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franniebanana · 3 years

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CQL Rewatch - Ep 21

Note: I will be critical of Jiang Cheng in these posts. If you can’t handle that, please feel free to scroll on.

I really like this hug. I mean, if you've been reading these from the beginning, you know how much I love wangxian, but I'm really glad that Wei Ying's first actual hug after returning from the Burial Mounds is with Jiang Yanli. I'm not counting the hug with Jiang Cheng, because Wei Ying didn't hug him back. That hug was thrust upon him and he did not reciprocate. This reunion is very sweet, and tear-filled, and if I hadn't been up since 3 am, I might be feeling enough to shed a tear, myself. That being said, it's hilarious how they keep showing Jiang Cheng in the middle, looking awkward as he tries to balance joy and sadness. I get what the director had in mind, but it just looks weird lol.

But this part is also super sad, because Wei Ying again makes a promise he can't keep: that the three of them will be together forever. Now, I realize that if you hadn't read the novel or weren't familiar with the story, you should already know from the first two episodes that things do not turn out well for the three of them. However, if you're like me and have the memory of a goldfish, you probably didn't realize who everyone was in the first two episodes and even if you did, you've already forgotten long ago that Jiang Cheng was pissy and angry around Wei Wuxian and that Wei Wuxian's inner monologue reveals to us that JIang Yanli is dead. All that being said, his line about staying together forever hits a lot differently when you're very aware of how the story turns out, because Jiang Yanli dies, Jiang Cheng grows to hate Wei Wuxian more and more every day, and Wei Wuxian, of course, defects to save the Wens from slaughter. I think "let's stay together forever" is something you say and mean, but something that you know can't ever truly be. I think Jiang Yanli is old and wise enough to know that she will eventually marry and leave Lotus Pier, even though she will resist it for a while. The rest is uncertain, but I think at this point, Wei Wuxian really does believe and want to stay with the Yunmeng siblings and to stay at Jiang Cheng's side as he leads the Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

I will never not be heartbroken by this scene--even knowing how everything turns out--by how Lan Wangji looks at Wei Wuxian, how if things had been different in Yiling, he would have gone into that room and greeted him, how Wei Wuxian would have smiled at him and beckoned him inside, how they would have sat and Wei Wuxian would have talked Lan Wangji's ear off, like old friends. It's just so upsetting to me, and I can't ever shake that feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know what happens, but these two episodes, until they reconcile, really get to me. It's a horrible feeling when you want to help someone, but they don't see it as helping, and they only get upset with you. I deal with that on an almost daily basis, and I wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone. I really identify with Lan Wangji here, and I think that's why I get such a visceral reaction to seeing him like this.

I don't know if I've said this, but Lan Wangji is my favorite character in CQL and in every adaptation of this story. He is kind of my perfect character--he checks off all the boxes: one-sided love, pining, standing by the main character no matter what, practically abandoning his own family for the person he loves. I love that he has an almost child-like innocence, but he's still very wise; he's smart; he's strong; he has a strict moral code and he sticks to it without fail, even if it means going against his friends and family; he's a loner, but he loves deeply. When I first started watching the donghua and reading the novel, I liked Wei Wuxian the best, and he's still my second favorite character, but Lan Wangji has stolen my heart.

Of course, Wei Wuxian goes to this awkward dinner party, after spending three months around ghosts (and then killing a shit-ton of Wen soldiers), and all he can think about is that empty seat behind him, the one where Lan Wangji should be sitting. It's interesting how the Yunmeng siblings each react: Jiang Yanli starts to become concerned and commits it to memory. She's probably wondering why Lan Wangji isn't there, and then seeing how Wei Wuxian wistfully stares at the empty seat, she finds it even more unsettling. Jiang Cheng just seems embarrassed by Wei Wuxian here and his motivation is to get Wei Wuxian back on track so he doesn't make fools of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect in front of the other leaders. He obviously knows what happened between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, and I don't think he's bothered by it at all. He doesn't seem to care whether they're friends or not, and I'd say that even at this point, he'd prefer if Lan Wangji stayed out of Wei Wuxian's life altogether. He knows how close they were, and I think he also knows that Wei Wuxian would choose Lan Wangji over him if given that ultimatum. With Lan Wangji out of the picture, Jiang Cheng gets to maintain more control over Wei Wuxian than he otherwise would. Even later on at Lotus Pier, he wants Wei Wuxian around, helping him, being his right-hand man. He doesn't want him wandering around the city or galavanting off with other cultivators. Granted Wei Wuxian was drinking at the time, but I don't think that invalidates my point that Jiang Cheng wants Wei Wuxian to stay in line and stay at his side where he can control him. You know, because he sees the relationship (as Wei Wuxian suggested) as the same as their two fathers: where Wei Wuxian is in a subservient role to Jiang Cheng. Mind you, that's different from seeing him as a brother, and I think, while there's some of that mixed into his other feelings, it's a very small portion.

No screenshot, but the following scene, after Wei Wuxian leaves the dinner party, Jiang Cheng follows him out. And even here, he asks what's wrong--asks if he's upset because of Lan Wangji--but then scoffs at how that could really be what's bothering him. He says something like, "Why did you come here just to be disliked by him?" I think while he gets that they have a close bond, he doesn't really understand the depth of the relationship. He's jealous of Lan Wangji, but doesn't fully understand why. Ultimately, I think Jiang Cheng, because of his parents and the way he was raised, really doesn't understand what it's like to have a good relationship with anyone. And this ignorance isn't his fault--he's a product of his parents and surroundings, and no one, including himself, has ever tried to fix this. So, without being able to really understand how relationships work, he scoffs at how Wei Wuxian could still be upset over what happened with Lan Wangji. Jiang Cheng essentially gave Wei Wuxian what he wanted in that moment, which was unconditional support to carry out his revenge, and yet Wei Wuxian is hung up on Lan Wangji not being supportive there, and in fact being in opposition to him. Jiang Cheng doesn't even really have friends, so he thinks Wei Wuxian should just get over Lan Wangji and move on with his life, but it's not that simple. Lan Wangji isn't just an acquaintance, he's not just someone that Wei Wuxian partnered up with to fight a battle or carry out a mission--he's a soulmate, a kindred spirit (if you want to go down a less romantic route).

I rarely can say anything bad about Jiang Yanli (except how she's almost always making soup), and here's another example: Chenqing. She's so far the only one who supports Wei Wuxian having a first class spiritual tool. She immediately shows interest in the flute, even encourages him to give it a name. Lan Wangji immediately sees the flute as something bad, while she's completely supportive. And this is really what Wei Wuxian needs right now, and I love her for being there. She's also about the only person he will genuinely smile around. He gives everyone else forced or fake smiles, but not Yanli. At this moment, I think he only wants to be with her, and I can't really blame him when everyone else is either opposing him or just wanting something out of him. She really is coming from a place of sympathy and comfort that's different from how the others are handling things. Lan Wangji wants to help, yes, but he tries to force it.

Imagine being in this room, listening to Jin Zixun (I'm not even sure if that's his name lol) trash talk Wei Wuxian, wanting to say something in his defense, but being unable to, not just because it's not your place to do so, but also because you're not even sure if you can defend him anymore. I think Jiang Cheng is struggling with the same. He stands up to Jin Zixun, finally getting him to shut up by saying that it's a domestic affair for the Jiang Clan and none of his fucking business, but Jiang Cheng also struggles to find excuses for Wei Wuxian. And that would certainly be difficult, because Wei Wuxian is somewhat like a stranger now. He's similar, but he's not the same Wei Wuxian that Jiang Cheng grew up with. He's really a shadow of his former self. But Lan Wangji has the added bonus of not being able to speak on his behalf because he's not even in the same clan--who is he to defend Wei Wuxian? He can't even stand with the others at the table (can't or won't, I'm not sure), so he certainly can't speak to Wei Wuxian's honor in front of all the other leaders. I'm sure the conversation back in Yiling is still running through his mind: this is a Jiang Clan affair--and to have that repeated again to someone else. That very much puts Lan Wangji in the "other" position. He's not in Wei Wuxian's clan, therefore, it's none of his business. He should care about him. He shouldn't try to protect him. He shouldn't try to guide him. But the problem is he still cares deeply about Wei Wuxian, and he wants to help him and protect him and guide him.

These scenes are always hard to watch for me (thank god for the special edition cut). It's really hard to watch the clans doing to the Wens what the Wens have done to the other clans. As if war wasn't already terrible enough, you also have what happens to the prisoners of war. In this case, Wen Qing's sect are all healers and have little to do with the war that the rest of the Wen Clan was waging on the other cultivation clans. However, they are still treated as enemies and imprisoned. It's difficult to watch the other clans, who you want to root for, making the same mistakes and transgressions as the Wens, who we are supposed to look at as the proper enemies in the story.

As we've seen a few times in this episode already, Wei Wuxian is having trouble controlling all the negative energy that's surging through him and the Yin iron, and on some of those occasions, he's touched his old wound. As he does this here, everyone looks at him, but he just looks at Lan Wangji. This is the person he cares most about in this room, the person whose heart his closest to his. I have nothing profound to say--I just like it.

And of course Lan Wangji looks right back at him. He knows Wei Wuxian best, even better than his own "brother", Jiang Cheng. He knows what happened in Xuanwu Cave, he saw the effect the sword had on him. I feel like each time they exchange glances, they are both crying out to each other, but Wei Wuxian is too stubborn to ask for help and Lan Wangji doesn't want to force the issue and strain their relationship further.

The way Lan Wangji hesitates here before saying, "I don't know," kills me. To him, it's just further proof of how Wei Wuxian is getting farther and farther from him, how the chasm between them just keeps growing. He's upset here. He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't want to force Wei Wuxian to do anything--that's against his clan rules, but more importantly, against his own ethics--yet he doesn't want to stand by and do nothing while his friend destroys himself. I think we see Lan Wangji as a character who always knows what to do, someone who always knows the right path, but here we see how that's not true at all. This is a man who is very smart, very clever, but who is also unsure of himself. He's struggling with what's right and wrong. And he consults his brother here, hoping to get a clear answer, so that he'll know what to do next, but he gets nothing of the sort.

It would have been easier for Lan Wangji if his brother has simply said, "Wei Wuxian is wrong and an enemy," but of course he's more wise than that. Nothing is black and whit, and humans cannot be judged for what's on the surface. You have to look deep inside a person, know their intentions, and then you can judge if they are doing what's right or wrong. The problem is Lan Wangji doesn't know Wei Wuxian's intentions. Months ago, he know Wei Wuxian wanted to defend the weak, protect people who couldn't protect themselves, and live by such a just moral code. But now Wei Wuxian seems like a stranger, has murdered many, many people, and has taken cruel revenge upon Wen Chao and Wang Lingjao.

What I've noticed in this episode is that Wei Wuxian will look at Lan Wangji, but he always averts his eyes fairly quickly. It's as if he's afraid if they make eye contact for too long, he'll be letting Lan Wangji in, which he does not want to do under any circumstances. Letting Lan Wangji in means admitting what's going on as well as opening up Lan Wangji to danger. Wei Wuxian does not want anyone else getting hurt or dying because of him, so it's better to reject everyone and focus on his own clan.

Honey, I'd walk away too. It's hard to tell if Lan Wangji is about to cry or about to punch Wei Wuxian in the mouth--either one would have been excellent, but I'm leaning towards the latter. Lan Wangji had to answer Jiang Yanli. She met him by chance, but it was she who initiated the conversation. Of course, angst rules being what they are, we had to have a misunderstanding a la Wei Wuxian walking into the conversation midway and making the asinine assumption that Lan Wangji was just breaking his confidence by telling her EVERYTHING. Of course, anyone who knows Lan Wangji knows he'd never do such a thing. But when Wei Wuxian's shijie comes to him, voicing her concern and asking about him, he has no choice but to empathize with her and tell her what he knows.

I really like this little exchange. Reliving the fight on the rooftop, before they were acquainted, before they were friends--before Lan Wangji fell for him. This time when he attacks, it's not about malice, it's not about breaking the rules and bringing liquor into the Cloud Recesses--it's a man, looking at the one he loves, scared out of his mind, worried that that man is going to destroy his mind and body, using a taboo cultivation method. This fight is a love letter, as far as I'm concerned. It's an act of desperation.

Also I fucking love that around four or five people have asked Wei Wuxian where Suibian is, and each time he makes up a lie: he forgot it, he isn't in the mood, he didn't bother to bring it. But when Lan Wangji asks him, he doesn't respond. He doesn't lie, he doesn't laugh it off--whatever he does, Lan Wangji will know that he's lying, and Wei Wuxian knows that.

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Or just check out the #CQL Rewatch hashtag

#wangxian #wei wuxian #lan wangji #cql #the untamed #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wwx #lwj #ep 21 #cql rewatch

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ben-the-hyena · 2 years

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Could you do 001 with School for Vampires, please?

Oh boy it's been long !

Favorite character: Dr Ironfang, if you guys remember my 2014 phase around him I was CRAZY about him, finding him hot and funny and drawing him all the time XD Love his design, love how strict and feared he is yet how humane and open minded he still can be at surprising times. Batoria is a very close second for how cute she is as well as her pure brattiness which in the end has no real malice but just troll rebellious energy

Least Favorite character: Polidori is so fucking stupid and annoying seeing vampires where there are none and humans when they actually are vampires omfg someone actually bite him

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): adult Batoria X Dr Ironfang (not only this must not be surprising in a society where the citizens are immortal, but holy shit they have so much contrast him being all about rules and order and closing schools and she being a hooligan who keep being expelled that it would be funny he does know her case and they hate each other but once they meet again as she is adult THINGS CHANGE AND THEY INITIALLY HATE IT), adult Stoker X adult Sunshine (I love to take the fact that as kids Stoker not wanting to bite her and them falling in love with each other 2 times for different plot reasons hinted at the fact it could happen in the future, it would be a hilarious irony for him who wants to be a bloodthirsty vampire who doesn't care about humans and she who is all over Oscar as kids but eh feelings change with age), Leechy X Ravena (THEY ARE SO CUUUUUTE NERD LOVE), adult Oscar X adult Gothetta (again, feelings can change with time and he could realize she always was there for him, especially with how bad I felt for Gothetta not to be reciprocated in her feelings in the show as kids but she says nothing because she wants him happy) and Sunshine X Oscar (ngl even if I HC their love will fade with age at the moment they are so cute and sweet

Character I find most attractive: DR IRONFANG HEEEEEH I HAVE SHIT TASTES

Character I would marry: DID I STUTTER ?!

Character I would be best friends with: Well I do know Oscar wouldn't bite me for sure and he is sweet so I would gladly lol plus maybe Gothetta and Ravena if I make sure that they get polite enough not to try to lol

a random thought: I never got to draw that show's style right wtf it's so simple why can't I get the faces right

An unpopular opinion: I am not a fan of Gothetta's haircut. Never was. Sorry lol

My Canon OTP: Leechy X Ravena of course

My Non-canon OTP: BATOFANG OF COURSE

Most Badass Character: Count Von Horrificus. Red eyes, classy, powerful cold and strict yet understanding, looking like 1996 Dracula... He is the most badass vampire in the whole show

Most Epic Villain: Maxine Shriek not only is hot, she is a legit threat with her shadow control and her motive of getting her revenge by hurting her enemies' loved ones by befriending them first, and a revenge out of love at that making her at the same time sympathetic as evil as it is. Pure bitch I love it

Pairing I am not a fan of: I see a lot of people ship Count Von Horrificus and Lady Kryptina and... I never saw it. They more feel like colleagues and friends to me

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): none that I think of

Favourite Friendship: the friendship between all the kids is cute and great. But I also love Stoker becoming best friends with that skeleton kids in that one episode where he learns to open up and be less of a selfish jerk, and even if I made it up I love to imagine Batoria and Ravena best friends despite their opposite personalities because I think it'd be cute

Character I most identify with: none, to be fair

Character I wish I could be: I don't know if I want to be any of the characters I find cool since it would mean eating from humans on a daily basis lol they are cool to the audience because they are cool to the kids who are of the same species as them BUUUUT of course they are not to humans

#school for vampires #ask #moi #fandom #ksenyav1307

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thinkingisadangerouspastime · 4 years

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what do you think about the aang is possessive comment? about EIP ruining kataang? also about there being an implied (and nonexistent) love triangle thrown in nearing the end of the series as a tease?

I think fandom just likes to complain, lmao, but I’ll address each of these one at a time!

1) “aang is possessive”

This argument is honestly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard because it’s just so obviously false?? Possessive is literally defined as “demanding someone’s total attention and love,” which Aang never does? Aang always respects Katara’s position in their relationship, especially after the EIP kiss, which everyone knows was entirely inappropriate and wrong of him. Aang recognizes her hesitation and makes no more romantic attempts towards her after that moment. Not one! Katara is the one who initiates them getting together in the finale because the war is finally over and she is no longer afraid of losing him. I beg people, do point to the “possessiveness” you’re referring to, because the closest we get to any character being possessive is Zuko in “The Beach”:

Zuko: [Side-view of Zuko and Mai walking.] He thinks he’s so great. [To Mai.] Well, what do you think of him?

Mai: I don’t have any opinion about him. I hardly know him.

Zuko: You like him, don’t you? [Mai sighs and walks away.]

Ruon-Jian: What are you doing?

Zuko: [Close-up. Angrily.] Stop talking to my girlfriend!

Ruon-Jian: [Side-view. Walks up to Zuko.] Relax. It’s just a party.

Frontal view of Ruon-Jian. Zuko knocks him across the room into a vase, which breaks from the force.

Yeah, Aang never acts like that. 🤷

Now, this isn’t to say Aang doesn’t get jealous. Jealousy is a perfectly normal and natural emotion, and honestly I’d go so far as to say that everyone has been jealous at least once in their life. What’s key about Aang is he doesn’t act on his jealousy. He doesn’t throw anybody across a room, for one. Sure, he doesn’t want Katara to kiss Jet, so he makes a little quiet comment about it. Pretty normal, and it ends there. Not dissimilar to Katara’s bit of snark about On Ji! Even the EIP comment, which everyone uses to argue that Aang is “possessive” (which again, blatantly untrue, because he does not demand or expect a relationship with Katara as a result of that scene; also all he does is nod lmao and tbh that’s such a healthy reaction to jealousy I mean he doesn’t grab Zuko and chuck him onto the stage like his name is Ruon-Jian, does he?) - Aang literally just gets upset about the implication from an imperialist play that Katara doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. Why?

Let’s be frank: Aang knows, or is fairly certain, that Katara does like him by this point in the series. That’s why he doesn’t ask her “do you like me”. Instead, he asks:

Aang: But it’s true, isn’t it? We kissed at the Invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we’re not.

By this point the show, the viewers know their feelings are mutual. Katara knows how Aang feels about her, and Aang knows Katara likes him, too - he just isn’t sure about how ready she is for a relationship. So him getting upset about the propagandist, pro-imperialism play implying Katara isn’t interested in him, when he essentially knows she does like him, is honestly kind of understandable? Imagine if you were watching a really rude movie about your life and it included a scene of your best friend who you’re already kind of in a relationship with saying that they’re in love with the dude who used to bully you and only think of you as their sibling. Like, that’s kinda wack? I’d be a little upset - and definitely weirded out - too.

(I’ve also seen people argue Aang leaving Guru Pathik to save Katara also somehow demonstrates his so-called possessiveness, as if his love for her and her love for him wasn’t established mere minutes earlier to be the love of the Air Nomads reborn. I don’t think the show could have been any clearer about how mutual, powerful, and honest their love is through that scene. Also, he proceeds to let her go to enter the Avatar state at the end of what? The next episode? So again, any arguments that he was “possessive” and “didn’t let her go” are thus moot and entirely inapplicable points.)

Basically, Aang isn’t “possessive” and people who think he is are just looking for an excuse to hate on him, lmao.

2) “eip ruined kataang”

The only way EIP could have ruined Kataang would be if all the previous Kataang buildup was either terrible or near-nonexistent. And great news! Kataang was built up very well throughout the series, growing from a close, deep friendship to cute, blushy crushes to a true, lasting romance (pretty iconic of them). Even if someone doesn’t ship them, they can acknowledge that within canon, Kataang had a very strong foundation (it’s one of the core relationships of the show, the other being Zuko and Aang as narrative foils). The implication that one poorly written episode somehow cancels out the previous 56 episodes and the following four is embarrassing.

Now, I certainly wouldn’t have minded if there had been a scene dedicated to Aang and Katara discussing his poorly-timed kiss. I ship Kataang, so there is absolutely no reason for me to be opposed to more Kataang content! But A:TLA has a very clear trend of not showing such discussions on screen - example: Zuko never sits down with Katara and apologizes for using her mother’s necklace to manipulate her; Katara never apologizes to Sokka for her callous comment about their mother - so the fact that Katara is the one to initiate their relationship at the end of the serious clearly demonstrates that she has forgiven Aang for his inappropriate kiss and is ready to be with him. (And I’ve said it before - if she can forgive Zuko for all the shit he put them through, she can forgive Aang, her best friend and the guy she loves, for one poorly-timed kiss.) Narratively speaking, ’twas resolved.

Also, it’s incredibly important to consider EIP within the context of the series as a whole. If someone really feels entirely devastated by that one episode, then… their loss? I’m sorry to hear it? 56 episodes of near-flawless buildup - a slight dip + a healthy, logical finale where Katara chooses to be with Aang because she is at last no longer afraid of losing him = more than good enough for me. People can argue her decision doesn’t make sense all they want, but it actually makes perfect sense when you consider what has been built through every previous episode: she was in love with him! You can’t isolate a single episode and expect it to speak for the series as a whole, after all.

Basically, EIP gets blown out of proportion because some people like to pretend it was the only Kataang episode ever written, lmao.

3) love triangle

I always laugh when I see this because where?? The only love triangle in A:TLA was the one fandom invented. Within the canon narrative, Katara and Zuko were never romantically interested in each other. I don’t care about “shipping-goggle interpretations” or AUs or post-canon or early planning that didn’t make it into the final drafts. If you look at A:TLA, if you look at the creators’ intentions, it’s plain as day that Kataang and Maiko were the only romantic pairings planned for Katara and Zuko. And that’s okay! That’s why fanon exists. But people have got to stop whining about a love triangle and ship teases that just… didn’t occur. If they read Zuko and Katara’s interactions as romantic, well, that’s great and all, but it’s also on them, lol. That sounds so mean oml I’m sorry y’all 💀. I just mean that Kataang was very clearly written into the show from episode 1 and Maiko from Book 2 (or Book 3 if you really, really don’t like the flashback), so expecting Zuko and Katara to get together doesn’t make any sense (to me) when they never had any romantically-coded interactions.

Yes, of course I’ll admit there were a few Zvtara gags, but that’s exactly what they were - gags. There’s three primary instances:

- June calling the owner of the Water Tribe necklace (whom we know is Katara) Zuko’s girlfriend in Book 1. This moment is mainly hilarious because Zuko promptly redirects the conversation to Aang, lmao, but thinking about the context of A:TLA itself? The assumption of the Fire Nation crown prince being in a relationship with someone from the Water Tribe is honestly pretty concerning given how the Fire Nation is an imperialist conqueror and has all but destroyed the Water Tribes (and has certainly worked to sever the connection between the North and South). So, not exactly a great conclusion on June’s part.

- The EIP gag. I ALWAYS laugh at this one because their reactions are so funny? I love the little disgusted nose wrinkles and scooting away. That’s hysterical to me. But again, thinking about the show itself, EIP is an imperialist play full of Fire Nation propaganda. With that in mind, again, the implication that their crown prince was with someone from the SWT, a nation they brought to its knees by killing all of the waterbenders (but one) and thus eradicating so much of the SWT’s culture? Major red flags! People need to consider the implications of EIP as imperialist propaganda, basically, because that’s what it is. Ignoring that aspect means missing the entire point of the play.

- June part 2. What I said above still applies. Also, they both get embarrassed and hotly deny it, which is kind of the opposite of a ship tease to me? They don’t exchange like an “oh, but what if” glance or anything, lol. And June backs off immediately, so... 🤷

People who interpret that as serious ship teases are, bless their hearts, a little misguided. Those are just funny moments! It’s like Katara and Sokka dressing up as Aang’s parents in “The Headband”. It’s funny! It’s contextual! Sokka and Katara are not romantically interested in each other just because they dressed up as husband and wife (ew), just as Katara and Zuko aren’t romantically interested in each other because there were three jokes about it. I really don’t know what else to say lmao.

Now, I don’t know all about what Bryke did outside of A:TLA in regards to Zuko and Katara’s relationship and fans of it. I wasn’t here for that lol. But I do know that A:TLA built a beautiful, platonic bond akin to surrogate siblings between Zuko and Katara (highlighted by the final Agni Kai with Katara and Azula as foils). Not a love triangle. “The Southern Raiders” was an episode about Katara and Kya, not Zuko and Katara. “The Crossroads of Destiny” paints an aching, gorgeous parallel between Oma and Shu and Katara and Aang, not Katara and Zuko. “The Boiling Rock: Part 2” was an episode involving the loyalty and love of Mai and Zuko, not Katara and Zuko. Katara and Aang had romantic parallels, Mai and Zuko had romantic parallels, while Katara and Zuko - within canon - had strictly platonic development. And honestly, fandom should appreciate that more! How often do we get such an iconic relationship between a guy and a gal that isn’t shadowed by romance? (The answer: not often enough.)

Now, this doesn’t mean don’t ship Katara and Zuko. I don’t care what people ship lmao, and there are some interpretations of Zvtara that I really enjoy (post-canon Zvtara has so much potential,, I die a thousand deaths oml)! But insisting there was some love triangle thrown at the end of the series is a discredit to how well Aang and Katara’s and Zuko and Katara’s relationships were written in A:TLA, and I’m honestly tired of hearing such tomfoolery. A romantic relationship between Zuko and Katara within canon would have completely undermined his entire redemption arc, which further emphasizes that their canon bond was meant to be solely platonic, because why would the writers want to undo what most consider the best redemption arc in animated history? (Simply put, I don’t think they would.)

Also, A:TLA had a very clear history of staying away from love triangles. There’s no Aang x Katara x Jet love triangle. No Yue x Sokka x Suki love triangle. So why would there be an Aang x Katara x Zuko love triangle?

Case in point: there isn’t. Fandom invented it.

So that’s my thoughts, anon! It can be summarized as this: fandom makes up a lot of nonsense that simply rewatching the show can dispute, so maybe we should just start providing episode timestamps to people, lol.

A general note - people are free to disagree with this post, but I ain’t looking to argue, so… make your own post if you want to develop a “counterargument”, I guess? I’m just chillin™ lol I don’t want to fight with people. I can give you my PayPal if you’d really like to engage in a proper academic debate? Anyways. Much love! 💕

#adding the line break after i post!!#katara #aang #zuko #atla #avatar the last airbender #kataang #atla meta #the ember island players #amy answers #anon #amy analyzes

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cheesy09 · 3 years

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I'm so grateful for your words of logic and comfort ;~; And also glad you said the whole "best friend" thing that the rest of the fandom seems to dislike. I never got that, is that relationship not the dream??? Date your best friend? If Kiro was real and we were *only* best friends, that be a big enough win. Random side question: did you do the animal personality test in the game? If you did, what did you get?

Hello again, nony! I'm so glad my words were able to put your mind at ease.

I'm really glad that you brought this point up. I wanted to talk more about the whole best friend turned lovers trope in my previous post, but I decided to leave it out because it was getting too long, lol.

Actually, not wanting to date your best friend is something I find a bit strange as well (but hey! People have their own likes and dislikes, I guess 🤷‍♀️). I understand in real life things would get seriously complicated if your feelings aren't reciprocated, but personally, falling in love with the person you can share everything with - fears, sorrows, joys and even your most embarrassing moments - is something I find very romantic. Nothing gets awkward between you two because you know that this person wouldn't judge you no matter what you do or say. Your best friend will always be your best confidant, and imagine how strong the bond would be if that person also ends up being your significant other.

What I find absolutely hilarious (and a bit sad) is that in real life, many girls actually end up dating guys with Kiro’s personality but when it comes to a dating sim, his type are considered as the ‘best friend’ or ‘little brother’ figures. Weird?

Just in terms of Kiro and MC's relationship, it is a bit disappointing that people write Kiro off as nothing more than a best friend/little brother when they haven't even read his dates. I mean, this is a romance simulation game for crying out loud! There obviously won't be any platonic relationships no matter how the relationship first starts out HAHA.

I've seen a lot of players brush Kiro aside because his first few dates are completely ‘chaste’, but that is to be expected! The two of them were only starting to get to know each other. The relationship had to build, a bond had to be forged. And I love the way their relationship transitioned from mere acquaintances, to best friends, to lovers. Plus pair that with their forgotten history and their twin-flame connection, and it makes up for a delectably angsty, steamy romance between the two.

This is just my personal opinion, but the thing I absolutely love about Kiro and MC’s relationship is that they just have so much associated to them, and yet their relationship doesn’t come off as boring or cliche. Usually when you put too many generic tropes into a single story it gets a little stuffy. But the way Papergames executed their writing is so well done that it doesn’t come off as unnatural or forced at all.

Like I’ve said before, they follow the best friends to lovers trope, the soulmate / twin-flames trope (to be fair, @keliosyfan and I did a little digging and found out that they completely fit the twin-flames concept as compared to soulmates, but twin-flames also comes off as another type of soulmate pairing), they also have a bit of a star-crossed lovers thing going on (not as much as LucienxMC but with the whole Black Swan thing and Kiro being an international superstar, it kinda comes with the territory), they are also partners-in-crime (hehe) and there’s this line in Chapter 1 of the main story (MC’s first meeting with Kiro):

I turned my head, and the person beside me turned to look at me as well.

A smile was hidden in his deep eyes, I could not help but be attracted.

...and Kiro’s R&S: Top Experimental Subject (unfortunately, I can’t link or quote it because the post got deleted :<) that makes me think they’ve also got the love-at-first-sight trope. His Visiting Hours Date also verifies this.

Kiro: (With the sweetest smile on his face) Ever since we first met, I’ve been absolutely, totally head-over-heels.

(Besides, if they are twin-flames, it’s only natural they fall in love at first sight lol)

It’s sad that Kiro is so underrated because the connection that he has to MC is just so good! Plus his role in the story is epic! By no means is their relationship not flawed, but that’s what makes it richer, because the two of them are also growing up together and exploring their own selves along the way.

Anyways I’ve rambled enough (again 😱) and also the answer to your side question is... Cat Girl. I got Cat Girl, which is a weird since I don’t see myself as proud or standoffish. And I definitely prefer giving my love to someone as compared to craving love for myself. But tests like these aren’t always accurate so I decided to let it go 🤣

#nony asks #cheesy replies #mlqc #mlqc kiro

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ncityislove · 4 years

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The Jury is Out Ch. 3

➳Pairing: Renjun x Reader x Jeno (ft a few other Dreamies)

➳Genre: Angsty fluff but mostly angst lol basically enemies to lovers

➳Word Count:4.6k

Hiiii guys! It’s been over a year since I started this series and this has taught me so many things. Mainly, how much I can not be trusted to start and finish a series lol. The last two chapters will be out soon. I really mean it this time.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

There's an awful pounding in your head from the looming headache you didn't see going away anytime soon. Your over-bearing thoughts being added into the mix is plain unbearable as you wait for your first class to start and your sour mood only worsens when you recall the unfolding of yesterday's events. The strong sense of shame was overwhelming like a dark cloud hanging over your head. How did you get here? Your biggest mistake was letting your guard down to the likes of Renjun. That's where it all went wrong. You try telling yourself you don't need him as a friend. You have Jeno. But you can't silence the desire in your heart to have something more than a partnership. You'd gotten a taste of what's it like to be under the warm rays of his kindness after being on the receiving end of the endless blizzard of the cold reign he had over you and the entire school. That wasn't something you could just forget.

When Renjun arrives, he takes his place right next to you, unpacking his items as if it were the most normal thing in the world. You don't know why he isn't sitting in his usual seat when you didn't have a lab today. You frown but silently remove your bag from the chair next you, nonetheless.

He sits down eagerly, glancing at you a moment longer than socially acceptable. "I like your hair."

Your hands immediately grip the strands. After the party, you decided to forgoes the ponytail and headband combo that you'd been sporting for so long. "Oh, um, thanks."

Was that a compliment just now?

"Where were you yesterday, by the way?"

"I was sick, so I missed first period," he states, not even missing a beat.

Unbelievable. He's lying straight to your face. You frown distastefully.

"That's not what Chenle had to say."

"Hm? Chenle? He's always pulling pranks—I wouldn't buy anything that comes out of his mouth," he laughs.

You glare at him for a moment. "You didn't get my texts messages?"

He smiles sheepishly. "Oh...sorry about that. I was...um...busy?"

You turn the other way to discretely roll your eyes. "Are you okay at least?"

"Yeah, never better!"

You shake your head, not wanting to seem like you actually cared despite the fact that deep down you knew you did. It's crazy that all it took was one little afternoon alone together and suddenly Renjun matters to you. All those years of being at each other's throats out the window. Just like that. It was different now. You were more mindful of each other's feelings and it's even gotten to the point where you're receiving compliments. It was a change that you still hadn't adjusted to but maybe it wasn't as lousy as you made it seem. The horrible excuses and lies weren't something you were fond of but it's not like you were friends so you kept that to yourself. You just wished he'd tell you the truth or even hearing that he didn't want to talk about it would've been fine. You didn't see why he had to lie...

You had to remind yourself that you shouldn't be so concerned with Renjun. It was weirding you out that you were thinking about him so much lately. As much as you hated to admit it, you might've maybe felt something for him in that teeny split second after you made up on the field. You never really noticed how funny he was bc you were always the butt of the joke but it turns out he was pretty hilarious. And his voice was so sweet and calming you could probably listen to it forever. But whatever it was—that moment your heart skipped a beat— was gone. It was crazy to even think—there was no way you'd ever say that out loud. Clearly, Renjun would never reciprocate.

If only Haven could see you now.

Renjun turns his body toward you, giving you his full attention. "Are we meeting at the track after school?"

"I have volleyball practice but we can meet after, if you want."

"Yeah, cool," he says, looking pleased.

"Are you sure you're okay though?"

The question had been on your mind since yesterday. Maybe something happened with his dad and he didn't want to say anything. According to Jeno, he didn't talk about that stuff much but you still wanted to make sure he was okay.

"Huh?" he looks at you strange. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Are you sure? I mean, you can tell me if you're not." You regret the words as soon as they leave your mouth.

He snickers, his face glowing with a big smile. "Are you worried about me?"

You scowl to hide your panic. What was happening to you? "As if," you scoff.

"Aww, you care about me! Who knew the coldest person in the world had a heart?" he pinches your cheek.

You violently slap his hand away and he jerks back.

"Don't!" you point a finger in his face. "touch me. Never again. Got it?"

"Alright," Renjun chuckles lightly. "My bad. Whatever you say."

When class starts, the teacher pulls up her usual PowerPoint and you begin messily jotting down the first slide. She seems to be in a rush as she breezes over every slide, making it difficult to write down everything in time.

Renjun nudges your arm. You look to see him offering you a piece of gum. You reject it, mouthing a 'no thanks' with a polite smile and scramble to write down the rest of the slide. He purses his lips, taking a piece for himself, leisurely writing his notes.

A few minutes later, he nudges your arm again. "You got any led?"

Your nostrils flare as you let out a sigh, pulling out your pencil pouch for him to find the kind of led he needs. You pick your pencil back up to continue your notes.

"Thanks," he whispers. "Hey, did you get that last slide?"

"Oh my god, no, Renjun!" you whisper-shout at him. "How could I have gotten the last slide when you keep distracting me??"

He starts to giggle and it you get even more heated that he found pleasure in this. You're just to about to curse him out in every language known to man when Mrs. Brookes stops her lesson.

"What's going on back there?" she peers down her bi-focals to stare you down. "__, would you like to tell me what the main parts of the brain are?"

"Umm," you hesitate, your eyes scanning over the board. It must I've been on the last slide--which you didn't get the chance to copy thanks to Renjun.

Mrs. Brooks looks at you impatiently and the class turns to look at you as well when you take too long to answer.

"Cerebellum, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, cerebrum, and the thalamus," Renjun answers, ultimately saving your ass.

"Very good! Thank you, Renjun. Now, as I was saying..." Mrs. Brookes turns back to the whiteboard and continues rambling on about the brain.

"I thought you didn't get the last slide?" you whisper.

"Just because I didn't write it down doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention."

You stare at the side of his face in disbelief and you can tell by the way his cheeks were lifted he was smiling.

Renjun sits with you again in third period. You scoot your stuff over, once again saying nothing. This was getting a little too odd. If you weren't friends why did he keep sitting next to you? You weren't friends, were you? You decide not to ask. Sadie seemed like the right person to confide this type of stuff into. Your desks were too close together which made Renjun's knee touch yours. You wouldn't have noticed any other time but this time in particular it was hard to not to.

"You should sit with me at lunch from now on."

Definitely getting mixed signals here.

"Why?"

"We're partners. It only makes sense, you know?"

"But we've been partners for years," you interject.

He opens his mouth then closes it. "Well, yeah that's true...but you still should. I won't force you to but I'll be really upset if you don't."

"Upset?" you repeat with a tilt of your head. In what universe would he get upset over anything you did that didn't have to do with you scoring higher than him on an assignment? You didn't understand why he was acting so weird today.

"Yeah and if I get upset, I won't be able to focus on the booth." his tone is sad and it tugs at your heart for some reason.

"Well...if that's the case, I'll do it. For the sake of the booth."

He smiles triumphantly. "Right. For the booth."

The kid who usually sits next to you walks over and stands there awkwardly before he finds an empty seat somewhere else. You try not to laugh at how uncomfortable Renjun looks. Class goes by smoothly this time, Renjun only bugging you every once in a while to compare answers on your worksheet. When the bell rings, you and Renjun walk to lunch together. He's talking to you about the Pythagorean theorem but you keep getting distracted by the odd looks people keep giving you in the hall. You weren't used to getting this much attention. You're existence was pretty much irrelevant unless something happened with your rivalry and it was usually only gossip worthy if he had done something incredibly embarrassing to you. Renjun, being the top of the class and being friends with almost all the members in the the school sports teams on the other hand, was very popular. You couldn't begin to imagine the confusion you two were causing just by walking to into the cafeteria together. He was always the center of attention and much like Sadie, he was born likeable. It was easy for him to make friends and juggle the delicate balance of having a social life and performing well academically. You were a nobody compared to him and up until now you were fine with that. It was easier to focus on your studies without the distractions from others and what drama friendships with others would bring but you had to admit having someone to walk to lunch with was strangely nice. Jisung is the first person to see you coming, a look of recognition crossing his face. Chenle was next; he smiles sending you a friendly wave. You say hello, sitting your tray down next to Jeno and Renjun sits on the other side of you.

"Hey, beautiful, what're you doing here?" Jeno asks.

You flush at the pet name. "I think as Renjun's partner, we should take advantage of the free time we have to work together."

"Oh god, you two are so much alike," Haechan groans.

"I think it's cute," Chenle beams.

Jaemin fake gags and everyone bursts into laughter except for you who didn't find it all that funny.

The laughter dies down.

"Will you be spending all of your free time with Renjun?" Jeno asks.

"Of course not," you wrinkle your nose at the silly question.

"In that case, would you like to go out on a date? How's tonight?"

You drop your carton of milk on the table that thankfully you hadn't opened it yet. You must've misheard him. You know the words he said to you and yet, you couldn't believe they were meant for you. Your stammer for words. Any words. But they don't come and the whole table is staring at you in anticipation.

"I...can't. I have practice after school and then I have to work on the booth. I'm sorry."

The boys "ooh" in unison like a bunch of fifth graders.

"It's not like that!" you scramble to fix your words. "We can go another day?"

Jeno's eyes disappear as he gives you the most heartwarming smile. You can't help but smile back at him.

Chenle clears his throat. "What do you think about that, Renjun?"

Renjun's picking at the edge of his foam tray when he shrugs. "I couldn't care less."

Chenle gives him a glare as if he's trying to convey some message to him but Renjun doesn't meet his eyes so he elbows the crap out of him.

"Argh!" he rubs his arm. "Fine. I admit I don't approve."

The table gets quiet. You and Jeno share the same expression of surprise.

Jeno juts out his chin. "Why not? And don't say she's too good for me."

"Renjun clenches his fists. "It'll distract __ from school and I don't think that's what she wants."

Jeno snorts. "It's just one date. I think she'll be fine. And when we do become a couple—which we will, I'll make sure of that—I won't distract from her school work."

"Yeah, but I don't think—"

"Plus, you used to have a girlfriend—what's the difference?"

The atmosphere tenses at the mention of Haven and Jeno looks sorrowful as the boys send him ferocious looks.

"Shit...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"When does practice end?" Renjun changes the subject.

You're still confused as to what's going on. "Who? Me?"

"Yes, you, dummy," he grins.

You ignore the fact that he just called you a dummy. "It ends at four but I can leave early."

"Mind if I come and watch?" Jeno asks.

"Sure!" you get excited at the thought of Jeno watching you play.

"No fair! I wanna come too!" Jisung exclaims.

Jaemin reaches out to pat him on the shoulder. "Absolutely not. You're not going anywhere near those girls, you pervert."

You crack up at the two, unaware of the concerned look Chenle's giving Renjun as he silently scribbles dark circles in his notebook.

You arrive to the school gym, hauling the equipment the coach had you fetch. The girls are all huddled in a circle, gossiping most likely. You set up the net and clear the court of the smelly matts that were left behind from a previous class. You could ask for help but you were sure no one wanted to.

You break up their little party after you get another text of instructions from the coach.

"Ladies, coach says she's not coming until the end of practice so we're starting without her. Let's start stretching, okay?"

The girls spread out and begin to warm up and you join them. Everyone's following instructions except for Haven, who's still standing in the same spot.

"Haven," you say in a warning tone.

"Why can't we just hang out until coach gets here? She doesn't have to know."

Her smile is innocent but you know there's nothing innocent about the girl.

Everyone agrees, the room filling with murmurs.

You already sense anger rising in your body. It seems like every time Haven opened her mouth, it was always to go against you. Maybe her and Renjun were the perfect couple after all.

"Guys, c'mon. If we slack off, we'll throw the next game and lose our winning streak."

"No way, skipping one day of practice won't cost us some measly game. You're being a little dramatic, don't 'ya think?"

"Some measly game?" you repeat.

"You don't even care about winning. Haven, you don't care about this team at all—why should any of us listen to you? I am captain of this team, in case you've forgotten."

"Oh god here we go again," she sighs. "That's just a title. That doesn't make you the boss of me."

"Oh, yes it does. I can get your ass kicked off the team with one word. Coach trusts me, all I have to do is say it. Should I have a chat with her when gets here?"

Haven gets as red as a tomato, her lips poking out in an ugly pout. You almost laugh at how childish she is. It was a mystery how people adore her so much when she's got such an ugly attitude.

"Since you all agree with Haven, let's do ten laps. C'mon."

Everyone gives Haven dirty looks as they get up and start their laps.

"Let's go girls, I'd like to get this over with so we can start practice." you clap your hands to speed them up. "And Haven? You get an extra ten laps."

Haven flips you off before she runs off but you don't really care. At least, she was listening to you for once. You hear a door slam upstairs and Jeno struts in, taking a seat at the back of the bleachers. He's smiling as he waves to you, giving you a thumbs up. You can't help but match his smile as you wave back.

When everyone's finished their laps and done their stretches, you split them into two teams. You're opposing Haven's team and boy, do they suck. They're losing embarrassingly bad and you're not even the one who's hitting the ball. One of your best players, Sana, was dragging the other team through the mud. Mina and Momo always made sure the ball got passed to her and when she swung her fists, the ball connected with the ground every time. Haven hated lots of things but you knew most of all, she hated to lose. This was the only reason you haven't kicked her off yet. She wasn't the best player—not even close—but she did like to win. You don't know what made her join the team in the first place but she did and she always tried to win when it really came down to it.

You switch positions on both sides, you serving the ball this time. You throw the ball up high, spreading your fingers apart as you raise your hand and slam your palm against it so hard, there's a loud thud that echoes through the gym. The other team throws themselves to save the ball but their efforts are in vain. The ball is too fast for them. Applause comes from the top right corner of the room and everyone turns to look at Jeno. You pretend you don't notice him, calling the ball back but your flushed face exposes you anyway.

Jeno whoops and cheers every time you scored a point, and let's be real, with the skills you have, that means it happens a lot. You never had someone who wasn't your parents or your coach cheer you on like this and it was something you found you really enjoy. You could get used to this. For a moment you let yourself imagine him attending your future games. Your stomach fills with butterflies and you could almost hear him calling your name when you dive to save the ball.

"Why's Jeno here?" Haven whispers to to one of her friends. "Since when was __ close to Jeno?"

You smirk, waving Jeno over after letting everyone take a short break. The two of you laugh and talk for a bit, ignoring the cold stare Haven's giving you in the distance. She was in a bitchy mood today and you weren't going to let that ruin your time with Jeno. Her witchy attitude has peaked since the first time Renjun invited you to his table. Maybe she was jealous. She probably was still hurting from the break up you assumed but that had nothing to do with you.

Jeno walks you to the track field where you find Renjun, who's already gotten a head start. His jacket is thrown over his bookbag and you take notice for the first time how toned his arms are with his sleeves rolled up. He looks up when hears your footsteps, the smile on his face slowly fading when he notices Jeno next to you.

"Oh great. What are you doing here?"

You laugh at his displeased expression. "He's just leaving, calm down."

"Actually," he interjects. "since I'm here, why don't I stay and help out?" Jeno proposes.

"Oh!" you let out an excited squeal you didn't know you were capable of. "That's great idea! Yes!"

"Absolutely not!" Renjun rolls his eyes. "Go home, Jeno. You'll just get in the way."

Jeno juts his bottom lip out and you have to keep yourself from swooning at how adorable he looks.

"Renjunie!" he whines. "I promise not to get in the way. Let me help?"

You give him pleading eyes behind Jeno's back. Renjun looks at you and grunts, muttering something inaudible as he starting hammering away at a slab of wood a little too hard.

"Yes!" Jeno takes off his jacket and gets to work.

"This is a one-time thing," Renjun declares, his back turned to the both of you.

"Right, right, got it," Jeno quickly agrees. "Let me help you with that," he runs over to carry the bucket of paint you were holding.

You watch him lug the heavy object to the table. "Oh, thanks, but I had it."

Renjun rolls his eyes again.

You find him repeatedly trying to get Jeno to go home as you work. Each and every time Jeno would laugh it off, calling him grumpy. You could tell his mood was off but you didn't want to bother him by asking why. He never told you those kinds of things anyway so why go through the trouble of asking? He never laughs when Jeno makes one of his famous jokes and he doesn't look at you when you speak to him. You wish he wouldn't be such a fun killer but he was almost always like this—even at parties, you've come to find out.

When you start to lose daylight, you decide to call it quits for the day.

"I think we can wrap up for now," you beam. "We're nearly finished thanks to Jeno."

Renjun's bag is already slung over his shoulder by the time you finish your sentence. "See ya."

"Yeah...I'll see you," you trail off as he sprints down the field.

"What's his problem?" Jeno asks aloud.

You shrug just as your phone starts to jingle that annoying ringtone you set it to over a year ago. You dig it out of your back pocket and read the caller ID. It's Sadie.

"Hello?'

"Hey! Listen, I'm so, so, sorry, I totally spaced about picking you up after school. I'm out with Jodie right now."

You can't help the displeased noise that comes from you at the sound of Jodie's name. "That's cool, I guess. I can just walk like I usually do."

"Are you sure? We can come and get you in about twenty minutes."

"We? Yeah, no thanks. I promise, I'll be fine."

"I promised mom and dad I'd pick you--hold on. Jodie, I'm on the phone...what?"

There's whispering then a short silence on the other line and you give Jeno an awkward smile.

"Um, okay, be safe walking. Sorry again! Bye!"

Click.

"So, you're walking home today."

"Yep. My sister conveniently forgot about my existence, so yeah, I'm walking."

Jeno's eyes light up. "Do you live close by? I can walk you home."

Your chest fills with warmth at the gesture. Lee Jeno. You had Lee Jeno offering to take you home. Renjun's bad attitude had left a nasty taste in your mouth but hanging out with Jeno sweetened your day just like that.

Renjun had a way of hurting you in ways no one else could. You didn't know why what he thought of you was so important to you, or why everything he had to say held such a huge weight. He wasn't exactly someone you were very fond of so who cares what he had to say? But Jeno. Jeno always had kind and encouraging words. He was the safe band-aid you needed after being cut by Renjun's blunt words. His razor sharp tongue and eyes for daggers always stung but Jeno protected you. He defended you.

So you say yes to his offer and you make the bold move of linking your elbows which Jeno reacts with a subtle pink tint in his cheeks. Your pace is slow to lengthen the journey, allowing you a chance to get to know each other a bit more.

As time progresses, you realize you had liked Jeno more than you initially thought you did. School had always kept you from exploring your feelings for him. Now, it was clear as ever how you felt about him. You'd turn into a bashful mess at every single flirty comment he'd make, which would only fuel him to flirt harder. He made good company and you wished you hadn't have waited so long to speak to Jeno. You couldn't remember the last time you were this engaged in a conversation with someone--disregarding the one time with Renjun because he's a jerk.

If this is what it's like to have a friend, you had been missing out all these years. He made you feel warm inside like those cheesy rom-coms Sadie loved so much.

His arm was tucked snugly into yours, your steps matching in pace as you neared the street you lived on. You could smell the pleasant fragrance Jeno wore from the close proximity and it brought you back to the night you were drunkenly dancing together. You still couldn't believe you drank alcohol but then again, who lives by a code of conduct in high school? Who was going to punish you for acting your age for once? On second thought your parents would probably ground you for life but that's not the point. The point is you're starting to learn what fun is. If you can't be the best then what's stopping you from enjoying life while you're still young? Looking at Jeno in the stark red haze the sky is dawning on him made you want to do just that. He made you want to live a normal life.

You playfully bump each other, cracking jokes until you reach the driveway of your residence with hesitance. You weren't ready to depart just yet.

"Well," you remove your arm from his. "This is me."

"Aww," he sigh a little. "Well it was nice walking with you."

"Yeah, you too. I'd invite you inside but no one's home and my parents would crucify me if I let you in."

You hadn't realized it but in the few seconds you had looked away, Jeno had gotten closer. Really close. You feel a rapid heat spread all over and you struggle to keep a normal expression.

Jeno smiles before grabbing your elbow to yank you even nearer, his eyes studying yours as he speaks his next words to you carefully.

"Do you wanna kiss me?"

Your mouth goes dry and all you could do is nod, numbly.

He cracks another smile and you were instantly mesmerized by the way his lips curls over his teeth and the thought of how his lips would feel on yours. Your heart stills for a moment. You shut your eyes with baited breath as his lips gets closer to yours.

Slowly, very slowly he kisses you. It was an odd but welcoming feeling, kissing a boy. But you liked it. And you liked Jeno.

Jeno removes himself from you after a few amazing seconds. You're still incredibly close to him and you can tell he's tempted to kiss you again but he holds himself back.

"Text me?"

You nod, maybe a little too eagerly but you didn't care. The hot temperature of his lips left a lingering impression on you and you had a feeling you won't ever be able to rid yourself of the memory.

He holds up a hand before he jogs off down the pale path of the sidewalk, unintentionally leaving you with a mass of confused and excited thought and a small voice in the back of your brain that wouldn't shut up about Renjun and his recent odd behavior.

#nct renjun #renjun fluff #huang renjun fluff #renjun fanfic #huang renjun #nct dream fluff #nct dream imagines #renjun angst #nct dream reactions #nct dream angst #nct dream #NCT #lee jeno #nct jeno fluff

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cloudybakery · 6 years

Text

Voltron s6 thoughts and feelings(spoilers, mostly positive, none of that hate shit here)

SO OH MY GOD THAT FUCKING HURT BUT IT WAS SO GOOOOOD

so this is just gonna stream of consciousness okay

LETS TALK ABOUT HOW THEY GAVE LANCE A VULNERABLE MOMENT WHERE HE CRIED AND IT WASNT A JOKE THAT SHIT GOT ME i was so so happy about that?? Yea Allura comforted him and stuff and I was hoping it would be keith but also he and Allura grew close this season and I like their relationship as a friendship all ships aside because sometimes you need that?? like tbh I want them to have a punk level friendship someday like can you imagine that’d be so cute

i cried when they destroyed the castle of lions like i fucking cried

OKAY BLACK PALADINS??? OOOOOOOOF i was so tense thats probably the most tense I’ve been since the beginning of the Chroma Conclave arc in Critical Role like holy shit that was amazing and so well done

“you’re my brother, I love you” JUST THROW ME OFF A CLIFF THAT WAS SO GOOD the flashbacks of younger keith were so cute bless you crew for giving us that

Keith??? Is so pretty??? what the fuck I’m gay

The fighting was a little heavy this season and as someone who lives for plot and character development through dialogue i was kinda put off, but they still did a lot of characters justice

KEITH AND KROLIA BACKSTORY I WAS A MESS AND A HALF FUCKIN HELL that shit was amazing like I was so happy they gave us that

They didn’t kill Krolia thank g o d

KEITH IS LIKE,,,,,,,20 OR SOMETHING PHYSICALLY part of me is still shook about that but also like he got to spend two whole years with his mom and his space wolf reconnecting with her and that just made me so happy

his hair is so long and tbh I never want him to stop growing it out

WHAT IF WE GET PONYTAIL KEITH PLEASEEEEE I NEED IT

I CALLED IT I FUCKING KNEW IT I NEVER TRUSTED THAT SON OF A BITCH LOTOR okay so maybe I did for a little bit but thats good writing on their part they let us all get complacent with the paladins and then BAM HE’S A POWER HUNGRY PIECE OF SHIT

Shiro d i e d. Like, full on died. that was crazy and still has me shook

Lol we’ve been right about the astral plane since the beginning im dying

WHITE HAIR SHIRO WHITE HAIR SHIRO tbh if you think about it Josh was technically hinting at that with his little “spoiler” post on insta

Allura yeeted Shiro back into his body js

Ummmm Studio Ghibli hair WHO like that’s all I could think when Keith’s hair was whipping around him during the last ep

ALLURA THE REAL LIFE CLERIC bringing paladins back to life left and right

okay the dnd episode was so perfect lemme just say KURON LOVE DND SO MUCH???? WHAT A NERD??? But also me with the backstory and wanting to play the same class,,, His only redeeming quality I wonder if Shiro likes dnd that much

Allura being an archer was soooo good she was so excited

thank u dnd episode for never explicitly saying what gender Pidge’s character was just that they were a dwarf I take my representation where I can get it

Kuron using his full name for dnd is such a mood

still not over the fact that lance named his character Pike

WHEN KEITH WENT PARTIALLY GALRA IN THE BP EPISODE I ALMOST SCREAMED THAT WAS SO COOL

he got back in his paladin armor and I cried

Pidge and Hunk get to build Shiro’s new arm!!

new drinking game every time Lotor says something along the lines of “this couldn’t have been possible without you Allura” take a sip bc he said that so many times oh my god it was verging on hilarious

lol I recoiled at the Lotura kiss I don’t even hate the ship it was just a knee jerk reaction oml

I love that it took the mice telling Allura about Lance’s feelings for her to understand what a babe

I NEED FANART OF LANCE GIVING THE MICE A BATH LIKE THATS SO CUTE I’ll fukin make it myself

HUNK TOOK LEAD ON SO MUCH STUFF THIS SEASON MY SOFT BOI IS A LEADER LIKE THEY TRUSTED HIM WITH SO MUCH IM SO PROUD

Pidge doesn’t get enough credit for the hacking she does I half expected Lance to hug her after she disabled the virus she was so stressed this poor child let her rest

tbh give them all a break, THEY NEED DOWNTIME AFTER THAT

while I was a little sad that Keith didn’t get a lot of time to reunite with everyone, they were kind of on the clock so it makes sense story wise, and hopefully next season he will get some time to talk with each of them for a little bit

THEY’RE GOING BACK TO EARTH OH MY G OD LANCE IS GONNA GET A FAMILY REUNION IM SO READY FOR THIS ARC

Bless Coran in the last episode he was the comic relief we all needed at the moment but also him losing the castle was deep and it hurt

THERE WERE A BILLION SHIRO CLONES THAT SHIT WAS TERRIFYING

Not gonna lie, Axca kinda felt like Black Widow in Civil War with the amount of side switching she did; I want to know her motives??? And the other Generals??? Please??? i want an episode dedicated to them that’d be so cool like them trying to start over and stuff

WHEN THEY ALL BONDED WITH THEIR LIONS THAT LINEUP SHOT WAS DOOOOOPE ngl I loved lance and keith next to each other that was such a cool shot of them and the whole team

also where did Matt go? He didn’t go back with his dad so I guess he was off on another rebel mission? idk maybe someone ask at a panel where he went

same with the Blades like I guess they were off doing other missions and didn’t bother to check in oops

tbh, this season was awesome. Did we get all the interactions we wanted? not really. Was it kind of battle heavy? yea. But was there serious character development? H E L L YES. Even though there were a lot of Keith and Shiro centered episodes the paladins screen time felt more balanced, at least to me. Even though most of Lance’s stuff was angst about Allura I still feel like he got to grow as a person from it and he’s starting to become someone who comforts others and really be there for the team. All we need now is for them to reciprocate and support him when he’s feeling down. I cannot wait to see what the crew has in store for us and I can’t wait for them to get back to earth it’s going to be so interesting!!!

#voltron spoilers #voltron s6 spoilers #vld spoilers #lance mcclain #keith kogane #takashi shirogane #pidge holt #hunk garrett #vld allura #vld coran #this was such a good season #like i know some people are throwing hissy fits about alluralance and that klance was kind of non-existent #but y'all #take off the shipping glasses and this show is gorgeous

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mindingmyownbusiness · 7 years

Text

Falling for You

Pairing - Bucky x Reader Modern AU

Prompt - “I am the stupidest person alive.”

Summary - An unexpected injury gives you the perfect excuse to call on your hot neighbor to save the day.

Warnings - just adorable fluff & extremely vague implied sexy times

Word Count - 3093

Notes - Created for @sgtbxckybxrnes AU writing challenge! Thanks for doing this Taylor! This fic is based on a true story. A month or so ago someone we only know as “stairs anon” sent several asks to @bucky-plums-barnes telling her story as part of her Fluffy Fridays. I was so inspired I asked Genevieve if I could turn it into a fleshed out fic so here it is! Thanks Gen for letting me do this and I sincerely hope that your stairs anon finds and reads this one day and I certainly hope I did her story justice. :)

My Masterlist

I am the stupidest person alive. Only me. Only I would trip going down stairs that I use every single day.

You slumped against the rail, wincing at the pain in your leg, more frustrated than anything. You were bleeding, your books were scattered randomly where they’d flown from your grasp, and you were desperately trying not to cry. All you had wanted to do was to get to the library for some much-needed study time away from the distractions of your apartment and instead your best intentions were crushed before you even left the building. You knew that you should probably just woman up and push through the pain but at that moment you wanted nothing more than for someone to come and rescue you. You knew what you wanted to do but you needed a little push to be brave enough to do it...

Hey Gen, hypothetically if I fell down my stairs and if there was I dunno some blood and stuff I should totally text my hot paramedic neighbor to come rescue me, right?

First, OMG ARE YOU OKAY? Second, HELL TO THE YES!

Lol… yes I’ll live and okay you talked me into it. I’ll keep you posted. ;)

You took a deep breath. It’s now or never, time to call in the reinforcements…

Hey, are you home?

His reply was almost immediate. Yeah, I’m off today. What’s up?

I may have fallen down the stairs. Just a little. Help?

The next thing you heard was the distant sound of a door slamming and your neighbor’s feet thundering down the staircase.

“(Y/N)? (Y/N)!”

“I’m down here, Bucky!”

He rounded the landing in record time. “Oh my... are you okay?” You nodded your head, filing away the concerned look you managed to catch before Bucky went into work mode, assessing the situation.

“You’re bleeding…” he carefully straightened your leg out, looking and feeling for signs of other injuries.

“Thanks Captain Obvious, oh hey, did I forget to mention that I fell down the stairs?”

That got a chuckle out of him. “Good to know you didn’t injure your sense of humor.” You knew you were going be just fine when you saw Bucky’s face relax and his witty banter come out. Shame it didn’t make your leg hurt any less. “Looks like the bleeding is slowing down, it’s not as bad as it looks but I’ll need to clean and dress it, okay?”

“Good thing I have a paramedic as a neighbor, huh?” You winced as you attempted to stand up.

“Whoa, hang on there, I’ve got you..”

The next thing you knew, Bucky had picked you up bridal style and was carrying you up the stairs, two at a time. You were speechless at how effortlessly he swept you off your feet, literally and figuratively. All too soon he’d maneuvered you into his apartment and carried you out onto your shared balcony. “I’ll be right back, just gonna collect your books from downstairs and then grab my kit and we’ll get you all taken care of.” He smiled and then he was gone.

After sitting in a daze for a moment you quickly texted your friend...

GEN he legit just carried me up the stairs and he smells REALLY NICE and he’s gonna be back any second to doctor me up (get ur mind out of the gutter woman) and he gave me the biggest smile WHAT DO I DO?!?

Okay we can freak out later, right now we need a plan… best bet, keep it simple. Just thank him, tell him you owe him one for saving you, maybe you can get him to agree to coffee or something?

That might work… crap here he comes gtg

Bucky reappeared with a water bottle and his first aid kit. He handed you the water and then knelt down in front of you. “Alright princess, let’s get you taken care of.”

You were about to snap back with a witty remark but before you could Bucky was lifting your leg to get a better look. You were amazed at how his large and obviously strong hands could be so gentle, you barely noticed any pain as he took care of your wound. He was efficient and effective, cleaning you up and applying bandages in no time at all. “There ya go, good as new,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks neighbor, sorry I bothered you on your day off...” You stood and started to hobble toward the door. You didn’t make it more than a couple steps before Bucky was blocking your way.

“And just where do you think you’re going? You’re my patient now so you don’t get discharged until I say so.”

“But, Bucky…”

“Nope. Now sit down and you can tell me how you ended up bleeding out on the stairs today.” He guided you back to your chair and sat down across from you, propping your leg up over both of his. “Okay beautiful, spill.”

You couldn’t remember the last time you had laughed so hard. Bucky had just finished telling you about the latest shenanigans in the prank war he and his crew had going at work and you were both laughing so much you could hardly breathe. You wiped away tears as you finally took some deep breaths.

Bucky had been the perfect caregiver, checking in with how you were feeling throughout the morning and even going as far as making you lunch. Your leg had been feeling just fine for awhile but the two of you were having such a good time you didn’t see any rush to leave. Looking over at Bucky you were secretly glad that you had taken that spill. If not, you don’t know if you would ever have gotten to spend so much time with your hot neighbor who you now knew also happened to be kind and generous and hilarious.

“Bucky, thanks again for rescuing me. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been home.”

“I was glad to do it, (Y/N). Plus it gave me a chance to hang out with you. I can’t believe we’ve been neighbors for this long and haven’t spent any quality time together,” he said, winking at you and reaching out to squeeze your hand.

You felt yourself start to blush and in an attempt to hide it you jumped up, grabbing your empty glass and using it as an excuse to head inside for a minute to compose yourself. Before you could get very far, Bucky’s hand shot out and grabbed you by the wrist.

“Is that…” he grinned, “Are you blushing right now?”

You turned your face away, desperate not to show him how right he was.

He tugged at your arm playfully, rubbing his thumb against the inside of your wrist. “Now why, why would you have a reason to blush.. unless…” Suddenly he tugged you just a bit harder and you found yourself in his lap, his arms around your waist, his face very close to yours. Your heart was pounding so hard you were sure he could hear it. His eyes flickered to your mouth then back up again. He reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind your ear, biting his lower lip in the process. “Is this okay?” His voice was low, and hopeful. You looked into his eyes and gave him a tiny nod.

He met you halfway, his lips ghosting over yours as you shared several small playful kisses. You loved how soft his lips were, smiling into the kiss as you realized this was really, actually happening. He pulled back slightly, grinning as he took in how giddy you looked before diving in for more. This round upped the ante, more delicious pressure mixed with a nip or two. You felt as though you could kiss him like this forever. You reached up, running your hands over his chest and his shoulders with one destination in mind. As your fingers carded through his short brown hair Bucky’s hands moved up your back, pulling you closer. You felt him tease at your lips with his tongue and you opened to him eagerly. He was an unbelievably good kisser. He moved with purpose, like he knew exactly what he was doing but at the same time was exploring, testing the waters to see what actions earned him a sigh or a moan from you. His hands were everywhere now, roaming over your hip, your sides, cupping your face, threading through your hair and giving it a gentle tug. You broke away suddenly, opening your eyes to take in his thoroughly kissed self, hair ruffled, eyes hooded, lips slightly swollen. You could only imagine what you looked like. He opened his eyes wider in concern and released your hair.

“Oh god, did I hurt you?”

“Wha-what…? No.. hell no, that was so hot.”

“Well in that case…” He had a positively predatory look in his eyes as he reached back up and gently pulled on your hair again. Your instant reaction was to close your eyes and lean your head back with a moan as Bucky wasted no time kissing your neck with the same determination that he had shown your mouth just moments before. Pecks, licks, nips, open-mouthed kisses, all along your jaw and down the column of your neck to your collarbone and back, eventually returning to your mouth where you happily reciprocated his enthusiasm.

You were positive that this was the longest and most incredible makeout session of your entire life. After several very long moments you both tapered off, breathing heavily, foreheads touching. Bucky moved first, placing a tiny kiss on the tip of your nose before leaning back in the chair, pulling you with him so that your head lay in the crook of his neck.

You sat there in a comfortable silence, replaying kiss after amazing kiss in your mind. It was literally unforgettable and you were already thinking about when you could do it again. But what if he doesn’t want to do it again? What if this was just a one time thing? You couldn’t help feeling a twinge of self-doubt creeping in.

“You know, I can practically hear the gears in your head turning,” Bucky said, chuckling. “Let me put your mind at ease...”

You tensed up, wary of what Bucky might be about to say. You knew he felt it because he immediately began to rub soothing circles into your back. You felt him take a deep breath before speaking.

“I-I’ve liked you (Y/N), for a long time. When you moved in I couldn’t believe my luck to have such a beautiful woman right next door. As I got to know you and what a great person you were it just fueled my feelings for you.” He sighed and continued, “I don’t want what just happened to mess anything up… and, I know we’re not exactly doing things in the right order but… I’d love to take you out for dinner, a real date… maybe.. tomorrow night?”

You could hardly believe your ears. He.. liked you? The same guy you had been lusting after for months actually like you back? This was too good to be true. You suddenly realized you had been silent for too long and sat up to look at him. He was smiling but you could see the nervousness in his eyes.

“I dunno…” Bucky’s smile faltered a little but you grinned and continued, “tomorrow night is awfully far away, how about we just order takeout and have that dinner date tonight?”

“Why you little…” Bucky attacked your ribs causing you to shriek with laughter and attempt to wriggle out of his grasp. You could feel yourself losing your balance but Bucky caught you and pulled you back into him at the last second, surprising you with a kiss. “Careful (Y/N), can’t have anything else happen to you today.”

“If you keep saving me I might have to find more excuses to get into trouble,” you said cheekily, giving him a peck in return. “So, I believe someone promised me dinner?”

While Bucky was busy ordering you realized you hadn’t checked your phone in hours and there was a very high probability that your best friend may be about to call out the National Guard on you.

Well? Are you still at his place? It’s been almost two hours WHAT IS GOING ON You had better be dead or having the best sex of your life Okay now I’m worried that you might actually be dead TEXT ME BACK RIGHT NOW I’m giving you one more hour and then I’m coming over there

Calm your tits woman I’m fine

THANK GOD okay lay it on me what is happening?!?

We’re just hanging out And making out He told me he likes me?

AAAAAAHHHHHH GET IT GIRL

Lol we’ll see ;)

“What’s so funny?” You looked up from your phone to see Bucky leaning against the doorframe.

“Oh, my friend was just checking in with me since I went AWOL today. I was just reassuring her that I was in safe hands.”

“Good,” Bucky smiled, “Now I can have my wicked way with you and she won’t be coming to rescue you.”

You cocked an eyebrow at him. “And how do you know that I’m not the serial killer in this scenario?”

He furrowed his brow. “Hm, good point...” then he shrugged and said, “Guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out.” He winked at you. “I did promise you dinner though and I’m a man of my word so try to hold back your murderous urges until after we finish our fried rice, okay?”

“Deal,” you said, smiling back at him.

You were both starving so the dinner part of your date didn’t last nearly long enough. This perfect day was coming to an end and you really didn’t want it to but you didn’t know what to do. If I ever needed a sign this is the time… Glancing at Bucky you grinned slyly as the perfect opportunity was literally staring you in the face.

“Hey, um, you have a little something right there…” you pointed towards his cheek.

“Oh..” he stuck his tongue out, licking his cheek. “Did I get it?”

You felt a flutter in your stomach. “Almost..”

He did it again. That flutter in your gut turned into a flip. “How about now?”

“Nope. Here, let me…” you reached up behind his neck, pulled him in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Got it…” You had never been so thankful for a stray grain of rice as you were at that exact moment. You were standing very close, breaths intermingling, feeling the air shift as the desire for more grew in between you.

Bucky placed one hand gingerly on your hip and cupped your face with the other, kissing you slowly and sweetly. He pulled back with a sigh, “(Y/N), this has been the best day I’ve had in a long time… I really don't want it to end…”

Your voice was barely above a whisper, “Does it have to?” Looking into eyes you could see his pupils darken. He gripped your hip a bit tighter, pulling you flush with his body.

“Are you sure?”

“Hell yes.”

You stretched, groaning at the soreness in your muscles, and threw on the first thing you could find before wandering out of the bedroom.

“Hey gorgeous,” said a gravelly voice coming from the kitchen. He smirked, giving you the once-over. “Now this is a sight I could get used to.” Bucky’s shirt covered all your important bits but you could tell by the expression on his face that he was still thoroughly enjoying the view.

“You’re one to talk,” you came over to kiss his cheek. “One look at shirtless you is enough to make a girl forget all about breakfast. Well.. almost forget.” You grinned and took a look around. “So, what’s on the menu this morning, Barnes? It already smells amazing.”

“Working on some of my famous chocolate chip pancakes. And bacon. Oh, but before I forget...” He wiped his hands on a towel and suddenly picked you up to set you on the counter. “Gotta check on my patient.” He kissed the tip of your nose and took a look at your leg, carefully replacing the bandages. “Seems to be healing nicely. I might even let you go home today.” He winked at you and got back to flipping. You hopped down and gave his ass a swat on your way out to the balcony, smiling over your shoulder as you went.

Your phone buzzed in your hand and you knew exactly who it would be.

Just making sure you’re STILL ALIVE

Alive and very very very well thank you very much

Just how well are you? I’m gonna need details.

Saving the details for later. Let’s just say that his balcony got to know me very well last night…

NO YOU DID NOT HAVE HOT BALCONY SEX WITH THAT MAN

...and his kitchen, and his bedroom…

I AM FLAILING RN OMG Oh hon I am so proud of you yaassss

Lol he’s even making me breakfast Wanna see?

Hell yes gimme gimme

(photo credit: http://www.mslovejoy.com/post/74196854323)

I’m gonna need a cold shower

It’s all thanks to you Best wingman EVER I owe you

Damn right you do so if he has a brother or cousin or equally hot roommate you gotta HOOK ME UP

His roommate is easy on the eyes for sure. I think his name is Steve… yeah I’m definitely introducing you and soon. He’s gonna need something to take his mind off of how we defiled the kitchen… twice..

Omg stop I can’t take it I gotta lay down

Haha I’ll call you later when you’ve calmed down. Girls’ night is DEFINITELY in order.

You set down your phone just in time to see Bucky bringing out breakfast. He set down the plates and leaned over to kiss you. You smiled into the kiss, giggling a little. “What?” Bucky said, eyeing you warily.

“I was just thinking I should have fallen down the stairs months ago. All that time wasted…”

He chuckled in return, “Just promise me next time you need me there won’t be any blood involved, okay?”

“Promise,” and you sealed it with a kiss. Or two.

TAG LIST: (cause ya’ll are awesome) @dianelogan @therealjamesbarnes @ilovebeingjoyful @buckyywiththegoodhair @cate-lynne @avengerofyourheart @chaneltheavenger @howlingbarnes @bovaria @bionic-buckyb @sexonastickstan

#taysauchallenge #sgtbxckybxrnes #my fic #bucky barnes x reader #paramedic!Bucky

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vaguely-concerned · 7 years

Text

RANDOM OVERWATCH/MCHANZO HEADCANONS

My headcanons are usually global, so to say, so once established they mainly hold true for anything I write in that fandom until canon actively overwrites it (and sometimes even after that if I think the real answer is dumb ha ha). Most of what I’ve already done is the ‘Scoundrels and Thieves’ AU series.

- Shimadamom died during the omnic crisis, since I feel like she would come up a lot more if she was actually around when her sons literally tried to murder each other. (It would also explain why Hanzo shoots the omnic in ‘Dragons’ even as he goes to some lengths to only incapacitate the other guards and why he thinks Numbani sucks, as well as adding a layer of ouch to Genji’s... robo-dysphoria.) Hanzo remembers her better than Genji does, since Genji would have been pretty young at that point.

- Hanzo is a dog person (oh hello there entire alternate wardrobe made up of wolf imagery) and Jesse is a cat person. (Both because of That Scene in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly with the kitten and the hat (!!!!!) and because really he himself is kind of a very affable yet still half-feral tomcat kind of a man)

- In ‘Scoundrels and Thieves’, at least, Jesse started out smoking cigarettes and graduated to cigars as he got older/had more cash, for that Authentic Man With No Name Look. He still goes for cigarettes sometimes when he’s on edge because he finds the little rituals of rolling them comforting. (Hanzo also has a very private Pavlovian reaction to the smell of a certain brand Jesse smoked around the time they started sleeping together. I’ll let you fill in the embarrassing details in your own time.)

- Hanzo usually cuts his own hair - just chops a bit off with a knife or something when it gets too annoying. The first time it was the dramatic symbolic gesture of dishonor ™, but these days it’s just because he can’t be bothered with anything fancier, in the same vein as ‘why even put my shirt on all the way btw did I mention I KILLED MY BROTHER’. (Yes, I know it’s a real traditional archery technique thing, just… let me have this.) Probably also why he wears it up most of the time so you can’t really tell it’s a bit of a catastrophe.

- Jesse taught himself how to play the guitar as a kid and has a wonderful voice for everyday life - it doesn’t belong on a stage but it is perfect for crooning in the background while making dinner or doing chores, stuff like that.

- Jesse is quite ticklish, a fact Hanzo ‘Innate Talent for Strategy and Tactics’ Shimada uses without compunctions when it suits his goals. (His goals usually being a Jesse pink-faced and loose-limbed with laughter)

- Hanzo looks A LOT like his dad but takes after his mum personality-wise - more cynical and closed off except for with their loved ones - while Genji looks more like their mum.

- Jesse’s parents died during the war, quite early on. (tbh this is mostly b/c it breaks my heart to imagine his family would be okay with him having become a notorious killer by the age of seventeen. Like. Bro. I’d rather have someone love and protect him unflinchingly and then having no choice in leaving him. Though if the Deadlock gang had some element of a family business that would mean ANOTHER parallel between them, so if that’s how canon eventually lands I can work with that too ha ha)

- Do you ever think about Jesse at fourteen, coming back from a fight victorious but with new constellations of scars and bruises, curling up somewhere no one’ll find him to watch that scene in For A Fistful of Dollars where the man with no name gets beat up to hell and back and still gets out of it through sheer tenacity and being a tricksy fuck

Because I think about that every day and that’s why I’m constantly on the verge of tears

Anyway not so much a headcanon there as a window into the dark aching corners of my soul let’s carry on

- Jesse is demisexual, Hanzo is gay.

- At first I had settled for Hanzo being bi (what better orientation for a ninja than one that makes you invisible, after all? Who’s bitter you’re bitter) but then there were the White Day lines between Hanzo and Genji and now I’m 100% convinced that he’s gay, if only because it’s so much funnier to me. Let me show my work a bit here:

So as far as I understand, on Valentine’s day in Japan it’s women who give the ~*special men*~ in their life chocolates/gifts. (There’s also an uh ‘tier’ of chocolate that’s completely platonic and is given to friends and coworkers, but from the tone of Genji’s voice I doubt that’s what he’s talking about lol) White day is a month later, and it’s when the men reciprocate the gifts they were given. So essentially what Genji is doing with that line is going “SO… any special GIRLS in your life bro?? *I know you can’t see my face through the visor but you can feel the wink wink nudge nudge through the air*” and Hanzo’s answer is a sort of long-suffering reference to young Genji’s playboy lifestyle as well as a callback to a previous voice line between them, not a slight aimed at any cocoa beans.

Now I like to imagine bb!Genji as a bit of a hilarious dick - like basically sweet and well-meaning, but also hugely spoiled, self-absorbed and easily distracted. It would lend Hanzo’s annoyance so many levels of hilarity if his little brother just… hadn’t realized that the reason he wasn’t dating girls wasn’t just a) he’s been riding a wave of shame, guilt, grief, depression & light alcoholism these last ten years and it’s hard to date with a tight schedule like that, b) he is kind of weird and socially awkward at the best of times, c) his eventual anachronistic weirdo soulmate was running around on the other side of the world doing crazy shit for Overwatch

The reason he’s never dated any girls is that he’s FUCKING GAY

Like it was not as though it was secret, Genji, all you’d have to do was fucking pay attention or hey, ask at any point in the last closing-in-on-forty-years and it would have been EASILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION

FATHER KNEW AND HE NEVER NEEDED TO ASK,GENJI

Anyway I thrive on Hanzo Shimada’s annoyance and consternation because he takes everything so damn seriously and I love him very much

(Obviously in the ‘Scoundrels and Thieves’ ‘verse Genji does know. He’s not THAT massively oblivious.)

- Jesse is mostly ambidextrous but prefers to shoot with his right hand. I think there was some kerfuffle about his holster being put on both sides in official art that prompted this one? I’m not above going ‘*shrug* why have continuity errors when you can have headcanon’

- Shimadadad, intent on his sons not turning into Useless Rich Ninja Kids, made sure they were taught some essential life skills, like cooking and laundry and shit - meaning Hanzo knows how to make a handful of dishes to, like, double Michelin Star levels. He doesn’t actually enjoy it very much, though, so mostly he won’t. Meanwhile Jesse has no outside training whatsoever beyond at one point being shown how to turn on a microwave but figured things out on his own and has pretty good instincts. Hanzo prefers Jesse’s cooking and will happily just do chopping duty (which he’s still proficient at to the point that Jesse’s not sure whether to be unsettled or turned on).

- Jesse learned about horses from an older lady who semi-adopted him after finding him feverish and bleeding in her back garden when he was in his early teens. He stayed on her ranch for a couple of years and then left because he was worried some of the people he’d pissed off would be able to track him down there and burn it all down.

- Hanzo doesn’t like - or really get - giving and receiving gifts as a way to express affection. I’m pretty sure his line of association would go something like gifts ----> money ------> business -----> bribe -----> obligation -------> duty -------> faMILY OH GOD EVERYTHING JUST GOT REAL MESSED UP AND COMPLICATED IN MY HEAD I NEED A DRINK

- Another one where I’ll accept either outcome: I can’t decide from the in-game dialogue if Genji and McCree’s relationship is more bro-like ribbing or if they’re actually a little uh. Adversarial. (“You’re not quicker than a bullet”: a Schröedinger’s playful banter/death threat lol) If they’re mostly friendly that’s great! They can form a harmonious ‘Save Hanzo From Himself’ support group. If they’re more antagonistic? Pure. Fucking. Hilarity. Can you imagine Genji being SO FUCKING MAD because as it turns out the one thing in this world that has ever made his sadsack brother happy is that cocky jingle-jangle bizarro Western cosplay jackass. Like naturally I would prefer it if they were bros but I never turn down comedic potential like that.

- Jesse’s greatest fear has to do with being seen and with leaving. He’s very clearly set up a theatrical, elaborate part of his identity between himself and the world - I don’t think any psychologically unscarred person goes ‘well I’ll just wrap myself in this loner/vigilante archetype until it works for me’ lol. It’s a very smart ‘people are going to look at me so let’s make sure they can’t actually see me’ move. Also it makes me sad that me must have, like, reverse abandonment issues: every time he belongs to something - to the Deadlock gang, to Overwatch, to Hanzo in ‘Scoundrels and Thieves’ - he’s inevitably forced to leave it behind. (I guess this is part of why I love the pairing so much; they’re both wanderers now, they can go together ;____;)

Hanzo’s greatest fear is to really hurt someone he loves again. (Remember that time in Junkenstein’s Revenge where Jack looks at Reaper and goes ‘what could turn a man into this’ and Hanzo immediately answers “To be tested, and to fail”? Because I remember that all the time.)

#overwatch #mchanzo #hanzo #mccree #Perhaps there is still a future for anachronisms #meta #idk it was the only way I managed to do some writing so here we go I guess ha ha #I'm just like... filled to the brim with feels that have nowhere to go #My writing

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russellthornton · 7 years

Text

How to Entertain a Girl Over Text: Excite Her Mind with Words

The song was right! Girls just want to have fun. Here’s how to entertain a girl over text and keep her coming back for more of your wit and charm.

Have you ever wondered how to entertain a girl over text? Does it make a difference? I’ve found that you don’t have to entertain a girl through text to get her out and on a date, but having the skill set still helps me:

#1 Keep long-term female friendships going even when we don’t meet often.

#2 Keep long-term intimate options open, even when we’ve yet to meet up.

#3 Convince a girl to meet up if she’s unsure about me or busy.

#4 Get a girl excited about me.

#5 Have lots of hilarious conversations over text that make me actually LOL and my week feels that much cooler.

For me, entertaining a girl is not about tap dancing for her. Rather, it’s about getting my unique voice across. Obviously, communication limitations occur with texting.

However, I’ve not only used text to convert a girl from being unsure about me to saying I was super fun and amazing. Once I even had a girl text me that she would leave her boyfriend because I’m the man she really needs in her life. *I actually told her I would not go out with her because she already had a boyfriend, which is why she decided to leave*

How to entertain a girl over text

You can absolutely keep a girl’s interest and excite her over text. Here are a few tips on how to go about it.

#1 Using memes. If you’re like me and don’t want to work when you send text messages then memes are invaluable. Memes are shared pictures, sayings, general ideas, or sometimes very short video clips that for whatever reason have become so popular that they get shared over and over again within a culture.

Maybe it’s a still from a movie or some YouTuber who went viral or a presidential blooper moment that got snapped and used by journalists all around the world. Others are specific to particular cultures such as Jamaican patois. People sometimes write text on top of these images or videos or sayings—to support or make a point or just be funny or satirical.

Maybe you have a still of a cat wearing a small top hat and looking untrustworthy. If a girl says something that seems unbelievable, rather than reply with words, hit her with the meme. Or surprise-meme her during your day with one that made you laugh.

Memes are great because they don’t need a proper reply. They are casual, but often start a fun conversation. Here’s where the skill comes in: if you use memes that show you’re playful and fun but also show you get the type of culture she’s into, you tap right into her world, which may well be her Twitter and Facebook feed—people these days… [Read: Smartass quotes: 48 smart and sarcastic lines that kick ass]

#2 Writing how you talk—just more punchy. Example:

Her: Hey how are you sweetie? Me: Good hun x. I went for a run. Super thirsty now @_@

I think sometimes the more you try to be clever or invulnerable or whatever ‘supreme confidence’ persona, the more you come off as odd or insecure. Not everyone has time to sit down and craft a well-thought out text. We all have busy lives. I trust she knows this and doesn’t expect that with every text she sends, I’ll spend 15 minutes thinking about my reply. [Read: 18 casual things to text a girl and leave her addicted to you]

#3 Not overanalyzing her. This probably just makes you seem try-hard. I prefer going with the flow and if something doesn’t make sense I might just text her ‘okay… I’m following you *insert confused emoji*’.

#4 Making statements not questions. You know the saying *I’ve just made it up by the way*: ‘it’s easy to make a question, it’s hard to make a statement.’ Making a statement tells her about your personality, the way you think, and that you have your own opinion. It’s entertaining to try and decode somebody.

However, a barrage of questions usually makes me feel as if the person’s trying to get something out of me. So, I never drill her for answers. Although it can be fun to drop some daring questions about her interests and personality suddenly and briefly, to catch her off guard. [Read: How to text a girl you like and make her want you]

#5 Being casual *think Twitter*. Nothing kills entertainment more than when someone cares too much about what others think of them. Or when they’re too structured. When I’m texting to entertain, I write as if for some crazy blog, not for a formal essay.

I’m never afraid to be random, instant, or shocking when looking to entertain. Entertainment is all about holding attention and moving it where you want it to move. I’m not long-winded. I’m thinking 150 characters rather than 1500 words. I want to leave her wanting more and not as if she has homework to do when she receives a text message from me.

Here’s the key I use, which serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk calls ‘document, not create’: I don’t need to create a new text idea or thread every time I send a message. I might post a photo of me hanging out with a mate. I ask myself: what’s happening right now? Or when something happens I share it, sometimes with a twist.

Example:

Me: ‘My neighborhood cat is just watching me.’ Her: ‘LOL, what?’ Me: ‘It’s expression kind of reminds me of when you look surprised.’

You can always go back to an old thread if one dies out, because new things are always happening to you. [Read: How to start a text conversation with a girl – 15 rules to impress]

#6 Disagreeing. Nothing is more annoying than a people pleaser. I’ve definitely been there before. You are way more interesting when you have your own opinions. I’ll avoid being too serious when I disagree if she doesn’t know me well.

#7 Talking about ‘we.’ This can be used in the silliest of contexts: ‘We should climb Mount Everest this weekend or maybe that’s a bad idea?’ Using ‘we’ creates a feeling of progress in a cool way, as if you build something together. [Read: Texting etiquette: 20 unwritten rules of savvy flirting]

#8 Not setting a date/place/time to meet. It can be boring and even annoying when you know what’s going to happen before it happens. Yeah, maybe it’s safe and secure but not exactly exciting.

So, even though I might use ‘we’ to let her know that I intend on doing something with her at some point, I’m not overeager to put it all in digital ink. This is an adventure together, not a business deal.

#7 Matching the length of her text messages. The only time I ignore this rule is if I’m in a particularly no F’s given sort of mood or tipsy. But generally, if a girl always replies to my messages with a much shorter reply, I take this to mean she’s not as invested in me as I am in her.

In that case, I slow it down. Anything too abundant in supply and too low in demand usually has low value, let alone low entertainment value. [Read: How to play hard to get with a girl and do it just right]

#8 Avoiding emojis if she doesn’t reciprocate. This keeps more mystery with regard to my level of excitement and interest. I’ve experimented with using lots of emojis and I suspect it makes you seem too keen if it’s only one-way. [Read: 18 really obvious signs a girl likes you over text]

#9 Being cheeky. I’ve written about this before because it so damn useful. The problem with text messages is that you can’t give a nod and a wink when you’re being playful. But you don’t need to when you can send a ;-).

Emojis also let you get away with more than you would think. So when you send a risqué message that might surprise her, just add a 🙂 afterwards. We all have busy lives and don’t have the time to read between the lines constantly, this helps her know you’re being cheeky.

#10 Doing these and seeing how she reacts. I’ll show different sides of me and see how she reacts to it. I might:

a. Be bold – ‘Yeah, I kill people for a living.’

b. Be cheeky – ‘Sp, what are you wearing right now?’

c. Be cocky – ‘My nickname is God.’

d. Be complimentary – ‘Wow, you are seriously cute, love that pic.’

[Read: What to text a girl – Dos, don’ts and all the secrets to know]

#11 Responding to her tests fearlessly. The key I use when keeping an entertaining conversation going is to respond rather than to react. For me, being reactive becomes like an addiction that makes my mood shift with each reply. Whereas, when I’m responsive I just share my good energy and invite her to also share.

So if she becomes rude then I just call her out on it fearlessly and without getting emotional. Sometimes I improvise a joke out of it, because I don’t really care what some girl thinks of me if she doesn’t know me. I try not to text if I’m in a crappy mood or if she’s pissed me off.

Example *this is roughly how it’s panned out in the past for me*:

Her: ‘That’s not funny. You actually sound like an asshole.’ Me: ‘Yes, I keep getting rewarded with coitus for it. I’m a victim.’ Her: ‘Okay… sure weirdo.’ Me: ‘Listen, I was having fun, but if you really don’t like my sense of humor then maybe we just won’t hit it off as I like to banter. It’s a pity because I liked you when we met.’ Her: ‘LOL. Okay… actually I was just teasing you :-).’ [Read: How often should you text a girl? 17 must-know rules of texting]

#12 Not always being available. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. I don’t text a girl on a Friday or Saturday unless I already created the habit of meeting her on those days. I don’t text her because those days are for people who are actually part of my social life in person.

I also don’t always reply immediately. I might leave it a day in some cases. Other times we might have a text marathon—I play it by ear. Also, if she delays in her reply to me for a significant amount of time then I might give it a bit of time before I reply.

Casual, playful, unpredictable, challenging, and fearless are good approaches for entertaining text. Keeping some mystery and unavailable at times lets her do the rest of the work for me in her imagination.

[Read: Texting your crush: A step-by-step guide to doing it right]

Use these tips on how to entertain a girl over text, and be that textual drug that makes her want to read your messages before any of the other boring texts she receives from the other guys.

The post How to Entertain a Girl Over Text: Excite Her Mind with Words is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.

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