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mlqueen89 · 2 months ago

Text

One | Flyboy

so cross your thoughtless heart she's the albatross she is here to destroy you

The Albatross by Taylor Swift | TTPD |

pairing: jake “hangman” seresin x f!oc (top gun: maverick)

rating: 18+ (minors dni)

w a r n i n gs : smut, mentions of masturbation, oral (f receiving), fingering, p in v sex, multiple orgasms, one-night stand, jake being a cocky, self-assured man who leaves no crumbs after he eats.

word count: 8,997

summary: in affairs of the heart, eleanor rigby has one strict rule: no pilots. Less than 24 hours back in the US, she breaks it.

A/N: this whole entire fic literally started with the (full) name of eleanor. i also have a radar tech in the family, so that helped a bit. snowball met a steep hill and picked up speed. i've planned for ~10(ish) chapters, but it may be open ended with a few more random scenes/chapters here and there.

proud to say that this one was beta read by my bestest friend, so you know she was mean to me helpful.

also! i saw the asks - super excited to dive into those, tysm. ♡♡

❥ playlist ♡ masterlist ♡ taglist ♡ next chapter ❥

Eleanor Rigby hadn’t wanted to go to the Halloween party, not really.

The boxes stacked in the spare bedroom of her friend Nicole’s four-bedroom house desperately needed unpacking and the 10-hour time change from Western Turkey to San Diego was kicking her ass. She’d done about as much unpacking as was required to find a suitable outfit for her new job in the morning, folded them carefully and set them out.

When Nicole had invited her out, Ellie had fallen asleep, mid-unpack of the rest of her belongings, waking only when the bubbly blonde burst into the room and jumped onto the foot of her bed, dressed in all her glory as Barbie.

“Ellie does San Diego! Let’s goooo.” Nicole tugged at Ellie’s arm as Yanique flicked on the light in the ensuite, reapplying a purple-ish shade of lipstick as Ellie blinked against the sudden light in her dim room, her arm jiggled aggressively by an enthusiastic Nic.

Bleary-eyed, her voice just a croak, Ellie politely declined, muttering something about starting her new job early the next morning and making a good impression. Nicole eventually relented with a huff and left, a little less than impressed, with their other two roommates, Yan and Sophie, in tow.

Within 45 minutes, her phone buzzing against the hardtop of the nightstand, the voice messages started flowing in.

Nicole’s first voice message was short, 12 seconds. Ellie’s thumb jabbed at the play button as she gathered the dishes from her girl dinner of toast and coffee and used her elbow to push down on the paddle door handle, making her way to the shared kitchen.

Ellieeeeeeee... Eleanor Rigbyyyyyy ....

There was a dull thud of base in the background somewhere, behind the long, pronounced whine of Nicole’s voice as she sang the beginning of her namesake Beatles song, horribly off-key.

Ellie, please you have to come out. It’s Halloween, the most magical night of the year! Just make an appearance. An hour, tops. Please?

Ellie moved through the kitchen, rinsing out her cup and placing it on the drying rack. Her head was in the fridge, scrounging around for an apple in the crisper drawer, when the next three messages came in.

Please, pretty, pretty, pretty, please with like, a million cherries on top, even though I know you hate cherries.

Bradley’s not here yet, Yan already left with a weird guy in a Frankenstein costume—do we know what kink that is? That has to be a kink, right? I’m not kink shaming though, I promise. He was just like... weird. Do you think I should get her to drop her location? Like, just in case?

Soph is requesting Chappell Roan for the like, twentieth time, and I think she’s going to start a fight with the DJ about being an anti-feminist incel if he doesn’t play “HOT TO GO!” again... did you know that she broke up with that witch, wiccan girl from Hinge? HingeWitch? The one that had that study of cheeses in her bio, that blue cheese description—Ellie thought she heard Nicole pause to gag—anyway, I think she thinks she got cursed or something...

The voice message cut off even though Nicole’s tone suggested that she wasn’t finished talking about Sophie’s ex.

There was a garbled message in between the last one and the next, one in which Ellie could hear Nicole begging the DJ not to leave and promising to talk to her friend about the excessive requests for Chappell Roan.

Don’t abandon me in my time of need, El. Desperate need. Like, jumping off of very tall somethings desperacy.

Ellie smirked. Nicole, her very best friend in the whole wide world, quite possibly the vast universe, was, in fact, very dramatic.

Quickly, before another voice message could roll in, Ellie hit record on her own before she bit into her apple, wrestling the third box out of a teetering tower of boxes in the corner of her room and hit send.

Fine. I’ll be there in twenty.

The response pinged back quickly.

Ohmygodohmygod, thank you! Remember, the theme is Icons through the Ages!

Wear something sexy. Iconic sexy. Iconically sexy? But not Hawaiian Barbie. Or whatever Soph is dressed up as. I want to say is either Frida Kahalo or Mama Imelda from Coco. Basically, avoid anything with a Mexican gothic vibe.

Once Ellie had managed to pull her vintage leather aviator jacket from the box, the one she’d mislabeled in her hurry to pack everything up, the rest of her costume came together fairly quickly.

When she found the venue, a small bar off a main street, she still had around 30 seconds to spare on her twenty-minute promise to Nic.

Eleanor had always known that Nicole was popular, but the Halloween party, a party which Nicole had demurely announced was just “a small thing” with “a few work friends” was in actuality, not quite a small thing.

Weaving her way through the crowd, Ellie scanned the room, trying to pick out the hot pink of Nicole’s costume or the flower crown Sophie had carefully woven into her voluminous red hair.

Squeezing her way through a group of Spanish Conquistadors (notably with less armour and more exposed skin than was historically accurate) Ellie paused short of the small DJ booth in the corner of the bar, her eyes still scanning for Nicole when her eyes fell on him.

Sandy blonde hair peeked out from under a neon sweatband, shoulders stocky and solid in a sleeveless denim vest over a t-shirt that read, No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem. The white sneakers, short shorts, and that unmistakable lanky sway to the beat of Footloose pumping through the venue that could only belong to one person.

It was Ken.

Specifically, the Ken to Nicole’s Barbie.

“Bradshaw?” Ellie called, squinting.

Ken spun around with the beat of the song, a lopsided grin already on his lips as he faced her. “Holy shit, Rigsy?” Swiftly, Bradley Bradshaw was over to her, scooping Ellie off her feet, squeezing her tightly in a bear hug, shaking her frame slightly with a growl, before she groaned and he set her back down, feather light.

“You didn’t say you were back stateside.”

“My flight got in last night.” Ellie shrugged, straightening her jacket and adjusting the thin white scarf around her neck, “Just wanted to surprise you, Rooster.”

“Well, damn it,” Bradley nodded in approval, all dimples and easy charm, “colour me surprised.”

It was no wonder Nicole had fallen for him, head over Barbie heels. Even Ellie liked him, and that was saying something.

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw was less pilot and more golden retriever, a good heart wrapped in an all-American charm with an easygoing, dopey grin that made people feel like they’d known him for years. He was the kind of guy who’d lend you his jacket and forget to ask for it back or show up at your door with takeout and Sleepless in Seattle cued up on a streaming service he had to pay an arm and a leg for, because he “just had a feeling.” The Batman who responded to the Emotional Needs and Mercury Retrograde Bat Signal™. The hero the people deserved. Ellie was pretty sure she caught him watching videos of a baby hippo getting into shenanigans at a zoo in China on loop for 14 minutes while Nic tried to pick an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians that would really pique his interest and get him invested enough to make it his “new Roman Empire”.

Ellie remembered the night Nicole and Bradley had met with perfect clarity.

Nicole had been in the middle of swearing off all men for the foreseeable future, her voice thick with the brand of determination that came with a prosecco-fueled resolution. Ellie had watched as her friend declare a new era of singlehood and Taylor Swift before turning to Sophie, slurring out a request for “gorgeous, single women willing to humor an experimental phase.”

It wasn’t two minutes later that Nicole lurched forward, losing all her resolve—and her prosecco—in a sudden, graceless bout with the sidewalk.

As Ellie rubbed her back and tried to get her standing, a group of pilots had come down the street—Bradley Bradshaw among them, flanked by two others they’d later get to know as Phoenix and Bob. Bradley had been the one to stop, eyes quickly scanning the situation, assessing and then moving in with expert precision. He’d peeled off his jacket immediately, holding it out to Nicole as she moaned her embarrassment and weakly gestured at the puddle of what had once been bubbly and appetizers a few feet away.

“It’s okay,” Bradley had told her, voice soft and reassuring. “If you throw up on this one, I’ll just get another jacket tomorrow.” When she’d protested, he’d grinned, shrugging in that effortless way of his. “Honestly, they just give these jackets to anyone,” he’d joked, as if he hadn’t spent years earning the right to wear it and every single patch stitched on it.

Nicole had blinked up at him, mascara smudged, his jacket draped over her shoulders, looking at him like he was some knight out of one of the many cheesy rom-coms she loved. And for once, Ellie hadn’t blamed her for it.

That night, Bradley Bradshaw had seen her best friend at her worst and treated her like she was worth sticking around for.

And that was Rooster in a nutshell—a steady warmth that lingered long after he was gone, the guy who would do just about anything to make Nicole smile, including, but not limited to, dressing up in the ridiculous costume he was currently wearing.

Nudging her, Rooster grinned. “So,” he drawled, “does this mean I finally get the best friend stamp of approval?”

Ellie rolled her eyes, feigning a reluctant sigh, but she couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. She didn’t want to tell him that she’d approved of him long before now. “Don’t let it go to your head, Bradshaw.”

“Too late,” he laughed, mimicking his head expanding dramatically before throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Already there.”

Rooster grabbed his drink off the small table bordering the dance floor, draining the glass. “Love the costume, by the way," he sucked his teeth against the burn of the whiskey he’d downed, “I’ve not seen one Amelia Earhart here.” He craned his neck, searching in the dimly lit room.

“You think the goggles are too much?” Ellie adjusted the strap on her head, pushing a loose strand of hair up underneath the band. “I think they might be cutting off circulation to my brain..."

“An aviator is only as good as their headgear,” Rooster tapped the top of his head. “You’re just missing your call sign.”

“Guess you must not be a very good one, then.” Ellie smirked, snapping the neon sweatband on his head with a laugh.

Rooster levelled her with a narrowed gaze, but there was no heat behind it, “one day someone is going to love that you’re kind of mean.”

“Sorry, Bradshaw—” Ellie pointed at her ears, shrugging as she stepped back, a smirk on her lips, retreating into the crowd “—I can’t hear you.”

Rooster flipped her off, in an affectionate way, she assumed. “Sit and circumnavigate, Rigby.”

With another laugh, Ellie turned and set her sights on the bar, squeezing her way through a grouping of zombies and a Michonne, who stood shoulder to shoulder with a Negan, complete with Lucille, tugging her scarf out of Zombie #1s grasp on the other side.

The last tug, sharp and forceful, sent her stumbling over the tattered chiffon hem of the La Llorona’s dress at her back.

Ellie braced for the rough landing as she attempted and failed to steady herself. She felt the fall in her stomach, the way it pitched as gravity pulled her down. She figured it served her right, the swift intervention of karma coming for her after she’d insulted its favourite pilot — Rooster was going to have an absolute field day over this.

Ellie had been so lost in the idea of bracing for the impact of the ground, hard and sticky, she didn’t notice that she hadn’t fallen until she looked up and saw a lopsided smirk and green eyes, looking down at her. The realization there were hands hooked under her arms, holding her up came quickly after.

“And here I was thinkin’ that Amelia Earhart had a reputation of staying upright.” The man was all smirk, dimples ghosting his cheeks, as Ellie blinked up at him, processing the situation.

“Guess I’m overdue for a refresher course on emergency landings.” Ellie cleared her throat, righting herself with his help before she tugged her bomber jacket back into place.

When she glanced up from her improved angle, Ellie could see just how striking he was—sharp jaw, confident eyes, and a natural swagger that suggested he knew it, suggested he knew women sized him up in more ways than one.

“What are you drinking, Amelia?”

“Nothing, yet.”

“Let’s fix that, shall we?”

The music pumped anew, the DJ spinning a Thriller remix, as she approached the bar, the presence of the man at her back as she weaved her way through the crowd. She could feel the hover of his hand at her lower back, ready to catch her if she took another tumble. She hadn’t been expecting much from the night—just a few drinks, maybe some small talk with Nic, a short discussion with Sophie on Chappell Roan’s representation of duality in the midwestern identity to prove that she’d come out and spent the appropriate amount of time there. But as she took the beer the bartender slid her way and the man leaned against the bar next to her, she couldn’t help but smile. She definitely hadn’t been expecting this.

“Let me guess,” Ellie’s eyes scanned his costume then, taking a moment to take stock. Carefully, she scanned the skull patch, dagger in its teeth, VFA-151 stitched in below, the chevrons, patches, carefully piecing the images and small details of his costume together before she replied, eyebrow raised, “you’re a pilot—” she paused to sip her drink, her eyes falling on the patch on his bicep, “—Navy.”

A grin pulled up the corner of his mouth as he gave her a slow once-over, a scan he didn’t bother to hide, before he leaned casually against the bar beside her. “Hangman,” he said with a smirk, and Ellie’s eyes dipped to the patch on his chest, the golden wings stitched above the call sign. “Best pilot you’ll ever meet.”

She tilted her head, gaze sliding from his call sign back up to his face. “Best pilot, huh?” She gave him a once-over that was part skepticism, part intrigue. “You Navy guys really know how to sell it.”

Ellie leaned into the bit hard. Tonight, she was Amelia, and he was Hangman, the name stitched into hundreds, if not thousands, of storebought costumes. If she were Navy, she might have been insulted.

If he heard the skepticism in her tone, he ignored it and chuckled, not breaking eye contact as he matched her smirk. “Only because it’s true. Besides,” he said, letting his voice drop lower, “don’t have to sell anything when you’ve got it all.”

Ellie raised an eyebrow, meeting his challenge head-on. “Big words for someone who still hasn’t proven a thing.”

“Oh, don’t worry, darlin’,” he drawled, leaning in just close enough to lower his voice to a rumble, “I’m very good at proving myself.”

She laughed softly, a glint in her eyes as she set her drink down. “Okay then, why don’t you start with this—” Ellie leaned in, her finger tapped lightly on the golden wings over his heart, her touch lingering. “Explain why they call you Hangman.”

She waited, waited to see if he’d squirm, held his gaze and paused for the story that was sure to come. Some feeble attempt at role playing for an unpracticed character, just a call sign with no real bite, no real story.

He smirked, clearly used to that question but still savoring her attention. “I’ll leave that for you to figure out,” he teased, straightening, “after all, you strike me as a curious type. And I’d hate to ruin the mystery.”

Ellie chuckled, leaning back as she looked him over. That was his game, wasn’t it? A tennis match, a steady volley and lob. Two could play at that game. “Maybe I’ll get bored before I do.” Ellie added a shrug to punctuate her words for effect.

“Somehow, I don’t think so.” His voice held a hint of challenge, his gaze lingering, his grin lazy but sharp. He straightened up, hand resting on the bar, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

“Guess we’ll see,” she murmured, lifting her drink to her lips, her gaze unwavering as she took another sip. She looked away for just a second, but not before she caught his confident grin widening.

“Believe me,” he said with that maddening confidence of his as he leaned in, so close that his voice was low, the heat of his words warming the shell of her ear, “I’ve got plenty of ways to keep you entertained.”

Ellie had barely unlocked the front door to Nicole’s place when he was on her, his hands on her hips as he pressed her into the wall at the bottom of the stairs. He kissed her like a man starved, his fingers reaching up to tangle in her hair at the base of her neck, anchoring her to him.

This was the culmination of the barely veiled innuendos, the heavy-handed flirting that had gone on all evening.

When he’d slipped out of the bar and onto the street with her, Ellie knew what would happen. He knew what would happen. She could tell in the way his eyes raked over her, all want, pupils blown wide. He wanted her and she wasn’t shy to admit, maybe not out loud, but to herself, that she wanted him too.

“Maybe we should—” Ellie’s breath was uneven, her mouth missing his the moment they broke apart, just long enough for her to tip her head in the direction of the stairs.

“Yeah—” his reply was equally breathy, his eyes on her lips even as she spoke, his tongue jutting out to whet his lips. A thrill shot through her, one that dipped low and pulsed between her legs.

She was wet already, she could feel the slickness of herself, the material of her panties weighted with the evidence. In response, in a swift motion, he picked her up and Ellie instinctively spread her legs so that they framed his waist, her ankles locking at his low back. Ellie didn’t need to be told, she gripped him with her thighs, squeezing tight as he chuckled.

“Good girl,” he smirked against her mouth before he kissed her again, deeply, his tongue pushing inside to taste hers.

When they reached the top of the stairs, she broke from him only just long enough to give directions to her room in as few words as humanly possible, reaching out to grip the door frame of her room as he carried her down the hall and almost walked past it.

Shutting the door behind them with his foot, he wasted no time in pressing her up against the wall. His fingers worried the buttons, slipped each from their place, starting from the bottom up as Ellie took her bomber jacket off, tossing it and the goggles to the floor before she joined him in working on the buttons from top down.

“So many—” his breath came out with an edge of frustration and Ellie gave up on her buttons to tug the zip of his flight suit down to where her hips met his waist.

“Just rip it,” Ellie huffed out, voice unsteady as his lips dipped to her neck, teeth grazing the spot where her collarbone met the base of her throat. One less thing between his mouth and her skin warranted the sacrifice of a shirt.

He didn’t waste time, didn’t question and the sudden coolness on her skin and the sound of the buttons hitting the floor, scattered, had her grinning. She liked a man who followed orders. “You owe me a new shirt, Captain.”

“Lieutenant,” his voice rumbled into her skin, making quick work of her bra next. By the time it hit the floor to join the other articles of clothing, his hands were on her breasts, teasing her nipples, every pinch and pressure, every touch of his lips, every nip of his teeth sending surges of raw pleasure pulsing down.

Ellie hated the way he ripped the sounds, raw, unabashed, desperate, from her. Hated how she’d folded under his smooth charm — she could have stopped it, could have said good night and left him at her door. Touched herself, alone, in bed, thinking about the way he’d been so eager to prove he was the best, picture how his touch would have felt, how he would have filled her as she coaxed herself over the edge and leave it at that.

But she hadn’t, she’d wanted him —she’d own that. She wanted him to fuck her stupid. She could feel him, the hard outline of his cock pressing against her as he held her to him.

“Easy, darlin’,” he chuckled lowly, rough around the edges as she shifted, reaching to touch him over top the Nomex. “We haven’t even started yet….”

He was across to her bed in a few easy strides, carefully setting her back so that she sank into the pillows, his hand lingering at her waist as he leaned over her, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. His gaze held hers, steady and unhurried, as he let his fingers trace lightly over the edge of her jaw, his index finger coming to rest under her chin, his thumb smudging her bottom lip.

As his thumb traced her lip, smudging her lipstick, she caught his hand and pulled his index finger into her mouth, closing her lips around the digit, tongue tracing purposeful patterns as she slowly dragged it out. Her eyes never leaving his as he huffed out a heavy breath, a thrill running through her.

“You should know that I have a rule, sweetheart.” He murmured, leaning over her so that his arms framed her, so close that his nose brushed hers as he spoke, his voice low, deep, edged by the hard edge of desire. “Ladies first.”

Her pants were off quickly, leaving her in nothing but a whisp of material separating her from the man who wanted all of her. She heard the jingle of dog tags as he lifted the white shirt that had been under the flight suit over his head and abandoned it.

Before she could sit up to see him, stripped down to his boxers, he was back on her, lower.

Softly, he kissed her inner ankle, the next kiss trailing higher, her calf, another on the inside of her knee and the next, on her inner thigh, so close to where she wanted him, she was sure he could feel the heat radiating from her core.

She was a wreck, a hot, wet wreck and she was barely holding onto the part of her that was ready to beg him to touch her. The part of her that wanted all of him in a way that was driving her mad every moment he wasn’t touching her.

“What do you want?” His voice was steady, measured as he touched her over her panties, his rough fingers brushing over the dampened spot of the material. The sound that left his lips, a quiet hissing intake of breath, told her he knew what he was doing to her, knew that he had her right where he wanted her.

In response, Ellie writhed, sensitive to even the smallest brush and despite herself, a small moan left her lips, one she couldn’t have contained even if she had wanted to. What was the question again?

He moved up from the altar between her legs, nipping a sensitive spot on her side where her ribs ended before he remedied it with a soft kiss, blazing a trail up her body with his mouth. Carefully, holding himself just above her, he bent to tease her nipple with his tongue, whetting the already hard peak, before he closed his lips around one and then moved to the other.

Ellie was barely holding on, her vision edged with haze as he looked up to finally locked eyes with her. If he kept it up at this rate, he wouldn’t even need to fuck her.

“What do you want?” His voice was husky, his body propped up over her as Ellie tried to order her thoughts, process them into coherent words. “You going to tell me or am I going to have to guess?”

She could feel him against her thigh, hard, ready, the thin material of his boxers the only thing between her and all of him. There was some small satisfaction, a thrill that swept through her and coiled low in her stomach, that there was a part of him he was barely controlling a part of him that wanted to be inside of her now. The wet spot of precum on his underwear ghosted against her bare skin and she swore she could feel him twitch.

Hangman, she’d asked at the bar, explain why they call you Hangman.

Mystery solved.

“I want—” she started, barely a whisper as he kissed the corner of her mouth, kissed her jawline, his fingers slipping under the top waistband of her panties as he continued to nip at the most sensitive spots on her neck.

“You want…?” He prompted, waiting, even as his hand slipped lower, slow, calculated.

“I want you to—,” Ellie lifted her head and muffled her moan into his shoulder as his fingers found her slick clit, massaging lazy circles, steady, calm, “Mmm.” Her nails bit into the muscles on his back as her head fell to the pillow, arching into his touch.

“Guess, it is then.” He murmured, that infuriating smirk in his words as he pulled his hand away from her slick, stopping the steady rhythm she’d just gotten used to. She whined after the loss, but he didn’t give her much time to mourn before he was down between her legs again, his fingers dragging her panties off.

Swiftly, he pulled her to the bottom of the bed, throwing her legs over his shoulders. Ellie gasped, her hips bucking up into his tongue as he swept it up through her folds. Calmly, as she inched closer to unravelling completely, ascending the slope at dizzying speed, he gripped her hips, controlling her movements as she pressed down against his mouth.

She could feel the pressure building with every expert movement of his tongue over her, through her. Reaching down, she combed her fingers through his hair, gripped into it and tugged him over, directing him to her need.

“Oh, god….” Ellie whined, the words just barely words as they dissolved into a moan, her free hand gripping the mess of sheets underneath her.

“Hangman’s fine, gorgeous.” The response was quick, cocky. The response of a man who knew exactly what he was doing to her and taking his time.

“Wait,” Ellie’s hips chased after his mouth, a groan on her lips as she threw her arm across her eyes. “Don’t stop—.”

He was torturing her now, bringing her just to the edge and then allowing her to come down just enough to bring her back up again. He was fucking good and he knew it. It was going to drive her insane with want.

“You have to say please, sweetheart,” he murmured, the heat of his breath on her inner thigh almost too much, carefully, he touched her with his thumb, a light pressure as he teased her. Ellie could hear the smirk in his words.

Words. What were words? Ellie's mind was short-circuiting. Short-circuited, past tense. Already gone. Wires crossed— leads jammed in the wrong place, signals crossed.

She hadn’t wanted to fall apart under his touch so easily, she'd wanted to seem like she wasn’t desperate for him, but his touch was a warm fire on a cold night.

“Ple—fuck,” Ellie moaned, her words dragged out, long and torturous as she felt his thick fingers slip inside her, slow and deliberate.

She didn’t even know his real name, wasn’t even sure if she could manage to say it even if she did. He was undoing her carefully, piece by piece, sensation by sensation, she was malleable under his touch.

“What was that darlin’?”

Ellie might have been embarrassed at the squelch of her wetness as his fingers stroked in and out, excruciatingly measured, but she couldn't think about anything. Just the way he filled her while still leaving her wanting more, more, more.

“Please—” her nerves crackled like livewires as she moaned, her hips moving against his fingers with each stroke, her movements almost involuntary, the wild need in her chasing the high, just out of reach.

“Well, since you asked so nicely…” his voice was husky, lower now. He gripped her hip, holding her, steadying her rhythm before he added another thick finger, three deep in her now, his thumb moving in circles around her swollen clit.

“Jesus,” he breathed, taking a moment before his mouth dipped to her hot center, alternating between sucking and the slow caressing tip of his tongue, creating just the right amount of excruciatingly perfect sensation, his fingers stroking and curling inside her. “You're so tight, sweetheart. Might not—”

He might not fit. She finished his words in her mind, a secondary thought, one that made her mad with want.

She breathed through the sensations, jolted and writhed as his pumping digits searched for the spot that made her see stars. She felt drunk, high, soaring, just on the edge of release, her muscles aching to reach the peak before she tumbled over, completely undone.

When she finally broke, her back arching off the mattress, her hips grinding harder into his hand, she moaned into her forearm to muffle the sound.

That air of self–assured cockiness he carried himself with at the bar, the swagger. It was all well–earned, she was coming to realize. Pun intended.

“You know what they call a pilot with at least five confirmed air-to-air kills?” His voice was low as he drew his fingers from her, slipping his arm behind her still arched back as he leaned over her, his heavy cock pressing up against her throbbing pussy through his boxers, hard, ready.

She was hyper aware that she still wanted him, inside her, filling her, spreading her to her limit in a unique mix of pleasure and pain.

“Hmm—Ace?” Ellie’s mind was still hazy, vignetted around the edges as her heart hammered against her ribs.

It happened in a moment, a quick change of position, as he lifted and turned, positioning himself under her so she straddled him. Smooth and calculated, precise and fast, an expert maneuver.

Ellie could feel her bare wetness against him, her hands bracing on his chest, feeling the defined muscles beneath her touch. In the dim light of the room, she could see the glint of his dog tags hanging off to the side, a small detail of his costume she wished she might have looked at before, in the bar.

“Ace.” He smirked up at her before he shifted her hips up and he pulled her down over his face.

Ellie gripped the steering wheel tightly, the worn pleather creaking under her hands as she leaned forward and angled the rearview mirror sharply so she could get a better look.

“Fuck,” Ellie hissed, her fingers hovering just over the purple mark on her neck, just above her collarbone. How she hadn’t noticed it in the mirror this morning, she wasn’t quite sure.

“Seriously? A fucking hickey?” She was already digging around in her purse as she huffed, her fingers blindly searching for the concealer she knew wouldn’t be there because she could see it in her mind’s eye, sitting on the edge of the porcelain countertop in her ensuite bathroom. “Are we fourteen?”

This was definitely topping her list of things she didn’t need her first day on a new job site, especially not Miramar.

When Ellie had woken up that morning, the sun barely peeking through the half-shut blinds, she wasn’t surprised that she was alone in bed. There was no note, no forgotten sock, no evidence, save for the dull ache between her legs and a tender, purple love bite on the inside of her right thigh as evidence that last night had even happened.

That was what one-night stands were though, right? One night.

Even under the hot stream of water from the shower in the ensuite though, Ellie closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift back, only shaking herself from the thought of him when the alarm from her phone buzzed it right off the counter.

Groaning, Ellie blew out a noisy breath, abandoning the purse search when she found nothing other than a stray mint.

Guess today was going to be a hair down kind of day.

It wasn't the look she normally felt comfortable with on military bases with all the formality of rank and protocol, but she was a civilian contractor, it was unlikely anyone would notice. Hair down was better than the talk that might follow her around if anyone saw the mark on her neck.

Sighing, Ellie pulled the pins out of the bun she’d spent her morning perfecting and allowed her hair, dark, still damp and wavy from the shower, to fall around her shoulders. Carefully, she pulled the tresses forward, over the rouged mark on her skin, peeking just out from under the collar of her white blouse.

It wasn’t the best, but it would have to do in a pinch. She made a quick mental note to head off base on break to stop at a CVS to grab some concealer before she twisted the rearview mirror back into place.

Tony Cudmore, the Crew Staffing Supervisor she had been coordinating with solely through email before now, was already waiting for her just outside the gates, his eyes on his wristwatch as Ellie approached. “Rigby, glad to have you on board. Heard we snagged you from your work on base in Turkey.”

“Yeah, well. When Uncle Sam comes knocking, right?” Ellie snagged a tress of her hair as it lifted from her shoulder in the wind, carefully patting it back into place.

“Don’t I know it,” Tony chuckled, his white, push broom straight moustache blustering as he waved at the officer stationed in the booth by the gate before he scanned his security pass. “How’s your old man?”

“Ah, you know the type, Tony.”

Ellie had perfected the art of sidestepping questions about her dad and Tony didn’t push further, seemingly content with the non-answer.

As they reached the security clearance office, Tony slid a few documents under the glass and Ellie stepped up in front of a camera, the flash going off quickly before she had a chance to adjust.

Whoever thought DMV photos were bad had clearly never had their photo taken by a Naval Officer a few months away from retirement.

“Given name?” The man behind the glass murmured, so low that Ellie had to strain and lean toward the hole at the bottom of the glass to hear him.

“Eleanor.”

“We have a lot of work here that could really benefit from your expertise. The boys are flying Super Hornets nowadays, so the tech is good, but the improvements from your research could really give ‛em the edge.” Tony continued at her side, distractedly flipping through emails on his phone as he waited, “Now of course, those Super Hornets are far and away from the Tomcats your dad would have been flying in his heyday here, let me tell you….”

“Surname?”

“Neven - but you can just put Rigby.” It was Ellie’s turn to murmur now, edging closer to the slot in the glass, her voice just loud enough to be heard over Tony’s absent chatter behind her.

The Security Officer paused, fanning out Ellie’s passport and glancing up at her for a moment, eyebrow raised before he punched something into the computer. She offered him a tight smile a beat too late.

When the man slid her the newly printed security pass, Ellie’s eyes scanned for any sign of the hickey and was thankful that, though her hair looked like a bird's nest and her eyes were half-closed in mid-blink, at least the hickey wasn’t memorialized in her security pass.

As they stepped out of the security office, Tony untucked a manila folio from under his arm and passed it to Ellie as they walked. “I’ll take you around. Give you your bearings. You’ll be working with the tower crew lots. Some good people up there.”

They were out of the outbuilding now, Ellie’s heels clicking across the tarmac, past the line of F18s lined up on the hardtop and gleaming in the early morning California sun.

“The ground crew might ask for some help with the planes, so you’ll be in the hangars. I’ll take you for a quick flyby,” Tony chuckled to himself, pleased with the pun, “we’ll pick up the tour after since the meeting with Admiral Simpson and Rear Admiral Stark is at 0900 sharp and those suits don’t mess around.”

Tony’s strides were long, and it took Ellie a moment to jog after him, catching up just in time for him to open the door for her.

“If you’re not five minutes early—” Ellie started, half playing into the old Navy saying she had grown up hearing as she slipped into the hangar.

The nostalgic scent of jet fuel and oil hit Ellie hard in the closed space — it didn’t seem to matter how long she did this, how long she worked around planes and crews, in different countries, different airfields, this part never changed. Part of that was comforting in an odd way. It felt like home to her.

Tony snapped his fingers in response, the sound of agreement. Tony opened his mouth to speak when a loud peel of laughter echoed in the closed space. Tony glanced at his watch, confused for a moment before his face turned toward Ellie, excited. “Oh, well, will you look at that, lucky you, we’ve got some of our Flyboys here. Must have some free time before drills.”

Ellie followed a few steps behind Tony as he rounded the front of a line of Super Hornets, a spring in his step. As they approached, she took in the group of aviators in their flight suits from a distance, casually talking and laughing — and then her stomach twisted, her gait faltering for a moment.

There, leaning against one of the jets, was the last person she expected to see again, let alone here: Hangman.

He looked almost exactly as he had last night, though somehow the daylight amplified everything about him— his height, the confident set of his shoulders. He turned, mid-laugh and Ellie watched as his eyes caught on her, like he recognized her for a fraction of a second before the look was gone just as quickly.

Hangman’s easy smile shifted when he saw her, an eyebrow shooting up, surprise flashing across his face before his expression settled into something like amusement.

The last time she’d seen that look, she’d been over top of him, hovering, before he pulled her down over his mouth greedily, his tongue painting pictures over her most sensitive nerve endings as she moaned. She was pretty sure she’d broken one of her fingernails as she gripped the headboard, biting into her bottom lip so hard she could taste blood, his other hand reaching up to cup her breast roughly.

Yet here he was now, in the light of day, truly in his element, looking like he belonged here as much as the jets around him.

Ellie felt her heart kick up a notch, a reaction she’d hoped she’d managed to stow away. She forced herself to play it cool, lifting her chin slightly as they neared the group. She didn’t have a choice – there was no running from this. The consequences of her own actions coming back around to haunt her.

“Hangman, Payback, Harvard,” Tony greeted, nodding to him and the other pilots. “Good to see you guys. Just giving our new radar tech a tour.”

Ellie felt her pulse quicken as his gaze slid back to her. He wasn’t going to say anything, right? They were strangers here, well, coworkers now. She wasn’t Amelia Earhart, and he wasn’t the pilot from the party, except, he very clearly was and Ellie had miscalculated, mis-stepped. A TOPGUN pilot no less.

As she held his gaze, she could see the recognition flickering behind his eyes. He knew exactly who she was, but his mask didn’t slip, not for a second.

“This is—”

“Rigby. Eleanor.” Ellie interrupted Tony sharply. The introduction as herself, not as Amelia, would be on her own terms. At least she could control that. Here, at Miramar, she was Eleanor Rigby.

“Welcome to the team, Rigby,” he said smoothly, holding out a hand as if they hadn’t already met in the most intimate of ways. The way he said her name sounded off, like he was testing it out in the context of their previous… encounter.

Ellie held her breath, pausing only a moment before she forced herself to shake his hand. “Thanks,” she replied coolly, her voice even, though she was silently praying for the ground to swallow her whole. She refused to let him get the upper hand. Not here, not in front of people she had to work with.

His grip was firm, his eyes amused. Ellie caught the brief flicker of his gaze to her neck, his eyes resting where Ellie knew she’d tried to hide the hickey, admiring his work, likely.

Tony chuckled, oblivious to the tension. “Lieutenant Seresin’s one of the best we’ve got. You’ll probably end up working on his bird now and then.”

Ellie forced a smile, though she could feel the bottom of her stomach drop out and she cleared her throat in an attempt to press down the nervous, incredulous laugh that threatened to escape her. Technically, she’d worked on it last night, right?

“Looking forward to it,” she said instead, even though the last thing she wanted was to be anywhere near him right now.

He released her hand, stepping back into the group of pilots. “Catch you around, Rigby” he said casually, before turning back to his crew, who began to stalk off, out of the large open hangar doors, not looking back.

“Anyway, you’ll be working here between—” Tony continued, oblivious.

Ellie let out a breath as Tony waved at her to follow him, continuing the tour. She kept her eyes forward, focusing on Tony’s voice, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of Hangman’s eyes on her or the memory of last night still lingering between them. This complicated things. This really complicated things.

At least he’d set a standard: he didn’t know her and Ellie was only happy to play along with that pretense. She didn’t know him either. At least, that’s the story she was sticking to.

The fluorescent lights in the conference room felt harsher than usual, and Ellie shifted uncomfortably as Admiral Simpson and Rear Admiral Ingrid Stark watched her closely, their expressions unreadable.

Standing before two of the Navy’s highest-ranking officers, Ellie tried to steady her breath, tried to ignore the slow trickle of panic coursing through her. The same panic that churned the small bit of breakfast she’d managed to eat while maneuvering in and out of San Diego traffic all the way to North Island.

All she had to do was focus, recenter her mind on the presentation. The presentation that culminated the last three years of her career, it was important, she knew – it had been the sole focus of her work in Turkey and yet, here she was, hiding that stupid hickey and thinking about the man who made it. Thinking about how he looked at her in the hangar not but twenty minutes ago, a glance exchanged that held a shared secret between them as he took her hand and treated her like a stranger. Cool, calm, collected, all charm.

It was the same easy charisma she’d leaned into just last night, at the Halloween party, blissfully unaware of who he really was. Except now she knew he’d been telling the truth the whole damn time and she’d just called his bluff wrong. And now, now with all those thoughts running through her mind at Mach 2, she was standing here, in front of the highest-ranking personnel on base, expected to deliver a groundbreaking presentation on her research, trying to ignore the lingering flush of that unexpected run-in this morning.

Ellie cleared her throat, tightening her grip on her tablet as she began walking the Admirals through her research. Running through her practiced script, she carefully outlined her new detection algorithm—a project that had garnered their attention in the first place, the same work that had pulled her back here, to Miramar.

Truthfully, if they’d asked any probing questions, Ellie would have to confess that the technology was in its earliest stages but had the potential to counteract enemy jamming of GPS signals. In theory (because that was the key word theory), the algorithm she’d developed, on paper, had the potential to become an un-jammable navigation system.

Ellie clicked through to the next slide, “The reason this algorithm has the potential to give our pilots the advantage is because the enemy would have -”

You have to say please, sweetheart.

The memory from last night, his words a steady command, sent a pulse through her, from her chest, down into her core, where it settled, hot and pulsing.

Ellie’s voice caught in her throat, and she coughed, before holding up her index finger and pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher at the head of the table. Quietly she sipped the water, her eyes landing outside the window at the tarmac as ground crew guided an F18 out of the hangar. She waited for a beat, measuring her sips as she calmed down.

Get your shit together, Rigby. She coached herself, draining the last of the water as she caught Admiral Simpson checking his watch from the corner of her eye. You are not going to screw this up because you had sex last night.

Incredible sex.

The best sex you've had in the last two years... possibly in your entire life.

Top tier sex... with your new co-worker. Who just so happens to fall into the off-limits category.

If she could have shaken her head without it seeming strange, she would have, but she suspected she was getting into foot tapping territory. With Admirals, time was money.

“I’m sorry, as I was saying—” Ellie straightened her blazer, setting the glass down and resuming her presentation, determined.

When she finished, Admiral Simpson leaned back, giving her a thoughtful once-over as he drummed his fingers on the folder containing her research on the table in front of him. “Well, Ms. Neven,” he said, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “The best of the best. That’s what they told me about you. I suppose that must run in the family.”

The weight of the comment hit her immediately, and her mind reeled again. This time for an entirely different reason. She hadn’t anticipated Rick’s reputation coming up so soon—or at all.

She managed a quick nod, hoping it looked confident. “Thank you, sir,” she said, barely keeping her voice steady.

Simpson’s smile deepened. “When we saw you were one of the top minds in the field, it was a no-brainer to bring you in for this project. Your research is intriguing.” His gaze softened slightly, just enough to give her a glimpse of the man behind the rank and she wondered if, for half a second, it had anything to do with the fact that he had a daughter her age. “You’re going to do great things here. Your dad’ll be proud, no doubt.”

Ellie nodded again, murmuring her thanks, feeling an odd pressure bubbling under the surface. Truthfully, she had expected some bluster about her family, some comments about her father and his Radar Intercept Officer being wingmen for the late Fleet Commander Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. She hadn’t expected it this soon.

“Admiral Stark and I will take a look over your documentation and see how best to get the testing started. I trust you’ll let us know if you need anything in the meantime?” Admiral Simpson stood then, and an Officer stationed outside the boardroom opened the door from the outside.

The meeting adjourned, and as everyone began to filter out, Ellie felt herself unraveling by the second, anxiety pushing its way to the forefront. She wanted to scream or laugh, possibly both. Instead, she was rooted in place, unable to decide whether to escape to the nearest empty room or brace herself against the wall and breathe. If she didn’t leave this room for the rest of the day, what were the chances she’d run into him again? Probably slim.

This was her first day here. The first day and she was thinking about how she’d been laid bare and fucked out of her mind by a man she’d never thought she’d see again, much less work with. All in the middle of one of the most important presentations of her entire life, in front of the people who could make that research into something tangible, a finished product, a cornerstone of new technology in aviation, a reality.

The lights in the boardroom automatically flicked off and Ellie sighed, gathering up the last of her things before exiting the room. She could hide in the women’s bathroom, right?

“Ms. Neven.” RADM Stark’s voice approaching from the hallway behind her startled Ellie. As she turned, Ellie watched as Stark appraised her with a mix of curiosity and approval. “Impressive work. It’s good to have some estrogen in the room for once.” Her lips curled into a slight smirk, and Ellie let out the measured breath she’d been holding.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m—excited to work here,” Ellie's voice was a little steadier now, a bit of genuine enthusiasm breaking through her nerves as she reminded herself why she was here in the first place. Her work. Her career. Her tech.

Stark raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. “Don’t get too excited,” she said, producing a small stick of concealer from a crisp tan pant pocket. She held Ellie’s gaze, a message or a warning behind her cool eyes, Ellie couldn’t be sure, as the ranked Officer handed the makeup to Ellie. “I think we might be the same shade.”

Ellie’s heart stuttered as the realization hit her, broad-sided. Her hand shot to her neck before she could think, the heat in her cheeks flaring brighter than before as she accepted the concealer, mumbling a mortified thank-you.

Stark gave her a knowing smile, a curt little nod as she tapped the side of her nose, before walking away, her stride as calm and confident as when she’d approached.

Ellie waited until the RADM was clear from sight before making a beeline for the bathroom, practically stumbling into the mirror over the sink. She tilted her head to confirm what she already knew was there: a very visible, very damning mark on her neck. The scarlet letter.

Great.

She didn’t waste a second applying RADM Stark’s concealer, muttering under her breath as she blended it carefully with the tips of her fingers, dabbing. “One day at Miramar, Ellie. One day.”

As she swiped on the secondary layer of concealer for good measure, she felt the rush of everything hit her again. The tension of the presentation, the equal parts pride and pressure from the Admiral’s praise, and him—Lieutenant Seresin, Hangman, with his easy, cocky grin and the piercing eyes that, despite everything, she could still feel on her.

tags: @mrsevans90 , @avengersfan25 , @hookslove1592

taglist if you want to be added/removed!

#glen powell #smut #jake seresin fanfiction #jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin smut #top gun hangman #top gun maverick #hangman smut #hangman x oc #top gun fanfiction #tom iceman kazansky #rick hollywood neven #(i love you) it's ruining my life #jake hangman seresin x you #jake seresin x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster top gun

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y-rhywbeth2 · 1 year ago

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Been thinking about Durge romances and how much I love the companions. Many people love Astarion's response when Durge gets their "kill your lover in their sleep" scene and, fair, that was the point that I unfortunately began to genuinely love the pointy bastard. I do enjoy watching him sass Bhaal. Plus you being the only one he's not afraid of in the world and also "we can compare notes" because he recognises what's happening, yes, yes.

And additional honourable mentions to Lae'zel and Karlach:

Lae'zel threatening to bite you back and informing you that if you don't beat Bhaal you will be fighting her and that will be much worse, topped with the gem of "Not to be maudlin, but I'm glad I didn't gut you."

Karlach asking you not to bite her because trying to eat her flesh will hurt you. also she growls back at you. and asking what the fuck you're talking about when Durge goes into one of their, uh, poetic moods. And parallels: "It's bad. I won't say it isn't. But... I've done worse. Powers beyond our control picked us to do their dirty work - that isn't our fault." I mean Durge has absolutely done worse, but I concede the gist of your argument.

But my favourite variants are these three (in no particular order):

Shadowheart's "Hells, what I wouldn't give for a boring lover sometimes" shortly before scolding you - "no biting!" Bad hellspawn! Bad! Use your words! - It's the middle of the night, she's tired, and she expected something way more fun that this damnit. (also; "She was starting to trust you. The only one she ever has. Pity it's coming to an end." *screaming*)

Wyll reminds us he's the one with the high charisma stat in this party with his pep talks: "The coast would sooner be swallowed whole by the Sea of Swords [before I'd hate you]." - "Rise up, meet its gaze. Show it no fear, and grant it no mercy." - "You are a champion. If this foe demands blood, then tear off its limbs and let it drink its own!" Never been more revved up to punch Bhaal in the face, thank you. And Sceleritas directly compares himself to Mizora and aAhHHHhhhhh-!

And then there's Gale, who clearly has no idea what's happening or what do about it. Get it out of your system, he says, trying his best to be supportive. "This is not good, if I may state the obvious." - "No, no clotting. I like my blood flowing in my veins, thank you most kindly." He would prefer not to die, thank you. 10/10. Durge is way too distracted by this to listen to Bhaal right now.

#I love them all #/durge #babbling #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

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spotlightlowlife · 16 days ago

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status is superficial

Ozzie and Bee "enjoy slumming it with the low class plebs" according to Mammon what was there defence? 'Wanna fight' and 'ew you, nobody wants you'.

Where exactly is the lie?

They didn't even dispute the claim because it's true and that's not a testiment to how humble they are when their mixing with the poor places them at the top, since amungst their peers they are powerless and obligated to conform even though there seems no leadership.

It's sort of more decent that dispite being upfront about not caring, exploitation and making an example of those who step out of line, Mammon sat happily by a pair of void of personality robots and would try to pursue an equal and Satan has a literal angel on his shoulder.

Bee and Ozzie however, like their relationships with their partners, their relationship with the public is a transactional power imbalance where everybody has themed superficial perceived fun, these practical gods hang out and show off and nobody is really comfortable.

They are no different to Stolas, where's the proof otherwise?

Things aren't looking good for him either. The same episode had Stolas loose his status and the public instantly turn on him

and not just the general public who watched the trial, a janitor who was working at the time jumped at the chance to give Stolas a piece of his mind

not to forget that we saw many random imps willing to take out Stolas right at the start when we hardly knew him

and his regular hunter Striker has issue with the power structure in general

Stolas fetished Blitzø, pilot and main series, season 2 was intent to make him more sympathetic but showed us that he cornered Blitzø when he could do with feeling better about himself. He has property that Blitzø's business hinged on and Blitzø so Blitzø agreed to their transactionship. What exactly Stolas was famous or infamous for is unknown however the mighty has fallen.

Yet Bee holds high position, she is a leader of a ring of hell. She is hellhound like and throws parties for the helhounds, she dates a hellhound who gets to unwind at parties with his 'own kind', who he invites, after a days labour for yet another higher rank of demon.

If Bee were to loose her status like Stolas, would hellhounds being bottom of the pack, the low paid jobs and the orphanage/prison/dogpound suddenly be an issue?

We saw someone who resorted to threats and intimidation quickly, can we really say that this person is genuinely liked?

How about Ozzie who may be just as responsible for Fizz's branding as Mammon? The timeline continues to make no sense, when did Fizz first enter the pagents, before or after the accident? He seems a teen when they were announced yet has been winning for the last 10 years yet is way into his 30s? It's clear that Ozzie supplies the physically disabled imp with robotic limbs, seems nice but then remember they're a couple, when did their pairing happen and how? What was agreed upon before they met where the sexbots, Fizzbots are manufactured by Ozzie who makes a range of adult toys.

Fizz served two masters who are equals but Ozzie doesn't like Mammon, Fizz makes a big scene as he leaves behind a sociopath boss to go full time with his other boss, lover who he lives with and shares a bed with, acts as a PA to, works with and has the same interests as. Fizz is seen as cute by Ozzie, the lust guy, which is nice but this cuteness is shown by him being babied and carried around like "a purse dog" while others like him must know their place.

A lot of business hinges on Ozzie and what he distributes, who is he without if stripped of all of this?

Though it's probably never going to be the case, there's every reason to believe that these characters aren't liked at all but are intimidating, manipulative grifters who have capitalized on 'dating down' and it just so happens that their partners directly boost there supply.

#helluva boss critical #helluva boss critique #helluva boss ozzie #helluva boss beelzebub #helluva boss criticism

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right-there-ride-on · 10 months ago

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Chronology of Major Gyjo moments (sources cited)

Gyro refuses to leave Johnny behind despite making it a point that he won't be slowed down by him

Chapter 14 - Across the Arizona Desert: Continuing on the Shortest Route

2) After being attacked, Johnny states the only one he trusts is Gyro

Also, early example of Johnny being willing to give the corpse up to save Gyro (even before Sugar Mountain!)

Chapter 27: Tusk (Part 3)

3) Gyro disobeying his father and familial tradition by giving in to his urge to save Johnny (and thereby fight like a 'true man' for what he wants)

Chapter 35: The True Man's World (Part 3)

4) Gyro putting his faith in Johnny to defeat their attacker. When Johnny thinks he's failed, he cradles Gyro's face and asks for forgiveness. (it's a major moment. to me)

Chapter 44: A Silent Way (Part 5)

5) Ok this one is just a little sus but I'm putting it in anyway: Gyro dreaming of that time he slept with one of his patients, only to immediately wake up and have a domestic scene with Johnny. For what purpose...?

Chapter 45: The Promised Land Sugar Mountain (Part 1)

6) Johnny gives up the corpse parts for Gyro (again), immediately followed by them drinking away their sorrows into the sunset. Who's doing it like them.

Chapter 48: Tubular Bells (Part 1)

7) Gyro finds the Golden Rectangle, previously described as, “… the foundation for every perfect structure for beauty" (Chapter 43: A Silent Way, Part 4) in Johnny eyes, and refuses to answer Johnny's question about where he's finding it. The implications of what Gyro thinks of Johnny's physical appearance are obvious.

Chapter 52: Wrecking Ball (Part 2)

8) Gyro sacrifices his hand, his only other point of reference for the Golden Rectangle, in order to save Johnny from a hit he probably could have tanked. Even Gyro looks a little surprised at himself... Also, they are all over each other this arc. Gyro is especially protective.

And, a little later:

Chapter 53: Wrecking Ball (Part 3)

9) Once it's revealed that Valentine intends to kill the rest of the racers (at least the ones who pose a threat to him), and makes an attempt on Johnny's life, Gyro attempts to convince Johnny to drop out, implying that he would drop out with him.

Of course, this is immediately followed by Johnny begging Gyro to, at the very least, help Lucy and see what she knows about the corpse parts. Seeing Johnny's distress at being so close to his goal only to have it snatched away from him convinces Gyro to stay in the race (something that will ultimately get him killed) and theorize how they can use the spin to defeat Valentine (via the stirrups). He tries to play it off but goddamn he is in love with him.

Chapter 72: Ticket to Ride (Part 2)

10) Shuiesha coloring may imply that Johnny is wearing Gyro's shirt beneath his own?? It's got the same collar and everything.

First appearance of this coloring choice is Chapter 63: 7 Days in a Week

11) Exchange of secrets no one else knows (they are each other's most important person!)

This panel in particular:

Chapter 76: D4C (Part 9)

12) And last but not least, thee set of chapter titles ever, in which Valetine attempts to bargain with Johnny to spare his life in return for bringing back Gyro. Johnny refuses, not because of any moral quandary about saving the life of an evil man, but because the Gyro brought back would not be the same. On top of that, he recognizes Valentine as a liar.

When it's all over, Johnny just breaks.

And that's the end of the chapter!

Chapters 88 and 89: Break My Heart, Break Your Heart (Parts 1 & 2)

13) Johnny's Goodbye (I like this scene more in b+w what can I say)

Chapter 95: The World of Stars and Stripes (Outro)

Obviously Johnny and Gyro have a lot of smaller moments too, but these are the ones that come to mind when I think of them!

#gyjo catalogue #gyjo repository #gyjo #gyro zeppeli #johnny joestar #steel ball run #sbr #holy fuck the resolution is garbage #anyway. I fully believe they were in love. I love gay people #my posts

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cafejulii · 3 months ago

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In honor of the hxh manga coming back in a few days, I want to take a second to honor the more light-hearted moments Succession War that we most likely may not be getting for a long while just simply because the plot is really starting to add up (which is amazing but all the more nerve-wracking). There are many and a lot of people have talked about this scene specifically already, but I just need to talk about it personally because I can't stop laughing at it.

Like all of it is just gold. First of all, just starting off with the plain insult. Amazing. 10/10. There's nothing like telling your co-worker straight to their face and with blatant honesty that they have a below-average level of comprehension. He just says what we all wish we could say. Love that for him.

And then it just gets better really. The subtle shade from Killua to both of them. "Since it's you we are talking about" like damn. Though seriously favorable in comparison to having a whole disclaimer about just how gross you are.

Also the fact that, Kurapika; a mafia boss who has done hordes of awful things such as extorting, manipulating, and stealing from people in order to further advance with his mission (and oh yeah has also killed a member of the Spiders and buried him with a shovel he brought to the fight) had to pause and remind himself that this was all for the sake of his fallen brethren....just because he had to give out the most mediocre, obviously dramatized, compliment to Bisky ONCE?? Just so she could leave him alone too LMFAOAOA

I usually don’t like when people him overdramatic but in this instance I will absolutely let it slide because it’s just the flat out truth.

I’m glad this scene exists because it’s just another example of how he hasn’t fully lost himself to his mission (on top of the many other scenes that explicitly indicate this such as his interactions with Queen Oito, Wobble, Bill, Hanzo, and Leorio). Not because it holds anything of substantial value *really* but because because it shows that he still has a sense of pride beyond his goals and that he's still the brilliantly witty, slightly judgemental asshole from the hunter exam. (I say this in admiration)

I also just love the fact he regresses to his childhood expression of pure annoyance. This was most definitely intentional and I will die on this hill.

I need to lock in and create more serious hxh posts my god. But either way, so incredibly excited for what may come to pass in the upcoming chapters. (Togashi please let him live I need to see him insult people more)

#hunter x hunter #hxh #kurapika #kurapika hxh #bisky krueger #killua zoldyck #hxh manga

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a-green-misstep · 2 months ago

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Nandor x Guillermo episode list

This is a list of all the nandermo moments in What We Do in The Shadows (TV show). A good number of episodes have nothing substantial in them relating to the ship other then maybe one scene, and so are skippable.

W.I.P I've done seasons 1 to 5 so far.

Rating system:

A : Top tier interaction and or important for plot

B : Less important overall, but got some fluff in there

C : May having nothing or close to nothing, skippable

Season 1

Episode: 1 A

This is the pilot, important as it introduces the characters, their wants and desires (Gizmo wants to be a vampire) and there dynamics (master and familiar).

Creepy paper

26:10 the gift.

“he made Guillermo a portrait made out of glitter because he remembered his anniversary and wanted to give him something for it. He got the glitter to put on his face because he liked it and then used it to make a portrait for Guillermo. he used something he liked to make him a present and put some thought and time and effort in it. “ - @starlightmesss

Episode: 2 C

Skip

Episode: 3 C

Mostly skippable

15:37 “I don't want you to die, master.”

Episode: 4 A

Guillermo is “heartbroken” over Nandors decision not to bite him

Especially the start of the episode is quite cute bonding between them

However also an important portrayal of how poorly Guillermo is treated

Guillermo “quits” for the first time

Nandor shows his appreciation

“You are my…. Friend”

Episode: 5 C

1:00-2:00min bonding and playing chess together

Otherwise nothing

Episode: 6 B

Mostly skippable

18:00 Guillermo kills the Baron

Episode: 7 A

The Vampiric Counvil & The Vampire slayer/savior

Guillermo makes some important moves

Literally saves Nandors life

Episode: 8 A

Nandor has lost his country and sad about it

Guillermo tries to get him to become a US citizen

Guillermos feelings about not being turned

“Will you stop fucking complaining.” 🫢

First Nandermo late-night fight/deep conversation

“Guillermo I appreciate you…”

Episode: 9 A

A very horny epsiode

Nandor being possessive when Laszlo and Nadja are ordering Guillermo around

Guillermo dosent kiss :(

Guillermo being very shy about the orgy, a Catholic… yikes

Guillermo tries The Dildos(TM)

Nandor defending Guillermo when Laszlo is insulting him

Nandor checking on Guillermo in his room and basically sitting in Guillermo's lap 😂

“You’d you cum?”

Episode: 10 A

Important for the plot!

“ the heart wants what the heart wants”

Seman

Nandors 37 wives + kids

Guillermo does a DNA test! And is related to Van Helsing…

Guillermo pours holy water on Nandor

Holding hands as he gets into bed :)

Nose boop

____________________________

Season 2

Episode: 1 B

Guillermo is the vampire slayer

15:20-16:20 Guillermo is underappreciated and doesn't appreciate it

18:30 Nandor saves Guillermos life

21:00 Guillermos plan B

Episode: 2 C

2:50 sassy GiGi

Holding hands and giggling at jokes

Otherwise skip

Episode 3: B

19:30-20:00 “I guess I turned that part of my brain off, with the feelings and emotions”.

Guillermo facing the fact he's a murdered, and what that means for him (and as such his relationship with the vamps)

Otherwise a skip

Episode 4: B

Not much Nandermo stuff, but an important episode for Guillermo's development + Derek

1:10 Guillermo teaches Nandor how to use a computer, its cute.

“Id never forgive myself if anything happened to Nandor”

Hug rejected :(

Guillermo staying with Nandor to help him sleep as music plays :)

Episode 5: C

13:25 “Guillermo get over here and put your neck in my mouth”

Skip

Episode 6: C

2:00 Nandor tells some random vamp to kill Guillermo -_-

Skip

Episode 7: A

6:15 “Hes likes the last donut in the display case” 🙁

“It use to be difficult to resist” in relation to eating Guillermo

Guillermo slays again!

“Are you trying to make a girlfriend out of dust?”

Nandor is very chill with the vampire killing, even lies for him

FIRST instance of Guillermo almost stabbing Nandor, there is tension

Episode 8: A

Important

Nandor ex past familiar shows up

Nandor tells Guillermo he should leave

“Are you going to be alright without me?”

Nandor whispers “your being stupid” as Guillermo leaves to sad breakup music :((((

GUILLERMO CRYING

Guillermo breaks up with nandor quits and finds a new mommy master

Each feel disrespected

Nandor visiting Guillermo's room and asking his new master to be kind to him

Nandor finding Guillermo running in the snow

“I have been unhappy since you left… i just want to know what i can do to bring you home”

Guillermo got a weekend! Workers rights! (he needs to unionize)

Nandor promises to turn Guillermo… at some point

The boys flying off into the night 🙂

Episode: 9 B

Skip to the end

15:30 Memos man milk

He literally has jars full of Nandors “seed”

Nandor fucks Lazlo

Episode 10: A

THEATRE DE VAMPIRE, I love IWAV references

Nandor plays peak a boo, and complains that Guillermos not holding his hand

Guillermo quits #3 and moves home

Nandors going through the stages of grief/breakup

“It's good to be wanted”

The vampires are on trial

Nandor sells out and yet covers up for Gizmo

“When you cared about someone, and they just walk out the door”

Guillermo saves the vamps #2

____________________________

Season 3

Episode 1: A

Gizmos in prison (sike)

Nandor does care about him and shows him through little acts, like gift giving (nandors love language???)

Nandor argues to not kill Gizmo - “Hes the only one that can protect us”

“Co-dependent much 🤪” - G after mentioning how he still wants to be their servant even though they want to kill him

THE WARRIOR CODE, the code, the code between men, the warrior code. Nandor owes him a debt of eternal gratitude and mercy now

The sit-down convo in the basement is so sweet. I feel like we get more one-on-one convos between them than we do Nadja and Lazlo, which I feel like says.... something.

Nandor bringing him chicken that he has been preparing (let sit out at room temp) for days :) ?

Nandor standing with Gizmo whilst watching the tape from the vampiric council even though he was sitting a second ago.

Gizmos really big smile when Nandor says they aren't going to kill him (the bar is in hell)

“Your guys are like my family” and then immediately told to stop by Nandor 😬(hey are we sure this ship is worth it?)

Episode 2: AA

Gizmo training in stabbing, and then with ✝️ cross brass knuckles is hilarious

Gizmo making poop jokes to Nandor lmao, i like seeing the silly bits of life that arent sad silly

Guillermo knowing Nandors exact measurements is very… intimate

Nandor flirting with the gym lady Meg :0 mans looking for a partner

Gizmos is way too excited about looking just like Nandor

Gizmos' date with Meg is just so sweet, and her making him realize his feelings/him denying those feelings and fleeing (and as such what Nandor's feelings probably are) is one of my favourite scenes in the whole show, also SHOUT OUT to Kayvan for the phenomenal acting. I wish we had gotten to see Gizmo become friends with Meg later on :(

Meg: You like women and men! Nandor: Yes! BFFR

Nandors going through things :(((( he is a "soft boy"

Episode 3: A

Nandor is fucking and the gang is worried about him

Why did Gizmo know what Nandors sex sounds sound like

Nevermind… the dildostm

Nandor is in love with Gail! He knows her favourite yoghurt :)

Also, I wonder what the meds gizmo are taking

Gizmo immediately attempts to sabotage Nadors relationship when he finds out he's going to propose and turn her into a vampire 🫢

Yet gail compares Nandor to a sardine 😬

ASS OUT (and blurred cock and balls) hey have I ever mentioned hes hot

The juxtaposition between Gail who doesn't really care about Nandor, and doesn't want to be a vampire vs Guillermo who cares about him every moment and desperately wants to be a vampire. And how Nandor “loves” Gail, but has historically treated Gizmo like crap (even tho he does clearly care for him)

Guillermo watching Twilight with a corps dressed as Nandor…. certainly is something

He is also way too happy when everyone else is pissed with Nandor for the fucking a werewolf thing

Guillermo is Nandors “heart guard” omg

Nandor turns Gail into a vamp in front of Guillermo :(

Guillermo comforting Nandor at the end of the episode :(

Episode 4: AAA

Quick shout out to Nadja for backing it up to the theme song

Guillermo staring at his useless master trying to use a fork and knife 0_0

Nandor defending Guillermo being a bodyguard and not a familiar anymore!

Nandor keeps repeatedly looking at G to see if the others acting interested in him is making him happier :D

The change in expression on Nadors face when they ask if Guillermo has a girlfriend and then ask if he has a boyfriend 👀 (it goes from 😁to 😬😐) WHATS UP WITH THAT NANDOR? (no but genuinely I'd never seen that before, that feels like something intentional)

My boy gizmo is in the closet, hes got that catholic guilt :/

Nandor staring at him whilst Lazlo talking about how great sex is🧍🏻

I am truly surprised by how deeply Nandor is looking at Guillermo as Lazlo says “Before they meet the one”

Gizmo almost comes out but is interrupted, and Nandor just has this deeply caring look on his face as Guillermo is saying this, and then when he gets interpreted you can see in the foreground this look of disappointment on Nandors face :(

Guillermo sitting alone looking sad as everyone else leaves, and in the background, you can hear Nador shouting with joy :(

Yo, are we sure this is a comedy?

Guillermo worried about Nandor gambling too much + “Nap naps”

Nandor find out about how the universe works, and it is actually a pretty big deal for his character

Love that the episode ends with them walking side by side at the back of the group

Episode 5: C

skip

Guillermo fondling Nandors cape

16:40 Guillermo the schemer

Episode 6: B

Pretty much a skip

Nandor bragging about Guillermos skills to the Baron

“How do you know what vampire piss tastes like” 🤨

GUILLER SLAPS NANDOR and another “stop feeling sorry for yourself”, this mans job half the time is just to get him out of his pity parties

Gizmos bait ouch

Guillermo shaking ass to entice a vamp

Nandor pulls Guillermo out of the way of danger and takes his place

Episode 7: C

skip

The guide flirting with Guillermo lmao

Nandor taking along Guillermo for help with the Nadja quest

Episode 8: AAA

This ones important!

Creepy paper! Gizmo plans Nandor a party!

Gizmo made Nandor dolls of both of them 🥹

Vampire depression :( “Nandors in crisis 😨”

Nandor casually taking a beautiful knee

Nandor joins a cult

Time for a very important scene

Gizmo refuses to give Nandor his things so that he wont go

Gizmo running after Nandor

Nandor relieves Guillermo of his service, firing him

N: “It is time for me to find happiness” G: “Well I want to find happiness too!”

They are both unhappy.

“Oh boy don't give me this shit” as Guillermo once again points out how long he's spent in Nandor’s service trying to make him happy :(

Gizmo begging to be a vampire, so he can finally be happy

N: "I've grown to have some affection for you. just a little bit you know?" G: “And I for you” N: "Well obviously, but vampirism is a curse- and I- care for you too much to burden you with that. it would way too heavily on my conscience..." "boop! there's that smile...”

When Gizmo says “And I for you”, Nandor looks away, in shame?

Guillermo ends the conversation alone and crying.

We then skip to a month later, Gizmo talking about how hes hurt, and staring at the nandor doll he made sadly.

“I guess I know how it feels, every time I left or I quit…” That one hurt, and this idea is important and will be brought back up in season 6 episode 5.

They both care for each other, and they are both sad and hurt ughhhh

Nandor in the short shorts…

G: “If anything wasn't okay I couldn't live with myself”

Literal sacrificial self-harm with the pulling out of the teeth, like that vampire lashes

The SLAYER is back!

Holding hands as he saves him… against his will

“You just punched Jeremey!” “FUCK JEREMY!”

I dont even know what to say about the final argument in the car. Nandor is just so sad, and its horrible because that also means that Guillermo isnt enough to make him happy.

Episode 9: A

Lmao been in jail so long his hair has grown again

Third show up of the Nandor doll

Guillermo is downgraded to familiar again :( after everything

“I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired”

The SuperSlumber

Nandor snatching his hand away from Guillermo as he steps into his coffin

Guillermo needs a minute alone 🙁

N: “Again with the make me a vampire shit 😠”

G: “No […] I just don't want you to go…”

Nandors has had orgasms that are longer than 2 hours?! Yeesh

Guillermo appears to be very familiar with the length and girth of Nandors 🍆

Perhaps more of a grower than a shower?

wiggilines

Guillermo looking shell-shocked in the corner

“It seems pretty average to me”, Guerillmo looking at the camera whispering “No” 😐

Guillermo calling the gang a family, and getting Nandor from his super slumber so the family can be all together (do we think the camera crew is family too?)

Episode 10: A

Guillermo does deserve to be a vampire, I mean he is a serial killer, he’d fit in well

“Fuck you”

Guillermo running after Nandor as Nandor tells his wows of unfound love (bro hes right behind you)

Nandor is leaving Staten Island, and Guillermo is lost and confused 🙁

“You are one of the things I need to get away from” …. Ouch

Not only does Nandor make Guillermo plan the travels AWAY FROM GUILLERMO for him, but then rubs it in that hes not made him a vampire

Guillermo running out of the room and to Nandors room, and Nandor going to comfort him in the most demeaning manner possible

“The only reason your alive is because i let you live”

Do you think Guillermo was shitting himself during this scene?

Guillermo putting Nandor in a headlock and pushing him onto his knees and whisper in his ears about how he didnt want him to feel weak!!!

NANDORS FIGHTIN BACK

PLANCHA!!

Oh my god the knife being thrown towards Guillermo's head, him catching it the “uhuhuh” and throwing it into the portrait of nandor

Nandor saying “Yes! Yes! This is what I've been waiting for” as Guillermo overpowers him is homoerotic text if I've ever seen it

Bro the heavy breathing as he says “you can take care of me” and asking him to join him as his companion around the world, and that he will turn him into a vampire at the banks of his homeland oh my god…

“Traveling the whole world with my Nand..Master!” YOUR NANDOR YOU SAY?? As he packs the Nandor doll

Nandor shouts for Guillermo at the train station and then leaves his suitcase behind as you embark on his journey alone.

____________________________

Season 4

Episode 1: A

The 1-year time skip is insane

WHATSUUUUUUPPPPP

“I wish Guillermo was here :( “

Poor Guillermo literally falls through the floor

NANDOR JUMPS IN TO SAVE HIM!

I feel like in season 1 or 2 nandor would never have saved him

Nandor helping Guillermo dry off :( and wants to help him

Nandor “forgiving” Guillermo for being locked into a crate 😒

Nandor Finally remembers Gizmo's last name! And he looks aroused about it

“Always my friend… by some definition of the word”

Nandors getting married! And wants Guillermo to be his best man ?!? “now don't be jealous” lmao, ya that boy has been whipped for a decade, but then he was disappointed that he wasn't jealous

Guillermo putting Nandor in his place with just a look when he's laughing at him!

Guillermo the live-in nanny

Episode 2: A

Guillermo literally pulling a knife on the Gine to protect nandor.

Man wives! Love our Pan king

Guillermo got a boyfriend :) <3

He can not wait to explore Kublies body ;)

Guillermo putting Nandor in his place again with a silent and disappointed look

Marwa my poor girl is now to be wed to Nandor, a shit fate if I do say so myself, especially as he changes her physically and mentally at a wim :(

Episode 3: B

He literally made the perfect woman, and yet she is still not enough

In-depth penis discussion

Guillermo has a “very shrewd and incisive mind when it comes to the penis stuff” apparently

Love the idea that Guillermo is now top of mind when Nandor's fucking and sucking

Yet unfortunatley, this does make him… limp

Guillermo being invited to see the penis not once, but twice

Episode 4: A

Guillermo's boyfriend's second sighting!

Nandor says Guillermo could pass as an Orc, Guillermo = not happy, and Nandor = looks sorta pleased about it

Oh poor Marwa :(

https://www.tumblr.com/theshriekingsisterhood/690860073261596672/wwdits-s4-ep-4-promo-picture?source=share

NANDOR enters Guillermo into a goddamn fighting ring when he explicitly tells him not too

Guillermo “that little fucker can move” de la Cruz

“THAT MY FUCKING GUY!”

Guillermo managing to fuck up two guys in a row effortlessly is sorta hot

“My closest companion for 13 years!” :(

“KILL MY FREIND! KILL MY FREIND! KILL MY FREIND!” At least he sees him as a friend, ugh

This brawl is sorta hot

The sassy ass “I didn't have to (cheat)!” is killing me! Damn they flirting

STAKES TO THE HEAD ONCE AGAIN, third(?) Instance of Guillermo trying to stab Nandor.

Oh my god sword fighting, and the “you're really starting to piss me off!”... hot

“Stop hiding behind Brian!

Guillermo calling him a fucking dick

Nandor getting more worried that he might have killed Guillermo and then Guillermo fucking kicking down the door of the building he fell through

“They are right Guillermo, finish me off”

“Thinking once again about how in WWDITS 4x02 Nandor bins one of his male wives for not letting him win in a fight and then in episode 4x04 Guillermo … lets Nandor win in a fight.” - @luckshiptoshore

Epiosde 5: C

Nandor thinks Guillermo is jealous of nandor and lazlos fake gay rimming

Our poor single dad Guillermo

“ you can burry your own nuts!”

Epsiode 6: A

Nandor trying to sabotage his own marriage / make it perfect

And Guillermo is being run ragged about it

Nandor reminiscing about “ a rainy Sunday together” watching TV shows and then acting like it's not special. Let's be real, if you remember a random rainy Sunday with your friend it is because it was special

Nandor is an unreliable narrator, which constantly makes statements and then re-negs their importance. He is constantly bringing up the fact that Guillermo is not special after describing how he is, the fact he just must make that comment sorta shows that perhaps he doesn't mean it. It's more of a defence mechanism them anything else. It's not allowed to be special, because if those moments are special then that means that Guillermo is special… but he is a familiar that cant handle vampirism, so he cannot be special to the vampire nandor the relentless, because it's not allowed.

Lovers spat whilst wedding planning

Guillermo literally destroys the living room in the background out of anger

THE WEDDING IS HERE

And Nandors still try to self-sabotage and Guillermo points it out

Emotional talk between the boys about how Nandor is scared in this relationship and how this marriage is a big deal.

“If you get afraid I'll be there” “Thank you, Guillermo, you are my best…. Man" 🥹

Lmao the line of objectors

Guillermo looking up to Nandor smiling at 16:12

The fact that Nandors not turning Marwa into a Vamp :(

Marwa being wished into loving everything Nandor loves, and then expressing so much love, gratitude and physical affection to Guillermo

🎵 WHO WILL CUM FIRST ON THE WEDDING NIGHT! 🎵

Nandor going to search for Guillermo during the after-party, and putting his jacket on him after he finds him asleep on a sofa 🥹🥹🥹

Episode 7: B

skip to 19:00

Gizmo comes out to his family as ––GAY–– !!!

The vamps are his family too :)

"bad enough his relationship with nandor" lmao Nadja sees it too!!

everyone's gay! + Sassy Gizmo 😌

Episode 8: C

Poor Marwa, Nandor keeps making remarks about how hes changed her so much he doesn't even like her any more, and how “the novelty weres off” 🙁

Nandor planning the perfect space for him to get railed by a big man (and Guillermo turning away awkwardly)

Marwa spending so much time to make the “man” cave and then taking it over is very slay of her

Episode 9: A

Guillermo telling us about Freddie his boyfriend finally! (also a weekend trip to New York from London?? Goddamn)

Jeremy introduced to Nandor as his Boyfreind… and the energy is weird from Nandor

What the fuck is wrong with you Nandor, Guillermo has a man and you get a crush on him immediately??? Jealousy is not pretty on you Nandor

Marwa my beloved no!!!! WTF NANDOR, this shit is a horror movie

yall know that show Kevnin Can Fuck Himself? Ya this feels like that, except he are stuff in kevin/nandors perspective.

Also… more gay nandor stuff atleast, this must be some physico symetic type thing were he dosent want to be with freidy, he wants to be freddy, cause freddy is what Guillermo likes.

You see how nandor and Guillermo are doin the same things? Almost like they are very similar, and could be really fun with each other if they just let themselves??

Also Guillermo talking about how hes thinking about Nandor all the time 👀

Guillermo and freddie walking in on Nandor and Marwa Freddie naked my the fire covered in furs is insane

Guillermo putting Nandor in his fucking place once again for doing shity things!

“You couldn't just let me have one thing of my own!”

“I really care about him!” “I know… :( “ hes a fucking idiot but like, he didnt mean to hurt guillermo and now he feels bad that he did

Guillermo crying whilst explaining how hes never had a boyfriend before and how Nandor has ruined it is so sad, and also so ex coded right?

Freddie selfcest

Episode 10: A

Guillermo’s getting bored of the job

They are stuck in a never-ending hamster wheel

Guillermo and Nandors vastly differing view of the world and time, Nandor literally has all the time in the world and is now bored oh the whole “finding love” thing, whilst Guillermo can feel the time hes lost sitting in that damn mansion.

Everything stays the same

Guillermo quits #4 !

GUILLERMOS GETTING VAMPED BY DEREK!

____________________________

Season 5

Episode 1: A

Guillermo does not appear to be happy, and is dodging the vampire question.

Nandor’s in a good place :)

Nandor and Guillermo go on a date to a basketball game! (What was the budget for that 3-second scene?!?!?)

Nandor laughing at Guillermo about even the idea of him being a vampire :(

Nandor breaking down a door to see what Guillermo is doing is so intense for no reason

Gizzmo literally thinks Nandor is about to kill him, damn (also very hot of Nandor)

Nandor thinking he missed Gizzmos birthday and feeling bad about it :,)

“Change into your nicest shity sweater :)” bffr

Guillermo having a damn panic attack low key

Nandor mkaing fun of Guillermo wanting to Become a vampire again :(((

1. Guillermo being in denial about Nandor ever turning him into a vampire 2. Guillermo swooning over Nandor “he cares about me a lot, and he does a lot of really nice things for me 🤭”, he looks like he would be giggling and kicking his feet if he could right now, cute, but saaaaaaaaaaad. 3. “Cute montage” my ass oh my god

🫵 VAMPIRISM/BITING AS A METAPHOR FOR SEX OH MY GOD

Gizzmo talking about his crush to a one night tght stand, that one night stand asking “ are you sure you want to do this?” (a line VERY often used in media when gaining consent during a hesitant sex scene), and followed by “yes”, i just didnt think it would happen (lossing my V-card (aka vampire card)) like this.”

completly forgot about guillermo almost saying no to being turned :(

Guillermo trying to sit next to Nandor and Nandor not letting him :((((

Oh god this dinner is so sad

Nandor: “[whilst still laughing and guillermo and the idea of him becoming a vampire] Guillermo i’m sorry, eventually, of course i will definitly be turining you into a vampire, when the time is right.”

“She didnt trust you, you hadent given her a reason to.” - Armand, interview with a vampire

Do you guys see what im seeing???? Cause it hurts, espcially knowing what happened in Season 6 episode 5.

Yo Nandor looking so hurt, he would kill gizmo AND THEN KILL HIMSELF??? That seems gay

Nandor looking for a “Guillermos gifts” shop oml

Guillermo trying to bite into Derek is hilarious

HOLY SHIT, I feeling like showing a box cutter go into someones arm is the most grusome thing this show has shown oh my god

Glasses less gguillermo!

Guillermo brushing nandors hair so delicatly :3, also oh my got Nandor is so much taller then him

Bed time story and birthday present!!!he got him a foot locker because guillermo said he wanted one :((( that shit is so cute

“were all just doing what it takes to survive” “were all just hiding in plain site”, Guillermo is not doing okay

it feels like he lost his virginity to early, when he wasn’t ready, and with just a one night stand, and he regrets it, but saying the truth to the person he cares about the most, wouldn’t lead to confront, just to more pain on both sides :(. bro i think guillermo cheated.

Episode 2: A

Nandor feels Guillermo being distant

“….bat…”

Lazlo knows!!

Guillermo looking scared oh Lazlo omg

“Please don't tell nandor!” “I don't know if he would even survive it.” ouch! Also, Guillermos sad puppy eyes when Lazlo says that is so sad

GUILLERMO CRYING NOOOOOO

Man is a bottom

Lazlo being willing to convince Nandor to turn Gizzmo into a vampire inorder to protect Guillermo :(

Episode 3: A

Guillermo looking confused and horrified at the idea of a sean pride parade

Guillermo doing his little interviews in his new coffin/bed that Nandor gave him 🥹

Nandor and his little bird friend

“Members of the LGBTQLMNOP Community!” honestly, with the brain scrammbelies, I forgive him, he is adorable

“Literally the gayest things on the block!”

Nandor's jealous of Lazlo and Guillermo hanging out, hes literally lost for speech

“Vroom vroom!”

Nandor “soft after two bumps” the relentless

Cock ahoy

Guillermo immediately covering up the window during the day when nandor shows up

NANDOR GOES TO SPACE TO IMPRESS GUILLERMO AND ADMITS IT!

Its pride time baby! Happy pride Guillermo :)

Lets have a clap for gay ;)

A firey decent back to earth with our lovely naked master

Nandor's butt, with trolls doll hair, and junk covered up only by a pride flag oh my god

Gay Guy :) 🏳️‍🌈

Episode 4: B

Nandor wants Guillermo to come to the guy with him, homoerotic

Guillermo avoiding Nandor, and they both are sad about it :(

Nandor trying to make Guillermo jealous

Nandor sad/angry that hes bad at getting freinds

Nandor circumcision?!?!? Preformed by Guillermo?!?!?

Regenerated forskin

Nandor takes Guillermo to the movies

Epsiode 5: B

Nandor De Laurentiis (i genuinely call him this all the time)

Guillermo going to a goodbye dinner with his mom and then its her god damn birthday :0

Nandor taking a cinderblock to the dick lmao

Also Nandor looking for guillermo super casually “hes not back is he???”

Guillermo taking to his mom, and his soft and sad “i dont know…” when his mom asks him were his crufifcs is :(

Guillermo crying :((

Nandor cutting down Colin so skillfully was super hot

Nandor lashing out at Guillermo and then immediately reggerting it when Guillermo takes it to heart :((((( bro why is this episode to sad

Epiosode 6: B

Why does guillermo know that nandors whacking it

Guillermo falls when flying for the first time when Nandor calls for him, is it because: A. he got distracted and stopped focusing on flying, or B. super nervous around Nandor

Noone helping guillermo with his broken god damn leg >:(

Drugged up Geillermo is so sweet

“The one i love most is Nandor, because hes like the queen bitch!” you heard it here first folks!

Episode 7: C

Sky fucking

“This is my DIARY! :(“

Guillermos a father

“Having a wank?!”

Episode 8: A

Nandor and Lazlo fucking!!! Only 3 times a week tho :(

Guillermo gets to sit at the main table with the vamps :)

Guillermo the slayer getting called out, and Nandor trying to cover for him :)

“RUN!!” “show him mercy!!” and then Nandor literally being dragged by the Barron whilst begging him “Baron, stop!”

Is Nadja okay? Why she want to die?? :(

Baron about Guillermo being turned not by Nandor: “It is a violation, a humiliation, a shame from which neither you nore Nador will every recover.” heyy uhhhh, i think he was right :(

Nandor being worried when the baron asks for a moment alone with Guillermo

“I did all this because I wanted to be a great vampire, like Nandor”

Nandor begging for mercy for Guillermo

“Baron, I beg mercy! I know that Guillermo has made some mistakes, [...] but he did so to defend his master. Whatever Guillermos flaws may be, he has always been loyal to me…”

Dead Guillermo ?!??

Nandor craddeling “Guillermos” body in his lap and arms, whispering “oh no” to himself :(((

Nandor cutting back at the barron saying guillermo was just a familiar!

“he was not just a familiar, he was my body guard, he was the best man at my wedding, he was my friend…”

Nandor shouting at Lazlo to stop as he cuts open his belly!

Nandor seems to be pathologically unable to show unrestrained affection for people (specifically guillermo) how many times has he shows affection or care for guillermo, just for it to be followed up by a cutting remarks? how many times has be gone to touch him and pulled away before reaching him?

“fly like the wind my little friend”

Guillermo in Nandors coffin!

“the first day guillermo become my familiar, he gave me a card… what did that card say?” your telling me he remembers what it says?? a decade+ later??? these mother fuckers forgot about jerry entirely, and he remembers a card a decade latter??? wow

“it said, to be a vampire is my dream, but to be your familiar is my honor, thank you for this opportunity” and tandoor mouthing the words too….. 😭

“we have a long history guillermo, i image that i know you almost better than anyone.”

Episode 9: A

‘Guillermo smell this jock strap!’

“Guy like that, gets a whiff of something musky, he absolutely will not stop” 👀Guillermos into Bears canon

TBH skip to 17:00

LMAO the Guide casually letting slip that Guillermo is a vampire now

N: you asked… someone else, a vampire that was not me…” G: I felt like I had no other choice (eyes tearing up, said with a gulp). N: You could have asked me! G: Are you fucking kidding me? I asked you repeatedly for 13 years! N: Yes, and I was gonna get round to it! If have a lot on my plate at the moment! G: *sad scoff* N: Who? Who was it? it's relevant to me! …. N: now I’m going to be honest with you, I am going to kill you Guillermo, and then quite possibly myself.

Nandor immediately knowing what’s wrong with Guillermo and his half vampire state

Run Forest Run!

Episode 10: A

Guillermo is lost, scared and hiding from Nandor

Nandor destroys Guillermos Bed and pillow that he gave to him in seasons 5 and 2 respectively :(

Nandor literally strangling a guy he thinks is Guillermo

“I have given Guillermo my friendship, and this is a gift I do not give to just anyone. [...] I thought Guillermo had earned it.” :(

More afraid of losing the vamps/Nandor than dying

Yo Nandor threatening Guillermo's mom is so intense

Guillermo and his stakes

G: I don't believe you. N: no of course your don't….

This feels like foreshadowing to S6E5

THE WARRIOR CODE!

Guillermo almost stads Nador #4! Also hot suicidal Nandor

MAMA THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!!!

Guillermo will finally be an equal!

Nandor smart,

GUILLERMO THE VAMPIRE!! Lmao the lisp with the fangs

Nandor is so ready to accept him into the group now! Hunting with him, giving him vampire tips

Guillermo can't go through with it :( too human

Nandor the creep, “just as i feared, guillermo is not cut out to be a vampire, i will fix…”

Also, him trying to use a gine wish to fix it is so sweet, (but also what happened to those 3 wishes Nandor got as a wedding present?)

The ceremony of vampiric transmogrification

The image of Nandor and Guillermo, face to face, close together, as for the first time Nandor tends to Guillermo instead of the other way around, carefully tying the bow on Guillermo's cloak….. The zoom into Nandors hands near Guillermo's heart and neck, hiding both of their faces, although showing Guillermo looking up at Nandor. Wow, the subtext is beautiful

Also, I LOVE those robes.

“ the answear must come from your heart” “ would you rather be a human or a vampire.”

The look on Nandors face, the look on guillermos face as he is essentially breaking the news to Nandor via looks. For a second it seems Guillermo will not have to say anything, but he does, “a human”. Nandor would have understood him either way.

Guillermo cant even kill Derek, G: “I cant do this”, N:”you want me to do it.” Nandor whispers to Guillermo softly. G:”i dont know…” N:”I do.”

Earlier in the season, Nandor tells guillermo that he knowns Guillermo better then anyone, this scene really proves it.

Long hair and bear Guillermo!!

Nandor just Had Guillermo's old glasses in his pocket?!?! Was that specifically because he anticipated the change, or does he just have a spare pair for him??

Nandor made up an entire ceremony to help Guillermo. Nandor putting his hand on Guillermo caringly.

Lazlo helping Guillermo with the body is very sweet

____________________________

Season 6

Episode 1: B

Nadja being causion not to upset nandor by talking about guillermo

“Its okay to just admit you miss him a little bit”, Nandor “in denial” the relentless

Guillermo fix the coffin/box that Nandor bought for him and then destryoed last season

I love the little pride flags in Guillermos new room, also tbh it looks like a better place then his last room

Guillermo putting boundaries down between him and Nandor, they havent seen each other in months! im happy for him, but sad for my ship

Nandor dosent look happy about it

Good old Panera Bread

Nanodor just wants to talk about Guillermo to Jerry lmao

Nandor hanging out in Guillermos room to talk, both of them sitting on his bed

“I ate your shit over and over!”

Everyone wanting guillermo to move back in :(

Ya your definitely doing okay Nandor

“As a former friend” ouch. Also Guillermo desperately trying to set boundaries

Episode 2: B

"Guillermo has a big time, big boy, big dick job?!”

Guillermo, Nandor and Nadja are coworkers!

blue collar Nandor!

Nandor just wants to help and support Guillermo :( but

Straight^tm Guillermo

“no funny business! like murder…”

Episode 3: A

“now that guillermo has left the house, Nandor is a broken man”

Alconodar Nandor! + shirtless Nandor! been a while

“sashay away!”

Nixon Nandor???

Nixon Nandor going to Guillermo for help :((((

Guillermo immediately knowing something wrong with Nandor :(((

“Sockittome” how romantic

Love how after everything, Guillermo has a very chill relationship with the Baron

Nandor x Lazlo, that ship has gotta be a thing right?

Baby Guilermo 😣

Nandor playing along (also note the weird ass handshake)

This scene is so adorable and sad

Guillermos excitement and joy about interviews and meeting a vampire, and having the possibility of being a vampire infront of him :((((

Guillermo got bullied :( was shy and no friends

“I was rich and a jock”

Not Nandor wanting guillermo to stay as he is, saying he’ll let both of them just how one night like this (and then, once again, immediately cutting his words of affection with an insult to guillermo)

Episode 4: A

Lmao nandors into the Guide now….. Oh no… they, they arent going to make them end game are they??

“Yes mast…. Yes Jordon!” lmao freudian slip

Guillermo has to fire Nandor!?

Gillermo really dosent want to fire him :(

“When i was a warlord, I would always discourage none sexual fraternization amongst the men”, so… sexual fraternisation is allowed with your man colleges then ?????

Nandor literally looking sadly through a window at Guillermo and his boss is insane

Insane of drunk guillermo to stand right behind nandor on the couch, putting his hands on his shoulders and saying “the rest of it can go fuck it self” until he remebers about jordon

“Its about being the right fit, maybe thats what we were? Or weren't… Nandor couldn't make me a Vampire, and i cant make him a Janitor.”

This whole broken up vide is very sad

“Im proud of you.” and then Guillermo immediately firing him is so painful

N “Its fine!” G “Im so sorry…” N “good luck guillermm…” is he choked up? Was nandor going to cry?

I dont understand the handshake, its a very week handshake, with nandor not even grabbing his hand back. It seems maybe he was so sad man couldnt even shake his hand, even though he wanted to

Hes humiliated :( Nandor for the first time asking for privacy from the Doc crew oh my god, and him breaking down and scream when they keep following him. Hes so hurt and angry ughhhh.

Epsiode 5: AAA (SORRY THIS ONE NEEDS CLEANING UP, i went a tad insane)

Nandors run away :(

“The blade of the proverbial guillotine has dropped, and the blood has pooled at Guillermo's feet” damn Lazlo

Nandors gone insane

“when one is burned, one feels most at home among the ashes” “amongst others that have been discarded” oh Nandor :(

Nadja calling out Guillermo for being mean to Nandor

Also Nandor doing weird shit in the background

“we are the hollow men”

Nandor talking to himself saying “you live a thousand years and you think you know what betrayal is, what horror is, but then in a single instant you find out what man is truly capable off.” AND THEN REQUESTING SIMON AND GARFUNKLE

Guillermo and Nandor fighting :(

S1E4: Guillermo “quits” for the first time (dosent really, but was ready to bounce).

S2E6: Nandor tells some random vamp he can kill Guillermo

S2E7: Nandor is very chill with Guillermo killing a vampire, and even lies for him to cover it up.

S2E8 : Nandor tells Guillermo he should leave

S2E8: Guillermo breaks up with Nandor quits and finds a new mommy master

S2E10: Guillermo quits #3 and moves home

S3E8: Nandor leaves guillermo for a cult.

S3E8: G says, after Nandor has left for the cult: “I guess I know how it feels, every time I left or I quit…”

S3E10: Nandor after anouncing hes leaving to travel the world to guillermo alone: “You are one of the things I need to get away from”

S4E10: Guillermo quits #4 ! (does so quietly tho, thinking hed be a vampire by end of night)

S5E1: Nandor: “[whilst still laughing at guillermo and the idea of him becoming a vampire] Guillermo i’m sorry, eventually, of course i will definitly be turining you into a vampire, when the time is right.”

“She didnt trust you, you hadent given her a reason to.” - Armand, interview with a vampire

S5E8: Baron about Guillermo being turned by a vampire that is not Nandor: “It is a violation, a humilation, a shame from which neither you nore Nador will every recover.”

S5E10: (guillermo whilst holding a stake up to nandor at his moms house, after nandor has been trying to kill him due to him becoming a vampire)

G : I dont believe you. N: no of course your dont….

Also the comparison of Nandor and Guillerms fight and Nadja and Lazlos fit.

“Im not the enemy, and you know that!”

“Your just pissed you werent … a good culture fit.” :( way to rub it in

Nandor playing ANOTHER BREAKUP SONG, AND, making guillermo listen to it fully lmao

Literally a break up scene, this shit is insane

N: I WAS HUMILATED! Do even know what loyalty is Guillermo?

G: Do i know what loyalty is?! Uh ya, i was blindly loyal to you for 15 YEARS!

N: Until you got rid of me! I never got rid of you. I protected you! Even through all the fuck up’s, and the time you forgot to buy glitter [G: Rolls eyes], and the “I want to be a vampire, no actually i dont want to be a vampire”! The time you vearly killed the Baron TWICE! Through all that shit! I was loyal. I may have done a lot of things Guillermo, But i never, got rid, of YOU!”

G: do you think i felt good firing you? I didnt want to fire you! But thats how things are! In the real world! In the human world! I had to do it!

N: I used to be a human before i became a vampire, incase you forgot! I never betrayed by friends, my comrades in arms, NEVER! Maybe some of the wives, but you know it was a different time!”

G: im sorry… i didnt know that the janitor job was so important to you.

N: Well it was. It was my purpose, my purpose use to be raising you, to become a great vampire. Until you pussed out, and found a new master in Jordon.

Guillermo then answering Jordons call, whilst Nandor angrily kicks stuff in the back is so sad. Even in there break up, Nandor cant get Guillermos full attention anymore.

….

G: You know, i do know what it feels like to loose your purpose. I use to want to be a vampire so bad, it guided every choice i made, i mean dont get me wrong, im happy im a human again, but it was hard. It was hard waking up every day with that not being the goal. To be a vampire

….

G: Well i think ive found a new purpose, you will to, somewhere… But maybe, right now, are purposes are taking us… in diffrent directations, and thats okay.

N: Perhaps your right Guillermo, i am a warrior, but this is not my fight.

Guillermo wearing the YASSSS Sean shirt from the pride epsisode is so sweet

#nandermo #nandor x guillermo #nandor the relentless #guillermo de la cruz #what we do in the shadows #wwdits #at this point theres so many good episodes in seasons 3 and 4 im giving more A's then B's and C's combined 0.o

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kr-han · 1 year ago

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HiGH&LOW Random Fun Facts That You May Not Know

Disclaimer: SWORD only and the list is so random, so bear with me.

Cobra loves cupcakes, he probably has sweet tooth.

Cobra styles his hair according to his mood (not like bad or good but more like he's fired up enough or not).

Cobra has A LOT of red clothing. His real name is Hino Junpei (緋野盾兵) and the first character which is 緋 can also be read as aka which means red or scarlet.

He loves Antonio Inoki (a pro-wrestler) so much and make it his whole personality (including his red scarf).

When Cobra is drunk, he would shout, "Inoki-san, genki desuka!?". In MUGEN era, he would do it with Kohaku for the rest of the night.

Cobra admires Kohaku so much because he thinks Kohaku resembles Antonio Inoki.

Cobra has small appetite not even 1/10 of Yamato's. But he eats cupcakes.

Cobra can't draw.

Cobra didn't use sticker on LINE (the messanger).

Cobra and Yamato can't speak English. They're probably the type who'd say, "We're Japanese we don't need English!"

Yamato is afraid of cats. The reason is cat can get long.

Yamato's insult never sounds like one.

Noboru favorite food is sea cucumber. He's sea cucumber maniac.

According to Cobra Noboru type is a girl with glasses.

Dan on the other hand, can draw well. But he can't draw woman.

Rocky is a little clumsy, he forgot small things like key.

Hyuga always sleeps whenever there's no fighting nor something exciting to do.

Murayama loves corndog.

Murayama dislikes sharing his food.

G-SWORD's leaders alcohol tolerance: Cobra is rather low, Rocky is rather high, Murayama prefer to eat than drink (but according to Nakazono, Murayama didn't make any different when he's drinking or not), Hyuga prefer to sleep than anything else, and Smoky can't.

According to Kizzy, Rocky becomes a foolish/idiotic old man when he's drunk. Kizzy also said, "When he's drunk, he got no dignity whatsoever."

Murayama's favorite alcohol beverage is ryokucha-hai (which a combination of green tea and shochu. Might be wrong though, you can search: 緑茶ハイ).

Hyuga's favorite alcohol beverage is shochu.

When Oya part timer go to karaoke, they sing girl idols' songs.

Masaki do all the house chores in Amamiya's households from cleaning up to cooking.

Hiroto's favorite food is curry.

When Hiroto cooks, he only cooks curry.

Takeru is forgetful. Masaki has to remind him all the time. Hiroto? He waits to be petted by his aniki.

Kaito and Kizzy have a couple ring and they use it as necklace.

In HiGH&LOW The Movie, Kaito and Kizzy joined the fight but there's no single footage of them fighting. But they appeared before the fight and after the fight with some bruises.

From End of Sky to Final Mission, Cobra didn't wear his red scarf anymore.

Despite using his red scarf as a personality, Cobra didn't use it to fight beside for his character introduction scene in episode 1.

Ichigo Milk has been inviting Naomi to join them, but Naomi refuses due to Itokan. She wants to take care what's left by her brother.

Naomi can actually beat dudes.

Murayama keeps the strawberry bag from Oshiage and he uses it as a pillow.

Ice gave Sarah a teddy bear (and a necklace).

Ice can cook and according to Mighty Warriors' member, Ice's curry tasted like seafood when he uses zero seafood ingredients. Apparently, it matched the actor's fun fact: Elly's curry always tasted like he put seafood in it even when he's not.

There was once, Seki dressed up in sailor uniform for karaoke. Of course, they sing girl idols' songs.

Toutetsu brothers cook for Hyuga, but he sleeps almost all day long, so Katou needs to wake him up just to eat.

Ukyou cooks better than Sakyou.

Ukyou needs to separate Daruma's income into envelopes and hide them because if not, Hyuga would splurge the income into zero. Hyuga can't manage money.

Lala reads books for the kids in Mumeigai, and they literally have reading time with Lala.

Furuya has truck driver's license.

Murayama durability is top notch and it resemble his given name which is Yoshiki. His full name written like this 村山良樹 and Yoshiki (良樹) is consist of characters that mean good or skilled, and trees or wood. He's a skilled trees or wood, or whatever but that clearly means that his durability is on another level. That's why he could bear the 100 punches challenge and still fight back after that.

Hiroto and Smoky loves cat.

Murayama talked to a cat. (He's cat, but also puppy; whatever he's cute).

Murayama introduced Todoroki to Cobra in person.

Murayama has 4 vans' shoes and a pair of converse. (Haven't count how many jackets he has though, might count it when I rewatch).

At least, Tsukumo has been hit by the car twice. He should avoid getting near cars. No cars near him, please.

White Rascals' outfit are all white and it's hard to keep it clean. The visual line (Shimura, Bito, Aizawa, and Enari) has a hard time because they spend so much money for laundry and cleaning. Little did they know, Rocky actually could paid 80% of their cleaning cost. But Rocky didn't say it to them because he knows that they would be worried about how to pay Rocky back. (Rocky is so sweet). Probably the only guys that use this privilege only Koo and Kaito.

Rocky paid 100% of the girls' laundry and cleaning cost (including Kizzy).

Rocky's surname, Mutsugi, is actually a word play. It's written as 六ツ木 in Japanese. Which the character 六 can be read as mutsu (mu for short) or roku (ro for short) and it means six; ツ is a katakana for tsu and in hiragana it's written like this つ. When tsu is written small in between characters (it's called sokuon) like っ/ッ it purposes is to geminate the next character; and 木 is ki and it means tree. If we put them together and make the tsu as sokuon, we'll get 六ッ木 which read as ろっき in hiragana and ロッキ in katakana (both are rokki) we got his name, Rocky (ロッキー).

Source: rewatching the series and the movies over and over again so I can get into the useful but also useless facts, and the g-sword manga by CLAMP. If you want to read HiGH&LOW g-sword manga by CLAMP you can read HERE for English translation or DI SINI untuk translasi Bahasa Indonesia. Note: Might add more if I find or remember more. Also, I'm sorry there's too much Cobra, can't help though, I love him a little bit too much.

MORE OF IT

#high&low #high and low #high&low story of sword #mugen #amamiya brothers #sannoh rengokai #sannoh hoodlum squad #white rascals #oya high #oya kou #rude boys #daruma ikka

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amiizuki · 8 months ago

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it will be forever funny to me how the flashback portraits of Wittebrothers made Caleb seem like he's had packing peanuts for a brain

(this post ended up becoming quite lengthy, and so did the tags somehow, because I kinda devolved into a rant closer to the end of writing this whole thing, so bear with me here)

so we know that Philip and Caleb became orphans when both of them were still kids. after that, they ended up in Gravesfield and, to fit in with everyone else who lived there, picked up witch hunting and started thinking that witches are pure evil. Caleb knew perfectly well that he's the only family Philip's had left and that he even may be his his only friend, since, judging by the portraits, they've only ever hung out with each other and we don't know if those two ever made any other actual friends.

until one day, during a witch hunt he and Philip were both a part in (something Caleb seemed happy to do, judging by his smirk there), he met a witch – Evelyn – someone he's been taught to hate and want dead by the townsfolk. someone who, again, in his mind, should be evil.

but he just suddenly does a 180 and goes "damn, you can make fire with your hands, you're actually pretty cool"

and then a few days (?) of talking to her later, he's running off to live with her in the Demon Realm, while simultaneously not giving a single fuck about the brother he's abandoning.

(he even runs off with a smile, with a literal :D face, I fucking can't lmao)

Philip ends up seeing Caleb get dragged off through a weird portal and later follows along, thinking something like "no, my brother wouldn't just up and abandon me without saying anything. he probably got captured by that witch we saw together that one time! she probably used some demon magic to bewitch Caleb and took him through that portal to kill him or worse! I gotta go save him!". and, after spending god knows how long in that realm, searching endlessly for his missing older brother, he eventually finds him. but he also finds that Caleb is not only perfectly okay and not hurt in the slightest, he's also peacefully walking together with the same witch who "captured" him, even holding hands with her.

and when enraged Philip tries to attack Evelyn, to protect Caleb from the witch who took him from his home, from his brother, still thinking that Caleb's under her control, Caleb just... gives him a hug and goes on to introduce the witch as his new wife to him (I'm assuming that portrait is the same day as the other three, if not the same scene), also adding on top of that that they're having a child. all as if nothing happened. treating the whole thing like everything's perfectly okay and just another normal day, fully ignoring the fact that he threw his brother away with no care or thought, leaving him completely alone, a full orphan, now with zero actual family left (in TTT, during their backstory, it's said that "Caleb did his best to take care of his younger brother", meaning that either they never got adopted in Gravesfield, or whoever adopted them didn't give a shit about the two, so they still mostly had to fend for themselves), all to go smash some random 5 out of 10 witchussy he talked to, like, 3 times. no fucking wonder Philip killed him!

(btw, jokes aside, it didn't seem like he intended to kill Caleb, because in that portrait where he's ready to kill with a knife in his hand, he's facing forward, while Caleb is actually to his left. so it just looks to me like Philip was gonna try to kill Evelyn again, and Caleb either jumped in front of her to protect her and got accidentally stabbed or he attacked Philip back, to, again, protect Evelyn, and Philip ended up winning that fight. but that's just my theory)

my brother in literal christ and literal titan – why in the FUCK are you just hugging it out with a smile on your face??? you ran off while giving absolutely no warning to anyone, especially your younger brother! why do you think he's here and actively trying to attack you and your new wife? you're not even trying to address the fact that you left him! at least when Luz ran off to a different realm without warning, she had a "I'm still at the camp" cover, so Camila wouldn't worry that much about where her daughter is, and even then she still felt bad for leaving her mother and planned to go back home once summer was over. this chucklefuck, on the other hand, just permanently portaled away to the Boiling Isles, knocked up a witch and fully settled down there, walking around with a big ol' smile and no care in the world. "Philip who? never heard of him"

the only thing that would sorta make this situation seem better (as in, not make Caleb seem like an overly naive ignorant brick), in my opinion, is if they added one more portrait – after the one where he meets the witch, but before the one where he leaves. in that portrait, Caleb would look like he's trying his best to convince Philip that witches aren't actually evil, and perhaps even try to get him to go live with them in the Demon Realm, all the while Philip's looking at him with either disagreement/disappointment/disgust or just rolling his eyes and full on ignoring him, while sharpening his witch hunt tools or something. then it would look like Caleb at least tried to make his brother change his mind, like he tried to offer him a chance to go with them. but no. with the way the portraits look in the final version it just seems like Caleb was fully on-board with killing witches since he was young, even pulling his younger brother along to think the same way, Philip also thought that Caleb was perfectly fine with killing witches, but once he actually meets a real witch (assuming they've never met one before) he instantly pulls an uno reverse card and just runs off with her, without so much as telling his brother beforehand.

I'm not trying to say that "Belos should've been redeemed, because he's the victim here and Caleb is bad and it's all his fault". he still murdered his brother and went on to manipulate everyone on Boiling Isles for centuries, with his end goal being the death of all witches, while simultaneously being stuck in the loop of "denial" and "bargaining" stages of grief – repeatedly trying and failing to recreate a perfect copy of Caleb, but also killing each one that came out wrong or went against him. Belos not being redeemed in the end was the right choice (ignoring the "Belos was always le bad" from King's dad), I agree with that. frankly, if he actually got redeemed in the end, I'd probably be seething for the next 3 to 5 years, like how I did after the Diamonds' "redemptions" in SU (yes I'm still pissed about that lol). I'm just saying that, from what was shown to us, Caleb didn't seem like that good of a person either, not as bad as Belos ended up being, but still not that great. and, once again, seemingly had a raisin for a brain.

(off topic, but during Masha's retelling of Wittebane's backstory, their "sounds like big bro got a hot witch girlfriend and little bro got upset" line was so fucking cringe, it gave me a fever for 3 days the first time I watched the episode)

k, rant over, I dunno what else to add

TL;DR: I think Caleb was dumb as a brick, because, from what was shown to us in their backstory, he seemed to have run off to Demon Realm and abandon Philip without telling him anything beforehand. when Philip came to BI to look for his brother, who he assumed was under control of the witch who "took" him, since he thought his last living family member wouldn't just abandon him, and when he eventually found him, and it turned out he wasn't in any danger at all, Caleb just brushed the whole "I left you for witchussy" thing under the rug and pretended everything was and is perfectly fine, even though it clearly isn't. rip bozo

#toh critical #toh criticism #big ol' rant here lol #ever since we saw those portraits I've always thought it was kinda weird how Caleb just ran off with no warning #I thought it'd be adressed in the 3rd season at some point #like maybe there'd be a scene of Belos and Hunter talking #and Belos starts getting angry and going on a rant #“you're ALWAYS leaving me Caleb! and for what? for a witch you've just met?!” or something like that #and after Belos started hallucinating Caleb's ghost I instead thought there'd be a scene of him talking directly to it instead of Hunter #but nah it all just kinda got thrown away #and Belos turned into “always been le bad” kaiju #meanwhile Hunter is just 404 not found #lol #lmao even #rant #♤mizu.txt

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matan4il · 11 months ago

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Daily update post:

There was an attempted terror attack today in Samaria, which was thwarted, the 16 years old terrorist tried to stab people, but he was neutralized before he managed to hurt anyone.

In Haifa, however, another terrorist was more successful. He managed to run over a 20 years old man with his car, seriously injuring him. Then the terrorist got out of the vehicle, wielding an axe, and started chasing down civilians who were at the scene, but thankfully there were was a soldier nearby, who neutralized him before any further damage was caused. A reporter mentioned the exact location inside the city where the attack happened, pointing out that it's a very crowded area, right by a hospital (it happens to be the one where my grandmother was hospitalized a few years ago, when a foreign worker ran her over and fled the scene, and I spent a week there with her, so I knew exactly what the reporter was talking about), so the odds of accidentally shooting a civilian while trying to stop the terrorist was high, yet the soldier managed to react quickly, effectively and accurately, and in this case, with no collateral damage. He's a hero. Here's a pic of the car used in this attack:

I got to hear an interview with Dr. Oren Tamari, an Israeli doctor who looked after an old Gazan woman, who was found tied to her bed. She was asked what happened, and according to her reply, two days prior, terrorists (there's no way of knowing whether they were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad) tied her there, maybe intending for that to be a way of luring soldiers into a trap, when they'd fight with terrorists, and unknowingly kill her as well. Dr. Tamari was asked whether he had come across anything similar in Gaza, and he confirmed that it's not the first such usage of civilians by terrorists that he had encountered.

Germany, Japan, France, Romania and Austria have also announced that they're suspending their financial aid to UNRWA, and the EU said it is reviewing the matter, following the news that there's evidence some of this UN agency's employees have been involved in the Hamas massacre. In the case of one employee, he and a first degree relative were implicated in the kidnapping of an Israeli woman, while several others were killed during the Oct 7 massacre on Israeli soil, leaving no doubt of their complicity.

In reaction to the claim that the employees who participated in Hamas' massacre were "just a few bad apples," on top of the repeatedly proven wide scale complicity of UNRWA in encouraging antisemitism and terrorism, Israel is also pointing out that there is a structural connection between UNRWA and Hamas beyond the 12 employees that the UN had to concede participated in Hamas' atrocities. It was pointed out that about 10% of UNRWA's Gaza staff has ties to terrorists (23% of male staffers have ties specifically to Hamas), and 49% have close relatives who hold official positions in terrorist organizations, especially Hamas. In the past, Hamas has even directed the resignation and of a non-Palestinian director of UNRWA for his "crime" of not disputing that the IDF's strikes in Gaza in May 2021 were 'very precise' (meaning, not indiscriminate bombing). The participation in Hamas' massacre of UNRWA employees is just the inevitable end result of this symbiotic relationship between this UN agency, and Gaza's terrorist dictators.

Ironically, Arab countries which hardly donate to UNRWA felt completely free to attack the western countries that did, and decided to suspend this financial support until they know their money isn't going to terrorists. Shame really is dead.

For that matter, we can talk about the fact that in southern Lebanon, UN employees don't do anything about Hezbollah terrorist activity, even when Hezbollah fires at Israeli civilians from between two UN posts, and despite the UN's stated goal is to make sure this terrorist organization is not so much as present in this area, in accordance with UN resolution 1701. And we can also talk about the UN's complicity in crimes against civilians, like UN involvement in corruption in Russia, UN employees raping local women in Haiti (it's believed most women raped by a UN employee did not report the crime committed against them) and UN employees involved in sexual exploitation and abuse in Congo. The idea that the UN is an impartial, super-human force for good in this world is... just not true. It has been called out on its complicity in crimes before, it NEEDS to be called out for its systematic complicity in crimes against humanity, that Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists committed.

In not unrelated news, it only took almost 4 months, but the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten (center in the pic below), has arrived in Israel with a team that will look into Hamas' sexual crimes on Oct 7. They're expected to work here for about a week.

It seems Nancy Pelosi is being attacked for urging the FBI to investigate whether Russia has links to protests in the US pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. What these attacks seem to ignore is that her comments appear to follow the publishing of a US state department report on Soviet antisemitism, which is responsible for cultivating anti-Zionism as an anti-westeren tool, and that antisemitism and protest funding are tools currently employed by the Kremlin.

This is 21 years old Dor Reeder.

He moved to kibbutz Be'eri in order to take care of a kid with special needs there, while his parents live in the neighboring community of kibbutz Sa'ad. His father, Tzvi, is a Red Magen David paramedic, who on Oct 7 had a feeling that the rocket attack they started experiencing that morning was abnormally intense. Tzvi notified the emergency squad of kibbutz Sa'ad that they should be alert. Thankfully, they were and together with one tank, they managed to protect their community. Kibbutz Sa'ad was attacked by terrorists, but suffered no massacre. Tzvi continued in his work, evacuating the wounded under fire. Dorit, his wife, is a nurse, and was a part of opening an emergency field hospital in kibbutz Sa'ad. Some of the injured from the Nova music festival were brought for treatment at this hospital. While Dor lived in kibbutz Be'eri, he also found love there, a 19 years old girl named Tchelet. They were hiding together during the Hamas massacre, but were eventually found. While Tzvi managed to help save his own kibbutz, Dor and Tchelet were murdered by terrorists. It took 9 days of uncertainty for the news to be confirmed. May their memory be a blessing. Tzvi asked for everyone to be strong, raise Israel's flag, and hold our head up high.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

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genericpuff · 1 year ago

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The Mishandling of LO’s S3 Mi(n)season Hiatus - Part 3 2/2

ALRIGHT. THIS IS THE LAST PART. I MEAN IT THIS TIME.

I had completely forgotten how long the mi(n)season finale for S3 was, but I suppose it makes sense considering it was operating as the true cliffhanger before the 4 month break.

If you haven't read the first 3 parts of this episodic breakdown, please go check these ones out first:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 1/2

Alright, let's get this show on the road!

CAUTION: THIS IS PART 2 OF THE THIRD PART OF A 3 + 1 PART SERIES IN WHICH I WILL BE SPOILING MUCH OF EPISODES 251-253. THIS EPISODE CONTAINS TOPICS SURROUNDING SEXUAL ASSAULT. THIS WILL BE A LONG POST. BRACE YOURSELF.

We've gotten delusional Leuce. We've gotten erasure of the SA. We've gotten a complete bastardization of the original myths that this story got its claim to fame on. The dread has set in, and all I want to do is get off Mr Bones' Wild Ride. But we have one more stretch of mind-numbing track to go, because the reveal of Persephone starting winter was not the end, oh no. The true cliffhanger of this episode - upon which the fans and critics alike have sat on for 4 months - proves that when we think Rachel has gotten crazy enough in this circus she calls a "retelling", she manages to prove that yes, she can make things even crazier, and no, you will not have a good time.

Ironically, despite that opening, I actually have a lot less to say about this last part of Episode 253 than I did about the first part. Obviously there's no feasible way to top "Persephone causes winter", but this episode does come rather close in its absurdity. Ultimately, if these essays have proven anything, it's just how much Rachel retcons things, to such an extent now that she seems to be retconning or outright forgetting information that she established just a handful of episodes prior. You'll see what I mean here as we go along in this.

As soon as it's hinted at that Persephone has started winter, we cut away to Apollo. Because, as per LO tradition, we can't spend longer than 10-15 panels on a single scene.

Already this seems like... really odd framing.

This is Apollo. A character who has been a villain since basically the beginning of the comic, when he sexually assaulted Persephone. This is not something that's up for debate. This is not something that can be refuted, as much as the comic may try to erase it or twist it into something else.

And yet, the vibe I get from this is, "Misled but good-deep-down character being taken advantage of by a sinister being." This isn't the type of framing we should be seeing around a character like Apollo.

I mentioned it ages ago in my post about the SA erasure that it really feels like Rachel is slyly trying to make Apollo empathetic, from giving us an entire episode in his perspective to adding extra panels into the books to making Persephone weirdly reminiscent of feelings for Apollo that she never had.

One thing I also touch on in that post is how Apollo is framed against Zeus. Zeus is also a villain character for much of the series, and even after he's "redeemed", the fanbase still considers him largely to be an antagonistic force. So to have Apollo be trying to take down Zeus comes across as very "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" and I really don't like seeing that framing when it's regarding a rapist.

And this scene largely feels the same. It feels like Rachel's trying to sway the audience into believing Apollo is like Draco Malfoy - a misled boy who "didn't know any better" and was being manipulated by a greater evil. If you haven't guessed by now, that "greater evil" is Ouranos.

Why is it Ouranos? In my opinion (so take this with grains of salt) this is because they need to somehow "one up" Kronos and give Persephone and Hades a tangible force to fight against, to draw a clean line in the sand between "good" and "evil" so that we, the audience, will be forced to categorize Persephone and Hades as "good" and someone else as "evil".

But really, why Ouranos? We're told that he manipulated Gaia to use her powers in an attempt to create "hierarchy" (whatever the FUCK that means, I don't think Rachel really understands how societal hierarchies are created) but there's NOTHING to imply that he was tyrannical or "evil" in the same way that Kronos has been depicted. Rachel's basically submitting this whole plotline to "well it's in the prophecy" but there was NOTHING dictating that she had to try and write a "prophecy" storyline to begin with. So as a result, it feels very tacked on and it's hard to tell what the point is, it really just seems like Rachel watched too much Marvel one week and decided that Lore Olympus - a fantasy romance - needed a big bad.

And by extension it feels like Apollo is being used as a pawn in this dynamic. By making him subservient to an "evil" force, it means he can labelled as definitively "evil", and thus it gives Rachel a vehicle to have Apollo taken down - or even perhaps empathized with much like in the Draco Malfoy sense - without having to touch the SA plot that she set up and never resolved.

He was evil before, but he wasn't the kind of evil that Rachel could write around. Because she doesn't know how to write SA or give her female characters any sense of retribution or agency. We've seen that already with her robbing Demeter of winter and Persephone of her feelings regarding the SA. There was never going to be a chance in hell she was going to be able to write herself out of a plotline she's been procrastinating for 4+ years.

That said, this is just a vibe I get, so I'm not gonna speak on it much more. This is one of those "we're really not gonna know until the comic returns" situations.

Once again, Rachel's trying to make Apollo seem like a "master manipulator", but she's also trying to make him seem like he's the one being manipulated, but she's ALSO trying to write him as a big dumb idiot who literally can't grasp consent. Apollo has to be one of the most inconsistently written characters in the entire comic, and yes, that includes Persephone. Again, it just goes to show she hasn't been able to fully commit to the SA plotline because Apollo's motivations and intelligence levels change with each passing episode. Sometimes he's being nefarious and plotting to overthrow the King, other times he's literally asking a nymph if she'd be willing to cut her hair to look like Persephone. The comic can't choose and so we, the audience, can't tell why Apollo is even still here.

Again, this is SUCH bizarre framing. If we're to believe that Persephone has been "cursed" by no longer being able to create Spring, only Winter, then does that make Ouranos and Apollo the heroes here? Because Ouranos is right, if Persephone is causing winter, that's going to kill the mortals, which is the complete OPPOSITE of what she's trying to do. So what are we left with? A plotline where Apollo and Ouranos might actually have a point about how she rushed into a marriage with the King of the Underworld and sacrificed everything that gave her agency and power - both metaphorically and literally - in the process?

Again, this is why Rachel fundamentally misunderstands the original purpose of The Hymn to Demeter and how she's, by and large, made her retelling worse in an attempt to be "subversive". It puts the plot and character motivations in a place where it's hard to tell what the story is trying to say, I can understand if maybe Rachel's trying to write a conflict where Apollo uses this information to manipulate her, but it doesn't help that knowing EVERYTHING we know about the H x P relationship within the context of this comic, Ouranos has a point that Persephone's union with the King of the Dead is problematic. It might not be the same "problematic" that we're all thinking of, but it really just reinforces the criticisms of this relationship. Is the comic really asking us to say "fuck the human race, they're in love" ??? Because that's NOT what the point of the original myth was in the slightest and it's just a really weird place to put your audience in.

It's 4:45 AM right now as I'm typing this so my thoughts are a little scattered, but all this really feels like is an attempt on Rachel's part to create a new "big bad" for her to use as a distraction from the SA plot and to give Persephone a "flaw", but that "flaw" really only takes away the strength of another character.

Oh, and by the way? This whole "you need the fertility goddess" thing? THE COMIC HAS ALREADY TOLD US THIS WON'T WORK BECAUSE SHE HAS TO BE IN LOVE WITH APOLLO FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO USE HER POWERS. SO RACHEL'S ALREADY WRITTEN HERSELF INTO A CORNER THAT SHE'LL EITHER HAVE TO SOLVE OR RETCON ENTIRELY. DO YOU SEE WHY THIS IS SO ABSURD???

This line is kind of jarring because we had the Kassandra prophecy at the beginning that talked about the herb, but the prophecy Ouranos is talking about is the one about the sons of kings overthrowing their fathers. I definitely forgot about that one for a hot second reading this, I didn't get how this sequence related to the poisonous plant thing because they're framed as completely separate prophecies. It's not like Kassandra said in her initial prophecy that this plant would be used to overthrow a King again, she just said that the plant still existed and Psyche figured it out on her own that Apollo was gonna use it on Zeus. IDK that's just something that bugged me (also again, why are they believing her prophecies when we literally just had it established an episode ago that no one believes her prophecies LMAO)

Because if it wasn't enough for LO to have one Evil Robot Jeff Bridges villain, it had to throw in another one for good measure. It's just a line of dads and grandpas going back centuries waiting for their turn in the ring with Persephone.

lmao I love this 'hint' at Apollo being the one to write the note from Hebe and leave the cupcake for Zeus. Like... duh? We already put that together as SOON as Psyche said gasp "Zeus!" and then it showed Zeus eating the cupcake while Psyche called him on the phone telling him Apollo was gonna try and harm him. This sequence of 'revealing what really happened' doesn't work here because we've already been told what happened.

Except we know he won't. There's no tension to this whatsoever.

That's Hebe by the way.

It's odd that Apollo is embracing this prophecy when he has a kid himself. He literally has a fully grown son in this comic. I guess Apollo forgot about that, just like Rachel.

And that's it. That's the midseason finale. Ouranos is the new twist villain and Apollo is... whatever the fuck Rachel plans on doing with him.

Now, this leads me to my original motivation to create this series of reviews. It spawned from a conversation we were having in the Discord, discussing what it must be like to be a free reader who hasn't paid for the FP episodes that are still behind a paywall. This is not standard for LO, it hasn't kept FP episodes behind paywalls in the past during long hiatuses like this. I can even prove this with screenshots from the Wayback Machine, during the last midseason hiatus:

(whoof, that rating has dropped. I know it doesn't seem like much but for a series with millions of readers, by law of averages it takes a LOT of poor ratings to pull that number down compared to a series that only has a few readers)

Point is, this is the first time Rachel/WT have done this. Now, I will make this perfectly clear, I don't think this was a decision that was purely on Rachel. WT controls much of the backend like paywall costs, release dates, etc. so I'm not gonna go pinning this on her.

However, I do think this is a completely bungled attempt at trying to get people to pay up. LO has been dropping in views steadily but surely since the midseason break for S2. It's not pulling in the peak numbers that it used to, while it does still pull in a lot more views and money than other series on the platform, it's nowhere near the juggernaut that it once was in terms of record-breaking numbers, and I think WT knows that. So this really comes across as a stunt to get readers to FP, assuming that people will HAVE to pay if they're left waiting for 4 months.

But here's the flaw in that logic - people are still going to have to wait 4 months anyways. Reading those 3 locked episodes, especially all at once, will still leave you in the same place as you were beforehand.

And it shows in the numbers that people aren't falling for the bait.

Again, 17k likes still isn't anything to sneeze at for a FP episode, but it's still just barely above the new average that LO has gained over the past two years. I remember a time when those like counts would be 30k+. And now, despite being on break 4 months with these episodes still locked behind a wall, it's barely able to scrap by its new average of roughly 14-15k, and that average is when episodes are actually updating.

Obviously like counts = / = viewcounts but when they fluctuate, we know that the views have to be as well by extension, at least to some extent, and that's still engagement that's dropped of in and of itself. And we can also see a rough look at how the views have dropped off through the comic's landing page. Now, it's hard to compare data because there was a time when WT actually didn't give follower/view counts on the landing page (this was also when the like count capped at 99k) but we can still see a downslide in growth very visibly in the view count, sub count, and most of all, the rating, which has been steadily dropping for years now.

August 2020:

May 2021:

November 2021:

March 2022 (don't get confused by the 995 million, this is where view count comes in):

September 2022:

March 2023:

Today (October 24th, 2023):

Again, there's no way to get a true clear picture of LO's stats beyond this surface level data, but it does show that LO is just not getting the rapid growth it used to. People are moving on from it. And while its view and sub count are steadily increasing (albeit slowly for a webtoon that gets as much marketing as it does) the average rating is going down. It's clear that the majority of LO's growth happened between 2018 and 2020, which would make sense as the series was still relatively new compared to how it's become old news today, and Webtoons experienced a boom in 2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdowns - a boom that they think still applies in the year 2023, judging by their attempts to import as many series onto the platform as possible and capitalize on an audience that just isn't there anymore.

All of this leads me to wonder - what's in it for free readers after all this? Because if you recall from where we started, the cliffhanger they started on was Hades - possessed by Kronos - attempting to strangle Persephone, a cliffhanger that was resolved within seconds for FastPass readers. If they don't FastPass after that, they'll be met with numerous reveals that don't even make sense for the plot as a whole (such as Leuce making up the text messages).

Again, I don't want to claim that this was a decision on Rachel's part, but it really seems like either she didn't plan this hiatus, or her inability to write naturally without the need for addictive-style formatting as a crutch made it so that the free readers would be given the worst midseason premiere ever.

And what are we, the FastPass readers, going to return to? There are still so many plot threads that have been left unresolved, multiple villains being setup, and as far as Webtoons and Rachel have revealed during NYCC, LO is supposed to end by the spring. That's 20-30 weeks TOPS, which isn't exactly a whole lot of wiggle room for a writer like Rachel who's chronically bad at pacing and getting to the point of the plots she's established.

I know there are so many readers right now anticipating the return of this comic, some of whom genuinely believe this comic is "better than ever" and others who are critical of it but hope that the comic will come back in a better state after the hiatus. But right now there's so much evidence to support the contrary - that LO is about to come back in as bad, if not worse, condition than it was in when it left.

And through all this, for a comic that's finally ending after 5 years, I have to ask - where is the hype? Why are Webtoons and Rachel keeping the finale of this comic behind closed doors? Where's the promotional art, the hinting at what's to come, the attempts to generate any semblance of excitement for the readers who are still left after clinging onto this ride for 5 years? Why were the fans themselves barred out of their own communities during the majority of the hiatus?

And that just leads me to an even more discouraging thought. This is not meant to accuse Rachel or make assumptions. It's simply a thought that I had while thinking about what the series could possibly pull upon its return, so please, take this with MOUNTAINS of salt. It's one thing I hadn't considered with the knowledge that LO will be returning with 3 episodes still behind a paywall, a 'buffer' in and of itself for Rachel to work off of.

Rachel only technically needs one episode ready for the release. Not three as she normally would if the episodes had been unlocked like in previous hiatuses. That's not including whatever buffer episodes she would need beyond the upload schedule, but she's proven to be chronically bad at maintaining a buffer as well since day one.

We haven't seen any promotional art. No hinting. No hyping beyond what's been seen for her "Rachel Smythe Presents" series.

With all that in mind, I have one question to leave this on:

Has Rachel even started working on Episode 254 yet?