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reggieslocket · 2 years

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prepare yourselves because i'm going to give you a bunch of reasons and hints that will show you the high chance of eddie being actually gay and him and steve becoming a thing >:)

1. "freak" as a queercoded word

let's start with the scene where dustin, robin, steve and max find eddie in the house where he was hiding and particularly on the dialogue between the five of them

there's this scene where eddie says something about how the people in town are getting ready to hunt him because they think he's guilty and he says "hunt the freak right?" and we see robin giving him an almost sad but understating look before replying "exactly" and i find it curios that they made her respond that out of everyone, i feel like it could be because she kind of relates to eddie's situation? she also would probably be considered a freak by people if they knew about her sexuality and that's why i believe the word has a queercoded meaning, if you think about it, "freak" was already used in the past seasons when bullies made fun of will, who also happens to be a queercoded character (even though we know he's coming out this season)

2. the handkerchief code

the handkerchief code gained popularity in the 70s and later on in the 80s and it was used especially by gay men to let others know their sexual preferences and fetishes. there were different and specific meanings depending on the color of your handkerchief and where you decided to put it (left pocket or right pocket)

now if you watch closely eddie can be seen wearing a black hanky in his left pocket throughout the seven episodes and of course these little details have their own meaning, in fact the black one was used to indicate S&M (sadomasochism) and as mentioned before the fact that it is placed in his left pocket isn't casual because that placement indicated that the person wearing it was a top (the dominant one in bed) while if you put it in your right pocket it meant you were a bottom (the submissive one)

this whole hanky thing made quite sense for me except for the fact that it was hard to believe that eddie is into sadomasochism but then rewatching the show a few days ago i noticed some handcuffs in his room and i found it weird because honestly what is a 20 year old man doing with those? he's not a cop or anything and so the fact that they are in his room is a bit strange for me... i just hope that the choice of making eddie wear the handkerchief isn't casual but a powerful move by the duffer brothers in order to hint at his sexuality

3. joe and joseph's interview

this interview really do be getting my hopes up. basically the interviewer asks joe what season one steve would think of his season four self and he replies with "surprised, approving... approval" WHILE looking and smiling at joseph who is also grinning, like there's no way they aren't hiding something and i hope it's the relationship between steve and eddie and steve's bisexuality. plus the fact that even maya is smiling while it seems like natalia is the only one able to be subtle about the whole thing lmao

then obviously there are steddie-antis saying that he would be approving of him and nancy getting back together but like... what should he be approving of? they were already a couple in season one so it wouldn't make much sense

4. gaten ships them as well

remember: if gaten ships it then it's canon

i love how the first couple that came to his mind is steddie and how proudly he says their names. he seemed so serious while saying it that it made me reflect on the fact that it's not that impossible seeing it happen and if not in season 4 maybe in season 5 since i read somewhere that luckily neither steve nor eddie are going to die in the last two episodes of this season (i don't know if it's true but let's hope so)

5. the chrissy-eddie thing

almost everyone who hates the fact that we headcanon eddie as gay will give the same explanation that he is clearly straight because he was flirting with chrissy and honestly i didn't see that as flirting at all, i just thought he was being really nice to her like he is to everyone. she was having a hard time and he was able to make her laugh and loosen up a little, i didn't find it as something romantic and furthermore who says that every interaction between a man a woman has to be romantic?

like friendship exists as well people?? and don't try and say "tHeRe cAn'T bE sO mAnY qUeEr cHaRaCtErS iN oNe sHoW, iT's nOt rEaLiStIc" like trust me it's more realistic having a group of only (or almost) queer people than one where everyone is straight and i know the show takes place in the 80s but gay people existed even then but they just couldn't openly say it so stfu

6. steve's attempts to find a girlfriend

we all know mama steve is trying his hardest to find a girlfriend but none of them really "suists" him right? what if eddie is the person that suits him? i mean it would be epic if he spent two seasons trying to find a girlfriend and then he ends up with a dude lol, i'd like to see bi steve happening so bad and i just know that robin would be super supportive of him and my boy dustin would be the happiest person on earth if his two dads got together

you can't tell me that they aren't developing a little crush on each other or that they don't care about each other, just look at eddie's face and his loving eyes in that scene and steve staring at eddie's lips for the whole time. i swear if they are really trying to get nancy and steve back together i'll start a riot because honestly they would be so forced, it wouldn't be good for both of their character development and also my boy jonathan doesn't deserve this, they made jancy dirty this season and i'm still pissed ugh

anyway if you read the whole thing ily and thanks for coming to my ted talk :)

#stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things s4 #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #steve x eddie #eddie x steve #stranger things volume 2

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momojedi · 4 months

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Bad Batch: Season 3

My Predictions

The final countdown has started and I'm not ready at ALL! Here are some of my predictions for Season 3 and what I could imagine happening!

1. Tech will be back.

Yes, the trope of dead characters returning is incredibly overused. But as many others I have a good reason to believe that Tech might still be alive. Think about it. It’s pretty likely Hemlock managed to locate Tech’s body considering he left us a huge breadcrumb: his goggles.

Why would Hemlock get rid of a genetically enhanced super soldier, especially considering he likely knows how to properly brainwash someone?

I too like to think that Tech might be the black armoured soldier in the front. It’s the same, if not similar armour as Clone X. Maybe these are part of a special type of clone assassins or troopers? Could they be the prototype for the Dark or Death Trooper?

It’s pretty plain to say that Tech will likely come back, though probably not as the Tech we know.

2. Crosshair & Omega Dynamic

We've seen Omega genuinely bond with all of the Bad Batch - except for Crosshair. Despite her trying her best to get to him every time they had the chance to interact, he denied her any kind of response. Whether that would be because he's just too withdrawn or because he refuses to let anyone see his vulnerable side, we don't know so far.

What we do know however, both based on pure logic alone and the fact that we've heard them both involved in a heated debate in the leaked trailer from the Star Wars Celebration last year, is that they likely will spending a lot of time together on-screen now that they're both captives of the Empire.

Hopefully Omega will be able to lift Cross' spirits, he doesn't seem to be doing very well from what we've seen!

3. Ventress will be an enemy!

Asajj Ventress! We all know and love her, so naturally it's incredibly nice to find out that she'll be returning to the screens for the final season of the Bad Batch! Despite they're naturally being some raised eyebrows considering her fate in the Dark Disciple book, I'm curious to see in what way they'll connect the stories!

However, seeing as Ventress could rather be classified as an anti-hero rather than a full on hero, I believe that she won't be helping the Batch but rather fighting them in order to get to what she wants - as she likes to do.

Perhaps she'll end up cooperating when she realises there might be no other solution, but I strongly doubt she'll be any help to them when it comes to following their personal goals.

4. The Fall of the Clone Rebellion

It's sadly no secret that given the events of Rebels and the three remaining clones Rex, Gregor & Wolffe, it's very likely the rebellions aka rescue of the clones didn't go as initially planned.

I could imagine this being explained a bit clearer in the finale, perhaps even leading up to a great fight against the Empire in the end. We can't forget that the series mainly revolves around a rogue batch of clones, so the thought that it might also go out with a clone-centric subject, especially such a big one, isn't necessarily far-fetched.

5. The End of the Mission

And finally, my most tragic prediction: The end of the Bad Batch.

The writers have been making it very clear that season 3 will likely be the darkest season of the show which unfortunately leads me to think that, as much as I'd want it not to be the case, the finale will lead to the ultimate end of Clone Force 99.

I suspect the series to end with the batch ending up together in some way, as the original five, and landing in a tricky life-or-death situation. Perhaps they'll be stuck in a crashing ship with a one-person escape pod or maybe they'll be facing a threatening figure such as Sidious, leading to the decision to sacrifice themselves in order to protect Omega.

Either way, despite season 3 likely becoming a tragic rollercoaster of emotions, I'm glad we had the chance to experience the epic story of the Bad Batch. It's sad to see them go and although these characters have become like a family not only to me, but to many other fans, let's enjoy our last moments with them and let them go out with a bang!

#star wars #clone wars #bad batch #bad batch season 3 #bad batch s3 #the bad batch #the clone wars #clone force 99 #star wars the bad batch #star wars the clone wars #star wars clone wars #tbb

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flower-boi16 · 4 months

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Hazbin Hotel Is A Show That Exists

So...after five years of waiting, Hazbin Hotel is finally out. I had very low expectations going to Hazbin - not only because of the current state of Helluva Boss (Its spin-off show) but also because of all the things I was hearing about it from people who saw the leaks - needless to say, it wasn't very positive. I was expecting this show to be a complete disaster on every single level, though deep down, I did want to be excited for this show - as I did used to briefly be a fan of Viv's work until I realized HB's MANY writing issues, so I went in with low expectations, expecting the show to be awful while deep down hoping that MAYBE It'll MAYBE end up being good. And after watching the first four episodes I can say that...

The show isn't awful nor is it that good. It's just...PAINFULLY average. In this post I'm going to give my current thoughts on HH based on the first four episodes that are currently released. Note that these are only my current thoughts on the show - there's a chance that MAYBE the show will improve in the second half of season 1. But for now, here are my current thoughts on the show:

1. The Animation & Visuals

The animation is...fine. The characters definitely look very rigged at times, but the animation is at least pleasant to look at. An issue I have is the camera work - sometimes the camera work can be VERY off at times. The show would constantly cut to different perspectives in some of the scenes and it becomes a headache to look at. It's especially bad at the beginning of the Happy Day In Hell song - where the camera looks like it's having a stroke during the sequence as it constantly cuts to different perspectives a LOT.

That being said - the camera work is mostly fine throughout the rest of the show so it's not too bad. So overall, the animation looks fine. I don't love it, but I don't hate it.

2. The Comedy

The show's comedy is...actually pretty ok. There were a few jokes that got a good laugh out of me, especially in episode 3, the episode that isn't written by Viv, so it therefore is the funniest episode of the show so far. I am surprised by the lack of sex jokes in the show which is at least a plus. That being said, a lot of the jokes in the show don't really land - mainly the ones that Angel Dust makes. So really, the comedy is OK. I don't hate it, but I also don't love it either.

3. Worldbuilding & Plot

So now let's talk about the main plot of the show as well as its world-building. Ok so the main conflict for the show is that due to someone killing an Angel during the last extermination - the exterminations are going to happen twice as fast now (6 months instead of one year). The mystery of what happened to the angel...lasts for about two episodes before we're given an answer in episode 3, and then it's just resolved like that.

Aside from that the series mostly revolves around its premise so far which is good. Alright, now lets talk about the lore and worldbuilding - basically Lucifer used to be an angel in Hevean but was seen as a trouble maker and Adam demanded that Lilith fuck him (or something Idk Idr) and Lucifer and Lilith fell in love blah blah blah Lucifer gave an apple to his new lover Eve blah blah blah the apple was cursed blah blah blah the apple created hell blah blah blah It sent evil to the world and Hevean was pissed about that so they banished them to hell blah blah blah Lucifer became sad blah blah blah Lilith didn't blah blah blah Hevean started doing exterminations because they were afraid of Hell's power.

(Semi-accurate description of the opening exposition dump). Ok so a few things; 1) I already asked this in another post but why did Hell never choose to fight back against Heaven when Heaven shouldn't have any power over hell because Hell was a realm created by Lucifer? Also, why does Heaven even have any power over Hell to begin with? and 2) So Heaven is eeeevil now and is going to kill all of Hell. Like I already said, it would have been more interesting if Heaven wasn't evil, and it also would've been better than this Hevean v Hell war we're probably going to get in the finale.

They even changed the reasoning to why Heaven started doing the exterminations, instead of it being because of an overpopulation problem now it's because Heaven was afraid of Hell's power...

...which contradicts the pilot which is canon to the series. But then the show just goes back to the overpopulation problem as the reason for the exterminations???? Like??? Which is it, is it because Heaven is evil or because of an overpopulation problem??? PICK ONE!!!

Hell is also kinda boring of a setting, it's just our world except red. That's it. So the lore and worldbuilding is kinda eh, Heaven is just evil cuz ofc it is and the lore has some problems. Its funny to how one of the lyrics of Adam's big villain song is "its all black and white", and since Adam is the bad guy and Charlie's goal is to redeem sinners, the show is trying to go for a "it's NOT black and white" message, but that's kinda ironic considering that this Heaven/Hell conflict is very black and white in it of itself; Hell good Heaven evil. That's it. Not saying black-and-white conflicts with a good guy and a bad guy are bad, most shows can make them work and be interesting, but Heaven would have been more interesting if it wasn't evil, at least IMO.

4. The Voice Actors

A lot of the discourse surrounding Hazbin until its release was the new voice actors. Let me just say I don't dislike the voice actors here; I think they are fine and they fit the characters decently well. Their singing is also decent as well. So I don't dislike any of the voices, they are fine for the most part and fit decently well with the characters.

5. The Songs

The songs so far are...fine. If there was one thing that HB consistently got right, it was the songs. Even if I dislike HB, the songs are actually pretty good (for the most part...). Hazbin's songs are...decent. There aren't any songs that I can say are bad, though I have some issues with the show's music; mainly the fact that the show sometimes shoves in songs...for the sake of having a song.

If you want to make a musical with songs you need to make sure each song has a distinct purpose for the story; take "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. Before this song, it's pretty easy to infer that Ariel has an interest in the surface world - with her collecting human stuff and all. But the song further shows us her desire to see the surface - to see what it's like above water. It shows her desire to see the surface in the form of a song - it has a purpose within the story because it tells you something about the character.

Hazbin Hotel meanwhile sometimes has a problem when it comes to shoving in songs for the sake of meeting the song quota; the two biggest examples are "Hell is Forever" and "Respectless", as well as "Whatever It Takes". These songs are all completely unnecessary and they give us information that could have been communicated through simple dialogue rather than characters bursting out singing.

"Respectless" in particular feels less like a song and more like the characters just...singing a conversation with each other. The song is completely unnecessary and is just there to fill the song quota per episode. None of the songs I've mentioned are necessarily bad, but they suffer from being unneeded (HB also sometimes has this problem in season 2 mainly in episodes 3, 4, and 7).

Aside from that issue - the songs are...fine. None of them are bad but some of them are kinda useless and don't serve much of a purpose. I at least liked Happy Day in Hell and Poison, aside from that most of the songs are...ok. I just don't find most of them that memorable.

6. The Characters

Now, let's talk about the characters. First I'll talk about the main cast then the villains.

Charlie - I think Charlie's...fine. I always like overly positive and happy characters for protagonists so I was going to like Charlie anyway. She's fine; she's easy to root for and she's likable enough.

Vaggie - Vaggie's also fine. I do like her snark in episode 3, but aside from that there isn't much that interesting about her.

Nifty - Nifty's cute. Nifty's funny. I like Nifty.

Angel Dust - sigh Ok so I didn't like Angel Dust in episode 1 because of the fact he was another character whose one character trait is being excessively horny. And I also find all his jokes painfully unfunny. I'm not really in a position to judge how well his abuse from Val was handled so since I held a poll asking SA victim's thoughts on episode 4 and most of them voted no I'll just say that they didn't handle it very well and move on. So ya don't care for Angel Dust.

Alastor - Ah yes the creepy radio demon. He's also fine, I like his whole style and stuff.

Husk - Husk's whole purpose in the first three episodes is pretty much just to be pissed off at stuff, I kinda liked the scene where he talked to Angel Dust in episode 4 but aside from that, Husk is kinda just..fine...like everyone in this main cast.

Now let's talk about the villains so far!

Adam - Don't care for him. Sigh look Adam could be an entertaining villain but so far his dialogue and jokes are just painfully unfunny and I don't care for him as a villain. I could talk about his sidekick whose name I forgot but she's gotten so little screen time I can't form an opinion on her yet.

Also isn't it funny how HH was meant to be a female-focused show yet the males get more focus so far (As I've already talked about)? Ya, I thought so too. Anyways, the characters are...fine. I don't hate any of them, but I also don't really love any of them either. None of them are that interesting so far to me.

That's pretty much what I can say about everything in this show so far; I don't hate the animation but I don't love it either, I don't hate the comedy but I don't love it either, I don't hate the songs but I don't love them either, I don't hate any of the characters but I don't love them either.

7. Conclusion

So, that's my current thoughts on HH based on the first four episodes. Well...it's certainly a show that I watched. It's amazing to me how a show could be so consistently painfully average in pretty much EVERYTHING, from the animation to the songs to the comedy to the characters, to the episodes themselves, Hazbin Hotel is the most painfully average show I've watched so far. It's not bad so far, but it isn't good either. Again, maybe the show will improve when the latter half of season 1 comes out...

...or it will just get worse. I'm expecting the latter unfortunately due to the trailers making it look like there's going to be a Heaven/Hell war which means the show is probably going to abandon its premise like its spin-off (...that came before the main show was released). But ya, Hazbin Hotel is painfully average so far, probably a 6/10 so far, expecting the show to probably get worse, goodbye.

#hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel criticism #vivziepop critical #vivziepop criticism

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oflightningandstars · 3 months

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AO3 Tag Game!

I was tagged by @mvshortcut and @nobodysdaydreams, thank you both!

How many works do you have on AO3? 15! One of them is fanart, the rest are fics

What’s your total AO3 word count? 27,079

How many fandoms have you written for, and what are they?

3 (the obligatory 4 if you count MBS show and books separately). Nimona, Undertale, and Mysterious Benedict Society! (I've partially written or at least thought about fic in some other fandoms but haven't published anything).

Top five fics by kudos:

(Stuffed) Sharks Have No Bones

Strands of Dead Cells with Sentimental Value (tie)

This head is a hospital, someone please tend to it. (tie) (linked later in the post)

Mysterious Benedict Sleepover (fanart)

Kate comes out to their dad and it is wonderful

and because there was a tie and also one of the entries was fanart, Though heavy hang my eyes with sleep, my singing soul, it cries to thee

(Stuffed) Sharks is fun to me because it is my oldest fic, so it kind of makes sense for it to have the most kudos, but I wrote it several years before the Nimona movie was released and there was a noticeable uptick in people reading it, which was absolutely wild to see since typically I write for MBS which is a small fandom.

Do you respond to comments?

I try!

What’s the fic with the angstiest ending you’ve ever written?

Hmm. I definitely try to aim for hopeful endings, so even though things aren't fixed by the end of either This head is a hospital, someone please tend to it. or you're going too fast, you'll burn up soon, things are definitely looking up for Kate. I like to write Kate angst if you couldn't tell.

Do you write crossovers?

I haven't, but I'm not opposed to it! - that being said, I have some crossover-y art ideas that someday I will actually draw.

Have you ever gotten hate on a fic?

No thank goodness. I would almost certainly cry.

Do you write smut?

In theory I'm open to it, in practice I don't really.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, and I very much hope not.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, it would be very cool. I have thought about trying to translate one of my own before but have never actually tried it.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I must say, I do enjoy a good ship, but I'm not sure I have an all-time favorite? Different ones are special to me for different reasons. But I might have to answer Korrasami because their relationship and the ending of the show were so so important to me as a queer kid who was just starting to figure that out.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will?

Ough. I don't want to put any of my Space Opera AU stuff in this category because that would make me sad. So I will just say I have a number of partially-written fics that I forget about and who knows if I will actually finish them.

What are your writing strengths?

I am contractually obligated to answer this question, I am contractually obligated to answer this question, I am contractually obligated...

Jokes aside, I think I have interesting ideas, and there are certain flavors/styles of description I enjoy writing.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing the fic. Getting into the writing zone, especially lately.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fics?

I think it's interesting! I would probably be too anxious to do it, no matter how well I knew the other language (though to be fair I google words and phrases in English to double check that they are things people say)

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

My friends and I plotted and partially wrote Doctor Who fanfic in the format of a season of the show/episode scripts, so I think Doctor Who. The first fandom I published a fic for was Nimona.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written so far?

oooh this is hard, I like so many of them for so many different reasons.

Every time I type out an answer, I go "wait, actually maybe a different one?"

Maybe 'you're going too fast, you'll burn up soon' because it took me so long to write but I'm so proud of it

Tagging: anyone who wants to!

#thank you both for tagging me #fanfiction #tag game

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krittec · 1 year

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The Umbrella Academy season 2 & 3 would have been worlds better if they didn’t continually dumb down their characters in favour of jokes or completely derailing on going character development for the same sake.

Luther was canonically smart in season one, as was Diego who wanted to become a cop and possibly a detective since that’s what he did in season two. The both of them had theories on what Fives portal could have been… yet both of them were turned into Himbos in season 2, in Luthers case to make him more likeable I assume (Which could have been done SO MUCH BETTER than just making him stupid. He knew he messed up and apologised but it still could’ve gone better) And then Diego, a man who wanted to solve crimes, couldn’t figure out Stanley very obviously wasn’t his son.

My second point is geared toward Klaus & his entire cult plotline. First of all, cult plotlines especially done in a ‘humours’ way is so disrespectful and off putting that I genuinely hated Klaus for that season. Making Kool-Aid jokes as if that wasn’t a real event that killed over 900 people including children. I find this super common in American Media for some reason and it sickens me every time. Second of all, his plot-line just goes nowhere. He had something strong in season one but then it all evaporated because the show didn’t know where to take it so they put the LOWEST of lows in for comedic effect.

Also the whole sexual assault part is horrendous in itself. I am aware that it happens in the comics and that Allison repeatedly did things like that in the comics but they’d already changed so much and taken out so much, some of my favourite things, and including that is quite shocking and not in a good way.

Gerard’s lack of involvement after season one shines brightly and it’s sad. Glad that MCR is back and he is living his best life though.

I actually fear for season four and I’m almost relieved it’s the last season since it’s taken a steady decline (besides the music. S2 was great for that but even s3 took a dive) and to watch it go further would be depressing. Only reason I’m not loving it is because the same director is writing for a netflix Horizon project, which is very political and not subtle with the themes. I will be mortified if it gets ruined by their poor attempt at comedy.

#if u do not have cult trauma nor been associated with one then ur not allowed to comment on the cult part #i say as someone who HAS had that trauma and i’m tired of folks speaking over us.#anyway i wanted to get this off my chest #the umbrella academy #tua #luther hargreeves #diego hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #allison hargreeves #cw vent #five hargreeves #number five #viktor hargreeves #ben hargreeves

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thewordswewrite · 2 years

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Lonely Is Our Lives

Chapter 3 - Shout at the Devil

Pairing | Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader

!!VERY IMPORTANT A/N!! | I want to preface this by saying I DO NOT condone Billy’s actions throughout the series. I DO NOT condone his violence or abuse, ESPECIALLY against Lucas but also including Max and the others. At the time season two came out in 2017, nearly FIVE years ago at the time I'm writing this, I was very angry and frustrated at the world, resentful of a younger sibling, and disconnected from the people around me so I kind of latched onto Billy as a character and what he represented. I absolutely DID NOT understand what his actions against Lucas truly meant and I DID NOT register it as the racism it was. Knowing what I know now I've decided to write a fic where Billy is able to let go of some of his anger and have someone there to check him and his actions in order to set him on a better path. I wrote this for me as a bit of a redemption fic for both of us.

Playlist | Link | Chapter Three: Songs 9-12

Story Summary | One fateful 1983 night you narrowly escape death on Steve Harrington’s property while Barbara Holland is presumed dead. Left jaded and angry, you carry on towards your senior year in a haze of sex, drugs, and alcohol just to get through the day. But, when Billy Hargrove moves to Hawkins, Indiana during the fall of 1984 things get worse before they get better.

Chapter Summary | Your shift turns interesting when a certain someone shows up and you have a surprisingly serious talk. The week seemed like it was going to be uneventful but late Saturday night things begin to take a turn.

Story Warnings | explicit language, angst, abusive parents, smut 18+ minors DNI, heavy drug and alcohol usage, alcohol/drug abuse, implied physical abuse, injuries,

W/C | 3.8k

Taglist | @youcantbesirius , @xronniexo , @zzokks , @marihoneywk , @darlingjae

A/N | Honestly I was putting off writing this cause Saph leaves for college this week and I was sad and spending all my time with her but I finished it kinda fast once I started lol. I’m not leaving for school until September and now I have to be here all alone ;( Also Dacre has a poetry book apparently? -Smoe

You stared absently out the windshield of your parked car as you smoked. You’d caved and bought another pack of Djarum Specials on your way to work, much to your annoyance. You tried to be on time today and you’d left with just enough time to step through the doors exactly as your shift started but, when you’d passed the gas station on main street, you couldn't help but pull in and pick yourself up a pack.

You felt bad for making Robin, your shift partner, run the store by herself while you sat and puffed your bad mood away. She was just a year younger than you but her generally shy demeanor made her feel far younger. You’d gotten close over the months you worked together and could confidently say you’d become friends. The occasional head nod in the hallways and stray rides home were all that occurred outside the walls of Record Time and though your encounters rarely left your place of employment, you talked almost nonstop when at work. Whether it was about the newest album releases, or why she stared at Heather Holloway’s ass a little longer than necessary, you two wouldn't shut up.

You knew that once you stepped inside she’d give you an earful about being late so you gathered your senses and exited your car. As you pushed inside the shop, your ears were met with the low thrum of bass and cocked your eyebrow at Robin who sat disparagingly at the counter.

You huffed out a laugh. “The Beatles? Really?”

“Wow, how nice of you to show up,” She deadpanned.

“I’m fifteen minutes late, relax! And I’m guessing Heather was here?”

Robin’s eyes bugged out and she grumbled. “Would you keep your voice down please! And maybe I just like Oh! Darling, ever think of that?”

“Oh my god, no one is even in here!” You dropped your bag behind the counter before hopping on top of it and facing Robin. “And The Beatles are literally your ‘I’m in love and feel hopeless’ band so don’t try that with me.”

Robin stared you down defiantly but gave in when you shot her an unimpressed look. “Yeah, she was here.” She picked at her chipped black nails and sighed.

“I figured as much.”

Robin had finally admitted to you that she was a lesbian when you very bluntly asked her as much while you were closing up one night a few months ago. You’d seen her staring at a girl who had very curly brown hair and a wide smile and had been browsing the pop section for about ten minutes. When she’d finally come to the register and placed down a Madonna album, a red-faced Robin stuttered through almost the entire transaction.

When you asked her about it at the end of your shift, her eyes welled up with tears immediately and she begged you not to say anything. After a very long conversation, you’d gotten home almost an hour past your curfew and received a two-week grounding but when you dropped Robin off at her house and she gave you an awkward hug over your center console, you knew the punishment you got from your father was worth it. Since then, she’d stopped all the tepidness and became your favorite work buddy. A work buddy you loved to gossip with.

“Rob, I have had an interesting past few days.” You smiled tiredly at your coworker.

Robin looked up conspiratorially. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“So, there's this new kid and-” You were cut off by the jingle of the front door, annoyed at the interruption. You schooled your face into a customer-worthy smile and hopped down from the counter. “Welcome to Record Time, anything… speak of the devil.”

In front of you stood a gloomy-looking Billy and his sister who looked around the store eagerly. Seemingly spotting what she was searching for, Billy’s sister walked off, leaving the three of you alone.

“This the new kid?” Robin guessed from behind you.

Billy’s eyes flicked over to Robin and he shot her a flirty grin. “Billy Hargrove.”

Robin grimaced. “Pleasure.” You laughed when Billy’s smile dropped and Robin walked somewhere into the back to avoid the boy.

Billy raised his eyebrows in question and crossed his arms. “Talking about me?”

You matched his haughty attitude and stood, hip cocked out to one side. “Actually, I was before you so rudely interrupted.”

Billy looked ready to respond when a long-since familiar sound of a tape hitting the floor cut him off. Billy’s face immediately grew tight with anger and he balled up his fists. “Hey, shitbird, you’ve only got enough for one so you break it you buy it.”

“It’s no big deal, Hargrove.” You tried to cool the situation but his anger simply redirected itself to you.

“Stay the fuck out of this,” Billy took a threatening step towards his sister but you quickly walked around the counter and stood in his way. “Move.”

“How about we go outside, hm?” Your face was stony and your tone left no room for argument. “I need a smoke break anyway.”

Billy’s gaze shifted from where it was locked on the redhead down to you and finally, he looked away, the tension in the room easing slightly. “Fine.”

You called out to tell Robin you were taking ten while keeping yourself between Billy and his sister. You led him outside and pulled out your freshly purchased smokes. Billy eyed your choice of nicotine dubiously and you gave him a dirty look.

“No wonder you smell like that all the time,” He commented, his words fogging around him in the chilled November air.

“Like what?” You asked, a challenging lilt to your voice as you burned a cigarette.

You waited as Billy took a puff of one of his Reds and smirked at you, “Like Christmas.”

A pang of sadness hit your heart and memories of your childhood flashed in your head. You closed your eyes and smiled dejectedly, leaning your weight against the building. “My mom loved Christmas.”

You couldn’t tell if it was seconds or minutes that went by but when Billy finally spoke your hands felt like ice and your shoulder had gone stiff with the cold.

“I hate it here.”

“Me too.” You let yourself sink into a squat and looked up at where Billy was facing you and resting against the wall.

When he spoke again, his words lost the edge he so proudly paraded with, instead exchanging it for a tone inked with an unintentional sorrow. “California was perfect. This hick town can’t even compare.” Billy flicked his cigarette away and turned from you.

“Why’d you guys move?” You attempted to sound non-threatening as you let your fingers play with the fallen leaves on the ground. It wasn’t like you to push for details but something about Billy’s cold exterior was intriguing and, if you were being honest, a bit too close to home. You focused on where your fingers scraped against the hard concrete and not on how hollow you felt.

Billy’s voice was tight with hatred. “Neil wanted a fresh start with his brand new family.”

For a moment you stayed silent, contemplating your next words but decided it was worth it. “You should be nicer to her,” You suggested as you stood up.

“Who? Maxine?” he asked incredulously.

“If that’s your sister’s name then yes.” You saw him work his jaw and you tilted your head slightly.

Billy sneered, “She’s not my sister.”

You put your hands on your hips. “Don’t you think she might hate this too?” Your tone was a little patronizing but you couldn't help it. You knew selfish.

He shook his head, looking away. “It’s her fault we’re even here.”

Tutting, you kicked at his foot. “Is that really true, though?” Once again you heard the jingle of the entrance and looked as Maxine walked out of the store, already reaching into her plastic bag to retrieve her cassette. She stopped and glanced up at the two of you but quickly walked past and got into Billy’s car. “My house is still free Saturday.” You offered.

Billy’s tongue darted out and he licked his lips, eyes dark. “ Saturday,” He nodded.

~ ~ ~

The basketball game had been a disaster. The team had come out excited and ready to win but as the minutes ticked by the boys began to lose their coordination and were fumbling so badly that they were down twenty by the third quarter. Most of the team was angry by the end, shoving and baring their teeth at the loss. Billy took it the worst; he shouted and balled jerseys in his fists, nearly throwing Tommy H. to the floor when he made a snide comment.

You were quick to run up to Steve to comfort him after the team’s performance.

“Sorry about the game,” You smiled sympathetically.

Steve was rubbing the sweat out of his hair with a towel and shrugged. “It’s alright. I didn’t think we’d lose this bad but it’s whatever,” Steve took a swig of his water bottle and grabbed his bag. “We getting food?”

“Yeah, let me just talk to Billy for a sec,” You smiled wickedly at the horrified expression that comment earned you. You and Billy obviously weren’t close but you still wanted to try and comfort him about losing.

“Please do not talk to me about him. I’ll meet you at KFC.” He shoved you lightly and walked out the gym entrance.

Looking around, you tried to spot a head of dirty blonde curls but were left practically spinning in circles. You caught a glance of Tommy still packing his things and figured he would know.

“Tom!” You called out and the freckled boy looked up. “You seen Billy?”

Tommy’s face morphed into a scowl and he continued to pack up his belongings. “He left as soon as he was done bitching at all of us for losing.”

“Thanks anyway,” You shrugged, leaving to meet Steve.

It was annoying that he’d left without even acknowledging you but now it was nearing ten and you weren't even sure Billy was going to show at all. You stood on the cold tile of your kitchen floor and turned on the stove in preparation for your dinner. Since your hookup plans had fallen through, you decided a box of Kraft mac and cheese would have to be your company for the night. Huffing in boredom, you grabbed a stool from the island and dragged it over in front of the stove so you could quite literally watch water boil. You sat there and let your feet dangle and thump against the leg of the stool in rhythm while steam began to rise above the pot.

The house was uncommonly quiet with your father away; the TV was off and there was no yelling about everything you’d done wrong that day. Your father took weekly trips up to Chicago to get supplies for the auto shop as he was unwilling to pay the additional delivery fee. This meant that the weekend was the only time you had to yourself. You’d given your Saturday to Billy and he hadn’t even bothered to show up.

Finally, as you watched with glassy, unfocused eyes, the water began to boil and you ripped into the cardboard of the box, took out the cheese packet, and poured the uncooked pasta into the water. Just as you finished setting the timer, a knock at the door startled you. Glancing at the stove clock, you saw a flashing nine fifty-three and rolled your eyes. Billy would show up this late for a screw. You unlocked the deadbolt and pulled open the door to reveal an abused-looking Billy who refused to meet your eyes.

“What the fuck happened to you?” You blurted, unable to control your curiosity.

Billy huffed and pushed past you into the house. “You got a bathroom?”

You looked at him concerned but pointed to the first door down the hall and watched as he walked inside, the sound of the sink following after him. You hesitated to step forward before finally committing and following Billy into the bathroom. You stood, hip against the doorframe, and resolved yourself to not tiptoe around the situation.

“Who’d you piss off?” Billy was attempting to clean the gash on his cheek but hesitated at your question.

He took a second to glance at you in the mirror but quickly looked away and continued to dab at his face. “ You’re the one who told me to ask Steve where you lived.”

“Steve has never once won a fight and you look like you lost,” You pulled an unimpressed face and sighed. “It’s okay that you lost just-”

“Leave it alone,” He warned, eyes fiery, but you reached towards him anyway.

“Give me that.” You snatched the bloody washcloth out of his hand as he turned around to face you but, before he had the chance to move, you stepped forward and trapped him against the sink. Billy could’ve easily gotten out from where your hips held his against the ceramic counter but he let you hold him there.

Slowly, you ascended onto your toes and reached past his shoulder to open the mirror behind him. You reached farther and farther until your face was mere inches from Billy’s and when you chanced a look at his face, his eyes were already locked onto your own causing you to let out a harsh breath in surprise. When the air hit his neck, Billy shivered, goosebumps rising along his skin. You broke your gaze and grabbed the rubbing alcohol, leaning back on your heels and effectively granting Billy his personal space back.

“You better know what you’re doing,” He grumbled.

“Relax. I know how to clean a wound,” You reassured, pouring some of the liquid onto a clean portion of the cloth. You took part in a stare-down as Billy leaned away from you and you raised your eyebrows at him in expectation. A few seconds elapsed until Billy conceded, letting himself sag and you to raise your hand to his face. You took his jaw in your unoccupied hand and turned his head to better reveal the cut to you before pressing the alcohol-soaked towel flat onto his cheek, nearly cupping it. Billy hissed at the contact and you smiled softly. “Sorry.”

Billy was uncharacteristically quiet as you searched the rest of his face for more injuries, from which you noticed a bruise blooming around one of his eyes as well as his throat. You took a step back from him and threw the soiled cloth into the sink. You knew how to make quick work of cuts by now since that fateful night at Steve’s, and deftly applied butterfly bandages across his cheek to hold it together in an attempt to avoid scaring. Though it wouldn't diminish his attractiveness, you were sure he wouldn’t want a reminder of the fight. Finishing up with his face, you grabbed his hands from where they hung limp and ran your fingers over the unblemished skin of his knuckles. He didn’t fight back.

“Billy, what happened? Who did this to-” Once again he cut you off but this time it was with the rough plushness of his lips as he kissed you.

His arm found itself around your back, holding your waist softly against him as he pressed into you while his other hand simultaneously fisted into your hair and urged you closer, the contrast of his actions almost confused you. Most of the time he was unnecessarily rough and crass, never letting anyone close to him but just then in the bathroom, he let you cradle his face and patch his wounds with little complaint. Now he let you take charge within the kiss while still keeping you right where he wanted you. It seemed the only time he knew the rules of give and take was during moments like these. Billy’s thumb was caressing your cheek softly as he bit your lip, and you moaned into his mouth. The moment was broken though when you suddenly heard the sizzling of water spilling over onto the stove, sending you to hurry into the kitchen.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” You quickly moved the pot off the burner and turned down the flame. The pasta was essentially mush and water, now sitting in small puddles around your stove. You ran a ragged hand into your hair and groaned.

Billy had exited the bathroom and walked up behind you with a towel. “How about you leave this to soak up and we go to your room?”

You went to shoot him an annoyed look but when you caught sight of his flushed appearance, you couldn’t help but smile. You haphazardly used the towel to soak up as much water as possible and quickly grab Billy’s hand to lead him upstairs.

The journey was short and you soon found yourself underneath Billy on your bed as he kissed you. He held himself above you with his forearms so your mouth was never too far from his own. As you kissed, your fingers scrambled down to your sweatpants and undid the knot at the top in order to slide them down. Once you had them down and off your body, you moved to the button and zipper of Billy’s jeans. As you pushed them over his ass, Billy trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses down your neck. His hand found its way under your shirt and began to tug it up to grant him better access to your chest.

Your hands shot up and grabbed his own to rip it away from your body. “No, leave my shirt on,” You ordered.

Billy looked confused, his eyebrows pulled together and mouth agape. “Why? I wanna see.”

You stared at him, helpless until you devised a challenge. “I'll tell you… if you tell me who beat your face in.”

Billy shook his head and went back down to kiss you. “No deal,” he murmured against your mouth. He pulled his own shirt over his head and finished kicking his jeans off so you were both staring back at each other, him clad in nothing but underwear and you in your shirt.

With both hands, Billy found the elastic of your underwear and shimmied them down your sides until they were off and discarded to the floor. You let your legs drop open as his fingers ran along your core and slowly dipped inside. The stretch was nothing, but the way he curled his fingers had your mouth dropping open in a silent moan. His thumb simultaneously circled your clit and he captured your mouth in a kiss, licking into it as he got you off with his fingers. Your pleasure climbed and you felt your nails dig into Billy’s back as his fingers kept a swift pace.

“Billy, please, ” You begged as you chased your orgasm.

Billy’s fingers slowed, much to your annoyance, and your eyes flew open. “You close?” He purred in your ear and you nodded hastily. “I want to hear your voice, baby.”

“Yes! Please, Billy, I need you!” You nearly sobbed when he finally began to move faster and urged you on with whispered praise into your ear.

You came with a loud, broken moan, shuddering as you came down. You realized your fingers had been coiled into Billy’s curls until you let go, causing him to wince at the release of pressure. You inhaled deeply but barely had time to catch your breath before you heard the crinkle of condom foil. Soon after, Billy was plunging his cock into you and holding your hips with a bruising grip.

With each sharp thrust, you zoned out in bliss to the sound of his skin slapping against your own. Unable to do more than grip at your sheets, you arched into him to try and find your sweet spot that would have you seeing stars, whining when you couldn’t find it.

“You feel so good for me,” Billy vocalized through stuttered moans. He grabbed one of your legs and threw it over his shoulder to get a better angle and when he did, you gasped. He was now relentlessly thrusting into you in a way that had you cumming on his cock in seconds.

Billy though wasn’t done and tears pricked at your eyes in ecstasy. He uncontrollably pumped into you until he himself was cumming as well. He pulled you to him and took your mouth in a kiss, all teeth and urgency while he came down from his own high.

When he finally let you go, your chest heaved in air and sweat cooled on your body, making you shiver and pull up the blankets. Billy bent over at the end of your bed and took his cigarettes out of his back pocket.

He was about to put them away when you cleared your throat. “Lemme bum one?”

“This gonna be a theme?” He chuckled and threw you the box along with his lighter.

“It will as long as you keep giving them to me,” You smiled with one of his smokes hanging off your lips and lit it.

You watched lazily as he dressed, searching around your floor for his previously discarded clothes and putting them on with deft hands. He stood in your mirror and fixed his hair, curling some of the pieces around his finger until they were back to their original ringlet shape.

“You want to be a little more gentle next time?” He gestured to his wild hair but you only laughed wickedly.

“You want to be a little more gentle next time?” You parroted back at him and he rolled his eyes, sighing at you. He stood awkwardly, fully clothed and watching you, which left you to break the silence. “I’ll walk you out.”

Billy nodded and you twisted yourself off the bed to stand on unsure legs, slowly walking over to him. He let you lead him downstairs and to the front door, stopping in front of it so that your eyes could once again scan over his injuries. You worried your lip between your teeth but decided to leave it alone for the night.

You opened the door and gestured outside with an open hand. “Well, it’s been lovely, California but I think this is where we say goodnight.” You smiled and he returned it before walking out. You locked the door behind him.

With a sigh, you looked at the evidence of your failed dinner scattered across the floor and remembered the bloody mess in your bathroom. What the fuck happened tonight?

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gutsfics · 2 months

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1, 3, 9, 22, and 24 from the OC Interview Questions for Devi please!!!

yaaay thank you!!!! :3 ok im going Devi Mode now >:3

1. Who makes up your family? How close are you to them?

well there's my mom and dad, and i have an older sibling, Avery, and two older sisters, Kennie and Satomi. im pretty close with all of them, especially my parents! tbh though it kinda feels like the five years i was dead made me miss a lot of my siblings' lives so theres like a sort of.... glass wall? i think? thats five years i cant get back, and they're all enough older than me that i wasnt really raised "with" them so much as i was raised after them, you know?

also Noah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Noah's been such a big part of my (un)life that it would be wrong not to call him family <3 plus also hes my boyfriend :3

3. What is your favorite childhood memory?

so Jane's favorite fruit is-- um... was [he looks kinda sad for a moment, but shakes it off] blackberries, but she was allergic to the brambles so when it was blackberry season, i'd crawl into bushes to get the juciest berries for her

anyway the september before, um.... she got a bit sick in september and i wanted to cheer her up so Noah and i went to the biggest blackberry bush we'd found in the forest and i picked as many blackberries as i could for her while Noah kept me company (cuz he's also allergic so he couldnt join me in the bush). we werent as close back then as we are now, and i dont remember really what we talked about, but i remember that it was one of the last warm days of the year as the season changed, and the forest was so pretty and i felt like nothing could ever go wrong

its, um, kind of a sad memory. bittersweet, i mean. but its important to me

9. Are you a spiritual person? If yes, what do you practice?

now that's a really interesting question. i know that there is a sort of "higher power" that exists in the world, but it's not really God, or A God or anything consious really. its more like.... a membrane woven into the world that makes it what it is. like a membrane holding back some kind of juice? God Juice. and there's that spot in the mountains where the membrane has been punctured so more of God Juice is flooding out of that hole than there should be in the world, and i was part of that god juice, and i think that god juice is now a part of me? or it made me or something? and if i focus, really focus hard, i can kinda hear the way the universe sings? not always though

but um. i dont really know if that counts as spirituality. and i dont "practice" anything it just... kinda is? i try to be nice to people and the world but that doesnt feel like "practicing spirituality"

22. What’s the easiest way to flirt with you?

ummm haha ohh..... i dont really know how to answer that..... growing up i was usually either ignored or bullied so its always so weird whenever someone flirts with me. its always like, are you talking to me?? oh, no thanks. i already got a guy for that

and Noah's not really a flirty guy. he'll walk into the underworld to carry me back home, for sure, but he doesnt really do flirting. unless you count just open and honest statments about how you feel about someone as flirting? i'll flirt with him absolutely, but usually gets too flustered to flirt back. its really cute

24. What would you consider your main love language?

spending years of your life devoted to taking care of someone who's lost everything, through thick and thin, even when things get hard, on days when they dont seem particularly... connected to their humanity. just being a constant in their life, a lighthouse in the middle of a typhoon, grounding them when theyre too lost to find solid ground on their own. walking into the unknown to grasp their soul and bring them back from the brink, even if that means everything changes, even if it means you yourself could get stuck yourself. would you still love me if i was a worm. would you still care for me i had nothing to give you but my company and my love, even if my company doesnt mean my touch or my conversation. would you still love me if i couldn't remember who you were.

um.

sorry. what was the question?

oh right! i think my love language is physical touch and acts of service and quality time. both giving and receiving them.

#it lives in the woods #ilitw mc #<- yeah i really like some of these answers too much not to post em in a main tag #oc: devfield

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byebyelemonpie · 9 months

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byebyelemonpie's may 2023 recommendations

My may top 5 movies:

Kung Fu Panda trilogy (2008, dir: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson; 2011, dir: Jennifer Yuh Nelson; 2016, dir: Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Alessandro Carloni) [Rewatched the first two after a decade and watched the third for the first time] Listen, I don't know what happened to me or to the world that made me uninterested in these movies somewhere between the second and the third one, but I'm glad that went away because these are actually really good. Like, the animation, the aesthetic, the story: they're all great and enjoyable, and a lot of fun! -

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018, dir: Ol Parker) [Rewatch after five years] The songs are still bangers and a lot of fun, even though this is way more sad than the first one. Wacthing it with friends is even better! -

13 Going on 30 (2004, dir: Gary Winick) [Rewacth after seven years] Still a cute and fun rom-com. The time-travel and the moral consequences of a 13 year-old in her own older body are never even thought about, but that's probably for the best, because I genuinely enjoyed it as a kid, even though I didn't want to grow up. -

Sky High (2005, dir: Mike Mitchell) [Rewatch after more than a decade] Just okay, I remember liking this a lot as a teen, but never seeing it again. Loved the whole character of Warren Peace, his name and his backstory and to be honest I wish the whole thing would have been about him. But still not that bad! -

So I Married an Anti-Fan (2016, dir: Kim Je-young) [First time watch] No idea how I found this, but it was pretty fun. I haven't really written anything on my notebook about it other than "not that bad", and all the letterboxd reviews are about this k-pop idol whom I don't know, I'm so sorry.

Favourite series in may:

Spy x Family (Japan, 2022) [First time watch; anime] A spy needs to infiltrate the family of an important political figure to stop the war between the two prominent regions of his nation, but to do so, he needs to have a wife and a daughter. He finds them in a secret assassin and a mind reader respectively. This anime is so much fun!! It's hilarious and even heartwarming at times. I decided to read the manga as well because I fell in love with the characters so fast. -

Ted Lasso - season 3 (USA, 2023) [First time watch] This series has been a very nice comfort show since I started season 1 last year. I loved how everyone had a character development and I very much enjoyed the positivity and feeling of hope throughout the series and especially in the end. -

Schmigadoon! - Schmicago (USA, 2023) [First time watch] This musical series is still one of the most innovative around and I LOVE the songs and the references to the musicals it parodies. I think I might have enjoyed this second season more than the first because I like more musicals from this era than the ones referenced in season 1. I still wish they will eventually make a thrid season, because if they manage to make parodies of all musical eras, they will have my whole heart, although this had a perfect ending, so I am conflicted on this. -

Dark Blue Kiss (Thailand, 2019) [Rewatch after a year] This was the first Thai series I've ever watched, but I had overrated it, so I decided to revisit it with a better knowledge and some more place for comparison. It turns out that it's still pretty good! Pete and Kao's story and its stupid jealousy, their cute bickering, and Kao's will to come out to him mum but fear of rejection is still very well done. Their breakup phase is still so sad! New's little pouty face should be enough to make people forgive him, especially when Kao didn't do anything outwardly terrible. The communication problem in this couple is still annoying, but the last scene makes up for everything and they have my heart. I'm not the greatest fan of the second couple - when a lot of fans would say the opposite - but I still love fellow Pokémon Go fan Mork and I still think he deserves better, I'm not sorry. -

Quacks (UK, 2017) [First time watch] As usual, six-episodes-long British sitcoms that are about specific time periods were cancelled after one season, and so was this gem. This series was about several doctors working at a Victorian hospital and trying new ways to cure patients. It was very interesting other than pretty funny.

[byebyelemonpie's 2023 recs]

#a post #byebyelemonpie's 2023 recs #about movies #about series #kung fu panda #mamma mia! here we go again #13 going on 30 #sky high #so i married an anti fan #spy x family #ted lasso #schmigadoon #dark blue kiss #quacks

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dragynkeep · 11 months

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Marco/Connie, Marker, Mitchentine, Clouis, Violetine, Clemerva, Luca/Sherry, Loretta/Nina, Maverick/Svetlana, DeliYang, Yang/Erica, Alex/Galahad, and Striker/Beretta for the ship bingo

marco / connie.

no cause marco & connie are so [clenches fist], there's so much drama there from what we had in their backstories to then the introduction of the destroyers & both of them falling into this toxic destruction of other's making but their love kept them alive long enough to reunite.

my only criticism would be that i wish we had more of them because it really felt like we didn't get much before connie was kidnapped & it made me sad, though the side manga helped to alleviate that.

marco / striker.

the obsession. marco trying so hard to get away from this life but the ghost of striker haunts him until he resurrects in that obsessive love to drag them both down to somewhere marco can never abandon him again. their promise they made as children ended up being a curse & it's so good to see, especially since even after marco's death: striker is still haunted. he'll never escape that man & it's unhinged!

mitch / clementine.

not one of my top ships for clementine but it's definitely up there in the top five because their immediate sardonic, witty banter together definitely endeared me. i think clementine can recognize that surly attitude in him that she definitely had in season 3 & it endears her to him. meanwhile mitch is definitely lowkey fascinated with this all knowing girl that just showed up out of nowhere with a mouth as big as his.

louis / clementine.

my second favourite clementine ship, these two immediately caught my attention when i started playing the 4th season because louis is exactly what clementine needs. someone who can break through that very tough wall she's built & remind her that she's still a kid, as well as someone who regards aj as someone that's the most important thing to her.

canon did them so dirty, why did they do that to my poor boy :((

violet / clementine.

i did really used to like them more but the behaviour of the shippers in two [redacted] servers just absolutely turned me off from the ship. they do have some really cute moments but i do wonder if violet's whole demeanour would end up dragging clementine further into her negative traits rather than someone who will hold her accountable & remind her that she's still a kid at the end of the day. idk.

clementine / minvera.

oh my poor baby scrungles. i loved their dynamic from day one & minverva remains the top wlw ship i have for clementine cause they're just so [clenches fist] fucked up. while other ships serve to remind clementine that she doesn't have to be the way she was for survival anymore, clem / minerva would go the exact opposite way in minerva dragging clementine down into her own trauma because she can't do it alone.

so much good toxicity that i always love to see play out ✨

luca / sherry.

for a background couple, they excel in married energy & i love how nonjudgemental luca is of his wife's profession: in fact he seems to adulate this aspect of who she is & put's her on for show, so everyone knows how amazing his wife is & how much he adores her. get you a man like luca!

loretta / nina.

oh my god no these two would be so cute & i like that they also seem to represent the future of ergastulum, wanting to do better for the good of the people there & that would be something they connect over greatly. also loretta hearing about nina's favourite drink from worick & she ends up buying an entire caseload wheeze.

maverick / svetlana.

not something super on my radar but there's just something so intriguing about these two & how they exist in the dyamics of their "families", how that would interconnect with how they exist within each other.

delico / yang & yang / erica.

putting these two together bc oh the dynamics here are just so !! delico as the replacement for the sister they both lost, that playing into their mutual guilt & tension between each other, they would die for each other & kill for each other but would that extend to what they become if they ever got erica back. how would that dynamic warp & twist with what erica has become, the traumatic psychosexual connections & all three of them just needing to be together. so fascinating.

alex / galahad.

not one of my main ships for either but i can't deny they would be so cute together, especially with galahad's protectiveness over alex & him convincing her to let loose & enjoy herself a little! adorable!

striker / beretta.

the definition of evil soulmates: they'll watch the world burn for each other because even with striker's obsession with marco, he remains at beretta's side. they're two puzzle pieces, a bullet & a gun, a whip & blood splatter. they'll burn the world. they'll survive in each other time & time again because this is just who they are.

#gangsta #twdg #ais.txt #answered #q #too many ships to tag but !!#hope you enjoyed uwu

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funnywormz · 11 months

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TOP FIVE MANAGERBOY MOMENTS GO!

OGUGUGUUGUGH LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOO

(putting below the cut bc it got long and also there are Spoilers for anyone who hasn't finished s5. much like with my lobby boy outfits post i didn't include any bonus or new crew eps here)

5: 5.1 merp and burble + 5.5 the bellhop

combining these bc i couldn't choose + i like them for the same reasons........ i love both of these episodes bc they're full of these "WHERE IS MY LOBBY BOY" moments from the manager lol. watching her desperately fight against the hotel and tear shit up trying to get to him is so sweet. you can tell she really cares abt him here which makes me very happy bc i feel like that wasn't always the case, but he's grown on her big time lol. there's definitely a sense from her here that she would keep on trying to get back to him as long as she's able to. also the way in merp and burble she continuously refers to feeling lost or like she's lost someone when she's trying to remember him......... it's rlly sweet

4: 4.3 - the habers

ik this is purely an observation by madam hotel but it counts. this is just a straight up admission from her that the lobby boy feels romantic love or something like it for the manager. it's sad as well bc i think this is kinda before the manager began to reciprocate any of those feelings, so it's a depiction of an unrequited, sad, confused sort of love. but it's love nonetheless. also the "it keeps him warm in his little closet" line is so sweet. it's so cute and a little tragic to imagine him sitting in the closet just daydreaming abt her.........

3: 4.18 - she's always been here (1)

i don't see many ppl talking abt this moment but it's one of my favourites with them. there's something so sweet and sad abt how the lobby boy just wants to help her and make her feel better even though he knows he can't. also him just straight up saying that he belongs with her auugugugh...... they're a set do not separate.........

2: 4.18 - she's always been here (2)

when they see what happens to the owner and they realise they're gonna be separated too........ MAN.......... literally heart breaking. the way they cry out for each other as they're pulled away........ the manager literally pleading trying to save him and screaming when he's gone, i think it's the most emotional we've ever seen her get abt like...... anything ever. she cares abt him so much. also the statement "i wish we were alone" from the lobby boy is so intriguing to me. to me it implies that he wants to be away from the hotel, that he wants to be somewhere where him and the manager (and maybe the owner idk) can just be by themselves without being constantly watched and tampered with and killed. it suggests a desire to be free from surveillance and maybe freedom from the hotel herself? i think it's the only time any of the staff have ever verbally expressed a desire to leave the hotel and i wonder if it's going to be revisited in s6.

1: 5.12 - the reaper's envy

they're literally holding hands........ the way the manager calls the lobby boy over telling him it'll be ok and then they HOLD HANDS............ collapses onto the floor. augh. not to get sappy but it's amazing how their relationship has grown over the seasons from the relatively cold uncaring dynamic that it was to something beautiful just tentatively growing bit by bit.......... to me this moment is the culmination of that growth so far. it was so cathartic after they'd been separated for so long too and seeing the manager's desperate attempts to get back to him :'-) man i love them so much........... it's so sweet to see the staff in general express genuine care for each other in this episode <3. the manager especially isn't good at expressing her feelings so this scene is probably the closest thing to a heartfelt expression of love that she's capable of, and i like to think that the lobby boy knows that

#managerboy #the hotel #ask game #anon ask #the lobby boy #the manager

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buckybarnesss · 2 years

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keep thinking about how the response the lok subreddit has to wuko is basically:

1. they say wu is terrible. which i can understand not liking the character especially in the first part of s4. he does have some growth by the end of the season though and mako is a significant part of that development. mako is the catalyst for wu to start pulling his head out of the sand.

2. they say mako hates wu. mako also clearly doesn’t hate him he’s annoyed and exasperated by wu’s lack of awareness about pretty much everything in the beginning but he clearly doesn’t hate him. mako’s also projecting a lot of his frustration about korra and his job onto wu.

mako also definitely has softened by the end of the season and is even dare i say impressed by wu stepping up during the evacuation and than in proposing abdication to implement a more democratic system.

in the comics they are even pretty friendly and framed together frequently especially in comparison to the established couples.

(two dudes chilling in an airship five feet apart cause they’re not gay. just guys being dudes. is it gay if you want to get smoothies with your bro and have him catch you when you swoon?)

3. people argue that mako is straight. is he tho? is. he. tho. mako’s repression has it’s own zip code but it’s not proof he’s straight. (let the bi’s have legend of korra).

but reddit is in general hostile to most things like critical thinking, good takes, and fun. but there’s also a general sense of homophobia from a lot of comments and it makes me sad.

#my blog #wuko #mako #wu #lok #mako makes more sense to me as a repressed queer man but that's just me

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gribouillenotes · 2 years

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Korea and Japan in TUA S3

Not sure if there are other Korean Umbrella Academy fans here, but I'm conflicted about this as a Korean. I've talked to my mom (who watches TUA with me) about it, and I warned her that the new season features the rising sun flag design since I binged the whole season today and am watching it the second time with her whenever she has time. But I still don't know what to think.

So basically Koreans view the rising sun flag much like how the west views the Nazi symbol because Imperial Japan killed a shit ton of our people, burned our historical artifacts/documents, tried to eliminate the Korean language, etc. All those fun things throughout history and war, and while Japan normalizes the symbol and non-Koreans don't care enough to even know, Koreans don't accept it. Some Koreans boycott popular Japanese anime because so many of them feature rising sun flags as a normal, everyday thing.

The thing is, my mom and I both know that non-Koreans, especially westerners, don't know and/or don't care because it's never taught in history classes and Asian history is like a niche thing. So when I watched season 3 and recognized the symbol, I was disappointed but I wasn't super upset about it because TUA is an American show with an American cast and crew so obviously there was probably no malicious intent. The other Japanese details throughout Hotel Oblivion (samurai, sushi, etc.) were odd and out of place in my opinion, but they didn't offend me at all because those aren't reminiscent of Japan's war crimes during WWII.

Korean viewers living in Korea will be upset, though.

Honestly, looking back on the entire season, it was a bit sad to see as a Korean fan that they decided to include so many Japanese themes (though they did seem a bit stereotypical, idk how actual Japanese viewers feel about them) IN ADDITION to the controversial rising sun symbol, when there has been very poor representation of Korean culture despite one of the main cast members being Korean.

The awkward and short subway train scene, very non-Korean looking household, Korean lines that were apparently adlibbed by Justin and not even added in the official script... TUA has never been amazing at accurately representing other countries' cultures so this wasn't a surprise, but I think making the Hotel Oblivion Japanese for no reason and adding the rising sun onto the door on top of that kind of highlighted the awkwardness I was feeling throughout the episodes.

I still like TUA. Five is one of my favorite characters ever and I probably won't let this stop me from watching the show since no one outside of Korea and Japan cares enough to mean anything bad by using the flag. I just didn't expect the symbol to pop up so randomly in the middle of the show, it was like a jumpscare lmao

Overall? I'm hoping for a season four, really am; I need to see those umbrella idiots get their powers back. But if the TUA writers are gonna continue to include different cultural aesthetics, I believe they could try harder to be thorough with cultures and languages as much as they are with LGBTQ+ and POC topics in an American setting.

The Handler speaking Yiddish, the Swedish lines not sounding Swedish, the rising sun... At least one issue per season, though some are less acknowledged than others. Either way, it's getting kinda weird for me.

I'm gonna write another post about my overall thoughts about the new season, and then one more about Five as a character. Just wanted to vomit out this mental turmoil I just suffered from into words I could read before I could think about anything else.

#i don't want to interfere with other people enjoying the show #i enjoyed it too i just had to write it out bc i was kinda losing it while thinking about this #the umbrella academy #tua #tua s3 spoilers #ben hargreeves #i guess

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wiz1ys · 2 years

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Why are there two songs twice on Mike’s official playlist? - an analysis

Hi everyone ! it’s time for another analysis because i’m insane and i found out stuff and i love it

I think a lot of us know very well how queercoded Michael’s official playlist is, especially with Smalltown Boy being the VERY FIRST SONG in this playlist. But, there’s also something very important : there are two songs, namely “If You Leave” by OMD and “Don’t You Want Me” by the Human League that are there twice. Now why is that ? That’s what we are about to find out today.

Now, i think they put these two songs twice for us to notice it. They didn’t just do it for funsies, or because why not, because it doesn’t make sense : they put it there to point out some kind of contrast, to highlight their meaning.

1. “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League

Now this one is super interesting. Let’s take a look at the lyrics :

“You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar // When I met you I picked you out, I shook you up // And turned you around // Turned you into someone new […] But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now”

This song is about a man who meets a woman who worked as a waitress in a cocktail bar and makes a star out of her, who makes her who she is now. Why am I choosing this first bit? Because it made me think of Mike’s conflict in season 3. He doesn’t think El is her own person. He, too, met El when she had nothing and basically introduced her to the world.

“Don't. Don't you want me? // You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me”

No explanation needed. The whole song is basically about a man shaking crying throwing up about the woman not needing him anymore.

“I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar //That much is true // But even then I knew I'd find a much better place // Either with or without you // The five years we have had have been such good at times // I still love you // But now I think it's time I lived my life on my own // I guess it's just what I must do”

This bit from the lyrics is from the woman’s point of view. She says even though she still loves the man, she needs to live her life and be her own person. It very much parallels El and Mike’s relationship, and more generally El’s whole character arc of finding her independence. The lyrics say it all.

By the way, it is important to point out that the lead singer of the band Phil Oakey himself claims this is not a love song but about power politics between two people. This song was not meant to be about the sadness of the end of a relationship. In my opinion, this song reflects how toxic a relationship can get when one had a lot of influence on the other person.

2. "If You Leave" by Orchestral Manœuvres in the Dark

This song is a part of the soundtrack from a movie, Pretty in Pink, starring Molly Ringwald, that came out in 1986. It tells the story of Andie, a high school senior, who has a best friend Duckie, who is hopelessly in love with her but is too afraid to tell her how he truly feels. Both Andie and Duckie are bullied in school by the « rich kids ». The whole movie is about the love triangle between Andie, Duckie and Blane, Andie’s love interest. One scene i find especially noteworthy is one where Duckie asks Andie to go out with him but she ignores him, because she is waiting for Blane, as she has a date with him already. Duckie then argues with Andie, says she’s stupid because he thinks Blane will be using her and that he’s just like the other rich kids. He storms off after saying he won’t be there anymore to help her if she’s sad, he obviously doesn’t mean it, he’s upset. In the end, « If You Leave » plays when Duckie lets Andie go with Blane and says he’s not like the other guys. HOWEVER. In the original ending, Andie ends up with Duckie, and the song « Goddess of Love » plays instead.

Now, let’s take a look at the lyrics :

"We've always had time on our sides // Now it's fading fast // Every second, every moment //We've got to, we've gotta make it last"

"I touch you once, I touch you twice // I won't let go at any price // I need you now like I needed you then // You always said we'd still be friends someday"

This song feels perfect for Duckie and Andie’s relationship and for the scene. He had her all the time as best friends, but the ending of the movie is bittersweet, as he can’t have more with her, he can’t have what he wants. He feels like he’s losing her to another guy. Andie "took [his] heart away".

Now. The You-Know-Whos could argue that this is also a Fadleven song. But, given the context of it, it wouldn’t make sense.

Lyrically, the band has stated that the song is about "The end of high school... the ending of your childhood", elaborating that they were trying to capture "this fear of what comes next".

THE ENDING OF YOUR CHILDHOOD.

The Ending Of Your Childhood.

The song is all about byler. It literally relates to the infamous Byler Fight Scene™ in season 3.

"If you leave, don't leave now Please don't take my heart away"

"I need you now like I needed you then You always said we'd still be friends"

Mike never took anytime he lost El this hard. No, El dying in season 1 doesn’t count, because this song is clearly about when you lose someone you care about because of life events, like Andie choosing to go with Blane instead of Duckie. The only event that COULD relate to the song but just doesn’t is the Milkvan breakup scene, but Mike just doesn’t care about it that much as we clearly saw in the show.

Duckie is hopelessly in love with Andie, his best friend. He "officially” loses her romantically to someone else while If You Leave is playing in the background. Mike is in love best friends with Will. He thinks he lost him after their fight scene.

It would make a lot more sense to have this song on Will’s playlist, just like Smalltown Boy, because for now, Will is the only canonically gay one. Will is hopelessly in love with his best friend, who he thinks he lost because of another love interest. It doesn’t make sense. UNLESS-

Mike is hopelessly in love with Will Byers as well.

Thank you for reading! It’s just insane how Mike’s playlist is compared to Will. Like, there are love songs all over his playlist, songs about being different (Everyday is Halloween), songs about running away and hiding from his feelings, video games or DnD coded songs, Ghostbusters, SMALLTOWN BOY.

PS: It’s also insane that they added Heroes by David Bowie (knowing the importance of the song in the show) in Will’s playlist but i digress lol

#byler #mike is gay #byler evidence #byler tumblr #i love this

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