#that's a joke. I know he's relatively popular for as little as he appears in the game

[kobble-arts]

Resplendent Lloyd concept for myself and the other 2 Lloyd fans in existence <3

[the-dixon-effect]

Just a Girl

requested by: @dixonsgirl93 which you can find here -> masterlist

A/N: thank you so much for the request my love!! i love this concept so much that it had me up at 4am writing it after recovering from a long-haul flight, so so sorry that this took so long for a little drabble xx

It was too tempting.

Not after years of stumbling around in dirty rags and a single pair of worn combat boots. Not after fighting for your life every single day, were you going to pass this up. Today, you were safe. And right in front of you, in this completely empty mall, were a pair of pristine black stilettos.

You held one in each hand as you admired them, a treasure of a world lost in time. You felt like a different person just clutching them.

"Hey, Maggie!" you are unable to control the wide smile cast across your lips. "Look what I found!" the girl glanced in your direction from the entrance of the store, scoffing at your excitement.

"Whatcha gonna do with those?" she asked, chuckling, as she jogged up to the display table coated in a thick layer of dust.

"I don't know. Walk around. Dance. Put 'em on a table and forbid anyone from touching them," you said quietly, smiling as you palmed at the crisp black leather. "They could be a symbol. Y'know, Lord of the Flies style," you joked, meeting the farmgirl's eyes. Strangely enough, the ghost of a boutique was relatively empty apart from these shoes, a few scraps of useless clothes scattered around and many plastic hangers adorning the white-tiled floor.

"Alright, fine. But ya' have to bring that little black dress back, too," she teased, in that familiar Southern drawl. Pointing to a rack of clothes on the other side of the store, you spotted a lone black dress threatening to fall off the flimsy hanger. It was no surprise that when the remaining survivors came through these parts, rummaging through stores and kitchens and bunkers, a pair of high heels and a mini dress didn't make the cut for the survivalist supply list. It had been a couple years by now, and indeed no one back at the prison would care if you indulged in a bit of fun. Besides, you're just a girl. And a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get by.

~

Most evenings were spent in the foyer swapping stories and enjoying the ever-expanding group's company, now that everyone was feeling more comfortable in the prison. Daryl was perched on the second step of the cool, steel staircase fletching some bolts for his crossbow, after the fairly uneventful run earlier. One thought did linger in his mind, however - as he tuned out to the rest of the conversations engaging in his midst. You had briefly shown him what you managed to pick up back at the abandoned mall, some scraps of food, some comics for Carl, and... what could only be described as an image from one of his wildest dreams. Or worst nightmares. What the hell would he do with himself if you suddenly appeared in that dress? And those heels? Probably run, and hide someplace where nobody would notice his reaction. And just when he was imagining what you would look like in that outfit from earlier, he heard a voice call out from upstairs.

"Hershel! You better believe these things are harder to walk in than a peg leg!"

The foyer erupted in chuckles as conversations ceased while everybody looked up at you on the balcony, held up firmly by Maggie who couldn't control her laughter either.

"Come on down, Y/N. Betcha can't do it!" the grey-haired man exclaimed as the rest of the group watched you stumble to the top of the staircase.

Oh God. She's so popular. And beautiful - were the thoughts swirling around in Daryl's head as he turned a swift 180 and looked up at your perfect figure. You looked so pretty when you laughed like that; a face that lit up the room - lit up this rotten world - when the sweet sound that even a siren couldn't mimic echoed over the walls of the dismal building. And that outfit; the smooth black dress that clung to your thighs so perfectly with a neckline that revealed just enough to make him go insane. Those heels. Daryl always had a thing for girls with nice legs, but he was always too embarrassed to mention it. It may have slipped out in front of his older brother once upon a time, and for the years to come he never shut up about it. Humiliating Daryl whenever a gorgeous girl like you walked past. Daryl never denied it, though, that you and that perfect body of yours were gonna be the death of him someday. And that felt like right now.

"Maggie, don't you dare let that girl fall!" Michonne shouted, laughing as she kicked her feet up on the cafeteria table and leaned back.

"Daryl, I swear to God, if you don't catch me I'll kill you," you began, addressing the archer that was gawking up at you, the one slightly obstructing your wobbly path down the staircase. Everybody in that cell block watched the poor man snap out of his daydreams as he shot up and grabbed your hand as your knees threatened to buckle beneath you. Maggie let go of her tight grip on your shoulders and erupted into giggles, as though she were playing Cupid.

"Thank you, Daryl," you said sweetly, not realising that Daryl is physically suffocating as you clutched Daryl's calloused palm. You took the opportunity to steady yourself on both feet and do a little twirl, lifting Daryl's arm up over your head as you spun around as gracefully as you could manage. A couple of cheers escaped from your audience, making you smile deeply. You hadn't felt this pretty in a long time.

"Whatcha doin' playin' dress-up anyway?" Daryl drawled, quietly.

"Well, I'm just a girl."

taglist: @alldevilsarehere90 @poisonmenegan @radcollectivesoul @emilykolchivans @pinchoftheoutsiders guys the taglist is looking a little lonely!!

[accio-victuuri]

Wang Yibo’s “Popular Films” interview feature:

Why do everyone keep talking about Al Pacino's performance in "The Godfather"? It's really like the blooming of a second life that will last forever. This is probably what makes me like movies more and more. I watched a movie before, and there was a line I liked very much that seemed to say: Some movies end the moment the screen lights up, and some movies will last forever. Well, good movies will last forever. , this is also what I think is very charming about a movie.

👨: Welcome Yibo! Congratulations on your nomination!

WYB: thanks, thanks!

👨: Speaking of which, "Popular Movies" had a relatively detailed report on "Hidden Blade" in the second issue of 2023.

WYB: Ah yes, I know. I read that article.

👨: How well do you think the author understood it?

WYB: I think there is no such thing as a standard! Because everyone has a different story and a different perspective on things, so everyone has their own understanding. This is what I think is the most interesting thing about the movie.

👨: We also made detailed reports on the subsequent "Born to Fly" and "One and Only", but we did not conduct interviews at the time. Now let's talk briefly about them in order of release date from near to far!

WYB: Okay, okay!

👨: First up is "One and Only". The protagonist of this film is a hip-hop boy, which should be in your Comfort Zone Is this role relatively easy to play?

WYB: I think it is my comfort zone when it comes to dance. In terms of performance, it will indeed be similar to my childhood experience. I may understand the dancers better and get into the role better, so it will be closer, but I think there is no easy role.

👨: This script was written after the director negotiated with you to star in it, right?

WYB: Yes, the director was also making changes and additions in the middle. The script he received at the beginning was also different from the final result.

👨: There is a lot of dancing in this film. Did you participate in the choreography?

WYB: Because this type of dance is quite special, it is not danced while standing on the ground. There are many techniques in breaking. Although I know hip-hop very well, I cannot completely execute the technique part by myself, so I do have my own idea, but the choreographer didn’t participate.

👨: After the choreographer completed the choreography, did you propose any changes when communicating with them?

WYB: Maybe you have, yes, because sometimes when you jump by yourself, you may wish that here, eh, would it be better to use this action? Well, it is a process of continuous improvement.

👨: It's very interesting. You and Director Dapeng got along as actors in "Hidden Blade" and as directors and actors in "Hidden Blade". Is there a big difference in the way of getting along with each other?

WYB: There is indeed a big difference, because in "Hidden Blade" I had less contact with director Dapeng, and we did not have any direct scenes together. We only appeared together in the group scenes of eating and holding umbrellas at funerals. In that very serious creation. There is also less communication in the environment. But when we collaborated on "One and Only" later, Director Dapeng seemed like a different person, very lively and happy.

👨: "One and Only" has a comedy atmosphere, while "Hidden Blade" is very serious, even a little sad, so I think your personal temperament is closer to "Hidden Blade"...

WYB: Thanks!

👨: So how did you develop your comedy performance in "One and Only"?

WYB: I feel that I was not responsible for the comedy part in "One and Only". Chen Shuo is more like an innocent, serious and hard-working young man. Yue Yunpeng laoshi or Xiao Shenyang laoshi are responsible for the comedy part.

👨: But there are also some scenes where everyone will have fun together after just one sentence...

WYB: oh?

👨: For example, "Just show respect!"

WYB: Ah, hahaha, yes. These jokes were thought up by the director and screenwriting teacher. I told them based on the upright and innocent feeling of the character. Maybe the contrast coupled with this word will make the effect more comedic.

👨: Although there are not many lines like this, the impression is quite deep.

WYB: Thanks!

👨: Generally speaking, when an actor completes a role, he will have certain emotions for this role. So when you leave Chen Shuo, what kind of feelings do you have for him, and what do you hope his life will be like in the future?

WYB: After the movie "One and Only" was completed, I still remember it very fondly. Yes, because it is more like my experience as a child. When I was a child, I insisted on dancing when I was a child, and it was because of dancing that I became a star or an actor. So I am very happy that Chen Shuo has such a perfect ending. I hope he will have a smooth sailing future and win more championships.

👨: Okay, now let’s talk about “King of the Sky”. Director Liu Xiaoshi said it’s very important for you to get the script, you quickly decided to star in the role. Was it the subject matter that moved you?

WYB: It is indeed a script like "The King of the Sky". Many of the lines are really touching, and it is also hard to resist such military themes and test pilot themes.

👨: Do you have a military complex?

WYB: I think I am quite passionate inside.

👨: This film was shot in the Northwest for a long time. During the process, I knew that there was some training, and it was also quite difficult. The Northwest is windy, sandy, and cold.So what do you think is the most difficult thing?

WYB: Well…………I think this is really after getting involved, I don’t think it is a difficult thing, because everyone is working hard in the same direction, maybe I will feel tired at the time, or It was quite bitter, so what, but when I look back and think about it - I am this kind of person - if I look back and think about the things I have done, I won't think it was anything, it was not a big deal. Although the shooting time is so long, this allows the actors to focus more on delving into the knowledge of various aircraft, because this still takes time to understand.

👨: Mr. Hu Jun was also nominated for the Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actor for this film. Did you congratulate each other?

WYB: Yes, yes, I was congratulating him just now during the ceremony.

👨: He has played many soldiers, and I think he is very familiar with this temperament...

WYB: Yes, Hu Jun laoshihas acted in "Flying Leopard" before and is also a pilot.

👨: He is the captain in the movie, leading you young test pilots to fight. Watch the behind- the-scenes and he often teaches you acting outside the play?

WYB: Yes, he is like a big brother. He takes us to exercise and eat together, and sometimes we will talk about the script and each character together on set. Jun ge is very good at taking care of people, because there are seven people in our team. It’s not just me. In fact, Jun ge has also been taking care of other young actors.

👨: Your team is quite united.

WYB: Yes, because they are all boys, they like sports, and they all havesimilar interests.

👨: I would like to interject, if you really go for the pilot selection, is it possible to pass?

WYB: It may be very difficult, mainly because the physical quality is too high. I’d better treat myself as an actor first (laughs).

👨: It is both the main theme and commercial quality. We feel that "Born to Fly" has exceeded our expectations. How did it feel when you saw the finished film? Because there were no special effects when you shot it? ?

WYB: Actually, when I started running the road show, I hadn’t gone to the cinema to watch it because of time constraints. Then I remembered whether it was in Guangzhou or somewhere, so I went to the theater to watch it. The visual effects, sound effects, and the whole thing were really like those in a theater. The special effects are really shocking. I didn’t expect that the visual effects of fighter jets in the air could be made like this. I didn’t expect that some high-altitude movements of airplanes and unknown movements of the aircraft could be explained and presented on the big screen like this.

👨: Also, what do you think of Lei Yu’s future?

WYB: He will definitely go in the direction of Captain Zhang Ting, but he must be a new generation of young test pilots. Captain Zhang Ting also said before that every generation of test pilots is different, and theoretical knowledge like Lei Yu It will be more solid and the flying skills will be better.

👨: Director Cheng Er said that when he sees you ordering and putting on those costumes, he feels like the characters in his original novel or script have become different. So when did you feel that you were Mr. Ye?

WYB: When I tried makeup for the first time, I had never tried makeup and styling like that before. It felt like I was in another time and space. Such styling and clothing helped me instantly connect with this character. Then I think it was through the lines between the opposing actors and the communication with the director - because everyone knows the director's script, they will add it part by part, and as the filming process progresses, it will gradually become more and more complete. The more I get to know this character, the more I am immersed in it, and the more skillfully I perform.

👨: Director Cheng Er said that you have sufficient training. What does this training include?

WYB: I also trained in advance before shooting, and went to watch some movies specifically. For example, the director took me to watch "The Godfather" Parts 1, 2, and 3 again, as well as "Pulp Fiction", "Inglourious Basterds" and so on, and maybe more It’s some pull tabs on performance status. Then there is also some training such as lines, including action training.

👨: Director Cheng Er himself said that many scenes are left to you to express yourself freely.

WYB: Well, sometimes there are. Sometimes the director will tell me his idea first, and then I will act it out again, and then make adjustments; sometimes the director will give me a framework, that is, how to do it in this environment, and then you will You think about what you want to do, and if you think it's OK, we'll start shooting.

👨: Oh, it turns out this is such a process.

WYB: Yes, yes, he is very detailed in some aspects and very open in others. For example, the previous process is a detailed communication, telling me carefully that you can take off your clothes first, then take off your tie, and then change; or if you feel comfortable, you can also take off your tie first—— I'm just making an analogy - take off your clothes again. But sometimes, they will tell me the situation, and then let me think about how to do it, and then shoot after I have thought about it. Give it a big framework, yes, and it contains your freedom.

👨: What impressed you most during the filming of "Unknown"? Which scene do you remember the most NG?

WYB: Actually, not long after I started making movies, I was selected by director Cheng Er, and it was a very important role, so I had a very deep impression on the filming. One reason is that the director is used to shooting at night, or he feels that shooting at night is more exciting. Most of our shooting starts at 6 pm and ends at 6 am the next day. This highly concentrated and tiring way of working is really rare to experience! And then I failed a few times... The director is very, very serious and very meticulous. Maybe during the filming process, wefilmed a lot of scenes, well, we just found the best ones through reshooting over and over again.

👨: Especially that one-shot fight scene?

WYB: Oh, yes, that is also rehearsed in advance. You get those cardboard boxes in advance, roughly arrange a scene, and then practice and play until the official shooting.

👨: I remember director Cheng Er said that he shot more than 30 takes, and he used the second to last take.

WYB: Maybe, but I can’t remember clearly, because I could only take five or six pictures a day, and it took a week. The director will be more aware when editing.

👨: So Director Cheng Er said you have enough patience?

WYB: I personally think that when doing something you like, no matter how big the difficulty is, it may not be a difficulty, so you can just keep doing it. Maybe this is the aspect of patience that the director is talking about.

👨: Speaking of language talent, Director Cheng Er has repeatedly praised you. Is that because you have this talent and it doesn’t take much effort to learn these dialects or foreign languages?

WYB: Well, I think on the one hand it's okay and not too strenuous, and on the other hand I think my own lines are not that good, so maybe I will feel more confident when speaking a language that I am not familiar with.

👨: Many viewers commented that your Japanese is not only fluent, but also that your tone is full.

WYB: Well, the crew has a dedicated Japanese teacher who will give me a video with the corresponding Chinese characters and Japanese, so I listen and watch at the same time, and I am also imitating his tone, because the Japanese teacher actually helped me perform and speak the Japanese intonation and tone, so I tried my best to imitate it.

👨: The eye scenes, fighting scenes and the use of multiple languages ​​in "Hidden Blade", which part do you think is the most difficult?

WYB: I think it's the eyes, because maybe I haven't trained my eyes like this before. In addition, "Hidden adr" does have a lot of eye scenes, so I think eye scenes are quite difficult. In addition, sometimes I have to act opposite Mr. Liang, which makes me very nervous and under a lot of pressure.

👨: How did you overcome this pressure later?

WYB: Prepare in advance and have a lot of rehearsals.

👨: You said that Mr. Ye is a very bitter person. If the plot continues, Director Cheng Er will most likely arrange a tragic ending for him. Putting aside the director's settings, what do you hope Mr. Ye's ending will be?

WYB: I think it may be difficult to have a happy ending. He lived in that era and in that working environment, but he did not leave. I hope that in his spy career, he can achieve his goals, complete his work, and escape unscathed. Well, how should I put it, be safe!

👨: Out of 10 points, how would you rate Mr. Ye's performance?

WYB: (Laughs) I think it might be a little higher than a passing grade!

👨: 7 points, 8 points?

WYB: If the full score is 10 points.

👨: We’ve just talked about three movies. Do you want to drink some water and take a break?

WYB: It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

👨: It is very rare for a new actor to have three starring movies released in one year!

WYB: Thanks!

👨: I read some reports and interviews. The directors of these three films found you first, which can be said to be very lucky. So for you - you entered the entertainment industry as a singer and a pop idol - is it something that happens when your career develops to a certain stage, or is it because you like it, love it, and seize the opportunity to make your dream come true?

WYB: My first dream when I was little was definitely to be a singer and to stand on stage and sing. I think this first dream has come true. How I came into contact with movies, I think, was probably a mistake. In fact, my first movie was called "Dream Partner". At that time, Ms. Du of the company asked me to go for an interview, and then I made movies with Sister Yao Chen, including the movie "The Red Boy" in "Westward Journey 3". . From then on, I slowly started to understand movies and watched some movies, and then I felt that many movie actors, their charm, through movies and the screen, seemed to have gained a second life. Why do everyone keep talking about Al Pacino's performance in "The Godfather" It's really like the blooming of a second life that will last forever. This is probably what makes me like movies more and more. I watched a movie before, and there was a line I liked very much that seemed to say: Some movies end the moment the screen lights up, and some movies will last forever. Well, good movies will last forever. , this is also what I think is very charming about the movie. The charm of movies is still very different from the charm of stage. Yes. The stage, I think, may be more of a moment of pleasure, a kind of release on the stage, while the movie is exquisitely crafted.

👨: These three movies were all chosen first. Will you try hard to get a role that you like in the future?

WYB: Yes, you must first have a character and a script you like, and then go for it.

👨: Now that you have been nominated for the Golden Rooster Award, will you still submit your resume and audition?

WYB: Of course, including the works of favorite directors, I will also fight for them.

👨: Your own temperament, as defined by the movie channel, is "noble and romantic"...

WYB: Thanks!

👨: And it has a relatively reserved feeling. If you encounter a character who is full of emotions and has strong emotions, would you avoid it?

WYB: I think when I like a character, I don’t first think about whether his emotions are high and low, but maybe I think more about the charm of the character. If I like the character very much, it doesn’t matter if he is high or low, or Regardless of whether I keep it or not, I might wan to try it, but I’m not against it.

👨: What about comedy? Are you interested in a pure comedy?

WYB: Pure comedy, well, I haven't thought about it yet. If there is a character that i really like, I don't think I can resist it and I can try it.

👨: As a newcomer, you are relatively relaxed in front of the camera and don't feel tense. Is this because you started your acting career very early and have rich acting experience, so you are more familiar with the camera?

WYB: I think it is true that as a singer, when performing on stage, whether in front of the audience or in front of the camera, you may be relatively skilled and relaxed, but it is still not enough in the eyes of the director. I think Director Cheng Er gave me a good start. He asked me not to "act" but to subtract. In fact, I am very grateful to the director for cultivating such a goodhabit in me.

👨: During the filming process, in addition to the NG mentioned just now, we often heard "Keep one thing, keep one thing". Of course, this kind of "keep one thing" is often proposed by directors, but have you ever raised it yourself?

WYB: There will be, there will be.

👨: Why is that, if there are no mistakes?

WYB: The requirements are definitely getting higher and higher, and I hope to be better.

👨: What if the director is already satisfied?

WYB: Sometimes actors have their own obsessions, demands, or ideas of their own.They may want me to try something like this again, or I feel that if I have subtracted some actions just now, I would like this action I think it's a bit redundant, so I might want to say, let me do another one without this action.

👨: When you are working, are you in a state where you can get into a scene quickly and get out of the scene quickly?

WYB: I have to get into the mood in advance. I think as an actor, it is normal for you toprepare for the role. As for whether you are really immersed in this role, it depends on you. The more you put your heart into it, the more you will be immersed in it. If you put in your heart less, you won't be able to immerse yourself in it. This is how I feel. So I am more on that set, in that environment, to feel and immerse myself in the set. There is no way for me to change my face as soon as the filming starts, and then return to myself as soon as it ends. I think in that case, as an actor, I have not experienced enough to experience the role? Including if you are really crying very sadly and violently, can you stop it at once? That is impossible.

👨: Well, speaking of which, your crying scene really left a stunning impression on people, I just said that when the crying scene ends, you may not be able to get out for a while, but what about when you enter?

WYB: Every actor may have a different way of entering a scene, so I may still have to use some help. Whether it’s some memories or music, this is also a skill and the reason why actors need a lot of experience. The more you experience, the more you see, the more you understand. When I need some help with my performance, I can quickly capture similar details from my experiences or memories, and then perform them based on the feeling of the character.

👨: Your collaborators, whether they are directors or rival actors, often comment that you are dedicated and hard-working. So I would like to ask, to use the current fashionable term, are you an "involved" person? ?

WYB: I don't think there is such a thing as "involution". I just want to do this thing well out of love.

👨: Is it more accurate to pursue perfection relatively?

WYB: Well, I think so.

👨: People also say that you can endure hardships.

WYB: Well, it must be a little tiring physically, but back to the question, when I am doing this thing, I have already chosen to do it, and if I also want to do it well, I still can’t feel bitter. But would you say you are tired? You will still be tired. Maybe onlookers will think, how tired you are when you do this? Then the premise is that you still like it. I just don’t think it’s hard, but people will see how tired you are, so when they evaluate you, they will say you can endure hardship.

👨: Three movies were released this year, and two were nominated for the Golden Rooster Award. How do you evaluate your year?

WYB: I feel very satisfied and very lucky. Being able to produce three such good works in one year, I think it is really a blessing for an actor. Then whether you try different roles or experience different lives, you will be very happy.

👨: The word Director Cheng Er used to describe you impressed me deeply. It was called "Mianshan". This "Mian" should mean "soft". So you are a relatively soft-hearted person?!

WYB: Well, I think it depends on the situation. When getting along with others, I may be relatively soft. But when it comes to what I pursue, when I want to fight for the first place, I won’t be soft and will be very determined, so it depends on the situation.

👨: We have been paying attention to you since the news about "Hidden Blade" and "Born to Fly". Then I feel that you have changed a lot this year. Before, you felt more like a teenager. This year, whether in activities or in the process of publicity, you have become very calm, and you feel like an adult. Have you felt this change yourself?

WYB: I actually don’t feel this way too much, but I think it may be that I improved rapidly in the year when I made three movies... Maybe it’s also because of experience. Various experiences, I think, are different.

👨: You are usually busy with work and have a very intensive schedule, so do you have very little time for yourself in your spare time?

WYB: Actually, when I am not on the set, my spare time is pretty good, um, pretty good.

👨: Do you watch movies in your free time?

WYB: Yes, I watched a lot of movies with the director some time ago.

👨: Is it the kind of projection you watch at home?

WYB: No, I watched it in a theater with the director.

👨: By the way, you can now watch movies in real commercial cinemas

WYB: I haven’t tried this before. I haven’t tried this yet.

👨 What type of movies do you like as an audience?

WYB: Director Cheng'er took me to watch many literary and artistic films, such as "Songs from Second Floor", "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence", "All that Jazz", and I liked them all, as well as "Leviathan" and so on. .

👨: They are all foreign films.

WYB: Yes, there are more in Europe.

👨: Do you find European literary films boring?

WYB: I didn't fall asleep (laughs), I quite liked it.

👨: So you watched a lot of movies with Director Cheng Er, and a few days ago went to the theater festival to watch a lot of plays. He also recommended you to "Sea of ​​Stars"...

WYB: I said at the (Golden Rooster Award) nomination and commendation ceremony that I was very grateful to the director for helping me with the film, but I might have been a little nervous on stage at that time. In fact, what I wanted to say was that it was not just in "Hidden Blade", but it also helps me a lot outside the theater, whether it's the aesthetics of movies, music, or art. He told me that if you see too many good things, you will know what is bad.

👨: My understanding is that in addition to the cooperative relationship between director and actor, Director Cheng Er also has a kind of appreciation and support for you.

WYB: Well, yes, it can be understood that the director is teaching me like a teacher, he is my mentor and helpful friend.

👨: Talking about watching movies, do you rarely watch commercial movies?

WYB: I also like commercial films like the "Batman" trilogy very much. But recently I have watched relatively few commercial films. Yes, I mainly study literary and artistic films.

👨: Do you have a particular favorite actor?

WYB: Ah, think about it, the actress likes the Spanish actress Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", and the actor, the actor in "21 Grams", is called Sean Penn.

👨: Well, he is an Oscar-winning actor and has a lot of personality.

WYB: Yes, very charming. He has many works. I also like the movie Dead Man Walking.

👨: "Dead Man Walking".

WYB: Hmm, yes.

👨: You have many hobbies, many of which have turned into skills, and you are considered an all-around artist.

WYB: No, I just want to like more things, but it’s not all-powerful. I like a lot of things, but I'm not good at them, so I don't think they're all-rounders.

👨: But when three directors notice you and choose you, these hobbies and skills such as motorcycle racing, hip-hop, etc. play a very important role.

WYB: Ah, this is also a bit lucky for me. I think I still have to stick to my hobby. This is also the joy of life. You can't just do one thing forever. I like to be exposed to new things, and I hope tostick to it as much as possible, but sometimes my hobbies may change quickly. For example, I was still enjoying golf, but suddenly I started playing tennis again. There is no way to focus on one hobby. To practice and improve all the time, maybe study in time periods. So I think I have many hobbies, but I am not good at them. But I just like so many hobbies, which make your life richer and more interesting, and can keep you in a relatively good state, including your mental state, in your spare time.

👨: Well, exercise is very good.

👨: I also want to ask a question about traffic.

WYB: Yes, yes, yes.

👨: Making a film is a long process, and some of it is kept secret. During thisprocess, if your popularity and traffic as a star are lost, would you mind?

WYB: I definitely don't mind, um, yes. Because I think my main identity now should be an actor. Of course, because it’s my favorite since childhood, I will also release new songs. Now that I am an actor, I actually want more time to broaden my horizons and enrich myself so that I can better shape different roles in the future. So how can I broaden my horizons and make myself more informed? Then I must go out, huh. Similarly, when I was working as an actor and making films, I might have less time to appear in public, and then my traffic would decrease, but I was still doing what I liked and paying for what I liked.

👨: Give us some information about the new film! Is there a script now?

WYB: Uh.........Yes! But I don't know what it will look like in the final shooting (laughs).

👨: Will movies still play an important role in your future career plans?

WYB: Yes, and at the same time, as I just said, don’t give up if you can, and persist.

====

*We have been urged several times to end it as soon as possible, and the following activities have been delayed.

Okay, that’s it for our interview! Finally, I would like to congratulate you again and hope that the filming of the new film goes well!

thanks, thanks!

This is the longest interview we did during the Golden Rooster Awards. The lovely interview subject has always been focused and peaceful, expressed candidly, occasionally thought, and often smiled.

No water, no rest.

His high-frequency vocabulary: thank you, like, love

What impressed us about him:

Extremely polite and always with a straight back.

Later, I watched him take photos. In the dark retro setting, he calmly changed his posture, calm and elegant, and had a charm that only radiated to the camera rather than the crowd.

This boy fulfills all the fantasies people have about idols. This young man is already pursuing bloom and eternity on the big screen. As a young man, his wings are beginning to take shape.

scanlations source

[skyblueartt]

Can you describe your William and Henry personalities?

OHH sure thing!! It’s like having OCs with less steps LMAOO because we honestly know so little about their personalities before all of the horrors happened! I just make things up lmaooo- kinda just taking my favorite things I’ve seen from the fanbase as well as me just makin up some stuff because why not. I’m still relatively new to this fanbase so ah whatever, fuck it we ball!! Here’s my own personal interpretations of the guys

I’m also at work rn shhhh haha

William- I feel like he is VERY very charming. Eerily charming, even. Smooth talker, can say things that make him appear very personable and likeable. Is it all an act? Probably. Especially after he takes up his new “hobby” after his son dies. I feel like the man is a natural born performer. I imagine that he has a flair for the dramatics and probably has a great stage presence. I mean, he is a performer at the restaurant after all! I also like the idea that William is very egotistical, but deeply insecure. Idk, just think that’s interesting! Also- this guy is VERY eccentric and just an all around like weirdo, like I’m sure he’s very known around town. That whacky British guy who co-owns that chuck-e-cheese place popular with kiddos who is also really fuckin intelligent cuz he makes robots. Like. What a fuckin guy. Even though he’s a bit of a weirdo, since he’s so damn charming, nobody would ever think it possible for him to become this notorious fuckin killer. Terrifying! I also like to think that William has a bit of a strange sense of humor. This is self indulgent because I love dark humor and funny villains 😭

Henry- ah MAN I feel so bad for this guy. I wish we knew more about who he was before the murders! From Fnaf 6, I gather that he’s remorseful, feels guilty, sad, exhausted, and just fucking done. But who was he before everything? Idk! Personally, I LOVE to make him a nice guy who just got every damn thing in his life taken away from him, because that’s just really sad to me LMAO. :( I think Henry could look intimidating sometimes, right, like he’s a bigger guy with a beard and whatever- but he’s actually a really kindhearted guy. To me :’) though he could absolutely beat somebody up and win everytime. For sure. somebody once described him as “the personification of a bear” with how he looks and that’s so fuckin cute. I feel like he’s also got a sense of humor, and I adore imagining that he’s the only Mfer out there to encourage William’s weird ass jokes. He balances Will out, I imagine! Like yin and Yang. Not as sociable as William, I’m sure he’d rather just chill by himself with his robots (bro fuckin loves building robots). But with his loved ones, he’s super kind and funny and just a cool guy- just like, a cool dad or uncle figure. Probably would hug me so tight that I couldn’t breathe, and tbh I love that. Although AFTER Charlie’s death….oh BOY. I headcanon that he has a lot of bad coping mechanisms (alcohol), definitely shut off from the rest of the world, the “color from his life” is gone. Depressed in every sense of the word. I could yap more but I think ya get the jist!! (In my head, it’s fun to imagine Henry and post scoop Mike reconnecting because damn their lives were both ruined by the same guy. Traumatized found family!)

Not my OCs but damn do I treat them like they are😭 they are very fun characters to write and draw!

[aiura-stan]

2-17

Ah, the Toritsuka chapter. I actually kind of love his introduction. If only he hadn’t been such a slimeball. But then again, that would undermine the entire purpose of his character.

XD Master Saiki.

This once again reminds me of Mob Psycho. I can’t help but wonder if the two series influenced each other, both being highly successful comedies about vastly overpowered psychic teenagers and their journey to self discovery. I do wonder sometimes why Mob Psycho was so much more successful than Saiki k, at least here in the States. Maybe they *are* equally popular in Japan, but that’s not the case if the internet fandom is anything to judge by (Mob Psycho is much, much more popular. There’s so much more fanart, if you search for it using the Japanese words and fan slang.)

I do enjoy both Aiura and Toritsuka using their powers, each of them ostensibly unimpressive compared to his but both about the only major supernatural abilities he lacks, to find out about him. Lovely situational irony.

Ghosts gather to see Psy users… has anyone ever discussed that this might be the cause of Saiki’s bad luck? But ghosts are by nature well-intentioned according to Toritsuka, so you would think he would have much better than average luck… hmm

Or maybe evil spirits are a thing, and not discussed in the manga for one reason or another. Maybe because they are not human ghosts but Yokai, another kind of spirit.

I do love that Toritsuka comes into the whole thing knowing exactly how many powers saiki has and just how powerful he is, but Toritsuka isn’t put off by it in the least (rather the opposite.) It obviously throws Saiki off. He even seems intrigued… at first. Until Toritsuka reveals his motivations unhesitatingly. He may know everything about Saiki’s powers, but obviously knows nothing of his personality.

From the events of PSIowdown later on in the comic regarding demonic possession and literally stealing people’s bodies, I like the implication that Toritsuka could probably learn other powers… if he was even remotely motivated to do so. So he probably could banish ghosts, if only he’d stop thinking about tits for half a second. I mean, he did learn possession channeling in the first place, for the sole purpose of picking up girls.

this brings up the question, does Toritsuka have relatives? where are they? We never see them. I mean, everyone has relatives, but where are Toritsuka’s real parents? What about his grandparents?

still a really funny panel. Yes half of Toritsuka perv jokes aren’t funny, but this one is perfect.

one thing that I do like about Saiki k is it makes an effort to demonstrate that looks can be deceiving. You have a character like Toritsuka who has pure, clear eyes and good looks (headband aside) who by all social indicators should be a paragon of society, who turns out to be a total creep within 5 minutes of meeting him, and then you have people like what’s the teachers name Iguchi sensei who turns out to be a really good person, even though he looks like a pervert. I think you see this a little with all of the characters, Saiki included. His words never quite match his actions; he looks like a surly average kid but he’s secretly extraordinary and of course very kind.

And Aiura, someone with seemingly low regard for social rules, who by all rights should have a reputation as the school slut, and a failure for her grades, is one of the strongest characters and has a lot of integrity. People respect her for her powers and her self confidence. She’s not who she appears to be either. Even someone like Kurumi turns “monstrous” when her ire is provoked. It gives these characters a layer of complexity that so many gag characters just don’t have, and that’s what sets it apart.

I do wonder if what Saiki says is true. Can’t they be taught? I imagine not. Maybe Toritsuka could approximate something similar to x-ray vision with his own abilities if he was dedicated and studied how he might expand his powers.

despite all of that he still invites Toritsuka over again? Japanese politeness, even from Saiki who has no respect for the kind of person that Toritsuka is? Or maybe it’s a quirk of translation. Let me see.

Okay, to me it looks more like, “yeah, yeah, go home already.” (hai, hai, kae-ta kae—) So, more of a dismissal than an acknowledgement.

Another underutilized power… come on now this is so useable in ship fics. And gen fics too. Saiki would make an entertaining detective character.

Also, if Saiki experiences all five senses live, does that mean…?

XD old man ass. hahaha

end of 2-17💫

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Analysing my favourite lines from Six of Crows chapter by chapter: Chapter 3, part 2

Same as usual: famous or popular quotes being missed doesn't mean I don't like them it just means I don't have anything new to say, and some quotes will not have explanations because I just like them I don't really have anything to analyse

"But this wasn't cheap Barrel flash. A squat decked out like this took real money" - The relevance of this quote for me is all in the implication of the phrase "real money" and it's something I've spoken about on here before. When we use the phrase "real money" the general implication behind it is one of absurd riches, not a comparison of 'real' and 'fake' money. However Kaz's use of the phrase is arguably more synonymous with the latter, since we know for a fact that the people who succeed in the Barrel can become massively wealthy - I'm talking about people like Pekka Rollins, possibly even Tante Heleen. The implication of this specific phrasing is therefore more about the perception of wealth in the Barrel being fake because it's new money, not part of the inherited empires of the Merchant Council. Kaz is very aware of this perception and even in the concept of wealth and success sees a considerable disconnect between himself and the Kerch aristocracy, even if their actions are arguably just as criminal, but I think it's really important to note that Pekka Rollins doesn't see this gulf at all. He makes multiple comments in Crooked Kingdom that show him to see himself and Van Eck as equals, whilst Van Eck clearly doesn't return this, even going as far to call Kaz a "trifling piece of Barrel trash", as if they aren't from the same slums and weren't raised fighting for thier lives on the same streets. Although Kaz and Pekka's similarities are vastly important, I think we sometimes forget that their differences are as well - and this is brilliant one.

"hairline making a determined retreat from his forehead" - the Crows commenting on Van Eck's receding hairline is honestly one of my favourite ongoing jokes in these books

"When Kaz met his gaze, the man cleared his throat and pressed his fingers together.

'Mr Brekker. I hope you're not feeling too poorly,' " - sir are you actively trying to act like a supervillain?

"I'm going to pry that fat jewel from its setting and jab the pin right through your mercher neck for chaining me to a chair, Kaz thought. But all he said was: 'Van Eck' " - This is such a wonderfully unhinged quote and I love it so much, remember this is the first chapter we've had from Kaz's perspective and little things that this go such a long way for helping us to understand him! Kaz's thoughts are wild, they're violent and out of control, and often it appears that his actions are too. But he exercises the perfect amount of restraint, remaining to an onlooker frighteningly calm in the face of threat until the most opportune moment. He is in complete control of nearly every situation he finds himself in, even one as unexpected as waking up chained to a chair. In fact we see him remain relatively calm for most of this scene, until a parem-drugged tidemaker is revealed for reasons I went into in the previous part.

" 'You know me then?'

[...]

'I know you," he said, "You're one of those merch crusaders always trying to clean up the Barrel' " - Although it's definitely subtle, I find this to parallel Rollins meeting with Kaz in the Ice Court. Kaz enters the cell and Rollins says his name, prompting Kaz to ask if he knows who is, and Rollins replies "sure, you're that little skiv who's been stealing my customers". This enrages Kaz, because Rollins is failing to recognise everything he did to Kaz and Jordie. When KAz leaves the room he follows up on this by saying "you don't remember me at all, do you?". Rollins replies "Should I?" and Kaz says "Not just yet". This failure to even remember the boys fuels Kaz's hatred for Rollins even more, but I think we should address how similar these response patterns are. Van Eck is looking for a confession, or at the very least something small to confirm his suspicions, that Kaz was the thief who stole his DeKappel oil painting, but Kaz denies him any satisfaction and instead insults him for what is comparatively a far more minor thing to remember him for.

" 'What's the difference between wagering at the Crow Club and speculating on the floor of the Exchange?'

'One is theft and the other is commerce'

'When a man loses his money, he may have trouble telling them apart' " - I am OBSESSED. Leigh Bardugo just summed up the core theme of these novels and the basis of her setting in three sentences that the reader can immediately understand and support, as well as carry with them for the majority of the first novel and all of the second. Genius.

" 'One out of every five vessels you send seeking coffee and jurda and bolts of silk sinks to the bottom of the sea, crashes on the rocks, falls prey to pirates. One out of five crews dead, their bodies lost to foreign waters, food for deep sea fishes. Let's not speak of violence' " - ugh it's just so brilliant

" 'What business?'

It was the question spoken at the opening of any meeting. A greeting from a peer, not a plea from a prisoner" - Kaz is extending himself beyond what Van Eck has tried to confine him to, he's mocking the merch by using the language of business whilst Van Eck uses the language of criminals. This also parallels Inej trying to assert dominance over Dunyasha at Sweet Reef on the high rope in Crooked Kingdom, when she asked 'What business?' then comments that it 'felt absurd to say it 50 feet in the air'.

" 'You were first arrested at 10'

'Everyone remembers his first time' " - this boy is made of audacity and I am living for it

" 'I kill for a cause,'

'And what cause is that?'

'Same as yours, merch. Profit,' " - hell yes

" 'You see every man is a safe, a vault of secrets and longings. Now, there are those who takes the brute's way, but I prefer a gentler approach. The right pressure applied at the right moment, in the right place. It's a delicate thing,'

'Do you always speak in metaphors, Mr Brekker?'

Kaz smiled.

'It's not a metaphor'

He was out of his chair before his chains hit the ground. " - I'm in love

"everything seemed sunnier with a weapon in his hand"

"but not even Grisha could just stroll through a wall" - as someone who read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom before she read the Grisha trilogy (I didn't know they were sequels, I actually thought Shadow and Bone was a prequel so yeah) little things like this were super helpful to understand the world and learn about Grisha power. i read a lot of high fantasy so when we weren't given explanations for these things I didn't realise it was because I was missing information, but rather I just assumed the writing stye was to throw me in the deep and let me figure it out - which to be fair I had no problem doing, I didn't find the duology at all inaccessible despite my lack of prior knowledge. But therefore I thought of things like this as our introduction to who the grisha were an how they worked, since all I had seen of grisha power at this time was Anya on parem I thought this quote was a clever little phrasing to enhance the worldbuilding and help me as the reader distinguish between natural grisha power and parem-induced grisha power.

"the pistol was more useful, but the cane brought Kaz a relief he didn't care to quantify"

We're now officially halfway through the chapter! This is a long chapter, but it is a brilliant one too. I'm sorry to break this into yet another part, but it takes a long time to put these together and I'm ill at the minute so I'm going to leave this here for now and bring you part three another time - hopefully that should be the last part!! Thank you all so much for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it. I've been thinking about maybe expanding onto another platform like tiktok where I can verbally voice these ideas for you guys and you can ask me questions a bit more easily than on here (I promise I am looking at my inbox, sorry, I know you're waiting) but I only want to do that if there is genuine interest and people would be up for it. It wouldn't stop me posting content on here but a lot of the content would probably include overlap, and I would probably also use that account to talk to you about my own writing - I'm currently in the process of querying agents for the YA fantasy book I wrote and I would love to get it out there a bit and share it with you. Thanks so much, let me know what your favourite quotes from this chapter or other chapters are!

[suchusoid]

worlds smallest hero

remember when I said possesious joked about turning the person they married into a wedding ring? Well she actually did marry someone, and she didn't turn him into a ring... she turned him into a hat. Anyway who is this lucky guy the voices in my head are asking? Well then lets meet him shall we?

Name: Ernest "Ernie" Charlotte

Alias: fun sized crustacean: headcrab

Quirk: mangrove tree crab

Quirk desc: user has the traits and powers of a mangrove tree crab.

appearance: ernie resembles a mangrove tree crab in appearance and isn't all that humanoid. He also really smol, as in hes the size of minetas head.

Personality: ernie is a very energetic and exitable crustacean, he often tries to be boisterous so people won't look down upon him. He also smells like hairspray due to him often hitching a ride on his wife's head(hey, moving long distances is hard when your a little guy!)also she often turns him into a hat to avoid weird looks. Despite his insecurities about his size, ernie is a very tactical and intelligent guy. His intelligence is rumored to rival nezu. Lastly, he is a very loving and loyal husband to rhoda as well, and vice versa.

story: headcrab is australias no 1 hero, and his tale is an inspirational one to many. He was often looked down upon in hero school for his small size, but he often used his miniature status and tactical cunningness to outfox his opponents, like pincjing them in weak spots, or dismantling important gear they used. His smart tactics made him quickly rise to the top of the australian heroes billboard( keep in mind, in australia, bizarre heteromorph quirks involving animals are the most popular)and becoming australias most inspirational figure since steve irwin. Eventually he moved to japan to see how thongs were doing after all mights retirement, and he learned the hard way that heteromorlhs weren't as beloved in japan. People thought he was an actual animal with a quirk, women falsely accused him of looking up their skirts ( when he wasn't, not even unintentionally), and othe rheroes like endeavor and mirko looked down upon him in more ways than one. At one point, he was chased by an angry mob down an alleyway, where he first met rhoda hoyle aka possessious. She stopped the mob with relative ease and started talking with her new friend. Eventually their relationship grew closer over the years, and wouldn't you know it? They got married. Headcrab aided possesious in capturing herpeton, but agreed to let him go after learning about his circumstances.

Fun facts:

Ernie is really good a tap dancing

Ernies favorite food is nectarines

One time, ernie and rhoda so drunk at a bar with friends, that they started making out, which to everyone else, looked like rhoda had a facehugger on her.

A confrontation with endeavor lead to headcrab pinching him in the downstairs region

[alandemoss]

Matthew's Subtle Subversion

I have not, nor will I, watch the popular Christian series "The Chosen". The show, which draws from Mormon influences, was highly anticipated by several Baptists I know, and I find that rather odd. When I think of the title, I am immediately repelled by the concept of “the elect” as understood by Reformation, Calvinist, and Presbyterian traditions. Predestination, as they interpret it, is a grotesque, isolationist, and heretical reading of selective scripture. This doctrine renders much of creation meaningless, serving only to protect the fearful cultures it infects.

I am neurodivergent which has made me insatiably curious my entire life. Other traits of my condition include deep yet detached emotions, intense focus, thorough exploration of details, and a strong sense of justice. While these characteristics have served me well in work and hobbies, they have primarily led to isolation. Few people are interested in hanging out with someone who spends most of their time researching facts, history, and cultural patterns, writing poetry, or studying psychology. I rarely understand jokes, and flirting is utterly lost on me, despite my extensive research into these social skills.

However, after 46 years, I am finally ready to speak my truth and do whatever it takes to share my human experience. This begins with a hard truth about myself:

I hold deep contempt for the religious dogma I was raised in. It seeks to disallow my very existence, and I believe that such ideology should be eradicated along with all similar ignorance. Only recently did I come across a quote from a far-right "Christian" pundit calling for the elimination of autism as part of a sort of purification of humanity. My flat affect once led a deacon to suggest that I was possessed by demons and that I should learn my demon’s name for exorcism. This encounter occurred while I was volunteering at a nursing home, where the gentleman couldn’t see the "joy of the Lord" in me.

Autistic individuals like myself are often subjected to the harshness of righteous indignation, with little grace offered by dogmatic adherents. Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland, MO, recently claimed that neurodivergent people are afflicted by the devil or perhaps simply not favored by God. According to Morrow: "Either the devil has attacked them, he's brought this infirmity upon them, he's got them where he wants them, and/or God just doesn't like them very much, and he made them that way… Well, my God doesn't make junk. God doesn't make mess-ups." Am I truly consumed by the demonic? This appears to be a clear case of projection—one that calls for serious investigation.

A pang of curiosity led me to search Google for any indication that Jesus’ disciples might have been autistic. My initial thoughts centered on Thomas, given his skepticism, his need for empirical evidence, and his relative obscurity among the Twelve. Peter also came to mind, given his staunch loyalty, even to the point of violence, and his strong sense of justice, qualities that Jesus regarded as foundational to the church.

Interestingly, "The Chosen" portrays Matthew as autistic. Having watched videos explaining the reasons behind this decision, I find myself in agreement. Matthew is portrayed as highly skilled with numbers, socially inept, clumsy, occasionally dim-witted, and consistently exhibiting a flat affect. He is also despised by many, as tax collectors were in that era. I believe Matthew likely harbored deep contempt for the religious hierarchy of his time, possibly using his position as a tax collector to exact a measure of justice for himself while undermining the religious authorities. Who could blame him, considering how poorly “weirdos” are treated within church walls? I would have, and indeed have, acted similarly on my own behalf and others.

There is a very real danger to the pursuit of happiness, freedom, and even the lives of neurodivergent individuals when zealots become convinced that God requires them to be healed—or worse, purged.

I have long felt a sense of distrust and distance from fundamentalist congregants. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always asked too many questions or, worse, involuntarily laughed at the absurdity of hierarchical leadership, antiquated ideas, and overly dramatic cultural condemnations. These, more often than not, are thinly disguised expressions of a preacher’s personal dislikes masquerading as divine mandates. I have tried to work quietly to subvert these toxic ideologies. A moderately concerned inquiry into the evolution of dogmatic theology reveals it to be nothing more than the wishful interpretations of lost souls. There is no grace, no love, and no good that comes from a spirit of zealotry. Zeal directed against one’s brothers and sisters breaks every commandment and the whole of love’s law.

I’m glad that Jesus saw Matthew. I have no doubt that I, too, would lay down my life to follow such grace. I pray that our friends lost to puritanical piety will once again rediscover His love.

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

Tuesday's episode was so great! It had everything, Tarlos communication finally, TK and Tommy, parallel talks with the parents, Andrea roasting Carlos on his bullshit, 126 family moments while helping Marjan dating, Paul x Asha confirmation, Paul being ordained (a nice surprise 👀), a lizard (which I'm finding oddly cute), and i found the rescues hilarious too (though I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion).

The only thing that bothers me a bit is that Carlos keeps making a joke of his secret marriage. I mean, I don't mind it being mentioned sometimes, like when Andrea said Carlos would be married twice but only once to someone he loves, and I guess TK must be okay with it in genereal for him to feel comfortable bringing it up in this way. But in moments when TK is already spiraling the effect is to continuously remind him of all of that mess, and it's clear that, at least in those highly emotional moments, TK doesn't really appreciate the humor. Of course it may just be that what he's annoyed about is simply the fact of Carlos deflecting instead of taking the conversation seriously, independently on the joke used, but I would like them to stop. Or make TK joke about it too together with Carlos in moments when it isn't used as deflection during serious conversation but while commenting something that happened that day or even flirting, to show us he really is over that mess, actually that would be even better. I'd say TK could use it to roast Carlos a little too but I'm afraid they would make it instead of teasing in relatively light-hearted situations (like I'd want it to be), as hurtful jabs that would put them more at odds in tense situations (which I DON'T want, it would feel like regression at this point).

That's the only thing, but this time Ronen was right, this is definitely one of my new favorite episodes.

And I'm curious what awaits Tarlos next, I hope it will be things like this and not excessive drama, and I know it's maybe not a so popular opinion but I'd like for both of them to stay out of hospital beds for the rest of the season.

I loved the episode too! Not only was it a great Tarlos episode, but there was so much other great stuff as well.

I completely get not liking the secret marriage jokes...they're not my favorite thing either. However, I've made my peace with them by considering TK's reaction to the secret marriage and just what we know about Carlos. First of all, Carlos is not a cruel person. If he thought these jokes were hurting TK, I don't believe for a second he would be making them. And from TK's reaction to the secret marriage, I have to come to the conclusion that he sees it as, at worst, a stressful situation that had to be overcome before he was able to marry Carlos. It doesn't appear that TK interpreted this situation as any kind of a betrayal by Carlos or that he felt as though Carlos had hurt him. In this last episode, he mentions it to Owen, but even then he says the divorce/annulment was never a question for them. From all that, I think it's obvious that TK sees the whole thing as a stressful situation he and Carlos got through together...which makes the jokes make a little more sense. Also, TK's reactions to the jokes themselves are more like "Ha, ha, you're very funny *eye roll*" rather than like he's being actually hurt or upset by them. This is absolutely not the way I would react to my partner revealing a secret marriage and then proceeding to joke about it, but it's the way TK is reacting and that makes it easier for me to deal with. That said, I wouldn't mind if they never joked about it again. Really, I wouldn't mind if they never brought the secret marriage up again! It does seem like they are pretty committed to making these jokes, though, so I won't be surprised if we get more of them. I agree with you that I'd prefer TK to be the one making them, as long as it was in a lighthearted manner and not a lashing out, hurtful jab kind of thing. If another secret marriage joke is inevitable, I hope it will be TK making it.

I am also very excited to see what comes next! I'm excited about the wedding, of course, but I'm also dying to see whatever episode Ronen has identified as the next "Top 5" Tarlos episode (we're going to hit at least 6 Top 5 episodes by the end of the season at this rate, lol). I'm guessing this next "Top 5" episode is probably 15 or 16.

My main wish is for there to be no more internal drama between TK and Carlos. I don't really want them fighting anymore now before the wedding. I want any conflict they deal with for the rest of the season to be external conflict they deal with together. I don't particularly want either of them to end up in the hospital either...at least not with a really serious injury. However, I do love angst and hurt/comfort, so if it was well done, I'm sure I could be won over!

In just 2 days it will be ONE MONTH until the finale! This season has gone by so quickly, and while I'm very excited to see how it all wraps up, I don't know if I'm ready for it to end and put me back in hiatus mode!!

[eviltothecore13]

This is interesting because I can totally see this perspective but at the same time...I am someone who *much* prefers to watch a whole show in a relatively short space of time, because writing something not-canon-compliant (unless it's a deliberately done full-setting-change AU), while I know many people enjoy it, feels *wrong* and uncomfortable when I do it and even worse when I don't do it on purpose. I can't write fic for a series until I've *finished* it so that I know for certain that nothing will be revealed next episode that will prove my headcanon wrong, that my blorbo won't suddenly do something that either breaks my headcanon or worse makes them come across as a horrible person (if they're not a blorbo who's meant to be horrible, or not that KIND of horrible) or my ship start being arseholes to each other, or for canon to just go in a direction where I no longer like it (I'm not a fix-fic writer, if that happens I just lose all interest in the fandom usually)...

It's part of why I gave up on writing fic for comics for the most part... and it also means that before streaming, I tended to only get into fandoms that had been finished for years. Even RE, which is still going, I don't think I would ever have started writing Wesker fic if it wasn't for how he hadn't had a canon appearance for years since his death (and when I heard he'd be in RE4 remake I was terrified--what if they drastically changed his character? They didn't--they did change Krauser, and not 100% in ways I like, but he's not my blorbo.) And only being into old fandoms or long-dead characters was...not always fun. Now I can watch at least the entire first season of something in a couple of days and get into the fandom immediately, whereas if that show had been on TV only the first *episode* would have been out and I wouldn't have felt at all ready to form headcanons or fic ideas yet (or even to enjoy other people's, really, because they could be ruined for me in a week's time)...

I'm sure I'm not the only person with this experience, but I do wonder how *much* of a minority it is... the people who can write something while knowing later canon information might make it OOC or factually wrong are a mystery to me. I just wonder what the proportions are of one vs the other.

At the same time while it's easier to join a fandom at its peak, it DOES feel like that peak is shorter and sharper. I'm not quite sure why interest seems to die down so quickly, especially when the series is still available on streaming (so there's nothing preventing people from rewatching it and having new ideas. I mean I can get new ideas by rewatching two films from the early 90s. The ideas don't STOP.). I do know that shows that were the top streaming show on Netflix for weeks and hugely popular on Tumblr with a lot of excitement about various ships and characters towards the end of last year are now having those ships and characters losing in Tumblr polls to...in one case a Voltron ship? I thought that fandom was dead.

(Also curious what is meant wrt "binging isn't conducive analysis"/stagnation of writing. I mean, I've watched things from the 60s--made with the expectation that obviously people couldn't binge them and would be unlikely to even rewatch them--where there's so little continuity between episodes. Not just things like timelines and dates not matching up, which has still happened in...well, one particular Netflix show that I otherwise love... but things like "how did these two main characters first meet" getting two drastically different stories in season 1 vs season 2, or a character liking a specific food in one episode and hating it two episodes later, or whether a character had a certain skill or could speak a certain language varying from episode to episode to serve the plot or even to serve a throwaway joke. And it seems that people at the time didn't really notice this much or weren't bothered by it? The writers--even when otherwise very GOOD, funny, interesting writers who apparently DID care about the show [i.e. it wasn't a "they hated what they were writing, were bored of it and thought it was stupid and weren't even trying to make it good" situation]--didn't seem to take that much care over making sure these continuity details lined up. Again, even when nearly every other aspect of the show from the sets to the costumes to the acting clearly had effort put into it... continuity just doesn't seem to have been on the list. It's much easier to notice inconsistencies when you watch several episodes in a row and can rewatch, watch a scene from one episode and immediately go to a previous episode to compare, etc--ONE of these inconsistencies I mentioned if it appeared on a modern show would have fans desperate for an explanation and the writers probably needing to come up with a fix for it, let alone all of them on the same show. It seems like fans *notice things* far more when able to watch and rewatch the whole show whenever they want than when episodes are spaced out one per week with lots of time to forget details from one episode to the next, and that writing for that kind of audience needs far more attention to detail--and we *do* seem to be getting more series made with a lot of attention to detail, not JUST in terms of continuity but in terms of general writing quality, on streaming than on TV--of course the TV shows from decades ago that we REMEMBER were often good, but there were a lot of shows like soaps etc where the quality of acting, writing, filming etc was really not that high, and they went on for decades--whereas while there are bad shows on streaming I feel like they're often cancelled quickly. Unfortunately good shows are ALSO often cancelled quickly but that's another issue.)

"binge-worthy show" man fuck that

i want my shows one episode followed by a whole ass week of going a little insane over it with the people on my phone, writing fics theorizing and going over every single scene through amazing gifs and meta, before the next ep drops and the cicle begins anew

[thisaintascenereviews]

Lil Dicky - Penith

Here’s an interesting little factoid that you may have never thought about until now: it’s been nine years since Lil Dicky dropped an album. Lil Dicky, real name Dave Burd, has been a busy man in that time, whether it was releasing a few singles or being hard at work with his show on FXX, Dave, which premiered in 2020 and is based on a fictionalized version of his rise to fame. If you’re young enough, or you’re just not familiar with his work, Lil Dicky is one of the first rappers to go viral online, I suppose, as he got huge for dropping songs on YouTube until he released his debut album, 2015’s Professional Rapper. The biggest single from that album, “$ave Dat Money,” featured Rich Homie Quan and Fetty Wap, who were two huge artists at the time, and it was a song that satirized hip-hop’s infatuation with material wealth. He came up around the same time as Bo Burnham, The Lonely Island, and those guys, but because he was funny within his music, LD was labeled as a “comedy rapper,” so he got unfairly lumped into that category. Truth be told, Professional Rapper is a funny album, as a lot of the songs are based around a joke, and have punchlines within them, but I wouldn’t call him a comedy rapper. I think he got written off as such, and a lot of people either don’t take him seriously as a rapper or they just don’t think he’s funny. I can understand people not thinking he’s funny, because comedy is objective, but Lil Dicky has more going for him than your standard comedy rapper.

Lil Dicky’s place in hip-hop is very interesting to think about in retrospect, especially with conversations about cultural appropriation, but that’s always the issue with white rappers. Because hip-hop is predominately a Black genre, Lil Dicky getting popular for being a white man in a Black-dominated genre is something worth examining (he does talk about this a bit on his show in a few episodes). That’s why it’s so fascinating that he dropped an album recently. Entitled Penith, this marks his first album in almost nine years, but this album makes more sense if you watch Dave. The songs on the album are from the show, a lot of which are full versions of snippets that appeared, and Penith was the name of LD’s fictional album in the show that he’s spent the entirety of the show working on. I first listened to this album without any of that context, so I went into this album with not knowing what to expect, and I gotta be honest — I absolutely love it. Penith is such a fun yet insightful and vulnerable album, and I ended up rewriting this review after watching through a lot of the show. You can listen to this album in two ways — either not having seen the show, and listening to the songs at face value, or watching the show and knowing the context behind these songs. If you go into it without knowing anything about the show, and you’re already an LD fan, you’ll enjoy it, because it features a lot of what he’s known for, which are cheesy, corny, and mostly funny punchlines, as well as his relatively smooth, solid, and easygoing flow, but it has some vulnerability and self-reflection that I didn’t hear on Professional Rapper. That’s what makes this album better, frankly, because instead of Lil Dicky trying to rely on a character on Professional Rapper, he wants people to know who Dave Burd is.

The album admittedly works better in context with the show, because the emotional songs fit into the narrative of the show. A good example is the breakup song “Ally’s Song,” which can be taken as a breakup song in which LD misses his girlfriend, and putting music ahead of her, but if you haven’t watched the show, you wouldn’t know who Ally is. Even some of the more humorous and fun songs, such as “My D!ck Sucks,” make more sense in context with the show. That song is what the Lil Dicky in Dave puts out and goes viral, making him famous online, but it’s a fun and catchy little song about how his dick (which is admittedly more of what Lil Dicky already has been doing). There are some songs that appeared on the show that stand on their own, such as “Harrison Ave,” which is about LD falling in love for the first time as a teenager and the ups and downs that come with young love. “Mr. McAdams” is a song that you can listen to on its own, because it’s about LD’s celebrity crush on Rachel McAdams, but it’s from an episode of the show, where he gets to meet her. There are plenty more, but a lot of this album can he listened to without watching the show, whether it’s the more fun and energetic songs, or the vulnerable and emotional songs, and some of those are among the best cuts of the album. “Honestly,” “Still Freestylin’,” “I Love Myself,” “Going Gray,” and a handful more, are songs that showcase a more mature and emotional side of Lil Dicky that fans may have never seen, as his music was always more fun and silly, but those types of songs are here, too, such as “HAHAHA,” “Kareem Abdul-Jabar,” “I’m Drunk,” “No Fruits Or Vegetables,” and a bunch more.

At the end of the day, your enjoyment of this album depends on how much you enjoy Lil Dicky, and if you’re not a fan, I don’t think you’ll like it. This album admittedly relies on his usual shtick, including dick jokes, sex jokes, and all that stuff, but when the album gets insightful, it gets more interesting. You can definitely tell that he has grown as a person, and sort of as a musician, because he sounds better, and the production is pretty solid throughout this album. There aren’t quite any misfires, or any songs I don’t like, but there are some songs I like more than others. Nonetheless, Penith is an album I love, and I’d say that this is my current favorite album of the year. That’s wild, because Lil Dicky coming out with a new album in 2024 and it being really good was not on my bingo card for this year. We’ll see how the album holds up throughout the year, but I’m excited, because this album is really good, and so is Dave. Watch that show if you haven’t yet, it’s real good. The album works better if you’ve seen the show, but you can still listen to it without any context and it’ll hold up just fine.

[mew-ya]

katakuri headcanons 🍩 - update (1/9)

- assessing his mother and brothers, where do his teeth come from? my thought is that his father is half fishman, as it's previously been stated that quarter fishmen do not have the ability to breathe underwater or really get much special strength--but I think an unusual mouth could be feasible. perhaps he's quarter pelican eel fishman?! that could explain why his brothers look (relatively) normal, it's just a recessive gene that falls out with the stronger human/whatever Big Mom genes are.

- his massive "house" granted to him by his mother is immaculate, spotless, spartan. this is because he doesn't live in it. he has a true living quarters hidden somewhere on komugi island that holds his some of his less grave secrets (such as his silly little hobbies and his preference of milk alternative). he's a private person so no one really goes there. only brulee knows about it, and maybe a few of his other closest siblings.

- he is 48, so he'd be pretty out of touch with the things his young siblings like. he's a humble guy so I think he'd take their "omg youre OLD" bullying in stride, and they'd love him for it. very popular with the kids AND their parents, future sight is the ultimate babysitter ability. he can stop a toddler with a safe alternative before they even think about climbing up a curtain.

- torn on wanting kids himself. he loves them, maybe he wanted them when he was younger. but his family has a lot already and he's a busy man. will he be able to care for them like he wants? how can he shield them from his mother and what she put him through? what if they are born with his face? will his child be able to live their own life without living in his shadow? it's complicated for him, and he thinks very deeply about it.

- it's pretty hard for him to keep secrets from brulee in general. they have a bit of an unhealthy relationship in that regard...they're both very protective of each other, which can make it difficult to get close to them. kata scares off anyone who looks at brulee the wrong way, shooting them a glare or worse if they dont catch the hint. brulee secretly watches anyone from her mirrors who appears to be paying too much attention to katakuri and confronts them if she suspects they're up to no good. she's a sweet woman deep down, but has learned to be a convincing witch.

- katakuri is a sucker for foods that have sweetness, and it's warped his taste buds a bit. whenever people try his occasional cooking, they're a bit taken back by the presence of sugar on everything. he watches for reactions patiently and most are too afraid to offend him, so they pretend it's good. he's a humble guy, so the typically universal praise doesn't go to his head. his brothers might have a stupid nickname for him like "sweetsteak" but he thinks they're joking.

- as for the types of foods he likes to eat besides donuts: I think he'd like bagels of the sweet variety, such as blueberry or cinnamon raisin. though not everything needs to be donut shaped. I think he'd enjoy pineapple on pizza a lot, monte cristo sandwiches, and fruity, tropical cocktails on the rare occasion he drinks. he'd also like curries that balance sweet and spicy well. doesnt really eat all that much meat but he does enjoy it baked into pastries. also see him as someone who puts an embarrassing amount of sugar cubes in his tea. like my dude. you want tea with those sugar cubes? he just keeps going. he literally does not care what you think of his food preference so no one really comments on it anymore.

- Mr power nap himself. he probably sleeps like shit cus he has to keep up appearances as Mr. Perfection, never lying on his back. but I like to think he gets a rare occasion to sleep a full night on his back and he makes a little ritual out of it. covering the windows, making sure no one can disturb or find him, pulls out his favorite book and reads it in its entirety before hes able to fall asleep the normal way...maybe putting brulee on guard duty. but don't ask me if he wears the matching jammies and hat set. I can't clown on him that hard today

- wears gloves cus he's a serial nail picker. originally thought he would be a nail biter but like...his teeth seem a bit extreme for that? i can't imagine him really putting his fingertips at risk like that, so I think he'd be the type to pick at his nails when nervous. the gloves help with that quite a bit, and have an added bonus of protecting his palms from his heavy work schedule. his hands are pretty soft.

- smells kinda like mochi residue, which is to say he smells like rice flour. he also smells like leather and steel, and perhaps a waft of vanilla or strawberry depending on the pastry crumbs he accidentally dropped in his scarf that day. it's a very floofy scarf and he doesn't really take it off so sometimes he gets a bit of food in it. has to wash it daily, probably has a bunch of backup scarves.

thanks for reading 🫡💓 and double thanks to all of the people who've rambled on and on with me and helped contribute to my headcanons about him, or have posted some of their own that I came across and agreed with! I love this character very very much so i always have a lot of fun thinking about little things like this.

- he has acquired a lot of stupid donut decor over the years, thanks to his closer siblings that know his love of donuts. his secret little house is absolutely littered in it. he doesnt really buy this stuff himself, his taste is a bit more punk rock. one year he did get a pretty cool donut-patterened Tiffany lamp that he has by his couch. but most of the time, an easy Christmas gift for kata: donut socks. Peros gets him a different color every year. he's not really that into it, but he appreciates the thought...

new below added 1-9 (about his height, about traveling)

- he is a very tall person, though not giant sized. thankfully, the one piece world is rather kind to folk big and small. it's not any trouble to find the correct size of most items, especially in tottoland. you'll find a variety of specialty stores catering to folks of small and large sizes, and some areas even have districts concentrated around small and big folk with appropriately portioned cuisines. clothes come in a wide variety of sizes even at the smallest of boutiques. although the clothes of many of the charlotte siblings have a certain flair that scream custom made, kata being no exception...

- his size becomes more difficult when he's traveling abroad, and tends to stick to the ships quarters as a place to rest when outside of his home. he's not one to rent out a place, as it is troubling to find accommodations that suit his many needs (including absolute privacy). he would probably rely on his own mochi abilities to generate shelter before ever agreeing to stay in a stranger's abode. he feels moderately comfortable in his personal ships quarters but his typical form of comfort is most often found on the deck, leaning against the mast with a watchful eye on the horizon.

- his duties as minister and commander, as well as his travels as a child with the Rocks Pirates, have brought him to many places. given that his mochi merienda shrine has wano-style architecture, it is not utterly out of left field to think that he has even visited a secluded place such as Wano in the past. while his job and family is rather isolating, he has still experienced a good number of unfamiliar cultures and cuisines. I think that he has traveled less in the latter half of his life but still holds onto some of those memories and would like to go back to the places he went when he was younger.

I'll probably continually update this with new HCs when I get bored 💕

naturally, please take these all with a grain of salt! it's fine to disagree, these are just how I personally see him.

[todoscript]

you receive a love letter in your shoe locker from an anonymous admirer

characters: bakugou katsuki, kaminari denki, kirishima eijirou, midoriya izuku, shinsou hitoshi, todoroki shouto

genre: fluff. very slight angst.

word count: 3.2k+ total, 400-700 per character

warnings: jealousy, possessiveness, feelings of doubt (mostly all fluff though)

author’s note: i’ve been on spring break so i found some time to write this! i absolutely love writing for these six (not like they’re my faves or anything pshhhhh—)

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

he’s already fuming the moment you open your locker and hold out the pastel pink card, sealed by a shiny heart sticker with your name written in smooth calligraphy.

it doesn’t take much for him to realize some other dunce head is trying to make moves on his girl.

and he absolutely won’t stand for it.

he stomps over to you and snatches the letter right out of your hands as you’re reading it.

your complaints go ignored behind him while he inspects the writing with the most livid expression.

you know that ugly face he makes when it comes to his over-exaggerated anger? the one with his eyes all squinted and the corners sharpened upward?

that’s his face as he continues reading, growing more twisted at every mushy sentence this anonymous admirer had the gall to say to you.

at one point, he can’t stand to read it anymore so he crumbles the letter in his fist before igniting it into crisps.

you scold him for causing such a scene and letting his anger get the best of him, but bakugou is still annoyed about it regardless.

“tch, who the hell does this shithead think they are, trying to make moves on you when we’re already together?! i’m gonna kill them when i find out who it is!” he exclaims, hands instinctively sparking with heat that scares off the other students walking by.

you mentally facepalm at this. still, you go about reassuring him that you won’t be swayed and take his hand to walk to the dorms together.

“katsu, you know it’s going to take more than a love letter to make me leave you, right?”

“heh, damn right, it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more that’s for fucking sure,” he sneers, a confident smirk on his face as he knows everyone else never had a chance with you to begin with. they can keep sending those letters and he’d make sure to burn them before they could even reach your hand.

on the way back to the dorms, he makes a conscious effort at pda—arm wrapped around your waist while his eyes glare daggers at any extra that even so much as looks at you the wrong way—asserting his claim over you.

meanwhile, having bared witness to that whole scene, your secret admirer is trembling in the corner. they make note to never send you another letter again unless they want their life to flash before their eyes in a fiery explosion.

KAMINARI DENKI

surprisingly enough, kaminari takes the whole situation more positively than most people expected.

in fact, he’s actually prideful about it.

just as he’s about to head over to your locker so you two could walk to class together, sero pokes his shoulder.

“hey, did you see all those written love confessions in y/n’s locker?” sero whispers behind his cupped hand near kaminari’s ear.

the blond scrunches his nose, confused. “no. what love confessions?”

“the letters that were stuffed in your girlfriend’s locker.”

again, kaminari is still puzzled at this. he realizes there’s only one way to understand what sero means.

when he glances in your direction he’s met with you fumbling around with a pile of letters balanced in your arms. his vision zeroes in on the envelopes, deciphering the fancy stationary and pretty embroidery.

oh. they’re love letters.

“other people are trying to make moves on your girl. what are you going to do about it, kaminari?” sero chimes in with an important question and honestly, kaminari can’t exactly make out a solution. or rather, he feels he doesn’t need to.

sure, he should be a little annoyed over the fact that others are disregarding your relationship.

yet could he really blame them for taking such a liking to you?

you’re pretty, smart, nice—the whole damn package.

he’d be more shocked if you didn’t have any secret admirers lurking around.

kaminari decides to leave his friend’s question relatively unanswered and continues his trek to your locker.

“hey, pretty girl! whatcha got there?”

taken off guard by his appearance, you nearly drop all the letters in your arms.

“denki, you scared me!” you exclaim. “these? they’re just some love letters some anonymous person placed in my locker. don’t worry though! i don’t plan on returning their feelings.”

smiling at how quickly you reassure him, he crosses his arms behind his head. “nah i’m not worried, babe. i don’t feel threatened or anything. it only makes sense that my girl is popular after all!”

you’re pleasantly surprised by how rationally he reacts to the scenario. though, knowing his character, he can’t just seem to leave it at that.

“yep, seems like we’re quite the popular couple!” he grabs your hand, wanting to show each other off as you make your way to class.

the bakusquad sees this as another opportunity to egg him on.

“and just how many love letters have you received since the beginning of the school year, kaminari?”

the blond freezes at the question. kaminari bites back words, but begrudgingly answers.

“...zero.”

KIRISHIMA EIJIROU

“heya, babe!” kirishima enthusiastically calls to you, approaching your shoe locker. “ready to go back to the dorms?”

“yeah! in just a second though!” you reply.

as kirishima comes closer, he sees you occupied with some envelopes in your hand.

“what’re all those?” he asks, pointing at the refined stationary curiously.

“ah some letters gifted to me from an anonymous admirer. something about wanting to make their feelings finally known, but i’m not interested in them,” you say, clearing up everything before a misunderstanding could arise.

“oh, that’s cool.”

you quirk a brow at how relatively chill he is at this revelation. you were expecting a bigger reaction at this, but kirishima just simply smiles his genuine, care-free smile.

you don’t think much of it though. shoving the letters in your bag to dispose of later, you walk side-by-side with him to the dormitories.

little do you realize that kirishima actually mistakens this as pure, platonic admiration rather than infatuation.

to him, if they had really wanted to profess their love to you, they’d do it in person where you could see and hear them. not behind fancy penmanship and some pretty paper.

after all, that’s what a true man would do!

but as the days continue to roll by, he’s starting to have second thoughts.

“y/n, i’m telling you, with the amount of letters you keep receiving from them, you gotta find out who this person is!” he overhears mina lecturing you at your desk, going through another pile of notes that were left in your locker from that morning. lately, you’ve been greeted by an astounding number of these things each time you visited your locker.

“mina, there’s definitely no need for me to go out of my way to find this person.”

“aw, but look at all the sweet things they said about you!” mina recites a line from one of many letters. she muses about how the writer sentimentally compares your aura to that of a dandelion wisp in the wind—free and lighthearted yet fleeting and out of reach.

“how romantic!”

you roll your eyes, indifferent, but one side-glance at kirishima from your desk tells you that he’s beginning to interpret the situation differently.

the redhead has to admit that all those things that anonymous admirer said to you were… pretty sweet.

kirishima has always been a man of action—an passionate believer that actions spoke volumes compared to words alone. however, after hearing all of that, he’s wondering how he’s able to compete in that aspect.

he seeks you out during lunch and asks you something beneath a lonely corner of trees.

“y/n, do those kinds of things make you happy..?”

you tilt your head, curious about what he’s exactly referring to. one glimpse back at his demeanor in the classroom earlier with mina gives you an idea.

“do you mean all those letters i keep getting?”

kirishima nods slowly.

“well… i have to admit, it is nice to know that i’m ‘liked’ by other people,” you phrase delicately. “but all those pretty letters and sweet words don’t mean anything to me if they aren’t coming from you. besides, i always thought it’s better to let your actions speak for you, don’t you think?”

hearing your answer, kirishima’s face lights up immediately. before you can properly react, a pair of lips meet your cheek.

you rub the warm skin where his lips touched, flustered for a moment. kirishima grabs your hand, walking you two back to the lunchroom with a newfound surge of conviction in his steps.

MIDORIYA IZUKU

“ooh, look midoriya, seems like someone else has a crush on your girl.”

as midoriya’s tidying up his red shoes and bringing out his slippers for class, his male classmates inform him of the pink envelope held in your hands.

midoriya looks over in your direction. he watches as you peel the letter out of the envelope and begin reading its contents.

he doesn’t miss the slight flustered look on your features, observing how you scan through the writing while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing over your shoulder as if your secret admirer was peering at you from behind.

“you better hold onto her tightly if you don’t want her stolen from you,” one of the boys warns, more so as a joke, but midoriya doesn’t take their banter lightly.

“knock it off, guys. just because someone else likes her doesn’t mean she’s going to leave me or anything,” he says this with as much confidence as he can muster, but his demeanor betrays him.

when he goes past your desk in the classroom later, he can’t seem to meet your eyes.

“good morning, izuku!” you greet him mirthfully. however, midoriya fails to return the greeting with the same enthusiasm.

“g-good morning, y/n…”

it’s hard for you not to notice that something is up by the way he heads straight to his desk afterward without another word.

throughout class, midoriya finds it a challenge to concentrate on anything but that letter you received that morning. his mind stumbles into the hole of bad possibilities—ones of you leaving him, those sweet words from your anonymous admirer making your heart flutter more than he ever has.

“—zuku… ‘zuku… izuku!”

he gets pulled out from his thoughts by your voice and turns to see the concerned look on your face.

“you okay? you haven’t touched your pork cutlet bowl this entire time.”

he stares down at his food, untouched since he sat down. “oh sorry, i guess something’s just been on my mind today.”

your brows knit together. “it’s about the letter i got today, isn’t it?”

midoriya stares at you, debating whether to deny your statement, but knows it’s pointless to try when it must have been obvious.

you take his silence as confirmation and grasp his hand that lays flat on the table.

“izuku, look at me,” you tell him and watch as his eyes slowly trail to you. “you know i wouldn’t leave you over some silly letter, right? no amount of words they can say to me could ever make me think differently about you.”

at this, a comforted smile spreads on midoriya’s face. he nods and squeezes your hand as a sign he took your words to heart before chowing down on his food, the uncertainty inside him disappearing.

SHINSOU HITOSHI

“another one?” you inquire to yourself in disbelief, opening your shoe locker to discover a rose-colored envelope waiting for you atop your slippers.

“dang, y/n, that’s like the fourth one this week!” uraraka comments, peeking over your shoulder.

“ooh! i wanna see what they wrote for you this time!” mina approaches from behind. you allow her to grab the delicate letter from your fingertips.

she over-exaggeratedly clears her throat, unwrinkling the paper by pinching at the sides. “‘you are the one who brought me sunshine when i only saw rain.’”

“aw! how sweet!” uraraka clasps her hands above her heart, seeming almost moved.

though the girls are all smitten by the love poem, you bite your tongue, hoping to suppress the urge to gag in front of them.

your boyfriend shinsou is on equal wavelength as you, witnessing the scene unfolding so early in the morning. he’s grown tired of replaying this spectacle for the past four days now.

his eyes navigate to the note and envelope in mina’s hand. by the script and the use of the same stationary, shinsou can tell the love letters you’ve been receiving are all from the same person.

“damn dude, you got some serious competition.” overhearing the girls, kaminari jabs at shinsou’s sides teasingly. “so, you gonna do anything about that mysterious guy trying to go after your girl?”

the violet-haired boy shrugs. “why should i? it’s not like i feel threatened.”

kaminari whistles at his confidence.

shinsou says he doesn’t care about it, putting on a level-headed and indifferent facade. but that was honestly far from the truth.

in actuality, he’s a bit pissed.

what kind of person goes around sending anonymous love messages to someone who’s already in a relationship? what the hell do they hope to gain out of doing this?

shinsou more than trusts you won’t be swayed by them, no matter how many times those notes discourteously greet you every morning.

you never bring up the topic of the letters whenever you two are alone, not wanting shinsou to be bothered over it and create a hassle. all in all, he’s grateful for this, and also for the fact that you make a point of never taking any of those letters seriously and dump them into the trash bin whenever the chance arises.

however, he can tell by your body language that the whole situation bothers you and makes you uneasy.

so, during one incredibly early morning, he decides to do some scouting.

he plays off his odd punctuality by saying he left something in the classroom yesterday and wants to get there early to look for it.

lo and behold, he finds a male student hovering around the lockers—suspiciously darting his head back and forth to be on the lookout for any other students.

little does he realize he’s already been caught red-handed.

“hey you.” shinsou abruptly calls out to him and the boy nearly jumps. “what are you doing here?”

the boy panics at his question, fumbling with his answer while hiding something behind his back—what shinsou presumes to be another one of those cheesy letters.

“u-um, just want to get to class early!” he sputters.

“is there any special reason you’re standing in front of my girlfriend’s locker then? ’cause last i checked, the lockers for general education students were located on the opposite side.” shinsou emphasizes his words with a bite of malice, arms crossed.

“i just lost my way is all–” the student suddenly stops mid-speech, his words and actions forcibly coming to a halt. all thoughts are overturned in the presence of shinsou’s quirk.

“i’m going to make this quick and easy for you to understand. not only are you going to forget about this conversation, but you’re also going to stop handing my girlfriend those love letters.” shinsou bends down to the boy’s height, staring at the abyss in his expression.

“and i’d also appreciate it if you kept your eyes off what’s mine.”

it’s safe to say, your influx of letters had been effectively cut off after that day.

TODOROKI SHOUTO

todoroki is no stranger to finding love letters from avid admirers and fans in his shoe locker before and after classes.

in fact, an unprecedented number of them had begun taking up all the space there after his impressive performance at the sports festival.

when he started dating you, however, he had made a clear declaration that he wouldn’t be accepting anymore of them.

but to be on the opposite end of having to watch you unlatch the door of your locker to have letters and notes practically tumbling out, todoroki wasn’t exactly sure what to make of this feeling that made his stomach twist into knots.

he notices the alarming amount of them and concludes they’re all from various students in different grades and departments.

“y/n, you’re getting pretty popular,” uraraka says, eyeing the stack of envelopes. “must be your dance performance from the culture festival! i remember you did get a lot of cheers in the crowd.”

“guess all those cheers came with a lot of fanboys, huh?” the invisible girl, hagakure, teases.

you jokingly nudge at them to stop with the teasing, but pause when your eyes cross todoroki’s. he’s giving you a look you can’t decipher—one that edges between troubled and apathetic yet you can’t tell which it is.

you send him a nod, silently acknowledging his presence as he waits for you to finish your business so you could head back to the dorms together.

watching you dispose of the various piles of letters has todoroki contemplating about what uraraka and hagakure commented on. about how popular you were getting and how your admirers have been bold enough to profess their reverence for you despite your relationship status.

todoroki’s not entirely sure what to make of this information. he doesn’t linger on it for long though when you finally approach him, your sneakers slipped on and your backpack securely hanging off your shoulders.

“ready to head home?”

a smile finds his lips at your appearance. he softly utters his response.

during the small distance to the dormitories, todoroki reaches for your hand and intertwines your fingers together. as seemingly minor the gesture is at this point of your relationship, it’s a detail you mentally take note of.

usually, when it came to publicly displaying physical forms of affection, you were the one to initiate it. you have to admit, seeing the assertive side of todoroki is like a small breath of fresh air.

as you continue your short journey home, a couple of male students walking by greet you enthusiastically. though you wave back to kindly acknowledge them, you feel the grip on your hand tighten, followed by a slight tug closer to todoroki’s side.

that alone is enough for you to realize something is definitely troubling him.

“sho, is there something wrong?” you ask, steps still walking in tandem with him.

todoroki’s voice doesn’t waver in the slightest as he replies, “no, why would you think that?”

“you’ve been awfully possessive all of a sudden,” you note, “is this because of those letters from earlier?”

“...maybe.”

you quirk a brow, amused. “is that a yes or a no?”

now todoroki is silent. your steps come to a halt. not parting your laced hands from his, you turn to look him in the eye.

“sho?”

“it’s just… when i realize that there are other people looking at you the same way i do, i get… uneasy.” his gaze drops to the ground as he confesses this, hand squeezing yours. the uncomfortable churning in his stomach settles a bit now that the words are out, but he finds it hard to ease the atmosphere.

this is where you picked up from where he left off. your hand goes to his cheek, gently cupping it so you can tilt his head up at you.

“oh shouto, you have to know that you’re the only one for me and i don’t plan on looking at anyone else but you,” you assure him. todoroki stares into your eyes, and in them, he can’t find any hesitance or flutter of doubt.

at this, he lifts your twined hands and grazes your knuckles ever so softly against his lips, wondering whatever troubled him so much to begin with.

[mlobsters]

taking the question in good faith, I will answer in good faith. saw people are being assholes in the reblogs about misha's appearance, which is bullshit, regardless of my feelings on him as a person.

appreciate the points above and will add some thoughts of my own. I went into the show knowing destiel was a huge and popular ship, but not knowing much else. I watched the show in a relative bubble over a year plus. I was already deeply invested in sam and dean's canonical relationship and the wincest ship side of things by the time castiel showed up. I had a friend that was waiting to hear my thoughts on him and it took me a long time to even have an opinion. and by the time I did, it tended toward negative. I liked when he was snarky and powerful but his characterization flip flopped all over the place episode to episode the longer he was on the show. as I was writing up my little recaps I would often boggle over how the show would talk about how dean and cas were best friends and so close, but I (and might be bold to say we the audience) never saw it. he just wasn't around much! supernatural, when it wants to make a point or a parallel, is not subtle about it. it will beat you over the head with their point. I guess the only thing they were hammering home to me was, we aren't gonna take the screen time to show it but these guys are tight, trust us! it was weird to me.

I wrote about my reaction to 15x18 here which was basically where flying fuck did that come from

the longer his character stuck around, the more it reminded me of derek on teen wolf. a fan favorite character that it felt like they didn't intend to have on the show for very long and didn't know what to do with. but the teen wolf run was much shorter and hoechlin left. and I also found some similarities in how popular the ship sterek was, they were similarly working with crumbs of canon. but I didn't see that fandom get weird about it the way certain factions of destiel fans did. maybe they did and just weren't as loud? or since I wasn't around when it was at its peak I didn't see it? but I never got the impression there was this full court press by some to convince people that the ship had roots in canon people were just missing.

I was really soured on supernatural fandom in general by how loudly anti-wincest a lot of people are, I used to go scrolling through the main tags and regularly bump into wincest dni on, you know, gifsets from the show. which is strange and also like okay, yeah. message received, I don't want to be feeling shitty and unwelcome just trying to look around. I understand it's a squick for some people, but I've never been around a fandom that was so loudly hostile to a ship unprovoked.

and equal opportunity souring, within non-destiel fans there's people that hate one of the brothers, making arguments how canonically abusive one of them is, etc. I think that's what a lot of it comes down to for me, headcanon being stated as canon fact. there's always wiggle room in interpretation but so many things are so far outside the show I watched, I just get all riled up which helps no one so I stay away from most show/character discussions at this point.

and if I wasn't already soured on destiel enough, some of things misha has said downright left me appalled. the "balls deep" homophobic cw bullshit comment, joking about jensen's "bdsm paraphernalia." I personally think if most anyone else on the cast talked like this at cons, they wouldn't be invited back. but I guess it's okay with everyone involved or whatever is going on there, so I just try to avoid misha related content in general.

it's a bummer that I'm missing out on destiel fic because there's so much of it, but I wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

I was rereading my sterek bookmarks recently (my personal favorite ship on teen wolf is scott/stiles but there's very little of it comparatively) and now that I'm out of the thick of my tw fixation period, I notice how out of character they often need to push to make the story work. and that's totally fine and cool, but the way my brain works, I'm much more interested and invested in the ship that I see reflected on screen. even while actively wanting and looking for the sterek potential in the show, there just wasn't much of it. that was the one thing that did surprise me, how little fans were working with. I love the creativity and the way they've made so much with so little.

so I'm sure I could have enjoyed destiel fic at one point in the same way I did sterek if I was never exposed to spn fandom outside of AO3.

these days I make stuff for fandoms and read fic, but otherwise don't really engage with other people's stuff. I follow a few spn people that I know I vibe with, but that's about it. I'm too literal minded in some ways and inflexible about certain things, it's just best I stay away from most stuff.

and I usually avoid engaging in this type of post too but guess I had some things that have been bubbling around my head for a while that I wanted to get out

Non Destiel Shippers, what stops you from shipping them?

What are the reasons you don't ship them? Im just curious, not looking for a fight.

[bleachbleachbleach]

do you have any thoughts on ukitake's bonsai?

It’s interesting because I consider Ukitake’s bonsai hobby to be one of the Facts that I know about him, and yet I don’t think all that much time is actually spent showing him doing it. As far as I can tell, there’s the comic in Colorful Bleach (and anime omake based off of it) and then this Bleach 4Koma, and that’s it?

[Colorful Bleach] [Episode 162]

I know it’s mostly played as an old man joke, but since Ukitake isn’t particularly good at bonsai, it made me wonder what he’s getting out of it and how long he’s been practicing.

According to the wikipedia entry, the purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation for the viewer, and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity for the grower. Bonsai practices have been in Japan for a long time, originating in the Tang Dynasty (6th century) in China. Interestingly though, the practice of bonsai didn’t become popular among the general public until the early 1800s (before then it was only done by specialists). Additionally, the term “bonsai” wasn’t really widely used until the end of the 1800s. Given these things, I feel like this might be a relatively “new” hobby for Ukitake? Which would explain why he’s not all that “good” at it.

So what makes a “good” bonsai in the first place? Many Japanese cultural characteristics, in particular the influence of Zen Buddhism and the expression of Wabi-sabi, inform the bonsai tradition in Japan. The main elements of bonsai are:

Miniaturization: By definition, a bonsai is a tree kept small enough to be container-grown while otherwise fostered to have a mature appearance.

Proportion among elements: The most prized proportions mimic those of a full-grown tree as closely as possible. Small trees with large leaves or needles are out of proportion and are avoided, as is a thin trunk with thick branches.

Asymmetry: Bonsai aesthetics discourage strict radial or bilateral symmetry in branch and root placement.

No trace of the artist: The designer's touch must not be apparent to the viewer. If a branch is removed in shaping the tree, the scar will be concealed. Likewise, wiring should be removed or at least concealed when the bonsai is shown, and must leave no permanent marks on the branch or bark.

Poignancy: Many of the formal rules of bonsai help the grower create a tree that expresses Wabi-sabi, or portrays an aspect of mono no aware.

I think Ukitake fails at “no trace of the artist” since LOL he tends to be rather liberal with his pruning. But I think his bonsai approach definitely expresses wabi-sabi, with a special emphasis on the transience and imperfection of his bonsai. I’m guessing he probably enjoys keeping bonsai but never gets very far with them, despite being long lived himself. In addition to having a poor eye, it probably doesn’t help that bonsai require extremely meticulous upkeep, and since he’s sick for long periods of time, his bonsai likely keep dying or losing their shape. Maybe the reason why he gets so overzealous with his pruning is because he doesn’t often have the energy to upkeep them. So he figures if he goes for a big cut (if infrequently), it means he won’t have to do little trims as often.

Knowing about Ukitake’s ongoing struggles with his bonsai, at some point someone brings him back a Lego bonsai set from the living world and he is extremely enamored with it, because he can shape it however he wants, it doesn’t require any watering or sunlight, and he can enjoy it in all seasons.

But wait… what's that aura????

"Ukitake-taichou, I feel… watched…"

Big thank you to @the-kings-tail-fin for being a very good sport!! The flowers are *frogs*--think about how cursed that is. A whole tree adorned with over a hundred pink frogs...

[mary34blog]

An actual meta about Yaldabaoth and Light Yagami (yes really)

You know people often compare Akechi to Light Yagami as a joke cause of their similar appearance and their whole “looks like a pleasant popular boy but is actually a murdery asshole”, but tbh Yaldabaoth has more in common with Light then Goro does. Lotta words and spoliers under the cut cause this one ran away from me holly hell

Both of them are supposedly well intentioned extremists who are doing bad for the greater good of humanity but have this sort off arrogant "I am most qualified to help these poor lost sheep and fix the world for them as their god" mindset that really makes them more villanious than anything

Also they both only have experience with the human suffering they seek to fix as outside observers of said suffering in a sense: Yaldy is a deity with little to no direct interaction with humanity apart from his chats with Joker as Fake Igor and he himself isn't even human. He perceives human suffering through the lense of a higher being looking down on the poor suffering mortals.

Light is a kid coming from a relatively privileged background: he comes from a regular family, and everything points towards them being pretty well off; he is on good terms with both of his parents whom both shown to be good people who care for their kids. Light hardly experienced hardship in his life but he definietly seen and is aware of the injustices of the world. He is an honor student who's well liked by his classmates and popular with the girls. His dad is a cop - and not just a regular cop but one in a respected and high position.

This results in the both of them being aware of the cruelty of the world and the need of someone to fix it but aproach it in a rather self-rightous way: They both think that they are the only ones qualified to save humanity from it’s own blight and lead them to a brighter future by becoming their God in this brave new world.

This is also why they are ultimately both wrong: They present themselves as humanity’s savoiurs, but they don’t have any legitimate desire to help people, they want power. They want control. Because they believe that they can be the only arbiters of right and wrong, because the dumb sheeple are clearly not qualified to think and act for themselves. I mean, just look where they are now! The filth of the world is running ranpant killing, maiming, stealing, while the poor helpless victims are crying out for someone to save them! And clearly I am the most qualified, nay, the only one who can do it! (Side note, this is also why I’m kinda iffy on the “when you get down to it, the PT and Yaldy are the same” hot takes cause like, if you arguing their methods maybe?? but also no??? The PT are doing what they doing percisely because they know from first hand experience what it’s like to be on the receiving end of the worlds injustice and want to hold the corrupt members of society accountable for their actions. It’s born from a sympathy for others, not from condescending benevolence. Like they are not infallible but c’mon. But that is a rant for another day.)