#maybe i will make a proper post comparing the scene at some point but just for now.this is is what i was referring to in my tags

[twinpeaksfireblogwithme]

#maybe i will make a proper post comparing the scene at some point but just for now.this is is what i was referring to in my tags #georges bataille #eroticism

[toastymarshie]

Thinking about how Itadori and Fushiguro were probably never suppose to meet.

Feel free to disagree with my argument or chalk it up to me being a sad ass bitch, but it does feel like that.

Feel free to add to this post or send me an ask lol.

Why do I feel like this?

Well, I can’t pinpoint the exact reasons for why I feel this way, I can give some evidence to back it up. I know that JJK is a shonen and it was going to start with Itadori Yuji and end with or without him.

Ofc the most obvious one is Yuji’s death and path leading up to it.

(I will refer to the manga at this point if I will put anime screenshots if I just have them at hand)

Their first meeting

As you can see Fushiguro was impressed by Itadori’s natural strength. Even comparing him to Maki. However that was the extent he was willing to give to a random person. A very one sided interaction.

Until

This is the moment the narrative shifts for both Megumi and Yuji. Yuji carrying a curse since the beginning of their meeting (how ironic!) and Megumi is going after him. Sure it’s to retrieve Sukuna’s finger but it’s there.

For anyone who doesn’t know for some odd reason, Megumi’s name translates to Blessing hence why Toji and mama Fushiguro call him such. Yes, his name meaning is important to not only Yuji but to the major players such as Gojo.

Also we have to talk about Grandpa Itadori’s last request.

Of course we know now that Grandpa’s last words were a curse to Yuji. How this last request shapes Yuji as a person in the coming chapters. Another curse to add to the list of curses. (Do the note the rule of three)

Then we get the scene in the hospital after Yuji’s grandfather dies. (Abridged for time)

This is when the plot finally kicks in. Yuji unknowably putting his friends in danger and Megumi has to go save them and the finger. I don’t personally count this as a curse for Yuji as it’s just the direct effect of the first curse I noted. Remember that Yuji comes in when he remembers his grandpa’s words.

Then finally we get to the final curse

Ryomen Sukuna

Itadori Yuji’s last and final curse that sealed his fate. The very thing that led him to the path he’s in. Not just him but also Fushiguro Megumi. From Shibuya to the current arc (Chapter 244-245) both of them have been by each other’s side trying their best to break this curse.

Remember, Yuji was going to be executed once he ate the first finger but due to Gojo’s interference and Megumi’s own personal feelings he was given a choice.

The first chapter really set them up to meet each other regardless of the factors that scream don’t do it/don’t follow him. Especially in hindsight, you can feel the tragedy brewing before it even begins. You somewhat know the consequences in the first chapter and it only grows worse in the second.

But that what makes a good tragedy.

Fuck you Gege you one eye cat

Now I’m gonna bring up chapter 9 for a bit because it’s history is very interesting. Gege did say that if the series didn’t do well, he will leave Yuji dead. (Ofc this didn’t happen and please help me find the source of this information. I know it was stated in an interview but I couldn’t find a translated version.)

Even then, it just solidifies my feelings.

This is the ending of the story. How it’s suppose to end.

Someone said that this seemed like a confession and I have to agree. Whether it’s romantic or platonic, Fushiguro’s feelings for Itadori are real.

Hear that?

That’s me sobbing.

With the recent chapters, it seem bleak but I believe that we will see Fushiguro again.

Yuji and Megumi will meet again maybe for the last time. I’m not Gege, but I trust him not really to give them a proper ending.

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #yuji itadori #megumi fushiguro #itafushi #media analysis #this is a long one #sorry for the JJK posting #jjk spoilers #kinda #can be read as platonic or romantic #idc if the post flops or not #I just needed to sort my feeling out #idk man #this shit rotted my brain lmao

[sex-obsessed-lesbian]

The Tale of SOL's Highly Mediocre First Hypnokink Play Partner

CW: mediocre consent practices.

I realized that I posted this on Twitter but never on here, so for anyone who hasn't heard this one before, buckle up for the story of SOL'S Highly Mediocre First Hypnokink Play Partner!

It's the fall after i graduated college, I’m starting to dabble in the scene, I’ve found hypno tumblr and am like “omg this thing I’ve always fantasized about is REAL and people actually use it for SEX???”, and I go to a nearby university's kink group meetup about hypnokink.

As part of the class we pair up and try some stuff. I pair w/ this guy—a college senior, he’s actually tranced to files etc. so he knows a bit more than me at this point about how this works IRL. He does a perfectly middling progressive relaxation induction on me.

I say “Oh okay i think i see how this works” and proceed to ZONK him because like, I'm a good top and have good instincts (and also improv training).

And after that, we proceed to meet up a few times as practice partners—I still live with my parents so I come over to his dorm and he exiles his roommate (Jesus Christ i thought I’d be done with this shit when I graduated).

So the problem with this situation is that I never got a proper pretalk or explanation of what trance did/n't feel like, what hypno could/n't do or make you do, how safety and agency work... So I was both SO WORRIED about doing things against my will or losing control, AND SO WORRIED about it not working on me, that i was unhypnotizable and couldn't do the thing. I can’t realllly blame him, he was as new as I was, but it was… not a great situation.

The thing I CAN blame him for was when I was said “I don’t want any triggers” and he was like “aww come on a reinduction trigger would make it so much easier” and kept wheedling me about it. Not a good look.

(OFC part of the reason he really wanted a reinduction trigger was because he (like me, at the time) only knew how to do 10-minute progressive relaxation inductions, lolsob.)

And I think both times we got together I was like “Dude I’m a lesbian, I'm here for kink practice and I don’t want to kiss or get physical with you” and then at the end he’d be like “Waah I want to kiss you!!”

Against my better judgement I went along with it cuz like, we’d just been doing hours of kinky shit and I was turned on, but like. Surprise surprise, I'm a lesbian. (Also he... wasn’t all that good a kisser. Shocker, that.)

The kicker is, after the second time this happens, he texts me to say “So i just found out i have mono” like SIR I DID NOT EVEN WANT TO BE KISSING YOU AND NOW YOU HAVE MAYBE GIVEN ME MONO???

He did NOT give me mono, turned out I already had antibodies, and I didn’t ever play with him or see him again, so it’s mostly a happy ending but like… bruh.

But on a more serious note, I... still carry some of that baggage with me. (Though obvi this is nothing compared to many people's genuinely traumatic or abusive first hypno/kink experiences and i don't wanna take away from that!)

Never having gotten a real pretalk, going into my first trance experiences so scared (in both directions), feeling like a """bad subject""" (b/c he wasn't great at dropping me AND b/c I didn't feel comfy with him)... has really stuck with me, unfortch.

I am still unlearning that stuff, and so thankful to all the FAR, FAR SUPERIOR hypnotists who have helped me in this journey. It's also why I'm waging a holy war against people who use the term "bad subject" or don't give proper pretalks.

No one should feel uncomfortable when exploring this kink! (Or like, as non-uncomfortable as possible.) I hope it's a joyous thing for as many folks as possible! And that's why I have SO many thoughts about pretalk and framing for new subjects (see e.g. my class notes on Setting Your Subjects Up for Success).

So ummmm uhh thanks for coming to my TED talk, treat your partners right and don't try to kiss people who've explicitly told you not to kiss them, there are more kinds of inductions than just progressive relaxation, stay hydrated! <3

🦈 FIN 🦈

#true stories #true story #stories from SOL's life #thinking about kinking #look y'all comfort and trust are soooo important #i just want everyone to have a good and sexy time

[moralesmilesanhour]

AND ANOTHER THING! Going off of my tags on my previous post, outside of me just thinking they're cute I also feel like flowerbyte works better for me purely on a narrative level. One of my biggest pet peeves esp for action movies is when the romantic subplot takes over like half the story without proper development. It doesn't matter WHO it is or how much I like the characters individually I will literally fast forward through every romantic scene if it feels shoehorned in. It makes it so tedious you don't even understand. (Haterism ahead. Well not really 'hate' just mild irritation really. this is looong):

So let's look at Gwen and Miles' relationsip. We start ITSV with Miles basically having a one-sided crush on Gwen. By the end of the film they had just agreed to be friends and have known each other for maybe like a week tops, and *maybe* Gwen reciprocates but it's not extremely clear. Whatever occurs between them in between ITSV and ATSV, we don't see (it's implied that they haven't even seen each other at all for obvious reasons so. oof).

But then we jump into ATSV, and suddenly they're swinging into the sunset talking about how they're "the same"...? Besties. Friends. Niece and nephew. Neither of you know each other dfghjkl

Then the wholeee rest of their scenes together is just the film trying desperately convince us through the music, framing, and even other characters' dialogue that there is romantic (notice how i specify ROMANTIC) tension between these two kids that is just so thick you could cut through it with a butter knife. I'm sorry, but is this tension in the room with us right now...? But okay movie.

Now, compare that to the scene in ATSV where Miles and Margo first bump into each other. They're able to establish romantic chemistry almost IMMEDIATELY! One look and a 'hey'. That's all it fuckin' took! They *both* like each other and it's clear as day.

Then right after, Margo is given a quick implied backstory that instantly gives her and Miles a reason to relate to each other that isn't (necessarily) just about them both being Spider-Man (because, in Margo's words, they're ALL Spider-Man and this means you need more than that to form a genuine connection). Neither of them feel like they can be themselves because their environment at home doesn't allow for it, even without the secret identity. Bada-bing bada-boom instant connection in under 5 minutes and I am still awake by the end of it.

Then, finally, we get a scene that shows that they can, to some extent, trust each other. Margo only just met this dude a few scenes ago, but she immediately goes against Miguel's wishes knowing the consequences and attempts to send him back home because her convictions are stronger than her loyalty to Spider Society. Just that act alone makes her a better ally to Miles than like, half the cast at this point.

...And that creates a bit of a dilemma if Gwiles is meant to be endgame.

As literally everyone and their mother have pointed out by now, Gwen is objectively a bad friend to Miles in this film. But...I would also argue that there are very few instances outside of combat in either film where she's even a *good* friend. And that's sort of the point, isn't it? Gwen has been terrible at friendship for the majority of the time we spend with her because she's traumatized from literally murdering the last good friend she had. Then her dad tried to shoot her. Then Miguel-- you know how it goes. She clearly has a long way to go before even a healthy *friendship* with Miles can start to develop. So that leaves me with a few questions:

A) Why did we wait until the last scene of the SECOND FILM for her to finally decide to be a good friend

B) Why didn't they just give Miles and Gwen more scenes together where they actually get to know each other if their relationship is now so important to the story, and:

C) If Gwen's whole journey is about her inability to maintain strong friendships...Why the FUCK is she the love interest then???

Either we all just got baited, or we are now going to have to spend a decent portion of BTSV watching Gwen try to salvage a friendship that was barely even that developed to begin with, convince the guy whose trust she just lost that she would ALSO make a good girlfriend i guess, and all the while there is now another potential love interest that is clearly, *according to the movie itself*, the better option (or so it seems for now). So like...Where do we go from here?? It just feels like a clumsy narrative decision. And if they do the misogynistic ass 'cat-fight' between two female characters over the main guy I will literally commit a felony. So yeah that's where my head is at right now thank you for reading all the way through my tangent over pixels on a screen sorry everybody

#blabbering #u can disagree but keep it cute #these are just things that don't make sense to ME in MY brain #and again we are only talking about narrative for the most part ship who you want i dont care #.

[lossie92]

I have been wondering about something for a while now, namely the whole idea that Izuna is weaker than Tobirama or that Tobirama was somehow pulling punches during their fights.

These are both very popular tropes in Founders Era fics, both in mdtb fandom and outside of it, and they always bugged me, because imo they have absolutely no foundation in canon.

If we look at canon (both anime and manga, since the anime expanded on the second confrontation way more and provided us with more details than just the moment Tobirama strikes Izuna with the Hiraishingiri) we can see that in that second scene where Tobirama and Izuna are fighting it’s Tobirama who recoils from Izuna and seems to be more on the defensive, not vice versa. 

In fact, in this particular scene, Tobirama at one point closes his eyes to avoid looking into Izuna’s Sharingan, which I believe is an instinctual response caused by fear and something which could have easily cost Tobirama his life (if Kishimoto was actually consistent for once and didn’t have a bloody end for Izuna in mind already). 

I mean, the two of them were in such close quarters when this happened that it’s a miracle Tobirama is alive. Izuna could have so easily stabbed him it’s actually laughable that it didn’t happen. It’s the biggest opening a ninja in Tobirama’s position could give!

Either way, during that scene we can also see how calm and almost smug Izuna is in comparison to Tobirama. He almost seems to be playing with him, like a cat with a mouse. 

If we compare that to their first interaction, we can see a huge difference on that front. In the first one, Tobirama comes off very aggressive and Izuna is not only very  focused, but also seems apprehensive about fighting Tobirama whom we know he had never fought before. In that scene we also know that Izuna doesn’t have his Sharingan yet and I also think it’s possible this is the first big fight Izuna was a part of whereas Tobirama had probably already gone on missions by then. Despite being close in age, they are at very different points in their ninja career there. 

When we then look at that second fight, Izuna’s attitude is completely different. He is actually smirking and seems very certain he is on top of the game. 

This attitude he displays in that second scene always led me to believe Tobirama and him were a very evenly matched duo, at least for the most part, though I also think the moment Izuna awakened the Mangakyou Sharingan, which must have happened at some point prior to this fight, things changed. It marked a shift in their dynamics as it doubtlessly gave Izuna a huge advantage over Tobirama who, we have to remember, has no bloodline limit to speak of and whose genjutsu seems to be amongst his weakest skills (I expanded on this headcanon in my Tobirama headcanon post). 

Mind you, it’s not to say Tobirama is weaker. As I said I think they were evenly matched. Still, I also think Izuna had a clear advantage, which he was very well aware of - an advantage Tobirama couldn’t hope to counter. 

Here it’s important to remember the Hiraishin wasn’t something Tobirama could have ever used while being caught in a Sharingan-based technique, which makes it a walkaround instead of a proper counter - it allowed Tobirama to move in a way in which Sharingan couldn’t possibly see him, but it didn’t let him escape a genjutsu already in place. 

What would have happened should Tobirama have missed the mark with the Hirashingiri though? 

I think it’s a given it would have likely been the only time Tobirama could have been able to catch Izuna unawares with that technique.

Something people tend to forget is how terrifying the Sharingan is.

It literally copies jutsu. All jutsu that isn’t a bloodline limit. As such, virtually all of Tobirama’s techniques would be something Izuna could copy. He could use them once, maybe twice, and that was probably it. Afterwards Izuna was not only prepared for a similar attack and could counter it, he could actually replicate it and use it against Tobirama.

Remember the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza, and how frightened Zabuza was of Kakashi’s ability to mimic him and copy his movements as well as his jutsu? I think that’s exactly what Tobirama was feeling any time he faced against Izuna - the same type of dread and fear.

Of course Izuna couldn’t have copied the Hiraishin, but Tobirama 1) probably doesn’t know that and 2) it wouldn’t matter anyway as Izuna would be from then on aware Tobirama could use this jutsu and he could have come up with something to counter it if not a block like Susanoo. They had fought each other long enough that I think the counter scenario is definitely possible. After all, Madara didn’t need to use Susanoo to escape Tobirama’s attacks and the two of them likely never fought before that one single confrontation during the Fourth Shinobi War.

I also wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if the reason why Tobirama closed his eyes was because he had fallen victim to Izuna’s genjutsu in the past, either before Izuna got the Mangakyou or after, possibly both, and that this experience was traumatic to the point of making him terrified of the Sharingan, enough so that he abandoned all of his training when faced with it. 

I would even wager that this could have been a fairly recent event and something that could have potentially given him the final push to finish the Hiraishin as it could have made him realise he was one wrong move away from certain death.

At least that’s what I can gather from canon by analysing the way in which these two characters interacted, short though these interactions might be.

In conclusion, I think it’s safe to say that:

- Tobirama and Izuna were each other’s equals, at least for the most part

- Tobirama was very likely afraid of Izuna’s Sharingan

- Izuna thought himself better than Tobirama and wasn’t afraid of him

Of course canon isn’t the be all, end all, and everyone is allowed their own opinion on this. I just like to stick with characterisation and worldbuilding that could imo logically work with what information canon gives us, and base my headcanons on that. We don’t have much to work with, so might as well use it, you know?

#tobirama #izuna #tobirama headcanons #izuna headcanoans #naruto headcanons #naruto #naruto founders #just lossie thoughts #i spend a lot of time thinking about this #in case you can't tell

[zahri-melitor]

Newish Comics, Regular Edition (thank you extremely early spoilers meaning I spent yesterday on the Gotham War stuff, this is a big edition and I’ve been holding myself back from touching these for FOUR WHOLE WEEKS):

Birds of Prey #1: Righto so as I read this my levels of trust are building just slightly. There is at least reasoning being built into this scenario. Also I note the note that this is post Green Arrow #6

The list!!! I’ve already ranted about this but I want to note how IMMACULATE the order of “Shiva, Selina, Talia?, Cheshire?” is. Shiva’s the obvious starting point. She’s heavily associated with Sin, she’s an actual Bird of Prey from several team lineups, there’s the whole Dinah and Shiva relationship… Dinah would consider this. Jumping to Selina next, as someone who again has had multiple BoP appearances, is known to ally up if asked, exists in the antihero spectrum, Dinah’s probably also now aware she’s been looking after Lian. Then Talia. I am unaware of Talia being associated with any BoP team lineup ever but she’s an obvious next place for thoughts to go. Talia has Views and if you’re looking at dangerous people who can help with an extraction rescue she’s an option. Then finally, Cheshire. Who Dinah full well knows would cause ALL LEVELS of drama if Dinah asked her to go after Sin given everything around Lian, but is willing to consider it anyway for a moment there.

I do adore the art style in this, DC’s really putting out some stunning LOOKING books at the moment, also the old fashioned comics style and colour here are giving me vibes of the Black Canary 1991 run.

“What’s more important than a sister” remains excellent, Barda and Cass together is just amazing, and I’m interested in what happens with Zealot and Meridian. I understand why Harley’s there even if I don’t like it, and it’s largely approached better than I expected (I just can’t summon the energy to care about that fight scene, it’s establishing stuff to jury rig a reason for Harley to be here at all, I just don’t care about Harley enough, though does Harley have a secret past with the Dava Sborsc ‘collect all the single punches’ form of martial arts?)

My actual big question is: Sin is SIXTEEN? I mean I know we’ve had 2.5 reboots since the last time she was on page in comics, but she was approximately 10 years old after One Year Later. She was in PRIMARY SCHOOL. That’s even faster aging than Damian! (I guess we could stretch the point to her being 11-12, but it feels older than she was depicted)

Blue Beetle #1: The thing I MOST adore about using that JLI picture for Ted is that even with this comic set in the current present, Ted was on the team with a proper USSR Red Rocket. Ted you were a superhero 32 years ago?

Also amused we got a zany Charlton Comics era villain back.

RED BEETLE IS BACK!!! Oh no. Also almost impossible for it to be Paco given various reboots, so… (I’m sure Ted is fine. They’re not killing him off permanently in the first issue of this)

Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1: BEA! TORA! “Each day is a gift, and I get to share it with my best friend!” (Howling. I’m howling. They’re going to spend this entire mini baiting us all aren’t they)

…Martha immediately starts comparing Fire & Ice to her and Jonathan. “Gorilla Grodd’s little sister” (whose name appears to be Linka Grodd? And who is queer).

NOOOO THEY’RE BREAKING UP! AND THEY WEREN’T EVEN TOGETHER! YOU TWO JUST LESBIANED YOURSELVES INTO A BUSINESS TOGETHER! AND A TWELVE MONTH LEASE!

“Abandoned by my best friend, maybe the only true friend I’ve known.” (Get a room together)

AWW YEAH AMBUSH BUG!!

I am going to thoroughly enjoy this BECAUSE the entire run will be queerbait and hopefully Bea and Tora might finally get to kiss or something in issue 6. I am ready for this. Just gals being pals.

City Boy #4: this remains outstanding in my opinion. I really like what they’re doing with Cameron, and they’re making using Darkseid actually make sense. Also Chemo blowing up Bludhaven has been recanonised!

Shazam! #3: “Dan Mora an alien?” bookmark ahhahahaha. The background details are where Mora really has fun.

NOT THE AUDITORS.

This just remains silly fun (the Moon Emperor?) so I’m enjoying it.

Warlord #18: this week in the land of Skartaris we apparently DID manage to get out of 500km of desert in a single issue. Amazing work, Grell.

Travis once again using his gun. How many bullets left, Travis, how many. Can you make more?

Then they get attacked by the BLOODMOON and kidnapped by space aliens for breeding purposes. After running away from a T-rex.

And then…TRAVIS MORGAN BONDAGE SCENE. I’ve missed these, Grell, how have you been coping?

Travis gets transmuted into a minotaur. This will clearly only go well. (Sadly it gets fixed like three pages later)

Tara saves the day twice because Tara’s actually more competent than Travis.

#z canon read throughs #newish comics

[variousqueerthings]

so we're at the final double-episode of the rtd run *wipes brow*

look I'm biased. I'm sure we're all biased in terms of which era we started in, whether it was nu!who or classic!who pre-post rtd... but it's just such a good run. it just is:

obviously brought doctor who successfully back to life and returned it to its status of one of the most iconic pieces of television of all time

updated it to a 21st century storytelling format and audience, with a focus on the companion as the lens through which the show was introduced and the fact that the doctor needs them on a deep, fundamental level that echoes back and gives depth to some classic companions that maybe never got their proper dues within the show, and ripples forwards right into 13's run with bringing classic companions back!

emotional follow-through, with one long arc spanning from season 1 until the next regeneration. I've heard/seen some people think that ten near the end, and especially in the last episode, is self-indulgent and whiny, but I just... idk that is incorrect imo. this iteration of the doctor is a survivor of war and genocide, and clings desperately to people who eventually leave, and they tend to react very strongly to the continued death around them until they decide to literally test time to see if they can beat it and save someone who Shouldn't Be Saved, and then, just when they maybe have found a measure of peace with it all, they have to knowingly go and die. it's a lot for the character to emotionally compute, I think ten is allowed a little tantrum before going through with it, because so much of that regeneration is the universe using ten as a punching bag (after nine was so excited to see what came next too...)

like yeah, it's angsty writing, but that's kind of the point. emotional follow-through on concepts (immortality, transience, alienness, etc) that previously were a tad brushed over, with an added specific survivor's guilt + PTSD thrown in for good measure

speaking of all the people who leave for whatever reason -- companions with families and high stakes at home and individual personal reasons for travelling with the doctor, and for having to move on from that travelling. no longer mostly stumbling into the tardis and then sticking around until suddenly back home (or um... a couple of times dying), and reeeelatively comparably easy goodbyes (for the most part) -- being left over and over, or making the decision to go on alone, or seeing people die, hurts. and on the flipside of that, seeing all that splendor and then having to go on with life... what does that do to a person?

although chris eccleston unfortunately didn't have a great time and deserved better, the atmosphere once behind-the-scenes found its footing was clearly so supportive and friendly. people were coming back year after year (and so many of them have come back for rtd's new run, which I think says a lot too)

I know the music isn't technically underrated, but I think the music is kind of underrated actually, especially individual episode scores. the companion scores, the gallifrey score, the ood choir, the action score that was introduced in s3, and so many more, all perfection and show up wonderfully as various motifs in different places, but individual episodes had perfectly tailor-made scores (some personal favourites are dalek, father's day, impossible planet/the satan pit, gridlock, human nature/family of blood, midnight, and waters of mars)

similarly to the doctor being self-indulgent, I've also heard that dtennant is overrated, which, again, I get it. I don't agree, but I do think that some people don't engage enough with other iterations of the doctor, and so aren't really giving "the doctor as a whole character" their due shake, but sticking only with ten's narrative. that being said there's nothing about dtennant's performance that I think is anything less than amazing. and there's a reason that ten is so beloved, and it's that the main themes of the nu!who soft reboot rtd era stories that people weren't sure would last beyond a season or two, are carried on ten's slender slender shoulders and dtennant does it perfectly (see, I do think there could be less romance in ten's run, because it never works for me, and that's partly that the writers themselves seem to be shy about it/not quite sure what to do with it (because it shouldn't be there in the first place) but that's not the performance, that's unfortunately dtennant's jessica rabbit-ness). the point being, this was for a new generation that was coming from a different television background, and it was done pretty perfectly. and also dtennant loves doctor who, absolutely loves it to bits, and that shines through... the fucking nerd

rtd's main flaws (there are none I'm kidding!!) are that things can get unwieldy once they get too big, and there are times where one can see the cracks badly covered by duct tape in the format and pacing of some of the bigger adventures. that being said, every single rtd finale (from the flawless bad wolf/parting of the ways to the messy bitch that is the end of time pt1+2) is always at the end about something incredibly (for lack of better word) human. it's always about the relationships between the companions and the doctor (and also the doctor and the master, but that makes sense). the doctor and rose, the doctor and martha, the doctor and donna, the doctor and wilf (honorary companion). and the pretty big cast of characters that make them feel real -- rtd may at times be messy but he is hardly ever boring or emotionally vacant. the story itself might become untethered, but the emotions are firmly understandable

(that being said, fingers crossed that 13 years of post-doctor who have given him more sense of what to keep and what to scrap, so that the specials can be both silly and serious, without the seesaw completely ripping out of the ground -- I mean, mainly I hope it won't be wanky and self-congratulatory, but I have faith on that front! we'll see in one month)

this era of television did something that has barely ever (has it ever?) been done before. brought a story back and made it not only work, but near-perfectly balance respect for the classic, with leaps and bounds into the new. it created a brand new generation of fans, and brought along the older ones too

as a kid I didn't think any of these things, because I was just watching doctor who through the gaps of my fingers (I was a very frightened child overall). and like I said, bias ahoy, because nostalgia will do that to you, but you know what? it's still good. it's really really good. I'm so glad that it's part of my DNA

#doctor who #dw #rtd #russell t davies #david tennant

[rinamars]

hi mars, hope you're well <33

🍓🛼🌿🍄 for the ask game?

hi flo 🫂 i'm doing well, i hope the same goes for you <3 thank you for stopping by!!

🍓 how did you get into writing fanfiction?

i discovered fanfiction when i was a wee 12/13 year old. in middle school i was obsessed with harry potter, and so i ended up reading tons and tons of harry potter fanfics after school, and what a wonderful new world it was!! people write stories about things that didn't happen in canon but wish they did?? people write romantic stuff between characters?? these characters... kiss??? needless to say i was glued to the italian fanfic website. i developed an obsession for stories involving hermione granger and fred weasley, because pairing up a goody-two-shoes and a goofball has always melted my heart, and eventually this obsession made me go like "wait, i can write something like this myself!!" and so i did. they weren't good. they really weren't. but i had so much fun. the moment i entered high school and realized that my writing was nothing special i stopped :( i kept comparing myself to others and it stopped making writing fanfic fun. i kept reading, though, and eventually commander erwin smith made me find the joy in writing again heheh (and this was also my first time writing reader inserts)

🛼 describe your latest wip with five emojis.

🏡👩🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏼👀🪑🍆 it's just some silly and mindless ***** where they **** on their ***** in front of ***** ********** in the middle of the day 😇 (i'm just taking a lil break from working on the Bigger Wips)

🌿 give some advice on writer's block and low creativity.

oh man, i wish i has some actual advice!! usually these things work for me:

- if you have even the smallest idea for a story in general or for a specific chapter, write it down, bc reading through those small ideas might reignite the inspiration;

- reread your past works / works by your fav writers to help you get the creative juices flowing;

- do NOT force yourself to write if you can already feel it's not the right moment for it, it's supposed to be a fun pasttime, not a chore;

- outline your whole story/chapter first in bullet points, and then do the same thing for each scene, so that it feels less daunting or overwhelming.

maybe they're not revolutionary pieces of advice, but yeah 😔 typically i try not to force myself and to wait for the right moment to come on its own

🍄 share a headcanon for one of your favourite ships or pairings.

i don't think levi was illiterate before joining the scouts, but i do think erwin helped him learn more proper/refined vocabulary and write in cursive. those nights are what allowed them to truly get that close post-acwnr.

(thank you for the asks <3)

writers truth or dare ask game

#msg

[diablo-that-first-spark]

What's in store for Act IV?

Welcome cupcakes! I hope everyone is having a wonderful 2024 so far. If you have gotten this far in reading, I reckon you’d like to know what is going on with the fanfic, right? This is a status update on that very topic. No, That First Spark is not dead, don’t worry! This hiatus is entirely planned, although I wish I could tell you how long it will last. Months more than likely, maybe a year? This is all very new territory for me, forgive me, cupcakes.

TL;DR version: the final act needs massive amounts of pre-planning compared to the previous parts, and I also need to weed out potential storylines I really want in there, but don’t actually have a place in there (but may end up in a spin-off). Unfortunately, I am also not that good at pre-planning stories because I am a Discovery/Gardener type of writer, and boy oh boy, going into details before setting out on the road is not our forte.

So that is why I am asking for your patience, cupcakes! TFS is not dead until I say it is dead. In the meantime I have ideas to fill in the pause: illustrations of previous chapters; concept art; idea blurb posts; general personal tactics and philosophies on writing. Ideas, may I emphasize. These would be uploaded to my DeviantArt gallery and here (and later Blogger when I build that out) – links at the end!

If this is where you stop reading (understandable), then have a lovely rest of your day and keep being awesome!

For those who are interesting in the detailed explanation, here’s the long version:

A good question to ask is: it’s just fanfiction, why don’t I just go for it, screw the planning phase? Who cares if the act is filled to the brim with stuff, we are here to have fun!

Absolutely fair point to make. We are here to have fun, and I hope my fanfic has provided that so far, if you are here reading this! Unfortunately, it is not that simple situation on my end.

For one, I actually want to be a professional writer one day (I actually have the basis of three entirely original series figured out too!) and because of that, fanfiction is not just a place for me to have fun (although I am certainly often having the time of my life here), but it is first and foremost a training ground. I want to get better at writing and so I do my best to employ professional practices in all of my works. One of those practices is the infamous “Kill your Darlings” tactic, which involves getting rid of characters, storylines, scenes, entire worldbuilding elements which you really really love and/or worked hard on… but they just don’t have a place in the story proper.

Thus, Act IV is going to go through a whole bunch of darling-culling, from the looks of it. I want too much right now and it genuinely looks like one of those terrible Hollywood blockbusters: half-a-day long runtime yet still not enough to address everything that happens in the film. They tend to piss me off and I want to avoid making the same mistake if I can help it. Just to illustrate why Act IV needs pre-planning: Act III originally had a whole arch where Tyrael, Quiet and Zayl would have traveled across the war-torn desert around Caldeum, dealing with shitty mages and the necromancers Rathma would send against them, can you believe that? Yeah, that is the kind of wild swings in plans I need to avoid in Act IV as much as possible. I probably can’t avoid them entirely, given the Discovery writing style, but they can certainly be cut back.

Will all those darlings disappear forever? Not necessarily, actually. Some will, absolutely, because they prove to be just terrible ideas on the long run. But there are some ideas, unfortunately quite vague so far, that could actually turn into a spin-off series next to TFS. It depends on a lot of factors, so I’m afraid I can’t say or promise anything concrete, cupcakes. But the dream is alive!

For two, writing TFS takes insane amounts of time and effort, and I want to give myself a chance to finish this story in the near future. Now please don’t get me wrong, cupcakes, I do not regret in the slightest that I have embarked on this journey. I wouldn’t trade the time spent writing about Lyndon, Quiet, Tyrael, Malthael, Abd and everyone else, for anything in this world. I have learnt so damn much about myself and my style, writing in general, the lore of Diablo and historical facts of the real world. I have met truly horrible and truly amazing people through this story and for almost an entire year I could maintain a regular upload schedule, these are all very valuable experiences.

But on the other hand, there is no denying the time TFS consumes. I want to eventually write other, original stories (and hopefully make a good living out of them), I want to tackle other larger projects and Anu knows what else life will throw at me on the long run outside of creative ventures. I may one day learn to juggle multiple projects at once and progress in all of them effectively, that would be great. But for now, that is unfortunately not part of my skillset.

Yeah, I know I just talked about a possible spin-off story because Anu help me, I’m always so hopeful about my creative projects and I love Diablo’s world so much. Time constraints and my own abilities are two of the many factors that would decide the fate of that idea.

And let us not forget your time is valuable as well, cupcakes! You are absolute troopers for making it this far, and I am grateful beyond words to all of you for spending your time with my work, and even more so if you even leave comments along the way! But I know you have other stories to get to, other worlds to explore and people to meet. And yes, sure, reading one chapter every month or few months isn’t that demanding. But I have always believed, even before I thought about becoming a professional, that a writer should know when to end a story. Stretching that out, endlessly adding more and more plot points, characters and stakes which exponentially increase in ridiculousness, is a certified death sentence in my eyes. (Hells, I’m already on thin ice regarding the stakes, considering the main character is basically a creator god…)

Yes, I know this is a personal opinion, some people genuinely love decade-spamming tales, and hey, more power to those people! Sail those seas for as long as you are able!

TFS is not going to be one of those stories, and I hope it will be all the better for it.

So, to summarize my goals during this hiatus:

- Nail down the basic storyline of Act IV with as few future wild swings in the plan as possible. I will be mostly employing the lessons of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, if anyone would like to learn as well. That book is my personal Bible, no questions.

- Kill a city state’s worth of Darlings. See if any of them can be saved into a spin-off story. No promises, only dreams.

- Build up a buffer of chapters before I start uploading. I am most afraid of this challenge if I can be honest with you, cupcakes.

- In the meantime, possible ideas to fill out the hiatus: illustrated scenes from previous chapters; concept art of characters; idea blurb posts; general personal tactics and philosophies on writing. Again, just ideas.

I have no idea how long the hiatus will last. I have a feeling I should take a bit of a break from Diablo as a whole, but I still have a 19-page fancomic to finish about the Angiris Council, good lord. It will be posted to my DeviantArt gallery for sure by the way! :D

And to here as well IF I don’t nuke that bastard and move to Blogger by the time it is finished. (There will be a post here when that happens, it will be up for a year at least, don’t worry about missing it)

Back on track…

I can’t even give you cupcakes an estimate, I have never done anything like this before. I’m flying blind but bloody Hells, bring it on! >:D If you wait out the hiatus, I love you for it. If you give up on the fic, I totally understand it and I thank you for your time up to this point!

So, thank you for reading, thank you for your patience, and hopefully we will see each other soon with the first proper chapter of Act IV! Lilith needs some proper ass-whooping, and I shall deliver, cupcakes! Take care and keep being awesome!

2024.03.07.

#that first spark #diablo #diablo fanfiction #act iv #what's in store for act iv

[aprilblossomgirl]

KinnPorsche Episode 6 Aftertaste I Need to Let Out from my System

(oh well, this post definitely contains spoilers)

This episode left my heart full, and empty at same time. It answered some of my lingering questions from the previous episode, while opening a new arc of the next conflict. It made me giggled and wanted to cry altogether. And that heartwarming feels upon watching the bond between Kinn and Porsche, unavoidable.

I remember starting to have this ticklish feeling on the fourth episode. I don't know why, but this series have made me wanted to understand the casts' feelings. Maybe, part of the reason, I feel like their characters were developed far better in the series compared to that in the book/novel. So many layers were added, which made they were much more interesting to understand. The thing is, I couldn't touch on Porsche's feeling since the episode: what does he feel of the drunk kiss on the pier, what does he feels of having his first experience on killing somebody, what does he feels after the eventful diamond auction night, what does he feels throughout receiving Kinn's cold treatment after that, what does he feels being visited, at home, by Kinn himself. He looked confused, and his confusion was transferred to me. I didn't know what to make out of the episodes. What should I feel?

But guess, last night's episode gave the answer, clearly, if not vaguely. Porsche loves Kinn. In a way he cared about Kinn, in a way he looked at Kinn, in a way he forgave Kinn about that night even before Kinn apologized specifically for it, in a way he both confronted and reacted to Kinn.

-- I must admit, to a certain point it was quite painful to watch the forgiveness, (No, I don't want to be a part of those non-con/dub-con debates.) in terms of how both, but especially Kinn, dealt with the situation after which ended up hurting Porsche, but then, perhaps unbeknownst to Porshce, hurt Kinn himself as well. Painful, but acceptable nonetheless. --

Porsche loves Kinn, but maybe not in a way he fully understand the feeling, yet. And so do Kinn. It's clear that he's strongly drawn to Porsche, attracted to him, and maybe, loves him. But again, not in a way he fully understand. I wouldn't be surprised if they were actually still questioning what they have inside. However, the stark contrast on how they processed it as it might be: regardless how carefree they both looked just as the same (maybe for being away from their respective responsibilities), Porsche seemed to be at peace, while Kinn was having this occasional frustrated or pained looks on him (which eventually we could guess it might be rooted from his intention to let go of Porsche).

Please note that I wrote this solely based on what I felt while watching the episode and how I usually process my feelings, and also that I wanted to give a proper space for my own confusion on the series (which I must say a much needed confusion). It might be a really different experience, thus a different take, from everybody else. I'll do some reblog of posts that resonance close with what I feel.

Now, I wanted to highlight some scenes that tugged my heart the most last night:

1) Their conversation about childhood and dream. Like many might have mentioned, it's heartbreaking to learn that both of them actually lost their carefree childhood time as they must took responsibilities at an early age. It's especially aching when Kinn, maybe not deliberately, said that he felt Tankhun might have been faking the aftereffect of his kidnapping to avoid taking responsibilities as the Theerapanyakul's heir. But then, Porsche implied that it was indeed possible to have such traumatic effect, and in turn told his own painful story of his parent's death and the effect it had on him. Them being open and vulnerable in front of each other was beautiful to see. And, Kinn's stare towards sleeping Porsche on his side is just...

2) This needs to be mentioned earlier, but anyways, their whole bickering sessions! I was torn, between wanting to laugh at their silly banters and to constantly "aaaww"-ing at their growing closeness. The handcuff must be hurtful and sting their wrists, but indeed it 'helps' them bond and communicate better.

3) Kinn's recklessness to jump across the two cliffs(?) while dragging Porsche when he heard his name was being called. I might be wrong, but I feel like I saw some anxiousness in his eyes, a conflict between wanting to be found and not be found altogether.

4) The apology and the forgiveness. Needless to say anything more. It's exactly as expected, if not beyond. The whole conversation was what made me believe that they do love each other.

5) The letting go and the coming back. After having my heart full at the previous scene, here it breaks again. It must have been hard for Kinn to muster his courage and willingness to let go of Porsche. It must have been equally hard for Porsche to accept the fact that Kinn let him go and to decide taking the chance to be free. But then it took him just the sound of a gunshot to come running back to Kinn to protect him. Maybe no longer as his bodyguard, but as someone who loves him.

And then, there's the ending scene *cries*.

My appreciation for the lead actors, Mile and Apo, and the director(s) and all the filming crews involved in the whole sequence of forest scenes for their wonderful teamwork. The episode came out beautifully, heartwarming and heartbreaking the same way. Every new episode was always better than the previous, including the last night's, raising my expectation for the next but at the same time encouraging to fully put my trust on the team. It seems to me that the director(s) know very well what they wanted to be expressed through each scene. Mile and Apo truly delivered (again) the range of emotions through out the episode, from the silly arguments, the genuine and heartfelt conversations, and the affections they have for each other. Their acting, stares, and expressions were top notch. My heart was mostly with Porsche during the fourth and fifth episodes, but this episode, it strongly goes to Kinn. You know why.

Lastly, be still my heart and mind. There're six more days before the new episode comes out.

So are you okay KinnPorsche nation?

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #kinn x porsche #forest scene #this episode made my heart full and empty again #i didn't intend to write this long 😭 #what did you do to me kinnporsche #it's been very much a while since the last time i actually write a blog post

[fononik]

Making direct positive prints without a darkroom: pt. 1

Direct positive paper can be loaded directly into a large format camera or a pinhole camera to create positive image prints without an intermediate negative image. They are easily developed in a darkroom, just like any other photo paper, and contrast can be controlled by preflashing (exposing the paper to light) a certain amount before developing. This post will present a method to develop and preflash direct positive paper without a darkroom.

The specific paper being used is Harman Direct Positive Paper, which I purchased from B&H. The official data sheet rates the paper between ISO 1 and 3. I will be rating it at ISO 3 for these tests, and shooting in my Crown Graphic. 

Exposure tests

First, I want to nail the proper exposure. My first time with this paper, I shot it outdoors, and one sheet was completely white (overexposed) with no image, and the other had an image which was severely overexposed. There may have been some user error (not closing the shutter for the first one...) but the second I thought I had rated correctly. I decided to do these exposure tests indoors in a more controlled setting. 

(Henry is helping. Thanks Henry.)

I arranged some objects, exposure notes, and a gray, white, and black card under some lights. I took a spot reading off the gray card with my Sekonic for ISO 3, and this gave me an exposure time of 1 minute at f/11. I took four shots of this scene: -1, 0, +1, and +2, changing the shutter speed for each (so, 30 seconds, 1 min, 2 min, and 4 min). I overexposed for two stops because the paper is also rated at ISO 1, so there might be more wiggle room in that direction. Here are the four resulting prints:

Print 1, at -1 stop, is very underexposed, and print 3, at +1 stop, is very overexposed. However, print 2, while having the best exposure, is still extremely high contrast, which is characteristic of the paper. It fails to reproduce a range of gray tones without preflashing--notice the gray card is nearly as dark as the black card in print 2. Though, print 2, and therefore ISO 3, will be our starting point for the preflashing tests. (Also notice that print 4 has a chemical stain--I’ll get to this when discussing processing.)

In-camera preflashing

The data sheet links above gives one method for preflashing with a darkroom enlarger. Preflashing will soften the image and allow more gray tones to appear. However, as this method does not make use of a darkroom, I did in-camera preflashing. (Thanks to @ceegeedee​ for the suggestion!) There are a variety of methods out there already; for this one I will expose the print at my Raleno LED lightpad that I use for film scanning. I have it on a tiny point & shoot tripod, so I was able to position it on the camera rails like so:

However, as it is difficult to make a test strip, I will do four additional prints with differing degrees of preflashing. I read elsewhere that rating around -2 stops is good for preflashing, so my method here is as follows:

Take a picture of the scene at the proper exposure rating (here still ISO 3)

Take a spot reading of the light pad as configured above. Here, it metered for 1/60s at f/4. 

Preflash (double expose the sheet) at a rating lower than this.

The four prints I shot next had the following exposure settings for the preflash stage. These are roughly -1, -2, -3, and -4, but not quite (as my lens is max f/4.7 and has the older shutter speed scale). The exposure settings for the four prints below are:

1/100s @ f/4.7 (roughly -1)

1/200s @ f/4.7

1/400s @ f/4.7

1/400s @ f/5.6 (roughly -4)

And here are the results:

Compare print 1 above with print 2 from the exposure tests. The gray card is now obviously a gray card, and there is much more shadow detail visible. (There was one change in the scene: I removed the clock, because it was casting a big shadow on the model camera and also because my cats knocked things over while I was processing.) Of these four, I think print 1 looks best, with maybe also print 2 looking decent (but still fairly high contrast). I didn’t do a preflash rated at 0, because I read it would be too bright, but now I am curious. Even this preflash rated at -1 from the light source makes a huge difference, and that’s what I’ll be trying in the field next time.

Processing

With preflashing able to be accomplished in-camera, the last step is processing. I used the same supplies to develop sheet film to develop these paper prints. I have a Stearman Press kit, which holds 4 sheets in flat holders. You may have luck with the sheet holders that fit into the round tanks, but there might be some potential issues. For one, the fiber paper gets very wavy and curly. This is what it looked like when I opened the tank after processing:

Normally, the sheets should be flat and not touching. Here they are not flat and touching. Oops. This is likely why the one print above had a chemical stain. However, the other 7 I processed this way turned out fine. I used Ilford Multigrade developer, and the one caveat is that you have to develop paper blind: you can’t look at the image as it appears as you would in a darkroom. I developed for 2 minutes with constant, gentle agitation. I think the development time worked and I didn’t notice any problems that I would attribute to this. The rest, stopping, fixing, washing, etc, work the same as in a darkroom; you’re just still using the tank. This method obviously requires both a changing bag and the equipment to develop sheet film, but that is still a lot less involved than using a full darkroom. 

Potential issues

The exposure tests were done indoors with very long shutter speeds. There is the potential issue of how this paper handles reciprocity, and how the same changes in exposure settings will translate to much brighter scenes such as in sunlight. Also, if shooting outdoors, you do not necessarily need a light pad to preflash; any bright surface should do. It just needs to be consistently bright across the whole frame, so carrying a small diffuser of some sort might work just as well. Because you only get one chance at the image, the controlled methods here might not exactly translate to in the field, and you might end up with a ruined image. I hope to do similar tests of outdoor scenes soon. 

#black and white #darkroom #large format #film #film photography #alternative process

[viscountessevie]

I’d agree about the body type differences, Phoebe and Hannah are on the skinny (and as someone pointed out stereotypical period heroine) side whereas Ruby’s body type is like Florence Pugh’s which im not sure what the proper term is for. Ruby is shorter than Phoebe a bit but so is Florence, and between them Flo is the one I’d say is closer to Phoebe’s (and Hannah’s) body type so I get what that anon was saying about conventional attractiveness and wishing Fran’s new actress didn’t really fall under that

Thanks for the ask anon! Okay so I've seen this pop up a few times now. Before this ask, it was mentioned in my previous ask and I think that anon may have gotten it from a post in the main tag that I've seen before but for the life of me cannot find it right now. So if anyone sees that post mentioning Hannah not being like Ruby in physical likeness please do let me know in the comments thanks!

I just want to put this out there as a blanket statement: As someone who has always been skinny and not targeted to be ridiculed because of her weight, I feel like I'm not the best person to talk about this. So if anyone else better equipped wants to weigh in on this please feel free to do so!

That being said, here is my two cents: I kept googling the girls and comparing to see what 'different body type' I was missing because honestly the only thing I see is Ruby has a rounder face than Hannah and Phoebe. However, in this full length picture, she's looks to be my height and weight so I'd consider her skinny since her build reminds me of mine.

And to me personally, Florence Pugh is more curvier than any of the three Bridgerton girls.

As Trivia @hptriviachamp has mentioned in our discussions; "While she wished for better body diversity in bridgerton, neither Ruby nor Hannah fulfil that, and she's not gonna judge their acting ability by their looks- and that goes either way." And I feel the same way.

Would it have been great if we got more body diversity via Fran's new casting? Yeah! It would have been great to have a fat actress like Nicola or Barbie Ferreira to portray a character like Frannie. It would definitely minimise the villianising of plus size characters on the show through Penalty at the moment.

But we got Hannah Dodd and so there's no use wishing for someone else. Maybe we could get a curvy or plus size Sophie but we'll see!

My friends and I have speculated that the production team only wants Nicola and Penelope so that the spotlight can be shined on her as the token fat character sigh.

Relevant addition from Zara @jeanvanjer (with some edits from yours truly to make it flow better!): 

Plus size Sophie works if they’re not following her story in the book exactly. But (for Frannie) as a rich girl and one of the Bridgertons would’ve been perfect for that rep. Even in other countries, back in the day, being bigger or curvier was a sign that you were well off. As for existing rep in the show, we’ll only get Nicola who I hope doesn’t get pressured to lose some weight for intimate scenes. There’s also a problem in any sort of Media that there’s just specific type of Plus size that’s acceptable. I mean as far as “plus size” rep goes and not what should really be fat rep because aesthetically there’s a difference right?  This was an opportunity to show a diverse body type as a “diamond” Hannah is, I’m sure a wonderful actress, and deserves the role but there are definitely actors out there who are just as talented but don’t look like models. If they have an opportunity to recast a role, they should’ve been more conscious of how they could again positively represent a community that is always undermined especially when it comes to “aesthetics”. 

Overall, I'll say it's okay to be sad and wish for more body diversity in the show but I honestly don't think Ruby brought body diversity into the show in the first place.

Thanks again for the ask and if anyone who is actually plus size and wants to add on this - feel free to via reblogs or comments (because my ask box is flooding and I'm going close them soon! Thanks for understanding :))

#bridgerton #francesca recasting news #francesca bridgerton #ruby stokes #hannah dodd #Trivia & Zaira's Stamps of Approval #Kanthypants & Eldest Daughters GC #Kanthypants & Eldest Daughter Stamp of Approval #Sanji Answers

[o-wild-west-wind]

Summary:

Sometimes it takes a hurricane to kill a Kraken; sometimes it takes love to make a pirate. In the wake of a bad storm, Ed finally extends Stede an olive branch—after all, you don’t always know what you truly feel for someone until you almost lose them. Post S1 reconciliation.

Rating: M Read on AO3

*****

In the moments before an evening storm, the sky tends to burn like fire. To the south, the clouds will rage with the golden-red stoicism of sunlight reflected; to the north, they rise as a wisp of smoke. And he always listens as the wind blows a little quicker against his skin, as if running from the promise of carnage.

He loves it, truth be told. He loves the calm before the storm. Because when the moment you’re living in is the only thing you can wholly understand, you tend to forget what’s coming next; you simply bask in the firelight, in awe of the way it burns.

How beautiful things can be, just before they hurt you.

Maybe it was in some masochistic way that he’d always presumed these moments to be the apex of beauty. Clouds of smoke and fire, beckoning the lightning strike; the gentlest kiss at the oceanside, just before a strangulation in leather and kohl. 

But now? Now that the sky was gray, and the rainfall sputtering in tired rage—now that the deck was slick, and the sails tattered, and the wind had returned to a lazy chill—now that it was quiet, and a bit ugly, and all broken up from the storm? 

Sure, it wasn’t beautiful in the way the sunset was; but there was still something that seemed beautiful. Like how rum burned as it went down; how the best marmalade was the one with a tang; how fiery infatuation settled into the humdrum quietude of love. 

He’d denied that it was love, for so many weeks—he’d buried it under the ocean floor, as a sea monster does—but it was all so obvious now. Below the billowed flags, behind the splintered wood, was love. Modest, whispered love. 

Love that looked to him for reassurance, just as it was afraid to meet his eye. The guilt would surely haunt him for ages, perhaps to his deathbed—but all he could do now was pick up the pieces as he looked for the needle and thread.

“It’s not so bad, really.”

Stede blinked at the sound of his voice, as if he might have believed he’d misheard it. He was quiet, for once, and Ed knelt beside him as he pointed back to the cracked wood. “That can just be replaced at the next port. Maybe it won’t be cherrywood, but—”

“That’s alright.” Stede ran an absent finger along the grain, his voice barely above a whisper. “It might look cooler now, patched wood and all.”

“Yeah, it probably would.” He hazarded a smile, all of a second; but it was apparently enough to embolden Stede to meet his eye.

“She’s going to be a real pirate ship now, huh? All grizzled?”

“I think she’s been a real pirate ship for a while already, mate.” 

They were both playing the game—and rather well, for what it was worth; perhaps their best round yet. For they both knew that the second they acknowledged it—that they were talking, amicably, almost friendly again—the curtains would tumble down on the scene like the torn sail at their fingertips. Ed took a hand to it, running the fabric between his fingers.

“And this is nothing compared to what Frenchie has fixed before.”

“Really? I’ve seen him nail his sleeve to the deck.”

“Well, he’s had some practice since.”

He shouldn’t have said that—he was too close to the edge now. Muscle memory, perhaps, from actively trying so many times to burst this bubble. But Stede didn’t flinch; his lips twitched, and it took a second for Ed to register it as a smile.

“Who knew that this is what it would take for us all to become proper pirates?” 

This—what was this? One hurricane punch to the bow? A vengeful Kraken, drowning men and books? 

Stede shifted his weight to grab another swath of the sail, lifting it up a bit to inspect the damage. “Love, I mean. It’s…it’s sort of ironic, isn’t it? Love, that the poets compare to flowers…”

Love. Gentle, angry, quiet, thunderous love. His body thrummed at the word, nervous and warm. “I think the poets probably underestimated it a bit.”

“It makes me wonder if the poets really even know what love is.” 

Ed held tight to the fabric in his fist, letting that word, that love, hang in the air for a quiet moment. And instead of acknowledging it, he just reached over to where Stede was holding the sail. 

“Yeah, see, it’s barely even torn. Just looks a lot worse than it is.” 

“Well, that’s a relief…not that we wouldn’t have found a way to fix it if it was really all broken up, but…” Stede turned to him, his smile a little wider now—a smile, perhaps, to hide the sadness he was surely feeling for the wreckage. “At least now we know she can sail through pretty much anything, right?”

“Right.” Fuck that smile; he wanted to resent it, a beam of caution as it were. But it was too late now to stop the crash, and he was beginning to wonder if he might even be able to dock a little more safely this time around. “I haven’t seen a storm like that in years, I think. Maybe not ever.”

“And we’re all alive to tell the tale.”

“Not all are usually so lucky.” He watched as Stede began to pull at the sail, unlodging dust and debris in its wake. “Hey, uh, just leave it. We’re all still shaken up, it doesn’t need to get fixed right away.”

“You think we’ll be okay?”

“Yeah, see the sky—it’s not going to storm again any time soon. Let’s just drop anchor and rest a moment.” 

He desperately needed a rest, after all. After the guilt of holing himself up, and missing all the storm’s warning signs in an effort to avoid their beauty; after spotting the fear in Stede’s eyes, fear it seemed that he’d been trying to hide as the boat throttled and churned; after the cold awakening as he realized that he was the only one who could keep them afloat, and throwing a reckless arm across Stede’s chest when they were losing their footing. 

Exhausted, anxious, finally succumbing to the adrenaline crash—and yet, it wasn’t even the hurricane that weighed heaviest on his mind. It was the warm eyes of a man—a lover, even, if he could begin to call him that now—that bore gentle into his own, gentler still when the biggest waves had hit. It was the echo of a whispered declaration, almost muffled by the downpour (if we don’t make it out of this alive, Ed…know that the best thing I’ve ever done with this life has been to love you). 

It was grabbing Stede’s hand, if only for a moment, and squeezing a pulse. 

“Hey.” Ed stood up and reached out a cautious arm, shaky on his feet and weak in his breath. “Let’s have a drink.”

Stede took his hand—the softest, gentlest hand—and smiled.

“Cheers to that.”

*****

Read the rest on AO3.

#i know it looks like I’m very prolific lately truth is I’m just finally getting around to proofreading #ofmd #ofmd fanfiction #our flag means death #our flag means death fanfiction #blackbonnet #gentlebeard #blackbeard x stede #my stuff

[wingsyliveblogs]

so far who would you say is your favorite charcter 9 be it major supporting side background ect )

Oof. Both of these are pretty tricky questions to answer, and it's not exactly getting any easier as I progress through the show, but I'll do my best!

(Incidentally, I answered both questions some time ago, and my original answers can be found in this post. That said, my thoughts are bound to change over time, so it seems only appropriate for me to give new answers for questions like these every now and then!)

1. Obviously it's gotta be Steve.

Okay, for a more serious answer... it's hard to say? There are a few different factors that make it tricky to pinpoint a single character who’s my absolute favourite, and I feel as though my thoughts change practically every episode. 

And I feel it’s important to clarify that this is actually really unusual for me! With most media I get into, it’s pretty easy for me to point at one specific character and go “yeah, that one’s my fave”. It could be that I’m getting an in-depth look at all of the characters that I wouldn’t normally have, or maybe that the characters and the character dynamics in this show just happen to appeal to me specifically. Probably both! Either way, it makes a question like this a bit more difficult to answer than it might otherwise be. 

So, let’s see. Just taking into consideration which characters I’m most excited to see again, I’d say my favourite character at the moment is probably Lilith? I can’t exactly explain why, though - I guess I just think she’s an interesting character and I want to know more about her?? (And of course, her dynamic with Eda is wonderful in every way.) 

Naturally, Amity remains another favourite character of mine, and I doubt that’s likely to change anytime soon. She’s just so much fun!

Beyond this, it kind of depends on the episode. When it comes to major characters, I often find myself getting particularly invested in whoever’s the focus of the episode. This tends to happen especially with Eda and King, because I love characters who are bad at emotions and they have that in spades, but overall, it can apply to pretty much anyone! For example, right now I’m feeling a lot of love for King, but who knows what’ll happen when I watch the next episode..?

And then, I always enjoy it when Principal Bump makes an appearance, so there’s that too.

...so yeah, I’m not sure if this answered your question at all, but that’s what I’ve got right now! 

2. Hmmmmm. This one’s tricky. I’m not even sure I can really give it a proper answer? There are so many good episodes, and it’s really hard to compare them. I guess, instead of trying to figure out which episodes I like the most, I’ll go with which episodes I felt I enjoyed liveblogging the whole way through the most? And I think that would be episodes 5, 9, and 11. 

But the thing is, there are a lot of episodes that I enjoyed nearly as much as these three anyway! They’re “favourites” by a very narrow margin. This is why I prefer not to do episode rankings, because it’s nearly impossible to settle on a single answer that I can’t second-guess myself on. Even choosing favourites is hard! 

Plus, this is a completely different question from, say, asking me which scenes I’ve enjoyed most in the show. If I had to answer that one, one of them would definitely be Luz figuring out the ice spell in Episode 12, and another’s got to be her talk with Amity in Episode 5, and then there’s the ending scene from Episode 2.........

#wingsy liveblogs #ask #wingsy watches owl house #now if you asked me which characters I found the most relatable that would be way easier to answer #thanks for the ask! #(incidentally if I were to give a proper answer for what scenes I like the most there would be way more than those three) #owls ep 14 #(for reference)

[phoenixyfriend]

Widows on Kamino (MCU Crossover)

I watched the Black Widow movie last night. I have. Thoughts.

There's this fairly short scene, maybe two thirds of the way through, that just made me want Natasha and Yelena landing in Kamino like... goddamn.

It's a moment where there's a room full of Widows (like a dozen) training gun stances and going through what's probably meant to be a gun kata? They move completely in sync through some fairly complicated moves, and it's eerie as fuck because they are almost entirely silent, the lighting is creepy, they have no emotions on their faces, etc. Nobody's got it up on YouTube yet but it fucking gripped me.

(I am, in fact, an entire lesbian who likes creepy shit, so I loved that scene, but that's because I thrive on the idea of dangerous women being spooky.)

I just can't stop comparing Red Room bullshit to Clones bullshit. They are VERY DIFFERENT bullshit and the sisters would have Many Opinions on things, both the training style and the decommissioning and also what family means because ahahahaha their family is. Uh.

[gestures at the entire movie about their sense of family being fucked up]

Natasha knows what's going on, Yelena never really got around to watching Star Wars (she saw the original trilogy during indoctrination so she could more easily pass as a local when undercover, but knows basically nothing about the prequels).

There is a language barrier, as is right and proper.

Natasha has just enough cards to tell Yelena to stand the fuck down because most of their training is useless here (anything involving hacking, impersonation, piloting, etc.) and what isn't useless is still going to be largely ineffective (two women versus Jango Fett, 75 Mandalorians, and however many clones are trained enough to put up a fight, not going to end well), so they need to play nice.

(Yelena doesn't recognize that they're in Star Wars, but Natasha puts together Jango's face with the Mando armor and familiar aliens and goes Ah Shit.)

So uh. They definitely end up in cells.

Like they're not putting up a fight and seem more confused and defensive than anything, which, okay, they showed up out of nowhere in a flash of light and landed in the middle of a bunch of Mandalorians, the easy interpretation there is "they don't know how they got here, AND they don't speak Basic, but they have a healthy and sensible fear of Mandalorians."

But they can't just. Get rid of these ladies. Not until they figure out where they came from/how they got here. If there's a leak or a new piece of tech that lets people just get into Kamino, and these two were a test run...

By the time they know enough Basic to actually discuss things, I feel like they're just kind of... there?

Like. "Oh yeah. Those two. We don't know what they're doing here, but tbh neither do they, and we don't really want to kill them at this point because one of them took Jango down in a spar last week--only once, don't get me wrong, Jango still won two out of three, but that's still better than most people--and now everyone's trying to get pointers on how the hell they fight because it's really different from most people here, y'know?"

They get folded in as trainers and then after like a year they go up to Jango like "Hey, we're going to tell you our shared Tragic Backstory, and also your future, and then we're going to bully you into Not Being The Worst"

I want to say that at some point Jango got like. Weirdly invested in Natasha and doesn't recognize that he has a crush.

ALSO Yelena low-key teaches the boys to do the Widow Pose to mock Natasha. She already makes fun of Natasha's tendency to pose in the movie, of course she's going to teach a bunch of clones how to do it purely to mess with her older sister.

This post has the scene with the mocking, and gifs from multiple movies that have Natasha doing The Pose.

This post has a more extended section of the mocking scene, and the later incident where Natasha does The Pose on a catwalk in the snow, and Yelena calls her a poser from the helicopter.

[Image desc: a gif of Black Widow as seen in Iron Man II, doing her classic 'about to fight' pose in a white hallway. End desc]

[Image desc: a gif of Black Widow, as seen in Black Widow (2021), in a white catsuit, coming down a rope from a helicopter and landing on a narrow grated walkway in a similar pose. There is visible snow and several individuals in black uniforms, carrying guns. End desc]

[Image desc: Immediately following the prior gif, Black Widow in the pose and dramatically lifting her head. End desc.] (above also by mcufam, same gifset, just not showing up in the gifsearch)

[Image desc: a gif from Black Widow (2021), where Natasha, casually dressed, turns to question someone off screen. The subtitles are as follows: Yelena (offscreen): Why do you always do that thing? Natasha: Do what? Yelena (offscreen): That thing you do when you're fighting. End desc]

[Image desc: a gif immediately following the last one, showing Yelena Belova, casually dressed and in a gas station store, dropping into a pose that mirrors Natasha's from Iron Man II. The subtitles have her saying "This thing that you do when you whip your hair..." End desc]

[Image desc: a gif from one of the final scenes of Black Widow (2021), where Natasha is performing a variant of the pose while sliding backwards on what appears to be a large solar panel. She (and the solar panel) are falling dramatically from a great height, and there are clouds and other debris in the background. She’s staring in determination at someone off-screen.]

#natasha romanoff #Yelena Belova #Kamino #Jango Fett #Black Widow Movie #black widow 2021 #MCU #Black Widow Spoilers #Star Wars #star wars clones #Phoenix Posts

[echotzzz]

Elriel Mate Behaviour

1. So after reread some of acotar past book and some of others post lately about elriel mate behaviour and parallel, i am really convince that elriel are mates and the second mate thing is real. Sjm said that if there are two mate bonds only one will be activate and in elriel situation this explain why Azriel couldn’t be in the same room with Elain and Lucien because of the mating bond scent. Elriel bond are not activate but the uncontrollable instinct as a mate eg.to eliminate any threats and protective towards their mates are there.

“ Lucien as Beron’s son, has the right to demand it (blood duel) of you.”. “ I’ll defeat him with little effort.” Pure arrogance laced with every words, But it was true.

Azriel only said coldly, “If Lucien kills Graysen, then good riddance.”

2. Next are the parallel of elriel between Feysand and Nessian regarding mate behaviour are also undeniable

Elain just linked her arm through Nesta’s and led her toward the family room, where Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he’d heard Elain’s sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it.

Just staring—and listening to that beautiful laugh. My mate’s laugh. I rubbed a hand over my chest at that sound—the joy in it.[...] I smiled. Smiled wider as Feyre’s laugh sounded again—as I felt it down the bond, sparkling brighter than the entirety of Starfall.

So Azriel search for the cause of Elain laugh because maybe he felt it same as Rhys when he heard Feyre laugh. And the laugh that they made are not like any laugh but the genuine laugh that comes with joy that even the bond could capture.

They were speaking, Azriel with some urgency, but Cassian didn’t hear him, heard nothing but the roaring in his head before he said to no one in particular, “I’m going after them.”[...] “Winnow me to her. Az, you find Emerie and Gwyn.”

From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, “I’m getting her back.” Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel’s hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows. Nesta said, “Then you will die.” Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, “I’m getting her back.”

The similarities of this two situation is that both male are ready to sacrifies their lives and they aware of the repurcussions. Cassian knew the rule of the blood rite that he would be hunt down and executed if he retrieved Nesta while Az would die (nearly die) if enter the Hybern camp that even his shadow recoil. Eventhough Cassian decided not to rescue Nesta he still feels worried and restless for four days and just hope that she survives.

“You’d know if she’d died,” Azriel said, pausing his work and looking up at Cassian. He tapped his brother’s chest with a scarred hand. “Right here—you’d know, Cass.”

I don’t know but this feels like that Azriel has the same understanding and have been through it to said it to cassian like that🤷🏼‍♀️

“How can I possibly be his mate?” Mates were equals—matched, at least in some ways. “He is the most powerful High Lord to ever walk this earth. You are … new. You are made of all seven High Lords. Unlike anything. Are you two not similar in that? Are you not matched?”

3. So to be mates you must somehow match, equal and complement each other. We know that Azriel are one of the most deadliest Illyrian ever lived and his siphon contains only the killing power of an Illyrian and his shadowsinging ability was developed and feared by enemies. As for Elain we know that she is a seer can see vision and future and a lot many more that would be discover in her book but same as Nesta and Feyre she was made by the Cauldron and it turns out Cauldron likes her to purr at her presence and found her so lovely. At this point Elain could regard as powerful for the Cauldon itself blessed her with a seer gifts. And to add to the mix, Elain also practise stealth and maybe some spy stuff.

She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends.

Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king’s neck as she snarled in his ear, “Don’t you touch my sister.”

I am not saying that Lucien is weak but in terms of powermatch and similarities between elriel it seems to make them as equal and best partner especially doing mission that giving good cause to save Prythian and Cauldron seems to play match maker in this👀

From Amren: an illuminated manuscript, ancient and beautiful. From Azriel: rare, vibrant paint from the continent. From Cassian: a proper leather sheath for a blade, to be set down the groove of my spine like a true Illyrian warrior. From Elain: fine brushes monogrammed with my initials and the Night Court insignia on the handles. And from Mor: a pair of fleece-lined slippers. Bright pink, fleece-lined slippers.

Okay this may be nothing but i can’t help myself to point out that even in present buying Elriel are buying the best gift and complementing each other ( what are the odds that Az bought paint and Elain gave brushes).

4. The last one i want to point out is Mor. So Mor have the power of truth right and she always there in mate situation. What if she could know a mating bond because of her power truth and reveal secrets ( A thing of secret, lovely, beauty)👀

Mor stayed overnight, even going so far as to paint some rudimentary stick figures on the wall beside the storeroom door. Three females with absurdly long, flowing hair that all resembled hers; and three winged males, who she somehow managed to make look puffed up on their own sense of importance. I laughed every time I saw it.

This scene was Mor painting in the wall during Feyre retreat after her mate revelation and before the sisters were made. At first i thought that the three female were mor, feyre and amren but amren has short hair👀. Maybe this is a forshadowing of the three brothers and three sisters🤷🏼‍♀️

Mor leaned back against the steps, utterly unrepentant. “Let him live with his Band of Exiles. Let him deal with Tamlin in his own way. Let him figure out where he wants to be. Who he wants to be. The same goes with her.” She was right. [...] Mor continued, “Just be patient. It’ll sort itself out. It always does.” Another kernel of truth.[...] “I want them to be happy. All of them.” “They will be.”

At this point Elucian will not be endgame okay i truly believe so and sjm said it is OBVIOUS (elriel👀) and it seems like Mor also thinks the same. She knew something we dont.

He was still happy to be Mor’s buffer with Azriel, but there’d been a change lately. In both of them. Mor no longer sat beside Cassian, draped herself over him, and Azriel..

So Cassian said that not only Azriel somehow gave up on Mor but Mor also stop to make Azriel jelly maybe because she sees there is no need to do it any longer. Maybe she knew abt Az feelings towards Elain.

But I strode to my seat—nestled between Amren and Mor—in time to see Elain say to Azriel, “Hello.” Az said nothing. No, he just moved toward her. Mor tensed beside me.

I think this when Mor started to see the truth between elriel feelings?? mating bond?? i just found it weird why she have a certain reaction towards them and maybe it has something to do with her truth power.

I just want to say that if elriel are not mates than it is fine too but the parallel and the crumbs really make me thinks the second mate are real. Lucien action towards Elain also show mate behaviour but much weaker?? compare to Azriel reaction. i dont know will find out in the next book to confirm. just sharing my two cents😘

#elriel #elain and azriel #elain azriel #pro elain #sjm #elain archeron #azriel #acosf #pro elriel #sjm books #azriel x elain