#this is the first time I’ve gone in a FULL cosplay

[mookybear12404]

I remember thinking how stupid it was I was putting all this time and effort into crunching for my cosplay last minute but lemme tell you it was worth it to see people randomly light up and scream “VASH I LOVE YOU!!”

[avelera]

I was just wondering, and I apologise if I’ve missed it, but why do you think Viktor doesn’t like Mel? I don’t really understand the portrayal of Viktor as someone who hates Mel, is jealous of her, and believes she’s getting in between him and Jayce. They had one disagreement in season 1, which I don’t think means he perpetually dislikes her, especially when they ended up teaming up by the end of the season. He doesn’t seem to hate her, he seems just fine with her in general.

I don't think he has outright hatred of her as a person, as such, but most of his reactions to her when they meet directly are negative which if you're looking to sum up his opinion of her, it's all the evidence we have.

They have 3 face to face direct interactions and all 3 of them include Viktor glaring at Mel or glaring as a result of her interaction with Jayce. Their positive interactions while Viktor is conscious are 0.5/3, at best. Therefore, if pressed for evidence, the only kind I can find is that Viktor overall has negative reactions towards her.

For example:

Despite the fact, as the video is titled, Mel helps Jayce and Viktor escape exile and survive this little moment of near-capture, when Viktor sees Jayce's reaction to Mel, rather than being pleased they escaped the situation or good-natured about Jayce's little sigh of admiration, Viktor grimaces and looks exasperated, even upset.

Quite frankly, the normal reaction here would be to be as relieved and happy as Jayce is. Viktor's reaction is unusual which is the first point against me seeing him as happy about Mel's presence or involvement in their lives.

The second scene is the more notorious one for those who see there being a conflict between Mel and Viktor. Viktor fans often use this scene to claim Mel is biased against Viktor. I think that's untrue. I believe Mel is neutral towards him here and only sees him as an ideological opponent in a debate over swaying Jayce.

However, I don't believe that's how Viktor sees the encounter. He seems thoroughly disgusted by Mel's proposal and the very thought that Jayce might entertain it. Viktor's reaction is so extreme one could argue he's willing to blow himself and Jayce up right then and there to avoid it.

Personally, I don't see that read. I think Viktor is just taking a breath before defusing the bomb, but the point stands that Viktor has a visceral negative reaction to Mel's proposal here. He's pretty much never more angry in S1 than we see him in this scene, even during the fight on the bridge with Jayce, and his anger lingers after she has gone.

That's now 2/2 of Viktor and Mel's encounters that have both had a rare negative reaction from Viktor. To my eyes, that's not painting a positive picture of them forming a friendship.

But, 2/2 still isn't definitive. And we do have that moment of near-camaraderie, literally "what could have been" just before Jinx's rocket lands where Viktor (if you REALLY zoom in) seems to smile in Jayce and Mel's direction when the vote goes in favor of Zaun independence.

But I admit, going into S2, as I've said before, Viktor's view towards Mel was very much a question to me. We never really get his take on her relationship with Jayce, though Viktor does seem upset that Jayce is wasting his time with Councilor work, but that's not definitive.

We have a beat in Season 2 where Mel reaches towards Viktor in the Hexgoop and the spikes reach out to stab her, but maybe they do that with everyone. I still found that as curious beat, almost as if Viktor was lashing out.

For me, the definitive beat that made me confident Viktor, at least while in full villain mode, does not like Mel is this one:

When Mel frees Jayce from Viktor's grasp he levels her with the most vicious glare we've seen from him arguably in the whole show. Dude was PISSED.

Before that, I've argued Viktor entering this scene comes almost cosplaying as Mel, to my eyes, he's setting himself as an equal demand on Jayce's time to her, almost cosplaying her in the Council chamber and saying, "Pay attention to ME now, Jayce! I'm as good as her!" But even if you don't agree with my read here, he terrorizes and threatens her by trying to puncture her shield, then refocuses on Jayce, then becomes FURIOUS when she tries to separate him and Jayce.

At this point, I'd say we're 3/3 on ALL the scenes where Viktor and Mel actually exchange 2 words to each other and all three of them piss Viktor off.

It's true, that I think if Jayce wasn't in the mix, Viktor's interactions with Mel are more neutral, perhaps even professionally courteous. But 2/3 of his negative reactions to her are in direct reaction to Jayce, and the last 1/3 is direct anger at her for her words.

In my opinion, it's not a huge leap to see that even if Viktor, on his own, might be neutral or even positive towards Mel (idk though, his reaction towards her Hextech weapons proposal was pretty visceral) Jayce in the mix sours things. It's not crazy to detect jealousy there, especially given Viktor's singular focus in S2 Act 3 with getting Jayce to join his side.

TL;DR They've had 3 conversations and 3/3 ended with Viktor shooting some sort of glare or look of anger either at Mel or as a result of her. It's not a lot to go on, but they don't interact all that much, and they definitely don't even once have any sort of two-way POSITIVE interaction that's just the two of them.

It should be noted, Mel is cordial and even caring towards Viktor, especially in S2 when he's unconscious. I think this is a one-way street with Viktor having a negative view of Mel, perhaps not as a person, but he does not enjoy her interactions in his life where Jayce is concerned and he loathes her Hextech weapons proposal.

Does this mean he would have become friendly with her if he knew of her efforts to protect Hextech from weaponization? Possibly. Just as S1 closes with the song, "What could have been?" I believe that's the nature of any positive relationship between them: it could have happened, in a better world.

[esta-elavaris]

Flufftober Day 30: Self-Worth/Self-Love ~ James Norrington/OC [1.973 words]

My Flufftober '23 masterpost can be found here, and my behemoth of a main fic about these two is here 💜✨

This is the final bit in the little mini storyline I had going on with these - it's first referenced in day 10, it builds a bit in day 21, and we dig into it properly here!

On their final night in London together, Theo had to concede that she hadn’t had half as bad a time as she’d expected. In fact, she hadn’t had a bad time at all. Sure, she spent the first couple of weeks waiting for all to suddenly turn bitchy towards her, using things she’d said when her guard was down to mock the begloved Irishwoman who may or may not have been a witch, but…it didn’t happen. And now their final social occasion, their farewell dinner, was drawing to a close, and she had to accept that it simply was not going to happen. Screw interdimensional time travel, this was the real miracle.

She’d even taken to dressing how she actually wanted to dress. Alright, leggings and band shirts were still out, but to her own tastes as far as fashions of the time went – rather than cosplaying as whatever she thought people would expect Mrs Norrington to appear. Which often meant dressing how Elizabeth would.

The last of their guests, Lord and Lady Montague, remained in the drawing room as the others left in order to finalise business, and everything was looking decidedly golden.

“I’ll confess, Admiral Norrington,” the older man insisted on continued use of James’ former title – a mark of respect, she thought, “I was prepared to come here, listen to some hare-brained scheme, before throwing what little gold and help I possibly could at it merely as a personal favour to Governor Swann.”

“Oh really, Henry,” his wife scolded, very half-heartedly, from where she sat beside Theo.

“I wouldn’t say it now if it had all proven true,” he pressed on. “I confessed myself impressed, by your plans, by your lovely wife, by you, by all of it. And very optimistic. You go forth with my full backing, and not just the sort that I offer out of obligation to save any awkwardness.”

Theo smiled, bowing her head as Lady Montague – or Alice, as she insisted she call her – squeezed her arm as if in agreement. Her experience with the upper crust of English society had begun with Beckett, and he was an act she had no wish to see repeated.

The Montagues stood, James and Theo following suit as Henry continued.

“I wish you luck, not that I think you’ll need it, going forth – and going forth with all the support you might need, from myself at least. And my contacts in the north. I’ve already written to them, I did so last night so I could reassure you of that fact before we saw you off.”

It was taking all Theo had not to start literally jumping for joy. As James expressed his thanks, Alice rounded on her and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Speaking of writing, you must promise to do so! You’ve been such a breath of fresh air, Theodora, I’m going to miss you sorely when you’re gone! You must come again. I insist, I really do.”

“I will,” Theo laughed. “I promise, I will.”

Her penmanship with a quill was improving, so with any luck James wouldn’t be obligated to scribe whatever letters she had to send.

The goodbyes were lengthy, but the moment they were out of the door and well out of earshot, Theo was hooting a laugh and throwing her arms about her husband in celebration – not content to let him downplay his success here. Only after that did the tiredness that had been culminating over the course of their time here really hit, and she returned to the sofa and sank down onto it with a sigh.

“You made an enthusiastic friend in Lady Montague. For life, I should think,” James said as he followed her in.

“Careful, James, you’re brushing against condescension – all that’s missing is a pat on the head and a good girl.”

Although that last part might be worth revisiting at a later date. He chuckled, walking to the bar cart and pouring them each a drink before he sat down on the couch beside her, handing her the crystal tumbler of whiskey.

“I know these things are tiring for you, but if it’s any consolation you handled it all marvellously.”

Theo made a humming sound, taking a sip and sighing. He was right – they were exhausting. Not even just because of the cultural differences, which one wouldn’t expect to exist between two such small neighbouring islands, but because of her origins, too.

“It wasn’t so bad as it was when I first arrived,” she admitted. “I…have more stable footing now, than I did back then. Don’t need to be paranoid that if I say my favourite colour is blue, it’ll be a secret code for I worship the devil every Tuesday night in these times.”

“No, that would be red,” he said drily.

“Duly noted.”

Back when she first arrived, it had been toughest. Having to constantly self-edit and really think over what she said before she said it, thinking of how she could skew an anecdote to fit the time – or if she could at all – by which point, the conversation had often moved on and she was left standing quietly like a lawn ornament to the side. With James, it had always been surprisingly easy. Even before he knew, when they were just talking, and he wasn’t trying to finagle details of her past out of her. And now she didn’t have to worry about it with him at all. A safe haven in human form.

It was Theo’s own humble opinion that she was at her best when she could speak her mind and crack her stupid jokes and, well, breathe. That hadn’t often been possible in Port Royal. Because they were of this time, and because they seldom shared her sense of humour – and going into this, she’d expected it to be more of the same. Amplified, perhaps, because this was London, where all of them had hailed from.

But either island life had made those there less friendly towards newcomers, or the old lot just really resented her for what she’d found with James. Then again, maybe arriving as a castaway, living in the jungle for a bit, and then running off with a pirate…multiple times…had something to do with it, too. Who knew?

In any case, she’d lucked out here – and she was relieved, but exhausted still. And more than a little sheepish.

“I’m sorry.”

“For worshipping the devil?”

He had not sensed her change in tone, thinking she was still joking. There was a precedent for that, wasn’t there? Theo was content to let it rest there, unsure if it was really a conversation she wanted to have anyway. But then he turned his head and regarded her fully, and the silence became a little less comfortable than it usually was between them.

“Sorry for what?” he asked, and then when she did not respond, asked again. “Theodora?”

“It…doesn’t come naturally to me. Not here.”

“What doesn’t?”

“The social side of it. Here.”

“She says as we sit here, drinking to her success.”

“We’re drinking to our success, don’t be daft.”

“I’m drinking to yours. Now tell me what you meant. Was someone unkind tonight?”

“Not at all. But…”

Well, they were having the conversation now. What good would it be to sit and make him pull teeth and figure out what was bothering her via a series of yes-or-no questions?

“…this is what wives are supposed to do, isn’t it? Here, I mean. Take joy in organising dinner parties and playing hostess and filling every spare hour of every day with luncheons and dinner parties and balls? Representing the team in the sophisticated social circles – the ones not inhabited by pirates and sex workers, anyway. It’s not exactly…”

A marriage to a fine woman. But she wouldn’t use those words – because they weren’t meant for her ears, because it would appear the matter of Elizabeth still weighed upon her (which it genuinely did not), and because it didn’t exactly convey how she felt. That made it sound like she doubted his feelings for her, or like she had no self-worth…which had never been one of her problems. God bless her dad and how he’d raised her.

“I don’t fulfil the traditional job requirements,” she finished lamely.

Then, though, she saw how he looked almost outraged by her words and winced.

“I’m not saying I don’t think you’re happy. Only that it would be understandable if you were…oh, I don’t know. Frustrated, now and then, at having a wife who you always need to explain to people.”

In all of their time together, they hadn’t ever really had a chance at living in a normal manner up until now. There’d always been some sort of grander game at play – some new adventure-slash-mortal peril tugging at their tailcoats. The bits in-between that kinda sorta resembled normality had been breathers. Blips between storms – between maelstroms.

James smiled a little as he bowed his head, and Theo wasn’t sure how to even begin taking the gesture. Had she really sounded that ridiculous? God, she shouldn’t have opened her mouth at all. But when he raised his head again and looked to her, the smile slipped away, and she knew her worry had shown on her face.

Sighing, he bent forward to set his glass down on the floor, and then took her free hand in both of his.

"Do you think I have none of the same fears? Three centuries of progress lies between here and where you hailed from. Between myself and then. And you have given up much for me…have sacrificed much for me..." as he spoke, he ran his thumb over the knuckles of her gloved hand. “I believe that you are happy just as you know that I am. But, sometimes, I do fear that one day you may grow to question whether it was all worth it. For you have sacrificed plenty, and I have gained much. I have gained everything.”

“Everything you’ve gained, I have too,” she insisted. “I never regret the choice I’ve made. Not even in passing.”

“And nor do I. I do not wish for a wife, Theodora. I want you. As you are. However you are. However you will be. And as for needing to explain you to people – if they do not possess good taste, that is their own affair. I enjoy being among the lucky collective who do.”

Theo felt herself flush, but he was not finished. He slipped one hand away from hers and brought it instead to cup the side of her face, thumb running across her cheek just as it had with her knuckles, urging her towards him so that he could kiss her – a kiss that was so slow and filled with such adoration that she was sure she wouldn’t be able to string another sentence together for at least an hour.

He pulled back, but kept her close, pressing his brow against hers.

“And I confess, if you suffered a head injury and began to take joy in little other than place settings and the town gossip, I should still love you but I would mourn it,” he teased. “You take little joy in these sorts of gatherings? Good. Nor do I. So I know I will never need to suffer through them unless entirely necessary – and when those times do come, I’m afforded the opportunity to witness you, to use your own wording, charm the pants off of those necessary. Now tell me, what facet of any of this is supposed to disappoint me?”

“What if I tell you I really am a witch?” she teased, pressing another kiss to his lips as if to prove her mood had lightened.

“I shall carry your broomstick for you with great pride,” he promised.

Links: AO3 -- FF.net -- flufftober masterpost -- dividers by cafekitsune

[elizainjapan]

June 15th- Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto National Museum

I don’t think I’ve had a full night of rest this entire trip, and today was no different. I was very sleepy, but Sam and I still made it downstairs in time for the morning meeting. Our first stop was the Kyoto National Museum, which was super cool for the first 30 minutes. The building itself was beautiful! I love history museums, so I was super excited to see all of the super old artifacts that Japan had. The first room was absolutely stunning. I immediately broke off from the group to spend more time looking at each statue. The exhibit was about the 10 Deities of Hell, which was right up my alley of interesting. The huge statutes’ eyes would follow you as you walked too. After the initial excitement cooled down, I walked around the rest of the museum a bit faster. We had almost 2 hours there, and there were only two floors, so I finished pretty fast. I met up with Chelsea, Casey, Julie, and Sam for lunch at the museum cafe, where Sam and I got the cutest little lunch sets. After this, we broke for the actual lunch time. Since we had just eaten, Sam and I wandered around the area closest to our hotel. We went to Uniqlo where I boonked my first umbrella from the bathroom (YAY), and we saw the most overstimulating electronic store ever. I got a headache almost immediately. Our lunch time was over, so we met beck up with everyone to go to the palace. The grounds were absolutely beautiful, but the tour guide spoke so quietly I had no idea what he was saying. Raj and I used our umbrellas to draw pictures in the gravel for most of the time. We were dismissed for the day after, so the gang went to Kyoto Station for some shopping. For some reason my back had been killing me all day, and the pain started to get a little unbearable, so Raj, Vishnu, and I left the group to go home. I took a lovely little nap which was much needed. Today was also Boy Sam’s birthday, so we did some karaoke! I sang Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. We decided to have a night out on the town after, so I hope Sam had a great birthday celebration!

At the Kyoto Museum I saw a statue of Enma. While we couldn’t take any photos, I thought the idea of having guardians of the underworld to judge the souls of the people was very similar to Egyptian afterlife mythology. Enma is the prime judge, and he is derived (and often referred to as) Yama, the Hindu god of the underworld. 

Academic Reflection-

I’m going to cosplay Vishnu real quick to talk about the urban planning aspect of the Japanese upper class in relation to the palace. I thought there were few very interesting facts in the reading that talked about how statues pertained to location. For example, the richer you were, the closer you lived to the emperor, but your house could not be facing the palace out of respect. The inside of the palace was very different from the outside. Gone were the opulent gold trims and statues. Basic tatami mats lined the floors in an effort to follow the “less is more” aesthetic in Japanese culture. 

I found it interesting that the palace used to be entirely connected to prevent the emperor form having to touch the ground, but this was stopped after all of the fires. The palace had been burnt down more times than I could count, and during World War 2, many people were scared it would happen again, so they removed all of the halls and bridges from building to building. You could still see some of the foundations from the old bridges, and there were multiple doors that led to nothing now.

[mjonthetrack]

vice: book II

CHAPTER 54: Hood Queen Theory —

Marsai wasn’t even looking when Nadia dropped down beside her on the edge of the patio.

The fire crackled in the pit. The kids were still chasing lightning bugs barefoot in the grass. Somewhere out back, the uncles were loudly trying to decide who had the better ribs while arguing over the smoke level like it was nuclear science.

Marsai had her long legs stretched out in front of her, a glass of rum punch resting on her thigh. She didn’t flinch when Nadia leaned back on her hands and kicked off one Nike sandal.

“You good?” Nadia asked, eyes on the moon, not her.

Marsai exhaled slow. “I don’t know how to be cared for like this.”

“Yeah.” Nadia nodded. “It’s weird at first. Feels like something gon’ snatch it away if you breathe too deep.”

Marsai glanced at her. “That part.”

They sat in silence for a while, the kind that didn’t feel heavy—just full.

Then, as if reading her mind, Marsai said, “You remember when we first met and I thought you were some stuck-up tomboy who couldn’t fight?”

Nadia cackled. “And you were in the middle of trying to body slam Unc with your thighs.”

“I did body slam Unc with my thighs,” Marsai corrected with a grin. “You just had the nerve to look unbothered the whole time.”

They both laughed. Deep, easy. The kind of laugh that made your chest ache in the best way.

But then Marsai’s tone softened, and she looked at her shorter friend sideways. “You ever look at Jey and wonder if you’re in too deep?”

Nadia didn’t blink. “Every day. But that man got me. And I got him. I ain’t never trusted nobody like that before.”

Marsai hummed, rubbing slow circles into her punch glass. “Jimmy real different from how I met him.”

Nadia turned toward her, tucking one leg under. “You didn’t meet Jimmy. You met gentle Jimmy. That’s the one he pulls out when he tryna see if a woman is worth more than a night. The real Jimmy?”

Marsai raised a brow. “He the one that pulled that gun on Messiah’s dad?”

“No,” Nadia said, smirking. “That’s Kingpin Fatu. That’s the one that used to run whole corners in Atlanta, grills in his mouth, gold Cuban link swinging heavy, stack in every pocket, J’s so clean you could eat off ‘em. Man was walking sex and danger.”

Marsai blinked. “...Wait. Jimmy wore grills?!”

“Full set. Talked with a lisp when he first got ‘em. Swore he was untouchable.”

Marsai nearly choked on her drink laughing. “Nooooo, my Jimmy with the coconut oil and smooth skin? Grillz?!”

Nadia nodded, lips twitching. “I’ve seen women cry trying to get a second date with him. That man used to be straight-up chaos in human form. Jey too. They used to walk into clubs like royalty. Still do when the vibe calls for it.”

Marsai leaned back, wheezing. “And here I thought he was just some big funny-ass Samoan with a dad belly and pretty eyelashes.”

“That’s the trap,” Nadia said with a wink. “And now he got you calling him daddy, huh?”

“I will knock this punch over on your lap,” Marsai deadpanned, but she was grinning.

Then Nadia tilted her head like a lightbulb had gone off.

Her voice dropped a little lower. A little more devilish. “Yo… you ever dress like one of his fantasies?”

Marsai squinted. “What do you mean?”

“I mean—have you ever dressed like the version of a woman that’d bring Kingpin Jimmy to his knees? Not Mama Marsai. Not Queen Marsai. I’m talkin’ hood goddess from the block who just might key your car and ride you after.”

Marsai snorted. “Girl, I don’t even own ripped shorts anymore.”

“I do,” Nadia said, standing up, that wild glint in her eye now. “And I got extra grills from when I was on bullshit. Let’s make you his dream. His problem.”

Marsai stared at her, half-laughing, half-terrified. “You want me to cosplay as Jimmy’s hoochie hallucination?”

“No,” Nadia grinned wicked. “I want you to be it.”

And Marsai?

She stood up slow, tossed her curls over one shoulder, and grinned right back. “Let’s ruin that man’s soul.”

CHAPTER 55: Hoochie-Fied

—

Marsai hadn’t stepped out the room yet, but already the music had changed.

There was something in the air—thick, electric, stupid.

The aunties had done her up like a goddess earlier, but this? This was a different beast entirely.

Nadia stood behind her with a phone, the camera angled just right as she hyped her up like a one-woman production team. “Nah, back it up one more time—yes! Girl, Jimmy ain’t ready, you hear me? This is violence.”

Marsai turned slowly in the mirror.

Gone were the soft wraps and traditional layers. Instead, she wore a pair of low-slung, dangerously short, ripped-up denim shorts that made her thighs look like trouble. A tiny cropped tank clung to her like it knew it was lucky to be on her body—white, thin, and barely there, with the tiniest peek of underboob showing when she shifted. Gold jewelry layered around her neck like she robbed a rapper, with bamboo earrings swinging by her jaw and a delicate waist chain sparkling like sin around her stomach.

On her feet?

Fresh-ass white Jordan 1s with fat laces.

Her hair was down, big and wild—long curls haloing her face, that face beat just right with glossy lips and a sharp ass wing. And then there were the grills—top and bottom row gleaming as she sucked her teeth and threw a wink to the phone camera.

“Bitch,” Nadia wheezed. “You look like a felony.”

Marsai grinned with every tooth. “That’s the point.”

They heard the screen door creak open outside, and the sound of Jimmy’s laugh rolled through with it, loud and deep and easy. He was talking to one of the uncles, probably teasing them about the basketball game from earlier.

Marsai took a breath, shook her arms out.

Nadia clapped her hands together like a coach. “Let’s go hoochie queen. Time to end a man.”

—

The second she stepped onto the patio, the air changed again.

Jimmy was mid-sentence when he turned and caught her in the corner of his eye—and the words died in his throat like they’d been shot.

Dead.

Gone.

He blinked once, twice, mouth parting but nothing coming out. His gaze dragged over her slow, like his brain couldn’t compute all the pieces.

From the legs to the thighs to the chain to the grills?!

Marsai had the audacity to lean on the doorframe and chew her gum slow, one hip cocked, arms folded under her chest so the tank lifted just enough to tease more toned stomach and ink.

“Yo,” one cousin whispered. “Who the hell is that?”

“Jimmy’s girl,” someone else whispered, eyes wide.

“Nah. That’s his karma.”

Jimmy stood there like a statue, blinking like he forgot how to move. Like his spirit had left and was trying to get back into his body through the front door.

Marsai smirked slow. “What’s up, Fatu?”

Jimmy cleared his throat. “Don’t—don’t do that. Don’t say my name like that with your thighs out.”

She grinned with her whole mouth, licking her bottom lip. “Why? You scared?”

Jimmy rubbed the back of his neck. “Shiiit, scared ain’t the word. I’m tryna figure out who I gotta thank for this blessing. You got insurance? Cuz I’ma hurt myself runnin’ to you.”

The uncles hollered, the cousins were in tears, and Marsai walked right through all of it like she was born on a stage. She walked straight up to Jimmy, placed both manicured hands on his chest, then grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him down so their foreheads touched.

“You still gon’ flirt with me about deviled eggs, or you finally gon’ act like a kingpin and claim me proper?”

Jimmy swallowed, jaw locked, nostrils flared.

“Marsai,” he muttered through clenched teeth, “don’t play with me in them shorts. I’ll start a family with you on this damn grill in front of everybody.”

She licked her grills and winked. “I dare you.”

CHAPTER 56: Light Work, Heavy Game

—

"Ain’t no way—yo, is that Mars?"

Jey’s whole face twisted up as he squinted from across the cookout, the red Solo cup in his hand lowering slowly.

Sefa nearly dropped the rib bone he was chewing on, licking his fingers and pointing like his brain short-circuited. "That'sMarsai?!"

Jey looked like he needed a priest. “Since when Mars got her titties sittin’ like that and her ass eatin’ them shorts like it owes it rent?! What the hell is in the water out here?!”

They both watched as the woman in question threw her head back laughing, her curls bouncing, her fit so disrespectful it was damn near illegal. Short-ass ripped jean shorts. Tank top that looked like it came from the “ruin a man’s life” collection. Chains dancing around her waist. White Jordans making her look like a Southside fever dream.

Marsai was mid-convo with Nadia, sitting pretty on the arm of a patio couch while their kids ran wild with popsicles and cousins yelled over dominoes and plates of food.

Nadia side-eyed her with a knowing look, sipping her strawberry watermelon lemonade. “So… we just out here lookin’ like sin now?”

Marsai sucked her teeth and grinned wide, flashing the top row of grills like a menace. “Ain’t my fault Jimmy folded like a lawn chair.”

Nadia snorted. “Folded? Girl, that man locked up like the IRS just said his name.”

Marsai laughed, loud and wild, the gold flashing in her mouth with every cackle. She nudged her shorter friend with her knee and whispered behind her hand, “Nah for real though—that was dad bod Jimmy? Jimmy with the jokes? Jimmy talkin’ about deviled eggs like that was his whole game?”

Nadia wiped her eyes, dying. “Girl, he clenched. I saw his spirit leave and try to call an Uber back.”

Marsai grinned. “Boy ain’t no way he used to run streets like you said. He looked like a virgin in front of his crush. I coulda kissed that man and ruined him right there by the potato salad.”

From across the yard, Jimmy was posted near the grill with his arms folded, sunglasses low on his nose, watching every damn move she made like he was preparing for war. His gold chain gleamed in the sun, jaw tight, and he hadn’t even touched his food.

Jey glanced at his brother sideways. “You good?”

Jimmy didn’t blink. “She still talkin’?”

Sefa smirked. “Yeah. Laughin’ hard too. I think she said you looked like a PTA dad who sells cologne out his trunk.”

Jimmy looked like he bit down on a prayer. “Alright. Cool. Say less.”

Jey backed up, hands in the air. “Nah. Don’t do nothin’ crazy. This a family event.”

Jimmy didn’t move. “It was. Now it’s judgment day.”

CHAPTER 58: Big Mama Energy

—

The next morning, the compound was quiet.

Jimmy was sitting on the back patio with a plate of leftover ribs and a fork he wasn’t using—just staring off, half zoned out as the sounds of the ocean rolled in low and slow. The kids were off with the aunties, the cousins were recovering from Hennessy and Trina, and he was nursing a fresh ache in his chest—and not the emotional kind. No, this one was lower.

He blamed Marsai.

Hell, he blamed everything on Marsai lately.

The way she had danced the night before? The way she had laughed with no restraint, that bright-ass, glowing, intoxicating energy? It haunted him. He hadn’t even touched her that night—hadn’t needed to. Just watching her... was enough to make a lesser man fold.

And Jimmy Fatu didn’t fold.

Except maybe for her.

His phone buzzed once on the table. Then again. And again. Then—

“Yo, check Nadia’s story.”

It was Jey’s voice from the house, cackling as he passed by, clearly already seen it.

Jimmy frowned, picked up the phone, and opened Instagram.

The screen lit up—and he forgot how to breathe.

It was Marsai. Of course, it was.

The picture was obscene in the best way. She stood leaned back against a Jeep, hips cocked, a pair of light-wash jean shorts halfway unbuttoned and sliding low on her thick hips, the straps of her thong riding high and bold against that deep melanin-rich skin, the band reading in block white letters: BIG MAMA.

A bikini top so damn small it looked like a dare held her together, triangle scraps of cloth barely covering anything, her chest glinting in the sun, and her mouth pulled into a sharp, cheeky grin—bottom grillz flashing. Gold, thick, perfect.

And on her feet?

Timbs.

The caption?

“ya wife’s crush and ya man’s fantasy.” —@na.d.i.a

Jimmy dropped the phone straight into his lap and clutched his chest like he’d been shot.

“What the fuck,” he muttered under his breath. “What is she doing to me?”

Sefa walked by, glanced down at Jimmy’s screen—then immediately clutched his own head and howled, “BRO! I saw it already, stop looking before you end up acting like a simp again!”

Jimmy didn’t even look up. His thumb hovered over the photo like he might save it. Frame it. Worship it.

“She... ain’t right,” he whispered. “She did this on purpose.”

“Of course she did,” Jey barked from inside. “That’s called warfare, my boy.”

Jimmy stood up so fast the chair skidded back. His voice was low, hot, rough.

“Where they at?”

Jey leaned out the door, grinning like a devil. “Why? You about to pray for her?”

Jimmy adjusted his chain, licked his bottom lip, and walked toward the house with a mission burning in his bones.

“Nah,” he muttered. “I’m about to go remind her who Big Daddy is.”

CHAPTER 59: ATL Kings Got Daughters Too

The sun had barely dipped beyond the Samoan horizon when the girls' day spiraled into chaos. It started soft—fruity drinks with coconut straws, beach curls bouncing, soft gossip between two women who’d survived war and trauma and were now drunk off peace.

Nadia was lounging on a woven mat with a flower crown low on her brow, barely paying attention to her phone while Marsai, somewhere between tipsy and absolutely unbothered, started wildin'.

It was Marsai on top of the long ceremonial table now, barefoot, in a dress the aunties would absolutely snatch off her in righteous horror if they caught her. A slick little number, short and strappy and glinting in the low light—somehow she made it look regal and disrespectful all at once.

Her knees were solid. Her back arched like a threat. And she twerked. Slow. Deep. Dangerous.

The music? Juvenile. The background commentary?

All Nadia.

“GO BIG MAMA GO!” “Bounce that thang like Jey ain't got no morals!” “Tell Jimmy to come get his wife before the whole island claims her!”

The video was outrageous.

The camera panned slow, catching Mars mid-move, her slick thong waistband peeking just above her hips, spelling out BIG MAMA like prophecy. Gold hoops. Slick baby hairs. A grill gleaming in her bottom row. And a drink in one hand like she couldn’t be touched.

Nadia uploaded it to her feed with zero hesitation and a caption that read:

“Ya wife’s crush and ya man’s fantasy 🌺✨ #SamoanSummer #BigMamaEnergy”

Cut to the Fatu brothers on the beach.

Jey was sitting on a log, baby JJ asleep on his chest in a wrap. Jimmy was helping Messiah make a fort out of driftwood when the ping of a phone changed the weather.

Jey clicked the notification first, squinting at the screen. Then he froze.

“...Nah.”

“What?” Jimmy asked.

Jey just turned the phone and hit play.

Jimmy saw the hips move before he saw the grill. His jaw dropped. Then—

“Ain’t no fuckin’ way.” Jimmy whispered.

It was his woman. It was his woman, wearing sin and laughing like she didn’t know she was a mother of one and the undoing of men. It was the hoochie dress. The grillz. And the audacity.

“That’s Mars.”

Jey snorted, lips twitching. “She ain’t got no damn respect.”

Jimmy ran a hand down his face, eyes blown wide. “I’m sick. I’m gonna die. What the hell is she even wearin’?! Is that a thong band?”

“That and borrowed sin.”

Jey sucked his teeth and shook his head. “They must’ve forgot they in Samoa. Not no ATL club.”

Jimmy was already scrolling to the next post—Nadia catching footage of Marsai taking a shot while surrounded by a crowd, people cheering her name like she was royalty.

He muttered darkly, “They wanna act up?”

Jey smirked. “Then they can deal with the Kings.”

Jimmy cracked his knuckles, watching the video loop one more time with a dazed shake of his head.

“Uce,” he muttered, “I’ma marry that woman twice.”

Jey snorted. “Only if I don’t get to her first for showin’ my wife the devil’s playlist.”

They both stood. No words. Just menace in their step.

Because the ATL was gone. But the Kings? Still ruled their empires—and their women were due for a royal snatching.

CHAPTER 60: Return of the Kings

The island had made them soft. Or at least—that’s what they let the world think.

For the last few years, Jey and Jimmy Fatu had been family men. Calm. Smiling. Barbecue pit kings. Soft hands on backs and babies on their chests.

But before the sunsets and crawfish boils? Before the kids and the peace?

They were demons in Cuban links and Jordan 11s.

And tonight—they were reclaiming the throne.

The Scene: Night. Somewhere in Samoa.

The beach club pulsed like a heartbeat—dark lights, rum punch air, the slaps of basslines sending the floor into chaos.

Marsai was laughing hard enough to cry, her hand wrapped around a half-finished glass of Crown Royal, grinding low to the floor to a Boosie throwback as Nadia hyped her up. The women were lit—off the vibes, off the liquor, off the high of freedom.

Nadia had her phone out again, flashing the camera toward Marsai’s bouncing ass, screaming,

“BIG MAMA FOR PRESIDENT!”

Marsai pointed at the lens and winked. “You know the fuck it is!”

The two women laughed so hard they nearly tripped over each other, gripping hips and dancing like they weren’t both spoken for by the most dangerous, territorial men this side of the Pacific.

That’s when the doors opened.

They stepped in like a storm.

Jey, bottom grill glinting, neck heavy with a fat Cuban link, arms cut and oiled under a jet black tee that clung to him like it was scared to fall off. Jordan 1s, Samoa flag colors, stomped through the door first. Cologne on full blast—something spicy and dark.

Jimmy followed, hair tied back, tattoos crawling out from under his open black button-up, chest on display. Silver watch, chunky rings. Cuban chain too. Grills in. Fade tight. Eyes set on one woman.

The music didn’t stop, but the energy shifted. Every cousin saw it. Every uncle watching the door damn near stood up.

“Uh oh,” someone whispered. “The kings came to collect.”

Nadia was the first to sense them. She turned—slower than she should’ve, phone still in hand—and her eyes went wide.

“Oh,” she muttered, nearly choking on her drink. Marsai looked confused—until she followed Nadia’s gaze. And then?

“...No the fuck they didn’t.”

The twins didn’t speak. They didn’t need to.

Jey had his grill locked in a dangerous smirk as he started stalking toward Nadia. Jimmy tilted his head slow—grin lazy, voice velvet.

“Marsai.”

Her full name. Her government. That man was serious.

The women were drunk. Tipsy and loose and dressed like disrespect. But something about the way they were being looked at now? Had Marsai standing straight and Nadia holding her breath.

Jimmy stopped in front of her and leaned low, growling at her ear just loud enough to override the bass:

“You havin’ fun, mama?”

Marsai blinked. Licked her lips. Swallowed. Hard.

“...Yeah?”

He smiled. But it didn’t reach his eyes. “Good. Because after tonight? You won’t be able to walk.”

Cut to Jey, who had lifted Nadia clean off the floor, not saying a damn word as he walked her to the nearest exit like she was property with his name etched on it.

And the crowd?

Oh, they screamed. They cheered. Phones out. Cameras flashing.

The Kings were back. And their women?

Already paid the price of acting up.

CHAPTER 61: PIMP DOWN, PRAYERS UP (REMASTERED: HOOCHIE EDITION)

Marsai saw the look. That Jimmy look. The one that said “I'm done playing with you, bring that ass here.” And instead of getting scared like a normal person?

She smirked.

And then — BOLTED.

“BITCH, RUN!”

Nadia didn’t ask questions. She knew that tone. That was the tone of trauma bonding. The next thing she knew, she was being yanked away from Jey’s grasp by her hoochie sister-in-chaos and they were GONE.

Heels be damned, they were on the MOVE.

Nadia screamed through laughter, gripping her top before it became a donation to the Pacific breeze.

“THEY GON’ GET US!” “I KNOW THEY GON’ GET US, BUT IF WE DIE, WE DIE FINE!”

Back at the function—

Jimmy stood mid-step, stunned, jaw locked, fists clenched.

Because for a full thirty seconds, as Marsai booked it like a fullback in stilettos, her dress hiked up. That thong? Clear. As. Day. And printed across the strap—BIG MAMA.

The uncles cheered. The aunties gasped. Somebody’s grandmama fainted. A cousin filmed it and captioned the video: “Respectfully… Jimmy, get your girl.”

Jimmy blinked once.

“Oh hell no.” “OH, HELLLLLL NO—MARS!!”

He took off like a pitbull fresh off the leash. Meanwhile, Marsai shrieked over her shoulder, nearly tripping:

“I TAKE IT BACK, I TAKE IT ALL BACK, I’LL COOK DEVILED EGGS AGAIN JUST DON’T KILL ME!”

That wire fence came up like a final boss.

But this wasn’t new to Marsai. She had done worse in less. With one scream, one Henny-fueled bounce, she LEAPT.

Bounced off a cooler. Cleared the fence. Thong still out.

Jimmy stopped just before running into it, chest heaving, pointing in disbelief:

“IS THAT A THONG?! DID SHE JUST—OVER A FENCE?!”

From the other side of the yard, you heard—

“YOU’RE IN MY PRAYERS BESTIE! SAVE YOURSELF!”

And back at the tables, chaos.

One uncle was choking on a rib bone. One auntie was hollering, “YES MARS, SHOW ‘EM WHAT THAT MELANIN DO!” Messiah just pointed at the fence like, “My mommy is FAST.”

Meanwhile—

Nadia?

Snatched.

Jey had her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and attitude. She was kicking, screaming, laughing—

“I’M SORRY I CALLED YOU A CHUNKY KINGPIN—PUT ME DOWN—”

“You done?” Jey growled.

“…maybe.”

Moral of the story?

When your hoochie friend yells “run,” You don’t ask why.

You tighten your bra, fix your wig, and RUN.

Because the ATL Kingpins?

They don’t play. And they sure as hell don’t chase unless they plan on catching.

CHAPTER 62: WHEN THE KINGPIN STARTS CHASING

The second Marsai cleared that damn wire fence, Jimmy knew.

She was really testing his patience.

Not just testing it. Twerking on it. Mocking it. Kicking it in the nuts with a bedazzled heel.

His jaw flexed. That man had been chilling—real calm, real content—but now?

He wasn’t chasing a woman. He was chasing a damn violation.

“Ain’t no way she out here acting like I’m not HIM.”

The sandals were off. His grills flashed. He was stomping after her like he had just spotted a dude who shorted him ten grand in coke and ran to Florida.

Each step, he got more heated.

“You wanna run? Bet.” “You wanna make me chase you, in this heat, in front of family? Ohhh, say less.”

Meanwhile—

Marsai?

She was GONE.

Hair flying, dress hiked up, laughing and screaming like a damn banshee, barefoot now— because halfway down the beach she flung one heel off like a javelin—

SMACK! It hit Jimmy dead in the chest.

“FUCK NAH, BRUH!”

She didn’t even look back.

Next thing he knew, her second heel sailed through the air like a heat-seeking missile.

CRACK! Clipped his shoulder.

“OH IT’S LIKE THAT?!” Jimmy hollered, fuming.

This wasn’t no flirty run. This was full-blown disrespect in 4K.

Marsai juked a kid with a sandcastle.

Vaulted someone’s beach umbrella like she was raised by Jamaican aunties and Olympic sprinters.

All the while laughing.

Laughing with her whole chest like she didn’t know she was about to be in a headlock of love.

“HE CAN’T CATCH ME! HE GOT TOO MANY MUSCLES TO BE FAST—OH SHIT, IS HE GAINING?!”

Back at the cookout, the uncles were placing bets. The aunties were hollering. Sefa was doubled over laughing like this was a Samoan remake of Bad Girls Club. Messiah was clapping like it was Paw Patrol Live.

“Go Mommy GO!”

Jimmy?

He was foaming at the mouth now. That beach sprint turned personal. She was still running.

Still talking shit.

Still letting that thong bounce like it paid rent.

“Keep playing with me, Mars! I swear—” “I’m not playing!” she screamed back. “I’M SURVIVING!”

[baura-bear]

I just want to write out all the little details I noticed about newsies because they played a big part in what made the show amazing. I tried not to mention stuff I’ve seen in other posts and focus on more specific moments and interactions I liked but also I liked it all so there are a lot. Enter at your own risk I suppose? also this is a conglomerate of the three shows I saw (I sat in Manhattan, Flushing, and Brooklyn)

Act One!

These boys genuinely appear OUT OF NOWHERE?? I was sitting in Manhattan watching Race and suddenly SPECS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME SINGING IN MY FACE

HENRY SWINGING IN?? people have called it a zipline but it’s more like he’s doing a Tarzan swing in

throughout the entire show there are boys sleeping every where between numbers

Santa Fe (Prologue)

Jack has drawings pinned up all over the penthouse!! a few of them were close ups of faces or full body portraits (I couldn’t see them all)

Crutchies “No I wanna go down” line is so much sassier (let’s be honest Matthew Duckett’s Crutchie is 10x more chaotic than any I’ve ever seen) instead of rushing through it it’s more like “No. I want to go down” *points at ladder to emphasize*

“Hop a palomino you’re ridin’ in style!” :DD

Crutchie whistles to wake up the newsies and it was so loud 

Things I noticed in Carrying the Banner (and there is a lot)

when it’s first starting and a few of the boys are still up in Brooklyn Jojo dropped his hat so Mike picked it up and put it on top of his hat then shared a laugh with me and saluted before Jojo ran by and stole his hat back

“ Hey look! It’s bath time at the zoo!” *cue Henry really aggressively scratching his crotch then cleaning his face with same towel* 

“Who asked you!?” Someone slingshots a newspaper at Albert and it’s supposed to hit him but one night it flew into the audience so Albert turned around and said something like “I’m so sorry about him”

“Any banker bum or barber!” I couldn’t tell who but one newsies goes behind Specs and accidentally chokes him with a towel (pretending to be  a barber)

When they’re all just being boys!!! Henry and a few other newsies play cards, Tommy Boy plays soccer with a wad of newspapers as a ball and Jojo, Splasher and one other newsie play jump rope (Splasher does a backflip while doing so, Ross Dorrington supremacy)

At one point Tommy Boy sits on the front of the stage and lights a match just to watch it burn? he was very entranced by the fire I will say

“waitin’ makes me antsy” line is actually directed at the nuns which I never realized until watching this

“Though you wander lost and afraid” idk if Jamie D-C’s newsie has a name but he nods and says “I am always wandering” while Tommy Boy very proudly shows his cross to the nuns 

“All I can catch is fleas” then proceeds to pick one off say “Ooo!! A juicy one!” and throw it at another newsie

While Crutchie is handing out papers he is an absolute menace “PAPER PAPER WHO WANTS ONE?!!!!” then proceeds to throw it on people in Brooklyn who aren’t even looking at him (they were very confused, by the time they looked back to see where it had come from he was gone) He threw his paper at everyone and then saw me (in Crutchie cosplay) and very politely handed it to me “here you go! :)” LMAO

While Jack’s running from the Delancey’s Crutchie yells “Run Jackie!!”

wheeee slide

DAVEY!!! 

Ryan Kopel his embodiment of Davey is *chefs kiss* very fidgety: tapping thumbs together, wringing hands, rubbing fingers together, wiping hands on pants/balling the fabric of his pants up in his hands. His hands are always either tensed or moving no matter where they are. has a habit of putting his hands behind his back (and looking collected) but that boy is still fidgeting

Crutchie death stares Davey which makes him look back (to make sure Crutchie isn’t looking at someone else) and then awkwardly shuffle around him (keeping eye contact at all times) as he and Les try to get into line

Morris takes Davey’s 20th pape and hides it behind his back before handing it back to Oscar

Race blows smoke into Davey’s face and I wish I had a video of Davey’s reaction cause oh my god

As everyone is trying to convince Davey to sell with Jack Davey is hugging his newspapers to his chest like his life depends on keeping them safe 

the way Davey says “that’s dizz-guhsting”

After Specs and Splasher get their papes they run off stage to the stairs between Woodside and Flushing “Hiya Splasher! anything good?” “Hey Specs!” then they read the paper together and it’s very sweet

Bottom Line

Pulitzer is scary I will build on this for act two but that man can yell

also his office is held up by newspapers and I really loved that detail (also newsies push it onto the stage very�� ✨symbolic ✨)

“Football. VIOLENT?!”

Bottom Line has never been one of my top songs (and still isn’t) but I really liked it in this production Cameron Blakely has an amazing voice (they all do) and I just really loved the way this song sounded 

Also Bobbie’s Hannah is very much anti-Pulitzer and it makes the character very funny. like she realizes he’s a man with power and is intimidated by him but she definitely sides with the newsies more it’s very funny

Davey tries selling papes to the audience “buy a paper? anyone want a paper? oh- no not for you.” sir you can’t be picky with your customers

“Buy a pape from a poor orphan boy?” Davey rushes forward saying “Oh, no! he’s not a-” and Jack runs up and turns Davey around and walks him away from Les

Les and Davey interactions overall are so pure and sweet. Davey constantly has his himself wrapped around Les from behind, hugging him or holding onto his shoulders. He also looks absolutely astounded by Les, 200% of the time it’s just Davey watching Les like :O

“Come home with us? Uh- I mean- for dinner!” Davey. Why else would Jack have gone home with you  🤔🤔🤔🤔

Medda’s theater

When Davey notice’s Les looking at the Bowery beauties he’s so embarrassed good lord. He’s so jumpy and he gives the beauties a very quick apologetic look (very hesitant to look at them) and says “thatstheircostume!!” turning Les around away from them. 

The beauties put a feather in Les’ hat. 

Specs is helping set up the theater and completely drops the backdrop on Medda’s theater worker 

“Take it easy it’s a bunch of trees” Davey jumps in very quickly and eagerly “NO you’re really!!... I mean- uh... you’re really good” Ryan Kopel was successful in making Davey the gayest boy on this planet

While Les and Davey watch the show Ryan did not even try to sit like a straight person. First show he was sitting side-saddle with his hands laying on top of one another on his thigh like a freaking disney princess, second show he was crisscross with his hands clasped together, last show he was on his knees with his palms together like praying hands in between his knees 

boys at the front of the stage fight over which one Medda’s referring to (”she was talking to me!!” “no she was talking to me!!”) Tommy Boy then turns around and high fives another newsie

I never planned on you Jack literally crawls over Katherine’s lap, basically sitting on her for a brief moment to get to the other side of the box

Strike

“they got a mother? I was gonna get me one of those” the way Race says it is much more resentful rather than playful and he actually glares at Davey

during the formation of the strike Davey tries to hold back Les from joining the other boys when Les runs of Davey tries to grab him but obviously doesn’t succeed and instead he takes a few steps back, turning away from the strike and is very tense/fidgety as he hears them talk about what to do

when Jack asks Davey who tells Pulitzer there’s a really long pause and he clearly doesn’t want to give in to the strike “I- I guess... you do... Mr. President” almost annoyed that he’s letting himself give in

“Who wants Brooklyn?” Crutchie hides in his hat and holds his cross up towards Jack to ward him off

when Katherine enters and her and Jack have their little back-and-forth all the newsies are jeering and oohing and awing but Davey doesn’t have reactions like that he’s really carefully watching Katherine like he’s trying to figure her out (or maybe he’s just jealous about Jack ._.)

“me thinks the lady needs to be handled by a” snaps suspenders “real man”

When Davey says “I’d say we save any exclusive for a real reporter” it’s actually off to the side with Jack and he’s clearly trying to make it so that Katherine can’t hear (he looks at Katherine then back to Jack and kind of whispers ‘real reporter’)

End of Act One

unfortunately Crutchie does not say fuck he says folks 

Newsies zoom in on Katherine’s swivel chair and she thanks them :)

while Jack is tryng to persuade the scabs one of the is fully crying with tears running down his cheeks and you can’t tell because he’s staring at the ground hiding under his hat until the last second he looks up to the sky and then decides to throw his paper down(I couldn’t tell who it was but it wasn’t Splasher and it wasn’t Tommy Boy so if anyone knows who the third scab is, it was them... It might’ve been Buttons??)

Crutchie also starts tearing up a this point and pulls out his rosary to say a prayer

I haven’t really seen anyone talk about this but there’s a part in Seize the Day (I think.... it might’ve been in the world will know I forget) where all the newsies run up and form a triangle and yell out their names. It starts with Jack and Davey, Jack is very sure of himself and yells out his name at center stage then Davey looks around, runs up to join Jack, looks at Jack to see what to do then takes off his hat, does a little straightening tie motion and sheepishly says “Davey”

Les ascends

Matthew Duckett really loves ripping your heart out. Coughing as he’s dragged off. He calls out to Finch and another newsie to help but when he realizes it’s futile and hears Jack call his name he yells for Jack to run instead of save him

SANTA FE GOOD LORD the windows behind Jack light up yellow to make the moon of Santa Fe and it has an amazing effect especially if you’re in the middle aisle of the theater.

Act Two!!

before act two even began when I was in Flushing I could hear them tapping backstage and it made me very happy

King Of New York

The energy of KoNY is so insane that every single time I saw it by then end I was grinning and giggling so much so that I completely forgot letter to the refuge until Crutchie is sat on stage and I went from :D to o_o in a split second

“In the pape and you ain’t even dead!”

I’m sure everyone knows by now that they swing on the lamps and pretend the tables are cars but I don’t know if you’ve been told how terrifying it is to be front row during KoNY because one wrong move and you will get a tap foot in the face. Where I was sat for two performances I had Damon and Matt swinging over me and it is exhilarating but all I could think is if I stand up rn I would get knocked out. 

Race goes over to Davey and turns his hat sideways

when everyone’s clearing the chairs and tables at the end Race yelled “‘Ey Specs!” and pointed to a chair and Specs replied “The numbers over I can do what I want!” and I just thought that fourth wall break was funny 

Letter From the Refuge

“Cause so far they ain’t brung us no food” there was particularly loud laughter from Woodside so Crutchie turned towards them and said “heh, thanks,” then wrote down “ha. ha.”

Mike sleeping with his head in Jojo’s lap

Specs comes to take the letter from Crutchie and then Mike helps Crutchie off stage (he falls on his way off and has a coughing fit why does Matthew insist on destroying me)

Watch What happens (Reprise)

Davey is so bouncy and so much looser and just like you can really tell he has been fully accepted into the newsies inner circle it’s so cute I love it so much oh my god

“there’s no escaping us pal! we. are.” punches air “inevitable!”

when Davey tells everyone that Jack’s painting is of Santa Fe Jack looks like he doesn’t want Davey to tell anyone which I think is really interesting. Like Jack has almost reserved this dream of Santa Fe to those closest and he doesn’t want anyone else getting too close?? idk it was just a really interesting look 

Bottom Line (Reprise)

Pulitzer’s “Sit” isn’t directed towards Katherine and instead is directed towards Snyder, Katherine actually runs off behind the scaffolding and watches the scene unfold while she’s hidden away

JACK IS SO COCKY I LOVE HIM

*sing songy* “He’s asked to see you” with funky lil’ finger pointing

Jack dusting off Pulitzers steps to sit down

“And if they know me. THEY KNOW I DON’T CARE!!!! MARK MY WORDS BOY” like I said,,,,, Pulitzer is very scary.

Brooklyn’s Here/Strike Rally

BROOKLYN GIRLSIESSS!!!!

I love them so much

when Davey goes up to speak after everyone’s chanting for Jack he gulps and looks around and says “ohmygod” quietly to himself and lets out a little nervous laugh as he realizes how many boys are staring at him

As Jack tries to persuade the newsies to disband the union Davey tries to stop him multiple times “Jack please- Jack. Stop-” and while everyone gets mad at Jack, Davey is almost trying to defend him and talk him out of it. that is until Jack pushes Les to the floor and Davey grabs him, turning Jack around by the shoulder “What are you doing Jack??” and points at Les on the ground before helping him up and running off away from Jack

Mack holds Spot back from probably killing Jack

The rest of the show because I don’t have enough notes to separate by song at this point

Jack and Katherine’s hug during something to believe in enough to make me start shipping Jatherine

During once and for all Katherine and Jack hold hands and Jack puts a hand on Davey’s shoulder while they sing the first little part and at one point Jack grabs Davey’s arm and pulls him in but on the last performance Michael missed Ryan’s arm completely and instead succeeded in pulling him in by the waist (the Javey shipper in me was screaming)

when they’re throwing the banners to each other Romeo fumbled and almost dropped a stack and when I tell you I nearly had a heart attack watching him try to keep it going 

“These kids put out a pretty good paper!” Hannah goes over to Pulitzer and see’s he’s not impressed so quickly changes route to hide by Bunsen 

“Guys like Joe don’t talk to nobodies like us” they’re sitting on the desk together very close to each other jack has an arm around Davey and Davey tilts his head and gives Pulitzer the sweetest smile

When jack shakes hands with Roosevelt Davey’s eyes go wide and he puffs up his cheeks, restraining himself from rushing over but when Jack turns around he runs up and Jack has to push him back a little as they both try to act normal 

“Oh please your highness!” small group of newsies at the front of the stage giggle to each other

“What’s Santa Fe got that New York Ain’t? Sandstorms?”

a small interaction I loved was at the end while Katherine and Jack are talking about Jack’s next plans: Crutchie, Davey and Les are all reading a newspaper together and they all look so confused, pointing at a certain article and talking amongst themselves trying to figure out what it means. Crutchie’s holding the paper too high so Les stands on his tip toes to see it which prompts Crutchie to tilt it down for him

Katherine gets a newsies cap!

[workingforitallthetime]

Every UMich Monday question 2021-22, ranked

God bless umich social for giving us every single one of these gems of pure distilled characterization. To celebrate, I watched all of them in order. The most interesting season-long trends were Eddy’s suggestibility (consistently willing to agree with whatever anybody else tells him), GVW’s obvious belief that every single one of his answers is supremely clever (when in fact they are just as dumb if not dumber than everyone else’s), and the way that Truss always cherubically looks at the ceiling instead of the camera.

20. What’s your favorite Coach Pearson saying? (January 26, 2022)

Charming question but provided minimal character information.

Best answer: Whoever says “Breathe, Truss!” in the background. Worst answer: Everybody who says “Nothing more, nothing less” but fails to use the appropriate hand gesture as demonstrated by GVW, Beech, and Jimmy.

19. Who’s going to win the Superbowl? (February 13, 2022)

It would have been cooler if they’d skipped this question and just posted more pics from their Joe Burrow cosplay party.

Best answer: Loyal Michigan boys the Nicks (“Detroit Rams.”) Worst answer: Eh, there’s only two options, can’t ding anybody here.

18. Who has the weirdest and the best pregame rituals? (January 20, 2022)

All of the other questions that encouraged chirping scored high in these rankings, but the guys really whiffed on this one. They mostly just made up lies about each other, and they weren’t even funny lies.

Best answer: Bords. (“Matty Beniers. We leave for the rink, me and Truss, and he’s going to take his nap. I think that’s pretty weird.”) Thanks, Thom, for the reminder that you live in throuple bliss, as if any of us forgot for even one second. Worst answer: Everyone who roasts Dylan. Leave Dylan alone!

17. If you could play one other sport besides hockey, what would it be? (February 16, 2022)

Honestly, Monday question content went through a dim era while the Olympians were gone.

Best answer: Noah (Chess) Worst answer: Jimmy (Quidditch)

16. What is your guilty pleasure song? (November 24, 2021)

A strong early entry in the series, but it falls down the ranking due to the absence of chirping.

Best answer: Mackie singing California Gurls. Worst answer: Eddy (“Supermarket Flowers, by Ed Sheeran.”)

15. Who would play you in a movie? (November 2, 2021)

At the time, this appeared to be a strong start to the series. But the content trended sharply uphill over the course of the season, and when reviewed in context, this one has too many boring repeat answers. Sorry, but this is not a team full of Bradley Coopers, Brad Pitts, Will Ferrells, and the cast of Happy Gilmore.

Best answer: Mackie (Zac Efron) Worst answer: The first of Brendan’s three increasingly terrible answers is Jack Sparrow, which, while an apt comparison, is not an actor.

14. Who will have the most points at World Juniors? (December 17, 2021)

The questions with the most potential are the ones where they’re asked about their teammates, but this one suffers from its breakdown along predictable USA/Canada lines.

Best answer: GVW. (“I plead the Fifth.” [exits frame] [remembers where he’s from] [runs back into frame] “Just joking, I think it’s gonna be Matt Beniers. Go Seattle Kraken!”) Worst answer: Owen. (“Kent Johnson.”) Owen we KNOW, okay. We know you’re obsessed with him.

13. Wheels or doors? (March 16, 2022)

The blank canvas of this query ends up shedding a surprising amount of light on their idiotic thought processes. “I started with doors, but I think wheels now,” Truss says, looking aimlessly upwards. “I’ve had a lot of good cases brought to me.”

Best answer: Nick. (Coach: “How many mullets are in this building?” Nick: “How many mullets? Not enough.”) Worst answer: Matty, guessing that there are probably a lot of wheels in a hotel only to later prove himself wrong.

12. Who has the best/weirdest tape job? (February 1, 2022)

I am very intrigued by the deep respect that everyone has for Owen’s tape jobs. This is also the video in which we learned that Mark’s nickname was Stahp Sign.

Best answer: Bords, because his accent’s unusually prominent. Worst answer: Steve Holtz, who cannot figure out how to explain his two sticks.

11. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? (January 11, 2022)

A classic question. Too many Spidermen on this team, but I remain very curious about why Owen’s desired superpower is to read minds.

Best answer: Truss. (“A power that makes you big, like Owen.”) Worst answer: Brendan. Sweetie, Tobey McGuire is the worst possible Spiderman to be.

10. Is a hot dog a sandwich? (November 30, 2021)

There are so many varieties of idiocy on display as these guys vehemently defend their answers without making a single coherent argument. Loses a point due to everyone eventually reaching consensus.

Best answer: Jimmy (“I mean, the world isn’t going to change if a hot dog’s a sandwich.”) Worst answer: Owen (“It’s gotta have sandwich meat.”)

9. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? (December 17, 2021)

This one scores high for the background heckling, especially the howls of “Going back to Saskatoon!”

Best answer: Brendan. (“Going up north and hunting with Morgs and Jay.”) Worst answer: Nick Granowicz. (“Spending time with family.”) Give us something better, Grano.

8. Who on the team would you call in case of emergency? (April 6, 2022)

Thanks to this video for finally giving us a Nick Granowicz characterization! It also features Truss sweetly disarmed by Owen and Kent telling him they would obviously pick him, quickly followed by Thom’s indignation at Matty picking Truss too. However: why would not a single member of this team call their captain in case of emergency?

Best answer: Jimmy. (“Definitely not Briss.”) Worst answer: Dylan choosing the teammate who was ready to cook and eat him.

7. What is your favorite memory or the funniest moment from this season so far? (March 25, 2022)

It is extremely tempting to rank this video higher due to Thom looking like a figure skater in his tank top and warmup jacket while gazing adoringly at Brendan. However, too many guys had boring-ass answers like “Winning the B1G championship” instead of expanding on the time Moyle pantsed Phil at BD’s Mongolian Grill.

Best answer: Thom, sweetly noting Jack Leavy's first game. Worst answer: All the other serious ones.

6. What’s your ideal date? (February 9, 2022)

This video ranks high on the strength of Mackie’s answer alone. (“It’d be Duker if he looked like a girl.”) Just serve me up a ship on a silver platter and sauce it with gender feelings, thanks.

Best answer: Dylan. (“Swipe into the dining hall. South Quad.”) Worst answer: Luke. (“It would definitely be, like, taking me to a Lakers game. Or like a Knicks game.”) Luke Hughes does not woo you, you woo him.

5. What New Year’s resolution would you make for your teammates? (January 6, 2022)

This is a perfect question, since it not only asks them about their teammates, it encourages roasting them. This is the video that revealed Matty’s gummy bear habit, and foreshadowed more fascinating/horrifying content about the state of the seniors’ house. 

Best answer: Dylan. (“Luke Hughes. Wear headphones when he watches Harry Potter.”) Worst answer: Jay. (“My New Year’s solution… My New Year’s revolution… I am going to revolutionize 2022.”)

4. What breed of dog would you be? (March 10, 2022)

Quality content from top to bottom, from ever-suggestible Eddy affirming TikTok’s opinion of him as a golden retriever to the brutal roasting of hairless cat Luke Hughes.

Best answer: Owen. (Beniers Mountain Dog.) Worst answer: Brendan. (Brissbese Mountain Dog.)

3. What’s your hidden talent? (February 23, 2022)

10/10. 100/10. Infinity/10. There is no score high enough for the casually entitled way Brendan tugs up Matty’s jersey, Brendan’s indignation when confronted with the possibility that there is something he does not know about Matty’s body, or Brendan’s delight at Matty’s dumb talent as compared to his indifference to Phil’s objectively much more impressive talent.

Best answer: Luke. (“You can ask Truscott for my hidden talent.”) Worst answer: GVW failing to wiggle his ears.

2. If you were a kitchen appliance, what would you be? (April 1, 2022)

This question delivers personal insight while also offering broad opportunities for chirping. The resulting video captures so many themes of the whole season: Luke’s inability to run with a joke, Thom being cool as hell, Dylan “Panface” Duke, minifridge Kent embracing his identity as a tiny little guy, Brendan seizing the spotlight and running his mouth. I considered awarding one million bonus points for the sound of Brendan smacking his chest, but I recognize that is important only to me.

Best answer: Noah, pretending to crank a pasta machine with his blocker. Worst answer: Luke’s fragile masculinity.

1. If you were stranded on an island with one teammate, who would you want it to be? (November 17, 2021)

The top of the list has to be the video that launched so many important characterizations for this crew. Terrifying cannibal Morgs! Helpful Truss! Poor crestfallen Dylan!

Best answer: Owen (“Jacob Truscott. He knows why.”) Worst answer: None. Every single moment of this video is golden.

* Unranked (November 9, 2021)

Unranked due to cultural insensitivity, which is a shame, because if this video was accurately titled “What Animal Would You Be?” Bordy’s announcement that he would be a unicorn would vault this into the top tier. (Also showing excellent self-awareness: Dylan as a panda.)

[shadeops21]

MWII Denim Ghost cosplay draft

I have been watching some of the fandom’s reactions around Denim Ghost, based on his appearance as seen in parts of the MWII trailer and the gameplay Dark Waters teaser.

It’s been amusing to say the least, and I for one welcome a loadout that is a) an aesthetic that I consume like crack coke, and b) relatively easy to cosplay if you know what to look for.

So, I present my V0.1 cosplay test for MWII Denim Ghost, with parts list below, under the cut...

Now, full disclosure: this is NOT screen accurate to what he wears, for a few reasons.

It’s hard to assess his actual gear based on a few frames seen in a trailer under poor lighting conditions

I’m working with what I already possess.

One of the vests he could be wearing (and seen worn by other characters) costs upwards of $700 USD, the First Spear Siege-R Optimised plate carrier. There have not been any airsoft clones manufactured at the time of posting.

But, here’s a break down of my kit as seen above.

Shirt: Airsoft reproduction of an AC/G3 combat shirt printed in Multicam Black (you can find these on ebay manufactured by companies like Emerson and IDOGEAR, with the only real variations being the velcro style and the elbows. Mine is an older “AC” type shirt, so there are parts to insert hard elbow pads as well as the velcro being solid panels and not two stripes like seen on the G3 type shirts

Pants: Just a pair of cheap straight-cut jeans I bought for around $20-30. Nothing fancy, I’d bought these for skirmish use so I anticipated them being something that’d get torn, ripped, frayed, or stains. Hence the low cost. You will want something loose fitting if you intend on wearing this for skirmish wear or for full-day cosplay, as they’ll keep your legs cool.

Vest: In-lieu of the Siege-R OPC seen by some characters in the MW/Warzone franchise, I’ve gone for my own JPC 2.0 (a clone manufactured by TwinFalcons). It’s a lighter weight vest that also has a fairly snug fit (ideal for skinny peeps like me), but not a whole heap of space to attach things like pouches, unless you’re creative. As far as my setup goes, I’ve got two Twin Taco AR pouches and a single Taco AR pouch on the front panel (all airsoft clones made by Emerson), I’ve got a single MBITR radio taco on my left rear flank (legit article by High Speed Gear), a Tasmanian Tiger admin pouch, and a Tasmanian Tiger IFAK pouch on my right flank (not seen).

Belt: It’s a generic airsoft clone of typical rigger’s belts used by military personnel. It’s a two-stage belt system, where the inner belt secures my pants in place and uses velcro to keep in position. The outer surface of this belt also has velcro hook fabric, which connects to the outer belt’s loop fabric on it’s inner surface (confusing, right?). The outer belt holds two pistol Taco pouches and my 5.11 Tactical magazine dump pouch (on my left) and has the connectors to my drop-leg SERPA holster for my right leg.

Weapon: This is also where I have to deviate from “canon” for reasons listed above. I can’t quite tell what Ghost is armed with, but at first glance it looked like either an M4/AR15 platform or a SCAR-L/Mk-16 platform. So, hedging my bets, I went with one of my gelsoft (not airsoft or real-steel, as I’m Australian) M4A1s. This one is specifically an M4A1 Block II SOPMOD, with DD RIS2 handguard, MOE carbine stock, an Aimpoint T2-style red dot sight, an AN/PEQ-15 ATPIAL, and AFG2 forward grip. It’s also painted in a three-tone splinter-esque camouflage pattern, inspired by patterns seen in Warzone.

I hope you enjoy this breakdown, I am likely to post updates as I obtain more information and detail from any further released media, or obtain more pieces of equipment to complete this cosplay.

Cheers!

[drsteggy]

Do you have tips for where to start for making a costume, and/ or where to start to get more comfortable possibly being in photos?

Hello, boy do I have thoughts on both of these.

On starting a costume- first off, you do not NEED to make your own costume to cosplay. It’s ok to buy some of it or all of it. The only time you NEED to have made your costume is if you’re competing.

I started by making props, which were things I was very comfortable with. The reason I started sewing was I could not find a tunic that fit me right- most of what I found was based on a large T shirt and that’s not what a tunic is…so it would hit my hips badly and end up much shorter than I wanted. I’m one of these people who wants to try to get it as close to my vision of “correct” as possible, and I suspect my version of BOTW Link will forever be sort of a work in progress forever, but I’m ok with this.

My first sewing project was Link’s undershirt. I based it off a pajama top I loved. I’m pretty sure I just googled instructions on how to reverse engineer a T shirt and went from there. I sewed it by hand and it’s served well for the past 2 years. A T shirt type thing really isn’t hard! It doesn’t need a lot of expensive stuff. You can take your time on it and see if you like sewing.

I later did the blue tunic, based, in part, on a sundress I own. Both of these were learning experiences for me on how to put things together. There are TONS of free resources and sewing demonstrations on YouTube, so it’s really easy if you’re stuck to go learn how to do it online.

I did buy a sewing machine at the end of last year as I decided I did want to do more of my own stuff- I’m a competitive cuss at the end of the day. It made the process much, much faster, and my results are better, too. I’m planning on version 2 of my Champions tunic this weekend.

Cosplay is really fun and I’ve had a whole thing exploring who I am even after I was pretty sure I already knew that. So no matter what level you’re doing it at, I totally recommend it.

On to photos…I self shoot a lot, but I’ve also gone and done some shoots. Photo shoots are also fun if you have a photographer you trust and are willing to be open to trying stuff. If you’re not comfortable with that yet, I recommend the art of the selfie.

Hear me out.

I got into cosplay in the fall of 2019 and I planned so many cons for 2020! We all know how that went. So I suddenly had this brand new hobby and no way to express it AND being an essential worker with a job that suddenly tripled in its insanity, very much needed an escape. Cosplayers turned to tiktok and instagram and I found myself suddenly having to learn both platforms.

I had help in the form of a discord full of much younger Zelda cosplayers who were willing to teach me stuff. But I still had to make stuff I was comfortable showing off.

So I took selfies. Thousands of them, most deleted immediately as I hated them. I did not like myself on camera for a variety of reasons but I kept taking them and sometimes they came out good. At this point, I’m pretty comfortable in front of MY camera. I have learned what angle and lighting look good. I have become that person on the book of faces taking a selfie in front of anything interesting I find.

But man, that took time and a lot of internal cringing.

It helps to approach it as play- I had to play with lighting and backgrounds. I started with an old bedsheet as my backdrop and a $20 ring light on a tripod I already owned. My setup still isn’t very complex- I still rely on that ring light a lot, but I have a couple of other lights on an Amazon wish list as I’d like to continue playing once winter is back. I have a couple professional backdrops I bought from a place called Kate Backdrop- they have a bajillion styles and many lend themselves to Zelda stuff and they look really convincing in pictures. They are reasonably priced for the size I use and there are sales where you can save more.

I’d like to learn how to edit my images next- right now I’m just doing the auto color correct on my phone. I use my phone as my camera and until very recently I was shooting on an iPhone 8. If you have a phone with a portrait mode, that’s a quick and easy way to make your photos look really good.

But yeah….it’s really just about practicing. Set up your phone and either use the timer or get a little remote trigger and just shoot a bunch. Learn what looks cool with your props. Be silly. It’s supposed to be fun. Have fun.

I was utterly horrified the first time someone else took photos of me and put them online (they asked first). They tried to pose me and I was just super self conscious and felt awkward and oh yeah you can see it. But now I have a go to pose I strike when someone asks at a con. It could be better. But acting in character is a skill, too, and skills can be learned and honed. You just gotta do it.

I’m more than happy to answer any more specific questions if I didn’t quite answer the way you were asking. I love cosplay and I’ve grown to enjoy taking photos to the point I’ll strike out into a local park in full gear and go ham with my phone.

[joonie-beanie]

The Demon Brothers + comforting a self-conscious MC/Reader

So a while ago an anon sent me the below ask

And I kind of adored the idea, considering I am also insecure, and chubby, and in need of some demon bro comfort. Hence, here we are.

Rather than bullet point, I ended up writing short stories for each brother. Hopefully you still enjoy 💕

Lucifer:

The eldest brother is not unaware of the way your eyes stray when the two of you are in public together—your gaze raking over the other inhabitants of the Devildom as you traverse the busy streets.

At first, he assumes the array of creatures—some far less human-like than he and his brothers—are interesting to you. Then, he notices the way you begin hugging yourself with your arms. As if trying to hide yourself away from any prying eyes.

It is indeed out of place for a human to be seen in the Devildom, and you do get some stares, but...he has a suspicion that the sudden shyness you exhibit stems from feelings that reach beyond what strangers may think of you.

He doesn’t like seeing you in such a state.

“Y/N,” he addresses you after tugging you into a small, scarcely populated side alley. One of his gloved fingers curls beneath your chin, and he guides your hung head to look at him. “I can tell you’re upset. Explain to me why.”

You glance away from him, cheeks heating up, and your arms hugging your sides a bit tighter.

“I just...you, and your brothers are all so beautiful,” you start by saying, causing him to blink in surprise. “And...whenever we’re out like this, and I see all of the other demons living here, I can’t help but feel like I pale in comparison...”

Lucifer’s features soften as he stares at you. You’re worried about such a silly thing?

“Y/N.” He steps forward, his thumb moving to hold your chin. He tilts your head up, guiding you into a kiss. It’s soft, and loving, and immediately your fingers are twitching against your sides—itching to reach out and hold him.

“You are perfect as you are, and I have never thought otherwise.”

He kisses you again, his free arm moving to curl around your waist and tug you closer. You feel your heart aching in your chest.

“Lucifer—”

“You need not compare yourself to others, because there is no one else like you—and you are radiant in every sense of the word. I give you my word as the Avatar of Pride that what I speak is the absolute truth.”

His voice is quiet, and tender, and full of adoration. You feel like crying.

“I love you,” you whisper the words against him, voice a little broken, and Lucifer smiles before kissing you again. He will try his best from now on to help you feel a little more comfortable in your own skin.

Mammon:

The second brother invites you to Majolish to watch one of his fashion shoots, and you agree despite knowing how self conscious it will make you, because you know it will make him happy.

So, you find yourself standing in the back of the studio, watching Mammon on the temporary set—which is composed of an oversized mattress, and colorful pillows. He’s wearing slacks, and a button up that’s not buttoned at all—revealing his toned body. Since it’s a group shoot, he’s surrounded by equally enticing male and female demons. And while the sight should get you going, considering they’re all so attractive, it just makes you feel...bad.

Biting your lip, a sick feeling rising in your chest, you end up stepping out into the hall. Mammon finds you there soon after, a look of relief on his face when he spots you with your back against the wall—arms hugged together.

“There ya are! I thought you had left!” He runs up to greet you, but his smile wavers. He can tell you’re upset—gaze straying away from him. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He reaches out, hands hovering nervously. Had he done something? “I...if I did something wrong you can tell me...I didn’t mean to upset ya—”

“No, it’s not you,” you mumble, cutting him off. Now he’s even more confused. “I guess...I got upset seeing you and all the models. I know I don’t look anywhere near as attractive, and that thought started to gnaw at me, so—”

“What are ya talking about?” he interrupts you, head cocked to the side curiously. “I think you’re hot as hell.”

You feel your cheeks heat up, surprised at his words. “What?”

“I-I mean!” suddenly he’s turning red, hand lifting to sheepishly rub at his neck. “I’ve never thought that ya weren’t attractive, ya know? Ever since you came here my heart can’t help but flutter whenever I see ya…”

Your heart aches. “Mammon…”

“Listen! I just…,” his shy gaze turns back to you, and he reaches a hand out, cupping your cheek. “I think you’re one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

He leans in, but hesitates for a moment, so you’re the one who ends up sealing the kiss.

“Don’t worry about that kinda crap, okay?” he whispers against you, his arms lowering to wrap around your waist—holding you tightly. “Or else The Great Mammon will have to start knocking some sense into that silly human brain of yours.”

Tears blot your eyelashes, but you can’t help but giggle.

Levi:

You love Levi dearly, but he has an Akuzon addiction that needs to be addressed.

Recently, Akuzon had apparently expanded their clothing options—stocking more cosplay-like pieces—and Levi had thrown them all into his cart without second thought. Now that they’ve arrived, he’s begging you to come over.

Except, he doesn’t tell you why he wants you to come to his room until you’re already there—watching as he unpacks the multiple bags worth of questionable clothing.

“Ooooo~! This one is especially cute!!” He holds up something pastel, and undeniably adorable. You don’t disagree—it is cute, but...as you stare at it, an uncomfortable feeling settles in your stomach.

Can you even pull off something like that? You’re sure Levi is hoping that you’ll look like one of the cute anime characters in his favorite shows, and you don’t want to disappoint him. 

As much as you would love to try on the clothing and model for him, you don’t believe you’ll be able to do the outfits any justice.

“Y/N?” the demon calls your name curiously, noting how you’ve gone silent. You’re no longer paying attention to him, your head hung as you stare off to the side—a perplexed look on your face.

“W-What’s wrong?” Leviathan drops the clothing held in his grap, stepping towards you. He knows that he can get a little overly excited about this stuff, but you’re typically tolerant of it…

“I don’t know if I’m the right person to model for you,” you end up saying, voice quiet. An array of negative feelings are swirling in your head, making it hard for you to say what you want to without vomiting all your worries at him.

“I’m not...built the same as an anime character, or the cute 2-D people in your video games. The clothing won’t look the same on me, and I don’t want to ruin the images you probably have in your head.”

“Y/N—,” he cuts you off, his hand grabbing your own. He lifts your hand until your fingers are splayed against his chest. You can feel the rapid beat of his heart beneath your palm.

When you glance up, his face is flushed.

“I...this is how I get every time I’m around you,” he tells you honestly. “Whether you’re in your RAD outfit, or pajamas, or just a t-shirt and jeans...I...m-my heart always beats l-like this.”

He looks like he’s about to phase out of existence—embarrassed beyond belief with everything he’s currently confessing to you—so you instinctively reach your free hand up and cup his cheek. He leans into your touch, cheeks aflame. 

“I think you’re so cute,” he mumbles, amber eyes staring right at you. “You don’t have to look like Ruri-chan, or anyone else. I...I like you. So, please don’t think those things about yourself...”

“Levi…” There’s adoration in his gaze, and you can’t help but kiss him. 

Beneath your palm, you feel his heart skip a beat. 

Satan: 

The Avatar of Wrath has recently become accustomed to inviting you out on little coffee dates. It’s a chance for both you and him to escape his brothers, and have a space to yourselves where you’ll be able to talk freely.

The cafe the two of you frequent is dark, and cozy, and right up Satan’s alley. So far, all of your experiences there have been pleasant. 

Today, however, the stunningly attractive barista is throwing herself at Satan as he orders your drinks, and a familiar uncomfortable feeling begins rising in your throat.

Just great. 

Chin resting in your palm, you watch the two interact—Satan maintaining his pleasant composure, even when she presses her arms beneath her chest and asks if he wants any company. You see him shake his head, and you assume he mentions that he’s already here with someone, considering the barista’s gaze strays to you. She looks you up and down, an unkind amusement swimming in her eyes, before she turns back to Satan.

...wow. 

You face yourself away, feeling bitter, and anxious as you wait for the fourth brother to return to your side. That assuming he does. You wouldn’t blame him for running off with the Barista—

“Y/N,” two hands reach out and cup your cheeks, guiding your head to the side. You manage to note that Satan is now crouched beside your chair—barista abandoned—before his lips connect with yours.

“I love you. You’re absolutely stunning.”

“Wha—,” you flush red as he pulls back, shocked at his actions. Satan usually isn’t so open about his affections in public. “You...how did you—?”

“I was watching the barista when she glanced past me. The rude, yet satisfied look on her face was telling enough,” he says, a bit of anger slipping into his tone. However, it’s quick to melt away when his gaze refocuses on your blushing cheeks. 

“Just so you know, I think you’re beautiful. I’ve always thought so.” He presses back to his feet, the tips of his ears turning red. “So...don’t mind what others say, and be kind to yourself, okay?”

At a loss for words, you reach your arms out and hug him around the middle. He blinks in surprise, but a chuckle leaves his lips—his hand petting against your hair.

“Do I need to start telling you how much I adore you every day?”

“I might die,” you mumble into his shirt, and he feels his heart ache. He’ll be sure to start expressing his affections for you more often. He doesn’t want you feeling down about the way you look, because he has never given it a second thought. 

In his eyes, you’ve always been perfect.

Asmo:

Asmo is unfortunately stellar at reading your body language. So on the days where your self-confidence and self-image aren’t best, he’s right there, trying to subtly raise your spirits.

Today, when he notices you picking at your food during breakfast, a frown on your face, he knows it’s going to be one of those days. And he doesn’t like seeing you upset. 

So, he invites you to come to his room for a nice, relaxing spa day.

You agree, although it takes a little bit of convincing on his end. 

Soon enough, you find yourself standing in front of Asmo’s outrageously large tub. He’d prepared a milk bath for you—the white, swirling liquid thick, and heavenly smelling. You’re a little nervous to disrobe and sink inside—especially considering your current mental state—but...you end up doing it anyway.

Once you’re shoulder deep into the tub, Asmo knocks on the door, making you jump.

“Are you up for getting a scalp massage?” he questions, peeking his head in. There’s a kind smile on his face. “I’d love to give you one.”

It takes you a moment to answer—your gaze lowering to look at yourself. It’d be impossible for him to see you beneath the milk, so that helps you feel a bit better…

“Okay,” you say, and Asmo is quick to skip inside. He rolls up his pants to his knees, his calves dipping into the bath on either side of your shoulders. A moment later, you feel his fingers rub through your hair, and you can’t help but sigh.

“Feel good?” he questions, and you hum in acknowledgement. Silence falls for a short while—Asmo simply focusing on easing the tension from your body—but he can’t let his thoughts go unheard.

“You know,” he starts by saying. “I don’t understand why you’re so hard on yourself. I think you’re positively stunning.”

“Asmo…”

“No, I really mean it!” he pouts, getting the feeling that you think he’s just saying that to try and make you feel better. “You’re cute, and scrumptious just the way you are! And I’ve always thought so—since the moment I laid my eyes on you when you were summoned by Lord Diavolo for the exchange program. 

“So just...take my word for it, please, and let me be the positive voice in your life when your silly brain is making you think otherwise.”

He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of your head, and his hands move to gently hold your cheeks. After a moment, you reach up and place your hands on his own. Your chest aches at his words, conflicted, but more than anything, you feel grateful.

“Thank you, Asmo.”

“Anytime, darling. I’ll always be more than happy to shower you with the love, praise, and affection that you rightfully deserve.”

Beel: 

Beel loves inviting you to the gym with him, because when he’s done working out, he’s starving, which means it’s a good excuse to go out and have a meal with you.

Most days, sitting on the sidelines at the gym, or hopping on the treadmill and getting a good walk in doesn’t really bother you. Especially because you get to watch Beel as he exercises.

Today, however, you’re feeling entirely too self conscious as you sit on the empty bench press beside the Avatar of Gluttony—watching the way his arms flex as he lifts the heavy weights.

You know that the gym is typically an accepting place—an area where people (or in this case, demons) of any shape and size can come to work out—but you just feel like you don’t belong. Not accompanying Beel, at the very least.

He basically looks like he was handcrafted by god himself (and very well may have been)—his face handsome, and body toned in all of the right places. And here you are, unable to compare to him.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

His voice reaches your ears, and you look up to find him staring at you in concern. You can only guess that you’d had a pretty sour look on your face while you’d been lost in your thoughts.

“It’s...it’s nothing, Beel.” You force a smile, not wanting to burden him with your current emotions. He frowns, regarding you for a moment, before he lets it go.

“Okay, I’m gonna change, and then we’ll go eat.”

“Alright,” you respond, immediately pressing to your feet. You head for the door without saying anything, intending to wait for him outside per usual. 

A few minutes later, Beel exits the gym to find you sitting on a bench nearby. Your leg is bouncing anxiously, gaze zoned on the concrete at your feet.

“What’s wrong?” he questions again, taking a seat beside you. His tone indicates that he won’t be accepting “nothing” for an answer this time. 

You knot your hands together in your lap. “I just...do you ever get embarrassed? Bringing me to the gym with you?”

He blinks. “Embarrassed? Why would I?”

“I don’t know, because I’m...not...up to par with a lot of the demons in there? Or, because you look like that, and I look like this, and—”

“I’m lost,” he cuts you off, looking confused. “Are you saying I should be embarrassed because I’m bringing a cute human with me to the gym? Maybe it is a little weird, considering this is the Devildom, but—”

“No, not just because I’m human. I meant—”

This time, he silences you with a kiss. His large hands cup your cheeks, holding you tenderly.

“I know what you meant, Y/N, but I disagree,” he tells you, uncharacteristically serious as he sits back. Then, a bashful smile spreads on his face. “I actually think you’re really adorable. Anytime I look at you I think of my favorite food. I love you just how you are, and will never feel embarrassed having you at my side. So, you should remember that from now on, okay?”

He reaches over and slots your hands together, tugging you to your feet.

“Now, let’s go get some ice cream.”

Belphie:

Both you and Belphie are aware that one of Belphie’s favorite activities is napping with you. Particularly, with his hands wrapped around you, and his face pressed between your shoulder blades.

Recently, you’ve been passing on all of his invitations to share a nap.

And he’s seriously starting to go crazy.

Had he done something to upset you? You always seem normal whenever you’re talking with him and his brothers, but when he sends a text asking you to come over and nap, you’re either busy, or just don’t feel like it.

Today, he decides to try and bring the nap to you.

He waltzes into your room mid-afternoon—pillows and blankets tucked beneath his arms. Without waiting for a response, he makes his way to your bed and sets everything up, making a perfect little fort for the two of you to nap in.

Once it’s set up, he crawls his way inside and then rolls over, turning to face you. 

You’re stood at the edge of the bed, arm awkwardly held in your grasp. You don’t move to join him. Belphie sighs.

“Did I do something wrong?” he finally asks, wanting to resolve the issue if he has. He can’t take this anymore.

“What? No, it’s not you,” you tell him, surprised to hear his question. The demon blinks at you, now even more confused. If he’s not the reason you’ve been avoiding napping with him, then what is?

He fixes you with a curious stare—letting you know that he won’t be leaving until you tell him the truth—and you sigh. 

“I just...haven’t been feeling too good about myself lately,” you admit to him, eyes glancing off to the side. “And because of that, I started thinking about you holding me when we nap, and ended up getting self conscious, wondering if I felt weird in your arms, or if—”

Before you get the chance to continue, Belphegor is grabbing your wrist—tugging you down against the mattress. With your back facing him, he’s quick to scoot up behind you, his arms wrapping around your midsection like normal.

“I never have cared about looks, or any of that stuff,” he mumbles, giving you a squeeze. “You fit perfectly in my arms, and always will, so don’t overthink it.”

“Belphie…”

“I love you for you, okay? I think you’re cute, and all that jazz. Now don’t make me say it again…”

Sounding embarrassed, Belphegor presses a kiss to the back of your head. You place your arms atop his own, smiling softly.

“Thank you.”

And for the first time in weeks, you fall asleep in his arms.

[thedeliverygod]

Happy 20th anniversary, Kingdom Hearts

I’ve spent many of these anniversaries talking about how much Kingdom Hearts means to me. It’s been the basis of many friendships, both local and across the world. It’s been the inspiration for me to do many things I would normally find myself too shy or anxious to do, such as cosplaying, participating in the Disney College Program, and traveling on my own both by plane and by car to see both iterations of the Orchestra World Tour.

I’ve mentioned this all before, but what I don’t think I’ve ever taken the time to talk about (at least on a public forum) is how much the main character of the series means to me. What Sora means to me.

I was 10 when the first game came out. Naturally, the involvement of Disney caught my eye. But I will say it was also because “Simple & Clean -Planit B Remix-” by Utada Hikaru was extremely catchy, and because Sora and Kairi vaguely reminded me of Sakura and Syaoran from Cardcaptor Sakura, which I was obsessed with at the time. While I didn’t get Kingdom Hearts until April of 2003 for my 11thbirthday, my best friend got it earlier for Christmas of 2002. We had fun playing around Destiny Islands, but honestly were terrible when it came to the boss battle against the Darkside Heartless. Eventually we defeated it and made our way to Traverse Town and a while after that, Deep Jungle. After I got the game on my own and got a handy dandy guidebook, things went a lot smoother from there.

As Sora and Kairi were 14 and Riku was 15 in the first game, I immediately looked up to them as a younger kid. And of course, their dream to build a raft to sail off to other worlds and have an adventure all their own sounded amazing at the time. Sora was especially relatable right off the bat. He was very upbeat, a little lazy, but also very eager to prove himself. The game also did a great job of reminding us that he was just a young boy given an enormous responsibility. He was often shown being homesick, bickering with Donald, and just seeming lost. But despite all this, it was clear he had a clear sense of justice and stuck up for anyone who needed it (stranger or not).

I was devastated when he lost the Keyblade to Riku, as I’m sure most people were. He had worked so hard and had ‘proven’ himself and yet, it wasn’t enough. Worse yet, his best friend was working against him and his new friends, following orders from the King, left his side to “follow the key”. Still, he kept pushing forward.

As the series has gone on through the years, Sora has faced many overwhelming situations like this. And through all odds, he manages to keep going. Despite being a pretty emotional person, the first time I cried during the Kingdom Hearts series was Sora’s speech during Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. “I know the Keyblade didn’t choose me, and I don’t care. I’m proud to be a small part of something bigger—the people it did choose. My friends. They are my power!” Even with all of his hardships, he continues to remain such a selfless person and I can’t explain how much that inspires me.

And of course, the second time I cried (more accurately, I sobbed) was at the end of Kingdom Hearts III. RE: Mind hadn’t come out yet to explain the full story of what exactly Sora went through to save Kairi, all I knew was that he clearly had sacrificed himself in some way and now he was… gone. The secret movie helped a little, but I was devastated. Once again, he had been through so much within the game and I thought he was finally going to be happy when I saw him together with Kairi on the paopu tree, preceded by so many cute beach party scenes from the rest of the cast. But just like that, he vanished literally into thin air, with a crying Kairi left behind.

RE: Mind definitely helped put the pieces together a little more and Melody of Memory showed us that Sora is never really -gone- as the quotes from way back in the first game between Sora and Kairi imply, “Even if we’re apart, we’re not alone anymore, right?” and “Don’t ever forget. Where ever you go, I’m always with you.”.

All this to say, Sora has been in my life for 20 years now and I’m so grateful. He has always encouraged me to be a better person. He’s encouraged me to look on the bright side, even when things seem to be at their darkest. He’s encouraged me to always be the best friend I can be. He’s encouraged me to be myself. He’s encouraged me to keep smiling (after all, this ship runs on happy faces).

After loving Kingdom Hearts so long, cosplaying him numerous times and in various forms, and taking on his name as an internet alias, I pretty much answer to Sora as easily as my own name. No matter how or when this adventure with Kingdom Hearts ends, this series and Sora will always mean everything to me. I want to leave this with the one of the best compliments I’ve ever received, which happened to be when I was cosplaying, “You smile just like Sora”. It meant more to me than that person will ever know.

[uwuwriting]

Shinsou, Dabi and Todoroki w/ midnight snuggles

Request: If you have time, I'd like to request Shinsou, Dabi, and Todoroki reacting to Reader snuggling up to them for warmth one cold night when the heat goes out. - @acedragonarrow614​

Cute cute and cute, I have nothing else to say. I love Todoroki so much I can burst into tears I swear. Love yaa.💖💖💖

rules

warnings:fluff, some suggestive in Dabi’s

Shinsou Hitoshi

-He don’t do sleep.

- “I don’t do sleep kitten...”

- “Yeah and that’s why you look like you’re cosplaying Rocket Raccoon every morning.”

-He looked at you with a dead look on his face.

-You went to make another comment but he silenced you with a kiss and a mumbled ‘get in the bed you dumb girl...’.

-Your turn to look offended. 

-But alas you were both soon under the covers, the heater was on full blast and your hair was the only thing that was outside of the blanket. 

-Your hands were intertwined and you rested your head on his arm. 

- “Goodnight Toshi.”

- “Goodnight kitty.”

-Surprisingly he fell asleep faster than usual. 

-It was your first sleepover and your steady breathing as you drifted off to sleep not only brought a smile to his face but it also lulled him to sleep. 

-Even though you weren’t all snuggled up to him as he saw in the movies he felt so loved, just by the way you gently grasped his hand. 

-It was really late at night when he woke up. 

-He glanced at the clock on his night stand and it read 3:45.

-It was normal for him to wake up during the night so he thought that changing position and maybe bringing you a little closer to his chest would put  him back to sleep.

-When he went to move however he couldn’t.

-There was a weight on his chest that wouldn’t budge and something had trapped his legs on place. 

-Bringing his hand out of the covers to run through his hair , he was hit by a gush of cold air. 

-Why the hell was the room so cold?

-You would get sick. 

-He slightly raised his head and looked over the sized you lump on his chest to the heater, the green light signaling it was working now being a vibrant red. 

-With a sigh he put his hand back under the blanket. 

- “You sure are clingy kitten....”

-He wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

-The way you had wrapped your arms around him and your warmth combined with your heartbeat right above his own, did wonders to his already fluttering heart. 

-He could feel his eyes drooping as the seconds ticked by.

-Hooking his arm over your back he brought you fully on his chest.

-And with a kiss on your forehead he closed his eyes, waiting for his dreams to begin. 

-His dreams of a certain person who was sleeping on his chest. 

- “Love you kitty.”

Dabi

-He knew you were tired.

-I mean who wouldn’t be after what you two did.

-He also knew that you got cold easily and despite his quirk he turned the heater on....just in case he doesn’t want you clinging to him liar.

-Settling under the sheets, you were already fast asleep just one of his hoodies covering you. 

-He was facing your back and if he was being honest with himself he wanted to wrap himself around you and bring you flush to his chest, have you as close as possible. 

-Feel you next to him.

-But he didn’t.

-He had made a promise to himself.

-He would not get attached, it always resulted in him getting hurt. 

-As fun as your midnight meetings are that’s all they were, just meetings. 

-At least that’s what he kept saying to himself trying to convince his mind that no he wasn’t falling in love and yes there were a million other girls like you waiting to spend a night with you. 

-No you weren’t special.

-But as he was drifting off to sleep one of his hands found yours under the warm covers subconsciously lacing your fingers.

-And with that he was off to sleep, his own lies echoing in his head. 

-He woke up in the middle of the night because his nose was ready to fall off due to the cold. 

-The room was freezing. 

-Glancing at the heater on the other side of the room he saw that it had no light.

-He tried finding the clock that rested on one of the shelves somewhere in the room but he was only met with darkness. 

-A power outage. 

-Sighing he laid his head back down and was intending to fall back asleep. 

-Then he sensed the weird weight on his arm and how his chest was overly warm.

-Plus he almost got hair in his mouth. 

-He was on his side and as it seems so were you, arms wrapped tightly around his torso and your head tucked under his chin. 

-His own arms held you close to him, one under your back and another over your shoulder resting on your back. 

-Your feet your entangled and he couldn’t get himself free as much as he tried. 

-You stirred in your sleep, your arms around him tightening ever so slightly.

-You looked so serene, your soft snores echoing in his ears as you nuzzled your nose further into his chest.  

- “After everything I’ve done, you were good to me.”

-Squeezing you gently he leaned back to look at your face. 

- “And I know it’s easier to run from you but....”

-He stopped, kissing your forehead and rested his chin atop your head accepting all of your warmth. 

- “I love you.”

Todoroki Shouto 

-It had been a hard day. 

-Shouto didn’t usually ask if you could stay in his dorm. 

-He didn’t want to over step your boundaries and hurt you. 

-But tonight was different. 

-He had a talk with his father today, an intense talk. 

-And since Endeavor knew about you he brought you up.

-It had ended up in an argument as always but it left a nasty taste in his mouth this time. 

-He didn’t like his father talk about you, you were his and his father had no right to even mention your name. 

-He felt so distressed he didn’t know what to do. 

-He was in his room and his thoughts were eating him up, so that’s why you found yourself here. 

- “I’m sorry for calling you so late I just... I don’t want to be alone.”

-You told him to stay in his chair and you would get everything you needed for your mini sleepover.

-Fast forward five minutes later you were back with snacks and some tea, ready to talk it through if he wanted. 

-When you two were done talking, you were ready to fall under the covers. 

- “Y/N could um...could you wear one of my shirts?”

-And with that you knew he was beyond shaken. 

-Getting up you went to his closet and picked out one of your favorite hoodies and changed into it.

-Smiling at him you lay back down and grab his hand, bringing it to your lips and giving it a gentle kiss before resting it over you heart and closing your eyes. 

-He fell asleep rather quickly.

-The crying he had previously done and your warmth was enough to send into a dreamless slumber. 

-He woke up as the first rays of sun fell through his blinds. 

-The room was cold, even he who has am ice quirk could feel it. 

-Plus your slight trembling as you lay in his arms gave it away. 

-You were pressed closely to his chest, his head resting on your shoulder as both of his hands were entangled with yours. 

-His arms had you trapped in his embrace but you didn’t seem to mind.

-On the contrary when he went to move slightly you pressed yourself further into his chest, a small smile lacing your features. 

-The events of the previous day were immediately erased. 

-His dad, his words about you, his thoughts everything was gone. 

-He was left with just you, here in your little bubble along side him so happy to be in his arms. 

-That’s when he decided.

- ‘This is what home feels like’

TAG TEAM AY:

@brattyquirks​ @the-arcana-fan-fic​ @angelwritings​

[wordsysayswords]

I’m back

TLDR; I’m showing up to class an entire year late with better mental health, brand new fanfiction for a different fandom, and a girlfriend. 

--

Hey, so, I’m back. It’s been a year since I posted here or on Twitter and nearly two years since I posted any fanfiction. I stopped using social media almost entirely during that time because it became an extra layer of stress I really didn’t have the mental energy for.

A lot has changed since I last posted or spoke to you guys. I worked all through the pandemic. I adopted a cat. I got out of a year-long bad roommate situation (the biggest source of my mental and emotional energy drain). I moved into my own place for the first time. Once in a better place both mentally and physically, I got back into writing, both original work and fanfiction. I got my first girlfriend, came out to my extended family, and recently turned 27. And now, I’m making a cautious return to social media. I also started writing fanfiction again and just posted my first work in two years on Ao3.

My amazing girlfriend got me into My Hero Academia, inspiring me to begin writing high school EraserMic fics. I posted my first one today.

Also, now that I’ve returned to writing fanfic, I have been considering polishing and posting some of my many, many RvB fanfic drafts that haven’t seen the light of day, but those plans aren’t solid yet. For now, I’m going to be happy writing my EraserMic fics. If that eventually leads me to returning to Blue Team and Tuckington, I’ll take that as it comes.

My girlfriend’s also prompted me to get back into cosplay—specifically cosplay with my face showing, something I haven’t done in maybe four or five years. For several years, I’ve avoided costumes that showed my face, and those that did I only wore to conventions and didn’t post complete photos of. In fact, I’ve never posted a full picture of my face on this account (or my instagram or twitter). I’m thinking of changing that. I’m not really sure why I was so worried about showing my face; I think I was paranoid about family members seeing and cringe culture in general. But I realized I shouldn’t stop myself from doing things that make me happy just because I’m worried about what others will think. So, I’m going to work on not doing that anymore. 

So, Red vs Blue. This tumblr started as my Red vs Blue blog, and the fandom is where I met so many cool writers and artists and made some great friendships. I’m not leaving RvB behind because I still like the characters and the wonderful works that the fandom has created. But it’s also not my primary fandom anymore. I found a lot of fun media in the time I’ve been gone. I haven’t watched RvB Zero yet, but I also don’t really feel the need to, idk. This blog won’t be changing from an RvB blog to an anime blog overnight or anything; but I’m going to start sharing a bit more multifandom stuff here that I would usually put on one of my many sideblogs. 

So, yeah, that’s where I’m at. I also realized I enjoyed scrolling through my old posts on social media and seeing what I was thinking this time three years ago or talking about funny things that happened that I’d completely forgotten about. It’s kinda like a time capsule. So I’m gonna start posting again so that I can look back on it in the future and compare where I am to where I will be. That’s also why I’m writing this massive post. I look forward to stumbling upon it five years from now, after I’ve forgotten all about writing it. 

Thanks for reading. Sorry I was gone, but now I’m back. I’ll see you around. 

[neonoddeye]

Assigning each Loona member with an anime, Part 1

Hello, long time no see! Since LООПΔ is giving us a comeback (and I adore them), I thought I’d return with something for them :)

DISCLAIMER: These are only anime that I’ve seen, so if you think an anime fits a member better than the one I chose, let me know!

Heejin- Cowboy Bebop

Like the quote below suggests, she’s a strong woman that’s kicked ass the longest in the group! I felt like an action anime would fit Heejin well, and Cowboy Bebop is regarded often as one of the greatest in that genre. It’s had a huge influence in pop culture internationally, and can visually be recognized easily, just like our beautiful center!

Hyunjin- The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

I promise I’m not just giving one of my top 3 anime to my bias lol. Simply, the humor in Saiki K fits her so well. What I love most about Hyunjin is her unique and charming personality; I love the same things about this anime. I don’t watch comedy anime often, but I absolutely fell in love with this one, and I always find myself going back to it. Also, Hyunjin probably has a glow IRL like Teruhashi does bc she’s gorgeous.

Haseul- Your Name

First off, imagine how well “Let me in” would fit into this movie. Like omg, what a beautiful solo with a beautiful anime. Anyway, Haseul deserves a strong, stunning, incredible movie like Your Name. She’s a fantastic leader who has gone through a lot in her career, and has to carry a huge group on her shoulders. This anime is gorgeous yet devastating, set the bar HIGH for romance movies (in my opinion), and made a large impact on many people. Haseul is insanely important to loona as a group, and we don’t know what we’d do without her.

Yeojin- Hunter x Hunter

I am so dead set on this one, no one can convince me otherwise. It’s just perfect for our fun-loving and talented maknae! One thing that really drove me to pick this one was that, like Yeojin, Gon and Killua clearly mature and grow throughout Hunter x Hunter. Given that she’s the youngest member, we’ve gotten to see her turn into a beautiful young woman who never fails to impress me when she’s on stage (like honestly, she’s so underrated come on). Similarly, the main characters in this anime are constantly growing and learning and have been through way too much as children kinda like how Yeojin lost her childhood.

ViVi- Wonder Egg Priority

This anime deserved better. You know who else deserves better? WONG KAHEI FROM LOONA!!! I cannot think about Wonder Egg Priority without remembering its god awful ending, just like how I constantly think about my BIAS NOT GETTING ANY SCREEN TIME OR LINES!!! “Jokes” aside, the little we got from WEP was visually stunning, tragic, and incredible. On top of that, the main girls have it ROUGH; like, this anime is genus only hard to watch sometimes. Need I remind y’all that Vivi arguably had the hardest training period, having released a full Korean solo while STILL LEARNING KOREAN? No one is doing it like her.

Kim Lip- Demon Slayer

I will not lie, Kim Lip was the hardest to give an anime to. I tossed Demon Slayer around to a few members, but I chose it for her due to the impact that both have. I think a lot of orbits can agree with me that Kim Lip single-handedly helped the group rise to fame. A song with NASA? The phrase “Loona is for the gays” coming from Eclipse? Of course I’m giving her one of the most popular anime of our time. Eclipse fancams were as common on Twitter as Nezuko cosplays are at anime conventions. She’s an ace, she’s a great leader (don’t forget how her and Yves stepped up when Haseul was out), and she has a unique and infectious personality! Thank you for your service, Kim Lip.

Sorry for making it a 2-parter, but I wanted 2 pictures for each member, and Tumblr wouldn’t let me :(

[pdalicedraws]

[opens tumblr briefly to make this post and then fucks off again to avoid TOH finale spoilers]

So I’m at the con right now. I’m in the Artists’ Alley, where I spend most of my time at cons because I love looking at people’s artwork and getting a few new posters for my wall every year. (Well, it used to be every year; this is the first in-person con I’ve been to since 2019 and I’ve missed it a lot. I’m very glad people  are being conscientious about masking, and I watched someone get turned away at the door for not having their booster shot, so I’m not really feeling in any more danger than I am on campus. Which is to say I’m still a little nervous but also aware that so long as I’m careful I will probably be fine, knock wood.)

It’s weird. I’m so out of the loop on a lot of things. There’s so many anime that have a strong presence at the con (both in cosplays and on people’s art tables) that I’ve just never heard of. I would have thought there would be a ton of Owl House, given how popular it is right now, but I’ve only found a very few things, only one of which appealed to me enough to purchase. I might go back for that cute keychain of Eda holding King, it’s just a bit long so I’m not sure how I’d use it. 

I also expected a decent amount of Infinity Train, given how popular it is, how beloved and highly rated, but I haven’t seen any. I really wanted some posters for my wall! There’s nothing! A few people have recognized my Amelia Hughes cosplay, and a few more have just pointed at me and gone “Oh, Infinity Train!” or in one case “Conductor!” but still. It’s odd. 

The reason this ramble is going on my art blog, though, is that I keep looking at the artists who have booths here and feeling so conflicted. They’re so damn good. The vast majority of them are so damn good. 

(Not entirely relevant, but I could swear there’s a higher proportion of boobyass-artists this year than there usually is. No shade to the boobyass, nothing wrong with being horny, but bc I don’t want that kind of thing on my wall it means I keep looking at booths like “oh those colours are nice— woah that’s a lot of titty, woah she sure is bending over away from the camera in skimpy skivvies, oh dear”)

But the point here is that I don’t know how to take it, I don’t know how to handle it. I’m never going to be good enough of an artist to sell prints even online, much less as good as these folks, and I’m usually fine with that, you know? I draw to have fun, myself, and to get my dumb jokes out, and to illustrate my song associations, and to sometimes make something I find fairly pretty. I’m usually fine with that. It’s not my career path, I’m a writer, that’s the way I’m going, that’s the thing I’m actually good at. But at the same time I see these people and I think “what if I could, what if I did, what if I did a ton of TOH and IT and Utena and fairytale and SU posters, I could even have a Cain Saga one off to the corner for old goth nerds like me, what if I was actually good at this?”

But I’m not going to be good at it— I’ve been drawing consistently as long as I can remember, and I’m nearly thirty, and if I chose to make it a full time job I could probably get decently competent but I can’t, I’m in college and I’m a writer and I’m exhausted. 

So it’s giving me this very weird kind of inspiration, where on the one hand I’m having all these ideas of things to draw, the Posters I Would Make, but on the other hand I’m aware enough of my lack of skill that it’s immobilizing. 

I’ll get over it. It’s just weird right now. 

[agenderelf]

Something a bit different today. So, I started working on making a cosplay of Mollymauk Tealeaf from Critical Role waaaay back last year when lockdown was first put into place here in NZ. I’ve been very slowly working on embroidering the jacket on and off and lately, since I’ve finished the university course I was doing abs am only working part-time, I really got into it. I got in to a routine of sitting in my living room and watching campaign 1 of CR while I worked on it, sometimes joined by my cat.

Well, I finally finished all the embroidery! Now, it’s my no means perfect, this was my first real attempt at embroidery after all, but I am supper happy with how it turned out! It’s very hard to get a picture of it all together, I had to stand on a chair, but I also took some closer shots of the different parts and some of my favourite little Easter eggs.

I had some fun with adding various magical symbols, especially on the hood. I tried to stick to things that fit the style that we see in the official character art, and some things that are mentioned throughout the series like the symbol for the platinum dragon abs the moon weaver.

I also really love how the raven skull and spider came out on this part, I tried to make the two sides go together but not totally match.

I put a lot of love and time into this project, and it’s honestly really helped me through a particularly rough time. I’m actually sort of sad it’s done? Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing to see it come together finally, but having the simple, repetitive motion of embroidering was really nice and a good way to pass the day. Now that NZ has gone back into full lockdown, it’s a bit of a bad time to have nothing to do. I actually planned to go out and get what I needed to actually finish the jacket (fabric for the lining, paint ect.) the day before lockdown hit, and since I’m in Wellington I don’t think the craft store will be open any time soon…

Nevertheless, I really love this project and I’m excited to finally share it! I’ve already got the fabric for the green stripes across the bottom and the moon parts too, so they’ll probably be what I work on next! Of course, I might end up going back abs adding more to the jacket, but for now I’m satisfied!