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garnette-gal · 2 years

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Off-Limits - A Diamond in the Rough Series - Part 1

Hangman x Fem! Reader

Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin knows you’re supposed to be off-limits, yet he just can’t help himself. Unfortunately for him, you’re determined to not be distracted by the handsome hot-shot fighter pilot. Good thing Hangman’s never been a quitter. Reader’s callsign: Diamond.

Warnings: Cursing

Word count: 2,227

Note: I am SO obsessed with Top Gun Maverick right now. So how else do I cope with an obsession? Write a fic of course :) Hope y’all enjoy!

Part 2 is now up! Series Masterlist.

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It was an unspoken rule of self-preservation amongst the next-gen military community that you never fucked with a close relative of an Admiral.

The potential fallout from a disastrous one-night stand or relationship could be enough to ruin a career before it even began. Most were wise enough to not take the risk.

Most.

Then again, Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin had never been one to back down from a challenge.

To be fair, he would argue later, technically you weren’t blood-related to the Admiral.

“Who is that?” Jake had asked the moment he set his gaze on you. He’d watched you from the very instant you’d slid up to the bar, greeting Penny in a way that indicated the two of you were friends.

He lined himself up along the pool table, glancing away when Penny looked in his direction.

Coyote scanned the area that Hangman nodded towards, and when he spotted you at the bar, Coyote did a double-take. A concerned look crossed his face. “Hangman, no. That one is off-limits.” Coyote warned, his voice low.

“Off-limits is not in my vocabulary, Coyote.”

“I’m not joking, man.” Coyote glanced at you to make sure you weren’t listening, and he leaned in closer to Hangman to whisper conspiratorially, “She’s Admiral Kazansky’s goddaughter. Her father died during a dogfight while flying as Iceman’s wingman. She may not be a Kazansky, but the Admiral definitely sees her as one. Don’t even think about it.”

Jake contemplated this. It explained the occasional somber look that passed through your eyes, but he had a feeling the last thing you wanted was his pity.

“Why not?” He pushed, unwilling to give the topic up.

“Beyond it being career suicide?” Coyote rolled his eyes, typical Hangman. Always chasing women. “She’s a fellow fighter pilot.”

“Is that right?” Jake’s curiosity was getting the better of him, and he knew it. He really knew better, but he couldn’t resist when such a pretty thing sat at the bar.

“She graduated from Top Gun last year. Her teammates claim she does exceptionally well in high-pressure scenarios, thus, the callsign Diamond.”

Jake rose a brow as he turned to watch you accept a drink from Penny. He thought that your callsign was appropriate when it came to your appearance. Like a diamond, your rare beauty seemed to sparkle brightly despite the low lights of the bar.

As for you doing well under pressure, Hangman would have to judge that for himself.

Right at that moment, you released a laugh, tilting your head back in a fit of giggles at something Penny said. It did something funny to his chest, a twinge of some sort. Just like that, the dejected look from earlier disappeared.

Good. The thought of you being in a sorrowful state affected him more than he was willing to admit.

The sound of your laugh was tooth-achingly sweet, reminding him of his mother’s homemade pecan pie. One slice was never enough, and he always wanted more.

You would totally be worth the potential peril, he finally decided. Besides, Jake always considered himself a bit of a trailblazer in his own right.

The temptation of having you was simply too much to ignore. Then again, who else would be fit for the challenge other than himself? He was the best there was.

There was simply no way you’d turn down the best pilot of your generation. After all, who could resist Jake Seresin?

Despite his buddies trying to talk him out of it, he stepped away from the pool table towards where you sat at the bar.

“Shit,” Coyote muttered from behind him because he already knew how this would go. You would see right through Hangman.

Jake couldn’t figure out what it was about you that drew his focus to you. Maybe it was the dazzling smile you gave Penny as the two of you talked, or perhaps it was the soft curves of your body that he was already picturing pressed against him, or it could be the self-confidence you exuded that seemed to attract the attention of other males within your vicinity.

But none dared to make their move on you yet, preferring to sit and admire your beauty from afar. They all liked to play it safe, to avoid the risk, but Hangman knew from experience that method was guaranteed to fail nearly every time.

None of them had the guts to approach you, but he did. And he would.

He’d make them all regret it.

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Penny’s knowing look she shot you just before a male presence shifted into the open seat on your right should have been a flashing red “WARNING” sign.

Leave it to Penny to not give you an escape route. The brunette bar-owner was always up to some sort of trouble. Her dark green eyes glittered with mischief.

“Lieutenant Seresin.” Penny greeted with a polite smile, “The usual?”

Seresin. You thought to yourself, the last name vaguely familiar for some reason.

“That would be great, thanks, Penny.” The man’s voice had the slightest southern accent that softened his words. A muscular tan arm propped against the counter; judging by the beige you could see out of your peripheral, he was still in uniform. The guy had exceptionally good-looking arms, and you knew he had picked the seat next to you on purpose.

A subtle whiff of his cologne invaded your senses, hinting at a warm, woodsy, clean scent.

Your eyes locked with Penny’s and sent her a message through your expression alone. Don’t you dare leave me here with this guy.

Penny’s lips twitched into a delighted look that she didn’t bother hiding before abandoning you to go pour his drink. Traitor.

All you wanted was to have a drink in peace. Was that asking for too much?

Probably, you mused while playing with the condensation accumulating on your cold pilsner glass. Returning to Miramar had brought back old memories you had desperately tried to repress. Memories of your late father, of what your family had been.

Your father had been gone for 10 years. Killed by a hostile enemy fighter over the Baltic Sea while protecting the now Admiral “Iceman” Kazansky. The traumatic experience left you fatherless at 16 years old. Kazansky attempted to fill in the gap as your official godfather, but not even Iceman could patch that hole.

You knew he still felt guilty to this day. It was why he eventually conceded to become your tutor when you insisted you would become a naval aviator, with or without his help.

Your mother wasn’t exactly thrilled at your career choice. But it was your choice regardless. After graduating from Top Gun at the top of your class, one thing was clear, you were born to fly.

Diamond, you’d earned your callsign. You were forged under intense pressure and thrived despite it.

The golden gleam of a naval aviator pin on the male next to you reminded you of why you were back here. A new assignment. You had better things to focus on than deal with flirty aviators.

You were mentally rehearsing your usual line to shut him down when he beat you to the punch.

The sound of your name and your callsign in that smooth voice had you glancing over in surprise.

Your heart skipped; why did he have to be so good-looking?

He was handsome with his square-shaped face and perfectly combed blonde hair. His good looks directly contributed to the confidence he carried himself with.

He was smiling at you, a full grin with dimples and all. The charm and sexual appeal oozed off him in waves.

Studying those sharp green eyes that shimmered with intelligence, you sensed there wasn’t much that escaped his notice.

The corner of his lips turned upward in a smirk as if reading your mind.

He knew your name and guessing by his smug look, he probably knew your relation to Admiral Kazansky and was feeling lucky. Everyone on the base these days seemed to know your late father had been Iceman's wingman back in the day.

“I am.” You tilted your head, “And you are?”

“Apologies for my bad manners.” The man said, not seeming apologetic at all as he extended his hand to you, “I’m Lieutenant Jake Seresin.” The man flashed a smile with perfect white teeth at you. “They call me Hangman.”

You reached out, doing your best to be polite, as you tentatively placed your hand in his for a handshake. The instant your palm touched his, the contact felt like electricity, sizzling up your spine. The heat that followed afterward rushed to your belly.

He squeezed your hand firmly, his eyes darkening as you pulled your hand away a second too soon.

Penny brought by his drink, but you were too focused on putting the puzzle pieces together in your mind to notice Penny venture off once more.

Hangman, it finally clicked. You had examined the plaque that listed the names of all of the 1st place graduates of Top Gun while you attended last year. And Seresin was one of them.

Needless to say, his reputation preceded him. Not in a good way.

Hangman was his callsign, and it seemed appropriate for someone who left his wingman to do whatever he desired. For someone like Seresin, winning was everything regardless of collateral.

Your eyes narrowed at him; you figured he was probably up to another competition this time. Trying to win over the pretty female aviator at the bar, who was, in many ways, off-limits due to your association with Admiral Kazansky.

You decided you’d ask him directly. If there was anything Hangman was known for beyond his arrogance, it was that he could also be straightforward. “What do you want, Seresin?”

“I want a lot of things that involve you, sweetheart.” He winked, and you did your best to squelch the way your heart fluttered at his attention, “How about we start with your number?”

...Was he flirting with you? With a garbage pick-up line? Jesus Christ.

Your earlier guess was confirmed. Seresin saw you as another opportunity to boost his precious ego.

Just another notch in the infamous Seresin bedpost.

You weren’t here to play stupid games. “Do you have brain damage, Lieutenant?” You bit back at him.

Hangman didn't seem intimidated by your insult. If anything, he was enjoying this.

“Not that I’m aware. Perhaps you ought to give me a full examination at my place? Just to be safe.”

Besides the fact that you were only qualified for CPR, that had to be the lamest line from him so far.

You stared at him in disbelief as he watched you smugly. Verbally sparring with Hangman was not something you had prepared for. You despised the fact he was a step ahead of you in the conversation.

“Hard pass.” You rolled your eyes, deciding to return your attention to your drink instead.

"Aww, darlin', you're breaking my heart." Seresin clutched at his chest dramatically as if you had wounded him. "C'mon, just one little number?"

He hovered closer into your personal space, and you considered him for a moment before an idea came to mind.

Alright. Game on, Hangman.

“Fine.” You exhaled an exaggerated sigh and found yourself smiling back when he grinned victoriously at you in a way that lit up his face.

He had an attractive smile.

After scribbling a number on a napkin and you handed it off to the blonde fighter pilot, “Here. Now go bother someone else, Hangman.”

“Talk to you later, sweetheart.” He gave you one last charming wink and then swaggered off towards his friends. Immediately he was greeted with high fives over his accomplishment.

Hook, line, and sinker.

After paying for your tab, you made a quick exit. On your way out, you texted an old friend.

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Watching you leave, Hangman grinned and pulled out his phone to call the number you'd given him.

He was surprised by how quickly you picked up but quickly recovered. “So, how about a date? I was thinking tonight at your place would be good.”

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a snort and a familiar voice "I'm flattered, Hangman, but no thanks."

Hangman froze in his spot, eyes widening in disbelief at the voice he heard over the phone.

Was that...Rooster?

Hangman’s confident tone faltered, “Bradshaw?” Jake’s blood started to thrum with fury as he tried to recollect himself.

“The one and only,” loud music blared in the background, “Diamond gave you my number since you can’t take no for an answer. Guess you can’t have every woman you want, can you, Hangman?”

What the fuck?

Hangman scowled in irritation and a tinge of embarrassment, quickly hanging up on Rooster.

He’d bet his money that you had Rooster’s number memorized since you hadn’t hesitated while writing down the number on the napkin.

Jake had underestimated your quick wit and wouldn't make that mistake again. Next time, Seresin decided. There would definitely be a next time. There was no way he was letting you get away so easily.

The very idea of someone else, like Rooster, making you laugh or smile squeezed him with jealousy. Hangman refused to give up, not when he had finally met a woman that truly captivated him.

Fine then, he gripped his phone tighter. He always enjoyed a good chase.

You had a head start.

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Notes:

Goddaughter - “A goddaughter is a girl who’s the godchild of one or more godparents—people who have pledged to help with her upbringing....A godparent can still refer to their godchild with that term even after the child becomes an adult.” (Dictionary.com)

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edenfenixblogs · 3 months

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A Note to Jumblr and my Jewish Followers:

Hey y’all! I see some of you tagging reblogs of my posts responding to antisemitic messages I receive with the tags Jewish Blocklist and Antisemitic/Antisemite Blocklist.

First of all, no shame there! Please feel free to keep doing this and whatever else you need to do to protect your own mental health as well as to your provide tips to our peers and allies about people worth steering clear of!

Second, I do not and will not have a Jewish Blocklist or an Antisemitic/Antisemite Blocklist. I hate blocking people I disagree with. I do try to live by the axiom: “We make peace with enemies, not friends.” And I do think that a lot (not all) of these people will, with the benefit of hindsight, be horrified at how they behaved during this time. Or at least ashamed of expressing such thoughts publicly. Some may be living with legitimate mental conditions like psychosis and mania that can absolutely lead to rigid and conspiracy-based thinking. None of this excuses violence or bigotry or antisemitism. And none of this invalidates your absolute right to block whoever you wish for any reason.

Which brings me to my third point: I don’t want to block people, because I want to track how they behave in the future. That could be four months from now. Six months. A year. Two years. Right now, the fighting between Israel and Palestine is active and brutal. Many antisemites are just using this flair up to justify their pre-existing antisemitic views. I doubt much will change for them. But many people had little to no awareness of the I/P conflict before the 10/7 attack and have been swept up in QAnon-like conspiracy theories. I don’t really expect them to address their hatred or how they allowed themselves to become radicalized extremists while the Hamas propaganda machine is still able to twist every development from the ongoing struggle to grow their support. But active warfare is unlikely to last an extremely long time. Tensions and hatred? Sure. That’s here to stay for a while, but official warfare and bombings from Israel are not likely to continue for years on end without stopping. (Hamas has been continuously bombing Israel for a long time and I expect them to continue even after a peace agreement is reached)

So when Israel’s assault ends, I’m sure the peace agreement reached will fall short of what Palestinians are hoping for and what I as a pro-Palestinian activist am hoping for. And I’m sure Palestinian civilians who endorse Hamas and those who do not endorse terrorism of any kind as well as Israelis and Jews who support Palestinian self determination will all be generally unhappy with whatever temporary solution is reached this time. No true, real progress will occur until everyone fighting over which “side” is “right” shifts their focus to instead cooperatively fight for peace for all.

But after the initial wave of anger and disappointment in the terms of the peace treaty are reached, people will go back to not caring at all about the lives of Israelis or Palestinians or Jews or even thinking about it at all on a regular basis.

And when that occurs, I want to revisit these blogs. When the tension is no longer at a constant rolling boil, I want to see how the worst antisemites I’ve encountered reconcile their behavior during this time with their behavior during peacetime. I want to see how the people who told me to kill myself or told me they wished for me and everyone I love to die in the “most painful way possible” feel about Jews when they aren’t hiding behind the idea of activism. I want to see how these people actually support Palestine when Gaza is no longer being bombed. I want to see how the antisemites relationships with the Jewish friends they claim to have recover or do not recover after the things these antisemites have said and done during a time of extreme danger and aggression toward Jews. I want to ask them if they still mean the things they said. I want to ask them if they have regrets. And most importantly I want to ask them how they plan to avoid causing harm to Jewish people and how they plan to learn about Jewish history and culture so that they can avoid antisemitism in the future when the poorly negotiated and doomed-to-fail peace agreement falls through next time. And I cannot do that if I block them.

So instead, if you want to block the people who have been most heinous to me, you will find them under the tag Antisemites To Remember.

I have had to block a few people from those tags when their continued hatred became too intense and continued even after I disengaged, but I have truly aimed to avoid blocking as many people as possible.

Hope this helps. Sending love and solidarity to you all.

#jumblr #antisemites to remember #Jewish blocklist #meta

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togrowoldinv · 2 years

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Worth Your While

Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

It’s a scorching hot day, but ever since you moved out of the city with your kids Natasha is determined to get work done outside. You help her and she helps you.

Warnings: Smut! 18+ please! Also a few curse words

Note: So, I spent my day working on my family farm moving and stacking wood. It wasn’t so fun haha. But I was thinking of Nat and how she’d look great doing it lol. This is reader simping/thirsting for Nat and Nat simping for reader. I hope y’all enjoy it!

Natasha Romanoff Masterlist, Main Masterlist

It’s early in the morning when you roll over in bed and reach for Natasha, but find an empty spot next to you. You get up to find Natasha already dressed and drinking a cup of coffee at the kitchen table.

“You’re up so early, Nat. The kids aren’t here, you could’ve slept in,” you say and she laughs at your sleepy voice. You’re moving around the kitchen to find a mug for your own morning coffee, when she hugs you from behind.

“Have mine, detka,” she says as she hands you her mug. She kisses the skin between your neck and shoulders that is left exposed by your shirt.

“Thank you. You’re the best. I love you,” you say and she smiles.

“I love you too, y/n,” she says. “Do you want to help me stack some wood today?”

You slip out of her grasp and turn around to face her. She backs you into the counter and puts her hands onto the counter next to each side of your waist. She grins at you and kisses your lips quickly.

“Hmm, I’m not sure baby. It’s kinda hot out there,” you say.

“Please?” She asks you with a small pout. You lean forward and try to kiss her pout away.

“Of course, I’ll help you,” you give in and she crushes you in a hug.

“Don’t worry, detka. Later on tonight I’ll make it worth your while,” she whispers in your ear before pulling away and leaving you a flustered mess.

You get dressed and meet Natasha outside. She’s already lifting slabs of wood and her muscular arms are enough of a distraction to make you trip over your feet.

“Watch your step,” she says with a knowing grin as you walk up to her.

“That was- I tripped over- hell why am I lying to you you’re my wife and the mother of my children. You look really good right now that’s why I tripped,” you admit and Nat kisses your cheek.

“You look good too. As always. Here let me show you how to stack this and we can get started,” Nat says.

Natasha shows you how to stack the wood and you two get to work. Every so often you sneak a glance at her arms and you feel her taking glances at you too.

It especially turns you on when Natasha lifts her tank top up to wipe the sweat from her face and she catches you staring at her.

“How much longer do we have to do this?” You ask.

“Just a few more stacks, babe. You’re doing great. Come here,” Natasha says with her arms out.

“Nat it’s a million degrees and I’m gross and sweaty, you don’t have to hug me to motivate me,” you say.

“First of all you’re never gross, but yeah you are sweaty. And so am I. Let’s finish this up and we can shower up.”

You finish up and go inside to shower with Natasha. You steal a few kisses from each other, each one deeper and longer than the last. By the time you get finished showering and start cooking lunch, the two of you are ready to devour each other.

It’s evident in the way Natasha hugs you from behind while you are making a grilled cheese. Her hands roam around your waist and slide over your underwear. You hadn’t put on pants, just one of Nat’s shirts, and she is also dressed similarly but with your shirt.

“Thank you for your help this morning, y/n,” Nat says as she leaves kisses all around your neck. Her hands dare to slip under the seams of your underwear.

“You’re welcome, my love. I thought we were waiting until tonight to do this,” you say with a chuckle.

Her response is to spin you around in her arms and kiss you until you’re both breathless.

“Do you really want to wait that long? Because I’d like to make you feel good right here and right now,” Natasha says. Her voice comes out raspy and it only spurs you on further.

“Fuck Nat,” you say. “Yes please let’s do it.”

Natasha reaches behind you and turns off the stovetop before she moves you to the opposite countertop.

She kisses you again as she reaches for the hem of your shirt to pull it off over your head. Her lips immediately find their way to your breasts as she licks and sucks in every way that makes you feel good. Her fingers move stealthily back under your underwear and she runs them through your folds.

“Natasha,” you moan her name breathlessly when she touches you just right.

“Fuck y/n. So wet for me already. Good girl,” she says as she pulls your underwear off.

You take the opportunity to take her shirt off and start kissing her chest the way she had yours.

“You’re so beautiful, Natasha,” you say.

As your lips move up her chest and to her neck, her fingers slip into you causing you to gasp in pleasure.

“You feel so amazing, detka. You’re so good,” Natasha encourages you further.

It doesn’t take long for you to reach your high with a shout of her name.

“So good. So good for me,” Natasha says as she works you down. She kisses you deeply and you move to kneel in front of her.

You pull down her underwear and immediately can tell how wet she is. You kiss her thighs and her legs threaten to go weak.

“Detka, please don’t tease me,” Nat says. Her head is thrown back in pleasure.

“Okay baby,” you say and with that you dive right in.

You lick her center and she moans your name. It’s enough to encourage you to work faster and she’s coming undone under your tongue in no time.

“Fuck yes, Natasha. You taste so good,” you say as you lick her once again.

When you stand back up to kiss her, she melts at the feeling of your lips against hers. And the taste of herself on your tongue makes her moan. You keep kissing her as you move towards your bedroom, not quite wanting this to be over yet.

But when your phone rings and it’s Laura saying she’s on the way back with the kids, you step back to take in your wife’s state and you smile.

“What?” Nat asks.

“I just love you so much,” you say. Her lips find yours again.

“I love you too, y/n. So so much,” she says. “To be continued?” Nat asks as you two put clothes on.

“Definitely to be continued. As soon as possible,” you say seriously and she smiles.

“As soon as possible, yes,” she agrees.

The two of you spend the rest of the day with your kids and, as agreed upon, later that night you continue your adventures together. And it’s just perfect, as life with Natasha always is.

Tag List: @gracebutnotgraceful @i-wished-for-you-too @idkwhygregg @romanoffscottage @be-missed @likefirenrain @hehehehannahthings @mythosphere-x @readings-stuff @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @madamevirgo @milfloverslut @yelenabelovaisthebettersister @mrswidowjohansson @alotofpockets @wandassitcom @ggrangerdanger @marvelwomen-simp @maia-lightwoood @mortallytremendoussandwich @xxromanoffxx @peanutbutterprincess @karmasgxrl @picnicmic @wandaslittlewhore @exhaustedfangirl @when-wolves-howl @natashalovers @marie45019 @inluvwithfictionalwomen @sammi1642 @itsyourgirlmalise @jujuu23 @the-night-owl-blr @blackwidow-3 @strangegardentaco @avatarsnips @romanoffswoman @natashasilverfox @imthenatynat @natasha-danvers @sayah13 @harleysincairo @rach2602 @cordyandbilliehavemyheart

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff smut #soft natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff

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yeehawbvby · 28 days

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FAWY Minis | Ch. 5 (Magnus Rasmodius POV)

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Notes: This one’s during the flower dance chapter, as well as 18 and 19!

I never really considered Magnus’ inner dialogue much, mostly just focusing on magicky stuff with him, so I wanted to play around with that. I feel like he’d be a bit insecure, maybe even anxious, when it comes to fitting in, romance, etc. He’s just good at hiding it. I tried to portray that a bit.

Btw, g/n = grandpa’s name. Wasn’t sure if y’all would want a named grandpa or to insert your own grandpa in there, so I kept it customizable to be safe!

I hope you enjoy x

[If you're new here - hi! Please see chapter 18 of the main story (below) for a visual reference to the wizard - I refer to a modded version throughout the fic!! I do recommend you read at least up to chapter 31 of the main story before reading this though, so as to avoid spoilers.]

Falling Away With You (main story)

Check it out on ao3!

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It’s her.

It’s… it’s actually her.

I’d overheard the discussion of a new resident moving onto Mooncrest during one of my periodic visits to Gus’ kitchen. I’d heard the assumptions — which I now know to be true, given her appearance — that it was going to be (g/n)’s granddaughter.

How could I not have foreseen how significant she would be to me, though?

Oftentimes the spirits give me somewhat of a hint, a little spark of my senses to let me know if something important is happening. Something worth looking into. Something like this, damn it. A wee reminder to not only be more aware of the world around me outside of my work, but to perhaps take the time and effort to foresee what’s to come in my near future.

I feel a subtle vibration in my fingers.

Are they toying with me? Is that what this is?

Feeling the zaps of their rebuttal through my limbs, I come to the conclusion that they are.

But… why wait..?

More tingling.

That was rhetorical, you obviously can’t answer m—

One last buzz, and I feel the spirits’ presence fade. Sigh.

Cheeky little phenomena, they are. I can only hope to ever commune with them in a plane of existence where we can see one another. For now… I might as well be a loon, telepathically speaking with invisible sprites that communicate through touch above all else.

…As though this scenario as a whole — now paying particular attention to not just my potential daughter, but my soulmate as well, all from a row of particularly bountiful bushes — makes me any less of a loon.

I shake the feeling that I’m being strange and that this is probably unnecessary , and I focus on the task at hand. I still am keen on determining whether or not I’ve any relation to Abigail. No use giving up now that I’m here.

My eyes flit to the girl, her hair as vibrant as my own. She’s laughing with her friends, tentatively sipping the punch I saw Pamela spiking with cheap liquor earlier.

I wish I could get close enough to see if there’s any bit of an arcane link connecting us. I desire answers, damn it, not to spend every chance I get contemplating my lineage while hiding just out of view.

I shut my eyes, rubbing them with a thumb and forefinger.

Just when I believe I can calm my high emotions, my mind wanders to another circumstance that’s haunted me for years. Not nearly as many, but I digress.

For Abigail to be friends with Sebastian was not exactly improbable, but it is funny, in an ironic way.

Of course Abigail would befriend my former apprentice. One I was rather fond of, at that.

I observe him for a moment. It’s rare to see him in anything brightly colored, aside from occasions such as this, where it’s a requirement. He looks quite handsome, if I do say so.

Is it silly of me to wonder if he’s ever thought the same of me? Is this just another instance of my insecurities controlling my thought process? Or is that a normal thing to think about, and I’ve merely forgotten, given how long it’s been since my last romantic endeavor?

That’s unimportant, I suppose.

Although… he must’ve had some reason for abruptly halting his apprenticeship with me.

Perhaps to him I was no more than some wretch living in a tower, far from Pelican Town’s main population for reasons unbeknownst to him. He could have asked, of course, but I wouldn’t exactly put it against him to keep his opinions to himself. I mean, look at me. I don’t resemble any of these townsfolk, do I? And of course here I am, spying on them rather than partaking in their activities firsthand, and I spend most of my time in my home when I could be out here socializing, and I’m sure my lack of socialization with non-elementals could be off-putting.

Sure, those who know of me don’t typically enjoy my presence, but…

I don’t know.

God. Now I’m a loon who’s spying and in a vicious pit of self-hatred that I buried myself in from the outskirts of the event.

Lovely.

Perhaps I should go… I’m not being very productive in my research anyway.

I chance one last look towards our newest farmer. I feel another tingle. A pull to her that’s far too tempting to succumb to. As though I want to just leap onto the field and say something to her. Anything.

How do I even go about getting closer to someone I’ve no reason to commune with? Marie worked at a shop, so it was quite easy to befriend her. The others… I had nary a clue where they were or what they were doing. This is an entirely new situation for me.

The farmer’s eyes flicker to mine. I feel the same thunderous commotion in my limbs and my belly as I did when Marie and I first met. God above, this girl has the same bright flush to her cheeks, the same gentle yet piercing gaze… which is… on me…

Oh.

Shit.

My eyes widen, as do hers.

She appears to be just as compelled to gravitate to me as I am to her. She takes half of a step forward before looking around at the townspeople and securing herself back in her corner. Thank goodness. If she were to come over here, it would only draw more suspicion as to why the resident recluse in the woods is staring at all these people…

“I know that look, Mag.”

I let gaze shift to Linus’ as his words resonate in my head and can practically feel my irises’ change of hue. I’ve been caught by him as well. Thank the spirits he’s a friend — he knows why I’m here.

“You do indeed.”

“So, (y/n), huh?”

Is that her name, then? It’s lovely…

“Yes,” I answer.

“Is it an attraction, or do you think she’s..?”

“Absolutely. Both.”

“Better get going before you freak her out, then.”

“As if I haven’t already, you know damn well she’s looking at me right now .”

He grins huffs out a silent chuckle before turning to face the dancers once more. “I’m just saying, you could be a tad bit more subtle, boy. Go.”

I sigh. I can still feel (y/n)’s eyes boring into me as I teleport back home, feeling morose rather than embarrassed.

Later in the evening, I succumb to my desire to more formally meet her and go through the lengthy, exhausting process of searching into the future.

I’m overjoyed to learn that she’ll come to me. That is far less pressure. It gives me time to prepare, too. To look more presentable, or clean, or… I don’t know. I know I can’t prevent the inevitable, but I don’t want to make the process unenjoyable for either of us, obviously.

When (y/n) eventually does arrive, I’m delighted to learn that not only is she an absolutely lovely being inside and out, but she’s magically inclined as well. I use this as a cover for her impulses to visit my tower:

“One may grow connected to the elements — hence, why you were so heavily drawn toward my abode over time,” I tell her.

It’s not entirely deceitful, and the last thing I want to do is scare her by proclaiming that our destiny brought us to this very moment.

I lean into being “old” and “wise” as well, referring to her and other townspeople of roughly her age as “young.” I overdo it though, I believe, as she calls me out on it. I don’t take any issue in revealing my true age given I’d likely be closer to her age — maybe a decade or so older — if I were a human.

I catch her staring a few times throughout our first meeting. I’ve no way to discern whether it’s due to attraction, or if she’s merely judging me, but it piques my curiosity either way. I probe her thoughts a few times for good measure — which (y/n) calls me out on as well, so I know now that I must show restraint. It’s mostly habitual, and I say that much. She understands.

She seems exceptionally sweet and caring. Awfully curious, for sure. A little strange too, but who am I to judge? I’m rather strange myself. And she’s funny, to boot, unless it’s my own giddiness leading me to assume so.

When she leaves, I’m sure to give her a proper send off. Perhaps it’s dramatic, but I’m inclined to believe she enjoys how eccentric this situation as a whole has been. She seemed awfully giddy herself, at times.

“There are many adventures ahead for you and I,” I project before she wanders too far. “I truly look forward to your company, (y/n).”

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yawningclan · 2 months

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YawngClan is a Clan built from scratch, using the myths and legends of wild cats passed to help guide their way, by a small group of surviving loners (free-roamers) and pets (kittypets) after surviving a monster crash. Far away from home and having no knowledge of their current location, these cats are determined to survive where their companions who had died in the crash could not. With Amber as their leader, Koi at his side, and eight other cats backing them, the story of YawningClan begins.

[START]

[NEXT]

~~~~~~~~~~

Some notes about the founders:

Amber goes by Amber/Amberstar for the first several moons as a courtesy to the stories they're using to help guide the building of their Clan; however, after Amber gains official leader status, he earns the name Amberfather and 8 lives, hence the information on his card

Mumblemeadow swaps between being a warrior and medicine cat for the first few moons, hence the combination title on his card

Skippaw becomes a warrior only a moon after the Clan's founding, so I felt like it was worth putting her warrior name on her card

Snowkit doesn't realize they're trans until early into their apprenticeship but it makes me uncomfortable referring to them by their dead pronouns, so I'll be referring to them using they/them or he/him from the jump; similarly, Fogpaw doesn't realize they're trans until a little bit into their apprenticeship, but I will be referring to her as she/her from the jump

Fogpaw was made a medicine cat apprentice a moon early at the Clan's founding (Moon 00) due to necessity

While being referred to YawningClan from the jump to keep from future confusion, the group does not settle on a name or Clan status until several moons after their founding; similarly, the Clan’s leader Amberstar/Amberfather does not gain true leadership status or their lives until several moons into leading, nor do the cats settle into proper Clan naming rituals and roles for a while. It’s also worth noting that while this is a Clangen blog, I’m mostly using Clangen for cat generation and relationship-building purposes, while the overall plot of YawningClan’s founding will veer quite a ways away from Clangen and canon Clan norms as moons progress. A new starpath (religion), new roles, new naming rituals, etc. This blog is to tell the founding story of modern-day YawningClan, a Clan that I’m developing using Clan canons as starting points and guidelines but not much else, lol. YawningClan is also inspired by and inspiration for a Warriors-themed D&D homebrew that I’m working on building (while learning D&D in the process lol), so there may be some references to that on occasion and even art of the Yawning cats drawn as humans, anthros, tabaxis, etc. I’m just here to have fun and vibe tbh, but I hope y’all have a good time vibing with me!

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artystaroc · 1 year

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Back Home | Part 5

[Back] | [Next (Coming Eventually)]

HA! You weren’t expecting me to update, were you??!

Okay, but seriously. Remember when I started this after Halloween last year and it was supposed to be a short comic over the span of November (MAYBE creeping into December)? Haha... Happy time travel to me. This page has been a LONG time coming. This drawing is over a year old by this point. I’d drawn it first and made the rest of the comic around it. Wild, that. I would've had this out sooner but being that it’s as old as it is I wanted to fixed the face on Teruteru as I wasn’t happy with it anymore. Plus I needed to do something to make it a vertical page ‘cause otherwise it would’ve been awkward. WORTH IT. I think it looks so nice.

So yeah, thank you all for being patient with me for all of this. I am damn determined to finish this comic but school’s been taking up all my time, so... ughhhhhh... I’m in finals so I’m not gonna worry about it for a while.

See ya when I see ya. Hope y’all have/had a happy and safe Halloween!

#sdr2 #teruteru hanamura #mamamura #sdr2 spoilers #back home comic #arty draws #im probably gonna make another post with the panel by itself #yknow. for better viewing #along with the old version maybe #that would be neat to see right?#blood #tw: blood #gore #tw: gore

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what-gs-watching · 6 months

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"Denial. It's amazing how far you can get on denial."

Gang, thinking about my career journey and where I want to go next and how to get all of my experience into a cohesive situation is tiring. Am I in the right place for that emotionally? Not really but if someone doesn’t make me do it, I never will. So career coaching is a thing, and I’m doing it.

But I’m also still hunkering down in content because that’s just what ya do. So I burned through the entirety of Fall of the House of Usher because I have a thing for Mike Flanagan and Edgar Allen Poe and…

Woooooof, y’all.

Wherein, an entire family headed up by Roderick Usher, CEO of a pharmaceutical company, and his conniving sister, starts biting it, while Roderick &Co is being prosecuted for doing shady corporate shit. Told through that classic trope of one person confessing to another over a glass of good liquor.

Do you want to watch a bunch of terrible people die horribly? Yes? Then this is for you.

Listen, I’m gonna watch almost anything, so I sat down and did the first two episodes in a row, and then I realized I probably could only handle one a day.

I’m not HUGE on scary movies, I can get into some of them but I’m not like, entirely bloodthirsty. Maybe a little bloodthirsty. And this show definitely has that. Practically chemically melting a party full of people, for longer than necessary? That’s what got me. Just me on the couch yelling “DAMN, DUDE!”

Also, my brain was all like ‘I’m totally gonna get all the Poe references, I wrote a paper on him in college, I’m with it’ but I really was not. There is a TON in the show and they did a good job of pulling elements from his work and I’m pretty sure it goes a lot deeper than I picked up on. I’m sure there’s someone out there that has dug into this, but it ain’t me - my brain is still on an EXTREMELY low simmer. So, if you’re a literature nerd, there’s good shit in there for you, but I can’t explain it (my english degree is glaring at me in disappointment, I can feel it). And only if you’re cool with some gore.

I will say, they do make you feel like shit about the world we have built, and for good reason. Society does feel like a bunch of starving, drugged up consumers, but also, the Ushers are the monsters that have helped make us this way. At least we can feel good about a fictional asshole that helped stoke the opioid epidemic getting his comeuppance.

The ‘reveal’ is pretty straight forward if you’d been paying attention, or maybe it’s because I’ve watched entirely too much Supernatural, that’s possible. My husband’s manager was watching at the same time and shared her theory at one point which was so off the money, it was adorable. She hated every second of it, she thought it was an intriguing family drama, but then she was too far in and couldn’t stop. My guess is other people got roped in that way too. JUST KIDDING! Enjoy some death scenes that are going to make you feel ways about stuff.

The one that cut me the most was Victorine, I couldn’t figure out how the shadowy figure that’d been following them was going to work into it but she barely had to do anything at all. Determination and outward pressure and the belief that what you’re doing is going to help people, is a hell of a drug. Especially when you’re willing to do anything to get what you want. That bish was trying to do something that would be good for humanity, but her family was poison and it poisoned her too and she downright fucking lost it. And it was the only situation Roderick got to see with his own eyes. That shit was a gut punch.

Was it as good as Haunting of Hill House? No, but it was good. And worth a watch, if you enjoy a twisted, brutal death (or eight).

All in all, I hope Mike Flanagan keeps ‘em coming. Sometimes, it’s just nice to watch fucked up people get what they deserve.

#what g's watching #fall of the house of usher #mike flanagan #spooky season

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nightrae13 · 1 year

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Appreciation Post to Kotaro and Arisa’s friendship bc why not?

Maybe here’s a thought.. I love how in the translated novel I’ve read by ramirei (spoilers ahead and beyond for this now for Heart no Shucho lol), what Kotaro said was what Arisa exactly hoped someone would feel. She wanted her message to reach Karen, but even if it seemed it didn’t to Arisa’s mind, Kotaro never hesitated to tell her it reached him, and that was such a gentle and heartfelt scene to me!!

Tbh, I believe Kotaro would still do this for Arisa even without Ken telling him. I mean, it’s such a great AriKen story which I LOVE, but Kotaro always showed no hesitation to help her like how he never hesitated to tell her what she’s hoping for, reaching out to her the moment he saw her crying on the rooftop, and handing her a handkerchief when one of their classmates or herself (I don’t know if it was Karen or those in the earlier chapters) spilled something on her materials and Arisa was panicking.

Those who didn’t read the novel don’t know how Arisa went far to even consider to matchmake Koyuki and Natsuki for Kotaro lol (since she realized Koyuki’s a kind soul and thought Yuu’d be fine with his fangirls XD). I know someone thinks that she’s just indebted to him for doing something only her future bf requested (even if I think many would agree Kotaro is not willing to be bossed by anyone, and he dd it bc he knew it was the right thing to do), but I believe Arisa did everything not just out of debt; she genuinely wanted Kotaro, the only friend she had aside from Karen, and the only one who stood by her on those sad times of her life, be happy.

Paying debt might be a factor at the beginning, but it was genuine friendship nonetheless. Isn’t being determined and genuine in making a person happy and wishing them them the best all throughout your lives considered friendship? Plus, if it was just out of debt, Arisa won’t be the captain of the KotaHina ship like how I believe Haruki co-captains NatsuYuu with Hina (I mean oh boy, Haruki helped Natsuki organized her initial confession lol. His sibling dynamic with Natsuki in the novels are so underrated too).

Tbh, Arisa rocks being KotaHina’s captain lol.

(haven’t read Daikirai yet since I’m still on MochiAka novel 2, but I just knew there’d be a scene like this, and I love it lol)

To conclude this post, I just want to appreciate Kotaro and Arisa’s friendship. I may have never gotten a Kotaro to my Hina, but I deeply appreciate the Kotaros I have in my life to the Arisa in me. Tbh, before Hiyori, Aizo and Yujiro, Arisa and Kotaro showed that male-female friendships could really work without being romantic. Y’all read Heart no Shucho already if you still haven’t. It’s actually my 3rd fav novel next to Sekoi and Yakimochi no Kotae bc I never expected this friendship would be so wholesome and beautiful to read. I know Hina showed kindness to Arisa and so does Ken in his indirect ways, obviously, (I love AriKen!!) but I feel like many had slipped into their minds that if Kotaro was not present and ready to give her a hand on those times, she probably would have given up before Sena’s words could reach her. Kotaro’s mere presence in her life made her not give up, and that made her so dedicated to give a hand in his times of needs as well. Her friendship with Karen led to misunderstandings that wouldn’t be cleared until years later in High School, but she found a friend in Kotaro and that’s worth appreciating. Also, I love how Kotaro showed his chaotic side to Arisa on the latter parts of the novel lol.

It’s also worth noting how right after Hina cried on Koyuki’s departure in middle school, Arisa and Kotaro spent their time together while hoping for a better future. (like, I always love the chapters before the epilogues lol. It’s the same for Sekoi and Yakimochi no Kotae HAHHA)

y’all, thank you for reading if you survived till the end. I just love them and wanted to share my ramblings to why lol.

#Honeyworks #my ramblings #just another haniwa rambling lol #commentary #analysis #appreciation post #Kotaro Enomoto #enomoto kotarou #takamizawa arisa #arisa takamizawa #Kokuhaku Jikkou Iinkai #Confession Executive Committee #heart no shucho #honeyworks novels #kotahina #male and female friendships

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builtfromflowersandvines · 8 months

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Teal Deer: I’m reviewing every historical romance author I’ve read in 2023 so that I can get recommendations.

Never Again:

Amelia Gray - I’ve got zero time for this conservative pick-me-girl bullshit. The male protagonist actually said, “I like a girl with spirit.” You can’t have your protagonist saying the villain line, that’s gross. This shit is for my amusement. If I can tell how you vote by how you write, you’ve got to be voting like me. Did not finish.

Jillian Hunter - I just can’t care about these assholes. The men are loud, boorish, selfish, clueless. They are a frat boy stereotype dressed in Regency clothes. I don’t remember the female protagonists, I read her a month ago. That’s pretty forgettable.

Maya Rodale - I don’t mind a little pop culture reference, here and there. However, writing a book that pulls *heavily* from Bridget Jones’ Diary (which is already referencing Pride & Prejudice) and Mean Girls? Really? When I saw the line, “On Wednesdays we wear pink” I threw the book across the room. I like light, effervescent, and fun, but this was dumb.

Elizabeth Hoyt - Grimdark as historical romance? Nah. If you show me a dark, brooding, bad man as the male protagonist, I’m not going to swoon guys. I find that shit exhausting. “I’m so evil, and a little mean” ok, well I’m bored. I will never find a Pure Woman’s Love Redeeming A Piece Of Shit Dude even a little compelling. Babygirl, he isn’t worth *that* amount of labor.

Rachael Miles - too boring to finish, too boring to remember.

Sabrina Jeffries - Her series have a mystery at the heart of them. You learn a little more about the mystery in each book in the series. Unlike Lady Sherlock, which is a Mystery series written by a Romance author, these are romances that have an element of mystery. She can’t always keep my attention. The juxtaposition of light-hearted romance and gritty mystery doesn’t always work. Her characters also run a bit immature. Actually after reading what I wrote, maybe she has disappointed me one too many times.

Eva Leigh - too boring to finish, too boring to remember.

Undecided:

Jayne Fraiser - Um… the story was alright. It was a little too focused on just the protagonists, the families and friendships are the reason I read these books. To not have many fleshed out characters was disappointing. Also, if you are going to have your protagonist have a career or a hobby, you have to know enough about that career or hobby. The book I read the female protagonist was a modiste. Y’all? I’ve read a fuck ton of these books and I have a degree in history and my history degree is mainly British history. She did not do enough research. That really does count against her.

Minerva Spencer - Witty. Constantly, exhaustingly witty. Your characters don’t need to cut up at each other all of the time.

Amalie Howard - I did enjoy this book. But. The characters and the slang are too modern. Progressive is fine. Actually, it is kind of necessary for me. To ignore the milieu, the culture, for the story doesn’t work for me. You cannot tell me that this Not Like Other Girls girl also gets zero flack for not being like other girls. It felt like there should be cell phones and social media and that is not what I’m looking for in a historical romance.

Olivia Waite - Loved it. But I’ve only read one. I need more information before I can make a determination. As an aside; I skim the sex scenes, they are usually more funny than hot. I want to know if they do/say/feel anything germane to the story while they do the deed. Um, The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics has some hot scenes. Sophie Irwin - Have only read one. It was good though. The female protagonist is pragmatic and flinty, I enjoyed that. Will have to read a couple more before I can truly determine the ranking

Christina Dodd - She has flashes of good writing. However, I’ve read 3 of them and her male protagonists are interchangeable and so are the female protagonists. All the dudes are high-handed, imperious assholes and all the ladies are *so conflicted* Also, not enough showing us who the characters are. Those flashes of good writing are tempting but…. The downsides are pretty down.

Shows Promise:

Johanna Lowell - If she fulfills her potential, she will be legend. She has something that not many authors have. How did they get so much story in so few pages? Terry Pratchett has it. Eloisa James has it. Looking forward to the next one, I really hope it is as good as the 2 I’ve read.

KJ Charles - Charming. Witty. There is often a mystery contained within the romance. Charles was the first m/m romance I’d ever read. It does approach sex differently than the m/f or w/w romances I’ve read. I was a little shocked at the pacing and the lack of tenderness. The only author that isn’t shelved in Erotica as opposed to romance that Charles reminds me of, is Susan Johnson. Her sex scenes also give me the same kind of whiplash. The story outside of the sex is amazing though. It is really taut, it feels more like mystery than romance.

Emily Sullivan - She is another author that, if she lives up to her potential, will be amazing. I’ve read 2 and I can’t wait for the third. The characters came alive on the page. She shows the realistic conflict of being progressive in the Victorian era. She doesn’t pretend that things were better than they were. But she also doesn’t feel bitter and hopeless. (one of the reasons it would be very hard for me to write a historical romance is because I wouldn’t be able to have the optimism about the future that the characters do)

Cat Sebastian - I loved one! And I didn’t finish the other. Really, I just need to start another and see where it goes. Their m/m romance was so good. (and had some tenderness, that was missing with KJ Charles)

I Enjoy Them But….

Elizabeth Boyle - She can be amazing, but she isn’t always. She has maybe 4 books that are chef’s kiss no notes good. The rest of them need some notes. There are a few phrases she beats like a dead horse. I understand that language amongst the upper ten thousand was very homogeneous, but not all of your characters should have the same phrases and cadences. Her characters also run a bit immature.

Kiernan Kramer - She is hit and miss. More hits than misses. The spying for the Home Office plotlines are fun, very fun, not at all believable. Which is fine. I don’t need it to get dark. It is something to keep in mind though because the cavalier way they are doing intelligence work would drive me insane in a more serious genre. These are light and fluffy and fun, she has never made me cry, but she has made me laugh.

Julia Quinn - this one is gonna be controversial. She is a hits and misses author though, no matter how popular she is. The Duke & I has an infamous scene that makes me rageful. I wish they would just communicate, sex and procreation are BOTH things that have to be consented to. When she is good, oh my word, she is so good. When she is bad, she is boring. (or in that specific instance, offensive) There are books of hers I would highly recommend, but she doesn’t have an entire series that I can recommend. And that is what takes her off of Legend. I want the whole series to be worth recommending and worth re-reading.

Julie Ann Long - She’s darling. Her books are so cute. They’re practically YA, except they absolutely have semi-graphic sex scenes. There is supposed to be Danger and Adventure, but I just think everyone is so adorable. I’m not sure I’m supposed to though. They aren’t very deep. They give me zero anxiety. I can’t remember any of her characters making me angry, maybe exasperated. Even the books I adore have characters I want to shake until their teeth rattle. Honestly having a good hateable character is key.

Victoria Alexander - Sometimes she’s charming. Occasionally she has a female protagonist who has not figured out that Independent Woman does not have to equal I Need No One! And that’s exhausting. Sometimes her male protagonists are a bit… dumb. A little dumb and a little ineffectual. Look, I’ve read other authors writing less than brilliant protagonists both male and female. It doesn’t usually feel like a dig. I just want her to expand her idea of what women might find empowering. I don’t need the men in my life to be less than me.

Liz Carlyle - Good character development. High drama. All the characters are so reactive. Fun to read, but I’m very happy that it isn't my life or my romantic relationship. She has had a few male characters who I just could not hang with. All romances will make you want to shake the protagonists and yell, “just fucking truthfully communicate!” Liz Carlyle has that in spades. You might stroke out from frustration with all the lying and secret keeping.

Erica Ridley - I’ve only read The Wild Winchesters series. It’s really fucking good though. One of the books in the series is a sapphic love story. I’d love to put her on top tier or legendary status, I just haven’t read enough books by her to know if she is consistent in this kind of quality.

Evie Dunsmore - I’ve read the 3 books she has published, and I have enjoyed all of them. The characters are complex. There is so much more than just a romance going on. I appreciate a well done subplot. I do expect to reread her. She has the hallmarks of my favorite romance authors; complex characters, the characters have an/a estate/career/hobby/passion, there are subplots, the friendships are almost as fleshed out as the romantic relationship.

Vivienne Lorret - Light, good, fun, strains my suspension of disbelief at times (yes, even more than usual). I’ve read about 8 or so, they’re like m&ms. I’ve only given up on one of them, those aren’t awful odds actually. Great friendships and sisterhoods. She is another author that feels a little YA other than the graphic sex.

Mimi Matthews - Lots of promise. Her research does need to get a little tighter, making a historical error really will pull me out of a book. She has not done anything as off-putting as the book that had the egregious error of having Bonnie Prince Charlie in the wrong century, but this is not the genre to write in if you aren’t going to get the details right. Her characters are charming! Her friendships are well-written. There is a lot of potential, the books I’ve read were really good. I just want a little more, something isn’t quite hitting.

Top-Shelf:

Sherry Thomas - Okay, to be fair, I haven’t read any of her romance novels this year. I’ve read her mysteries. She was a romance author first though so I’m including her anyway. The Lady Sherlock series is the best mystery series I have ever read. And I love a good mystery; historical mysteries, cozy mysteries, I like them. Reading a mystery that was written by a romance author made a perfect pairing. I get all the details about the clothes, food, friendships, gossip, and I get an intelligent mystery along with it! Heaven. I have read her romances but it has been a minute. Go read the Lady Sherlock series, immediately.

Sarah MacLean - Oh Damn. She is on her way to Legend status. Seriously. No notes. Her legendary status really is just a matter of time. She has been publishing since 2009, I have yet to read a book by her that wasn’t top shelf goods. Now I haven’t read her YA, she does write both. Her books intended for adults do not remind me of YA. There is a fair amount of darkness. The graphic is pretty graphic. 9 Rules to Break is one of my favorite romance novels of all time.

Lisa Kleypas - See, this breaks my heart a little. If it weren’t for her first few books, Lisa Kleypas would be up on Legend. Those first couple books have genuinely repulsive male leads though. I stopped reading one of them on the fifth page, I was appalled. (I do not need the protagonists to be someone I would be interested in. I do need them to be someone I’d trust with an uncovered drink though). HOWEVER, starting at Again The Magic published in 2004, she has not had a miss. Genuinely she is one of the best! It just took her a decade of publishing to hit her stride.

LEGENDARY:

Loretta Chase - one of 2 authors that I will read what they published before 1999. Look, when it comes to consent if it is not a “Hell Yes!” it is a “Fuck NO!” if the protagonists aren’t being crystal clear about consent that does not fucking appeal to me. Loretta does not ever have a problem with her male protagonists blowing past consent. That is really important to me. Loretta Chase has likable characters. She can make a character who I would hate in real life and make them an appealing person. I would never want to date any of these characters, but I’d love to be friends with them. Her Dressmakers series is the best example of a realistic idea of what would happen were someone in trade to marry into the upper classes. I’m a huge fan of the Fallen Women duo because of course I am. Her adventures genuinely feel like adventure, some romance authors never quite manage to get the light and dark to balance, Chase does so well at it. She has variety, some authors write the same couple every damn time just giving them different names. That is not a problem here.

Jo Beverley - The other romance writer that I will read what she wrote before 1999. When it comes to action adventure, James Patterson has nothing on Jo Beverley. I have read every single book in The Malloren World, Company of Rogues, and Three Heroes at least 3 times. Three Heroes and Company of Rogues are linked. The villains are bad to the bone and scary believable. Actually that is why I rarely recommend her to others. Almost all romances will have a trauma to make the character more complex and deeper and such, most of that happens before the book starts. The characters' behaviors and motivations are informed by their trauma. In Jo Beverley books you might be there for the traumatic event. I love having action adventure where I get to know what people are wearing, and eating, and gossiping about. A lot of action adventure is really boring because it is all a lone man up against…. whatever, he is already boring me. In Jo Bev books there are often several people working together, women and men, to fight the good fight and I find that far more compelling. Again, I don’t want to be in any of these tumultuous relationships where the ladies are high spirited and the men are high handed, but damn are they fun to read. I do love these books so fucking much! They are well written, witty, smart, complex, fun, funny, but unless you can handle murder and sexual assault as plot elements I would not recommend them. There are other traumas too, but if you can handle the biggies, I’m not worried about the lesser traumas. Again, she is one of the best, she is one of my favorites, I hope if you read her you love her too. Just head’s up and be aware.

Mary Balogh - the Queen of hobbit romances! Hobbit romances is a phrase Nathan came up with when I told him some of my favorite romances don’t have a big blow up of a conflict, they have people getting to know one another and figuring out how or if they fit in each others lives, there is usually like hurt feelings and miscommunication but no major dust ups between the protagonists. The trauma is usually something from outside and they face it together. These are my favorite kind of romances, they are the only ones where I maybe… might… put myself in the shoes of the protagonists. When I read I like to be an invisible demigod that is experiencing the story but not participating. Just like almost everything I prefer observation to participation. But the hobbit romances, those I might dip my toe in for. Not all of her romances are hobbit romances, but most of them are. Her characters are more fully realized than the top of Maslow’s hierarchy ok? I know them better than I know several of you. I could go gift shopping for these characters, I know them that well. Mary Balogh is a damn genius at fully fleshed out and perfectly formed characters. Her families are my families. I would (and did) start at One Night for Love published in 1999. The Bedwyns, the Dudleys, the Huxtables, the Westcotts, I love these families! They provide all the positive family feels without y’know actually having to interact with family. I also adore the simply series that is four teachers and friends who work together all finding love. I LOVE the Survivor’s Club!! I thought I was going to have to opt out because of my own PTSD issues but no. These are powerful moving books but they do deal with warfare and the aftermath. They weren’t easy to read, and I know this is weird to say about a romance series, but I think it helped me get past some of my own shit. It was hugely cathartic. Vincent and Sophia in The Arrangement, oh that might be one of the best books I’ve ever read. Not just one of the best romances, one of the best books. Mary Balogh is the Queen of hobbit romances and we LOVE her for that.

Best In Show: Eloisa James

Look, if Mary is a Queen, Eloisa is a Goddess. I own a physical copy of every Eloisa James book. I mainly read historical romance, and I love it. I don’t own physical copies of any other romance author’s books. (I’d like all of my legends, but I made a point to make sure I had Eloisa) I’ve given away so many Eloisa James books. I made her a favorite author when I worked at the book exchange. No one writes like her. I love her characters more, I hate her characters more. She gets so much story into so few pages! She gets more out of me than other authors do. I’m more invested in her stories, I feel them deeper. My very favorite romance ever is between two of her characters, but they don’t have their own book, their story is told as a subplot to the books in her Duchess In Love series. Sebastian and Esmee is my favorite love story and I’m not even sure why, I’ve nothing in common with either character, but I adore their story. (damn, I might have to reread that series.) One of my favorite characters ever is in The Wildes of Lindlow Castle series. Lady Knowe, the Duke of Lindlow's twin sister. She is the maternal presence in the series, but she is not a mother. She is fascinating, she helps her twin run his estate, she is unconventional, but she knows what convention dictates and stays within the appearance of propriety most of the time. One of my favorites characters of all time, I want to be like her when I grow up. Eloisa James has the dubious honor of writing the only female protagonist that has made me seeing red mad at her. Don’t get me wrong, lots of the ladies make me super exasperated. But this was more Bloody Enraged. I think it is the mark of a damn good writer if she can get you seething foaming at the mouth angry at a figment of their imagination. Her side characters are so well fleshed out you guys! There is not one boring character. Reading her books is like being possessed in the best possible way.

#historical romance

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chidoroki · 11 months

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182 Days of TPN - Day 63

Chapter 63: “Help”

What better way to understand a character than to learn about their trauma. Those Ray parallels are starting to surface. No doubt our geezer has relived this nightmare for the past thirteen years.

I love how Demizu shows how exhausted the duo is by not only their tired eyes, but their worn out jackets and how messed up their hair is. Also one of the rare moments Emma’s antenna isn’t sticking upwards.

For a dude who was just awoken from a nightmare and has to constantly deal with demons and RE, Yuugo is certainly in a surprisingly good mood.

And y’all do get just as good as the geezer! Or maybe that’s just me being biased. But the two of them really are learning so much in just last couple days and if Yuugo won’t be proud of them, then I will be!

What do you mean you don’t need food?? .. girl, what? I’m surprised Ray didn’t knock you on the head for that comment. Thankfully Gilda is that Mom Friend.

Sigh.. I once wished the anime would’ve expanded on their trip to A08-63 a bit more, just to really show how much our duo was improving, but of course, the second season never even had this arc, so there goes that dream!

I wanna say the cliche “age is just a number”, but it is fairly impressive how well they’re both holding up. Then again, they do have a pretty decent teacher, even if he’s not actually giving them any advice up front. They’re also determined as hell and living up to their fullscore reputations. Totally not alive because they’re the protagonists, nope, not at all.

I know Ray’s got some pretty serious stuff on his mind that would definitely be worth chatting about, but look at her! She is so darn proud of herself, she’s got several sparkles shining around her. She’s literally so excited and it’s so cute that there’s no way someone could be annoyed at her.

I really have no problem with us seeing Emma having some doubts as it makes her feel more human, but I guess the small issue I have with it is the “how” and/or “why” whenever we see her hit a low point. I’m not faulting the manga here, but it’s the few pages here that reminded me of that one moment in s2ep5 where Emma woke up in the middle of the night and stands against the wall. While I do love that Ray came over to cheer her up a little, hearing Emma say that she hates herself and wondered if escaping from the house with everyone was worth it when that was the one decision she was always so certain was correct in manga is just.. weird to me. Her doubts sorta feel outta place in that episode since we skipped so much story and saw nothing of the time skip, but here in manga, we know exactly what this Emma has been through and all her concerns which makes her doubts believable and valid I guess. (I dunno, this makes more sense in my head.)

Prepare yourself geezer, you got some talk-no-jutsu coming your way.

Favorite panel/moment:

The way he looks at her!! Fuck! It is so precious I wanna cry.

#the promised neverland #tpn manga #182daysoftpn #chidoroki used chatter

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marigoldwitch · 1 year

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Is this an unpopular opinion?

Can we all agree that recording someone having a mental health crisis and antagonizing them while doing it is ridiculously inappropriate and unnecessary?

And before you come at me with the whole “Karen’s are using crocodile tears to get away with…” I get that, and I agree 100%. But I honestly believe a lot of y’all can’t tell the different between someone experiencing a mental health crisis and someone just acting entitled.

I saw a video of a woman having a mental breakdown at self checkout after a strange man touched her and tried to physically move her because she cut him in line. I know your first thought is “well she cut him in line” which is true but he’s an adult man, not a 5 year old, and he could have used his words instead of physical touching her. And in the video the woman apologizes and says “I didn’t realize you were in line and you touched me, that triggered me” and this man’s response was to further antagonize her while recording her. Talking about “you saw me” and “you’re a bitch” and blah blah blah. Which makes her act even more emotional and further triggers her. And then he tried to touch her again. He kept going at her instead of saying literally anything remotely appropriate like “I shouldn’t have touched you, that was inappropriate. But now that you know I was actually next in line I think you should wait til I’m finished to checkout.” Turns our the woman was a victim of a recent SA and having a strange man touch her randomly triggered an emotional response. And the only person in that video that’s trying to help is another woman telling the man to just go to another register, while he’s still going on and on and on about how “she cut in front of him” like their in grade school or something. The video ends before a resolution so idk what happened after she started crying and asking people to back up away from her and give her space.

Btw, I’ve had people cut in front of me tons of times at check out, I just do the normal adult thing and let it go. Sometimes I realize the person didn’t notice I was in line and sometimes it’s obvious they feel entitled and more important so they just cut me because they’re assholes. Neither situation is worth even more of my time wasted pressing the issue like a kid who got cut in line at lunch and it’s pizza day lol. I’m not that pressed.

I say all this because the internet has y’all forgetting how to act in public and forgetting that people actually do experience mental illness; that this display of mental illness makes people appear irrational and act out. When someone is experiencing a mental break they’re going to react to their surroundings, and if they’re surrounded by people antagonizing them they’re going to continue to act irrationally.

I don’t think recording is wrong. I actually think it’s helpful so that the authorities can better do their jobs to determine the best course of action/ treatment options for someone who is causing a scene. However I do not think it’s necessary to further feed into someone’s mental health crisis by continuing to press the issue to get a reaction out of them. Especially if that person is a complete stranger and you know absolutely nothing about their personal life.

And yes, we can tell when you’re recording and antagonizing with the intentions of getting a bigger reaction out of someone. A little crying from being triggered by a strange man touching you can turn into a full blown panic attack when 4-6 other people start shoving phones in your face and yelling at you. If you really think that person is a danger to themselves or you, call 911 and let them handle it. Stop pushing them over the edge for internet clout.

And if they’re a “Karen” the best way to handle them (in my experience) is to completely ignore them and act like they’re not there. And if they’re a Karen causing a problem, record them and just let them expose themselves. Don’t add commentary. Don’t antagonize them for a bigger reaction. Let them dig their own grave. Let their behavior speak for itself.

#unpopular opinion

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spellbook-gayboy · 2 years

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Cape-Watch Monthly Bulletin- September 2022

Hey, y’all! I’m your host, Christina Cabello, closing out the month with another Cape-Watch Monthly Bulletin! The start of the fall season is just as busy as any other for our heroes, and the biggest events of the month are shown down below for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Anyone Catch the Earthquake?

This month’s list begins on quite the weird note. Last week, a massive seismic event in the southern Pacific Ocean rocked residents in Oceania and Southeast Asia. It was a couple of days before a representative from the International Seismological Centre would explain: According to the data they had managed to compile, the event was triggered by something rising out of the water (yes, they used that exact wording). They also determined that the most likely origin was Point Nemo, also known as the furthest point from any major landmass. Surprisingly, information on such a gigantic occurrence was sparse, with not even major world leaders possessing any information even close to substantial. However, the San Diego superhero Magic Man did have an explanation to offer, stating:

‘For reasons I’m not at liberty to discuss, I can’t fully explain what exactly happened at Point Nemo. The long and short of it is someone woke up a god, and I put it back to sleep. And before you ask, yes, it is actually a god, just... not one of ours. I wish I could explain more, but I really can’t.’

Usually, I’d have some witty remark to add or some other statement to make, but I’m afraid not. Honestly, I debated even putting this one to print, but I felt you folks needed to hear about this. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious from this news, I can wholeheartedly suggest that you call the National Distress/Anguish Helpline, either through their website at www.ndahelp.com or through telephone by calling (281) 249-3307.

Canadian Hero Speaks Out on Systemic Corporate Sexism

Moving on, our next story has quite the message! A little under two weeks ago, the US branch of the superhero megacorporation Capes Incorporated was rocked when one of its newest members, the Ottawa-born crimefighter Knockout, publicly accused shareholders and members of upper management of perpetuating a system of misogyny within the company. According to the claims, which are due to be detailed in a full article coming soon, the female hero was ‘coerced into wearing fake breasts by shareholders and received threats of disciplinary action from upper management when she refused to comply’. While Knockout refused to comment, her fellow Canadian Capes Inc. member Kid Thor had this to say:

‘It’s disgusting, just absolutely disgusting! You’d hope in this day and age that a woman shouldn’t have to suffer through this kind of degrading and unfair treatment, superhero or not. I don’t know what she’ll do next, but if I was her? I’d sue those motherf**kers for every goddamn cent they’re worth! Sorry, it’s just... unbelievable!’

This incident, important though it is, is far from the first time Capes Inc. has been the target of criticism. One of the earliest examples, and by far one of the most egregious, was in 1978. The company was taken to court by Sister Siren, an African American hero and employee, who alleged that she had been fired not for excessive collateral damage as the defendants stated, but due to her marriage to a white co-worker, which could constitute racial discrimination contrary to Loving v Virginia, the Supreme Court ruling that outlaws discrimination based on interracial marriages. After months of heavy legal debate and tens of thousands in legal fees, the company was found to be in violation of the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and ended up with a hefty fine of $175,000 (almost $1.5 million in today’s money), as well as being forced to award Sister Siren the severance package she had been denied before. Other incidents have occurred since then, but let this example serve as a reminder of just how shady this company may actually be. Let’s also hope that Knockout can get the justice she so deserves.

Yet Another Alien Invasion

On a much more everyday note, I doubt many of you will be surprised to learn that Earth recently became the target of yet another alien invasion, which thankfully occurred far from any civilization, arriving in the middle of the Rub’ al-Khali desert in Saudi Arabia. The invaders weren’t any of the usual suspects, but instead a mysterious pink humanoid race piloting craft resembling something out of an old science fiction comic. Despite their unassuming appearance, they were still fierce and numerous enough to need the full attention of both the Guardians of the Globe and the local division of Capes Incorporated headquartered in Riyadh.

While no less dangerous, these aliens are far from the first to try and conquer the world. The first recorded incident in recent history occurred as far back as 1952, when massive insectoid creatures came close to completely destroying the city of Wilmington, Delaware before the original Guardians intervened. A far more subtle attack happened much later in 1978, when many small towns across rural Kansas and Colorado became infested by a race locally known as ‘the body-snatchers’. Finally, it was a little over a year ago that the Flaxans, a highly advanced and extremely invasive race led a brutal invasion that killed hundreds and left thousands more injured, proving more than a match for the Teen Team and only thwarted by the sudden intervention of Omni-Man. Whatever comes next, let’s hope it isn’t as nearly as big, and much more out the way.

Did Not See That One Coming

Our final story for this month comes yet again from the popular biweekly Twitch broadcast ‘Recipes with Rae’, which sees the titular size-changing heroine prepare all manner of meals ranging from old-timey to otherworldly, often while enjoying the company of other crimefighters. This fortnight’s stream had Shrinking Rae joined by recurring guest and fellow Guardian of the Globe Dupli-Kate as the pair made (or rather, attempted to make) the traditional French dish of ratatouille.

Things went as they usually did, with witty banter and dirty pots galore. However, things took a turn when Dupli-Kate announced she had to leave for unknown reasons, which resulted in a surprising goodbye kiss that was decidedly not platonic, given a slightly comedic edge when Rae finally realised that their private moment had just been shown to over four million people. Regardless, the heroine took to Twitter to clarify the situation, revealing that the two had in fact been dating for a little under three months before the impromptu reveal, receiving a flood of support from fans and fellow heroes alike.

This news becomes particularly comedic when remembering that these two aren’t the only members of the Guardians who came out as members of the LGBTQ+ community, as team member Rex Splode also publicly revealed his relationship with the solo hero Invincible during New York Pride, not to mention the status of past members, from War Woman’s open membership in the lesbian community to rumours surrounding founders such as Frontline and The Immortal. This is also the case within the heroines’ immediate families, as Dupli-Kate’s brother and former teen hero Multi-Paul is himself romantically involved with the Californian super Magic Man. While it may seem premature to say, it wouldn’t surprise me if people started taking bets on which Guardian would be the next to leave the closet.

And that’s all, folks! Once again, a big thanks to our readers and donators, as you guys help keep the lights on around here, and we’ll be seeing next time with the October edition of the Cape-Watch Monthly Bulletin! Remember: stay safe, stay hydrated, and tune in next month for more of the biggest superhero stories around!

#had to post this early due to scheduling #invincible #invincible show #invincible amazon #invincible oc #Christina cabello #Cape-Watch

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ohsnapitzlovehacker · 1 year

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I played this game while a ton of great and not great things were happening in my life, so this review will be 90% vibes and 10% actual critical thoughts.

The great

It’s always awesome when we get gender of choice books and the story allows for it, and while I mostly play female with she/her pronouns MCs (because I’ve played MORE than enough games with male he/him characters in my life) yay for inclusive options!

The (Black) MC sprites: BRO I COULDN’T DECDIDE ON A DESIGN AT FIRST IT WAS STRESSFUL BUT GREAT SKGJJHJFG. I loved the hair options too, seeing as most previous books don’t seem to see the point in offering more than one afro-textured style lol.

MC themselves: Yeah, I like YA stories at my big age 🤷🏽‍♀️ But I really love this MC just for their wit, personality (which we could kind of influence through dialogue choices) and how they sound their age. The last part sounds pointless but trust me, I’m sick of teen characters sounded older and mature for no reason other than to appeal to adult audiences...

The LIs/Sexuality (because I ended up talking about both so they’re combined!): So I quickly decided that I wouldn’t pursue Donovan (grumpy and soft and sweet as he was LOL) but Tyler, Donovan, and Stevie ALL have my heart in the palm of their hands!!!! And the individual dynamics they have with MC made it so easy for me to replay chapters sometimes 3 or 4 (or 5 🥲) times JUST to capture all the different dialogue changes! And lemme tell you, it was exhausting and 100% worth it. Thank you so much writer team for your efforts!

Side note but playing as an enby or male MC while romancing Tyler also gave different dialogue (as most ppl playing the book knew probably). Y’all that was a treat to see sexuality acknowledged in this book. Also also also, with all the biphobia STILL running rampant in the world, it was super nice to have Stevie, Donovan, and Tyler (determinant) have their bisexuality specifically mentioned, and therefore make it clear they weren’t player-sexual.

(Hell even with Gabbie!!! Not that she was clear on her labels BUT she fell under the LGBT umbrella and that was amazing to see someone who was still figuring herself out. And Joanna and her side plot?? God it was a bit painful but I also think it was handled with the care it needed. I’m so glad she was able to get out of her parents’ home and cut ties with them.)

Also confirming in chapter 16 that Stevie has been in a poly relationship before, hey y’all hey y’all wanting good rep, did y’all peep that?? I hope y’all did! (though I figure probably not because it’s a teen book and I haven’t been checking the tags but I don’t think much of the fandom was checking for this book 🥲)

The mystery/plot: A bit of this will spill into ‘the meh’, but as someone who is painfully dense when it comes to guessing mysteries and is often along for the ride, for the most part, I truly enjoyed the story! It was definitely closer to Ride or Die than HSS/CA or M2FL in terms of tone, but obviously I didn’t mind it. We were dealing with a murder after all...

Side characters: Brett made my blood boil!!! The track team can catch these hands!! Perdita I love your sibling relationship with MC to the point of tears!!! Millie you had me going for a HOT minute but I guess you was alright in the end!!!

And on and on and on... Yeah, the side characters helped add depth and weight to the story even when we focused on the main “Scooby Squad” 😂

The meh

~some of these are nitpicky, some of these are actual concerns, also I’m running out of steam so this section will be short~

masc MC body clothing choices: it never fails, I look at some of the outfit options and I wanna cry. And then I’m wondering if I should restart with a femme MC just to not look a hot mess 🤧 the struggle y’all

Perdita’s disappearance: You have to obtain all the clues to get the bittersweet bonus scene in the end, so it actually hurts a little bit to think about what you’re missing if you don’t. That being said, I keep flip flopping between if I’m satisfied with the ending or if it still grates on my soul and my nerves 😂 On one hand, there really are mysteries out there that don’t get solved, and family hurts that never heal. And we do get justice for Gabbie.

On the other hand, we spend time (and diamonds!) on little clues here and there on our fictional sister and in the end, it adds up to smoke and mirrors. There is no true closure. MC can either say they won’t stop looking or they will forgive and let go. And I don’t have the words to articulate why this ending leaves me so cold, but I just know that I’m not a huge fan of it.

I suspect a sequel would be in the works (where maybe we do get answer about our sister and the case that took her) but they were cut and this tweet affirms my suspicions (from one of the MAH writers)

https://twitter.com/catherinevalman/status/1588628334619287553

The killer: ...I ain’t gonna lie, I was kinda disappointed /confused that April was the killer? Like it made sense ( I guess) but it didn’t?? Again, don’t have the words to articulate why I feel this, but just know I feel it. I don’t want to call it lazy writing, because I don’t believe it’s that, but it maybe this decision falls a bit on the weaker side??? I don’t know. (also, not sure how I feel about villainizing the disabled person...? ALSO what was that crap about the clue on ‘the patients of the murder drug skewing older’??? did we just throw that out so we could frame April?? Ugh, y’all I don’t knowwww.)

One last thing, I was certainly seeing a bit of rage having this lil white girl coming after my Black boy with such vitriol and false sense of vengeance. I was as the kids say, triggered. Even with the chapter disclaimer. AND THE YT TEARS SHE SHED?!?!?!? girl stop embarrassing yourself, it’s giving Amy Dunne from Gone Girl (and we do not have enough time to get into my complicated beef with that character aHA)

Final things

Usually, a big sign of how much I love a book and hold it in high esteem is the replayability. I truly believe this book has high replayability (especially if you weren’t a NUT like me and replayed individual chapters a bunch of times ahaha)

So. I love this book and its potential for me to start a new game. But for now, I crave fluff because I’ve got enough angst and strife to deal with right now 😂

#qt: m@hoco #choices mah #choice vip #choices spoilers #choices murder at homecoming #long post #choices ramblings #or whatever the tag I had was sksks

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about-faces · 2 years

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So, Batman 89 issue 6 finally came out- I'm excited to know what you think of it?

Honestly, I’m not sure at this point. It’s going to take me a while to unpack it, including a couple rereads once I get the trade. And even then, it’s gonna take me a while to nail down my thoughts.

This is by far the most dense DC story I’ve read in a long time, and not always in a good way. Hamm crammed a novel’s worth of story, ideas, and concepts into 6 issues when it really should have gone on for twelve. This became especially evident in the final issue, where some scenes felt both rushed and claustrophobic, which word balloons smothering the great at by Quinones.

But y’know what? I’d rather have that than the kind of vapid, empty page-wasters that DC has been publishing for well over a decade. I’m talking about books where the bulk is spent on tedious fight scenes and pointless splash pages that serve no narrative purpose. I’d rather have TOO MUCH story for my money than not enough. It’s a good problem to have.

Making it harder to analyze is the fact that I can’t be objective about it. Look, I adore the Burton movies, and I understand the complaints about B89 not feeling Burton-y enough. But y’all know me, my priority has been laser-focused on the Billy Dee Williams version of Harvey Dent. And Hamm went above and beyond to create one of the most complex, complicated takes on Harvey I’ve ever seen. Which presents another good problem to have!

A lot of people have written off this Harvey as just being a guy who was always an ambitious, hypocritical jerk, who only pretended to care about other people or justice in Gotham. The story itself twice features his victims calling bullshit on his supposed pretenses. I think he’s FAR more complex than that, which makes him harder to pin down. A reader can get lost trying to figure out just what really drives Harvey, and even I am finding myself struggling to determine what kind of man he was in this story.

I will say thus much: it introduced and explored SO MUCH I’ve wanted to see done with Harvey Dent, especially a black Harvey. This is truly one of the most innovative interpretations I’ve ever seen on the character by a wide margin. It’s also, for my money, one of the saddest downer takes on Two-Face on a number of levels. At least, it was for anyone who had empathy/sympathy for him, which many apparently didn’t. It wasn’t everything I wanted by the end, but it was nonetheless powerfully tragic and deeply thought-provoking.

And that’s just how messy my thoughts are when it comes to Harvey! I haven’t even scratched the surface of talking about Bruce, Drake, Selina, Babs, Jim, Otis, and others. There’s just SO MUCH to unpack and analyze on multiple levels, from its being a Batman/Bruce/Two-Face/Catwoman/Robin story, an examination of racism/classism, how it works/fails with a nostalgic property, how it holds up as its own standalone story… it’s a treasure trove of fodder for critical analysis.

I wish more people wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it as just “eh, it’s not what I wanted” or “Hamm hates white people,” which I’ve seen a few times.

#Batman 89

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iamthemain-character · 2 years

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thank you for requesting this! i hope this turned out how you wanted :)

You’ll Have To Get Through Us

foolish gamers (noah brown) x reader, best friend! punz (luke) x reader

she/her pronouns

TW: unwelcome flirting

requested by @samantha-joann-schroeder

MCYT Masterlist

Y/n always told people that their boyfriend, Noah, was protective, not jealous. He wasn’t controlling and he didn’t mind his girlfriend having guy friends, but the moment someone made her feel uncomfortable he would jump right in. Otherwise he was just a sweet and friendly fellow.

Such was the case when Noah, Y/n, and their best friend Luke went to a party. Both Y/n and Noah where visiting their friend in Florida, and he was determined to help them have a blast. So here they were on a Friday night, screaming their lungs out to “Party In the U.S.A”. Despite only having met recently through minecraft streaming, the three people were super close. Luke was like a brother to both Y/n and Noah, and so overall the three were having a blast.

There were a lot of people in the room, and it wasn’t long before the occasional whistle or catcall from some strange men came towards Y/n. Both Noah and Luke got very upset, and wanted to confront them, but Y/n said she didn’t want trouble and persuaded the boys to let it be.

The three of them were dancing along to “Friday” when a man approached them.

“Hey there, the names Darren. Haven’t seen y’all round here before.”

The man, Darren, threw quick glances at the two boys, but when he got to Y/n he dragged his gaze down her figure, staring a little too long for her comfort. Subconsciously she tried to hide into herself, crossing her arms over herself as if too hide. Luke sorta stepped in front of his friend, getting between her and Darren.

“Yeah, I’m friends with Cara, so she invited me and my friends here tonight. They’re in town visiting so we’re just trying to have some fun.”

A smirk grew on Darren’s face, and he seemed to look straight through Luke to Y/n. “Oh yeah? Well I know how to show people a good time.” He winked at Y/n, but she turned her head to look at Noah, who looked like he was ready to kill.

Touching his arm, Y/n softly whispered to her boyfriend. “I’m just going to get a drink, I’ll be right back.”

She turned and walked away, leaving the boys to talk to the creep. Darren’s eyes never left her, and as she left earshot, he made a comment.

“Looks like the back is as good as the front, am I right boys.” He laughed at his own poor joke, but suddenly Noah had straightened to his full height and was standing closer to Darren, Punz hovering just behind his friend. Noah was just taller than Darren, and the later began to notice just how muscular the man before him was.

“Hey, I get it, she’s your friend, I can’t help that I have eyes-“

“That woman happens to be my girlfriend, and I know for a fact that she doesn’t appreciate you looking at her like she’s a piece of meat. So either back off, or he and I will make you.” Noah’s usually cheery and friendly voice had turned stone cold and menacing. His dark eyes held Darren’s gaze, daring him to make another comment about Y/n.

Darren simply put up his hands in mock-surrender. “Alright, alright, sheesh. She wasn’t worth my time anyways.” With that he walked away, throwing the occasional glance back to Noah and Luke to make sure they weren’t following him.

With him now gone, both Noah and Punz decided to go find their girl. She was at the drinks table, pouring some lemonade into a red Solo cup. Noah ran up behind her and gave her a hug, Luke coming up the side and taking Y/n’s cup to down it all in one swig.

“Hey, that was mine!”

“And is was positively refreshing!”

Shaking her head, Y/n turned to see Noah’s head resting on her shoulder. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek while reaching her hand up to play with his hair. “Did you finally lose the other dude?”

Both men threw glances at each other, and after a moment Luke answered. “Yeah, he realized he wasn’t cool enough to hang out with us.”

All three friends laughed, knowing that with their professions they were technically anything but “cool.” Straightening up, Noah took Y/n’s hand and threw his other arm around Luke’s shoulders.

“What do you guys say to leaving this party and going to get ice cream!”

“Yes please!”

“I want extra sprinkles!”

Luke shot off to go claim shotgun in the car, leaving Noah and Y/n to follow him hand in hand. Just before they caught up, however, Y/n stopped and gave her boyfriend a kiss.

“Well thank you, but what was that for?”

“Thank you for protecting me back there.”

“Wha-how?”

Y/n softly laughed and cupped Noah’s cheek in her hand. “Because I know you, and I know that I will always be safe with you.”

“Always and forever babe.”

#mcyt #dsmp #dream smp #foolish gamers #noah brown #foolish gamers x reader #foolish x reader #noah brown x reader #punz mcyt #punz #punz x reader

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