#s4 has so many good looks it was so hard to narrow this down

[elssbethtascioni]

favorite fran fine outfits → season 4 (pt. 1)

[simp999]

A New Home Ch. 23

Various! Splatoon Manga x Skilled! Isekai'd! Reader

Wc: 1.9k eat up :)

A/N: hey look who has no self-control and will always bow down to their fans

Look at me procrastinating on everything, ever

Back to the Start! Previous Next

The next few days went by painfully slowly for the S4 members and your team. Whenever you weren’t training, you were either in battle for the tournament or sleeping. You weren’t lying when you said you’d be tougher on your teammates than on the S4. But you’d be wrong if you said you didn’t see drastic improvement. The day after the first training session, Army and Aloha were already using Skull as an anchor for superjumping. Whenever Skull would get splatted, Mask begrudgingly stayed back.

Your team was getting fewer splats, but you still managaed to be in control of the stage most of the time. Leo’s stamina was slowly building up, and Tasha could last longer, too. Milo on the other hand, was struggling even more with his weakness. He had a big heart. You couldn’t blame him for it, but it costed, and you can’t afford that in the big leagues. He’d been splatted a few times because of his hesitation towards Army. Or when you or Leo were in the same area as the opponent, he was afraid of you getting in his range of fire. The splatling’s a messy weapon, and he’s going to have to accept that. Sure, you could count on one hand how many times he got splatted because of it, but it’s still a problem.

Your battles in the tournament were seen as a great break for your team, since the opposing teams were always a breeze to get through, even when the competition was supposed to be narrowed down. Not even a month ago, you’d be terrified of the amount of attention on you and your team, but now you’re not as worried. You’d even be down to say you might embrace it. It’s kind of nice getting recognised.

You’re once again treating your team and the S4 to ice cream. It may not happen often, and it may not be good for their health, but come on! They’ve been working so hard, and improving so much. You’ve got to thank them for sticking around and dealing with all this somehow. You’re not a big fan of the times when your pride shows, and you end up getting splatted with a big smile on your face because of a recent breakthrough with your team. Or when you ruffle Aloha’s tentacles after a long session of battling, thanking him and the rest of the S4 for dealing with all the sore muscles and sweat. Even when Leo accuses you of playing favorites, and you’re stuck letting him lay in your lap during break. You’re still a tad furstrated about the time you fell asleep on Skull during break and they didn’t wake you up until it was too late to keep training. Slackers. But who could blame them? 

You smile at the memory. 

Leo pokes you in the cheek.

“What’chya smilin’ about?”

You turn to him and bring your hand to his cheek to wipe off some leftover ice cream.

“Your idiocy.”

He chuckles at how it tickles, and you gently shove his face away. Your team continues to chat with the S4, and you’re glad to see them all getting along as equals. It’s still pretty crazy to have mutual respect with their idols, even going to say that a couple of them are friends. Army’s the first to stand up, telling everybody that he’ll be leaving to meet up with Team Orange. Now that you think about it, you’ve kinda been stealing them from their other teammates, huh? It’s about time they go back and hang out with their respective teams again. It wouldn’t change much for Mask, since he’s still going to have his nose stuck in his switch, playing his new game either way. But Skull and Aloha should go see their teams again. It’s probably been a while since Team Pink went to Mahi Mahi together, and Aviator has been reaching out to Skull every so often to check on his leader, to make sure he’s still alive n’ all.

“Hey, you guys should go do your own thing for a bit.”

Your team glances over at you, confused about whatever you’re on about.

“It’s our day off, and we don’t have any battles going on, so go chill for a while.”

Milo looks away, like he’s trying to decide on something.

“How about we still chill and take the day off, but we stay together? Maybe go see if there’s any gear we’re interested in at the mall?”

‘Right. He’s never been a fan of separation. But that actually seems like a good idea, it might do us some good to have new gear.’

You noticed during one of your training sessions that Leo’s Black Anchor Tee had a rip in it. You were planning on just sewing it up for him, but he might be better off just getting a new piece of gear. He likes getting new stuff anyways. 

Milo’s not a fan of getting rid of old clothes, but it seems his hoodie has done its time, and may have gone through the washing machine a few too many times.

It doesn’t take long before you’re all looking around for new gear, and Leo’s showing off a hoodie he found. The Black Hoodie, and it has Ink resistance Up. He holds it up in front of his torso to check the size. The gold logo doesn’t look too bad on him, and the Ink Restistance would do him a lot better than the respawn punisher he had before.

Milo’s feeling the inside of an Olive Zekko Parka to see if he likes the texture. It can’t be too thick, or else he’ll be sweating buckets on the battlefield. Once he decides that he likes it, and you give him some convincing that it suits his ink color, along with the fact that it’s a very similar color to his old hoodie, he shuffles through to find his size.

Tasha is trying on a Takoroka Nylon Vintage, and as you walk over, she mentions that it has Respwan Punisher. Yup, very Tasha. It looks good on her, too. You weren’t expecting something so… vibrant to be something she’d wear, but the purple and black suit her. She probably just wants it for the ability, though. 

You browse around, and check to see if you can find a new version of your top, or maybe a different piece of gear that you’d rather have. Splatoon one was sort of limited. You all make it to the front to purchase the new gear, but as you hand off the gear to the cashier, you notice that Milo’s hands are empty. Did he not want to change his old hoodie?

“They didn’t have my size.”

Oh. Doesn’t the Olive Zekko Parka have Swim Speedup? That doesn’t sound too good for a splatling main anyways.

“We could always check online for it. Now that we know you like how it feels, we can even try to get you one with Run Speed-up.”

He brightens up a little and nods.

Leo’s legs are getting tired, so Milo offers to give him a piggyback ride while you continue to walk around the mall. Everyone’s tired, so you probably won’t be sticking around much longer, but Tasha was dead-set on checking out the new facemasks they have at Headspace. She bolted straight towards an Anniki Facemask, and Milo lets Leo down so he can follow Tasha. She faces the corner of the store to take off her bandanna, and swiftly exchanges it for the Annaki facemask, while Milo stands behind her to intercept any unwanted looks. When she turns around and checks herself out in the mirror, you can see the way her eyes are completely lit up, and how she seems to be feeling and adjusting and adjusting the mask constantly. She seems to be really happy about it. She quickly goes to purchase it, and the clerk tell her that that specific mask happens to have Ink Saver Main, instead of the usual Opening Gambit. Even better. She quickly nods to tell them that she’s fine with that, and she walks off with her new favorite piece of gear. 

You’re about to walk out of the mall together, but the trip wouldn’t be finished until you checked out the footwear. Leo is back on Milo’s back, up until they make it towards a bench that they can sit on while you guys check for new shoes. Milo says he’s comfortable with his Purple Hi-Horses and the Special power up. Tasha spent a while searching for Neo Octo boots that had any good abilities, and she managed to find some with Ink Saver Main. Score. 

You search around for something for Leo. You come across lots of shoes that you think would suit him and now you’re stuck deciding on which ability would be best. Black Dakroniks with Main power up, Black Trainers with Quick Respawn, or the Blue & Black Squidkid IVs with Quick Superjump. You bring the three boxes of footwear over to him so he can try them on, and he has clear favoritism towards the Black Dakroniks. Main power up it is, then. Of course Leo'd choose that. 

Leo finally thinks that he can have a break, but there's one last thing to get. This will be quick, though, you assure him. Milo's not a fan of how tight his old shorts are, so he gets himself some cargo shorts. Tasha gets herself the leggins, but they're short on her. She likes it that way, though. Leo keeps his shorts, and you get yourself a new pair of whichever you're most interested in.

Now, finally, Leo can go home and take a well-needed nap. Milo carries him out as you and Tasha follow. On the way out of the mall, you spot a shorter boy with yellow tentacles sitting by deca tower. Now's your chance. You tell Tasha to not wait up for you, and that you'd be home in a bit. 

"You're staying?"

"Yup. Just for a little."

“You sure? What are you going to do?”

“Probably just hang around the square.” You look towards the sky, ”It’s a nice day out, after all.”

Tasha seems hesitant to leave, but Leo and Milo are already almost out of the Square. She adjusts her new jacket, and makes her way over to her teammates.

“Just don’t get into any trouble, okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you say.”

You slowly walk over to the kid, sitting a comfortable distance away. 

Now to find some weaknesses.

You begin to feel the frustration bubble up again, remembering the disrespect his team showed the S4. But, you promised to yourself that you'd keep your composure. For now, at least. You're about to speak up, but he begins. 

"I'm sorry."

He shyly looks away, 

"Huh?" 

That wasn't what you were expecting. Does he even know you?

"About the S4's loss. I saw your team in the crowd. You all really look up to them, don't you?"

"Uh… yeah."

He wasn't supposed to be this nice.

Next Part

June 19, 23

[castielcommunism]

hi ok so i love following u and seeing ur posts i think u have a good grasp on these characters and ur takes are always super fun to read (also loveing p&p) i was wondering if u have like a list of recommendations for fics that you think everyone should read or that have really good characterization im sorta new here and ive been scouring the internet but its hard to narrow down lol

hiiii thank you!!! I know it can be kinda overwhelming and honestly I’ve barely scratched the surface myself with the amount of fics that are out there, but here’s a short list. i will roughly divide these into dean studies fics and cas studies fics. You can also look through my bookmarks on ao3 here if you want a longer list.

Dean studies:

Head Full of Darkness. Takes place during the widower arc in s13.

r/supernatural. Dean posts about his problems on Reddit. Very funny

Put Up Your Dukes. This is exquisite Dean POV. Cas is ooc in this imo but like in a fun way. It’s a very cheesy and fun romantic fic

A Complete Kingdom. This is a horror case fic set after s8 and has an ambiguous but unhappy ending. However I think everyone should read this anyway because the characterisation and dialogue are really stellar. It’s also a really good case fic. Like what if spn was actually scary and also good? It’s more unsettling than scary imo but still. Highly recommend it.

HOW TO: BUILD A MAN. This is a fun trans dean fic!

I will just generically recommend xylodemon. They have a lot of good one shots and I’ve liked most of their stuff!

Cas studies:

So Says The Sword. A foundational text in the fandom and it deserves the praise it gets. Cas is tasked with watching over Dean in the Green Room/Beautiful Room in s4 over the course of about 2 years. Reading about two guys being stuck in a room together during the quarantine gives it an extra kick.

Same Ghost Every Night. Cas listens to Dean’s nightly prayers in Purgatory.

the doorway to a thousand churches. Cas POV during the Naomi brainwashing arc in S8. It’s really good

walking on a string. Cas takes breaks from fighting a civil war to fuck Dean silly in various motel rooms

you’re holy to me. VERY explicit smut so be warned but this fic fucking rules

Angels Americana. This perfectly captures s4/s5’s vibes of an apocalypse in modern america. Not strictly a cas studies fic per se but it has very epic vibes.

my heart a compass. best 15x18 fix it fic I’ve read (though I haven’t read many. still this fic is very good)

Until the Breaking of the Day. Vintage destiel fic from 2009. This could go in either category but I like the angel stuff in it and it’s pretty funny

climb down off of the cross and change your mind. bitter casgirl human cas s9 fic. It’s a real good time

the reach of human sense. Cas is upset Dean can’t see his true form. i LOVE this fic. I’ve recc’d this author several times by this point in the list. Everything I’ve read from them has been really great!

[rulerofstars]

kiss my wounds

ever since you were cadets, the Ackerman was fond of feeling your subtle touch against his injuries.

pairing: levi ackerman x reader

genre: angst. light fluff.

warnings: manga spoilers. s4 spoilers. don’t read when you’re not updated with the manga. cursing. mentions of death. blood.

word count: 2087 words

angel: inspired by this cover.

Of how the war and chaos could settle a burning turmoil never made a sense within your heart and mind. Every scar, every cut, every drop of blood that has been shed seemed to be pooling up along the unbearable weight of being the only ones left, and it teared you apart.

It teared you apart to see how broken your lover is, to fight for the one last promise he made for the commander.

The warm liquid that cascaded down your face trailed below your chin, finally dropping onto the spare cloth that you and Hanji used to clean the captain’s wounds up. Sniffling, you let your clean hand caress the cheek of the man you love, still beyond amazed and hurt— such a strong man to survive such injuries, such a strong man to make it against a formidable enemy.

“What have you done?” You whisper, pressing soft kisses against the cuts that carved through his porcelain skin, admiring how peaceful he looks while he is asleep. His pain was everything you wished you could carry for the man, he has swum up against waves of sorrow and despair, despite a myriad of reasons to let the current win.

Levi kept his eye closed while he drowns within the feeling of your subtle touches, every thought that fleeted above his head ever since Zeke turned every comrade into a titan had ceased when you came to him. His home came to him. You are his every meaning of an angel, and no matter how hard the man had tried, he cannot seem to fathom why someone like you would fall in love with someone like him.

And everyone knew. You are the captain’s lover, an angel who found paradise in the depths of hell.

Prior to the events that fan the flames of the havoc that claimed so many lives in Shiganshina, you decided to serve for the people and seek for answers behind the colossal walls that kept you away from what felt like freedom. You wanted to be a person who’s not just known because you are good with kids as you often assist Dr. Yeager with his young patients, thus you joined the survey corps. Keith Shadis’s term as the commander honed your capabilities as the strict man’s terrifying aura made you scared to succumb to death. That man was scarier than death.

Meeting the man whose stares feel like daggers across the skin was never an issue for you. You were both cadets, both newbies, both soldiers, but you had different objectives. His narrow, grey eyes never shed intimidation whenever it occasionally meets your gleaming ones. Stares of judgement and chagrin had always burned a hole behind the man’s back, and you never understood the reason why soldiers did that to him. You never rode along the distorted prejudice against the people who came from the Underground.

It was in the middle of an expedition, when you first had a real conversation, under a massive tree that is surrounded by titans who reached for the both of you above the branches. As a cadet, your heart thumped like crazy, being cornered by titans and having no one but the grumpy man beside you who sat calmly as if you were alone.

“Shouldn’t we go?” A shaky breath followed your suggestion while your hand, clenching the sword trembled in fear.

“Stay still.” His stern voice did not help in calming you down. To be honest, it only made things worse because he reminded you of the commander. The leaves and branches of trees are a better sight than staring down and taking a peek on the titans’ salivating mouths, you subconsciously look beside you, seeing the gush of blood that trickled from a cut on the back of his arm onto his elbows.

Your mouth slightly parted when you saw that his brown jacket was teared, and his crimson blood stained the purity of his white shirt underneath. His struggle to reach the wound provoked you to grab the kit away from his hands and sit down beside the man.

“Hey.”

“Stay still.” You murmur, gently cleaning his cut while wondering where he got it. He is too good to be attacked by a titan, did he cut himself on a sharp branch? That can’t be, that’s lousier than getting bitten by a titan. Your fingers did magic on the cleaning of the wound, and the sudden action of kissing his bandages—the way you do to the kids you have once treated. Levi never really would have let your filthy hands and lips near his exposed flesh had he been able to reach the spot. If he gets infection the next day, he knew, he swore, you’d be the first to be taken down.

A small smile formed on your lips because of the sudden recollection that you had. You wanted to laugh because you considered it as your first real conversation, when you literally did not talk about anything. Just staying still.

He became squad captain earlier than you thought, Erwin eventually became the commander, and you were under the former’s squad. Having not so many soldiers under the survey corps offered everyone the chance to be close to one another, you found no meaning with letting someone feel out of place, and so you tried your hardest to make everyone feel like they are a part of the team, at least a part of your considered team.

The expeditions were steppingstones that gradually lead you both to a path that only you could go to. Barriers that hinder you and him to have a real conversation wore off every moment you’ve got with him. Little by little, you opened up to each other, it was the little steps that you both took whenever you got the chance to, but it was not in your plans, it never was. The both of you happened so unexpectedly, that you still could not believe it until now.

“What do you think about tea?” He casually asked, waiting for Erwin’s signal to forward.

You shrugged, furrowing your brows because of his sudden random question, “Tea is. . . fine?” You swore, the impulse of rolling his eyes because of your answer has reached your insides, you knew he wanted to roll his eyes at you.

“Then, let’s have tea after this.”

“Okay. But isn’t fresh juice better?”

“You’ve got a shitty taste, you know?”

The captain’s heart grew fond of your presence, and the both of you were totally naïve and clueless. Everything felt normal but there was something new about it, every day, you wake up feeling the inspiration that blasts through your veins. But there was one thing you were sure of, tea tasted like hope.

“Where did you get this?” You asked him one time, cleaning the little wounds that painted the skin of his knuckles. His office was always equipped with the first aid kit you had prepared for him, the smell of him and tea is surrounding the only being that smelled like vanilla—you.

He shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip from the cup of tea that rested on his table, beside the paperworks that is the reason for the dark circles underneath his eyes that never went away. A hiss left his lips when you accidentally pressed hard on one of the deep cuts, and you smiled sheepishly at him.

“Did not mean to.”

“Kiss it.”

His wounds became slightly better each day you wake up. The routine never changed—cleaning the cuts, holding his hand, kissing his wounds. You know your man is itching to fight, but he could not because of his current situation, and so you stayed beside him no matter what, even until the alliance was formed and you thought of yourself as nothing but a plain soldier who is in love with a powerful man.

The deaths of people whom you both were fond of carved cuts against your hearts, no one deserved to be entwined with a chaos like this. Levi deserves better, you knew that.

“We have to kill Eren?” Shocked, your fingers softly grasped Levi’s, longing for the comfort that dwells within every piece that belongs to him. The conversation that night made you wonder how things changed so fast, how the time fled like it was a bird who demanded to be free, how you’ve lost so many people just to fight for the freedom you’ve sought for.

The captain’s lips feels like home. His burning kisses never fail to put you under a trance, the searing touches of his calloused hand were so possessive yet gentle against your skin. Every caress, every grasp, every breath that came from him were puzzle pieces that built you up perfectly.

“Marry me.” His form embraced yours as if you have known each other for a thousand years. Foreheads touching, his warm love envelopes your soul with nothing but pure passion. Your love was extremely unexpected, unknown, and it demanded to be felt.

After the battle of Shiganshina, you both have realized a lot of things, a lot of feelings you could have fathomed a lot sooner, a lot of words you could have said before the people who were once with you both had completely gone afar. You both could never forget the ache that almost made your worlds shatter when you could not find each other after the battle, the same question filled your brains and your hearts almost stopping. What would I do without you?

“I’ll marry you.”

Hanji’s death was a big slap to your souls, and never in your life had you felt so empty. The pain of hearing them say what Erwin always does will always remain within each crevice of your heart.

Your soft kisses are heaven against the captain’s broken skin, and for all the years he has loved you, he never knew that he could love you even more. The strength you exhibit burns with so much passion, and even with multiple injuries, you still look as beautiful as when you first kissed his scars.

The rumbling was so destructive, that it would destroy you while you are still alive. And you love your husband so much, you would rather have yourself destroyed than seeing him crushed in between the teeth of a powerful titan. And heaven knows how everything slowly settled down like ashes of faded dreams, like snow that piled like embers, like a wild fire that eventually ended after a series of destruction.

You almost made it home.

Levi Ackerman fulfilled his promises to you and Erwin, slaying the beast titan and guiding his brats back to safety, no matter how much it took the man—a word will always be a word.

He never really understood why he had to live when what all life does is to submerge him into enormous waves of misery after leading him on through hallucinations of heaven. Torture was nothing when people he loved the most had to leave him alone, bearing the weight of being the only one left. And so the Ackerman thought that maybe, perhaps, he was given the chance to live just so he could feel how you would love him in his scars, the way he had hated them.

And he would choose that over a lifetime of glee where you do not exist.

“Really, heichou? You both realized in Shiganshina?”

He scoffed, “Brats. You know what happened back then, everyone fucking died,” The captain stared at the clouds that filled the sky, reminiscing about the battle of Shiganshina that happened several years ago, answering the curious questions of the people of alliance who made it back with him as they sat in the teashop he had always dreamt of building. “So I thought I lost her, I didn’t want to listen to my mind. . . and that was when I knew.”

Everyone who made it so far often wonders.

“That I am so in love with her.”

Of how the captain would stay beneath the amber glow of yesterday and admire the wedding ring that rested against one of the three fingers that has been left since the explosion. The searing pain of having the little ring as the only thing that is left as yours, and the melancholy that grew in the depths of his steel grey eye fought along every fragment of the broken war that lingers above the clouds. Against the world, he stands alone. Against the burst of the wind, he feels your lips.

[blainesebastian]

Hey queen! I just found you a few weeks ago! Honestly, you're fics are breathtaking. I just finished reading the seblaine s4 fanfic and I was wondering if you could do something with Sebastian reacting to Tina's crush on Blaine. No pressure though, I know you're busy. Hope you have a good day!

oh yeah i would love to! i didn’t expect to fill any prompts today but ya’ll know how much i love blaine and tina’s friendship right? so it was perfect bringing sebastian in! so enjoy! thank you so much for enjoying my fics sweetie! (canon divergence, definitely a feel of my s4 chapter fic, no vapor rub incident because don’t get me started, 1,291 words) 

--

Sebastian notices just like he notices just about anything else—it’s in slow increments as he gets to know Blaine’s friends better from McKinley. It’s not that he’s interested in making any more friends of his own but he knows that if he wants to date Blaine and make him happy that these people need to become a part of his life.

Whatever; it’s not Rachel Berry or Kurt Hummel so he supposes he can make room for Tina, Sam, and Jake—even though he might not want to.

Sam and Jake are easy enough; they’re idiots but kinda in a charming way, both incredibly talented, funny, and kind, which is why it’s no mystery that they’re friends with Blaine. All of Blaine’s personality traits are highlighted by his friends, which makes a lot of sense if you consider friendship as ‘you are the company you keep’. He smiles a little to himself, wrapping his arms around Blaine from behind as he talks to Sam and Jake very animatedly about the Avengers.

If that’s true, he wonders what that means about Blaine dating someone like him.

Sam and Jake are easy for him to figure out, Tina however is another story. She’s beautiful, also talented but there’s something in her eyes that Sebastian recognizes. She’s sad, lonely, a little too clingy for her own good. He doesn’t see it at first because she looks at Blaine like he’s hung the moon but everyone looks at Blaine like that, even Sebastian.

No, it’s something very poignant and noticeable but it takes her getting drunk off her ass for the realization to come down onto Sebastian’s shoulders. They’re out at Scandals, because why not, it’s the only place with half-decent liquor and dancing and it’s easy to get into with fake I.Ds. Jake and Sam seem to give no shits that it’s a gay bar, trying to encourage Blaine to dance on a table at one point and Sebastian grins into Blaine’s neck as he places a kiss there because his boyfriend does not need that much encouragement to get up on furniture.

Tina is mostly near Sam for the duration of the night, until she has one too many banana daquiris and she’s all over Blaine. It’s not that Sebastian is bothered because he gets it—hands all over Blaine is one of his favorite past-times. And it’s the fact that she’s female that puts him a lot at ease because if this were Sam or Jake or a random dude at this bar, Sebastian wouldn’t let it happen.

But Blaine’s eyes are a warm honey as he reaches for Tina and keeps her close so that she doesn’t trip over her own shoes. They dance a lot and she kisses his cheek every ten minutes but Blaine never seems to be bothered so Sebastian doesn’t do anything about it.

He watches her carefully, interest peaked in his green eyes as she presses her face into Blaine’s neck and holds onto him a little tighter than necessary—even when Blaine doesn’t seem to notice, too busy laughing with Jake and Sam to care. He threads his fingers through her long hair and asks her occasionally if she’s alright before pressing water into her hands.

But Sebastian notices because he’s finally figured her out.

So when Tina’s back straightens and her hand covers her mouth, pushing people out of the way to rush outside, he knows this is his opportunity.

“I got her.” Sebastian mentions quickly before Blaine can move, his boyfriend giving him a soft smile and pressing himself up on his toes to kiss the corner of his mouth.

He makes his way outside, watching Tina struggle over a curb and most definitely empty the contents of her stomach—which is just liquor at this point. He scrunches his nose before approaching her, gathering her hair into his hands and keeping it out of her face.

She makes a soft groaning noise before she finishes, moving to sit on the sidewalk and look up at him as she wipes her mouth. Her gaze is surprised and then even, narrowing her eyes a little as Sebastian lets go of her hair.

“Not who you were expecting?” Sebastian asks even though she doesn’t have to answer, he knows she thought Blaine would be out after her.

Tina draws one of her legs underneath herself; her maroon tights now have holes at the knees (he suspects from falling to the ground to vomit) and her black jean skirt is riding up a little. He sighs and sticks his hands in his pockets, tilting his head.

“You know, I almost didn’t notice your thing for Blaine until you got drunk. It must be frustrating, to care about someone that much but never having them notice.”

Tina’s eyes shine over with tears and God, Sebastian really hopes she doesn’t cry because he’s not putting up with that. “What could you possibly know about that?” She snaps and good, he’d rather her be angry with him than sad.

“Because you’re not the only one who’s had to put up with Blaine Anderson being oblivious,” He smiles a little, “I think your crush on him is sweet.”

“Sweet?” She repeats like she can’t quite tell if he’s making fun of her. She holds the word in her mouth for a few moments before shaking her head, curling her long hair around her ear. “You’re not mad?”

Sebastian shrugs his one shoulder, “Why would I be mad? Everyone I know has a crush on Blaine, it’s hard not to with who he is.”

Tina swallows thickly and runs a hand over her face, smearing a little of the makeup around her eyes. Sebastian sighs and crouches down, digging a tissue out of his pocket to hand her. She takes it carefully, like he might bite, and wipes her cheeks.

“It’s very obvious that he loves you…but he’s never going to be in love with you. You know that right?”

Tina crumples the tissue in-between her fingers, “I’m not an idiot.”

Sebastian clicks his tongue off the roof of his mouth but says nothing—the last thing he wants is for her to hit him or cry to Blaine about how much of an asshole he is. So instead, he offers her his hand to help her up off the concrete. He squeezes when she starts to sway, his other hand settling on her waist to help her keep her balance.

“I want to say something about how…how I don’t like the way you treat Blaine but,” She shakes her head, biting down on her lower lip, “You’re a lot better than Kurt.”

Sebastian smiles, all teeth, “In so many ways,” He tilts his head back towards the bar, “Ready to go back inside?”

Tina nods gently, offering a half smile before holding onto Sebastian’s hand so that he can guide her through the crowd to where they left Blaine, Sam, and Jake. The boys cheer when they see her, Sam gathering Tina into a ridiculous hug while Jake ruffles her hair and offers her a stick of gum. Tina laughs and takes it gratefully as Sebastian slides in next to Blaine, the shorter turning so that he’s leaning against his chest.

Blaine’s arm stretches across his stomach while Sebastian settles his own across his shoulders. He leans down to press a kiss against his hairline, lips brushing along wild curls. His boyfriend tilts his head up to look at him and Sebastian doesn’t waste the opportunity to give him a soft kiss.

“You’ve got some weird friends, Anderson.”

Blaine chuckles warmly and squeezes him tightly. “They fit right in with my weird boyfriend.”

Sebastian grins and steals another kiss.

[twilightofthe]

Tell me ALL your SW faves

Aaaaaa thank you!  This took a while cuz this got long, lol sorry!  Aight, so here’s ALL my SW faves for this ask prompt list!

FAVE MOVIE: Revenge of the Sith.  10000%.  It just has everything!  You get to see the Obikin relationship in all its glory, first and foremost, how much those two loved each other more than anything and knew each other better than anyone, and just how much they genuinely got along and then we got our hearts broken watching them have to fight after Anakin made his Goof Of The Millennium and just oooooof all the feels about my boys!  Seeing Padmé and just loving her so gotdang much for being strong and wanting the best life for everyone, all while she was so scared and had so little support from anyone, and just couldn’t do it in the end.  Seeing the end of the Republic, how after a thousand years, just, *poof*, just like that in like two days (yes, I know Sidious was planning it for over a decade but still), the horrific fascination on how Sidious was able to do that.  Just the brilliance of Sheev’s character, how you despise him, but how brilliantly everything was pulled off.  The angst of Order 66, how especially after TCW you love these characters SO MUCH and then you gotta watch them DIE HORRIBLY BY THOSE THEY TRUSTED, THOSE WHO NEVER HAD A CHOICE EITHER.  Did I mention feeling so freaking bad for Obi Wan and his Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day???  Because I really do, he’s so good and kind and we see his life fall apart and ugh I love him.  And y’all, watching Anakin Skywalker fall from grace like the brightest angel he was, you hate him for what he did, but you still can’t help but love him and cry for him and his loss because he was so good, and he did not deserve all this to happen to him but he did it to HIMSELF AAAAGGHHHH.  Also, Obes and Ani were at peak prettiness this movie!!  Just asdfkjglkdskajsrlk best movie love so diggity dang much

FAVE PAIRING: Oh, how EVER will I choose– Obikin.  It’s Obikin, all the way, no contest.  I know I’ve yelled about it a million and one times so I’ll save y’all the rant on how much I adore these disasters and their relationship and how I think they’re goddamn soulmates and the most interesting dynamic in the entire Saga.  I ship them romantically and platonically and just everything, they’re so fucking important to one another and that’s why it hurts so much to watch them fall apart, and that’s why I’m so incredibly happy that they get to canONICALLY SPEND THEIR ENTIRE AFTERLIFE TOGETHER BECAUSE FORCE GHOSTS HELL YEAH.  If I had to pick just secondary fave romantic and platonic relationships, hmmmm that’s hard.  BUT, I’m gonna have to go with Kanera for romantic; SWR was what got me back into Star Wars and one of my favorite parts of it was watching Kanan and Hera, how much I loved them separately, but just how much they were a team together and I love them and I was unbelievably upset when Jedi Night happened (and I still have a rant about how animated Star Wars kills off their romantic couples in the exact same manner, pls ask me about how TCW’s The Lawless and Rebels’ Jedi Night had basically all of the same plot points that ended in killing off a romantic lead).  For other fave platonic relationship, gonna have to go with Luke/Han/Leia BROT3 (separate from Hanleia as a romance, which is probs my 3rd fave).  These disasters were the original Golden Trio, they saved the galaxy together all while yelling dramatically and having each other’s backs to the bitter end (or, at least ‘till the end of ROTJ lol) and I just love them as a team so dang much

FAVE TV SHOW EPISODE: Okay, since there are four TV shows, it’s only fair for me to pick one (or more don’t judge me) from each!  Let’s see, from The Clone Wars, my fave eps have to be the entire Mortis trilogy arc in S3 because Obes/Ani/Snips family dynamic, Force Shenanigans, BEAUTIFUL scene designs, Anakin angst, just so many good things oof, and also Dooku Captured from S1, which I just adore because Obikin snark, annoying Grandpa Dooku, Hondo Fucking Ohnaka making everyone look so bad at their jobs, I just love it agh.  Whoops that was technically four faves, so gotta do four for Rebels too!  Gonna go wiiiiith World Between Worlds from S4 for Badass Ahsoka Tano, Ezra being brave and talented, Sheev being Absolutely Ridiculous, and just the overall Force Shenanigans cuz canon time travel y’all; The Lost Commanders from S2 because Rex is awesome, Kanan angst, and really good Kanan and Ezra bonding and Jedi awesomeness, Fire Across the Galaxy from S1 because of Ghost fam dynamics, Kanan angst, more Kanan and Ezra bonding, and just good stuff, and Twilight of the Apprentice in S2 (lol what about my username?) for being creepy and cool and maKING ME CRY ANAKIN YOU STUPID THRICE COOKED TOILET SEAT LEAVE AHSOKA ALONE.  *cough*  Ok, fine, I’ll stick with only one ep for the other two series.  For Resistance, gonna have to go with the latest ep, actually!  We get to see Kaz being clever and caring about his fam on the Colossus, really cool designs for Aeos and its people, Tam angst, and just everyone shining!  For The Mandalorian, it’s gotta be the finale, Redemption, we get Din name, Armorer kicking everyones asses and me loving it, BABY YODA DOING THE HAND WAVE, Din getting over his issues with droids and connecting with IG only for IG to FUCKING DIE, DIN AND BABY YODA BEING AN OFFICIAL CLAN OF TWO, Taika just knocking this whole episode out of the park with the funny scouttroopers at the beginning who still deserved the ass-whooping they got for fucking murdering Kuiil and hiTTING BABY YODA YOU SLIMY FUCKNUGGETS–

FAVE CHARACTER: Alright, look, I can narrow it down to FIVE and that is IT.  I just love too many Star Wars characters, I can’t go lower than top five!  Ok, so my four favorites are Obi Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Kanan Jarrus, and Finn Skywalker-Dameron-Tico (i SAID what i SAID.)  AIGHT so for starters, a lot of my favorite characters in different franchises fall under various archetypes I have for faves.  Obi Wan fits one of my more popular ones: “Old, reluctant and more than slightly-questionable parental badass with a mysterious past that makes you love them all the more when you realize just how beautiful and tragic and deserving-better they were when that past is revealed”.  I latched onto this dude from the start when I just liked the OT (tho Leia was always my fave lol), and I wanted to know about him, and then when I finally started getting into the PT and TCW, it was just a steady stream of “oh no he’s hOT?” “oh no he’s sAD?” “oh no he’s nICE?!? REALLY FUCKING NICE AND A BIT OF A MESS HELP” and then I just totally latched on because he’s hypercompetent at literally everything and looks damn good doing it and boy do I have a thing for competence, charming as all hell and goes through so much and comes out strong despite the fact that fate hates his fucking guts and tries to destroy his life constantly and guys he tries so hard and he’s kind of messy sometimes and a bit of a dick and I love him all the more for it because he’s trying, none of that do-or-do-not shit, he is doing his damn best and deserves happiness and not Anakin tearing him apart.  SPEAKING OF SAND MAN.  Ugh, so I love Anakin to fucking death and that makes me REALLY MAD ABOUT IT BECAUSE HE MAKES EVERYONE ELSE I LIKE SAD.  So I love Anakin regardless because he’s not your typical protagonist.  He’s fucking brilliant, hot when he fights, is amazing at fighting and flying and building stuff and there’s that competence thing for me again, oh boy!  He’s funny and kind and he cares.  And somehow, this bitch manages to have the two most beautiful, amazing people in the galaxy in love with him and willing to do basically anything for him like the fuck?!?  Jealous much??!?!?!?!  I am!!!!  He’s so fucking bright and it’s impossible to look away.  He’s also a dorky, messy disaster who’s not good with people or feelings or emotions and he panics over stuff and doesn’t know self-control and is kinda really bad at his job a lot and pushes away the people who care about him and screws up literally all the fucking time and he always feels like he’s drowning and alone and I get to watch him crash and burn under the weight of it all.  Basically, minus the anger issues and the child murder and the murder in general, I kinda relate a lot to Anakin.  I feel like a self-hating mess who doesn’t know how to control my ow head and the world hates me a lot too.  I can project my mental issues onto him, enjoy the good parts of him, live vicariously through the things he does that I can’t like be loved by pretty people and be hot and athletic and smart, and then when he crashes I can side-eye and remember that at least someone’s doing worse than me lol.  So yea, I love this messy boi to death and he’s the one I get the best characterization reviews on, so I guess we have an understanding.  Leia I loved since as a kid.  I’d want to be her, brave, talented, smart, strong as hell and snarky to boot.  I realize that Leia fits another fave character archetype of mine: “Powerful young adult raised for greatness, did not ask for all the horrible shit that’s happened to them, highkey wants a break and for the bad guys to just roll over and die, is generally clever, hypercompetent, and 100% done with everyone else’s shit, overdramatic as all hell and enjoys insulting people”.  Her and Han were my first Star Wars ship and she just always made me happy seeing her kick names and take ass.  She’s gone through almost as much hell or maybe more so than Obi Wan, she also keeps getting back up and fighting, she deserved SO MUCH BETTER than what the Sequel Trilogy gave her and you may quote me on that.  She’s also gorgeous and I wanted to wear all of her clothes (bikini not included).  I also love her relationship with Luke and I am so goddam happy it is now canon that Leia Organa did Jedi training and can use a lightsaber!!!  She has a lightsaber!!!!!!!!!!  Ugh oof I love her.  Kanan fills the similar “mentor” archetype as Obi Wan does, but with a smidge of youth because he’s younger when he gets dropped into this role.  He’s more of a punk, more of a mess, and oof.  Basically I’ve said it a zillion times how Rebels resparked my love of Star Wars, but really, it was Kanan on the screen that did it.  It happened when the Rebels season 3 premiere eps ended up on the TV and I saw it and I thought in order 1. holy shit that Maul fucker’s actually alive? and 2. Oh no sad blind Jedi man!  He’s cool and mysterious and I want to know why he’s sad and who made him sad and also want to give him a hug!!!  He was my fave character all throughout Rebels and his training dynamic with Ezra, struggling to help this kid all while flying by the seat of his pants because he had Issues and no clue what he was doing and no support and ugh, he was smart and brave and I’m so sad he’s dead and yea.  Finn!!!!  Last but not least!!!!  He was my favorite character from The Force Awakens.  People have said it before, but he was just so new, a rebel Stormtrooper stolen and brainwashed at birth, finding the good guys and fighting to do the right thing!  Possibly Force Sensitive!  Super duper cute!!!  Funny and kind, dammit, when not many other people in the galaxy were!!!!!!!!  I was so, so sure Finn was gonna be a Jedi along with Rey at some point, that might have been my biggest letdown when I saw TLJ, but ugh I just loved his enthusiasm and his war within himself, ultimately loving his friends and trying to do what was right at the risk to his own safety, even though that was why he ran scared in the first place!!!!!  I shipped him with Rey and with Poe and now I am NOT above the post TROS Jedistormpilot shipping!!!!!  Finn was just always the most interesting part of the Sequel Trilogy for me and I personally feel like they could have done more with his character.

FAVE ACTOR/ACTRESS: Aight, so I try my best not to “stan” anyone famous because literally no one is perfect and everyone’s done something problematic at some point and if I dare say I like a famous figure, someone’s gonna find something about them and come after me all “OMG THIS PERSON DID/SAID/IS X YOU MONSTER GO DIE!!11!!1″.  In terms of performance, I think all the actors in Star Wars did a lovely job and I’m happy with all of them!  If I had to crush on any, it would probs be Ewan McGregor, John Boyega, or Diego Luna cuz, uh, they hot.  If I had to pick one I liked most, it would honestly probs be Carrie Fisher.  Maybe that’s just partially from missing her now that she’s gone, but I really admire her advocacy and transparence for mental health, and she just seemed like such a funny, kind, strong person.

FAVE PLANET: Aight, this is HARD and I refuse to only pick one planet!  Ok, gonna start off with Coruscant because an endless city planet made up of lights is amazingly gorgeous and it has a Jedi Temple stacked on top of a Sith Temple and is just so cool aaaaa.  Also love Felucia just for being so bright and colorful and pretty.  Mortis for being just as weirdly gorgeous and also Weird Force Shit.  Lothal for the beautiful mountains, the wolves, and the fucking lightspeed center of the planet passage what, Dathomir is delightfully creepy to look at, Crait is really cool with the salt and the red and the ice foxes, Kashyyyk because Wookiees and it’s pretty and I love their treehouses.  Basically if it makes me clap my dumb monkey hands and go “oooh pretty!”, I love it.  The more “not like Earth” it is, the more I love it.

FAVE SPECIES: Hmmmmm, this is a tough one…….  There’s just so many cool-looking species that we know so little about, ya know?  I wanna say either Togrutas or Wookiees.  Togrutas just because the character design is incredible and so fun to work with and also I love Ahsoka, and Wookiees because they have such an interesting culture and backstory and also I want to give Chewbacca a hug.

FAVE CONCEPT: Uhhh, not quite sure I get the question; you mean like just story concept in general?  If that’s it, I’m gonna have to go with just the whole concept of the Force and the Jedi in general.  I mean George, George my man, what the fuck?  How the hell did you come up with this?!?  Mystical psychic space wizards with magic abilities to connect with and use the sentient godlike life force that combined the entire galaxy together.  Oh and also they have COLORFUL GLOWING LASER SWORDS?!?!?  It’s honestly one of the most creative things I’ve seen in popular culture, and that makes me sad that Star Wars now seems to be trying to separate itself from what I think is its most interesting quality because “ugh not EVERYTHING should be about the Jedi guys!”, when like, y’all, without the Jedi, the entire SW universe is basically just another military scifi war story……  Just my opinion tho.

FAVE SHIP: Ok, since pairing was already up there, I assume this means actual ship?  Well, uh, gonna have to be square with y’all, I’m a bad Star Wars fan for this part; I’ve never been the one to memorize ship names and designs and know the exact make and model number of some fancy ship, I’m real bad at that lol.  I’ll say my favorite ship is the Ghost.  Hera flies it and the Rebels Fam lives on it and it’s super cool and it makes me happy!

FAVE WEAPON: LIGHTSABER.  LIGHTSABER LIGHTSABER.  LIGHTSABERLIGHTSABERLIGHTSABERLIGHTSABERLIGHTSABER.  Y’all, c’mon, what did you think I was gonna pick? xD  Lizard brain want glowy shiny colorful big stick that goes whoosh!

FAVE BACKGROUND EXTRA: Again, not entirely sure what this means, but do you mean fave background character?  If so, then it’s a tie between Wilrow Hood and his ice cream machine for the memes, that one clone in TCW who yeets a plate of toast at Cad Bane’s face, or that one background soldier who scoots between Han and Leia arguing in ESB and also Hera and Kanan arguing in Rebels (yes I do headcanon it’s the same guy lol)

FAVE MOMENT/SCENE: This one’s actually pretty easy.  Anakin dying in Luke’s arms in ROTJ, and then his ghost showing up to Luke later at the Ewok party.  I just care so ridiculously much about stupid Anakin and his stupid story and mistakes, and even before I was a prequels stan and had only seen the OT (and wasn’t a huge Vader fan, believe it or not), some part of me just felt so solemn, so fragile watching this, watching the giant monstrous machine falling apart as he fades away to reveal a weary, tired old human man, and it always made me wonder, what the hell happened to him to turn him into that thing?  Seeing that young, beautiful man, basically Luke’s age, showing up as a ghost later, just the fascination, the tender look he shared with Old Ben, just how young he was, that made it all the more mysterious and knowing what I do now, it’s just so much better because my poor, horrible Disaster Man finally did the right thing and he finally found peace and it’s just the only ending I could be happy for Anakin with,  And Luke, I always felt so bad for Luke, being so strong, so brave, finally getting his father back for like five damn minutes and then having to lose him again and just hurting for him but also knowing that it was gonna be okay because Luke had more family now, the ghosts, and Han and Leia and Chewie and R2 and 3PO and Lando and everyone.

FAVE KISS: Luke and Leia (HANG ON LET ME SPEAK) forehead kiss in The Last Jedi.  I know (this one) isn’t meant as romantic, and I know the question is probs about a romantic one and I know that it’s not even a real mouth kiss.  But.  That Luke and Leia scene was my favorite part of the entire movie.  Again, I was missing Carrie a lot, and ugh, after all these years, after not getting to interact the entire previous movie and not at all during this movie, the ONE scene with Carrie and Mark and the pure emotion of it all just knocked me out of my fucking seat.  You could see how connected they were as siblings, how much Leia had missed Luke, how much he had missed her and how sorry he was for leaving, sorry for Ben, sorry for having to leave her again now, Leia knowing Luke was about to die, and just, acceptance.  Love and acceptance.  It was just a final, tender kiss on the forehead, and it was perfect and yeah.  If I do have to pick a romantic lip smooch, it’s probably the Hanleia classic “scoundrel” kiss in Empire Strikes Back.  I still remember watching ESB the first time as a KID and being all eeeeeeee are they gonna– YES they kissed they kissed they kissed finally! and that’s enough for me.

FAVE FIGHT: Obi Wan and Anakin on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith.  WIthout question.  It’s brilliantly and precisely choreographed to show the intricate nuances of the Obikin breakup in alllllll of its painful glory.  It breaks my heart every time I watch it because every time I watch it I still hope it’s gonna end differently.  That Anakin realizes he can’t kill Obi Wan and ditches Sidious and goes back with Obi Wan to save Padmé.  That Obi Wan realizes he can’t let Anakin die and saves him from burning and from Sidious and takes him back too.  That Obi Wan at least puts Anakin out of his misery which would be godawful painful, but would save him from the horrid life as Vader.  That while they’re fighting, a lava monster appears like in the concept art and Vader and Obi Wan have to put aside their differences and fight the thing and remember how much they mean to each other.  But ugh, this fight was beautifully choreographed and was originally supposed to be a MULTI-MINUTE SINGLE SHOT WHAT THE HELL???  Oooof Hayden and Ewan did such an amazing job and the whole thing just rips my heart out every time in the bestworst way possible

 FAVE LINE OF DIALOGUE: Now THIS is hard, I’m not the best at picking favorite lines.  Hmmm, this is HARD.  Let me think.  Gahhhh, it’s hard because I have so many lines I like and I can’t even just narrow down a couple!!!  Ultimately, it’s probably gonna be Yoda’s monologue from Empire Strikes Back: “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter…”  Just that entire line saying how basically all of us are more than the sum of our parts, that everyone is their own sparkling light made of stardust, I loved it as a kid and I love it now. 

FAVE BOOK/COMIC: Answered here

FAVE HERO: Gonna go with Obi Wan!  I already rambled about why I love him, but y’all……. I love him.

FAVE VILLAIN: Anakin Skywalker/Darth McFucking Vader.  I loved him when he was a hero and the silly poor sad boy makes me sad when I see him as a villain all while being an overdramatic asshole and it just makes me wanna hit him with a newspaper for ruining his life and everyone else’s I love him.

FAVE OUTFIT: Answered here

FAVE CREATURE: I love Lothcats/Tookas!  I just heckin’ love cats and now there’s spACE KITTIES WITH SUPER FOOFY TAILS AND BIG EARS OMG Y’ALL I LOVE THEM I JUST REALLY DO AND I REALLY WANT ONE SO I CAN CUDDLE IT ;_;

WHEW.  That was all of the faves, thanks so much for asking me!!!  Sorry this took so long to do, this was kinda a hell week haha!

[bensonstablers]

So because you're the reason I got back into Criminal Minds I'm curious, who's your favorite character(s) and what's your favorite episode(s)??

Hi, my dear! I have to start by saying that it still makes me so happy that me blogging about it got you back into Criminal Minds! :)

Anyway, every comment I make in this post is vague because I didn’t want to accidentally spoil anything for you or anyone else reading it, haha.

Favourite Characters:

This was a little hard because I think so many of the characters on this show are lovable and/or interesting but my top 5, in no particular order, would probably be:

Will

JJ

Garcia

Reid

Emily

Favourite Episodes:

Okay, so while I technically did narrow it down, I actually split it into two lists, haha. Both lists are in no particular order btw and I’ve actually put two-parters together :)

This first list is my top 10 out of every episode:

3x09: Penelope — The best episode named after one of the team and genuinely one that has me on the edge of my seat every time because I’m always so sucked into it. Also, as a Morgan/Garcia shipper, this one is delicious :’)

3x20: Lo-Fi / 4x01: Mayhem — Fun fact: 3x20 was the first episode I ever saw of this show :) It was advertised and I thought it looked interesting so I watched it and then I loved it so much that while I was waiting for s4, I went back and watched s1-3 and never looked back, haha

5x09: 100 — literally makes me cry like a baby every time I watch it but I love it so much

6x17: Valhalla / 6x18: Lauren — the Doyle/Prentiss storyline is one of my all times faves and he is one of my fave unsubs :)

7x23: Hit / 7x24: Run – I love these finale episodes but honestly, I also just appreciate how much Will is apart of them and that we get to see JJ in badass mama bear mode!

8x12: Zugzwang — rips my heart out every time but I’m obsessed

9x14: 200 — I know ‘100’ is on here but this is probably my favourite “special” episode? It’s just so good.

11x11: Entropy — introduces one of my fave unsubs: Cat Adams :) (and I’m generally a sucker for her interactions with Reid)

15x04: Saturday – my fave episode of the final season, it’s just so much fun and I had the best time watching this. I also don’t think there’s ever been an episode like this one?

15x06: Date Night — I don’t want to say too much but it brings back one of my fave unsubs and I just genuinely had a blast with this episode :)

This next list is 10 additional episodes that I loved but just not quite as much as the ones above. That being said, I do think they’re all worth the watch, which is why they’re here :)

(I chose not to comment on them because I did want this post to be too detailed, ha)

1x14: Riding the Lightning

1x18: Somebody’s Watching

4x16: Pleasure is my Business

4x22: The Big Wheel

5x21: Exit Wounds

7x18: Foundation

10x21: Mr Scratch

11x16: Derek

12x21: Green Light // 12x22: Red Light

13x01: Wheel’s Up

Anyway, this show is amazing and was always entertaining and I appreciate being able to talk about it (so thank you for the ask!!) :’) I’d also be interested in knowing your favourites! (And the favourites of anyone else who reads this and feels like sharing.)

[amwritingmeta]

21 Supernatural Questions

I was tagged by @deletingpoint - thanks for the kind words, girl!! Made my day! You rock the block! And yes don’t mind if I do join in, this looks fun. :P

1. When did you start watching Supernatural?

I’d seen stray episodes before - I’ve absolutely no clue which ones - but then I binged S1-6 in 2013 while being ill with the flu and I was hooked before it came up, because I loved S1-3 and the brother dynamic and thought it was a really awesomely well-written piece of television, but when they introduced the will-they-won’t-they-make-this-uber-masculine-guy-be-into-guys-and-specifically-the-guy-with-wings I was pretty much gone for. So I caught up on the show and watched it until a few episodes into S9 (don’t judge me, I was surface watching and couldn’t get with the program at the time because why wasn’t Dean gay already??) and then I quit watching for a few years because I couldn’t stand the grey area and the uncertainty. I also wasn’t invested enough to stand it, tbh, and felt, naw, I’ll get back to this if it ever seems like they’re actually gonna do anything with this thing they’re hinting so strongly at. Picked it back up while S12 was airing and here we now are.

2. Who is your favorite in TFW?

But the other two might get jealous!

(okay, it’s Cas)

3. Who is your least favorite in TFW?

They’re the holy trinity and none of their character progression works without all of them taking up their allotted space in the narrative and how can you not love them all what is wrong with this question why am I hyperventilating why aren’t they beloved equally gaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

(but Cas is my favourite)

4. Tag your top 5 Supernatural blogs!

I sincerely can’t, but I can tag a few people whom I very much appreciate and whose answers to this questionnaire I would be intrigued to see: @godshipsit​ @charlie-minion​ @mad-as-a-box-of-frogs​ @waywardliliana​ @natmoose​ @purgatory-jar​ @myed89​ @inacatastrophicmind​ @rustling-pages​ @angelneedshunter​ @nerdylittleshit​ @obsessionisaperfume​ @assbuttboyfriends​ @misskittyspuffy​ @starsinursa​ @postmodernmulticoloredcloak​ @casismybestfriend​ @mittensmorgul​ @elizabethrobertajones​  - you’re all like bursts of colour and glitter glue and I’m happy you’re around! :) (btw I always find it awkward to tag specific peeps because there are so many of you lovelies that I would honestly tag so just know that this most likely includes you) (yeah that’s right) (YOU) <3

5. Who is your favorite character (not including TFW)?

Jack

6. Who is your favorite woman in Supernatural?

Rowena

7. John or Mary?

Mary

8. What were your first opinions of Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack?

Sam: my first impression of him was very coloured by my impression of Jared as Dean on Gilmore Girls, so to hear someone call Jared Sam and then this Sam call someone else Dean was a bit jarring while watching the pilot. My earliest opinion of Sam was that he was kind, good with people, skilled, independent and, yes, haunted by past choices.

Dean: Immediate impression was oh, he’s one of those guys, and then almost straight away that first impression was blown to bits and everyone knows that he’s very, very easy to fall in love with quickly, so my love for him grew strong within a few episodes, for sure. First opinion formed holds until this day: someone who’s lost and who’s searching for a way home. In every sense of that sentence. 

Cas: Holy shitballs, who’s this now?? was pretty much my first reaction to Cas’ entrance. It blew me away. It was an absolute game changer. It made me sit up. It made my brain go... are they... are they going to make Dean Winchester... is Dean Winchester into men?? And because on my first watch I’d not seen the little hints of this that now are so damn glaringly obvious, the chemistry between Dean and Cas literally made a lot of shit click into place for me regarding what I was potentially actually watching, and raised my emotional investment sky high considering the possible social commentary baked into the overall message of family and identity, and yeah, that still holds true to this day.

Jack: I was ready to fight tooth and nail for him after 12x19. That episode is still one of the best 42 or so minutes of television I’ve ever seen. The plant of Jack as a needed push for Cas’ progression hit me in the heart, and once it clicked that Jack represented the holy trinity of Heaven, Hell, Humanity, and how he might narratively prove a knitting point for TFW, something for them all to rally around, well, I was pretty much done for.

9. What’s your favorite season?

This is a really hard question because watching a season from start to finish means taking all of it in, and all of them - when start-to-finished - I feel are rather outstanding, but twist my arm and I’ll say: S1 or S4 or S5 or S8 or S9 or S11 or S13 (I can’t narrow it down to just one season alright?) and S14 and looking at what we have so far with this unfinished season I’d name S15, definitively.

10. What’s your least favorite season?

Oh, man. Make a girl sweat. So, here’s the thing, I genuinely see each season as adding something valuable to the whole, you know? I suppose S6 drags a bit, but I really like the tone and the noir sensibility of it, so I wouldn’t really call it my least favourite, but if I were to choose one season to binge over a weekend, S6 wouldn’t necessarily be first pick.  

11. Opinions on Destiel?

Ah, yes, the obligatory essay question. Please see attachment. *points to blog*

12. Do you believe Supernatural queerbaits?

Look, to my mind, the reason Dean and Cas aren’t together yet is character related. They need to get their fucking ducks in a row. (and then those ducks will hopefully be fucking all over the place) (okay that’s graphic bird sex but you know what I mean) (not literally Dean and Cas dressed up as ducks and fucking) (but like... good stuff for the eyes will be happening that isn’t necessarily fucking feather related) (wait) (oh ffs brain!!) (you HAD to go there didn’t you??) (moving on) (or rather answering the question) --> I don’t believe they queerbait, no. 

13. Seasons 1-7 or 8-14?

8-15x03

14. Favorite villain (plot wise)?

*chills are multiplying* 

I love Chuck as the Big Bad, sincerely, but oh mannnn Michael.

15. Do you think they should end the Lucifer plot line?

Yeah, this questionnaire has been in drafts for a while now so um... I mean, the Lucifer plot line as it pertains to SAM should reach a satisfactory conclusion, but as it pertains to Lucifer’s play for Jack and breaking God’s toys etc. yeah, no, done.

16. Who do you think has gone through more trauma (Sam, Dean, or Cas)?

That’s too relative to their highly linked, and yet wholly individual relationship with their past and lingering sense of trauma. I think @deletingpoints reply was something along the lines of: Can you measure trauma? And I agree. They’ve all been deeply traumatised at different stages of their life and they’ve all dealt with their individual trauma in different ways. 

17. What’s your favorite Supernatural episode?

I’m sorry, what? I thought you just asked me to pick one favourite episode out of 3678916236363487236783 times infinity. This is mathematically impossible and since I’m sadly not fluent in math and have absolutely no access to any type of calculator or abacus or, I don’t know, a neighbour who happens to make amazing fucking latte and dresses in knits and is attractive in a non-conventional way and also happens to be a math genius, I must reject the question outright and plead the 105th. (i.e. I cannot possibly)

18. Do you like case episodes?

Where’s that gif of Dean going Dude Yes?

^^^

19. Who do you relate most to in TFW?

Darling Cas. Socially awkward and lost but growing into his own skin Castiel. My God, I love him so dearly. There are not words for how much I relate to him, or for what he’s done for my personal self-reflection, or how much I’m now re-relating to his need to push himself out of his comfort zone and dare. I owe him. *hugs into oblivion*

20. Why do you like Supernatural?

Ohhhhh, goody, one of those multi-choice questions. Is it:

a) because of the absolutely stunning character journeys 

b) because of the absolutely smashing world and all its mythology 

c) because of the underlying social commentary and the intricate use of subtext to effectively, though subtly, bring ideas linked to the conscious/unconscious sides to us into not only the use of already mentioned mythology, influencing the world building, but also wholly guiding, impacting and giving momentum to the already mentioned stunning character journeys

d) all of the above

e) all of the above, and a little bit more that would take an actual book to relay

E. It’s E. All the way the answer is E. 

21. If you could bring back one character and kill off another who would they be?

I’d bring back Eileen and holy moly Shoshanna is coming our way. And I don’t have a character to kill off tbh. Let them live, I say. :)

I genuinely tag EVERYONE. Go on, everyone, you know you wanna!  :) xx

[calliecat93]

Top 10 Favorite Female Characters

Happy International Women’s Day everyone! For many years now, there have been a lot of strides made in women’s rights. It’s still far, FAR from perfect, but we’ve still made many strides and fiction is no exception. So I thought, in celebration of today, I’d talk about some of my favorite female characters of all time. I had a LOT of options and narrowing it down was tough, but I think I made a pretty good list. So let's get on with it~

10. Kimberly Hart/The Pink Ranger (Power Rangers)

I don’t talk about Power Rangers a lot on here, but let me tell you all. Kimberly is one of the first female superheroes I ever saw, and I love her so much. She begins as a one-dimensional valley girl type, though still a good-hearted person. She’s the token girly-girl while Trini was more of the token tomboy. But Kimberly over time developed form being the least willing to be a Ranger, to devoting herself full-heartedly to her duties. She could kick just as much ass as her fellow rangers, and look pretty while she did so.

Kim was a fantastic character, especially in a boy-aimed tokusatsu adaptation. There have been many other great Pink Rangers since her time. Heck my actual favorite Pink Ranger of all time is Jen from Time Force. But the reason Kim is on here and not here? Kim is the one who started it all. She and Trini defined kickass female Rangers and none of the ones we have now would have existed without the original ladies. And as much as I also liked Trini.. well... I think that Kim is the clear stand-out among most female rangers, especially since she lasted so long. I was so sad when she left and especially how Zeo screwed her character over with that stupid Dear John letter to Tommy as well as how the 2017 movie wrote her because it just made her incredibly unsympathetic and unlikeable. But she left one Hell of a legacy and I love her.

9. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Despite my feelings about the author in recent years, Harry Potter is still a series I grew up on and love. Albeit I’m one of the few who got into the films more than the books, but still. The one thing that got me into the series? Hermione. She begins as a bit of a snooty know-it-all, always rubbing her knowledge int he faces of others and coming off as kind of a brat. But we soon see that she really doesn't know how to make friends and is a serious student and good person. Once Harry and Ron befriend her, we see how much of a brave, loyal, and determined girl she is, using her brains and talent in academics to get all the info they need. They would have died multiple times without this girl.

Hermione is someone we grow up with and kind of the representative of young girls. We watch her as she struggles with her status as a Muggle-born witch, how her pursuit of knowledge can overwhelm her, and of course what happens when she realizes her feelings for Ron. I... am not a huge fan of the pairing for many reasons, but her frustration and struggle feel very real. She makes mistakes, some more called out than others, but she does genuinely strive to do good And through it all, she is loyal to Harry and to the fight against Voldemort, growing to be proud of who she is and of her heritage as a ‘mudblood’. Even n the final book, where she’s forced to erase her parents memories to protect them, Ron abandoning her and Harry, and getting tortured by Bellatrix, none of it stops her from fighting for what she believes in.

Looking back now, Hermione has her problems both in the books and the films. Some of Ron's better moments got lost because the writer favored her which I can see whyt hat annoyed many people (I’m not one of them, but still), and the whole House Elf plot in the book has some... not great implications. But it doesn't stop Hermione from being a strong female character who is intelligent, brave, and Emma Watson’s strong performance really helped bring her to life. She ain’t perfect, but I still grew up watching her and I will always be grateful for that fact.

8. April O’Neil (TMNT 2012)

Screw the people who hated on her, April is awesome!

Really April in any incarnation of the Turtles is awesome. 2k3, Rise, the films. heck despite her being kidnapped every episode, even OT April was determined as Hell and you wouldn’t get in her way! But since I’m only picking one here, I gotta go with her 2k12 self. Her 2k3 self is also a close contender, but this was the version I spent the most time watching and for any of you who have follow me long enough knows, I spent a LOOOOT of time defending her from ship haters.

Looking back now, yeah there are some problems. Her limited screentime in S1, some of the Kraang stuff got rushed/crammed in, her missing mom story went nowhere, her being Donnie’s love interest. there’s plenty of problems. But those are more story issues than actual character issues. The last one especially si more an issue with Donnie’s character than April since she herself was NEVER defined by the ‘love interest’ card. She never existed for that purpose, and it shows especially by the end.

April began as a helpless, but very determined girl hoping to save her father after their abduction in which only she got saved. She spends most of her time getting intel for the Turtles while undergoing training from Splinter. She slowly, but gradually, grows into a capable kunoichi who can hold her own and gradually becomes an equal to her reptilian companions. She’s friendly, takes shit from no one, and she is probably the biggest Determinator in the entire series where ven when utterly helpless, she will STILL be defiant until the bitter end. he goes through Hell, and every single time she finds a way to pull herself together and forge on.

Despite how I fell off the series by the end, I was very happy with where April ended. From a girl just wanting her life back, to accepting her reality and making it her own. She trains herself in both ninjutsu and her new psychic abilities and becomes a kunoichi in her own right with them. She was even able to hold her own against Shredder! This girl became a badass and while there are issues here and there, I think she by far had some of the best development in the series. She remains my favorite character in 2012, y favorite April, and she has more than earned her spot on this list.

7. Avatar Korra (The Legend of Korra)

Another character who got unnecessary hate! Oh wait, that happens to every female character ever. Silly me!

Korra is what made LoK so great to me. She is a bull-headed, somewhat arrogant girl who has devoted her entire life to being the Avatar. She is the anti-Aang, so much so that she is terrible at Air Bending. But she’s also a very determined girl and went to Republic City to make Tenzin train her. Over the course of the series, we see how despite her arrogance, she is a good person who is truly devoted to her duty and genuinely wants to protect everyone. But she’s faced with her own vulnerabilities and flaws as a person as she has to learn to allow others to help/guide her and learn from her mistakes. And HO BOY does she make MANY mistakes.

Over four seasons, we watch Korra grow.  She’s faced with the fact that she is vulnerable in S1 and while she doesn't fully overcome it, she does so enough to face Amon despite knowing what’ll happen to her. In S2, she faces the worse of herself but in doign so, truly improves herself and puts things right while letting go of most of her arrogance. S3 has her a much more well-rounded person trying to do what’s right, but it ended in her torture, poisoning, and she is just broken by the end. S4 has her slow recovery both physically and mentally and the road is long, hard, and just painful. But by the end, she accepts what happened and is able to find the balance to restore her power, return to her duties, and save the world from utter calamity.

I related so uch to Korra, moreso than I did Aang. She got a lot fo hate for her attitude and... well, not being Aang. But she grew so much and I loved how much of a badass and fully layered character she was. Yeah, she wasn’t Aang, that was a good thing. I loved her form the beginning, and I loved her even more by the end. She’s a great example of a female protagonist and shows that yes, a female action heroine CAN work. The Avatar franchise has many outstanding female characters (Katara, Toph, Suki, Azula, Asami, Jinora, Kuvira) but to me, Korra beats them all and I love her.

6. Wonder Woman

Well I couldn’t leave off the most well-known female superhero of all time now, could I?

Wondy is awesome. I first saw her on Superfriends back when Cartoon Network reran it. While it is a super campy show, Wondy was a true hero who stood equal to her male companions and was just as capable of saving the day as them. She was pretty much the only main female, so of course she was the one I was drawn to and I loved seeing her in action. But she could fall into the Damsel in Distress role cause... well, girl and lie I said, Superfriends is super campy. But I took what I could get int hose days!

Fortunately, Wondy has had much better media rep since... and in fact before with the Lynda Carter series. I hadn’t seent hat when I was a kid and while it’s cheesy, Wondy was still a badass there who easily held her own. Her Justice League DCAU self was when I really fell in love with her. Kind, beautiful, righteous, and an utter powerhouse. Seriously, I think she kicked more ass than anyone in both the original and Unlimited series. She has two animated DC films, which are both pretty dang good. Bloody, but good!

But of course, we have the Gal Gadot film. This was the film that arguably has saved the DC Cinematic Universe, and for good reason. While I’m not a big fan of Wondy being a demigod, she still showed why he’s so good. She’s a true hero wanting to do good, and in a setting like World War One, that is hard to find. She’s caring, devoted, strong, and is just a shining example of a true hero. She inspires hope in a cinematic universe that thrived off of grittiness, and Thank God we have her. I can only hope that the sequel holds the same quality, but nothing will take this away.

Wonder Woman is awesome. They screw her up sometimes, both ina nd out of comics. But there is no doubt that she earned her spot as a beloved feminist icon, as well as her spot here on this list.

#5. Kim Possible

You do not know how obsessed with this show I used to be. It is probably my all-time favorite Disney animated series of all time. Why? Because of it’s clever writing, fun humor, great action, and of course it’s characters. Kim especially.

She is the girl who can do anything, and she lives up to that claim. She’s a cheerleader by day, crime fighter by night, and she handles those worlds flawlessly... for the most part. She’s tough, smart, and a badass who uses her cheerleading skills to aid in her crime-fighting. She faces mad scientists, monsters, and everything in between and she ALWAYS comes out on top. 

She’s now flawless, mind you. She’s bossy, smug, and can over-react when she faces things that she can’t do such as cooking or.. really anything normal/standard teen problems. She’s especially bad at maintaining dates. But whenever she faces a problem, she finds a way tog et through it whether it be with help from Ron, or finding her own way in solving it. She doesn't cry or mope about things like... well, the live-action film has her do. No, she gets up and finds solutions while still saving the day in the process. That is what makes her great, she’s a character before she’s a girl. Hence why she is a great female protagonist 

Kim is someone I strived to be like when I got that age... with varying success. But hey, it just proves that Kim Possible can indeed do anything. Call her, beep her if you wanna reach her, and she’ll be there. just like how she’s here for this spot.

4. Ruby Rose (RWBY)

MY DAUGHTER!

When I first got into RWBY, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the first character I fell in love with? Little Red here! I adore this girl to pieces. She gets a lot of flack form some for being ‘flat’ and ‘underdeveloped’ and I don’t have time to go into every reason why that’s not true. You can read this for some examples of why shes awesome. But let me summarize the gist of it as best as I can.

Ruby is a teenaged girl striving to be a Huntress like her mother, wanting to do good in the world like the heroes in her storybooks. Over time, as he overcomes her own flaws and the burdens of leadership, she learns how colossal of a task doing good truly is in a world that is harsh and cruel. She loses friends, her school gets broken apart, and the world seems to become more and more divided. And she’s right int he middle of it. So what does she do?

She gets up and continues on.

She decides to fight because she wants to help. She wants to make the world a better place because that is what a Huntress is supposed to do. She puts aside her own feelings in hopes that she can help do something. Even as she is pulled more and more into the true realities of her world, she stands firm and continues on. And when everyone else seems broken and on the verge of quitting? She grabs the reigns and pushes everyone forward herself.

Ruby may be a somewhat standard protagonist, but her determination and quirkiness help her stand out. She’s goofy, naive, and a socially awkward klutz. But she’s still a good-hearted person who always tries and in a world full fo monsters that thrive on despair, this is a very admirable trait. She’s gone from a girl afraid of being viewed as special, to taking the lead int he war against Salem all because it is her duty as a Huntress to protect everyone. She inspires those around her and also inspires me. She’s what got me to stay with this show, and I have yet to regret it.

RWBY has MANY great female characters. Weiss, Blake, Yang, Maria, Nora, Penny, Winter, and many others. But Ruby was always going to be my first pick. What can I say? I adore this girl~

3. Blossom (The Powerpuff Girls)

The Powerpuff girls was, and remains, my favorite cartoon of all time It was funny, action-packed, great characters, and great animation. I adore all three of the girls. Bubbles is cute but certianly no pushover, and Buttercup can be a jerk but she kicks a LOT of ass. But the one who I always loved the most was the commander and leader of the group, Blossom.

Blossom is the most mature of the girls, being very intelligent for her age. She’s smart, confident, and a natural leader. She’s also rather bossy, full of herself, and can be obnoxious at times with her egg-headed nature. From what I can tell, she was the leat liked... which sucks for me. I loved Blossom because of how smart she was and because of how good of a leader she was. Sure she had the occasional slip, but she was usually fairly reasonable, strategic, and always tried to look after her sisters and break up their spats.

I still remember the episode that made me love her. It was Princess’ introductory episode. In it, Blossom tried her best to be as reasonable with her as she could, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt since she was new and probably didn’t know how to make friends. It especially makes since if you’ve seen the movie and know how much the girls themselves struggled. But once it became clear that Princess really was a despicable little brat and she pounded her sisters, Blossom was pissed but still calm unlike the other two. Due to this, she easily thrashed Princess, destroyed her power suit, and gave her the mother of all The Reason You Suck speeches, telling her what being a hero truly means and how she’s nothing but a spoiled brat. It remains of my favorite PPG moments ever and after how much Blossom tried to give her a chance, it was very deserved.

Sadly, Blossom hasn’t gotten the best rep in other incarnations. Her PPGZ self while fine... wasn’t Blossom. Like... at all. And the less said about the 2016 series the better. Still, I remember how much I looked up to the original Blossom and enjoyed seeing her kick butt every Friday. I even still have one of my old dolls that I cherish to this day. Allt he Powerpuffs are great, and I will love them forever.

2. Sailor Moon/Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

Speaking of childhood heroines!

Ah Sailor Moon, We’ve had a long history, you and I. The first show I ever kept up with. The first fandom I ever got into. The first anime I ever got into. nd of course, the first heroine I ever truly loved.

Usagi (well... Serena when I was a kid, as the 90′s) is someone I still hold close to my heart. She is a klutz, crybaby, and far from an ideal heroine. She can be rather immature and at times selfish, preferring to sleep or eat sweets than worry about her Sailor Senshi duties. But as he grows, we see that through it all, she is a pure, caring young girl. I think the manga/Crystal anime did a MUCH better job at portraying that side to her, though the 90′s anime presented her more heroic side as well. They just sometimes forgot that he was past being a crybaby...

Usagi loves everyone. Her lover Mamoru, her fellow Senshi, just everyone. She doesn’t like fighting, but she will if she has to. She goes from crying in the middle of fights to being able to face God-like entities with just a magic crystal. Despite not having wanted to be a Senshi to begin with, she accepts her destiny and tries to save everyone, even her enemies. It just shows how despite her flaws as a person, she is a true hero who can always be relied on.

Sailor Moon did a lot when it came out. it helped revolutionize the Magical Girl genre, helped give anime a standing in America, and showed how femininity is not a weakness. There’s many other great female characters (Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako) and all are their own character. But Usagi has always been the one I loved most and so she claims the Number Two spot.

Honorable Mentions

Sakura Kinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura) Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Twilight Sparkle (MLP:FIM) Agent Carolina and Kaikaina Grif (Red vs Blue) Lois Lane (Superman: The Animated Series) Hawkgirl/Shayera Hal (Justice League/Unlimited) Gosalyn Mallard (Darkwing Duck) Webby Vanderquack (Ducktales 2017) Rapunzel (Tangled franchise) Anna (Frozen) Cinderella, Ariel, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Tiana, Moana (Disney Princess) Kida (Atlantis: The Lost Empire) Meg (Hercules) Esmerelda (The Hunchbakc of Notre Dame) Jane (Return to Neverland Princess Elena (Elena of Avalor) Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hohouji (Magic Knights Rayearth) Nami (One Piece) Misty (Pokemon) Winry Rockbell (FMA) Ran Mouri (Detective Conan) Kagome Higurashi and Sango (Inuyasha) Pretty much all the Pretty Cures Nancy Drew Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus) Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo) Calico ‘Callie’ Briggs and Felina Feral (SWAT Kats)

And I’m sure there’s more, but we’re gonna be here all day if I keep going. So let's go ahead and get to Number One. Which tbh... this was a no-brainer.

1. Mulan

Yeah, this probably shocks no one. I’ve talked about Mulan like... a billion times by now. But there was no other option for me.

Mulan is my favorite movie of all time, and the title character is my favorite character of all time. She’s a young woman who wants to bring her family honor, but struggles to do so in the ways she’s expected. She goes to war in her father’s place to save his life, and she struggles even more. She’s someone who doubts and is ashamed of herself, but over time she decides that she’s done hating her refection and tries to prove her worth. She not only becomes a better soldier and earns the respect of everyone around her, but even after she’s unmasked, she goes on to save all of freakin’ China! The whole country, including the freakin’ Emperor, bows before her because of this. You do not get more respect than that.

I’ve only grown to love and relate more to this story as I’ve grown older. I’ve learned to not define myself by society expectations, but just as who I am. Mulan struggles with expectations, family, warn, and most of all her own insecurities. She wants to see something worthwhile when she looks into the mirror, but she always just feels shame. But by the end, she puts it aside and becomes the best version of herself. She returns home with more than enough to honor her family... and her father tosses it aside to hug her. He’s just grateful to have her home, the greatest girl and honor. She’s someone who we watch grow and her journey hold sup even today. Argubaly even moreso.

Mulan was a film that changed me. Shaped my beliefs and values into what they are now. Even today, I see it as a flawless movie, and Mulan a flawless heroine. he’s a perfect example of a female protagonist, or heck just a protagonist in general. I love her and because of how much she shaped my five-year-old self into who I am now, se is my favorite female character of all time.

And that’s that! Well that was fun! Thank you all for reading and to all thw women out there, whether you were born as one or made the choice to identify as such. Whether you love men, women, or whoever. Whether you care about love or not. I hope you all have a lovely day and stay true to who you are. Happy International Women’s Day everyone~!

[murphystartedthefire]

I'll be honest - I didn't like Emori, but she started to grow on me at the begining of this season. Last episode was great for her. I don't know if you've been asked this already (probably yes), but could you make a ranking of your top 10 Memori moments? I think I know what's gonna be first, though 😁

Sorry for the delay but thank you for this ask!!! It is so hard to narrow down to a Top Ten, let alone rank them. So this is my best effort and very personal to my own feels (and I’m likely to change my mind on any given day):

-------

10) 3x13 Red Sky at Morning

The scene where Murphy, Pike, and Indra have a chance to take out the City of Light, but ALIE-Emori says it will kill her? And he has every reason to *know* she’s manipulating him and either way this is a world-destroying threat they need to take care of and meanwhile (not that he knows this) Monty is off in another location wiping his own mom out of existence, but Murphy is a soft boy who can’t bring himself to do it. And THEN there’s that crushing moment of hope where he thinks she’s back for a second but then realizes she’s still ALIE... it is pure angst and I love it.

9) 4x01 Echoes

Asking her to come back to Arkadia. Their main arc all season was about being on their own or part of a group, Murphy a lot more chill about returning to his people and Emori much more wary and distrusting. But it still ends with her agreeing to take that leap with him (the fact it’s another couple of episodes before they actually do is his decision). To me this was the I-want-a-future-with-you proposal scene prior to the other one, and I don’t know how to look at those big beautiful smiles and NOT want to give them the world.

8) 6x01 Sanctum

Speaking of smiles! I can’t get over how cute and joyful this scene is, especially coming on the heels such a dark time they had in season 5. It’s a fair argument that their post-breakup reunion was too quick and not fully earned. But in my Memori-shipping heart I just love to see them *happy*, teasing each other and acting like kids, embracing this second chance to be alive and loved.

7) 4x08 God Complex

I really should put this higher but on a purely subjective level it just... hurts too much to watch.  Murphy losing his entire shit and trying to get out of his bonds while Emori’s trying to resign herself to her fate and telling him not to fight for her. They are so desperate and terrified and thinking of *nothing* but saving each other. :( It’s kind of brilliant how “Gimme Shelter” totally establishes Memori as borderline villains (in the framing of that last scene more than anything) and then in the very next episode it’s just... I can’t even imagine not feeling terribly anxious and sad for them, while watching our usual protagonists become nearly irredeemable. And then Murphy screams and pleads at Clarke and it’s an incredible performance from Richard as we all know, but the scene leading up to it is underappreciated, I think.

6) 5x06 Exit Wounds

It was hard to get anything from S5 on here (and I’m tempted to just go with the near-sex scene in this ep, definitely the hottest Memori scene) but I do really appreciate this moment in the rocket giving us probably the clearest view of what happened to drive them apart on the Ring. Also season five had several Unfortunate Uses of Shock Collars but this was probably where it was put to *best* use as a symbol of where they were at emotionally. It’s a rare and really good thing on this show when the action stops for characters to have a human conversation.

5) 2x12 Rubicon

There’s a lot of great meet-cute/meet-knife-to-throat in this episode, but by far my favorite scene is when they open up to each other about their reasons for being rejected by their people -- Murphy owning up to his violent past and Emori showing him her mutation. It’s a risk of being vulnerable and judged in different ways, and the foundation of their relationship: they recognize a part of themselves in each other.

4) 3x16 Perverse Instantiation Pt. 2

This is a short moment but makes me feel so much! Memori have so many great reunions/hugs, but this one after she wakes up from the City of Light is just so emotional and powerful. Her devastated face! The way they cling to each other! They are truly everything in the world to each other at this moment and never want to let go.

3) 4x07 Gimme Shelter

This list has many tooth-hurtingly sweet moments about how adorable and precious Memori are together, but it’s no secret I also LOVED this episode’s reveal of how dark and cunning and ruthless Emori can be and how Murphy was all the way onboard with it. There is so much complexity to them that doesn’t easily boil down to ‘perfect misunderstood woobies’ or ‘irredeemable bad guys’. Emori especially had been shaped by her life to be very, very paranoid and self-preserving, and Murphy so quickly accepting and even *impressed* by that side of her is a lot more interesting than if the show had just straight-up vilified her, or alternately made her an angel whose goodness redeemed him.

2) 3x02 Wanheda Pt. 2

Cheek kiss! This will always have a place in my heart as the moment I started shipping them. I just really love how sweet it is, in contrast to the fact they just killed a person (albeit in self-defense). There’s something completely sincere and gentle in how they relate to each other. (You see that with Murphy’s puppy eyes in Rubicon, I guess this is when I felt it from Emori as well.) They approach giving and receiving affection in such an innocent way because they just haven’t had that in their lives. :(

1) 6x08 The Old Man and the Anomaly

HAHAHAHAHA (laughter turns into delirious sobs and falls off chair), your ask was like “I bet I know what’s gonna be first” and my immediate thought was “Not necessarily!” but then I realized I was just kidding myself. Can you believe. CAN YOU BELIEVE. JOHN MURPHY. GOT ON HIS DAMN KNEE. And they called back “survivor’s move”. And there were *tears in his eyes*. And the entire thing had an “oh shit” undercurrent because he is making the worst life decisions and it basically turned into a pitch for stealing bodies and becoming Gods together, but it was also... so genuinely more than that. And Emori got that, as evidenced by the end of the episode, when she rejected his literal Let’s Be Immortal proposal but accepted & returned the declaration-of-undying-love part. Wow.

[HONORABLE MENTION: the season 3 deleted scene which I left out because it was unaired, and “your home is with me” because I didn’t want half the list to be S4.]

[notbang]

sjsgjfghjfhfgj this has been sitting in my drafts for twelve hundred years and since @catty-words made all these wonderful gifs for me i guess i should probably answer it? anyway this completely ignores any and all faces from s4 and possibly anything after 3.11 because that’s how old this ask is.

i have had a lot of internal debates over what constituted a reaction face in an attempt to narrow this down, but i still ended up going over. here we go!

1. “you seem like a very confident, self-assured and conventionally handsome young gentleman.” one of my favourite things about nathaniel is his ability to be chuffed by comments that are very clearly not intended to be compliments. that’s self-love, babey!!

2. “you’re like a young me. so, listen, young me--” even this cocky little shit cannot see the compliment in darryl likening him to a younger version of himself, and thus we are gifted with exasperated!nathaniel. that ‘mm, is that what we’d call it?’ pause. that heavenward eye-roll praying for patience. a Classic look.

3. “you’re about to ruin the lives of these innocent, semi-hard-working people.”/”i have offered to show my ample bosom to so many gross old men.” this is the calm before the storm. the confusion before the arousal. this idiot thinks everyone in the office is dramatic when he is, in fact, the Most Dramatic. whitefeather perplexes and vexes him in equal measure and rebecca bunch is no exception.

4. the coffee creamer hand brush oh my! look at this touch-starved dumbass!! rebecca bunch touched his hand and he is freaking out!!! his soul just left his body and transported back in time to the regency era because that is where that physical contact belongs!! jane austen would be aghast but also proud.

5. “and there was that rando kiss that happened between us, but that happened and it’s never going to happen again.” this is the smug face of someone who has no idea the kind of mess he’s going to dissolve into over the next few days as a result of that rando kiss and actually thinks they have some kind of upper hand here. what a sweet, stupid summer child.

6. “you think i moved my wedding up because we kissed?” nathaniel j. plimpton iii very much thinks rebecca nora bunch moved her wedding up because they kissed, mostly because he’s a cocky little shit but also because it was a very good kiss, a kiss that no juice cleanse can control.

7. “status reversals... they’re confusing and arousing.” rebecca bunch really just did that... handed this smitten dweeb a two word summary of their entire schtick, and of course the gentleman doth protest too much.

8. everything rebecca does in ‘strip away my conscience’. equal parts seduced and being aggressively pelted by shoes. which again: confusing and arousing.

9. “i would love to have sex with you again.” look at these heart eyes! this is the best news he has received all year! rebecca bunch just announced she’d like to fuck him and he’s looking at her like she’s a  cat video compilation on youtube. this boy is a gooey mess!!

10. “parts of me do.” he was trying to be funny and tentatively sexy but rebecca bunch is Going For It and he guesses it’s okay if he touches his dick a little bit??

11. “i am now your superior.”/ “thirty hour work weeks. mandatory nap breaks. two hour lunches.” the fearful outrage that can only exist inside a recently oppressed white man. nAPS??

12. a bonus, because i decided this didn’t constitute a reaction face, per se, but i put it in anyway: “i’ll forget about everything else. and everyone else. for you.” this matter-of-fact nod! he Feels Things for rebecca bunch them’s the cold hard facts.

[featherquillpen]

Dæmonology: Quentin Coldwater

I figured if I’m going to go down the rabbit hole of writing a Magicians dæmon AU, I might as well liveblog the process of figuring out the characters’ dæmons, since lots of my followers are interested in how I do dæmonology. So here goes nothing: Quentin Coldwater’s dæmon!

(Be aware: this post is long as hell.)

Other Personality Types

So, first step that helps a lot to focus the mind: figure out the character in other, simpler personality typing systems.

Quentin is a double Hufflepuff by the Sorting Hat Chats system, no question. He is deeply oriented toward fairness and helping people, even when helping people could be viewed as an objective moral wrong (freeing niffin!Alice, helping the Monster.) And he gets things done by sheer dedication, rather than brilliance or improvisation or charging headfirst. 

In MBTI, I would expect Quentin to have Extroverted Feeling in his top two cognitive functions – he cares a lot about the emotions and values of his group.  I’m inclined to say ESFJ, as Quentin thinks in a concrete, detail-oriented way, relying on his established patterns and what has accumulated personal meaning for him, so Introverted Sensing should be a strong function for him. But ISFJ is also very possible.

In the enneagram, Quentin reads to me as a type Six, constantly doubting himself and the world, looking for support and guidance in his friends and in magic itself.

Core Traits

Okay, so what are the central, most defining traits of Quentin Coldwater?

Loyalty. More than any of the other questers in Season 3, Quentin believed in the fellowship of the questers: he figured out the unity key because that concept resonates with him so deeply. He doesn’t make friends easily, but once he does, he’s absolutely ride-or-die for them. Who can forget memory!Quentin’s line “You sacrifice for the people you love; that’s what you do” in 4.05 Escape from the Happy Place? And his loyalty is on a level of the community rather than the individual; unlike someone like Penny or Eliot, Quentin is deeply connected and committed to everyone in the fellowship.

Self-doubt. In his own words, Quentin is constantly finding doors so he can run from himself. He never seems to fully trust his own mind. Sometimes in his insecurity he lashes out (see his behavior to Julia in S1) or tries to take up the mantle of a hero, a king or a quester to feel noble and brave. He values people and situations that make him feel safe and secure. He strongly prefers to work with other people than alone, because it makes him feel more supported and breaks him out of his loop of painful self-doubt.

Detail-oriented. I’m a little dissatisfied with this word, because it implies fussiness and anal-retentiveness, which is not Quentin. What I mean here is that Quentin is oriented toward small things: the present moment, the next step, this detail of the Fillory books, that childhood dance or plate of bacon that will cheer someone up. For goodness sake, his discipline is repair of small objects. Quentin is focused on what is here, now, in his hands – for all that he is a king of Fillory, I think he would flounder if faced with the big picture of running a kingdom.

Heart on his sleeve. Quentin can’t help but be emotionally open; even when he tries to hold back (as he has been doing in S4) it’s obvious how he feels. He’s a bad liar, a worse actor, and while he’s very attuned to the feelings of people around him, he doesn’t manipulate them or influence them in anything but the most earnest way.

I would add that Quentin is compliant (has a hard time setting boundaries or saying no to people), dedicated (does not give up once he’s set his heart on something), dependent (he does not like being alone; he studies in the common room of the cottage, instead of withdrawing like Alice) and shy (wary and awkward around people he doesn’t know.)

Translating to Animal Behaviors

Here’s the step where I translate these traits to animal behaviors as best I can.

Socially speaking, I’m looking for a social, group-living animal, almost certainly one with a consistent, life-long family group that does not easily admit outsiders. This social group should have social hierarchy that is not upset or overturned by dominance battles and the like – an established order like the matriarchy by seniority in an elephant herd.

Given Quentin’s patience and dedication, I’m looking for an animal with high reproductive investment – something that leaves lots of food with its eggs, so they have something to feed on when they hatch (like solitary bees) or lays really big eggs (like kiwis) or does a lot of parental care.

I want an animal that has a lot of safety and vigilance behaviors, especially social safety behaviors, like meerkats who have rotating guard duty, or antelope who rely on safety in numbers. 

I’m looking for animals with low-risk, high-consistency, detail-oriented foraging behaviors. That is, I want animals that use fairly steady food supplies rather than windfall unpredictable ones, and that involve a long steady stream of focused effort rather than varied approaches and risks. Probably animals that forage in groups rather than alone.

I’m looking for animals that show open communication and displays with each other, and that don’t employ secrecy and evasiveness (like crows with a private hoard of food.) 

I specifically do not want animals that have individual territories of any sort; Quentin is far too compliant for that. Group territory defense could make  sense, though. I also want to avoid competitive animals that are always jostling for bigger territories or higher status.

Playing the Field

Next I gather lots of different animal possibilities that fit my behavioral criteria above. So here’s a list of a bunch of animals I think might work, without spending too much time on each one trying to confirm or rule it out. This part is very time-consuming, and relies a lot on my encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior, though I do refer to various websites to supplement it.

Pigeons

Quails

Small-colony bees (carpenter bee, orchid bee)

Wild dogs and foxes (yes, I know, I can feel Mayakovsky watching me)

Small-group-living lemurs

Domestic dogs (especially sporting breeds)

Zebra finch

Scrub jays

Kinkajou

Yellow-winged bat

Ringtail possums

Note that up to this point, I have spent five hours working on this. For one character. And I’m not done yet. This is why I don’t often write dæmon AUs even though I love them very much.

Narrowing the Field

Now I go through my list, animal by animal, and take notes on what works and what doesn’t. Along the way, I think more deeply about the character and discover the more subtle characteristics that help me distinguish between similar animals.

❌Pigeons

So what I really like about pigeons for Quentin is that they have very high reproductive investment – they produce milk inside their crops that they feed to their young. They’re also nervy little prey animals with a lot of vigilance behavior, while still having that streak of pigeon boldness.

What I don’t like about pigeons is that they have too many competitive/dominance behaviors, and they often socialize outside of established family groups. So I don’t think it’s going to work out.

❌Quails

Quails are almost never spotted alone, they’re nervy vigilant pudgy birds, they look out for each other and warn each other with alarm calls, they invest a lot in reproduction – they lay so many eggs that sometimes they can’t even properly sit on them all, which is so cute. 

I really like these, I think the one problem is that again their social groups are not very consistent, they seem to allow quite a bit of flow in and out of their flocks. I looked into as many species as I could find information on, and they seem to have really fluid social structures allowing members in and out as they please. 

❌Small-colony bees

Now that I do more research into them, I can see that orchid bees and carpenter bees aren’t going to work, because while they usually nest communally, they can nest solitarily, which is too socially flexible. Sweat bees are much too aggressive and competitive. Ruled out.

✔️Wild canines

Wild canines have a lot of desirable characteristics: lots of parental care, group loyalty, close-knit family groups. There are also some canines, especially the smaller ones, that are quite wary and nervy. It’s a matter of narrowing down to the right ones within the group.

Jackals and coyotes are too competitive and socially flexible, so they’re out. Gray foxes and maned wolves are nearly entirely solitary, so they’re out. Dholes, wolves, fennec foxes, and dingos are too assertive and confident. The rest of the foxes are too independent and socially flexible.

However, I really like the look of raccoon dogs and bush dogs. They’re almost never seen alone, but in pairs or small packs which stick together for a long time. They cooperate extensively, and while they are predators, they are also prey, and are reclusive and vigilant by habit. They have overlapping territories without strong borders. The only thing that’s really missing for me are flags for Quentin’s orientation toward detail and the next moment, but I can look into these species further in the next step.

✔️Small-group-living lemurs

I’ve gone through the lemur species, and I like the look of mongoose lemurs. They have small, close-knit, stable family groups with group territory defense. I will look into them more deeply in the next step.

✔️Domestic dogs (especially sporting breeds)

I think of Quentin’s defining trait as loyalty, which is also the defining trait of dogs. Most breeds also fit with Quentin’s Hufflepuff determination and hard work, and his way of being a supportive sidekick to his badass friends. Dogs are also open and communicative and “heart on their sleeve.” I just have to find more nervous, vigilant breeds that are highly detail-oriented.

Carolina dogs are somewhere in between feral and domesticated, and as such are more nervy and vigilant of strangers than most dogs, which seems right.

Kooikerhondjes are very focused, dedicated sporting dogs that look like they fit super well. Other spaniels are also good candidates. 

Phew, there’s a lot of dog breeds out there. Definitely need to delve into this more deeply.

❌Zebra finch

I love the super intense pair bonding in zebra finches, and the nervy prey vigilance, and of course the expressive songs, but they seem very socially flexible and tolerant of strangers in their flocks.

❌Scrub jays

Upon closer inspection, the scrub jay species are super, super specialized to one habitat/food, and I think Quentin has some more breadth and adaptability in him than that.

❌Kinkajou

Kinkajous mostly look good, since they’ve got very affectionate close-knit social groups, they’re reclusive in the forest and avoid aggression, but they tend to forage alone, which is not so great. 

✔️Yellow-winged bat

This one fits extremely, extremely well. They’re pair-bonding bats that are rarely more than a few meters from each other, they cooperate to raise young, they groom together, they talk together, they defend the territory together – and my favorite bit is that here there is a strong analogy to Quentin’s detail orientation. Bats have a trade-off in their echolocation between long-distance and low-detail, or short-distance and high-detail, and yellow-winged bats are strongly toward the short-distance, high-detail end. They focus on prey that are close by.

✔️Ringtail possums

Common ringtail possums are way too chill and low-strung, but the rock ringtail possum is big on sentinel behavior, guard duty, and keeping an eye out for each other. My only major issue with this one is no flag for detail orientation.

The Final Candidates

At this point, I have spent nine hours on this project, and I have a final list of candidates. Now I have to compare and contrast at a very detailed level, and find which one works the best. I will do extensive research on each animal so I can really flesh out my thoughts.

Raccoon dog

Bush dog

Mongoose lemur

Carolina dog

Kooikerhondje

Yellow-winged bat

Rock ringtail possum

What I really like with raccoon dogs is how intensely cooperative they are – they have large litters for dogs their size, they have lots of predators, and so both parents are super involved with the young and in experimental conditions where there are no males all pups die. They groom each other and have lots of touch and sound gestures, they’re very wary of predators on their young, always keeping an eye on them. They’re non-aggressive and don’t fight over territory, they only ever start something if the young are in danger. All of this is great, it’s only that I don’t see any flags for the detail-oriented, “repair of small objects” side of Q.

Bush dogs live in close family groups like wolf packs, and they even hunt cooperatively, which I love. They constantly make little noises so they can hear each other as they move through the forest – cute! Their main predator defense is being inconspicuous and hiding in their burrows from any threat, but they’re not afraid to throw down if the pack is in real danger, as long as they’re facing it together. The biggest problem is that while raccoon dogs are omnivores, bush dogs are hunters, and hunting is not a great analogy for Q’s mode of putting together bits of books, grinding away persistently, and repairing small objects.

Mongoose lemurs live in those small, wolf pack like groups, and they groom and play with each other. They defend territory as a group, backing each other up. I can’t find evidence for strong vigilance/sentinel behaviors, which puts me off.

Domestic dogs in general are loyal, altruistic, open-hearted, empathetic, and dependent on close bonds with others to feel safe and secure. Carolina dogs are sometimes called American dingos because they were not artificially selected; accordingly, they’re a bit feral and quite wary of strangers outside the family they’ve bonded to. They also have a strong prey drive, and I like that drivenness. But again, I don’t see any flags for Q’s Hufflepuff hard work, dedication, and detail focus. With the Kooikerhondje I do see the hard work, as they’re very much working dogs that are rather difficult to keep as mere lapdogs without giving them an outlet, but again none of the detail orientation is in evidence.

I really think the Yellow-winged bat has it. They have the super close bonding family groups, they’re always looking out for each other and helping each other find food and raising the young together. They’re wary of strangers and defend the territory together. They tend to have established roosts that they always revisit – they stick to the familiar when possible. They have social calls, fly in patterns together, and groom each other affectionately. Both parents are very involved in parental care, and the mothers carry the baby around their backs until they can fly. And best of all, they have specific flags for Q’s way of doing things. While most bats fly around blasting echolocation everywhere and catching insects mid-flight, yellow-winged bats are sit-and-wait predators. They have particular roosts they use in different seasons, and they have close-range, very high-resolution echolocation (using FM-type calls.) They sit on the right roost for the time of year, they wait, and when the insects eventually come within echolocation range, they can pinpoint exactly where they are and grab them. I feel like this fits with Q’s areas of comfort and familiarity very well, the way he prefers having something concrete to work on (like a quest) over having to make things up as he goes along, the way he has these zones of expertise where he knows absolutely everything.

Look how cute!

(photo credit Sandra Lee at the Bat Detective blog)

[haltandcatchfiretothemax]

FEMSLASH FEBRUARY 2018 27/28: In which Donna is still angry

[CN: food, s4 spoilers, major character death]

When Joanie comes home for the first time since Cameron moved in, all she wants to do is be at home, with Donna, Haley, and Cameron. It's the summer, so she sleeps late, spends the afternoons hanging out with Haley after she gets home from her summer classes, sits next to Donna at dinner and helps her in the kitchen every evening, and stays up late watching Craig Ferguson and MTV with Cameron. On weekends, they barbecue, and Haley and Joanie swim, while Donna and Cameron lay out by the pool, side by side in chaise lounge chairs arranged as close to each other as possible. Donna relaxes in her bathing suit, sarong, floppy sun hat, and multiple layers of SPF 50 carefully reapplied every two hours, Cameron sits cross-legged, shoulders hunched, elbows to knees, chin in hand, in jeans and a t shirt and sneakers no matter how hot it is. Eventually, after another round of lectures about skin cancer and the importance of sun protection, she starts wearing sunscreen on her face and arms, and a pair of Donna's expensive wayfarers.

On an unusually warm Sunday in July, the girls are playing a funny and very competitive game of one-on-one volleyball. (Joanie keeps pushing for two-on-two even though everyone knows that Cameron Does Not Go In The Pool, "And it's a good thing too," Donna always mutters under breath, "because we'd rip them to shreds," which both amuses and scares Cameron a little.) Cameron notices that Donna isn't reclining elegantly like she usually does, she's watching the girls, sitting upright and alert, almost frowning at them. When Donna notices Cameron monitoring her face, she purses her lips, and then says, "You know, when I watch them act up like that, I still feel like Gordon is gonna come out here any minute and pretend to yell at them." Cameron sighs, "I don't think that ever completely goes away. Even now I think my mom has those moments. I can only imagine what that feels like."

"He wasn't a good partner," Donna huffs. "I'm still angry at him for it. I'm a terrible person." Cameron snorts, "I don't think that ever completely goes away, either." Then, gently, she says, "You're not a terrible person. I loved Gordon, but, I get how selfish he could be, now. I get how self-involved I've been." Donna deadpans, "Sensitive, flawed geniuses caught up in their very important, groundbreaking work." "Sorry," Cameron winces. Donna smirks, "It's not your fault that I have a type." They laugh quietly, and Haley scores the first point of the afternoon, Joanie's unsuccessful dive for the ball causing a loud splash.

Donna says, "You're not that much like Gordon. I mean that in a good way. You're a lot more attentive. He was just…oblivious. Always. Not just in Dallas." With a mirthless cackle, she says, "You wanna know how we wound up back in Texas? My parents, being how they are, offered to buy us a house, and help us with the girls, on the condition that it was in Dallas, and Gordon didn't want to. I didn't want to! But I was desperate. And also too young and stupid to know how bad it would really be."

Cameron, mesmerized as always by the way Donna talks about her own life, asks, "What do you mean, 'desperate'?" Donna looks at her and says, "We didn't have enough money, not really, because I couldn't work, because someone had to stay home with the baby. Gordon thought it would work itself out, and I didn't. We didn't really have friends. We couldn't afford help. I loved being at home with Joanie, but there were days when I just felt like I had no idea what I was doing, and I wanted to be at work because I knew I could do that. I was drowning. And no matter how many different ways I tried to explain it to him, Gordon didn't see it. So, after two years, I finally just said, "We're moving to Dallas." Because that was how it was with Gordon, you couldn't reason or negotiate with him, I had to tell him what we were doing, fight with him, and then wait out his surrender tantrum."

Cameron says, "I couldn't even tell Tom how I actually felt most of the time. I used to think it was because I was a bad wife, but after a while I realized it was because no feeling I ever had was right, he would always make me feel bad for not acting how he wanted me to?" Eyes narrowed in disdainful revulsion, Donna says, "Well, at least Gordon wasn't an asshole. Not that it's a competition." Cameron shakes her head, "No, I know what you mean. There are no winners here, man."

Donna sighs, "I wish I could forgive him for not realizing how scared I was. I've somehow managed to forgive everything else between us, but not that. He made me feel so alone." Cameron says, "I don't think you're required to forgive him for everything. Especially something that big, that never got better. Some things are just, I don't know. You just can't get past them." Then she says, "If it makes you feel any better, there were times when I wanted to put him through a wall." Shocked, Donna laughs, loud enough to distract both Haley and Joanie from their game (the point goes to Joanie), and Cameron says, "I still would, too, do you remember how he was about Mutiny? He needed a reality check, if he'd been anyone else's husband, I would've provided one for him in the form of an ass-kicking." Face skeptical, Donna says, "I'm not sure I believe you, Cameron Eugenia." Cameron pouts, betrayed, and Donna says, "You're tough, but you're still more of a lover than a fighter. Which is a compliment." Cameron blushes.

Solemn again, Cameron says, "Gordon had his baggage." Donna looks down into her lap and says, "I know." Cameron continues, "So, it's not your fault. You weren't supposed to fix him. Not that you didn't try. God, I've never seen anyone work so hard to save something. To save everything." Embarrassed, Donna rolls her eyes. "Which is always very sexy." Cameron wrinkles her nose adorably, and says, "It kind of is, actually. I like that you're not afraid to work on things. It's part of why you're a good engineer." For what feels like the first time in a very long time, Donna blushes, unconvinced, but still a little flustered by the unexpected approval.

They watch Haley and Joanie for a minute (the game is tied at 3-3) and then Donna says, "I miss him. But I'm so glad that I'm not married to him, and that I don't feel like I need him. And I'm really glad that you're my partner. You've made me feel a lot of things, Cameron. A whole lot of negative things. But you don't make me feel like I'm alone." Shyly, Cameron asks, "Last and best?" Grinning, Donna nods, "Last and best." Cameron whispers, "Come here…" as she leans over to kiss Donna lightly. Their faces are shaded by Donna's hat, but it's not long before the girls notice: "Moms making out! Moms sucking face!" they shout. When Joanie groans, "Get a room, jesus fvcking christ!" Donna pulls away and cries, "Joanie Marie Clark!" And then they all laugh.

[honestgrins]

Collectors || Klaroline

Klaroline AU Week Day 3: Sci-fi and Post-apocalypse

Ten years after the reckoning, Caroline isn't quite used to the new world order or Klaus's position in it. (Post S4 Canon)

She knew accepting the invitation could be a mistake, but it never occurred to her to pass up the opportunity.

The automated car he had sent for her stopped at the imposing front door, and Caroline's eyes rolled at the castle the Originals called home. Their centennial gala tradition seemed to thrive regardless of the world reckoning, and vampires always liked a party.

Caroline could hear the thrum of other guests inside, a pounding bass beating underneath; more than three hundred years since homecoming, and she still hadn't gotten used to the grandeur of a Mikaelson gathering. Careful with the delicate fabric of her dress, she shuffled out of the car with a fierce grip on her clutch.

Keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of trouble, Caroline made her way to the entrance, where wait staff promptly offered her a glass of chilled champagne. With only slight hesitation, she gratefully took a deep sip, the alcohol helping to soothe her frayed nerves.

The opulent ballroom belied the den of iniquity it really was. Despite fine jewels and haute couture, vampires far older than Caroline could guess were acting like teenagers on spring break - if teenagers were drunk on blood and lust. Humans were passed freely like toys, and more than a few couches were claimed for openly sexual displays.

She was hardly the naive girl she was in Mystic Falls, but Caroline's throat clogged with disgust at the overindulgence of it all. Even just a decade earlier, and she would have happily joined in the fun.

But then the reckoning happened.

Natural disasters destroyed half the world as they knew it, most of the human population wiped out due to a lack of resources. Vampires and witches managed to survive in greater numbers, though werewolves struggled to live long enough to pass on the gene to their children. Supernatural status soon became a commodity, for witches to trade spells of abundance or curses of famine, for vampires to willingly share the gift of immortality. None were more successful in building an empire of wealth and influence than the Original family.

Like a magnet pulling her in, Caroline glanced up to find Klaus staring at her. Suddenly, she was back in high school, wondering why the hell a thousand-year-old hybrid would be interested in a baby vampire. Time had yet to lessen their apparent effect on each other, her breath catching as he moved toward her.

Striding through the crowd with that infuriating smirk on his face, Klaus was temptation himself in a well-cut tuxedo. "You're a hard woman to find, sweetheart," he greeted, watching Caroline finish her drink in a heady gulp. Charming as ever, something about him seemed tense, calculating.

She passed the glass off to a server, needing the distraction to brace herself. Her voice was deceptively light and even, "What's twenty years between friends?" That little Tuscan villa she had left him in was underwater now, a fact she thought about from time to time.

"Quite a lot," he answered, eyes narrowing at her masked reaction, "especially given the particular events of the last ten." His fingers brushed back her hair, to trace reverently along her exposed collarbone. "Honestly, I'm surprised you managed to receive my invitation."

"You must have gone to some trouble, reaching me all the way in Nepal." Caroline swept her gaze across the room, noting the few interested looks they were getting. Rebekah had snorted in derision, only to go back to the bloody human she was feasting on; Elijah was decidedly more suspicious in his neat repose, reclined in an armchair nearby. The others were strangers to Caroline, but there was an easily explained sexual glint to their appreciative gaze. Clearing her throat, she turned back to Klaus with a curious expression. "Are you glad I came?"

His smirk softened, and his hand dropped to hers. "Dance with me," he said, already pulling her close. Though their simple sway was hardly the lustful embrace others were engaging in, it somehow felt more intimate to Caroline.

But this was the man who could flirt during a murder, and she was keenly aware of the danger he posed despite his gentle voice. "Half the world was gone, and you just disappeared, love," Klaus murmured. "For too long, I searched before I finally realized...you were either dead, or you were hiding from me."

Caroline leaned into him, oddly comforted by his implied accusation. "I forgot how good megalomania looks on you," she teased. "The all-powerful hybrid can't find little, old me."

His grip turned harsh, and the world tilted as he flashed them out of the room. Closing her eyes, Caroline dug her fingers into his shoulder and tucked her clutch between them. The air crackled in her ears when they suddenly stopped in what was obviously his bedroom. "What the hell, Klaus?"

"Do not play the innocent," he warned, his voice fierce with rage. "You were dead, for all I knew, and you joke? I took great pains to verify that the rumored blonde vampire traipsing through the Himalayas really was Caroline Forbes, and yet I can't shake the feeling you're only here for some nefarious design."

Shoving out her arms to demand some space, Caroline snarled right back in his face, "Because you're a paranoid ass!" With a huff, she straightened out her dress. "I'm sorry you were worried about me, but I was a little busy surviving a freaking apocalypse, okay?"

Klaus ran a hand through his hair, the outward sign of his emotional distress surprising to them both. "I would have kept you safe," he insisted. "Why not come looking for me?"

"I'm here now." Caroline shrugged helplessly.

His tongue slipping across his bottom lip in agitated thought, Klaus dropped his eyes to the clutch she still held. "You know, Elijah has been tracking a so-called liberator throughout Asia," he said, almost casual. "Some vampires have reported losing their blood stocks. Never too many humans at a time, but enough to cause shortages for their leisure."

Wishing she had more champagne, Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I wouldn't have guessed, with how many human party favors you have out in the ballroom."

The silence between them was loaded as Klaus watched her carefully. "I'm not shocked you have made powerful enemies in your quest to be a good little vampire," he finally said, his steps toward her measured and powerful. "But to come after me, my family… What was your plan, love?"

Her hand shook as he slowly pried the clutch out of her grasp, plucking the vervain-wolfsbane syringe from it with a disapproving click of his tongue. "Slip the syringe to Rebekah, sow a little sibling discord to provide myself some cover and confusion to get my targets out of your human stables. Which is a gross concept, by the way."

Klaus's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Targets?"

"Yeah," Caroline scoffed, giving into the temptation of the bar cart near the bed. She poured them both a glass of scotch and took a generous sip before shrugging. "This whole 'liberator' reputation sounds great, but it's pretty disingenuous. Vampires hold ridiculous grudges, and a lot of them only care about the status of how many human blood bags they have at their mercy. They hire me to ruin their competition's day, or a witch wants a family member back, or a powerful human accidentally gets taken. Regardless of the situation, I get hired to rescue a target or three. Not only do I get paid and more than a few favors from clients, but the humans don't mind letting me take a drink before they go free."

"That's how you've survived, for ten years?" He accepted the other glass of scotch, moving to sit on the bed as Caroline looked around at the various artwork on display. "I can't imagine that's steady work."

"You're, like, the pettiest of the petty, Klaus," she pointed out honestly. "The only reason you don't need my services are because you probably have lower level vampires on permanent staff for the family."

He shrugged - she wasn't wrong. Klaus looked down again at the syringe he still held, irritation still rubbing at his veins. "And who hired you to attack us tonight?"

"That would be me." The new voice made Caroline jump, but Klaus had sensed Elijah's approach. He merely turned to where his older brother leaned in the doorway. "I used an emissary, of course, if only to see how far Miss Forbes would get in her task. A security test, if you would."

Smirking up at her, Klaus chuckled. "Don't feel bad, love, foes much older than yourself have failed against our family."

With an exaggerated pout, Caroline raised a hand to his cheek, gently stroking the stubble. "Oh, Klaus, you know I don't fail," she sighed. His smirk fell, but amusement still danced in his eyes. She glanced over her shoulder to where Elijah seemed bored by their intimate behavior. "My partner has already cleared the targets to your emissary, you should be getting confirmation any minute now. Because yes, I already knew about your plan to test me and likely feed my 'betrayal' to Klaus."

She turned back to the hybrid, who was watching her with open admiration. The little blonde distraction struck again, and he couldn't look prouder. "Still glad I came?"

Elijah's phone buzzed in his pocket, but they were lost in their own world as Klaus pulled her down to straddle his lap. "That depends." His brother made a quick escape, leaving him to breathe temptation against Caroline's lips. "How long do you intend to stay?"

Humming with delight, she leaned in, only to tease him with the barest contact. "However long it takes to make sure your human population receives the proper respect and dignity," she murmured. "If that happens quickly, I could be persuaded to stick around."

Klaus took the hint, pressing forward to kiss her. It was lingering, persuasive.

Before he could deepen it, though, she gently pulled at his hair. "I'm going to need accommodations for my partner, too," she demanded, giggling breathlessly at the small growl in his throat. "Knowing him and your family, there's a good chance Enzo will end up sleeping with Rebekah or Kol, probably both, but he should still have his own room."

"And you?" Klaus asked, his lips brushing against her own.

"I like the bar, and this bed is nice," she answered with a nip. "But we'll need to discuss color schemes for the walls and the bedding. I also want a new painting, of the villa in Tuscany." Her heart swelled in a sweet ache, begging her for a bit of courage. "I miss it sometimes, almost as much as I missed you."

His hands rose to cup her face, and Klaus took his time to place reverent kisses along her features. "Whatever you want, love, it's yours," he promised, moving her hand to cover his heart.

Tears shining in her eyes, Caroline nodded and squeezed her fingers between his. "I want it all."

Links: FFnet and AO3

[elcall]

Aikatsu Stars Oneshot- Swan Idol Princess

Thanks/Kudos to @crimson-shell​ for this idea. She basically did everything except write it XP

This was inspired by the fact that Ako plays the violin as a hobby and does ballet (i cant get over it)

Slight KanAko at the end :) Please enjoy!

A sweet sound played harmoniously from inside a room. A girl with long red hair in her special school uniform held the small instrument in her arms, moving along the cords to play the music.

The sweet lull was interrupted by another chime, one that did not come from the instrument.

Ako put down her violin and turned to her desk, checking her mobile. With a smile, she quickly picked up the call when she saw who it was and sat down on her bed casually. “Hello mother.”

A graceful laugh called through, “Good morning, sweetheart. How are you?”

“Everything is good here.”

“And S4?”

“We are all doing well,” Ako replied, “And yourself? How is your acting going?”

She laughed lightly, “As usual, of course. We had an amazing shoot yesterday here in Saint Petersburg.” Ako smiled as she continued. “I heard about your show this weekend, are you practicing?”

Ako nodded, even though she couldn’t see it, “Yes, mother.”

“Good. Even though I won’t be able to make it, I want you to do your best, dear!”

Ako’s heart warmed, “I won’t let you down!”

“That’s my little Ako,” She called warmly. “I know this was a short call, but I must get going now. I’ll call you again soon, and we can talk some more.”

Ako nodded rapidly, “Okay, and do your best!”

She laughed, “I won’t let you down, sweetie.”

Ako giggled, “Goodbye, mother.”

With that, the call ended. Ako placed her mobile into her pocket and went to put her violin back into place. Then, determined to get to practice, she cast a final glance at a picture on the wall of a woman with deep red hair, and left the room.

She usually had practice on every Saturday, but since the big performance was on that day, they were meeting again on Thursday. Ako pulled her hoodie up, covering her hair, and a pair of large sunglasses covered her face. As she made it to the building in the city, she entered, pushing her hood down to reveal her bright red hair in two braids wrapped in circle buns at the sides of her head.

A group of girls were stretching their limbs deeper in the studio.

“Otomesao!”

Ako turned to face the lean instructor. She bowed lightly, “Mister Hideaki.”

Taro Hideaki was the instructor and overseer of the studio. Ako came to this class under an alias of Koa Otomesao. Of course, Mr. Hideaki was the only one who knew of her real identity as a member of S4, because, well, her parents were paying for it.

Mr. Hideaki placed his hands on his hips, “Right on time, Otomesao. Get ready and we are going to go over the performance a few times today.”

“Yes sir,” Ako replied, and moved to the back changing rooms to change into her leotard.

“Hey Koa! Ready for practice?”

Ako smiled in response, “Of course I am.”

She enjoyed being part of ballet. As her status as an idol in S4, she had a lot of popularity, which made it hard to do things she wanted to do freely hard sometimes. So, she joined under a fake name and changed up her usual cat ear hairstyle. No one even noticed, and for that, she was glad.

“Look at this! It’s so fresh!”

“Oh! What is it, Mr. Dave?” Yuzu asked eagerly, trying to get close to see the papers in his hands.

Mr. Dave stopped his spinning and held out the slips of paper, “They’re tickets to the local ballet performance this Saturday!”

Yuzu clapped her hands excitedly, “That’s so awesome! Yuzu can’t wait! When is it, Mr. Dave?”

Mr. Dave nodded, happy at Yuzu’s enthusiasm, “Saturday at six.”

Yuzu grinned, but then stopped, “Oh wait… Yuzu can’t make it at six. She has a interview with a magazine then!”

Mr. Dave fell over, “Oh no! And I got them just for the two of you!”

The silent figure watching the two enthusiastic figures fixed his glasses, “According to my observations, you cannot go either?”

Mr. Dave laughed nervously, “Th-That is correct… I have a prior arrangement to attend to.”

Yuzu perked up, “Can you go, Kanata?”

Kanata nodded, “I am free Saturday.”

Mr. Dave and Yuzu cheered.

“Yay! Give them the support of M4!” Yuzu cried.

Kanata chuckled, then took one of the tickets from Mr. Dave.

“See you later, Kanata!” Yuzu called out as he left.

Mr. Dave looked down at the single ticket left in his hand, “Now what am I supposed to do with this?”

Yuzu shrugged, and bounded away, leaving the teacher to solve his problems himself.

Ako lightly patted the back of her hair, which was pulled into a loose bun at that back of her head. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it, it was just that she was worried that is could fall out and someone in the audience would recognize her and the media would find out and-

She stopped. That would probably be unlikely. But still, she glanced at the designer who was putting some blush on her cheeks. “Are you sure my hair won’t fall apart?”

The designer didn’t notice her concerns, “Of course not dear. Your hair will look fabulous,” she paused, brushing some more on her cheeks, “and your face too.”

Ako rolled her eyes but let out a light laugh, “Okay.”

As soon as the curtain rose and the music started playing, the many girls on the stage began moving in sync. While not everyone had the same dance, they all worked together to create a wonderful array pleasing to watch. Ako was given a role near the center of the stage, along with a few other girls, as the main attraction.

The show went on wonderfully. When the last scene came on, it was just her and three others in the light, with the rest dancing lightly in the background.

Then, she felt as if her worst nightmare came true. Ako felt hairs on the back of her neck, which shouldn’t have been possible since she had it up in a bun. That would mean that her hair was coming apart; she felt the locks flying around her as she danced around. However, there were only a few more steps until the dance ended, and she couldn’t stop now. Gulping down her nerves, she quickly recovered from her panic and closed her eyes, moving along with the music and dances she practiced without looking out at the audience, who she feared would recognize her.

Kanata thought that the show was going nicely. The dancers were obviously well trained, and the performance was getting along nicely. He was impressed with the work of the local people, but didn’t think much about anyone on the stage in particular.

That was, however, until the last portion of the show, when the red haired girl’s hair began to fall apart.

Kanata felt his eyes widen slightly in recognition. He dropped his gaze to the pamphlet that was given out and opened it, reading the names. ‘Koa Otomesao’. He chuckled at the foolish twisted name. But, why was she on that stage?

Despite those questions racing through his mind, he found himself observing her closely now, the way she danced to the music and with the others around her. He felt something bundle in his chest uncomfortably, and he resting his hand on it to calm his racing heart.

Ako quickly raced backstage and released her hair. Then she began to braid it and twist it up in a bun at the back of her head. After making sure that it was set, she shakily went back to the group of girls; half because of tiredness and half because of her nerves.

“Koa! You did great!”

One of the girls glanced at her, “You fixed your hair?”

Another spoke up, “Did you see the way her hair fell, though? It was so beautiful!”

Ako blushed. Beautiful was not the word she was expecting.

Others came around and agreed. To brush off her embarrassment, she began to compliment all of her partners in the show as well.

Ako used her hand to stuff her hair under her hood, and stepped outside the building. She usually was the last person to leave from their practices and shows, since she didn’t want to be followed and found out.

She gazed up at the sky and smiled.

It was late, the sun starting to set, and the show was long over. All the audience members were surely gone, and the girls were gone too. Thankfully, it had gone without a hitch and was a great show that they viewers enjoyed. And that, Ako was grateful for.

Stuffing her hands into the pockets of the hoodie, Ako began walking towards the academy.

As she neared the gates, she noticed a figure standing beside one of the pillars. She ignored them and continued inside the gate silently. She passed them, and just as she thought she was free, he spoke.

“Good show.”

Ako stopped, her body freezing. “What?” She barely whispered out.

“You were one of the main dancers, were you not?”

Ako slowly turned around and stared at the tall teen. She narrowed her eyes, “How do you know that?”

Kanata put a hand on his hip, “I was there.”

Ako blinked, “H-How did you know it was me?” She asked softly, panicking inside.

Kanata watched her, “According to my observations, you changed your name and appearance so that you wouldn’t be mobbed as a popular idol.”

Ako gasped and looked up. She rubbed her arm, “Yea, so what?”

“Why didn’t you join dance class?” Kanata asked.

Ako crossed her arms, “It’s because my true desire is acting.”

Kanata chuckled.

Ako hissed, “What are you laughing at?”

He shook his head, “Nothing, I was just thinking about your dancing. You are talented, aren’t you?”

Ako turned red in embarrassment under her hood, “I-I don’t need to hear that from you! B-Besides, I already know that!” She huffed and twirled around.

Kanata laughed and started walking ahead. As he passed her, he said, “You looked magnificent. It’s a shame you aren’t in dance class.”

Ako’s face erupted into a blush and she stammered, “T-Too bad!”

She clutched her chest and stared up at his retreating form. Although she had felt nervous about being revealed at the ballet performance, some part deep inside her heart was glad that he had seen her.

Ako sighed lightly and continued forward. She had a lot of work to do in S4, after all.

[cdrforea]

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e Review: A Slice of Luxury

New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-s5e-review-a-slice-of-luxury.html

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e Review: A Slice of Luxury

"The Galaxy Tab S5e is an almost perfectly designed Android tablet for your home and a great companion for games and movies."

Slim and light

Breathtaking AMOLED screen

Attractive, simple software

Long battery life

Inexpensive

Audio disappointed

Camera is simple

Would you like this vacation an excellent price for a tablet? Check out our favorite Black Friday tablet deals.

We all want a little bit of luxury. A slightly more expensive hotel than usual when we go on vacation, tick the leather when ordering a new car and buy a mobile device that feels more expensive than it really is. This is the definition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e. Together with the stunning screen, this is one of the main reasons why you will buy one in the store.

I spent a few weeks on the tablet and can happily say that you won't put it back on the shelf when you take it home.

Luxurious design

Samsung has distinguished itself with the style of the Galaxy Tab S5e. There are no new ways – it is a tablet and therefore quite fixed – but it manages to get all the crucial individual aspects right. The screen is the right size at 10.5 inches, the metal unibody weighs only 399 grams and is surprisingly light, while the 5.5 mm thickness contradicts virtually every belief. Any thinner and lighter, and it would be a piece of paper.

The frames around the screen are narrow, but there is still enough to grab and hold the tablet. But they're almost acceptable – you have to hold them loosely – otherwise it's too easy to accidentally touch the screen and rewind when viewing content, even with normal sized hands. The slim, cool-looking metal housing and the thin screen bezels give the Tab S5e the decisive luxury air. You really want to hold it and it puts a smile on your face when you do it.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The thin housing on the back means that the camera lens is in a bump. This in turn means that it comes into contact with any surface on which the tablet is exposed. In addition to the Samsung and AKG trademark on the back, the camera lens and antenna bands are the only distractions. It's incredibly clean, simple, and stylish. On the sides there is a connector for a Samsung keyboard, four speakers, a microSD card slot and a USB charging port of type C. It doesn't have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is a shame.

Any thinner and lighter, and it would be a piece of paper.

Where's the fingerprint sensor? It is located in the power switch on the right edge directly above the volume rocker. Samsung has used this with great effect on the Galaxy S10e. The Tab S5e is precise and fast, but a little too small and possibly a little too high on the body. I searched for it too often and felt my thumb along the side. I would look for it sometime and that is unfortunate. It's not that Samsung has room on the side of the Tab S5e, and a longer sensor – like that of the Sony Xperia 10 Plus – would have been a welcome ergonomic addition.

The tempting slenderness of the Galaxy Tab S5e is one thing, but it worried me a bit. Even though it never hurt, the thin frame worried me about durability. I took it on a long flight and it spent a lot of time in a backpack where I feared it would be subjected to loads that would bend the frame. It never happened, and even when the tablet is physically rotated, there is no excessive movement. I would be happier if I kept the slim, attractive Tab S5e in a bag or case on the go.

Breathtaking screen, average sound

Samsung makes good screens. No, not good, I mean stunning screens, and the Tab S5e is another one to look at in astonishment. The 10.5 AMOLED panel has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 and looks great in any situation. There is so much color and life that even videos you are familiar with get a new look. I saw the last two episodes of Stranger Things 3 on an airplane and had to turn down the brightness almost all the way down, but the picture was still excellent and the shadows and dark scenes didn't suffer at all.

It’s not just a video that’s great. The low weight also makes it an excellent alternative for e-book readers and is ideal for games. I read with the Amazon Kindle app for many hours and changed the background color from white to a paper-like tone, which didn't tire my eyes. The light, easy-to-hold body enables longer gaming sessions even when playing. Reckless Racing 3 is fun and is visually enhanced thanks to the breathtaking colors and the screen.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There's no question about the Tab S5e credentials when it comes to the visual experience, but what about the sound? The Tab S5e has four speakers that have been tuned by AKG – Samsung's audio experts. The speakers support Dolby Atmos. The audio is realigned when the tablet moves from portrait to landscape and vice versa. Despite all of these efforts, the sound is good, but not great.

There is a lot of volume, but voices are often lost in the mix, and increasing the volume only aggravates the situation. The chassis vibrates with noise, but not really with bass, because there is simply not that much. This is to be expected as there is not much space in the body for loudspeakers and sound chambers and the loudspeakers can be easily dampened when the tablet is held. We also had a similar listening experience with the Galaxy Tab S4.

Power and battery

On paper, the Galaxy Tab S5e doesn't impress with its technical data, since it deserves a relatively simple smartphone – a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor and 4 GB or 6 GB RAM (corresponds to what is included in the Google Pixel 3a). In reality, it's more than enough to drive the tablet for the tasks it is meant to do – watch, surf, and read movies. I never had any problems playing.

Here are some benchmark results:

AnTuTu 3DBench: 152.646

Geekbench 4 CPU: 1,604 single core; 5,627 multi core

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 1,536 (volcano)

These numbers cannot keep up with the more expensive tablets with higher performance, but they are not displayed in daily use. The Galaxy Tab S5e never feels like a midrange smartphone despite the numbers and processor. It is wiped out in tests by Apple iPad Air, its direct competitor in terms of price.

The willingness of the Tab S5e to only sip energy increases its usefulness.

The battery on which the show runs has a capacity of 7,040 mAh and provides more than enough energy for long-term use. When used daily for a few hours, with apps and while watching videos, the battery lasted five days before it needed to be charged. The best thing is that it is in standby mode for days and uses almost no power. Tablets are not always used every day, so the Tab S5e’s willingness to drink only energy increases its usefulness.

Another great performance aspect of the Galaxy Tab S5e is WiFi, where I found signals I received more reliably than my phone when I was far from my router. This is important if you are streaming videos at home.

Basic camera

Would you like to take photos with your tablet? Sure, it's not ideal, but if necessary, the Galaxy Tab S5e will take it with its single 13-megapixel lens with a 1: 2.0 aperture on the back. On the front there is an 8 megapixel camera with the same aperture. The results are decent, with some attractive colors and contrasts, details in the shaded areas, and a nice blue sky with no oversaturation.

The pictures don't have much life and you don't want to take many in low light. Close-ups suffer from a lack of detail. The camera app has an editing suite with filters and basic tools to adjust your picture. Use the selfie camera and there are Snapchat style face filters and a live focus mode for a software generated bokeh effect. Everyone works very well, but their attractiveness will be a niche.

Whenever the Galaxy Tab S5e camera is put into action, it does more than provide enough results, but you can get a better camera experience on Apple's iPad Air.

A UI software

Samsung has installed its own One UI Version 1.1 software via Android 9 Pie. The experience is very similar and pleasant to that of a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. A user interface is clear, logical and clear. No, it doesn't look like Android on a Google Pixel, but its consistent layout makes it stylish and modern, and that's a big plus. App icons are uniform in size and shape, and navigation is quick and responsive, if a little slow at times.

Slowness is not a performance issue, but rather a design decision, as Samsung wants you to admire the transitions and scrolling. I don't know – sometimes it's a bit blurry – and I just want to find my app.

One problem that can affect others like me is the transfer of video content from a computer to the tablet. Connect it to a MacBook via USB, and you're out of luck if you want to transfer files. Android Device Manager is not working, and Samsung's outdated Mac app is not. It simply refuses to recognize what pain is when I want to have a video on my tablet. In the end I loaded a video with Google Drive. Yes, it worked, but it's awfully lengthy.

Then there's Bixby. On the home screen, swipe right to display Bixby Home, where a selection of maps contains information from some apps, Google Play, News, YouTube, and the tablet gallery. Among the helpful cards like the news, there are some curiosities like Giphy. Fortunately, you can edit which cards appear, but you can't mix the order.

The software of the Galaxy Tab S5e is easy to use, easy to adapt and also pretty.

I certainly haven't used Bixby Home very often, but Samsung has worked hard to improve the virtual assistant. The Galaxy Tab S5e has Bixby Voice, and you can activate the virtual assistant with the power button. Set this up and what can you do? Bixby's voice is surprisingly lifelike; It recognized my commands most of the time and the wake-up word "Hey Bixby" made sure it was always on. Many of the features are designed for use on a smartphone and not on a tablet that stays at home. For example, Bixby's quick commands are useful when you change profile settings for work or in the car. I don't take my tablet much out of the house, which makes this and many other commands superfluous.

Apart from that, the software of the Galaxy Tab S5e is easy to use, easy to adapt and also pretty. It makes a significant contribution to ensuring that the Galaxy Tab S5e is pleasant to live and use.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Galaxy Tab S5e costs $ 400 with 64 GB of storage or $ 470 with 128 GB and can be purchased from Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers. In the UK, the 64 GB Tab S5e is £ 380 and the 128 GB is £ 420. If you want a 4G LTE version, it is only available from Verizon in the US and costs $ 480 plus the data plan you choose. In the UK, the 4G LTE model is unlocked and starts at £ 430.

Samsung provides a one-year warranty on the tablet against manufacturing defects in the United States, but not against accidental damage. The UK warranty is two years.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Tab S5e is an almost perfectly designed Android tablet for your home and the perfect companion for playing and watching movies and videos. The sophisticated software and performance ensure that it does not irritate, and thanks to the long-lasting battery it is always ready for use. The price is $ 399 (MSRP), and sales often drop to around $ 350.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, and it's the tablet most people will think about – the Apple iPad. You should take a look at the Apple iPad Air, which has a 10.5-inch screen. It starts at $ 500. The smaller 9.7-inch iPad starts at $ 330, but the larger screen bezels make it look older. IPad software is great, app support is better, the screen is similarly good, and it will keep its value for the future – important if you want to resell it to fund an annual update.

If you want a more productive Samsung Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4 remains a good buy if you're on a tight budget. On the other hand, the new Galaxy Tab S6 is available if you want the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab hardware.

For more information, see our best tablet guide.

How long it will take?

The Galaxy Tab S5e is not waterproof and also not particularly durable. So you have to treat it well if you want it to last a long time. If you do this, there is no reason why the Tab S5e will not last for years. In contrast to smartphones, tablets are not so quickly out of date. Since drastic improvements are rare in subsequent models, there is less temptation to change them regularly.

There is no reason why you can't use the Tab S5e for three to four years if you only use it as a media player and for basic apps.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Galaxy Tab S5e is luxurious, powerful, and not overly expensive. It's not the best tablet, but it's a solid mid-range pick and will appeal to Android loyalists.

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