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steve0discusses · 3 years

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S5 Ep5: Female Friends

So I was up hella late because of Daylight Savings screwing my sleep schedule, and I was on Twitch and one of the people I follow was speedrunning a Yugioh game (I think it was called Forbidden Memories like it was some Romance YA novel) and I was like “that’s a thing?” And I watched about 15 minutes of just complete nonsense. Like this game makes no sense when your scrubbing through 30 minutes of gameplay, but when a whole game takes 45 seconds and they have mechanics using like planets and astrology symbols? What?

What?

Y’all, I’m a little concerned your card game ain’t real. Like this is some ploy by knowing adults and this is some sort of Santa Claus situation where everyone else knows that this game ain’t real, but I’m the last person alive who’s like... “it is real though, right?” Hoping that I haven’t been played all of these years, despite having literally no empirical evidence that it is.

Just saying, I’m on to you, Yugioh.

Thanks dub.

I am pretty convinced (could be wrong) but pretty convinced that Grandpa was probably just normal horny in this scene. Like it just kinda matches what I know about horny grandpa tropes (that and Vivian is really talked up to be this hot stuff although she’s just youknow...some girl who exists.)

He immediately falls over. Like immediately, and I don’t know what’s up with Grandpa’s weird slipped disc, but luckily this is the one thing that Mokuba is prepared to deal with as a park manager.

Or what was his job again, Master of Ceremonies? That was the name of Mokuba’s actual chosen job that a 12-13 yo would choose?

Only Mokuba would have the choice to choose “a literal astronaut” and not choose an astronaut. This kid probably hates space though, with his family’s countless war machines now currently flying through the void.

The amount of times that the Kaibas have had to call a doctor for these guys.

(read more under the cut)

Bro was like “So Hawkins paid Grandpa to pretend to fall down so they could ditch Rebecca’s duel, right?” and youknow...probably. It was a pretty boring duel. They got off scott free.

Rex and Weevil do cartoon antics that actually feel like cartoon antics--which feels so weird for this show. Of course, it also has this Vivian plotline that is a little sus for a children’s show?

OK, show. You keep throwing women at Yugi Muto, and I get it’s a joke because he’s the world’s most undateable boy but there is a line of plausibility that even for a kid’s cartoon show it’s like “eh, probably not.”

Anyway, Vivian has Cho Chang energy of “I’m here for a problematic romantic conflict that never needed to happen and hamfisted diversity and uhhhhhh that’s it! I won’t exist after book 5!”

What a step down from dueling on top of the train, right? Like this whole time you could have just dueled next to it? What? In this show?

The rest of the party show up to the train station, where there’s really no other audience watching. Like where are Rebecca’s adoring fans who were asking for her autograph like 3 episodes back?

Card culture is brutal, y’all.

Vivian is not drawn like a 16 yo, being real. I was pretty surprised that she was under 25 according to a cursory Google search. Course, Joey Wheeler is drawn like a built adult, too, so I think the only convincing teenage child on this show is Pharaoh because at least he’s short. Just ignore how sometimes he’s got muscles on his arms that have no right to be there at the age of 16. (17?)

Then we had like a little Season Zero vibes where everyone just picks on Yugi for a hot minute.

And so Tea’s character development comes full circle as she realizes that this whole time, the Female Friend she needed was already here in the form of that small child who has a crush on her kinda boyfriend.

This was such an episode written by a bunch of dudes.

But at least Rebecca and Tea found something in common, although I really wish it wasn’t Yugi, considering how little on screen development he has with either of them. Where’s the reward for me as the viewer? If I cared about either of this love pentagon at all (well, hexagon...Bakura’s still in there.) there will never be a payout. You very well may be waiting forever for a relationship the writers clearly had never any intention to ever write except to act as a foil for our protagonists instead of like...a relationship.

And the show seems a little inconsistent with the relationship between Rebecca and Tea, too. They hang out a lot as the girls on the sideline, and appear to get along a lot of the time--but then they hate eachother a lot of the time as well because of jealousy? It’s just so weird.

I feel like TV shows in general have a really hard time approaching girl friendships, and speaking as a girl, I wish TV and books recognized more that our female friendships don’t have to be so freakin serious. We just act friendly and that’s freakin it.

That and these girls are going to go right back to hating eachother half the time after this is over because the main problem--Yugi not piping up and telling one of them to back the hell off--has never been addressed and never will be because Yugi is a broken, broken wet blanket.

Back at the base, Seto is also making up his own problems to be upset about in the absence of any apocalypses happening on screen.

Unless that hacker is Noah Kaiba, you’re probably fine. I really haven’t had too much of a reason to feel any fear over Zigfried von Schroeder. And maybe it’s because his character design was pretty complicated so no one wanted to draw it.

This was a ‘who’s on first’ joke but still.

...why do cards have to be like this?

Also, I didn’t see anything about this nonsense in the speedrun I watched the other night so, guys, this game ain’t real.

Anyway, Rebecca won.

We find out a little more of what happens to other duelists. Our Cowboy lost to a Sherlock Holmes boy, and I was very happy that I don’t have to come up with jokes about country music because I have none other than like...Taylor Swift jokes? Does she still count as country? I have no idea what’s going on in the country music scene.

On other side of the park, Yugioh decide to pay another tribute to the creative crotch shot with one of these:

Rex and Weevil are off to fight the big bad, and when you think “OK, we’re gonna get a wacky duel battle with these two balancing on top of eachother,” they kinda whiffed it before they made it to the stage.

And then I kind of whiffed it when I realized that Mokuba and Weevil have never spoken in the same place before and they have the same exact font color so fml.

The fact that Mokuba didn’t realize anything was wrong until they fell and revealed they were two small adults in a trench coat says a lot about most of the competitors in this duel.

It is incredible how both the Battle City Tournament and the Kaiba Corp Tourney (s that it’s name?) are both poorly managed, but in a different way. The Battle City Tourney unfortunately had a bunch of murderers in it. This tournament, no one is killing eachother, but they are still kind of sneaking in through the back door and being chronically late to everything.

(and I just want to point out that after the last match Mokuba oversaw that had Joey nearly miss the appointment, Mokuba decided to set this one in front of a Giant Clock just to get his point across)

So Zigfried has some sort of flying horse card that wiped them out right away, which makes you wonder........

.............why use any other cards?

Kaiba makes these cards, right????

Like he should be the last person who’s surprised????

Anyway, Zigfried top-decked a horse, and the guy who spends about 15 minutes getting ready his big ol blue eyes dragons every match he’s ever played was like “Yo I have GOT to get into speedrunning!”

And yes, the speedrun I was watching did not use Blue Eyes White Dragons. They were using a bunch of other stuff that I tried to look up just now and the art is completely different from what I recall so...unfortunately that means that your game is fake. Pretty sure it’s fake and you have no way to prove to me this is real.

Anyway, that’s it for now, not much to say since we’re still at the beginning of the arc. Next week I guess we’ll find out if Seto ever removes his ass from this chair.

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

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aurathian · 3 years

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I saw that your requests were open. Being inspired recently by the Queen's Gambit, what if there was a chess board in the library and (pre Knight Attendant) Link walked by one day, noticing that one white pawn has been started. After much curious speculation, he moves a black and goes about his day. Unbeknownst to him, his opponent is none other than Princess Zelda. I'll leave the exposition and dramatic reveal to you, my friend :)

This was really so much fun to write and a very unique request! Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy what I came up with.

Checkmate

Link was often assigned the boring task of patrolling the castle while his fellow knights ventured out to Hyrule Field to slay monsters. It's not that he was a bad fighter—it was quite the opposite, actually. He was too good and often left the other knights behind, slaughtering any and every monster in his way and leaving none for them. Eventually, their commander decided that Link was "hogging too much of the fun" and chose to put him on castle patrol. Despite the prestige of the job title, it was more embarrassing than anything. When put on castle patrol, a knight had to wear the royal guard attire: a blue and red tunic, white boots and gloves, and a beret everyone but the royalty of Hyrule found ridiculous and humiliating. Still, he tied up his hair and put on the beret and the gloves and the tunic in the morning before heading off to the main part of the castle from the barracks. He was never one to voice his dissatisfaction; or voice anything, really.

While he strolled around the outside of the castle, right along its stone brick walls, it began to rain. First lightly, and then it gradually became heavier. When he heard thunder in the distance, he chose to retreat to the inside of the castle under the guise that he had completed patrolling the outside.

He walked into the library, a long and grand room lined top to bottom with bookshelves. Tables dotted the open space in the center of the room, books piled on top or papers scattered over the surface. The second level of the library was a balcony that wrapped around the room before meeting at a grand staircase. Small tables were placed against the railing on the edge of the balcony, usually covered with books or loose papers. People—servants, royal knights, castle staff—walked around the library, their noses buried in the pages of books, some sitting at tables and discussing the contents of the pages before them.

Link wandered aimlessly up to the second level. He didn't really care where he went as long as he kept moving and it looked like he was doing his job. Hands behind his back, he walked along the balcony, between the bookshelves and the tables, glancing at the spine of a book every now and then. The sheer amount of content the library had was baffling. It completely dwarfed the little shelf they had in the barracks that carried twenty or so books.

He was surprised that most of the tables on the upper level were empty or rather clean, boasting almost dustless surfaces and maybe a singular book. He thought it was peculiar when he came across a table with a chess board on top, the pieces all neatly in their place except for one white pawn. He strode over to it, his boots clicking neatly on the tiled floor, and leaned over the board. Why was there a chess game in progress when nobody was sitting at the table? He rubbed his chin and squinted in thought.

He knew very little about chess. Of course he knew the small pieces were called pawns and the term "checkmate," but besides that he was clueless. He'd watched his father play it many times when he was younger, but those memories were faded and distant. Curiously, he fingered the dark wooden piece shaped like a horse and after a moment of contemplation, he moved it over the pawn in front of it. He heard footsteps fast approaching him and he looked up to see a royal knight striding toward him, a serious look on his face. Link immediately straightened and walked away quickly, stiff and panicked, hoping he wasn't about to getting scolded in the room where everything echoed. It'd be more embarrassing than the beret on his head.

Finally out of the library and out of sight from the royal guard, he relaxed and carried on with his patrolling of the castle.

When he returned to the library the next day, once again on castle patrol, another white piece had moved—another pawn forward one space. He pulled a chair out from the table and sat down. His foot brushed against something solid below the table, and he peered down to see a book titled How to Play Chess. Picking it up, he opened the book and was displeased at, despite its tiny structure, the even smaller font. He navigated to the section about how to move pieces and, after reading it, chose to just move a pawn. The information from the book simply refused to translate to his brain. He never quite understood chess. There were too many rules and technicalities and it seemed too complicated for him, but he was committed to this game of chess and was determined to finish it. He grabbed the pawn by the small bulb on top and shifted it forward.

He followed the same routine for days—wake up, get dressed in the silly uniform, make his way to the library, move a piece, and continue patrol.

On another dark and stormy day when he chose to retreat into the library for cover from the rain, he made his way straight to the game of chess on the upper balcony. It was a challenge trying to navigate the library due to the fact that the light from the sconces and candles didn’t travel very far and he had to rely on his own vision to find his way. He was puzzled when he saw a slowly swaying flame hovering over the chess board as a silhouette of a hand grabbed a piece and moved it. It grabbed another piece and moved it off the board.

Cautiously, he approached the table. The flame floated up to illuminate the face that owned the hand that so expertly shifted the chess piece. Almost immediately, partly out of habit and partly out of respect, he knelt on the ground and lowered his head and his gaze to the tile floor. His heart raced as he thought about who stood before him, about who so confidently moved that white chess piece and took his off the board.

“Hello,” Princess Zelda said, stepping closer. “You can stand up.”

So he stood up.

“Are you the one I’ve been playing chess with?”

Shyly, he nodded.

“Well, that’s wonderful.” Her eyes and her smile were soft and kind, contrary to the image he’d painted of her before—uppity and snobbish. “What’s your name?”

She was wearing her deep blue dress and a crown rested atop her forehead. Her blonde hair rolled down her back in thick waves and her green eyes sparkled in the firelight. “Soldier?” she called, trying to reach him beyond his thoughts, beyond his admiration of her noble and clean appearance.

“Uh... Link. My name is Link.” Like a fool, he stumbled over his words, but he assumed she must’ve been used to it. Someone so intimidating must rarely receive neatly and confidently said words. His voice was quiet, as it was rare for him to speak, and he figured there must be something illegal about unknowingly playing chess with the princess of Hyrule.

“Well,” she sighed, gesturing to the chess board next to them. “Checkmate.” His gaze followed her hand to where his dark wooden king was sitting to the side of the board.

“Oh.” Link said dumbly. He didn’t understand what was happening at all during the weeklong game, and the book only helped him to understand how the pieces moved and what they were called. The rest of its contents were too wordy and technical for him to grasp.

“Do you... know how to play chess?” she asked, but he could tell that she knew about his incompetence at the game. He shook his head silently.

She hummed thoughtfully as she sat down at the table and began to reset the pieces. Thumbing a white pawn, she looked up at him and held her hand out to the seat across from her.

“Sit down. I’ll teach you.”

He shuffled into the chair across from her.

“I’ll go first.”

She moved her white pawn forward and the game began again.

#the legend of zelda #zelda #nintendo #loz #link #zelink #fanfiction #loz botw #botw #breath of the wild #my writing #requests

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survey--s · 2 years

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34.

What is your favorite game to play on your phone? Klondike, Solitaire Cash and Bingo Blitz. What is the last thing you bought at the dollar store? I haven’t been to the pound shop for about a year, lol. I think the last thing I bought there was an insulated coffee mug, though. Do you like getting caught in the rain? Nope, despite my job, I hate being out in the rain. Who was the last person who was rude to you? Someone I met while out on a dog walk. Do you have anyone you can really talk to? Yeah, of course.

What is your newest hobby? Horse riding. What is one way in which this year is different from last year? COVID restrictions eased for a good while which made things feel much more normal, which was definitely a nice change. Do you own a swimming pool? Ha, I wish. It’s always been one of my goals. What is your favorite thing to do in a swimming pool? Swim, sit on a lilo and relax. How long can you tread water for? I had to do it for fifteen or twenty minutes to pass some swim course in school, but I haven’t tried to do it since so I couldn’t tell you. Do you feel like you have too much on your plate and your life is too hard? Nope, even on my busiest days at work I know I’m very lucky and have things very easy compared to many others. What color is your bicycle? It’s red, but I never actually use or ride it. Do you know anyone who is colorblind? My granddad was colourblind. What color are your bedsheets right now? They’re white with dogs in santa hats all over them. What do you do when there are no new or good surveys on bzoink? I don’t use Bzoink, but if I can’t find anything on my Tumblr feed, I’ll pick a blog and look through the archives on there. Did you do anything you regret within the last 24 hours? No. What is your favorite day to go grocery shopping? I get it delivered on a Sunday night so I have everything sorted for the week ahead. Which stovetop burner do you use the most? The front-right one. Are you behind on chores? No.

How many months until your birthday? My birthday was nine days ago. Do you wish you had someone you could go to for support? I do have that, thankfully. Would you follow God even if it meant losing your home, your source of food, all of your friends, or even your life? I don’t believe in God, and why would any God want you to lose any of those things in the first place? Who do you wish you were best friends with right now? I’m happy with my current friend and acquaintances. Who's death has affected you the most? I honestly haven’t been badly affected by anyone’s death. Do you have a youtube channel? No. ^If yes, do your parents approve of it? It wouldn’t be their business either way, I’m 33 years old. Have you made any huge mistakes? Of course. Do you think everyone has made huge mistakes? Yeah, absolutely. Nobody lives a perfect life.

What was the last thing you ate? Chicken crackling. Have you ever grown sunflowers? I have a feeling I have - I think we had to do it as a project in primary school. What was the last thing you bought at the Farmer's Market? I haven’t been to one of those for years, but probably fresh bread or sausages. Do you know what you are going to wear for the 4th of July? That isn’t a thing here. Do you own a boat? No. Have you ever been in prison? I’ve visited like, ancient prisons and jails and stuff, but I’ve never been an inmate anywhere or visited anyone in prison. Are you scared to stand up to a police officer? Yeah, I would be. Do you have a dreamcatcher in your room? No. Have you downloaded unique fonts for your computer? No. What was the last thing you played on your phone? Klondike. What's one item on your wish list right now? Riding stuff - I need a hat, boots and a crop. What is your doctor's first name? I don’t have a specific doctor, I just see whoever is available at my practise.

#survey #surveys

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candychronicles · 4 years

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deal // d. kaminari

A/N: My part in the soulmate au bnharem server collab!

CHARACTER PAIRING: Kaminari Denki x Reader

WORD COUNT: 2,187

WARNINGS: nothing that i can think of? just dumb, sweet fluff

SYNOPSIS: in a world full of heros and quirks, finding someone you can love is very, very hard. it’s even harder when you have a soulmate and the words that are tattooed on you are a nightmare. but still, even in this strange world, love finds a way.

TAGS: @jojosmilktea @redbeanteax

Want to be a part of my taglist? Message me!

Want to indulge in some more soulmate ideas? Head on over to the masterlist!

---

in a world full of heros and quirks, finding someone you can love is very, very hard. everyone has the first words your soulmate will ever say to you tattooed on your body. there is not one size, placing or font. it just slowly develops into a full fledged sentence, like a birthmark, as you got older and were able to read more.

some people were absolutely desperate to find their soulmate. they would introduce themselves to as many people as possible, trying out different phrasings constantly. there was a whole app created that was dedicated to sharing your tattoo and trying to meet up with people that matched it. most people, however, believed that soulmates should and would come naturally.

when you were 7, your tattoo was finally developed, and you craned your neck in an attempt to see what was written down your spine. it took you quite a while to figure out the words due to your limited reading abilities and more so the fact that it was hard to read in the mirror. when you finally figured it out, you were absolutely dumbfounded.

“aah! stop! i could’ve dropped my croissant!”

what in the peanut butter fudge does that mean?

you decided that at 7 years old, it didn’t matter to you. it wasn’t until you were twelve that it was even brought back up again. a popular six second video platform went viral and, along with that, came the understanding of where your tattoo came from. suddenly, it was very, very scary, knowing how commonplace your tattoo phrase was.

your heart was broken one too many times by not finding your soulmate, despite hearing those very words over and over again from so many people. you had memorized vine after vine, trying out different ones each time, slowly giving up hope as you approached your 21st birthday. while the platform was dead, the creations made on the app were a forever reminder that you were still, in fact, alone.

on one particularly dark and gloomy afternoon, with heavy, overcast clouds, a thin drizzle of cold rain and a calming yet eerie fog settling onto the street, you walked into your secret, hidden to many, coffee shop, or at least it felt like that for you. you tended to see the same familiar faces, knew all the employees and always tried new things, wanting to support a local business.

you were lost in your own thought when a young man, most likely around your age, bumped into you, balancing precariously a plate with treats and a hot coffee.

“aah! stop! i could’ve dropped my croissant!” he screeched, moving his food and drink away from you, not wanting to spill any, especially on the pretty girl he just bumped into.

without missing a beat, you replied with your own vine reference in the most monotone voice you could muster: “you know what, i’m about to say it. i don’t care than you broke your elbow.”

you were so accustomed to replying to that reference, your brain working before you could even think, randomly grasping at the first memorization that came to mind. it came as a complete shock when the random stranger dropped his food and drink on the floor, mouth wide with a grin, eyes alight with excitement.

you cocked your head quizzically, still not understanding what was going on. at that point in your life, you had given up on finding your soulmate, but it became quite apparent to you that he did not believe the same things or feel the same way.

the strange guy with electric yellow hair and a black streak happily rolled up his shirt sleeve to show you that what you said to him was on his body and, in that moment, everything finally clicked. you had to grab the nearest wall just to wrap your head around the situation. this guy is your soulmate?

with shaky hands, you pulled him to the back game room, apologizing to the workers for the mess as you whisked past him. once you were in the room, you shut the door, breathed once, twice, three times, and then slowly lifted the back of your shirt up to show him the tattoo.

the strange man, without thinking about it, slowly reached his fingers up to the back of your spine, slowly tracing the letters of the words in mesmiration. you, on the other hand, were as still as could be, too entranced by the way his soft fingers felt dancing along your backside. goosebumps rose on your skin and you knew that there was no way to deny or argue the automatic attraction that you felt towards him.

it felt like lightning bolts were shooting out of his fingers, giving you just enough jolt to stay awake, your heart pounding from adrenaline. everything felt so surreal but you could feel that this was the start of something, something truly life changing.

slowly, you lowered your shirt, pulling your back away from his exploring fingers and turned around, looking him in the eye.

“what’s your name?” you whispered out, not trusting your voice to speak any louder at the moment.

“Kaminari Denki, but please, call me Denki,” he answered without skipping a beat, eyes brimming with excitement.

“and what’s yours doll?”

“(l/n) (y/n) but you can just call me (y/n). after all, we’re probably going to be spending quite a lot of time together.”

“while your here, why don’t you sit down with me and we can chat? i just met you but i’m so love struck already. i need to know more about you.”

the two of you ended up spending hours in the shop, stuffing your faces full of pastries and sweet drinks, playing board games, asking each other questions, shamelessly flirting all night. it came as no surprise to either of you that you two would like each other, but to be so content telling a practical stranger your whole life story was still a bit overwhelming for you. you two exchanged numbers and on you went with the rest of your night, then the next day, and then the whole week.

it was practically killing you inside knowing that Denki had not called you yet. he mentioned he was a pro hero, so you knew he must be busy, but the thought of never being able to talk to him again drove you mad. little did you know, Denki was thinking the same things, wondering if he was good enough for you, if you really liked him, if you even wanted to see him again.

after all the moping around you did by yourself, you finally gained the courage to call, leaving a polite message in the voicemail box asking for him to call and discuss some things, hoping you could get some answers out of what was going on.

it only took twenty minutes before Denki’s name was flashing across your phone. you tried to play it cool, allow it to ring a couple of times, but eventually caved and answered, trying to not appear too excited or frazzled.

the conversation ended up lasting hours, with plans to meet up later that week. you two both chuckled when realizing you both felt the same way, not wanting to call if the other wasn’t interested.

the week went by quickly, the first official date arriving much sooner than you expected. Denki had told you nothing except to wear comfortable tennis shoes and athletic clothes. you assumed maybe a hike but you were not prepared for what he actually signed up for: rock climbing.

while heights weren’t your biggest fear, they certainly weren’t something you enjoyed, but you were going to push through and have fun. Kaminari brought out the best in you, fueling your adrenaline side a lot more than expected.

the whole experience was going great, Kaminari going up with you a couple of times to show you the ropes, both literally and physically, when he suggested you try one on your own. it was an indoor facility with plenty of padding, safety ropes and trained staff if any issues arose, but still, it was more terrifying than you were expecting.

you set a slow but steady pace, finally reaching the top, Kaminari cheering you from below. you looked down to give him a smile and a wave, realizing that was a bad idea only when you saw how far you had to jump back down. Kaminari saw it in your face and internally panicked, not sure how to help you in the situation, until he came up with an idea.

“just jump! i’ll catch you. i promise!” he yelled, arms outstretched and ready for your descent.

all it took was a few deep breaths before you let go, jumping down the wall, slipping halfway and fearing you would get injured. Kaminari, however, stayed true to his promise, catching you steadily in his arms, a cheeky, self-satisfied grin on his face.

“i’m picking the date next time,” you declared with a cheeky smile of your own, shimmying out of his grasp.

true to your word, your second official date was picked by yourself, something that was still interesting and adrenaline inducing at times without the fear of dropping from big heights: horseback riding.

you had assumed after the first date he took you to that this would be a nice reprieve from his daily adventures, which was true. what you didn’t assume, however, was the fact that Kaminari was mildly terrified of the giant creatures with hooves.

“oh come on! what are you afraid of?”

“getting kicked, getting bitten, stepped on, bucked off, the list is endless…”

“i won’t let anything happen to you. you caught me last time so i’ll make sure to have your back this time.”

as the day went on, you soon realized that you didn’t need to keep an eye on him. he was riding his horse very well, becoming in tune with his posture and seating, overall making the horse happier. he didn’t even want to leave after your trail ride was all over, you having to drag him back to the car as he stared out the window with puppy dog eyes.

when you made it back to your apartment, you turned towards him, ready to thank him for yet another lovely day, when you felt a pair of warm, eager lips attach themselves onto your own. you were dumbfounded for a minute, not understanding what was going on and therefore not responding. Denki almost took it as a sign that he was going too fast, preparing to pull away when your brain and body finally caught back up.

your lips moved in sync with his, wet tongues and teeth clashing. it wasn’t the prettiest kiss you ever had, but it was filled with such passion and longing that you didn’t know how you were able to pull away.

“wow…” Denki said breathlessly, hands coming up to cup your face and lean in for one more kiss.

“there’s plenty more where that came from,” you squeaked, trying to sound confident but coming out overly excited and slightly embarrassed.

Denki’s face suddenly turned very serious and he shifted in his seat to get a better look at you, you doing the same.

“(y/n), i know we’ve only been going on dates for a couple weeks, and i know there’s still so much more that i want to know about you, but i cannot, in good conscience, let you leave this car without me asking if you want to be my girlfriend. so uh, what do you think?”

your body responded immediately this time, your head bobbing up and down in confirmation, composing yourself for a second before you responded.

“Denki, we’re soulmates. i know it’s fucking scary, i know it may seem even weird, but i have never felt this way about anyone or even anything. i want to be your girlfriend as badly as i want you to be my boyfriend. so yes, boyfriend, i would love to go steady with you.”

before he could respond, you raised one finger in silence, commenting, “but, from now on, we pick the dates together.”

“deal! and uh, i know we’re in your driveway already, but there’s this really good noodle place down the road, and i’m starving. would you want to come with me? i’ll pay,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, a light flush on his face.“oh, well, if you’re paying, i guess i have no reason to say no, huh?” you joked back, laughing and sticking your tongue out at him.

you both giggled at that, completely isolated from the outside world. at that moment, it was just you and him. while the relationship was still fresh and new, it felt like you guys knew each other for years and yet knew nothing about each other. it didn’t matter, though, because you two knew that things would only get better from there, and you were both prepared for whatever came your way.

#denki kaminari #kaminari denki #kaminari x reader #denki x reader #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #boku no hero x reader

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swaps55 · 4 years

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Please, please, the coffee, number 48. (Having Citadel DLC flashbacks)

Wordless Ways to Say “I Love You”

48. Getting them a coffee just the way they like it.

A few minutes after Shepard gets home, the coffee pot starts running. Kaidan glances towards the kitchen from his spot on the couch with mild curiosity and a pinch of disappointment. Rare for Shepard to get back and not drop in for a hello before getting caught up in something else. Also a surprise that he’s still on his feet. He’s been gone since breakfast, dinner’s not far off and his bad hip just doesn’t last that long.

He almost gets up to go into the kitchen and investigate. Instead he sulks and goes back to his book. He might be a little grumpier about the missing hello kiss than he’d like to let on.

A few minutes later Shepard finally appears and sets a mug of coffee on the side table next to Kaidan’s arm. Kaidan looks at the mug, then looks up at Shepard. Shepard crosses his arms and shifts his weight to his left foot.

“What’s this?” Kaidan asks.

“I brought you coffee.”

Kaidan peers suspiciously into the mug. “Why did you bring me coffee?”

“You like coffee.”

“Did you make the coffee?”

Shepard makes the face he makes when he’d rather make another face but is trying to be patient. “Yes. I made the coffee.”

“Which brings us back to…why did you bring me coffee?”

Shepard sighs in exasperation as he picks up the mug and forcibly hands it to him. “It’s not me coffee, it’s you coffee.”

Kaidan inspects it one more time. “Is there cream in this?”

“Yes.”

“You never put cream in coffee.”

“Yeah, when I drink it. I made it for you.”

“Why?” Kaidan demands.

Shepard throws his hands up. “Why can’t I just make you coffee?”

“Because it’s four in the afternoon, and you never make me coffee. In fact, you take great joy in pointing out all the ways I drink coffee wrong, even though everyone you have ever met has taken away your coffee pot privileges.”

“You let me make coffee.”

“Yeah, because I love you, and we have a pact that you will never inflict your interpretation of coffee on me.”

Shepard’s eyes narrow. “How much do you love me.”

“What did you do.”

“Nothing!”

“What did you do.”

He grins. “I brought you coffee.”

“Sam—”

Shepard clears his throat, drops his chin and fidgets with his hands. “I also might have come back from town with something that wasn’t on the list.”

A million different scenarios run through Kaidan’s mind. Shepard had gone out to drop off a few cartons of the Cortland apples to the distributor, with plans to stop for feed, fertilizer, and some lumber to fix the fence where Echo had popped a board off because the grass on the other side looked more appetizing. That leaves a lot of room for error.

“Please tell me you didn’t come back with another horse.”

Shepard brightens. “No. Not a horse. See? It’s not that bad.” He offers a hand to pull Kaidan up off the couch, which Kaidan takes warily. Shepard grimaces as he bears Kaidan’s weight to haul him to his feet, but when the pain passes his expression becomes a font of hope. He hands Kaidan the mug. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

The crazy thing is, the coffee is good.

“Do you mean to tell me that all this time you’ve been perfectly capable of making a cup of coffee that doesn’t taste like motor oil?” he complains as Shepard leads him towards the barn, the hand not holding the mug firmly clasped in his.

“I’m keeping the mystery alive,” Shepard replies.

“You’re sure you didn’t come back with a horse,” Kaidan says skeptically as they walk past Echo’s stall to the empty one beside it. Except, it’s not empty.

A dog looks up at him from inside, floppy ears rising at the sight of Kaidan’s face.

“Not a horse,” Shepard declares.

A curved, shaggy tail wags hopefully. The dog is ash grey all over save for a splash of white on the paws and a streak down the belly that looks like a swipe of paint.

“You got a dog?” Kaidan asks, not sure yet if he’s surprised, irritated or disappointed he didn’t get to help pick it out.

“I didn’t get one,” Shepard says carefully. “More like, she started following me around at the feed store and refused to take no for an answer. She chased the skycar for half a mile on three legs before I stopped and let her in.”

One of her hind legs – the right one – cocks to the side at an odd angle. When she moves toward the door, wagging her tail more insistently now, Kaidan spots a knotted scar runs that runs from her haunch down to her hock.

Shepard opens up the stall door just enough to slip inside. He crouches down and offers a hand – the equine therapy has at least helped him develop an instinct for animals – letting the dog sniff his fingers. After a moment she licks his palm.

“Good dog,” he coos, scritching an ear.

Kaidan rests his arms against the stall door, subtle smile spreading across his face. “So we have a dog now, huh?”

Shepard flashes him a guilty look. “Depends. How good is the coffee?”

Kaidan chuckles and takes a sip. “Pretty good, actually. Does she have a name? Do you know anything about her?”

“Guy at the feed store says she’s been wandering around for a month or so. They’ve been giving her scraps. No one’s come looking for her. She’s friendly, just a little shy.”

“Likes you, though.”

Shepard grins. “So do you. See? You already have something in common.”

To hell with coffee. Kaidan’s powerless against that grin and always has been. “We should find a vet. Get her checked out. And we’ll need some food. Supplies.”

Shepard takes a deep breath.

“You already got stuff, didn’t you,” Kaidan says with a sigh.

“Maybe? Good coffee, right?”

Kaidan laughs, joins him in the stall and sits down against the wall, hand extended. The dog approaches, carefully, but not fearfully, tail wagging steadily.

“Haven’t had a dog since I was a kid,” Kaidan murmurs.

Shepard moves to sit beside him, sticking his right leg out with a grunt.

“You two also have something in common it seems,” Kaidan says with a raised eyebrow.

“Her scar is a lot more badass than mine.”

The dog, apparently convinced she’s in good hands, curls up at their feet and puts her head on her paws.

“She’s quiet,” Kaidan observes.

“She’s had a long day,” Shepard replies.

“More than one, from the looks of it.” Kaidan peers down at her, ruffles her ears. “Looks like you need a break, huh? Somewhere good and warm to sleep.”

She whines, wriggles a little closer to give him easier access for petting.

Shepard runs fingers through her fur, then hooks an arm around Kaidan’s waist. “So it’s okay? We can keep her?”

“Name one time I have ever been able to resist you.”

He considers this. “So you’re saying I wasted the coffee ace I had up my sleeve.”

Kaidan takes another sip. “Oh, no. I’m putting this newfound knowledge to good use. You’re fucked, Sam. You don’t know it yet but you’re going to spoil me rotten.”

Shepard nuzzles his neck. “Don’t mind spoiling you. Even if your taste in coffee is atrocious.”

The dog gets back to her feet, nosing at them curiously. Shepard rubs her head.

“So what should we name her?” Kaidan asks as the dog flops down and rolls onto her back, legs sticking out in all directions.

Ok. Definitely friendly.

Shepard tilts his head. “Mako.”

Kaidan groans. “Fuck your tank.”

“I loved that tank. And besides, she runs like it drove.”

Kaidan laughs and rubs the dog’s belly. “Ok. Mako, then. But she’s not sleeping in our bed.”

“Deal.”

Two weeks later, Kaidan wakes up to the sun streaming through blinds they’d forgotten to close the night before. He squints, grumbles, and rolls over into a wall of grey fur. Mako cranes her head to look at him, eyes wary as she gauges how long she’s going to be allowed to keep her spot.

“Why are you here,” Kaidan grumbles. “This is not the kind of cuddling I had in mind.”

She licks his nose.

“Sam,” Kaidan complains.

When Shepard replies it’s not from his side of the bed but the doorway, where he stands holding Kaidan’s favorite mug.

“I made you coffee,” he says with a grin.

#mshenko #kaidan alenko #mass effect #my fic #scarletthalloran #ALL THE FLUFF #SO MUCH FLUFF

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sensenoi · 4 years

Text

Rating Every Single Name of the Wind Cover

Why? Because I can. I am not a graphic designer, just a person with opinions.

Criteria for consideration: Must be a cover in a published edition of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Hardcover, paperback, and ebook are all fair game, as are foreign language editions. Some editions reuse the same cover art, in which case I only rate one cover. Some editions modify cover art from another edition. If the differences are substantial, I’ll rate both.

Kindle March 2007 Edition

Ah, the famous shirtless redhead cover. This cover is a bit infamous in the fandom for being both bad and cringey. This is not good art. It’s cheesy. The shirtless aspect is silly, and the windswept hair is so windswept, you’d think Kvothe was in a tornado. Nice balance with the title and author text, although it looks like the title and author text are slightly off center.

3/10

Hardcover April 2007 Edition This is just a zoomed in crop of the above cover, which is a little lazy. It does make for a better cover image, except the creepy goat man bust has nothing to do with the plot of Name of the Wind. So I suppose they cancel out.

3/10

Mass Market Paperback April 2009 Edition

I despise this cover. It’s a lazy design, and the photo manipulation is terrible. Points I guess for good title text placement. But the photo manipulation is so! So! Bad! This is also the start of the trend of a hooded, cloaked figure with his back to the viewer staring out into the void. It is a bad trend.

2/10

Paperback UK June 2008 Edition

We’re still with the hooded, cloaked figure, but at least he’s facing front this time. I like the embellishment on the ‘W’ in the title text, although it gets a little pumpkin viney. Overall, it’s an ok cover. It doesn’t make me cringe, but it doesn’t grab the viewer’s interest, either.

4/10

Paperback Spanish May 2009 Edition

Same image as the previous cover, but this one is uncropped and has a different plant border. I’m not sure how successful the changes are. On the one hand, shrinking the image of the figure makes the figure look more mysterious, which is good. But on the other hand, this is a bad plant border. I thought there was some corn on the right side for a minute.

4/10

Hardcover 10th Anniversary October 2017 Edition

10th Anniversary edition got fancy, and it shows. I love the ruin influence in the title text, which is a great callback to the use of ruins in the novel and also a more creative and unexpected choice than making the title text leafy. That being said, the “of the” in the title text is very oddly formatted and doesn’t fit the style. The cover illustration is pretty great, with lots of symbolism for old fans while still maintaining visual interest for new readers who are browsing and happen to pick the book up. The Cinder statue is delightfully creepy and much more relevant to the novel than the dumb pan statue from the earlier cover.

9/10

Paperback Turkish March 2007 Edition

Another trend starting here: Cloaked figure staring out at a city in the distance. I like the painting, at least what I can see of it. I find the choice to crop out most of the painting really bizarre. Is this supposed to be a telescope we’re looking through? And the leaves look like lily pads. The title and author text leaf embellishments are quite nice here, but I don’t know why there’s a metallic color shift. Overall, a poor use of space.

4/10

Hardcover German March 2007 Edition

Oh look! A cloaked figure staring at a city. What a surprise. I rather like the title text design, which is pretty creative and a good way to make the title visually appealing. I wish the city in the painting weren’t so damn faded and distant – I think it’s a mistake to keep the visual focus on the figure exclusively and only hint at the city beyond.

6/10

Paperback Portuguese September 2009 Edition

This cover is terrible. I would say the worst, but there’s more still to come. Anyways, this is incredibly bad. We’re once again with the hooded, cloaked figure with his back to the viewer, which is a lazy and uninteresting pose. The image is badly photoshopped and looks like an alternate movie poster for The Blair Witch Project. There’s nothing interesting about the image, nothing that interests the viewer. The title font isn’t boring, I guess. That’s the only good thing I have to say about this. 1/10

Paperback Portuguese July 2009 Edition

Still another cloaked figure staring off at a distant city, but this is one my favorite versions of this trope. The city is far enough in the middle distance that the figure is the main focus, but we can still see enough of the city to see that it’s cool looking. I’m glad to see the bridge from the books, which is a nice detail. The title text does a good job of filling in the empty space of the painting without crowding the other elements.

9/10

Paperback French November 2009 Edition

This is the same cover image as before, but it’s been cropped so that the figure is centered. I don’t like the change – the balance is better when the figure is off center. Also, the title text is way too big and dominates, which is unfortunate because the Spanish cover had such a lovely balance throughout. 7/10

Hardcover Dutch July 2007 Edition

Yet. Another. Hooded figure. Staring. At a city. Wow. This one has a tree, at least. The image is… fine? I might be kinder to it if I hadn’t seen several better iterations of this right before. Because so much of the image is shrouded in fog, there’s very little to go on in terms of visual interest. And while I don’t mind the shadowed, muted color scheme, it also means that there’s very little to distinguish the cloaked figure and make him intriguing. The shadow initials behind the title text is horrific and obscures the title somewhat, so docking a couple of points for that. 5/10

Hardcover UK January 2017 Edition

Ahahahaha. This looks like the My Neighbor Totoro edition of Name of the Wind. It’s very silly and lighthearted, but wholly inappropriate for a book whose reading level is above first grade. If this was a kid’s book, I’d give it full marks. But Name of the Wind is very much for adults, and this cover is way too young and childish.

1/10

Paperback Polish August 2008

YIKES. I cannot figure out which scene or location from the book this image is trying to evoke, which makes me think the cover artist did not have the book or a text excerpt to work from. What the hell are those weird horse skulls? Why is this taking place in a desert? Why is the texture so bad? So many questions. And the effect on the title text is bad.

0/10 YES WE CAN GO LOWER THAN 1

Hardcover Russian 2010 Edition

This looks like the cover to a Dungeons and Dragons manual. I suppose that’s supposed to be from the Dracchus scene with Denna, but the image doesn’t look quite right for Name of the Wind. It’s just so generic fantasy. I also don’t like how the image is cropped top and bottom to make way for a very generic marble background. Still, the image is colorful and exciting, even if it could be the cover for any fantasy novel ever.

5/10

Paperback UK 2011 Edition

What the FUCK happened here? Who let this shit happen?

-10/10

Hardcover Finnish August 2010 Edition

Ooooh, more Miyazaki fanart! This is actually quite lovely, and it fits the tone of the books much better than the kids book cover from before. I love how soft and gentle the painting is. Notice the color balance. I don’t know if this cover really ‘grabs’ you or draws interest, but it’s one of my favorites of the bunch.

10/10

Paperback Bulgarian October 2010 Edition

I reserve the right to change my opinion later, but this may be the worst contender in the cloaked and hooded figure from behind category. I actually had to double check that this wasn’t a reused image from the mass market paperback edition, but nope! This is a brand new cover image, and it’s absolute shit. The lighting is so dark it’s impossible to make out details, the balance is way off, and the cover and title text are placed over the figure (aka the only object of interest) instead of the boring, generic storm clouds.

0/10

Hardcover Lithuanian 2011 Edition

YIKES times two. This cover art is truly awful in ways I didn’t know could still happen. Kvothe’s face looks ‘off’ because the facial proportions are all wrong. The blue mystical katana is bizarre because there’s no magical sword, much less a katana, in the story. And is that a photo of Stonehenge in the background? With yet another hooded figure?! I do like the gold foil of the title and the golden dragon embellishment, but the rest of this is such shit.

0/10

Paperback Serbian February 2011

And we’re back in the safe territory of a cloaked figure staring off at a distant city! All these covers are starting to run together, but this is a new cover art. It just looks like all the others. Once again, it’s fine. The city is a little too distant and greyed out to hold interest, and the figure is kind of generic.

5/10

Paperback Italian 2008 Edition

I do not know what happened here. Who is this figure supposed to be? I cannot for the life of me figure out which character this is. It’s a shame, because it’s well-done art with a cool character and costume design. The title and author text obscure the image, though, and the shadow on the text is so extreme it’s hilarious.

0/10

Hardcover Hungarian 2009 Edition

This is just boring. There’s no information conveyed here, nothing interesting or arresting to attract the viewer’s attention. The translucent overlay on the title is an odd choice.

2/10

Paperback Persian 2016 Edition

I believe this was originally a fanart of Kvothe (correct me if I’m wrong please), but it’s a good one. The tree shadow in the back is distracting and obscures the handle of the lute on his back, though. I wish there was more here – it feels very spare in an unintentional way.

6/10

Hardcover Georgian 2016 Edition

Cloaked and hooded figure staring off into the distance, check. I’m not crazy about this one – the art is very soft in a blurred kind of way, and it reads as a little humdrum. The tower in the distance is quite dull – it looks like a modern office building.

4/10

Hardcover Italian October 2016 Edition

The title text is a little too high – I don’t like how it covers the figure’s chin. It’s not a bad idea to make Kvothe’s green eyes a focal point, and it’s certainly more of an original idea than most of these covers have shown. But the muted color pallete drags the whole mood down. It’s not evocative, just kind of damp.

5/10

Hardcover 10th Anniversary French November 2019

I LOVE this cover. It’s gorgeous. I love the gold foil, love the text, love the clouds. It’s stunning and timeless. Amazing.

10/10

Hardcover Latvian October 2013 Edition

It’s a cloaked figure with a city in the distance, but he’s NOT looking at the city! What!! I’m rather surprised at how few covers feature Kvothe actually playing the lute – this may be the only one, actually. I don’t like the bottom fade, and I think the design is a little generic fantasy. But it’s a nice balance, and the title text is fancy and eye-catching.

7/10

Paperback Polish 2017 Edition

This cover artist also clearly wasn’t working off an excerpt from the book. The character design is so off and unlike Kvothe, except for the cloak. Wall texture looks like a photo manipulation, which is cheap. This whole thing is bad.

0/10

Hardcover Russian 2015 Edition

What is with the Stonehenge imagery? And why is that guy floating off of Stonehenge in a modern hoodie? Why is that one leaf in the top right so huge? Why is the title text red and difficult to read? At least there’s a broken lute, I guess.

1/10

Paperback Chinese May 2012 Edition

This is incredibly lazy and the photoshop job is terrible and generic. Zero effort was put into this cover.

0/10

Hardcover Russian 2011 Edition

I’ve been pretty harsh on Russia, mostly because the Russian covers have been terrible. This is ok-ish. It’s very generic fantasy, and the castle looks like Hogwarts. But it has visual interest, even if the title text color is garish.

2/10

Japanese 2017 Edition

I quite love that they turned Kvothe into an anime character. And he’s doing stuff, too, and not just staring out into the middle distance. There’s so much imagery of the broken lute in these covers, so it’s refreshing to see the other part of this scene – when Kvothe loses his shit and finally calls the name of the wind. Fun cover, good artwork. The red title text works here because it matches Kvothe’s hair.

9/10

WORST:

BEST:

#The name of the wind #kingkiller chronicle #patrick rothfuss #book cover art #books #apologies for poor image quality i was working with what god and goodreads gave me #which was variable image quality i guess #I've been told I'm very judgemental so I decided to put those judgey skills to good use

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #435

from yesterday, don’t feel like updating the answers. :^)

When you get married what do you think you’ll put most of your focus and money into? Uhhh. I really don't know... I mean maybe doing all I can do avoid debt? That's what my parents mostly argued about, and I know financial strain can really affect a couple. I never want that burden. Who in your life causes you the most stress or negative feelings? My damn self. Have you ever had a teacher that also taught your parents? No; my parents didn't grow up here. Wait! I THINK Mom had one of my college professors? I don't recall for sure, and I definitely don't remember who it was. Are you the type of person who seeks out revenge? Nah. Are there any songs that inspire you? Certainly, such as "Life Won't Wait" by Ozzy Osbourne, "Get Up" by Shinedown, and more. How do you feel about celebrities getting involved in politics? Do you think that the celebrity world and the political world should be kept apart? Not at all; everyone has the right to share their opinion and should not feel like it's necessary to censor it. Let them be people with morals and beliefs, too. I'm totally fine with them CHOOSING to be quiet about controversial subjects, but they're more than welcome to share their thoughts on any topic. What is one pro of living where you do, and what is one con? What is a pro and a con of living where you wished you lived? I guess the only real pro (and this is horrible to be the first thought) is that we're under the radar; like, not really a target for terrorism or anything, lol. I'd get kinda nervous if I lived in, like, Washington D.C. or something. We have A LOT of cons: there is NOTHING to do, we're essentially a hub for crime, the scenery is boring and bland as fuck... I could go on for a long time. I'd love to live in many areas in North America, but I'll go with Alaska, since that would absolute RULE. A strong pro would definitely be the cold climate and the sights, but it would definitely be a con to me when that relentless dark era lasts for months on end. I need the sun (from inside anyway, ha ha) sometimes, because it being dark for what, half a year?, would really damage my happiness. What is your favorite episode of your favorite TV show? Referring to Meerkat Manor, it's actually the one where Mozart dies, I think, even though it destroyed my heart. I just think the writer portrayed it as so beautifully tragic, and the clips shown were so pretty. Does having others watch you do things make you uncomfortable? What sorts of things make you extremely uncomfortable if you are watched while doing them? Are there any things that give you confidence to do if you have an audience? ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY. Do NOT watch me on the computer (especially when writing), I literally will not draw if someone's watching (inevitably besides in Art classes, I think Sara is legit the only person who's watched me draw a bit), I really don't like people watching me edit photography, I'm nooot a fan of others seeing me exercise (though I kinda have to suck that up with having a personal trainer), etc. etc. Just don't watch me do anything, lol. I don't know what actually boosts my confidence if I'm being observed. Does someone in your house speak a different language on a regular basis? No. Do you follow or care about any big sports events? Not at all. Are there any activities people normally do together that you prefer doing alone? Hm. I dunno. If you are going somewhere where you’ll have to wait for a while (i.e. a doctor’s office), do you bring something to occupy yourself? My phone, yeah. How long is your favorite song? I checked, and it's almost six minutes. Do you think you’d ever want to be “internet famous”? I'll admit I've somewhat thought about it, only because my career choices are running so dry, and I'd be able to do it alone. However, I've got noooo idea what I'd actually do, and I also don't think I could handle ridicule or anything like that for any reason. Having a spotlight on me would stress me out. Who was the main cook of your Thanksgiving meal last year? My older sister. What moment in your life have you been most scared? Probably this one occasion where Dad had to pick my sister and me up from school one day and make the 30-minute drive home. Well. He was clearly in a hellish mood because he was flying. He ran stop signs and red lights, passed people illegally... I was in the passenger's seat and absolutely convinced we were going to crash. I can barely believe we didn't. Who was the last person you slow danced with? -_- Do you prefer headphones or earbuds? Earbuds. I like how they block out external sound better, and they don't hurt my ears like headphones do. What person/people do you trust the most? My mom. Who in your life do you care about more than yourself? My parents, sisters, my nieces and nephew, Sara... A lot of people, if I'm being honest. I don't value my life as much as I should. Which wild animal would you most like to have as a pet? I am DESPERATE to rescue an opossum one day. :''''( What teacher did all the high school boys/girls have a crush on? I have no idea. Have you ever felt seriously violated? No. Do you watch American Horror Story? I adore(d) the first season; it was mine and Jason's "show." We watched most of season two as well, but I lost interest in the later half of it. I haven't really watched it since, save for the pilot episode of some season I forgot. Does your hometown have any urban legends/scary stories? Not to my knowledge. What’s the scariest nightmare you remember having? Something involving my dad that I won't speak about. Pancakes or French toast? Oh my god, French toast. That sounds delicious rn. Are there any apps you’re addicted to? Not addicted, nah. Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? Yes; it was a bunny holding a multicolor polka-dotted blanket. Do you still collect stuffed animals? Hell yeah. Have you ever had eggs cooked over a campfire? No. What colors of mascara have you worn on your lashes? Just black. What font do you usually use? I mean, it depends on what I'm doing. Is it supposed to appear professional? Aesthetically pleasing? It varies too much to answer this with one font. What about font colors? Usually just black, but again, it depends on what I'm writing. Are you good at making graphics or designing layouts? Ha, no. Do you put gel or mousse in your hair? No. Sleep with just one pillow? No, I use two. I am VERY uncomfortable with just one. Ever woke up crying? Yeah, from nightmares. Do you like big dogs or small dogs better? It depends on the breed and their energy level. I don't really prefer one over the other as a general judgment. Are you going to graduate high school on time? I did. Been to the zoo lately? No, but I'd love to go. :/ Now that I'd consider myself at least a pretty decent photographer, I'd love to see what shots I could take. I LOVE photographing animals with how unpredictable they are. It's like playing the lottery; you really don't know what you're going to get, but you have the chance for seriously priceless moments. Even if we could afford the trip, though, I know I wouldn't last long whatsoever with my legs being as weak as gelatine. I know especially that there's a notable incline in the path, and I'd never make it up it. I really, really look forward to the day where I can really start feeling a difference in my body thanks to the gym. Have you ever been to Mississippi? No. What did you do for your last birthday? We went to The Cheesecake Factory. Do you like to cook? No. What is the worst thing that has happened to you in your entire life? If I'm looking at the big picture and what truly damaged my pleasure in life the most, it'd be developing depression and such intense anxiety. I've given up so much and changed so negatively because of it. Do you know when your next family reunion will be? We've never had one. My family is too spread out. What is your favorite thing to do with your significant other? I'm single, but even in a relationship, I love playing video games together. I've got multiple memories of just having a great time doing that. Where is “home” for you? Wherever Mom is. Is there an animal that creeps you out? Whale sharks, maggots and other bug larvae, centipedes, many beetles, and some other bugs. What is the name of the last band you discovered? Uhhh.. good question. I admittedly don't listen to new music a lot. I tend to stick to the stuff I know. Do you prefer group projects, or would you prefer to work alone? I would rather kick my ankle against a Razer scooter than do a group project. Have you ever been to Hooters? No. Do you have a brother? What’s his name? Yeah, Robert, but everyone calls him "Bobby." Have you ever thought that your life was so bad you wanted to give up? About a billion times. I still do sometimes. Do you have a ceiling fan located in your bedroom? Yes. Have you ever been in a lighthouse? No, but I was supposed to visit one in the fourth grade. The water was way too aggressive that day, though, so we had a change of plans and went to a closer island. Hell, it might have been the better option, because it had horses. I remember collecting seashells, too, and just watching the power of the ocean hammer at the shores. It was really pretty. Have you ever been bitten by an animal? Only playfully, like by a cat. Well wait, I think my old baby iguana may have bitten me once (he sure tried to, ha ha), but I don't remember for sure. Did it rain today? Yes. It rains pretty much every afternoon here in the late summer. What was the name of the last dog you pet? Zeke, my sister's German shepherd. He's adorable. Has your luggage ever been lost at the airport? Did you get it back? No. Do you have certain friends that you hug every time you see them? I pretty much always hug my friends when I see them. I'm a big hugger. Have you ever witnessed a tornado? No, thank the fucking Lord. Who is your favorite person to talk to when you’re down? Sara. What are you listening to right now? "Blood For Blood" by Powerwolf. Can you get over people easy? Hell no. I do NOT handle loss well AT ALL. And not just romantically. What was the last thing you carried to your room? A drink. Do you drink water that comes from your sink? Only once it's been filtered. Have you ever prank called the police? That is fucking awful. No. What’s your LEAST favorite smiley? XD looks so stupid to me I'm sorry lmao xD reigns supreme. Do you like Italian food? Yeah, more than I used to. Have you ever put red lipstick on just to make lip marks on something? No. Do you watch Shane Dawson on YouTube? Isn't his career pretty much toast now? I DID used to love his videos, though. I still occasionally watch his fiance, though, and he pops up sometimes. Regardless of everything, I still think he's funny as fuck. Would you ever spend a day to see what it’s like to be homeless? NOOOOOOO NO NO NO NO. I am TERRIFIED of living on the streets someday. I want NO idea what it's like. Is the house you’re currently living in over 50 years old? I highly doubt that. Have you ever had a yard sale? Many. What is your favorite color? Baby pink. Did you have a good day or a bad day? Today was extreeeemely dull and felt like it lasted eons. Do you know anyone that has/had cancer? I sadly know maaaaany. Have you ever read somebody else’s diary? No, that is incredibly rude. Do you enjoy going to school? I hated it from start to end. Like I have good memories, but overall, I hated school. Were you a big jump roper back in the day? OHHHH YES. I almost learned how to double-dutch, even. I could jump with two ropes, but not jump in with two. Are you a local celebrity? Definitely not. Do you eat candy daily? No. I'm already fat dude, I don't need candy. I avoid candy as best as I can. Do you get nervous with public speaking? Like you would not believe. How old were you when you got your driver's license (if you have it)? I'm 25 and still don't have it. Has someone of the opposite sex ever told you they loved you? Yes. What memory are you most afraid of losing? Meh, I don't know. A lot of what I consider my "favorite" memories I'd honestly be better off losing, probably. Who accompanied you to your first concert? My mom, younger sister, and Jason. Would you rather have tickets to see your favorite band in concert, or $100 to go shopping? TAKE ME TO THE OZZY CONCERT. What do you usually eat for breakfast? It really varies. I'd say cereal most often, probably? Do you wish you were more outgoing? Yeah. Do you know anyone who wears a hearing aid? I don't think so?

#survey #surveys #random questions

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milkygcf · 4 years

Text

All the King’s horses, all the King’s men

Pairing | myg x reader

Genre | Mystery, thriller, angst, slowburn, e2l, Gang Leader!reader, Detective!yoongi

Warnings | Graphic scenes, use of alcohol, use of drugs, gang violence, explicit language, slightly sexual scenes, social issues, major character death.

Summary | ❝ Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall- Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. Even with all the King’s horses and all the King’s men, Humpty could not be put back together again. ❞

❝ An ambitious man caught in thorns, drowning in the delicacy of what the world truly is - a whirlpool of chaos and terror. There, he finds his bitter downfall. ❞

Word Count | 3.1k

Author’s Note | Hello! I wanted to make a quick note about this oneshot before it actually starts. Firstly, I’d like to advise whoever’s reading this that this is just a summary of the actual fic which I will be releasing - however, I have not finalised a date. Secondly, it’s a tad bit rushed and messy and I apologise if it does not reach standards. Due to my personal life, I found that it was quite difficult to find the time to write as much <3

To end everything, I would like to thank @ficswithluv for welcoming me into this wonderful project! I hope you enjoy reading <3

The delicate stomping of your feet upon the gravel startles the ravens sitting by. You stop in front of a familiar tombstone, your infamous surname nicely engraved in a fancy font. Before it lay a multitude of flowers, all speedwells as to symbolise loyalty towards the man buried six feet under. It's Valentine's day, and unlike the ravishing hues of blues and purples, you had bought roses to celebrate the event. If anything, you were always the odd one out when on with your business.

You set a few speedwells down, politely placing them into one of the empty jars left out beside the other swarm. It's overwhelming, the very site of your father's name placed in such a lowly place, finally resting beside your mother. It's overwhelming how in only a small amount of time, events took a wicked turn and brought along unnecessary chaos.

You face the neighbouring slate of stone set on the right side of your family's. This one's much duller and greatly lacking in vibrancy, attention. It brings a frown to your features. It's lonely, devoid of any proper affection that one needs in order to stay remembered.

Yet, even though it's desolate, it makes you reminisce. The sight of it doesn't bring you grief - neither does it bring you melancholy. Instead, it fills your train of thought with old memories that you either want to cherish or banish completely. Where forever was once a long time, it’s now a memory. Where pinky promises were depicted as something precious, you now notice that they were nothing but white lies to conceal the truth.

You’d learned this the hard way.

It’s truly surprising how so much can happen in the span of a year, how so many things are able to change and leave dead skin behind. The world is a delicacy of chaos and terror. Time offers only to take. It’s an ancient form of evil and you’ve grown to despise it for it works.

Now you’re left empty, shattered and dull. No longer do you symbolise the purity of a child whose eyes shimmered with innocence, with colour. When you thought you had already grown, you put yourself through trauma. And with a series of unfortunate events, you’ve finally, truly come to understand the world for what it truly is.

Beside you, a wounded soul whom you haven’t seen in such a long time laces his fingers with yours. He draws soothing circles into your skin and you finally breathe. Through thick and thin, you find yourselves here, together, breathing.

Maybe, there is hope for blemished souls like yours.

You met the unusual man at a bar. Although back then, you had no idea what really lied underneath the thick layer of skin that he dawned. The bartender had offered the both of you drinks, pointing out how utterly exhausted the two of you looked. That sparked up small talk – simple, small talk.

Until you were both sharing breaths in a bathroom stall, holding onto each other almost as if your lives depended on it. Every touch of his that settled on your skin burned, the pieces of fabric that your body dawned felt way too heavy. Your fingers were tangled in his hair, teeth biting down on his lip. His hands were on your hips, pulling you closer and closer onto his body until the warmth that was radiating off him made both of you break out.

Both your minds were hazy, your mouths tasted like a mixture of vodka and whiskey. It left a bitter feeling on your tongues. You were so lost in the feeling, the warmth that spread through you and shut out all your concerns.

His hands were playing with the zipper of your dress, fumbling hastily as to waste no time. It was almost funny how men could get so impatient. You were both speaking in tongues, merely pulling back to catch your breaths. His left leg was pushed right against your core making you more sensitive than your own good. You were grinding down on him, moans tumbling out of your mouth as they were muffled into the kiss.

Maybe it was just a moment’s talk, but even though you were barely doing anything, the feeling was euphoric.

He was trailing wet kisses down your neck, giving you the chance to finally catch your breath. Your skin was bruising, your core was pooling, and you were losing sense of reality. His hands were running all over you, making you feel something much greater than pleasure from a simple touch.

It all came to a stop at the sound of his phone ringing aggressively in his pockets, leaving you huffing out in annoyance. He didn’t just leave it and continue with his business; he fished the phone out of his pocket and stormed out of the stall while fixing himself up. There was no “excuse me,” or “I really have to take this.” He just stormed out of the room as if nothing was going on. It left you livid.

Park Jimin, your right-hand man, had to pick you up that night – helped you with your frustrations and worries, held you until you slept and didn’t wake up until dawn.

You were glad to think that you wouldn’t ever see him again, just a one-time failed fling in a population full of many. But your career begged to differ, as about a month or so after, he turned up to a meeting you held, custom-made for new recruits. Never will you forget the surprise on his face, when he found out that you were, indeed, the leader of the cartel. You, a normal woman at the bar, drinking her sorrows away in hopes they’d simmer and give her peace.

Although, you’d like to think there was something else beneath that surprise.

“A woman, as the leader of the sickest cartels in all South Korea?” One of the recruits spoke, a bitter tone hanging on his tongue. “How the fuck is it supposed to stay put?”

It was true that you had no idea how things were supposed to go in the industry – your father never really let you merge yourself with his world. But now, your father lay in a casket six feet under after being found dead in a ditch. You couldn’t really put it in a simpler way, but the only thing you could really say is you refuse to recreate an old nursery rhyme your mother used to tell you when you were just a toddler.

Nothing will stop you from reigning and getting back at whoever slaughtered your plans. You weren’t ready to tolerate anything in your way.

Hence why you didn’t hesitate to make Jimin shoot a bullet through his head, even if it terrified you just the slightest bit. But that was a different story.

Of course, it was no surprise. Women were still thought to be such fragile beings, not being able to handle anything. Once you stepped on top for the throne, you refused to let that put you down. “If any of you dimwits even so much as think about saying stupid shit like that again, I won’t hesitate to decapitate you.”

Jimin always kept his word. Because for the next year or so, whoever even uttered a single word about your command in the cartel faced death. You were never there to see it – Seokjin and Jimin made sure you knew everything that occurred, though.

On the other hand, there was that man you met at the bar. If it was possible, he would’ve disintegrated under your gaze. The dislike you had towards him was surely something grand, and to glitter it up a bit, he seemed to share the same feelings towards you too. Of course, in your defense, he had no reason to.

You weren’t the one who ditched in the middle of a make-out session.

Min Yoongi – he was something. A no one, but something, nonetheless. Ever since you saw him lined up with the other recruits, you’ve had your eye on him. As dumb as he acted, the man was cunning. Just what the cartel needed. Despite acting scared, like everything is all new, you felt as if it was nothing to him – almost as if it was all just a mask to conceal his true intentions. Although, you had no proof to this, so you let these accusations simmer.

His tale was cliché. He needed money but he didn’t have the qualifications to get a job. So, he joined the mafia, a very dirty place to get what you want. You ran background checks on him, just in case, and you found nothing of danger to all of you.

With a few weeks of training, Yoongi was fully accepted into the group and was one of Seokjin’s right-hand men.

Passing by him in corridors, sitting in the same room with him, even hearing his name made your blood boil. It was unexplainable, but the feeling was mutual. Back then, if he disliked you, then it would only be fair if you disliked him as well.

The tension was incredibly thick between you two, much that it left others uncomfortable whenever you were in each other’s presence. It was unbearable.

There was this incident once – you remember it like the back of your hand.

Seokjin had sent him to your office to deliver the newest packages that would determine how briskly your newest job was going to go. Despite begging the elder to send someone else as to avoid the awkward tension, the man refused.

The next morning, the raven-haired man was waiting by your door, box in hand. It took you a minute or so of plainly staring at him, observing the way his fingers twitch on the item, the way his eyes squint at you almost as if you were going to swallow him whole. It was quiet. No one said a word until you both entered your office.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again, as a fucking mafia leader.” he said.

“Ta mère ne t'a jamais dit de ne pas faire confiance aux étrangers?” you responded fluently, the accent rolling down your tongue briskly. Yoongi had no clue what you said, hence why you huffed and translated for him.

“I’m pretty sure your mother has warned you about strangers at least once in her life, no?” Your tone was calm, soft and delicate.

“She has. I didn’t think it’d happen with you though.”

You crossed your arms over your chest and rested against your desk. “Oh? I apologise then, even though I don’t recall being the one who’s acting arrogant.” As someone below you, he had to show decency, or he’d be thrown out with the dogs. “Arrogant?” he snarled lowly, plummeting down on one of the cushioned chairs placed in front of your mahogany desk. “You’re the one who’s been acting like a bitch all this time.”

“Best watch your tongue before I throw you out,”

“Do it then.”

He was faced with a gun to his head. You glared; finger firmly set on the trigger as you stared directly at him. No way were you going to let him get away with such a disrespectful attitude. He didn’t flinch, neither did he blink. He just stared back at you, slowly shoving his hands in the pockets of his tattered jacket.

“Don’t test me, Min.”

“You wouldn’t do it.”

Once those words tumbled out of his lips, you stiffened. Of course, you’d do it, why wouldn’t you?

“You put on a strong, independent persona but you can barely manage yourself.”

His words are what water is to fire. How dare he talk to you like that? Had he no fucking decency? Did he really want a bullet to pierce his skin in order to start seeing some sense?

“I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Oh, I think you do. That’s you, isn’t it?” His head bobbed towards the painting behind you – the Ses Peines Pleurant Es, a painting your mother had created back in her days. It depicted the both of you against the world, against the pure wickedness you were forced to grow up in. There’s darkness, but in contrast to it, there’s you as a new-born dawned in white.

“What makes you think that?”

The metal felt cold against his skin and Yoongi couldn’t help but shiver. “That painting’s been missing for years, and now that it’s here, it has to be yours.” he spoke calmly, “And frankly, I don’t think I’ve seen someone wear that much white before.”

You looked down at your clothes, all white with no signs of any other hue. It was crazy, truly, but you don’t remember wearing any other colour growing up. Your mother always dressed you up in just white, telling you that you look best in it. You just never really took mind to the resemblance your fashion sense had with the painting.

“Must be a coincidence,” you hummed, lowering the gun down to his chest. “For which I think is none of your business.”

Yoongi only hummed in response. There was a strict silence between the two of you then, before you sent him back to whatever duties Seokjin set on his shoulders. That was one of the encounters you had before things started taking a slight twist.

An infiltration in the Children’s Medical Clinic of Seoul, where one of the doctors was the main leads to what exactly brought your father’s downfall. You remember how ruthless Yoongi was that day, mercilessly shooting at the man without hesitation, without sparing a single breath. It was crazy, hell, it was mad, but you enjoyed it. That only meant strength to the cartel, and that’s exactly what you wanted.

Although, you won’t ever forget the pained screams of children roaring in panic, the sudden stiffness in Min when the man dropped dead and painted the bleached tiles red.

From then on, the hate you harboured towards each other started to simmer. Seokjin and Jimin had noticed this when Yoongi started becoming more obedient, less cocky with the way he formed his words.

To you, this was relief.

But then things started to advance, the two of you started getting closer and before you knew it, you were having affairs late at night. When everyone else was at their respective homes, you were under silken sheets, legs entangled with Yoongi’s. You’d play with his soft locks as he told you his deepest, darkest secrets. He’d tell you his fears, what he’s always wanted to become ever since he was a toddler.

And you’d listen. You’d listen intently until both of you fell asleep, and you’d rake your brain until you unraveled what all the information you ate up meant.

Jimin started getting suspicions – he found pills in Yoongi’s house. There was no labelling on them, and you didn’t think asking him would somehow enlighten the situation. To make it far more interesting, later you found a multitude of phone numbers scribbled on a piece of paper in his pockets.

Yoongi started becoming strange.

He’d tell you things you were skeptical of, he’d do things you deemed abnormal. And then, he started telling you how someone was out to get you, and how one day he would be famous, people would talk about him wherever he passed by.

You’ve known Yoongi for a year – enough to tell that he was not the man he was before. He wasn’t so mental, he wasn’t a paranoid freak, neither was he so ambitious. Yoongi was just a normal man who needed something to do.

But then, he started talking in his sleep. Words tumbling out of his mouth one by one, telling you who he truly was, the man behind the façade he’d been showing you every day. Jimin was never one to lie.

There was someone out to get you and it was him. He’d been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, getting closer to you in order to gain information to bring your very downfall. He revealed every little plan, every hidden camera scattered across the base, all managed by none other than the police department.

Humpty Dumpty had the King’s men to aid him, piece him back up and help him up the wall. But you, you had no one.

The man who had shown you what white truly meant, what innocence and happiness felt like, what being normal truly tasted of. Your first and your last love. Min Yoongi, the man who wrapped his hands around your heart and took advantage of what was bare.

Perhaps that was why your mother always teased you about being careful when dealing with boys.

You reminisce how it all went down on Valentine’s Day. How the waves hugged the shore lovingly, being complimented nicely by the dim light of the moon dawning on your silhouettes hand in hand. He felt cold. Yoongi felt distant.

A sweet, passionate kiss was shared that night. It filled you with false hope, chills. It painted a faulty picture in your head of what could have been but hadn’t been. That night, you held him close and held him dearly.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Your toes curled in the damp particles of the sand. Your fingers fell limp. “I love you most,” You muttered back, your lips trailing faint kisses across his neck. When you pulled back, you observed him. Yoongi had never looked so vulnerable in all the times you’ve faced him. Although, even if he was torn, in that very moment to you he was beautiful.

You remember the screeching of birds once you pulled the trigger, your skin and dress then painted in crimson. You remember the sheer surprise scattered across his face until he offered you a gentle smile and collapsed.

“Jour de la Saint-Valentin heureux, mon amour.”

You no longer wore white.

---

His name is engraved quite nicely on his tombstone. It still saddens you how barren it looks, devoid of any attention. Hence why you gently set the bouquet of flowers down, bowing your head in respect towards the man who brought you to a new world.

You’ll cherish his presence in your memories instead of forgetting them.

Even if Yoongi left without truly accomplishing his mission, without truly becoming what his desires were, he was deemed dead in vain.

Macbeth let his ambition eat him whole and it led him to his very downfall – the terror of seeing himself crumble and lose power.

Yoongi also was too over-ambitious for his own good. He let himself succumb to the control you were merely lending him, only to suffer the consequences and face his own undoing.

After all, Humpty Dumpty could never really be put back together again.

“Happy Valentine’s day, my love.”

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rkevent · 5 years

Photo

It all starts with a drone shot of Seoul Arts High School, followed by the School of Performing Arts, and then Hanlim Multi Art High School. Unlike the previews seasons, these were the locations where the first round of auditions took place for the fifth season of the Mnet Global Auditions. Different news articles appear on top of the images talking about how this season is expected to be the biggest of them all and with a new format that’ll bring bag some highlights from the previews seasons as well. It’s right after that they show what appears to be an infinity of people confirming their presence inside the three different schools. Flashes of hopefuls auditioning go by the screen — singers, dancers, rappers — but it’s sped up, and when you can’t distinguish their faces any longer, the screen turns black.

There is color again when a new building is revealed. It is, actually, the old building home of the preview auditions, the CJ&M Building. The difference is that it is empty now with the lack of hopefuls standing right outside the door. Next is the image of an empty meeting room, and the public could already make their correct assumptions of who would be walking inside.

One by one, the CEOs of the Big 5 entertainment companies make their way inside the room. The image freezes when they walk inside so that they can be properly introduced with their name written below them in a pretty font. They’re Hyun Bin, who is in charge of Nova, So Jisub, who is in charge of Royal, Katie Lee, who is in charge of KT, Tiger JK, who is in charge of TRC, and Baek Jiyoung, who is in charge of Sphere. Each of them has their own seat at the table, and once the exciting song playing in the background fades away, the people are able to listen to the silence in the room.

“It’s a new season already.” Tiger JK comments, rotating his chair so he can look at all of the other CEOs. “That’s right.” Katie Lee replies with one of her sly smiles. “How many auditions will we have to watch today?” It’s Baek Jiyoung who asks, but all five of them are paying attention. One of the staff members notifies them there will be 100 contestants for them to get to know, and while some of them aren’t too obvious, the CEOs don’t appear too happy with this information. “Let’s get it over with then.” Hyun Bin hits the end of his pen against the table so that its end will pop off and then opens the file they were given.

Just as quickly, the scenes from the auditions return until they’re back to the schools, observing who will be the first one to appear. “Yo!” An excited man exclaims. It’s LEE HOHYEON giving the camera a grin. “My name is Lee Hohyeon,” as he spoke, he tapped the tag with his name on it. “It’s right here in case you forget it.” So Jisub slight shakes his head. “Did he just say ‘Yo’? Is this really how we’ll start this?” Followed by him, it’s KIM SEUNGMIN, who appears imitating different animals, including a pig, a cow, and a horse. “Oh my god, sorry, that was so embarrassing. I’ll just move onto the yo-yo.” While the boy prepares for his yo-yo tricks, Hyun Bin laughs a bit. “Does that mean the yo-yo isn’t supposed to be embarrassing?”

This is followed by a brief cut of their main skill performances, the first a rapper, and the second a singer. The CEOs who had commented before simply nod their head. They show a dancer next, LEE CHAERYEONG, who dances fiercely to her chosen song. After she’s done, the girl opens a smile. “She’s good,” Jiyoung says and the others nod in agreement. “Hello, I’m CHOI YOONA. I’m going to be performing a song I wrote.” So Jisub settles back on his chair. “She does look like a singer, doesn’t she?” Except, the girl starts to rap. Tiger JK chuckles in his seat. “I like her.” Hyun Bin looks at him for confirmation. “Do you?” And the other nods while his eyes keep focused on the screen.

“Hello, my name is JEON HEEJIN. Thank you for seeing me today.” She’s a singer, and her tone is clear. Katie Lee can’t hold herself but to exclaim. “The girls really are better this season, aren’t they?” A few other short clips are shown of HWANG YEJI, JO YURI, and ZHOU JIEQIONG. It’s the time to show a few of the more impressive boys. KIM HYOJIN is the selected singer between them, filling the small meeting room with his voice and the emotional song. PARK WOOJIN goes strong with his dance routine, showing a bit of a flip in the mood of the room. When his performance is cut, they show SEO CHANGBIN who raps along to his chosen song. “He modified the lyrics.” Hyun Bin points out, which then cuts to So Jisub saying something to Katie Lee. “Don’t you think the boys are doing pretty well, too?” The woman shakes her head slightly. “No.” And so the man nods without wanting to push on. “Okay.”

Some other shorter clips are aired as well of CHWE HANSOL, TAKADA KENTA, and YOON JEONGHAN. They let go of the interesting performances back to the parts that could make people question their decisions. “Why would he do that?” Baek Jiyoung asks while KANG HYUNGGU is showing putting a piece of lemon inside his mouth. The boy chews it apparently without a bother, but anyone who attempted such thing before would remember their regret. A cute girl appears on the screen saying something in japanese as her special skill. “Isn’t she japanese?” Tiger JK questions it, looking down at the file with KATO KOKORO’s name on it. “Why would speaking in your mother language be a special skill?”

There are a few more cuts of people’s chosen skills. KIM SEUNGHUN says he can kick the jegi 30 times without dropping it as it shows on his form, but after two kicks the object falls on the floor followed by the boy, who falls along with an accidental leg split. “Tada!” YANG JEONGIN exclaims as he reveals his hands had tiny clothes in them and then proceeds to dance but only with his fingers. KIM YEWON pulls a pack of tarot cards from inside her sleeve and then takes out the first card. “The Hanged Man.” She says and when they show the CEOs once again, they appear to be at a loss.

What follows is RYU HWAYOUNG and LEE NAKYUNG, both playing the piano. KIM WOOJIN, LEE JENO, and HUANG GUANHENG decide to go with a guitar. When SHIN YUNA appears, Hyun Bin widens his eyes slightly with the change of pace. “It’s not just a guitar now. It’s also electric.”

“Is this the last one?” Baek Jiyoung asks and one of the staff members confirms it. All of the CEOs exclaim at the same time. After 99 hopefuls, it was finally time to bring this meeting to an end. “Please show us a good one.” Katie Lee requests and so a boy appears on the screen. “Good morning!” He says with a peppy voice. When the song starts playing, he looks up with a grin. During the choreography, the boy shoots a heart at the camera. The lyrics are fitting for a show like this, and when he sings ‘hey you, hey you, hey pick me’, Katie Lee turns to Jiyoung to ask for his name. “It’s LEE SUWOONG.” When the song ends, he kisses his fingers and throws out a final heart.

The staff members are the one who starts clapping in commemoration of the end of this recording. Slowly, the CEOs get the energy to clap as well. “But they don’t even know what’ll happen, right?” Jisub asks and Tiger JK nods in return before speaking. “We don’t even know what’ll happen.” And the start of his laughter is cut because while this is done, the episode still has a lot to show.

So the screen shows something else now. It’s a brand new set, prepared for this special season. Words announce that from all the people who signed up, only 100 will be able to take on this stage today, but not all of them will leave as MGA contestants. The seating is divided with 50 on each side of the stage, and as the hopefuls arrive, they start to choose where to seat. Some come and sit together, while others are taking on this new adventure by themselves.

One of the contestants is shown in his interview, one of the new features of the show. He tilts his head, mouthing a big and silent ‘woah’. “Am I really here?” It’s KIM SEUNGHUN who speaks, and they split the screen into two to compare his true expression when walking inside and his attempt at imitating it. “That’s what I asked myself.” It’s a girl next, MIYAWAKI SAKURA. “I just remember this feeling of delirium. It’s definitely exciting to be here.” The editing team makes sure to show her entering in the set as well to show off how people were impressed by it. Except for one person, it seems. “Ah, isn’t it a bit much?” JO YURI asks, clicking her tongue and shaking her head.

Two boys are shown walking in together, KIM YUGYEOM and KANG HYUNGGU. They part ways when they get to the stage, though, one heading to the right side and the other to the left. “We agreed to sit on the right side of the stage.” Hyunggu, the one who went to the right, says during his interview. “When I sat down he was nowhere to be found?” When Yugyeom realizes his mistakes, the boy runs over to the place he had agreed to go. “It was so dumb.”

The camera then shows more people arriving. This time, those who had watched the show before may recognize some of them. JANG MOONBOK, SOHN YOUNGJAE, and WANG JACKSON are shown as examples of previews contestants who were the show another shot. “I don’t really understand what all these previous contestants are doing here.” It’s only a voice-over for the time being before they show you a girl you’ve probably never seen before. “I think… there are other people who could be using this opportunity, you know?” LEE NAKYUNG shares her piece of mind before the scene shakes and changes.

It shows KANG DANIEL walking inside, this time together with four other men. When the scene changes again, it’s to a previous setting. “I’m Kang Daniel. SNU student, former MGA contestant, and much more.” He smiles to the camera back on the first round of auditions. “What brought you back to the MGAs?” They ask him. “Can I say unfinished business?” The boy laughs. “Last time, it was just me and Sungwoon, but this year we’re bringing along some friends: the rest of our band, Empty Enigma.” The editing team shows scenes of the boy in the previews season, followed by the intense sound of what people usually associate with a metal band.

“We all performed under stage names and didn’t tell a soul who the people behind the band were. We still haven’t, really, until now. This is our grand reveal. This is our grand reveal. Surprise!” He throws his hands up for a moment. The one who appears next is the one in the same situation as him. “My major is crop science and biotechnology.” HA SUNGWOON says the words with easy and it doesn’t take too long for it to be compared to his speech from the previous season which was weirdly close to what the said. “What bring you back to the show?” They ask him as well. “I was eliminated?” He replies and tries to hold back a laugh. The screen continues split, and when the past shows his height being crossed out from 170cm to 167, this year he decided to go with 167.5cm instead.

The five men are sat down now all next to each other on their chairs. TAKADA KENTA, the one sitting in the middle, is the one to speak. “Oh my god, it’s Joohyun!” The camera zooms in on another previews contestant, BAE JOOHYUN. Kenta places a hand over his chest. “Ah, I’m starstruck!” And the editing team makes sure to place two arrows over the heads of the people sitting beside him, the two previous MGA contestants just like the girl herself. Unlike the other two, it’s already her third time on the show. She takes a seat close to them.

While the people keep arriving, Joohyun leans forward to talk to Daniel. “It’s going to be MGA8 by the time this is over.” He laughs. “MGA10. You gonna be on that one too?” And she pushes him. As it seems, previous contestants are not where the line stops. The next person to arrive is none other than CHOI MINHO, previously known as ROMEO, the ex-member of Sphere’s latest boy group, CONVEX. Scenes of their debut music video appear on the screen, followed by the news of the member’s departure. While rumors said it was because of a dating scandal, the official news only said it was due to personal reasons.

The camera shows some of the other people’s surprised expressions as he walks in, but, during his interview, the man doesn’t appear to be too worried or too serious. “I gotta say it feels a lot different from the last time I was doing this.” For those who forgot, and for those who didn’t watch, they show a few scenes of the man on the second season. “I gotta ask though… with all these chairs… any chance of playing musical chairs later?”

Finally, all of the hopefuls have arrived, and it’s time for the only 5 remaining seats to be taken. Instead, we return to the initial room, the small one with five people in it. “But they don’t even know what’ll happen, right?” So Jisub asks, except now Katie Lee who speaks right after. “So they don’t know we’ll be the judges?”

There’s an exciting song playing and, slowly, one by one the CEOs make their way onto their seats, the 100 hopefuls cheering for their entrance. The camera zooms in on KIM MYUNGSOO who has his jaw dropped, followed by NAM JOOHYUK who sports a similar expression. “I thought I was nervous before they walked in?” CHONG TINGYAN comments during her interview. “It got so much more intense! I noticed Hyun Bin-ssi looked really handsome.”

It’s CHOI YEWON who’s on the screen now. “Can I say my heart stopped? They were all so impressive, especially Hyun Bin oppa. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.” Suddenly, it’s a relay of compliments. “Hyun Bin is as handsome as ever? How is that even possible?” HWANG YEJI says before it changes to someone else. “Hyun Bin is so handsome!” It’s KIM SEUNGHUN, the male representative in this Hyun Bin fan club. “This is not nice to say, but I hope they never film me next to him.” The popular CEO is shown seated, hearts floating around his head after all this show of affection.

The crowd is calmed again, and the camera focuses on Katie Lee this time, the one sitting in the center of the five. “Welcome, all, to the first episode of the Mnet Global Audition Season 5.” She pauses briefly for applause before continuing. “You’ll each have the chance to perform once on the stage in order to impress us, the judges, and secure your spot on the show. I wish you the best of luck and let us start.”

A girl makes her way to the center of the stage. She’s about to become the first performance to be aired on this season. “Hello, lovely CEOs,” she greets. “I’m JO YURI, and I’m… very excited to get to perform in front of all of you today. I hope you enjoy.” Heavy drums and brass come through the sound system, starting off the season with a big impact. It’s a song straight from a musical, declaring that anything the people were going to show after her, she could do better. She holds a long note and the CEOs look content. As one of the examples shown before between the talented girls of the season, Yuri puts what she’s worth to be judged.

“Hello, I’m SHIN RYUJIN. I will dance and rap for you today.” It’s another girl next, and if the song she’s chosen isn’t known to most, it is most certainly known by one of the judges. Choosing one of Tiger JK’s songs to perform in front of him is risky, but it’s not like she could have known. She’s followed by LEE JAEYOON, who shows off his vocals, followed by KIM WOOJIN, who sings and plays his electric guitar at the same time. MYOUI MINA also chooses to sing, as well as CHOU TZUYU.

JUNG EUNJI makes her way to the stage. “I did debut, but it didn’t go well.” She says during her first interview and lets out a laugh. “You probably haven’t even heard of the group’s name, it was so bad. We never made it to music shows. I thought it was over after that, but a friend convinced me to give it another shot. So here I am.” She shrugs, and suddenly we’ve returned to the stage. Now, she only keeps her head down for a moment before her chin raises high, a powerful walk to kickstart her powerful performance.

It’s a tough act to follow, and the next performances pass by quickly. There’s HUANG GUANHENG, KIM SEOKJIN, and the tarot card reader, KIM YEWON. Soon, comes LEE CHAERYEONG, one of the people the CEOs had their eye on previously. She dances excitedly to one of the more complex girl group songs. There isn’t too much time for the performance to get boring because, out of nowhere, the song changes into a new one by a boy group, giving her a new and intense concept.

“Hello!” A new hopeful wiggles her fingers in a greeting smile youthful and bright. “My name is HEO YOORIM.” Baek Jiyoung turns to the man beside her, Tiger JK, to comment something while the girl gets ready. “She’s tall, isn’t she?” And the other can’t help but agree. Written on her profile is 174cm, the tallest girl in the competition. She performs a mashup of two powerful songs, showing what she got. YOON JEONGHAN takes on the stage next. He chose a powerful ballad, and while it contrasts with the other performances so far, it’s a good change of pace between some of the kids who tried to appear cool.

Next is a man who introduces himself as KANG YEOSANG. “I prepared a song written about a good friend of mine. Thank you.” He starts by singing the emotional song done by himself, but, once the first few verses are over, he shows that he can rap as well. There’s a serious expression on his face when he’s done which quickly shifts into a grin a few seconds later. The rest of the contestants clap, and the camera zooms on KIM SIHYEON while she wipes her eyes and cheers for the boy she had been sitting beside.

A few other performances go by. “Why does it feel like the last five people couldn’t do anything right?” Hyun Bin asks while there’s a collage of dancers tripping and singer forgetting their lyrics or missing a note. There’s a tired look on the CEO faces, as anyone should be feeling having to sit there for so long. “Please, send us some help.” Baek Jiyoung exclaims just in time for the next performance.

“Hello! I’m SONG YUQI,” she says with a smile. “I hope I can make you smile today!” And she does so. Her song choice is an old american hip hop hit but it’s exactly what was needed to bring the mood back up. If that wasn’t enough, the one who comes next will certainly cheer you up. CHOI YEWON decided to prepare a cheer routine for her performance. While she does her neat gestures and tricks, the lyrics are dedicated to her dream company, Nova. “Who’s gonna make Yewon a star? Nova!” It’s enough to make the CEO of the company grin. A small flashback reminds the public of Yewon being one of the people who complimented Hyun Bin at the start of the show, so she should be happy with such achievement.

It’s a boy’s turn now, his name announced once, but after no response, they say it again. “WATANABE HARUTO.” Someone raises a hand from the seats, exclaiming “Ah, over here.” The screen takes you back in time to when people are still arriving at their seats and the camera pays attention to the boy when he says “I can do it” in japanese. He leans forward, doing something to his feet, but the camera isn’t able to capture it until it’s his time to perform. The boy struggles to get down the stairs because he’s wearing skates on his feet. “This is one of my old routines.” When the song starts to play, he shows impressive skills as he controls the skates almost perfectly. It’s truly not until he’s done that things go downhill.

Haruto kept bowing and waving while he returned to his seat, but the boy wasn’t nearly paying enough attention to where he was going. So, the boy falls off the stage, and all the eyes on the move in his direction to see what’s going on. “Is he ok?!” JANG MOONBOK asks from his seat before the screen shows some other people laughing at the situation, such as KIM SEOKJIN and LEE HOHYEON. “Didn’t he fall on his first audition, too?” So Jisub points out and it was true. The editing team makes sure to show the public as the boy trips simply by walking before. “I’m okay!” He says in the present, and successfully makes his way to his seat.

This leads to a new montage, highlighting some of the trips and other situations of the day. They show IM YOONA as she falls on her way to the stage instead of after she was done. HA SUNGWOON appears to struggle as he takes a keyboard he brought from home all the way to his chosen seat. It’s CHOI YENA who wins the prize, however. She does trip, but once her arms are moving forward to catch herself, the girl turns it into a somersault and lands safely on the stage. “Good day, y’all! My name is Choi Yena and I’m here to entertain!” The girl came prepared with a dance routine, all while she sang along to the English lyrics. It’s a toll on her voice at some points, but her role there was to entertain.

KIM HYOJIN walks over to the center of the stage, this time without anyone falling. “Ah, hello, I’m 21 years old Kim Hyojin,” and he holds up two fingers on one hand and one finger on the other with a soft smile. He appears next seated so he can play more properly play the guitar and his girl group song mixed with the american song lives up to the expectations. Who comes next is JEON HEEJIN who, just like Hyojin, had been used as an example before. “I’ll be singing for you today. I hope you enjoy.” She chooses to play the guitar as well, singing along to a sweet song.

A few more performances pass by briefly, including the ones by LEE KIKWANG, KIM SEUNGMIN, LEE JENO, and LEE COCO. One of the people who were already shown comes next, KIM SIHYEON. “Hi, do you see me? I’m Sia Kim!” She tries to make a play in words. “Hopefully today, I’ll be able to show you something different than what you’ve seen of me.” The chosen song is strong and energetic, and the girl sings in confidently. “I wanted to show a different part of myself,” Sihyeon says during her interview. “I hope the CEOs can see that.” LEE SEOYEON appears after, singing a song herself. She puts a lot of effort in her singing, and overall delivers a solid performance.

Coming next, it’s a foreigner with a cute appearance. “MIYAWAKI SAKURA. From Australia!” She says excitedly. While she starts her song by singing, the girl surprising delivers the rap portion which is most of it. She takes a bow when she’s down and waves at the CEOs and other contestants before leaving. It’s a good wake-up call not to judge a book by its cover, something they had already done before. “Hello, I’m CHOI YOONA.” Says the, now, known rapper. “The piece I’m going to perform for you today is a little something I wrote and produced. I hope you enjoy.” The lyrics are what is expected for a show like this, and the beat keeps you moving while you listen to it. “Thank you, again.” The girl says before leaving, her role there asserted.

The one who stands on stage now is another rapper, this time one you’ve actually seen before. “Hello, I am JANG MOONBOK! I hope I’ll leave a better impression on everyone this year.” The scene changes back to the first round of auditions during the boy’s interview. “It was very embarrassing to be eliminated when I was. I want to showcase how much I have improved since then.” He performs a song made by himself, moving across the stage as he does so. SOHN YOUNGJAE goes next, nodding to each CEO before introducing himself. He shows off a dance performance, trying to renew the image of him

“Hi, I’m KANG DANIEL.” Says the next contestant with a smile. “You may remember me. If not, hopefully, you will from now on,” and he leans away from the mic to adjust it, quickly returning once he realizes something. “For good reasons, I hope.” He laughs before introducing his original song. Daniel plays his guitar while he sings meaningful lyrics. The performance order goes on with the rest of the band, this time showing the other famous member. “Hello, my name is HA SUNGWOON. I didn’t think we would meet again so soon.” The same keyboard he had struggled to bring is assembled in front of him, and the boy uses it to assist his performance.

There are three others to still truly reveal themselves. They show TAKADA KENTA first, and as most aspiring dancers think like, he chooses to perform a Jun song. HWANG MINHYUN is the fourth, singing and dancing to a popular song, and even sparing some time to shoot a heart at the female judges. It’s the fifth one that may ring a new bell from the showcased hopefuls at the start. “Hello, I’m PARK WOOJIN,” he bows. “Please enjoy my performance.” He gets to not only show off his dancing skills but that he can sing as well. They clap as he leaves, completing the band pack.

Some more hopefuls get their brief spotlight such as RYU HWAYOUNG, KATO KOKORO, and CHONG TINGYAN, followed by KIM HYUNJUNG, YANG JEONGIN, and MOON TAEIL. A girl takes the center stage, a coat covering the outfit she’s wearing below it. “Hello! My name is LEE NAKYUNG! Thank you for having me here.” She bows down to the judges and before she signalizes that she’s ready, she takes off her coat, throwing it to the side. Beneath it is a red sequin dress, one that matches the theme of her song. She dances energetically throughout the song, sings along to the lyrics and only stopping for the dance break. The ending pose is the same as the start and the girl needs to shamely walk over to pick up her coat before returning to her seat.

“Hello, I’m KIM YUGYEOM.” The next performer introduces himself. He’s a dancer and shows an exciting and upbeat routine. His friend goes next, KANG HYUNGGU, and he’s a dancer as well. It’s a different vibe, but still exciting and upbeat following his chosen popular song. After him comes SHIN YUNA, this time with something rather unique. “I’ll be performing ‘Baby Shark’. Are you ready to be dazzled?” And that is exactly what she does, albeit a trap remix of the original children song. She’s a dancer like the two before her, and, after she’s done, Hyunggu appears again during his interview. “Can I be frank?” He starts. “I wouldn’t say it was terrible, but I hated it. And… it was terrible.” It’s the girl’s turn now, about to receive the news of the comment. “So we got a quote from your cousin, Kang Hyunggu, and he said that he hated your performance.” Yuna automatically looks annoyed. “Hyunggu oppa said that? He says that I was terrible. He should recheck his prescription because his performance wasn’t all that either.”

DO KYUNGSOO takes over the stage now, violin in hand. “I hope you enjoy the song.” The first portion of the song is played on the instrument, and then, for the rest, he settles his violin aside and sings to the lyrics of the song. “Thank you,” he said after his performance was finished. “For being my audience.” Then, with another bow, he leaves the stage. Another few performances pass by starring BANG CHAN, LEE JINKYUNG, and HAN JISUNG. The next one up is a girl, the one most commonly known on the show.

It’s BAE JOOHYUN, who uses her bass like she did the previous season to perform her song of choice. If she’s the one known, then the one who comes next could be considered a celebrity and, well, once he was. “I’m gonna bring you with me on a journey I took a few years ago. Since we’re gonna dive right into my personal life, I’m gonna make myself at home.” CHOI MINHO opens an antique chest, clothes spilling off of it. He moves along to the song, simple things that go along with the song. After he’s done, the man sits in front of the camera for his interview. “I just wanna let the people know it’s a song about my past. I promise I’m not lonely anymore.” He laughs.

“I’m LEE SUWOONG.” The boy greets, both of his hands clasping at the microphone. “It’s the ‘ei ei’ kid.” Tiger JK makes sure to comment while the boy bows to the judges. At first, his performance appears normal, but in only a few second his chosen song turns into a trot version of itself, gaining a few surprised looks from the audience as well as some more grins from the CEOs. “Hope everyone enjoyed it!” He says excitedly before leaving the stage. “He’s something else.” Baek Jiyoung comments as he leaves.

PARK JINYOUNG goes next. He chooses to perform a song originally performed by a girl, but he still makes it work. He’s not the only one to do so. JUNG HOSEOK decides to go with the debut song Royal’s latest girl group instead of a soloist. On the opposite side of the same coin, YU SUA decides to perform a song by a boy group. NA JAEMIN introduces himself before his performance, a cover of one of the many hit songs by Brave Girls, but rearrange on his own style.

Next, YOO TAEYANG appears, introducing himself briefly. “Hello, my name is Yoo Taeyang and I’ll dance for you today.” It’s about the third Bruno Mars song so far, but it never seems to be enough. “Hi I’m KIM SEUNGHUN and I’ll be singing a song I rearranged for you today, so please watch me well.” It’s one of the songs originally sung by Raehwan, and since the boy decided to only sing for his performance, he managed to show his skills well.

A man takes on the stage, KIM MYUNGSOO, and he chooses to use his guitar for the performance, tapping the instrument on the off-beats to create a steady rhythm. “Hello, I’m SEO CHANGBIN from Seoul. Usually… hm… I seem like a quiet person,” he pauses for a moment. “But if you open your ears wide I think you’ll be able to see past that.” Unlike the image he described, the boy puts on a good performance with an exciting song as his choice to rap.

PARK JUNHEE chooses a recent american song, charming people with his voice. “It’s true. I’m a sucker for you.” He ends his performance with a wink at the judges and a grunt can be captured from Katie Lee’s microphone. SON HYEJOO chooses to introduce herself in korean before doing it again in japanese, explaining that she was born in the foreign country. It doesn’t take too long for her bubbly personality to disappear and a new, stronger image taking over her as the young girl shows that her strongest skill is rapping. KIM MINKYUNG goes next, and this time the girl keeps up with the image. She puts on a tiara with little LED lights spelling ‘princess’ on her head.

“I’m NAM JOOHYUK, born in London and raised from around this neighborhood.” The man introduces himself with charm, and his song choice is a nice one to listen after all the ups and downs from the day. I'm CHWE HANSOL’s turn next. “The song I’ve prepared is a song that I wrote and composed. Please listen to it kindly.” It goes along well with the previous song, and people at home can enjoy it as it deserves. The next person to be called receives a couple of widened eyes. The boy, WONG YUKHEI, had decided to attend his audition with a crop top and fishnets that could be seen up to his waist above the ripped pants he was wearing.

The starting position is laying down on the floor. “Is this supposed to be a sexy performance?” Hyun Bin asks and the man beside him, So Jisub, replies to him as soon as the song starts. “Ah, I think it is.” The original song performed by the famous now-soloist makes everyone look at the boy performing, sirens playing across the set. Next up is a girl, KIM JUNGEUN, who dances with an attitude to the american song. At some point in the choreography, she lets her hair out of its bun which adds some next-level effect.

Leaning closer to the end of the episode, one of the last girls is ZHOU JIEQIONG. “I prepared something today that’s hopefully a little different, so hopefully you’ll like.” She had chosen to show a ballet performance, and most probably believe that would be the sole idea of her performance, but before long the girl starts to change into different styles, kicking her pointe shoes out of the way. By the time she’s done, more than one person was impressed. “Hey man, I’m Jooyong,” KIM JOOYONG starts casually, hand raising up to match his greeting. “I… want to take you on this musical journey.” It’s a smooth smashup that allows the man to keep up with his image as well as show off his skills.

WANG JACKSON decides to use his guitar for his performance, playing along to a pop song except with an acoustic version. LEE HOHYEON decides to go with the original song as it is, dancing to one of the more recent songs of the year. To finish it all off, there’s HWANG YEJI, one of the dancers mentioned previously. “Thank you for your time,” she says kindly before the start of her performance. It’s a song you wouldn’t normally expect from such a cute girl like her, but she has a charisma to herself that leaves some impressed.

There is text on the screen that notifies the public that, indeed, that was the last of them. The camera pans over some of the hopefuls faces to show the sight of nervousness before Tiger JK takes the microphone for the next announcement and exactly the one they were all dreading. “This may be only the first episode of the show, but we notified all of you that after the performances were done, there would be an elimination.” Some decide to shift in their seat, but the CEO doesn’t change much his expression.

“There are 100 total people here who performed today in hopes of continuing their journey on this season of the Mnet Global Auditions. Right now, it’ll be the first time we’ll reveal exactly how many of you will move on.” The man takes another break so that the heavy air may become even heavier, and whoever was nervous could possibly start feeling dizzy by now. “From the 100 constants here, only 50 of you will move on to the rest of the competition.”

There’s a loud reaction from the people in front of him and Tiger JK settles down his microphone so that So Jisub may proceed. “We’ll reveal who will be continuing on the show right now.”

To see all the of this season’s contestants, click here!

The man announces each name in alphabetical order, so if your letter had already passed, you’d know you didn’t make it. Instead of having to hear the CEO say each of the names one by one, the show was edited so that an edit of all the confirmed contestant appeared on the screen while So Jisub’s voice was used as a voice-over, explaining what would be the first real challenge of the season.

And now, let’s see what’s in store for our second episode!

After the tiring first episode, the first challenge in store for the contestants will be one that’ll be sure to only leave those worthy of their spots in the competition. All 50 of them will be divided into three groups and fight in a battle of skill between singers, dancers, and rappers. They’ll each have a limit of 2 minutes to display a performance of their choice involving only their main skill. The groups were divided by what contestants wrote in their form, but this is the time to change if they’d like to.

Eliminations will be made appropriately. There are more singers than dancers, and more dancers than rappers, meaning eliminations will be balanced to fit this ratio. If a contestant believes they may have a better chance at a skill differently to the one they listed, they may ask to change categories. IC, they would have needed to make their decision until before they left the set for the recording of the first episode, but OOC you may have until midnight of tomorrow, June 30th, to submit your change request to rkevent. In case you’d like to stay in the same category, you do not need to notify us.

All contestants are supposed to make their own way to the recording studio prepared specially for this episode. The set will be the same as before and will look something close to this. On each side, 25 chairs will be prepared for the contestants to sit on and watch each other’s performances. Just because most eyes will be on the performance doesn’t mean no one will be paying attention to you. A set of cameras will have their lenses ready to capture any sort of interesting reaction from those watching (beware of the evil editing) while a couple more will allow different angles of the main performance to be captured.

Sitting on the higher ground, much more comfortable chairs are lined in front of the stage — five in total. This is where the CEOs of each big company will be sitting to make sure only the most captivating contestants will continue their journey to make this the best season yet.

The start couldn’t have been more exciting. Welcome, everyone, to the MGA Season 5!

Tune in next Saturday, the 6th, for our second episode!

MGA Season 5 episode two preview: From 100 to 50, the contestants must now prove they have the skill to make it to the end. They’ll be judged based solely on their main skill, and those who do not make it to the CEOs expectations will be eliminated from the show! Did your favorite make it through the first episode? Who will make it until the end? Keep watching to find out!

[ None of the performances were aired in their entirety. Cuts from the show itself were uploaded to Mnet's Official Youtube Channel, but the full performances cannot be found else. ]

If you made it this far, either if you were eliminated on this episode or you’re continuing on this journey, you may add +3 POINTS IN A PERFORMANCE SKILL to your points tally. Make sure to link back to this post for verification.

Contestants have until midnight EST at the end of Friday, the 5th, to post their 200+ words solos about the skills challenge in front of the CEOs. Please tag all related posts with #rkmga5 and #rkmga5skill. They’ll have two minutes to perform their chosen skill to capture the attention of the CEOs (as long as it doesn’t break any laws). Good luck!

After the last performance is done, the CEOs will leave to discuss their thoughts privately. While this happens, the contestants will be taken one by one into a small room to be interviewed on their thoughts of the current state of things. They will be asked a variety of questions and some may be included in the list found below! Feel free to come up with your own questions if you think they can be fitting.

What did you think of the results last week?

Who do you think is the best under each skill?

How do you think you did?

Were there any performances you liked?

Were there any performances you didn’t like?

What did you think of ___’s performance?

Is there anyone you are certain will move onto the next phase of the MGAs?

Is there anyone you are certain will be eliminated today?

Once they’re done, they’ll be taken back to their seat to wait, or may go to the bathroom if needed.

You may write an extra 200+ words solo about your muse’s interview, as explained above, to also be posted until midnight EST at the end of Friday, the 5th. For doing so, you may earn +2 CHARISMA OR CREATIVITY POINTS and these can be added to your points tally as soon as it is posted. Please tag all related posts with #rkmga5 and #rkmga5skill. Please link this post as verification.

#rkmga5 #rkmga5callback

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theonetruenorth · 5 years

Text

3x12 Coda: Original Sin

So this connects somewhat to my ‘people who run the Institute from the sidelines’ musings you can see HERE.

I’m still going with the idea that Underhill’s name is Steve, until we learn what it actually is. And I’m headcanoning him in relationship with the head of the IT department, who’s name is now Rhys. Rhys is Chinese American and had transferred to New York not long after Underhill did. They hit it off immediately and their relationship is based on snark and mutual love of coffee. Underhill is so besotted with him it’s not even funny anymore.

Also, Underhill is the biggest fan of Malec. You can’t convince me otherwise.

It was supposed to be another dull evening of reviewing daily security footage from the Institute.

Sitting alone in his office, Underhill couldn’t help but to feel just a tiny bit of resentment towards his colleagues. It was supposed to be his and Rhys’ date night, but apparently people at the Institute were incapable of not clogging the official servers with unholy amount of Seelie porn, so Rhys, as the head of the IT department, had been called in to clean up their mess.

And he was here, at almost ten o’clock, instead of the cozy Italian place he made a reservation for nearly two weeks prior. Instead of drinking expensive wine with the man he adored, he was sipping a barely-lukewarm tea from the slightly chipped mug that said ‘I’m not bossy. I have leadership skills’ on it in a big, blocky font - courtesy of Rhys, of course.

So all in all, he was feeling frustrated, bored and more than a little unhappy about browsing through a full catalog of daily recordings. Especially since he knew nothing exciting had happened - otherwise he would have known about it already.

Wait.

Hold that thought.

Steve placed his mug on the desk and pressed rewind on the recording, not sure he actually saw what he thought he saw.

Huh.

Apparently their esteemed leader had visited the Institute on his day off. But unlike Steve - poor, lonely Steve - he had his boyfriend by his side.

No, Steve thought, not entirely by his side. The two of them seemed to in the middle of a training session. Which made sense, if you thought about it. Everyone who knew anything about the Downworld was aware that Magnus Bane didn’t have his powers anymore. So it made perfect sense for him to learn other ways of defending himself.

Though maybe lessons were not necessary, Steve mused, as he watched Magnus twirl and twist away from the staff attacks that Alec sent his way. His fighting style looked more like a dance, but nevertheless, it was very effective. Steve watched, fascinated, as the couple bickered and teased each other as they traded blows, finally switching from staff combat to hand-to-hand. And Magnus overpowered Alec again.

Magnus was good - more than good, actually - but Steve could tell that Alec was not giving it his all. There was a reason, after all, why Alec was chosen for the leadership and that wasn’t just because filling up paperwork didn’t bother him in the slightest. Alec was a hardass, who trained every day and was one of the best fighters of the current generation and—

Oh.

Oh hell.

Well, that was definitely not the sight that Steve was expecting to see this evening.

Alec had pushed his warlock against the pillar of the training room and the couple were then busy making out like a horny teenagers. When they separated after a long moment and left the room (Magnus trying to keep a dignified pace for all of five seconds before failing miserably and jogging after Alec) Steve quickly switched to corridor cameras, tracking their route.

He didn’t bother hiding a fond smile as he watched his usually stoic leader and his boyfriend laugh and stumble down the seemingly-empty corridor, too busy kissing and touching each other to pay attention to surroundings. They eventually made it to Alec’s old room and disappeared inside, the door shutting off with a bang.

It was refreshing, really. Alec used to be so closed off and distant at first and now he looked genuinely happy. There was less of that lingering darkness in him, less burdens resting on his shoulders and Steve was glad. Alec deserved to be happy. He deserved to walk the corridors of the Institute while holding his boyfriend’s hand. He deserved the chance to sneak into his room for some quality time alone with the man he loved.

Steve’s cell rang suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts. He quickly shut down the video feed - as if he was caught doing something forbidden, not just watching his boss as he was about to get some - and picked up his phone.

“So, I know it’s too late to go to that restaurant now.” Rhys’ tired voice in his ear caused Steve to perk up. “But do you have any idea how fucking hard it is to get rid of a demonic trojan horse? I’ll be giving Lightwood my report tomorrow, with a strong recommendation to send all of those irresponsible assholes to Wrangel Island.” Rhys huffed and the sound really shouldn’t be as adorable as it was, but Steve realized long ago that he was helpless fool when it came to Rhys.

“It’s okay,” he said, “we can go some other time.”

“Let me make it up to you. Meet me in my room in fifteen? I just need to finish ripping someone a new one and then I’m all yours.”

Steve smiled, looking at the monitors once more. It was supposed to be his night off. Reviewing the security footage could wait till morning.

Besides, he had a feeling he had already seen the only interesting thing that had happened at the Institute the entire day.

“I’ll be there in ten.”

#malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #shadowhunters #malec headcanons #headcanons #episode coda

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jupitermelichios · 5 years

Text

So You Want To Read Comics: Jargon Buster

Comics have had 70+ years to develop a language all their own, and if you're anything like me when I was starting out, you're probably really confused. I thought I’d do a quick rundown of some comics-specific terms and how they’re used.

Big Two: Marvel and DC

Cape Comics: superhero stories, usually specifically those taking place in a wider continuity (e.g. Marvel, DC, Wildstorm, Valiant etc) rather than completely stand-alone stories

Publisher: one of the houses that produce comics. Marvel and DC are the biggest, but Boom!, Image, Valiant, 2000AD and Dark Horse also publish some big name books you’ve probably heard of

Imprint: a small publishing house owned and run by one of the bigger houses. At Marvel and DC they often publish au stories which don't fit with the house’s other books in terms of tone or target audience, or who used to be independant companies which were bought out. (For example, Marvel’s Max and DC’s Vertigo published books with a higher age rating than the main house, Marvel UK was an imprint that published books like Captain Britain aimed at a specifically British audience and Wildstorm used to be a publishing house, but was bought out by DC and is now an imprint.)

Creator-Owned: books where the copyright is owned by the creators, rather than them working for a salary using characters owned by the publishers. (Writers at Marvel and DC are generally entitled to royalties when a character they created is used, but the character themselves still belongs to the publisher, and the writer couldn’t use them in stories that weren’t commissioned by the publisher). Some publishers specialise in creator owned books.

Writer: person who writes the script for a comic

Cover artist: draws (and often colours) the cover. Often a different artist from the interior art (although not always). Most artists can do both although some, like Kevin Wada, specialise in covers only

Penciller: draws the interior art

Inker: goes over the pencils in ink, and therefore chooses the final look. Inker and Penciller are sometimes the same person.

Colourist: colours the drawings, usually a different person from the penciller and inker

Letterer: writes in the words, chooses things like fonts, where to use bold or italic font, and makes the words fit in the bubbles.

Editor: on a lower level they edit individual books in the same way an editor in novel publishing would. Senior editors oversea multiple books and have a say in things like storylines, events, tone and what books get commissioned and what gets cancelled. Editors are also responsible for making sure books make sense in any wider continuity (e.g. keeping Spider-man the same age in guest appearances as he is in his solo book).

One-shot: a comic commissioned as a single issue

Ongoing: a comic commissioned with no end date. Creative teams often change during the run of an ongoing. Can be cancelled at any tine, so can be anywhere from 3 to 500 issues long

Mini series: a comic commissioned to run for a short time, usually 6 issues or less in length (fairly unlikely to be cancelled before it makes its full run unless something goes very wrong)

Limited series: a comic commissioned to be a set length, usually 12 or 20 issues. Can be cancelled before being complete.

Single: one comics issue

Trade Paperback, Trade, or TPB: a paperback (or sometimes hardback) book collecting several singles

Variant: special editions of a comic with a different cover but the same interior. Often these will be by a big name artist, but publishers will often also do events where all comics get a themed variant cover for a set period (Marvel had variants of all covers to include Gwenpool when she was first introduced, for example). The interesting thing about Variants is how completely unconnected to the content of the book they often are.

Event comic: Marvel and DC both do regular ‘events’ where a large story will run over a number of issues, usually crossing over between multiple books. Publishers like this because it means you have to pick up multiple comics to follow the story. Increasingly events will take place in their own mini series (frequently multiple minis) with tie-in issues happening in other books

Solo book: a book with one title character, rather than a team. These books frequently have large supporting casts, and many are effectively ensemble books. The key is in the title of the book rather than the actual make-up

Team book: as above, but with a team in the title even if it’s effectively about one main character and their sidekicks rather than a true ensemble

Run: either a) a period of time during which a book (usually an ongoing) is under a specific creative team, most often referred to by the writer (e.g. Louise Simonson’s run on New Mutants). For books like Action Comics which has been running under the same name with few breaks since the 40s, this enabled people to break the book up into defined eras or b) the length a books keeps going for (e.g. highest house had a 6 issue run)

There’s probably a lot of stuff I missed, but hopefully this will be interesting and/or useful to some of you. I know I could have used it when I was first reading comics! Comics aren’t the easiest hobby to get into, but they’re definitely worth the effort

#comics #marvel comics #dc comics #sywtrc #jargon #valiant #boom! studios #dark horse comics #image comics #vertigo #2000ad #marvel max #young animal #wonder comics #ultimates #dc black label #top cow productions #marvel uk #epic comics

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jynxlovesluck · 6 years

Text

Princey Bride

"Hi, honey." Joan saw their mother come in, even threw the haze in their eyes and brain. She sat on their bed and started petting their hair back. They leaned into it, and their mother gave them her best half smile. Joan's mother always seemed too tired for a real one, lately. And a little stab of pure guilt entered their system when they remembered what the doctor said.

"He'll-"

"It's them, doctor. If you would please. My child is nonbinary." Their mother had a firm but gentle look on her face, crossing her arms. Joan, even feverous, admired their mother. They really loved her and did so as fiercely as she did them.

The doctor had cleared his throat and tapped his own against his clipboard. "-They'll be better soon. Mostly, your child is sick from the stress of the situation. It happens with children whose gone through extreme stress in quick succession."

Their mother's face fell. "Oh."

The memory only made Joan double over coughing in their pink and blue quilt. Their mother rubbed their back. When Joan could finally speak they gave their mom the brightest face they could, despite the fact it hurt and even they knew they were to pale. "Hi, Mom."

She seemed to glow above them. "You feelin' any better?" Joan felt lighter. They practically melted at the soft touches, the way their curly hair was brushed back.

Joan mumbled. "A little bit." They looked down and started picking at the loose threads under their fingertips. Their mother stopped petting their hair and started fidgeting her hands in her lap. She bit her lip and looked at Joan. "Guess what?"

Joan's eyes shifted over. "What?"

Their mother took a deep breath. "Your Grandfather's here."

“Mom, can't you tell him I'm sick.”

“You're sick?” She covered her mouth in a mock-shock expression, her eyebrows raised high to match her wide eyes. She laughed at Joan’s pout. “That's why he's here. He wants to know if you're okay…” Her voice seemed to lose momentum.

“He'll pinch my cheek. I hate that.” Joan crossed their arms.

“Maybe he won't .”

“Heyyyy!! How's the sickie, eh?” Joan's grandfather was as loud and dramatic as he always was. When they were younger, their grandpa was the best person ever. But Joan’s dad didn't like how their grandpa could pull a fantasy story from the air, how he could enter a room with a flourish. Once Joan had even heard him yelling at their mother.

“That stupid old man can't keep filling our sons head with fantasies! It won't help him in the long run.”

They were snapped out of it when calloused hands pinched their cheeks. Joan looked their mother with an eyebrow raised.

She shrugged. “I think I'll leave you two pals alone.” Quickly and quietly she left the room.

“Ah, well.” Their grandpa shrugged, identical to their mother. “T-She's missing all the excitement. And,” a twinkle seemed to appear in his eyes, and suddenly Joan could swear all the wrinkles by his eyes disappeared, “the surprise I brought you.”

Joan leaned forward quickly, getting dizzy from the momentum. “What is it?” They hadn't gotten a gift since…

Well, it had been a while.

A poorly wrapped box was handed to Joan. The wrapping might have been terrible, but the paper was colorful and it was heavy.

“Well? Open it up. Go on.”

“Hold on grandpa Thomas!” Joan laughed, the paper being ripped to shreds in seconds. When he opened the cardboard flaps, he found.

“A book?”

“That's right. I know your not a big fan of reading because of your dyslexia.” Their grandpa looked at the ceiling. “But it was the book my father used to read to me when I was sick, and I used to read it to your mother, and today, I'm gonna read it to you. If you would like me to.”

“Is it realistic?” Joan looked at the cover. It looked old. And when they touched it, the book definitely felt brittle and smelled like the classics section in the library.

“It’s very realistic! Why its accurate on all the betrayals of loyalty, truth, love, and how bonds are formed!” Grandpa Thomas waved his hands as he talked, and for a moment he looked exactly like an old photo their mom showed Joan.

“Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake.” Joan laid back in their covers. As long as they weren't trying to read something that didn't even have the right font while they felt tired, it shouldn't be terrible. Hopefully.

“Oh. Well, thank you very much. Very nice of you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming. All right.” Grandpa Thomas winked at them and Joan felt himself relax. They settled back into their star sign pillows and studied their grandpa’s face. Grandpa Thomas sat in the old brown chair by Joan’s bed. “The Princes Bride, by S. Morgenstern, Chapter One. Roman was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin. His favorite pastimes were riding his horse and tormenting the farm boy that worked there. His name was Virgil but he never called him that." Grandpa Thomas looked up from the book. “Isn't that a wonderful beginning?”

“Yeah, it's really good.” Not normally what Joan would read if given the chance, but not bad.

Grandpa Thomas smiled and went back to reading. "Nothing gave Roman as much pleasure as ordering Virgil around."

The farm was smaller than many in the King's kingdom. But Roman's father only kept it to drop off his son. Count Elms didn't have time for his third child and sent him away with one servant to accompany him and see to all his needs. A few big sweeping hills of grass, enough crops to feed his son, and a bag of money for any other needs.

“And one last thing.” The count had gestured in front of him. A boy was thrown to Roman's feet like a bag of potatoes, kicking up dust and dirt. Roman coughed, covering his mouth and eyes. When the air cleared, he looked at his father and ignored the boy.

“Why?” he pointed to the boy, who was struggling to get up only for one of his father's assistants to shove him back over.

Right in Roman's legs.

“You may be a waste of a child, but your still mine. And until I find a fool rich enough to pay for your hand in marriage, you need a servant to cater towards your needs.”

“But father!” Roman grabbed the Count's sleeve. “You can’t possibly be-”

Roman was knocked against the ground alongside the servant. “Don't touch me you worm.” He shook his hand. “The scouts will be back to check on you at a later date. Is that understood?”

“Yes, father.” Roman looked up at his father, brows lowered and lip bleeding. The scowl on his face was a fraction away from a frown. He got up to his knees and grabbed the hem of his shirt in a vice grip. “I shall wait here for the scouts until you kind find me a suitor.”

“Good.” he didn't take another look at Roman, and instead left in his carriage.

Roman waited for his father to leave before he stood up. The servant quickly got to his own feet. He was bowing to Roman, yet what he couldn't see was the utter frustration on his face. “Hello, sir. My name’s Virgil.”

Roman was already heading towards the small house before Virgil could finish, tears streaming down his face and an overwhelming sadness in his heart.

“....Okay.” Virgil sighed and headed for the servant's courtiers. “Great. Fantastic. I’m a damn farm hand.”

That was the basis of how their relationship went on. Roman felt betrayed and took it out on Virgil.

“Farm Boy, polish my horse's saddle. I want to see my face shining in it by morning.” Roman would say, trying to seem dignified even as he handed Virgil real cooked food and a pitcher of water. “And don’t forget to take care of yourself. Or else.”

“As you wish,” Virgil said, trying not to smile when he saw Roman hiding behind the pillars outside the stable.

He wouldn't leave until he saw Virgil eating.

“‘As you wish' was all he ever said to him, besides snarky comments when the two would argue.” Grandpa Thomas laughed, and Joan snickered. The two of them sounded like dorks, but they had to admit they didn't feel bored. Joan grabbed his stuffed bunny and listened to grandpa Thomas’s voice echoing around the room.

The days were thankfully full of warmth. And slowly, the cold that seemed to take over Roman’s soul melted. Virgil, as it turns out, was the same age as him. He just had been malnourished when Roman’s father had gotten ownership of him.

Something Roman, through a lot of food and badgering to get him to rest, fixed. Now Virgil was much better, and a lot more…

Virgil chopped wood; Roman could see his muscles bulge.

Built was the word he was looking for.

Although whenever Roman needed him, despite the fact that he could leave, Virgil always did what he asked.

“Farm boy, fill these with water… please.” It was reluctant. Their. Whatever they were, wasn't built on a foundation that was more servant and master.

Except, Masters didn't fuss over injuries.

Except, Servants don’t leave a pit in their Master's stomach and an ache that could barely be ignored.

Except, Roman had been given Virgil’s paperwork for his freedom and set in on his dresser while he slept.

Except, Virgil was still there the next day, to Roman’s relief. He felt selfish, hoping Virgil wouldn't leave. But the joy when he saw the dark eyes and shocking purple hair filled him to the brim.

“As you wish.”

Grandpa Thomas sighed, as though he was remembering something fondly. “An amazing day is when Roman had realized that at that point, when Virgil said ‘as you wish’ what he meant…” he paused for suspense, looking at Joan’s big eyes.

“What Grandpa? What does he mean?!” Joan balled up his fits.

Their grandpa chuckled. “What he meant was ‘I love you.’ And, to Roman’s disbelief and excitement, the most amazing day was when he realized he loved Virgil back.”

Roman was nervous. He had prepared a picnic on the hill with the best view. He would tell Virgil how he felt. Roman could do it, he was the proud son of Count Elms!

The air seemed to dry when Roman actually saw Virgil, once again shirtless and Coming back from riding his horse. Suddenly he wasn't the Counts son. He was Roman, a man who had been falling for Virgil for two years.

He took a deep breath. “Farmboy...fetch me that pitcher.”

Virgil smiled and brought the pitcher of water with him. Roman had the pitcher of wine he had gotten from trade. “As you wish.”

Roman tried not to blush when he saw Virgil’s eyes barely look at the spread beneath them, keeping his eyes only on Roman.

Always. Always on Roman. And well, he wasn't much better, looking at Virgil.

“I thought maybe we could have dinner together today.” He wanted to smack himself. Virgil had long moved into the house and regularly ate dinner with each other. Roman’s father would smack him for the way he was twirling his fingers. “I, I mean. Dinner together put here to watch the sunset.”

Virgil’s face was redder than a tomato. It eased Roman’s fears at least.

“Y-yeah. Yes. Um. As you wish?” Virgil brushed his bangs back to look at Roman.

“Good. Because I wish for you to join me. If you want to.” Roman bit his lip and sat down.

“Whatever you say, Sir Sing a lot,” Virgil said, a smirk on his face.

By their third glasses of wine and when most of the food was gone, the both of them leaned against each other while they watched the sun start to go down. Their laughter seemed to roll over the hills, and if Roman ever thanked his father for anything, it would be for giving him this. And if he ever managed, he would thank Virgil for letting him in on the world's best-kept secret.

Virgil’s smile.

The stars started appearing even with the sun still being up. It was warm and bright. The quiet of their piece of the countryside was better than the vengeful chatter constantly around his old home. He finally leaned away from Virgil. He turned to look him straight in the eyes.

“Virgil. There's something I think we need to talk about.”

Virgil immediately sat up. “What? What's wrong?” he already had a gleam of panic in his eyes. Roman cupped his face and shook his head, trying not to laugh. “No, no, nothing bad. Nothing wrong. But Virgil.” Roman leaned in, gently placing his forehead against Virgil’s.

“I love you.” Roman stilled himself. His first instinct was to run when Virgil didn't say anything. But he saw the look in his eyes right before tears silently went down his face. “Oh my god Virgil, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” he started to let go of Virgil’s face when two hands stopped him.

“Roman. I love you too.” Virgil leaned closer.

Roman felt his breath hitch. Virgil smelled like the wildflowers he brought Roman earlier, and like the woods. “Kiss me.”

“As you wish.”

(Alright everyone! that’s chapter one!!!! please tell me what you think <3.

tag list; @queen-of-all-things-snuggly @the-incedible-sulk @danyulsdimple

@em-be-lievable @madly-handsome @ravenclawangst @raiseafuckingglass

@thewritingasexual @peachy-patton-writes

#sanders sides #sanders sides virgil #roman sanders #roman/virgil #romantic prinxiety #princess bride au #sorry for my trash content

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astridstark13 · 6 years

Text

The headless horseman in Detroit

For the halloween special from @sdavid09 's tale tellers fright night 2018.

Warnings: mentions of blood and death, mention of violence, drugs

Connor stands in front of a large apartment complex. It was a dirty grey beton building with accurate divided windows. Every apartment was exactly designed like the other. He had the blue prints downloaded and knew exactly in which apartment he has to go.

Connors destination was the 13th apartment on the 26th floor. There lived the young Detective Natalie Williams from the Detroit Police Department.

It was 2 in the morning and Natalie was still asleep so Connor had the ungrateful task to wake her up. He knocked at her door and waited for Nat to answer.

Natalie lies in her warm soft bed and heard a loud sound from her door. Grumbling and muttering she turns and tossed, trying to ignore the disturbing noise. Sighing Nat gets out of her bed and pads sleepily towards the door. As she answered the door the red haired woman sees Connor standing there blushing in a light blue.

Her sleep clothes were made of a long shirt that reaches nearly to the middle of her thighs and the collar was so wide it slids down her right shoulder to her elbow.

Connor feels his cooling system heating and his Thirium pump to speed up. He has never seen his female Colleague like this. In fact in this moment he thinks that she really looked sexy and this thought made him nervous. They just started a friendship a few days ago when they found the little dog on the mall. The whole night Natalie had helped him to take care of the white puppy and Connor and they had talked until he convinced her to sleep on Hanks Couch.

"Connor, whats going on", she asked worriedly. Maybe it was something with Hank or a new case. Behind her appeared her android friend Samantha and waved shortly.

"We have a new case and it appears to be a quite difficult one", the android detective said and tried to not let his sight wander down her body.

Growling Natalie turned and get back in the apartment. Seeing that she let the door wide open Connor understand it as a gesture to come in. He gets in and closed the door behind him. As curiosity get the best of him he looked around the small domicile. The walls were white, but everywhere pictures are hanging on the wall. Different photographies of landscapes, beaches and riffs or animals in various sizes and forms. The furniture was a mixture of new and old cupboards the only thing they have in common is that they are beech-wooden. Connor doen't want to be rude, so he stayed in the little floor and waited for Natalies return.

"So, is it a deviant", asked Sam and led him in the kitchen. The room was sparely decorated and as he knows from the blue prints fully furnished in every apartment. They take a seat at the chairs who were standing around a small table.

"I don't know. Hank and I were called about half an hour ago that we should pick Natalie up and come to the crime scene", Connor explained.

"Then lets go", Natalie calls from the door. Connor and she bid Samantha farewell for the night and make their way to Hanks car.

As Natalie climbs into his car she watches Hanks tired face with more eyebags than usual.

"Hank, whats up with you?"

"Little Cole has still problems to sleep. When he doesn't run around the house he lies in Connors bed whimpering and then Sumo barks and ran to him", Hank explained. This led to a lot sleepless nights in the past few days.

"I'm really sorry, Hank. I thought this was gonna be easier", Connor apologized.

"It's not your fault, kid. The poor guy was threaten badly and this will take some time to get well. And Sumo seems to help him a lot. Maybe it is good, that we are away for now. He could be less nervous without us constantly around him. That means less peeing on the floor, too", Hank murmured into his beard. Giggling Natalie leans back in the seat and watches out the car window. Hank shot her a glare through the driving-mirror which she decide to ignore with a huge grin on her face.

The crime scene was an abandoned warehouse in the east district of Detroit.

"Detective Anderson, this way please", said one of the police officers and led the way to a little rusty door.

Inside the warehouse was a real nightmare. Three bodies laid in there but no clue where the heads were. On the wall was a message saying: 'The Hessian is awoken.'

The scripture was written in blue blood, though the bodies definitively are humans.

"Who the heck is 'the Hessian'", asks Hank.

"'The Hessian is awoken' is a quotation from the gothic horror novel 'Sleepy Hollow' written by Washington Irving. The story is based on the tale of the headless horseman, who supposedly was an Hessian soldier in the Civil War who lost his head during a battle. In the novel his ghost returns to search for his head. Thereby he beheaded everyone who stands in his way", explained Connor in every detail.

"He is better than Wikipedia, don't you think Hank", Natalie giggled.

"As long as he isn't licking something", was the only answer she received.

"I don't think that I need to 'lick something', Detective", the android stated nearly offended.

"But I have to admit that we don't have much evidence. The bodies are all male, around thirty and Red Ice dealer. Their names are Michael McNeil, Frank White and George Irving. When they were beheaded they were probably alive and running from their murder."

Hank, Natalie and Connor went silent and looked around the warehouse. No signs of any traces from horses or other evidences on how the victims were murdered.

"The font implies that the message was written by a human", Connor proceeded listening the evidences.

"That means we are searching for a human that kills three people and what the hell did he do with the heads?"

Hank was really confused. For the next week they found five more headless bodies. Every 'victim' was a well known Red Ice dealer and the newspaper were full of theories about the headless horseman and his vendetta.

But one night the murder made a mistake. He ripped one of his gloves and leaves a fingerprint in the blood font.

"The fingerprint led us to a deliverer working for Cyberlife. That explains where he get that huge amount of Thirium. His name is Victor Gunn, he is 28 and a month before the first murders his wife died was shot during a failed Red Ice deal", Natalie reads from the file.

"We got his address but I doubt that we will find him there. Short after the day we found the second crime scene he was fired due to the fact that he was absent for a few weeks and Thirium disappeared from his deliveries", Hank added to the report.

"Where do we find Victor? If he is not at home or at work he could be everywhere", Natalie sighs. She slumps on Hanks desk and base her head in her hands.

"Unless he makes another mistake, it will be hard to find him."

Connor lays a hand on her shoulder and smiles.

"When nothing happens today we should go home. We had way too much overtime the last days. Hey, how about you come to us. Sumo and Cole would be happy to see you again. And honestly, girl, you need to relax", Hank stated. Smiling Natalie agreed to come over. It was quite some time since she last seen Sumo and Cole and it would be fun to visit the two dogs again.

But unfortunately it shouldn't be tonight.

"Detective Anderson, a suspect was seen who looks like your wanted person", an android officer called for Hank and the others. Immediately the three of them jumped from their seats and rushed the female android. Connor connected and get the informations they needed. As quickly as they can the three headed to the old warehouse where tonight should be a big deal for Red Ice. Two big dealer and their henchmen are supposed to appear. It has to do with a huge amount of money and drugs.

The team and a swat union surrounded the warehouse and Hank entered together with Connor the building while Natalie waits outside to coordinate the clutch of the swat.

Meanwhile Hank tried to calm down Gunn so that they don't need to hurt him.

"Victor hear me out. I know how you feel about these scum. They risk lifes to make money and other people have to suffer because of them. We keep loosing family because of them, but do you think Margot wants for you to kill and end up being not better as they are?"

As Hanks words started to get through Victor he starts shaking and drops the gun. Connor give the signal for Natalie and the swat for the clutch. Quickly the team rushes in and detained the dealers. Victor gave up and goes along freely. He would be arrested for a very long time though he was the actual victim.

The story of the little pup can be read in my prompt 'sleepsong - Bastille' for @tea-with-loki's 2k follower challenge #wolfys2k.

#detroit become human #detroit connor #connor rk800 #deviant connor #hank anderson #tale tellers fright night 2018 #dbh connor #dbh connor x oc

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basic-banshee · 6 years

Text

large black coffee (part 2)

A Carry On Coffeeshop - AU/ College - AU inspired by this beautiful art.

Word Count: 1964

“I don’t want to look at the cup. If it just says “Baz” I think I might absolutely lose it. This is our thing. I don’t know what I’ll do if we lose our thing.”

Simon

“Simon, he’s here!” Penny bursts into the alley behind the cafe where I’m trying to take my break. “He’s here!”

I knew she knew what I was talking about.

“So? He’s here everyday,” I say, echoing her words back to her. I’m in an absolutely shit mood, because I stayed up late last night to do my presentation, only to get to class this morning and realise that it actually is due on Monday, like I thought. I turned around to glare at him, and I swear to God I saw him smirk.

“He has a friend with him,” she says, her eyes wide. “You absolutely will not believe this.” She’s hiding something from me, I know it, but I’m on my feet already. Only because I’m curious what kind of person would be friends with a ten foot-tall asshole. I trail Penny back inside, but I don’t want to go to the register. I’m still on my break anyway, and I’m absolutely not going to waste my well deserved break on serving that shithead.

He’s there alright, same time as everyday (seriously, who is that punctual?) leaning against the counter while he talks to someone. I can’t see who they are because he’s too damn tall, but it looks like it might be a girl. Blimey, does Baz have a girlfriend?

He doesn’t even turn when Penny steps up to the counter, and it looks like they’re going to just keep ignoring her until the girl glances around him and sees me. Oh, shit.

“Hi Simon!” Agatha chirps, stepping out from beside Baz. She looks beautiful. I mean, she always does, that’s pretty much her main defining characteristic, which would be pretty shallow of me to say if it weren’t true. Everything about her is beautiful, from the way she speaks to the way she looks. I think her thoughts are even beautiful, probably. Not that I know many of them. She didn’t talk to me that much when we dated.

But more importantly, why the hell is she talking to Baz?

“Hey Aggie,” I say cautiously. I smile at her — because really, she’s the first person I met here, and she’s still my friend, I’m not going to freeze her out — but I go back to pretending to stack cups while Penny takes their orders.

Baz gets his cavity-inducing mocha again, I notice, and I scrawl his insult and order on the cup next to me as he pays Penny for his drink. He’s always perfectly nice when he talks to her. And he’s being pretty fucking friendly to Aggie right now, so I guess it’s just me he’s a dick to. Brilliant.

I try to eavesdrop a bit as I make their drinks, and it sounds like they’re talking about a club. Are they in an extracurricular together? Then Aggie mentions horses and I realise she doesn’t mean a university club, she means a posh rich person club. That explains it then. I’ve always figured Baz is posh — he’s got to be, with his tailored clothes and stupid names — and Aggie is probably the richest person I know. All rich people knowing each other just sort of makes sense.

“Please? This isn’t the kind of thing someone goes to by themselves. It would mean a lot to me,” Aggie says. I stiffen a bit. Is she asking him out? Or are they already dating? Not that I care. We broke up two years ago, and it was absolutely the right idea. We’re just friends now, and honestly I like it better because being friends with Agatha is a hell of a lot less stressful than dating her.

But she can’t be dating Baz.

I mean, his name is basically Tyrannosaurus. He looks like a vampire, but like, a fit Egyptian-looking one. Not that vampires can’t be Egyptian. I think that’s what he is. I don’t really know. But yeah. He can’t be her type. Because of the vampire thing. Not the Egyptian thing. That’s actually a pretty good look on him.

“I’ll consider it,” Baz says stiffly. He looks a bit uncomfortable. I guess he’s not into Aggie. How mental is that? How can anyone not be into Aggie?

“Baz, have you met him? He’s adorable,” Agatha laughs. I pause before putting the syrup in Baz’s mocha. Wait. Does Agatha have a new boyfriend? Is that who they’re talking about?

“He’s not my type. I don’t like men with dark hair.”

What?

“Come on, Baz. When was the last time you were on a date?”

Baz is silent, and I can only see his back but I’m fairly sure he’s flaying Agatha alive with his eyes. His shoulders are hunched in an evisceration sort of way.

“If you’re not interested in him, I can name at least five others. There’s loads of good men on this campus. You just need to put yourself out there more,” Aggie says.

Baz

I’d like to skin Wellbelove.

I didn’t intend to come in with her for a chat, but she caught me when I was walking down campus, and she can be obnoxiously persistent when she puts her mind to it. I was going to shake her off when we got to the cafe. And then I remembered what Snow had said yesterday — “He comes in, always alone” — and I thought I’d further disrupt his world view, and invited Agatha to join me.

I immediately regret it.

When she started putting the press on me to bring a date to her mother’s ridiculous charity event I figured I could shut her down again, but I’ve forgotten that there’s no real way to constrain Agatha, and so here she is, dressing me down about finding a bloke in the middle of the cafe while Snow is clearly eavesdropping.

I hear a crash and turn around to see the remains of my mocha splashed all over the counter and dripping off of a bright red Snow. I want to kill her.

“Are you incompetent?” I snarl at him. It’s a bad insult. It’s not remotely well thought out, but I’m embarrassed and I’m not on the top of my game. I know Wellbelove didn’t mean to out me, and I’m not embarrassed about who I am, but I desperately wish she hadn’t. But I can’t blame her. She has no idea that I’ve been obsessing over this fucking barista for a year.

I used to absolutely hate him. He sat in the back of my Statistics class and was constantly talking and was always late, and I honestly don’t even know what he was doing in the class. He was so far out of his depth.

Then one day after class I stopped into this stupid cafe, even though I usually avoid the places on campus because they’re shit, and realised that Simon fucking Snow, the boy who was ruining my attention in Statistics, was the barista here, of course. Walking him through my order was more difficult than watching him try to use a calculator. When I went to pick up my coffee (he did actually make it correctly, I was a bit surprised) it looked like he had written “Bastard” in his awful chicken scratch font.

“Is this a joke?” I snarled at him. His mouth fell open and he stared at me in surprise.

“What?” he had said stupidly. It’s his default response. He says it to everything. “Snow, are you present?” “What?” “Today we have a test.” “What?” “You’re a fucking moron.” “What?”

I showed him my cup.

“Does ‘Baz’ really sound like ‘Bastard’ to you, you complete halfwit?” I snarled back at him. I watched the flush creep up his neck and he looked like he was going to go off on me right then, and the sudden rise of his anger was absolutely delightful.

“If I wanted to call you a bastard, I’d say it to your face,” he shot back through gritted teeth. It was not his best comeback.

“Work on your handwriting, this looks like a child wrote it,” I said, and then stormed out. I told myself I wouldn’t go back there again, even if the coffee was perfect, and I didn’t. For about two weeks. I was late to work and it was raining and I needed coffee. So I snarled my way through my order, grabbed the cup from his hands, and was almost to work before I noticed the neat, blocky, red letters on the side that read “Baztard.”

I was hooked. (Because I’m deranged.) (Ask anyone.)

And now he’s standing there, covered in my mocha, gaping at me like I’m a tall, gorgeous, gay freak.

Simon

I don’t know why I spilled the coffee. I get a bit clumsy when I’m focusing on things, and I was admittedly focusing pretty intently on Baz and Aggie’s conversation, and then my hand just sort of jerked, and now I’m wearing this revolting drink.

I don’t even know what he just hissed at me, I’m so embarrassed that my blood is roaring in my ears and I can’t really hear anything else, but I can see his face and I know he’s being a complete shithead to me.

So what if he’s gay? He’s still a shithead. You can be gay and a shithead. I grab a fresh cup, and that’s what I write out. I’d just put “git” on the last one, because I didn’t want Aggie to see me write anything too nasty, but I’ll put “shithead” on this one because I think it’s got a better ring to it.

I hesitate for a second though. Should I still call him a shithead? Will it seem like I’m just being an ass because I just found out he’s gay? But I’m not. I’m not being an ass. This is just our thing.

And I don’t want him to think I’m treating him any differently because I know. That would be kind of a shit move. So shithead it is. I write it carefully. (I always write carefully on his cups.) (He’s such a dick about handwriting.)

I place his drink on the counter without meeting his eyes and then head quickly to the back to clean up. I’m sticky and I smell like pumpkin.

Baz

He puts the cup down and then practically runs away. He doesn’t stay long enough for me to see what’s written on it.

This is my favourite part, when I look at what pathetic insult he’s chosen and then I sneer and insult it. He wrote something on the cup when I first ordered, I saw it. But then he spilled it, after Agatha outed me, and now I’m scared to see what he wrote when he remade the drink.

I don’t think he’ll think badly of me now. He’s too nice for that. I know he’s a nice guy. He’s a good guy. I’ve see him on campus. He smiles and talks to everyone. He’s that person who helps total strangers carry heavy things. If someone drops something, he chases them down and returns it. Now that he knows, he’s so fucking nice, he probably won’t insult me.

I don’t want to look at the cup. If it just says “Baz” I think I might lose it. This is our thing. I don’t know what I’ll do if we lose our thing.

The cup is just sitting there, staring at me. This is ridiculous. I’m a grown man. It’s a fucking coffee cup. I pick it up hesitantly and turn it, slowly, so I can see what he scrawled on it.

Shithead.

I can feel myself grinning, I can’t even help it. I’ve never been so happy to be a shithead.

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