#and it can do the same for yours in nine short episodes!

[chainuuser]

the music dance experience is officially cancelled.

#severance #severance apple tv plus #mark scout #dylan george #irving bailiff #helly r #lumon industries #been thinking a lot about this show #it’s altered my brain ever so slightly #and it can do the same for yours in nine short episodes! #seriously watch the show #esp if you’re into liminal spaces #anyway I’ll be geeking out about them until season two comes out #but expect more nicktoons stuff hehe … #canadasart

[disformer]

What do you feel is more concerning for children with what is in the EarthSpark series; all of the clear terror and death, or having a they/them pronouned character?

Because the terror and death is seemingly entirely looked over but the ONE CHARACTER going by different pronouns is apparently nothing short of outrage.

Anon, I Am Nonbinary.

I’ll put a more thought out response under the cut

Earthspark drinking game take a sip every time an extremely young child has to emotionally support an adult or is put in life-threatening danger.

1. Steven Universe really ruined a generation of children’s media by making showrunners think they had to tackle issues like PTSD and trauma.

However, to give SU some credit, Steven was not 9 years old at the start of the show. It’s a really jarring choice that was probably made to capitalise on a more marketable demographic for TF and to keep the children’s play more lighthearted, but you get some really weird moments like (checks notes) a nine year old giving advice to an adult on how to handle trauma.

The issue with this is no nine year old should ever have to do this for an adult. They do not need to be wise beyond their years. They do not need to be a therapist for their caretakers. Grimlocks PTSD episode is one of the most egregious examples of this, where (not only is this depiction extremely one-note and weird) the narrative punishes Jawbreaker for not realising Grimlock is having a panic attack in the middle of their play.

As a framing device in a kids movie, what is a nine year old viewer supposed to take from this? The child brain is going to think ‘the adult lashed out and hurt Jawbreaker, it was his fault for being too rowdy.’ LIKE YOU WOULDNT SEE THIS IN PEPPA PIG.

And you do need to consider this when you’re writing children that young in your media, because kids are going to watch shows that have other kids the same age as them in it. There’s an almost instinctive camaraderie in seeing a fellow nine-year-old on TV when you’re at that age. So, the show is very likely going to be watched by 8-15 year olds which brings us to

2. JESUS CHRIST. THIS SHOW NEEDS TO CALM DOWN.

This show is way way way too interested in putting children in extreme danger. Constantly, towards the end of the series.

I’ll make a note first that it’s okay if kids shows have fun play-violence; kids like action. Children like low-stakes explosions. It’s not super serious and most TF media does this well, even if it’s tonally a bit more serious. This is not really an issue in a show like TFP or TFA which also had young kids.

Earthspark does not make its action low-stakes. Earthspark treats its violence extremely seriously; children cry, they scream, they get bruised, their parents wail when they see them in danger. Violence has a lasting impact, it has to because the show constantly wants to talk about trauma, so they can’t have video game rules. If they get hurt it has to impact them. Robbie and Mo are in consistent, life-threatening danger. They’re always being shot at or dropped off cliffs or almost killed and it always harrows them.

And kids can pick up on this. They’re going to realise that this is something that’s Serious, and Scary, and they’re going to be FREAKED out.

They’re also going to be freaked out when the children are fuckin. Tied into the bio-wall with tubes by Mandroid, or when Robbie has alien leukaemia and his parents are so so scared and has to rush him to the hospital and Mo is crying so much, or when their parents are seemingly killed and the kids are screaming and punching the ground and blaming themselves.

And that last part is important, because on several occasions the narrative reinforces this. The narrative. Of a children’s show. Says yes; Robbie and Mo have powers, and this makes them responsible for the well-being of the adults around them. Mo literally gets told this. By GOD. Before her parents proudly watch on without interfering as she fights in hand to hand combat with the villain (WHO IS, AS WE HAVE SEEN, FUCKING DERANGED AND WOULD LOVE TO KILL A TEENAGER JUST ONCE PLEASE PLEASE)

In conclusion, what this tells me is the showrunners are inexperienced. They didn’t consider what is appropriate for the subject matter of a children’s cartoon. They wanted to write about trauma, and war, and think kids are cute! And didn’t want their TF fanfiction to be narratively compromised by having to ‘dumb it down’ for kids.

The result is this is never a show I would ever put on for a 4th grade class in break time, at the risk of severely upsetting a lot of them. And it’s also a show I can’t enjoy as an adult, because it uses the language of a children’s cartoon to make nuanced topics more binarised and soppy.

#ask #earthspark #critical #like there’s also. more. abt why i don’t love it that much #but this is the part that struck me. #used to be a kindy teacher btw #ES critical

[kazumist]

EPISODE 18 ♡ KISS ME BEFORE I GO?

HOW YOU GET THE GIRL — A SCARAMOUCHE SMAU

masterlist / prev ep / next ep / wc: 1062.

cw: more drinking (sorry), more profanities too, a kiss somewhere in there (is that really a warning?)

“we leave you alone for one second, and you’re already picking fights.” kazuha scolds kuni as soon as he gets back to their table.

kunikuzushi doesn’t know how you and heizou got to the table as well. but now, you’re all sitting around and playing “spin the bottle”. the game is simple, you spin the bottle, and whoever it lands on has to take a shot.

the bottle stops spinning.

and it lands on you.

“hand it over.” you downed the shot of tequila.

you again.

“i’ll take it.” kuni says. he got glances from the others but they gave him the shot anyway.

lyney spins the bottle, but it lands on you again.

what fuck is up with this bottle? you thought.

“i’ll also—” kuni gets cut off by someone.

“i’ll take it," heizou says.

the tension was getting thicker.

the bottle was spun again, but this time it landed on kuni. you took the shot for him.

one last spin, and it lands on you again.

“me.”

“me.”

both kuni and heizou said it at the same time.

“to kuni.” lyney slides the shot over to him.

“fucking hell, it’ll take me a years to get drunk at this point.” you said, grabbing the bottle from lyney and drinking the remains in seconds. there wasn’t that much left anyway, so you were still good.

“okay, next game! this one is a personal favorite. it’s called king’s cup. each of you will pick out a card, and each card corresponds to an action. kuni, would you mind doing the honors of shuffling our lovely deck?” lyney says.

as soon as kuni stops shuffling the deck, the game starts. “kazuha, you go.”

“three of hearts. three means me. i’ll take two shots, then.” kazuha says, downing the two drinks immediately.

“lynette, you’re up next.”

“nine, rhyme. let’s go with lie.”

“sky.” kazuha replies.

“fly.” lyney’s eyes slowly watch over everyone.

“cry.” you said. kuni looks at you.

“try.” heizou looks at kuni.

“die.” kuni returns the favor.

yanfei was far too busy looking at a certain pigtailed girl in the dancefloor to even notice that it’s her turn. “time’s up, fei. drink up.”

“shit, sorry.” yanfei drank her shot right after.

“kuni, it's your turn.”

“eight, mate.” kunikuzushi says. “pick a drinking buddy.” he already knows who he's gonna pick. “you.” heizou.

“game.” heizou smirked.

the “mates” chugged down another shot of tequila and had a short staring contest. heizou was the first one to look away, leaving kunikuzushi smirking in victory. kuni looks in your direction, only to find you already staring at him.

when it was heizou’s turn, he seemed delighted with the card he got. “queen, question master," he says. “are you single by any chance?” he points at kazuha.

“huh?”

“i’m asking you if you're single.”

“why? aren't you and (name)...” kazuha was confused. very confused.

“what? are you serious? i’m hitting on you for fuck's sake!”

“well, i am. can i have your number by any chance?”

kunikuzushi was left fucking dumbfounded by that. what did this mean? he was apparently jealous over nothing. does this mean he has a chance now?

“my turn," you say. kuni’s eyes shifted towards you immediately. “queen as well, question master.”

“kuni.” a few ‘oohs’ could be heard. “who was the girl you picked up back then at the bus stop near uni?”

“huh?” he didn't process that one immediately.

“wait, what?”

“you heard me, kuni. answer the question.”

kuni took a bit of his time to think about what you were referring to, and now he finally remembers, “that was my cousin.”

“what the fuck? so it wasn't another girl? what about the one you talked about earlier?”

“i don't even know who that was. she said she liked me, but whatever. there was never another girl, but maybe for you there was another guy.” kunikuzushi whispers the last sentence, but you still hear him.

“excuse me? the fuck do you mean another guy when the guy you thought i was with is literally flirting with your best friend? did you even realize they left the table already?” you defended yourself.

kuni raises an eyebrow at you. “but he kept taking your shots?”

“oh, i was just messing with you. you look funny when you're mad, like a pissed off cat," heizou says, kuni curses at him in return.

and kuni drank another shot, now cursing at himself for how stupid he was. you also drank out of frustration over what had just happened.

soon after, you all decided it would be best to go home when lyney finally got himself drunk after hosting the two games earlier. kuni pulls you away from the crowd in an attempt to leave the bar first. after bribing the bouncer, you two stood near the entrance.

“i can't drive. so kazuha is going to take you home. they'll be out in a bit," he says. the others started going out one by one, but kunikuzushi held you by the shoulders before you could leave. “listen to me.”

“by the time you wake up tomorrow, tell me that you love me. tell me that you're finally willing to let me love you the way that you deserve to be loved. tell me you want me.” his face was dangerously getting closer to yours.

“i’ve said this too many times to count, but i love you. i’ll never get tired of saying it because it's true. i love you, (name). always have, and always will. forever and always.”

“kuni, i’m honestly drunk right now, and i don't know shit, but i do know that i love you too.”

“there you go.” he boops your nose. “see you.”

“kiss me before i go?”

“hmm, maybe when you show me that you love me as much as i love you, then sure," he says, starting to walk away from you.

“ah, fuck it.” he turns around and walks back fast.

his lips brushed over yours softly. the kiss was gentle and slow, enough for him to relish the moment and enough for you to taste the alcohol from his lips.

it felt right—perfect, even.

when you got into the car, kuni decided to stay out a bit more late.

and both of you could not wait for tomorrow to come.

extra notes.

i believe this is my cue to not update for the rest of the month /j

i told u all it gets better

taglist (open): @yinyinggie @blue-b3rries @ryuryuryuyurboat @your-local-reblogging-kazoo @lilikags @haliyamori @diorlumx @mamafly @zuunotsane @iloveosamuu @featuredtofu @kana-de @xiaoderrrr @f1orent1ne @alhaitie @yelleloww @brain-r0tt @jamieexistss @danfelions @e0nssadrift @lovemari @kunikissr @chluuvr @lazy-sanns @lxkeeeee @swivy123 @sketcheeee @quacking-simp @tiredslepz @vxcmx @kichiy0shi @yingofthemoon @feiherp @sicut-sol @mayuumine @xiaosoneandonly @xtobefreex @bananasquash @im-the-ruler-here @hiraethhv @yumiaur @oughhhhmamamia @beriiov @cindywasneverhere @klanxii @fangygf @draclula @aromaticism @shotosjupiter @lyzisbitchingagain @lovelykrystal @riraaya @aether-darling @kochothehoe [1/2]

#( smau — how you get the girl ! ) #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin imagines #scaramouche x reader #scaramouche smau #kunikuzushi x reader #kunikuzushi #x reader

[pettypiastri]

alone together

quinn hughes x fem reader

requested: "Would you mind doing a Quinn x Female Reader? Kinda sad but happy at the end? It’s one of Quinn’s days off before a long road trip, and he’s been in and out of the reader’s at-home office all day asking if they can watch a movie or spend some time together. And she continuously says no and at one point she sees how upset he is. So later she slips out to the living room with a few blankets and sweeps him away to the couch just to dote on him and apologize for wasting their day? If not it’s totally fine! Just felt in a sappy mood :)"

wc: 1k

warnings: self deprecation, angst, two sad people who don't know how sad the other is

a/n: OKAY SORRY it got kinda angsty but i promise it ends fluffy to make up for it!! just a short lil quinn blurby. the incorrect spanish is intentional :)

Your shoulders jump toward your ears when the third knock in the past two hours sounds at your office door. The work in front of you is a pile that doesn’t seem to dwindle no matter how long you spend in front of it. Every time you refresh your email, more grievances come to light. And yet Quinn can’t seem to leave you alone. 

A part of you feels ruffled by his blooming persistence. This semi long distance relationship you find yourself in would almost be less painful if he hadn’t stopped in for a day at home; he’s been away for a few days and is leaving again for another week and a half tomorrow. It feels a bit like a cruel joke, giving you a taste of the quality time you crave and then finding your partner whisked away again, the Vancouver snow he trekked in on his shoes still melted in a puddle by the door. It’s not that you want to make him suffer, you just can’t find the heart sometimes to intentionally hurt yourself more by being in his loving presence. Especially when all he wants to do is cuddle and hold you. Childishly, you do want him to know you can’t always accommodate your work schedule to his wishes since his work schedule can never do the same for you. 

You’re hurt and you’re frustrated by a situation neither of you would choose if given the opportunity and annoyed by your meticulous work still to complete. Yet since you know, not even that deep down, that none of this is his fault, you suck back in the sigh beginning to escape your lips.

“Quinny babe I really can’t right now. I told you this project would take a few hours.” 

“How about just an episode or two of The Office? They’re only 20 minutes each…” Just 20 minutes with you is all he’s asking for. The reminder that this is longer than you’ve spent with him in the past four days hurts you all over again, now feeling like the villain in a situation you really had no responsibility in creating. Your short reply is more so to protect yourself from being too vulnerable than it is tailored toward reassuring Quinn.

“I can’t Quinn.” 

And he knows that. He does. But a small part of him hoped he’d receive even a tiny ‘sorry’ and maybe a few words of affirmation from you, just to know that he’s not hurting alone. That this is as tough on you as it is on him. With his attempted affections left hanging for the third time and now just feeling like a burden, he slumps back to the couch and buries himself in a blanket fort he built himself. 

Quinn’s silence followed by his receding footsteps is the soundtrack to your heartbreak. Resuming the clicking of your mouse makes the perfect accompaniment. 

—

It’s nearly nine by the time you emerge sheepishly from your work cave. After trying to work through eyes blurry with tears one time too many you decided you missed Quinn too much for this to go on any longer.

The house is dark, modeling the moonless night outside, save for the living room. A few paces allows you to see Quinn’s mousey brown hair peeking out from under a pile of blankets. SportsCenter plays the Devils game softly. Your heart clenches at the irony that this is how Quinn finds you most nights when he gets home. Tentative footsteps move your body magnetically toward him. 

Lowering to be eye level with his sleeping form, you run your fingers through Quinn’s soft hair. He stirs after a few passes.

“Can I join you?” He grunts and readjusts his head before opening his eyes.

His stormy eyes regard you with their usual fondness. It’s the look that first clued you in to Quinn’s feelings. When you realized, you couldn’t unsee it. And Quinn’s never once stopped looking at you that way.

“What’s the password?” 

Traitorous tears prick at the corners of your eyes as you huff a soft laugh. He’s not mad at you.

“Quinn is the best boyfriend in the world?” You try, voice an accordingly affectionate hum.

Quinn thinks. “It’s a three part-er.” He settles on.

“I’m sorry for working so long?” You try. Quinn nods and gestures for you to continue. Two for three. Your fingers haven’t stilled in his hair once but now they slip to caress his slightly stubbly cheek. 

“I’m the worst girlfriend in the world?” Quinn quickly shakes his head ‘no.’ Selfishly you tried that just to seek his reassurance; it works a little bit. “Ummm Quinn Hughes is the best Hughes??” Quinn laughs, your favorite sound in the world bouncing off the walls of the quiet Vancouver condo, making your house a home.

“Yes but no.”

A smile disguises the fact you find yourself genuinely a bit stumped. “What am I forgetting then?”

He gives you the same eye roll you’re accustomed to seeing during his media and rolls from his side to his back dramatically. Your hand slips from his face. Silence persists until,

“OH!” Giggling gently you move to bully your way under the tangle of blankets.

“Umm excuse me missy you haven’t finished the password.” Quinn protests but his hands are already grabbing at your waist to hold you against him. Once you settle enough against his chest you meet his eyes and say with full conviction,

“I love you Quinny.” 

Your words tickle a smile out of him, a blush darkening his cheeks, still not used to hearing those words from you after all these years.

“I love you too baby. Welcome to Casa a la Quinn. But I get to pick the movie.”

#quinn hughes #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes imagine #nhl imagine #hockey imagine #vancouver canucks #vancouver canucks hockey #canucks hockey #canucks #my writing

[chiefdirector]

Hostage Taking | Tim Bradford | The Rookie

Act One | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19

Content Warning under cut: Episode 3x05. Themes of Racism (Doug Stanton, at the end), bombing and other canon typical plights. Read at own risk.

“So when do you think you’ll be back from court?” (Y/N) asked, walking alongside Harper towards the evidence lockup.

“Eh,” Harper said. There was nothing Harper hated more than court duty, especially when the case was so clear cut that she didn’t need to be there. “Hopefully soon, that way I can enjoy having Nolan on front desk duty for the rest of the day. Let him enjoy the general public”

“Is he really that bad to ride with?” She stopped at the door.

“No, and that's what sucks. He’s too nice, and sometimes I don’t need all that positivity.”

(Y/N) just shook her head as Nyla just winked at her as she entered the evidence room. Turning on her heel, (Y/N) passed Lopez as she wandered back to her desk, trying to figure out what to do with her day. Most of her cases were closed, the Damian Barrett case had all but run dry and Grey had all but forbidden her from working on her own case alone, despite how much she wanted too.

Sitting down, she gathered all of the papers on her desk, stacking them neatly, before organising them alphabetically, and then chronologically. Next on her hit list was the pen pot. Grabbing the container, she tipped them out, testing them one by one on a loose post-it.

She had only just opened the chess on her computer when the radio belonging to the blonde officer who worked opposite her rang out. “Sargent Grey, this is officer Nolan, go to channel nine.”

(Y/N) stifled her laugh as she moved her pawn two spaces, of course it was Nolan she thought. Even in her short time back in the precinct, Nolan’s reputation had been shared with her. Her good humour was cut short as the rest of the conversation rang out through the handset.

Grey replied quickly “Nolan this better be important”

“Sure is buddy” An unknown voice rang out. (Y/N) closed the chess game as she began to listen more intently.

“Who’s this”

The stranger’s voice rang out again. “The guy sitting in your parking lot with an ammonium-nitrate fertiliser bomb.”

Without hesitation, (Y/N) rushed up from her seat and made her was over to where she could see Nyla and Grey looking down at the radio, officers silently surrounding them, all listening to the bomber

As she got closer, she could hear the stranger’s voice again. “I have cameras on every exit. Do you understand me? If anyone leaves, everyone dies”

“I can confirm the cameras, sir.” Nolan’s distant voice chimed in, “Our bomber has a dead man's switch, sir.”

“Okay,” Grey said, voice solemn and serious, “You have my attention. Tell me what i can do for you.”

“Rectify an extreme miscarriage of justice. I demand the immediate release of Donalf Feltt from the Primedale Department of Corrections.”

(Y/N) moved to the computer near her, typing in the given name as Harper moved beside her. His record showed immediately. Donald Feltt, ID no: 4076696, sentenced to life without parole on multiple charges: Possession of an illegal substance, undocumented concealed firearms, animal abuse, drug trafficking, battery, and murder.

Grey tensed his shoulders as he read the screen out loud to the bomber, trying to confirm that they were both on the same page.

“That's him,” The man confirmed, “and it’s not going to be a back-door parole for my boy. Feltt walks out of there today.”

“Back-door parole?” (Y/N) asked, looking up from the screen

“For when you die in prison,” Harper replied. “Our bomber’s done time.”

“Most likely with Feltt,” Grey lifted his radio up again, “All right. That’s a big ask. It’ll take time.” He lowered the radio and looked to Harper, “We need someone on the outside.”

“I’ll call Lopez, she left already.”

Grey nodded his head, raising the radio again, now on the general channel to alert the units, both in and out of the precinct of the tactical lockdown and what to do. Once he was done, he turned to face (Y/N). “You should go down with everyone else to the parking garage, you’ll be safe there.”

“Like Hell I am, now what do you need me to do?”

----------

“It’s morse code.” Grey said, looking at the camera feed pointed towards the brown van, (Y/N) moved to get a dictionary, only to be stopped by the Sargent raising his hand. “S-C-R-L-I”

“He has a scar?”

“On his left eye. Good man, Nolan.”

“So,” (Y/N) said, opening the laptop she had bought over, typing as she spoke. “If we assume he did time with Felt. We know that he is a white male with a scar on his left eye.” Pressing enter, she quickly read the results aloud. “Graham Porter. He did three years at Primedale, a couple of misdemeanours prior. Nothing that screams mad bomber.”

“How does a guy like this get on with a guy like Feltt?”

“Let’s hope Lopez can find out,” Harper said, returning from the parking garage.

----------

“So Graham Porter is in desperate need of money?” Nyla asked as she regrouped with Grey again, this time joined by Chen and both Bradfords.

“So why not demand a ransom?” Grey responded “Why give us a head fake on Feltt”

Chen stepped forward. “Maybe it’s not a head fake. Maybe Feltt’s paying Graham to bust him out of prison.”

“Feltt’s a murderer, not a cash-heavy narcos.” (Y/N) said, looking over to Tim, allowing him to finish her statement off.

“If this Feltt’s gambit is smoke, we’re chasing our tails trying to free him. Meanwhile, an accomplice robs a bank or something.”

Grey considered the next step for a moment. “Contact West and Stanton, have them check out a nearby check cash-in place. I’ll contact the chief to see if we can get more boots on the ground.”

Nyla nodded, going off to make the call, leaving Tim, Lucy and (Y/N). The three stood in silence for a moment before (Y/N) turned to her laptop again.

“What are you doing?” Tim asked, looking over his wife's shoulder.

“Googling him.”

----------

It didn’t take long for Grey and Harper to find their way back to the other three. There wasn’t much luck on either end, apparently everything was “Code Four” with Stanton and West, and the rest of the LAPD was spread thin by having an entire precinct down so that not many more men could be spared.

“We found something.” (Y/N) crossed her arms. “I ran his name through the web. He had a YouFundMe, set up by his girlfriend, Kelsey Adams. I asked Lopez to run her down, there was nobody there, no cell answer either.”

Tim moved to stand near (Y/N), disliking this whole situation. “This whole thing is weird. Kelsey is using an assumed identity. Her social security numbers are fake. No record No picture.”

“According to Lopez, Kelsey and Graham are inseparable. So she is likely involved.”

“But how?” Harer asked, If it's not about money or Feltt…”

They sat in silence, contemplating Nyla’s question. (Y/N) uncrossed her arms, letting her hands fall down and began to play with her ring.

Lucy was the one to break the silence. “What if this is all a distraction meant to pull our focus outside the station, when we should really be looking inside?”

“What kind of woman would be crazy to be inside a building ith her boyfriend parked outside with a truck full of explosives?”

Tim rolled his eyes at Nyla’s question, before sending an incredulous look towards Lucy. The two of them had a silent conversation before taking off towards the parking garage, leaving the three officers with the words “Freegan Frida.”

As the pair left, Grey looked at the two detectives. “What the Hell is a ‘freegan?’”

----------

(Y/N) and Nyla moved through the corridors with their guns raised, silently sweeping each room for Adams. Tim had alerted them of the woman’s presence when she had left the garage, leaving the other’s trapped. Grey had taken one half of the building, whilst the detectives took the other. The two had found nothing until they approached the evidence room, finding the door broken.

On Nyla’s silent command, (Y/N) entered the evidence room, looking around for the suspect whilst she called Grey, alerting him of the situation and that a search was underway. As Harper spoke, (Y/N) moved through the evidence locker, looking down the aisle. It only took moments for her to find Kesey, rummaging through a secure bio-evidence bag.

“Hands up.” she commanded, “Don’t move.”

“Please, I have to find it,” the woman begged.

Harper approached from behind. “Find what?”

“He thinks I’m dead, If they run my prints…”

“Are you trying to destroy evidence?” Harper asked, moving closer to Kelsey.

“No,” Kelsey exclaimed, panic and desperation clear in her voice. “It’s my husband. He’s a loan shark in El Paso. He hurt me. I ran away three years ago, got a new identity, the works. So he would never find me. Then there was a robbery where I work. The cops took a bunch of stuff, things with my prints.”

“So when they run the prints, they will get a hit on the real you.” (Y/N) stated. The tree women stood in silence for a moment before (Y/N) continued speaking. “Look, we will try and help you but you need to get Graham to stand down.”

----------

(Y/N) listened to Grey speak to Graham as he told him to stand-down. That he knew what their plan was, that Kelsey had told him that the bomb was fake. That he was going back to prison for a long time. She also listened in as Graham demanded the S.W.A.T team back off, and when he threatened Nolan’s life if they didn’t.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and that grew at the threat. She hated this whole situation. She hated that it was Nolan that was trapped, she hated how the entire precinct was shut down because of this madman, she hated how there was nothing that she could do to help Nolan. She hated it all.

She only began to feel marginally better when she heard Nolan’s voice ring out on the radio. “Sargent Grey, this is Nolan. One is custody. We’re code four.”

Although, hearing the click ring out afterwards reassured her somewhat.

----------

“Oh God, what happened earlier?” (Y/N) said, curling up on the sofa as Tim grabbed two beers from the fridge before joining her.

“Stanton let Jackson get assaulted. Bastard did nothing.”

“Is Jackson okay?”

“He was taken to the hospital. Bruised and beaten but nothing he can’t recover from. Physically anyway.” Tim moved to wrap his arm around (Y/N)’s shoulders, pulling her into his chest. “Stanton is on administrative leave. Grey took his gun and badge.”

“What happens now?”

“This will be the end of Stanton, I don’t see him coming back from this.”

(Y/N) nodded, processing the information. “We should go see him tomorrow. See how he’s doing, if he needs anything.”

Tim just hummed in agreement, moving to place a kiss on the side of (Y/N)’s head.

Act One | Chapter 19 | Chapter 21

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

Tags: @xceafh @kmc1989 @buba424 @salty0cracker @iamasimpingh0e @malindacath @agentred27 @hufflepuffwhore13 @tessalynni @anaferreira-4

Tags are open :)

#tim bradford x reader #tim bradford #tim bradford imagine #the rookie #the rookie imagine #chiefdirector #bottom of the river

[biceratops7]

Uh oh boys, time to get real fucking sad up in here

There’s something that’s been getting to me (/pos) about ofmd, something that just rips my soul open but soothes it in the same breath, like cauterizing a wound. It wasn’t really till I was daydreaming about blackbonnet while listening to Spotify (as you do) and “lived and died alone” by Shamir came on that I realized what it was. It’s loneliness. Deep, unimaginable, cosmic loneliness.

Before Ed and Stede enter eachother’s lives, they are, for all intents and purposes accept physical, completely alone. Stede has lived decades with the lesson that his existence is unacceptable, and that it always will be. There’s this sense in Stede’s flashbacks that he is a stain upon his own life, and every person he’s ever shown to have an interpersonal relationship with does so because they have to. His children see him as a strange presence that comes with their mother like a two for one deal instead of a father. As awful as he’d feel to admit it, he feels the same. He did not choose to have them, and they did not choose to be born of him. They can find relief in the bizarre reality of their lives by escaping into Stede’s imagination together. The only place where he can surround himself with things that make him feel safely human. Like his own life wants him. He cries himself to sleep at night and hopes his wife doesn’t hear because making himself as non-existent as possible is all he has.

And Ed? Edward wants to exist. He wants to exist so fucking bad. Stede and the crew finish their story about the little wooden boy who wants to be real… and then move on to the legend of Blackbeard. Blackbeard gets to be real in Ed’s stead. After all, if we live on through the memory of others, then the evil devil clown with nine guns is far more corporeal than the man who likes his tea to taste like syrup and drops to his knees crying at the memory of his mistreated mother and the thought of hurting his friend. He is so utterly excluded from his own humanity, a deeply visceral desperation is felt in the way he must steal another man’s face and name. Because it’s not Blackbeard’s head that’s made of smoke, it’s Edward Teach’s.

There’s such a foreboding sense in Stede’s flashbacks and Ed’s episode 3 scenes, like you can physically feel the decades of monotonous isolation weighing on them. There’s barely any score in Stede’s scenes with Mary episode 4. It’s empty, blunt, uncomfortably quiet, completely unlike the irreverently freeing world we’ve grown accustomed to on the Revenge. And Ed? Well we don’t even get to see him until he sees Stede. I don’t think anyone really does.

And that’s just it. They see one another, recognize each other. Then suddenly their world is swimming in music, bright colors and loud patterns, talking and laughing that goes long into the night. The show is about really coming alive for the first time half way through your life and holy shit that is so beautiful. I don’t think Ed and Stede’s honestly kind of terrifying levels of long term depression are talked about enough.

It makes the happiness they were able to find with each other in such a short amount of time all the more precious.

#people severely underestimate loneliness #it’s such a horrific feeling and to be in a constant state of it for forty years… #holy fucking shit #our flag means death #Edward teach #Stede bonnet #ofmd #Blackbeard #blackbonnet #gentlebeard #meta #my meta #analysis #biceratops

[darleuxox]

precious. ☆ otto hightower x fem!stark!reader

key masterlist ✦ hotd masterlist ✦ intro

warnings: hotd episode 4 spoilers ; age gap (r is over 21.) ; dated marriage obligations ; drinking ; r is short lol

summary: in uncertain times, you and otto find comfort in the warmth.

word count: 1,270

a/n: is otto hightower a cunt? yeah. but is he hot? also yeah. also send house of the dragon rqs bc this show has me in a chokehold :)

Lately, the grand towers of Oldtown appeared dimmer than they ought to be, in bitter defiance of House Hightower’s motto and Otto Hightower's pride. He was far more uncomfortable than he anticipated about leaving Alicent alone at King’s Landing, despite Alicent’s position ensuring that she was in more than safe hands. Otto supposed that now he was a grandsire to two children, his days of fatherhood would remain less than imminent for the time being. He had done all he had to ensure that his legacy entered the world with power and grace, and that should’ve been enough. Yet something empty lingered within the man that he wouldn’t dare name, not since his first wife died.

It was an unusual pairing, a lady from House Beesbury and a lord of House Stark, both houses far in distance and likeness. While other guests hailing from The Reach seemed just as out of place as Otto, those native to Winterfell appeared to ignore the brisk weather altogether. Beneath his rigid exterior, Otto wanted nothing more than to leave to his own devices rather than be subject to this damned wedding. Contrary to what his brother tells him, he has urgent responsibilities to fulfill in the name of House Hightower. Taking another long swig of wine, Otto rolled his eyes hearing another onslaught of laughter far too loud and boisterous for his liking.

“At least try to appear civil, Otto,” Hobert mumbled into his younger brother's ear.

“I don’t see why I have to attend this wedding all the way in The North, brother,” Otto replied coldly, “Do you really think your boy can handle Oldtown while we’re away?”

“As I said before,” Hobert said, emphasizing each word bitterly, “Ormund is more than capable of fulfilling his duties in my absence. He’s grown into a fine man since you’ve last seen him. My son, a commendable heir to my seat and a gracious husband.” Hobert lowered his voice just for Otto to hear, “I wish I could say the same for you.”

“Excuse me?” Otto blinked, slowly turning to face his brother in silent rage.

“I see no reason why you shouldn’t marry again. It’d give you something to do rather than try pulling my strings all day.”

“I think you’ve had too much wine, my lord,” Otto argued through gritted teeth.

“Otto,” Hobert laughed heartily, “I’m not the one halfway through my fourth cup.”

Hobert always had a miraculous way of pushing the stone-cold Ser Otto Hightower’s buttons. Despite having an entire speech ready to freeze Hobert in his immature tracks, Otto was far too exhausted to fight anymore. Taking a final swig of his remaining drink, Otto roughly grabbed his older brother’s shoulder.

“I think I need some air,” Otto grumbled.

“That’s a wise decision, walking off all the drinks you had tonight,” Hobert snorted, earning him a light shove from Otto before his younger brother stormed off.

“Otto! I’m just fooling around, no need to get so defensive!”

Your older brother Cregan would have your head if he caught you out here again. But the celebrations proved to be too lawless for your taste, and there was nothing more annoying to you than putting on a pretty smile for guests from the south. If you hadn’t escaped sooner, Cregan would’ve already been showing you off to every lord and knight he invited with your future marriage in mind. You’d be perfectly fine, you reassured yourself, just as long as no one found you in one of the castle courtyards dressed to the nines playing with a dire wolf puppy.

“Oh precious,” You cooed, “You’re the only one who understands my ire.” The small wolf huffed, moving to lie on his back. “Trapped in this freezing castle with no escape,” you grumbled, rubbing the wolf’s belly playfully.

“Lady Stark?”

You squealed, picking up the wolf in your arms to cradle it protectively, “Lord Hightower, you startled me!”

“My apologies,” Otto told you, looking you up and down. He’d be lying if he said you weren’t quite the sight in your silk viridian dress and made-up hair. There was a cheeky sparkle in your eye made visible by the moonlight, and it suited you well.

“Did Cregan send you?” You asked meekly, holding the puppy closer to your chest.

“No. I suspect we’re out here for the same reason,” Otto replied, “Not enjoying the festivities?”

“Not in the slightest,” you groaned, “My brothers kept yelling and throwing things like a bunch of hooligans. I had to get out of there.”

“What’s that?”

“Hm?”

“In your arms.”

“This is precious. She’s my wolf,” You said softly, turning your arms to reveal the puppy’s sleeping form.

Otto’s resolve softened at the heart-warming sight. There was something comforting in the way your small hands gently squeezed the little creature. It didn’t help his composure when you looked up at him with those doe eyes, either.

“Please don’t take me back to the banquet,” You begged, “I like it much better out here.”

“Even in the cold?”

“I’m a Stark,” you scoffed, “Especially in the cold.” You waited for the older man to make his leave, with or without you. But he stayed, and through his spiritless gaze you could make out the slightest smile.

Otto stepped closer to you. “But you’re shivering.”

“No!” You relented stubbornly, “I’m fine. Really.”

When you snuggled into the wolf enough to make the animal squeak, Otto removed his fur.

“What are you doing?” You stammered, tensing up as he promptly wrapped the fur around your shoulders. He rubbed your arms up and down, and the foreign touch was surprisingly pleasant.

“I suppose that does feel better,” You said under your breath, “Thank you, my lord.”

“It would be dishonorable to leave a maiden such as yourself to her devices,” Otto told you cordially. His cheeks warmed when you wrapped the garment tighter around your form.

“If it pleases you, you may keep it,” Otto said quietly, “I should head back.”

“Of course! I’m sorry for keeping you,” You stressed.

“Don’t fret. It was my pleasure,” Otto assured, giving you another hint of a smile. Your cheeks burned as you watched the tall man stride off, feeling much less cranky than you did earlier.

A few months later you found yourself in a less brittle situation. Although the extra fur wasn’t necessary for The Reach’s quaint weather, the familiar musky scent helped a great deal when you missed him. You snuggled into the bed sleepily, using the fur as an impromptu blanket to shield your nightgown. When you were just about to delve into a slumber you felt a gentle, calloused hand cup your face.

“You need to stop sneaking up on me like that, Otto,” You groaned lightly, leaning into his hand as his thumb stroked your cheek.

“I’m sorry,” Otto said softly, sitting at the edge of the bed. “Cold again I see?” He chuckled. “I thought I moved you out of Winterfell so you wouldn’t have to deal with that anymore.”

“It’s always a little cold without you here,” You said, shuddering when you felt his thumb stroke your bottom lip.

“Well, I’m here now - so you won’t be needing this.” Otto placed a gentle hand on your neck to slowly remove the fur, causing you to whine.

“I’m right here, sweetheart,” He tutted, gathering you in his arms tightly. Otto pressed a long and gentle kiss to your lips, before holding you tight. Releasing a deep sigh, he held you close as he buried his face into the crook of your neck. “My precious wife.”

#otto hightower #otto hightower x reader #ser otto hightower #hand of the king #hotd #house of the dragon #hotd x reader #house of the dragon x reader #alicent hightower #cregan stark #house stark #house hightower #asoiaf #got #a dance of dragons #a song of ice and fire #fanfiction #fanfic #fem!reader #rhys ifans #my writing #hotd fic #team green #fluff #✦: my fics

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Do you have favorite BL dramas or movies? If you do, what's your top 20 Asian BL dramas or movies?

Hi anon! 💙 Thank you for this ask! I can make a list! I love it 🥰

Of course I have favorites and I am so thankful you ask for my 20 favorite bls, because 10 would be too hard 😅

I don't have any logical reason behind my choices. Most of the times I go with the feeling I have while watching the show. The following is not a best to last ranking, just my top 20 favorite shows 😊

Goodbye Mother

A vietnamese movie about a young man, Van, who visits his family for the first time after being abroad for nine years. He doesn't come alone, but brings his boyfriend Ian with him. Van waits for the best moment to come out to his family and present Ian as his partner. It is more of a family drama than the typical bl, but it is such a good movie. The grandmother is the heart and soul of it all. It provides everything, happiness, sadness, anger, pain, love...just a perfect movie. It is still available on GagaOOLala, but on the list to leave soon.

A Tale Of Thousand Stars

One of my feel-good-series. EarthMix is one of my favorite pairing and they went crazy with all the staring and pining. The story of Tian and Phupha who meet at a village in the forest where Tian works as a volunteer teacher and Phupha is the local Chief Forest Officer. We whitness how two people get to know each other, understand each other and develop feelings for each other. It is a romantic fairytale dealing with important and serious issues and I love it! You can watch it free on Youtube.

Moonlight Chicken

Speaking of EarthMix...Moonlight Chicken is my newest favorite and one of the easiest decisions for picking as a favorite. It is a short series, but it tells so many stories in a perfect way. No character comes too short, no realtionship is undeveloped. It is such a perfect series. EarthMix are killing it, but GeminiFourth stole the show. Their depiction of a this first love between a deaf young man and an angry young man was just so beautiful. Both had their dreams and both felt unheard and unseen from the outside (especially the parents and guardians) and they developed such a pure and beautiful bond. I could go on and on about the beauty of this show. Perfect and free to watch on Youtube.

My School President

And another GeminiFourth project. I am so in love with this show. It is something personal. The story about a first love and such a healthy love and Tin, our school president is one walking green flag. The show helped me on a very personal level to understand parts of my own history and choices and I am forever grateful and will keep this in my heart. And besides that it is such a comfort watch. Every conflict is dealt with before the episodes end and there is no drama, just love and respect. I love it! It is also free on Youtube.

Triage

This is something else. We have time loops and some supernatural stuff happening while the main character tries to rescue this young man who is as it turns out the love of his life. And when it looks like it finally can work out, destiny or in this case a higher entity, plays a little bit with time and fucks everyting up again. It is really interesting and tense and there are twists and it is just amazing!

The Untamed

Does this count as a bl? It is not the typical bl, more a censored adaptation of same-sex original work from China. Nevertheless you can see the love and affection between Lan Zhan and Wei Ying. This is a masterpiece. When I tell people about it, who don't watch asian dramas, I always tell them it is better than Game of Thrones for me, so they can put it in relation. This show wrecked me. I cried like never before. And I can't put into words what this series made me feel. It is on Viki and WeTV.

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us

Speaking of non typical bls stuff. 180 degree is such a good series. It is difficult to watch, because it feels really raw at parts and it deals with so much stuff, like homophobia, grief, internal homophobia, trauma, loss, love different kinds of relationship, growing up and stagnation, resignation. And the cinematography, uuuhhh! Such a beautiful series and in everything you see on screen you can intepret something in it. As a person who studied language and the comparison between novels and their adaptations, this was heaven for my intepretation loving heart. You can watch it on GagaOOLala.

A First Love Story

Strongberry at its best. It is korean and a short film in two parts and perfect. It tells the story of two best friends who have feelings for each other, but one of them enlisted and has to go to the military soon. We meet them again after some time and get a very intimate view on a very short part of their lifes. The acting is good, the story is good, the chemistry is good. You can watch it on Youtube or soon it will be on GagaOOLala again.

Be Loved in House: I Do

My comfort watch. This is nothing special. It is just a workplace romance, but it feels so cozy and I love the story. It makes me feel all the butterflies and happiness in my stomach and I love this shit! The company gets a new boss, who is very strict, has a bunch of rules and forbids his co-workers to date, because love can be a distraction and because of his own personal trauma. Can his stone-cold heart be warmed-up again? Oh the cuddles are everything for me! It is on Viki.

History 2: Crossing the line

I like most of the HIStory shows, but tis one I like the most. I do love the secondary couple of HIStory 3: Make our days count and HIStory 4: Close to you (I know...don't judge me), but as a whole series I really like this one the most. Perhaps because it is something different with the whole Volleyball thing or because I think the main couple is just so sweet. I don't know, I like to rewatch it from time to time. You can watch it on Viki.

Bad Buddy

My first asian bl ever. I am so happy I could start with this one. I love the story of Pat and Pran. Enemies to lovers is something else and they did a really good job. And their love was so vulnerable and sweet. Even though Pat always tried to be the strong kind of macho man, he was soft and sweet with Pran and it was so cute to watch. And the iconic rooftop scene! What a scene! It is free on Youtube.

Long Time No See

Another movie. I don't want to spoil anything. This has assasins and mafia and love and romance and sweetness and blood and fighting. It is not the typical bl stuff, it is more mature, but a really good action movie in my eyes. I liked the drama and the action scenes. As it is leaving GagaOOLala soon, I just rewatched it and it is still good!

Semantic Error

I don't know how many times I rewatched this one. The enemies to lovers story that just melts my heart. I am reading the manhwa and this is so explicit! The series is so tuned down from the original. Nevertheless I love the story of how SangWoo made his way into JaeYoungs heart and melted our all hearts on the way. This one is on Viki.

Old Fashion Cupcake

The story of the 29 years old Togawa who tries to show 39 years old Nozue how beautiful life can be. And what better way to show him than to eat the most delicious sweets ever. I am always hungry and craving for sweets after watching this. This series gives hope. You are never too old to start enjoying life and to allow yourself to love again, even if the person is ten years younger. And another one you can watch on Viki.

Love Mechanics

I guess this is here because of YinWar. I mean, their chemistry is through the roof! The story itself...well...cheating and pain and War is crying quite often. But it is still good and I can't stop rewatching it. Yes the story is hurtful and a little bit stupid, but VeeMark are adorable when they are happy and in love. It can be watched on WeTV.

DNA Says Love You

We all love some slow burn, right? I mean, this one is very much slow burning, but with a reason and it is a really interesting story behind all that. It is a complex story with some really good staring and pining and hurt and comfort. You have to watch carefully to understand everything, but it is worth it and the wait while our hearts burn away through the slow burn is worth it too.

Gaya Sa Pelikula (Like in the movies)

This one is...it is cute. I don't know what else to say. It is not the best production, but the story is good and the actors are doing a good job. Karl needs to live on his own because a family tradition says it is a good idea to show early on how to survive alone in this world. So he moves into his uncle's apartment where he meets his neighbour Vlad and because of some reasons the end up living together. I love the soundtrack and their whole story. It is free on Youtube.

Once Again

My favorite bl series of 2022. It tells the story of Shin Jae Woo who deals with childhood trauma and because of some supernatural stuff happening, he jumps back in time to the year he was almost the victime of a crime, but Kang Ji Hoon helped him back then. JaeWoo wants to rescue JiHoon from this path. I was crying through most of the second half of this series. It is just so good. Painful and hurtful. Just watch is you can deal with sad stuff. Everytime I need a good cry, I come back here and it always works its magic. It si on Viki and GagaOOLala.

We best love: No. 1 for you

The true enemies to lovers story. The slow burn and the slow realisation is just so perfect. I feel with Gao Shi De through this whole story. I love to rewtach it and see things I haven't before. And the second season is good as well! Not as good as the first one for me, but still really good. You can watch it on WeTV.

Secret Crush On You

If you manage to get past the first episode full of cringe and you learn things about the characters, you see that these are all of us. The characters are not flawless, they make us cringe, because it feels too real. You can't act normal when you are living your secret crush. And you feel uncomfortable if you don't fit the norms. It is so beautiful to see that there are people out there who love you for who you are. And who isn't afraid to tell the world about it. This series makes my heart feel all the beautiful feelings. It is a little gem out there. And you can watch it for free on youtube.

Well these are my top 20 of all the bls I have watched. It was so much fun! Thank you for this ask!

I guess after this month there are going to be new favorites. Our Dating Sim or A Shoulder To Cry On are some really good shows and I hope they won't mess it up in the end like Oh! My Assistent did.

Have a beautiful day and stay happy and healthy! 💜

#josi answers #josi watching bl #top 20 bls #korean bl #thai bl #taiwanese bl #pinoy bl #japanese bl #my school president #moonlight chicken #once again #secret crush on you #dna says love you #love mechanics #and many more #bl recommendations #I guess #thank you for the ask! #it was really fun talking about my favorite shows

[duhragonball]

What do you think of the Saiyan's overall redesign in the DBS Broly Movie? Personally, I didn't like how they really stuck to that, "All Saiyans have black hair," thing. I thought the original King Vegeta and Saiyans surrounding him looked more interesting in DBZ. They even had a blonde guy when KV blew up those planets lmao (if only they knew)

I know the guy your talking about. He's from the flashback montage right before Vegeta dies.

Of course, his pal over there is rocking an SSJ4 Gingergeta look too, so this shot is pretty wild for a bunch of reasons. And then King Vegeta raises his hand and blows up three planets, including the one they're standing on, so I don't know what to make of that.

Anyway, as far as the hair color goes, the black-hair-only rule came from the scene where Vegeta disputes Trunks' claim to be a Saiyan, so the rule didn't exist back when DBZ Episode 86 was made. We can still interpret this in a few ways.

Vegeta was just stone cold wrong. I say this a lot, but it bears repeating: Most of what we know about Saiyans comes from Vegeta, but he's not an infallible source. There's bound to be things he doesn't know or couldn't know, and he probably still clings to a lot of propaganda fed to him in his youth.

The flashbacks aren't meant to be taken literally, and this could just be a coloring error in an otherwise consistent portrayal of the Saiyans.

The blonde guy could be a half-Saiyan like Trunks.

The blonde guy just likes to bleache his hair.

He's got some kind of medical condition that discolors his hair

Nonetheless, once Toriyama laid down the black hair rule, it appears to have been followed pretty closely, except...

Nion, one of the scientists in the nursery in DBS: Broly, has dark blue hair. Maybe indigo? You get the idea. I don't think this is a trick of the light, either, since King Vegeta's in this scene, and his hair looks black. Nion clearly has a different hair color.

At first, I wondered if this meant she wasn't a Saiyan. Nion doesn't appear to have a tail either, and her uniform is too form-fitting for her to stuff it inside her clothes like her robed co-workers. But by all accounts, she seems to be a Saiyan character, and it makes sense. She speaks rather hopefully of Broly possibly becoming the next Super Saiyan, and one of Frieza's bootlicks wouldn't be nearly so enthusiastic when speaking of such a thing.

So what's up with Nion? Well, it's probably the same story as that blonde guy from DBZ 86. She colors her hair, or she's got some alien ancestry, or maybe there's more to Saiyans than Vegeta knew. My guess is that the movie was trying to show that there's a particular fashion among Saiyan scientists. The men in this scene all had very short, more "conventional haircuts". They also wore long choir robes. Nion has a different look, but there's like nine other women in the nursery with the exact same style, suggesting that they all wear that look to signify their profession. So maybe the blue hair is part of that, or Nion picked it up while she was at space college or something.

So from a hair standpoint, I think they just kind of ended up back where they started. Pure-blooded Saiyans may all start with black hair, and most of them stay that way, but a few Saiyans seem to develop an interest in coloring their hair for cosmetic reasons.

No, the main change I noticed from the Broly movie was that most of the Saiyan uniforms we saw were black and/or blue, which is kind of a shame, because I liked the various colors used in DBZ. Bardock had his green and black armor, Fasha/Seripa had pink, Towa had Carolina Tarheel blue, and so on. The movie also did Paragus dirty, because Paragus looked like the fuckin' man in Movie 8, and his DBS looks were all a downgrade.

At least Gine got pink wristbands and sort of a dark teal outfit. That might be closer to green, but I can't tell. Anyway, I get it, they're uniforms. The whole point is that everyone looks the same. Still, I liked the idea that someone could requisition a hot pink and lime green armor and it was totally cool.

Ultimately, flashback scenes like these don't carry that much weight, since they're always susceptible to another retcon. One of these years, they'll do some "Andor"-style series about the Saiyan/Tuffle War, and we'll see a whole other depiction of Saiyans that will turn all of this on its ear, and I'll probably be coming up with some other rationale to make it all fit together.

Mostly, I'm just glad we got a peek into Saiyan culture beyond the front-line warriors in the DBZ flashbacks. Nion and her colleagues raise more questions than answers, but I'm still grateful for the questions. I think fans have postulated characters like Beetz and Gine for a long time, and the movie confirms that there was definitely more to Saiyan society than fighting.

#ask duhragonball #saiyans #gine #nion #bardock #vegeta #king vegeta #nappa

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Running from the Flames {10}

Pairing: Pierre Gasly x OFC Warnings: 18+ only, things get a little heated (finally) - this is a work of fiction and the events are not based on reality. Chapter: One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten || Eleven* || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || under construction

The road trip was passing by too quickly for my liking and I knew all too soon I would have to share Pierre with his team once again. 

Last night we stayed in Marseille, deciding to break the trip to Barcelona into two stops. Without the draw of Formula One around Pierre was only approached a few times by his fans. It meant we got to go sightseeing in peace and explore what the beautiful seaside city had to offer without being swarmed - and not a single reporter appeared.

We had arrived in Nabonne just after sunset and after all the walking she had done Addie was too tired to leave the hotel for dinner so Pierre had left to shop for some groceries and we were going to make our own meal. After more than four days of fancy dinners and room service we were both ready for something homemade. 

While he was out I bathed Addie in our ensuite and dressed her in her pyjamas before doing the same myself, slipping into a pair of cotton shorts and a camisole that would keep me cool in this humid weather. They were purchased with comfort in mind but as I looked at myself in the mirror I felt self conscious and debated changing into leggings to hide the scars that ran down one of my thighs. 

The surgeons had needed to put metal pins into my hip and the top of my femur after Erik had shattered it pushing me down the stairs of our townhouse, that was the last thing I could remember, everything else was black after the first tumble. Though it meant I was able to walk, it left me with two large scars and a limp whenever the weather turned cold.

“Where’s mama?” 

My face off with the mirror ended with Pierre’s question and I forced myself to leave the bedroom when Addie answered. 

“What’d you get?” I asked as I rounded the doorway and saw him carrying two laden-looking paper bags. I rushed forward to take one before the bottom fell out of it and found more ingredients that we would ever need for just one dinner meal. “Are we expecting guests?”

“I, uh, wasn’t sure what you liked,” he said as he started to unpack his bag on the kitchen bench, “so I got a bit of everything.”

“I’ll eat anything, it’s her you’ll need to convince,” I said with a nod to Addie who was completely engrossed in an episode of Miraculous Ladybug or something. “Think you are up for the challenge?”

Pierre looked offended that I even asked before opening all the cupboards in search of the pots and pans. “You can go relax, I’ve got this handled.”

“Yes, chef.” I saluted but instead of going to the living room I went to the minibar and held up two bottles of wine. “Which pairing? Red or white?”

He pointed to the chardonnay and I grabbed two wine glasses before taking a seat at the island to watch him cook. 

“Those quick reflexes are handy,” I noted as I sipped my wine while he chopped the onions and mushrooms with speed and precision. It was mesmerising to watch the muscles work along his forearm and I stared for far too long before I looked away with burning cheeks. “Who taught you how to cook?”

“Oh I don’t know how to cook, I’m just making this up as I go,” he said before grinning. “No, my mother taught me whenever I came home from the driver’s academy. She was worried I wouldn’t be able to fend for myself.”

“Was she right?”

He laughed and tossed the chopped vegetables into the hot pan before taking a sip of his wine. “Absolutely. What about you?”

“Rebecca taught me a little bit when we were on the road and my abuela made sure I could make tortillas from scratch, but I took some cooking lessons when I left the circuit and moved to London.”

“What about your mum?”

I shrugged and took a bigger sip of the wine, savouring the buttery notes that lingered on my tongue. “She’s a lawyer, so travelling with us wasn’t really on the cards with her schedule and I couldn’t stay in Manchester with her; her hours weren’t exactly child friendly. When we got to spend time together it was usually shopping or going on holiday somewhere, not cooking.”

Pierre frowned and put down the knife he had been using to dice up prosciutto so he could lean on the island opposite me. “I’m sorry, that’s gotta be hard for a kid.”

“I think she had something to prove.” I swirled the wine around my glass as I vocalised ideas I had thought of for years growing up. “My grandparents, dad’s parents, are loaded and when he met my mother they pretty much accused her of using him for his money. She worked harder than anyone, putting in more hours, until it was her name on the building and I’m proud of her. I just wish we got to spend more time together but she’s more than made up for it since Adelaide came along.”

“Well, that’s something at least,” he murmured, unconvinced. “I don’t think I could ever be apart from my child, if I had one.”

I looked at Addie, the quiet fascination and wonder in her eyes as she watched the tv. It was the same look she had when we had taken to her an interactive museum in Marseille or when she had ridden on Pierre’s shoulders along the promenade, her hands reaching for the sky like she could touch the cotton candy clouds. Those moments were something I never wanted to miss. “Me neither.”

“What’s the verdict?” Pierre asked Addie after she took a bite of the creamy pasta he had made. We waited with bated breaths but before she even finished swallowing her mouthful she was giving him the thumbs up with one hand and shovelling another spoonful into her mouth with the other. Sauce flicked across the table from the long fettuccini ribbons that she sucked into her mouth and I covered my face at the sight. 

“I swear I’ve taught her manners,” I muttered but Pierre waved it off with a proud smile. 

“I’ll take it as a compliment.”

“You should, this is amazing!”

I collected the empty bowls when everyone was finished and topped up our wine glasses before getting started on the dishes. 

“You don’t have to do this,” Pierre murmured in my ear as he came to stand behind me, his hands resting lightly on my hips. 

“The chef doesn’t clean, it’s an international law.” I leaned back into his touch but still kept scrubbing the dishes because I knew the faster I finished I could then enjoy the rest of the evening chilling on the couch. 

He brushed my hair over one shoulder and pressed a kiss to the bare skin at the curve of my neck, a pleasant shiver running down my spine. “If you insist.”

He took our full glasses into the living room and I heard Addie talking so fast I couldn’t make out what she was saying but eventually the chatter fell quiet. After draining the water and entering the living room I saw why she was quiet, Addie was fast asleep curled up against Pierre and I couldn’t resist immortalising the sweet moment with my phone. 

“Do you want to choose a movie and I’ll put her to bed?” I asked as I scooped her up.

The hotels we had booked were all two bedrooms so Addie and I were co-sleeping and Pierre had the other room. It was almost impossible to sleep knowing he was just on the other side of a thin wall and I wonder if he suffered the same thoughts. 

Satisfied Adelaide was settled in the bed, I turned on the nightlight that travelled everywhere with us and kissed her temple before closing the door. “I think she’ll go in the stroller tomorrow without a tantrum,” I said when I stole her empty spot beside Pierre, curling into his side as he opened his arms for me. “What is tomorrow’s agenda? We can go to the pool here if you need to use the gym in the morning.”

“Is that a polite way of telling me I need to get fit?” he teased.

“Please, I’ve felt your body.” I ran my hand over the defined ridges of his abs to prove my point. “You are definitely fit.” 

I couldn’t even tell you what movie he had chosen because the moment we made eye contact it was far from my mind. The electric energy sparking between us had only grown with our journey and the kisses we had shared were always interrupted but this time Addie was fast asleep. 

The question hung heavy in the air as his lips left scorch marks across my skin, the teasing traces of where they danced up my neck and along my jaw before finally connecting with mine. My body moved on its own accord, knowing what I wanted before I even thought it, and I shifted onto his lap. 

“Tell me if this is too fast for you,” he said as he pulled away as breathless as me and looked at me with pupils dilated with desire. “There’s no rush.”

I combed my fingers through his hair and tugged the strands to guide his head back so I could kiss his neck, a primal urge to mark his skin barely being restrained. I grazed my teeth over his racing pulse and his breath was shaky as he inhaled a lungful of air, exhaling a moan in my ear. 

“I want to feel you.” My hands were already lifting his shirt over his head and I tossed it aside before reaching for his belt. “I want to taste you.”

“Fuck,” he moaned and grabbed my ass as he stood up from the couch before carrying me to his room, “you can do whatever you want with me, I’m yours.”

Click here for chapter eleven.

Tagging: @my-only-way-tocooperatewithlife

#pierre gasly fanfic #pierre gasly x poc!oc #pierre gasly x oc #formula one fanfiction #f1 fanfic #running from the flames

[lost-tardis-room]

something i've noticed about the difference between good omens and doctor who fandoms rn is that the good omens people are either making funny art or coming up with increasingly unfeasible theories about supposed 'hidden messages' in the show and generally being weird about it going out of their way to say they LOVE EVERYTHING about the show, and the doctor who people are like. damn this sucks.. unfortunately it's also really compelling. oh well <3

like idk the good omens people (generalising here of course) seem incredibly strung up on what Could Be Meaningful and making wayyyyy to much of a big deal out of minor details. and like the show is clever! there are secondary levels of meaning! but not everything is or should be. not everything is a metaphor. continuity errors exist. and the doctor who people (even new fans) are still yknow eating drywall over it but are also like HAHAHAHthat bit was awful. anyways its also incredibly thematically relevant to these other episodes so it's very important you watch it lol.

and i think the difference is that good omens is twelve episodes. just twelve. there's the book of course, which is a different angle than the show, there's the radio version etc. but there's only so much story. and a lot of the version are the plot of the book in different formats. whereas doctor who goes on forever and ever and ever and there will always be more content. so the good omens people are overanalysing the same few moments over and over again because thats all there is, they probably know their content better than the doctor who people, but b/c you only see them in so many Situations, its also easier to begin to warp your perception of them. you only see them deal with a crisis a couple times under very specific circumstances. there are only so many character moments, so things can be blown out of proportion b/c you cant compare it to another similar moment.

but doctor who is infamously long and infamously has a Very large eu so you have a lot more time with the characters to pull together your perception of the characters, even when regenerations and new companions come and go. you simply have more to work with to build your understanding.

like if you compare the 'i just lost my best friend' scene from good omens to any of the 'doctor thinks companion is dead' scenes--crowley reacts like that only once. he is distraught, obviously, doesnt quite know what to do about it at first, doesnt know what's happened to aziraphale--but its a specific moment. bookshop burned down. world is ending. aziraphale Gone. whereas doctor who there's a range of scenarios with a range of reactions--guilt and also hope when bill gets shot and then taken away. anger and denial over clara willingly dying knowing that she must (actually resolved her character arc quite well i thought, though so did hell bent). there are more but i forget. uhm end of s1 second to last episode rose gets vaporised but it's actually a teleport, the way nine responds to that. there's just more to work with!! which i think is why the good omens fandom is so deeply embroiled in arguing over minutiae of character and background detail b/c they dont have anything more to read about them except fanfics (which are obvious a feedback loop in any fandom) and because they only see aziraphale and crowley for such a short time. they cant compare their reactions during times of The Literal End of the World and The Disruption Of Their Quite Nice Life Together And Also Possibly the End of the World to them just chilling.

#idk thats my take on it at least #havent really thougt about good omens much recently but i'm still seeing a lot of teh fandom stuff #had to unfollow a few people though cos. hoo boy. #but yeah. #just something i've noticed #good omens #doctor who #damn this is long sorry. hopefully you see my point

[ultfreakme]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

Hi!! Thank you for sending me an ask! I haven't answered this before but either ways no need to apologize ^_^'. This is hard to answer since I watch so much stuff but never get overly attached. I can only think of nine and even that took a while. So, here's them!

Sokka from Avatar The Last Airbender When I was a kid, I didn't like him during s1 but he really grew on me as time went on, and I rewatched the show again and immediately fell back in love with his character! He didn't believe in spiritual stuff, I really related to that as a kid because I was the same and people often told me i was 'immoral' for not having a god to worship or believing in higher powers so seeing Sokka be a skeptic was very nice for me. I even forced my mom into helping me build a mini air balloon.

Katara from Avatar The Last Airbender Literally every little girl wanted to be Katara when we watched the show. She was the first and for the longest time, only dark-skinned protagonist I had seen. Her fight against Pakku altered my brain cells. I love her so much, I lover her anger, her drive, her conviction and her ability to hope in the face of even the darkest threats. She's always going to be a part of my heart and how I grew up

Korra from The Legend of Korra My bi awakening!!! Korra impacted me just as much as Katara, possibly more. I loved watching her fight and be so upfront and bold and in your face. "I'm the Avatar and you've gotta deal with it!" she said and I immediately fell in love. I want to be as courageous as her. I watched when it first aired and to this day I'm like, aspiring to look like her I was so obsessed with the way she fought. Powerful, a force of nature. But she's also very flawed, angry, dejected and feels so much. I related to her struggles a lot, especially in season 3. She's in a world that considers itself to not need an Avatar, every decision she takes is contested but she's doing it all thanklessly to better everyone's lives.

Jiang Cheng from Mo Dao Zu Shi Oh buddy......This one......I relate to him a lot. Especially about being 'second best' and never reaching the top, I understand his fears and doing his best despite it. His entire arc is about how he 'fails' his family's motto which is to 'Attempt the impossible' and falling short and being second to everyone. He's done a lot of things wrong, but I like that. I enjoy characters whose grief and anger are ugly and has ugly consequences. I understood his jealousy of the main character whose level he could never reach, the twisted ways in which he could never express his true emotions because that's what he's been taught and showing anything true would be considered a weakness. He's one of the most imperfect and human characters in MDZS and I lvoe that.

Lucy from Fairy Tail Lucy!!! She's so bubbly and optimistic! I loved watching her grow and close to the entire cast of Fairy Tail. I loved seeing her make friends and slowly take on more and more powerful villains. I love her powers (summoning spirits from the zodiac). Her best scene that really nailed her as my favorite character was her solo episode where she goes to her dad and tells him to his face that he's not going to let her restrict her dreams. It was an amazing scene because she was alone then, most of the story follows the cast as a group. She really left an impression on me as a kid.

Geto from Jujutsu Kaisen This dude very quickly climbed up to be a favorite. I empathize with why he became the villain. I love that his character has been used to highlight the banality of working under a capitalist system and how soul-sucking it is. He really made me viscerally see the phrase "cog in the murder machine". I used to relate to Teenagers scare the living shit outta me as an actual teen but this made me reconsider the same song and its implications from an adult perspective. It's wild how quickly you are stripped of who you are, how teens and their troubles aren't supported and they either grow up to conform, break or go wildly against the 'machine' in destructive ways.

Katniss from The Hunger Games Again, another character who is raw, human, allowed to show the uglier sides of herself. She's important in starting the revolution but her journey towards freeing herself is dictated by the more powerful adults around her. She just wants to protect her sister, her mom, her little corner of the world at the end of the day. A lot of dystopians that are inspired by Hunger Games forget that Katniss just wants peace, she's just like any other citizen who wants to survive, she's not the 'chosen one'.

Akashi from Kuroko no Basket That boy has been haunting me since 2014-15. He's just a part of my life now. KNB is now fundamental to my being and he's the center of it.

Pam Beesly from The Office I just really relate to her as a person. She's a very normal woman with a passion for drawing and she finds her own little way to pursue her dreams. I think she really highlights how special even normal things can be and how it's important to cherish that.

Furihata from Kuroko No Basuke: EDIT HOW DID I FORGET HIM!?!?!? HOW???? He's my pookie I am absolutely not normal about him. His total screen time is like 12 minutes in a 3 season anime but he left an impression. He's just, I love him okay? He's not the best player on the team and he had no passion for b-ball at the start but he really grew more confident and came to love the game. He's a total under dog. This absolutely no name background character HOODWINKED THE MAIN FUCKING ANTAOGNIST. Threw him off so bad that his being there flipped the game. I think his character really shows how important it is to work hard and never give up, and to appreciate yourself for your own accoplishemnts instead of comparing yourself to others. As long as you are better than what you were before, that is still amazing progress.

Honorable mentions; Rosa from Brooklyn 99, Jane from Tarzan, Bucky from very specifically the Captain America Trilogy.

I don't actually make a lot of content for my favorite characters weirdly enough XDXD, I'm not sure why. I make a lot of content for Jon Kent and Jay Nakamura from DC Super-family but they didn't make the list.

#riki asks

[the-nosy-neighbor]

The Nature of the Beast (Black Ooze)

This post includes spoilers for Welcome Home a little bit, but there are also several spoilers for science fiction/horror movies/tv/stories.

It's nothing new though, I think the most recent reference is Deep Space Nine. Also !Spooky Pictures!

A history of oozing blob-like creatures in American film and television--

Ominous Obsidian Ooze:

According to tvtropes.org, this trope (of oozy black stuff) is called “Ominous Obsidian Ooze.”

It is defined by a black ooze, often shiny and often in stark contrast to its environment (and of course the example picture is Supernatural) . It is believed to have evolved from the prevalence of and concern about oil spills and other pollution.  I think, for me at least, that pollution does really fit the vibe.  It reminds me of Pollution from Good Omens.

So black ooze (the creature/entity) often leads to pain, mutation, unnatural death, and “even a Fate Worse Than Death.”

(So help me if we find out Sunny is the weathervane on Poppy’s house…)

Anyway, the ooze is speculated to have evolved from a fear of pollution, but also basic human fears such as water too dark to see into and water that you shouldn’t drink. 

The closest association I have from this trope is the Stephen King short story, "The Raft," which was dramatized on Creepshow 2.  I saw this as a younger kid, and the whole thing was spooky.  There is a group of teens at the lake, probably playing hooky and definitely smoking cigarettes.  They swim out to a raft in the middle of the lake (think floating wooden platform) and then this black slick on top of the water appears, and starts stalking and eating them, and they are trapped. 

Just for you, I went to see what the plot is because I probably have misremembered all the important bits. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raft_(short_story), OK, so, college kids, one of the girls sees pretty rainbows on the surface and touches it, and she gets sucked in and “ripped to shreds”

So, then the beastie pulls someone through the cracks on the raft, and they are no longer safe on the raft.  The remaining woman faints, and the remaining guy can’t swim to shore while it is eating because he’d be leaving the woman to die, and he couldn’t swim fast enough while hauling her.  They spend time taking turns watching and then end up committing the sin of sex, so death it is.

The thing that I find interesting in this portrayal of the black ooze is that it is attractive to the viewer.  I guess secondarily, I find it interesting that this is a monster of inevitability, kind of like the Evil Dead universe, where they are trapped in one spot, die upon leaving the safe zone, but at the same time are convinced that they will die if they remain in the same place.  What I’m trying to say is that someone needs a chainsaw hand.

(Evil Dead has some black goo in the form of on or coming out of Deadites.)

Of course, there is a version in DvD, named “Black Pudding,” deltailed as “large ooze, unassigned.”  So thank goodness the ooze in neutral.  It is very strong and has a strong constitution.  Immune to blinging, charming, deafening, exhaustion, fright, and being knocked prone.  It also can eat through 2-inch thick wood or metal in 1 round.  It can also climb, including hanging upside down on the ceiling.  They can be split apart into separate entities of a smaller size with certain hits taken.  (https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/16808-black-pudding)

This is actually pretty reminiscent of the puppetmaster creature that I saw before, the Puppeteer Parasite, which seems to be somewhat cross-referenced to the pudding monster.  The Puppeteer Parasite catches a ride and eats your life force.  It can make you do things.  (I believe that Skip from Dropout’s Dimension 20, Starstruck is a creature similar to this.) https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2506151-puppeteer-parasite

Star Trek had its own version of the black blob monster, Armus from the episode, “Skin of Evil.”  The concept in this episode is that the people of Vagra II had found a way to remove all evil from themselves and it mainifests as a black goo that can take the form of a human shape.  It could also absorb people, and inflict psychic damage and physical weakness while you were in there.  This guy famously killed Tasha Yar.  For some reason, I must usually skip this one, because it is very vague for me.  Anyway, it wants to torture people (castaways normally, they abandoned him on this planet) he wants to find a way to find those that made him for revenge purposes.  Picard pulls a fast one (Look, a three-headed monkey!) and they beam up and take off. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Armus

Fun fact:  Later that year, Ensign Mariner, furious over Boimler being promoted to lieutenant junior grade and transferring to the USS Titan, threatened to "feed [him] to an Armus." (LD: "No Small Parts")

You could make an argument that Odo from DS9 is a creature of this type, as he is a shapeshifter that spends a necessary amount of time in a liquid state regularly.  If he doesn’t, he will be forced to revert (forced by his body).  Any time Odo is in a liquid or shifting state, however, he is gold. 

He doesn’t know if there are any others like him at the beginning, but as the show progresses, he forms a difficult relationship with his extended family, who exist as a sort of single consciousness, like the Borg, but more evolutionary instead of tech-based.  When the changelings are in their natural state, they essentially look like a gold ocean on the planet’s surface.  While this is dark, it also has the gold highlights.  In fairness to the theme, though, these are not good people and they believe themselves to be god-like creatures or at least more worthy than anyone else.  There is a whole period of the show where the paranoia of who is humanoid and who is changeling reaches a fever pitch. Listen, I could talk DS9 all day.  (https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Changeling)

I think the original version of this being is the classic movie monster, The Blob.  “The Blob is an amorphous mass of alien goo that appears in the 1958 film of the same name. Appearing as nothing more than a mass of red gelatin, this creature possesses animalistic intelligence, acting purely on the instinct to feed. It feeds on flesh and gains mass as it consumes other creatures.”

Common tropes for ooze monsters:

Mesmerizing

Grows when it eats

Eats all life forms it comes across (the changelings qualify for this, but only in the conquering sense)

Eats the inexperienced

Can’t be killed by guns, electricity, or fire

Inescapable (at least seems to be)

This quote:  “The Blob does little else except eat and grow”  Same girl, same.  But I think that the eat grow cycle is the thing that might be most important about this kind of monster.  Impervious to ways that humans generally attempt to control or avoid things, and dead set on eating everyone.  (https://monster.fandom.com/wiki/Blob)

For Welcome Home, that could be a direct link.  We have seen the black goo underneath Home grow during our time with the website.  We’ve also noticed stringy bits that have started to reach outward from home, like fingers looking to grab.  Whatever else this force is, I think the idea that it is trying to devour people/puppets in some aspect is the right idea. 

Coming soon, part 2, where goo in Welcome Home specifically is explored.

#welcome home #the blob #the raft #black ooze #welcome home theory

[stars-and-darkness]

i'm procrastinating answering all the comments in my inbox, so instead i'll waste my time making a post about 3x3, you're welcome :):):)

right, so the historical costumes on tvd aren't always very ... historical, but the twenties are one era they tend to get mostly right. i say mostly because it's not perfect, and you can see the cracks if you know what you're looking for (we owe a huge part of our perception of the twenties not to the twenties themselves but to the resurgence of that aesthetic during the 50s and 60s, which wasn't necessarily accurate. most media today, tvd included, take inspiration from that era.)

HOWEVER, there's a thing about costuming in 3x3, aka THE twenties episode of this show that i absolutely adore, i think it was a brilliant move character-wise and ALSO showcasing an aspect of the twenties that isn't often talked about or shown on modern media ... and it's also probably on accident. i mean. let's be fair here.

anyway, i'm talking about rebekah's HAIR in this episode.

for context, this here's the style:

it's curled and pinned up into a bob. keyword, pinned up. in case you can't see it, here's her after she's been awoken in 2010, and the style's falling apart:

and her a few episodes later in modern clothes, literally days after, with shoulder-length hair:

conclusion, rebekah's hair has been long all along. now, i don't know exactly where on the timeline the twenties flashbacks are (and as usual with me, unless it's stated explicitly in s1-3, i don't really care what canon has to say), but i like to put them somewhere around 1927, definitely later in the decade, based on how short the women's hems are. the transition between long edwardian skirts and the twenties' knee length dresses was a very long process.

point is, despite fashions of the era, she's had long hair for years. this ... was a real thing that women did. specifically, the style is called the faux bob, and it was a way of pretending you'd bobbed your hair as fashionable women did, while still keeping your long luscious locks that had been in fashion your entire life, your mother's entire life, your grandmother's, and so on and on and on, dating back for as long as memory serves.

(actually, in 3x20, you can see our girls doing the same thing for the decade dance, since they, i presume, didn't want to cut their hair just for one single evening. ALSO, the hems seen that evening are usually too short, owing again, to the glamourisation of this era in the later decades, which is also a nice touch.)

and this??? it's not only historically accurate, but i also love that for rebekah, who had already been alive (undead?) for nine hundred years in those flashbacks, has worn her hair long for this entire time, and would have an even more difficult time parting with it than young women of the time.

it cannot be overemphasised how radical a change in women's fashions the twenties brought about. the shorter hemlines are only a part of that--it was also for the first time fashionable to wear bold makeup and short hair (which this entire post is about). the advancements in technology allowed for the production of faux jewellery (those long strings of pearls you think about when you think twenties would've been far too expensive for many women if they were real) which meant that wearing statement pieces was no longer restricted to just the upper crust, and mass-production of clothes, which had previously been exclusively hand-made, and that contributed to the huge increase in speed at which fashion started evolving.

anyway, i love the idea of rebekah, who has been around for so long and seen so much, valuing her hair the same as she's valued it in her human days. i am completely aware that the reason they did this was so the actress wouldn't have to cut her hair, but i think that anyone who's ever seen and enjoyed tvd is aware that all the best parts of it are accidental anyway.

#tvd #rebekah mikaelson #ella originals

[benkyoutobentou]

What I’ve Been Enjoying Lately - Japanese Media Update

Welcome to the third installment of the series where I tell you what I’ve been immersing in so that you have some recommendations to choose from!

📚 Books:

人間失格　ー　太宰治: I’m sure you’ve heard of it before, this is a relatively short classic that is also the second best selling book in Japan. It follows a young man who is stuck between traditional Japanese ideals and new western ideas being introduced at the time. Although its certainly not a cinch to read if you’ve never jumped into Japanese classics before, this was easier to read and digest than I expected. I was helped along by an audiobook of this (available for free on YouTube!), but it also kept me at the reader’s pace, so I might go back and reread this one at a later time. I do feel like this is a good introduction to adult classics in Japanese, but if you’re interested in reading it, I also suggest looking up the content warnings beforehand.

ちょっと今から仕事やめてくる　ー　北川恵海: I read this one entirely on audiobook and it was a wonderful time! This follows a man who is unhappy with his like, especially regarding his job, who meets a mysterious man who claims to be an old classmate of his. I really liked the characters in this one and the way they talked about life was also really enjoyable. One of the characters speaks Kansai Ben as well.

さよならローズガーデン　ー　毒田ペパ子: This manga series is a historical romance that follows a woman named Hanako who travels from her home in Japan to England in order to meet her favorite author. There, she meets a woman named Alice who tells her that she will help her find this elusive author so long as she agrees to one condition, Hanako must kill Alice. This series was so sweet, and it didn’t shy away from showing the difficulties of being homosexual in Britain at the time. I had initially read volume one a while back and struggled a bit with it, but when I eventually picked up the second and third volumes, it was much easier and such a great way to see my own progress. This series is completed with three volumes and uses lots of keigo, but has furigana on everything.

雪の妖精　ー　芹澤知: In this oneshot manga, a wildlife photographer from Tokyo ends up stranded in a Hokkaido snowstorm and is taken in by a local. The art in this was gorgeous and the romance was adorable as well! It reminded me a lot of リスタートはただいまのあとで so if you liked that manga, then I really recommend giving this one a shot. I also hope it goes the same route of getting a sequel because I could definitely use more of these two. Honestly, I’m just a sucker for countryside romance manga. This doesn’t have furigana but I found that a lot of the vocabulary was words that I was actively studying outside of reading it.

📺 Shows and Movies:

犬王: This quickly became one of my favorite movies, but it was also incredibly difficult for me to understand. Following two cursed boys and their journey to tell the stories of fallen Heike Samurai, this movie features lots of music and singing, and historical language, both of which added to my personal struggle to understand this. However, I still have to recommend it because, yes, it is just that good! I would recommend this for advanced learners or for everyone willing to watch with your language’s subtitles.

同級生: My running total as of posting this is a whopping nine times having watched this movie. Based on the manga of the same name by 中村明日美子, it follows two boys at an all boys school preparing for a choir festival and how their relationship grows from there. This is my favorite movie and I watch it any time I can justify it. The language in this is fairly simple and straight forward. I also recommend the manga and all its many sequels if you enjoy the movie!

美しい彼: This show is about a high school boy with a severe stutter who falls in love at first sight with a delinquent in his class. As time passes, the two get closer. With only six episodes, this one’s pretty short and I binged it in one day. It was super cute and highly addictive, and also made me realize that I don’t like the bad boy trope. It’s also based on a book series if you want to check that out as well! Bonus points: if you watch it on Rakuten Viki, there’s an option for Japanese subs!

Zombieland Saga: This anime follows a high school girl whose dream is to become an idol, but is suddenly hit by a truck on her way to school. When she wakes up, she finds herself surrounded by zombies. Zombieland Saga is a comedy anime revolving around an all-zombie idol group. Comedy can be a bit hit or miss for me, but I wound up liking this one way more than I thought! Although I didn’t find the vocabulary used to be particularly difficult, I would recommend it for more upper level language learners due to the different ways Japanese is spoken in the show. There’s a character who speaks in old fashioned Japanese, a ヤンキー character, and a character who speaks like he’s got a mouthful of marbles (and a character that my brain decided to tune out every time she spoke. Honestly don’t know what’s up with that). Highly recommend subtitles for this one lol

📹 YouTube Channels:

スカートで旅するCHIEKO: One of the few channels I’ve found that has commentary over travel vlogs. I love the way she features trains alongside the actual destinations. Her videos are always super well put together as well.

ほんタメ: A more typical booktube type channel with two people discussing books together rather than just one talking to the camera. My Japanese tbr is never ending with this channel, it seems like there’s always something to catch anyone’s interest.

🎙️ Podcasts and Audio Dramas:

Station Idol Latch: I discovered this by stumbling across a poster for it in Tokyo Station and thinking that train station idols was the funniest concept in the world, but I’ll admit it. I’m hooked. This is an audio drama that follows 30 idols who all represent one of the train stations on Yamanote Line. The first season of the audio drama is available on YouTube and the second season is available anywhere podcasts are available, and is also coupled with Station Idol Latch Radio, a podcast hosted by Karino Shou, the voice actor for Minato Wataru (Hamamatsuchou Station). He’s hilarious and brings a great vibe to the podcast. Station Idol Latch also releases music, there’s an ongoing manga series, and there are also plans for a game, novels, and an anime series.

ボタニカルラジオ: This is a short podcast series about plants! Each episode is around 5-10 minutes long and is a super relaxing listen. The host has a great voice and the episodes are interesting as well.

🎤 Music:

火の鳥 - QUEEN BEE

風の便りをおしえて - Easycome

Creation - Pop Never Dies

Nick & Renee - YMB

#HOLD ON THERES SEASON TWO FOR 美しい彼？？？？？？？ #i think im gonna wait until its all out then watch it #hope i remember #also lol yeahhhhhh back on my slatch agenda sorry #langblr #studyblr #polyglot #japanese #japanese langblr #language learning #languages #studying #studyinspo #日本語 #i like... actually have a backlog of media i can talk about now #even novels!!!! #isnt that crazy #benkyou posting

[telomeke]

9 people I would like to get to know better

Tagged by @colourme-feral at this post here. Thanks dear friend! 🥰 Because of your post you got me Googling packing cubes as well, but my fallback has always been resealable (and reusable, so not single-use) plastic bags for socks and underwear when packing. 👍

last song: I've been listening to two lately, back and forth. One is ஒரு தெய்வம் தந்த பூவே/Oru Deivam Thantha Poove (O Flower Gifted from a God), a hauntingly beautiful ode sung in the voice of an adoptive mother to her adopted child, recommended to me by dear friend @neuroticbookworm. It's a precious gift, and I need to read the translated lyrics to fully grasp how the melody amplifies the meaning, but each time I listen to this it brings a little tear to my eye.

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The second is uplifting in a different way – เธอหมุนรอบฉัน ฉันหมุนรอบเธอ (You Revolve Around Me, I Revolve Around You) by Scrubb, introduced to me by dear @recentadultburnout. It's a jaunty, retro-style Thai song that was also in the 2gether soundtrack and is an instant serotonin booster.

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favorite color: Deepest blue.

last movie/tv show: Ack. Does Wheel of Fortune count? I also watched an old episode of Nigella Express on YouTube, so let's go with that:

I love the sound of Nigella's voice and her breezy approach while demonstrating eminently doable recipes. But I was actually using this episode to hone my location-tracking skills... Nigella and her daughter Mimi can be seen stopping by a bakery on the way to her daughter's school at timestamp 4.50 – there are enough visual clues in there to track down the location of the bakery (Boulangerie Poilâne at Elizabeth Street in London) and also Mimi's school (Francis Holland School for Girls at Graham Terrace). Purely an intellectual exercise, and quell the alarms please – the episode is from 2007 and Mimi has long since grown up and graduated, so there's no privacy risk. (Both the school and the bakery in 2023 are still at the same locations they were in 2007, though Poilâne – I love the one in Paris – has had a paint job and looks quite a bit different today).

sweet/spicy/savory: Sweet wins out (confirmed chocoholic that I am), but I also LOVE my spicy prik kee noo, and every meal must also be protein-heavy, so savory gets a shout-out too. (As you can probably tell I find it hard to make decisions, especially around food. 😂)

relationship status: Attached, and have been for a very long time.

current obsession: Fruitcake! A post for a three-ingredient fruitcake popped up on my YouTube feed, and because we're heading into the Yuletide season I became obsessed with making fruitcake in time for Christmas. I've been churning out variations ever since the first one fell a little bit short of expectations, and because of my tweaks it's more like eight ingredients now, so… not quite the time and labor saving hack I envisioned. But it's a delicious obsession nonetheless, plus I get to eat lots of fruitcake along the way.

last thing I googled: Fruitcake recipes! Especially for ideas on how to reduce FODMAPs.

No pressure tags: @pandasmagorica, @bengiyo, @solitaryandwandering, @shinybiancachu, @sillybiscuitshepherdskeleton, @respectthepetty, @teaofdesaster, @lurkingteapot, @sunshinechay.

Only listed nine because those are the rules of this game (literally in the header) but if I haven't tagged you dear friends, please know that I wanted to and if you would like to play please do. Always fun to get to know people better here! 💖

#tag game #9 people i would like to get to know better #Youtube