#they are bringing villains and sexy vibe

[smittenskitten]

Don't give me such sexy look. Sexy? You're being funny today.

[stemmmm]

Billford fic recs!

I was asked a while ago (i believe by @kerink ?) when I shared a list of the currently active fics I was reading if I could do a broader rec list as well, so here it is! not a ton of oneshots since I didn't try to keep good track of fics until very recently. will likely update this over time!

there is ONE non-triangle bill in here, but what he is in that one is vague so maybe he could still be the triangle. schrodingers triangle.

Collections:

Valentines 3K challenge (all explicit)

you know it. you love it. if you haven't read all of them though, you're missing the fuck out

Stan Bros Coffee (G and explicit)

the espresso-Bill AU! there's a bunch of little fics about it and they're all in here!

Oneshots: (most oneshot recs are in the collections)

Eternal Devotion - Illusions of the Heart (explicit)

have you ever read a horror story posing as a love story? are you interested in the most unhinged yet cohesive internal monologue ever crafted? do you wonder why keyhole suddenly became so prominent in the fandom out of nowhere? all of these and more await you in here. click the link-- i am a normal fanfic

touch and go (teen)

it's portal ford, baby! great exploration of what prolonged isolation does to people and has excellent bill being sweeties

Haha He Fucked That...Spider? (explicit)

again, portal ford! he's the master of getting himself in stupid situations, and bill is the master of getting him out of them in the ways ford appreciates the least

Longfics:

Theseus' Guide To Ruining A Perfectly Good Boat (mature) (complete in my heart bc i know what happens)

why are you still following me if you haven't read this yet. y'all know what this is

Then it becomes, it becomes, it becomes a problem (mature) (complete)

how bad do things have to get before bill finally chooses to cut his shit out? the answer may surprise you! during-betrayal fic where bill makes the ingenious decision to bring a third party into the mix as if that would solve anything. breathtaking prose, magnificent character work, and the best fucking bill cipher writing and analysis there is! SO funny, SO raw and emotional. Jan deserves to ascend to godhood at the cost of all of her family and friends. as a treat.

Property of Bill Cipher (explicit) (good as complete)

pre-portal character exploration. the only fic i think ive ever seen that dares to say bill was doing extremely fucked up shit with ford the entire time before things went bad between them, it's just that after the betrayal, ford viewed it all in a different light. handles bill's obsession with the guy so nicely, does not shy away from the scary and unnerving in just the way i love it! it's incomplete, but the story is really just a series of vignettes leading up to and a little after the betrayal, so we all know how this is all going to end anyways. this one is formative billford for me

Creative Solution (unrated, but i'd call it mature) (complete)

what if bill erased ford's memories of the betrayal and weirdmageddon happened? touches on what it's like to be in a relationship where you're both deeply mentally ill and insecure in a way that really, truly hits me. absolute masterwork of digging through bill's fucked up psyche and the ways in which he Can and Will spiral forever

Multiversal Manhunt Moved to Your Backyard (explicit, but only the final chapter) (complete)

set during weirdmageddon, bill and ford make a deal to play a game of sexy scary hide and seek. it's so fun to root for the villain. this author has an amazing grasp on the character voices and tone, this is SUCH a delightful read and despite knowing exactly how it's gonna end, the tension still keeps you at the edge of your seat!

On the Level (mature) (incomplete)

marine biology AU where ford is a researcher on a deep sea base and bill is some sort of eldritch horror at the bottom of the sea. writing is lovely and it's really got the slow, ominous horror vibe down pat. it's tagged for Alien(1979) references so i'm personally waiting for bill to violently murder all of these people <3 also this is the non-triangle fic i was referring to

Take A Chance (explicit) (incomplete)

handyman bill thats very focused on how poorly bill and ford are able to communicate with each other, and boy, theyre bad at it. lots of cute family shenanigans and overall a very lighthearted read!

Impossible Geometries and Biologies (explicit) (incomplete)

the only pregnant bill fic i'll ever read because its carried by so much fun speculative biology. really has you nodding along like okay, okay even if i might not agree, i can see what you're cooking. my continued interest hinges heavily on whether or not they choose to kill bill off but i imagine we won't know if that happens for at least 2 more chapters

[crunchwrapsnoopy]

Promposals [Touya Todoroki x Reader]

˙⋆✮🪩As long as I look fly by prom night!🪩✮⋆˙

"Promise to get a little better as I get older. And you're so patient and sick of waitin" Prom - Sza

High school Senior Prom AU of my fav villain ◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠

HS! Semi-Normal! Dabi x F. Reader

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

WC: 1008

"Soo..." my best friend, Mina, started with a coy smirk, "anyone ask you to prom yet?" She nudges my arm, obviously hinting at my boyfriend.

I shake my head, adjusting the books in my arms. "Nah, I probably won't go anyway. Seems like a waste of time, not to mention money."

"It's our senior year! You're acting like your parents aren't loaded," she scoffs, clearly unimpressed by my excuse. "And really? I thought for sure Dabi would've asked you by now. You guys have been dating for, what, five months?"

"Yeah, I thought he would too, but it's whatever. He's just not really into stuff like prom." I shrug, knowing my boyfriend is the definition of lowkey. Honestly, I’m sure he thinks going to prom would mess with his carefully crafted 'mysterious bad boy' nonchalant vibe.

Her eyes widen happily as an idea forms. "I'm sure Kiri wouldn't mind if you tagged along with us!"

I give her a look. Her boyfriend, Kiri, is very outwardly lovey-dovey, and there's no way he'd be okay with sharing Mina on prom night. She catches the look in my eyes and immediately reads my mind.

"Yeah, you're right. Bad idea," she admits, rolling her eyes.

"Very," I agree. "You two have fun, though. I gotta head home and study for that econ quiz."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you'll have just as much fun with that," she jokes, giving my arm a playful pat before waving goodbye.

I wave back and head out of the school, walking toward my house, which is a short distance away in the suburbs. Normally, I'd ride home with Dabi in his sexy black Mustang, but he skipped today, which, knowing him, isn't too uncommon.

I unlock my empty house—my parents are in France on business, so I’ve been left to die. Well, technically  they left me to "fend for myself," but it's basically the same thing. I kick off my shoes and head upstairs to my room, changing into some comfy lounge clothes before flopping onto my bed. I open my laptop and pull up my economics notes, trying to get through the material, but after a while, I realize I have no idea what the hell an "invisible hand" is.

I lean back against the pillows and let my eyes close. Studying is overrated anyway.

I woke up to the blaring sound of my phone alarm to take my vitamins that I had already taken earlier, but the alarm still ran incase I forgot. I groggily rolled over and squinted at the screen, still half-dazed from my nap. The time read 6:15 PM. Great. I’d fallen asleep for way too long. I rubbed my eyes, stretching as I sat up. My laptop was still open with economics notes, but the words blurred together like they were written in a foreign language. Ugh.

I pushed it aside and glanced at the clock again. Dabi would usually text me around this time, or he'd show up randomly at my door, leaning against the frame with that smirk of his. But today... nothing.

Sighing, I grabbed my phone, half-expecting another generic message from my mom or dad asking if I'm alive. But instead, there was a text from Mina.

Mina: "You sure you're not going to prom? Think about it! You'd look so hot in a dress, and I'm sure Dabi would change his mind n suck it up if you rly wanted to go. If he doesn't, still come and I'll make sure Kiri brings his best friend, so you’re not stuck third wheeling!"

I snorted at the part about Kiri's best friend. Mina's boyfriend has two best friends, Bakugo, who is painfully hostile, and Kaminari, who is super enthusiastic but also a little too much of a pervert, I'm not interested in either of those personalities. Either way, I have a boyfriend that I'm pretty exclusies with, and don't feel like pissing him off.

But the thought of prom? Of dressing up, of being surrounded by everyone else—feeling normal, like everyone else for a night—was kind of tempting. Even though I pretended not to care, I always wondered what it’d be like to go, to have that experience.

I stared at my phone for a moment, texting back:

Me: "I don’t know. It feels like too much of a hassle. You really think Dabi would go if I asked?"

There was a long pause before she replied.

Mina: "If u ask him? fat chance... But if you rly wanna go, I'll help u ask him!"

I could already hear her upbeat, enthusiastic tone in my head. It was like she was daring me to do it, challenging me to take that step.

I locked my phone, rolling my eyes as I flopped back onto my bed, already overthinking everything. As much as I hated to admit it, part of me kind of wanted to ask Dabi. Maybe he’d surprise me. But then again, maybe he'd just shrug it off and tell me he wasn’t into it, and I’d be left feeling stupid for even thinking it was a possibility.

Maybe I’d just let it go.

But a part of me couldn't stop wondering: what would it feel like to go with someone who actually cared enough to make the night special?

Just as I was starting to drift off again, my phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Dabi ❤︎: "You still up?"

I smiled to myself, feeling a little lighter. At least he hadn’t forgotten about me today.

Me: "Yeah, what’s up? :)" Dabi ❤︎: "Look outside." 

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking as I looked at my phone. Then, without thinking too much, I got up from my bed and walked over to my window. My heart nearly dropped when I first saw the fire—until my eyes caught the message the flames had formed.

"PROM?"

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, and I couldn't help but giggle at the absurdity of it all. Running downstairs, I grabbed some slippers and hurried outside.

"Yes! But you really need to put this out!" I called out, smiling wide as I watched him casually stand next to the fire, hands in his pockets, looking like he hadn’t just used his quirk to set the entire front yard ablaze.

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

[letsgobarbs]

Historical Romances & Pedro Pascal

So, a lot of people agreed with wanting to see Pedro Pascal in a Historical Romance. I agree, agree, agree with all the Jane Austen heroes. They could remake all the Austen movies and star him as the lead and I would watch them and pass them on to my children like heirlooms. But as an avid reader of Historical Romances, I thought to share a few books that made me think of him. I've read these recently, or re-read them recently so this is off the top of my head.

Note: The heroes of these books don't physically resemble Pedro Pascal but based off of the vibes of the book it made me think of a few of his characters. Feel free to take this as a book rec if you are interested in reading Historical Romances. But most importantly, I hope this helps bring some inspo to some very creative writers who would want to make something out of this. And if you do, PLEASE tag me <3

Joel Miller as Gabriel from Tempting Fate By Kerrigan Byrne 

Gabriel was disfigured in the fighting pits when he was young and is now the head of a smuggling syndicate. He ends up really liking the Heroine, Felicity, who is painfully shy and introverted, when he saved her life once. Felicity unexpectedly becomes an heiress and people are dying to marry her— and she’s getting threatening letters. He ends up interviewing to be her bodyguard, and she hires him without any struggle— it might be because her glasses were broken, and she couldn’t see just how disfigured he was. 

Joel Miller as William Nye from A Bride For The Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath

JOEL MILLER AS A PRIZEFIGHTER. JOEL MILLER BOXING IN THE RING. He runs a disreputable inn called the The Merry Harlot. And marries a fucking school teacher to get his inheritance. He is also unfortunately caught up with smugglers. The heroine’s dad died and her half-brother marries her off to get her off his hands and basically threatens Will to do it if he wants his property. He’s surly and secretive and so very broad and handsome. And she’s is clutching her pearls and being so hardworking I wanted to give her a hug and a kiss. This one is Victorian era and with middle-class, not-so-rich characters instead of the Lord and Ladies of the ton.

Dave York as Valentine from Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

The summary of the book describes him as devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Need I say more? He’s a villain— like literally, in the other books of the series, he is a villain. At one point, he holds a gun to the Prince of England to end his exile. He’s funny. He’s hilarious. He makes me giggle and twirl my hair. He falls in love with his housekeeper— who is secretly the illegitimate child of someone important. She was in his house to gather incriminating evidence against him to protect her mother. The book was sexy, steamy and it made me think of Dave York.

Marcus Pike as Turner from The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn (the author of Bridgerton)

Oof, this one was angsty. Miranda has been in love with her best friend’s older brother since she was a child— ever since he was so very kind to her after she was bullied for her plain looks. But he’s not so kind anymore, he’s bitter after the death of his wife. And he was burned because of her betrayals. He had been young when he got married to her, thinking she was carrying his child (but she was not). He’s attracted to Miranda, and selfish enough to sleep with her. He does the honourable thing and promises to marry her as well. But she doesn’t want him without love. And even when she is forced to marry him (he chases after her all the way to Scotland)— her husband can’t muster up the words of love she so desperately wants to hear, even if it is just empty words. 

Marcus Pike as Adam from To Wed A Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker

This one was really cute. Adam is a rake— and his grandma threatens him with his inheritance! He will be utterly penniless if he doesn’t get married immediately. He fakes getting married to the one woman he has always loved— but she would never want a rake like him… Plus, she was part of this big competition to marry his friend. Charlotte is a wallflower, who was unfortunately very publicly rejected at said public competition. She believes Adam would never want a wallflower like her. So she strikes up a friendship with him and decides to help him get together with the woman she thinks he loves— her neighbour. They were friends to lovers.

Note: I have more. I HAVE MORE. I just need to dig into my Goodreads. But, boy, do I have so many.

[softieekayy]

So I read your Hannibal fics a lot and I mean I a lot, but I always notice that “y/n” follows a pattern, like her gothic style and her profession as a teacher, and I was just wondering how exactly would you describe her?

Okay well firstly, I’m so glad that you enjoy my Hannibal work, I’m trying to push more stuff out and recently I’ve been busy with school and all.

Secondly, I think I’d describe (y/n) as Morticia Addams. But not really, in all my work, she’s younger than Hannibal and it’s mostly his influence that brings out the “darker” side of her. In the show it’s Hannibal and Will but in my work, it’s her and Hannibal and she’s essentially his design. When I portray her in my works I want people to think, dark sexy villain who is kind at heart( a little). I draw most of my inspiration for her from Katherine pierce. Other than that she’s kinda (selfishly) based off of me. The teacher aspect is what adds to her kindness and nice side because she genuinely and fully cares for her students.

I would describe her as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Shes innocent on top but underneath it all she’s no less than Hannibal, in some cases, she’s worse. She has feelings and love but often times she has no remorse for what she’s done. She’s a Love Quinn. I’d say that one of her characteristics is manipulation because to everyone, she’s harmless but only her husband knows what lies beneath those eyes and often times Will as well. Her and Hannibal bring out the best(worst) in each other but above all, they truly love each other. The way I write her I want to pass her off as pure elegance and gothic. The dark ties pretty well into the elegance. She’s upper class so she’s snobby sometimes but when I think of her, I imagine her as a vampire who has resentment for human. She’s a vampire but as a human really. She embodies the characteristics of what modern day media paints Vampires to be. It ties in well with the whole facade Hannibal Lecter has going on.

^ not a face claim for (y/n) but this is the energy she gives off and this is the vibe I go for in my work!

I hope you enjoy the next story I publish!

[moonprisimbankai111]

Bleach X Jujutsu Kaisen Fights I'd sell both my t!ts n buttcheecks to see

Since I'm a big s l u t for both series here are the fights I'd wanna say. Comment who you'd think would win

Ryomen Sukuna VS White Hollow Ichigo

Two demon daddies against each other? YES! Both are super duper strong, tbh tho I think Sukuna would win, both of these characters would be so interesting to watch engage in a fight as they give very similar vibes IMO

Satoru Gojo VS Kisuke Urahara

I mean it's obvi that our blue-eyed king solos (sorry Kisuke fans) but they're both so fruity and goofy so I think a battle between these two would be so funny to watch, Tbh I thought of putting Gojo against Aizen, but something about him in a spare with Kisuke feels right, both are extremely talented, witty, and clever- oh and very sexy,

This would be such a great fight

Toshrio Hitsugaya VS Megumi Fushiguro

Originally I chose Ichigo for this, but something about Toshrio felt right I like Megumi against Toshrio way more bc I think both are similar in some ways but also seeing Megumi summon Mahoraga while Hitsugaya brings out Hyorinmaru would be AMAZING- Like you can imagine how awesome a duel between these two would be???

Toji Fushiguro VS Kenpachi Zaraki

Y'all gotta really hear me out here, Toji is a literal superhuman and Kenpachi (the strongest of the 13-court guard squad) has a nasty desire for serious bloodlust, these two in a heated spare filled with punches, kicks, and slashing of blades and cursed tools- would be so epic! I mean, I like to also imagine Toji is shirtless too- lol just girly things! I could imagine Kenpachi loving the battle bc of Toji's abilities and physical skills (I would sell my coochie to see this fight IRL)

Maki Zenin VS Rukia Kuchiki

Two of the hottest and strongest in a battle- yes yes yes yes, IMO Rukia for sure solos, i mean c'mon she's a captain but Maki also has a fair chance against her because of her own talents and capabilities. A fight between these two would be amazing!

Nobara Kugisaki VS Rangiku Matsumato

Both gorgeous, both confident, and both obsessed with shopping?

Totally! I think these two would be friends if the Bleach Universe and JJK Universe collided but since this is about fighting, I believe these two would have a fun battle. Both women are strong and have great skills and really cool abilities- It's hard for me to say who would win because both are equally talented! However, I think after the fight would be finished these two would love shopping with each other, talking about boys, and kicking ass together!

Kento Nanami Vs Byakuya Kuchiki

Both sophisticated, both the perfect gentlemen, both with the same aloof composure, and both really strong? HELL YES! I would loveeeee to see these two in a battle seeing Nanami use his ratio technique and black flash against Byakuyas Senbonzakura would be amazing! Idk tho, I think Byakuya would win, but that is up for discussion <3

Suguro Geto (Kenjaku) VS Sosuke Aizen

Don't even get me started, like just don't- I know Aizen has more of the advantage here but Geto, or Kenjaku has a really good chance IMO- I would love to see two villains who are both on similar missions of creating a new world would be in a battle with each other.

Yuji Itadori VS Renji Abari

I just think this would be funny to watch, but I would also love to see Yuji's divergent fists against Renji's Bankai I think it would be badass honestly. I love Yuji lord knows I truly do, but I think after a great effort on Yuji's end, Renji easily solos

Ichigo Kurosaki VS Yuta Okkutso

At first, I thought of Yuji instead, but I think Yuta would be way more interesting to watch, I could see these twos in a serious duel. Both are characters who faced massive losses that have pushed them to become strong. At one point in the fight I can see White hollow Ichigo coming out to help save Ichigo from a summoned Rika (yes I know the curse of Rika is already broken but let's act as if it isn't for the sake of the HC) Both are super strong, but Ichigo wins for sure IMO,

Thats it for now, but let me know what pairings you would like to see in part two as I would love to include more characters

[destinyc1020]

My Movie Review: "Challengers" 🎾

**Caution...May Contain Some Spoilers**

Okay okay..... Here we gooo! Another film review.... 😁🙌🏾

Y'all.... I have so much to say about this movie lol. 😅 I'll just be honest, like...I had some mixed feelings about this one!

Okay, so first of all.... I had a great time going to see this movie. My girlfriends and I all went to one of those theaters where you can order REAL food and alcohol, and they bring it right to your seat. 😁 We decided to treat ourselves to this one, and just have a "girl's night out" watching it.

Our little theater was quite packed too! Saw a lot of date-night couples watching this together lol. 🤭 I think I saw another group who was doing a girl's night out.

So anyway....

The movie ended up being an enjoyable rollercoaster for all of us lol. It definitely kept my attention, it wasn't boring at all, and it gave many of us several things to talk about/discuss long after the movie was over! I LOVE films that make you think, and that have you talking about it afterwards. Even if we disagree, it's just nice to see a movie like this that sparked a good discussion afterwards. 😊 Here were my Pros/Cons and random thoughts that I had during and after this movie lol....

PROS

Everyone's acting was solid in this! I already knew that Mike and Josh are stellar actors (I've seen them in other projects before, and both have done theater if I'm not mistaken), but ZENDAYA!! Zendaya babeeeee....She surprised me in this one! Dare I say it?? I think "Challengers" was her best acting job yet on the big screen. 👏🏾 She really embodied that "Bad B*itch"/Boss vibe very well imo. She was definitely believable! LOL 😅

The CINEMATOGRAPHY! Omg the cinematography in this film was so good and on point. I loved how the camera would change perspectives during a match (especially the end match) and would switch and show you the ball's pov, then the pov of the players, and whatnot. It was dizzifying switch and camera change for sure lol, but it was very creative. I honestly think that this film could be nominated for an Oscar just for the cinematography alone. 😊👍🏾

The music .... The music was a pro AND a con (more on that later) for me. It had a really hype techno beat throughout the movie, and that really helped to keep the movie hyped and show the fast-pace of the sport. I really liked it! It was catchy lol. 😅

Zendaya was GORGEOUS in this movie! I kept looking at how flawless her skin was in this. It's so rare that we get "adult" Z in her films lol, so it was just nice and refreshing to see her finally playing more of an adult in a big screen role, and seeing her be the desirable/sexy/attractive one in a film for a change. She really looked amazing in this. 😊 I'd love to see her do more roles where she's playing the object of desire. We need more woc in roles like this.

I loved the subtle ways in which Luca shows that tennis is basically like a relationship in this film. I loved that metaphor. I think the little subtle hints for the movie were quite creative, and it's one of those films where I think it would be good to watch at least twice in order to catch more of the subtleties and how the sport related to their relationships and inner dynamics throughout the film.

I LOVED that scene where Patrick and Tashi met up with each other, and it's so WINDY and wild. Just like their relationship.... Windy, unpredicatable, destructive, yet exciting... Unlike her boring relationship with her husband lol. LOVED the subtleties in this film.

I loooved seeing Zendaya in her "Bad Gal" element. Yaaass! 👏🏾 I love it! I think it's harder playing a villain or someone who's not redeeming honestly.

Hahaha I have to give a shoutout to Darnell.... Good seeing him on the screen. Glad he was able to add another big major film on the big screen to his roster lol. 😜

Zendaya's body was BODY GOALS in this film.... 🔥 Can I just say?? I was like, "Dang.... let me keep going to the gym". 👀 And then, the other thought I had was, "Shooooot....no wonder Tom came back ROTFL." 😅🤣 Lemme stop lol.

I loved the anticipation for the final match, and it really kept you on the edge of your feet lol. 😁

CONS

Now for the cons.... 👀

Was it just me?? Or, sometimes the music in this movie was a bit TOO loud Lol. For example, there was a scene where Patrick and Tashi were talking in the hotel, and the techno music is SO LOUD that I could barely even make out what they were saying (and it seemed important too). Maybe it's just me.... But at times, the music was drowning out the dialog, and I didn't like that. Anyone know what Patrick and Tashi said to each other at the hotel when the music got to be so loud lol? 😅

I STILL hate that "my little white boys" line ...UGH! It's SO CRINGGGGGE! 😫😩🙈

I definitely saw a LOT more sausage and moons than I expected to see in this movie lol... 👀 😅 I meannnnn.... Idk... Is male frontal nudity EVER really necessary?? Let's be honest lol. I honestly don't think so. I kind of wonder why it's even needed?? (I say the same thing about female frontal nudity as well). Idk, sometimes I wonder why certain directors make that choice to add that in, when it's not even necessary 9 times out of 10. I just don't like things being done gratuitously . Like, gratuitous sex scenes for example.

I'll be honest, I didn't really care too much for some of the plotlines and writing in the film.... 😬 I'll also just come right out and say it... I kind of wish that Z had done a slightly different film than this for her big-screen lead role debut. I kind of wish it weren't such an "adult" film with a ton of sexual themes and elements. I kinda wish too that Tashi was not personified in the way that she was. It's one thing to be a very determined and dedicated athlete, but another thing altogether to be the stereotypical cold, icy, attitude-having diva. I also look at this from a woc/black woman's pov as well. Part of me feels like we as Black women are so hypersexualized (and seen as "grown") , and stereotyped as having "attitudes" from such a young age, and it just makes me feel like women/female actresses shouldn't have to get naked or be overly sexualized in order to win awards or get good critical acclaim for their roles. (I read that the film Emma Stone won an Oscar for this year, "Poor Things", had a lot of sex and nudity in it as well....🥴) Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "prude", but when it comes to WOC, I just want better for us since we're already so stereotyped and stigmatized. Like, why couldn't Z's big-screen lead role debut be the Ronnie Spector Biopic film?? Or, why couldn't it be a film like "Hidden Figures" where she's playing a black female mathematician who aids in the space launch? I don't feel like you have to resort to sex or get undressed in your underwear to be taken "seriously" as a "serious actor", but maybe the meaty roles for adult women in Hollywood that don't add that in are really scarce. Anyway, that was my only gripe. 😊

RANDOM THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS

When people claimed that there wasn't any real redeeming character in this film...boyyyyy...they weren't KIDDING!!! 🤣 I don't mind characters who aren't perfect or aren't the best though, so that didn't bother me. My only question was.... Why on earth did Tashi hate Patrick so much?? Does anyone else know?? 😅 I kept waiting and waiting during the movie to see some big REVELATION of something really HORRIBLE that he did to Tashi in order to deserve the type of hate that she dished out to him, but I couldn't figure out anything?? I mean, I know they dated each other at one time when they were younger, but I don't see why she's still hating on this man in her 30's when they dated in their teens and early 20s lol. 😅 She's out here married and even has like a 6 year old kid and is STILL hating on this man.... WHY?? 😅 Can someone PLEASE explain that to me?? Cuz right now, I can only surmise that the only reason why Tashi is so mean to Patrick is because deep down, she's still attracted to him, so she has to hate on him in order to curb that HAHAHA. 🤣 Maybe I'm just a Patrick-sympathizer lol, but I can't really see how he was a bad boyfriend or how he did anything wrong?? Yes, he shouldn't have slept with Tashi (Art's WIFE), but HE was single.... TASHI was the one married, so really, SHE was the main one at fault here as far as I'm concerned lol. 😅

Why did Art and Patrick like Tashi so much?? I mean, aside from the fact that she was gorgeous (obviously lol)....She seemed like such a ballbuster and treated them like crap lol.

Mike has a cute butt lol 🤭

Josh does a really good American accent. I only heard it go out and switch off like maybe once or twice lol. Only slightly lol. 😅

BTW, in case you were wondering...I'm Team Patrick lol.... 🤭 He was just a washed up bum of an athlete lol. I feel like Art and Tashi were way more manipulative. Jmho. I do kinda feel bad for Art though on some level, cuz it was CLEAR Tashi was in a boring, lifeless marriage and didn't really love him anymore lol.

I saw people in our audience gasping and covering their mouths during some of the sexual scenes lol. I could tell a couple of the girls in the theater were fans of Zendaya and had never seen her in such a role before hahaha. Some were laughing at some of the sexual stuff and it was like uncomfortable laughter/giggling lol. The guys included lol. 🤭

I'm not sure what awards this film will be up for, but seeing as how it's a film by Luca, we might actually see Z getting an Oscar nod for this!! Or, at the very least, maybe engaged in a FYC campaign. I can see it. Luca is very well-known...his film CMBYN garnered Oscar nods (including an Oscar nod for Timothee), and Z is Hollywood's Darling atm, soooo idk y'all! We might be looking at "Oscar-Nominated Actress" Zendaya next year! I guess we'll have to see lol. 😊

I looooved that Z was able to work with such a renowned and well-liked film director. I'm glad she got that experience. She's been working with some great directors lately (ie. Luca, Denis, etc), and I love that for her. It seems like FFC was also eyeing her for one of his roles at one time as well. So, I'm so proud of our girl!!! 👏🏾

OVERALL

Overall.... Definitely a fun, joyride of a film. 😊 VERY creatively done. So far, I haven't really been THAT impressed with Luca's films (CMBYN being the other one I've seen), but his films def make you THINK, long after they're over, that's for sure lol. The movie was fun and enjoyable to watch. There were just a few things that I felt could have been better imo.

OVERALL SCORE: 6.5/10

[paradoxspaceheater]

terms of address ranked by how sexy they are

(for the sake of brevity i'm avoiding titles that go before a name, this is for these terms as standalone addresses. i'm also only including english language titles for now)

miss: 3/10 USUALLY miss is incredibly unsexy however if used as a marker of rank it's hot af. don't @ me.

mister: 1/10 makes you sound like a victorian orphan. just say 'mr lastname' that's much sexier.

master/mistress: 6/10, often sexy but it gets overused enough to sometimes be very unsexy or cringe. also pops up in a chattel slavery context sometimes which is depressing and uncomfortable and not sexy.

sir/ma'am: 7/10 generally quite good, can give military or like... subjugation or servitude vibes which can both be very sexy. sometimes it can just be weird/uncomfortable though.

doctor: 5/10 ehhhhh it's fine i guess.

father/mother: 5/10 the family vibes are weird but the religious hierarchy is undeniably sexy. bonus points for 'mother superior' or 'holy father/mother'.

my lord/my lady: 10/10 no notes the 'my' especially is so... you want to fuck them so bad.

prince/princess: 7/10 pretty good but 90% of the time you're better off going with 'your highness'.

my prince/princess: 9/10 the 'my' just adds that little special something. i still think 'your highness' is spicier though.

my king/queen: 8/10 can be higher or lower depending on the exact relationship involved, but generally there are just so many good options for royalty that this isn't always the best. it IS however very very intimate which is always a plus.

sire: 9/10 one point docked for it being the same as a word for 'father' but otherwise yeah it's hot. gives somewhat bowing and scraping advisor energy which we love.

your honor: 7/10 it CAN be very sexy if used right however there are so many unsexy judges out there they bring it down a bit.

your excellency: 8/10 i like this one a lot in theory but in practice it tends to get applied to a lot of smarmy bastards who are just not my type so ??? still sexy but i can't rate it any higher than this.

your highness: 9/10 it's very good HOWEVER some people think it is acceptable to call the reigning monarch 'your highness' and in that circumstance it is not sexy so i am forced to dock one point.

your majesty: 9/10 i like it a lot but docked one point for being a little basic. it's just overused not every monarch has to be 'your majesty' you can have a little creativity.

your grace: 10/10 on top of the generally impeccable vibes the implication that the person with this title is meant to be graceful is really spicy both when they do and when they don't live up to that. and yes, you CAN call monarchs this, as well as dukes/duchesses.

your eminence: 10/10 i love eminence... honestly i'm not really sure what rank this is used for but it's sexy regardless i think.

your [other virtue]: i can't actually rate this since it obviously depends on the virtue chosen however as long as it's not something overly cheesy it's hard to go wrong. the more unreasonable to live up to 24/7 the better. should usually be 8/10 or higher if you put some thought into it.

your [negative attribute]: 0/10 sounds like a barbie movie villain. just stop.

no title to someone who by all rights should be referred to by title: 3/10 i like this when done well but a lot of the time people are just like 'intimacy isn't possible when you're using a title so they HAVE to drop it'. which is boring and unsexy. having a repressed character who has consistently kept to propriety drop the title at a significant moment can be very hot if done delicately and sparingly. but so can turning the title itself into a term of endearment!

using the wrong title: 1/10 you've ruined the moment. the only time this is acceptable is if the slip-up is justified for the character in universe eg. they were thinking of someone else, the person they're addressing just got promoted or demoted, they're doing some kind of weird roleplay thing, etc. in that case like 9/10 actually that's hot.

[heirceleste]

doechii sentence starters

pulled from songs across their discography. content warnings for language, sexual situations, and drugs and alcohol.

I guess you’ll never know

I can make that booty drop

I’ll send your ass back to the streets

Is she gonna go crazy?

Right now is my time and my moment

I look good from the nosebleeds

Won’t you dance with me?

Get the fuck out my way

I’m just interpreting fear

Freaky little, sneaky little, creepy little whack bitch

Y’all be giving catfish

Let me relax a bit I think I need to cool it off

I’m so ahead of this fashion

Even the moms know what it is

I gave my soul to this shit

Sippin on a mai tai

Like a cable we jump hoes

I’m not nervous I’m just concerned for us

Fuck are we talkin’ about?

People are a little bit worried about you

I’m makin’ so much money, I’m all over the net

I need a cleanse I need a detox

I like pills, I like drugs

My self worth is at an all time low

When I breathe you breathe

Bring the clique

We don’t give a shit

I just came to get my money right

This moment mean everything to me

I don’t think you really understand it

Sweetie don’t take it to heart

What’s your name again I forgot

I just put my drink down

Fuck that ho, fuck that bitch

I’m Wakanda rich

Unfazed, unbothered

I’m the problem, I’m the villain

I feel anxious when I’m high

Fake bluff, fake tough

She get hotter than a sauna

I been carrying you bitches now for way too long

Bring that ass to the club

Just a lil liquor

I can make your booty pop

Nobody thrives alone for long

You need patience

Can’t be stressed I’m relaxin’

I try to act smart

I think I like girls, but I think I like men

You forgot to take the chicken out

I need to let it out, I gotta let it out

Give me the space that I deserve

You are the cause of my demise

Hard to sleep when I’m sober

How does it feel to be you

She’s so flirtatious

She’s so persuasive, that marijuana

So cunt, they wanna be her

Caught up in your trance

Devil himself can’t kill the vibe

She’s a mystic sexy creature

Bitch, I feel so phenomenal

She’s a good and I’m her believer

[kittenshift-17]

I want to know, if you don't mind and if you feel comfortable, your honest opinion, from the bottom of your heart, why you choose zutara over kataang. I'm really curious to know an adult's perspective about this ship.

Hi,

Thanks for asking this. Hopefully, it's with genuine curiosity and not a means to find things to argue with or attack me over.... anyway... I've been thinking about this a little bit, and the answer is two-fold.

The short answer is that I pick Zutara over Kataang because I don't like Aang very much, and I do like Zuko; I think the characterization of both just lends itself more to an appreciation of Zuko and his redemption arc over Aang's hero struggle.

The long answer is a summation of the following:

Aang's a child in the series, not yet even a teenager, and I think we can all agree that he often displays his lack of maturity throughout the series in several places. Now, this isn't necessarily a fair argument to bring to the table, given that he would undoubtedly mature as he grew (we assume) and did some growing up, even during the series. That said, his age - his being younger than Katara, is another reason I prefer Zutara, because most of the time - at least when I'm writing them - the gaang are either in their mid-late teens or early twenties, and I think at those ages, most girls don't want to date someone younger than them. Partially, it's social conditioning, but developmentally, boys tend to be two years behind girls in regard to maturity, etc., so it's a big factor.

We see throughout the series that Katara goes for guys that are... shall we say, more "manly" than Aang? Jet is a sexy schmooze with mixed-up ideals, but he's older than her and well-fit. Haru is buff as hell and kind of adorable (before the mustache makes its debut, anyway). In that regard, Zuko is much more Katara's 'type' than a scrawny, short, skinny bald kid with arrows tattooed all over him. Also, I mean, she seems to prefer men with great hair, and Aang just doesn't fit the bill.

Aang is the Avatar and, by merit of being so, needs to put his connection to the spirits world, his responsibility to the physical world, and his role as an avatar before everything else, including worldly attachments. We see this throughout the series, wherein his unwillingness to let go of his attachment to Katara inhibits his chakra pathways and blocks him from entering the avatar state. We also see him finally choosing his responsibility over his love for Katara, and while that's the right thing to do for the sake of the world, I just think Katara deserves more than that. It's the embodiment of the uptick in a preference for falling for the morally grey villain over the hero because the hero will sacrifice you for the good of the world, while the morally grey villain will let the world burn as long as you're safe.

Now, you could argue that the above isn't fair because Zuko has responsibilities, too, in that he needs to take on the role of Fire Lord, but I think there's more room for love/romance/attachment in that role than there is in Aang's role.

Zuko is so much more interesting than Aang; I don't know how else to put it. He's got the tragic back-story, the anger issues, the redemption arc, that morally-grey-what-can-I-say-grey's-my-favourite-colour vibe about him, and he's just so much cooler and more mature. Like, yes, he has his moments of childishness and temper tantrums - as does Katara - but he's matured far beyond what we witness of Aang and it makes him a more likable character. An example of what I mean is probably best illustrated in the Southern Raiders chapter. Aang tries to impose his own ideals and morality on Katara when she's burning for revenge, which, while he's trying to encourage her to do the right thing, doesn't really suggest that he's supportive of her feelings. I found him quite dismissive in that chapter with his insistence that she just forgave the man who killed her mother without any attempt at growth or chance for closure. Meanwhile, Zuko just grabs his gear and goes with her to make sure she'll be safe and to support her in whatever decision she chooses to make. Yes, it might've meant that he would be an accessory to murder, but at least he was supportive. Also, his reaction to learning Katara can blood-bend - an insanely frightening ability when you really stop and think about it - is alarmed but then accepting, and it's just so much more palatable than the lecture I imagine she'd get from Aang if he learned she'd used the ability for harm and revenge.

There's too much of a brother-sister vibe between Aang and Katara - at least when it's shown from Katara's perspective - and it wigs me out that the writers put them together in the end. Throughout the series, Katara treats Aang much the same way she treats Sokka, often mothering him as opposed to seeming romantically inclined towards him. Whereas with Zuko through the entire series, there's the ongoing thread of parallels between their characters and the underlying unresolved sexual tension between them - put there intentionally BY THE WRITERS, I might add. Like throughout the series, we were SUPPOSED to be shipping Zuko and Katara; the intention was to have them end up together. It's only the last-minute switch of writers and/or change of heart to fulfill the "hero gets the girl" trope that made Kataang canon, and I just think it's a disservice to the characters, the fans, and the series in general, to backflip like that at the last minute for a lame reason.

I could probably go on - and have before, in GCs and sometimes on Tumblr, about the many reasons they're just better suited to one another, but you're probably bored by now, so I'll stop here. Hopefully, the above gives you something to think about and a better understanding of the reasons so many ship the two of them. If nothing else, it's got me thinking about my Zutara fics and maybe even planning an update.

xx-Kitten

[myths-tournaments]

Awful Characters Round 1 Part 4 (2/8)

Propaganda under the cut!

VEGAS THEERAPANYAKUL

he's such a polarizing character because there's the group of us who are like Vegas <3!!! and then there's the people that point out his many crimes against humanity and lack of redeemable qualities or actions. he brutally tortures his love interest. he commits lots of crimes against the protagonist including drugging him. he's literally the villain. I love him so much though he's the poorest little meow meow of all time

As the oldest son in the minor mafia family in Thailand, Vegas seeks every opportunity to outdo his cousin from the main family. He hires an assassin to go after him. On another occasion he drugs, kidnaps, and assaults a guy to get at his cousin. He secretly schemes with the Yakuza, plots to frame that same guy as a mole working for the main family, fakes being in love with his cousins ex-boyfriend to the point of getting engaged (and then ditches him), and allegedly has done the same thing with the actual mole working for the main family. The definition of manipulate, manwhore, manslaughter. Vegas has a whole ass Patrick Bateman-style murder coat for torture. Methods of torture used: extracting a man's Cochlear, electrocuting a man's balls, forcefeeding by shoving said man's head into slop, whipping him with his own leather belt, setting a fake escape trap only to chase the hostage down and tase him. Whenever he makes deals he'll slip his hand into the other person's with a firm grip before they've consciously expressed a choice (so it always goes in his favor). He shields himself with other's bodies during shootouts, letting several people die for his sake. He's into BDSM (this isn't one of the bad things, but hoo boy people will act like it is). Listen, he's a piece of work. He cries because his pet hedgehog dies. He falls for his hostage, fucks him, and then continues to be shitty so the guy knocks him out to escape. He gets pathetic about it. He confesses his love and kisses him in a parking garage full of dead bodies in the middle of a mafia coup that he is leading. He's absolutely reprehensible and is treated as the main villain of the show for several reasons. Except I love him and his insanity. He gets a lot of shit that he doesn't deserve (both in canon and in the fandom). Not that I wanna fix him, that wouldn't be fun! Vegas and his partner deserve to serve cunt, be disgustingly in love, and murder to their hearts desires because I said so.

CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON

This is based on vibes and general like…hesitancy in others to agree that Milverton is worth simping over. He's the true evil foil to a necessary evil protag. He is always on a power trip he finds himself smart but can't pivot when things go off script, he's the king of blackmail because he isn't trying to get the money he's trying to make the person come to ruin and really wants to watch. His goon pissed on what they thought was Sherlock Holmes' Stradivarius, simply to humiliate him. He's a wet rat, sexy as hell, and entertaining af.

Look, the man is pure evil, he blackmails people not for the profit of taking the ransoms but to watch them frantically scramble to gather the ransom and then watch the light die in their eyes as he brings their worst nightmares to life before them. He ordered the death of a disabled child (and i’m still mad about it). He made his boyfriend destroy a violin (as far as he knew, a very expensive violin at that) by pissing on it. He would kick a puppy. But he’s also dramatic and fun about his pure evil, and I’m attached. He tries to make clowns out of my favourite couple, and gets called the whole circus for it. It’s funny. Also, his depiction in the musicals (specifically the fourth musical) dials this drama up to 11, while also giving him a very cute relationship with Ruskin. He’s the literal worst, but he’s fun about it, so it’s all totally okay.

He blackmails people for fun. He isn't after their money, hes already rich, but still he asks amounts of money that are over the limit for the people he blackmails. His greatest joy is to see good people blackmailed into doing bad things.

[jbuffyangel]

Second Chance: Arrow 1x18 Review (Salvation)

The villain of the week is one step ahead of Felicity in "Salvation" which gives Oliver the opportunity to be there for HER, as they race to save Roy Harper's life.

And oh holy cow is there Lance family drama y'all. WOW. Scandalous.

Let's dig in...

Olicity

This is one of Arrow’s more suspenseful episodes. Felicity goes toe to toe with the villain of the week and she more than meets her match. This results in one of Arrow's cooler action sequences and some iconic Olictiy moments.

But first, we must work out.

Of all the times Felicity watches Oliver working out, this is my favorite. Emily Bett Richard’s face is hilarious.

Her comic skills are so on point and she brings a much needed levity to the show. But do not deny this woman her dramatic work. She can bring her A game anytime - as we will soon see.

Oliver is off to threaten (or kill?) a dirty real estate developer named John Nichols, who doesn’t mind skipping code requirements if it means saving a buck. Oliver fed up with this guy killing people in the Glades and he’s on the List, so hasta la vista, baby. (Do not deny my my nineties cliché remarks. They bring me comfort and joy.)

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) someone else beats Oliver to it and kidnaps Nichols. Oliver is strangely displeased. I mean... what's the difference? Felicity and I share a brain sometimes, so she asks Oliver on my behalf.

Source: @andjustforthismoment

These two are in their own rom com and we’re just along for the ride. The way he growls “They don’t show my level of restraint,” at Felicity is a lot. Is it really necessary to stand that close to her Oliver? No it’s not. I SEE YOU SIR.

The man who kidnapped Nichols executes him on live television which was super creepy. He definitely has a Heath Ledger as the Joker vibe to him. (Nobody said the comparisons to the Dark Knight are unfair.)

Felicity is unable to crack his encryption code because he’s a former cyber crusader called “The Savior” and the NSA has been searching for him for years.  His real name is Joseph Falk and he erased his existence after his wife was murdered in the Glades.

When he failed to get justice for his wife's death, the Savior took matters into his own hands - not unlike our favorite vigilante. His cyber skills are no joke and give Felicity a real run for her money. She is unable to track him down before he kills Nichols, which leads to a hilarious if frustrated exchange between Felicity and Oliver.

Source: @yet-i-remain-quiet

JUST GET MARRIED.

Things go from bad to worse for Felicity when Falk kidnaps the district attorney. His crime was not prosecuting the person who murdered Falk’s wife. If we were on the fence as to whether Nichols should live or die, then the district attorney snaps us out of the moral grey zone. Prosecutors choose not try cases all of the time for lack of evidence. It doesn’t mean they should die for it.

Source:  msr-olicity-love

Oliver's impatience only heightens Felicity's stress, but she finally gets a location. It’s the middle of the day which means Oliver can’t hood up. So he grabs the motorcycle and his super sexy brown jacket to hunt Falk down and save the DA.

This leads to one of my favorite Arrow action scenes. Falk is not at the location Felicity sends Oliver to, which means he has to sprint across town and leap between buildings to next location. Felicity is completely flummoxed because she doesn't understand how this guy is moving locations. Oliver screaming at her over comms is not particularly helpful either. 

Unfortunately, Team Arrow loses and Falk murders the DA on live television, which is completely traumatizing to Felicity who has never seen anyone die before. 

Oliver returns home to find Felicity alone in the dark, twirling one of his arrows in her hands. Oliver immediately wants to know where Diggle is because he’s probably wondering why John left Felicity all alone in the dark.

Felicity: I asked him to leave me alone in my loud voice.

Source: @westallenolicitygifs

Oliver isn’t going to do the same. He immediately reassures Felicity that it wasn’t her fault (because it isn’t). This is the price of the life they’ve chosen to live. It’s a very lonely one as Oliver knows all too well.

Source: @jamiedornaniseverything

Felicity is understandably feeling defeatist, so it’s one of the rare times she says it’s better to be alone. Oliver doesn’t have much to say in return, but notice how the scene is shot. The entire bunker is dark except for the brightly backlit desk lamp. Oliver and Felicity are the only thing we see in the darkness.

Felicity also mentions her relationship status, which feels like an oddly placed comment. Umm… ok? SHE’S SINGLE AND HETEROSEXUAL GUYS!

I love receiving pieces to the Felicity Smoak puzzle, but this comment felt very out of context. “Hey I’m sad, but I wouldn’t know how to talk to my boyfriend about fighting crime. Good thing I don’t have one.”

It is NOT the fans who create romantic undertones to Oliver and Felicity’s scenes. The writers make it romantic with conversations like this. It’s very easy to keep a scene like this strictly platonic, but nope! The writers decide it’s super important that Oliver knows *right now* that Felicity is single as she pours her heart out to him in her time of need.

The light is equally important, because this relationship (regardless of romantic or platonic) has to be a two way street. Felicity cannot always help Oliver find the light. He has to help her too.

Oliver does come through Felicity by the end of the episode. Not at first because he is equally struggling with the loneliness of the life he’s chosen. He can’t really advise Felicity against being alone because that’s the choice he’s made for himself. So much so, that Diggle takes him out for a burger and a little therapy session. After the disaster zone his past relationships have left in their wake, Oliver is tapping out. He doesn’t require a life, or entanglements, or feelings.

Diggle: You’ve been home for eight months Oliver, I don’t think you’ve left that island yet.

Diggle, per usual, disagrees. He wants Oliver entangled. He wants Oliver as entangled as he can get. It makes you wonder if he has someone specific in mind.

The Savior puts a big mirror up to Oliver’s face. He is man grieving the loss of his wife and chose to channel that rage and sadness into exacting his brand of justice.  Oliver can see himself in Falk and he doesn’t like what he sees.

Being alone leads to exactly that. While Oliver may say he doesn’t want the complexity of relationships and the difficulties they can bring, the reality of living life alone can lead to some pretty terrible results. Falk cut himself off from his humanity. This lead to selecting victims who didn’t deserve to die. If Oliver wants to maintain a moral high ground, make difficult but ultimately right choices, then he needs his humanity fully intact. Humanity requires human contact.

Oliver reaches out to someone first, but it’s not Felicity. It’s L*urel. He wants to have dinner or coffee or whatever because he no longer wants to be on an island.  It’s a nice line. It would have more meaning if we saw that dinner or conversation, but we don't.

Instead we see Oliver return home to the bunker, to Felicity and Diggle, and they debrief their latest Team Arrow victory.  It would be easy to leave this scene at Felicity’s funny remark about Roy and Thea.

Diggle: You ok?

Oliver: Getting there.

Instead, Oliver acknowledges, more to himself, that he’s feeling better because John was right. Then we actually see this rigid man move and in the cutest way possible - with a little "Psst." It is a small yet definitive step towards his second chance.

Oliver approaches Felicity in the now brightly lit bunker and tells her she is not alone. He is there for her always. Felicity may not have a “boyfriend” to talk to, but she has Oliver.

Then he gently touches her shoulder and lets his hand linger there just long enough to even make Felicity wonder if maybe, just maybe, he means more.

Actions speak louder than words.  Oliver may talk about not being on an island anymore with L*urel, but he leaves that island for Felicity.

Roy Harper

What are we doing with Roy Harper? Thus far it’s been a lot of Roy and Thea having the same “make better choices” argument and debate their wildly different economic lots in life. This is all well and good but we eventually need movement on this character and “Unfinished Business” give it to us BIG TIME.

Thea is understandably frustrated when Roy admits he plans to hold up a liquor store because he “owes” people in the Glades and that’s how this town works.

Thea: I got you a job at my brother’s club. You have choices. You don’t have to be a criminal.

Somehow this decision puts Roy in the Savior’s cross hairs. According to Falk, Roy Harper is a gang banger.

Roy has a criminal record and holding up a liquor store with an empty gun is not great, but a freaking death sentence? Calm down crazy. The Savior can’t find bigger fish to fry?

Roy doesn’t make excuses or ask for forgiveness when Falk challenges him to defend himself against his “crimes.” He doesn’t care if he lives or dies (just like someone else we know).

Roy: No one’s gonna miss me. I’m just a waste.

Gut punch. This kid wrecks me. Now Thea is crying in Tommy’s big brotherly-like arms. WE MUST SAVE THE PARKOUR PRINCE!!!

Felicity and Diggle determine Falk is on the old abandoned subway system in Star City, which is why he was moving locations. The Hood finds Roy before Falk can pull the trigger and they engage in a morality debate, which thankfully isn’t broadcasted across the whole city after the feed is cut off. Or maybe the city should have heard Oliver’s arguments.

Oliver: I understand being alone, but it doesn’t give you the right to kill people in cold blood.

The Savior challenges Oliver on the difference between them and, once again, he doesn’t have a lot to say. There's minimal morality wiggle room for Oliver. The only difference between the Savior and the Hood is the people they are choosing. Oliver wasn’t wrong at the beginning of the episode. He has more restraint. He also has a better list of names. The Savior should ask for a couple.

Killing the District Attorney and kidnapping Roy Harper show that Falk is very bad at being judge, jury and executioner. Arrow is putting other vigilantes up against Oliver to show that he is better. There is a good heart under that hood – a potential superhero’s heart. Oliver’s morals and how he measures the sins of others are more just, but that doesn’t make him right. These distinctions we are drawing between Oliver and people like Falk and Helena are merely shades of grey. He is balancing on a very razor thin edge.

Oliver begs Falk to give Roy a second chance, but is forced to put an arrow in him when he refuses. “Salvation” is asking an important question. Who is worthy of a second chance? And who decides who is worthy?

Killing not only ends someone’s life it removes the possibility for change. There is a clear distinction between a man like Nichols and Roy Harper. There should be consequences to sinful actions, but what sins warrant death and what sins warrant forgiveness? Who decides? It’s a question we grapple with constantly in our imperfect legal system and it’s one Oliver Queen must answer as the city’s self appointed protector.

Roy is an easy call to make. He made mistakes, but he is deserving of a second chance. However, the question of whether he is worthy of it can only be answered by Roy Harper.  As he pulls the small arrow that saved his life out from his pocket, Roy is illuminated by a bright red light – a not so subtle nod to the Red Arrow. 

And thus a hero’s journey begins with a second chance.

The Lance Family

This week on Loving the Lances… Dinah returns home with hopes of resurrecting their dead daughter but family secrets were unearthed instead. Dun dun dunnnnn!!!!

L*urel is on her own show, so I thought I’d give it a proper soap opera name. She never intersects with Oliver’s storyline except when she randomly pops up at the club looking for Tommy, but I digress. In all seriousness, this episode is pretty damn good because some scalding hot tea was spilled!

Dinah is CONVINCED that Sara is alive because she had the exact same baseball cap as the woman in the photo. This is such a weird detail to hang all her hopes on. Does Dinah think Sara was holding the rockets hat in her hand while she was swept out to sea? What’s with the hat? I HAVE QUESTIONS.

Long story short, Sara is truly dead. L*urel finds the woman in the photo. She’s American, spent some time in China and owns a Starling City Rocket’s hat. We’re going to pretend the Chinese Embassy can find some rando in a photo and deliver her name to L*urel in five seconds flat. Also, Oliver confirms once again Sara is dead and he never lies so we’re all good.

But now we can get to the really interesting part of this little Lance drama unfolding before us. L*urel has the same questions about the hat as I do! I am wildly uncomfortable being this much in agreement with her, but here we are.

Dinah came home while Sara was packing for her little get away with Oliver. She watched Sara pack the hat. Dinah told her not to go, but Sara said she was in love and following her heart even though others may not think it is right. Just like Dinah did with Quentin (side note – what’s the story on those two?)

Dinah: So I let her go. I killed my daughter.

HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP! MOMMY KNEW ABOUT THE CHEATING AND NOT ONLY DID SHE NOT SAYING ANYTHING TO L*UREL SHE LET SARA GO ON THE DAMN BOAT!!

This family is so jacked up. They make the Queens look halfway normal. Y’all I don’t even know what to do with this information. HOT. MESS. EXPRESS.

Clearly Dinah is riddled with guilt and is desperate to find Sara alive to erase the terrible decision she made, but she can’t erase it. Just like Oliver can’t.

Somehow this betrayal almost feels worse than what Oliver and Sara did. Alright, maybe that’s too harsh, but it feels just as bad. It feels like Dinah was taking sides and she chose Sara. 

I really need a therapy session with these women to unpack all that, but this is Arrow and L*urel doesn’t get that much screen time. The best we’ll get is an awkward hug and L*urel asking her mother to call her sometime.

What L*urel is offering is a generous second chance. Perhaps she’s realized that forgiveness is less painful than holding onto all the anger and hurt. Perhaps Oliver coming home and her mother’s time away made her realize she wants Dinah in her life than not at all. It’s really only a decision L*urel can make, but it’s a chance Dinah needs to jump on. She didn’t stop being a mother when Sara died. L*urel needs her too.

Stray Thoughts

L*urel advises Thea to run from the bad boys. Snort. So it’s a “do what I say, not what I do” type of advice day.

Moira serves Frank up on a platter to Malcolm Merlyn as the person who hired Deadshot. Moira’s hands are getting pretty damn bloody.

It has to be hard on L*urel to see that the only time her parents can be in a room together, affectionately touching, and being on the same team, is when they are searching for Sara. I really felt bad for her this episode. Ugh.

Slade and Oliver ransom the chips for a boat. It goes disastrously. Now Yao Fei is captured again.

Hey! Shado speaks English and can kick ass. Neat!

 “Keeps my ears warm.” He jokes!

“I’ll be home in a flash.” Dinah lives in Central City. Season 1 Jen didn’t get that reference, but I am a seasoned professional in the art of comic book references and I totally picked up on it the second time.

“Stay” by Rihanna was playing during Oliver & L*urel’s scene at the end of the episode. This was my song of pain in 2013. The Vampire Diaries used it in a particularly agonizing Stefan and Elena scene as well that year.  It's like white hot pokers in my heart.

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 1x18!!!

If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me.

[avaseofpeonies]

A Drink Before Battle ~ Intro

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, BL, Yaoi, Drama

Age rating: 18+ (violence, strong language, sexual content)

Status: Main story complete (70,000 words/ 47 chapters), One extra chapter (more coming someday)

Availability: Free to read on Scribblehub, Wattpad, AO3, Inkitt

Story Tag: #adbb avp

Summary:

General Sevei is of the firm opinion that Nobles are shady and Alchemists even shadier. Noble Alchemists are the absolute worst. He is not looking forward to partnering with one to guard the border. Upon their introduction, though, it would seem they have already met... under very intimate circumstances.

Oh...,****

Set in the same world as Salvage, but we're going back in time for some Medieval sword and sorcery!

This wholesome, happy-endings-all-around, smutty queer fantasy romance features an M/M main couple along with a host of supporting characters bringing some trans rep, some pan rep, some sex worker positivity, and even a straight ally who tries his darndest, bless his little puppy heart.

Plenty of fluff, plenty of sexy times, a few funny bits, and our gang do all make it through the Horrors - but there is a war on, so there's also plenty of angst and a bit of bloody violence along the way.

More details below!

MC: General Zarayan Sevei, 31, brown hair, brown eyes, regular guy

ML: General Yeresym Urskatha, 28, platinum blonde, green eyes, Alchemist (magic user)

Couple Dynamics: Enthusiastic MC x reluctant ML, normal x paranormal, sunshine x grumpy, outgoing x reserved (dog/cat), experienced x inexperienced, vers couple

POV: MC only, 3rd person past

Setting: Fantasy World, Medieval, Military camp

Magic system ~ Qi-type innate spiritual energy (called Ethereal Energy in story). Can be wielded physically, harnessed to fuel technologies, or (more rarely) combined with ritual practices for more esoteric applications.

Themes: individual vs. self, individual vs. society, LGBTQ+ themes, identity, self image, love, sexuality, friendship, loyalty, courage, cooperation, guilt, mental health, empowerment, sex worker positivity, social class/privilege, change vs. tradition, violence, war, prejudice

Tropes: western fantasy influenced by xianxia danmei, enemies (antagonists) to lovers, secret identities, mistaken assumptions, forced proximity, workplace romance, brothel scenes, outdoor bathing, magical sex, opposites attract, side couples, (almost) everyone is queer, found family, band of misfits, fluff, comedic undertone, humor as a coping mechanism, danger/rescue, hurt/comfort, traumatic past, toxic family, angst w/HE, avenging dead loved ones, damsel in distress, magic battles, overpowered villain, aristocracy/nobility, handsome prince

Vibes/Mood: plot with smut, varies from fluffy and comedic to sexy to dark and angsty, but with a happy ending

Content Warnings: Genre typical violence, explicit sexual content, homophobic society, internalized homophobia, internalized transphobia (supporting character), war veteran ptsd, slavery (supporting character – no mistreatment of this character is depicted and sentiments are anti-slavery).

[fourteentrout]

Howdy and hello! I have returned with some questions for you!

A little birdie informed me that you like Tamsand. Tell me what drew you to that ship! Do you like young Tamlin and Rhysand growing into something more or do you like the bitter edges of their relationship mending after everything they went through? Who snores the loudest between the two? What would a cute date look like?

Also, are you more of a fanfic or fanart enjoyer? I know both are so good that it’s a hard choice!

Oooh man I am very excited to receive this.

I do indeed have a soft spot for tamsand! What initially drew me to it was actually Rhys' behavior in the first book. I was big into the Sexy Queer Villain vibe he was bringing, especially when he made Tamlin get on his knees (literally as I was reading I was like. Is this some kind of euphemism. Especially after the whole "taught him the ways of swords and females" thing. Rhys calling Tamlin old friend. Very scorned ex vibes)

As the series went on and more was revealed about their past, I was just increasingly like yeah OBVIOUSLY they were boyfriends, Tamlin kept the knives Rhys gave him for like 500 years like come on. The fact that Rhys never seemed to be able to let Tamlin go even after all was said and done is a big thing for me. I like that he's kind of obsessed.

I would love to see more interactions with them in their younger days, but I also love seeing Rhys grapple with the fact that he can't shake Tamlin's presence in his mind after so many years, so it's very hard to choose between the two! Id say, whatever you connect more with. Not to be like "it's up to you" but I want YOU to enjoy the creation experience as much as possible, so like whatever you're feeling a particular draw to, I say go for it. The same sentiment kind of goes for fanart vs fanfic, like if there's something you excel at or just have a particular love for is what I'd choose😂 getting anything is a big honor

Also, id say tam snores the loudest but doesn't deny it, where as when Rhys snores it's not AS loud, but he swears up and down that he's a completely silent sleeper.

A cute date definitely involves time in nature concluded with a night at the tavern.

Sorry I'm so indecisive about this stuff but seriously, all I want is for you to have a good time. Have fun with them, see where your heart takes you!

[musicalcastingideas]

Team Starkid Does Into the Woods

Narrator: Lauren Walker

She's the iconic narrator Molag in Firebringer, if I want anything narrated, I'm calling her.

The Baker: Corey Dorris

I've been on the Give Corey Dorris A Lead Role train for a while (even though I'm very new to Tumblr) so this was easy for me. Also, is "A father who's not the best person but is trying his goddamn best" describing The Baker or Bill from TGWDLM?

The Baker's Wife: Bryce Charles

I'm so hyped for her to be the star of Team Starkid's next show, and I need to hear her sing Moments in the Woods.

Cinderella: Lauren Lopez

I don't feel like I need to explain this one? The vibes are just correct.

Jack: James Tolbert

I've only seen him in Black Friday and like 2 seconds of NPMD but he has such a sincere earnestness to his performance, I think he would be a great Jack.

Jack's Mother: Rachel Soglin

She's my favourite exhausted mother in Trail to Oregon, this is the same part but meaner and without an idiot husband falsettoing in a wagon with a floor window.

Cinderella's Stepmother: Mary Kate Wiles

(She's in Working Boys so she counts as Team Starkid) She has a wonderfully dry delivery and while in Spies Are Forever, she uses it for a Jaded Hero character, I want to see her use it for a truly cruel character.

Florinda and Lucinda: Angela Giarratana and Jaime Burns

Both wonderful comedic actresses who would definitely make these relatively small parts very memorable.

Little Red Riding Hood: Mariah Rose Faith Casillas

Is this just an excuse for a (albeit not as direct) third "Corey is Mariah's Father" casting? Yeah, kinda. But also Mariah is amazing in pretty much any part.

The Witch: Jaime Lynn Beatty

This feels so obvious. Her physical acting, character work and amazing belt are MADE to play the Witch. I am always open to constructive criticism except for this one.

Cinderella's Mother: Brittany Coleman

According to the Team Starkid Wiki, she's played this part in the Baltimore Centre Stage production, so she not only would obviously slay this part, she HAS already slayed this part.

Wolf/Cinderella's Prince: Joey Richter

Hmm, who do I get to play two parts, one who's supposed to be creepy and one who's supposed to be irresistibly sexy? I dunno. Anyway, Joey Richter has such amazing range, he plays skeevy villains like Mcdoon (the bandit king) in Trail to Oregon and Wiley in Black Friday , but also is so hot and charming as Ethan in Nightmare time and as Owen in Spies are Forever. Don't know why I bring that up now.

Rapunzel: Kim Whalen

Soprano Queen, actual princess. Also, I want her and Curt to play an actual couple

Rapunzel's Prince: Curt Mega

Not to fall into the Internet Wife Guy Trap but Curt seems so in love with his wife and I think he would be so good as the prince who would do anything to be with her (God please don't pull a Ned Fulmer Curt I swear to God). Also, if you haven't seen him and Joey do Agony for Shitty Broadway, please go watch it, it's amazing.

[a-slut-for-smut]

I just read your mei mei meta. 100% spot on. And I honestly I think the Shonen genre for all its violence... does a disservice automatically to women. It collapses characters into black and white cararitures sometimes..... so everyone sees a person who isn't 100% altruistic as bad. We go looking for the badness and that's even more enforced with women. Also I too am horny for mei mei. I wish jjk was more sexy. I wanna see characters be outwardly horny for each other. Up the stakes!

YAAAAAS preach it sister!!! Everything you said absolutely passes the vibe check- so much so i gotta break it down and expand on it 😁 (and heres to link to said mei mei meta jic)

And I honestly I think the Shonen genre for all its violence... does a disservice automatically to women. It collapses characters into black and white cararitures sometimes..... so everyone sees a person who isn't 100% altruistic as bad.

You wont find any argument here, in fact i would go as far to say most media nowadays suffer from this exact issue. But the real crux of the problem seems to lie in the lack of reader discernment. I dont know if its a subconscious or willful failure to understand "nuance", but its apparently lost to an audience that is obsessed with labeling/compartmentalizing everyone and everything to the point where they're essentially reducing characters (even actual people) to a single trope and judging them entirely on that when there are so many parts to a whole...feels bad man.

We go looking for the badness and that's even more enforced with women.

this is one of my biggest gripes- like i said on my meta, there are DEF some puritanical vibes behind the Mei Mei hate- its starting to feel insidiously sexist with the way the fandom is deadset on villainizing her because she doesnt "conform" within the norms of whats "good", and to a larger extent "good woman".

She isnt that maternal, nurturing, self sacrificial woman that reeks of patriarchal ideals therefore she must be bad.

She prioritizes money and considers a persons worth based on what benefit they bring to her as if this is the most unnatural way to be (thats the sad truth!) therefore she is greedy and selfish.

She has a "weird" relationship with her brother because their level of closeness makes them uncomfortable and therefore predatory.

And whats so funny to me is Mei Mei is- for all intents and purposes, a MERCENARY. She's not a teacher, shes not an instructor- she is a contract sorcerer for hire so money being a priority for her would be painfully obvious?? Shes not responsible for the students nor aligns herself with the politics of the jujutsu world- shes looks out for herself/get paid and this makes her evil?? Also cant help think that theres a certain type of person who feels threatened by a overly confident and shameless woman as a personal attack on themselves/their ideals and feels compelled to tear them down by any means possible, but maybe thats just me.

Idk, maybe it cant be helped when they see Nanami (whom are essentially foils of each other) willing forgo money and put his life on the line for the students but this still doesnt make her "evil" and so reductionist btw 🙄.

And to highlight the hyprocrisy of it all- if she was a man, the fandom would be slobbering all over her and if you need proof see: Toji, Geto/Kenjaku, Sukuna, even Gojo to an extent but the list goes on and on. Somehow these men get the pass and the fandom go to great lengths to humanize/emphasize with them, but the women? LOL

Also I too am horny for mei mei. I wish jjk was more sexy. I wanna see characters be outwardly horny for each other. Up the stakes!

oh honey, i am WITH you 100%!!! im not even trying to be petty, but the more the fandom hates on her the more i love her lol she is so HNGHHH, together we can make jjk sexy and outwardly horny for each other 🙌