#this is a good ep for the main team all around

[halflingkima]

drawtectives rewatch: 1.07 ↳"Why don't you tell us what happened last time?" "Do we have to?"

[perenlop]

still awesome

[aryas-faces]

This episode proved Team Green is the better team

TG had all of 10 minutes, and they were the most riveting parts if the episode

Team Black on the other hand? Boring

Putting aside the fact she shouldn’t be the hero, Rhaenyra has no personality. Neither does Jace. Neither does Baela. Neither does Corlys. Name one personality trait any of them have. You can’t. Because they are blank slate good guys that you can project onto. You can be a hero and still have a personality. Just look at the HP books. You can take out “Harry said,” “Ron said,” and “Hermione said,” and still know who said what because their personalities are so distinct. Just look at the Starks. Arya and Sansa are completely different. You can do the same, and still know who said what. If you did to Team Black you’d have no clue who said what. This is a huge problem. Your main character is indecipherable from the secondary characters around her. The dynamics are also nonexistent

The only one with personality is Daemon, and look what he’s been reduced to. We got a scene of him chopping wood. Same with Rhaenyra, we got a scene of her hair being brushed

Because they have no personality, there’s nothing you can do with them. Even the way mourned Rhaenys was so bland

The first episode to really focus on the main character, and Aegon/TGC stole the show with one word

Really let that sink in. This is the first episode to really focus on Rhaenyra, and Aegon is still the most talked about. And he only said one fucking word

And the ep is otherwise seen as unwatchable

We are in for a rough second half of season 2, which is said to focus on the Blacks, if this ep is anything to go by

[smok3r7]

They Always Come Back

Aaron Hotchner x f!reader

Explicit, 18+

Can It Work?

Main Masterlist & Series Masterlist - My AO3

Summary: You and Aaron met in college, Criminology Major, funny enough. Throughout your five years at George Washington College, you and Hotchner had this on and off again relationship; it was all fun until you started to realize that you loved him. After graduation the two of you cut ties and left it as dumb college love, going your separate ways. After a decade you finally land your dream job, a seat at the BAU; however when you notice the name copied on the email, you can’t believe your eyes.

Chapter Summary: Your first case doesn’t go as planned or at least not how you wanted it to go. Are you fit for this?

Word count: 4.3k

Season 8, Ep. 8 “The Wheels on the Bus” is incorporated in this chapter, I hope you guys enjoy, I had a fun time with this one<3

—

As you sit in the black leather office chair, staring at Aaron with pure intentions, your hands grip the armrests tightly to conceal their shaking. The cold air in the room makes you shiver, but you will not let him see your vulnerability. Aaron's piercing gaze meets yours, and you feel the nerves inside you threatening to unravel.

You take a deep breath, steadying yourself, pleading your facade will hold. Despite the icy chill running through your veins, a fire burns within you, a fierce determination to face whatever challenge lies ahead. You square your shoulders, meeting Aaron's gaze head-on, a silent battle of yearning unraveling between you.

You refuse to let fear control you or take over, ready to confront whatever obstacles you’ll face.

But when Aaron's gaze wanders from your eyes to the glinting gold chain peeking out from beneath your button-up shirt, a rush of anticipation courses through you. With bated breath, you observe the subtle shift in his demeanor as his pupils dilate upon catching sight of the golden heart pendant that he gave you so many years ago.

In that moment, a strong sense of satisfaction wraps around you, knowing that he has noticed the intimate piece of jewelry nestled against your skin. You can almost feel the invisible thread of connection tightening between you, a silent acknowledgement passing between the stares to one another.

"So how've ya been?" you ask into the cold office.

He takes a moment before replying, moving his amber orbs back to yours, "I’ve been fine, just trying to stay on top of everything. You?"

You're hesitant to tell Aaron, so you give a quick response. "I've been busy, but good." Despite the smile on your face, Aaron senses something off. He looks at you intently, waiting for more. You can feel the weight of your secret pressing on your chest, threatening to spill out at any moment. But you push it down, putting on the facade of normalcy.

The truth is, things have been far from good. You've been struggling with something that you're not ready to share yet. There are just some things that shouldn’t be shared immediately, and the fact that you still have feelings for him, is one of them. But you almost feel compelled to tell him, but the need to keep this job fights that feeling.

"We can’t let…whatever this is-” You point your finger to yourself, back to him, and to yourself again, “Get in between the job. It just can’t.” You express it mainly to Aaron but also as a reminder to yourself. “People are counting on us to help them and their community. Our problems are minuscule to theirs.”

Aaron nods in agreement, his determination matching yours. "I agree," he nods, "We both can be professional, right? As long as that happens, you will be a perfect fit to the team."

“I can keep things professional. It’s my forte,” you chime as you stand up and soothe your button up. “It was nice to meet you, Aaron Hotchner.” You figure this is a chance for you both to start over again, you reach your hand over his desk, waiting for him in return. The unexpected warmth in his smile caught you off guard as he reciprocated your handshake.

“It’s nice to meet you, dear.” In that moment, the icy facade of Aaron Hotchner melts away, revealing a glimpse of the person behind the stern exterior. The person who once used to be your person. The person who you used to love.

As you walk out of his office, you can’t shake the feeling that something is going to happen. And little did you know - this encounter marks the beginning of an unexpected connection that unfolds in the weeks to come.

—

“Abducting a bus, a form of transportation, gas masks, shock collars, dividing people into teams. This sounds a lot like Gods of Combat." Rossi announces, but the room stares at him in pure disbelief that the older Italian man knows something about video games. “This is a video game.” He backs himself up, shrugging his shoulders just a bit.

“These guys are replicating a video game?” Derek asks, almost jokingly folding his arms in front of his broad chest as he leans against a desk.

Rossi nods his head and moves towards the big round table, pointing at crime scene photos, “In the game, you take over a form of public transportation. Subway, train, bus. That's how you get your players.”

“Wait a minute. You've played this game before?” You blurt out, you truly are taken aback by Rossi knowing so much about this so-called game. You lean back in the office chair and stretch your legs out in front of you, folding your arms against your chest.

“Well, I may have played it once or twice. But, with how similar it is… it seems like they definitely pre-selected these kids.” Rossi moves his eyes between the whole team.

“I’m sure they got all the kids' personal information from social media sites and they knew when the kids would be most vulnerable. And which bus route they’d be on.” JJ bounces her thoughts to everyone, with which you all agree.

“How do you win this game?” You and Hotch ask at the same time, even though you’re on opposite sides of the table. The whole room goes quiet and the awkward stares between you and Aaron begin, but you try to stay focused on Rossi who apparently knows it all.

You can’t help yourself from looking over to Aaron once more, you instantly see him looking at you but not at your face. You calmly raise your right hand to the golden heart that lays high on your chest. His eyes move off of you faster than the speed of light, almost too fast to catch, but you do.

You’ve caught him staring at it a dozen times since the first day you saw him after so many years, it’s like he can’t stop because he can’t believe after a decade you still have it, let alone wear it.

Two peas in a pod, Derek mumbles to himself as he turns around and fills his second cup of coffee of the morning. You can’t help the small smirk that quickly appears, but you pull it down before too many people notice. But still playing with the small heart.

“Well… That’s why we gotta hurry up and find them. Because the player with the highest body count wins.”

Your stomach drops instantly. You weren’t expecting that information, because now if you are too late to find these kids, they could all end up dead. That responsibility alone, terrifying.

—

The FBI vest clings to your sweaty body as you carefully make your way through the dimly lit building. Your arms feel like stone and jello at the same time, the weight of responsibility heavy on your shoulders.

Despite the physical strain, your mind remains sharp and focused. You have a mission to accomplish - to save the innocent children trapped in this nightmare.

As you navigate through the dark abandoned corridors, you hear faint cries echoing in the distance, urging you to move faster. These kids don’t deserve the horrors that await them.

With each step, you draw closer to the source of the cries, and your heart pounds in anticipation. You prepare yourself for what lay ahead, ready to confront whatever challenges stood in the way of rescuing the children and bringing them to safety.

Continuing to navigate the dark abandoned factory with your team, you can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins, with Derek leading the way and Aaron covering the rear.

Your heart races as you watch Derek check a hallway to his left, prompting you to swiftly move towards the doorway on the right. With your gun raised, you enter the room and release a silent breath as you find it empty. The tension is high as you three press on, each step echoing in the empty space.

“Just shut up!” Echoes through the cement hallways, in the direction Derek’s heading towards. The three of you quicken your pace, still checking rooms that appear here and there. The arguing becomes louder and louder, until Derek tells you and Hotch to stop along the wall while he slowly moves into the open room, where you can only assume are the unsubs.

“FBI, drop your weapon!” he yells out, “I’m SSA Derek Morgan, I'm here to help you.” You glance at Hotch to make sure he’s thinking the same thing as you. Which he must because he nods once, allowing you to slowly follow Morgan and he follows you.

As the tension hangs in the air, you announce your credentials and last name, followed by Hotch doing the same. The three of you spread out cautiously, not wanting to startle the unsub and trigger a dangerous or harmful reaction. A group of a dozen or more kids are behind a chain link fence with a padlock on the door portion, and two of them have dog shock collars on.

Each step you take feels deliberate, every movement calculated to maintain control of the situation. But from the look of things, you can tell this isn’t going to go smoothly. Your gut instinct is in overtime.

Knowing that one wrong move could escalate the already precarious situation. The stakes are high, and as you brace yourself for whatever might unfold, the weight of the moment is nearly suffocating. But yet, you are calm, cool, and collected.

The brown haired boy looks no older than seventeen, this must be the younger brother, the least dangerous of the two. “C’mon kid, we don’t wanna hurt you,” you firmly plead with him, his gun still aimed at Morgan but his eyes on you. You’re not sure what convinces him to do it, but he lowers the gun to the ground and puts his hands behind his head.

Go, Hotch tells Derek to cuff the kid. But before he gets to the seventeen year old, his older brother comes around the corner with his gun aimed directly at you. Instinctively, you shoot, hitting him dead center in his chest.

A deafening shot echoes in the narrow space. Shock and disbelief mingles with the smell of gunpowder as the reality of the irreversible act sinks in. You watch as the dark brown haired man hits the wall behind him and quickly sinks down to the dirty cold floor, motionless.

You stand frozen in disbelief, a faint screaming from the kids going in one ear and out the other. Your hands tremble, but your grip on the gun remains steady, pointed at the fallen figure before you. In that moment, time seems to stand still as the weight of what you just did settles in. It wasn't just any man you had shot – it was the slick unsub you had been hunting down for days.

The gravity of the situation hits you like a ton of bricks. Your first case on the job, and you have taken a life. The scenes of your own life play out in your mind, a blur of memories and emotions. If you hadn’t taken action, you would be the one on the floor…not him.

You acted on pure instinct, driven by adrenaline and the need to protect the victims, your team, and yourself. But now, as you stare down at the consequences of your actions, you know that this moment will change you.

“A-are you okay?” Aaron’s voice is faint as he asks repeatedly, which shakes you awake from your panic. His right hand on the top of your gun, where your fingers are still tightly wrapped around the handle. You let him take it from your hands, but you still stand there motionless as you stare at the body no more than five feet away from you.

“I will be.”

—

As the sun sets over the horizon, creating this painting-like sky with the brightest oranges and pinks melting into each other, Emily and Derek sit across from you at the jet table, waiting to hear your thoughts about the job. You take a deep breath, trying to gather the many thoughts you have as you begin to debrief them.

You tell them about the adrenaline rush of cracking the case, the satisfaction of bringing justice to the victims. But you also fired your weapon for the first time and ended up killing him, and even though he was your unsub and an evil person - you still took a life.

You’re battling inside if you want to share these thoughts, but this is the time to be truthful about how you’re dealing with something so heavy. It’s the moment you have to decide if this job works for you or not, because if it doesn’t then you have to move on to something else for work, which is okay to do.

“I think I’m just… Still in shock? I’m not sure…” You state but it comes out as more of a question than anything. “I know this guy was the worst, but having to kill him still doesn’t sit right with me.” Leaning back just enough in your seat where your lower back releases some tension in your sore body, “But at the same time… It- it does.”

Morgan and Emily both chuckle to themselves, but in a sympathetic rather than mocking manner. “You may feel that way for a while, or a little bit. First time, it took me two days to get back to myself again. I just didn’t feel real or good about myself, I guess, is the best way to explain it,” Emily truthfully tells you, taking a sip of water to follow as she glances to her right, where Morgan sits.

“It took me a day, but that day felt like months. I almost didn’t come to work the next day… But when I woke up, I told myself that it was me or him. I ultimately had to do it.” Morgan admits, “That’s all you can do.”

You give a forced smile as you play with your fingers and he stands up with his headphones and phone in hand as he moves towards the long couch behind you. But before he passes you, he gently lays his hand on your shoulder. Take your time, he sincerely tells you.

It finally hits you, the importance of having a team that truly cares about each other can make all the difference in the world. Emily and Morgan's unwavering support is your anchor in this weird time in your life.

However, a part of you yearns for Aaron's reassuring presence; his comforting words and warm embrace are sorely missed. A simple, I’m glad you’re safe, would bring you back to solid ground immediately.

—

“Can we talk?”

As you reach your desk the voice you’ve been wanting to hear so bad, finally it’s here. Even though you just wanna go home and escape from this nightmare of a case, you weren’t going to pass up the opportunity of being with Aaron.

“I’ll meet you in your office, gotta use the ladies room.”

Aaron nods his head and turns back towards his office, speaking with Morgan about something, it turns to mumbles as you get farther. As you walk down the hallway towards the bathrooms, you hear the distant sounds of chatter and laughter from the bustling office. You’re surprised how many people are still at work, considering it’s close to midnight.

You quicken your pace, eager to get back to Aaron's office. As you enter the empty corporate bathroom, you take a deep breath and try to calm your racing thoughts.

I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.

After a few moments of deep breathing and building yourself up, you splash some water on your face and stare at your reflection in the mirror. Everything from these past few days replay in your mind, each detail vivid and haunting. Sticking to you like leather seats on a hot day, ripping your skin. You shake your head, willing yourself to focus on one thing at a time.

With a determined look, you straighten your shoulders and head back towards Aaron's office. Quantico may never sleep, but neither do you when there’s work to be done - since you fired your weapon, paperwork is necessary.

On your way back to his office you spot Reid, Emily, and JJ waiting for the elevator, looking ready to go home and sleep. I wish that was me.

JJ calls you over with her arms open, waiting for you. Your face warm with a smile, you go to her and welcome her warm embrace that’s full of love and worry. Her motherly traits have become a huge part of JJ’s personality that it pours out of her at this point. And you’re glad she’s here.

“You’ll be okay.”

“Thank you… You guys get some sleep.” You tell them, wanting to say you’ll see them tomorrow, but you’re not sure if you will.

“You too,” Reid tells you with a small smile on his face, one you haven’t seen much of yet, but you’d like to.

The elevator dings and opens, you step back with a small wave as they walk in and return one to you as the metal doors close. Inhaling deeply, you start your journey back to his office over again with the only intent to listen.

“What’re you still doin’ here?” you question Derek, who’s at his desk busy with what looks to be paperwork of some kind.

“Gotta tell the director it was a good shooting,” he responds, putting his pen down on his desk, he takes in the sight of you standing across from him for a moment, “You’re doin’ well, I can tell you’ll be a good part of the team already.”

You smile and tell him thank you, and to have a good night, which he reciprocates with a playful wink. You like Derek a lot, he’s a great guy all around and he can lighten the mood quickly when things get too serious or he asks the hard questions - the ones that need to be asked.

Walking to what almost feels like the lion's den, you’re nervous. Even though you trust this man with your life, it’s impressive and intimidating he made it as far as the Unit Chief. The relationship now being a boss and employee one, it scares you just enough - your career is in the palm of his hands, he can do whatever he wants.

Without really preparing yourself you knock on the door that’s slightly ajar, come in, and you do without a second thought. Swiftly taking a seat in the same black leather chair as when you first joined the team. You swear you see Aaron wipe his eyes so the tears won’t show, but you don’t say anything.

"I'm sorry you had to do that today," Aaron confesses with a tone you haven’t heard in forever, his amber eyes filled with regret and worry. "I should've been on top of it, that's my fault." His words hang heavy in the air, laden with genuine remorse.

You can see that he means every word he's telling you as he reaches out to comfort you and make sure you’re dealing with this situation the best you can. As you look into his sincere eyes, a wave of gratitude washes over you, knowing that his support is unwavering and is still in him.

Even after a decade, this man still looks out for you and honestly, really cares about you and your well-being. That’s something you don’t find too often anymore… A bond like this one is sacred and holds a lot of meaning

“Don’t be… I had to learn one way or another,” you naturally bicker back, “So now it’s done and out the way.” Shrugging your shoulders, but your right leg bounces rapidly from your anxiety of today. It’s starting to catch up to you and you’re not the only one to notice it.

Aaron doesn’t need to move his eyes to know what’s going on, he just knows. “Well, I’m gonna do your paperwork for you because you need to get home and sleep.” He leans forward with his hands folded together on his desk full of papers and folders. You try to protest but he’s not having any of it, he barks your name to stop your rambling protests - which works like always.

He stands up and moves to your right side, putting his hand out in front of you for you to take. You hesitantly place your hand in his, feeling a jolt of electricity run through you as he gently pulls you up from the seat. As you rise to your feet, there's an undeniable spark between the two of you, like there was back in college.

In that moment, time seems to stand still as you both lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between you. And in that fleeting moment, you kiss him passionately, like you’ve been wanting to since you first laid eyes on him. Your hands naturally find their place on the back of his head, lightly scratching his scalp with your nails.

Aarons body reacting like yours; his hands finding their home on your hips and his tongue gliding its way to yours, itching to take over. It seems like he missed you just as much as you missed him, which you thought was virtually impossible.

But just like that, you stop. What am I doing? He’s my boss…I can’t be doin’ this. What the fuck?

You pull away hesitantly, Aaron sighing but doing the same as he takes one step backwards to give you space. At least he understands, even without words yet again. You open your mouth to say that you’re sorry and that you should’ve known better, but nothing comes out - practically speechless.

As Aaron's voice whispers, "Goodnight," the office feels heavy with unspoken emotions. His words are filled with both sincerity and sorrow, a reflection of the lingering sadness in his heart. You hesitate to walk away, feeling the weight of his feelings and the depth of his longing. It was clear that he struggled to hold back his emotions, for he had missed you the same as you did him.

Before leaving, you give him a smile you haven’t made since that last year in college and you know that he recognizes it. In that moment, you realized the depth of his feelings and the strength of his unspoken love. And as you leave his office, a mix of emotions wash over you, leaving you both yearning for a connection that seemed just out of reach.

—

As you sit in the comfort of your home, a couple hours after you got home and showered as much of the scum off of you as you could, and you still feel sick. Now you’re wrapped up in a soft blanket while Golden Girls plays on your tv in front of you, and a bottle of vodka that you take shots of here and there.

The weight of the case crushes down on you, just as Emily and Morgan had warned.

The image of the kids behind the fence, some with shock collars on, and the man slumped on the ground from your gun burns your retinas, you can’t escape it. The tears finally flow freely, a release long overdue. Something you haven’t been able to do and you thought you wouldn’t, but you are.

The first night back is always the toughest, Emily’s voice reminds you that this is normal, the silence echoing the chaos left behind.

The weight of the case you carry is supposed to hit you hard in the beginning - a reminder that you're only human. But you can’t grasp the idea of being able to kill a person without a second thought… Even though your life and others were in danger, it still seems invalid.

Setting down the glass bottle on the floor, you lay on your side with tears pooling on your pillow. The images on tv are all a blur, you can only hear the sounds of Dorthy and Sophia bickering about Stan. Your stomach twisting itself inside out and back again, your temples pounding, and your heart confused.

For multiple reasons.

Your brain flips from the indescribable memories from the case, to the unforgettable memories with Aaron in his office. The two things couldn’t be more different, it’s like comparing apples to bananas, it just can’t be done.

Emotions swirl within you, trying to find their place in the chaos. It’s hard to distinguish the good feelings from the bad ones right now, the line between them blurred by the weight of the situations. It feels like you should be more upset, more focused on the bad, but somewhere deep inside, a small spark of hope refuses to be extinguished.

As you lay your head down, exhaustion seeping through your bones, fighting the liquor that runs through your blood, a glimmer of hope flickers within you. Despite the battle within, you hold on to that fragile shard of optimism.

Maybe there can be a fix to the wound you have from him, maybe not. But what you do know is this; You are fit for this job and you will continue to be a part of the BAU.

[flamebearrel]

“But Kris, if I wanted to watch Anim vs. with all the different series how should I even go about it??”

It largely depends on the topics and cast you’re interested in seeing. The show is split into three subseries as well as the occasional standalone episode/miniseries: Animator vs. Animation (the original created in 2006-7 by Alan Becker alone), Animation vs. Minecraft (the longest and most popular, shorts stemming off a standalone from 2015), and Animation vs. Education (the newest from 2023, visualizing high-level STEM concepts)

Personally, I think core AvA is required reading for anyone who has appreciation for past eras of the internet, UI, or principles and genres of animation. AvM and AvE are equal in quality but honestly you won’t appreciate them as much if you aren’t familiar with the topics they cover. Alan and his team do try to visually introduce things step by step, though, so you can at least get a general idea of what you’re looking at

Besides that, core AvA specifically follows the Hollow-Heads, hand-drawn stick figures created by the Animator, “noogai”/Alan. In particular you have The Chosen One (shortened to Chosen, Cho or TCO) and The Second Coming (aka Second, Sec, TSC or Orange). TSC is the de facto main character and the only one appearing in all three series, while TCO and the Animator are exclusive to the original.

The SticksFight squad - the four sticks originating from sticksfight.com and named after their colors - have developed distinct personalities as the main cast of AvM, but only take a collective side role in main AvA (Yellow has a slightly larger role than the others). Here’s a summary of their individual personalities so you know what to look for in their smaller appearances

Red - Impulsive and energetic, always the first to jump into action and with a soft heart for creatures and beasties. He’s a little simple when it comes to technical things, but excels with reading the people around him, then building off of their quirks. Since the rest of the group babies him a bit, he puts in extra physical work to prove he can hold his own. Red also tends to play around with new or out-of-the-box solutions - knowledge that extends to his pranks. Most ready to fight with his fists or use heavy-hitters like maces and clubs. (Good intro/focus eps: The Rediscovery, Texture Pack, Monster School, The Prank)

Blue - A mellow fellow! Blue is one with nature and focuses on farming, cooking, and potionology. Due to her pacifistic tendencies, Blue prefers to reason things out or find other solutions rather than fighting, but will throw herself into the face of danger for others. Otherwise she takes up ranged weapons like guns and bows. She’s detail- and aesthetic-oriented as well as graceful, but doesn’t often step outside what she knows. A bit of an addiction to nether wart, which is somewhere between an unusual snack and a drug. (Good intro/focus eps: Potions, The Piglin War, The Chef, Blue’s New Superpower)

Yellow - She loves more than anything to get down to the root of things, and that makes her the group’s engineer! …And a bit of a troublemaker, paying more attention to the thrill of a discovery than the consequences. Yellow tries to find fairness and justice for friend and foe alike. While they have a reliable, supportive demeanor, they’re also very peppy, excitable and tough with how they stand strong in dire situations. Often her fighting style takes place behind the scenes, using things like explosives or a command-casting staff. (Good intro/focus eps: The Roller Coaster, Command Blocks, Lucky Blocks, AvArcade Games)

Green - Originally the weakest on the team, but has since come into his own after a lot of reflex training (read: getting tossed around). Green has great adaptability to learning new techniques and getting creative, particularly with styles of music and architecture. He loves the spotlight and usually competes with the others or takes the chance to show off; however, he also cares deeply about welcoming in those he meets. Dashes and zips around all the time during battle, usually via fishing rod-grappling hook. (Good intro/focus eps: AvYouTube, Note Blocks, PvP, The Dolphin Kingdom)

If you’re just gonna watch the REQUIRED ones this is what I recommend:

AvA s1 (1-4, previously I-IV)

AvMinecraft (original)

AvYouTube

AvA s2 (5-8, previously “shorts” combining into V)

AvMath

AvA s3 (9-ongoing)

That way you get the introduction of both subseries, with how each establishes the cast/direction, as well as one standalone. I put vs. YT here since it best fits the theme imo but you could go with vs. Pokémon or vs. Arcade Games if you prefer

If you’re willing to take on AvM/the rest of the series this is pretty much the order of the timeline:

AvA s1

AvM (original)

AvYouTube

AvM shorts s1 (1-14)

AvLeague of Legends (required for an AvM character’s development)

AvM shorts s2 (15-19)

AvA s2

Other standalones (Blue’s New Superpower + vs. ___)

AvM shorts s3 (20-30)

AvE (ongoing)

AvA s3 (ongoing)

AvM shorts s4 (ongoing)

Influencer Arc (1-3 + some interactive videos on the Greenzilla4 channel)

Or just follow my playlist!!!

[twig-tea]

It is such a wild time to be watching QL, there is SO MUCH every day. And a lot of it is really good?!

Today I watched EIGHT different shows, and of them, I was really happy with the episode for all but one. Here are a few words about the ones I had a good time with today:

Addicted Heroin Thailand crossed the first hurdle of adaptation by including the kidnapping scene. Looks like they're continuing to stay true to the source. I appreciated that this scene in particular retained the emotional core while toning down the SA threat (though Hero's desire is still very much present). This is a solid adaptation so far!

Reverse 4 U is using the powers so well, and I am loving the sister relationship, especially how they tease one another around their powers. It's also building to the relationship turn between Four and Wa in a believable way, which I'm really enjoying.

Peaceful Property is delightful and as @lurkingshan already articulated so well, I love what is being set up re: inequality. Plus this show is just so funny! it's balancing these two threads really well and doing a good job maintaining the haunting-of-the-week energy so far.

Love is like a poison had an incredible first episode, I love the effects and cutaways in this show, and the way it is making fun of its protagonist is so much fun. Ryoma is a dork with main character syndrome and I am obsessed with him. Curious how they're going to turn around this setup into a romance!

I Saw You In My Dream was a baller episode, @my-rose-tinted-glasses wrote about how great it is to see a conversation like this between friends as well as between lovers; all of the conversations in this episode were good (between both couples, between the besties, and between the parents). I really appreciate how, as many folks have said, everyone in a relationship in this episode wants to have sex, and the barriers to having sex are real and discussed openly. Big fan of everything in this ep. We've really departed from the dreams, which I think we need to get back to, but this ep was worth the deviation.

The On1y One continues to be incredible; Thank you in particular to Faiza (@usertoxicyaoi) who has been giffing like mad to capture every important conversation in this episode which was so many of them. The one about moving to the dorms together made me misty fr. I love when youths who did not get a chance to have a childhood get to blow bubbles.

Unlock Your Love also started today, I really enjoyed the very pulpy and trope-filled previous show this team put together (Lucky My Love) so I've been excited for this. We have a workplace GL filled with canon bisexuals, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with a history from college, and a playgirl. I'm so seated.

I don't usually do a roundup post like this but it just hit me how much good television I got to watch today, and how rare it is that I have this good a time with almost everything I'm watching, and I needed to capture the moment.

Tomorrow, all 6 episodes of A Time of Fever drop on iQIYI, as well as How to Make a Million Before Grandma Dies on Netflix, and that's in addition to the episodes of The Onl1y one, The Two of Us, Monster Next Door, Twilight Out of Focus, and probably Seoul Blues that will be dropping too.

I'm really having trouble keeping up with everything airing, everything I want to write about it, and everything being said about the shows on tumblr. It's the best possible problem to have!

[soundwavereporting]

So you've heard Earthspark Season 3 is pretty good

Or maybe you just want to see the small screen's post-IDW take on Everyone's Favorite War Criminal (I'm not judging) but you heard season 2 is a hot mess.

Fear not! Under the cut, I present the cliffnotes of season two, so you can easily go into season three without having to watch season two! (or even season one, I guess, because I'm an overachiever)

Season Two Cliffnotes:

Decepticons are bad again. Starscream is in charge.

Something (I forget what tbh) creates 'chaos energy' and 'chaos terrans' which are terrans, but 'born bad'. They're named Aftermath and I forget the other one, but she's essentially Twitch's evil twin.

At a carnival, Mo, and the Terrans (I think all of them? idk it doesn't matter) get caught up in the nonsense of a guy named Fairmaestro. The big twist is Fairmaestro's super cool UFO space carnival ride is actually Cosmos! He fucks off into space at the end of the ep. Meanwhile Robbie meets a girl named Izzy and has a crush.

The Decepticons have also decided fucking off into space is a good idea (they want to go back to Cybertron. I forget why the Autobots don't want to), except Starscream wants to kill Megatron and OP or something, I don't remember, so they don't. Or they might've been trying to get control of a space bridge?

Mo and Thrash (I think? Definitely Mo though) meet a Quintesson.

Starscream does Stuff and raises a Titan named Terrortronus who lives under Witwicky (I think), and is powered with chaos energy. (see above), which ends up draining Aftermath & Twitch's Evil Twin of energy. Starscream also gets something called the Cyberslayer (I think) that can kill cybertronians. But also bring them back?

The kids and the Terrans realize they can 'sync', which means they turn into a combiner ship thing or something and create a dome around Terrortronus and part of Witwicky, which results in all the Decepticons being contained. Because Starscream is stuck inside Terrortronus, Shockwave takes over the Decepticons, whose goals are now to 1) escape 2) fuck off to Cybertron.

Season 1 Cliffnotes:

First, I really recommend watching season 1! It's very fun and stands on its own.

Robbie and Mo (siblings) find the Emberstone and get these cool cybersleeves, which allow them to feel each other's emotions. Finding the Emberstone also brings about the creation of two new bots (Terrans) named Twitch and Thrash, who are Robbie and Mo's partners, respectively.

The kids' mom, Dot, fought in the war and is buddies with Megatron, who defected to the Autobots at some point. Their dad, Alex, is a college professor and a Bumblebee stan.

Transformers/Cybertronians are known to humanity and there's even a comic series about them!

The Autobots & Megatron are working for a secretive organization called G.H.O.S.T. (I forget what it stands for). G.H.O.S.T. has lots of secret bases and whatever. Agent Schloder works for G.H.O.S.T. and is also a Bumblebee stan.

Bumblebee and Breakdown are umm "brothers"

In the midseason finale (I think) Robbie and Mo end up creating three new Terrans: Hashtag, Nightshade, and Jawbreaker. Hashtag's whole thing is social media (obviously) and Nightshade is a nonbinary science prodigy who makes a whole secret base for the Maltos, Autobots, and Terrans. Jawbreaker is just kind of there for comic relief and/or secondhand embarrassment.

The main threat is a guy named Mandroid, who hates Cybertronians. G.H.O.S.T. eventually becomes a strong secondary antagonist.

Eventually the Autobots and Decepticons team up to take down Mandroid/G.H.O.S.T. These last two points aren't actually mentioned in season 3 but in the interest of full context, here you go.

F.A.Q.

Q: Um, I heard Tarantulas was in this show?

A: He's in Season 1 Episode 13, "Missed Connection". Unfortunately he doesn't show up again afterwards :( but he is in my heart, always.

Q: Soundwave ep? Is he divorced?

A: Watch Season 1 Episode 8 "Decoy" for all the answers.

Q: Is Wheeljack really yeehaw?

A: Yes. Laserbeak is ALSO yeehaw.

Q: Why don't the Autobots want to go back to Cybertron?

A: I honestly don't remember.

Q: Are you a Prowl stan? Is that why you made this post?

A: Per my blog description: "despite the title of my blog, i am actually a soundwave stan."

Unfortunately, Soundwave doesn't have enough screentime in this show (especially season 3) to justify a "Season 2 Cliffnotes so you can see Soundwave". Prowl is another favorite, though.

Q: Is Season 2 really that bad?

A: To be entirely honest, it killed my interest in transformers for the last five months! YMMV.

There. I've done it. Go enjoy Prowl.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - I'm DELIGHTED by so much goodness, also I lust after a boy's robot's pants

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Feb 2024 Wk 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 11 of 12 - I support the fact that the producers seem to have decided that even in uniform Yai never needs to wear sleeves. Hear hear.

No sleeves for Yai ever again!

On the other hand, why doesn’t anyone ever wear gloves? Going around touching evidence all willy nilly like that.

No to sleeves. Yes to gloves.

People. Sheesh. Get with the program.

Anygay, this is such a fun show. I could watch 50 episodes of this abject nonsense. I’m sad it’s gonna be ending. And I don’t say that often about Thai BL. 

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 12 of 14 - Oh has Jeff been kidnapped again? Here, let's throw fruit at Babe and think about it for a bit. Tra la la. Trash watch happening here.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 9 of 12 - They are such very good boyfriends. Also, this is a ton of kissing for OffGun. I’m at a loss as to how they are going to turn this into a decent 12 ep show. Unfortunately, I’ve foresee it going off the rails - pacing seems off. 

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - We have our little No Comebacks twist. The sides are growing on me, but now the mains are boring me. The sudden gun-toting new characters are just weird. It’s like they took the script and just threw it down a staircase, gathered it back up again, then filmed that. 

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 1 of 12 - Fueang is an actor in the midst of crisis and scandal. Normally I don’t like Thai BL when it’s tackles celebrity and this is... yep, the same. Our actor is pitted against an older worried nerdy app developer, Krom. And I feel that dynamic - hyung romance, jock/nerd? Very nice. But it’s also very Star Hunter. Never met a trope they didn’t wanna do a million times over - in the very first episode. Also I think I’m not a fan of the actor playing the lead. 

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) ep 24fin - The blond who comes to get his hair shaved looks just like Fluke T (SOTUS et al). And even more like him after the shaving (My Bromance et al). Is that him? MDL doesn't say.

Anygay... something something: Orphan. Cancer. Kisses. Dream. Death. 'Bout what I expected. 2/10 even with a decent kiss I don’t do dream sequences and I don’t like death in my BL 

All in all, I’m relieved that that’s over. The series is a slog. And in general I don’t recommend it. I plan to promptly forget its entire existence. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Love For Love's Sake (Korea Weds iQIYI) eps 3-4 of 8 - There is so much to adore about this show. The two younger guys who are suddenly in competition for the one older one. You know hyung romances are my favs. A hyung love triangle? COME ON. Also, I got to say this one’s giving me second lead syndrome. I do love me a brat. Add in all this on honorific play and linguistic flirting (as their should be in age gap). This is just THE BEST show. 

Look I gotta say this: the "Who did this to you?" trope (AKA who hurt you?) is the single most popular romance trope right now, remarkable to see it turn up in a BL. And pleasing. Trust Korea to be ON TREND. It's their national agenda. *respect*

Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) eps 1-2 of 6 - From Fuji TV (who brought us the Pornographer series) adapted from Mayo Tsurakame’s manga, production team includes Tadaaki Horai (My Love Mix-Up!) and Takeshi Miyamoto (scriptwriter for Old Fashion Cupcake). Hiro’s so stressed at work he barely has time to eat so he passes out on the sidewalk. An unfamiliar face saves him and insists that they once promised to marry each other.

Ready?

Oh I fucking love it. Sullen, out gay, younger seme with serious grumpy overprotective tendencies and beautiful possessive cat eyes? Well, it’s not dimples, but it’s still my catnip. Also they are moving very quickly. Hand jobs already? + dub con seasoning? Say it with me everyone:

Oh Japan, must you? 

Apparently, you must. And I must enjoy it. Carry on.

Please reread those producer creds and understand what we are in for. Okay? I would urge you to avoid this one if you get squeamish when JBL does what... JBL does.

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) eps 1-2 of 10 - I really enjoy the character of an OCD intellectual automaton professor, contrasted to a warm and sunshine actual robot. Out the gate, this is oozing Taiwanese domesticity, we can only hope they juice it with their usual standard of heat too. 

All puns aside: It’s charming and I’m charmed. Does Taiwan finally have another winner on its hands?

I do adore Taiwan's aesthetics: The house designs, the suit designs, the human designs. I wouldn't say no to the robot’s pants either. Very cool. Can I order them in black?

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - The birthday confession was a bit much. But I love how mature the reactions were. It reminded me a little bit of I Cannot Reach You. Always a good thing. 

Girl: I like you. 

Sakae: sorry, not intersted 

Girl: what am I lacking? 

Sakae: a dick 

What you mean it didn’t go that way?

Happy Ending (Korea Tues YT) 2 of 3 - Oh it’s lovely, exactly as I expect from Strongberry.

I gotta say all of the above are pretty neck & neck for top spots for entirely different reasons. BL is seriously giving right now!

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 8fin - In the end this is mostly a piece about courage, and the rewards and disappointments that being courageous entails. Sadly, I personally didn’t have the courage to enjoy it. Featuring a chaos nugget bad boy student who falls madly in love with his teacher, this should’ve been My Thing. But Japan failed me. It happens sometimes. The leads had no chemistry, and the age gap rather than being a narrative driver and source of conflict, was just ignored. 7/10 

It's Done

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam so I assume it's on YouTube. I never even noticed. Anyone got a link?

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - Is TRUST Entertainment bringing us the first ever Burmese BL? I don't know if it's really the first, but @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch through.

The Whisperer (Thai Horror) - @all-you-had-to-do-was-neigh commented with the following: "MASSIVE content warning for extreme ableism, homophobia, and rape plots done for shock value. I don't recommend it, and if any of your followers decide to watch it proceed with caution."

So... yeah, I won't be watching it.

It's Airing But...

[NO INTERNATIONAL] Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube) ep 3 of 12 - yeah Japan put the smack down on our boys. Sadness. You can use a VPN if you like. Read all about it here.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 12 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes. I'm waiting to binge if safe.

Dead Friend Forever (Thai Sat iQIYI) 12 eps - horror, meh, tell me if it's worth my time?

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Still Coming in Feb

2/17 A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - Khonprot, a third-year head hazer of the engineering faculty, has a secret crush on Pluem, a tsundere fourth-year head hazer. Over the years, he's seen Pluem cycle through many girlfriends. Recently, after a public breakup, however, Khonprot thinks maybe a boy has a chance.

2/24 Unknown (Taiwan Youku) 12 eps - Older brother tough guy criminal breadwinner looks after his sister and defacto adopted little brother. Little bother falls in love with him and is sent away after a stolen kiss. But when he comes back…

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

GMMTV is officially stalking me.

I do love OffGun's particular brand of domesticity. It's fun that they and TayNew are both getting to be so soft on our screens. It's very comforting, like a family favorite warm toddy. (Cooking Crush)

Korea, what's gotten into you? Are you feeling okay? Such bold weaponized gayness isn't like you at all. (Love for Love's Sake)

The Sign, forcing me to ask the eternal question.

I LOVES THEM YOUR HONOR. (Pit Babe)

(Last week)

[fulcrums501st]

Honestly I think the main thing I can’t look past in s2 is how it offers super simple solutions to incredibly complex and nuanced questions that s1 set up so intricately.

How can someone like Jinx ever become stable or well adjusted? Oh her hallucinations basically cease cuz she just becomes depressed and then before she can get over that brief period of apathy and go back to her psychotic self, she adopts a kid that basically brings Powder back. So the super crazy Jinx we expected to see after the cliffhanger of s1 never gets the chance to form! Isha serves as a plot device to avoid a complicated answer to Jinx’s mental issues and question of identity.

How can Vi and Jinx ever become sisters again after they’ve changed to much, is it even possible for them to reconcile? OH their dead dad comes back and reminds them of the good old days so we can ignore all the present and much more recent shit that has happened! And we’ll just really reaffirm that Jinx is Vander’s kid and not Silco’s after ep 4! This is the easy way out to the sister conflict, literally just reminding them that “oh yeah! We did used to be sisters!” And then Jinx can just die so we don’t need explore a complicated road to recovery that Jinx would have needed to embark on! Wow. What a cop out.

Will Zaun and Piltover ever be able to escape the cycle of violence that plagues them that is rooted in complex systemic oppression and inequality? Is violence the answers? Or will it only perpetuate more conflict? How can compromise come about with the rising extremism on both sides? How can Zaun and Piltover ever progress while acknowledging the horrors of the past, but still retaining optimism for the future? OH! Let’s actually just not even BOTHER exploring Piltover/Zaun at all!! They’ll team up to fight foreign 3rd enemy (literally foreign cuz Noxus is literally another nation interfering) and an incredibly simple exploration of forgiveness is the answer! Definitely not cliché as crap.

Complex questions, basic, uncomplicated answers. I simply wish the writers had chosen to prioritize themes and exploring interesting nuances more than big plot climatic style battle in the end. I see visions of nuance there, but they fall flat cuz of the fast pacing and what plots the story chose to prioritize, which don’t organically continue the setup from s1

And the season doesn’t do enough to properly explore these answer to justify them answering those questions. They use plot point through plot point to force the characters to where they need them to be without doing anything interesting with them to explore these complex themes from s1. and after speeding through all these arcs and themes they turn around and pretend like they perfectly answered these questions without putting in any of the work to bother exploring them

[randomnessofthehighestorder]

My ranking of Arcane S2 soundtrack

Because they outdid themselves this season…

(Spoilers ahead)

Paint the Town Blue - Ashnikko came up with such a bop for our favourite Loose Cannon and her followers. Consider me a Jinxer for life! 💙

Ma Meilleuer Ennemie - this scene was so beautiful! Ekko and Powder dancing the night away, I could feel their chemistry from the other side of the screen. Timebomb shippers, rejoice! Oh, what could’ve been…

Enemy (intro version) - the song stayed the same for the intro, but the visuals! So much symbolism! My Film Studies brain and English brain were analysing like the wind! Also this song is a classic…

Come Play - as an Arcane fan and a Stay, it made me so happy that they were gonna be featured on the soundtrack, especially when I heard it in the most epic scene in the show: Zaun entering the war against Noxus, the twin cities united against a common enemy. (Stray Kids everywhere, all around the world!)

Remember Me - the intro was so hauntingly good and the main song was so beautiful. It always makes me think of the scene it came with: Vander’s watercolour memories of life before the bridge riot, which in turn makes me cry. This show really knows how to tug on my heartstrings…

Blood Sweat and Tears - I know Ambessa was the villain of the season, but you gotta admit, her song and music video was awesome! I mean, she proved herself worthy of life in front of the Kindred and survived being shot with an arrow, while being pregnant with Mel! She truly is the Matriarch of War. (And yes, that is her official LoL champion title)

Sucker - I had Ep 2’s opening on loop because of this song, it’s so good! The scene that went with it was so good too. Jinx walking through Zaun in the aftermath of Silco’s death, avoiding the Chembaron war at all costs. Man, it really set the tone for the episode…

Heavy is the Crown - this dramatic remix of the 2024 Worlds anthem was perfect for this scene. When the strike team pulled up in the council meeting, I was like “oh shit, it’s getting serious”.

Hellfire - Caitlyn was on a path of vengeance in this scene, but the animation was so cool! The strike team really tore up the Lanes…

Renegade (We Never Run) - I have never danced so much to a fight scene, but this song made me bounce as ass was being kicked. Jinx and Sevika are so badass!

What Have They Done To Us - when the family reunited, I cried so much! What a way to end an episode. The song made it extra sad… 😭

The Line - twenty one pilots outdid themselves with this song! But the scene it came with made me shed a tear lowkey. Vander’s memories fading away in favour for Viktor’s glorious evolution…

Fantastic - CaitVi finally hooked up! True love wins! 👩‍❤️‍👩 🎉

Cocktail Molotov - Vi’s emo pit fighter era was so cool, despite the fact that this was also her post breakup era. Take note: alcohol and violence is not the best way to get over a breakup…

Rebel Heart - another Djerv Jinx anthem and it’s glorious. A perfect way to set off a rebellion, anarchy style! 🤘

To Ashes and Blood - this scene was so epic. The boys going through an Arcane mind trip, while the strike squad battle Jinx and Sevika. This was when I realised shit was getting so real… (also those chants are Shuriman. For those LoL players and loreheads, IYKYK…)

Isha’s Song - she made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her mama. Rest in Peace, Isha… 😭

Wasteland - poor Jinx. She went through it this season. It made me want to give her a hug. 🫂 Hopefully she found peace and broke the cycle…

The Beast - a metal song for such a metal character. Warwick Vs Jinx was so terrifying and so awesome at the same. There’s a reason his champion title is the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun…

I Can’t Hear It Now - RIP Cassandra Kiramman. This scene was so beautiful and sad…

Spin the Wheel - I did not know Mick Wingert could sing, but this song was so adorable! Contrasted with the flashback from the other universe, it really showed how things are different there…

These songs were amazing and such great fits for the show! I wish this show never ended so we could get more amazing music collabs along with amazing animation… if you haven’t heard the soundtrack, go listen to it!

[samanthahirr]

007 Fest 2024 Intro Post

Well, I got here at a quarter to 9 for my meeting with Bill Tanner—the chief of staff's my main point of contact. And quite a good friend, really, since I've been servicing EPS's contract for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office here for the last three years, and…oh, sorry, I'm Bethany Arden, the EPS facilities manager for MI6's Vauxhall headquarters. You could say I know every inch of this building—because I do! From the physical-security perimeter barriers outside to every air vent and water pipe, there's no structural detail too small for my blueprints.

And today, I came bearing great news! The FCDO finally approved a budget for a much-needed refresh of the furnishings. Listen, can I be honest for a moment? I love this building to bits, but it's one of the ugliest in my portfolio by far, strictly on an interior design basis. You have to agree, this place's design aesthetic should have been buried along with Margaret Thatcher—all that walnut wainscoting and brown leather upholstery, ugh. Hardly the modern, agile look and feel you want to project to important visitors, is it?

Speaking of agile, you should see the new ergonomic chair designs in my supplier's 2024 catalogue. They've also got some surprisingly affordable standing desks that raise and lower with the press of a button—who says you can't be Equality Act-compliant and still be stylish, eh?

So, as I was saying, I arrived early, lugging this far-too-heavy-for-me tote bag of fabric and paint swatches…oh, could you? That's so kind, thank you. And I confess my nose was buried in another catalogue, bookmarking new seating units that might replace those dreadfully uncomfortable plaid numbers in the lobby, so I didn't even notice Doris at the front desk was asleep at her post for a whole five minutes. I mean, I did think it odd that Bill didn't answer my text right away; he's always appreciative of punctuality. But then someone started screaming down the hall, and when I finally looked around I spotted Doris, and those two guards passed out in the corner, and—

Well. Looks like I'll be rescheduling my meeting. Once all of this is…sorted. But don't you think we ought to call emergency services? Surely some outside help will straighten this out. No? Oh. Oh, I suppose you're right. Well, all hands on deck, as they say. I'm happy to help however I can.

Just, um, one more thing. Has anyone seen Bill?

~

Hi all, I'm samanthahirr aka Sam, and I'm so looking forward to my third 007 Fest for the @mi6-cafe! I'm on Station Atlantic, and I bring fic-writing, moodboard-dabbling, and enthusiastic-commenting skills to the team!

[nnnn99999]

I finished watching ep 1 and 2 of bad buddy series and I love it already. I really want to watch more but it's already super late and I need to go sleep. Here are my thoughts on this series so far.

The production is really good so far.

The music really stands out to me. It is used a lot but doesn't feel overdone. I need to rewatch to be sure if it's as intentional as I think it is, but the music adds context to the scenes which is fun.

This show is so funny. Not in a cringey way either. More like a lighthearted and natural way. Like I found myself genuinely laughing out loud at times.

Pat, Pran and Pa are so adorable.

The baby versions of the characters are so cute oh my motherly heart.

I am really digging the PatPran frenemy dynamics. I need to see more before I elaborate why I like their dynamics so much. I just adore them already.

When I look at Pat I just see a husky.

Pran seems to be the most self aware character so far. I want to see if he will be the first one to notice the dynamic shift as their relationship changes.

Seeing the PatPa sibling dynamic made me appreciate my sister so much. Sure, she often uses the older sister card to make me do stuff, but at least she is not gross. Also she gives me tasks, not chores. Yes Pat I am telling you to stop making Pa do your chores. Justice for younger siblings who have to do chores for their older siblings!

The PatPran fake fighting is so funny. Baby PatPran falling over when their hands are a mile away from each other was so hilarious. The adult version of the fake fighting is actually one of my favorite scenes so far. I need to revisit this when I am done watching the whole thing because I know there's a lot I missed here.

I hate when parents try to indoctrinate their children. Just let them breathe okay? Have your feuds and friends and whatever without dragging your children into it. Also stop putting pressure on your children and let them do what they want. Just give them the freedom to grow. They are their own person, so let them explore themselves on their own. Ugh I'll leave it at that for now but I already have so much more to say about both sets of parents and I can tell its probably going to get worse. Like I know they love their children a lot but ugh. I just know these parents are going to piss me off later on in this show. I just know it.

That one scene where Pat touches Pran's face without washing his hands after peeing was so gross. I know Pat is gross in general but that was too much.

The number of times I went 'boys being idiots' in just 2 eps is astounding. This is the brand of idiocy I have only ever seen within a group of boys. These boys sent me back to my school days. I have seen these exact scenes and conversations happen. Especially the one where Pran's friends tease him about being hit on. I will never forget that tone of voice. Even the getting ready to fight at the drop of a hat is so familiar. The number of times I have seen boys getting all up in each others' faces for the stupidest reasons imaginable are countless. I have never seen boys actually fight in school but I had a guy friend tell me all about their fights outside of school. Then these same boys who were punching each other because one hit the other with a paper bullet launched from a rubber band slingshot(they were having a war in class and I almost got hit multiple times) would hug each other and jump around when the school team won a sports match. Also, their collective IQ seems to magically disappear when they are together and they are left with half a braincell to be shared by the whole group. That's why they become boys being idiots.

OhmNanon are undoubtedly the stars of this show and not just because they are the main characters. They are doing such a great job of selling me their characters. Their scenes together are so fun to watch.

I am going to write a separate post about Ohm Pawat specifically because I already have so much to say about him.

Yeah I think that's about it. Actually there is more but I want to see how some things develop before I comment on those. @airenyah I am so glad I can share this with you. I love it so much already. I totally understand the obsession, I am quickly getting there too. Like I want to rewatch it already. I knew I was going to like bbs considering our mutual love for simm and ha but I really didn't expect to like it so much already. I didn't even watch the trailer, I just jumped into the 1st ep directly. And well I am having a blast!

[multifandommilfs]

We're All In The Mood For A Melody

Pairing: Alex Blake/reader

Wc: 1197

Summary: you just needed a bit of liquid courage to make your life complete

A/n: based on ending of s9 ep7, the background song of that ep is the title and inspiration for this fic <3

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

You watched as the team trickled up the bar's stage along with David, laughter bubbling up their throats as a song played, lyrics running up a screen behind them. You whooped with beer in hand, cheering them on.

 

JJ squinted her eyes at you, beckoning you up with two fingers, mirth running round and round within her irises under the shafts of spotlight.

 

You shook your head, lips cracking into a wide smile. "Get up here!" David tried Morgan, only to receive the same treatment, laughter cutting through as the cherry tune of the song perked up. Hotch whipped out his phone, amusement on his lips.

 

They gave up fairly quick, turning their attention back to the song with the light liquor tickling their nerves, giving everyone a looseness as they sang unabashedly, practically tone deaf. 

 

As the song heightened cheerily, so did the enthusiasm in the bar. From JJ's vantage point onstage, she caught your approach to Alex.

 

It had been a few months since Alex's affiliation, and the two of you had been the main bet of the BAU. Your chemistry was so fueled that Hotch played in on it as well which was uncharacteristically unlike him.

 

They'd been pairing and leaving both of you together in good humour, though no moves had been made from either party which had made them more ansty for results than they'd like to admit.

 

JJ watched furtively as you tapped two fingers on Alex's shoulder against the dim light of the bar. Then you chugged a mouthful of beer before Alex turned. That was when JJ nudged Garcia. Something was unraveling.

 

Garcia, with excitement at the bay of her lips, tried her hardest to appear insouciant. The tacit news was nudged around the team and the song had trouble remaining in its rhythm.

 

They half-watched as the both of you exchanged some words, lips lit up in a smile. Then you curtsied with utmost exaggeration, a hand outstretched in Alex's direction, who was wracked up with delight.

 

Self control had become a virtue for Garcia and JJ. Their increasingly giggly behaviors were finally noticed by Hotch and Morgan, who turned in curiousity; the camera was now on the both of you.

_____

 

You knew it was an inimitable moment. Even with the years accumulated in the BAU, it was the first for you to hear your friends sing, which made it even more memorable with Alex.

 

Everything seemed to be placed perfectly. Alex swaying lightly to the upbeat tune. You grasped the chance with an iron grip and took swigs of your beer, for she had an intimidation to her that you couldn't quite get past without the tingle in your veins.

 

So with courage trickling into you, you offered her a dance. When you curtsied, her laughter was more melodious than the music itself. You looked up at her through your lashes; her grin was apparent, eyes sparkling with a certain fondness you couldn't place.

 

You proffered a hand, ignoring the stretch in your calves because who even curtsies nowadays? "May I have this dance, my lady?"

 

She crackled up, pressing one hand against her lips as she put another hand of acceptance in your palm, the beers forgotten on a nearby table. "Pleasure." Her words were all broken from her tittering.

  

You rose up, your cheeks sore from all the dopamine. Your chin was over her shoulder, just as hers was over yours. A waft of her light perfume sent shivers down your knees, your eyes pressing close for a slight. 

 

Just like that, she was now leading, your bodies capering to the liveliness of the bar. Her touch on your waist was warmer than you expected, but then you were wholly warm since your initiation to this dance. 

 

 

"The chorus is nearing." You whispered by the edge of her jaw unintentionally and missed the way she shivered.

 

The team, however, didn't. All eyes were on you and Alex, expecting eyes and Cheshire cat smiles. What you didn't know was that the song was looped. It was the second crescendo already. 

 

"And you have plans?" Her left knee brushed your thigh, her words leaving hot breaths on your shoulder, sending tingles down your spine, widening your smile. 

 

"Yes." 

 

The song leapt to a crescendo, you led her into a faraway spin before pulling her back into your arms. Her laughter on your shoulder sending waves up your neck as you grasped her by her waist in a steadying motion. The pulse in your ears roaring alongside her laugh.

 

"You had a terrific dance instructor." She chuckled, her laughter dying down as she lifted her head. But she underestimated the distance between the two of you. 

 

The tips of your noses a breadth away from touching. She didn't miss the way your gaze flicked from her lips to meet her eyes at the last second.

 

She saw the endearment then, the soft tinge in your eyes, her heart raced. The atmosphere felt a twinge warmer and she was sure it wasn't the liquor. 

 

"Thank you, I taught myself." You breathed, or gasped because you felt so out of breath like she'd stolen yours from the moment she caught you in the act, but the moment was too good to be ruined. If this is the last time you'd be able to talk to her, you'd go all out.

 

So you lunged, capturing her lips in a hot breath, your hands raking into her hair. The world fell apart. Heart soaring, pulse thumping, white bursting behind your lids.

 

It was only for a second—a second of no regrets. All and utter bliss you'd never relive again. The tentative palm on your neck brought you back to the bar and you pulled away instantly, missing the way she chased to have you back. 

 

The team clasped a hand over their mouths, the song forgotten a long time ago. 

 

"I'm so sor-"

 

She shushed you with full authority and crashed her lips back to yours with utmost self-indulgence. Her grip on your waist was rough as she shoved you back into a table, all desperation and no grace. 

 

Then Garcia screamed a "YES!!", tears brimming in her eyes from post-anticipation. It snapped you out of your daze and you stumbled away from Alex, parting once again. A confusing sight of the upstage wolf whistling for the downstage. 

 

Were it not for her grip tight on your midriff, you were sure you would've fallen from how fast you detached from each other. It was especially grounding when you noticed Hotch with the camera and your friends' eyes all hooked on the both of you. 

 

Blush high on your complexion as they cleared from the stage and gave you hugs and said congratulations like you had news of marriage or kids. 

 

"Was this your ruse?" Alex queried you with squinting eyes once the team were back to their tables, giving both of you suggestive glances that you ignored wholeheartedly.

 

"That's a pretty bad profile, Ms Profiler." She considered you, tongue-in-cheek.

 

"Prove it." She leaned forward on her elbows.

So you did, kissing her long and hard until you were out of breath.

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Here's a link to my masterlist ^^

Comment, reblog, drop an ask! Feedback is greatly adored!

[barananduen-blog]

"LOVE GAME IN EASTERN FANTASY" - NON-SPOILERY REVIEW

This is one of the dramas I was looking forward to the most this year, and I wasn't disappointed! It is a very cute, feel-good drama, good for unwinding after the world's / life's horrors, or just a tiring day at work; it puts a smile on your face. 😊

PLOT & WRITING: Engaging, well-written. It doesn't employ that "protagonist speaks to the viewers" narrative device that most transmigration dramas use; rather, she thinks to herself in a way that feels natural. This drama is on the lighter side, in terms of mood, but the plot doesn't suffer for it, and it's not boring at all. It does have emotional and tense moments, and they're very well written (I felt teary at the appropriate moments), but it doesn't make you suffer long. Pacing is good; except for perhaps two eps, each holds your attention successfully.

CHARACTERS: 3D and likeable. Pretty much all of them. Even each "level boss" has different layers that you discover as their mini-arc progresses. Something that surprised me positively was that, by the time the main team is done with them, you even end up liking most of these villains, too. I found this very refreshing. Actors and voice actors all did a good job. Facial expressions and body language all around are fantastic and entertaining. And I have to give bonus kudos to Esther Yu for her cartoony sounds and screams.😂

VISUALS: Really lovely sets and costumes. The nature sets are really, really pretty - you get flowery cottages, cute forest trails, etc. I especially loved MiaoMiao's (Esther Yu's) various costumes and hair accessories, which tend to have a floral theme, and then we have her black-and-pink outfit, which is very novel for the genre and equally pretty. The costume/makeup of the mirror demon at the beginning is another highlight. The CG special effects are mostly fine, IMO, and only lacking a little when doing "smoke," but it doesn't feel off-putting.

MUSIC: The OST is fun and varied, and used very effectively, especially in the emotional scenes.

ENDING: Satisfying. No loose ends. Although I think we all would have been even happier with 5 more minutes - but this is not meant in the "rushed" sense, no; rather, in the sense of "This is so nice! Don't be a tease! Give us a tiny peek more!" (in 2 instances) However, I don't feel like it detracts merit at all.

RECOMMEND? Yes ✅

[hisui555]

Hazbin Hotel thoughts : Foils 3

(Foils 1 here)

(Foils 2 here)

(Foils 4 here)

Masterpost here.

Might as well crank out that one while I'm at it. Two words (and a half) : Alastor VS Vox.

(...Alright, not everybody at once, someone might get caught in the stampede.)

Yep, let's talk about two of the statistically main favorites (well, they're mine too in a way. In a "would like to see them trip up and crumble" way), who have a lot in common despite how much they despise each other. First of all, let's round up what we know : they have a Radio VS Video shtick that everyone and their dog knows about, inside and outside the show, are both Overlords, might have been closer in the past whatever that relationship was based on the torn photo of Alastor in Vox' possession (seen in Ep 8), Alastor died in the 1930s while Vox died in the 1950s, so the former has been around 20 years in Hell when the latter popped up there and highly probably met him there, Vox wanted him on his team at one point but Alastor turned him down as flat as his face, Vox infamously got butthurt (and it's implied he had/still has a crush on Alastor - at the very least a very strong interest to be noticed by him - if going by the Hazbin Wiki's cited sources, the archived "Hazbin Hotel Fashion Stream for the Comics") and metaphorically speaking declared war on him, while Alastor very much doesn't have the same obsession and outside of feeling aggravated by Vox' presence when Vox decides to crave attention, can't care less about him.

Hilariously enough, though, they have quite the lot of parallels, even hitting idependently the same idea - religious outfit, multi-shot of themselves around a target to get a point across, mocking doodles for a broadcast, ominous about-to-lose-it "What did you say" in a heavily filtered voice, clawing up a surface under out-of-control emotions, hundred-watts smile to keep up appearances (and as a tool like Alastor himself points out), the clothing style (though Vivienne liking bowties and suits does have a hand in it), the go-to guy where problems arise (Alastor being the powerful one dealing with physical threats the Hotel faces, Vox being the local babysitter to make things fall in line), the showmanship, the pride, the issues with control, the attention-craving tendencies and hatred of being ignored... you certainly saw the posts on Tumblr, I'm not the first one pointing this out, by far (deuxaeonn has a very good one here). But looking closely, it looks like either they have naturally a lot in common, or that someone (not naming names but giving you a hard sideglance, Vox) has caught habits or is emulating the other sub/consciously. Given that one had a 20 years heads-up in Hell on the other, well, can't be that far-fetched (even if nothing is confirmed at this point by now, at the time of writing).

The main difference is how they go at it : Alastor is steadier and truer to himself than Vox, who privileges quantity over quality. While both have issues with control and presenting an unflappable front (which they are very much not), Alastor manages to keep it better together, whereas Vox dissolves into what can be only called a tantrum when things don't go his way ("FffuhuHuck !") and his ego takes a blow. Vox also has to try harder or more actively to get attention to him (Stayed Gone's beginning, where he We Don't Talk About Bruno-ed himself by speaking about Alastor to say that it's useless to speak about Alastor. "Stop giving him the time of day !" - great job, buddy) while Alastor just has to pop up and in three quick sentences dresses him down in front of everyone. While Vox floods people with too much and meaningless information - be it visual or audible, hopping from scene to scene, Alastor plays with mystery and withholding information so that everyone goes crazy guessing ("I'm sure you've all been wondering") - which works well on the fans outside the show, but inside ? Not so much : Carmilla just shrugs him off, Zestial is mildly curious at best, the other Overlord don't even ask, Lucifer doesn't even know who he is, which drives him up the wall. The only one actually caring (despite insisting on the contrary) about what he does and why he's back ? Ironically, that's the one Alastor doesn't want to acknowledge !

(Oh, Vox, you wish Alastor would look at you the same way he looks at Lucifer... boy this is peak comedy gold.)

Alastor only needs his voice and aura of enigma wrapped into a mystery, while Vox has his face everywhere. Alastor chooses each moment to make them more impactful and plays his cards close to his chest, while Vox wants to be on all fronts and keep the cards coming to drown the opponent with them. Alastor only has to speak to intimidate, Vox relies on his bullshit-talking skills and hypnosis, though they both have confidence and charisma : Alastor's is more about danger and unpredictability, someone to be wary of, Vox' is about false friendliness and advertising, someone to trust. Alastor joins the Hotel for his own personal amusement and is very upfront about his sadistic motives, Vox plays friendly and hides his own behind false niceness and pretend service. With both of them, you need to read the fine print : literally with Vox ("Trust us ! With what ? None of your business" - seen on one of his posters in Ep 2 if you're looking for it) and metaphorically with Alastor - he'll honor his word, and his word alone.

Both also don't drop the façade when in private, though it doesn't take much for Vox to be pushed over the edge (a certain name will do it just fine), while Alastor keeps on the smile even in the middle of a breakdown (though if it's out of habit, or because he maybe literally can't is up in the air for now). They both want control and to be in control, and fancy themselves to be quite powerful. Their arrogance also doesn't help : Alastor goes against Adam without any angelic weaponry, and guess who loses the fight ? For Vox, Stayed Gone is basically him wanting to throw a stone and realizing too late it was in fact a boomerang. That he caught with his face. This guy should write a book : How To Shoot Yourself In The Foot 101. Funnily enough, they also seem to have issues with boredom and frustration : Alastor needs to be entertained, and Vox' life isn't sometimes as glamourous as he paints it out to be - that with having to deal with coworkers that put the "dick" in predictable and the "ass" in pass.

Alastor however is much more competent (if equally petty) at keeping it together than Vox, never losing that gentlemanly attitude (or almost). He rebounds more easily, and while both are manipulative, Alastor pushes the right buttons (not unlike Velvette, even if she's doing it very agressively) he knows will give him the best response, playing into insecurities and weaknesses (Cheap Booze (TM) for Husk, catering to Charlie's need of approval by playing the 'dad figure'), while Vox guides people to the conclusion he wants them to make by letting them think they did the process on their own (seen with Valentino) and prodding for the right answers. It's also interesting to see that, while he responds if provoked, up to know Alastor never really starts a song on his own : even Inside Of Every Demon Is A Lost Cause is a reprise riding on Charlie's Inside Of Every Demon Is A Rainbow that he composes on the fly. Stayed Gone has him responding to Vox, Hell's Greatest Dad is him hijacking Lucifer's show to steal his thunder, Ready For This has him as a part of the group, and only the Finale verse has him alone and clashing with the rest of the song, only popping back up from "And we'll do it with a smile !" line onwards.

It underscores nicely Alastor's ability to insert himself in the life of others and riding the coattails of what's currently going on to his needs, going along with the flow until his goals are met, from the shadows that make up his powers. Vox on the other side presents himself as a necessity taking over everyone's lives, in center-stage and spotlight, dominating all fields from TV shows to cereals and ice cream, for crying out loud, just like he did technology. His powers are lightning-based (outside of technology-themed), which makes a funny contrast with Alastor's shadows. Also, just to nail it home, one has an almost-complete red palette (with black accents) while the other's is blue (with bits of red). And of course, they're both the Old (Alastor, who dislikes anything made after his death in the 1930s) and the New (Vox, who keeps up with technology's evolution, always chases after new trends and replaced body parts like his head to fit better) - hence Vox also appearing more shallow but also more adaptative than Alastor, who's more upfront about his intentions but also a bit behind the times and could be left in the dust if he weren't so powerful, but in a way, like radio, is less regarded but still useful and relevant. As many people pointed out, radio waves are the basis for TV, after all.

Their ascentions to power are also different despite similarities : they both became each one of the well-known hot acts in Hell, though with Alastor it came completely out of left field to the shock of everyone, as he's rumored to be one of the most powerful Sinner souls in Hell on his own (presumably) and nobody knows how, while Vox is the powerful CEO of a domain that has monopoly on entertainment in the Pride Ring, and most-likely climbed the ladder in relatively "normal" ways compared to the sheer mystery surrounding Alastor : Vox made the right connections, used his knowledge, forged the right contracts and alliances at the right times and like other companies associated himself with the right people for it to work (the Vees). Vox managed to fight Alastor and live to tell the tale (getting "almost beaten"), and while Alastor can easily upstage him, this means that he's still worthy of the title of Overlord and probably no slouch in an actual fight. Probably. Or at least has a style of fighting that makes him annoying and/or dangerous to face. However, what Alastor can face on his own and mainly alone, Vox has to do while relying on others.

But seriously, if these two are revealed to have been sort-of buddies in the past, I wouldn't be surprised.

(Also, just adding : the idea of Vox getting dissed romantically by someone who thought they just dissed him in a business-way, because they're completely blind to the potential romantic implications, and Vox thinking this was on purpose, is just gut-busting hilarious. I don't know which way it'll go in the show, but if it happens that way, I WILL crack my whole ribcage in hysterics.)

Welp, see ya next time by brain goes "ding !" again.

Again, Masterpost here.

PS : Thank you deuxaeonn for allowing the link to your post !

[withered--s0uls]

Taking the Nuzi Kids Hungergames as my sign to post these all together

Intertwining/Intertwined Codes Timeline Kids - this may contain spoilers for the kids if I ever get motivation to revamp the joke fic

Feel free to ask me stuff about them, I'm too lazy to actually type out all info about them in this >.>

Rexim & Orita (twins)

You can find info on the twins in this post

I don't want to retype or copy paste all that lol.

Their Teen Designs are like 16ish! Their Child Designs like 4-6!

Zagi & Raven

They are like a day apart in age. They didn't know about Ravens existence until the day their programming finished developing, meanwhile Zagi was built and programmed using the regular canonverse USB method.

They're both about 5 years old :3

Annika

They technically knew her since she was a young kid but didn't adopt her until her pre teens. I haven't really made a younger design for her bc it wouldn't be much different aside from her joint count lol.

She's like 16-17 here (yes she's older than the twins!)

I might redesign her bc I feel her fit is too basic and doesn't reflect her age properly :" but I absolutely HATE my current attempt at it so we sticking with it

Olivia & Ray

And last but not least, the newest family addition (despite coming up with Raven after them, these two were adopted after Raven and Zagi booted up!)

Olivia is a similar age to Raven & Zagi, maybe a few months younger. But she tries to act more mature than them most of the time (trauma response).

Not much to say about Ray. That's a baby. Idk if I'll ever give him a body design. If I do then probably alongside doing a redesign for Annika!

Timeline of Events

Between Ep 4 & 5; The twins programs develop and are put into their pill baby bodies

Ep 5; Technically when the incident that causes Ravens program to develop happens, but Ravens program does NOT develop yet

Post-Canon;

The twins get their first bodies, after a good while Nuzi discuss adoption & start bonding with a still young child Annika to build trust.

Rexim is established to be unable to balance on worker legs so Uzi builds him legs based on Ns to give him more surface to balance on

Annika is adopted around the same time Zagi is being built (making Ann like 11-13 then). The twins get their teen bodies. Ravens program starts developing

Orita builds herself DD arms, Rexims main camera breaks

Zagi is finished, they find out about Ravens System. They still kept both twins pill shells so they upload Raven to the second one.

Zagi & Raven get their bodies.

Nuzi are on a mission to do some stuff with Outpost 06, only to run into Olivia and Ray who are being attacked by a different DD team. They intervene and whilst the other DDs give N an ear full for "crossing territory" Uzi gets the kids away and to safety. Later N reunites with them and they find out what happened to the kids parents and to outpost 06.

They take them back to outpost 03 to keep them safe, the orphanage wing is basically too full so the siblings kinda get shuffled around between Nuzi, Khan & Thad (Olivia is terrified of N and some of the other Nuzi kids so it's a mess)

Ray gets attached to Nuzi, its unhealthy for a baby to be separated from attached adults & he already lost his code parents. So now the siblings kinda just have to stick with Nuzi. (Accidental adoption lol)