#produce 48 confessions

[0cta9on]

Can you do a fluffy smut fic of IVE's Wonyoung? In the fic, she is madly in love with her older manager whom has been by her side since her trainee days and loved her like his own little sister. Then she heard about his decision to transfer to another agency and began to panic. She begged him not to leave and confessed to him. However, OC rejected her due to the fear of destroying their close bond. WY eventually succeed in reassuring him of her love and both of them ended up making out.(OC is 5-6 years older than WY, hence the brother-sister dynamic relationship)

For the past three years, you served as the manager for the girl group sensation IVE, and you’ve loved every single second of it. The girls are cute and almost immediately started treating you like an older brother, which you gladly accepted. You’ve been a shoulder for them to cry on when things get tough and thanks to the pretty decent Starship Entertainment check, you often bought them little treats to tide them over in between schedules. They were like your little family - six little sisters that you love like they’re your own blood. Unfortunately, you might be saying bye to your little family soon.

Your footsteps echo along the corridor of Starship’s building as you pace nervously back and forth. As your contract with the company runs out, others have been reaching out and offering manager positions to you. Nothing has interested you so far, mainly just offers from small companies looking for an experienced manager to take care of their rookie groups. That is, until this morning, when you received a ludicrous offer from a larger company that would set you up for the rest of your life. You would be a fool not to take it - but that would also mean leaving behind the girls you have cared for all these years. 

A sudden jab to the side of the ribs makes you jump. “Jesus Christ, what th-” You turn around to face the perpetrator, only to see Wonyoung laughing at you.

“You should see your face oppa, that was hilarious!” She exclaims. Normally, you would laugh along and scold her playfully, but the thought of having to break the news about your potential departure fills you with an overwhelming sense of dread.

“What’s wrong, oppa?” Wonyoung asks, noticing your uncharacteristically serious expression.

Out of all the girls, Wonyoung is the one you’ve known the longest. You first met her when she was preparing for Produce 48, and you watched her grow and mature ever since. To outsiders, she is the epitome of success, but you know better than anyone just how much pain she’s experienced to get to this level. With how strong your bond is, you can’t even imagine how much it would crush her to tell her that you’re leaving.

You relinquish a heavy sigh deep within your lungs. “L-look, I-” The words struggle to make themselves known, writhing inside your gut as you stare deep into Wonyoung’s concerned eyes. Without another thought, you pull her into a tight embrace, more for yourself than for her.

“Hey, it’s okay, oppa,” she soothes, rubbing your back. “You can tell me.”

You instinctively tighten your grip on her, afraid that this’ll be the last time you get to hold her like this. “I got an offer this morning… from another company. The salary they’re offering would help me out a lot, so I-”

“You’re leaving?!” Wonyoung pulls away slightly to look you in the eyes. It feels like a knife stabs you in the heart as you stare back at her teary gaze.

“Y-yeah, I am…” You utter regretfully. She fights back a sob as she hits your chest, hurting your soul more than it does your actual body.

“B-but you can’t leave!”

“I’m sorry, Wonyoung, but Starship-”

“Screw Starship! What about IVE? What about me?” Tears begin to flow uncontrollably down her cheeks. All those years of consoling her and being by her side, yet the one time she needs you the most is when you’re about to leave her. Being the cause of her tears hurts you more than you’ll ever know.

“Wonyoung, I-”

“I love you!” She exclaims, glaring through her misty eyes.

“I love you guys too, but-”

“NO!” Her voice echoes loudly through the corridor, pushing you back a few steps. Always the epitome of prim and proper, you have never seen Wonyoung scream like this. A deep, unspoken ache reflects in her eyes as you start putting the pieces together. 

“I-I… I love you… Like, really love you… I want to be with you a-and hold you tightly… I want to kiss you and feel like I’m the only woman for you… I-I just… I love you so, so much… You can’t leave me like this…”

You freeze in disbelief, unsure of what to think or feel about her sudden confession. You always made sure not to develop any feelings for the girls as that could end up badly for the both of you. However, you can’t deny that you’ve been seeing Wonyoung differently as of late. The way she carries herself with such professionalism and confidence, how hard she words behind the scenes for herself and for the rest of IVE, you can truly see just how beautiful of a person she is, both inside and out. Taking this job would be the chance of a lifetime, but a person like Wonyoung only comes around once in a lifetime. You would be a fool to let her go.

You gently cup her cheeks, wiping away her tears with your thumbs. “It’s okay, Wonyoung. I’m not going anywhere.” She breaks down and begins sobbing into your chest. Your mind suddenly feels lighter now that you’ve made up your mind. In fact, you almost feel ridiculous for almost choosing money over the family that you found three years ago.

“You’re really not going to leave?” Wonyoung asks you after calming down a bit. You shake your head, a hopeful smile growing on your face, before she wraps her arms around your head, pressing her lips against yours. Subconsciously, you have been waiting for this kiss for years and you aren’t about to let it go so easily. The scent of her strawberry shampoo combined with her soft, marshmallow lips brings you to a new high you’ve never experienced before.

As you break the kiss, the heartbroken girl is swiftly replaced by the bright and lovely Wonyoung that you’re used to. She giggles as you kiss her cheeks, getting rid of any leftover tears. Suddenly, Wonyoung takes your hand, a mischievous twinge in her eye further emphasized by an alluring bite in her lip.

“Since you’re not leaving anymore, I think we should celebrate. Come with me,” she says before dragging you along the corridor. She peeks through one of the doors before pulling you inside, locking the door behind her. As you look around the small room, you notice a bunch of foam padding lining the walls, along with a piano and a couple chairs.

“This is one of the solo vocal practice rooms,” she explains. “No one outside will be able to hear us, no matter how loud we are.” A lightbulb goes off in your head as you turn to her, both shocked and turned on. Wonyoung’s cheeks turn a light pink as you look her up and down.

“I-I mean, we don’t have to do it if you don’t want-” You stop her, bringing a finger to her lips.

“I want to do it. I want you,” you assure her. She smiles brightly as she pulls you in for another kiss, this one much steamier than the other. Your hands snake around her petite waist, bringing her as close as you physically can. Her gentle breath starts to get heavier, gracing your cheeks, and the warmth in your chest continues to grow until it threatens to burst from your skeleton. You want nothing more than to love this girl as much and as hard as you can, pushing her into the padded wall with the fervor of a new sun on an early morning.

Wonyoung strokes your cock over your jeans, teasing you with her fingertips. You respond in kind by grazing her thigh with your fingernails, causing her body to shiver beneath you. You break the kiss and rest your forehead against hers to catch your breath, the final look before the leap. She gazes at you with fondness and desire, and you feel lucky knowing you’re the only man that will ever receive that look from her. Tentatively, she unzips your pants, audibly gasping as she looks upon your cock for the first time, unintentionally inflating your ego. You watch with bated breath as Wonyoung kneels in front of you, slowly stroking you with her soft hands and placing gentle kisses along your length, staining it with her lip gloss.

“Does that feel good, oppa?” She asks, searching for approval.

“Yes, that feels so good, baby,” you moan, brushing your hands through her silky hair.

“Mmm, I like it when you call me baby. Keep saying it.” Wonyoung flashes you a smile before taking you into her mouth, making you shiver like the first time you step into a cold pool. Her thick, glossy lips eagerly sucking your cock combined with her big, round eyes looking up at you brings you to all new heights of arousal.

“Holy shit baby, you’re amazing,” you compliment. In response, Wonyoung plants her hands on your thighs, attempting to take your entire length down her throat at once, her gags filling the entire room. You almost feel bad for the people walking by who don’t get to hear this beautiful chorus reserved for you.

Eventually, Wonyoung stumbles backwards, choking for air as saliva drips down her chin. She reaches for your hand, and you gladly help her up, anticipating what will happen next. With a wink, she plants her hands against the wall, sticking her ass out towards you. Her warm yet seductive gaze pulls you in, promising a moment you’ll never forget.

“I’ve waited for this moment for so long,” she says, biting her lip. You flip up her skirt, revealing her cute ass for the first time, and peel off her damp panties. The scent of her dripping sex fills your brain, drawing you towards her even more. As you slowly insert yourself into her, you gauge Wonyoung’s reaction, making sure you’re not hurting her.

“Is that okay, baby?” You whisper into her ear. She nods, wincing slightly.

“S-so good, keep going.”

You hold onto her waist for support, eventually bottoming out inside of her. Her warm walls grasp you tightly, still adjusting to your size. After a moment, Wonyoung nods, prompting you to start thrusting into her. Slow yet firm at first, as her moans begin to escalate, you increase the power of your thrusts until it devolves into pure, unbridled pounding.

“A-ah! Yes! F-feels so g-good!” She groans in pleasure. “K-kiss me!”

You do as she says, capturing her lips into a sloppy kiss as you continue fucking her from behind. You exchange breaths, warming up each other’s skin, filling your nostrils with each other’s pheromones. In your mind, nothing else matters except making love to the woman before you. You want to spend the rest of your life loving her in every way you can, and when you’ve done it all, you want to invent new ways of loving just so you can show her how much she means to you. A familiar pressure begins to build up in your stomach as you gaze into Wonyoung’s eyes, half-lidded as she succumbs to your passion. You take her lips a final time before shooting your seed deep into her womb, cementing your bond forever. She follows soon after, nearly collapsing as her orgasm renders her legs into jelly.

“O-oh my god… That was better than I imagined,” she says. The two of you share a gentle laugh, holding onto her with no intention of letting her go ever again.

[predestinatos]

cinnamon taste ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙ — CL16

pairing: charles leclerc x female!reader

summary: your best friend showing up at your apartment isn't the only surprise you had that day

tags: best friends to lovers, giddy and shy charles, sooo much fluff, christmas vibes, improvised and creative mistletoe confession

words: 2.6k

note: someone requested something along these lines and i had sooo much fun writing it!! my heart is full and warm... rlly hope u guys like it too and happy holidays for those who celebrate

The scent of cinnamon and apple filled your lungs as you entered your apartment door. You congratulated yourself on the good choice of incense, apparently, but also punished yourself for seemingly leaving the music on while you were out. Jazz-y Christmas songs were playing softly, your living room feeling like a daydream of warmth and coziness.

But that dream was soon shattered upon the realization that you had brought your phone with you – there was no way it was still connected to Bluetooth. Someone was in your house.

Before you had time to panic as you removed your gloves and jacket, a figure appears before you and spins you in the air, embracing you tightly. At first, you screamed, terrified. But then the figure placed you on the floor, continuously repeating “it’s me it’s me I’m sorry” while giggling.

You immediately recognized the voice – your best friend was wrapped in an apron, glasses on and remnants of flour on his messy brown locks. Immediately, your heart went from racing to galloping, fear replaced by happiness. However, before you could show the good part, you punched him slightly in the chest, the hit clearly not producing any sort of damage. “You are such an idiot, Charles! You almost killed me” you said, although a smile was creeping in your lips and eyes as he pulled you for a hug.

Despite how long you’ve known each other, the hugs always felt the same: earnest, meaningful, his heart beating next to your ear, hands wrapped around you like a warm caress. It felt like this when you were 10 and played together, when you were 15 and snuck out together, and now this. You weren’t expecting to see him, especially not this close to Christmas day.

“I thought I’d do something with the spare key you gave me when I crashed here for a few weeks,” he said, as if reading your thoughts, already jumping between wondering how he got in and when he did it. His eyes, filled with affection, seemed simultaneously nervous, registering your face as if in analyzing it carefully.

Before you had time to ask, he pulled your arm and guided you to the kitchen – your own kitchen – warmly telling you “I have a surprise.” You followed him and as you entered the small marble kitchen, the scent hit you even harder. It smelt of comfort, of a cozy campfire feeling, of sweet bakeries opened and filled with decorations, all inside your house. The kitchen itself was slightly messy, hinting at its use, and Charles stood in it proudly, grabbing some mittens to remove the delicious smelling content from the oven.

They were cookies, made in all possible shapes and sizes – some unidentifiable, as he clearly did them by hand. The image of them filled your heart, your best friend placing them on the counter as he checked if they were ready to be eaten, almost like a postcard waiting to be stilled in time. “For how long are you staying?” you asked, afraid of the answer.

That fear proved itself right as you saw his expression change suddenly, the smile leaving his eyes and remaining only on his lips, an attempt at feigning comfort where there could possibly be none. “The day after tomorrow” he said, after a small cough, acting as if it was nothing, trying to lessen the pain of not knowing when you’d see him again.

Just for that moment, you decided to shrug it off as well, to ignore the elephant in the room that were the less than 48 hours you had to enjoy each other’s company, the knowledge that the old times of friendship won’t come back. “Better eat all of those until then!” you said, in your best effort to showcase as little sadness as possible.

You opened one of your cabinets and removed two mugs from it, one of them farther away than expected. On your tiptoes, you reached for the red mug with a big C on it, with “clumsy” written underneath in small letters. It was reserved especially for Charles, a small part of him that remained untouched from the moment he left and would only be touched again when he came back – which wasn’t often. Upon seeing it, his smile lit up once again, dimples showing on his slightly flushed cheeks, his upper arm reaching to fix the glasses he was wearing as his hands were busy sprinkling cinnamon all over the biscuits.

Placing the just made hot chocolate on the small glass coffee table in your living room, you waited for Charles, who showed up holding a plate decorated with all of his creations, which he placed next to your mugs.

You wrapped around blankets as you sat on the floor, mimicking simpler times, nostalgia running through your veins as the liquid you drank ran through your throats. Charles’ eyes scanned your living room again, “did you decorate this all by yourself?” he asked, as he analyzed the matching patterns in your white Christmas tree and how well they fit with the honey tones of the decorations scattered carefully around the room.

“Depends,” you replied, smiling, “Do you like it?” He looked at you then, the same nervousness returning to his cheeks, red from something that couldn’t be the cold, given the warmth inside your apartment. For the first time since you knew him, his eyes studied your face in a way that made you look away timidly. “Yes it’s amazing” he replied, answering the question as a way to break the sudden tension, but creating an opposite effect.

“A friend helped me” you confessed to him, shrugging. “I don’t think you know him, he-” you were about to begin, but Charles’ eyes shot to you and then quickly to the content inside his mug, fidgeting as he did so. “He and his girlfriend, love decorations and had some extra stuff from their last year so they added a lot to this” you explained, emphasizing the word ‘girlfriend’ as if it needed to be, as if you owed your best friend an explanation or seal of approval that you weren’t aware of until now. You knew it was necessary, however, when you saw his shoulders relax at your words, chest rising and falling softly underneath his sweater.

You rested your head against his shoulders reassuringly, letting him know that he wouldn’t miss any detail of your life, that you’d always make sure to update him on everything. You weren’t sure that’s what he wanted but you hoped he would understand the sentiment behind it, and you were sure he did when he laid a soft kiss on the top of your head.

His body smelled of cinnamon itself, sweet and lovely, and you couldn’t help but pull him closer by the arm, feeling his warmth which you hadn’t for so long. “I missed you, Charlie” you said, smiling to yourself. “Me too, silly” he replied whilst slowly pushing you away and getting up. “Which reminds me, I have something for you.”

You looked up at your best friend, feeling the cold spot from where he previously was, as he ran hurriedly to one of your spare rooms – which could be called his room since that was all the use it had. “Why don’t you just give it to me and I’ll open on Christmas? I don’t want to jinx it!” you yelled from your sitting place, biting one of the tree-shaped biscuits he had prepared, amazed at its taste and softness.

he came back holding a small box in his hands, carefully wrapped and decorated with a red ribbon at the top. Pride was written all over his smile and gaze as he sat down in front of you, handing you the present as he grabbed one of his own biscuits. “Because,” he said, in between bites “this is very important and urgent” he continued, giggling excitedly. You could tell from his tone that his voice was overly excited, almost acting, but you didn’t want to push him, not when he stared at you anxiously, eyes big and expectant like a puppy. His giggles were quickly replaced by sudden seriousness as soon as your hands started unwrapping the present carefully, not even wanting to ruin the package.

You were faced with a box, beautiful and cushioned, its surface gorgeously reminding you of wine nights with the company of the man who seemed not to be able to sit still in front of you. “Open it” he said, swallowing hard and nervously, leaning closer and closer with your every movement. You complied, your own curiosity threatening to jump out of your mouth, hands shaking as Charles’ own breath seemed almost irregular.

Inside it, you saw a delicate crystal, green, red and clear, in the shape of a plant. Not a plant – mistletoe. It glistened beautifully and its fragility fascinated you. It was beautiful, and you remained speechless as you examined it. “Charlie it’s-” you started, though you had no words to describe what you were feeling. Of course, the gift was absolutely mesmerizing, a small token that was impossible to not notice. Yet, you didn’t exactly know what it meant.

Charles gave you no time to think about it before he moved awkwardly, getting closer to you, closer than usual even for you two. “Listen, I… Do you want to hang it somewhere?” he said, the question so sudden, like a window that opened quickly and let all the cold wind inside the room. You looked into his eyes and found yourself still unable to speak, resorting to a simple nod as you got up, the box still resting in your hands, and he followed your movements.

You decided to hang it carefully in one of the tallest branches of your Christmas tree, where the lights hit beautifully and made it the centerpiece, stealing all the attention from the star at the top. “It’s beautiful” you finally managed to say, along with an earnest thank you, and you were about to turn back to the warm blanket when his fingertips stopped you by softly resting on your wrist.

“Wait,” he started, barely moving. All movement you could witness came from his nostrils as he exhaled deeply, his gaze completely focused on you. “I need to tell you something” he continued, looking up at the gift he had just given you. Following his gaze, you realized what he meant. “Oh. Oh this was for someone else- it’s fine Charlie mistakes happen-” you began, rising to your tiptoes in order to remove the ornament, almost laughing at your own silliness.

Once again that night, Charles stopped you, laughing warmly. “God, you’re so silly sometimes,” he told you, and despite the cold toned color of his eyes, they expressed such warmth it took your breath away. “No, this gift is for you. That’s what I mean,” he said, stumbling across his every word, “I gave you this because you’re the one I want to experience this with. The whole mistletoe kissing thing. Maybe this is silly…” his hand flew to his neck awkwardly, reminding you of when he was younger and in high school, trying to impress some girl he had a crush on.

You weren’t exactly sure what he meant, nor what it could mean for your friendship in general. But you were sure you wanted to experience that moment with him as well, feel him closer to you than you ever did, your every muscle begging you to act. “Do it then” you dared him, your own nervousness coming out. You thought about how silly it was, your nervousness, given how old you two were, how much you had witnessed together, the moment so out of the ordinary yet seemingly so predictable, as if it was destined to happen.

At that, Charles’ eyes widened, but his whole body went into action. His hand went to your cheek as the other pulled you by your waist, eyes falling on your lips as if everything moved in slow motion. You placed your own hands on his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat as his lips fell on yours, so soft and familiar despite how unknown it all was. The sudden smell of chestnuts and ginger intensified as the room seemed to transform, how despite the warmth you almost felt snow falling on both of your bodies. Charles couldn’t get enough of you, his hand going from your cheek to the back of your neck, begging you for more, for the moment to last for as long as possible.

Like a magnet, your own hands caressed and pulled his hair incessantly, reassuring him that you weren’t going anywhere, as his heartbeat stabilized in calmness and comfort in how well your lips fit on his. His closeness was intoxicating, and you felt dizzy from how good you were feeling with his sheer presence, how right everything seemed to feel, how effortlessly he got you in your best mood.

Pulling away, you saw a smile which you had rarely seen in Charles’ face. It happened at his most happiest moments – when he won races, when he beat you at rock paper scissors when you were kids, when he got the best scores in spelling bees – it reached every muscle in his body and yours, so contagious was his cheerfulness.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he said, giddy and red from shyness, looking so innocent all of a sudden, despite his grip still on your waist. “I’ve been so confused, especially since the last time I stayed over. No one can make me feel like you do, and this is so hard to explain, and I don’t know how it got to this point but I have been thinking about it every day, about how good I feel when I am with you, how I just get so incredibly happy and-” you quieted his rambling by giving him a shy peck on his lips, giggling at how he stood motionless after it, eyes widened and eyebrows raised.

“I love you too” you told him, meaning every word, anxiously looking forward for the rest of your life.

[emilybeemartin]

Inktober Days 22-24

Day 22: "Scratchy"

Saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, pincushion, hedgehog, barrel cactus—how magical are these amazing plants? Iconic, unique, perfectly tuned to their environment. The pleats on a saguaro help it bulge and shrink to accommodate water availability, and the inhospitable trunks provide shelter for desert birds. 

Saguaro NP produces some of my favorite educational videos in the system, thanks in part to Feature Fridays with Ranger Freddy Gutiérrez Fernández-Ramírez. Just to add to the scritchy-scratchy theme of this prompt, some of the more unusual videos featuring Ranger Freddy show how to remove jumping cholla barbs from your skin and clothes. Rangers in Saguaro carry hair combs in their first aid kits—and it’s not to fix flat-hat hair!

Day 23: "Celestial"

In recent decades, park managers have come to recognize natural soundscapes and pristine night skies as tangible resources, just like clean air, land, and water. As I was entering the NPS field, a big effort was kicking off to designate certain units as Dark Sky parks, and Big Bend is the king of them all. It has the lowest levels of light pollution of any park in the lower 48 and is famous across the NPS for its breathtaking starscapes.

Protecting natural darkness opens up amazing new opportunities for visitors and rangers. I love assisting with night sky programs, because I remember how I felt when I first traveled away from the greater I-85 corridor and saw my first pristine night sky. It’s a primordial type of magic to see stars unveiled from urban lights and humid haze. And the good news is, unlike other endangered resources, dark skies are salvageable. When towns and cities take steps to reduce their light and air pollution, there’s no slow, agonizing recovery—the stars come right back. They’re just up there, waiting to peek at us again.

Day 24: "Shallow"

I have to confess—I used to look down on Congaree, despite it being the only national park in my home state of South Carolina. I thought of it as muggy, buggy, and a bit boring. But when I was researching wetland habitat for A Field Guide to Mermaids, I was stunned to realize just how special this landscape is. Our country used to be covered in immense floodplain forests along river corridors, but the natural flood cycles that made these lowlands so fertile also meant the land was prized for agriculture. Rivers were straightened, forests were cut down, and the rich soil was planted with crops. Because of this, Congaree protects the largest swathe of bottomland floodplain forest left in the United States.

And it’s a gorgeous park, as well. There’s something evocative and eerie about walking the elevated boardwalks over tea-colored water. Spooky cypress knees reach up through the water like outstretched arms, and several massive national and state champion trees loom up out of the thick forest.

This park may not have the accolades some of the grander, more storied parks have, but I’m proud that it’s my home state’s park and glad that it protects one of the last intact forests of its kind.

------

Another big thank you to the folks who have preordered Thirty-One Days of National Parks: The Artbook! The Big Bend page features a little guide to starhopping from the Big Dipper out to other stars!

[lulu2992]

From the Inquisitor to the Baptist: The Evolution of John Seed

Deducing John’s personality from early development pictures is not easy… Still, it’s possible to make conjectures based on his appearance and attitude.

All the sources and references indicated by the superscript numbers will be given in the last post.

Part 3: Personality and morals (concept art, promotional content, and side material)

In the early portrait of the Seed family¹, John’s formal and stylish outfit suggests he’s probably wealthy and takes care of his appearance. In contrast, the blood running from his knuckles, which can either be his or belong to someone he has recently punched, hints at the fact he’s a violent man. The way his foot is almost triumphantly resting on the crate gives the impression that he’s self-assured and not easily impressed. I would describe this John as a “classy criminal”: sophisticated on the surface, but also cold and brutal.

In the two promotional images inspired by The Last Supper², as well as the development visuals for the pictures³¯⁴, John looks confident and stylish again, wearing expensive-looking clothes and accessories.

In the first “Last-Supper-like” image, his smile is almost cocky and he apparently has just finished tattooing someone against their will.

In the second, he has a vaguely menacing look on his face, a revolver in his hand, and his foot resting on something (probably a chair or bench), which conveys a feeling of self-importance, self-confidence, and dangerousness.

His infantry tattoo might indicate that he was originally going to have a military background, but nothing is certain.

Far Cry Absolution was the first time John was given a “voice” and we could learn more about his personality. While the book was not written by a member of the Far Cry 5 team, its author, Urban Waite, explained in an interview that he got to meet “various heads of development”, such as Dan Hay (Executive Producer, Creative Director, and Writer)³⁸. What he wrote is based on the information he was given at the time, and it most likely had to be approved by Ubisoft, so even though not everything in the novel is still relevant, I think it’s a good indicator of what John was like in the game’s early stages of development.

In the interview, Urban Waite described him as “a loose cannon” (compared to Joseph) and Absolution’s “main bad guy”, but he doesn’t think they’re “completely evil”.

In the book, John is self-confident, calm, and speaks eloquently. When he threatens people, he does it politely, as if he’s simply asking something, but people know they don’t really have a choice... On page 48, he shoots at a bear with a rifle. He doesn’t kill the animal, which then runs away, but this scene is surprising because he never hunts in Far Cry 5, and no one says he likes to do so. That said, his ranch is still decorated with taxidermied animals, so maybe hunting indeed used to be one of his hobbies at some point during the development of the game.

In the novel, he clearly has faith in the Project. He still Cleanses people before hearing their Confession, gives them a tattoo that reveals what he thinks their sin is, and makes them Atone by cutting it out. Like in the game, while he uses Bliss to pacify the converts, he still asks for their consent. He explains to Mary May that Eden’s Gate can give her a new life and that they can be a family. She needs to Atone so her sin will not stand before her and the gates of heaven, and he can save her. “You have been alone”, he says on page 116. “You have lived without the word of The Father and now you will be alone no more.”

The hunting and the constantly calm demeanor seem a bit odd, but his beliefs, methods, and even “showmanship” (page 145) at times are consistent with what John does in Far Cry 5.

There is one thing, however, that is not.

While it’s clearly said in the novel that Eden’s Gate forbids alcohol, and this is something John apparently takes seriously (he “asks” Mary May not to serve alcohol anymore and comments that Lonny, a cultist, was “not a true believer” because he was still drinking), it’s not mentioned anywhere that they also disapprove of fornication, as we know they do in the game. It’s very likely that the rule simply didn’t exist yet in the minds of the Far Cry 5 writers, but as a consequence, in Absolution, John has a lover. Her name is Holly, and this is what she tells Will Boyd, the protagonist, on page 101:

I fuck John from time to time and he tells me shit. He tells me shit I shouldn't hear. I don't have a fucking clue about half of it, but the other half is fucking out there. The Father and his scripture and all this shit about the prophet and the coming fire of Hell. Sinners and saints. Salvation and damnation.

While Holly’s language is surprisingly vulgar for a cultist (compared to the way they talk in Far Cry 5), the fact that she reveals she sometimes sleeps with John is even more disconcerting. Not only is she also a member of the Project, so it seems strange that she would openly and shamelessly admit she regularly breaks its rules, but as I’ve just mentioned, John also seems to want to follow and enforce the rules, so being in a relationship with someone sounds out of character. Holly even says the “thing [she has] with him” is “serious enough to have [her] waiting” for him outside at night.

I can’t see this happening in Far Cry 5 at all, and while a character named Holly is mentioned (Holly Pepper, Henbane River) and they tried to make it look like she was the same woman, the Holly from the game has a different address and backstory, as well as a girlfriend named Charlie³⁹.

But, again, the “no fornication” rule most likely didn’t exist when Urban Waite wrote the book, so John didn’t technically break it in Absolution. While this seems out of character now, the novel suggests that, several months before the release of the game, it wouldn’t have been absurd for John to be in a sexual relationship with another cultist. To me, this is proof that his personality, as well as the Project in general, changed. And if the rule did exist at the time, that would mean John used to be a hypocrite. As you will see, other things suggest this was true at some point…

In Inside Eden’s Gate¹², John is eloquent and still has a vaguely menacing aura. His self-confidence is once again palpable; he looks like a man who’s totally in control of whatever situation he’s in and knows what he’s doing. He introduces the Father to a crowd, is in charge of baptizing new converts, and even actively helps track and find the movie’s protagonists, not once losing his cool or air of confidence. He looks even more stoic than Jacob, which is quite unusual if we compare this version of the two brothers to their in-game counterparts.

Like in Absolution, while it’s clear that he won’t hesitate to threaten or hurt people, he seems to always be naturally self-assured. This man looks a bit cold and scary, but he also seems emotionally mature and stable, and this is far from being the case with John in Far Cry 5. However, nothing in the film suggests he doesn’t believe in Joseph and the Project’s doctrine.

In the live-action TV spot “Anything Can Happen, Everything Will”¹⁵, we only briefly see John, but he looks the same as he does in the film: calm, confident, and not to be messed with:

In The Book of Joseph²⁰, as a child, John is described by his brother as “delicate” and sensitive. When he was adopted by the Duncan family, they essentially tortured him for years, thinking “the Evil within him had to be exterminated”, and they “turned an innocent child into a monster skilled at concealment and full of suppressed anger.”

When Joseph found him as an adult, he had become a lawyer, and while “physically, he was society’s very model of success”, John Duncan was also a heartless chameleon, able to show other people the face they wanted to see, so they usually felt comfortable enough to tell him everything, even their darkest secrets… and he could then (potentially) use that information against them.

He was rich, partly because he had inherited his parents’ fortune when they died, and powerful thanks to his job and numerous connections, but deep down, he hated everyone and everything, himself included. He was also suffering from a drug and sex addiction. After he was reunited with Joseph, John Duncan was free to become John Seed again.

While he’s still the Project’s Confessor, he’s not in constant disguise anymore or as full of hatred as he used to be. In the game, in the mission “The Confession”, he also briefly mentions his abusive parents, how their violence changed him, his past addictive tendencies, and how Joseph helped him see life differently, so the book doesn’t contradict what Far Cry 5 tells us about John; it only gives more details about his backstory.

In the video “Far Cry 5: Why John Seed Is Your Charmingly Deadly Enemy”²¹, Dan Hay (Executive Producer, Creative Director, and Writer) and Jean-Sébastien Décant (Narrative Director and Writer) talk about the character. The latter explains that John is almost “in charge of PR” for Eden’s Gate, but also that he’s “the most tormented and psychotic one” because of what happened to “the cute kid” he was. He also says it was Joseph who “brought him back on track” but that, now, John always wants to impress him, sometimes to the point of almost “[losing] it” and having to be “reigned back in”, and this is what makes him dangerous in the game.

As for Dan Hay, he says John has experienced “great trauma in his life” and, because he has survived it, “almost feels like he’s a superman”. He is a “potent character” who has been through everything, can hardly be surprised anymore, and “almost knows everything the player is going to do”. He also mentions that John mostly wants to impress Joseph and that this affects their relationship because, by trying too hard, John usually ends up not doing things right, and Joseph then has to intervene.

By the way, this is also what Drew Holmes, the game’s Lead Writer, explained in a now-deleted interview⁴⁰:

John Seed, who is the youngest, sort of wants to be recognized by his older brothers as having value. But he continually screws up, so Joseph chides him saying he’s not doing the things [he’s] supposed to do.

Dan Hay also says John is a complex villain who does “bad stuff” but will not hesitate to tell the Junior Deputy, the protagonist, that they aren’t irreproachable either. For the first time, the two writers also talk about John’s philosophy, The Power of Yes. They explain how it stems from his childhood and how he uses it for the cult, sometimes to the point of excess.

What they explain in the video is totally consistent with The Book of Joseph and what we will later see in Far Cry 5, but it contrasts a little with the John Seed we had previously met in promotional material, Far Cry Absolution, and Inside Eden’s Gate. This new version of John is more emotional, not as calm and collected as early versions of him seemed to be. He has evolved as a character, and deep down, he became quite tortured. He’s not as self-confident as he appears, and he strives to impress the Father because he cares a lot about his opinion.

More evidence of this evolution can be found in early and deleted content for the game.

To be continued…

[slowlydifferentbluebird]

hey! i saw the hcs for Sakura, can i request the same for Yunjin? ^ ^ thanks in advance!

Le Sserafim headcanon: Yunjin as your crush, girlfriend and wife

Requests are open

Hello Anon! Thank you for requesting this headcanon. It's funny because this was the most requested idea, I mean also other 4 or 5 people requested this headcanon. But honestly legit, because Yunjin deserves all the love in this world. I hope you enjoy it ❤️

Le Sserafim Yunjin X GN!Member

SFW Content

As your crush

You remember clearly when years ago you spent your days watching Produce 48

And how hard you were simping on this woman

And how upset you were about her being eliminated from the show

So imagine your surprise when she was seated next to you in an american college

You were like "Excuse me, but wtf?"

But honestly you didn't mind having her as your first friend there

In fact you didn't lose time in creating a friendly relationship with her

Even if people always thought about you two as lovers

Because both of you were so touchy and affectionate

Countless night spent together

Talking about your past and future

One of these night you were kinda drunk

So you confessed to her

You were so afraid to be rejected by her

Luckily that night she kissed you

As your girlfriend

The next morning you were two blushing mess

But at least you had the courage to take the lead and ask her to be officially your girlfriend

And guess what? You became the IT couple of the college

No, but seriously you two were the embodiment of the couple goals

Always wearing matching outfit

The most aesthetic photo to post on yours profile

And photo of each other as wallpaper of your phone

Cuddling before sleeping is a must

She needs to hold you to have a good sleep

You always tease her for being such a "Yas girl"

But actually you love this side of her because she always boost your confidence

As your wife

One though she received a call

And holy sh!t, it was the Hybe

And they wanted her to be part of their new girl group

She wanted to accept so bad, but she also didn't want to leave you behind

But you actually encouraged her and proposed to move with her

That was the moment where Yunjin understood you were her person, the only love of her life

Obviously she couldn't make you immediately the proposal

But after years of work with Le Sserafim, she finally did

You were officially hers and she was your partner for life

And for some reason now Eunchae is yours daughter, but hey, how could you say no to that baby?

NSFW Content

Now, talking about the spicy things

She's the biggest brat in bed

Always teasing you about not being good enough to make her satisfied

And every single time, after a couple of hours she squirted even her soul

Often wearing only lingerie in your house

And you're like "Alright, now we're gonna fuck"

Also very attentive to make you feel good too

Even though she needs to tease even in those moments

"Look at you, cumming so hard for me"

So it's only right to tease and edge her in exchange

She becames such a whining mess

Almost begging you to make her cum

After though she's a supporter of cuddles and aftercare

Tell her you love her, even if just minutes ago you were calling her a slut

[tyuninthemirror]

— amnesia: c.sb

— pairing: idol!soobin x trainee!fem!reader — genre: angst — word count: 1866 — disclaimers: mood is slightly darker, may trigger. — synopsis: after your break up, will soobin ever get over you? — series masterlist

— author's note: slightly shorter and sadder. i might rewrite it one day, because i think there's so much potential to expand this, but for now... :) hope you all have a great weekend! (major edited 7/22/2024)

Soobin sat backstage, his leg shaking involuntarily. He could feel his hands getting clammy with every passing second as he glanced at his phone for the umpteenth time that evening.

The final debut line-up announcement for LE SSERAFIM had come and gone, but he had yet to hear from you.

As he stared at the clock, the hands ticking away the moments, the knot in his stomach tightened. Half-past eight, two hours since the crucial announcement at six. Dread settled in. He couldn't escape the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong.

"Is everything okay, Soobin?" his manager asked, noticing his distress and the cold sweat on his forehead.

"I can't get ahold of Y/N," he confessed, his voice betraying the tremor of worry within.

His manager hesitated, his eyes darting away before settling back on Soobin. It was as if the air in the room thickened, and Soobin felt a chill creep up his spine in the prolonged silence.

"Soobin, I'm so sorry," his manager finally said, the words heavy with unspoken regret. "Y/N didn't make the final cut for LE SSERAFIM. And… She's decided to terminate her contract with HYBE."

Soobin's heart sank as the words hit him, leaving him feeling numb and cold. The phone, which he had eagerly awaited for good news, now felt heavy and burdensome in his sweaty hand.

"Terminate her contract?" He repeated the words, tasting the bitterness of their finality. "What are you saying?"

"She's leaving HYBE, Soobin. She doesn't want to become an idol anymore."

The news hits Soobin like a ton of bricks. For a year, the two of you have been keeping your relationship hidden from the public, and he never thought this would happen. He knew how talented you were and how important your fanbase was to HYBE. It felt like someone had dealt him a hard blow to the stomach. Only last night, he held you close, reassuring you that everything would be alright today.

Sitting in your dorm room, a heavy sense of disappointment weighed down upon your shoulders. Your roommate Sakura offered a sympathetic silence, allowing you to process the news alone. According to your manager, the company felt that adding younger members to the debut group would be more successful in attracting new fans. However, they reassured you that there were other plans in store for you.

At that moment, you held back your tears and thanked your manager for the last few years before heading to the office to request the termination of your trainee contract.

Your journey from PRODUCE 48 to this moment had been marked by highs and lows. Despite gaining popularity, the dream of debuting felt far away.

You had hoped for redemption with LE SSERAFIM, but fate dealt you a different hand. As your second chance slipped away, you accepted the fact that prolonging the pain was not an option.

The thought of Soobin, your biggest cheerleader and supporter, brought tears to your eyes. His words of encouragement from the night before echoed in your mind. You knew that if he found out, he’d be in front of you begging for you to stay, and you wouldn’t give it a second thought before agreeing to stay, well knowing that playing the waiting game would only worsen your depression.

With your heart heavy and your mind made up, you gather your belongings and prepare to leave. The door swings open suddenly and Soobin bursts inside, his usually calm demeanor replaced by a look of panic. You can see the worry etched into every line of his face, and you know he's been searching for you.

"Y/N, what's going on?" he pleads, taking in the sight of your packed bags.

"I'm leaving, Soobin," you respond with a forced sense of calmness, though the trembling grip on your bag betrays your true emotions.

"Leaving? But why?" His eyes widen in shock and confusion as he grapples with this unexpected news.

You struggle to find the right words as you explain your decision to Soobin. The weight of it all feels heavy on your shoulders, knowing how much this will hurt him. He reaches for your hand, his grip tight and desperate.

"But what about us?" he chokes out, tears glistening in his eyes. Your heart breaks at the sight of his pain.

"I love you, Soobin, but I can't stay. This grief is consuming me and I can't keep playing the waiting game," you confess, your voice shaking with emotion.

He looks at you with pleading eyes, his heart spilling out through his tears. "So you're just going to leave without saying goodbye?" His voice cracks with hurt and betrayal.

"I'm sorry," you whisper, tears streaming down your own cheeks. "I can't go through this again."

His cries become more desperate, begging you not to leave. "Please, Y/N, don't go. We can make it work, I'll support whatever you decide. Am I nothing to you?"

Your heart aches at his words, knowing that you are breaking both of your hearts in this moment. But you know deep down that this is the best choice for both of you.

Your voice trembles as you speak, barely audible over the pounding of your heart.

"I'm sorry, Soobin," you say, your eyes avoiding his. "I have to do this. It feels like I've been circling the same goal, stuck at the starting line. I'm ready to let go, even if it means giving up on us."

"Don't misunderstand," you continue, fighting back tears as you look into his devastated expression. "I love you and you'll always hold a special place in my heart. But I can't let where I am in life hold you back from success."

Silence hangs between you, thickening the air with tension. Soobin takes a deep breath and nods, his gaze never leaving yours.

"I understand," he says softly, his voice barely audible. "I'll miss you, Y/N."

A lump forms in your throat and tears blur your vision, but you know this is the right decision. You embrace Soobin tightly, committing every detail of him to memory - the way he smells of cologne mixed with sweat after a long day of practice, the warmth of his arms around you.

"I'll miss you too," you choke out through sobs as you finally pull away.

As you walk out of the dormitory you once called home and into the night air, tears streaming down your face, you know that saying goodbye to Soobin is one of the hardest things you've ever had to do. But deep down, you also know that it's what needs to be done for both of your futures.

Soobin drinks his sadness away in front of Yeonjun, and he watches as their leader drowns his 8th shot of the night. Soobin couldn't stop thinking about you and how it was so easy for you to walk out. Regret gnawed at him for not fighting harder, for understanding too late.

"I can't believe she's gone," he mumbled, a shaky admission of pain. "I miss her so much, Yeonjun."

"I know, man," Yeonjun says, putting a hand on Soobin's shoulder. "But you have to try and move on. It's the only way you'll be able to find peace. Besides, you know how much she's been suffering. You know how much debuting in this group meant to her."

Soobin nods, but he knows that it won't be easy. He takes another sip of his drink, trying to drown out his thoughts.

"I just wish it was that easy," he mumbles as he slumps over, resting his forehead on his forearm. "I wish I could wake up with amnesia and just start over."

The warm sun shone down on the group as they gathered for the filming of Game Caterers 2. Sakura greeted Soobin with a respectful bow, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders.

"Hey," he replied with a small smile, his heart rate increasing at the sight of her. It had been half a year since the two of you broke up, and Soobin had actively avoided being around LE SSERAFIM because it reminded him too much of you.

"How have you been?" Sakura asked in a gentle voice, her eyes full of concern. You and Sakura were close friends during your trainee days, so she often crossed paths with Soobin while you were dating.

"Fine," he responded, forcing a tight smile and already planning to make a quick exit.

"I just wanted you to know that Y/N is doing great," Sakura quickly blurted out before Soobin could walk away. He looked back slightly, curious to hear more about how you were doing. After leaving HYBE, you had deactivated all your social media accounts and disappeared from the public eye, leaving Soobin wondering about your well-being.

"She's working as a stylist now," Sakura continued, her expression softening as she spoke. "I met up with her a few weeks ago. She's genuinely happy now, Soobin. I know she would want the same for you."

"Thanks, Sakura," Soobin mumbled, feeling a glimmer of hope ignite within him. Could it be true? Were you truly happy now?

The memory of his encounter with Sakura lingered in his thoughts for months, until the day he saw you backstage during Inkigayo. The transformation was striking - a radiant glow of happiness seemed to emanate from you. Soobin couldn't help but stare, taking in every detail. Your hair styled differently, your posture exuding a newfound confidence that was both familiar and new. You were the same Y/N he had fallen for, yet the months apart had changed you so much. There was a twinkle in your eyes and a smile that reached them with ease - a completely different person from the one who spent countless nights crying in Soobin's arms over the uncertain future of your stage career.

"Soobin," you greeted, your voice a soft melody amidst the bustling backstage chaos. "It's been a while."

He hesitated, trying to process the sight of you. But before he could say anything, you spoke again.

"I'm sorry for how things ended," you continued, struggling to recall the words you had practiced in front of the mirror just in case you ran into Soobin again. But they all seemed to fail you in this moment.

Soobin shook his head, as if to erase any lingering shadows of their past. "No, Y/N. It was your path to choose, and I see now…you chose well."

A genuine and warm smile spread across your face at his words. "Thank you, Soobin. That means a lot to me."

He couldn't help but notice the lightness in your demeanor, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from your shoulders.

"I'm really happy for you, Y/N," he said sincerely, bridging the gap that time had created between them. "You look amazing."

"I am," you replied with a soft chuckle. "And I've been hoping we could start from the beginning, as friends, when you're ready."

Soobin nodded, a sense of peace and closure settling in his heart. The memories that once pained him now held a gentle nostalgia.

"I'd like that."

[coochiequeens]

Hardcore band Llorona dumps singer for trying to drug bandmate with estrogen in bizarre plot to 'steal his fiancée'

Nashville-based Llorona made the allegations in a series of Instagram posts

Ex-vocalist 'Diego' carried out the scheme by giving the band's bassist drinks 

He allegedly wanted to 'force a transition' so he would look better by comparison

By ALEX HAMMER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 16:43 EST, 26 February 2024 | UPDATED: 16:48 EST, 26 February 2024

A small-time band has parted ways with its lead singer over a plot that saw him secretly dose his bandmate with estrogen in a bid to steal his fiancée, it is claimed.

Nashville-based hardcore troupe Llorona made the allegations in a series of posts to its Instagram, claiming ex-vocalist 'Diego' carried out the scheme by giving the band's bassist drinks spiked with the female hormone.

Bandmates said he confessed to the act during a drinking binge, before allegedly owning up to it a second time. 

His supposed motive was to 'force a transition' on his friend so he would look better by comparison, bandmates said.

The member, who saw his pre-workout beverages poisoned, was identified as bassist 'sixx.' His social media suggests he is engaged to a woman named Caroline, whom he met in April. The band aired the strange claims to followers this past week.

"We have decided to part ways with our vocalist Diego due to admission of very disturbing and concerning behavior towards one of our band members and their partner,' the initial post read.

Producing a text message from Diego as proof, the band went on: 'He has admitted to being obsessed with said partner, and has been attempting to sabotage their relationship by cutting pre workout he frequently gifts from his job with high amounts of estrogen in them.

'He has been attempting to force a transition onto him for the last 5 months, in hopes that would give him the opportunity to ‘swoop in’ once he looked stronger and more manly in comparison. (Stupid cave man mindset that makes zero sense)' 

'This tampering has caused confusion and thousands of dollars in medical bills the past months trying to figure out whats[sic] wrong.

'We would not know any of this unless Diego had gotten way too intoxicated and ousted himself, and then stated an admission to all of this via text,' The group continued, sharing said text as supposed proof.

'There are many more disgusting details that have been left out for the sake of privacy and general censorship.'

The text where Diego allegedly owned up to the activities in a group text, which was also shared by the band via Instagram story.

The band went on to offer another comment in another verbose post that seemed to suggest the singer was attempting to play off his alleged admission as a joke.

'As for Diego’s response, it cannot be further from the truth on the supplement side of things. The only sealed products he would provide were proteins, but the other products were always unsealed because they were tossed at his job if they couldn’t sell it hence why it was free.

'He also has easy access to steroids and hormones because of his gym practices.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to both Llorona and sixx for comment.

[dailykoreanpop]

ROYA's Emotional Tribute to Moonbin Reveals Struggles of Moon Sua and Family

Mnet's "Produce 48's" Park Seo Young, also famously known as ROYA, recently shared a heartfelt tribute to the late ASTRO member Moonbin. The idol, who was found dead in his home on April 19th, caused shock and dismay among the entertainment industry and fans alike. Through Roya's Instagram story,, fans caught a glimpse of the hardships encountered by the late idol's family, most especially his sister, Moon Sua.

An Emotional Post on Instagram

ROYA took to Instagram on April 25th to express her grief and pay tribute to Moonbin. She uploaded an old photo from their childhood on her story saying that she did not have any recent photos with Moonbin. Because ever since they hit their mid-20s, they didn't get the chance to hang out as much as they used to.

Furthermore, she also addressed Moonbin as their "big brother" and mentioned how she's confident he'll keep watching over them from up above.

Revealing the Struggles of Moon Sua and Family

In her Instagram story, ROYA confessed that Moon Sua, Eunbi (SinB's real name), and their aunt and uncle are all having a hard time coping with Moonbin's sudden passing. She said that everyone who knew Moonbin misses him dearly and that he must have been a really good person. ROYA expressed regret for not being able to spend more time with him during his final days.

A Promise to Visit and Take Care of Moon Sua and Eunbi

ROYA also shared her plans to visit Moonbin's resting place with Moon Sua and Eunbi, bringing flowers as a token of gratitude for his presence in their lives. She assured the late idol that she would look after the two from the sidelines, and her only wish is for Moonbin to be at peace.

The Heartbreaking Photo of Moonbin's Childhood

Along with her heartfelt message, ROYA also shared a photo that showcased Moonbin's bright childhood. The picture, which brought many to tears, featured ROYA standing side by side with Moonbin, Moon Sua, and SinB, smiling brightly. 

In the background, singer Poppin' Hyun Joon and actor Lee Joon Gi made V poses.

Remembering Moonbin's Career and Legacy

Moonbin, born in 1998, began his acting career as a child actor in the KBS 2TV drama "Boys Over Flowers" in 2009. Then in 2016, he finally debuted as a member ASTRO. Moonbin recently worked as a member of the unit group "Moonbin & Sanha" and participated in overseas concerts, meeting fans from around the world.

A separate space has been set up by the agency for fans to commemorate Moonbin's life, and everyone is welcome to visit until April 30th. Moonbin's funeral was held privately on April 22nd at the funeral hall of Seoul Asan Hospital, in accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family.

Credit: Kpopstarz 

[kaasknot]

Heyo! Hope you’re having a good weekend!

I saw this today and wonder if you have a take on it?

https://www.laineygossip.com/rami-malek-to-star-as-buster-keaton-new-drama-series-seems-like-job-for-johnny-knoxville/73389

i've seen so many takes flash through the buster keaton fandom in the past 48 hours, lol. as for this article, i mostly agree with the author's objections to rami malek. he doesn't especially look like buster, but eh, he's got similarly ginormous buggy eyes, which imo is more important than <checks writing on facebook> nose, jawline, or height. also he's a good actor and good with accents, so at face value he's no worse than donald o'connor in 1957's "the buster keaton story."

the thing that took my fucking breath away, though, was this sentence: "Over the last twenty years, no one has done more in cinema to keep the spirit of Buster Keaton alive than Knoxville and the Jackass crew." i am SORRY??? this author thinks fucking jackass is the true spirit of buster keaton???

rant incoming.

i don't particularly like comedy as a genre. it relies too much on idiotic situations, juvenile humor, or humiliation. i've never watched an episode of "jackass," but from what i've heard, it leans hard on the last two. i cannot stress this enough: buster's sense of humor bears almost NOTHING in common with johnny knoxville's, aside from stuntwork.

i hate humiliation-based comedy beyond words. i hate it. i got bullied severely as a kid, and candid camera-type shit where some quote-unquote "comedian" comes along and torments another person for laughs reads to me as pure bullying. when buster cameoed on "candid camera" in 1962, the joke was always on him. he would go into a restaurant and suffer mishap after mishap, to the point that the other patrons would try to help him. the best modern comparison is that tiktok of the guy faking phone confessions so he can capture the eavesdropper's reactions. it's the kindest form of bystander humor i can think of, and a far cry from "jackass."

i have a low tolerance for that kind of comedy too, tbh. it's better than making someone else the butt of the joke, but it's so hard to get the balance right, and more often than not it makes me want to curl up and die of secondhand embarrassment. but i never get that feeling in buster's films. sure, he goes through embarrassing situations, but it never hurts. there's a gentleness and deft touch that keeps it from being sadomasochistic. and i think this is something people don't really understand about his style of comedy: yes, it was physical, and yes, it was slapstick, but it was also surprisingly cerebral. he wasn't just a manchild yelling and throwing pies around; it could be very subtle stuff. and, god, he would have fucking died before he did something like nailing his balls to his thigh or snorting wasabi till he puked. just trying to imagine him doing that is—it's like trying to open a lock with an orange peel. it's not only laughable, it's absurd to try. buster's humor wasn't based in shock value. it was based in logic, wry commentary on humanity, and yes, eye-popping stunts that he walked away from—unharmed.

it's straight up comparing an arabian to a donkey. i mean sure, they're both horse-shaped, right?

back to the article, the author's correct that stuntwork is vital to any buster keaton biopic, and i do have reservations about rami's casting on that front. buster learned how to tumble at the age of three, and he practiced it continuously for the next 67 years. unless rami has a background in dance, gymnastics, or stuntwork... i'm not sure he'll be able to train up the kind of muscle memory he'll need before filming.

but i'm also willing to extend the benefit of the doubt. i heard a rumor that he's also a producer on the series; to me, that indicates he's invested. he wants it to be good.

brace for the worst, hope for the best. that's what i'm doing.

[mxamalgam]

Ohhh just remembered that episode where Jake arrests a guy he arrested before without any evidence because he's very sure he did a crime and everyone has to scramble to prove he's guilty over 48 hours or he'll be able to sue.

They chastise Jake, not for arresting a person with no evidence, but for ruining their weekend making them search endlessly for evidence. Favorite uh-oh moment in the episode is when Jake (the loveable childish protagonist) tries to lie and say they have him in the bag to produce a confession but he says he knows about the 48 hours thing. That is supposed to make the viewer go "Oh no!"

slightly punk-looking teenager on a cop show: i wont talk. i know my rights

cops behind interrogation room glass: damn. this one teenager won’t cooperate. now we’ll never catch Fuckhands the Baby Murderer. and it’s all because the police doesn’t have absolute authority. this is terrible

grandmas across the world: damn, good point

[mirandamckenni1]

BLAKE BLOSSOM: Brainrot, Facetune, & Futanari | The ADULT TIME Podcast With Bree Mills BLAKE BLOSSOM: Brainrot, Facetune, & Futanari EPISODE #18: This week, Bree Mills sits down with AVN's Best New Starlett (2022) & secret nerd Blake Blossom! Listen as Bree & Blake candidly unpack the effects of growing up in the social-media age. Blake shares her struggles with self-acceptance in a world of Facetune, and confesses her desire for the demise of the internet. Blake shares her fascination with cults, self-producing on set, and her relationship with Dan Damage. Tune in to hear Bree & Blake discuss all things achieving accomplishments, her dream collab with A24, recognizing your own vibe, and SO MUCH MORE! ABOUT THE ADULT TIME PODCAST: Join Bree Mills, an award-winning adult filmmaker, as she engages in candid conversations with women from her industry about female sexuality, wellness, and empowerment. This podcast aims to shed light on the intimate aspects of these women’s lives, providing enlightenment, entertainment, and education while emphasizing the importance of sexual communication and confidence. THE ADULT TIME PODCAST LINKS: Adult Time Instagram: https://ift.tt/4Wqh2Yj Bree Mills Instagram: https://ift.tt/x8isLTV Podcast Website: https://ift.tt/3KEuUJf Apple Podcasts: https://ift.tt/lGoCIMq Spotify: https://ift.tt/yRCjT8A More Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrl2wwrIXahpSfP2VOPQ79aH9F7Xa_cPl YouTube Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@AdultTimeCom/shorts TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) The internet shutdown (01:27) The evolution of communication (05:27) Social media's impact (08:35) Self-acceptance and authenticity (12:22) Entering the industry (18:24) The pressure of industry standards (19:34) Authenticity and setting boundaries (20:47) Positive experiences on set (22:04)Empowering performers (23:39) Challenges and authenticity (24:43) Supporting performers (26:19) Cultivating positive experiences (28:55) Producing and creative direction (33:18) Achievements and industry recognition (34:09) Navigating industry challenges (35:02) Personal relationships in the industry (36:15) Nervousness and Attraction (41:00) Connection and Understanding (42:30) Care for Performers (44:40) Collaborative Project Ideas (47:48) Unique Content Preferences (49:18) Conclusion and Feedback SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@AdultTimeCom?sub_confirmation=1 ABOUT ADULT TIME: Adult Time is a digital subscription platform for a new era of adult entertainment. We are a brand built by people who believe in a future where mature audiences can safely, securely, and proudly have a place in their lineup for premium adult content. In addition to our addictive programming, Adult Time is dedicated to creating a personalized content experience for all our viewers with 400+ channels, 60,000 episodes, and VR and interactive toy integration. #shorts #adulttime #streaming #movies #tv #entertainment #tvshows #film #shortfilm #subscribe #podcastclips #podcast #adultstars #adultstar #BlakeBlossom via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0S7-IDeRI

[celtfather]

Cruisicin Lan #632

Let's go roving with the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #632.

Jared Bogle, The Bordercollies, Rover's Way, Mary - Kate Spring Lee, Eimear Arkins, Seldom Sober, Avery LeVine, Blame Not the Bard, Dervish, Brian Quigley, Eclectic Revival, The Muckers, Marc Gunn, Sam Gillogly, Dancing With Hobbits

GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Subscribe and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2023

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2023 episode.  Vote Now!

You can also follow our playlists on Spotify and YouTube. These feature the top songs two weeks after the polls open. It also makes it easier for you to add these artists to your own playlists.

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:02 - Intro: John Kennedy

0:19 - Jared Bogle "Found and Lost / The Final B (Jigs)" from The Old Road Home

4:04 - WELCOME

5:21 - The Bordercollies "The Ivy Leaf/Hanleys/The Milky Way" from Sticks and Stones

9:01 - Rover's Way "Cruiscin Lan" from The Journey

12:58 - Mary - Kate Spring Lee "From Galway to Dublin/McGlinchey's Hornpipe" from Tunes in the Morning

17:27 - Eimear Arkins "Slán Le Máigh" from What's Next?

23:48 - FEEDBACK

27:42 - Seldom Sober "Raggle Taggle Gypsy / King of the Fairies" from Six Months in Confession

31:51 - Avery LeVine "Give Us a Drink of Water/Martin Wynne's No. 1" from The Rainy Day

33:50 - Blame Not the Bard "The Leaving of Liverpool" from Now and Again

37:06 - Dervish "The May Morning Dew" from The Great Irish Songbook

41:07 - THANKS

43:29 - Brian Quigley "Party Without Pants" from Tales of Distant Shores

47:50 - Eclectic Revival "Jack Haggarty" from Life & Love

51:20 - The Muckers "God Save Ireland" from One More Stout

53:32 - CLOSING

55:42 - Marc Gunn, Sam Gillogly "October Waltz" from Dancing With Hobbits

59:17 - CREDITS

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to subscribe to the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I’m a Celtic musician and podcaster. This podcast is here to build our diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. Musicians rely on your support to keep making music.  If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

IrishFest Atlanta takes place Nov 3  -  5, 2023. Ashley Davis Band and Dervish are the headlining performers for the festival. You’ll also enjoy workshops, Irish tea, whiskey, Irish dance, stories and more. www.irishfestatlanta.org

Dancing With Hobbits is the next album I am recording with Sam Gillogly. We’re launching a Kickstarter in November. The album features instrumental hobbit  -  inspired dance music with a Celtic flair, because that’s what we do. Please follow the pre  -  launch page to be the first to support this fun album of Celtic Hobbit music. marcgunn.com/dancingwithhobbits

And if you are a Celtic musician or in a Celtic band, then please submit your band to be played on the podcast. You don’t have to send in music or an EPK. Just complete the permission form at 4celts.com.

You can also pick up a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music while you’re there. Email gift@bestcelticmusic

Do you have the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast app? It’s 100% free. You can listen to hundreds of episodes of the podcast. Download it now.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

Because of Your kind and generous support, this show comes out four times a month. Your generosity funds the creation, promotion, and production of the show. It allows us to attract new listeners and to help our community grow.

As a patron, you get music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, and you get a private feed to listen to the show.  All that for as little as $1 per episode.

A special thanks to our newest Patrons of the Podcast: Shawn Cali, REBECCA DAY, Leslie Morrell

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.

Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $10. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month.

Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ #celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening or a picture you took of a band that you saw.

How would you like to introduce an episode of the podcast? It’s super easy. Contact me for details.

Email me at celticpodcast@gmail or message me on Facebook.

Jolena posted on Mastodon: "Hi Marc. This is Jolena, the blind woman who has commented on some of your shows. I'm still listening and loving the music as usual. I'm listening to Episode 626 of your show while sitting on the back porch. The weather has finally cooled off for a little while, so I'm taking advantage of it while I can. Take care and have a blessed day."

jendefer also posted on Mastodon: "Just listened to the new #Jiggy single of Willie Taylor, and wow, is it intense! Thanks @celtfather for another great Irish & Celtic Music Podcast episode"

Rachel Red commented on Patreon: "I saw Old Blind Dogs a few weeks ago and they performed Highland Lassies Parts 1 & 2. It was the bees knees! Glad to see it was featured this week."

Finally, Allie Ryan asks: "Hi Marc, do you know any “district 2” Irish music bands?

“District 2” being the City Council East Village, Gramercy Park, Kips Bay, Lower East Side of Manhattan ?

Our family, including our 9 & 11 yr old daughters listen to the podcast on Sundays when going to music lessons ( and to practice Irish dance lessons  )

I am running to represent the district in City Council and would love to represent/ promote a local band(s)/artist on the campaign trail. My husband is clipping together video clips and always needs a good song.

We plan to have a meet and greet at our local Paddy Reillys bar ( lot of history there !)  -  so who knows, maybe we’ll at some point have a venue / gig for them -   hopefully a victory party.

Thanks for any response. Election coming up Tuesday so we will be in full campaign mode non stop til then  -  things will happen fast.

Hope this gives you some inspiration / ideas and hope to hear from you or artists soon ( feel free to pass on this email / address ). "

  Check out this episode!

[justinmoviereviews]

The best movies of 2022

I made a list of every movie I watched in 2022, ranked from least favorite to favorite. With the exception of the last three of four on this list, I basically liked every one of these. A pretty good film year, I’d say.

I’m gonna add little sentence punctuations to some of these, wherever it’s fun to do so.

67. Blonde

Oh buddy did this movie suck.

66. Elvis 65. The Batman 64. Black Adam 63. Emily the Criminal

Weird to me that everyone liked this so much. It was a B action movie with a couple lines about student debt, and that’s apparently all it took for people to call it timely.

62. The Good Nurse 61. The Wonder 60. The Invitation

The worst thing I can say about this year is that the streamers started to feel produced by technology, but this one will stand out for me for being a great example of when the algorithm breaks. The program said people like vampires and British royalty, so let’s mash them up.  

59. Smile 58. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

A very good movie I did not like at all.

57. Sick 56. Watcher 55. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 54. Confess, Fletch 53. Argentina, 1985 52. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 51. Vengeance 50. Prey 49. Bodies Bodies Bodies 48. The Fabelmans 47. Father of the Bride 46. Top Gun: Maverick 45. Hustle 44. Benediction 43. Dog 42. Nanny 41. Empire of Light 40. Causeway 39. Bros 38. White Noise 37. Living 36. Petit Maman 35. Ambulance 34. The Cathedral 33. Pleasure 32. Amsterdam 31. Spiderhead 30. KIMI 29. To Leslie 28. The Northman 27. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery 26. Happening 25. The Whale 24. Women Talking 23. Saint Omer 22. Crimes of the Future

I might rank this higher on a future rewatch.

21. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 20. Bullet Train

Just so fucking fun.

19. Stars at Noon

The most curious film of the year.

18. Nope

This still feels like a throat cleanser to me, but I imagine that’s good for his career in the long term. He’s easily the most exciting director currently working.

17. Triangle of Sadness

I think time will vindicate this one, which is more a farce about society than a farce about wealth.

16. Armageddon Time

I wasn’t prepared for this to be as sharp or well-observed or frankly dark as it was.

15. Don’t Worry Darling

This movie rocked. Maybe one day people will give it a second chance.

14. Decision to Leave

No question the best made film of the year.

13. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

A disaster, but a gorgeous and ambitious disaster. The antidote to the Invitation problem described above.

12. Tar

Sort of the opposite of Bardo. A tight and exquisitely made film.

11. The Eternal Daughter

A really cool idea. I liked this one a lot.

10. X

2022 was a great year for horror.

9. RRR

It’s so cool to me that this ended up being a crossover hit.

8. Babylon

I’m honestly not sure why I rate this one as high as I do.

7. The Menu

2022 was a really great year for horror.

6. Aftersun

The one emotionally devastating movie I allow on a list like this of the year.

5. All Quiet on the Western Front

The best war movie since Dunkirk.

4. The Banshees of Inisherin

Great film.

3. Everything Everywhere All at Once

I suspect this will be the movie we associate with this year forever, and its worthy, though it is not my favorite.

2. Barbarian

Holy shit 2022 was a good year for horror.

1. Men

What an insane masterpiece. This is the one I want to hang on my wall.

[amicidomenicani]

Question Dear Father Angelo, I know a lot of people who have been going to mass and receiving Communion for ages but are not good Christians at all. I am aware that the Eucharist is not a “magic wand” and that it does not automatically transform into Jesus whoever receives it, but then I ask myself: what is the point of taking Holy Communion? Perhaps it ought to be preceded by a good confession, whereas many people do not go to confession so often. Or maybe people should make a greater effort so as to lead an authentically Christian life (as the old saying goes: God helps those who help themselves). I hope you will cast some light on this matter.  Thank you very much and kind regards. Guido Answer Dear Guido, 1. After reading your email some time ago, I finally have time to reply only today. As for your remark about people who go to mass, receive communion but then are not good Christians, I can answer by reminding you that we see only the outward appearance. We do not know what their lives would be like without the Eucharist. We will see how they would have been like only when we are in heaven. Nevertheless, I take the cue from your email to say what we should do in order for Mass and Holy Communion to produce transforming effects in our life. I say transforming because Saint Thomas Aquinas states that the effect produced by the Eucharist is our transformation into Christ. Of course, we all feel that we are very distant from this. What should we do? You say: we should go to confession and confess our sins well. This is correct, it is necessary to go to confession, especially if we are aware that we have grave sins that have not been absolved yet. But there is also another thing that we should do any time we go to Mass. 2. I begin by the statement of the Holy Cure of Ars, who used to say: “the reason for the priest’s relaxation is that he does not pay attention to mass”. The same can be said about every Christian. 3. The Second Vatican Council says in its constitution about liturgy: “the Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full collaboration” (Sacrosantum Concilium, 48). It also adds: “ by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn also to offer themselves” (SC, 48). What the Council urges us to do is a lesson never sufficiently learnt. Every day it is like a new endeavor.  4. What the Holy Cure of Ars used to say about priests applies to everyone: “what prevents the priest from being holy is the lack of reflection; we do not return to ourselves, we do not know what we are doing; we need reflection, prayer, union with God”.  5. How many people among those who celebrate or go to mass are conscious that the Passion of Christ is made present through the priest? Because mass is exactly this, as the Sacred Scripture says:“for as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (1Cor, 11:26). “You proclaim the death of the Lord”! This means: “you make it present”. Is there anything greater and more fearsome than this?  6. The Magisterium of the Church says that: “no other work can be performed by the faithful so holy and divine as this tremendous mystery itself, wherein that life-giving victim, by which we were reconciled unto God the Father, is daily immolated on the altar by the priests” (Council of Trent, session 22). 7. The Holy Cure of Ars, using very simple words, would say that: “all good works together are not of equal value with the sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, and the holy Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing

in comparison; it is the sacrifice that man makes of his life to God; the Mass is the sacrifice that God makes to man of His Body and of His Blood” (Monnin, The Spirit of the Curé of Ars, edited by J. E. Bowden, London 1865, p. 74). 8. Saint Alphonsus Liguori is of the same mind: “God himself could not enable man to perform anything greater than the celebration of Mass. All the ancient sacrifices, by which God was so much honoured, were but shadows and figures of our sacrifice of the altar. All the honour that angels by their adorations, and men by their good works, austerities, and even martyrdoms, have ever rendered or will ever render to God, never could, and never will, give him so much glory as one single Mass; for, while the honour of all creatures is only finite, that which accrues to God from the holy Sacrifice of the Altar is infinite, inasmuch as the victim which is offered is of infinite value” (Discourses on the Mass and on the Divine Liturgy, translated from the Italian of Saint Alphonsus Liguori by Rev. James Jones, London 1878, pp. 7-8). 9. Saint Thomas Aquinas says that the Eucharist is  “the sacrament of our Lord’s passion” (Commentary on John, n. 963) because “it contains in itself the Christ who suffered. Thus, whatever is an effect of our Lord’s passion is also an effect of this sacrament” (Ibidem). 10. For this reason, it is reported that the Holy Cure of Ars “did everything that there was to be done to stir up the reverence and love of the faithful for Christ hidden in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and to bring them to share in the riches of the divine Synaxis; the example of his devotion was ever before them. To be convinced of this — witnesses tell us — all that was necessary was to see him carrying out the sacred ceremonies or simply to see him genuflect when he passed the tabernacle” (John XXIII, Sacerdotii nostri primordia, 47). 11. Therefore, here is what we should do: bear in mind that when we go to mass, we are actually going to make present and offer the passion of Christ for ourselves and for everyone. And that we do this so as to conform our feelings to those of Christ immolated for the redemption and the sanctification of everyone. We should live with an attitude of continuous offering and oblation, especially when it costs.  12. Also in this regard it is useful to remember what the Holy Cure of Ars used to say: "the works of penance abound in such delights and joys that once they have been tasted, nothing will ever again root them out of the soul.... Only the first steps are difficult for those who eagerly choose this path." I heartfeltly wish this for you and for myself, I assure you my prayer and I bless you. Father Angelo

[tteokdoroki]

aaliiii how do you feel about izone??

omg confession time i used to dislike them sm ( like i just avoided them a lot ) bc i watched that season of produce 48 and the final line-up seemed totally off to me !!! but I rlly like la vien rose and i even know the dance !! currently stanning sakura and eunchae in their new group tho <3

[produce48confessions-blog]

#411. “Ment bringing Chiyori and Wang Ke back for the sports day is just them admitting that all their most entertaining trainees have been eliminated”