#you can't con a conman

[lindseymcdonaldseyelashes]

Leverage 4x8- "The Boiler Room Job"

[lisbonsteresa]

m'kay

[junebugdunes]

alright listen. it is 3 in the morning and I have a cold but listen to me. I feel like one of the biggest reasons I'm so enthralled with Ramsey and Percy's dynamic is because it subverts the typical cop/con buddy duo-

Usually in buddy cop shows the dynamic play out as the smug or playful conman and the straight man cop

But what I'm really into is Ramsey is actually the "straight man" in their dynamic because Percy is so strange but completely able to roll with basically anything that happens, and she takes everything on the same serious level that she would normally

Which I think a lot of characters mistake as her taking everything at face value, but she doesn't do that either- Ramsey takes advantage of the situation by lying to her about his epithet and trying to play off how big of a criminal he is, and she does believe him, but you can see as the episodes move along she has her suspicions- but she's not accusatory. [Ep 6 "All's Well That Ends Well" 15:15]

She won't make any moves until she has solid evidence, which is a really good quality considering her line of work. She's smart, but she's not unfair. (Added to the fact that even once she recognized Ramsey, she made sure to negotiate something nice for him because of how much help he was. [Ep 7 "Winner Takes All" 23:20])

I've read a lot of fan stuff where people have completely misread her character and they make her so... robotic? And like, unemotional. Which she completely isn't.

She's very emotional. Although a lot of her more emotional scenes are read as comedic, she's not cold or robotic. Some of my favorite scenes from her are the crayon debauchery scene:

[Ep 6 "All's Well That Ends Well" 6:55] Along the same lines as when Zora broke her peashooter (the Oh Danny Boy scene)

When the Well Watcher was promoted to Sky Watcher and she was very supportive :) [Ep 6 16:50]

And when Ramsey used his epithet for the first time in front of her [Ep 7 19:15]

I feel like the comedy of these bits are really through Ramsey's reactions as he kind of just... doesn't know how to handle the situation or his brain literally won't process it [Ep 6 7:40]

Yes, Percy for the most part is a joke character but the whole point is the joke plays off of her being the silly one and Ramsey being the straight man, not vice versa.

I'm really tired so I can't exactly remember how I was going to wrap this up but

TL;DR: I really like Ramsey & Percy's dynamic and I feel like a lot of misreadings of it are due to a lack of understanding Percy's character

[lillygamine]

𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓁 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌

♡ Warning:Female!Reader x Male!Yandere, Male!Demon, Mention of non-consensual relationship, Mention of Ritual, Mention of non-con body touches, Being Haunted, Threats, Mention of non-relationship, Short Imagine. ♡ Note: I tried to write something about it, but I admit it was night and I ended up getting a little scared because I imagined too much, but I hope you like it ^^' ♡ Note 2: I don't speak English so I'm sorry for any mistakes in writing.

You shouldn't have gone to that party, you should have accepted that stupid challenge…

You were always afraid of messing with the supernatural, Ouija board, Bloody Mary or anything like that didn't seem like a good idea, but you still accepted the challenge of doing a supposed ritual to summon demons! Where were you thinking?!

The environment was all prepared, just like horror movies, the supposed ritual written on a folded sheet of paper with weird drawings, that would certainly lead to nothing, right?

Big mistake, things started the next day… Voices, Bizarre dreams, you no longer had a single second of peace.

You started to become paranoid, feeling like you were being watched all the time, you tried to convince yourself that it was nothing, but you couldn't ignore it anymore after bruise marks started to appear on your body after your bizarre dreams.

You can't deny it anymore, that challenge really summoned something…

You tried going to a psychic, but he was just a conman trying to take every penny from you.

You tried turning to religion, seeking some kind of exorcism or some protection, but that seems to have made everything worse!

Before, the supernatural phenomena seemed distant from you, but now the voices seemed to be whispered in your ear, making it possible to feel a kind of heat on your neck, and the entity that previously only watched you from afar are now always extremely close to you, enough to reach out and touch you!

In a desperate attempt, you try to contact this being, you redo the ritual and ask who is here, and what they want from you, deep down you didn't believe it would work and it really didn't seem to have any effect…

But, when you lay down on your bed, overwhelmed by the accumulated tiredness, you felt your bed sink next to you, but your body didn't seem to respond to your commands! Then a hand turned you over, leaving you face to face with completely red eyes, which were fixed on you. Your body had goose bumps and your breathing faltered, you were terrified.

-You're a silly little creature, aren't you?

The entity said in a sarcastic tone, his voice seemed distorted and deep, full of amusement, which did nothing to improve your panicked state.

-You summoned me to a pact, and when you got one you're trying to get rid of me? That's very audacious!

You feel a hand grab your neck, squeezing it, and you feel your breathing become more difficult.

-Too audacious… But

The hand loosens, and you take a deep breath, trying to fill your lungs as much as possible.

-I admit that your soul interests me now, I have already accepted your request and we have a pact now, so don't try to get rid of me…

The entity approaches your ear, speaking in a dark tone

-You are mine now, forever!Your soul is mine now! And if I have to kill everyone you love for you to understand that you belong to me, I will do it.

[gabessquishytum]

Time and Night Endless have a problem. Their darling son Dream has been dating a man completely not of their class, a shameless and uncouth ruffian, by the name of Hob Gadling. While they did make their disapproval known, they were inclined to leave it at that, as surely this was merely a rebellious phase on Dream’s part; at some point he would come to his senses, end the relationship, and settle down with someone more suitable.

Except they have heard through the family grapevine that not only has Dream not come to his senses, but he is in fact planning on proposing to the dreadful man. That he has in fact purchased a ring already! Clearly something must be done.

They arrange a private meeting with Hob and offer him fifty-thousand pounds to break up with their son before the proposal, preferably publicly enough that they can be sure he did it, and so it decreases the likelihood of reconciliation.

Hob only hesitates for a moment before agreeing.

Time and Night walk away from the meeting feeling incredibly smug that they���ve saved their dear son from an inappropriate relationship with a blatant gold digger.

Hob walks away from the meeting pulling out his phone to call Dream. “Hey love, how would you like to con your parents out of a shit ton of money?”

Three days later, Dream and Hob have a giant blow-up fight in the middle of a friendly gathering—Desire was there filming the whole thing and had gleefully uploaded it to every social media platform they have, so the Endless parents can see for themselves. It’s pretty ugly: there’s accusations of cheating, loud negative allusions to their sex life, Dream even throws in a “my mother was right about you” for good measure. It’s a goddamn disaster of a shouting match that ends in the world's messiest breakup.

Time and Night would be horrified by the scandal if they weren’t so pleased with the results. Hob Gadling may not be an acceptable partner for one of their children, but at least he certainly does deliver. They wire the money to him with absolutely no remorse, considering it money well-spent.

A week later, a new video is uploaded to Hob and Dream’s social media accounts: the two of them side-by-side, leaning into each other's touch like love-drunk teenagers, fingers entwined and sporting beautiful engagement rings, as they announce their reconciliation and engagement.

“Communication has always been the key to a successful relationship, and all we really needed to do was sit down and talk to each other like adults. Any issues we may have had have been resolved, and if it weren't for the people close to us who didn't want to see us fall apart, we might not be here today,” Hob says, grinning ear to ear. 

“I would particularly like to offer my greatest, most heartfelt thanks for our upcoming marriage to my parents,” Dream says with an evil glint in his eye. “They not only engineered our reconciliation, they selflessly gave fifty-thousand pounds of their own money to help pay for the wedding and honeymoon. We can't thank them for their kindness and support enough.”

Hob then grabs his fiance and dips him before kissing the life out of him, and that’s where the video ends.

Night faints and Time breaks a priceless vase.

(Desire also gleefully shares this video on the same platforms as the first one, and helpfully tags their parents with it to boot. It was actually fun scheming with their brother for the first time in a long time, and they may or may not be planning to stitch the two videos together into a small tasteful movie as a wedding present (and perhaps providing a copy to their parents as well))

-🪽anon

I love the "evil parent offers main character a lot of money to break up with love interest" vibe. Whatever happens you just KNOW its going to end badly for the parents!

And really, they should have known better. Hob is a shameless ruffian and an experienced conman, OF COURSE he was going to pull some kind of trick. He's actually really pleased because he was worried that Dream wouldn't get his perfect wedding, because Hob’s meagre salary won't stretch to a big budget. With the "generous contribution" from mum and dad, Dream can make his gorgeous goth wedding fantasies a reality.

Dream has an amazing time at the fittings for all the wedding outfits, and Desire even has a hand in designing the most gorgeous jumpsuit for Dream to wear at the reception. They're totally invested in this wedding and keep feeding Dream and Hob information about their parents latest plans to sabotage the big day. This leads to Dream getting in touch with their estranged younger brother, who is thrilled to a) be invited to the wedding and b) provide security on the big day! He's built like a brick wall so no attempted shenanigans will get past him.

There won't be any trouble at the wedding, anyway. Hob has a few of his old pals on the job, and they will make sure that the Endless parents are tragically prevented from reaching the venue on time. So sad. Its okay though, because Desire will be putting together a beautiful wedding movie for everyone to watch after the honeymoon!

When asked by their society friends about their new son in law, Night and Time will grit their teeth and smile. He's a very... resourceful man. Not what they'd imagined for Dream, but he seems happy enough. And there was a prenup, so it can't be that bad if (hopefully when) they get a divorce.

Yeah.......they're never getting a divorce!

[couldpolyamorysavethem]

ELIZABETH BURKE, PETER BURKE, and NEAL CAFFREY from WHITE COLLAR

Justification:

"okay listen this might already be in the queue but i sincerely believe the last three seasons of the show would've gone in a completely different direction if peter got that last little push away from his bullshit cop behaviour by neal pulling some grand romantic gesture for him + el. like, come on man, you've already come to peace with legality not being the same as morality after you ran all those cons and let neal cut and run, but he's so convinced the ONLY way to do good in the world is being an fbi agent that he like, actively makes things worse for neal (AND HIMSELF? AND ELIZABETH?) over and over again just so he can preserve the status quo of neal being his CI + while peter's an active field agent. would kissing about his devotion to their dynamic and neal's rehabilitation and peter's complicity in neal's dehumanisation by the state solve that? maybe not! but considering the alternative is neal fucking dying (he got better) about it i think we should give it a shot!

that previous paragraph was more or less me preaching to the choir wrt this relationship but still here's my pitch:

neal is essentially already the third in elizabeth + peter's marriage, with how much he lives in peter's brain during pre-series sequences, how INVESTED he is in their relationship (reminding peter of anniversaries), and then IN the actual series that only increases when he's coming around to their place all the time

each pair within this trio have supporting but distinct relationships w one another that they all benefit from (and they often need the support of all three dynamics to get through Issues™)

that one episode where peter ends up on the run w another fbi agent and neal gets paired up with that guy's CI, and there's just an unbelievable amount of parallels between the two pairs and their relationship, even after its established that those two are in a romantic relationship and peter and neal 'aren't'. like peter says he'd go to neal first if he was ever in trouble LIKEEE

fucking everything about the run up to the finale of season 2 where we hear over and over again that the only two ways conmen end up are with 'one last score' (which inevitably leads to the next, because they can't help themselves), or going to prison. OR, the 'true love' option, where an ex-conman is able to genuinely settle down and go straight (more or less). this 'secret third option' is literally even spelled out to us IN an episode about a trio of thieves (byron june and ford) who meant the world to each other!

neal uses the engagement ring he was GOING to give to his TEXTUAL 'true love' in order to pay for peter's ransom that one time and isn't even cut up about it??

also like the episode before that neal and peter switch identities (very well) and neal acts like elizabeth's wife, and the only issue peter (or anyone) has with it is that he's also committing the crime of impersonating a federal agent.

season three finale where peter asks why neal didn't run when he just got the score of his life and the first thing he says is 'you, elizabeth', before listing literally anything else. INCLUDING HIS CURRENT ROMANTIC INTEREST?

also the scene before that where neal immediately folds from his season long cat and mouse game with peter and hiding the treasure because elizabeth's in danger! and peter only believes he's not lying abt any of it bc it's elizabeth!

that one shot in the pilot where neal and elizabeth look up at peter and you can so clearly see he has a type.

literally everything about elizabeth + neal's interactions in s1. get you a girl who sneaks you into her house past dozens of fbi agents so you can talk to your handler personally about being framed for a crime that she has no reason to suspect you didn't do other than believe in your and her husband's relationship!

im losing track of my argument at this point. anyway can someone please knock peter upside the head with some kind of bi awakening for the love of god this homoerotic 'partners' situation has an unbelievably high body count not to mention all the violation of civil liberties and frankly you could've all moved to paris and started a detective agency YEARS ago and this show would become slice of life" - @time-is-restored

[maya-caffrey]

Stuck in my head

pairing: neal caffrey x fem!reader

words: 3.2k

summary: Neal Caffrey, Ward of the state, CI by circumstance, Conman by choice, has taken a particular liking to the fence he's actively trying to get arrested while undercover, much to his chagrin.

timeline: this is fanfiction land. time stands still and we dance on canon's remains

warnings: baby this is fluff, no surprises, I swear. maybe a small one somewhere but it's good, I promise

ps: (Y/f/n) is (your/fake/name), (y/n) is (your/name)

"Peter I am telling you, we can't arrest her."

"Because we have no evidence yet? Yeah, I got that."

"No, I'm saying we shouldn't even be pursuing this case in the first place. I don't think she's a fence."

Peter rolled his eyes at Neal's protests and proceeded to ignore the rest of his rant, much like he had since the beginning of the case. For some reason Peter cannot quite understand, Neal has been opposed to working this case ever since the first time he went undercover as George Devore, art collector, to set up a meeting with (Y/f/n).

To the residents of the stakeout van, the meeting was normal and went swimmingly, meaning the next meeting, where the handoff would be discussed, would be enough to put the nail in the coffin and close the case, essentially arresting (Y/f/n) and finally getting the name of the buyer they have been tracking. But to Neal, or rather, George Devore, this seemed like the worst thing in the world at the moment.

Back home, Neal decided to pour his heart out to the only other person who he thought would lend a happy ear. But instead, he was met with merciless judgment from Mozzie.

"Neal, you have a problem when it comes to beautiful women. I say this from a place of love. And perfect recall"

Neal feigned being hurt, even though he knew damn well his only problem with (Y/f/n) was that she was stuck in his head ever since they first met. He had no solid reason, but he was sure she was not just a regular fence for stolen art. She did not carry herself with that shifty cunningness one might find in a con artist, but rather with an air of authority. She seemed honest and sure of herself, which was the first clue he noticed that she may not be a con artist. Her textbook knowledge of Degas was not helping her case, and her being gorgeous was only making things worse.

He remembered the time he showed her the Degas. As she leaned forward to examine the painting he’d brought as bait, he caught a faint hint of her perfume—something light, maybe jasmine? Neal told himself it was just an observation, but even Peter had once told him he had a way of letting the little details trip him up.

Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day.

______________________________________________________________

"Your work is simple. You need to discuss a time and place for the handoff, get her buyer's name to confirm we have the right guy, and have her admit on the record that she’s knowingly trafficking stolen art," Peter said, his tone clipped and businesslike. "Once we have her on tape saying anything that implicates herself or her buyer, we can move in. So keep it casual, stay in character, and—" Peter shot Neal a warning look. "—don’t get any ideas."

Neal managed a tight smile. "You’re really worried I’ll blow it?"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "No, I’m worried you’ll fall for it. There’s a difference."

"Peter, I’ve got this," Neal replied, a bit too quickly. "She’s just another suspect."

Peter crossed his arms, unconvinced. "Good. Keep it that way."

Neal exited the surveillance van to the restaurant where he was meeting (Y/f/n), mentally cursing himself for picking the most romantic spot in town. Although it was George Devore who was meeting her, Neal Caffrey wished it was him instead.

As Neal entered the restaurant, the low lighting and soft jazz in the background felt more intimate than he’d intended. The tables were spaced just far enough apart for privacy, and the scent of roses mixed with fresh bread filled the air. It was a perfect place for a date—not a takedown. He adjusted his cufflinks, reminding himself that George Devore was here to discuss business, but Neal Caffrey couldn't shake the feeling he was here for something else entirely.

The moment he saw her seated at their table, he could feel time slow down around him. His heart, pounding so loud, threatening to give himself away, and his feet were reluctant to move forward. Reminding himself yet another time what he was here for, Neal took the other seat at the table and was greeted by a warm smile.

As he took his seat, the soft lighting cast a warm glow on her face, and Neal couldn't help but notice the way her eyes caught the light, just for a second. Her warm smile and the skip of his own heartbeat threatened to unravel him. He swallowed, hoping she couldn't see how tightly he was gripping the edge of the table under his hand.

“Mr. Devore, you’ve picked quite the place, I must say.” She glanced around, taking in the candlelight and cozy atmosphere with an approving smile.

Neal cleared his throat, managing a relaxed grin. “Please, call me George,” he replied, leaning back slightly, trying to match her casual tone. “I figured someone with your refined taste would appreciate a little ambiance.”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Ambiance and art—my weaknesses.” She tilted her head, studying him for a moment longer than was comfortable. “So, George, what’s next on our agenda?”

Neal felt his pulse quicken. The way she looked at him, with a blend of curiosity and confidence, made it difficult to remember that this was just business. “I thought we’d finalize the details,” he said smoothly, though his mind was racing. “Make sure we’re all on the same page… especially about your buyer.”

She had this way of tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear just before she spoke as if gathering her thoughts in a gesture as practiced as her knowledge of art. For someone supposedly in the business of deception, she was oddly composed, almost serene. And that calm was getting to him.

"Well, my buyer is a man who really values his privacy, you know how it is." Neal could feel his focus shifting away from their conversation and was almost sure he'd stutter if he said another word. He knew that to get anything from her, he'd have to give up something as well, as a show of trust. Or you know, he could tank the entire investigation by naming the buyer himself and spooking the poor fence.

"Really? Because word on the street is, you've got Orwell Anders lined up for the Deg-" She casually reached for his wrist, her fingers grazing over the watch. In a swift motion, she turned it off—he'd almost missed it. Neal's breath caught as he realized she knew exactly what it was.

"How did you know—Who are you?"

"How long until your agents move in?"

"A couple minutes, if I don’t respond."

"In that case, I’ll get straight to the point. Neal, my name’s (Y/n). I’m with the FBI—Homicide Division, specifically. And yes, I know exactly who you are. I’m undercover to take down Orwell Anders. Part of my operation involves meeting him as a fence, which is why I’m here. I thought we were on the same side, but it’s clear you’re investigating me, and that’s a problem. I can't let you derail this case, especially since we need him for murder. I turned off your watch because your van is compromised. I’m sure you can figure out who’s responsible for that. If they've heard any of this from the van, it's over."

Neal blinked, trying to absorb everything she’d just dropped on him. His mind raced, but he kept his face neutral. “So, let me get this straight,” he said slowly, his voice steady despite the chaos inside. “You’re working for the FBI… and you’ve been undercover, posing as a fence to get close to Anders? But now you want me to back off, or what? Help you catch him for murder?”

She didn’t flinch at his disbelief. Instead, she leaned in slightly, her voice low and urgent. “I didn’t want to pull you in, Neal. But now that your team’s involved, I need you to understand—we can’t afford to lose him. We need solid evidence to tie him to the murder. If you keep investigating me, it’ll ruin everything.”

Neal studied her, trying to find a crack in her story, but there was nothing. Just the same calm, controlled demeanor he’d seen in her earlier, only now there was something sharper, more desperate underneath it.

“You’re telling me that all this—” He waved a hand, gesturing to their whole encounter, the charade, the tension between them—“is a setup. And you knew all along who I was?”

Her expression softened just a fraction. “I had to, Neal. But this isn’t about you. It’s about stopping a killer.”

He leaned back in his chair, trying to make sense of the sudden shift in dynamics. This wasn’t how he’d imagined things would play out. She wasn’t just another suspect. She was part of the game. The rules had just changed.

“So, what now?” Neal asked, the hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were sharp, focused. “You want me to help you take down Anders, but you need me to play nice? Or should I just keep pretending I’m the clueless art dealer you think I am?”

She paused, eyes narrowing slightly, but there was an unreadable intensity behind them. “I don’t need you to pretend, Neal. I need you to trust me.”

"You could've gone to Peter or Hughes with this. You knew I'm a CI. You knew I was on a case. Why go with the charade?"

"I guess I thought I was helping with your investigation? I hadn't realized you were looking into me at that point." She almost looked guilty for having to have put him through that.

Neal’s mind spun with everything she had just revealed. The weight of her words hung between them, a fragile thread of trust that could snap at any moment. He wasn’t sure what to believe anymore. The lines were blurring in a way he hadn’t expected, and as much as he wanted to shut this down, something about her calm confidence made him hesitate.

She watched him, waiting for him to make a decision. Finally, Neal took a deep breath, trying to push aside the growing unease in his gut.

“Okay,” he said, his voice steady, but with an edge of suspicion. “Let’s say I believe you for a second. What now?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she reached over and placed her hand gently on his wrist, the same place she’d turned off the watch earlier. Her fingers lingered for a moment, before she spoke in a low, urgent tone. “Turn it back on, Neal. I need you to stay in character, to help me take him down. If we’re going to get Anders for both the murder and the stolen art, we need him to make a move—one he can’t deny. And right now, I need your help to make that happen.”

Neal’s chest tightened at the request. He didn’t want to help her. He didn’t want to become a pawn in whatever dangerous game she was playing. But he had no choice. The mission was bigger than just the art, and from the way she was looking at him, he knew this was their best shot.

He let out a frustrated sigh, but reached for his wrist with a reluctant motion. Slowly, he turned the watch back on, the familiar hum buzzing against his skin.

“Fine,” he muttered, looking up at her. “But you owe me one.”

She gave him a brief, almost imperceptible smile. “You’ll get more than you think.”

Neal watched her as she leaned back in her chair, her posture shifting from casual to calculating, her eyes never leaving his. She was in full control now, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she always had been. All he knew was that he liked it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, they were back in the briefing room. Peter was already in his usual spot, running the meeting as he always did. Neal couldn’t help but notice (Y/n) walking in, though. She was a stark contrast to the playful, teasing woman he'd met the night before. Today, she was all business.

In her pantsuit, with her badge and gun, she looked right at home. The transition was seamless, and for a second, Neal wondered just how much of that was the real her. The woman who had handled the dinner situation with such ease had just stepped into her role without missing a beat.

She offered Peter a quick smile, then took her seat, her posture shifting from relaxed to focused in an instant. There was no sign of the laid-back charm she had shown before. She was more chipper and excited than the nervously calm person he had seen yesterday.

"Morning," she said, her voice warm but professional. It was clear this was her zone, and Neal respected that. But a part of him couldn’t help but notice the contrast from last night—the way her eyes seemed to soften just before she turned away like she was still adjusting to the change.

Peter began the briefing, detailing the next steps with his usual focus. Neal stayed quiet, letting Peter run through the plan. But his attention kept drifting to (Y/n). There was a quiet energy between them, something unspoken that he couldn’t quite shake.

“Alright, team,” Peter said as the briefing wrapped up. “Neal, (Y/n), you’ll be tailing Anders. We need to get something concrete, so keep your eyes open.”

Neal nodded, but he was still processing everything. Working with (Y/n) felt… different. She had a way about her, an energy that made it hard to stay entirely focused. She wasn’t acting like someone undercover, yet Neal couldn’t help but feel there was more to her than what was on the surface.

As the team started to shuffle out, Neal lingered for a moment. He caught (Y/n)’s eye again as she packed her things. Her gaze softened just a little before she turned back to her bag, though Neal was certain she hadn’t meant to let it show.

“You good?” he asked, trying to keep things light, though his voice had a slight edge to it. He wasn’t sure if it was the case or the connection that was making him second-guess himself.

“Yeah,” she replied, meeting his gaze with an easy smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You?”

“Never better,” Neal said with a shrug, though he didn’t really believe it. His pulse was still a little too quick, and he couldn’t figure out why.

Peter called from the door. “Neal, (Y/n), let’s go.”

Neal and (Y/n) fell into step, heading toward the door. Neal could feel her presence beside him, just a little too close for comfort in a way that was making it harder to concentrate. He glanced at her quickly, catching the faintest blush on her cheeks. It could’ve been nothing, but something told him it wasn’t.

They walked in silence for a moment before Neal broke it, his voice low, as if testing the waters. “You ever do anything like this before?”

She gave him a sideways glance. “Yeah, but it's always more fun when you’re with someone who’s as good as me.”

Neal chuckled, his usual charm slipping back into place. “So you’re saying you’ve never worked with a partner as handsome as me?”

(Y/n) rolled her eyes, but there was a smile tugging at her lips, something soft in her expression. She didn’t answer immediately, her attention focused on the task ahead, but Neal noticed her glancing at him again, just for a moment too long. And this time, it wasn’t just the mission that was on his mind.

Something was starting to shift—between them. And though Neal tried to push it away, he knew it would only be a matter of time before everything between them came to a head.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bust went down as smooth as they could’ve hoped. Anders didn’t stand a chance, caught entirely off-guard by (Y/n)’s meticulous planning. Neal watched her in action, directing her team with precision, her voice steady and unyielding. She was completely in her element, and for a moment, he was genuinely impressed—maybe a bit more than he wanted to admit.

Once Anders was cuffed and led away, Peter nodded toward her, clearly impressed himself. “You know, we could use an agent like you at White Collar,” he said, half-serious, but the glint in his eye suggested it was more than a passing thought.

She let out a small laugh, a hint of sadness mingled with amusement. “Funny you’d say that,” she replied, hands on her hips. “This is actually my last case with Homicide. I’ve just been transferred.”

Neal’s eyebrow arched, intrigue sparking in his eyes. “Transferred?” He leaned in, his voice dropping a touch lower. “Guess that means I’ll be seeing more of you.”

(Y/n) smirked, tilting her head as she met his gaze, unflinching. “Maybe. Though, from what I hear, it’s hard to keep up with you, Caffrey.”

“Oh, I think you’d manage,” he shot back, eyes glinting as he stepped just a bit closer, their shoulders nearly touching. “After all, I wouldn’t mind a little… competition.”

She held his gaze, her smile widening just a fraction. “Competition? Careful, Neal. I don’t play nice when I’m winning.”

Peter watched the exchange, clearly amused, before clearing his throat and muttering, “Alright, save the flirting for the office.” His words hung in the air, casual but with enough weight to make both of them suddenly feel exposed.

Neal’s easy grin faltered, his usual charm suddenly thrown off-balance. He looked away quickly, shoving his hands in his pockets and adjusting his stance, trying to seem nonchalant. “Flirting?” he echoed, a hint of forced laughter creeping in. “I wouldn’t call it… flirting.”

(Y/n)’s expression tightened, and she crossed her arms, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Yeah, I mean—it’s not like that,” she muttered, glancing at Neal and then away, her tone coming out sharper than she intended. “This is just professional courtesy, right?”

Neal chuckled, a little too loudly. “Exactly. I mean, you know me, Peter. I’m just… courteous.”

Peter raised an eyebrow, watching the two of them stumble over their words, clearly enjoying the unexpected reaction. “Uh-huh. Just professional courtesy,” he repeated, the skepticism obvious in his voice.

(Y/n) looked at Neal, a slight flush creeping up her neck as she tried to regain her composure. “Exactly. Nothing else to it.”

Neal opened his mouth, as if to agree again, but no words came out. Instead, he gave a stiff nod, forcing his usual confidence back into his posture. “Right. So… I’ll see you around, Agent,” he added, voice slightly strained, and he quickly looked away, almost as if he couldn’t stand meeting her eyes.

(Y/n) nodded curtly, avoiding his gaze as she muttered, “Yeah, see you, Caffrey.”

As she turned to leave, Peter stifled a laugh, and Neal, sensing Peter’s amusement, shot him a defensive look. “What? I wasn’t… it’s not…” But he knew there was no winning this one.

Peter simply shook his head, chuckling as he clapped Neal on the shoulder. “Sure, Neal. Whatever you say.”

[weareallgonnaliveforawhile]

I NEED! THIS AU!!! (Sk and mob one)

No, seriously, your work is amazing, i am waiting happily for it!

Quick questions!

1. Will Saiki or any other Psychics from SK be integrated on the AU?

2. Does Kokomi meet Ritsu at some point?

3. Will Saiki meet our favorite conman? What would their interactions be like??

Thanks for the attention! I really like your writing btw!!

1. Will Saiki or any other Psychics from SK be integrated on the AU?

Absolutely. They have a much smaller role since the focus is more on Teruhashi being put into the Mob Psycho Universe, but they certainly exist and have met some of the Mob Psycho cast by pure coincidence. (Kokomi is very secretive of what she does for work).

They attempt to be like mentors to the psychics in mp100 but quickly find out that a majority of their advice is bad and also that they're so much weaker than literally all of them.

Also, it's really hard for any of their advice to beat Reigen's. Aiura tries to teach Teruki about the wonders of tax evasion, but he has to break it to her that not only has Reigen given a much better lecture but also gave him a detailed pamphlet on the pros and cons of dodging your taxes.

As for Saiki himself? He plays much less of a physical role, but he's still very much there. After all, who do you think makes sure that none of Teruhashi's stalkers even know that she's ever been to Condiment City? Or purposefully makes Makoto get lost while trying to go to Kokomi's job after hearing about the incident?

Plus, Mob is a very big part of Saiki's character development, though Saiki is a very minor part of Mob's life.

2. Does Kokomi meet Ritsu at some point?

She does! He goes to Spirits and Stuff to pick up Mob for some reason and is immediately dazed by Teruhashi's beauty. Once the initial reaction wears off, his first thought is that Reigen kidnapped a woman to work for him.

She introduces herself and insults Reigen in the same sentence. The two immediately begin bickering leaving Ritsu to weigh the possible theory that this is Reigen secret love child who he had with a woman that was much better than him in every way possible.

He leaves and attempts to gather evidence to prove one of the two theories. He only finds out what her actual relation to him is after the 7th division infiltration arc.

3. Will Saiki meet our favorite conman? What would their interactions be like??

Alright so imagine Ritsu and Reigen's relationship. Except Saiki can't be openly hostile to Reigen because he's too naturally polite and he can't use his powers to fuck with him because it'd fuck with Kokomi by extension and that'd be too bothersome (he really doesn't wanna upset her).

But Saiki doesn't trust this man a fucking bit. Even if he mentally gives our favorite con-man points for punching Makoto, literally anyone with a brain would do that if the opportunity arose.

It isn't until he hears Reigen's famous speech on how psychic powers don't make someone special, that he begins to let himself see parts of Reigen that aren't skewed with distrust.

He still won't let himself fully trust Reigen, but he respects Kokomi's decision to do so. He owes Teruhashi that at least.

-

EEEEE! THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENTS!! Also thank you for the attention as well, I thrive off people acknowledging me.

[hausofmamadas]

Plastic Gangster | Anatoly Givenchy Romanov

(He is modern man but don’t even think about trying to play tickle fuck with him bc he is serious man too)

The Gentleman, Episode 3 - Where’s My Weed At?

∴

So, remember how I actually despised this tiny, angry little mess of a man until I’d lain eye on his alter ego. Well comrades, this is that alter ego.

And what exactly is it about this scene that turned me around so drastically? where literally like if my body were a car, my brain’s grabbing the steering wheel and pistol whipping it, full 180 in the opposite direction as fast as Tam’s pitching that McLaren around the parking lot ?

OHHHH I don't know.... could it be the over-the-top, Boris-and-Natasha, his-and-hers Russian accents? Could it be the fact that they clearly do it against Eddie's explicit instructions? that he prob recited like a drill sergeant in the car no doubt, to avoid another I-just-killed-someone-E-I-E-I-O!!!!! on the way there ORRR could it be the fact that for whatever reason the shit seems to work? bc like somehow it does work, and in a way that Eddie's strategy was super .... not, at least in terms of getting them into the building.

Idk if Mama Mercy was so put off by the accents, she just wanted to get the sale over with, or if she heard the words, "Little Leopard Lady” and/or “FUCK. money” come out of ‘Anatoly's’ mouth, and decided that only someone with more money than God would say some edge-lord shit like that out loud. Whatever it is? It fucking works. Mercy caves. Okay and she was stone-walling tf out of Eddie who's wildly capable of doing pretty much anything and everything else except this. But for Anatoly it’s red carpet, the whole PIA pain-in-the-ass VIP treatment.

And I think the reason this success is so remarkable is bc at this point, the stakes are high, and yet the bar for Freddie is so low, it might as well be the core of the earth. Like he's managed to fuck things up so consistently and with such catastrophic results, if there was a drunk, coke-sniffing, constantly-crying version of the Tasmanian devil, Fredward would be Her, okay. But this is one thing he does correctly, the first thing in the entire show (this is ep 3 of 7, for reference), the first moment when he shows a modicum of value besides being hilarious for reasons that are usually-but-not-always accidental to the scooby gang as it were.

And honestly?? it kinda makes sense that, in this case, he comes thru in a way Eddie can't. Bc what the actual fuck has Fredward Horniman been doing all his life, if not bullshitting bouncers and promoters, charming them enough so they lift up those red, velvet ropes to exclusive (read: pretentious) underground clubs, boxing matches, raves, bath houses, key parties bc no one will convince me he and Tam don't love a good key party once in a while. No one will, it just won't happen like Freddie has CONMAN written all over him, doesn't he? Not necessarily like good? con-man? okay he's no Madoff, right but good enough that he can make you think for a split second, if you really tilt your head and squint your eyes, that this person must be telling the truth.

Bc only someone telling the truth would feel comfortable acting that fucking unbelievable.

Like who would look this woman in the face and say without an ounce of irony, “listen, in my life funny little lady, if you are not safe…. You are DED” I mean the only thing missing is him dragging his finger across his neck, all miming a guillotine. FREDDIE. FREDDIE FUCKING HORNIMAN, THATS WHO.

Beautifultropicalfish Edwina makes the mistake of trying to sell a believable story, a lie grounded in too much reality, when it's clear that the clientele for Mama Mercy prob consists of like eccentric arms-dealers and kooky billionaires ppl with some really sus, really weird, uniquely terrifying ‘hobbies’ that none of us ever want to know about but that will inevitably be the subject of a true-crime doc on HBO someday. Like this woman speaks to the most mind-blowingly ridiculous men on the daily.

And is Eddie over here with his sexy professor cardigan and sexy look-im-such-a-bookworm glasses, rolling up to negotiate on behalf of some white-collar-crime, new-money, C-suite, tech exec with ‘only’ a seven-figure salary, when really he needs to be coming at this with more of that oil tycoon, crimes-against-humanity, Fuck-You-Money energy that Freddie's serving.

Eddie also just can’t seem to suppress the Narc vibes that are seeping from his pores and tbh it’s actually what makes him such a great gangster but not a great con man. Bc Mercy sniffs him out p much every time he speaks, like so👆

Now, it's unclear if Freddie enacts Operation!BorisandNatasha in response to Eddie's evident flailing or if he planned to do it the entire time but either way, you cannot tell me he's not responsible for them being able to get into the chop shop to test drive that car. Bc again, it’s not enough to just walk into this place and act like you belong there. In this case, acting like you belong has to be: giving a ruthless, machete-wielding murderer a cute nickname like “little leopard lady,” claiming that she “laaaavs” when you call her that even tho she seems less than enthused, pitching a fit about wanting something less “poof-poof,” and “more sexier,” and spitting general bars like, “don’t play tickle fuck with me, lady” BC WHO TF SAYS SHIT LIKE THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE MORE MONEY THAN GOD AND HEAVEN AND ALL THE COSMOS

And bc it's not entirely clear whether or not Freddie decided to do this on the fly, I feel liek it’s one of those choose-your-own adventures situations. So I, for one, choose to believe that this was a plan deployed in the face of Eddie's plan not working, and for all of his flaws, Freddie is savvy enough to know how to bullshit someone to get his foot in the door. Bc I firmly believe he can be competent juuuuuuust long enough and lbr probly only long enough to do that.

I mean cmon look at Mercy👇you know she thinks he’s a lil funny

And as if the above display of uncharacteristic competence wasn’t enough, I’m more endeared to Freddie bc of how crazy he is about his wife. And why tf wouldn’t he be when she’s clearly way too cool for him which he seems to be vaguely aware of just casual busting out these moves ripped straight from from stunt choreography of like the fucking Italian Job or something and for like exactly no???????reason????whatsoever?????

Which brings me to the next point bc can we talk for a bajillion yrs about Tamzin is out-of-fucking-nowhere an incredible stunt!driver/renaissance!woman??? and they drop that on us and move on like I'm not asking a bajillion questions like whywhenandhow’d she learn to do this????

Like???? was she once, in her early 20s, engaged to an F1 racecar driver who taught her all the Ways of the Track before he tragically died in an accident, and in her grief, sought solace in a boy named Freddie, whomst she met at a race once, and then later married??? Was she a stunt double who worked on hollywood sets, appearing in some of the most critically lauded, well-known movies, before she settled down and married an aristocrat for his money, a boy named Freddie, whomst she met once at an afterparty, and then despite his lack of wealth bc she was in way too deep at that point and made the fatal mistake of actually falling in love later married??? Is she the long, lost daughter of legendary stunt performer, daredevil himself, Evel Kneivel who taught her everything she needed to know about her birthright before shipping her off to boarding school in the UK when she was just a lass, and then grew up and was charmed by a boy named Freddie, whomst she met when her all-girl’s high school or secondary school whatever tf they call it was paired up with his all-boys high school at a cotillion, and then later married???

I NEED ANSWERS, RICHIE. COUGH UP SOME ANSWERS, MAN. OR DON'T, BUT BRING TAM BACK, WE NEED MORE TAM IN S2, IT'S OFFICIALLY A MANDATE.

taglist: @drabbles-mc, @narcolini, @bellinitini, @ashlingiswriting, @when-did-this-become-difficult, @noctuabunda

[gin-juice-tonic]

What in Lost Legends makes you think “he would not fucking say that”? Not trying to start discourse, just genuinely curious!

Stan and Mabel have a rather special relationship, especially after Not What he Seems, and the idea that 1) he couldnt pick out an obvious fake of her and 2) that FORD CAN when Stan can't actually genuinely pissed me off when i read this story

(not to mention... hes a conman. A conman cant spot a con? Cmon)

[izloveshorses]

I saw a post complaining about musical Dimitri so I want to know what is your favourite things about him in the musical?

sigh... musical dmitry... giggling kicking my feet twirling my hair thinking about him. i'm always daydreaming about him. if you saw me on the street irl i almost guarantee you'd catch me lost in some variation of musical dmitry thoughts.

there are so many things i could say here, anon. his redemption arc™ from a selfish liar to the most noble and self-sacrificing slavic sadboy i've ever seen? his angsty daddy issues backstory? his bewitching silly goose ways? how he lets One Woman completely change the trajectory of his life? how he falls into an emotional spiral about it? the way he Knows Who He Is and is very self assured in his identity, and helps anya do the same? how his identity is so intertwined with his home? his role as a Storyteller™? etc????

but for this ask today i'm going to focus on how gentle he is. i don't think gentleness is something that comes very easy to this dmitry. he lost his father at a young age, as we know. he was alone on the streets and had to fight to stay alive. he cons people for a living. by the time we meet him he's very cynical about the world and doesn't really trust anyone, other than vlad. mostly he just relies on himself and can't really count on anyone else. when he meets anya, a cryptic girl who is a bit off but in need of help, his first response is to scoff and send her away, since unstable people are too risky to deal with. he's capable of being charming, but he uses this skill to get what he wants.

a lesser character with an identical backstory would be gruff and unfeeling, but... this dmitry isn't. in spite of it all, he's so hopeful, though he buries it deep. his most treasured story is about a girl he met at a parade. he is known as the 'prince of petersburg,' has a relationship with everyone on the streets. in the hartford production he calls an older woman in the ensemble 'little mother.' he rescues vlad, a complete stranger, from a firing squad. and though he turns her down at first, he agrees to get anya to paris. he protects what's his own.

you can tell it takes him a while to learn gentleness. whether it's physical or verbal, especially around anya, he is still always on the defensive for a while. fight first, think later. she's really jumpy and skittish but he doesn't start changing his behavior until they fight the ruffians together. he flags all of his movements around her, making sure she knows his intentions first. he talks about his father. he gives her a music box because he thinks it'll make her smile. because she 'earned it.' when she's crying after a nightmare he tells her a sweet, simple story from his childhood.

the train scene is the best example of this shift-- when she cowers after the gunshot goes off, he is completely lost about what to do. 'calm her down,' vlad tells him, but how is he supposed to do that? she's sobbing into his shoulder and he's frozen, panicking, because what is he supposed to do here??? but he shushes her and holds her anyway. he does his best. and it works. in such a tense situation where they very well could be shot next he is so so gentle and patient with her. and by the time we reach iacot in paris, he knows exactly how to comfort her. he learned how to hold her gently and speak in a soft voice. how softness can ground someone in need.

to summarize: musical dmitry is... really soft? and softness/gentleness isn't really something you see in the conman archetype very often. he is so special.

[frasier-crane-style]

Have watched Twisted Metal, the loose adaptation of Sony's perennial car combat franchise. It's more in the Deadpool Lite cottage industry than (I assume) anything to do with the video games. I've never played them, so I can't speak to accuracy except in a Wikipedia sense (you know, that thing MCU writers look at before they adapt years of storytelling), only I know they're car combat games and this Twisted Metal looks to any excuse to get the characters out of the cars so they can get into fistfights, shoot-em-ups, or just gab. Mainly gab.

Nothing against Anthony Mackie--he's far more convincing as a wisecracking scoundrel here than as a brooding antihero or inspirational patriot in other projects--but the straight-to-video Death Race movies featured big names Luke Goss and Tanit Phoenix and managed some actual death races.

And in the seventies, shows like The A-Team and Dukes of Hazzard managed a few car chases every episode. Twisted Metal looks like a fanfilm in comparison. It's painfully obvious there's no actual pyrotechnics going off, just CGI muzzle flashes and the odd shattered window. The cars look to have not been modified at all and rarely take a scratch, much less any of the hundreds of bullets that are fired at them.

The writing, as you'd expect from Deadpool Lite, is fitfully amusing banter and 'emotional' scenes swiped from other, fairly recent media. There's a character who seems mute until she bursts out into verbiage, like Laura in Logan. There's one episode that pauses the narrative to focus on a gay romance, like in The Last Of Us.

Weirdly, Mackie himself plays a fast-talking rogue--sort of like Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hours--but he never actually manages to fast-talk anyone. According to the show, he's such a good 'milkman' (is that such a widely known term in 2002 that it'd become future slang after an apocalypse? I guess they can't spend eight episodes calling a black man "Pizzaboy.") that he's recruited for an important mission, but his attempts to actually con people either fail--in which case his obligatory modern-day Hypercompetent Sidekick Who Is The Real Badass actually does the conning--or he tries to con someone who maybe half-buys it and Hypercompetent Sidekick ruins his persuasion check by going aggro. He also can't tell when he's being flim-flammed by Neve Campbell. Dude, you're a conman and you're getting conned? What are you, the bad guy in an episode of Leverage?

Why is this guy our protagonist if his specialty is talking people into doing things and he's no good at it? Yeah, Fast-Talker and Real Badass is a time-tested buddy-movie dynamic... look at Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon... but the Fast-Talker has to be good at fast-talk and the Real Badass has to be a Real Badass. What they do here is have him and his sidekick Stephanie Beatriz both be kinda okay at fast-talking and kinda okay at fighting.

So they don't really have different strengths and weaknesses, they're just banter delivery vehicles and stuff happens and they make quips. It's weak writing, basically.

On the bright side, it keeps its episodes to thirty-odd minutes instead of straining to be an hour-long, which is a relief in this day and age. The Twisted Metal games have been rebooted so many times that every character has multiple iterations, so I'll cut it some slack on the 'adaptation,' although it feels a lot like the modern IP sin of coming up with a bunch of characters, then thinking up canon characters they vaguely fit to and giving them that name. Agent Stone, for instance, goes from a heroic black man trying to undo an accidental shooting to white mall cop who becomes a fascist warlord. Okay...? I guess they're both law enforcement themed so... great adaptation, guys.

I'd give them more credit if this iteration of the cast didn't align so neatly with "white men bad, browns and women good."

And it Surf Draculas hard.

Points for the "crazed religious faction" being a bunch of hedonistic atheists who have used the Apocalypse as an excuse to chimp out. That's novel, at least. We should encourage post-apocalyptic media to go beyond the usual neo-Nazi, biker gang, radfem factions.

[jadeacereigen]

i also always felt like the fandom depicting reigen's childhood as abusive and neglectful never really quite fit. i know that most of it is probably just projection, and it's something i really understand because i've done it before with other characters.

i feel like there's a difference between giving a character trauma that makes sense when taking their canon self into account and giving a character trauma for other unrelated reasons, like comfort or even for fun, to be able to explore the scenarios that would come with it. both are very valid. let the people do what they want, y'know?

but something i feel like people tend to gloss over sometimes is that parents can fuck up when raising you and still not be outright shitty evil people. they can judge you on your career choices and still love you. your friends can make an off the cuff comment that ends up sticking with you in a bad way without realizing, people can suck at showing they care about you while still caring about you, they can be imperfect just as much as you are. it's their first time on this earth too. and it doesn't excuse the times they may have hurt you or made you feel bad about yourself, but it's up to you if you wanna keep them in your life. everyone can change, but that's also up to them.

it gives reigen an added charm [or should i say humanity?], to know that he is a flawed person and that it stems from the things that happened when he was younger, and the people that were in his life, and to know that things don't need to be catastrophic for them to affect and/or change you, whether good or bad. it's a good thing to remember i think. to know that there's so many greys between the white and black. that he has layers. his experiences are very valid.

anywho. sorry for the long ramble i just had to get this out there hehe.

ask game time!!!! 25, 9 and 22

Oh my god no don't apologize you're so right. I agree 100% so I'm gonna answer with my own long ramble.

(Discussions of child abuse below, though nothing that's not present in MP100 canon.)

Yes, it almost feels like people want to dismiss all flawed parenting and strained relationships between parent and child as abuse. There's certainly something very wrong with Reigen and his parents' relationship but I'm gonna be honest, I don't understand how people can find redemption in Toichiro who literally beat up his own son but then at the same time demonize Reigen's parents for the crime of disapproving his life as a CONMAN.

Yes, Reigen actually helps his clients and refuses to take money for things he cannot fix, but he's an incredibly special case and his parents are like most people who have no clue that the supernatural is even real. I personally think IRL psychics are full of shit and prey on the naive and emotionally vulnerable. If I had a kid who quit their normal job and spent all their savings to become a psychic I would not be happy with them! I would hope I wouldn't be as cold and that they wouldn't live in fear of my messages to them but I would definitely be encouraging them to stop that shit and get a "real job". To think that his parents should support his choices in life when he's pretending to be a psychic with no additional context is wild to me. (Also, I can't find the translation anymore but Reigen says in the fanbook that his mom thinks he's being tricked into doing his current job.) Again, they could go about this in a much better way but this disapproval does not inherently point to abuse.

(Sorry this rant got very long so everything else is below the cut.)

I think the biggest thing that points to Reigen's parents not being as awful as they are in fan content is that even after Reigen gets publicly exposed for being a con artist, his mom does tell him to learn his lesson from this but she also takes the time to prepare him an apology, tells him that he should come home (instead of telling him he's not welcome home/disowning him) and emphasizes that she's on his side. Maybe you could consider that the bare minimum of a decent parent but this to me just doesn't feel like she's the hateful abusive mother so often depicted. She could be warmer about it but she's obviously super concerned and wants Reigen to know she cares about him regardless of his actions.

(As for his dad, all we know is that he and Reigen don't talk to each other at all and that he thinks Reigen is unemployed. This relationship is definitely worse than Reigen and his mom's but there's little to go off of in terms of if his dad is a terrible parent or not. His mom seems to think he's worried about Reigen and that would definitely not surprise me.)

In terms of how Reigen feels about his parents, in the fanbook he acknowledges that there have been misunderstandings from both sides and that he'd like to talk things out with them and visit them more often. That's such a real thing lots of people can relate to and I'd love to see that get explored! I want to see Reigen patch things up with his parents! Maybe I'll write out my stupid fic idea for it idk.

I also don't want to stereotype but I am from an East Asian family myself and grew up surrounded by others so I feel like it's safe for me to say that Reigen's parents really remind me of your typical older generation of Asian parents. (Reigen was born in 1984 so his parents would definitely be of the boomer ilk, potentially even the Silent Generation if they had him on the older side.) Reigen also says in the fanbook that his parents are very serious people. Oftentimes with that older generation they just don't really show their care the way you'd normally see it. There may never be any "I love yous" but they'll cut you a plate of fruit without you asking or remember the show you liked 10 years ago and assume you're still into it...

Of course, parental norms in a culture don't justify hurtful parenting. (I mean just watch Everything Everywhere All At Once if you want to see the pain of having a disapproving Asian parent despite knowing they love you and just want what they think is best for you.) His mom fussing over his job and his lack of a girlfriend may be a super "Asian parent" thing, but it definitely hurts Reigen's feelings and she should cut that out. So yeah, Reigen's parents could do a lot better in terms of making Reigen feel supported and loved regardless if they approve of his life choices or not, but Reigen wants to patch things up with them for a reason and I'm hopeful that they can all reach a better understanding with each other.

One thing I also wish the anime showed was that Reigen's mom talks to him on the phone after Separation Arc! We see that in this omake:

Reigen definitely didn't tell his parents his phone number or his home address if his mom had to resort to emailing his business address just to talk to him. But I like to think that after Separation Arc he started letting his mom into his life a bit more...

God this was such a long rant, I'm sorry. One final thing before I get to your questions is that if we really need abusive parents to hate, Teru's non-present parents are ripe for the picking... Just saying.

(ask game)

I'm assuming you mean Reigen for all of these btw

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

Gosh I initially thought he was just a silly goofy character who could be annoying and pathetic at times, but I enjoyed his presence on-screen. Then he got deeper in the Season 1 finale and showed just how much he truly cared about Mob... That part definitely got me shook. He only got better and better from there and now he's one of my favorite characters in the story.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Jesus christ uh I definitely don't think he'd be a bad roommate and we'd probably get along just fine but I also think I'd annoy the shit out of him. I'm not the best at keeping my space neat and clean. Also the thought of meeting Reigen in person is actually terrifying... Reigen should never exist outside the world of fiction because his pure chaos would be too much for reality.

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don't like?

Hmm I answered what I don't like last time, but I do like fics that explore his relationship with Mob or Serizawa. I also like seeing him confront more of his personal issues and grow as a person even if he gets a little hurt in the process-

[plantdad-dante]

Book #175 - Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

(listen, my favourite TV show is Leverage. well-written con-people are my jam)

The way I felt all the deferred maintanance stuff of the Grand Trunk down to my bones because I currently get to watch German Rail creak and shudder under the same exact problem and I fucking hate it. (Can't you fuckers just be useful? Can't you just do your best to go back to functional? I promise, I don't need you to install experimental new digital tech, or build new highspeed lines, or be better than your peak in the '90s. I need to be able to rely on my regional commuter train to not miss the three connections I need to get fucking anywhere with you.)

Anyway. Always love to see an utter bastard who really enjoys being a bastard put into a situation where they slowly, subliminally, get taught morals and stuff like duty and justice and friendship. To watch them despise every second of it, because being a bastard was so much more convenient for them, but now they can't go back, and their life is better, yes, but at what cost? You know?

Also enjoyed a main character who is basically just Personified Imposter Syndrome, but like... on purpose, but also not? He's a purposeful imposter, until he is put into a genuine position of competence, in which he immedietly develops imposter syndrome, because he was an actual imposter for so long, and he combats this by... basically convincing himself that he is still an imposter, because that is the only way he can believe his own competence. Genius, no notes.

Also, this conman's level-of-maximum-competence is Public Service Manager. Hm. Who knew? (Vetinari knew.)

By the way, I am still having complicated-to-express Feelings about golems, and they have not really changed since Feet Of Clay. This book added Existential Horror and Vertigo (whooo) to it, though, which was fun. Yeah, I think fun is the right word, probably. Anghammarad died and spoke to Death and I had to stare at the wall for a bit. A lot. You know. Fun.

Looking forward to where the fuck this goes next.

[otakusapien]

Me: "Why do tricks and bribes to get myself to do tasks never work?"

Nate Ford voice in the back of my head: "You can't con a conman"

[spectres-fulcrum]

SenshixShitennou-Loss of my Life

What if I said loml by Taylor Swift is so devastating SenshixShitennou that it was that interpretation that made me tear up? Cause it’s true. (And by the conman/betrayal/etc it’s because of the brainwashing/the girls believing it on the Moon/history repeating)

[Verse 1]

Who's gonna stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames

If we know the steps anyway?

We embroidered the memories of the time I was away

Stitching, "We were just kids, babe"

I said, "I don't mind, it takes time"

Like who is going to stop them from reliving history? They were reincarnated to live happier lives, with no failsafes but to be prepped to fight when Beryl awoke first. And they were all just literal children-fighting each other doomed to repeat the horrors of the life they lived before. No one to stop them. Just the girls praying to save things.

When your impressionist paintings of heaven turned out to be fakes

Well, you took me to hell too

And all at once, the ink bleeds

A con man sells a fool a get-love-quick scheme

But I've felt a hole like this

Never before and ever since

But on the Moon? They didn’t realize it was brainwashing. They thought they had fallen for tricks, gotten betrayed, and it destroyed life entirely. And now they see their guys brainwashed but as they were and again-a hole. Ever since that fateful night.

You cinephile in black and white

All those plot twists and dynamite

Mr. Steal Your Girl, then make her cry

The Dark Kindom vs the Inner Senshi was black and white until Venus came and in a battle of dynamite, she unleashed a plot twist. They were fighting their ex-lovers. And Queen Beryl was Queen brainwash your man, then make him betray you.

You shit-talked me under the table

I wish I could un-recall

How we almost had it all

Dancing phantoms on the terrace

Are they second-hand embarrassed

That I can't get out of bed

'Cause something counterfeit's dead?

It was legendary

It was momentary

It was unnecessary

Should've let it stay buried

The Shitennou are shit talking them in the Dark Kingdom because the Senshi are enemies. But Makoto, Ami, and Rei can suddenly remember the love they lost. The amazing, short, useless love. But they didn’t live it. Their family and friends would laugh it off as as childish fantasies because they never lived it in this life. It was just a past life that just feels so real and painful and they probably wish they could forget it all,

[Chorus]

Oh, what a valiant roar

What a bland goodbye

The coward claimed he was a lion

I'm combing through the braids of lies

"I'll never leave," "Never mind"

Our field of dreams engulfed in fire

Your arson's match, your somber eyes

And I'll still see it until I die

You're the loss of my life

And we all know what they saw on the Moon. Fire. Destruction. The eyes of their lovers cold as steal. And they think it’s true betrayal. And they trusted Serenity to be near them. And so they fight to the death and kill each other and are reborn in hopes of-

And then they waltz into rekindled flames, knowing the steps. And they remember the night. The loss of their lives.

(Little Tortured Poets Department reminds me of modern SxS. The cycle. Who is going to know them/decode them? Who are they going to trust like them? But also they aren’t who they were, this isn’t the SilMil they’re modern people. It gives me strong Jade to Rei while Rei is fighting her feelings cause she’s scared he’ll end up betraying her again. )