy plot is worth overlooking for the crass punch lines. That being said, movies like Game Night and Tag have been a breath of fresh air in comparison. While both do have similar jokes throughout, they also have a good plot to stand on making room for situational humor to shine through.

While some critics disliked Tag, saying that it lacked the fun loving essence of the true tale it draws from, I would say that those critics missed the point of the movie. Without giving anything away, I would say that this movie exemplifies the importance of staying young, even when you get older. It does a great job of portraying the realities of keeping up with old friends and the fact that, while you may not see them as often as you did in high school, when you get together, it’s like no time has passed. Not only does Tag give you all of those warm and fuzzy things, but it also delivers them in a hilarious way! I saw this movie with my mom and sister and we were dying laughing throughout. The all-star cast definitely helped with this as well as the quality of the story itself.

The plot was kind of all over the place with some seemingly pointless subplots and some downright unbelievable moments but overall, I would say that this is a solid comedy and it stands out among others in its genre.

WHAT WORKED

The cast. What an awesome cast for a comedy am I right? I love Ed Helms because the Office (duh). I love Jake Johnson because I know him from New Girl. And I love Jeremy Renner because he is Hawkeye and he basically plays Hawkeye in this movie and I was all for it. Of course I also love Rashida Jones and I felt that she was a bit underused in this movie. If a less talented cast had been chosen, I would not have liked this movie nearly as much as I did. I especially feel that Ed Helms did an exceptional job seeing as how his role required more seriousness than his fellow cast members.

The plot. Yes there were issues with the plot, but what worked for me was the direction they chose to take the story in. Also the fact that they chose a direction in the first place. Like I said above, the original story acts as writing prompt and I think that that is pretty cool. This is what the writers came up with based on that prompt and I or you or anyone else would have come up with something completely different. They had to create a fully fleshed out story from that one tiny prompt! Writing is so cool! Ok nerd-out over. Anyways what worked for me about the plot were the more serious” themes of friendship and the importance of staying young, even when you get old. Despite it being a comedy, I found these themes, and the implementation of them touching. Also the twist at the end was unexpected and pulled off really well by Ed Helms. I didn’t believe it at first but once I knew it was real, it added so much depth and clarity to the story. Again, props to you Ed for pulling that character off so well. I also loved how they included a lot of the real life epic tags from the source inspiration seamlessly into the plot—the tagging at the funeral, the dressing up as an old lady.

The characters. The characters for me is where the comedic elements in this movie really shined. Such a wide range of characters for some epically hilarious interactions. I loved Hoagie signing up to be a janitor despite his “PHD in veterinary science and a flourishing practice” (I’m paraphrasing but you get it). Randy and all of his weed jokes were great and the scene where he’s smoking in the basement with his friends reminded me of That 70’s Show. Jerry was made even more funny to me because he was played by Jeremy Renner. I could totally see Hawkeye being all about this and being this hardcore in the Marvel Universe. (I know I said the nerd moment was over but I lied—sorry!) Hannibal Buress had some funny moments as Sable but some of them fell flat. I felt like his character lacked some of the cohesion the other’s had, like they couldn’t really decide what comedic angle they wanted to go with him so with his tragic back story some of the jokes just felt a bit awkward.

The funny. A lot of the jokes came from the absurdity of their situation and I loved that! They didn’t have to rely heavily on cheap sexual jokes (the adult version of fart jokes) to be funny. The premise and the characters themselves created hilarious scenarios for the viewer’s entertainment.

Small highlight to the parts where they show the gang as kids and how this game started and then it shows them as adults driving next to those kids as a transition—that part was genius!

WHAT DIDN’T WORK

The plot. Ok so here’s my issue, some of these subplots just didn’t really add anything to the movie for me. The Randy Vs. Callahan romance subplot. This was unnecessary. I do love Rashida Jones but this did not add anything to main plot other than (maybe) some more characterization of the characters. I don’t think it was needed and I don’t think it added anything significant to the plot other than a distraction for those characters that causes them to miss Jerry and that could have been done by a lot of other things, (Randy could have gotten too high, Callahan could have been distracted by flirting with the reporter). The other subplot that I have some issues with is the reporter. She was literally only there as an interpreter for the audience so that we would know what was going on. She never really advances the plot and doesn’t ever cause any sort of drama with the group. She’s static and could have been used better. I’m not saying that it wasn’t a clever way to clue the audience in, but I think they could have paired her with Callahan as a romantic interest (I shipped it) to at least give her some sort of importance. Or as a more extreme fix, I would have taken her out altogether and had one of the guys, maybe Hoagie, narrate and explain various things throughout—though I’m more in favor of the love interest thing because she did bring some comedic elements of just not knowing what’s going on.

The scene at the wedding shower. Specifically the giant traps and the extremes Jerry went through to mess with his friends took me out of the story a bit. I get that it was supposed to funny how absolutely ridiculously into the game these grown men were but some of the jerry stunts pushed it a bit too far for me.

The characters. I already explained my issues with Sable and the reporter but the other characters that didn’t quite work for me were Cheryl (Rashida) and Hoagie’s mom. Hoagie’s mom felt like a lazy character to me. Like the writer’s forgot about her until the end and were like, oh wait, how can we make her funny? Let’s just make her into one of her son’s friends. I thought maybe it would have been funnier to have her be one of those completely unaware types, like all this stuff is happening around her and whenever she finally looks around, it’s all gone. And then Cheryl, her plotline was doomed from the start but as far as that subplot goes, what smart woman in her right mind chooses the unemployed broke pothead living with his dad over smart successful Callahan in a choice between two exes?? Ok rant over. That character had no real purpose in the story, I say cut her out.

While I did have all those issues, I did thoroughly enjoy this movie. I laughed a lot and was fully entertained. I would highly recommend this movie it was a fun one! Unfortunately I do not have a ticket stub to show for this movie because the theater I went to screwed me over! I’m just not going to go to that theater anymore, It’s not worth losing my precious ticket stubs!

Let me know what you think of this review and what you thought of Tag! If you liked this review please share it! Stay tuned for the next one: The Incredibles 2!

#tag #tag movie #ed helms #rashida jones #Hannibal Buress #randy johnson #jeremy renner #jon hamm #Tag movie review #movie review

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blu-b · 7 years ago

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Trying again to post my Ragnarok blabbering....

Let’s try and see if tumblr still thinks it has too many paragraphs. If so, I shall split it into two. Reminder that this is just me spewing out everything that bothers me because I actually have so desperately few Thor(ki) pals on tumblr that I'm basically jumping on any opportunity to actually talk to someone about it. Which is why you precious few who commented are now getting the full broadside of my entire jumbled misery. I apologize in advance. You really don't have to read all of it. I’m also not looking for a grand discussion or anything. I just need to get it out of my system.

I respect that there are people who liked the movie, and I don't mean to spoil it for anyone else, so what I'm going to say here is all just a very personal, subjective impression that is by no means anything else but an opinion. Also I feel kind of stupid because the film has been out for a year and...yeah well.

On we go.

upstartpoodle replied to your post “I’ve finally seen Thor: Ragnarok (yes yes, I’m late to the party, I...”

I haven't seen it since I knew from the various spoilers I've seen that it wasn't really my cup of tea, so I can't really comment about the film as a whole, but I've seen a lot of complaints from other people about inconsistent characterisation, too many jokes, dropping the ball on plot points established in the previous films, etc. There's an increasingly long post that keeps cropping up on my dash about it.

calicoskatts replied to your post

I enjoyed it but for me it was jsut another entertaining movie from Marvel but nothing particularly interesting. I thought I was watching Guardians of the Asgardians personally. I’ve been put off from Marvel over the last bit tbh, so maybe that’s why? Like I said, I enjoyed it but I wasn’t wowed or anything.

nelioe replied to your post

*raises hand* I agree, I too thought the movie was awful

miusmius replied to your post

I honestly loved it!

hiko73 replied to your post

What? The movie was amazing from beginning to end, imho....I feel at a loss why you hated it so much.

So, before I say anything, I need to explain that I basically knew the film's plot from gifs and Youtube clips before I watched the DVD, although I didn't know all of it. I already thought some of the scenes sucked big time from the snippets I had seen (Get help, the obedience disk), but actually there were a few that I thought were bad and that turned out rather good in the movie. I’ll come to those in a minute.

So, I think seeing the movie in its entirety for the first time was what did me in. Really, my brain hurt after the end credits rolled off the screen, and I felt like brainwashed. I mean, I knew it was different, and loud, and colourful, and that’s not what I’m having a problem with. It’s rather…a conglomerate of things that just rub me the wrong way.

I’m not mentioning the inconsistent characterisation and the many loose threads that never get cleared up sufficiently (an entire fandom has been waiting for an explanation of how Loki survived Svartalfheim! I had expected it to be a major plot point early in Ragnarok, but it wasn’t even mentioned apart from ‘I thought you were dead’. Well yes, thanks Thor, me too. I’d like to know how he managed not to be dead!).

I’ll also not mention obvious plotholes because well, it’s Marvel we’re talking about, so things like that are expected, and I’ll neither mention obvious flaws on the technical side (too many rapid cuts, weird camera angles or frames) because artistic liberty and all. What does get on my nerves is how almost any serious scene is broken up by something ‘funny’. No two characters can have a quiet talk for two seconds before some joke is cracked that does or does not fit the situation. It’s…tiresome. Especially since most of the jokes aren’t really funny.

Here's a thing: a have a weird humour, I Hate comedy with a capital H, and I despise nothing more than random comedic slapstick elements in an otherwise serious film. Why for heaven's sake can no one make a serious movie anymore? Argh. This film is literally titled "The end of the world" and yet there's a joke at every corner, and no it isn't a black-humoured jab at fate, it's the kind of knee-slapper that's only funny for half the time it takes, and not again afterwards. It makes me angry. Comedy has to be precise and on-point to work. There's a lot of well-placed comedy in the previous Thors and the Avengers; comedic elements that are funny even when you watch the scene a second and a third time. Now, Taika Waititi takes comedy to an entirely new level that isn't necessarily one I like. I also need to say that although I don't know him personally, he comes across as a very taxing person, taxing in a sense that his constant good spirits and giddiness and sort of bouncy energy would definitely wear out my social batteries if I had to be around him all the time. It wore out Tom Hiddleston's, as we can see in several behind the scenes footages where Taika takes to fooling around in front of the camera while poor Tom would just like to get on with his work.

Anyway, back to the movie. Of the major things that rub me wrong is that it does have a very problematic attitude towards violence.

It is rated for a viewing age 12 and up in my country, but I sure as hell would not let my children watch it. There are scenes that come down to nothing but random violence for…well, not even the sake of anything. Hela just skewering Fandral and Volstagg like that? What for? If it’s meant to establish an emotional connection and show just how dangerous Hela is, it fails spectacularly, because it is not given enough time, or enough emotional room. It’s just ZAP and they’re dead; if you don’t look closely you don’t even realise it’s them because they've never had a moment to being reintroduced. Half of the audience has probably already forgotten who they were.The scene with Hogun is gruesome as is the slaughtering of an entire army, and it does nothing whatsoever in terms of significance. Later on, we see many other characters just resorting to brainless mass shootings and seemingly enjoying the heck out of it. Valkyrie, Skurge, you name them. There's a very problematic message in having a character stumble off an enormous spaceship, having them fall off the gangway drunk because it looks cool, and then proceed to mow down a bunch of innocent and mostly unarmed scrappers on a trash planet.

Now, I don’t have a problem with violence in general. I just don’t like the way it is presented here.

There were a few scenes that were actually good.

Thor and Dr. Strange for example, even though the plot could easily have done without that sideline, and Benedict Cumberbatch is also only pouring 50% of his effort into his performance - still, it’s solid, classy acting.

The scenes between Thor and Loki on Midgard in the very beginning stand out because both Hemsworth and Hiddleston are given enough time to actually act out their characters' emotions without being interrupted by a joke. I really liked the dynamics here and I wish the film would have picked up on that course.

Some of Hela’s scenes where a little background on her character is revealed were good as well, but overall I thought Cate Blanchett was alternating between gross overacting and doing minimal duty as per contract. It would have been nice to have her on screen some more, and learn a bit more about her past and her motivation. Revenge for being imprisoned by Odin? Sounds familiar. Hela, darling, how about a little talk about that with Loki over tea and biscuits? I'm sure the two of you could have shared some experience. (Also major kudos to Loki for NOT tearing into Odin like "Aha, so throwing your kids into a cell seems to be your standard educational measure, dad.")

Anthony Hopkins was awful. He has never been good in any of the previous films, one of my main reasons for my major dislike of Odin, and I don't know if he's getting senile or what, he just was really really bad in this one. It only adds to the awful characterisation of Odin altogether. The last straw was his dealing with the Hela situation: "There's this threat that is coming for Asgard, born of one of my own mistakes, there's nothing you can do about it and I don't give a shit so bye and good luck, I guess." Good thing he disappeared, or I would personally have crawled into the TV and shoved the old man off the cliff.

So, what little else I liked was actually any scenes with Heimdall - I wasn’t a big fan of Heimdall, ever, but he seriously kicks ass here, not only because of superb acting on Idris Elba's part but also because his scenes aren’t interrupted by hectic cuts or off the mark jokes.

Surprisingly, Skurge’s story arc was interesting as well. Now, I don’t like Karl Urban - you've probably figured out by now that there isn't an awful lot of people that I like. Basically I think his character is rather unnecessary - why not use one of the established characters? Why not let Fandral or Hogun be torn between right and wrong? Anyway, Karl does play him well and I see why a character like that would be in there (his death though? More random, unnecessary violence).

Bruce Banner / The Hulk really went on my nerves the entire time. The fight between he and Thor is well choreographed, but the entire sequence is too long *yawns* Some of the stuff with Thor in Hulk’s room is actually funny, but that was that.

And then Loki. Please prepare yourself for a rant of epic proportions.

Now, I do admit I'm biased because I love Loki; I've loved him in Norse mythology ever since I was a child. I went to study Old Norse for a bit mainly because of the Edda and Loki, and I love what Hiddleston has done with the character in these films. I also get that this is Thor: Ragnarok and not Loki: Ragnarok and that he is a supporting character just like all the others.

That said, in the few scenes that he actually has - you don't really need Loki for what he does. Any random side character could have stolen the ship's codes, or placed Surtur's crown in the flame. That last bit was a bow to the original myth (and the comics, I suppose) where it's really Loki who releases Surtur and causes Ragnarök (which is why I -love- the 'saviour' scene because it's a reference to Loki arriving at the scene of the final battle at the helm of the ship of the dead, called Naglfar, in Norse myth). But - in the film, all in all, you don't really need Loki for all that. Valkyrie could have done it, or Heimdall, or Skurge for that matter (what a heroic plot that would have made for him!).

And there's more to it than just lamentably little of Loki in this film. The entire film, to me, seems like a deliberate attempt to ban Loki to the background, give him as little screentime as possible, and make him look ridiculous altogether. Not only is his character basically replaceable in what he does, no -

(I've seen quite a lot of the BTS stuff in advance, so this plays into it as well.)

Let's start with the small things:

- There's hardly any close-ups of Loki in the entire film, Norway being the one great exception (consequently, he rocks the scene).You can always see him do something in the background, but the camera is never close enough to pick up clearly on any emotions or anything. Best example is the sofa scene at the Grandmasters'. If that was shown correctly, you would be able to read the entire course of the fight from Loki's face - there's glee, there's worry, there's schadenfreude, there's hope and admiration and anger and frustration and everything you can possibly imagine he goes through, but we are shown only mushed images of it. The entire dragging long battle between Hulk and Thor would have been way more interesting if more of Loki's facial expressions had been cut into it.

- Basically all he's good for is delivering cues for Thor and being there as a projection screen for Thor's heroism.

- The camera always seems slightly out of focus; Loki is there but he's not, somewhere at the back or to the side. Even when he's meant to be in the picture, the camera frame is just this little bit out of focus or he's being filmed at a weird angle.

- Weird angles. It's a signature thing for Loki in this film. He's being filmed from behind, above, below - now don't get me wrong, it's a very interesting artistic device - and the scene where he appears before the grandmaster, filmed through the transparent floor is a masterpiece in terms of camera angle - but when it's 80% of these frames and the rest is 15% hovering in the background and 5% good, clear close-ups, it conveys a message about the filmmaker's attitude towards this character - and in Loki's case, this message is not doing him any favours.

- More weird stuff: time frames. As I said above, you only ever see Loki doing unimportant stuff. Sitting around talking to the Grandmaster's cronies, getting "captured" on purpose, trying to get through to Thor. We don't see him doing any kind of stiff like Thor does, nothing "heroic", we don't even see him do any significant amount of magic. The only heroic moment he has, at the very end, is again botched by off-kilter dialogue ("I'm not doing get help" just sounds soooo out of place at this moment) and weird framing. Like, Thor gets all these super-cool, physical fighting scenes, full-on frontal, kicking and punching the shit out of everyone. Again, I get that this is Thor: Ragnarok, and we also have the Hulk and Valkyrie who need their hero moments. But we do know that Loki is just as good a fighter as everyone else, he fights differently, but he's very capable of defending himself and others, as seen in Dark World. In Ragnarok, he's right there in the middle of the fight, but you never see him do anything. You see him close in on someone, cut, then you see him pull out a knife of a body or juggle his helmet or whatever, but never any real action that proves how capable he is as a fighter, not like Thor gets them all the time. You see him jump, and roll, and fall on his ass, or doing a pirouette and tossing his hair back afterwards. The focus is not on him doing his share of defending Asgard, but on how he's a weak and pathetic fighter (this post explains it with great visuals). The thing is, somewhat heroic moments have been filmed, but have been left out in favour of more ‘funny’ sequences.

- Talking about ridiculousness: There's a total of seven scenes where Loki falls on his ass, his face, or is somehow on the ground for some reason when it's totally not necessary. In comparison, in Dark World and Avengers, he was only ever on the ground when either defeated, or due to battle action, not just for shit and giggles.

The one at Dr Strange actually makes me wince from the sheer impact with which he hits the floor, bouncing back two feet high in the air (can’t find the gif right now, but he does), and everyone in the cinema laughs. Actually laughs, like this is some funny one-liner. Someone's dropping from the sky and hitting the floor real hard and y'all laugh? Like no, this ain't funny at all, not to me.

- What are these scenes actually good for? Why did the previous films set him up as a master magician who - as even Dr Strange says - is a force to be reckoned with, when everyone can just shove him to the ground like that? Why is nearly everyone suddenly more powerful than him?

- Shitty lines/shitty scenes: 'Safe passage through the anus'. Boy, it makes me cringe for poor Tom who actually had to say this shit out loud, or play stuff like the (thankfully deleted) portaloo sequence. Like, wow. I mean, I know I have a different type of humour from nearly everybody else, but this shit is just so not funny, and I really hate Taika Waititi for even including such lines and scenes in the script. I mean, I get that he favours Thor over Loki, but was that really necessary? It's so cringeworthy it makes my teeth hurt.

- (On a minor sidenote, can we talk about how it also speaks volumes that Hiddleston was given a costume that he can barely move in and that makes him visibly uncomfortable, yet no one gives a shit?)

To sum it up, I don't like how Ragnarok treats the character of Loki and ignores all of his potential in favour of cheap jokes. It says a lot if a script needs to make fun of one character in order to let its main character appear in a better light. Taika talks about how Thor's and Loki's relationship is at the focus of the film and how they finally get to resolve their problems. I'm sorry, but I don't see any of that. I don't see any brotherly moments or reconciliation or at least an attempt to make things right. And that brings me to the one character that I have the biggest problem with: Thor.

Now, the general consensus was that Thor grows, he learns, he takes up responsibility, he has this great character development that makes him into a better man. I don't see that. What I see is a man who uses and abuses everyone in his path to achieve his own ends. He thinks he can command Valkyrie by repeatedly reminding her of her oath to the throne (the throne being a very prominent motivation for Thor, as we shall see) even when she's made clear that she gives a shit. When that doesn't work, he keeps trying to guilt-trip her, and when that doesn't work either, he fakes concern to get her attention, and once he has it, he cruelly pushes all the buttons that he knows will make her yield (basically telling her: you can either forget everything and rot on this planet, or you can do something about it and help me).

He manipulates Banner in the same way because he needs the Hulk for his Asgard mission. I mean, telling Bruce he prefers him over Hulk, and telling Hulk he prefers him over Bruce - I get that it's meant to be funny, but when you think about it, it isn't. It's manipulative as heck and it's exactly the kind of shit he always accused Loki of: lying to get his way.

And when it comes to Thor's interactions with Loki, he has not learned a single thing. He still treats Loki the way he always did: a scapegoat at worst, a convenience at best. In Norway, after Odin departs, Thor doesn’t hesitate to immediately accuse Loki of both Odin’s death and bringing about Hela as a consequence - as if Loki had any inkling that this was gonna happen. He wouldn’t be so stupid as to bring destruction to Asgard on purpose, remember it’s the only home he ever truly knew, so even if he did let things slip while posing as Odin, he surely never meant for Hela and Ragnarok to happen. He was just as surprised about the Hela revelation that Thor was, and as for Odin’s death - I doubt that this was intended. Especially since we still don’t know xactly how Loki got rid of Odin, but if he’d wanted to kill him, he could certainly have done so while Odin was weak and defenseless, but he didn’t - he just wanted him out of the way, not dead. Yet Thor completely assumes Loki is to blame for all of it, and as a consequence he falls back into his abusive treatment of his brother.

Yes, all I see is an abusive sibling who purposefully manipulates his mentally unstable younger brother. He knows what Loki has been through in the past; moreover, he has heard from Odin himself just how everyone in this family was played and lied to. He has seen what that did to Loki in the past. Thor knows exactly what's at the core of his brother's mind: the ambition to gain his family's approval, a fear of being abandoned, a deep-rooted sense of worthlessness and the ever-prominent desire to impress his older brother. Of course Loki sucks at saying all this out loud, and Thor probably doesn't know the full extent of the damage, but after the events of Avengers and Dark World he must at least have an inkling of what's going on inside that mind.

And yet he goes ahead and uses all of Loki's greatest fears against him:

"Our paths diverged a long time ago" - no they didn't, he just never let Loki catch up to him.

"It's what you always wanted" (never seeing each other again) - have you even paid attention to your brother, you big fool?

"But you, you stay the same", "you could be so much more" etc. - and being what, exactly? Thor's thrall, tagging along behind him, helping out when shit hits the fan, and otherwise keeping his mouth shut? To Thor, Loki is only acceptable when he behaves like Thor wants him to. He fails to see that it's Loki who's forced to change more than anyone else. He was forced to change almost first thing after being born, from a Jötun baby to an Aesir one just to please his new father. He's constantly forced to change to adapt to everyone's expectations: Odin's, Frigga's, Thor's own. And when he refuses to play along, he's the one at fault.

There are two scenes in Ragnarok in particular that I find hard to watch in respect of Thor's abusive qualities. First, the elevator scene /Get Help.

Loki tells Thor no three times, he even gives him a reason why he doesn't want to do Get Help (which, considering Loki and his difficulties to express emotion, to Thor no less, is a big deal). I don’t know about y’all, but if my sibling told me they found something humiliating, which is several steps up the uncomfortable scale from "I just don't like it", I would never force them into it. Thor has to respect his brother's feelings and stop right there. A no is a no, even from Loki, even in this situation, especially considering how the entire move is nonsense after all - but Thor doesn't stop. He disrespects his brother's wishes, he ignores Loki's feelings, and what's worse, he even belittles him for it and laughs it off: No, for me it's not.

Yes, well, Thor baby, guess what? It's not always about you.

Even worse is the taser/obedience disk scene. It makes me physically cringe. And I will happily fist-punch everyone who tries to tell me it's just "a joke" or "friendly sibling barter" or wasn't "meant to hurt Loki" or that Thor "didn't know". I'm sorry, but nope.

Thor knows exactly what the obedience disc does, how it hurts. He has absolutely NO reason to use it on Loki. Loki has been playing along to his plans, he has even tried to offer Thor an explanation and a possible way out, but at that time Thor decided to throw a tantrum and sulk. Did he really think Loki would go through with that half-arsed attempt of collecting the 'reward' for Thor's capture from the Grandmaster, when just some hours before Loki has told Thor that he Grandmaster is a lunatic and that he basically wants to leave Sakaar just as bad as Thor does? Did Thor even listen??? Not to mention that there never was a 'reward' promised by the Grandmaster; instead a threat of public execution looms over Loki if he fails, so the reward he speaks of is possibly, once again, getting away with his life (while using the time this buys him to come up with a means of escape).

There was no reason at all to place the taser disc on Loki and leave him there - besides, Thor must have planned to use the disk even before he could be sure Loki was going to betray him, so it was Thor's plan all along to leave his brother there for whatever sick reason. How could he be so sure Loki would find a way to free himself? How could he be sure the rebels would be the ones to find Loki, and not the Grandmaster, or Topaz, or any of the hundreds of guards that swarm the place? Not to mention that time passes differently on Sakaar, so who knows how long Loki lay there writhing in agony. Thor walking off telling him "Good luck, I guess" while his brother is in obvious physical pain, and at the mercy of a crazy dictator, is the ultimate cruelty. But the throne is always more important, eh?

How could Thor be sure Loki would follow him to Asgard and come to his aid? Seriously, Loki could just have taken that ship and flown to the other end of the universe for all he cared. He's the only Asgardian on a ship full of refugees, he has no reason at all to help Thor, not after the taser disc and the general way Thor treated him, and YET he comes after his big brother because he desperately seeks Thor's approval, and Thor knew that and manipulated his brother into exactly this behaviour back there in the elevator.

And does Loki get a thank you? Not even! All he gets is a flippant "You're late" (everyone who tells me that's 'friendly sibling banter' again must have a truly fucked up relationship with their sibling), and then he's being ordered off to the vault to basically perform an act that could cost his life, without Thor even wasting a second thought to it. Well, we've already seen in Dark World how little Thor cares for Loki, as he just leaves his dead little brother behind to rot on a foreign planet. Doesn't even send anyone to come and collect the body or something. Doesn't even seem to care in Ragnarok whether Loki has made it out of Asgard alive or not (does he check frantically if his brother is aboard as they float off into space? No...but hey look, there's a throne, and people call him majesty, so all is grand).

Not even the "I'm here" scene does anything for their relationship. How often does Loki have to prove that he will sacrifice himself for Thor, and how often does he get nothing in return but accusations ("You faked your death!", "You killed our father!"), dubious compliments ("Maybe there's some good left in you") or at the most Thor throwing him a bone of approval: "Maybe you're not so bad after all" instead of "Thanks for saving our arses".

So, is this 'growing'? Is this 'mature'? Has Thor learned one single thing that makes him a better character? I don't think so. He takes up right where his father left, caring only for his throne, and manipulating his brother just the way Odin has always done. Yes, he became a little less uptight, and yes there's the new Thor who's sassy, nonchalant, doesn't give a fuck, doesn't let himself be played by his brother's schemes. I love the way Chris Hemsworth is playing this new Thor as opposed to the previous films. It's fun to watch him finally fill this role with a bit of spice. I really really like this new Thor. The problem is, I like how the new Thor is, but not what he does.

All in all, I think what happened was that Taika and Chris Hemsworth decided it was time to put the focus on Thor and make his character the center of the plot - which is fine, with it being Thor: Ragnarok and all, but why does it have to be at the expense of another great character that could have been used in so many other, different, better ways for the plot? I think they tried deliberately to shift a bit of Loki's coolness and cunning to Thor who, let's face it, has been a rather one-dimensional character in the previous films.

What I'm going to say now is unpopular, and probably mean, but it's the vibe I'm getting from day one since I started watching any Thor movies and BTS and interviews: All of this ties in nicely with Chris Hemsworth coming across as borderline jealous of Hiddleston and the success he gained for his portrayal of the Loki character, who was never supposed to steal Thor's spotlight. It's a shame Taika Waititi rolled with it in Ragnarok and actively added to this fiasco by way of bad filmmaking.

On a final personal note: Just yesterday before watching the film I wrote a little scene post-Ragnarok where Thor finally gets to understand everything that bothers Loki, and finds a way to comfort his brother in a very gentle, caring way, because that was what I understood Thor had finally learned: true compassion, the ability to understand, the motivation to go and make up for every time he was a shitty sibling in the past. I can't see that now, not anymore after watching this film, not after what Thor has been made into and how he treats Loki :(

I'm sorry this got so long. I'll disappear for a while now and see if I can manage to un-watch this movie. Thanks for reading/listening.

#upstartpoodle #calicoskatts #nelioe #miusmius #hiko73 #warning: long post #loki meta #thor meta #my thoughts on ragnarok #I'm blabbering #I just love Loki too much ok #probably because I can relate to him on so many levels #it's not even funny anymore #sorry

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