#pls make this man a monument!

[frc-heraldofdoom]

🙌 BEN MENDELSOHN FOR PRESIDENT!!! 🙌

[itonashi]

May I request Chigiri Hyoma x reader, but the bllk boys and Chigiri are hanging outside of blue lock and the reader hugs Chigiri from behind while he's talking to someone; suprising chigiri of his s/o's sudden appearance? I LITERALLY CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF THIS MAN 🥰💍💍🙏

BOO!

pairing: chigiri hyoma x fem!reader

warning: mentioned other chars, fluff, lowercase intended, manga spoilers

note: pls pls pls appear in the tag... im gonna cry if it doesn't appear. i hate mobile legends. memang tolol kau tahu tak (nonsense in malay). i love the anon who req me this.

it's time!

for your divine, beautiful, majestic, heavenly, breath-taking, lovely, charming, marvelous, splendid, distinguished, monumental, glorious, astonishing, and pretty boyfriend to get out of his hell hole!!!

the blue lock program.

because of that stupid program you didn't get to even chat him or see him for months! now he's a celebrity after that soccer match that you didn't even managed to get a ticket for.

you want to see him so much instead of chatting with him on some apps. you hated how chigiri hyoma is now known to the world and some ppl liked him because of his beauty. that beauty should've been only for you.

fortunately, he is yours and you are his.

but he said that he only have two weeks break so that means the program is still not finish yet and that made you filled with the 5 stages of grief because that technically means that you won't be seeing him for months again! and who knows? he will also be offered with professional clubs out there.

you're glad that he didn't give up on soccer anymore and how he is really happy now.

with these two weeks break, you will make the most time to hang out with your boyfriend and make the most of it.

oh? is that your lovely boyfriend there? and if you're not mistaken — the people that he's talking to is the blue lock people.

'i want to surprise him. i mean.. his reactions will be so cute! after all, we haven't seen eachother for a long time.'

"i think i will have a chances with many pretty girls this year."

"shut up, otoya."

"being known to the world feels nice."

"i wonder if i have a fanbase..."

"isagi! look at the comments about you."

"people really like nagi, huh."

"why are they so shocked that reo is playing soccer..."

the atmosphere was lively as everyone was talking about different things. some were talking about their popularity, soccer, the u-20 match, school and friends.

what was irritating me is that aryu keep asking me about what i use for my hair. yeah yeah, i know my hair is silky but only some people can touch it. if i don't want him to bother me with his 'glam' things. i just need to straight up tell him about the haircare i use.

"oh really? that's the one you use... hmm, what a shame. it doesn't fit my glam hair."

"ok, aryu..."

just stop talking to me about that, it's boring! damn it. "chigiri! look at people commenting about your beauty!" bachira showed me the multiple comments about my beauty and how they wish they know me earlier... blah blah blah. "haha, it's amazing how chigiri got people to like because of his beauty." isagi said.

"i bet his fanbase is full of girls."

is it? i don't really remember...

"i don't think so?"

"yeah, right.

i couldn't careless about the fanbase anyway. i already have my special someone who never gave up on me. the one who was always there with me through thick and thin. she never left me when i was injured. it was a shame she didn't managed to see the match in front of her eyes.

if she was there, i would've hug her tight even if there was my mother and sister there...

it's been a long time since i see her.

i was conversing with nagi and telling him some information about soccer. when suddenly i felt a hand wrapped around my waist from behind and a beaming girl's voice was heard.

"boo!"

'eh?'

everyone stop talking and look at the uninvited guest that just arrived. 'wooo' and 'oohh' could be heard from them. nagi look at the person who interrupt chigiri from talking and the person unwrapped their hands from chigiri's waist.

"[name]!?"

"oh, you're surprised to see me." you chuckle at the sight of him.

you wave at all the people there and they wave back with welcome but they're definitely questioning who you are from the sudden appearance. otoya did the honor of asking not before asking if you're single.

"im taken by the oh so lovely princess chigiri hyoma."

"oh."

"oi, don't call me that."

well, at least no one's here is beautiful like your boyfriend! this goes unnoticed by you but when otoya asked you that question. he almost tried to gouge out otoya's eyes. you didn't notice yukimiya was there until he spoke up.

"[name], you are dating chigiri?"

"ah, since when are you here... yuki?"

"you two knew each other?"

"he's my co-worker in the model agency but don't worry i never work with him, hyoma."

chigiri let out a sigh of relief at that statement. sure, yukimiya was handsome. and he love how you are loyal to him in the end. they time passed with you being introduced to the boys and come of them praised you for being a beauty and question you is it hard being a model and all that.

you get to know some of them better and it did help with yukimiya being there.

"i think it's time we should go back home." isagi said. the time was almost 5:00 p.m and they all agreed to it — saying goodbyes to one another, you set out walking back home with chigiri.

"you really surprised me back there."

"your reaction was worth it. hehe."

typical [name]. a little prankster ever since middle school. "here, do you want my hand?" chigiri offered you his hand for you to wrapped your hands around it and you did just that. you lean your head on his shoulders while walking to the train station. talking along the way about the day and your opinion on the boys.

"you did great on the match, hyoma. you don't have to think about it that much when you were out half time. i have been watching you that whole match even if i wasn't there. you're my favorite player out there."

it was out of the blue when you said that but it was comforting to him. you are his biggest supporter and he will never let go of that fact. the things you said to comfort him. you always know what his feelings are at the moment.

"thank you, [name]."

you chuckle at his flustered voice.

"that's my duty as your biggest supporter."

you two arrived at the train station and wait for your train to come and board it. it is fortunately empty. you love some quiet times with chigiri on the train.

you lean your head on chigiri's shoulder and close your eyes while holding his hand on the train and hum a melody. "[name], what do you think of me?" he said with a slight nervous. hoping at what you said about him is all positive.

"if im being brutally honest... after you were injured, you care too much about what those people said about your injuries. especially those wanima twins. i hate them. you have me on your back — i will defend you from those types of people but im happy that you're not giving up on soccer. you are a hardworking guy. you are slightly moody though..."

"that's too honest."

"i did said i was brutally honest."

[penvisions]

return the favor {chapter 22}

Pairing: Post Outbreak! Joel Miller x Smuggler! Reader || M! OC x Pre Boston QZ! Reader (flashback scenes)

Summary: Memories often spring up at the worst of times, but as you continue to travel alone there's not much else to occupy your mind.

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: minor character death, m! oc death, canon typical violence, canon typical language, cursing, insult, sexual content, non con, allusions to non con sexual advances, allusions to p in v, unprotected p in v that results in pregnancy, kissing, pregnancy, symptoms of pregnancy, mentions of nausea but no vomiting, allusions to child loss, fighting, blood, reader gets injured, joel gets injured, guns, gun violence, self-depreciating internal monologue, if i left anything out pls lemme know!

A/N: trying something new with this chapter, i hope it reads well! thank you to everyone who participated in the poll for the next few chapters of this fic! this one is a little shorter, but the next one will be a doozy. my mind is a little overwhelmed with school and tutoring and four different WIPS

ao3 link || series masterlist || main masterlist || ko-fi

Joel was trying.

He was trying to tamp down the anxiety he knew would thrum in his veins the second the gates of Jackson closed behind him. Back out in the unknown and unpredictable landscape. Winter was granting him a passive day, no snow, no biting wind, cloud coverage clear for the sky to shine a light blue to crystal clear you would think it was a brisk summer day. But the pause in extreme weather aside from the near freezing temperature did nothing to quell the pulse beneath his skin.

He was alone, traveling with a teenager he had come to care about in a dangerous way.

The journey had been meant to be made with Tess, first. Strong-willed, no-nonsense saint of a woman for taking what he could offer her and not asking for anything in return. Just wanting to share space and renown within a controlled setting that allowed for them to execute their runs and make what passed for a decent living back in what was left of the quarantine zones. To share their bodies when human nature sparked connection in the oldest and most instinctual of ways. She had turned an eye to his abuse of the very same things they traded for food, for water, for supplies for their shabby apartment that had seen far better days before they stepped foot inside.

Then journey was then meant to be made with you. A surprise in the moments after her death. Skilled in many things and willing to help a man suddenly saddled with a teenager he had no clue how to interact with. But he had, once upon a time. The situation tasting of irony and self-destruction. Selfless to the point of disembarking on your own path in the wake of his own attempt at running when faced with something too real for the world. Maybe in the Before times, it would have worked out. Perhaps a meet cute as he delivered his brother to an urgent care for a drunken blunder, a work accident he himself fell victim to, or a begged visit for Sarah should she had fallen off her bike or taken a tumble in soccer practice. Maybe then it would have been given life, hopeful glances and lingering touches that would have turned into nervous dates. Nervous dates that would give way to regular familiarity and then heated nights beneath sheets of his bed.

But it had never should’ve blossomed in the now, in the after. And yet, it had tried.

Ellie was mad. She wasn’t trying.

Not the first day at least.

Speaking when spoken to, ire and hurt flaring uncomfortably in moments he could sense weren’t aimed at him. At least not completely. Aimed at you, for going back on your word. Something you wouldn’t have had to do if he hadn’t screwed up so monumentally by falling for you. He had been wrong in his accusations, throwing the proposition you made to him all those days ago back in your face. Like you had forced yourself on him, forced him into thinking of you that way, of wanting you that way. But it had been him, his decision to take you up on it in his grief. Wanting to feel something other than the gaping hole that seemed to eat up more and more of him as the years went by.

But instead of just taking his body in the ways he allowed you to, you had also begun to heal that black hole he was made up of. Slowly and so minimally at a time that he hadn’t noticed until it was too late.

He stopped and made the time to teach her how to shoot the rifle, hoping it would help to bring her out of her shell. And it worked, he silently thanked the universe, it worked. She was cracking jokes and quipping like normal. Mirth lighting up her eyes and questions flowing from her. And he indulged them, as best he could. Telling her of how he supported himself before the world fell apart. About how he always dreamed of singing and making music.

But just as everything seemed to be on the mend, it was broken once again.

With the crack of a wooden bat.

“A-Angelo?” You voice was as shaky as your reaching hands, fingers brushing against the man’s face only a few steps away. He was older, that much was certain. Only a year apart back then, back when the world functioned in an entirely different way. Only a year apart, but two decades of time separating you now, turned into completely different people. A wave of emotions at finding your family by pure chance and circumstance in the wilds of a state you had never been to before while on your way to look for them hit hard. You both surged forward and embraced, the man’s arms coming around you and tightening.

“I thought it was you, the hair,” He choked out, deep voice cracking. He was so broad, tall frame looming over you, developed fully into a man who had survived the worst of nature and humanity. Just as you had grown into a woman who took nothing of ill nature aimed at you, taking the things that had happened to you and using it as a foundation to be stronger.

“It’s me, I’m okay.” You gripped his shoulders tight, pushing him back a little to look him over.

“No injuries, no bites, you’re okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m okay….We both are.”

That’s when your mind decided to remind you of the other voice you heard, the feminine one.

A young girl, no more than her teens and far too skinny was half concealed behind a tree trunk a few yards away. Her eyes were brown, honey brown and beautiful and they reminded you of so many people lost to space and time. They shown just as Taylor’s had done, once upon a time. Like you had both talked of wishing to see on a bright new, chubby face…

“Oh.” The phantom jolt of a kick felt through the skin of your aunt’s stomach so many years ago sprung to life in the palm of your hand. “Oh, Angelo. I’m-I’m so sorry.”

He detached from you, taking a few steps toward the girl, now in between you both equally. He held out a hand to her, his gloves tattered and stitching frayed in certain places.

“It’s okay, she’s okay. She’s family.”

“You’re so beautiful,” You gently coached her out, hoping nice words would help her to feel safe. “I’ve never met you, but I’ve waited a very long time to. You- you can call me by my name or Bean, if you’d like?”

“This is our cousin, from mom’s side. Do you remember her saying that we needed to go East?”

A small nod, wide eyes taking in the situation.

“It was to find her. She’s good, smart, she can help keep us alive.”

“You’ve been doing good on your own.” She didn’t move, not taking a step to back away and put distance between you nor toward you in a hesitant greeting. Her wide brown eyes were alert, telling of the things she’d experienced and been witness to. Of how cautious she was in the face of new people, a good thing to be but completely unwarranted in this particular case.

“Yes, but…Adela, we…we need help. This season, it’s harsh and we don’t know this land as well.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, I know we’re practically strangers but we are related. I know that doesn’t mean much these days to some people, but it means a great deal to me. I will do everything in my power to protect you, just like your brother.”

Hours later, after a shared meal and an introduction of your gifted appaloosa, camp was made and secured. Adela was fast asleep, one of the blankets you had tucked underneath the saddle wrapped around her small frame inside her sleeping bag. Light snoring sounding from the bundle she made against the horse.

“We’re the only ones that made it.” Angelo said before you could even figure out how to ask after everyone. Outbreak day a rather taboo subject amongst those that survived it. For Joel, at least, for you it was easier to divulge but still not a light subject to talk about. You had been willing with Ellie, with Maria.  The first to quell her curious questions, to allow her another perspective on the events before her time that shaped the world into the one that she knew. The second to appeal to her, to connect with someone who felt comfortable.

“We didn’t know anything was going on for a while, you know how it is working in a ware. house all day. But when I got home that evening, apparently grandma had passed during the morning. Scared the hell out of everyone when she came sprinting into the living room and lunged at dad.”

“I…I can’t imagine, I’m so sorry. I know I had a missed call from the house that day, but I had been running late. And then, you know….”

“It’s okay,” One of his gloved hands reached out, taking the closest one of yours and squeezing. “We both made it, Adela made it. I love our family and cared so much for everyone, but this world is too harsh for them. It was always going to be us and that’s the only comfort I have in what happened.”

Silently agreeing, you squeezed his hand back. He was right, your grandparents had softened in their age, his parents and your father caring for them together. Soft in their endearment too, not suited for a life of constant unrest, of constant fear and paranoia. Of scrounging for food and basic supplies, having to defend what was yours by any means necessary.  

“I was traveling with a man from Boston QZ and a girl, we were trying to find her family out this way. The last lead would’ve taken us to the University of Eastern Colorado.” You admitted over dinner the next day, having taught Adela the basics of how to properly interact with a horse, how to climb up in the saddle. While she was tall, she was skinny. Alarmingly so, but Angelo assured you that he always made sure she had enough to eat. He was willing to go without to provide for her, to ensure her still growing body had as much as it needed, or close to it at least.

“We were just there,” He took a breath, savoring the smell of the coffee that you had brewed for him as you all settled around the fire for the night. Scraps of foil that had contained easy, portioned meals to through on the fire that Maria had provided you with. “Well, around there. We came across a group of people settled into an old lodge town. Not to far from the city actually.”

Something about the man’s tone had you delaying your questions until Adela had laid down to rest for the night, tired from the day of interaction. But she was warming up to you, a familiar comfortability between you both as you talked to her about her mother. She admitted quietly that Angelo wasn’t willing to talk about their parents, people she had never had the chance to meet. The chaos of Outbreak day and those following it too much for him to talk about.

“We-uh, we left the group pretty quickly.” The man cleared his throat, turning around to ensure that his little sister was indeed asleep and not feigning it in order to eavesdrop. “The leader, god – what was his name? It doesn’t matter, he was so nice at first. Preaching about how people need to stick together, that his flock chose him to lead them and look after them.”

Your heart sank to your stomach, religious fanatics always putting you on edge. The way they manipulated the words of the bible in order to further their own agenda. And the way Angelo described him as initially nice and welcoming. A ploy, a trap laid out to ensnare people.

“But the first morning there, he came to visit us in the small set up they provided us with. Asked Adela to go out on a walk with him while I was still asleep. She hadn’t wanted to go, but felt obligated. Like he was just going to give her a tour or somethin’ and it was harmless, ya know?”

The rush of blood in your ears was loud, but you strained against it, needing to hear the words coming from the man beside you.

“He- that motherfucker, he exposed himself to her. Said that if she wanted to stay and use their resources that she needed to earn her keep. She begged me to leave right that second, to gather our stuff and make a run for it. But I don’t her we needed to act like nothing happened, to wait until nightfall and take what we could. So we did….but if you said you were traveling with a girl…brown hair, short, scar in her eyebrow?”

“Yes.” You breathed out, body thrumming with fear. No….no…there was no way Ellie could’ve been taken by the same men. She wouldn’t willingly go with anyone, had been hesitant to even let you or Joel out of her sight for too long….That meant…Joel had to have been injured in order for them to steal her away from him.

“She was unconscious, they were…they were carrying her into the settlement.”

Your head shot up, drink spilling over your hands cupped around the thermos.

“No.” You stood, hands steady despite the flood of emotions raging around in your mind. “No, no, no. I know those people, without them I wouldn’t have made it back out this way. We traveled from the other coast.”

It was late, but you didn’t care. You were gathering everything you needed, your pack and half of the food supply.

Adela roused at the noise, springing up and reaching for your hands.

“No, please, don’t leave us. We’ve lost too much already.” Tears were in her wide eyes, tugging at your heart in more ways than one. You crouched down in front of her, clasping your gloved hands around her own. Giving her your undivided attention.

“Honey, please, listen to me. I’m- I – I don’t want to leave you two, but I have to. Please understand. The girl that you saw, that was…she’s important to me. And she needs my help. I’ll see you again, I promise. I swear to you, Adela, I will see you again. Behind the walls of Jackson, we can…we can have a life there.”

Standing, you pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I’ll tell you embarrassing stories about your brother from when we were little.”

Pulling the map from your pocket, you circled the spot for Jackson with a marker.

“Here, this map will get you back to a settlement. Jackson. It’s large, has walls, it works. Ask for Maria or Tommy, tell them my name and that I sent you. Tell them you’re my family, you are. Take this,” You moved to wrap your old coat you had draped over your lap over the small frame of the girl and push the map that would lead them back to Jackson in the man’s hands.

The man surged up and gripped you tight in a bear hug, his body wrapped completely around you like he would do ever since he had begun to tower over you as children.

“Please, be safe!”

“Seek refuge in Jackson. I’ll return there, I promise.” You urged as you mounted the horse, reigns tight in your hands.

You clicked your tongue and tugged hard, urging the horse forward. The sound of hooves beating on the frozen ground was the only sound in the quiet, frozen night.

The remains of the a few bodies were scattered about the derelict campus that had been the destination sought out by them. Joel and Ellie. Those you were searching for nowhere to be seen, only hints of them in the bullet casings, the torn-up dirt, a bat broken in half- the jagged ends of one piece soaked in a deep red stain of blood. Joel’s, if your cousin’s words and your spiraling thoughts were correct.

Internally cursing at the man for pulling it out, for not waiting for a better moment, for not thinking in the haze his mind must’ve been.

Just as you began to trace the trail of rather fat droplets, you heard the crunch of someone stepping on fallen leaves behind you. Before you could even turn around completely to face them, someone was wrapping their arms around your neck, cutting off your air.

Your last thought was of Angelo and Adela. Of Joel and Ellie.

‘It was hot. Sweltering. And your dress was too tight over your swollen middle. It was a small bump, barely visible from the front, more so from the side. You had thought you indulged in too much food one evening after a deer had been caught but the teasing jab soon delved into something more serious. Especially when the swelling hadn’t gone down in the following days and nausea became a morning ritual.

You had been ecstatic, a first for you. And exciting thing you had always wanted. A faint thought you hadn’t entertained even in a working world, a notion you hadn’t thought possible at all with the demise of the world. When you had told him, Taylor had shared in your excitement, immediately beginning to hoard everything he could loot from the nearby state park. Gathering everything you could use, whether it was to repurpose it or store it for the future.

You had found a pocket of happiness and security in the rubble of the world, hidden deep in the forests of Tennessee in the form of a man who welcomed you into his space when all you had wanted to do was run. Finding yourself injured and needing aid, he had offered it to you.

What had begun as a small stay to ensure you would heal okay, that your stitches were secure and wouldn’t pull. But the conversations that flowed from one to another over those first few days tied you to each other. Braiding together your futures in such a wonderful way. There was no way to know how badly the universe would fray the untethered strings.

The only consolation was that the nights were cooler, the evenings and mornings twinged with a chill that signaled the end of an unseasonable warm fall. But as time moved on, Taylor had pleaded with you to consider staying close to the cabin. You had agreed, the symptoms of your pregnancy making it hard to do much of anything for long. Hunting and patrolling far too much for you to handle at the moment.

You were tending to the horses when he appeared behind you, arms snaking around your shoulders. The tickling of his facial hair sprouting giggles from you. The horses snickered, sharing in your delight. After securing them back in the modest stable, large hands were wrapping around you and sweeping you off of your tired feet.

“C’mon, princessa, let’s go have a nap.”

“But I don’t wanna,” You whined, not wanting to waste the sunshine while it was still showing, winters notoriously gray and overcast in this part of the region. The looming mountains casting dark shadows over pockets of land. Thankfully the cabin wasn’t in one of those regions, hidden well by the tall trees and stained a dark green all along the roof to avoid searching eyes to those at a higher altitude.

“Who said we were gonna sleep, silly girl?” Taylor swooped down to kiss you fully on the lips. Stirring warmth in your core. With a deep laugh at the chasing of your lips after his, he carefully rushed up the stairs and through the front door. “I’m gonna devour you, you’re too good looking a snack to leave untouched.”

“Oh hush,” You curled your hands into the long hair he had tied into a bun at the back of his head. Taking the band from around it and causing the strands to cascade around his handsome face.

“Glowing and full of me, carrying our baby in your pretty little tummy. Good god, you’re constantly on my mind, princessa, you’re my entire world.”

“And you’re mine, mi amor.”

Bubbling giggles flowed through the cabin as he made his way up the stairs and through the small landing. Into the bedroom that you found happiness in the midst of the fallen world.’

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[napoleonic-sexyman-tournament]

This one is getting a read more for propaganda. So much stuff here.

Alexander I Pavlovich:

a. “Maybe not the most handsome or charismatic man in this tournament, but he has ample chaotic neutral energy that both baffles and fascinates contemporaries. In short, if you're into mysterious men, you won't find a sexier enigma than our imperator.”

b. “Look. Is this or is this not the monsterfucking website.”

c. There are lots of monuments dedicated to him. There's one in Moscow in the Alexander Garden right by the Red Square. While nowhere near as grand as the Alexander Column, I think it's still worth showcasing!

The monument is meant to celebrate his victory in the 1812 Russian invasion. He's holding a sword, proudly standing on top of his enemies' weapon.

The sculptors, however, have never seen the man in their life - all the people involved in the making are still alive and well (i think), so that should tell how new it is. The monument was opened for the public just a decade ago in 2014.

d. quote about this bust from the memoirs of Sophie de Choiseul-Gouffier: “No painter was able to properly capture the features of his face and especially his soft expression. Alexander didn’t like to pose for portraits and they were mostly done with some stealth. In this case sculpture have produced a better likeness. The famed Thorvaldsen made a bust of this sovereign worthy of a hand of such a remarkable artist.”

e. His family nickname might have been ‘our angel’ and the medal commemorating his death bears the inscription “Our angel is in heaven”, but did you know that to this day Alexander looks down on Sankt Petersburg as an actual angel, wings, cross, trampled snake and all? Alas, you cannot see it from the ground, the Alexander Column being so very tall, but the statue of the angel on top certainly seems to take after our sexy thrice-angel Emperor.

f. Apotheosis of Alexander! An eminently universal image, perfectly serviceable for his rise to the throne… of Napoleonic Sexyman Tournament.

It really looks like Peter and Catherine are instructing the Electorate. Gentlevoters, surely you wouldn’t dream of disappointing Sasha’s Grandmother and his scantily clothed giant of a Great-great-grandfather?

g. What is sexier than a man in a dress???

Edouard Mortier

a. “why does mortier the largest marshal simply not eat the others”

b. "mortier is a cute big huge cute boy, he is just a gentle giant, here's a real picture of him pls consider voting for him (he is also a certified wife enjoyer, he loved his wife a lot and his favorite thing about his wife was her eyes which i think is very cute and wholesome, they had a happy marriage)"

[desceros]

pls, wise one, when you have time, share with your children how you structure and word your writing so, so beautifully! cause you have me in a choke hold and my soul hooked to a chain with all your writings! especially your Tea fic :) I strive to become as good as you <3

oh man. this is a tough one. i kinda, uh. just do it at this point without really thinking?? so hold my hand and maybe we can figure it out together LMAO i'll use an example blurb and try and break it down as coherently as i can.

so first you want to have a pretty clear picture of what you want to convey to your reader. the more defined it is in your head, the more easily you can communicate things to your readers. eventually you'll get a feel for how much detail to go into as you describe it. you really don't need to describe the placement of every limb at every moment... but also, the placement of a hand can tell you so much about what's going on in a character's mind, so it's good to know where it is. there's a fine line between purple prose and effective set dressing.

i was just whining about not writing enough soft donnie so let's do that. he's on the couch staring at you. let's write that really quickly:

notice i don't talk about his entire body placement, but the looseness of his limbs is important. it gives a picture of his mental state without overwhelming you with too much detail.

next: i like to start with big, grand statements, then slowly pluck them apart into the minutia. things like. he looks comfortable. ok; what does that look like? what shape does he take in your head? for me, it's that he's reclining. propping himself up casually. i emphasize the 'soft. relaxed.' by having them be their own short sentences.

on that note, mixing your sentence length is very important and guides the flow of things. longer sentences are like water, bringing your reader down the river you've crafted for them. short sentences have a lot of power, because they're a lot more percussive. you want to use them sparingly so you don't overuse that and retain that feel. mix where you put your independent and dependent phrases, but also know when to mirror yourself. parallel structure can invite your reader to compare ideas or generate momentum. for example, continuing this blurb a bit:

every sentence begins the same, going from long to medium to short in a way that makes the flow of the paragraph feel a bit like a snowball rolling down a hill, like your thoughts are rushing, so that by the end you can land on a thought that's monumental and feels a little breathless. this is possible because of the parallel structure of the sentences ("like ____. like ____. like _____.") pushing the reader forward. you can of course do it in the opposite direction as well, for when you want to slow a reader down and force them to linger in a moment.

word choice is very important. i'm pretty particular about the words i use for certain things, and i really love using similes and metaphors to create abstract imagery that catches the light more than a flat statement. but it's also important to know when to use those flat statements for a high-impact statement. let's try:

this kind of falls into my philosophy on the whole 'show don't tell' thing. i'm obsessed with showing. but sometimes, it's more impactful if you tell. like... here you have a very evocative description of him. it includes little things like a reference to a red string of fate (showing it's a romantic moment for you, not platonic), wanting to keep the image in your head permanently, pretty words that mirror what your POV character feels. at the end, you can land on just. he's beautiful. because really that's all that needs to be said, right? but it feels more weighty a thing to say after what came before.

one of the best things i ever did for my prose writing was study poetry. that gave me an appreciation for the weight of a word, and how to use it effectively. the right word or phrase can really change a sentence both melodically and emotionally.

consider the difference between these:

does he want something? or does he covet it? is he unable to look away from your smile? or is he ensorcelled?

a writer's vernacular is an incredibly powerful tool, so i recommend highly that you expand your vocabulary. make sure to focus on not just the explicit definitions, but also the implicit. some words are largely interchangeable (a touch that slides vs one that glides), but some very much are not even though at first glance they seem they should (a haunting kiss vs a lingering kiss).

anyway i hope that helped a little! this kind of minutia-crafting is like, a passion of mine so i probably went way overboard OOPS but hey if it helps even a little i WIN

[justallihere]

im joining the train of being physically ill and your fic giving me the motivation to continue with life (allergies and contact dermatitis are kicking my ass. my eyelids are swollen)

I love how soft these two were for each other in this chapter.

XADEN IS WHIPPED. I feel like if he could live in/under Violet's skin he would 💀

exhibit a

“I can kill him for you,” he offered. 

exhibit b

“No, I don’t want you to move,” Xaden grumbled

exhibit c

“I’ll do whatever you want, my darling wife.”

exhibit d

he was sure his heart stopped beating in his chest for a moment before it resumed its rhythm again. 

exhibit e

Something warm bloomed in his chest at the sight of the ring on his finger, a physical representation of the two of them twined together, from now until they entered whatever life or world followed this one. 

Xaden made Vi blush SO MUCH this chapter and I'm eating it up!!!!!

This line was so funny 😭😭😭. Xaden is such a tease

“Yes, your majesty?” She scowled

Not me my heart breaking for younger Xaden. I hope Vi gives him enough hugs to heal his inner child

Being a dragon rider was one of the only things he had ever chosen for himself, even if, technically, he wasn’t supposed to have it. 

SOMEONE HUG GARRICK PLS. The guilt he probably feels, my poor baby 😭😭

“Can I not be worried about her?” Garrick asked sharply. “She is my queen, Xaden. She isn’t just your wife, she isn’t just Violet. Not anymore. She’s important to all of us, and I have a duty to her. You’re not the only one who failed to keep her safe.” 

EXCUSE ME??? ARE THEY FLIRTING? YOURE HONOR I THINK THEYRE FLIRTING. The second i read that he wanted to take her somewhere outside, I KNEW IT WAS HIS FAVORITE HILLTOP!!!! This moment was so special/monumental for them 😭. Xaden has come so far, from not wanting to share this sacred space/wanting to hate her on principle, to loving Violet and willing to do anything to make her happy (Again, mans is WHIPPED)

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Mrs. Riorson?” Xaden asked in a low voice.  She shivered. “Maybe.” 

HIS RING??? HIS RING????? Of course, Vi noticed how obsessed X is with her hair. nothing gets past her

Xaden's unwavering faith in Vi is so 👌 I dont have words to describe what it is but its top tier husband energy

The fact that Violet reads smut confirms that she's just one of the girls AND Xaden picking the book up to read it ??? Book boyfriend material (Even though he's already her husband)

Questions:

When will Brennan get his head out of the sand and make up his siblings? Stick Xaden on him because B is making Vi and Mira sad!!!!

when was the last time Xaden got drunk/felt comfortable enough to do that?

was the story about malek and his consort's homage to Hades/Persephone but also a reflection of Vi/X's relationship?

She was Amari’s youngest, her most beautiful and most treasured child --- is this foreshadowing to how Lilith views Vi? bc if so... I'm sobbing in a corner

Omg feel better!! Stop being sick!! Why are you all sick!! (normally I’m the one who’s sick all the time 😂)

Waterparks has like dozens of obsessive love songs that I could quote but there’s a line in “I felt younger when we met” (ironically a break up song lol) that says “you moved in behind my eyes and built yourself a shrine” that I think about a lot in terms of how Xaden feels about Violet. Just like, a part of her lives with him permanently now and he can’t and doesn’t want to get rid of it and she’s all he knows and he’s wholly devoted to her

I’m LIVING for the fact that you came with evidence about how whipped he is lmao

They are in fact flirting, can confirm!

To answer your questions: Yes, Brennan will get his act together. The last time Xaden got drunk was, uh. . . so many moons ago I do not have an exact time, but years. And yes! It was a way to say that not only do people see their relationship differently depending on what they’re looking for, but Xaden views himself so differently from the way Violet sees him.

And yeah to that last one as well. I mean she loves all her kids beyond reason, but there’s something in the way she views Violet that’s so special to me

[bloochouli]

50 redesigns ago of my little guy (posting this and the other pieces for the art itself and not the design, pls Do Not Perceive bc i plan on remaking them accurately very soon) ares has gone through like a million redesigns but it's because 1) d&d is spontaneous as hell like he went from being homeless old man vibes to being a sparkly golden and white porcelain sin eater in the span of... less than a week? essentially at one point and 2) i can't draw my own ocs <3 BUT as aforementioned i hope to redesign a lot of my campaign's characters and make them all consistent and actually accurate to my vision even if they're harder to draw. I Shall Learn. soon i hope to draw at least almost every day and do some little sketches, even just 10 minutes or whatever. i doubt most of them will actually be something monumentally incredible but if anyone wants to see a silly little artist journey to improvement then that's what i'll be doing o7

[pastanest]

Gale Boetticher x reader

A/N: first thing I’ve ever written for this character/universe but I only recently finishing Breaking Bad (yeah I’m 8 billion years behind Ik) and this man is my mf POOKIE so pls be nice x

warnings: as of writing this I’ve not seen Better Call Saul but I’m aware Gale’s in it so if anything contradicts pieces of his lore found there PLEASE DO NOT SPOIL IT I’ll come back and amend them after I’ve seen that show as well if need be - will be using gifs from bcs tho bc there are barely any gifs from Gale in bb on the internet for some reason

Being Gale’s S/O Would Include

- first of all, Worlds Giddiest Boyfriend™️

- no like actually

- gives very much in-awe-of-everything-his-S/O-is-and-does vibes

- every single thing you tell him you’ve done is a monumental achievement to him, even down to something as simple as going to the grocery store

- LOVES to explain sciencey things to you, regardless of whether you understand the intricacies or not

- in fact, better if you don’t bc he loves going into even more detail just to make it easier for you to wrap your head around

- LEAST condescending person ever, does not believe himself to be smarter than you or anyone else (he is a genius but he’ll only blush and shake his head when you call him that) and is thoroughly impressed by everything you do and know that is outside of his area of expertise

- the king of chivalry

- opening doors for you, pulling a chair out for you, paying the bill at a restaurant, standing up whenever you walk into a room if he’s not already standing, kissing the back of your hand whenever he says goodbye to you; regardless of your gender, Gale Boetticher IS pulling out all the classic romantic stops for you

- is actually a big fan of PDA but not in a making-out-in-public way, more of a will-blush-for-three-business-days-if-you-kiss-his-cheek-in-public-one-time and absolutely loves it

- the fact that you’re proud to be his and proud to love him in front of others makes this man’s heart sing for you

- incapable of giving you anything less than the most heartfelt and expressive compliments you have ever heard in your life

“You are the prettiest star I’ve ever seen.”

“Every atom that makes me the person standing here before you, thanks you for being who you are.”

“If an asteroid hit this exact spot and you, right now, are the last thing I ever see, I will live to be the happiest man there’s ever been.”

- unbeknownst to you he actually has a separate notebook filled with compliments and poetic tidbits that he thinks up whenever he daydreams of you and then saves them up to tell you later

- doesn’t care whether you’re vegan or not obviously but will cook you the most fire vegan dishes ever known to man

- will play records just to slow dance around his apartment with you crying as I type this one fr

- will zone out and smile so fondly, just thinking of you

- the sweetest and most attentive partner in the entire world

- memorizes your every like, dislike, quirk and interest so that he can plan the most perfect dates out for you, surprise you with the most thoughtful gifts and ensure at all costs you avoid things/people/situations that could result in you feeling upset/uncomfortable

- Gale is finely tuned to your emotions and will notice IMMEDIATELY if something’s not quite right with you

“Hey, is everything alright? Actually, don’t answer that; I noticed your hands have clenched marginally more than normal over the past 15 minutes so if you’re comfortable enough to tell me why, I’d love to know, but if not, please just tell me what I can do to make whatever this is better for you.”

- stop it I adore him

[angel-inrealtime]

November F1c Prompts Day 29

29. Sight: Monument

A/N: Second last day (again, ignoring the month pls). We're embracing the tooth rotting fluff I guess.

-

He truly, disgustingly, loves America.

You’ve accepted, by now, that it’s not likely to change. That he’s just going to keep loving America and you’ll spend some of the year there.

It’s not so bad, you think, doing a leg of the great American road trip (which you started off calling it as a joke and then it stuck) where you’re in a car rather than on the bikes and it’s just the two of you and you book a couple of nights in a dome made for stargazing not far from the Grand Canyon.

There’s nobody around for miles and miles and you lie with your heads next to each other on the deck outside, looking up at the endless inky sky and the pinpricks of stars dotted all over it.

“Mm.” Daniel makes a noise after a while, contented rumble in his chest.

You thread your fingers into his hair, stroking through his curls and scratching your nails against his scalp. “Okay?”

He nods emphatically, pushing his head up into your hand. “I’m good. Like, so good.”

🌙

It’s worth the early morning wakeup, you think, to see him bathed in the sunrise light. It catches all the gold in his eyes, makes them look like they go on forever. You feel on fire with how much you love him, want to carve out a space in his chest and curl up next to his heart, keep him safe and never let him forget how much he’s loved.

Daniel reaches a hand up off the railing and pokes your nose. “You’re staring.” He’s preening, a little.

“I know.” You couldn’t keep the little smile off your face if you tried, lean back on the railing so you’re looking at him instead of the sunrise, one arm looped through his. “You’re just gorgeous. Can’t help myself.”

Definitely preening, now. “Aw babe.” He grins so wide it splits his face. “Stop it.”

“You don’t mean that. You love it when I tell you how pretty you are.”

Daniel laughs with his head thrown back. “Guilty as charged.” He runs the backs of his knuckles over your upper arm, face softening as he looks at you. “Thanks, for doing some of this with me, when you can. It means a lot.”

“Oh, love.” You kiss his bicep, between the astronaut and cowgirl tattoos. “Of course. I love exploring with you.”  

He hums, the same contented noise in his chest from the night before. “Would you…” There’s something on his face that you can’t quite place. “I’m crap at this, I had a big thing to say, and...”

“Crap at what? What do you mean?”

“I just…I don’t wanna explore with anyone else, you know? And I was thinking, like, we’re going to Vegas soon. For the race and stuff. You wanna add in a visit to the drive-thru chapel?”

Your eyes have snapped back to him, now. You can only blink, dumbfounded. “Are you…did you just propose to me?”

He looks like he’s blushing, but he doesn’t move away. “I mean…only if you want to. We can have a party any time and…” He gets more flustered as you stand and look at him. “You always said you wouldn’t want like a big thing, or anything! I just…”

“You are absolutely…” The words dry up in your throat and you turn him around to face you. “Fucking come here, idiot.” You drag him down into a kiss with a hand around the back of his neck.

“So is that a yes, or…?” He says against your mouth, when you let him pull back.

“Is your mum gonna hate me if it is?”

It makes him laugh, trying to pull you as close as possible. “Nah, I told them I was gonna ask.”

“Then yes.”

“Run that by me again?” His eyes are shining.

(You think you might be crying, actually)

“Yes, Daniel.”

🌙

“You guys aren’t coming for a drink later?” George asks, surprised.

You look at Daniel first, furtively, and then smile at the younger man. “Nah we’ve…got plans.” You manage airily.

You leave with Daniel's arm over your shoulder and his head thrown back laughing at something you said, think that’s the end of it. Later, Max tells you the conversation that happened right after you left.

“I’m telling you. They’re gonna do it. Carmen heard her talking about getting photos done after they picked up a car. And they’re all...” George waves his hand. “Y’know.”

Lewis laughs. “They’re always like that, they always have been. Like they’re disgustingly in love or something.” He jostles the younger man. “They’re not even engaged man, and Daniel isn’t the marrying type. He’s told me before.”

“Maybe he wasn’t.” George turns to his teammate, hand outstretched. “Bet you fifty quid, they’re getting married in Vegas.”

“You’re insane, there’s no way.” Lewis says it even as he’s shaking his hand. “Deal.”

🌙

“Are you sure, Daniel?”

He nods earnestly. “We can have a party anytime, with everyone. I kind of...” Daniel cranes his neck up to kiss you where you’re standing in front of him. “It’s kind of nice, that this is just us.”

“But your family...” You fret, not for the first time.

“They get it. Don’t worry.” He smiles at you, and it feels so soft, like a caress. “It’s nice that you care, though.”

You scrunch up your nose. “Of course I care, it matters to you. And like...I like them, and I want them to continue to like me.”

“They fucking love you, are you joking? You sure I don’t have to like, ask your mum for permission or anything?” He asks, poking you in the side.

“Ohhh, you’re so funny.”

“I mean you clearly thought so, at some point.”

“I still do.” You concede. “I’ll deny it if you tell anyone though.”

He laughs, bright and loud, rests his hands on your waist when you both go still, breathing falling in sync. “No take backs.”

You brush your hands through his hair, and the only word you can find to describe how he’s looking at you is ‘adoringly’. You bend down to kiss him softly. “No take backs.” You repeat firmly.

The black dress swirls around you as he stands, picks up your hand and makes you spin in your cowboy boots, grinning wide when he puts the hat on your head too.

🌙

You stride into the paddock on Thursday holding hands, and it’s George who spots you first.

“You actually bloody did it, didn’t you? You went to the fucking drive thru chapel.” You laugh loudly and hold up your left hand, newly adorned finger glittering in the sunlight, and he leans back through the front door into the Mercedes hospitality. “They did too, you owe me.” He crows.

Lewis shakes his head but hands over what looks like $50 to the younger man, before he hugs you both over the fence. “Cheers for the invite, man. Happy for you, but like...”

Daniel laughs. “Thanks, mate. Party will be later. It just...when in Vegas, you know?”

Geri screams when you walk into the Red Bull hospitality area, and you know the news has beaten you there. Daniel stays close all day, rolling his eyes when they pull him away to film social media content.

[daphnebowen]

day five of twelve days of rina: favorite episodes 🤩

I’m doing one from each season because I’m like that and can’t choose

season one: episode five - homecoming

homecoming is obviously one of the most important and essential episodes to rina’s storyline. This is where they all got started, this is when they really started to shine, and obviously without this episode there really wouldn’t be a rina. their chemistry was off the charts in this episode and honestly going back and seeing how genuine they are with each other and how they can be so fresh and just honest with each other; man it really is something else. rini never held a candle to rina, looking back on it. They never stood a chance. “I thought we sort of, like, got each other” and “You know I meant what I said. at the skate park, about you having your own style. I don't even think I knew how much I meant it when I said it.” like dude. monumental. Already these two characters are having such a profound effect on each other and it’s been only a couple of months. AND THE CHEEK KISS. THE FREAKING CHEEK KISS. because for me, rina was never really a thought in my mind until that kiss. Until Gina showed me that she was opening up her hard heart to the brown curly haired boy with the great voice and sass for days. until Ricky showed me he wasn’t opposed to it. until their chemistry was so off the charts I was blown away.

season two: episode four - the quincenero

okay, hear me out, this episode is actually pretty important to rina. There’s a ton of character growth from Gina specifically. obviously there are other moments but I really do like the moment where Ricky comes to Gina for advice about nini and she says that maybe they shouldn’t give advice to each other and she’s not nini. which I think is a beautiful parallel, looking back on it, to when Ricky didn’t try and convince Gina to stay in slc and not do the movie because he’d already had an experience with nini where he did tell her that and she completely fumbled and freaked out. which, understandable, whatever. That’s her. But the thing is, that’s what gina wants. Gina wants to be set apart from nini, Gina is completely different from nini and in this episode she’s trying to tell him that (which she’s right, bc nini did not like it at all when Ricky revealed he’d talked to miss Jenn about getting nini in the show, but the fact remains is that Gina said she’d be flattered but said “I’m not nini and we’re not dating” to try and tell Ricky that maybe that’s not what nini wants). Gina is telling him that the things that work for her are not going to work for nini because they are two different people and their relationships - both romantic and platonic, current and future - are entirely different. which is so profound and beautiful when you compare that to Ricky’s aversion of change and you see how nini and Ricky’s relationship began to fail because Ricky was using things Gina had told him all along. which is kind of emotional cheating but wtv. anyways, the fact that Ricky was dating the person he was “most comfortable with” but using the girl who represents change’s advice is something I just love. And I’m sure I’m not explaining it well, so if anyone sees this and wants to add/explain better pls do.

season three: episode five - the real campers of shallow lake

okay I absolutely love this episode and not just because of the rina content. everything about the drama between Maddox and jet to portwell drama to Ashlyn and Val and obviously Ricky angst and feisty gina makes this episode so 💋 but obviously, I’m here to talk about the what do you know about love duet. Which Ricky/josh and Gina/sofia ABSOLUTELY SLAPPED and I gave them a standing ovation as soon as it was finished. because this was EVERYTHING. Kourtney’s clear approval, Val’s interpretation of the whole thing, their freaking history, Carlos’s encouragement, ej’s uncomfortableness, it’s all perfection. their playful banter, their voices, this being their first duet, ugh it does things to me. And the fact that it really does represent gina as anna and Ricky as Kristoff seeing that Gina is in a brand new relationship and thinks everything is rainbows and butterflies while Ricky, who has only experienced love where he has to work for the other person and strive to make things work instead of it being more effortless and easy (as rina are later) is amazing and beautiful. I could explain this more later but I don’t want to run out of room so if you want to know more, lmk. and also the “rebound” afterwards where RICKY APOLOGIZES FOR HIS INTENSITY KNOWING GI WAS EQUALLY AS INTENSE because he knows something is up with ej. but he wants to be there for gi. He wants her first relationship to go well, and he defends her to ej as well telling him that she’s just tired and coming down from the rehearsal. watch out world, Ricky Bowen will defend Gina Porter with his entire being.

season four: episode five - admissions

AGHHHHHHHHHH this episode lowkey might be my favorite of the entire series. but then again I loved every moment of every episode so I won’t say that. But this episode is MONUMENTAL for both Gina and Ricky and especially in their relationship. Gina finally opens up to her mom abt her and Ricky, Ricky opens up to ej about his fears and confronts his tendency to hide when things go wrong, and it all culminates in a beautiful second chance confession rain kiss spin hug. UGH, Tim, my FRICKIN HEART! I really do love the conversation between ej and Ricky because they truly are brothers and besties. ej truly helps Ricky so so much. And I could have a whole conversation about their conversation and all the ways it is beautiful but I won’t. Gina, meanwhile, is coming to the realization that Ricky is her inspiration and Ricky is the reason why she is happy. Ricky Bowen makes her the happiest she has ever been and it physically hurts her that her mother does not know this (it hurt me, as a viewer!) and the beautiful second chance playing as Ricky sees Mack and Gina and turns away~ it really shows that 02x12 really was about Gina all along, it was never about lilly. it was always Gina. nobody else ever stood a chance.

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

-Ode to Grief- "You are, of course, permitted to visit him," the king says. Pain lances through Gao Jianli's heart, as sharp and fresh as it was on the first day.

"Where is he?" the musician demands, forgetting where he is and who he is speaking to. There is no sword at his throat, no shackles on his wrists. Nonetheless, he knows he is as safe as a fly in a spider's web.

"The gentleman of Yan has been laid to rest outside the city walls." The king's voice is stately and just a touch pained, totally appropriate for the occasion. "The grave is unmarked, an old peach grove stands in place of a monument. Such a loyal man should be commemorated with the fruits of longevity, don't you think?"

Gao Jianli is barely listening, his heart is beating like a drum and his thoughts are galloping. Laid to rest. His beloved Jing Ke is buried in one piece. Not left out in the open to be torn apart by wild beasts, not burned on flaming pyre, the ashes scattered to the four winds. With his body whole and un-mutilated, Jing Ke's spirit will able to enter the afterlife. Gao Jianli will be able to see him again. The musician's hands tighten around his ji zhu, taking comfort in the familiar weight of the lacquered wood. He had not let go of his instrument when the guards dragged him into the throne room, kicking and screaming. Had clung to it reflexively, like a mother with her suckling babe, even while he was consumed by a fear so extreme it had bordered on divine madness. He had been prepared to beg for his life. How could he do so now, when he knew Jing Ke was waiting for him?

The king rises from his dais and walks down the steps. He uses the end of his own silk sleeve to wipe away Gao Jianli's tears. "If it suits you, we can visit his grave today and make sacrifices," the king says gently, "I think it would be very fitting for you to compose a song in his honour."

You want to hear me play. Gao Jianli realises. You want to dip your fingers in my grief and sample it like a fine wine. He feels wild. Like a man-eater. He wants to tear out the king's throat with his own teeth.

Notes under the cut

so the emperor's shadow is living rent free in my head now.

the title is a mix of the movie's chinese title "Ode to Qin" and Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" (yknow. another famous musician who lost one of his senses)

the characterisation of ying zheng is a mix of the movie (i really like the humanising portrayal of qin shi huang) and the historical record which shows that in his early years, he was capable of being very charming, humble and extraordinarily manipulative.

now i want a 5k slow burn where ying zheng is convinced he's in beauty and the beast "im just misunderstood! ur love will redeem me! pls be my pet musician!" meanwhile gao jianli is like "yeah, keep talking, it helps me aim..."

im just going to keep including more and more references from the song of achilles until i get sued

 Gao Jianli plays a guqin in the movie, it should actually be the much older ji zhu which is struck/plucked with a bamboo stick.

[tojisun]

ive missed so many games, IM SORRY SUNSUN!!! I HAVE TO CATCH UP! ive been in a funk; only able to read, not yap. which makes me sad! i miss u cutie, but ill be yappin to u soon !!!!! i love you always🩷

omg love dont u worry about a thing!! im just glad to be talking to u :'> i missed u so so much and i hope u are doing well!! and pls, i cant wait for our yap sesh teehee <33

i love you always kai my star!!

hockey ramble (a long winded break down of the finals so far, from an oilers fan) under the cut so pls feel free to ignore again heheh

so the oilers win western conference and headed to finals, facing off with the panthers.

games one and two were played in the home ice of the panthers because during the regular seasons, after tallying each team's wins, the panthers had more wins than the oilers (104 EDM - 110 FLA)

the finals started really badly for the oilers. game one was a shutout (0 EDM - 3 FLA), game two wasn't any better (1 EDM - 4 FLA). game three saw oilers managing to shave the score difference to one point but they ended up losing too (3 EDM - 4 FLA). these three consecutive wins for the panthers means that they only need one more game to win the cup.

and then game four happened.

this was played in the edmonton home rink (so was game three), and because it was the final game that the panthers needed to win to get the cup, it was riddled with anxiety.

oilers scored first.

scoring first is necessary for shifting the momentum, but it was not a goal that really settled our nerves because game two started that way too, with the oilers scoring first only for the rest of their shots to be blocked by the great wall that bobrovsky (panthers' goaltender) makes.

but then they scored another one, and another one, and ended the first period with a two point lead (3 EDM - 1 FLA), with one of their goals this period made during the panthers' power play.

it was exhilarating. the flicker of hope grew and it turned into a whole blaze.

period two saw more beautiful progress for the oilers, with their captain and forward, and arguably the very heart of the team, connor mcdavid finally scoring his first goal in the finals of the playoffs.

not soon after, davo matched his goal with an assist to nurse, bringing up the score difference between the oilers and the panthers to four. it is by then that the panthers pulled their starting goaltender out, bobby, and subbed in stolarz who made his "first career playoff appearance" in this game.

stolarz struggled too, and, in the end, facing the spectacular plays made by the oilers, game four was snagged from a panthers sweep and extended the oilers' season. it was a tremendous victory (8 EDM - 1 FLA). historical, even.

non-fans called it a fluke, saying that the panthers just wanted to win the cup in home ice, while fans saw this as oilers finally waking up and playing how they usually do.

game five was played back in the panthers home ice. again, one more win for the panthers and they would be the cup winners, so tensions continue to mount and peak.

davo, in an interview, said that they will win this game and "drag them back to alberta." (talking about game 6).

dude, i can't even begin to explain how monumental yesterday's game was, but drag it back home they did. i'm still reeling over the final score so i'm still incoherent and pretty much in disbelief so do forgive me. but:

stuart skinner, the man he is.

i forgot which commentary youtuber said it but this is how they described skinner: he is average at best, especially against bobrovsky, but he is volatile. he is a beast when he gets in his groove. unshakable.

we saw that skinner yesterday. in a sport where goaltending amounts to the final score, stuart skinner made impossible saves yesterday. yes, it's not a shutout and yes, the panthers scored three goals more than comfortable, but the saves that skinner made were the tight and hard-hitting ones.

the momentum he carved out for the team in period one was kept consistent throughout the game.

connor brown and his shortie - a goal made during a panthers power play. it was the first goal of yesterday's game, during a crucial moment, and shot after an impossibly terrific of a pass from janmark.

connor mcdavid.

i may sound too biased but you have to understand where i'm coming from. davo is the best NHL player of this decade, and this sentiment is very much founded.

he has so many highlight moments from yesterday's game, but three of the monumental ones for me are: his second goal, his assist to perry's goal, and his clutch goal during the third period with only about less than twenty seconds left in the clock.

tkachuck was able to save the initial empty-netter goal. it was a tremendous save and cinematic, to be honest. he hooked the puck with his stick and used his full body to fling it out. he ended up caught in the net - cue the memes - but davo skated after the puck, took control of it, and amidst cheers for tkachuk's miracle save, he sent it back in the net, ending the game with a two point lead for the oilers (5 EDM - 3 FLA).

it was SOMETHING.

everyone knew it then - game five was a historical play.

and it was: the oilers are the "first team in a stanley cup final to win a game 5 on the road after trailing 3-0."

.

.

im sorry for the hockey rant, its just that. what started as a passing interest for the team that beat my team (canucks) turned into a full-blown love because how can you not???

[moxxy-bunny]

Lico (Licorice) brings Bive back to the facility.

Regretevator oc shit

Lico dragging bive through a plains, to a cliffed area on the coast. Once there he picks her up by the back of the collar and sets her on her knees to look towards a deprecated and rubble'd science facility. "I brought you back as they ordered. You're finally back" bive still shaking and terrified from the kidnapping and likely the event that caused him to get ahold of her. Just stares switching back and forth from the rubble to him with his resting teethy grin, genetically ingrained into his body.

"I-its- Rubble…Theres nothing- Theres no…facility" It takes a solid few seconds for a response but he finally opens his mouth "Its Gone, Bive… Where i was made, where i trained, where i grew up, where i lived. My home is gone. All i had left was what they wanted me to do" Turning his head slowly his face is just as blank and manic with his broken spec's. "And you're finally home. My job- is done"

Reaching to his side he pulls out a revolver, Seeing it makes bive feel terrifyingly cold. Her back going into a cold sweat as she feels a monument of panic flood her brain thinking of what to do- Until the gun is aimed to the man's left temple. For whatever reason as she hears the hammer slowly creak as it pulls back she lunges knocking him just enough to turn a surefire suicide into a graze across his hair-flesh.

Pressing his hand still gripping the gun against the graze in pain he uses his other arm to grab her shoulder about ready to push her into the ground "The hell do you think you're doing?! My job is done, theres no one to capture, no one to drag back to the facility, and no one to thank me for all i fucking did to get you back her" In the grasp of the little ladies arms around his waist she tries to think of what to say, and why she did this anyways.

"They- You..I-I-I You…Cant- do that. You need to..uhm…p-protect people? Y-yeah you're a…c-cop! Keep people…safe?" She looks up at him with confusion, pity, and fear. The man who has torn through many passengers without mercy, who has pried close the elevator door to keep her from escaping when he arrives, who has dragged her for miles by her coat through the grass as she kicked, cried, and screamed. Now seems like a dog abandoned- tied at a post for someone to take pity and take home.

He finally pushes her off, gently however, letting her arms unclasp from him. "I know, delusions are a thing for us "V1's" and "V2's". Im no cop….It just- kept me from thinking about it…like you and your damned "Clown government"…." her eyes dart across his face thinking for any response, she feels her legs aching to run away and let him do whatever he will alone with the debris but she cant help but feel a need to argue for his life "T-the elevator is dangerous, people get hurt all the time…a c-cop could keep people safe…Pl-…please?"

Hearing that pathethic plead is enough to make him let out a huff, In a relief- his gun returns to a comfy spot in a leather pouch. It feels like Bive's muscles have been strunged up and dried with how much they were tensed, and the feeling of them returning to relaxed is almost painfully unfamiliar "Ill help…I know theres a few who cant hope to protect themselves, that kid, bug…the lamp…" He turns around, and heads off back to where the elevator would be. "Where a-are you going? Y-you arent abandoning me here? A-ARE YOU?!". "Redball, Nothing like a burger after a case closed, ill get you one too- citizen…"

"O-oh….okay…." Hurrying along she power walks till she's behind him. Staring at the back of his head thinking about everything that's happened. And now- she's getting a meal with her kidnapper.

(This was just written based on a regretevator oc i have. in short form, a Bive V2 made to bring her back to the facility ever since she escaped. slightly based off of Uno's professor dingus OC)

[meaningtotellyou]

I saw that same TT of “the comments under john’s post have me dying” like… are y’all really not embarrassed? Because this is embarrassing behavior. ESPECIALLY after Taylor told us to stop. Like hate the guy all you want, sure, but purposely seeking out his social media pages to leave like, dear John lyrics to “shame” him is SO FUCKING embarrassing. Pls it makes me cringe so bad

like it’s just so… bad with john because like. he’s an ABUSER we already KNOW this. and he tends to fight back. us acting like assholes to him is just what he needs to start a Whole Thing. and also flooding him with hate is just shitting all over taylor’s personal growth. like the fact that she’s okay enough to sing dear john (after she couldn’t do it on rep tour) is monumental. the last thing we need to do is ruin that by making it all about a man

[free-for-all-fics]

Captain Louis Renault Prompt! This was partially inspired by Nancy Drew: Danger By Design and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box. Pls tag me if you’re inspired by any of this and I’d love to read it! ✉️❤️💌

You clean out deceased people's apartments for a living, but cleaning out your grandmother’s house is the hardest job you’ve ever done. Your mother died shortly after you were born, so your grandmother was the one who raised you and was the only mother figure you’d ever known. You still sometimes catch yourself rereading her obituary that you wrote and submitted. You had it printed in both the newspaper and online, as you’re sure she probably still has some friends who aren’t very tech-savvy.

“….aged 85, who served as Paris’ Director of Public Works for more than two decades, died peacefully in her sleep last Monday evening. A gifted linguist, she spoke fluent English, French, German and Italian by the time she was sixteen. During World War II she worked as a translator for the Occupation, and consequently was charged with collaboration when the war ended in 1945. During her trial it was revealed that she had secretly been working as a coder for the French Resistance, as well. She was acquitted, and worked as a translator for the city of Paris until she became the Director of Public Works in 1973. During her tenure, which lasted until 1995, Ms. L/N paid particular attention to the maintenance and beautification of the city’s public works. She personally oversaw the creation and placement of the monuments that stand today in Square du Vert-Galant park, her admitted favorite. Ms. L/N never married. She is preceded in death by her daughter and is survived by her granddaughter.”

Some people said that during the war she took various pieces of artwork — mostly from churches — and stashed them away somewhere so they wouldn’t fall into enemy hands. Some people said she stole them for herself, and unfortunately the artwork remains lost to this day. No one knows exactly what she took — or if she indeed took anything. She was tried as a collaborator in 1946 and later acquitted and cleared of all charges, but the experience left her quite bitter. She never married, and was a very private person. She served as Paris’ Director of Public Works for more than twenty years, yet not one person has been able to tell you what her favorite color was. In any case, your grandmother was terribly hurt that the city she loved had turned on her like that. After her trial she told the press that the truth of what she’d done during the war resided in her and the person and place she loved the most. And that was that. She wouldn’t divulge her lover’s name to anybody, and never spoke of her wartime activities again. Not even to you, her precious granddaughter.

Two days after your grandmother’s funeral, while clearing out her study, you inadvertently open a hidden compartment in one of her drawers. It’s filled with many, many letters, some of which are unsent. Upon opening one, you see now why she always used to say, "When angry, write a letter but don't send it." It seems this is her angry letter drawer. You also find boxes of hundreds of love letters under the loose floorboards, one of which still remains unopened and is dated only a couple of days before her death. Interestingly, your grandmother’s angry letters and the love letters she was sent are either addressed to or from the same man as this final sealed letter - a Captain Louis Renault. Could this be her wartime lover she seldom spoke about? As you read through them, you feel like you’re experiencing your grandmother’s love story, getting a firsthand glimpse into her past before your mother was born, a time in her life which was still a total mystery to you. In the hours before she died, your grandmother constantly muttered words that didn’t make any sense when put together. What do they mean? Maybe these letters will hold the answer.

You continue reading your grandmother’s letters while on a long bus ride. You’ve just gotten to the part where the Nazis had removed and stolen tens of thousands of “degenerate” artworks from state and private collections throughout Europe. Nazis destroyed some of these works and sold others abroad to help finance their conquest of the continent. Your grandmother wrote that, while she was living in Occupied France, she was a member of the Monuments Men, a group of men and women that was made up of museum curators, art historians, conservators, artists, archeologists, architects, archivists, and librarians who worked during and after WWII to recover and restitute looted cultural treasures. Like hundreds of others, she was recruited and assigned based on her pre-war civilian occupation, and was responsible for protecting artworks, cathedrals, archives, monuments, and other cultural sites in Europe from damage and looting. While the Nazi plundering was being carried out, your grandmother began secretly recording as much as possible, and kept secret from the Germans that she understood German as she eavesdropped and transcribed conversations.

Monuments Men often operated alone with limited resources, but they made do. They found and recovered countless priceless artworks stolen by the Nazis. Paintings, drawings or watercolors, prints, pieces of sculpture, pieces of arms and armor, baskets of objects, cases of objects thought to be archives, pieces of furniture, tapestries, cases of books or similar, and cases of contents completely unknown. She reported that truckloads of paintings and sculptures, pieces of furniture, and large packages of textiles had been removed from coal mines. There was more, but not for her nor her lover and partner in crime, Louis. The police were looking for them and they couldn’t go home. They knew if the Gestapo took either of them, they wouldn’t get a fair hearing. Interspersed in her letters, your grandmother transcribed parts of conversations she and Louis once shared. Some of these letters have darkened spots where the ink is smudged, as if she was crying while writing. Her tears have become immortalized upon the page, in a way. So immersed in your reading, you feel as if memories that aren’t your own are playing out in front of you, as if you’re watching a romantic black and white movie.

“‘But be serious, darling. You are in danger and you must leave Paris.’”

‘No, no, no, no. We must leave.’

‘Yes, of course, we.’

‘The train for Marseilles leaves at five o'clock. I'll pick you up at your hotel at four-thirty.’ Louis then had a look in his eye, as if a thought struck him. ‘Say, why don't we get married in Marseilles? What about the engineer? Why can't he marry us on the train?’ Suddenly I turned away and started to cry. ‘Well, why not? The captain on a ship can. It doesn't seem fair that…Hey, hey, what's wrong, my dear?’

‘I love you so much, and I hate this war so much. Oh, it's a crazy world. Anything can happen. If you shouldn't get away, I mean, if, if something should keep us apart, wherever they put you and wherever I'll be, I want you to know…’ I couldn't go on. I lifted my face to his, and he kissed me gently. ‘Kiss me as if it were the last time. Kiss me,’ I implored him. He looked into my eyes, then he did kiss me as though it were going to be the last time.”

When Paris, under the German Occupation, was no longer a hospitable place for them to return, they followed a torturous route to Casablanca in French Morocco, North Africa. Many activists, artists, spies, writers, and refugees followed a similar route. She and Louis knew this might happen, so they made a plan and decided what to do. She and Louis agreed that he should leave at once, and that she'd close the flat and follow him shortly. He made all the arrangements just in case she didn’t make it aboard in time but they were both fortunate enough to get on the last train leaving Paris that night. It was very close. Your grandmother only made it aboard during the last call, when the train was leaving in less than three minutes.

Louis was a stubborn old fool who claimed that his heart was his least vulnerable spot but, if that were true, then why didn’t he leave her when she was sick in Marseilles and held him up for two weeks while he was in danger every minute of their time? Or why didn’t he leave her in Oran? He told her that he meant to, but something always held him up. She knew he was lying. He loved her very much and she promised that his secret would be safe with her. Falling in love with him was an accident, she never meant for it to happen. With the whole world crumbling around them, they picked this time to fall in love. It was pretty bad timing.

In Casablanca, nobody knew what they had done. Louis was later appointed as Prefect of Police by Vichy, and she became a secretary for the Palais de Justice. They were happy or at least content in their new lives together, though your grandmother often felt homesick and hoped that she could return to her beloved France after the war ended. She wrote with such vivid detail that her words almost make you feel like you’re daydreaming as you try to imagine what this period of time was like. You can’t exactly explain why, but you have such a deep emotional bond to the letters that’s more than just nostalgic or sentimental. You swear you can almost sense exactly what she’s describing. You feel as if you’ve stepped into her shoes and are experiencing it all for yourself, stepped back in time to the WWII era.

You get to know this Captain Louis Renault better and better until you almost feel like he’s a part of your family, even though he’s someone you’ve actually never met. Is he even still alive? You’re uncertain of that. His whereabouts and current status are unknown. You’ve tried to look him up, but all your research efforts have only yielded events during or before the war. He disappeared and fell off the historic record shortly after the war ended, it seems. You have visceral feelings deep in your heart and in your gut that, while your grandmother laid on her deathbed, she most likely wrote her final letter to him uncertain of where he lived or if he was even still living at all. But despite not knowing his fate, she wrote to him anyway, as if she hoped in her final moments that maybe he was still alive and thinking of her in the same way that she was thinking of him.

Based on her angry letters, it seems as if your grandmother hated Louis with her entire being when she knew him in Casablanca, not afraid to speak her mind. She called him a rascal, a scamp, a rake, an indomitable playboy, and more to his face. She confronted and criticized him for his corruption, vices, hedonistic lifestyle, so on and so forth. She once thought he had betrayed her when he worked with Nazis and rounded up twice the usual number of suspects for the German couriers’ murders just to impress his superior, Major Heinrich Strasser, which demonstrated to her both his open corruption and his tendency to not take his job all that seriously. He collected bribes and gambling winnings from fixed games at Rick’s Café Américain despite it being illegal, and she implied that he extorted sex from women in exchange for exit visas. 

She knew damn well that men like Captain Louis Renault and his American friend, Rick Blaine, both went through women faster than cigarettes, perfectly happy to drink or screw themselves to death without a care for what went on outside Casablanca. He loved her more than anyone, that was true, but he wasn’t the most faithful. He lived every day as if he could die or be killed at any moment and often overindulged in women, tobacco, and drink. As heated and passionate as their love was, their lovers’ quarrels were of the same intensity. Thus, the tone and language of her letters constantly changed. She’d go back and forth between not wanting anything to do with him, her tone laced in venom just judging by her choices in her wording, until they gradually became less angry and more soft, romantic, or even racy - for the time, anyway.

He wasn’t exactly a youth or a simple personality, but loving this handsome Frenchman was full of wonder, glory, sunshine, and lightning all at the same time. He took her on a few dinner dates at Rick’s, where they shared a bottle of Veuve Clicquot ‘26, a good French wine, according to him. Or he’d ask the croupier, Emil, to bring a bottle of the best champagne and put it on his bill. It was a little game Louis played. They put it on the bill, he tore the bill up. It was very convenient. During these dinner dates, he sometimes got up from the table and kissed her hand, telling her he’d be right back, he was just going to flatter his Nazi superior a little for his own sake. She inevitably had to exchange pleasantries with the Nazis when they stopped by their table to talk to her and Louis.

They were outwardly cordial to Major Strasser, whom she described as a tall, middle-aged, pale German with a smile that seemed more the result of a frozen face muscle than a cheerful disposition. On any occasion when Major Strasser was crossed, his expression hardened into iron. But by this point, it was pretty clear to your grandmother that, like her, Captain Renault had no love for the Nazis and never went all that far out of his way to help them out. He agreed to do whatever would help maintain his cushy position and was fine with his normally extremely controversial behavior of opportunism, but only out of self-interest. He nonchalantly told her so himself that he had no conviction, he often blew with the wind and the prevailing wind happened to be from Vichy.

However, there were subtle hints that your grandmother picked up on indicating that Louis was quietly sabotaging Strasser’s agenda. While they were in Louis’ office with Strasser, he told him there was no way Rick would hide the letters of transit in his café after Strasser suggested a raid to get them, and he subtly reminded Victor Laszlo that obliging Strasser’s offer of a visa in exchange for the names and locations of anti-fascist leaders across Europe would be helping the Nazis destroy Europe. Strasser looked at Renault sharply, but saw only a noncommittal smile on his face. That’s when your grandmother knew he hadn’t betrayed her, after all. Strasser liked to carry dossiers on him but he didn’t have anything on either her or Louis from their time in Occupied France, nor had he uncovered any of the names or locations of any other members of the Monuments Men or the Resistance. And Victor Laszlo, who didn’t betray the names and whereabouts of the leaders while he was in a concentration camp, where the Nazis had more persuasive methods at their disposal, certainly wasn’t going to betray the names anytime soon. Without Laszlo’s cooperation, Strasser had nothing. She and Louis were both safe, for now.

She describes a time in which Louis told her, "In Casablanca, I am the master of my fate,” but was then immediately summoned to kowtow to Major Strasser. In retrospect, your grandmother theorized that Louis’ realization that he wasn’t truly the master of his fate, at least as long as the Nazis had anything to say about it, may have been part of what motivated his later sudden change of heart. His obvious affection for her belied his seeming self-involvement. Although he told her not to count on his friendship and that he was powerless in this matter, he couldn’t hide his feelings for her and expressed his fondness of her. God, he was going to miss her. She held Louis at gunpoint, ordering him to call the airport to hold the last plane to Lisbon for her, to force him to aid her in her escape from Casablanca. She recalls part of their exchange, “Stay where you are, Louis. I wouldn't like to shoot you, but I will if you take one more step. And remember, this gun is pointed right at your heart.”

“That is my least vulnerable spot.”

Unbeknownst to her or Louis, Major Strasser intercepted the phone call to the airport and his suspicions that something was very wrong were raised. He confronted them and tried to stop your grandmother from boarding the plane to Lisbon, but she shot him dead when he picked up the payphone and reached for his own gun. When more gendarmes came mere seconds later, she thought she’d be arrested for murder then and there, but Louis figured that his law enforcement career was up in smoke and there was no point to turning her in. When it came time to make a stand, Louis’ conscience came through in the end and he effectively condemned himself to death to do the right thing. So he said, “Major Strasser has been shot.” A beat. “Round up the usual suspects.”

Strasser's death was clearly caused by either him or your grandmother, with Louis' lie obvious either way. His subordinates could’ve turned them both in for a promotion - something that no doubt influenced his decision to skip town. Instead, the gendarmes carried Strasser away and drove off, leaving your grandmother and Louis alone. As Prefect of Police, his signature was necessary on every exit visa, so he filled in her name to make it even more official and countersigned the papers. They thought of everything. Louis retrieved a pair of fresh cigarettes from a box in his pocket and handed her one before he flicked his lighter open to light his. But instead of using the lighter again, he chain-lit your grandmother’s cigarette with his, as if imitating a kiss.

They were many things together. Monuments Men, spies, comrades, coconspirators, Resistance fighters. But in their final moments at the airport, they were just best friends, lovers simply sharing one last cigarette. Despite their promises to the contrary, they knew that, when they were finished, they would never see each other again. Once their cigarettes burned through and became too short to hold, and they had no other choice but to throw their cigarette buds to the ground and stamp them out, their connection would be stamped out too. At least in this life. They took long drags, the smoke dissipating in the cool night air as they exhaled and took in the gravity of their situation. Their thoughts may have been racing, but they said nothing. What was even left for them to talk about?

They cemented their friendship when they both committed themselves to the Allied cause. She committed by killing Strasser, while Louis did it by disavowing his relationship with the collaborationist Vichy government. He would be neutral no longer. As he poured the water into a glass, Louis saw the Vichy label and, quickly but symbolically, dropped the bottle into a trash basket which he then kicked over. This signaled to your grandmother that he no longer was willing to be the puppet. Ever the follower, Louis copied her when he, too, became a self-sacrificing idealist. He was ready to fight on the side of the Resistance, just like she was, but they couldn’t be together. Fate was pulling them in two separate directions, so they shared one last goodbye kiss and your grandmother boarded the last plane to Lisbon just before it took off. From there she boarded the clipper to America to start her life anew. Unbeknownst to either of them at the time, she took something of Louis’ with her.

She later heard Louis left Casablanca to actively join the war effort against the Nazis shortly after her plane took off. He and Rick Blaine reportedly joined the fight with a Free French garrison in Brazzaville, having both undergone a transformation from cynicism to idealism. She didn’t return to Paris until after the war had ended and she deemed it safe to do so. When she did, she was found to be carrying a baby girl on her hip without ever wearing a ring. People may have gossiped and whispered about her having a baby out of wedlock, but she didn’t care. She loved your mother, her darling daughter and only child, with all her heart. She did everything she could to give your mother a good and happy childhood, one that was free from the burdens of war and the hardships of healing after said war. And when you came to live with her after your mother’s untimely death, she very much did the same when it came to raising you. You were much more fortunate in your childhood, as the wounds the war had left behind had healed by that point.

You look up from your grandmother’s letters when you feel someone staring at you. You suddenly are overcome with intense feelings of familiarity, love, and nostalgia when you lock eyes with this old man, but you don't recall ever knowing him. He’s a total stranger to you…or is he? The old man is of able body as he stands up and walks towards you without use of a cane or other mobility aid, but he grabs onto the bus rails and poles to keep himself steady while the bus is in motion. He politely weaves through other passengers and patiently waits for them to move out of his way until he kindly asks if he may sit beside you. When you nod and say yes, he creakily sits down and asks you where you’re headed.

He looks to be over eighty years old, with wonderfully gnarled, wrinkled hands and eyes that are a warm shade of brown and creased from smiling. His hair is combed over neatly to the side, mostly white with shades of gray speckled here and there, but it’s still full with not a spot that’s thinning or balding. He has a thin white mustache lining his upper lip. All in all, he’s aged rather well. His equally old uniform is crisp and emblazoned with medals, but he tells you that not very many people showed up for the reunion and, of the few that did, even fewer were good conversationalists. He’s one of the last ones left, he supposes. At least in this part of the country, anyway. Following the disappointing reunion, he’s just been wandering around with no set destination in mind and enjoying the fresh air, not quite ready to go home yet.

He introduces himself as Louis Renault and apologizes for staring. He’s sorry if he’s bothering you but he couldn’t help but notice your striking resemblance to a woman he once knew and loved long ago. It’s almost uncanny. Looking at you is like looking at a ghost or being transported back in time to when he was a younger man, in love for the first and last time. It’s him. It’s really him, the man from your grandmother’s letters, in the flesh. When he mentions her name and you prove to him that you’re indeed her granddaughter and show him the many, many letters from him that she’s kept, you’ve earned his trust. Meeting you feels like a divine act of fate. He asks you a poignant question, “Are there some causes so worth fighting for that even love should be sacrificed to fight for them?”

Don’t answer right away. Let it sink in and ruminate on it for a good long while. You ask him about your grandmother’s cryptic words, and his expression morphs into something that tells you he understands exactly what her words mean. He has something very, very important he wants to show you, something he once swore he’d never show anyone. He wants to tell you a secret that he’s kept close to his heart for many decades, a secret he once thought he’d have to take with him to his grave. You ride with him and stop at Pont Neuf, and from there you get on another bus to go to Square Du Vert-Galant Park. As the bus pulls away, Louis begins to weep.

He takes you to a monument that says, “A la Mémoire des Forces Françaises Combattantes”. Underneath are numbers that are movable, but first he takes out a pair of eyeglasses from his uniform’s breast pocket and puts them on. His eyesight when it comes to reading isn’t quite as sharp as it used to be. He punches in the right combination, which reveals a code hidden behind a secret panel. He goes around to the pieces of artwork decorating the park, pieces you know your grandmother personally oversaw the construction of, and turns the cranks certain ways and presses certain buttons until a grate by a drinking fountain moves, revealing a hidden ladder that leads to dark underground caves.

Louis takes out a small flashlight and tells you to watch your step, it’s very wet and slippery. You feel like you’re walking in the caves forever, until you come across a locked chest that holds another key inside. Louis unlocks the chest using a key he’s held on his person and kept safe for decades. Your grandmother entrusted him with this key and he took it with him everywhere he went. It was the best way to keep it guarded and safe at all times. If he had to, he would’ve swallowed it to make sure it didn’t fall into enemy hands. He then takes the other key and tells you to follow him back to the surface, there’s no time to lose.

He tells you to drive him to the old windmill by your house. When you arrive there, you let him inside the windmill. He turns a mechanism, revealing a hidden staircase. That’s been there this whole time?? You follow him down the stairs, through another secret passageway until you’re in front of a locked iron door. Using the key he retrieved from the caves underneath the park, he unlocks the door and tells you to go inside and see for yourself. Inside is what your grandmother stole during the war — stained glass. You’ve lived next to this old windmill your entire life, and these pieces of priceless art have been right in your very backyard this entire time!

In the privacy and safety of this secret underground room, he tells you all about your grandmother, revealing to you the truth about what had really happened during her time as a spy in both Paris and Casablanca: From 1942 until the liberation of Paris, she worked as a translator for the Germans by day and an encoder for the French Resistance by night. This, as you might imagine, made everyone suspicious of her, both French and Germans alike. And after the war, things got ugly. Especially when people found out she was romantically involved with him, back then a poor, corrupt official who served as Prefect of Police in Casablanca, French Morocco. You open a glass container sitting on a pedestal, and open the single letter that’s inside. Not even Louis has read it. He admits that he’s never seen it before and that it wasn’t there when your grandmother and he stashed the stained glass here, so it must’ve been written by your grandmother sometime after her return to Paris years later, when your mother was still just a baby. She must’ve returned here only once to place this letter here, and then never again.

If you are reading this it means that I am dead, and that you have discovered my secret. Yes, the rumors were correct. With the help of Louis Renault, I took the stained glass you see in front of you and hid it, not for personal gain, but so these exquisite pieces of art would not be lost to the dangers of war. I was not a traitor, nor was Louis. He helped me because he knew it was the right thing to do. But why, are you asking, why when the War ended did I not return them? Why did I not even admit taking them? At first, it was because I was angry. After all that I had done for my country, when my friendship with Louis was discovered, people turned against me, and accused me of terrible things. I wanted to hurt the people of France the way they were hurting me, so I said nothing about the stained glass. Then, when at long last I was deemed innocent, my anger subsided, but fear took its place. I was afraid that if I revealed what I had done, the accusations would start up again, and people would once again call me a criminal and question my motives and assail my character, and it would’ve been too much to bear. Louis had gone to join a Free French garrison in Brazzaville, and despite his promises to the contrary, I knew I would never see him again. Like everyone else, I just wanted to get on with what was left of my life. So again, I said nothing. And gradually time passed, and Paris healed, and I healed, yet the right time for telling the world my secret never seemed to come. And now I am Director of Public Works, a job I hold not only because I love this city, but because I wanted to make sure that someone - - you - - would be able to eventually find what I hid. Please make sure these pieces make a safe return to the world above. When you see them as they were meant to be seen, with sunlight streaming through their panes, interrupting the darkness with color and meaning and joy, only then will you truly understand why I did what I did a lifetime ago.

Louis clears his throat and speaks up, making you tear your eyes away from the handwritten pages. You’ve waited all your life for an explanation, for answers, so you listen intently to what Louis has to say. “When your grandmother and I hid these exquisite works of art all those years ago, we had hoped someone would find them, even if it was long after we were both gone. After the war was over, I gave up my position as Captain and became just plain Louis Renault. I never did take my job as Prefect of Police seriously, a fact your grandmother and I both knew well. I no longer wore any of my uniforms and instead opted for much more casual and inconspicuous attire. But I’ve still kept them all. They’re packed away somewhere and I only wear them if it’s a special occasion, like today. While it wasn’t the special occasion I was expecting, this is a much more heartfelt reunion than the one I had attended earlier in the day. Thank God I met you and got to show you this before I went. It was not mere chance or coincidence that I saw you on that bus. Fate brought us together through your grandmother, and now you can take these pieces of stained glass back up to the surface and share them with the world. I’m old. I’m here in the autumn of my life and I probably don’t have much left of a future, but I can at least light a cigarette and breathe out. I can pour a glass of French wine and raise a toast to you. It's finally over.”

“You do have a future. You still have loyal friends like that American, Rick Blaine. And you’re a great man and...and a beloved grandfather.”

“Grandfather? Whose grandfather?”

“Mine.”

“Well, if you are my granddaughter, then my future is bright, indeed.”

You finally give him your grandmother’s final letter, addressed to him. Surrounded by light and beautiful colors of rainbow as the stained glass reflects off his skin, Louis sits on the stairs and reads.

My dear Louis,

I do not know if you are alive or dead, but wherever you are, I send you all my love and kisses. As I write to you, I’m smiling for it is sunrise. The colors of the sky are a kaleidoscope of orange, pink, blue and yellow, and it reminds me of you, my love, and the stained glass we hid a lifetime ago. The rain has finally stopped and it’s going to be a beautiful day, the happiest of happy mornings. When we saw each other last, I knew I’d never see you again, despite our promises to the contrary. You don't know how many times I've thought about you over the years. Although I’d like nothing more than to see you again, I no longer have the strength to do so. But there's one bright spot in this sad story, and that is our lovely granddaughter. It wasn’t until sometime after I landed in New York City that I discovered I was carrying our child. I wanted so much to write to you, to tell you, but for many reasons, some of which you know well, I couldn’t. Her mother died shortly after she was born, but our granddaughter grew up strong and sweet just the same. She reminds me of you every time she smiles. With her around, I could never forget about you, even if I wanted to. My hope is that one day you and our granddaughter will have the chance to meet, that you’ll see her smiling face and she’ll see yours, even if it’s through a stone. You've been in my thoughts since the day we parted. And now, though my time here is drawing to a close, I like to think we'll meet again on the other side. The thought of seeing your face warms my heart. Be well and be happy, my dear Louis. Goodbye, but just for now.

After reading your grandmother’s heartfelt letter, Louis decides to put off his departure for a while. While he will mourn your grandmother and the daughter he never knew he had and never got to know, he‘s been given the chance to get to know you, his precious granddaughter. You’re the last vestige of his lost love, perhaps the last of his family, even. Before he leaves, he wants to learn everything he can about you and form a bond with you. There’s so much that he wants to tell you, share with you. He wants to teach you about life, about love. He has so many things from his past that he’s kept with him. He wants to show you them all, including the many, many, many letters that your grandmother wrote and sent to him before and during the war.

He’s been living alone for quite some time, so he invites you to come to his house so that you may read your grandmother’s letters and see for yourself both sides of their love story. He has plenty of space so you could even come to live with him, if you wanted. He would love nothing more than your companionship, for your presence to fill his house and make it into a home as you cure his loneliness. He’s been living as a bachelor for so long that he thought he’d die single and childless, without anyone to inherit anything from him. He was planning on donating everything he owned to museums or charity, but now that he knows you exist, he’ll revise his will. After he’s gone, all of his possessions, including those from his time during World War I and World War II, will go to you. He believes it to be your birthright, your rightful inheritance since you are of his blood. He kneels in front of the stained glass and looks up, as if he’s praying to the heavens.

“Are you listening, my love? I'Il have to put off returning to your side for a while. There's someone I need to get to know here first. Will you forgive me for making you wait just a little longer, my dear?”

You put your hands on his shoulders, and he reaches up to clasp them in his own hands and gently pat them, thankful for your comfort. “Wherever she is, I'm sure she's very happy for us.”

[feuqueerfire]

A Shoulder To Cry On Live Blogging

Watched 3 and 1/3 episodes of The New Employee and the vibes weren't rancid enough even though, to me, the actions and romance were supposed to be had terrible power dynamics and it would've been fun if those were played with. So instead I'll watch this because I've heard it's got horrible dynamics, at least in the earlier episodes.

I hope I like it, I want the Omega X members to be part of something good after the fiasco with their abusive company. Also, I had kind of skimmed through that old trailer that was leaked several weeks/few months ago and it seemed like an angsty high school coming-of-age type show; I'm really in the mood for that now I think, so hopefully, it'll be great for me.

Ep 1: Hamster And Sociopath (Mar 28)

lmfao this episode title

T.T the students literally getting it on the in the infirmary is killing me

and then the eye contact with someone else while you're literally doing something in public and going shh? lmfao

okayyy I knew the love interest guy who was messing around with another student would say that he's doing stuff with the main character but now I've realized how that lie makes any sense

oh he's such a dick T.T and he was hiding the damn spin wings

do I know this teacher mans?

bro both the students who were messing around ganging up on Lee Da Yeol pls

he's so horrible T.T

oh, I hope we get more fun or heartwarming Da Yeol and dad moments and also that dad doesn't die (preemptive worry whenever a parent appears in a BL, what after all the NLMG/MLC/MSP mother deaths or death scares recently)

of course fucker intervenes when his friend/fuck-buddy whoever targets Da Yeol like "only I can fuck with him and you can fuck with him when it's to benefit me but otherwise let's chill"

my poor Da Yeol, these 3 are making his life hellish T.T

oh his name is Taehyun

Da Yeol's dumbassery with exchanging phone numbers killed me T.T

oh the ep title comes from Taehyun naming Da Yeol hamster in his contacts and Da Yeol naming him sociopath

not Da Yeol fantasizing about Taehyun's face already T.T prime Stockholm syndrome material

Ep 2: Not a friend, but like one (Mar 28)

they're so silly, falling everywhere. "we at something scandalous again."

please I hope Da Yeol's part written by Taehyun isn't humiliating T.T he's class president right? if he humiliates Da Yeol, the grade will be reflected for him too

T.T plssss though Da Yeol really should've at least looked at the paper before going up to present it

Taehyun taunting Da Yeol to shoot him ah

oh Taehyun... accidentally (?) killed someone? or some people? his family/cousin? so his aunt is doing all this?

this awkward, civilized conversation in Taehyun's house. Taehyunhas clearly been going through it

Personally I'm just someone who notices when Da Yeol is sitting up on the couch and Taehyun is on the floor

ah this Da Yeol checking up on Taehyun seems monumental since he's the only one who's come to his house, knows about the aunt thing + Taehyun saying if it'd be better if he died, Taehyun was nice to Da Yeol, they became "friends" tentatively

Taehyun's face kinda reminds me of Andrew from Happiness. they look similar

Taehyun getting hmm jealous? when So Yeong gives Da Yeol a piece of her sausage? and then he stole it from Da Yeol and stuck his tongue out

what was in the other archery guy's hand?

Da Yeol watching Taehyun as he sleeps lol but he really is enamoured by how Taehyun looks and has been since the beginning so it's no surprise

the smack?! nose bleed?!

oof, the long-haired guy doing something fishy was expected. though I do wonder if Taehyun himself asked the friend to do it

Da Yeol's actor is apparently a 95-liner and the older of Omega X while Taehyun's is a 01-liner and the maknae. I love keun-hyung/maknae shipping (in BTS and NCT 127) so although I don't know Omega X and am actually quite apprehensive about 2 people from the same group being in a BL pair, I like the dynamic.

I'm really liking the show so far. I hoped to like it but it's surprising me with how much, especially since I've only watched 1 hour and 2 episodes and we don't actually know much about their backstories or anything but I'm already attached to the characters.

Ep 3: The Gym Equipment Storage (Mar 29)

I should change Tae Hyeon to Taehyun in this post and in the first 2 eps gif tags

Jang Won Kyeong is the other guy

Da Yeol was mesmerized by the sweat on Taehyun's face and neck lol

yknow I really was wishing that Taehyun and Won Kyeong were actually messing around. existing queer character who was experimenting/doing stuff with another queer character

I saw gifsets about Taehyun asking Da Yeol about being curious about how to leave a hickey lol

pleaseee Da Yeol's heart drawing and beating cute

plss poor Da Yeol. thinks Taehyun likes guys -> gets terrorized yet called cute by Taehyun -> is taken by how beautiful Taehyun is -> and now gets teased for not dodging Taehyun's advances and for maybe liking men

please Da Yeol agonizing over not dodging Taehyun but be nice to your dad!!

woah he's seriously so obsessed with Taehyun smelling nice and is tryna put some on himself but for sure is stinky now and put too much and also it's air freshener not cologne/perfume lmfao

Taehyun is so aslkdfj first keeps asking if So Yeong is flirting with Da Yeol/likes him and then mouthing that Da Yeol smells good

plss not the Heimlich maneuver

I've also seen gifs of Da Yeol elbowing Taehyun

oh my godddd okay the "thanks friend I love you" would've been awkward but Da Yeol's "I like you" is sooo confession omg

Min Jung vs Da Yeol hmm

was that a real match or a practice match? practice right? also previously who was the coach talking to about dropping out to let Da Yeol take his place? Min Jung? but a student said Min Jung's the ace

lol menace Taehyun at this practice

jealous Taehyun ah

and ofc Taehyun also stares at Da Yeol and even sketches him

oh who is this ajeosshi

dang, Da Yeol really threw the murder thing at Da Yeol

they're really going ham with the effects and stuff in this ending part with Taehyun and Da Yeol confrontation

Ep 4: An Arrow With No Regrets (Mar 29)

I heard this one had a whole lot of trigger warnings, including self-harm and suicide (attempt?). I might assume it's from Taehyun's end after the incident with Da Yeol?

dang tiny child Taehyun has depression and PTSD? so this 'murder' thing happened even earlier?

oh the 2 lemon-type candy that Taehyun gave Da Yeol was the type given to him by his adoptive mother

bro this fucking aunt >:((

agh fuck I know she's gonna die but I really don't want her to ah fuck

oh wait the mother had a miscarriage? and then did she jump off the balcony or something? omg

Taehyun hit himself with a flower pot to spot feeling and thinking while Da Yeol is trying to fight Min Jung because he probably purposefully did badly on the last shot D:

oh Min Jung is quitting and for his own reasons, didn't lose for Da Yeol or anything. good

oh Taehyun actually called Da Yeol, good

ah it's so smiley and silly and joke about hitting his head with a pot, and saying he fell down accidentally actually.

something about Da Yeol repeating that the shirt is new reminds me of Daun from Blueming (actually this somehow has slight Blueming vibes)

oh Taehyun told Da Yeol the story

they're so cute, I'm watching like this :D

ah so Da Yeol's lesson isn't that 'he's not happy when doing archery' but that he's never tried his best with all his sincerity

Da Yeol reassuring Taehyun that it's not his fault, it was an accident

Ep 5: Not Passion, but Acceptance (Mar 29)

i'm glad Taehyun was able to stand up to hisaunt and be hugged by ajeossi even though ajeossi should've been there for Taehyun from before

:0 the texting when Da Yeol wrote "yea..." to agree that he worries about Taehyun but sent it after Taehyun already texted more

ahh Taehyun typing out thank you but not sending it

pls Da Yeol looking at Taehyun's photo?

bro why are te archery kids convinved Da Yeol broke Min Jung's shoulder?

pls I'm dead Taehyun drawing a devil face on Da Yeol's paper -> Da Yeol trying to doodle back -> Taehyun biting him?!

pls Taehyun's grooming T.T and Da Yeol putting him under his shirt. Bad Buddy flashbacks and maybe 1 or 2 other BLs, is that a common thing that teenagers do in EA/SEA or is it a fun bl/yaoi thing?

lol So Yeong spotting them playing together like that + sharing a cup. random hawk-eyed girl noticing boys who like each other before they themselves realize or confess ah

ahhhh >.< I've seen a gifset of this scene where Da Yeol calls a sleeping Taehyun cute

the way Da Yeol smiles and says "Not really/jal morgeunendae" to So Yeong is really cute, I get why she tells him to not smile at anybody like that, only her <- also, Eclipse ep 11 (?) flashback Ayan to Akk

oh? Da Yeol not denying it when Won Kyeong is like "you like Taehyun, right?"

Da Yeol giving Taehyun the wing spin

ah fuck I watched a bit of the next ep preview and Won Kyeong tells Taehyun that Da Yeol said he likes him

Ep 6/7 released today and I've heard that there are 2 time jumps. On reddit, people were worried about ep 6/7 after seeing the previews after ep 5 rip and the manhwa apparently had them getting together after college so we'll see. people did seem to like the ending nonetheless, despite time jumps and no kiss, so I hope I will too. It's so good to me so far

Ep 6: A Shoulder To Cry On (Mar 29)

woah Da Yeol's saying to himself "Taehyun, I like you" and shot with his eyes closed?

and got a 5 but I don't really get why. well I kinda get why, it's exhilarating to fail lol like when you could do good but you just choose to... not

pls So Yeong and Yeo Bam (?) crying on behalf of Da Yeol that he lost lol

please Taehyun's gonna tutor Da Yeol but Da Yeol's dressing like he's going on a date

Taehyun headbutting Da Yeol T.T

ah fuck Da Yeol almost making to kiss Taehyun but Taehyun moving away and going to leave but fuckass Won Kyeong also saw agh

"The fact that I like you makes me so angry that it's driving me insane" while clutching at Taehyun's shirt and head in his chest

ah fuckng Taehyun so cruel to Da Yeol to make Da Yeol distance himself cuz it's clear Taehyun can't trust himself "Can you promise me you'll never hate me? What if another accident happens?"

alksdfj Taehyun was annoyed in the past because Da Yeol gave his notes to So Yeong hehe and Taehyun now being like "...why was I annoyed?" like oh you dumbass

Da Yeol saying the same thing as Min Jung "it's not like my life would be ruined if I quite archery"

lmfao poor coach, she lost both Min Jung and Da Yeol before and after 1 final

T.T Da Yeol putting his jacket over Taehyun's face because he "keeps winning these situations with his face" lol this reminds me of those Pann posts that Pannchoa suggests where if you have a good looking bf, you forget why you were angry during fights or whatever

damn this all seems pretty dramatic like is Da Yeol leaving the school for a reason that's not just being rejected by Taehyun? and Taehyun non-confessed confessed too? then again the whole show is pretty melodramatic and wattpad/certain ao3-tropes like, so

2 years later time jump - I think there's another timejump in ep 7 as well

ofc Taehyun would run after finding out So Yeong's hanging out with Da Yeol - I'm assuming the two haven't met each other in a while

ah Da Yeol sayinghe'll wait, so Taehyun should confess properly

Do I watch the last episode now as well? ahh

Ep 7: A Shoulder To Cry On! Epilogue (Mar 29)

wait even more 2 years later??

so they're dating now?

also this older styling of Taehyun reminds me kinda of Kim Jiwoong (Kissable Lips/Pongdunk 204). I don't quite know if I like his makeup

Da Yeol wants to become a cop

I like Da Yeol's smile, it's cute

Taehyun stepping in the sand where Da Yeol stepped is doing me in

what's the song at 8 mins "remember when we used to pick flowers for decorating back at your place"

hmm should I just.. stop watching it 8 minutes in and finish tomorrow lol like it's probably gonna have them be in another conflict in the last 20 minutes, right?

okay jk i took a 10-minute break but am back to watching ig

I know there's no kiss so I wasn't really disappointed by the leaning in but not getting it but was a bit surprised at the "you're in a hurry, huh? wait a bit and I'll do it for you later" and Da Yeol's indignant "I'm not in a hurry!" in reference to sex?

ah Taehyun keeps teasing Da Yeol about sex ah you doofuses you've been together 2 years and are like 21-22 years old

T.T Taehyun forcing them into matching pajamas

also will there be conflict? will bad things happen? will there be any more timejumps and bittersweetness? there are 15 minutes left so it better wrap up properly and not leave conflict for last few minutes with an unsatisfying conclusion

please why are we getting kiss-aversion suddenly T.T they should just not have a kiss but be cute but not make it a big deal that they're not having a kiss, that makes it worse

they brushed their teeth and yet Da Yeol having lollipop? but I know we're about to have a cute/slightly riske scene so I'll forgive

cute trapping inside feeties

lollipop sharing

lol these ending flowers, okay

I think Da Yeol looks so cute in the last ep with his pretty hair and pretty smile.

I think it's an okay last episode, it's cute that there's like no conflict and just cuteness (is it the "special episodes" from the manhwa?) but also it didn't necessarily have the same ~vibes~ as the first 5-6 episodes of the show, so hm

Overall Thoughts:

The high school/uni kBLs tend to work better for me than the workplace ones and this one was good too. I really liked the first few episodes (first half essentially - 4 eps) when there was so much contempt but Taehyun couldn't stop himself from terrorizing or goading Da Yeol and Da Yeol couldn't stop noticing how beautiful Taehyun was, and then the friendship that bloomed in that but still with an edge. I didn't quite get the reason for separation in episode 6 and think in the last episode was cutesy which I like but didn't necessarily have the edge that their relationship has, so it feels like kinda ? to go from the Manufactured Angst of ep 6 to such affection here.

Still, overall a pretty good one; reminds me of a mix of Blueming and Utsukushii Kare. I was giddy so many times while watching this, especially the first half and was clutching my head and curling my toes despite it not being romantic, just full of tension.

Rating: 6.5/10

Trailers:

Old Leaked Trailer: oof I watched some of it when it was first leaked on twitter and it's on BiliBili now and I rewatched and felt nothing, though I remember being intrigued by the angstiness when I first watched some of it

New Trailer: I don't feel like watching it