#spy x family is indeed great

[maranull]

SPY X FAMILY is the best isn't it?

It really is! I haven't enjoyed anime this much since, like, 2018.

Almost every single character is lovable or fun, it is incredibly cute and peaceful which raises up the occasional action scene even more, and also the more serious themes it sometimes touches it does so pretty well, I think.

And season 3 has one of my favourite mini-arcs in anime ever. I don't think many shows can do such sudden changes from cute and wholesome to fast passed action and suspense. Like, I shouldn't be laughing one minute and crying the next, that sudden change in tone shouldn't be working, but they somehow pulled it off with Yor's fights in the cruise ship.

Really cemented itself in my fav-anime-of-all-time list.

[lady-lobster]

This makes me feel things I don't have proper words for, it's just:

\_[EMOTION]_/

She really reminds me of that girl from that movie where the main characters mom becomes a bear, I think it was something from Disney.

i missed drawing her

[yumeka-sxf]

As if the season 3 announcement several hours ago wasn't exciting enough, now we have one hell of a new chapter 😭

It's just one tragic event after another...Martha can't bring herself to confess to Henry (and regrets it later), her letter gets censored so she's left waiting in vain to see him, she's basically forced to join the front lines or be killed, meanwhile Henry is struggling to figure out his own feelings but then has a total breakdown when he thinks Martha's dead, gets beaten up and thrown in jail, then is coerced by his father into marrying someone else. Gosh, these two just can't catch a break 😓

But my favorite part of this chapter is young Donovan Desmond's speech. What he says here so perfectly conveys the overall conflict of Spy x Family and sets him up as the ideal antagonist.

The series has shown us over and over how people are indeed liars, but it's also shown us time and time again how amongst all the lies, mostly through the Forgers, that people can still come to understand each other. Donovan's view is one of hopelessness - that true understanding can never be attained and human beings will always wage war, and while the series doesn't downright portray this as false, it does show that there is hope...that, even though people will never stop committing atrocities, at the very least, a middle ground of peace can be found even amongst those who lie to survive.

Donovan believes that we can never know the true intentions of others because we ourselves are hiding our own true intentions...the Forgers are hiding their true intentions, but in spite of that, they've come to love and understand each other. Like Twilight said when he first met Donovan, he won't ever stop trying to understand others and will always try to meet them "in the middle" if he can. Again, this is why Donovan is shaping up to be a great "final boss" who challenges the hopeful message the series has advocated so far. Another example of how, even though this arc seemingly has nothing to do with the Forgers, Endo still ties it back to them and the story overall.

Now the question for the next chapter is...who saved Martha? Also, judging by Henry's reaction when he first sees Martha in the present time (pictured below, chapter 72 during the bus hijacking arc), it doesn't seem like he had thought she was dead at that point. So he must have found out somehow before this that she had survived.

We'll have to wait until next time to find out! Even as the series hits chapter 100, Endo isn't done with this tragic love story just yet 😅

[togrowoldinv]

Meteors

Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

When you start working on the Barton’s farm, you meet Natasha

Note: It’s been wayyy too long since I’ve been able to make time to write. Hope y’all enjoy this Nat fluff!

Natasha Masterlist 1, Natasha Masterlist 2, Natasha Masterlist 3, Main Masterlist

Natasha watches from the front porch as a truck she’s unfamiliar with pulls up in the driveway. Just when she’s about to go ask Laura if she had any idea who was arriving, the woman steps out onto the porch.

“Right on time,” Laura comments mostly to herself.

“Who’s this?” Natasha asks, her attention is piqued.

“The new farmhand,” Laura explains. “She’s been working here every week for about a month now. Clint didn’t tell you?”

Nat shakes her head.

“Well, she’s pretty great at it,” the older woman continues. “Come meet her.”

Natasha follows Laura down the steps and to the truck. You are unloading a bale of hay from the bed of the truck when they walk up.

“Hello!” Laura greets you. She’s always so kind. “How are you?”

“I’m doing well,” you reply before turning around to actually see her. “How are you?”

You drop the bale onto the group and turn to see more than one person standing there.

“Oh hi,” you say to the new person. She politely lifts the corners of her lips, but doesn’t quite smile at you.

“This is Nat,” Laura says. “Nat, this is y/n.”

“It’s very nice to meet you,” you say, holding your hand out for her shake. She takes it in hers and the eye contact you make lingers.

“Oh, I forgot I have cookies in the oven,” Laura says. “I’ll be back. Nat why don’t you get to know y/n a bit.”

With that, Laura leaves you there with this beautiful stranger. God, she really is beautiful. You both stand there a little awkwardly before you make a move to talk to her more.

“So, how do you know the Bartons?” You ask.

“I work with Clint,” Nat says. You try not to let yourself go weak in the knees at hearing her voice for the first time. “You’re probably familiar with what we do.”

“Partially,” you say with a soft laugh. “I better get started for the day. I’ll see you around?”

Nat nods and walks back towards the house. You work the rest of the day with Natasha on your mind. She had uttered barely ten words to you, and yet you can’t get her out of your head.

A few days go by before you see her again. It’s early in the morning when you arrive. Natasha is sitting in a rocking chair with baby Nate in her arms. You walk to the porch to say hello.

“Good morning,” you greet her.

“Good morning, y/n,” she says. You try memorize the way your name sounds coming from her lips.

“He’s up early,” you comment.

“Yeah, a little too early. I offered to hang out with him while Clint and Laura sleep in,” Nat replies.

You smile at that.

“You’re here earlier today,” Nat says. You try not to overanalyze why she knows your schedule so well. It’s probably just the spy in her, you think.

“I am indeed. The cows need some extra work today, so I got here early,” you explain. “Come on out to pasture if you get bored. I’ll be there all day.”

“I just might do that,” Natasha replies.

You get a boost of confidence from her words. After you bid her a farewell for now, you drive out to the cattle field.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Barton family wakes up. The kids eat breakfast and start chores. Clint asks Nat to help him with some outside work.

A few hours go by and Laura calls everyone in for lunch. Natasha looks around the kitchen for you, but she doesn’t see you.

“Is y/n eating with us?” She asks.

“She likes to stay out there and work, so I usually take her some food after we eat,” Laura explains. She tries to read Nat’s expression. “You could take it to her today if you want.”

“Oh, sure. Yeah I can do that,” Nat says.

Laura smiles knowingly. The family eats and then Natasha makes her way to you.

At the sight of you wrangling cows, she can’t help but smile. You’ve shed the light jacket you were wearing this morning and she can see how strong you are.

“Oh hey, Natasha!” You say once you see her.

“Hey,” she replies, her head cocked to the side a little to examine your current position. “Do I even want to know what you’re doing?”

“Probably not,” you reply. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Lunch,” Nat says. “Laura’s famous grilled cheese.”

You walk away from the cows and towards Natasha. She stands by the truck, so you open the tailgate and sit on it. You pat the area next to you as a way to ask her to sit.

She hands you the lunch bag and lightly blushes when your hand touches hers.

“Thank you, Nat,” you say. “Wait, do you prefer Nat or Natasha?”

“Either one,” she says, shrugging. “Technically my name isn’t Natasha, but I’ve always gone by that.”

“That is a fun fact,” you say. Nat laughs. You try to memorize the sound. “I like Natasha.”

“Then call me Natasha,” she says.

There’s a silence, but it’s not awkward. You eat your sandwich and watch the animals move around the farm. You wonder what Natasha is thinking about as she swings her legs and sits next to you.

“It’s so peaceful out here,” the redhead breaks the silence. “I feel like I can actually think and be free.”

“Yeah, I love it. Being out on a farm is my comfort place. So far, this one is my favorite,” you say.

“Why’s that?”

“The people. Clint, Laura, the kids,” you say. “And you.”

“I’m already a reason?”

“You were a reason I love this place the second I met you,” you say. You didn’t mean for it to come across so cheesily, but Nat doesn’t seem to mind. “Hey, how long are you staying here for?”

“A few more weeks maybe,” Natasha says. “Why?”

“In two weeks there’s supposed to be a meteor shower. Maybe we could come out in the field and watch it together?”

“Sounds fun,” Nat says, trying to act casual.

“I better get back to helping Clint. He’ll be pissed I let him stack bricks alone.”

You chuckle at her words. You want to ask her to stay, but at least you know you’ll be seeing her around.

And from that point on, Natasha brings you lunch every day. Laura doesn’t even have to ask her to do it. Nat wants to. She seems to sit with you longer and longer each day.

It all leads up to the night of the meteor shower. You wear a nice shirt and jeans and drive over to the farm.

When you knock on the door, Lila answers. You greet the family and have dinner with them. Natasha is in her element here. You can see how she lights up around the kids. And she loves watching you interact with them too.

Once dinner is over, you and Natasha sneak outside. You drive out to the field and lay a blanket down in the bed of the truck.

“Very fancy,” Nat comments.

“Only the best for you, Natasha,” you joke. “Laying down is the best way to see it.”

You both lie down a respectable distance from each other, but close enough that you both have butterflies.

“You know when I was a kid, I loved anything that glowed in the sky,” Nat opens up. “Stars, planets, and things that didn’t even really have to do with the sky. Like fireflies.”

“That’s really sweet, Natasha. I love those too,” you say. “There’s so many out here in the summer.”

“I wish I saw them more.”

“You’ve gotta move out here I guess,” you say. “Oh look!”

You point to the first meteor falling. Nat watches with bright eyes. You can’t drag your eyes away from the way she glows in the night light. Her green eyes are illuminated by the scene happening in the sky.

Natasha turns her head to the side and catches you staring.

“I’m sorry,” you mumble, looking away a bit.

“Don’t be,” Nat says. “But you are missing the show up there.”

“It’s fun to watch you watch it,” you say. “You’re beautiful, you know?”

Natasha definitely blushes at that. Her hand finds yours between the two of you. You’re it sure who leans in first, but you end up just centimeters from her lips.

“Can I kiss you?” Natasha asks.

“Please,” you reply.

The distance is shattered between the two of you. Natasha’s kiss is soft, but firm. Her intentions are clear as she moves her perfect lips over yours.

“Now we’re both missing the show up there,” Natasha jokes when she pulls away.

“So worth it,” you say.

You kiss Natasha again. And again. And a few more times before you decide to go back to the house.

“I’ll see you in the morning?” You ask her once you’ve walked up to the front door together.

“Yes,” Natasha says. “Thanks for tonight, y/n. I haven’t enjoyed myself this much in a long time.”

“Anytime, Natasha. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” she says.

You hug her for the first time and love the way she feels in your arms. It’s like she is perfectly shaped to be in your grasp.

You share a brief kiss before you let her go inside. As you walk back to the truck, you can’t help but do a little happy dance. Natasha watches through the window and laughs.

This is the start of something amazing. You can feel it.

You’re falling for her faster than the meteors fell in the sky. Little do you know, she’s falling for you in the exact same way.

[queenshelby]

AMERICAN GIRL (PART THREE)

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Grace's Stepdaughter!Reader

Warning: Grace is a bully, infidelity, taboo

The following day, Tommy had, indeed , arranged for a tutor to come to the mansion and work with Emma and, much to the dislike of Grace, he had offered you a position in one of his many legitimate establishments where, unbeknownst to you, he could keep an eye on you.

Usurpingly, he did not trust you yet, seeing how Grace had betrayed your father by sleeping with him. As such he believed that you were nothing but a wildcard, a force that could not be calculated, and therefore potentially presented a threat to him and his livelihood. 

And yet, despite himself, Tommy found himself intrigued by you nonetheless. There was an allure about you that could not be ignored and, moreover, there was a quiet strength in your eyes, a fiery spirit that he found incredibly attractive.

The work that you had been assigned to do under supervision was simple enough - organizing and cataloguing items in one of his stores down in Birmingham - but the time you spent there was never mundane.

One of the women who worked there with you for the time being was no other than Ada Shelby herself, Tommy's sister who was clearly there to spy on you until you could be trusted. Yet, despite the hidden animosity between you two, you quickly became friends.

Ada was a woman of few words but much wit, a firecracker hiding beneath a quiet, steely demeanor. Her dark eyes held a thousand stories, most of which she would never openly share with anyone and you respected her for that.

Ada had a child of her own, but no man by her side to help her raise her young son Karl. Her husband Freddy had passed on several years ago and a tragic loss like this was something you both shared in your lives. 

Just like she looked after her son, you were looking after your sister and  , therefore the two of you found a strong bond between yourselves.

Unlike Ada, you were not shy about sharing stories from your life with her, although they weren't many and, in turn, she spoke about her brother Tommy, about whom you happened to have many questions, none of which she refused to answer.

You wanted to know what kind of man he was and when Ada told you that he did bad things to a good end, you couldn't help but feel intrigued by his many motives. It was during those long hours at work that Ada shared the story of Thomas Shelby and his family, painting a vivid picture of his past that you couldn't help but find utterly captivating.

You learned that Tommy had been in France, and, in spite of his achievements, he threw his medals in the Cut. He was a tunneller during the Great War and, when he came back home, he had seen too much to be able to return to the man he was before.

The war had changed him fundamentally, and this did not surprise you. It had changed your father too, and you remembered, as a little girl, witnessing the way the man you loved dearly had returned from the trenches of Europe battered and emotionally destroyed. 

Ada told you how her brother had started Shelby Company Ltd. with his brothers, how they had built it together and turned it into a formidable force that controlled large portions of the city's trade without giving away the family secrets. Tommy was at the helm of all this, and you could understand why Ada once said that she saw both heaven and hell in his eyes.

He was capable of immense cruelty and merciless violence, but the kind heart he reserved for those closest to him remained hidden behind the tough and unyielding exterior.

You worked at the shop three days a week and, at least once every day, Tommy would come by to check on you before, occasionally, visiting a woman by the name of Lizzie Stark at her nearby lodging. 

You followed them once and found out that Lizzie Stark was a prostitute who worked for Tommy. She was, as far as you could gather, rather smitten by him. It was obvious to you that her and Tommy regularly engaged in intimate relations with each other but, even so, there was something distant in the way he looked at her, as though he was always preoccupied by thoughts far beyond his current reach.

Lizzie didn't seem to notice this while, yet she considered you as her biggest thread and, in spite of your better judgment, you found the thought amusing more than anything else. After all, it should have been Grace who she was jealous of, not you but then again, perhaps she knew as well as you did that Tommy didn't love either of them. As he had told you himself, he didn't have the capacity for love, or so it seemed. 

The first time you saw Tommy with Lizzie however, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of something akin to disappointment. But you weren't disappointed about the fact that he was unfaithful to Grace, but rather , you were disappointed in the way your own heart reacted when you saw them together.

Eventually, four weeks had passed since you started working at the shop, and you've had ample opportunity to observe Tommy's interactions with Lizzie and others. She wasn't the only one he had been seeing and, for some reason, even despite his misgivings, that strange fascination you felt towards him kept growing, albeit slowly.

You couldn't put your finger on what it was that made him so magnetic. His brooding nature and hardened exterior were part of it, but there was more to it than that.

He was a man of many contradictions, and that intrigued you.

That same night, just like many others, you passed him inside the corridors of the large house you were now living in, giving him a knowing glance as if to say 'I know what you did today' without uttering a single word. And he always returned the look with an exasperating half-smile that both maddened and thrilled you. He knew that you knew about his infidelity and, yet he did not seem to care. 

You didn't hate Thomas Shelby or any of the members of his family, but you despised Grace with every fiber of your being.

The day your father died, your whole world had crumbled before your very eyes, leaving you and Emma at the mercy of a woman who couldn't bear the sight of you. She made no secret of this hatred and had been eagerly waiting for your father's fortune to be handed down to her hands.

As such, you really wanted to tell her about her partner's unfaithfulness. You wanted to rub it in and let her know that he was doing to her what she had done to your father all long. But yet, something stopped you.

Some unspoken code of honor, perhaps, or maybe just the small sliver of compassion that still lingered within your wounded heart. You pitied Grace and feared her in equal measure, and you couldn't bring yourself to interfere and risk your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of your little sister Emma who, only in the past week, had started sleeping in her own room. 

Besides, Thomas Shelby was not your concern. He was a grown man who made his own choices, and it was not your place to pass judgment on him. But somehow, you found yourself doing it anyway.

Occasionally, Tommy kept you company when neither of you could sleep and it were those nightly interactions that slowly, almost unknowingly, began to brew a forbidden chemistry between you and him.

Leaning against the banisters, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief as he puffed on his cigarette, you couldn't help but feel your heart flutter when he asked you about your day.

His gaze followed your every action, lingering on the gentle curve of your waist or the crook of your neck as you spoke. It was that same raw intensity that made your skin tingle and your breath hitch - a silent conversation of want and need.

You would meet by chance most nights, either in the library or outside, by the stables, after Grace had gone to bed and whilst your interactions were innocent enough, your conversations were deep and meaningful.  You found Tommy to be intelligent and well-educated, with a passion for literature and fine art, topics that you would discuss at length, fuelled by the desire to learn more about him - and yourself.

Occasionally, you would catch him outside the lavatory in the staff quarters, listening intently as you sang while having a bath or shower. This was something that had always irritated Grace, hearing you sing, but Tommy seemed to enjoy it - or, at least, he never let on if he didn't.

One late night, as you were making use of the large piano near the library,  Tommy entered the room. You hadn't heard him come in, but you felt his gaze on you, watching intently as your fingers danced across the keys.

You paused for a moment, turning to face him before continuing your musical journey with another melody.

"You have a quite a talent for music,"  Tommy commented, his gaze cast downward to the floor.

Tommy leaned against one of the tall, mahogany shelves that lined the room. The soft amber glow from the fireplace illuminated one side of his face, granting him a certain warmth in his usually stoic features.

"I learned from my mother," you stated simply, continuing to play. Your gaze remained focused on the falling notes you were creating on the piano, not daring to turn your head and meet his gaze.

But, oh, how you wanted to! His presence made you feel all kinds of things, some you'd never experienced before, like unsettling excitement and an irrepressible craving for that forbidden fruit.

"I sometimes come to the staffing quarters just to hear you sing in the shower," he  murmured, his eyes locked on yours as he confessed.

You felt your cheeks heat up, your pulse quickened as you continued to playing the piano, the melody now more dramatic. You couldn't believe what you were hearing; he must have been joking, being so direct but if this was the game he wanted to play, then you would oblige.

"I have noticed, and so have the maids. You should be more cautious," you teased, a soft chuckle escaping your lips as the corners of your eyes crinkled with amusement.

Tommy pushed off the shelf, moving closer to you, the space between you shortening rapidly. He leaned on the piano now  , effectively entrapping you between him and the instrument. You could feel the warmth emanating from his body, and it made your heart race.

"Perhaps I wanted you to notice," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze bore into yours, leaving you feeling vulnerable and exposed.

"And perhaps I wanted you to listen,"  you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

The tension in the room grew thicker, filling the air with a palpable energy that neither of you seemed capable of breaking. The only sound in the room was the gentle strumming of the piano keys beneath your fingertips.

Tommy leaned in closer, his breath warm against your skin. You could feel his chest rise and fall with each shallow breath he took, his eyes never leaving yours as he leaned over you and turned the page on the book in front of you.  You were acutely aware of the proximity between you, the way his body seemed to align perfectly with yours as if you were two halves of a whole. The thought sent a shiver down your spine, igniting a spark that threatened to consume you whole.

"Can you play this?"  Thomas asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he pointed to the new sheet music. His proximity still had your heart pounding, the wild beat echoing in your ears.

"Yes, of course I can. I can play anything," you winked  playfully before turning your attention back to the music sheet, your fingers dancing gracefully over the keys. You felt Tommy's gaze on you as you played, his presence making your heart race.

You continued to play, the melody filling the library with its enchanting sound. You could feel the weight of Tommy's gaze on you, and it sparked a fire within you that you couldn't ignore. Your fingers moved faster over the keys, your body swaying gently to the rhythm of the music.

Tommy watched you in awe, your talent and beauty captivating him completely until, suddenly, the door swung open .

Grace swept into the room, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Tommy standing so close to you, his hands hovering near yours.

"What is going on here?" she demanded, her voice tight with anger as Tommy stepped away from you.

"I am listening to Y/N play the piano," Tommy replied smoothly, his eyes never leaving yours for a moment. 

Grace's gaze flicked from you to Tommy and back again, her jaw tightening as she clearly struggled to maintain her composure. "I can see that, but I wonder why? Why are you listen to her play the piano at this hour?" she  pressed, her voice dripping with suspicion.

Tom's eyes remained locked onto yours, a silent message passing between you, a promise of something unspoken that only the two of you could understand.

"Because she plays beautifully, Grace. And, as usual, I can't fucking sleep, eh" Tommy replied, his nonchalant tone grating on Grace's nerves. She stared daggers at him, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Well, wrap it up, because I cannot sleep either because of it," Grace said, her voice tight with anger, causing Tommy to look at her with a mix of irritation and mild amusement before standing up.

"I will see you tomorrow, Y/N. Have a good night," he told you, ignoring Grace's outburst and leaving you in a state of confusion and frustration.

You watched him leave, his presence leaving an ache in your core that took you by surprise while Grace told you to be quite and to go to bed. You didn't object, you knew better.

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[ladyloveandjustice]

Fall 2023 Anime Overview: 100 Girlfriends and Spy x Family S3

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

Premise: Rentaro is approached by the god of love, who confesses that he accidentally gave him 100 soulmates. And unfortunately, if someone meets their soulmate and fails to be with them, they DIE. Thus Rentaro decides he will date all the girls who end up being his soulmate, and be the best possible boyfriend ever to all of them.

So yeah. I watched this. I'm not someone who really watches male-centric harem anime, but I'd heard this one was really funny and yeah, the first episode was indeed really funny. The way it exaggerated the tropes of the genre to parody them genuinely made me laugh. The first two girlfriend's gimmicks were that one (Akane) was secretly super thirsty and the other (Karane) was tsundere and it played those to the hilt for maximum laughs. Tsundere says she decided to take a piss in the school flower garden to avoid saying she was looking for the perfect flower for Rentaro and Rentaro's astonished "you realize that makes you sound WAY worse than telling the truth does" was great. Thirsty girl trying to pull the ~ooh you need to drink some of my drink~ to score an indirect kiss only to find Rentaro ridiculously prepared was also a fantastic gag.

All the girls are REALLY down bad for Rentaro and the premise of this would not work at all if the series didn't sell Rentaro as legitimately a great boyfriend who could reasonably attract 100 girl and be just as down bad for all of them. But Rentaro is no classic harem potato boy, he's superhumanly thoughtful and the ultimate wife guy. It makes him very static as a character compared to the flexibility the others have, but it's generally amusing. On top of that, the series handled neurodivergence in a surprisingly thoughtful way in episode 3 with Rentaro going all out to help his ladylove's way of expressing herself without talking be more accessible, rather than trying to "fix" her.  I also really like how the girls in the polycule are genuinely friends and don't compete with each other over Rentaro--and some even seem like they're pretty into each other too (though this is entirely played for laughs rather than actually explored, of course).

Yet at the same time...yeah, the premise began wearing thin for me as tropes I'm less willing to roll with popped up.

Karane's complex over being flat-chested wore thin quickly (even if Rentaro thinks she's perfect) since it's mainly used in gags to embarrass her. One girlfriend's thing is that she drugs a lot of people without their consent (fantasy type drugs that can do ridic things, but. they are drugs. some that melt clothes or make you lustful included), and the anime genuinely tries to make you think it's so sad that people didn't want to be friends with her because of this, and Rentaro magnanimously tells her she's okay the way she is...forgiving her for his girlfriends that she drugged. Yeah, she's annoying. (also her body turns into a child's sometimes because of course it does).

And then there's the Mom girlfriend. I mean of course there's gonna be a Mom girlfriend eventually, Milf-lovers can't be denied, but it happened quicker than expected! it being paired with her being initially abusive (to the point she drove her daughter to attempt suicide) and then fixed by Rentaro's love and motivational speech...along with the justifications for her being ridiculously young (likely to parody that trope, but still)...yeah, it was all a lot.

I don't know if I'll return for the (already announced) season 2 tbh. I appreciate that the show's intentionally trashy and silly, and it is still funny a lot of the time, but it's not really my kind of trash. But I don't regret the wild, often fun ride it was--maybe if I'm really bored that season or hear enough wild things I'll retry, but right now it seems likely me and the 100 girlfriends are never, ever, ever getting back together.

Spy x Family Season 3

See previous reviews for the premise and so on.

Spy x Family is pretty much staying the course from when we last checked in, though this season gives a lot more attention to Yor, and I love the cruise ship arc and all the ridiculous fights she gets into a lot! That arc contains some of my favorite gags of the series too (like Loid's attempts to be a cool dad). Otherwise, Spyfam has settled into being a largely episodic series that seems like it wants to be around for the long haul, so don't expect too much forward plot momentum. And Yuri (the man, not the genre) unfortunately still exists, and unfortunately we have to put up with an episode of him being a fascist supercop. Overall it was good season, though and remains a fun adaptation. Yor, please step on me.

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

i said i'd be writing more for this au and i literally cannot stay away any longer - they have consumed me

tagging some folks - @xxluckystrike @latibvles @p-polaroid @thoughpoppiesblow

word count - 2.5k

"the honourable thing" -> demarco x susie (wars of the roses au)

The Great Hall of the Lamb family manor was alive with laughter and music, the sound of minstrels' lutes and fiddles filling the air and echoing off the immense, arched ceiling. A tapestry ran along the far wall, ladies in elegant gowns and men astride horses, hounds circling at their feet and trees forming a canopy above, the colours in the thread fading from decades up on display. This place had belonged to another family before the war. He'd visited once as a boy, he was sure of it - but as Bernard looked out across the merry wedding party, he found the memory eluded him.

It was a strange thing, to be a married man. He had imagined he would feel different - that something would shift within him, opening outwards to create space for the soul that stood beside him. And yet he seemed unchanged. The day continued to roll on by, the world did not stand still - no one waited for him to grow accustomed to the state of having a wife.

"Brother!" An all-too-familiar voice jeered, and Bernard downed the last of his wine in preparation as his eldest brother came bounding towards him. Cheeks already flushed from drink, there was a distinct glint of mockery in his grin. "Well, this is a match indeed."

Clearing his throat, he looked to his brother with a frown. "And where is your wife, Eric?"

"In her confinement, of course. We shall have a son any hour now."

And yet here you are.

"It's certainly a shame," Eric continued. "That it's you who father has chosen to humiliate in such a way. I mean, marrying an untitled woman is bad enough, but a Lancastrian? Anyone would think you were being punished."

Jaw tightly clenched, Bernard turned to address his brother's remark. But, before he could utter a word, their father had interceded, appearing far less dour than he had been the first time they'd entered this house in search of Susannah Lamb. "We are a united nation now, my boy. I won't hear any of it. If you insist on becoming a drunken fool at every feast, at least do it out of earshot."

Eric let out a laugh, the sound startlingly girlish. "Goodness, Father sounds like he's preaching from the gospels."

Something in him snapped, and Bernard slammed his goblet down upon the table with a clatter. "If you truly refuse to be with your wife, brother, then at least don't pollute my wedding with your nonsense. If you find you cannot walk by the end of the night, sleep it off in the stables."

Their father had begun to manoeuvre Eric away from the festivities, a firm grip on each shoulder. As bothersome as the man could be, he would have never resisted their father's hand. Stumbling on his own feet as he backed away from the table, he called back one last time. "At least introduce me to her!"

"Not tonight," He replied stiffly, and as his brother retreated, he allowed his gaze to go in search of his wife. Susannah had begun the festivities firmly at his side, but her seat at the high table had now been empty for quite some time, a marked void left in her absence.

A flicker of blue caught his eye, and there she was, standing in the wedding gown her mother had once worn, sapphire-coloured fabric pooling around her feet as she chatted away to one of their guests, goblet in hand. Her hair remained pinned up just as it had been, although her veil was long discarded, and even from here he could spy the ring he'd given her mere hours before, glinting on her finger. They'd stood on the front steps of the church, reading back their vows to one another under the priest's watchful eye. She'd scarcely looked at him the entire time, meeting his eye for the briefest of seconds only as he presented her with the ring - only once there was no way out.

Susannah turned as her sister approached, Eleanor's expression creased in an ecstatic grin. From here the resemblance between the pair was almost alarming, only exacerbated as Susannah mirrored her smile, seemingly glowing the moment she noticed her sister's arrival. Among these people, she was at ease. Alongside her husband, she was anything but.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

She felt her sister's hand at the crook of her elbow the second she noticed her arrival, the warmth of her grip a welcome intrusion. Sliding her own palm over it, Susannah returned the gentle squeeze as their hips bumped against one another, standing inseparably close. "Managed to escape your admirers?" She teased. Eleanor had always been able to captivate a room in a way Susannah never could, and there had practically been a crowd encircling the younger girl since the moment the festivities had begun.

Eleanor shrugged. "I wanted to see you. You know, I've never had a party this grand."

"You will when it's your turn - hell, yours will be even better. You'll be a noblewoman."

Her sister grinned, bouncing on the balls of her feet and fiddling with the wedding ring as Susannah reached out for her cup. It pained her to think of her baby sister's betrothal - to imagine her married and living so far away. But now it would be she who left first, who abandoned Eleanor for the home of her husband. Here, their bed chambers were separated by nothing but a single wall - but by this time tomorrow, it would be miles of road and countryside, an impenetrable distance keeping them separate.

"Why is he staring?" Eleanor's voice tugged her from her thoughts, and Susannah followed her gaze, spying her husband, still standing beside the high table. He certainly had been looking, but the moment their eyes met he turned swiftly away, suddenly preoccupied with his wine and his guests.

She snorted. "I imagine he's hatching a plot to smother me in my sleep tonight," She teased, flinching as Eleanor smacked her across the shoulder.

"Don't say that!" She cried, pausing as she waited for Susannah to stop laughing, the comfortable silence lingering between them as she took a long sip of wine. "... Will you tell me how it is?"

"How what is?"

"You know... tonight."

Susannah scoffed. "No. No, I won't."

"Oh, come on," Eleanor whined, tugging at her sleeve. "You'd be doing me a favour and you know it."

"I will tell you what you need to know, as and when you need to know it."

"Ugh, you're a terrible sister," She groaned, but her grip on Susannah's arm tightened, an unspoken longing for the pair to remain together. Tilting her head, she pressed the briefest of kisses to Eleanor's temple, lips parting in a grin.

"I know."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Gale Cleven glanced up as his friend approached, sitting down on the bench beside him with a sigh, elbows propped up on the table. Sitting opposite, John raised a brow - it was clear he wouldn't be the first to speak. "So... Pleasant wedding?"

"This is bleak," Bernard grumbled, staring into his cup. "My wife despises me - and I have no intention of fixing it because I find her utterly insufferable."

"That sounds like most marriages to me," John shrugged unhelpfully, ignoring Gale's glare as he refilled his wine. Towards the other end of the table, Majorie conversed merrily with the other ladies, casting her husband a warm smile whenever he caught her eye.

"How do you do it?" Bernard asked, turning to Gale. "I mean, I have scarcely ever seen a marriage like yours."

Resisting the urge to smirk, he shrugged. "Keep your wife happy? I know most men will tell you that's not important, but if your household is content, you will be too. Even if it means never speaking to each other and living on opposite sides of the house, if that's what you must do not to agitate her."

"Is she truly how people say?" John asked, staring across the hall to where Susannah was stood, arm-in-arm with her sister. "I heard you're the fourth suitor her mother's tried throwing her at."

Since their first meeting, the pair had scarcely spent an hour together in any one go, and they seemed unable to breathe the same air without bickering. That piercing glare of hers always seemed enough to put him on edge, and after that, it only took a single timely remark for the two of them to collapse into a spat.

"She is... strong-willed."

"I thought you usually liked that in a woman."

"She's also intensely irritating."

"Ah." John seemed unconvinced.

Chuckling, Gale reached out, giving Bernard's shoulder a reassuring shake. "You'll do fine. Give it some time - I'm sure you'll warm up to each other."

He let out a huff of laughter. "If she doesn't murder me first."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

A tense silence hung upon the house as the celebrations drew to a close, their guests departing with their horses and carriages until the courtyard lay bare, nothing but the smell of spilt wine lingering in the air. The rest of the Lamb family retreated swiftly to bed, ensuring themselves out of the way for when the inevitable had to take place. As Susannah stared back at herself in the mirror's reflection, peering at the embroidered hem of her nightgown, she felt terribly sacrificial - all dressed up for some purpose everyone deemed more important than her own. The drink had left a thrumming sensation behind her eyes, and all she truly wanted was to go to sleep.

The creak of a door opening behind her caught her attention, turning her head as Bernard entered the room, his frame stiff and uncomfortable. He couldn't quite meet her eye as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him and pausing in the middle of the floor. In the golden candlelight, her hair almost looked as though it had caught alight, auburn curls cascading freely down her back. Susannah lacked many things when it came to him - warmth, regard - but beauty was never one of them.

"This isn't your chamber, is it?" He asked, glancing about the bedroom they had been given. The place was grand, but impersonal - it lacked the comforts of a space truly lived in.

"No," She shook her head slightly.

"... Do you want to go back to your chamber?" Bernard spoke cautiously.

Susannah scoffed. "You want me to leave, is that what you're saying?"

"I-?" He paused, expression contorting in annoyance. "No, that's not what I'm saying. It's just that neither of us are exactly interested in doing... this. Now."

Her frown turned more sour by the second, and for a second he thought she was going to hurl something at him. Anticipating this, Bernard took a step backwards.

"If you're planning on backing out of this, I swear I'll kill you myself."

"Why-?"

"Because if we don't do this, they'll say we're not properly married. And if you fuck off somewhere, I will be ruined forever."

His brow furrowed, fighting offence that she could even think he would do such a thing. "So... you do want to?"

"Not particularly!" Susannah huffed, throwing up her hands in despair. "But I have no assurances otherwise."

"Susannah," He said firmly. "I don't like you, but that doesn't mean I have any intention of damaging your reputation. If this doesn't happen tonight-" Bernard continued, gesturing between the pair of them. "-then no one has to know except us. As far as I'm concerned, the moment you put on that ring, you became my wife. That doesn't mean we have to enjoy each other's company, but it does mean that I won't betray you. So if you need me to pretend the marriage is consummated, I will."

For a moment, he swore he could've spotted the ghost of a smile curling her lip. It must have been the first time she'd met his gaze without contempt. "... Very well," Susannah nodded tersely, a hint of sincerity lacing her tone. Crossing the room towards the bed, floorboards creaking beneath bare feet, she lifted the sheets, practically collapsing against the mattress with a sigh, curls splayed out across the pillow.

He was silent for a while, simply staring over at her as she burrowed further into the warmth, turning onto her side so that he couldn't see her face, just the slow rise and fall of her shoulders that came with each breath. Here he felt like an intruder, the sensation making him squirm. Coming into her house, her chambers - standing here just watching her. It all seemed illicit somehow. Bernard could imagine what his father would say to him how - his callous, ungentle tongue spilling forth a dozen ways he 'should' treat the woman before him - all of them wholly repulsive to him.

"... What are you doing?" He asked after a moment.

The bedsheets rustled as Susannah moved to face him, propping herself up on one elbow. "Well, we can't exactly leave. If we're going to lie, you have to stay." He resented her for being right, but even worse, he hated what he had to do because of it. She turned her back on him as he shrugged off his doublet, getting into bed beside her and feeling the warmth of her body thaw his the moment they lay beneath the same blankets.

Bernard blew out the candle at his bedside, immediately plunging the room into darkness, if only so that he could pretend she wasn't there. But he could hear her breathing pierce the silence, one faint sigh after another, the constant reminder of another presence beside his preventing him from succumbing to sleep. This time tomorrow they'd be in their own house, sleeping in separate chambers - he reminded himself of this over and over, if only to relieve the tension in his shoulders. Gale was right - he would simply leave Susannah to herself, and all would be well. He only had to stick it out for tonight.

"Tomorrow I'll give you your wedding present," He blurted before he could think better of it. Even his soft words seemed monstrously loud in the dark quietude.

She did not speak for a moment, and he wondered briefly if she had already fallen asleep.

"I don't think you were expected to get me one."

"... Oh."

She had given him a dowry, a chest piled high with coin - what had he given her? A ring. It seemed so meagre in comparison that he hadn't thought twice about giving her more. His hands folded across his stomach, he stared blankly up at the void where the ceiling would be, listening to Susannah breathe once more, until she finally spoke.

"... What is it?"

"A dog."

The sheets rustled again, and even in the pitch-blackness, Bernard could feel her turn to stare at him.

"... You bought me a dog?"

He shrugged. "Yes?"

"I-" She cut herself short, trailing off into silence with a sigh.

Neither of them spoke another word that night. Bernard didn't sleep a wink.

But he never heard her turn away from him.

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

He who Dares: Marvel star Charlie Cox on moving to Dublin, gangland crime, and perfecting the accent

The Kin and Daredevil star has played alongside greats such as Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, but he says as an actor you never presume you’ve ‘arrived’

By Niamh Donnelly  March 24, 2023  (X) (X)

Charlie Cox is on the move. When I Zoom-call the British actor to talk about his role in the latest series of RTÉ drama Kin, he’s in the back of a car, phone camera swaying slightly from the movement of the vehicle. More precisely, he’s in New York being ferried to and from meetings for what he calls “this new show”.

Cryptic. Might he be referring to the much-anticipated Disney+ Marvel series Daredevil: Born Again in which he plays the title role? He might. “We start shooting next week.”

In the run-up, the 40-year-old has been doing “gym work, and stunt work, and accent work, and just brushing up on a lot of the stuff I would have done before,” he says. “It’s been a while since I’ve played the character in his own show, as it were.”

Indeed, Cox played Daredevil in a Netflix series of the same name from 2015 to 2018. But given the licensing saga that followed, he’d be forgiven for thinking he had long since hung up his superhero suit.

Briefly, a clash of contracts between streaming platforms Disney+ and Netflix left some characters caught in the crossfire. Netflix lost the rights to air anything Marvel-related, while Disney was pumping resources into new Marvel projects and pretending the Netflix version of that world and its characters didn’t exist. Daredevil was one such character. Fans were so miffed that their favourite blind New York lawyer turned vigilante crime-fighter was stuck in no man’s land, they launched a #SaveDaredevil campaign.

Whether for this or reasons pertaining to complex contracts and their expiry, Cox’s hero eventually became the first lead character to cross the threshold from Netflix to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He made a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, guest starred in She-Hulk and is soon to be “born again” in his new show.

It must be an extraordinary feeling when people campaign to see you on screen. Did Cox’s world change when he became a Marvel star, and was exposed to its fandom?

“When you play a Marvel character, you do immediately become more recognisable, and the fan base is incredibly enthusiastic and passionate,” he says. “It’s great when the fans feel like what you’re doing is good and they appreciate the character that you’ve created, and the show is successful and well regarded. But equally if that wasn’t to be the case, I’m sure it feels pretty lonely.”

Cox hardly need worry about such things: YouTube is chock-full of glowing reaction videos to Daredevil’s appearance in Spider-Man and the buzz around his new show is strong. But even aside from his Marvel chops, Cox has an impressive CV. From his early appearance in the 2007 fantasy film Stardust to starring in two seasons of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and his leading part in the Netflix spy miniseries Treason, he’s amassed a stellar list of acting credits.

His role as Michael Kinsella in Kin might never have come about were it not for his wife, Samantha Thomas, and her role as executive vice president at Bron Studios which produced the drama along with RTÉ. When Thomas first got Peter McKenna’s script, she showed it to her husband.

“Initially, she just thought I should read it because she was interested to hear what my opinion would be,” he says. “And I read it and I immediately fell in love with it.”

Because a Covid lockdown had hit, the prospect of keeping their family together while the pair worked on the same project made perfect sense. Along with their son and daughter, they set up camp in Dublin.

“And it ended up being a really fantastic decision. We had such a great time. We’ve now spent two seasons in Dublin making the show. [During] the first one, we didn’t get to see much of the city because obviously everyone was in lockdown, and it was all just about working. But this past summer, I really got to experience Dublin in its full glory.”

This included partaking in what now seems a rite of passage for Hollywood stars who come to Dublin: jumping in the Irish Sea.

“I did it almost every day. I absolutely loved it. In fact, during the second season of the show, I actually chose living accommodation near Vico [Baths in Dalkey], so I could walk down every day. And for me, the colder the better. I couldn’t have been happier, waking up and getting in the sea before work.”

Whatever was in the water, it must have worked. The first season of Kin, which saw Cox’s character return from jail and attempt to get his daughter back while becoming embroiled in his family’s gangland feud, broke RTÉ drama streaming records with 2.1 million views.

Peter McKenna, Kin’s co-creator and showrunner has remarked that the cast is “probably the strongest thing about [it].” Cox’s co-stars include Clare Dunne (The Last Duel), Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones, Love/Hate), Emmet J Scanlan (The Fall) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Commitments).

What drew him immediately to his role, he says, was the contrast between what we know of Michael and how we perceive him as we follow his story.

“When we meet Michael at the beginning of season one, he’s just coming out of prison. And I felt like it was pretty clear that the man we were meeting was very different from how the family members described or remembered him.

“As an acting exercise, I found that to be quite an interesting challenge: to play someone who has a reputation of being someone you absolutely do not want to cross. There’s a side to him that’s incredibly scary and violent and dangerous, but the man we’re meeting for various reasons is actually in a very vulnerable place and trying to hide that vulnerability from the world.”

Indeed, this sense of vulnerability or morality is something often Cox brings to his more cut-throat roles, be they an MI6 agent (Treason), an ex-IRA enforcer (Boardwalk Empire), a vigilante crime fighter (Daredevil), or a gangland criminal (Kin).

“I always try to approach any character as if it’s a clean slate. So I’m not knowingly trying to do things in a similar fashion. But I always think that there must be more to [people] than meets the eye. And so often when you’re playing, a ‘good guy’, I think it’s important to make sure that you focus on the qualities he has that aren’t maybe so righteous.

“Similarly, if you’re playing someone who’s got a pretty violent history, it’s also important to see the sides of them that an audience might identify with, where you could easily be friends with one of these guys and not know what they get up to in their business life.”

Cox wasn’t familiar with the Dublin gangland scene before Kin, but as research he listened to episodes of Eamon Dunphy’s podcast The Stand with journalist Nicola Tallant.

“I was kind of blown away,” he says. “What I was reading – what our show is loosely based on – is happening right now. It’s current. It’s not in the past. It’s a real thing. You know, that was a little disconcerting to me at first. I was like, wow, I can’t believe [it] . . . this is ballsy.”

Similarly, Cox didn’t have any particular connection with Dublin before signing up to Kin. All the more impressive, then, that he manages to produce a pitch-perfect accent. How did he master such a notoriously difficult task?

“I have an amazing accent coach – two really fantastic accent coaches, actually,” he says.

The first is Poll Moussoulides, a dialect expert who had worked on Normal People with Daisy Edgar-Jones. The second is Emmet Kirwan, the Irish actor.

“I got in touch with him – I’d seen one of his movies, and I felt like his accent was really good. So, I copied [it]. I had him record a lot of my lines.”

Along with Kirwan, the voice of ex-footballer Shane Supple provided inspiration for Cox.

“Poll found this interview with him, and there was a quality in his voice that I thought would be kind of right for Michael. I would listen to that and try and learn [it] by rote. And then once we started filming, I’d stay in the accent all day while I [was] at work.”

The on-screen Cox might make a convincing Dubliner, but the off-screen one hails from East Sussex. He is the son of Trisha and Andrew (a publisher) and the youngest of five, with one older brother and three much older half-siblings. Acting was something he always enjoyed as an extracurricular activity, but it wasn’t until the end of his schooling that he began to take it more seriously.

“I was doing lead parts in plays and enjoying it more and more. It was during the production of one of those plays when an audience member who worked at LAMDA [The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art] came up to me and suggested I might want to audition for drama school.”

Cox took this advice and tried out for some of Britain’s most prestigious acting courses. He ended up at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, but just a year into his studies was offered a role alongside Al Pacino in the 2004 film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Because the school had a policy of not letting students take part in outside productions, he decided to leave and make a start on his career.

Cue a succession of screen and theatre roles alongside the likes of Claire Danes, Steve Buscemi, Michael Caine, Robert De Niro and many more. Were there moments along the way when he really felt he had made it as an actor?

“You know, it’s funny because in retrospect, there have been moments where it just feels like everything’s clicking and you’re getting a lot of the jobs you’re going for, and you’re working back-to-back. But in the moment that it’s happening, I have never really felt that way,” he says.

“On paper, you go on IMDB and you see [Stardust and Boardwalk Empire], and that looks like a really clear trajectory. But in reality, I shot Stardust in 2006. Boardwalk Empire was in 2011.”

He also points out that his Boardwalk Empire role got bigger as the series continued.

“When I got it, it was a small part. They only offered me three episodes. And if you think about it, I’d been the lead in Stardust which was a big Hollywood movie. And then in 2011, five years later, I’m taking a three-episode arc on a TV show because things had not escalated in the way that I’d hoped they would from being in a movie with Robert De Niro.”

Perhaps owing to this early wobble, or perhaps because of the insecure nature of acting as a career in general, Cox has always had the feeling of “staring down the barrel of looming unemployment – not knowing where the next pay cheque’s going to come from”.

“I have been very fortunate. The phone has always rung, and I’ve always gone back to work. But there have been, you know, long periods in between. I’ve never felt completely confident in the idea that the work will continue to present itself.”

Cox does however, say that he’s learnt a lot from the uncertainty of his career. “It’s a great discipline, because it really [teaches] you – and it took me quite a long time to learn this – [that] you have to really learn to love the job you’re doing in the moment that you’re doing it. And try not to project too far into the future about where you’re going to be this time six months, a year. Because you can ruin the experience of a really amazing job by worrying about what’s coming next.”

Being in the moment is also key to how Cox approaches acting. “A lot of it is instinct, and a lot of it should be instinct, but for your instinct to be well informed is a really good thing. My experience has taught me that you do as much homework as you possibly can, so that when you’re on set you don’t have to think about it. It’s a bit like sports: an athlete [or] a tennis player. You drill, and drill, and drill all your shots so that when you’re in the game, you don’t think about it, you just play them.”

On the topic of sports, Cox is a devoted Arsenal fan. Will his beloved team, now seated at the top of the Premier League table, pull off the win this season?

“I can’t answer that question. It’s too fraught with emotion for me at the moment. All I’ll say it’s a very exciting time, and I hope we can maintain the standard. I believe it’s possible. I’m starting to believe it’s possible.”

Besides, Cox’s busy life doesn’t allow a whole lot of time for fretting over league tables.

“I have a young family. So right now, whenever I’m not working, it’s spending time with my kids and my wife. That’s my priority. I’m really conscious that when I do work, I work really hard. And I love my work. I’m very grateful to have work. But when you are filming something it’s a huge commitment. So it’s really important to me that I don’t want to blink and my kids are going off to college . . . that’s my whole world. They’re my whole world right now.”

~*~

[acekun]

Spy x family's Season 2 will start tomorrow ^⁠_⁠^

And I can't help my excitement to see my favorite show and off course my beloved Family again(⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

We will indeed so much have to look forward in this season. And I wish everyone to have a great time and to enjoy everything in this show💛

[madara-fate]

I remember seeing that post you made about your top 30 ships of all time. Have there been any ships you've come across since then that would break into that list?

Ah you're referring to this post from a while back, well I'm glad you asked this, because yes there has indeed been one that has broken into my top 30 ships since I made that post, but only one. There have been a few that came close though, and those include...

Loid and Yor (Spy x Family):

Great show, but their relationship doesn't stand out as much as I'd like it to in the grand scheme of things.

Miyuki and Kaguya (Kaguya-sama: Love is War):

I do like them together and they're really entertaining, but certain developments of their relationship, and the direction the show went in later on (I'm a manga reader) kinda soured me on them a little.

David and Lucy (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners):

Amazing show, no issues with it winning AOTY for 2022, but honestly, I preferred Rebecca, and she deserved better.

But the one ship that did break into my top 30 of all time...

Is Wakana and Marin (My Dress-Up Darling):

Those two have one of the most wholesome relationships I've ever seen, and never mind my top 30 ships, they broke into my top 10. That's how much I loved their dynamic. I haven't loved a relationship dynamic this much since Otani and Risa from Lovely Complex.

[muninnhuginn]

1. 8. 10. 17. 20. 24. (wow you can add colours to asks now??)

wow indeed. rainbow in my inbox....

Thanks for the asks! (They relate to this ask meme)

1. What is the first fandom you were ever a part of?

Artemis Fowl. This was back when I was idk 11 or 12 or so iirc? Back in the days where even ff.net seemed too big compared to my little corner

8. Fandom you're a part of that's the most obscure?

Probably Beryl and Sapphire? It's a donghua based on a webcomic series and it basically involves these characters in various different AUs. There's no real connection between each AU so it's not some multiverse deal but it's a really cool vehicle for crossing between different genres and telling different stories where the only connection is the shared characters. The 'default' genre tends to be comedy which makes sense because most of the episodes are fairly short, but some of the longer episodes/arcs can be genuinely heartbreaking. Alas, the English fandom for it is non-existent as is the show's animation budget.

10. Fandom that you've spent the most money on?

Genuinely not sure of this. I'm not generally big on merch (I do have some fanart prints and zines but they're the exception rather than the rule) so it'd literally be whichever series I've bought the most of its official physical release for. Which off the head I'm not really sure of. Maaaaybe between Discworld and Ace Attorney, though I'm nowhere near sure of this (I think I got some offer or other on the latter and I know a load of the former are second-hand but at the same time there are so many books that-- okay idk)

17. Favorite blog(s) in your favorite fandom?

I don't think I have a fave fandom but I'll list a few blogs:

spiribia. was an utena blog back when I followed with great takes on the show (and specifically anthy). is currently into baru which I have not read but am enjoying getting osmosis'd by.

mira-likes. lots of juicy joy of life meta. or, well, that's what I've been reading.

shimamitsu. as you may guess by the name, has some incredibly solid skip and loafer takes. shima understander.

wondrousmay. manages to pull out a lot of good spy x family meta from the maintag as well as writing some too. the takes in the maintag itself can be very... hit and miss so sometimes I can't bring myself to go diving in there myself ngl

winepresswrath. okay, so not really as much mdzs nowadays but importantly filters out only the best jiang cheng takes (and a lot of fun general meta not even just limited to mdzs but good jiang cheng takes count for a lot, okay)

as you can tell, I have a tiny bias towards meta writers

also, link click fandom has a lot of solid fandom blogs in general but would take too long to narrow that down so

20. All-time favorite fanfic author?

um. I can't pick. I started writing out names then checking bookmarks then checking backlog when I was spamming friends and it's all too much, sorry 🫠

24. Funniest fandom-related story?

I think the line between funniest and most tragic is too thin for me to answer this.

[sneakymystique]

Mystique Origins

I’m doing a clear-out of some old master links on my page which were from rp days and are long redundant.

One of them is a Mystique bio I wrote for X-Men Evolution. It’s probably the closest I’d come to writing a comics origin story, as nowadays I’ve swung round to the view that Mystique’s origins are better left shrouded. Also, canon has moved on and confirmed that Mystique pre-dates the 19th century, so it’s also obsolete for that reason.

Over 200 years ago a little girl was born to a young couple in the Austrian Empire. For the first ten years of her life the girl was much like any other, although times were hard hers was a loving family and as she grew older it was obvious she was going to be a great beauty, leading her father to hope he’d be able to make an advantageous match for her and his family. But soon after her fourteenth birthday everything changed when the young girl’s skin started to turn blue. The changes didn’t stop there, soon the girl’s raven black hair had turned an unnatural blood red and her eyes began to turn yellow and glow with an ‘unholy’ light. The girl’s parents and the villagers believed the girl had been possessed by the devil and knew what they had to do. A pyre was built in the village, and the girl who needed several men to drag her kicking and screaming, was tied to a stake and set fire to. In those few desperate moments, with the fire licking at her skin, the girl wished she could fly away and her body responded.

A bird, its feathers singed from the flames, escaped the pyre unnoticed and landed in one of the mountain forests. Badly burned, traumatised and starving the girl thought she would soon die, which she indeed did, for the girl did not survive that forest, Mystique did. The first winter was the hardest, although she didn’t feel the cold, there was little to eat on the frozen slopes of the mountains and plenty of predatory animals who could smell a fearful girl from miles away. But she was slowly mastering her powers, working out that she could change into virtually any animal in the forest, become bigger and meaner than anything that stalked her and soon she was the queen of the forest.

Her revenge against her birthplace was brutal. One day a group of hunters from her home village stumbled upon her by accident, they were no match for her, but as she stared down at them she had a sudden realisation. Could she become another human, could she look like them? The villagers were dismayed when the badly wounded hunter returned, talking of an enormous bear. Nobody noticed the yellow glint in his eyes, and soon the villagers began to die one by one. People from a nearby village who eventually came to investigate found the entire village deserted with no traces left save for the remains of a giant pyre in the main square. The rescuers soon left, convinced that the place was cursed, taking with them the village’s only survivor, a stray dog.

Mystique never looked back. The road took her to Vienna, where she used her shapeshifting powers to assume the identity of a wealthy aristocrat. She travelled all over Europe, living in luxury, assuming and discarding hundreds of identities, ingratiating herself with the rich and powerful, her only goal being her own survival. Mystique drifted for most of her first century, sampling the lives of actors, soldiers, spies and politicians. When the First World War came along she sold information to the highest bidder and helped to stir up revolutionary crowds in Russia. During the twenties and thirties she worked for the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and the United States, hiring her skills as a spy to whoever would pay the most. Shortly after the war Mystique met Eric Lehnsherr and for the first time began to understand that she wasn’t alone. She soon became hooked by his ideology of mutant supremacy and put her talents to use furthering the cause.

Taking the role of Principal of Bayville High, Mystique used the position to recruit young mutants to the cause and keep an eye on the X-Men. Following Magneto’s betrayal, Mystique broke away to pursue her goals independently, creating the identity of Risty Wilde to spy on the x-men and later captured and replaced Professor Xavier and blew up the X-Mansion.

Following the revelation of mutants and the Apocalypse incident, Mystique has killed and replaced National Security Advisor Valerie Cooper whose position she’s using to further her own agenda, which includes the destruction of the X-men.

[forlix]

hi! I'm back 🐼 and don't apologize, please, everyone has their hard days and weeks (even years sometimes)! I just hope you are good now and everything worked out fine!

firstly, I'm a real person indeed! and yes you do remind me of him somehow, idk maybe is the bubbly vibe or how sweet you are to everyone? idk, it just gives off lix's vibes and STOP!, you are not undeserving of it! you deserve all the great things that come to you! (also I'm not always the mom friend per say, but I'll def hurt people who hurt my friends type of person 🫣 also, PLEASE! Minho is my bias, this is too much! 🤭 but I wouldn't mind being the Minho to your Felix 👀🫂)

secondly, I'm always happy when people talk about going to international relations, it's so exciting! I finished my course a while ago, but I never actually left, I love it so much! I always loved non-governmental organizations, but after my exchange program I fell in love for real with the whole concept of War&Peace, my thesis was actually regarding how multicultural countries can be a blessing and curse depending on how you manage them, in the end it was about how the multicultural situation affects society, focusing a lot on the internal conflicts before, during and after the whole thing, so i I analyzed the rising and fall of the country viewing the multicultural aspect. sorry I'm rambling, but I just love to talk about it! I loved the course so much and all the people it gave me thanks to it, I honestly have such great experience about it, even after I had one specialization, during an MBA and starting my literature studies I met and became friends with such amazing people doing that course for the first time. I hope you have great memories of it!

lastly, it wasn't really a conversation per say, bc I'm a bit shy with people idk or don't feel completely comfortable (unless they are mean, then I'm their personal nightmare if I want to), but I did ask you to add me to the spy x family au taglist, I think I commented after a while you had posted saying you were gonna write it, and you said you'd add me to the overall taglist, so yeah, that's all, wasn't an ACTUAL conversation, but you were so nice regardless, either way, I'm happy I found you and your tumblr, I hope you receive as much joy and happiness you give us (⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡

- 🐼

first of all, WAHH YOU'RE REAL! AND WAHH YOU'RE THE MINHO TO MY FELIX! application accepted with unbounding enthusiasm hehe LOOK it's us ily and i would hold you in the palm of my hand any day

sticking the rest under the cut bc i wrote u an essay (so NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR RAMBLING i can't hold anyone else to any standards in that regard i am the No. 1 perpetrator of that crime)

you are SOOOOOOOO COOL. oh my fucking god. i've always been curious about ngos and i would love some more of ur perspective on them - what about them did you love? and what do you recommend are the best ways to get involved? that's definitely a bucket list item for me once i find a cause i'm passionate enough about

and war and peace!!! oh my god!! in the least weird way possible my interest in ir has always centered around conflict, so we have that in common for sure! the most impactful classes of my life were about modern chinese history, about how china became the nation it is today and the role it's come to serve in the world over time, and american foreign policy, basically about how the u.s. found a new way to royally fuck everything up with every international conflict it got involved in. both were so interesting and changed my world view in irreversible ways. my specializations are 'east and south asia' and 'social development and human well being' btw

your thesis sounds INSANELY cool. on the note of multiculturalness i've been reflecting on the united states as a country and its citizens as a population a lot recently 1) because of biden's active promotion and enablement of israel's war crimes and 2) because i just came back from spending three months in east asia so there's been a lot of comparing and contrasting to do in terms of lifestyle, culture, society, etc. idk if it would be too much if u gave me the thesis statement or primary argument or maybe even the abstract of your thesis bc i'm so curious about your thoughts on this. but also totally TOTALLY okay if not!!! i feel like i'm overstepping just asking sorry i'm letting my ir nerd get the best of me

and AH. I THINK KNOW WHO YOU ARE 💡 and you're so so fine, bb, you will never receive any pressure from me to come off anon or interact with me in any shape or form that you're not absolutely comfortable with. "unless they're mean then i'm their personal nightmare" LMAOOO AS YOU FUCKING SHOULD THAT'S ON QUEEN BEHAVIOR!!!! make that two. if anyone is mean to you i will Find them and Hunt them like a timber wolf awoo. mark my words

i'm the one who should be happy that the universe brought you to me, lovely! thank you for being you, as always; i'm reciprocating every ounce of your warmth and light in your direction!

[italoniponic]

cherry your reblog on my christmas fic was so lovely!! christmas is also one of my favorite holidays lol so having the first years plan out a whole celebration for the reader was very fun for me c: don't worry about being late either! christmas festivities go on until january for me as well! so your timing is completely perfect <3

as for the wip game, all of your titles look incredibly interesting~ (especially that spy x family one hehe), but the one that really caught my eye was Prologue - Goodbye From the Heroes World and Burger (Short) King! i remember you talking about going on a casual date with epel and watching him freely eat a bunch of fast food—could this be the fic?? or am i completely wrong lolol

please do share!

Thanks, Pando <3 also funny to know we're in the same conditions for this lovely jolly holiday (well, there's big and better words to describe the greatness of Christmas but I can't spend the whole ask on that unfortunately lol)~

okay, okay!! now you're making the good, real questions lol [regarding this post]

Prologue - Goodbye From the Heroes World is the first piece of my RSA "expanded universe headcanons"... well, fancy words to say that it's my first fic with RSA ocs lol since I pretty much made a lot of characters in the course of 2 years by now, I want to first introduce them in this fic (and there's other after that) before going for the actual project of RSA's Anthology Stories. The title is obviously inspired by the actual game prologue ("Welcome to the Villains World") but it basically just shows the day after the entrance ceremony in Royal Sword Academy with focus on the main characters + the side ones that should act as NPCs but I accidentally gave them personality and backstories too lol

Burger (Short) King is indeed that idea of a casual date with Epel on a fast food restaurant. I never eat on Burger King, I just thought the joke is funny lol but I do love a good hamburger with lots of bacon <3

thanks for the questions, Pando! I miss working on my good-two-shoes boys hcs and write a little more of that Prologue, I'm stuck on the first part... but I will succeed someday!!

[innovatorbunny]

I posted 33,620 times in 2022

That's 27,410 more posts than 2021!

2,200 posts created (7%)

31,420 posts reblogged (93%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@joey-wheeler-official

@curiooftheheart

@tariah23

@unmeltable-snow

@ryo-maybe

I tagged 12,158 of my posts in 2022

#arknights - 1,767 posts

#fate grand order - 1,429 posts

#fgo - 1,428 posts

#milky's musings - 885 posts

#guilty gear - 444 posts

#spy x family - 198 posts

#yor forger - 137 posts

#koyanskaya - 135 posts

#ashiya douman - 119 posts

#nian - 109 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#i think people that say shit like 'he only makes minor vocalizations‚ voice acting for a movie is a specific set of skills he doesnt have'

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

:3

1,005 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

#4

i don't understand what you guys are talking about, Arknights is a very hypersexualized game indeed.

these designs are very sexual if you're as intelligent as i am.

1,238 notes - Posted September 1, 2022

#3

Spy x Family is legitimately a very good manga and its because it primarily IS a comedy. the comic is focused on making you laugh and want to see Yor and Loid kiss, so when it randomly throws in its War is Hell themes it hits like a brick to the face. please read Spy x Family its good

1,264 notes - Posted October 11, 2022

#2

i like how you can tell Ryuzaki Ichi has developed his artstyle from when Arknights first started to now, which is really cool because his art is great. but also it makes looking at Nearl Alter and Nearl Classic really funny because they look so different from each other despite being the same person.

2,092 notes - Posted September 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

i genuinely am impressed by the people that just come out and say, with no irony or shame, that they think spy x family is government propaganda to have kids and make a family. i would be so, so embarrased to say that shit even as a joke and they are just saying it 100% seriously. the balls.

4,021 notes - Posted July 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[trainsinanime]

Ich habe 5.537 Mal im Jahr 2022 etwas gepostet

Das sind 1.381 more posts als 2021!

601 Einträge erstellt (11%)

4.936 Einträge gerebloggt (89%)

Blogs, die ich am häufigsten gerebloggt habe:

@galahadwilder

@flightfoot

@gentil-minou

@dingdongyouarewrong

@into-september

Ich habe 4.137 meiner Einträge im Jahr 2022 getaggt

Nur 25% meiner Einträge hatten keine Tags

#miraculous ladybug – 3.099 Einträge

#spy x family – 135 Einträge

#bakery enemies au – 124 Einträge

#eurovision – 71 Einträge

#ml season 5 spoilers – 70 Einträge

#ml spoilers – 63 Einträge

#ml s5 spoilers – 53 Einträge

#marigami – 46 Einträge

#eurovision song contest – 40 Einträge

#ml elation spoilers – 30 Einträge

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#always remember weredad the basics of that situation haven’t really changed except he’s gotten even more unwilling to date anyone but ladybu

Meine Top-Einträge im Jahr 2022:

#5

Kim: Man, this Monarch guy sucks ass. I'm glad that Hawkmoth dude is gone, though.

Alya: What? No, it's the same man. He just uses a different name now.

Kim: Huh? Oh, I get it! Is this like how Marinette dresses up and calls herself Ladybug sometimes?

Alya: What? No she doesn't! …who told you?

Kim: Wait, that was supposed to be a secret? Oh shit, sorry!

Kim: How about Adrien and Chat Noir, is that a secret too?

884 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 6. November 2022

#4

Since I just saw some Ao3 discourse across my dash again, I just want to say: I think it would be great if there was a similar site to Ao3 that was explicitly kid-friendly and heavily moderated. I’m against turning Ao3 into that site, but I think it would be good if that site existed. I don’t care enough to actually make it happen myself, but I’d probably cross-post some of my stories there and maybe donate to keep it running. This is not meant as some sort of gotcha, I think people should really get on that because it would be a net good for fandom overall.

1.650 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 19. Oktober 2022

#3

The love square in Miraculous Ladybug seems so simple (“hey, that Superman-Lois-Clark thing? What if it went both ways?”), but I am in awe of how finely tuned and balanced it is. Both to make it plausible, and to make it interesting.

The show goes to great lengths to show that all sides (and in particular the two main ones) are absolutely realistic options if it weren’t for the rest. Adrien always liked Marinette and has been positively smitten with her since about season 2. Ladybug was always fond of Chat Noir and this has only increased. The one major time where Ladybug officially rejected Chat Noir, in Glaciator, was also one of the softest and genuinely most romantic moments between the two.

And at the same time, they didn’t make it too simple. The love square is not symmetric when you look at the details. Marinette’s feelings for Adrien and Chat Noir mirror his for Ladybug and Marinette to some extent at a very high level, but if you look down at the details, they’re all developing differently, at different paces, for different reasons, all the time. Chat Noir is the big romantic flirt. Marinette is head over heels and thwarted by anxiety. Both like grand gestures, but for Marinette it’s gifts, for Chat Noir it’s big events.

The show looks so simple, and I guess parts of it are. But the way our heroes interact in the love square is anything but, and that’s what makes it so much fun to watch.

2.190 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 7. Juli 2022

#2

Idea: Reverse Marichat. Marinette is out and night and sees Chat Noir sitting on some random balcony. So she scales up some trees, a gutter pipe and a window to come to him and see what’s up.

3.630 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 1. Oktober 2022

Meine #1 des Jahres 2022

Honestly, society has lost something big when they started putting ads on “Never Gonna Give You Up”. It used to be you clicked a link, and you heard that synth music and you just groaned. Nowadays, you see a link, go, “that might be Rick Astley”, then you click it, Youtube plays an ad for dog food and you see below that is indeed Rick Astley. You go, “ah, yes, that was indeed a link to that music video. Do I feel like watching the video today or not? Probably  not, but I have the entire ad time to decide”. It’s essentially a global “do you really want to get Rickrolled?” filter.

This is really one of the best and most important reasons for using an adblocker: So you can get the proper rickroll experience. Here are some good ones for your platform.

42.217 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 19. Januar 2022

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