#the pain is there to tell a story and that story is about learning to love himself and as a result being able to be what he never thought he

[levandright]

WHAT THE HEART WANTS ★ K.SN & Y.JW | TEASER

synopsis. you love your best friend, kim sunoo. but scared of confessing and possibly losing your precious friendship, you'd rather let these feelings left unsaid and buried in your heart. so, what do you do if a popular underclassman confesses to you on valentine's day?

pairings : bsf! sunoo x f!reader, jungwon x f!reader ♦ content / warning(s) : unrequited love, yn is scared to confess, yn has a hard time choosing, fluff, jungwon is a sweetheart ♦ est word count : 4-6k ᐢ..ᐢ lev notes : hopefully i can post the first part in a week or two, this is based a lot from my experiences but happier(bcs of the poll) i estimate there will be 3 parts in total for this because of reasons i cannot spoil for now ^-^

of all the secrets you hold close, the feelings you have for sunoo are by far the heaviest. they live in the quiet spaces between you: in every smile he gives you, in every joke you share, in the warmth of every comforting hug, and in the countless secrets you’ve entrusted to each other. he knows so much about you, maybe even more than anyone else. but there’s one truth you’ve never told him, one that sits like a stone in your heart, heavier than all the others.

truth is, sunoo is more than just a friend. somewhere along the way, he became your safe place, your first call in moments of joy and the one person you seek in times of pain. he’s become the one person you feel you can tell anything to—anything, that is except how much he truly means to you. and no matter how many times you imagine confessing, a familiar fear always rises up, wrapping around you like creeping vines: what if he doesn’t feel the same? what if telling him shatters this beautiful, fragile bond you share?

so you make a decision. you decide not to tell him. instead, you resolve to stay silent, to hide your feelings and let them fade on their own, like colors slowly washing out in the sun. you tell yourself that it’s better this way, better to preserve the friendship you cherish than risk losing him altogether.

it’s harder than you imagined. every day with him feels like a test of your willpower, a delicate dance of pushing down what your heart keeps trying to whisper. you start training yourself to see him as just a friend, catching yourself whenever your thoughts drift too far. when he laughs at one of his own jokes, that contagious laugh lighting up his face, you remind yourself that he’s just sunoo, your best friend. when he smiles that bright, heart-stopping smile of his, you train yourself to look away, to ground yourself in the friendship you already have.

there are moments when the urge to reach out and just say everything rises up so suddenly it almost takes your breath away. but each time, you swallow it back, promising yourself that this silence is worth it, that keeping the friendship untouched by unspoken confessions is worth the cost of unexpressed love.

days turn into weeks, and then into months. slowly, it gets a little easier. you start focusing on other things—leaning into hobbies you’d neglected, spending more time with other friends, and setting new goals for yourself. the ache in your heart begins to dull, like a bruise fading with time. you find yourself thinking less about every text he sends, letting go of the habit of analyzing every word, every emoji. the butterflies that once took flight at the smallest hint of his affection start to quiet down, becoming memories of something you’re learning to let go of.

then one day, it happens. the two of you are sitting together, laughing over some ridiculous story he’s telling, and you realize with a sudden, quiet clarity that you’re no longer waiting for something to happen between you. the pang you used to feel when you looked at him—that longing for something more—feels almost absent, replaced by something softer, more comfortable. and just like that, you understand: maybe, just maybe, you’re finally moving on.

the realization fills you with a bittersweet sense of relief. there’s freedom in it, a lightness that settles over you as you realize you can finally be by his side as just a friend, without the constant weight of unspoken feelings pressing down on you. you’re proud of yourself, too. proud of the strength it took to let go of what could never be, to find peace in what you already have instead of yearning for something more.

as days pass, you find yourself enjoying this new stage in your friendship. without the burden of your secret feelings, every moment you spend together feels lighter, easier. you laugh freely, knowing there’s no longer an unspoken confession lurking in the back of your mind. the quiet ache that once colored every shared joke, every smile, is gone—or at least, you tell yourself it is.

and sunoo notices the change, too. one day, as you’re both walking home after a long day, he glances at you, a smile tugging at his lips.

“you seem… different lately,” he says, his voice soft but laced with curiosity.

you smile back, hoping he doesn’t notice the slight blush on your cheeks. “different? how?”

he tilts his head, squinting at you thoughtfully. “i don’t know. happier, i guess? like something’s changed.”

you laugh, brushing it off with a casual shrug. “maybe i just finally figured some things out.”

and it’s true. you feel lighter now, free from the weight of what-ifs and unspoken desires. for so long, you had convinced yourself that sunoo was the only one who could fill that place in your heart, that loving him was something you had no control over. but now, you understand that love doesn’t always need to be confessed, that sometimes, the strongest kind of love is the one that allows you to let go, to find happiness in simply being close.

yet, even as you convince yourself that you’ve moved on, there are quiet moments that betray you. sometimes, when he throws his arm around you casually, or when he looks at you in that way that’s both familiar and fond, you feel a faint flutter, like an old feeling waiting to resurface. it’s a quiet, buried warmth, something you’re not sure you’ll ever truly get rid of. but you keep it hidden, folded away in a place you don’t have to look at too often. you’ve buried it well, but it’s still there, waiting.

for now, you’re content to keep that love hidden, unspoken and safe. you tell yourself it’s okay. the soft warmth in your chest isn’t a burden anymore—it’s just a part of you, a gentle reminder of a love that didn’t have to be spoken to be real. you’re happy by his side, as his friend, sharing laughter and secrets and every small, precious moment in between.

so you continue on, content in the simple joys of being sunoo’s friend. and if that buried love still lingers in the quiet, unguarded moments, well, that’s something you’ve learned to live with. it’s enough, you tell yourself.

perm taglist.@honeybelleee @honeychocos @manaah02 @kozumesphone (open!)

requests. open!

©levandright

[red-room-studi0]

Silent Hill: Gone Turbo

HE IS HERE AND HE IS HERE TO SUFFER!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

I will now tell the tale of this silly little guy ✨

In this Au, Litwak’s arcade is located in Silent Hill.

This event happens after the road blasters incident and after the Arcade closes temorarily for a while. 

Turbo and the Twins never survived the Road Blasters incident. But the day the arcade closed, Turbo was reborn inside the arcade in human form. Turbo wakes up seeing the arcade empty and confused as to why he’s inside an empty arcade. The cabinet games were looked to have been shut down (in the real world the cames are still plugged in and still running). Turbo’s memory of his life and what he had done has been erased. He only remembers his own name the Twins, Glitching and the town he lives in. 

Turbo exits the Arcade and wanders the ghost town and takes time to get used to the environment and take time to think and all that stuff. Turbo eventually comes to the theory that the Twins are probably somewhere in the town and decides to go out and find them. In the typical Silent Hill fashion, He runs into monsters, people who are also looking for someone or something, people who want to kill him and all that stuff.

During Turbo’s journey he learns more about the town, The Order, the fire incident and just about anything there is to know about the town. 

The twins ARE present. But the’re only visibly seen by Turbo and are not there for him for any good intentions. The twins exist in the Town as demonic spirits to Turbo to torment Turbo, ofc Turbo doesn’t remember what he has done until later and would live the rest of his human life in guilt and regret after defeating the twins. 

Turbo would finally understand why he was reborn in the town. The monster infested town is his Hell. And he has to forever live in it until he finally accepts what he has done and forgives himself for it and promises himself and the arcade to be a better person. 

There are Four endings you can choose from bassed on how you would like the ending to be.

Turbo moves on and forgives himself and decides to be a better person and forgive himself on what he has done. Turbo in this ending decides to find Litwack and help him through harsh times becoming his close friend and help him run the Arcade.

Turbo never forgives himself and forever blames himself for what he has done to hurt his twin friends that he was close too like they were his siblings (Turbo and the Twins are not related) and other people (even before the Road Blasters incident). He decides to forever force and drown himself in his sorrows, guilt and pain. forever live in the alternate nightmare of the town that is his Hell. Forever.

The UFO ending (if you’re a Silent Hill fan then you know lol-)

The Dog ending (again if ur a Silent Hill fan, you know)

Side Story: This is mostly about Litwack and as to why the Arcade has Temporarily closed.

Mr. Litwak’s wife had fallen severely ill to an unknown disease after Road Blasters and Turbo Time got unplugged. A week later Litwaks wife succumbs to the illness. Litwak becomes severely depressed and temprorarily closes the Arcade so he can get well and make funeral arrangements. Litwak never had another employee or assistant to help him continue run the Arcade during harsh times.

FUN FACTS: As a way for Turbo to save his progress, he uses an Nintendo NES console to save. He uses an unknown NES cartridge to put in the console and save. Throught the process of Turbo’s journey, the image on the cartridge slowly appears and becomes visible. Once fully visible the game title and image reveals to be “Turbo Time”. Which unlocks another memory for Turbo.

Another fun fact, at a point through Turbo’s journey he comes across two red cars that appeared to have collided into eachother. One is fully red and the other is red with a familiar white stripe. The white striped car seems to be the one that has caused the crash and looks to have “T boned” into the other car. The person in the car appears to be dead and looks to be veary familliar to a racer dressed in all white. The face though is completely unrecognizable as the face has been completely crushed and disfigured. A gold medal sits next to the dead body and is ised to unlock a door (yay know like your typical horror game puzzle/key fashion). This unlocks another vague memory, but Turbo didn’t know that the dead body was supposed to represent him after the incident. 

Another fun fact: Turbo’s last name “Torrenz” was a last name he had given himself from a poster when he was talking to a cop.

ANYWAY thx for reading! This was actually sm fun to makkkeeeee hehehehehehe 💖💖💖

[howlsofbloodhounds]

Imagine if killer ever took the other's "blame" and put it on himself to protect them from nightmare, cuz he knew how he was, how to deal with him, being like a martyr to not let the others get such a "punishment" like he probably will, but never received the same opportunity from the others

Idk just a little dream I had and got interrupted

Yeah, I can already see Killer doing that. And not in the, “secretly cares” “wants to shield them from pain” way exactly—although I can see that in an au where the gang managed to gain access to and gain the care and trust of Stage 1 Killer—which in unlikely to happen in a more canon adjacent bad sanses au.

Still, even if he doesn’t actually care about any of the gang and wouldn’t at all be affected by their deaths or loses, he’d still be rather self sacrificing—from a more logical stand point, if it serves a use. Because that’s what he and the body is: something to be made use of.

He won’t shield them from their own mistakes or their consequences, at most he may offer to dish the punishment out himself instead of letting Nightmare do it. (Mostly if he’s grown attached, but if he hasn’t, either because Nightmare has him do it or he offers because he’s either 1. bored, or 2. thinks he made a particularly bad mistake in teaching the others.)

I can definitely see Killer taking the blame for any of the first mistakes any of the gang makes—because as Nightmare’s right hand, they’re his responsibilities. If they fuck up, it’s because he fucked up on teaching them—and so, if Nightmare allows it, he’ll take the responsibility.

He will never do it a second time for the same mistake, i don’t believe. Because if they don’t learn after the first time, then they deserve what they get—and clearly they need to be taught some other way. Nightmare decides the consequences, and Killer doesn’t care enough to try to prevent it is what he tells himself. (Rather than the reality that he can’t prevent it.)

As a mentioned, vastly different story if he managed to form some type of attachment to one or all the gang—the self sacrifice would go hard. But it’d still be from a logical, matter of fact, but rather dehumanizing perspective of himself.

He can handle the pain, he likes the pain, he knows Nightmare and they don’t, he’s a tool, he was made for this, etc, etc. any justification besides the possibility of having emotions, and having had enough to grown attached. anything besides the possibility of having grown weak.

still i don’t think growing attached would be enough to motivate him to do more than nightmare allows. if nightmare is insistent that they take the punishment and not killer, and that nightmare gives the punishment instead of killer, killer would probably shift gears on ensuring they know what to expect and how to handle the boss. as opposed to say, shrugging his shoulders and walking away without caring about whatever could possibly be happening to them, beside perhaps pulling out some medkit to handle and take care of the aftermath.

now though, regardless of if killer has formed attachments or not, if nightmare allows killer to give the punishment, I don’t think he’d hold back on them at all.

Just enough not to kill and render useless at least. it’s his responsibility that they learn their lesson. he’s making them stronger and smarter, and ensuring they have less of a chance of ending up back here again or disposed of.

[datshitrandom]

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Review: For Robots, Is It Love or Just a Hookup? by Jesse Green

"The same applies to the acting, which is daring enough to tell the robot story yet not so extreme as to obscure the human one. Criss, who has sometimes seemed stiff onstage, is especially fine here, delivering a startlingly gestural performance, all tics and glitches, that never obscures the true feeling within. The trap of twee is thus thoroughly avoided. And Shen, making a confident Broadway debut, similarly backfills Claire’s facade of wit and smart-girl impatience with the surprise and pain of newfound affection. Though she also sings, as Criss does, divinely, their singing is never an end in itself; it is how we feel that their story is ours. And when their duets become trios with Duron’s Gil Brentley, we understand just how powerful popular music can be: It has given these robots hearts." [..] "A good question for robots and, as posed by this astonishing musical, maybe the most deeply human one of all."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Review: Broadway’s Deeply Moving Robot Musical, Starring Darren Criss, Teaches Us How to Be Human by Christian Lewis

"Both Criss and Shen give excellent, very different performances. As an older model, Criss is purposefully more robotic: angled arms, stiff neck, straight spine, minimal facial expressions. His commitment to the physicality is remarkable and impressive — you might only fully appreciate it during curtain call, when he walks and emotes normally. He is the stronger singer of the pair, but his roboticness, though true to character, can make him slightly harder to connect to. (His silent-film star makeup, by Suki Tsujimoto, is also distracting.) Shen, on the other hand, feels practically human, and there’s more pathos to her pained performance, especially in her awareness of her own impending mortality." [...] “Maybe Happy Ending” is an undeniably moving, well-made, adorable musical, and it is a pleasant surprise to see an audience weep at a show about two robots in love. The musical makes the bold claim that maybe we are not that different from robots after all, or that they are not that different from us. Just as robots have much to learn from humans, we in turn can learn from them, especially how to care for each other and for ourselves. It’s crucial to know when you need to charge your battery, but likewise it’s important to be willing to share that charger with someone in need."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Broadway Review: Darren Criss And Helen J Shen Delight As Lovestruck Androids Dreaming Of Electric Cheek by Greg Evans

"It takes a special type of theatrical talent, one loaded with heart and wit and insight, to imbue something that looks like an Apple MagSafe iPhone Charger with more romantic appeal than a decade’s worth of Valentines Day chocolates, but that’s just what the creators and performers of the delightful musical Maybe Happy Ending have achieved." [...] "Featuring marvelous performances from Darren Criss and Helen J Shen as two obsolete “helperbots” retired to rooms in a sort of well-appointed robot hospice center – think those all-the-rage tiny houses as if designed by Pee-wee Herman – Maybe Happy Ending is set outside Seoul at some point later in this century. It’s a world that seems distant enough to quality for sci-fi, but familiar enough to look like that eye-candy Mid Century Modern furniture catalogue you got in the mail last week."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Broadway Review: Definitely a Big Hit Starring Darren Criss by Robert Hofler

"Oliver is an older model, so Criss delivers a lot of robotic mannerisms — there’s a distinct jerkiness to his gestures and gait, his speech sometimes emphasizes the wrong syllable. All and all, Oliver is a remarkable achievement and brings to mind Haley Joel Osment’s David in Stephen Spielberg’s “A.I.,” if that boy robot had ever been able to grow up." [...] "More than delivering big, Arden knows how and when to hold back to make the audience a participant. His direction never fails to activate the imagination."

Review: ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Is the Best New Musical on Broadway by Tim Teeman 

"The show begins with Claire requiring a battery recharge, so knocks on the door of neighboring retired robot Oliver. He takes so long opening the door when he does so it is to her frozen, temporarily without-power figure. A nervy, very particular robot himself (whose most intimate relationship is with his houseplant HwaBoon), Oliver doesn’t know what to do. Criss plays him with the coiffed handsomeness of a K-pop star and the stiff gait and easily-rattled manner of C-3PO (he has the added skill of really knowing how to decorate a small studio space)." [...] "Criss erupts with puppyish excitement and panicked worry, while Shen gives Claire a defiant edge that co-exists with a resigned fatalism." [...] "In the end, you are not only rooting for Claire and Oliver, but also for them recognizing the intricately weird routes we take to figure out what and who we love, and what and how we feel as we do so. For a musical about robots, Maybe Happy Ending is a very human show about not just the value of connection, but also the life-saving, heart-expanding importance of us recognizing that value."

Maybe Happy Ending: Beguiling Musical Charmer from Korea by Michael Sommers

"The performances of Darren Criss as the chipper Oliver and Helen J Shen as the clear-eyed Claire are not so utterly adorable as to be cloying, but they are pretty adorable anyway. Dressed by designer Clint Ramos in cute boy-bot duds, Criss’ slightly androgynous looks suit Oliver’s character, whose movement reveals subtly robotic gestures. Making an auspicious Broadway debut, Shen gives her sensible Claire a warm voice and presence. Another newcomer, Dez Duron looks sharp and sounds dreamy as the big band singer. Marcus Choi, Arden Cho, Jim Kaplan and Young Mazino ably depict various people throughout the story." [...] "Lately there’s been audience complaint – if chat boards can be believed – how some recent Broadway musicals blast out hellishly loud, banging music. Maybe Happy Ending is surely the balm for any such feelings, since its sometimes jazz-inflected score is orchestrated gently for mostly strings, keyboard and woodwinds with exceptional grace by the composer."

Darren Criss in a robot rom-com that will fly you to the moon by Naveen Kumar

"Their single-occupancy apartments are the vision of urban loneliness. Flashbacks to the cozy but bleak self-sufficiency of solo pandemic-era isolationare inevitable for some of us when Darren Criss, who plays a model No. 3 named Oliver, sings an ode to the world within his room. (I’m not saying I also sang to my favorite plant, but I’m not saying I didn’t.) Part toy box and part hypermodern studio, Oliver’s is a space for maintenance and introspection. Claire, a more-advanced model No. 5 played by Helen J. Shen, comes knocking because her charger is busted and she needs some juice. (Newer models have advantages, but Oliver is quick to point out sacrifices in durability.) Oliver, who inherited his owner’s appreciation for Duke Ellington and Bill Evans, moves like a graceful marionette; Claire carries herself like a regular girl next door. There’s an offbeat ease to their chemistry, and Criss and Shen are both lovely singers with an unshowy confidence that’s become all-too rare." [...] "The Broadway debut benefits from the swells of self-reflection many of us have waded through in the meantime — about what makes us who we are, why we want to be with each other and how long any of this is really going to last. Whether anyone’s ending turns out happily or not, at least we have the choice to be together."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ review: Darren Criss shines in one of the best musicals in years by Patrick Ryan

"[...] Criss, on Broadway for a fourth time, is delightful as the eager-to-please Oliver, whose sunny outlook gets clouded by the sobering realities of life. Portraying a fish out of water, one could easily overdo the robot’s wide-eyed wonderment and stiff, mechanical movements. But the “Glee” star is smartly subtle, deftly landing many of the show’s funniest punchlines and sight gags. (In a clever bit of stage magic, Oliver briefly short-circuits and smokes up after nervously downing a cocktail.) " [...] “Maybe Happy Ending” is undoubtedly the most original musical to grace Broadway since 2022’s “Kimberly Akimbo,” another small story with big ideas and even bigger emotions. With gentle humor and pathos, Park and Aronson manage to tap into the most human of questions: Is it still worthwhile to love, knowing that pain and loss are inevitable? "It’s the kind of show that’s hardwired to make you cry. But judging by the resounding sniffles from our audience, there’s nothing artificial about this rare, tender gift of a musical."

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING: A Visionary Ode to Emotion — Review by Juan A. Ramirez

"The story concerns Oliver (Darren Criss) and Claire (Helen J Shen), two “helper-bots” residing in a sort of purgatorial dorm for obsolete technology in near-future Seoul. Oliver is all bright smiles, perfectly gelled hair, and a ‘50s sense of politeness, which gives Criss a chance to play into his own squeaky-clean persona, and wring humanity out of a Kabuki-level performance of surface sheen. (Clint Ramos did costumes; Craig Franklin Miller hair; Suki Tsujimoto makeup.) He’s spent the past decade or so mindlessly amassing stuff he gets delivered, poring over the Jazz Monthly subscription his owner left him, and hoping he’ll one day return for him. " [...] "[...] One becomes aware, throughout its lush 100 minutes, of what a humbly groundbreaking experience is unfolding onstage. This is a very special show; a tender, visionary ode to the space we’re able to create and hold for feeling, and the hope that it may continue."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Review: Robot Love by Dan Rubins

"[...] Arden deploys a series of theatrical gestures too breathtaking to spoil here. It’s stagecraft that illuminates the musical’s messages about the value of looking up and outward from our devices while simultaneously pointing towards theater’s unique ability to transcend technological bells and whistles in the service of a more natural, unadorned beauty. Criss and Shen, too, turn the slightest of touches into electric connection. Criss, expert at gluing a not-quite-human grin to his face and circling Oliver’s apartment with mechanical grace, lets his rigid, aloof character gradually thaw out. He inherits a century-spanning tradition of musical theater characters, from Marian Paroo to Henry Higgins, slowly shedding their tough exteriors, unleashing a bottled-up potential for passion, though Oliver just happens to be a literal robot. Shen, charmingly kooky off-Broadway in Teeth and The Lonely Few earlier this year, makes an explosive Broadway debut as Claire: Only 24, she has a preternatural gift for marrying the tender and the deadpan. Both do Aronson’s music, which he orchestrates himself with a richness that deliberately belies the HelperBots’s artificialness, full justice." [...] "[...] But a musical made as well as Maybe Happy Ending deserves to be with us for some time to come."

Maybe Happy Ending review: Darren Criss is effortlessly charming in a visually dazzling romance between robots by Shania Russell 

"Shen and Criss share an easy chemistry as Claire and Oliver, a mismatched pair who delight with their charming interactions. As the older model, Oliver is the more robotic of the two, an amusing distinction for which Criss nails the physical comedy. Oliver is gleefully stilted where Claire is natural and relaxed. Together they are playful, his sass matching her snark, his optimism complementing her jaded outlook. Despite the perpetual pep in his step, it's Oliver whose path forward seems unclear, as Claire embraces the potential offered by the time that remains to her. From that push and pull emerges a constant, endearing tension." [...] "Despite Oliver’s earnest nature — familiar territory for the Glee alum — Criss is not the one stealing the show. Charming as Oliver’s pronounced quirks are, his interiority feels as though its held at arms length — especially when compared to Claire, whose fraught emotionality pulls focus courtesy of Shen’s moving performance. Oliver may have his optimism challenged and his nerves tested, but he remains much the same, clinging to life’s simple joys. Alas, charm goes a long way. Criss is often his most compelling when given a character with edge (his stint as the titular East German rocker in Hedwig and the Angry Inch or his Emmy-winning turn in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story) but here he is charming, spirited and wonderfully funny." [...] "[...] There’s nothing robotic about this production: it wears its heart on its sleeve and on charm alone, succeeds"

Review: Maybe Happy Ending With Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, a Balm for Trying Times by David Gordon

"From his stiffly humorous movement (choreographed by Moni Yakim) to the unblinking sincerity in his delivery, Criss is immensely impressive as he captures the discreetly emotional essence of this outdated bot. His tightly coiffed hair (styled by Craig Franklin Miller) and shellacked makeup (Suki Tsujimoto) go a long way in helping him bring us to an uncanny valley that’s legitimately freaky. Shen is effortlessly charming, infusing Claire with a shy humor that makes her utterly lovable. Together, they share such easy chemistry that you find yourself rooting for these two lonely robots to be together forever." [...] "Despite its flaws, Maybe Happy Ending exudes an undeniable charm and warmth, which sets it apart from many other new Broadway musicals these days that go for bombast over emotion. Refreshingly original, this story about two robots who, for a brief moment, meet each other halfway, becomes a poignant celebration of finding connections in an ephemeral world. It’s a comforting reminder that love and friendship, however temporary, make the journey worthwhile."

Maybe Happy Ending. These are the robots you're looking for by Adam Feldman

"In a Broadway landscape dominated by loud adaptations of pre-existing IP, Maybe Happy Ending stands out for both its intimacy and its originality. Arden and his actors approach the material with a delicate touch; they trust the romantic comedy to be charming, which it is, and let the wistfulness emerge naturally. In the faint artificiality of both his movement and his appearance–pale face, neat dark hair, red lips, high-waisted pants—Criss’s Oliver endearingly evokes the silent-film clown Buster Keaton. (He also sometimes suggests a neurodivergent adult.) Shen’s more naturalistic Claire—she’s a Helperbot Five; he’s just a Helpbot Three—has a winsome, Eponine-y combination of pluck, resignation and piercing pop-vocal emotion." [...] "Can a show as strange and special as Maybe Happy Ending find a place for itself on Broadway today? I like to think that maybe it can. But as the show reminds us, everything is ephemeral: “We have a shelf life, you know that,” says Claire. “It’s the way that it has to be.” The fact that this show is casting its firefly glow on Broadway at all feels like a gift. In its gentle robot way, it helps us see ourselves through freshly brushed eyes."

Maybe Happy Ending review: heart-grabbing robot Broadway musical by Adrian Horton

"This refreshingly original musical, first staged in Seoul in 2016 and directed here by Michael Arden (most recently of Broadway’s excellent Parade revival), makes swift work of time and space; sheer layers of digital displays (video design by George Reeve), impressively constructed modular sets (scenic design and additional video design by Dane Laffrey) and Criss’s rote movements succinctly illustrate the patter and (robot) heartbreak of Oliver’s daily routine over 12 years in the Helperbot Yards, waiting for an owner who never comes back." [...] "[...] Criss’s at first overtly physical performance – the startled, staccato movements and jerkiness of a machine – settles along with Clarie’s scorn into beloved familiarity over the course of the show’s 1 hour and 45 minutes. Both robots struggle with their obsolescence and hard drive memories of past humans, and the strange tale kicks into gear once they hit the road as reluctant buddies in a quest for answers." [...] "Which may hit one’s hardened soul – it did mine, a bit – while still pulling some punches. You will likely leave without a song stuck in your head, but with a lump in your throat nonetheless."

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ review: Romantic robot musical is glorious on Broadway — really by Johnny Oleksinski

"The sublime start of “Maybe Happy Ending” is the closest I have ever come to experiencing a Pixar movie on Broadway. Oliver, a lonely robot played by Darren Criss, goes through his usual daily routine — over and over and over again." [...] "This big swing of a musical wouldn’t work without the perfectly tuned performances of Criss and Shen. These roles could easily be twee and irksome — they are anything but. Criss’ Oliver is a smiley mix of J. Pierpont Finch from “How To Succeed” and Pee-Wee Herman with a bit of earnest boy next door. He’s a bucket of bolts with a heart of gold."

When Robots Meet Cute: Maybe Happy Ending by Sara Holdren

"Park and Aronson get a lot of mileage out of the pair trading barbs over their different model types — one of the most genuinely funny bits involves Claire recalling a function by which the Helperbot 3 must respond with “You’re welcome” any time someone says “Thank you” — and it’s all very Threes Are From Mars and Fives Are From Venus. It’s a little easy, but the show’s not trying to be hard, and Shen and Criss are the ones who make it work. Shen especially is a delight to watch, with an open, emotive face full of quicksilver expressions and a tartness that can turn explosive when she needs it to. “You just said it was my turn!” she roars at one point during a shared song in which Oliver keeps blithely noodling over her. It is — another requisite of the genre — #relatable." [...] “Why, love?” croons Gil Brentley from Oliver’s record player. “Why did we bother to try love? … When all things end in good-bye, love, / Why did we dream that this fate would not be ours?” If you find yourself cruising the streamers at night, sipping chamomile tea and searching for Sliding Doors and Sweet November and French Kiss, then Maybe Happy Ending is waiting for you."

[melskytodstar]

Play Shadow Generations!

I know I’ve said some things about this game already, but I wanted to leave a “review” for the game anyway. So let’s get started!

First off, the story. Major props to Ian Flynn (the man who inspired me to write fan comics), cause like with Sonic Frontiers, he nailed it! While it is short, it had to be in order to coincide with Sonic Generations, so I’m not surprised or upset about that. Despite that, the amount of lore and answered questions that’s thrown into this game is incredible, and it’s good to see that Shadow is allowed to be written in the way that most fans want again. Even with the game focused around Shadow, there’s still plenty of tongue and cheek to be had, which I appreciated.

Visually, it’s probably the best looking Sonic game to date. Officially, at least. All of the familiar locales given an upgraded look was appreciated, and the characters…I could go on, but the two I want to focus on are Gerald & Maria. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but Gerald looks like Jim Carrey to me! And Maria… she has never looked better (or sounded, but we’ll get to that)… her model in this game even puts her CG model in Shadow The Hedgehog to shame!

Sound -or more specifically, music- is very important in a Sonic game, and Shadow Generations is no exception. Granted, there were a couple tunes that weren’t grabbing me (dubstep’s not my thing), but the rest of the remixes were great. I did notice that most of the music in the cutscenes was taken straight from Shadow & Adventure 2, but do you see me complaining?

The voice acting was top notch, too. I won’t be talking about most of the cast due to spoilers. While Kirk Thornton is not my favourite Shadow, you can tell that he really gave it his all for this game, and he did a really good job. I was so relieved to learn that Mike Pollock was back as Gerald, but it was certainly interesting to hear him providing a calmer take on the brilliant scientist that he last voiced almost 20 years ago. And Stephanie Sheh as Maria… literally the best English VA the girl has ever had. I appreciated how you can hear Maria being affected by her condition in her voice. That’s some good attention to detail. And I’ll be honest, there’s at least one scene Maria has with Shadow that made me emotional, purely because of Stephanie’s delivery of a particular line or two.

Finally, the gameplay. It honestly felt like a mix of Sonic Generations and Sonic Frontiers to me. And I mean that in a good way. I won’t say anything about the Doom Powers (again, trying to avoid spoilers), but being able to throw Chaos Spears freely is appreciated, and I love how Chaos Control in-game actually looks and feels like it does in cutscenes and comics. The boss fights are pretty cool too, with one in particular being very interesting (more because of the dialogue), but the final boss can be a pain if you’re not ready for it…

My entire experience with Shadow Generations comes from the PS5 version. Mel has it on the Switch, but I’m gonna wait until she’s done with it before I try it for myself. As for Sonic’s side of Generations, not much has changed from the original release, but I appreciate what has been changed. All I ask of @sonicthehedgehog is to keep Rings from draining so fast when playing as Super Sonic. Literally my only problem with Sonic Generations, at this point.

In closing, I absolutely love Shadow Generations, and I’m feeling good about the future of both the Blue Blur and the Ultimate Lifeform. I highly recommend any Sonic fan check this game out, especially when the third Sonic movie is just over a month away! - Todd

[theteasnake]

I've been getting Mouthwashing brainrot lately, and because of that, I must throw my two cents out into the wind.

It's gonna be mainly about Curly. Because, yeah.

I've been seeing a few people saying that Curly is just as bad as Jumanji, or they're equals in the terms of bad, or they're both the villain of the story. And I don't think that's true.

I'm not going to tell you not to hate Curly, I feel like that's very valid, but you just can't say him and Jambalaya are one and the same.

Yes, Curly didn't do anything about Joe's aggression and assaults on Anya, but he was put into a position of picking between two people he cares about. Two friends and he tried to keep them both.

I've been put into similar situations (obviously I wouldn't side with a r@pist), and I'm sure a good majority of people have been, too. Two people you care about suddenly have an aggressive relationship with each other, and you're forced to pick sides. You just don't want to and instead try to create peace between the two.

Jingle also was very toxic towards Curly. Although it wasn't shown much on screen, it's very obvious that Curly is trying to cling to the positive side of January. He's not the "he wouldn't do that" type of guy, he acknowledges what Josh has done, but it doesn't damage the good image he has of Junk.

I've been in that position too, a lot of abuse victims have. Making up excuses for their abuser's behavior, saying "It was just a bad day", "he's trying to get better", "he said this will be the last time", "We don't know what's going on inside his head", and "he's not always like this".

I also believe Anya and Curly were pretty close before everything that happened, or at least she thought they were close. Curly was the first person she went to, despite knowing him and Jerry were, basically, best friends. She could've went to Daisuke and Swansea, they obviously would've done something, especially Daisuke. But she went to Curly. Could it have been he was the captain and was in charge of everything? Maybe. But after I was saed, I didn't go to my parents or the police, or any authority figure. I went to the people I trusted most, the people I was close to.

I've been in both Anya's and Curly's shoes, and I sympathize with both.

I don't even think Curly could have done anything with Jum, not at least without triggering Joe or getting in trouble with the company/authorities.

I also think Curly learned his lesson and regrets what happens after his 'best' friend ends up turning on him. Because Jimmy can't do anything to Anya without the others catching on, with how Curly's cries echoes throughout the ship, all Anya has to do is make loud noises to alert others. Even if Anya is drugged, where would Jimmy even do it? Medbay is the only place secluded from the others, but Curly could just cry to get others to come in and wouldn't it be suspicious if the doors are locked and Anya and Jimmy are just... gone? They would've put two and two together. But Curly? They would just think he's crying for meds. And, we'll, Jimmy is in there, he'll give it to him. Oh? There's thumping coming from Medbay? Must be Curly thrashing out in pain, because Jimmy would never hurt his friend.

[micurian]

Namu was peacefully quiet, watching between Solaris and the little one in his arms, curious and concerned, worried but eager to know more. To this very day, he was learning more and more about the world around him, about the creatures that lived within it. The forest was him, and relied on him, and he was the forest, and he relied on the forest, but each and every day came with new things, new people, new challenges and beautiful moments and everything in between. So taking such a surprise in his stride was, once again, oddly easy.

It also maybe had something to do with the fact he wasn't actually sure what a Caivnir was. He thought he might've heard the story in passing when he was a young guardian, not quite old enough to stand on his own in his forest just yet, but it had been just that - a story. A myth, at most. And so...

"A Caivnir?" He asked, eyes once again drifting between Solaris, and the boy sleeping against him. Now that he thought about it, the odd little creature did feel different. Like he was something special, something new. He just hadn't had a name to put on it.

"The forest it... when things go wrong, I feel pain. If a tree is damaged, or the rains are too heavy and the flowers drown, or the winds too strong and branches fall, I feel its pain. If a creature is harmed here, I feel it too. Like a deep ache in my chest that I can't rid of until it is ready to be rid. But this I... It was like nothing I'd ever felt. It was like an odd sense of... of despair, maybe? Of loss. Of grief. The forest has never quite felt like that. Because it was angry, too. It was angry with it's grief. But it was different, too. The energy around him, around the area, it was so different from anything I've ever felt. But what... Whatever a Caivnir is, whatever this little one can do or means to the forest, it was not happy with the pain inflicted upon him. That alone tells me he was worth saving regardless of what he is, and that justice must be served, the forest and it's creatures protected."

"That being said..." he cleared his throat, "If you happen to have any... more information about what a Caivnir is, or... well, what this little fox is and how I can help him, I would be forever grateful."

The more and more time passed, the more words and whispers Solaris took in, the tighter his brows knit. It was a twisting mix of concern, confusion, and a little twinge of anger. Not at Namu, certainly not at the young one who hummed softly and curled closer at his touch... But the fae that'd put such an obviously gentle soul through so much. His jaw set for a moment, a.. tick of sorts that he'd picked up as a child to keep frustrated words from spilling out and causing more harm than good [usually for himself, back then]..

A soft sigh followed as Solaris carefully came closer, crouching beside the younger being. Eyes scanned over the red silk of his garb, and the delicated, intricate markings on his skin. His head tilted, glimmering green hues watching those tender blades of grass, taking in the soft sleeping breaths and how they were .... almost perfectly in time with the very rhythm of the forest. Thoughts went back however many hours ago, to when he was first alerted to everything.

"The forest... in any realm" He began softly, still studying the younger before his gaze rose to his friend. "When something goes sideways, it.. calls to me. I'm sure it does similar things for you as well... But today it.." Brows knit for a moment, eyes glimmering, head giving a small shake as he looked back to the younger, to that tail...

"It.. cried out.. to me for help. In angiush.. in fear. I can hardly remember the last time I heard something like that, let alone across realms. He means a great deal to the forests, and was apparently..." He paused, stomach twisting at the word, "... valuable enough to those fae to break loads of rules, throwing so much at him to try and kill him.. Its..."

There was another pause, chains jingling just once more as his head cocked to the side.One more pause as a single blink caused the sage to still.. And when the moment passed? A chuckle puffed from his lips as he nodded, looking back to Namu.

"God. Leave it to you to happen across a whole-ass Caivnir. In the fae realm of all places"

[deoidesign]

Happy EDS awareness month!

I'm a webcomic artist with EDS. be aware.

EDS affects many parts of my life. I have chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and I need to use a cane! I often find myself ruminating on themes of chronic illness in my work, whether or not I am intending to include them.

I already can't paint anymore, it hurts my hands too much... Anything that requires small details or precise motions will hurt me for days. I have a lot of grief around it. But working digitally allows me to still create!

I animate, I illustrate, I get to tell my stories. I have to go slow, take huge breaks (often against my will) and recover slowly. But, working in this space allows me the grace to do this.

So, I just wanted to share a bit of my experience with my audience, and say thank you for reading my work and supporting me! It means the world to me, and I hope maybe someone in my audience feels a little more seen through me sharing this. It causes me pain, but I love myself; and that includes my disability.

[szappan]

university.. university leave me alone

[lavellane]

i was so set on replaying veilguard for the davrinmance but oh my god im SO attached to my agent-of-fenharel hardingmancer rn i actually think the choice is out of my hands lol

[pyrriax]

ANYWHO goodnight tumblr i'll be back on the art grind tomorrow i think 🙏

[wibble-wobbegong]

i beg of thee to remember while mike’s story is tragic it isn’t a tragedy and that he is meant to learn to love himself and come out victorious. we will see his pain and we will watch him come out of it alive and stronger than when he went in and he will make choices that prevent his own tragedy because he loves his friends and vice versa. there are beautiful beautiful things about mike’s story outside of byler and a lot of it is learning to love and accept himself and break free of that internal prison demanding he be what everybody else expects or wants or needs and there is beauty in his friendships and how they have grown with him. mike’s story is not a tragedy but one of beauty

[just-a-little-unionoid]

Okay but I just saw a post that reminded me of a fic I read once, that was about a character who did really awful things in the canon and had to deal with the consequences of it, after they decided that it wasn't such a great idea to do those things actually

And like, something I think I didn't really consciously realized so far, I mean I did know it because it's explicit in the fic but I didn't though about what it means extradiegetically, is that the character really don't feel any remorse about what they did?

Like sure they don't want to do it again, and they want to try to repair what they've done the best they can, but they don't feel guilt, they don't care about the people they killed and they're very open about it

And I mean that's a pretty big part of the fic, how they do not feel guilt, how everyone try to make them look like a monster for it, and how us readers know that they're all wrong

So sure I knew it was about it, of course, but I don't think I really got the fact that it was just... a character with low empathy? Sort of I think?

Really this fic keep being a win for neurodivergent rep I love it so much

[carefulfears]

Thinking about the fact baby no2 probably started to ask questions at some point about Samantha upon seeing pictures of her in the house 🙂🔫

i wonder if jackson feels connected to samantha the way he is to mulder and scully

[hauntingblue]

Ennies Lobby 3.0. yes that's happening I have too much to yap about

Omg look at these freaks

Franky is so real.... look at him....

Omg 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 I have teared up so many times just bc luffy smiles with meaning at some point. insane btw.

MY GOOOOOOOD!!!!!! AAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHH

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

The neutrality of it all....

I forgor about aokiji revealing that he was friends with Saul and that he was protecting her because of it... the "live life and prove to me that ohara is still alive"... damn reminds me of garp saying to ace that he would find out if it was wrong for him to be born. "I don't know if it was right or wrong for saul to let you live" yeah that's it. But anyways all this happened because aokiji was loyal to his friend and now we know that he didn't even kill him!! So why is he with blackbeard?? I can't shake it!!!

I can't do it.... I can't.....

Luffy and franky talking about how mich they like the ship while he's chasing his speedos bottomless through the city 😭😭 it's so sweet actually... Franky only has one pair of speedos... thats why he ran thru the city to get them I get it now

"If you don't mind being a little rough I'm wiling to help" robin you freaky girl. But truly that is one of many robin and luffy's autistic communication moments they just know. Also if robin stopped crushing his balls but everyone could see the hands being there that means that she was just holding them for a while while he wept. Normal things here.

Franky blaming himself all this time... 🥺🥺

And he just takes his trunks and walks to the ship without putting them on akdjaosnso alpha moment while saying a melancholic goodbye to your family... crazy

What.... what is he doing

Luffy's fake ass laughing and saying how usopp will do great on his own.... I am seeing you cold sweat

This shit has always been so funny to me.... luffy definitely suffers from nepotism

Usopp asking if they don't know he's sniper king skdbjs no, they (luffy) don't know akdjaons

Look at these wet little beasts omg. Matching icons akdhaksjks

DADAN MENTION????? IN THE ACE VS BLACKBEARD CHAPTER????? AAAAAAAAHHHHH

Face card and pose unmatched as of yet. Look at the evidence.

I am killing myself now. Goodbye.

But I'm already dead!! Yohohoho... Anyways water seven and enies lobby is done.... I am scared (thriller bark) of what is coming you have no idea. Also!! Luffy nearly dying after hia battle with lucci starts the domino effect of luffy being barely strong enough to save everyone until it climaxes in sabaody and then culminates in marineford which is crazy to me btw. Luffy's evolution until then is about how no matter how strong he is it would never be enough. Insane. I don't know what else to say. I love you robin and franky. ACE STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP. nvm it's too late already. AAAAAHHHHHH

[foldingfittedsheets]

I was a pretty sickly kid. I'm a pretty sickly adult too I guess. But one of the issues I had was constant ear infections. I almost went deaf because I just had near continuous swelling and inflammation going on. I had tubes in my ears twice because they fell out the first time.

If you're unfamiliar that's where they put a tiny gauge in your inner ear to help force it open. It's meant to stop water getting trapped back there. I had to put wax in my ears before contact with pools, baths, showers, anything, for years, to prevent water from slinking through that narrow channel and festering long enough to spawn bacteria.

It was miserable. To this day my inner ear is blighted with so much scar tissue that every single ear exam the doctor goes, "Woah." You never want to hear a doctor say woah. It's never good.

Eventually my constant rounds of antibiotics and misery was pinned on my tonsils. A doctor declared there was just too much ick hiding out in there and they had to go. I was about five or six at the time. Having surgery as a little kid is already pretty scary but I was determined to be brave. I'd already had vacuum suction tools used on my inner ear weekly a practice so painful it's banned now. I was also promised a coveted troll dinosaur for good behavior.

So I walked tremulously into the hospital to have an organ removed. By all accounts I comported myself admirably. Afterward I was coming out of anesthesia quite slowly. The nurse was carrying me back to my parents when I rasped a whispery, "Knock knock," at her.

She paused and looked down at me, "What?"

A little stronger I repeated, "Knock knock."

She was shocked her tiny patient was trying to tell a joke while higher than a kite but dutifully said, "Who's there?"

"Adam," I said in a wavery little voice.

She leaned closer to hear me, "Adam who?"

I bellowed through my raw throat, still freshly bleeding from surgery, "Adam my way, I'm gettin' outta here!"

The nurse had to stop she was laughing so hard and she was in hysterics when she delivered me back to me parents, repeating the whole episode to them, turning their anxiety into delight that their doped up child was a comedy genius.

No one knew where I'd learned the joke, but it was a staple story throughout my childhood.