#streaming services so like i have been TRYING i just have too many thoughts and none of them are about plato...

[drunkkenobi]

Hi bb, ty for the prompt to write my thoughts!

So I can't get on tumblr at work anymore unless I go outside to get good signal on my phone so I have only been privy to what's going on here today from friends on discord. So maybe I'm missing some nuance or the what my mutuals think and I apologize in advance for that but I'm going to speak plainly.

This is the only way Watcher is going to survive.

The view counts have been steady through Mystery Files season 2 but they aren't, like, astronomical. A video with a million views nets a channel between $10,000 - $30,000. Guys. That's nothing for Watcher. They have to pay each of their 25+ employees a salary with insurance and benefits and for everything else their channel requires. Steven said in the video today that a season of Ghost Files costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. I don't think everyone is hearing that part and understanding how much money that is, especially compared to many other YouTubers they watch. I'm not an expert on other YouTubers but I look at the Sims people I watch. They are successful with views in the hundred k range because they are a company of one. Themselves and maybe paying a freelancer to help edit their videos. For one person, the stakes are lower and the potential for profit is higher! Especially for gamers that are filming in their homes. YouTubers like this, making niche content on the cheap, are who is going to make it in YouTube now.

Watcher is none of those things. They have, from day one, wanted to make high quality unscripted content. All of their shows are shows. They aren't just "Ryan and Shane do [thing]" or "Steven eats [whatever]". They are shows, like ones you see on cable TV or any streamer. And shows are not cheap. Unscripted is cheaper, sure, than scripted. But that doesn't mean cheap. Especially not with the sheer production value we've seen on all their shows, in particular Ghost Files (hundreds of thousands of dollars). That is how much something like Ghost Adventures costs, which is on Travel Channel, an actual TV network that puts up all those costs.

So. That's why Watcher has to pivot to survive.

I think it's a great idea, personally. And yes, I am in a position where I can financially afford it no problem, which I know is a privilege! I am very lucky in that regard. And I understand that many people are upset they won't see the boys as easily on YouTube anymore. That is valid! But they have openly said they are totally fine with password sharing and I think that's a great way to cut down on costs for some folks. Also right now there's a great deal on the yearly sub for early subscribers. $40 for a year is cheaper than any streaming service and it doesn't go to anyone other than Watcher.

I understand that people feel hurt and blindsided, but I think Watcher is also feeling this too. They have been so excited about this and being able to make whatever they want without having to worry about sponsors and now they're mostly seeing anger directed their way. Especially at Steven. Steven is not rich. You know who's rich? David Zaslav, a man who is single-handedly ruining Warner Brothers and making himself a billionaire while he's at it. THAT is the kind of person we should be directing our anger at streaming prices and quality of the media landscape at. Not one small business that is just trying to survive so they can continue paying their employees.

And one more thing. I've seen folks saying they'd rather watch more ads than pay and while I get that, that's not going to help Watcher make what they want. YouTube famously demonetizes videos with swears which is why I can't watch a video with DRAG QUEENS without every other line being bleeped and Watcher has been so good about not bleeping their content because they know we would hate it. And YouTube does this because of advertisers. Advertisers only want to appeal to the most broad of audiences so that means not supporting anything slightly left of center. Having to deal with ads sucks from the creator perspective and does not help them in the long run.

Anyway, this is all a bit rambling, but these are my thoughts on WatcherTV. I'm extremely excited to subscribe and make them make more Weird Wonderful World. I hope to see you all there.

[xoxoemynn]

For OFMD Tumblr friends who want a S3 and are scared of Twitter

First, no judgment from me. I very much get it. I resisted Twitter for a long time, and even though I'm now a bit more comfortable on it, it's still not my Fandom Home. There are a TON of valid reasons not to be on Twitter, but if you REALLY want to keep OFMD visible right now and help its chances of returning for a third season, Twitter is the best place to do it. Like it or not, Twitter is still the best social media platform for raising awareness and for instant news updates.

Tumblr posts don't make headlines. Topics that have been trending on Twitter do. And if we want this show to come back, we need to make OFMD impossible to ignore.

By now you've probably seen just how close we came to a S3, and if you're like me, you are RAGING and donning your battle jacket. But I get it can be intimidating to get on Twitter for the first time, so I thought I'd address some common anxieties I see. I'll put below a cut because this got a bit long, but I promise it's a quick read.

I don't know what to say! Where do I even start? That's okay! You don't have to create your own tweets (although it's great if you do). Amplifying other people's posts is also important. Go ahead and like/retweet/reply to other people's posts. This may also help you get an idea of what you may like to say in your own tweets.

Hashtags...yes? Yes! Although don't use too many or you may get flagged as a bot. The biggest one that seems to be emerging is #SaveOFMD. Other popular ones are #RenewAsACrew, #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath, and of course, #OFMD and #OurFlagMeansDeath.

Should I just be tagging all the streaming services? Per @renewasacrew, no. It's counterproductive. You'll want to tag one streamer at a time and be specific. Below is an example of a tweet I made the other day -- use specific reasons why that that particular streamer may benefit from picking up OFMD.

I'm scared. People are mean. Yeah, people are mean. But I will say the vibes over at OFMD Twitter are currently the best I've ever seen them. People seem to have united for the greater good and are being overwhelmingly positive and just trying to do whatever we can to save the show. (That said, again, I already had a pretty curated feed, and was very liberal with blocking users/terms I didn't want to see, but I've been able to spend so much more time in the For You tab than I ever have without being jump scared by something.)

But I don't know anyone there! Wouldn't I just be shouting into the void? Not if you use the hashtags! Fans are being really good about following those and engaging with the tweets. Plus, [Stede voice], I'm your friend. I'm xoxoemynn over there as well, I'll follow you back and engage with any of your posts that I see. Plus, what's been REALLY lovely to see is that SO many lurkers have come out of lurkerdom to support the efforts, and they are being welcomed with open arms, so you will not be alone. Again, I am telling you, vibes? Best I've ever seen them.

I can't get sucked into another social media platform, I don't have the time. The beauty here is you don't need to spend a lot of time. I've been on Twitter more in the past week than I have in the entire year I've had an account, and I'm still only on for maybe an hour total the entire day? I open the app, I check a couple accounts, I engage with a handful of posts, and I close the app. It takes all of five minutes. It's an extremely small lift that can have a very big impact.

My bet is on Zaslav expecting us to be upset, and that there may be a day or two of outrage, but then we'd move on. I'm sure right now he's trying to convince everyone that this is a fluke, and that it'll blow over soon. Don't let him win. Keep OFMD in the news. Be loud (but polite) and make Max and other streamers take note of what a passionate, loyal fan base this show has. Make their stocks continue to drop. Make it clear this is NOT just a fluke, it is NOT business as usual. It's a BIG fuck up with lasting consequences.

Twitter, for all its sins, is the best place to do this.

Now let's get our damned show back.

[cl0ckworkpuppet]

time for my monthly mp3 player propaganda post!

yall. don't fucking stream music off of youtube or spotify. they pay their creators shit. the most generous estimate i could find was artists being paid $1 for every 200 streams (0.5¢ per stream), and unless you're listening to songs on an album thousands times in total, it helps tremendously more to just. buy their albums or subscribe to a patreon-like service for them

mp3 players are laughably inexpensive (you can get a decent one with bluetooth for like $40-50 and you can get away with even less if you forego some features), many of them are drag-and-drop, no ads, decent enough sound quality for the average person, unlimited skips, track selection, regular play and shuffle, playlists, being able to shut off your screen, and more importantly, ALL OF THIS IS AVAILABLE WITHOUT A SUBSCRIPTION. i've always been an avid hater of subscription models. there are some things where it's understandable, but you shouldn't lose access to basic QOL features just because you can't or won't fork over $10-15 a month.

"b-b-but $50 is so expensive!" WRONG. $50 (which is more than i've EVER spend on a single mp3 player) is the equivalent to 5 months on spotify premium without discounts. if you can afford that, it's worth investing into a device that can last you literal years if you get a good one and take good care of it

"but i don't wanna carry around another device!" fair enough, but these things are small enough to fit in tiny pockets (mine fits snugly in the watch pocket of my jeans) and are typically light enough to not be burdensome. if you can carry around your phone, you can carry around an mp3 player

"what if people think i'm weird for having outdated technology" let them. it's worth it in my opinion if it means i get to listen to music ad-free. the most I've ever gotten was "wooooah bro's got the dinosaur tech" and i just thought that was funny personally

"but what if the artist collapses without a constant stream of money!!! i'm not supporting the artist!!!!!" companies try to pay as little as they can get away with to artists. most of that money goes to the CEO and other higher-ups.

"but piracy is bad!" Piracy is a Crime. However, downloading youtube videos/audio for your own PERSONAL, NON-COMMERCIAL USE and NOT REDISTRIBUTING THEM is legal (generally, in the US, check your laws, i am not a lawyer, not legal advice, blah blah blah). besides, i never said you had to pirate your music. in fact, i encourage you to buy the albums of and support your favourite artists in other ways. some artists might even provide links for people to download their songs for free in high quality anyway

not gonna link products just in case someone thinks i'm a shill. but literally just look up "mp3 player" on your search engine or shopping site of choice and find something that doesn't look like it'll fall apart if you breathe on it too hard

seriously guys. if you listen to music more than like a few hours a week, and you don't get all of your music from livestreams or radios (although mine can connect to AM/FM radio), consider investing in an mp3 player. i tried out using one regularly in fall of 2021, and I haven't looked back. don't let companies drain subscription money from you

[stephstars08]

Jealous

Austin Butler x Reader

Warnings: Long Intro (Sorry!), Angst, Mention of Jealous!Austin, Some Adult Language, Tension, Suspicion, Mention of Cheating, Fluff, and Possibly Some Grammar Errors. (Sorry if I forgot any!)

Summary: Y/N is a photographer who takes pictures for movies and tv shows. Y/N and Austin met on the set of Elvis and became a couple right after the production of the movie wrapped up. They have been together ever since then and everything had been going great between them till Y/N hired a male assistant that causes fights between her and Austin due to his jealousy.

Word Count: 2,188

Author’s Note: Here is my first Austin Butler one shot for all of the Austin girls out there! I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you all think!

Y/N is a photographer for celebrities who star in movies and tv shows. She’s worked on a couple small films that got released on streaming services. The biggest movie she has worked on so far in her career so far is Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Y/N took all the pictures of the cast and did all of the promotional photos for the movie. She even got to take pictures of the cast behind the scenes as well.

Y/N got along well with the whole cast and crew especially the star of the film, Austin Butler who played Elvis. Austin was the first actor Y/N met on set and they instantly connected. They were always around each other on and off the set. Since Y/N and Austin were staying in houses that weren’t that far away from each other they would take turns hanging out at each others residence.

As time went on everyone knew that Y/N and Austin were quickly falling for each other hard. But, as the production continued neither one took the big step which was ask the other person out on a date. The only thing that has happened between the two is just flirting.

As time went on Y/N really wanted to go to the next level with Austin but she was too shy and is never the type of girl to ask a hot guy out on a date. Y/N was always hoping that Austin would make the move but she also knew that right when Elvis started production he had just got out of a long term and serious relationship with someone else, so he was most likely not ready for another relationship.

As the production of Elvis was coming to an end, Y/N really thought that nothing was going to happen between her and Austin till the last day on set, Olivia the actress who played Pricilla in the film, convinced Y/N to just take a chance and just ask Austin out on a date. Olivia told her that it was going to be her and possibly last chance to do it. Y/N knew that Olivia was a hundred percent right, so she used all of the confidence she had and asked Austin out on a date and he said yes. Ever since that first date, Y/N and Austin have been together as a couple.

They live together in a condo that’s right on the beach in California. Even though their careers have made them have a long-distance relationship they were still unbreakable. Everything had been going perfect till just two months ago. Y/N had hired an assistant named Drake. Since Y/N was getting hired to do so many photoshoots she was having trouble doing everything on her own so that’s when she hired Drake.

In the beginning Austin had no problem with Y/N having a male assistant till he met Drake. Every-time Austin was around Drake would act super rude towards him. The only time Drake played nice with Austin was if Y/N was in the room. It drove Austin crazy. Austin also couldn’t help but get extra jealous when Drake would be spending so much time with Y/N because he hated the way Drake looked at Y/N and the way Drake acted around Y/N. It’s like Drake is being rude on purpose.

Austin feels like Drake is trying to push Austin out of the picture. However, when Austin would mention Drake’s behavior to Y/N she would just brush him off which always led to an argument between the couple.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N was peacefully sleeping when she got woken up by her alarm clock blaring. Y/N let out a soft sigh as she opened her eyes and snoozed the alarm. When she rolled over onto her back, she saw the other side of the king-sized bed empty. Flashbacks of her fight with Austin last night flashed through her mind.

This was the worst argument they have ever had. It was so bad and intense that Austin decided to sleep downstairs on the couch. Of course, it was another stupid argument about Drake. Y/N doesn’t understand why Austin gets so jealous. He is the only one she wants to be with. Austin always tells her that she is so oblivious to Drake’s actions.

Y/N could feel her eyes start to water due to the flashbacks, so she wiped the tears away from her eyes and got out of bed. She got changed into a fresh pair of clothes and went into the bathroom connected to the bedroom to brush her hair and teeth. She decided to put her hair up into a ponytail since the photoshoot she’s working on today is going to be outside and since she moves around a lot, she gets hot real fast. After she finished in the bathroom, she walked back into the bedroom to put on a pair of her comfy sneakers. She grabbed her phone off the charger and put it in her back pocket of her blue jeans. She grabbed her big bag that had her laptop and camera in and wrapped the bag’s strap around her shoulder.

Y/N walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs. When Y/N walked into the living room she saw the pillow and blanket Austin used last night laying on one end of the couch. The blanket was placed on top of the pillow that was laying flat on the couch cushion. She knew that Austin had to be in the kitchen. Y/N took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen where Austin was sitting at the kitchen island drinking a cup of coffee.

Y/N immediately felt the tension between her and Austin right when she walked into the room. Y/N didn’t say anything to him as she walked over to the counter where the coffee machine was. She got out one of her traveling mugs from the cabinet and poured some coffee into the mug.

“Do you want me to fix you something quick to eat?” Austin asked breaking the tension that was floating in the air. “No.” Y/N answered not looking at him. “I’m just going to stop somewhere before I go to my office.” Y/N added as she put the lid on her cup.

“Listen Y/N about what happened last night I- “Austin started to say but she cut him off. “Austin, I have a big photoshoot today so if you want to continue last nights conversation you can wait till, I get home.” Y/N told him as she looked over at him with a stern look in her eyes. Austin just gave her a nod and took a sip of his coffee.

Y/N grabbed her keys off one of the hooks on the wall and walked out the door. She didn’t have the energy or motivation to say I love you or goodbye to Austin which did scare her. What if the next fight she gets in with him it’s so bad that they end up breaking up?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N just finished up her long photoshoot for an upcoming film and was packing up her equipment with the help of Drake. After they packed all of the equipment into Y/N’s car they got into the vehicle to go back to Y/N’s office. Y/N let Drake drive since she was so tired from the shoot. The whole car ride back to the office was quiet which concerned Drake since she actually hasn’t spoken much to him all day. Right when they got back to the office, they carried all the equipment inside.

“Are you okay?” Drake asked her with concern in his voice as Y/N was packing her laptop and camera back into her bag. “You’ve been really quiet today.” Drake added which made Y/N let out a sigh. “I just had a rough night last night.” Y/N told him looking over at him after she zipped up her bag. “Another fight with Austin I’m guessing.” Drake said which he got a nod from Y/N as the answer.

Drake is the person Y/N talks about all of the arguments she has with Austin. “This fight got so bad he slept on the couch.” Y/N told him.” Damn, sorry to hear that.” Drake said as he shook his head.

“I don’t know why he gets so jealous of the bond we have. He should know that I would never cheat on him.” Y/N said with nothing but frustration in her voice. It hurts her that Austin would ever think that she would cheat on him. Especially with how long they have been together. They have been through a lot together.

“Yeah, if anything it should be the other way around.” Drake said which quickly confused her. “What do you mean by that?” Y/N asked him with a mixture of confusion and curiosity in her voice. “If one of you was to cheat it would be him.” Drake told her which took her by surprise. “No, Austin would never cheat on me.” Y/N told him in a stern tone which made Drake let out a harsh laugh. “He’s an actor Y/N. Isn’t that what always happens. He could get casted in a movie with a pretty girl and end up cheating on you with the actress behind the scenes. It’s happened so many times throughout Hollywood.” Drake told her.

Hearing Drake say this about Austin wasn’t just taking her by surprise, but it was also pissing her off. “Get out!” Y/N hissed now taking him by surprise. “What?” Drake asked her in shock. “I’m not going to let you stand here and talk shit about Austin when you don’t even fucking know him like I do so get the hell out!” Y/N told him in a snappy tone. “You’re firing me?” Drake asked still in shock. “That’s what I mean when I say get out!” Y/N told him as she folded her arms over her chest. “Get your shit and leave! Last time I’m telling you!” Y/N told him in a warning tone. Drake grabbed all of his stuff and left.

Y/N let out a big sigh as she ran her hands down her face. She couldn’t believe what just happened between her and Drake. Now she knows that everything Austin was telling her about Drake was true. Y/N couldn’t help but feel bad, but she also knows she has to make it right as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N was driving home in her car. After what just happened with Drake she couldn’t wait to get home and see Austin. After firing Drake, she felt a weight that has been on her shoulders be lifted off.

Y/N parked her car right behind Austin’s vehicle that was parked in the driveway. She turned the car off and did a sigh of relief. She took off the seatbelt and grabbed her bag from the passenger seat. When she got out of her car, she locked the doors and put the strap of her bag around her shoulder. She closed the car door and walked through the door that led her inside and into the kitchen.

She noticed right away that the lights were dimmed and there were rose petals scattered all over the floor that was leading into the dinning room. Y/N took the strap of her bag off her shoulder and sat it down on the kitchen island counter. She followed the rose petals into the dinning room where Austin was. The table was all set for a romantic dinner. Austin had cooked her her favorite dish which made her heart feel all warm.

“Welcome home.” Austin said walking over to her. “What’s all this?” Y/N asked him in a curious tone. “Not that I’m complaining.” Y/N added in quickly which made Austin laugh. “I wanted to apologize for all of the fighting and accusing you of picking Drake over me. I shouldn’t be taking my jealousy out on you. To be honest I shouldn’t even be jealous.” Austin told her. “Actually, I should be the one apologizing.” Y/N said which made Austin look at her with confusion.

“Drake was talking a lot of shit about you, so I fired him.” Y/N told him which took Austin by surprise. “You fired him for me?” Austin said in surprise. “I don’t want an assistant that is rude and talks shit about the best boyfriend in the whole world.” Y/N told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned in and connected her lips with his soft lips.

The kiss was full of love and and passion. Y/N felt her heart flutter in her chest when Austin put his hands on her hips. It’s been a while since Y/N and Austin have shared a kiss that was filled with so much passion. When they released from the kiss they stayed into each other’s embrace.

“I love you so much.” Y/N told him as she stared up into his memorizing green eyes. “I love you more.” Austin told her staring back into her gorgeous eyes.

They shared another sweet kiss and then sat down at the table together to eat the lovely meal Austin made for them.

[myloveismineallmine]

okay apparently watcher released an apology so here's my thoughts (not asked for):

it was decent, as far as youtube apologies go. I don't understand why people are now saying that people overreacted when we probably wouldn't have gotten an apology if no one said anything? like being critical of things is okay, you know? and in this case it led to the right outcome.

I also don't think it's wrong that people started criticizing the content at watcher. especially after being told they had to pay for it, like you're gonna become more critical of things when you're being asked to pay money for it instead of it being free. and when the product is becoming more expensive to produce but it ends up being less entertaining, that is not a good thing (*cough* ghost files)

watcher 100% needs someone to budget their money, idk who is in charge of it now, but they really don't seem to be doing a good job. production is expensive, but you cannoooot be making projects as if you have a disney/warner brothers type budget when you're an indie studio. even with the streaming service money, this will still be an issue. they're trying to grow their company way too fast, and it will lead to them going under completely if they're not careful. you can't rely on the fans to bail you out when you make bad choices.

also, they need other on-screen talent. like the try guys have been struggling for awhile now, but at least they were smart enough to get people like kwesi and johnny to be new cast members. ryan and shane are 1000% burnt out, they need other talent. I remember they had a show with one of the staff members(?) but it only lasted 3 episodes and then they just stopped it. obv it didn't get as many views, but you need to build an audience and that takes more than 3 episodes to do. if they want to actually produce more content (which would help make more money and make their huge staff actually make sense) they need new people to be on screen. look at dropout/GMM/smosh. bigger casts, way more output. putting steven and andrew as hosts is actually a good choice i think, but sadly they're choosing to have them host one of the most expensive shows to produce. when you're making food content, why are you starting with the pricey international restaurants? start at del taco or something. build a bigger audience to justify the costs. look at eat the menu; the first episode was literally taco bell, and five years later, NOW they're doing fine dining. because they can put more money into it, because they KNOW it's one of their more profitable shows.

idk. acting like there still isn't problems is so strange to me. they apologized, that's a good thing, but it doesn't solve all the issues that have been brought to the forefront as a result of this whole debacle.

[youtubesweirduncles]

Hello, and welcome to 'Thoughts on the Try Guys streaming platform thing', by basically the only remaining try guys dedicated account on Tumblr (I think (Also ignore I haven't changed my pfp after the controversy))

So, as I've said before, I think the guys really managed this very well when you compare today's video with Watcher's announcement from a few weeks back. They seem to be using the new streaming service as a fancier Patreon that you can subscribe to if you like the content and want more of it, plus the exclusive vids or extra stuff, but it doesn't seem like it's meant to replace the channel and leave the people who can't afford it behind. They are offering a lot of new shows, many of which they teased on the youtube channel. The little pilots were used not only to give us a taste of what 2nd Try will be like but also introduced the new cast members! (I guess it's apropiate now to call Johnny Cakes, Kwesi, Marissa and rest as Try Guys too?). I'm so so happy to see them now as main talent; they helped carry the new era of the channel for the last year and a half and deserve the recognition.

Hooowever, I will say this.

I feel like the way they are handling this transition (and, let's be frank, the reaction from the audience) would not have been the same without the Watcher TV announcement and its fallout.

In case you don't know: Zach and Keith told us there would be a BIG announcement around this time of year way back in December. In early May (I think) watcher announced their own streaming service and literally everybody hated it. In mid-may, on a random Wednesday, the try guys channel just? don't post anything? and it seems like a very last minute decision to not post a video when they have posted videos every Wednesday for years? And now, a week later, they announce their own streaming service (with a video that references Watcher's announcement, so we know it was filmed after that was posted).

We can only guess, of course. Nothing is confirmed. But it really seems like they were going, if not the same, a very similar route that Watcher was. This is why I struggle to give them that much credit for offering a better deal that the Ghoul boys did, since I don't think they would've taken the same decisions a month ago. I want to think they are good guys who understand that most people can't afford to pay for this and they wouldn't put ALL their content behind a pay wall. But if you asked me a moth ago, I would have told you that Ryan and Shane were incapable of that too.

So I guess I'm not sure how to feel lol.

(Also I know many watcher fans are kinda mad that the try guys are getting a better response that Watcher did and also that Keith and Zach referenced the Watcher.tv vid because they think it was shady.

Calm down. They're literally friends. I bet they know what's okay to joke about and what isn't. I even bet they spoke about this in the last few weeks. Calm. Down)

[a-mel0n]

This stupid "Your Name" Bucktommy AU won't leave my brain, and while I don't have enough faith in my writing skills to actually write the damn thing (and it would be my first fanfic... ever?? and that's a project that seems a bit too big for me lmao), I DID write down what I'm picturing some of the "rules" Buck and Tommy have for each other while in the other's body. Mostly just for fun. (Because Tommy would be switching in 2006, the iPhone does not exist yet, so all of his notes are written in an actual physical journal. All of Buck's notes would be on the Notes app of his phone)

TOMMY: 1) Evan, stop running into burning buildings when you don’t have to while in my body. If I wake up in a hospital bed for the fifth time this month, I might actually lose it.

its part of the job to save as many ppl as possible. also u don’t even feel the pain when i get injured in ur body.

You’re right, I don’t. Unfortunately, the pain from having a wooden beam fall on you doesn't just magically go away when we swap. Just... be more careful? Please?

fine. i’ll try and keep ur hospital visits to a minimum.

2) Can you stop flirting with people on calls? Or at the very least give them your number and not mine? In the last week alone my contact list has nearly doubled because you keep giving people my number. 

dude its not my fault you’re more popular while i’m you. just think of it as me being ur wingman! how u dont have a girlfriend is beyond me btw. hot chicks love firefighters and ur a good looking dude

Jesus Christ, Evan. For the last time, I’m single by choice.

3) Don’t shower while in my body

already dont

4) Don’t go to the bathroom while in my body 

done

5) In fact, unless you’re at work, don’t change any of my clothes while in my body. 

fair

6) Do you really need to spend so much of my paychecks on cooking supplies? I have enough pots and pans already. 

whats the point of a pantry if its half empty. be thankful ur getting actual food now via my leftovers instead of the utter tragedy that was the state of ur fridge when we first started swapping places.

7) Don’t make a scene while at work. 

your boss sucks ass and his stupid orders are going to get people killed. im not gonna listen to him if hes making bad calls while lives are on the line

Evan.

8) Don’t pick up the phone when my dad calls.

got it

BUCK: 1) quit going to eddie’s basketball pickup games. he keeps inviting me while i’m in my own body and its getting harder and harder to come up with excuses as to why i can’t go. it's kinda awkward.

I thought you’d be more grateful, Evan. You’re the coolest guy on the court when I’m you. 

2) are you making movie references when ur me? bc chim keeps asking when i got so “cultured” and the other day maddie asked when i watched the princess bride. 

You haven’t seen the Princess Bride? I’m leaving you a surprise for tomorrow. Check your couch when you wake up. 

did you spend my OWN money on a dvd??? i don’t even own a dvd player. i own every streaming service imaginable.

3) keep the finger guns to a minimum?? idk why you do them so much but both hen and chim have said smth abt it

4) if u get a call from someone called connor or kameron on my phone just let it go to voicemail its personal stuff and i'll deal with it

Evan, you could have told me you agreed to be a sperm donor yourself. Finding out because Connor and Kameron showed up at the fire house was more of a shock than finding out over these memos would have been. 

they did what?????

5) don’t talk to my parents

Done.

6) No rule about undressing? 

dude idc. i’m not gonna stop you from taking a piss in my body if u need to. as long as you like. don’t have sex with someone while you’re me? oh wait hang on i DO have a rule about undressing

7) DON’T HAVE ANY RANDOM HOOK UPS IN MY BODY. 

Wasn’t planning on it, but good to know. 

[gilbirda]

what are your thoughts on watcher’s new announcement?

So.

I've been watching the Boys since they started back in 2016 (i think around that era), and honestly I'm very conflicted about the decision. I've read so much stuff in favor and against the announcement and I don't know if my answer will satisfy you.

I have managed a community and I have the blessing and curse of being somewhat of a Name, experiencing the ordeal of being Known, and I can tell you that 1)you can never please everyone 2)people will always rush to crush you the second you do something they don't agree with 3)people will always twist everything you do with the worst faith in mind and 4)fandom forget very quickly that at the end of the day you are just human.

I think they made a calculated risk based on a purely economical viewpoint. I think they considered their loyal fanbase and how willing people have been so far with spending extra cash to support them — The live shows, the exclusive streams (like the Valentine's Too Many Spirits) and Patreon. How much of their fanbase was the "broke students" tumblr claim they are and how much was people with spending money willing to pay extra for them.

I also think that the decision seem stupid if you look at it from the perspective of "why the hell would I pay $6 to watch such little variety of content?" and that's a Correct Assumption, but Observe — they have been very slowly pulling everyone that made Buzzfeed famous and enrolling them in. Very recently they gathered the Worth It boys, the second show that kind of carried Buzzfeed back in the day (apart from the Try Guys). I think they can't talk about it right now, but the goal is to relaunch Buzzfeed but without ads and without making it the soulless content machine it became. I think their dream and goal has always been making what Buzzfeed could have been with better management, kind of like "If I was the Management in this company, things would have been better" dream fulfillment. That's why they made the direct jump to a streaming service instead of the logical steps of Patreon-exclusive content or even jumping to Nebula like other youtubers. It was never meant to stay one single channel, it was supposed to be bigger.

Is the projection of making a "better Buzzfeed" worth risking this step? Time will tell. I don't know. I personally never cared about anyone except Buzzfeed Unsolved. I still watch Unsolved on repeat. Is my comfort show. Maybe they are overestimating how much people care about other shows not hosted by them.

Although they did hint that "we want shows not hosted by us". This tells me that they are settling down, they want to ramp down a little bit, do the hook with Ghost Files aka Unsolved Supernatural Lite for the streaming service, and once people are hooked, launch more shows by the old-school Buzzfeed people. Won't be as big as a show hosted by Shane and Ryan, but it will still make people feel like they are getting their money's worth.

I would forgive all of this if only they didn't use the excuse of "if we want to do Netflix-level productions we need money". I'm sorry but that means nothing to me. We loved them when it was a powerpoint slide show with 2 idiots in a set. We didn't fall in love with the toys or the trips or the high tech. We didn't fall in love with the fancy animations at the beginning of Ghost Files episodes that they are so proud of. That was all their idea.

I've seen this trend of content creators ramping up their creations to an unsustainable point, completely crash and burn and then having to apologize about having to step back. Then making it the moral trap of an argument that they have been doing their best to bring quality content to their audience, and of course making it impossible to argue against. If you speak up and say "well we never asked you to break your back" then you are ungrateful audience. That's exactly what's going on in here with the Watcher announcement — "true fans" criticizing people who point out the fact that they created this money problem on their own. Is not the fanbase responsibility to cater to a company's bad money decisions. Is not our fault that they decide to scale up their operation to a point they "haven't been making a profit for 2 years". It's unfair that the fans are at each other's throats for daring stepping back and saying "I don't want to be part of this".

I don't think Watcher Entertainment is actively wanting to collapse their fandom like this. I don't think this was a calculated move. But I do think that they are a group of adults trying to make a career of something they enjoy doing. I think they made this move with the perspective that fandom is not end all and they can always rebuild it.

— And that they are planning on making a machine that can work without them, and that requires breaking something in the fans, it requires kicking themselves out of the pedestal fans have put them on. They know they won't be allowed to have a normal life until people stop looking at them waiting for them to say their phrase.

In conclusion I think they made a choice that made sense if they are planning on separating Watcher Entertainment from "The Ghoul Boys" fame, and it makes sense if they are aiming at something bigger than what they've been doing now. Money of course is the goal and the reason presented, but there's a lot that they are not saying and we will not know until it happens.

Until then, it does feel like they have just shot their careers in the foot.

Also I'm salty that I can't join the service because I'm outside the US.

[vindicated-truth]

(Originally written here)

The idea of "binge-watching" comes from the idea of "binge-eating", in which we try to "consume" as much as we can, as fast as we can. That's the downside of the modern age, where everything is quickly accessible and the attention-span of the average viewer is very short-lived.

I grew up in the age before streaming, where we had to wait for our favorite shows on television and sit through all the commercials in between, or to actually go out in cinemas and pay for the experience of a bigger screen and a better sound system.

There's something to be said about the patience and rapt attention needed in watching shows like that, because otherwise you'd miss the important details. There's something to be said about how, unlike the streaming services of today, you can't pause, rewind, screenshot scenes, and so you have to make sure you live in each moment of the story, because you can't easily go back to it anytime. And you can't pause to catch your bearings, so you have to power through each moment, too.

Beyond Evil is the kind of the story that shouldn't be binged. The way it's beautifully, meticulously, lovingly crafted is meant to be savored. Each scene is not just a means to get through the next; each scene is significant. There's a reason each scene is there. There's a reason why we're looking straight into the actor's eyes, why we're hanging onto every word they say, why the music is played at that moment to amplify emotion, why the silence is there to maximize the impact, why there is rain and why there is sunshine, why there is food on the table, and why there is a seat reserved for a person they're waiting for.

True enjoyment of Beyond Evil hearkens back to true enjoyment of food, and true enjoyment of stories: we're meant to sit and relish the taste of it on our tongue, the emotions it makes us feel, the thoughts it makes us reflect on. Beyond Evil is so rich with meaning, like food that's bursting with flavour, lovingly crafted by the people behind it—the writer, the director, the cinematographer, and most importantly, the actors—who have such a profound understanding of what the story means.

Kim Sujin had once said in her introduction to the script book:

"I thought about my social responsibility but, after all, I don’t want my writing or drama to hurt anyone alive. For those who have been waiting for their families who have disappeared for years and decades, and for the bereaved families of many victims who have actually experienced murders, it was the most important goal of <Monster> (Beyond Evil) to not display murders or give the perpetrator a narrative of understanding. But to tell the story of the bereaved family that no one listens to, to give a voice to the victim who cannot speak for themselves."

This, more than anything, is why Beyond Evil is meant to make us chew and taste and savor the meaning of the story, and not just mindlessly swallow to keep going at bite after bite. There is so much more at stake with a story like this, precisely because it's a social commentary that didn't have to call upon supernatural elements or fantasy or sensationalized crime to portray what true evil is. That reality is often so much more gruesome and horrifying than anything fiction can ever portray.

Because, more than anything, Beyond Evil refuses to give a narrative to the killers, and the killing, because it knows the most important story to be told are those of the victims, and the loved ones that are left behind.

It's the kind of story that we're meant to sit down and be patient with, and watch with rapt attention and curious wonder, knowing that a story like this isn't the kind that can be repeated or imitated anytime by just anyone—precisely because of the profound care and love and advocacy that had been put into it.

So as the audience: don't worry about binging Beyond Evil. Let it settle on you slowly, like the most remarkable taste on your tongue, so that you'll remember not to take stories like this for granted—the way the victims' voices never should have been.

[bluepotion85]

The Golden Ratio - Chapter 2

(The following story contains male weight gain, food play, BDSM, kidnap, encouragement, and feeder/feedee scenarios. If that's not for you, then go to church or something vanilla dude.

This takes place during and after the events of the One-Piece film GOLD. For a better experience see the film on your local streaming service.

This story is written in collaboration with @bee-wg )

-----------------------------------

Tesoro

For days, he remained on the wall, trying to resist the pheromones in the room. They did their job to keep him aroused through the day, the heat inside him only growing the longer he stayed in the room. 

He tries to hide it, covering himself while he eats or sees his crewmates on the projection. But the excess energy makes him restless, he wriggles against the wall, grunting through the day. He will beg me for help soon, or so I thought. Instead, he uses that extra energy to shout at me while I work.

“You wannabe singer, golden turd, marine puppet, crocodile look alike, gold fetishist!” He shouted.

“Are you this desperate for me to kill you?!” I replied.

He grinned at me between huffs of air.

“Try to kill me then, king of frauds,” 

While he tries to look tough, his body is drenched in the collected sweat of several days, with breath laborious, and his dick remaining semi-hard. He is desperate to make a move; I can tell the sad man doesn't know it’s futile.

“You know, I could kill you, but why waste a good execution here? What about a public execution at 8 pm?”

"..."

“Lunch Time! Now eat your food and shut your mouth.” 

The gold from the wall spits his body, and he tries to dash towards me, but shackles form from the floor, making him fall face-first into the golden floor.

I can’t contain my laugh as he rubs blood off his nose after that fall. “How many times will you try to do that? It's useless to try and oppose me,” I said.

“Screw you,”

“Enough chatter. I have to get back to work. You have a wall to decor, we’re both busy,”

I set the projection with his friends, and he sits on the floor to eat his food. While we watched his friends fight to make me richer, I sensed his eyes filled with rage staring at me. They are exquisite, the vitriol, the resentment, the desire for vengeance all boiling. When he realizes his efforts amount to nothing, all that anger will be turned to self hatred, to submission. 

“I can feel the floor touching me in a weird way. Can you stop that?” he said.

“Eh, what?” I replied.

“Yeah, just like in the wall. I can feel the gold moving around my back in weird places,”

“You mean your butt?”

 “Can you stop it or not?!”

“I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe you are not used to being surrounded by gold,”

“Don't play dumb, it's obviously you're doing it,”

“Or cramps for being in the same positions for too long,”

“Don't just ignore me!”

“A massage will fix it,”

“Massage-? I won't let you put your dirty hands on me,” he replied.

“Back to the wall, it is.” 

”Fine, when you have your guard down, I will strike you.” he murmured. 

With a hand gesture, a table rose from the floor at the center of the room. Golden arms stretch from its sides and get ready to work. A snap of my fingers is all I need to make the gold attach Roronoa to the table. 

“Wait, I'm restrained even in this?”

“Absolutely, I don't want you to do anything stupid with my massager. Now be quiet.”

With another snap of my finger, the arms get to work. They run through his back with care. I turn around and get to work while the massage continues.

“What are you-?! Get your hand off that!”

“What's that noise? I told you to shut your mouth,”

“Tell your stupid massager not to touch my butt!”

“What's the matter? Never been massaged there?”

“Why would people get a massage there?”

“When you get a massage, you release the body's bottled-up tension, but if you ignore any area, all that tension just migrates there. All the strongest pirates know this,”

“imposible, that makes no sense.”

“What kind of pirate are you? Everybody knows this. Lots of vice admirals get them here."

"In any case, just stay quiet and let the arms do their job. It's not their fault you are a virgin broke slave who doesn't have taste or culture,”

“Quit it with the virgin thing!”

“You are a virgin! Have you ever had sex before?” 

“Those things are not relevant to my training. They are distractions from the mind,” he said confidently.

After that, he got back in position and the massage continued. I can sense every touch and movement my gold takes, so of course I can tell every movement the golden hands do on his body without watching. Every groan when they pass through his crack, the restrained whimpers as they caress his chest, but the fabulous moment is when one of the fingers enters his ass, and he wriggles on the table.

Even then, he remains in place, keeping the same image of bravado. He believes my lie so easily, he must be so ignorant of the most basic of information I can convince him of anything. I wonder how much I can push it.

-----------------------------------

Zoro

It's been a week since the first time that golden perv got me on the miserable massage table. Now they have become part of our messed-up routine. 

“Lunchtime,” said the gold bastard.

For some reason, he has started to spend more time here, so all my meals are accompanied by his sickening grin. A servant brings the food for the both of us. He turns the TV on to see what’s going on with Luffy and the crew, and lastly, he snaps his fingers to summon the massage table.

I look at it and wonder how many days have passed since I got here. I lost track of time, with days starting to mesh together. 

“Come on, Roronoa, We don't have all day,” he said mockingly.

He finds entertainment in watching me try to get used to them. I can’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me struggle. At some point, he makes them continue to massage me even in the wall. In a twisted way, it gives me plenty of opportunity to adapt.

They also made my body less frustrated than in my first days here. My body still craves release, but that's beside the point.

“You heard me. Get on the table,” he said.

I get on the table, and the arms get ready to work. 

After the first massage, the gold perv came with some massage oils. I could smell the same scent of his disgusting cologne as he unscrewed the bottle.

“I don't need it,” I said, holding my breath.

He got closer to my face and said, “It's not a suggestion. You can thank me later,” 

Fucking maniac, he is so self-center he wants everything to smell like him. 

Whatever the oil is, as soon as it touches my body, I can feel it sipping into my skin. It fans the fire that started to burn inside me days ago, growing wilder as more of the oil is rubbed against my neck. I try to hold my breath, keep my head clear, and get this over with while they tend to my shoulders. They pressed against my back, loosening a nudge of tension, but also made me take a deep breath from the force. The smell of the oil saturates me in a second. The stress of staying dangling from the wall transitions into an animalistic drive. I have an itch that needs to be scratched. 

I need to get off this table, run, stretch my legs, fight anyone, something! This energy running through me is making me go insane. 

The hands move to my feet and I try to relax, letting my determination win over my body. Then they start to move up towards my legs. The more it moves, the less control I have left.

They work my thighs with vigor, the palms run their way into my inner thighs. Then their movements become slow, with the sound of my heartbeat as loud as Luffy’s snoring. Fuck, they are going to do it now. 

Just get to it! Wait, I don't look forward to something like this. 

I want it to end sooner, that's all. 

They grab my asscheeks, groping them before revealing my entrance. The hands slowly let my sweat and the oil mix around the entrance before forcing a finger inside.

A grunt escapes my mouth.

The pressure dissipates. It subsides faster with each session. It proves that I'm mastering this form of training. The golden fingers explored every inch of flesh inside me for the past few days, learning the places I store my stress. As they massage each point, I can feel the stress leave my body. In its place, the fire inside me flares even more. 

I can feel my dick hard against the table, precum flowing out of me against my will. Getting a hard-on over a massage is embarrassing; having one in front of this perv is beyond worst. But between the hands, the oil, and my longing for release, there is little work from my brain right now besides basic instinct. 

The little strength still within me is holding me in place, not rubbing my dick against the golden table. The hands continue their massage, extending deeper into me, expanding against the walls of my anus with every breath I take. 

The motion is intoxicating, and I feel climax so near but something is missing. Good, I would never cum from something like this. Then the hands launched even deeper; I had to suppress a moan. What are they doing? My balls are tight, ready to shoot at the next movement. I don't want that, but my body moves on its own, pushing against the golden arms.

Before I can make a fool of myself, the arms retreat and leave me pent up at the table. I draw air in regardless of the smell. I'm spent and yet restless. 

“You might be finally enjoying it. It took you long enough, Roronoa,” he said, standing beside the table.

“Shut up,” I reply drily.

He grabs me by the hair and pulls me up. I try to break free, but my arms turn to gold as soon as I raise them. 

“What is this then? You have made a mess of my table with that pathetic dick,”

“If I had my swords, I would cut you into pieces,” 

He threw me away and snapped his fingers. My body was instantly free from the gold bind. He gestured to the wall as my swords emerged from within it. I ran towards them without a second thought.

“Asura: Ichibugin” I yell.

My swords stayed inches away from his skin when he decided to turn me into a golden statue.

“You are either very resilient or absolutely stupid,” 

“People like you don’t understand. Shame, virtue, morals? None of that means anything in the face of power. In the face of money!” He said before kicking me across the room. 

“You think you are above anyone, all this posturing as if anyone cares? You are dirt, a decoration on my wall, nothing more! So give up and stop with these stupid stunts.”

I coughed, trying to get some air back into my lungs, but before I could, he got beside me.

“I will teach you, even with a bounty of three hundred and twenty million berries, your life is nothing to the eyes of the world,” 

The gold from the wall extends and puts my body back in the wall.

“And I will start by showing what happens when dirt like you want to act all sanctimonious here,”

Then I felt something enter my hole; it expanded as it made its way inside me.

“What are you doing-?!” 

“I'm upgrading your massages. This plug will keep you nice and accessible for your next session,” 

The gold keeps entering my body like the arms on the massage table, my mind is drowning in rage, but my dick remains hard.

“Make it stop,”

“And miss the face you are making right now? I don't think so, all that anger, that shame. It��s entertaining, and the more you resist, the more I’ll get to enjoy it,”

“You sick fuck,”

“Said the pirate leaving a pool of precum on my floor?”

How can I keep a hard-on now, of all moments? What is happening to me?

“Your friends might entertain the entire city, but you, You are my personal entertainment, pirate hunter,”

He turned around, leaving me panting on the wall. For the rest of the day, he continued to work on his desk, eyeing me whenever he felt like it. All while the gold in the wall continued to mess with my insides. The gold probe moved inside me with a constant pace, leaving my dick rock hard but never close enough to cum. 

“I'm done for the day, but before I go. I´ll grant you a last taste of heaven before going back to hell,” he said, approaching me.

I could barely listen to him. The perpetual state of arousal had clouded my senses. Even then, my glazed eyes saw him snap his fingers. The probe went overdrive at that moment, vibrating violently and sending static shocks. My inside is raw from the constant stimulation, with the vibrations massaging every inch of flesh into oblivion. The electricity travels through my body, making a spot inside my cavity jolt, the same one that has been firing arousal into my brain whenever the probe touches it. The intensity of the probe increased. I never knew my ass could feel anything at all; now, all my senses are heightened from the intensity.

I let out a yell as the shock sent me over the edge. Ropes of cum fire from my cock, staining the floor in front of me.

“Savor this moment Roronoa, 'cause you won't feel it again until you learn to do it on your own,” he said. 

He left the office, leaving me in the dark of the room. What does he mean by my own? It doesn't matter. I need to get out of here. Our crew has too many perverts for me to turn into another one.

<< First Chapter / Next Chapter > /

[writtenonreceipts]

Ao3 Link // Part One

HA! I can’t do anything right.  Let’s pretend it was always spring/summer that the story was happening in, not winter.  Like why did I say winter in pt 1?  I feel like I knew that weddings in the regency/Victorian era were most always in spring/summer…Anyways here’s part 2.

And in true written fashion—we’re gonna need at least one other part to finish us off.  I’m sorry.  Really.  I’m posting this one before Rowaelin Month kicks off and then I’ll try and have it finished up in October.

Warnings: bits of abusive parents, mild violence, steam. ~7k words

.*.*.*.*.*.

When Our Fingers Touch, I Find My Way Back Home

She was seventeen and still subject to the whims of her mother.  Two weeks after the chilly dip in the stream and Elain was confined to the house.  Because, really Elain how could you be so foolish as to do a thing like that?  And in front of the duke’s son, no less.

It was just as well, she supposed.  She caught a bit of a fever by the following day and needed all the rest and tea possible to get her on the mend.

Nesta at least wasn’t quite so clipped in her admonishments.

“I thought you knew to be more careful than to get thrown in the river,” Nesta commented blandly as she arranged a new tea service on the small table in Elain’s bed chamber.  For once, the eldest Archeron daughter didn’t sneer away from mundane tasks.

“It was a stream and I am fine,” Elain replied.  She didn’t look up from her cross-stitching as Nesta settled into pouring tea and preparing their cups.

She really hadn’t meant to fall but no one seemed to care beyond the fact that she, delicate Elain, had gotten soaked to the bone and was now ill.  Oh, Mother wouldn’t let her hear the end of this. 

“Are you?” Nesta asked.  She arched one of her perfectly shaped brows, her hair swept into an elegant coronet of braids.  Her coming out had been a smash and she’d already had many a suitor.  Yet…Elain could tell there was something weighing on her sister’s mind.  Just eighteen and Nesta seemed to carry a far too heavy load then most and Elain had no idea what it was.

“Yes.” Elain punctuated the word by casting aside her stitching and taking a cup of tea. “It’s merely a chill.  I shall be fine by the morrow.”

“You sound like a toad and look like a drunkard rolling in from the bar.”

“Nesta!”  Elain tried, and mostly failed, in hiding a smile.

Nesta merely rolled her eyes and sipped her own tea.  “Well, so long as you say you’re fine and don’t lie to me, I’ll believe you.”  She paused before continuing then nodded to Elain’s bed. “Why do you have a man’s coat lying about, sister?”

“Oh!” Elain nearly scalded her tongue.  She hurriedly set her cup down, and tried not to spit up hot tea. “It’s nothing!  Lord Lucien was kind enough to offer his jacket after resc—helping me.  I’ve yet to return it.”

“I can have Clare clean it up and send it over with an errand boy,” Nesta said.  She was already rising to the servant’s bell as though to do just that.

“No, no.”  Elain reached out and tugged at her sister’s sleeve before she got very far. “Don’t worry yourself.  It’s just a coat.  I’m sure the lordling has plenty more to use.”

Nesta eyed her with mild confusion.  But then she shrugged and plopped back in her seat.  “Fine.  Save’s me from having to do anything.”

Elain sat back and let her sister talk about the -ton and all the scheming of the other mama’s and daughters and how one way or anything she would have no part in it.  As Nesta continued on, Elain found her mind beginning to wander back to the simple green coat the rested on her bed and the strange little flutter it caused deep within her chest.

.*.*.

Evidently, her wedding was to be a grand affair, the talk of the entire -ton.  Once, Elain would have been elated.  Once she would have reveled in her mother’s praise and the expenses being rained down upon her.  Once she would have taken it all in great pride.  She was the daughter to make her parents happy and allow their grand dreams to come true.

But as she waded through fittings and talks of florals and guests and food—Elain was focused on something else entirely.

Lucien’s mouth.

It was strange really, to think about a man’s mouth such as she was.  There’d only been one other man she’d been interested in kissing and that had not ended well at all.  Since, she’d never been interested in kissing another. 

Lucien Vanserra threatened her resolve with only the briefest of interactions.  Him and his stupid smirk, his full lips, and that insufferable way he said her name.  Elain.  As though it were his duty to pronounce each individual syllable with the utmost care and precision.

If it wasn’t his mouth, it was his hands.

This probably was not what one friend thought about the other regularly.

She was not a very friend.

“Elain, darling, you must pay attention!”

Drat.

Elain looked up from her tea to find her mother and Lady Vanserra herself eyeing her.  Mother of course was very close to loosing her control and saying something unbecoming.  Lady Vanserra however had a genuine smile of conciliation.  She always did seem like a wonderous woman.

“I beg your pardon,” Elain murmured.  She straightened her posture and recrossed her ankles.  “There is just so much to think about right now.”

“It’s your wedding,” Lady Vanserra said.  She reached over and patted Elain’s knee. “Of course you’ve got plenty on your mind.  There’s so much to think about and worry over.”

Mother looked as though she’d swallowed a lemon, but she was a lady so she held her tongue.  A true miracle if Elain had ever seen one.

“Thank-you,” Elain said with sincerity.  She offered her future mother-in-law a small smile, even as her cheeks flushed with the embarrassment of being caught lost in her own thoughts.

“Yes, well,” Mother said tightly, “we still need a decision on your bouquet.  Now we know there won’t be sunflowers, but I thought—”

“What?” Elain blurted. “There needs to be sunflowers.”

Mother’s nose crinkled. “Oh, there so strange, Elain.  Truly, the daisies and orange blossom will do nicely.  They’re far more elegant.  I know Lady Doyle keeps a remarkable garden of her own.  I’m sure she would be more than willing to—”

“I would prefer sunflowers, mother.”  It was the first time that Elain could remember ever being so firm in speaking to her mother.  Truly, she never raised her voice or spoke out of turn.  Not even when she wanted to most.  And now that she was, Elain could feel a new wave of horror wash over her at the reality of what it meant.

Her mother’s silver eyes flashed in warning.  Her mouth thinned impossibly and Elain wondered if her teacup would shatter from how tightly it was held.

“Sunflowers,” Lady Vanserra said, voice soft as the folds of her gown, “are lovely.  Margot, let me and my house prepare the bridal bouquet and other florals, please.  You’ve already offered up so much.”

Elain didn’t think she was breathing.  Not with the way her entire body seemed to contract and retract and her heart beat an entirely new tempo.  She kept her eyes trained on her mother, chin firm mouth set.  When finally her mother looked away Elain felt only a bit of relief.  But wondered if she’d truly won any sort of battle.

“That would be delightful, Dierdre,” Mother said.  Her ire, for the time being, had gone and Elain managed a deep, calming breath.

.*.*.

Dawn rose bright and warm on the day of the wedding.  It was a good sign.  A welcome sign.  Many ladies faced woeful downpours during these early months of spring, many forced to postpone parties and honeymoons because the roads grew too muddy in some stretches between cities.  Not today.

Pale blue sky stretched for miles without even a whisper of cloud to interrupt it.  That combined with the thriving green laughs, full trees, and vibrant flower bushes of the Archeron gardens—it truly was a beautiful day for a wedding.

And yet, Elain’s stomach churned with anxiety.

She rose far before her lady’s maid came to collect her and was found seated before the bay windows that opened over the back gardens.  It was usually her favorite place to sit and reflect.  She could spend hours there as the morning passed in lazy fervor.

Never again.

The door of her room burst open without warning, nearly sending Elain to floor in a panic.  She should have known her mother would come and make such an entrance.

“Are you not up?  Elain, we don’t have long to prepare you for the wedding.”  Mother swept through the room with various maids flowing after carrying fabrics, cosmetics, and other such items.

They in fact had hours yet to prepare meant nothing to a mama when her daughter was set to marry the son of a duke.

“It’s still early—” Elain wanted her mother to see reason and just give her a moment longer to herself.  It was in vain and soon enough, Elain was thrust into a heated tub and was scrubbed down with salts and oils and pumice stones.  She would be radiant if it was the last thing Mother did.

After bathing, her hair was taken over by brushes and pins.  The curls could get rather unruly, even when wet.  It didn’t help that mother hated Elain’s hair as it was.  Thankfully Nuala took over on styling her hair while her mother focused on the dress.

Elain hadn’t had time to appreciate the gown during all the visits with the seamstress.  She’d been too nervous over her upcoming nuptials that she hadn’t paid attention to any of the details.  Which, she supposed, she should be upset over.  She’d thought about her wedding often as a girl and young woman.  She’d planned every detail in her own might, straight to the point of what design her shoes would be.  This was supposed to be a remarkable day.

But as she had lotions applied to her skin and powders pressed to her nose, Elain felt like a stranger in her own body.  None of this was the way she pictured it.

“Where are Nesta and Feyre?” Elain finally asked her mother.  Maybe with her sisters present, some of her trepidation would ease.

Her mother waved a hand dismissively.  “They don’t need to be here.”

“They are to stand with me, are they not?” Elain asked.  Maybe if Nesta were here Elain could glean some of her sister’s iron will and feel even a modicum of strength.

“Your sisters are hardly worthy examples of virtue, Elain,” Mother said.  She pulled Elain from the vanity and into the center of the room, stripping the dressing gown Elain’s shoulders without any warning. “Now come along, step into the dress, we need to ensure there aren’t any last-minute adjustments.”

Elain bit down hard on her tongue.  Maybe once she was married, she needn’t be around her mother so much.  She could send for her sisters as often as she liked.  She could have a house to herself and a strange sort of friendship with her husband and child—no children.  That wouldn’t be an option, would it?  Lucien wouldn’t be under pressure to bare an heir.  Not when he still had four remaining brothers.  Besides, they were just friends.

“Arms, Elain!”

Elain lifted her arms for her gown’s sleeves. 

Well, she could still have a fulfilling life, couldn’t she?  She didn’t need children.  Nesta may have a child and Feyre was still unwed.  And she could always have her other hobbies, Lucien seemed amendable in that regard.  She could bake, she could garden, she could host scores of her own parties.

“Elain, could you at least try to appear amiable?”

Wrenched from her thoughts, Elain lifted her chin and plastered a comfortable smile on her face.  She was dressed in a pale gown of lilac and lace, the sleeves long as they flowed to her wrists.  The waist line cinched in a daring way against her ribs and the corset was tight enough to create the illusion of a full bust.  Elain turned to the mirrors that had been brought in for this exact moment.

She did her best to keep her smile in place, but she just couldn’t make it reach her eyes.  Her hair was twisted up and out of the way pinned with gold and orange blossoms.  And while a lovely style, Elain wished her hair could have at least hung a little bit so she could feel a touch more like herself.  The gown itself was beautiful and complimented her pale skin and slim figure.  At least her mother insisted on keeping with the fashions.

And yet…and yet…Elain felt nothing like herself.

“You really must smile better then that, Elain.”  Mother tutted and continued to move about as she straightened none existent lines and plucked invisible bits of lint from the dress.

“Yes, ma’am.”  And she did smile then, that practiced one that mama always said made her pretty.

She smiled as her lady’s maid applied a final round of blush to her cheeks.  She smiled as her mother pinned a necklace of sapphires to her neck (hardly Elain’s first choice).  She even smiled as rose water splashed against her wrists and she was ushed from her room for what would certainly be the last time.

No matter how badly she wished it—time would not slow down.  Not even as Mother ushered her through the house and to the waiting.  Not even as Mother barely explained what would happen during the wedding night consummation.  Not even as the chapel came closer and closer.

Time was a thief, Elain supposed.  Plucking memories straight from your mind and burying them deeper until they were barely whisps behind your eyes. It was thief and she a mere victim.

By the time the carriage rolled to a stop just outside the chapel, Elain was in a fit of worry.  She was certain the rose water had worn off thanks to an unholy amount of sweat shimmering against her skin.  That would be blamed on the unnatural heat of the day.

As a footman helped her mother down from the carriage, Elain nearly slammed the door shut again and yelled from the driver to hurry on and get as far away from here as he could manage.

It was to no avail because her father, having arrived earlier with the guests, was already reaching in for her.  As if someone else were taking over her body, Elain accepted the outstretched hand and stepped into full daylight.

She would have thrown up, right there on the church steps, if her eyes hadn’t caught on the flowers.  Vibrant and colorful, the steps of the church were lined with intricate displays of flowers.  Foxglove and marigolds.  Pansies and dahlias.  Lilac and sunflowers.  The sunflowers.  Elain had to stop and stare at the incredible sight of them all.  Their bright yellow petals wove in and out of the various floral arrangements.  It was beautiful.

Elain very nearly burst into tears as the sight.  She was so caught up in it that she almost missed Nesta who had been waiting along the steps of the church as well.  In her arms she held a simple bouquet of sunflowers and greenery.

“Lady Vanserra insisted this be for you,” Nesta said.  Her mouth barely upturned into a knowing smile.

Elain accepted the flowers, not trusting herself to speak.

Nesta wore a simple gown of pale yellow with her hair in its usual twisting braids.  As always, she looked lovely and elegant, perfectly poised for what was about to come.  Elain had a feeling she was supposed to be waiting inside, but was immensely grateful her sister had disobeyed their mother for this.

“Mother, shall we walk together?” Nesta asked, with all the innocence of a viper. “Feyre is already at the front and the groom seems very eager to see his bride.”

There was no other choice then to follow through on the suggestion (that really wasn’t a suggestion at all).  Mother and Nesta climbed the chapel steps and through the waiting doors.

That, at least, was a relief.  Elain didn’t think she’d be able to walk down the aisle if her mother were at her side yammering the entire way.  Her mother had all her expectations lined up in a perfect little row for Elain to follow through on.  Her father, however, did not.  Oh, he had his own expectations but he kept those quiet and to himself.  It was far easier to ignore his judgements that way.

Elain only had time for a single, steadying breath before her father reached out for her arm and tucked it against his.

“You’re doing the right thing,” he said. “For all of us.”

How was she to respond to that?  Was it right to foist her down the aisle to a man she barely knew?  Was it right to ignore her own wishes because he had made mistakes?  Was it right to place this duty upon her shoulders and expect her to make things right in a world that looked down upon her sex with suck ilk and ire?

Elain sucked in a breath, the sweet aroma of the flowers calming her unease.  Lady Vanserra had outdone herself.  With the beautiful arrangements, the sheer amount of flowers, and the simple sunflowers that sang their bright joy on an otherwise bothersome day.

Everything would be fine, wouldn’t it?  The flowers had to be a good omen.

Father prodded her along the steps, up and up and up.

And the sun was shining.  Elain loved the sun.

The doors of the chapel were thrown open wide. 

And Lucien wasn’t terrible, was he?

Cedar oil mixed with incense cloyed through the chapel and Elain had to stop to draw in a full breath.  Even when her father very nearly dragged her along to the start of the aisle.  Her heart was beat heavily in her chest that Elain could feel her blood actually moving through her veins.  She could feel each of her pulse points practically on fire.  It didn’t help that her head pounded just as hard. 

There was no escape, was there?  No where to run.  No where to hide.

And while Elain was quite skilled at fading away and letting other dote upon her, skilled at ignoring a problem that was annoying and otherwise uninteresting, skilled at being nothing more than Elain—she did not, could not, let that define her now.

The soft chatter of voices came to a pause as Elain and her father approached the top of the aisle.  She couldn’t make out anything other than the thin strip of blue carpet that led all the way to the front where the priest waited—rather impatiently.  But she glazed right over that because beside the old man with his stiff cravat was Lucien.

Lucien stood tall and proud, his dark suit fitting him well.  His red hair was swept out of his face, leaving his high cheekbones and sharp eyes on display.  The sight nearly drew Elain to a stop.  His eyes were only for her as she began to walk down the aisle. 

Father set a quick pace down the aisle; far quicker then what Elain wanted.  If she tried to slow down herself, she was sure he’d drag her to the alter, appearances be damned.

So Elain did the only thing she could—she kept her eyes trained on Lucien.  She didn’t know what drew her to him.  He represented nearly everything she dreaded.  She’d thought so many times about what her future would hold and the shape it would take.  She’d always known she would marry, always known her life would lead to this point.

But when it was by the forceful hand of her father, when she didn’t have a say in who her life would be entrusted—everything inside her wanted to rebel.  Even though it had only been a scant month between the marriage announcement and the actual wedding (Mother would only keep up appearances where it mattered), Elain found that every thought she’d had for her future dried up like an un-watered garden in the summer months.

Lucien remained steady before her.

It was strange because she still felt a simmering rage towards Lucien for this entire mess.  And his stupid mouth.  But she couldn’t help and also remember the kindness he’d shown by offering to be her friend.  A small offer that allowed her a modicum of peace for this betrothment.  The warring emotions didn’t help calm her raging heart nor her flipping stomach.  In fact, they made it impossible to even walk in a straight line.

If it weren’t for the hard certainty in Lucien’s gaze or the firm set of his jaw, Elain may have tested her father’s grip.  As it was, she remained focused on Lucien’s calm nature.  He was holding himself together remarkably well.  Elain wondered if he were dreading this as much as she was.  He’d flirted and teased her enough while stuffed in that closet that she didn’t think she knew what the real him was like.  Would she ever know him?

Before she had time to even digest that thought, she was standing right before him.  Numb, Elain let her father pass her hand off to Lucien whose fingers interlaced almost perfectly with hers.  It was such an intimate touch that Elain felt heat creep up her skin, replacing the cold dread of just a moment before.

She looked up into Lucien’s eyes as he studied her.  It was just a moment, a singular moment that was just theirs.  Her father had retreated and the priest yet to speak.  And in that moment, everything else faded to nothing.

“What would you ask of me, as your friend?”

“To trust me, to talk to me.” 

His words from that night weeks ago echoed in her head and Elain let herself imagine that everything would work out in the end.  She gave his hand a single squeeze and then turned to the priest who waited impassively.

“Dearly beloved,” the priest said, voice raised as if he could reach the heavens.

Elain didn’t listen.  At least…she tried.  But the longer he spoke, the faster the blood in her ears pounded and lighter her head felt.  Truly, all she could focus on was the steady feel of Lucien’s hand in hers.  So big and warm she almost couldn’t understand it.  And there was the scrape of calluses that she finally realized couldn’t have been there because a duke’s son did not work with his hands.  His skin should have been smooth, soft, unblemished.  Yet here he was with a rough patch on his thumb that moves in slow circles on the back of her hand.

It was so distracting that Elain almost missed the prompt from the priest to accept her marriage vows.

“I do.” She could only speak in a mere whisper.  And truth be told, she was surprised anything came out to begin with.

As the priest reiterated the marriage vows to Lucien, Elain finally managed to raise her gaze to him.  He was already watching her, his russet eyes bright in the pale light that filtered through the tall stained-glass windows of the chapel.  She’d never known a pair of eyes could hold such care or tenderness, never known it to be directed to her.

“I do.” Lucien replied to words Elain had long stopped trying to listen to.

“Then with a kiss shall this marriage be sealed and your lives entwined till death.” The priest retreated only a step, proffering a faux taste of modesty.

Elain wondered briefly if she should have let herself think about Lucien’s lips just a little bit.  Especially considering he was moving toward her now, one hand already reaching out to cup her chin while the other moved from her hand to her elbow.

As Lucien dipped closer, Elain took a sharp breath.  He smelled of cinnamon and sunshine, intoxicating to her as she found she couldn’t take a normal breath to save her life.

“Breathe, Elain,” Lucien whispered just for her. “it’ll be over before you know it.”

She opened her mouth to argue with him.  It wasn’t a silly little kiss she was worried about.  Everything that came after was a different story.

She never got the chance to say anything as Lucien took the opportunity to kiss her.

It was utterly chaste and hardly scandalous, but Elain could feel it pierce against her very soul.  It was in the warmth of his mouth, the softness of his lips, the feel of his fingers brushing against her chin.  She’d never been kissed like that before.  All her dalliances with Graysen Nolan were wet and quick and more for his benefit than hers.  This was something else entirely and it set her heart fluttering with unmanageable energy.

Thankfully, Lucien was able to keep himself composed as he was able to pull himself away, all the while maintaining graceful composure.  He grinned down at her, as if knowing what all was going on through her head.

“See?  Not so bad.”

“You’re an ass,” she hissed, utterly forgetting they were in a chapel.

If possible, his stupid smile stretched even wider at her irreverence.  He tugged her hand to lead them down the aisle.  Elain had never been more grateful for the ridiculous superstition of the bride and groom not acknowledging their guests until outside of the church.  With any luck her mother would be so hard pressed to send them on their honeymoon (for the sole act of baby-making) that Elain wouldn’t have to see any of them again for at least a month.  Maybe two if she was lucky.

They passed through the tall oak doors and into the bright spring sunlight.  Elain had never felt happier to be outside and in the open air as she did in that moment.

“Never a good sign that your bride is desperate to get outside, eh?” a chipper, rather proud voice, spoke up from the behind them.  Elain nearly screamed, she hadn’t expected anyone to be so close behind them.  But she turned to find it only to be Jurian Renault, Lucien’s best man.  The man, one of the most decorated officers in England, grinned broadly as he dashed a hand through his thick brown hair.

“Jurian,” Lucien said, with a bit of resignation accompanied by an eye roll.  But Elain didn’t miss the way his mouth twitched in amusement. “And where is your better half?  I’d have liked her up there with me more than you.”

Hardly offended, Jurian merely sighed. “Alas, my darling counterpart is unwell this morning.  But she sends her congratulations and will be more than happy to offer the summer manor for your honeymoon, should you need the accommodations.”

If Lucien was as shocked as she was by the offer, he made no notice, only looked down at Elain with a raised brow.  He was deferring to her?

“It would be nice to get out of London,” she said slowly, hoping to sound more diplomatic that she was feeling.  She would run halfway across the world if it got her away from her mother for a time.

Lucien squeezed her hand in understanding.  He nodded once and looked back to his friend. “The quiet would do us both well.”

“You would find no better place,” Jurian assured her.  He glanced over his shoulder as the rest of the wedding party and guests finally emerged from the church. “I’ll send word to the house keeper to begin preparations for your arrival.”

It was all he had time to say before Elain was swept into a hug by Feyre (it was rather undignified a reaction and Mama made sure to make it known).  Elain wouldn’t let the moment be ruined, however.  She returned her sister’s embrace as tightly as she could.  They were soon joined by Nesta who, much to Elain’s surprise had tears in her eyes.  She couldn’t remember ever seeing her sister cry.

“If he ever hurts you, I’ll kill him,” Nesta said fiercely.  And Elain was inclined to believe her.

.*.*.*.

Much to Elain’s delight, Lucien managed to usher them on their honeymoon not long after that.  Jurian and Vassa’s summer manor was a day’s ride away, meaning they would need plenty of time to get their reasonably.  They would end up spending a night at an inn all the same, but Elain could have kissed Lucien all over again for getting them out of the city as quickly as he had.

Her sisters had seen to collecting and packing her things, most of which would be delivered to her new home with Lucien.  It would only be a small cottage near the duke’s home, but it would be well enough for Elain.  So long as it put distance between her own family.

But she wouldn’t worry about any of that for a blessed month. 

Even though the carriage, provided them by the duke and duchess, had just barely left the main roads of the city, Elain found herself plastered to the window watching the change in scenery.  The large buildings and homes bled away into sweeping hills and fields of grass.  The actual road was still in decent enough condition that the ride was smooth and even.  It afforded her the peace of a settled stomach as the world swept by.

“Have you never come this way?” Lucien asked from his seat across from her.

Elain settled back, straightening her skirts.  Here she was acting like an over eager child.  She needed to show grace, decorum. 

“Only once when I was a child,” she said, “my aunt lives out here, I believe we’ve passed her road.  But it’s been sometime since I’ve traveled.”

She couldn’t help the wistful tone in her voice.  She loved to travel.  At least, she expected she would.  Her limited exposure to the world had only sustained that to her.  Meeting new people, experiencing new customs, seeing the beauty of new lands—it all sounded magical and wonderful.

“Hmm,” was all Lucien said.  Though, he still watched her closely.

It was the first time they’d been alone together since the broom closet debacle and Elain wasn’t quite sure how to act.  He was her husband who was supposed to be her friend and not her husband.  Their relationship would take some time to sort out and Elain wasn’t quite sure how to broach the topic herself.  She wasn’t even sure how to talk to him at all.

“Don’t you enjoy travel?” she asked, because that’s what a good friend did.  A good friend was concerned and involved and knowledgeable of their person.  “I’ve heard you did quite a bit of it.”

Lucien stretched out of his side of the carriage, his long legs bumping against hers but he made no effort to change his posture.  He looked so utterly relaxed that Elain didn’t know what to make of it.  He’d always been so meticulously put together, so at ease with life around him.  Yet here he was now with a slightly rumpled appearance and casual.

“I have,” he agreed, “my father needed someone to represent our house and since I couldn’t serve in the military, that’s wear I fell in.” A wry smile flashed across his handsome face. “It was never to places I would have liked, unfortunately.”

There was hidden meaning in his words that Elain couldn’t quite decipher.  She’d been witness to these offhanded remarks before, silently questioned them.

“Well, then we will need to some travelling of our own,” Elain said.

“Will we?” Another raise of his brow.

Elain felt a rush of heat to her cheeks.  She’d misspoken, it seemed.  Or she just spoke of things she needn’t have.  Or been too presumptuous.

“Well we’re newlyweds,” she replied as if that was a good response.  “We’re afforded our liberties.  Besides, it’ll keep us away from prying eyes.”

She was thinking exclusively of her mother but really the entire -ton could be included in that.  As soon as they returned, she knew there would be a bid out for whether she was pregnant or not.  A thought that both terrified and upset her.

“What is it?” Lucien asked.

Elain snapped her eyes back to his face unaware her gaze had wandered.  Nor that her brow had furrowed so thoroughly.

“Pardon?” She straightened, sitting up straighter, clasping her hands, and smoothing any doubt or frustration from her expression.

Lucien leaned forward; elbows braced on his knees.  He regarded her with a mute expression. “You’re upset.”

“No, I’m not,” she said primly, smoothing her skirts again.

“Liar,” he said.

Elain gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

“You are outright lying to me, my lady,” he said, shaking his head morosely.  “Not even a day in to our marriage and my wife doesn’t trust me.”

My wife.

Elain nearly shivered at the words.  Which was a ridiculous reaction to have.  Heavens above.

“I don’t even know your middle name,” she replied, “how can I trust someone if I don’t know that, at least?”

His stoic façade splintered as he grinned.  She did like when he smiled like that.

“I don’t know yours.  So I believe we are at an impasse.”

He was taunting her. 

“Ah, but see, you’re the one who convinced me to take part in this arrangement, which means you owe me.”

Elain found herself leaning closer to him with each word.  She couldn’t necessarily help it, being drawn to him.  There was something about him that she couldn’t shake, an itch she couldn’t scratch.  Being close certainly helped.  But by this point she was impossibly close.  Close enough that she could see the outlines of his scars and the way the faded into his skin.  She could see the golden flecks of his eyes that melted into rich brown.

“I owe you?” he repeated.

“Yes.”

Lucien only shook his head, that infuriating smile remaining on his lips.

The rest of the carriage ride passed by slowly, not that Elain minded.  She loved watching the world pass by, loved seeing the way the terrain rolled together, loved the way the sky faded from blue to a hazy gold and flushed pinked.

It was only then that she remembered they would be stopping for the night at an inn.  Her heartbeat kicked up and she felt her body flood with heat and then an icy chill.  She knew what the wedding night was about and what to expect, but she and Lucien hadn’t discussed that.  They were friends.  Friends.

“It looks like we’re pulling into the inn now,” Lucien spoke up.  He paused a moment and then, as though reading her thoughts, continued to speak.  “I’m sure we can arrange for two rooms.”

Yes.  No.  Before Elain could think of a proper response the carriage rolled to a stop before the inn.  A footman hopped down from his perch almost instantly to open the door. 

Cool night air filtered inside the carriage, reminding Elain just how chill the season could still be.  She tugged her shawl tighter around her shoulders as Lucien exited.  He reached back with a proffered hand to help Elain in her decent.  She accepted, grasping his fingers in what would be the first time they’d touched since the wedding.  Lucien waited until he was sure she was grounded before release her hand and instructing the footman and driver of their duties for the evening. 

Just behind, another carriage approached, this one filled with their belongings and their respective servants. 

“I’ll make sure your room is ready and have dinner sent up,” Lucien told her.  He kept her hand tight in his grasp drawing her closer to his side.  She had to admit that she didn’t quite mind the protective nature.  Not right now at least.

“Thank-you,” Elain said.  She didn’t let him pull away either.  Not until they’d entered the inn and the keeper’s wife immediately swept Elain of with her.

Elain cast a single glance over her shoulder to find Lucien watch her as she departed.  She’d told herself that she wasn’t going to look back, told herself she didn’t need to.  But she did all the same, her breath catching at the soft look in his gaze.

She stomped down the feelings that rose in her chest, hard.  She did not need to feel things for him.  Especially not when they were still figuring out who they were to one another.  Married or not, friends or not, they still didn’t know each other.

The innkeeper’s wife led Elain and her lady’s maid upstairs to a room.  For once, Elain was grateful for her husband’s reputation and status as a duke’s son, it allowed a bit of an expedited process to get a room.

The room in question was a modest size, but not small by any means.  It boasted a spacious area with a large bed and fireplace already crackling happily.  A smaller doorway led to where a wash bin and the chamber pot were kept.  A footman dropped one of Elain’s trunks at the end of the bed before bowing out.  Immediately, her maid set to readying her night clothes.

“My lady,” Nuala said, voice chipper as it always way, “I can prepare a bath if you’d like before Lord Vanserra—”

“No,” Elain said quickly.  “It’s been a long day, just getting ready for bed is enough.”

She ignored the way her skin flushed and the sudden heat that washed over her.  She didn’t want to think at all about what her wedding night was supposed to be.  All she wanted was to get in her nightgown and go to bed and put this day behind her.

Nuala was just beginning to plait her hair for bed when there was a soft knock at the door.

Elain froze in her seat before the vanity.  Nuala gave her a significant look through the mirror, which she promptly ignored.  Instead, Elain tied off the braid herself and stood, running her hands down her nightdress.  It wasn’t scandalous by any means, a simple silk thing with lace hems.  She hadn’t even bothered to get anything nicer. 

“Enter,” Elain said.  At least her voice didn’t warble.  She tugged on her robe for good measure as she stood in the center of the room.  Nuala cleaned the vanity and tucked her dress away without a sound.

The door opened to Lucien.  He didn’t enter the room completely, only remained in the doorway.

“Lady Vanserra,” he said, telling her his own valet was with him as well. “It seems the inn is limited on rooms.”

It took a long stretch of silence before Elain grasped his meaning.

“Of course,” she said, “come in. I’ve finished my preparations.”

The door opened a bit wider and Lucien entered, his valet and a footman behind him.  The valet held a tray of food and the footman one of Lucien’s own trunk.  While the footman left immediately, the valet remained.  He held on to the tray, standing dutifully out of the way.

“Set the tray on the bed,” Elain instructed him.  “The washroom is available for Lord Vanserra to make his own preparations.  Nuala, you’re dismissed, go get some rest.”

Both servants obeyed with efficiency.  The valet extracting a few of Lucien’s items to take to the washroom. 

With perhaps five minutes to herself, Elain sat on the bed and grabbed a bowl of stew and roll that were waiting for her.  It was a simple meal; the stew had thick chunks of beef and potatoes, the roll light and buttery.  Her mother would have turned her nose to such a meal served in such a way, but Elain quite enjoyed it.

She wondered if she could finish and move the tray from the vanity and slip into bed to pretend she was asleep.  She barely ran through that checklist before the washroom door opened again.  Shame, she would have liked to avoid anymore awkward interactions that night.

Lucien dismissed his valet and when the door clicked shut, he released a long sigh.

“Tired?” Elain asked.  The question slipped out before she could stop it.  She didn’t know why it felt so strange asking him a question, so strange venturing into whatever this would be.

“It was a long day,” Lucien said, a wry smile twisting his lips.  He wore a loose linen night shirt and a pair of cotton trousers, nothing elaborate.  She didn’t know why she’d expect anything different.

“Well have a seat and eat something,” Elain told him. “You must be as hungry as I am.”

He paused a moment as if debating to himself what he wanted to do.  He came to some sort of conclusion before crossing to the opposite sit of the bed and taking a seat on the edge.  The bed sank beneath his weight.  When he took his own bowl of soup and roll, they fell into a companiable silence.

It did nothing to ease Elain’s anxiety.  Sure, when she was able to garden or bake and she could fall into a meditative state as she worked.  She liked having her thoughts to herself, liked being able to think about whatever she wanted.  But now, she felt a surge of energy building in the room.

“How are you feeling?” Lucien asked, his bowl half drained in a matter of minutes. 

“Fine,” Elain murmured, “just tired.”

She tore a piece of her roll, nibbling it.  There was still plenty of space between them, she on her side of the bed and he on his. 

“If this is making you uncomfortable—” he began.

“Lucien,” she cut him off and smiled softly. “It’s fine.  I’m fine.”

When he set his finished bowl down, Elain thought that would be the end of it.  That he would clear the dishes and set the tray out in the hall for a maid to collect.  Instead, he reached over and took her hand in his.  Just like at their wedding, when their fingers touched, she felt a spark and gooseflesh pebbled on her skin.

“Are you sure?” he pressed.

There was an earnestness in his eyes that had her heart squeezing.

“Of course,” she replied, doing her best to push against the rising heat in her cheeks.  She set her own bowl down and stuffed the remainder of her roll in her mouth before sweeping the tray up to take to the door herself.

She thought she’d managed to temper her emotions by the time she turned back around.  Only when she did, she found Lucien was looking at her with a small frown that clouded his features.  Elain wondered if she’d said something wrong or misspoke in some way.

“You,” he paused a moment, “I didn’t coerce you into something you did not want?”

“No, Lucien.” Her heart squeezed again, more painful this time as she thought on his words. “H-have I already been such a miserable friend you regret the offer?”

“No,” he said.  Again, he reached for her hand, this time pulling her closer until her knees bumped against the bed. “No regrets.”

She wondered, briefly, if he was lying to her.  Not that it would surprise her if he were.  They’d been friends barely a month, married less than a day—what reason did he have to trust her?

“If you would prefer, I can sleep on the floor,” he said, “let you have the bed.”

“Nonsense,” she said immediately, “you’re the son of a duke.  You’re not sleeping on the floor.  The bed is perfectly big enough for the both of us.”

Even if it would only be sleeping, she wouldn’t be alone in bed.  Not on her wedding night.

Lucien seemed reluctant to agree, but when Elain fixed him with a glare, he obliged and scooted to the other side of the bed.

With far more courage than she ever thought she could muster, Elain settled into bed beside him.

“We never did establish any rules, did we?” she asked, busying herself with flattening the wrinkles in the bedspread.

“Rules?” Lucien repeated.

“Of what—of how—” She bit her words off and stared forward into the fire at the opposite end of the room. “Of where we go from here.  I know there are expectations for us, for you.”

“I don’t care about anyone’s expectations,” he said, “we don’t have to define ourselves by anyone.  Least of all—”

He trailed off and Elain looked at him.

“Least of all?” she prodded.

“Nothing.”  Lucien turned down the oil lamp on his bedside table, casting the room into a cold darkness, save the low burning fire. “Let’s sleep, Elain.”

Elain wasn’t pleased with his non-answer.  She kept looking at him in the darkness willing him to say something else, willing herself to work up the courage to speak up herself.  But nothing came out.  Hunkering down in bed, Elain turned on her side and closed her eyes to a dreamless sleep.

[aurea-corde]

I've never seen a single episode of anything related to watcher but I am eating up all this drama. Also sorry to y'all going through this

i appreciate that anon 😭 i've seen several good nuanced takes on the situation thankfully. the company definitely did mess up how it introduced the streaming service to people: they said in the video they were going to paywall all existing and new content and then in the comments and in the variety article pretended like that was never their intent. the variety article reveals that they were in fact initially told watcher was going to delete all existing content. the CEO in particular but in general all the founders said that the amount they are charging is affordable - specifically that anyone could afford it - which no they can't obviously. As they are now finding out the hard way. The CEO Steven also made an instagram post insinuating people who wouldn't subscribe just no longer want to watch them, rather than the reality which is that a massive majority of the audience can't afford to. Because he is the CEO, people are blaming the entire thing on him, but it's also important to remember there are actually three founder-owners with decision-making abilities in the company. Shane and Ryan are adults, and the way people are acting like Steven is some kind of dictator, Ryan just went along with it but Shane is the people's anticapitalist hero who was simply outvoted is not a great look. Especially the posts that refuse to acknowledge even the possibility of racial biases here. Mistakes were made, poc are not immune to criticism, but let's consider why so many feel like Shane was forced into this by the evil Steven (and people in the comments have literally called him evil for this) and either lump Ryan in with him or give Ryan no agency in the situation whatsoever. Steven is the most likely to have made the proposal as the closest thing Watcher has to a business-minded founder, but the other two clearly agreed with him. They could have just decided not to be in the video. I also don't see a world where they contractually obligated themselves to every whim of Steven's like some people are suggesting.

Do I think they're a bit sheltered in their LA life? Yeah, probably. I'm pretty sheltered myself - I live a comfortable middle class life in Australia, have a good job and am studying law. I could definitely afford the subscription. But I don't want to atm, or at least until they respond to the situation. Are they the worst most evil capitalists because they want to charge money for the content they create? No, not inherently. People supported them on Patreon because of course creatives should be paid for their labour, and ideally paid well enough to live comfortably. But the combo of bad business decisions (e.g. hiring too many staff too quickly while also wanting to pay them above a living wage, not advertising the patreon, not utilising revenue streams that aren't a streaming service like youtube memberships, spending what Ryan has said is hundreds of thousands of dollars on a single season of a series they have called Ghost Files) and the fact the CEO is pretty open about his comfortable lifestyle (drives a tesla which btw folks isn't a luxury car it's just a more expensive one, has a $300 matcha machine, has a series based on fine dining vs more affordable restaurants), means people are understandably mad because they are struggling financially and the founders (from what we know) are not - but they're trying to tell people that 6 USD is affordable for everyone.

It's a lot less to do with the fact of them charging for content as much as the way they went about it and in particular how it's been phrased to people has come across really insensitive. There's other logistics with the streaming service itself that were not thought out at all for international viewers, but I won't get into that here. And the pretending they were always going to leave their content up and telling viewers not to spread misinformation is scummy to me - at least acknowledge that was a mistake you made and backtracked on. It's just a mess but I really loved their videos and hope they make Youtube's Greatest Apology Video Ever (unironically) and try to undo some of the damage.

edit: someone in the replies made a great point that teslas could actually be considered a luxury car in some countries outside of the US, and I fully agree that 6 USD is 1) too much for what they offer, esp in this economic climate and 2) wayyyyy too much when converted to other currencies. I've seen other Australians say the conversion is too much for them but I know viewers in other countries say it comes out to literally thousands for them - if they can even access the site at all from their country.

[nofacednerd]

just some more episode 6 thoughts

Obviously the Hughie thing is pretty prominent in my mind because uh. comfort character got SA'd but I'm seeing a lot of people here and on twitter think the writers were treating it as a joke? Idk if I agree with that. I think they were trying to make the scenes with it extremely uncomfortable to watch intentionally. The end of the episode at least makes it VERY clear that it (at least in the aftermath) isn't a joke. He's clearly extremely upset about what happened? idk maybe I'm not seeing something other people are seeing.

That being said, it's so gross that people on twitter/instagram ARE treating it as a joke. I think, yeah, it was kind of extreme (a lot more extreme than the other times it's happened in the show, which usually is a cut away and then talking about it afterwards) and the cake thing was just weird, uncomfortable, and unnecessary but idk I really don't think it was meant to be played for laughs for the most part

Unrelated to the above, I fucking loved Neuman this episode. Tbh I've liked Neuman a lot since season 3, she's a fun villain-ish? I'm gonna be honest, maybe I'm missing something somewhere or forgetting something, but isn't her end goal to literally just give supes opportunities to live outside of the entertainment industry? Like yeah she killed a ton of people but I feel like Neuman and The Boys have the exact same goals (killing Homelander/keeping the general public safe from superheroes) and she keeps trying to make an alliance with them??? Hughie she was your bestie for like a year and a half I know you feel betrayed by her but genuinely I don't think she's your biggest problem

Anyway Neuman especially shined this episode. The head exploding thing. Me too girl. Also her and lobotomy!Sage interacting was so funny I wish we could get more of that

Also loved that at the beginning of the episode, literally all of The Boys were there. That's his family and they're there to support him!!!!

ALSO I really like that they separated Frenchie and Kimiko this season a little bit, it's nice to actually see that Kimiko is friends with the others beyond him. Her and Annie both immediately agreeing to go rescue their boy in the mansion...... Hughie Kimiko besties are real and not just in my head for once

Tbh this whole episode showed really good team solidarity between at least Hughie, Kimiko, MM, and Annie. They all showed up to support Hughie while spreading his dad's ashes, Hughie off screen seems to have talked to Kimiko enough to know why she's upset, Hughie IMMEDIATELY coming in with the purell for MM, all 3 of them realizing how much danger Hughie was in and all going in with halothane to go rescue him, Kimiko going off to find A-Train and convincing him to take MM to the hospital, Kimiko, Annie, and Hughie all torturing Tek Knight for information and stealing all of his money and donating it to charity..... like this group was all so in sync with each other this episode it was great

Main negative thought is that honestly I'm confused on where the last 2 episodes are going to go? So far this whole season has just been disconnected B-plots. No major changes or revelations have happened yet (and based on this episode, I'm getting the feeling that Hughie might be tapping out for a bit from the team stuff). The main plotline is mostly about the supe virus and Sage, but that's all been very background stuff and it feels like there isn't going to be a lot of time to unpack everything going on? Especially since there's so many plotlines that haven't been completed yet. I know the thing this season is that the team isn't doing great, hence why they're all wrapped up in separate, personal dramas, but the last episode barely accomplished anything, on both sides.

I'm not complaining per se, I think this is the biggest issue with streaming service shows tbh. It's very obvious that the show wants to complete a bunch of emotional character arcs going into the final season (Hughie confronting his grief/inability to let go, Kimiko and Frenchie confronting their pasts and the guilt that comes with it, Annie struggling to figure out who she is as a person and as a symbol, MM struggling with his mental health and being a good dad, Butcher struggling to not kill literally everyone, ect ect) but there just isn't a whole lot of time to do both character studies, exploring different group dynamics, fulfilling show-long arcs, and keep up with a main plotline when you only have about 8 hours to do all of that and about 15 characters to do all of that with. If the seasons got more episodes, we could deal with a few filler episodes here and there to focus more solely on the characters vs the plot.

Tldr ^^ this season is more character-driven than plot driven, which makes it all kind of feel like filler and idk how the last 2 episodes are going to go

[asteria-edalyn]

The Story of Kunning Palace 命转皇后/宁安如梦

Started watching the canto dub with eng subs when it came on tvb!! I’ve wanted to watch it for a while but I didn’t want to get another streaming service to watch it. On episode 17 now and I couldn’t resist making a post about what happened so far lol. Please don’t give me spoilers!

I love Ning Er so much. She’s clever, and she’s trying her best to change things, but she doesn’t know everything from her past life and things have changed so she’s having to act on the fly! And I love seeing how she uses her wits in these moments! And how she outsmarts her opponents!

I love the dynamic between her and Xie Wei. The brat and teacher power dynamic? But she’s just as clever as he is? And he’s constantly like, how/why do you keep showing up when shit goes down?? She infuriates him but he’s also sooooo fascinated and charmed by her and he wants to protect her.

So this probs real obvious but I’m gonna put it down here anyway. Xie Wei is the missing Xue Ding-fei and he and the current Xue Ding-fei swapped identities so that he could be sneaky and undercover.

I… don’t think the male cast is very good-looking tbh :”) Zhang Zhe’s probably the most attractive to me. I guess Xie Wei is hot when he’s being all smug and domineering and shit. Also I love how Zhang Zhe (and Ning Er, but more so Zhang Zhe) had been going “You’re working for him too??” like, constantly and getting more and more incredulous but he can’t react cuz he’s undercover lmao.

I feel like this is the start of the second arc, like we’re leaving the palace, the stakes are higher, but maybe I’m wrong. More hilarious moments: when Zhou Yin-zhi tells Xie Wei Ning Er has been kidnapped and internally he’s like: What?? Why??? How??? WHY like girl is gonna make him go grey. And also when she tells Zhang Zhe she told the rebels they’re cousins but they’re in love so they ran away to elope is HILARIOUS. He’s like, why would you tell them that?? But tbh it was a good plan to get them to stop questioning her. And then the rebels acting increasingly awkward around them. Love that the auntie ships them. She’s like, ah young love.

It definitely appeals to me that Xie Wei is so clever but also fucked up. Like not necessarily in a bad way, but man has been through A LOT, since he was like 6. And he’s been plotting and scheming and deceiving for so long, that’s gotta have an impact on his personality.

I have so many fav moments when Ning Er out-smarts her enemies or comes out with the upper hand. A cute recent one is basically the whole “getting the second half of the letter” plot, but specifically when the bank notes reveal her little turtle drawing. So cute!! It’s like she’s saying, hi 👋🏻😙 and then when he shows it to the others and they are just so confused because they don’t have context for the turtle??

Okay wait wait before I end this post I wanna talk about what intrigued me so much about this show in the first place. I’ve always loved reading time travel fix-its, seeing how things change or stay the same, what characters do with what they know and i thought it'd be so interesting for a story to start like a time travel fix it fic, but because the audience doesn't have the established "canon", it's revealed slowly through the story. And then this show showed up on my tumblr and I was like ??? wth this is exactly what I was looking for

Anyway that's it for now!!

[hayleythesugarbowl]

ooo can you do ones for the smosh women?

if so amanda and/or angela plzzz

smosh women x reader headcanons

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ masterlist • smosh masterlist ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

a/n: ok i went ahead and did all the smosh women but angela and amanda are on here!! also i found out after i wrote this that jackie left smosh (😭😭) but im going to include her anyways!! hope you enjoy these <3🩰🍓

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

this is what I think it would be like dating the smosh women…

courtney…

she bought you guys matching shirts

her love language is definitely physical touch 

and she’s always holding your hand or playing with your hair or giving you kisses 

tells you how much she loves your butt lol

you met her family and they all love you so much

boops your nose

loves cuddling under a blanket with you

she thinks you’re the funniest person ever

facetimes you all the time and when you try to decline saying you’re not having a good hair day she called you anyway and tells you how gorgeous you and your hair look

if you’re having a bad day she’ll cheer you up by being extra silly and taking you to your favorite places

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

angela…

you guys take turns picking movies and shows to watch and get really into them 

she loves your sense of humor so much 

and you guys definitely make each other laugh at inappropriate times 

she lets you borrow anything of hers you want 

so much teasing 

you guys do karaoke together 

she sits in your lap all the time

you guys go to the theater together and she whispers to you throughout the whole thing

you guys get a dog 

she thinks you’re crazy talented and loves listening to you talk about what you’re passionate about 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

amanda…

smells so good 24/7

knows your order at like every restaurant you guys have been to 

on your birthday she makes sure to tell the waiters it’s your birthday and then sings louder than anyone 

so protective of you fr

you guys have these really relaxing self care days and spa days 

and she definitely eats the cucumbers 

gives the best hugs omg

neck kisses 

anytime you’re uncomfortable or embarrassed she does something even more weird or embarrassing to take the heat off you

so supportive of whatever you do 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

arasha…

y’all watch so much Netflix together 

and all the other streaming services 

because she probably somehow knows all the neighbors passwords 

you guys have these elaborate prank wars

she always wins but she doesn’t brag too much

the best at comforting you when you’re upset 

rubs your back 

goes out and gets you starbucks because ‘you looked like you needed some coffee’

loves your smile so much 

the best at picking a restaurant and we love that 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

jackie…

definitely asked you out with ‘you ever been with a black woman before?’

(if you got that reference i love you)

always has a hand on your thigh 

you guys definitely got a cat…or a few cats 

you two go out to events and stuff and she never leaves your side and makes all the introductions 

you definitely went to a swing dance together once and dressed up and had so much fun

she led

she writes poetry about you 

and one fanfiction as a joke

and you’ve framed every one she’s given you

sings you to sleep 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

olivia…

sends you the most random memes at 2 am

‘saw this and thought of you’

and you spend so many minutes trying to figure out what they mean

she’ll just flop down on top of you on the couch and rest her head on your shoulder 

takes you to so many fun locations 

you guys have your own emoji language 

forehead kisses 

gets really close with your parents

remembers the most random things you said months ago and prides herself on knowing you really the best 

she gets the best gifts 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

kimmy…

makes her own valentines for you

always asking how you’re doing or if you’re cold or hungry or tired

calls you ‘sweetie’ and ‘honey’

you guys bake together 

holds your hair while you throw up 

introduces you to all her friends and compliments you so much in front of them

‘you pick’

calls you every day/night that you don’t see each other and you guys talk for hours 

she leaves you cute little notes all over the place

tries to make you laugh to cheer you up

her lock screen is you and she has you entered into her phone as ‘🩷💜love of my life💜🩷’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ˋ°•*⁀➷ ok i hoped you enjoyed these!! let me know if you want any full length headcanons for any of the specific smosh women or men <3 💋💌

[marshallpupfan]

Did you used to have any other favorite shows before Paw Patrol and before Marshall became your number 1 favorite animated character, did you used to have any other favorite characters from any other TV show or movie?

I can certainly name a few favorite TV shows of mine from over the years. Some of these are pretty old nowadays, but I believe they can still be found on streaming services and whatnot.

One that comes to mind right away is "Looney Tunes". The originals, not the newer stuff like "The Looney Tunes Show" or the modern "Looney Tunes Cartoons". These were made back in the 30's, 40's and 50's, and though they released in theaters first, it might as well be considered a TV show nowadays.

In any case, I've been a huge fan of these shorts for as long as I can remember. In fact, I still watch them quite often to this day! Most of them are classics, with a wide variety of wonderful characters, memorable plots, delightful cartoon slapstick and violence, among other things. I don't think I'll ever outgrow them... heck, even my own parents still watch them (we often watch them together, actually).

Here's another I used to watch a ton a long time ago. It's an anime from 2001 called "Digimon Tamers". I practically fell in love with this one as a kid, and I remembered even trying to record every single episode to make sure I'd always have it. One reason behind this is... well, someone I'll talk about later on in this post. Beyond that, I just found the overall story really interesting, especially when compared to the previous two ("Adventure" and "Adventure 02"). It had memorable characters, too. It was just really good all around!

I'll admit, I'm not much for superhero stuff, but Justice League, and its sequel, Justice League: Unlimited, were both so entertaining. I haven't seen the show in numerous years, yet I still think about most of its episodes from time to time. They were just so memorable, thanks to smart and mature writing, numerous moments that still surprise me to this very day, etc. However, I'm not sure I can recommend it to too many of my followers here, since some of you might not like how serious it can get. Here's a good example, if anyone's curious to see what I'm talking about. If you're not bothered by this kind of stuff and/or can look past it, the whole thing's a great watch!

One last one for now, and it's finally something that's not too old! While I haven't seen every season of Regular Show, I thought the first two seasons were simply brilliant. Anyone who's seen this one no doubt remembers "send it to the moon", "summertime lovin', lovin in the summertime", "my mom", among so many other memorable lines and such. I enjoyed it so much, it's one of the few cartoons I tracked down on Blu-Ray (the first two seasons, anyway). It's crazy in all the best ways. Hm, hm, hm!

Now, as for favorite characters...

I'll admit, I've had so many over the years. In fact, at one point, I considered it somewhat of a hobby to keep track of them all and even list them on some of my social media sites (that was some time ago, on accounts unrelated to this one, and said lists no longer exist now). I won't go into all of them, but I can list quite a few!

RJ the raccoon, from Dreamworks' "Over the Hedge". He's just a fun, smooth-talking character who's quite entertaining to watch. He was really high up my list for the longest time, and while that's not so true anymore, I'm still quite the fan of him (and the movie, itself).

Impmon, from the aforementioned "Digimon Tamers". Anyone who's into Digimon certainly knows about him, and how he easily became the show's most complex character. I don't want to spoil everything, since his journey is legit great, but Impmon starts out as someone who's not so friendly, but he slowly warms up to the good guys little-by-little... until something happens that leaves him completely and utterly humiliated. With his ego smashed and desperate for power, he makes a deal with one of the villains, who grants him exactly what he wants, under the condition he goes after the heroes. Despite doing some terrible stuff, he's spared, and he ends up realizing all the horrible mistakes he's made and then tries to do his best to make up for all the harm he's caused. To be honest, my description here really doesn't do him justice, so it's really something you need to check out yourself. Most fans will happily admit it's easily a big highlight of the whole Digimon franchise.

He's arguably one of the best Digimon characters, period. His journey is memorable, and I really found myself rooting for the character and hoping he'd turn out okay in the end. Honestly, he still remains one of my biggest favorites to this day.

Bolt, from Disney's "Bolt". This isn't one of their better movies, but I still think Bolt, himself is pretty darn great... and cute, too. Much like Impmon, I just really liked his journey, from a dog who believed the TV show he starred in was real, to coming to terms with just who and what he really is. Again, I don't wish to spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but it's pretty good... and quite touching, if you ask me. Special shout out to the part when Bolt just takes in life by letting the rain drop on his face for the first time... it's easily a favorite moment of mine, and cemented just how much I came to love the character.

If you haven't seen Bolt, I certainly recommend it! And Bolt, himself... he's a pretty cool pup. A good boy, for sure.

Panchito Pistoles, a Disney character who first appeared in the 1944 animated movie "The Three Caballeros". No doubt some of you might recognize him more from the 2018 "Legend of the Three Caballeros".

There's actually not a whole lot I can say about him, in terms of any sort of character development and whatnot. Truth is, along with his excellent design, I just flat out love this wacky character. He's always so full of energy, and as such, he's just so crazy entertaining. I won't say he's one of the best Disney characters or anything, but he's someone that always gives me a big smile when he shows up.

Hokey Wolf, a character from some really old Hanna-Barbera cartoons. (He's the one on the right, btw.)

I'll admit, most folks probably haven't heard of this character. You won't see him much nowadays, and I think he's only been in the background of a few Jellystone! episodes. Despite that, he's, in my opinion, a rather memorable character, at least in the older cartoons that introduced him. Much like RJ, he's another smooth talker, which in hindsight, seems to be a trait that I like. It just makes characters like him a lot of fun to watch, especially if they can pull off whatever they'd planned. Beyond that, I also really like his design. Admittedly, I took an interest in wolves because of him, and I even thought about getting into making my own animations due to Hokey, too. The character became a bit special to me, I suppose you could say.

Going back to Looney Tunes, many of its characters became favorites of mine, too. The one on the left, Charlie Dog, is the star of some of my favorite shorts, including the one in which he goes on about how great of a dog he is because he's [apparently] numerous breeds in one (50% pointer, 50% boxer, 50% sitter... Irish sitter, 50% watch dog, 50% spits, 50% Doberman Pincher, but he's "mostly" all Labrador Retriever). He's always looking for a master, and though he can be a little too pushy, his attempts at trying to look appealing as "man's best friend" never cease to amuse me.

And then there's Bugs Bunny, who is probably the very first character I ever became a huge fan of. I just love this wascally wabbit, due to his humor, personality, characteristics, design, charm... everything! His cartoons never fail to get a good laugh out of me. Although the stuff he appears in nowadays isn't as good as those classic shorts from way back then, I still say he's easily one of the greatest cartoon characters to ever exist, period. Dude's a legend, peroid.

And I better stop here, before this post gets any longer. lol