#the way these are exactly a season apart and mirrored 3/4 shots

[hellalugosi]

1x05 / 2x05

[tweedlydumbtweedlydoo]

Spencer Reid x Reader

Request: Spencer has made an enemy with an unsub. The team believes it’s over after they catch him, but they don’t realize one big detail; unsub isn’t working alone and that partner has gone after Spencer’s girl. Will Spencer make it in time to save her? 

// Anon request: can u do one where reid saves the reader from getting kidnapped or shot pls🥺🥺 //

// Anon request:  ok this might be confusing but can u do one where the team goes on a case, but like the unsub actually had a partner back at reid and the readers apartment and kidnaps her and he gets super like protective and cute and like awe reid is so baby🥺🥺 // 

A/N: sucker for angst. So I combined these two requests because they’re so similar. I steered away from the request a little and may have gotten carried away while writing it, but I’m kind of proud of this one. Thank you both for your request! I hope you enjoy :) xx 

**MASTERLIST**

Requests: {OPEN} CLOSED

I am currently taking requests for:

The Vampire Diaries/The Originals

Elijah Mikaelson

Damon Salvatore

Criminal Minds:

Spencer Reid

Derek Morgan

Supernatural (I’m only up to season 2, so please don’t request something with spoilers)**

Sam Winchester

Dean Winchester

********************************************************************************************NOT MY GIF, CREDIT TO OWNER

WHO GAVE HIM THE RIGHT TO LOOK THIS DAMN SEXY UGH 

Finally, the BAU team tracked down the unsub. Currently he is in custody, chained to the interrogation desk. This was the man who’d taunted the BAU team for months. He’d sent them on numerous goose chases and they finally caught up to him when he made a mistake, which then led to his capture. This man got under Spencer’s skin the last time they faced him and since then Spencer did everything in his power to find him and take him down.

The first time they had caught up to the man at his home, they were all shocked to the core, Spencer specifically. Inside the home, the team found a room dedicated to photos of him and his wife, in their home, his wife at the grocery store, the two of them on dates. The man had been following them, taking photos of them, invading their privacy. Spencer was sick at the thought and since then, he couldn’t sleep until he knew his wife was safe. Until he knew the man was put behind bars.

The man had killed numerous women, up and down the coast. They caught up to him outside of Georgetown and when they arrived at his home, he’d already slipped away into the darkness. The man had laid low for a few weeks, then the murders began again, this time, the women favoring Spencer’s wife. Spencer and the team knew exactly who was behind these murders. He was back, this time in a small town on the coast of South Carolina. After the 3rd woman, the man made a mistake and slipped up, allowing the team to finally put an end to this.

However, the BAU team made a mistake, a very big one. They’d missed key information, that could potentially put the woman Spencer loved in danger.

Spencer stood across from the man that had tormented him and his wife for months, anger boiling inside him. It took everything he had not to reach across the table and strangle the man.

“This is the end for you. You’re facing charges for over 20 women up and down the east coast.” He slammed his hands against the metal table, “You’re facing the death penalty. You will get what you deserve!”

The unsub smirked, “Oh but Dr. Reid, this isn’t the end. You really didn’t think I would leave without making sure your suffering will continue?” He sits a little straighter in his seat, leaning forward, “Tell me Dr. Reid, have you spoke to your wife today? Told her you loved her?”

Spencer straightens, fear washing over him. He hadn’t spoke to you today. He was caught up in the case to bother to call you. The unsub began to laugh wickedly, seeing Spencer’s fear. Spencer then stormed out of the interrogation room, the rest of the team waiting by the door. Hotch already on the phone, “We need officer’s at (you and Spencer’s address) right now!”

The team was in South Carolina, you were back at your home in Quantico. He checked the time. It was Thursday, 5:43 pm. You would have been on your way home from work by now. You would have stopped by the grocery store on 4th to get groceries to cook dinner. Thursday’s were chicken night. He knew you probably would have splurged and bought a bottle of wine for yourself along with cookies. Cookies were your weakness.

Spencer’s hands began to shake, “How could we have missed this?” He roughly runs his hands through his hair. How could he have missed that this unsub had a partner? How could he be so stupid?

“Reid, calm down. Hotch has officer’s on their way to your home now.” Morgan tried to calm his friend, but all Spencer seen was red.

“I’m going to kill him.” He mumbles. Before anyone can act, Spencer has barged into the interrogation room and has thrown the unsub into the wall, his hands wrapped tightly around his throat.

“Reid! Stop!” Hotch and Morgan are grabbing at Spencer, trying to pull him off the man.

“You sick bastard!” Spencer’s hands tighten and he can feel the life draining from the unsub.

“Reid if you kill him, we have no way of finding her!” Hotch yells, ripping Spencer off the man. Morgan’s arms wrap around Spencer’s body, holding him back, “Kid, you got to calm down!”

“Get him out of here!” Hotch yells at Morgan, who begins dragging Spencer out of the room, the door clicking shut behind them.

“Morgan, he’s got her… he’s got y/n..” Spencer’s body goes limp in Morgan’s grip and begins wracking with sobs.

 ~

You push open the door with your foot, your hand full of groceries. You only needed a few things for dinner, but you hoped Spencer would be home this weekend so you two could spend the weekend at home, binge watching tv and eating your weight in junk food. You grunt, setting the grocery bags on the counter. Slipping your shoes off by your bedroom door, you enter the kitchen and begin putting away groceries, continuing to play your playlist you were jamming in the car to.

Your body tenses as you feel the cold barrel of a gun pressed against your back, “don’t move.”

Your breathing becomes rapid and you slowly raise your arms, “Please.. please don’t do this.” You whisper.

The man puts a cloth over your mouth and you thrash, trying to keep it away. “No!” You throw your head back into the man’s nose and groan. That hurt more than you thought it would. The man staggers back against the counter, holding his nose, “You bitch!”

Your head throbs and spins as you slip passed him and head for the door. Just as your hands grasp the door, the man grabs you, throwing you into the wall, the mirror falling to the floor and shattering. Your body falling into the broken glass.

 You whimper as he grabs you by your hair, your hands going to his, “Let me go!” He drags you along the floor into the living room, tossing you into the coffee table. Pain shoots across your body, but you ignore it grabbing a vase from the side table, hitting him in the side of the face. He falls to the ground and you stagger to your feet heading for the door once more, but you never make it.

A gun shot rings through the home you and Spencer shared. The last thing you see is the smiling photo of you and Spencer on the wall. It was your wedding photo, taken moments after you two promised to love and protect each other.

 ~

Spencer and the team were on the jet within the hour, heading back to Quantico. Back to you. When the police arrived at you and his home, they found the door opened, broken glass and a trail of blood out the door, but you were no where in sight.

He stares aimlessly at the wall in front of him, the gears in his head running a mile a minute. He racked his brain wondering how it come to this. He had caught the unsub that had terrorized you two. He promised you after he was caught, this would all be over. You two could live normal lives. Now, the unsub was locked in cell somewhere, but you were gone, disappeared. The only thing left was a blood trail out the door.

“Kid.. we’re going to find her.” Morgan says quietly, his hand going to Spencer’s shoulder.

“We won’t stop until we do. She’s family, Reid.” Emily says, taking a seat next to him.

He figured he was in shock. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t function. When they arrived at your shared home, he could see you put up a fight. Those self defense classes must have helped. He glances at the kitchen counter, the groceries still there, untouched. Sure enough, there sat a bottle of wine and a box of cookies. He’s broken from his trance as Hotch’s cellphone rings.

He’s nodding, listening intently to what someone’s saying. He looks up at the team standing in the living room, “That was the sheriff from next town over. Said he just received a call about a woman stumbling up onto a porch, bloodied and beaten. Thinks it could be y/n.”

~ 

Spencer’s heart was beating out of his chest as Morgan drove to the hospital. The sheriff informed Hotch, they took her to the hospital immediately. She suffered extensive injuries, but kept telling people she escaped, that a man had kidnapped her and kept muttering that she needed to speak with Spencer Reid.

He practically ran into the hospital to the room where the unknown woman was. His heart dropped when he entered. It wasn’t you laying on the bed. He slowly walked over to the bed, the woman’s head rolled over to face Spencer, wincing as she sat up a little.  

“Are you Spencer Reid?” The woman asks. Spencer only nods in response.

“Your wife…” Her voice is hoarse, “She saved my life.”

“Y/n? How? What happened?”

“The man brought her in, there was blood everywhere. I thought she was dead. But he left her in the room with me. I rushed to her side and she had a pulse. He’d shot her in the side. The bullet grazed her. I patched her up with what I had. Which was only a few t shirts. She finally woke up later that night. She told me that she knew where we were, she’d woken up long enough during the ride. We were in the middle of the woods, not far from civilization. So, we thought of a plan. She knew she couldn’t run so she told me to run and get help. She would attack the man when he came in. She made me promise if I got out, to tell them I needed to talk to Spencer Reid. It was late that night, the man came into the room and she attacked him from behind. I was able to slip out the door and I ran to find help.”

Spencer was quick to get on the phone with Penelope with the information. She worked her magic and soon there was a location.

Swat and the BAU team had the small cabin surrounded. There was no way out of this for the guy. He knew that. When he entered into the room, he was panicked. You used that to your advantage and was able to fight the gun from him, getting a clear shot through his chest.

Spencer’s heart stopped as the gunshot was heard. “Move in!” Swat yelled and begin closing in on the home.

Morgan was the one who saw it first. The door began to open and a figure limped out of the door. “Hold your fire!” 

It was you. You were safe. Before he knew it, he was running to you, his body colliding with yours.

“Spencer!” You cried. The collision sent pain through your body, but you ignored it. Spencer was here. You were in Spencer’s arms and that is all that mattered.

Spencer’s body wracked with sobs and he held you, “Oh god… I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

You shook your head, “I’m okay. I’m fine..” You pulled away to look at him. He looked rough. Bags under his eyes. His face was red and wet from crying. A tear slipped down your cheek and you wrapped your arms around him again.

“I love you so much… god I love you.” He says into your hair.

“I love you too…”

Spencer carried you to the ambulance and he never left your side, riding in the ambulance to the hospital. He never let go of your hand either, scared that he would lose you if he were to let go. He finally had to let you go as they took you into the hospital. He didn’t want to leave your side then, but your reassured him, you would be fine. You were safe and everything would be okay.

*******************************************************************************************

[nlights37]

three stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

::In very convincing Matthew McConaughey Texan:: Alright alright alright, 3 stars, 3 fics to disclose little nuggets of info on...

1.  From Fixer Upper, Chapter 4 - Jon and Dany’s text exhange:

She was laughing even as she sent the text, knowing how touchy he was about this topic. Honestly, it was the whole reason she sent it.

Dany: I can’t believe we’ve been fake dating this long and you haven’t sent me a single dick pic 😖

The text bubble appeared for so long she was a little worried, but then his novel-length answer appeared. She was two lines in before she was laughing so hard she was crying and her vision blurred beyond her ability to continue reading at all.

Jon: How ABSOLUTELY DARE YOU?! Apparently I need to explain this AGAIN? If the Westerosi Security Agency is going to see my dick they can come here and do it in person like men. I’m not just gonna offer it up on a silver platter for them. Also need I remind you I am a small business owner, madam? This store is my kingdom and you ask me to besmirch it’s good name so you can see my cock at 2 pm on a Thursday? I’m disappointed in you Daenerys, I really am.

It should probably come as no surprise, given the ‘Buttslut’ text I shared awhile back, that a lot of the dialogue I write (including text messages) comes from the way my husband and I talk to each other, and in this case I based Jon’s reluctance to free the Peen digitally off my own husband’s unbreakable stance that sending dick pics means your dick is then somewhere in the cloud and idk I guess he thinks the Governtment is just chilling and collecting nudes all day.  Anyway, I really did ask him once when we were dating why he had never sent me a dick pic and he said something along the lines of Jon’s response here, and even now, years later, it still makes me laugh, so I used it :)

2.  A Thin Line (Just some thoughts on this fic in general, that I’m not sure I’ve shared):

I was SURE, ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that a lot of people would hate this fic.  Like, I was over the top about ‘Hey this is crack’, etc, because as much fun as I had making them just awful people to each other, I was like ‘ugh there’s gonna be some stans in both camps that maybe get pissed about this’, but I figured fuck it, let’s do it.  The thing about them in this fic that I really, really enjoyed writing was that they are completely and totally unapologetic about themselves, and letting myself just really let them be the worst versions of themselves, I don’t know, guys.  It felt good.  So good that I was like ‘hmmmm, maybe keep it in the drafts.’

Because that’s the thing I like best about them and this fic - it’s not a redemption story about two tortured souls who find each other and then learn the error of their ways.  It’s more like two villains meet at villain convention and will they birth the antichrist?  Who knows, really, but probably, yes.  Definitely.

Anyway, I really dug that so many people enjoyed their unspeakably assholish tendencies and please know I haven’t abandoned my part 3, in which Dany gets to snob it up in the North and you know, so more light bondage, maybe some matching prenups, I don’t want to give it all away.

3.  From Fang and Claw, Chapter 1:

“When you say fucking,” Drogon drawled, “what exactly do you mean, snack?”  The three were all gathered near the stone walls of the Keep, guards watching anxiously as the three creatures of legend circled and paced.

“Stop calling him that.”  Rhaegal leaned in, nipping at Drogon’s swishing black tail.  “He has a name.”

Drogon rolled his eyes, looking at his brother incredulously.  “I’ll call him whatever I like.  What’s he going to do?  Howl me to death?”

Rhaegal glared, inching closer to Ghost.  “He’s magic, like us, and he’s Jon’s, so you’d better behave.”  The green dragon growled.  “You know what mother said.”

The black dragon gave a dismissive snort, his eyes searching the windows of the Keep instead of Rhaegal or Ghost.  “Be nice.  Yes, I heard her.  This is me.  Being nice.  Not eating this talking little snack.”  His eyes shot to the wolf’s.  “Rather nice of me, isn’t it,” teeth gnashed together, grinding as Drogon uttered grudgingly, “Ghost.”

The white wolf ignored the black dragon, his eyes also falling to the windows.  “You want to know what fucking is or don’t you?”

“I want to know what it is you mean when you say Jon is fucking my mother, yes.”  Drogon sounded angry, offended even, and Ghost was surprised two mighty creatures could be so absolutely innocent to the ways of the world.  Why, he’d been fucking for years now.  Surely there were girl dragons flying about somewhere, though the lack of fucking certainly explained the black dragon’s horrible attitude.

“I feel itchy.”  Rhaegal was shifting restlessly beside him.

Ghost gave a wolfish grin.  “You’re bonded to Jon now.”  Rhaegal nodded though it was not a question.  “That’s what it feels like when Jon’s fucking your mother.”  The wolf’s mouth fell open, and he panted in Drogon’s direction.  “Like an itch you need to scratch.”

His red eyes fell to the windows till he found the one he wanted, and he whispered for the duo to follow as closely as they could as they slid along side the ancient stone, ‘til they were just under the window to Jon’s chambers.

“Hear that?”  He certainly could, and by the look of confusion on the dragons’ faces they could as well.  The Silver Dany let out a throaty yell then, followed by Jon’s name, the sounds and smells of mating flowing from the open window and out into the night.

“Is he hurting her?”  Drogon was rumbling and thrashing his tail about, rage building in those mad eyes.

But Rhaegal responded before Ghost could answer.  “No.”  He drew the word out, his head rising until he could look into the room for himself, then shooting back down to stare at Ghost.  “Why are they doing that?”

Drogon mirrored his brother’s actions, even angrier but endlessly puzzled when he lowered his head as well, clearly befuddled by what he’d seen.  “Explain this!”

Ghost gave a shrug, padding off a few paces, ready to give his brother a spot of privacy with his mate, heading for the clearing along the tree line where he could scent some rabbits running.  “It’s what they do.”  The pair was scrambling after him, landbound, awkwardly lumbering after the sleek wolf.  “Humans.”  Both dragons remained clueless, and Ghost snagged a hare and crunched down heavily, warm blood streaking his fur, downing the small prey in a few bites before continuing.  “When they want to make a pup.”

Drogon shuddered as he watched Ghost eat.  “You’re a fucking savage.”  He grumbled and groused, claws swiping out to catch an elk, idly shooting out gouts of flame to cook the meat before he began to tear it apart.  “You don’t even cook your food, little snack.”

Rhaegal ignored it all, focused only on this new knowledge.  “But our mother is a dragon.”  His eyes lit up, suddenly, turning to his brother in excitement.  “It’s how they make eggs!”

Ghost gave a snicker.  “Humans don’t lay eggs.”  He looked at the pair with amused eyes.  “You lot come from eggs?”

Rhaegal gave a nod, but Drogon preened, proud as he broke his meal’s rib cage between his jaws.  “You should be so lucky.  We certainly do.  Beautiful eggs people pay large sums of gold for.”

Ghost crouched, his attention on the deer he could now sense beyond the tree line.  “Like a chicken then.”  He leapt as the black dragon roared in outrage, his jaws sinking into the deer’s neck, and he pulled the twitching body out of the treeline to drop it in a heap before Rhaegal.

“NOT LIKE A CHICKEN!”

Rhaegal looked at Ghost pleadingly before he cooked the deer his host had provided, his eyes begging the wolf to stop baiting his brother, and Ghost grumpily complied.

“Alright, not like a chicken.  Point is, humans have pups that look like them, and they don’t come from eggs.”  He sat on his haunches, watching the pair as they ate.

“So,” Rhaegal snapped into a femur, “you meant to say that’s what Jon’s doing.  Trying to put a small human in our mother.”

The wolf couldn’t stop the snicker of amusement.  “Oh, no he’s already done that.”  He looked at the pair wonderingly.  What sort of beast were they, that they couldn’t smell the pup in their mother?  “Now he’s just fucking her because it feels good.”

There is nothing funnier to me than the idea that (1) Ghost would ever try ot explain to anyone what sex is and (2) that the dragons wouldn’t know and would be VERY offended and it took a little bit for me to write this scene way way back ago when we all thought that Season 8 would not be a massive shitstain in history because I kept laughing so hard picturing this shit.

This story is probaby one of my favorites, just because it’s silly and every magical creature is TIRED TIRED I SAY of everyone dicking around and just the notion that they’re all like ‘THESE HUMANS ARE SO DUMB UGH DO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING?!”  It just really tickled me, and I might never have written it had the amazing @aweseeds not requested it after her winning bid for the Jonerys Unites charity event.  So, everyone say thank you to aweseeds lol, this might’ve just stayed in my head and silly tumblr posts without that fine investment in fandom content.

Thank you lovely @frostbitepandaaaaa for the ask!  I LOVE YOU BITCH, I AIN’T NEVER GONNA STOP LOVIN’ YOU BITCH!

[merinnan]

DMBJ Explore with the Note Ep 4

Explore with the Note Ep 4 watch thread! 

 Since Ep 3 had no updates to any of the counts, we start ep 4 off with the following:

Season 2 Xiaoge Rescue Count: 2 for Wu Xie, 2 for protagonists, 3 for everyone

Season 2 Wu Xie Swoon Count: 0 Season 2 Evil Hair Count: 2 

Cumulative Xiaoge Rescue Count: 12 for Wu Xie, 17 for protagonists, 18 for everyone 

Cumulative Wu Xie Swoon Count: 6 

- Now that I have some idea of the colour schemes, I can identify which opening credits shots are from flashback scenes and which are from Wu Xie era scenes 

- Ah yes, the snek fishies. A clue to consider, then forget about while we look at other things.

- Aww, he's so happy to see the baby corpse vase 

- And the paintings are far more interesting than whatever might be inside the vase. Although he's moving it around far too easily for the baby corpse to still be in there, I think

- Poor confused Wu Xie. I don't blame him. The stuff in this tomb and its design apparently places it in two different time periods which are like 1000 years apart 

- Oooh, bubbles 

- Good move on the jumping back, turning off your torch, and getting a knife ready

- Although there appears to now be light coming from the water itself 

- Hahah, it's Pangzi and Xiaoge 

- Oh, nice, this time they're not subbing Men Youping as Pokerface.

- And of course Xiaoge is the first one he asks if he's alright, and goes to help out of the water XD 

- lol, even Pangzi calling him out on that 

- Aww, he's so worried about the mark on Xiaoge's arm

- "What happened?!" 

"Oh nothing, just a demon" 

"..." 

- Ah, Pangzi knows what that is 

- ...and ofc Wu Xie only knows what it is from classic poetry texts 

 - *googles ptomaine gas* 

- Ugh, yeah, you don't want to be breathing that. Sounds unpleasant

- Wu Xie is so over everything rn 

- Except Xiaoge, anyway

- I really like S2 Pangzi. He's got the right blend of competence and humour. Comic relief without being just a caricature like S1 Pangzi 

- And Wu Xie showing off his smarts, which is cute. It's moments like these that reminds me he's got an architecture degree

- I think this is the first time we've heard Wang Zanghai's name in the dramas so far 

- And Xiaoge seems to certainly know the name and not be happy about it

- Oh, this looks like a Xiaoge flashback? 

- More fucking swimming, of course 

- But without a diving suit this time - And that's all it was. So interesting. So groundbreaking. I've never seen anyone swimming through dark murky water in this show before

- This Wu Xie is a much more expressive Wu Xie than S1. So many smiles! 

- And such a brilliant little shit 

- I'm really liking the Wu Xie/Pangzi interactions so far. Well, all of them, but these moments are so good. They're reminding me of the Chongqi interactions

- Oh, more bubbles, I'm sure this will be FINE 

- Oh, it's just the water draining out

- Pangzi complaining he can't see because of the fog, but really, I'd think the darkness would be the bigger problem. 

 - They've only got a couple of torches, and this is a large room and even larger pit that that staircase is going down into

- Wu Xie, what did you expect, asking if he can read something from such a distance? 

- And then looking at Xiaoge to see if it's going to be okay to do this 

- These steps & the twig-things on them are remarkably dry for having been submerged in water only a couple of minutes ago

- OK, now that I'm not distracted by speaking or, like, plot (or pingxie), the bgm is actually drawing my attention and dear god, yes, it really is awful and annoying 

- Hahah, dunking on both Sanshu's and Pangzi's English skills in one go

- This Wu Xie is a lovely chaos gremlin 

- Who hasn't completely lost all sense of caution yet, it seems 

- I mean, Pangzi, I'm not sure you'd be saying those things if you heard the kinds of stories Sanshu was telling bby!Wu Xie in those flashbacks 

- Then again, you probably would

- "Besides, I can't leave Xiaoge" ❤️

 - So Xiaoge probably left those marks 

- This look on Pangzi's face as Wu Xie just throws away all the caution he'd been arguing with Pangzi with to go chasing after Xiaoge XD

- I have to say, S1 was far superior in terms of set lighting. Most of the time it's so hard to make out anything. Like, I know they're meant to be in a tomb, but would it have killed them to add more set lighting so we could actually see what's going on more consistently?

- I do love this Xiaoge's unimpressed looks. 

- Oh, it's the mirror 

- Again, everything down here is so remarkably dry 

 - Dry enough to have got dusty in mere minutes!

- Intense Xiaoge Stares! All the stares, all the time, all at Wu Xie

- Ooh, old diving equipment. Well spotted. 

- That airtank being crushed like that does not seem to be a good sign 

- I'm with Pangzi. What sounds? The bgm was drowning out everything except speech

- Hahahah. Pangzi all like, no, we don't need to go up, it's not that dangerous, you're just scaring yourself. Then one mention of the Drought Demon and he's like y'know, on second thoughts.... 

- Xiaoge does like his disappearing tricks 

- And reappearing ones

- This is a good shot for a vague creepiness factor

- Baby is so worried

- Oooh, time for dramatic music while we look at dramatic skyscapes and seascapes 

- Wait, is all that water running backward? 

- I have no idea how that is meant to symbolise remembering things, but apparently it does 

- And now, a Xiaoge flashback

- The vases in the tomb 20 years ago were amazingly clean. Somehow they went somewhere between 500-1500 years staying as clean as if new, then in 20 years they got covered in waterscum.

- I am impressed at the seals on their equipment, if dude was able to bring a sketchpad along on a dive and have it be perfectly dry when he took it out to draw on. 

- And all those notebooks, too 

- The flashbacks get MUCH better set lighting

- Boys, boys, don't fight over the priceless antique porcelain like that. You're gonna drop it and break it. 

- Hahah, Xiaoge's trying so hard to ignore this girl 

- Even when she does give him something interesting to look at

- Well, that explains why all the vases were over there and in that order 20 years later for Wu Xie to find

- This kind of chatter is exactly the kind of chatter I'd expect on an excursion to look at things, or a group project. A little bit is relevant, most is just random chatter, and some might actually eventually mean something once they talk it out. It's great

- Oh, if only you knew, Wenjin. If only you knew 

- Hahah, Wenjin yelling at everyone and telling them to stay put, while Xiaoge just calmly ignores her while he puts his backpack on and walks off 

- lol, and then he just staaaaares at her until she lets him go

- Ah, she knows Sanshu so well 

- She's trying to be the grownup here 

- Poor Wenjin. She really can't win either was when she was stuck on an expedition with both Sanshu and Xiaoge

- Apparently these guys all managed to make it through the hallway without any of them triggering the traps 

- Well done, kiddos 

- Poor Wenjin playing babysitter to all these kids, though

- At least 20 years ago the stonework stayed wet after the water receding instead of mysteriously drying off 

- Well. Most of it, anyway 

- The floor, at least 

- I mean, like, kids. You didn't have to follow him. He didn't ask you to. 

- You just decided to

- Well, they were right, Sanshu was there 

- Just not the one they thought he was 

- Oh, that's a door there 

- I love the way Wu Xie and Pangzi in this tend to shine their flashlights in each other's faces to indicate "I think you're full of shit"

- Oh, clever Wenjin, the first one to figure it out 

- So much staring at each other

- Season 2 Evil Hair Count: 3 

- Though so far it's just sneaking down to tickle Wenjin's neck 

- And they go from perfectly dry corridor to wet-floored room 

- For no discernable reason

- And we end the episode mid-flashback, with them gushing over how pretty the Heavenly Palace is 

- And it really is quite pretty 

- No updates to either the Rescue Count or the Swoon Count, and only the single last-minute update to the Evil Hair Count

So, we end with:

Season 2 Xiaoge Rescue Count: 2 for Wu Xie, 2 for protagonists, 3 for everyone

Season 2 Wu Xie Swoon Count: 0

Season 2 Evil Hair Count: 3

Cumulative Xiaoge Rescue Count: 12 for Wu Xie, 17 for protagonists, 18 for everyone

Cumulative Wu Xie Swoon Count: 6

[baconpal]

here i go talkin bout fuckig anime again

rant time, but like a good one where i’m happy about things instead of angry

so ima talk about and recommend some anime shit, specifically  comfy anime and gurren lagann

i’ll just start it by saying what i mean by comfy anime, cus its something that is more vague than it should be for most people, but for me it’s pretty much anime that i wouldn’t want to binge all together, and instead watch an episode or two when i want to just enjoy something. The kind of show where after watching a little you become really confident that every single episode is just gonna be good, and you can just enjoy forgetting everything and watching it for just a moment of time. 

The anime I consider comfy and also like the most are: 

Girls Last Tour, which i’ve talked about a lot already and i will do it more if you give me an excuse, still one of the best things out there, go watch it fuck you, but that was really good as a once a week thing to wind down my week when it aired.

Non Non Biyori, which is a pretty classic example of just a really slow paced show about a slow paced kind of life. It’s about the best example of slice of life since it’s not trying to be anything else. It’s not comedy or romance or a hobbyist show or anything at all but moments in life, and it’s very relaxing.

And lastly, the comfy anime that made me wanna start ranting in the first place, Yama no Susume. I’m gonna go and talk about it for a while now, but I’ll just give it a general recommendation to whoever cares. The episodes are all short so watch a little and decide if you like it, cus if you like the beginning even a bit, you’ll likely love seasons 2 and 3.

I found this show when my brain thought “anything with a sequel must have at least been good enough to warrant more”, and I looked at the currently airing anime that was a sequel of something and went and watched the first seasons instead, despite coming to enjoy Yama no Susume, I also found that watching things just because they have sequels is a pretty bad idea, cus most of it fucking sucked.

Regardless, I saw season 3 was airing exactly 1 year ago, and began watching the first season, which really shouldn’t have taken long, because it was a short series, coming in at maybe 40 minutes of actual episodes for the entire first season, even still, I watched it over the course of a month, and really enjoyed having such incredibly small amounts of nice content to just have ready whenever. The second and third season are still shorter than most, with 13 minute episodes over regular anime lengths, and also encouraged a slow consumption of just a little bit whenever I felt like watching. It’s been a clean year since season 3 aired and I’ve only now finished the series, despite being fully engrossed the entire time I was watching. I guess talking about the anime is probably a good idea, so here’s the gist:

THE GIST

Yama no susume is a hobbyist anime about mountain climbing. I don’t climb mountains and I don’t use any part of my body besides my arms and my penis so I don’t have much investment in the subject, but it was still very easy to enjoy the show because the premise set up the studio with the chance to produce countless beautiful scenic shots, which is usually the strength of hobbyist shows, one specific thing the artists want to draw really really well. Yama no susume also has a strong story it wishes to tell on top of an easily enjoyable premise and format.

Like most good hobbyist shows, the main character, Aoi, starts of without any interest in the subject, and seems to have a void in her life, in her case, absolutely nothing going on in her life, at all, besides casual knitting. It took a bit for it to sink of for myself, but I had become very attached to Aoi because she mirrored very similarly my own life going into high school, no friends I really felt like i cared about or cared about me, and only a passing interest in some stuff I wasn’t too invested in. The entirety of the show explores how a friend entering Aoi’s life and giving her a hobby to be invested in and meet more people through improves her outlook on life and helps her grow as a person in pretty much every possible way. 

THE NOT GIST (THE ACTUAL STORY)

The first season, being so short, really only features Aoi and her forgotten friend Hinata climbing two mountains total, both of which are pretty much just light hiking that most people have probably done once or twice themselves, and meeting two people in their town with more interest in the hobby.

I’ll also just awkwardly sandwich this here, in between season 1 and 2 is a very short ova where they climb a rock wall with their new friends, but its not anyway near as well animated or interesting as anything else in the series and also has an extensive sauna scene that, again, doesn’t really fit with anything in the series, so if you read this extensive review before deciding you wanted to watch the series, feel free to skip that one i guess.

The second season is where a lot of the show really is, and most of the show being 24 of the 39 episodes, as well as including a nice short film that’s pretty much just 2 more episodes afterwards. With the new, longer, but still short episode time, a lot more mountains get climbed, as well as some actual stuff goin on. After climbing a few mountains, Aoi decides she wants to climb Mt. Fuji, the fuckin big boy, and the 4 ladies go and do that together, when the show pulls out the first of it’s comfy tricks;

the main character does not succeed at their goal they had set and worked towards, and it results in an uncomfortable situation for the rest of the cast. Aoi is unable to handle such a difficult climb, and her friends complete the climb without her, and it pretty much destroys her for a good amount of episodes. Despite definitely being a comfy show, there are a few stretches of episodes in which things are not going well for the cast, and the slow paced scenery viewing takes on a more comber, pensive purpose. After failing at her hobby for the first time, Aoi falls pretty hard back into her original disinterested state of being, and it seems like a lot of her character falls apart. It takes the intervention of Hinata again to reinvigorate her by taking her to the first mountain they climbed, showing Aoi that she has still grown a lot, and that she will improve more with time.

From that point till the end of season 2 (including the movie) the driving idea of the show becomes memories, and how the vague and heart-shaking feeling of nostalgia can be helpful in unpleasant times. The two main girls recall things that occurred when they were childhood friends, like times they were scarred and depended on each other, or a camping trip they took when they were children, and use those memories to fuel further bonding and growth. Even the two secondary girls use memories to reconnect with their friends and families, and it’s a very strong concept to roll with for the slow, one step at a time type of show it is. The season ends with all 4 girls better than ever, and flexing their friendship muscle by making friends with a stubbornly shy mountain climber that parallels Aoi’s original state, and shows her new understanding that having a friend that shares your hobby will always lead to both of your lives being better.

While the first episode is almost entirely about Aoi and Hinata being friends, the second season continues to introduce more characters that Aoi interacts with as she grows more socially capable, with her even getting a job to support her hobby. This shift away from the relationship between the two girls is then made into a proper topic in the third season, where Aoi is pushed to gain even more friends and do things completely separate from Hinata and mountain climbing. This is when the other comfy trick comes out;

The secondary protagonist, Hinata, becomes upset that the Aoi has grown to have more friends and be less dependent on Hinata, and begins to make poor decisions that further put strain on their relationship over most of the season. 

“wow two characters misunderstand each other and it creates drama!!!” isn’t exactly a mind blowing thing for an anime to do, but whenever any problems came up in the first two seasons, they were handled fairly quickly, rarely ever lasting more than one episode, and usually handled with pretty open, mature conversations that you would expect two friends to actually have instead of just being pissed at each other for a few weeks. So when Hinata does not make any attempt to be open about her feelings, and Aoi is unable to grasp the situation, it creates a justified stretch of drama. I really do mean it when i say most of the season is about this, like pretty much from episode 3 till 12 it’s just a constantly building frustration with a lot behind it, and when they finally can have a simple, honest conversation, it really feels nice.

After that there’s one final episode with a more expected case of the two not understanding one another, and having an honest conversation about it. This specific case is a good capstone to the series, as they discuss how you really don’t know much about even your best friends, but talking about each other honestly, and desiring to know more about each other is where a lot of the fun in friends is. 

With that, the series is done for now, but who knows where it’ll go from here. I heard a lot of good about season 3 as it was coming out, and still see a good amount of support for it, and season 3 ends with “See you again” as opposed to “The end” like the other two season. I’m not gonna get my hopes up cus there’s already a lot there and they explore 3 very important ideals that really resonate with me. But if they could make a fourth season that brings in an entirely knew concept to look at, I’d be really happy. 

Anyway if you read all that and still haven’t decided then just go fucking watch some Yama no Susume, see if i care.

THE GURREN LAGANN PART

Ye how about a complete tonal shift from comfy anime to loud action stuff?

SO i saw Promare finally after missing a bunch of chances to see it, and honestly I don’t have all that much to say about it. Despite being 2 hours it felt really short and like I got no time with the characters, and they were all pretty shallow characters that I didn’t really have any attachment to even on a surface level. Near the end there’s a big drill and a mech with a face on its chest with absolutely no reason or explanation, and because of that I came out of the theater really just thinking “i really want to rewatch gurren lagann” instead of caring that much about promare.

Now I’m rewatching it for probably the 8th time and it really impresses me how much more I like it each time. When i was a stupid baby and watched it for the first time i did what a lot of stupid kids did, watched for a while, really liked kamina, and stopped watching when the he was gone. Obviously I’ve watched it fully many times since then, and while younger me probably would have loved the second half, where simon fills the role kamina did, the me of today really doesn’t care for the second half that much, and I find myself watching just the first half of the show and stopping, or watching the second movie instead of the tv version. The first half of the series is just really strong to me, so I’m just gonna talk about that a little bit and then go to bed I guess.

The art and sound is so fucking good in gurren lagann holy shit. Everything is so springy and malleable, and the mechs are just really big people who are equally malleable and expressive. The characters are all unique and fun, even random background characters in the villages are strong. The use of that very specific light green color that spiral energy has begins with this show, and trigger would forever try and fail to use it as well as gurren lagann did, though LWA uses it pretty well. Every little thing feels so right that I’m just amazed the show keeps up such quality for the whole first half...

EXCEPT THAT ONE EPISODE WHERE IT FUCKING DOESN’T

Along with always assuming gurren lagann isn’t as good as I remember, I also somehow manage to forgot how absolutely miserable the fourth episode is. Not to say that i forget it’s bad at all, i couldn’t forget that episode 4 sticks out as a really not good episode and bring it up as a weird point of contention for the series, but watching it again it’s really baffling how awful it is.

The visuals just fall apart, the shots are lazy and don’t read well, the animation is choppy and unpleasant, the characters look really stupid, and the newly introduced characters never get any proper cuts to introduce themselves with and make a good impression. The voice actors also don’t seem quite as into it as with the other episodes, presumably because they had to watch episode 4 while voicing it, and couldn’t feel the same energy the rest of the show has. 

I can really only assume it was an outsourced episode or something to that effect, and near the end, when gurren laganns absolutely kino combination cuts that would be reused for the next few episodes are first shown, it becomes even more jarring how bad the fight afterwards looks, and how bad the episode is in general. It’s a shame that such a good show has to have such a sudden and massive drop in quality, but it’s interesting in it’s own way.

KAMINA THOUGH

While i did say i’m not as into the kind of character simon becomes in the second half, kamina himself is still undeniably a strong character, and I always appreciate how dopey and unmanly his face is despite being the embodiment of excessive fighting spirit, rash thinking, and unapologetic horniness.

Another strong kamina related thing that always hits me right in the feels is the episode titles, which for the first 8 episodes, are all lines that Simon hears kamina say at some point, which comes is used as a really strong twist, when in episode 8, kamina’s last words are used as the episode title, and not presented as the title until the viewer already knows the meaning of those last few words. From there the episode titles become things Nia says until episode 15 where simon is finally able to step up to his destiny and say his own damn episode title, but Kamina really does get the most out of such a simple concept.

Related to Kamina, I really enjoy how the very very first part of the show sets up episode 8′s strength even more. Besides being a really weird segment where simons voice and design are kind of off and dai gurren’s design isn’t quite finished and also boota is a dude, it sets up the concept of “The man who has yet to realize his own destiny” before introducing simon. The show doesn’t do anything to hide the fact that this “man” is simon, but also never clearly states it, so it’s not hard to understand people who gravitated towards kamina more and assumed that kamina would have a great destiny. Many episodes began or ended with a statement from the narrator saying that “the man” still was not aware of his own destiny, until episode 8, where the narrator claims  “Now the man will realize his destiny”, and before the episode is over, Kamina is gone, and without every stating it, the identity of “the man” becomes clear in a rather brutal process of elimination. Another minor aspect to how gurren lagann builds itself up so well.

Only other thing i really have to say about it is I still really appreciate stories where the protagonist steals things from the villains to grow stronger, or just generally makes use of things his enemies used, creating their own style out of disparate pieces. I hope to make a strong case for that kind of stuff when I can finish more of my comic. Read my comic.

And, as always, if you read all this shit you’re cool and we can be friends. We won’t be, but we could be, and that’s nice to think about sometimes. Have a wonderful night.

[xodaniellevictoria]

8 Days in Paris

I’ve been wanting to visit Paris for as long as I can remember. 2 weeks ago my life long dream, CAME TRUE! My fascination with the city began with my love for ballet. For those who don't know I was a ballet dancer for 16 years, and the type of ballet I was taught, originated in Paris. I have envisioned myself walking amongst the city streets for years and to finally cross this off my bucket list was an indescribable feeling. I want to share everything we did while we were there, and any quick tips to help you out if you’re wanting to visit this amazing place for yourself! 

Alright lets start with planning. I searched for EVER to find affordable flights. Typically out of California round trip tickets to Paris are around $1200 each. By some miracle I was able to find round trip tickets for $500 each. (Because it’s off season for tourism and once the weather gets colder, the ticket prices drop) I didn't use any specific sites or cheap airlines, I was just always looking for a deal. So I definitely recommend going on off season (Fall to early spring) to avoid high ticket prices. 

While you're planning, I would also really recommend staying at an Airbnb over a hotel. We really felt like we got the true Parisian experience and most Airbnbs are cheaper then hotels is what I noticed while planning.

HERE IS A LINK to the cute private apartment we stayed at while we were there. It was PERFECT for what we wanted. The iconic Parisian windows, a great view to a little courtyard, in the city center, and 3 minute walk to the subway. (Photo below for the ideal Parisian windows I was talking about.)

We decided to break up our trip by spending the majority of our time in Paris at the Airbnb, and then the last 2 nights we splurged and stayed at a hotel I’ve had my eye on for awhile now. Hotel Providence is the Parisian hotel of my dreams, and it did not disappoint. The stunning lush decor and rich color palette of the entire hotel checked off all my aesthetic points. We had champagne waiting for us in our room, and they were accommodating for early check in and leaving our bags at the front desk after we checked out, since we had some time to kill before our flight. I found the hotel on Instagram and I’m so glad I did. They have an amazing bar downstairs that was great for pre and post dinner drinks. They serve food as well but we unfortunately never got to try any. The front desk and service at the bar was amazing, super friendly, spoke great English and would absolutely recommend staying here if your budget allows. See below for pictures of our beautiful room and the outside seats of the bar / restaurant! CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE HOTEL

Another thing I would highly recommend is getting the PARIS CITY PASS. This pass will get you into the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, you name a Parisian attraction, and this pass will most likely get you in, and the best part is you won't have to wait in ticket lines. At the Louvre, there was a 2 hour wait to get tickets, and we literally walked RIGHT in... Sorry everyone in line! Should have done your research! 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SITE TO GET YOUR PARIS CITY PASS

While planning, something else to think about is transportation. Basically the entire trip, we took Paris’s subway system ‘Le Metro.’ If you have an iPhone, using apple maps is going to be your best friend. Switch your directions to transit instead of walking or driving. The apple maps directions will tell you exactly where to go for the train stations, which lines to take, and which direction you need to be heading. There are signs in English in the subway so don't worry about not being able to understand French signs. There are trains right at the airport, and everywhere you will want to go in the city. Its truly amazing and so affordable compared to trying to Uber everywhere. We honestly preferred taking the subway way more than taking Ubers, because traffic in the city is.... Intense, and most of our Uber drivers didn't speak any English. The trains were always much faster and just easier in general.

Now I want to share the things we did that were noteworthy, and that we would recommend to anyone who is coming to Paris for the first time.

1. Eiffel Tower. Just as magical as you would think it would be. Head to the Tracadero across the river Seine to get an amazing view and its a GREAT picture spot. Another amazing picture spot is on the same side of the river as the Eiffel Tower and its a little dead end street with the perfect view of the tower with some French buildings in the line of view as well. 

Heres the address: 228 Rue de l’Universite (the picture below was taken HERE)

2. Versailles. The grandest palace in all of Europe. It is breath taking. Especially if you're a history nerd like me. I got an audio guide so we didn't have to take a tour, and it was perfect. Also highly recommend renting a golf cart to get around the gardens and to see the other buildings and Marie Antoinette’s little village she created. PICTURE SPOTS: Hall of mirrors, Petite Trianon, and the Grand Trianon. Advice for getting pictures here, PATIENCE. Just wait for people to move so you can get cool shots with no one in them.

3. Crazy Horse. Ok this one won't be for everyone, but when I think of Paris I think of burlesque. Crazy Horse was one of the coolest burlesque shows we’ve seen and its a must if you're wanting a sexy night out. ( We preferred this over Moulin Rouge. )

4. MontMarte. MontMarte is the cities highest point. resting on a hill, there's a gorgeous old church, the Sacre Couer. MontMarte is also the cities historic artist district. Artists such as Van Gogh, and Renoir, found inspiration in this quaint part of town. Behind the church is the cutest little area where local artists are still paining city scapes and personal portraits. Seeing this area was a highlight for me. It felt so like what I thought Paris would be like. Good rooftop bar with the view of the city and the Eiffel Tower: Terrass Hotel, the rooftop bar is open to the public, you don't have to be staying at the hotel.

5. Le Marais. This is where you need to go if you're wanting to shop. Clothes, local pastries, apothecaries, you name it this area has it. Our favorite stores were Blue Garage, System Vintage, Luka Luna, 

6. Notre Dame. A Paris staple. Currently closed for renovations but still worth seeing from afar. The streets around the Notre Dame are covered with vintage magazine / book stands. They make for great home decor. Make sure you have euros pulled out though because they don't accept credit cards!

7. Musee d’Orsay. Paris’s second biggest and most famous museum. Is in an old train station which makes for a cool setting for a museum. (See picture below) We liked this museum more than the Louvre...Way less crowded, and more modern artists that we actually knew. Holds famous paintings from Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Highly recommend grabbing a drink on the 5th floor cafe behind one of the old clocks!

8. The Catacombs. Super interesting walk through some of Paris’s old Limestone quarries that they filled with bones from the cemeteries, when the cemeteries were getting too crowded in the 1700′s. I didn't get any spooky vibes. Just felt like a museum.

9. Palais Garnier. The Opera house in Paris. Reminiscent of Versailles, this grand Opera house is soooo extravagant and gorgeous. The first real Ballets were put on here. How cool is that?

That wraps up the things to see that we loved most. Now lets move on to my favorite part... THE FOOD!

Basically everywhere you look in Paris there are little cafes. Sometimes as many as 4 on a block. Eat at as many of them as you can. They're all pretty incredible. If you're from America and have never traveled to Europe, something to note is that in Europe, slow service is good service. You have to ask for your check. dining out in Europe is an experience and they want you to relax and enjoy your time dining. There is no rush with food there. Its pretty life changing coming from a country where you are accustomed to being in and out of a restaurant within an hour and getting angry if your food hasn't shown up in 15 minutes. 

Things you need to try at any Parisian restaurant: bread, butter, wine, and cheese. They're all usually locally sourced and man let me tell you... It just tastes DIFFERENT over there. The butter is the best butter I’ve ever had. When we got home I legitimately looked up where I can buy French butter here in San Diego... The wine? INSANE. One night I had 6 glasses (which is WAY way way too much for me) and the next morning I didn't wake up with any sort of hangover... I don't know what they're doing in France but wow it is amazing. The cheeses are also wonderful. All so different depending on the restaurant, and all taste soooo much fresher then any cheese I’ve had here in the US. It’s hard to describe. 

Some of our favorite restaurants we came across while we were there:

BREAKFAST / LUNCH-

Any cafe usually has a Croque Monisuer or a Croque Madame which is basically a grilled cheese sandwich with ham and egg, they're amazing and make a great breakfast sandwich. We also ordered Cafe Au Lait’s everywhere we went for breakfast (Coffee with steamed milk.) And croissants are always a good idea.

La Terrasse Des Archives for an amazing avocado toast eggs Benedict

Hollybelly 5 for some americanized / English style breakfasts and some amazing lattes

Hardware Societie for another amazing Americanized / English breakfast

Breakfast in America is a full on American diner in the heart of Paris.

DINNER-

My favorite meals we ate in Paris were our dinners. There is endless amazing food options but here are some of our favorites.

Sacree Fleur did not disappoint. Located in MontMarte, this cozy restaurant will blow you away. We started with the cheese course, wine, and bread. Had steak and mashed potatoes as our main course, which by the way, continues to cook at your table on a hot slab of rock. SO COOL! And we finished with the creme brûlée, which actually made me CRY, it was so good.... (Terrass Hotel is walking distance away, the rooftop bar is open to the public and you get an amazing view of all of Paris including the Effie tower while enjoying some after dinner drinks, and you don't have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy the rooftop bar.)

Le Petit Italien is an amazing option if you're wanting some Italian food in Paris.

Le Sancrerre in MontMarte was another stand out. I got the beef bourguignon and it was incredible.

Chez Janou was also outstanding. Perfect French dishes, great service. Our waiter was actually living in San Diego for awhile before he moved back home to Paris so it was a super random coincidence to eat there and have him as our waiter!

[bubmyg]

Can u write about being best friends with yoongi but recently you realized you kinda uhhh LOVE him so you’ve been acting different and a bit more flustered and he’s trying to figure out why and is sort of worried he did something wrong uwu

genre/warnings: slice of life, f2l, hoseok Knows, soft and sweet and cute :’-(

prompt: based on an article from business insider “7 signs someone is in love with you”, if you want the link lmk, i’m afraid to put one bc of tumblr’s whole link situation jfakldfjslafd aka a series of interactions that confirm your suspicion that you are, very much, in love with your best friend

word count: 3,383

1. they have fun with you even if the task at hand is not fun, per se

“Hoseok really isn’t going to help us clean?”

The red plastic cup ricocheting off your chest to fall into the open trash bag you held answered your question but you glanced up at Yoongi with a raised eyebrow anyway. He was looking at you, that look plastered across his features, hands blindly reaching to collect another pile of discarded cups in slender fingers as a challenging eyebrow quirked to match your own. 

“Yeah,” You agreed to the silence, a soft laugh leaving you, “You’re right.”

“We don’t have designated drivers here,” Yoongi jammed another stack of cups into the bag, holding your eye contact, “We have designated you get to clean up the following morning.” 

“But it’s always you cleaning.”

His fingers brushed yours as he took the filled bag from you, letting it plop on the tile with a loud clattering of plastic and aluminum into each other. The white was scrunched between his palms and tied into a hard knot, the contents in the bag sinking into the floor. 

Yoongi nodded, “Exactly.” 

Your hip pressed against the lip in the counter top, watching as he waddled around the side of the island, depositing the bag with the collection of others. A fond smile curled on each corner of your lips as you eyed him shake his head at the sheer amount of trash collecting near the threshold of the kitchen, cursing something about never again under his breath. 

“Can I at least turn on some music?” You slid your phone from your pocket, thumb already dancing across the screen, “So I can hear less of your complaints?”

“I’m not complaining about you.” 

Some obnoxious pop song trilled from the speakers on your phone as you deposited it back to the counter. A hesitant shimmy had you one, two, four steps closer to Yoongi with a soft grin. When you were close enough to see the fond caramel seep into the deep set chocolate of his irises did you shove at his waist, stepping around him to snatch a new trash bag. 

“Yeah,” You teased, bumping his hip as you thumbed apart the ends of the bag, “You better not be.”

“Can you at least change this song?” Yoongi was whining now, lips trembling on the edge of a pout. “I can’t dance to this.”

Your eyebrows shot up, “We’re dancing? I thought we were cleaning.”

He rolled his eyes, shrugging past you to grab your phone. The password came to seasoned thumbs effortlessly, something that earned a screech of protest from the back of your throat but he’d already changed the song to something any entirely new shade of obnoxious. 

Yoongi came back to you, wrapping an arm around your waist to elicit a burn to your cheeks and a gasp from parted lips as he spun you in a messy circle, baggy sweatpants brushing against the tops of your feet, hand splayed firmly on the small of your back over your thin shirt. 

“We’re doing both,” He deadpanned.

2. they look at you…a lot

A dry mouth not sated by any amount of water you downed from the glass in front of you and fingers aching to turn over your phone incessantly buzzing with notifications from you friend who’d likely just received your panicked holy shit he looks so good text didn’t ease the stupid amount of nerves buzzing through your veins. 

That’s how you found yourself gaping at Yoongi’s profile, again, drilling a hole in the part of his cheek flushed pink from the ballroom lights blanketing your table and the bow tie cinched around his neck. Conversation swirled around you but it was on ears of deaf ignorance, the only objective opinion in your conscious plagued with a neanderthal chant. 

Yoongi, Yoongi, Yoongi—

Why you agreed to go to a gala for Yoongi’s company with Yoongi, you would never know, nor would the six unworn outfits sprawled haphazardly across your bedroom. The dress you settled on itched, there were six new blisters scattered around your feet, your hair had gotten stuck in bits of charred chicken at least four times. 

And nothing said I’m in love with my best friend like staggering along behind him like a lost puppy with a permanent stutter in your speech every time he introduced you as this is my friend—

The slide of attentive dark eyes to you blatantly staring in his peripheral had your gaze jerking back to your lap, clammy fingers wringing together. The jewelry pasted to your skin slid as you worked, the ring on your thumb and index finger threatening to slide off. You jammed the metal, hard, against your knuckles, daring to peek back toward where Yoongi sat.  

His chin was craned completely for you, questioning smile the ghost of a dimple in his cheeks. More of his teeth appeared at your surprise, leaning closer to you. You jumped when Yoongi’s hand slid around your thigh, gasp swallowing hard down your throat when his breath brushed against the shell of your ear, lightly squeezing the supple skin covered by pleated silk.

“The chicken sucks,” He mumbled, thumb brushing across the seam of your dress to meet bare skin, “We’ll go get something else when we leave.”

Friend. You are a friend. Friend! 

“T-thank—” Your stutter returned on account of the cool links of his bracelet sliding into the crease of your thighs, “Thank god.” 

The tip of his nose brushed against your cheek as he pulled away with a rumbling chuckle, tsking playfully in his throat. His hand lingering and brushed off your skin and as if releasing the exhale in your lungs, your shoulders slumped all at once in a rush to grab for your water. 

If Yoongi weren’t trying to impress for a raise, you would have asked for something much stronger than the ice cubes you gulped down. Whole. 

3. they pay more attention to you

Hoseok ripped open the door before your wrist had even snapped to knock a second time, making no move to step out of the doorway as his stature sunk into the door frame. He regarded you with raised eyebrows, ones that disappeared into shaggy, freshly dyed red. 

“Why do you even knock anymore?” The bright headed boy contained a shrieking laugh with the back of his wrist, “We need to get you a key made.”

Your cheeks flamed, weight shifting from foot to foot, palms growing clammy around the hoodie you curled against your chest. 

“I’m not here that often,” You protested.

His stature rocked, taking up the opposite end of the door frame. “This is the third time you’ve been here today, love.”

“I can’t help it that Yoongi forgot his wallet in my car. Or needed me to listen to that new track he’s been working on,” You hesitated, palms flexing around the soft cotton, “…or forgot his hoodie in my closet.”

Hoseok snorted, “In your closet, huh?”

“Just let me—”

“Will you stop pestering our guests?” 

A lumbering flash later and a half asleep Yoongi was behind Hoseok’s shoulder. Curled knuckles dug into swollen eyelids, black t-shirt riding up over his hips as he yawned, elbows curling above his head. 

“After they’re here, at minimum, sixteen hours a day, they aren’t guests anymore, they’re roommates,” Hoseok’s thumb and index finger brushed together underneath your nose, “Careful and I’ll start making you pay rent.”

Yoongi’s knuckles pushed into the center of his friend’s chest, moving him out of the way to cup your elbow and drag you into the apartment. “Does more work around here than you ever do,” His palm slid down your forearm, dropping limply against his side, “Can I trade you out, Hoseok?”

Faintly, the tune of Can You Feel the Love Tonight whistled through Hoseok’s lips as he stepped around you to stalk into the depths of the apartment but you couldn’t pin point for sure when Yoongi’s hands were curling around your knuckles and taking the hoodie from your grasp. 

“Stealing my stuff again?” He teased. 

“Something like that...”

4. they show empathy — in good times and bad

You pressed your cheek against Yoongi’s arm, listening attentively as he ranted. You nodded where needed, hummed during pauses for swallowing, never stopped the brushed of your thumb across the inside of his thumb where he clutched onto your hand. 

“I don’t know why I expected anything less than the position going to Seokjin but—” His voice broke for the first time, knuckles white in your grasp, “—I don’t know."

You shifted, chin rutting into his chest, shoulders sagging as you offered a sad smile up at him. He mirrored the gesture, eyes dropping quickly from yours as the grip on your hand lessened. 

“There will be more opportunities, yes?” 

Yoongi shrugged, a full bodied movement. His bottom lip wobbled slightly, swelling below his cupid’s bow, rasping, “Probably. I just—I just really wanted it. You know?”

The syntax telling your brain that would be really dumb if you did that came after the first tear leaked from the corner of your eye, rolling down the slope of your nose. You laughed in spite of the second and third that followed it, shaking your head as your chin dropped.

But the descend didn’t get far as a thumb and index finger were curling around your chin, lifting your gaze. 

“Are you crying?” Yoongi demanded softly, laughing along with you. He dropped your hand to cup your cheeks in both palms, fighting at the onslaught with his thumbs, “Why are you crying?” 

“I don’t like it that you’re upset,” You sniffled, “and I want to fight your boss.”

He laughed, unabashed and full of gums, index fingers curling to brush underneath your eyes, tucking into your hair and dropping at the nape of your neck. “Well, please stop crying,” His tongue traced his bottom lip, an attempt to contain the wide spread of his smile but to no avail, “That makes me more upset.”

5. they remember the little things

"Oh, good, you’re here again,” Hoseok dryly commented as you shoved past him in the doorway. 

“Is he in his office?”

“Hello to you too, Hobi, yeah, I’m just fantastic and I love seeing your bright and smiling face every time I show up at this apartment which is a lot, if you didn’t know—” 

You answered your own question, nudging open the frosted glass with your hip the second you saw a fuzzy blob twisting about in a desk chair. The bag in hand suddenly felt ten times heavier, the brightly colored ropes knotted at the top burning into the curl of your digits. But you didn’t have time to turn and run because Yoongi had already shrugged out of his earbuds and rolled his chair closer to you. 

“Hey,” He leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, reaching a finger out to poke your stomach, “What brings you here?”

The longer your stunned silence lingered in the air, the hotter your skin grew, heart roaring in your ears, white blinding across your eyes. You registered the mold of Yoongi’s plush lips into a frown, pen stained fingertips prodding at your waist against but his voice seemed far away, underwater. 

Or maybe you were finally underwater, giving meaning to the statement in over your head. 

“Happy birthday,” You blurted finally, shoving the obnoxious purple bag against his chest. The heavy box inside swung like a pendulum from where the handles were clutched in your hands, brushing at the front of his hoodie for a few passing moments before he finally was reacting. 

The creaking of the plastic pieces of Yoongi’s chair seemed amplified ten fold in your hyper sensitive ears as his arms curved around your hand, taking the bag from you. The paper creaked now as he placed it down in his lap, carefully sliding his index finger between each side of the bag to pry it open. 

“But it’s not my birthday,” The tape in the center popped apart as he grinned up at you, “It’s not even close to my birthday.”

Your eyes squeezed shut like your fists next to your thighs, “Just open the present, Yoongi.”

He laughed, giggled, high pitched and gleeful as a hand dipped inside the bag, fishing around for the contents inside. He seemed to move in slow motion, brushing the bag aside, placing the nearly flat cardboard box into his lap, prying open the sides, plucking packing peanuts aside to flick in your direction, brushing the box out of his lap to replace it with the foam sleeve. 

“A...” Yoongi trailed off, eyebrows knit in disbelief as he placed the device against his thighs, “...a record player? You bought me a record player?”

“It’s the one you said you wanted, from that one shop you like,” You rushed to explain, “I went and got it after work today and I couldn’t wait until your actual birthday or Christmas or whatever to give it to you so I drove over and—”

You squeaked when he grabbed your wrist, tugging you forward and then down to center his lips against your temple, silencing only your speech but worsening your screeching heart. 

“Thank you,” He spoke against your skin, lips wet and brushing over the spot he’d pecked, “I love it.”

Your heart tripped and clattered up into your throat, clawing desperately to pry apart your lips and scream. 

I love you. 

6. they introduce you to the important people in their lives

Yoongi froze in your doorway when your hand around his wrist was no longer tugging him forward. Another bark. Another titter of nails against hardwood. A hush from you. One more bark. 

“Angel?” He called into your apartment, “What is that?”

The barking ceased but clattering toenails turned into bounding steps. You watched from the hallway as the dog slid, face first, into Yoongi’s shins, tongue lulling from his mouth, tail wagging so violently his entire back end swayed. The startled man crouched, fingers becoming lost in the dog’s thick brown and white fur as his blank stare stayed fixated on a warped spot in the hardwood where the flooring shifted to tile in the kitchen. 

“Meet Coco.”

Yoongi jumped, again, when you shoved yourself off the wall, stalking over to where he scratching long fingers through your dog’s coarse fur. He squinted at you as you joined him, pressing crooked finger tips into the dog’s hips and working soft circles with the blunt edge of your nails. 

“You have a dog?”

You nodded, “I have a dog.”

“Why...” Yoongi trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief, “When did you get a dog?”

“Two weeks ago.”

“You hid a dog from me for two weeks—” 

You reached, cupping your palm across his lips until they stopped opening like a fish out of water. “I hid a dog from everyone for two weeks,” You hushed, “So maybe stop announcing it to everyone.”

“He was literally barking when I got here.”

“He literally hasn’t barked since I got him. Just at you,” You sat down, alerting the attention of the dog as it wiggled over to step in between the cross of your lap, “Probably because you’re the first person he’s met besides me.”

Yoongi sat too, still staring at you like you’d grown a toe out of the tip of your nose. “You haven’t told anyone that you have a dog? Not even your landlord?”

“Until I have to pay extra on my rent—” Your lips brushed the top of the dog’s head, “—I’m not going to.”

Silence, and then a hushed, “I can’t believe you have a dog. I can’t believe you told me you have a dog.”

"Careful,” You shifted, dragging the panting dog closer to your chest, “Next I’ll tell you I have a mom and you’ll have to meet her, too.”

7. they often mention the future

Yoongi hummed around the rim of his wine glass, taking another languid sip of crimson red past chapped lips. “What is it about wine that makes you so inquisitive?”

Poking him no longer felt like you were burning a hole in your finger tips, not with the dull buzz of alcohol sating your heart. “Answer my question, Yoongi,” You prodded at his ankle again, traveling higher up his calf where he sat cross legged in front of you. 

“I’ve already answered all your questions tonight so—” He took another sip, letting the glass fall with a clatter against the stone coaster on your coffee table, “—tell me about your future. Where do you see yourself?”

“Can I be honest with you?” Something in your conscious screamed for you to shut up but the round of your lips forcing the words to roll off your tongue failed to listen. 

Yoongi’s curt nod of acknowledgement had you spilling, “I just wanted to see if your plans included me because mine include you—” Your attention fell to the remnants of the bleeding liquid in your glass, swirling it around, “—sorry.”

When he was silent for longer than your heart cared to take, you were shooting up from the couch, nearly spilling the limited wine left in your glass all over the front of your shirt. “I’m getting more,” You announced, tripping again in your desperate attempt to get past him. 

You didn’t get much farther than around the arm of the couch when his fingers brushed across your hips, snagging against the fabric of your shirt to tug. Your glass met the coffee table, mirroring his as he instead curled his fingers around your clenched fists, pulling until you sank back into the couch a space away from him where you’d once been. 

“Of course my plans include you,” He quirked an eyebrow, chasing your gaze that tried to avoid his eyes. When you finally blinked up at him he inquired softly, “Why wouldn’t they?”

“Yoongi, I don’t think we mean it in the same way.”

He hummed, thumbs brushing your knuckles, easing apart the tense muscles the thread your fingers together, holding your encased hands in his lap. “Try me,” He prodded, “What way do you mean?”

“Forget it.”

“No, I won’t forget it,” Yoongi eased himself forward, bringing your hands up to feather his lips over the back of your hands, “Because I tried to forget it but I couldn’t.”

“Because I thought I’d done something wrong. I mean, we’ve been friends for so long and all of the sudden you started to act like I’d burnt you every time I breathed too close. You wouldn’t even make eye contact with me yet you kept showing up at my apartment only to behave like I’d done something wrong.”

“Then I thought about it,” He tilted his head to one side, “and I thought about myself and my feelings and I realized something. Or, I thought I realized something—” When you quirked an eyebrow, he grinned, “—love, you’re not very subtle. I haven’t heard you stutter since that speech you had to give about tarantulas in freshman year communications.”

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” Yoongi leaned closer, “that I’m in love with you, too. Always have been. Always will be.”

You squeaked and you stuttered and you avoided his eye contact all in the span of a half a second, “Who said I’m in love with you?”

He tugged you closer by your intertwined hands, dropping the appendages to curl his fingers underneath your jaw, holding you in place. 

“Well, are you?”

You huffed out a laugh, “Maybe. A little.”

“Can you say it so I can kiss you?” 

“But you can kiss me now.”

“I’m not kissing you until you say it.”

“You’re so annoying.”

“But you love me?”

You sighed, centering your eyes back to his, finally, finding absolute adoration in your favorite brown eyes that you could have caught on to months ago if you hadn’t been so wrapped up in your own apprehension. 

“Yes, Yoongi,” The exhale that left you trembled at your shoulders, at your fingers that dared to curl around his wrists, “I love you.”

“Good,” He nodded, awkward albeit, eyes flicking to your mouth, “Uh, can I kiss you now?”

“Please.”

[emilybettsource]

From Michael Gallagher, the LGBTQ dramedy Funny Story follows what happens when Walter Campbell (Matthew Glave), an aging heartthrob trying to reconnect with his estranged adult daughter Nic (Jana Winternitz), gives her friend Kim (Emily Bett Rickards) a ride to their vacation in Big Sur that he decides to crash. While these two complicated individuals bond in unexpected ways, Walter’s own narcissism and need for forgiveness threatens to ruin what’s intended to be a beautiful trip.

During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, actress Emily Bett Rickards talked about why this script appealed to her, what drew her to the character, always searching to discover more about who Kim was, the very quick shoot, and her favorite scene to shoot. She also talked about whether she’d want to return for the last season of The CW series Arrow, where she played Felicity Smoak for seven seasons, if she’d continue returning to TV, her desire to do more theater, and which TV series she’d like to do a guest spot on.

Collider:  You were so great in this, and this is such an interesting and fun character. Was that the appeal, when you read this script?

EMILY BETT RICKARDS:  Oh, yeah. The script was close to 100% of what we see on screen, just brought to life. That is what attracted to me this movie. It was so honestly written and so raw, that it was just a no-brainer.

These are all characters who clearly are flawed and they make mistakes, so it would be easy to find yourself judging any of them. When you first read this, what was your initial impression of the character? Did she feel like someone that you could identify with, or did you find yourself judging her behavior?

RICKARDS:  Fortunately, I was already identifying with her, due to just reading the script. What I think most people take away from watching this is that the characters are so easily relatable because of their imperfections, not because of pristine qualities. I think that Kim is someone who’s trying to be better, but can’t seem to figure that out now. I think that we see that in Walter, as well. We see what kind of destruction it can cause when you can’t accept the reflection in the mirror.

Were you involved, at all, with the development of the character prior to shooting? Were there things that you wanted to add or suggest with her?          

RICKARDS:  We just continually talked about the character, all the time, just trying to understand who she was and how we could bring her to life. But Kim was quite well-rounded on the page, which is just so rare to find. What (writer/director) Michael [Gallagher] had done with Kim, before the words were even lifted off the page, was honest and incredible, and he took the time to collaborate and talk to me about her, sort of limitlessly. We would just talk about her, all the time, because she was so interesting. She is that person who hasn’t been able to understand herself, so we just tried to understand her.

Because she is so obviously such a different character from Felicity Smoak on Arrow, how did you find the experience of actually getting on set and playing as somebody like Kim, especially when you were juggling it with playing Felicity?

RICKARDS:  I did this between Seasons 4 and 5, and playing Felicity was continually going at such a rapid pace. It was just different type of vibration. This character is just a completely different person. Kim and Felicity are so different. I think that it’d be really interesting if they met, but I don’t feel like their worlds would collide. I’m not sure I found it difficult. I think I just found Kim so different. I haven’t thought about that, interestingly enough. My brain, when I was playing Felicity, we would get to the end of 23 episodes, and there was time apart from her, but I’d always get to see her again. I think now it’ll be different because I won’t get to play Felicity again. It might be a little different, and that will be a question, down the road, where the answer will surprise me.

It seems like, if you hadn’t been playing Felicity and needed to keep looking like her, at the time that you did this movie, that this is the kind of character where you could have really played with your look. Had you ever thought about doing anything more than the nose piercing, like doing something crazy with your hair, if you could have?

RICKARDS:  We had died my hair this gray-purple color and it didn’t stick, and that was the only thing we tried to do with Kim. I do think that Kim knows who she is. Now, it’s a little bit harder because I do feel like she is who she is and that’s what she looks like. She wants to fly under the radar, regardless. I wonder if she would have changed a lot more. I don’t know. She would never have been blonde. It’s so funny, I can’t picture her different now.

There are so many moments in this that seem like they would be fun to shoot, like the big group scenes. Did you have a favorite scene to shoot?

RICKARDS:  The dinner scene was lots of fun. It was nighttime and we were at this beautiful place. It was lit impeccably, and our whole small, intimate film crew was incredibly talented. Everybody had grown to know each other by then, too, which was really cool. It was just very fun. We sat down for dinner, and it was like we were really sitting down for dinner.

There are definitely some emotionally intense moments in the film, too. Did you have a most difficult scene or day, during the shoot?

RICKARDS:  No, not really. There wasn’t a most difficult, other than probably the end scene where we exposed all of Kim’s emotions. Because we had been talking it, it wasn’t actually the most difficult. We just wanted it to feel fluid. I feel like we didn’t have much time left. I would wait outside in the tiny little hallway. That house was artistically stunning, in its kitschy-ness, and I remember just running in and wanting to create this moment, and you feel that. I felt wonderment afterwards, about Kim and where she was going after that. That’s the emotion I had around it. I was like, where does Kim go from here? That was something that surprised me.

When you played Kim, were there things that you grew to appreciate about her, by the end of shooting the film, that you didn’t necessarily see in her, in the beginning?

RICKARDS:  Yeah. We shot the film in about 15 days, so it was so short, but at the same time, the answer is yes because I had more time with her. But if we had all had more time with these characters, we would have gotten to learn even more. Kim grew on me, as she hopefully grows on audience members through the movie. But when I had read her, for the first time, I already did feel like she’s with me now. That’s why I’m glad this film came to fruition the way it did.

Even with the mistakes that she makes, Kim just feels like such a real person. She feels like somebody that anybody could know or come across.

RICKARDS:  Yes, I think she is. With all of her imperfections and all of the walls that she has built up, we have lens inside of who she actually is. Even with all of these walls that she’s promoting to all of these other characters and who’s presenting herself to be, we get to see the truth. We actually get to see what Kim is facing, through the whole movie, because we know all of her secrets. Besides Kim, we’re the only people that know all of her secrets.

Now that we know that the next season of Arrow is the last season, even though it feels like Felicity’s story came to a satisfying conclusion, would you like to return, in some capacity, with it being the last season of the show?

RICKARDS:  I feel like Felicity has done her time. I don’t know if anybody is going to like what I’m saying, but I feel like Felicity has done her time. We knew this was coming for awhile – for over a year – so the whole thing is exactly what we wanted to happen. I trust the writers, and that’s in their hands.

When you have a goodbye like Felicity had, at the end of the season, you also don’t want to mess that up by coming back and taking away from that.

RICKARDS:  Yes, exactly.

Would you consider going back to TV and signing on for another potentially long-running series, or is that something that you think you’ll take a break from for awhile?

RICKARDS:  I think I’m going to take a break for awhile, and do a little bit of theater, coming up in New York (Reborning at the SoHo Playhouse from July 5th through August 3rd). And then, after that, I’m hoping to continue doing theater for a little bit longer. My friends are a bunch of creative geniuses, so no matter what, that’s the way I’m going right now. I’ll never say no to doing TV again. For now, life has changed dramatically, already.

What do you enjoy about theater, that is different from film and TV?

RICKARDS:  I feel like my experience with TV and my experience with indie film, is that it’s not until you walk away that you’re like, “Oh, that’s what that was about.” And I feel like with theater, the discovery is never-ending. There’s time for rehearsal and I feel like there’s a deeper exploration of what the characters are. I’m really looking forward to doing theater again. It just comes down to rehearsal time. If you’re gonna offer me rehearsal time, in other mediums, I feel like maybe I would grow from that, as well. My experience with that is just a little bit more limited.

What was it about this particular character that made you want to play her on stage?

RICKARDS:  She’s dark, she’s fast, she’s witty, she’s incredibly smart, and she’s also incredibly damaged. She’s someone who is a full person. I don’t think many people have the lifestyle that she has. Coming up, I hope I can discover more about why she’s in it and what’s she doing, and get deeper into her brain, for lack of a better word.

Is there a current TV show that you’d love to do a fun guest spot or guest arc on?

RICKARDS:  Oh, yeah. I’m a fan of Schitt’s Creek, since Season 1. There’s a lot of comedy content on TV. I dive into comedy more naturally than I dive into other things, and that’s just because I’d like to learn more, professionally.

Funny Story is in theaters and on VOD.

[dreamterlude]

druck s3e01, a review

As promised, here's the very long, very messy s3e01 review, clip by clip!

CLIP 1

Right from the start, I really like the way you can feel Matteo's solitude thanks to the use of the music and how it "stops" when the camera's on him, I think it's a really smart move to show how he feels, like he's worlds apart, detached from all what's happening around him.

Then the shot changes from a guy's hands, a girl with a gut tattoo (absolutely love it) and a girl's ass, Idk if this has any purpose but it's still a cool effect, so kudos to the cinematography.

The moment Matteo stands up and goes to the bathroom but Sara stops him and kisses him really sets the tone of their relationship: Matteo's face when kissing Sara says a lot about his situation, like he's hugging her but at the same time he's not happy about it, his face shows apathy and resignation.

Really really loved the scene with the boys in the bathtub!! I think it does an awesome job at "introducing" (we already knew them) them. They talk about some sex position and act like dumbasses, but again Matteo feels like he's not there.

The shot of Matteo looking at himself in the mirror goes deeper into his confused and ausent kinda aura, it's as if he was wondering what is he doing there in that party, what is he doing with his life in general, which honestly? hella relatable.

HIGHLIGHTS: Boys gang's one common braincell, "Kiki is the hypotenuse", Dónde está mi gente playing in the background.

CLIP 2

First of all I love Matteo's room and I can't wait to see more of it!

The song choice is so on point for this scene like wow, it really helps the whole "lazy morning after" mood and also has a high melancholic vibe, which is (imo) very Matteo.

Also, the use of the lyrics!!! "I woke up but it didn't go away" right before Matteo sees his mother's message, "did you expect me to cry" when he's touching Jonas' hair and "will you not think of me tonight" when he sees the number on Jonas' arm. So far Druck has been exceptionally good at the song choices and the way they use them so I'm not exactly surprised at how good this was.

Bringing back the moment Matteo touched Jonas' hair because it was really important!! I made a post about this, but the fact that Matteo only shows this softer side of him because he's "alone" says a lot about himself and it's actually really sad. Not only that, this moment also shows that he's not over Jonas, and that makes a lot of sense for me, because he seemed to be really into him back in s1 (s2 too but especially s1).

HIGHLIGHTS: "Why are you in Matteo"s bed" "I could ask the same" " I was waiting for you", Matteo's tracksuit + grandpa jacket combination, we love a fashion icon.

CLIP 3

Right from the beginning, the absolute chaotic gay energy of Matteo replying to Sara's pic with "cool" and the shrug after that, he's not even trying, he doesn't know what to do or how he got himself into that situation.

Once again, when talking to his friends and the girls it seems like his body is there but hia mind is miles apart. Also!! when Sam tells him about how good the party was and he agrees even though it's clear (for the viewer) that he didn't have a good time, I think this is a good way to show the viewers Matteo's "wish" to fit in, and how he's always pretending.

And then!! The Scene!!!! I've talked about this on other posts but the way Matteo and David checked each other out was so not subtle, I loved it. The slow-motion, the song choice, the moment their stares connected, then again when both of them turned their heads to keep looking... what can I say except poetic cinema.

Also major kudos to Michelangelo for Matteo's slight facial change, it really shows that the encounter with David shook him up, even though he still doesn't know why.

HIGHLIGHTS: The way Hanna looked at Jonas! I love that Druck doesn't forget about past plots and instead continues them with little details like this.

Unrelated but Matteo I'm begging you please wear a fucking belt.

CLIP 4

First of all, what's up with the teachers not wearing bras??? I have nothing against women choosing not to wear bras but like, why is this a recurring theme for the "Isak" season?? I honestly don't get it.

I don't think there's a lot to comment in this clip, it's basically a way to introduce Matteo and Amira's friendship (something I'm hella excited for) and to set the date for The Meeting™.

That being said, there were little things that made me love this clip, like Matteo's body language. The way he shrugs and rolls his eyes, you can really feel how (physically and emotionally) tired he is just by looking at him. You don't have to understand german to know what he's thinking, you can get a sense of it based on the way he acts!! All this is thanks to Michelangelo for being so fucking good at acting, like wow.

Another thing I liked was Matteo's mood getting worse after seeing Jonas flirt with that girl, as I've said before I like that they're showing us that he's still not completely over him, it makes it more real to me.

HIGHLIGHTS: Amira looking like a goddess in that pink hijab, Matteo's "nein" when the teacher called him out, the masterpiece that is "Idk, a blowjob".

CLIP 5

Once again, I love Matteo's room!! That yoga cushion he was using? a comfortable king.

There are 4 things that I want to talk about in this clip, first, Matteo texting his friends that he's also "busy". As I've said in the clips above, he really feels that he has to pretend to be someone he isn't and that's such a realistic side of being in the closet, I feel like Druck is doing a good job in showing that.

Then, the fact that he doesn't close his eyes when kissing Sara. He's not invested in the kiss (for obvious reasons) and he just wishes it would end, but at the same time he doesn't neglect it? Like he's in a level of resignation where he doesn't care anymore.

I feel like I mention this way too much but!! the body language!!! it's so important in a character like Matteo, who (so far) doesn't seem to be very talkative. When Sara asks him if they're together, you can see how uncomfortable he is with the idea but at the same time it's like he's trying to convince himself that this (being with Sara) is how things are supposed to be. Which, not gonna lie, is sad as fuck.

And finally, the moment in which Matteo asks Sara if she wants to watch a movie with him. She was clearly expecting something else (her face says it all), but Matteo looks content, almost happy. Maybe because of the relief he feels since he doesn't have to kiss her?? or maybe because he has someone keeping him company, someone that likes him and is affectionate with him. In this sense, I feel like Matteo is using Sara not only to pretend he's straight, but also as an emotional support, sort of. Based on the scene in the 2nd clip, he seems like a very touch starved person, craving for some affection, and right now the one who can help with that is Sara.

HIGHLIGHTS: "Should I do some research?" Matteo you absolute disaster gay. Sara being cute and lovely (I really hope she's not like other Emmas).

CLIP 6 aka The Clip™

Okay with this clip I'm going straight to Matteo and David's interactions because this is getting really long, rip.

The way Matteo's whole aura changes around David!! He's really trying hard to come off as a cool guy but David is highkey having none of that shit, I love it. Like when Matteo puts the joint on his ear and says "come on", excuse me? who is this smooth motherfucker and what has he done to my gremlin son? For real now, I love that we got to see this side of Matteo, and I'm really really excited to see more of it.

But also the way David was checking Matteo out when he was looking for the joint like, wow, he seems to really like him already (and I don't even mean in a romantic way, not yet).

The whole conversation they had is a masterpiece and I could say a lot about it, but my favorite parts would be as they follow:

David saying he "murdered someone" (the metaphor is strong here) and the subsequent "I murdered my parents joke" that comes from it. Weird humor sense but Matteo seems to like it, in fact he laughs! for the first time since the season started he seems to be present, invested in the moment, laughing!! Rewatching the episode, the change in Matteo's behaviour is really noticeable, he went from being ausent around his friends and Sara to being incredibly "present" during his conversation with David. Let me just say: poetic cinema.

But also the fact that Matteo hides his smile really quick, like he's still being guarded, like he didn't expect David to make him feel.

The!! eyelash!! thing!! This was such a nice, kinda awkward moment, absolutely my favorite one. Matteo growing some confidence and asking if he gets to make a wish now, licking his lips while looking at David, like... wow. I absolutely love that David asked him what would he had wished for, because it gave us some insight to Matteo's situation: he just wants to go away, which considering all he's been through, makes a lot of sense.

It also gave us some information about David! he said he also wanted to get away and go to Detroit, since that was where the best music came from. I like that with this simple conversation we got to know more about both of them.

Then, the way David's mood changed when Sara came in and kissed Matteo, he looked so... disappointed? He was like "gtg". Also, something I noticed rewatching the episode: when he said goodbye he only looked at Matteo!!

And last but not least, when Sara said "that's him, the guy Leonie has a crush on" and Matteo replied with "no I think that's someone else", I'm genuinely curious about this?? What is Matteo trying to do here?? I guess we'll have to wait 👀

HIGHLIGHTS: Amira, Sam and Kiki looking pretty as always, Matteo's face when Kiki suggested hugging teachers, Photoshop Markus, David's smile.

Anyways, that's it!! This got really long but I had a lot to say!! Druck has officially become my favorite remake, so I might do a review per episode if you guys like it uwu ♡

[fandomwritingsgalore]

The Christmas Con - Chapter 5 (Chris Evans x Reader)

Pairing: Chris Evans x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Few curse words. Fluff. Angst

Chapter: 5, Read More Here 

Summary: Chris Evans agrees to be your fake boyfriend when you head to your family’s annual Christmas holiday at a rented cabin in the mountains. You think you’re pulling off the con until you’re both faced with a few obstacles you weren’t expecting, namely meddling relatives. Your family love him and you’re starting to think you might, too. This holiday you’ll learn there’s more to the season of giving, and Chris, than you thought.

Author’s Note: If y’all thought the younger cousins were cute, your heart’s going to melt for this chapter. One more to go after this! We’re almost to the finish line!

Y/N = Your Name, Y/F/N = Your (female) friend’s name

Word Count: 2.5k

You awoke to the sounds of pounding feet and high pitched squeals outside your door. You frowned and nuzzled your face into the soft fabric under your cheek not wanting to get up yet. As you came to, you felt a hand tighten on your waist and a deep groan from under your head. That’s odd, you thought. You slowly opened your eyes to orient yourself. You stilled as your brain started piecing together your current situation. You were curled with a hand resting on his chest, legs entwined, with Chris, who held you tightly to him in the middle of the bed.

His tightened his embrace and let out a big yawn, eyes fluttering open uncomprehendingly. He gave you a sleepy smile with half closed eyes. “Mornin’, angel,” he said in a husky morning voice that sent a shiver down your spine.

You knew the moment he came to, because the hand that had been rubbing soothing circles into your back froze as his eyes shot open, now fully awake and aware of who was in his arms. “Shit.”

The two of you jerked away from each other as someone knocked loudly on the door. “Everyone decent?”

“Shit!” you whisper yelled. “Just a second,” you shouted to the anonymous knocker. “I think we overslept. What time is it?” You hurriedly tried to straighten the mess of sheets. Chris, one handed, checked his phone and simultaneously pulled the bottom of his shirt down. It must have ridden up during the night but you didn’t have time to wonder if you had subconsciously done it your sleep or he just moved around a lot.

“8:15.” He said, hastily setting his phone back down and almost dropping it. He almost fell out of bed catching it before throwing it onto the table. You both scooted back against the pillows and got in an appropriate position. He awkwardly put his arm around your shoulders at an odd angle and you shimmied closer trying to make it appear like you always woke up this way and weren’t completely uncomfortable.

“Come in!” You both said at the same time in a much cheerier tone than necessary.

The door opened just a little and your mom peeked in as though making sure there was no funny business going on. Satisfied, she walked fully into the room followed closely by Y/F/N and the gang of kids who proceeded to run and hop onto the bed.

“Your wake up calls decided to deliver the message in person,” She said with an amused grin.

“It’s Christmas!” Your niece cheered. “Time to get up and open presents.”

“I thought you’re supposed to have breakfast to build up energy for present opening?” Chris pretended to scold them before cracking a big grin.

“We’re not allowed until everyone is up,” Y/F/N’s nephew Jackson stated, tugging on your hand.

“Now it all makes sense,” Chris nodded sagely glancing over at you. “But, we’re both so so tired. I think we might sleep for a few more hours,” he discreetly winked, and you bit back a laugh. He gave an over exaggerated yawn and tucked his head into your neck pretending to go back to sleep.

“Yeah, I say we wait until tonight to open presents,” you played along, patting Chris on the head as though shushing him back to dreamland. “To make sure we’re all well rested.

“I agree,” Y/F/N said with a very real yawn of her own. “Holidays are for sleeping in late.”

The kids all gasped in horror before they scrambled off and ripped you both out of the bed in their excitement.

“You can have nap time later. Presents now,” your niece instructed pulling Chris by the arm and putting all her weight into dragging him to his feet. He held onto her small hands so she wouldn’t fall once he rose off the bed.

“I think you guys just want to know what awesome gifts Chris the Elf got for them, which means I can just tell you!” He gave a booming laugh and one-armed lifted her up off the ground as she clung to him giggling and swinging her feet in mid-air.

“Nooo, we have to open them all together!” She instructed with a serious expression. “And you have to come, too, because you’re family.”

Chris set her down gently, taken aback by her words. “Family? You mean, you guys think of me as family?” He gazed around at all the kids who nodded ‘yes.’ His brows furrowed in confusion. “But, you- you just met me?”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a big cheesy smile, “You love Aunt Y/N so that makes you family, dummy.”

He blinked in surprise and your heart warmed at how open and loving these incredible little kids were. You had to bite your lip to keep from tearing up at her candidness.

“Oh sweetie,” your mom lovingly sighed, the pride of her granddaughter evident in her eyes. “That was very kind of you to tell Chris.”

“Mommy and daddy say to always tell the truth about how you feel,” your niece stated sassily, crossing her arms with narrowed eyes, as though daring anyone to argue with her parents advice. She was clearly unbothered by all the melting hearts she caused the adults to have for her honesty.

Chris dazedly looked over to you and shook his head in bewilderment. You shrugged and smiled, “You make it very easy to fall in love with you, Evans.”

“Enough with the mushy talk.” You stumbled onto the cold floor with a laugh as Jackson yanked you out of bed. “Let’s go, sleepyheads.”

“Alright you lot, let Y/N and Chris get ready and we’ll meet them downstairs,” your mom ordered, raising a hand to wipe the few tears that had fallen. She herded all the kids towards the door.

“But they’re already in their pjs,” Jackson whined, but quieted at a stern look from your mom. He turned back to you and Chris and wagged his finger threateningly, “don’t go back to sleep or you won’t be able to bake cookies with us later.”

Chris pretended to look scared before miming an X over his heart, “I’ll make sure Y/N is ready in 5 minutes. Scouts honor.” He quickly crossed the room to steer you by the shoulders towards the bathroom, saying loud enough for the kids to hear, “I am not missing out on decorating cookies.”

When he shut the door behind him, you both broke out in giggles. Chris brushed past and handed you your toothbrush.

“Don’t fuck around. I feel like they’re going to come back with a vengeance if we take longer than 5 minutes.”

“Yes, the 3 feet tall children can be very vicious,” you snorted, but accepted the toothpaste he offered without argument.

“You joke, but they’re the perfect height to take out your knees when you’re not looking.”

You met his serious expression in the mirror before shaking your head. “I have no doubt my niece could take you, Evans, as could I.”

“I look forward to the day you try, angel,” he said with a cocky grin. “Now, hurry up. We’re down to 4 minutes.”

***

Unwrapping the presents went as quickly as you thought it would. You were watching amused as Chris and Y/F/N tried to piece together the remote control car one of the kid’s received. They were going back and forth over what went where, completely abandoning the instructions inside the box.

You took another sip of the homemade hot chocolate your dad made. It was a Christmas morning tradition. Open presents, hot cocoa, and then everyone would get dressed to do whatever they wanted the rest of the day. The only rule was that you came back for lunch and dinner so everyone could eat together as a family.

“What do you want to do once you’re done?” You asked Chris.

He shrugged. “Bake cookies? Or, we could watch a Christmas movie. What about Die Hard?”

“Die Hard is not a Christmas movie and that is the hill I will die on,” Y/F/N interjected with a huff. You set your mug down on the side table and tucked your feet up onto the armchair.

Chris laughed, “Since it’s Christmas I’m not going to argue about how wrong you are. How about something outside then since the sun is out?” He paused as an idea struck. “Do you want to build a snowman?” he sang slowly.

“Oh no…” you groaned, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

He beamed and stretched out a hand to you, “Come on, let’s go and play!”

“Chris, don’t start…” you warned. He hopped onto his knees and shuffled over to you. You dropped your head into your hands in embarrassment as the rest of the family started laughing.

Reaching out, he grabbed your hands earnestly and cheesily sang, “It doesn’t have to be a snowman.”

“Go away, Chris!” You giggled, playing along.

“Love is an open door, angel,” he pressed a hard kiss to your hands and pulled you forward in the chair until your lips were inches apart. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Your heart was pounding as you were swept away by the fondness pouring from his blue eyes. Fondness for you. Which was why your next words fell before you could think to hold them back.

“I’d never want to,” you breathed quietly, so sincere and heartfelt it was as though you poured every feeling of love and longing you’d ever felt for Chris into those words. 

The realization hit you so suddenly and swiftly it knocked the air from your lungs with the truth of it. You were in love with Chris. In love with the way he could always make you laugh. With the way his heart could hold an infinite amount of love for his family and friends, his dog, and the world…for you. You were in love with your best friend.

He sat back on his heels in disbelief as the remote control car went whizzing past, distracting him and drawing his attention. Y/F/N had finished putting it together and the kids were now racing it around the house.

You gulped as Chris glanced back at you with wary confusion written all over his features.

Oh shit. He thought you were just acting for the sake of the con. He probably thought you were putting on a good show for the family and got caught up in the moment. You had made a terrible miscalculation. Had you just ruined everything you had with him? He quickly rose and shifted around nervously, as though lost and unsure what to do with himself.

“Why don’t we pick up this mess and eat breakfast?” Your mom suggested, looking between the two of you as you sat in silence. You avoided her questioning gaze. “We made a big feast for everyone.” She stood and squeezed your shoulder, knowing something was amiss even if she didn’t understand why.

“I’ll help you grab the plates,” Chris immediately volunteered, following her into the kitchen.

During breakfast Chris was uncharacteristically quiet and it only increased your fear that you had crossed a line you would never be able to come back from. He quickly finished up his meal and announced he was going get dressed.

“We have snowmen to make,” he said with a cheeriness you knew was fake. The rest of family hadn't notice, not knowing how he could go on actor autopilot to make people believe everything was ok, when he was really freaking out on the inside.

You gave him privacy in your shared room and helped wash the dishes downstairs, lost in your internal agony of what he must be thinking and was this the end of your friendship? Just the thought of not having Chris in your life made your ears ring and your breathing quicken in anxiety.

You dashed up the stairs, both to change and to convince Chris it was all a part of the act. You would not lose him because you had a moment of weakness.

“Chris?” You called out, swinging the door open without knocking. You gasped when you saw him standing at the foot of the bed with a towel draped around his waist and his wet hair tousled. He must’ve just gotten out of the shower.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I should’ve knocked. I’ll, uh, I’ll just,” you were waving your hands around trying to piece together a sentence and stare anywhere but at the outline of his well defined chest and how his towel fell perfectly on his hips just below his v-line. The water droplets still clinging to his body only drawing more attention to the hard ridges. Stop it! You chided yourself taking a deep breath to still your shaking hands.

“Wait,” he instructed as you went to leave the room, mortified even more than you were previously. “You can stay. I’m just about done if you want to get dressed.”

“It’s fine, I can come back when you’re done,” you suggested meekly.

“It’s ok, Y/N.” His expression was one of sincerity, and you knew he meant more than just seeing him half naked. He meant the two of you were ok. He gave you a tender smile, “I trust you.”

You gave a laugh of relief as he repeated your words from last night and stepped into the room, closing the door behind you. “I’m really sorry about how intense I got downstairs-”

He waved a hand dismissively, “don’t worry about it. I know you were just keeping up appearances.”

You stopped, frozen in place. He did think you were acting. That was what you’d wanted, though. The entire reason you’d come running up the stairs was to convince him it was fake.

“Right?” he questioned your silence, expression neutral.

“...Right.”

He clenched his jaw and gave a sharp nod. “Then you better get ready. We’ve still got a family to fool.”

The words were like knives to your heart. You gathered your outfit for the day and padded past him to the restroom. He quietly watched you until you gently clicked the door closed and leaned against the counter suddenly feeling overwhelmingly drained.

This was for the best. Things could go back to normal. You and Chris could still be best friends and you’d just attribute this weekend’s newfound emotions to the picture perfect Christmas card you’d been thrust into and you’d get over whatever it was you thought you felt for Chris come the flight home.

But, as you pulled your shirt over your head, deep down, you felt a cold sense of dread knowing these feelings wouldn’t disappear overnight, if ever. You’d broken the cardinal rule of every good con. 

You’d fallen in love with your fake boyfriend, and now you had to live with it.

My Masterlist

Forever Tags:

@appreciating-chase-brody

Chris Evans Forever Tags

@spider--bae @bookgirlunicorn @coffeebooksandfandom @ajosieface @patzammit @nerdgirljen @the-sunshine-in-the-dark @i-regret-this-already

The Christmas Con Tags:

@aboxbesidethesea @capcevans81 @inlovewith3 @memyselfandandrea @steftolbert @hiddlebatchedloki @scarletwwandas @marvelgirlsthings @chmedic @sophiealiice @torntaltos @superwinterbell @queenred23 @jennabenna12 @xceafh @lexaandlincoln @cltex84 @imarypayne @katiedreamy @brutusr @captainrogersunderpants @mister-michael-langdon @siren-queen03 @spazztasticstiles @ezauraemmaline @buckysclub @bella-imperfecta-luna @the-doctors-fallen-angel @mackevanstanfan80 @cocomel0613 @buckywhiitewolf @myles-production @twittytelly @m-a-t-91 @beautyinthewild31

[pop-punklouis]

hey hope!! i’ve completely run out of things to watch recently and was wonderinf if you had any recs of movies and tv shows??

HI! 

It’s your lucky day because I have found myself in a hole of watching many new things lately that I’ve more or less found enjoyable so hopefully you will too? lol

1. Russian Doll:  Nadia, a young woman who is on a journey to be the guest of honor at a party in New York City. But she gets caught in a mysterious loop as she repeatedly attends the same event and dies at the end of the night each time – only to awaken the next day unharmed as if nothing had happened.

(I know I’m late to the party with that one, but it is quite literally one of the best comedy-dramas I’ve seen in a long while, not to mention Natasha Lyonne, the ultimate babe, stars in it. It is, blatantly, obvious that the script was written by women (thank god) and it has a cool, mind-trip twist at the end that’ll have you guessing what actually was happening the entire time. Super easy to binge!! 10/10)

2. Perfume:  When a woman is found murdered with scent glands excised from her body, a detective probes a group of friends who attended boarding school with her.

(A German mystery-crime-thriller that is way too convoluted and intertwined to know the real culprit of the grisly yet complex murders until the few minutes of the last episode. It has an incredibly intriguing script with intricate details and dialogue. Pleasantly surprised by how solid the entire storyline and characters were. TW though!! There are scenes of obscene sex, implied rape, domestic abuse, and sexual assault. So be careful if those things trigger you. Watching it in German with English subtitles is the way to go, though. Trust me.)

3. Handsome Devil:  Two opposites, a loner and the top athlete become friends at a rugby-obsessed boarding school, and the authorities test their friendship.

(An irish coming-of-age LGBT film that, again, pleasantly surprised me with how well it was executed underneath the guise of an overly cliche storyline. It’s winning, compelling, and quite moving with how it tackles individuality in teens. It’s just a great film that takes tropes and turns them on their head by transforming the characters in their own way. Not to give too much away but the talk one of the boys have with the English professor on the rugby field at night is so, so important as an open dialogue.) 

4. Dumplin’:  The plus-size, teenage daughter of a former beauty queen signs up for her mum’s pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow in her footsteps, revolutionising the pageant and their small Texas town.

(As you can probably guess this film is an emotionally-impactful conversation about self-acceptance that rides on the back of societal expectations of young women all tied together in a very heart-warming coming-of-age drama. Also there’s loads of Dolly Parton music. What else is there to say)

5. The Lobster:  In a dystopian society, single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.

(Isn’t a new watch, but I was reminded of it recently. Just an extended Black Mirror episode, pretty much. It’s odd. It’s bizarre. It’s engaging. It’s a lot of things, and they are great.)

6. Shirkers:  In 1992 teenager Sandi Tan shoots Singapore’s first road movie with her enigmatic American mentor, Georges, who then absconded with all of the footage. The 16 mm film is recovered 20 years later, sending Tan, who is now a novelist living in Los Angeles, on a personal odyssey in search of Georges’ footprints.

(One of my favorite documentaries I’ve seen in a while, mainly because it doesn’t exactly feel like a documentary. It feels like you’re privvy to the incredibly frustrating, disheartening, and determined story of friendship, women-bound creativity, youth, and dishonesty when it comes to the mystery of where and why Georges disappeared. It’s also empowering in a way to see the transition of these young women reclaiming their lives after such betrayal.)

7. Grace & Frankie:  For as long as they can recall, Grace and Frankie have been rivals. Their one-upmanship comes crashing to a halt, however, when they learn that their husbands have fallen in love with each other and want to get married. As everything around the ladies is coming apart, the only thing they can really rely on is each other.

(I’ve been living under a rock, sue me. This show is fanfuckingtastic. Just watch it. Just binge it. Just do it.)

8. Voyeur:  Gay Talese investigates Gerald Foos, a Colorado motel owner who spies on his guests. Using a carefully constructed platform in the motel’s attic, Foos documents his guests most private moments, from the mundane to the shocking.

(Just a frustratingly and horrifyingly sad and strange recollection of two men who act as an incredibly interesting character study if nothing else. Recommend)

9. Some Freaks:  A charming romance develops between a boy with one eye and an overweight girl, though when she loses her weight after going to college, their relationship is tested in devastating ways they never dreamed would happen.

(….. I still don’t know how I feel about this movie. I’ve watched it twice, once alone and once with a friend, and I’m still conflicted on my lasting thoughts about the film and its message. It’s definitely something I suggest watching, at least, to come to your own conclusions about how it made you feel. It’s just. uncomfortable in the strangest of ways, and I just need more people to converse about it with lmao)

10. The Kindergarten Teacher:  A teacher sees such great promise in her 5-year-old student that she goes to unreasonable lengths to protect his talent.

(I watched this film on a whim one day while off from work, and I was pleasantly surprised by its depth and heartbreaking tendencies. This film does not evoke anything but unsettled feelings and yearning for both the young boy and the teacher. Many people tend to gloss over the fact that this film does so much more than its superficial narrative. it opens such a bigger conversation into what absence and neglect of personal creativity and art through someone’s marriage and family can cause them to in-turn have an unhealthy obsession with wanting to keep a child’s love/talent for art alive. Haunting but great film.)

11. Mr. Roosevelt:  A struggling LA-based comedian goes home to Austin, Texas, when a family member becomes ill and finds herself in the awkward position of staying with her ex and his amazing new girlfriend.

(Friend found this hidden-gem on Netflix, and it’s such a quirky, comforting, easy-watch that I miss a lot in indie films. It’s progressive and weird in all the right ways, and it leaves you with a cozy feeling inside once the film reaches its end.)

12. Queer Eye Season 3

(You know the drill just more feel-good reality-television makeover that makes all of us a little bit happier about humanity’s ability to be kind)

13. Happy Anniversary:  On their three-year anniversary, Molly and Sam are at a crossroads and need to decide whether to move forward or call it quits.

(Another hidden gem found on Netflix that I ended up thoroughly enjoying. It comes across as a real, genuine, non-exaggerated look at the inside of a couple’s relationship. It’s candid, fun, witty in dialogue, and heartwarming towards the end. I’ll admit I got a bit misty eyed at 1 AM lol also the dude who plays jean-ralphio is one of the mains so c’mon.)

14. Class Rank:  When her class rank threatens her college plans, an ambitious teen convinces a nerdy peer to run for the school board to abolish the ranking system.

(Listen up, I watched this film because I was under the impression that it was going to be a b-rated teen film I could be amused by, but it ended up being a sorta cute story that I enjoyed a lot more than I probably should’ve RIP. Give it a shot).

15. Cam:  A camgirl has her principles, until a mysterious woman who looks just like her takes over her channel.

(Don’t take the general critic review to heart and watch the film, yourself. It’s. a ride. It definitely gave me chills as much as it made me uncomfortable. A thriller with twists and uneasiness at every corner. Just a real creepy look into AI, especially in industries like the camgirl industry. I do want the girl’s play dungeon tho rip)

[orionsangel86]

Episode Review - 14x01 - Want, Everything, Sunshine, and Beyonce

Hellatus is over everyone! Put away the crack memes and shit posts and bring out your meta caps because we are back in business! Oh boy are we back in business! 

Right before @tinkdw came over to watch the premier with me, we discussed our expectations and both agreed that whilst our expectations were pretty much in our boots, we would consider the episode a success if it was even remotely meta. We wanted to be able to see clearly constructed themes both as a continuation of what had come previously and as a foundation for a strong season going forward. We were both hoping that at least from a meta perspective, that the episode would leave us happy and thirsting for more.

Dabb did not disappoint us.

It was such a strong episode meta-wise. There is a lot to pick apart that is ripe for discussion and I seriously hope that Dabb will keep a close eye on the other writers to ensure that these themes continue throughout the season. Plot-wise it was a weaker episode, but then again Dabb has always focused on the character emotional arcs more than the actual plot points in recent years, and I am grateful for that. The second half of season 13 felt stagnant to me simply because there was little to no character development and from a meta perspective it was also extremely weak. I went into this hellatus feeling negative about the show simply because I hadn’t actually enjoyed an episode properly since 13x12. However, the season 14 opener was most definitely enough to quench my thirst and get me excited for the coming season. Fingers crossed it goes from strength to strength.

Long review under the cut

Michael!Dean - What Do You Want

Straight in after the introductory Nyoooom of Baby (driven by a grim looking Sam and a pretty impressive swap from title music to diegetic music), we are introduced to the angel of the hour. 

8 Things about Michael:

1. I am not sure how I feel about Jensen’s performance right now. He is playing Michael extremely straight and whilst I can see how this cold, calm portrayal can come across quite terrifying, it’s not a carry over from Christian Key’s performance. I don’t want to be too critical, because we only saw him in a few scenes so far, but when I compare it to how Tahmoh portrayed Gadreel alongside Jared, and the way Misha pretty much nailed Mark P’s performance (and greatly improved it), I guess I’m still waiting for Jensen to WOW me in the role. The one thing I will say is that he did terrify me and managed to come across creepy when acting alongside his own WIFE. So he's doing something right I'll give him that. When Jensen wants to have chemistry with someone, he does.

2. I like the fact that Michael’s goal right now seems to be to educate himself on our world. He’s not running around causing terror and mayhem like Lucifer, he’s learning how best to go about “improving” the world. He also appears to be inspiring people with his words: “Holy men, leaders, killers” and we have seen the effect he had already on Kip the Demon - who was inspired to run for King of Hell until Sam Fucking Winchester ruined that plan. I wonder if we will be seeing the fallout of Michael’s specific type of inspiration throughout the season.

3. “What do you want?” Obviously this question is an important one. It was repeated like six times throughout the episode, though never to the main characters. It looks like this is going to be the theme of the season and as far as TFW’s personal journey’s go, this is now the question we are asking them and the question being explored. What does Sam want? Or Cas? Or Dean? This has an endgame flavour to it that has me extremely excited. 

4.Michael’s own personal want of “A better world” is a follow on in a way of many of the villains that have come before him. For seasons now we have been exploring this concept of improving the world for the better. We had it first in season 8 when the brothers had the goal to do the trials to make a world without demons, in season 11 Amara’s vision was to destroy so she could reshape the world to her own blueprints that she saw as better than Chuck’s. Dabb era has been even more obvious, first with the goal of the British Men of Letters being “a world without monsters” which was shared by Mary wanting a better world for her boys, and then in season 13 Jack’s arrival floated the idea of “paradise world” to Castiel. I don’t think Michael is gonna fair any better than any of these others, and wonder exactly where all these escalated versions of “a better world” will end up. It's all exploring the notion that nothing is black and white, but in fact a grey area.

5. I already discussed Michael and Sister Jo here. Cas mirrors... Cas mirrors everywhere... I also side eye the "pretty things" line because it reaks of Dean and his whole sublimation thing. In that sense it seems Dabb is making Jo a mirror for both our boys. I'll be keeping a close eye on her from now on.

6. ”Why would he say yes to you?” “Love”. OH DEAN. Just, Dean wasn’t in this episode but my god did we feel his presence RIGHT HERE. And to think there are people out there that still think this is a macho mans show about macho manly men. I’ve never known another character with more heart than Dean Winchester. This show is about LOVE above all things. I wish people would stop trying to deny that fact.

7. Radioactive Pigeon:

Look I’m not trying to be critical okay it’s very pretty and this is the FIRST time they have attempted showing an angels true form and that is amazeballs and all, but still. He has little pigeon wings and a bent halo. Pfft.

8. The Purity of Vampires. I actually love this. I think it comes across a bit silly on the surface, but the whole idea of monsters being pure is a massive callback to purgatory and season 8 and anything that calls back to season 8 makes me happy. 

Sam Fucking Winchester

Excuse me while I scream HELL YES. I have been waiting for Sam to take on the leadership role for AGES. Honestly this was always my dream endgame for Sam. To organise and lead the hunting community. There’s your better world guys. It was something that the writers flirted with in late season 12, but at the time Sam only took on the position with Dean’s approval and encouragement to go ahead. Sam has always stepped back and let Dean take the lead throughout the show as the big brother and parental figure. I think this was always a role he was destined to fill and something that has been building in the subtext for a long time (much the same way as the toxic codependency has been shown to hold Sam back.) 

What’s of interest here is what will happen when Dean comes back and is fighting fit. Will Sam relinquish his leadership position to Dean? Or fight for it? Will this cause conflict? I read this amazing meta on this which turned into an epic discussion and I highly recommend reading it. My HEART.

Sam’s state in the episode is one of constant motion. He cannot stop for a second, always being pulled from one thing to another. He doesn’t sleep, he doesn’t get to change out of his hideous blue and orange shirt (which is officially now my favourite Sam shirt), he doesn’t even get to finish his soup. I know Jared said that Sam had a ‘grief beard’ but Tink and I are adamant that the beard is simply due to the fact that Sam doesn’t get the time to shave. He has taken so much weight on his shoulders and in amongst that has to deal with horribly traumatic things such as face the face of his abuser and actually be a healer to him. Sam doesn't get a moment to himself and spends all his time concerned about others. It's very noble of him, but he's going through the motions.

Sam is the contrast here to both Cas and Dean, who are physically and mentally stuck in their awful situations. Sam is also stuck in a way, stuck with no time to actually contemplate the situation he has got himself in. Stuck without a moment to breath, or to grieve his brother. Stuck holding the weight of the world on his shoulders as every other single character looks to him for support, help and guidance. Sam is the motherfucking Beyonce of the episode, that is for certain.

He is also calling the shots on hell now...

(x)

... I find it amusing that back in the early days Sam's destiny was to be the boy king of hell, and it's almost like he's fulfilled that destiny, not by being king, but by being gatekeeper and in a position powerful enough to scare the demons into submission. This is probably what Crowley intended. Sam probably owns the moon now.

About Nick - Well, first of all, I TOLD YOU SO. I did say that I could tell the guy from the back of his head and I was damn right about that. Learn to trust me guys I am occasionally good at this stuff. Okay, now that that is out of my system, let’s talk about this. Round of applause for Jared in this scene. Because he takes Sam’s hell trauma extremely seriously and made sure that every nuance, every twitch, was picked up by those camera’s. I loved that. Potentially Nick could be a good way to help Sam heal in the coming season, as Sam has finally freed himself from Lucifer’s grasp. Is it fair that he should have to look after the face that tormented him for years? No. Not at all, but could it prove somewhat cathartic in the end? Maybe. 

At the end of the day, Dabb must have considered Nick to have a purpose beyond “I want to give Bucklemming something to play with so they don’t fuck up my actual story” and “We need to keep stroking Mark P’s ego for some stupid reason”. Because otherwise I am really worried about how limited his power must be, and refuse to entertain the thought that he was overthrown by Singer and his horrid wife. I can see the potential in Nick being a dark mirror for Dean following his freedom from Michael’s possession. How Nick deals with the post possession trauma could be an indicator to how Dean is really coping even when he buries it.

At the same time, both Sam and Cas have been possessed by Lucifer, and therefore have all the experience between them to help Dean’s recovery without needing Nick to get involved. So I dunno guys. I’m trying to see the positive in something I otherwise despise. 

Anyway I thought Jared was fucking superb in that scene and pretty much the whole episode and want to give him a round of applause because it is rare that he truly gets to shine on his own without Jensen by his side.

Now all we need is for Sam to get some sleep. How he is still functioning by the episodes end I will never understand.

Castiel Everything Winchester

(x)

Look at him. So defiant and done. You can almost imagine that fire behind him burning in his eyes as well. He’s such a dom.

Several things about Cas in 14x01:

1. He is 100% done with every demon on the planet and doesn’t give a fuck. Honestly though. The way he says “Oh God” when Kip walks in. The way he rolls his eyes. I wonder if he had Dean’s voice in his head saying “You know who wears sunglasses indoors Cas? Douchebags.” 

2. He is making desperate choices in order to save Dean, which is certainly typical for him. The fact that he spends the entire episode stuck in a chair is a fantastic metaphor for his whole feelings on the situation, a metaphor then reinforced through a mirror at the end when he speaks with Jack (we never get anything explicit with Cas do we?). The fact that Cas can’t save Dean right now is weighing on him, but he is determined to do whatever it takes. The conversation he has with Sam at the end is a brilliantly short but important moment:

“I should never have gone to those demons”

“Cas no I don’t blame you. honestly I wish I had thought of it first. If it meant finding Dean I’d work with.. I’d do anything.”

The takeaway here is that actions speak louder than words. Sam HAS been distracted being leader of the hunters and having to face his own nightmares thanks to Nick, but Cas has literally been doing anything he can with a soul focus on saving Dean. 

It's an intimate moment between them. In a bunker now bustling with life and movement this is the only time in the episode that it really seems still. The library has always been Sam's private space, where he feels most at home - like the kitchen is for Dean. But here he and Cas sit as equals together weighed down by their shared grief. It's the soft moments like this that I love the most about this show. They are both willing to do anything they can, but the difference is that whilst Sam is being pulled in lots of different directions, Cas’s sole focus is Dean. Note that heaven wasn’t mentioned once. It hasn’t even crossed his mind.

3. Everyone Knows, but Cas doesn’t give a shit. 

“How is it you lost Dean, I thought you guys were joined at the... well you know, everything.”

It is an extremely explicit nod to Destiel. It is also the first time a line like this has made it into an episode since season 7 I think. The difference now being that we’ve had years of steady subtext and narrative building on the love story, hence the line has a different weight to those previously. It was very carefully written, careful not to imply that Cas was joined to BOTH Winchesters as the line was specifically about Dean. It was written by the showrunner, who would have known the significance of such a line, it encourages the view that all of heaven and hell have made their own assumptions about Dean and Cas’s relationship, and in case anyone wants to argue that the missing word was “hip” like the saying goes, the gesture and nod by Kip goes to prove otherwise. In other words, there is no platonic interpretation. Which is delightful.

Cas’s completely stoic silence is even more delightful. God I love him.

4. He can’t see demons true faces anymore. Like everyone else, Cas not realising those people were demons really threw me for a moment. Tink and I both agreed that the scene should have had Kip snap his fingers and have the demons smoke in and possess all those people instead - still catching Cas off guard but not making it seem like he is just super unobservant. I personally feel like this was just an error Dabb made. I have no desire to try to meta explain that one and I accept it as the error it is. I do like that it took an entire room of demons and 4 sets of enochian hand cuffs to overpower him though...The fact that he had to sit there and watch his family be beaten and almost killed around him whilst he was helpless again, is an excellent parallel to Dean’s current situation and what he will most likely have to face in the coming episodes, and also a reflection of Cas’s mental state (as mentioned above), Coming out of this episode it seems like this will be another season where Cas and Dean mirror each other and walk similar paths in terms of growth and development - if only those paths would meet with a kiss!

5. He’s the bait. Tink found this line hilarious straight away, where as I had to blink and ask why because I obviously took offence. But once we started discussing it and realised the quadruple entendre it is I found myself applauding Dabb on his genius. Cas IS used as bait, by the SPN PR people. Because he’s Mister Popularity. He’s also the character who causes the most conflict in fandom, with those who love him so much they are bitter and mean and those who simply hate him often complaining about the exact same things but in different ways - leaving the regular fans stuck in the middle (Tink explained this to me with delight - how both anti’s and bitter!cas girls alike will latch onto that line for completely different reasons). He’s also potentially a queerbait depending on how you look at it. But anyway. Cas’s epic eye rolls in this episode were almost enough to rival Sam’s bitchfaces. I am impressed.

6. He takes no pleasure for himself. I am forever going to obsess over Cas’s relationship with human food and drink:

“Coffee has no effect on me.”

“Me either, not anymore. But its like with saltwater taffee or infants, you know I just like the taste”

Although we can argue his refusal is out of stubbornness to not give the demon the satisfaction, even when accepting drinks from the Winchesters he doesn’t usually bother, or will stick with water. Even if he is seen ordering coffee it is usually only to avoid looking suspicious in diners. We know Cas enjoys some food and drink, but Cas rarely allows himself the pleasure. Even in 13x14 when Dean offered him a beer, it remained unopened. A symbolic metaphor for Cas refraining from indulging in other pleasures? This is why I am so so desperate for Michael to ask Cas what it is HE wants. Lucifer stated that Cas was a “pleasureless dullard” and I want to see this theme continue. Cas uses his grace as an excuse not to indulge and I consider this linked to meta about the “sacred oath” of heaven and Cas being duty bound and numbed by his grace. But these are all elements for a bigger meta at another time and the moment in this episode is just another snippet of that.

7. He looks awesome framed in fire. I just really liked the set up of Motown Meats as the new hang out for hell, with its fire pit and orange glowy bar. There is a lot of general symbolism there but I enjoyed the flames framed behind Cas in every shot he was in. Because even though he was mostly stuck in this episode, that fire raging inside him didn’t burn out once. He WILL save Dean. Just as he promised to Jack at the end, even if he get’s battered, beaten and bruised, his determined stubborness to save his husband will win eventually. Cas is no longer the broken thing of seasons 11/12. He well and truly rose like a phoenix in season 13 and now it’s showing through, as it’s a mission fueled by his own passion and love.

Jack Winchester (AKA my nougat son)

Poor Jack, like his father he hasn't had it easy in 14x01. He is struggling with his humanity now, his usefulness, in such a clear mirror to Cas that it kinda hits you in the face. He is desperately seeking guidance from those around him. First in the form of AU Bobby who has clearly bonded with Jack following their experiences together in apocalypse world.

It is great to finally see the Bunker gym! A room we all have ingrained in our fandom hive mind thanks to a 100 destiel fanfics. We all know what's gone on in there. >.>

Throughout the episode, Jack seeks out guidance first with Bobby, which goes badly, then with Sam, which is interrupted, and finally with Cas, which is when he finally gets told what he needs to hear. I am really happy that whilst Jack has so many father figures now, it is Cas who truly holds that torch and is able at least somewhat give Jack what he needs near the episodes end. If only he had damn well given his son a hug!

I loved the conversation so much that I transcripted it here:

JACK: I’m fine.

CAS: You did well

JACK: All I did was get punched. In the face

CAS: To be fair we all got punched in the face

JACK: That’s not - Before when I had my powers I could have done something

CAS: Jack you don’t have your powers, and your grace should regenerate in time, but until then..

JACK: I’m useless. I cant kill demons I cant find Dean and Michael is in our world and I cant stop him.

I can’t do anything. I don’t have anything.

CAS: Oh Jack. That’s just not true. You’ve got me. You have all of us. You have your family.

And we are going to find dean and we are going to beat Michael and we are going to do it together. Because that’s what we do.

This whole conversation was PERFECT. Every line chosen so specifically and weighted with meaning. Urgh Dabb I fucking love you for this.

Jack starts with “I’m fine” which Cas knows by now means you are not fine but he has also learned to recognise that sometimes it doesn’t mean “leave me alone” as Jack was crying out for guidance and support here. 

The mirrored “got punched in the face” calls to attention the fact that Jack is a reflection of Cas himself here and everything he has felt both now and in the past.

Jack’s complaint about being useless without his powers is a fear Cas has carried with him since his fall in season 9. It’s something that still weighs on him and whilst Cas now knows his place by the Winchester’s side, knows that they are a family and that he is not just a hammer, I think that fear of losing his power and being cast out is still well and truly weighing him down. It will be cathartic for Cas to see the family accept Jack as one of their own even if he is “useless” and human. 

Cas’s “That’s just not true” when Jack says he is useless - his voice breaks and you KNOW Cas has had those exact same thoughts.

“you’ve got me, you’ve got all of us. You have your family” compared to You’re my family, I love you, I love all of you” compared to “We're family. We need you. I need you.” The difference is there is no ambiguity in the word ME. Dabb turned it around, but had Cas clear it up. It’s the same line every time. The only difference is the placement of each individual statement. If this isn’t yet another clear example that the “I love you” was specifically directed at Dean I don’t know what is. THIS IS A CONTINUING PATTERN PEOPLE.

The determined promise to save Dean at the end, right after he specifies the singular and plural because obviously Dean was on Cas’s mind at that point - Mister I Don’t Get Words Wrong over here knows exactly what he means.

I love this whole conversation, but as I said above, it drums home the fact that whilst the Winchesters and others may be sources of guidance and support for Jack, he only has one true father, and I think Dabb wanted to make that clear in this episode. Remember:

Fingers crossed for more father/son bonding between these two in future episodes.

Mary and Bobby

(x)

Baring in mind I was expecting 1 small Destiel moment in the episode in the form of a line from a demon. You have NO IDEA how happy this moment between Mary and Bobby made me. If anyone saw that inktober pic I drew for premier day of me and Tink gasping in shock at the screen, it was for THIS moment. My face lit up in delight.

I said at the start of this long review that Dabb picked his moments well. With every second counting from a meta perspective. This was one of those.

Tell me, anyone, when watching that moment, would you deny that there was something between Bobby and Mary? As homework I'd like you all to play this scene to your heteronormative friends and family, or even be brave and ask a bibro. Would ANYONE deny that it was intended to be romantic?! I highly doubt it.

And yet there was nothing textually explicitly romantic about it. There was NOTHING in this scene that hasn’t been filmed a thousand times between Dean and Cas. The fact that Dabb chose to write this extremely small seemingly unimportant moment, in the kitchen, and for Bobby to use THOSE EXACT WORDS. As I have mentioned several times already, Dabb doesn’t fuck around when using well known moments from past canon in order to reinforce the importance of a thing. Dabb LOVES parallels. He wrote Bloodlines after all. He also knows the fandom hive mind and the things we pick up on and latch on to. This was a very smart calculated decision to include this in the episode and I am LIVING that he did it. GIVE ME ALL THE BOBBY x MARY/ DESTIEL PARALLELS. 

...

I actually really liked Mary in this episode. There is so much discourse in fandom about her and whilst I find Sam Smith pretty cold and wooden, I have never understood the utter hatred of Mary as a character. Hence why I praise Dabb’s genius at this moment:

(x)

Because this line literally sums up her entire arc since her return. Tink and I paused the episode and basically flailed at each other because this is EXACTLY what Mary has been trying to do. She was in HEAVEN, with her BABIES and suddenly she is back on earth with two grown men who are strangers to her, telling her they are hunters and have suffered a life of HORRORS without her. So she ran. Hell, I would have ran too. She shoved herself into hunting because all she could think about was trying to make things GOOD for her boys. Trying to FIX her mistakes the only way she knew how: by HUNTING. She was drowning in the bad. So she found focus in trying to make things good. Like in this episode, she reassures Sam so much that he snaps at her. He doesn’t want to be reassured, and that’s fine. But my god this felt like the first time Mary has truly had a voice. I really weren’t kidding when I said that Dabb made sure every word counted.

OTHER THINGS

I am unsure how I feel about the title card:

Tink called it. I think it looks a bit odd, a bit too clean. I like the title cards to be grim and dark. Black angel wings though! And hey, at least the fiery halos in the title cards are perfectly spherical... so we know they CAN do it right...

*side eyes SFX team*

Kip as a wannabe Crowley was kinda fun for a one off episode but I am glad that they are stressing now that wannabe Crowley’s get killed. The last one we had was Bart in 13x08 who was very much the same flirtatious queer coded demon. I’m fed up with the villainous queer coding by now. It’s been done too often. Give me another Demon like Alastair or Ramiel or none at all.

“Asmodeus Kentucky Fried” DID ANYONE LIKE ASMODEUS OTHER THAN BUCKLEMMING? This made me LOL.

The fight scene at the end was really weird and overly long. I dunno why they decided on so many random slow mo and wooosh shots. the whole Mary slow mo throwing the blade at Sam was cringy. I wish they’d stop being experimental and stick with what they know! You think they’d learn after 13x23!

Maggie was a bit annoying. Why bring her along if she can’t fight? Also the random cuts to her reaction after Jack was angsty had me reeling. simply because in het couples that’s a brewing romance and that is a massive NOPE from me. I like her as an individual character, I DO NOT like her as a love interest to a 1 year old, and I certainly wouldn’t like some pining story for her where she falls for an unavailable guy. It’s not fair on her character. The one thing I did like was the “pointy end” comment. It reminded me of Charlie for some reason.

The throw away line about Ketch being in London looking for the golden egg Lucifer/president extractor. Nice closing of a plot hole there Dabb.

I liked the Jesus weapon expert hunter dude. He seemed quirky. Dead man’s blood bullets are an excellent idea. 

DETROIT. Why does everything always happen in Detroit? I swear one day they are gonna reveal that Detroit is like a central universal power hub where the walls between the dimensions are thinnest or something. I could go on about this but I am sure a better meta writer elsewhere already has and this is waaay too long so I’m leaving this here.

If you got this far. Kudos and thank you for sticking around to read my thoughts. Feel free to ask me anything about any of the above. If I could hand out cookies through the internet I totally would right now.

Basically I enjoyed the episode. I have since re-watched it a dozen times and it is really the meta of it all that makes me love it. The story IS weak, and there ARE moments that are a bit odd, or infuriating depending on the way you look at it, but the heart of the episode was classic Dabb. All character driven and full of meaning. I am extremely well fed after this meta feast, perhaps even enough to get me through the horror show that will be Bucklemming’s 14x02. 

So long as Cas continues to look like a sexy beast I’m sure I’ll get through it.

I’ll just leave this here:

God he’s such a dom. :P

[crispyimagines17]

“Bistro” - [Tom Hiddleston | One Shot ]

Based on: Imagine; A friend in common arranges a blind date between Tom and you. Both of you knew nothing about each other’s personalities, just like a blind date should be. So what a surprise when you arrive to the Bistro and Tom is there waiting with a bright smile and his charming aura.

Written by: Crispy Imagines.

Soundtrack:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / Ambience 

Notes: I had a good time writing this and hope you like it as much as I did. Maybe you’ll find it more like a romcom, instead of romance. -D. 

Friends. Once they’re engaged, no one can stop them from trying to help others to be in the same status. That was your best friend’s duty; find the perfect partner for you, according to her words — she was going to get married with a well-known film director; a good man, in deed. And since then, she’s been trying to make you believe in fairy tales.  Even though you appreciated your friend’s worry and care for you, you weren’t really interested to open Tinder and find a brainless man to share life with. So, it wasn’t quite a pleasure to find out she had arranged you a date with a man whose name was unknown to you. 

“What the hell were you thinking about, Liz?”

“It will be a blind date, darling. Just like the old times.”

“The old times? We were on high school!” 

“Okay, I know you’re mad about this. But don’t worry, Matt and I are going with you”, Liz sighed. “Furthermore, he’s actually quite charming; you won’t regret anything. Promise ” 

You rolled your eyes when noticed that trying to escape wasn’t an option. 

“What should I wear, then?” 

“I would recommend that nice dress we bought years ago and hasn’t seen the light since 2010”, she said raising her glass of wine with a smile of satisfaction peeking out from the corner of her lips. 

“Matt, are you sure you told him where the Bistro is?”

Liz asked to her fiancé while she turned the car to the right. 

“I did, darling. Bistro La Roca, 8 p.m.” , he nodded and said softly to calm down her nerves. 

“Thank you. What did he say?” 

The picture of a couple of days before on the set reproduced on his mind.

The sun had reached its highest point; meanwhile, an actor and director were exploring the garden in which the scene of the day would be filmed.

“You will approach and hide behind those trees, so the camera can get a better view”, Matt pointed an area about four meters from their position.

“Then that’s it”, Tom and Matt nodded as they kept walking.

“How are the wedding plans going, by the way?”, the actor asked while he focused his sight to the ground, kicking some rocks.  

“Great, pretty well must say. Liz is quite excited about it”

“And so are you”, Tom looked at him with a kind smile on his face.  

“And so am I, exactly”, Matt took a deep breath before speak. “Now that you mention it… I’d like to warn you that she has an extra invitation in case you’d want to bring someone”

“Warn me?”, the actor stared at his partner with intrigue reflected upon his eyes.

“Listen, mate”, both artists stopped their walk and looked at each other, “Liz arranged a kind of blind date, a double blind date between you and a girl she knows. It hasn’t been settled yet, we wanted to ask you first”

“Oh Matt…”

“I know, I know. But… We’ve worked on many projects together, and even when you say it’s not the way you feel, I realize you’d like someone by your side”

“Where is it?” Tom sighed.

“Bistro La Roca, 8 p.m.” Matt answered as a bright smile came out of his face “She’s a nice girl, Tom. You won’t regret”

And so, the sun set while two souls on different sides of the city were completely unaware of the twists night might bring.

Just half an hour before 8 p.m., the wind flow changed. The echo of a phone ringing could be heard all over the apartment; you stood up from the sofa to reach the device.

“Yes?”

A familiar female voice responded weakly on the other side of the line.

“Oh honey…”

By the tone of Liz’s voice, you were preparing yourself for bad news. Maybe he cancelled it.

“I… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

“It’s okay, Liz”, you interrupted her, nodding as if she could see you. 

“Matt and I won’t be able to be with you, darling. I’m sorry. Something went wrong with our car and can’t be there on time”, there could be heard in the background some engine noises and Matt's voice talking to someone else.

“Oh…”

“But you go. Don’t let this mess up the night”, Liz hurried her words before her friend could speak.

“No… Liz, I don’t believe…”, but now you were the only one on the line “Liz? Liz!”

You pursed your lips and took a deep breath, while an old memory crossed your mind as if time never happened.

Long fights with men who didn’t understand the importance of your work, of how much time you had to spent when a spark or whatever came up. You sighed. Maybe this idea was a complete nonsense, and you’d make a fool out of yourself supporting it. 

Decided to stay home, you turned on the T.V. once again, finding one of your favorite romcoms on the screen. Just as if it was a sign of hope, the scene had La Vie en Rose as background while the main character was under the magic of walking around Paris at night with someone by her side.

“You must be fucking kidding me”, you rolled your eyes for yourself, surprised by the coincidence. “I’ll be back before the film finishes”

And so, you reached the door to walk away from the apartment on your way to that Bistro.

Almost simultaneously, Tom was in front of a mirror adjusting his tie, and for a moment his eyes went blank as he remembered how long it had been since he had a real date. Even more about a blind date.

The truth is, an actor’s life had its ups and downs, there were unexpected commitments that made him leave the city, or long shooting seasons that prevented him from being at home. Therefore, his life as a couple haven’t flourished because he just hadn’t found someone with whom to balance romance and work.

Tom was about to plunge into a sea of memories when the sound of his phone ringing brought him back to Earth.

“Hey, Matt. What’s up?”

“Hey, Tom”, the director’s voice seemed to be accompanied by a sigh. 

Noises coming from a car and Liz’s voice arguing exasperated with someone else could be heard in the distance.

“Is everything alright?”

“Tom, I’m sorry. Liz and I got a problem with the car and we’re waiting for a mechanic to come”

“God. And are you okay?”

“Yeah, we are. Nothing happened to us”

“If I can do…”

“You can, mate. Go there with this lady and have some fun”, and anticipating Tom’s intentions, the director added “don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine”

Liz's voice asking for Matt's help was heard again.

“Bye, Tom”, he said before hung up.

The actor looked at his phone's screen for a few seconds with raised eyebrows, doubtful. But then he kept it on the pocket of his jacket. And, after a last glance downstairs, he grabbed his coat and car keys letting a sigh came out as he closed the door.

“He believed it?”

“I think so. Did she?”

“I hung up before she could refuse” Liz giggled. 

Matt smiled back and crossed his arm around his fiancee's neck, leading her into the house as she closed the garage door where their car was parked without any damage.

“We're better than Cupid, Matt”

“Hello”, Tom saluted and cleared his throat while adjusting nervously his tie.

“Good evening, sir”

“I think there's a reservation on behalf of Matthew Behrs?”

“In deed. Matthew Behrs, table for 2. If you’d like to follow me, I'll show you...” 

“Excuse me, did you say ‘table for 2′?”, Tom interrupted approaching his head to hear better. 

“So it is”, responded cordially the hostess.

Tom snickered, looking up at the ceiling to realize Matt’s and Liz’s great move.

“Is there a problem, sir?”

“None, sorry”

The hostess lead him to a table on a terrace on the second floor with a perfectly balanced view of London City and a clear sky. Tom thanked her attention and took a seat, glancing the beauty before his eyes as he tried to control his heartbeats.

When getting off the taxi, you couldn’t help but stand admiring the exquisite beauty of one of the best Bistros in London. The place combined the eccentricity of the city with peace and tranquility that can only be found inside a cottage.

After a sigh of self-empowerment, you approached the entrance and a couple of men in uniform opened the doors nicely. God, Bistro La Roca was even more breathtaking inside with those dim lights illuminating the entire floor surrounded by a bittersweet mahogany scent and good food.

“Good night Miss”

“Goodnight”

Shit. Since Liz was supposed to come with you, you didn’t know whose name the reservation would be on.

“Excuse me, is there a reservation for Elizabeth Jordan or Matthew Behrs?”

The hostess reviewed the list, glancing at you before continuing to search for the name.

“Oh yes”, she nodded and smiled cordially. “Reservation Mr. Matthew Behrs, table for two at 8”. The woman made a gesture with her hand pointing to the stairs “Follow me, someone’s already waiting for you.”

With each step, little by little, you could feel weak at the knees and your heartbeat accelerating.

“Liz, I'm going to kill you,” you muttered to yourself.

As soon as you reached the second floor, your eyes started swimming among a sea of people, looking for a table with a man alone. However, your gaze fixed in the beautiful view while walking through the numerous windows, and almost tripped over a small step without realizing that the woman had lead you to one of the biggest windows that opened onto a terrace.

Only a couple of tables were occupied; one of them by a man seated giving his back. Your heart could’ve left its place right away, but the pleasant view made all energy stream down your spine. 

The hostess turned to you indicating with a nod and a smile your seat.

“Welcome…”

She said a few more words, but your senses seemed to have stopped the moment your eyes were fixed in Tom’s, who stood up immediately at your arrival, stupefied as well. 

He did manage to hear the hostess's last words, barely understanding an "enjoy your evening", but this was enough for him to come back to reality and raise the chair so that you could take sit.

And thank heaven he did it, because only then could you recover your senses and react.

“Thanks”, you said weakly trying to bring your voice back.

“Tom”, he raised his hand to meet yours and introduce each other. “What a wonderful name, is it foreign?”, you smiled at the comment. 

Wine and breadsticks were placed on the table as you kept talking and dinner was being served.

Suddenly, you both found each other laughing and sharing what could be the best dinner of your lives.

“Yeah, that’s how I broke my leg during summer for eating too much Gelato”, Tom said as he smiled with the simple memory of it.

“What a waste of Gelato, must say”, you giggled.  

Thomas felt… Someone was truly interested on him. It wasn’t a conversation about his career nor Hollywood life, but a sincere one.

“Well, then let us celebrate your burned cake and my Gelato”, he raised his glass of wine. “Cheers?”

“Cheers”

You felt… Good God, like never before. The atmosphere and his charming aura made your soul rejoice and have true fun, not that usual forced one.

Food and wine were over but laughs and talks were not. After helping you with the chair like a true gentleman, both walked away of Bistro La Roca side by side. The wind began to blow very hard, inevitably sending you to Tom's arm.

“Oh, I’m sorry”, you looked at him like if you had broken his arm.

“How daring of you. You’ll have to respond to that…”, Tom frowned and wrinkled his nose, imitating a beast to emphasize his next words “aggressive act of yours”

“What?”, you snickered but trying to be serious.

“Let’s have a walk while I think how you could apologize correctly”, Tom took off his coat and placed it on your shoulders.

And so, the silhouette of two souls walking went lost under the shine of London stars.

[darkspellmaster]

Voltron: The Legendary Defender Season 4 thoughts

So many thoughts here on this season and so many thoughts on how this is going to play out for season 5 and 6 (technically Season 4) and beyond. I want to break this down into three parts. Sorry if the pictures come later I have to locate good ones for this at the moment. I’m going to go episode by episode and try to explain what I thought about it, and connections to first half of Season3, oh and I’m going on the numbering from the last episode of Season 3, so for episode 1 it’s 8, then episode 2 it’s 9 and so on.

Episode 8 –Code of honor

So we have Keith working with the Blade on missions, and his attitude has changed significantly from season 1 when he was very much about working on his own. He now rushes back to save his fellow member, even though Kolivar tells him not to.

What struck me as interesting is the way that Kolivar looks at him and watches him in this instance. It’s not the look that he gives his other men, and the body language suggests that he’s seen this before. I’m still of the opinion that Keith is more than likely Kolivar’s nephew and that his mother was Kolivar’s sister, but that’s going to be told in time if it is.

So we have Kolivar making note that the members understand the risks and yada yada, and Keith points out that he went back to save the data, when we pretty much know that he went back to save the other member’s life.

It’s kind of important to note that the ships can go under water, something we haven’t seen before, and something I think will come into play in a future episode later on. What’s significant about this is that this means that the Galra ships can be, retroactively, also used as subs for underwater missions. This could, in warfare, actually be used as infiltration at some point in the story. I find it rather significant that they put that in the show, implicating that there really is no where they are safe, save for the sun.

We then get the image of Shiro working on moving ships around, clearly figuring out the best possible way for them to handle the refugees. Keith points out that they haven’t seen Lotor in months. (Meaning that he’s been having the ship that the girls fly and the giant teludav, worked on in secret.) Keith is clearly of the impression that Lotor is the most important while Shiro insists that it’s helping out others.

I think the point in this is to show that Keith and Shiro are not on the same wavelength anymore and that Keith still has a long way to go in regard to being a leader. This is kind of important too as Keith is growing as a person, but his world view is still narrow as hell, and it’s something that has to change and needs to grow. Again I suspect that part of the reason why Keith’s Mom left the Blade was because of their view of things, probably due to the fact that they were obsessed with Zarkon and infiltration, and not on the larger picture and working with the Rebels.

Keith, on the other hand, hasn’t had that epiphany yet and is still under the idea that if they get Lotor only good will come of it. Not realizing that Lotor is just a pawn as well for Haggar it seems.

So when Keith shows up, as others have already pointed out, the team sort of berates him, and this plays into his issue of being rejected. Not only does he feel that Shiro’s not listening but his team mates are annoyed with him. (And rightly because it seems like the Blade is taking up a lot of his time.) I think this is the start of the turning point for Keith in this episode. He feels he’s not good enough to lead this team, even though the others do believe in him.

Shiro’s discussion with him and the interaction there is a huge step for the former (or Current) black paladin. It shows that, even though he might feel bad, he sees the team, the mission, and their goals as something bigger then him. Keith on the other hand is still feeling unsure of himself, unsure of what his goals are, and has, effectively, lost sight of what he is supposed to be for the team and the group. This is another step that leads him to “Runaway” from his responsibilities to the team.

One thing I need to make abundantly clear with the whole thing with Kolivar is that he did not, I repeat, did not expect things to go the way they did. Keith’s need to find out what he could about Lotor, again, pushes him away from the main mission and the team. He’s becoming the lone wolf once more, trying to sort things out in his own way, and it’s not helping matters at hand.

What’s interesting with the Show of Arms is that it is something that actually works to rally people. In previous Star Wars books one of the stories talked about a celebration that was had once the Rebellion took over another planet and helped the people there. This allowed them to spread word and instill hope against the Empire’s forces. The same can be said here. As Allura said, it’s more than a machine. Voltron is a symbol of hope, something people can look to and be proud of and willingly fight under. This is something I don’t think Keith got at the time of the episode so he doesn’t see what the point of it is. Again the lone wolf attitude on him (sort of reminds me of Setsuna from Gundam 00) comes out here as he offers his services to Kolivar and neglects his job with the show of arms.

Regrish (Not sure how to spell that name) and his death sort of puts a thought in Keith’s mind. He can’t save everyone and that the Blade are constantly thinking only of the end of the mission and their role in it, rather then, you know, keeping themselves alive. His death and the rejection of his friends and their reaction to him not showing up, deeply hits Keith and makes him realize he can’t do both jobs, and needs to choose one.

Allura’s speech pretty much in my mind hit a lot of points about what this season is about, or at least the latter half of Season 3 is about. Life in the galaxy has been going on for years, the fight against the Galra has been playing out since the moment Allura and Coran were frozen and the Lions sent off. The Blade has existed for a long time (as far as we know) as has the rebels. But, as far as Voltron is concerned the team needs Keith, they need their leader and he’s not stepping up to the job. Keith not feeling he is worth the job becomes key here. He’s under the impression he can do more good as a Blade then a member of the Voltron team, and yet, what he’s missing is the fact that while the Blade does amazing work on the outside, it’s the image that Voltron leaves that keeps people coming back and connecting with the resistant. Without Voltron, the Rebels and Blade, are just two pieces, with them however they are a significant fighting force that can over throw the Galra as a whole. This, I think, will be key for Keith’s growth in the future.

And to mirror this view we have Lotor who is distancing himself from his empire and his job to work on his project. Lotor has no love for Haggar, and clearly a distain for his Father, as he points out he’s on his Deathbed. One thing that’s interesting is that Haggar gives a similar speech to Allura in the idea that the whole, the group of the Empire, is stronger than just one piece, and it’s something that Keith and Lotor have yet to fully grasp, making them very similar to each other (much like the Keith and Lotor of old but on a different level). Lotor, like Keith, seems to dismiss his job, and this comes to bite both of them in the backside (Keith earlier then Lotor by a long shot).

We see what happened when Keith stays away from his job, with the team trapped, his actions could have meant the end for Voltron, and it was something that Shiro had noted to Keith. You can’t burn the candle on both ends. What makes this all the more significant is that the Black Lion switches back over to Shiro, after he humbles himself and shows that his goal (Like Keith’s way back in the start of the season) was to help and protect others.

 This was, probably, why it first picked Zarkon all those years ago and why it finally broke from him, as he lost his will to protect those that he cared for and became significantly more ambitious.

When Keith decides to leave, I think this is something that really strikes home later in the series with the Generals of Lotor.

 We see the team, rightfully, mad at him, but then once they gain understanding as to why he made his choices they soften up, and accept what he’s saying. They don’t exactly endorse the idea, but as Shiro said, if he feels this is right they will be there for him. This, I think, is the key difference between Lotor and Keith at this point. While he does have the connection to his team, that is easily shattered save for Acxa later on. 

Whereas Keith has his family, his team, and no one will pull them apart. It’s clear that they love him deeply as we see Hunk’s look of dismay at the thought of losing Keith, and the face of Pidge who looks rather devastated (after all he was the one that yelled at her about leaving and going off on her own in the first season, and here she is unable to tell him to stay. It is, in a way, deeper for her as she’s losing someone that she probably regards as a brother, and I’m pretty sure she’d feel the same about Lance, Hunk and even Shiro leaving as well), and Coran who looks a bit worried, as we know how the Blade’s view their work and their lives. If Keith were to get captured…there was a lot riding on this mission that he was about to go on.

The fact that Keith knows that his team will be there for him, the fact that he’s smiling before he leaves is the most important moment in this episode. Keith knows, he understands that they love him and that they will miss him and that when he’s ready to come back they will welcome him with open arms. The placement of the characters is interesting too. Hunk and Coran, who are both weeping openly are hugging around Shiro to Hug Keith, showing that the two emotional ones tend to work side by side. Lance hugging both shows that he’s grown as a person and views Keith and Shiro on equal footing in regards to their importance in his life, and it’s interesting that you have Pidge having her arms squarely on Keith, showing that she’s close to him. Also Allura on the outside next to Pidge has a marking of her being more Team Mom in this sequence and showing that she wants only the best for her Paladin. (And a small part of my shipping heart is really happy that Keith is Looking at Pidge when she says “We’re really going to miss you.” Although I know it’s budget reasons that the scene is really a still sort of thing going on here.)

It’s important that Keith looks a bit doubtful of his choice at the ending, because I think he’s still questioning his choices in leaving the team.

Something that I saw come up a lot about this episode was the idea of Keith running away and leaving or abandoning the Team. As if this is something out of character for him, or for that matter that it’s never happened before. Truth is, this isn’t out of character at all. As I said above, Keith right now is struggling with who he is. Before the revelation of him being part Galra, he was more or less a lone wolf who saw the importance of the team and their friendship. Now everything has been blown apart for him, which his Vlog showed and I think we got that on line was as a means to understand his mental state for making this very choice at the start of the end of Season 3. He’s grappling with this, and I think we may see Lotor grapple with things later (and maybe fail where Keith accepts things, who knows).

Regarding the running away aspect and leaving the team, this is very much like what he did in Voltron Force, where he abandoned the team for their own safety rather than working under the command of one of the major villains of the story. With that in mind, I’m not sure why people are so mad at him for his choice in this series. (Also, if the timing is right, I think one reason for this may have been that Steve Yun’s wife had a baby and they may have wanted him to have more time to bond with the baby over voice recording. So not having him in story helps on that front.)

Episode 9 –Reunion

Well we learn a lot more about Katie here. First we learn that she’s teased at school over the fact that she’s a lot ahead of the other kids in the class when it comes to science. Then we find out that her name comes from Matt, and she seems against it at the time.

We also find out that Matt isn’t that much older than her in regard to age as he’s just getting into the Galaxy garrison, and, if the guides ages are correct, then he’s probably 15 at this point in time while Katie is still in middle school, since we know that he’s still needing glasses at this point. If we assume that the Garrison is roughly 3 to 4 years, that would put him at 18 when he left. But at this point he’s fairly young.

What’s interesting is that Pidge drops about the Helix storage, which again, could come into play later. Her anger is clear that she wants to not be made fun of for being a nerd. Clearly these two love one another as per the way that Matt cheers her up. Also Pidge’s voice gets raised when she’s a bit younger.

It’s interesting that not that long after Keith leaves Shiro lets her go on her own trip, meaning that there isn’t a lot for them to be doing at the moment. What’s kind of annoying though in this episode (at least to me) was the drop in animation budget that is freaking obvious. When Pidge is walking in her cloaked figure we can see during her little confrontation with the shop owner that the animation team just sort of glides her movements rather than give her motions any real walk cycle. I’m assuming that they blew it all on the last two and very first episodes. (It also shows in The Voltron Show! as well.)

Pidge using tactics and being kind of a cheater at points in regard to dealing with the others shows that she’s changed a bit in her personality, slightly. Before she was willing to do these things but a bit more nervous about it, now she just does what she has too to get the information.

The code thing was something that was interesting, and we have verification that Matt doesn’t need the glasses but at one point did. That the Garrison fixed his eyes so that he could fly, and this holds true to the Air Force and Nasa as well in regard to flying into space. It’s something far more realistic then some other animated series do when they have characters fly up with glasses on, something that isn’t allowed. We also have verification of Katie’s age, (Last year in Middle school meaning 14, which –if they have been in space for about a year now, puts her at 15), and we also get a sense with the photo shoot that Sam and Colleen probably was the one taking the photos for them at the end because of the number of people in the shots.

I really can’t say a lot about this episode in regard to moving the plot. But we are given a lot of view about Katie as a person, and her trials as someone who is smart among peers that are not so stellar when it comes to appreciating that fact. Something that the team really seems to care about. We see when she comes into contact with the Rebels her goal is still at hand but also her willingness to help them out and protect them. She’s grown from just wanting to find her brother to someone who sees those in danger and takes on her responsibility as a lion Paladin.

What’s interesting about the situation when she comes is the reaction from the leader there. It seems that people have started to rely more and more on Voltron in general. However it’s a good note that the rebels are willing to go with plans of evacuation and that Pidge apologizes for them not coming. It’s important too that while she does note she will help, she automatically goes to try to find Te’osh. This, I think, along with her choices moments later, shows how she’s changing as a person. Previously Pidge would have taken off after the ship once the attack happened. However Katie has grown as a person and her first action is to, after the Rebels have no recourse in catching up with their friend, load them on her ship and take off. The actions here show a resounding development of who she has been and who she is becoming as a character. Old Pidge was more “I” for her options, as we’ve seen with earlier she had no one to trust save her brother. New Katie is willing to help others, even at the expense of getting intel on her brother because she knows it’s her responsibility now.

It’s a clear indication of how much she’s changed as a person since the start of the show, and how much being with the team has helped her alter her view of being a loaner.

That said, while her selfishness isn’t totally gone, we see when she finds Te’osh (Tiosh?) wounded that her compassion and care about the members of the rebels has grown. Katie at first tries to help Te’osh and save her and, realizing that she can’t she then offers to get her help and says that it can’t go without Te’osh. What’s interesting is that Te’osh notes that Matt and Katie share the same eyes. This indicates that the two are similar in their kindness and compassion. Their care for others, even when scared. We also see her reaction to the loss of her lead, the anger and sadness, as with Te’osh gone this means that info she needed leaves with her as well as the loss to the rebels of a friend (and possibly a friend of Matt’s as well) and the loss to her people. Te’osh’s main goal was to get the supplies to her people, and it’s something that Katie does, even if her own quest is something more selfish and I think in that moment she’s reflecting on that somewhat.

Te’osh in the moment of her death thinks about her people and those that she can help, Pidge is right now searching for her brother on her own and it’s a selfish need to find him, and a part of her probably wonders if she had taken someone along they could have protected Te’osh and her crew far more then she on her own.

One of the hardest moments that was a gut punch was the discovery of the cemetery for the fallen Rebels. The monument not only captured the moment well of the size and scope of the war, (How many fell to the Galra trying to protect their homes?), but also the setting and the use of color sound and framing to just hit with one shot the devastation of the galaxy and the loss of life. The image burns into your mind, or it did for me, and took my breath away.

 (Also of note I have a feeling that this monument was based somewhat on the well-known Warsaw Uprising Monument. Though don’t quote me on that. That monument looks very familiar I just don’t know where it’s from.)

Katie’s reaction was heart breaking, from the moment that she heard the computer (solid work by Andrea Romano there) about the history of the fallen, to the realization on her face and then Bex’s line delivery.

 It all made for a wrenching moment of sadness as we saw her break down and feel like she’d lost her family once more. That all this time was for nothing. It’s a powerful moment, and one that at least deserves a nod by the Annie Awards later this year.

The only thing that broke that for me was the fact that we know Matt’s alive. I actually would have liked the show to have ended there and picked up with her realizing her brother was alive. But we got what we got.

The moments that followed, and Katie discovering her brother, and working with Matt to save one another, their realization that the other is alive and everything that came with it, was so well crafted that it’s clear a lot of love was put in the second half of the season. There’s clear love between these two. The reaction of Matt at finding out about her brother, and the situations that follows where they want to protect one another. It’s honestly some of the best sibling interactions I’ve seen in a long time.

Episode 10 –Black Site

Honerva seeing her face and staring at it for such a long period with that look gave me chills. I’m not sure what to think, but a part of me wonders if she’s coming to see herself again, who she was and what she has become. The other interesting thing was the fact that when she was her old self, you could see her eyes were golden. This is something that’s weird because Lotor’s are blue, very much like Allura’s and we know that Zarkon’s eyes were brown. So again, who is his father if Honerva is his mother?

Pidge bringing home Matt is rather interesting to see.

 Clearly there’s the Golden Boy reference in Matt’s reaction, but also certainly something of Oran High school Host Club in how the flowers go around Allura and Matt’s sudden Tamaki like attitude. Then there was Lance’s reaction, which only made the moment better. The thing that surprised me, and actually a lot of people keep saying it’s not like Shiro, is when he shook Matt’s hand and hugged him. 

While they were not close like Shiro and Keith (whom I’m starting to think are really brothers), they were friends and it’s clear that Matt had a lot of respect for Shiro. The hug shows that Shiro sees him as a friend and a younger brother in this case, much like he sees pidge. Then his accolades to Katie and her yanking Matt in to see the castle is very much how younger siblings treat their older siblings in some cases. Also the music very much reminds me of a older video game song. Just can’t place it.

What’s also interesting is that Zarkon is still with his eyes shut when the helmet goes on, and his reaction to Haggar has changed drastically. I’m starting to wonder if something else is using his unconscious body right at this moment. He berates her for failing. 

Haggar’s reaction to his line about Lotor going on the throne was ill advised screams to me that she’s surprised to hear him say this. Season 1 and 2 showed he had nothing but respect for her decisions, that even when she didn’t win he didn’t talk down to her or tell her off. Zarkon, for lack of better words here, respects Haggar. This, whatever this is, is not Zarkon and it shows even more so later. While I don’t think he’s Dead as of yet, the person in control is not her husband, and I’m betting that it’s probably the creature from the whirl wind that finally took over since he’s knocked out inside his head. What’s weird is the way he talks there. 

Season one is more casual with his language, and this season’s seems to be far more particular. “No Matter” and “Wayward son” doesn’t quite fit the man we’ve come to know as Lord Zarkon. There’s a coldness to him that even Haggar notices.

So when Lotor finds out that his father wants to see him, unlike previous versions, he more than willingly says he doesn’t care about the throne. Which leads me to wonder exactly what he’s up to in regard to the whole Sincline Ships plan. Clearly a mecha is being built, as we see later the arms and legs are being flown, but where’s the head? What’s interesting about the scene is that previously with the Lions it was the Altean’s that built them, and now we see the Galra building these ships, which are very different in style and more, straight up, pieces of a body rather than unique things on their own. Lotor seems pleased by the work on the ship and has Narti come with him, which is interesting as you would think it would be Acxa, but apparently he’s entrusting her and the others to watch over the ships construction.

I will admit I found the scene with Allura and Coran trying to talk to the cow is adorable, but what follows interests me. 

Haggar is treating Lotor a bit off in the scene that follows. She’s more distant then she has been, humbled even, which is odd for her as she’s previously not been humble at all. Yet I think she’s wondering what’s up with Zarkon and what he’s doing. Lotor is even making mental notes that she’s a bit off herself, however he has an act to preform so he seems to let it go.

Lotor’s moment with his father is tinged with some truth I think. Those words he speaks, while an act, probably rung true at some point in time when his father cast him aside for one reason or another. 

This clearly shows in how he looks at his father, again, though an act, there’s a sense of pain in being rejected, even if it’s just a moment or two. And I think that’s important here to contrast Allura who clearly was close to her father and the idea of losing him so completely devastated her for a while.

What really made me take notice though is Haggar’s line about Him having an ancient power on him that he’s awoken. The fact that she’s sensing that, it makes me really think that Lotor’s going to be the one that pilots the castle and probably has ties to Allura directly in the next season. 

How that plays out, I’m not sure, but straight up I think that there’s going to be some interesting moments for him coming up. Namely because of that very line. If anything, for me at the very least, it screams that Lotor has the ability to use the magic that Allura can and that the two of them may wind up working together to grow Allura’s and Lotor’s skills. It’s certainly something to watch. The other thing that bothered me was that Zarkon was so dismissive of it. Previously he’d have sent Haggar to find out what was going on, this version of him is just like “Screw it I don’t care.” And I think that’s going to bite him in the end.

So Haggar watching Narti. I should note that Kova notices her first and is looking at her directly as Narti is walking, meaning that the cat can turn his sight on for her at any time, or that she had other ways of seeing that wasn’t connected to Kova. 

What’s also interesting here is that we’ve seen the eye glow like that only a few times, among them when Haggar was trying to take over Shiro’s mind back in Season 1. This telegraphs to me that there was something of a mind washing going on there, and that Narti wasn’t completely in control of her actions, and probably hated it. We see moments later the two of them on the ship, and all looks well. Lotor calling Haggar a witch with such spite is something that will probably hurt him in the end and cause him to view things in a different way later when he learns the truth. (I have a sad feeling that possessed Zarkon is going to end up killing her when she tries to protect Lotor from him at some point and Lotor learns the truth of the matter, causing him to probably fully change course in his actions with Zarkon.)

The new Galra tracking device is going to play a large part come next season. We know now that Matt helped to make it a stronger and better thing then what they had with his own data. Now a number of things to take of note here that I think are important and will come back much later at the end of probably the next season or the start of season 7. Firstly, Matt mentions the Fraunhofer lines and makes note that the recipes were taken to the grave, and that Hunk wants one of Frauhofer’s glasses. This means that we’re probably going to see those lines be used again, and, more than likely, leading to the white lion or some other important piece of the puzzle. Also the glass may be found and probably is going to lead to building of some new thing for the teludav. Another thing, the Alternate realities line that was passes around a lot. We’ve already been, and, when things are ignored or brought up, there’s a reason in the series. While I think that a good chuck of time will focus on the war with Zarkon, I have a feeling that Lotor is going to be as smart as his mother and probably we’re going to see that AU version of the Altean’s show up once more.

What’s critical here is that they now have something to use against Zarkon, and, Lotor probably will add to that with his knowledge. He’s going to want to use what they have to help himself, so I have a feeling he’s going to have Pidge and Hunk plug in intel that he has to make it an even wider range and update their info.

I think it’s safe to assume that Lance comes from a Farm, since he knows how to milk a cow. 

And the game was clearly an homage to various games including Phantasy Star series, and probably Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy. Each character is kind of interesting. You have a swords man that could be a bit like Keith in design, although Keith is nowhere near as excitable as the lead is. You have the princess that is wearing pink and is clearly a mage, and probably could be seen as Allura, and you have the noble prince with blond hair wearing purple that could be Lotor, while the ugly thing is probably somehow connected to the darkness that engulfed Zarkon and Haggar. 

Also great reactions from Coran and Allura in the moments that followed Lance milking the cow, and drinking the milk. Another sign that he’s a farm boy. Most people wait for it to be pasteurized, it’s not uncommon for those that work on a dairy farm to test and drink the milk from their cows.

So about those ships. We know 60% has been used and the third ship has yet to be made meaning that the last ship would have to be made of 40% of the comet, and I’m calling the head here. What’s clearly important at this point is that Haggar is distressed at this news, her reaction is interesting. Is she worried about her son’s safety or is this more about actually accessing the comet itself? 

It’s hard to tell, but her no is clearly a mix of worry and anger. However again we see a huge change in Zarkon. While Season 1 would be unhappy with this revelation. He wouldn’t stop the creation of the ships. Rather he would wait till Lotor was done and then steal them from him to use to fight Voltron. Zarkon of Season 1 was a man of calculations, and someone who was not just thinking of the expansion but also how to keep people happy so that they didn’t fight against him. It’s clear that he has completely changed here as his first reaction isn’t “Interesting, let’s watch and see what he does with this,” and follow him to find out if there’s anything useful to learn, instead we get “He must be working against the empire,” lets crush him. This is defiantly not the mentality of the guy from season 1 and even his crew looks a bit surprised by this.

Firstly, it was awesome seeing the brain work with the frequency message sequence, the way the group of Hunk, Pidge and Matt worked together to get that going was amazing, and I really really loved it as a sci-fi nerd and a coding fan. 

However, Allura’s reaction shows that she’s willing to help anyone and even though Shiro said no, he wasn’t against the idea of getting intel. The one thing I have to wonder is if Allura would have reacted so quickly even if she knew it was Lotor.

Secondly, when the Galra began attacking Lotor we learn that the Comet piece is in his ship. He is not about to let that piece go, and probably will go to a place to have it changed into the head. The fast reactions of the girls and Lotor indicate that he figured something like this could happen and was ready with some sort of plan. 

We see him and the others hurrying from the ship. Its important to note that Lotor ordered the ship scuttled after they left as a means of keeping others from knowing what was going on.

 And his look when he was pausing and debating what happened with the tracking was a brilliant moment of visual story telling because you could read what was happening in his mind at the moment. 

The fact that Acxa caught onto it and looked at Narti too before the other girls clearly shows she gets the way that Lotor thinks and probably was wondering if it had something to do with Narti as well. What took me by surprise was the moment when he attacked. He was looking at Narti and you see that she is staring right back at him, as if confirming something to him mentally, and maybe she was.

We see him pull the blade, and run to hit her, as others have said this is an easy dodge move, yet she didn’t. This means to me that she probably wanted to be dead to protect her friends.

Following this we see his back rather than his face and covering the emotions that he was feeling at the moment and Haggar’s shock from the loss of her plan. 

Even after they leave, while the girls 

are clearly in mourning 

Lotor looks stoic, but I think that’s just him trying to not become upset at the choice he had to make at that moment. He needed to protect his team and if by killing one to do so protected them and their whereabouts then he did what he had to do at that point.

Zarkon’s actions again ring hallow to me. He wants his son dead, but again that comes off as strange. Even when dealing with the Paladins, outside of trying to get Voltron, he never once ordered the death of his men, only for Haggar to use them. That’s not to mention the fact that he pretty much avoided conflict outside of capturing what he wanted and seemed mostly intent on getting the ship rather than the outright death of the Paladins, and never once called them the enemy of the state to the citizens. So again, I don’t think that’s Zarkon in control anymore. The reaction of others, including the paladins

 and the generals

 showed how people were viewing this, and Lotor’s anger and annoyance is shown on his face as well.

 All and all I thought this was a good strong episode showing the variation of the family dynamic the teams had.

[mensbodybuildingtips]

6 MMA Fighter Weight Training Mistakes and How to Fix Them

6 MMA Fighter Weight Training Mistakes and How to Fix Them

MMA Weightlifting Mistake # 1 - Purely Educating The Mirror Muscles.

A great deal of times fighters and also grapplers involve me with protruding breasts, arms, shoulders and also specified sixpack abdominal muscles. With such a terrific number you would expect them to be strong, however I couldn't inform you the amount of fighters as well as grapplers come to me that can not perform a couple straightforward chinups. In many means MMA and also specifically hurting could be taken into consideration a sporting activity of pulling, would not it make good sense to establish the drawing muscles?

At most times, virtually every boxer and grappler that involves train with me has weak hamstrings as well as glute muscular tissues. These muscular tissues are entirely in charge of hip expansion and also are consequently an important consider stretching, raising a challenger, tossing much more powerful strikes KO shots, throwing your opponent, and darting in on an opponents legs.

A great deal of the underdevelopment of the hamstrings and also glutes isn't constantly the mistake of the individual, there just typically aren't a lot of known options apart from the hamstring curl.

MMA Weight Training Error 2 - Raising The Same Weights.

MMA fighters as well as grapplers are constantly coming near me as well as saying they intend to get stronger. When I ask them if they have actually been raising weights, the majority of every one of them say an unquestionable yes. During our very first exercise I will typically relax as well as watch their degree of intensity, kind, strategy etc. One of the most common point I locate is that when I claim to them to do an exercise for say, 3 sets of 8 associates, they constantly lift the very same weight for each and every set.

When they start to go with the same weight once again that they did conveniently for the very first collection I increase to them and ask, Are you satisfied with your current stamina level? They generally react with a no which leads me to think: After that why are you raising the very same weights over as well as over that have actually given you your existing level of toughness?!

MMA Weight Training Mistake 3 - Rep of The Exact same Exercises.

This is one of the largest concerns I locate not just with competitors and also grapplers, but with everybody. Your body obtains used to doing exercises and also begins adapting. If you were to perform the exact same method over as well as over again with the exact same sort of reps as well as collections, you wouldn't have much to show for it would certainly you? Your progress of comprehending the technique would certainly plateau in a very short time. When you start mixing up different configurations, coatings, and also angles to the exact same takedown or striking combination you become a much more harmful fighter.

The same point occurs in the weight area, most likely with the bench press. Exactly how several individuals do you recognize that bench whenever they go into the weight area? The initial pair weeks, or probably months, they make some regular gains? When their body starts adapting to the stimulus their bench quits going up. This is when you have to begin mixing up various variations, but no person seems to wish to, they intend to stick to their inflexible routine due to the fact that it's functioned in the past or some bodybuilder created in a magazine write-up that this was the best means to get complete pec advancement or something along those lines.

MMA Weight Training Error 4 - Using Way too many Machines

In a battling or grappling suit you generally going to have to support numerous joints, some greater than various other's depending on the placement you remain in. The why would certainly it make good sense to make use of machines with only set movement patterns that entirely get rid of the need for stabilization?

Trust me, ditch the machines and also go train with barbells, you will certainly obtain a far better, a lot more effective, as well as extra combat specific workout.

MMA Weight Training Error 5 - Quit Lifting Entirely Throughout A Training Camp.

Now, you more than likely won't establish any kind of brand-new records throughout a training camp (more than likely because of the enhanced volume of conditioning and training sessions), eliminating your toughness training program totally is a great method to lose many of your stamina as well as turn up weak for a huge fight. If you're stressed over making the cut, simply reduced down on the volume of the program. Rather of 4-5 sets of 8-10 representatives, do 2-3 sets of 5-6 reps.

This will reduce your overall volume down by over fifty percent most of the times and will guarantee you're not stimulating muscular tissue development throughout a time when you're looking to lose weight.

MMA Weight Training Mistake 6 - Doing High Representative Conditioning Workouts In Gym.

Between all the conditioning, sparring, and technique sessions, do you assume you obtain enough conditioning? Why are you doing ultra high associate exercises in the weight area throughout your strength training sessions? Training camps correspond grappling periods in the period as well as physical demands on the body.

There's been a number of research studies done on wrestlers to gauge pre, during as well as post season stamina and power and also scientists have actually located that those wrestlers who do not participate in a strength upkeep orientated program throughout the period experienced a great deal of loss in toughness and power by the end of the period. A 12 week camp is really similar in size to a fumbling season.

Don' t let similar losses in stamina as well as power wreck your chance at success!

[sanvarifashion]

STYLISH ANNALISTS THAT CAN HELP YOU SAIL THROUGH ANY SEASON

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Anarkali plans for each season

Wholesale Anarkali kurti online have been around for eternity! In this way, is anything but a marvel this advanced style of dress has grabbed the eye of style architects during the time and has been a closet staple since 2012. With each fashioner making a commitment to this sublime clothing, anarkalis have shaped their own family tree with relations spread out far and wide. So be it summer, winter, wedding or only an easygoing outing, there is one anarkali out there for you! We should assist you with meeting with a couple anarkali structures for you.

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