#uses his acting talent to pretend he isn't as affected as he is

[mellosdrawings]

OOOOOO CAN I ASK HOW WOULD THE N2 SQUAD REACT TO EACH OF THEM DYING?

What have you unleashed?

(WARNING: Angst, allusions to death, all that fun stuff. Nothing graphic tho, don't worry)

Jamil

He shouldn’t be surprised.

Well… He isn't surprised. Jamil Viper doesn't get nice things. Not for more than a few months, anyway.

Every once in a while, life takes pity on him and throws some nice, agreeable news his way. Just enough so that he lets his guard down. Just enough so that he allows himself to think maybe things will get better. Just enough so that he can pretend he isn't chained to a fate he will never escape.

A letter to NRC, a plan that goes a little too well, a couple of upperclassmen who seem to genuinely love him for who he is and not who he pretends to be.

So of course it doesn't last. Life gives and life takes.

Kalim follows, Octavinelle gets involved, Leona and Vil-

Well…

He isn't surprised.

Jamil Viper doesn't get nice things.

Vil

They look at him like they expect something from him. Horror, anger, ugly tears maybe. Just a reaction. Anything. Anything at all.

Vil doesn't give them that. Doesn't give them an opportunity to pity him. Doesn't give them food for gossip. Doesn't give them any material to make this topic last for any longer than it has to.

He knows how it works. Someone snaps a pic of him at his lowest, someone records his voice breaking during an interview, someone catches his lips tremble for but a second, and everybody will start talking about it again. And again. And again. For as long as there is a reaction from him. For as long as the topic attracts views.

Suffering brings more views than success.

So Vil doesn't react. Doesn't say a thing. Doesn't acknowledge the topic.

Better to be a cold asshole for a few weeks than to hear about it for years.

And in the darkness of his own room, where there is no camera, no eyes, and no ears to witness his grief-

Vil cries himself to sleep.

Leona

It’s just sand.

Only sand.

For miles and miles, further than the eye can see, nothing but sand.

Ruggie had the clever foresight to send all of Savanaclaw packing when Leona got the news. They would be sand too otherwise.

Who cares.

Who fucking cares.

He could turn the whole world to sand and it wouldn't be enough.

He might as well turn his own heart into sand.

It would hurt less.

[somewhere-on-knowhere]

Random Starbula Headcanons

Nebula is super touch-starved and has a very sensitive body. Peter quickly gets into the habit of giving her shoulder rubs and casually caressing her arms and legs when they're sitting together.

Peter gets lost in Nebula's eyes frequently. Nebs loves the dopey, lovestruck expression he gets when this happens.

Peter confesses first despite Nebula having feelings for longer. When he does, she's floored because she assumed he would never reciprocate.

Nebula kisses him first however.

Peter is a tea drinker and Nebula is a coffee drinker.

For date nights, Peter and Nebula sometimes watch movies and shows from Peter's childhood. This leads to them binge-watching all of Cheers. They also end up watching its (better) spinoff, Frasier, which Peter can't believe even exists when he discovers it.

Nebula doesn't really do pet names but over time she begins calling him Star-Lord when she's being flirty (she continues to call him that when she's mad at him too though xD)

Peter isn't much of a pet name person either but that doesn't mean he never uses them. His favorite things to call her are "sweetheart", "hon/honey", and "blueberry". Nebula acts like she hates all of these but they actually make her feel so loved.

Nebula can paint pretty well (stealing this headcanon from the video game xD) and offers to teach Peter how to improve his art after seeing his doodle in Volume 3. Peter isn't that interested but you fucking bet that after learning about her talent he'd get her to draw him.

Nebula prefers dressing in a masc way but Peter helps her feel comfortable wearing more feminine clothes and dresses. He thinks she's hot no matter what she wears though.

Peter's grandpa likes to team up with Nebula to roast Peter. He pretends that it bugs him but is just happy that his girlfriend and his grandfather get along so well.

Mantis plays up the overprotective sister act around them sometimes (jokingly telling them to be home by curfew when they go on dates, threatening to murder Nebula if she hurts Peter, etc.)

The sound of Peter's laugh makes Nebula's knees go weak. Especially when she's the one who made him laugh.

Peter loves public displays of affection while Nebula is shy about them. I adore the idea of Peter being super affectionate to her in public and Nebula wants to maintain her stoic reputation so she gets flustered. Her automatic response is to say something bitchy when he does this but actually enjoys the affection and loves that Peter is so open to showing off that she's his girlfriend.

Nebula still bridal carries Peter sometimes. Only now it's not because he's wasted; it's just because he enjoys it and she's happy to do it.

[axeattitude]

repost and rate your muse's traits out of 10 in each category !

★  ⸻   COMPASSION: 7/10. kerry is an individual who holds a great deal of compassion for the struggles and pains of ordinary folk, and he understands how hard it is across the board, regardless of where he's risen to in the world. it's a core component of what it is to be a rockerboy in his estimation, as both one himself and a foundational member in the wave that cemented the movement in the public conscious (he thinks a rockerboy that doesn't have a fair amount of compassion is a pretender, as the people are supposed to be a pillar focus). he cares a lot about many things and that drives the score mostly. however, he also can judge people very harshly and severely and very quickly, for things both big and small, and in a way that it would be very difficult to get him to change his mind or tune about it. he can ruin a life with that judgement just as easily as he can help someone.

★  ⸻   BITTERNESS: 4.5/10. the only reason that isn't a lot higher is that kerry has put some serious work into bettering himself when it comes to bitterness, showing it and feeling it, and letting it affect him. kerry has a decent amount of things to be bitter about, and he'd be well within his rights to be if he were more bitter. but it'd be too much atop everything he deals with. it takes a lot of effort and work to keep himself maintaining a good balance on that though.

★  ⸻   HAPPINESS: ?/10. happiness and kerry depends on what his life is like at that time, how he feels mentally, what is going on around him. it's no secret that kerry has tried to take his own life more than a few times, which doesn't need to be elaborated on because it's... pretty self-explanatory. those are the very low periods. but then there's also times where he feels stable, fulfilled, contented, engaged with the world around him instead of numbed and isolated and drifting. so it can change from very low to considerably high.

★  ⸻   POLITENESS: 4/10. kerry knows how to be polite. he can and does treat people perfectly fine, he behaves. but he can also be a mean bastard, snapping his teeth at people and causing problems on purpose, very in their face not regretful about it as all. he has an attitude and a stubborn streak and the backbone to back it up. for the purposes of this, the 'knowing how to treat people and how to act when it matters' doesn't factor in as much.

★  ⸻   MORALITY: 4.5/10. kerry has a very unique moral code that wouldn't align with what others might think is the status quo, black and white scale of good -> bad morality. what is moral to him might not be to someone else and vice versa. however, kerry isn't opposed to doing some pretty considerably terrible stuff (whether himself or having someone else do it through whatever means) or being party to it, and he is okay with a lot of terrible or awful things too. so his scale of morality is very skewed. he's not an extremely moral person. his code is definitely his own, and he doesn't share much about it.

★  ⸻   CHIVALRY: 6/10. this is... a weird metric, weird trait to grade. kerry doesn't target vulnerable or weak people or take advantage of them, he looks out for them and seeks ways to help (charitable things, outreach, so on). personally he looks out for people he cares about and tries to protect them. he tries to do the right thing for loved ones, all that. but classic 'chivalry' isn't a good thing to measure him by at all, so that 6/10 is a bit of a [raspberry] thing and applies to his personal life and people in it, not broadly.

★  ⸻   PRIDE: career/profession wise? 9/10. personally? 5/10. kerry is extremely proud about his career, about work. he knows exactly who he is, his talent, what he's accomplished, how much it all means, so on. personally, he can use pride as a bit of a shield and an element of bravado, a face to show people, a bolster to stubbornness, but he actually feels very insecure/unconfident about a lot when it comes to himself.

★  ⸻   HONESTY: 6.5/10. kerry tells a lot of white lies or otherwise selectively conceals a lot from those around him. however, he doesn't like lying, and can find maintaining those lies exhausting. he doesn't feel good about lying. he can tell some pretty big lies, but he tries to be truthful when he can. he knows the value honesty can and does have with the people that matter to him. on a professional level, it's probably a 4/10, if only because he is intensely private and often lies to the public and media about things, or otherwise deflects entirely. i personally don't think that really counts though. it's part of the persona and image he has to maintain for very obvious reasons.

★  ⸻   BRAVERY: 7/10. i don't know, i think you have to be pretty brave to have the career kerry has for as long as he's had it and to be where he is in the world. it's hard, demanding, scary, exhausting, rough, etc. less brave people would've folded years ago. sure, he might hesitate sometimes, his fear might stop him from doing things, but that's natural. that's human. overall? not to be cheesy, kerry has to be brave to simply be him I think, if that makes sense. it's not for the weak-hearted.

★  ⸻   RECKLESSNESS: 7/10. kerry is extremely impulsive, brash, sometimes self-destructive. he can make hair-trigger decisions and he doesn't always think a lot before jumping into something. he can jump with both feet into something and then have to figure out what to do about it after. that value lowers with the more work he puts into himself, and with someone more tempered there to steady him too.

★  ⸻   AMBITION: 10/10. look at who he is, what he's built and accomplished. he's a global superstar, cemented in history and culture, with a legacy and legend to boot. you don't get that without insane ambition. this doesn't really need explained much more past that.

★  ⸻   LOYALTY: 8/10. just look at how he was with johnny for nearly two decades, remaining stubbornly loyally by his side even when everyone else (very reasonably) gave up on him. when it really matters, kerry is extremely loyal to the people he loves or cares about, and that is something he is very proud of.

★  ⸻   LOVE: 8/10. kerry has so much love to give to people who have earned it and who matter. he has been horribly hurt in the past, he has been abused and mistreated and used, he's made terrible decisions and had them made in regard to him, and more, but still, that love has always persisted, even if he can be very guarded with it. he has a lot of it locked behind a million walls. it's worth getting past those walls for it though.

★  ⸻   SENSE OF FAMILY: 4/10. middle of the road on this only because kerry has... never really known what a 'sense of family' is supposed to be. he never had much of one when he was younger so anything regarding family has been something he’s clawed together himself, so he doesn't have a good experience or basis to judge it off of. the sense of family is something that, again, he builds and improves and works on when he does actually get a family and puts effort into that.

★  ⸻   ATTRACTIVENESS: ? 10/10. kerry is a gorgeous individual. we aren't going to count what fans/the public thinks of him here because that's a weird metric. but kerry's attractive. beautiful, handsome, gorgeous, pretty, whatever. he is.

★  ⸻   AGILITY: 7/10...varies? kerry is fast and slippery. he always has been. if we're going to count instrument playing in agility, top marks, 10/10. his agility/coordination for that is truly insane. he can sometimes be clumsy just meandering the house day-to-day, but that can be normal. he runs a lot, he exercises (yoga, weights, stretches, other exercise), he stays considerably active. he's not remarkable in that he's some marvel, but his agility is nothing to sneeze at either. it's something that's come in handy a lot.

★  ⸻   SEX DRIVE: 9-10/10. kerry has a very high libido. he likes sex, he likes it often and varied, he likes it in many forms. barring certain circumstances (mental health/mood related, energy related, etc), he's more or less always down for it. that isn't to say his sex drive isn't unmanageable or a problem, it's just high, and he's fine with that. it makes him feel good.

tagged by:@grayboxed tagging: :)

[byneddiedingo]

Kay Francis and William Powell in Ladies' Man (Lothar Mendes, 1931)

Cast: William Powell, Kay Francis, Carole Lombard, Olive Tell, Gilbert Emery, Martin Burton, John Holland, Frank Atkinson, Maude Turner Gordon. Screenplay: Herman J. Mankiewicz, based on a novel by Rupert Hughes. Cinematography: Victor Milner. Costume design: Travis Banton. Music: Karl Hajos, Herman Hand, John Leipold.

With his receding hairline, big nose, and dubious chin, William Powell has always seemed to me an unlikely leading man, but he made quite a go of it teaming with actresses like Myrna Loy, Kay Francis, and Carole Lombard. But even Powell felt he was miscast as Jamie Darricott, the handsome gigolo of Ladies' Man who dines and wines the society matron Mrs. Fendley (Olive Tell), taking her, fashionably late, to the opera -- she muses that she's always wondered if Tosca really has a first act. He's performing a necessary service: Her banker husband, Horace (Gilbert Emery), is more devoted to making money than to being married, so even he tolerates Darricott's services -- at least for a while. Trouble starts when Rachel Fendley (Lombard), their daughter, takes a fancy to Darricott. Up to that point, Ladies' Man has been a passable sophisticated comedy of manners, but then Darricott meets Norma Page (Francis) and they fall in love. For a while the film turns into a romantic comedy tinged with farce, as Rachel tries to get Darricott away from Norma. And then it gets serious: Horace Fendley decides that he can't tolerate Darricott's involvement with both his wife and his daughter, and he threatens Darricott's life. This muddle of tones and genres is only made messier by miscasting, which extends beyond Powell's unsuitability for the role. Lombard tries at first to be suave and icy, affecting that hoity-toity mid-Atlantic accent actors used to resort to when playing uppercrust roles. Fortunately, she's allowed to loosen up in a scene when she gets drunk and confronts Norma and Darricott at a nightclub. It's not a good drunk scene, but at least it's closer to the free and funny Lombard we cherish. Francis comes across better in a thankless role: She has to pretend to be put off by Darricott's being a gigolo, but then be swept off her feet by him overnight. In short, it's a movie that a lot of top talent, including screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz's, isn't strong enough to save.

[princescar]

(I WILL be responding bc I love this and wanna show this off but also bc I wanna add to it)

Said this before but ill say it again: Ultimate Brain Haver x Ultimate Brain Lover.

I do think that fascination went both ways, especially with how unique Junko's talent is. The fact that she's able to intake mass amounts of information in just seconds, that she can replicate something just by seeing it once, that she can predict how people think and how they are going to act (the only times we see her fail is with Makoto (who's life is solely affected by luck and unpredictable by nature) and with herself (Ryoko)). Someone studying the brain would be entranced by her. And how he talks about her talent and her "condition", he isn't lying when he says shes invaluable research. But he also does not want her to use it on him, glad that Ryoko had forgotten about it.

And it's clear what part of Junko he loved, and what part of her he fucking hated. Ryoko, while absent of her memories and therefore her boredom, still cares so much of Junko's mannerisms. Her speech patterns also line up with Junko. Ryoko is clearly Junko's core, the person stripped of all her personas and her psychotic tendencies. And we see that Matsuda loves Ryoko, is willing to mess with her in a way that pretends to be cold but is steeped in fondness. And we see that when Junko shows her crazier side, it pisses him off, but when she goes softer so does he.

It drives me crazy knowing that he's incredibly smart (you have to be for neuroscience), that he's able to get what he wants from HPA while also using it to protect Junko. That hes able to keep up with Junko. But I'm also reminded that Junko didn't come to HPA under normal circumstances. She was recommended by the Steering Committee. It does make me wonder if Matsuda made a deal in exchange for his research to be used. (More a theory I guess but also he's clearly capable of making these deals as he got his lab this way. Also its stated in an art book that he did play a part in kamukura's creation but dr0 implies that he doesn't know who he is and that hes just heard rumors. So maybe they went "can you let us use your really cool research for our super secret project??" and he was like "only if you scout an Ultimate Fashionista". I say her talent bc they don't know about their relationship but it would be an obvious choice if he just said her talent.)

It's just-

Yasuke is SOOOOOOOOOO important to the overall plot and the themes of the series, to the point that he leaves behind a massive plothole in Different Mastermind AUs. It's just disheartening to see that people either don't know about him or significantly downplay his involvement.

His relationship with Junko, the core of Danganronpa, is so fucking amazing. The fact that he was one of the most important people to her, to the point that the only thing she's able to remember is how much she loves him, is such a refreshing take on her character when shes constantly portrayed as the evil force. That, even when she is the villain of dr0, we learn that she is capable of loving something other than despair.

His the only other peice we get of Junko's backstory that isn't from Mukuro (which has to be taken with a grain of salt since shes not telling full truths and was also in Fenrir for a good chunk). The sandcastle story gives us a look at a Junko who does something for the sake of another person, without planning on using them. He's probably the only character who's seen Junko grow up, who knows every step of her life. (Never specified when the met, just that he knew her when she went into elementary school (so prolly around 6yo). But Junko also lies that she was responsible for Matsuda's mom condition, and considering he is unsure to believe her implies that there is some plausibility, so who knows how long that was.)

ANYWAY

The fact that he is so ingrained into the two games is so UGH. Yasuke's the reason class 78 cant remember their past. Why Kyoko doesn't remember her talent. The foundation of the game is reliant on HIS research. And even the NWP, something he helped create, is how the second game is able to play out. (And possibly how Junko knew about it since she made AI Junko to be placed into it.) It's so important to the game that even drv3 had to incorporate it somehow into its games.

Just the amount of love she has for this fucker DRIVES ME CRAZY. To include parts of his life's research into her games, to use the same knife she killed him with to frame her biggest obstacles for her sister's death, to have fragments of your last days with him seeping out of your AI self (the notebook, and the two white noises during 2-6)??? UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

The fact, the fucking FACT, that he was the closest person to actually saving her?? Yasuke! Not Makoto, or hajime, or even her fucking twin. Mr."Shut the fuck up, old man".

But its also the point of no return for Junko. The minute Ryoko "died", all her goodness died. Yasuke could've easily agreed to Ryoko's pleas to forget about everything and go back to his lab. But he didn't. And that's where things were set.

He did so much for Junko, because he loved her.

[icypopz]

itoshi sae as your boyfriend ♡

↬ request from anon ; idk if youre taking reqs, but if you are can i request some boyfriend hcs abt itoshi sae? gn reader pls and thank u sm ^^

↬ notes ; itoshi sae x gn!reader, fluff, headcanons

↬ from ice ; omg sae my beloved <3 he's so mean in the manga but i love him,,, hope u like this nonnie !

↬ please reblog ! it helps a lot :)

itoshi sae is the football's world's current favourite celebrity, with his amazing talent and almost genius brain. if you're dating sae, consider yourself very lucky.

he never lets anybody know who he's dating, he absolutely despises the idea of you being hounded by the paparazzi the same way he is. however, your relationship isn't a secret idea. once in a blue moon, maybe about once or twice a month, sae will post a picture on his instagram story of the two of you together. your face will be hidden and he won't tag you, but his fans go wild for it every time because you're both so hot.

sae is actually a menace, he loves annoying you, like as soon as he comes back from practice he'll purposely give you a huge hug without even showering yet 😭 if you push him away he gets pouty and dealing with a grumpy sae is definitely not pleasant, so you always give in. he does give great hugs though, so that's a win for you! also if you're shorter than him, he'll definitely use you as an elbow rest, and make fun of you for being small.

when you first start dating, sae is very much not into physical affection, but as you get closer, you realise that he is SUPER touch starved. he likes to lie in your lap as you card your hands through his hair, it's relaxing for him and a nice way for him to unwind after a busy day of football practice. his favourite place to kiss you is your neck, because sae likes seeing you flustered. as for him, he likes being kissed on his cheek! for him the gesture just feels very innocent and genuine, which is a welcome relief from the corrupt world of sponsors and managers and teammates he lives in daily.

sae wears loads of rings because he thinks they look Cool and he likes looking Cool. also he buys you matching slim gold bands that you both wear every day, it isn't related to marriage it's just to let everyone know that you both are taken and they act as memories of each other! before football matches sae has been caught kissing his ring for good luck, and when you tease him about it later he doesn't even get phased he's just like, "yeah, i thought you would send me the luck i needed to win. not like i needed luck though i'm just that-" please kiss him to shut him up omg

if you ever mention anything romantic sae pretends to be grossed out 😐 like you can send him a text that says, "good morning, have a great day sae! ily <3' and he either leaves you on read or replies with 'k.' and then a minute later 'simp' LMFAOOO. he prefers video calling instead of texting! when he's playing international games which he couldn't bring you along for he will debate on calling you when he knows you're asleep because he doesn't want to wake you but at the same time he wants to see your face. he ends up waking up super early so he can call you when he knows you'll be awake, but he brushes it off by bluffing he had practice, he's gotta keep up the image that he isn't down bad. (he is)

sae is literally so rich it's not even funny, and for your birthday (he keeps a reminder in his calendar just in case he forgets (which he doesn't, but he pretends he did to get on your nerves)) he goes all out! depending on what type of party you'd like, if you'd like one at all, he's willing to spend however much it takes to make you happy. also for the week leading up to your birthday a gift gets delivered to your house daily, ranging from a flower bouquet to diamond accessories to stunning clothes - yeah, sae is head over heels in love.

omg he's the type of guy who knows that you think he's hot and he uses it against you. like if you're mad at him, he nods at whatever you're saying but just stares at your face really intently until you get distracted. also while you're scolding he won't say anything but he will randomly cup your cheek and tilt your face up to look at him, which makes you lose your train of thought because it is way too difficult to think of anything other than how attractive he is.

this is just smth that i find hot but if you're talking to sae normally he'll go like "mhmm? oh, really?" and raise his eyebrows and lean back into his seat with a smirk curving his lips, pretending he doesn't notice how heat is rising to your cheeks.

✧ thank you for reading ! if you have a request, feel free to send it in 🌠

© icypopz 2022. do not repost or modify in any way.

[lucy-and-rebecca]

So the new chapter just dropped and being the talented individual that I am, I will make it all about Rebecca.

While the chapter makes it seem like Elsie is the true villain I don't think that's the case. Elsie hasn't had that big of a presence in the story nor does she have any means of possessing or controlling someone that we know of. I also don't think the true Villain will be introduced in the same chapter we were told there was a true Villain. It is also likely that the true villain has time related powers. Which leads me to think that either Rebecca or future Rebecca is the true villain.

I wanna make one thing clear while I do think it's possible that Rebecca is the true villain, I don't believe for a second that she would willingly hurt anyone.

Hermit says there is one thing that still doesn't make sense to her which lead her to think of a person who could be the villain. The thing that she brought up a few chapters ago was future Rebecca's necklace that had the words Edens Zero carved onto it even though Edens Zero didn't exist in Ziggy's original timeline. So it's possible that she thought of Rebecca rather than Elsie.

Of all the characters that were presented as the potential true villain Rebecca is the only one who has "possessed" someone, that is the version of herself in other timelines when she briefly takes a glimpse into other timelines. So while possessing someone else isn't something she can do right now it's not entirely impossible.

Rebecca has "died" about thirty or so times that we know of. She has always been able to cheat death so the future Rebecca being dead is something I had a hard time believing. The way her body was being preserved, how Ziggy kept talking to her for years to follow and how the scene was framed that made you think she was actually listening, her ether being used in Edens Zero and Ziggy having her necklace all leads me to believe that future Rebecca isn't actually dead but frozen in time and she is still able to perceive things around her.

I don't know about her motivations for being evil. I'm not even sure if she's doing it on purpose. My best guess would be she was able to see into other timelines where the world meets the same fate as her world and humans or Shiki is somehow responsible. Because she was stuck alone with her thoughts and terrible visions of the future it affected her psychologically.

Ziggy might still have her necklace with him which might possibly possess her ether through which she could have gained control over his body. That necklace was drawn to our attention a few times. The first time the machines from the future discovered Shiki and Rebecca, when Rebecca carved Edens Zero onto that necklace, when we saw that Ziggy has it, and when Hermit wonders why does it has Edens Zero written on it.

If the real villain is future Rebecca it is also possible that she possess the present Rebecca.

I use the word possess here very loosely because despite what Ziggy said I don't think the evil version of Ziggy was an entirely different entity. I think it was more close to someone or something corrupting a part of his mind. Because the evil Ziggy talked and acted as if he was Ziggy instead of a different person pretending to be Ziggy.

What Ziggy said in this recent chapter actually contradicts what he said previously.

Then there is also something that Xenolith said

This leads me to believe that something triggered the evil side of Ziggy insted of him being possessed by a different entity. And I'm more inclined to believe Rebecca/future Rebecca being the trigger for it instead of actually possessing him.

I also think there is a good chance that present Rebecca is actually the real villain. Let me explain.

There are two main things to focus on. Chronophages and overdrive.

@howtoeatworms once pointed out that there is a possibility of Rebecca either turning into or being the origin of chronophages as they both posses time related powers and have the same desire to consume. That thought isn't leaving my mind.

"Ziggy" has stated in the past that Chronophages and mother are connected. A chronophage was responsible for dropping him into this universe. They have also been attracted to Rebecca's power. Rebecca once wished a chronophage should eat a plant's time. Now she's on the verge of summoning a chronophage to do just that. Chronophages most definitely have a big role to play in the story.

Rebecca's love for food is a huge part of her personality. When she didn't eat for a week While she was grieving Shiki in universe one, it felt more impactful because we all know how much Rebecca loves food. While big eater is a popular trope in manga, we don't see the female lead and love interest having that trait all that often. So I think it's entirely possible that there is a bigger reason for Rebecca's love for eating other than it being a quirky part of her personality.

Overdrive is the ultimate form of ether gear. But since everyone on Edens Zero was able to do it relatively early on in the series I speculated that there might be something above overdrive. Overdrive required a lot of ether power and it enhances the ability to the person while also changing their physical appearance. So what happens when a person has too much ether?

In fairy tail, Ultier (who just so happened to look like Rebecca's mother) was born with too much ethernano which put her in a constant state of pain and her way of managing her excess ethernano was to master a difficult form of magic which just so happens to be time related.

So what if things don't go as planned and Rebecca ends up consuming or merging with a chronophage in order to stop it or just by accident. What if she absorbs so much ether her body forces itself into overdrive and then something beyond that? In this hyper overdrive state along with her abilities something else gets enhances. Her desire to consume, eat and destroy. Keep in mind Rebecca is very trigger happy and she has a lot of destructive tendancies.

This is one possible scenario. What if she gets eaten by a chronophage while trying to fight it. What if her power reacts with it somehow. What if she activates ether gear as she is being consumed by a chronophage. What would happen then?

In any case Rebecca being lost in time, seeing alternate realities and coming across Ziggy because he was eaten by a chronophage too or being responsible for him being eaten in the first place is possible.

If Rebecca being the true villain does end up happening I think there are enough clues or foreshadowing for it.

The first thing that came to my mind was this thing Xenolith said

With the vaguely romantic wording and the woman from the future, this is very clearly about Rebecca and you can't tell me otherwise. So I have to wonder if Ziggy attracted Rebecca that was lost in time after her encounter with chronophage.

Time and gravity especially in the setting of Edens Zero are incredibly strong forces. You can't just give your two main characters the power of time and gravity and not do anything with it. From Ziggy we already know that their powers combining will result in sometime extremely powerful so wouldn't their powers clashing be equally catastrophic?

Because of the whole thing with Cure I can't shake the idea of someone aligned with good, aligned with Shiki ending up as his enemy.

Then we have the red string of fate incident where both of them started hating each other resulting in them fighting and wishing the other was dead.

Something that we never followed up on. As of now that incident is never mentioned nor did it had any impact on the plot at the time. So maybe there is an actual reason as to why that incident took place.

Shiki's power is described as something that can destroy the world but not Shiki himself while Rebecca's power was described as something that can save the world. Although it could just be because of the translation or most likely I'm just reading too much into it. None the less their powers being described as incredibly powerful but not in the exact same way is something I find very interesting.

In this arc Rebecca has been blaming herself for all the other chronophage attacks it would be ironic if she ends up becoming something very similar to a chronophage. Both Weisz telling Rebecca that she will have a chance to get to know her mother and Hermit and Sister waiting for Coner to tell her he is her father himself feels like a set up for Rebecca not getting an opportunity to talk to either of them.

In some ways Ziggy and future Rebecca remind me of Zeref and Mavis. While some relationships in Edens Zero resemble relationships in fairy tail they are never one to one. The roles of the characters in it end up being different if not completely opposite. So I think it's possible that Future Rebecca while resembling Mavis at a first glance ends up being more like Zeref.

All of this is of course pure speculation. We will know more with next chapters to come.

[boop-le-snoot]

marmalade taffy

Helmut Zemo smut & feels. Soft!Dom Zemo, non-superhero!AU, Zemo being the weird uncle of college!Maximoff twins. This was written on a whim so if someone signs up to beta-read, I will shower you with affection and reminders to drink water. The Reader is addressed as "you" and is not described - race/age/body type neutral. The language I used for Sokovian is actually Serbian. Word count 2,8k.

Fun fact: I have mild synesthesia. Emotions/feelings and some people have an assigned color (and sometimes smell) for me. That's how the name of the fic was born. This fic feels like the colors of marmalade and taffy, look them up. This fic is dedicated to my lovely @slothspaghettiwrites , the shining beacon in my misty, rocky beach. (You're a periwinkle for me, by the way. I thought you might ask.)

When you first see him all you do is raise an eyebrow. His sleek, well-maintained vintage car stands out almost grotesquely amongst the various sedans and mom vans on the campus and you can see the glint of his wristwatch even from afar. Wanda's and Pietro's sheepish smirk only makes the situation worse - the girl's attire obviously screams "liberal arts" and her twin brother doesn't seem to have anything better to wear than tracksuits.

The man behind the wheel is unfazed. He is calm and collected in that European way, not conceited, just waiting. For what? You don't know. His eyes trail over you but he doesn't smile, simply gives a tiny polite nod. If you hadn't had extensive conversations about cultural differences with Wanda, you'd say he was extremely rude.

Shy, quiet Wanda, who's eyes lit up seeing her favorite not-actually-uncle. In a surprising dash of energetic agility, she hopped right into the car, her numerous scarves a bright flash of saturation against the campus grayscale. You giggle and wave at the departing car, snorting when Wanda's hand reaches over to briefly honk the horn, causing the driver to swerve the tiniest bit, his eyes trained on you in the rearview mirror.

He comes and goes often. Almost always in a different perfectly restored vintage car, mostly with the same polite mask of bored contentment. You know he's royalty in his home country and can't help but wonder how frivolously the twins act around him - no, free. He gives all the appearance of a silent, strict man.

You're proven wrong rather quickly. Freshman year left behind you, you and Wanda decide to ditch the dorms for an apartment - she finds one rather quickly and it's just you two in it even though it is ridiculously huge and the rent amount she requests is equally ridiculously small. Not the one to look a gift horse in the mouth, you pretend nothing is out of the ordinary and buy yourself a new pair of shoes.

Helmut - Wanda finally formally had introduced you two - doesn't come by often, however the visits are always... Eventful. He's not at all what it seemed to be; in the quiet of your apartment, a witty, incredibly clever man resurfaces from under the stoic façade. The Slav in him easily lets him consume alarming quantities of alcohol together with Pietro, who opted to stay in the dorms with his idiotic football team, and - you couldn't believe your eyes at the time - dorkily dad-dance squat in the middle of your living room, unfazed by your and Wanda's cackling.

The way Helmut is absolutely unbothered by the audience and the laughter, pale face flushed from the wine and a little smirk stretching his thin lips into expression almost catlike. The maroon turtleneck stretches nicely across his chest, as thinly as your lip that you worry between your teeth.

Pietro raises an eyebrow. You shrug.

"Got something in your eye, no?" He teases playfully and you shrug again, taking another swig of your nice, European beer.

There are more gatherings, more parties and quite a few rides in his car, when the wind blows your hair in all directions possible and intermingles it with Wanda's as you giggle and squeal in the back seat. Helmut always indulges you two; the word 'no' simply does not exist in that man's vocabulary. He insists politely but firmly on a dinner with all three of them on your birthday and the gifts he brings make your eyes pop out and your face heat.

"A woman like you makes any sensible man want to shower you with the finest gifts," Helmut's voice is quiet and his accent is thick and somehow, it makes it all that harder to refuse. He smiles like usual - tiny and a little secretive, as he pecks your cheek, filling the air around you with the smell of his cologne. It makes your mouth water and your fingers clench helplessly around the half a dozen of silk paper-wrapped boxes.

The summer rolls in and it's hot and humid and finally you don't have to worry about waking up at the crack of dawn or classes or the annoying boys who can barely take a no for an answer. The invitation to Helmut's villa doesn't come as a surprise; Wanda had been riled up over it since early May and Pietro and his whole damn football team were equally as thrilled.

You pack flowy dresses, daisy dukes and swimsuits. The expensive jewelry and handbag Helmut had gifted you, too, since the villa is surrounded by a whole neighborhood meant solely for the rich and famous. Wanda is absolutely unbothered by her own bohemian chic and you quietly envy her; the longer you get to know her, the more you realise of how much actually she does not give a fuck about anything besides her paintings and sculptures.

It's admirable, really, because she is talented. And Helmut knows it, too, having had collected and kept every single work Wanda had made, showing it off in the various rooms of his two-story mansion. The abstract fits in well and is a great conversation topic for him and his equally important friends. There's an endless stream of them in the first days and Wanda isn't overtly happy, choosing to run away to laze around the pool with you more often than not.

Helmut's friends stop at the glass wall between the inner side of the house and the pool to stare at you two, too, causing something dark and tense flash across his features. There always had been a sort of tangy obscurity in him, you've noticed, but not nearly enough for you to grow concerned. It added the bittersweetness, the flavour and consistency to the modest man.

Although calling him modest might have been a mistake. The moment you can't shake off one of his friends after a polite chit-chat seems to never end, Wanda nowhere in sight, dread and unease digging their sharp, spindly fingers in the soft flesh behind your rib cage, Helmut is suddenly there, arm wrapped almost possessively around your waist.

"Draga mea, Wanda is looking for you. She says it's urgent," He stares the man down with the eyes of a vulture. "I believe we haven't been properly introduced," Helmut seems to not realize he's still clutching you in a grasp of steel as the man opposite you rumbles out his name, few syllables you'd forgotten seconds after he spoke them for the first time.

"Baron Helmut Zemo," the fingers brush and squeeze once, gently, over the valley of your waist before letting go. You miss the rest of their peacocking, walking away with a fight and fire inside of your hammering heart. Anxiety and longing and confusion mix and blend, combining into a cocktail that has you beelining for the bar like a woman parched.

The next day you're sleeping off the hangover, first in your bed and then by the pool - Wanda had run off into town for one thing or another, and knowing her, she'd be back home at the crack of dawn. It was blissful peace, the soothing balm for your troubled heart and your aching head.

"Hungover?" Helmut's voice was quiet and a little bit teasing. None of the Eastern Europeans had ever showed the signs of having any ill effects from the alcohol they drunk, unlike you.

You stretched, too blissed out to care about the skimpy strings and straps of your bikini, basking in the gentle morning sun. "Mmm, not anymore," a swim in the cold pool had done wonders.

Your soft pink float rocked as Helmut's footsteps quieted, giving way to a short splash and the sound of his breathing somewhere in your space. Just as you cracked open your eyes, he reached out a hand to steady himself next to you. "I wanted to apologize for the situation yesterday. That man was stepping out of line. He is not welcome in my home anymore."

You stare at him and then you snort. The blunt was he usually speaks is so easy, it flows oh so effortlessly. No mind games, just honesty. You want to pay him back in kind. "Don't worry, Helmut. I just had a bit too much to drink," that was the truth. Any other time and you wouldn't have hesitated to unapologetically steer clear of any creep. Heat and bubbly don't mix and that was your own mistake.

"No, printsesa," the man in front of you let loose some of the delicious darkness, eyes growing stormy, hand gently resting over yours. "Some men are fools, they are nothing but animals. You deserve to feel safe, especially in my home." His lips stretched into a smile, water dripping down his jaw and making tiny circles form in the azure of the pool.

"I can't argue with that," you replied, catching the stray liquid and following the trails it made with your eyes. His forehead, dripping down over his eyes, making Helmut blink the stray drops away until they landed on his lips, trickling down his chin.

You swallowed, opting to dip your toes into the cool pool water before you could make a fool of yourself. The water splashed towards him, making a mischievous grin grace his usually serious face, as me made a half-hearted attempt to splash back weakly, making the water sizzle on your sun-kissed skin. Never the one to back down from a challenge, you knitted your eyebrows in mock offense, eagerly letting the water wash over you as you abandoned the float in favour of creating waves with your whole body.

The temperature contrast was delicious and Helmut's laugh even more so as it echoed in between the high walls of the building surrounding the pool. The sun was nearly at its peak, shining over your head in a beacon of heat that almost matched the one inside of you, the one that had blossomed there months ago and finally grew into a steady smolder, shooting sparks whenever you were around the baron.

It was hot and wet, the same feeling chasing you two when you finally kissed. His hand firmly planted on the side of your neck, his nose softly brushing against the underside of your jaw, Helmut was in no rush to taste you, to savour every millimeter of your sun-kissed skin. The man left you with your fingertips trembling and heart scrambling for purchase somewhere in the deepest pits of your belly.

"What are you so hungry for, mmm?" Helmut's voice rumbled next to the shell of your ear; you could barely focus, skin singing underwater, where he held onto you like a lifeline. "You have hungry eyes, ljubavi, tell me what it is and I'll give it to you," your bodies pressed flush against each other, his eyelashes flittering against your cheek.

"You," the maximum capacity for your brain was one-syllable words and you used it sparingly, failing to suppress a gasp when Helmut's mouth latched around a particularly sensitive spot right under your jawline.

Teeth scraped over it before he soothed the sting with his tongue. "All the things in the world, I could give them to you. And yet..." He sounded almost disappointed. Perplexed, just as you were at the strange admission. "A woman like you would have men fighting for your attention yet you give it to me so freely," he murmured softly, capturing your lips in a slow, fluid kiss once more. "I will make sure you have everything you could ever want."

Helmut's touch grew bolder as he steered the two of you towards the shallow end of the pool. The taste of him was intoxicating, like the sweetest, most alluring poison you'd ever tasted: you knew that once you had one small bit, you'd be addicted, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. His words were clever and his mouth even more, making the short stumble upstairs last hours.

A wall, baroque tapestry, marked with the wetness of the pool water, where you allowed yourself to be pressed against as he leaned into you with the entirety of his broad frame, domineering the kiss effortlessly.

You panted as your back hit the soft, million-thread count, unmade sheets of the baron's bed, staring up into his eyes and finding your own reflection in his pupils, blown wide with lust. The tiny smirk was back but now his unexpressive face was marred by a gleem, accentuating his moist, puffy lips you'd licked into and bitten in a heated frenzy.

"Beautiful, printsesa," he stated with quiet firmness, leaning over into you to unclasp and toss away the upper part of the bikini. The bottoms followed suit, flung carelessly somewhere. His hands ran over your as it sang, every tiniest nerve hypersensitive, coming alive with a fervor borne of months of longing, complimented by the summer heat and cool waters.

"Helmut," your voice wavered, flowed on the syllables as his clever, clever mouth trailed hot down your chest, briefly submerging each nipple into the sear of it. Goosebumps rose over your exposed body, highlighting a trail for him, a trail he followed eagerly. Kisses were candy sweet and marshmallow soft.

Hot breath at the apex of your thighs had you mewling and arching into it, having abandoned all shame, and Helmut found it amusing. The petite chuckle made an appearance, his fingertips ghosting over the part of your lower lips; he was as amused by your impatience as he was enthralled by the youthfulness of the gesture. "Shh, ljubavi, I will make it feel better," his accent as thick as clover honey and just as saccharine.

The first movements were tentative, brief and so light, the demanding moan slipped out of your mouth along with a growl of frustration. You felt continuous chuckling, slight stubble rasping along the sides your thighs; you felt him pick up pace and steady his hot hands on your hips as you attempted to trash against the overwhelming stimulation your pussy was receiving.

His moans, loud and wet, drove you closer to the edge like a drunk drove a Ferrari; Helmut's skill was unparalleled but it lacked precision as he lost himself in the moment just as much as you.

"Fuck, fuck, I'm- I'm so close," you managed to grunt out before the crescendo hit, eyes rolling back into your skull as the influx of more, more, more hit every nerve ending in your body. You could do little more than rest your legs on his shoulders as the noble man, the quiet storm lapped up every drop of your release.

He made the inside of you weak.

In seconds, Helmut was back on top of you, grinding his arousal into you desperately, almost begging for it and all you could do was let your body respond, mimic your lover, clench around nothing just as you felt him twitch.

"Tell me you're mine," he demanded hooking one of your legs over his hip, eyes boring into yours with everything in them plain on display. It was a terrifying thing: as if your heart had suddenly grown legs, stood up and walked out into the bare, wide world, open for all to see. "Ti moa, skaži eto," his native tongue made his voice even more hoarse, you couldn't resist anymore.

"I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours," you chanted the words like a prayer, hoping he'd be merciful - and he is. No, there's only a hidden tenderness in his hands as he drives into your with increasing force that shakes you and makes your core quiver, igniting your flesh once again like the color red; it's messy and it's sloppy and you're barely aware of Helmut muttering something into the crook of your neck as you feel yourself clench down on him with a choked moan.

"Fuck," hearing him, the polite composed man, bite the end of his own orgasm into a curse made a wave of magenta hot rush travel through your body at lightning speed, his cock pulsating and coating you, claiming you from inside out so sweetly you couldn't resist a shallow gasp into his cheek, a gasp he mirrored as his own oversensitive flesh was once more assaulted by your combined lust.

The tide of his breathing was high; both of you spent yet still drunk on the newfound sense of togetherness. It was clear as a summer's day that in your arms laid a man who'd once lost something important and you - you were a someone who's never had anything of significance and perhaps, this time each other's arms would let you both keep whatever it was that you missed.

[stromuprisahat]

1.) No, he did not. He threatened to do so, when dealing with an opponent, who was more than willing to believe in the worst of him. That's what a good strategist does- make their enemy act, preferably with no effort at all. The teachers were collateral damage. Unpleasant and tragic, but compared to continued loss of lives should Alina's little revolt last- acceptable.

Power isn't his "end goal", it's the only tool that's proved to work. There's not a single line insinuating the opposite, and willingness to choose what to sacrifice certainly doesn't do it. It's what any good leader has to learn, because without a nice thick plot armour you cannot prevent every single bad thing, quite contrary- you'll be forced to make unsavoury decisions.

Novokribirsk is a mystery, mostly due to lack of knowledge regarding political landscape (and POV from the Darkling's side, as usual). Its choice as a target doesn't make sense with the information we have, but neither does it's choice as a place to cross the Fold and many other things. Around the same time the Darkling proves to be an excellent strategist, so it's hardly jumping to conclusions if we attempt in-universe explanation, figuring out he probably had a reason we're not privy to.

2. If you don't want to be treated like a simpleton, don't simplify complicated issues.

3. I've re-read this one several times, and I still have no clue what is this supposed to say. Which position? Assignment she'd eventually get anyway, now just sooner, because that's the only way to make it not obviously suspicious? Besides- if the word got to the Queen she'd request Genya's talents anyway. Only the little girl's more likely to earn her affections too. (Which she did in the beginning.)

4. Which "power struggle between the monarchy and the military"? The actual power is simply on the Crown's side. Grisha belong to Second Army the moment they're discovered. Want it or not, strictly speaking even Grishenka are "soldiers" AND the Crown's property. If the King wanted to get back at the Darkling, he could have all the Grisha parade through his bedroom, INCLUDING the Darkling. Hell, if he wanted the Darkling bent over his table, the later is in no position to refuse. The King's "type" is young, helpless servant- there's no reason to target Genya ONLY for that purpose. There's a whole school of Grishenka, so why stay on a single one?! The thing that singles Genya out is her connection to the Queen.

5. Do you mean the scars she earned by her disobedience? I think I've already linked my analysis of era-appropriate punishments for it, but here. Genya's lucky she wasn't beaten to death. You can't pretend this is 19th-century-esque universe, and expect me to be upset about characters following the rules of it.

As explained above, Genya wasn't simply "placed into dangerous situation", she lives in a world, where she's in danger due to simply existing.

___

I'm not sure what you mean by "implications of his power grab". Dethroning a useless monarch? I'm all in! Even though my preferences lie in traditional use of windows and gravity.

Sure, Aleksander's the antagonist- he wants the opposite of what the heroine does-, but straight-up villain? When you have people without a single "redeeming" quality running around? When a huge chunk of his "villainy" stems from the lack of his side's POV? From opposing selfish children, more than willing to dehumanize him and ignore his goals?

Would you call every single leader in history, who engages in military conflict or attempts a coup, "a villain"?

Siege and Storm- Chapter 19 (Leigh Bardugo)

This started off as sinister, except it turns out pathetic little meow meow is just lonely.

How am I to take him seriously as THE villain, when there are rapists, genocidal mass murderers or cult leaders running around unpunished? This loser just wants some peace and company.

He isn't even really messing with Alina!

[marchioness-caprina]

I Deserve You

Pairings : Tamaki Amajiki x Reader

Writing Style : 3rd Person

Warnings : Mild Cussing

Word Count : 3091

3rd Person's POV

The Day of the School Festival, After stressful Days of practicing dance moves for the Preparation of Class 1-A's show everything was going smoothly. Everyone was having Fun And Y/n was too. She was playing the Violin while Bakugou played the Drums, Tokoyami and Denki with the guitar, Jiro and y/n also shared the vocals and Momo with the Keyboard.

Y/n was Having Fun seeing all her peers enjoying the show they put on but something was missing and she was desperately searching for a certain someone to watch the show. Mirio was there... But where was Tamaki?.

Y/n was having fun... Was... After finally confirming that Tamaki did not come to watch her mood immediately dampened.

She had been crushing on this 3rd year male from the very beginning and she did not try to hide it. In fact she would go try to catch him in any way, she'd flirt with him, court him, confess to him, give gifts to him but all the boy ever did was Shy away from her, he'd return her gifts and he'd even run away.

Even though y/n would either laugh it off or smile. It hurt pretty damn much. And now she was actually hoping he'd show up to atleast show that he cares but no he was not here.

Her heart dropped knowing fully well that he didn't care. And as their show finally ended. She had a blank expression plastered on her face making her classmates worry.

Because she was always expressive and smiling, her face always filled with emotions and her eyes lively and fiery. But now she looked different.

" Y/n-chan! Are you ok? " Mina was the first to ask and her classmates looked at her having the same question as the pink haired girl.

" Yeah I'm fine... I'm just tired " Y/n tried faking a smile but this time. It was too painful to do.

She was completely smitten for Tamaki.

" Bullshit, it's pretty clear that you aren't. And let's be honest here. When were you actually tired? Never. " Bakugou grumbled as y/n raised her brow gazing at the boy before shrugging her shoulders and walking away ignoring the calls of her classmates.

" Guys... Let's give her some time alone " That was the last comment she heard before she disappeared into the crowd.

She needed to get her mind off of things and what's the better way to do it than eating Takoyaki while watching the beauty pageant held by U.A.

Y/n was surprised to see Nejire senpai showing her talent , Nejire flying from above the ground. She looked beautiful but then y/n heard the familiar voice of the person she was searching for earlier.

" She looks like a fairy... Like this... So happy... And smiling brightly " Those exact words came from Tamaki who was standing beside her and she didn't notice.

Her eyes trailed up to Tamaki's eyed which were concentrated on Nejire's dancing figure and she couldn't believe it. The warmth and.... Love Tamaki's eyes showed while looking at Nejire was painful.

She wanted to do nothing but throw up all the food she consumed and bury herself under the ground. How could she be so blind? Of course Tamaki liked Nejire, He was close to her. They were friends while he and y/n are not, Nejire was powerful, Kind, Smart and very beautiful.

Y/n's heart felt like it had been stung by a thousand needles and she wanted to cry but somehow the tears refused to come out.

After a few moments of Tamaki looking at Nejire he felt someone looking at him and he tried looking around to see who it was and when his eyes landed on a pair of E/c orbs his heart jumped.

Oh no, is he gonna get jumped again by this clingy yet adorable Kohai?.

" Y-y-y/n! " Tamaki stammered jumping back as he strare back at y/n who gave him an unreadable expression.

He was expecting the usual, with y/n clinging onto him and flirting with him till his face turns as red as a tomato but to his shock she just turned around and left.

He was frozen in place. He couldn't comprehend what happened to that girl he began to feel anxious.

' Does she hate me?.... Shouldn't that be good she'll finally leave me alone... Wait someone hating me isn't good!... But.. Why am I so bothered by it? ' he silently thought to himself.

He watched the retreating figure of y/n and he suddenly had a powerful urge to grab her and pull her back .

Meanwhile, y/n who was walking away from the show was about to burst in tears but she slapped herself chanting more than a hundred times that she shouldn't cry.

So she stood strong and sucked it up. Wiping a small droplet of tears that was threatening to spill at any moment.

Maybe it's for the better. She'll find someone else... Hopefully. For now she should try to forget about him and move on. Act like she doesn't know him.

___________________

After that Day everything changed which got everyone questioning.

' What's wrong with y/n?'

She became a little distant and cold it was hard to believe but still, she did show unconditional care and love for her classmates but everyone couldn't help but worry since she never seemed to say anything and if one of them asked, she'd change the subject or walk away like she didn't hear anything.

What shocked them the most was how she had been Avoiding Their senpai, Tamaki like he was the plague or something. Usually she'd be seen hanging with them during lunch or walking with Tamaki during break time but now she isn't. During lunch she sat with the Izuku squad, when she passed by The Big three she'd either take a detour or pretend like she didn't see them in the first place.

Tamaki, Tamaki was conflicted, he was so confused, he felt like his heart was eating him up only to spit it out again, he felt like there was something gone something he longed, something he missed. And he knew it was y/n. He was gloomier than normal and Every time he sees y/n through the halls his heart swells up expecting her to run at him and hug him... Tell him she likes him but no. That's not what happened, what happened was that she avoided him , she ignored him and she pretended like she didn't know him.

And he never knew it hurt this bad he felt so upset he wanted to bang his head on the wall and cry his pain out.

What did he do wrong though?, what got her so worked up to treat him like this? that she made it so painful for him?. Didn't she say she loved him? Then where was all that affection now? Where was that attention she used to shower him with?. Where was his y/n? The one that loved him?.

Did she find someone else? Does she not want him anymore? Did she finally notice that He's not worth her time? Is she finally going to leave him?.

Is This how she felt when Tamaki ignored her? When he ran away from her because his heart couldn't handle so much love knowing he can't hold back for any longer and just kiss her. If this is how it felt like he didn't want it! He wanted her back.

Those negative thoughts were what occupied Tamaki's mind and he never noticed the small droplets of tears trailing down his cheeks that Made Mirio and Hado panic.

" What's wrong Amajiki? " Hado asked and Tamaki couldn't help but muttered his worries.

" .... She doesn't love me Anymore "

" You mean y/n? Nonsense she probably didn't notice you walking by" Mirio tried to comfort his friend but it was no use, He just wanted y/n back.

" For a whole month?.... She didn't notice us for a whole month? She never came to our classroom or ate with us anymore... She didn't wait or approach me down the halls. She didn't even spare me a glance " Tamaki muttered and Mirio was honestly surprised to hear his friend utter a sentence without Stuttering.

This was serious. And somehow they needed to fix this. For Tamaki.

______________

" Ok Class, We'll be training with the Big 3 for the next Week because they'll be grading you based on what they have observed " Aizawa sensei announced and the whole class was hyped. Well most of them.

There was a specific girl who did not appreciate this at all.

And she was y/n.

The big three were standing infront of them with Mirio and Nejire Flashing worried glances at Tamaki.

Tamaki had his eyes on y/n who refused to acknowledge his existence and it hurt so bad.

When she finally did look at him. For the first time in forever he actually had the courage to smile and wave at her but y/n kept a cold facade ignoring his wave and smile and all she did was look back to her side and ignore him.

That action was noticed by everyone in the room.

Even Aizawa sensei who usually acted tough and uncaring was worried for his student because she was acting really out of character.

He questioned her classmates about it and they started explaining what they had noticed and observed too and honestly he hated seeing even One of his children like this and on cue the big 3 but mostly Mirio and Nejire tried to convince him to let the three of them train his students but he knew fully well that it was so Y/n and Tamaki could interact.

He wasn't against the idea since he wanted the same y/n back also.

So he asked permission from principal Nezu who didn't mind the idea at all and it led to this .

" Now each member of the big three will be given an assistant and I'll personally be the one to assign them. Uraraka you'll be Nejire's assistant, Midoriya you'll be Mirio's and Amajiki your assistant will be Y/n--" Aizawa sensei was cut off by y/n who clearly didn't like the idea.

" What? No!... I mean... Pick another assistant... I'm not good at being One " Y/n knew her excuse was lame but that's the best she could do.

However, Her denial made Tamaki Dizzy with nervousness with all the insecurities coming back a pained expression painted on his face as he stared at y/n who stood her ground.

Mirio rubbed Tamaki's Back while whispering.

" It's gonna be ok. You still have a week "

" Well sorry but it's been decided. If you want to back out because you can't handle it then do it but you'll have a failing grade if you do " Aizawa didn't mean to threaten his student but this has gone far enough. She's turning into a cold heartless girl. And he didn't like that.

" Fine.... I'll Do it... " Y/n muttered looking down on her desk.

____________________

3 Days had passed and Tamaki was nowhere near successful. He never knew that y/n could be this cold. If he knew he would never have made her mad in the first place.

Her words stung and it hurt so much he had to hide in the bathroom for an hour to calm down and convince himself that it's fine and that she didn't mean it but she was brutal with her words.

She did a pretty good job not talking to him though and it was extremely hard to even get her to look at him.

He was starting to lose hope, he was planning on a hundred ways of apologizing but somehow none of them were ever successful.

He has two days left to find out and this time he was more than determined to do so.

Aizawa was kind enough to assign him and y/n to clean up the gym after training and still y/n didn't even talk to him. Not even once.

" Y-You K-know y-you're really pretty... Today " Tamaki complimented earning another cold silence from the girl.

He couldn't take it anymore.

He grabbed her arm, turned her around and clung onto her. His arms wrapping around her very being along with y/n's arms restraining her.

Y/n had no idea Tamaki was this strong... No wonder he's part of the big three but that isn't the point right now.

" Let me Go! " Y/n yelled as she began squirming.

" No! " Tamaki yelled back and that only made y/n more violent, wiggling and kicking as much as she could. She kinda felt bad when she heard Pained Grunt from Tamaki.

" D-Do... You Hate me that M-Much? W-what did I Do? " Tamaki's voice was hoarse and broken and then y/n noticed how he was looking at her with big eyes and there running down his cheeks.

" .... " She was speechless.

" Please Answer me... And... And... And I'll finally ... L-leave you alone " Tamaki practically begged as more tears spilled out of his eyes.

" ... Why are you doing this exactly? " Y/n asked and Tamaki slowly let go of her and he kneeled down on the ground unable to contain his emotions. The crippling anxiety attacks he had whenever he felt a powerful surge of emotions slap him the face.

" I-I Love you " He managed to choose out between sobs.

" Really? Don't you Like Nejire? When I was chasing you.. You ran away from me... On the School Festival... I was hoping you'd watch our show but you didn't... I looked for you everywhere and now you say that? Don't lie to me... I heard your comment about Nejire... You managed to watch her show but... Why not ours?.... " This time it was y/n's turn to have tears falling down her soft cheeks as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand to prevent any sobs to escape her lips.

" I d-d-don't like her like that! I thought I should be happy that you're gone but I'm not! I'm miserable! And that D-D-Day at the School festival.... I-I thought of you as a friend but it got me thinking... W-Why would I buy you a custom made bracelet if I only liked you as a friend!?... I didn't manage to watch the show because... I was working extra shift at F-Fatgum's stall to pay for the bracelet I b-bought you.... The reason why I stood beside you during the pageant was because I wanted to give it to you... But y-you walked away before I even had the chance to!... T-Then I finally understood my feelings... Why I made is much effort to design the bracelet myself and have it custom made... It was because I love you!... A-And you started avoiding.... M-M-Me... You started pushing me away and ignoring me... It hurts! It really hurts! I-I though you found someone else... I thought you thought I was pathetic! I t-thought you f-finally r-r-realized that you could do so much better at picking g-guys who aren't me... I had so much negative thoughts running through my head... B-Because I was so scared of l-losing you... " Tamaki forced himself to say how he really efly without stuttering but it was no use. He couldn't help it with all the sobs caught in his throat.

Y/n was speechless then her heart started clenching in pain, her heart dropped to her stomach seeing how much pain she caused him. Realizing How terrible she had been.

One time out of worry she actually went inside the boy's bathroom only to hear Tamaki hyperventilating inside. She was so worried she asked mirio to check on him.

She couldn't help the tears cascading out of her eyes that were red and puffy.

She looked down at Tamaki who was clutching his hand on his chest choking on his own sobs.

She felt so horrible. She sat down infront of him towards her and pressing her lips against his shutting him off. He sobbed in between the kiss but nonetheless he shyly kissed back with tears running down his face. The same with y/n who had tears on her eyes as well.

When she finally pulled back her forehead was pressed against his as she stared at him with loving eyes.

Those eyes.... He missed that... He craved that. The way she looked at him with so much love without judgement.

" You Dumbass.... I don't need a fancy Bracelet... I just wanted you... Nothing could compare to You.... Your simple presence is enough to make me happy... That day... I just wanted you.. And you should know that.... I love you... I'd pick you any day over some fancy bracelet " Y/n smiled and Tamaki who was rendered speechless at what she said crawled closer towards her to connect his lips with hers once again this time he had the courage to dominate the kiss.

He pulled back abruptly as he wrapped his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder .

" I-I just... W-Wanted you to see... I'm capable... Of giving you things other guys give their g-girlfriends... " Tamaki whispered making y/n chuckle.

" Really tamaki? I wouldn't pick some random rich bastard off the streets... I want my adorable elf boy " Y/n teased as she blew a puff of air against Tamaki's Ear making him shudder as he backed away. His face turning red.

" D-Don't T-Tease " He whimpered as he fished for something in his pocket.

And then he pulled out a Jade bracelet with y/n carved on it and surrounding it were small diamonds.

" Tama... You didn't have to... It's beautiful " Y/n muttered as Tamaki took her hand sliding the bracelet on her wrist.

" I... You deserve better " Tamaki mumbled.

" Yes I deserve better " Y/n stated and tamaki looked up at her his ears twitching in fear expecting her to take it off but instead she had her arms wrap around his neck giving him a peck on his lips.

" Because "

" I Deserve You "

[hawkinsschoolcounselor]

sorry if you've already mentioned this, but if the theories are true, do you think the reason Lucas is playing basketball isn't because of his interest in the sport itself but because it's more 'acceptable' for him to do as a black kid? that by doing basketball, it will make him more of a 'man' and fit in rather than his real interests in science/'nerd' stuff?

No need to apologize. I don’t think I’ve directly addressed this theory, anyway.

Lucas has certainly never shown any interest in basketball, or any sports for that matter. Prior to this rumor, the only thing that set him apart from the others in a physical or manly sense was that he was the one who used a wrist rocket. Will being able to load a gun may actually set him above Lucas as far as stereotypical manly abilities go. Though, to be fair, Dustin did have hockey equipment at his house. Regardless, Lucas was always just as much of a nerd as the rest of them.

There are a few reasons why Lucas may (and this is a strong “may” since it’s just a theory) join the basketball team. First, he seems to be the one most concerned with his manliness. Despite being just as into girls, Dustin is perfectly content to be who he is and find a girl who likes him as is. Lucas, on the other hand, seemed to aspire to be something else. It starts in season 2 when he asks his dad for advice. There could very well be a connection with his desire to be more manly and Max flat out calling him out for screaming like a girl. Then, in season 3, he starts to act like a stereotypical ladies man. He is uncharacteristically cocky despite previously being the most down to earth and reasonable. He still screams like a girl, as shown when Dustin sprays him, and when Max tries to take care of him he asks if she has a zit. I initially saw this as playful banter, but he may have been trying to be manly after such a “nerdy” display. We know how the rest of the season goes, with him giving Mike bad advice, acting uncharacteristically clueless and dopey, and being almost as much of an ass as Mike regarding Will’s campaign. Honestly, that last one hits hard because I can’t help but think both Mike and Lucas wanted to play, but they were just each afraid the other would judge them for it.

It’s hard to tell exactly what influenced him to make such a change. He is in the midst of puberty now, which brings about change. Check out this post for relevant info: Steve (and Identity Development). We also don’t know who else may be giving him ideas. We know Dustin has Steve, but Dustin isn’t letting any of that change who he is. In fact, he’s able to assert himself onto Steve when he feels he’s right. That said, Steve has grown to unconditionally accept Dustin, so Dustin likely doesn’t feel like he needs to be phony to get his approval. Lucas may be trying to get someone’s approval, perhaps his dad’s. Maybe he’s tired of his sister’s teasing. Maybe he’s trying to be more manly after not being able to protect Max in season 2.

One possibility that I can see is that he actually has no initial interest in playing. Hawkins’ racism creeps its ugly head in, though, and Lucas becomes a recruit for the basketball team simply because he’s black (which, in their racist minds, makes him a good player). Lucas fails to realize this, though, and he thinks he’s becoming popular. Perhaps he is genuinely good somehow, despite not previously being shown as having athletic talent. He gets in over his head, shenanigans happen, and he eventually has to remember who he is the hard way. He would probably come to a painful discovery that they were just using him, and it’s not that easy to escape bigotry. “Positive” stereotypes are still harmful, after all.

It’s still possible for Lucas to take on a more traditionally masculine identity without abandoning his previous interests. Puberty is definitely the right time for him to be exploring who he is like that. All the characters likely explore their identities to some extent, so Lucas should be no exception. I would hope, and indeed expect, a show like Stranger Things to show it’s most central minority character being multidimensional rather than a stereotype. He would ultimately need to find a way to assimilate any new aspects of his identity to his previous self in order to prevent that. I think season 4 will help show Lucas that he doesn’t need to pretend to be someone else in order to be a man. He can play basketball if he wants to, but not just because he’s supposed to or it makes him popular. Lucas is only human, so the temptation of popularity affects him as much as anyone else, but I expect someone as smart as him to come to his senses before too long.

[gracie-p8-officialblog]

Spilling Tea On Phantom of the Opera 2004

DISCLAIMER: I just want to say from the start that it is not my intention to offendanyone, you're entitled to your opinions and I'm allowed to have mine...

Ok, so, I just watched this movie a few days ago on my laptop and it was pretty much my first time sitting through the movie. I watched a few clips of the movie on YouTube but... Then, I decided to watch the whole movie. And this was my reaction.

Don't get me wrong! There WERE parts I liked but... That was just half of the movie... But overall... Um... It was meh. Ahem. Down to business!

My opinion on Gerard Butler as the Phantom? Um, wow. And not in a good way. I feel like this was a case of a talented performer being grossly miscast as the Phantom. I think this Tumblr post best describes on what I thought of his singing.

"He's supposed to have the voice of an angel, but it sounds like he's been gargling vinegar" ~Quoted by @faded-florals

Don't get me wrong. His voice is quite good for an untrained singer but... The Phantom is one of the biggest musical theatre roles of all time! It's right up there with Jean Valjean. It's really not a role that could go a competent singer, someone who's never sang professionally before but could be good once they've been trained up a bit. The role demands a truly great singer... And he wasn't right for the part.

His voice felt too strainy, growly and rock-ish for the Phantom. I didn't like how Joel Schumacher bought into the whole "sexy Phantom" thing and cast a hunky heart-throb, who was nowhere near disfigured enough. It's meant to be a gothic thriller novel with a small romantic subplot, not a B-grade vampire romance movie!

As for Emmy Rossum as Miss Christine Daae... it's true, her voice is good. She should know though, should she wish to excel, she has MUCH still to learn (Heeeeehee. Sorry. Couldn't resist.)

Emmy's Christine had little-to-no character growth and personality but I don't think it reflects her as an actress, but reflects more on the director and casting director because of how young she was (but more on that later)

Not only that, her Christine was SIGNIFICANTLY dumbed down and oversexualized. I mean, the entire point of the story is that Christine grows strong enough to overcome the trauma of an abusive relationship and make sure that her abuser never hurts anyone ever again but still shows the Phantom compassion and sympathy. I mean, her story arc is her becoming strong-willed enough to overcome the Phantom's pull/spell/enchantment/hypnosis or whatever you percieve it as on her! And don't get me started on her costumes because of the SEVERE lack of modesty.

The chemistry was a little flat because she was underage and her two male love interests were both in their 30s (which totally isn't HER fault, of course, but the directors could easily have cast someone else older)

Her voice, too, strikes me as being much too young and undeveloped. She has a very pretty, sweet-sounding quality to her singing but she doesn't sound rich and operatic enough to be a convincing Christine. Rebecca Caine and Amy Manford do the best job of singing the way I think Christine ought to sound- a maturing opera voice! Though POTO is NOT an opera (you wouldn't believe how many people actually think it is...), it does revolve around opera, and Christine is an opera singer, not a pop star.

And now onto... Everyone's favourite vicomte!!!!!!

C'mon people, put your bottles down. It is a truth universally acknowledged (or at least in the wee Raoul Defense Squad Circle) that Raoul is one of the greatest and most underrated boyfriends to ever exist in musical theatre and it's almost impossible to hate him because of how relatable he is.

Ladies, puh-leeze. He's much more relatable than you admit and face it, we all have a little bit of Raoul in us. Failure to see things staring us in the face, saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, having a 'see it to believe it' attitude when we have little-to-no evidence on something... yeah, don't pretend you don't see a trend. Raoul is relatable whether we want him to be or not.

My thoughts on Patrick Wilson as Raoul, he was one of the few redeeming qualities of this not so great movie. Yeah, the swordfight and Tarzan leaps were a little too much but can you blame him?! And though I feel like that foppish wig made him look more like a magic elf prince than a vicomte, he couldn't control that!

His Raoul was so gentle and caring! Yeah, his acting was a bit stiff but at least his voice wasn't a chore to listen to, it has this warm, tender, comforting quality to it which suits Raoul. I really loved the way he sang "Don't throw away your life for my sake" and "I fought so hard to free you" in the Final Lair (😭😭😭) It feels like Raoul is genuinely apologising to Christine.

I know, I know... The Hadley Fraser fans are approaching with menacing expressions as we speak but let me clarify. I still think Hadley is amazing but... His Raoul kinda felt a little too shouty for me and his Raoul was closer to the LND-canon than POTO-canon (not his fault though).

Miranda Richardson (aka. Rita Skeeter) as Madame Giry is kind of weird. I mean, I know Madame Giry's supposed to be a little Strange and Mysterious. But this Mme. wasn't really Strange or Mysterious at all, or even slightly Spooky at all. She was just kind of an oddball. Popping up in random places to give warnings about the Phantom and looking at people as if she were questioning their life choices or something. As for her daughter... well, Jennifer Ellison's Meg was so-so. She's got a sweet-sounding voice and that added scene where she looked for Christine in the lair was a nice touch... But... Her Meg was kinda forgettable and uninteresting. Meg is supposed to prance around shrieking that the Phantom of the Opera is here, not whisper it in a blase manner that you half expect to be followed up with, "by the way, what's for lunch?" Not to mention, she rivaled Christine as far as low-necked costumes went.

Minnie Driver as Carlotta was spot on! Yes, I know she didn't sing the score but her acting was alright. She was very over-the-top and self-centered, which is great for Carlotta, but I felt her portrayal was a little too childish to be accurate. Carlotta is a successful middle-aged diva who's willing to scream and storm when she doesn't get her way, but she isn't a two-year-old pouting and throwing tantrums. (Yes, there's a difference.)

Ciaran Hinds and Simon Callow played Firmin and Andre, respectively. Their managers kinda felt like twits and nothing more. Also, Firmin's masquerade costume was ridiculous. The stupid kind, not the funny kind. ...Well, okay, it was a little funny.

I'm not going to touch on every song here, but I will say that "Hannibal" was beyond awful (if you thought the costumes in the stage version were a bit risque, you should see the movie ones- no, actually you shouldn't) and that "Think of Me," while very nice, was not particularly memorable. Christine's dress, however (despite its less-than-ideal neckline) was GORGEOUS, even though it looks completely out of place in a musical that supposedly takes place in ancient Alexandria.

"Little Lotte" kinda lost its charm by being spoken instead of sung. And Gerard Butler's voice in "The Mirror" was too rough and raspy for my ears and made me cringe in sympathetic shame. The title song was like a cheesy, campy B-grade horror movie tbh, trying way too hard to be spooky and chilling ("ooh, look, Phantom's Lair! It's DARK and SCARY down here!") and succeeding only in being cringeworthy. Not that I've actually ever seen a bad horror movie- or any horror movie at all, for that matter. Unless you count this one.

Christine's costume, too, annoyed me no end. She was basically wearing a corset and drawers under the dressing gown. *facepalm* The dressing gown is supposed to go OVER your COSTUME to keep it CLEAN, peeps. It's not a BATHROBE. And the amount of eye makeup she had on would terrify a raccoon. Yikes.

Though I liked the random horse because of its nod to the Leroux novel.

"Music of the Night" was so blah-slash-touchy-feely that it made me summarily uncomfortable.

I'd like to be able to say something nice about "I remember/Stranger than you dreamt it" but I have none. One thing that bugged me to no end was how Christine is no longer wearing stockings, like dude, that gives some GROSS implications. Anyways, let's skip to Il Muto!

Oh, but first I should say that "Notes" was rather a flop and that "Prima Donna" is unmemorable and indeed should probably be fast-forwarded as there's a rather unsavory bit involving a crew member showing the audience what he thinks of Carlotta's behaviour.

"Il Muto," I must say, was pretty doggone funny. Carlotta's "Your part is silent. Leetle toad," cracked me up into a bunch of giggling little pieces, and the little vignette of the Phantom tinkering with Carlotta's throat spray made her croaking later on a lot more believable.

Now for "All I Ask Of You", SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! I honestly can't understand how anyone could listen to this song and still maintain that Christine and Raoul don't belong together. He represents everything she needs- stability, protection, a guiding hand and affirmed affection. She represents everything he needs, in turn- someone to show affection to and his childhood friend.

One thing I definitely think could have been left out was the scene in which Erik kills Buquet- we totally did not need to see him being chased, terrified, through the rafters and finally strangled. Gross.

And the Phantom and his rose crouching behind that statue... I think this was supposed to be sad, but there was too much snot mixed with tears for it to be sad. It was, again, gross. So was Gerard Butler's pathetic attempt at the "all that the Phantom asked of you" line. And the lack of a chandelier crash in that scene made the song anticlimactic.

And "Masquerade" was so-so but... The Phantom's entrance is anticlimactic somehow, and his Red Death costume (if indeed it's supposed to even BE the Red Death) is unimpressive. I don't like how Raoul just runs off to desert Christine as soon as things start looking ugly (yes, I realize he was going to get his sword, but still... something could have happened to her while he was gone. Duh, did this guy learn anything from "Little Lotte/The Mirror"? Just sayin)

As for Madame Giry's flashback immediately following, I like how it gives us some of the Phantom's backstory, but it seems really abrupt. You don't even realize until she's done that she was talking to Raoul the whole time- it sounds like she's just randomly reminiscing about Stuff, and if you didn't know the story you might be sitting there thinking, "who is this strange woman again?"

Also, Christine leaving wherever-it-is at, like, five in the morning to go to who-knows-where, completely oblivious to the fact that the Phantom is driving her. Whaaaaaaaaa? How'd he know she was planning to go for a graveyard stroll? Was he watching her through the mirror again? THAT'S JUST CREEPY.

"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" was rather mediocre and dulled down the fact that it is a Christine Empowerment™ song. Why, exactly, does Christine's father have the biggest monument in the cemetery? If he were a rich and famous violinist as his crypt seems to suggest, why on earth was his daughter struggling along as a chorus girl taking free music lessons?

The swordfight... Well... I had mixed feelings about it. Sword fights are all well and good, but... The swordfight takes away the element of mysterious danger to the Phantom. Okay, fine, Christine getting Raoul to spare the Phantom's life is a nice touch, I guess, but did it strike no one else that his "now let it be war upon you BOTH" makes absolutely NO sense after that? If she just saved his life, why would he suddenly be all, "thanks, but no thanks, I'M GOING TO MURDER YOUUUUUUUUUU"?

And "Twisted Every Way" was after "Wishing" which made ZERO sense. Plus, I didn't like how they cut most of it because in the musical, it gave Christine a spine!

"Point of No Return"? Hooooooo boy....... There are so many things wrong with this number. Let's just a list a few.

*HOW did no one recognise the Phantom through his "disguise"?! At least in the stage play, it made more sense because of how he was wearing a cloak that obscured most of his body.

*Christine's sleeves falling down over and over again were REALLY annoying.

*It was just too touchy-feely for my taste.

*The fact that Emmy Rossum was a teenager during filming made this scene gross because of the way they oversexualized Christine in this scene.

*Gerard Butler's voice in that scene made me cringe and shake my head in sympathetic shame.

*In the stage play, Christine ran from him, showing her own agenda and resistance to his pull! While in the movie, she didn't resist him!

*Now for the one that took the cake... The disfigurement! Or it would be a disfigurement if it actually made him look, y'know, deformed. Instead, as several people have put it, he looks like he got a bad sunburn or something. It's really rather pathetic. It makes him look more like a drama queen than he already is! Yeah.... I really don't like this movie.

On to... Final Lair!!!!!!!! It was a flop. From Raoul's whining and flailing around and his stringy hair flopping about (shallow complaint, I know, but it's so ugly) to Christine's sappy melodramatic "don't make me choooooooose" faces to the Phantom's prancing around with his ropes and maniacal laughter that somehow wasn't really scary at all... yeah, it was a flop. A major, major flop. And though The Kiss wasn't all that bad, all I could think of was, "She's SIXTEEN! SIX! TEEN! THIS IS CREEPY, DISTURBING AND GROSS!"

Which is why it's so difficult for me to admit that, um, I... cried at the end.

I COULDN'T HELP IT GUYS HE WAS ALL ALONE THERE IN HIS LAKE WITH HIS MONKEY AND HIS SMASHED MIRRORS AND HE WAS CRYING AND IT WAS SAD.

And then that rose on the gravestone? That single red rose? And the look on Old Raoul's face (still Patrick Wilson, by the way, under all that makeup) when he saw it and realized he wasn't the only one visiting Christine's grave? Yup, I lost it again there, too. And I really didn't want to. Because I tend to cry over movies I love, y'know? And I didn't love this movie. At all

Yet I still cried at the end. I'm not really sure why. I think perhaps it had something to do with the way the story still "got" me, deep down inside, despite the lousy casting and less-than-perfect singing and ridiculously unnecessary elements that totally didn't need to be there. It's still a tragically beautiful romance, and even a bad film can't kill that.

In conclusion, I think Mary Poppins can best express what I thought of POTO 2004.

In conclusion, I rate it a 2.7/5

[dunkshotdreaming]

Masterlist || World at a Glance

➵ Na Jaemin

↳ A young wolf from the Redfur clan, very playful but very dependent. Is known for his kind heart and flirty ways. Would offer the clothes off his back to help someone in need without hesitation. Best friends with fellow wolf Jeno, as they grew up together, and very protective of their youngest member, Jisung. Acts almost like a parental figure to his subunit of younger members along with Renjun, who try their hardest to keep the troublesome bunch out of harm's way (or any accidental exposure).

➵ Lee Jeno

↳ A young wolf from the Silveridge clan, shy at first but is an absolute ball of energy. Very athletic yet very lazy; a bundle of dualities that lie beneath a beautiful smile. Best friends with fellow wolf Jaemin, both of whom never cared about territorial rivalries. Also very close to Doyoung and Jaehyun, who like to keep a close eye on this sweet and naive little werewolf. Despite his canine nature, he has a fascination for feline creatures, going so far as to adopt a few of his own to study them. The other wolves are shocked at how well the kittens take to Jeno, rather than running at his scent.

➵ Huang Renjun

↳ A curious vampire with a fascination for their otherworldly members: the aliens Winwin and Yangyang. Likes to put up a snarky front at times, but is the sweetest little biter you'll ever meet. Very close to the younger members of their group, especially the werewolves.  Is a great help to Yuta when he gets unintentionally turned after being bitten, and takes him under his wing until he's sure the fledgling can handle his own. Doesn't have to wear a pendant like Yuta's as he's a full-blood vampire, born and raised. Renjun's artistic side helps him explain himself in ways words can't... even when a good portion of his artwork looks an awful lot like a bloody Rorschach test.

➵ Qian Kun

↳ The new alpha of the Goldensnout clan. Always seems to have trouble handling the young pups of the pack, and often has to put his foot down to intimidate them. Fatefully ends up with fellow pack member Yukhei as bandmates in Wayv. Loves nothing more than to enjoy some good music while he dotes on the others; especially good at cooking, and uses his heightened sense of smell to his advantage.

➵ Wong Yukhei

↳ Luckily for his alpha, fellow wolf Yukhei is great at dealing with the young pups of the pack... whenever he doesn't end up playing into their antics, that is. A lively young wolf who has a nose for causing trouble, usually unintentionally, as he's naturally clumsy. Has a warm heart and soft spot for his bandmates, usually treating them as part of his own little pack. Diligently obeys Kun, and trusts him entirely. Loves to tease the resident vampire, whenever possible.

➵ Jung Jaehyun

↳ A member of the Silveridge clan. Very athletic, prides himself on being one of the strongest members of the pack. Comes off as very confident but is actually very shy; is always terrified someone will find out about his secret. Dotes on the younger and older members alike, and is a great shoulder for them to lean on in tough times. Very close to fellow wolves Taeyong and Jeno, the latter of whom gets babied quite often, despite his displeasure.

➵ Lee Taeyong

↳ Alpha of the Redfur clan, as well as the leader of the musical group all the boys belong to, known as NCT. Has a lot on his plate and often relies on Jaehyun to talk things over with. Has the exterior of a wolf with bared fangs, but the interior of a little pup ready to play. Also close to pack member Jaemin, and taught him a lot of what he knows. Taeyong's life may be incredibly busy, but his great leadership skills always shine through both of his demanding roles.

➵ Dong Sicheng

↳ Most commonly known as Winwin by his newfound earthling friends. Sicheng and Yangyang crash landed on Earth roughly six years ago, not reuniting until they both ended up being recruited for a musical group known as Wayv. Whereas Yangyang is a burst of energy, Sicheng is more calm and philosophical (and still holds himself responsible for getting stuck on Earth); very homesick for his birth planet, Scorlirsus. Gets doted on a lot by his other members; often mistaken for an elf due to his singular pointed ear.

➵ Liu Yangyang

↳ Whereas Sicheng is more often than not the rational one of the two, Yangyang is a chaotic bundle of adventure and joy. His laugh can be heard from miles away, if you listen hard enough. Misses his family and home planet, but is happy to have finally reunited with Sicheng at long last. Loves to race, and used secretly borrow the space pods to do so. Never obtained a nickname as his name was already fairly easy for the others to remember. Misses Scorlirsus, but is also really enjoying his adventures on Earth.

➵ Kim Dongyoung

↳ Most commonly referred to simply as Doyoung, this fallen angel is often the butt of his bandmates' jokes. Tries to set a great example for the younger members, and practically had a hand in raising many of them throughout their time together. Jeno is the only one who really listens though, and earns himself the title of Best Son, at least in Doyoung's eyes. An amazing singer, and isn't afraid to use the powers of his enchanting voice to entice people to do things for him. After all, why work harder when you can work harder?

➵ Ten

↳ This tricky little siren is both alluring and infuriating. Loves to challenge Doyoung at every turn, the sheer power his voice carries overturning any enchantments his bandmate tries to place on others. Lives to tease, and often gets on Kun's nerves, though they secretly enjoy each other's company greatly. Very fluid in his movements, as he's used to swimming in water; this translates to mesmerizing dance moves on land, which eventually earns him a spot in Wayv. Latches onto Hendery when he first joins the surface world as a resident, who helps him learn how to fit in, allowing him to blend almost seamlessly. Must soak in water for an absolute minimum of half an hour a day, or risk losing his breath and drying out. Legend has it he choked on a fruit once and now refuses to go anywhere near them.

➵ Moon Taeil

↳ An actual angel, quite literally. Whereas Doyoung had his fall from grace, Taeil has miraculously managed to stay in the good graces of the divine. Has a healing like quality to his voice, and anyone who listens to it becomes wrapped with its calmness, almost like a blanket. The eldest of his bandmates, but gets along pretty well with both younger and older members due to his playful nature. Exceptionally skilled when it comes to music, and can play a wide range of instruments; loves to play his harp on nights off, which always helps the others sleep.

➵ Park Jisung

↳ The youngest of all his bandmates to date, and one of the most energetic. This sneaky little shapeshifter is incredibly talented. His shifty powers translate into the ability to rap and sing, as well as dance, making him a triple threat within the group. Is ironically allergic to animals, though he can turn into them without much trouble. Loves to turn into any one of the other members and cause widespread confusion, a true mischievous spirit you can't help but love. Babied endlessly by the others, and pretends he has to deal with Jaemin's over-affectionate nature as if he hates it.

➵ Mark Lee

↳ The one, lone human of NCT. Used to have Yuta to relate to, until the poor man was bitten and turned one night. Was initially terrified at being surrounded by so many supernatural beings, but grew accustomed; loves being able to use their talents to his advantage. Constantly the butt of their superpowered jokes, but always mesmerized by what the others are capable of. Feels left out sometimes, but Johnny is always quick to reassure him of his extraordinary human talents.

➵ Johnny Seo

↳ A powerful sorcered who moved across the world in search of a precious gem with powers unheard of.. ends up joining a band to allow him to stay in the country, and instead finds a precious bond within NCT. Can often be seen building or brewing, and casts minor spells at his convenience. Casts protective spells on his clumsier and unluckier bandmates, disguising his affection for his newfound little brother Mark behind an army of jokes (that everyone can see through anyway).

➵ Lee Donghyuck

↳ Goes by the name of Haechan, but loves to refer to himself in the third person as Fullsun. As his father is Apollo, Haechan is a demigod with the blinding power of the sun (as do many of his scattered half-siblings). Very affectionate, the embodiment of warmth and light, paired with the heat of his temper and constant teasing. Nearly made an enemy out of Doyoung once with his pranks, and adores teasing poor human Mark for his priceless reactions.

➵ Nakamoto Yuta

↳ Was a human until just the other day, was turned into a vampire and is now learning to deal with his life flipped upside down. Never wanted to become part of the supernatural realm that nearly all of his bandmates are from, and yet finds himself joining anyway. Was accidentally bitten while away on tour and must now live with the consequences. Has to have his pendant on at all times when in the sun, or else he'll slowly burn and turn to ash. A rather moody bandmate as of late, but given his circumstances, no one can really blame him. Bandmate Renjun, a full-blood vampire since birth, helps teach Yuta everything from how to feed and self control to the ways of the sun and his new strengths. Was forced to take a brief break from his unit known as NCT 127 as a result, but manages to successfully rejoin once he's adapted to his new life. Yuta is often found teasing their last remaining human, Mark.

➵ Zhong Chenle

↳ Though formerly teased for his dolphin-like laugh, it's no surprise that Chenle actually grew up by the ocean. Unlike Ten, Chenle did not live in the water, but has great control over it. He can control the rain, the seas, and even people's own bodies if he so desired. Best friends with Jisung, and they love to get into all sorts of trouble together. Is also very close with Kun (though he and Yangyang are both banes in the elder's existence at times), as well as Jaehyun.

➵ Xiao Dejun

↳ Also known as Xiaojun, for short. Laughs every time Winwin gets mistaken for an elf, when in fact, he's the member of elvish nature. Conceals his ears well, but allows his magic to seep through his beautiful voice. Cautious around animals, but absolutely adores plants and nature in general. Dislikes when Chenle plays with the weather, claiming it could cause an imbalance. Gets along well with all of his Wayv bandmates, but especially with Hendery, as they grew up together.

➵ Wong Kunhang

↳ Ironically enough, Kunhang is the complete opposite of his childhood friend, Xiaojun. Hendery, as he now goes by, is the son of a demon and a human. Typically good-natured and easygoing, his temper and vengeance know no bounds if someone he cares about gets hurt. Will stop at nothing to make things "fair" as he sees fit. Powers include but are not limited to: manipulation of fire, control of air currents, and destruction of physical properties. Has a real soft spot for Yangyang, and are often seen goofing off together. This half-demon is very close to a certain mischievous siren, and taught him almost everything he knows about fitting in with the human world.

OC’s

➵ Sayuri & Kaoru

↳ Two siblings, both members of the Blackwolf clan; childhood friends of the Alpha (reader) and trusted board members of the pack. Form almost a little council when the three unite. Sayuri's mate is a Silveridge, which had caused tension in the past; though that, now the clans are allied, is no longer a problem. Sayuri’s mate just so happens to be the related to the clan’s leader, as his elder sister is the alpha.

[kuromantic]

A Shallot Headcanon

Heya! It's your tired old writer, pretending that the history exam tomorrow is nonexistent. It's no secret that I love, love, love Kindaichi and want to spread the positivity and appreciation for the little shallot, so I decided to do what I always do and type up a headcanon!

***WARNING.***

This touches on family issues and stuff surrounding it.

So I feel that Kindaichi is the type to really be affected by people's words, in both good and bad ways. My personal take on this is that he has really strict parents, who can be hard on him if he slips up on his grades or do some stuff that other teenagers his age would be allowed to do. I don't see him as being rebellious, so I think he accepted it from a young age and assumed he deserved it if he was punished in any way.

I think he had a good time in his first year of Kitaichi, considering that he got to work with talented people and sharpen up his own skill. He probably got along well with Oikawa and Iwaizumi as senpai and kouhai, but I doubt he played in matches with them much so he didn't develop much of a relationship with them. But as his second year progressed, the bond holding the team started weakening with Kageyama starting to demand more and more from the other teammates.

Kindaichi would have been an extremely talented spiker and considering his good nature, the other teammates would have depended on him to patch things up. I think Kindaichi was conflicted, because he hates conflict between people who he regularly interacts with, but at the same time he probably had a strong sense of responsibility and the "I have to do something" mentality.

Things only went downhill in his third year, when the relations between Kageyama and Kindaichi were obviously worsening but the coach didn't do anything about it. They probably never had the time to properly talk it out, so the yelling and resentment only piled up. It hit too close to home for Kindaichi eventually, but because Kageyama was actually someone he could argue with without getting punished, he ended up releasing the pent-up frustration that he had been bottling up for years. At some point the focus shifted from fixing the team to letting out his emotions, which you can't blame him for.

I think the fact that Kageyama started thriving at Karasuno was a hard blow to Kindaichi, because even though the Kitaichi incident wasn't something he needed to blame himself for, there would have been a voice in his head telling him that the person who changed Kageyama could have been him if only had he tried a little harder. He doesn't know what he was yelling and fighting so hard for, because in the end it made nothing better. The expression on his face after the bathroom scene really gets to me because of this, he just looks so defeated. He doesn't want to suddenly patch up their relationship, likely because it's something he tried to do for such a long time in middle school and he felt miserable doing something he was supposed to love.

When Kindaichi enters high school, he talks to Hinata during the episode where Seijoh and Karasuno have a match for the first time. He mentions that people who are no use to Kageyama get thrown away, which was likely how he felt in Kitaichi. I think he was afraid of something like that happening again in Seijoh, even though he knows Oikawa isn't going to shout at him. His experiences at home and Kitaichi would definitely have shaped the way he acts around senpais in Seijoh, because there would be a feel that they have a sort of authority over him as someone more experienced than him. Kindaichi knows it in his heart that his team is very close-knit and supportive, but at the same time he can't help anticipating criticism when he screws up because he's used to it. Of course, the team are extra nice to him on days he has self-doubts and Kindaichi is happy with his second family because I said so.

This is mostly my personal take on Kindaichi, so I'm interested to hear everyone else's thoughts!

[8-ada]

The best quotes from books I've read:

“Nobody can tell what I suffer! But it is always so. Those who do not complain are never pitied.”

Pride & prejudice

“My good opinion once lost is lost forever.”

Pride & prejudice

“They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects”

Pride & prejudice

“We are all fools in love”

Pride & prejudice

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

Pride & prejudice

“She longed to know what at the moment was passing in his mind, in what manner he thought of her, and whether, in defiance of everything, she was still dear to him. Perhaps he had been civil only because he felt himself at ease; yet there had been that in his voice which was not like ease. Whether he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her she could not tell, but he certainly had not seen her with composure.”

Pride & prejudice

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”

Pride & prejudice

“You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.”

Pride & prejudice

“I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with ”those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.”

Pride & prejudice

“ I DON'T CARE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!”

“You do care, you care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.”

Harry potter

“Just because it’s taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one elsehas spotted that I'm a girl”

Harry potter

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

Harry potter

“I wish...I wish I were dead...”

“And what use would that be to anyone?”

Harry potter

“You'll stay with me?”

“Until the very end.”

Harry potter

"It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Harry potter

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”

Harry potter 

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

Harry potter

"But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Harry potter

I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Harry Potter

"I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I’m not there." 

Harry potter

"You're a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant ... but scary." 

Harry potter

"There are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."

Harry potter

"‘The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.'"

 Harry potter

"Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect." 

Harry Potter

"Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike."

Harry Potter

"We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are." 

Harry Potter

"I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it, breaking the rules?"

 Harry Potter

"Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have."

 Harry Potter

"Don’t let the muggles get you down."

Harry Potter

"Mischief Managed!"

Harry Potter

"You think the dead we loved truly ever leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly in times of great trouble?" 

Harry Potter

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Harry Potter

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" 

Harry Potter

"Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it." 

Harry Potter

"After all this time?"

"Always."

Harry Potter

"anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."

Harry Potter

[knights-of-seven-light]

I think about this like I think about Val Kilmer doing Batman. I can't pretend to know exactly what happened, but I'll give ut my best guess based on my observations.

Val is probably one of my favorite people in the world, and one of my favorite actors back in the 80's and 90's. So, when he did Batman Forever, I was kinda shocked. It's not his thing. I cringed when I saw it but he was a damn good Batman so all was forgiven. He got a lot of crap from the filmmakers about how he acted on set, but I remember him saying in an recent interview that he was pissed because they didn't consult people who loved Batman to do the film (which affects his work as a character). And he said in a really old interview that felt used, like he wasn't there to play a character, but to sell toys and basically be a dudebro sex symbol (I'm paraphrasing).

And Val and the showmakers parted ways over the franchise.

And, in a way, I think that's what happened here. DLF got Adam Driver, a lovely vintage wine of an actor, to play Kylo Ren. And he's Adam effing Driver; he's gonna work and do and be this character immensely because that's the talent and effort he brings to every role. But it made him famous in a way he didn't want to be, it didn't pan out to be a career choice that was aligned with his endeavors, he isn't hurting for money or (for those of us familiar with his career) recognition, and maybe he had some conflict with the director or TPTB or another actor and he politely declined to further the franchise. It just so happens to coincide with some bad writing in the movies, and that's a double whammy for fans of Adam and the character he plays and Star Wars. We may never know what really happened. But I do think that Adam and DLF have parted ways.

So, they killed him off. They can't recast Ben Solo, and they can't keep Adam. No deal. They cut their losses. He doesn't talk about it. That's my theory. I've chosen to mourn and grieve the loss of Ben Solo on screen, honor the story by reading and writing, and respect Adam by honoring his decision to do what's best for his career.

I am torn between wanting DLF to bring Ben Solo back in future films VS wanting Adam Driver to run away from this shit show and never look back. Adam was literally their best actor and he was also playing the last young Skywalker and they blew it!

Same, anon...😔 They made their bed, let them lie in it for a while.