#unbelievable that this episode aired

[thinwhitedoc]

THE RESPONDER | Martin Freeman as Chris Carson

[bumblingbabooshka]

Voyager B Plot where Neelix finds several notes that say 'Kill Tom Paris' and enlists Tuvok to help find the potential murderer (Tuvok would phrase who's helping who a bit differently) after informing the pilot that someone may be planning an attempt on his life. Episode ends with the reveal that some people were just playing Fuck-Marry-Kill and forgot to properly clean up.

[hauntingblue]

The dialogue is bad I get it now....

[bobbie-robron]

I lost it to an experienced woman. (1 of 2)

Robert is a happy teen now that he is no longer a virgin. Nicola sneaks Robert out while Paddy and Emily believe she slept with Sid. Robert is all full of himself back at home with Jack upset for not having come home all called. The mean girls Lucy and Donna keep at Robert, the village virgin. Later, fed up with the girls annoying taunting, Robert admits to having done it with Nicola which they find hard to believe. The second video clip has scenes that add to the story excluding Robert such as reactions and more with the mean girls.

08-Aug-2002, ep. 1

[unproduciblesmackdown]

billions is really on one constantly like you gotta love how there's the wordless presentation of This Man & This Woman as like an image of epic power couple &/or pr for the Wholesomeness of this man to have the Family Values in having a wife & possibly even kids, and being fictional media, most of the time this comes up as Staged Material from actors for this Media, especially given that generally both parties will be preexisting Roles With Dialogue. and then when it comes to winston & their granting us their clearest most elevated least questioning/critical exercises in "this is Telling you that winston is inferior" in a) successful violation &/or b) successful-violation-born information that they recognize as Inferior & expect you will too....really a moment's pause sometimes remembering that since they couldn't be bothered to stage anything for winston & instead we got a) photos provided from will roland of himself from his real life or b) pics they didn't need to get rights to, in this case they show us selfies from a real-life-and-by-then-married-couple, and it's This that gets "well so of course this is another Recognition Of Inferiority presentation" and not "well isn't that nice, epic, &/or wholesome, or even just matter of fact" like. really unbelievable of them and steph wessels gets to cameo as someone who Of Course dumped this guy because [well just look at him we're right back to exactly 4 seasons prior in 3x03 where we're supposed to know winston isn't epic b/c if wags is there you're supposed to be projecting on him, thanks, & when the one thing you can take issue with being an apparently accidental misgendering, there's Nothing to take issue with in that in the face of this it's crickets from wags who's otherwise dying to kill winston already. awesome. but i mean. well just look at him. we Hate winston.] like and billions is off the rails like "b/c he's so bad at sex" like yeah i think nothing says Good At Sex like the nexus of "has never tried learning anything about sex" & "has never been told their sexual partners might benefit from their learning about sex" Hell yeah. but only those born with the good bodies (winston wasn't! btw! which we all Knew 500 thinking emojis) deserve to have sex and this is also an extremely epic thing to say in this zero critical lens Celebration of killing the autistic guy for not sufficiently staying an exploited object kept silently shut away in your possession but out of sight & mind.

literally unironically Extremely Normal of them where "normal" is expected to be synonymous with a [neutral to good] context, as it "normally" is lol, but we Do have a critical lens out here. just like amazing you brought his real life then even all the more recent marriage into things held up for us as more fodder for Why We All Hate Winston & Want To Kill Him which also always hinged on "well just look at him" which necessarily hinges on a real life person's form to be looked at (or heard, given that we know people don't always react to his speaking voice as "neutral" and this is just another aspect of people's bodies) while meanwhile it's like yeah delightful stuff actually. or who cares b/c the Context doesn't have to be "does this role seem personally appealing?" for the Question that doesn't need to be "do we want them dead or are they someone who can do whatever they want or someone who has to forever endure and support the previous and can do whatever they want that doesn't conflict with this" and then 500 zillion words to say about this actor who was only supposed to be Quant Kid 2 Who We All Hated & Killed for one scene in one ep getting a recurring role (to still only ever be hated & killed as far as the writing was concerned, for the overwhelming Mostly) b/c of this je ne sais quoi & of course still Acting as though this role is as much a person as any of the other roles, wow, can't believe this was found to be so Talented & Delightful & Essential despite still only seeing the role as [guy we hate & kill] & having no intention of like giving him an arc ever but we really want more of this. and then inevitably be really preoccupied about his dick like not in a "haha. pwned them in turn b/c that's gay" but like of course in being Superior it's like yep preoccupied with the inferior parties' sexuality & your own being superior too. his dick is bad and he's not tall enough and well just look at him, no wonder he was dumped [shows you an image from actually having good times with his eventual wife] like obviously. billions with their autistic character like how do we step it up from the episode where some guy yells the r word at him amidst like the threats and harassment and assault? well more of that plus surveillance and even more personal intrusion but also someone says he's effectively a child and then we enjoy validation of our eugenicist presumptions i guess about his sexuality and body and most like random details of personality (never stop pointing out that somehow that He Likes Puns is more evidence for how Objectively Hated he is) and this episode has no other point than revelling in all of this and considering this to also be like "yes this all makes wags look Epic, which is worth an episode ever, all the more so as 1/12th of a series finale season"

[kaiijo]

hiii! if the event event is still open, may i request aomine with prompt 42?

LATE NIGHT TALKING — AOMINE DAIKI

aomine daiki + we’ve been doin’ all this late night talkin’  content: fem! reader, fluff, third-year! aomine, one brief mention of throwing up (not reader or aomine), part of the spotify wrapped event notes: i recently watched the last episode of knb again and it got me emotional! again, i’m sorry this took so long and i hope you like it!

the venue is loud, the bass beat of some remixed pop song making the floor throb. you dance around with momoi and sakurai, who you learned tonight is very outgoing with a little liquid courage. you’re glad the basketball team is celebrating the end of season with the party. it also acts as an early goodbye to all of you third years. 

you glance around and shout over the music to momoi, “have you seen aomine?”

“no,” she says. “he’s probably, i don’t know, found a girl or something.”

the thought makes your stomach turn but you tell her, “i’m going to go look for him!” she nods and gives you a thumbs-up, and as you press through throngs of people, you catch one of the other third-years by the arm and ask, “can you keep an eye on those two? just make sure their safe.”

“of course,” he says and you smile gratefully as you make your way out of the main venue. 

“aomine?” you peek around the corner. there are a bunch of people milling about, but you don’t spot aomine’s dark blue hair. you wait outside the bathrooms for a minute or two, offering thin, awkward smiles whenever anyone passes by. 

you wave down one of the bartenders and ask, “have you seen my friend? really tall, really tan, blue hair?”

“yeah,” she says, pointing at a door towards the back. “i think he went up on the roof.”

you thank her and quickly make your way out. when you push open the door, you’re greeted by a warm gust of wind and the man you’ve been looking for. aomine is sprawled on the rooftop, arms folded under his head. his eyes dart up, shoulders bunching before they relax when he sees you. you crouch next to him and says, “hey, superstar.”

he scoffs at the nickname — one you’ve been calling him since you met him — but replies with a flat, “what do you need? is satsuki puking her guts out yet?”

“no, not yet. i asked yamada to keep on eye on her and sakurai so don’t worry,” you say. you poke his forehead and he rolls his eyes. “why’re you up here?”

“needed some fresh air. was getting a little too stuffy.”

“i’m surprised. you’re usually pretty in your element in places like this.”

he shrugs. “just not feeling it tonight.”

“is it because touou came second this tournament?”

“don’t remind me,” he groans. his eyes flicker up to the sky. “i feel old.”

“i would hardly call third year of high school old.”

“you know what i mean.” he leans up on his elbows. “we’re graduating.”

you huff out a quiet laugh. “yeah, it kind of unbelievable.” you move and lay next to him, mimicking his position. the lights of tokyo make it hard to make out any stars.

there’s a long lull in your conversation before aomine asks, “are you still set on going to california?”

you can’t help but let out a sigh, “yeah, i’m set.”

out of the corner of your eye, you see him frown. “is something bothering you?” you ask.

“no,” he says, shrugging again. “it just seems far, that’s all. far from everything here.”

“yeah, i guess it is.”

there’s another moment of silence and then aomine asks, “what’s it going to mean?”

“that i’m in california and not in japan?”

“no, smart ass,” he says, “i mean with, y’know…” he trails off but you know what he’s talking about. you’ve been anticipating and dreading the conversation all at the same time. whenever you think about it, you can hear your older cousins declaring that this conversation is a make-or-break for relationships — or whatever you can call what you have with aomine. 

“… with us,” aomine finally finishes. 

you heart is pounding as you ask quietly, “well, what are we exactly, aomine?”

“you’re my girlfriend.”

you shoot up straight and whir around to stare at him. “what?”

“what do you mean ‘what’?” he says, sitting up with you.

“when did we put an actual label on this?”

“did i not ask you?”

“no!”

aomine tilts his head with a certain nonchalance that you’ve come to known him for. “oh, well, do you want to be my girlfriend?”

you can’t stop the smile that blooms. “yeah, aomine, i do.”

“cool,” he says. “cool, cool, cool.”

“‘cool’?” you laugh, “that’s all you have to say, mr. cool guy?” you reach over and pinch his cheeks, pleasantly surprised by the heat you find under your fingertips. he swats your hand away in favor of catching it in his. 

“call me daiki.”

“okay, daiki, then you have to call me by my first name too.”

“wasn’t i already doing that?”

“yeah, i guess you were.”

there’s another beat of silence and he says, “you’ve didn’t answer my first question. are we going to be okay?”

“i can’t promise anything,” you reply. “but i’m willing to try.”

“me too.”

“it’s going to take a lot of effort on both our parts.”

“i know,” he says, leaning forward to peck your forehead. “but i’m willing to try.”

[yet-another-haven-of-dollya]

I want his dick...

no lube, no protection, all night, all day, from the kitchen floor to the toilet seat, from the dining table to the bedroom, from the bathroom sink to the shower, from the front porch to the balcony, vertically, horizontally, quadratic, exponent al, logarithmic, while i gasp for air, scream and see the light, missionary, cowgirl, reverse cow girl, doggy, backwards, forwards, sideways, upside down, on the floor, in the bed, on the couch, on a chair, being carried against the wall, outside, in a train, on a plane, in the car, on a motorcycle, the bed of a truck, on a trampoline, in a bounce house, in the pool, bent over, in the basement, against the window, have the most toe curling, back arching, leg shaking, dick thribbing, first clenching, ear rining, mouth drooling, ass clenching, nose sniffling, eye watering, eye rolling, hip thrusting, earthquaking, sheet gripping, knuckles cracking, jaw dropping, hair pulling. teeth jitterbug, mind blogging, soul snatching, overstimulating, vile, sloppy, moan inducing, heart wrenching, spine tingling, back breaking, atrocious, gushy, creamy, beastly, lip bitting, gravity defying, nail biting, sweaty, feet kicking, mind blowing, body shivering, orgasmic, bone breaking, world ending, black hole creating, universe destroying, devious, scrumptious, amazing, delightful, delectable, unbelievable, body numbing, bark worthy, cant walk, head nodding, soul evaporating, volcano erupting, sweat rolling, voice cracking, trembling, sheets soaked, hair drenched, flabbergasting, lip locking, skin peeling, eyelash removing, eye widening, pussy popping, nail stractching, back cuts, spectacular, brain cell desolving, hair ripping, show stopping, magnificent, unique, extraordinary, slendid, phenomenal, mouth foaming, heavenly, awakening, devils tangos, he could put a nuclear bomb inside me and i'd still ride.

-🐹 anon

Today on another episode of "What the fuck did I just receive in my ask box?"

[firstkanaphans]

I know this post is only for like two people, but I’m going to make it anyway. So, my obsession with Dead Friend Forever finally reached critical levels and I resorted to binge-watching The Hidden Character just to get more content. For those that don’t know, The Hidden Character (which they literally call “THC”) was the reality show Be On Cloud used to cast DFF. It is bad. Like really bad. And not in a it’s-so-bad-it’s-good-type way. It’s one of the most exploitative pieces of media I have ever watched. I walked into it with a favorable view of BOC, Mile, Apo, and Pond (the CEO), and walked out of it hating all of them.

A small collection of things that happened over the 11-episode run:

Everyone was told that they had to share every single aspect of their life with the viewers or they would be eliminated. And, in fact, the first person eliminated was told that it was because he wasn’t being open enough with the audience. They filmed these boys—one of whom was only seventeen at the time—talking explicitly about their sex lives. Which is, of course, fine to talk about. It’s not fine to air it on television! Even some of the games themselves contained sexually suggestive content (i.e. Which do you prefer "eating" with—your hands or your mouth? If you were to cheat on your significant other, would it be just sex or a full-blown affair?)

During the first part of the show, everyone had a secret that the other players were supposed to guess. One of the player’s secret was that he used to be homophobic. (Questionable casting for a company that only hires men, but I digress). He was praised for having changed his mind. In contrast, JJay’s secret was that he was raised in an abusive household and had once hit his father. Pond crucified the poor guy for this. He made him sit there in front of the whole cast sobbing and apologize for hitting his dad who was an abusive asshole.

After the first half of the show—which served absolutely no purpose at all—we finally move onto the acting portion. This is, after all, supposed to be a talent competition. The judges were so mean. Especially Apo. He was like the Simon Cowell of BOC. There was no constructive component to their criticism. The fact that any of these people are still acting is honestly unbelievable. I would have gone home and cried myself to sleep and then never stepped foot on a stage again.

At one point, each of the groups was assigned a scene from KinnPorsche to act out (because BOC very clearly owns no other IP). One of the pairs was given the scene where Porsche gives Kinn a handjob in the bathroom. I wish I was kidding. 

The judges constantly told the contestants to make their scenes feel new and different but any time the actors actually tried to change anything, they complained it was “too” different and the original script was already perfect so who were they to think they could create something better. Once again, Apo and Mile, the original actors of these scenes, are the ones judging them! Like of course they like their version better. What is even happening??

And finally, the whole fucking thing was rigged for Ta to win. Like don’t get me wrong, I love Ta and I think he did a great job, but he was the only one who came into that competition with a built-in fanbase and the winner was chosen by popular vote.

It was all just…baffling. Especially from a company that claims to be trying to change the industry. Like if you want the industry to stop being so exploitative to its actors, maybe start with yourself? It also makes those condescending “how dare you watch our shows just for the NC scenes” press releases they do every week even more annoying.

I have no clue what the reaction to this show was while it was airing but god I hope they never do it again. It literally makes me feel so weird watching DFF now. I feel like those poor kids are being held hostage. Maybe CEO Pond’s been the one under the mask the whole time 🔪

[zukosdualdao]

i've been seeing the take recently that what aang is actually encouraging katara to do is to forgive herself and that he’s not explicitly encouraging or expecting her to forgive yon rha.

the ironic thing is that i do think part of what katara needed from the experience of confronting yon rha was to let go of the guilt she held for her mother sacrificing herself for katara. i find this especially evident in the scene where she recounts the story to zuko and remarks that she's "not the helpless little girl" she was when they came, and how enraged she becomes when yon rha asks who kya was protecting. but though she ultimately chooses not to take revenge, katara facing yon rha and realizing what he did is about him and what kind of person he is and was never her fault is ultimately a good thing. it’s not an easy or fun experience, but i do think it was a very necessary one.

i might be somewhat less critical of aang in this episode if that actually was what he was saying (though if he went about it in the exact same way, i would still find it condescending and not a productive way of reaching out to her.)

but that’s just… literally not what he’s saying.

Zuko: Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it and I know how to find him. Aang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish? Katara [Shakes her head in dismay.] Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand. [Begins to walk away.] Aang: Wait! Stop! I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people? Zuko: She needs this, Aang. This is about getting closure and justice. Aang: I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge. Katara [Angrily.] Fine, maybe it is! Maybe that's what I need! Maybe that's what he deserves! Aang: Katara, you sound like Jet.

i think this is the one interaction between aang and katara in which you could maybe argue that he wants her to forgive herself, as he brings up something he's expressed guilt about before, in the storm, (running away before the fire nation killed the air nomads), and she comforted him there and encouraged him not to feel guilty.

but the thing is, he doesn't say anything about how she shouldn't feel guilty. he tries to acknowledge what she's feeling, which is good, but if he was honestly trying to encourage her to forgive herself, i think he would remind her of how she comforted him when he expressed his own guilt. i'm not even totally sure how in tune he is with her guilt. it's not something he mentions when expressing he knows how she feels. (and this isn't me saying he's awful to not know that; it's not something he can necessarily know unless she's expressed it to him, which we haven't seen. but we have seen her try to connect with him over her mother’s death to empathize with him in the southern air temple, and he doesn’t really acknowledge it. so, i do think it shows he has an overly simplistic understanding of her emotions, and that he's not thinking about this in the framework of forgiving oneself.)

if the writers wanted to showcase him encouraging her to forgive herself, they could have had aang say something like, "i know how badly losing your mother must have hurt, but it wasn't your fault, and i'm worried that confronting the man who killed her won't help you."

instead, he immediately makes an argument about moral corruption - he thinks it is about revenge and expresses she sounds like jet because of it. that... is not encouraging her to forgive herself. it's a judgment based on morality. you can argue about whether aang's right or not (i, personally, find his stance reductive in context, but to each their own), but he is absolutely being judgmental here.

this is when the concept of forgiveness comes up:

Katara: Now that I know he's out there ... now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice. Aang: Katara, you do have a choice: forgiveness. Zuko: That's the same as doing nothing! Aang: No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive. Katara: It's not just hard, it's impossible. [Cuts to overhead shot of the field as she walks away, Zuko following behind.]

in it, aang encourages forgiveness directly after katara expresses she feels she has no choice but to confront her mother’s killer. even if aang does mean forgiveness for herself, katara does not hear it that way, as is made evident by the fact she insists forgiveness would be impossible here, and if he does mean forgiveness for herself, i don't know why he wouldn't try to correct that misunderstanding.

Aang: So you were just gonna take Appa anyway? Katara: Yes. Aang: It's okay, because I forgive you. [Pauses.] That give you any ideas?

this might actually be my least favorite part of the episode. while it is generally not nice to take a friend's sky bison without permission, it is so genuinely condescending and a false equivalence to even try to compare that to the murder of her mother, particularly because of how smug aang is about his example of forgiving her for it.

also, aang is trying to "give [her] ideas" about what she should do, and it's clear he doesn't blame himself for katara taking appa. he is not forgiving himself here and telling her that’s what she should do. his point is that he's forgiving her and thinks she should do the same. (for the man. who murdered. her mother. and, while we're at it, would have murdered katara herself if he knew the truth. it is just... not the same situation at all.)

Katara: Don't try to stop us. Aang: I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. [Katara situates herself on Appa's head.] But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.

aaaand there we have it.

aang 100% wants and tells katara to forgive her mother's killer. even if you think he also wants her to find healing (which i actually agree he does want for her, but i don't think he expresses it well/in a way that is likely to reach her, and the show acts like he is wise for this regardless) and forgive herself (if he does realize katara needs this, it's not something he expresses), he also very much does absolutely tell katara to forgive her mother's murderer, and that she won't find healing without doing so.

you can agree or disagree with his stance, but that is absolutely the argument he is making, and it’s weird to try to act like it’s not.

and, as i said before, i personally find it reductive. there are things in this world that we should be angry at. there are things people find impossible to forgive. those things may be different for everyone, but they do exist, and that's completely morally neutral. i find the idea that katara has to forgive the man who killed her mother in an act of imperalist violence in order to find healing and inner peace disturbing. no, actually, she doesn't!

this ideology is also very commonly weaponized against abuse survivors in particular, which is a big part of why it is significant that zuko goes with katara on this journey and defends her right not to forgive yon rha, even as he later also respects her decision not to kill him, which shatters the whole false dichotomy of forgiveness vs revenge being presented by aang’s role in the episode.

we don't actually see the talk in which zuko tells aang about what happened, but based on his perspective the whole episode, i very much doubt he framed it as "katara decided to forgive yon rha."

Aang: Zuko told me what you did. Or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you. Katara: I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to. Aang: You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing. Katara [Rises from boardwalk.]: But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him.

aang hears about what happened and assumes that because katara didn't kill yon rha, she forgave him, and katara corrects him. she (quite angrily) tells aang that she didn’t forgive yon rha, and she never will. katara knows exactly what aang was telling her to do, and even at the end of the episode, it’s clear she resents it and resents aang being “proud of her” for his assumption.

[lavandulai]

S.S. pines x reader

EPISODE 2: In Hiding

Dipper and Mabel lounged on the living room floor of the Mystery Shack. Mabel groaned, lifting her legs and clutching Waddles in her arms. "I am so bored," she whined, staring up at the ceiling.

Dipper, lying on his stomach and scribbling in his journal, glanced over at her. "Don’t you have friends? Why don’t you go out with them?" he teased.

Before Mabel could respond, Soos burst into the room with a huge grin, holding up a calendar. "Dudes! Do you know what day it is?"

Mabel jumped up, her mood instantly lifting. "Gompers and Waddles’ first anniversary?"

Dipper looked up, puzzled. "Is there an event happening?"

Soos beamed and pointed to the calendar. "It’s the day your Grunkles are coming! Aren’t you guys excited?"

Mabel and Dipper exchanged a look, their faces lighting up with excitement. Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door. The twins scrambled to their feet and raced to the door, playfully shoving each other along the way.

Mabel reached the door first and flung it open with a huge smile. "Grunkle Stan! Great Uncle Ford!" she and Dipper shouted in unison.

They rushed forward, wrapping their arms around their uncles. Stan grunted but then chuckled, ruffling Mabel’s hair. "Missed you too, kiddos."

Ford smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling. "My nephew and niece! I hope you haven’t stopped being curious!"

Mabel grinned, "Don’t worry, Great Uncle Ford! With Dipper around, there’s always something strange happening."

Dipper shot her a playful look. "Hey!"

Mabel giggled, sticking her tongue out at him. Meanwhile, Soos stood nearby, patiently waiting for Stan to notice him. When Stan finally did, he broke into a smile. "Soos! I love what you’ve done with the place."

Soos puffed out his chest proudly, looking around the room. Ford, however, was already examining one of the quirky attractions with a confused expression. "A… snadger? That’s the most unbelievable one yet," he mused.

Soos laughed, "You’d be surprised."

♡♡♡

Everyone was outside, soaking up the sun and enjoying the day. Mabel, Dipper, Wendy, and Soos were in the middle of a lively game of spin the pig, their laughter and cheers echoing through the yard. Stan and Ford relaxed on the couch, watching the younger group with amused smiles.

Ford glanced at his brother, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “You know, Stanley, I never thought I would be genuinely happy. Before everything, I thought I had everything figured out. I was too absorbed with myself, never realizing I needed people in my life. But it turns out I wasn’t even close.”

Stan took a slow sip of his Pitt Cola, letting Ford’s words sink in. With a contented sigh, he replied, “I didn’t have much until the kids stayed with me last summer. But hey,” he added, giving Ford a playful punch on the arm, “don’t get all sappy on me. It’s a good day.”

Just then, a loud rumbling noise cut through the air. Wendy paused, tilting her head in confusion. “Dude, I think I just heard a whale.”

“Nah, dude,” Soos said with a grin, patting his stomach, “It’s my stomach.” His stomach rumbled again, louder this time. “We need to get some lunch.”

As if on cue, a pink 1959 Cadillac pulled up to the driveway, catching everyone’s attention. Y/N stepped out of the car, juggling several bags of food. “I got tacos!” she called out with a wide smile.

“Oh yeah!” The group cheered, instantly abandoning their game to rush over to Y/N.

“Ya’ll better share,” Y/N teased as she handed out the tacos. The group settled into a circle on the grass, tearing into their food with enthusiasm.

Stan, however, couldn’t help but eye the pink Cadillac with interest. “A pink Cadillac?” he mused aloud, leaning back on the couch. “She must have money.”

Ford shot his brother a look of annoyance. “Can you not think about money for once?” He stood up, brushing off his pants before clearing his throat. “I’m going to introduce myself to her.”

Stan chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Ford. “Yeah, ’cause you’re great with women.”

Ford rolled his eyes but didn’t respond, instead heading towards Y/N with a confident stride. Stan, not one to be outdone, followed closely behind, putting on his most charming smile.

“Hey, pretty lady,” Stan greeted, wiggling his eyebrows up and down with a grin.

Y/N looked up, clearly amused by his antics. “Excuse me?”

“Grunkle Stan, please leave her alone,” Dipper interjected from the circle, sounding more embarrassed than anything.

But Stan ignored him, still focused on Y/N. “You know, I have a knack for finding treasure,” he said, taking her hand gently. “And I gotta say, I think I just found one.”

Y/N smirked, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head as she met his gaze. “Is that all you got?”

Before Stan could respond, Ford quickly stepped in. “Excuse my brother,” he began, offering Y/N a polite smile. “My name is Stanford. Stanford Pines.”

Y/N’s smile widened as she took in the sight of the twins. “Twins run in the family, huh?”

“Yeah, but I’m the handsome one,” Stan quipped, giving her a wink. “That’s how you can tell us apart.”

Y/N chuckled, clearly entertained by the banter between the brothers. The playful energy between them was infectious, adding another layer of warmth to the already sunny day.

♡♡♡

“Did you discover anything new, Great Uncle Ford?” Dipper asked, his excitement barely contained.

Ford’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I never stop discovering things, Dipper. But today, I’ve got something intriguing.” He pulled out his journal, opening it to a page filled with intricate notes and sketches. “We know mythical creatures exist, but what about Greek mythology?”

Dipper’s eyes widened. “Like Aphrodite?” he asked, awe creeping into his voice.

Mabel gasped, her eyes lit up. “I need to know her secrets for true love!”

Wendy chuckled, leaning back with a grin. “And what if she makes you fall for a bunch of gnomes instead?”

Mabel’s jaw dropped in mock horror. “You have no idea, Wendy!”

Dipper, refocusing, added, “We should totally check this out! We’ve tackled so much before. This could be a whole new adventure.”

Ford’s expression grew serious. “I wish I could say yes, Dipper, but it’s too dangerous right now. Let’s talk about it later.”

Stan, who had been listening from the kitchen, stepped in. “This is supposed to be a family day. I almost lost you this summer. I’m not taking any risks.”

Dipper’s enthusiasm deflated. “Come on, Stan…”

Wendy shook her head. “Stan might have a point. Maybe we should put this off for a bit.”

Dipper sighed deeply. “I guess…”

Soos, ever the optimist, piped up, “Hey, don’t be so bummed out, hambone! We can always watch a show!”

Mabel, lifting Waddles, who was dressed in a cute Greek mythology outfit with a little gold headband, said, “We can have fun here!”

Dipper looked at the scene, his mood lifting slightly. “Okay, I’ll go hang out in my room for a bit.”

Ford gave him a reassuring smile. “I know you’re eager for adventure, and it’ll come soon. Don’t worry, Dipper. There will be plenty of time for what you love.”

Dipper nodded and headed upstairs, feeling a bit more hopeful. “I’ll be in my room.”

♡♡♡

Y/N frowned, the room thick with an awkward silence that seemed to stretch on forever. Stan, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. “He’ll be okay. Dipper’s tough; he’ll get over it.” His voice was firm, but no one responded.

After a moment, he clapped his hands together. “Alright, I got stuff for s’mores! How about we get a campfire started?”

Wendy shrugged, trying to shake off the unease. “That could be fun.”

“Yeah, sounds great!” Mabel chimed in, her voice full of forced cheerfulness.

“Perfect. Soos, grab the gear, would ya?”

“You got it, Mr. Pines,” Soos replied with a thumbs-up, heading inside to gather the supplies.

As everyone filed outside, Mabel played with Waddles, her carefree demeanor masking her concern. Wendy stood a little apart, her gaze distant.

“What’s wrong, Wendy?” Mabel asked suddenly, not looking up from Waddles.

Wendy blinked, surprised that Mabel had noticed. “Just… one of those days, you know? And, yeah, I’m worried about Dipper.”

Mabel nodded. “I’m always worried about Dipper,” she said softly, her tone more serious. “But about the other thing… are you missing someone?”

Wendy looked out at the trees, her expression thoughtful. “Something like that.”

Stan’s voice cut through the moment. “Who’s ready for a scary story?”

Ford, with a smirk, replied, “If it’s another one of your made-up tales for the Mystery Shack, count me out.”

Stan placed a hand on his chest, feigning hurt. “I can’t believe you’d say that about me, Ford!”

They shared a laugh, the tension easing as Ford shook his head with a smile. “Good to know that no matter how old we get, some things never change.”

Soon, the fire crackled warmly, and everyone gathered around, roasting marshmallows and enjoying the night air. The mood lightened, and even Wendy began to relax, chuckling at one of Stan’s exaggerated stories.

“This is nice,” Soos said, his marshmallow perfectly golden as he pulled it from the fire. “Feels like it’s been forever since we’ve all hung out like this. Y’know, without Dipper around, it’s kinda weird.”

Mabel nodded, her eyes reflecting the firelight as she turned her marshmallow stick. “Yeah, it’s been a while. I miss him too.”

Ford added, “He needs time, but he’ll be back with us soon enough.”

The group fell into a comfortable rhythm, the earlier tension now a distant memory as they joked and shared stories under the stars. Even Y/N found themselves smiling, the warmth of the fire and the camaraderie soothing their worries.

Stan leaned back, content. “Yup, just like old times.”

♡♡♡

He sighed, staring down at the journal he’d been working on. “This is so stupid,” he muttered, frustration boiling over. In a burst of anger, he threw the journal across the room. It hit the wall with a dull thud, and as it fell, something slipped out from between the pages, fluttering to the floor.

“What the—?” He squinted, noticing the small slip of paper that had escaped. Curiosity piqued, he approached cautiously, bending down to pick it up.

“A note?” he whispered to himself, his heart rate quickening. He unfolded it rapidly, his impatience driving him to reveal its contents as quickly as possible.

As his eyes scanned the words, his heart dropped. The color drained from his face, and he instinctively brought a trembling hand to his mouth, trying to process the sudden wave of emotion that crashed over him.

End of episode 2

TELL ME WHAT YALL THINK >:0 ALSO SORRY ITS A BIT SLOW RN! BUT THINGS WILL PICK IP SOON

[yourimagines]

Hi, I’m a big fan and I’m wondering if you could write something about Yord from the new Star Wars series, the acolyte. Fluff?

Thank you and take care 🧡

Hi, I love Star Wars so of course. Tell me what you think about the first two episodes 🧡

Jedi knight

* English is not my first language I apologise

* Triggers: fluff

Y/n POV

It was middle of the night when I woke up suddenly by a weird sound. I rubbed my eyes and sat right up in bed. I scanned the room and saw nothing weird. Everyone was still asleep in their beds and the door was closed. ‘Must be the wind then.’ I lay back down and closed my eyes, trying to get back to sleep.

I couldn’t sleep anymore and tossed around my bed. ‘Ugh…maybe I need some fresh air.’ I silently pulled my blanket away and climbed out of my bed. I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my body, covering my pyjamas. Silently I walked through the room to the door to get some fresh air.

I walked quietly through the Jedi Temple to the Jedi garden. Without getting caught by some of the knights or masters that wandered around the temple at night. I took a deep breath and sat down somewhere more private. ‘What a view.’ I smiled and laid down on my back to look up at the sky, that was filled with stars. “Beautiful isn’t it.” A voice said from behind me. I jumped and sat right back up to meet Yord’s face, he was smiling at me. “Knight Yord, I’m sorry I know I’m not allowed to be here but…” he held his finger up to his mouth, stopping my rambling. “If you talk too much you’ll get in trouble Padawan.” He had a smile on his face. I nodded and mouthed a thank you to him. “You better be gone when I come back in 30 mins, you don’t want to disappoint your master.” I nodded and he slowly walked away, leaving me alone again to watch the stars.

Yord POV

‘Y/n, she’s a few years younger than what I am but so mature. She’s going to be a great Jedi, really dedicated to the ways of the Jedi.’ I made my walk through the Jedi temple and turned around to walk back, one of the younglings caused an outbreak in the animal sanctuary and I was sent to check out the north side of the temple. “All clear, I’ll walk back to the main hall.” I said to the communication device on my wrist. I walked back and stopped by the garden, checking if y/n was still there. My heart slightly dropped as she was gone but I quickly pushed away those feelings as I walked back to the council that were waiting for us at the main hall.

It was early in the morning when I saw y/n, walking around the temple. “Are you lost?” She turned around and smiled at me. “No, I’m just walking around, why?” I shrugged my shoulders and walked together with her through the halls of the temple. “Just wondering, you looked lost.” I crossed my arms and smiled at her. “So you’re trying to be my saver then?” I lightly chuckled and looked away from her. “Maybe I was.” I saw her blushing and looking away from me. “Well thank you knight Yord.” I turned my head to look at her as she said my name. “You’re welcome Padawan y/n.” She nodded and suddenly turned left, leaving me alone as she giggles softly. “Thank you for finding my way through the temple knight Yord, I’ll see you soon.” She whispered the last words as she disappeared into a class room. I smiled to myself and shook my head. “Unbelievable…”

[animefreak1145]

Church Bells(Adler x Bell!Reader xWoods)

Previous Intel | Next Intel

Sixth Intel | Watch

Description:

The world ended for Bell after Cuba.

The whole world followed soon after.

Zombies AU | Drabble Format

Warnings/Tags: Mature Rating, Graphic Violence, Dark Themes, Trauma, Body Horror, Gore, Major Character Death, Brainwashing, Post!Cuba, Pre!Solovetsky, No Solovetsky, Female Bell, Older Man/Younger Woman

Words: 1.6k

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You were observing for days.

Picking apart the papers, the plans, the tools they have at their disposal with Sims. Hawkish tired baggy eyes, always seeming to stray at the itch of your skin that is getting irritated from your nails than anything else. No other outside source. (Nightmare.) 

It was hard for the others to cajole you out the cage you built around you, the storage room with the arcade game you used to play with but now is stock still. 

Dead. A waste of energy. 

(Why are you here again? Ah. Solovetsky. Always about going to Solovetsky. That’s all they need of you. They aren’t your friends. He’s not your friend.)

You even locked yourself in. To keep them out. To keep you in. Concentration. Watching. Planning. Eying. 

You had a fire to your ass and this time it wasn’t Adler that caused it, (his hands around your jaw or your throat, squeezing your cheeks together unforgivingly or pressing down warningly to your carotid and air supply, Bell, open the door. He said good work. ) but instead it was your head, your thoughts, the feeling of blood pumping to your ears and grim determination clenching your jaw and hands around the pens and pencils and office supplies you have hoarded in this cage you made yourself.

You ignored how Woods cursed at you and your behavior, but your eyes couldn’t help but study his deep blue. The ocean normally with its high tides to make up for the hurricane of a man, only for it to be swimming in concern and worry on what is causing this frantic episode of yours. 

The tornado of a man cursed at you with no intent, looking haggard with tired shoulders as if he was there in the cage with you. Only for them to tense when Adler, who is ice and cool and hard to read and what is that look in his eyes when he stares past your cage and into your face, tells Woods to leave you be, to let you plan the finishing touches needed for the cell tower and you will come out when you decide to. 

“Stop babying her.”

“Wha—you conniving fucker,” the hurricane spat at the arctic breeze, dangerous and unbelieving wild grin upon his face. “You ordered her to do this. You think I’m going to let you dig around your dirty shitty claws around her brain again? You used the trigger phrase, didn’t you? Didn’t you?!”

(You talked to Woods once, that the trigger would still probably work. The lot of you have no time to deprogram a terrorist. You were concerned, worrying your lip and how easy it would be to become a mindless puppet again. Frank, all grim faced, only tugged you to him with your eyes widening as you met the gear covered chest. Safe . Secure . The immovable mountain and the chaotic hurricane turned firm like a rooted tree that shall never bend. Can you make a home here in these roots? Is he letting you? And a rumble to your ear “You don’t have to worry your pretty little head about that. No one will say that sentence again. Until we get you back to Washington and we’ll fix you up, you’ll be able to say the words yourself as easy as you can decode.”)

Face to face.

The storm and ice. 

And, despite you wanting to see Frank punch the ever living lights out of Adler again, you stepped out the cage and intervened with a gentle yet firm hand to Woods shoulder before Mason or Sims could, back to Adler who you can feel his eyes on you.

When he glanced down in bewilderment, he met your grateful little smile playing on your lips and a shake of your head.

“It’s okay. He didn’t do any of that. I wanted to.” Woods didn’t seem to believe you, and your hand wandered from his shoulder to his wrist to do a squeeze of his hand. Woods blinked, eyes on the hold before meeting your somber ones. “We need this plan. Adler is right on the importance of this. We need that cell tower.  Him and I gotta do this right with all of you. To plan with all of you. ”

Woods face began to sour right when you mentioned Adler. Glancing up to where Adler was only to sour more. 

He tugged his hand away and turned his  back on you. You tried to not let it affect you. (He always touches you and accepts yours like you accept his. He’s not distant.) 

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. Just don’t…” his tone lost his gumption when he turned his face back towards you. You can spot his swallow before he waved a hand flippantly, (not the hand you touched. The hand you touched is tucked in his jacket pocket. Like a secret.) before he made a dramatic puff of air out his mouth. “Just don’t fall over dead or electrocute your brain over there.”

The joke fell flat, your brows pinched in concern and your back still itched with eyes on you.

You turned, almost missing the smug smirk Adler had around his cigarette but not missing his upturned brow when he looked at you. 

He dipped his head in a semblance of a nod, nicotine smoke around them both as he breathed, “Don’t let him keep treating you like glass. You’re not made of it.” 

And off he went, whisking away to his corner of the safehouse. 

Your jaw clenched when his scent and presence left you, irritation building at the pretense(How would he know how you wanted to be treated? He doesn’t know you. You used to lick up those small nods as if they were ambrosia, his pride towards you like nectar. He broke you. He can’t tell you what to do.) before you went back to your cage. 

Later, after your three day planning confinement, with you and Park atop a nearby building of the cell tower to study the zombie horde and the strange crystals that keep appearing like never ending amethysts, you were questioned by the MI6 agent.

Or what may be left of the MI6.

“Is Woods a wise choice, Bell?”

The question came from left field(Woods taught you that saying) and it made you take off your binoculars, your face twisted into deep befuddlement.

“What?”

Park’s face didn’t change, it was the expression where she expected no nonsense. Her attention on you and not the sniper rifle who has an impressive scope and what she should be using to watch. 

“Don’t play the oblivious card, Bell. It doesn’t suit you.”

You were starting to get annoyed at the non answers. (You hate non answers. Hums that don’t mean anything or everything. You’re sick of it.)

“What are you talking about?”

Park huffed.

“This dance you’re doing with Woods. Is it genuine? Or are you trying to get back at Adler?”

Your eyes flashed, your grip on your binoculars tightening.

That’s all it goes back to. Your genuineness. 

(Stop lying, Bell. Start again and tell me how you met Perseus.)

“Frank and I are genuinely friends. Just like me and Mason are.” Park’s brows pinched together and you really want to shout at her but you stick with a hissed “What?” instead.

“You’re getting that look in your eyes when you look at Woods. And don’t think we can’t all see how touchy you two are with each other. Especially with what happened earlier.” (You touched Woods hand, yours were gloved. But you still felt it. How warm he can be. The curious inquisitive side of you wanted to know what would happen if your hand was bare, what would the valley of his knuckles feel like? Would it match the mountain of a man?) “Woods is…” Park cleared her throat. “Woods is showing deep care for you. But the last thing we need is something to split the team apart. So. Is it genuine?”

You bit the inside of your cheek, looking through the binoculars again to dismiss her.

“Didn’t you say to give a certain man a wide berth?” 

“And I’m glad for you for it. But Bell,” a hand moved stops yours, shifting the binoculars down and you were met with concerned gray eyes, a soft voice. “. . .Adler is the type of man who has a hard time giving over control. Can you honestly say you won’t fall upon his hands again if he asked?”

“Adler,” you spat, fury and rage and vindictive and hot on your chest. It made Park’s eyes widen, which made you blink and deflate and appear like the kicked bunny that you are instead of what you were before. “. . . I know what kind of man Adler is. But. . . Woods is. . . Frank is. . . ” You clenched your teeth, bowed your head. “I. . . don’t want to hurt him. . . He’s been. He’s been kind to me. He makes me laugh.”

Park’s eyes gave you a once over, assessing and scrutinizing before you felt a hand atop your shoulder. A gentle squeeze. You looked up and spotted gentle eyes to match before she focused back on her sniper and looking through it.

“It seems we may have similar taste in men, Bell.”

You glanced at her in pity. 

Lazar always found a way to make her laugh.

If they achieve this, create the line again for Washington—to Weaver—than perhaps Park can find someone again. 

You and Adler’s plan can’t fail.

(Adler’s protege will make a way.)

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…hahahahahaha… hi?

I’m back in the writing pit of this universe! Thank you to @makeyourpeacenow and @junkyardhound with their wondrous works in AO3 I recently discovered thanks to me trying to scour for Adler x Bell fics again. And that inspired me. And for the BO6 trailer. Where I’m back to wanting the Officially Wanted Man Russell Adler.

May this fire not die until this fic is at least completed. And than maybe I can hop back into my other Adler x Bell fic.

Tag List: @tr1ppylady @parkeepingparker @weirdoartist21 @gojocat247 @mayaibnlaahad @dallmaistir @salvija @kylezkie4adler @asaltryefl @stupid-stinky @aurora-windu @zachfoxx121

Are any of you guys still here? I sure hope so. I miss you guys.

[doodle-pops]

The Ainur | With Reader Experiencing Panic Attacks

Request: I've been like an overexcited Buddy the Elf since you announced requests open, I love them so unbelievably much, they make my week and sometimes my month. So if I may please make a little request... how do you think the Ainur would react if the reader suffers from panic attacks? - anon

A/N: I went with the classic bunch I usually write for, however, I found it difficult to come up with something for Melkor (because I couldn't picture him being patient or soft enough? Idk, if that's just me). So he’s out in this one. Enjoy!

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Manwë

As someone gentle and nurturing when it comes to dealing with others, Manwë would be a wonderful individual to assess your panic attacks when they strike. Whether they come in waves of frantic panicking or silence, he’s observant and on the lookout for when an episode can arise. Hence why he has a hand in certain activities in your day-to-day duties to reduce any form of stress that would bring it on. This also extends to arranging secluded spots where you can be at peace and blend into nature.

If your panic attacks derive from traumatic events or stress, the Lord of Airs will do his best to ensure that you are never placed in situations where you can relive or entertain such build-ups. His eyes are always on your figure, not too close nor too far, as he observes the people you communicate with and the level of work you handle.

All in all, you’ve got someone who would invite his little bird friends to perform melodies to ease your pain, or the Lord himself would engage in leisurely activities for your sanity.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Irmo

The moment he enters you spot your figure, he’s aware that something is off. In fact, it was the reason why he was drawn to your presence in the first place, high levels stress of radiating strongly. Irmo would be worried about the blank look on your face as you’re staring off into the distance and your body slumps. He’s more familiar with the frantic forms of panic attacks, that this other outcome has him slightly worried. Just how much stress or possible trauma were you under at that very moment.

Communicating with you by calling out your name would come surprisingly at ease as you take glances at him with a lethargic expression. He could see that in your mind, thoughts were raging war rapidly to the point you could barely keep up with a single focal point, and he understood how you felt at that moment. He is tender and gentle as he calls out to you and informs you that he’s going to hold you closely to help bring you back into reality.

With Irmo, you get the opportunity to spend lots of time in his gardens to soothe your mind. He practically opens it to you and invites you to use it when the thoughts in your mind are colliding and creating a frenzy. There are moments, when he would pay you a visit as you’re relaxing to hold your hand and reassure you that he’s here and you not drifting off deep into your thoughts.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Námo

The Lord of the Dead would find the situation unfamiliar to him since his profession deals with souls and not of the flesh. When he faces you in your panicked state, panting and gasping for air as your eyes flutter like a storm around the room and clinging to some surface, his first thought is that you were harmed. Quickly rushing to your side, Námo would attempt his best to pacify your erraticism, placing his hands against your face to get you to focus on him while guiding your hands to his face to anchor yourself back to earth. It breaks his heart to eventually learn that it wasn’t an injury but rather a panic attack once his brother accessed your health.

As Námo now learns of what a panic attack looks like and has become familiar with it and how it can arise, he would arrange with his brother to pardon you visitations to his garden for peaceful moments while he was busy attempting to create one at his domain to surprise you upon your return. It’s difficult for Námo to find breaks in between his duties, but he tries his hardest to meet with you and spend more time conversing about any problems or possible traumatic experiences that can cause your panic attacks.

He would remedy incense, teas, and music for you, under the assistance of his brother and Lady Ëste. There would be more breaks in your schedule if stress is the cause and a higher demand that you relax and enjoy the beauty of life while leaving the heavier duties to him. While Námo would be eyeing you like a hawk, courtesy his Maiar who would be placed in charge of you, he would step in and handle your care on his own.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Ëonwë

The Herald of Manwë would be partially familiar with the dynamic of what serve panicking looks like after fighting alongside other elves who are more susceptible to such conditions. He may not have treated soldiers who suffered the attacks but witnessed the procedure, which is why when it occurred to you, he was able to access the situation. Swiftly he moves, but beneath his appearance, he’s panicking as well, as he captures your attention after noticing your symptoms. Using his wings, Ëonwë will embrace you in a hug and have them cocoon you both from the outside world.

His wings are one of the best sources to dealing with your panic attacks as it brings an extra sense of security and comfort. He normally uses his wings when he wants to shut the world (noises) out, so it comes in handy in a situation like yours. His hands are on your face as he guides your breathing to reduce your erraticism. The soft coos and a few chirps would slip out because his heart breaks at the sight of you appearing distorted.

Ëonwë would whisk you away to an enclosed area where it can simply be you and him without any distractions. He would spend the rest of the moment in tranquillity, lounging about the place with you in his arms, stroking your hair and watching as you sleep.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Mairon

 Confused and concerned at your state of silence, you blankly stare off into God knows where, probably the wall, as your mind turns into a battlefield of thoughts. At first, he’ll ignore you and believe you’re just being your usual self (weird), but as time passes and you’re still sitting there for almost an hour unresponsive, he becomes concerned. He’ll hover over you, unsure if to gently touch you or firmly shake you awake, instead, he settles on calling you. Mairon wouldn’t understand that it was a panic attack because he tends to experience erratic ones and is familiar with those.

However, after learning, he would be on the lookout anytime he notices you slumped with a blank expression and eyes distantly gazing into the unknown. His actions would be a lot more caring as he gingerly touches your shoulder or hands for you to grasp the concept of not slipping away too deeply into your thoughts. Mairon wouldn’t be an expert at having professional care, because how he deals with his own panic attacks isn’t for everyone, so he understands that being sensitive is necessary.

It’s one of the times when his tone changes, and so do his expressions as he tends to you. Might crack a few jokes to test the waters and see where you stand on the scale before advancing with the rest of his care. You might get him to stop for a moment with his plotting and crafting to sit with you in a quiet embrace and listen to your thoughts. A small kiss to your forehead before he sends you off to your shared chambers or gardens (if he has one appropriate to sit in) to spend the rest of the day.

Masterlist

Taglist: @ranhanabi777 @lilmelily @mysticmoomin @rain-on-my-umbrella @asianbutnotjapanese @batsyforyou @mcwentfandomtraveling @involuntaryspasms @stormchaser819 @aconstructofamind @addaigio @lamemaster

[lurkingshan]

10 Things I Love About Ossan's Love Returns

Y’all. Y'ALL. I am stunned right now. I am verklempt. I never thought I would end up here. But here I am.

I bounced hard off the original Ossan's Love. Like, hard. I DNF'd and immediately memory holed just about everything I knew about it. But people I trust (namely @isaksbestpillow and @twig-tea) said this new series was an improvement on the original, and that I didn't have to go back and try rewatching the first series to dive into this one. So of course I, a jbl devotee, had to give it the old college try.

AND TO MY SHOCK AND AWE, I LOVE IT. This show is excellent. This is Japanese media at its absolute best, showcasing the precision in writing, directing, editing, and acting that they can reach when they are firing on all cylinders. This is the kind of comedy only a Japanese production can get right, because it requires a mastery of all these elements that you just can't get in less mature filmmaking industries. This is the best example I have ever seen of this kind of broad comedic style grounded in real stakes.

So let me tell you why this show, which is available for the international audience on Gaga (and with subs coming from Sirii, as well!), is worth your time:

This is a story about an established relationship between adult characters. Y'all know how I feel about the dearth of this we get in drama! Maki and Haruta have been long distance for four years and are moving in together to start their married life as this show begins.

The writing is unbelievably strong. Everything that happens matters, the characters always make sense, and the jokes are genuinely so fucking funny.

Kurosawa, or Chief, as I refer to him, is one of the funniest characters of all time, in any drama. The way this man had me laughing out loud in every scene! I felt like I got a workout.

This show is a feat of editing. I have been watching a string of shows recently that are getting hamstrung by bad editing, so let me tell you, it was a true pleasure to watch a drama that executes editing tricks so deftly and with such an eye toward sharpening its story and enhancing its jokes.

It has excellent female side characters. We have Chizu, my favorite lady bestie who is here to whip Haruta into shape at all times, and Chuoko, an actual archer who also has her own little romance going, and Haruta's mom, an unbothered legend who just wants to eat her food and get to her dates with her boyfriend.

There's a mystery! Next door to Haruta and Maki are two creepy mfers (brothers?) who are Up To Something. Or not! I don't know but I’ll find out!

We are getting an actual dialogue about gay marriage. Haruta and Maki consider themselves married, but have no legally binding contract and have not yet had a wedding, and they talk about this and their feelings about it often as they are negotiating their lives together.

We may have some aroace rep happening?? This is still pending but my radar is pinging hard for Takegawa to join the incredibly shortlist of explicitly aro and/or ace characters in bl.

DID I MENTION THIS SHOW IS FUCKING HILARIOUS. I cannot overstate the number of times this drama had me straight cackling in three short episodes. I had to get up and do some laps to walk it off.

The show is extremely well paced and I trust it not to waste my time. No small thing in these bl streets! The odd episode order (9) and tight pacing of each of the first three episodes tells me the creators of this show know exactly what they are doing and how much time they need to execute their vision.

This show is airing live for the next six weeks and I strongly encourage you to watch it and come join the fun with us!

[stackslip]

I'm curious, at the point where you're at in FMA 03, have you met Dante yet? I'm curious at what you think of her.

late but now that i'm done: i adore her. like, she could have benefited from a few more episodes' worth of development (like envy, really, and many other aspects of the ending that were clearly VERY rushed for time), but i fucking *love* what we got of her. i find her a thousand times more compelling and thematically appropriate an antagonist than father is.

the first thing i enjoy about her is that she is, fundamentally, a human. she claims to have surpassed humanity and looks down on them, but she is a real human person who just happens to have used alchemy to extend her own life, and the process costs not only her but everyone! she isn't a supernatural being, and in fact her bodies are all extremely fragile even outside of the whole rotting thing. what she is is really the ultimate alchemist: someone who really does see the world and everyone within it as material to be analysed, decomposed, and recomposed to her will. someone who dehumanizes others so profoundly they are just tools to her, things to be manipulated or destroyed or remodeled at her will, and who's fundamentally baffled when they react as people. but outside of being that good an alchemist, she's also just....... human. she's scared, and petty, and honestly a bit cringe and old-fashioned. she's cunning and used to manipulating people and movements, but she's good in that human, predatory and slimy way rather than as an inhuman force of evil. her motives too are human! she wants to keep living. she claims to be above it all but she is really just another human, among many MANY in the show, who struggle with the concept of dying and letting go of an idealized life. she isn't special among them! she isn't particularly unique in her motivation! she's one of a dozen characters of fma 03 who cannot cope with death as a part of life.

the second thing i enjoy is, how despite her manipulations and how she is, in essence, responsible for everything the brothers have been through (they wear her mark without knowing it for most of their life for fuck's sake!) she is not actually the only one with agency in the world, and while she pushes amestrian towards its genocidal policies the show makes it very very clear clear that she is not solely responsible for them, and that excising her does not suddenly make everything better or end racism or all that fucking nonsense lmfao, it's so clear that really, dante has been taking advantage of existing prejudices and amestris's own imperialist ambitions for her own gain. amestrians support the genocides and wars! it brings them resources, and national pride, and racial superiority! it strengthens the might of state alchemists! again what dante is is first and foremost a manipulator. the homonculi are all lost, and hollow, and desperate OR they are her own creations from past lovers and children she views as her property and lies to. they are inhuman and yet genuinely intimidated by her. she knows what buttons to press. dante doesn't implant or create things in others, she takes advantage of what is there and remolds it to her desire! equivalent exchange if you will :)))

third reason is: again. she is slimy. she is cringe. she is predatory but in a weird flailing way. she is so obviously a predator, and a very much older woman who knows nothing about the times and thinks she's still hot shit. she is sloppy at times in her handiwork. she is deeply, unbelievably petty. she is so awful it becomes campy. she throws a baby in the air for fun and experiments. she is so mad hoheinheim got himself a wife she uses the wife's homonculus for fun. she is EXCEEDINGLY creepy about rose and sexualizes and exoticizes her openly in a way that feels.... genuinely real and pathetic and racist (she is racist tbc, the narrative is v clear about it and isn't doing this for fun points). i think there need to be more evil girlfailure villains who aren't like just, hot sex machines but are this kind of realistic kind of everyday awful and evil.

fourth reason is that she's an excellent foil to a number of characters, starting with hoheinheim obviously and his own fucked up actions, and his own predatory nature towards younger women (and btw just like.... the little we get of their relationship and interactions has my head spinning, it's so good and juicy) and refusal to accept death until he does. but also edward--she isn't just trying to convince him bc he's hoheinheim's son and she's a fucking creepy, but bc again and again the narrative has shown that ed IS teethering on the edge of morality with his alchemy, that his curiosity and drive to prove he CAN do these incredible things deemed impossible, that he IS no ordinary alchemist and his love for al can lead him to dark places. he isn't dante, not yet! he turns away from her values! but had dante played her cards a bit better, maybe he could have been. and of course there's the izumi parallel too: izumi, dante's student who flees her master because there's something wrong with that woman; who grieves her son and tries to bring him back and is stuck with the homonculus that resulted--where dante tried to resurrect her son and used him as a tool. and all those who committed human transmutation in the name of bringing back lost loved ones, when pride and greed are said to be based on dante's former lovers she killed and controlled. did she ever really love them? was her first transmutation genuinely out of grief? when did she lose sight of the common humanity at the core of these other people? was it from the start, or did she lose it gradually as her soul rotted with her bodies?

i think that's also one of the most fascinating aspects of dante. she is, for all intents and purposes, a living corpse who refuses to die and move on. a zombie. in a show full of ghosts and people who are unable to die or move on, in a show about how idealizing the past and trying to freeze it or recreate a pitch perfect version of it stops you from seeing the love and possibilities right in front of your nose. and nowhere is that seen more than in dante: whose bodies rot faster and faster and yet she keeps believing she can fix it. she can use a thousand more lives to let her use a body for a few more months. why should she have to die and move on? why can't the world just stop for her? it should. everyone in fma 2003 keeps trying to repeat the past, to start up the same old cycles, to drag the long dead and buried kicking and screaming into the present. dante literally lives in a city so old and forgotten people have forgotten its existence and that it is the foundation on which central is built. she drags the bones of the homonculi's former selves to threaten them. she tries to immediately start up a relationship with her ex's son, believing she can remodel him to her liking. she takes and she takes and she takes. she has forgotten that one is all and all is one and that all struggles are connected, that the old must give to the new, that you cannot make the same mistakes over and over and get what you want whenever. she is rotten inside and out. i think it's fitting then, that she isn't killed by ed or al's hand, but that she simply storms off mad when things don't go according to plan (because she is just that petty) and that she is killed by the rebound of her own actions of untethering gluttony. she has so thoroughly dehumanized others, literally and figuratively, that she gets swallowed by the results of it, and dies the same pathetic death that the priest did in episode 2, and marcoh did, and many others that she sent gluttony to clean up.

like gd i do wish we could have gotten another full ten eps of her. but i'm also fine with her as she is. she sucks so bad. she's so delicious to dive into, the layers of her fucked up ness.

[arshisrabbaves]

How Khushi and Arnav wanted to do each other during this episode:

No lube, no protection, all night, all day, from the kitchen floor to the toilet seat, from the dining table to the bedroom, from the bathroom sink to the shower, from the front porch to the balcony, vertically, horizontally, quadratic, exponent al, logarithmic, while they gasp for air scream and see the light, missionary, cowgirl, reverse cow girl, doggy, backwards, forwards, sideways, upside down, on the floor, in the bed, on the couch, on a chair, being carried against the wall, outside, in a train, on a plane, in the car, on a motorcycle the bed of a truck, on a trampoline, in a bounce house, in the ool, bent over, in the basement, against the window, have the most toe curling, back arching, leg shaking, dick thribbing, first clenching, ear rining, mouth drooling, ass clenching, nose sniffling, eye watering, eye rolling, hip thrusting, earthquaking, sheet gripping, knuckles cracking, jaw dropping, hair pulling. teeth jitterbug, mind blogging, soul snatching, overstimulating, vile, sloppy, moan inducing, heart wrenching, spine tingling, back breaking, atrocious, gushy, creamy, beastly lip bitting, gravity defying, nail biting, sweaty, feet kicking, mind blowing, body shivering, orgasmic, bone breaking, world ending, black hole creating, universe destroying, devious, scrumptious, amazing, delightful, delectable, unbelievable, body numbing, bark worthy cant walk, head nodding, soul evaporating, volcano eruption, destroying the insides.